Reviews

My place, for younger readers by Sally Morgan

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Fremantle Press, 2020. ISBN: 9781925816761.
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. This latest publication of Sally Morgan's iconic My place (1987), a classic of Australian literature, is adapted for younger readers in this new edition with a bright new cover taken from a screen print of the author's artwork 'Women of the Earth'. It is a long time since I read the original book, but the things I remember are all still there, the down-to-earth descriptions of family life, the humour and funny stories. For me the stand-out memory is Morgan's anecdote of her mother and future mother-in-law planting out stalks of fresh-cut and plastic flowers in the garden the morning of Sally's wedding, and her serendipitous purchase of a cream and gold Indian caftan for her wedding dress just hours before the ceremony. This latest edition is supposedly aimed at young readers but it is still a hefty book at 359 pages. Despite this, it retains its easy conversational style and is sure to draw in readers across age groups. It truly is a must-read account of early Aboriginal - white settler relations, with its revelations of the life of Arthur Corunna, long-time hard-working Aboriginal labourer and stockman; Gladys Corunna, taken from her Aboriginal mother at the age of three and sent to Parkerville Children's Home; and finally the long suppressed story of Daisy Corunna, the unrecognised daughter of a white station owner and long-standing servant to the family. This is Aboriginal history, the personal stories and lived experience of people not recognised in the accounts of the white history makers.
The suffering and deep sense of loss that is revealed in these stories, and the long-lasting impact and sense of shame that Morgan's family carried, hiding their heritage behind the deception that they were of Indian descent, was brought out into the open in Sally Morgan's original book and now deserves to be re-read again in this latest edition. This new publication is a timely reminder of our shared history and a most worthy addition to school libraries. Themes: Aboriginal history, Stolen Generations, Identity, Racism.
Helen Eddy

Meet Mia by the jetty by Janeen Brian

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Illus. by Danny Snell. Aussie Kids.Puffin Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781760893668.
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. A new series of eight books, each set in a different state or territory of Australia with eight different characters and themes is a welcome addition to the library of books available for the newly emerging reader. Each contains a map of Australia to pinpoint its setting, a postcard at the start to introduce the main character and several pages at the end to explain things which have appeared in the text. Short chapters, copious illustrations, good spacing and easy on the eye font, all packaged in a smaller book size make this series most useful.
Meet Mia at the jetty is a gentle seaside story by South Australian, Janeen Brian, reflecting the sights and sounds of Victor Harbor, south of Adelaide. Here two sisters, Mia and Alice are told that they will have a boy, Jim, staying with them while his mother is in hospital. Mia is delighted thinking she will be able to show him around their town, and makes herself a tour guide badge. Alice is somewhat dismissive as is the want for an older sister, but as the story develops the two girls learn to be positive about each other.
Mia shows Jim around her town, pointing out features as they go. Luckily they live across the road from the beach and Mia collects things to have in her bedroom. They wander along the beachfront, have a sandcastle competition, go out to Granite Island on the horse tram, see a fairy penguin's home and then visit the Whale Centre. Here they are hopeful of seeing a whale and climb to the lookout. Mia thinks she sees one but it turns out to be a boat, until another tourist does notice a whale, thanking Mia for pointing in that direction.
A lovely story, Alice comes over to her sister's way of thinking, even adjusting the badge on her sister's shirt. Danny Snell's illustrations evoke all the fun of the seaside and holidays by the beach. Younger readers will be introduced to what to expect in a day at the beach and specifically what they will see when visiting Victor Harbor, and have some environmental messages given about fairy penguins, with more information about these animals given at the end of the story.
Theme: Sea, Beach, Whales, Penguins, Victor Harbor, Family, Humour.
Fran Knight

Meet Sam at the Mangrove Creek by Paul Seden and Brenton McKenna

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Aussie Kids. Puffin Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781760894122.
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. One of a series of eight books called Aussie Kids designed for newly emerging readers this lovely story set in the Northern Territory takes the children to a mangrove creek with a new throw net to fish.
A postcard introduces the main character, Sam, and we follow him getting out of bed excited for the weekend that has finally come around. He and his friend Peter, along with the dog Bazza, are to go down to the creek to fish. Sam is hopeful that they will catch a barramundi. He packs a water bottle and pack of chips, grabs his bike and cycles off to collect Peter. Together they ride to the creek, mindful of Sam's father's advice to throw the net in the creek's mouth. But Peter has brought banana lollies. Sam is disgusted as you never take anything banana on a fishing trip. The boys throw the net but wherever they throw it, no fish are caught. Sam is convinced that the banana lollies have brought bad luck. An older man who they saw at the shelter by the creek comes along to them and suggests a better way of using the net. They take his advice and are amazed at the two large fish they catch. Walking back to their bikes they thank the old man but notice that his bedding is in the shelter, so offer him the fish.
This charming story not only tells a good tale of two boys catching fish it models life skills such as sharing information, being kind to the elderly and sharing what you catch.
For early emerging readers this short story will enhance their ability, as it is told in six short chapters enlivened with illustrations on most pages, along with the introductory postcard and two pages of information at the end of the story, while a map of Australia shows the readers which state the story is set in.
Theme: Sharing, Northern Territory, Fishing.
Fran Knight

Baby touch : Opposites by Ladybird

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Illus. by Lemon Ribbon Studio. Ladybird, 2020. ISBN: 9780241427408. 10pp.
(Age: 0+) A bright colourful touch-and-feel book, Opposites is sure to make any baby happy as they explore the vivid pictures and find the areas that they can touch and feel. Right from the front cover, which has a touch-and-feel pale blue felt circle, the young child will have a sensory experience. They will be able to feel the fur on the dog and giraffe, the cut-outs and corrugated cardboard on the balloon and car, the soft texture on the elephant, the rough on the snail and feel and see the iridescent purple of the fish. At the same time, they will begin to learn new words: short and tall, up and down, big and small, above and below, slow and fast.
The colours of this very sturdy board book are gorgeous; the animals all have smiles on their faces, and I loved the little baby soaring up in a balloon, while a monkey drives a car.
Babies are going to love exploring the textures and parents will have fun talking about the things that are opposite to each other.
Pat Pledger

Lockdown by Peter May

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Riverrun, 2020. ISBN: 9781529411690.
(Age: Senior secondary - adult) Highly recommended. D.I. Jack MacNeil treads on many toes in his investigation into the discovery of a child's skeletal remains. In normal times this crime would have hit the head lines, however, this is London under martial law, dealing with an epidemic of a deadly virus.The discovery of a bag and its contents mean that the excavations for a new emergency centre in Lambeth is a crime scene and work must stop, which upsets the government and the workers, who are getting good money to get the job done.
The bones of a small child have been stripped of flesh and cleaned and are quite fresh.They also reveal she has had the virus but one which has been developed in a laboratory. She also has, surprisingly, a severely cleft palate that has had no corrective surgery.
Amy Wu, a forensic odontologist, is called in to give her opinion on the remains and she feels a bond with the child that may well have shared her ethnicity. She makes the decision to do a facial reconstruction. She names the child Lyn and her empathy grows for this 10 year old with her terrible deformity.
Meanwhile as MacNeil begins his investigation, based on the most basic evidence he finds he has a guardian angel. When following a lead, he heads into an ageing housing estate where he encounters a gang of youths armed with baseball bats and lengths of pipes and only escapes with his life when two of the gang are shot. This recurs when he finally tracks down his lead, a worker in the old Battersea Power Station which has now become a crematorium on an industrial scale. During his confrontation he is attacked and again is saved by the anonymous sniper. It would seem the shooter is not protecting MacNeil but eliminating any links to the young girl.
As the investigation proceeds it becomes evident that a large pharmaceutical company Stein-Franks is involved. They were the producers of an anti-viral drug, Flu-Kill, in which they had invested huge capital and built manufacturing centres, but which in the end had not proved effective against the virus and orders had dried up leaving the company financially vulnerable.
Peter May began researching and writing Lockdown in 2005 but the story was consigned to a folder in his dropbox. His publishers didn't believe his version of London in lockdown could possibly happen, and as some of his other novels were published the story was shelved. How prophetic it was to become.
May has woven his murder mystery around the fear and apprehension created by a deadly virus, and the race to develop and market a cure by the major pharmaceuticals  a story all so believable with the on going pandemic at present. Lockdown is a great read which also provides plenty of food for thought. I most heartily recommend it.
Themes: Pandemic, Fear, London, Pharmaceutical companies.
Mark Knight

Agent Asha : Mission Shark Bytes by Sophie Deen

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Illus. by Anjan Sarkar. Walker Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781406382723. 240pp.
(Ages: 10 - 12) Recommended. It isn't long until we learn 11 year old Londoner, Asha, has been recruited by CSA, Children's Spy Agency, and her mission is to save the internet. Asha's ability to hack and upgrade her nannybot Drone and enhance Tumble, her hamster robot, have alerted CSA to her amazing talents. Sharks have been chewing through undersea cables which provide vital internet connections between continents. Simple everyday things we rely on like mobile phones and instant news, stop working. Her boss Hedy (a hologram!) sends her to uncover essential data from ShellyInc. This company is headed up by Shelly, a 17 year old tech entrepreneur of a globally popular IT company. However Shelly is definitely up to no good and aims to take control of the internet and increase her vast wealth. Asha goes above and beyond her mission in order to prevent Shelly being successful and Drone and Tumble assist her along the way, as well as other CSA operatives.
Needless to say this is a totally implausible but enjoyable spy adventure. It is fast paced and quite clever with humorous spy tropes. There are crazy inventions like the "What-a-bottle," a water purifier with inbuilt gadgets like a laser torch and diamond glass cutter. Asha is the Bond-like, risk-taking, main character with an Indian cultural background. She is a good role model for young women who may be keen on STEM. I liked the CSA motto too, "Think for yourself. Question everything." The author may be a bit too keen to slip in some didactic IT lessons, such as the importance of strong passwords, algorithms and Bluetooth. The overuse of farts was an obvious pitch to young readers but I guess it works! There are many really fitting illustrations and fact files provide further information. Another hook for readers is they can join CSA via a QR code, no adults allowed.
Jo Marshall

Little White Fish under the ocean by Guido Van Genechten

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Catch a Star, 2020. ISBN: 9781922326102.
(Age: 2-5) Recommended. Little Fish is curious. 'How deep is the ocean?' he asks the jellyfish, who tell him to stay away as it is too dangerous to go down to the depths of the sea. But he really wants to know and even though Little Goldfish tells him to be careful, he continues his journey through the really dark water. Despite more warnings from the Turtle and Octopus his curiosity gets the better of him and he swims on past the coral and seaweed to where the water is pitch black and ice cold. Fortunately, he gets help from the anglerfish who turns on her little lamp and guides him back to his friends. He is glad to be home!
Set against a black background the vivid sea life and bodies of the fish stand out beautifully and will intrigue young readers as they get to name much of the underwater life. Each little bit of marine life has a smiling face and happy eyes and it is fun to follow little White Fish's quest to discover how deep the ocean is. Little White Fish is very curious and is prepared to take risks to uncover what it is like deep down in the sea, but he has good friends who counsel him about the dangers and one fish who helps him home.
A message of needing to have good friends, the joy of taking risks and the happiness of coming home are ones that children will enjoy.
Pat Pledger

Ellie's dragon by Bob Graham

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Walker Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781406387629.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Ellie finds a baby dragon in the egg carton at her supermarket. She calls him Scratch and installs him along with his box of dragon litter, in her doll's house.
Through the years of Ellie's growing up, through kindergarten and then school, right up into her post primary years, the dragon is there. Scratch goes with her to see her Dad, goes to school where he entertains the other children, curls up asleep in Ellie's room. All of her friends can see the dragon but not her parents or the teachers. Ellie takes Scratch to kindergarten but not to school. Now that she is older she does not need Scratch nearly as much and misses his first flight. But he is always there in the corner of her room where she knows he will be. The older Ellie gets, the less visible the dragon becomes until one day in her teens she can see right through him, and that night he takes flight and does not return.
Even though she is older she spies him now and again and knows that he is with another child who needs his company, because she catches a glimpse of his tail or a wisp of his smoke over the fence.
This wonderful tale of growing up with a close friend will appeal to all ages. Everyone will remember the stages of their development and how they coped with each change. And to see Ellie change from a small child to a teenager, will heighten their recollections. Her development is put alongside the dragon's development from a baby dragon, through his learning to breath fire, to growing too big for the doll's house, and then learning to fly. Each stage of the dragon's development parallels Ellie's own stages of growth.
Ellie is lucky to have a companion such as Scratch, a warm hearted, affectionate friend to guide her through the wonders of growing up, and readers will recognise their own stages of growth and wonder at the dragon who grows up alongside Ellie.
Bob Graham's beautiful illustrative technique is used to perfection here. His use of quiet understated colours, his depiction of the ordinary, the everyday, all done with such attention to detail, impels the readers to look again at the things seen in their own neighbourhood with fresh eyes. I love the supermarket and the school bus, the people in the street with their prams and bikes, the picture theatre and the doll's house, all drawing the eyes in to wonder at the things we often see but again do not see. Graham evokes in us all a greater awareness of our domestic surroundings. Teacher's notes are available.
Themes: Imaginary friend, Humour, Friendship, Family, Growing up.
Fran Knight

The lost soul atlas by Zana Fraillon

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Hachette, 2020. ISBN: 9780734419934.
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Twig is in the Afterlife - we know that his life ended somehow, and he is supposed to follow the path to a blissful place without cares or memories. But something tugs at him; he wants to know what happened to his Da and his friends. And there is a skeleton raven, Krruk, a guardian who is willing to accompany him back into his memories, into the world that was before, on a quest to find his father and free the world from the evil of the Hoblin.
Twig has a map and a bag of bones, each bone a key to a special place on the lost soul atlas, a crossing that must be unlocked to free past memories. In his quest he joins up with a group of street urchins living in a graveyard, and befriends Flea, a courageous leader of androgynous gender. Together they try to outwit the treacherous Hoblin, and find a way to safety.
The lost soul atlas is a quest story; there are six crossings to be opened after answering the riddle posed by each sentry. But with each crossing Twig is sent back into his past life, and it is harder and harder to remember the quest. He succumbs to the influence of the Hoblin and commits a horrible betrayal, like that of Edmund in The chronicles of Narnia.
In her 'Author note' Zaillon writes about the millions of children living on the streets, the gangs and the struggle to find food and shelter, the fear of police and authorities. It is this that comes through most strongly in her book - she has created a strange combination of mystical fantasy world and the very real day-to-day struggles of children living on their wits.
Readers who enjoy the fantasy world of quest adventure stories will enjoy The lost soul atlas, at the same time gaining insight into the real lives of street children living with the fear of abuse and persecution. It is a strange combination of the worlds of fantasy and reality, alleviated by the humour of the hard talking raven Krruk and the scurrying of the Meeple stick figures tugging at Twig's sleeves. It is easy to imagine the book as an animated movie that would capture readily children's imagination.
Themes: Quest, Fantasy, Adventure, Street children, Homeless children.
Helen Eddy

The Poppy Wife by Caroline Scott

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Simon & Schuster, 2019. ISBN: 9781471187674.
(Age: 16+) Highly recommended. A poignant and emotional story of love, loss and hope set upon the backdrop of World War I. In 1916, Francis Blythe enlisted in the Great War, knowing that his brothers Will and Harry would follow him anywhere. Five years later, in 1921, Edie, Francis' wife, has accepted that Francis' status as 'missing in action' may very well be permanent. Then she receives a mysterious photograph of Francis in the post; reigniting her resolve to find him. Meanwhile, Harry has been hired by grieving families to provide what little closure he can by photographing gravesites throughout the country where he himself fought just four years prior. When Edie requests that he locate and photograph Francis' grave, Harry and Edie set out to discover the truth of what happened to Francis. When their paths converge, they uncover many startling truths that redefine their understanding of the past and plans for the future.
A truly beautiful story with complex, compelling and utterly realistic characters that find their way into the heart of the reader along the course of the story, Scott's meticulously researched debut breathes life into the world and lives of the characters; taking the reader on a cathartic and emotional story that will touch their heart and stay with them long after they turn the last page. Highly recommended for readers with an interest or passion for historical fiction and in particular the Battle of the Somme and World War I in general. Warnings should be heeded for graphic, war-related violence, descriptions and references to suicide and strong themes relating to mental health.
Daniella Chiarolli

The promise witch by Celine Kiernan

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The Wild Magic trilogy bk. 3. Walker Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781406373936.
(Age: 10-14) Highly recommended. Following Begone the raggedy witches and The little grey girl comes the striking finale to what has been a unique and enthralling series. Witches Borough has been struck down with a terrible drought caused by the old queen, the rivers are drying up and there is little water in the wells. Mup's parents are doing their best to bring peace to the land and begin a school to educate all the children but the drought threatens everyone's existence. Then the witch Magda comes back and sweeps Mup and Crow off on a dangerous journey, determined to give them to Mup's grandmother, the old queen. Mup knows that the old queen's power must end for the good of the land and uses all her ingenuity to try and find a way to do this.
Readers who have followed the adventures of Mup and Crow and the little grey girl in the first two books will be enthralled with this magical and very exciting conclusion to the series. Both Mup and Crow grow into their powers and use them for the good of the land. They learn that they must obtain the help of others and cooperate to overcome evil and readers will cheer their efforts to stop the old queen. There are some heart-breaking moments that will bring tears to eyes as Crow desperately tries to bring his father back to life and the fate of the little grey girl is decided.
It is the beautifully descriptive and emotive writing that keeps the story going along at a fast pace and readers will be fully engaged in the characters and events in Witches Borough. This is a series that can be highly recommended for its portrayal of good and evil, the resilience of the characters and the uniqueness of the stories.
Pat Pledger

The Silk House by Kayte Nunn

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Hachette, 2020. ISBN: 9780733643255.
(Age: Adult - Adolescent) Highly recommended. Riveting, haunting, enigmatic and gloriously evocative of the past world of England, this narrative is fascinating and gripping. Kayte Nunn has created three stories that interlock in theme and subject matter over time. A young Australian woman, Thea Rust, has travelled to England to teach in a modern English boarding school that has recently admitted girls to the school for the first time, and we see how the adjustment to this new world is significantly challenging. The school has its roots in a dark past and Thea Rust is determined to create a world for the students that is appropriate in terms of preparing the young people for the future, in a supportive and challenging way.
A second narrative focuses on the area in London, in 1768, where the silk trade was an important facet of England's economy, and again, Nunn has created a female character who challenges the world of fabric design. Choosing a vibrant and dangerous flower as a feature, her design is seen to both thrill and, potentially, to disturb that world. Set in the same year, the third narrative is focused on the notion of herbs as valuable in healing human illnesses. Both of these older worlds present an element of danger and we are caught up in the rather thrilling darkness of this time.
The beautiful artistic depiction of aspects of the novel on the cover of this book subtly catch our eyes but, more importantly, they expose elements of all three stories. This is a powerful novel, rich in detail, time and place, entertaining in story and captivating in the mystery that Nunn creates. It would be suitable for adolescent and adult readers.
Elizabeth Bondar

Boo loves books by Kaye Baillie

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Illus. by Tracie Grimwood. New Frontier, 2020. ISBN: 9781922326027.
Recommended. Boo loves books is the most adorable story. It follows a little girl called Phoebe who does not like to read. Her teacher tries to encourage her but reading just makes her feel extremely anxious as she does not want to get anything wrong.
One day, her teacher Mrs Spinelli announces that they will be reading somewhere different tomorrow. Phoebe is even more worried! Her mum tries to reassure her, but this feeling will not go away. What happens next is just so lovely. The class goes to the animal shelter and they all are given a dog to read to. With the teacher's help, the once timid reader finds her voice and reads confidently to her dog pal Big Boo, realising that everyone gets scared sometimes.
This book would be great for a young reluctant reader. It could show them that they are not alone and that things will get better. I love the idea of reading to an animal, and this could be used as an introduction to this very idea - or even reading to a favourite soft toy.
I read this book to my 6 year old reasonably reluctant reader, and she thought that reading to our dog Sargent would be an awesome idea (if only he would keep still . . . but we are working on that!). She really liked the pictures (and so did I, the facial expressions are so accurate) and wanted to read the book again the next night. This book is a must for any school library, so when new and reluctant readers are identified this could be used as a strategy for engagement and as an idea to send home to families. Teacher's notes are available. 4 out of 5!
Lauren Fountain

Hawk: a Maximum Ride novel by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet

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Penguin, 2020. ISBN: 9781529120011.
Hawk is a skinny 15 year old with a black mohawk, multiple piercings and a tough attitude. She has to be tough, living in the City of the Dead, a place abandoned long ago. Now it is home to the homeless, drug addicts and gangs so Hawk has to keep her wits about her as she ventures out each day to find food for the small band of misfits she calls her family. Every day for the past ten years she has turned up to the street corner where her parents told her to wait, for a specific time, but they have never come. Now she and her group live in the children's home where they would starve without Hawk's foraging and where they live in fear of being taken off to be experimented on like other children, who never came back. Life is brutal in this post-apocalyptic world of constant video streaming of government propaganda and mind scrambling 'Voxvoce' sounds. Six powerful gangs control the city. Hawk's secret weapon is that she has wings and can fly, helping her escape difficult situations. When a new prisoner is brought to the jail adjoining the children's home the government broadcast declares he is a child killer, the worst of the worst, but is he?
This is the tenth book in the Maximum Ride series but stands alone quite well. There were a lot of characters and the members of Hawk's family were a bit sketchy apart from Clete; the rest are probably better developed in the other books and this might just encourage new readers to go back and read more of the series. Hawk is a great teen character, veering between personal angst and responsibility to her family and she even has a rather unlikely love interest. The book is fast paced and action packed as the Flock fight a corrupt leader in a violent world, though I found their willingness to join in the violence, dropping bombs regardless of collateral damage, disturbing.
This will be snapped up by readers of the series which traces its origins back to Patterson's 1998 novel When the wind blows and will appeal to a new generation of younger readers looking for a fast paced dystopian fantasy novel.
Themes: Science fiction, Fantasy, Dystopia.
Sue Speck

Know your place by Golriz Ghahraman

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Harper Collins, 2020. ISBN: 9781775541424.
(Age: 16+) Highly recommended. What an amazing woman! Golriz Ghahraman came to New Zealand as a nine year old with her refugee parents from Iran. She went on to become a human rights lawyer working on United Nations tribunals around the world, and eventually became the first refugee to be elected to the New Zealand parliament.
The first part of her autobiography describes the situation in Iran that led her parents to flee. Ghahraman's mother was a psychologist, her father an agricultural engineer; they were secular, intelligent and progressive, political activists in the time of the Shah, but shocked by the hijacking of the revolution by Islamic fundamentalists. Determined that their daughter should know freedom not oppression, they escaped, eventually seeking asylum in Auckland, in a country where they were immediately given food, legal rights and community support on arrival.
However her early experience of being an outsider, identification with minority groups, a growing awareness of race issues, and later experience of an abusive relationship, all combined to lead to a career in human rights and political activism. It was a definite choice - sitting down to think about what she wanted her life to be about and how to go about achieving it.
The book includes Ghahraman's maiden speech in the NZ House of Representatives, and her speech in response to the Christchurch mosque terror attacks, both inspiring reading. There are coloured photographs from her life, from the hijab-wearing little Iranian girl, to her citizenship ceremony as a teenager, to her swearing into Parliament as a member of the Green party, to her welcome to refugee Behrouz Boochani in Auckland Airport following his escape from Australia's Manus detention camp.
For students interested in politics, human rights, and social activism, I would put this book alongside The power of hope by Kon Karapanagiotidis and How powerful we are by Sally Rugg - it is another truly inspiring story of an individual with decent moral values and a determination to make the world a better place for others.
Themes: Refugees, Human rights, Activism, Racism, Black Lives Matter.
Helen Eddy