Curious duo's Kenyan adventure

Gusto & Gecko Travel to Kenya

Longy Han wrote Gusto & Gecko
Travel to Kenya to introduce children
to different cultures.

Writer: Longy Han
Illustrator: Elinor Hägg

Home for author Longy Han is the smell of fresh linen, the sound of Chinese news on TV, the touch of postcards on the walls, the sight of parents making fresh dumpling and the taste of happiness. She also has a passion for travel, and the drive to introduce children to different cultures inspired Longy to turn to crowdfunding to produce the first in what she hopes will be a series of picture books featuring two cheeky dinosaurs. A crowdfunding campaign for the second book is running until 10 November, and for every book purchase made during the campaign, Longy will donate another to local libraries and children’s hospitals around Australia.

Review: Gusto & Gecko Travel to Kenya

Kenya is the first in the series.

Words: Longy Han

Pictures: Elinor Hägg

This picture book is the first in the Curious Travels of Gusto & Gecko series, and self-published by author Longy Han. One of the main drivers of this series – in which the title characters will visit different areas – was to introduce children to various cultures.

On your marks... get set... write!

WeCoNaMo. It’s a thing.

It’s that time of year again, when strings of words are shortened to new conglomerations of letters that mean little to those not in the know. They are the Brangelina, Tomkat or Shamy of the writing and illustration business.

I came across these a year ago – I’d handed in my last university assignment for the year, and suddenly felt like I had a stack of free time. November is fast becoming known (to me at least, and hopefully the world if it catches on) as WeCoNaMo. And what, pray tell, is WeCoNaMo, I hear you ask? Weird Conglomeration Name Month. And here’s why:

Celia and Nonna's heart-warming connection

Celia and Nonna

Writer: Victoria Lane

Illus: Kayleen West

Ford Street Publishing

Like many books, Celia and Nonna began with a line of truth, says author Victoria Lane, with the narrative exploring the relationship between a granddaughter and grandmother, and how they reconnect following change.

Describe your book: Celia and Nonna is a significant and heart-warming picture book about the special bond between children and grandparents – and what happens when life changes.

Frankenstein's monster meets Bridget Jones

That's what I feel like at the moment, as I type, arms outstretched, neck stiff, eyes staring forward.

The neck brace I'll be wearing for the next five weeks has robbed me of peripheral vision, and also the ability to look down easily. I eat with the plate pushed halfway across the table, as my laptop is now, so I can see what I'm doing.

Deck the shelves...

What's your favourite Christmas book?

When I was a child there were few stories that weren’t set in the white, snow-covered Northern Hemisphere. Nowadays Australian Christmas stories are everywhere, but I don’t mind traditional tales – all that snow has a cooling effect during a summer scorcher.

This is by no means a best-of or even an exhaustive list of Christmas books – the library had been raided by post-storytime toddlers before I got there.