I am perfectly designed by Karamo Brown with Jason Brown
Illus. by Anoosha Syed. Macmillan Children's Books, 2019. ISBN:
9781529036152. 40pp.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. American media personality, author,
and activist Karamo Brown began his career in 2004 on the MTV The
Real world; Philadelphia, becoming the first openly gay black
man on a reality show. He is now a cultural icon, heading the
Netflix show, Queer Eye.
This book I am perfectly designed, celebrates diversity and
empowers children as it relates the story of a boy and his father
walking and talking through their day. Based on the interaction
between Karamo and his son, Jason, the book brims with
understanding. Each step is full of love and celebration,
companionship and family. Beginning with breakfast the chat between
father and son recalls their earlier years, as the boy remarks his
head seems so big in photos, but dad replies, it was perfectly
designed for you. This conversation sets the tone of the book, the
dialogue between the two, father and son, the child talking about
past events, dad reminding him all along that he is perfectly
designed. Climbing a tree in the ark, or playing on the swing, dad
reminds him that he is perfectly designed to explore the world. When
the boy becomes lost or sad, he is told that he is perfectly
designed and wonderful to his dad no matter how he feels.
The boy then talks about the future when he has left home and dad
grows older, and the two decide that roles will be reversed, that
the boy is perfectly designed to care for his father.
Each page reflects the sentiment expressed in the text, as the
illustrations are full of love and family, reminding readers what
they do with their dads, from talking over the breakfast table, to
walking to the park, celebrating Halloween, playing in the
playground, climbing a tree, meeting friends at the ice cream stall,
playing with other children in the street.
The illustrations by Canadian artist, Syed, bubble with family life,
displaying enthusiastic relationships between parents and children,
siblings and friends, reflecting the diversity of modern life.
The smallest detail will be picked out by eager eyes: tying
shoelaces, taking a photo with the phone, the age groups spotted in
the streets, the warmth of a family picnic, the market stalls, the
diversity of building styles. Each caught and held my attention,
making me want to read the book again. The endpapers too will draw
the eyes of the readers as they see themselves within one of the
family groups, and spot their friends and relatives.
This is a enticing story showcasing the loving relationship between
a father and his son, modelling the things they do together, the
times that will have as a family.
A clip
on the Macmillan website shows Karama and his son, talking about why
they wrote the book.
Themes: Diversity, Self image, Confidence, Inclusion, Communication.
Fran Knight
Deeplight by Frances Hardinge
Macmillan, 2019. ISBN: 9781529014570.
(Age: 11+) It is 30 years since the underwater gods of the Myriad
archipelago fought a cataclysmic battle and all died. Since then
relics of the gods' bodies are sought after as they retain power. 14
year old orphan, Hark, and his friend Jelt, 16, search the beaches
and dive for pieces of 'godware' to sell. Brave, clever, courageous
Jelt pulls Hark along like a current but his increasingly reckless
schemes eventually land Hark at the slave market where, after
eloquently speaking up for himself, he is saved from the slave
galleys and bought by Dr Vyne, a strange woman researching the old
gods. He is taken to an island fortress which turns out to be a
sanctuary for the old priests who no longer have gods to serve.
There Hark settles in to a life serving the priests and passing on
any of their knowledge to Dr. Vyne. When Jelt finds Hark and insists
on him helping retrieve an old bathysphere, loyal Hark gets involved
in something bigger than both of them.
This story is infused with language which conjures up images of the
sea, it ebbs and flows capturing the reader in a net of the
imagination. Through it all, issues of loyalty keep being tested:
'loyalty is not a virtue in its own right. Its' worth depends on
where it's spent' p128. Should Hark give loyalty where it is not
reciprocated? The more he learns through the stories of the old
priests, the more he understands about the connection between fear
and faith and the larger issues of Myriad's place in their world and
he has to make some hard decisions for the greater good.
A dark and complex story set in a well imagined fantasy world
suitable for middle school students and all lovers of fantasy.
Themes: Fantasy, magic, loyalty, friendship.
Sue Speck
Life without diabetes by Dr Roy Taylor
Simon and Schuster, 2020. ISBN: 9781760853914. 320pp.
(Age: Adult) Recommended. The Newcastle Diet gained notoriety in
2011, when a small group of people went on the diet exploring the
link between diabetes and the fatty tissue around the liver and
pancreas, by initially living for eight weeks on 600 calories a day.
Half of the small group were deemed to be in remission with their
diabetes at the end of the three month trial.
Professor Taylor's book, Life without Diabetes, outlines the
physiology of the gut and what the pancreas, liver and stomach do in
digesting food.
A forward by one of the participants in the study is of course
positive and joyous about having achieved a remission for her
diabetes and losing weight.
And following this introduction is a handy guide to using the book.
If like me, you want to get to the nitty gritty, then turning to
chapter 7 is the way to go, as this chapter tells you about the 600
calories a day diet and how to go about it. Chapters one to six
outline the way the body usually copes with food intake, and what
goes wrong to cause type 2 diabetes. And at the end of each chapter
is a fact file reiterating what was covered in the chapter before,
giving those overwhelmed with the terminology of the book an easy to
understand navigation tool.
The guide gives access to those with little time on their hands,
while many others will read the book from cover to cover. I dipped
in an out, reading the sections suggested, but also using the
substantial index to look things up that I wanted to know more about
(the pancreas, for example).
Although chatty and using layman's terms through out, I found the
book heavy going and needed to refer to the index, as well as having
a list of commonly used terms and their meanings as a book mark. Not
having done biology at school is a distinct disadvantage. (I have
also read Gut by Giulia Enders recently and even though it
is written in the most basic of language and uses humour to get its
message across, I needed to reread and keep a checklist of commonly
used words)
But this aside, for those living with diabetes, this is a
fascinating exploration of why it occurs and the steps people can
take to reduce the likelihood of getting it and a guide for some to
shake off the mantle of diabetes altogether. It worked with seven
out of the eleven original dieters in 2011 and has gained a much
larger group of supporters and participants since then.
A well researched and presented book, well worth a visit in the
continuing search for a way of loosing weight and preventing, even
reversing the onset of diabetes. Themes: Diabetes, Diet, Newcastle
Diet.
Fran Knight
Don't read this book before dinner by Anna Claybourne
National Geographic Kids, 2019. ISBN: 9781426334511. 144pp., pbk.
(Age: 6-12) "If you love to be grossed out, grab a seat at the table
to revel in some of the most repulsive and downright disgusting true
stories from around the globe.
From wretched rodents and beastly bugs to putrid plants and
muck-filled moats, step right in to find out more about the icky,
sticky world around you. Gloriously gross stories of decaying
delicacies, foul fashion, horrible history, awful animals, and more
are paired with eye-popping pictures, fun facts, and hilarious
quizzes in this fun book. Topics go way beyond food to include art,
plants, animals, fashion, pop culture, medicine, the human body, and
beyond. It's a hot mess to digest, but it's sure to leave kids
disgusted and delighted . . . " (Publisher)
Using an appealing double-page spread format to explore all things
gross, Nat Geo Kids is
designed to appeal to the 6-12 year olds keen to find out more about
their world and what is in it.
This particular edition is one that is likely to appeal to young
boys and while there are those adults who don't think this sort of
thing is "real reading" (in the same way comics were disdained in
their day), in my opinion anything that encourages them to hone
their literacy skills is to be commended, particularly when it has
the quality that you know is associated with Nat Geo Kids. To add to
the experience and spread their horizons wider, there is also the
Australian version of their website which has unique
topical local content such as What
is a Bushfire?
There are often queries to TL networks about what are the best
magazine subscriptions to continue as popularity tends to wane, and
for the primary school age group, Nat Geo Kids is always near the
top of the list proving it has stood the test of time as an
investment. With such a focus on the environment well beyond the
curriculum, it just make sense to make it available to our students.
Barbara Braxton
Graveyard Shift in Ghost Town by Michael Pryor
Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760523930. pbk., 307pp.
Following the success of Gap Year in Ghost Town (2017) comes
a sequel, Graveyard Shift in Ghost Town, where Anton and
Rani continue to work together to rid inner city Melbourne of a
swathe of ghostly manifestations. Pryor has lots of fun with
ghoulish humour keeping readers totally engaged and laughing. Anton
is nineteen and trying to be more mature and make mature decisions.
He is now part of his family firm, the Marins coming to Australia
after parting with the Company of the Righteous whose members get
rid of ghosts. Anton's family helps ghosts on their way, assisting
them leave this earth, a gentle strangely satisfying task. Anton and
Rani are about their trade one night when they discover there are
many many more ghosts than usual, and not just ghost: Lingerers,
Thugs, Moaners and Weepers are also hanging about in large
aggressive numbers.
Lulled into a smartly written and clever ghost hunting story I was
amazed when the duo came across the bodies of several homeless
people, strung up by chains, blood leaking all over the factory
floor. The mood of the book changes to something far more sinister
as Anton and Rani along with her researcher girlfriend, Bec, realise
that they were lured to this place and are now facing the worst of
the ghosts - Trespassers in the form of the Ragged Sisters with the
aim of ridding Melbourne of the Marins.
As the story becomes darker and more creepy, Pryor keeps the story
light with his emphasis on word play and asides, while their meeting
up with the brother and sister duo from London adds a new dimension
of intrigue to the story. When long lost aunt Angie turns up with an
horrendous story of being in the other world for five years, her
experiences help them with the ghost outbreak. Laugh out loud
humour, referencing up to the minute events, the setting in
Melbourne is intoxicating as the story and characters play out a cat
and mouse game to the death.
Fran Knight
Peace by Garry Disher
Paul Hirschhausen book 2. Text, 2019. ISBN: 9781922268150.
336pp.
(Age: Senior secondary - Adult) Highly recommended. Disher is an
expert at bringing to life the Australian countryside and Peace
is a wonderful example of rural noir. Although Constable Paul
Hirschhausen was introduced in Bitter Wash Road, Peace
can be read as a standalone. Hirsch is a rural cop patrolling the
areas in the dry country south of the Flinders Ranges in South
Australia. He is gradually beginning to be known by the town people
and even acts as Santa Claus for the children of the town. His
life has been relatively peaceful until there is a vicious attack in
Kitchener Street, and a woman leaves her baby in a hot car. Then the
Sydney police are involved and Hirsch has to use his expertise and
knowledge of the local area in locating a missing woman.
Disher is a master of descriptive writing and readers who have lived
in or visited small country towns will recognise the vivid pictures
of both the countryside and the town characters. And extracts from
Mrs Keir's 19th century journal will make the reader want to learn
more about early pioneering life and the Aboriginal community.
Hirsch is a very likeable character who is intelligent and very
capable of working out what is happening and following through,
making judgement calls that fit in with being a rural cop and
working with the community. His internal dialogue is often humorous
and adds to the enjoyment of the story.
The action ramps up with the discovery of a body and the reader is
left to grapple with all the different threads as Hirsch weaves his
way through danger, trying to avoid police bureaucracy and local
town politics. The nail biting conclusion highlights the clever
plotting by Disher and will leave the reader satisfied.
I can't wait for more Paul Hirschhausen stories.
Pat Pledger
Changing Australian education by Alan Reid
Allen and Unwin, Sydney, 2019. ISBN: 9781760875206.
Subtitled: How policy is taking us backwards and what can be
done about it. The author (an Adelaide ex-teacher and
university education lecturer) argues that neoliberalism is the
underlying cause of the problems in Australian education. These are
identified as a culture of competition (NAPLAN, PISA, etc. scores)
and an emphasis on self rather than the common good, leading to
inequitable educational outcomes and a socially segregated education
system including privatisation of the school system.
The proposed solution is to establish the purposes of education
which the author recommends as categorised into democratic,
economic, individual (education for its own sake) and social and
cultural purposes. Establishing these should lead to a fairer and
socially just society - the opposite of the effects of
neoliberalism. A case study is utilised to expand on the suggested
solution.
The book is useful for the general public interested in education as
well as educators as it covers a historical basis to current
education policy and discusses reviews of major reports (e.g. Gonski
Review, Grattan Report, work of T. Hattie) as well as critiques of
NAPLAN and PISA. However I found the language structure and terms
used detracted from ease of reading.
Ann Griffin
Rainbow plate by Doctor Preeya Alexander
Illus. by Annabel Cutler. Little Steps Publishing, 2019. ISBN:
9781925839418. pbk., 28pp
Highly recommended. This is a simple story about eating well and
teaching children good habits for healthy eating later in life.
Comparing the foods to the rainbow makes it a fun story and could
get young children thinking about what they are eating and how they
can vary what they are eating.
The illustrations in the book support the story well making it fun
to read.
The introduction for parents in the front of this book is a great
reminder to parents about the importance of eating healthily, and
that also it doesn't have to be a chore, it can be a game. Use the
rainbow plate to see how many different colors you can eat in a day.
You could also keep a record and see if over a week you can manage
to eat all of the colors of the rainbow.
I highly recommend this book.
Karen Colliver
Otherwise known as Pig by Catch Tilly
Wakefield Press 2019. ISBN: 9781743056790.
(Age: Years 9-12) Originally presented as a play, this story of year
nine students bullying and harassing each other, explores the damage
students can suffer at school when these issues are not addressed.
Morgan is physically bullied by Stormin, who is a slow learner and
makes up for it by being the biggest bully and fear of retaliation
means the other students don't intervene or report. Morgan is
academically clever but hates sports, much to his father's
disappointment. His parents are vaguely aware of his problems but
expect him to stand up for himself and his dad suggests self-defence
lessons. More worrying than Stormin is Chris, an intelligent
manipulator who Morgan has identified as a sociopath. He engineers
Morgan's being banned from his haven, the library, and then burns
down the art room when Morgan is welcomed there. Even Lissa, the
girl he likes, is affected by the bullying when Chris' girlfriend
Steph, makes sure she denies him. Morgan is not immune from the
culture of bullying, verbally taunting Stormin in a cycle of abuse.
This is a story of warped and abusive friendships and a boy
desperate for affection and self-respect. 'Loser' is a powerful word
wielded by the stronger in a daily struggle growing up in our
schools. The protagonists in this story feel powerless and the
adults are complicit in not maintaining a safe environment. I can
see this would have been a successful play but I found the
characters a little thin and unconvincing for a novel. The absence
of an adult perspective may make the book popular with younger
readers who may feel empowered by it and it will be a useful
discussion starter for middle school students. Teacher's
notes are available. Themes: Bullying, friendship.
Sue Speck
Cat science unleashed by Jodi Wheeler-Toppen
Photographs by Matthew Rakola. National Geographic Kids, 2019. ISBN:
9781426334412. 80pp., pbk.
(Age: 6-12) This is part of the NatGeo Kids Hands-on science series
and complements their website
aimed at 6-12 year olds. But rather than just facts and figures
about cats that can be found in any book about them, this encourages
the reader to participate in 22 safe and cat-friendly activities
that let them work alongside their cat to discover what makes it
tick.
They can learn the effects of catnip and why it can see so well in
the dark; how it balances so well and always land on its feet as
wells as toys to make. Each activity is paired with step-by-step
instructions, clear and interesting scientific explanations, and
cool photographs shot specifically for this book. Hands-on
activities and fun information for budding scientists prompt further
learning and offer a behind-the-scenes look at current feline
research.
Using a magazine format with lots of photos and diagrams as well as
information in accessible chunks, it is divided into four chapters,
each accompanied by relevant explanations and activities. There is
also a glossary, an index, and other extra information to help
students build their information literacy skills as they learn to
navigate non-fiction texts.
There are often queries to TL networks about what are the best
magazine subscriptions to continue as popularity tends to wane, and
for the primary school age group, Nat Geo Kids is always near the
top of the list proving it has stood the test of time as an
investment. With such a focus on the environment well beyond the
curriculum, it just make sense to make it available to our students.
Barbara Braxton
Aesop's fables first reading series by Susanna Davidson
Illus. by John Joven. Usborne, 2019. 48pp., hbk. The lion and the mouse. ISBN: 9781474956550. The ant and the grasshopper. ISBN: 9781474956567. The hare and the tortoise. ISBN: 9781474956543.
There are some stories that have stood the test of time for
generations and Aesop's fables are among these with their messages
still pertinent even in this age of screens and technology. So this
new release of these old tales written and illustrated for young
emerging readers will open them up to a new generation. The lion and the mouse tells the story of the arrogant lion
who cannot imagine that a tiny mouse would ever be able to help him
but discovers that friends can be found in strange places; The ant
and the grasshopper reminds us about the need to balance work
and play as Ant busily prepares for winter, while Grasshopper sings
the summer away; and The hare and the tortoise pits a
boastful hare against the slow tortoise with a surprising result.
Knowing these sorts of stories which are the basis of many other
stories enriches the young child's literary knowledge and adds depth
to their understanding of those other stories so to have them
available in the library's collection is essential, in my opinion.
Barbara Braxton
The Great River Race by Tim Harris
Illus. by James Foley. Toffle Towers 2, Puffin, 2020. ISBN:
9780143795438. 253p.
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Toffle Towers is still 'Fully
Booked' (Book One in the Toffle Towers series).
Chegwin Toffle, the world's youngest hotel manager, leads his loyal
staff in improving facilities and services to put the flagging hotel
back on the map. Guests love walking on the ceiling in magnetic
boots to check in at the desk with Lawrence, the hotel butler. With
the Great River Race looming, visitor numbers are climbing - plus
Chegwin's novel ideas are popular with tourists looking for unique
experiences.
Unfortunately, a number of 'reverse muggings' distract most of the
staff from providing their usual competent services. His waitress,
Katie begins reciting bad poetry to the diners. Dean the caretaker,
must cope with oven mitts glued to his hands and the guests are
defecting to Brontesa Braxton's hotel on the other side of Alandale.
Chegwin makes a few mistakes in countering this obvious sabotage and
learns important lessons about the value of consultation, respect
and teamwork as he grapples with a secondary mystery of an elusive
guest squatting in Room 49. The mystery leads Chegwin to discover a
veritable network of tunnels linking the various parts of the hotel.
In one of his daydreams Chegwin unwittingly agrees to sign over
Toffle Towers if the hotel boat loses the Great River Race to the
Braxton Hotel. Whilst the team have pitched in early with a winning
design, it is Chegwin's ability to brainstorm under pressure that
will decide the fate of Toffle Towers.
James Foley's illustrated cartoons, storyboards, tables and memos
compliment Chegwin's imaginings and consolidates unbelievable
possibilities in our minds. There are still mysteries to solve which
means we can anticipate a few more adventures at Toffle Towers.
Deborah Robins
Big lies in a small town by Diane Chamberlain
St Martin's Press, 2020. ISBN: 9781509808625.
(Age: Adult - Mature YA) Recommended for adult readers. The young
woman, Morgan Christopher is unexpectedly rescued from jail through
a bequest and request from a benefactor known for his incredible
artistic talents. Morgan's own incomplete art skills are needed as
she is thrust into the task of restoring a mural created in 1940.
This restoration project comes with time pressures and emotional
pressures from the artist's daughter as she unearths the history of
the original artist, Anna Dale. Anna was the winner of a National
Town Mural competition to paint the mural for the town of Edenton.
As an outsider, she ruffles a few locals and her Northerner ways and
opinions are sometimes at odds with the local North Carolina
residents. The social milieu of the 1940's town reveals the
inter-racial conflicts of Southern USA in the 1940s as well as the
joys and challenges of the small town. What should she include in
her artistic representation of the town? When the contemporary
parolee, Morgan, investigates the history of the mural that was
never displayed, she uncovers a history that has many twists - and
some of them are not pleasant. In her own story she must unravel her
own insecurities related to the event that caused her imprisonment,
and needs to decide whether she is worthy of love and the incredible
honour of becoming an art restorer for the late renowned artist.
This is an impressive adult dramatic saga incorporating the two
separate stories of the original artist - Anna Dale, and the
contemporary restorer - Morgan Christopher. Told with time shifts
back and forth between the two stories, there is a slowly unfolding
revelation of the drama that led to the mural's disappearance. The
process of art restoration is overseen by the interesting gallery
administrator and there are stories of family disharmony and
restoration woven through the saga. Diane Chamberlain is a master of
the romantic and historical narrative, and this is the kind of book
that would be enjoyed as a 'holiday' selection because of the
revelation of the mystery and social drama across the generations
within the 385 page narrative. Although this is an adult story, it
could be read by mature YA readers.
Recommended for adult readers. Themes: Historical drama; Art
restoration; Racial discrimination - USA; Romance; Murder mystery;
Sexual Assault
Carolyn Hull
The Little Grey Girl by Celine Kiernan
ISBN: 9781406373929.
The Wild Magic trilogy Book 2. Walker, 2019. 217 pp.
9781406373929. pbk.
In the first book in The Wild Magic trilogy, Begone
the raggedy witches, Mup realises that she has magical powers.
The Queen from across the border, her grandmother, uses her magic to
keep control over her subjects and when she flees with the raggedy
witches, Mup's mother is the obvious replacement, but she does not
want the power nor does she want to be queen. She is persuaded to
leave her own home and move to the Glittering Lands guiding her
daughter, Mup, and her husband and their son, Tipper, now a dog,
over the strange waterway which marks the entrance to this
mysterious place.
The second in the series, The Little Grey Girl, takes up the
story as Mam is declared queen, protesting all the while. She is
besieged by petitioners, and heads back into her mother's castle to
think about what to do next. But during the night, Mup sees a
mysterious little grey girl in the courtyard, and calling Crow they
go to investigate. It has been snowing fiercely, and Mam's adviser,
Firinne, has warned her that this is the old queen's curse and to be
watchful.
The castle is still full of memories of the tyrannical past, and Mup
grapples with the question of free will, as her mother encourages
the people to make up their minds for themselves; she will not tell
them what to do.
The characters in this beautifully written book are exceptional: Mup
with her strong moral centre is brave and disarming, able to throw
lightning from her fingers to keep herself protected from the forces
of the evil she feels all around, while Crow the bird that can
change into a boy speaks in rhyme.
But the little grey girl intrigues; is she a threat, either a a
raggedy witch or someone who needs help. With the long dead Dr
Emberly and Crow, Mup descends to the dungeons beneath the castle
following the little grey girl, to find out about the drawings she
leaves on the walls, which cause such distress. But to find the core
of the problem they must fight the dog which holds all the sadness
the little grey girl takes from people, a fight which could lead to
their deaths.
Kiernan's voice is unique, taking its readers along brave new paths,
involving them with a strong, independent young girl hesitantly
using her magical powers, but always aware of how it will affect
those around her.
Fran Knight
My book with no pictures by B.J. Novak
Puffin Press, 2019. ISBN: 9780241444177. 40pp. pbk.
(Age: All) Recommended. The
book with no pictures is a fun story and this book makes
that story even more fun by letting people fill-in-the-blanks and
write their own words.
Kids of all ages can have fun putting different words into the story
to make it as funny as they like. It would appeal to all ages, as
anyone can add words into the story.
Kids can have fun filling in the blanks and then getting their
parents or teacher to read it.
This book can be used to encourage reluctant writers to create a fun
story using the scaffolding of the book with no pictures.
I enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to anyone with a sense
of humor.
Karen Colliver
