Latest Review 
Mar 27 2019
Mummy Cuddle by Kate Mayes
Illus. by Sara Acton. ABC Books, 2019. ISBN: 9780733339431.
(Age: 1-5) Highly recommended. Themes: Bedtime, Parent and child,
Mothers, Feel good book. A lovely gentle but very humorous book Mummy
cuddle tugs at the heartstrings and leaves the reader feeling
happy after reading it. Bunny creeps out of bed and 'brum brum',
pushes a little car down the stairs and asks Mummy to play. Mummy is
very patient and carries him back upstairs on her back and quietly
answers questions while trying to get Bunny to sleep.
The narrative is sparse with most double page spreads having only
two words: 'Mummy play?' Mummy talk?' 'Mummy brush?' 'Mummy pat'
until finally 'Mummy dream' and 'Mummy cuddle'. Children will have
fun predicting just what Bunny will come up with next in the quest
to stay awake and many will know just what will happen. Sara Acton's
outstanding illustrations done in soft pastels, with Mummy and Bunny
outlined in black, are enchanting. The characteristics of both are
clear - Mummy is such a loving, unflappable parent while Bunny is
persistent but loving as well, even covering Mummy with a blanket as
she sleeps on the floor. The endpapers are worthy of close
examination, the front ones showing Bunny having a bath and getting
ready for bed, while the back ones show an exuberant dance.
This would be an ideal book to share with children on Mother's Day
in particular, but the message of parental love is one for any time.
I can see it becoming a cherished book that celebrates the bond
between mother and child.
Pat Pledger
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Mar 27 2019
On the come up by Angie Thomas
Walker Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781406372168.
(Age: Young adult) Recommended. On the come up by Angie
Thomas is a hard-hitting contemporary young adult novel novel that
brings light to topics such as racial stereotyping and
discrimination of people due to their social class.
Bri... more
Mar 27 2019
52 Mondays by Anna Ciddor
Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760523480.
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. Themes: family, dolls, childhood,
Jewish customs. Anna is a young Jewish girl growing up in 1960's
Melbourne, Australia. The story follows Anna, her two sisters and
her extended family through a year of... more
Mar 26 2019
Master of Sorrows by Justin Call
Gollancz, 2019. ISBN: 9781473222878. 577 pages, paperback.
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Contains violent scenes and depictions of
death. High fantasy. The Academy of Chaenbalu has stood against
magic for centuries. Hidden from the world, acting from the shadows,
it trains its students to... more
Mar 26 2019
Cowboy and Birdbrain by A. Wallace and J. Hart
Scholastic. 2019. ISBN: 9781760661588. 185p
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. Cowboy is not a ringer - nor an NRL
footy player. He's an actual boy with a cow's head! He and his
partner Birdbrain, also a hybrid creature, work for a delivery
company called 'Iffy'. You guessed it, their motto:... more
Mar 26 2019
The secret runners of New York by Matthew Reilly
Macmillian, 2019. ISBN: 9781760559076. Paperback, 352 pg.
(Age: Upper primary - Secondary) A must read for thriller and
dystopian readers. Think of Gossip Girl meets Mad Max.
The story is about a shy girl, Skye, who moves to New York with her
brother Red. They move in with... more
Mar 26 2019
Ninja switch by Anh Do
Ninja Kid book 3. Scholastic, 2019. ISBN: 9781760662820.
186p.
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Themes: Family, Humour. Nelson, Kenny, and
their gutsy grandma deliver another hilarious adventure. Nelson,
tired of being the school nerd, wants to let his cover slip a little
at the annual... more
Mar 25 2019
Courting Darkness by Robin LaFevers
His fair assassin, Counting darkness duology, book 1.
Anderson Press, 2019. ISBN: 9781783448265.
(Age: 16+) Highly recommended. Themes: Historical fantasy, France -
History, Brittany, Assassins. After devouring the three books in the
award winning His fair assassin series,... more
Mar 25 2019
Little Badman and the invasion of the killer aunties by Humza Arshad and Henry White
Illus. by Aleksei Bitskoff. Puffin Books, 2019. ISBN: 9780241340608.
(Ages: 9-12) Highly recommended. Themes: Family relationships,
Pakistanis in Great Britain, Rap music, Friendship, Missing persons,
Good and evil. Humza Khan is a typical 11-year-old who is prone to
making up stories... more
Mar 25 2019
The blue bench by Albert Asensio
Berbay Publishing, 2019. ISBN: 9780648397304.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Diversity, Friendship. First
published in Catalonia, this evocative picture book reveals more of
its subtle depths on rereading. A park bench is at the centre of the
tale, surveying all it sees as life goes on... more
Mar 25 2019
Bizz Buzz Boss by Natalie McKinnon
Ill. by Margaret Tolland. Starfish Bay, 2018. ISBN: 9781760360566.
(Age: 3-6) Themes: Bees, Spiders, Animals, Respect, Behaviour
Management. In Natalie McKinnon's picture book Bizz Buzz Boss
a very bossy bee lords it over all the other garden creatures who
are busy with their... more
Mar 22 2019
Kensy and Max Undercover by Jacqueline Harvey
Kensy and Max, book 3. Random House, 2019. ISBN:
9780143791904.
(Age: 9-12) Highly recommended. Themes: Brothers and sisters, Spies,
Mysteries, Missing persons. After a week's intensive training in spy
craft, eleven-year-old twins Kensy and Max return to their London
home to... more
Mar 22 2019
Ivanhoe Swift left home at six by Jane Godwin
Ill. by A.Yi. Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760631864.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Adventure, Growing up,
Independence. Ivanhoe is determined to see what lies over the hill,
to travel to places unseen, to explore the world beyond his home.
His parents are concerned as they... more
Mar 22 2019
The Curses by Laure Eve
Faber and Faber 2019. ISBN: 9780571328048.
(Age: 12+) Recommended. The Curses, sequel to The Graces,
follows The Grace children and their recently resurrected friend,
Wolf. Wolf is the first person who has ever been resurrected but
something's off with Wolf, is it just that... more
Mar 22 2019
The Runaway by Jane Smith
Tommy Bell Bushranger Boy book 7. Big Sky Publishing, 2018.
ISBN: 9781925675894. 111p.
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Themes: Historical, Speculative. Francis is
'that' friend who has a knack of getting his mates into trouble. He
wasn't even supposed to go on holiday to Carly's place in... more
Mar 22 2019
Happy Camper! By Shamini Flint
Ill. by Sally Heinrich. The Susie K Diaries. Allen and
Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760528287.
(Age: 7 - 10) Recommended. Themes: Camping, Life skills,
Problem-solving, Friendship. The idea of going on a school camping
trip is very stressful for the main character, Susie K., who is... more
Mar 21 2019
Love lie repeat by Catherine Greer
Penguin Books, 2019. ISBN: 9780143791225.
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. All Annie wants is to be loved. By
Trip. By Ash and Ruby. By her parents. Even by her dead aunt,
Margaretta, who ruined everything.
Following the friendship ins and outs of Annie, Ash, and Ruby, three
'it'... more
Mar 21 2019
Baz and Benz by Heidi McKinnon
Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760523688.
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. Themes: Friendship, Visual literacy,
Humour. A story promoting friendship despite the annoying behaviour
of one, will find a place in every classroom as friendships and
their resultant disharmonies take up a lot of... more
Mar 21 2019
Blabbermouth: Oops, I've done it again! by Chrissie Perry
Illus. by Pete Petrovic. Scholastic, 2019. ISBN: 9781760660956.
(Ages: 8-11) Recommended. Themes: Personality, Communication skills,
Reputation. What happens when you're nervous and you can't help
blurting things out, even other people's secrets? Chrissie Perry's Blabbermouth
is a... more
Mar 21 2019
Queen of air and darkness by Cassandra Clare
Dark Artifices book 3. Simon and Schuster; 2018. ISBN:
9781471116704. 880p; p/b.
In this third instalment in the Dark Artifices series of
Shadowhunter novels, Emma Carstairs and Julian Blackthorn must deal
with the loss of Julian's sister and the Inquisitor, as well as... more
Mar 21 2019
Pearl the proper unicorn by Sally Odgers
Illus. by Adele K. Thomas. Scholastic, 2019. ISBN: 9781760661854.
(Age: 6+) Themes: Magic, Unicorns. Sally Odgers continues her
delightful magical series in Pearl the proper unicorn.
Colourful pages, borders, and magical words, make this an
easy-to-read and share story, just right... more