Penguin, 2019. ISBN: 9780141375656. 327pp. pbk.
Twins Ellery and Ezra must stay with their grandmother in a small
town in Vermont, Echo Ridge, near the Canadian border while their
mother, Sadie is in rehab following a conviction for crashing her
car under the influence of a prohibited drug. They know that the
town lies under a cloud. Their mother's babysitter, Melanie had a
daughter, Lacy, who was killed five years ago. This is still an
unsolved murder and everyone has an opinion about who killed her.
And Lacy's boyfriend, Declan leaving soon after her funeral, divided
people's opinions.
But on the way to Echo Ridge from the airport, the twins discover a
dead body on the road - a popular teacher, victim of a hit and run.
Settled in, Ellery begins watching. She is a true-crime buff and
wants to know as much as she can about Lacy's murder, and her own
aunt's disappearance some twenty five years before.
She and Ezra go to the local fun park, once called Murderland, but
after the discovery of Lacy's body there, had its name changed to
Fright Park. Here the two apply for part time work.
Declan's brother, Malcolm has never felt comfortable with the burden
of being in the same family, and now when things begin to happen
again, it is Malcolm who is found at the crime scenes. Graffiti is
sprayed at the fund raiser for Lacey, Malcolm found with the spray
can in hand. At the cemetery where he and Mia go to put flowers on
the teacher's grave, he finds a montage declaring that a third
homecoming queen will be killed.
When Ellery plucks up enough courage to ask her Grandmother about
her missing aunt, she sees the impact the deaths have had on the
people of the community and resolves to uncover the secrets hidden
in the town. She and Malcolm follow the clues and almost lose their
lives in their endeavours to uncover the truth.
A gripping read, this tightly plotted story has an underbelly of
secrets, some reaching back into past history, others more recent,
but each obscuring the reality of what is going on. Set at the time
of the homecoming ball, the backdrop of life in a school in the USA
is illuminating.
McManus is the author of acclaimed, One of
us is Lying (2017) where five teens walk into the detention
room and only four walk out. A thriller writer, McManus is honing
her crime writing skills with these two books and will gain a
willing audience.
Fran Knight
The Besties to the Rescue by Felice Arena
Illus. by Tom Jellett. Puffin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760890971. 80pp.
(Age: 5+) Very highly recommended. Felice Arena and Tom Jellett of
the Sporty Kids series have released a new series that will
appeal to newly independent readers and parents alike. The series
focuses on best friends Oliver and Ruby who have been friends
forever. Ruby loves to learn new tricks on the trampoline and Oliver
is more interested in working on his drawings in his treehouse.
In the first book of the series, Oliver is recording Ruby performing
a new trick on her trampoline when they capture the neighbour's cat
knock a baby bird our of its nest. Oliver and Ruby decide to look
after the bird until they can get it back to its mum.
The story follows the efforts of Ruby and Oliver to protect the baby
bird and get it back to its mother.
This is a very funny story that will engage children in the younger
years and would work as a read-aloud, read-along or as a first novel
for young children.
The addition of activities and jokes in the back of the book makes
this a series to remember. I believe that this series will become
very popular within the school library setting as it is an easy read
that is interesting and follows two children who encourage each
other's interests and embrace their differences and friendship to
work together to solve problems. Themes: Family, friendship, nature.
Mhairi Alcorn
Frostheart by Jamie Littler
Puffin, 2019. ISBN: 9780241355220.
(Age: 9-13) Highly recommended. Ash is the hero of the story and he
lives in an inhospitable village in a frozen land.
I was instantly grabbed by the exciting opening, where Ash and
friends kick their ball onto the frozen sea. He foolhardily decides
to step onto the solid surface to retrieve the ball, even though
treading on the ice is forbidden. Underneath the surface lurks
monsters, Leviathans, who hear and see him, break through the
surface and to try to devour Ash. He only just escapes and is helped
by his grumpy Yeti guardian.
Ash has never fitted into the Fira community and the fact that he
can hear the monster's song and wants to sing back himself, fills
the locals with fear and suspicion. This all comes to a head when
rare visitors arrive at the village and it is Ash and his forbidden
skills that save them from certain death.
He decides to leave on the visitors' ship Frostheart and the Yeti
Tobu loyally follows him.
Ash is on a personal journey or quest to discover the mystery of his
missing parents who were 'Pathfinders' and the meaning of his gift
of 'singing', of being a 'Song Weaver'. Along the way he becomes
part of many exciting adventures and interacts with an assortment of
Frostheart crew members, closely befriending a Drifter girl
named Lunah.
Black and white illustrations are distributed throughout the novel
and they help to give a deeper understanding of the characters and
settings. The monsters are wonderfully scary, threatening and fast.
This fantasy tale is a debut novel for Jamie Littler and other books
will continue the tale. I feel this will be a popular series for 9
to 13 year olds and readers of Nevermoor and Harry
Potter will find this a thrilling read.
I highly recommend this novel as part of your school/public library
or personal collection.
Jane Moore
All the bright places by Jennifer Niven
Penguin Random House, 2020. ISBN: 9780241395967.
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Two young teenagers meet on the
narrow outside ledge of the school clock tower. Theodore Finch is
known as Theodore Freak, the weird boy always doing something crazy.
He is contemplating whether this day is the day that he will die.
Violet Markey is one of the cool girls, but who now suddenly feels
alone and guilty, having lost her sister in a car accident that
Violet blames herself for. Both find themselves looking down on the
school grounds far below.
Violet gets the credit for talking Finch down. Little do family and
school friends know but it was actually more in the reverse: it was
Finch who saved Violet's life. Thus begins a tenuous relationship as
Violet gets drawn more and more into a friendship with a person who
seems so charismatic, so dramatically in love with life, and so
irrepressibly full of enthusiasm - nobody can read these pages
without loving Finch. Only gradually the reader becomes aware of the
violence, the apathy, and the neglect that have coloured his life,
and which have left their deep scars. Finch however constantly
strives to find the joy and beauty in life. It is not until the
latter pages of the book that the reader, like Violet, comes to
really understand his situation.
The two students collaborate on a school geography project that
challenges them to explore the unique and celebratory places in
their home state of Indiana. In doing so they draw closer together,
and Violet gradually braves the demons that hold her back. She
becomes 'Ultraviolet Remarkey-able' as Finch likes to call her.
Author Jennifer Niven has written a tender story about two teenagers
struggling with thoughts of suicide, drawn together by a shared
experience of loneliness, rejection, depression and guilt. It is a
sensitive portrayal of grief and teenage love that is sad but
ultimately uplifting in its resolution. I am sure it will be a very
popular film when it comes to Netflix.
The end pages remind young readers that they are not alone, and
there is help out there. They list support services in the U.K.,
Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
Helen Eddy
The year of the rat by Charles Hope
Illus. by Jess Racklyeft. Wild Dog, 2019. ISBN 9781742035789. 32pp.
(Age: 4+) A timid and shy creature, Rat is happy with her costume
for the school play. She is to play a tree and has made an
appropriate costume, happy to be in the background. But on the day,
disaster strikes. Sheep breaks a tap in the bathroom and the stage
is flooded. Rabbit trips over a drum, spilling the pots of glue,
which cover his fur and worst of all, Tiger, the star of the show,
comes to school with a ferocious cold. Cancellation is spoken of.
But shy Rat is also imaginative and capable, and organises the group
into making use of things they have not thought about. She raids the
art room and brings out cardboard and paint, bottles, string and
tins and with the help of the others turns these into useful props
and instruments. Going outside they take over the playground as
their stage. Now only the star of the show is missing.
Rat has been to every rehearsal and knows the words by heart, so
donning a tiger skin she steps onto the stage and saves the day.
This lovely story of courage, of overcoming difficulties, will have
appeal to a younger audience, especially those who like Rat are
timid and unsure of themselves. The unusual illustrations will
intrigue readers as they look at the detail and follow the image of
Rat as she changes from someone at ease in the background to taking
over the main stage. 2020 being the Year of the Rat in the Chinese
Zodiac makes this an appropriate story for the coming year,
especially around Chinese New Year (25th January). Included at the
end of the book are several pages outlining the 12 signs of the
Chinese Zodiac, encouraging readers to work out which animal
represents the year they were born.
Themes: Rats, New Year, Chinese Zodiac, Courage.
Fran Knight
Top marks for murder by Robyn Stevens
Murder most unladylike series, book 8. Puffin, 2019. ISBN:
9780241348383. 400pp.
(Age: 10+) Recommended. This murder mystery is the 8th in the series
(nine in total) and the two leading characters Daisy and Hazel have
returned to their school, Deepdean, to find that a new, more popular
girl is now the focus of most of the students.
Deepdean is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary and there are
several days of activities and presentations for both the students
and their visiting parents.
Of course, 'A murder most unladylike' needs a body or two and the
first alleged murder is seen in the distance from the girls' dorms.
As Daisy, Hazel and their small group try to uncover the mystery of
the strangulation in the woods, more murders and attempted murders
occur throughout the story.
It is all very proper 1930's young lady's school meets Midsomer
Murders, as the bodies seem to mount up around Daisy and
Hazel.
Except for Inspector, who has a great respect for the girls'
sleuthing, the rest of the local police seem incapable of solving
any crime. Daisy and Hazel are encouraged to collect information
about the people present at the school anniversary and report their
observations back to the Inspector.
Robin Stevens illustrates how the girls interact and the way that
they treat each other. Class snobbery contributes to some of Daisy's
opinions about people. The narrator, Hazel, is a much kinder
character and doesn't see the world in the same black and white way
as Daisy.
This is the first book I have read in the series and although the
characters refer to other stories it was still successful as a
stand-alone book.
Many students at my primary school are very keen to read murder
mysteries and this gives them a chance to enjoy the genre, solving
puzzles and guessing 'who did it'. They are not gruesome or bloody
just good old-fashioned sleuthing.
I recommend this book to 10 year olds and above.
A book
trailer is available.
Jane Moore
Fairies in the forest by Lindsey Kelk
Illus. by Pippa Curnick. Cinders and Sparks book 2.
HarperCollins, 2019. ISBN: 9780008292140. 208pp.
(Age: 7+) Very highly recommended as a series. Recommended as a
stand-alone book. I haven't read book one Magic at midnight
but after reading this I am now looking out for it and book three as
I think you need to read them all in quick order so that you get the
full joy of these books.
The book begins with Cinders who is a modern day Cinderella on the
run in the deep dark woods with her dog Sparks and mouse who is now
a horse (of course) and Hansel. If you haven't read book one there
are a number of things that you either have to take for granted or
work out as the story progresses that have obviously occurred in
book one, however the story flows in such a way that you are pulled
along on a wild and enjoyable ride.
As Cinders ventures deeper into the forest she encounters the Three
Bears, sleeps in their beds, convinces Daddy Bear not to eat her,
escapes forest monsters and meets Rapunzel. In this convoluted fairy
tale adventure children will certainly be engaged and giggle as they
read the book, especially if they have experience with a number of
fairy tales. I love the illustrations and feel that these really add
to the story and help to support the story and engage the younger
readers.
This is a fantastic book, however I think that children would find
the cliff-hanger ending frustrating which is why I feel that this
series of books would be best read together rather than
individually. Saying this does not change my opinion that these
would be fantastic as class novels or as a read-aloud and will
become favourites within classes and libraries with all students,
especially those who have moved onto short novels. Themes: Family,
Friendship, Fairies, Fairytales, Animals, Magic.
Mhairi Alcorn
The impossible boy by Ben Brooks
Quercus, 2019. ISBN: 9781786540997. 256pp.
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Oleg and Emma are best friends, hang out
together at school and have their own little hideaway in the
schoolyard. They use their imaginations to invent a student,
Sebastian, and even add him to the class register and hand up work
in his name. What shocks them both is when their imaginary friend,
Sebastian actually shows up, in a bizarre cardboard spaceship.
He is very friendly but not very wise in the ways of the world and
Oleg and Emma feel responsible for him as he is their own creation.
Sebastian participates in school lessons and eventually befriends
the class.
The impossible boy brings with him impossible adventures, as a
menacing group of masked people seem determined to capture him and
make him disappear again. Exploits include snow women who have come
to life, the groundsman who never seems to age, a pop-up goat and
the mysterious "Institute of Unreality".
Emma and Oleg have personal problems in their home lives which make
their daily existence difficult and uncomfortable. Both have issues
with parents who are not able to parent for differing reasons and
are unaware of their children's day to day life as well as the more
bizarre happenings around Sebastian.
Author Ben Brooks, well known for his Stories
for boys who dare to be different, has written a
rollicking tale where factual and imaginary worlds blend together
and the characters from stories or imaginations have their own life
in the real world.
He tells a fun story but also gives insights into the children's
world of friendships, loyalty and home responsibilities.
The front cover, illustrating Sebastian's arrival is bright and
appealing and there are black and white illustrations scattered
throughout the book. I recommend this story to students aged 8 and
over.
Jane Moore
The Frozen Sea by Piers Torday
Quercus, 2019. ISBN: 9781786540768. 352pp.
(Age: 9-12) Recommended. It is 1984 and Jewel lives with her mother
Patricia and her only friend, a hamster named Fizz. Patricia has
always been obsessed by her missing sister and there is a family
mystery regarding her childhood. Official information is gradually
released throughout the novel and this infers there was an
unsanctioned experiment regarding an alternative world.
Jewel tends to be an outsider and when she is chased by school
bullies, she seeks refuge in a bookshop. She falls into a book and
continues an adventure started by her mother and her aunt and uncles
many years ago. She is guided into the fantasy world of Folio where
she has to rescue her aunt who has been missing since childhood. In
this fantasy world, Fizz has the power to speak and gives lots of
comical, self-centred advice to Jewel.
Folio is inhabited by many storybook characters and a fearsome
collection of robots. Everyone is obsessed with their Stampstone,
which gives information and tells the wearers what to think. It's
interesting how nearly everyone in Folio relies on the Stampstone
and are obsessed with their screens and information, a strong
comparison to the tablets and iphones of today.
Aided by a copper robot and Fizz, Jewel must travel to the Frozen
Sea to find her aunt and meets a variety of fictional characters
along the way. The Frozen Sea holds all the answers to her quest and
she must face this danger to find a solution.
Piers Torday has written acclaimed fantasy books such as The
Lost Magician, short listed for an award by The Times.
I recommend this book to children 9 to 12 years old.
Jane Moore
The lonely dead by April Henry
Palgrave, 2020. ISBN: 9781250233769. 240pp.
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Adele is walking through the woods when she
sees Tori, the girl she had a fight with at a party. She realises to
her horror that Tori is a ghost and has been murdered. Adele has
always been able to see the dead, a talent passed down in her family
and even though she has been diagnosed with schizophrenia she knows
that she has this ability. Now with a murderer on the loose, she
must try to find out who it is without becoming a victim herself.
This is a quick easy read for fans of mystery and the paranormal. It
is easy to relate to Adele who has been on medication for years but
who feels so much better when she isn't taking them. However when
suspicion of the murder turns to her, the fact that she hasn't been
taking her meds makes her a more likely suspect. Her relationship
with Charlie the nephew of one of the detectives investigating the
murder adds interest to the story.
A lot of information about the effects of drinking and how
overindulging can lead to blackouts, is also a timely warning of the
physiological effects of alcohol, and Adele's inability to remember
much about when she left the party is also a useful device for
getting the reader to wonder if perhaps she did really murder Tori.
At 240 pages, The lonely dead is sure to please readers who
want a stand-alone that is entertaining and engrossing.
Themes: Mystery and suspense, Paranormal, Ghosts, Psychic ability,
Murder, Reluctant readers.
Pat Pledger
China through time retold by Edward Aves
DK, 2020. ISBN: 9780241356296.
(Age: 7+) Highly recommended. Themes: China, Canals, Yangtze,
Ancient history, Regeneration. Two and a half thousand years ago, an
emperor had a brilliant idea - joining the two mighty Chinese
rivers, the Yangtze and Huai to form a magnificent canal which would
enable him to move troops quickly to places where they were needed.
The next thousand yeas saw canals built and waterways joined to
create an incredible canal capable of trading between Hangzhou in
China's south and Beijing in the north.
Each double page of this outstanding large format book recreates a
scene in the life of this canal system, shadowing the rise of China
as a powerful nation in the Asian realm. The first double page,
entitled, Construction begins, Yangzhou 486BCE, shows an army of
peasants digging and carting soil. Information around the edges of
the pages gives details about how the people worked, while the
illustration shows in no uncertain terms the brutality of the regime
in charge. Several men in chains are being taken away by heavily
armoured warriors, one dying man is being carted off by fellow
workers, high towers surround the project with soldiers on the
alert. Eager eyes will pick out the work the men do, the
magnificence of the emperor and his retinue, the tools with which
these people worked.
Each subsequent double page displays the history of the Grand Canal,
completed in 605 CE. So readers will see the impact of the canal
bringing peace, civilisation and trade to towns along its banks. But
people became complacent and in 1699 CE a great flood threatened so
the emperor demanded that the river course be changed and the canal
dredged to avoid further floods destroying towns and cities. More
care was taken of the canal, reversing its decline and even though
fewer barges ply their trade along the waterway the Grand Canal is a
showcase of China's ancient heritage, a canal of some 1800 ks, the
longest and oldest canal in the world. This book shows readers the
people who use it: the builders, the soldiers, merchants, rivermen,
the emperor and his advisers, children and mysterious travellers.
The richly detailed illustrations are enticing, giving the reader a
panorama of Chinese life and customs, showing building styles, dress
and food, bridges and boats, life along the canal from small farms
and villages to the outstanding modern city of Tianjin, a stark
contrast to the pages before and after with their images of past
treasures. The last page offers a short quiz and glossary with
information about the illustrator, Beijing artist Du Fei who
specialises in detailed historical illustrations.
This is a remarkable book which reflects China's importance in the
world today while highlighting one of its past achievements.
Fran Knight
Foul is fair by Hannah Capin
Penguin, 2020. ISBN: 9780241404973.
(Age: 16+) Highly recommended. Revenge - this is the name of the jet
black hair dye that Elle chooses for her transformation into Jade,
following the night of her sweet 16 birthday outing to the St
Andrew's prep party, a party which changed her life, where she,
bright, shimmering in her silver dress and full of party fun, found
herself drugged by a spiked drink and gang raped by the school's
best young lads. Author Capin spares us the details of that night,
but the brief memory flashes that haunt Elle/Jade let us know enough
of what happened.
Elle decides she is not a victim, she is not a survivor, she is an
Avenger. She and her coven of loyal friends, Jenny, Summer and Mads,
set out to exact that vengeance with the death of every boy that
took part. And so Elle cuts and dyes her hair, and becomes Jade, the
tough new girl at St Andrew's. These are the first couple of
chapters of Capin's book. From there the action grips you by the
throat and drags you into the spiral of events where Jade, cool and
ruthlessly in control, targets each of her assailants one by one. A
pawn in Jade's game is the honourable young Mack, a boy who was not
part of the gang, but who becomes an easy target, someone who will
do her bidding.
If you think the story sounds violent and gruesome, think about the
plot of Macbeth, the Shakespearean play offered to senior
secondary students. Capin's novel is another version of the Macbeth
story; only it is not a mother driving her son to murder, but an
equally driven girl able to manipulate Mack in just the same way.
Her three friends are her coven, the witches, who chant and foretell
the future and assist Jade in becoming the powerful queen of the St
Andrew's peer group. There is no mercy, no kindness, no love, just a
fierce determination for vengeance and power.
Capin's novel would make an interesting study in its
reinterpretation of Shakespeare's play, an adaptation for modern
times that is bound to capture the imagination of students with its
setting of school peer groups, jealousy, bullying, and sexual
assault.
Helen Eddy
Denali by Ben Moon
Simon and Schuster, 2019. ISBN: 9780143133612.
(Age: Adolescent - Adult) In an unexpected way, this true story
lifts the reader into a realm where human and animal interaction
creates a bond that is intensely supportive and loving. Denali
is about the deep relationship between a dog and a human being. Its
focus is both on Ben's inner and outer 'selves' in all their
complexity, on his moods, desires and being, and intuiting the soul
and mind of his beloved dog. The narrative reflects the intensely
supportive and loving relationship that Ben builds with his dog.
In this intensely personal narrative, Ben takes us into his world,
one that embraces fresh air, mountains, surfing and climbing, and
includes, at the heart of his story, his beloved dog Denali. This is
clearly a revelatory and honest self-portrait that remains true to
its intention, woven around the relationship between human and dog.
The story soars with the emotional support that each offers when the
other is suffering. Throughout the narrative we are privileged to
'hear' what Denali is thinking, and those of us who believe in the
emotional and mental intelligence of dogs can understand how
comforting are the 'thoughts' that Ben intuits Denali as offering.
We are invited to understand the fundamental principles of loving
concern that Ben feels he is offered by Denali, and the deep concern
that Ben offers Denali in return is evident throughout their lives
together.
Ben Moon is a much respected professional photographer with an
absorbing interest in the outdoors, in the earth's extraordinary
structures, the mountains, the crags and the roiling seas. He surfs,
climbs and scales sheer cliffs, his stunning professional
photographs and stories supporting his lifestyle. Backed by the
suppliers of the clothing and tools appropriate for his loved
outdoor adventures, he makes short movies, writes up details of
places, climbs and outdoor walks, and produces exceptional
photographs of the mountains, cliffs, lakes and seas.
It would be most suitable, and indeed inspiring, for both adolescent
and adult reading.
Elizabeth Bondar
The Besties show and smell by Felice Arena and Tom Jellett
Penguin Random House, 2020. ISBN: 9781760890988. 80pp.
(Age: Beginner readers) Highly recommended. Felice Arena and Tom
Jellett have teamed up again with a new series called The
Besties. In the series, in each book, the two main characters
are introduced through illustrations and speech bubbles on the first
double page. "Hi. I'm Ruby." "Hi. I'm Oliver." These are fun,
page-turner beginner readers that are grounded in everyday
situations that engage children who are learning to read. The books
are small and easy to hold (approximately eighty pages) and each
page has a varied amount of large font text which is typeset in
different places on the pages - above, below and around the
illustrations for variety and interest. Sentences are well
structured; vocabulary is accessible; interest level is high. Even a
reluctant reader would want to read on to find out what is going to
happen to Olly and Ruby next. Because the situations are familiar,
much of the text (even the difficult words) could be inferred so
that the beginner reader would not stumble and lose the thread.
In The Besties show and smell, Ruby and Oliver have a
hilarious and worrying time with a relief teacher and Show and Tell
time in their class. At the back of the book are detailed
instructions about "How to make a rude noise with your armpit"
(Highly exciting!), a cartoon related to the topic by "Olly
Comics," a little ukulele song with an online address for lyrics,
chords and strumming patterns, two pages of jokes, information about
The Sporty Kids series and fun, child friendly information
about the author and illustrator.
There is plenty here to engage and indeed expand the world of the
beginner reader. Teachers would be pleased and relieved to see that
Felice Arena does not play "cool-not" games with incorrect grammar.
The beginner reader is exposed to only correct grammar and
punctuation! Hooray! Extracts could be used to direct student
attention to correct English usage as models for their own writing.
Highly recommended for both reading and interest level for beginner
readers.
Wendy Jeffery
Together things by Michelle Vasiliu
Illus. by Gwynneth Jones. EK Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781925820294.
32pp., hbk.
The little girl loved to do things with her dad - special things
like taming wild animals, flying high in the sky and climbing rocky
mountains. But now that's all changed because her dad is sick with
an illness that no one except a special doctor can see. And he might
even have to go to hospital to get better. However, her mother is
wise and she knows and explains how there are different things that
the girl and her dad can do together while he gets better, maybe not
as exciting as sailing stormy seas or drinking tea with the Queen,
but just as important so their love stays strong.
This is a story that will resonate with many of our students as one
in five adults experiences depression in their lifetime, so many
will understand and empathise. Together things helps young
children to understand that while it is okay for them to feel mad
or sad about this, sometimes they must do different things together
while their parent focuses on their mental health and getting
better.
Just as we are now paying attention to the mental health of our
students, so too must we help them understand that they are not
alone if there is such illness in their family and that they are not
responsible for it. Sharing this story and talking about how common
the issue is will help those kids seeing it firsthand realise that
they are not alone and that there are many ways to show and share
love.
Barbara Braxton
