The mystery of the colour thief by Ewa Josefkowicz
Head of Zeus, 2018. ISBN 9781788546492
(Age: 12+) This is the story of a girl called Izzy, a cygnet called
Spike and the power of feathers gathered from strong winds. It is a
beautifully written debut about hope, healing and new beginnings.
First there was the accident, then came the nightmares and the
mystery of the shadowy thief who steals all the colours from Izzy's
world... a mystery that needs solving.
This is a beautiful story about a girl's struggle to overcome her
guilt for supposedly causing a car accident that left her mum in a
coma. Izzy's world appears to be falling apart in front of her very
eyes - her best friend is being incredibly mean to her, her dad is
distancing himself from her and school is awful. The author has very
cleverly used the colour thief to steal all hope from the young
girl's life - as she begins to unravel the complexities in her life
the colour slowly begins to return. Izzy sees similarities in her
own life in that of her new friend Toby, who was recently paralysed
from a skateboard accident. Toby brings hope to Izzy's life and
allows small glimmers of hope to appear. This is an emotional read
covering themes including families, friends, challenges at school,
belief, self-belief and most importantly empathy. Suitable for
children aged 12 and it will certainly be a welcome addition to the
collection.
Kathryn Schumacher
Ocean lullaby by Sally Odgers
Scholastic Australia, 2018. ISBN 9781742769110
(Age: 3+) "Ocean babies in the deep. Waves are rocking them to
sleep. Listen as the deep-sea sighs, that's the ocean's lullaby. From
the creators of Outback lullaby, Bushland lullaby and Rainforest
lullaby comes this soothing tale. Ocean lullaby is the perfect
bedtime companion." (Publisher)
The very talented Sally Odgers has done it again with this book. The
rhyme and rhythm in this book works beautifully. The descriptive
language used is captivating and the double page illustrations draw
the reader in. The watercolour illustrations are so detailed and
the reader could spend literally hours studying them and continually
finding new discoveries. My favourite would have to be the
seahorses. This will be a welcome addition to the library or make a
wonderful gift.
Kathryn Schumacher
A shout in the ruins by Kevin Powers
Sceptre, 2018. ISBN 9781473667785
(Age: 16+) Highly recommended. Powerfully written and well crafted,
this novel draws together two strands, one set during the cruel
times of slavery plantations and the American Civil War and the
other, ninety years and more later, as George Seldom sets out on a
path toward some kind of atonement. It is a complex weaving of
personal stories - the clues holding it together are a faded note,
an elkhorn handled knife, and a pair of cracked blood veined
glasses. The lives of slave owner Bob Reid and his teenage daughter
Emily, and the ruthless Frenchman, Levallois, are inextricably
intertwined with those of the slaves Rawls and Nurse, two lovers
that will never know freedom. Rawls is a 'runner' a would-be
escapee, and is hobbled to pay for it, his two big toes chopped off,
but he continues to hope that one day he will find the young girl,
Nurse, named for her wetnurse duties. The day they finally meet
again is a moment of silent overpowering emotion, neither of them
daring to speak. Can there be any chance of happiness for them in
the lawless violence of the times?
Author Kevin Powers served in the Iraq War, he obviously knows war
first hand, and it is depressing to realise that the violence he
describes must be written from experience, that men continue to
torture and kill each other now just as they did back then. However,
despite the horror and carnage depicted in the novel there are
glimpses of hope, people strive to love and care for each other, and
perhaps one day find a kind of peace.
I read this book, and then turned to the beginning and read it
through again. It is a complex book, the language is rich and
poetic, the story harsh and cruel, but not without hope. I
thoroughly enjoyed reading it - it is a rewarding read, and adds to
the understanding of what we are as human beings.
Helen Eddy
Cloud conductor by Kellie Byrnes
Ill. by Ann-Marie Finn. Wombat Books, 2018. ISBN 9781925563344
(Age: 3-6) Highly recommended. Themes: Imagination, Seasons, Sick
children. "Cloud Conductor" is a beautifully expressive story,
filled with messages of hope, courage in adversity and the power of
the imagination to bring happiness.
Frankie is a busy girl, full of life; she loves to ride her bike,
play with her neighbourhood friends and inventing incredible things.
'Sometimes, though Frankie loves to just sit and watch the clouds.'
Her imagination takes flight and she conducts cloud symphonies,
listening to the loud roars of the thunderous clouds. When Frankie's
dark days come and she falls sick, even while resting in bed Frankie
conducts cloud symphonies.
Through her window she observes the seasons changing, spring brings
blooming flowers and a playful dog playing in the white fluffy
clouds. In her darkest moments she creates beautiful images of
shimmering waves and children splashing in the shallows. Frankie
visualises a courageous cowgirl riding in the autumn sky. As the
season changes, she lays in her hospital bed and seeks inspiration
and comfort from the wintry sky. This young girl is truly
inspirational giving hope to other sick children, teaching them to
become cloud conductors too.
Kellie Byrnes lyrical story conjures up imaginative word pictures,
her alliterative and descriptive phrases are a delight to read
aloud. Anne-Marie Finn's layered illustrations combine cartoon
sketches with bold outlines, layered on photos of grass, sky and
everyday objects. She seamlessly captures the emotive text,
transforming the sky scenes into Frankie's cloud symphonies. Using
seasonal tones she portrays the autumn scenes in red and gold hues
and adds delicate whites and blues for the summer's day. Even on the
darkest days, she paints Frankie with her arms uplifted conjuring up
the lightning storm.
"Cloud Conductor" is full of courage, an inspiring story that stirs
up a child's imagination. Frankie's resilience and her ability to
rise above her illness is an important message. Students and
families will enjoy becoming cloud conductors, using their
imagination to create their own stories and to find hope even in
difficult times.
Rhyllis Bignell
Tin Heart by Shivaun Plozza
Penguin, 2018. ISBN 9780143786276
(Age: 13+) Recommended. Themes: Organ transplants. Family relations.
Grief. Survivor Guilt. Humour. Marlowe has received a heart
transplant and feels that she really needs to thank the donor's
family, even though they don't want to meet her. Perhaps then she
will be able to stop being 'The Dying Girl' and prevent her vegan
mother from being so over protective and her little brother from
embarrassing her with his weird dress-ups. When she meets the cute
butcher's apprentice in the shop next door and tries to track down
her donor's family things get complicated.
Plozza writes with flair and humour as she traces the steps that
Marlowe takes while trying to discover the members of her heart
donor's family. The reader is taken on a voyage of discovery, and
begins to identify with how a recipient of an organ donation would
feel, and can empathise with the donor's family who don't want to be
reminded of their loved one's death. Marlowe's attempt to move on
from being a very sick young girl is hampered by her desire to find
out about her donor, but she does get to know Leo the butcher's
apprentice as she plays some very funny pranks and draws graffiti on
his shop and readers will chuckle aloud at the funny dialogue
between the two. Another source of humour and interest in the book
are the antics and lovely personality of Pip, Marlowe's little
brother, who comes up with the most original ideas for dressing up -
can you imagine a cyborg Rob Roy? However, there are also many
moments of heartbreak too that will bring tears to the reader's
eyes, as Plozza explores the effect of a death in a family and how
difficult it is to move on.
Great characters, an unusual family with many strengths and
weaknesses and a heart-warming romance make this an absorbing read
that has enormous appeal.
Pat Pledger
Stink: Hamlet and Cheese by Megan McDonald
Candlewick Press, 2018. ISBN 9780763691639
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. Stink: Hamlet and Cheese is a
great way to introduce Hamlet and Shakespeare to younger readers.
The main character, Stink, may not be too happy about being the only
boy at Shakespeare camp but it sure beats being stuck at home
without his friends.
Stink's friend, Sophie, makes Shakespeare camp sound amazing. Stink
likes the idea of acting and loves the idea of sword fighting.
Unfortunately, Riley (a girl from school) is also at camp. She is so
annoying and Stink is worried about all of the kissing talk. Does
Riley really want to kiss him? Yuck! Thankfully, Stink's sister and
Sophie help him make a shield. At least he has one way of blocking
any potential Riley kisses!
Despite the kissing threat, Stink still enjoys camp. He gets to see
a Shakespeare play, learns how to insult like Shakespeare and learns
about the words we use today that were actually created by
Shakespeare. As the Saturday performance approaches and family and
friends get ready to attend, Stink starts to worry about that kiss.
Will his anti-kiss shield be enough? Stink: Hamlet and Cheese is a fun and easy read. It has some
funny moments and great characters. The author has included elements
of Shakespeare's plays making them easy to understand. the story
will teach readers about the mysteries behind Macbeth, the famous
quotes and the new words we wouldn't have without Shakespeare. This
book is highly recommended for readers aged 8+.
Kylie Kempster
Peter Rabbit: Hello Peter! by Beatrix Potter
Warne, Puffin Books, 2018. ISBN 9780241324332
(Age: 1-3) Highly recommended. Board book. What a wonderful
introduction to Peter Rabbit and the delightful illustrations by
Beatrix Potter. This board book is for very young children, but
adults reading the rhyming words and looking at the drawings will
also be engrossed and enchanted as they go through the book.
The rhymes are gentle and easy to read aloud. An example is: Peter loves to jump and play,
Peter's had a busy day.
Each rhyme is accompanied on the opposite page by a gorgeous
illustration. Young children will love pointing out the carrot that
Peter is kicking in the air as he plays, and will laugh at the
snoozing Peter after his busy day. There are colourful flowers,
birds and butterflies adorning the pages in soft pastels and the
final two pages are winners: Peter's mother wants to cuddle
Before it's time to sleep and snuggle.
This is sure to become a firm favourite with young children and
their care-givers.
Pat Pledger
Silent but deadly by Pixel Kid and Zack Zombie
Diary of a Minecraft Creeper series. Scholastic, 2018. ISBN
9781742768724
(Age: 7-9) Themes: Bullying, School life, Minecraft computer game.
Pixel Kid and Zack Zombie bring Jasper the Creeper back for another
adventure in "Silent but Deadly." This junior novel is written in
the familiar diary format is packed with Minecraft characters and
filled with gross behaviour, family and school dramas and the
requisite fart jokes.
Jasper the Creeper's class is teaming up with Mr Grossegg's class to
write, produce and perform plays about Minecraft Mythology. Jasper's
group includes his best friend Harry and Burt Sting the biggest
bully and his gang, Blake the Blaze, Zane the Zombie and Sam the
Slime. Harry warns Jasper about these guys and their previous
trouble-making. In drama class they just walk around making fun of
the other students' plays. Their group choose to act out the story
of Sir Farts-a-Lot and his epic adventure slaying an Ender Dragon.
Burt and his gang choose the best roles while Harry and Jasper
become the front and back end of the dragon. Burt's continual
bullying causes problems for Jasper who farts gunpowder whenever
he's stressed or upset.
When they meet at the entrance to the mineshaft after school, Stu,
Jasper's human friend offers him some advice. 'Be better than the
bully don't act like they do.' Of course, things get worse for a
while, Harry's temper causes a fire in the drama room, both Harry
and Jasper are suspended for bullying Burt and his mates.
With help from his family and advice on how to stand up to the
school bullies, Jasper plucks up the courage, battles an Ender
dragon and plays the lead character in his school play.
"Silent but deadly" is another fun addition to the "Diary of a
Minecraft Creeper" series. With all the familiar characters and
typical humour, silly situations and grossness, fans will enjoy this
easy-to-read diary and cartoon style format.
Rhyllis Bignell
Parvana - A graphic novel based on the original book by Deborah Ellis
Allen and Unwin, 2018. ISBN 9781760631970
Highly recommended. "This beautiful graphic-novel adaptation of the
animated film, inspired by Deborah Ellis's beloved novel, tells the
story of eleven-year-old Parvana.
When soldiers burst into her home and drag her father off to prison,
Parvana is forced to take responsibility for her whole family,
dressing as a boy to make a living in the marketplace of Kabul,
risking her life in the dangerous and volatile city.
By turns exciting and touching, Parvana is a story of courage in the
face of overwhelming fear and repression. Readers will want to
linger over this powerful graphic novel with its striking art and
inspiring story." Publisher.
I must say I was not at all excited about reading a graphic novel as
these do not appeal to me at all but I must say I was pleasantly
surprised. We have Parvana as a set text for our Year 6
classes so I was eager to read this version and I was not
disappointed. The illustrations added so much to the story line and
to the overall understanding of the plot. Concepts such as bullying,
war, family, poverty, friendship and the role of women are
presented. It touches on an important time in Afghanistan and the
hardships that may continue to face. Parvana is an extremely strong
willed lead character who takes it upon herself to help bring her
father home at a time where girls were given very little freedom. A
must have to add to the graphic novels' collection.
Kathryn Schumacher
Bob by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead
Ill. by Nicholas Gannon. Text Publishing, 2018. ISBN 9781925603590
(Age: 8-12) Highly recommended. Themes: Fantasy. Imagination.
Friendship. Droughts. Country life. Livy has just returned to
Australia to see her grandmother after a five years absence. There
are many things that she can't remember and one of them is the
strange little creature, dressed in a chicken suit, who is living in
the cupboard in her room. His name is Bob and he tells Livy that she
promised that she would help him find his home. He has been waiting
for a long time for this to happen and together they begin to
unravel the mystery of where Bob belongs.
This a timeless and very warm story of an unlikely friendship, set
against the background of Livy's grandmother's residence and the
surrounding area that is stricken by a terrible drought. Told in the
voices of Livy and Bob in alternating chapters, the pair renew their
friendship, reliving some of the happy moments from the past, as
they try and work out where Bob has come from.
Mass and Stead both write beautifully and the reader is captivated
with the depth of the friendship and the often funny descriptions of
Bob dressed in his chicken suit. The back story of the drought, the
letter that Gran gets from the bank and the pervading dryness of the
country side, is subtly handled by the authors, and Livy's gradually
growth, her friendship with a local girl and her meeting with Danny
the little boy from next door all add to a magical and engrossing
story. The artwork by Nicholas Gannon adds to the appeal of the book
and although initially dark, a perusal of the front cover will
reward the inquiring mind.
I could imagine this being read aloud to a class as well as becoming
a firm favourite of children who enjoy reading about the power of
the imagination, the strength of love and enduring friendship. It is
a must for any library.
Pat Pledger
Allied by Amy Tintera
Ruined trilogy. Allen and Unwin, 2018. ISBN 9781760290665
(Age: Teens - YA) Recommended. Allied concludes Emelina and Olivia
Flores's story of love, loss, vengeance and trust. Fighting to
become the true queen of Ruina, they might be sisters but they are
far from allies. It's queen against queen and the Ruined are split
between who to follow. Will they follow Olivia who has become
consumed by her quest for vengeance? Or will they follow Emelina, a
useless Ruined who fell in love with the new Leran king? All the
nations are at stake and in the end, only one queen will survive.
With this being the last instalment in this trilogy, Tintera has
done well to provide backstory when needed without it being
overwhelming for the reader. Tintera also uses the perspective of
all her many characters to give the story a nice flow. Each
character is unique in their own way and you can tell from the way
Tintera has written them, that they have developed a lot since the
first book. Olivia is driven by her need for vengeance, she is
strong and persistent and has a very strong temper, while Emelina is
thoughtful and wants to avoid conflicts with her sister at all
costs. In this story, they both go through so much that shows just
how much they have changed since the first book in this series,
Ruined. They are relatable and easy to empathize with. And even
though it follows the history of more than 5-6 characters, it is
still easy to follow and remember their stories.
Overall, I think this is a gripping and engaging story and that will
please fans of the trilogy and new readers too. I would recommend
this to young adults and teenagers.
Kayla Raphael
Our forever love by Kristie Groat-Barber
Little Steps Publishing, 2017. ISBN 9781925545531
"In my mind and heart that's where you will stay, I promise to love
you more every day. This heartfelt tribute follows one little girl's
journey to say goodbye to her Poppy while keeping him firmly in her
heart."
A gentle tribute to a grandfather who is no longer physically with
his family, this is a delightful picturebook explaining that he
will always be with them nonetheless. Written in rhyme, there is
minimal text, presented in a clean, clear font. Although undoubtedly
designed as a read aloud to assist a parent in explaining the
reality of death, the language is easily accessible to younger
children. The watercolour illustrations are simple, realistic and
utilise gentle, pastel type colours. They are sensitive and full of
joy, depicting the wonderful relationship shared by the child and
grandparent before his death.
This book would be an asset to any young child dealing with the loss
of a loved one, particularly a grandparent. Both heaven and prayer
are mentioned but the spiritual side would most likely not be a
major barrier to those without a Christian background as it is
simply referred to, without being overly pedantic.
Both the dedication and image on the final endpapers explain the
motivation for the book, as the author is writing to explain the
loss of her father and the grandfather of her children.
Jo Schenkel
Peg + Cat : The camp problem by Jennifer Oxley and Billy Aronson
Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9780763699222
(Age: 5-8) Peg + cat: The camp problem is an engaging story
designed for 5-8year olds. The Peg + Cat series has an
undercurrent of mathematics equations which easily slide into the
stories and essentially enable children to learn about maths without
even knowing it! This story surrounds Peg and her pet Cat who are
dealing with a homesick friend at Camp Niniwawa. The maths topics
include colour patterns and counting in 5 and 10s.
I used this book as a homework reader with my 7 year old and was
pleasantly surprised both with the story and the mix of familiar and
challenging words. The chapters were the perfect length for his
reading level/ability (level 16) and would work either to be read in
one sitting or across a series of days.
During the story we were able to stop and focus on the mathematical
concepts, practising counting by 5s to 100, and used the colour
pattern chapter as a stepping stone to more complex pattern
scenarios. The maths level is around that for a 5 year old but
easily extended.
I really liked this aspect of the book as it was such an easy
pathway from literacy to numeracy. There are a variety of other
titles in this series, where Peg and her trusty sidekick Cat use
maths to solve problems. These would be great to be used in a class
situation, to concrete concepts and enlighten students who may be
finding particular base level number concepts hard. Mr. 7 year old
gave it 3.5 out of 5.
Lauren Fountain
Crash landing by Robert Muchamore
Rock Wars Book 4. Hodder Children's Books, 2017. ISBN
9781444914634
(Age: Secondary) "Jay, Summer and Dylan are fresh out of the biggest
reality show there is. But they're about to discover what fame and
fortune are really about. Jay's brother Theo is young, rich and
famous: but is it making him happy? Summer's got to weather her
one-star reviews and take her career back into her own hands. And
Dylan might soon be seeing the world of show-business from the four
walls of a prison cell. They've got everything to play for."
Not having read a single title from amongst the three preceding
books in the series, I came to the story without any background
knowledge of the various characters. Despite this, it was simple to
piece together sufficient information to understand the motivation
of most of the characters and I found them to be interesting and
engaging. From virtually the first page the book is scattered with
drug references, discussion of life in the music industry, reality
TV shows, prison life and general aspects of the 'seedy side of
life'. Positive, loving relationships between friends and family
are, however, present throughout the story too. Loyalty, honesty and
ethical issues are investigated and provide an interesting dilemma
for various characters. Ultimately, the resolution seemed to be
quite satisfying as certain people receive their comeuppance, which
seems to have been well deserved.
The cover of this book does state that it is not suitable for
younger readers and I would agree with this assessment. With the
main characters being sixteen, this title would best be suited to
readers in secondary school. Initially, a definite romp, filled with
fights and life in prison, the story does have a positive outcome
and a message, without being overly didactic. This title would
probably hold most appeal to young teens.
Jo Schenkel
Mercy Point by Anna Snoekstra
Angus and Robertson, 2018. ISBN 9781460755754
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Themes: Mystery and suspense. Friendship.
Five teens are best friends online, all convinced that they are
adopted. When they finally meet they are shocked because at school
they all hate each other. Michael is the school bully who gives
Fabian a hard time. Emma is a know it all who can't stand Michael
while Tessie is strange and doesn't fit in. Then there is Sam the
mystery boy who has just appeared and seems determined to keep the
group together, despite their differences and dislike of each other.
But as they talk together they discover that the people who claim to
be their parents are keeping secrets and the group gradually pieces
together clues about what is going on.
This starts out as a traditional, suspenseful mystery, and the
reader is kept glued to the page as each of the five main characters
tell their stories about what is happening to them at school and why
they believe that their parents are lying about their origins. It is
easy to become very involved in the lives of these teens, their
problems and their desire for the truth.
The results of their quest to uncover the secrets that are being
hidden from them will shock and really surprise the reader. Without
giving away the plot I can state that I certainly didn't expect the
outcome, which left me reeling.
This is a riveting read and has many elements to recommend it. The
characters are skilfully and sympathetically drawn, the plot is
tense and the final chapters amazing. And the ending gives room for
a sequel, which will please fans.
Pat Pledger
