Reviews

Count with little fish by Lucy Cousins

Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781406374193
(Age: 2+) Highly recommended. Board book. This is a colorful counting book that has both the numerals and the number word and a little rhyme to go with each number.
This is a fun counting book from 1 to 10.
The bright colors engage the reader and the slightly tactile pictures of the fish make it fun to find them on the page.
The numerals are nice and big to be able to trace over with small fingers.
I highly recommend this book for 2+
Karen Colliver

The outcast by Taran Matharu

Summoner series: the prequel. Hachette, 2018. ISBN 9781444939095
Recommended. The outcast instantly had me hooked, taking me through parallels between Fletcher and Arcturus virtually from the beginning. It explained and fleshed out most of what fans of the Summoner series already knew, while throwing in exciting twists and turns. The foreshadowing for the rest of the series was perfectly paced. The events didn't seem forced and made sense in the story. As a prequel, it is intriguing to see the character development it brings to the series, and makes you want to read the whole series again with the new information in mind, with new eyes. I wouldn't mind doing exactly that.
The Summoner series is reminiscent of the Ranger's Apprentice series, of which I am a fan. In fact, I enjoy almost all fantasy novels, with some notable failures. Anyway, as an avid fantasy fan, and a lover of dragons, I appreciate the way the demons are described, the unique way they act. They don't feel like mere pets, but exotic demon companions. The rarer demons that I've never heard of have prompted me to research more exotic demons, and I've found many that are a great fit with my own story writing. The outcast brought its own unique touch to the fantasy genre, with etching, summoning levels and infusion.
Overall, it's a fantastic read. I would recommend it to all fantasy, video game and general novel lovers.
Rachel Bauer (Year 11 student)

Goat's coat by Tom Percival

Ill. by Christine Pym. Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408881019
(Age: 3-6) Themes: Goats. Coats. Helpfulness. 'Let me tell you the tale of Alfonzo the goat, who was terribly proud of his lovely new coat.'
Tom Percival's charming rhyming story begins with a rather proud goat Alfonzo, admiring his handsome coat with glass buttons. He enjoys the comments of others as they admire his new piece of clothing and skips and prances out of town. This little goat has a caring heart as he meets different creatures who need his help, he's willing to assist them. With a little creativity the homeless frog family sail away in a blue boat made from his coat cuffs.
A trembling pale cat with a sore tail, is also helped. Alonzo's uses the hem of his not so beautiful coat to comfort and bandage the wounded animal. After clip-clopping through the woods whistling a happy tune, Alonzo then helps rescue a little chick. As the weather turns to snow, the young goat solves more problems with parts of his coat, until there only a few threads left. Lost in a blizzard, he's forced to shelter under a boulder, until all his new friends arrive to assist him.
Tom Percival's delightful story celebrates the generosity of spirit, the joy of sharing and thinking of others before yourself. Christine Pym's whimsical watercolour, gouache and pencil illustrations bring the characters to life. Her delightful forest scenes combine natural shadings of green and brown backdrops with bold brushstroke leaves. Preschoolers will enjoy watching Alonzo's bold yellow and green check coat disappear and become repurposed. Goat's coat is just right to share with a young audience and they will enjoy discussing Alonzo's creative problem solving and commenting on his helpful character.
Rhyllis Bignell

The Goose Road by Rowena House

Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781406371673
(Age: 12 and up) Highly recommended. "France 1916. Angelique Lacroix is haymaking when the postman delivers the news: her father is dead, killed on a distant battlefield. She makes herself a promise: the farm will remain exactly the same until her beloved older brother comes home from the Front. "I think of it like a magical spell. If I can stop time, if nothing ever changes, then maybe he won't change either." But a storm ruins the harvest, her mother falls ill and then the requisition appears... In a last-ditch attempt to save the farm from bankruptcy, Angelique embarks on a journey across France with her brother's flock of magnificent Toulouse geese." Publisher
It does not take a lot to convince me to read any novel about World War 1 and this was no exception. I found it really hard to put down. House did a fantastic job in developing Angelique and I found myself turning each page hoping only the best for her. As she begins to unravel more and more secrets about her abusive father, the girl is torn between hatred for him and a sense of guilt that he did not survive the war. Set in France in 1916, fourteen year old Angelique takes it upon herself to save the family farm for the long awaited return of her brother who is serving in the army.
The reader is drawn into the atrocities of war and the guilt felt by so many who were not actually away fighting, as well as the hardships and hunger faced by so many and the different roles that people had to take on. Disaster after disaster strikes including the requisition of animals, gossip, unpaid gambling debts and the breakdown of her mother all contribute to a difficult journey experienced by Angelique. Themes such as hardship, anger, determination, resilience and friendship are discovered throughout the story. A must have to add to the library collection.
Kathryn Schumacher

What's at the end of this piece of rope? by Tania Cox

Ill. by Jedda Robaard. Hachette, 2018. ISBN 9780734418012
(Age: 2-6) Themes: Problem solving. Collaboration. Co-operation. In What's at the end of this piece of rope? Tania Cox uses this simple repeated refrain in her enjoyable and engaging picture book. She explores the concepts of working together and cooperation. Young children will enjoy repeating the question, predicting which animal will help and what is at the end of this rope.
A little girl's imagination creates a lush green jungle where her animal toys come to life and a little thread becomes a long, tight rope that needs to be investigated. First a monkey steps up to help, then a mother kangaroo pulls as well, next gorilla and then hippo assists with a big heave. There's a scary surprise and a delightful ending.
Jedda Robaard's enchanting pastel watercolour and pencil scenes are playful and imaginative, helping create the cumulative journey and building the excitement of the reveal. Even the front cover with the raised sections is a tactile entry into the book. Tania Cox's easy to read story shows key concepts suitable for preschool and child-care children. Read aloud and discuss the reasons for collaborating and helping others, spend time making predictions and wondering, even using manners by saying please and thank you is shown. With colourful large and small size text, fun placement and expressive sounds as they pull, humph and heave, this is a delightful story just right for viewing and sharing.
Rhyllis Bignell

My (almost) perfect puppy by Meredith Costain and Danielle McDonald

Olivia's secret scribbles. Scholastic, 2018. ISBN 9781760277079
(Age: 6-8) Recommended. Themes: Pets. Friendship. Therapy pets. Diaries. Olivia likes to record important things in her Big Book of Private Secrets. But they are not so secret... because we get to read them! In this book, Ella's younger sister Olivia shares about her friendship with her 'across the back fence' friend Matilda, her struggles with her siblings (especially Ella), and all about her not-so-perfect pet puppy, Bob. Bob gets into rubbish bins, is too energetic and makes life very difficult when he visits Great-Nanna Peggy in her home at Golden Gardens (a 'golden oldies' home). Bob does eventually redeem himself, but not without first creating havoc.
This book will be enjoyed by young female readers as Olivia branches out on her own away from her sister Ella. This is an easy chapter book with naive cartoon-style drawings (with pink highlights) and a simple view of life and problems.
Recommended for readers aged 6-8.
Carolyn Hull

The love that I have by James Moloney

Angus and Robertson, 2018. ISBN 9781460754634
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Themes: World War II, Germany; Concentration Camps; Love and Romance; Historical Fiction; Bravery; Survival. Is it possible for a love story to be set within the shadow of a German concentration camp? Do love letters and awful atrocities ever connect in a believable way? Will love be stronger than death? These questions are answered in this amazing book set in a time and setting that is marked by terrible expressions of the power of Nazi-influenced Germany. In the shadows of this horror, Margot - an innocent German teenager, takes on a job in the mailroom attached to the Concentration Camp at Sachsenhausen. Her role is to destroy the mail 'posted' by inmates of the Camp. A decision made on a whim to read some of these missives leads her to discover more than she could imagine - she hears the humanity in the words she reads. And when one of these letters is addressed to a Jewish girl with the same first name, she learns of a young man whose words and heart-felt expressions of devotion impact her life with an unexpected empathy. Her assumption that the 'other' Margot must surely be dead, leads her to write back, as if she was the other. What follows leads the reader into the very heart of young love and into the horrors of the end of the Second World War, as the Germans were experiencing it. With some showing incredible bravery, we see the occasional glimpses of hope amidst the abyss of Nazi oppression and concentration camp life.
This is a love story in a horrible setting. For those who have been impressed by The Book Thief and The Boy in Striped Pyjamas, this book will rival those stories for the insights into history, the German experience, and into the very best and worst of human hearts. It is brilliantly written with the perspectives of the two main protagonists being told at different points of the story. Death and apprehension are constant companions. Despite alternate explanations for circumstances, the power of 'story' to create empathy and compassion, as against the ignorance of propaganda is highlighted for the reader. Moloney has also reminded the reader that not all on the German side were tarred permanently with Hitler's brush, even if their sight was sometimes dimmed and their hands prevented from acting to stop the horrors. Impossibly difficult decisions are made under the pressures of war and survival.
Highly recommended for readers aged 14+ (Maturity required considering the awful situation; both male and female readers will connect despite the 'love story' genre.)
Reading group notes and teacher's notes are available here.
Carolyn Hull

The Adventures of Jellybean by Bill Condon and Dianne Bates

University of Queensland Press, 2018, ISBN 9780702260001
(Age: 6+) Recommended. Themes: Goats, Friendship, Pet ownership. "The Adventures of Jellybean" is a fun story, filled with friendship, family life and the highs and lows of owning a pet goat. Author Di Bates has drawn on her special childhood memories of growing up on a goat farm, to co-author this relatable junior novel with Bill Condon.
Best friends and neighbours Rory and Trang love observing their neighbours from high up in the fig tree that borders both of their houses. They love to discuss their future careers, maybe they'll become wrestlers! When Rory's dad complains about mowing the backyard, Trang comes up with a brilliant idea - a pet goat would help. He's even helped milk his uncle's goat.
After a family discussion at Pop's birthday party, Rory's parents agree to buy a nanny goat which both Rory and Trang promise to look after. Jellybean named for her splotchy brown and white coat proves to be a challenging pet. She's noisy, messy, escapes from her pen and even eats human hair. Pet ownership is a steep learning curve! The boys learn responsibility, perseverance and how to be neighbourly sharing her milk with the people living nearby. With the help of their families they make goat's milk soap and learn some life lessons at the school Pet Show.
"The Adventures of Jellybean" is written in an easy to read style, just right for a junior class novel or for independent readers who enjoy realistic stories. Condon and Bates have crafted an engaging story that explores the responsibility of pet ownership, extended family dynamics, being neighbourly and the ups and downs of friendships. Humour, surprising situations and fun facts about owning a goat and goat's milk products add life to this story.
Rhyllis Bignell

Not if I save you first by Ally Carter

Scholastic, 2018. ISBN 9781742765945
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Themes: Thriller. Kidnapping. Conspiracies. Alaska. Survival. Maddie and Logan were inseparable until a kidnapping attempt was made on Logan's mother and Maddie's father foiled the attempt. He was the bodyguard of Logan's father, the President of the United States, and after the rescue, Maddie was whisked off to the wilds of Alaska, and didn't hear from Logan again. Life was tough for Maddie in Alaska; she lived in a very isolated spot, was homeschooled and didn't have any friends. What made it worse was that Logan her best friend didn't answer her letters so when he turned up with two security guards to live with her father and her, she wasn't too happy. Then Logan is kidnapped and Maddie has to use all the skills she has learnt in the wild to try and rescue him.
A very exciting stand-alone novel, Not if I save you first will appeal to boys and girls alike as Maddie and Logan face the harshness of the wilderness and the fear of what the kidnappers will do. Through a series of letters to Logan, some never sent, the reader is taken on Maddie's learning journey about Alaska, her loneliness and the growth of strength and toughness that the isolation has taught her. All these skills will be of great assistance as she tracks Logan and his kidnapper. Meanwhile Logan uses his photographic memory and intelligence as they try not to lose themselves in the harsh cold conditions.
Action packed, this is a roller coaster of a story and readers will find it very difficult to put down. Fans of Ally Carter's other series, The Gallagher girls, Heist Society and Embassy Row will not be disappointed and readers new to her books are in for a treat.
Pat Pledger

Dude by Aaron Reynolds

Ill. by Dan Santat. Hachette, 2018. ISBN 9780734418784
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Sharks, Friendship, Surfing, Humour, Cautionary tale. To all those intending to read this hilarious book out loud, you will need to practice saying 'dude' in a variety of different ways with different intonations, expressions and meanings. From the first 'dude' where platypus and his friend the beaver, meet on the beach, run to the water's edge with their surf boards held up over their heads and paddle out into the ocean, to the last 'dude' where the two have now befriended a shark and the trio is sitting on the beach in their board shorts, eating their ice creams and staring contentedly out into the ocean, laughter will explode with each rendering of the word.
The two friends initially encounter the shark with trepidation, the 'dude' at first said very quietly with a question at the end of the word, while over the page, the word takes up the double page as the pair hightails it for shore. But things happen to make them less fearful of the predator, and all ends happily as the three become friends, surfing the waves together.
This very funny look at friendship is set against the surfing world which may not be known to many younger readers. Santat's wonderful illustrations bring this world to the reader, with its ice cream shack on the beach, wave types, the array of very different board shorts, along with very different participants and boards. And a few subtle hints occur in the illustrations making the reader aware of some of the shortcomings of being near the sea. This is a wonderfully funny tale, all centered incredibly on one word, with plenty to look at to wonder at, to learn and enjoy, and many people will be reading and rereading this story to a range of listeners who will try it out for themselves, keeping their friends happily engaged.
Fran Knight

Julian is a mermaid by Jessica Love

Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781406380637
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Mermaids, Grandmothers, Imagination, Diversity, Individuality. Julian is mesmerised as he returns home on the tube with his grandmother. Several women are dressed in the most spectacular of costumes, brightly coloured, adorned with jewellry and head dresses, they make an indelible impression on the boy. He dreams of running home, taking off his clothes and diving into the ocean with a tail just like them. And once home, he ferrets around in his apartment for things to dress himself just like the women he saw on the train - the mermaids. He uses the pot plant fronds for his head dress, nabs the flowers from the bowl to put in his hair and the curtains from the windows to make a tail, and when his gran comes out of her bath she gives him a string of costume jewellry for his necklace. The pair then enter the street and make their way to find others just as flamboyantly dressed, making their way to the sea.
A dazzling tribute to all those individuals not afraid to show their difference, who reflect diversity as well as those who support them, this book sings with the exuberance of youth and being an individual.
Colourful, fun filled and light hearted, the cheery liveliness of the two main characters permeates the book as they join the mermaids at the seaside dressed in their finery. The illustrations are amazing, brown sepia tones fill the background against which the luminous colours tell the story of Julian with humourous light heartedness. And the end papers are divine and will entrance all readers.
Jessica Love is a Californian artist and this is her first venture as author illustrator. Classroom ideas are available here.
Fran Knight

Be Cool Be Nice

Templar Publishing, 2018. ISBN 9781787410961
(Age: Teenager/Young Adult) Recommended. I have to be honest when I first saw this book, I thought it was just another activity book but how wrong was I! After doing some googling, I was amazed with the background of this book and the meaning behind it. This is a must read for all boys and girls who have experienced the following:

• Dealt with drama
• Have experienced bullying
• Have experienced selfie addiction
• Have experienced Chronic Bad Attitude Syndrome (CBAS)
• Have goals

Kit meets Covington: Ride by Bobbi JG Weiss

Candlewick Press, 2017. ISBN 9780763698355
(Age: 10-14) "When American teen Kit Bridges moves to England to attend an elite equestrian boarding school, neither she nor her new home will ever be quite the same.
Trying to move on from her mother's death and afraid of riding after a bad fall, plucky fourteen-year-old Kit Bridges doesn't quite know what to expect when her father takes a position at The Covington Academy, a prestigious boarding school in England. Things are looking up when Kit meets her cool, possibly secretly royal new roommate, Anya, and the boys of Covington, like Will, with their charming accents. But she hadn't anticipated such a strict headmistress as Lady Covington. Or the expectation that every student be a rider. Or the wild horse that she seems to have a strange and special bond with. While navigating new friendships, romances, and an alarmingly austere new environment, Kit needs to figure out whether she's ready to get back in the saddle. And at the end of the day, it's hard to tell who will be more changed by her arrival - The Covington Academy or Kit herself." (Publisher)
My sister was always the one who read Trixie Beldon and then my daughter later read The Saddle Club. I can see this book entertaining the next generation of horsey readers. It is based on a Nickelodeon TV show so some readers may be familiar with it. I did love the photos of the characters from the TV show and I did find myself flicking to check them out every now and then. It has an entertaining storyline and I love the old worldly insight into traditional English boarding schools of course with the added bonus of the odd drama thrown in. There are the typical characters of mean girl, popular girl, new girl on the block, popular boy etc etc. By the end of the book you do feel like they are your own friends. It is simple to read and I would recommend it for children aged 10 and up purely for the fact it does touch on young love in a very innocent way. A welcome addition to the horse collection in the library.
Kathryn Schumacher

My girragundji by Meme McDonald and Boori Pryor

Allen and Unwin, 2018. ISBN 9781760297107
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. Themes: Aboriginal themes. Bullying. Talisman. Growing up. This wonderful little book burst onto the scene in 1998, and a reprint for its twentieth anniversary is most welcome. Semi-autobiographical, it tells the story of a young Aboriginal boy sandwiched between two worlds, and bullied at school because of his colour.
Based on the story of Boori's pet frog, the boy in this story builds confidence with the little frog beside him. It hops through the louvre windows into his room one night and tells him that she will always be there, their spirits will be together and be strong. With the frog's support he repels the bully at school, talks to the girl next door who he is keen on, shakes off the hairyman who terrorises the house and walks through the mangroves unafraid.
A delightful story of growing up, of knowing who you are in an unsettling world, My girragundji speaks volumes about that time between childhood and adolescence, of making sense of who you are, made more poignant when the family has arguments each night, as the boy and his brothers sleep in one room, and their seven sisters sleep in the other. When the boy goes to the lake to fish with his father, he learns to kill a turtle, calling on the strength of the frog to help him, and when walking past Sharyn, he needs the help of the frog to say hello. Meme McDonald filled the story with elements of the life lived by Boori Pryor and his family, the Kunggandji people: their culture, beliefs and lifestyle making this tale an absolute treat. Snippets of a young boy's life being taught the culture of his people, of making his way in the white world, of dealing with racism and learning to stand on his own feet, are seamlessly brought into the story, making the reader aware when they put the book down of how much they have learnt about one boy's Aboriginal childhood.
Short summaries at the end tell us how the book came to be written, and show the covers of other novels written by Boori Pryor. A must for every school library.
Fran Knight

The wonder of us by Kim Culbertson

Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781406377170
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended . Friendship on the brink, after spending a school year in different countries? Struggling with your parent's divorce in a little country town while your best friend since kindergarten is swanning around Europe? How do two best friends reconnect when distance would otherwise have them drifting apart? First, Riya invites Abby to Europe, arranging an epic tour through six countries to show Abby, the history nerd, as many sights of interest as they can squeeze in. Not entirely altruistic, Riya intends to tell Abby at the last stop, that she's not coming back to California to graduate and attend college with her.
An overbearing chaperone, Riya's cousin Neel, is the catalyst for most of the misadventures in the story. Neel isn't letting the girls out of his sight but they have other ideas. The early tension is mostly between the two cousins. Neel has relationship problems of his own as Riya and Abby spend much of their time squabbling and making up amidst a wonderfully cosmopolitan backdrop.
This travelogue across Europe, hops predictably between historical locations metaphorically linked to the seven wonders of the ancient world. Kim Culbertson and her research assistants, have styled these cities appealingly into the section divisions of the novel. The theme of shared childhoods being a foundation for a lifelong friendship despite geographical separation is built incrementally by changing narrators in alternating chapters. Fittingly, the girls have contrasting personalities and interests - Riya enrols in a drama course and Abby plans a future based on her passion for history. The light romance thread is suitable for tweens but Culbertson's craft accentuates the key message - that two friends can grow up to follow different destinies without necessarily growing apart. The last 'wonder' might be that the author discusses all manner of relationship break-ups without leaving the 'Clean Literature' category.
Deborah Robins