Simon & Schuster, 2021. ISBN: 9781398502604. (Age:15+)
Emily and her Mum were always lucky in small town Huckabee… until the luck ran out and her mother succumbed to cancer. For three years since her mother’s death Emily has been less than she once was. Now she is facing her final school year and the appalling realisation that she has yet again offended Matt, her former flame, leaving him in a world of confusion and isolating herself from her former friendship group. The only friend she has retained is going away on a summer camp and Emily is left alone in every way and still stuck in her post-grief wallowing. Her luck has run out. Into this maelstrom of emotion comes Blake, the daughter of her parents’ old school friend. Blake understands what it is to have lost a mother but is able to provide a stimulus to rediscovering life. When they find a list of personal challenges that Emily’s mother had written many years before, Emily is talked into breaking through her fears by the charming Blake and attempts to re-visit the tasks her mother had set. Along the way she also discovers the spark that had been missing from her life… but does it include Matt or Blake?
This is a romance that involves a young teen exploring her gender sexual preference and breaking through the restrictions of her small-town community. It is also about the difficulties of grief and the long journey that sometimes must occur when someone that you love dies. Emily is warmly described despite her attempts to keep people from getting close, and her exploration of her romantic interests is not trite but is slow and inevitable. The psychological journey of growth out of the difficulties of grief and heartbreak are also gently explored. Written obviously for those exploring their sexual identity, it is though just a coming-out, romantic story. For LGBTIQ collection.
Themes LGBTIQ, Romance, Grief, Relationships.
Carolyn Hull
Abhorsen by Garth Nix
Allen & Unwin, 2014. ISBN: 9781743316603. (Age:14+) Highly recommended.
Another award winning fantasy from Nix (Ditmar Award Nominee for Best Novel (2004) and Aurealis Award for Young Adult Novel and Best Fantasy Novel) follows directly along from Lirael, with Lirael and Sam facing the Destroyer, an evil being, desperate to escape from its prison and take over the world. Sabriel and Touchstone have gone to Ancelstierre to seek help in stopping the being and Sam’s friend Nick has been trapped into helping the forces of darkness.
Fans of the first two books will not be disappointed. The incredible world building with its Charter Magic and Free Magic, its evil spirits, the Dead who walk and the Nine G into Death is an outstanding feature of this series. Both Lirael and Sam have become confident in their abilities and are determined to overcome the dark necromancers that scrouge the Kingdom. The knowledge that Lirael must use when she wields the bells is amazing. Sam, meanwhile, has gradually realised the power that he has as a Wallmaker and Charter Mage, and is a helpful ally. Of course, those two fantastic characters, the Disreputable Dog and Mogget the little white cat feature strongly and their unique characteristics and skills are essential in breaking the grip that evil has on the land.
Action, terror, magic, the Dead and the courage of Lirael, Sameth and Nick make this a wonderful read and fans will want to continue with Clariel, a prequel, and Goldenhand, as well as the short stories To hold the bridge. This is a series not to be missed and would be an excellent choice for libraries.
Themes Fantasy, Good and evil, Magic.
Pat Pledger
Green by Louise Greig and Hannah Peck
Farshore, 2021. ISBN: 9781405299398.
When winter snow turns the green grass of the hills to white, Ed revels in his favourite season. Because that's when he can get his sleek sled out of the shed and race the other children down the slope. But instead of the fast sled of yesteryear his now seems old and dull and slow as new, shiny, purple, orange , yellow and red ones flash past.
Discouraged and disappointed at no longer being the best, Ed takes his sled back to the shed where he spends days and days trying to perfect it. The voice in his head tells him that it is fine but he ignores it and keeps on tinkering. But something strange has happened while he has been tucked away all that time. There is blue peeping out of the snow and the blackbird is singing... and with a heavy spring shower the white is turned to green!
Even though few Australian children will spend their winters sliding down the slopes, this is a timely story that introduces young readers to the emotion of envy, exploring how we can be so consumed by being bigger, better, and faster that we miss out on more important things like fun and friendship. Rather than valuing what now, we get carried away with the anticipation of what next. It is another in a series in which little people can confront big emotions through story and learn about and from them.
Told in rhyming text, as well as being a story about emotions, there is also an element of science that can be explored as Ed draws elaborate plans for his new sled to make it magnificent. But what does he sacrifice in exchange for the fancy-dancy add-ons? What are the essential elements a sled needs to glide swiftly over the snow? And for those in warmer climes than mine, what is snow and why doesn't it fall everywhere? Why doesn't it fall all the time? Why do the seasons change?
I adore books that become springboards for young readers to explore well beyond the pages, that help them make more sense of the world around them and broaden their horizons. This is one of those.
The Wolf's Howl (another Maven and Reeve Mystery), written by A.L.Tait, is the sequel to The Fire Star, which was a 2021 CBCA notable book. Allison Tait (A.L.Tait) is an internationally published bestselling author of middle years adventure books and is best known for the popular Mapmaker Chronicles.
In The Wolf's Howl, the two central characters, Maven and Reeve, having just unmasked a killer and rescued the dazzling Firestar Ruby, find themselves travelling to the farflung, miserable castle of Glawn. Fans of Medieval history will enjoy the physical, social and political setting of the Maven and Reeve mysteries. Tait conjures up a bleak, boggy, bitterly cold, tussocky moor setting complete with a gloomy castle and sinister windmills with blades that can sever the bodies of the unwary. A constant presence is the vicious wind - The Wolf's Howl, which carries with it sleet, darkness and peril to any who venture outside into its clutches. The inhabitants of this setting live in the medieval castle hierarchy under the Airl of Glawn. All, from the scullery maids in the kitchen, to the stern faceless guards hidden in swirling grey cloaks, live in a state of fear, immersed as they are in the brutality, political intrigue and their generally miserable stations in the social structure of a medieval castle.
Into this grim scenario ride Reeve of Norwood, Squire of Sir Garrick, Knight Protector of Rennart Castle, Sir Garrick himself, his new wife, the Lady Cassandra and her maid, Maven. Their mission is delicate and dangerous. They have been sent by the Airl of Buckthorn to subtly ascertain the sentiments of the Airl of Glawn towards the king - a mission which is tantamount to treasonous design. On their arrival, the party find the castle in chaos as the cook has gone missing. Normally this would not be such a notable catastrophe. The plot begins to thicken. Maven applies her considerable intellect to unravelling the clues surrounding the mystery.
Tait delineates the hardship experienced by women of the era who, if found to be literate, clever or educated in any way, would be executed. Maven of course is all of these things and in addition belongs to a secret society of women - the Beech Society. Secret societies, the role of women and the political, cultural, economic and social structure of medieval society are all woven into the cracking storyline.
The Wolf's Howl is not an easy read. The plot twists sinuously demanding steady concentration. For the reader who is uninitiated into the medieval world with its accompanying social rankings, formalities and associated trappings, this book presents a challenge. However for a powerful tale of danger, mystery, loyalty and betrayal, The Wolf's Howl is recommended.
Themes Role of women, Politics, Social structure, Secret societies of the medieval era.
Wendy Jeffrey
The shortest history of war by Gwynne Dyer
Black Inc., 2021. ISBN: 9781760641696. (Age:16+) Recommended.
It’s a short history but the message is hard to take. War has been part of the human psyche since prehistoric times and has continued to erupt throughout history. Once thought a noble and glorious activity, most people are now aware that in the current time of algorithms and atom bombs, a world war would likely lead to destruction of the planet.
Dyer succinctly describes the development of war from hand to hand combat to trench warfare to missiles and drones, each invention leading to an increasing detachment and depersonalisation in the destruction of the other. There is always the lingering appetite for war, and whilst we know we mustn’t use nuclear weapons, nations still desire to have them. As Dyer says, ‘no great power has renounced war as an instrument of policy’. He proposes that the only hope is to create ‘some sort of genuine international community’, in other words a United Nations. ‘The danger is extreme, but it’s no reason to stop trying’.
The chapters are short, the headings of each page highlight key points and there are many diagrams, images and quotations. It is a well referenced book, a neat and easy to read summary of war history, but whilst the final pages present an optimistic view, it’s hard not to come away with the sense we are fatally flawed as a species.
This would be a useful book for senior secondary students of Modern History for its succinct and insightful summary of the issues in the development of nuclear warfare, the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the role of the United Nations. It brings together ideas that would stimulate historical analysis and class discussion.
Themes War, Weapons, Military strategy, Nuclear warfare, United Nations.
Helen Eddy
All About Diversity by Felicity Brooks and Mar Ferrero
Usborne, 2021. ISBN: 9781474986649. (Age:3+)
"Being different from each other is called DIVERSITY" and this entertaining book explores a range of ways people can be different such as what they look like, where they live, the sorts of families they live in, the foods they eat and the way they spend their time. Using a two-page spread, lots of illustrations accessible text and speech bubbles, its design encourages the young reader to explore each vignette and learn something new each time. There is also a glossary to explain some of the trickier words as well as notes for the grown-ups that explain why promoting diversity and inclusion is critical for the healthy well-being of our children.
Although this is a topic that early childhood teachers focus on each year this books gives a real focus and explanation to those aspects that their students are most aware of, making it an excellent foundation for an ongoing unit of work. Inspired by the stimuli provided, children could create their own class pages featuring themselves and their lives making it a powerful resource for both social and language development.
If you enjoyed Lisa Walker’s last novel The girl with the gold bikini, you’ll enjoy this sequel even more, though it must be said it reads perfectly well as a stand-alone. Walker has really settled into her groove, and I found this second story about private investigator Olivia Grace a more smooth flowing mystery with plenty of laughs along the way.
The descriptions of her undercover disguises are hilarious, the fake tans, dyed hair, hippy clothes, as are the thought comments of her assumed persona ‘Nansea’, the comments she worries might be a throwback to the imaginary friends she had as a kid, something she thought she’d outgrown. Her inner Nansea is really cool, ‘the girl who gets her man, never takes no for an answer, and always looks stylish’. However the reader picks up clues that perhaps the disguise is not as convincing as she thinks, and maybe Rosco, her former employer and love interest, finds it all a bit amusing.
This latest adventure has the lot, a missing girl, environmental activists, a bizarre cult, hippies and surfies, cryptic clues, and numerous suspects, all with names starting with the letter A. It’s a lot of fun, and the mystery will keep you guessing until the end.
Starting school is a very exciting time in the lives of young children. It can also be overwhelming and full of worries for some or one big adventure for others. There is so much to learn, to understand and to remember. This book discusses a range of scenarios that a young child may experience in those early days. The author begins with an introduction to the diverse range of child characters and follows this with warm-ups for school. Activities such as putting coats and shoes on, writing the first letter of their name as well as wiping “my own bum” and hand washing. There is a double page spread about how the child will get to school as well as saying goodbye to the adult responsible for bringing them. The author then includes information for the child about what may happen during the school day right up until home time. There is a page of worries with children asking questions that may resonate with the young reader. Each double page is brightly coloured with speech bubbles and appealing illustrations.
This new publication, Let’s Get ready for School, is a perfect read for parents or carers to share with those about to take their first plunge into school life.
Twenty short stories full of laugh out loud humour, short enough to read to friends or keep for yourself in a corner of the library, Spratt has featured every fairy tale she can get her hands on, interspersed with a few unpublished stories from Friday Barnes and Nanny Piggins. Nanny tells her stories, of course, from a porcine perspective, while Friday adds to her store of mysteries with new stories, and interspersed between them all are hints on writing short stories for the reader to use.
I giggled reading Rapunzel Bacon-Hair, and laughed at Red Riding Pig, enjoyed heartily reading The Pied Pig of Hamelin and laughed at the Princess and the pea rehash with a prince you would certainly not die for. Friday Barnes was in her element in Friday Barnes and the Case of the Missing On-Dollar Coin and the Case of the Smashed Statue, while Storytelling Tip 2 told me ‘never let the truth ruin a good story.’
So a great, easy to read selection of short stories to get your teeth into for a short time, sure to please a wide audience, with hints to begin writing stories themselves. Kids will love the rehashed fairy tales and with the hints in mind, try a few themselves.
Grab a copy of Grimm's Fairy Tales from the library and read a not so well known one, then get your kids to rewrite it from Nanny Piggin's point of view. Something for the lockdown.
Themes Short stories, Fractured fairy tales, Humour.
Fran Knight
My dad is a bear by Nicola Connelly. Illus. by Annie White
Catch a Star, 2021. ISBN: 9781922326249. (Age:1+) Recommended.
In this gorgeous board book a little bear describes all the things about his dad. He is tall and round, and soft and furry. He can climb and swim and growls, all like a bear, but there is one thing that he does best and that is give bear hugs.
The narrative is short and would read aloud well to very young children, who will be able to join in with the words 'like a bear'. There is one well constructed sentence and a complementary illustration on each of the thick, strong double spreads, which would help children who might like to try and read for themselves.
The illustrations by Annie White are an absolute delight. The father bear is brown and fuzzy and the baby bear on the front cover, with his adorable grin, is very appealing. A little blue bird appears on each double spread and will be a detail that children will want to find, while the hare with its long ears and pink paws is unforgettable.
This would make an excellent gift from a young child to give to Dad on Father's Day and reading it together would bring many feel good moments and memories to share. It is sure to become a family favourite.
Themes Bears, Love.
Pat Pledger
The inheritance by Armin Greder
Allen & Unwin, 2021. ISBN: 9781760526788. (Age:All) Highly recommended.
With the ravages of climate change again at the forefront of the world’s thoughts with floods sweeping through Europe and fires ringing Athens and Los Angeles, Greder’s book is most providential putting under the microscope the thinking that is keeping the world from taking positive action. He presents a dying industrialist, exhorting his sons to carry on his legacy. After his funeral, attended by all the grandees imaginable, the inheritors talk about development and expansion, modernisation and offshore projects, profit margins and Virgin Islands. But their sister presents an alternative view. She has traveled and seen what the world has become. She is dismissed as strange, her idea about questioning their father’s wishes unimaginable. They turn their backs on her, rejecting her questions, scathing of her notion of problems.
‘What is the problem?’ One asks her.
So Greder shows us!. Over the next eleven double pages he encapsulates the damage we have done to our planet and the dire consequences for all of us. In his dark layers of crayon and pencil, he transforms the blank pages into a mechanised monster, a parkland of palm trees where once stood rainforest, deep holes cut into the earth chimneys belching smoke and pollution, a sandy beach littered with plastic, a long line trawler ravaging the sea floor, sheep looking for shelter as fire razes the horizon, choked rivers and oil slicked seas. Each double page will stop people in their tracks; they will gasp at the horror before them, relating it to scenes they have seen on the nightly news, linking it to images that have shocked them in the past, wondering with many others why nothing has been done.
The image of the child at the end, wearing a gas mask against the pollution around him, trying to play with a small mechanical toy, is devastating, implying that it will all continue to happen, that no one has learnt anything, that our inheritance is that no one has learnt anything. Greder presents no green shoot, no smile, no way out in this most depressing of books.
The industrialist told his sons, ‘All this will be yours’ proud of his achievements, but the reader will see another side to that message. This is a dying planet waiting for action, and we all hope it is not too late. Teacher's notes are available.
I love Michaela Mason! She is not brave, she is not even very resilient… but she is a survivor, and she has heart. In the first book that introduced Michaela Mason she was introduced as an anxious young year 5 who had had to cope with a lot… but who found that making lists helped her stay in control, or at least enabled her to verbalise her fears. In this latest journey into Michaela’s fears …she must face Camp! And camp is filled with moments that are uncomfortable, risky, and challenging for Michaela. Classmates can be cruel, heights need to be scaled, and kayaking presents all sorts of risks. And allowing the ‘inside Michaela’ with her fears and insecurities to be honest with her friend, Soo-Min, requires a leap of faith that her friendship will survive. Camp may have been high on Michaela’s list of fears, but she does survive, and also discovers some other strengths in the process.
Perhaps because I remember being a child who wanted to avoid anything involving risk, I really connected with Michaela, and I am sure there are other young readers who will recognise themselves. She certainly displays some eccentricities, but her self-awareness and the warmth of her relationship with her mother make her likeable despite her fear-induced quirks. And the class bully and the ‘mean girls posse’ do not have to destroy all joy… they may even have their own problems. I would be happy to recommend this to young readers aged 10-13. It won’t necessarily prevent anxious children from fearing School Camps, but it might help them realise that they are not alone.
A signature style for some Aboriginal artists, dark swathes of colour entice the reader to pick up this biography of Vincent’s great grandfather, Albert Namatjira. Albert, an Aranda man and artist, painted stunning water colour landscapes featuring Country west of Alice Springs and these are reprised by Vincent on the end papers and dotted throughout the book. This arresting look at Albert’s life shows his birthplace, his early life and work, while his collaboration with Rex Battarbee saw him develop his watercolour paintings of Central Australia. His first exhibitions in Melbourne and Sydney sold out, and he travelled widely as accolades mounted up. His portrait was painted by celebrated portraitist William Dargie and won the 1956 Archibald Prize. Travelling, Albert always missed his home, the colours of Country, the simpler life with his family.
The story takes a turn as Vincent outlines the limits on Albert’s life and career. Because Albert was representing Australia he was made an Australian citizen, the first Aboriginal person to receive citizenship. While working on his car in Alice Springs, Albert’s hand was damaged and this caused immense changes to his life. As a citizen he was allowed to buy alcohol, and sharing this with relatives brought him in contact with the law and he was jailed. The man who had represented Australia, met the Queen and produced paintings known world wide, was imprisoned. Released, his health deteriorated and he died in hospital at Alice Springs in 1959, aged 57.
He left behind a legacy which is unequalled. He changed the platform of art in Australia, showing Indigenous art to the world, taking its place within the pantheon of Australian art. His life reflects the changing relationship between Aboriginal people and the new arrivals, while the art work produced both by Albert and his great grandson, Vincent, stands out as milestones in the work which proclaims Australia. Readers new to the story of Albert Namatjira will be gutted at the indignities heaped upon this man, appalled that an artist was treated in such a way and mollified that steps have been taken to bring his story to a wider audience. Vincent’s use of humour is a standout contribution to the debate, and younger readers will laugh at the images of the queen and people in positions of power.
Vincent focusses on colour, using intense blazes to accentuate the image he is revealing. Vincent began with dot painting, but moved to this style as it lent more humour and poignancy to his work. A collection of his images of Albert Namatjira have been bought by the Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art, while his portrait of Albert won the Archibald Prize in 2021.
This book is a loving and timely tribute to a great man, one who promoted the recognition of Aboriginal people in Australia through his work and industry. His exhibitions were a success, bringing the love of Country to the city, ensuring a wider audience became aware of the bush.
He was awarded the Coronation Medal by Queen Elizabeth, a rather ironic presentation as it was another 23 years before he was officially an Australian citizen. Teacher's notes are available.
Themes Prejudice, Albert Namatjira, Aboriginal art, Aboriginal people, Racism, Archibald Prize, Central Australia, Alice Springs.
Fran Knight
Phoebe Dupree is coming to tea! by Linda Ashman. Illus. by Alea Marley
A wonderfully funny verse tale of afternoon tea, as Abby invites her best friend Phoebe to her house, but with some trepidation. She prepares for her friend: tells the dog how he must behave, cooks cakes and sets them out on a tray, prepares the table, and then dresses herself. All the time she is concentrating on how best to present herself to her friend, wanting every thing to be perfect so that she will come again.
Trepidation reigns, and when Phoebe rings the doorbell, she is just herself.
All is in readiness, the dog behaves beautifully, the table is lovely and the cakes are ready to be brought in. But Abby slips - the cake tray is very heavy and the cakes are scattered across the floor, causing Phoebe to fall from her chair, the dog then runs in to join the commotion and as he has been in the pool, a place he was told not to go, sprays water over them all.
Abby is mortified. All her fears have been realised, the afternoon tea is a disaster.
But all is well when Phoebe kicks off her shoes and announces ‘this is going to be fun’. She picks up a cake from the floor and eats it, offering one to Abby. Smiles greet the readers on the very last page as the two sit together in the mess created.
A delightful look at how things can go awry, the disasters that can happen quite by accident, the mopping up that brings friends together, this book will be a wonderful read aloud, inviting readers to join in, predict the rhyming words and laugh lots.
Using pencil, watercolour, crayon and digital pencils, Alea creates vibrant, colour filled scenes. Readers will love finding patterns on each page, checking out the textures and different sweeps of colour. Each scene is full of fun and humour as the characters display the attributes given in the text. Their clothing and hair tell us so much about their personalities! Just wonderful.
Abhorsen bk 5. Allen & Unwin, 2016. ISBN 9781741758634 (Age: 13+) Highly recommended. Fantasy. Magic. Quests. The eagerly anticipated book 5 in the series does not disappoint. Lirael is the Abhorsen-in-Waiting and has to battle dangerous creatures and find memories in the Dark Mirror. After losing one of her hands in the binding of Orannis she has a new hand, looking like gold and crafted with Charter magic, and she must learn to use it fearlessly. When she finds Nicholas Sayre deeply tainted with Free Magic after being attacked, together they must face the Witch With No Face, news of whom has been brought by a young woman Feren who faced great dangers to reach Lirael. (Readers may wish to read the short story Nicholas Sayre and the Creature in the Case as a prelude to this story, but it is not necessary although it is an intriguing read itself).
Lovers of fantasy will welcome this outstanding book with its likeable characters, dangerous quests and battles and strange settings. Nix has created a unique world where Free and Charter Magic battle both in the world and inside Nicholas and Lirael must find the answers to cure him and save the world. To do this she takes Nicholas back to the Clayr where she once was a quiet retiring librarian. Now she is the Abhorsen-in-Waiting she realises that she has grown in stature and also in self-confidence. The growing attraction between Lirael and Nicholas is also a warm thread that readers will enjoy following as they both grow in knowledge and skill.
At the same time as Lirael and Nicholas journey to the Clayr, the feisty Feren, strong willed and determined, is chased by the Witch With No Face and her followers as she travels through dangerous country to bring her warning about the Witch to Lirael. She is a most engaging character and her adventures and her sassy attitude keep the reader totally engrossed.
Abhorsen is a fabulous series, one that all libraries should have, and Goldenhand brings together many of the threads and characters that have preceded it. A book trailer is available from the publisher.
