Book Hungry Bears. Little Steps, 2022. ISBN: 9781912678662. (Age:3-6)
Over time Maxie finds a number of sticks in varying sizes and buries them in the sand. However, each stick disappears due to natural changes in the environment. Finally, Maxie buries the largest stick with another pile of sticks as a marker and to her surprise as well as finding the stick, Maxie finds some new four-legged companions!
This is a short entertaining story set at the beach with full page colourful illustrations of Maxie and various sea creatures and will appeal to younger readers.
Goodreads Choice Award Winner for Best Mystery & Thriller (2022) and Winner of the Ned Kelly Award for Best International Crime Fiction, The maid is an intriguing mystery starring an unforgettable main character in Molly Gray. Molly is a maid in the superior Regency Grand Hotel. She loves her work, delighting in keeping the hotel rooms perfect, but she has problems with her social skills and is often the butt of the jokes of other employees. When she discovers the body of Mr Black in his suite, she is targeted by the police as a main suspect, and the fact that she has been helping her friend use a hotel room every night adds to her fears. Fortunately, she does have friends who will help her and together they scheme to uncover the dirty secrets in the hotel and the identity of the murderer.
The character of Molly Gray reminded me of Don Tillman in The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion and is as equally as engaging. Although Molly is different, the final twists and turns in the novel demonstrate her intelligence and unique take on what is right and wrong.
The cast of friends and villains surrounding Molly add depth to the story and it is easy to relate to Molly’s struggles to work out who is friend or foe. I found myself holding my breath hoping for the best outcome for Molly, and finally very surprised and satisfied by the final denouement.
This is a suspenseful and great escapist cosy read for all lovers of mysteries.
Like a thorough historical research project, Horse pulls together the story of Lexington, a famous racehorse of the 1800’s, by piecing together fragments of stories from different voices. Thus we learn about the slave Black Jarret a dedicated groom and horse trainer, and Scott, an itinerate painter of horses and the men who tended them, in the 19th century. Another voice is added from 1954: Martha Jackson, a gallery owner is called on to value a painting of Lexington; and then in 2019, there is the retrieval of another painting from a rubbish pile and the discovery of the lost skeleton of the horse itself in the archives of the Smithsonian.
While Brooks brilliantly brings to life the personality of the horse Lexington and his close relationship with Jarrett his carer, and the joys and misfortunes that the horse experiences, this is not simply a new version of the Black Beauty story (Sewell, 1877), or indeed a horse story as such. Brook’s novel reveals the racism inherent in America’s history built on slavery, a racism that continues into the shocking events of current times with police shootings of innocent black men and the 'Black Lives Matter' protests.
The black figures in the 19th century equestrian paintings of famous horses are rarely named; they are the people who worked the stables and trained the horses to become winners but were never recognised. It was only the owner who took the glory. Slaves were appraised and sold on, families split apart, just as the horses were sold for their race prospects or their breeding value. The slave had no control over his own life.
Brooks raises the question of whether it is possible to have a true friendship between humans who are not equal, when one has power and freedom, and the other has always to tread with fear. Mary Barr, the granddaughter of Black Jarrett’s master, is hurt when her care for him is distrusted and her offer of friendship is received by Jarrett with incredulity. Even in modern times, the black man has always to be aware of how his actions may be interpreted. He does not have the freedom to ‘move easy in the world’, or the luxury of ‘expecting the world to be good to you’, the freedom that the 2019 Australian curator Jess takes for granted, until she is confronted by the different experiences her romantic interest, and ‘friend’, Theo, a black man, reveals to her.
Historical and current perspectives of animal rights and human rights are both important themes in Horse. But it is the voices of the characters and their different experiences that give the novel its life. The personalities, both animal and human, draw the reader in and keep us engaged, wanting to know more. It’s one of those books where the reading has been so enjoyable that you slow down reading the last chapters, not wanting it to end.
Themes Historical fiction, Slavery, Racism, Horse racing, Animal rights, Human rights, Black Lives Matter.
Helen Eddy
In the serpent’s wake by Rachel Hartman
Random House, 2022. ISBN: 9781101931325. (Age:14+) Highly recommended.
In this sequel to Tess of the Road Tess is trying to help her quigutl friend Pathka, who needs to reach the Polar Serpent to heal, while also spying for her Goreddi monarch. With her friend and failed priest Jacomo, she joins countess Marga’s voyage through many islands that have been colonised by the Ninysh, who are trying to subdue the indigenous people. Spira the dragon who holds a grudge against Tess, is also leading an expedition to find the serpent and will do whatever they can to stop Tess.
The book opens with a poem that summarises what happened in Tess of the Road, reminding readers of the journey of survival and self-examination that Tess has undergone. There are more trials for her In the serpent’s wake, as she has her eyes opened to the way that the native peoples are treated and is forced to look at the effects of colonisation. And once again meeting Will, the man who had so mistreated her in Tess on the road, is a terrible burden to bear. Her companions, Marga, and Jacomo, as well as Spira, all must come to terms with their beliefs and shortcomings as the voyagers encounter the local inhabitants and the political unrest that has occurred because of colonisation.
Rich in world building, the reader is treated to a wonderful fantasy world of sea going vessels, dragons, strange creatures that live in the seas and of polar tigers that can swim and are trained to fight. Poems and songs are dotted throughout the narrative, challenging the reader to consider the religion and beliefs of the indigenous peoples.
Ivan Lucic and Nell Buchanan, featured in in Treasure and dirt, return in an engrossing mystery set near the Murray River. Nell returns to her hometown of Tulong, tasked with a cold case involving a body discovered when a water regulator was sabotaged. Then more bodies are found, and Nell begins to suspect that her family may be involved in the crimes.
Hammer deftly juggles many threads in The tilt, not least the geological features of the area and the beauty of the forest that lines the water and creeks. The reader is drawn into the narrative, which is told from different viewpoints, as the author poses difficult questions. Who is the woman who sabotaged the water regulator? Why was a man running for his life in the forest? Who is Jimmy Waters who relates his life as a young boy looking after cattle in the forest, while his father is at war? And what happened to Tess the young girl who was in love with Tycho Buchanan who disappeared under mysterious circumstances?
As the bodies stack up, Nell finds herself left in charge to solve the cases, as Ivan Lucic has been recalled and leaves her with Kevin Mackangara, the local police officer. She faces threats from the local pub owner and Neo-Nazis in the district while she uncovers much of the secrets and history of her family.
This was a stand-out read for me. Hammer manages to pull all the disparate layers of the story in a stunning conclusion and the setting of the forest and environment theme led me to further investigation of the area around Deniliquin and Echuca. Readers who enjoyed novels by Jane Harper, Garry Disher and S.R. White are sure to want to pick this up.
In a dramatic and colourful tale, dragons, dragon-fighting and romance combine in a fervent way, and a family that has a long tradition of Dragon contests in their arena must fight to maintain their place in the Dragon-fighting community. The fantasy world of Hispalia has strong hints to the reader of the Spanish bull-fighting passions, but with the added threats of attack by wild dragons. Dragons owned and trained by the Draganadors as a form of entertainment, ‘perform’ to the death at the hand of their trainers. Zarela is a young woman who still mourns her Flamenco-performing mother, who died as the result of a dragon attack, and works to mimic her Mother’s skill and to support her Dragandor father in the arena. Sadly, there is tension in the community and when dragons attack during a performance it seems that Zarela and her father have been targeted deliberately. Zarela’s zest for life and her desire to protect her family name have unexpected consequences when she employs a young trainer, Arturo, to help her become a performer in her own right. The relationship between Zarela and Arturo begins with tension, but a slow burn passion weaves its way into the story alongside the mystery of the cause of the opposition to Zarela’s family endeavours.
This is a story that burns! Dragon attacks and fantasy tension introduce intriguing stresses into the adventure but woven alongside this are activists who are working to save the dragons (bull-fighting parallels). Dragons are interesting fantasy creatures and there are many species with different qualities within the story. The tensions in the story between humans and with the dragons make for an exciting tale. The romance that develops with the dancing Zarela and the brooding trainer, Arturo, has elements of sensual stress as they both have strong passionate personalities and reasons to dislike one another. Additional tension, in an environment where death is always a close companion, weaves throughout the entire story and compels the reader forward and the author manages this well. The young potential lovers do perhaps twist and weave like toreadors in the ring, but although there is an element of the innocent tease initially they are not completely virtuous. This is not a Dragon story for children. Together We Burn will be enjoyed by fantasy devotees aged 15+, but the romantic and sensual overtones perhaps will make this romance element too cloying for some male readers, despite the action-adventure of fighting dragons.
Themes Fantasy, Dragons, Magic, Romance.
Carolyn Hull
Wizelda the little witch who climbed a rainbow by Maggie May Gordon. Illus. by Natasha Hagarty
Little Steps, 2022. ISBN: 9781922358608. (Age:4+) Highly recommended.
Everybody loves the beauty and magic of a rainbow, but is there a pot of gold at the end or does it hold other surprises?
This charming picture book is full of enchantment and delight. Wizelda is a young witch who lives in a small village with her mother. She loves flying on her broomstick, making some special brews and playing with her cat, Spook. What she doesn’t like is wearing black clothes all the time, and she especially doesn’t like her hat that squashes her curls. She really wants to wear beautiful coloured clothes like the other children who play in the fields.
When Wizelda hears the story about the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow she goes in search to find it and get some colourful clothes for her mother and herself to wear. Finding the rainbow is easy, but climbing it causes a little trouble. Not to be deterred, Wizelda runs and jumps to successfully get on board. Up and up she climbs to discover Lady Rainbow. Though what she finds is not only colours, but so much more!
Talented Australian poet Maggie May Gordon has created an enchanting tale of magic and friendship. The delightful water colour illustrations by Australian artist Natasha Hagarty captures the beauty of the words and enrich the story. Filled with all seven rainbow colours and flora of every hue, the audience will enjoy the tale of Wizelda as she goes on her adventures to happiness.
Themes Adventure, Imagination, Friendship, Magic.
Michelle O'Connell
Hop Lola hop by Kathy Urban and Siski Kalla
Little Steps, 2022. ISBN: 9781912678587. (Age:3+) Highly recommended.
Have you ever had a bond with a toy that is so great you can’t imagine being without them? Well this story will bring those memories back to you all! Hop Lola Hop is a beautiful picture book that readers of all ages will enjoy. Capturing imagination, adventure and a love like no other, this book is for all those who have a favourite toy that they treasure.
Lola is a rabbit who likes to hop, hop and hop. She is a cute and cuddly little toy who is the best friend of a little girl named Ella. They love to do everything together, and they are always there for each other. They both love adventure and fun, but one day Lola hops a little too much and suddenly finds herself without Ella. What will she do? Will she ever find her best friend again?
Kathy Urban has created a sweet and touching story about the bond that children have with their soft furry friends. She captures the magic of a relationship that many children experience firsthand. The delightful water colour illustrations by Siska Kalla enhance the story and will enchant the audience. Lola the little grey rabbit is so cute, in her pink corduroy overalls and floral-patterned ears, that you get the feeling of cuddling her too.
This picture book is sure to become a favourite for many young children when read aloud. As they listen and enjoy the adventures and mischief of this adorable rabbit, they will be cuddling their own favourite toy tightly.
Young Boris Greycoat is a wolf and lives with his aristocratic parents in a fancy mansion with twenty-three turrets. Several generations ago their ancestors moved from Scotland to the principality of Morovia, somewhere in eastern Europe. Here humans and wolves happily coexist, although the cakes are rock hard, made with pig fat and taste of old coconut!
Usually, the Greycoat’s holiday in France but Scotland has decided to reintroduce wolves. So, they decide to holiday in Scotland instead. The Greycoats are sophisticated and well educated and rather taken aback when the Scots are scared of them and not keen on accepting them on equal terms. The Greycoats have a different understanding of ‘reintroduce’ to the Scots, who consider it a process of bringing back wild animals.
Boris is keen to study the history of the Greycoat family and the family explore their ancestral homeland. Boris’ father is very wrapped up in immersing himself in Scottish culture. Boris quietly suffers these amusing experiments. His mother uses her smile to their advantage. Alongside this is a ruthless real estate developer intent on destroying Scottish heritage and the natural environment. Boris becomes involved in a community campaign to stop the development.
This was a wholesome, funny story with marvelous black and white illustrations. Boris’s parents are delightfully eccentric and loving. Boris is quietly heroic with admirable values. There are many funny incidents when the wolves become ‘undignified’ when they get hungry. Gifford plays around with wolf related language such as, Wolfemina Hall and Sir Luther Fangdolph! There’s also an opportunity to learn about Scottish traditions. It has the same lovely tone as a story like The 27th Annual African Hippopotamus Race by Morris Lurie. Therefore, it would be a great read aloud to share with Junior Primary aged students. A new book in the series is due in 2023.
Themes Scottish culture, Wildlife conservation, Preservation of heritage.
Jo Marshall
Marple: Twelve new stories by Agatha Christie, Naomi Alderman, Leigh Bardugo et al.
Fans of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple will be thrilled with this collection of twelve short stories featuring that favourite detective. Fans of other crime and YA writers, like Lucy Foley, Elly Griffiths, Karen M. McManus and Leigh Bardugo, will also be tempted to pick up this collection to see how believable they are able to make their tales. And a whole new generation of readers may be introduced to Miss Marple and Agatha Christie’s novels, while readers like me, may want to revisit The Murder at the Vicarage, the first full length novel which featured Miss Marple.
I thoroughly enjoyed this collection, eagerly going from one story to the next. Many had exotic settings like a cruise ship to Hong Kong, and a theatre in Manhattan, while some were set in St. Mary Mead, Miss Marple’s beloved village. I loved Murder At The Villa Rosa By Elly Griffiths for its setting in Italy and references to killing off a main character in an author’s series. In Miss Marple’s Christmas by Ruth Ware readers will recognise Christie’s signature manor house setting, theft of a string of pearls, multiple suspects, and a surprise ending. YA author Karen M. McManus takes the reader to the U.S. in In The Murdering Sort, to solve a mystery with her great–grand-niece Nicola West.
A few of the authors were new to me which gives me the opportunity to seek out their stories – it is always wonderful to find new authors!
This is an excellent collection of original short stories that will have wide appeal to adults and young adults alike.
Themes Miss Marple, Mysteries, Crime.
Pat Pledger
The Frog Bridge by Ian Boyd
Spirit of the Earth Books, 2022. ISBN: 9780648905721. (Age:9-12) Highly recommended.
How does a young child deal with the death of a sibling? Eleven-year-old Liam has lost his beloved older brother Peter to a long, drawn-out illness and his family is slowly crumbling. His Dad is angry and at times frightening, and his Mum is just plain heartbroken. Liam and younger sister Tilly are trying to make sense of their loss but are adrift without the support of their trusted adults.
They escape the house to spend time on the frog bridge watching the tadpoles change and they both become attached to Fatso, the largest frog. After reading Peter’s notebook, Liam is convinced that Fatso is Peter reincarnated. He feels a strong connection with the frog as it inhabits the creek under the bridge that was so special to Peter and Liam and must be protected at all costs.
As well as trying to survive each day, Liam is thrust into an unwanted companionship with Madhi whom he calls Muddy. Muddy has arrived with his sister Sapidah from Afghanistan under terrible circumstances. He does not speak, is impulsive and deeply disturbed. The two boys are mercilessly bullied and when more confrontation occurs there is a terrible consequence.
The wonderful descriptive language used throughout the story will transport the reader to Liam’s backyard and the surrounding environment. The grief and loss suffered by all of the characters is profoundly felt and will stay long after this story is finished. Nevertheless, there is hope that the cracks will begin to heal and that the power of friendship will enable a new story to begin.
Demon in the wood by Leigh Bardjugo and Dani Pendergast
Hachette, 2022. ISBN: 9781510111141. (Age:Middle school, Young adult)
This beautifully styled and lavishly produced graphic novel sets out a prequel story about the Darkling character from the Shadow and Bone trilogy now a Netflix series. Eryk and his mother are Grisha, or witches, and are trekking through the mountains, avoiding villages, to a Grisha camp. They are travelling under assumed names as their special powers make them targets not only for witch hunters but for their own kind eager to exploit them. In spite of their care, misfortune seems to be around every corner and inevitably disaster strikes. Relying heavily on readers already invested in the characters and their world the best thing about this is the way the swirling magical powers the Grisha wield are graphically represented, like those of the Inferni who shape fire, or the Squallers who can control winds. The muted colours and undeveloped cast of characters lead the reader to focus on the sulky, angst ridden figure of Eryk, always having to do as his mother tells him. His only attempt to do otherwise nearly kills him and causes death, destruction and the need to again move on. There is no redemption here and the lack of counterpoint makes this a less than enthralling read. It is not an origin story, the characters appear and then disappear from the book with little explanation, what is related is an incident in their lives that shapes the future. As such, it really doesn’t stand alone and it didn’t make me want to explore the rest of the story. Fans of the Grishaworld and/or the Netflix spin off will probably embrace this addition but I found it disappointing.
A stunning and complex book, Better the blood will thrill lovers of crime stories with its background of Maori history and colonisation. Hana Westerman is a Maori detective who receives a mysterious video leading her to a body in a hidden room. Other deaths follow and Hana is forced to face the fact that it is her past and Maori heritage that may lead to the serial killer. When she discovers a photograph from 1863 of 6 soldiers posing with the hanging dead body of a Maori chief, she realises that the murders may be revenge for the past atrocity.
Hana is a tenacious and determined character, once married to a white detective, and now juggling being a single parent. She is faced with the dilemma of being a member of the police force which often clashes with Maori beliefs and is haunted by an incident in her past when she had to forcibly break up a peaceful land rights protest.
Bennett brings a depth of understanding of culture and language in his narrative. His use of Indigenous terms and names explained in footnotes adds to the novel's tone. It is an engrossing police procedural that begs to be read in a couple of sittings, but one that will leave a lasting memory of Maori beliefs and the effects of racism.
With its clever plotting, thrilling action and engaging characters, Better the blood is a memorable novel and I look forward to reading future books by Michael Bennett.
HarperCollins, 2022. ISBN: 9780008538262. (Age:Adult, young adult)
The age of the driverless car has arrived in Boston and while startling, the sight of a movie producer seducing an actress in a car with no one in the driver’s seat is not beyond the realms of possibility. When there is a fatal glitch in one of the car’s computer system it ruins the Gandalf Company involved and sets the whole concept back in people’s minds. To build confidence, a rival company, Arrivals, swaps all the cars on Garret Island for driverless cars and organises a big publicity promotion with large numbers of invited press. Islander Sandra Montrose is hired to coordinate the event, it is her big break and she is keen for it to be a success. Sandra’s husband was killed when he fell asleep at the wheel so she sees the benefit of the driverless cars. Brandon Kyle, whose company was ruined by the computer glitch, is convinced it was orchestrated by the Arrivals Company and sneaks across to the island in disguise with sabotage on his mind. There are hundreds of Arrivals cars, “like a Dustbuster minus the handle” p. 16, on the island but as the promotional video says, “When you are in an Arrival, you’re not just in one car. You are, effectively, in every other Arrival on the road, because they work as one to serve you.” p. 78, Kyle’s mission is clear! Predictable mayhem ensues as the cars go rogue.
To start with, I was on-board with the premise and I enjoyed the light touch and quips - "I was going to buy a Gandalf but decided not to take the plunge” p. 50, but it failed to maintain pace and there was a lot of repetition and explaining. By the time some of the horror was building the quips became distracting and highlighted the absurdity of some of the action. The characters, apart from Sandra Montrose’s 16 year old daughter Katie, who desperately wants to learn to drive, were either one dimensional or stereotypes and I didn’t care about what happened to them.
This is not my preferred genre but I expect fans of Linwood Barclay’s books will welcome the killer cars as light holiday reading.
Many of the war genre books published recently are often written about past events. You don’t know what war is: The diary of a young girlfrom Ukraine created by 12-year-old Yeva Skalietska, has been written this year: 2022. The thoughtful and poignant introduction by well-known writer Michael Morpurgo complements this book beautifully.
Yeva’s story begins with the joy of her 12th birthday on February 14, 2022, her family, friends, gifts and going bowling. She writes about her love of school and home life, and her happiness. This all ends in the early hours of February 24. Yeva and her beloved grandmother, Iryna, are thrown into a perilous situation which is described in great detail by Yeva through her detailed diary entries. Her recount of the dangerous days following the invasion by Russia are matter-of-factly recorded and interspersed with humour, photos, maps, world news headlines and group chat messages connecting us to her friends. The never-ending fear and depths of despair felt by Yeva touches the reader and will leave a lasting impression. Her maturity and understanding of her situation are shown over and over again by what she writes: “This really hurts. I spent my childhood there. Attacking my home is the same as attacking a piece of me. I feel like my heart is being squashed. There were such memories there…. I don’t care about the things themselves as much as I care about the memories they held.”
For students in Year 5 and above, this story told in a diary format, will give an understanding of the terror and hardship faced by innocent adults and children at the mercy of a cruel and greedy dictator. A thought-provoking and deeply moving read.
Themes War, Ukraine, Diary, Terror, Danger, Refugees, Kindness, Hope.
