In the dark of night, as their owners sleep, the cats of the city are all headed to one place: Catsby's Great Circus! Step this way and see conjuring cats, felines that fly, Siamese that swing from above, and don't miss the mighty PURRCULES CLAW. But with so much activity, it only takes one little mouse in the wrong place to put the whole circus in chaos.
I have to confess to not being a "cat person" although I have always loved T. S. Eliot's Macavity's Not There that lingers in the back of my childhood memories as one of the few poems I truly loved from my schooldays. But this rhyming, tumbling jumble of cats would be up there too, now, as one to share with students just for the fun of the language, let alone the storyline. Bright, eye-catching pictures capture the chaos as the story hums along with humour and madness - all the qualities that are going to engage young readers who are going to wonder what their cats do at night. Are they cunning criminals in league with Macavity, the Hidden Paw, or are they secret circus artists with talents hidden from their owners?
Themes Cats, Humour.
Barbara Braxton
Virtually Christmas by David Baddiel
HarperCollins, 2022. ISBN: 9780008334321.
It used to be the most WONDERFUL time of the year, but for years Christmas has been taken over by Winterzone.
All the things that made Christmas special are gone: the human connection, the baubles passed down through generations, even the rubbish cracker jokes.
Instead, Christmas is run by robots, while 3D holograms of Santa Claus called Santavatars check if you've been naughty or nice - and on Christmas Eve, all of the presents are delivered by ZoneDrones instead of Santa's reindeer!
But when they stumble on a curious clue, eleven-year-old Etta and her friend Monty find themselves thrown into a fight to bring back Christmas. Racing against time and against the might of Winterzone, they must find the real Santa - before the true meaning of the festive season is lost forever . . .
In some ways, our children are used to Christmas being virtual with travel restrictions meaning a lot of family get-togethers are being done online, and as a consequence, a lot of the long-held traditions and rituals have been let go. So as well as being an engaging read for young independent readers with a unique-till-now theme, it is also an opportunity for them to reflect on the things that they would miss most about Christmas if they were taken away. What are the things that their family does that make it a personalised experience, the things they will continue to do with their own children in years to come? What have they taken for granted? What do they want to reinstate?
For many, Christmas is about family and making memories and there is a lot of effort put into making it a magical time but what do our children actually take on board? And perpetuate? This is an entertaining story in itself, but with the capacity to encourage some great what-if thinking...
Barbara Braxton
The choice by Nora Roberts
The Dragon Heart Legacy, book 3. Piatkus, 2022. ISBN: 9780349426457. (Age:Adult - 16+) Recommended for Nora Roberts’ fans.
The choice is the conclusion to The Dragon Heart Legacy trilogy following The Awakening and The Becoming. Breen Kelly finally comes into her own in this epic final in the fight against the evil of her grandfather, the dark god Odran who wants to rule over Talamh and control Breen. With the portal closed, Breen begins to learn how to manage all her powers from flying to healing. The peace and magic of Talamh as people set about celebrating Christmas, weddings and births is described in detail as Breen comes to love her new life and people. But she knows that there will be choices to make – light against dark and good against evil. Will she be able to control the demon that she senses in Odran and herself and save the land that means so much to her?
Readers who like lots of action in their high fantasy may be disappointed as the decisive battle between Odran and Breen comes late in the story. Breen’s belief in her powers grows and she knows that she will have to make the final sacrifice to save Talamh and all she loves. Much of the book centres around the concepts that Roberts obviously values very highly: that of love between family members, loyalty to family and friends, and the deep friendship between Marco and Breen. The romance between Keegan and Breen is low key as Keegan goes about his duties at the Capital and Breen continues her writing in her cottage, which is increasingly successful.
Roberts always delivers a story that fans will want to read, and The choice will be welcome because of its themes of love, family, heritage, and friendship.
Winner of the Nebula Award for best novel and Locus Award for Best First novel, P. Djeli Clark takes the reader to 1912 Cairo, where Egypt has tossed off British colonial rule with the help of the Djinn. Fatma el-Sha’arawi works for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, and when all the members of a secret society dedicated to al-Jahiz are murdered she is chosen to work on the case. The murderer claims to be al-Jahiz himself back to right the wrongs in society and together with her girlfriend Siti, Fatma must trace what is happening before unrest erupts on the city streets.
The author’s world building is vivid and believable. It is easy to imagine this alternate historical/fantasy world as Fatma goes about the business of investigating the murders. The street scenes, the food and the people are brought to life while the steam-punk boiler eunuchs and clockwork machines add a fascinating touch.
Fatma is a great character, always dressed to the nines in fabulous suits. She is intelligent and curious, desperately trying to work out if al-Jahiz is an imposter – or the real thing. Siti and her skills are a good match for Fatma’s intelligence and Fatma’s sidekick brings some challenging ideas about the role of women in the Ministry.
It is easy to see why P. Djeli Clark has won awards with A master of djinn. The combination of unique world building, fabulous characters, action galore and a mystery to solve makes for riveting reading.
Themes Fanasy, Mystery, Cairo, Djinns.
Pat Pledger
A girl called Corpse by Reece Carter
Allen & Unwin, 2022. ISBN: 9781761066788. (Age:10+) Highly recommended.
Corpse is a teenage ghost who has fashioned herself to look human from wax and debris from the sea. She lives in the roof of a shack, on a place called the-rock-that-doesn’t-exist, in the middle of the bay. Below her live three evil male witches who she painstakingly avoids. Her only companion is a spider called Simon who communicates with her in clicks. Corpse yearns to know about her life before she was snatched and died. Who were her family? What was her name?
Corpse discovers that she can retrieve her memories by going to the town of Elston-Fright on the mainland and visiting the Ungeneral Store. She reunites with her ghost friend Girl, who she thought had Died Proper (when a ghost disappears forever). She also sees fleshies, living normal human family lives. Corpse realises the witches and The Merchant of the store are all fighting and in pursuit of something which is also valuable to her. But the Witches are malicious in pursuing it because their magic powers are waning and this item will vastly boost their power. Corpse, Girl, and Simon must work together to try and defeat The Witches.
This is a unique tale with fantastic characters and events. The name Corpse, Death Proper and Ungeneral Store are examples of the invented language which add to the creepiness and humor. The banter between the witches and The Merchant is funny and sarcastic. Appropriately Corpse uses limited, harmless magic. We develop empathy for Corpse as she is very alone. And although ghosts are not supposed to experience emotions Corpse does, e.g., crying from her abalone eyes and “something in my not-chest aches”. The story is compelling because we want to know if Corpse will retrieve her memories and will good triumph over evil? And can she recognize her shortcomings as a friend? Reece Carter has created a bleak seaside town, added gruesome touches but also glimmers of hope. All in all, an enjoyable read suitable for lovers of The Eerie on Sea series or Jaclyn Moriarty’s Kingdom and Empires series.
Lovers of Australian crime novels will welcome this thriller from Matthew Spencer, a former journalist for many years. And those who are familiar with the Parramatta River and Sydney suburbs will revel in the familiarity of the setting. The body of a young woman has been found in the grounds of an elite boarding school and Adam Bowman, once a student at Prince Albert College, is tasked by his editor to get exclusive pictures of the crime scene. He knows secret ways in and out of the grounds used by the boarders and can get close. Meanwhile Detective Sergeant Rose Riley, already on the trail of the Blue Moon Killer who has killed two young women near the river, is trying to find any links of this murder to the serial killer.
Part police procedural and part psychological thriller, Black River is a riveting read. Adam Bowman is forced to delve into his childhood growing up on the grounds of the school, as the police team uses him to deliver snippets of information to his newspaper. Gradually different motives are uncovered, and questions posed for the reader. What is the role of the headmaster, and is organised crime involved? Why is the old boy, now politician, involved and pulling strings behind the scenes? What really happened to Adam’s brother who died when he was a child? Is the groundskeeper involved? And who entered the murdered girl’s home?
This is a well-constructed and engrossing story. The setting is detailed and feels authentic, and the characters are all well rounded. It is easy to sympathise with Adam, unsuccessful and drinking too much, and to cheer Rose along hoping that she is successful in solving the crimes. There are plenty of twists and turns to tantalise the reader and leave some surprise outcomes.
I look forward to future books from this author, and readers who enjoy books by Chris Hammer, Garry Disher and Christian White are likely to enjoy Black River.
Allen & Unwin, 2022. ISBN: 9781761065651. (Age:8+) Highly recommended.
Wolf Girl Gwen and her pack are in terrible danger from crocodiles, a rapidly approaching waterfall and of course, the enemy. So begins Book Eight in the Wolf Girl series written by Anh Do. This time the heroes of the series end up on a beautiful island full of wild animals which cause them no end of grief. From the cheeky baby monkey who steals Gwen’s most treasured possession and has a devasting effect on her health, to the ferocious lion who stalks the pack and places them in more danger, to the gentle herd of elephants who help Gwen and the pack to safety, this story really does have it all. They also meet two humans who are in the employ of The Collector but are they friend or foe?
This is another exciting and action-packed read that will continue to engage fans of the Wolf Girl series. Illustrations by Lachlan Creagh add to the appeal of the text. The bonus sealed section at the end continues the story of Gwen and Amber. Book Nine will be published soon.
A strongly bound board book to acquaint younger readers with Australian animals and settings, while helping them form good habits of reading before going to sleep will stand multiple use by inexperienced hands eager to help turn the pages. Stars twinkle on the cover, as the sun sets in bright yellow and oranges, leading to the night sky and bedtime on the next eight double pages. Each double page mentions something to do with sleep in the lullaby: floating in clam water, sleep is the end of a gorgeous day, dreams will appear, and stars will come out in their billions.
So sleep comes along, the joey finally hopping into its mother’s pouch knowing she will be always there in the calmest of waters.
The song version can be viewed on Youtube here and here. And more information about the lullaby can be found here.
I loved the countdown to sleep from calm waters to the end of day, to the setting sun, to dreams, sleep, and stars, billions of them! Each set of words on each page leads the small child to the end of the journey - sleep. Images on each page reinforce the idea of the end of day and sleep, of sleep being the natural consequence of a good day, along with the setting sun and stars coming out. Each is a consequence of what has happened before, leading the child to sleep.
The original artwork by Lisa Kennedy reinforces the strength and comfort of family with the joey and its mother kangaroo appearing through the pages, a family of birds snuggling together in the nest and two platypus on the riverbank. All give comfort to the child going to sleep, the words and images reinforcing the community and its closeness.
Themes Aboriginal lullaby, Sleep, Stars, Australian animals, Board book, Family.
Fran Knight
Charlie's whale by Libby Gleeson and Hannah Somerville
Charlie loves the sea, and all the creatures that live in it, the seashells and seahorses, sharks and stingrays, crabs and crayfish. He loves the gently tickly waves and those that crash and tremble about his feet. But most of all, Charlie loves whales - minke whales, orcas, beluga whales and humpbacks, sperm whales and right whales, and especially the great blue whale. He loves to read about them, research them on the internet, write about them in his school project and play with his toy whale and dream about them. While his brothers play at building with the blocks, he imagines seeing a whale, but they tell him he is dreaming. The aquarium did not satisfy him, so they are taken to the beach where his brothers play in the sand and mum tells him that whales are too far away to see. But Charlie keeps watching and dreaming. The day they are to leave, he climbs a sandhill and looks far out to sea and spies a breaching whale.
Some children will know the feeling of seeing a whale breach or spying a pod of whales as they travel along the east coast of Australia to reach the breeding grounds in the warmer waters of the north. Or travel the Great Australian Bight.
There are a number of books about whales and whale watching, all of which could be read alongside this one, to extend the idea of the whales in Australian waters. Where once they were few after being killed for oil, now they number in their thousands and many towns profit from sight seeing as the whales pass by.
Charlie’s persistence pays off as he dreams of seeing a whale, and then goes to the beach where he watches and waits until his dream is realised.
Libby Gleeson's wonderful words develop the tale of Charlie and his dream while Hannah Somerville's illustrations add magic to hisdream as we see whales in his bedroom, in the clouds and in the night sky. And the endpapers show outlines of the whales at the start, then completed at the end. A lovely inviting touch.
Fire Reads, 2022. ISBN: 9781728257594. (Age:14+) Recommended.
Teenagers have gone missing in the Bronx neighbourhood. Raquel is drawn into the mystery when her mother, a nurse, is infected by the mould transferred to her by teenage fugitive Cisco. It seems that Cisco was drawn into some kind of game, he broke the rules, and now he is running for his life. Raquel, her best friend Aaron, and her secret crush Charlize, all become caught in the web of the nightmarish world of the Echo Game, a game set in the underground train system, where monstrous creatures track them down and overcome them with mould and rot.
It seems like the futuristic world of some kind of video game, yet has clear links to historic events of the past. It's a past that not many might now be aware of – how in the 1960s-70s the Bronx community was devastated by the racist urban planning that destroyed the homes of Black and Hispanic people, to create the Cross-Bronx Expressway, with bridges built to provide access to the cars driven by middleclass white families whilst denying access to the public transport buses used by poorer ethnic groups. The tenements of the South Bronx became dens of poverty and crime, rendering buildings so undesirable that they were abandoned or burned. A recent documentary Decade of Fire has exposed the era of the 1970’s fires that consumed the South Bronx. It is this history that author Tirado references in his horror world of the Echo Game.
The ‘Falsas Promesas’ chant of the zombie-like Passengers in the Echo Game can be heard in the YouTube video by John Fekner about the false promises offered the South Bronx. It is a thread that Tirado picks up and repeats throughout his novel. Burn down, rise up is a very dramatic story, filled with excitement and tension, and written in a way that will appeal to young adult readers of sci-fi fiction and players of action video games. It also exposes a history that most would probably prefer to forget. Whilst there is some unevenness of tone, I think most young adult readers will be easily drawn into the action, and find it a riveting read until the last page.
Themes The Bronx, Ghettos, Horror, Science fiction, Racial discrimination, LGBQTI+.
Helen Eddy
One more mountain by Deborah Ellis
Allen & Unwin, 2022. ISBN: 9781761068133. (Age:10-16) Highly recommended.
Deborah Ellis’s Parvana series has been praised by Malala - “Ellis beautifully captures childhood in war-torn Afghanistan”. The series tells of Parvana, a young girl, living at the time of the first Taliban regime. This latest novel picks up the story of children in Afghanistan now, following the American withdrawal and the Taliban return.
Damsa, caught in a moment of desperation, is rescued by policewoman Shauzia, and the two of them, hidden under burqas, find refuge in the Green Valley, the school and home for girls set up by Parvana. Damsa, a 15 year old, is running from the prospect of a forced marriage. At Green Valley she meets other girls in similar situations, including a 13 year old, already a mother to a baby.
Parvana wants to send her 11 year old son, Rafi, an aspiring ballet dancer, to safety with family in America. Alternating chapters tell of the experiences of Damsa, and of Rafi, over the ensuing days. Unfortunately before Rafi and his father and his aunt can reach the Kabul airport, the Taliban have taken over, and they are caught in the massive throng of people desperate to leave the country: the gates to the airport are closed, and the only way forward is across a trench of sewage. Adult readers may recall the news reports of the chaos at Kabul airport last year, as the last evacuation flights left. Rafi is caught between following his aunt towards freedom, and seeing his father sink beneath the bomb detritus, knowing that with his father’s death his mother is left without a male protector. It is a horrendous decision for an 11 year old to have to make.
This all sounds like a harrowing tale, and it is, but Ellis knows how to write simply and directly for a young audience. We follow Damsa and the other Green Valley girls, disguised as boys, as they retreat to the mountains, and we follow Rafi, trying to find his way home. For me, it recalled the writing of Ian Serraillier’s historic classic The Silver Sword about children making the dangerous journey from war-torn Poland to Switzerland during WWII, a story of the courage of children. One more mountain is a story in this league, dealing with current issues of war and displacement.
Themes Afghanistan, Taliban, War, Freedom, Courage.
Helen Eddy
Social Media Survival Guide by Holly Bathie
Usborne, 2022. ISBN: 9781474999267. Recommended.
Like it or not, use it or not, social media is an integral of today's life and despite it being illegal for those under 13 to have accounts because the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA), which prevents collection and storage of personal information from children under 13 years of age which originated in the US but which is pretty much universal, many of our young students still access sites and apps daily.
For many parents, the world of social media and instant connectivity is not one in which they grew up - it's all happened in the last 20 years - and so helping their children navigate where they never went when they were children can be tricky. Perhaps the recent hacking of Optus and Medicare and the exposure of personal date gathered legitimately can have a silver lining if it alerts parents to the spread of their digital footprint and propels them to start considering what they are sharing, and thus, their children.
For even though way back in 1996 my school had a huge focus on safe surfing of the web and the kids, most of whom did not have access to computers and the internet at home, had the basics drummed into them from the get-go, the issues caused by the use of these instant, anonymous platforms continue to rise as our young people seek attention, fame, and in some cases, notoriety. Who can forget the death of 14 year old Dolly Everett who took her own life because of online bullying?
Thus this book which enables our young readers, even those under the required 13 years, to manage their life, relationships and mental health on social media platforms and empowers them to stay safe online is an important read for all. With the usual engaging layout we associate with Usborne, but in monochrome rather than colour, it offers in-depth coverage of a range of important and difficult issues young people face including body image, appearance-enhancing filters, influencers, sexual content and mental health. It uses recognisable themes rather than platform specifics, making the content relevant long-term, and tips on how to set up accounts safely and best manage privacy and messaging settings. It also addresses the user's online persona, online reputation, and relationships; helps them understand fake news and information and how to handle online bullying, as well as avoiding trolls.
While social media can have a really positive side - many would have been very isolated without during COVID lockdowns - and it would be wonderful if we could instil such a sense of confidence and well-being in the younger generation that they never feel the need for anonymous, meaningless affirmation, nevertheless there is a dark side and users must be aware of the potential for harm as well as good. Once it's out there, it's out of your control.
As well as being an important guide for the kids, it is also really useful for parents themselves as they learn what it is their child needs to know and do, understand and value as what was once just "peer pressure" from your immediate social circle is now a universal phenomenon right there in their hand. It goes hand-in hand with the excellent site and work of the E-Safety Commissioner established by the Australian government which has information for everyone from parents to teachers to kids to women to seniors and even a host of diverse groups who may be targeted or marginalised.
Despite the care we take, every keystroke or finger tap can unknowingly add to our digital footprint, and so the better informed we are the safer we will be. Thus this is one to recommend to parents, to teachers and for yourself if you have responsibility for students or your own children online.
Barbara Braxton
Miss Mary-Kate Martin's guide to monsters: The Trouble with the Two-Headed Hydra by Karen Foxlee
Allen & Unwin, 2022. ISBN: 9781760526634. (Age:6-11) Highly recommended.
Mary-Kate is on her second monster seeking adventure in this delightful series. Her mother, Professor Martin, has been summoned to an archaeological dig on the remote Greek island of Galinios. There is an ancient, tiled floor that needs protection from building expansion by The Kyrios Famous Sardines factory. As soon as they arrive Mary-Kate is aware of things being awry. There are smashed paddle boats in the harbor. They are met by Nikos and receive a letter from his Yiayia who is very concerned that the island’s Two-Headed Hydra is behaving strangely and attacking things.
While her mother works, Mary-Kate is taken on a bicycle tour by Nikos who fills her in on other island problems, including pollution in the sea and dwindling fish catches. They become very suspicious of the glamorous owner of the sardine factory and a group of men called The Legendary Pest Control. Maybe they are behind the island's problems. So Mary-Kate and Nikos bravely try to get to the bottom of the mystery.
Karen Foxlee makes this an entertaining and absorbing read with a nice twist. Mary-Kate is a terrific quirky character with her unique dress style and her glitter pens and notebook. She has many anxieties but overcomes them by making careful plans, having a backpack of useful things and her lucky charms. Her self-talk is always about how to overcome her fears. She grows more intrepid and stronger through the story. Nikos is “the force for good in this world” and Prof Martin is similarly principled and a kind, eccentric parent. There are several villains to dislike who don’t care about the environment, preservation of ancient history or the Hydra. The baddies are a bit menacing but the scary bits are tame and suitable for young readers. Greek language and culture are woven through the story. Freda Chiu’s jacket design, maps and illustrations complement the story well. Year twos and threes should enjoy this as a class read-aloud. It can be read without reading The Wrath of the Woolington Wyrm first.
Themes Ancient Monsters, Greek culture, Environmental problems, Bravery.
Jo Marshall
The Mask of Mirrors by M. A. Carrick
Little Brown, 2021. ISBN: 9780356515175. (Age:15+) Highly recommended.
Readers who enjoyed Six of crows by Leigh Bardugo or the adventures in Meg Caddy’s Slipping the noose will fall in love with this series written by Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms writing as M.A. Carrick. Ren is determined to enter the noble House Traementis, with its riches and a comfortable future for her sister Tess and herself. When her mother died, she had been picked up by the evil woman who controlled a gang of children notorious as Fingers. Her brother Sedge was killed, so she and Tess fled the house, relying on their skills and determination to survive. Posing as a long lost relative, Renata, she cons her way into the family. But life in Nadezra is not as glamorous as she had hoped, and she is drawn into the dangerous feuds of the ruling houses. She crosses the paths of Rook, a Robin Hood like character who is fighting for the impoverished people in the city and that of Vargo, a merchant who is trying to claw his way to the top, as well as Grey Serrado who is a city guard.
The world building is dazzling. It is easy to imagine the city of Nadezra, with its mansions, slums and waterways, gangs roaming and rich young men partying in the night. With the help of Tess’s exceptional dressmaking skills, Ren slips into the persona of Renata, dressed in the latest gorgeous fashion and into the home of the Traementis family. Magic is in the air and Ren can use the cards to read patterns and predict what could happen. (Readers who are interested in pattern reading can go to the author’s website to see the pattern of their fate.)
Action and danger faces all the characters, who are all vividly described, making it easy to become engaged in their destinies.
The Mask of Mirrors is a multi-layered, complex fantasy that is very difficult to put down and I cannot wait to read the next in the trilogy, The liar’s knot.
Grub is eating and eating. He is getting bigger and bigger. He knows that a change is about to happen, and wants to know what he will become. He asks a variety of insects that pass him on the floor the forest. A ladybird, cicada, dragonfly amongst others all describe what they were before their current manifestation, so making the reader more curious about Grub.
Gently humorous, each new meeting ends with the repeated lone, ‘so he ate and he ate, and he grew and he grew’.
The background of the forest floor will captivate young readers as they recognise plants and growth amongst the fallen logs and branches. Each insect is given its correct name and the descriptive words coincide with the insect in question. So readers will learn that a dragonfly lives in water as larva, while a cicada was a nymph, a butterfly a caterpillar and the ladybird a small insect with similar markings. Each new page gives a greater understanding of the insect world and the changes that occur when they emerge as adults. Children will be mesmerised by the information put in this book, and use it as a springboard to seek out further facts. They will gasp in awe at what Grub becomes and be fascinated by the fact sheet at the end of the book.
The detailed illustrations of the forest floor invite the reader to take a closer look, while the glorious endpapers show the juvenile stages at the start and the adult stages on the last end pages. Each invites the readers to spot the ones they know and ask questions, using the pages as a quiz, to share their knowledge with their friends.
A stunning addition to the non fiction world for younger readers.
Themes Insects, Change, Non fiction, Forests, Humour.
