Hodder and Stoughton 2019. ISBN: 9781444715415.
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. Sweet sorrow is a lament to the
end of childhood and to first love. A bildungsroman, the novel
follows Charlie Lewis on his quest to get to know the lovely Fran
Fisher, amateur actor and Shakespeare aficionado. In an attempt to
impress, or get her number, Charlie agrees to join a production of
Romeo and Juliet that the Full Fathom Five Theatre Co-operative are
organising over the Summer. Without his mates to join him in his
scorn, Charlie finds himself intrigued with the players and the
drama students.
While he scoffs at theatre sports, Charlie finds himself with
friendships completely different to the friendly scuffles and
drunken antics of those he's known before. Being part of the play
allows Charlie not only to get close to Fran, but also to grow as a
person independent of the politics of the boys and rebelling against
his parents' expectations. But the pressure of looking out for his
father and navigating the ditch between his parents and him and his
sister is almost too much. When the walls Charlie built to keep
himself and his dad safe start to crumble, everything quickly comes
crashing down.
Told both in the present and retrospect, Sweet sorrow
follows the summer Charlie threw off social expectations he'd come
to respect in school, he starts to work to pull his life together
after the stress of his father's erratic behaviour, bankruptcy, and
divorce sends him down a dark and spiralling path of failure. I
would highly recommend this novel to boys twelve and up who struggle
to fit in and achieve at school as they might find some parallels
with Charlie.
Kayla Gaskell
Winston and the Wondrous Wooba Gymnastics Club by Tamsin Janu
Omnibus, 2019. ISBN: 9781760662509.
(Ages: 8-14) Highly recommended. Themes: Friendship, Adversity.
Australian country town life is at the heart of this story, and its
theme is the challenge to improvise when the going gets tough, while
remaining positive through adverse difficulties.
Winston and his mother Carol, live in the little town of Wooba, home
of Big Bread, a towering monument to local wheat farming. Winston is
very proud of everything in Wooba (especially the decrepit Big
Bread) and is eager to share it all with his new family from Dubbo,
in particular, his new sister Macy.
But the move to Wooba dashes Macy's dreams of becoming an Olympic
gymnast, and she's making her feelings known to all. How is Winston
going to help Macy resign herself to living in the tiny town, and
make progress towards her dream, while also saving the Big Bread and
the economy of his home town. These are big challenges and Winston
won't be able to rise to them alone.
The story follows the up and downs of the children as they bring
adults alongside, learn lessons from life, from their friends, and
from the adults who support them. And learn a lot about gymnastics
along the way. Teacher's
notes are available.
Long live the spirit of the Australian country town.
Donna Isgar
Wilder girls by Rory Power
Macmillan Children's Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781529021288. (Age: 14+) Recommended. Wilder girls is a gory dystopia,
with the Tox mutating the systems of students at Raxter School for
Girls. The mutation affects each of the girls differently, from
coughing up blood and teeth to having dual hearts. Their only hope
for a cure is the Navy and CDC who are desperately researching the
Raxter phenomenon.
With restrictions on food and other resources, the girls are half
wild with the Tox, a new order has been established from the old
with fights and power struggles upheld by the remaining two teachers
- Welch and Headmistress and the three Boat Shift Girls. Taylor,
Carson, and Julie are charged with keeping the peace among students
as well as the dangerous task of retrieving supplies dropped at the
pier at irregular intervals.
The story follows Hetty and her friends Reese and Byatt. Having
established their friendship prior to the Tox, the girls ties are
only strengthened by their trials - that is until Hetty is called
upon for Boat Shift and Byatt goes missing. People die all the time
at Raxter but something about Byatt's disappearance is different.
Hetty is determined to find and save her friend, no matter the cost.
And the cost is bound to be high.
Brutal and thrilling, Wilder girls captures the fear similar
to The
natural way of things and The promised Neverland
whilst remaining highly engaging. With the grittiness of This
mortal coiland the familiarity of a high school
setting, this novel has a feeling of authenticity as the girls
struggle with not only the effects of the Tox but the social issues
to do with violence, self-preservation, and the realities of
survival. I would recommend to girls fourteen and up.
Kayla Gaskel
Victoria Bubbles and the great preschool adventure by Lizzie Dingle and Andrew McIntosh
Little Steps, 2019, ISBN: 9781925839005.
(Age: 3-5) Themes: Preschool, Adventure. Lizzie Dingle writes from
personal experience; as a working mum she was worried about her
oldest boy's first day at preschool. His teacher welcomed the
youngsters with beautiful bubbles, inspiring the author to write her
charming rhyming book Victoria Bubbles and the great preschool
adventure. Her aim is help parents 'develop, nurture and
create positive associations with preschool.' Andrew McIntosh's
action-packed digital illustrations are bright and bold, they
capture Bailey's emotions and uncover the wonderful bubble
adventures he takes with his class and teacher. Take time to talk
about the bubble shapes, the glittery scenes and the fun each child
experiences.
Bailey's mother is very reassuring, encouraging him as they walk
through the colourful playground. Inside he's greeted by Victoria
Bubbles his teacher and hundreds of bubbles filling the room. When
she holds our the most beautiful glittery wand and asks her young
learners to make a wish, we know magic is about to happen. Inside
the huge bubble, the children and teacher are swept away past
rugged mountains, deep into the ocean and into a gorgeous serene
rainforest. Rolling and sliding they slide down a snow-covered
mountain and from the safety of the bubble, they enjoy a snowball
fight. On into outer space and finally a rest at the beach before
the bell sounds. What does Bailey share about his magical journey
with his mum at the end of the day?
Lizzie Dingle's delightful story is just right for sharing, opening
conversations about being confident, acknowledging concerns and
creating a peace of mind, with their young children preparing for
their first days at preschool, kindergarten or childcare.
Rhyllis Bignell
Baa baa black sheep: the fleeced fleece by John Barwick and Dave Atze
Nursery Crimes Case One. Big Sky Publishing, 2019. ISBN:
9781925675993.
Themes: Humour, Mystery. What a funny re-imaging, with a clever
twist, of the popular nursery rhyme, Baa baa black sheep.
The central character in the story as an amateur detective is Little
Miss Muffett, who is capable, smart, calm and practical. In Case
One, she teams up with Baa Baa Black Sheep, to solve a crime, hinted
at in the rhyme, but previously concealed.
Other familiar nursery rhyme characters also make appearances, as
well as some popular fairy story characters. The book doggedly takes
on the cover-up and complex web of crime and corruption to unlock
the secret to this much loved, but confusingly incomplete rhyme.
The book's illustrations, in black and white, feature cartoonish
characters and add to the humour of the book.
Donna Isgar
The Monster who wasn't by T.C. Shelley
Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781526600837.
(Age: 10-12). Highly Recommended. Themes: Monsters - fiction,
Mythical creatures, Gargoyles, Families. This novel tells the story
of a strange Imp boy born into the Monster world from the sigh of a
dying man and the laugh of a baby. This unique combination creates
an unusual creature who is eagerly awaited by the Ogre king
Thunderguts. As soon as he is born the strange Imp is frightened by
the underworld he sees, and he escapes to join a gang of lovable
Gargoyles who take him into the world of humans to their home on top
of a cathedral. His first few days of life are coloured by the
feelings of wonder as he learns about his surroundings and the
creatures he has come to know as his pack. A kind angel is his
protector and helps him learn more about the world of monsters and
humans.
The monsters are richly imagined and described in delightful detail
by the author striking a perfect balance between scary and
grotesque. Their actions towards humans are all controlled by a
powerful sword that keeps them from harming humans in their realm.
Thunderguts continues to look for the Imp so Daniel, his guardian
angel, takes him to the home of a family to hide out. He is soon
discovered by the children at a wake and they take him in as one of
their own making him very happy to be part of a real family. But the
human and monster worlds cross over when the family's baby Beatrice
is kidnapped by pixies. The Imp, now called Samuel, must go back to
the underground land of the monsters to rescue her and face the
destiny the Ogre king has in store for him.
This adventure is fast-paced and full of action which will keep
readers riveted to the book for the duration. Readers will identify
with the main character of the Imp as he constantly tries to do the
right thing without really knowing what he is doing.
The detail in the monster sequences in this novel are remarkable and
could be quite frightening for younger readers. The themes of
identity and belonging are powerful and the plot twists and turns to
surprise readers and keep them guessing right to the end. A great
first novel for T.C. Shelley, a Western Australian author. Teacher's
notes are available.
Gabrielle Anderson
Going to the Footy by Debbie Coombes
Magabala Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781925936964.
(Ages: 1-4) Recommended. Themes: Football, Transport/Vehicles. Tiwi
author and artist Debbie Coombes uses textured Tiwi art to
illustrate Australian modes of travelling to the footy. This is a
beautiful book for early childhood with a rich, earthy colour palate
and Australian vocabulary, particularly meaningful for Tiwi kids.
The large text is accessible and stands out on a bright background
and the illustrations are exquisitely detailed but simple. The story
starts, 'Everyone is going to the footy' and then we see people
travelling off using different modes of transport; 'On a plane. On a
barge. In a tinny'. The addition of safety wear (life jackets,
helmets and seatbelts) on each vehicle is a nice touch and adds to
the contemporary nature of the book, as do the splashes of bright
colour. The ending is a little abrupt and doesn't come back to the
going to the football idea; perhaps an added final page of a
football scene would have helped. The information about the author
in the back of the book says how travelling to the football is a
huge part of contemporary Tiwi life. Coombes has perfectly combined
traditional painting techniques learned from her grandfather with a
joyous celebration of modern Tiwi life. It will also find a special
place with many families around Australia who have fond memories of
weekends spent heading off to the football or for who that is a part
of their weekly experience.
Nicole Nelson
Monuments by Will Kostakis
Hachette Australia, 2019. ISBN: 9780734419224. pbk. 280 pgs.
(Age: 12+) Fantasy duology. Monuments is a fabulous light,
fast paced, action packed and fun fantasy based in Sydney. I was so
happy that it was based in Australia because urban fantasies with an
Aussie setting are very hard to come by.
Will Kostakis has earned his spotlight as an Australian YA author.
He is known for his ability to deliver heart-warming, witty and hard
hitting contemporary fiction with very realistic characters. Will
signed his first book deal at the age of 17 but had been pitching
manuscripts at publishers at the age of 12. Monuments is
Will's first fantasy, time travel book.
I extremely enjoyed reading Monuments and am so looking
forward to the next instalment in the series.
OK back to the book. I found it easy to read and follow. It had many
depictions of family relationships while also tackling important
teen issues of change, friendships and fall outs, sexuality, and
coming to terms with your own identity.
In Monuments we follow the story of Connor, a 16-year-old
teen, with Greek heritage trying to avoid his best friend. He
stumbles across a trapdoor to a secret chamber in his school. Here
is where his adventures begin. Along the way we meet Sally, Locky
and a few more interesting characters including some gods. All
characters are unique with their own personalities. We probably can
see a little of ourselves in some of the characters. Monuments is a great book to read especially for teens
because it depicts issues they face from day to day in a fantasy
setting. This is one book I would have in my class so students could
read.
Maria Komninos
Promise by Alexandra Alt
Omnibus, 2019. ISBN: 9781742991986.
(Age: Secondary students) Recommended. It is 1942 and 15 year old
Lene lives with her mother in a Berlin apartment block, her father
is away at the war. Above them are the Schlucks and she walks to
school each day with their son Ludwig. Since they were squeezed
together in the cellar during an air raid Lene feels they are
becoming more than friends. Life is difficult with shortages,
bombings and fear of being denounced as unpatriotic. League of
German Girls (BDM) meetings are compulsory; they pack parcels for
soldiers and mend uniforms. At 16 they are drafted for Flak duty,
operating searchlights during raids. Hitler Youth is compulsory for
boys. Both hate being part of the brutal organisations and Ludwig
has been secretly listening to allied radio broadcasts, which is
considered treason. Bullying and intimidation escalate. Kurt, one of
the Hitler Youth harasses Lene. When her mother goes to Hanover to
meet Lene's dad on leave she and Ludwig go to the cinema together
but when they come out they are chased by Kurt and his friend Horst
who have been promoted to the dreaded SS-Sturmscharfuhrer. They are
dragged to headquarters where a gallows is set up and they are made
to watch a boy their age hang 'that's what happens to boys who wag
Hitler Youth drills, who lie and deceive and don't prepare for their
heroic duties' p101
Ludwig decides it is not safe for them to be seen together and soon
after Kurt comes to the apartment and forces himself on Lene, her
mother comes home just in time and Kurt is posted to the front. The
war is not going well and younger boys are being called up. Ludwig
is called up at 17 on the same day his mother gets a letter
informing them that Herr Schluck has died. 'What power do we, two
kids, have against an overwhelming war machine? All we can do is
refuse to be part of it and bear the consequences: a certain
death.'p139. Before he leaves Ludwig tells Lene 'I want to stay
alive and come back. I want to come back to you and Berlin, it's all
I want.' p142. The second part of the book is after the war in 1946.
In all the devastation people try to rebuild their lives. Lene has
survived and come back to Berlin. 'I had to come back. To delve into
the past in order to go on with my life . . . The past is never just
about the past, it's also about the present, and the future too' p
153. In our uncertain times it is important to remember how
prejudice and propaganda were used in wartime and this book neatly
wraps the difficult moral choices of the time in a sensitive love
story. Not only a useful addition to WW2 teaching material but an
engaging coming of age story for a wide range of high school
students.
Sue Speck
Hear the wolves by Victoria Scott
Scholastic, 2017. ISBN: 9781338043587.
(Age: 11+) Highly recommended. Themes: Alaska, Wolves, Survival,
Bullying, Abuse. Sloan, partly deaf and still suffering the loss of
her mother who left two years before, is left alone in her house by
her father and older sister, when they trek to the neighbouring
village for a meeting. Sloan finds several other people still in the
village: Ms Wade who has injured herself and needs medical
attention, Pilot and his abusive father, Nash, a young boy and their
teacher, Mr Foster. Together they pack some supplies and head for
the moored boat to go down river to the next town to get Mrs Wade to
a doctor.
But the community has cleared the land, denuding the place of
rabbits and hares the main source of food for the wolves, and
Sloan's father, in building a fence has stopped the elk coming near
the town. Wolves are now hungry, unable to keep themselves fed and
so track the six people as they make their way towards the river.
The trek should only take a day but is hampered by the injured woman
and an alcoholic Nash trying to control the group, so the search for
shelter becomes obvious as each night the cold and fear sets in.
This is a chilling read. A blizzard has blown in unexpectedly, the
wolves are a constant threat in the background, the hatred between
Pilot and his father is overwhelming and the ammunition is running
out.
The book reminded me of many other stories set in the Alaskan
wilderness, the Hatchet series of books (Paulsen) Call of
the Wild (London) and The Great Death (Smelger), but
in this one the wolves track and hunt their quarry, Ms Wade and
Sloan all the while telling the reader of the behaviour of these
animals, pushed to the brink by the destruction of their habitat.
Sloan has been afraid of being alone since her mother left and the
extraordinary decision by her father to leave her to force her to
survive is akin to a child being thrown into water to teach it to
swim. But Nash's cruelty to his son is mind numbing. In this harsh
landscape some people's humanity has deserted them and reading this
book reminds us over again of the need for people to understand each
other and work together to survive. And no where more so than in the
Alaskan wilds.
Fran Knight
Can you find 12 busy bees? by Gordon Winch
Illus. by Patrick Shirvington. New Frontier Publishing, 2019.ISBN:
9781925594560.
(Ages: 2-6) Recommended. Counting Book. This is a follow-up to the
CBCA shortlisted title Can
you Find Me? This one is a counting and finding book as
we are invited into a typical Australian garden to see who is living
there. Within the soft, watercolour illustrations are hiding many
creatures, great and small. 'I am 1 big blue-tongue lizard. I live
in the garden. I like to lie in the sun. Can you find me?' The
illustrations perfectly portray the different habitats of each of
these creatures, even though they all live within the same garden
(the leafy undergrowth of the lizard, the dark treetops of the owls,
the reedy pond of the frogs). Most of the creatures are not
difficult to spot but as the book counts up some of them are
increasingly camouflaged into their background. The book uses
animals and insects that most children are likely to see in their
own gardens and the book aims to encourage them to appreciate and
take notice of their own surroundings and the creatures that live
around them. The text and the illustrations will help them to know
where to look for different animals and what they may be doing
(parrots sipping nectar in a banksia tree, bees taking food from the
flowers, magpies poking about on the grass). The last page reminds
the reader to take care of the creatures and their habitats: 'We
love our garden. We hope it will be here forever'. Teacher's
notes are available.
Nicole Nelson
The million pieces of Neena Gill by Emma Smith-Barton
Penguin, 2019. ISBN: 9780241363317.
(Ages: 15+) Recommended.
Themes: Mental health, Contemporary. Emma Smith-Barton's debut novel
draws on her own experience as a Pakistani child growing up in the
UK.
Not only does Neena have to deal with the usual teenage search for
identity but ten months of grief since the mysterious disappearance
of her older brother Akash, whom she obviously adored. Her parent's
grief exacerbates their cultural expectations of Neena and she
begins to 'act out'. When they announce a new pregnancy, Neena
really flips out.
Neena seeks solace in the company of Fi, her brother's ex-girlfriend
- perhaps to feel close to him again or maybe to solve the mystery
that is consuming her. She juggles the demands of school, work and
home with her need to feel numb with Fi. A clandestine romance with
gentle Josh, only adds to her pressures. Neena's confusion persists
and she puts herself in danger visiting an older drug addict who may
or may not know something about Akash's disappearance. Neena's
childhood friend, Raheela, reaches out to her but is pushed away.
While we wonder what happened to Akash, the story is more about our
increasingly unreliable protagonist and our concern for her mental
state and destructive behaviour. Smith-Barton uses very mature
themes and language to explore the consequences of not talking to
someone about your feelings of loss and anxiety - feelings which
potentially can spiral into psychosis.
We don't know who to believe in this story, perhaps not Neena. The
fast pace and insightful writing teaches us far more about the
complexity of grief and trauma than any hopes we harbour that Josh's
love has the power to salve Neena's troubled mind. The million
pieces of Neena Gill is riveting because it is a credible
exploration of a family under pressure and fascinating because we
wonder if the pressure came before or after the bad stuff? Emma
Smith-Barton may have grown up between two cultures, but she is
definitely a very astute observer of the inner life.
Deb Robins
Is it Halloween yet? by Susannah Chambers
Illus. by Tamsin Ainslie. Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN:
9781760297404.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Halloween, Family. The instructions
for making an origami bat at the end of the book was the first thing
I looked at in this book about Halloween after seeing the sticker on
the back cover. And once there, a piece of squared paper was found
to try it out, and yes it works and will be easy to do with a group
of kids obsessed with this old English and American observance now
being seen more often in Australia. And the whole ritual is
engaging, from making masks and dressing up, to sheets being used as
ghosts, lots of spiders, things that go bump in the night, a host of
bats, Halloween is a time for fun and lots of laughs.
And this is very much promoted in the book, Is it Halloween yet?
Emily asks continual questions from her frazzled Mum, trying to keep
up with the newest arrival in the family. Emily asks about ghosts,
and vampire bats, pumpkins, Jack o' lanterns, witches' cats and
eyeballs, leading the readers to ask their own questions about the
customs of that day and why they are followed.
While some say that Halloween is not Australian and has no place in
our calendar, many children and families are observing the day,
joining in the family fun and togetherness that is promoted. Many
families will make their own costumes, have a Halloween party,
encourage 'trick or treat' in their own neighbourhood, hang bats
from the clothesline and try carving a pumpkin (not as easy as it
looks).
Dressing up is always great fun and this book encourages families to
get involved.
And most people will not care that Halloween predates Christianity
as a night of bonfires for ancient Celts to ward off evil spirits,
becoming part of the Christian tradition on October 31 to rid evil
spirits before All Hallow's Day on November 1, a time of feasting to
honour those saints who did not have a specific day devoted to them.
Whatever its history, it can be a fun time for communities to work
together, make costumes, and have a feast of all things ghoulish,
and read Is it Halloween yet? with lots of fun.
Fran Knight
Mr Walker braves the night by Jess Black
Illus: Sara Acton. Penguin Random House, 2019. ISBN: 9780143793106.
(Age: 6-8) Themes: Halloween, Dogs - Fiction, Hotels. Mr Walker is a
resident canine Labrador ambassador and greeter in the Park Hyatt
Melbourne. His affable and accommodating personality makes him an
excellent 'employee' and he is loved by all, but especially by his
family; the hotel staff are also extended family. In this charming
story, Mr Walker gets caught up in the excitement leading up to
Halloween and a visit by the Aunt and cousin of Sophie and Amanda.
There are walks, a few scary stories, some excitement and amazing
activities planned by the incredible staff of the Park Hyatt. The
entire story is focused on the perspective of Mr Walker and his
insights into the Halloween night experience.
This is a lovely tale, as gentle as a Labrador! The Halloween events
and discussions of events such as 'Trick or Treat' or the appearance
of ghosts are also very gently handled, and even the telling of a
'scary' story really only impacts the responses of Mr Walker and the
visiting cousin to some unusual noises. The theme does allow the
possibility of some tension in the telling of the story, and so is a
good preparation for mystery stories. There will be no sleepless
nights for readers! Author Jess Black is also the author of many
books enjoyed by young readers including the series: RSPCA Animal
Tales, Kaboom Kids and Keeper of the crystals. Recommended for
readers who are newly independent readers of chapter books.
Carolyn Hull
Giggly times, giggly rhymes 3 by Richie Cotton
Illus: Naya and Kostya Lazareva. Little Steps Publishing, 2018.
ISBN: 9781925545968.
Themes: Poetry, Rhyme. Amusing poems about smelly things, animals
and impossible things are presented with light and breezy
illustrations with a quirky quality in this short anthology. The
thirteen poems are written in simple rhyming couplets and are never
longer than eight lines of text. Without setting the world on fire,
it is a simple example of a poetry anthology.
This is probably not the best or most inspiring example of
child-friendly doggerel, but some may find it an appealing faster
alternative for pre-bedtime reading compared to a longer narrative!
Carolyn Hull
