365 Real-Life Superheroes written by Valentina Camerini
Translated by Moreno Giovannoni. Piccolo Nero, 2020. ISBN:
9781760642471.
(Age: 9 - 12). Recommended. 365 Real-Life Superheroes would
be a worthwhile addition to the children's section in a public
library, a primary school library or classroom. This illustrated
paperback is filled with short uncomplicated snapshots showcasing
365 superheroes both past and present. These include sportspeople,
scientists, journalists, explorers, doctors, astronauts, musicians,
artists and activists. Each person profiled has a symbol imprinted
on the page to show the value or talent they have displayed. These
include generosity, determination, courage, intelligence,
creativity, justice and curiosity. Many of the superheroes will be
unknown to both adults and students but all have contributed in some
way to the betterment of the world and time they lived in or who
were able to initiate change. Some of the lesser known profiles
include Bill Haast who let snakes bite him and ended up donating his
blood for scientific research and fifteen year old African American
Claudette Colvin who refused to give up her seat on a bus for a
white person and was arrested. There are more famous profiles
including the band Queen who played to Soviet citizens in a time
when there was animosity between the Soviet Union and the western
world and Malala Yousafzai who defended everyone's right to study
especially in her home country of Pakistan. Two well-known
Australians profiled in the book are Lowitja O'Donoghue who was the
first Aboriginal woman to study at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and
Eddie Mabo who fought for the right to his land.
While this book does not contain an introduction or contents page
and would benefit from both, it does have an index of those
discussed. Students in the middle grades often have a fascination
with the lives of people who have made changes both in recent and
historical times and sharing this book with students may encourage
and inspire further research. Themes: People Who Changed the World,
Role Models, Non-fiction.
Kathryn Beilby
Peter and the Tree Children written by Peter Wohlleben
Illus. by Cale Atkinson. Piccolo Nero, 2020. ISBN: 9781760642518.
(Age: 5+) The author of The Hidden Life of Trees, Peter
Wohlleben, has written a children's picture book, Peter and the
Tree Children, which explains the connection between adult and
young trees. In the story he writes about the way trees communicate
between each other, how they feel and what is necessary for growth.
In particular he looks at the majestic beech tree. The story begins
with Piet, a little squirrel, who feels sad and alone because he
does not have a family. Peter the Forester takes pity on Piet and
they begin a journey through the forest. Along the way Peter shares
his knowledge of trees with his focus on searching for tree children
to show Piet. They find a tree-felling machine on their journey and
with great sadness Peter tells Piet how the tree machine compacts
the soil so young trees cannot grow. They discover a clearing where
the young trees are not growing well as the soil is poor and they
have no shade protection from the adult trees. Finally they find a
grove of young beech saplings which have grown from beechnuts hidden
by Piet last fall but which he had forgotten where he had buried
them. Peter is excited by the discovery of these new tree children
in the beautiful beech forest and they happily return home to the
forest lodge. However Piet is still upset about not having a family
and Peter offers an important solution.
The illustrations by Cale Atkinson are colourful and reflect the
text well. The author provides a note for the reader in the
beginning as well as facts at the end about trees and their
families. Themes: Science, Nature, Environment, Trees.
Kathryn Beilby
The devil and the dark water by Stuart Turton
Raven Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781408889657.
(Age: Senior secondary/adult) Recommended. In the mid 1600s the
Dutch East India Company had cornered the spice trade and were
powerful, extremely rich and ruthless where trade was concerned.
Turton has set his extraordinary tale aboard the Saardam sailing
from Batavia to Amsterdam. Any voyage from the East Indies to Europe
was dangerous, but this one had some extra dangers to contend with.
Jan Haan the Governor General of Batavia was returning home with his
wife, daughter, mistress and a very valuable cargo of spices. Also
on board as a prisoner is Samuel Pipps a celebrated detective on his
way for trial in Amsterdam, which may lead to his execution,
and his protector Arent Hayes. Just as the company is boarding the
ship a disconcerting and eerie incident takes place at the docks. A
figure dressed in rags like a leper foretells disaster for the
voyage before bursting into flames.
Unease among an already superstitious crew, and fear among
passengers that there may be a demon among them multiplies as
peculiar events take place. Strange marks appear over the ship,
animals are slaughtered, the dead leper stalks the ship and a fierce
storm almost sinks them.
The endpapers of this edition provides a map of the ship which shows
the layout of the cabins in which many of the main characters
reside. And as the book is 550 pages long, a guide is most welcome.
Stuart Turton weaves a complex mystery with its origins in the past
which connects many of those on board. Greed, lust for power and
revenge are the elements he uses while the Saardam itself is
an oppressive force which links all the characters. There are many
twists and turns in Turton's narrative which make it nigh impossible
for the reader to solve the crimes committed on the ship. He creates
a genuine atmosphere of fear which keeps the pages turning and the
interest piqued.
Inspired by the true story of the Batavia shipwreck, one of
Australia's most thrilling maritime stories, this novel is the
second written by Turton, whose first novel, The seven deaths of
Evelyn Hardcastle was acknowledged as Best First Novel of
2018.
Themes: Power, Dutch East India Company, Java, Batavia, Dutch East
indies, Ships, Murder mystery, Historical novel.
Mark Knight
The traitor by Anh Do
Wolf Girl book 4. Allen & Unwin, 2020. ISBN:
9781760877866.
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. In number four in the series, Wolf
Girl, Anh Do and illustrator, Lachlan Creagh add to the
adventures of Wolf Girl as she battles giant snakes and Komodo
dragons.
Avoiding the forests which were full of soldiers, Gwen and Rupert
struggle through the grasslands until they find a place to rest.
Gwen has given Sunrise her mother's shawl to sniff and seek out the
woman, but he seems disinterested. Both children are concerned that
they have not found their parents, but vow to keep searching. When
Sunrise disappears over night taking the shawl, Gwen is mystified.
Feeling their way through dense scrub they find they are fighting an
anaconda, and further on realise that they have stumbled into a
derelict Reptile World. Excitement rules as they fight off the
anaconda bent on eating Tiny, but escaping over the roller coaster
they come across a bunch of Komoda Dragons, ready to take them all
on. Eagle is able to help from the air, but the ferocity of the
fight between the two children and the three dogs is intense.
A tough dystopian future is the background for this thrilling
adventure series, aimed at mid to upper primary students, but also
encouraging middle primary readers with the exciting and vivid
illustrations, giving a darker wash to the tale.
Themes: Dystopia, Future, Adventure.
Fran Knight
Fish by Brendan Kearney
Penguin Random House, 2020. ISBN: 9780241439470.
(Ages: 4-8) As with the recent publication Mama
Ocean this book addresses the significant problem of
ocean pollution, however, Fish takes a much more didactic
approach, explaining to the reader exactly what we can do to resolve
and reverse the problem. The problem and solution is encased within
the story of elderly fisherman Finn and his quest to catch a fish
for dinner. We get early clues to what is coming, with rubbish
floating in the water and some unhappy seals grappling with plastic
bags under the water. Finn, with his dog Skip for company, is having
absolutely no luck. There are no fish biting in their favourite
fishing spot. 'Suddenly, Skip spotted something bobbing in the waves
. . . and with a huge SPLASH he jumped in to investigate'. A
double-page spread shows the reader the enormity of the situation;
there is rubbish of every kind hiding just under the surface. Finn
works to scoop out as much of the rubbish as he can and before long
the small boat is inundated. Hungry and tired they head to shore and
are met by a group of young children who offer their help. 'We're
beach cleaners' the girl explained. 'We pick up litter that has been
washed ashore by the tide, so that it doesn't get swept back into
the sea'. What follows is the children explaining to Finn why
rubbish, especially plastic, is so destructive to the ocean and what
we can do on a simple level to help (recycling, repairing and
reusing, avoiding single-use plastics and spreading these messages).
The book hints at the other significant ocean problem of
unsustainable fishing with the juxtaposition of the huge fishing
boats in the marina next to Finn's tiny wooden boat, but this is not
directly addressed. It could be a conversation starter though. There
is a nice message here for children about their ability to influence
attitudes and make a difference in the world. It also reflects the
current climate where young people are taking a stand for the
environment, educating older people and becoming harbingers of
change. Unfortunately, the didactic portion of the book feels a
little tacked on to the actual story and the seemingly instant
revival of the ocean a little too optimistic. Themes: Ocean
pollution, Rubbish and recycling.
Nicole Nelson
Aster's good, right things by Kate Gordon
Riveted Press, 2020. 189pp. ISBN: 9780648492573.
(Ages 11+) Highly recommended. Aster is an 11-year-old girl who
attends an alternative style school in Tasmania. We soon learn,
through her first-person journal, that she is troubled and on the
outer and more importantly we know what she is thinking in contrast
to how she is acting. She also has an interest and passion for
flowers and their symbolism. Aster is convinced that the only way
she can survive is by doing good, right things for others but she
rarely feels accomplishment or joy for herself. She volunteers most
of her school breaks in the library but one day she finds refuge in
the school yard and meets Xavier and his rabbit Hollyhock. Their
friendship grows through their openness about their mental health
and Xavier's quirky dress and behaviour. Another important character
at the school is Indigo who thwarts her need of love and rescuing
behind aggressive behaviour. On the home front Aster's mother has
left her and Aster's loving father. This has a huge impact on them
both and Aster blames herself. Fortunately, her Aunt Noni supports
them and then Indigo as well. Gradually Aster develops a group of
like-minded friends around her and we have hope for their futures.
Ultimately intelligent communication and love heals all their lives.
There are certainly other stories with characters experiencing
anxiety and depression, family breakup and friendship issues.
However, this story is deeply perceptive and true. It is right to
acknowledge that all mothers don't love their children and that
adults can be selfish and unwise. Kate Gordon captures the
physicality of anxiety and the need to hide away. Gordon really gets
into the mind of an 11-year-old and short unflowery sentences convey
Aster's astute thoughts well. Sometimes these strings of thoughts
are quite poetic.
Stories like these are so important for developing
empathy for others. It suits a middle years audience well because it
is not too graphic and shocking. Although it is a serious book it
does have a whimsical quality which matches Aster's personality. Teacher's
notes are available.
Jo Marshall
Kitty is not a cat: Bath time by Jess Black
Hachette, 2020. ISBN: 9780734419798
(Age: 5-7) Highly recommended. Bath time is one of a series of
junior fiction books based on the popular animated television series
Kitty is not a cat produced by BES Animation based in
Melbourne. The TV series has screened in over 85 countries and is
voiced by well-known Australian actors and comedians. So, it is no
surprise that the book series, written by Jess Black, has been very
well received.
There are 4 books so far; Lights
out! , Teddy's
bear, Hired hound and Bath time.
In this series Kitty arrives at the front door of a house filled
with stray cats who love making music and parties. The cats have
strict rules about not allowing any humans in their house, but this
human seems to believe she is a cat. She is dressed in an orange cat
suit and only purrs, meows or hisses. Slowly the clueless cats take
on the task of teaching Kitty how to be a human, in the hopes of
sending her back to the human world, and in this book they tackle
the task of keeping clean. But cats and water are never an easy mix
and it seems Kitty also shares their aversion to the idea of getting
wet. But with furballs seriously cramping her singing abilities
Kitty needs to stop licking herself clean and take the plunge. The
cats just need to work out what will make the bath attractive enough
for Kitty to jump in.
This easy to read novel uses illustrations that match the graphics
from the TV series except not using full colour, just blacks, greys
and orange. It is a funny and engaging novel for early readers.
Themes: Girls, Cats, Baths.
Gabrielle Anderson
The naked farmer by Ben Brooksby
Pan Macmillan, 2020. ISBN: 9781760981068.
(Age: 17+) In 2017, Ben Brooksby posted a photograph of himself on
social media. The photograph showed him lying naked on lentils in a
truck. At first, he thought that his followers might learn about the
importance of agriculture, but his own recovery from anxiety attacks
after a difficult childhood suggested another goal. Ben founded the
Naked Farmer movement to encourage people in rural areas to speak up
about their experiences of mental illness.
In The naked farmer, Ben has assembled thirty-two stories
about men and women who have confronted challenges ranging from
grief, depression and chronic illness to marriage breakdown and the
disclosure of same-sex attraction. Any of these experiences would be
difficult to deal with in a city but in the country, sufferers can
face the additional problems of loneliness, a culture of stoicism
and remoteness from health facilities. This book does not provide
expert medical opinion. Instead, it presents a variety of
experiences of mental illness and the ways in which sufferers have
dealt with them. Common threads emerge, including the need to
discuss the problem with an understanding relative, friend or health
professional, and the eventual realisation that every life has
value. Some of the stories are told in the first person and one has
been written in verse, but most have been reported by Ben and a team
of storytellers. All the stories are told in a down-to-earth style
that readers can experience as conversations with or about people
who have revealed that they have been mentally ill. Their bravery
explains the photographs. Ben believes that just as it takes courage
to be photographed naked, it also requires courage to both admit to
having a mental health problem and ask for help.
Ben Brooksby calls his book a 'conversation starter'. The naked
farmer will have served its purpose if it encourages people
who work in agriculture to discuss their mental health issues. It
may also provide other Australians with insights into some of the
difficulties confronting those who live in rural areas.
Elizabeth Bor
Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Allen & Unwin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760878283.
(Age: 15+) Recommended. A reprint tying in with the Netflix series,
readers will be sure to enjoy the original book first printed in
2010. Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have again produced a sparkling
collaboration, with two main characters, Lily and Dash, passing
dares. Dash finds a red notebook full of dares from Lily on a shelf
in his favourite bookshop. He decides to take up the challenge over
the Christmas holidays and leaves dares for Lily as well. They both
have lots of fun leaving messages and carrying out weird dares, but
will they be able to get along when they first meet each other in
real life?
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the humour and some of the witty
repartee had me laughing out loud as Dash and Lily went out their
funny and exciting dares. The fact that much of the book was taken
up with a flirtation through a red notebook made it even more
enjoyable and I was sorry when their journey ended. Their love of
books and the many literary allusions made the story one for book
lovers as well.
Dash and Lily were such likeable characters that I was compelled to
follow their story virtually in one sitting. Even though Dash's
nickname is Snarly, he comes across as a caring boy who looks out
for his friends. I loved that Lily played soccer and followed her
gradual coming of age, gradually convincing her large extended
family that she could manage on her own. All the supporting
characters were well rounded and interesting, especially Lily's
homosexual brother Langston, who instigates the notebook dare and
Boomer, Dash's friend. These supporting characters added to the
depth of the story and gave the reader an insight in Dash and Lily's
personalities.
The humour, funny banter and amusing events, as well as an
engrossing romance, make this a compelling read for the mature teen.
Their story continues in The
twelve days of Dash & Lily and Mind the Gap,
Dash & Lily.
Pat Pledger
Slinky Malinki's Christmas 123 by Lynley Dodd
Puffin, 2020. ISBN: 9780143775355.
(Age 1+) Highly recommended. Right from the front cover, with its
cheeky little black cat, clutching a toy Santa and surrounded by
Christmas decorations, any young reader will be enticed to open the
book and see what Slinky Malinki is up to. Turning the page, Slinky
is seen creeping up to a beautifully decorated Christmas tree - 1
one creeping cat, followed by 2 two red-nosed mice, 3
three shimmering shells, with Slinky getting closer and closer
to the tree. Finally, 10 ten busy hands put all the
decorations back on the tree with the end papers, showing Slinky
peering out from behind the top branches. Oh, Slinky Malinki.
Happy Christmas!
This is a joyful book that is just perfect to read aloud in the days
before Christmas. The colourful illustrations are exquisite, and any
cat lover will recognise the actions of Slinky as he pounces on the
decorations and plays with those he gathers from the tree. The glee
on his face will bring smiles to the reader's face, too. And readers
will have fun guessing which decoration he will grab next and
counting numbers 1 to 10 as he plays havoc with the tree. Big bold
black text will help a beginning reader as well.
This is a delightful, durable and strong board book, that would be a
perfect Christmas present for cat lovers and young children. It
would also be a lovely bedtime story.
Pat Pledger
The wizard in my shed: the misadventures of Merdyn the Wild by Simon Farnaby
Hodder & Stroughton, 2020. ISBN: 9781444954388. 323p.
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Merdyn the Wild was the world's greatest
Warlock in the 6th Century before the showdown of Chapter One
wherein his nemesis Jerabo discredits Merdyn in King Paul's eyes,
before casting Merdyn into the rivers of time as punishment. Will
Merdyn ever see Princess Evanhart again?
Meanwhile in the 21st Century, Rose doesn't fit in at school and is
harangued afresh by a group of bullies after auditioning for the
school Talent Show. Suzy, her mum, is still grieving the loss of
Rose's father who was always the one to assure Rose that she would
develop one exceptional talent. Rose had hoped it was singing, which
makes it easier to aid and abet a crazed magician who promises to
give Rose the singing spell to fulfil her destiny.
Merdyn is like a fish out of water and causes havoc at every turn.
The fun begins when the broken but hospitable family realizes that
Jerabo has followed Merdyn through time, to finish him off, crown
his own descendent as king of the world, before returning to the
Dark Ages to marry Princess Evanhart and murder the King. Along the
way, Merdyn's down to earth logic changes Kris (Rose's brother),
Suzi, Rose and all her friends and neighbours more than the
spectacular magical spells.
One couldn't be blamed for misjudging this book as frivolous fare
with Claire Powell's cover design and illustrations reminiscent of a
feature animation. The Warlock's name seems a spin off of Merlin,
history's most famous fictional wizard. Lastly, we have watched a
wise but ditzy medieval wizard in the 1970's television sitcom, Catweazle.
But Simon Farnaby is no lightweight author claiming his inspiration
came from all children's books and films where children encounter
magical creatures.
Farnaby's characters and what happens to them is thoroughly
believable despite the impossibility of spells, talking guinea pigs
and time travel. In addition to the embossed neon cover, over 300
pages is bursting with publishing gems to flesh out the reader's
total experience. Bold fonts emphasise the really awesome stuff.
Footnotes explain the meanings of Olde English insults and phrases.
Chapters end with rhyming teasers before appending a guide to
grasses to highlight natures magic and function can be seen in a
blade of grass.
Farnaby's unpredictable narrative entertains and educates through
epic events bisected by myriad themes of identity, grief,
self-confidence, power, faith, friendship, nature, history, belief
and more. Readers of all ages will look forward to future titles in
the series and the inevitable movie version. Meaty enough for
read-aloud and study, we can but hope Simon Farnaby keeps writing
and gives up acting! (Horrible Histories and The
Dectectorists) Themes: Fantasy, Magic.
Deborah Robins
The Carbon-Neutral Adventures of the Indefatigable Enviroteens by Andrew Martlew
Allen & Unwin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760526122.
(Age: 10-13) Cover indicates the author as: First Dog on the Moon.
This is a nonsensical adventure that is a cross between a cartoon
spoof adventure and a 'wimpy kid' exploration of climate change. At
no stage is it a serious attempt to address a grave issue, rather it
is sheer nonsense with 'heroes' that variously use baked goods to
inspire their super-powers, are animals with quirks that defy
description and have skills that enable them to create machines with
impossible qualities. One might almost imagine that the author was
having his own environmental meltdown when he wrote this weird and
whacky cartoon story. With language that has been comedically
created, villains that are almost insane, and illustrations that are
naive and silly, there are moments when this book is almost cleverly
absurd and other moments when it is just inane. Young readers may
find some joyous humour amidst the chapters, despite the fact that
Chapter 3 goes missing and must reappear later in the book in a
cameo appearance.
Although there is some vocabulary that will challenge some young
readers, mostly this is just a written cartoon with word play woven
around an important theme. Some of the humour is actually quite
clever and will fly over the heads of a young reader, but older
discerning readers will recognise the ironic amidst the idiocy.
Readers aged 10-13 may find this spoof appealing. Themes: Climate
Change; Comedy.
Carolyn Hull
Bindi by Kirli Saunders
Illus. by Dub Leffler. Magabala Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781925936667.
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Seedlings. Cinders. Sprouts. These
are the three sections of this beautifully written heartwarming
story of Bindi, a young girl living on Gundungurra country, learning
from her Elders, enjoying the freedom of life outdoors with her
family, dogs and horses, and then facing a 'canbe', or fire, like
none their community has ever experienced before. From planting the
gum seedlings, to escaping the fire, to rebuilding afterwards,
Bindi's own life goes through a similar cycle. She is tossed from a
horse, and has to nurse a broken arm, just like her totem, the
garrall, or black cockatoo, with a broken wing. She and her bird
friend have to heal, gain strength and then venture out again. Bindi
learns from the Elders about cool burns that regenerate plants, new
sprouts that will grow. She is on the path to becoming a leader,
chosen to give expression to her talents in the design of an art
mural for the school.
The story is written in verse that flows easily, interspersed with
words from the Gundungurra language. It's not hard to work out their
meaning, but there is a glossary to refer to at the end if needed.
Black and white illustrations by Leffler give the impression of
fire-burnt charcoal drawings, with fascinating detail of insects,
feathers and plants, and the soaring of the black cockatoo on the
endpapers.
I love the humour and intimacy of the descriptions of family life
over the curried sausage dinner and rock melon dessert (soft fruit
because of Dad's teeth), potato bake made with French onion soup
mix, and other comforting food. I love how Bindi takes her
paintbrush 'for a walk' on her bedroom wall and her Dad acts
surprised or mad until he actually looks at the outcome. And I
haven't even mentioned the whole exciting world of school hockey.
But within this happy environment there are also small reminders of
more serious issues - Bindi's mother was a 'taken' child.
Saunders' story of Bindi and her loving family, good friends and
strong community is a positive affirmation of caring for others,
learning from Elders and taking care of Country; a junior fiction
novel clearly well deserving of the Daisy Utemorrah Award, and
hopefully the beginning of a series to be published by Magabala.
Themes: Fire, Caring for Country, Leadership, Respect, Aboriginal
culture, Aboriginal language.
Helen Eddy
Harry Potter: Christmas at Hogwarts: a movie scrapbook
Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781526628244.
(Age: 8+). Highly recommended. Fans of the Harry Potter
phenomena will be thrilled to receive this latest offering to add to
their collection. Christmas at Hogwarts takes the reader on
an intimate and fascinating journey through the Christmas scenes
showcased in the film versions. The book goes into great detail
about the decorating of Hogwarts, the Yule Ball, the Slug Club
Christmas party in addition to other key Christmas events. As well
as offering the avid reader of the series new understandings into
the wizarding world at Hogwarts and further afield, there are
numerous interesting facts about the films that many fans would not
have known - such as the special effects department added witches on
brooms circling the top of the Christmas trees or that the costume
department kept a dedicated knitter on hand for all eight films to
produce Molly Weasley's jumpers and scarves. This collectible
scrapbook contains removable objects to entice the reader to delve
deeper with anticipation into its pages. There are bookmarks,
stickers, posters, sketches, illustrations and pre-drawings. Of
particular interest are the sketches of the costumes worn at the
Yule Ball. Behind the scenes photographs from the movies are
explained carefully and provide a valuable insight into the
complexity of creating the movie version as true to each book as
possible. This movie scrapbook has a beautiful cover with raised
gold writing and will unlock more of the Harry Potter curiosities
and make a wonderful addition to a Harry Potter fan's Christmas
gifts. Themes: Harry Potter, Wizardry, Witchcraft, Christmas, Magic,
Wonder, Film effects.
Kathryn Beilby
Tashi and the stolen forest by Anna and Barbara Fienberg
Australia Reads. Illus. by Kim Gamble. Allen and Unwin, 2020.
ISBN: 9781760878566.
(Age: 5-8) Highly recommended. Tashi has become a classic character
whose stories have been around since 1995 and have won a place in
the hearts of many children around the world. This book was part of
the Australia Reads campaign in November 2020 and can be
read as a stand-alone but regular Tashi readers will recognise all
the characters who bring this story to life; Much-to-Learn,
Wise-as-an-Owl, Lotus Blossom, Uncle Tiki Pu and of course the evil
Baron.
In this story Tashi discovers that the ancient forest is
disappearing quickly, and the villagers are running out of wood to
heat their homes. So, he goes out to find out who is responsible for
their theft and prevent the whole forest from vanishing forever.
This also means that Wise-as-an-Owl is extra busy with medicines and
potions for the sick villagers, so when he also falls ill, his son
Much-to-Learn must try to carry on alone. Much-to-Learn is working
on a new spell to make a fire potion that will keep everyone warm.
But disaster strikes when Much-to-Learn goes missing and Tashi needs
to work fast to find him and free him. There are Pirates involved
and that means extra danger and the need for a very clever plan for
Tashi to succeed against the Baron and his cronies.
The story is as captivating as all the other Tashi books and the
lovely line drawings by Kim Gamble are at just the right spots in
the book to enhance and keep the youngest of readers enthralled with
the story. Themes: Forests, Magic, Storytelling.
Gabrielle Anderson
