Claire Larson's top reads for 2009
For young readers:
Dandylion
by Lizzie Finlay
For older readers
Bang, Bang,
You're Dead by Narinder Dhami
The Toymaker
by
Jeremy de Quidt
Reviews
Percy Jackson and the Battle of Labyrinth by Rick Riordan
Puffin Books, 2009.
(Age 10+) Percy Jackson is a half-blood, the son of Greek god Poseidon.
This makes life quite complicated as he faces daily battles with
enemies while trying to continue his studies at Camp Half-Blood. His
arch-enemy may have discovered a secret passage through the Labyrinth
which would allow him access to the camp. This means none of the
half-bloods are safe. So Percy joins his friend Annabeth on her quest
underground, where they face untold horrors and battles to save their
existence. They must also discover the truth about the lost god Pan to
help their satyr friend Grover prove he is not crazy.
With a feeling of Harry Potter meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Percy
Jackson
and the
Battle of the Labyrinth, as with the other Percy Jackson books,
provides an entertaining yet dramatic journey.
Donella Reed
Wang Wang and Funi by Phil Cummings
Ill.
by Shane Devries. Imagination
Ventures, 2009. ISBN 978192127004.
(Ages 3+) Highly
recommended. This
beautifully presented picture book which entices the reader into the
world of
the Adelaide Zoo and its new arrivals, the two giant pandas from China,
is an
excellently crafted introduction to the world of these animals. Highly
respected local author, Phil Cummings has shown the other animals in
the zoo
wanting to see their new house mates, and they peek through branches
and around
trees, under buildings and through the bamboo, to see the black and
white
creatures at play. Eating, playing, stumbling and scratching, it
becomes all
too much for the pandas, and they fall asleep.
Phil
Cummings engages the younger reader with his rhyming phrases which
encapsulate
the day's doings of the giant panda. Children going to the Adelaide Zoo
will
know what to look for as they see these creatures, and be prepared in
advance
for their experience. Kids will love to read the book with their
teachers and
parents, learning some of the rhymes to repeat for themselves. Read out
loud,
this book is a treat for all. The illustrations by new graphic artist,
Shane
Devries, will delight the readers, as they search for all the elements
of a
zoo, watch out for the different animals represented, view the
different types
of enclosures the animals are kept in, and marvel at the colour and
vitality of
the animals shown.
Two
pages I loved amongst many are the opening double page spread with its
representation of the main gate at the Adelaide Zoo. The wonderful page
has
recognisable aspects of the main gate, and draws the reader into the
book. The
second to last double page spread is just wonderful, with the animals
from the
giraffe down to the beaver, watching as the pandas fall asleep. The eye
is
drawn form the top left hand corner down to the bottom right, ready for
the
next page. On the last page is a map showing the journey the pandas are
making
from their home in China to their new home in Adelaide, and
information about
the pandas is given.
Produced
under the auspices of the Adelaide Zoo, proceeds form the sale of this
book
will go in part to help protect the pandas, only 2500 of which still
live in
the wild. It is great to see an institution engaging an author and
illustrator
for such a project, as many such books commissioned for events such as
this are
dreary and didactic. This is a far cry from that. Black dog books has
also
published a book by the Adelaide Zoo's conservation psychologist, De
Carla
Litchfield, called Saving Pandas,
which is a non fiction book giving a huge amount of information about
these
creatures. The two books compliment each other well, and would form a
basis of
a panda display to celebrate the arrival of these bears in
Australia.
Fran Knight
The Saga of Darren Shan: The Vampire's Assistant by Darren Shan
Ill.by
Takahiro Arai. HarperCollins, 2009. ISBN 978000
7320882.
(Ages 10+) The tales of
Darren Shan, a series of 12 books about a
boy who becomes a half vampire and must always fight to retain his
human half,
was enormously popular when first published in 2000. To be reissued in
Manga
form will reintroduce the series to a different reading group, as well
as
thrilling those who already know the series. Readers of both the book
and
graphic novel form will love the adventures of Darren as he saves the
day
against all manner of monsters. Fighting against his vampire half means
finding
another way of satiating his appetite for blood, and with all vampire
books
which show the vampire trying to be human, the way of receiving blood
is always
fascinating.
The art work
by Takahiro Arai will entice readers of this
graphic novel. Using the traditional Manga style of big eyed children,
as well
as other conventions of blank pages with one drawing at the bottom,
different
sized comic strips, a whole page devoted to an emotional climax, and so
on, the
art work is at once familiar but with different touches that kids will
love.
The monsters in this book are thrilling, the fight scenes scary and
bloody. It
will have wide appeal; and this is number 2.
Fran Knight
I lost my mobile at the Mall by Wendy Harmer
Random House, 2009. ISBN: 9781741663716
(Ages 10+) Highly recommended! When Elly loses her favourite handbag at
the Mall, along with her friendship ring, her mobile containing all of
her contacts, texts and photos (especially those of her boyfriend,
Will, and the one of her friend Bianca standing next to Hugh Jackman)
she feels her life is as good as over as she faces the wrath of her
parents, her BF (Best friend) and her boyfriend. As she learns to find
other ways of coping without her reliance on technology, Elly not only
learns some important life lessons but comes to some new realisations
about herself.
This is Harmer's first foray into the teen market and she certainly
seems to have included the perfect themes to grab the attention of the
reader - friendship, relationships and technology, the latter being the
equivalent of the vital organs in the life of most teenagers. She
manages to weave in the concepts of cyber-bullying, family
relationships, histories and traditions as well as referring to the GFC
as she engages the reader in the romp through Elly's life. The novel is
written with humour and the genuine voice of a fifteen year old girl as
she develops resilience and works to resolve the various situations in
which she finds herself.
Jo Schenkel
Are these my basoomas I see before me? by Louise Rennison
Fab final confessions of Georgia Nicolson. HarperCollins, 2009.
(Ages 12 and up) Georgia is suffering a major dilemma. Masimo, the
Pizza-a-gogo Luuurve God, is suffering a Mega Hump, thanks to having
caught her 'accidentally twisting' with Dave the Laugh at a 'Stiff
Dylans' gig. As much as she is desperate to placate Masimo, Georgia
finds her lips puckering each time Dave comes near her. With her
'bestie', Jas, being involved in her own problems, Georgia feels she
has been deserted and even confides in her mother on occasion! The
Nicolson family continues to provide much entertainment as Libby and
her parents offer support and advice on Georgia's love life and Mutti
and Vati endeavour to resolve their own marital issues.
As much as I found this novel to be quite predictable and more of the
same, it was nonetheless enjoyable. Rennison bases the series around
all of the major components of the teenager's life - family, friends,
Luuurve and Stalag 14 (school). The school play, bearing decidedly
tenuous links to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, adds to the laughs as
Georgia endeavours to add special effects such as blood capsules to the
sword fight. The diary form makes for an easy read and the series is
embraced by teenage girls.
Jo Schenkel
Faketastic By Alexa Young
Random
House Australia, 2009.
At
first I thought this was a satire on rich middle school American bitch
princesses
obsessed with brand names, beauty, boys and fashion. Then I thought it
must
have been sponsored by various clothing companies in the same way some
food
magazines use brand name ingredients in recipes. But no, it was a
serious, and
apparently popular, series, about 13 and 14 year old girls being
alternatively
friendly and bitchy to each other. Faketastic is the second in
the
Frenemies
series; subtitled When Besties become Worsties.
Avalon
Greene and Halley Brandon are friends and neighbours who post a regular
fashion
advice blog 'dissing' on the clothes the classmates wear to school
- and share
a dog and love of gymnastics. When their gym team is invited to join
the cheer
squad to compete in regional finals Avalon sees her chance to become a
leader.
Halley meanwhile copes uneasily with another friend's boyfriend coming
onto her
and enlists Avalon's help in coping with this tricky situation. They
don't
hesitate to use manipulation to get what they want.
The
outcomes are all predictable but the cliff hanger ending ensures this
soap will
continue. As easy as it is to see this as a superficial take on spoilt
brat
teenage girls there is a ring of truth about the confidences, betrayals
and
search for trust these teenagers engage in. They are not totally
dislikeable,
just fickle and a mixture of confidence and insecurity, in the 'it's
all about
me' way many teenagers this age are.
The
bitchy blogs are entertaining but the heavy emphasis on clothes, brand
names and
beauty is eye-opening to Australians. Adults
are
in the hazy background, but families are stable and caring. A fun
element
is the teenage created words, eg, vampiromaniac, tanorexics,
cheertastic, etc.
A
'junk food' book for the library but one with the kind of cover many
girls
13-15 will grab and read and enjoy but have the sense to see though
these
superficial types.
Kevyna Gardner
Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur
Puffin, 2009. ISBN 9780141327129.
(Age 10+) Recommended. Waterstone Children's Book Prize shortlist. If
you like a tearjerker that wrenches at your heartstrings then this is
the book for you. I read it over several days, mainly because my eyes
were too sore from crying to finish it in one sitting.
Aubrey is an 11-year-old who has been abandoned by her mother after a
tragic accident has devastated her family. Left alone, Aubrey is
determined to set up house on her own, and using birthday money from
her grandmother, she buys tins of SpaghettiO and a goldfish she names
Sammy. She tries living by herself, ignoring the telephone and being
careful to ensure that adults don't discover what has happened.
When her grandmother discovers her, she realises that she isn't on her
own and with the aid of new friends, Aubrey has the strength to make a
really hard decision about her future.
LaFleur paints an uncompromising picture of mental illness and how it
can affect family members. Aubrey's mother is unable to cope after the
family tragedy and to my horror, deserts her remaining child. I was
left asking the questions: How could a mother do this? How could Aubrey
ever forgive her mother for abandoning her? The situation becomes
clearer through Aubrey's letters to an imaginary friend and later her
family, but is never glossed over. Aubrey's grandmother is such a calm,
unbiased person, that it is through her patience and understanding that
Aubrey gradually begins to realise what has happened and to start on
the path to forgiveness.
LaFleur has created an unforgettable character in Aubrey. She is brave
and honest and with the help of her grandmother, the school counsellor
and her best friend Bridget, she is able to confront her feelings about
her mother's desertion and her grief about her loss. She also has time
to befriend Marcus, a young boy with problems of his own. Gram is a
heroine of a grandmother, coming to the rescue of the ones that she
loves.
This is a book that would make a worthy class set and one that will
gain a following for many years to come.
Pat Pledger
Are you ready to play outside? by Mo Willems
Walker Books, 2009. ISBN 9781406322200.
(Ages 2-7) A delightful addition to the Elephant and Piggie books sees
Gerald and Piggie getting ready to play outside, anticipating a
wonderful time running, skipping and jumping. When a rain shower
threatens their game, Piggie decides that she is 'not a happy pig'.
Gerald shelters her from the rain by using his big ear as an umbrella.
Two little worms are overjoyed with the rain and when Piggie sees this
she decides that it could be fun to cavort in the wet.
A lovely expose of friendship, young readers will empathise with the
two friends as their plans for a fun game go awry. This time it is
Gerald who is able to help out Piggie, protecting her from the rain and
giving the pair a chance to come up with fun things to do.
The humorous illustrations, with their simple line drawings, will bring
a smile to the faces of young readers and those listening to the story.
The use of Gerald's ear as an umbrella is particularly engaging. Large
print, repetition of words and easy vocabulary will be a boon for
beginning readers.
Pat Pledger
Red Ted and the lost things by Michael Rosen and Joel Stewart.
Walker Books, 2009. ISBN 9781406310375.
(Ages 4-8) Recommended. In graphic novel format, this story about a
lost
toy is sure to be a winner with young children. Red Ted has been left
on a train by Stevie, the little girl who loves him. He is taken to the
railway's lost property department and placed high on a shelf next to a
dispirited Crocodile, who has been there so long that he can no longer
remember who his owner was. Determined to get home, Red Ted flings
himself off the shelf, and together with Crocodile sets off on an
adventure to find his owner. On the way they meets a cat who loves
cheese and who helps them on their quest.
The graphic novel format works really well in this tale of a
courageous bear. I loved how the plot develops through the use of
conversation and thought bubbles, with an occasional piece of text in a
box. Young children will also delight in repeating the little rhyme
about the cat:
"I'm a cat
And I do
As I please,
I'm a cat
And I love cheese!"
Joel Stewart's illustrations are humorous and poignant. The background
is in muted browns, and contrasts with the red of Red Ted and the green
Crocodile. There are many interesting details to keep an observer
engrossed on many rereads, especially in the drawings of the lost
property department and the train station.
Although the intrepid Red Ted has some setbacks on the way home,
he and his friends display great courage when facing a storm and great
big dog. With the help of his friends, he finds that persistence and
teamwork pay off and all three eventually find their home. A warm,
funny story that children will relate to, Red Ted and the lost
things
shows children the advantages of problem solving and working with
others.
Pat Pledger
Beating heart by A. M. Jenkins
Harper Teen, 2006.
(Age 14+) Recommended. An ALA
Quick
Pick
for
Reluctant
Young
Adult Readers
Beating heart is an intriguing story told in everyday prose by
17 year
old Evan and in verse by Cora, a young woman who lived over 100 years
ago. After her divorce, Evan's mother has bought an old house and
fixed it up. Evan and his little sister Libby find the move to their
new home difficult, and Evan begins to have erotic dreams of a girl
with fine fair hair. He has found her picture in an old box containing
letters and newspaper clippings, telling of a 16 year old girl who died
in her sleep. Her face haunts him every night and starts to have an
effect on his real life relationship with Carrie, his long term
girlfriend.
The story is a very compelling one. I was fascinated by the alternating
stories of Evan and Cora. Evan is very likeable; he is concerned
about the effect his parents' divorce has had on his little sister and
tries to help her through the distress of the breakup and lack of
interest from her father. His obsession with Cora makes him
question whether he really loves Carrie or whether it is just physical.
Cora tells her story through free verse and a picture grows of a
rebellious girl whose natural exuberance is being crushed by the social
expectations that young ladies should be demure and softly spoken. Her
illicit affair with a 17-year-old visitor and her admiration of Evan is
described vividly.
Both Evan and Cora make dramatic decisions in a searing finale.
Because Cora's verse makes up a large portion of the book, this is a
quick read. The beautiful young girl on the cover will be sure to
appeal to girls, who will relish the ghost story and find much to think
about in the exploration of different expectations that boys and girls
have in relationships.
The book also won the Golden Spur Award (Texas) and was one of New York
Public Library Books for the Teen Age.
Pat Pledger
The goblin and the empty chair by Mem Fox
Ill. by Leo and Diane Dillon. Puffin, 2009. ISBN
9780670074211.
(Age: 5+) Highly
recommended. Mem Fox has crafted a
memorable story in the
classic fairy tale tradition, telling the tale of a kind-hearted goblin
who is
convinced that he is too ugly to be seen by anyone. He hides away in
his
castle, until one day he sees desolate farmer, who doesn't seem to be
able to
cope with his chores. The farmer's wife and daughter are also suffering
from
some unspecified loss. The goblin, working at night, helps them out,
believing
that the darkness will hide him. However the family members do see him
and invite
him into their home.
Fox's beautiful
text is studded
with memorable phrases, imagery and repetition. It is a delight to read
aloud,
slowly with emphasis. Beautiful framed illustrations by award winning
duo, Leo
and Diane Dillon, draw the reader into the story. Each page has a
border strip showing
what is happening before the text, and a larger picture that
illustrates a key emotion
of the story. A tiny gargoyle face on both sides of the picture is
fascinating
and adds to the reader's understand of the feelings that the text is
expanding.
Although the family's despair is not explained in the text, there are
clues in
the illustrations. It is these tiny pictures and clues that bring the
reader
back again and again to discover more richness in the book.
Both the text and the illustrations emphasise that
appearances
are not all important and that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Compassion
and caring for other people have the power to help heal a terrible loss
and to
join people together.
Pat Pledger
Dreamdark series by Laini Taylor
Blackbringer. Firebird, 2007. ISBN 9780142411681.
Silksinger. G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2009. ISBN 9780399246319.
(Ages 10+) Recommended. The first two books in the Dreamdark series are
an absolute delight. Once I started Blackbringer, I was unable
to put
it down, as I followed the adventures of Magpie Windwitch, a tiny
feisty fairy, who rides on the backs of a clan of cigar smoking crows.
She is on a quest to rid the world of devils that have escaped back
into the world and are threatening the fairy world. When the Blackbringer
kills Talon Rathersting's father and brothers, he too joins the hunt to
rid the world of darkness. After finishing Blackbringer I
immediately
picked up the sequel Silksinger. In Silksinger, Whisper
is a tiny fairy
with a magical voice, who has to protect the Azazel, one of the
creators of the world. Joined by Hirik, and aided by Magpie Windwitch,
Talon and the crows, she faces a dangerous adversary in her quest to
keep the Azazel and the world safe.
Taylor has created a unique but totally believable world peopled with
spunky fairies and evil villains. This world is vividly brought alive
by beautiful descriptive writing and splendid dialogue, including slang
especially created to suit Magpie.
Her characters are really well developed, each with their own strengths
and weakness, and having a wonderful range of skills. Magpie can weave
the Tapestry that keeps the world together. Talon, a non stereotypical
Prince, is able to knit himself a wondrous pair of wings so that he too
can travel the skies on adventures with Magpie and the crows. Whisper
Silksinger can translate glyphs into song and Tirik wields a magical
sword. Individuals in the crow clan provide a source of laugh out loud
humour, with their cigar-smoking habits and play acting antics.
I found myself flicking through the books to look at Jim Di Bartolo's
gorgeous
illustrations of the little fairies with their
soaring wings, tattooed faces, pointed ears and wind swept hair. They
perfectly complemented the characters of the fairies and added greatly
to the enjoyment of the book.
This is an original and highly enjoyable series with plenty of edge of
the seat adventures to hold the reader's interest. I can't wait for the
next book to be published.
Pat Pledger
Seven Sorcerers by Caro King
Quercus, 2009.
(Age 10+)
Nin had never liked Wednesdays, but this one was terrible. When
she woke
up she discovered that her brother Toby had disappeared. No one else
remembered
him and none of his belongings existed either. She remembered him being
afraid
of the Bogeyman that he thought was lurking in the corner of the
cellar. When
she found his Monkey toy discarded under
a tree in the garden she knew that he had been taken. Eyes seem to
follow her
and then the worse happened, Skerridge the Bogeyman, tried to take her
and
erased all the memories of Nin from her family and friends. Determined
to
rescue Toby and aided by Jonas a boy from the Drift, a strange land
where
everything seems to be dying, Nin set out on a dangerous quest out to
find him.
What child hasn't imagined monsters hiding in
closets and
dark corners, or thought of skeletons rising out of graves? King has
peopled
her world with a frightening array of fantastic and terrible creatures,
many
drawn from the stuff of these nightmares and childhood fears. Nin has
to face
the tombfolk, mudmen, Gabriel hounds, not to mention Mr Strood and the
Terrible
House where all the stolen children are given to Strood's Death to eat.
The
plot is action packed and the suspense is built up really well as Nin
and her
companions face one adversary after another on their perilous journey
to find
Toby and discover what had happened to the Seven Sorcerers who once
lived in
the land.
King has made her characters come alive. Nin is
always
steadfast and loyal. Almost single minded in her determination to find
her
brother, she still comes to the rescue of Jonas in an amazing feat
against the
Gabriel Hounds and ensures that the mudman, Jik, is kept alive.
Skerridge the
Bogeyman, is a terrific character and provides many touches of
humour that helps to relieve the tension of
the scary adventures that occur. The author also uses him to provide
much of
the background of the alternative world that Nin has found herself in.
Jik the mudman with his strange vocabulary is
a memorable invention. Black and white illustrations of Nin, Jonas, Jik
and
Skerridge give an extra dimension to the characters.
With its combination of fast paced plot and a
wonderfully
inventive, magical world, King has written a story that is clever,
scary and
memorable. It can be read as a stand alone as it comes to a satisfying
conclusion. Readers who enjoyed it will be happy to know that on the
spine, it
says Book one, and will look forward to further adventures of Nin and
her
little band.
Pat Pledger
Shapeshifters: tales from Ovid's Metamorphoses retold by Adrian Mitchell
Ill.
by Alan Lee. Frances
Lincoln Children's Books, 2009.
(Age
11+)Metamorphoses
has inspired writers through the ages. The Roman poet's tales about
interaction between the gods and humans have been adapted as plays,
poems,
music and stories.
Shapeshifting,
or metamorphosis, is a common theme in legends
and folklore. Adrian Mitchell has used it as a metaphor for the
inevitability of
change, bookending his adaptations of ancient Greek myths with his
thoughts
about the subject of transformation. The result has a satisfying unity,
beginning with the creation of order out of chaos and ending with the
creation
of art, represented by the work of the boastful weaver Arachne, who was
changed
into a spider.
Writing
styles vary from prose poems and rhyming verse
to conventional storytelling in prose. Readers can view the resulting
anthology
as a whole work or use the table of contents to dip into the tales of
their
choice. At times, the writing is evocative. At times, it disappoints.
Occasional
facetiousness and colloquial expressions seem out of place. Tense
changes mar
the storytelling. A glossary of the gods and a guide to the
pronunciation of Greek
names are welcome but a brief 'Note on Ovid' seems offhand at the end
of a book
which includes his name in the title. Readers are left to deduce the
connection
between the terms 'shapeshifters' and 'metamorphoses'.
Alan
Lee's vivid watercolour illustrations wrap around
the text on every page. The heroic,
dreamlike
images enhance this large print, quality hardcover publication.
Despite
its unevenness, Shapeshifters is a
visually arresting and effective retelling of some of the world's best
known
myths. The author's reflections about their meaning are sincere and
thought-provoking.
Elizabeth
Bor