The Wizard of Oz by Russell Hunter and L. Frank Baum. Illus. by Simona Bursi
Usborne, 2020. ISBN: 9781474968850. (Age:7+)
The classic story of Dorothy, the Tinman, the Scarecrow the Cowardly Lion, the Munchkins and the Wicked Witch of the West has been beautifully reinterpreted in this colourful graphic novel, perfect for younger readers who have not yet made the journey from Kansas to the Emerald City and just in time to be a focus for the 2021 Book Week theme of Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds.
Declared by the US Library of Congress as "America's greatest and best-loved homegrown fairytale", this is a story that all children should be familiar with given the references from it that appear in life today, and so to have it in graphic novel format which makes it accessible to newly independent readers and a whole new generation of children is a bonus. The full plot of the story is summarised here, and it could be wise to have the unabridged classic version available for those who are enticed to read that as well.
For lovers of Greek mythology and romance, this story has it all. It takes you into the woman's perspective of the time of Gods and heroes and is a feminist retelling of the ancient story of Ariadne, Theseus and the Minotaur. Ariadne is the Princess of Crete, and the Minotaur is her brother, half man half bull, the cruel result of a curse on their mother Pasiphae, punished by the gods for the greed and deceit of her husband King Minos. And that, as Ariadne is well aware, is the way of things - women continually pay the price for the faults and crimes of men.
Minos makes use of the Minotaur to instil terror throughout the lands, demanding sacrifice of seven Athenian youths and seven maidens each year to feed the monster. When Theseus arrives among the sacrificial group, Ariadne is so attracted to him, she resolves to help him slay the monster, her brother, and escape the puzzle of the labyrinth.
But the happy ending eludes Ariadne, for Theseus is as flawed as other men, and even the charming god Dionysus who comes to her aid seems to be not entirely trustworthy. Whilst humans are treated as playthings by the gods, and subject to their whims, women have it worse, powerless against both men and gods. But Ariadne is determined to assert her own power.
Whilst this story can be read and thoroughly enjoyed as an immersive fantasy, it also has relevance to current issues of the imbalance of power between men and women, and would make a good discussion starter about male female relationships and modern day politics.
Themes Greek mythology, Women, Power, Deception.
Helen Eddy
Dandy & Dazza by Mike Dumbleton. Illus. by Brett Curzon
New Frontier, 2021. ISBN: 9781913639150. (Age:3+) Highly recommended.
The names of the two dogs say it all: Dandy is a dandy, has only the best food, wears clothes to the park, wins trophies and is often found sleeping on the lounge, while Dazza is a mess of a dog: loud and boisterous, naughty, dirty and inquisitive. The two dogs could not be more different. The opening pages reflect these differences. On one side of the page is Dandy: refined, only eating the best food, obedient and well trained and coming to the park for a wait and see, meeting Dazza: a rough and tumble sort of dog, dashing about, going onto the places that say ‘keep off’, with a host of flies buzzing around his head.
Dumbleton inspires with his choice of words describing the two animals, and I can imagine children not only rolling the words around their mouths, repeating them as they hear them, trying them out, working out what they mean, but also acting them out, being the dogs - Dazza straining at the leash, bouncing and pouncing, while more sedate Dandy sits and watches, until the two come together, having the best rough and tumble time in the park.
They squirt and sprinkle on every post and tree they find, ignoring the sign which asks that only well behaved dogs are welcome in this park, they simply go crazy.
This wonderful tale, full of vim and vigour, will be a treat to read aloud, with children joining in, imagining that they are the dogs, learning that even though they are very different, they are the best of friends.
The vibrant illustrations match the mood of the book, with an excited Dazza shaking muddy dirt all over the place, while quieter Dandy simply watches, until he becomes part of the mayhem Dazza causes. Both animals are shown in such a way that their personalities are immediately apparent. Dandy sitting up so straight, a smell under his nose, whereas Dazza is rummaging through an overload bin, having the time of his life. The detail on every page adds another level of humour, and I love the buzzing endpapers and so will the kids.
This is a wonderfully inviting treatise on difference and coming together, friendship and best of all - fun.
Themes Friendship, Difference, Dogs, Behaviour.
Fran Knight
The little pirate Queen by Sally Anne Garland
New Frontier, 2021. ISBN: 9781913639143. (Age:5+) Recommended.
Lucy is on an adventure searching for Far Away Island. She has a small, rickety raft which she patches up over and over again. The other children sailing have much better sea crafts than her and she wishes she had something better. One day a huge wave crashes over the children and Lucy is the only one who stays afloat. She rescues the others and teaches them how to mend the sails and row the raft. On their journey she fills their heads with stories of pirates and treasure. Just as they are feeling like they will never find Far Away Island, they discover wreckage from other boats so together they create a new and stronger great big pirate ship. Land is finally in site and the rescued children head ashore for their own adventures leaving Lucy sailing the seas.
This is an enjoyable read that taps vividly into a child’s imagination. The illustrations are beautifully drawn and perfectly complement the text.
The daring princess by Susanna Davidson. Illus. by Alessandra Santelli
Usborne Publishing, 2021. ISBN: 9781474969796.
his is a re-telling of the Grimm fairytale, 'The Iron Stove', in which a princess frees a prince from an iron stove, after he was trapped there by a wicked witch. But no sooner has she freed him, than the witch appears and snatches the prince away. Now the princess must climb a glass mountain, cross a lake and a field of swirling spikes to save him.
When the collectors of traditional tales started writing them to preserve them, they focused on those which reflected the ideas and ideals of the time, so we have stories like Snow White and Sleeping Beauty in which the princesses were patient and polite, and there was a strong message that encouraged children to do the right thing or else. Those stories featuring feisty, girls able to fight their own battles were ignored, but as times change new collectors are searching for and recovering other stories. Many of these have been included in Forgotten Fairy Tales of Brave and Brilliant Girls and now Usborne is releasing a new series of single stories especially written for the newly independent reader. Featuring short chapters, larger font and plenty of illustrations, they are ideal for supporting a fairytale focus enabling young readers to be able to access something different that supports their needs.
The sequel to The sky so heavy, this time featuring Lucy as the main protagonist, was very difficult to put down. Lucy, Fin and Max are trying to recover from the devastating events of the nuclear winter in Sydney, as they drive toward Wattlewood, the sanctuary that their teacher had told them about. When they arrive, they find that it is like a compound, heavily guarded, and each person must prove their worth in order to stay. Lucy has doubts about how it is organised, and she is unsure that they are safe there.
Told in the first person by Lucy, the reader is drawn deep into her fears about life at Wattlewood, where one of the leaders, Jaxon, is controlling and into power. He does not appreciate a young woman like Lucy who speaks her mind, and Lucy is not happy with the stereotyped role that she is given, in the laundry and in the kitchen. However, Fin fits in as a guard and Jaxon manages to pull Max out of the depression that he had slipped into after the trauma of their stay in Sydney. Lucy also delves back into her past and her relationship with her sister, Bit, and the reader will empathise with the reason that Bit had anorexia and why Lucy is wary of men and of forming the relationship that Fin craves.
Although there is action and suspense as Lucy learns to hunt and the compound is shut down because of threats from the outside, themes of power, feminism and compassion are the dominant threads of this story. Zorn keeps the reader enthralled as Lucy weaves her way through the pitfalls of maintaining her own self confidence under a concerted effort by Jaxon to belittle her as he does Esther. Readers will be able to identify the means that violent men use to dominate women and will identify with Lucy as her sense of justice and compassion and her belief that outsiders should be helped, wars with the powerful Jaxon.
Although this is sequel, it can be read as a standalone and readers will want to pick up The sky so heavy if they have not read it. It would make a topical class novel or literature circle text. Teacher's notes are available, and you can listen to Claire Zorn talk about the book here.
The second in the series Tales from the Bush Mob, is aimed squarely at kids between 5 and 10 with emerging literacy skills, and importantly use First Nation stories to garner resilience and strength.
The emu who ran through the sky tells the tale of Lofty, a young emu mad about winning the race that is held each Sunday by the mob, celebrating afterwards with a feast. But Lofty in his eagerness trips over his big feet and causes others to fall. The kookaburras keep laughing, as do some of the other emus and when Lofty asks them to race with him for practice, they walk away. He must practise by himself.
He tries to harness the wind to help, but the wind buffets him and seeing an eagle fall to the ground after being hit by lightning, Emu goes to help. Eagle becomes his friend and wants to help him win the race, and suggests that he learn to fly. They seek the help of several other animals, the reader learning a little of that animals' attributes as they try and help Emu.
Eventually, the Bush Mob comes to the rescue with an ingenious paragliding kite that helps him soar over the others.
Emu's resolve, his strength and perseverance win through, and with the help of his friends, wins the day.
Helen Milroy is a Pilyku woman from the Pilbara region of Western Australia. She presents us with a rich cultural story based on strong environmental themes, promoting courage, perseverance and friendship.
Strong earthy colours dominate the book, reflecting the colours of the outback, stark against the endless blue of the sky. Aboriginal motifs are used to strengthen the images and the animals are presented with looks that speak louder than words. I love the endpapers depicting a map of the area, all told through the places where animals reside.
Themes Aboriginal themes, Emus, The Bush Mob (series), Australian animals, Perseverance, Resilience.
The Smidgens is written by London author and illustrator David O'Connell. The madcap action is perfectly accompanied by the quirky illustrations of Seb Burnett.
The Smidgens is bound to become the first of a much loved series of magical adventures to be enjoyed by children. This book allows children to enter into the world of little people, of fantastical adventures, of characters who are full of wit and quick thinking. It is a world where there are baddies and ghosts; there are magical powers for good and bad. Human beings live above and the Smidgens venture into the human world.
The Smidgen family in this story live with a sense of loss, of a dark past. They are the only survivors - just one little family of which Gafferty Sprout is the oldest daughter and chief protagonist of the story. No bigger than 10cm high, Gafferty lives by the Smidgen's rules: stay hidden and observe, don't do anything flipping stupid, be ready to run and run fast and if in doubt make it up. Gafferty is lonely and would love to meet other Smidgens her own age if they still exist. She discovers an old book and this not only sets her on the trail of finding others like her but also leads her into dangerous action packed adventure where she needs all the skills, magic and help from others that she can get.
In its whimsicalness and depiction of loving family life and funny little creatures The Smidgens is a little like The Moomintrolls by Swedish author Tove Jansson. It is also reminiscent of the Mrs Pepperpot series by Norwegian author Alf Proyson which was about the adventures of a little woman no bigger than a pepperpot. The Borrowers by Mary Norton is a classic series featuring little people; The Smidgens is funnier.
There is somehow an importance for children to experience reading about the adventures of little imaginary fantastic folk. Wondering about what it would be like for a whole family to dine on a potato chip and still have left overs and all the other things experienced by the Smidgens opens up the world of imagination and enhances the ability to see the world from a different perspective.
The Smidgens will bring a lot of gentle pleasure and laughs into the lives of young readers.
This book is impossible to put down. Real events inspired this story. The island of Eilean Mor in the Outer Hebrides has a lighthouse. In December 1900 three keepers disappeared from the island. The mystery remains unsolved and has inspired film and poetry.
Emma Stonex sets The Lamplighters in Cornwall in 1972. Three lighthouse keepers have vanished. The entrance door is locked from the inside, beds are made and the clocks have stopped at 8:45.
In 1992 an author seeks to investigate and resolve the mystery and this provides an opportunity for the women left behind to confront their fears, and reveal what has been kept hidden for twenty years.
The writing is riveting and suspenseful as the author moves seamlessly between 1972 and 1992. In 1972 we in turn hear the voices of principal keeper Arthur Black, Bill Walker and Vincent Bourne. Their characters are exposed through sensitive, deft writing that is compelling and engrosses the reader. The moods of the sea, the rhythms of life in a lighthouse and the realities of isolation entwine to heighten the the mystery of the disappearance of the three. The reader is invited to speculate the cause of their disappearance: something supernatural; madness; murder; criminal activity; misadventure.
In 1992 we find Helen, Jenny and Michelle. Each, guarding their secrets, has severed ties with the others at a time when you might think they would be bound together. The author skilfully builds tension as the very different personalities reveal the betrayals, grievances, guilt and suspicion that have haunted their past twenty years.
The author has crafted a stunning debut novel that captivates and haunts the reader.
Do Something for Someone Else is another beautifully presented and topical book by Loll Kirby. Her first book Old Enough to Save the Planet presented twelve activists providing solutions to the effects of climate change. In her latest book the author introduces us to another twelve children from around the world who focus on another type of activism: spreading kindness in everyday activities. Kesz who had been living on the streets in the Philippines from a young age was given the opportunity to improve his circumstances. He then set up an organisation called Championing Community Children to support other children living on the streets. Havana from the USA began fundraising from a young age to provide books for black children that contained black characters. She is also passionate about girls and education. Winter from Australia discovered at the age of nine that children in some countries did not have clean drinking water. He began to raise funds to support these children and set up a fundraising programme Surf to School where students can wear surf clothes to school and donate to this campaign. Each activist and their cause is presented on a double page spread and the highly detailed illustrations are interspersed with interesting facts. At the end of the book are ideas about helping do something for someone else as well as ten things you can do to make a difference to someone else. The website addresses of all of the mentioned activists are included and would be a great starting point for further research.
There is nothing that Couch Potato likes more that slouching on the couch. In fact it spends all its free time in the exact spot on its comfy cosy couch, and really, there is no reason to move. With a range of gadgets - even one that fetches its snacks - and a wall of shimmering screens in front of it, it can control its entire life all the time with a few taps and a couple of clicks.
Life is perfect until there is a power outage! Suddenly everything goes dark and Couch Potato is forced to open the curtains to let some light in where it sees the outdoors for the first time in a long time and it is tempted outside.
This is a new addition to Jory John's collection of modern cautionary tales for young readers joining The Good Egg, The Bad Seed and The Cool Bean. Encouraging those who prefer to live their lives vicariously through the screen to get outside and enjoy the sunshine, fresh air and being actively involved with friends, it opens up investigations into a healthy lifestyle and the need for balance.
Starting university is a challenge for anyone but what if you are obviously different? Tara is a Muslim who chooses to wear a hijab at a time of racist/religious tensions in Sydney. Her first day at University of Sydney is certainly a stand-out as she becomes the centre of a bomb scare. Sunburnt Veils follows her progress as she makes a stand for herself and other "outsiders", opens herself up to new experiences and people, and navigates a relationship with someone from the other side of the tracks. On one hand this story is another coming of age love story. On the other hand, it explores different cultural beliefs and backgrounds, albeit with a fairly light touch. However, it's uncomplicated narrative does not make it less valid. It is important to have everyday reads that show differences as major parts of the story and give everyone a face and voice. While the focus of this book is that of making the choice for Khoda (God), wearing the hijab and so standing out in the university environment and indeed in wider Australian society, it also touches on other aspects of fitting in to different social groups and public perceptions. It does this while also being a good old-fashioned teenage romance and coming of age story.
Themes Islamaphobia; Coming of Age; Cultural Differences; Racism; Homosexuality; Romance.
Gaye Howe
Huda and me by H. Hayek
Allen & Unwin, 2021. ISBN: 9781760526023. (Age:10+) Highly recommended.
Huda is nine, a girl filled with smiles, intriguing ideas and is full of zest. Akeal is a few years older, but he is Huda's greatest supporter, closest sibling and the responsible one. When their parents need to urgently go to Lebanon, they leave behind Huda and Akeal and their four older siblings and the younger toddler of their family to the care of a family contact, Aunt Amel. Unfortunately, this is definitely not a wise move and Aunt Amel is far from the perfect carer. She is not Mary Poppins! But Huda has a plan to rescue them all. She books tickets for Akeal and herself to travel to Lebanon to warn her parents of the disastrous situation. Huda reveals herself as a master tactician and a winsome travel 'agent' as the two young 'unaccompanied minors' make their way overseas to resolve the family difficulties.
This is a funny story of the audacious adventure when the forthright young girl sets her mind on solving the family's dilemma. The counterbalance between the over-confident Huda and the careful and anxious Akeal reveals a delightful family dynamic amidst the drama of the journey of the two intrepid travellers. The characters introduced in this Lebanese-Australian Muslim family are all loveable and warm. This will be enjoyed by young readers as they consider the brave actions of two young children as they outsmart adults and show great courage. For non-Muslim readers it will also reveal the delightful warmth and love of this family and their culture. Teacher's notes are available.
Themes Family, Identity, Muslim children and culture.
Set in 1991, this book introduces the reader to Ron - an aged widower and an inveterate collector, a garage sale aficionado and a hard-rubbish scrounger ready to make a dollar from what someone else has discarded. He is part of a community of bargain hunters all contesting to find the best items. An accidental meeting at the CES connects him to a young man, Joseph, who becomes his muscle and support on his sorties into the world of the second-hand market. Joseph has had a very hard life, mired in domestic violence, and there is continuing distress as he and his mother try unsuccessfully to claw their way through life amidst the social and financial difficulties of the economic downturn of the 1990s. The connection between Ron and Joseph is quiet, pain-filled and strangely sincere, while never going beyond an arm's length connection. Joseph becomes the best find – the book's 'McCubbin' despite his rough and lacklustre appearance - he has value if only you looked beyond the surface.
This adult story is heart-warming and yet sad, strangely compelling and poignant. The world of the Australian garage-sale scrounger is delightful and almost humorous, and a casual watcher of television's Bargain Hunt or American Pickers would recognise the desire to find the items of treasure amidst the trash. But the delight of this book is the subtle and under-stated way that the author describes her characters and deals with poverty, grief, mental illness, addiction and family violence. In the process she reveals the resilience and strength required to survive and shows that this is not always possible without help. This is an awesome story set in recent history that esteems a sub-culture and allows us to see into the lives of the 'hard-luck' poor with empathy.
Although essentially this is an adult book, the attention on Joseph as a post-high school teen could make this a valuable Senior English book to be read as a parallel text to Boy Swallows Universe.
Themes Garage Sales, Collecting, Family dysfunction, Mental illness, Grief and loss.
Passionate vet and nature lover Jess French has written another colourful non-fiction book Earth's Incredible Oceans to add to her collection, Her previous titles include Book of Brilliant Bugs and What a waste. Readers of this newest release will not be disappointed in the beautifully illustrated and colourful pages. The reader is taken on a journey from: What is an Ocean? to Oceans & me. The pages are full of interesting and at times fun facts about layers beneath the sea, different sea creatures such as seabirds, narwhales, invertebrates, ocean reptiles and mammals as well as plant life, food webs, and the seashore. The final chapter gives information about how the ocean helps us, how it is changing and how we can help look after it. Each double page spread is creatively designed and draws the reader's eye to the striking visual images and the cleverly placed text. The Contents page is clearly set out and both the Glossary and Index are very detailed.
This book is one to be shared between children or read alone. There is so much detail to be found on each page and the use of both illustrations and photographs further enhances the appeal of the book. A perfect book for home, school or public library.
