Wombat underground: A wildfire survival story by Sarah L. Thomson. Illus. by Charles Santoso
Little Brown & Co., 2022. ISBN: 9780316707060. (Age:4+) Highly recommended.
The story of animals sharing a wombat’s burrow to escape a bushfire has reached the ears of US author, Sarah Thomson. Intrigued with the idea she has built a story to present to children for whom Australian animals are very different and has produced a charming picture book sure to be loved by all who read it.
Now living in Sydney, artist, Santoso loves drawing little things and the illustrations in this book showcase his close observation of the Australian bush and its creatures. Readers will readily understand how the wombat can build such deep burrows when spying the long claws on the cover, and seeing it sleeping in its burrow, claws prominently displayed. The illustrations reveal a whole range of Australian animals, framed within the bush they live in, looking for a place of refuge when the sky turns red with flames. The immediate impact of the bushfire is comprehended by the animals and the readers as they realise there is no place to hide, nowhere to run, finding refuge with the wombat when all seems lost.
The text reveals the wallaby and echidna nibbling at the grass, the skink soaking up the heat from the sun’s rays. But as it get hotter, the water dries up, the skink needs to find shade and the grass becomes brittle.
Suddenly lightning ignites a wildfire. Flames and hot winds cause the animals to run towards the hole in the hill, where wombat sleeps on, unconcerned. The animals arrive at the entrance, and wombat initially bares his teeth and readies his claws defensively. But seeing the state of the animals blistered, burnt and with stinging eyes, he relents offering them his shelter. There they take cover through the night. Safe from the flames.
At the end of the book are two pages abut Australian bushfires, how they start and the destruction they cause, and while talking about something so specific, the wider message is one of offering refuge to those in need, putting aside differences and history, being ready to help in times of crisis. It is a lesson we can all digest, ponder and discuss, particularly in the classroom, where some children may be refugees and others from families who have come to Australia because of flashpoints in their own countries.
The illustrations describe the Australian bush in detail. Younger readers will delight picking out the animals they can see, recognising plants and terrain, seeing the way a bushfire takes hold and destroys - causing them to think back to the images they have seen recently on television when bushfires had seemed to be raging across Australia.
A number of other books on fire in Australia have been recently published and an astute teacher or parent will gather them all to discuss what lessons can be learnt. (Fire (2014) Jackie French, Spark (2016) Adam Wallace, Where there’s smoke (2019) Phil Cummings to name a few.) Teaching notes are available.
Themes Bush fires, Wildfires, Australian animals, Wombats, Refugees, Shelter.
Fran Knight
Ceremony: Welcome to Our Country by Adam Goodes and Ellie Laing. Illus. by David Hardy
Allen & Unwin, 2022. ISBN: 9781761065064. (Age:3+) Highly recommended.
The Go Foundation, aiming to empower Indigenous kids through education was set up by Adam Goodes and Michael O’Loughlin in 2009, and underlies Goodes’ books, bringing ideas and history to a wider group of children, through brilliantly illustrated stories of community. The first, Somebody’s Land (2021) pointed out the truism that Australia was occupied before European settlers landed at Sydney Cove in 1788. And in this book, Ceremony, we are invited to country to look at the ceremonies and customs of Adam Goodes’ family in the Flinders Ranges in South Australia, home of the Andyamathanha people. Here we walk with the families coming together for ceremony.
In four line rhyming stanzas the story unfolds. Cousins meet each other, new friendships are made, the aunties, sisters and mothers go off together while the uncles, brothers and fathers go in a different direction. Each group has dances and stories belonging only to them. Bodies are painted, while the clap sticks are hit together, beating out a rhythm. The girls dance the emu the swan and the snake dances while the boys dance the kangaroo, their legs shaking together.
After much dancing and yarning, the fire is built up and a kangaroo cooked for all to share. After such a full day, sleep comes easily, minds full of the stories they have heard and will pass on at another ceremony.
This lovely story following the families getting together for ceremony, reinforces the place that story holds in all our lives. Here the Andyamthanha families meet to pass on story, to greet each other, to rekindle friendships, to build new friendships, to have fun, to share dance and story and food. The lively illustrations by Barkindji man, David Hardy reflect the environment of the Flinders Ranges with its tall eucalypts, caves, water holes and weathered hills. Readers will spot many birds and animals seen in these hills and valleys, while Andymathanha words are used within the text, sending readers to the list of words given on the endpapers. Hardy’s animation background is reflected in his amusing illustrations, the children full of life and mischief as they learn from their elders at the ceremony. Aiming to share their traditions, dances, song and stories, the book will draw in readers, eager to learn of the world’s oldest continuous surviving culture and share in the wealth of stories it has produced.
Reading about the three people who collaborated to bring this book makes fascinating reading as is the information about the Go Foundation. Teacher notes are available on the publisher’s website.
Themes Aboriginal stories, Ceremony, Celebration, Flinders Ranges, Andyamathanha (South Australia).
Fran Knight
Children of the wild by Michael Grey
Eagle Books, 2022. ISBN: 9780648815433. (Age:14+) Highly recommended for lovers of sci-fi.
In Matthew’s world families survive in a subsistence jungle haven as hunters and gatherers, living mostly within the shelter they have made to protect them from wild animals. They are the only humans in their world. Matthew is part of the community, but has no family and so lives with a slight disconnect and the observation powers of the isolate as he looks on those around him. His desire to move beyond the borders sometimes puts him at odds with those in power and it is this desire that puts him at risk and also gives him opportunity to demonstrate his maturity and skills. The first part of the book reveals many tense moments as he battles wild animals and learns his place within the community. But through it all he is growing in wisdom and wondering whether he should trust Jonah, the aging leader of the community. Into the haven comes a stranger and then several others carrying an unknown virus and the world that they had known must grapple with the uncertainty that all that they had known and the wisdom of the elders might be a lie. Sent on an extreme journey to restore health to the community becomes Matthew’s final challenge and with a number of friends and younger members of the haven, they must confront the unknown world and risk their own lives to go back into Jonah’s former life before the haven and search for a solution to their current viral threats. But it comes with considerable costs.
This is an exciting and impressive first novel. There are waves of dramatic moments within a dystopian or speculative-style fantasy set in an unidentified world that has declined beyond imagination. Sometimes it has the feel of a ‘Hunger Games’ survival tale with bows and arrows, set within a world-gone-wrong, and sometimes it is more Sci-fi with coming-of-age overtones. The fact that the younger characters know only the world of their community means that they do not have language or social constructs of many things well known to current readers, and hearing their descriptions of technological or modern-world features has the quality of the ‘primitive’ tribal man being brought into the modern world. Sometimes this may confuse younger teen readers, but it is clever in its capacity for making us see things in new ways. The main character, Matthew is likeable in an aloof and reserved way, and his relationships with friends and the older community member, Rona, is mature and sometimes surprising. The quest-like aspect of the final part of the story is also compelling and distressing and has movie-like qualities. This will be a book that will be worth recommending to YA lovers of Dystopian and Sci-fi.
Along with author Vivian French, fitness coach Joe Wicks has written his first children’s book in a new series, The Burpee Bears. This brightly illustrated and energetic picture book is about a busy family of bears who share their everyday life. The very active Daddy Bear is awake first and encourages his three young bear cubs to get up and ready for the day. Young readers will identify with each of the diverse personalities of the three bear cubs who want different things for breakfast or do their own special activities and take ages to get ready to go out. Daddy Bear is full of encouragement to get moving and go on a big adventure. The family has a fun day outdoors, despite the changing weather, and have a family meal under the stars. As an added bonus for readers, the recipes for the healthy meals are included at the end of the book as well as warm up and wind down exercise activities.
Joe Wicks may be unfamiliar to many Australian readers but is known to millions of British fans as 'the Body Coach'. Given the title, 'the nation's PE teacher' during the 2020 lockdown, he delivered online fitness sessions to children and adults every day. He was awarded an MBE in October 2020 for this work during the global pandemic.
Set in the world of Fable and Namesake, The last legacy is a stand-alone novel that delves deep into the world of the Roths, a family notorious for selling false gems and with a name for dire deeds. When Byrn receives a letter from her Uncle Henrik Roth, she returns to Bastian, hoping that she will find a place in this family. She has been brought up in faraway Nimshire by her great aunt Sariah as a proper young lady knowing what to wear and how to behave, but dreams of being accepted for the skills she could bring to the family. When she arrives, she finds an infamous family ruled over with an iron fist by her Uncle Henrik who wants to make the family business legitimate by joining the Guild. He thinks that Bryn will be able to teach them manners and how to dress but also has plans for her to join in marriage with another of the influential families headed by Simon. Bryn however has other ideas, especially as she is drawn to the silversmith Ezra.
Young makes a study of the world of the merchants and guilds, and the machinations that take place when the Roth family wants to move up the social ladder away from the business that caused her parents’ deaths. Bryn takes her time trying to work out the power structure of the Roth family, while being drawn into the dangerous work that Henrik presides over.
The slow burning romance between Bryn and Ezra is a plus for romance lovers, and the descriptions of Bryn’s tea house, the beautiful silver and fabulous clothes are wonderful. But it is the engrossing story of a strong, intelligent, and thoughtful young woman coming of age and taking power to find a place in the world that keeps the reader’s interest.
Fans of Young will delight in The last legacy while those new to the world will want to read the other books in the series, or move onto Six of crows by Leigh Bardugo or Devil’s ballast by Meg Caddy.
Themes Guilds, Silversmiths, Coming of age.
Pat Pledger
Slipping the noose by Meg Caddy
Text Publishing, 2022. ISBN: 9781922458544. (Age:14+) Highly recommended.
Following the dramatic events in Devil’s Ballast, Slipping the noose describes the fate of Anne Bonny after her capture. Chained up in the belly of the ship with her 9-month-old daughter Molly, Anne Bonny is fearful for her life and that of Molly. When travelling in the prison boat on the Thames, destined for the notorious Newgate Prison, Molly is grabbed and taken away. Anne takes her own life in her hands and flings herself into the dirty waters of the Thames, just managing to drag herself to shore. Lucy, who is in the employ of the powerful, wicked Rook, the warden of Newgate Prison, captures her, but Bonny, desperate to find her child while really missing the help and companionship of Calico Jack and her crew manages to escape. Meanwhile Read and Darling are languishing in Newgate Prison.
I have not read Devil’s Ballast, but Caddy has put in enough back story for me to easily follow Slipping the noose as a stand-alone, although it would be better to have read both stories. The historical background and the map of Bonny’s London with the marking of relevant places to her exploits, makes this a fascinating read. Descriptions of the Thames, the prisoners inside Newgate Prison, hangings, and the beliefs of the Jacobites will enthral lovers of historical fiction. In the Author Notes, Caddy states that ‘this book is filled with real and imagined people, and real and imagined events’ and the story had me going to sources to find out what was real and what was imagined.
The narrative is written in the voices of Bonny and Read, and both come alive for the reader. Read is calm and thoughtful while Bonny is daring and adventurous. Fletcher and Bram are likeable characters who have their own secrets, and 18th century London takes on a character of its own, with smuggling on the Thames, Jacobite uprisings, secret printing presses and slums.
Lovers of adventures will follow the exploits of Bonny and Read as they struggle to stay alive, and the exciting final on Putney Bridge is memorable.
Though all the historical background and adventure run the threads of feminism, gender identity and belonging all written sensitively by the author.
Readers who enjoyed this might like Fable by Adrienne Young and Six of crows by Leah Bardugo. Teacher’s notes are available from the publisher.
Themes Pirates, Historical fiction, Anne Bonny, Gender identity, Newgate Prison, London - 18th century.
Black Beauty, The Silver Brumby series, Alison Lester's The Snow Pony etc, etc... There is always a readership for horse books especially amongst girls of tween and teen years. Jackie Merchant, author of The homecoming horse knows horses and horse people well. The homecoming horse (Douglas) goes home in the most convoluted and surprising way and he takes Kennedy and her father Josh home with him. The home that they found was not what they had expected but it's definitely home.
There is sadness as in every horse book. That is expected. Sadness, cruelty, rescue, the developing bond of trust between horse and girl are a must. Horse books must play on the emotions of the reader. The story cannot be about an easy pampered life. The more fraught with sorrow and desire and hope, the better for lovers of this genre.
The homecoming horse serves sadness, trouble and nasty characters up to the reader. Kennedy and her father are homeless. Their family farm was bought out as they couldn't survive another year of drought. Kennedy's mother left. Kennedy and her father have been living in the back of a horse truck, travelling to remote stock camps wherever Josh can find work. Ofcourse - into the story steps a horse and the horse is suffering at the hands of its owner who calls it "Ugly". Even though they cannot afford to keep a horse, Kennedy and her father take on the horse as part payment on a debt. Even though Kennedy knows she shouldn't develop a relationship with this horse of course she does and even though he is supposed to be useless well... There is a competition - 'The Great Southern Campdraft' - first prize $150000 and it costs $5000 to enter it. Kennedy and her father have no money... Douglas is unsure of himself; he needs to be trained in a very short period of time. Kennedy is a gifted rider. She understands how to synchronise with a horse...
Can hardship be turned around? Merchant is an experienced horse owner and rider. Her parents bought a run-down riding school on the outskirts of Sydney when she was ten. She knows the competition circuits in rural Australia where horses like Douglas work on cutting and herding cattle into tight runs. She knows the people. Her narrative holds the readers' attention, holds out hope, doesn't flinch from the petty nastiness of low characters and the contrasting love, strength and strong ethics of other characters.
There seems to be a stage in life when many young readers seek the heightened emotions found in horse books - in the searing trust relationships between humans and animals. The homecoming horse is a beautiful story - a perfect choice.
The boy who hatched monsters is the third in The Imp Child trilogy written by WA author and teacher T.C. Shelley. These books spring from such a fertile and rich imaginative world that it is recommended that they are read in order, starting with The Monster who wasn't and Werewolves who weren't. Beginning with the third means that too much of the complicated character and plot evolution is missed leaving too many gaps for the reader to be able to fill in. The trilogy is recommended. It is a complicated but satisfying read.
There are many characters in these books. In fact, it seems, the whole of "monsterkind' inhabits these pages. There are leprechauns, pixies, trolls, boggarts, imps, banshees, brownies, goblins, trolls, ogres and more. The kingdom they inhabit is "The Hole"- a deep cavern which is the hub of the monster's lair deep under the earth's surface but accessible through street drain holes. At street level are the humans. We meet Russell who lives on the streets and his dog Kylie who first warns our hero Sam of the danger of Maggie an ancient Banshee who is hunting him down. Sam lives in the Kavanagh household with his "parents" Michelle and Richard. Sam is half monster/half fairy. He spends much of his time on the roof of the house at Brighton Beach. The house must be a magnificent old house because on its roof are gargoyles and if you didn't know it before - gargoyles are living creatures - of a sort! They are Sam's friends along with Daniel, the angel and a dove Yonah, so another layer of heavenly characters are added into the mix.
Monsters can only be produced by the evil ogre King Thunderguts who sighs beads into being. As sighs are made of regrets, fears and sadness, the beings produced are bad. Sam has produced a being through a sneeze and Queen Maggie wants him to produce an army of wicked ogres. When Sam refuses, Maggie wreaks sinister and vicious vengeance in the style of The Pied Piper of Hamelin on the children of Brighton and Hove. Outright warfare breaks out and it's bloodthirsty and violent.
The boy who hatched monsters, even more fanciful and populated by even more fantastic creatures than C.S Lewis's The lion, the witch and the wardrobe, nevertheless is reminiscent of the latter. The ending is climactic and mirrors, in a way, the rising of Aslan, although it is far more direct and not in the least reliant on symbolism. This makes the book (and the series) very powerful in its conception and unusual in the current literary environment because of its recognition of Christianity.
The foreword of the book contains a section from The Odyssey, Book X11, attrib. Homer, translated by Solomon Jedidiah (1865) about the Sirens. This reference sets the tone for the monsterlife that emerges from the pages of The boy who hatched monsters to be battled and changed for the better. Some very deep and important humanitarian themes arise.
You will never fail to notice gargoyles on a roof again and you will be looking out for monsters after reading The boy who hatched monsters.
Themes Magical, Mythical creatures, Humans, The soul, Good and evil, Belonging, Leadership.
The Last Firefox by Welsh writer Lee Newbery is a warm and easy read for young people as they bridge the years from primary into secondary school. The story unfolds in the first person voice through the eyes of the wholly likeable main character Charlie Challinor. Charlie is a worrier. He is quiet and nervous. The story opens with Charlie escaping from a goose and the reader quickly realises that Charlie has many fears including being the target of two bullies - Will and Zack.
Charlie is in year six. He has two dads who are planning to adopt a baby. This is unsettling for him but he has a tree house to escape to and hang out in with his two best friends, Lippy and Roo. The current politically correct penchant for presenting a mixture of characters and family dynamics is addressed in a natural way.
Looming over the small town of Bryncastell, in which Charlie lives, there is a crooked grey castle. Charlie ventures there alone as part of a game that he is playing with his friends. Through a mysterious vine covered door he encounters a boy from another world and he is forced to rescue and guard the last remaining firefox in the world. The agonies and dangers of trying to keep this lovely, vulnerable, furry, flammable fox secretly from everybody and safely away from a frightening otherworldly hunter make Charlie grow up and develop bravery fast.
The difficulties of the subterfuge, the need to protect a vulnerable fox and the risk from the sinister hunter enable Charlie's growth of trust in a widening group of people and the ability to stand up to bullies. With the development of maturity he is able to face the worries in his world.
In The last Firefox, Newbery has written a warm and engaging story that encompasses adventure, excitement, humour, a little bit of magic and a wonderful depiction of a young boy's development of confidence as he negotiates the personalities in his year six school classroom, changes in his home life and finding his place in his small town community.
The text is accompanied by the delightful illustrations of middle grade book illustrator, Laura Catalan.
Young people, especially those in year six, will find The last Firefox an easy to engage with, enjoyable and relatable story.
Allen & Unwin, 2022. ISBN: 9781760526870. (Age:8+) Recommended.
Well-known Australian children’s author Anh Do has written a new book to join his very popular Wolf Girl, Sky Dragon, Ninja Kid and E-Boy series already in print. For those children who love sport and competition, The Champ contains similar themes to the other books but has a focus on many things sport related.
Summer and her older brother Carl have lost their parents in an accident and must look after themselves. Carl excels at sport but Summer struggles with any sort of physical activity until one day something mysterious happens and life for Summer and Carl changes in an instant. A strange purple light appears and the house the children live in is badly damaged. Flaming purple goop showers Summer and then she is knocked out by falling bricks and timber. She awakes in a hospital and while she in not badly injured her older brother Carl is. He has lost the use of his legs and will need to rely on a wheelchair for mobility. While he remains in hospital, Summer discovers she has amazing sporting powers and strength.
Summer is keen to test her new sporting and physical abilities at the local fair she attends with her best friend, Wilbur, and wins two tickets to the Gladiator Games. She takes Carl and while he does not want her to compete, Summer goes against his wishes, and dresses in disguise to take on the robot, Gemini. Needless to say, Summer excels but has come under the radar of the dreaded People’s Services who enter the arena. She escapes from them but must now be careful. Carl decides that Summer should use her new powers for good and help those in danger especially against the evil librarian who is terrorising the city.
This book has plenty of fast-paced action to keep the reader engaged. With illustrations throughout and highlighted key words, this book will appeal to those middle grade readers who respond well to the use of visuals to break up the number of words on the page.
The acronym STEM signifies a broad and complex range of term and ideas. Author Jenny Jacoby has cleverly chosen 100 common and not-so-common concepts to share and explain in The Encyclopedia of Stem Words. This vibrantly illustrated book is the perfect choice for those children who are fascinated by all things STEM related.
Beginning with Adaptation and ending with Zoology, there is so much to learn and understand. All 100 concepts are presented on a colourful, easy to read single page with diagrams and text boxes. Some of those concepts children may already be familiar with include such things as Jupiter, Fossil, Hypothesis, Gravity, Ozone and the Water Cycle. More unfamiliar ones include Hatching which are art techniques for adding shade, tone and texture to an ink or pencil drawing using parallel lines, or Mitochondria, a tiny but important structure inside almost every cell of the body, which help the body make energy.
The Contents, in alphabetical order, are spread across a double page and there is a very detailed Index giving explanations as well as page references. An important addition to the book is the ‘How to use this book’ page which is a welcome guide for young independent readers.
STEM is an important part of the Australian Curriculum, and this easy-to-use guide for both teachers and students in middle to upper primary grades, would be a welcome addition to a classroom, school or public library.
This is a highly original and intriguing collection of short stories, often dystopian and dark, with ambiguous endings that leave you pondering mental images and themes long afterwards. They are also quite varied in the worlds they create, so it’s likely that different readers will be drawn to different scenarios. From the cynical world of ‘Bock Bock’ about the guardians of the secret chicken recipe, to the clever ‘Else/If’ story written like programming code, or the choose-your-own-adventure style of ‘Reality quest’ there is sure to be something that will capture the attention of the modern technology-driven reading audience. At the same time another group of readers will empathise with the painful angst of ‘A house, divided’ where a disenchanted couple paint a dividing line through their home to create separate domains.
For me the stories that resonated most forcefully were the remembered worlds of children; the jealousy of siblings over Christmas presents and the stolen chocolate in ‘The last day of Christmas’; and then the heart-stopping story of children playing dare on the train track in ‘Home stretch’.
A poignant and touching story is ‘Third heaven’ which at initial reading suggests a sci-fi rendering of an alternate world between life and death, but then becomes recognisable as the lost world of the dementia resident of a nursing home.
The stories are quite different, with different themes, and different genres. What they show most brilliantly is the masterly craftsmanship of the short story format. Never giving too much away, they often start with snippets that create a world and then develop more complex layers that the reader gradually draws together to reach an understanding, like putting together the pieces of a puzzle. And even in the whole picture there is always something to contemplate and reflect on afterwards.
Themes Short stories, Technology, Modern life.
Helen Eddy
Mr Bambuckle's Remarkables Join Forces by Tim Harris
Mr BamBuckle’s Remarkables Join Forces, written by well-known author Tim Harris is the fifth brilliant addition, to an already popular series. However, it doesn’t matter if you haven’t read the previous titles, you can simply pick this one up and enjoy. But be warned, it will leave you clambering to get the other four books quickly!
Most children would love to be in class 12B, with Mr Bambuckle as their teacher. He is not only inspiring, intriguing and empathetic, but maybe a little bit magical too. Every class member feels welcome and is encouraged to stretch their thinking and challenge themselves. However, while 12B’s classroom is very inviting, even to four newcomers whose school has just closed down, the principal is not! Principal Sternblast is just as his name suggests. A mean man, who has a wicked scheme in place to turn his school upside down. He wants to create a school for high achievers, where he will get paid more and have new students join, but old students who do not pass the academic test will have to find another place to be educated. The class is horrified and don’t know what to do. Will 12B be able to come up with a plan to save their school or will they be forever displaced and never experience the fun of learning with Mr Bambuckle again?
Tim Harris has written another fast paced and entertaining novel. This story will make a terrific read aloud to children aged 7–11 years of age. The creative illustrations by James Hart provide the reader with further enjoyment and imagery. The first few pages are filled with trade card style pictures of each character, including their likes and dislikes. This enables the reader to immediately make connections with the characters. A great book for young readers who enjoy a laugh, but also with an underlying message; that everyone can make a difference if they believe in themselves and especially when they join forces!
Themes Humour, Friendships, School, Environment,.
Michelle O'Connell
The butterfly and the ants by Kate McCabe. Illus. by Nicole Berlach
The life cycle of the butterfly is a very popular topic for early years students. This appealing new release, The Butterfly and the Ants, tells this captivating story in wonderful detail from tiny holes appearing in the leaves of plants to the spreading of pollen to make seeds for the next generation of caterpillars. The author introduces the reader to the role ants play in the life of the caterpillar, who in the story is called Blue. These attendants create a nest close to where Blue hatched and protect him in the nest during the day and guide him out at night to feed. These ants keep away other insects and spiders as Blue feeds, and they clean him. While they are cleaning Blue they are feeding on the honey he secretes from a gland on his back. This relationship between Blue and the ants is known as symbiosis. The book goes on to share information about Blue’s growth and turning into a chrysalis. The detailed explanation of what is happening during metamorphosis is quite fascinating and will intrigue younger readers. Finally Blue turns into a butterfly and the cycle of life will begin again. In the final pages are more facts about Blue and the butterflies he is related to as well as a glossary.
This book, with its colourful and appealing illustrations, will be a fabulous resource for schools and public libraries. Teacher's notes are available.
Themes Butterflies, Caterpillars, Symbiosis, Nature, Life Cycles.
Kathryn Beilby
Five go adventuring again by Enid Blyton. Illus. by Beja and Natael
This is graphic novel version of the well-known book The Famous Five: Five go adventuring again by Enid Blyton (this one is by Beja and Natael).
I must admit that I never read this series as a child, I was more taken by the Enchanted Wood series, however I recognise the writing style of Enid Blyton, even though it is a graphic novel.
This book tells the story of the Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the dog on Kirrin Island. Although it is meant to be holidays their Aunt and Uncle bring in a tutor to help the children revise over the holidays and an architect to work through a renovation.
The children sense that these two men are suspicious, and the story follows their adventures to find out what they are really doing on the island and then they hatch a plan to get the evidence.
I think this graphic novel version is a great way of introducing this series to younger or more reluctant readers, as it is easy to follow and understand and still seems to keep elements of Enid Blyton’s writing style – even with the story being 80 years old!
The illustrations are great, and I think they are a good mix of the original style of images from the books and drawings that enhance a graphic novel. The use of large words, speech bubbles and facial expressions enable to reader to use the pictures to add meaning to the text.
I think that this graphic novel is a good edition to the Famous Five/Enid Blyton series and am now keen to find some of the others and read them too. Readers from approximately 7 years and up would love these, in particular those who are reluctant readers and enjoy illustrations to assist the text.
