Macmillan, 2020. ISBN: 9781760983468.
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Prudence Daniels is the eldest in a family
of five children named after Beatles songs. The family own a shop
that sells vinyl records, and music features throughout the story
through references, Karaoke sessions and the title of the book.
Prudence is a perfectionist and the reader meets her as instant
karma begins to bite. Prudence then accidentally received a blow to
the head (moving on to the second line of the Beatles song). As a
result of the blow, Prudence finds she has the ability to deliver
instant karma (positive and negative) - and she uses it. Being a
perfectionist, Prudence judges harshly and a focus for her efforts
is her lab partner, Quint Erikson. She believes Quint is responsible
for her receiving a C grade for their team report. However, all her
efforts to ensure Quint suffers karmic justice backfire.
Prudence (Pru) will stop at nothing in her bid to raise her grade.
Pru volunteers at a local animal rescue centre as part of her deal
with Quint to redo their assignment. Pru discovers that Quint's
mother owns and manages the refuge and that Quint also works at the
refuge. Here we see Pru, at times an unlikeable and flawed
protagonist, learn to challenge her assumptions and trust others
enough to work with them collaboratively.
This easy to read romance provides an insight into the world of
animal refuges. The author relied on information provided by the
Pacific Marine Mammal Center to expand on the operations of the
centre as well as the rescue, rehabilitation and release of seals
and sea lions.
Pru tentatively develops a respect for animals and re-evaluates her
estimation of Quint. Their relationship blossoms amid
misunderstandings, storms and accusations of theft. This is the
perfect book for the person restrained, in working with or trusting
others, by perfectionism.
The print is small and the margins close to the edge of the page.
For some readers this will influence their choice to read this book.
Themes: Relationships (family, friends), Romance, Animal
sanctuaries, Karma.
Linda Guthrie
The boy, the wolf and the stars by Shivaun Plozza
Penguin Random House Australia, 2020. ISBN: 9781760893453.
(Age: 9-12) Highly recommended. Bo is a young boy, abandoned by his
mother at an early age and taken in by an old woodcutter. But to the
nearby villagers Bo is looked upon as cursed because he survived a
night in the dark without being eaten by the ravenous Shadow
creatures that have inhabited the dark since the Wolf ate the stars.
Mads feeds and cares for Bo as long as he does his chores. One day,
when Bo loses the special powder that he must spread around the
oldest tree in the forest, the magical tree begins to die.
Unknowingly Bo has unleashed a giant wolf who comes to find Mads
hoping to get the keys that will release his brother wolf (who ate
the stars). On his deathbed, after fighting the wolf, Mads sets Bo
the task of finding the keys and releasing the stars to save the
world from the bad magic.
An elaborate quest begins and has so many unexpected twists and
turns that it is a difficult book to put down. The story is set in a
complex world and the book includes a helpful map and pages that
explain the history of the land of Ulv. There are marvelous
characters who join Bo on his mission: Bo's best friend Nix, the
little fox who seems to be able to communicate with Bo and keeps him
safe. Tam, a fearsome Korahku, half bird half man and sworn enemies
of the Irin (Bo's people). And Selene, the very imaginative, and
orphan girl who is trying to hide her magic powers.
Bo puts himself down constantly through the story and often voices
the fact that no-one has ever cared for him enough to miss him. But
slowly he comes to realise his anger at Mads, his mother and his
situation needs to change for him to be truly happy and have a
fulfilling life.
The book has a powerful message for children who need a boost to
self-esteem, and it would make a great read-aloud to middle and
upper primary students. Themes: Good and evil, Fear, Locks and Keys,
Magic, Rejection.
Gabrielle Anderson
The book collectors of Daraya by Delphine Minoui, translated by Lara Vergnaud
PanMacmillan, 2020. ISBN: 9781529012323.
(Age: Adult) Highly recommended. How do you even begin to describe
this book? For most people, Syria is a far-off place in the midst of
a war that not many could say what it is about. We just know that
cities are being destroyed and its people are fleeing as refugees.
President Bashar al-Assad has painted the rebels as militant Islamic
terrorists led by Daesh or ISIS. However journalist Delphine Minoui
stumbles on an online photograph of the secret library of Daraya,
the Damascus suburb under siege by Assad's forces. It shows young
men browsing before neatly arranged shelves of books. It is an
underground library of books rescued from the rubble of bombs, each
book with the previous owner's name meticulously recorded on the
first page, in the hope that one day the book will be reunited with
its owner. In the meantime, the library is the haven of the young
rebel fighters, not terrorists, but idealistic young men who want
freedom and democracy for their country. They collect the books and
share them; the titles range from the love poems of Nizar Qabbani to
Shakespeare, to Saint-Exupery's Little Prince, to American
self-help books, to J.M Coetzee and Paulo Coelho. The library
becomes a safe meeting place for ideological discussions and English
language classes.
Outside the library the inhabitants of Daraya faced the ongoing
barrage of barrel bombs, sarin gas attacks and napalm. Minoui tells
us the story through snatched moments on WhatsApp, FaceTime and
Skype, text messages and shared photographs and videos. We get to
know each of the young men who protect the library, their passion
for books, photography, art, and poetry, and their dreams for a
better future for their country.
Daraya falls in the end, the besieged inhabitants beaten by
malnutrition and starvation. But Minoui's book remains a testament
to the courage of the young men who fought back against a cruel
dictator and aspired for a better world.
Themes: Books, Libraries, War, Resistance, Freedom, Syria.
Helen Eddy
Little Jiang by Shirley Marr
Illus. by Katy Jiang. Freemantle Press, 2020 ISBN: 9781925816471.
(Age: 8-10) Recommended. After moving from China to the small town
of Honeywood, in Australia, Mei Ling Pang and her parents are
struggling to fit in. Her father's sight is failing, and her
mother's health also seems to be slowly deteriorating. Desperate to
find a friend and make her parent's restaurant popular in their new
home Mei will try just about anything to help. Then the creepy
mortician from the Morgue next door uses a potion to wake the dead
and a small boy vampire (Little Jiang) arrives at school and starts
to follow Mei around. He has strange clothes, green skin and fangs
and seems to be very hungry all the time. He is not the friend Mei
so desperately wanted but he seems harmless enough.
Mei has always been able to see the spirits of the dead and speak to
them but in her Aunt's opinion she is just cursed. In some ways the
ghosts help her and in this case one is particularly helpful. The
Peony Princess is a very interesting character, part princess, part
giant fox with the ability to change faces and shape according to
her needs. When the townspeople start to turn into drooling
Chi-sucking vampires (Jiangshi) it is up to Mei, her spirit friends
in Ghostland, her parents and the Bagua Master to save the day. A
trip to Ghostland with the Peony Princess, some very quick thinking
and lots of sticky rice balls save the day in the end.
This book is a great mix of rollicking adventure and ancient Chinese
mythology and will appeal to young readers who are already attracted
to stories with zombies and other creepy characters. Mei is a
character that shows them that having the right attitude and
fighting for your beliefs will win over your harshest critics in the
long run. The twelve black and white illustrations add important
detail and enhance the story for the readers. Teacher's
notes are available. Themes: Chinese Folklore, Vampires, Luck.
Gabrielle Anderson
A Guinea Pig Night before Christmas
Guinea Pig classics, photographed by Phillip Beresford, sets
made and designed by Tess Newall. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2020 ISBN:
9781526613561.
(Age: All) Recommended. Guinea pigs photographed in cute costumes
are the feature of this rendering of the classic Christmas story The
night before Christmas. The publishers have not changed the
text of the original poem at all, they have just used the guinea
pigs and a cute little stuffed mouse as the"actors" in this story.
The detail of each costume is amazing, my favourite being the line
of guinea pig reindeers in the centre of the book, priceless.
Many children who saw this book commented that the lead reindeer was
not Rudolf, but the publishers have added 'the ninth reindeer' in a
cute little cameo at the end of the book with an explanation as to
why he doesn't appear in the original poem. There is a brief
paragraph towards the back of the book about pets being abandoned
around the Christmas season reminding us that we can support local
rescue centres with donations in the holiday season. The Guinea Pig
actors are also credited at the end of the book.
This book is one of a growing number of adorable titles in this
series with some of the other titles including The Nutcracker,
A Christmas Carol, A Guinea Pig Nativity,Romeo
and Juliet, Oliver Twist and Pride and Prejudice.
A Facebook page "Guinea Pig classics" is also mentioned by the
publishers on their website. Themes: Christmas, Guinea pigs, Classic
stories.
Gabrielle Anderson
The werewolves who weren't by T.C. Shelley
Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781526600806.
(Age: 10-12). Recommended for mature readers who have read the first
book. Follow up to 2019's The
monster who wasn't, which is a must-read before picking
up this one. This story continues from the events in the first book
and there are multiple concepts and relationships that are difficult
to make sense of without the earlier background.
Sam looks like a normal boy but has a unique secret. He is half
monster and half fairy, hatched only 4 months ago, with great
strength and heightened senses. He is adopted by a human family and
settles into a human life, including starting at school.
At school he meets three other students who smell nice to him but
initially act very oddly. It turns out they have a secret too, one
that makes them just as strange as Sam is, and so the foursome
quickly form a strong bond.
Then a figure from Sam's past returns and seems to be using fairy
dust to subdue and gather up monsters. Sam's friends vanish and new
threats emerge as Sam races to figure out what's happening and why.
He must weigh up where his loyalties lie and what he is willing to
lose, and this sets the scene for a mighty struggle for survival.
This story is quite complex overall, rather wordy in parts (I found
myself skipping through some of the longer descriptive passages
between action scenes) and full of wonderful detail about various
types of fanciful monsters. A younger reader may find this book
difficult and/or frightening.
For the mature reader though it has lovely themes of belonging,
identity, loyalty and friendship. West Australian author Shelley
includes some humour too showing Sam still getting used to human
life and speech (at one point he says "mistaken toe" where he means
'wrong foot'). The ending is hopeful and very intriguing, obviously
paving the way for book 3 which is due in 2021.
Themes: Monsters - fiction, Gargoyles, Families, Fairies,
Relationships, Dogs, Werewolves, Adventure.
Kylie Grant
I stole my Genius sisters’ brain by Jo Simmons is a cautionary tale that will have children (and their parents) laughing out loud. This story is about a not so smart boy who hatches a plan to get his smarty-pants sister’s brain! He is a funny kid who loves experimenting and inventing and just really wants to go to an Invention Fair in Paris. He thinks that by becoming smart his parents will treat him better and give him more attention.
This funny book really hooked me in and had me staying up late to finish it! I really enjoyed the character portrayal, and how the author engaged the reader with plot twists and turns.
Children will also love this book because it is full of disgusting inventions sure to make them giggle, this part especially engaged by 11-year-old who would usually rather read a comic!
The illustrations added to the humour of the story and really made the characters come to life. The hair in particular is worth a mention…..It has movement, height and flair! It really adds to the engagement factor!
My only disagreement with the author is the depiction of the parents. They were very focused on Keith’s sister Minerva and didn’t seem to treat Keith well when he had something he wanted. Otherwise, it is a really fun read about sibling relationships.
I liked that by the end there is a realisation that the siblings really want what the other has and there is a possibility that they will unite as a family and become happier and more as one.
Illus. by Matt Ottley. Walker Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781925381894.
(Age: children to adults). Highly recommended. How to Make a
Bird written by Meg McKinlay is a poignant and striking
picture book that would be suitable for readers of any age. The
story is of a young girl who creatively constructs a bird from
objects she finds in the natural world such as bones, shells and
feathers. We see her growing collection of smallish items in an old
battered case that she spreads on the floor to choose from in order
to enhance her ever-evolving bird. She adds a heart and colour but
still the bird sits as cold as a statue. The child knows that to set
her bird free she must gather it in to her hands, give it life and
gently let it go. This young girl has worked through a design
process from the conception of an idea to her final creation. This
story shows how even the smallest idea can be transformed into a
work of beauty and creativity.
The illustrations by artist Matt Ottley are simply stunning. Muted
in tones but steeped in detail they complement the text perfectly.
One reading is not enough of this book, there is so much to be
gained by poring over each page and searching for more clues to
understand the flow of the story. A truly inspiring and gentle read.
Teacher's
notes are available. Themes: Birds, Ideas, Design, Nature,
Imagination, Creating.
Kathryn Beilby
The Greatest Inventor by Ben Brooks
Hachette Children's Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781786541123.
(Age: primary) Recommended. This is a quirky story, full of whimsy.
Many children already know Ben Brook's books through the very
popular Boys who Dare to be Different 1 and 2 and Kids
who Dare to be Different. These books do not languish for long
on shelves. Brook's new book The Greatest Inventor does not
disappoint.
Victor, our hero, is a really good sort. In an unusual beginning the
prologue is narrated by the story teller who has writer's block. The
writer, lost in a forest in snowy Finland, is rescued by a boy who
subsequently becomes the hero of the story. My class of ten year
olds were captured after the prologue.
Victor feels that his little village is too boring and safe. He
desperately wants adventure. The villagers have hard, honest lives
and owe nobody anything. One day the self- styled . . . "greatest
inventor ever to set foot in the land of King Marshalla" arrives and
attempts to sell contraptions. The villagers won't buy. In anger he
casts a malicious spell over the village. Victor must release the
village from the spell. He travels with an unlikely companion a
talking turtle (tortoise?) called Saint Oswald. As they follow the
inventor, they come upon villages that are under the spell of the
inventor's contraptions. Other children, intent on rescuing their
villages, join them on their quest.
It becomes apparent that other villages have fallen into debt and
are doomed to permanent servitude. A monumental battle between the
children and the forces of evil ensures. In the end they all go home
which is where all good stories should end.
This book is a satisfying, mischievous romp - pure escapism. George
Ermos's black and white illustrations enhance the text. The children
are grounded in solid values. Sanity is restored to a world that has
lost touch with what really matters. Victor realises that he is part
of a world much bigger than himself. A delightful, fantastical romp
with a message.
Recommended for Primary aged children.
Wendy Jeffrey
Rise of the Mythix: Mighty minotaur by Anh Do
Illus. by Chris Wahl. Allen & Unwin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760876401.
(Age:10+) Recommended. The second in the series which began with Golden
Unicorn, has a heady mix of legends and myths; the
unicorn, griffin and minotaur, and also encapsulates a hardy breed
of new heroes and anti heroes, as a Soul Collector stalks Kelly's
days as her powers develop. The two fought in book one, forcing her
to take heed of the powers developing within her and do something
about it. A dystopian Australia is under the yoke of a tyrannical
ruler, and in this second outing, Kelly must combine all of her wits
and skills to defeat him after Kelly's mother is kidnapped. Now Minh
is aware that that his body is changing too and so the pair can
combine their abilities to protect those they love.
All the daring of Percy Jackson with hints of Lord of
the Rings, and many other fantasy stories, the characters in
this book are well rounded and combined with good plotting, making
it a breeze to read.
Comic book style illustrations by Chris Wahl add to the fun of the
book, giving a clear image of each of the characters and what they
are doing. And at 200 or so pages, will keep those hooked on the
series, well fed.
Themes: Adventure, Dystopia, Tyranny, Future, Myths and legends.
Fran Knight
Googol boy by John Michael
Big Sky, 2021. ISBN: 9781922387141. (Age:8+) Highly recommended.
This is a hilarious book, that I struggled to put down! It follows the story of Howie who goes from a not so clever, average student to one who is super-smart through a freak lightning accident.
We learn about many interesting characters, strange animals and there is always something going on in his life!
The trials and tribulations of his life and the mystery of the Great Quiz Trophy are the features of this story and along with slapstick humour and extreme sarcasm make you want to keep turning the pages. The dialogue that flows through the book is witty and clever, with funny names and explanations that had me in stitches. The author really knows how to create characters you wont forget.
I thought that Googol Boy was a great book for building images in your head as you read, the characters seemed to have their own voices as I read and the illustrations were so well placed throughout the book! Each illustration helped build interest and add emotion to what I had put together in my head.
The text in this book is very well spaced which I liked. There is good line spacing which makes it easier to read and is a great incentive for students who might think the book is too long and are tentative at this level of reading.
Overall a hilarious book thatI would recommend to children ages 8 and above. 4 out of 5 stars!
Ill. by Angela Harding. Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2020. ISBN:
9781526620491
(Age: 10+ ) Highly recommended. October is a girl who thinks of
herself as a wild wolf living in the woods with her equally wild
father. In the woods she is confident and self-sufficient. She
spends her days digging, climbing, running, learning, scavenging,
growing food and using her imagination to make up fantastic stories.
She does not need the 'woman who is her mother' and the only time
she feels out of her depth is on rare trips into town for supplies.
On her 11th birthday October has just adopted a baby owl. She and
her father are following their annual birthday ritual when something
terrible happens, and suddenly everything is different.
October is wrenched out of her wild life. She feels lost and angry
in equal parts and shuts down.
It takes time, bravery, love and friendship for October to let new
people into her inner circle and become open to finding something to
be excited about again.
October's relationship with her parents is a clear theme throughout.
Her father is fair, wise and warm as he guides, encourages and
protects her. Her connection with her mother is complicated and
sometimes ugly, but her mother offers unconditional love along with
great patience, grace and kindness.
Katya Balen uses long sentences to brilliantly convey the
breathlessness, anger, excitement, bewilderment and imagination of
October. The illustrations by Angela Harding show the baby owl
maturing, stretching and thriving throughout the story, mirroring
October herself.
The end is very moving and satisfying as October comes back to the
woods, where nothing and everything has changed.
"Being wild and free is different for every person and every thing
and it can be folded into the woods or whirling through the city
streets".
Includes a sneak peek at Balen's 2019 middle/upper grade novel, The
space we're in.
Themes: Family, Relationships, Imagination, Nature, Fathers,
Mothers.
Kylie Grant
Heroes next door by Samuel Johnson and Hilde Hinton
Hachette Australia, 2020. 213pp. ISBN: 9780733646362.
(Age: 13+) Recommended. Heroes next door is a collection of
40 true human stories ranging from a short three pages up to ten.
The book was written by Samuel Johnson, a high profile actor, who
has worked to raise money for a cause called loveyoursister.org. He
was joined in the writing by his older sister Hilde. Their sister
Connie died of cancer and Samuel led many public campaigns for
cancer awareness and research. This book also raises money for this.
Unsurprisingly many of the stories are about cancer sufferers and
their indomitable spirit, plus the selfless support of people around
them. For example Gail who organised the community to throw a
wedding for Manda, a woman with a terminal illness. There are also
people who have worked quietly for others in their community like
Fahim the pharmacist. Or Alison the school principal, who stood by a
student called Paige who was on a roller coaster of self-abuse. We
hear about those whose work causes considerable personal trauma but
carry on regardless, like Dianne the SES volunteer and Simon the
firie. Matt's story is maybe more well-known since there has been a
lot of publicity about how he engineered the amazing robotic
prosthetic hands which are freely given to people without hands. The
authors find everyday people with amazing backgrounds and people who
shower others with kindness.
Quiet battler stories of terminal illness, suicide, substance abuse
and domestic violence all make this very emotional and sobering
stuff. I occasionally gasped at the tragedy. However some of the
stories tell of how people in adversity turn around these
situations. They are told in short unflowery sentences which
deliver an impact. There's a lot of Aussie slang and swearing which
lightens the tone. A well-chosen story may be useful in secondary
schools for discussing values and ethical dilemmas. It is also the
sort of book you can dip into for inspiration and remind yourself of
the good others do constantly without a need for fanfare.
Jo Marshall
The dressmaker's secret by Rosalie Ham
Picador, 2020. ISBN: 9781760982027.
(Age: Adult) Tilly, the dressmaker is back! She is in hiding in
Melbourne slaving away for the demanding Mrs Flock at the Salon
Mystique, her talents in dress design gaining favour as everyone
prepares for the grand social occasion of the 1953 coronation of the
new queen. But there are people searching for her - a mysterious man
in elegant clothes, a villainous welfare officer, and a whole cast
of angry, stupid, venomous people from that horrible country town
Dungatar.
The kindhearted cross-dressing Sergeant Farrat is there to help her
as always; he and other closet fashion lovers are a source of
humour, along with the whole crazy world of the Hippocampus Club. It
is an era when single mothers and homosexuals are reviled, and
female workers are exploited, but Ham deals with these issues in a
light-hearted melodramatic way. The characters are Dickensian
stereotypes and the action is farcical, it's all just a lot of fun.
More serious attention goes to the clothes!
Having seen the 2015 film The dressmaker starring Kate
Winslett, I knew to expect a comedy about revenge, but even so I
found it hard to pull the pieces together in this sequel without
having read the first book. There are frequent references to
unexplained secrets that really demand reading the books in order.
But I am sure that readers of The dressmaker will enjoy
finding out what happens to Tilly next.
Themes: Humour, Fashion, Cross-dressing, Revenge.
Helen Eddy
A dog's perfect Christmas by W Bruce Cameron
Pan Macmillan, 2020. ISBN: 9781529010114.
(Age: Secondary/Adult) Highly recommended. Winstead, a nine year
wolf hound becomes aware one day that his Daddy is sad. His owner
gets up in the morning with aching bones and crooked fingers, and
turns to the pillow next to his where his wife once slept. Their
house has been sold to cover the debts her illness accrued, and he
is now living with his son and his family. His granddaughter comes
in each morning to wake him, but Ello is a taciturn young girl on
the brink of becoming a teen, at odds with everything around her.
Her three year old twin brothers, Ewan and Garrett cause mayhem
within the household, and mum, Juliana cannot wait to drop all three
at school and have some time to herself, going to Target for
respite. She is meeting her husband, Hunter for lunch and has
something to tell him.
Hunter is given a promotion in his office but warned that a lack of
success means being fired. He cannot understand his wife's distress
at home, and is at a loss to help with the children or his father,
Sander, who counts the pills in the medicine cabinet. This chaotic
household is very recognisable and the descriptions poignant and
very funny. The readers' involvement builds as Juliana reveals she
is very unhappy, Hunter's work nose dives into a scrambled mess,
Ello's friends bully her and she is saddled with baby sitting Dad's
boss' son, newly arrived at school. When Mum is taken to hospital
and the diagnosis becomes dire, the family grows together, helped by
the stray puppy Ello has found on her walk home from the skating
rink. Named Ruby it becomes part of the family, a crutch for the
children as they cope with their mother's illness.
This is a beautifully written story of a family and their fractured
relationships, repaired by a stray dog which adopts them. And did I
mention this story happens at Christmas, adding another layer of
stress and the cold in Michigan in December is finger numbing.
Themes: Family, Death, Christmas, Grandparents, Suicide, Pets,
Animals, Twins, Anxiety, Michigan.
Fran Knight
