Illus. by Nicky Johnston. New Frontier Press, 2019. ISBN:
9781925594676.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Friendship, Isolation. Two lone
children, on opposite sides of the world, crave friendship. Each is
alone. One is a more affluent city dweller with his own space, a
desk and lamp in his room illuminating his possessions, while the
other lives in a more remote space, surrounded by chickens, with
fewer possessions, a bedraggled barbed wire fence on the clifftop, a
woven rug underfoot. Readers will use the illustrations to tease out
the circumstances of each of their lives, but one thing is certain,
they both wish for a friend.
One night a falling star gives the city child an idea, and he gets
out his craft box and makes a present for the girl a long way away.
He attaches his gift in an envelope to a pigeon and sends the bird
off into the sky. The pigeon reaches the girl and returns carrying
her response back to the city.
Children will recognise the underlying message of hope in this
story: that people can connect no matter where they are, it takes
someone to make a move just like the city boy in sending a 'hello'
across the seas. He reached out to someone he did not know, using
whatever came to hand to make that connection.
The sky at night is beautifully rendered by the illustrator, Nicky
Johnston, making the different blues a constant feature throughout
the book. Pale morning hues are contrasted with the dark blue of the
night sky, sprinkled with stars above both children, while the
stunning endpapers reiterate the morning light, promising of good
things to come. They both live under the same sky, and that is a
truism for all of us.
Fran Knight
Being black'n chicken, and chips by Matt Okine
Hachette, 2019. ISBN: 9780733641688.
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Themes: Humour, Adolescence, Sexuality,
Cancer, Grief, Racism. Written by Ghanaian-born, Australian stand-up
comedian, Matt Okine, this book makes for a hilarious read, while at
the same time dealing with serious subjects such as child death,
cancer and racism. It is a coming of age story of a teenager
obsessed with sex and athletics, living between separated parents,
his struggling white mother and his African dentist father. Class
clown Mike is always the joker hiding his feelings behind the
laughs.
His curiosity about sex and girls gets him into some really
embarrassing situations that play out like a comedy film, and will
have you laughing out loud. At the same time, tears may not be far
away as Mike comes to realise the seriousness of his mother's
illness. And then there are the really scary scenes where he is
menaced by a racist cop, a situation that is only too familiar to
Mike's father.
Teenagers and adults alike will enjoy this book. It is easy to read;
it is funny, heart-warming and serious all at the same time.
Helen Eddy
Oops, I've told a little lie! Chrissie Perry
Illus. by Pete Petrovic. Blabbermouth book 2. Scholastic,
2019, ISBN: 9781760663223.
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Themes: Personality, Truth, Dogs. Chrissie
Perry's Blabbermouth series chronicles Amelie Anderson's
life as she tries to control her most embarrassing trait, blurting
comments out before thinking of the consequences. In Oops, I've
told a little lie! Amelie is keeping two secrets from her
friends; she's the author of the school newsletter's advice column
and she doesn't really have a pet schnoodle puppy. Amelie's
blabbermouth continually causes problems, and when her teacher
announces a special news session for the following Wednesday, she
can't help herself. With a little egging on by frenemy Paris, Amelie
boasts she's bringing something amazing, adorable and irresistible
to show.
In her friendship circle Pepper, Charlie and Sophie understand her
ways, even when she goes a little overboard. However, Paris
continues to question, criticise and spoil Chrissie's school life.
Uncle Matt's surprise arrival with cute puppy Patch compounds
Amelie's problems when Paris determines to buy the puppy. Meanwhile,
Amelie's parents support her offering wise advice as she worries
about the puppy drama. Amelie continues to write her advice column
helping Sanjay to negotiate playground dramas.
Chrissie Perry continues to explore emotional resilience,
friendships and finding your place in the upper years of primary
school. With different font styles and sizes and Pete Petrovic's fun
characters this a fun novel for hi-lo readers. Perry worked with
students from Years 4-6 to inspire her and she presents a genuine
understanding of Amelie's personal growth and her willingness to
change.
Rhyllis Bignell
Arabella and the magic pencil by Stephanie Ward and Shaney Hyde
Exisle, 2019. ISBN: 9781925820010. 32pp., hbk.
Arabella was the only child of a duke and duchess who doted on her
and enabled her to be granted one special wish each year. So far she
had wished for a pink puppy, an amusement park, even a real-life
fairy. The one thing she did NOT wish for was a baby brother but she
got one anyway. And Master Archibald Vermillion Remington XV (aka
Avery) was 'a master of mayhem' with 'ear-splitting acoustics' so
that while Arabella loved him, she did not always like him. For her
next wish, she asked for a magic pencil, one that could make
everything she drew real. She had a lot of fun with it until the day
she drew a magnificent garden party and Avery invited himself to it.
So Arabella pulled out her pencil and did something . . .
Dedicated to all those who have become an older sibling, this will
resonate well as sometimes it is hard to adjust to the changes.
While it might be nice to wish for things to return to what they
were, if it actually happened the results might not appeal. A
modern-day cautionary tale.
Barbara Braxton
Beast by Bill Bennett
Palace of Fires, book 3. Penguin, 2019. ISBN: 9780143783824.
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Beast is the third instalment in the
Palace of Fires series and follows the empowerment of a
previously average girl to the leader of Cygnet, an organisation of
white witches trying to keep the dark forces of the Two Evil at bay.
Doomed by a distant relations' pact with the Two Evil more than two
hundred years before, Lily's life, like that of all those who came
before her, is tormented with the knowledge that someone is coming
for her and her line. After unsuccessfully interrupting Lily's
initiation in the previous book, Baphomet is turning their focus
inwards as they try to apprehend Kritta, the vicious witch now in
possession of Lily's Book of Light. Without the book and Angela,
Cygnet is significantly weakened and it is almost time to strike.
With agents poised to bring chaos to more than half of the US with
Ganglia, it's up to Lily and her agents to stop them, but first,
Lily must got to Japan to complete her training and realise her full
power.
While slow in places, Beast picks up towards the end when
the mystery of the Baphomet witch who killed Lily's mother starts to
unravel. With a whole host of characters, this book presents a
diverse range of characters inhabiting the space between good and
evil. KJ's true nature shines through and despite having committed
patricide in the previous novel, he risks everything to do make
things right.
I would recommend Beast for readers of the previous novels,
Initiate
and Unholy,
and those interested in the fantastical battle between good and
evil.
Kayla Gaskell
Macca's makeover by Matt Cosgrove
Scholastic Australia, 2019. ISBN: 9781760669195. hbk.
(Age: 4-8) Highly recommended. Themes: Alpacas, Self-perception,
Individuality. The Macca the Alpaca has been a very popular
series with children and adults of all ages. This is the fifth book
and I think it is the best yet.
Macca the Alpaca looks at his friends and wishes he could be as cool
as they are. He goes to each of them to try to work out their
secrets and tries a few things to emulate their cool looks - a new
hairdo, some cool accessories or maybe a gym body? Nothing seems to
suit Macca and his friends step in to assure him he is cool just
being himself, a very good message for everyone. Children really
identify with Macca as he navigates the world around him, and I hope
this series continues to grow as I think the books all have a great
message.
The rhyming in the story is lots of fun and the story provides such
a wonderful variety of vocabulary for all the things Macca tries to
achieve. The clever, colourful illustrations keep the children
giggling as you read and is perfect as a book to be shared with
classes across the Primary school.
Gabrielle Anderson
A home for Luna by Stef Gemmill and Mel Armstrong
New Frontier, 2019. ISBN: 9781925594843. 32pp., hbk.
On a cold, moonlit night a dark crate washes up on a lonely shore,
and out crawls a bedraggled, lonely cat, wary of her surroundings so
different from the home she remembers, but glad to be out of the
ceaseless motion of the sea. As daylight creeps up, she woke
and looked around only to find herself among creatures that didn't
look like anything she had seen, certainly not cats, but the
familiar fishy smell drew her forward.
Too tired to move, she lay on the rocks watching the penguins swim
and return with fish, making her tummy rumbled. And then one
of them approached her . . . is this a friendly move or one
fraught with fear?
Mel Armstrong, an experienced illustrator making her children's book
debut, has created bold illustrations which suggest that Luna is no
weak, wimpy cat and so the reader expects that this story is going
to go well beyond that initial meeting and that conflict or
camaraderie. there is some meat to it.
On the surface, this is a simple story about two creatures forming
an unlikely friendship, one that reaches a climax when humans arrive
at the colony and decide that it is no place for a cat. But
looking beneath the surface, could it be the story of a refugee
arriving in a strange land amongst strange people, and being
accepted just for who they are, rather than anything else? And
a government making a determination about their suitability to
stay? Or am I viewing it through the lens of so many news
stories about worthy people facing deportation, so much so my views
of a children's story have been tainted and I see allegory each time
I read a story like this? Whichever, it is refreshing to read
one that is about resilience and hope and which has the sort of
ending we would all wish for, whether it's a cat washed ashore or a
person.
Read more about the story behind the story here. Teacher's
notes are available.
Barbara Braxton
Children who changed the world: Incredible true stories about children's rights! by Marcia Williams
Walker Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781406384109. 40pp., hbk.
Have you heard of Malala Yousafzai? What about Baruani
Ndume? Or Ryan Hreljac?
Forty years ago the UN declared that 1979 was to be the
International Year of the Child and as part of that. in 1989,
the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child was
proclaimed, setting out 54 equally important articles that 196
countries have agreed to follow so that each child, no matter where
they live, has the support and protection they deserve.
Using her iconic graphic format, Marcia Williams has explored the
lives of 13 children, all born since the Declaration and all of whom
have made a significant difference to the lives of the children in
their home countries and beyond. Each double spread is devoted
to the pivotal work of the child under the banner of one of those UN
rights.
Deliberately designed to inform children of their rights, Williams
speaks directly to the reader in the introduction and encourages
them to not only be aware of those rights but to take action when
they see injustice or something that needs changing. With our
students being so aware of the global picture these days, and being
involved in actions like School Strike 4 Climate this is an
important and timely release to help our students know that they can
make a difference and will. Perhaps one of them will become
the new Greta Thunberg, who has risen to prominence since the book
was prepared but who not only deserves a place in it but also
demonstrates that kids can be heard and supported and change can
happen.
This is a book that needs to be promoted to kids everywhere, to give
them inspiration and hope that their voices will be heard.
Barbara Braxton
A curious menagerie: Of herds, flocks, leaps, gaggles, scurries, and more! by Carin Berger
Greenwillow Books, 2019, ISBN: 9780062644572. 40pp., hbk.
We've all heard of a herd of cows and a flock of sheep, but what is
a group of giraffes called? A murder of crows is a common trivia
answer, but what about a mischief of mice? Exploring collective
nouns is always fun and in this book the ringmaster and the monkey
investigate 64 of them opening up a menagerie of creatures for
little ones to learn and perhaps wonder about and perhaps research
their validity. A parliament of owls? Really? That could either be
flattering to some parliaments or insulting to some owls!
Berger has used her skills of making cut-paper collages to create
fascinating illustrations and tying the collection together with the
ringmaster and the monkey makes it a bit more engaging than the
usual word book, especially the final pages! One that will encourage
small groups to share and delight in, and perhaps try to make up
their own. Would a group of koalas be called a cuddle? Or a group of
cockatoos a squawk?
Barbara Braxton
Explanatorium of science by Robert Winston
Dorling Kindersley, 2019. ISBN: 9780241359488.
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Themes: Science, Physical science,
Biological science, Chemical science, Earth Science. In the
inimitable way that DK publishing has to present complex information
in a readily accessible way, this book that covers the breadth of
science understanding is a wonderful example of publishing. Robert
Winston has distilled some very difficult concepts into easily
digested morsels of detail that a young reader will be able to
grasp. The illustrations are also incredibly clear and photographs
are big, bright and colourful. Complex experiments to reveal what is
happening in science are photographed and annotated with clarity.
The final sections in the book also explain basic science
measurement, procedures, classification and some charts and general
explanations.
This book was a joy to read. It clarified much detail that I had
forgotten from my own science education and teaching, but would make
a wonderful book for those beginning the journey of discovery in
science. It could certainly by recommended for a Library collection
or to be given to a science enthusiast. Nothing in the book is too
complex to leave out, because the author has made the complex into a
bite-size chunk of detail that is easily consumed.
Highly recommended for science interested readers aged 10+.
Carolyn Hull
P.O.O.P. of doom by Adam Wallace and James Hart
Cowboy and Birdbrain, book 2. Scholastic, 2019. ISBN:
9781760661595.
(Age: 7+) Themes: Humour. Cowboy who is half boy - half cow and
Birdbrain - a brain with bird features return in another wild and
crazy story P.O.O.P. of doom. These best friends deliver
Parcels Or Other Packages for IFFY Deliveries and are known for
their F.A.R.T.S (Fast and Reliable Tracking Services). The Boss is
giving them one last chance to deliver a package to the 'middle of
the ocean' by 8.37pm. Their mission is to take the fragile package
to Herman the Hermit in his impenetrable house surrounded by booby
traps and five levels of obstacles. Avoiding the flying chainsaws,
Snoozing Flowers of Death and electric fence takes skill and daring!
Herman's booby traps are outrageous and funny, resulting in the
friends coming up with some silly ways to outwit the hermit.
Birdbrain's often side-tracked by thoughts of completing a world
record in some rather unusual categories, juggling chickens, sucking
the most lollipops and completing the most spins on ice while a
menacing shark swims under him!
Author Adam Wallace combines slapstick humour, silly scatological
acronyms, repetitive banter and cast of unique characters with their
crazy antics to make a laugh-out-loud read. James Hart's cartoon
graphics showcase the madcap situations that Cowboy and Birdbrain
find themselves in. The P.O.O.P. of doom is an entertaining
junior novel, just right for young readers and fans who love
this kind of craziness.
Rhyllis Bignell
Animology: The big book of letter art alphabeasts by Maree Coote
Melbournestyle Books, 2019. ISBN: 9780992491796. 72pp., hbk.
Animology: The big book of letter art alphabeasts by Maree Coote Every
part of me's a letter!
Does that help you find me better?
Look very closely - can you see
The hidden letters that find me?
Sometimes letters may repeat
To make more eyes or fur or feet
Look back-to-front,
Look upside down,
Every letter can be found!
This is one of the most unusual books I've reviewed for a long time
and one of the most fascinating. Paired with an informative verse
about its subject, each illustration is created by using the letters
of the creature's name and the reader is challenged to find each
one. From the vibrant mandrill on the front cover, the challenge is
set to take a journey through the natural world discovering
everything from swans to budgerigars, all cleverly constructed from
their letters.
Readers have to examine the details in each illustrations, honing
their visual acuity skills amongst others, as Coote has had fun with
fonts, their shapes and sizes to tease even the most discerning eye.
One for those boys who like to gather round the same book and test
themselves. And having got the concept by looking, students can then
be challenged to try for themselves, remembering that they not only
have to spell the name correctly and use all the letters, but make
the finished design resemble the creature!! Something very different
for an art/biology lesson that could be a shared activity as the
artists draw and the wordsmiths research to create the verse!
A significant step up from the usual look-and-find books for younger
readers.
Barbara Braxton
Elmer's birthday by David McKee
Andersen Press, 2019. ISBN: 9781783447947. 32pp., hbk.
To celebrate Elmer's 30th birthday, there is a new story called,
appropriately, Elmer's birthday. Hoping to get their own
back on him, the elephants decide to play a joke on Elmer on his
birthday and spend the day getting all the other animals on
board. But who has the last laugh?
Great for teaching children about elephants, the animals of the
jungle, colour and patterns, as well as the themes of each story, I
believe little ones have not had a real education if they don't meet
Elmer. These two are going straight to my version of the pool room!
Barbara Braxton
Elmer: A classic collection by David McKee
Andersen Press, 2019. ISBN: 9781783448678. 152pp., hbk.
Thirty years ago I discovered a lovable character that has been an
integral part of the lives of the very young students I've taught
and my grandchildren - a patchwork elephant called Elmer. Every time
his creator David McKee offered a new story, it was in my hands and
in the ears of the nearest children. So now, to have a
collection of the five earliest stories in one volume is heaven on a
stick for such a fan.
Featuring Elmer, Elmer and the rainbow, Elmer
and the lost teddy, Elmer in the snow, and Elmer's
special day, just five of the 27 stories in the series, the
little patchwork elephant who likes to play jokes on his friends but
is always compassionate and helpful, is set to make a whole new
generation of fans, as parents discover this childhood favourite all
over again.
Barbara Braxton
Ask Hercules Quick by Ursula Dubosarsky
Illus. by Andrew Joyner, Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760296827.
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended. Themes: Humour, Animals, Magic, Work,
STEM. When Hercules spies a magic kit in the shop window, he falls
in love. All the way home he asks his Aunt Alligator questions about
the cost and how he could buy it. At last they decide that he can do
some odd jobs for his neighbours, a very unusual mix of people.
Upstairs lives an extended family of very hairy elks, while nearby
live the turtle brothers, and an octopus lives on the floor below.
Under Mr Calamari in the cold dark cellar, lives Queen Claude who is
rarely seen.
Hercules makes a lovely sign and puts it in his window, advertising
his abilities and finds a sock to put his money in when he begins to
work.
Surprisingly Professor Calamari knocks on the door. He has a most
unusual job for Hercules: to take his rose petals and cast them out
over the heads of people as they walk by. When the bucket is empty,
Hercules is given his money plus an orphaned tadpole as a gift. Next
he hears from the Elk family wanting a babysitter. This job is much
harder as the elk toddler is full of energy, and just when Hercules
lies on the couch, Queen Claude asks him downstairs as she has lost
her ping pong ball.
Then the turtle brothers want him to sing a wet and dry song to help
with their laundry. His sock is filling with ten cent pieces, and
though it is not enough to buy the magic box from the shop, some
real magic happens in front of his eyes.
Joyner's gloriously funny illustrations keep the story alive as we
see inside Hercules' home and those of his neighbours. Each is
individual, reflecting the character of the tenant, showcasing the
variety of people who may live in an apartment block. Readers will
love pointing out the myriad of objects depicted on each page, and
delight in the characters of each of these unusual tenants.
A warmth of family and friendship over-arches the story, reminding
the reader that family does not mean the nuclear family shown so
often in books, but can be as wide and various as the people around
us. In the background some mathematical deduction happens with
readers asked to think about Hercules' problem and and the work
Hercules must do to earn a few cents, while children will be
intrigued by the variety of animals shown.
Fran Knight
