Reviews

Uncle Shawn and Bill and the pajimminy-crimminy unusual adventure by A.L. Kennedy

Ill. by Gemma Correll. Walker Books Ltd, 2018. ISBN 9781406360509
(Ages: 6-9) Recommended. Themes: Friendship. Humour. Bonkers story of friendship, llamas and total evil.
Uncle Shawn and Bill are back, and so are the llamas. In a book that could stand alone or work as a sequel, they have settled into a happy life at their llama farm in Scotland with their new llama friends. But all is not right on the horizon as someone new to their village is stirring up trouble, and encouraging anything 'unusual' to be vilified and the perpetrators locked up...
This contains great hilarious posters, comic style illustrations and informative chapter headings evoking old Victorian novels. It is a very visual story, with plenty to read around the words themselves.
The theme of celebrating difference and not being afraid of who you are, is well covered by a vast number of different habits and hobbies of the people in Pandrumdroochit. They get involved in an exciting adventure as Bill and the llamas (as well as some other friends) work together to defeat the evil threatening them all.
The story is totally bonkers, but such good fun and has a lesson of friendship at its heart.
This is a great series, with lovely short chapters, lots of action and silliness and full of things to look at.
Donna Isgar

Funny Kid: Prank wars by Matt Stanton

Harper Collins, 2018. ISBN 9780733335990
(Ages: 8-12) Highly recommended. Themes: Humour. This is the third book in the Funny Kid book series. Max, otherwise known as 'funny kid' is determined to make his class mates laugh at his pranks and antics, at any cost. When Max's class embark on a school camping trip, he makes grand plans to humiliate Tyson, the new boy, by making him the centre of his gags. A prank war is on between the two boys, after Max finds himself at the unfortunate end of one of Tyson's master pranks.
While engaging in their prank war, Max, Tyson and their class mates grapple with mysterious lake monsters, makeshift toilets, a smuggled pet duck and plenty of gas inducing beans. A generous serve of ingenious pranks makes this one very unforgettable camping trip.
Prank Wars:

• Full of appealing toilet style humour.
• Targeted at 8-12 year old's.
• The illustrations are comic book style, with interesting speech bubbles.
• Hilarious and slapstick adventures of fun and frivolity.
• For fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Tom Gates and WeirDo.

Amazing Australian Women by Pamela Freeman and Sophie Beer

Lothian Children's Books, 2018. ISBN 9780734418456
(Age: 7+) Highly recommended. Themes: Women - Australia. The authors have chosen twelve Australian women from different backgrounds and time periods to feature in this brightly illustrated book. Some of them will be familiar to all Australians, for example Mary Reiby, convict and business woman who features on the $20 note, while others like Tarenore, an indigenous resistance fighter, may not be as well known. It is this mix of well-known and less well known women that make this book such a fascinating read.
It is a book that can be read from cover to cover, with the women arranged in chronological order, but it can also be perused by using the introduction and map of Australia at the beginning, and then skimming through the book either to find women from an Australian state or a woman whose work is unfamiliar to the reader. I knew some of the background of Mary Lee and Nellie Melba, but found more snippets of information that greatly added to my knowledge. I became engrossed in the story Tilly Aston, teacher writer and disability activist, while the scientist Ruby Payne-Scott and her work with radio telescopes will provide a great role model for girls who want to succeed in the science area. The information about each woman was succinct and interesting and the illustrations will appeal to the book's audience.
The back of the book has a section "More information", with links to websites including biographies and other details, e.g. Emily Kame Kngwarreye, has links to three websites displaying her art and a link to images of Emily from Trove.
The conclusion notes that it was hard to select just twelve women and that there are extraordinary women doing extraordinary things in every walk of life. And then challenges the reader to
"Ask yourself
What is my story going to be?
What will I do?
How will I change the world?"
This is a must have for every library and would be a perfect gift for any child interested in Australian history and achievements.
Pat Pledger

How I didn't straighten my hair (and other life lessons) by Angela May George

Omnibus Books, 2018. ISBN 9781742999555
(Age: Upper primary - lower secondary) Themes: bullying, friendships, Greek culture, family. Dora is trying to find "her thing" but, disappointingly for her Greek family, Greek dancing isn't for her. 17 year old sister Athena, is a born dancer, tall, slim and beautiful with the composure of an Ice Queen but her "thing" is ballet. She is not at all like 13 year old Dora, whose unmanageable frizzy hair and impulsive behaviour seem to rule her life. Dora loves her Greek culture, especially the food cooked by her grandparents; but it can also be embarrassing, like when her Yaya and Popou play loud music and dance in their garage. Ethan, a popular boy in Dora's year, lives next door to them and doesn't seem to mind, he also seems to like Dora which she finds difficult to believe as some girls in her group have said they are awarding her the trophy for the ugliest girl in their year. Dora is reluctant to tell her parents about the bullying as her dad lost his job and they have enough worries. Her sister tells her to follow the high school rules, which include keeping her head down and not talking about anyone else but things come to a head when Genevieve, the girl who has been bullying her, stomps on Dora's hand breaking it. In hospital Dora meets Lucy, a girl her age suffering from Juvenile Diabetes. Dora finds she has a talent for making friends and that she is ambidextrous so she goes back to school able to keep up with the work. However Genevieve's brother knocks Dora down and her parents are angry at the school's handling of the bullying and decide to change schools. The change turns out to be a good thing for both Dora, who is no longer fearful at school and makes some new friends, and for her sister, whose boyfriend attends the new school. Athena buys Dora's silence with the promise of a hair straightener but her loyalty is tested when their parents catch Athena secretly meeting her boyfriend. The incident shocks the family and Dora is caught in the middle. Loyalties to friends are also tested as Dora juggles her new friends (and her attractively straightened hair) and the need to keep in touch with old friends, especially Ethan. Things seem to work out in the end with family and most friendships intact. The novel is a bright and funny trip, with a 13 year old finding her place in the world; negotiating culture, family, friends and first relationships. Suitable for upper primary and lower secondary girls.
Sue Speck

Princess Swashbuckle by Hollie Hughes

Ill. by Deborah Allwright. Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408862803
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Princesses, Stereotypes, Adventure, Frogs, Family, Verse, Humour. All Princess Swashbuckle wants to do is be a pirate queen, to sail away on a pirate ship and be the ruler of the waves. But her parents want her to marry a frog and settle down. How can she marry Hubert who lives in a bog or Gerald who lives beneath a log? She packs her bag and steals away one night, boarding the Stinky Fish. Finding its crew is upset at seeing their captain swim for shore, she is the perfect replacement.
Together the princess and the crew have incredible adventures, sailing the seven seas, meeting a range of other people, helping out where they can. They teach a mouse to be brave, and show a snake how to make a cake, but once all their adventures are done, Princess Swashbuckle feels a little out of sorts. She writes to her parents and receives a reply which apologises for their insistence that she marry, and invite her back to Frogland. Without hesitation she makes her way back home, allowing her parents to retire while she takes over ruling the kingdom, albeit with a pirate flavour.
This charming story full of whimsy and humour, will appeal to younger readers, lapping up the allusions to fairy stories with a reversal of the usual roles, and parallels to frogs which they will perfectly understand.
The detailed illustrations attract the eyes drawing them into perusing the things in the background, referencing things that pirates do and adventures associated with this group of people. Readers will thrill at the kingdom's seawall, shaped like a dragon's body, or the watchful eye of the ship, or the pirate's flag. All good fun.
Fran Knight

Norman the Knight gets a fright! by Mark Sperring

Ill. by Ed Eaves. Bloomsbury, 2108. ISBN 9781408873991
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Knights, Dragons, Employment. When the four children and their cat apply for the job of helping Norman the Brave, a knight of renown, they are surprised at what he expects them to do. Their work involves darning his large pile of socks, ironing his pants, cleaning his armour and scrubbing him in the bath after fetching loads of hot water. They must then squeeze him into his armour, and use a hoist to lift him into his horse's saddle, after first catching the unresponsive animal. They are all ready to go to the Royal Parade, Norman looking very brave and shiny after all the efforts of his knaves, our four friends by contrast looking shabby and weary. At the parade the knights are set upon by a group of brigands and bandits, while trying to deal with a fire breathing dragon. Norman and the other knights cower in the background while the four knaves take charge, putting out the dragon's fire and seeing off the brigands and thieves.
Norman then puts his knaves further off side by bragging about his exploits at saving the day whereas the knaves know what really happened, making the readers laugh at the knight's duplicity. The work might not be the job for our four friends, and at the end of the story, another workplace seems to be before them, making sure the readers will want to see the next book when the four try out working with a magician.
Told in rhyming pairs of lines, readers will love predicting the rhyming word as each line is read, and be intrigued with some of the new words offered: knave, brigand, bandit, which they may not have come across before. There are hilarious illustrations with lots of detail to look at, funny faces and situations to laugh at, as well as a lesson to be discussed about humility, and information included giving readers an insight into the lives of knights and knaves during Medieval times.
Fran Knight

The afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand

Harper Collins Publishers, 2017. ISBN 9781460754283
(Ages: 12+) Highly recommended. A heart-warming and emotional tale of the importance of generosity, family, love and compassion. When Holly Chase is visited on Christmas Eve by three spirits warning her of the imminent consequences of her selfish actions, she elects to ignore their advice, doing nothing to mend her ways. Six days later, she dies. Awakening in an office, Holly learns that she will be working for a top-secret company called 'Project Scrooge' to help other 'Scrooges' like her change their behaviour before it's too late. She is appointed to the position of the Ghost of Christmas Past and accepts this as her fate; forced to redeem herself through encouraging others to do what she could not - change for the better. Five years after her death, however, she is faced with a Scrooge that she feels a connection to: Ethan Winters III, a seventeen-year-old who is similarly spoilt, materialistic and grieving the loss of a parent. For the first time since her death, Holly finds that she has something to be hopeful for.
Through her authentic and genuine characters, beautiful writing style and valuable moral, New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Hand provides a sweet, unforgettable and thought-provoking novel that will touch the heart of its reader, and fill them with hope, happiness and gratitude. A book that is impossible to put down, and even harder to stop thinking about, "The Afterlife of Holly Chase" is not a novel to miss and is a wonderful read all year round.
Daniella Chiarolli (university student)

Finch by Penny Matthews

Walker Books, 2018, ISBN 9781760650759
(Ages: 9+) Highly recommended. Themes: Country towns, Family, Vineyards. When Audrey and her family move to a small wine growing community after dad lost his job in the city, everyone is put out. Audrey and her sister miss their friends and school back in the city, Mum cannot believe that her husband wants to try his hand at farming and Dad is all at sea worrying about his new workload.
Audrey has always been on the outer at school, her love of birds makes her a bit of a nerd in the eyes of the other girls, so when she meets a boy living in a cave near the edge of their property she cannot believe how easily she talks to him, and they share her interest in birds. He swears her to secrecy, having left his uncle's farm where he worked because he was abused, but when a flash flood occurs and Audrey thinks the cave may be under water, she must divulge her secret.
This story will carry along the reader, hooked in by the story of the boy in the cave, wanting to follow his relationship with Audrey and find out just who he is. Along the way information is given about birds, particularly the Emu wren, an endangered scrub bird, rarely seen.
Audrey is a captivating character. Readers will follow her exploits with interest, willing her to fit into her new community, but aware of the problems the family is facing. The people within that community are lovingly composed and developed - we feel we know Mavis and her brother: the teacher and other students at the school, the people at the gift shop. Readers will be drawn to the references to food and its place within the town, the CWA, SES volunteers and the shop owners. Readers will feel like they can walk down the main street with the girls, recognising places described within the book and feel comforted as is Audrey by its familiarity.
Fran Knight

Backyard by Amanda Braxton-Smith

Ill. by Lizzy Newcomb. Black Dog Books, 2018. ISBN 9781925381177
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. Themes: Backyards, Insects, Animals, STEM, Discovery. What a feast can be found in one's own backyard, simply using the skill of observation. This wonderful book impels younger readers to do just that, as a sleepy child and her star gazing dog sit on the back verandah and simply watch. Amongst the fig, lilly pilly and large eucalypts trees animals come out at night to eat. The tawny frogmouth is watching for whatever flies past, the spider is weaving her web waiting for an insect, midges fly around only to be eaten by the honeyeaters, a bat swoops up a dragonfly, a possum takes the last of the dog food from its bowl.
The child and her dog observe each and every animal they can see, and eager eyes reading the book will follow the text noticing each animal mentioned and observing more in the undergrowth. Newcomb's acrylic illustrations show us the breadth of the backyard, surrounded by large trees, shrubs and pot plants. Children will love looking at the array of things, recognising things found in their own yard, eager to seek out what they can see when they get home.
This delightful book will encourage children to look more closely at what surrounds them, to be more aware of the living things in their own backyard, to see what shares their home.
The visual and word imagery will intrigue and delight readers as they roll the lines around, practising reading them out loud and peruse the pictures with care to find out what lurks beneath the leaves.
Artist Lizzy Newcomb also illustrated "My name is Lizzie Flynn", the story of a quilt made by convict women on their way to Australia, while Amanda Braxton-Smith has written several novels for Black Dog Books including "Plenty" one of my favourites for 2014.
Fran Knight

The Funny Life of Pets by James Campbell

Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408889947
(Age: 8+) Recommended. A dog's nose is more than 1 000 times more sensitive than our nose. That's why if you do a bottom burp in a dog's face it will go cross-eyed and fall over. Imagine a sausage dog's dilemma when it's eating sausages - the resemblance of this tasty snack to their Granny is uncanny! Uncover top tips for feeding goldfish and avoiding a mini tsunami in your house causing dinosaurs to evolve from your carpets! Discover some of the rarest dog breeds in the world, like the Jack Russell Sprout . . . but remember, they're not just for Christmas.
This is truly one of the funniest books I have ever read. Campbell have very cleverly mixed fact with fiction and will be a real hit with the young readers (8 and up) - especially the advice that is given to convince parents to allow them to get just the pet they want. It has a mix of quirky illustrations, sign posts indicating what directions you can choose and text. It is a little like a choose your own adventure book, whereby you can choose what you want to do. It is not a book that has to be read from cover to cover. I sneakily gave it to one of my Year 6 reluctant readers and he could not put it down - he was very keen to borrow it. I can also see myself using it to fill in the odd five minutes - picking it up and reading a couple of pages. A very lighthearted book that is a must have.
Kathryn Schumacher

Goal Power by Meredith Costain

Ella Diaries series. Scholastic, 2018. ISBN 9781743818060
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. "Goal Power" is another instalment in the "Ella Diaries" series. It is a standalone read, and new readers to the series can start with this diary themed novel. Ella tells us about her daily life in a diary, complete with labelled diagrams. She looks at her life in a fun and positive way and changes words to help her describe everything. From 'fantabulous funerous fun' to 'desperating despair', Ella's (and the author's) play on words creates a fun and engaging text.
In "Goal Power", Ella and her friends start a girl's only lunchtime soccer club. Ella is so excited and can't wait to be a striker. Unfortunately, Ella struggles to learn the skills to be a striker so she has a go at being a defender. This doesn't work out either. Will Ella find her place in the soccer team?
"Goal Power" is all about friendship, positive female characters and finding what you are good at. The author portrays Ella as positive, adventurous and a bit dramatic which makes the story funny. Ella's diary entries and diagrams are great to read and easy to comprehend.
This novel is engaging for younger readings and is reminiscent of the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" (but not so embarrassing). "Goal Power" is highly recommended for readers aged 8+.
Kylie Kempster

Changing Gear by Scott Gardner

Allen and Unwin, 2018. ISBN 9781760631468
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Themes: relationships, family, self-discovery, nature. Year 12 is over and Merrick Hilton has two weeks to study for his final exams. He tells his amicably separated parents he is staying at the other's place and takes off on his restored postie bike. Since the death six months before, of his grandfather, his rock and mentor, Merrick has been disengaged with life, slipping through the space between the two families, and the road trip is a spur of the moment decision. "If you feel like shit, don't just sit around; make something, clean something, smash something - Grandad" p 33. Leaving behind his broken phone and forgetting his wallet, Merrick gathers up his swag, a handful of muesli bars and some cash he had stashed away and rides. Life on the road is challenging in many ways but the constant movement and passing landscape meets his needs, challenging his entrenched habits and when he reaches Little Desert National Park the slower pace required by sandy roads allows him to observe nature more closely. When the chain breaks on his bike Merrick reaches a low point. "I needed boobs, but there were none. I needed food. Proper food, not just muesli bars and bruised fruit. If I'd given this trip more than a moment's thought before I barrelled out the gate, I'd be in a much better place right now." p 69. On the remote desert track Merrick is forced to push his bike a considerable distance until he meets an old man walking the track who reminds him of his grandfather. Victor makes a temporary repair to the bike chain but it soon fails again and they walk together towards the nearest town. Somehow slowing down to a walking pace has grounded Merrick and the two find companionship while facing the challenges of the road.
Merrick's road trip is more than a simple coming of age story; it canvasses a wide range of issues including grief, relationships, real versus internet/media experience, values and a philosophy of life. The vast empty beauty of the land and the walking pace allows for a clarity of thought rarely possible in our modern world. Merrick is not afraid to listen and to learn to respect the land as he pursues his life-affirming inner and outer journey.
This is a robust and engaging story recommended especially for boys fourteen and over.
Sue Speck

Natural born loser by Oliver Phommavanh

Penguin Books, 2018. ISBN 9780143505730
(Age: 10+ ) Highly recommended. Natural born loser is an inspiring, funny story and promotes being yourself rather than following the crowd. Raymond is a typical year 6 boy who loves soccer and being with his best friend but he doesn't see himself as a leader. He sees himself as a follower and does follow his best friend around. He isn't all that good at soccer (in his eyes) even though he practises all of the time. Raymond's school has a bad reputation for bullies and principals who always leave. But, a new principal has arrived and he is ready to shake things up. First, the new principal introduces the idea of prefects to give the students a voice at school. Raymond and his best friend - Zain - are chosen as well as two others - Ally and Randa. The new principal wants them to work as a team and gives them the chance to show leadership and organisation skills as well as back anything they want to do for their fundraising efforts. From a dare-a-thon to a car wash to a sports day, the school and the community really get behind the new prefects. Can the bullymon (the bully) of the school finally get on board or will his antics continue to cause chaos?
Natural born loser is a fun and an easy to read novel, told from the perspective of a year 6 boy. It is extremely relatable to children around this age - from the issues at school to the feelings Raymond has. Raymond doesn't come from a rich family. His parents work hard and he goes to the local school. The themes of multicultural Australia, teamwork and community are prominent. The multicultural content gives children from different cultural backgrounds a character in a story that could be just like them. The idea that the prefects need to work together and lead together rather than have a captain in charge is relevant today. Natural born loser has all of the emotions and moments of a great story. More importantly, the reader sees Raymond change, as the story progresses, into a leader.
It is highly recommended for readers aged 10+. The underlying themes would also make it a great novel to study in the class for year 5 to year 6.
Kylie Kempster

Crossing Ebenezer Creek by Tanya Bolden

Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781681196992
(Age: 13+) Recommended. In the latter months of 1864, during the U.S. Civil War, General Sherman of the Union led a huge army through Georgia, freeing slaves, plundering goods and destroying property of the vanquished. Many ex-slaves chose to accompany the advancing army on the march. Many would have seen the Northern soldiers as saviours, some depended upon their rations and some undoubtedly wanted to participate in and witness the defeat of the Confederate South.
The Union army was glad to have the labour from thousands of willing workers for transporting equipment, foraging food and building pontoon bridges to replace those destroyed by the retreating Confederates. Accompanying the principally male ex-slaves engaged in military support were the women, children and elderly from their families or dependants from their previous life of servitude.
This story centres upon Mariah, a young woman whose main focus after being freed is the protection of her intellectually disabled young brother by establishing a home on one acre of land, upon which she can grow food. From her recollections, the reader comes to appreciate some of the abject misery and brutal cruelty endured by slaves in the American South. It is difficult to imagine conditions in an era when those who considered themselves part of civilised society might sell children away from traumatised mothers, would inflict barbaric, degrading punishments for the slightest of perceived misdeeds and could ultimately end a slave's life.
Liberated from tyranny, these ex-slaves rejoiced in freedom but faced the fact that they were ill prepared for life ahead, having no land or property and usually no education. When Mariah meets Caleb (a skilled black man working for the Union Army) she recognises his kind, gentle and decent nature and a romance develops which would have been realistic under the circumstances.
The climax of this story involves an historically accurate event which should be shamefully acknowledged and remembered, yet appears to have been buried and forgotten in the mists of time.
Young readers may be confused by the opening sequences of this story, especially if they have no knowledge of slavery in the American South. It may be difficult for those unfamiliar with plantation life and conditions to understand the various characters who are introduced in the early passages, yet if they persist, they will be better for learning about this profoundly important chapter of history.
Recommended for readers 13 years+
Rob Welsh

Bonkers about beetles by Owen Davey

Flying Eye Books, 2018. ISBN 9781911171485
(Ages: 6-adult) Highly recommended. Themes: Beetles. Non-fiction. What a wonderful encyclopaedic book about beetles, I read it from cover to cover, loving every piece of information given, observing the pictures with glee, scanning the layout and clear design features with admiration.
After a contents page, each double page fastens on one topic, well illustrated with clearly defined drawings, using colours that reflect the places the beetles dwell. Each page is covered with highly arresting information, distinctive and finely detailed illustrations which will enrapture the readers.
The first two double pages inform the reader about the basics of being a beetle: what they are and where they live. Readers will find that there are over 400,000 different beetles species, and that they can be terrestrial or aquatic, and herbivore, omnivore, predator or decomposer. While over the page is a magnificent drawing of a beetle with body parts numbered so that the reader can easily see what part is what, and read how each part is useful to a beetle. From there each double page concentrates on one aspect of the beetle: wings, food, disguise, defence, and camouflage while other pages concentrate on one beetle, like the ladybird and the horned dung beetle.
The last two double spreads show the beetles in mythology and conservation being made on the beetles' behalf. It will surprise readers to find out that although there are over 400,000 species of beetle, some are under threat, and Davey explains just what these beetles do and how we can help in their conservation.
All in all a sparkling look at beetles, and a book I will go back to, as will many readers who love gathering bits of information or who are potty about beetles, or just love the design of the book. Flying Eye Books has published three other books by Owen Davey that use the same entertaining style of both information and presentation: Mad about monkeys, Smart about sharks and Crazy about cats. All four of these books will gather a wide excited audience from primary people.
Fran Knight