In verse form, the ibis at the centre of the story is aware from her rumbly stomach that it is lunch time. She flies past a bunch of children on an excursion, frazzled teachers in tow, and looks in at the giraffe eating its lunch. He offers shoots and leaves which the ibis rejects, flying on to the elephant. But all he has is a bale of hay, which does not appeal. Nearby she spots a bucket of fish, but is warned by the children, pointing out the sign which says, ‘Don’t feed the ibis.’ She is appalled, this is lunchtime after all, and grabs a fish in her beak ready to fly off, but a seal whips around and takes the fish from the ibis. Reeling away from the seal, the ibis lands in a cloud of pink fairy floss. She hears some cheering and sees a bunch of birds, each flying to catch the treats thrown by the keeper. She joins in and in return she shows the birds how to open a lunch box, and of course is berated by the hassled teacher. She gets away with an array of food and is applauded for her dexterity and cleverness.
A very funny look at the bin chickens which have adapted easily to life in the city, this story will have younger readers laughing out loud, prompting them to predict the rhyming word, and act out the noises made while the ibis eats.
Wonderful illustrations cover each page, and impressions of the zoo and its creatures can be seen. The ibis twists and turns on each page as she tries to get some lunch.
A worthy successor to Bin chicken, and Winner, winner bin chicken dinner, Feeding time at the zoo is a funny and easy to digest story about the invasive bin chicken, which most children will have seen in parks and gardens of the cities.
Themes Humour, Zoos, Persistence.
Fran Knight
Girl falling by Hayley Scrivenor
Pan Macmillan, 2024. ISBN: 9781760987206. (Age:16+) Highly recommended.
‘Why would my best friend want to destroy my life?’ This is the opening line of Scrivenor’s mystery thriller about a toxic friendship between two teenagers, Finn and Daphne, both with secrets to hide. While Finn believes that Daphne’s friendship has helped her move on from guilt over her younger sister’s death, it becomes apparent that Daphne is a psychopathic personality who will always use what she knows to wilfully manipulate others. This is most obvious when Finn eventually meets Magda, the love of her life. When Magda raises doubts about Daphne’s motives, the dynamics between the three of them is bound to explode.
From the screaming moment in an abseiling adventure when a flailing body hurtles, no longer attached, down a ravine, Scrivenor has the reader hooked into a psychological drama that has more than one twist. The account flips from present to past and back again repeatedly, gradually building a picture of complex characters whose lives have become entwined through trauma.
This is a fascinating and engaging thriller that holds that reader until the end. Although the final twist may come as a surprise to some, I found a re-reading led to a better appreciation of Scrivenor’s depiction of a co-dependent relationship, and the ending absolutely makes sense. This is a masterful psychological thriller that explores friendships, secrets, and manipulative control.
Picador, 2024. ISBN: 9781761561825. (Age:Adult - Young adult) Recommended.
In this very personal memoir, Markus Zusak takes us on a journey with his family as they invite a succession of tough personalities into their home. Starting with two cats and progressing to two, pound dogs, Reuben a 'big bad brindle' followed by Archie, 'pretty boy assassin (Reuben’s hitman)'. The third dog of the title, Frosty, ADHD on legs, comes later. It seems the family have a knack for choosing difficult pets; the cats, a warrior and a rat eating urinator, are followed by Reuben, a forty-kilo formidable mongrel who once knocked Markus out cold. Then came Archer, a beautiful golden street dog with a name out of one of Zusak’s books, something that was surely good luck; what better criteria for choosing a pet! The two dogs were wild and troublesome but loved. As the family grew and moved, so the dogs became just part of the chaos of family life, challenging but oh so rewarding. In telling the story, Zusak gives us a peek into the writing process, the nuts and bolts of wordsmithing. Foreshadowing and anticipation, wonderful descriptions and robust dialogue, building drama and then giving the dogs dialogue for comic effect; a generous invitation from the author to step inside the writing process.
This is an intimate family memoir through the lens of dog ownership, the tone is light, candid and self-deprecatory but the genuine relationships shine through as we are taken on an emotional rollercoaster. The book is beautifully produced with striking cover and chapter illustrations by Daniel New. There is a centre section with photos of the family with the animals that have given them so much life and caused them so much trouble. A must for lovers of Zusak’s writing and all pet owners.
Themes Family, Dogs and cats.
Sue Speck
Aussie native plants A-Z by Joey Farrell, Jocelyn Gibson (illus.)
A compilation of Australian plants and flowers is shown in this book. B, for example is for Boab tree and we are presented with a one-page summary of this tree. An illustration takes up most of the page which shows the plant in question in its environment. On one side is a close up of its flower and fruit. Boab trees are numerous across the Northern part of Australia, an area which has extremes of temperature and rainfall, which suits this plant well. A paragraph of information is given under the illustration. The text hints about a Dreaming story about the Boab tree, which will be interesting to follow up.
D is for Desert Pea, and the page gives information about the plant under an illustration showing the pea in flower. In South Australia, this is known at Sturt’s Desert Pea, and again the information hints at Aboriginal stories written about this plant.
E is for Emu bush, another plant seen across arid Australia, and it has a range of types and colours, and medicinal uses are again hinted at.
I really enjoyed reading this book but found it did not go far enough. Hints about Dreaming stories need to be more specific as there are many of these stories and for the classroom teacher, it would be difficult to find these out to present to the class. Similarly with the hints at medicinal use, I would have preferred to see specific information about this.
But the range of native plants is wonderful, and children will get a basic understanding of these plants and the environments in which they grow. I can imagine classes going out to collect examples, drawing, photographing, and collecting flowers and seeds, if possible. It is worthwhile seeing if there is remnant vegetation in your area to see what plants were in the area before European settlement. Or visit a native plant nursery or find out that native plants were growing in your area and perhaps set up a native garden in your school or home, showcasing the plants that were there.
Themes Native plants, Environment, Australia flora and fauna.
Fran Knight
The day the Moon came to stay by Gary Eck. Illus. by Nick O'Sullivan
Billy looks out of his round window and notices the Moon looks sad. He makes a paper plane letter and throws it into the sky, offering help and a place to stay. That night, Moon is on his doorstep, surprising Billy’s Mum and Dad. But they chip in and make Moon a tremendous breakfast using every plate in the house it seems. Moon tells Billy that he will need to return to the sky as the sun sets. They go off to have fun and Billy wants to make Moon smile. At the beach, the waves seem to be never-ending, so they go to the playground. Here he sits on the seesaw and the pair is surrounded by all the neighbourhood dogs, howling for all they are worth. But when a rocket lands and two astronauts climb onto Moon and plant flags, causing Moon to shout out in pain, they move on to the country. Here all the cows jump over Moon, saying Moo as they do so. Moon is a bit put out, telling them his name is Moon. But Billy notices the sun is about to set, and they go back home. Here, Moon tells Billy that he does not want to go back to his place in the sky, because everyone on Earth seems so happy. Billy tells him all the things that Earth relies on him doing, telling him that Earth will be topsy-turvey, just like their night together has been, if he is not in his place. He returns to his place in the sky and Billy is thrilled to receive a letter from Moon, thanking him for being his friend.
This disarming story of friendship will captivate younger readers as they follow Moon’s attempts to be happy and Billy’s role as his friend. Moon and Billy’s travels will cause laughter as readers recognise the places Moon has in society, in nursery rhymes and in space exploration. The fun in the text will lead to discussions about how the moon affects tides and time. And ideas and research about space exploration will be shared.
Wonderful illustrations by Nick O’Sullivan will captivate the readers as they look at all the funny situations Moon finds himself in: Moon on the top bunk, Moon on a seesaw, Moon eating breakfast with the family.
I love all the idiotic normality of Moon being with Billy, displayed both in the text and on the pages full of eye boggling images. Author, Gary Eck is a comedian, while Nick O’Sullivan is an animator, having worked on Happy Feet. Two special minds working together have created a memorable book, one that will be shared and talked about by kids with their parents, or kids in classes or in libraries with a teacher librarian.
Ying has been chosen as the bride for the Emperor’s son, but it seems that the path to love is not smooth. She soon discovers that their partnership contains mythological import and that her chosen role is more than just to be a bride to the Prince. Ying is not a passive chattel, and struggles with the man who will be her husband. Her story though experiences a twist when she discovers the parallel existence of the reflection world, where her own Ying-reflection and the Prince’s reflection throw a different slant on her life. The reflection-Prince seems to be more lovable than his real counterpart and their connection takes Ying to new and sensual heights. Learning who to trust and where her true place is in the world becomes Ying’s challenge. Should she return beyond the mirror to the real world and its challenges or is there a new way of living? Can the real Prince ever replace the reflection-Prince in her affections? And will her fated destiny as healer of the world ever come to fruition?
This is a complex story with an interesting premise - that a parallel world and doppelgänger existence lies behind reflective surfaces. The power struggles between the two ‘worlds’ hinges on a mythical history with an Asian flavour, and the central character has to discern her place in the mythology and her own feelings about her ‘identical’ but different suitors. Mythical fantasy with an Asian flavour (including some Chinese language references) always has some surprising features for non-Asian readers, but this story also has a romantic element. This sensual expression of the connection between the central characters becomes quite intensely steamy at times, but does not quite head to R-rated territory. But this is still a significant aspect and therefore the book is best read by older teens, 15+. This Asian-influenced fantasy is not as complex as some, but it always has an ‘other-world’ feel. It also has a feminist-inspired journey with a strong female character who is unwilling to be a passive love interest. I quite enjoyed the journey into this parallel world with its power struggles and mythical history.
Recommended for readers of Asian fantasy .
Themes Fantasy, Asian fantasy, Romance, Power, Destiny, Battle.
Carolyn Hull
Avast! Pirate stories from transgender authors by Michael Earp and Alison Evans eds.
Avast is an anthology of pirate tales written in various long-form styles, including a graphic novella and verse novella. Written by transgender and non-binary authors, several pieces are speculative space fiction, while others are more magical, dystopian or mythological. Even the more traditional high-seas pirate stories are given a new perspective with the range of relationships and sexualities that the characters embody. The final piece, Changelings, fits the pirate theme as the twentieth century Melbourne housemates share bootlegged CDs they have ‘borrowed’ from their workplace.
Each tale is a very different reading experience, due to the wide range of distinct worlds and characters, but the transgender theme binds them all together satisfyingly. Some of the characters appear comfortable with their gender and/or sexual orientation, while others are searching and experimenting. They are all endearing and variously deal with philosophical androids, the crew of a romance film, abducted plant sprites, entitled celestial overlords and UFOs. Despite their bizarre circumstances, the friendships, found family and tender relationships between the characters shine, and the authors tackle issues such as climate change, inequality, morality and the treatment of indigenous peoples and their lands in an engaging way that is never moralising or overbearing.
The editors draw a parallel between pirates who live outside the law and the transgender experience, and this collection makes trans authors and characters seen and heard, in all their diversity. Some pieces are easier to read than others, given the range of styles and concepts, but for an older teen looking for a challenge, this collection is both thought-provoking and fun.
Themes LGBTQI+, Found family, Pirates, Space, Speculative fiction, Anthology.
Margaret Crohn
Passions in death by J.D. Robb
Piatkus, 2024. ISBN: 9780349437446. (Age:Adult)
Another in the bestselling series starring Homicide Detective Eve Dallas, Passions in death is a police procedural that will keep readers glued to the page. Erin, a bride to be, has been murdered at her pre-wedding girls’ night out, garrotted and left in a private room at the club. The killer left behind a suitcase with a surprise, two tickets to Maui for their honeymoon, a trip that her fiancée, Shauna, had dreamt of for years. Soon Eve and Peabody are deep in the investigation, ably assisted by Roarke and Eve’s team at headquarters. The murdered woman had been well liked, surrounded by a group of caring friends and their partners. What was the motive for the murder? Who had the opportunity of sneaking into the club with the suitcase and waiting for Erin to pick it up?
Robb has written an engrossing thriller, following Dallas and her team as they interview the party goers at the club, follow up on people who knew Erin and Shauna and try to pierce together a reason for the grisly murder. The murder was cold blooded and malicious. Leaving behind the suitcase with the tickets for Shauna’s dream trip pointed to the murderer wanting to hurt Shauna as well. It takes determination and patience to discover who it is.
Books in the In Death series are invariably easy to read, with likeable main characters, a touch of humour to lighten the darkness, and a different scenario for readers to become immersed in. Passions in death is no exception and will be welcomed by fans.
Themes Murder, Police procedures.
Pat Pledger
From Gallipoli with Love: A Letter from the Trenches by Neil Doherty
Subtitled, 'A letter from the trenches,' this book of 24 pages in a picture book format is a real letter from an Australian soldier at Gallipoli, found in a box of treasures years later. The letter is presented so that younger readers can access the letter, absorbing some of the background of soldiers risking their lives on this Turkish peninsula. While reading the letter, they will more understand the man who wrote it, his motives and feelings about the whole campaign.
Private Lobwein enlisted in 1914 and was sent to Gallipoli as one in the 5th battalion. He had changed his name from the German, Lobwein to Levine. He fought for a month and then wore a letter to his sister in Queensland. He died three days later. The letter was discovered in an old wooden chest in the family home.
His brief account of his time in Gallipoli gives a personal view of the men’s lives under fire, the privations and narrow escapes.
Doherty has added the background to the letter by adding maps, drawings of the trenches, the men waiting, their leg wear and drawings of the sister, Mary reading his letter.
The whole gives a more personal look at what the war in Gallipoli was like for very ordinary men who had enlisted as privates. Younger readers will be able to see the campaign from a personal level, reminding them of why we celebrate Anzac Day.
Themes Anzac Day, World War 1, Letters, Trench warfare.
Two fish swim, each decrying their boring lives. Same old rock, same old seaweed, some old starfish they say to each other. They both wish for something to happen to make their lives more interesting. The red fish remembers that things were better yesterday. While the yellow fish cannot remember yesterday. They want something amazing to happen. Something unexpected and amazing, red fish says. As they decry their boring lives, a black shape appears behind them, growing larger as each page is turned and I defy everyone to keep the music from Jaws out of their heads!
They are both taken inside the large mouth, and now they wish for their boring loves again. Shot out of the animal, they are restored to their boring lives, reciting the same things they said before. Same old, becomes a refrain once again, the red fish noting that he wishes nothing ever happens again, while the yellow fish gives a caveat, unless it is amazing. And they both agree.
A wonderfully funny look at wishing for something, evoking the idiom, ‘be careful what you wish for,’ is a treat for young and old as the fish wish that something incredible would happen to relieve their boring, same old days.
But what happens almost ends their lives. So, the same old life is happily embraced. But…
I laughed out loud at this book, reminding me of the idiom, ‘be careful what you wish for’, combined with the idea that fish have a short attention span. Yellow fish goes along with the red fish, simply agreeing with him, but the first to say that something needs to happen, when they are expelled, reminding us of his short attention span again.
Digital illustrations by McKinnon are fabulous, the two fish taking up large part of each image, swimming around each other, looking at what is in their universe. Small adjustments to their eyes and noses give a host of behaviours as they navigate their environment, and then cope with the larger fish devouring them.
Fans of mysteries with historical figures are sure to enjoy The Death of Dora Black. Set in 1917, in Adelaide, and featuring Miss Kate Cocks and her off-sider, Ethel Bromley, the novel is an engrossing look at city life during World War 1, with Kate Cooks as the main character, the first woman in the British Empire to be employed by the police on the same salary as men. When shop assistant Dora Black is found dead on an Adelaide beach, Kate and Ethel are told to leave the solving of the murder to the men. When Dora’s colleague, another young woman working at Moore’s Department Store, also goes missing the pair are determined to find the killer.
Lainie Anderson has researched Kate Cocks and the history of Adelaide bringing the war years and the role of women to life. Kate has a reputation for wielding a cane and separating couple with the refrain ‘ Three feet apart,’ while at the same time helping unmarried mothers and their children find secure homes and jobs. Soldiers return home maimed from the battlefield and often addicted to heroin, suffering from undiagnosed post traumatic stress disorder, their wives and children sometimes living in fear. The powerful men of the state and the Adelaide Club where they meet is described, while their wives meet for afternoon tea and plan balls and uniforms, while subtly helping those in need. Kate and Ethel face a challenging time having to overcome the prejudice of men in the Police Force, who look upon them as Petticoat Police, but both are determined characters and bring intelligence and resilience to the job.
With a grisly murder, opium smugglers, young women going missing as well as a fascinating historical account of 1917 Adelaide, The Death of Dora Black is a must read for lovers of crime. I look forward to the next in the Petticoat Police Mystery series, Murder on North Terrace.
Themes Murder, Police, Adelaide - History.
Pat Pledger
Pow Wow Pig: Forest secrets by Anh Do
Allen & Unwin, 2024. ISBN: 9781761069833. (Age:7+) Highly Recommended.
Forest Secrets, the sixth book in the Pow Pow Pig series by Anh Do and illustrated by Peter Cheong, brings another action-packed adventure to its fans. Pow Pow Pig and his Z Team - comprised of Kung Fu Duck, Cha Cha Chicken and Barry the Goat - are still on their mission to reach the year 2030 and save the world. However, their journey takes another unexpected turn, landing them in the middle of a peculiar conflict in Ancient Japan.
Caught in a chaotic fruit fight between two rival groups, the foxes and the monkeys, the once-peaceful forest is now divided. As the Z Team investigates the cause of the conflict, they uncover that someone has been stealing jewellery, leaving both the monkeys and the foxes without money to survive. This theft has fuelled the animosity between the two groups, each blaming the other for their misfortunes.
Determined to restore peace and harmony, Pow Pow Pig and his friends take on the task of finding the thief. The challenge, however, is not just locating the robber but also getting the foxes and monkeys to work together. The forest dwellers have long kept to themselves and bridging the gap between these divided communities proves to be a daunting task.
Discovering the criminal, they all head deep into the treacherous forest, and the Z team try to teach the value of teamwork and friendship. Can the monkey and fox groups realise that unity is the best strategy, or will they continue to live separate lives with further unrest?
Anh Do's engaging and entertaining storytelling, combined with Peter Cheong's lively illustrations, makes Forest Secrets a delightful read for audiences of all ages. The book blends humour, adventure and valuable life lessons, making it an excellent addition to the Pow Pow Pig series. A fun and easy read, that will engage even those reluctant readers.
Unity, cooperation and the true power of friendship; the Z team never disappoint!
Themes Acceptance, Kindness, Bravery, Humour, Adventure, Problem solving, Friendship.
Another in the series of ‘oi’ books will be well received, children recalling the humour in the story, the hilarious illustrations and the inherent silliness of the whole. I for one, love them.
Dog asks the frog and the cat what dinosaurs sat on. But the frog imperiously tells them that sitting was not invented then. Dog is stunned, imagine having such a huge bottom and not be able to sit. But says dog, dinosaurs could not imagine anything because of the smallness of their brains. After this discussion the book begins the pattern followers of the ‘oi’ books are familiar with. Rhyming pairs of lines introduce the name of a dinosaur and something which rhymes with it. Children willl laugh out loud at the resulting humour, not only with the words, but the hilarious illustrations by Jim Field, depicting several dinosaurs in the most precarious of positions, sitting down. Pterosaurs didn’t sit on bendy straws, tricerotopses didn’t sit on lollipopses and diplodocus didn’t sit on crocus. Children will love predicting the rhyming words and find lots of humour in the wonderful illustrations.
The discussion between the three animals becomes more and more involved as they ponder on when animals did know how to sit and what they sat on. Their discussion flows on to prehistoric animals, the animals of the modern era, leading to when they learnt to sit. All is great fun, and the last couple of pages turns the discussion neatly around to a hilarious comment by the dog.
Anything about dinosaurs captures readers’ attention, and this one full of humour will tickle their imaginations. Not only does it reinforce the names of the dinosaurs, but the end papers also show images of many of them, which kids will use to test each other. I love the sabre tooth sitting on his stone age mat, and the titan boas on a ride on mowers. Every page is full of lively funny words, captured beautifully by the illustrations. Children and adults alike will have lots of fun with this book.
Themes Read aloud, Humour, Dinosaurs.
Fran Knight
Dragon folding by Christopher Cheng. Illus. by Lucia Masciullo
A beautiful study of loneliness and friendship awaits all who open this captivating book. We are taken to a street where a Dragon Tree fills the front yard. Children in the street loved to play near it, recognising the place dragons have in the house called Dragon Hall. When his wife was still there, the house was full of warmth as Mrs Singer painted dragons and Mr Singer baked cakes for the children, but since she has gone, the place looks derelict and the dragons in the windowsill have lost their oomph. The people in the street are concerned. Evan knocks on Mr Singer’s door. He has brought a piece of paper and asks Mr Singer to help him fold a dragon.
Mr Singer says no as his finger no longer work and sends Evan off to try folding by himself. He tries and tries, his pieces of paper ending up as discarded balls of paper on the floor and table. Mr Singer gets up to help, and with Evan’s quick fingers and Mr SInger’s guidance the dragons come together. The very next day, Mr Singer decides to make a Dragon Forest Cake and he hums for the first time in a long time. And things in the street have changed. Children play under the Dragon Tree again and eat Mr Singer’s cakes. Dragon Hall looks just like it once did and the folded dragons hang in the tree. The neighbourhood is helping Mr Singer and he is happy; the community is strong and resilient.
A wonderful tale of the power of one small child, and the support of a community shows that people do not have to be alone. Mr Singer opts to take himself out of the friendship the community offers and Evan beguilingly sees a way back.
Lucia Masciullo’s illustrations are inviting. They are redolent of the closeness of a strong community aware that one of their number is not as happy as he was. They are concerned and helpful, but it takes a small boy to get him opening his doors once again. The images of the street, with its cottages and picket fences tell of an inner-city suburb where a mix of people live. Everyone is concerned at the deterioration of the house and Mr Singer and wish to help him back into the friendship and support offered.
The beautiful pencil and watercolour illustrations create a feeling of a life lived with friends next door, where children played in the streets and everyone knew each other. The beginning and end of the book pictures this warmth, easily lost when one person is removed from the group, and the illustrations show the effects it has on everyone.
I typed 'origami dragon' into Google and found several sets of instructions of how to make an origami dragon, but it is far more complex than a crane.
Lauren James’ latest book is a bit of a departure from her usual science-fiction / dystopian / supernatural themes, see Green rising (2021) , The reckless life of Harriet Stoker (2020), The quiet at the end of the world (2019). Last seen online is still a mystery novel, but the focus is most definitely on the online world of social media, fanfiction and chats, beginning with a situation at school that leads to a round of memes and gifs that amount to cyberbullying. It sets the stage for showing how much images and video can be manipulated. However Delilah, the object of all this attention, soon finds herself drawn into a different online scenario. Her obsession with true crime podcasts finds her exploring a decades-old case, the murder of an actor in a cult paranormal TV show, which starred the mother of her new romantic crush, Sawyer. Sawyer doesn’t believe his convicted godfather, Rob Hennings, is guilty.
James’s novel becomes a collection of messages, scene scripts, blog posts and comments sections. Key information comes from retrieved posts from missing blogger ‘gottiewrites’, but are her posts real or fake? The comments below her posts argue amongst themselves about her credibility. Delilah prides herself on tracking down hidden information, but the deeper she goes, the more it seems that she and Sawyer may be putting their lives at risk. The world of fake personas is dangerous territory, and it’s possible there is a murderer still at large.
I like how Lauren James keeps the reader engaged with the murder mystery, but at the same time, demonstrates just how easily one can be sucked in by masked identities, and shows the viciousness of online commenters who feel free to express their dislike and hatred without thinking of the feelings of people on the receiving end. This is truly a novel for present times and is relevant to every teenage reader.
The other interesting thing about this book is the way Delilah’s family is portrayed. She has two mothers, but they are not what you might think. Delilah’s father has transitioned to become ‘Mama’. This is mentioned quite naturally in passing and is not a focal issue. There is no fuss. Her parents, Mom and Mama, are going through a difficult time in their relationship but it has nothing to do with their sexuality, but more about acceptance of personality differences. Like any child of separating parents, Delilah hopes that they will reunite. It is their shared concern for Delilah that brings them together again.
For the mystery addict there is so much fun to be had with this book, there are ‘all these layers of what the reader knew, what the fan knew, what the fan’s readers knew, what the actors knew, and what they all wanted people to believe had happened’ (Lauren James Q&A). It’s a twisty plot, and one I’m sure that YA readers will enjoy.
Themes Mystery, Social media, Obsession, Stalking, Fanfiction, Catfishing, Corruption.
