Reviews

Sonam and the silence by Eddie Ayres

Ill. by Ronak Taher, Allen and Unwin, 2018. ISBN 9781760293666
(Ages: 5+) Highly recommended. Themes: Afghanistan, Taliban, Music, Children in war. Denied music at home after the Taliban take over Kabul, Sonam is told by her brother to wear a headscarf once she turns seven. She is now expected to hep her mother who sew shirts and dresses to sell at the market. Selling gum one day Sonam runs through the backstreets to home, but hears a sound she has never heard before. Following the sounds she comes to a walled garden of mulberry trees and finds an old man playing a musical instrument. She is captivated, the music seems to come from the earth, from her heart and she returns each day. He gives her her own instrument, a rubab made from a piece of the mulberry tree. She is able to hum to herself some of the music she has heard and this keeps the sound of war from her ears. But her brother, hearing her hum, bans music, taking her rubab from her. Her world becomes silent.
But planes and foreign soldiers appear, and things change. She goes to the old man's garden and finds him gone, his trees almost dead. She picks the last pomegranate and plants its seeds in her own garden. Digging she comes across her rubab buried by her brother, and so plays it again in the old man's garden. The old man is still there in the music, in her heart.
A modern allegory reflecting the power of music in one's life, Ayres has used his time living in Kabul, teaching music to children uprooted by war, with compassion. His story not only shows how music fills the heart, but also shows us the lives of children besieged by war, unable to learn that most basic of emotional tools, music.
The illustrations by Iranian-Australian film maker and designer, Taher, are wonderful, using a variety of techniques to show Sonam living through the worst of times, supported by her love of music. Torn tissue paper is used to build up collages, the images reflecting Ronak's Iranian background.
This is a wonderful read aloud, and will engender much discussion about the healing power of music.
Fran Knight

A song only I can hear by Barry Jonsberg

Allen and Unwin, 2018. ISBN 9781760630836
(Age: Secondary) Recommended for a library collection that has a LGBTIQ+ section. Themes: Anxiety; Friendship; Family relationships; Love and relationship; Transgender children; Secrets; Identity. Darwin author, Barry Jonsberg, has perfected the art of describing quirky children and teens. The bestselling author of My Life as an Alphabet has introduced the life and voice of a young teen, Rob, who is struggling with an array of issues and survives with the help of a quirky and faithful friend and family members with their own eccentricities. The story begins with a quote attributed to Oscar Wilde, which may give a hint to later revelations, but it also introduces the challenge of dealing with anxiety and panic attacks. The humour that is infused through the story as Rob attempts to make himself known to the new girl at school (who according to his Grandad has a name like an 80's band), to promote vegetarianism at school and beyond, and to learn how to communicate with his family, is gentle and endearing. Rob's trials though are extended through text challenges from a mystery source, with instructions to overcome the fears that hold him back. Grandad is also a mystery, and his Vietnam war PTSD appears as a backdrop to partially explain the cause of his foul-mouth (expressed as 'blanketty' in the text) and his secrecy about his own history and Rob's heritage. The story of a growth of confidence in Rob also has sadness woven through it.
The final section of the book where we understand that the book itself is almost a re-imagining of the real circumstances for Rob, comes as a revelation of the struggles for those who do not fit in society because of their gender orientation. It is gentle and witty and yet very deeply reflective. The power of literature to confront and inform is very definitely evident in this book, and it cleverly twists our expectations.
Carolyn Hull

The Wizards of Once : Twice Magic by Cressida Cowell

Wizards of Once, book 2. Hodder Children's Books, 2018. ISBN 9781444941425
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. At the start of this book we find our unlikely heroes locked up: Xar in a prison that nobody gets out of, Wish in the punishment cupboard of her mother's warrior fortress. The king witch is free and after them and will do anything in his power to get them. He wants the magic that works on iron. Xar and Wish manage to find each other again and head off to continue to try and get rid of Xar's witch stain. Xar and Wish meet some new friends on this adventure who help them along the way. On their journey they learn things about themselves and their parents that changes their view on life.
The book has a mystery narrator and it adds an extra element of fun to the narrative as you try and work out who is telling the story. It shows that parents are not always right, and that they should listen to their children, as sometimes children see things from a different point of view that can be very insightful. Also parents are just trying to do what is bests for their children.
I highly recommend this book for readers aged 10+. If you enjoyed the first book you won't be able to put this one down. I can't wait for the next book in the series to find out if Xar and Wish are successful in their next quest.
Karen Colliver

Lucia and Lawrence by Joanna Francis

New Frontier, 2018. ISBN 9781925594157
(Age: 3+) Recommended. Themes: Friendship, Difference. "Lucia is creative, and Lawrence loves numbers. Can they find a middle ground and stay friends?" (Publisher)
This is a book about friendship. Friends can be unpredictable and not always act like you want but true friends are there for you when you need them most. Friends don't have to be the same and like everything in the same way; they just have to support each other to bring out their best.
This book highlights that we each have our strengths and when we put our strengths together with our friends we can achieve anything.
The illustrations in this book are clear and support the story being told.
This is a simple story showing that it doesn't matter how different two people are, they can still become friends.
I recommend this book for 3+.
Karen Colliver

Mallee Boys by Charlie Archbold

Wakefield Press, 2018. ISBN 97817430550007
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. Themes: Siblings, Family, Death, Drought. Setting is everything in this story of one family's response to the tragic death of their wife and mother. Killed in a car accident in Melbourne, Ellie kept the household running, her husband and son working the marginal land in South Australia's mallee country. Older son, Josh helps his father after leaving school early, and younger son, Sandy is staying on at school, hoping to win a scholarship to further his studies.
The three now rub along together often unsuccessfully, as problems pile up. The farm is falling apart without mum: they have chops every night for tea, often the cause of arguments, Dad will not heed his sons' advice of using technology to map his farmwork, his machinery is old and outdated and the everpresent drought conditions put a strain on them all. Mum's death has not been accepted by any of them, the court verdict and suspended sentence a gall stuck in their throats. They are marking time: Dad began to clear out his wife's things but was stopped by Sandy, Josh often storms out of the house to stay with friends at an abandoned house on the edge of town.
Against this background, life goes on, Sandy applying for schools in Adelaide, making time to talk to a new girl in his class, Josh finding that he likes the girlfriend of his friend, Ryan.
But darker aspects of life in the country intrude: a car accident to which dad goes as an SES volunteer brings back memories he can no longer suppress, Ryan asks to store some of his things in the farm's shed, and later beats Josh up when he finds he has moved in on his girlfriend while rejections slips are posted to Sandy from the Adelaide schools. All three are under considerable stress and when Josh's girlfriend breaks off their developing relationship, things gather to a head.
This is a masterly look at three men in crisis, not talking to each other, relying on the daily routines to get them through each day. Each quietly feels some guilt at Ellie's death and it takes another accident for each to open up and finally come together. The setting is brilliantly reconstructed, offering another obstacle for each to surmount - the isolation a constant problem for each of them, as Sandy wants to further his eduction, Josh has a girlfriend two hours' drive away and they all need help that is not offered in the bush.
Fran Knight

The Harper Effect by Taryn Bashford

Pan Macmillan 2018. ISBN 9781760552091
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. Themes: Tennis, Competition. Harper is determined to make it in the tennis world, despite her namesake, 1940's tennis hopeful, Harper losing his tennis match in a record breaking eighteen minutes. But she loses all confidence in her ability when her long time coach quits, advising her to concentrate on doubles. Her best friend Jacob from next door, comforts her but he has just broken up with her sister, Aria, and is becoming closer to Harper, something Harper has longed for for many years.
After watching the Australian Open it was enlightening to read of the regime imposed on those young dedicated people we see on TV. This romantic novel gives background to the work these people do in getting themselves into the matches that matter, vying for a spot in the world rankings, finding a coach who fits their needs, and struggling with their own dips in confidence.
But for Hunter her relationship with her sister and Jacob are paramount, colouring her life while she trains and goes overseas to compete. She loves her closeness to Jacob, but feels she is betraying Aria, who still loves him. Her new coach, Milo teams her with Colt, a young brash, driven American who is prickly and defensive. But as time goes on, with the training regime given by Milo, their needs coincide, and they relax with each other. But when Aria wants to give up her dream of gaining admittance to the conservatory of music, unable to accept her failed relationship with Jacob, Harper's guilt increases, affecting everything she does.
This is an absorbing read, the setting is always fascinating, giving a reality to the lives of the tennis competitors we see on TV, but made more sympathetic by seeing them just as young adults, striving with their own growing up, with sometimes erratic family lives, some issues playing against their dreams of breaking into the tennis circuit. This will be eagerly picked up by secondary readers interested in how Harper manages her increasingly tangled relationships with Aria, Jacob and Colt, as well as her blossoming tennis career, although some readers may find that reading 374 pages requires stamina.
Fran Knight

The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal

Lady Astronaut book 2. St Martin's Press, 2018. ISBN 9780765378385
(Age: Adult-Senior secondary) Recommended. Themes: Science fiction, Women astronauts, Space colonies, Mathematicians, Gender stereotyping, Racism. This follows the heroine in the award winning The lady astronaut of Mars (2014). When a meteor decimates the U.S. and destroys the U.S. government, Elma York, a WASP pilot and mathematician, manages to fly her husband and herself to safety. She works out that the meteor will result to dire climatic change leading to extinction and this spearheads the International Aerospace Coalition attempt to put a man on the moon in an effort to find a place for humanity. To Elma's dismay, experienced women pilots are not included in the program and it is even harder for African-American women to join in, but it is inevitable that women must go in space as they are the ones who can have babies.
Elma is a strong, believable character and the gender stereotyping and racism is portrayed very well. Her struggle to be included is well documented and the reader is kept engrossed as she overcomes one obstacle after another while growing herself in her understanding of the issues facing African-American pilots and mathematicians. Readers who have read the non-fiction book Hidden figures : the true story of four black women and the space race by Margot Lee Shetterly, or viewed the film Hidden figures, based on the book, will see parallels in The Calculating stars, and those who enjoyed the book will be encouraged to find out more about the role of women in NASA.
Some sexual references may make this a book for older readers, although Elma's relationship with her husband is one of being valued and totally supported and provides a great role model of marriage. The cover shows women of all shapes and sizes and also overcomes stereotypes about women's shapes.
This is a beautifully written, well researched science fiction book and readers will be sure to want to follow Elma's journey in the next in the series The fated sky.
Pat Pledger

The Queen of Sorrow by Sarah Beth Durst

The Queens of Renthia book 3. HarperCollins, 2018. ISBN 9780062413383
(Age: 15+) Recommended. Themes: Fantasy. Ambition. Family. Durst brings her unique series to a satisfying conclusion in the third book in the series, following The queen of blood and The reluctant queen. Queen Daleina has been joined by Queen Naelin, both ruling the kingdom and trying to keep the evil nature spirits at bay. When Queen Naelin's children are kidnapped by the spirits, Naelin cares only for them and is prepared to sacrifice everything to get them back. She believes that Queen Merecot of Semo has been behind the kidnapping and is ready to go to war. However, Merecot has grandiose ambitions and all of Renthia is threatened by her actions.
This is an action packed book, while at the same time exploring the emotions and actions of a mother whose children have been taken. Queen Naelin has enormous power which hasn't been trained, and she is willing to burn the kingdom to get them back. Queen Daleina has to keep a calm head and look at the bigger picture while Queen Merecot is ambitious and devious. The scheming, politics and actions of the three women make for an interesting story. It is also fascinating to read a series that has older main characters with subtle romance, rather than the love triangles that sometimes feature in fantasy series.
I would recommend this series to fantasy readers who enjoy character driven plots and a fabulous forest setting where the inhabitants live in villages in the trees and fight off attacks by spirits.
Pat Pledger

Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas by Dav Pilkey

Dog Man book 5. Graphix, 2018. ISBN 9780545935173
(Age: 7+) Highly recommended. Another in the wonderful Dog Man series (others reviewed are Dog Man,  Dog Man unleashed, and Dog Man : A tale of two kitties ) this time a hilarious take on Lord of the Flies. Dog Man is called into action once again, but this time Petey plays a big role. Can he overcome his evil ways and become a hero when he is needed? With his cute little kitten clone telling him that he can change, you can never tell!
Once introduced to the Dog Man series, young readers can't get enough of the crime fighter. At the beginning of Dog Man: Lord of the fleas, is an introduction to the characters so that readers new to the story can catch up. The book is so funny that even adults will be constantly amused as they follow the adventures of Dog Man. I was especially taken with the little kitten's constant use of "Why?", and his strange Knock-knock jokes that Pilkey has cleverly incorporated as part of the plot. The reader will also empathise with Petey as he gradually tries to change - lots of poignant moments there.
Readers are in for a treat with the bonus information at the back, showing George and Harold reading The call of the wild by Jack London in preparation for the next book, Dog Man; Brawl of the wild, as well as showing How to draw The Bark Knight in 42 ridiculously easy steps, plus instructions for Cat Kid, Crunky, Lightning Dude, Piggy and Bub. Then there are details about how to read to your cat.
This is a fantastic, humorous book, sure to lift the spirits of any child and will appeal to all readers.
Pat Pledger

The Magic Pudding by Norman Lindsay

HarperCollins, 2018. ISBN 9781460756201
Written a century ago to settle an argument with his friend Bertram Stevens who believed children liked to read about fairies while Norman Lindsay believed they liked to read about food, The Magic Pudding is now celebrating its 100th anniversary with this new slipcover edition.
Written in four slices, it tells the story of Bunyip Bluegum the koala, Sam Sawnoff the penguin and Bill Barnacle the sailor who have a magic pudding called Albert who reforms into a whole pudding no matter how much of him is eaten.
Albert is cranky, has bad manners and is always demanding that he be eaten because that is the only thing gives him pleasure. As they travel together, they meet Possum and Wombat who want to have Albert for themselves and the newly-formed Noble Society of Pudding Owners then embark on a series of adventures trying to defend Albert from being stolen regardless of the dastardly tricks that the Pudding Thieves try.
With such an original, funny and intriguing plot it is no wonder that The Magic Pudding is considered one of five great children's classics in Australian literature along with Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, Blinky Bill, The Muddleheaded Wombat and Dot and the Kangaroo. This collector's edition also includes a section, 'From the Publisher's Archives' that contains a fascinating collection of correspondence between Norman Lindsay and his publishers, Angus and Robertson. The letters have come from the A and R Archives held in the Mitchell Library and were selected with the assistance of Lindsay's granddaughter, Helen Glad, who also wrote a short biography of him especially for this book.
Perfect for starting a child's collection of quality Australian stories so they learn about their literary heritage.
Barbara Braxton

Where does a giraffe go to bed? by Craig MacLean

HarperCollins, 2018. ISBN 9781460752272
(Age: Preschool) "When it's too dark to see, a koala sleeps in a tree."
Sleeping until tomorrow, a wombat snores in its burrow."
But where does a giraffe go to bed?
We all need to sleep but not everything curls up in a soft, warm bed like we do, so this story-in-rhyme with its repetitive question explores the sleeping habits of some of the creatures familiar to its preschool audience.
Set against a night sky palette, the illustrations are as perfect as the text to make a lullaby for bedtime, one that the young child will be able to recite within a couple of reads as they snuggle down and close the curtains on their day. And for those who are reluctant to settle they will begin to understand that everything needs to sleep, even the giraffe.
Loved it.
Barbara Braxton

In a house of lies by Ian Rankin

Inspector Rebus book 22. Orion, 2018. ISBN 9781409176893
(Age: Senior secondary - Adult) Highly recommended. Themes: Mystery. Detectives. Murder, Police corruption. When a missing investigator is found in the boot of a car, years after he went missing, it is in an area that was originally searched by the police. This looks bad for the police and is traumatic for the family. As the investigation unfolds, it turns out that there are mistakes and lies and Detective Inspector Siobhan Clarke turns to Rebus for information about the old case. She needs his help to curb a stalker who didn't believe that his nephew had murdered his girlfriend and wants the truth uncovered. But there are lies and cover-ups everywhere and Rebus could be in a fix.
In a house of lies reads quite well as a stand-alone for those who are not familiar with the Inspector Rebus series. I have missed several of the books but could easily pick up on the main characters who were all well described. Rebus is supposed to be retired and is suffering from emphysema, but cannot manage to stay away from any investigation that is going on. His police skills shine as he uses his in-depth background knowledge of people and places, cutting through red tape and ignoring threats from cops and crooks alike. DI Siobhan Clarke stands out as she chases up clues and withstands intimidation from her colleagues.
Set against the backdrop of an Edinburgh that wouldn't be familiar to the tourist, Rankin has produced another engrossing murder mystery that will keep the reader guessing to the final pages. The restructuring of the modern Police Scotland and the budget cuts facing the organisation provide an interesting background, as does the contrast between modern day policing with CCTV, the Internet and social media and the old policing ways of Rebus.
Everyone is telling lies and everyone has something to hide and the readers has to weave a way through them all.
In a house of lies is a welcome addition to the series which fans will be very happy with, and readers new to the series are in for a treat.
Pat Pledger

The Princess in Black and the Science Fair Scare by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale

Candlewick Press, 2018. ISBN 9780763688271
(Age: 5-8) Highly recommended. Themes: Fantasy. Princesses. Humour, STEM. Princess Magnolia is off to the Inter-kingdom Science Fair with her entry, a poster about seeds and plants. When she arrives, she sees all the things that her friends have made - Princess Honeysuckle has a mole habitat, Princess Orchid has a Bucket Boosting Teeter Totter and Tommy Wigtower has a talking volcano that turns out to be a goo monster that wants to take over the exhibits. The Princess in Black comes to the rescue.
Fans of the series will be delighted with the latest addition of this feisty, brave and clever heroine and children new to the books are in for a treat. Not only are there interesting displays for the Science Fair, the Princess in Black has to use her problem solving skills to defeat the monster, with a lot of help from her friends.
Readers will effortless learn some scientific facts (how to make a volcano explode, and how to distribute weight evenly) while having a laugh at the antics of the goo monster as it creates mayhem at the fair.
This is a great series: it is scattered with humorous illustrations by LeUyen Pham and these will bring a smile to the faces of any reader. Children will love the escapades of the Princess in Black and would have fun coming up with their own disguises and secret names.
Pat Pledger

Where in the wild by Poppy Bishop and Jonny Lambert

Little Tiger, 2018. ISBN 9781848699557
Inspired by Theodore Roosevelt saying, "The wildlife and its habitat cannot speak, so we must and we will", this book takes the young reader on a journey through the world's key habitats and introduces them to some of the creatures that live within them.
From rivers to jungles, the savannah, the desert, woodlands and the frozen extremes, familiar and not-so creatures make an appearance in colourful artwork and rhyming text. Using a double-page spread for each, the two-verse rhyme begins with an introduction to the habitat and then an inhabitant "speaks" to the reader about itself. The rest of the pages are filled with a collage of flora and fauna, each with a clever cutout featuring a creature that lives in the featured habitat but which can adapt to the succeeding one to entice the reader to keep turning, reading and learning. Some of these cutouts have text which encourages closer observation of the illustrations, making the reader engage more through this interactivity. The final message about habitat destruction and the need to protect what is left is very clear and ties in well with the initial quote.
Often, books from the northern hemisphere tend to feature the creatures with which children from that part of the world are familiar but this one spans the globe, although, thankfully, the polar region is confined to the Arctic so there is not the confusion of polar bears and penguins on the same page.
As well as being a comprehensive introduction to the world's habitats so young readers can learn that there is more to this planet than their immediate surroundings, its strong conservation message can also lead to inquiries about the inhabitants of their local area and their protection and promotion; the impact of humans through the destruction of habitat, particularly deforestation; the life cycles, needs and adaptation of creatures as their habitats change (such as described in Moth); and even individual responsibility and actions that could be taken to preserve what we have left.
With the drought in eastern Australia drawing our attention to the land beyond the city environs, this is a great opportunity to have a look at the broader world and how it copes or doesn't, and this would be an excellent introductory text.
Barbara Braxton

The LEGO Book - 60th Anniversary Edition by Daniel Lipkowitz

DK, 2018. ISBN 9780241314227
(Age: All) In 1932 and facing the Great Depression which was engulfing the world, Danish master carpenter Ole Kirk Kristiansen closed his carpentry business and turned his attention to making wooden toys for children. Fifteen years later, after World War II and all its development with technology and materials, particularly plastic, Kristiansen purchased an expensive plastic injection-moulding machine and his wooden toys were now made of plastic. Using a name that is a contraction of leg godt which means "play well" in Danish, the LEGO group was established and by 1954, the idea of a building brick that locked together firmly so they were stable but which also came apart easily was launched with the Town Plan range of construction sets. Finally, in January 1658 the block was perfected, the patent lodged and the rest, as they say, is history.
And it is the history of that block from its evolution as a plan for a toy that could be used to build virtually anything to that realisation that is the focus of this fascinating new release, marking the 60th anniversary of the building block as we know it.
Driven by the belief that children and their development mean everything and that this must pervade everything that is created, and based on the principles that the system must

• provide unlimited play opportunities
• be for girls and boys
• inspire enthusiasm in all ages'
• be able to be played with all year round
• provide endless hours of healthy, quiet and safe play
• inspire imagination, creativity and development
• be topical and provide add-on value for preceding products