books Archives - Kate Waterhouse

The Curated: What to read

27th May, 2020

There’s something about a great book recommendation. I love hearing what books people are reading and past books they’ve loved because it helps me add to my own list of books to read. So if you’re looking for a book to sink your teeth into, here’s what The Curated panel are currently devouring, and also the books that have stayed with them long after the last page.

The Curated panel: presenter, journalist and producer Ksenija Lukich; artist and style curator and founder of Where did your style go? Tash Sefton; influencer Nadia Fairfax, stylist Elliot Garnaut, influencer Rey Vakili; Ostelin and Johnson’s baby ambassador, Phoebe Burgess, Elle Effect founder and creative director, Elle Ferguson; influencer, Anna Heinrich

Me

“I feel like my reading has taken a back seat since I had kids and all my books seem to be parenting related, so I’m a bit behind in all the best sellers! However I’m currently reading Becoming by Michelle Obama ( I know I a bit late to the party) and thoroughly enjoying it.”

Nadia Fairfax

“[I’m reading] Born or Bred? Martine Bryant: the Making of a Mass Murderer. Could Port Arthur have been prevented? You read and decide.”

Anna Heinrich

“I’m currently reading pregnancy books. I don’t think these are for everyone so I’ll leave it there :).”

Tash Sefton

“[I’m reading] This Is Me which is a book by friends of mine (Julie Adams and Georgie Abay). It features unretouched portraits of women and their stories of their journey to acceptance and self love (I’m in it but that’s not why I’m mentioning it ….the stories are wonderful and every woman should have a copy as a reminder we need to be kind to ourselves). Also the book Loulou & Yves. My friend Liesel just gave it me and I’m about to start it. It’s a behind the scenes look at the fashion world.”

Ksenija Lukich

“This will be on a lot of lists but Boy Swallows Universe is an absolutely stunning book. It’s an instant classic. Persevere through the first 30 per cent of the book. It’s well worth the slow start.

Where The Crawdads Sing is phenomenal. I never thought a marsh could be the location for a love story but the way Delia Owens writes is truly captivating. I finished it so quickly I’m about to go back and reread.

And I just finished Pretending by Holly Bourne. This book is a rom com with a triggering edge. Following the story of a woman who is trying to overcome her sexual assault and find love. A really heartwarming, funny and educational book.”

Rey Vakili

“My all time favourite book is Emma by Jane Austen but I most recently finished American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins which I loved. A book everyone should read is Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker. Scary stuff! And finally, I recently read Robert Iger’s memoir and loved it.”

Elle Ferguson

“I am so bad, I’m a magazine girl. I also have been, even since high school. I love the articles so I also buy the local and overseas Vogues, Elle and Harpers.”

Elliot Garnaut

“My consumption of media leans toward the dark side. I love horror, always have. A book that had a profound effect on me was Brett Easton Ellis’ American Psycho. For those not as wacky as I, I couldn’t recommend the Harry Potter series more. It’s escapism at it’s best, no matter what age. I am currently reading Bridget Collins’ The Binding, a gift from my sister-in-law from my birthday.”

Phoebe Burgess

“I’ve just picked up Marian Keys’ Grown Ups. Juggling work and kiddies means I need a storyline I can jump into straight away – as 20 minutes reading time is the usual after the kids have gone down, and before I am out cold with them.

My all time favourite book – apart from Harry Potter, Twilight, The Alchemist and Kite Runner, and all the must must reads that I adored— is The Bronze Horseman. Looking back, it was pretty raunchy for a teenager—but it combined history with romance (the starvation of Leningrad 1941). The can’t put down part of a good book to me is all about the relationship I form with the characters I’m following, the people that I can’t let go of. I’ll invest as much time as possible into characters I fall in love with, or hate, or that excite me as opposed to intricate plots…author Liane Moriarty does this so well.”

Fashion

Empowering books to read to a little girl on International Women’s Day

8th March, 2020

Happy International Women’s Day everyone!

Reading books is an integral part of my girls’ routines. We absolutely love sitting down to read a book together and as they get older, and are able to comprehend what we’re reading a lot more, I’m trying to incorporate more books with strong female protagonists into the mix. It’s always a great way to encourage the girls to dream big, aim high and also to open up discussions about what women can achieve.

So what better excuse to read an empowering book featuring a great female lead, than today, a day that celebrates women worldwide.

To help get you started, below are some excellent books that are guaranteed to inspire any little girl.

There are two books in this series and they’re fantastic to read at bedtime as they’re not overly long so you can get through a few and each story features the real life take of an inspiring, accomplished woman.

In a world where there is so much pressure on women to look and be a certain way, I love the message of this story. Essentially it’s a lesson in embracing and being comfortable in being yourself.

This classic is such a wonderful book to read with kids, but girls in particular will love Matilda. She is intelligent and courageous, and a voracious reader, and proves that there’s magic in learning and being curious about the world.

Traditional fairy tales are great but sometimes you just want to challenge the damsel in distress narrative that often feature in those stories. This story is about Penelope who demonstrates that you can be a girly girl and be someone who achieves and gets things done too.

Yes, Harry is the lead in this story but would he have survived till the eighth book if it weren’t for Hermione? She’s a supporting character, but Hermione is whip smart, brave and often shows the boys how it’s done and is such a great role model.

There are several books available now that are in the same vein as this, but I love that this focuses on accomplished Australian women who have made history.

An oldie but a goodie, Pippi Longstocking is adventurous, brave and has a can-do attitude that’s aspirational. This book is one that any little girl will enjoy reading.

She’s quiet by day but at night Rosie is a big inventor, creating all sorts of wonderful gizmos and gadgets. At its core it’s a great story about pursuing your passion with persistence but also acknowledging that while there will be failures along the way, it’s all part of the journey to success.

For the princess obsessed girls out there, this is one book that flips fairytales such as Snow White and Sleeping Beauty on its head. The anthology retells princess stories with a girl power twist.

Little girls love a fairy tale but this one features a princess who challenges the notion that she needs to settle down with a prince to live happily ever after. A lot of fun and a great message too.

Lifestyle & Social, Shop

My favourite children’s cookbooks

13th June, 2019

Cooking is an activity that Sophia and Grace really enjoying helping with. We baked a cake for Sophia’s birthday a few weeks ago and with the girls helping out with little things like stirring the batter and cracking the eggs into the mixture. This is why I’m always out on the look out for cookbooks that contain recipes that are not only kid-friendly but something they can easily assist with. There are so many books available out there but these are the books I really rate for their easy to follow recipes that are tasty and guaranteed to please even the fussiest eater.

**Wholesome Child: A Complete Nutritional Guide and Cookbook**
By Mandy Sacher

Mandy Sacher is a paediatric nutritionist and definitely knows a thing or two about recipes that are easy, but also jam packed with nutrients to satisfy any growing child’s needs. I love the fact that this turns familiar kid favourites such as muffins and mac and cheese and gives it a healthy spin. Also she’s got plenty of dishes that are ideal for fussy eaters and also perfect for meals for the entire family.

**Thermomix Cooking for your Baby & Toddler**
By Louise Fulton Keats

Firstly, if you don’t have a Thermomix, this book is also available in a version that uses conventional cooking. But if you do, this is a great one to have on hand. Louise Fulton Keats hails from one of Australia’s most well known cooking families with her grandmother Margaret Fulton a cooking icon. As a qualified childhood nutritionist, Louise has pulled together a collection of recipes that are perfect for both toddlers and babies, and also super easy, so busy parents will definitely find it a handy tome to refer to whenever they’re stuck for what to cook.

**Basics to Brilliance: Kids**
By Donna Hay

Donna Hay is without a doubt one of Australia’s most well known names in cooking and now she’s turned her hand at writing a cookbook that’s made entirely for kids. What I liked about this book is that all the recipes are easy to follow and also something that the girls and I can cook together. I’ve referred to a Donna Hay recipe or two in the past and this book delivers the same style she has adopted for her other cookbooks: accessible, appetising and with dishes that you’ll come back to time and again.

Lifestyle

15 of my fave children’s books to read to Sophia and Grace

4th July, 2018

My kids love books—especially Grace who can’t get enough of them. We’ve always read to our girls from a young age and storytime is always one of the highlights of our day. There are so many brilliant kids’ books out there and whilst we always try to read a range to Sophia and Grace, we’ve definitely got a firm list of favourites that we turn to time and time again. The girls are at a great stage now where Grace is at the age where she’s enjoying the same books as Sophia so this makes bedtime reading even more fun as we can do it together, and both of them are engaged.

So what books do we like reading? Well, I’m sure a lot of parents will agree with this but a rhyming story is always a hit. My girls love them. It’s also quite fun to read them as well so it’s a win-win situation. However generally anything with animals, beautiful illustrations or just a really great fun story is always a favourite in our home.

At the moment there’s currently a rotation of about 15 books that will always get pulled out a bedtime. In fact we read them so much I’ll probably be able to recite every word without looking pretty soon! It’s always such a beautiful ritual to end the day by reading to Sophia and Grace and it’s something that I hope will continue for many more years to come. If you’re currently looking for a new storytime read, I highly recommend the following books, which have mine and my kids’ tick of approval.

Claris the Chicest Mouse in Paris by Megan Hess

This is currently Sophia’s favourite book. The illustrations are gorgeous and the story is fantastic with a great lesson.

The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

This is one of the best rhyming stories for kids, full stop. It’s a clever story about a crafty mouse outsmarting a snake, a fox and an owl along with the Gruffalo himself. It’s an enjoyable read for the whole family.

What the Ladybird Heard Next by Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks

The author Julia Donaldson can always be called upon for a great kids’ read. This is about a ladybird outsmarting robbers with the help of her farmyard friends. And hey, there’s glitter on every page so it’s a definite crowd pleaser.

Princesses Wear Pants by Savannah Guthrie and Allison Oppenheim

This story has a great lesson about staying true to yourself and is especially great if you’ve got kids going through a princess phase as Princess Penelope Pineapple is not your typical damsel in distress. She’s intelligent, adventurous, driven and is a great role model. Oh and the story rhymes so double thumbs up!

Sugarlump and the Unicorn by Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks

Anything unicorn-related is always a hit with my girls and this one is about a little rocking horse who has his wish granted to become a real horse. However he realises that maybe his old life wasn’t so bad after all…

Belle & Boo and the Goodnight Kiss by Mandy Sutcliffe

This is a great read at bedtime because the it follows Belle, a little girl and her bunny friend, Boo as they go through their night routine from bath to story and goodnight kiss, so it resonates well with young kids.

Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

Another great rhyming tale by the pair behind The Gruffalo. This one is about a witch and the adventures she has with all her animal friends in the forest, with a great message about friendship.

I Don’t Want to Eat My Dinner by David Cornish

If you’re currently experiencing issues with your little ones eating their meals at night (or any other time of day for that matter) then this book is a must-read. It’s all about a young boy named Rollo who manages to make dinner time one of the most exciting times of the day.

Pig the Pug by Aaron Blabey

This a funny read, with great illustrations and a really engaging character—what kid doesn’t love a dog? It’s one of those books that both adults and kids will enjoy.

The Very Ordinary Caterpillar by Garry Fleming

Set in the Australian bush, a little caterpillar is surrounded by so many interesting animals and plant life that he realises how ordinary he is. However he soon spins himself a cocoon and well, you know what happens next!

Oi Frog by Kes Gray and Jim Field

A funny rhyming story about a frog who discovers that all animals have their special places to sit. The illustrations are also great so this book will definitely incite a giggle or two.

Thelma the Unicorn by Aaron Blabey

Written by the author of Pig the Pug this is about a little unicorn who yearns for a more glamorous life but soon discovers that her old life and who she was minus all the glitter and sparkle is exactly where she wants to be.

The Marvellous Fluffy Squishy Itty Bitty by Beatrice Alemagna

This book is about a little girl trying to track down the perfect present for her mum. The colourful illustrations are a favourite with my girls.

Where is the Green Sheep? By Mem Fox and Judy Horacek

This book is a good one to read before bedtime as it culminates in finding a (spoiler alert!) sleeping green sheep. It’s one of Grace’s current faves.

My Zoo by Rod Campbell

Grace is into any books with animals and this one is a great, with lots of cute illustrations. This a good one to read when your child is going through the phase of learning about different animals.

Lifestyle, Shop

Beautiful coffee table books for your home

18th November, 2017

I love collecting coffee table books. I think they make a stylish addition to any home and is a great way to showcase your interests. Most of my coffee table books are about fashion and photography which is what I’m passionate about so I love having them dotted around my apartment as just seeing them around the house is really inspiring. When choosing coffee table books I make sure everything is a hardcover version of the book as it has a bit more longevity and just seems so much more luxe than a paperback. Whether you’re into food, style or blooms I’ve rounded up a few tomes worth showcasing in your home…

Shop my top coffee table book picks below: