Reviews

When the ground is hard by Malla Nunn

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Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760524814.
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. Themes: Racism, Colonialism, Swaziland, South Africa, Friendship, Jane Eyre, Bullying, Crime. Adele, living in a coloured community in colonial Swaziland is lucky. Her white father supports his family, visiting now and again, leaving money but more importantly paying her school fees at a Christian boarding school eighty eight miles away. With her paler skin and some money in her pocket she fits in with the pretties, the top group within the school, those for whom others run errands, the girls who are excused some misbehaviour because they are fee paying in a school where many are slow with theirs. Arriving after a long hot bus trip, Adele realises that a new girl, Sandi has taken her spot and she is relegated to sharing a room with a poor Swazi girl, an outcast, Lottie, who doesn't seem to care about the rules they are forced to obey.
After a confrontation with the pretties, Adele can see Lottie's future, a poor mixed race girl, clever and pretty but prey to the white men, just like Adele's mother, a woman whose youth and abilities are left in a village on the outskirts of a town, hungry for the scant recognition given by the man who keeps her there.
School is a hive of jealousies and racism, but wanting to fit back in with the pretties, Adele grudgingly comes to see Lottie in a different light, beginning to recognise an independence of spirit that she wants for herself.
Things happen which open Adele's eyes to the small mindedness of the group she longs to be with: they steal Lotte's only spare pair of undies, they lie about the fire and spread rumours about her and Lottie, they laugh and sneer as they pass by.
Lottie and Adele bond further over a shared reading of Jane Eyre, the story of a young girl sent to an appalling boarding school paralleling their own situation, and giving them some hope that they too will be like Jane, exploring ways of being independent.
This is a marvellous insight into colonial racism, the small mindedness of communities where class is all, the use made of the local women, leading to their inevitable abandonment.
It is rare to read a book set in southern Africa, and this is outstanding, revealing the techniques used by the British to keep control of this small country, eventually relinquishing power in 1968. The school is a microcosm of the divided society, the senior girls using their pets to run messages, using food as a trading tool, the staff supporting the ones with money and power, using petty means to keep control.
When Adele and Lottie realise that one of the boys is missing, they investigate, but not in the way the school directs, they go off on their own. It is on this journey that Adele finds out more about her background, and is caught up by the ugly racism of the school's Afrikaner neighbour, Bosman.
Nunn has skilfully blended a good tale based upon her own family's story with enough of Southern Africa's history to give a solid background to the story. Terms used are those prevalent in southern Africa in the 1950's when Apartheid was installed, the colour of your skin deciding your position in society.
Readers will be well used to words such as Swazi and Zulu, or native and coloured to describe the students as well as Afrikaner when Bosman comes on the scene, bringing his odious views with him.
In the last few pages we learn of the African proverb, 'When the ground is hard, the women dance' bringing many of the themes together, making it a richly layered novel for middle secondary students.This book lends it self to discussions about racism and Apartheid, the role of women in society, the drift from rural to urban societies, finding yourself and of course, Jane Eyre. Scroll down for teacher's notes from the publisher.
Fran Knight

The quiet at the end of the world by Lauren James

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Walker Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781406375510. 352p; p/b.
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. Themes: Science fiction, Dystopian fiction, Romance, Viruses, Diversity. How far would you go to save those you love? After a virus devastated the world and left people infertile, Lowrie and Shen are the two youngest left. Their ageing community loves and cossets them, and their days are happy, searching for bits of history in the mud of the Thames. Then they uncover a secret that threatens everything they have believed.
I read The quiet at the end of the world a few months ago and it was reviewed previously, but it is a story that has continued to stay with me and one that has a theme that often has me thinking of the meaning of humanity. James slowly builds up the tension as Lowrie and Shen find old treasures from the time when the virus first occurred. Lowrie researches the past of Maya, who describes what happened when the virus first took over the world and the development of the Babygrow app that became a couple's surrogate child. As their ageing community gradually decline, Lowrie and Shen have to face some hard decisions and heartbreak.
James skilfully builds up a world that feels real as Lowrie and Shen gradually uncover what has happened in the past. There is action and adventure, great character development and a riveting story line told in archived chat-logs and traditional narration.
This engrossing story would make a great class novel or literature circle text, giving participants lots of discussion points about the meaning of life, family and love.
Pat Pledger.

Wombat, Mudlark and other stories by Helen Milroy

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Fremantle Press, 2019. ISBN: 9781925815818.
(Age: 6-10) Recommended. Themes: Short Stories; Emotional intelligence; Natural world; Dreaming stories. The author, Helen Milroy, is a descendant of the Palyku people of the Pilbara region in Western Australia; she is also a doctor in the field of Psychiatry and is a Professor at the University of Western Australia, in combination with other achievements. Her stories in this book are a wonderful infusion of the Aboriginal insights of wisdom about the natural world and the emotional intelligence that can be displayed by the young. Each story has a brief introduction to highlight the strengths and qualities displayed by the animals in response to difficulties and environmental issues. It is written in a naively simple and accessible style with overtones of traditional Aboriginal Dreaming stories and is illustrated by the author. It is a charming and gentle collection of stories that are worth sharing with the young. It would make a wonderful read-aloud collection for teachers and parents.
Carolyn Hull

All that impossible space by Anna Morgan

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Hachette Children's Books, 2019. ISBN: 9780734419637.
(Age: Teens) Highly recommended. All that impossible space blends one of Australia's greatest mysteries with the typical drama of teenage girls at an all-girls school. This combination makes conversation about the Somerton man incredibly accessible and presents history in a fun light for teenagers and I would highly recommend it to teenage girls.
Following the start of year ten, one of the most important social years for the girls at St. Mags, the novel's protagonist Lara Laylor is faced with mystery after mystery, the first being new girl Kate who threatens Ash's best friend claim to Lara. How do you manage a new friend when you're so close with someone else? Second comes Mr Grant's history assignment on the Somerton man - a man found dead with no identification on an Adelaide beach in 1948. Next comes the clincher - the disappearance of Mr Grant, easily Lara's favourite teacher. With her sister on her gap year somewhere in Europe and Mr Grant's illness, Lara almost doesn't notice the growing closeness between her and Jos, a friendship blossoming into something new and complicated - something that Lara, let alone Ash, can't comprehend.
Mixing with boys has never been so heady. Distracted and weighed down with the mystery of the Somerton Man, Lara's thoughts are elsewhere, making her the perfect girl for Jos and the boys from St. Johns to befriend. Between rehearsals, boys, and the Ash-Kate cold war Lara doesn't know how to find the answers she craves. Why is nothing ever easy?
Kayla Gaskell

Goodbye house, hello house by Margaret Wild

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Illus. by Ann James. Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781743311103.
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. Themes: Change, Moving house, Families. When the young girl must leave the family farm and move to the city she wanders through the house and its environs saying goodbye as she goes. She reminds herself that this is the last time she will see these familiar things. Children will begin to join in with the refrain, 'this is the last time' as the pages are turned. When moving day comes she says goodbye to each, halting a little longer at her bedroom. Readers will sympathise with the young girl as she says goodbye to things she loves, and recognise the emotional pull of the familiar, the things she has grown up with, perhaps recognising the changes that have occurred in their own lives.
Once in her new house, the words are reversed. She looks into each new room, taking longer over the room which is to be her bedroom, saying, 'this is the first time' as she greets the new, the unfamiliar. Readers again will sympathise with meeting something new for the first time, recognising that change is part of their lives.
Ann James' wonderful illustrations reflect a lively young girl, confidently saying goodbye to her old life and taking on the new with aplomb. Readers will connect with her as she opens each door, greeting the altering circumstances, welcoming the difference in her life, accepting the change. Watercolour illustrations form the background of many pages with black outlines used with eye catching effect over the top. Each time she peers through a door, her black and white image opens onto a watercolour vista of her old life and her new. The first end-paper shows a young girl looking out from her farm verandah with boxes packed and stacked next to her, farewelling the familiar, while the last end-paper shows her sitting in a tree, looking out at the apartment houses nearby, the view full full of possibilities.
A wonderful book about change, of accepting and embracing change is distilled into the images and spare text of a young girl's move to the city, by this pair of award winning book creators.
Fran Knight

Devils unto dust by Emma Berquist

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Greenwillow, 2018. ISBN: 9780062642783.
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Themes: Zombies, Coming of age, Adventure, Western, Dystopian fiction. Adventure galore, a Western setting, zombies, some heartbreak and a great heroine - what more could a reader want to while away a few hours?
Willie is a survivor. She has been looking after her younger brothers and sisters after her mother died from the sickness that turned her into a horrifying zombie-like creature called a shake and her father succumbed to alcohol. When her father steals from a shake hunter in the town of Glory where she lives and she is held responsible for the debt, she knows she will have to find him. With the assistance of two hunters she sets off into the desert on a desperate quest to get the money back from her father.
This was a compelling and easy to read story that blended a story set in the old West with a dystopian tale of sickness gone awry. Willie was an engaging character, capable and determined to look after her family as best she could. Her relationship with Micah her brother and the twins was very relatable and the reader can't help but be drawn to Curtis and Ben, the two honest hunters Willie hired to escort across the desert. Short chapters and humorous dialogue helped to lighten the darkness of the shakes.
There was plenty of action as the shakes tried to attack the small party, and some heartbreak and unexpected twists will keep the reader glued to the page until Willie's quest comes to an end. There is a small opening for a sequel which the reader would welcome. Readers who enjoyed the Western setting might like to read the more complex The Devil's West series (Silver on the road, The cold eye, and Red waters rising) by Laura Anne Gilman, while those who like a road trip might enjoy Tess of the road by Rachael Hartman.
Pat Pledger

Bad crab by Amelia McInerney

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Illus. by Philip Bunting. Omnibus, 2019. ISBN: 9781742994475.
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. Themes: Fish, Crabs. Retribution, Friendship. When Bad Crab bites his friends, the Fish, the Octopus and Seahorse, they quickly retire to the wall above the Crab and hide behind a concrete ball. He looks up at them and is dismayed. He does not seem to realise that it is his behaviour which has made his friends go away.
Along comes a Lobster and surprisingly it bites him. The Crab's three friends swim down to help him. They attach themselves to him giving him extra oomph and he bites the Lobster back. The Lobster retires behind the seaweed. But Crab sees a Grey Shark approaching and his friends quickly swim back to their hiding place, leaving Crab alone on the sea floor.
But the friends then roll the concrete ball onto the Shark, leaving him defenceless but unable to release Crab from his gigantic mouth. The friends again work together to release Crab from the Shark, and all seems to going along well, but Crab seems impelled to do another bad thing, he rolls the rock onto Lobster.
The wonderful illustrations beg the reader to look more closely: I loved the expressions on their faces and the wordless nature of the book, begging readers to insert their own words on every page. There will be lots of joining in as the book proceeds.
A wonderfully funny tale of deeds coming back to haunt you, this Crab is that naughty child, forever niggling other people, annoying in so many ways and impervious to the fact that it is his behaviour which is not wanted. When people retaliate it is never their fault, but Crab here gets what he deserves, and it is up to his nicer friends to extricate him from that position.
Lots of discussion about responsibility will proceed from this funny look at behaviour, and many will be able to point out instances of bad behaviour being reciprocated.
Fran Knight

Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips

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Scribner, 2019. ISBN: 9781471185861.
(Age: 15 to Adult) Highly recommended. Set over the course of a year, each of the twelve chapters examines a month in the lives of different women and their families, all intricately connected by the disappearance of two young girls. This remarkable book takes place on Kamchatka, a remote peninsular in far-Eastern Russia, and is rich with descriptions of the volcanic landscape and tundra with their herds of reindeer. We are given an insight into lives filled with loss and longing, of ethnic tensions and traditional Russian values trying to find a place in the modern world.
While the mystery of the girls' disappearance begins the book and the investigation is interwoven throughout, this actually reads more like a series of short stories, with each focusing on a different woman who has been somehow affected by the event including family members, a witness, and a detective. There are many characters, and it is easy to get them mixed up, but thankfully the author has provided a list of primary characters at the start of the book. This book was not at all what I expected it to be, it is so much more.
Donella Reed

Roald Dahl's colours illustrated by Quentin Blake

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Penguin Books, 2019. ISBN: 9780241370315.
(Age: 1-5) Highly recommended. Board book. Themes: Colours. Another stunning board book featuring the captivating illustrations by Quentin Blake from Roald Dahl's stories for older children. These will make the book familiar to adults reading it aloud, and will be a fabulous introduction to the world of Roald Dahl for children.
Each of the double page spreads features a coloured background for the colours chosen, pink, red, green, blue, purple, orange, grey and yellow. For example, pink for 'I see plenty of peculiar porky pink pigs' has hilarious pictures of pigs against a beautiful pink background. Of course the famous 'green enomous crocodile hungry for his lunch' features against a lovely lime green background. Only one of the little people racing away from the snapping crocodile has a green shirt and this will be a fun way for the adult to show that there are different shades of green. This is also true of the dark orange coloured fox against an vivid orange background. It was interesting to see the colour grey featured and many children will identify with the idea of a grey suit or grey trousers.
The description of each items associated with the colour is in a bold black print which makes it easy to remember and there is a special touch at the end with a gorgeous lift the flap featuring 'a yellow giraffe with a neck that goes up . . . up . . . up!' Its construction is also very sturdy with hard boards for heavy use.
This is a fun introduction to colours for children and is sure to become a favourite.
Pat Pledger

Rabbit's hop by Alex Rance

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Illus. by Shane McG. Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760524449.
(Age: 3-8) Recommended. Themes: Friendship, Persistence, Self-Belief. This is AFL player Alex Rance's second book and it features a couple of the characters from his first, Tiger's Roar. Evidently inspired by being a team sportsman, both of his books are about being a good friend, working hard and having fun. Jack Rabbit is the best hopper on Rabbit Island. He is also the best carrot chomper and the almost best zigzagger. All the little rabbits look up to him and he is a perfect role-model: 'If you work hard, be kind, and enjoy yourselves, you will do great things'. Jack loved his life on Rabbit Island but he feels ready for a new challenge. One day a message in a bottle floats over to him. It's his cousin Roo inviting him to come over to Big Island for a new adventure. It won't be easy to get there but with the encouragement of his friend Zigga and remembering his own advice to the little rabbits he decides to go for it. He zig zags across the icebergs and jumps over the waves. He stops to help a whale caught in a fishing net and in return the whale gives him a lift to Big Island. As they get closer Jack begins to worry, 'What if I don't like Big Island? . . . What if I'm not good enough?', but once he arrives, he finds Tiger and becomes excited about the adventure ahead of him. This is wonderfully written and parents and teachers will love the healthy social and emotional messages it contains. I particularly love the repeated mantra (work hard, be kind, and enjoy yourself) and the use of the word philosophy. It is so great for children to know that they have a choice in how they see the world and the guidelines they choose to follow in living their life and interacting with others. It reminds little ones that being good at something is great but being kind, working hard and having fun is much more important. Jack Rabbit is a great role-model; he is talented but he isn't conceited or boastful. He worries and has self-doubt just like everyone, he supports his friends and he is kind to all those around him. The illustrations are bright, crisp and spot on. This is perfect for fans of Tiger's Roar, little sportspeople and all children who aspire to new adventures.
Nicole Nelson

A good girl's guide to murder by Holly Jackson

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Electric Monkey, 2019. ISBN: 9781405293181.
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. Themes: Mystery, Thriller, Murder, Diversity, Friendship. What a compelling mystery - one that was almost impossible to put down! Pippa Fitz-Ambobi decides to investigate the murder of schoolgirl Andie Bell as her final year research project. Even though the police had closed the case, based on evidence that her boyfriend Sal Singh had murdered her, Pippa has always had doubts and sets about interviewing suspects and family members in an effort to see if she can find evidence to prove his innocence.
In a tightly packed narrative, consisting of entries into her Extended Project report and narrative about what is happening every day, Pippa delves into the secrets of her small town and uncovers some shocking truths about the people that she thought she knew well. Highly organised and intelligent, Pippa, with the aid of Sal's brother Ravi, goes about the investigation in a systematic way that allows the reader to follow the clues and try and work out who did the murder, or if there was a murder. At the same time Pippa's humour helps to lighten the darkness of some of the evidence and there are some very sad moments as well.
There are lots of plot twists that will keep even seasoned mystery readers trying to unravel the truth, and both Pippa and Ravi are people that the reader would like to know. Pippa's view of people begins to change as she finds out things from the past and she is uncertain of who she can trust. And if Sal didn't murder Andie, how dangerous is her investigation?
This is a terrific thriller that will keep the reader on the edge, very unwilling to put it down until the case is unravelled. People who enjoyed One of us is lying by Karen McManus and There's someone inside your house by Stephanie Perkins will be sure to enjoy this as well, and I am really looking forward to more stories by Holly Jackson.
Pat Pledger

Lunchbox express by George Georgievski

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Plum, 2019. ISBN: 9781760784904.
(Age: 9 - Adult) Recommended. The cover promises 'healthy kids' lunches in 5 minutes' and the book delivers 30 days of kids' lunchboxes, beautifully illustrated with full page pictures of the featured lunches. There is something here for even the most fastidious eater, including some bonus adult lunchboxes that will prove to be really useful as well as recipes for International Fridays.
Right from the helpful Contents page, the reader is guided through this useful book starting with tools of the trade that will be needed to make the lunches visually appealing, including a melon baller and a ravioli cutter to make shapes, as well as other more common tools like a chef's knife and veggie peeler. The $50 shopping list covers 2 children's lunches for one week and ensures that all the necessary ingredients are available for the lunches. Using photos of the Bento-style lunchboxes to contain the food the author has shown what delicious lunches can be made in just 5 minutes. There is also a section of easy to follow recipes for things like breakfast muffins and vegetable doughnuts and a handy index finishes off a worthwhile book.
The colourful illustrations make this a stand-out recipe book that is sure to inspire people to make truly mouth-watering lunches.
Pat Pledger

Secrets of a schoolyard millionaire by Nat Amoore

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Penguin, 2019, ISBN: 9780143796374.
(Age: 8-12) Themes: Wealth, Millionaires, Money, Humour. What would you do if you found a million dollars? Would you help your family, your friends and classmates? Ten-year-old Tess Heckleston is the middle child in a rather chaotic family, her dad calls their place the Heckleston Hothouse. Tess is an entrepreneur; she's always planning her next business venture accompanied by her best friend Toby. Her small bedroom at the top of the house overlooks their dodgy neighbour Scotty's place and Tess often observes the strange people visiting him. Imagine her surprise when Scotty hides a large bag in her backyard treasure chest, just before the police arrest him!
Tess's choices from this moment on, take us on a wild and crazy ride, with loads of fun and creative adventures. Toby provides a voice of reason; he tries to be her moral compass, questioning her decisions. They need to be careful, to not arouse suspicions as she tries to help others with this windfall. When her younger sister is hospitalised with complications from her diabetes, Tess and Toby decide to spread a little love to the other children in the ward. Donating money is hard, and adults become very suspicious about kids with a large handful of notes.
Tess transforms Kathy the homeless woman who lives in the park, changing her into a look-alike of her mum and they fool the bank setting up an account, depositing the money and begin to share the wealth. Tess organises a home in the park for Kath, hundreds of kids buy Lego sets and build her a haven. Toby's two mums own a print shop and he's a whiz at Photoshop, creating flyers for their schemes and something extra special to help with the final events. Things come to a screeching halt when Tess finds her mum has disappeared, she's locked in the basement of the theatre where she works. Scotty is out on bail and on the hunt for his money. How will Tess and Toby right the wrongs and discover what is important in their lives?
Author Nat Amoore's Secrets of a schoolyard millionaire is written in a humorous, fast-paced style, includes loads of movie references, fun asides and tips for budding entrepreneurs - think puppies. An exciting read-aloud for middle primary classes, opening conversations about Tess and her decisions. Students can open dialogue about the protagonist's rights, responsibilities and ethics.
Rhyllis Bignell

Up to something by Katrina McKelvey

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Illus. by Kirrili Lonergan. EK Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781925335705. 32pp., hbk.
A sign on the door of the hardware store catches Billy's eye - it's for a great billycart race! It doesn't matter that Billy doesn't have a billycart because he has heard his Dad banging, drilling and sawing in his shed so many times that he is excited about what they could build together. He is even more excited when his Dad agrees and they begin work together. But excitement turns to disappointment when his dad appoints him as his 'special helper' fetching and carrying the tools and materials, rather than using them. And even though he gets promoted to 'assistant' because it sounds more important, the duties don't change and Billy is soon bored with menial tasks like the sweeping his dad gets him to do. He had dreams of them working side by side, building something magnificent. But as he sweeps he has an idea and while Dad is busy measuring and sawing, Billy is doing the same . . .
Billy's story is that of so many youngsters - wanting to get in and be like their dads but being assigned to the sidelines - that it will resonate with young readers who are more interested in making and doing than watching. Lonergan's gentle illustrations that are so rich in detail echo the relationship between Billy and his dad offering a story that could be a lesson for dads about not underestimating the talents and skills of their offspring.
From a STEM perspective there is plenty of scope to explore creating plans for billycarts, but if readers look carefully at the elements of Billy's cart they might be encouraged to look at everyday objects differently. What else could a laundry basket or an old pair of roller skates become? Lots of scope for creative thinking embedded in a story that is just a joy to read in itself.
Barbara Braxton

A grain of hope by Nicola Philp

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Illus. by Aldy Aguirre. Publishink Press, 2019. ISBN: 9780648348641.
(Age: 5+) Recommended. Themes: Refugees, Dogs, War, Abuse. Picking up a small publisher's book is always fraught for a reviewer. Sourcing that book can be difficult for a librarian with limited time so other considerations necessarily inform the review. But this one is worth seeking out.
The story presented in A grain of hope is told in a different way, its illustrations arresting and the whole evokes a poignancy unable to be shaken off.
On each side of the double page a story is told. On the left hand page (verso) is the tale of a dog, Dok, while the right hand page (recto) shows the tale of a child, Hanan. Each page reflects the changes in the lives of Hanan and the puppy. After a warm comforting childhood for both, Dok must learn a new house, away from its mother, while Hanan is aware that her family is troubled.
As time passes, Dok tries to avoid the pain inflicted upon her, while Hanan learns of the deaths of some of her family.
Their stories come together as a van arrives for them both: Dok is taken to an animal rescue facility, while Hanan and her family try to escape the war around them.
The abuse of the dog on the verso is contrasted with the increasing touches of war on the recto.
After this the comparison between Dok and Hanan is even more confronting. The dog is treated well, staying in its cage until a kind generous family comes and adopts her. While on the recto, Hanan is being transferred from one boat to another in the arms of her mother, until they are put behind bars in a detention facility with no idea of what is happening or where they will go.
The situation for Dok and Hanan are now reversed.
Readers will understand the message of the book without prompting: that we treat our refugees less than dogs. Both Hanan and Dok have similar stories until the end, when one is taken into the heart of the family, and the other relegated to life in detention.
Our obligation to take refugees into our country has been relegated to a political act by our governments, unwilling to compromise. This situation is presented in many books published recently (Room on our rock, Mediterranean, Boy at the back of the class, Wisp, Waves, Displaced etc) telling of the refugee impasse in Australia and A grain of hope fits well with these to encourage readers to look outside their own safe home and welcome those who do not have one.
Just as the story is different, so too are the illustrations. This artist from the Phillipines uses a wash of water colour to give his drawings an extra sadness. They have an ethereal quality, some almost lost on the page, which makes them memorable and underlines the pathos of Hunan's dreadful situation.
Readers will instantly empathise with Hanan's situation, being handed over the side of a ship, found by a Navy patrol boat and then relegated to a position behind bars, her misery plain for all to see.
Fran Knight