Davina Bell

Australian author/illustrator team Davina Bell and Allison Colpoys, who previously collaborated on Captain Starfish (originally published as The Underwater Fancy-Dress Parade) and Under the Love Umbrella, join forces again in this lovely picture-book exploration of intelligence. The rhyming text describes the many different kinds of activities and personal qualities that require intelligence, thereby highlighting that there are many different kinds of smarts, while the colorful artwork show more depicts those activities and qualities...

Having greatly enjoyed Captain Starfish, I was eager to pick up All the Ways to Be Smart, which has a bright, colorful cover that drew me right in. I appreciated the narrative, with its message about the many kinds of intelligence - emotional intelligence, creative intelligence - since I think many people (including kids) might think that academic intelligence is the only sort that matters. An online friend didn't care for the text here, and I do think that it sometimes felt a little too convenient and list-like, but I was willing to forgive it, because overall I cared for it, and because I found the artwork simply beautiful! Allison Colpoys outdid herself here, with illustrations that utilize bright, jewel-like colors that leap off the page, and have a fun, stylized sensibility that just works on the page. Needless to say, I particularly loved the scenes in which the children are dressed up as witches! I wish Colpoys would do a Halloween book! Recommended to young children who wonder about smarts, and whether they have them, and who need a reminder that there are lots of ways to be intelligent. show less

A timid young boy with social anxiety, Alfie was worried about the upcoming Underwater Dress-Up Parade, as he was supposed to lead the procession in his Captain Starfish costume. Shy Alfie had a history of avoiding uncomfortable get-togethers, and this proved no different. Fortunately, his understanding mother took him to the aquarium instead of the parade, and his observation of a starfish, and a shy little clown fish, helped reconcile him to his own shyness, and convince him that maybe in show more the future he would feel more confident...

Originally published in Australia as The Underwater Fancy-Dress Parade, and then reprinted here in the states as Captain Starfish, this lovely picture-book won a number of awards for its artwork and design in its country of origin. It's easy to see why, as Allison Colpoys' illustrations are absolutely gorgeous, utilizing a lovely color palette and appealing stylized figures. That said, the story from author Davina Bell is also quite engaging, capturing the social fears of a shy young child quite well. Recommended to anyone who appreciates beautiful picture-books, as well as to anyone looking for children's stories about social anxiety and/or just being shy. show less

A gentle guide, with illustrations reminiscent of Marla Frazee's, to a series of situations in life: handling a goldfish in a bag, taking a cookie from a tray, boarding a bus, starting a painting, finishing a book, playing in the ocean, being lost in the grocery store. A good way to have conversations about some of the uncertain situations that might arise in a young person's life.

Baby is turning one in this sweet Australian picture-book, and his parents throw him a birthday party at the park, complete with treats, games and lots and lots of other babies. The babies have lots of different qualities and characteristics - shy, friendly, brave and fussy - but all have (mostly) a good time, and birthday baby goes home happy but exhausted...

Originally published down under in 2018 as Birthday Baby, and then here in the states in 2019 as Baby Day - I have no idea why the show more title needed to be changed - this book pairs a very simple text from co-authors Jane Godwin and Davina Bell with lovely, expressive artwork from illustrator Freya Blackwood. This is my first title from Godwin, but I know Bell's work through such titles as All the Ways to Be Smart and Captain Starfish, and Blackwood is a personal favorite, when it comes to picture-book illustrators. It was my love for her work, in fact, that led me to track this one down. As mentioned, I found it sweet, although the chief appeal for me was Blackwood's artwork. It's very simple, and is one I would chiefly recommend to picture-book readers looking for baby and toddler titles, as well as to fellow fans of the artist. show less