Bloomsbury, 2019. ISBN: 9781408893036.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Imagination, Dragons, Books,
Reading, Families, Cautionary tale. Max thinks he might like a pet.
Mum barely pauses from reading the newspaper to give a reason a pup
will not be welcome. Over the next few pages, Max thinks about a
different pet. Dad rejects a kitten, but Max persists, thinking of
reasons for having a penguin, shark or dragon. Dragons of course, do
not exist says his family, so that is out of the question. He thinks
about a goldfish but rejects them thinking they are boring, and the
same with flies, or wasps and birds. But when he finds a worm in the
garden, he is thrilled. It fits well in the aquarium, and Max
discovers that it likes reading. So each night the worm sits with
Max and reads alongside the boy. Things are working out well until
the worm begins to grow and do some mischievous things: chewing the
pillow and making some awful smells. Spikes appear along its back
and smoke pours out of the worm's head. The dragon flies off into
the night but comes back to read before bedtime, even though Dad
insists there is no such ting.
A very cute, enticing story will have many fans as Max trawls the
usual list of things he wants as a pet. Excuses are given, reasons
deduced, but still no pet appears. Only when Max finds a worm does
he have a pet that he likes.
But has he got the pet he wished for and what will happen when a
dragon appears in his bedroom? All good fun, underlying the family
tradition of reading before going to bed, and promoting reading as
an activity, this book will please the readers. Bright, bold
illustrations cover each page, with lots of detail to keep sharp
eyes amused.
I particularly like the endpapers showing the suburb in which Max
lives, with its street lights and neat gardens, with a few pets
appearing in other people's homes. And lots of dragon books for Max
to read, reiterating the idea of a bookworm, an idiom which will
tickle the funny bones of all readers.
Fran Knight
The Lords of Melody by Phillip Gwynne
Penguin, 2019. ISBN: 9780143796459.
(Age: 10-14) Recommended. Themes: Music; Rock and Roll; Bands;
Ghosts; Family. Suzi Lord, from Melody Street is the youngest of the
Lord family, and it appears that she is the only one who has no
musical talent. Her parents were once famous Rock and Roll stars . .
. until an undisclosed but unable-to-be-forgotten 'incident' upset
their career. Her sister Janis seems to have inherited considerable
musical talent, but her aspirations are to live a life out of the
shadow of her parents' slide into mediocrity and poor pecuniary
circumstances. There is also the shadow of the Uncle, the drummer
from her parents' band, who died some time ago but is not really
missed. Suzi, however, has found a new pathway in her life away from
hard rock - on the soccer field - until an accident changes her
direction and gives her opportunity to follow a new drumbeat. The
spectral visit of her uncle, the unusual lengths to which Janis will
go in order to raise money and the rather strange relationships that
the 'old' rockers have with the neighbours in Melody Street all
combine to create a fun and entertaining story with a musical
thread, and with genuine family connections. The chance to compete
in a music contest is fraught with difficulty.
Phillip Gwynne has created an amusing tale with characters that have
unique qualities and weird solutions to their problems. The
quirkiness of the setting in the run-down home of the 'retired'
Rockers, amidst the rebuilt mega-homes that line their street, is
just a delight. You can almost smell the decline in the Lord home!
This is a fun tale, with unlikely characters connecting and belting
out tunes - sometimes melodious! The comparison between the
'wealthy' Private School attendees and the other kids in the book
makes a statement, but with much humour. And there is a ghostly
influence to push Suzi in a direction that she might otherwise have
avoided. Suzi's voice is cynical and lightly sarcastic, and it is
wonderful to see her family through her eyes. The book has a
humorous lilt, but it is also lightly addressing the influence of
money and fame. The cover of this book could perhaps deter some
older readers, but this could be enjoyed by teen readers as well as
pre-teens.
Carolyn Hull
Come find me by Megan Miranda
Pisces Books, 2019. ISBN: 9780525578321.
(Age: 15+) Recommended for mystery lovers. Themes: Supernatural,
Missing persons, Murder, Grief. A compelling mix of mystery and what
appears to be the supernatural will keep readers engrossed as they
follow two teens who have suffered tragedy in their lives. Kennedy,
after a devastating family tragedy, keeps looking after a radio
telescope belonging to her brother Elliot and Nolan is determined to
find out what happened to his brother Liam who went missing from a
family function two year previously. When they both receive the same
strange signal, they make contact and begin to search for its
origin, both hoping that it will lead them to a resolution of the
catastrophes in their lives.
The reader is tantalised by the question of what has happened in
Kennedy's life to see her living with a very young uncle. Where is
the missing brother Elliot and her mother? Nolan's belief that his
brother Liam would not have just left a family picnic and
disappeared without trace also leaves questions about where he went
and what happened to him.
The story is told in alternative chapters by Kennedy and Nolan, each
believing in different reasons for the eerie signal. Kennedy thinks
that it may have come from outer space, as her brother Elliot was
obsessed with finding alien life, while Nolan believes it could be
the ghost of his brother Liam trying to tell him where he is. The
reader learns about the depth of their grief as Kennedy and her
young uncle Joe try to learn to live together, and Nolan navigates a
family home taken over by his parents' non-profit group that tries
to find missing children.
Miranda keeps the reader involved in the two mysteries as clues to
what happened are gradually revealed and the threads that link the
mysteries are drawn together in the final riveting conclusion.
Pat Pledger
Little unicorn: Ten minutes to bed by Rhiannon Fielding and Chris Chatterton
Ladybird Books, 2018. ISBN: 9780241348925.
(Age: 3-6) Little unicorn: Ten minutes to bed is a beautiful
series by Rhiannon Fielding and Chris Chatterton aimed at young
children at bedtime. Each book follows a similar progression where
the main characters parent/family member counts down the minutes to
bedtime while the main character flits around doing lots of fun
things before bed. The books are all based on mythical type
characters and are whimsical in nature.
Each book has a map at the beginning (daytime) and end (night-time)
of the book showing 'The land of Nod' which young children can
engage with, finding the home of the books character and also the
homes of the other two in the series (Little Mermaid and Little
Monster). Ten minutes to bed Little Unicorn follows a gorgeous little
naughty unicorn who isn't tired! She is a bit cheeky, and much
prefers to make trouble than go to bed. She dances, chases pixies,
and follows dragons until she suddenly becomes lost. Poor little
unicorn uses her magic to find a colourful rainbow and get herself
home to her mother.
The text follows an easy rhyme, where the young listener can guess
the last word and feel part of the reading experience, rather than
just being a listener.
The illustrations in this book are gorgeous! They are whimsical and
encompass some sparkles on the front cover! I would suggest that
this title in the series is aimed at little girls, due to the large
amount of pinks, purples and fairy tale creatures. My 5 year old
daughter is totally taken by this book, enjoying the count down of
minutes and following the naughty antics of Little Unicorn. It is
certainly a lovely little series for children aged 3-6 years.
Lauren Fountain
Inventor Lab : brilliant builds for super makers by Jack Challoner
Foreword by Dr Lucy Rogers. DK, 2019. ISBN: 9780241343517.
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Themes: Electronics; Inventions; Science -
Physics.Inventor Lab is a step-by-step instruction book detailing
how to connect electronic components to make some unsophisticated
electronic projects. There are introduction chapters that detail
safety information and descriptions of individual components. The
rest of the book uses clear pictorial descriptions with simple
instructions to create an array of projects, from the simple Coin
battery to some quite complex wired and powered constructions
including radios and an automatic night light. The skills required
are not particularly difficult, but would require perseverance and
interest to pursue (as well as appropriate equipment). So, this book
is for those who are keen tinkerers and willing to try to stretch
their skills in creating electronic items. The next generation of
electronics experts will enjoy this book. Invention implies novelty
rather than following prescribed instructions, but this may be the
book that leads to personal exploration and invention after learning
the basic skills.
The presentation of the book is in Dorling Kindersley's clear and
impressive style that will appeal for its simplicity. It is written
in a way that could be read or used by young readers aged 10+; the
projects seem to suit somewhat older readers.
Carolyn Hull
Story Time Stars: favourite characters from Australian picture books by Stephanie Owen Reeder
National Library of Australia, 2019. ISBN: 9780642279408.
(Age: All) Highly recommended. Recognise these characters? Horace
the elephant, Blinky Bill, Ginger Meggs, Billy the Punk, The
Watertower, Mr Huff, Edward the Emu, Hattie, Koala Lou? I could go
on. And on.
I love that this book makes heroes of the characters from a wide
variety of Australian children's picture books, many familiar to me
and some unknown. I now have a list of new characters that I want to
meet, introduced to me in this eminently readable book.
This is a truly all-age book. The format will intrigue younger
readers with its illustrations and interesting facts. Older readers
will journey back into memory lane as well as finding new characters
to introduce to the children in their lives. Teachers and parents
will find it a delightful book to peruse and a useful resource.
The book includes over 100 years of old favourite and newly-met
characters, is organised by the decade of publication and is
indexed. Each double-page layout includes a full-page illustration
of the character from the original book, a precis of them and their
story as well as sections titled Brought to you by (author and
illustrator), Debut, Encores, Stage and screen, International
appearances, Awards, and Special recognition.
The afterwords section speaks of the important work being done by
both the Children's Literature Collections in the National Library
of Australia and the National Centre for Australian Children's
Literature in preserving and celebrating the treasures in this
popular genre of Australia's publishing history.
The book complements the National Library of Australia's exhibition
Story Time: Australian Children's Literature (held 2019-2020).
There are many things to recommend this book to you: the
illustrations, information, format, size and price. I am sure it
will be enjoyed and utilised for many years to come.
Jan Barwick
Ravi's roar by Tom Percival
Bloomsbury, 2019. ISBN: 9781408892183.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Temper tantrums, Family, Size,
Emotions. Ravi is the youngest in his family. When the family goes
to the park, the others are able to run and jump and play with the
equipment, but Ravi is too short to reach the things he wants to
try. He is not only the youngest of the four siblings, but also the
smallest. He can not reach the monkey bars, or walk across the logs
that are too widely spaced for his small legs, and he definitely can
not go on the big slide. But the last straw occurs when he goes to
get an ice cream and finds there are none left.
He becomes very cross, so cross that his face becomes hotter and
redder, a tail appears behind him, his hands develop claws and his
face becomes striped, and he can roar like a tiger. His tiger
attributes are very handy, stomping around the park scaring people
from the seat he wants, or getting an ice cream of his own to eat.
But sitting by himself he realises that no one wants to play with
him, and he needs to think about what to do next.
All children will recognise the emotional turmoil and eventual
temper tantrum put on by Ravi. Most will have succumbed themselves
or seen others lose their tempers at home, in the classroom or in
the playground. This book shows them that it is not unusual, and
gives a very satisfying resolution to the problem. Ravi loses his
temper, but he realises that there are consequences and a way of
controlling that temper for the betterment of his family. And with a
neat twist, the author shows that there are some situations where a
small show of fierceness is appropriate.
A wonderful fluorescent green cover will attract readers to this
book, the pages inside showing a close and loving family dealing
with the problem of Ravi's temper.
The illustrations promote the close ties of the family, Dad engaged
and helpful, the family unit doing things together. Readers will
love picking out the things they can do in the local park, recognise
the different people that use the park, and emulate the children's
activities there.
Fran Knight
World Heritage Sites of Australia by Peter Valentine
National Library of Australia Publishing, 2019. ISBN: 9780642279422.
(Age: 14+) Recommended. This large format reference book contains
comprehensive information and beautiful photographs about
Australia's unique World Heritage sites. An introduction is provided
by former Environment Minister and musician, Peter Garrett, and the
first chapter provides background information about the 1970s
development of the International Union for the Conservation of
Nature and the Convention that underpins the World Heritage
Committee's ten natural and cultural criteria used for the inclusion
and exclusion of properties of great interest, importance or value.
Sites include: Kakadu, Great Barrier Reef, Willandra Lakes, Lord
Howe Islands,Tasmanian Wilderness, Gondwana Rainforests, Uluru-Kata
Tjuta National Park, Wet Tropics of Queensland, Shark Bay (WA),
Fraser Island (K'gari), Australian Fossil Mammal Sites, Macquarie
Island, Heard and McDonald Islands, Greater Blue Mountains,
Purnululu National Park (WA), Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton
Gardens, Sydney Opera House, Australian Convict Sites and Ningaloo
Coast.
Peter Valentine, a professional geographer, provides an informative
account of each of Australia's 19 sites, beginning with the listing
of Kakadu National Park in 1981. Kakadu, was an excellent choice as
Australia's first mixed cultural and natural choice as a World
Heritage site. It has 50,000 years of Indigenous occupation,
wonderful x-ray and handprint cave paintings, sandstone escarpment
of the Arnhem Plateau, tropical savanna woodlands and floodplains,
exotic birds and reptiles. The author also highlights threats such
as mining, introduced species, climate change and the management of
annual visitors numbering around 200,000.
Each World Heritage site is described with a location map, whole
page photographs, a short introduction, a personal impression, and a
history of the 'path to world heritage'.
Students of environmental studies or geography in middle and senior
high school would find plenty of useful information about the
qualities and management of each property. The 293 page book
includes a useful index.
The concluding chapter of the book highlights the future of world
heritage in Australia, which includes not only the role of UNESCO or
the Australian Government but also the role of local communities
being more involved, particularly in the light of increasing recent
threats from climate change and invasive species.
Paul Pledger
Nobody's victim : fighting psychos, stalkers, pervs and trolls by Carrie Goldberg
Virago Press, 2019. ISBN: 9780349010533. 295p
(Age: Adult-16+) Non-Fiction. Themes: Cybercrime, Privacy Laws. Nobody's
Victim is to be applauded for the detailed explanation and
examples of privacy and sexual cybercrimes from stalking and revenge
porn to sextortion and framing someone for terrorist acts, and
everything in between. Holistically, the author Carrie Goldberg is a
beacon for anyone in any situation who has felt isolated - a
friendless, powerless, maligned or misunderstood victim because
persuasive, convincing sociopaths are not what they seem and our
laws are inadequate to stop them.
Carrie Goldberg founded a victims' rights law firm to combat the way
vindictive lovers, con men and sociopaths hide behind the lack of
internet and social media regulation. Rather than a treatise,
Goldberg uses a conversational style, peppered with cybercrime
jargon unfamiliar to most, to track the growth of her legal advocacy
beginning with her own personal victimization.
Goldberg candidly narrates her own date rape and another personal
ordeal where her 'ex-boyfriend' threatened her, had her arrested on
false charges, and sent nude photos without her consent to her
friends and family. Her clients include: a Grindr user whose
ex-boyfriend invited an incessant stream of strangers to have
intercourse with him at home and at work; a girl manipulated into
filming pornography; a school girl sexually assaulted by a classmate
who was suspended for reporting it amongst others. To compliment
these cautionary tales Carrie Goldberg cites judicial rulings and
legislation, some of which led to the law making revenge porn
illegal, earlier this year. Her extensive footnotes and her wide
array of clients demonstrate that there is something universally
amiss. Finally, we come to understand the knowledge, diligence and
persistence required to meet a niche or rather neglected legal
services demand and establish a successful business.
One of the biggest hurdles discussed is section 230 of the
Communications Decency Act, which protects online providers from the
content uploaded by users. It shielded companies like OK Cupid and
Grindr from criminals destroying her life and the lives of so many
of her clients. However, there are so many other nuances and
barriers cleverly overcome by Goldberg's growing legal organization
and network of change agents, explained here. Finally the #MeToo
movement begins to balance the scales in the victim's favour.
Whilst details are confronting, she discusses the social attitudes
that work in favour of the criminal against innocent victims. The
jargon, breadth of human relationships and sex crimes are all likely
too confronting for secondary school collections - certainly not
teenagers under 16 years of age. On the other hand, children much
younger are amongst the victims described. Nobody's Victim could be a useful and compelling resource for
those teaching Cyber Safety, Legal Studies, Philosophy in Action,
Life Skills etc. Goldberg's Acknowledgements, Footnotes and Index
will be invaluable when selecting appropriate case studies for class
discussion.
Deborah Robins
Scoop McLaren detective editor by Helen Castles
Illus. by Beatriz Castro. New Frontier, 2019. ISBN: 9781925594836.
134p.
(Age: 9+ ) Recommended. Themes: Mystery. Scoop's father is the
editor of the 'Higgity Harbour Gazette'. Our young narrator is
following in his footsteps by editing her own newspaper online.
'Click' is a first for Higgity Harbour but certainly not the only
digital edition of the news.
A new online publication becomes immediately problematic. 'The Dark
Times', written and edited by Sony Fink is published daily at one
minute past midnight. Sony Fink has a supernatural ability to
predict unusual and increasingly catastrophic events - mouse
plagues, cyclones, frog rain . . . and that's just for starters!
Whilst Scoop ponders this new mystery with the help of Evie, her
roving reporter, she must try to identify Sony Fink by a process of
elimination - often pointing the finger at the wrong person, like Dr
Blaxland's daughter, Imogen. Thankfully, with every pronouncement of
new and interesting suspects, a useful insight saves the day.
Whilst Higgity Harbour is not the Cabot Cove of Murder She Wrote,
Scoop proves herself a competent amateur detective. Freedom of the
press is crucial, particularly in our current political climate. The
Scoop McLaren series could prompt timely discussion about
ethical journalism and political influence upon the media.
In addition to Helen Castle's fast paced narrative, compounded every
day by another fantastic or disastrous event for Higgity Harbour,
Beatriz Castro's illustrations arouse our curiosity. The back cover
demonstrates authentic front page layout with masthead, headline,
byline, columns, images etc.
The narrator may lose credibility with each setback, but she
persists in her singular quest for the truth as the attacks on the
town continue. Each sparse article, whether published by Scoop, Dad,
Kenny (the delivery boy) or Sony, employs essential generic
features. Indeed, Scoop appends 12 practical writing tips for
budding journalists to the novel, and, Helen Castles has uploaded Teacher's
Notes that will help tie this middle school novel, to a unit
of work based on Newspaper reporting.
Deborah Robins
The boy who could fly and other magical plays for children by Ursula Dubosarsky
Illus: by Amy Golbach. Second look Publishing, 2019. ISBN:
9780994528094.
(Age: 9+) Themes: Plays; Myths - Ancient Greeks and Romans. Taking
ideas from ancient Greek and Roman literature and mythology, Ursula
Dubosarsky has applied her deft touch to transform these ancient
stories into simple play scripts suited to performance . . . or just
reading for pleasure for younger readers. In the stories we are
introduced to mythical and legendary characters that are sometimes
well known, with other characters that are less 'famous', and all
eleven stories detail their struggles and destiny to overcome their
own personality faults or to deal with the vagaries of the gods.
Mostly we see the humour in the actions of humans and gods, and the
play-scripts are whimsical and easily read. Introducing the traits
of characters like Icarus, Narcissus, Midas, Venus, Juno, Apollo and
the impossibilities of being turned into animals are all inherently
amusing and yet sometimes salutary. The illustrations by Amy Golbach
are simple, cartoon-like black and white drawings that add
light-hearted detail. A book of plays is not to everyone's delight,
but this is a good format for these stories, and also adds the
benefit of introducing the script as a text-type for young writers.
This would be a good book to recommend to children who have an
interest in mythology or drama, or even as a resource in schools for
introducing alternative text types. Suited for ages 9+.
Carolyn Hull
Monuments by Will Kostakis
Hachette, 2019. ISBN: 9780734419224. 280p; p/b.
High schooler Connor gets caught up in the affairs of the world's
creator gods, Monuments, after stumbling across a hidden sanctuary
at his school. The action-driven plot engages the reader almost
immediately and goes in unexpected directions that keep things quite
fresh. It sets up nicely for a sequel while still resolving enough
of its own questions to not feel unsatisfying. The humorous,
light-hearted tone makes the novel a treat to read. The quick pacing
fits the story's circumstances of being suddenly thrown into an
unbelievable situation, but it does sometimes feel like the focus
changes a bit too fast to keep up with. The novel's characterisation
is quite strong, with Kostakis doing a good job fleshing out even
tertiary characters in the short amount of time they have.
The novel explores themes of duty and responsibility, both to roles
and other people. Connor and others struggle with their duty that
comes from inheriting the Monument's power, and later experience
guilt when they realise what they've caused to happen to others.
Interestingly, Kostakis seems to imply that not going along with the
Monument Jivanta's plan wasn't entirely incorrect, which is a
refreshing take on a message that can otherwise be kind of trite.
The novel is set largely in a modern real-world Sydney, with the
addition of the fantasy elements. The realistic setting is
established well enough without being belaboured, and the fantastic
additions are explained clearly enough to get used to.
Vincent Hermann
Taking Tom Murray home by Tim Slee
Harper Collins, 2019. ISBN: 9781460757864. RRP $32.99
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. The inaugural Banjo Prize
competition attracted 320 entries but it was Taking Tom Murray
home that took out the first prize with its truly authentic
Australian voice. Tim Slee's novel bristles with laconic wit, quirky
characters and bitter-sweet emotions and underlines with eloquence
the dilemmas faced by so many of our rural Aussies who are doing it
tough.
When the bank forecloses on Tom Murray's dairy farm he is determined
to go down in a blaze - literally. He sells off his stock, empties
the house of his family's possessions and burns it down.
Unfortunately Tom is trapped in the fire probably due to his weak
heart problem and loses his life. His widow Dawn refuses to allow
his death be in vain and decides to take his body to Melbourne for
burial thinking the several hundred kilometre 'funeral procession'
from their small rural town will offer people pause for thought on
the plight of so many struggling country folk. She is persuaded to
take the coffin on the back of a neighbour's vintage horse-drawn
milk cart for even more impact and so begins a poignant, fraught and
dramatic passive protest.
Told from the viewpoint of Jack, son of Tom and Dawn and twin of
Jenny, the journey begins with a local drama when the town bank
burns down. Immediately, the whole protest/procession takes on a new
and controversial aspect. As the travellers move slowly towards
Melbourne they are joined by supporters of all types, thwart the
frustrated police who try to find ways to stop them and alerted to a
wave of fires that are erupting around the country targeting banks
and supermarkets - who are seen as the corporate buddies threatening
the livelihoods and lives of the farmers. Rallied by stirring words
and the community spirit the grief and loss and frustration are
eased and bolstered by hope and possibilities.
The twist in the end is both a surprise and a damning indictment of
the pressures put upon the families who are fighting for their
survival and will give many readers cause to reflect on actions that
could make a difference to those who are the 'backbone' of our
country.
While essentially a novel that would be equally enjoyed and
appreciated by readers both young and old, there is a liberal
sprinkling of swearing which might preclude younger readers if you
were to put this in your school library.
Highly recommended for readers from around 14 years upwards.
Sue Warren
Survival for beginners: A step-by-step guide to camping and outdoor skills by Colin Towell
Australian edition. Dorling Kindersley, 2019. ISBN: 9780143796954.
(Age: 9-14) Recommended. Themes: Survival, Camping skills. With
Dorling Kindersley's art of presentation, this is a simple but
clearly presented handbook for campers and to aid survival in
difficult outdoor circumstances, with an Australian focus. With
chapters under the sections of Navigation, On the trail, Campcraft,
and First Aid, there is basic information for those heading into the
outdoors in a variety of environmental conditions. A little like an
army survival guide for children, this is an easily read and clear
handbook and would even be enjoyed by older students who are
studying Outdoor Education, as it covers scenarios not often
encountered in a normal camping experience. The basic information is
presented with clear illustrations and with numbered steps to
demonstrate the process in different survival or camping situations.
Some basic skills, eg lighting a camp fire and packing for a hiking
trek, are included in the book, but also some more extreme
circumstances are covered, eg surviving quicksand or an avalanche.
Illustrated mostly with drawn illustrations alongside boxed text
with clear headings, there are also some photographic images at the
beginning of each section.
Carolyn Hull
Atticus van Tasticus by Andrew Daddo and Stephen Michael King
Penguin, 2019, ISBN: 9780143796541.
(Age: 7+) Recommended. Themes: Pirates, Imagination. Step back to a
time when pirates sailed the seven seas with Andrew Daddo and
Stephen Michael King in Atticus van Tasticus. On Atticus's
tenth birthday his wealthy Grandnan invites him to choose a special
present from her vast collection. His cousins, uncles and aunts even
his brother and sister haven't chosen wisely, now it's his turn. A
fortuitous sneeze leads him to discover a trapdoor with a pirate
ship hidden beneath the floor.
Yes, it's to be a pirate's life for the ten-year-old, a life of
amazing adventures, once the ship's hauled to the port. Hulk and
Hogan, Grandnan's two strong assistants, three carts and a whole
bunch of asses help. Gathering a rather motley crew, a feisty First
Mate and a stowaway puppy Atticus is ready to set sail. Every
Captain needs a plan, a treasure map and some ideas about how to
navigate. Grandnan's left three chests. Which one will reveal the
clues? Under her old shopping lists the young captain discovers the
map.
Surviving the perfect storm, shark encounters, alien dreams, crazy
arguments with wild Captain Trumptree with his hairy treasure chest,
Atticus and his crew experience a wild and dangerous life on board.
Of course, there's another pirate ship to attack, the Pegasis,
with a surprising captain creating more challenges for Atticus and
his crew.
Andrew Daddo's created a cast of crazy characters, a wild and
exciting pirate adventure, with loads of fun, pirate slang, puns and
humour, Atticus van Tasticus is a thrilling book to read
aloud with middle primary students. Stephen Michael King's humourous
illustrations add to the pace, propel the story forward and add
vigour to this pirate tale. The addition of the puppy stowaway comic
strip and instructions on how to draw Atticus at the conclusion are
fun for the reader. Where to next for the captain and his crew?
Rhyllis Bignell
