Emily Brown and Father Christmas by Cressida Cowell and Neal Layton
Hodder Children's, 2019. ISBN: 9781444942002. 32pp., pbk.
It's Christmas Eve and Emily Brown and Stanley have hung up their
Christmas stockings and are snuggled up in bed reading when they
hear "Ho Ho Help" coming from outside their window. It is Father
Christmas and despite having the latest climbing equipment, he is
swinging precariously from a rope and needs rescuing. Emily suggests
that dropping down the chimney might be better because "Sometimes
the old ways are the best ways." But Father Christmas is determined
to embrace the new ways even though it gets him into strife all
night. Will the children around the world get their gifts on
Christmas morning or will they all be disappointed?
This is a very funny story that will appeal to both the reader and
listener alike. With its refrain of "Sometimes the old ways are the
best ways" it marries the magical side of Christmas deliveries that
we are familiar with, with the idiosyncrasies that we have all
experienced with modern technology. This is a Christmas story that
has some substance to it with a determined, credible main character
who will resonate with many and a storyline that will linger,
particularly when our technology next plays up and we are wishing
for some traditional Father Christmas magic.
Barbara Braxton
Oscar the Hungry Unicorn eats Christmas by Lou Carter
Illus. by Nikki Dyson. Orchard, 2019. ISBN: 9781408355824. 32pp.,
pbk.
Oscar the unicorn is always hungry and on Christmas Eve he is eating
his way through the palace Christmas preparations. The stockings,
the tree the presents . . . But the trouble really starts when he
eats the reindeer food meaning the reindeer no longer have their
magic power to fly. How will Santa deliver the presents?
This is a bright captivating tale that will enchant our youngest
readers as they continue the Christmas Countdown to that special
night. There is lots of humorous detail in the pictures,
particularly the one focusing on Christmas morning and this is
likely to be one that is requested again and again.
Barbara Braxton
The corner of my eye by Colin Thompson
Walker Books, Australia, 2019. ISBN: 9781925381931. hbk., picture
book.
(Age: 7-12). Highly Recommended. Themes: Family, Grandparents,
Vision, Memory loss. Colin Thompson has taken us on many journeys
through his books but this one I feel is the ultimate book that
tries to explain what it is like to get old. It is a highly complex
book that takes the reader on a journey which will leave you
realising what it may be like to have memory loss (dementia).
In this story Sally tries to help her grandfather to find something
he has lost. He can't describe it or name it for her, but she is
determined to help him to find it. Her family says he just "lost his
marbles" but she assures them he knows his marbles are in the blue
biscuit tin. She searches the house, the garden and, through the
illustrations, we see all the rooms in his house and all the seasons
in typical, amazing Colin Thompson detail. Ultimately Sally solves
his problem in a satisfying way using something that was always a
tradition with her family, chocolates at Christmas.
The illustrations are varied, vivid and amazing. The full-page
pictures of the various rooms provide hours of fun finding all the
funny little things hidden in them. You can spend days looking and
discussing the things in Thompson's illustrations and this is no
exception.
Not a book for young children, this will enchant and enthrall older
children who have an ageing grandparent and may assist them to
understand the unsettling nature of dementia. Thompson's use of some
real photography in some of his illustrations enhances his already
rich drawings. A wonderful addition to the Colin Thompson
collection.
Gabrielle Anderson
The Dinky Donkey by Craig Smith
Illus. by Katz Crowley. Scholastic, 2019. ISBN: 9781775436065.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Donkeys, Verse, Sing-along, Read
aloud, Humour, Family. Wonky Donkey's offspring is a little girl.
And from there the lines on each double page have a 'hee haw' in its
middle, adding a new line each time the page is turned. Easy to read
and read aloud and sing along with the downloadable song, The
Dinky
Donkey is infectious, becoming one of those tunes you keep
hearing in your head.
With very cute drawings accompanying the text, no reader will be
unimpressed with the list of her attributes.
From being cute and small, to having long eyelashes, liking loud
music, to painting her hooves bright pink and so on, each attribute
adds one more word to the refrain, dinky donkey. By the end of the
story she is a stinky funky plinky-plonky winky-tinky inky-pinky
punky blinky Dinky Donkey, and all readers will laugh out loud as
they try to say this tongue twister.
Readers will also call out 'hee haw' each time it appears, and try
to guess the word added to the donkey's list of qualities. The
illustrations recall Wonky Donkey as the artificial leg is shown on
several pages, impelling readers to seek out the first book in the
series to see what happened to Dinky Donkey's mother.
As a 2010 finalist for the LIANZA Russell Clark Award (Illustration)
for The
Wonky Donkey (2009) it is wonderful to see a sequel along with
music available to have the kids sing along with the words penned by
Craig Smith.
Fran Knight
Paddy T. and the time-travelling trampoline by Adam France
Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760523763.
(Age: Year 3 +) Recommended. Paddy T. and the time-travelling
trampoline is a romp of a book. It is in fact a collection of
short stories about the mad-cap adventures of twelve year old Paddy
T. as told in first person through his eyes.
This collection of short stories lends itself to being read out loud
by teachers. I read the first story to a class of year 3's. They were
captivated. The smiles on the faces of the listening boys in
particular just demonstrated that the cogs in their brains were
turning as they wondered what Paddy was going to be in for next. The
trick for teachers is to hook them in with the first story and then
there is a stampede to borrow the book.
There is a story about Paddy T. and his newspaper round where an
interesting friendship develops with an old man, a story about
solved writing problems at school involving a magic pencil, a story
about a loved uncle who was a hoarder, a story that is more suited
to older children that involves a school disco and crushes and more
. . .
There are some wholesome messages embedded in humour in these
stories. Zainal's illustrations are diagrammatic and onomatopoeia is
a feature throughout.
Adam France is a teacher. He knows what hooks kids in. Lucky are the
children who are in his class!
Wendy Jeffrey
Celeste the giraffe loves to laugh by Celeste Barber
Illus. by Matt Cosgrove, Scholastic, 2019. ISBN: 9781760669171.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Animals, Giraffes, Humour. Celeste
the giraffe just loves to laugh and her winning smile and laughing
face helps others to laugh too. But she has misgivings that others
do much cooler things than she, and so tries to copy them, making
the reader laugh out loud at her attempts to fit in.
In pairs of rhyming lines, readers will love reading out the lines
for themselves, predicting the rhyming word and perhaps offering
other suggestions for a word which rhymes.
Celeste spies the hippo looking ever so cool with her sunglasses,
mobile phone and coconut drink, lazing by the river. When she jumps
in she makes a huge splash, but Celeste, trying to copy her style,
makes barely a ripple in the water. Trying to out roar the lion
leads to a similar disappointment and emulating the ostrich with its
head in the sand is equally regretful. Trying to outpace the cheetah
leads Celeste to utter exhaustion, and her encounters with a shark,
kangaroo, hen, elephant amongst others are just as frustrating.
Children will laugh with glee seeing the way Matt Cosgrove changes
Celeste as she tries to fit the image of the other animal, and laugh
at the antics she displays. Cosgrove's funny illustrations will
bring tears of laughter from the readers as they watch Celeste
trying so hard to be different. She comes to a realisation, after
crashing into a tree, that perhaps she has skills she has not
promoted. She is strong and has a long neck and can teach the other
animals.
A fun filled treatise on being yourself, of being satisfied that you
are unique and do not have to copy others to be cool, this happy
book will encourage readers to think about their own skills and
unique qualities for themselves.
Fran Knight
Yinti, Desert Dog by Pat Lowe and Jimmy Pike
Yinti: book 2. Magabala Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781925936902.
Highly recommended. Written mostly from the perspective of the dingo
companion of young boy Yinti and his family, this is a collection of
anecdotes and accounts of family life in a traditional Aboriginal
community in desert country. As a companion text to Yinti
Desert Child, this book tells the same stories, but the
perspective of the dingo adds an intriguing quality to the accounts.
From the early details of the capture of the young dingo by Yinti's
mother, community life and travel in the desert and into a station
country, the animal skills of the dingo are revealed. The incredible
capacity of the indigenous community in surviving in inhospitable
terrain is also evident, as is their resilience and capacity for
change.
Written simply, using the childhood experience of Jimmy Pike as the
scaffold to create the stories of Yinti, this is a lovely book for
non-indigenous readers to grow in understanding of traditional
aboriginal life. Aboriginal readers will also be thrilled to
encounter their own culture presented in a positive and natural way
for all Australian children to enjoy. This is certainly a good book
to share in a school context to expand cross-cultural understanding
and respect. Themes: Traditional Aboriginal Culture; Dingoes.
Carolyn Hull
The Princess Rules by Philippa Gregory
Illus. by Chris Chatterton. HarperCollins, 2019. ISBN:
9780008339791. 256p.
(Age: 7+) Recommended. Three stories by award winning author
Philippa Gregory will be grabbed by readers who enjoy having their
fairy tales turned upside down. Those who love adventure and humour
too, will delight in the three tales in this book, 'Princess
Florizella', 'Princess Florizella and the Wolves' and 'Princess
Florizella and the Giant'. Princess Florizella is not your classic
fairy tale princess. She does not abide by the Princess Rules (eat
little, dress beautifully and have glorious hair) but is adventurous
and happy to spend lots of time riding her horse Jellybean and
working in the Palace office.
When Prince Bennett invites all the princesses to come to his
kingdom so he could choose one to marry, she decides to go to see
her friends and enjoy the party. She is not ready to marry.
First dedicated to her daughter, the stories have been presented
once again, this time dedicated to her grandchildren. They have not
lost their appeal and young readers will have a lot of fun following
the antics of Princess Florizella as she rescues Prince Bennett,
encounters a wolf pack and a giant. The illustrations by Chris
Chatterton are full of amusing details and give the reader a feeling
for the personality of Princess Florizella, her parents and Prince
Bennett.
This is a perfect book for the newly confident reader who wants to
embark on a book that is longer and more complex that the short
junior novel, but which is divided up into three stories so is not
as daunting as a longer novel could prove to be.
Pat Pledger
Total quack up again! ed. Sally Rippin and Adrian Beck
Illus. by Jules Faber. Puffin Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781760893583.
(Age: 8-11) Recommended. Themes: Short stories; Humorous stories.
This is a collection of funny stories that kids will enjoy. Filled
with lame jokes, duck jokes, dad-dogs and fart stories and quirky
and odd situations, there are many examples of kid-friendly humour,
written mostly by well-known children's authors, plus one child
author.
This is the type of book that kids enjoy for the awkward humour and
because most of the stories require little or no reflective thought.
However, if you want your 8-11 year old to read, then Total
Quack Up Again will appeal.
With additional writing tips by Jacqueline Harvey for those who want
to pursue their own story writing, this chapter creates opportunity
for the development of reading and writing!
Carolyn Hull
Rescue by David Long
Illus. by Kerry Hyndman. Faber and Faber, 2019. ISBN: 9780571346325.
hbk. 192p.
(Age: 9+) A book for fans of heroic deeds, Rescue will fascinate
readers who enjoy reading about the bravery of real people.
Subtitled Daring missions from on, under and above the earth,
there are 28 stories of incredible feats by people all around the
world, ranging from the rescue of a young child trapped in a well,
to diving into a lake to pull people out of submerged bus, Sully's
magnificent landing of an aeroplane in the Hudson River and a 9 year
old boy rescuing his classmates after an earthquake.
Each story is relatively short (5 or 6 pages long) and illustrated
with complementary coloured drawings, so it is ideal for the reader
who likes to have short bursts of reading with the opportunity to
come back again if individual stories appeal. And there is plenty of
information that is sure to grab the reader's attention.
I particularly enjoyed the story of 'Buster' Cain who rescued people
during the London Blitz and 'The Seebies: saving a family teetering
on the edge', had me holding my breath as a mother and her two
children were rescued from a car, hanging from a bridge.
There is a contents page with titles that give a good indication of
what the story might be about, and each story has captions that grab
the reader's attention and make you want to read on.
The epilogue states that 'you don't need superpowers or a mask and
cape to be a real-life hero,' and this book is sure to inspire young
readers with its stories of gallantry and heroism.
Pat Pledger
Twelve days of kindness by Cori Brooke and Fiona Burrows
New Frontier, 2019. ISBN: 9781925594751. 32pp., hbk.
Nabila is the new girl in school and like many new kids, she's
finding it hard to fit in with the established crew, particularly
when she looks different to them and eats her strange lunches alone.
But Holly comes to her rescue as their common love for soccer takes
over. But when both Holly and Nabila are picked for the school team,
there is still disunity and the two girls realise if they are to
come together to play well, they need a plan . . .
A search for "Twelve Days of Kindness" on the Internet brings up a
number of projects and resources, mostly connected to Christmas but
this is something that could be developed by a group or an
individual at any time to promote kindness, compassion, empathy and
build something harmonious. Some schools like to take students on
camp in the early days of Term 1 to build bonds for a successful
year, but if this is not viable, organising something like Twelve
Days of Kindness could be an alternative. Having students directly
involved by having them articulate those things they don't like and
identifying how such behaviour can be changed and the environment
they would like to be in gives ownership and helps them understand
the power to change is in their hands. Promoting empathy
activities rather than always focusing on the 'don'ts' of
bullying can be a new approach that has an impact by making it
personal. Again, the solution is theirs to decide and implement.
Author of the CBCA shortlisted All I
Want for Christmas is Rain, (as appropriate now as it was in
2016) Brooke has again delivered a story that promotes thought and
inspires action. Teacher's
notes are available.
Barbara Braxton
Sarah's two Nativities by Janine M. Fraser and Helene Magisson
Black Dog Books , 2019. ISBN: 9781925381795. hbk., 32pp.
This is the story of Sarah, daughter of Sadek and Anna,
granddaughter of Ali and Azar, and granddaughter of Maria and Paul.
In Sarah's house the Bible and the Koran sit side by side on the
shelf, each full of stories which her grandmothers tell her when
they come to visit. Sarah's favourites are those about the birth of
Baby Jesus, but she is confused because even though parts of each
story is similar to the other, there are parts that are different.
"How can they both be true?" she asks.
Sarah's situation is not an uncommon one - there are many families
where there are differing belief systems, and these are often
highlighted at this time of the year. Similarly, in our classrooms
we share stories about the Nativity with children who might hear a
different version at home. How can the two be reconciled?
Grandmother Azar provides an answer that satisfies Sarah and
celebrates the richness of the two cultures her family straddles.
This is a beautifully illustrated story that is sensitively told and
acknowledges that this is a special time of year for many, not just
Christians, and that there can be bonds that are stronger than
anything else.
Barbara Braxton
Harry Potter and the goblet of fire by J.K. Rowling
Illus. by Jim Kay. Harry Potter, book 4. Bloomsbury, 2019.
ISBN: 9781408845677. hbk.
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. Readers will need no introduction to
the wonderful books by J.K. Rowling and fans and collectors will
certainly want to keep this fabulous illustrated version of the
fourth book in the series, Harry Potter and the goblet of fire.
Jim Kay's illustrations open up a new world for readers which will
take them past the film images and let their imaginations work
overtime. Starting with the fabulous wrap around jacket featuring a
tiny Harry Potter battling an enormous beast, opening onto end
papers showing a strange and fascinating octopus-like creature and
then continuing with brightly coloured illustrations for lighter
moments in the book, and dark, intriguing pictures for darker
events, readers are in for a treat.
This is certainly a book for fans and for collectors and would make
a wonderful gift. I also think that the illustrated editions (Harry
Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling has also
been reviewed) would tantalise even the most reluctant of readers
Pat Pledger
Yinti: Desert child by Pat Lowe and Jimmy Pike
Magabala Books, 2019 (c1992). ISBN: 9781925768831.
Highly recommended. Themes: Aboriginal Australians, Indigenous life,
Family. In a series of short anecdotal recounts, we follow the early
life of the desert child, Yinti, and his family as they love, thrive
and explore community life. The simplicity and complexity of the
life of the community are revealed as if told by one of the youngest
members of the indigenous community. It is gloriously naive, and yet
reveals the incredible resilience, bravery and intelligence of the
indigenous community living in the Great Sandy Desert of Western
Australia. Not until the last few chapters do we have a hint of the
influence of the kartiya (non-Aboriginal people).
Based on the early life of Jimmy Pike (who was born in 1940, in the
desert country of Western Australia), this is a wonderful book and
would make an excellent read-aloud book to share with students as
they learn about traditional Aboriginal culture in the 1950s.
The illustrations through the book are exceptionally naive, in a
black and white simplicity.
Carolyn Hull
Girl Geeks: Perfect holidays by Alex Miles
Girl Geeks book 3. Penguin, 2019. ISBN: 9780143795070.
(Age: 9+) Girl Geeks: Perfect holidays is part of the Girl
Geeks series which has been . . . "developed in partnership
with Girl Geek Academy -
an Australian-based global movement . . . " which aims to encourage
girls to engage with technology." The story is set around school
holidays and the activities and interests of four school girls who
are into technology.
It immerses the reader into the tech world as a natural part of the
protagonists' lives. The concern of the author is for girls to
understand the pitfalls and traps of social media including the
falsities of photo feeds and the mental exhaustion associated with a
life that pings with posts.
In these politically correct times this book ticks all the boxes.
The central girl protagonists represent multicultural friendship.
Their friendship is wise and supportive and they communicate through
social media with feeds that intersperse the text. The single father
of Eve (the central character) is loving and supportive as are all
the parents. Manners and good citizenship are demonstrated by
instances such as the father and daughter giving up train seats for
an elderly man and a pregnant woman.
Eve is an overachieving, competitive perfectionist. She is a girl
who makes "To Do" lists, who wants to please others, who over
commits and in the end makes herself sick. She is helped towards a
life balance by her father and friends. The book represents a
journey of friendship, good citizenship and understanding of self in
a technological world as experienced by Eve.
At the back of the book, there is a friendly invitation for girls to
contact Geek Academy, holiday activities and profiles of the women
involved in Geek Academy. Girl Geeks: Perfect holidays is
simple and accessible both in content and interest reading level. It
would be an easy, light read designed to encourage girls around year
5 level to engage with digital technology.
Wendy Jeffrey
