Reviews

The LEGO Games Book: 50 fun brainteasers, games, challenges, and puzzles! by Tori Kosara

Dorling Kindersley Ltd, 2020. ISBN: 9780241409466.
(Age: 7+) Highly recommended. A great book for all those LEGO fans, The LEGO Games Book gives 50 interesting games and things to do with LEGO. It also has small bricks and figures that come with the book. These can be used in conjunction with other LEGO pieces that will be in any household which contains people who love to play.
The games span a large variety of things to do. TIC-TAC-TOE caught my eye on a quick flick through the book. It has clear instructions on how to build a board with nine squares and choose five game pieces of one design for each of the two players. Some of the games, like Whisper It, require a player to write down ideas and others challenge players to use patience and skill like Sliding Squares where a picture must be built and Impossible Puzzle where a puzzle has to be taken apart without breaking the whole thing. Another one that I liked was Sort-A-Thon, where the bricks were sorted by colour, type, size of shape, trying to beat the clock, or using a blindfold to feel the shape of the bricks. Of course, with any of the DK quality products, this book has a clear and easy to scan Contents page which allows the user to find games quickly.
All the family will certainly have fun with the games in this book, and it will be a wonderful tool to have on hand for those people who have a bucket of bricks and want to make something different. It would also be a perfect present for any LEGO lover.
Pat Pledger

Eric by Shaun Tan

Allen & Unwin 2020. ISBN: 9781760877972.
(Age: All) Highly recommended. Told from the perspective of a child welcoming an exchange student into his home, this story reveals the levels of misunderstanding that exist between people. Tan explores the efforts made on both sides to communicate, cooperate and find common ground, but all to no avail.
The family cannot pronounce his name so call him Eric. He prefers to sleep in the pantry, a cultural thing, says Mum, despite the family having prepared a room for him with new furniture and rugs. The boy takes him places, showing him things that he sees as important or interesting to an exchange student, but the newcomer sees different things, picking up small objects he spies on the ground, collecting things that seem to be of no value to his host.
It is only when Eric has left that the family opens the pantry and see what he has left them: reminders of all he saw, the little things he valued during his stay with the family, things they overlooked and saw as having no value. A reminder that we should not dismiss the things that someone else values, that communication is the basis of understanding, not assumptions or preconceived ideas.
Eric was first included in Tan's Tales from outer suburbia (2009), then published as a small single volume in 2015. And at a time when people need to be encouraged to remember that while we may be different we have far more in common, this new publication is most opportune.
A tale of missed opportunities, of neglecting to open one's eyes to what is in front of them, of seeing things when it is too late, Eric calls out for people to be more responsive, to take note, to be aware.
Tan's illustrations are full of poignant moments, as the boy and the exchange student move together, but apart. Using pencil and collage he creates tender scenes out of very little: the student buckled into his car seat, small and bewildered; picking up the scraps from the ground, interested and questioning but receiving little response; trying to make sense of the world he is living in - checking out the power plug, the cereal packet, the stamp, the plug hole. All the differences he spots are indecipherable, making his gift when he leaves all the more arresting in his attempt to communicate what his stay meant to him.
Themes: Communication, Difference, Fear, Xenophobia, Prejudice, Assumptions.
Fran Knight

We love you Magoo by Briony Stewart

Puffin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760896904.
(Age: 3+) Recommended. In short rhyming phrases, the story of Magoo, the family dog, unfolds as they try to restrict his behaviour, letting him know exactly what is his to eat, drink and play with in the house. He is testing them, seeing just how far he can go, while they are trying to restrict his behaviour, letting him know what he can and cannot do in the house. But training a dog has its difficulties, especially such a cute dog as Magoo with his angelic ears and large pleading eyes. At breakfast time he is sure the eggs on a plate on the table are for him, but he is shown the less attractive bowl on the floor; getting into the house has its problems as he scratches on the door, only to be shown a dog flap in the door just for him; while having a drink does not mean leaning into the toilet bowl, getting the blue all over the floor, instead he is to use the water bowl on the floor. Each set of four pages shows the dog doing something he is not to do, while over the page offering the behaviour that is acceptable.
It is a wonderfully funny way to show readers the sort of behaviour acceptable for a dog to display in a house, teaching them the rudiments of training an animal. Humour abounds as the dog leaps its way through the house, begging at the table, scratching at the door, rummaging through the pot plants, sitting in the car and drinking from the toilet bowl. Children will laugh with recognition at the behaviours shown by the dog, and offer stories of what their dog does that is naughty. Magoo's training is expressed in rhyming lines, making this a wonderful read aloud, asking children to predict the rhyming words, and when the book is read again, as it will be, they will learn some of the lines to join in. The expressions on the dog's face are wonderfully apt, showing him pleased, contrite, saddened, exuberant and hang dog, while the last page is full of love, showing the best way to discipline an animal is with kindness (and food).
Themes: Dogs, Animals, Training, Behaviour, Humour.
Fran Knight

Revenge, a murder in three parts by S. L. Lim

Transit Lounge, 2020. ISBN: 9781925760583.
(Age: Adult) Recommended. The prologue to this story reveals 'the demon brother', the large bulky figure who knows how to menace with just a shift of his powerful shoulders and a sudden quiet of his voice. Little Yannie is powerless against him. His cruelty is laughed off by her parents because he is the favoured son: Shan is one they will grant every wish, every opportunity. Yannie has to give up her dreams of going to university, she is the one who has to stay and care for her parents in their dementia and last years, and she is the one turned out of their Singapore home when the son ultimately inherits everything. Her life is one of missed opportunities; her girlfriend and secret love, Shuying, chooses the security of marriage, and Jun, her long suffering admirer, will never be a satisfying intellectual companion. Almost in an aside, Yannie vows to 'kill that man' - Shan, her brother.
What follows next is a surprise. Yannie goes to Sydney to stay with her wealthy brother and his family, and forms a friendship with Evelyn, Shan's wife, and Kat, his daughter, the two women she should resent most, the women who seem to have everything, taking for granted the opportunities always denied Yannie.
This is not your usual murder story, it is intriguing in the turns it takes, the relationships are complex, and Yannie herself is a strange self-contained person for whom we can only guess at the emotions beneath the surface. Highly original, I recommend this story for readers interested in exploring modern multicultural Australian literature.
Themes: Bullying, Domestic violence, Women's role, Parental expectations.
Helen Eddy

Sherlock Bones and the sea-creature feature by Renee Treml

Allen & Unwin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760525262.
(Age: Primary students) Recommended. This is a fun graphic novel; it has some mystery in the story with a couple of twists, and you think the mystery is solved only to find out there is more to it.
This novel includes some interesting facts about the habitats and animals that are featured throughout the story.
Sherlock Bones solves mysteries with his partners Watts and Grace. Watts doesn't say much and Grace is easily distracted, but together they manage to solve the mystery in the museum. They have fun on the way, meeting some interesting animals who live in the museum and who shouldn't be in the museum. They learn some facts about the exhibits as they try and solve the mystery.
The illustrations in this novel are really good and tell as much of the story as the words do.
This is a great read with fun, adventure and mystery. This novel will appeal to a wide range of readers.
I recommend this novel for primary students.
Karen Colliver

Aunty's wedding by Miranda Tapsell and Joshua Tyler

Illus. by Samantha Fry. Allen & Unwin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760524838.
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. The joy of an approaching wedding is shown through the growing excitement of the narrator as she asks questions about what they are all wearing to the event.
Why does Grandma wear a hat? Can she wear flowers? What about her brother? What is Grandma practising with her hands? Each question delivers a response telling the reader a little more of the culture of the Tiwi Islands, north of Darwin. The names of many of the family as well as the flowers for her hair, the bangles and flowers worn by the bride are given in language, adding another level of interest and involvement for the readers.
When the people move to the church where the ceremony is to be held, the biggest question is asked, why do people have a wedding.
Grandma's answer reveals the closeness of family in the islands, where love, culture and family are entwined, but above all love is most treasured dance of all.
Supported with wonderfully bright, vivacious illustrations, full of movement and verve, the story of the lead up to aunty's wedding will be read and read again as the children learn more about Tiwi culture from the text and illustrations. The digital illustrations use the designs of Tiwi Designs, creating an almost collage effect on some pages which depict women's clothing.
Miranda Tapsell's background shines through, her Larrakia heritage supporting all she does, whether co writing Top End Wedding with Joshua Tyler, acting in the successful film, or writing children's books. Joshua Tyler, an writer and actor for film and television brings his considerable talent to this undertaking and the whole is wonderfully supported with Samantha Fry's illustrations, reflecting her indigenous heritage, descended from Dagoman people from around Katherine. I eagerly anticipate more from this talented trio. Teacher's tips and downloadable activities are available from the publisher.
Theme: Aboriginal themes, Northern Territory, Tiwi islands, Weddings.
Fran Knight

The History of Mischief by Rebecca Higgie

Fremantle Press, 2020. ISBN: 9781925816266.
(Age: Young Adult/Adult). Highly recommended. Rebecca Higgie's young adult novel The History of Mischief is an excellent debut from a new Australian author. The History of Mischief is the worthy winner of the 2019 Fogarty Literary Award, a prize for unpublished manuscripts by young authors.
The novel is unique in both structure and content. The story focusses on nine year old Jessie who has recently lost her parents in a tragic accident that also left her scarred, both physically and emotionally. Jessie lives with her older sister Kay, who is struggling to cope with her new parental responsibilities. One day, Jessie finds a strange book hidden in a secret compartment in the floor: The History of Mischief. The stories in the book unfold chapter by chapter as Jessie and Kay read about the mischief makers of history. We see the world evolve through the eyes of Alexander the Great's slave in Ancient Greece, a servant of Ptolemy III in Ancient Egypt, Mulan's mother in Ancient China and a woman living in Paris during Napoleon's abdication, just to name a few. Interspersed are chapters from Jessie's viewpoint as she begins to commit her own acts of mischief.
The History of Mischief is a very unique and enjoyable novel for those interested in history and 'stories within stories'. It is also a novel of two sisters struggling to relate to each other and process their enormous grief, pain and guilt; a journey that is handled with empathy and skill by Higgie. The History of Mischief is highly recommended for both young adults and adults alike. Teacher's notes are available. Themes: Family, Sisters, Grief, History, Libraries.
Rose Tabeni

The lost library by Jess McGeachin

Puffin Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781760892715.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Moving house, Oliver takes his most precious possessions, his books. He loves them all, and in his bedroom, he finds a book possibly left by the last occupiers of the house. He wants to keep it but knows that it belongs to someone else, because inside the front cover, is a message to return it to the Lost Library. And so the book becomes a mystery, Oliver must find this place to take back the book. The only one who offers advice about finding the lost library is his new neighbour, Rosie. She knows just the place to start the search. Putting the book into the return chute the two slide down with the book and find themselves in the lost library, a marvellous place full of books about the most exciting and interesting of things. Oliver is worried that they too are lost and will not be able to find their way out, but Rosie takes the lead as they make their way through a host of books. They sail through a storm, Oliver worried until Rosie finds book of knots and can tie up the sails. They come to a deep forest and following a path which peters out but they come across a flight of stairs which turns out to be a dragon. Oliver is worried but Rosie tells him everyone likes a story and reads one until the dragon falls asleep, and they can return to the library and home.
This charming tale of books and the pleasure we gain by reading, will be a favourite amongst librarians and others as they entice children into seeing all the wonders that await them in the library. A host of ideas escape from this wonderful book: the multitudinous subjects that can be found in books, the excitement of reading them for yourself, the wonder of listening to a story being read out loud, exploring the library shelves, the worlds that can be created within one's head, the creatures that exist in reality and imagination, the pleasure of finding out for yourself. Libraries offer these and more to all who enter the doors, and this book will spirit its readers away into worlds of imagination and adventure through the journey of Oliver and Rosie.
Melbourne based author/illustrator, Jess McGeachin loves leaving clues for eagle eyes to find in his work, and readers will find a dragon on each page if they look hard enough. Themes: Libraries, Imagination, Reading.
Fran Knight

Loveless by Alice Oseman

HarperCollins, 2020. ISBN: 9780008244125.
(Age: Older adolescents - Adult) Brilliant in its explanation of love, captivating in a beautifully empathetic consideration of friendship and human relationships, Alice Oseman's new book reveals some of the ways in which human beings are different. In this emotive tale, Oseman focuses on the areas of love, loyalty, sexuality, friendship, support and kindness.
Having successfully been offered a place at University after completing her schooling, Georgia is assigned to share a room with a young woman whom she has not met before. Learning to adapt to such a situation prompts her to seek a considered understanding of who she is herself, and to ponder what drives her. When she joins a dramatic society, Georgia meets new people, and in this world of play-acting, she becomes aware of, and is deeply puzzled by, her notion of herself, in terms of what drives her, and in what loving friendship means to her.
When she finally discovers the reason for her inability to 'fall in love' or to desire a sexual relationship, she is stunned, initially. She is determined to come to terms with her diagnosis and is moved deeply when her dear friends pledge ongoing, loving support. Knowing that she is 'aromantic' and 'asexual', Georgia realizes that she had often felt intimidated, indeed throughout her adolescence, by her indifference to the idea of romance or strong sexual attraction to anyone else. The diagnosis finally enables her to face life with a new sense of who she is, and to think about what is important to her in this newly considered version of herself.
This compassionate story would be appropriate for older adolescent and adult readers.
Elizabeth Bondar

Pink! by Margaret Wild

Illus. by Judith Rossell. Working Title Press, 2020. ISBN: 9781460757499.
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. When the little dinosaur is born, the last of the eggs, she is pink. Mum and Dad think her cute and adorable, beautiful and pretty and sweet. She basks in their love.
But as she grows she is not so impressed. Her favourite game is hide and seek, and how can she hide from all the other young dinosaurs when her colour does not blend in as theirs do, she is always obvious and so easily the first to be found. She is most annoyed. She complains to her Mother, now sitting on a new clutch of eggs, and Mum reminds her that it is hard to be different, but that no one else is as sweet and pretty as she. She complains that she wants to be brave and smart, but Mum rejoins that she should be happy with who she is.
One day the hide and seek game becomes very boisterous with all the young dinosaurs racing off to find new places to play. They stray far from home and as it gets darker, and begins to rain they take shelter in a cave while Pink climbs the hill to see if she can attract someone's attention, after all her pink colour will stand out.
All is happily resolved as the pink becomes a stand out colour to be noticed by the pterodactyl, who then report back to the parents and the lost group is found. Everyone is thrilled with Pink, she has been brave and smart, just like she wanted, while Mum's new offspring are just the ticket for her to lead around, playing hide and seek, with all their pink bodies partly hidden, but no one can tell which is which.
A charming tale of being happy with who you are, of accepting difference, this book will have many eager readers, encouraging children to be more inclusive, to be happy that they are different, because those differences are what makes us who we are.
And kids will just love looking at the dinosaurs and working out which is which.
Themes: Difference, Self image, Self awareness, Dinosaurs.
Fran Knight

Lightfall: The girl & the Galdurian by Tim Probert

The Helen Keller quote at the beginning of this beautifully illustrated graphic novel asserts “Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light”. The Pig Wizard’s adopted daughter Bea and her irrepressible companion Cad take us on an adventure that is all about darkness, light and friendship. While Bea is out collecting ingredients for one of their potions she loses her footing high in a tree. Cad happens to be nearby and catches her as she falls. It seems he is on his way to see the Pig Wizard who might be able to translate a document in the language of the Galdurian, a race that was thought to have died out 500 years ago. Cad appears to be the last of his kind but is searching for others. When they get back to Bea’s home the Pig Wizard has disappeared and something sinister seems to be awakening. They find a note from the Wizard indicating he is looking for ‘The Seal of the Restless Sleeper” and that she should keep the jar of light safe at all times.

As they set out to find the Pig Wizard they face many challenges but with Bea’s courage and Cal’s optimism and great strength they endure what seems to be the first part of an epic journey. The world of Lightfall is in the vein of Lord of the Rings with warm coloured pastoral landscapes intertwined with cold dark sinister threats. Bea struggles with panic attacks and self-doubt but she bravely carries on while Cad refuses to believe his race is extinct and insists of looking at the bright side of things. Lightfall is a lovely story, which will appeal to lovers of fantasy. Well-paced, beautifully drawn and carefully constructed, look out for the next instalment. Teacher's notes are available.

Themes Friendship, Fantasy, Quests, Adventure.

Sue Speck

Nala the koala illus. by Penny Min Ferguson

Penguin Random House Australia, 2020. ISBN: 9781760898830.
(Age: 3+) Recommended. Children will empathise with Nala, the little koala who has lost her home and will be thrilled to learn that the purchase of this book will help her and other animals to survive bushfires and other disasters. Royalties are donated to WIRES, (NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service Inc.) an organisation that has been 'rescuing and caring for wildlife for over 30 years and is the largest wildlife rescue organisation in Australia.'
The illustrations show a sad little koala trudging along a path, swag on her back, flames in the distance. Nala the koala needs a new home and she tries out many places to live but none are suitable for her. The beach is too sandy, the street too smoky, a burrow too deep. She needs nooks for napping, gum leaves for gobbling and somewhere safe to play. At long last she finds a tree that feels like home, and there are people who arrive to help and work to replant the bush.
The narrative flows along smoothly and makes for a great read aloud. Bold black print and cute illustrations will also aid beginning readers who may want to have a go at reading for themselves.
The story shows the different types of homes that some bush animals need and the smoke that goes into the sky from some buildings is a subtle reminder of the problems that air pollution can bring to animals as well as people.
This is a timely book that will tug at the heartstrings and may encourage readers to seek out information about how they and their families could help to rescue wildlife. Lamont Books have teacher notes.
Pat Pledger

From snow to ash by Anthony Sharwood

Hachette, 2020. ISBN: 9780733645280.
(Age: Senior Secondary) The Australian Alps Walking Track (AAWT) stretches 600km from Gippsland to Canberra, a five to seven week hike that few attempt in its entirety. Journalist Anthony Sharwood's Dad introduced him to hiking and skiing, developing a lifelong passion for the Australian Alpine region, and he helps the author place food drops along the trail. The decision to take time off to walk the track in the summer of 2019/20 was partly to immerse himself in this fragile ecosystem before it is lost forever, likening it to the Great Barrier Reef, but also to re-calibrate his life and find a way forward away from a working environment he was finding intolerable. The walk certainly proves challenging, soon after starting the author experiences hypothermia on the Baw Baw plateau and he later finds blood in his urine due to extreme activity, but this is part of the journey, "once in their career, every sports journalist should feel what an athlete feels . . .until you've made decisions under mental and physical duress - which is what high-level sport is all about - you're reviewing restaurants you have never eaten at." pg. 77. But along with stress he revels in the beauty all around him, the birds and animals, the plants found nowhere else and the changes in the species of trees as he ascends and descends through climate zones. He records the damage being done by feral deer and wild horses and of course the ever increasing number of bushfires. Along the way, other walkers share stories, food and equipment "trail angels" who seem to appear just when you need them and as quickly pass on, asking nothing in return. Occasionally mountain huts offer a break from camping out, huts that have their own stories, documented in Klaus Hueneke's book Huts of the high country. Infused with observations about the natural wonders of the track and self-conscious, sometimes jarringly glib, reflections on the author's own personal journey, we are nonetheless carried along, sharing his ups and downs. He claims he is not a serious hiker, "I'm just some guy from the suburbs impersonating one", maybe that is one of the strengths of the story; if he can do this then why not try a section of the trail ourselves and become advocates for its maintenance and preservation.
The book comes with a section reviewing the equipment the author took with him, a list of references and a small map. Senior students would find this a useful book for outdoor excursions.
Sue Speck

Not cute by Philip Bunting

Scholastic, 2020. ISBN: 9781760972387.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. The intriguing endpapers invite the reader to guess what the spotty lines are all about, and opening the book will be equally taken in by Quokka, maintaining that he is anything but cute. He stands on the left hand side of the first few double pages maintaining his rage at the ignominious label, trying to get other animals to see that he is not cute.
Dingo, Lizard, Eagle, Redback all cry out that word when they see him, impelling Quokka to don a disguise. Now the animals call out to warn Quokka, but he takes off the head gear to reveal just who the animal really is. But they are not afraid of him but the real crocodile behind him. He uses his new found uncuteness to ward the crocodile off, and he is pleases with himself, until . . .
Bunting's familiar block colour images of animals encourage readers to interact with the quokka as he dons various disguises to enhance his image and repel the cute tag. Readers will laugh out loud at Quokka's attempts to be scary or deadly or dangerous or majestic, anything except what he really is and marvel at the looks on the faces of the other animals as he tries the various disguises. Bunting's quirky sense of humour is infectious, entreating the readers to explore each page and the humour levelled at those who try to change their image.
A very funny look at a Quokka and his attempts to be seen as something different, the story has parallels to everyday life when trying to be something you are not. Many themes will be discussed, body image and perception being ones that will appeal to younger readers as they grapple with how they look and what others expect of them.
'The Stubborn listen to nobody's advice and become a victim of their own delusions' is a line from Aesop, quoted on the publication page, a fitting reminder that we should be happy with who and what we are.
Themes: Body image, Difference, Appearance, Perception.
Fran Knight

Broken rules and other stories by Barry Lee Thompson

Transit Lounge, 2020. ISBN: 9781925760552.
(Age: Adult) There are linking threads weaving through this collection of short stories, one story may be a character at a different time, or a minor character in one story may be the main focus of another, they all become familiar, and together shed light on the often lonely path of a young man and his gay sexual encounters. The writing brilliantly captures the minutiae of the people and their surroundings, often down and out, in the dark streets or the empty beach, revealing the suppressed thoughts and feelings, sometimes the caring but often the cruelties in relationships. Thompson is clearly an exceptional writer but for some readers the gaze may be a little cold and unrelenting in its focus, particularly in his portrayal of women. Others will enjoy connecting the stories and the light they shine on characters and relationships.
Helen Eddy