Walker Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781406386288.
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Themes: Fantasy; Family; Loss; Adventure;
Fantasy creatures. Set in the gloriously named 'Eerie-on-Sea', this
mystery adventure reveals quirky characters who try to solve the
mystery of the unusual creature, the Malamander, and its influence
on their local community. The main character is Herbie Lemon, a
young lad who works in the local Hotel as the 'Lost-and-Founder' -
an important role of returning lost things to their rightful owners.
Unexpectedly, a visitor named Violet drops into his office and
sparks a rollicking and roiling adventure to uncover the mystery of
missing parents, the hook-handed Sea Captain and the scary and
dangerous Malamander. With danger on the sea-shore, a talking cat
and an ominous author as distractions, Herbie and Violet explore
friendship and exercise problem-solving strategies to find what the
community has lost and found.
This is obviously going to be the first book in a series of further
adventures as the author, Thomas Taylor, leaves Herbie and Violet
poised for more mystery and problem-solving. Lovers of fantasy will
enjoy this book. The honesty and guileless nature of Herbie will
endear him to readers, and the extremely idiosyncratic nature of the
town and characters that inhabit it adds to the overall humorous
oddities that young readers will enjoy. The action that escalates in
the book is not so tense as to cause fear, but there is drama!
Packaged in a pull-out box, this would make an interesting and
appealing gift for a young reader.
Recommended for readers aged 10+
Carolyn Hull
Isles of storm and sorrow: Viper by Bex Hogan
Orion Children's Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781510105836.
Recommended for mature readers aged 16+. Seventeen-year-old Marianne
is the daughter of the Viper - a sadistic and powerful Sea Captain
of the King's protective fleet. Surrounded by a crew of murderers
and psychopaths, Marianne is expected to become just like her
father, but she harbours a reticence that defies her heritage and
her father's cold-hearted purpose. With multiple murders, violence
and the intense distrust within this band of powerful misfits,
Marianne is set on a course that is brutal and disquieting. Almost
no crew members are worthy of trust, and she is always on the
lookout for betrayal and is conscious that something is very wrong
in her life. Her natural instinct is to heal rather than to kill,
maim and destroy and this puts her at odds with everything her
father does. Her relationship with her mentors Grace and Bronn has
been good in the past giving her glimpses of hope, but even these
relationships become remote and risky as she approaches her
Initiation. A chance discovery, an unexpected alliance and an
improbable future, combined with a mysterious history are all set to
collide in a war-like confrontation, with a hint of fantasy.
This is an intensely powerful story, with romance, violence, extreme
stress and internal and external conflict for the young protagonist.
The story has fantasy, piratical scenarios and sadistic characters
in abundance, and yet it is also the story of someone who desires to
rise above her circumstances and change her destiny. This is a
compelling story and readers will look forward to the rest of the
trilogy of Isles of storm and sorrow. However, extreme
violence described in the book makes this a book for older readers
only - it is more Game of Thrones than Hunger games.
The explicitly described violence can be quite confronting.
Themes: Conflict, Trust and distrust, Family, Violence, Good vs
evil, Fantasy, Royalty.
Carolyn Hull
Wedding puzzle by Sallie Muirden
Transit lounge, 2019. ISBN: 9781925760248.
(Age: 16+) On the eve of her wedding, Beth receives a letter that
turns her world upside down. It is from her once closest friend
Tracy, the school sports star, enlightening her that Jordan, Beth's
future husband, had proposed to Tracy only days before proposing to
Beth, and that it was only Tracy's rejection of him that had led him
to turn to Beth. The letter provokes all Beth's insecurities and
self doubt, and she reassesses the history of their relationship,
and Jordan's proposal, and all sorts of alternative interpretations
of what was really going on.
There are funny moments in this novel, like when the seagulls take
off with the orange-scented wedding veil, but what starts out as an
interesting story idea, turns into a prolonged examination of Beth's
recollections, and as reader, we start to become unsure about how
reliable her version of events is. Perhaps her view of men has been
warped by her father's betrayal of their family; perhaps, in Jordan,
she has chosen another man who will let her down; or perhaps Jordan
really is as trustworthy and dependable as he makes out to be. In
the latter case, then, what is it that he sees in Beth? Maybe it is
actually Beth who is the unreliable one, seeking an excuse to run
from commitment.
The novel is a clever examination of memories and relationships, but
could perhaps have benefited from some editing in its twists towards
a fairly predictable ending.
Helen Eddy
Can't beat the chemistry by Kat Colmer
Rhiza Edge, 2019. ISBN: 9781925563696.
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. MJ is a stereotypical overachiever
with a helicopter Asian parent. MJ's mother is grooming MJ to study
medicine and specifically cardiac surgery. Theo is MJ's only sibling
and the family rebel, having chosen his own path in life - the arts.
Luke, Theo's roommate, is a deadbeat drummer failing chemistry. MJ
is focused on partnering in a joint project with another
overachiever - in part to perform well, but with a view to starting
a romantic relationship with someone compatible.
Theo is the catalyst for bringing the two opposites together and MJ
reluctantly agrees to tutor Luke. Chapters from each perspective are
illustrated by either a beaker or a drum. MJ gradually manages to
re-think her biased assumptions about Luke and his motives.
When MJ is apprised of Luke's world - his sister Rosie's special
school, his church and not least the expansiveness of her own
brother; she appreciates that there's more than one form of
intelligence and questions her own need to live up to family
expectations.
Will MJ follow her dreams to study genetics or strive for the
pinnacle of the medical profession? Will the well-groomed Jason be
the sensible boyfriend choice for MJ? How do you know you're a good
kisser? Will Theo regret being true to himself?
But opposites do attract, and annoyance leads to love just like in a
classic Mills and Boone plot. Modern complications refresh the
formulaic romance - a jealous ex-girlfriend, an intellectually
impaired sister, a gay brother, a browbeaten father.
Colmer keeps us reading, in one sitting if we could, without
swearing and explicit sexual scenes, so she must be doing something
right. Suitable for any gender, this is a layered romance tackling
important young adult issues and values. Visit Cat Colmer's website to
subscribe to her newsletter and to download the free companion
story, Tickets on himself. Themes: Bildungsroman. Romance.
Deborah Robins
The shadow in the wind by Lazaros Zigomanis
Pinion Press, 2019. ISBN: 9780648478904.
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Keene's mother has a strange illness, like a
darkness within her. She is confined to bed with a drip in her arm.
Keene can see shadows in the corner of her room, shadows that
threaten to envelop her. People keep saying that she might not get
better, but Keene is sure that if he could just find the special
citrine pendant that he had given her, that would help. The lady who
sold it to him had said that crystals help people feel better. But
the pendant was lost at Miller's Pond one weekend. Keene is sure
that he remembers where it is, but the problem is that nobody seems
to want to find it and he is not allowed to go into the bush alone.
Keene has to overcome many fears to venture into the bush. The trees
lean forward and grab at him; he can see scary faces in the tree
trunks, and voices call out to him. It is a dark and mysterious
world, like the world of a fairytale, with dangers lurking to trap
him. Will he be able to find the precious pendant, and bring it back
to his mother in time?
Zigomanis's story is about a young child ultimately coming to
understand that some things can't be fixed, that death may take
someone no matter how much you love them or try to save them. In his
writing Zigomanis evokes the imaginative world of the child: the
world of fairytales, of good and evil, of magic powers, where
ordeals must be overcome, to save the loved one, and have a happy
ending. For Keene, it is a terrible path to travel but in the end he
comes to a kind of acceptance, and finds ways to share his grief,
and commemorate the mother he loves.
It is a serious story, beautifully written; a semi-finalist in the
2017 Screencraft Cinematic Short Story Contest, and the adapted
screenplay a semi-finalist in the 2017 Screencraft Family-Friendly
Screenplay Contest. Despite being a relatively short story, there
are many themes that may be drawn out; teachers may refer to the
useful list of discussion questions at the end of the book.
Helen Eddy
How to make friends with the dark by Kathleen Glasgow
HarperCollins, 2019. ISBN: 9781460751060.
(Age: Senior secondary) Tiger (Grace) Tolliver's life will forever
be divided into 'before' and 'after' her mum died. Before, she was a
normal 16 year old, only child of a devoted, if overprotective, mum.
They were poor but happy and while Tiger was sometimes bullied at
school, her best friend Cake looked out for her and they, along with
friend Kai formed the band Broken Candle. Then, after Tiger has a
fight with her mum about letting her go to the school dance, her mum
dies from a brain aneurism. Tiger is racked with guilt. 'I would
never . . . have left my mother to die alone. That's the sort of
thing a bad daughter would do' p43. But Tiger's life 'after',
continues in a haze of grief. She is taken into foster care and
experiences first-hand the world of children with no home of their
own. After being moved from carer to carer a family friend finally
alerts the social worker to the identity of Tiger's father, someone
she has never known and who her mother refused to talk about. Once
her blood relatives are tracked down the social security are anxious
to hand over responsibility but all is not smooth sailing. Not only
does Tiger have to learn to deal with her overwhelming grief but she
has to adjust to a world far more challenging than she ever thought
possible. Depression and suicidal thoughts threaten to engulf her as
the full complexity of grief is laid out for the reader; who do you
turn to when your mum dies and other people let you down? There is
no easy answer and ultimately we have to save ourselves, take
control of our lives and learn to live with loss.
This is a book for older students developing a perspective on life,
willing to make the emotional journey with Tiger. The minor
characters tend to be a bit sketchy but they are generally positive
people making the best of their lot in life. There is a notable lack
of comfortable teenage romance but the value and support of family
and friends is central. It would be interesting to compare this with
Stone
Girl by Eleni Hale.
Themes: Grief, Loss, family, friendship, foster care.
Sue Speck
Joseph was not going to school by Ellen Madden
Illus. by Annelies Billeter. Little Steps, 2019. ISBN:
9780648267492.
(Age: 4-5) Ellen Madden's debut picture book Joseph was not
Going to School draws from her experiences preparing for her
eldest child's first day. Joseph loves playing with his big sister
Molly, who teaches him the alphabet and they build block towers.
He's a tall boy, and can ride his bike without training wheels, but
unfortunately he's just not big enough for school.
Mum helps Molly prepare for school. They enjoy purchasing new black
shoes, a school bag and a pencil case 'bursting with new pencils and
felt pens.' Joseph watches as his Molly thoroughly enjoys all of the
preparation, but he's not sure about his feelings.
Mum tries to comfort offering plenty of activities at home; he won't
have to watch princess movies anymore! When the special day arrives,
everyone takes photos of Molly dressed in her new uniform and hat,
while Joseph stands back and feels sad. How does Mum help him cope
with his emotions and will she surprise him with something special?
Illustrator Annette Billeter's watercolours realistically portray
Joseph and Molly's feelings. She uses closeups to show the new
purchases and wonderfully constructs the excitement of the family's
in the playground on the first morning. Ellen Madden's story is
relatable to family's preparing for this time. Share Joseph was
not going to school with a young family or a kindergarten
class, then discuss the different points of view and emotions shown.
Themes: First day of school, brothers and sisters, families.
Rhyllis Bignell
Juno Jones Word Ninja by Kate Gordon
Illus. by Sandy Flett. Yellow Brick Books, 2019. ISBN:
9780994557094.
A disaster is on the horizon! Muttonbird Bay School might be
closing. Juno Jones loves her school, but the Men in Suits want to
close it down! With three schools in the area, including a posh
school and a public one near the sewerage system (known as the poo
school), and not enough children, one of the schools has to go. And,
according to their principal, there's only only one thing Juno and
her classmates can do to stop it . . . show they are smarter and
dedicated and so they need to READ! Which is perfectly fine for
people like Perfect Paloma, Smelly Bella and Genius George, but Juno
Jones is a kid who doesn't like reading. She prefers being a secret
ninja, telling jokes and drawing so she strikes a deal with her
teacher to write a book rather than reading one. She needs to become
a Word Ninja.
And the result is this new addition to the series scene for newly
independent readers for those who like something different with a
quirky, feisty female lead in a setting they can relate to, but with
a balance of male and female characters that means its appeal is not
limited to girls. Each character has talents and skills that
contribute to the development of the story, setting the series up
for a whole range of new adventures.
Barbara Braxton
Do you dream of Terra-Two? by Temi Oh
Simon and Schuster, 2019. ISBN: 9781471171253.
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Do you dream of Terra-Two?
follows a group of young high achievers as they vie for one of six
positions on 'Damocles', a space-craft destined to travel
further through space than ever before. The crew on 'Damocles'
are to join seasoned astronauts on a twenty-two year journey to the
far-off planet known as Terra-Two, heralding the future of
space travel and mass colonisation of a new world. With each
candidate specially selected and trained since the age of thirteen,
the mission is marketed as an unquestionable success.
With only hours until launch, the select six are left to wander free
around the British Interplanetary Society's Museum, but things take
a darker turn after Ara, Astrid, and Eliot leave the grounds to
explore London one last time. Disaster strikes and Ara is pulled out
of the dirty, polluted water of the Thames.
Desperate for a replacement and unwilling to postpone the mission,
one of the beta crew, Jesse, is drafted in and the mission goes
ahead, their rocket launching before Ara's burial. In psychological
turmoil, the crew fight to save face and put their jobs first,
despite being haunted by the ghost of their dead crew-mate. As Ara's
replacement, Jesse struggles to fit in. He is the social pariah and
the others act almost as if he killed Ara for her place on the ship.
Going head-to-head with Harry, Jesse is the catalyst of Harry's
worst side and it is only after an incident that almost kills Jesse
that the others embrace him as one of their own. However, they have
more to contend with than just one another as they realise just how
close to death they come every single day. Do you dream of Terra-Two? is an exciting journey into space,
relationships, and the possibilities of a new world. The novel
interrogates and discusses mental health, showcasing Poppy's
struggle as a normal response to isolation and change.
I would highly recommend this novel to people aged fourteen and up
who are interested in sci-fi or personally struggling with mental
health issues.
Kayla Gaskell
Flights of fancy: stories, pictures and inspiration from ten Children's Laureates by Quentin Blake et al.
Children's Laureates by Quentin Blake et al.
Walker Books. 2019. ISBN: 9781406387858.
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. This slim volume of writing and
illustrating prompts, celebrating the first 10 British Children's
Laureates, enthralled me; having recently scanned A velocity of
being (Popova and Bedrick) in which prominent American
creatives penned or illustrated a motivational letter to children
about the importance of reading. Lacking the gravitas of such
philosophical dictums, Flights of fancy is infinitely more
serviceable, and not solely for its apparent purpose i.e.
cultivating burgeoning authors and illustrators by fleshing out some
useful strategies and exemplars.
Young readers without any creative ambitions, will inhabit both the
strategies and the diverse stories, plays, poems and visual texts
composed by esteemed authors. Malorie Blackman takes a kernel of
narrative and facets three perspectives. Michael Rosen bounces in
word play to create a succinct poetic message. Julia Donaldson
transforms a fable into a script. Chris Riddell, Lauren Child,
Anthony Browne and Quentin Blake conjure the tricks of visual
narratives. Anne Fine, Jacqueline Wilson and Michael Morpurgo fling
about imaginative prompts for their creations.
Each Laureate's section, bordered by distinctively coloured frames,
is easily located via the Contents.
20 collective project ideas and a biographical section deliver
either quick grabs or background details. Timed to celebrate the
20th anniversary celebrations of the Children's Laureate award and
bursary, this is a delightful manual for children of all ages to
visit and re-visit: for pleasure, for beloved authors voices, and
not least for stimulus because schools historically demand a large
amount of creative writing from their students.
Deborah Robins
This excellent machine by Stephen Orr
Wakefield Press, 2019. ISBN: 9781743056134.
(Age: 16+) Clem Whelan is not sure if he wants to persist with the
last year of school, he's more interested in observing the goings-on
of the various neighbours he can spy on through a telescope from his
bedroom window. But the adults around him encourage him in different
ways: from Ernie with his Bolshevist convictions, to Peter the
failed lawyer, Nick, the inspiring art teacher, to his Pop who tells
him he has the brains and should use them. Clem has a mate, Curtis,
he would rather hang out with, share smokes, and hear about his
latest escapades with girls.
The central mystery in Clem's life is what happened to his father.
He knows that Wilf left when Clem was young, but he doesn't know why
and nobody will tell the least thing about him. It's like everybody
in the suburb has been told to keep their mouths shut. But
sometimes, he picks up on a word here and there, or latches onto an
old photograph. What Clem gradually comes to realise is that his Pop
has been the best kind of father he could possibly have had. Doug,
his Pop, is gradually succumbing to dementia, he becomes forgetful
and confused, but he is a true touchstone of good values. While his
dream of striking it rich with the treasure of the fabled Lasseter's
gold reef may sound just that, a dream, he conjures an element of
adventure and escape that fellow men of the neighbourhood also find
irresistible.
There are so many interesting characters in this book, and so many
personal stories; they are all fodder for Clem's machine - his
budding novel about how life is a machine where people go in and
come out changed. And that is what the author Orr creates in the
end, the excellent machine where people interrelate and are changed
by their relationships, in a wonderful old-time suburb where people
all know each other and look out for each other. The novel is about
growing up in the Adelaide suburbs in the 1980s, the world of
Datsuns and permed hairstyles, men having a drink at the pub, and
women holding the fort at home. Much of it is told via conversations
where the language is so Oz it makes you laugh at times. It is a
very enjoyable book and offers much to reflect on afterwards.
Helen Eddy
Lucy Liquorice Chew and the colour blue by Cheryl Ann Knights
Little Steps, 2019. ISBN: 9780648267454.
(Age: 4-6) Author Cheryl Ann Knights continues her exploration of
colours in her new rhyming picture book Lucy Liquorice Chew and
the colour blue. Young Lucy loves to watch the clouds sailing
by in the bright blue sky, her felt mouse perched on her knee. Blue
whales splash and leap in the blue sea. She loves to live near the
beach, and everything she wears is coloured blue. Even her chair,
mug and her octopus kite are in shades of her favourite hue, azure,
aqua and turquoise. Lucy's bed on stilts with its colourful quilt
and her toys and tea set are all shades of blue. Blueberries and
cream and blue cordial are great for her afternoon tea.
Leigh Hedstrom's bright digital illustrations capture the many
shades of blue. There are bold splashes of colour and closeups of
Lucy's happy face with her blue-black hair. Look out for her little
mouse that accompanies her throughout the pages. Lucy is a happy
little girl, shown enjoying her surroundings and celebrating her
blue world.
Cheryl Ann Knights' picture book is an amusing story, just right for
sharing.
Rhyllis Bignell
The incurable imagination by Paul Russell
Illus. by Aska. EK Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781925335972.
Right from when she was born Audrey was different to other children
because she had the most amazing imagination. When other children
painted their parents, she painted an ogre who lived under her bead
drinking tea. Other children sang songs about black sheep while
Audrey made up her own songs. And when she started school and was
supposed to be learning her alphabet and counting her numbers, Audrey
had much more fun letting her imagination run riot. Her teachers
diagnose 'imaginitis' which is not only incurable but it is also
contagious and before long it is starting to spread among the
children and the adults in her life.
Little children always have such wonderful imaginations that seem to
disappear when the formalities of school kick in and this is an
interesting look at what might happen if we just let kids develop in
their own ways in their own time. The bright pictures are really
appealing as they bring the weird and wonderful daydreams alive.
Imagination is critical if society is to survive - we need to
encourage our children to ask 'what if... ?" and see over hills
and horizons to what could be beyond, to become the storytellers,
the writers, the artists, the poets so books that celebrate
'imaginitis' while showing how the formal curriculum, outcomes,
accountability and reports stifle this are to be welcomed,
themselves celebrated and shared. We are among the significant
adults in children's lives - what can we do to spread imaginitis?
How can we join our children in their world, rather than dragging
them into ours?
Barbara Braxton
Rory Branagan (detective): The Deadly Dinner Lady by Andrew Clover and Ralph Lazar
HarperCollins, 2019. ISBN: 9780008265922.
(Age: 8 - 12) Highly recommended. Themes: Detectives - fiction,
Murder - fiction, School stories, Teachers - fiction, Performing
Arts - fiction. Rory is a boy who loves to solve crimes, and, in
this book, he is faced with the deadliest crime committed during the
school Talent contest. Already famous for solving other crimes Rory
sets to work with his sidekick Cassidy (The cat) to find out who has
murdered the nastiest Dinner lady at the school and why. This
comedy-crime book is very funny and really entertaining to read. It
would not be one to read to a class because of the large amount of
visual component, but Rory's character is one most children will
relate to easily. The teacher characters are also a great feature of
the book as the author has taken traits common to many teachers and
created some memorable ones in this book. The very serious Mr Bolton
who has composed a Rap about Grammar and Mr Meeton who thinks he is
the most popular teacher in the school.
Rory Branagan and the other main characters are introduced in
picture form at the beginning of each novel in the series. This is a
great reference guide for students who find names in books difficult
to read. The illustrations are by Ralph Lazar who illustrated the Happiness
is . . . series of books.
The series has 7 titles and The deadly Dinner Lady is the
fourth book in the series. I would class this as a Graphic novel as
the text is spread out between a generous amount of entertaining
illustration. It looks very much like a long novel as it over 270
pages which makes it perfect for a child who wants to cover up the
fact that they can't read quickly, are reluctant readers or are
daunted by too much text.
There is a Rory Branagan website
which children can use to find out more about the characters and the
books, including information about the creators. There is an
entertaining section called Minis which is worth looking at.
Gabrielle Anderson
The princess and the fangirl by Ashley Poston
Quirk Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781683691105.
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Romance. If you are not a fan of Comicons,
you might struggle at first with this latest Geekerella title by
Ashley Poston. Set at the 25th annual EcelsiCon in Atlanta, the
jargon and language is disorientating at first but is soon
internalized - certainly a lot quicker than grasping an entirely new
world, typical of your average high fantasy novel.
Alternating both main characters' perspectives helps unpack the
strange world of the EcelsiCon Convention through the eyes of newbie
Jess and Imogen, the veteran. Based on the storyline of The
Prince and the Pauper, celebrity Jessica Stone switches places
with her fangirl doppelganger (Imogen) in order to find freedom from
the commitment and from relentless social media trolls, who erode
her self-worth.
Imogen ironically wants to save Jessica, AKA Princess Amara, from
being written out of the film franchise. A case of mistaken identity
brings the disillusioned actress and the naive but genuine fan, into
conflict. Jessica wants nothing to do with saving her character and
blames the role of Amara for stunting her acting career. When
someone leaks the script of the next sequel on social media, Imogen
agrees to switch places, to help identify the person before Jessica
gets the blame.
As in the original fairytale, the grass only seems greener on the
other side. Numerous complications alter the perceptions each has of
the other's life. On the bright side, being someone they are not,
has an unexpected effect on their social lives. Both girls fall
deeply in love, with a boy and a girl who help them see that they
are not imposters as they fear - but amazing and talented and
capable of making a real difference to the world. Now that's a
message worth internalizing.
To subscribe to excerpts from future Geekerella books visit here.
Deborah Robins
