New Frontier, 2018. ISBN 9781925594263
(Age: 5-7) Recommended. Themes: Cooking. Cyclones. Courage. Family
life. Ten-year-old Sage Cookson travels with her famous TV chef
parents Ginger and Basil all over Australia and the world. In each
new destination, the crew film her parents tasting new foods, eating
at popular restaurants and promoting the local cuisine.
Townsville is their new destination and Sage is excited about
swimming at the beach and sightseeing. Her best friend Lucy is a
little jealous until Sage shows her the amount of school work their
teacher has assigned. There's even a research project on extreme
weather and when Sage checks the forecast and realises that Cyclone
Riley is rapidly approaching the Queensland coast.
Sage remains at the hotel completing all her homework while her mum
and dad film segments of their show. Townsville is preparing for the
extreme weather, clearing debris, stocking up and preparing
shelters. Even their hotel manager and the staff clear out the
stockrooms in case of emergency. There's time for swimming in the
safety of the hotel pool and some delicious seafood meals before
Cyclone Riley hits the city.
There's no mystery to solve in Stormy weather, instead we
see the family working together, sheltering in the hotel during the
cyclone and helping the community afterwards. Sage and her family
cook up a huge seafood feast for all the community and the helpers
to say thank you.
Sally Murphy's Sage Cookson's books are just right for the
newly independent reader, someone who enjoys cooking, adventure and
family fun. A delicious recipe for Mango Cheesecake Dessert Cups is
included as well.
Rhyllis Bignell
Woo's wonderful world of Maths by Eddie Woo
Macmillan, 2018. ISBN 9781760554217
Themes: Mathematics. This is not a conventional book about Maths
which would normally have more numbers than letters. In fact, there
aren't a lot of numbers in this book. Rather, it is a collection of
essays which explain the way Maths is used in life.
The book looks at the way in which Maths is really all about
patterns rather than about numbers. It explains concepts such as how
a computer works, the golden sequence and the periodic table of
numbers.
Woo builds impressive cases for the explanation of Maths in our
lives, but this may not be an easy book to digest if you are not
interested in the subject. Woo is enthusiastic in his storytelling,
using card tricks, conspiracy theories, teacups and other phenomena
to plead his case.
Not for anyone who is Maths-phobic but will appeal to those who love
Maths!
Donna Isgar
Girltopia by Hilary Rogers
Scholastic, 2018. ISBN 9781742994581
Recommended. Themes: Coming-of-age. Set in Melbourne, a virus wreaks
havoc on the men and boys within the city. Clara is front and centre
to the information as her Mum is a lead Doctor on solving the
problem. Not keen on waiting for her Mum and the other Doctors for a
solution, Clara is determined to step in and locate her Dad and see
what can be done. She drags her best friend, Arabella and a family
friend, Izzy, to assist in her mission.
Clara shows us what a strong-minded girl with great support can
achieve.
This is a fast-paced, exciting novel with a balance of intrigue and
personal journey. Clara's physical and emotional development is
sensitively portrayed.
It explores female coming-of-age issues, amid the action of the
story.
Donna Isgar
Midnight at the library by Ursula Dubosarsky
Ill. by Ron Brooks. NLA Publishing, 2018. ISBN 9780642279316
(Age: All) Highly recommended. Themes: Libraries, Books, History of
books, Reading, Illustrative technique. This sumptuously created
book, published to celebrate 50 years of the building of the
National Library of Australia in Canberra, has brought together the
talents of two of Australia's most creative artists in Ursula
Dubosarsky and Ron Brooks. Dubosarsky's story charting the history
of the book is riveting, taking the reader across the years through
every story's beginnings as a head full of words to its being
written down and printed. As a book it travels by horseback and
train, it moves over desert and sea, it is opened and read, given,
taken and sometimes forgotten. It is lost and found, buried, dug up
and retrieved, almost burnt, but saved until it finally reaches the
shelves of a library, safe for all time, available to everyone.
In telling this story in sparse, lyrical prose, with several lines
repeated through the book, Dubosarsky extols the timeless quality of
the book, its place in the human pantheon, its journey through the
millennia being involved with people along the way: readers and
printers, writers and lovers of books, but also those who would see
it harmed.
Two children come into the library at midnight, walking up the
stairs to a dark and secluded place where the book is kept high on a
shelf, its gold gleaming in the moonlight, ready to be taken down
and read. And it is pure gold, an item of the highest value,
something to be treasured and shared, gold for all time.
Brooks' illustrations are there to be treasured, as he shadows well
known artists such as Escher and Van Gogh, but brings his own award
winning talents to the book with his depiction of the little gold
book which he developed. He also shows the Nazi book burning, the
development of the printing press, a man traveling by donkey in the
desert, and on the last page but one, an image of the National
Library of Australia we know so well from its logo. The marvellous
endpapers will delight children and adults alike as they peruse the
many shelves of books, while every page cries out for closer
attention, the eyes taking in its overall impact, then looking at
the detail and absorbing the minutiae of Brooks' imagination. Every
reader will be engrossed by the wonderful world of the book within
these pages.
Fran Knight
POWman: Unleash the Hero Within by Dave Tabain and Nadia Worland
Ill. by Shane Ogilvie. POWman book 1. Harbour Publishing, 2018, ISBN
9781925796018
(Age: 8-12) Recommended. Subjects: Bullying, Resilience. Dave POW
Tabain is a motivational speaker and fitness challenge master who
has made it his mission to help people become their best selves. He
has used his personal experiences to develop a three-step plan to
combat bullying.
Stu is the new kid at school, he's quiet and finds it hard to make
friends. When Dave and his mate Bray observe Johno and his crew
bullying Stu, at first, they stand by and do nothing. Dave feels
ashamed of his lack of action as his parents taught him how to deal
with bullies. At recess, Stu is surrounded by the bullies and they
push him around. Pics, memes and a video of this are quickly posted
and shared online.
Instead of concentrating on his Maths, Dave writes down his POW plan
for helping Stu. Level 1 focuses on POW - the power of words to
build up instead of bring down. Dave's dad's advice is key: 'what
you think about yourself is way more important that what other
people think about you.' Dave adds all the awesome things he's
noticed about his mate: his guitar playing at assembly and he's won
the regional writing comp. Dave's Level 2 is POW - Passion over
worry, how to get past the tough times and tell a teacher or adult
if you need help. His plan continues with Level 3 POW - Play Our Way
work together, look out for each other and don't let the bully's
crew single you out. Stu doesn't want anything to do with Dave and
his plan at first, however they test it out at the afternoon
basketball game with surprising results.
Shane Ogilvie's close-up cartoons add humour and insight to POW
MAN's inspirational plan. Dave Tabain's easy to read graphic novel
gives students recognisable scenarios and relatable situations they
can discuss. The book gives structured actions for combatting
bullying. POWman: Unleash the Hero Within is an excellent
resource for classes across the Lower and Middle Primary grades to
use as part of their Health and Wellbeing programs.
Rhyllis Bignell
The Word by William Lane
Transit Lounge, 2018. ISBN 9781925760088
(Age: Adult - Senior secondary) As its title suggests, this novel is
centred on the human construction of language, specifically
reflecting on the way in which words form our thoughts and our
speech, thus affecting our consciousness in terms of how we perceive
both word and meaning. Starting off with a group of people who form
a new cult, The Word, led by Kenric, previously a very successful
and innovative advertising guru, this group of like-minded
individuals are portrayed by the writer as obsessively attached to
words and meaning.
Lane structures his narrative to plunge us into the busy world of a
large city and then moves the narrative to the balmy beach-side
where this cult chooses to live. It seems that they must not just
follow that leader, as we see in the bible stories, but actually
live with him, worshipping at his feet as it were. The house and its
environs are of secondary concern to the first group of rather
dissimilar individuals who seem to prefer to listen, rapt, to the
leader, and to participate in long discussions about words.
This man is more recently recognized for his brilliance in the
advertising world, particularly for his unusual aptitude for the
imaginative creation of slogans and inspired choice of words. What
becomes important to the group is living together and discussing
meaning, importance, structure and variations on words, in the
ordinary speech of everyday life, and in the meanings we attribute
to all language.
Lane deftly elicits a response in us that mirrors that of some
members of the group who become tired of the inane behaviour of some
characters. At the heart of the novel is the brilliant wordsmith,
Kenric, who leads the way like a new messiah, and is suitably
worshipped for his clever and apt use of words, both in his previous
work in advertising, where he was phenomenally successful, and in
his leadership of The Word.
Odd, satirical and rich with wisdom, this satire on the modern world
of the 'idea', albeit this time a cult of word-worshipping, and
indeed of the worshipping of the imaginative wordsmith, shows both
sides of the world of ideas: that of the inventor, who, one
character said, 'threw it all away for an idea', and that of his
followers, the acolytes. This insightful novel would be more likely
to appeal to older readers, as there is little action and much talk,
which is, after all, the very point of The Word.
Liz Bondar
The Lost Magician by Piers Torday
Quercus, 2018. ISBN 9781786540515
(Age: 9-12) Themes: Good and Evil, Fantasy. The year is 1945 and
Simon, Patricia, Evelyn and Larry have survived the London Blitz and
experienced the destructive effects of the bombings on their schools
and housing. They are sent off to the countryside while their
parents search for a new residence. Secretly, they have been chosen
to participate in the classified 'Magician Project' to discover if
magic is real and can be used as a powerful force by the Government.
On arrival, young Larry disappears in the old country house and
discovers a secret carved wooden door leading into The Library. Here
there are three sections of books, Read, Unread and Never Read. Of
course, he's selects a book and is swept into a magical kingdom led
by a fairy knight flying on a tiger-winged butterfly. His siblings
do not believe his wild tales about the magical kingdom, preferring
to swim and explore the countryside around Barfield Hall. When
Evelyn discovers the secret portal, she chooses a different section
and is drawn into the Never Reads world - Folio, ruled by evil
secretary Jana and her silver robots. Evie makes a pact to return
with the rest of her siblings to assist in the evil plans to destroy
the fantasy characters and fantasy world.
Torday includes so many recognisable elements, blood drops revealing
hidden texts, giant talking trees, assistance by fairy tale
creatures, here the Three Bears help in their rescue. His central
theme differs from that of C. S. Lewis, the battle is fought between
knowledge and imagination: Jana believes in a factual world filled
with numbers. She delights in turning, giants, fairies and other
magical creatures into strings of data. There is the difficult and
dangerous quest to find the Magician. The author imbues the
characters with a deeper sense of self, Evelyn - Evie struggles with
her allegiances and her trouble memories of her school being bombed.
In The Lost Magician, Guardian children's fiction prize
winner Piers Torday's decision to pay homage to C. S. Lewis and his
Narnia Chronicles, delivers a very familiar format. He has
added Tolkien touches, included recognisable fantasy characters and
common fantasy tropes. This is an interesting junior novel, one for
fans of the genre.
Rhyllis Bignell
Competing for the Cup by Bobbi JG Weiss
Ride series, Book 2. Candlewick Entertainment, 2018. ISBN
9780763698553
(Age: Teenagers+) Recommended. Competing for the Cup is the
second book in the Ride series, and is based on a TV show
aired on Nickelodeon. Competing for the Cup follows Kit
Bridges after her arrival to Covington, an elite equestrian boarding
school in England. Thankfully her father is there with her, and
together they are helping each other deal with the death of Kit's
mother. In this second instalment, Kit has to prepare for the House
Cup competition, and she is raring to prove just how far herself and
her horse TK have come. But life isn't always that simple: Friends
and frenemies acting stranger than usual, someone leaving
encouraging sticky notes with tips for bonding with TK for her, and
lastly catching her Dad on a dinner date. Kit may have more problems
than she can handle. This story explores life issues and the
struggles one can have when moving to a new home, as well as other
teenage issues surrounding friendships and first loves. Kit is
strong minded but her emotions seem to get in the way of her
decision making at times. Still recovering from the events from the
first installment she tries her hardest to be normal at this new
school she now calls home. Kit's father Rudy is portrayed as a
strong father figure to not only Kit but some of the other students
as well. But he seems to be ready to move on in his romance life
sooner than Kit expected. Lastly, since there are a number of other
characters in the TV show that the story follows, the author does
well to balance the chapters between them all. Overall, I believe
this to be a good series for teenagers and would recommend the
series to teenagers and above.
Kayla Raphael
Living and loving in diversity edited by Maria Pallotta-Chiarolli
Wakefield Press, 2018. ISBN 9781743055953
(Age: 16+) Recommended. Non-fiction. Subtitled An anthology of
Australian multicultural queer adventures, this book brings
together the memories and personal stories of many LGBTIQ people,
some of whom are well-known names many Australians will recognise,
others perhaps not previously encountered. My first impression on
perusing the contents was that there were so many stories, perhaps
too many. But it is a good thing really because the collection
provides such a wide array of voices and experiences, that the
reader soon discovers there is no one typical story, no stereotype
they may have imagined; the stories are as diverse as any random
group in the community. People come from different backgrounds,
different cultures, they have had different childhood experiences -
some positive and affirming, others sadly too often have experienced
bullying and fear. For many there was confusion and anxiety as they
gradually explored their sexual identity. Hopefully this book will
go a long way to help generate better understanding and acceptance.
Each reader will find stories that are of particular interest or
that resonate more strongly for them. For me, I liked the new
insight gained from reading 'A QPoC Manifesto: Fighting for
invisibility in a world that loves to talk' by Nonno and Aroosa. The
writers confront the Western notion of 'coming out' as the best way
to live, almost a rite of passage that all LGBTIQ people are
supposed to achieve. They argue that sometimes it is better not to
come 'out of the closet' but to invite people into a trusted space
when they are ready to be a part of it. For many whose cultural
upbringing places such a high value on family and family
expectations, it is not the best thing to confront and challenge.
Some may choose to maintain a balancing act between privacy and
'outness'. Their suggestions for how to become an awesome friend is
to respect that privacy including in social media - particularly
don't post photos of people without their permission.
For others social media has been the means of overcoming social
isolation, discovering new friends, support groups and a community
of acceptance. Another poignant story questions the ethics of the
Western insistence on performing surgery on 'Partial Androgen
Insensitivity Syndrome' or intersex children before they are able to
consent, insisting that they must be brought up as one or other
gender, whereas other cultures may be more accepting of their
'special person of both sexes for whom the gods had a special
place'.
There are many more themes explored in these stories: the
experiences of people with a disability, the impact of AIDS, and
experience of racism in the LGBTIQ community. However what comes
through most strongly is that despite the difficulties they may have
gone through, these are people who have found who they are, they
have confidence and self-acceptance, and they have found love and
acceptance from others.
It is a positive and affirming book that may be helpful to anyone
struggling with their sexual identity, and also for others to gain
better understanding.
Helen Eddy
Noni the Pony rescues a joey by Alison Lester
Allen and Unwin, 2018. ISBN 9781760293123 (Ages: 2-5) Recommended. Australian animals, Homes, Rhyming Stories. Alison Lester doesn't produce anything but top quality children's books and this is no exception. The follow up to Noni the Pony and Noni the Pony goes to the Beach is fun, playful and simple. The rhyme is effortless and reads perfectly aloud. The story is the oft-repeated one in children's books of a lost animal looking for his family (the most famous of which is Have You Seen My Mother?) but here the lost animal is being helped by Noni and her friends, rather than wandering alone. So, Noni, Coco and Dave are out walking when they meet someone 'small with a very long tail'. It's a baby wallaby named Joe and he wants to go home. Showing care and kindness, the friends go searching and ask a cast of Australian animals as they pass. The animals' dialogue and the illustrations give some facts about their behaviours and habitats (sleepy koala, high in the tree with baby on the back, father emu guarding his young chicks in the grass, etc.). Eventually they find Joe's wallaby family and a celebration ensues as they all 'hop and bop by the light of the moon'. This is classic Alison Lester: a happy ending, beautiful illustrations and a lovely message about how we should treat everyone around us with kindness and respect. It is also about recognising and celebrating what makes us unique. This will be loved by Noni the Pony fans, Alison Lester fans and those who appreciate gentle stories that remind us of the important things in life: friendship and kindness. Nicole Nelson
Preservation by Jock Serong
Text Publishing Company, 2018. ISBN 9781925773125
(Adult - Senior Secondary) Recommended. Themes: Sydney Cove (Ship),
Shipwrecks, Sydney (N.S.W.) - History - 1851-1901. It was hard to
put down this epic tale of survival, based on a true story, which
began as a sail journey by an illicit rum trading ship, the Sydney
Cove from India, subsequently shipwrecked on Preservation Island in
Bass Strait. Fourteen survivors, including an ex-convict named Figge
disguised as a tea merchant, Clark the supercargo and a group of
Indian seamen (lascars), attempted to make a small boat rescue trip
to the newly established convict settlement at Sydney Cove. Marooned
again, on the shores of the south east Australian mainland coast the
diminishing party were forced to walk hundreds of miles as far as
Wattamolla (south of Sydney). The mystery of what happened unfolds
as an enquiry is held and the three survivors, Figge, Clark and a
lascar boy, Srinivas, are interviewed by Lieutenant Joshua Grayling,
whose wife is also involved, at the climax.
Each short chapter uses the voice of one or more of the
participants, to unveil the murderous intent of one of the party, as
the survivors encounter an unknown environment occupied by
Aboriginal tribes. The author's characters are vivid and engaging
and an atmosphere of horror is created in an authentic setting. The
Australian landscape is wonderfully described and Aboriginal people
are sympathetically depicted.
The author's previous book On the Java Ridge won the Colin
Roderick Award for the best book of the year dealing with an aspect
of Australian life.
Paul Pledger
Seeker of the Crown by Ruth Lauren
Prisoner of Ice and Snow Book 2. Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN
9781681191331
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Valor risks everything to protect her
friends in this second book in a thrilling fantasy series that's Percy
Jackson meets Frozen.
'One month has passed since Valor broke her twin sister Sasha out of
jail. But the girl who imprisoned her to begin with - Princess
Anastasia - has gone missing. The queen, desperate to find her
daughter, asks Valor and Sasha to track Anastasia down and bring her
home.
But just as the girls and their friends embark on the search, the
queen also vanishes, throwing the realm into utter chaos. If Valor
can't restore order, she risks getting sent back to prison . . . and
tearing her newly reunited family apart once again. She must rely on
people she can't quite trust, as well as her own instincts, to
protect the people she holds dear.' (Publisher)
I could not put down Prisoner
of ice and snow, the first book in the series and this
was no exception. I found myself going to bed early to read as much
of it as I could before I fell asleep. It is fast paced, and I loved
the descriptive language that Lauren so cleverly intertwines into
the story. Despite this book being a sequel, it could in fact be
read as a stand-alone.
It is a great read for fantasy readers starting from age 10 and up.
Valor is an incredibly strong lead character and I love the fact she
is female. The plot is complex and continually twists and turns.
There is certainly no sexism in this book with both male and female
characters taking on the roles of archery, guards, royalty and
hunters. This is a welcome companion to the first book and a must
read.
Kathryn Schumacher
A monster in my house by The Umbilical Brothers
Ill. by Johan Potema. Puffin Books, 2018. ISBN 9780143791706
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Monsters, Humour. A story in verse
full of fun and anticipation will enthral younger children as they
scan the sumptuous illustrations with glee. From the first verse
telling the audience about the monster in his bedroom to the last
when the monster is revealed, children will be involved with the
journey around the rooms in the house looking for the monster, and
wondering whether it really exists. From bedroom to hallway,
kitchen, bathroom, dining room, study and living room, the four
lined verse cry out for prediction and joining in, for learning the
lines and calling them out, for telling the reader what to watch out
for, as the authors play with the reader, gathering pace until the
final reveal. Fun from start to finish, this beautifully illustrated
book will never rest long on the shelf.
The highly detailed illustrations by Potma, a Dutch painter and
illustrator, living in Berlin, will ensure children's eyes are
always drawn to the different monsters illustrated and what
surrounds them on each very different double page. I love the
endpapers with the range of faces each very different, enjoining the
readers to try out their own spooky faces to scare each other with.
And I love the rooms, particularly the kitchen with its mass of
detail to take in.
Readers will ask questions about what they are scared of, drawing a
lesson from the book, that fears are often groundless, and facing
them will show how shallow they really are. The last double page
shows the readers the clues they may have seen as the book
progressed, leading to the answer about what the monster really is.
And the clever illustrative hand with the pencil will make the
readers laugh even more when realising the double joke being played
on them.
Fran Knight
Athena the story of a Goddess by Imogen and Isobel Greenberg
Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408892497
(Age: 8+) Greek myths, Athena, Gods and goddesses, Women. Athena the
story of a Goddess, is a collaboration between the Greenberg
sisters, with Imogen retelling the story and Isabel providing the
arresting images. The tale of the goddess Athena is retold in comic
style, part Graphic Novel, part text, while the pages are filled
with illustrations full of the fire of her life reflecting the
images presented on Greek antiquities. Some pages are presented in
full comic mode, with illustrations bound by frames, and
conversation given in bubbles in the air, while others are presented
in larger amounts of text with some illustrations, but all is easily
read, the text and drawings conveying to all readers the tenor of
her life.
From the story of her birth when she appeared out of Zeus's skull!,
Athena soon made her headstrong self known. She was a strong, wise
woman who showed distinct favour to humans, frowned upon by the
other gods watching from Mount Olympus.
In this publication, we see her outwit Poseidon to have a city named
after her (Athens), destroy the life of one more talented than her
(Arachne) changing her into a spider, challenge her sisters to charm
a shepherd by the name of Paris, and watch over Odysseus on his
return home from the Trojan Wars. The lives of gods and goddesses
intersect with humans in these stories, the gods and goddesses
having power of life and death over humans, and sometimes playing
with them like toys.
Athena's strength in dealing with others who cross her path is
captivating, and the retelling is accessible to all young readers,
who will enjoy the black outlined illustrations.
A double page at the start gives quick biographies of the main
protagonists in the tale of Athena, and the endpapers show the
illustrations seen on Greek vases, used as a reference for Isabel's
illustrations.
Fran Knight
White Rabbit, Red Wolf by Tom Pollock
Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781406378177
(Age: 14+) Recommended. This book is brilliant, gripping and horrifying - all at
once! Right from the start we are gripped by the anxiety of the
narrator, and this does not let up at all. We are positioned to
wonder whom we can trust? Told episodically, this narrative has
chapters named for the thoughts and action that occur. Plunging us
into the lives of some members of one family, who are clearly very
clever people, albeit distracted and secretive, Pollock takes us on
a journey of fear, confusion, and a sense that terrible and
catastrophic events may happen at any time and they do.
Shocking, puzzling, and heartachingly sad, this story of a family
who are brilliant people, a family that does not seem like one,
however. This family of very, very intelligent people who can
explore, explain and expose what is happening to them and the world
around them, but fear the consequences, appear to be in trouble.
Two adolescents, a boy and a girl, we realize very quickly, possess
outstanding abilities to rationalize, explore, explain and
comprehend the situation in which they find themselves, a situation
that portends absolute disaster, that challenges them to trust
no-one, not their mother nor their sibling. His extraordinary
intellect enables seventeen-year old Peter Blankman to grasp the
threat that he faces, and the threat is his life. As the novel
focuses mostly on the way in which his use of mathematical logic and
computer-like reasoning enables him to slowly piece together the
events that have occurred both in the past and in the present, which
is the narrative structure of interwoven chapters, except for the
opening chapter, named ENCRYPT, with these letters encrypted to read
YICMXKQ. Already we are alerted to the model of thought that imbues
this novel with cleverness, fear, betrayal, murder and a seeming
lack of love and loyalty within one family.
Ultimately, this is a story of the failure of a family to be what
families should be, that is, to protect, nurture and guide the
children to live good lives, not selfish lives, but lives that
enable them to be honourable, to help others, to be part of a social
web that protects and nurtures children. The children in this story
are sacrificed for the state, or at least that appears to be so.
The narrative delivers a hard and fear-filled world for one fearful
child, albeit a brilliant one, whose actions reflect his isolation
when things go amiss and his family are not there. He and his twin
sister appear to have been abandoned, the adults in their lives
missing, and they themselves endangered. After a series of murders,
this family is catapaulted into terror. Using their brilliant minds
to decode the events and the messages they perceive, the twins work
to decode the events so that they can survive.
This powerful new novel will disturb, intrigue, fascinate and
unsettle the reader. Tom Pollock's work on the perils of espionage,
and the threat of death for anyone who reveals what is happening, is
situated in the centre of a modern world where fear of exposure and
death looms for those who work in government, and correspondingly
threatens the lives of their children.
Elizabeth Bondar
