Puffin, 2019. ISBN: 9780143505747. hbk., 192pp.
Vee has always gone along with her mother's taking a picture each
morning to put on her Instagram account called 'The Chronicles of
Vee' - an account her Mum started when she was a baby. Vee always
says yes when Mum asks her if it is OK to continue, but this year is
different. Vee is in high school, and Mum has begun accepting things
from businesses to have Vee wear at school and show online. She has
also started trying to jazz up Vee's life and show baby pictures.
She tries being anti-Vee, doing things that Mum would hate,
attempting to turn the account upside down, but she gains more
followers! Mum is aiming for 150,000 followers so Vee must find a
way to stop it all. So she turns the table on her mother, snapping
her one morning before she wakes. She encourages her mother to get
out more, join a singing group and meet new friends. As her
strategies begin to work, Vee almost loses her best friend,
Annabelle.
This is an excellent middle-primary book about the use of the mobile
phone, of friendship and family. Phommanvanh's humour is a treat,
easy to read and laugh out loud at the antics of Vee as she tries to
subvert her mother's interference in her life without causing mayhem
in the house.
Along the way are some neat sideswipes at the power of the mobile
phone, as children cannot wait to see the number of likes, or what
the next instalment of Vee's life is about or how many burgers her
friend Bryan has eaten, or what Mum is doing to get her daughter
noticed. The underlining imperative of 'get a life' appealed to me
and will touch those who read the book and may find that reading it
better than looking at a screen!
And I loved Vee, trying hard not to upset her mum who has brought
her up alone but equally aware that she needs to focus on something
else, and make a life for herself. I hope there will be another
instalment of Vee's life, as her character is hard to let go.
At the end of the book is a teaser of the first three chapters of The
other Christy. This was published in 2016 and is equally as
enjoyable, so it will gain another audience after kids have enjoyed
Don't Follow Vee.
Fran Knight
The Besties to the rescue by Felice Arena and Tom Jellett
Penguin Random House, 2020. ISBN: 9781760890971. 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 to the rescue, Ruby and Oliver rescue a baby
bird. There is much exciting action around this central activity. At
the back of the book are detailed instructions about what to do if
you find a baby bird, 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
Pie in the sky by Remy Lai
Walker Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781250314093. 384pp.
(Age: 9+) Recommended. Pie in the sky is the debut novel by
author/illustrator Remy Lai and will appeal to children who like
graphic novels and is a fantastic way to move from the graphic novel
genre into narrative fiction. The story revolves around Jingwen who
has moved from his home country to Australia with his mum and
'annoying brother' Yanghao. In Australia he struggles to make sense
of the language and schooling, while at home his mum is working long
hours and is rarely at home. As the story progresses the reader
learns that Jingwen's father has died prior to leaving his old home
and his grandparents have stayed behind as well to look after their
cake shop. The plan was for Jingwen's family to move to Australia
and open a cake shop called 'Pie in the sky', and as the story
progresses Jingwen enlists the help of his brother to bake the cakes
that he and his father had planned to sell, even though his mother
has forbidden him to use the oven when she is not at home.
This book is an engaging read although some children may find it
difficult to follow the story as it chops and changes between
graphic novel, illustration and written narrative that at times
feels repetitive and bogged down in unnecessary details. However,
the story allows children to think about the struggles of those who
are immigrating to a new country with 'alien' languages and
different customs and may inspire them to be kinder to those around
them, including their siblings.
Jingwen is a relatable character who will engage the younger reader
and will allow all readers to delve into the life of the main
character and the family surrounding him. The author also encourages
the reader to think about how the loss of a parent might affect them
and the ways that memories can be kept alive through repeated
activity, even when you have been forbidden to do so!
The addition of a cake recipe at the back is a fantastic addition as
the book focuses on the baking of cakes which leaves the reader with
the desire to taste the creations of Jingwen and his father. Teacher's
notes are available. Themes: Family, Migration, Graphic
novel/fiction hybrid, Grief, Cooking, Siblings.
Mhairi Alcorn
The secrets of Magnolia Moon by Edwina Wyatt
Illus. by Katherine Quinn. Walker Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781760651541.
(Age: 6-11) Recommended. Magnolia Moon is a young girl with
enigmatic charm and joyful exuberance and zest for life . . .
and an imagination that is unique and peppered with idiosyncrasies.
Sometimes she also has secrets and conversations with the moon
(wouldn't you if your last name was Moon). Her creative friendship
with Imogen May meets a hurdle when Imogen announces that she is
moving away. Who will she share lunch time with and who will
understand her quirky conundrums? Magnolia's family are also loving
and warm and they too have a secret ready to share.
This is a delightful and whimsical journey into the life of Magnolia
- a slightly funny nine-year-old (soon to be ten). Sometimes she
seems too naive to be this age, but her zest for life is delightful
and will spark joy for readers aged 6-11. The writing by Edwina
Wyatt has an energy and whimsy that is very appealing and I can
imagine this book as a shared bed-time delight between a young child
and someone older - especially for a young child expecting a new
sibling. The illustrations are also gently sweet and slightly quirky
- enough to create atmospheric charm. This is not a difficult book
to read, so is a great recommendation for encouraging independence
in reading or for older readers who might struggle with literacy.
Recommended for readers aged 6-11. Themes: Family, Friendship,
Secrets.
Carolyn Hull
Whose nose do you suppose? by Richard Turner
Illus. by Margaret Tolland. Starfish Bay, 2019. ISBN: 9781760360627.
hbk., 26pp.
Highly recommended. 'Richly detailed and realistic illustrations of
various animals in their natural habitat invite children to guess
which animal each nose belongs to and then to learn a variety of
facts about each animal'. Publisher.
The illustrations in the book are beautiful and they make this story
so engaging for young children and the reader alike. The information
that accompanies the discovery of whose nose it is makes this book
more enjoyable. It tells you where each animal can be found
and some fun facts about that particular animal.
This book is a fun guessing game with children as they try and
work out whose nose it is.
It can also be used as an educational resource both with the
predicting of the animals and the learning of the facts about the
different animals.
I highly recommend this book to both families and educators.
Karen Colliver
Go! by Steve Worland
Penguin, 2019 ISBN: 9781760893361. 256pp.
(Age: 11+) Recommended. 15-year-old Jack has just arrived in
Busselton with his Mum and almost before he has had time to find his
feet, he finds himself at a party at the local Go-Kart track. This
unexpected opportunity unleashes a fast-paced adventure utilising
his natural tendency to race fast through life (sometimes drawing
attention from the police). Along the journey he finds friends to
support his new go-karting obsession and also learns to deal with
grief and the 'red-mist' of competition.
Jack's friends include Mandy, whose desire is to become appreciated
in the Motor Sports industry (and with her father) for more than her
skill at making coffee, and also Colin, the quirky and anxious
side-kick who adds touches of humour. Breaking through stereotype
barriers is a minor theme, but adds a little sophistication to the
story.
Written as a novelised version of the movie of the same name by
Steve Worland (of Paper
planesfame), this is an easy-to-read story that will
be enjoyed by both male and female readers who love competition. The
coming-of-age aspects of life in the teen years in finding your
place in the world, in overcoming fear, failure and difficulties in
life are also woven into the story. Because the movie is current,
there will be interest by readers in this story, which has limited
literacy complexity, but action aplenty.
Recommended for readers aged 11+. Themes: Go-Karting, Competition,
Friendship, Grief, Stereotypes.
Carolyn Hull
Dino rap by James Mellon and Mat Howorth
Little Steps Publishing, 2019. ISBN: 9781925839449. hbk. 32pp.
This is a fun catchy story, that will be enjoyed by dinosaur lovers.
Each dinosaur has its own special unique ability that it highlights
in its rhyme. The story ends with a bang.
I recommend this story about a Triceratops, Pterodactyl and T-Rex to
dinosaur lovers as it will bring a smile to both the audience and
the person reading the story.
The illustrations in this book are bright and eye catching and add
beautifully to the story.
Karen Colliver
Children of virtue and vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi
Legacy of Orisha, bk 2. MacMillan, 2019. ISBN: 9781529034790.
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Zelie has just set fire to her father's
funeral pyre, and now she and her brother Tzain, and her friend
Amari, daughter of Orisha's dead monarch, have to work out how to
save their country from war, and establish peace between the maji,
traditional holders of magic, from whom Zelie and Tzain descend, and
the increasingly powerful rulers of the land who want to destroy
anything to do with the maji. It looks like there is a chance for
peace as the princess Amari asserts her right to the throne, but
then everything turns to disaster when it is discovered that her
brother Inan and her fierce and power hungry mother Nehanda still
live.
The story is set in the fantasy land of Orisha, based on the towns
and settings of Nigeria; and the inhabitants speak Yoruba.
Exclamations and incantations are frequently in Yoruba and not
translated, so the reader has to just guess or skip those sentences.
There is no glossary to help here.
The themes centre on overcoming oppression and the hatred between
different groups of people. One nice feature is the friendship
between the two girls Zelie and Amari, each with separate
allegiances, but who for the most part try to work together. However
they are gradually drawn apart by the warring factions. Each of them
struggles to know who to trust, and how to resolve the conflict in
their country. Children of virtue and vengeance is book 2 in the Orisha
trilogy, and while I read this as a stand-alone, it took a while to
work out the relationships, and the references to strange creatures
such as the lionaire which may have been given better description in
the first book. So I would recommend reading Children of blood
and bone first. The chapters are short and fast-paced,
alternating between three narrators, Zelie, Amari, and Inan, and
quickly draw the reader into the action, so that it is easy to stay
engaged until the end. However, the cliff-hanger ending clearly
leads into the third yet to be released novel.
Readers of fantasy who enjoy mystical worlds with action, romance
and some gore, will enjoy this series. Themes include identity,
courage, magic, racism.
Helen Eddy
Wrecking ball by Jeff Kinney
Diary of a wimpy kid book 14. Puffin, 2019, ISBN:
9780143796053. 217p.
(Age: 8+) Signalling hilarious new social lows, the image of a
bathroom drain clogged with human hair greets readers of Greg
Heffley's 14th lined journal. Indeed, plumbing and home improvement
themes are pervasive AFTER Greg deals with his 'collection' of junk,
holds a garage sale, designs HIS dream house, contemplates the
elusiveness of fame and most surprisingly extolls the usefulness of
childrens' books for bibliotherapy.
Greg's main Spring misadventure begins with his family missing his
Great Aunt Ruth's funeral. Nevertheless, his mother inherits enough
money to renovate their house. Nothing goes to plan. The workmen and
their messes are upsetting the neighbours MORE than Greg's fear of
the grout monster, school or life in general. A serious construction
error means they decide to move to a new neighbourhood. Sidekick
Rawley is miserable but of course Mum, Dad, Rodrick and Manny
feature prominently in endless accidents, emergencies and
misunderstandings . . . oh, and Becky is still playing hard to get.
The neverending twists and turns in Wimpy Kid's daydreams and
misadventures include the cascading impact of not wanting the
workmen using the toilet, which makes Greg trigger a smoke alarm,
which forces Manny to jettison his soft toys out the window onto the
lawn so he can leap for dear life! Fans of Wimpy Kid certainly won't
be disappointed in a new season of maniacal menace from America's
favourite stick boy. Follow the thread about the book tour and other
brand news on Jeff Kinney's website.
Deborah Robins
A Tale of Magic by Chris Colfer
Little Brown Books for Young Readers, 2019. ISBN: 9781510202115.
448pp. hbk.
(Age: Teens) Highly recommended. This is a story about a time when
magic was seen to be a bad thing, where people were punished for
doing magic, depending on where you lived depended on the punishment
you received.
Brystal is not aware of her magic abilities, she just has a profound
love of books and reading but unfortunately she lives in a place
where girls are not allowed to read, only boys learn to read and go
to school. Brystal manages to get herself the best job she could
imagine, being the maid cleaning the local library, each night when
she finishes cleaning the library she spends some time reading the
books in the library. One night when she has finished cleaning she
notices a book on a high shelf that she had not seen previously,
when she reaches up to pull this book from the shelf it will not
budge, with a bit of effort the book opens a secret door behind the
book shelf where Brystal finds a collection of forbidden books, and
this discovery will change her life forever. One night while she is
reading one of the forbidden books The Truth about Magic she
learns that she is a Fairy. When she is discovered doing magic her
life takes a turn for the worst.
Brystal ends up in the Bootstrap Correctional Facility for Troubled
Young Women. She has never been so cold in her life, but a ray of
kindness finds her with one of the other girls bringing her extra
blankets during the night, and they build up a friendship which
makes the place more bearable.
One day Madame Weatherberry arrives at the facility and takes
Brystal away to become a student at her school for magic. Brystal is
unsure about this to begin with but begins to enjoy the new
adventure and meets some new friends who are in similar situations
to her.
Through Madame Weatherberry's kindness Brystal starts to learn to
use her magic. But there is something mysterious going on at the
school and their teacher is not telling them the whole truth. When
Madame Weatherberry does not return to the academy Brystal tells her
classmates about what is happening and together they are determined
to save Madame Weatherberry.
In the end Brystal learns the truth and has to make a choice about
how she is going to handle the information she had learnt. Brystal
was determined that the tale of magic would have a happy ending.
This book is aimed at teen readers.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a bit of magic and
mystery.
Karen Colliver
Clementine Rose and the best news yet by Jacqueline Harvey
Puffin Books, 2019. ISBN: 9780143786054. 176pp.
(Age: 6-10) Recommended. This is the fifteenth book in the series
with Clementine Rose Appleby as the lead character. Clementine is
ageless as the young seven-year-old with the propensity for creating
smiles and sometimes getting things slightly wrong. In this book the
family is waiting for the imminent arrival of the new baby, but
first they have to take care of the guests arriving in the Penberthy
House Hotel, the small boutique Hotel where Clementine and her
family live. The guests include a toddler who seems intent on
destroying Clemmie's ideal of what life with a younger sibling will
be like. In addition is seems that her Grandmother (who used to be
her Great Aunt Violet . . . A plot line that was revealed in earlier
books in the series) and her Grandmother's beau - the indomitable
butler, Uncle Digby, are experiencing problems in their
relationship; a distressing turn of events that Clementine
desperately wants to change. These events and the plans that Clemmie
has in place for the new baby cause a flurry of interesting moments
that culminates in the 'Best News Yet'.
Young girls love the quirky twists in the Clementine series,
and the resilient reader who loves to follow a Series thread will
keep going into Number 15! Jacqueline Harvey manages to create
enough personality and fun so that young female readers will be
charmed and willing to keep reading.
Recommended for readers aged 6-10. Themes: Family; Babies.
Carolyn Hull
Young engineers by Andrew King
Illus. by Benjamin Johnston. Little Steps Publishing, 2019. ISBN:
9781925839623. hbk.
Recommended. 'Young Engineers provides examples of engineering
across a wide range of disciplines and provides some information
about them. Together with its additional supporting material it is
designed to encourage children to experience and enjoy engineering:
to dream, draw, design and create.' Publisher.
This book is a fun look at engineering and the different areas that
make up the field of engineering.
Young children are full of ideas to build and create and with
nurturing these ideas can build into big things in the future. Young engineers can be using in the classroom to explore the
different disciplines of engineering to encourage children that they
can make a difference.
I recommend this book as a teaching resource to support and foster
children's interests in engineering.
Karen Colliver
Respect by Rachel Brian
Wren and Rook, 2020. ISBN: 9781526362216. hbk., 54pp.
(Age: 5-12) Highly recommended. Subtitled, Consent, boundaries
and being in charge of YOU, this little volume of humorous
illustrations and helpful information is sure to be a winner in any
library, classroom or home. Right from the front cover, where a
stick figure wearing a crown, declares "I'm the ruler of my own
body" to the Help! section at the back of the book, Rachel Brian has
produced a fabulous and very timely self-help book that clearly
shows readers many examples of just what consent means.
The quirky illustrations are even part of the "What's inside"
(Contents Page) and readers know right from the start that they will
learn: "What's consent?" "Ways to set a boundary", "How to support
your friends", "Do you get to change your mind?" "Is getting hurt by
people/badgers OK?" and "What makes a friendship healthy".
I particularly liked the section titled "Does someone's outfit tell
you if they consent" where a figure is dressed in a swimsuit, but
has no intention of going swimming. The advice is "Don't assume you
know why someone is dressed in a particular way". Another section
that caught my eye was the mini comic on tickling, when one friend
did not want to be tickled and eventually his friend thought of
something else fun to do.
This is an engaging and very clever way of bringing a very serious
topic out into the open and giving readers strategies for setting
boundaries. There is a trailer
from Blue Seat Studios on Vimeo.
Pat Pledger
What's the point of Maths? by DK Publishing
DK Children, 2020. ISBN: 9780241343524.
(Age: 8-Adult) Highly recommended. What a well-produced, easy to
understand book! After reading this, or even dipping into it,
readers will come away with a greater understanding of the important
place that Maths has in daily lives.
Like all good reference books, this has an excellent Contents page.
An introduction gives an illustrated overview of the importance of
Maths - telling time, navigating Earth, growing crops, creating art,
making music, designing and building, making money, saving lives,
computing, and all will grab the reader's attention and pull them
into the book. It is then divided into the following headings:
What's the point of numbers and counting; What's the point of shapes
and measuring; What's the point of patterns and sequences; What the
point of data and statistics; What's the point of probability and
logic?
Intriguing headings in 'What's the point of numbers and counting?'
like How to count with your nose, How to be negative, How to know
the unknown, will fascinate the reader. Information given has an
historical base and is very interesting to both people fascinated by
Maths or those who have always found it difficult and challenging. A
glossary and an index round up this excellent book.
I was intrigued by the How to escape prison in the 'What's the point
of probability and logic?' section and found the historical facts
really interesting. Each page is brightly illustrated with often
amusing pictures, and the diagrams and simple steps help the reader
to understand the explanations of the mathematical concepts. There
are worked examples to show readers how to solve mathematical
problems.
Pat Pledger
The Fowl twins by Eoin Colfer
Harper Collins, 2019. ISBN: 9780008324827.
(Age: 9-13+) Recommended. Eleven year old fraternal twins Myles and
Beckett Fowl are complete opposites. The twins live on the
Irish Dalkey Island with their family, under the ever-watchful eye
of NANNI (The Nano Artificial Neural Network Intelligence), a
complex security system devised by Artemis and to a degree, young
Myles. Myles is debonair, controlled and focused purely on the
scientific and technological aspects of life. He is responsible for
helping to create much of the family's idyllic island fortress and
thinks deeply before acting. His brother Beckett on the other hand
is impulsive, untidy and full of energy and he jumps into situations
without any thought of the possible consequences. The brothers
though, are inseparable, and complement each other in surviving
their many dangerous escapades.
The story begins with an unexpected visit from The Baddie: Lord
Teddy Bleedham-Drye, The Duke of Sicily. The first chapter is wholly
devoted to explaining this character whose life work has been
dedicated to finding the elixir of youth. Hence the visit to Dalkey
Island where a miniature troll with possible live-forever venom is
sighted leading to complicated and wildly exciting adventures for
the twins. Beckett finds the troll and names it Whistle Blower and
when the twins are whisked away (aka kidnapped) by Sister Jeronima,
the nunterrogator, the real trouble begins. Governments are funding
Sr Jeromina to torture and cross-examine the twins for their own
nefarious reasons and they find themselves in all sorts of trouble.
Throw in a fairy, Lazuli, invisible to most but not to Myles and the
excitement and confusion reigns.
Fans of all ages will enjoy this next book from Eoin Colfer. Fowl
twins is a humorous and action packed spin off from the Artemis
Fowl series and an enjoyable fast-paced read. As the novel
mentions past characters and aspects from the Artemis Fowl
series it is not necessary to have pre-read Artemis Fowl.
Themes: Humour, Adventure, Twins, Family, Villains, Fantasy,
Technology.
Kathryn Beilby
