Scribe Publications 2007
Louis Braille Audio. 2007 8 CDs 8 hrs
(Adult) Barry Heard, author of 'Well Done, Those Men', an account
of his experiences in Vietnam, details minutely his boyhood in this
memoir. From the Melbourne suburb of Ringwood, where he spent his
preschool years, to Doctor's Flat, near Omeo in Victoria's High
Country, he vividly recalls his life blow by blow. His amazing total
recall provides clear images of rural life in the 50s and 60s. We
visit country shows, deb balls, football matches, dates at the
pictures, school days and exploring the bush with him. He writes
endearingly of his horse Swanee and his sheepdog Rover, who could play
hide and seek with children and whose death brought shearers to tears.
There is plenty of quiet humour at his own and others foibles.
Mike Bishop captures Barry's voice well in these CDs but each episode
in his life is so meticulously detailed that it becomes more of an
historical record than a gripping autobiography. He describes
rather than reflects on his experiences. Students needing to interview
older people would find much material here; otherwise few students
would bother with this. The narrative would need to move faster
to sustain their interest. Barry's strength is his clear memories
rather than his writing style. Here, he is well and truly 'heard'.
Kevyna Gardner
How to heal a broken wing by Bob Graham
Walker Books, 2008
(Age 5-10) Recommended. Bob Graham brings us another one of his thought
provoking and caring picture books. Young Will is the only person who
notices a bird lying on the ground with a broken wing. He carefully
picks it up, and with his mother's help, wraps a scarf around it and
takes it home in his mother's handbag. He finds that 'With rest, and
time, and a little hope a bird may fly again,' even if a loose feather
can't be put back.
Sparsely worded, the beautiful cartoon like illustrations must be
examined closely to uncover all the nuances of the story, with its
emphasis on how one small boy, supported by loving parents, can make a
difference. Every picture has a subtle message, with grey washes
capturing the impersonal feel of the skyscrapers and the uncaring
nature of the crowds in the street. Graham colours Will in a bright red
jacket, making him stand out as a lighthouse of hope against the greys
of the city pavement. Will's house is brightly coloured and also
emphasises the love and hope found there.
This is memorable story about one small boy's ability to notice what is
happening around him and how he reacts with compassion and love.
Pat Pledger
The General by Robert Muchamore
Hodder Headline, 2008
(Age 12+) The Cherub agents are sent to Las Vegas to engage in a
sophisticated war-game at Fort Reagan, a huge military base. American
and British troops are patrolling 'Reaganistan' to support the newly
elected democratic government and rout out terrorism. Hmmm -
sound familiar? The several thousand 'inhabitants' are mainly students
being paid $80 a week to take part. About ten percent are paid extra to
act as insurgents and stir up trouble for the troops. The Cherub team,
under the direction of American hating Kazakov immediately side with
the insurgents and generate spectacular problems by destroying several
million pounds worth of surveillance equipment and causing a mass break
out of violent diarrhoea among the troops. Kazakov and the Cherubs
eventually bring the war-game to a complete standstill and American
General Shirley is left red faced while muttering about unfair play.
This part of the story will certainly appeal to anyone interested in
the military and is right up to date as it deals with the faceless
enemies and urban environments encountered by the modern army.
However, as in the previous Cherub adventure, The Sleepwalker,
Muchamore
presents his readers with a sequence of completely unrelated stories. The
General opens with James, sporting a green Mohican, on a
mission to
infiltrate an anarchist organisation. This is interspersed with another
plot where some of the younger Cherub agents break into a state of the
art Air Traffic Control centre and completely trash it to demonstrate
the ineptitude of the cartoon style security guards. These stories fill
the first 130 pages, but end abruptly and are not referred to again
until the epilogue, some two hundred pages later.
I can't help feeling that Muchamore is growing lazy. There is no effort
to intertwine the plots. Subtlety is absent and none of the characters
are given an opportunity to reflect; one plot finishes and the next
begins in a welter of action and violence. For example, James, after
being severely beaten by the police in the first storyline, does not
appear to remember such dramatic events when captured by angry soldiers
later on in the book. A crashingly obvious flashback would have been
preferable to the complete hiatus we are presented with.
Sensitive characterisation, subtle plots, hints and build-ups are not
Muchamore's forte. Forget sophistication, lets hit 'em with a
sledgehammer. Muchamore is churning them out and I'm not convinced the
formula is working anymore. This is a book that was written in a hurry
and which lets his readers down.
Claire Larson
Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr
Harper Collins, 2008. (Age 15+) Imagine that there were faeries all around you, dark and
dangerous, but only some people could see them. Leslie is a damaged
girl who longs to reclaim her self-esteem and her body and overcome the
pain of her brother's betrayal to the drug dealers who raped her. She
decides that having a tattoo would help her do this and when none of
the conventional patterns appeal, Rabbit the tattooist shows her a
special book of designs. A tattoo, with dark wings surrounding strange
eyes, calls to her and she chooses it, not knowing that it will bind
her to Irial, the eerie faery who is King of the Dark Court.
Compulsively readable, this urban fantasy sweeps the reader along in
the grip of terror for Leslie as she warily treads through the dangers
at home, working tirelessly to pay the household bills as she avoids
her drunken father and deceitful drug-using brother. Add to this the
reader's apprehension about the effects that the tattoo, the horror of
the practices of the Dark Court, and the interplay between Irial and
Niall, the Summer King's lieutenant, and it is one terrifying read.
Leslie's friend, Aislinn, the new Summer Queen from Marr's first book,
companion novel Wicked Lovely, tries to protect her from the
faery
world and sends Niall to watch her, but he too has devastating powers
over humans and his interest in her has to be denied. Other characters
from Wicked Lovely feature, but it is Leslie who captures the
imagination of the reader. It is a story of one girl's attempt to
survive a rape and an awful home life and to reclaim herself. As Leslie
links with Irial, the Dark King, she must also find the strength to
overcome an addiction to the seductive powers of darkness.
This book will read as a stand-alone but having the faery background
from Wicked Lovely would flesh out some of the story. It is a
dark
captivating story, with its themes of rape, betrayal, addiction and
making choices, and left me hoping that more stories about the faery
courts will appear soon.
Pat Pledger
Does a sea cow say moo? by Terry Webb Harshman
Ill. by George McClements.
Bloomsbury, 2008.
(Age 5+) When Flash lands on earth from outer space he is perplexed by
all the words that are used on both the land and the sea and he has
some puzzling questions to ask. Does a school of fish go to school in
the sea? Does a clown fish wear a bow tie and red hair? Jack gets to
answer his queries and the result is a plethora of pictures in his
notebook explaining each one.
The effervescent pictures and humorous play on words make this story
great fun to read. It is written in verse that is occasionally clumsy,
and it would be useful for an adult to practise it first before reading
aloud to get a good rhythm, but the double meanings of the words will
delight children. It would be a useful addition when planning for a
unit on the sea, providing a starting point for extending children's
vocabulary and looking at the underwater environment.
Pat Pledger
Growing up in Grange Hall, where she has been taught to be subservient, Anna is dismayed when a new boy a little older than herself comes to be trained. She knows her place, keeps her eyes downcast, looks forward to be useful when she leaves, and never, never asks questions. She is a Surplus, a child born to parents who were not licensed to do so. Those who have taken the Longevity drugs to avoid disease, ageing and so death, were not allowed to have children and those who went against the Declaration, had the children taken and put into care where they were taught to know their place and learn to be useful, servants to those who had signed the Declaration.
It is a world in the future, where anti ageing is taken many steps forward, where the stem cells of the young are harvested to make the Longevity drugs. But this means that the authorities must be alert to overcrowding and so steps are taken to keep this under control. A dazzling story, one which foresees the outcome of some of the steps being taken today by science, where questions are asked about the logical conclusion about these experiments. All sorts of ideas pop up in this layered story, stem cell research, license to have children, energy use, global warming, corruption and the exploitation by the first world, of the third world.
The new boy challenges Anna in a way that makes her troubled, sensing in him the downfall that may engulf her as well. When he is sent to solitary, Anna overhears the matron's plans for him, and so she escapes with him. There follows a heart stopping escape to London where an underground movement waits. The second book in the series, Resistance can't come soon enough. This is a tale of a nasty future which is almost visible and certainly possible.
Fran Knight
Naomi and Ely's no kiss list by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Allen
and Unwin, 2008
(Age 15+) Ely and Naomi are soul mates. They both live in the same
apartment block in Manhattan and have been best friends forever,
sharing their clothes and music and living through Naomi's father
having a brief affair with Ely's lesbian mother. They have even
compiled a no kiss list of boys that neither will kiss, to ensure that
their friendship lasts. But what happens when Ely, gorgeous and gay,
kisses Bruce the Second, Naomi's boyfriend?
Although this book is written from several viewpoints, both Naomi and
Ely as well as several friends, Cohn and Levithan juggle the different
voices adroitly, compelling the reader on to see if Naomi and Ely's
friendship will survive. Naomi is devastated when Ely kisses Bruce the
Second and she has to come to grips with the fact that Ely is gay and
that their friendship will never develop into anything more. She needs
to decide what is really important to her. At the same time promiscuous
Ely takes a look at his lifestyle and also asks himself what he really
wants.
Teens will love this witty story, with its sophisticated but vulnerable
characters and will identify with the search for love and exploration
of their sexuality. The New York setting, music and pop icons will
attract and the writing style is fun to read.
Strong language and sexual themes make this a book for older teens.
Pat Pledger
Little ballet star by Adele Geras and Shelagh McNicholas
Orchard
Books, 2007.
(Age 5+) What little girl wouldn't want to go backstage to meet the
ballet dancers performing in The Sleeping Beauty? Tilly's aunt
is a
ballerina and is giving her a wonderful birthday treat, showing her
what happens before a ballet performance. Tilly sees the dancers put on
their makeup and tries on a costume in the wardrobe department;
explores the wings and the stage and watches the orchestra tuning their
instruments. Then she excitedly sits through the show and gets a
wonderful surprise at the end.
This is a sparking story, full of warm, loving people who are willing
to share the joy of dancing. The delightful illustrations bring to life
the rapture and wonder that Tilly feels about dancing. Happiness beams
from every face in the book.
A keeper - this book is sure to delight the reader who will find
out about the intricacies of a ballet performance and will identify
with a little girl who loves ballet. It is the sequel to The ballet
class, but can be read alone.
Pat Pledger
The sleepwalker by Robert Muchamore
Hodder Children's Books, 2008
(12 +) I am a huge fan of Muchamore's The Recruit, but haven't
read
others from the series until now. I was looking forward to The
Sleepwalker, and in many ways it didn't disappoint. Gritty,
exciting,
realistic and fast moving, it ticked all the boxes you would expect for
an appealing teenage read. However it is most definitely a teenage read
and that's where I came in for a bit of a shock. I recommended The
Recruit to my nephew when he was nine and he loved it. I'd be in deep
trouble with his Mum if I encouraged him to read The Sleepwalker!
Muchamore has moved on and so have his characters. James Adams, aged
ten in The Recruit is now fifteen and like many fifteen year old boys
is preoccupied with sex, swearing, alcohol and his looks.
To be fair Muchamore's books all include the warning 'Not suitable for
younger readers' on the cover and they are located in the teenage
section of most book shops and libraries, but I was still caught out,
and I know of at least one Year 6 teacher who has been recommending The
Cherub series to the boys in her class based on how much her 11 year
old son enjoyed The Recruit. You read one book in a series and
you
assume the rest will be similar. I won't be doing that again!
Robert Muchamore is fulfilling a need for realistic, action packed
reads for the 'fight club' generation who enjoy military style action
and violence, but are not quite ready for James Patterson and Andy
McNab's adult books. The Sleepwalker is violent, opening with a
stomach
churning description of a fatal air crash. Tragedy and pain are dealt
with 'manfully' - you laugh about it and you get on with it. However,
the idea that an agent, having just lost his entire family in said air
crash, becoming one of the main investigators is somewhat irritating in
a book that purports to be 'realistic'.
The story turns on Fahim, an English boy with Arab background who
believes his father may be responsible for the air crash. Cherub agents
Jake and Lauren are sent in to investigate and find themselves up
against Fahim's chillingly violent father and uncle.
The Sleepwalker's downside is the sub-plot covering Cherub
agents
James' and Kerry's two week work experience in a fast food outlet.
Through the entire book I was waiting for this to somehow link to the
main storyline, but it never did. In the end it petered out like a damp
squib and seems to have no other purpose than padding and offering a
tension building break from the main plot. None of Muchamore's readers
appear to mind this rather lazy writing technique and The Sleepwalker
has been awarded a universal five start rating by Amazon reviewers. He
is obviously hitting all the right buttons with teenage readers, so who
am I to quibble?
Claire Larson
Murderer's thumb by Beth Montgomery
Text Publishing, 2008.
(Age 13+) How would you feel if you uncovered the body of a girl
in a
silage pit? Adam Statkus is a newcomer to the small dairy community of
Falcon Ridge. Fleeing from his abusive father, Adam and his mother
settle into a house on a dairy farm and it is while he is helping out
with farm chores that he makes the gruesome discovery. He is intrigued
by the mystery and decides to uncover the identity of the murdered
girl. Is she one of the teenage girls who went missing six years in the
past? The discovery of a cryptic clue to a lost diary sets him a quest
to find the diary, which he hopes will reveal the identity of the
murderer.
This is a perfect murder mystery to introduce the genre to teenagers.
Montgomery has created a story that has all the elements of a
compelling who-dunnit. There is an interesting young detective who is
tenacious and loves to decipher puzzles, a couple of villainous older
footballers, a strong young girl who won't let anyone put her down, and
a fascinating trail of clues and red herrings.
The rural setting where everyone knows everyone else and where
outsiders are viewed with suspicion gives an added dimension to the
story. Adam gets accepted into the local footy club, but wonders
whether he can trust the other players. He is afraid to give out his
telephone number because his father might trace him, and worries about
the safety of going shooting with two of the older players. He is also
perplexed by the behaviour of the Thackeray family, and their attitude
to the missing girl Emma.
The tension mounts as Adam cleverly works out a succession of clues
leading to the diary, and the reader is forced to continue with the
story to find out whether he will be safe and to discover who committed
such a dire murder.
I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery, loved its pace and allusions to
cryptic crosswords and was kept guessing the murderer's identity to the
end.
Pat Pledger
Perry Angel's suitcase by Glenda Millard
Ill. by Stephen Michael King. ABC Books, 2008.
ISBN 9780733322556
(Age 9-12) This is the third instalment in the Kingdom of Silk series which began
with The Naming of Tishkin Silk, then Layla Queen of Hearts
and now
this wonderful new story involving the Silk family. This touching story
is about finding one's place in life and the journey involved in
reaching that place. Perry (short for Peregrine) Angel, an orphan,
arrives one day to stay with the Silk family carrying only a small
shabby suitcase with the initials PMGDA embossed on the front. For
Perry this case holds all the treasures of his life so far. Perry is
very quiet and is enthralled by the daily rituals of the Silk family,
taking in their quirky traditions and day-to-day routines. As with the
other titles in this series life is not always as straight forward as
we hoped and many secrets often remain untold. Perry slowly begins to
trust the Silks and develops a special relationship with Ben. However a
misunderstanding makes for a climatic ending until calm is restored and
new life stories unfold.
Tracy Glover
The red leather diary by Lily Koppel
Harper Collins, 2008. ISBN 9780061256776
(Age 15-Adult) Lily Koppel, the author of this book and also writer
for the New York Times, discovered a red leather diary among other
treasures during a clean up in the cellar of her New York apartment
building. The author of the diary - Florence Wolfson - had not missed a
single day's entry from 1929 (when she received it as a birthday gift)
until the end of 1934 (the lifespan of the diary). What unfolds is a
fantastic insight into the Bohemian life of America during the 1930's
and the life experiences, through intimate thoughts and emotions, of
Florence during those five years. Intrigued, Lily set out to try and
find information about Florence and in discovery her still alive
proceeded to meet with her to discuss the diaries entries. Florence
added insight to the entries and what transpires is a reflective look
back on those times and the unfolding of a true story of a woman who
dared to follow her dreams.
Tracy Glover
George's secret key to the universe by Lucy and Stephen Hawkin
Corgi Books, 2008. ISBN 9780552559584
(Age 7+) Highly Recommended. George Greenby's parents are eco-warriors,
preoccupied with global warming, recycling and baking broccoli muffins.
George is more concerned with trying to persuade his parents to buy him
a computer, but as their electricity comes from an ancient generator,
he would struggle to plug it in.
During an escape bid by the family's pet pig, George meets his new
neighbours, ten year old ballet fanatic, Annie and her scientist Dad,
Eric. George is also introduced to Eric's computer, Cosmos, the most
intelligent computer in the universe, who is rather snooty (Think Orac
in Blake's Seven) but clever enough to conjure up a portal into outer
space. Add into the mix George's teacher, the sinister Mr Reeper, who
is determined to kidnap Cosmos for his own dastardly plans, and you
have all the makings of a thrilling adventure story.
What makes this book stand out is the skilful way that Hawking slips
fascinating facts into an exciting storyline. During Annie and George's
adventures through the portal into outer space we learn some amazing
facts about our galaxy. Fact-boxes intersperse the story, providing
information about subjects such as matter, exoplanets, neutron stars
and black holes. There is also a selection of high quality colour
photographs dubbed 'Cosmos's Picture Files'. Garry Parsons deserves a
special mention for his delightful illustrations which appear on every
page and add to the book's appeal.
George's Secret Key To The Universe has been short listed for
the
Stockport School's Book Award and has proved extremely popular in my
school, and not just among the boys either. A minority of readers found
the fact boxes irritating - and they do just appear - sometimes in the
middle of a sentence (presumably because of paging constraints) which
can be a little off-putting. However, George's Secret Key To The
Universe hits just the right balance with a lively adventure story
anchored firmly in the fascinating world of science and space. Here is
a story that explains the nature of Black Holes so that primary school
children can understand it - an impressive achievement!
Claire Larson
Ratwhiskers and me by Lorraine Marwood
Walker, 2008. ISBN 9781921150395
(Age 10+) Highly recommended. Fleeing from a fire on the goldfields,
desperately afraid, the 'Boy' follows his dog, Ratwhiskers, and
stumbles into a tent town, where he is grabbed by two miners, Baldhead
and Gingerbeard, and forced to work for them. A kind and helpful young
Chinese boy shows where to find wood and water, and how to manage to
survive the brutality of the miners. Then Ellery, a cold-hearted
villain, threatens both the Chinese and the 'Boy', and it is a struggle
to stay alive.
A touching verse novel, Ratwhiskers and me takes the reader
into the
goldfields of the 1850's, making that time come alive with vivid
descriptions of the hardships, the violence and greed of some of the
miners and the prejudice and fear that the Chinese people faced.
Marwood's poetry is wonderful. With very few words she is able to
conjure up the emotions of Lin, who tells the story of her loss of
family, flight from danger and the frightening people she meets on the
way. It is a story about being alone and learning whom to trust in a
time of danger. Marwood has created a cast of distinctive characters
including Sassy, who died in the fire, the bullying miners, Sun Song
and the Chinese, each brought alive through colourful descriptions. As
well as describing the difficult life of the miners and the cruelty
faced by the Chinese during the goldrush, the first person narrative
sweeps the reader along on a thrilling adventure of treachery and
survival.
This wonderfully descriptive story begs to be read aloud and will leave
the listener and reader satisfied with a tale beautifully told while
pondering the role of the Chinese on the goldfields.
Pat Pledger
Crash by J.A Henderson
OUP Oxford, 2008.
What do a missing oil rig, a Romany, fishing boats, memory loss and the
Tay Bridge have in common? Well, nothing, until the day that Bobby's
dad, Gordon, passes out when they're stuck on a train and see a worker
fall to his death from the bridge. Gordon wakes up believing he is
someone called Dodd Pollen, 15, and hunted by the police.
At first, Bobby thinks it's great. He can do what he wants, when he
wants. However, his dad's confusion becomes paranoia, and Bobby turns
to his friend Mary and her grandma for help.
When a stranger comes looking for Gordon, informing him that his
Lazarus Project, a disaster prediction that he can't remember anything
about has become a reality, he decided to leave his son in case his
presence could cause him any harm. Bobby and Mary go to find him, and
Mary's grandma follows. Meanwhile, all hell breaks loose and a tsunami
floods part of Scotland.
This is a great book, and was not what I expected at all. If you enjoy
Artemis Fowl and any Alex Rider style books, you will love this!
Nikki Heath
