Irina Avgustinovich – Illustratör

As autumn turns to winter on Gull Haven Island, a snow goose crash-lands amidst a storm. Tia and Nat jump to the rescue in this heartwarming tale from Gill Lewis. The arrival of a rare snow goose heralds the start of a very harsh winter for the Haven Islanders. They have to deal with long power cuts, and when the boats can’t make it over from the mainland, they start to run out of food and other supplies.In this dark time, Tia and Nat find a creative way to bring the islanders together in a celebration of light and community that will help see them through to the better days ahead. Particularly suitable for readers aged 7+ with a reading age of 7.

Amidst island tales of long-lost fairies and pirate chickens, Tia discovers the true magic of the elusive storm petrel in this uplifting tale of conservation from Gill Lewis. Long-lost fairies hiding near the lighthouse? Chickens belonging to a sea witch that warn sailors of coming storms? There are a lot of wild stories going about as some tall ships seek shelter in Gull Have Bay. Tia and Nat don’t believe any of them to begin with. But when Nat’s dad helps unravel the truth, they learn about a seabird that’s in danger.Can Tia and Nat find a way to help, and will it allow them to rediscover the magic of the real world all around them in their island home? Particularly suitable for readers aged 7+ with a reading age of 7.

Bronze Winner – Right Start Awards 2025Meet Minna and learn about the concept of masking in this informative and inclusive picture book on neurodiversity.Minna’s Masks teaches children aged 3-5 all about the awesome abilities that neurodiverse individuals have and gives them a safe space to feel accepted.This inspirational book is written by neurodiverse author Louise Gooding, author of Wonderfully Wired Brains, and sensitively explores a range of neurodivergent experiences. Louise Gooding has been nominated and shortlisted for several awards, including The Week Junior Book Awards and the ALCS Educational Writers' Award.Through Minna’s story, readers will learn about masking, which people use to help them fit in or adjust to situations where they may otherwise feel insecure, as well as important lessons about empathy and compassion.This educational book for children features:A positive, friendly look at neurodiverse brains that debunks myths and stereotypes.Informative, inclusive text accompanied by colourful, modern illustrations.Accurate, understandable explanations of diagnoses that impact the brain, including each area of neurodiversity and what it can or does mean for anyone with that particular neurological difference.This book inspires curious young readers and celebrates individual differences, showing that every brain is special. Whether your child is neurodiverse or not, this book will teach them the importance of embracing everyone's unique qualities.The font and colours used have been selected to accommodate a range of neurodiverse readers. Combining neurodiverse experiences with science, history, and brain-bursting facts, Minna’s Masks has something for everyone.More in the seriesWonderfully Wired Stories is a vibrant and inclusive picture book series that sensitively explores a range of neurodivergent experiences. If you enjoyed learning about masking in Minna’s Masks, why not try Wonderfully Wired Brains to discover more about how neurodiverse brains function?*Minna’s Masks won Bronze in the Book category at the Right Start Awards 2025.

Help your child discover the importance of talking to God during all types of situations with this picture book that explores the use of breath prayers. Throughout, kids will learn that each of their direct praises, quick thanks, and whispered requests can bring them peace and build a stronger relationship with their heavenly Father.God loves it when His children talk to Him—and connecting with God can be as easy as using a simple word or phrase. Deep Breath, Little Whisper introduces the idea of breath prayers by using a series of kid-friendly scenarios and engaging text to show young readers how they can have a conversation with God in the moment, wherever they are and however they’re feeling. Each example also helps remind them that prayer doesn’t have to be big and complex to be meaningful—it just has to come from the heart.The illustrated book is perfect for:read-aloud or prayer timeintroducing breath prayers into your familyhelping children from preschool to early elementary develop a relationship with God through easy-to-remember prayers and promptsteaching different types of prayers, including praise and adoration, thanksgiving, intercessory, and confessionshowing kids how they can calm their minds and turn to God no matter what happens

Rabbit in the Well allows children to apply their phonics learning from Reception, Spring 2, Week 5 of Essential Letters and Sounds.Engaging fiction and non-fiction fully aligned to each week of Essential Letters and Sounds, allowing children to consolidate their phonic knowledge through reading in context. These fully decodable readers are 100% matched to the phonic progression of Essential Letters and Sounds. These readers complement your existing decodable readers from Oxford University Press and can be used alongside them to support the teaching of Essential Letters and Sounds.Essential Letters and Sounds (ELS) is a Department for Education validated synthetic phonics programme, developed by the Knowledge Schools Trust English Hub to help children learn to read quickly and confidently.Structured around daily lessons and matched to the progression of the original Letters and Sounds framework, ELS provides a clear, systematic approach to phonics. Each stage is supported by engaging decodable books, interactive resources, and practical guidance for parents and teachers.Used in classrooms across the UK, ELS is designed to build fluent readers, confident speakers, and willing writers. Affordable, flexible, and easy to implement, it works seamlessly with existing resources while offering everything needed to support children's literacy journey both at school and at home.

Lakshmi just moved from rural, sunny Guyana to a city in icy, frigid Minnesota. Her family is trying hard to adjust to a new country, but for Lakshmi, the hardest part is the cold, slushy, white stuff everywhere. Snow didn't exist in Guyana, but it's inescapable in Minnesota. Lakshmi's too scared to walk in it, so her mama has to carry her everywhere. But when she meets a new friend on the bus, Lakshmi's fears melt away, revealing a bravery she didn't know she had. Based on the author's own childhood experience of immigration, Snow Steps fosters empathy for newcomers and provides reassuring comfort to children facing new experiences.

"Gloriously beautiful and tender." --Kirkus Starred ReviewA Tablet Magazine Best Jewish Children's Book for 2023In this unusual retelling, the biblical story of creation is told from Eve's perspective and explores what it might have been like emotionally for the world's first two people to experience everything for the very first time--seeing and naming the animals; feeling the rain; fearing the night; becoming excited by the stars, and having faith that they are not alone.Lush illustrations bring the wonder of the new world to life, while children will enjoy looking for the recurring cat and dog characters throughout the story. The story stops well before the infamous apple-eating scene, focusing instead on themes of curiosity, discovery, new experiences, handling fear, and having faith. Author's note further explores the nature of faith for young children."Kimmelman employs soaring highly descriptive language imbued with gentle humor, imagination, wonder, and awe, brought to vivid life by Avgustinovich's lush artwork." --Kirkus Reviews

"Tender and thought-provoking" —Kirkus Reviews"After thousands of years of one interpretation, the old story is reinvigorated" —School Library Journal"Highly recommended for purchase for home, schools, and libraries." —Association of Jewish LibrariesIn this interpretation of the biblical story of Genesis, Eve and Adam are praised for their curiosity even as they must accept the consequences for eating from the Tree of Knowledge. A hopeful message for ages 4-7 about carving your own path and the courage it takes to embrace imperfection.Eve and Adam loved life in Eden among all the beautiful plants and animals. And at the center of it all was the spectacular Tree of Knowledge. But despite how sweet it smelled and how amazing it looked, God warned Eve and Adam to stay away from the tree, and not to eat its fruits. "It will change you," God said.While Adam was content, Eve was full of questions. Why is the sky blue? How far away is the sun? Why is thunder so loud? How do turtles grow shells? Eve went to see if maybe the Tree of Knowledge held the answers. There, a snake spoke to Eve, and she decided to take a fruit back to Adam. They must choose if they will listen to God's warning, or if they will seek the answers they crave, and accept the consequences.

A heartwarming picture book teaching children patience and to live in the moment.Reha despises the present, all because her brother says he won't let her play with his dinosaur toys until she's older. To solve this problem, she decides to build a time machine. But even though she does everything her time travel book says, she can't seem to get it right. Then in her last attempt to find what she needs, her brother asks if he can help. Perhaps the present could be okay after all?

Tia and her mum start an adventurous new life on Gull Haven Island, finding lots of animals who need their help along the way. Tia’s mum has a new job as the vet on Gull Haven Island and there are a lot of animals who need her help.When she’s called away to help a sickly cow on a nearby island and gets trapped there in a storm, Tia has to step up and care for the animals staying in the surgery. It’s a big responsibility and then she has to deal with a mysterious creature that washes up on the shore after the storm.Their new life on the Haven Islands is clearly going to be full of adventures! Particularly suitable for readers aged 7+ with a reading age of 7.

Tia must show visitors to Gull Haven Island how to respect the environment and protect the animals who live there in this charming tale from award-winning author Gill Lewis. At the start of the summer, Tia is excited to see all the visitors arriving for their holidays on Gull Haven Island, and she’s delighted to make a new friend. But Tia’s feelings change when some selfish tourists upset a newborn seal pup and its mother, and then she sees how people are carelessly leaving their rubbish on the beach. Can Tia find a way to show people how to respect the island environment and all the creatures that live there? Particularly suitable for readers aged 7+ with a reading age of 7.

When Tia and Nat spot a turtle in difficulty off the coast of Devil Bird Island, they must help it find its way home in this inspiring tale of conservation from Gill Lewis. A camping trip to count puffins on Devil Bird Island turns into a real adventure for friends Tia and Nat.First, they have to rescue a mysterious marine animal caught in a fishing net and swept very far from home. Then, when it gets dark, they hear strange wailing and something white and ghostly flies at their tent.Safely back home, they unravel the mysteries of the previous night and learn some important lessons about how everyone on the planet needs to look out for the wildlife around them. Particularly suitable for readers aged 7+ with a reading age of 7.

Femi liked flying and trying out twirlsAnd drawing big dragons, and plunging for pearls,But the one thing that Femi adored most of all......was to pick up and flick up and kick up a ball!Meet Femi - a fairy who's more interested in playing football than granting wishes. The only problem is, whatever she kicks seems to cause havoc, whether it's sending Snow White's poisoned apple smashing through a mirror or Cinderella's pumpkin into a vat of soup at the palace ball. Banished by the king, Femi heads into the forest, where she finds herself right in the mouth of a cave where a huge, hungry Troll emerges... How will she get herself out of trouble?!This fun rhyming text is a celebration of women's football, perfect for girls who love both Frozen and the Lionesses.