Ill. by Geoff Kelly. Allen and Unwin, 2018. ISBN 9781760523503
(Age: 7+) Highly recommended. Themes: Orphans, Migration, Family.
Before Anton's father died he told his son that if he was ever in a
bad deal, to "get out of it and move on". And so Anton does, in many
situations in this book which will bring shivers to the hearts of
many readers. When Anton's mother dies he is sent to an orphanage
that is Dickensian in its treatment of its inmates. But Anton's
father's words ring in his ears, and he walks out, headed for the
ship he sees in the distance, about to leave England's shores for
Australia, the land of warmth and sunshine that he craves. He cannot
find a way to get onto the ship but a teenage boy standing by the
gangplank takes him as his friend and the steward thinking they are
traveling together hurries the pair onto the ship. Here he stays on
deck and once it becomes dark, another steward takes him down stairs
back to the woman and boy he met on the gangway and there he is
befriended.
They too have secrets and in return for his friendship with her
special son, the woman gives Anton a place within her family. Anton
is relieved that all he has to do is care for the special boy and
takes him around the ship pointing out features he will need to
know. But an event happens which shows the bravery of the boy and
all ends happily, although as usual with a twist on the last page
that will have readers nodding with recognition.
This engrossing tale of friendship, of secrets, of longing to be
part of a family, will bring a few tears to the eyes of the most
hard-hearted of readers, as they recognise the need within us all to
belong. And along the way, the importance of learning to read.
A wonderful read aloud, this little book (102 pages) will engender
much discussion in the classroom about migration, sea travel,
orphanages and reading. Jennings tells a beautiful story with
panache: its brevity and empathy engaging all of his readers in a
story they can recognise, but one that will also surprise them.
Fran Knight
Code of honor by Erin Hunter
Bravelands series, book 2. HarperCollins, 2018. ISBN
9781460756287
(Age: 9-14) Recommended. Themes: African animals. Lions, Baboons,
Elephants, Quests, Survival. Code of Honor is the second
book in the Bravelands series from the creative Erin Hunter
team (Clarissa Hutton and Gillian Philip), well-known for their
popular Spirit Animals and Wings of Fire books. The
African savannah comes alive with beautiful descriptive imagery, as
the forces of nature test the wildlife to their limits. The plot
masterfully weaves a tale of murder, treachery and the fight for
survival. The interwoven narrative is told from three different
viewpoints, Thorn Middleleaf a young baboon, Fearless the lion cub
and Sky the elephant.
When the Great Mother elephant who wisely ruled the Bravelands is
murdered and her body left in the waterhole, trouble unfolds. As the
Great Flock, the Strider elephant herd, Brightforest baboon troop
and other animals gather here, all are questioning who is best to
take on the leadership. The Great Mother didn't have time to train a
successor and pass on the Great Spirit's voice. As the torrential
rain pours, Stronghide the rhino steps forward to claim the role.
Sky from the Strider elephant herd slips away with her cousin Moon
to search for answers in the Plain of Our Ancestors, taking a
fragment of her Great Mother grandmother's tusk along with her.
Meanwhile, the Brightforest baboon troop leader Stinger restructures
the group, causing problems which young Thorn realises is really a
devious plot to dominate his troop and stir up trouble in the
Bravelands. Attacks by the marauding green monkeys and vervet
monkeys drives the troop into dangerous paths as they search for
shelter.
Titan leader of Titan pride also plans for complete control of the
Bravelands by killing a large amount of predators, breaking the code
of only killing to survive. Disillusioned and forgotten cub Fearless
seeks advice from his friend Stinger the baboon.
Each of the protagonists show courage and resilience as they search
for the truth and stand up for what is right. Code of Honor
delivers exciting action, high levels of drama,
and convincing characters who are multi-dimensional. The savannah
setting, the natural environment, the drought and floods and animal
habitats are richly and realistically portrayed. The themes are
dark, treachery, murder, deceit, destruction and survival, with
complex conspiracies and intrigue. The misuse of power and its
consequences are an overarching theme. Fans will be keen to read the
third novel in the series, after the cliffhanger ending.
Rhyllis Bignell
Yours troolie, Alice Toolie by Kate and Jol Temple
Ill. by Grace West. Allen and Unwin, 2018. ISBN 9781760523756
(Age: 8-10) Themes: School life, Letter writing, Friendship.
From the authors of the Captain Jimmy Cook Discovers series
comes another singularly silly, fun and unique junior novel. Alice
Toolie is Jimmy's third-grade nemesis; she's a famous Yootootuber,
popular class member who loves unicorns, glitter and ballet. When
Jimmy finds Alice's secret diary in the library and reads some
unpleasant comments about himself, a massive fight occurs. Ms Fennel
their class teacher intervenes and both students have to apologise
and write letters to each other for the whole term.
At first their letters are niggly, Alice calls Jimmy a
privacy-stealing robber and Jimmy replies, "If we were in the olden
days, like before the Titanic sank, when there were cavemen, our
families would be at war because you said that". As the letters
continue both Alice and Jimmy begin to share more humorously about
their interests, family life and dramas. They team up to solve the
problem of the mysterious ghost in the Level 2 girls' toilets who
repeatedly sings a song from Annie the musical. This unfortunately
leads to an incident with extremely expensive smelly cheese in the
ghost bait jar which reappears right in the middle of the school
fete.
Alice and Jimmy become a dynamic duo fund-raising - selling water
instead of lemonade because of the school rules - no sugar week, no
citrus and no plastic. Dog washing proves problematic as it involves
a cat and they finally sell a wonderful array of jars of slime at
the school fete. Their letter closings are expressive, resonating
with the incidents or actions mentioned in the letter, from "Yours
truly, Alice Toolie", "Yours Figuratively", "Yours invincibly" to
"Yours wide awake".
Grace West's cartoons add sparkle to this letter-book that is
jam-packed with emojis, doodles, ghosts and sketches of the main
characters. Yours truly, Alice Toolie is an engaging junior
novel suited to readers from 8-10. Writing letters has become a lost
art; using these examples, explore this form of communication with
Middle Primary classes as an alternative to emailing.
Rhyllis Bignell
Empty by Andrew Pratly
Ill. by Angel McMullan. Little Steps, 2018. ISBN 9781925117837
(Age: 5+) Themes: Depression, Mental Health, Friendship, Music. Many
people have periods in their lives where things are not working out
as well as is expected. There may be periods of loneliness, or
having no friends, or feeling inadequate or anxious. Addressing this
issue has seen a number of books published recently giving children
the opportunity to talk about their feelings and while this is most
admirable, it requires some understanding from the adults presenting
the book.
The bleakness of the opening pages struck a cord with me as I
watched the child staring into the mirror all alone. She feels
empty. Everyone she turns to tells her pretty well to get over it,
until she hears some music played by a young boy in a boat. From
then on their friendship blossoms as the music becomes a platform of
understanding, a bridge between two lonely people. The old Irish
proverb at the end makes a neat rounding off to the story, 'There
are good ships, and wood ships, ships that sail the sea, but the
best ships are friendships, may they always be' and explains why the
illustrator has chosen a sea theme for her wonderful drawings.
I love the architectural endpapers showing a lighthouse, a symbol
perhaps for the beam of light that is offered by friendship, and the
watercolour images of the children against the seaside setting.
My article in The Literature Base in 2016 has a long list of
picture books tackling the theme of mental health with children and
will complement the usefulness of Empty.
Fran Knight
The dog with seven names by Dianne Wolfer
Random House, 2018. ISBN 9780143787457
(Age: 9+) Recommended. Themes: Dogs, Loyalty, World War Two,
Northern Australia. Born the runt of the litter on a cattle station
in northern Western Australia, Princess' only hope is to be loved by
the station boss' daughter. She thrives with the attention given her
by Elsie but when war looms over the north and Darwin is bombed by
the Japanese in 1942, most of the family moves south, leaving
Princess with one of the drovers on his way to enlist in Darwin. But
partway through their journey disaster strikes and Stan is hit by a
falling branch. Her next journey sees her aboard a Royal Flying
Doctor Aircraft and from her vantage point she is able to offer
comfort to the wounded.
So Wolfer tells a wonderful historical novel set in the Norther
Territory during World War Two, through the eyes of this little dog,
Princess. Children reading the story will thrill with the
expectation that Princess and her owner will eventually be reunited,
after seven new names, and along the way see some extraordinary
sights of what it was like during the northern air raids during
World War Two.
An historical novel with a difference, told from the perspective of
a little dog, the book is enchanting, drawing all readers into the
plight of the animal left with virtual strangers as his owner moves
south.
Wolfer's historical novels are well worth the read, creating a
believable scenario, likeable characters told within a setting at
once familiar yet different and interesting.
Fran Knight
The dam by David Almond
Ill. by Levi Pinfold. Walker Studio, 2018. ISBN 9781406304879
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. Themes: Music. Dams. Loss. Hope.
Picture book for older readers. Based on a true story told to Almond
by Kathryn and Mike Tickells, two musicians, The dam
celebrates the power of the human spirit and the beauty of music. In
the 1980's, Keider Water in Northumberland, the largest artificial
lake in the UK, was created. Farms and houses were submerged and a
village drowned, but before that happened a father and his daughter
visited the houses and in each, the girl played her fiddle for the
last time. Then the valley disappeared and a huge dam and lake took
its place. When the water rose and covered everything, it left a
beautiful lake and Behind the dam
Within the water the music stays,
Will never be gone.
Beautifully illustrated by Levi Pinfold, this poignant picture book
will linger in the memory. The text is sparse and beautiful and the
accompanying illustrations, first in sepia tones, and then gradually
becoming more colourful, are stunning and beg to be examined again
and again. The father and his daughter come alive on the pages, the
love between the two and for music shining through the pages, with
people singing and dancing on the banks of the lake as the
continuation of music is celebrated even though great changes have
been made in the landscape.
This is an unforgettable picture book, with author and illustrator
combining to give the reader a lyrical story with wonderful imagery,
truly a showcase of art.
Pat Pledger
Look up! by Antonia Pesenti
Little Hare, 2018. ISBN 9781760125240
(Ages: 4 - Adult) Highly recommended. Themes: Architecture.
Numbers. Colours. Shapes. Subtitled Numbers, colours and shapes in
architecture, this remarkable book highlights some of the world's
best known and significant buildings. The first section, "Numbers in
Architecture" has the numbers one to ten on starkly white pages,
next to beautiful illustrations of the number in architecture. So we
have Two showcasing the two towers of Notre Dame, while Six is
illustrated with the Sydney Opera House and its six sails, Eight is
the eight columns of the Pantheon. Each of the ten illustrations is
magnificent, taking up the whole page with the eye drawn to its
completeness and the significance of the number applied to it. A
small title appears near the building to tell younger readers what
the place is and where it can be found, while the last pages have a
complete set of the illustrations and their names as a handy
reference. It is wonderful to be able to look more closely at each
piece of architecture and take in the reason the number is there
while seeing the place in its entirety without the distraction of
surrounding buildings. Younger readers will appreciate these
magnificent buildings from the world stage and take in their
significance. A second section, "Colour in Architecture", shows
different places but this time highlighting their colours. Here
accommodation is the theme, while the last section, "Shapes in
Architecture" displays the various shapes that have captured
people's imaginations in buildings. Here we have the Guggenheim Museum, New York, and the Seattle
Library as well as the Flu's Eye Dome in the USA.
The whole book is splendid in its revelation of architecture for
young readers, enthusing them with the shapes, numbers and colours
that can be found, giving them a basis from which to view other
buildings in their vicinity.
Fran Knight
No friend but the mountains: Writing from Manus Prison by Behrouz Boochani
Picador, 2018. ISBN 9781760555382
(Age: Senior secondary - Adult) Highly recommended. Non-fiction.
Writing from Manus Prison, "Behrouz is convinced that the general
public have yet to grasp the horrors of systemic torture integral to
the detention system". However, don't expect a refugee memoir
designed to draw your sympathy. This book fits more among works of
world prison literature. The men on Manus are subjected to a
Kyriarchal system that is built around domination, oppression, and
submission. Basic instincts of hunger and survival come to the fore,
and the humiliation of constantly queueing and waiting in the heat
for food, for toilets, for cigarettes, for telephone time, for
medical treatment, means that sometimes some people push themselves
forward and sometimes other people are trampled over. The cruelty
and meaninglessness of the rules defies any understanding, and seems
designed only to take away any sense of agency and to break the
men's spirits.
Boochani describes a day when desperate for some amusement someone
manages to use a permanent marker to draw a backgammon board on a
table and the men start to play, using lids from water bottles as
counters. Instantly the guards cross out the game and write over it
"Games Prohibited".
One man, "The Father Of The Month's-Old Child" has heard news that
his own father may be approaching death and desperately seeks to
move forward in the telephone queue in order to phone him. People
show him sympathy and he is allowed to move forward, but the
Australian guard will not hear his appeals - he is told 'these are
the rules and it's not possible'. Three days later, The Father Of
The Month's-Old Child finally has his turn only to learn that his
father has died. His distress and anger, smashing the phone against
the wall, leads him to be beaten and sent to solitary confinement.
We meet many different characters, there are no names; Boochani
names them by their personality. The Smiling Youth scratching his
mosquito bitten legs, dies from the infection - he is Hamid Khazaei.
The Gentle Giant caught in the prison riot of February 2014 is
brutally killed by officers - he is Reza Barati. These are but two
stories - others have also lost their lives on Manus and Nauru.
Boochani's book was written in Farsi as thousands of phone text
messages and then translated by Omid Tofighian, lecturer and
researcher based at the American University of Cairo and University
of Sydney. Tofighian has an understanding of the rich tradition of
Kurdish folklore and Persian literature that imbue Boochani's
writing, and in places found it best to translate prose as poetry -
these become very emotive passages in the book.
Behrouz Boochani remains on Manus - he survived near drowning on the
treacherous voyage to Australia and has been illegally detained
since 2013. He does not know what his future holds. But his book
speaks for all the imprisoned refugees and bears witness to the
cruelty of Australia's detention system.
Helen Eddy
On the way to Nana's by Frances and Lindsay Haji-Ali
Ill. by David Hardy. Magabala Books, 2017. ISBN 9781925360301
(Age: 2-6) Recommended. "I'm on the way to Nana's house. What will I
see?" On the way to Nana's by Frances and Lindsay Haji-Ali
celebrates the beauty and majesty of the Far North of Western
Australia. They share the special memories of their own road trips
in this delightful rhyming picture book, with its question and
response perfect for reading aloud to a young audience.
With a countdown from fifteen to one, they experience life on the
road, stopping to fish, observing the rugged anthills, the grazing
cattle and proud brumbies. The family watches the rugged landscape
pass by, with huge boab trees, splashing waterfalls, and road trains
and find new friends to play when they stop. The mud map at the
beginning shows the 1000 kilometre trip from Broome in Western
Australia through Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek, Kununurra and
Katherine and finally to Darwin.
David Hardy's delightful digital illustrations capture the rich
colours of the bush landscape, the sweeping vistas and show close-up
encounters. Take time to count the bright coloured flowers, termite
mounds, flying magpie geese and the cattle grazing. The repetitive
refrain and descriptions make the long trip come to life. What a
delightful celebration of Indigenous people's connection to the land
and the importance of family relationships. On the way to Nana's
is a great resource for Early Years Geography investigating "Places
having distinctive features".
Rhyllis Bignell
How not to be a twit and other wisdom from Roald Dahl
Ill. by Quentin Blake, Puffin. ISBN 9780241330821
(Age: 6+) Themes: Roald Dahl. Witticisms. Sayings. In this unusual
offering from The Roald Dahl Story Company Ltd, children can read
witticisms and sayings taken from Dahl's books. Based around one of
his most popular books, The Twits, the introduction tells us
that not being a twit is something to be aimed for and this little
volume will help you avoid the trap (of growing up).
With quotes from his broad acreage of books, and references to where
the quotes are from, this inviting volume of sayings will push
readers to search out the books from which the quotes came,
reacquainting themselves with the humour contained in Dahl's books.
To quote just a few: "What's so wonderful about being a little boy
anyway? Why is that necessarily any better than being a mouse?
Little boys have to go to school. Mice don't." (The Witches)
"It's impossible to make your eyes twinkly if you aren't feeling
twinkly yourself" (Danny the Champion of the World) "Life is
made up of a great number of small incidents and a small number of
great ones" (Going Solo)
And all illustrated with the dancing pen of Quentin Blake, the
familiar lines of his technique will enthral the reader, recognising
his drawings form other Dahl books they have read.
A sure fire book to reinvigorate interest in Dahl's stories and
Blake's illustrations, this volume, designed to fit comfortably in a
small hand, will be bought by those with fond memories of their
work, designed to pass it on to their children and grandchildren.
Fran Knight
Boats: fast and slow by Iris Volant
Ill. by Jarom Vogel. Flying Eye Books, 2018. ISBN 9781911171522
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended. Themes: Boats, Non fiction, History,
Survival, Exploration, Migration. The history of boats is entwined
with the history of people around the world, as people look for
food, conquer other countries, build boats as a sign of their power
and influence, explore, migrate to new worlds, and use boats for
festivals and races.
From the beginning of this beautifully presented non fiction book,
readers will eagerly read of the ways boats have developed and
changed according to what is required by the population. The first
few pages are devoted to a definition of a boat: a vessel to carry
people across water, and then to elaborate on the different sorts of
boats that we may see. From there the book divides into four
sections: "The first boats", "War boats", "Work boats" and "Leisure
boats" with a double page between each section showcasing one
particular boat that is well known.
Each section gives detail about the style of boat and what it is
used for and where and when. In "War boats", for example is a page
on Viking longships and Pirates, while "Work boats" introduces the Cutty
Sark as well as steam boats. Double pages are devoted to
famous boats, like the legendary Nautilius and Ra's
barge, HMS Beagle and Spray.
Readers will love reading of these famous ships and how they
influenced our lives. After a fascinating read, children will find
two pages outlining the Semaphore flags and then a further double
page offers an illustrated index. Each of the endpapers has a map of
the world with illustrations showing where some fo the boats
resided.
All in all a wonderful read to educate and entertain, making sure
children and adults will know what they are looking at when they
visit some of these magnificent boats.
Fran Knight
Help around the house by Morris Gleitzman
Penguin, 2018. ISBN 9780143793236
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. Themes: Caring. A funny and moving
story of a boy and his friends never losing heart in a sometimes
heartless world. Set in Canberra, Australia.
When Ludo's Dad is elected into Federal Parliament, Ludo knows this
is the perfect chance for him and his Dad to make good on the
promise to his dying Mum - they would always continue to try to help
people.
Unfortunately, Ludo's Dad's Boss seems to think being re-elected is
more important. His Dad is sent off on a fundraising trip the night
after Ludo arrives. But this doesn't stop Ludo, and when an outing
to help the homeless of Canberra uncovers a conspiracy, Ludo starts
to see that maybe it's the rich and powerful who need his help more.
Ludo and his friends are determined to do what's right, at whatever
cost, even though the enemy is not just a person, but a system.
They help us remember that doing what's right is not always easy and
beneficial to us, but we should still do it anyway. You might not be
able to change the world, but you can change someone's world, and
that is just as important.
Donna Isgar
The Gum Family finds home Tania McCartney
Ill. by Christina Booth. NLA Publishing, 2018. ISBN 9780642279255
(Ages: 4-7) Recommended. Themes: Australia - Geography, Koalas. The
Gum family wants a rock-solid home. Mum is determined to move from
their unreliable eucalyptus tree and she plans their journey around
Australia while dad packs the caravan. Mum's list includes a
friendly community, not close to humans, undercover with views.
Where will this family of koalas find the perfect spot to settle
down?
They travel across Australia, stopping at iconic locations including
Uluru, The Three Sisters and Cradle Mountain. The Gum family explore
the stunning Australian landscapes, marvelling at the geographical
features and observing the flora and fauna. A helicopter flight over
the Bungle Bungle ranges shows the deep canyons and sandstone
formations. With large forests of eucalypts, will the Blue Mountains
become their new home?
Tania McCartney's gorgeous descriptions, bring the scenery to life -
imagine walking through 'the ancient rainforests, glacier-carved
valleys and golden moorlands' on the Overland Track in Tasmania.
Interesting geographical facts about Australia's unique geology are
included at the back of the book. Her engaging story centres around
the truth that your home is where your family is. She shows the
caring relationships between each of the Gum family members.
Christina Booth's creative and colourful illustrations show broad
vistas, close-up scenes, montages of real photos and boldly painted
scenes, family photos and the cheeky young koalas Leaf and Nut
creatively posing. The Gum Family finds home is a charming, informative story
that celebrates home-life, family and Australia. Tania McCartney and
Christina Booth's creative synergy make this a wonderful story just
right for sharing with a young family, at a preschool or with a
Junior Primary class. What a great stepping stone into Science and
Geography, exploring natural and man-made objects, Australian
landscapes, housing or wildlife. A great resource for an information
report on koalas - comparing the facts and fiction elements of this
picture book.
Rhyllis Bignell
Careless Love by Peter Robinson
DCI Banks series. Hachette, 2018. ISBN 9781444786989
(Age: senior/adult) Themes: Crime, Yorkshire Robinson's latest DCI
Banks Novel, Careless Love is the 25th in the series. The
Yorkshire setting will be familiar to those who have read the books
and seen the TV adaptations. This new novel involves the discovery
of three bodies, two in Banks' area and one in the neighbouring
jurisdiction. There are problems about each of the deaths and the
scenes of the crimes. There is a definite lack of anything to
identify the bodies, no mobile phones, wallets, purses, credit cards
or keys. They are all well dressed, as if on a swanky night out, not
for a hike on the moors, while one appears to have committed
suicide.
The novel eventually reaches the point many readers probably guessed
at quite early in the narrative, that sex is the contributing factor
not drugs. It is now just the detail that needs expanding and
explaining to keep the audience attentive and reading.
Fans of DCI Banks will find the read satisfying, with the constant
references to his music knowledge and choices attempting to make him
more human and adding to the characteristics fans already know about
the man, but all it did for me was to make the reading easier by
skipping all those music citations. The most interesting addition is
Annie's father's partner Zelda, an eastern European woman much
younger than Ray. She has had a number of very nasty experiences
with sex traffickers and now, because of her photographic memory
recall works in London on occasions for one of the government
surveillance agencies. It is her piece of information that directs
Banks and Annie down a path towards an old adversary, one who will
stop at nothing. He has already tried to kill Banks, so fans will
eagerly follow the storyline to see how Banks extricates himself.
It is an easy read, but its satisfaction level may not please
everyone. A click on https://
www.inspectorbanks.com/ will tell you all you need to know
about Banks and the other 24 novels detailing his investigations.
Mark Knight
Dude! by Aaron Reynolds
Hachette Australia, 2018. ISBN 9780734418791
(Age: 5+) Highy recommended. How much story can you get from one
word and some amazing illustrations? You will be surprised. In Dude!,
there is one word - dude - and yet readers will tell more than one
story. A beaver and a platypus want to go surfing. Should they get
an icecream? Will they avoid the rocks? Is that a shark fin? Is that
a crying shark? I wonder why it is sad? Can Wombat and Beaver help
the shark? Will a surfboard help? Can a shark, a beaver and a wombat
become friends? These questions are helping to tell one story. What
story will you tell the next time you read Dude!
The amazing illustrations in Dude! and that one word - dude
- tell a hilarious story of three unusual characters. The wonderful
details and facial expressions explain the story and it is engaging.
Readers will be able to tell their own story, using their story
telling skills as they investigate each picture. The story will
never be the same each time. Dude! is highly recommended for readers aged 5+. It will give
young readers a chance to practise their narrative telling which
could then lead into story writing.
Kylie Kempster
