Set in a dystopian future, not too distant from the present, Our missing hearts is set in an America that has been through a national economic and social ‘Crisis’, with people losing their jobs and homes, and blaming China ‘that perilous, yellow menace’. Suspicion turns to the Chinese, or Asian looking Americans, in their midst, those with ‘foreign faces, foreign names’. The Protecting American Culture and Traditions Act, or PACT, is introduced to protect American values, report potential threats, and protect children from environments espousing harmful views. Child removal becomes a means of political control. America has a long history of child removals: the separation of enslaved famiies, and of American Indian families, inequities in the foster care system, and separation of migrant families at the U.S. border. It also has a resonance in Australia’s stolen generations. So the world Ng creates has its roots in history, and could be a heightened version of times past, and ongoing.
Bird is the child of an American father and a Chinese American poet. All he knows is that his mother has left them, her books are no longer held in the library, and he has to keep his head down, and not draw attention, because it is just not safe. His only friend, Sadie, is a runaway foster child, removed from a mixed race family. Sadie encourages him to find out what has happened to his mother.
Our missing hearts is a challenge to the reader to think of how they would act in such an environment. So many times in history, people have turned in suspicion against each other with a brooding distrust of those who look different, speak a different language, or follow a different religion. There has been betrayal of neighbours and internment of foreign nationals. How can the individual act with courage and integrity? What can the ordinary person do when any act could put their own family at risk?
For Celeste Ng, there is hope in art, poetry and literature. Folk tales teach us moral lessons. And public art provokes empathy and compassion. Finally, the real heroes of the novel are librarians, guardians of knowledge and protectors of books. Librarians share information, and help the seeker to find what they need. ‘The brain of a librarian [is] a capacious place’ – they collect information, ‘collating it with the Rolodex in their minds’.
Our missing hearts is a kind of quest. Bird has to avoid the constant danger, follow the clues, find the right people to trust, and venture forth to find the truth about his missing mother. Along the journey, the reader is reminded of the cruelties of history and the need to learn from the past, not repeat the same mistakes. It takes courage, trust, friendship and love.
Themes Xenophobia, Racism, Political control, Propaganda, Child removal, Social activism, Protest, Libraries.
Cashore’s brings readers another challenging fantasy in Seasparrow which follows on immediately after the events in Winterkeep. Queen Bitterblue and her half-sister Hava are travelling back to Monsea by ship, carrying with them the notes that Hava had copied about zilfium and its ability to be turned into a deadly weapon. Hava’s Grace lets her disappear in plain sight and has been instrumental in making her the perfect spy for her secret half-sister. On board the ship she notices that a crew member is acting suspiciously, but before her fears are resolved, they are shipwrecked and forced to walk through the ice in an attempt of get home.
This is a harrowing survival story as the party rows through a freezing sea surrounded by icebergs as well as being threatened by bears. Once they reach land, the journey is treacherous, and each must draw on their resilience and inner strength to survive, while also looking after each other on the perilous journey. Not only is it a physical survival story, but it is also the story of Hava’s inner struggle to come to terms with the life that King Leck had forced on her and her mother. Her reflections on her mother who had to hide her from the King until she died when Hava was eight and the accounts of her life afterwards always hiding from people are often difficult to read but compelling, nonetheless. I found myself hoping that Hava would eventually be able to express her feelings without turning into stone. Other characters in the story are exceptionally portrayed, particularly Annet, the captain of the ship and the sailor who had stored a secret in the hold. The one bright spot in the story was the descriptions of the blue foxes, who all had unique characteristics.
With themes of survival of mind and body, a slow burning romance, court intrigue, problems with the use of deadly weapons and vivid imagery, Seasparrow will be welcomed by readers of the series.
Themes Fantasy, Survival, Post traumatic stress, Weapons, Seafaring.
Pat Pledger
Alphabetical Sydney by Antonia Pesenti and Hilary Bell
New South, 2022. ISBN: 9781742237763.
This is our Sydney, the brightest and best of it, North to the south to the east and the west of it. Bats and cicadas, lawn bowls and the zoo, This is our town. Let us share it with you.
As the holidays stretch out, this might be the perfect book to share with young readers to plan what they might do for the next few weeks. For those in Sydney it could become a checklist of things to see, do and visit, ticking off each item as it is discovered, some of which are as easy as going outside. While it has places such as Luna Park and the Harbour Bridge, it also has entries like J for Jacaranda and N for nature strip and even learning that Vinegar is a quick antidote for bluebottle stings! And who hasn't needed U for Umbrella in recent days? Meanwhile those in other places could be challenged to start building their own alphabet of their region, perhaps creating something that could be offered to the local Information Centre as a guide for tourists - practical and purposeful.
This is the 10th anniversary edition of this gem that offers all sorts of potential once you start thinking about it beyond just a rhyming read.
Jack and Twitch are good friends, and since they solved a crime mystery (recorded in Twitch) they have been ready for more birdwatching and perhaps more crime solving. Jack is new to birdwatching and is yet to find his ‘spark bird’ the one that drives the desire and passion to become an avid avian watcher, but he would really like to solve another mystery. When he discovers a wounded cat and realises there is someone in his community who is shooting cats, it sparks his desire to solve the crime. But Twitch’s attention is diverted by the reported potential sighting of the very rare bird – a Bearded Vulture, and Jack is having difficulty getting Twitch to engage as a mystery solver because of the rare bird possibility. A violent storm, the local bullies, Halloween and a grand event hosted by a woman who has nefarious interests in the rare bird all complicate Jack’s attempts to foil the cat shooters and stop an attack on the rare bird. With other friends using their talents to help, and even zombies used to unveil the truth, this story has many twists and turns. Friendship is the winner.
The first book in this series, Twitch, was delightful, and this follow-up story has continued the charming focus on a group of friends in a small English community with an interest in Birdwatching. Although this is probably not a hobby many young Australians have discovered, the desire to protect wildlife must first start with knowing what is there, and so this book will perhaps open the eyes of young Aussie readers. This mystery and adventure will appeal to any reader who likes fast-paced crime-solving antics with curious children leading the way. I loved the story and having an avid birdwatcher in my family means that I recognised the focused and passionate spark that drives many to watch the skies and fields for a new sighting. This is a great book to recommend to readers aged 9-12 who love an adventure.
Ember Shadows and the Fates of Mount Never by Rebecca King is the first novel in what will certainly be a fabulous new series. This brand-new adventure feels like a modern twist on Alice in Wonderland and the Wizard of Oz combined. The storyline is full of adventure, imagination and suspense, entwined with courage, loyalty, teamwork and tenacity.
Ember Shadows is an eleven-year-old girl who has a passion for inventing. She lives in a magical village called Everspring with her eight-year-old sister and mother. Overlooking the little village is the ominous Mount Never. This mountain mysteriously sends down Fate Cards to everyone before their twelfth birthday. These cards decide your destiny, what you will do, who you will meet, what age you will die!
When Ember receives hers and it is blank, she is unsure what this means. She was hoping for her card to tell her she was going to be an inspirational inventor. Desperate to destroy her card, she is unable to. It will not burn, tear or disintegrate with anything she tries. Days later, her sister receives her own Fate Card and it says she hasn’t got long to live. Ember sets out to change their destiny. With nothing to lose she sets out to climb the treacherous Mount Never and put right to these wrongs. But will she succeed or will the realms and enchantments of Mount Never prove too strong?
Rebecca King has created a highly engaging and enchanting novel. This story will appeal to anyone who enjoys adventure, magic and fantasy. Raquel Ochoa’s illustrations fill pages with further enjoyment and details to support the storyline. This novel brings back charm and imagination, while intertwining the beautiful message of having the courage to create your own destiny. A great story that will be enjoyed my many!
Themes Fantasy, Adventure, Problem solving, Creativity, Teamwork, Determination, Loyalty.
Michelle O'Connell
Britannica's ready for school words by Hannah Campbell. Illus. by Sara Rhys
Britannica Books, 2023. ISBN: 9781913750640. (Age:3+) Recommended.
A large, hard cover book showcases 1,000 words for big kids that they may need to know before they go to school. It is organised in 2-page spreads around themes and events that the child may encounter, like Breakfast time, Playtime, Under the sea, A trip to the doctor, Grocery Shopping and By the seaside. The reader initially meets the main characters, 7 families from different backgrounds. Each of the themes is illustrated with easily identified pictures that are labelled. A parent or carer can point to different things in the spread and help a young child name what they are. There are lots of opportunities to discuss each item and talk about differences in the picture and in the child’s own home. The pictures will also give readers the opportunity to expand their vocabulary and for the parent/carer to talk about things that surround them.
The small, labelled illustrations are very appealing for young children. The people have happy faces, and the diversity of characters and activities is very inclusive. A table of Contents allows the reader to choose what theme they might like to examine while a comprehensive index will be useful for those who might like to examine a particular topic, e.g., football.
This would be a welcome addition to a home library and very useful for pre-school children.
Themes Vocabulary.
Pat Pledger
Strong and tough by Rico Hinson-King and Nick Sharratt
A ‘story of big feelings, football and family’ will enrapture every reader as Charlie’s predicament unfolds. Charlie, a keen footballer, is separated from his birth parents and sisters when social workers take them into care. At first they place them in different foster homes, and although the carers give him his own room and toys to play with, Charlie feels alone without his sisters to play football with in the garden. But he decides he must be strong and tough. Eventually he is taken to another foster home, one which he feels could be his forever home, especially when his sisters are allowed to come as well. Charlie plays football avidly, encouraging the foster parents and his siblings to join him. They become a family unit and when the time comes along for the judge to make a decision, the foster carers decide to keep all three children and make their home a forever home.
Sad feelings are treated with sympathy through this amazing story, based on the experiences of the ten year old author, Rico Himson-King. Young children will recognise these feelings and admire the young boy who resolved to be strong and tough to overcome them. Resilience is the key to Charlie’s survival in his unfamiliar situation, one punctuated by social workers, carers, foster homes and judges.
The story will melt the hearts of anyone reading and along with the story of the author, will emphasise with children in this unenviable situation. That Charles and his siblings came out so well will be music to the ears of our younger readers, strengthening their resilience and resolve to look for the brighter outcomes in life. This is a wonderfully positive read, one tinged with sadness that Charlie’s family has split and his concerns about what will happen to him and his sisters but overall he is resolved to be strong and tough and this resolution shines through, giving a positive role model to all readers.
The wonderfully warm illustrations give a lighter touch to the story, allowing a sometimes dire tale to unfold with lots of humour on every page (well, almost) which serve to give a positive overlay to Charlie’s problems.
A glossary in the front of the book tells readers what is meant by some of the words used: social worker, foster home, for example, and these are used in bold font throughout the book.
Themes Resilience, Adoption, Foster homes, Social workers, Humour.
Fran Knight
Violet made of thorns by Gina Chen
Hachette, 2022. ISBN: 9781399707114. (Age:14+)
Fans of love-hate relationships will delight in this fantasy starring Violet, a Seer and a liar and a not-so-charming Prince Cyrus. As a child Violet had seen the death of Prince Cyrus in a dream and had saved his life. Taken to the palace she is soon elevated into the role of Seer for King Emilius and finds herself not only prophesying but lying for the King who wants to further his empire. The previous Seer had left a dire prediction that the safety of the kingdom relies on the Prince’s marriage otherwise war, blood and chaos will follow. Violet is in a precarious position. Can she survive amongst the machinations of the King and his court and the antagonistic relationship she has with Cyrus? What do the Fates have in store for Cyrus and for her?
Violet is an unusual heroine – often selfish and self-serving. She has no qualms about lying for the King and bad-mouthing Prince Cyrus in front of the courtiers. Her dreams of blood and roses and horned beasts haunt her and the voice that she hears in her head making dire predictions keep her awake. Her snarky comments and outlook are often more contemporary than one would expect from someone in the medieval kingdom of Auveny, but this will appeal to teen readers who are likely to identify with Violet’s dilemmas and choices.
This was an enjoyable read with the love/hate relationship between Violet and Cyrus the central plot. The world building of Seers, horned beasts and fairy enchantments was not described in detail but are easy for the reader to imagine. Those who enjoyed Violet made of thorns may like to move onto more complex stories like The cruel prince by Holly Black and Gilded by Marissa Meyer.
The stand in is an engrossing thriller that I finished in one sitting. Lena is amazed to find out that there is a girl who looks exactly like her. She and Saskia could be twins, but their lives are completely different. Saskia is rich and the daughter of a wealthy criminal, while Lena’s mother is a single parent, living in a care home funded by a family friend who has been extradited to Poland. This means that the money will run out. When Saskia offers to pay Lena to stand in for her at family events she does not want to attend, Lena finds it hard to turn her down, but each payment means that her mother can stay in her care home and receive the medical attention that she desperately needs. As Saskia’s stand in, Lena finds herself wearing beautiful clothes, attending a wedding in a castle and meeting Saskia’s boyfriend Rhys who she finds very attractive. But her one last job leads her into danger. Will she be able to survive?
Lena is a standout character, who is bright and very loyal to her mother, who has gone through terrible things when she and her cousin went to Amsterdam to work as young women. It is easy to relate to Lena’s decision to play the part of Saskia, as funding her mother’s care is her priority. Lena has never known her father, described as ‘a nothing of a man’ by her mother and is relieved when Saskia orders a DNA test and the doctor reports that they are not related. Rushby’s narrative is suspenseful, leaving the reader worrying about what is going to happen next, and whether Lena will be safe playing the part of a deceitful Saskia while trying to fool her manipulative crime boss father.
This was a very enjoyable, quick read that is not too graphic and one that younger teens are sure to enjoy. The action is fast paced and twisty. Readers who liked The stand in could try The inheritance games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes and One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus.
Themes Thriller, Deception.
Pat Pledger
Miss Peregrine's Museum of Wonders by Ransom Riggs
Miss Peregrine’s Museum of Wonders is billed as an indispensable guide to Riggs’ wildly successful ‘peculiar children’ series. It is written in his unique gothic-like style and continues his tradition of illustrating his text with numerous vintage black and white photos of ‘peculiars’ which together with their droll captions, are a delight in themselves.
This is not a novel, but a series of short entries describing and giving examples of loops, peculiars and ymbrynes, and their enemies the hollowgasts and wights. There are helpful hints for peculiars on how to conduct themselves in the present, a couple of longer stories about peculiars who have appeared in other books, as well as maps, a phrase book, lists of real people who ‘may have been peculiars’ and Miss Peregrine’s handwritten notes to Jacob.
The Museum of Wonders could be read as you progress through the series, to provide backstory and elaboration, or before tackling any of the books, to give an insight into Riggs’ intricately constructed world and characters. As I hadn’t read any of his other books, this was an enjoyable introduction to his style, but I’m sure that I missed the relevance of many of the references to characters and events.
This book is visually engaging, from the handsomely presented faux-bound gold-embossed cover with marbled endpapers, to the decorative flourishes that firmly reflect the 1800s era. It is a work that you could read cover-to-cover, dip into randomly or simply pore over the enthrallingly creepy photos.
A Walk in the Dark by Jane Godwin is a suspenseful and exciting drama filled novel. A fictional story set in Australia’s own Great Otway National Park, near Apollo Bay in Victoria, this story will keep young adult readers, who enjoy a thrilling adventure, enthralled until the very end.
The novel sees students in year nine from Otway Community School heading out on a trip of a lifetime. They have been given the opportunity to take part in the Dutch dropping activity. Johan, their head teacher, has set up this task as a resilience, team bonding and all-round great opportunity for personal growth and endurance. Set in the forest, the students are organised into groups of five and together they must navigate 20km unsupervised back to school with only a compass, torches and emergency phone.
The reader follows five of the students into the woods for their adventure. These five young teens, all with very unique and interesting qualities, are trying to find a way to connect with each other in order to complete this task successfully. But when the weather turns nasty, some local hoons cause mischief and a young girl is lost, will the five get out safely or will the forest be too much for them?
Jane Godwin has created an extremely engaging and interesting storyline. Highly relatable and real, this novel would appeal to those who enjoy excitement, suspense and human interactions. Dealing with personal relationships, adversities, feelings, complexities and more, this novel has everything to keep the audience enthralled. No reader will be able to put the book down until the very end! Teacher's notes are available.
Themes Relationships, Problem solving, Creativity, Bullying.
Michelle O'Connell
Wild card by Simon Rowell
Text Publishing, 2023. ISBN: 9781922458728. (Age:Adult - Senior secondary) Recommended.
Detective Zoe Mayer and her service dog Harry (The long game) return in another compelling Australian rural crime novel. Zoe is sent off to Echuca where a body of a local bikie, Freddie Jones, has been found on the banks of the Murray River. Faced with little information and a cop in Moama across the river who seems to be cooperating with the bikies and local drug dealers, Zoe makes little progress until a second body is found, this time in a pit with a tiger snake. As she and her team slowly uncover what is going on, events begin to become more dangerous.
This was a suspenseful and gripping read that had me reading it in a couple of sittings. Zoe still needs her faithful service dog to keep her upright when she hears helicopters and drones, but she is determined to follow police procedures to work out who is murdering the local crime lords.
The setting of Echuca and Moama and the Murray River will be familiar to many Australian readers who will follow the story of local drug dealers and bikies with interest. And the clues about the card left on a body and the title Wild Card are intriguing too.
Readers who enjoy the setting of the Murray River in Wild Card are sure to want to pick up The tilt by Chris Hammer and fans of rural noir by Jane Harper and Garry Disher will have another author to enjoy.
Themes Rural noir, Crime, Detectives, Service dogs.
Pat Pledger
Red Dirt Road by S.R. White
Detective Dana Russo bk 3. Hodder Headline, 2023. ISBN: 9781472291165. (Age:Adult - Senior secondary) Highly recommended.
Detective Dana Russa (Hermit and Prisoner) returns in a challenging and suspenseful rural noir set in the tiny outback town of Unamurra, population 50. Two men have been murdered in strange circumstances and left arranged like angels on the work of an artist who had been hired to mount a series of sculptures that could bring tourists to the town. Dana is given the almost impossible task of finding who the killer is among the 50 local suspects. Assisted by the local police officer, Able Barillo, Dana has just one week to unravel the baffling case.
The isolated rural town came alive with White’s descriptive imagery. It was easy to imagine a drought stricken, dying town, with only a small patch of green surrounding a memorial, and closed shops and houses. It is presided over by Annie Ogden the owner of the only pub, wife of one of the murdered men, and owner of the only shop and service station in town, as well as many of the residents’ homes.
Dana is an introverted character, not given to sharing her thoughts with Able, the police officer in charge of the town. She is intelligent and approaches the case from an unconventional point of view focusing on the psychology of the murders. This provides many of the twists that confounded me as I tried to uncover the identity of the killer. The conclusion was stunning and unexpected, bringing all the threads and clues together, and leaving me often thinking of the power structures that the truth unfolded.
Red Dirt Road is the first book that I have read by S.R. White and it was easy to read as a gripping stand-alone. I thoroughly enjoyed it and found it so thought provoking that I intend to go back and read the other two books in the series. Fans of Jane Harper, Chris Hammer and Garry Disher are also likely to enjoy it.
Themes Rural noir, Crime, Detectives.
Pat Pledger
Found in Sydney by Joanne O'Callaghan and Kori Song
Allen & Unwin, 2023. ISBN: 9781760526245. (Age:4+) Highly recommended.
A second in the series about Australian cities, this counting book takes readers on a trip around Sydney Harbour and beyond to acquaint them with places that would interest newcomers and tourists. A very handy map is included at the end of the book, showing an outline of Sydney Harbour and where these places can be found around it. Each double page has a number as its focus with information about that place in the text and illustration. Number one shows a young boy with a map, being offered help from a passerby while a plane comes in to land over Sydney. This first double page places the book fairly in that city with an image of the harbour with the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge and the ferries taking centre stage.
Number two shows two koalas amongst other animals at Taronga Park Zoo, while three is set at the beach where young children are eating chips, seagulls hovering overhead waiting for one to drop. The beach appears in five, six and seven with five boats on the harbour, and the children walk along the beachfront where six dogs greet each other, and seven surfboards are in the sand ready for action. The counting continues up to sixteen when it abruptly changes to 100, 1,000 and1,000,000.
Each double page shows a different aspect of Sydney with sweeping illustrations of the city, each including a host of detail for readers to spot.
I read a book only last week about the building of the Sydney Opera House, (Jorn’s magnificent imagination, Coral Vass, EK) so this is a great companion read. It is fascinating seeing how often the Opera House figures in the book’s illustrations and reading the books together will enhance both for the reader.
Themes Sydney, NSW, Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Cities.
Fran Knight
Super Sidekicks: No adults allowed by Gavin Aung Than
Penguin, 2023. ISBN: 9780143795865. (Age:7-10)
Cartoonist Gavin Aung Than's graphic novel champions the underdog in the super hero world, the sidekicks. When Junior Justice - JJ - decides he wants to be a superhero instead, he calls a special meeting at a secret warehouse location. He's tired of his subordinate role and wants to stop cleaning up after Captain Perfect, washing his costumes and organising his headquarters. It's time to turn things around.
He chooses Flygirl who's tired of being sidekick to Rampaging Rita who loves to destroy everything. Dinomite brings his communication skills - he can speak 47 languages and has a quantum physics degree. Watch him transform into any shape and size dinosaur, a flying pterodactyl or large and menacing T-Rex. Goo's slippery, slimy body allows him to fill spaces, block gaps and help fight crime. He's run away from evil Dr Enok's laboratory and is willing to help JJ and the other child super sidekicks.
After a cheesy photo and chocolate chip cookies, the sidekicks share their fantastic array of skills. When confronted by their angry adult superheroes who want their offsiders back, an all-out battle ensues, while Rampaging Rita bashes everything in her path, Blast Radius shoots lasers into the melee. When Dr Enok captures Goo and takes him back to the lab, Junior Justice, Dinomite and Flygirl, creatively work as a team to rescue the sticky creature.
Than's action-packed cartoons showcase the cast of quirky characters and their special abilities. He's created a world reminiscent of the 1960s' superhero shows, as good and evil battles against each other. JJ and his friends learn to value each other's skills, develop their friendship and utilise their problem-solving skills. No adults allowed is a super-exciting cartoon novel just right for super-hero loving readers.
