Today Mum is reviewing a newly released children’s book: The Best Ever Birthday by Louise Fulton Keats. We recently enjoyed a special birthday in our house and Mum wrote about buying children’s birthday cakes in Australia. We usually favour shop bought rather than home-made cakes because we feel that beautiful, home-made birthday cakes require a huge amount of time and patience, that we don’t have. However, Mum’s willing to be converted and very keen try new recipes.

The Best … Read more

Did you know that 2012 in Australia is National Year of Reading? To encourage literacy and promote the joy of reading special events are being held across the country. We picked up information about the initiative at our local library. Many libraries are running special programs and award systems to encourage reading, there are also writing competitions for children and young adults.

To learn more about events near you contact your local library or check out the events calendar … Read more

The men in my life are the hardest people to buy for, be it Mr Mum’s gone 2 Aus, my dad or teenage nephews. I know from experience that I’m unlikely to get clothing right and I need to steer well clear of any kind of gadget because a) they’ve probably got it already or b) they’ll get bored of it within a week.

Fortunately (I think) moving to Australia has opened up a whole new range of book … Read more

Regular readers will have realised that Mum loves books; books for me, books for the children, books about Australia, books about Australian relocation…Mum’s Bookstore provides listings of books we recommend.

If you’re also a book lover, and in particular a lover of great children’s literature you should visit the recently launched website: My Book Corner. My Book Corner is run by Emma Perry, a mum who has moved to Australia from the UK. Before taking time out to look … Read more

To celebrate the start of Book Week in Australia, the Children’s Book Council has announced the 2011 winners of Book of the Year. The winners are listed below, many other books received special honours, view them here.

As a warm up to Book Week in Australia (20th – 26th August), yesterday we published part one of our Prime Minister’s Literary Awards booklist. We shared the shortlists and winners of the fiction and non-fiction categories. These awards recognise individual excellence and the contribution Australian authors make to the nation’s cultural and intellectual life.

Here, in part two, we are listing the 2011 young adult and children’s shortlists and winners. There are some intriguing books that Mum has … Read more

Next week it’s Book Week in Australia (20th – 26th August 2011); if you’ve got kids at school or day care you have probably been asked to make a book week costume or take part in a special event to celebrate children’s literature.

Book week is organised by the Children’s Book Council Australia, a volunteer organisation. At the beginning of Book Week, the Children’s Book Council announce the winners of their Children’s Book of the Year awards. If … Read more

We’ve previously mentioned that since living in Aus we’ve found food shopping difficult, this is mostly down to the need to get to know new brands and products; read more in UK products you’ll miss in Aus or Help! I’ve lost my shopping savvy and get shopping advice in Shopping in Australia – where to go, for what.

Something else that provides a challenge, as anyone and everyone will tell you, is that grocery shopping in Australia is expensive. We’ve never had to … Read more

A VERY quick good news announcement; Amazon.co.uk have extended their super saver delivery offer. Delivery is free to Australia, until 15th August 2011, on book, DVD and music orders over £25. Thanks Amazon!

Full terms and conditions of the offer can be found here.

Related articles: Visit Mum’s bookstore to find books to help with your relocation to Australia, such as;

• Mum’s bookstore: Helping children cope with relocation, moving house books
• Mum’s bookstore: Australian relocation books available as
… Read more

A quick reminder to readers who love shopping via Amazon.co.uk; their free delivery to Australia offer (on book, DVD and music orders over £25) is due to expire on 15th May (this Sunday). Mum is keeping an eye out for an extension to the offer and will keep you posted.

If you’re already in Australia, or about to move, and looking for an alternative to Amazon.co.uk the two popular choices Mum has used are;

• The Book Depository –
… Read more