


Writer, researcher, founder and mom. I live and work in Canberra.



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Mehreen Arshi


I was rather proudly mentioning that I had written a blog about storytelling during an afternoon tea when a friend suggested I put together a recommended reading list for children. What a brilliant idea. Not only had she handed me my next blog topic while my review of Animal Farm was still brewing, but she also transported me back to long summer afternoons spent with my nose buried in a book.

Popular with children today are titles like Captain Underpants, Dog Man, The Bad Guys, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Most of us are familiar with these — often smiling bravely as we suppress our inner literary purist and applaud our children’s efforts to “read.”

There is absolutely nothing wrong with these books. In fact, they are highly effective at drawing children into reading, especially in an age dominated by technology and shrinking attention spans. But if you would like to gently guide your child toward classics with a little more depth, perhaps it’s time for a trip to the riverbank.

Join the shy Mole and the clever, warm-hearted Water Rat. Climb into a boat and set off to rescue the ever-pompous Mr. Toad from yet another self-inflicted catastrophe in The Wind in the Willows. Follow Alice down the rabbit hole into the wonderfully bewildering world of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. My absolute all-time favourite is Anne of Green Gables — a coming-of-age story about an orphaned girl navigating the unfamiliar terrain of her newly adopted home. Anne’s spirited personality, daily adventures, and boundless imagination make her one of the most captivating heroines in children’s literature.

One of my accidental discoveries at a local library was a charming children’s book by J.R.R. Tolkien titled Mr. Bliss. It’s a delightfully quirky tale of mishaps that unfold when Mr. Bliss ventures out to buy a motor car.

Other timeless classics include Treasure Island, Where the Wild Things Are, The Little Prince, Heidi, The Secret Garden, A Wrinkle in Time, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and Where the Sidewalk Ends, to name just a few.

You might also dip your toes into beloved series such as The 13-Storey Treehouse, A Series of Unfortunate Events, and the Harry Potter collection — another personal favourite. Enid Blyton, a stalwart of children’s literature, gifted us treasures like The Magic Faraway Tree, The Enchanted Wood, The Famous Five series, and Naughty Amelia Jane, among many others.

Reading with your children is a magical journey — and a reminder that you are never too old to enjoy a children’s book yourself.

Rediscover the joy of children's literature alongside your kids.

On Children's Books


My latest book pick was Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr. After previously reading his novel All the Light We Cannot See, I was excited to begin my journey into Cloud Cuckoo Land.

The story unfolds across three different time periods. It begins with Konstance, a fourteen-year-old girl attempting to decipher an ancient script. Earth is no longer habitable, and she finds herself aboard an interstellar ship with a select group of individuals from different generations. They are hurtling through space, headed toward Beta Oph2, a newly discovered planet.

In the mid-1400s, Omeir is born with a cleft lip and is considered an ill-fated soul, forcing his family to relocate and live in seclusion. Anna, an orphan, struggles with everyday tasks but possesses an insatiable thirst for knowledge and a deep commitment to preserving an ancient text. Her destiny intertwines with Omeir’s as Constantinople comes under siege.

In present-day Idaho, Zeno Ninis, a Korean War veteran, directs a play based on an ancient story with a small group of fifth graders at the public library. Simultaneously, seventeen-year-old Seymour, an autistic boy, plans an attack on the neighbouring property, an act that could endanger everyone inside the library. These three timelines are interconnected through an ancient book detailing the journey of Aethon — a man who transforms into a donkey, then a fish, then a crow, before ultimately regaining his human form. His quest for Cloud Cuckoo Land is woven into the fabric of each timeline.

Doerr adeptly manages the passage of time by offering subtle reminders to the reader, such as “Twelve-year-old Omeir is sitting…”. This technique seamlessly propels the story forward, preventing confusion while emphasizing character growth and narrative development. It helps readers navigate the three distinct timelines and track each character’s movement within them. My only critique is that the pacing occasionally slows due to Doerr’s expansive storytelling, resulting in a lengthy read.

That said, Doerr’s portrayal of a child on the autism spectrum is both realistic and compelling. Cloud Cuckoo Land progresses across its three timelines as various characters encounter the ancient text, maintaining cohesion throughout. As each character journeys through time, the message gradually becomes clear. The story symbolically encourages taking chances in life while preserving what we already possess — a message that ultimately ties the timelines together and resonates deeply with each character.

This book delivers a powerful reminder: rather than escaping the harsh realities of life, we should embrace what we have. While we may seek paradise in the clouds above, the world we inhabit is the paradise we need to cherish.


Cloud Cuckoo Land is a novel that connects characters across centuries through their love of a story and a yearning for a hopeful future.

Mehreen Arshi

Latest Post

On Children's Books

Latest Book Review

Cloud Cuckoo Land - A review