Eco Rangers: Pelican in peril by Candice Lemon-Scott
New Frontier, 2019. ISBN: 9781925594522. 101p.
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Eco Rangers is a colourful
new mystery and conservation series. In Pelican in peril, we
meet twelve year olds, Ebony and Jay, who like nothing better than
exploring their local environment together on their bikes. On a
routine ride to the beach, they discover both a nasty oil slick and
a pelican covered in oil. The desperate children take Poseidon, to
the conservation centre, where Dr Bat and Dr Tan are so impressed
with their handling of the large bird, they are dubbed
'Eco Rangers'.
Cleaning up Poseidon to save him, is a steep learning curve but they
soon master that and begin searching for an explanation for the
disaster. The local media issue an apology for the spill from the
cruise ship at the dock, but Ebony and Jay are suspicious when they
overhear the Cruise manager talking about barrels of waste. Finding
oil barrels in the dunes supports their suspicions and they board
the ship to investigate the oil leak story.
Of course things don't go as planned and they wind up in deep
trouble before being rescued - and not by the adults this time!
Melding together narrative and information writing, middle school
readers can make logical connections about the author's intention in
plotting this informative adventure. Teacher's
notes are available.
Young readers who are interested in the environment will learn how
they can participate in conserving nature and wildlife. Candice
Lemon-Scott's second book in the series, Microbat mayhem, is
also currently available. Given the author's background as a trained
wildlife carer, our two Eco Rangers are bound to meet new animal
friends and learn more about their environment - all while
collaborating to solve another mystery!
Deborah Robins
Fabio the Flamingo Detective: Mystery on the Ostrich Express by Laura James
Bloomsbury, 2019. ISBN: 9781408889343. 119p.
(Age: 9+) Themes: Crime. Fabio and Gilbert are running late for
their trip to Hotel Royale on the Ostrich Express, but not before a
visit to Alfonso the jeweller to fix a broken watch. When the
Laloozee Ruby necklace is stolen from Alfonso's courier Zazie aboard
the train, Fabio and Gilbert are fated to solve the case. Readers
can look forward to some classic features of crime writing -
abandoned mines, hostages tied to the tracks and a desperate dash on
a handcart.
This is a very 'loud' book! Emily Fox's illustrations and feature
pages appear shaded with neon highlighter pens in contrast to the
noir genre. A flamingo detective is of course flamboyant, but his
clumsy side-kick Gilbert, a giraffe, is much less so.
Feminists might take exception to female villains being foxes and
leopards while the male heroes are mild mannered herbivores and
birds - with the exception of the hyena henchmen of Janice the Claw.
Mystery on the Ostrich Express is old-fashioned in many ways.
Not that many first chapter book readers have heard of Murder on
the Orient Express, or will mistake Fabio for Inspector
Poirot. Yet the literary influences will hopefully one day connect
young readers to one of the best of bygone crime classics. The
publisher appends a sample chapter of the precursor, The
case of the missing hippo in addition to miniaturised
covers of the author's The adventures of Pug series. Sample
chapters and fun activity packs for many of Laura James' books can
be downloaded on the author's site.
Deborah Robins
Raising readers: How to nurture a child's love of books by Megan Daley
UQP, 2019. ISBN: 9780702262579. 244pp., pbk.
(Teacher reference, Parents) In the early days of European
settlement in this country, establishing schools became a priority
particularly for those with a religious bent because they believed
it was imperative that the emerging generation of children be able
to read and understand The Bible and thus not follow their parents'
errant ways. That was a school's key purpose. Decades and
generations on and while society has changed, and schools themselves
are almost unrecognisable from those early institutions, the
expectation that a child primarily attends so they can learn to read
has not.
Right from preschool children are tested on their literacy
development and judged according to it, underlining the importance
that is still placed on being able to read and write. Five year olds
head off on their first day of 'big school' fully expecting to be
able to read by the time they come home and are often disappointed
that they cannot. However, research and experience has shown that
schools alone cannot be the child's primary teachers in this
critical endeavour. It is a partnership between home and school and
those who make the best readers are those whose roots in reading
extend back to birth. Indeed, author Mem Fox has stated that the
illiteracy problem in this country could be solved if children just
heard 1000 stories before they come to school (which can be achieved
in three years with a favourite, a familiar and a first-read as the
regular bedtime routine) and the concept of the 'million
word gap' is not new.
So this book from Megan Daley, a respected, qualified teacher
librarian (we must have qualifications in both teaching and
librarianship), which explores how parents can help to raise readers
is a valuable contribution to the lives of new parents, particularly
in these days of the screen being a dominant feature in children's
lives. For those who can read it is hard to remember not being
able to do so; for those who can't read or don't like to it is
tricky to overcome the personal prejudices that already exist, so to
have a 'manual' that helps explain some of the best practices and
what underlies them is eye-opening.
While there have been a number of books on this sort of topic in the
past, many have been written by either authors of children's books
or university lecturers. This one is by a practising teacher
librarian who is in touch with what is happening both in and out of
school as Megan has two daughters. She examines the place of the
school library in the child's reading journey while at the same time
encouraging parents to attend book launches; getting involved in
Book Week while setting up a book-themed bedroom; explaining the
most popular genres of young readers while offering tips to host
book parties and be 'best book-givers'. Interspersed with the
user-friendly text are comments from some of Australia's favourite
children's authors as well as suggestions for books to support the
young reader as they grow their literacy skills.
For the teacher and the teacher librarian, this is a refreshing read
with lots of tried-and-true and new ideas and perspectives in
amongst the host of academic and professional reading we have to do;
to parents it's a simple explanation of the what, why and how of
raising a reader so both child and parent fulfil their expectations.
One to encourage staff to read and to include and promote in your
parent library.
Barbara Braxton
A spanner in the works: The extraordinary life of Alice Anderson by Loretta Smith
Hachette Australia, 2019. ISBN: 9780733642104. 384 pg., paperback.
General Biography. I loved reading about the life of Alice Anderson
and her families hardships growing up in Australia from 1897 and
into the 1920s. The adventurous life that Alice had was amazing.
The first half of the book was about Alice being a toddler and
growing up in Victoria and how they survived the hardships they
encountered. I still can't believe how her mother and siblings put
up with their father and let him continue doing what he did still
surprises me. This was probably the norm back then.
I think the book is a great read to learn about Australian history
and how people lived. Major world events were mentioned and how
these affected members of the family and others and the way they
lived dealing with them. And yes there was name dropping of people
that the family knew like Monash, the war great and a few
politicians and what these people were like before they made a name
for themselves.
The second half of the book was about her achievements in the
motoring world and how she made her career and a name for herself.
And of course establishing the garage girls in that era was not an
easy thing to do.
I think this book is a great tool to use in schools for the
appreciation of what females had to go through in a male dominated
era: Not only the journey of families but also the way females were
treated in the academic and medical world and how they had to make a
mark in their field.
A great book that I'm happy to have on my shelf and share with
friends.
Maria Komninos
The jacket by Sue-Ellen Pashley
Illus. by Thea Baker. Black Dog Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781925381788.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Clothing, Sharing, Family,
Love. A beloved jacket being handed on to the next person as it
becomes too small, is a theme repeated in many families, but is here
told with such sympathy and endearment that all those who read it
will sigh with recognition and delight.
The jacket is soft as dandelion fluff, warm like the afternoon sun,
comforting as a Teddy's hug, and with four dazzling buttons down the
front. The girl wears it everywhere, and when it is too small for
her it is passed down to her younger sister. She loves it just as
much, wearing it to all sorts of places, even the beach. When it
becomes too small for her it becomes a doll's jacket, and then when
the girls go to school, it lies lost and remains forlorn under the
wardrobe. But here the cat finds it, just the thing for her newborn
kittens and the girls snuggle them into the warmth of the old
jacket. One by one the kittens go to their new homes, and the jacket
is again under threat as Mum wants to put it in the ragbag. But the
girls are sad, so instead she remakes it for her third child, and
the jacket is still warm and soft and comforting.
This beautiful story about precious things being recycled, about the
love within a family will elicit sighs from the audience as it is
read out loud. They will easily recognise the importance of some
items within the family, sharing stories of the precious things
passed on from one child to another, and see the value of recycling
goods.
The stunning illustrations underscore the warmth and family
closeness of the story. Using collage, Baker has beautifully
presented the children at play, the jacket always in the centre of
the image. Kids will love recognising the various things she has
used to create her illustrations and want to try it for themselves
after the book is read. Activities can be found in Walker's
Storytime kit.
Fran Knight
Diary of an awesome friendly kid: Rowley Jefferson's journal by Jeff Kinney
Puffin Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781760892517. 217p.
(Age: 9+) Recommended. Rowley Jefferson, the Wimpy Kid's sidekick,
narrates this first book in the Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid
spin-off series, showing us another side to Greg, aka Wimpy Kid. In
Rowley Jefferson's Journal, Greg does not react well to sharing the
limelight with Rowley. Almost immediately, he badgers Rowley to
become his biographer because Wimpy Kid doesn't have any biographies
- only autobiographies! Rowley agrees, 'After all, one day Greg will
be rich and famous, and everyone will want to know his life's
story.' But Rowley isn't a good choice because he selects events
that show that his friendship with Greg is largely one-sided,
resulting in Rowley being manipulated by his mate for his own gain
or amusement. It is a relationship perhaps peculiar to Rowley but
nonetheless the author has crafted a friendship dialectic that
demonstrates the unique experience and perception of someone, which
perhaps others don't or cannot share.
Wimpy Kid and Rowley have certainly matured with this new
perspective on their childhood. The Wimpy Kid series is
lauded as one of the most widespread first chapter book series for
boys. The themes of friendship and character development are
relevant to middle school conflicts and thus fertile affective
material for educators in addition to deconstructing the genre.
Thanks to Rowley, middle school readers will be finding out a lot
sooner than most kids, that things (and people) are not always what
they seem.
Visit the website
to sample this amusing dark spin-off. Doubtless, this fresh
illustrated novel, sprinkled with more typical childhood
misfortunes, is sure to be another blockbuster for creator, Jeff
Kinney.
Deborah Robins
Early Riser by Jasper Fforde
Hachette Australia, 2018. ISBN: 9781444763591. paperback, 400pgs.
(Age: 13+) Weirdness at its max but that's Jasper Fforde's
quirkiness and inventive style. Early Riser is Fforde's
latest standalone novel since Shades of Grey. I sure wanted
to put another jumper on while reading because it's the beginning of
winter and I could feel the coldness leaking through the pages of
the novel. I'm so glad that it's not as cold as the alternative
winter months in Wales described in this book. Imagine a world that
is so harsh that we have to hibernate through winter while only a
few stay awake to take care of the sleepers. Oh and imagine how much
you have to eat to fatten yourself to be the right size to survive
the sleep. I found it amazing that the opposite of the way we think
today is beautiful . . . meaning the fatter you are the healthier
you were because you would survive the winter sleep.
I didn't mind the main character Charlie Worthing, I did find that
he was easily misled by people he met along the way but hey, that's
part of the story. Charlie was a new recruit for the Winter Consul
and the novel is him experiencing his first season and adventure as
one. And what a journey did he take having to deal with
cannibalistic Nightwalkers, the Winter Volk, Hibertech Corporation,
Womads and undesirables he meets along the way, while also
experiencing dreaming for the first time.
If you like genre benders of sci-fi, fantasy, dreamscape, dystopian
and mystery this is the book for you.
Maria Komninos
Watch us rise by Renee Watson and Ellen Hagan
Bloomsbury, 2019. ISBN: 9781526600868.
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. Highly inspirational, this work will
be the perfect read for young women and men everywhere. The main
characters, Jasmine and Chelsea, take turns in fleshing out a
refreshingly satisfying multi-layered story of making a difference
in today's world. There is an accessible complexity to this work
that embraces intersectionality to explore feminism, discrimination,
misogyny and institutionalised racism through poetry and prose. The
writing highlights influencers such as: The Dark Room Collective,
Tracy K. Smith, Kevin Young, Dorothy Pitman Hughes, Gloria Steinem,
Natalie Diaz, Sarah Jones, Reena Saini Kallat and Henrietta Lacks.
Jasmine and Chelsea want to make a difference - now. They both, in
differing ways, struggle with how to 'Write like a girl' and
negotiate the political landscape that seeks to restrain public
advocacy by women. One touching aspect of the work is the way it
sensitively reflects on blind spots. Even a woke activist can act in
ways that others see as unjust - and importantly a true friend will
help you see your blind spot and stand by you as you move forward.
This work gently encourages intergenerational relationships as
fundamental to fully developing as a human being and plotting a path
for effective change making in the world. These relationships
(positive and negative) provide an impetus for growth in the
characters portrayed in the story.
Additionally the work explores love and grief through family and
romantic relationships. Everyday lives are complex and it is this
complexity that balances the fervent desire for change Jasmine and
Chelsea fight for.
Linda Guthrie
We hunt the flame by Hafsah Faizal
Farrar Straus Giroux, 2019. ISBN: 9780374313647
(Age: 16+) Highly recommended. Fantasy.
Set in a fantasy world reminiscent of ancient Arabia, We hunt the
flame draws together two strong characters: Zafira, the hunter, a
woman dressed as a man, venturing into the dark Arz forest to hunt
animals to provide food for her people, and Nasir, the dark prince,
a feared hashashin assassin, who kills men on the orders of his
father the Sultan of Arawiya. "People lived because she killed" and
"people died because he lived".
Arawaya is a kingdom of five caliphates, under the rule of the
Sultan Ghameq, a ruler who has succumbed to evil, and who in his
continual quest for greater power is prepared to kill his own
people. The whole land has been cursed by the loss of the magic that
formerly protected it. Demenhur, Zafira's homeland, has become
blanketed in cold and snow, the people are starving, and the
darkness of the Arz forest is gradually encroaching further onto the
land. Only Zafira has been able to venture into the forest in her
hunt for prey and been able to return alive and unharmed. An
encounter with the Silver Witch challenges her to go further into
the forest and then across to the island of Sharr to retrieve the
lost power of magic. Unknown to her, the Dark Prince, the assassin,
has also been sent on the same quest to gain the power for his
father.
Faisal has created an amazing fantasy world, with a Middle Eastern
flavour. The men wear turbans or keffiyeh and thobes; and Zafira
shields her identity with a hooded cloak. In Demenhur the caliph
refuses to allow the women any rights or recognise their
capabilities, whilst in neighbouring Zaram there were female
warriors. Each of the caliphates is different, just as the countries
of the Middle East are different. The current situation in Syria has
its reflection in the story of the ruthless Sultan Gharmeq and his
plans to overcome his subjects with a deadly poison gas, with small
children among his victims.
Faizal's writing style is rich and poetic and includes many Arabic
words, a joy for Arabic speakers or Arabic language learners. There
is no need for a glossary though as words reveal their meanings in
context and the reader gradually becomes familiar with a basic
vocabulary.
The author's photograph is shown on the back cover. An American
Muslim, she appears in her black niqab, clothing she is proud to
wear. It is wonderful that she has been able to bring the world of
Arabic culture and history that she knows so well to this gripping
story of mystery, adventure and romance, made so much more
interesting with its Arabian flavour.
While the story twists to a dramatic ending, there are clearly
threads that can be picked up again, and no doubt there will be a
sequel. Readers of We hunt the flame will be eagerly awaiting the
next book.
Helen Eddy
Mr Walker and the dessert delight by Jess Black
Illus. by Sara Acton. Penguin Random House, 2019. ISBN:
9780143793083.
(Ages 7-10) Highly recommended. Themes: Dogs, Hotels, Cooking. The
story of Mr. Walker the Labrador Ambassador is based on a real-life
dog who is part of the staff at the Park Hyatt Melbourne. There are
five charming books in the series that cover different adventures and
this one covers one of his favourites, food. The Hotel is having an
anniversary party and a flamboyant pastry chef has been invited to
assist Chef Remy, a temperamental French chef, with preparations.
The story shows the way Mr. Walker and Henry, the hotel manager,
interact with the many staff in daily hotel life. Even if you have
never read any of the other books in the series the beginning of the
book gives enough detail to be able to get to know the characters to
be able understand the story.
The twenty year anniversary party is very important, and Henry is
busy making sure the preparations for it are taken care of. But Mr.
Walker observes the tension building between the two chefs and the
imminent disaster which could occur if something is not done to fix
this relationship. He takes it upon himself to bring the chefs
together to bring calm to the kitchen. When Mr. Walker causes a
last minute dessert disaster which threatens to ruin the dinner, the
chefs and Henry's family work together to make it a resounding
success. To his delight Mr. Walker is even given a taste of the
result.
These stories will be popular with younger readers and can be read
aloud to a class with ease. Many children love the fact that they
are written from the dog's point of view. There are notes in the
back of the book telling the story of the real Mr. Walker and
pointing out the other books in the series.
Gabrielle Anderson
Giraffes can't dance by Giles Andreae
Illus. by Guy Parker-Rees. 20th anniversary edition. Hachette, 2019.
ISBN: 9781408354414.
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. Themes: Dancing, Giraffes, Verse
story. The fact that Giraffes can't dance has been in print for 20
years speaks of the timelessness and appeal of the story,
beautifully written in verse by Andreae, and illustrated with
appealing pictures of jungle animals by Parker-Rees. A quote on the
back cover from the Daily Mail 'All toddlers should grow up reading
this', says it all - it is a classic story that reads aloud
beautifully and sends an important message about finding your own
way of doing things.
Gerard the giraffe really wants to dance, but his body with its long
neck and skinny legs, makes it hard to find his rhythm and the other
jungle animals laugh at his attempts. Despondent, he leaves the
gathering but a wise cricket tells him
" . . .sometimes when you're different
You just need a different song.'
And when Gerard finds that song, he is able to do the most beautiful
dance in his own way. Children will love the warthogs' waltz, the
chimps' cha-cha, and the lions' tango, but most of all they will
love Gerard's dance, and his final words,
'We can all dance, he said,
When we find music that we love.'
The rhythm of the story will captivate young listeners as will the
colourful illustrations, especially of Gerald as he boogies along
and does a backwards somersault against the background of a full
moon. Children who are old enough to read independently will be
reassured that everyone can find music of their own to dance to.
This is a lovely, feel good book, perfect for toddlers and newly
independent readers.
Pat Pledger
Moonwalkers by Mark Greenwood
Illustrated by Terry Denton.
Penguin Random House Australia, 2019. ISBN 9780143793557.
(Ages: 5-8) Recommended. Themes: Apollo 11 moon landing, Imaginative play. 2019 is the fiftieth anniversary of the first humans
walking on the moon but this new publication also comes amidst the
imminent growth of Australia's own space industry. The book looks at
the moon landing in a playful way, as three kids growing up near
'The Dish' in outback Australia focus their imaginative play and
creations around all things space. They are clearly fascinated by
the idea of space travel: building model rockets, playing astronauts
and simulating their own moon landing. When it comes time for the
real landing, they gather in front of the television with their
parents and watch as the astronauts step down the ladder and onto
the moon. This really recreates what it would have felt like as a
kid when this happened: their excitement and wonder are palpable.
There are toys and stuff all over the ground, the kids are just
having the time of their life and the parents seem laidback and
encouraging of the children and their play. It harks back to a
simpler time, when the world was an open book, full of
possibilities; as we should all feel as children I guess!
There is a tried and tested collaborative partnership between Denton
and Greenwood that works perfectly again here. Busy, fun
illustrations and touches of humour and interesting additions make
this appealing for all young children learning about and already
fascinated by space exploration. All the technical detail is
relegated to the front and back pages (a short introduction to the
mission and the astronauts at the beginning and a flowchart and a
few other facts at the end). Young children of today are growing up
with parents who don't have first-hand memory of the moon landing to
pass on and who probably take it for granted, so it's an important
milestone to share. It also reminds us of a time when Australia's
involvement in space was significant, at a time when there is
once again a promising future (perhaps we can encourage those
astronaut dreams again!). Teachers'
notes are available.
Nicole Nelson
Amundsen's way: the race to the South Pole by Joanna Grochowicz
Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN 9781760637668.
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Scott's tragic journey to the South Pole is
well known but the victorious great adventure of his competitor,
Roald Amundsen is hardly known. Joanna Grochowicz puts paid to that
with her thrilling description of the wily, uncompromising Norwegian
leader and his devoted crew members, fighting against blizzards,
cold, hunger, fatigue and terrifying crevasses. It seems that every
step towards the goal of being first to reach the South Pole was
fraught with danger. It was Amundsen's knowledge, leadership and
courage that got everyone through safely.
There are vivid descriptions of the barriers created by the
landscape as the expedition pushes deep into the unknown interior,
flashbacks to earlier formative expeditions and wonderful accounts
of the dogs, how they were used and their faithful service. Also,
the mental and physical stress of the men and how they coped, helps
build interest and tension in the story.
The fictional narrative of the book is based on thorough research
and would suit adolescent readers. It has 299 pages, 52 short
chapters and includes maps, drawings and photographs.
Paul Pledger
Alex Rider: Secret weapon by Anthony Horowitz
Walker Books, 2019. ISBN 9781406387476.
An anthology of short stories about reluctant teenage spy Alex
Rider. Much like Horowitz' other novels, it is fast-paced and an
interesting read for lovers of the series.
The nature of the short stories, however, leaves little room for
character growth, but the recurring major characters are at least
well established, even without prior familiarity with the series.
This leaves this particular novel easy to pick up for new readers of
the Alex Rider series. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the
antagonists of each story, which seem to be one dimensional stereotypes.
The plots aren't much to speak of, generally being one single action
set piece, but for short stories, that's exactly what is expected.
The anthology does leave a lot to be desired when it comes to
examining themes. There is a lot of potential left on the table. For
example, one story has Alex's 'normal' friend caught up in one of
his escapades, but rather than examine the stress of living a double
life, status quo is immediately re-established as Alex decides
without thinking twice to keep lying. A common element throughout
the stories is how Alex's uncle conditioned him from childhood to be
a spy, and while this is resented it still goes unexamined for what
amounts to parental abuse. There's also a really uncomfortable
jingoistic undercurrent, with the longest story being about bombing
a cell of Middle-Eastern terrorists, and even the shortest story
finds time to engage in Churchill apologia. The settings of the
stories are deliberately somewhat non-specific, either a fictional
part of a given country, or very broadly 'London', and vaguely
modern time.
This is not necessarily a bad thing, however, as it helps avoid the
stories dating themselves. The first person perspective somewhat
hurts the writing style of the anthology, as any descriptive
language comes through the filter of a 14-year-old. Still, the
light-hearted tone suits these one-shot action stories well.
Vincent Hermann
Nullaboo hullabaloo by Fleur Ferris
Puffin 2019. ISBN: 9780143787143.
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Themes: Fairies, School, Competition,
Environment. Gemma Hart wants to research butterflies for this
year's science competition. The school won first prize last year and
this year Gemma wants to emulate her former friend's success.
But Gemma is given the topic of march flies and dispirited goes into
the school garden to see if she can spy any. What she sees is a
feather and capturing this in her nifty bug catcher finds it is a
fairy called Janomi and it needs her help. Janomi tells Gemma about
her colony and how their leader, Papa Faffa, has been taken prisoner
by their enemies, the silver spiders. Gemma promises to help rescue
him.
But footage of the fairies ends up on the Internet, and Gemma and
her family must do all they can do to save the colony being
uncovered and exploited by the DUP (Department of Unexpected Things)
represented by two most inept officers.
This action filled story about the magical world of fairies is also
a story about community, working together to preserve living
creatures and the environment. Along the way it is about friendship
and being able to see past differences of opinion when lives are at
stake. The story focusses on families and friends and a small
community working together to achieve its aims.
This is Australian author Fleur Ferris's first novel for younger
readers. After her working life as a police office and paramedic,
Fleur has used her knowledge of the darker side of life to write the
award winning Risk, followed by Wreck and Found,
all three gripping young adult stories based on her sound knowledge
of police work. Nullaboo hullaballoo is certainly different from the three
novels previously written by Ferris, but the target audience will
read it readily, and hope like me that it is the first of a series
of stories about fairies in our backyard.
Fran Knight
