HarperCollins, 2019. ISBN: 9781460755068.
(Age: Adult - Senior secondary) Highly recommended. Tikka Molloy was
11 when the Van Apfel girls, Hannah, Cordelia and Ruth disappear,
the mystery of their disappearance remaining unsolved. Recounted in
the voice of the young Tikka, the reader is taken to a hot
Australian town set on a smelly river. The three girls disappear
during a Showstopper concert held by the school, during a skit that
Tikka has made up as a diversion for their running away. But they
don't find Tikka's sister Laura who has money for them and nobody
knows where they have gone. Weeks of searching does not solve the
mystery, even though the girls' father is questioned extensively, as
is Cordelia's teacher.
When Tikka comes back as an adult to be with Laura who has cancer,
she is still haunted by memories of what happened and still often
thinks that she sees Cordie as an adult, striding away, blond hair
bobbing. She questions whether she and Laura should have told the
police that the girls were planning to run away, and even her father
feels that he should have done more to stop the domestic violence
that Mr Van Apfel used to dominate his family.
The story brings back all the heat of an Australian summer, the
swimming in the backyard pools, the casual jealousy of younger
siblings for their older sisters, the smell of the river and the end
of term school concert. Tikka's childhood comes alive as she
describes in her precocious and innocent voice, what happened that
summer. The fear that the girls felt as they watched Mr Van Apfel
threaten his daughters and poorly understood sexual undertones
pervade the story as rumours circulate about Cordie's teacher,
leaving the reader wondering who was responsible for the girls'
disappearance. Indeed McLean leaves that mystery open to the
reader's own interpretation, rather like the mystery in Picnic
at Hanging Rock.
Part mystery and part coming of age story, this is a story to be
savoured and discussed. An essay by Felicity Mclean is available here.
Pat Pledger
The giant and the sea by Trent Jamieson
Illus. by Rovina Cai. Hachette, 2020. ISBN: 9780734418876.
(Age: All) Highly recommended. This eye-catching large format
picture book will not be left long on the shelves. A giant peers
down at the young girl in the bottom right hand corner of the cover,
watching what she will do. She is not telling her anything but from
her expression, her shaded eyes, the down turned mouth, the plea is
there and once opening the book readers will see what her plea is
about. The words, 'the sea is rising' are repeated through the book,
firstly to make the child aware of the danger which will engulf them
all when the sea does rise, and then repeated by the child as she
tries to warn others of the dangers the giant has predicted, and
again at the end when the words come full circle, the situation no
different than before.
A fable for the modern reader, the book promotes discussion about
climate change, of standing up for what you believe in, of the
possibility of hope.
The giant tells the child that the reason for the seas rising is the
machine and tells her to get the people in the city to shut it down.
But they are adamant that the machine is of great benefit, and
feelings are polarised, so much so that people with banners march on
the giant, telling her to go away. When the seas do rise, it is the
giant that comes and saves the girl and her family along with some
others from the town. They rebuild their town on higher ground and
the giant keeps watching the sea until one day she tells a young boy
on the shore, 'the sea is rising'.
And so the cycle starts again. Children will come to see that change
needs to happen for the seas not to rise, and be aware that strength
is needed to overcome the doubters.
The strong illustrative technique of Rovina Cai will excite the
readers. The mix of graphite, crayon resist and wash means I wanted
to touch each page, feel the child's hair, touch the rising sea,
feel the power of the machines undermining the town. The gothic
power of her drawings sweep across the pages, taking the eye with
them as the water rises, the machines steam and whirr, the people
stampede towards the giant, while her sparing use of colour adds
texture and passion to her atmospheric pages. Themes: Climate
change, Environment, Prediction, Future, Inundation.
Fran Knight
The colouring competition by Heath McKenzie
Scholastic, 2020. ISBN: 9781760158859.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. As Oscar walks along the street with
his mother, he spies an advertisement for a colouring competition.
First prize is a three wheeled bicycle, so Mum gets an entry form
and they go to the park to begin colouring. Here colours begin to
appear on each page as Oscar colours in the sheet provided, but he
is so intent on his work that he fails to notice Henry nearby doing
exactly the same thing. Colouring soon becomes a competition between
the two boys and colour spreads from their pages onto the trees
behind them, Mum sitting on the bench, the pram, the baby, the swans
on the lake and the couple sitting nearby. They go next door to the
zoo where the crayons are put to good use, colouring the animals and
the cages. Onto the street market the crayons are used to colour the
vendors and the produce displayed for sale, the shoppers and even
the dog. They colour their way along the busy street, and wind their
way amongst the buildings, until they find a large church edifice to
colour adding motifs usually not related to a building. They meet
their friends who are looking a little displeased with their
coloured faces and clothes, when a young girl rides past on her
brand new three wheeled bicycle. They had forgotten the competition!
They retrace their steps to find her winning entry on the shop
window but a surprise waits for them on the next shop window -
another competition.
McKenzie's quirky sense of humour wins the day as he plays with the
idea of competition, showing the boys competing for the prize in the
competition. The wonderful pencil illustrations, from the end papers
with their intriguing set of terraced houses, to each of the pages
between are a treat, ensuring readers will lap up each small detail.
I love the range of things in the shop windows, and the humour
behind the names of the shops. The Folded Corner tickled my fancy.
The colour in the boys' world creeps into everything they see - a
wonderful theme for all to aspire to. And for those who do not want
the magic to end, McKenzie's website
has a marvellous concoction of goodies to explore. Themes: Colours,
Colouring, Competition, Friendship, Family.
Fran Knight
Ella at Eden: The Secret Journal by Laura Sieveking
Scholastic Australia, 2020 ISBN: 9781743834947.
(Age: 8-11years) Recommended. In the second book of the Ella at
Eden series, the reader finds that Ella is comfortable in her
new boarding school surroundings and has established a cohesive and
supportive friendship group. She still misses her sister Olivia and
the rest of her family but keeps in touch via email. As the Year
Seven Junior Journalist, Ella is determined that her next article
for the school e-newsletter will be an interesting and exciting
read. She suggests that the next newsletter theme be "Past and
Present" which ties in perfectly the Alumni Luncheon being held at
the school. Many Old Scholars and relatives of the present students
will be in attendance. Of course, Ella's nemesis Saskia continually
boasts about her connection to the school and the fact that Ella
does not have such a connection.
While supporting her friend Grace on a dare, Ella discovers an old
journal hidden in the Bell Tower. The journal begins on February 12,
1940 and has been written by a 12 year old student named Elena.
Through reading the journal Ella discovers a secret passage, a
missing item and becomes aware of a period in history which was
brought about by World War Two. She spends time researching the
history of Eden School in the school library archives and learns so
much about her new learning environment. During this time Ella also
has a misunderstanding with her friends Zoe, Grace and Violet and
this takes time to resolve itself. The Alumni Luncheon also brings
challenges for Ella but the events lead to the solving of a great
mystery and making a new connection to the past.
Once again author Laura Sieveking has written a novel which will
keep middle primary readers entertained and hopeful of a happy
ending. Ella and her friends are in a privileged boarding school but
they still have the same friendship worries, school difficulties and
successes that young girls throughout Australia experience. Themes:
Girls, Friendship, Boarding School, Reporter, Journal, Secrets,
History.
Kathryn Beilby
Mum & Dad by Joanna Trollope
Mantle, 2020. ISBN: 9781529003390. 336pp.
(Age: Adolescent - Adult) This is a story that carries a deep-rooted
sense of loss when a family is separated by distance, and indeed by
tension. When the parents of grown-up children announced one day
that they intended to leave England to live in Spain, where they
planned to become wine-makers, their grown-up children were taken
aback, and indeed somewhat hurt. This tale is embedded in that sense
of abandonment in the loss of grandparents living nearby, wanting to
be part of their children's lives. What surprised them all was that
the older couple experienced a rather resounding success with their
venture, their wine being celebrated as award-winning across Europe.
The story begins with an unexpected event, when the grandfather,
Gus, is compromised quite significantly after suffering a stroke.
Back in England the adult parents, and their children, must decide
how to help their ageing parents. This scenario opens some
inevitable confrontations amongst the families, who are not all in
accord as to how to handle this new state of affairs. Trollope
portrays the inevitable confrontations, the tension, and the concern
for their own family issues, health and otherwise, as well as the
challenge of bringing up adolescent children, with the different
family issues and resentments rising to the surface, creating an
increasing level of tension.
Delving deeply into the interactions of families, of models of love
and kindness, as well as other issues, such as what is a decent
response, when resentment and jealousy rise to the surface. Joanna
Trollope has created a vibrant narrative that deals with some of the
real issues that we face in the world today. Brilliantly, in her
description of our understanding of the sense of inadequacy, of the
fear of not being successful, or of the difficulty of choosing one's
future, Trollope deals with some fundamental issues that are very
much part of the modern world. She writes about how we seek to find
the choice that is right, considering how we treat each other in
ways that are respectful and kind, or otherwise demeaning, balancing
this with the reality of our human capacity to forgive, to
reconsider one's relationships when necessary, and to learn to love
without judgement. It is indeed a most thought-provoking novel that
is very much in touch with the modern world and is suitable for
adolescent and adult reading. It is suitable for adolescent and
adult readers.
Elizabeth Bondar
Dark Age by Pierce Brown
Red Rising Saga. Hachette, 2020. ISBN: 9781473646759.
(Young Adult/Adult). Recommended. Dark Age is the fifth
instalment in Pierce Brown's dystopian science fiction Red
Rising Saga and the tone of the book is indicated by the
title. This a dark, unpredictable and action-packed ride to continue
Brown's epic series.
Part space opera, part high political drama, Dark Age
resumes the story of Darrow, the Republic he founded and the corrupt
Society he has spent more than a decade fighting. Once a successful
revolutionary, Darrow is now an outlaw, his children have been
abducted or imprisoned and an age of political and social chaos
threatens. The story is told from the points of view of five
characters; Darrow, his wife and sovereign Virginia, Ephraim the
thief, Lysander the heir and Lyria, risen from the dead. As with all
of the books in the Red Rising Saga, there are battles,
deaths and complex plot lines, all aided by Brown's considerable
stylistic strengths and pithy dialogue. However at more than 800
pages, the novel does being to drag. As with many 'middle' books in
series, the reader may be forgiven for questioning whether all 800
pages were entirely necessary. Nevertheless, Dark Age does
well to pick set the scene for what should be a thrilling conclusion
to the series. Dark Age is not suitable for younger teen audiences and a
content warning must be given for murder, graphic assault and
violence. However, fans of the Red Rising Saga will be
satisfied with the latest instalment in the series and eager to see
how Darrow's story concludes. Themes: War, Politics, Revolution,
Corruption, Death, Space, Mars.
Rose Tabeni
The Flowers of Vashnoi by Lois McMaster Bujold
An Ekaterin Vorkosigan novella. Subterranean Press, 2019.
ISBN: 9781596068926. 73 pages.
(Age: Adult - Senior secondary) Highly recommended. What a thought
provoking and stylish novella from Bujold, an award winning author
who never fails to deliver a book that lingers in the memory.
Ekaterin is beginning to take on the role of Lady Vorkosigan and
with her interest in Botany sees the Vashnoi exclusion zone lands
that have been devastated by war and still radioactive as something
that she may be able to reclaim. Working with scientist Enrique
Borgos, the pair experiment with radbugs that could eat the
radioactive material in the dead zone and spew out fertilizer.
Not only does Bujold bring to life the horror of atomic devastation
but the lingering effects of radioactivity on the surviving
population. Writing with compassion and warmth she outlines the
dilemmas that Etakerin faces when the radbugs begin to disappear and
secrets that have been hidden since the time of her husband, Miles'
grandfather, come to light.
In 73 engrossing pages Bujold explores the themes of prejudice
against those who have suffered from radioactivity poisoning, the
use of bioengineering and reshaping the landscape. Although this
highly readable novelette fits into the series of books in the Vorkosigan
saga, it can be read as a stand-alone.
Pat Pledger
18 tiny deaths by Bruce Goldfarb
Octopus Publishing Group, 2020. ISBN: 9781913068042
(Age: Senior secondary/Adult) Recommended. Subtitled The untold
story of Frances Glessner Lee and the invention of modern
forensics this is the biography of an eccentric and determined
woman who strove to develop the new field of legal medicine, aiming
to replace the unqualified and often corrupt position of coroner
with skilled medical investigators with sound knowledge of pathology
and forensics. Born in 1878, Frances Lee Glessner never had the
opportunity to undertake higher education, but her keen mind and
passion, and her substantial wealth, saw her take a lead where
no-one, let alone a woman, had gone before. With her friend George
Burgess Magrath, she was able to set up the innovative department of
legal medicine at Harvard, at a time when violent crimes were
unrecognised or bungled through ineptitude. Lee was appointed
consultant to the department at Harvard years before female students
were even admitted to that institution, and she went on to be made a
Captain of the New Hampshire State Police, first woman to hold that
rank. Truly an amazing woman, she overcame every obstacle to achieve
her vision.
However, the creation she may be most remembered for is the
collection of murder-scene dioramas, the Nutshell Studies of
Unexplained Death - dollhouse-sized recreations of murder scenes,
each minute detail fastidiously recreated, each with hidden clues
and red herrings, purposely ambiguous, to train police officers in
the skills of observation and hypothesis. The Nutshell Studies are
still used today, years after her death.
Goldfarb's biography recounts Lee's life and the steps towards her
achievements, and includes colour photographs of the crime-scene
dioramas and the case notes that accompanied them. The book would be
of interest to those studying the forensic sciences or exceptional
women in the sciences, or the general reader who would simply like
to peruse the puzzles posed by the miniature scenes and learn about
their creator.
Themes: Forensic science, Legal medicine, Violent crime, Murder
investigation.
Helen Eddy
The portrait of Molly Dean by Katherine Kovacic
Alex Clayton Art Mystery, book 1. Bonnier, 2018. ISBN:
9781760409784.
(Age: Adult - Senior secondary) Recommended. An elegant murder
mystery for art lovers, The portrait of Molly Dean swings
back and forth from 1999 to 1930 when a young aspiring journalist
Molly Dean was murdered. Art dealer Alex Clayton finds a portrait of
Molly Dean and while trying to uncover its provenance before selling
it, finds inconsistencies in the evidence surrounding her death.
There appears to be a cover up; evidence disappears and although
there is a likely suspect, he was never brought to trial. She
enlists the aid of John Porter, an art conservator, and together
they try to solve this cold case, stirring up some dangerous events
even in the present.
The author keeps the suspense going by telling the story first in
Alex's voice as she sifts through the evidence and in Molly's voice
as she tries to write an article about the life of a dangerous,
enigmatic rich man in the hope that it will be a breakthrough for
her journalistic and author aspirations. The reader will learn much
about the life of an art dealer and conservator and Australian art
while life in 1930's will prove equally interesting.
In notes at the back, the author tells the reader that
the events in the book are based on the real murder of Mary 'Molly'
Winifred Dean and that many of her associates were real people while
Alex is fictitious. This fictional re-enactment of what could have
happened will be an enticing read for those who are interested in
real crime as well as those who like a solid murder mystery.
The author has
written more mysteries set in the art world which I hope to pursue.
Pat Pledger
My Dad is fantastic by Roald Dahl
Illus. by Quentin Blake. Puffin, 2020. ISBN: 9780241430217.
Board book.
(Age: 0+) Highly recommended. A perfect book for any Dad to read
aloud to his child, My dad is fantastic is sure to become a
firm favourite especially with the fathers who are reading it to
their offspring. Quentin Blake's fabulous illustrations jump off the
page, especially the one at the beginning which has Dad leaping in
the air, cheered on by many happy children. Set against solid
colours, blue, yellow purple, red and green, the reader is taken on
a voyage of discovery about what Dad can do - he is so tall he can
life a child over mountains; he makes a child roar with laughter; he
tells amazing stories and will always stay by the child's side.
A robust, well-made board book, this will stand many readings and
the rhyming narrative lends itself to being read aloud, time and
time again. Beautiful words and ideas and gorgeous colours leave the
reader feeling uplifted and happy.
A perfect book to have in a child's library and on hand to celebrate
Father's Day.
Pat Pledger
Baby shark: adventure down under
Random House, 2020. ISBN: 9781760897970.
(Age: 3-5) The Baby Shark phenomenon began apparently in 2015 with
the promotion of one of the easiest of songs for kids to sing along
with. All of this passed me by. Since then it has blown out to be a
world wide video, YouTube sensation, shared on social media and now
is a musical and part of the Kellogg's stable of breakfast cereals.
Beginning as a camp fire song it was taken up by a Korean start up
company in 2015 who produced a video which gained 5 billion viewers
in 12 months. Revised and updated since then, it has spawned a dance
craze as well.
So to receive Baby shark down under, with very little on
each page but a three rows of doo doo doo doo, I was perplexed. I
don't know if I am much the wiser, but I am certainly amazed that
such a simple thing gives rise to a world wide craze, TV show,
billions of online viewers, a musical and a breakfast cereal.
The book cover with lot of glitter will attract the readers, and for
those in the know of the Baby Shark craze will be thrilled. Each
double page has the refrain of three doo doo doo lines associated
with one sort of shark found in Australian waters, and on the right
side of the page is a fact list for that particular shark. So
readers will find out about the Pygmy Shark, Great Hammerhead Shark,
Great White Shark, Grey Nurse Shark, Blacktip Reef Shark, Whale
Shark, Zebra Shark, Tasselled Wobegong, Shortfin Maco and the Port
Jackson Shark. Each fact list gives their botanical name, size,
conservation status, and one fact which children will love to read.
The book does have merit in acquainting younger children about the
different sharks in our waters, and fits in well with the craze that
seems unstoppable. Themes: Sharks, Sing a long, Baby sharks.
Fran Knight
Sometimes cake by Edwina Wyatt
Illus. by Tamsin Ainslie. Walker Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781760650421.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Each section of this charming book
begins, 'Audrey found Lion', and goes on to tell us what Lion has
with him, prompting Audrey to ask the same question about what Lion
has: a balloon, a cake, a hat, and so on. And each question leads to
information about the Lion. It is not his birthday but it is soon he
says and he likes Tuesdays and coconut, and orange and yellow, while
Audrey adds purple. Audrey adds other things she likes as well, and
they celebrate the things they like together.
But one day Lion is not celebrating anything: he tells Audrey this
is just an ordinary day. So she goes away to find things that are
ordinary but have made their days extraordinary. She makes bunting
and cuts up paper to fill a jar with colour; she makes them hats,
and brings out her musical instruments. Lion comes along to see what
she is doing and they play together, making the day anything but
ordinary, the two working together to make it joyous.
The pen and watercolour illustrations sparkle depicting the
friendship between the two characters as they play together,
discussing the things they both like. One might like yellow, and one
purple, but both colours are included in their play. One likes
Tuesdays and the other adds Thursdays, and they both like coconut
and cake.
Pages are filled with the detail of the play area, and younger
readers will love spotting things they like to play with, and
recognise things they could make easily to brighten someone's day.
A book which encourages playing together, but also to alert children
that sometimes their friends might not be as happy as they usually
are, and give them a remedy to help them have a happier day. I love
the sparse text, brimming with subtle overtones, encouraging
children to be more aware of how their friends are feeling. Themes:
Depression, Sharing, Friendship, Mental health, Well being, Baking.
Teacher's
notes are available.
Fran Knight
Monstrous devices by Damien Love
Rock the Boat, 2020. ISBN: 9781786077523. 338pp.
(Age: 10-14) Recommended. There is mystery and plenty of action in
this story with 12 year old Alex as the central character. He lives
with his mother in London, is regularly bullied by fellow student
Kenzie and life isn't particularly remarkable until the arrival of a
package from his Grandfather in Europe. It contains an old tin
wind-up robot, which Alex suspects has special powers over him. His
Grandfather returns as a group of villains turn up who are desperate
to get their hands on the tin robot, which Alex keeps in his care.
All manner of robots, including flying ones and human size robots
called life-sizers pursue and attack Alex and his Grandfather. Their
search for help takes them to France and then Poland. The toy robot
is revealed to be valuable and it has a connection to Golem, a clay
creature which has been lying dormant and will be unleashed for evil
purposes by the villains. Alex has to learn to trust his Grandfather
no matter that he doesn't tell Alex the whole story. Alex believes
two of the villains are his relatives, which is never resolved and
potentially provides a segue into a second book in the series. Monstrous devices is nail-biting escapism and with such
visual action you can imagine it as a film. There is a hint of the
old world of toy shops and Dickensian characters. The
Grandfather carries a Gladstone bag and uses his cane like a
weapon. He says things like "old boy" when talking to Alex. It will
appeal to readers of the Artemis Fowl or Alex Rider
series with a similar smart, young male hero, bad guys and its
gadgetry. Its main theme is good versus evil but Alex must
confront his own internal demons and his Grandfather is also no
angel. There is some consideration of robots and AI being used for
evil purposes, which is of course a contemporary dilemma. This is a
fairly long read which will suit a more confident reader.
Jo Marshall
Peter hops aboard by Katie Woolley
Illus. by Eleanor Taylor. Puffin, 2020. ISBN: 9780241410813. Board
book.
(Age: 0-5) Recommended. Based on Beatrix Potter's iconic characters
and illustrations, the young child will happily follow Peter Rabbit
and his family as they have a lovely picnic by the pond. Peter
decides to build a raft and his family wants to help. Flopsy is good
at plaiting reeds, Mopsy could find a stick for the mast, and
Cotton-Tail could puff into the sail to push the boat along. However
Peter decided that he could make his own raft without any
assistance. Unfortunately it was flawed and began to sink. Indeed he
needed to be rescued out of the water by Mr Jeremy Fisher, and
discovered that his friends' expertise to make a raft that would not
sink was essential. He just needed to ask for help.
Eleanor Taylor's illustrations reflect Potter's beautiful originals
and make this book a lovely one to look at and examine. The rabbit
family are done in gorgeous pastels and the young child will enjoy
following the efforts of the rabbits to build a raft. On the way
they will learn that sometimes it is best to use everyone's
expertise to get a job done, and that it is always OK to ask for
help.
Pat Pledger
Goldfields girl by Elaine Forrestal
Fremantle Press, 2020. ISBN: 9781925816501.
(Age: 10-14) Heartily recommended. Moving from the goldfields of
Queensland to those at Coolgardie, fourteen year old Clara Saunders
kept a diary. In it she described the voyage in a steamer, docking
at Fremantle, then the long road to Southern Cross, where she worked
for her brother Tom in his hotel. A year later she travelled on to
Coolgardie to be assistant manager at a hotel, married and stayed in
the region until her husband died. Her diary was transcribed when
she died in 1957.
Using this diary as a base, Forrestal has fleshed out the writer and
her experiences, describing the early years of Coolgardie and life
in Western Australia in the late nineteenth century. It is a
fascinating look at a young woman, boldly going to work in a place
where women were rare, and their nursing skills in high demand.
Clara goes to Southern Cross to work at her sister's husband's
hotel, and there meets Jack, a water carter. When a reef of gold is
discovered at Coolgardie in 1892, men flock to the town to try their
luck. Clara is eager to join the rush, and accepts a hotel job,
setting off the following week with her mother's Encyclopaedia
of Common Diseases and Remedies, while Jack stays as a water
carter ferrying water to the rapidly growing town. Her life in
Coolgardie is an eye popping look at what life was like: the lack of
sanitation, shelter, water and decent food playing havoc with men's
lives.
Fremantle Press provides teacher
notes.
An interview
with Elaine Forrestal is available on Fremantle Press' website
giving more information about Clara and her life which initiated the
writing of this fine book, introducing readers to a rather
overlooked gold rush in Australia's past. A brief outline of
Coolgardie and its gold rush can be found here.
This involving story is an invaluable introduction to the lives led
by women in the late nineteenth century, the hardships faced,
privations endured, as well as giving readers a solid working
knowledge of life in a gold rush town, so important to Australia's
early economic development. Themes: Goldfields (WA), Western
Australia, Gold rush, Coolgardie (WA).
Fran Knight
