Reviews

New moon by Stephanie Meyer

Little, Brown and Co., 2006
(Age 12+) More than 6,000 US teens voted Stephanie Meyer's New moon as their top choice for the American Library Association's Teen’s Top 10 so this book is sure to be popular, particularly with girls. It follows Twilight, the first in the series where readers are introduced to Bella, a teenage girl who falls in love with a vampire. In New moon, which could be read as a stand-alone, the reader follows Bella and the dangers she faces having a vampire as her boyfriend. When Edward leaves her, refusing to let her become a vampire, she is left devastated
'like a lost moon – her planet destroyed in some catacysmic, disaster-movie scenario of desolation.'

Deeply depressed, her friendship with Jacob Black, a North American Indian with some supernatural powers of his own, helps her regain some interest in living.

Teens will love the idea of a perfect love like Romeo and Juliet and will relate to the obsessive feelings that Bella has for Edward. They will also revel in the fact that Michael, a normal boy, and Jacob with his strange powers, are also in love with her. Dangerous sports like motorbike riding and jumping off cliffs add a sense of danger, as well as a vengeful vampire who is determined to kill Bella and werewolves who come to her rescue!

A cliff-hanging ending will ensure that the sequel Eclipse will have an eager audience. Teens who enjoy this series could be introduced to Westerfeld's Peeps, which has more action and less angst, and older readers would enjoy Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre.
Pat Pledger

The road of bones by Anne Fine

Corgi Books
(Age 13+) 'Only a fool cheers when the new prince rises' is a saying not understood by Yuri, living with his parents and grandmother at a time when the ever increasing brutality of the government is something to be seen with guarded eyes. But Yuri, remembering the openness of his youth and the joy of his parents when the new leader took over after years of living under the Czar's autocratic rule, tempts fate and is taken to a gulag where living in appalling circumstances, he learns to guard even his thoughts.

Told from Yuri's point of view, the reader is drawn into the world of the camps, where people are forced to strip the dead for clothing, where the sound of cracking lice between the fingers is a highlight of a day, where men live and die without anyone taking notice. This brutal world is revealed in vivid detail by Fine as she shows clearly the result of over zealous leaders for whom the end justifies the mean. Yuri in escaping wants to find the resistance group and join them in overthrowing the Leadership, and so the story comes in a complete circle, Yuri now wondering what force he can use and how far he should go in telling the people about the new regime, and bending them to its new ways. With his grandmother's saying ringing in his ears, the reader is forced to ask which way he will go, and by association, how far they would go.

Students interested in politics and history, social issues and those looking for a good read, need look no further than this book for an exercise in what means a leader will use in forming a new government. The parallels to many autocratic governments are clear, but it also raises the issue of how people can be caught up in supporting such regimes, and it begs the question of how far to the right many of our modern governments are going, using nationalist fervor to solve problems peculiar to these times. Highly recommended for students who wish to be nudged into giving some thought about what is going on around them.
Fran Knight

The dreamwalker's child by Steve Voake

(10+) A fast paced adventure sci-fi, The dreamwalker's child teems with exciting action and scary adversaries. After a strange bicycle accident that leaves him in a coma, Sam Palmer wakes up on Aurobon, a world that is oddly like Earth. He discovers that he has been abducted by the evil Odoursin, whose plans threaten not only Aurobon, but also Sam's own world. He faces deadly marsh dogs with human faces and insects that are huge sinister flying machines, piloted by people. Teaming up with Skipper, a fearless girl pilot, the race is on to save his planet.

Voake has written an original and compulsive story, with enough scares and thrills to keep the reader continuing to the end. His heroes are really well developed and appealing, his villains cruel and terrifying. It was great to find such a strong female lead as Skipper, who is a brave and adventurous leader.

Although the nail-biting action is paramount, Voake throws in some thought-provoking notions about love, the environment and war that will give young readers plenty to think about.

This was a thrilling page-turner, and fans will want to grab the sequel, The web of fire.
Pat Pledger

Diary of a CHAV: Trainers v. tiaras by Grace Dent

Hodder Children's Books, 2007.
(12+) Told in diary form, Trainers v. tiaras is an amusing story about a year in the life of Shiraz Bailey Wood who is a CHAV (Charming, Hilarious, Articulate and Vibrant) and just not a chav, into hoodies and hip-hop. It's the year when her sister Cava-Sue fights with her mother, her best friend falls in love and she has to come to grips with what she wants in the future.
Like many so called 'pink books', this explores family, love and friendship while having a close look at teenage angst. Shiraz is a likeable character and the laugh aloud humour in her diary carries the story along.
The easy to read diary style and the humour will appeal to girls who have enjoyed books by British authors such as Sue Limb.
Pat Pledger

The rage of sheep by Michelle Cooper

15 year old Hester is not having a good time. Her best friend has moved to another town, the religion obsessed class nerd (Joshua) keeps talking to her, her father, the bank manager is to present the maths medals, and she is one of the recipients and she is struck by the casualness of the racist remarks of her so called friends, when they talk about wogs, but then hasten to add that they are not talking about her. So all in all, she's not enjoying herself, but then when the science teacher pairs her with Joshua, she is appalled.

Michelle Cooper has written a very witty story about growing up and coping with all that life throws at you, The rage of sheep, concerns itself with the change of attitudes coming to the fore in the 1980's. Being an outsider, not only because of how you look, but your sexuality or your religion is explored in this school based story. Two gay teachers have had enough of the parochial attitudes of some of the staff, rumours spread like wildfire, each version adding more to the tale, and Hester must learn not to follow the sheep. Girls particularly in lower secondary school will enjoy the ride.

Fran Knight

How absurd by Beck Wheeler.

Hachette Livre Books, 2007. (Lothian Books).
(Age 5-7) This delightful picture book will appeal to young children and the young at heart! Beck Wheeler has put together in rhyme and pictures a story that challenges the imagination about how absurd it would be if animals and birds were combined. What would it be like if a dog and a bird were mixed up? Or a sheep and a hippopotamus?

The story is very amusing and the rhyming language would be fun to read aloud and sure to have children giggling. The humourous illustrations and their delightful captions are really captivating and likely to interest even reluctant young readers.

How absurd is a perfect picture book for reading to the very young and encouraging readers to take their first steps to independent reading. It would also be really useful for an art session where children of any age could design their own absurd creatures.
Pat Pledger

It’s true, Pirates ate rats by Heather Catchpole and Vanessa Woods

Another in the series, It's True, this book focuses on the topic of pirates, which is suddenly everywhere as a theme in books. True to the format of the other 13, the book has a contents page, an excellent index, lots of black and white photos and drawings and a quiz. Interspersed with the chapters are glossary pages, giving explanations of terms used in the text. I was very pleased to see that unlike many other books on a similar theme, there is a last although brief, chapter on Piracy Today.

Kids, particularly boys, will get a giggle and lots of facts from books such as this. It not only tells a great deal of information about pirates and piracy but tells it in a way that is sure to please. I was worried however about the pages of text, unbroken by headings, sub heading and words in bold print, as these are the very things the modern reader of non fiction looks for. From Ancient Greek times to the infamous piracy of the eighteenth century, pirates are shown warts and all. Kids will revel in the gritty detail given, the stories of Captain Kidd and Blackbeard, the tales of being marooned and searching for treasure, and the ending of the pirate era by the signing of a treaty in 1713.

Fran Knight

The year of the dog by Grace Lin

Grace is an American, and her parents are Taiwanese, so accepting her place in the scheme of things causes her some anxiety. Wanting to join the school play, Wizard of Oz, she auditions for Dorothy, but others in her class laugh and tell her that Dorothy is not a Chinese girl, but American, so where does Grace fit?

This funny story of Grace's search for her place in the world will be instantly recognized by anyone who has felt an outsider. Sometimes people tell her she is Chinese and she quite rightly retorts that she is Taiwanese, but when attending a camp for Taiwanese Americans, she has problems here too, as she cannot speak either Chinese or Taiwanese and so feels outside even there. Her parents have insisted she learn English as she is American not Chinese or Taiwanese.

All rolled into the story of the year of the dog, Grace learns some new talents, discovers a new friend and finishes her book for the class project. It is indeed a lucky year for Grace.

Fran Knight

Cedar, seals and whaling ships by John Nicholson

This is the second book in Nicholson's series of books, called Transport, trade and travel in Australia, 1788-1830s, and is a detailed account of Australia's need to find a strong trading focus in the early days of European settlement. Each of the 5 chapters outlines a particular theme, from the first which tells about the early settlement and the attempts to move along the coast, the second about different attempts to make money from the sea, the third about early farming, the fourth about building the roads to the inland and the last about shipbuilding and the development of overseas trade. Each chapter is well supported by Nicholson's wonderful drawings, and is further rounded with lists, statistics and maps. A glossary and index are contained on the last page.

For a young history student the series is admirable, giving a short peep at momentous issues in our early European history, but I am surprised that there is no use made of sub headings and main words made bold, fact boxes or time lines. Each of these could have added more gravity to the books. But this aside, the book gives some wonderfully exciting information about the early years in Australia's recent history, making it a useful resource in the primary school library.

Fran Knight

Blood brothers by Peter Corris

Allen and Unwin, 2007 ISBN 978 0 7344 1006 1
(Age 12+) Wheeled into the hospital with a fracture, Bart Fletcher's thoughts are turned to his best friend, Jack Chandra, and the possible reasons behind his tripping Bart in the rugby game, resulting in his broken leg. Out of hospital, the enmity shown to Bart by his former friend becomes obvious to all round him, and the tension moves up a gear, once Jack's girlfriend is killed in a car crash.
The story gets more involved as Bart's feelings for a girl in his year develop, and she encourages him to speak to Jack. This results in a fight and Bart talks to his mother about his absent father, once imprisoned for marijuana cultivation. The story keeps on building as Bart finds out more about his background, and decides to get a bus to Melbourne to talk to his unknown family.
A well known adult writer, Peter Corris has turned his hand to writing for young adults with a stunning opening novel. A range of issues for young adults is covered in this story, as Bart discovers his father living in a commune not far away. If the story is a little too neatly resolved, this can be overlooked when considering the wider niceties of plot and characterization.
Fran Knight

Giddy the great by Jamie Rix and Lynne Chapman

Orchard Books, 2006. ISBN 9781846164897
(Ages 5-7) Giddy the Goat wants to be the world's greatest climber and win the Giant Pinnacle Race. He flies all around the world practising climbing enormous structures like the Eiffel Tower and the Empire State Building but his friend Edmund the mutton can't keep up. What is he to do - become Giddy the Great and reach awesome heights or keep his best friend?
Jamie Rix explores in a fun way the importance of friendship in Giddy the Great. The language is simple and Lynne Chapman’s illustrations beautifully complement the text, while adding a humourous dimension.
Young children will enjoy the adventures of Giddy and the dilemma that he faces. This would also be a really useful picture book for examining the value of friendship and ambition.
Pat Pledger

Red rage by Brigitte Blobel

Allen and Unwin, Germany 2007 ISBN 978 1 74175 280 9
(Age 14+) Mara is in serious trouble at school: not passing in work, truanting, leaving school on the slightest whim, and when questioned, flying into an instant rage. One teacher however, believes there is more to Mara than everyone thinks, and puts some trust in her. She finds her a work experience placement at a day care centre. Here Mara relaxes with the children, builds some non threatening relationships with both the children and other staff, and forgets her home life.

But her parents' inability to cope is ever present, influencing what she does and how she behaves. She lives in some squalour with her unemployed resentful father, turning constantly to alcohol for solace and a mother who has become increasingly agoraphobic and at a loss to understand what is going on around her. In the middle of the violence and stupor is Mara and her red rage, now becoming increasingly frequent.
Becoming interested in a boy she sees him with another girl, and her uncontrollable rage takes over with disastrous results. She and the others must endure the consequences of what she has done. How Mara accepts responsibility for her actions forms the crux of the story, ending with a neat moral lesson for all readers. Translated from the German edition, Red rage exposes the story of a troubled youth, circumscribed by the indolence of her parents, given no moral boundaries growing up, causing untold and long term harm with her actions. The teacher's efforts to curb her rage came to nothing, although there is some redemption at the end for readers to hold on to.
Fran Knight

The last muster by Leonie Norrington

Shane and Red are two teenagers living on a remote cattle station in the Kimberley region. Shane is captivated by the thought of taming a wild stallion they saw in the hills. The station has been taken over by a large corporation, and greedy for profit, it threatens their positions on the land and Shane and Red find themselves fighting for the right to stay.

On the surface, this could be read as an action packed adventure story. The reader becomes engrossed in the story of Shane's attempts to tame a wild stallion and the danger when the pair become lost in desolate bush. The story of Jandamarra, an aboriginal man who had hidden from the law in the stone country a hundred years before is exciting. At the same time the narration gains the reader's sympathy about the complex themes of ownership of the land and land rights. When Red and Shane work on a project to try and get land rights for Lofty, Shane's father is very resistant. Gradually he has to come to grips with the fact that the Aboriginal people owned the land before his great grandfather took it over and that Lofty and Red have rights to it now.

This will be enjoyed for the exciting story. At the same time, it will give its readers the opportunity to reflect on ownership and care of the land.

Pat Pledger

Sold by Patricia McCormick

Age 14+ When Lakshmi is told that she is to go to the city and work as a maid, she is excited and grateful. She will now be able to send money back to her family in the foothills of Nepal, where, dogged by poverty, they can barely afford to put food in their children's mouths. As she travels further away from her mother, however, the trip becomes increasingly strange, until, finally in the city, she is locked in a room until she accepts that she is there to service the men who knock at the door.

In spare prose, set up in diary form, Lakshma details the life she leads with the other girls. Occasionally raided by police, she comes to realize that they are only there for the extra money from the brothel keeper. Sometimes some American men come in and speak to her of escape, but the stories she has been told about these men, keep her wary and afraid. Her attempts to save money are met with derision from one girl, who confides that she will never be allowed to leave, only being tossed out when she is no longer of any use.

The sweep of the novel is extraordinary, showing the reader just how these girls are sold into slavery, what their lives consist of and the collusion needed with authorities to keep them in the trade. Each of the girls' lives is told in much detail, so that the reader is in no doubt about what happens to them. Statistics at the end of the book, detail the extent of slavery around the world, and in particular the sexual slavery that goes on.

Read it and weep. Fran Knight

Larklight by Philip Reeve. Illustrated by David Wyatt

London : Bloomsbury, 2006 Available from Allen & Unwin

Age 10+ Larklight is a rip-roaring adventure science fiction book with a wonderful whimsical story and terrific characters. It is set in familiar Victorian times with the added dimension of the British Empire ruling some of the planets.

Larklight is a large dilapidated house that flies around in space in an orbit near the Moon. Art Mumby and his sister Myrtle live there with their scholarly father. One day Mr Webster, supposedly from the Royal Xenological Institute, visits and they discover to their consternation that he is an enormous white spider like creature, one of the First Ones, who captures their father and takes over Larklight. Art and Myrtle manage to escape in a lifeboat and are rescued by the pirate Jack Havock, who takes them aboard his ship the Sophronia. Many hair-raising adventures follow in their efforts to foil the First Ones and save the British Empire.

Wyatt's wonderful, funny and detailed drawings are a joy to look at and add to the enjoyment of the incredible creatures and objects that pervade the story. The book is one that booklovers will want to keep for its beautiful hardcover production with end papers featuring Victorian ads, long involved chapter headings and footnotes.

Apart from the breath taking adventures, readers will love the zany humour and references to Victorian customs and the weird beings that live in this world. Hoverhogs whiz around and clean up, winged ships, powered by an device called an Alchemical Wedding, flap their way through the aether and the Crystal Palace attacks London.

Readers can look forward to further adventures and lots of fun as it appears that there will a sequel.

Pat Pledger