Jae-Dee survives the home of many mothers by Jae-Dee Collier
Balboa Press, 2018. ISBN: 9781504315692.
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Jae-Dee's sad story of abandonment to
an Adelaide orphanage as a three year old in the 1950s is
fictionalised, told from the point of view of the child. So it's the
child's voice we hear as she struggles to make sense of the world
she finds herself in, longing for love but always receiving
rejection and humiliation from Sster, as the children call the nun
in charge. Sster Grace couldn't be more removed from the idea of
grace; she is harsh and cruel, beats the children in her charge and
subjects them to cruel taunting and humiliation. Jae-Dee is a
bed-wetter, and as a three year old has to drag her sheets to the
laundry, hand-wash them, and drag the clothes basket to the
clothesline.
Jae-Dee has beautiful memories of her parents, a handsome couple
gliding across the ballroom. She longs to be with them. But whilst
they are good intentioned, they are a fragile couple, her mother ill
and teetering on depression and her father too fond of the drink.
Nevertheless, for Jae-Dee it is the love of her mother and father
that she constantly craves - she desperately wants to be reunited
with them and with her younger sisters. It is the abuse and lack of
love in the orphanage that becomes the most damaging experience.
Collier clearly writes from her memories; she captures exactly how a
three year old struggles with the stairs, planting both feet on each
step, and then how she skips to keep up with the nun's quick stride
along the corridor. We share in the child's love of warm sweet food
like rice pudding, and her detestation of boiled vegetables. And we
empathise with her humiliation and embarrassment as she wakes each
morning in a wet bed. From time to time, Collier adds a comment as
an adult, reminding us this all really happened - children who were
so in need of love and care, were kept in the most cold and uncaring
environment, in an institution that was supposed to stand for love
and charity.
At the end of the book, Collier includes the transcript of the Prime
Minister's 2009 apology to the Forgotten Australians and former
child migrants; a recognition and regret for the experiences of
children who suffered neglect and abuse in orphanages, and a
reminder that the protection of children is a sacred duty. It is to
be hoped that in writing her story, Collier finds release from some
of the memories, and strength in knowing she is a survivor.
Helen Eddy
The quiet at the end of the world by Lauren James
Walker Books; 2019. ISBN: 9781406375510. 352p; p/b.
(Age: Middle secondary+) Recommended. In a future where the human
race is infertile, the last two people to ever be born confront the
fear of loneliness when a mystery disease rages through an
already dwindling population.
It's difficult to discuss what makes this book good, because its
best aspects hinge on a plot twist that shouldn't be spoilt. It
tackles some interesting ethical issues that are becoming
increasingly relevant today, and some thought provoking takes on the
future of humanity. Don't worry though, it's not all heavy futurism
- the novel also contains some quite personal themes of love and
secrets. It's quite engaging, with a unique narrative device of
reading through archived chat-logs online, interspersed at
precisely paced intervals with more traditional narration. The
representation in the cast is inspiring - bi and trans will last as
long as humanity does.
You will just have to read it yourself, it is a wonderful read. The
book is suitable for middle secondary-aged readers due to the themes
discussed, however it can be a good conversation with classes as to
the diversity and power of humanity.
Vincent Hermann
Sea Bear: a journey for survival by Lindsay Moore
Greenwillow Books, 2019. ISBN: 9780062791283. 48pp., hbk.
Imagine you are a polar bear.
Your coat is thick. Your teeth are sharp.
Your front paws are paddles, your back paws are rudders, and you can
swim for miles.
Your home has always been the sea and the ice.
A sea bear, far north in the Arctic, hunts and naps and raises her
young. She moves with the ice, swimming, running, stalking seals,
resting. She follows the rhythm of the sea and the seasons. But what
happens when those rhythms change? What happens when there is no
ice?
Told from the perspective of a female bear, the reader is taken on a
journey of the Arctic seasons starting in spring when the ice is
thick and the baby seals numerous, through to summer when the water
warms and the ice melts, making it too thin to stand on and the
seals more wary and quicker. Smelling land on the offshore breeze,
the bear starts to swim to shore for food but it is a long arduous
and perilous journey filled with lots of other creatures of the cold
seas. But above all, polar bears are patient and so she continues
knowing that the world will turn, the time will pass and winter will
come again. Courage, determination, resilience - even in the animal
kingdom.
As well as the evocative text, it is the illustrations which make
this book a stand-out. Using a palette of a myriad of blues, the
reader is treated to all the moods and times of this wonderland
- starry night skies, ocean depths and shallows, the aurora borealis,
the breaking ice pack and isolate seashore. While it could be a
story of any sea bear, using the first person builds a connection
with the reader so we are invested in her survival as well as that
of all her kind. Her companions of the deep become less threatening
as they pass by each other as Moore's illustrations reflect her
Master of Science in Medical and Scientific Illustration.
A page of information about sea ice and polar bears and another
introducing the creatures she passes on her journey to shore add to
the value of this book which shines a light on the plight of Arctic
(and Antarctic) creatures as global warming continues and the amount
of sea
ice declines each year.
A valuable addition to your environment and sustainability
collection.
Barbara Braxton
The boy: His stories and how they came to be by Oliver Jeffers
HarperCollins, 2018. ISBN: 9780008294342. 168pp., hbk.
In 2004, Oliver Jeffers set out to do a painting of someone trying
to do something impossible - a boy catching a star with a butterfly
net - and that idea evolved not only into the book How
to catch a star but into a series of four stories
including Lost and found, The way back home and Up
and down.
Now collected into one collection, this book also offers a unique
look behind the scenes at the development of each book. As well as a
letter from Jeffers himself explaining how the series grew (and may
still do so, although that is unlikely), it contains more than 100
distinctive sketches, notes and ideas that he has chosen from his
archives that show the thoughts, events and incidents that shaped
the stories.
Apart from its inherent beauty, this book has much to offer about
how stories grow in the minds of their creators, giving it an appeal
and a use far beyond the target audience of the original stories
themselves.
Barbara Braxton
Mummy Cuddle by Kate Mayes
Illus. by Sara Acton. ABC Books, 2019. ISBN: 9780733339431.
(Age: 1-5) Highly recommended. Themes: Bedtime, Parent and child,
Mothers, Feel good book. A lovely gentle but very humorous book Mummy
cuddle tugs at the heartstrings and leaves the reader feeling
happy after reading it. Bunny creeps out of bed and 'brum brum',
pushes a little car down the stairs and asks Mummy to play. Mummy is
very patient and carries him back upstairs on her back and quietly
answers questions while trying to get Bunny to sleep.
The narrative is sparse with most double page spreads having only
two words: 'Mummy play?' Mummy talk?' 'Mummy brush?' 'Mummy pat'
until finally 'Mummy dream' and 'Mummy cuddle'. Children will have
fun predicting just what Bunny will come up with next in the quest
to stay awake and many will know just what will happen. Sara Acton's
outstanding illustrations done in soft pastels, with Mummy and Bunny
outlined in black, are enchanting. The characteristics of both are
clear - Mummy is such a loving, unflappable parent while Bunny is
persistent but loving as well, even covering Mummy with a blanket as
she sleeps on the floor. The endpapers are worthy of close
examination, the front ones showing Bunny having a bath and getting
ready for bed, while the back ones show an exuberant dance.
This would be an ideal book to share with children on Mother's Day
in particular, but the message of parental love is one for any time.
I can see it becoming a cherished book that celebrates the bond
between mother and child.
Pat Pledger
On the come up by Angie Thomas
Walker Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781406372168.
(Age: Young adult) Recommended. On the come up by Angie
Thomas is a hard-hitting contemporary young adult novel novel that
brings light to topics such as racial stereotyping and
discrimination of people due to their social class.
Bri has always dreamed of being a famous rapper like her dad so when
she gets the chance to compete in an amateur rap battle in her
inner-city neighbourhood she jumps on it. She believes that becoming
a rapper is the key to saving her family from poverty and to rise
above the racism and hate she experiences from being African
American in her community.
The characters in this novel were realistic and unique from each
other. Their personalities and ambitions in the novel were memorable
and special to that character. This made you feel like you were
getting to know and forming real relationships with the characters
in the novel.
The plot was unique and spoke about racial inequality in a way that
clearly highlighted the injustices minorities face daily in real
life. These heavy topics are delivered in a non-graphic and easy to
interpret way so readers young or old will feel as if they have
gained knowledge and a deeper understanding of racial prejudice.
The imagery and language choices were true to the setting of the
novel which is a predominately African American neighbourhood. It
felt as if I was transported to America and could hear the
characters through their realistic dialogue. The language choices
were clear and easy to understand which is most likely because this
book is aimed at young adults.
Overall, I would recommend this book to a younger audience who would
like to know more about the injustices racial minorities face in
modern day society. It is a fast paced but still emotional impactful
read. If you enjoy realistic characters and an action packed plot
this is the book for you!
Amy Folker (student)
52 Mondays by Anna Ciddor
Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760523480.
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. Themes: family, dolls, childhood,
Jewish customs. Anna is a young Jewish girl growing up in 1960's
Melbourne, Australia. The story follows Anna, her two sisters and
her extended family through a year of celebrations, illness and the
hunt for the perfect antique doll. The story revolves around the
hunt that is created by Anna's desire to own a doll just like the
one in her favourite book Hitty, the life and adventures of a
wooden doll, which she has borrowed from the library. Anna's
mother is a willing participant in the hunt and after Anna reads in
the final chapter that Hitty's final owner purchases her through an
auction house; the family spends every Monday looking through a
local auction place for the perfect antique doll.
The story also highlights the changing face of the world as the
story looks at the changes within the family and the world around
them, the excitement of making Deb mashed potato or eating kosher
chicken from the supermarket rather than Nona having to make it.
Anna includes the excitement of buying a half penny ice-cream from
the Mr. Whippy van and the joy of shopping in the city.
Her imagery and gentle tone makes this book an easy read and will
engage readers who are interested in history, family life and
childhood memories. This would be a fabulous book to open up the
lines of communication between the generations and encourage talk of
childhood memories when there were no seat-belts in cars, being the
chalk monitor was the highest honour at school and children drank
free milk at recess.
Mhairi Alcorn
Master of Sorrows by Justin Call
Gollancz, 2019. ISBN: 9781473222878. 577 pages, paperback.
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Contains violent scenes and depictions of
death. High fantasy. The Academy of Chaenbalu has stood against
magic for centuries. Hidden from the world, acting from the shadows,
it trains its students to detect and retrieve magic artifacts, which
it jealously guards from the misuse of others. Because magic is
dangerous, something that heals can also harm, and a power that aids
one person may destroy another. Of the Academy's many students, only
the most skilled can become Avatars - warrior thieves, capable of
infiltrating the most heavily guarded vaults - and only the most
determined can be trusted to resist the lure of magic. More than
anything, Annev de Breth wants to be one of them. Master of sorrows is a strongly written dark fantasy novel,
similar in tone and feel to the likes of We are blood and
thunder by Kesia Lupo. Call does not hesitate to highlight the
dark side of humanity, with the themes of lies, deception,
discrimination, wars, and death featuring prominently in the novel.
His worldbuilding is astounding and makes the story's setting feel
grounded and real. He crafts a deeply flawed, young protagonist who
bears too much at too young an age, making you feel empathy for
Annev, rejoicing at his triumph and despairing as he falls while he
fights for his chance in the sun. While Master of sorrows
follows a trend of stories with academy-trained warriors, thieves
and assassins, it stands out from the rest due to the protagonist's
desire to rise above the brutality and act with mercy and
compassion, which are often lost in similar stories. We see this
empathy was developed through his bond with his mentor and as Annev
experiences discrimination due to physical deformities, which in the
novel, mark him as a vile agent of evil. Call speaks against this
cruel and misinformed idea as he presents Annev as a flawed but
deeply caring individual.
While this novel's themes are evident, the events seem jumbled and
plot points were touched upon then never raised again in a way that
felt unfinished or not explored to its full potential. There are
also extremely disturbing descriptions not suitable for a younger
audience. Despite this, this was a strong high fantasy novel full of
both gritty realism and the buoyant kindness of the protagonist. I
would recommend to people who enjoy stories such as Nevernight
by Jay Kristoff and We are blood and thunder by Kesia Lupo.
Stephanie Lam(Student)
Cowboy and Birdbrain by A. Wallace and J. Hart
Scholastic. 2019. ISBN: 9781760661588. 185p
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. Cowboy is not a ringer - nor an NRL
footy player. He's an actual boy with a cow's head! He and his
partner Birdbrain, also a hybrid creature, work for a delivery
company called 'Iffy'. You guessed it, their motto: 'We Deliver
FARTS - Fast And Reliable Tracking Services'. After a call-in from
the Company Secretary, Ms Hambacon, (pronounced Harm Bayshon) Cowboy
and Birdbrain are grudgingly given an important delivery deadline by
their boss. Between their own incompetence and the interference of a
rival delivery team, the duo must overcome a number of impossible
hurdles to complete their mission.
This graphic story can't miss. Adam Wallace's far-fetched narrative
is littered with funny word play and acronyms. The adventure melds
perfectly with James Hart's quirky caricatures in a rich parallel
narrative.
The mandatory page of stickers is an unnecessary incentive because
middle schoolers will be lining up for the unavoidable giggles.
Deborah Robins
The secret runners of New York by Matthew Reilly
Macmillian, 2019. ISBN: 9781760559076. Paperback, 352 pg.
(Age: Upper primary - Secondary) A must read for thriller and
dystopian readers. Think of Gossip Girl meets Mad Max.
The story is about a shy girl, Skye, who moves to New York with her
brother Red. They move in with their mum's boyfriend in a very
affluent building. Skye tries to keep her head down at school but
gets caught up with the elite kids of New York. Within the group
Skye and Red join, are the Secret Runners of New York group who can
gain access to a ground portal that transports whoever enters to the
future which was effected by a Gamma Cloud.
Matthew Reilly writes about everyday life of a teenager and how they
cope in society, while every day is leading up to a Doomsday when a
Gamma Cloud is going to appear to end the world as we know it. As
the runners keep going through the porthole they realise that the
Gamma Cloud is real and they see what happens in the future.
Overall, I found the book easy to read and enjoyable. I was hooked
from the start wanting to know what happened to the missing females
from the same school and whether Skye would become one of them as
well.
In schools, some great discussions you could have with students
would be about bullying within the school and how it affected kids.
Another topic would be about the poor, middle class and the rich and
how what happened in the world affected these people.
All up, I found The secret runners of New York a great read.
I did laugh at the dedication at the front: 'This book is for
everyone who went to high school... and survived.' Cause yes I'm
one of those people.
Maria Komninos
Ninja switch by Anh Do
Ninja Kid book 3. Scholastic, 2019. ISBN: 9781760662820.
186p.
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Themes: Family, Humour. Nelson, Kenny, and
their gutsy grandma deliver another hilarious adventure. Nelson,
tired of being the school nerd, wants to let his cover slip a little
at the annual athletics carnival. Despite Kenny's enthusiasm, both
Mum and Grandma put the kybosh on his plans to win an event or two.
We sense rebellion is afoot until unintentionally, Grandma's latest
invention tampers with Nelson's super powers. In the same vein of
Damian Young's, My Nana is a Ninja, Grandma takes on the
mantle of Ninja. Sadly, Nelson's feeble performance at the Athletics
Carnival is more dismal than ever and worse, he can't impress Sarah,
the girl's champion. Ironically, it's a blessing in disguise since
the new Carnival sponsor is very interested in the highest
performing students. Too interested perhaps? Can Nelsen and his
eccentric family, foil Dr Kane's plans to kidnap and unmask the
Ninja Kid?
Nelson has Kenny and Ahn Do has Jeremy Ley to draw the pictures.
Together they make a very amusing adventure for middle-schoolers and
STEM students who will be inspired to construct gadgets which are
functional and fun. One certainty is that everyone is bound to get a
kick out of the much anticipated 3rd volume in the Ninja Kid
series.
Deborah Robins
Courting Darkness by Robin LaFevers
His fair assassin, Counting darkness duology, book 1.
Anderson Press, 2019. ISBN: 9781783448265.
(Age: 16+) Highly recommended. Themes: Historical fantasy, France -
History, Brittany, Assassins. After devouring the three books in the
award winning His fair assassin series, I was thrilled to read the
story of Genevieve, a young girl who has been undercover for so
long, that she is no longer sure that she will be called up as a
daughter of Saint Mortain by the convent. She becomes embroiled with
a prisoner and manages to take matters into her own hands. Meanwhile
Sybella from Dark
triumph, returns and is accompanying the duchess on her way to
be married to the King of France. She is surrounded by enemies and
her only hope is to get help from the novitiates who had been hidden
in the French court so many years ago.
Although Courting darkness could be read as a stand-alone, with the
author giving enough information to set the scene, readers would
enjoy the book more if they had read the first three books in His
fair assassin series, Grave mercy, Dark
Triumph, and Mortal
heart.
The story is told from two points of view, that of Sybella and
Genevieve. Sybella relates the travails of Anne of Brittany, who is
trying to save her country. Sybella is terrified for the safety of
her two sisters and is desperate for help. Genevieve's involvement
with the unknown prisoner and her uncertainty about Saint Mortain,
give another view of what is going on, and the mystery surrounding
the prisoner is tantalising.
The world of medieval France is enthralling, with the descriptions
of the intrigue, the power mongering, the fear and the prisons
taking the reader right into this time in history. Peopled with real
characters as well as the fantasy daughters of Saint Mortain, it
makes for a fascinating read for lovers of historical fantasy.
A difficult wait for the second book in the duology is in store for
the reader, who is left on a tantalising cliff-hanger. Readers who
like Juliet Marillier's books, the Witchlands trilogy by
Susan Dennard and the Lumatere chronicles by Melina
Marchetta are likely to enjoy Counting darkness.
Pat Pledger
Little Badman and the invasion of the killer aunties by Humza Arshad and Henry White
Illus. by Aleksei Bitskoff. Puffin Books, 2019. ISBN: 9780241340608.
(Ages: 9-12) Highly recommended. Themes: Family relationships,
Pakistanis in Great Britain, Rap music, Friendship, Missing persons,
Good and evil. Humza Khan is a typical 11-year-old who is prone to
making up stories and mucking around in class, but he does not see
this as a problem because he knows he will one day be the most
famous Rap artist the world has ever seen. He and his friends notice
something funny happening at school when, one by one, the staff
disappear and are replaced with Pakistani 'aunties' who seem
determined to fatten up the children. The great food seems wonderful
at first but slowly Humza, his friends Umer and Wendy realize it
must be part of an evil plan. The friends are brought closer
together by their need to solve this mystery. Humza's uncle, who is
called Grandpa because of his aged appearance, is also a character
that features in their hunt to find the truth.
Many Primary school boys will identify with Humza's character and
through the story he grows as a person to know and fully appreciate
his family through his adventures at school. As he says '. . . there
is nothing in the world like an alien slug invasion to make you
appreciate your loved ones . . . ' It is a fast-paced, rollicking
story that will keep the audience reading to the end.
Throughout the story we are given glimpses of the Pakistani culture
that forms so much of Humza's life in Britain. This may not be easy
for children in Australia to understand but it could bring about
some great discussion about immigration and refugees. The book is
written in first person and would be a good story to read aloud with
an upper primary class.
The author Humza Mohammed Arshad is an English actor, comedian and
writer of Pakistani descent. He is best known for his web series Diary
of a Bad Man (2010-2013) and Badman (2015-2018). Henry
White is a comedy writer who has written for TV, on-line and most
recently in children's fiction.
Gabrielle Anderson
The blue bench by Albert Asensio
Berbay Publishing, 2019. ISBN: 9780648397304.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Diversity, Friendship. First
published in Catalonia, this evocative picture book reveals more of
its subtle depths on rereading. A park bench is at the centre of the
tale, surveying all it sees as life goes on through the year. As
seasons come and go, different people use the bench, different
animals appear in the trees' branches, and a variety of people walk
past. Each is portrayed on the pages of this book, like a time lapse
camera, revealing a parade of life and activities.
The bench is painted, a squirrel collects nuts, pigeons mess up the
ground around, but the painter, Peter comes back to clean up the
mess. Over the years children play together in the sandpit and
eventually two fall in love, a variety of people and their dogs sit
on the bench, watching the world go by, the young and the old, the
boy and girl coming together, paralleled by the birds in the tree. A
nest is built, eggs appear,and the couple still sit on the bench,
but one day when it snows, she sits on the bench alone, and keeps on
coming to that same bench week after week, smiling in her memories.
And then someone else sits beside her, the bench again a witness to
the continuance of life.
A charming witty tale of the continuity of life, of seasons and
generations, of the old adage, 'life goes on', gloriously supported
by softly rendered illustrations emphasising companionship and
continuance.
Fran Knight
Bizz Buzz Boss by Natalie McKinnon
Ill. by Margaret Tolland. Starfish Bay, 2018. ISBN: 9781760360566.
(Age: 3-6) Themes: Bees, Spiders, Animals, Respect, Behaviour
Management. In Natalie McKinnon's picture book Bizz Buzz Boss
a very bossy bee lords it over all the other garden creatures who
are busy with their daily tasks. Little Spider loves to listen to
the homely sounds as she rests in a curly leaf. She hears the 'drip,
drip, drippetty-drip' of the tap and the owl family's twit-twoo
(shouldn't they be asleep.) However, the bossy bee who has a strong
sense of self-importance, explains that her job as pollen-collector
is more significant than the worms, ladybugs and lizards.
Little Spider appeals to Bossy Bee's vain nature by suggesting the
hard-working creature needs to rest, wrapped up in her silvery,
sticky web. As the bee remains immobile, it observes the worm
aerating and fertilising the earth, the ladybug nibbling the aphids
off the lettuce and the lizard catching the pesky slugs. Humbled by
these observations, Bossy Bee states, Oh, Spider, I promise to stop being bossy.
I've learned a lesson today.
I'll respect other creatures and value their jobs.
We should work as a team every day!
There's the moral to the story, you need to value other's efforts
and not brag about your own. Natalie McKinnon's simple rhyming verse
spoken by each creature is overly wordy for the young readers this
is targeted at. Margaret Tolland's colourful painted illustrations
provide close-ups of each of the creatures working in their lush
garden settings. Bizz Buzz Boss is a didactic tale suited
for sharing with young audience.
Rhyllis Bignell
