10th Anniversary Edition. Penguin Random House, 2020. ISBN:
9781760896034. hbk.
(Ages: 6-10). Recommended. Alice-Miranda
Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones has decided to go to boarding school
and phoned to ask if she can start early at 7 and a quarter, much to
the concern of her extremely wealthy parents. She strides into
Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies with
all the confidence of an adult, knowing that her mother and
grandmother had attended the same school before her. She sets about
solving all the problems she encounters with the staff and students
including taking on the fearsome Head Mistress, Miss Grimm, who has
not been seen for many years by anyone but her secretary.
The character of Alice-Miranda was created by the author to
illustrate that kindness and courage are the most important things
to strive for and Alice-Miranda certainly has both of those
attributes along with skills and an attitude you would normally
expect in a much older person. To all the adults in the story she is
quite confronting, but she certainly appeals to her young readers as
this series has been extremely popular. This reprint of the first
book in the long series that launched Alice-Miranda is the tenth
Anniversary edition and includes a letter from the author outlining
her gratitude to all who helped bring the character to life with
her.
I liked this book, but I had some issues with Alice-Miranda being so
perfect and so right all the time. Her parents allow her to solve
most of the problems she encounters by paying enormous amounts of
money for anything she asks for - such as a holiday for the school
cook to America by private helicopter and landscaping services for
the gardener to replace the flowers in the grounds. Perhaps this is
part of the charm of the story, but it does not reflect real life
for most of the general population.
It is not a difficult book to read and is written using lots of
dialogue, making the story move quickly. It would be a great novel
for younger readers who are reading at a higher level. Themes:
Boarding school, Family relationships, Friendship.
Gabrielle Anderson
The Conference of the Birds by Ransom Riggs
Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series book 5. Penguin, 2020.
ISBN: 9780241320907. pbk., 228 pp.
(Age: Young Adult Readers) From the first page I was hooked. The
action starts immediately and I felt like I was in one of those
action films from the 80s in Chinatown hiding from a gang chasing
me. Right from the start I was on adventure and thinking . . . what
has happened? Why are the main characters running? This, I think is
a brilliant way to start a book and to hook any Young Adult reader. The Conference of the Birds is Ransom Riggs fifth instatement
of Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children. I have watched the
first film but this is the first of Riggs' books that I've read. I
did find the characters' peculiar and the monsters scary but hey
that's what the series is all about.
Ransom has a great imagination and awesome story telling skills. His
characters are so peculiar and the way he writes about them you
think the person sitting next to you could be one of them. I'll be
watching from now on if they have special powers.
I enjoyed reading about Jacob and discovering who Noor is and her
background and what she stands for, for Peculiars. The friendship
they formed was cool. I really felt for Noor living as an orphan and
not knowing her past and learning more about it as the story went.
Young Adults would love reading this book because it's the children
that run the story and not the adults. I love the way Ransom
incorporates unusual antique photographs into his story telling. The
photos are scattered throughout the book and helps the reader
visualize characters as they are introduced. I am definitely going
to use these photographs in future writing lessons with my students.
I think getting a student to read Ransom's books and seeing how he
uses the photos students will be writing in no time. I think the
cover is awesome and like the antique feel of it. It makes this
series special. Miss Peregrine's Peculiar children series has a new fan in me
and I'm ready to start the series from the start. Also hope more
films are made from the series.
Maria Komninos
The best kind of beautiful by Frances Whiting
Macmillan, 2019. ISBN: 9781743535134. 336pp.
(Age: Adults - Adolescents) This is an intense, loving, evocative
and powerful novel that draws us into a story of a family whose love
for each other is palpable. An unusual family, their lives are
dominated by the father, who runs the family as a much-beloved
musical group. Their talent in playing instruments and singing to
adoring audiences is something that brings them together and is at
the centre of their lives for many years. In a tight-knit family
that bursts with talent, we see their world in the spotlight, as
much respected, indeed adored, for their singing, playing and the
deep love that they share.
Yet, like all families, over time things happen that disturb the
dynamics of this family's glorious career, and it is in her capacity
to show how each character must find a way to deal with changes, and
work to make these happen without loss of loyalty and musical
prowess, that Whiting creates her beautiful narrative. The father is
at the centre of their little universe, and it is under his loving
and demanding care that they perform. When things change, each
character has to find a way to cope, and this is the story of their
adjustments, their changing lives and their individual pursuit of
happiness.
This novel sparkles with the joy of music, singing, friendship and
that special love of a family. Yet it is a narrative that focuses on
the complexity of love, ambition, loyalty and the demands of family.
It would be suitable for adolescent readers and adults alike.
Elizabeth Bondar
Monster Nanny by Tuutikki Tolonen
Allen and Unwin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760525590. pbk., 298 pp.
(Age: 7-11) Monster Nanny the title says it all. If you're a
Roald Dahl fan you will enjoy reading Monster Nanny by
Finnish author Tuutikki Tolonen. I found it was a refreshing change
of pace from the majority of books out there and a nice return to
timeless adventure. As soon as I saw the cover I thought of Where
The Wild Things Are and yes the monsters did remind me of the
book.
Halley, Koby and Mimi's mum has won a spa trip to Lapland and due to
Invisible Voice (the dad) always being away for work and not being
able to be there to watch the kids, a nanny has been promised to
watch the kids. This nanny is no ordinary nanny but a huge, half
human, hairy, dirty, dust covered monster. Mum has been convinced
that the monster is ok and is part of a "secret special experiment .
. . researching new options for child care work" so off she goes and
the children are left in the care of Monster Nanny. Monster Nanny is a delightful read that any middle school
student will enjoy. The children in the story were easy to relate to
and take us on an adventure to discover who the monster is and where
it came from. Along the way we meet other monsters, a talking robe
and little monster mosquitos.
This is one book I would add to my shelf in the classroom for all
kids to enjoy. Before I forget, the black and white illustrations in
the book were a great addition. Looking forward to reading more
books from Tolonen.
Maria Komninos
In the Clearing by J. P. Pomare
Hachette, 2020. ISBN: 9781869713393.
Recommended for adults. J. P. Pomare delivers a taut psychological
thriller loosely based on the Victorian Family Cult which controlled
its followers through brainwashing and subjected the children to
abuse.
Told in two voices, teenager Amy who lives in the Clearing, totally
dominated by the Elders and adult Freya who lives with her son Billy
in a safe house, scared of the outside world. The author builds a
tightly controlled plot, leaving little breadcrumbs - times, dates,
family structure, even chapter headings, be very aware as Freya's
and Amy's stories take you on an emotional journey.
Security is key in Freya's world, she's escaped from an horrific
upbringing and taken refuge in an isolated farmhouse, protected by
her guard dog Rocky. Shutters, a security system, panic buttons and
a fire bunker, all assist Freya in her bid to be safe and protected.
When bunches of flowers are left on her doorstep and strangers are
seen at her swimming hole, Freya's anxiety levels build, her
paranoia grows, and she feels a sense of deja vu. Her first son
Aspen was kidnapped, and she is over-vigilant in protecting Billy.
Amy's diary entries chronicle the deprivation, the rigid control,
the brainwashing and terror she experiences in The Clearing. The
chosen children are starved, forced to hide in The Hole when
strangers visit, have their sleep controlled and suffer cruel
punishments. Amy believes that outsiders are blue devils and she
must remain true to Adrienne their leader. When new girl Asha who
was kidnapped on her way home from school, tells of her life on the
outside, Amy begins to question her life and the world outside. In the Clearing is filled with twists and turns, at times
very graphic and confronting, skilfully written, even frightening at
times. Pomare's tension-building plot, his separate yet
interconnected storylines and explosive conclusion, make this a
powerful psychological suspense novel. Themes: Psychological
thriller, Cults - Australia, Missing Persons, Secrecy.
Rhyllis Bignell
Scorch Dragons by Amie Kaufman
Elementals book 2. HarperCollins Children's Books, 2019.
ISBN: 9781460755280. 448pp. pbk.
(Age: Middle Years 9+) Recommended. Dragons, wolves, adventure and
magic. What else does a middle grade reader want in a book? Just
imagine being able to transform into a dragon or a wolf, something
any middle grader would love to do. Scorched Dragons is, Amie Kaufman's second book from Elementals
series. I can see why she is a New York Bestseller author.
Right from the start I knew it will be a book I could not put down.
I loved the detailed map of the land of Vallen I was about to visit.
I have not read book one, Ice
Wolves and I gathered that Scorched Dragons
leads on from after the war that reunited Anders and Rayna who are
twins that are totally opposites. Together with Lisabet they go on a
hunt for a weather changing artefact called the Snowstone. They must
find the Snowstone or the dragons will be in trouble.
I loved reading about the history of the conflict between dragons
and the wolves and why each other hated the other. It was great to
see wolves and dragons working together to save everyone and
learning that the things they were taught over the years about each
other were untrue. Anders and Rayna also discover who their parents
are. Scorched Dragons is a great fantasy book all about adventure,
magic, transformation magic, friendships and friendships between
enemies.
The characters were good and you could picture them transforming
into dragons and wolves. They did stay in their human form most of
the time which made it easier for me to relate to what was happening
and finding the story more real.
I must say, Kess is my favourite character. Their lost cat that
reappears during the story. Hehe can you tell I'm a cat person.
Maria Komninos
The other Bennet sister by Janice Hadlow
Pan Macmillan, 2020. ISBN: 9781509842032. 320pp.
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. Mary is the other Bennet sister, the
one we hear least about in Jane Austen's Pride and prejudice.
Jane and Lizzie, the two eldest are beautiful and intelligent, the
two younger ones, Kitty and Lydia, are vain and flighty, and Mary is
the one in the middle, the plain and serious one with her head in
books. Mary is the object of her mother's disdain, seen as the most
unattractive and least marriageable of her daughters, and even her
father spares little thought for her, Lizzie being his favourite.
Author Hadlow takes the character of Mary and retells Austen's story
from Mary's perspective. Part One is Pride and prejudice
retold, we remember key scenes and events but told by a different
narrator. This section of the novel would make an excellent focus
for the English curriculum study of appropriation and adaptation as
a literary device.
But then Hadlow goes further. She imagines what happens to Mary
after the ending of Pride and prejudice when the four other
sisters are all happily settled and secure in their marriages. Mary
is in an extremely untenable position with no home of her own, no
income, no marriage prospects, and parents that are embarrassed by
her. She moves from place to place staying in turn with sisters,
friends and relatives. She continues to read, the subjects more and
more intellectually demanding, and she observes the marriages of
others, gradually coming to an appreciation of the qualities that
make a good relationship. As she matures, she is fortunate to have
the encouragement of some who have an appreciation of her good
qualities and intellect, and there are even male companions who seem
to take an interest in her.
In Hadlow's story, Mary is the kind of heroine we find in Jane
Eyre, self-effacing and lonely, a plain but good natured,
intelligent woman who longs for the love and companionship of
someone who recognises her good qualities. She has to overcome the
humiliating experiences of her youth and eventually blossom into a
confident person who can take her place in society. Like Austen,
Hadlow has told a fascinating story that explores identity, love,
marriage, class and the role of women in the 19th century.
Helen Eddy
Willy Wonka's everlasting book of fun by Roald Dahl
Penguin Random House, 2020. ISBN: 9780241428139.
(Ages: 7-12). Highly recommended. An activity book filled with games,
activities, recipes and information all centred around the
characters and story of Charlie and the chocolate factory by
Roald Dahl. Willy Wonka introduces the book with a chapter about the
chocolate factory and presents games and quizzes that tell you about
the chocolate factory, different sweets to read about and make plus
quiz questions to test your knowledge of the story.
The book then takes a chapter for each character - Charlie Bucket,
Augustus Gloop, Violet Beauregarde, Veruca Salt and Mike Teavee.
Ending the book is a chapter about the Oomp-Loompas and then lastly
included at the end is a chapter of the original book which was
never included in the published version. Scattered throughout the
book are those fantastic, whimsical illustrations by Quentin Blake.
The activities in the chapters revolve around the things the
characters encountered in the story and each chapter is about 15
pages long and is a mixture of recipes, word finds, quiz questions,
drawing activities, experiments and games. The advertising for this
book says there are over 365 activities in total, enough to keep a
child busy for months, especially on rainy days. Classroom teachers
using Charlie and the chocolate factory as a read aloud story could
include the quiz questions and other activities in this book
alongside the reading to really involve children in the Roald Dahl
experience. Themes: Amusements, Puzzles, Roald Dahl characters.
Gabrielle Anderson
Bone china by Laura Purcell
Bloomsbury, 2019. ISBN: 9781526602527. 384pp.
(Age: Adolescent - Adult) This story begins with Hester Why's
enigmatic statement that 'love is fragile' and it is indeed clearly
her past experiences, her fear and unsettled present that, we
gather, are 'dragging her' to Cornwall in the midst of a chilling
winter, to find work as an escape from her previous life. Doctor
Pinecroft's large house, in which she is to live and work, is
depicted as 'grey, wide and squat' standing with its 'rough-cast
face' on the 'crest of the cliff'. This gripping tale tells of the
harshness of life at that time, as we are drawn into the chill, and
indeed the dread that Hester experiences daily, knowing that not
only might she catch the disease, but also is aware that her
employers would fire her if they were to discover her past and her
secrets.
Doctor Pinecroft is described as a visionary, determined to find a
way to treat the tuberculosis that has heavily affected his family,
and indeed that has taken the lives of so many others, but is also
in search of a cure. In his bold experiment, a group of prisoners
from a local gaol in Cornwall are released into his care. He sets up
a campsite, where he daily spends some time with them living in old
caves by the sea. His wild plan is that the crippling cold and sea
air will enable the men to beat the disease - a desperate hope.
Working for the doctor's family, Hester is one of the few women
involved in supporting the men. As the story is told through her
experiences, we learn about the lives of the servants of that era,
and their ever-present fear of illness and poverty. Opium, alcohol
and other drugs appear to be available, and we read of the problems
that these and other drugs cause. Yet we are positioned to grasp the
dread of the illness experienced by so many people during that time,
and to understand the consequent despair that runs through the whole
narrative. It is a wild story in its own way, lively, evocative and
sadly indicative of the terrible living conditions for many people
in that historical time and place.
This intriguing narrative, that gives us a vivid picture of the way
people lived and of the understandable fears that troubled everyone
at that time, is a comprehensive, well-written work that would be
most suitable for both adult and adolescent reading.
Elizabeth Bondar
Where's Peppa's magical unicorn?
Penguin Random House, 2020. ISBN: 9780241412046. 10pp.
(Age: 1-4) Daddy Pig is helping Peppa look for her magical unicorn.
It isn't in her toy cupboard, that's just Horsey Twinkle Toes.
"Where else shall we look?" asks Daddy Pig. "A fairy-tale castle!"
says Peppa. And so the search continues, across an array of settings
including the beach and the bottom of the rainbow. But each time
Peppa is disappointed; the tail poking out of a dragon bush is not a
unicorn tail after all - it's a kite! And the glow at the end of the
rainbow? It's a pot of gold, not Magical Unicorn. A disappointed
Peppa heads home, but as soon they are safely inside the doorbell
rings; it is Grandpa Pig . . . with Peppa's magical unicorn. She's
been hiding out at Grandpa and Grandma Pig's house and Peppa is so
glad to see her.
Young ones will love lifting the flaps as they join in Peppa's
search for her special friend. The glittery front cover will catch
their attention and the familiar and comforting world of Peppa Pig
will hold their attention. This sturdily made board book will
delight little Peppa fans and allows for self-exploration as well as
shared reading. Themes: Board book, Lift-the-flap book, Peppa Pig.
Nicole Nelson
The Good Hawk by Joseph Elliott
Walker Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781406385854. 368pp.
(Age: Upper primary - secondary) Highly recommended. The Good
Hawk by Joseph Elliott has a solid central character in
Agatha. It is a fantasy story where two friends are forced to leave
their ravaged home and travel to distant, frightening places that
are shrouded in dark history and mystery. The use of the
Scottish-Gaelic and Old Norse language throughout adds to the
ethereal, otherworldly atmosphere of this tale.
Agatha is a loyal and steadfast character who perseveres against all
odds to defend and uphold her clan and her friends. We hear her pure
and unaffected voice in the first person. She stutters but she
expresses herself with the clarity of the innocent. She sees through
people to their true core and she has a special and unique skill -
communication with animals. Early on the reader hears that she is
teased - told that she should have been thrown off a cliff as a
babe. We read that she looks different. We understand that she has a
disability, that she is not able to do some things and that people
think they can't rely on her. But she has a steely pride - she is a
Hawk. Jamie is her friend with his own fears and undiscovered
strengths.
Their journey to rescue their clan takes supreme courage in the face
of fearsome obstacles, the out-and-out brutality of evil foes and
frightening mystical, wild, primeval forces.
There is consideration of the alternative perspectives of all manner
of cultural and societal beliefs and practices as our two heroes
encounter extraordinarily outlandish good and evil characters during
their journey. Love remains demonstratively pure and powerful
throughout.
This book is not for the faint hearted but it is redemptive.
Elliott's depiction of a heroine with Down's syndrome is wonderful.
I agree with Katya Balen, author of The
Space We're Inin her praise for Elliott's portrayal of
Agatha. She is indeed . . . "the sort of hero children's literature
has been lacking for too long." The Good Hawk is a swashbuckling adventure set in a fantasy
world somewhere up in the North Sea in the vicinity of the Isle of
Skye, Scotland and Norway; The Space We're In is more
domestic. Both books are powerful portrayals of lived disability.
They will surprise and grip the reader. The gap that has existed for
books about heroes with disabilities is at last being addressed and
it is a very good thing.
I highly recommend both books to Upper Primary and Senior School
students. Teacher's
notes are available.
Wendy Jeffrey
Spinoza's overcoat: Travels with writers and poets by Subhash Jaireth
Transit Lounge, 2020. ISBN: 9781925760460.
(Age: Adult) Non-fiction. This collection of essays by Jaireth
explores the poetry and lives of some of his personally selected
writers and poets, some probably not well known to many readers.
However his book also includes poems that are the subject of his
study, so the reader is able to read the original words and also
follow his explorations of meaning and place. Jaireth is intrigued
to actually visit some of the scenes described, or the places where
the words were written, seeking to understand more fully the
experience of the poets he is curious about. Thus he travels to
hidden places in Prague, Paris, Leiden, Amsterdam, Moscow and other
cities, to trace the paths of Kafka's sister, Paul Celan, Bulgakov,
Spinoza, Pasternak, and Hiromi Ito, among others. And in sharing his
explorations, and his search to understand more of the written words
that fascinate him, he also shares some snippets of his own life,
his personal travails and search for self-expression.
I was most interested in his discoveries of the ancient city of
Baghdad, the City of Peace, a circular city built within a circle of
fire, setting for many of the stories of The Thousand and One
Nights, the original city now replaced and overbuilt by a
sprawling new city, following wars, terrorism and looting. Jaireth
hopes that the tales of Baghdad may be rediscovered in sculptures by
Ghani Hikmar and new monuments dedicated to the rebirth of Iraqi
culture.
For Jaireth, the writer's choice of particular scenes, particular
words, the rhythmic meter, the form and shape of poems, and
especially the choices made in translation, are a constant source of
interest and he shares with us some of the history and the art of
the poet, the writer and the translator, an insight that can only
enrich our appreciation of the written works he wants us to
understand better.
Helen Eddy
Dippy and the Dinosaurs by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley
Angus and Robertson, 2020. ISBN: 9781460754092. 32pp., hbk.
Dippy the Diprotodon has dug a new hole and the best thing about a
hole is that if you have sharp claws you can make it bigger and
bigger. In fact you can make it so big it can take you into another
world! A swimming hole, to be precise, one filled with creatures
that Dippy doesn't recognise but who he is convinced will want to be
friends. But will they?
Right alongside Mothball, Dippy is my favourite literary character
because his innocence and expectation that he will be loved
epitomises and reflects that of our youngest generation as they
learn to navigate the world beyond home and family. It never occurs
to Dippy that the creatures that he discovers (and who discover him)
will do him harm or be unkind. Both French and Whatley capture this
perfectly in text and words demonstrating that while new situations
might be different, even strange, that doesn't necessarily mean they
are confrontational and antagonistic.
As our littlest ones head off to preschool and big school, they can
go with a positive attitude and confidence that yes, it's a new
world but it doesn't have to be scary. To explore this in the
context of a book about dinosaurs which resonated with that age
group is just genius.
For those of you who want to explore the world of Dippy, diprotodons
and other megafauna there are teachers'
notes (written by me) available.
Barbara Braxton
Under the Milky Way: traditions and celebrations beneath the stars by Frane Lessac
Candlewick Press, 2020. ISBN: 9781536200959. 31pp.
(Age: 5-10) Recommended. Lovers of festivals and Astronomy
enthusiasts are in for a wonderful time as Lessac takes the reader
around North America looking at different places and their
traditions, all under the Milky Way. Beginning with the ever popular
Halloween festival, readers will be enthralled by the detailed
illustrations of what the festival looks like in Salem,
Massachusetts, with pumpkins peering from all the houses, ghosts and
spiders adorning the trees and children all dressed up in costumes.
Then there is the information about the origins of the Halloween
festival, and Salem. This formula of very colourful and detailed
illustrations with captions about the tradition and the place
visited is followed as readers find about ice skating in Maple
Grove, Minnesota, dragon dancers in San Francisco, night time
markets in Toronto, Canada, dog racing in Nome, Alaska, the Nations
dancing in Seattle, Washington and so on. At the top of the page is
information about the night time celebration in large print which
will facilitate reading the book aloud, and the smaller captions of
information could be used for discussion about the cities and the
festivals.
Two pages of information about the Milky Way and star formations is
given at the back of the book and finally readers are instructed to
find Lessac's dog Banjo, which is featured on every page. This will
immediately make the reader turn back to inspect the busy, brightly
coloured pages with all their tiny figures to seek out the small
brown dog.
A companion to Lessac's Under
the Southern Cross, this book is ideal for libraries and
classrooms where children will learn not only about festivals in
North America but some of its geography and history as well. Themes;
Astronomy, Festivals, Night and Day, Galaxies.
Pat Pledger
Love from the Crayons by Drew Daywalt
Illus. by Oliver Jeffers. HarperCollins, 2019. ISBN: 9780008384920.
32pp., hbk. Love is yellow and orange.
Because love is sunny and warm.
Join the Crayons
as they bring us another charming tale, this time about how love is
many colours depending on how we are feeling and what we are doing
at the time.
Explore how love can be shown in so many ways apart from saying
those three words, and then take it further by investigating how we
often assign colours to our emotions and how colours can affect and
reflect our moods.
Something charming for Valentine's Day and Library Lovers'
Day.
Barbara Braxton
