Twins Pew and Basket Church dream of escaping the miserable misfortune of their isolated orphanage. Or, even better, the return of their unknown parents. But even in their wildest dreams, they never imagined the truth, that they come from a family that can travel through time.
And so begins the story of how Time Travelling Twins battle against an enemy who likes to change history to gain riches for himself.
The twins after growing up in a terrible orphanage that has ultimately prepared them for their destiny escape through a portal and discover they have landed in 1877 amid George Washington’s camp as he fights in the American Civil War. They meet many different historical figures, but they also meet two other time travellers, one who is like them and a protector of time the other a time traveller who is trying to change time to benefit himself and he wants to get rid of the twins so he can continue his nefarious plan.
This story is a cross between historical fiction and fantasy with a bit of Lemony Snicket to flavour the pot. It is a fabulous read and one that will appeal to readers of The Magic Treehouse, and I Survived series. The history portrayed isn’t entirely accurate, but the information is there and the reader if interested can do further research; this does not detract from the story and the reader doesn’t need to know about this period in history to enjoy the book. Unfortunately, the book ends on a cliffhanger and the next book isn’t due out until late in 2025 so it will be a long wait but as the story is so enjoyable a second read before the new book is released could be made.
I can see this being used in a classroom to talk about history and the ways that historian’s perspectives can change how we think about and remember the events of the past. It is also a good way to think about what would happen if one small event had happened and how this could have affected history. This is such a great book and one that will be a hit in any primary classroom.
Themes History, Family, Time travel, Fantasy, Good vs evil, Adventure.
Mhairi Alcorn
Little Love List by Summer Macon & Bethany May Clark
Bethany Clark, author of the hilarious You’ve Got Yoghurt In Your Nostrils, has written a charming book about the very special relationship that exists between a mother and child. With thoughtful words and glorious illustrations, this book will be one to be shared time and time again.
I love you when you’re muddy. I love you when you’re cross. I love you when you’re laughing. I love you when you’re the boss.
I love you when you’re brave. I love you when you’re done. I love you when you won’t wear pants. I love you when you’re fun.
The clever rhyme is bookended by a brief discussion about a list that begins in the mother’s pocket and is never ending. This long and lengthy list appears on each page and floats delightfully over the gorgeous illustrations of the mother and child. The use of repetition to encourage early word recognition and the sharing of feelings that small children may feel during the course of the day provides a ‘real world’ experience for young readers. The striking cover and dreamy endpapers add to the overall appeal.
A very special book for Valentine’s Day, a new baby or Mother’s Day.
Themes Babies, Mothers, Unconditional Love, Family Life.
Kathryn Beilby
Magic: The life of Earvin 'Magic' Johnson by Roland Lazenby
In 783 pages of intense detail this book interrogates the life and intensity of 'Magic' Johnson. From a family of hard-working and faith-inspired ordinary folk, (descendants of Southern slaves, now struggling to find their place in Lansing, Michigan) to the dizzy heights of the NBA in the Los Angeles Lakers Dreamtime team, we are given insights into the extraordinary life of Earvin Johnson II. This is a book for devotees of basketball and the NBA, filled with the genetically blessed and fanatically trained goliaths of the sport; this book details many astonishing aspects of the life of one of the stars of the game. Despite its length and my lack of basketball skill (one season as a poorly skilled adult player will never make me a devotee), I found the intricate detail of this book strangely mesmerising. Magic Johnson’s incredible drive to succeed was profoundly compelling. The world of the highly successful sports star is so far removed from most realities that this too is like peeking into a forbidden world that ordinary people enable but can never really understand. Johnson’s personal proclivities are a sad statement about the dangers of the ‘life of the rich and famous’, but it is the sheer joy of basketball played with passion and excellence that is the overriding highlight of the book.
The sheer length of this book means that few will persevere to journey through the 60+ years of a ‘magical’ life. As a reviewer I was often daunted by the intricacy and dense complexity of the facts and opinions of the many contributors to this work as they recount their experiences rubbing shoulders with Magic Johnson on court, in championship encounters and in his life in general. But someone who ‘lives and breathes’ basketball may well find this book an experience to remember, but will have to devote many hours/days/weeks to the endeavour. The sadness of HIV does impact the basketball journey but obviously has not limited a life in the same way that it impacted his career, but it should be noted that younger readers may be confronted by Magic’s choices. Consequently, because this is a weighty tome, this can be recommended to the stoic and passionate basketball tragic only. They will need to have reading stamina to persist (and muscles to carry the book too). For readers aged 16+.
Themes Basketball, NBA, LA Lakers Basketball team, Hopes and dreams, Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson, Afro-Americans - 20th and 21st Century, HIV/AIDS, Biography.
Carolyn Hull
Hooray! It's our first day by Martha Mumford. Illus. by Cherie Zamazing
Bloomsbury, 2024. ISBN: 9781526660435.
It's the first day of school and the bunnies are rushing around getting themselves ready.
We're going to a new school. Come and join the fun!
But first, there are things to find and friends to say hello to on their way and they need the help of our youngest readers to find them.
As with its predecessors, this is another charming book in this series that allows our youngest readers to not only engage with familiar characters doing familiar things, but encourages them to interact with the text through repetitive phrases and predictable rhyme and the illustrations as they lift-the-flaps to help the bunnies find their things.
And even though the bunnies' new school might be a little different from that to which they are going, nevertheless the fun and excitement are the same and catching!
A peek inside...
Themes Rabbits, First day of school.
Barbara Braxton
A feather so black by Lyra Selene
Hachette, 2024. ISBN: 9780356522364. (Age:Adult)
When the wicked Fair Folk waged war on the humans of Fodla they stole away twelve girls and left a changeling in the place of one, the princess Eala. Eventually the high queen bestows her love on the changeling girl, Fia, and calls her daughter, but her purpose in life is to retrieve the stolen princess, the true daughter, from the fairy world where she is imprisoned. Fia is a thing of wild forests, twining vines, thistles and brambles, a mix of human and fae folk. She trains hard as a fighter, but has yet to test the potential of her untried magical powers.
Selene’s novel seems to have a kind of medieval setting and is full of bewitching descriptions of wild plants and forest growths. The language is frequently interspersed with Gaelic words, all conjuring a world of magic and mythology. The story is reminiscent of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, Swan Lake, and other fairy tales. Although it fits the basic structure of a quest, it also has themes of discovering one’s identity, self-empowerment and acceptance. For all her life, Fia has been called many things: Changeling, A stor (my treasure), Little witch, Colleen (girl) or Chiardhubh (dark-haired), it is only when someone finally calls for her as Fia that she feels truly known.
The novel starts well, setting the scene. Fia’s heart is torn, as she desperately loves Rogan, her companion on the quest, and the intended husband for Eala. There is much banter between them with innuendos that perhaps he desires her too. But in a twist as they enter the fairy world Fia finds herself drawn to the dark-hearted lord Irian, holder of the Sky Sword that could free them all.
I found it quite jarring how the object of Fia’s love/lust switches so quickly between Rogan and Irian. And I found myself suspecting that the sizzling sex scenes are the real focus of the story and the rest is pretty decoration without a lot to sustain the middle chapters of the book. In the end it reads like soft porn. I think it is what’s been termed ‘romantasy’ and is written for lovers of that genre.
Abbie Allen Publishing, 2023. ISBN: 9780645713909. (Age:14+) Recommended.
Lovers of cosy mysteries and readers who enjoy spending time in rural landscapes are likely to enjoy The ghost of Lilly Pilly Creek. Set in a small town in the Adelaide Hills, it follows the path of Jones, a journalist in Adelaide, who returns to her hometown after the tragic death of her sister, Autumn. She is astounded when Autumn’s ghost appears to her and they join to not only reopen The Memory Bank, a book and stationery store, but to investigate her death. Autumn’s memories are hazy and she is not sure what happened. Was her death an accident or murder? As secrets are uncovered, Jones finds herself in danger.
There is a lot to love in this book, a lovely setting, engaging characters, including a ghost, and a mystery to solve. The town and its people become very familiar to the reader. Jones is torn between her job as a journalist and her desire to keep The Memory Bank going with Autumn’s help. There is Hugo, who runs a wine bar, and Sybil who serves coffee and food from a van. The Memory Bank is almost a character, not only does it serve its function as a store, but the old vault boxes are used to lock up the residents’ memorabilia, keeping memories safe for future generations and withstanding possible bushfires.
The ghost of Lilly Pilly Creek is a quick easy read, so engaging that I at once picked up the next in the series, The Bride of Lilly Pilly Creek, and then read the two following, The Lights of Lilly Pilly Creek and The flames of Lilly Pilly Creek. South Australians will be drawn to the setting in the Adelaide Hills, with familiar towns and wines named, while lovers of the paranormal will enjoy the cosy mystery.
Kingfisher, the author of the Hugo Award winning Nettle and Bone, and other award nominated books like Wizard's guide to defensive baking and The Twisted ones has written a complex and unique take on the Goose Girl by the Brothers Grimm. Cordelia is a 14-year-old girl whose mother, Evangeline, is unusual. There are no doors in her house and as a punishment she is forced to be still and silent for hours on end. The only time Cordelia finds peace is when she is riding Falada, her mother’s white horse, to whom she confides all her feelings and secrets. Then one day her mother packs up their belongings and together they ride away from their home, following a suspicious murder in the nearby village. They finally arrive at the Squire’s house, a kind man that Cordelia’s mother is determined to marry. But Evangeline does not consider the fierce intelligence and determination of Hester, the Squire’s sister. Will Hester be able to combat the sorceress’ wicked magic? And what will happen to Cordelia, an unwilling victim of her mother’s evil?
It is Kingfisher’s melding of two disparate women that makes this a memorable story. Cordelia’s plight is described vividly in the first part of the book, leaving the reader to imagine that she may be able to stop her evil mother. But it is Hester, crippled with arthritis, who must work out ways of outwitting her and help Cordelia who sits terrified under her mother’s spell. With the help of a family friend Penelope, and her suitor Richard, Hester hosts a party hoping that she can expose Evangeline before it is too late. Danger follows, with the suspense building up to thrilling climax.
A sorceress comes to call is a compulsive read with overtones of a Regency style novel, coupled with engaging characters, witty repartee and a group of geese. It is likely to appeal to readers who enjoy unique retellings of fairy tales, and when they finish it, they might like to pick up The seventh bride, a retelling of Bluebeard and Thornhedge, a retelling of Sleeping Beauty.
Themes Witches, Magic, Mothers, Fairy tale retelling.
Pat Pledger
Howzat Pat: Mission wildlife rescue by Pat Cummins and Dave Hartley. Illus. by Serena Geddes
HarperCollins, 2024. ISBN: 9781460764695. (Age:8+ (but perfect for any independent reader)) Highly recommended.
In the second book of the latest Pat Cummings series, Pat and his mates discover an area of pristine bushland that has been bulldozed. This is particularly upsetting for Beth as this is an area that holds cultural significance to her family and the local Indigenous community. The three friends work together trying to stop the destruction of both the now bulldozed area and the area surrounding it but life gets in the way and when an accident sidelines one of them they need to engage their teammates to ensure that the animals and the trees are protected.
After some investigation, which reveals the mayor’s involvement, the trio plan a daring wildlife rescue!
Mission Wildlife Rescue is written in the same way as the first book in the series, making it a great read. The story is so engaging that it really is one that readers will want to read in one go. The easy-to-follow text, brilliant illustrations and the reflection of an Australian childhood all combine to make this a series that will be immensely popular with young readers.
Pat and his friends are relatable and written realistically, they all have their faults, but these are worked through and make each character more likeable. The series is one that is going to be popular with all readers as there is something for everyone, from the sporty to the environmentally conscious as it is a great read for all ages. Teachers and parents will enjoy reading this to their children and children will enjoy reading it independently and talking about it with their friends. The environmental links in this book make is one that should be on every shelf.
I am really looking forward to the next book in the series.
Allen & Unwin, 2024. ISBN: 9781761470349. (Age:Adult) Recommended.
Louise Milligan is an award-winning writer and journalist who has brought her expertise and writing skills to produce a searing novel tracing what happens to a young woman who humiliates the wrong man, The Guy, on a girls’ night out. Kate Delaney is that woman, finding herself living a nightmare, grabbed by The Guy, brutalised, bound and gagged and hauled into the boot of his car. She has no idea of what will happen to her and tries to keep herself sane by imagining the good times especially with her boyfriend Liam. Meanwhile, the police initially concentrate on Liam as an obvious suspect and it is up to him and Kate’s close friend to try and follow the clues along the Hume Highway in a desperate attempt to rescue Kate.
Milligan’s cleverly crafted story makes it easy to imagine Kate’s terror; as a journalist she has in-depth knowledge of what happens to missing women. Milligan also vividly describes the fears that Liam and close friends and family have for Kate and the background story of the trauma that police go through when they cannot locate missing persons or find suicide victims gives depth to the story.
I found Pheasants Nest difficult to read because of the dark reality of the violence that women face. However, I was forced to return to it after several breaks to find out Kate’s fate. It is a memorable, suspenseful book. The publisher has provided a set of reading notes that give a focus for in-depth discussion.
Themes Journalists, Kidnapping, Missing persons, Violence against women, Police.
I picked up The Crimson Moth (also published as Heartless Hunter) as it was a nominee for the Goodreads Choice Award Readers of Young Adult Fantasy (2024) and found myself quickly immersed in the story of Rune and Gideon. Rune is the Crimson Moth, a young witch posing as a mindless socialite, because witches are purged after a devastating revolution. Gideon is a witch hunter, dedicated to eradicating all witches and their supporters, and is determined to find the Crimson Moth, who repeatedly releases witches that he has captured. When Seraphine, a witch that Rune’s grandmother told her to find, is captured, Rune sets out on a dangerous path, targeting Gideon as the most likely person toknow where she is imprisoned. Meanwhile Gideon suspects that Rune is the Crimson Moth and decides to court her. Sparks fly!
Ciccarelli combines thrilling suspense with an enemies to lovers romance. Ably supported by Alex, Gideon’s music loving brother, Rune and her best friend Verity search for ways to find and release imprisoned witches, aware all the time that they could be caught and purged. Readers will be forced to continue reading long into the night to find out whether Rune can escape the traps that Gideon sets for the Crimson Moth, while battling her growing feelings for him. Meanwhile Alex her best friend, begins to show that he is in love with her and she is uncertain about her relations with the two brothers.
The Crimson Moth will tick a lot of boxes for young adult readers. There is magic and suspense, blood and violence, a love triangle and a shocking twist and cliff-hanger at its conclusion. They are likely to wait impatiently for Rebel Witch, the next in the duology. Meanwhile, Defy the night by Brigid Kemmerer, and Mask of mirrors by M.A. Carrick would satisfy readers who enjoy fantasy with heroic young women fighting injustice.
Trigger warning: There is one spicy romantic encounter.
Themes Witches, Magic, Romance, Persecution.
Pat Pledger
The ballad of Darcy & Russell by Morgan Matson
Affirm Press, 2025. ISBN: 9781923135611. (Age:16-19) Recommended for lovers of Romance.
Darcy is having a last experience at a music festival listening to her favourite band (and her father’s favourite too), before the pressures of College life begin, but things have not gone quite as planned. She gets stuck in a bus station with a phone with no charge, and the dream of ‘love at first sight’ is a real possibility when she meets Russell. The problems of her life seem to disappear as they connect in the waiting time for a bus, until a decision during their growing ‘romantic connection’ leads to a significant change. Darcy then gets to meet her music idol, but it disrupts her connection to Russell. Can their 1-day relationship survive fame, separation and the complications of their broken family backgrounds? Will their personal struggles within their own family circles impact their future or can a classic young-love story survive too?
This is a very romantic story for a young readership - imagine a movie or musical for late teens. The emotional turmoil of teen life, as they approach the big change that takes them out of childhood, is the setting for the romance. But the intriguing journey into the family life of an uber-rich, music rock legend is also a very different excursion for Darcy. Russell is the too-perfect love interest, and this perhaps makes this story almost too schmaltzy to be believable, but it never really pretends that it is a likely scenario. Female readers will swoon over the tale and be impressed with musical theatre and literary references and perhaps fall a little in love with Russell and his family too. Don’t be surprised if this book gets passed among peers who enjoy romance escapes.
Themes Romance, Music, Dreams, Broken families, USA - College life, Fame.
Carolyn Hull
Tennis Camp diaries: Superstar by Ash Barty with Jasmin McGaughey and Jade Goodwin
The second book in the Ash Barty Tennis Camp Diaries series titled Superstar is full of friendships, worries, sour worms and real camp experiences.
This series focusses on a young Ash Barty’s experience at Tennis Camp through her diary entries. This year at camp the friends and other camp participants have the chance to compete in the end of camp tournament and the winners get to be ball kids at a local tournament with their tennis heroes.
Every night Ash writes in her diary, recording the events of the day and her thoughts. Over the course of the week the friends get to meet their tennis heroes. I love the inclusion of other amazing tennis players and the fact that Ash Barty is so real that she writes about looking up to other tennis players.
As someone who grew up with diary style books, I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading others in the series. The quirky additions of how many sour worms she ate make the book really feel like a diary and her friendships and the way she describes events feel authentic and will engage the reader in the story and the childhood of one of Australia’s best tennis players.
This is an entertaining read that is perfect for younger readers who like sport especially tennis, going to camp, making new friends, catching up with old friends and having fun. The series is written in an easy-to-read format so will appeal to many readers and is bound to become a favourite within the school library. This is a series that could be read aloud in class or at home and would also work as an independent read. I would recommend this book to parents and librarians as the series is sure to be a favourite.
Themes Sport - Tennis, Diary, Freindship, Competition, Camp, Ash Barty.
Compulsory is a very short story by Martha Wells and every fan of the Murderbot series is sure to want to pick this one up, especially as it could be read as a standalone introduction for readers new to the series which started with All systems red, an Alex Award winner in 2018.
Murderbot is an android, addicted to watching soaps. While engrossed in episode 44 of The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon, Murderbot sees a miner in danger after an argument. Can Murderbot leave the series which is at an exciting moment to rescue the miner? Should Murderbot follow orders and stay still or act? With the governor module broken, this is a demanding question for Murderbot.
In this short story Wells’ clever writing continues to engage readers with its sardonic main character, humour and ethical dilemmas. Fugitive Telemetry, winner of the Nebula Award, is a full-length novel starring Murderbot and not to be missed.
Century, 2024. ISBN: 9781529920048. (Age:Adult - 16+) Highly recommended.
The Warm Hands of Ghosts is a compelling blend of well-researched historical fiction with the paranormal. Arden’s skilful authoring brings to life the horrors of life during World War 1 with the eerie appearance of ghosts with warm hands. Laura Iven, a nurse who was badly wounded on the Front, has been discharged and has returned home to Halifax, Canada. While suffering from the loss of her parents during an explosion in Halifax Bay, she receives the shocking news that Freddie, her brother, has been reported dead on the battlefields of Belgium. But as she holds his tags and jackets, something seems wrong and she decides to return to find out what really happened to him.
Told in vivid chapters from the point of view of Laura and Freddie, the reader is drawn into the horror of war in the trenches and the role of the nurse on the Front in Flanders, Belgium, 1917-1918, during The Great War. Laura returns to a private hospital as a volunteer, amid rumours of a fiddler who gives soldiers the gift of oblivion and of ghosts moving amongst the living. Did she glimpse Freddie in the hotel that the fiddler owns? Freddie awakes to find himself trapped in the mud under a pillbox with Winter, a German soldier, and together they desperately try to escape the death trap they find themselves in. Will they reach help or be shot as deserters?
The Warm Hands of Ghosts is an unforgettable story about the trauma of war and the bravery and resilience of the men and women who were caught up in it. Readers of historical fiction will become immersed in the detail, with ghosts and evil threading through the story in a believable way. Those who found Rebecca Ross’s duology, Divine rivals and Ruthless vows absorbing as I did, are sure to want to move onto this gripping stand alone.
Themes Love, Loss, Evil, Ghosts, World War 1, Flanders.
Pat Pledger
Dr. Seuss Graphic Novel: Cat out of water by Art Baltazar
Fans of The Cat in the Hat will be thrilled to have a companion volume in graphic novel form, especially as graphic novels are so popular with young children. Sally and her brother Conrad are home alone after school and freshening up the fishbowl when the Cat in the Hat knocks on the door. The Fish is appalled and knows that there will be trouble if the children let the Cat in, but he is very persuasive promising that he will be good. But chaos ensues as he decides that The Fish should have a bigger place to swim in. When Thing 1 and Thing 2 arrive, they turn on every tap in the house and the children just can’t keep up trying to turn them off. They give in and hilarious hijinks occur as the house turns into a swimming pool. The Fish knows that the house must be fixed before Mother arrives home, and the Cat in the Hat comes up with some astonishing inventions to suck out the water, clean everything and scoop up the bubbles.
Art Baltazar’s illustrations are cute and the adventure he illustrates is very funny. The panels and dialogue are easy to follow and readers will relate to The Fish and his fears about the havoc that The Cat can perpetrate. Young readers could find Cat out of water a transition to chapter books, while younger children will be happy to follow the fun when it is read aloud and try to draw the characters at the back of the book. They are sure to want to read the second in the series The Grinch Takes A Vacation by Kaeti Vandorn.
