Reading and Music Musings 2: a critique of the CBCA picture book of the year short listed titles

Picture book of the year CBCA short listed titles (2025).

This category of the acclaimed CBCA awards celebrates excellence in picture books for young readers. Key criteria for this award includes:

-Alignment between the text and illustrations.

-The artistic and literary quality of the text.

The illustrations are judged on their aesthetic technique, originality and how well they contribute to the narrative. The text is assessed on its literary merit, use of language and how engaging the story is for the reader. Additionally, the overall presentation is considered including text layout and typography - how the text complements the illustrations to enhance meaning-making.

Following, I will critique each text that is short- listed in this category and suggest a range of activities (possibly around a week’s worth of related curriculum based English activities) that may be useful to teach the text in the K-2 classroom, targeting the early reading and music partnership; as learning to read and learning music are mutually supportive, coalescent processes.

1. Canby, K. (2024). A Leaf called Greaf. Fremantle Press.

The book, Greaf, explores the theme of grief through the eyes of Bear, who finds a green leaf he calls "Greaf". The word, Greaf is a portmanteau- created by fusing together the words green and leaf. Other examples of portmanteau include brunch (breakfast + lunch) and smog (smoke and fog). You may wish to find other examples of portmanteaus with your class, or make up your own together. For example: ‘Spriggly = sprout + wiggly. A tiny, twisty plant just starting to grow — perfect for a garden full of giggles’ (Gen AI Copilot).

Bear is sad, cold and feeling miserable. We are not sure why. We notice on every double page spread, there are three white bear shapes nearby. They seem to be watching Bear, waving to him, hugging him and following him through the forest, keeping him safe…. Focus discussion question (FQ)… Who/ what are these bears? Bear finds a beautiful green leaf, which he holds close to his heart. We then learn that Bear has lost his brother and sisters. As the leaf fades and the story progresses, Bear begins to feel happier, learning that while loss changes us, love remains. This gentle story may be a segue to help young children talk about their emotions and make sense of things that concern them, assisting them to deal with losses they have experienced in their own lives.

I would teach the English concept of character using this text. There is the main character, Bear. Additionally, the leaf is personified by the author. Greaf (the leaf) provides comfort to Bear when he is sad and keeps him company. Greaf does not leave till Bear is feeling better. As well, we have the mysterious white shadow shapes of the three bears, whom we learn may represent his lost siblings. They care for him, without Bear ever realising that they are there. We are never told why his siblings disappeared. FQ: What do you think happened to Bear’s siblings? FQ: What words tell us about Bear (Greaf, the shadow Bears) in the story? Share thoughts and feelings about the characters. Ensure students understand that characters are composed of imagined thoughts, words and actions.

Vocabulary is a strength of this text. New, unfamiliar words should be frontloaded (a before reading strategy) prior to the class read-aloud; explicitly teaching challenging words from the text like beguiling, reminded, mourning, occasion, playful, remember, different, tense, comfortable and completely. In this way, meaning is clear when students hear them in the story. Text innovations are simple and fun to write drawing on the gradual release of responsibility model- I do, we do, you do. The teacher model-writes a text/ song, guides them while they write together then students write independently. Simple songs that elicit talking about feelings include How do you feel today? (words and music) And, If you’re happy and you know it (words and music) (The Wiggles, 2022). Innovate on these simple texts to make them your own! In doing so, you are modelling to students that they can be authors and superstars! Singing and oral language is a natural progression to reading and writing. There are many great online sites filled with musical games that focus on feelings for teachers to explore, to support students in expressing emotions through music in the classroom.

Feelings games- where children make an expression on their faces, and the class have to guess how they are feeling, is a segue to this text. During the picture walk-through prior to reading text, ask children to try and describe how Bear is feeling based on his expression. The author/ illustrator, Kelly Canby, a noted author and visual storyteller, won this section of the CBCA last year with her wonderful text, Timeless. You may wish to share this text with your class as well. Her books unfold with a quiet, layered complexity, weaving delicate threads of figurative language—metaphor, simile, and imagery. Below is a rubric used to collaboratively assess the text, as well as suggested before, during and after reading activities…

Rubric used for assessing children’s picture books

Rubric: C=3, T=3, G=3, L=3, P=2, I=3 Total=17

Before reading: Develop a playlist of songs that convey different moods. Explain to children the way they feel can often be expressed in music and movement. FQ: How does the music make you feel? Choose a book about feelings to share with students (e.g. Martin, Simpson & Lorsini. N.D. The ABC Book of Feelings). Discuss the cover of Greaf (front and back). Peruse other texts by the same author on the back cover. Read the back cover and show students how the word, Greaf is made (green and leaf). Discuss the meaning of beguiling (something so interesting it grabs your attention- like magic). FQ: What do you think this book is about? Why do you think that? Take a picture walk through the book, to help students make predictions and connections. Encourage students to discuss the illustrations, activating background knowledge. FQ: What are the white bear shapes on each page? Why are they there? What are they doing? Explain challenging vocabulary as it appears in the text.

During reading: The teacher reads the text aloud with expression (prosody). Encourage children to respond during the story. Re-read the text and encourage students to join in. On a subsequent read, pause, identify and discuss the meaning of the figurative language in the text. For example, larger than life itself, the cold scratched at his nose, Greaf was crumpled and dry and cracked around the edges. Greaf… floated down into Bear’s heart. During a later read-aloud, find the words in the text that describe the characters (Bear, Greaf, the shadow bears). Interestingly, the shadow bears are not mentioned in the text even though they are on every page. FQ: What do we know about the shadow bears? How? Draw character maps- diagrams of each character and write words (noun groups, adjectives) inside them, sharing what you know to display in the classroom. Write a description of each of the characters. Have copies of the text available for students to explore/ discuss the text individually and with peers. Provide opportunities for them to build their reading fluency/ prosody through oral reading practice and repetition.

After reading: Seek creative outlets for expression like art and storytelling. Paint/ draw as a way of expressing emotions. For example, a watercolour wash over crayon (crayon resist art) will give the effect of the shadow bears in the story. Talk about different colours and how they make you feel. Look in the text and discuss the colour palette in the illustrations at the beginning of the book compared to the end. FQ: What are happy colours? What are sad colours? How do you know? A colour song about feelings can be found here. Set student writing about favourite colours to music using a piggyback tune. For example, the words of Sing a rainbow (Hee Dee Education, N.D) with Auslan signs, can be changed to students’ own text, for example, ‘I like green, and Gav likes blue, Millie likes black, me too…’

Saunders, K. & Blackwood, F. (2024). Afloat. Little Hare.

Afloat is a visually rich picture book, which introduces young children (ages 4–8) to themes of climate change, community, and First Nations wisdom. Written by Kirli Saunders, and illustrated by Freya Blackwood, the story follows an Elder and a child as they journey along waterways, gathering people and knowledge as they complete a community project- weaving a raft—a metaphor for working together to better our world. The text uses layered language, including homonyms like yarn and tie, exploring metaphor and meaning. The illustrations evolve from realistic to imaginary throughout the text. Particularly noteworthy is the illustration of the patterned whale-shaped raft, sailing into the future, helping us all to stay together and ‘afloat’ in times of climate challenge. This book effectively explores the English concept of connotation, imagery, and symbol. Words, signs and symbols can suggest things to the reader. When perusing the text together, recognise cultural symbols, figurative language and word play that enrich the text, making words and images mean more than one thing.

Rubric: C=3, T=3, G=3, L=3, P=2, I=3 Total=17

Before reading: Discuss the cover. FQ: What can you see? What do you think the book may be about? What are the people doing in the cover illustration? Why? Read the back cover to class. Introduce the author and illustrator. Explain what is weaving. Complete a simple construction paper weaving activity, so students understand how to weave. Finger knitting may be an alternate group project. Put all samples together to make a project to display in the classroom. Discuss First Nations knowledge and how we can all learn from our First Nations people. Guide students through a picture walk of the text, discussing each double-page spread together. Encourage them to talk about the illustrations—what they notice and what these visual details reveal about the book’s content.

During reading: Teacher reads the story aloud with prosody using pointer/ actions. Discuss the story and its meaning, encouraging students to join into discussion. Then re-read text. During subsequent reads focus on different aspects of literacy/ grammar. For example, identify all the action words/ verb groups and their meaning meld, roam, spin, walk, split, twist… Locate words in the text that have double meanings e.g. yarn, split, fuse, roll. Examine figurative language in the text and its meaning e.g. spin wisdom, fuse fibres, soak and split, form bonds, make ties…

After reading: Retell the story by creating a story map together. Annotate the story map using vocabulary from text (group project focusing on meaning-making). Go on a symbol hunt in the text. Learn about traditional Aboriginal symbols and draw/ write symbol stories together/ in pairs/ individually. Peruse patterns of traditional weaving from across the globe. Make line drawings of some of these patterns. Discuss/ view simple weaving projects for children. From the images of children’s weaving projects, students select a group project they would like to complete with their friends. Learn to sing a canon like Weave and Spin. Learn to sing it in parts. This could be sung while children are completing their artworks. Add simple percussion instruments from around the world, in doing so learning about the diversity of musical instruments across cultures. Talk about First Nations musical instruments and how they are played, passing on First Nations knowledge. For example, Didgeridoo : a wind instrument, played with vibrating lips to produce a continuous drone. A Bullroarer, when spun around, it makes a loud humming noise, and Clapping sticks (claves), used to maintain rhythm during songs and chants. Students play on the beat, or create simple ostinato patterns, in doing so learning about musical concepts in embodied ways. The class could create a community project, as in the text where everyone contributes using relevant vocal/ instrumental techniques and performance skills (AC9AMU8PO1, ACAMU10P01).

First Nations percussion instruments: didgeridoos, bullroarer and clapping sticks (claves).

Blackwood, F. (2024). The Garden of Broken Things. Angus & Robertson.

The Garden of Broken Things by Freya Blackwood is a gentle picture book that invites young readers to explore notions of curiosity, compassion, and awakening. The story follows Sadie, a curious child who ventures into the overgrown garden behind a lonely, neglected house at Number 9, Ardent Street. There, she discovers a world of rusted, forgotten objects—and a quiet, weary woman sitting with a cat.

Through Sadie’s joyful sharing of stories, the neglected garden becomes a place of connection and renewal. The woman, once silent and still, begins to reawaken, a result of Sadie’s warmth, vibrance and chatter. The illustrations are soft, layered, and evocative- using colour and composition to reflect mood and change.

Rubric: C=3, T=3, G=3, L=3, P=3, I=3 Total=18

Before reading: Discuss the cover. FQ: What can you see? What do you think the book may be about? What characters do you see in the cover illustration/s? (front and back)? What are they doing? Why? Be sure to discuss the endpapers, as they tell what came before. Read the back cover to class. Introduce the author/ illustrator. Guide students through a picture walk of the text, discussing each double-page spread together. Encourage them to talk about the illustrations—what they notice and what these visual details reveal about the book’s content. Explore visual storytelling in the text and how the illustrations make them feel.

During reading: Teacher reads the story aloud with prosody using pointer/ actions. Discuss the story and its meaning, encouraging students to join into discussion. During subsequent reads focus on different aspects of literacy/ grammar. For example, build (draw and write) character profiles of Sadie, the old woman, cat, other children. Identify examples of figurative language in the text and what it might mean e.g. windows like sad eyes, bent with time and loneliness, things from another time. Unpack their meaning in-context. Identify interesting noun groups in the text e.g. tiny pink jellybean babies. Students locate/ record interesting Tier Two vocabulary words e.g. memory, surface, expression. Have a compound word hunt e.g. homework, undergrowth, cobweb. Provide many opportunities for students to read the text to each other, focusing on build oral reading prosody.

After reading: Investigate story paths in the text. Show how the illustrator uses this tool to sequence events and shape the narrative. Discuss narrative structure. Students create/ draw their own story paths in groups to retell the text. Explore how background music adds atmosphere. Create a soundtrack to accompany the reading of the text. Begin with some scary music (when the children venture into the dilapidated house with trepidation), then some mysterious music (as they creep through the undergrowth). When Sadie finds the old woman you could play wonderous music, or a lullaby of contentment (as Sophie and the old woman nap on the bench). Then the crescendo of happy, joyful music as the children frolic in the yard. Finally, a song of hope as children leave for home. As an extension, students may wish to record a soundscape to match the text, using the voice to create sounds that add meaning to the text. Voice is the ultimate musical instrument. We can use our voices not just for speaking, but for creating sounds and expression in a performance. Using the visual arts- drawing and adding musical sounds we make a text more expressive and increase engagement, enjoyment and comprehension. A 30 minute webinar on the text, Graham (2023) The Concrete Garden, using voice as a musical instrument, can be found here Using voice as a musical instrument — Early Reading and Music. Additionally, some lesson break songs to encourage young children to articulate their feelings. During these activities, students discover how they and others communicate in and through music; at the same time developing confidence in using their speaking and singing voices.

Frenkel, D. & Snell, D. (2024). The Truck Cat. Bright Light Publishing.

The Truck Cat by Deborah Frenkel, illustrated by Danny Snell, is a heartwarming picture book targeting Foundation to Year 2 students. It follows Tinka, a curious cat who travels the open roads of Australia in a truck with his companion Yacoub, who has newly arrived in Australia.

When Tinka gets separated from Yacoub after chasing a butterfly, he’s rescued by a kind baker named Mari, who offers him comfort and a temporary home. In the meantime, Yacoub misses his feline friend deeply. Their eventual reunion—sparked by the familiar scent of Mari’s bakery—leads to a new beginning for all three characters.

As well as being short-listed in this section of CBCA Book Week awards, this text has already received a significant accolade as it was chosen for the 2025 National Simultaneous Storytime in May.

Rubric: C=3, T=3, G=2, L=3, P=3, I=3 Total=17

Before reading: Bring in favourite toy trucks and display them in the classroom. Students orally share with the class why they are special (oral language focus). Orally build noun groups together to describe each truck. Record on whiteboard to scaffold writing. Students share cat stories- favourite cats, breed, what funny things they do. FQ: What type of cat is your cat? Both of these oral activities are a segue to modelled, guided and independent writing activities and at the same time, they activate background knowledge for the upcoming text. Share where students’ families come from and locate on a world map. Talk about what it may be like for immigrants when they first arrive in a new country. Some students may have family stories to share if they wish to. You may have a family member who is happy to talk to the class about their experiences and answer their questions. FQ: What might be the hardest part of moving to a new country and settling in? Discuss the cover of The Truck Cat (front and back). FQ: What do you think this book is about? Why do you think that? Take a picture walk through the book, to help students make predictions and connections. Encourage students to discuss the illustrations, activating background knowledge. FQ: What do you see? What is happening? Frontload/ pre-teach challenging vocabulary prior to reading the text to the class.

During reading: The teacher reads the text aloud with expression (prosody). Encourage children to respond during the story. Re-read the text and encourage students to join in. On a subsequent read, pause, identify and discuss the meaning of the figurative language in the text. For example, Tinka lived everywhere, make a living, keep an eye out. During later read-alouds, find the words in the text that describe the characters (Yacoub, cat, Mari). Find evidence of alliteration in the text e.g. beetles in bathtubs, rats in rafters, depots with dragonflies.Have copies of the text available for students to explore/ discuss the text individually and with peers. Provide opportunities for them to build their reading fluency/ prosody through oral reading practice and repetition. Focus on comprehension e.g. FQ: Why do you think the other truckers didn’t understand Yacoub’s jokes and his words? How did this make him feel? How could they have helped him more? What did Mari and Yacoub have in common? what words in the text tell us this?

After reading: Draw character maps- diagrams of each character and write words (noun groups, adjectives) inside them, sharing what they know to display in the classroom. Write a description of each of the characters. Students write their own alliterative phrases e.g. from text, Lorikeets landed in the lemon trees and pigeons pecked in the petunias. Identify interesting noun groups e.g. Yacoub’s B-double tri-axel truck. Draw character maps- diagrams of each character and write words (noun groups, adjectives) inside them, sharing what you know to display in the classroom. Write a description of each of the characters. Talk about how words and images can signify more than what they denote (connotation, image and symbol), e.g. the title page shows The Big Pineapple (Nambour, Queensland), Home is everywhere, and Tinka is an everywhere cat. The song, I’ve been everywhere (Geoff Mack, 1962) is a great match here, that has cultural significance to the text- words and music. Students could keep the beat with simple percussion whilst performing the song. Follow the story paths in the text-the butterfly and the cat on the highway… over, under, here, there, over, under. Learn about prepositions and how they position the noun in the text. Make a preposition poster using the trucks students brought to school, to display in the classroom (photograph and caption). Students draw their favourite scene in the text and caption it- telling what is happening in the picture and why they chose this illustration from the text. Order illustrations to form a story path and display them FQ: What comes first, next, then… and finally,… .

Pyke & Ghosh (2024). These long-loved things. Scholastic.

These long loved things by Josh Pyke. Illustrated by Ronojoy Ghosh. On his website, the author, Josh Pyke, shares that he seeks a creative, peaceful life. I feel a powerful sense of wellbeing when reading this text. A young man is lovingly caring for his elderly mother. The book time warps between when the child is small and his mother is caring for him, and when he is grown with a son of his own; and how they now both care for her. The text moves from present to past tense to show the movement between the past and present. The topic sentence of each page is in a different font, to draw the reader’s attention to the main idea on the page. His mother cannot remember, and throughout the text he reminds her of all the things she loved, the songs and stories that she shared with him as a child and now her shares with her, to help her remember or possibly just to share the memories that they held dear.

Rubric: C=3, T=3, G=2, L=2, P=2, I=3 Total=15

Before reading: Talk about things that you love/ what makes you happy. Draw/ paint it and make a happiness display in the classroom. Learn the cumulative game/ song, ‘I like to…’ Play the game in a circle in class, first orally- trying to remember what everybody likes in order (always a challenge- even for adults), then as a song. Here is the musical score and piano tune. Discuss the front/ back cover. Take a picture walk through the book, discussing the illustrations, in doing so activating students’ background knowledge, interest and sense of anticipation. Key discussion questions (KQ) include, What are your favourite activities? What makes you happy? What are your favourite things/ songs/ foods…? What do you like to do with your mum/ gran?

During reading: Read text to students with prosody. Discuss each double- page spread following the read-aloud. Encourage students to reflect on illustrations throughout. Notice the change in font on each page. (KQ) Why do you think the author chose to make the writing different here? Focus on meaning e.g. (KQ) Why do you think she doesn’t know her son’s name? Is music a good way to remember? Do you ever sing your favourite songs with a loved one? What do you sing? Does it help you to remember? Each time the text is re-read to the class, explicitly focus on a different pillar of effective reading instruction, e.g. oral language, phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.

After reading: Learn some songs together that show the power of music to help you remember challenging facts; like the backwards alphabet song (Brett Johnson, 2010) and the 7 continents song (Hopscotch, 2024)- the chorus’ of both songs is probably enough. Use them as lesson breaks in class as evidence of the power of music to activate memory across all subjects at school. Modelled, guided and independent writing activity: use a well- known piggyback tune and write your own song together, sharing what makes class members happy. e.g. Twinkle twinkle little star (Pixibay, copyright free. N.D.) is a gentle melody which coheres with the tone of the text. e.g. I like … and … likes …; … likes … and … etc. Teaching writing/ innovation on text- ‘If you’re happy and you know it’ (The Wiggles, Bounce Patrol, N.D.)- children take turns adding their own verses to the song. Sing, read, write and share the new verses they have created. Make a book for the class library!

Petzold, D. (2024). We Live in a Bus. Thames & Hudson.

We Live in a Bus follows a family’s year-long road trip around Australia in their playfully named bus, Gracie Joy Rufus Bean, told through the eyes of a curious child. The family celebrates the wonder of nature, the joy of togetherness, and the rhythm of life on the road—from creating bush bands on a farm, bushwalks, animal encounters and learning from helpful strangers. With vibrant illustrations and a gentle narrative tone, the book invites young readers to slow down, observe, and appreciate the small wonders around them. It’s a perfect springboard for classroom discussions on travel, nature, and storytelling from different viewpoints.

Rubric: C=3, T=3, G=3, L=3, P=3, I=3 Total=18

Before reading: Start with a learning a traditional poem, There was an old woman who lived in a shoe. Show/ discuss the illustration (Denslow, 1901) Talk about family holidays and where students have been. Locate students’ holiday destinations on a class map. Share the types of activities that they enjoy on holiday. FQ: How did you travel? How long were you away? Peruse other texts by the same author, in particular Petzold (2023). A Sea of Fleas. Talk about types of dwellings that people call home. Invite students to share they types of dwellings they call home. Show the front cover FQ: What do you think this book is about? Why? What can you see that suggests this? Do you know anybody who has travelled around Australia on holiday? Tell us what you know…Read the back cover to class. Front-load vocabulary from text including compost, solar panels, lizards, budgies, dragonflies, marshmallows, awning. Take a picture walk through the book. Help students make predictions and connections. Talk about perspective and ratio in the illustrations (tall, straight tree trunks, perusing small things). Point out the use of symbol (busy characters invite a sense of happy families, the shoes on title page may symbolise the poem), connotation (campfire makes us feel glowing and warm) and imagery in the text (birds flying in the breeze evokes a sense of freedom). Encourage students to discuss the illustrations, activating background knowledge.

During reading: The teacher reads the text aloud with expression (prosody). Encourage children to respond during the story. Re-read the text and encourage students to join in. On a subsequent read, pause, identify and discuss the meaning of the figurative language in the text. For example, musical fence, listen to country. During a later read-aloud, find the words/ illustrations in the text that describe the characters (e.g. dad likes photography, mum likes reading) FQ: What do we know about each character? How? Who is telling the story? During subsequent reads, students read the dialogue with gusto e.g. ‘Where should we go today?’ ’Wherever the road takes us!’ The text is well suited to a reader’s theatre- with a narrator and various class members acting out the story, reading the dialogue for a specific character.

After reading: Discuss author’s style (text and illustrations). Draw character maps- diagrams of each character and write words (noun groups, adjectives) inside them, sharing what you know to display in the classroom. Write a description of each of the characters. Have copies of the text available for students to explore/ discuss the text individually and with peers. Provide opportunities for them to build their reading fluency/ prosody through oral reading practice and repetition. Discuss author style (text and illustrations). David Wenham reads, We live in a Bus- excerpt only. Students read along, building reading prosody (7 minutes). You need to subscribe to Storyhub to hear the entire text. Talk about sounds that depict buses. Make a list of Onomatopoeic language that evokes the sounds and sensations of buses on outback roads—from engines to movement e.g. Vrrroooom! (engine revving), Rumble-rumble (deep, continuous engine noise), Thunk-thunk tyres rolling over bumps. Screeeech! Crunch-crunch! Hissss! Bang! Ka-thud! Zzzzt! Use your voice as an instrument to make these sounds. Make a sound sentence/ story or alliterative combo using multiple sound words. For example: The bus rattled and rumbled down the rutted road… rumble, rumble, thunk thunk, clang. Use the song The Wheels of the Bus to compose innovations on text through modelled, guided and independent writing. Make up actions and perform compositions. Make a bush band like the children in the story. This text lends itself well to the integration of the arts, including the aforementioned musical activities. The text and illustrations work together to tell the story (packing up the bus, major tourist attractions). Identify the story paths throughout.. students draw their own story paths to show their favourite parts of the text. A number of frog calls are mentioned in the text. A great listening activity could link with Science Australian Frog Sounds - A compilation of calls from 15 different frog species in Australia. Drawing activities from text- drawing faces and drawing small objects/ insects.

Well if you read all the way to the end of this blog post… VERY WELL DONE! Let’s finish by reflecting on the criteria for this category:

-Alignment between the text and illustrations.

-The artistic and literary quality of the text.

All the books nominated here were an absolute pleasure to read and analyse; as evidenced by the close alignment of allocated grades for each of the texts. They are all quality texts. One in particular stands out, based on the above criteria… The text and illustrations work together to tell an exciting, inclusive adventure story with high kid appeal! It is easy to imagine oneself in the story! I wonder which will be chosen by the CBCA judges and whether you/ they agree with me! We’ll have to wait till Book Week to find out!