This complex, yet easy to read, book takes place in a theatre in Melbourne in the current day and explores the experiences of three women watching a play. Outside the theatre, the city is threatened by bushfire. This threat, and the burden of climate change are echoed in the play as it unfolds. Samuel Beckett’s play Happy Days takes place in real time along with the voices of Margot, Ivy and Summer. Margot (early 70s) is a theatre subscriber and professor. She is currently being persuaded by her university to accept early retirement and cares for her husband who has dementia. Ivy (early 40s) is a wealthy philanthropist with a passion for the works of Beckett. Her wealth provides privileges she finds discomforting. Summer (early 20s) is a drama student working as a theatre usher. Her girlfriend has travelled to her parents to assist them in protecting their house in the fire zone. Winnie (Happy Days) is onstage, buried to her waist in a grassy hill.
The author deftly crafts the internal dialogue of Margot, Ivy and Summer - triggered by the progression of the play. Gender roles, identity standards, pressure to conform, motherhood, racial identity and the concealing of abuse to preserve identity come under scrutiny through their personal experiences. All (including Winnie) are experts in concealing their real feelings and making the best of each "happy day". The reader cannot help but care for, and resonate with, Margot, Ivy and Summer. Each, in their own way, struggle to be the ideal woman and remain true to themselves.
These well-developed characters will prompt discussion around the expectations placed on women in our society today and a further examination of Beckett's play (60 years old in 2021).
In Australia we are fortunate to have some wonderful non-fiction texts being published and North & South: A Tale of Two Hemispheres is one such book. Beautifully illustrated by the author Sandra Morris, the book tells the story of twenty four chosen animals, month by month, and their adaptation to the changing seasons. The Contents page lists each month, the two animals researched and the heading the information will focus on. For example, the month of June focuses on Armoured Animals: the Stage Beetle and Leatherback Turtle. November's heading, Save it for Later mentions the Hazel Dormouse and the Honeypot Ant.
The introductory pages give the reader a brief explanation of the hemispheres, the four traditional seasons and a discussion of wet and dry seasons. There is also a chart giving a key to the conservation status of each the animals examined in the book. Each month's double page is divided into north and south with a comparison of the two animals and a small map showing where their habitats are. There is also a brief indication of the conservation threat to each animal. The detailed end papers have a clearly labelled world map showing the hemispheres, continents, countries, oceans and the animals mentioned in the book. The book finishes with a very comprehensive glossary, index, further reading suggestions plus information on how to help our wildlife and combat climate change.
An exceptional book for home, school or public library.
It took me a few minutes to move on from the delectable endpapers with their differing views of Rajah Street where our hero lives. The street has a host of different buildings, a range of cars and transport offerings, differing people and animals, as well as a splendid view. And when the last page is turned the street is the same but different. Enough to satisfy any seeker of detail.
Junya has lived in the same cosy little house with his family since he was born. Today is Wednesday the day he always waits for. And over the next few pages we learn just why he waits for this particular day. We see him with his mother, his older brother and dad presumably having gone off to work and school.
He talks to his mother about the kookaburras and the clouds passing by, the increasing number of cars on the road outside, a truck mixer and a school bud, a large yellow dog which passes by the window and skateboarders. Each comment elicits a response from mum as she busies herself with her work in the kitchen or the house, responding every time to the questions he poses.
Over the morning we see things from Junya's perspective: his view of life he sees outside the window, the names he calls things when unsure of what they are really called, his delight in talking to his mother, his expectation of what happens on Wednesday. The book reveals an image of a rich and varied home life, and supported by his mother, he is encouraged to look beyond the walls of the house, to talk, to communicate, to look, to feel.
The mixed media illustrations reveal detailed streets, and readers will love looking for their favourite things in their neighbourhood, the large number of bins reflecting the story of the garbage truck coming on Wednesday. They will adore looking at the different textures used to create each image, pondering over what the artist used to create that effect. A lovely book about home and family told through the perspective of one young boy.
The Hatmakers is Tamzin Merchant's first book and has launched a fresh and engaging fantasy adventure series for Middle Primary readers. Twelve-year-old Cordelia is the main character living with her extended family in Georgian London. She is the youngest in a family of magical milliners who create hats that have the power to transform their wearers. The family is part of a group of special makers who have served the Ruler of the Kingdom for many years, making cloaks, boots, gloves, watches, hats and canes to protect the monarch from his enemies.
At the beginning of the book Cordelia's father has been lost at sea during a quest to collect hat ingredients and Dilly's focus becomes to find a boat to try to rescue him. Her family are not on the same page and have problems of their own trying to produce a special hat to rescue the King from his ailment and keep peace with France. Although the Maker families are estranged from each other Cordelia has a secret friend called Goose who is a Bootmaker. The story gathers pace as it becomes an enthralling battle for Cordelia, Goose and their new friend Sam (a very grubby London newsboy) to find out who is behind the scheme to create mayhem in the Kingdom.
The author has created a magical world for her memorable characters that will be a delight to follow in subsequent books. Included in the back of the book is a Glossary of useful ingredients for the Apprentice Hatmaker, a warning about using ingredients that can do harm and space to write ingredients used by the book owner, all of which will encourage some creativity and delight its young readers.
The Dragon and her boy by Penny Chrimes follows the magical Tiger Heartand is set in the same world of the streetkids (Gutterlings) of Georgian/Victorian London. Stick, our main character, bridges both books. He lives and survives on the streets with his friends by performing gymnastic feats for money, by stealing and by dodging authority. The children survive in harsh conditions, sleeping rough and living and working together in a loyal group. The reality of childhood diseases, possibly rickets and uncorrected disabilities like crossed eyes (Strabismus) is rife but the joy of the bonds between the children and the substitute for family that they provide each other is heart-warming.
Chrimes uses the street vernacular very effectively and provides a glossary at the back of the terms that are used. The banter between the children and the chatter of the street market stall holders is lively and irreverent, in some cases downright rude but seemingly authentic. Stick has a natural authority amongst the other children and from the outset there are hints of a different birth and early experience. He has had a dark past and manages the pain by compartmentalising his thoughts. Flashes of memory are triggered and emerge, leading to an unavoidable journey to recapture his rightful heritage and avenge wrongs. In this process he is accompanied by the dragon who he discovers living under the cobbled streets of the meat markets of Smithfield. A wonderful friendship develops and the reader is dragged through the underground history of London and out into the countryside.
I loved this book and would have highly recommended it. Though all is avenged in the end, I wrestle with the appropriateness of euthanasia. Possibly this book is a metaphor for growing up and getting rid of childhood things but I question the resolution of this story. It is possibly so shocking that it prevents me from recommending this book to children younger than 12 which is a shame because the story was so much fun up until the last chapter.
Themes Euthanasia, Dragons, Friendship, Loyalty, Street kids of Victorian/ Georgian London.
Wendy Jeffrey
Three o'clock in the morning by Gianrico Carofiglio
Text Publishing, 2021. ISBN: 9781922268792. (Age:15+) Highly recommended.
This is an unusual novel, with essentially only two characters, a father and son, who must stay awake for 2 days and nights, as ordered by a medical team who want to track the boy's response to not having any sleep in order to find out if he is suffering from epilepsy or if his episodes might end. In one sense, the non-sleeping is difficult, yet it is a wonderful experience for both father and son, talking and moving around the famous port city of Marseilles. Both of them find out so much about the other, finding out, also, what they have in common and, ultimately discovering how much they admire, appreciate and love each other.
Warm-hearted, vibrant, fascinating and revelatory, the narrative draws us into their world and keeps us there, in the vibrancy and interesting nature of this famous old city of France. Their conversations, their investigations, their enjoyment of each other’s company, allow them to get to know one another as few parents and children would do in such a fashion. I would highly recommend this novel for readers of all ages, from adolescents through to grandparents, as Gianrico Carofiglio has constructed such a gloriously unusual story that takes place within the bounds of such a short period of time. This narrative feels rather more like a film, one that captivates, entrances, and enables a most delightful joy in being a witness to the loving care and joy that the couple experience in their short time together.
I would highly recommended this novel for adult and young adolescent readers.
Themes Family, Illness and disability caused by illness, Resilience, Loving family support, Kindness and Understanding.
Elizabeth Bondar
Dream big, little mole by Tom Percival. Illus. by Christine Pym
The little mole looks out from her home and surveys the surrounding countryside. She watches the birds in the sky, the ducks in the water, the grasshopper leaping, the squirrel climbing. She wishes she could do those things too, but an owl looking down tells her that she must be herself and dream big. So she tries out many things: playing the piano, writing and cooking, all with out much success. But she remembers that the owl said to be herself, and as her skills are to dig, she does just that.
This charming tale is about being yourself, about concentrating on your good points, and not worrying about things you cannot do. Percival, the author of Ruby's worry, has garnered much attention with his focus on metal health, encouraging children through a well told story of being themselves, of being happy with who they are, of self belief, of kindness both to yourself and others.
The little mole decides to dig the biggest hole ever. In digging furiously she makes a few mistakes; she burrows into a fox's den, and digs in the hedgehog's garden, while above ground, things go awry for Rabbit as his kite flies away into the trees. But in digging into the pond, Mole cleverly solves a few problems and helps those whose environment she upset.
She has used her abilities to their best advantage, had belief in herself, and dreamt big.
Told in rhyming stanzas, the lines call out for children to predict the last word of each line, to learn some of the lines to repeat when the story is read again, and to wonder at the positive abilities shown by Mole.
Brimming with a deep sense of affirmation, the story will be read and reread, as children in the younger grades learn that they are special, their attributes are unique to themselves. The story will add bounce to their early steps, and along with the charming illustrations full of detail about the English countryside, will be a story sought after for a read out loud.
Princess at heart is the fourth and final installment of the enthralling Rosewood chronicles. The series was introduced by Undercover Princess in which Lottie took on the role of Princess of Maradova so that Ellie, an interesting and rebellious Princess, could be shielded from the Public eye while she is at Boarding school. It continued with Princess in Practice and The lost Princess. Jamie is the Princess' Partizan (bodyguard) and there is excellent tension between these three characters in all three books and their complex relationships are brought to a head in this ending. The Rosewood Chronicles have been described as a mixture of the Princess diaries and Harry Potter as they contain a blend of defiant princess and long-lost family mysteries to be solved.
In this part of the story the Princess (Lottie) is presented with a series of secret clues sent by Claude, a banished Uncle of the Princess and leader of Leviathan. Leviathan is the organization that has been trying to capture the Princess through each of the books. But none of the clues seem to make any sense to her and she cannot discuss them with anyone without putting all the people around her at risk. Lottie is so used to getting help from Ellie and Jamie with any of the problems she has faced in the past that the secrecy surrounding this task almost breaks her and leads her to question many of the choices about family she has made throughout the story. This book is a powerful and complex end to a captivating story which will appeal to a wide variety of readers.
Ex Sydney detective, Con Badenhorst, has been sidelined to Tasmania where it is hoped the traumas of his last case will be muted. However he is sent to look for a group of missing schoolgirls who have been camping in the wilderness.
The town of Limestone Creek is steeped in stories from the past. Young girls have gone missing before, never to be found. The townsfolk are all too ready to take the law into their own hands and mete out "local justice".
The four missing girls have very different backgrounds. Georgia Lenah is aboriginal and is eager to promote her heritage and stories of the Tiers which her people call Kooparoona Niara. Jasmine is the daughter of Murphy, the local grower of weed, and shares the house with her uncle Butch. Cierra and her twin sister Madison have a comfortable life in a luxurious house. Cierra is missing, but how much does Madison know and who is she manipulating. Lastly there is Bree Wilkins who has not come to terms with the suicide of her friend Denni.
Con has to overcome his own demons, compromised local police officers and the prejudices of the locals to get to the truth and hopefully find the girls alive. But the legend of the Hungry Man is at the forefront of people's minds. It seems as if he is on the move again.
Kyle Perry has woven a complex narrative where the Tasmanian wilderness plays a key role. The climate is changeable and unforgiving as is the rugged terrain of the high country. There is a a cast of characters both local and from Hobart who are at odds with one another and cannot cooperate. It is Madison with her group of online followers who seems to be manipulating events to ensure her popularity and sense of power over her peer group. But with the deaths of two of the girls is Madison really capable of such drastic measures?
This is an impressive first novel for Perry, and he obviously writes with a sense of knowledge not only for the Tasmanian landscape but of the head sets of school age students and of how isolated communities react in times of stress.
One World, 2021. ISBN: 9781786077882. (Age:14+) Highly recommended.
Kirabo, longing to find the mother she has never known, turns to the blind village witch, Nsuuta, to listen to her stories of women's 'original state' a time when they were 'huge, strong, bold, loud, proud, brave, independent.' Kirabo is told that her strange out-of-body experiences are because she still retains some of that original state. She is certainly a unique and determined young person, not easily fobbed off by her elders.
Her life changes when her father finally comes to collect her from her grandparents' place, to take her to live with him. But in his house, Kirabo encounters the 'bitch', her stepmother, a woman who adamantly rejects her.
Kirabo’s quest to find her lost mother sees her caught in repeating generations of struggles between two women, firstly her grandmother and Nsuuta the witch, then her stepmother's rejection of another woman's child, and then Kirabo's own conflicts with her childhood friend Giibwa. Through Nsuuta's stories Kirabo comes to understand that women have been rendered powerless by men, and instead of uniting against that oppression they fight among themselves, like penned hens pecking each other.
This unusual story of a young girl's search for her mother, is entwined with Ugandan folk stories, and set against the threatening background of Idi Amin's murderous rule. But while it reveals women's petty jealousies, it is overwhelmingly a powerful affirmation of the strengths of women to support and care for each other; like water they adapt and flow. If men are of the land, then women are of the sea.
The central question that will keep readers engaged until the end is whether Kirabo is destined to repeat the patterns of the adults around her, or whether she can be strong enough to make her own future. Unlike folk stories, this story has no easy resolution.
During the Covid lockdown in England in 2020, Katherine Rundell, author of The Wolf Wilder, The Good Thieves and many other popular children's books decided to compile and edit a book consisting of fiction and non fiction short stories of hope in order to cheer young people. The book of hopes comprises short stories, poems and pictures that have been contributed by Rundell's selection of favourite authors - all on the theme of hope. As Rundell says, she is a "possibilityist" and these stories present as gifts of hope from each and every contributor. No story is over five hundred words so they can be picked up and read quickly but the messages contained within are full of wisdom, interest, humour and advice that could prepare children for a lifetime of challenges. These stories have never been published before and are fresh from the pen of each contributor. Originally the book was published online to help inspire children during lockdown. A donation from each print copy sold goes to UK charities including the NHS.
The book of hopes contains over 100 works. Well known and lesser known authors and illustrators have presented their works and they have been organised into multiple categories including animals, the stars, hope in unexpected places, kindnesses, cats, dogs, birds, nature, true stories, crime stories, fairytales and many more. Other works by the contributing authors are provided as a reading list at the end of the book.
When people are upset, sometimes they are only capable of concentrating for a short time. This collection of short texts and illustrations are quick bites that provide a dose of hope in easily digestible format. Beautiful, soft, calming illustrations are scattered throughout and there is much space for contemplation. Each contribution feels like a warming and heartfelt offering from a good, caring and sometimes funny friend.
The book of hope would make a great gift for a child or family to share together. For teachers and librarians it is recommended as a useful, hopeful and inspirational book to pick up and read to children at any time.
Recommended for children as young as 5 up to 12 years.
If you've watched 'Derry Girls' (available on Netflix), you'll LOVE Erin's Diary. Closely lined with the TV show, Erin's Diary gives readers an insight into the background of the characters, as well as Erin's unique point of view on the happenings around town. Filled with images from the show, posters, to do lists, images from the 90's, as well as a glossary of common Derry words or phrases, this diary is thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining. There are even letters from school, publishers and other members of the group, all helping to explain particular scenes from the show or just to add colour to the diary.
Even if you haven't watched 'Derry Girls', you'll still enjoy the grandiose of Erin's writing, believing herself to be the next great literary talent, she includes lists on who is to be invited to her future book launches and updates the list throughout the diary. She shares her self-important views on many things including school curriculum and the troubles of Londonderry. If you have watched the show, you may have deduced the meaning of a number of the terms used throughout the series, but the glossary (located at the front of the book) is incredibly useful as well as interesting. Commonly used terms include 'boke', 'cracker', 'not a baldies' and 'catch yourself on' - terms that are now making their way into my vocabulary!
Occasional swearing is found in the book (not as much as on the show), hence the recommended age is 13+.
Text Publishing, 2021. ISBN: 9781922268815. (Age:14+) Highly recommended.
This is an enlightening read, taking us into the very ordinary life of an older woman who lives alone with her delightful pet bird, that comments on everything via his poetic rendition of many old songs. When Meg Hughes takes in a boarder, a young Chinese university student, Andy Cheng, both of them are puzzled, intrigued and ultimately delighted with each other's company. Seemingly against all the odds they manage to build a comfortable friendship and all appears to be well.
Meg's pet parrot, Atticus, appears as a character in this novel, one that screeches and sings, frequently quoting poetry, sayings and songs of the past that he has heard over the years of living with Meg. Andy is quite stunned, at first, but gradually gets accustomed to the noise of the bird and begins to enjoy its lively performances. Shockingly, and most unexpectedly, Andy becomes very ill through his contact with the bird. This brings about conflict between Andy's parents and Meg, and this crisis is pertinent to both of their lives.
The novel would be recommended for adults and adolescent readers, addressing, as it does, such issues as poverty, loneliness and the difficult mental and physical aspects of ageing. Melanie Cheng addresses the vulnerability of young people, such as one who contracts such an unexpected event as encountering an illness that is life-threatening. This novel raises many issues and would be highly recommended, and suitable for, older adolescents, and indeed would be a thought-provoking novel for adult readers. Book Club notes are available.
Themes Chinese students - Australia, Friendship, Loss of all family, Adaptation to new life, Understanding of different generational aspects.
Winner of many awards, including the 2019 Mary Higgins Clark Award and 2018 Agatha Award for Best Historical Novel, I was thrilled to read about Perveen Mistry, a young aspiring lawyer who is determined to find out the truth of the murder on Malabar Hill. Sent to execute the will of Mr Omar Farid, she explains to his three widows the meaning of their having signed over their inheritance to a charity. She is worried about the future of these women living in seclusion and the future of their children. Events escalate as she investigates just what is going on and she find herself in grave danger.
The book revolves around two stories and flicks back and forwards from 1916-1917 to 1921. Both stories are equally engrossing. In one section the reader learns of Perveen's marriage and life in a strict Muslim household in Calcutta, while in the other section, the reader follows the murder on the hill in Bombay and Perveen's delving into what is going on. In Calcutta, Perveen finds that the marriage that she thought would be idyllic is not so, some of the strict customs about women and their role in society are very difficult to bear. Meanwhile in Bombay, she is not allowed to present a case to a judge, but because she is a woman is able to talk to the three widows and work out what is going on.
In the acknowledgments at the end of the book the author states that the character of Perveen Mistry is based on the two earliest women lawyers in India, and the historical detail in the story makes it a standout. I learnt much about the social life of women in India, the customs that prevailed in the 1920's, while enjoying a well written engrossing mystery. Readers who liked the Precious Ramotswe books in the No. 1 ladies' detective agency series and those by Ovidia Yu, The Frangipani Tree Mystery and The Paper bark tree mystery, will be happy to find another series with a feisty woman investigator.
Themes Women, India - Social life and customs, Wills, Murder, Lawyers.
Fans of The infernal devices series by Clare have a treat in this new series that stars Tessa and Will's children, James and Lucie Herondale as well as Cordelia Carstairs and a host of other characters. Cordelia is a Shadowhunter who has trained since childhood to battle demons. Her father has been accused of wrongdoing and with her family she travels to London in the hope of meeting influential people and clearing her name. There she meets James and Lucie again, friends from childhood, and begins to learn about the people in London's glittering Shadowhunter society. Then demons attack London, using an unknown poison to afflict the Shadowhunters and London is quarantined. Cordelia, while hiding her love for James, joins in the hunt for a cure as the group that James leads begin to uncover their powers.
At a massive 591 pages (plus a bonus short story featuring Tessa and Will) the story is crammed with many characters and much action. Cordelia is a very appealing heroine, strong and steady, while James is fighting demons of his own as he tries to find out who his grandfather was. Secondary characters like Matthew and Alistair have secrets that beg to be revealed and kept me fascinated to find out their background stories, which may be revealed in subsequent books in the series, and I cannot wait to see Lucie bloom and grow.
Clare’s writing is compulsive; she has the knack of writing characters that the reader wants to get to know and the adventure, romance and danger that they face will ensure that the book is finished and the next one put on a waiting list to be read.
