Sitting in the principal's office with his parents on the last day of school, Oliver is not pleased to hear his teacher give him a load of extra maths work to do over the summer holidays before he goes to high school in the fall. They are all off to Morosia, the underworld vampire city where some of his relatives live, and he cannot get there soon enough. Meanwhile he visits his friends, Dean and Emalie, and they are on a quest to find Selene, who may be able to help them find out about Emalie's mother, who has disappeared. A trawl through all the spirits and wraiths surrounding vampire lore, Oliver Nocturne is a series about Oliver and his life as a vampire, and what is expected of him in the future. Bringing in all the stories at once is a bit overwhelming, and the number of characters sometimes confusing, and some of the stories within the novel are quite scary. I was often reminded of The Munsters (the 70's TV show) as the story shows the vampires at home, going about their daily routines, and there will be an audience for this series with the predominance of vampires stories being published of late, but I think there are better books around to spend the limited library budget on. Fran Knight
Short Stuff by Mark Stevens
Louis
Braille Audio, 2009.ISBN 978174212.
4CD's, lasting 4 hours
Working
Title Press, 2008
Mark
Stevens' short stories are brought hilariously to life by the clear,
funny
voice of Don Bridges. I loved the coach in the first story, with
reminiscences
of Michael Caine coming through. The reader gives each story a
different ring
through making it memorable and inviting the listeners to stay for the
whole
CD.
In
the first story, Henson longs to be a professional soccer player, and
his time
with the local soccer team is just his training time on the way to
fulfilling
his dream. Often his coach has to interrupt his dreams about his
prowess. But
on the Saturday that his team is about to win the local cup, his team
taking on
the Carver Hill mob, he wakes to a cloud hanging over his house. A few
metres
above his head, the cloud has a message and he feels impelled to ring
the phone
number emblazoned thereon. The Indian accent on the end of the phone
line tells
him to meet him outside his front door, and when he opens it he finds
Finnias.
From then on the laughs come thick and fast, as Fininas calls another
person to
log the incident with Geraldine the cloud.
Don
Bridges' wonderful voice takes on the young Henson, the amiable
Finnias, Amos
the coach, various friends and family, beautifully. He modulates his
voice to
enable all listeners to hear the difference between the different
people and
the passages linking the conversations. His voice contains an undertone
of
humour which suits the style of the text, and his clear voice allows
the
listener to hear every word. As a filler in a classroom, as a start to
the day,
a lunchtime activity, or to borrow and take home to listen, for parents
taking
the kids on a trip, whatever the need, audio books like this are
invaluable.
Fran
Knight
A child's garden by Michael Foreman
Walker Books,
2009.
ISBN 9781406312072.
(All ages) Highly recommended. Michael
Foreman has written another stunning book with a message of peace that
tugs at
the heart strings. A little boy lives in a barren, war torn area behind
a tall
barbed wire fence. One day he finds a tiny green shoot and waters and
nurtures
it until it grows to cover the fence. Birds and butterflies find it and
the
area becomes a place of beauty and a playground for children. Then one
day the
soldiers come along and destroy it. The boy is heartbroken, but hope
arrives
when a little girl on the other side of the fence finds some shoots and
waters
them.
Foreman's illustrations bring to life the bleakness of war. With black
and
white pencil drawings he shows the desolate landscape with its ruins,
buildings
piled high with rubble and ragged shelters. As the boy's little shoot
grows, he
adds colour to show the beauty of plants and the birds and butterflies
that
collect there and the happiness of the children who have a lovely
garden to
play in. When the shoots grow on both sides of the fence and the
landscape is
transformed, the illustrations are all in colour to show the sharing of
peace.
Foreman's message is overt. He gives the reader hope that the seeds of
peace
can be planted deep and will one day flourish in a place where there is
no
fence and people can live peacefully together. This would be a
wonderful book
to use with all age groups to look at the effects of war and oppression
and how
resilient the human spirit can be.
Pat Pledger
Siggy and Amber by Doug MacLeod
Puffin, 2009. ISBN 9780143304388.
(Age 13+) Recommended. Siggy wants to meet
a girl who he hopes will
be 'smart and amazing.And funny and
probably not blonde.' At a dance at the Samsara Youth Club, he meets
Amber, who
may be the girl of his dreams. However he vomits on her
shoes and
he decides that the only way he might get to know her after that fiasco
is to
take her ghost hunting. He has seen something strange at Tallis Point
and wants
to investigate.
The book is peopled with a wide array of unusual characters all of whom
add to
the fun of the story. There is Siggy's friend Fergus who leads a double
life as
Highland Dancing Man, a sister who makes sculptures out of bits of
shrapnel, a
shop owner who sells vampire costumes and finally Amber who lives with
her two
mums and who has goldfish. Add to that witty dialogue that is
side-splitting
and you have a book that is sure to appeal to everyone who picks it up.
If you are after a humorous book for your library then this would make
a
delightful addition. It would also be a great read aloud and would be
sure to
engage reluctant readers.
Pat Pledger
Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith
Pocket Books, 2009. ISBN 9781847391599.
(Age 15+) Recommended. One of the best mystery thrillers that I have
read in a
long time, Child 44 took me on a roller coaster ride to
Stalinist
Russia, where
children are being killed and mutilated by a serial killer. The Soviet
system
refuses to acknowledge that there is such a crime in its perfect
society, and
the deaths are blamed on deviants, homosexuals or intellectually
disabled people.
One detective, Leo Demidov, called to cover up the death of one of his
men's
children, gradually begins to realise that there is more than one child
brutally killed and decides to atone for all the innocent victims that
he
himself has arrested. This leads to demotion and exile
from
his home.
What makes this story so engrossing is the combination of a good murder
mystery
with an in depth look at what it was like to live in Stalinist Russia.
The
emotions of the main characters play a leading role and Leo's feelings
about
his work in the secret police and his marriage are explored in detail.
Fear
pervades the society and Smith tackles the impact that fear has. Child
44 was on
the Man
Booker Prize long list, deservedly so - this is a well written, well
researched
and riveting thriller not to be missed.
Pat Pledger
Don't breathe a word by Marianne Musgrove
Random
House, 2009.
(Age 8-12) Recommended. Mackenzie and Tahlia have been bought up by
their
grandfather
- Pirate (because of his sunken chest!) however one day they arrive
home from
school to find that grandpa had had a fall and couldn't remember
entirely how
he came to be where they found him. Realising the seriousness of what
has
occurred but also fearing for a change in their circumstances if they
allow
people to find out about grandpa they agree to keep grandpa's fall a
secret
between themselves. This would be fine if Tahlia didn't continually
have to go
off to dancing class and Mackenzie wasn't left alone to cope with
grandpa's
strange behaviour. Eventually grandpa puts himself in extreme danger
and the
girls have no choice but to allow grandpa the help he needs.
This
is an excellent novel dealing with dementia and the effect it has on
those
involved. It sensitively portrays the deterioration of the sufferer and
the
increasing concerns of those around them.
This
is the third novel written by South Australian author Marianne
Musgrove, with
The Worry Tree and Lucy the Good
preceding this title.
Tracy
Glover
All we know of love by Nora Raleigh Baskin
Walker
Books, 2009. ISBN 9781406315516.
(Ages 14+) Recommended. By observing the quotes at the
beginning of each
chapter,
the reader hears Natalie's story whilst enjoying the plethora of ideas
that
famous people have about the different types of love and the emotional
responses individuals have to 'love'.
Natalie's Mother has been gone for four years, four months and
fifteen
days and Natalie blames herself. Her Mother was in mid sentence and
Natalie
wanted chocolate cookies not the oatmeal cookies and wasn't really
listening.
Natalie is on her way from
Stamford to Florida by bus to ask her Mother about her unfinished
sentence
involving love. She encounters a variety
of people who influence her and share their views on 'love'. Natalie
learns to hear other people's views
on life and love and through the stories they tell. She is learning to
believe in herself and as
she says on page 192: 'I have to forgive myself for something I had
nothing to
do with. And second, I have to pay
attention to the here and now.'
Natalie
is beginning to accept what she can't change and enjoy the people
who
love her. She's growing up.
Sue Nosworthy
Juno of Taris by Fleur Beale
Random House, 2009. ISBN 9781741662979.
Recommended. Growing up in a
community where strict rules restrict the behaviour, clothing and ideas
of the
population causes some angst amongst the teenagers. Shaving their hair
every
month incites several to rebel against this draconian law, in place to
make
sure everyone is equal. But the reason for enforced equality is at the
heart of
this wonderful dystopian novel, where a population is sheltered under a
dome
over an island in the South Pacific. For their own survival, global
warming
having decimated the rest of the world, this group of people has
developed a
strict code by which they live.
With every aspect
of life regulated on the basis that it is necessary for survival, the
younger
members seek answers to their questions, resulting in an undermining of
the
order which rules their lives. The ideas of public good, social
experimentation, future of society, environmental damage and the
people's right to know are all explored in this powerful tome.
Beale's character are presented sympathetically, even the ones in power
are
understandable, as they strive to retain the cohesion of the group.
Chapters
are short and the plot moves quickly. The wonderful addition of inserts
shows
the reader what the general community is feeling adding to the tension
building
up between Juno and her friends and those in charge. The need to know
what is
Outside causes change and grief.
This is a
blindingly good read, bringing in all aspects of dystopian fiction,
adding to
the range of fiction now available for our students to read. It would
make a
stunning class text with a class willing to let themselves go into this
world
created so ably by Beale, and see the possible futures for Juno and her
community as well as themselves.
Fran Knight
The eternal kiss. Vampire tales of blood and desire. Ed. by Trisha Telep
Random House, 2009. ISBN 9781864719413.
(Age 14+) Thirteen vampire
stories by some of the leading authors in this genre are sure to be a
crowd
pleaser with those who enjoy their stories with blood and fangs.
Certainly not of the girl falls
in love with a vampire variety, this
collection of short stories contains some very well written and quite
compulsive stories by authors like Cassandra Clare, Kelley Armstrong,
Holly
Black, Cecil Castellucci and Rachel Caine. One tale that stood out for
me was
Cassandra Clare's Other boys, which has a terrifying twist when
Jennifer
decides that she will go out the boy who says he is a vampire. Wet
teeth, the
short story by Cecil Castellucci, leaves a very nasty aftertaste as
does All
Hallows by Rachel Caine.
For readers who are looking for
more authors in the vampire genre, these short stories will introduce
them to
many more authors that they may like to try. An author biography
section at the
back of the book contains a brief introduction to each of the authors
and a
description of some of their books. I was already a fan of Holly Black
and
Cassandra Clare but I have decided to try other books by Melissa de la
Cruz whose
story Shelter Island about Dylan Ward inspired me to get one of
her
Blue Blood
series. The thirteenth step by Libba Bray will thrill readers
and
totally
surprise them with an unexpected ending.
Her book, A great and terrible beauty, has been on my list to
find for
some time and I will certainly read it now after such a compelling
short story.
Pat Pledger
The bride's farewell by Meg Rosoff
Penguin, 2009.
ISBN
9780141383941.
(Ages 13+) Highly recommended. A book that is exceptionally difficult
to put
down, The bride's farewell is an engrossing story about Pell
Ridley,
who
escapes from her poverty stricken home on the day of her wedding.
Determined
not to be like her mother, downtrodden and bearing children
continuously, she
takes her horse Jack and sets off to find a better life, believing that
her
sister Louisa will marry Birdie in her place and all will be well at
home. Her
little step brother Bean follows her, and together they travel to the
horse
fair at Salisbury to see if work can be found. Encounters with a
mysterious
gypsy woman and her brood of children, John Kirby a kindly groom and
Dogman a
poacher bring adventure and danger.
The English countryside and its people, perhaps on
the cusp
of the Industrial Revolution, although that is never stated, are
vividly brought
to life as Pell goes on her quest for a better life. The suspicion from
the
villagers that Pell meets wherever she travels, the
poaching that keeps body and soul together
and the terrible fate of those in the workhouse, all paint a heart
wrenching
picture of the desperate poverty of the times. Rosoff has done her
research
well, and the grinding misery of the workhouse at Andover is described
in such an
understated way that it made me go and research what it really was
like.
Pell is a determined heroine, stubborn about what
she wants
and loyal to her family. When Bean disappears with her horse Jack, she
doggedly
set out to find him. She is distraught about the consequences of her
departure
from her family. On discovering that her younger sisters have been sent
to the
workhouse, she rescues them as well.
Pell is good with animals and the way that Rosoff
describes
the horses and dogs in this book, will have animal lovers continuing
for more.
An unconventional romance blossoms in a very low key way, but the
reader is
always aware that it is Pell's strength of character, her beliefs in
her own
ability and her courage and loyalty that are the key elements of this
wonderful
story.
Pat Pledger
The Jade Dragon by Carolyn Marsden
Candlewick
Press, 2009. ISBN 978076364063.
(Ages 8+ )When Ginny sees another girl in her school
who looks just like her, she is amazed to find the new girl sees
herself as
American. She knows no Chinese language, does not eat Chinese food, and
scoffs
at some of the things Ginny and her family hold dear. But Ginny wants
her to be
her special friend and does all she can to attract her attention. When
Stephanie asks if she can take home Ginny's jade dragon, then Ginny
relents,
knowing that this little animal is her special animal, made only for
her.
This gentle story of friendship and wanting a
friend, will endear all readers, as they sympathise with Ginny doing
all she
can to have a friend. But to do this Ginny must deny her Chinese
heritage, and
fall in line with the selfish Stephanie. Both girls learn something
about
themselves throughout this book as they come to some understanding of
their
heritage and the pulls of living in another country. The parents play
an interesting background
role, as the American parents of the adopted Stephanie bring her up in
an
American household, yet encourage her to build relationship with Ginny
and her
family, and her Chinese heritage, while Ginny is brought up in a
Chinese
household and encouraged to hold dear Chinese customs and her
background, but
equally do well in the new culture. It's the dichotomy of many second
generation
children of migrant families, that tearing from one's background, and
it's
brought truthfully to life in this little novel.
Fran
Knight
My silent world by Nette Hilton and Vincent Agostino
Lothian Books, 2009. ISBN
9780734410375.
(All ages) Recommended. A deaf girl has a
rich inner life. She knows
music and feels it 'in the rush and thud' on her chest. She
can see the birds in the park and feel the 'thrust of the waves'. She
knows about everything, but she is afraid of the
unseen monster that fits in her ear - a cochlear implant,
but she is brave and knows that she will learn
sound too.
What a demanding but outstanding story this is. I needed to read it
aloud first
before I quietly concentrated on the beautiful text, initially
disregarding the
illustrations as I worked out what the story was telling me. Reading
the free
verse carefully I discovered the rhythm of
the words and ideas. I found Agostino's very
busy, bright illustrations, dominated by the figure of the little girl,
and the
different colours of the text, to be a distraction on the first read,
but very
compelling as an extension of the story on further examination.
This story will give readers an understanding of the richness of the
world that
deaf children can inhabit and could lead to some interesting
discussions about
how it could be better or different not to be able to hear. It gives a
wonderful sense of all the feelings and experiences that being deaf can
bring
and how it must be difficult to get used to all the noise that
surrounds us
today. It deserves a place in every library.
Pat Pledger
Pearlie and Great Aunt Garnet by Wendy Harmer
Random
House, 2009.
ISBN 9781741664348.
(Ages 6-9) When she discovers that it is Opal's birthday, Pearlie the
Park Fairy decides to organise a surprise party for all of the
creatures from Jubilee Park. Jasper the
Elf is not sure about
inviting the rats, Scrag and Mr Flea. On discovering that they are not
invited,
the rats decide to plan their own party. Both Pearlie and the rats head
to
Great Aunt Garnet's fairy shop to order their party goodies. Whilst
Pearlie
orders a cake 'with sugar and spice and everything nice', the rats
request 'the
biggest, yuckiest cake ever', filled instead with 'slugs and snails and
puppy
dog tails'. On the day of the party, a mix up with the cakes turns out
to be a
blessing in disguise.
Harmer proves that, not only can she use her sense of humour
to appeal to adults but she is equally capable of writing for children
as well.
The simple story, interspersed with rhyming verses, is engaging and
humorous.
Readers see the importance of friendship, inclusion, planning, sharing
and the
benefit of being given a second chance. The Pearlie stories are
didactic yet
hold much appeal for young children. Pearlie
and Great Aunt Garnet includes party invitations, door hanger and
suggestions
for party games and decorations. Together with the clever marketing of
this
hard cover book, Gypsy Taylor's vibrant illustrations make this an
attractively
presented book which will be in demand by emergent female readers or
girls
wishing to be read aloud to by an adult.
Jo Schenkel
Elephant by Petr Horacek
Walker Books, 2009. ISBN
9781406311006.
(Ages 3-6) What is a lonely boy to do when his grandparents are too
busy to
play with him? His solution is to find an elephant for a best friend.
The
elephant is perfect for throwing a football with in the garden and for
splashing in the bathtub. And he's also perfect to be used as a
scapegoat when
something goes wrong and the garden bed is trampled and there are
puddles all
over the floor.
This is a classic story line with a child using an imaginary friend to
explain
away any disasters that happen when rough games are being played. It
works very
well as a read aloud story, particularly as it has a satisfactory
conclusion
which children will find amusing.
Beautiful illustrations complement the text. The end papers show tiny
pictures
of the elephant from all angles on a vivid orange background. Horacek
has distinguished
the imaginary elephant by drawing it with dark grey pencil scribbles.
The pictures
of the little boy, his grandparents and the house and garden are in
full bright
colours. This is a useful technique and would help a very young child
to work
out what is real and what is imaginary.
Pat Pledger
Gool by Maurice Gee
Text Publishing, 2009. ISBN
9781921520129.
(Age 12+) Imagine a
monster that can't really be seen, but which can latch onto you and
suck your
life away. In this sequel to Salt, this happens to Hari while
he is
out
hunting
with his children, Xantee and Lo, who have inherited their parents'
ability to
talk to each other in their minds and to control the actions of people
and animals.
Determined to save Hari, Xantee and Lo set off with Duro, to try and
find the
origin of the gool, which threatens the world.
This is a perilous mission, taking them through forests and mountains
on their
trip back to the city Beyond, where they believe they will find a book
which
tells how to rid the earth of the gool. On
the way they meet up with Tarl the dog man who guides them to the city
where the
evil Clerk and Keech hold sway. There is enough adventure and action to
keep
the reader interested along the way.
I particularly liked the character of Xantee, a young girl who is a
natural
leader. She takes control of the quest and it is her ability and
compassion
that pushes the story along. Her talents
as a mind reader make for an interesting twist to the plot. The other
characters are equally well developed and it was interesting to see
Hari's
children and their companions grow.
At the conclusion of this book I was left pondering the effect that
practising evil
can have on a person's mind. The strong themes of good versus evil and
non
violent approaches to end conflict could make for some stimulating
discussions.
Pat Pledger
