Reviews

The Scarecrow by Sean Williams

HarperCollins, 2009. ISBN 9780732284763
(Age 11+) Recommended The Scarecrow is the satisfying conclusion to Williams' Broken Lands trilogy, which began with The changeling, followed by The dust devils which were both finalists for the best children's novel in the Aurealis Award. Ros is on a quest to get rid of the crystal containing the Golem of Omus. Travelling with Adi and the camel Know-it-All, he arrives at the coast, hoping to drop the crystal into the depths of the ocean. However they encounter the treacherous Quirk who disappears with Varis, Adi's relative and guard. In their search for Varis, they come up against the Scarecrow, a terrifying amalgamation of material and human who desperately wants the crystal for himself.
Williams has created an exciting and tense finale to his series. The Scarecrow is a unique creation and quite frightening. The action sequences on the island where Ros confronts him are very tense and I could picture them in a gripping science fiction film.
The Australian setting with its harsh dry land and the huge cliffs overlooking the ocean provide a wonderful background to the struggles of the characters. It is truly a coming of age for Ros as he decides whether he will accept Pukje's offer to gain the knowledge about the magical Change that he thirsts for, or stay with Adi and her tribe.
I thoroughly enjoyed this series. The Scarecrow is a demanding story with an awesome setting and readers will be tempted to read other books by this author.
Pat Pledger

The Ant Colony by Jenny Valentine

HarperCollins, 2009. ISBN 9780007283590
Highly recommended. The house is like an ant colony, everyone living in their own compartment, together but separate, until one incident brings them altogether and they find friendship and hope for the future. When Sam runs away from home and comes to London, he wants to be alone, leaving what has happened behind him. He wants to disappear - be in a place where no one knows him or cares about him. The house is full of other alone people, some because of addiction, some who can no longer face the world, and unwittingly, Sam becomes part of their worlds, and begins to care what happens to them.
The little girl, Bo, leans on him for strength and companionship when her mother leaves her for the day. She plays with him, as she has no one else; she talks to him and makes him interact. He sometimes takes her to the park, along with the little dog of the old woman downstairs. But when he speaks crossly to Bo one day, after her incessant questions, she runs off, like he did, and everyone in the house feels responsible and looks for her, the group brought together by their fear of what may have happened.
Told in alternate chapters, one written by Bo, and the other by Sam, Valentine gradually reveals their lives as they learn to navigate around each other. Bo has the nous of someone much older than 10, learned from being left by herself so often, and having to deal with things few 10 year olds would know about, while Sam has made an awful mistake in his life, and must learn again to trust and be trusted.
I simply love this story, everything about it rings true. The accident which makes Sam run away is one we often read of in the paper, and many students will know of someone who is in a similar situation.
Fran Knight

The remarkable secret of Aurelie Bonhoffen by Deborah Abela

Random House, Australia, 2009
(Age 8-10) Having been brought up at the Seaside Pier funfair, Aurelie Bonhoffen has had the kind of life of which many children would dream, filled with fun, freedom, and fabulously eccentric extended family. On the evening of her twelfth birthday, Aurelie discovers her family has a remarkable secret which, to date, had been hidden from her. It is this secret which enables the family to protect the pier from the clutches of the evil characters who wish to see it demolished.
By including characters that embody many of the typical stereotypes of good and evil, Abela injects the story with a great deal of humour. Uncles Rolo and Rindolf are truly zany and likeable, whilst the 'baddies' including the principal, the mayor and Crook are the exact opposite. At the same time as trying to solve the mystery, the reader is encouraged to cheer on the team that is working to save the Pier and restore it to its original glory. To the adult the clues appear to be obvious, yet children enjoy the twists and turns without feeling the outcome to be entirely predictable.
Abela has created an entertaining and engaging read for younger to middle primary students with mystery, adventure and magic all rolled in to one novel. As a stand alone title, this works extremely well.
Jo Schenkel

Worldshaker by Richard Harland

Allen and Unwin, 2009. ISBN 9781741757095
(Ages 12+) Recommended. Colbert Porpentine is a teenager living on board Worldshaker, a huge steam driven Juggernaut that flies around the world. It is a highly structured society of 10,000 people, ruled by Queen Victoria and run by her commander in chief, Mormus Porpentine, with the elite families at the top of the pecking order, followed by officers and Menials who are mute servants. Last of all, there are another 2,000 Filthies, who are not considered human at all. When Col discovers Riff, a young Filthies girl, hiding under his bed, he can't imagine how his world is going to change.
Harland has created a very believable world, in which class distinctions are all important. The highly stratified aristocratic society that Col has been born into is vividly described. As the author skilfully unfolds details about the ship and how its society operates, the reader becomes very involved in Col's gradual awakening to what is really happening around him.
It is the characters that drew me into this book. Right from the first page I became engrossed in Col's naivety about the people around him and I loved the courage and leadership that Riff displayed. Mormus is satisfactorily drunk on power and Col's grandmother is deliciously evil.
There is plenty of action and suspense to suit those who love adventure, with some daring escapes through dangerous machinery and some exciting fight sequences and I look forward to the next instalment.
Readers who enjoyed other titles from the steampunk genre (books set in alternative Victorian times), like Philip Reeve's Larklight and The laws of magic series by Michael Pryor, will find this one enjoyable. It is darker and more complex and a great read, with lots of sly humour to alleviate the seriousness.
Pat Pledger

Prom nights from hell by Meg Cabot et al

HarperCollins, 2009. ISBN 9780007319893
(Ages 14+) A collection of five entertaining short stories by authors who enjoy a following by those who like the vampire, paranormal and horror genre, Prom nights from hell will engage readers who have enjoyed the Twilight series. Just having Meg Cabot and Stephenie Meyer's name on the front cover is enough to bring the readers in.
The exterminator's daughter by Meg Cabot centres around Mary, a vampire killer's daughter, who is out for revenge because vampires have taken her mother. She spots that Sebastian is a vampire and has lured her best friend Lila to the prom. Determined to kill him, she comes armed with a crossbow but events get in the way. A fun take on trying to kill a vampire.
The most scary story for me is The corsage by Lauren Myracle which stars Frankie who desperately wants Will to take her to the prom. After visiting a clairvoyant who gives her a corsage capable of granting wishes, Frankie makes the mistake of not thinking through what she really wants with disastrous results.
I thoroughly enjoyed Kiss and tell by Michelle Jaffe for its Supergirl like main character, Miranda Kiss, and the humour in the dialogue, although there were some slightly risque comments.
Hell on Earth by Stephenie Meyer has an interesting take on demons and angels with a gorgeous hero who is the child of an angel. Madison and the dim reaper by Kim Harrison is a fascinating glimpse into a case of the living dead, but was too complex to fit well into the short story genre.
Girls will enjoy the idea of a prom night gone bad and will enjoy the angst of the main characters as they worry about having a partner for the night and finding true love amidst horror and mayhem.
Pat Pledger

By the picking of my nose by Martin Chatterton

Little Hare Books, 2009. ISBN 978192127287
(Age 8-11) 11 year old William Shakespeare loves going to the theatre, but because of the rules only allowing adults, and his father wanting him to go into the family business of tanning, he must put on a false beard and build up his height by adding pieces of wood to the soles of his shoes. Found out by the manager, peering at all the audience in case there is an imposter, Will must flee. His father, also aware that the boy loves the theatre, arrives in time to see his son headed for the Queen's private room, and there they all collide. Will clambers under her skirts, but a hair from his beard finds a tear in her knickers, and tickles her nether regions, causing pandemonium. Running through backstage he is hidden by three women, and these predict, by looking at a booger from his nose, that he will be an actor.
And on it goes for another 180 pages or so, making puns with Shakespearian names, titles of plays and anything Elizabethan. All a romp and sure to cause hilarity amongst the 8-11 age group for whom it is intended. The endless use of jokes about bums, noses and what is in them is an added extra for that age group. By the author of  The Brain finds a Leg, and its sequel, Brain full of Holes, Chatterton's humour will have wide appeal.
Fran Knight

Gone by Michael Grant

Egmont, 2009. ISBN 9781405246347
(Age 13+) Recommended. Imagine how a group of kids would react if suddenly all the adults disappeared. This is what happens in a small town in Southern California. In the blink of an eye everyone over the age of 14 has gone and the children are left to fend for themselves. In the aftermath of this disaster, bullies emerge; gangs begin to form and some of the children, like Caine from Coates Academy, display strange powers. Sam, a natural leader and Astrid, an intelligent nerd, band together with Little Pete, Quinn, and Edilio to try and find answers amid the chaos before they too disappear when they turn 15.
The adventures that the group have in trying to survive without adults in this very fast paced science fiction thriller keep the reader on the edge of the seat waiting to see what will happen next. The small town of Perdido Beach has been completely covered with an impenetrable dome, there are wild coyotes roaming the desert and a strange being deep in a cave. Add fights between rival gangs, trying to find enough food to stay alive and dealing with some strange powers to this mix and you have a story that is difficult to put down.
There is enough character development to flesh out the tale. Sam and Astrid are caring, intelligent teens and Mary and her brother who take over the nursery and look after all the babies are finely drawn. Albert takes over the local McDonalds and feeds the children, giving them a sense of security! The charismatic Caine and his group of bullies are quite frightening and the battle that develops between Caine and Sam is engrossing.
Although not as thought provoking as The knife of never letting go by Patrick Ness or The tomorrow code by Brian Falkner, the action in this book will have teens reading to the end. They will almost certainly come back for the second in the series: Hunger, a preview of which is given at the back of the volume I read.
Pat Pledger

Switched by Sienna Mercer

Egmont, 2009. ISBN 9781405240864
(Ages 10+) Telling us that this the first in a series called My Sister, the Vampire, then boldly claiming to be a younger version of the Twilight series, made me curious. It's a claim I've seen often lately, and none has been any better than the Twilight series, which I thought was, at best, mediocre. Still, many millions have bought the books and read them, then sighed over the film versions. So I look at claims like this with some trepidation.
When Olivia goes to her new school, fearful and concerned in her pink outfit, she spies a girl she thinks she knows. The next chapter, from the other girl's point of view, allows us to see that Ivy feels the same. The two eventually meet up and compare backgrounds and come to the astonishing conclusion that they are sisters, better than that, twin sisters. As each girl gets to know the other, the reader can see that the Goth Ivy is hiding something. With the pages littered with nods to Charlotte's web, blood imagery, talk of stakes and garlic, to name a few, then we know that Ivy is probably a vampire and the race is on to read how and when Olivia will find out.
A funny look at vampires, this book, the first in a group of four, will be a hit in upper primary and lower secondary schools as they sink their teeth into the series.
Fran Knight

Chester's back by Melanie Watt

HarperCollins, 2008 ISBN 9780007270248
This sequel to the funny Chester (2007) the picture book about a forward and pompous cat, which kept intruding upon the illustrator's page, doesn't quite match the original in humour. In this new book, Chester is part of the story about a cat living in a far away land. The story begins like a fairy story, but Chester keeps on intruding, and keeps this up right to the end of the book. At first he is a cave cat, and then he gets behind the illustration and takes over all together, calling auditions for the story. His ego sees himself in a luxury limousine going to the theatre where he is a star, but he is drawn as a cat with a star around his neck and so calls for a new illustrator who will allow him to be a star.
The illustrations of this egomaniac cat are very funny and the way he intrudes upon the page will encourage readers to look for him and follow his antics.
Fran Knight

Pop Princess by Isabelle Merlin

The Witch's children go to school by Ursula Jones and Russell Ayto

Orchard Books, 2009. ISBN 9781408300725
(Ages 5-7) Recommended. It's Gemma's first day at school and at the school gates she meets the Witch's children, who assure her that she has nothing to worry about even though the Grade 3 children are frightening her. The eldest of the witch's children changes Gemma into an ogre because ogres are not afraid of anyone. The ogre doesn't like everyone being afraid of her but the Eldest can't change her back and then the Middle One uses her magic to change the school into a story book and the Little One changes the school inspector into a smelly cheese. Things are looking very chaotic but all turns out well as Mum comes to the rescue.
Written and illustrated by an award winning team (The witch's children and the Queen won the Nestle Children's Book Prize), this is a delightful story to read aloud, and could lead to many discussions about the fears children have about coming to school for the first time. What fun to imagine that scary Class 3 are Ali Baba and the forty thieves and that the whole school can change into a story book complete with dancing princesses and a puss with boots that are too large. There is also a sense of security and relief to know that an adult can come along and sort things out - even if she is a witch.
Russel Ayto's illustrations are quirky and mischievous fun jumps out from every page. Young readers will be sure to enjoy this book, both to listen to and as a first book to read independently.
Pat Pledger.

Mending Lucille by J.R. Poulter and Sarah Davis

Lothian Children's Books, 2008.
(Ages 5-7) Highly recommended. Shortlisted by the Children's Book Council of Australia, this is a heart wrenching yet uplifting book about a small girl whose mother has left her, flying away on an aeroplane. She is devastated by her loss, and her only consolation is her doll, Lucille, who is broken. Her father is unable to fix the doll and suggests that she throw it away, but she is determined to keep it and hides it behind the driver's seat in her father's truck. One night they go to a new place for tea and the waitress, Chrissie, takes Lucille and mends her. Things begin to get better after this.
In this beautifully illustrated story, Sarah Davis has given the story a wonderful added dimension with her realistic pictures of the little girl, her grieving father and the warm, loving Chrissie. The theme of mending a hurt bird and letting it go free to find someone to love is also done in a sensitive way.
A book to treasure for the positive message about coping with grief and the loss of a parent through divorce or separation Mending Lucille would also give hope to those children who are dealing with a new family situation.
Pat Pledger

The tomorrow code by Brian Falkner

Walker Books, Australia, 2008. Random House Books (US)
(Ages 12+) Highly recommended. 'Crack the code or tomorrow is history' is the phrase on the front cover of this thrilling sci fi novel that looks at how people are exploiting the world and how nature might fight back against an ecological disaster. Teenagers Tane and Rebecca receive a coded message from the future, warning them about catastrophic devastation that only they can prevent. Together with Fatboy, Tane's brother, they must decipher the clues and try and stop the shapes in the mist made by an experiment gone wrong, from killing everyone in the world.
Don't be put off by the rather bland cover, this is one of the most exciting thrillers that I have read and I feel it can be compared with Patrick Ness's The knife of never letting go for sheer suspense. I read this book in one sitting. It has a tightly plotted story line that compels the reader to keep reading.
The three main characters have to use their intelligence to crack the codes. They work out how to win a lottery and use the proceeds to buy a submarine called Mobius. Lots of exciting action follows involving driving the submarine to an isolated island where research is being undertaken, riding motorbikes and fighting as ecowarriors. The three teenagers are believable, well rounded characters, with sibling rivalry and a dysfunctional mother well portrayed.

As well as people who love a good thriller, readers who enjoy mathematics, codes and technology will be fascinated by the science behind the book and can read about it at the book's site.  It is on the shortlist for the Esther Glen Award.
Pat Pledger

Stanley Paste by Aaron Blabey

Viking, 2009. ISBN 9780670071807
(Age 5-8) Highly recommended. Poor Stanley Paste hates being small. He's never picked for sport and can't defend himself from the school bullies. Then he meets Eleanor Cabbage who hates being tall because the girls call her a giraffe and other names. Stanley wishes he was tall like Eleanor and Eleanor wishes she was small like Stanley and from that day on they are inseparable. Together they seem to have fewer problems and life grows easier.
A celebration of diversity and the power of friendship, this is a fascinating book that leads to much pondering of what it means to be unique and how individuals can cope with being different. Blabey's illustrations are singular; Stanley's tiny frame, big eyes and wild blond hair are very appealing and when Eleanor wins first prize in the dress-up competition for coming as a giraffe, the reader wants to give a big cheer for her courage and humour.
Much classroom discussion about being tolerant of difference, valuing everyone and the importance of friendship could ensure from reading this book aloud.
I loved it for its strange, funny illustrations and went back to examine it again and again. This is a truly memorable book and one for every library.
Pat Pledger

Magic to the bone by Devon Monk

Harper Voyager, 2009. ISBN 9780732289324
(16-Adult) Allie Beckstrom is a Hound, a tracker who seeks out the source of illegal spells cast on the innocent. In her world every use of magic has a cost, and sometimes people want to use it without paying. She is hired to help a dying boy who has had the cost of magic Offloaded onto him, and finds to her dismay that the spell leads her back to her estranged father, with whom she has a disastrous relationship. When her father is found dead and all traces lead back to her, she goes on the run.
I found the idea of a Hound tracing illegal magic to be quite an interesting one, and the action kept me reading to the end. The suspense was heightened by the fact that every time Allie uses her magic she loses some of her memory, and she was unable to recall what had happened to her. A hint of romance with the fascinating Zayvion Jones added to the enjoyment.
An entertaining but not particularly memorable book, it will be enjoyed by those readers who like paranormal suspense or urban fantasy. There is a sequel, Magic in the blood.
Pat Pledger