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Admittedly, I’m a picture book fanatic, but I’m also an Aaron Blabey fan so I wasn’t going to let a 137-page chapter book with colourless illustrations stop me from exploring it. In fact, it made no difference to my level of reading pleasure; ‘The BAD GUYS’ is highly interactive and witty and kind of like […]

Pig the Fibber, Aaron Blabey (author, illus.), Scholastic, May 2015.   Okay, Pig fans! He’s back! And he’s up to a whole lot of mischief…again!   Award-winning author / illustrator, Aaron Blabey, is renowned for his ability to create books with clear morals, but particularly his distinguishable style of outlandish characters in farcical situations…mostly self-inflicted! […]

We’re all familiar with the theme of acceptance and being content with whom and what we are. It’s been relayed a thousand ways, right. But have you ever discovered self-worth with the aid of a carrot? Thelma has.  Aaron Blabey’s dazzling new picture book, Thelma the Unicorn not only deals with this theme in a […]

It’s holiday time so some shows based on outstanding children’s books are currently being performed in Sydney and surrounds, as well as in other cities around Australia. A highlight is The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Penguin), a production created around four books by Eric Carle: The Very Hungry Caterpillar, of course, The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse – […]

Aaron Blabey is an actor-turned children’s author and illustrator, having great success with award-winning books including Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley, The Ghost of Miss Annabel Spoon, and Pig the Pug, which is becoming one of Australia’s best selling picture books. Fortunate to have Sunday Chutney as the chosen book to be read in schools […]

August is an important month for Australian children’s books because the CBCA Book of the Year is announced on 15^th and National Literacy and Numeracy Week is held from 25-31 August.

The aim of NLNW website, as stated on their website is:

National Literacy and Numeracy Week represents a collaborative approach by the Australian Government and school communities to highlight the importance of literacy and numeracy skills for all children and young people, with a specific focus on school-aged children.

The Week gives schools the opportunity to be involved in a range of literacy and numeracy activities. The Week aims to recognise locally the achievements of students and the work of teachers, parents and members of the community who support young people to develop stronger literacy and numeracy skills.

One of the literacy activities is Read for Australia. This is a simultaneous read where groups from around Australia read the same book on Friday 29^th August at 2pm EST. A video of the book with Auslan for the hearing impaired, captions and a transcript will be released a week before the read.

The book selected for 2014 is Sunday Chutney, a picture book by Aaron Blabey. This book looks at friendship and what it’s like to be different. It was shortlisted for the 2009 Australian Book Industry Awards as well as the CBCA Picture Book of the Year. I was Queensland CBCA judge at that time – and thrilled that it was shortlisted.

Teacher Notes for a range of ages is available on the NLNW website.

I’ve written notes for Years 5-6, which include a focus on the ‘panelling’ (a feature of graphic novels and some picture books) in the illustrations.

The author of Sunday Chutney, Aaron Blabey is a talented man. Some may remember him as the award-winning TV star of the political satire The Damnation of Harvey McHugh. He is a visual artist (much of his work is strictly for adults not children, though!) as well as a respected and popular writer and illustrator of a plethora of children’s picture books.

His most recent release (July 2014)  Pig the Pug is published by Scholastic Press. This is a very funny rhyming story about a selfish pug called Pig who won’t share his toys with his flatmate Trevor the sausage dog. This leads to a dire but hilarious comeuppance. Blabey’s illustrations have a distinctive style. His characters frequently have wide, puppet-like faces with popping eyes. He often uses a predominately brown palette, which sets his books apart from the pack – and works! He is a fitting ambassador for NLNW.

By Phoebe Vreeland with Amanda Lynch, The Children’s Book Review
Published: December 12, 2010

“Trudy Ludwig is an award-winning author who specializes in writing children’s books that explore the colorful and sometimes confusing world of children’s social interactions. She has received rave reviews nationwide from educators, experts, organizations, and parents for her passion and compassion in addressing relational aggression—the use of relationships to manipulate and hurt others.” ~ www.trudyludwig.com

TCBR: What inspired you to write about bullying?

Trudy Ludwig: When my daughter was emotionally bullied nine years ago by some of her peers in elementary school, I tried to find age-appropriate books in libraries and on the Internet to help teach her about relational aggression (the use of relationships to manipulate and hurt others) and how to deal with it. I even contacted leading experts and organizations for their suggestions. I learned that there weren’t enough resources available, so I decided to write children’s books to help fill this resource gap.

TCBR: Katie, the bully of your first book My Secret Bully, is the protagonist of your latest book Confessions of a Former Bully.  Can you speak about why you chose this perspective?

TL: In my author visits at schools around the US, I had many children ask me, “What ever happened to Katie in My Secret Bully? Did she and Monica become friends again?” They also wanted to know if Katie ever got help to change her bullying ways. Their queries got me thinking about writing a book from the unique perspective of a former bully. So when I started to conceptualize Confessions of a Former Bully, it just seemed natural for me to have Katie pick up where she left off in My Secret Bully. My intent for this story was to show readers how Katie’s behaviors—both positive and negative—had a direct impact on her and others. I also wanted Katie to share the important lessons she learned about bullying and what it means to be a decent friend.

TCBR: What made you use the format of a diary for this last book?

TL: There’s something thrilling and intriguing about being allowed access to someone else’s personal diary, don’t you think? I remember, as a child, being tempted to read my big sister’s diary—not that I did, mind you, as she made sure it was securely locked at all times. I felt that the diary format, supplemented with Katie’s drawings and doodles, would be the perfect way for the reader to get inside the head of Katie and track her character growth as she gets help from Mrs. Petrowski, the school counselor.

I love books that make me feel good while entertaining me–and this book does that and more.

Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley

by Aaron Blabey

Front Street/Boyds Mills Press (September 2008)

ISBN-13: 978-1-59078-596-6
Ages: 4-8 (and up)

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

–Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley by Aaron Blabey, p. 3-7.

Can two people be friends if they’re very different? Pearl and Charlie can, and they show you how in this sweet, heartwarming book about appreciating differences and friendship. Pearl and Charlie are very different, and people wonder why they’re friends. Their differences make them seem like opposites–yet those opposites complement each other, and allow them to be there for each other. Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley tells readers, in a subtle way, that it’s okay to be yourself, however you are–and that it’s okay for others to be different from you.

Blabey’s text is well written, moving immediately into a “problem” that will interest the reader and make them turn the page–why are Pearl and Charlie friends when they’re so different? Blabey then illustrates those differences in fun ways before coming to a warming resolution. The sentences vary in length, which helps with the story flow, and the examples are specific and interesting.

Blabey shows the great differences in the personalities of the two friends, with many qualities that readers will likely identify with, whether they are outgoing or more introverted. Blabey has an opposites thing going in the text, comparing and contrasting the qualities of the two characters, which is fun to read, and the qualities fit each character. Even the sentence lengths seem to fit the characters, with boisterous Pearl’s sentences often being longer, and shy Charlie’s shorter. Specific details help the story become stronger and more palatable, such as Charlie bringing Pearl a mug of warm milk, and Pearl forgetting her mittens on cold winter days.

I love how both the shy, introverted character (Charlie) and the loud, outgoing character (Pearl) are heroes or get chances to help each other, in a way that fits their personalities (Charlie tucks Pearl into bed when she’s tired herself out with her antics, and Pearl helps Charlie feel brave when he’s feeling scared). This is a nice balance, showing that both kinds of people can be heroes in their own way–and that each type of personality is perfect for coming to the rescue in certain situations. It’s also nice that the girl isn’t necessarily the shy, timid one.

Blabey’s acrylic-and-mixed-media illustrations are cheerful and cartoon-like, and have the feeling of a young child drawing them (yet in a more sophisticated way), with a single line for a smile or mouth, and an almost doll-like appearance to the characters.

The characters really stand out in Blabey’s illustrations, and are meant to; the characters are drawn on a color-tinged grey backgrounds, so they pop to the forefront, with no distracting background. The colored backgrounds alternate on many pages. Some setting details are brought into individual illustrations to illustrate the story. In some books, this might feel empty, but it works extraordinarily well here, underscoring the importance of the characters and their personalities. I love, too, how the illustrations again go against stereotypes, with Charlie knitting while Pearl rides a motorcycle over a cliff while balancing tea cups and a fish bowl, and Pearl being the pirate while Charlie rides on her back. This reversal of the usual roles seen in society is shown in the story in fun ways, and is a great way to subtly let readers know that girls can be brave and adverturous, and boys can be creative and homey.

Blabey’s illustrations show and build on the characters’ personalities beautifully; Pearl, who is loud, boisterous, and talkative, wears bright clothes, has bright red hair, large eyes, and a wide, often open mouth, while Charlie, who is quiet, shy, and more reserved, wears drab grey or dull colors, has dark hair, small eyes, and a smaller smile. Every illustration shows their character, and is creatively depicted; when Charlie is shy, he’s shown only with his head and shoulders on the page, as if he’s walking off the page.

I also love the humor in the illustrations, such as when Charlie Parsley is shown as being quiet, we see him reading a book titled “The Benefits of Wearing Felt.” That humor tickled me just the right way.

Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley is a warming, uplifting book about friendship, and the fact that it’s okay–even good–to be different, to be yourself–and to value differences in everyone. It’s also a fantastic book for showing that girls can be strong and brave, and for reversing gender stereotypes. This has quickly become one of my new favorite picture books. Highly recommended!