ABC Books, 2020. ISBN: 9780733340888.
(Ages: 10+) This historical story set in World War II East Prussia
based on real circumstances that lead to Wolfskinder, wolf children
- lost or orphaned children at the end of the second world war, who
survived by living wild (description by author listed before story
in book). This story is about these children - their life before
becoming wild and their lives being lost. Revolving around Liesl
Wolf and her younger siblings, Otto and Mia, readers find themselves
in a time where things are becoming harder for the villagers of this
East Prussia town. The majority of resources are sent to the
soldiers to assist in the war effort, and everyday items are
becoming scarce. Then Papa is drafted to the army, and Russia is
invading and everyone has to flee. Being away from home is hard
enough, but being away from parents and shelter may turn the Wolf
children wild.
This novel is a good introduction to the genre of historical WWII
fiction, focused on the real lives of civilians, who are impacted by
the war. Narrated by Liesl, who is 11 years old, the story is from
the viewpoint of a child dealing with the changes and fears that
come along with it. Simply written but descriptive and drama filled,
the author has written a book that is great for upper primary and
middle school students. While there are numerous challenges
presented to the children throughout the book, Liesl manages to keep
rallying and fights to stay together with her siblings, because she
promised her mother she would look after them. The novel describes
much of the hardships that children encountered as the smallest
victims of the war. Teacher's
notes are available.
Themes: War, hardship, family, relationships, perseverance and
resilience.
Melanie Phillips
The Odds by Matt Stanton
Harper Collins, 2020. ISBN: 9780733340635.
(Age: 8+)Recommended for primary students. This is book one of a
likeable new middle to upper primary graphic novel series by popular
Funny Kid creator Matt Stanton.
In The Odds a quiet girl called Kip is struggling to find
her place in the world. She is teased at school, has no
friends and is worrying about having to prepare a school talk about
what makes her unique.
One morning Kip wakes to find ten imaginary characters standing in
her bedroom.
All the characters are odd in their own way. For instance, one wears
a saucepan on her head, one has no bottom, one speaks in blips and
blups, while another immediately hides in Kip's bed.
Kip, her dad and the characters don't know what's going on, but all
agree the characters should go back. What follows is lots of trial
and error, chaos and misunderstandings and plenty of gentle humour.
It is easy to read and to follow the
story as it's all set out as a typical graphic novel.
Students who generally prefer graphic novels won't need a push to read
this one through to the end and it's worth doing as the story has
some wonderful messages, one of which comes from Kip's dad. He gives
some heart-warming advice about not running away when life gets hard
and instead sharing hard times with others.
In the end Kip shows that being brave enough to just be yourself is
the most important step to being happy and making friends.
Themes: friendship, imagination, adventure, feelings.
Kylie Grant
Pirate stew by Neil Gaiman
Illus. by Chris Riddell. Bloomsbury, 2020. ISBN: 9781526614728.
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended. The glorious front cover has instant
appeal for every reader, as their eyes glance over the array of
characters on the dust jacket. Two startled children at the bottom
of the cover, complete with a stuffed toy, are on either side of a
jolly pirate holding aloft a giant pot. Filling the cover pages are
wonderfully piratical images, which will entrance all readers.
Opening the book, children will see a situation not unfamiliar, that
of Mum and Dad going out and leaving them with a baby sitter. But
what a baby sitter! Long John McRon arrives complete with a rag bag
of cohorts, splendidly attired, all ready to help, but when they
open the fridge to cook tea for the children, find there is nothing
there. So Long John calls out that he will make Pirate Stew, to the
delight of all his friends. Into the pot goes everything piratical
and a bit more besides until they all sit down to eat, the children
careful not to even taste theirs, then the ship develops wings and
off they fly for an adventure. Landing at Sally's Donut Shop sees
lots of cakes consumed and when they return home, Mum and Dad return
as well. Then a twist in the tale makes everyone laugh at the end of
a very funny pirate poem.
Wonderful rhymes, fun to read out loud (practise first) complete
with glorious illustrations will have children reading bits again ad
again, poring over the images, looking out for all things to do with
pirates, and then seeking out other books, and waiting for Talk Like
Pirate Day (19 September) to come around.
This is a wonderful collaboration by award winning author and
illustrator, ensuring kids will have a great deal of fun as they
turn each page.
Themes: Pirates, Family, Cooking, Humour, Verse, Imagination.
Fran Knight
Then Tina met Will by Cheryl Williss
Wakefield Press, 2020. ISBN: 9781743057612.
(Age: Senior secondary / Adult) Recommended. Non-fiction. A sixth
generation Australian, Cheryl Willis has thoroughly researched the
history of her ancestors, struggling young families who sought
escape from famine, poverty and the often desperate circumstances of
their lives in the UK, France and Germany, launching on a perilous
journey to seek a new and better life on the other side of the
world. They were long journeys on ships, with people huddled in
cramped conditions, and many, including children, losing their lives
at sea. But all were seized by the hope to make a new future.
The first stories, from the 1800s, reveal the hardships of the
times, hard labouring jobs, illiteracy, women with one pregnancy
after another, high infant mortality rates, disease and early death.
But the families made a go of it, clearing land, establishing farms,
building businesses, taking up opportunities that would never have
been available to them in their home countries.
Among the stories is that of the English lace workers, refugees from
Calais, France, shipped to South Australia, welcomed and provided
with assistance to start a new life as mechanics and unskilled
labourers. Some were able to join in the rush to the gold fields of
Victoria.
Senior secondary students studying early Australian history will be
interested in the original accounts of the mining industry in Broken
Hill, the harsh conditions, with lead poisoning, physical injury and
high death rates, leading to unionism and the fight for workers'
rights. Also of interest is the account of the conscription debate
during World War I, with excerpts from local newspapers putting
different views.
Williss' family history research has value for all who have an
interest in the early settlers in South Australia and New South
Wales, each section of the family tree a story in its own. For
history students, it is an excellent example of the use of primary
sources to build a picture of the past. And for the general reader
it is a timely reminder that the settlement of Australia has a long
history of people venturing their lives on dangerous boat journeys
to build a new future.
Helen Eddy
Whose bones? by Chihiro Takeuchi
Berbay Publishing, 2020. ISBN: 9780648785163.
(Ages: 2-5) Recommended. This book comprises an interactive guessing
game that asks readers to guess the animal from its bones. The
challenge is made harder because the bones are not presented in
skeletal form but scattered in random across the page. A picture
clue, in the form of what the animal eats is given for each. The
vertebrate animals presented include a flamingo, an elephant and a
crocodile. There is also another page towards the end of the book
where we see six different animals and their complete skeleton.
Children will find it easier to guess these animals than the jumbled
up skeletons. Also included are some fun, boney facts about some of
the animals featured within the book (i.e., an elephant's trunk has
no bones, the blue whale has the largest bones of any living animal,
sharks don't have any bones). It also tells us that adult humans
typically have 206 bones.
Young ones will also enjoy looking at the simplified human skeleton
on the endpapers (and will giggle at the robot and alien skeletons).
This is a beautifully designed interactive book that children will
love reading time and time again. Takeuchi's paper cut illustrations
are simple but eye-catching and the skeletal details are
scientifically accurate. It is perfect for developing a curiosity
about science and the natural world and for encouraging questions
and discussions around different lifeforms. Its short text and
simple design make it perfect for even the youngest readers but it
will also be thoroughly engaging for the older end of the target
market.
Themes: Animal skeletons, Vertebrate animals.
Nicole Nelson
Willow Moss and the forgotten tale by Dominique Valente
Illus. by Sarah Warburton. Starfell book 2. HarperCollins
Children's Books, 2020. ISBN: 9780008308445. 297pp.
(Ages: 8-12) Recommended. Willow Moss and the forgotten tale
is the second in the Starfell series. Willow is a young
witch who has the ability to make things appear but when things
start to disappear her mother and sisters really don't help and she
loses her confidence. Willow has also been extremely sad since
Granny Flossy died on her last mission to find a lost day. However
the disappearance of her friend Nolin Sometimes impels her to leave
home and go on a new quest to find him. On her journey she is helped
by a wizard called Hollaway, a raven/boy called Sprig, Feathering
the dragon and Essential a young witch friend, amongst many others.
Oswin is her constantly grumbling cat-like companion she carts
around in a carpetbag. He doesn't really provide much help but
offers much light relief, especially in his efforts to inform people
he isn't a cat but a Kobald. They all have some pretty serious
challenges to combat as they travel via Wisperia, Library, the Mists
of Mitlaire and ultimately the dangers of Netherfell.
This tale is jam-packed with fantastic characters, places and
events. At times it is a bit grim and scary but Oswin's humorous
asides and the many terrific illustrations help lighten the feel of
the story. It will help readers to have read Willow
Moss and the lost day to understand places and
characters. Willow is a strong girl character who becomes more sure
of her magical powers especially when so many put their faith in
her. There are themes of choosing to belong to those doing good
versus evil and being true to yourself and your beliefs but
ultimately this is non-stop adventure. This book has set the
situation up for further major battles as evil protagonists seek to
have control over all the magic in Starfell and Netherfell. It may
appeal to those who liked The
legends of Eerie-on-Sea series or Nevermoor
series.
Jo Marshall
The tunnel of dreams by Bernard Beckett
Text Publishing, 2020. ISBN: 9781922330185.
(Age: 7-10) Highly recommended. Identical twins are always
considered special, the way they look the same, can finish each
other's sentences and dream the same dreams. But to the main
characters in this story, Arlo and Stefan, none of these matters
until they discover Alice living in the abandoned house in their
street. Her twin has been captured and hung in a cage above a
strange mine in a parallel universe and she needs the help of
another set of twins to be rescued. Would the boys believe any of
that if Alice told them? She doesn't think so and decides it would
be better to lure them to the other world and deal with the truth as
they need to know it later.
The boys travel through a mysterious tunnel at midnight on a night
with a full moon and land in a world that has many surprising
similarities to theirs. Alice has been there before and knows much
more than she is telling them, but they see she is desperate to
rescue her sister and decide they will do what is needed to help
her. The story follows their quest and the way they learn to use the
magic that is hidden within themselves in this strange world.
Ultimately, they must consider that nothing can be deemed impossible
until you try it, such as talking to animals, sending telepathic
messages and learning to fly. Who can they trust to help them and
are all the people they meet exactly as they seem?
The characters develop brilliantly through the story and they learn
to trust each other through their efforts to plan and execute their
daring rescue mission. The message here is that loyalty is one of
the most important virtues that helps develop good friendships. This
a fast-paced adventure will appeal to middle primary children and
would be a great class novel to read out aloud.
Bernard Beckett is an award-winning author from New Zealand. Teaching
notes are available. Themes: Time-travel, Courage, Twins,
Quests, Friendship.
Gabrielle Anderson
The book of mythical beasts and magical creatures by Stephen Krensky
Illus. by Pham Quang Phuc. D.K. Publishing, 2020. ISBN:
9780241423950.
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. The information on the back cover
informs readers that they will "meet favourite monsters, fairies,
heroes, and tricksters from all around the world" and they certainly
will. This excellent, well produced book will delight fans of myths
and legends and inform those who are looking to find information
about the mythical world.
The book is split into 8 chapters: Our Mysterious World, Good and
Evil, Tricksters, Shape-Shifters, Almost Human, Creatures of the
Deep, Winged Wonders, and Beasts of the World, each one subdivided
with the names of the creatures featured. At the back of the book is
an A-Z of the creatures with the meaning of their name and a short
paragraph about their origin. There is also a glossary and Index as
well as Acknowledgements, all ensuring that this is a reference book
that is easily accessible to a person who wants to research one of
the mythical creatures, while those who like to flick through will
also find themselves stopping and reading constantly.
After the Introduction, the first creature featured is Ymir, in
Norse mythology the first frost giant. There is a beautiful
illustration on half of the double page spread and then a page
describing their importance for Norse mythology. This format is
followed throughout the book which features creatures from all over
the world in each section. There is the Dirawong, "a protective
lizard-like creature of Australian Aboriginal Dreamtime", Taniwha,
mythical being of Maori legend, and Garuda, "noble winged creature
from Hindu mythology", to mention just a few. To make the book even
more helpful, the reader is lead to other similar myths from a See
also section at the bottom of the page.
Readers are going to be able to quickly research individual
creatures and read up on ones that they may have heard about but did
not know much about. For example, the information about the Wendigo,
"legendary evil spirit with a taste for human flesh" answered all my
questions about this creature.
The illustrations are fabulous. I particularly loved the red Kraken
that terrorises sailors, and Tengu, a bird-like creature from
Japanese folklore, jumped out of the page with his scary long nose
and handful of fire.
This is a must have for fans of myths and legends, with its well
laid out, easy to read and understand information and would be a
very useful reference book in the classroom and library.
Pat Pledger
Poopy Pants and Potty Rants by Dale Thomas
Illus. by Alison Mutton. Albert Street Books, 2020. ISBN:
9781760876883.
(Age: 2-5) Highly recommended. With gorgeous illustrations by Alison
Mutton, this hilarious story is one to bring a smile to the faces of
all parents and would be an ideal gift for those with young
children. AFL star Dale Thomas has written a heart-warming story
about the trials and joys of toilet training. Rather than
concentrating on his football career, he has written a humorous and
encouraging book that will be a helpful guide for parents and one
that gives a very positive slant on being a father. Hey there, kiddo! The time is right for you. You're going to learn the big-kid way to do a wee and poo!
From then on, the story goes through a series of familiar but funny
occasions of all the times that toilet training is necessary. Both
the narrative and the illustrations create an upbeat look at toilet
training. There are little hints along the way about toilet training
and a reward chart and 120 stickers can be found at the back of the
book.
The illustrator has used her extensive skills in portraying Dale
Thomas himself and his little daughter Tilly as he tries to show her
how to go to the toilet. The warmth of the family unit, with scenes
of family barbeques, children playing boisterously and father and
mother cheering the little girl on are delightful. Readers will be
entranced by the pictures of daily life, and love to follow the
antics of the little cat and dog that are featured on most pages. Poopy Pants and Potty Rants is a winner! It made me smile the
whole way through and will be a must have for parents who are trying
to toilet train a child.
Pat Pledger
Puffin Little Explorer: The Ocean
Penguin Random House Australia, 2020. ISBN: 9781760897666.
(Age: 6-10) Little Explorer: The Ocean is one of the newly
released titles in the Puffin Little series celebrating 80
years of Puffin. So far, this series has contained titles about Composting,
the Solar
system, Snacks
(cooking), Robotics
and The
Anzacs all aimed at readers from the age of about 6
years of age according to the publishers.
The content of this unpretentious nonfiction book is accurate and
well-written in a way that makes it easy to read from front to back.
The books have a contents page, glossary, a fast facts section and a
short quiz at the end of the book but no Index. The illustrations
are black or blue line drawings and pictures which complement the
old-fashioned look of this series. This could also be the reason
they are so well priced for a nonfiction book at just $12.99 per
title.
The book includes information about the difference between oceans
and seas, what lives in coastal waters, open ocean, deep ocean and
the polar waters. I loved the chapter towards the end of the book
which sets out the careers that children can aim for if they wish to
work in and around oceans. The section about caring for our oceans
is also a welcome inclusion.
It is detailed and comprehensive with quite difficult language and a
large amount of text for a book that is aimed at readers as young as
6. At first glance inside this book I assumed this title to be more
suitable for children aged over 8 but the Puffin who narrates
through the book keeps reminding the reader that they are a Little
explorer and Penguin advertises the series is for early readers. I
think children as old as 10 would find the information in this book
helpful for research and reluctant readers may find this format more
approachable than a traditional nonfiction book. Themes: Oceans,
Biodiversity, Sea Creatures, Seas.
Gabrielle Anderson
Spotlight by Solli Raphael
Penguin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760898410.
(Age: Adolescent) Highly recommended. This is an wonderfully
enlightening and extraordinary book, partly resonating with readers
through Solli's passionate performance pieces and partly through his
addressing us in his call to all human beings of the world to
consider and act to keep our world, our land, forests, seas and all
creatures safe. Solli Raphael, 15 years old, has been a slam poet
for some time, using his voice to call us to acknowledge how and
what we should be doing right NOW. While he also addresses adults,
his call to action is very much presented as a challenge to young
people all over the world. The photo on the cover shows Solli with
his hand on his heart, and indeed his eyes, and his heartfelt plea
alert us to his passion: the imminent threats that we face if we
fail to act; the dire need to protect our world, all the people and
creatures that live on this world; and of course the land, air, sea
and sky.
His diverse options include forming particular groups to act in
specific areas, asking us to consider addressing local schools,
adolescents and adults, asking all people to plan, to make
decisions, and to act. This plea is redolent with his intense
concern and determination to make us aware of the threats that we
face if we fail to enact change. Addressing many groups using his
slam poetry, writing letters, and suggesting specific action, he
challenges us to plead with our family, friends, neighbours,
politicians, and people all over the world, to band together and
pledge to act to save this wonderful but threatened world in which
we live.
This is a striking book, full of practical tips, and full of
passion. Indeed, Solli's thoughts and suggestions are so relevant in
these times, across the whole world in terms of our actions, and our
choices. His hope is that we will listen, think and act - not only
to protect our air and our seas, but also to safeguard all the
people of the world, all the lands of the earth, particularly
challenging us to make specific choices to protect our atmosphere as
well. This powerful book is very highly recommended for adolescent
readers, and indeed for their parents and indeed for politicians and
all adults of this precious planet Earth.
Elizabeth Bondar
Fairy tales gone bad: Zombierella by Joseph Coelho
Illus. by Freya Hartas. Walker Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781406389661.
(Age: 9+). Recommended for readers who appreciate dark humour.
Warning though that this book may upset sensitive children.
In time for Halloween, this is the first of a planned series of
three dark fairy tales. A librarian discovers an unloved collection
of books that are deteriorated, cracked and swollen. The question is
whether foul changes on the outside of a book mean the story inside
is changed too?
Starting with the story of Cinderella, we see the answer is yes. The
overall tale is somewhat familiar yet has become twisted and rotten.
Cinderella lives with her 'fake' mother and sisters who treat her
badly and are deliberately disgusting. A prince announces a series
of balls to find a wife, and the 'fakes' all swan off to the first
ball.
A freak accident creates Zombierella. She makes it to the ball too
and meets the prince. She endures more ill treatment before we find
out whether she lives 'happily ever after'.
Joseph Coelho (poet, playwright and younger children's author) has
created a darkly funny story as his first book for middle-grade
readers.
He uses a range of devices to maintain interest: the story is
written entirely in verse, switching between rhyming and free verse.
The text flows easily and is simple to read while still including
delightfully descriptive language (for example the family never
'say' anything - they phlegm, drone, flap and more).
For sensitive children, warning that there are multiple deaths (of
people and animals), amputations, digging up graves, bones sticking
out and innards on the outside of a body. The family treat each
other badly and the mother inflicts a terrible injury without a
second thought.
There are dark illustrations on every page that bring the story to
life (so to speak!) - these are detailed and moody but are also
cartoon-like which ensures they are not too realistic or graphic.
Themes: Death, Relationships, Fairy tale (fractured), Verse, Family.
Kylie Grant
The dictionary of lost words by Pip Williams
Affirm Press, 2020. ISBN: 9781925972597.
(Age: Secondary/Adult) Recommended. The story of Esme is set against
a time of immense change for women in Britain. She is part of the
tide sweeping the nation as it grapples with women's suffrage then
braces for war, a war which saw an acceleration of those changes
when women were drafted into the workforce.
Esme sits with her lexicographer father as he works in the
Scriptorium, a shed in Oxford where words are collected, discussed,
debated and given a place in the compilation of the Oxford English
Dictionary, or sometimes cast aside. Sitting beneath the table where
the scholars work, young Esme comes across a rejected slip with the
word 'bondmaid' and she scoops it up to put in Lizzie's trunk, the
first of many words pertaining to women, rejected by the
lexicographers. Lizzie has looked after her since her mother died,
and Esme questions whether Lizzie is a bondmaid, a question which
keeps resurfacing.
Over the years, Esme becomes one of the researchers in the
Scriptorium, a position usually only taken by men and she needs
special permission to enter the Oxford libraries, usually only open
to men. She meets an actress and is often seen at the theatre
watching her, only to become pregnant to her brother. Her child is
adopted by a couple who then move to Adelaide, and Esme returns to
her life in the Scrippy. Over the years she becomes more aware of
the position women have in society and emboldened, argues, usually
unsuccessfully, for words to be included in the dictionary.
She keeps on collecting words that are rejected, and she collects
some for herself. Her ear becomes attuned to new words, especially
by women unnoticed by scholars, and she writes them down with an
example of its use along with the author of the word and the date.
Lizzie's trunk becomes a repository of women's words, words that
will never find a place in the dictionary being compiled.
This wonderful tale, with the endearing characters of Esme and Lizzie
set alongside the reality of the Scriptorium, Dr Murray and his
researchers, resonates with authenticity as we watch the compiling
of this dictionary paralleling the emancipation of women but
oblivious to it. It is ironic that such a momentous change is barely
recognised by these men sitting in judgement over which words will
be included, and Esme's lost words underscore this irony, her 'Dictionary
of Lost Words' published privately by her husband as a token of
his love and esteem.
Throughout the story, words are presented which provoke thought and
deliberation, bringing the reader to question why these were not
included, and giving another layer of interest to an already highly
involving story.
Themes: Women's suffrage, Emancipation, World War One, Oxford
English Dictionary, Oxford, Lexicography.
Fran Knight
Bandits by Sha'an D'Anthes
Hachette, 2020. ISBN: 9780734419675.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Fern lives in a drab, colourless city where
everything looks the same and everyone keeps to themselves. She
loves to read, especially reading of times long ago when there were
trees where there are now buildings. One night bandits steal into
the city to steal, scattering rubbish all through the streets. She
follows the bandits out of the city and finds that they live in a
forest full of colour and trees. She is unsure but the two bandits
introduce themselves and she looks at the rubbish they have
collected from the city. She is astounded that they collect rubbish
until they show her that the rubbish is still usable to plant and
grow more trees.
She remains with her new friends, realising that the world is more
vast than she thought and she helps with tree planting.
This arresting book with its colour filled pages, will encourage
children to think about the things they waste. Food waste is a
growing problem and this book will initiate discussion about this
issue in the classroom, leading to children taking their own steps
with the school and at home. There are more books being published at
the moment alerting younger readers to the issue, nonfiction (What
a waste by Jess French and Family
guide to waste-free living by Lauren Carter), and
fiction (The
Tindims of Rubbish Island, by Sally Gardner and Jelly-boy
by Nicole Godwin, for example.)
And in this book, Fern finds like-minded people who become her
friends, working to undo the damage done to the planet.
Sha'an's first book was Zoom
(2017).
Theme: Waste, Recycling, Friendship.
Fran Knight
Everything in its right place by Tobias McCorkell
Transit Lounge, 2020. ISBN: 9781925760606.
(Age: Senior secondary / Adult) Recommended. Ford McCullen is a
teenager growing up in the rough neighbourhood of Coburg, in the
shadow of Pentridge Prison. However thanks to a legacy from his
grandmother (his father's mother) he gets to attend the posh school
in Toorak, including violin lessons. It is this dichotomy that is at
the heart of the book. The scene is set for us from the first
chapter when an encounter with Moose the tough kid of his
neighbourhood, and a wild ride on the back of a quad bike, sees him
waving goodbye to his violin.
Ford lives with his mother and his grandparents; his mother is not
coping, and his estranged father's various male partners are not
easy to live with. In fact there are some quite horrible scenes of
abuse in his father's place, but the whole story is told with a kind
of humour that accepts that is just the way life is. Life is rough,
Ford's mates are into drink, drugs, and hooliganism and Ford drifts
along with them.
His grandparents have great expectations of him, but his teachers,
and even his school friends, do not. They are actually surprised if
he performs well or if he says something intelligent. Because that
is not the kind of person they take him for.
McCorkell's novel deals with issues of class, teenage delinquency,
abuse, and mental illness, but it is not hard to read. The humour
carries it along, and while there are poignant moments, we know that
Ford will survive, perhaps even surprise everybody including
himself.
Themes: Families, Identity, Coming of age, Mental health, Abuse,
Class divisions.
Helen Eddy
