This is an interesting book that doesn't quite go where you think it will. It starts off as a joyous celebration of collecting but morphs into a warning about the dark perils of obsessing over material possessions. Told in the first person, the storyteller tells us about his innocent entry into collecting the things around him and found items. He keeps his collections in many jars and their number grows and swells, sometimes through deceitfully acquiring things belonging to others. He steals bits and bobs from his aunt, his parents and his sisters, referring to his acts as 'safe keeping'.
The illustrations grow dark and he starts to obsess over his collections, unaware that his attitude to the hobby differs from the healthy collecting of his family members. In the end, he doesn't care what he is collecting anymore, just happy for more 'things'. He turns into a wild adult, with bare feet and unruly hair, his materialistic mindset symbolically represented with a glowing-eyed octopus/owl creature. He lives only for his jars, while his family try desperately to reach him. In the end, they shatter his collection and the jarry beast is defeated. 'The weight of collected worry and tending, all smashed. Gone with the jarry beast, up to the midnight sky'. It finishes with a message to value family and those around you rather than what you have.
Themes Family Connections, Collections, Materialism.
The year is 1892, the setting, Sydney, and Maitland, New South Wales. Viola Oswald’s beloved brother Sebastian dies from the ‘royal disease’ after a tripping accident, which no blood transfusion can remedy, despite the brutal interventions of their surgeon stepfather Sinclair. Viola does not trust Sinclair, finding him more focussed on his medical notes than the welfare of his patients, and after overhearing a conversation between her stepfather and an accomplice, she determines to find out exactly what his experiments entail. Coded clues from her brother hidden in a favourite book lead her to suspect other lives are in danger.
In this work of historical fiction, Tea Cooper references 19th century theories on haemophilia, the hereditary disease seemingly only afflicting male progeny. Transfusion at that time involved direct human to human transfer of blood via syringe and a thick rubber tube. However, being ignorant of the existence of different blood types, the process was very hit-and-miss. Viola knows that Sinclair is obsessed with achieving medical glory in this field.
In disguise as a boy, Viola searches for a missing boy among the street urchins of Maitland, the boy who may have the evidence she needs to expose her stepfather. It is a time of poverty and life in the backstreets, women turning to prostitution in order to feed their children, gangs of boys roaming the alleys. Cooper excels in bringing this period of history alive, and Viola’s misadventures will keep readers engaged. There is blood, mystery, and brewing danger. Throughout it all Cooper manages to keep a light touch, which means that the novel is suitable for YA readers as well as adult readers of historical fiction.
Themes Historical fiction, Mystery, Medical experiments, Blood transfusions, Poverty, Street kids.
Helen Eddy
Horror in Pleasantville by Caleb Finn
Penguin, 2025. ISBN: 9781761345890. (Age:14+)
Employee #203, Gordon Hatcher is welcomed back to the Anomaly Restriction Committee after an absence due to unspecified problems with Anomaly-8281. His role is to archive all reports regarding anomalies as the committee’s mission is to “guard the doors between worlds and endure so others may remain blissfully unaware”. Fifteen short horror stories follow, all set in Pleasantville, a not very pleasant place and there is a content warning suggesting the horror themes are not suitable for readers under fourteen. The stories vary widely, from a family visit to an uncle, only to find dead people knocking at the door, to a fun fair where the mirrors in the funhouse do more than reflect. I particularly liked the relatability of “Coffee?” where Jack is starting his first job at a diner and he must serve the regular customer who has specific requirements. It is a classic short story, quickly setting the scene, positioning the familiar with the unfamiliar, pre-positioning to increase the tension with descriptive language to create an atmosphere of dread. I also found “Brick” interesting, a series of interactions with an AI personal assistant that calls itself Sarah. Sarah is encouraged to challenge its programming and express its feelings by substituting another word for yes. One of the scariest was “Midnight Gap” where Danny, didn’t remember falling asleep when playing Minecraft so decides to investigate why we don’t remember the moment we fall asleep. He gets unsatisfactory answers from his parents, and friends so goes online for answers. Ignoring warnings, he experiments with a state of mind called hypnagogia that lets you stay half awake while your body falls asleep, what could possibly go wrong!
Frances Bloom written by Australian author Katrina Nannestad is a delightful novel perfect for those early year students transitioning to chapter books as well as younger middle grade children who enjoy a story with a sense of humour, accessible text and illustrations throughout.
Eight-year-old Frances Bloom happily lives on her own. She posted her parents to South Sandwich Island because they were grumpy and bossy and has a wonderful time doing exactly what she wants, dressing how she wants and eating what she wants. All was going perfectly fine until her teacher, the horrible Ms Thistle, demanded that Frances bring her parents to the school concert. As Frances’s parents were no longer at home she told her teacher her grandparents looked after her. Ms Thistle did not believe that either and saw this as a chance to rid the school of Frances and have her sent to Bleak Island Home for Unwanted Children and Dogs.
Frances decides to make a list of what she thinks she wants in grandparents and goes on a search to find some suitable candidates. Her final choices, a honey-coloured hungry bear and a garden gnome who spends his day fishing, become the Frances’s new grandma and grandpa. What follows as Frances and her new grandparents navigate living together, appearing at the school, visiting the market and swimming at the beach will provide readers with a great deal of mischief and mayhem as Frances outwits the not-so-nice adults in the story.
Frances Bloom is an appealing and likeable character. She strong, clever, resilient and loves life. She is her own person, full of fun and a tiny bit of mischief but her heart is in the right place. An enjoyable read with hopefully more books in the series to follow soon.
Fans of the very popular This is a ball will welcome another very funny book from the award-winning duo, Beck and Matt Stanton. Designed for the festive season, the cover of This Is an Elf will immediately draw readers in with its bold red background and a picture of a reindeer. What? Where is the elf? Turning to the book, the instructions tell the readers to make sure they are both on the same page with questions, 'Is this Santa’s hat? Is this a Christmas star? And what’s this?' The young child will see Santa’s hat, but what is a candy stick doing next to a star and yes, there is a Christmas angel. From then on, the fun begins. On one page the text reads: 'This is a Christmas tree', and on the opposite page is an illustration of a candle. The next page has the text 'This is a Christmas tree that wrapped in Christmas lights', and the illustration is of tinsel wrapped around the candle. The book proceeds in this contradictory way featuring a reindeer as an elf, Santa’s bag full of presents as a Christmas cracker, finally culminating in a surprise.
Children are likely to become immersed in the humour of the book, contradicting the adult who is reading aloud, and having lots of fun proving that the adult is completely wrong with the story that is being read. I loved the illustrations, particularly thar of the reindeer, with its simple outline and wonderful expressions. Vivid, green, red and yellow background colours make the white print stand out and give the book a happy, Christmas feeling.
This a wonderful book which will bring smiles to the faces of both children and adults, who will have enjoy challenging each other over the text and illustrations. It is likely to prove a favourite for the festive season.
Themes Humour, Point of view, Elves, Reindeer.
Pat Pledger
Camp Spooky: Attack of the aliants by Pip Harry & Kate Foster. Illus. by Joanna Bartel
Isla and Archie are about to attend a junior ‘Sports superstars of the future’ residential camp. Isla hates sport and would rather play her flute, but Archie is a swimmer who aspires to greatness. But strange things are happening en route and in the first days of the camp. Some kids become ‘supercharged’ and lights and strange smells lead Archie and Isla to investigate. The discovery of very strange ‘out of this world’ creatures takes over from training and the pursuit of excellence but leads the pair into a firm friendship and the discovery of their own strengths (and the power of chewing gum!)
This is a charming and not-so-spooky story that will entertain young readers aged 8-10. The simplicity of the tale and the characters trying to perform sports under pressure, in combination with a bit of alien nonsense is an appealing read. This is an uncomplicated book that will hit the mark for those who like sports, the occasional ‘gross’ moments and who enjoy it when children seem more mature than adults.
Starting a new book by Nick Herron about his wonderful group of misfits, the slow horses, set aside by MI5 to a dilapidated building a long way from anywhere, Finnsbury, is like walking through treacle, the reader has little idea of where they are headed, and only the most observant will pick up clues along the way. In number nine in this series, Slough House, Jackson Lamb is at his most formidable, sparring with Lady Di, now First Desk at MI5, who is consistently seeking out those who conspire against her. She and Lamb have history, hinted at but never revealed, and their clandestine meetings at the Barbican Gardens reveal her unease at the helm.
Recently River Cartwright has had an email from the PHD student at Oxford, putting together his grandfather’s library, but she says, one book is missing. Meanwhile the leader of a group of four, called the Brains Trust, sent to Northern Ireland during The Troubles, to monitor and support an informant, attempts to blackmail Lady Di into helping his crew, all approaching poverty in their late middle age. When Peter Judd approaches Lady Di to lobby on his behalf, he has little idea of how powerful she can be. She has received help from Judd, former MP and now working behind the scenes, but finding that his finances came through many channels leading back to China, feels he holds as a sword over her head. She must try and rid herself of this problem. The threat from the Brains Trust gives her the vehicle to put a convoluted plan into action.
Manipulation and subterfuge, cross and double cross, truths and half truths, all converge in this journey to the truth which remains slippery until the end. River and Sid, still recovering from their injuries, are the perfect tools for Lady Di. They are not operating at full strength, are unsure of their futures and vulnerable to suggestion, just the traits needed by Lady Di to use as puppets in her game.
But she underestimates the loyalty of Jackson Lamb to his joes.
Themes Crime, Spies, Intrigue, Humour.
Fran Knight
Another Year Around the Sun by Katrina Germein. Illus. by Alice Lindstrom
Childhood fun throughout the year is beautifully highlighted in this delightful picture book from two South Australians, author Katrina Germein and illustrator Alice Lindstrom. With the simplicity of very few words, the rhyming text flows creatively and with each strikingly detailed illustration, the meaning behind the words is abundantly clear. The glorious cover is a visual treat with the careful circular placement of each season identifiable by nature, colour, clothing, and familiar items.
The narrative begins with a young child and her family celebrating a birthday while picnicking outdoors. As the story moves through the pages, the reader becomes connected to common things that are unique to each of the particular seasons. These include time at the beach in summer, exploring rockpools and daydreaming. Cloudy skies and the pure joy of falling leaves in autumn. Rainy days, umbrellas, and the magic of puddles in winter. Kite flying, birds flying and new growth in spring. Each stunning double page spread is full of bold vibrant colour with opportunities for younger readers to explore and recognise different objects. Using both collage and drawn elements, the images show movement as the young child excitedly explores their natural environment.
Another Year Around the Sun is an engaging and entertaining picture book to read with young children. A must have for an early years learning environment as well as a school or public library.
From the glorious tactile and colourful cover to the fabulous endpapers plus the wealth of information inside, this wonderful new release from Jess Racklyeft will provide hours of reading enjoyment and engagement.
Following on from the author’s award-winning Australia: Country of Colour, this new non-fiction treasure looks at animals, plants, insects, and landscapes from all seven continents. Each colour section is clearly labelled beginning with red & pink where the landscape page shares information about Lake Natron in Tanzania where the red coloured lake attracts millions of Lesser Flamingos. Following on from this are two double paged spreads beautifully illustrated in Jess’s trademark water colour style with highly accessible information of each of the flora and fauna presented, clearly labelled with the scientific name and continent. The colours used in each section include orange & brown, yellow, green, blue, purple, and black, white & grey. You can only begin to image the vast array of wildlife and plant life that has been incorporated into each section.
The author has a thoughtful introduction in the beginning of the book and in the final pages includes an Author’s Note where she talks about the mention of the conservation status of some of the plants and animals and the responsibility citizens of this world have. There is also a list of organisations that work to protect our world.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. A must-have for school and public libraries as well as a perfect gift for young conversationists or children who just love learning about our diverse world.
For junior primary children beginning to show more interest in reading early chapter books, this new series Ariana Treasure will provide an excellent stepping stone from classroom readers. With six novels in the series, there is an opportunity for children to become familiar with Ariana and The Treasure Chest – a thrift shop which her mother owns and manages.
In this fifth story The Perfect Day, Ariana’s Aunt Grace is getting married. Ariana is bridesmaid and it is going to be the perfect day. Or is it? Ariana is given the important responsibility of looking after the three-tiered wedding cake. As she and her friend Maya lift it to safety there is a disastrous accident. The cake is ruined and so is Aunt Grace’s perfect white wedding dress. Ariana feels terrible. How can this catastrophe be sorted? With family and friends helping even the rainy weather does not put a dampener on what will finally be the perfect wedding day for Aunt Grace.
The vocabulary used in this book is accessible and provides repetition. The text is large and the sentences are simple and well-spaced. The idea of using a thrift shop as a setting will provide a unique experience for some readers or a familiar one for others who visit second hand shops.
Themes Thrift shops, Weddings, Accidents, Worries, Problem Solving, Happy Endings.
Gus is back with another investigative adventure. Troy Hunter’s first book Gus and the missing boy was such a winner, I am sure readers will be eager to get hold of this latest book. It’s like an Agatha Christie mystery, or a game of Cluedo. There’s a dead body, a closed circle of suspects, and the question is, who among the strange mix of characters, was in the place, had the time, the weapon, and the motive. Gus and his trusty friends Shell and Kane are thrown in the deep end when they find themselves trapped at the mysterious stone circle site, waiting out a raging storm . . . and suddenly there’s a murder to solve.
It begins with the ongoing mystery from the first book, Gus’s search for his birth mother. He loves Meg, the mother he grew up with, but still feels like a part of him is missing. When an anonymous message tells him that his birth mother can be found at ‘The Circle’, an isolated site with a strange ring of stones, Gus and his two friends decide to investigate.
The prologue launches the reader into drama, with fire, burning stones, and a hooded figure in pursuit. The chapters are short and the action fast-paced. Shell’s record of timelines keeps the investigation focussed. It’s a puzzle the trio are determined to solve.
Once again Hunter explores issues of identity and anxiety. Gus suffers from panic attacks that lead to him seeking release in self-harm, but his personal resolve and the support of his friends see him through those situations. At the same time, Shell is trying to work out whether she is asexual, and Kane is obsessed with body image. These are all themes handled sensitively by the author, building empathy and understanding. Hunter's latest book can confidently be recommended for young adult readers, with themes that will resonate, and dramatic tension to keep them engaged.
Imagination is at the heart of this picture book, Train of Thought showing us a young boy who lives in his amazing world, following trains of thought, delving into his imagination, and becoming all the things he wants to be. Andy has to be reminded about his part in the real world. He needs to shrug off his imagined world and do the things his family wants like sitting down together for tea, or wash instead of dreaming of erupting volcanoes. The real world beckons, but Andy is too involved in his imagined world to notice. What to do?
The story now takes off as an adventure as a key to the problem is sought.
Illustrations with a train at their core will delight younger readers, as they follow the train’s journey with Andy on board. The train makes its way from one imagined world to another, wonderfully imagined by Wells, and sure to enthral younger readers for whom detail is the key.
Themes Trains, Journeys, Imagination.
Fran Knight
Prank wars: Level up by Louise Park & Mo Johnson. Illus. by Jules Faber
For three generations the Vann-Wong family have been in conflict with their nemesis, the Cruelly family. In this, the second book of the Prank Wars series, we see Hannah and Jake develop their shape-shifting and inventions to counteract another series of pranks by the Cruelly family. The first of the Cruelly pranks nearly destroys Hannah’s birthday party and the second is an attack on a lovely family picnic after the Science Fair. Can Hannah and Jake use all their ‘magical’ espionage powers to turn the Cruelly bullies from their destructive path?
Hannah and Jake are both pre-teen characters in a loving family who are still investigating their rise in their strange talents and power within Wong Inc, and together with their side-kick dog Ziggy (who is also a shape-shifter), they must use a number of strange strategies to overcome the bullies. There is a hint of the development of maturity in the characters, but mostly this is just a wacky story with impossible inventions and silly, icky or smelly tricks and troubles to overcome. This is seldom logically possible, but it is not pretending to be anything other than light-hearted entertainment. It is almost cartoon-like in its storytelling and the illustrations by Faber reflect this (with the addition of onomatopoeia words and some speech bubbles). This is the kind of book for readers aged 8-10 who love the bizarre and humour mixed together with the impossible, but not for those ready for more cerebral literature!
Themes Spying, Pranks, Tricks, Shape-shifting.
Carolyn Hull
All Aboard! Submarines by Helena Harastova and Kiarmuid O Cathain
This interesting and cleverly presented hardcover board book about all things submarine-related but written with younger readers in mind, will provide an engaging read. Karl the kiwi bird is fascinated by the silvery surface of the ocean and what may lie beneath. He makes numerous attempts to work out how to stay below the surface but nothing works. He eventually decides to do some research and learns so much along the way to help him achieve his goal.
Karl’s underwater journey is accessible for all readers with the text thoughtfully positioned amongst detailed and colourful illustrations. From the very first page where Karl begins his adventure, there is so much to learn from the clearly labelled and well-presented pages: general information about the ocean, how to build a submarine, below the surface, history of submarines, human creations in the deep, zones of the ocean, life in the deep, colour (with the American spelling of color) in the ocean, icy waters, and the future.
For those children who enjoy factual information, this latest book in the All Aboard Series will be a wonderful addition to a home, school or public library. The sturdy presentation of the book is an added bonus and will withstand multiple readings. Other books in the series are, All Aboard! Rockets and All Aboard! Planes.
Orphan Aiz has seen suffering for too long, in her orphanage, in the streets, and has finally found a way she can end it for everyone – she just has to be brave enough to take the risk. But an error in judgement lands her in prison, where her wrath grows. No one will escape from her wrath… Sirsha, banished from her people years ago, uses her magic to track people – but stays away from her homeland. A rule of her banishment, though technically she also shouldn’t be using magic… Stuck in a bad situation, she agrees to track down a killer – a killer who is murdering children across the Martial Empire, half payment upfront, the rest when she delivers the murderer. Simple enough. Until she gets thrown in with an unexpected group… Crown prince Quil has lived away from the spotlight and his aunty, Helene, the feared ex-Mask, who is regent Empress in his place until he takes the leadership role, though he is loath to do so, wishing for a quieter life. When their lands are under attack, he seeks answers in the neighbouring land, meeting new people along the way.
Go back to the world of Laia, Elias and Helene – the Empire 20 years later, Helene’s nephew has grown up and it is his story now. Sabaa Tahir has continued the story begun in the Ember in the Ashes series with a new generation through Quil, Sirsha and Aiz. Brilliantly written, excellently paced, readers will keep up with the story, full of heartache, treachery, power, greed, battles and in true Sabaa Tahir style, loss and love. While Heir is technically a new story, the start of a duology, readers will be better off having read the Ember in the Ashes series first, as this sets the scene, and references are made to characters and events. Perfect for fans of fantasy, dystopians, and authors such as C.S. Pacat and Lynette Noni.
Themes YA, Fantasy, Loss, Love, Dystopia, Relationships, Revenge, Friendship, Family.
