For many refugees the alphabet represents the start of a new language and a new future, but Anisa's Alphabet is different. A poignant and highly imaginative telling of one girl's story which will appeal to children and adults alike...Come with Anisa, and see things through her eyes. In this picture book, Anisa takes the reader though the alphabet, describing her journey from an unnamed war-torn country to a refugee camp, then on to an overcrowded boat towards supposed freedom and security. 'In this picture book, Anisa takes the reader though the alphabet, describing her journey from an unnamed war-torn country to a refugee camp, then on to an overcrowded boat towards supposed freedom and security...Prolific writer Mike Dumbleton and well-known illustrator Hannah Sommerville have taken on a weighty topic here and have produced a good quality book.' -- Katie Haydon, Books+Publishing Teachers' Notes are available here

Children′s literature is a powerful resource that can inspire a young reader’s lifetime love of reading, but how can you ensure that your literacy teaching uses this rich creative world to its fullest? This book gives pre-service primary teachers an in-depth guide to each major type of children′s book, examining the form, structure and approach of each. From fairy tales and non-fiction to picture books and digital texts, learn what qualities underpin outstanding children′s literature and how you can use this to inspire rewarding learning experiences in your classroom. Key features: Each chapter is full of key book recommendations to help you select excellent age-appropriate texts for your learners An international focus across English-language publishing, covering key books from Australian, US and UK authors A special focus on Australian indigenous children′s literature Busting popular myths about children′s literature to give you a deeper understanding of the form Evaluation criteria for every genre, helping you to recognise the qualities of high quality books This is essential reading for anyone training to teach in primary schools and qualified teachers looking to improve their professional knowledge. Matthew Zbaracki is State Head of Victoria in the National School of Education at ACU, Melbourne.

The Inner Alphabet offers a spiritual approach for learning the ABCs. While most alphabet books are externally focused, The Inner Alphabet is internally focused. Each letter has a word and corresponding statement to help children understand the word’s meaning. The age-appropriate statements are intended to be conversation starters for adults to teach children about the mind-set and choices that form the foundation for healthy, balanced living. For instance, A is for “Appreciation,” encouraging kids to look for things to appreciate. The letter B is for “Body;” children have bodies, but they also have souls. C is for “Confidence;” children should believe in themselves and know they are capable, and so on. This book is an excellent tool for adults who want children to develop the habit of being self-aware, which is a key component to social and emotional well being. Not only does The Inner Alphabet guide children on a path to self-realization, but it also builds literacy and vocabulary skills. Help your child learn the ABCs of authentic and happy living. It’s an alphabet book for the soul!

V is for Vulnerable by Seth Godin is a full-color ABC book for grown-ups, with a powerful message about doing great work. V is for Vulnerable looks and feels like a classic picture book. But it's not for kids, it's for hardworking adults. It highlights twenty-six of Seth Godin's principles about treating your work as a form of art, with illustrations by acclaimed cartoonist Hugh MacLeod. A sample: A is for Anxiety, which is experiencing failure in advance. Tell yourself enough vivid stories about the worst possible outcome and you'll soon come to believe them. Worry is not preparation, and anxiety doesn't make you better. F is for Feedback, which can be either a crutch or a weapon. Use it to make your work smaller, safer, and more likely to please everyone (and fail in the long run). Or use it as a lever to further push you to embrace what you fear and what you're capable of. This is unlike any previous Godin book and makes a great gift, both for loyal fans and those who've never read him before. Seth Godin is the author of thirteen international bestsellers that have changed the way people think about marketing, the ways ideas spread, leadership and change including Permission Marketing, Purple Cow, All Marketers are Liars, The Dip and Tribes. He is the CEO of Squidoo.com and a very popular lecturer. His blog, www.sethgodin.typepad.com, is the most influential business blog in the world, and consistently one of the 100 most popular blogs on any subject.

From Ruth Krauss, the celebrated children’s book author of The Carrot Seed and A Hole Is to Dig, comes this never-before-published book of witty one-liners—brought to life by Geisel Honor-winning artist Sergio Ruzzier. Dance with a leaf. Jump like a raindrop. Sit in the sun and shine. Not since A Hole Is to Dig and Open House for Butterflies have we seen such electric and playful words on a page. This imaginative story from Ruth Krauss—one of the most beloved children’s book authors of all time—and celebrated artist Sergio Ruzzier is a remarkable collaboration that captures the timeless spirit of Krauss’s signature wit and humor. Paired with Ruzzier’s irresistible drawings, this story will delight readers of all ages and inspire them to roar like dandelions. A perfect gift for the holidays, Valentine’s Day, and graduation!

Norman Qwerty is a man of many ideas, and none of them are the least bit ordinary. He's quite certain that no one else thinks the way he does, and this makes him keep to himself. But when his ideas get too big to hold in, he builds the most extraordinary thing Soon the beloved Mr. Qwerty is never alone (unless he wants to be), and the world will never be the same.

A moving and original debut novel. Observant, warm and extraordinary. 'There is an other-worldly quality about the Abrolhos which is beyond the reach of ordinary storytelling. Emily Brugman has captured them, staked them to the page in all their isolation and aridity and scoured indifference, because her storytelling is extraordinary.' Jock Serong, bestselling author of Preservation 'Strongly written, deeply felt, original.' Tegan Bennett Daylight 'Beautiful, fresh, wise and true - startlingly good.' - Robert Drewe, award-winning author of Whipbird In the mid-1950s, a small group of Finnish migrants set up camp on Little Rat, a tiny island in an archipelago off the coast of Western Australia. The crayfishing industry is in its infancy, and the islands, haunted though they are by past shipwrecks, possess an indefinable allure. Drawn here by tragedy, Onni Saari is soon hooked by the stark beauty of the landscape and the slivers of jutting coral onto which the crayfishers build their precarious huts. Could these reefs, teeming with the elusive and lucrative cray, hold the key to a good life? The Islands is the sweeping story of the Saari family: Onni, an industrious and ambitious young man, grappling with the loss of a loved one; his wife Alva, quiet but stoic, seeking a sense of belonging between the ramshackle camps of the islands and the dusty suburban lots of the mainland; and their pensive daughter Hilda, who dreams of becoming the skipper of her own boat. As the Saari's try to build their future in Australia, their lives entwine with those of the fishing families of Little Rat, in myriad and unexpected ways. A stunning, insightful story of a search for home. 'A beautiful, breathtaking, salty book about finding home on the far reaches of the continental shelf.' Marele Day, author of bestselling Lambs of God