Ill. by Danny Snell. Little Book Press, 2018. ISBN 9780648115687
Taking a toddler for a walk in a stroller on a sunny day is one of
life's more pleasant and relaxing experiences, especially if it's a
welcome break in a hectic daily routine. Enjoying the
activity, taking notice of nature and the amazing things that can be
seen as you stroll rather than rush, sitting in the park, meeting
friends with their toddlers - it all goes to making an enjoyable
experience for parent and child.
So this lovely book for preschoolers that focuses on this simple
activity and brings it to life is a delight to share, as our
soon-to-be readers not only relate to the events but are also
encouraged to think more about what they see on their daily
walk. Perhaps it is an opportunity for parent and child to
take a lead from Germein's text and Snell's illustrations and create
their own book about their daily walk. A few pages that have
the repetitive text of "On our walk we saw . . . " and a photo or
drawing will not only become a family favourite but also help the
child understand the power they have over words - saying them,
writing them and reading them.
This book has been produced under the umbrella of Raising Literacy Australia,
and with such experienced authors and illustrators on board, it
certainly helps meet the mission
and aims of that charity. Its familiar setting and activity,
its simple rhythmic language accompanied by illustrations that
enable the young reader to predict the text, and the potential for
follow-up are all part of those essential elements that lay the
foundations for mastery of print.
Barbara Braxton
The Forever Kid by Elizabeth Mary Cummings
Ill. by Cheri Hughes. Big Sky, 2018. ISBN 9781925675382
Today is Johnny's birthday. And as in many families, the birthday
kid gets to choose the food, the games and the way they want to
celebrate. And Johnny's family is no different. Cloud stories are
definitely on the list of must-do - lying on your back and looking
for pictures in the clouds and making up stories about what you see.
But this birthday is different to the others that have gone before.
For this year, Johnny is no longer there. He's the Forever Kid - one
who was part of the family but who has passed away leaving just
memories. And on the is special day, each family member remembers
Johnny in their own special way as they celebrate and feel closer to
him. But they all gather together to look for and make cloud
stories.
Much as it saddens us as adults to think that the children we know
are touched by death and grief, nevertheless it is a fact of life
for many. Illness and accidents take their toll and often the adults
are so busy dealing with adult-things that the toll of the child is
overlooked. Kids are seen as resilient, as 'not really
understanding', as bounce-back-and-move-on beings. But anyone who
has been with a child who has had to face such a harsh reality will
know that the pain runs deep and the bewilderment is confusing so to
have such a gentle book that focuses on the child left behind, their
feelings, even their guilt, is a salutary reminder that as adults,
we need to take care of their emotions too.
Four years ago, Miss Then 8 lost her precious great-grandmother, my
mother, and as we grieved and made funeral arrangements and all that
grown-up stuff, it would have been easy to overlook her distress. I
asked her if she would like to say something at the memorial service
and she said yes. My heart broke when this little one, who was such
a chip off her great-gran's block, stood up and just said, 'I love
you Great Gran.' That's when the tears began to flow, and we knew
that she knew what she had lost but she would never forget her even
though she was so young. So this year, when her other
grandmother died and the wake was to be at a local restaurant, it
was no surprise that Miss Now 12 did not want to go because that's
where she had had so many good times with her Great Gran and 'didn't
want them spoiled by sadness'. Just as Johnny is the Forever Kid, so
we have a Forever Great Gran.
This gentle book, with its soft, sympathetic illustrations, is a
reminder to us all that we need to acknowledge our children's
feelings and their grief, and allow them the opportunity to remember
and celebrate and know that it is perfectly okay to do so. Take the
time to lie on the grass with your child, make up cloud stories and
let them remember and reminisce. It will help you both.
Barbara Braxton
Stories for boys who dare to be different by Ben Brooks
Ill. by Quinton Winter. Quercus, 2018. ISBN 9781787471986
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Themes: Men - Biographies. Boys -
Biographies. Masculinity. Inspirational author Ben Brooks continues
his motivating series with Stories for boys who dare to be
different. The subtitle captures his rationale for sharing
these one-hundred stories of courageous boys, teenagers and men - True
tales of amazing boys who changed the world without killing
dragons.
Brooks has gathered information from across the globe, showcasing
famous male role models and introducing less well-known ones from
many fields, including sports, science, music and social activism.
He champions the power of positivity, the importance of inclusivity,
explores gender and social identity and shows how individuals can
rise above their circumstances and make a difference. His material
is gathered from across the globe, from historical figures, with
different professions, socio-economic backgrounds, beliefs and
ethnicities.
Set out in alphabetical order of first names, we begin with South
African teenager Achmat Hassiem who survived a shark attack, had his
leg amputated and then went on to race in the Paralympics. Bill
Gates, Galileo Galilei, Nelson Mandela, Louis Braille, Daniel
Radcliffe all have encouraging messages. The boys from Isca School
protested about the unfair uniform rules having to wear trousers in
summer. They all protested by wearing the girls' uniform skirts for
a day and their message was heard. Moviemaker Tanka Waititi created
his own films and comic book universe to champion his Maori culture
and history.
Quinton Winter's creative, bold graphics are visually engaging. Bold
backgrounds and easy to read stories make this an exciting book to
dip into with a family, on your own or with a class.
Brooks continues to empower his readers, with messages of staying
true to yourself, believing in your own capabilities and being
caring and compassionate with both people and the environment.
Rhyllis Bignell
Salvation by Peter F. Hamilton
The Salvation Sequence Vol 1. Macmillan, 2018. ISBN
9781447281320
(Age: Senior secondary - Adult) Recommended for mature Sci-fi
lovers. Themes: Science Fiction. Space travel. Future survival.
Technology. Aliens. Genetic modification. Peter F. Hamilton is a
master of the Sci-Fi genre and this volume introducing The
Salvation Sequence is brimming full of the complexities of
Science's answers to the world's problems into the future. The
existence of the human population into the 23rd century is subject
to a multitude of scientific, biological and technological
enhancements, some of which have alien origins. The socio-politico
complications of life lead to the need for powerful cyber-security
and espionage personnel with amazing skills. This book covers
multiple generations of amazing people who are involved in intrigue,
crime fighting and overcoming the threats to life. Each individual
has a different story to tell and an interesting history, and the
weaving of their threads together is skilfully artistic, and the
book reads more like a spy thriller and murder mystery than a Sci-fi
story. Hamilton does not ignore the ideological and philosophical
discussions related to genetic manipulation, technological
advancements that extend life, dealing with waste and energy
production, and even the notion of religious expression. These are
all motifs that make this a powerful exploration of the future while
being a compelling narrative with alien participants too. The jumps
in time and physical space through portals allowing interspatial
travel are also exciting and the Sci-fi equivalent of travel in the
Harry Potter magical world but with sophisticated adult participants
who deal with real scientific issues rather than magical ones. The
investigation of an extremely violent murder scene and its
connection to other problems in the extended universe/world is also
very complex. The book leaves the reader with the promise of more to
come!
I am not a passionate Sci-fi lover, so found this book initially
difficult to connect with and hard work to read, but could not
refute the powerful story-telling, the detailed writing skills and
the masterful capacity of the author to explain the scientific
principles upon which the future world was based. The altered
normalities of life beyond 2200 were incredibly complex and only
those with a good scientific interest would be enthused by the
changed foundations of life. The audacious activities of the central
characters were movie-worthy and like a Sci-Fi 'James Bond-style'
adventure with undercover participants, risky investigations,
murders and romances carried out in extreme secrecy and with awesome
technological and cyber assistance. A hint of spy-vs-spy action adds
another layer of complexity.
Recommended for mature Sci-fi lovers. Not for the faint-hearted as
it contains violence and mature themes.
Carolyn Hull
Vanishing by Mike Lucas
Ill. by Jennifer Harrison. Midnight Sun, 2018. ISBN 9781925227444
Once, creatures of all shapes and sizes wandered this empty land.
They had horns and wings, scales and feathers. They lived in vibrant
forests, desert plains and icy tundras. But where are they now?
This is an evocative picture book, lyrically written and sublimely
illustrated, that introduces young children to a host of the
creatures that have inhabited this planet over the millennia but
which have now disappeared, often because of the impact of humans on
their habitat or a desire to own what they offered. But this book
goes further than the extinction of its creatures for it warns that
humans with their cities and all that they consume will also
disappear.
"The humans learned about their past. But they didn't learn enough
from it." But there is also hope that perhaps once the humans have
gone, the creatures will emerge again.
The publication of Vanishing at this time is very timely and
it should be an essential element of any study focusing on
sustainability of the landscape so that, regardless of their age,
students can 'learn enough from it'. Enough for them to continue
asking questions, to examine their own beliefs and practices, to
encourage others to think about the then as well as the now, to take
action and to maintain it until the changes are stopped if not
reversed, and to not give into a future of doom and gloom. To show
those who were of a similar mindset when they were students, that
there are more important things than those that they now worship,
particularly in a country that is among those with the worst
rate of animal species extinction in the world.
A comparison of the front and back end-pages should be enough to
pique the interest but further teaching
notes are available.
Barbara Braxton
Lava Island by Bajo and Hex, Chris Kennett
Pixel Raiders book 5. Scholastic Australia, 2018. ISBN
9781743817650
(Age: 8+) Themes: Digital worlds. Computer games. Fantasy.
Adventure. Celebrity gamers Bajo and Hex's Pixel Raiders
series concludes with Lava Island. This is the most difficult level
yet; Rip and Mei must solve tricky puzzles on Lava Island that lead
them to the dangerous volcano.
Mei and Rip wake up in two different places after the over-powered
villain MEGALAVA caused an explosion. Mei finds herself in Rip's
bedroom trying to explain his whereabouts to his mum. She has to
return to Inreal Games, sneak into the building and find a way back
into the game.
Rip and Mei encounter monkeys, pelicans, loud and annoying music,
race inside chambers, solving mysteries and puzzles as they traverse
Lava Island. They are chased by a huge slime monster and work their
way through even more difficult challenges, encountering firewoman
Magmonia with fiery lava flowing hands who tests their character,
wit and skill. Magmonia's alter ego is Miss Eastwood their music
teacher who gives them a vital clue to help in their ultimate test.
The final epic battle tests Rip and Mei's abilities and skills and
pits them against Bryan, another gamer who works for MEGALAVA.
Firebugs, dangerous icicles, giant snowballs, even a pterodactyl, so
many dangerous elements are thrown at Rip and Mei.
Lava Island draws together all the characters and explains their
motives and actions from the other Pixel Island books making this a
fantastic final adventure. Bajo and Hex understand the gaming world
and Chris Kennett's cartoon graphics liven up the action and antics.
Rhyllis Bignell
Waiting for Chicken Smith by David Mackintosh
Little Hare, 2018. ISBN 9781760501761
'Every year, I stay in the same cabin at the beach with my family,
and every year Chicken Smith's here too, with his Dad and his dog,
Jelly. But this year, something's different.'
Convinced that his friend Chicken Smith will appear any moment, the
young narrator of this story waits resolutely for him, cradling the
piece of driftwood that Chicken Smith carved into a whale shape last
summer. While he waits and waits, his sister tries to get his
attention but he ignores her - nothing is more important than being
there to greet Chicken Smith when he arrives. Apart from anything
else, he has a shell to give him as a thank you for the driftwood
whale.
As he remembers and reflects on past summers, it gradually becomes
clear that perhaps Chicken Smith won't be coming this year. The
cabin he stays in is shut up with long grass all around it and a
huge cobweb in Chicken's bedroom window. And at last, the boy pays
attention to his sister's entreaties and discovers something that
makes up for Chicken Smith's absence...
This is a moving story that will inspire young readers to reminisce
on their own holidays at the beach, the friends they made, the
things they did and start to build the anticipation of having such a
magical time again. They might like to speculate on what has
happened to Chicken Smith and ponder whether the boy will have as
good a holiday without him, using the clues towards the end to think
about the new friendship that is beginning. The childlike language
and the illustrations that could have been drawn by the narrator
make this a more personal experience for the reader - you are just
waiting for Chicken Smith to appear and for the boys to get on with
what boys do at the beach. Great for starting thoughts about the
upcoming summer... Teachers'
notes are available.
Barbara Braxton
The Boneless Mercies by April Tucholke
Simon and Schuster, 2018. ISBN 9781471170003
(Age: Mature 14+) Highly recommended. Themes: High Fantasy, Death.
Certain to appeal to young adult fans of medieval epics, this
macabre group of heroines will attract an even wider audience. In
the male dominated Vorseland, orphaned girls who want escape life in
a brothel could be apprenticed to black-cloaked mercy killers. A
band of nomadic Boneless Mercies may be hired specifically to carry
out assisted suicide for the terminally ill - with the exception of
the occasional abusive husband or revenge kill. Aging Siggy's last
apprentices: Frey, Ovie, Runa and Jupiter are skilled in both
stealth and homicide. With Siggy gone, Frey leads the Mercies and
one by one their pasts are revealed to their 17 yr old leader.
Trigve is a tolerated travelling companion, but as a male he can
never be a Mercy, a job for women only. 'Men will not do this sad,
dark work.'
Without Siggy's guidance, the girls survive but despair of mercy
killing - murdering children in particular. Alternatively, they seek
glorious battles for their considerable skills and Frey leads her
willing band on a series of noble quests. They renounce their trade
with an initial goal to slay the Blue Vee monster and end the
giant's carnage in Jarl Roth's northern kingdom. The reward money
will give them all future security. On route to Blue Vee, they are
side-tracked by further adventures; liberating the victims of evil
Jarls, making deals with self-serving Sea witches and ending the
malevolent reign of the powerful Cut-Queen.
Unlike other Mercy bands or the insular Sea Witches, Frey's group
occasionally accept the comradery of worthy males who become
embroiled in their battles. Inspired by the saga of Beowulf, these
adolescent girls are clearly in charge. Frey's first-hand narration
with an undercurrent of free love and extreme violence makes this a
novel for mature readers. But a wise woman's universe has no
absolutes - Frey never compromises her understanding of the
complexity of the human condition, where destructive cycles are
broken only by acknowledging all victims - including the monsters
themselves.
Deborah Robins
Two Dark Reigns by Kendare Blake
Macmillan, 2018. ISBN 9781509876495
(Age: 12+) Despite having read the previous books in the series, Three
dark crowns and One
dark throne I personally wasn't a fan of Two Dark Reigns.
The addition to the series felt unnecessary.
The third book in the series, Two Dark Reigns follows the
three queens of Fennbirn in their new lives. After Katherine's
ascension, the island is filled with unease. Without the bodies of
Arsinoe and Mirabella it is hard to prove their deaths, particularly
when rumours of the legion-cursed Jules Milone resurface from the
warrior city of Bastian. As the island revolts in the face of The
Undead Queen and Katherine is increasingly forced to rely on the
powers of the dead queens, whispers emerge of a revolution led by a
new queen, a legion-cursed Naturalist with the strength of a
Fennbirn queen.
Meanwhile, away from the island, Arsinoe and Mirabella struggle to
reconcile themselves to their new lives. Each day is a challenge for
Arsinoe as she continues to wear trousers and flaunt her scared
face. Mirabella, by comparison, has an easier time blending in, her
queenly grace finally being useful. However, things start to go arwy
when Arsinoe is contacted by the spirit of the Blue Queen, an island
legend who haunts her and demands they return to Fennbirn to save
the island from Katherine.
While the sisters must decide what is best for the island, the
people, and themselves, Jules must also decide who she wants to be
and whether or not she can lead a revolution, breaking free of all
the island is and leading it into a new age. I would recommend to
fans of the previous books. The novel touches on feelings of
otherness and loss of control.
Kayla Gaskell
Unicorn! by Maggie Hutchings
Ill. by Cheryl Orsini. Affirm Press, 2018. ISBN 9781925712506 Luka makes the world light up
Like a shooting star on a dark night.
But when Luka gets really sick and makes a wish for a unicorn, it is
not so easy for her best friend to keep her promise of making it
come true. Even though she did lots of research about where to find
one and how to catch it when she did, she couldn't find the
information she needed. So she drew a picture of one but that didn't
satisfy Luka as she lay in her hospital bed. And neither did
dressing up in a onesie. Even borrowing a pony and putting a
cardboard horn on it did not make a difference. But sometimes every
minute spent wishing and hoping and determined to keep a promise can
pay off . . .
Unicorns and little girls currently go together like fish and chips
- there is an inexorable pull between them - and so to discover a
picture book that features them is all that will be needed to get
your young readers clamouring for this one. The double bonus is that
it is a quality story that is about friendship and the lengths we go
to for those we love which is accompanied by exquisite
illustrations. And the ending is perfect - even I looked under my
bed!
Barbara Braxton
Billie by Nicole Godwin and Demelsa Haughton
Tusk Books, 2018. ISBN 9780994531414
Billie the dolphin loves the wildness of surfing the ocean's waves -
for her there is no greater thrill. And so she sets off to find the
most enormous wave that she can, one that will make her happy, safe
and free. But in her search for that one wonderful wave, she
encounters more than she expected as she finds fellow marine
creatures entangled in the human detritus and pollution of the
ocean. Fishing lines, plastic bags, nets, noise . . . all are
modern-day hazards that have to be navigated as the ocean's
creatures go about their daily lives. Billie helps to free as many
as she can, but when she herself is caught in a net and her new
friends come to rescue her, she finds something that is even better
than surfing the enormous waves.
The Canberra author of Ella has made it her mission to be a voice
for those creatures of the wild who don't have their own voice to
bring attention to the destruction of their habitat. Many young
readers will be familiar with the sight of dolphins surfing the
waves and develop a fascination for these beautiful, intelligent
creatures from a young age. But they are unaware of the issues that
dolphins face as the human world encroaches more and more on their
environment and so it is books like this that carry a critical
message of conservation as well as a charming story that inspire
them to action. Rather like the little wave that forms and is then
apparently lost in the vast ocean, but in fact becomes part of a
larger wave, so the voices of authors like Godwin and illustrators
like Haughton who has created such vivid images become bigger and
bigger and louder and louder as both Ella and Billie are shared with
our young students as part of the sustainability perspective of the
Australian Curriculum.
The final double spread explains more about the issues that Billie
encountered on her journey, and part of this includes the statement,
'One of the saddest parts of my journey was not being able to help
my friends in the dolphin park. They belong in the wild, not in
tanks.' This has the potential to become a formal debate on the role
of places like SeaWorld and other venues where dolphins are held in
captivity, perhaps even extending to the roles of zoos in the
understanding and conservation of the planet's fauna. So while this
appears to be a picture book for the very young, it has scope to be
used with a much wider, older audience.
Barbara Braxton
Invisible Jerry by Adam Wallace and Giuseppe Poli
EK Books, 2018. ISBN 9781925335781
People don't notice Jerry. If someone bumps into him, they don't say
sorry. If he makes a joke, no one laughs. He never gets picked last
for sports teams - but that's because he never gets picked at all.
It's like he's invisible. Even though, like most kids, he doesn't
want to be too different that he stands out, he hates being
invisible. He really would like to be part of the crowd, laughing,
smiling and having fun but that's hard if you're quiet and shy.
But then along comes Molly . . . and not only does she change
Jerry's life, she enables him to changes the lives of others.
There is a fine line between being the centre of attention and
perhaps putting a target on your back for bullies and being so
introverted that you're not even noticed. Most kids seem to work
within a happy medium between the two but there are always the
extremes - like the Bell curve of distribution. Sharing this book
with young readers can help make those in the middle more aware of
those like Jerry who don't have the confidence to step forward, or
who are ignored when they try, while at the same time, give the
introverts the opportunity to reach out to someone who is just like
them and who is probably feeling as unhappy as they are. Whilst we
don't all are or want to be in the limelight, sometimes it's
necessary to cast a light into the shadows.
From the front cover of this book where the line between Jerry and
his peers is drawn with the title dividing him from them, the
placement of Jerry in the illustrations underscores his isolation
and the gentle palette reinforces the light touch that Spark author,
Adam Wallace has used to portray a common situation that can be dark
and overwhelming.
Another wonderful story for your mindfulness collection.
Barbara Braxton
Light Years by Kass Morgan
Hodder and Stoughton 2018. ISBN 9781473663398
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. Themes: Science fiction, Space
stations, Bullying, Discrimination. When the exclusive Quatra Fleet
Academy changes its policy on admitting students from other planets,
the best and brightest of Chetire, Loos, and Deva can finally hope
for a better life. Known as Settlers and dealing with horrendous
conditions and low life expectancy on their home planets, the
students from Chetire, Loos, and Deva are eager to prove they are
just as smart, if not smarter, than the Tridians.
Cormak, a black-market water-runner from the toxic planet of Deva,
arrives at the Academy by accident, taking the place of his deceased
brother, Rex. Together with being one of the first Deva people to
attend the academy, Cormak wins the place of Captain on his team,
drawing the attention of the Tridians and the disdain of his fellow
classmates. For Cormak, this is all made easier by the rivalry with
his pilot, Vesper, a Tridian and the daughter of their headmistress.
Along with Aaran, a boy from Chetire, their team is completed by
Orelia, a girl who claims to be from Loos but is hiding a dark
secret.
Joining the Quatra Fleet is the dream of any Tridian and the
admittance of Settlers into the highly competitive program is like a
slap in the face. While the Tridian cadets try to maintain their
superiority, they forget their common enemy and the reason the
Quatra Fleet was formed in the first place. Can they overcome their
petty rivalry to face the greater enemy in time?
Playing with issues such as bullying and discrimination, Light
Years presents this space academy as a coming of age story. I
would highly recommend to people struggling with issues regarding
discrimination, bullying, or relationships aged twelve and up.
Despite being set in space, the novel doesn't read much like a
science fiction piece, rather a school drama.
Kayla Gaskell
First Children's Dictionary ed. by Marie Greenwood
Australian Edition. Dorling Kindersley, 2018. ISBN 9780143794981
(Age: 7+) Highly recommended. Subjects: English dictionary. Dorling
Kindersley's First Children's Dictionary is an excellent
resource and reference guide for children, students and families to
use. Introductory sections assist in understanding alphabetical
order, sentence construction and how to use the dictionary. Labels,
diagrams, photos, bold text and whole pages focussed on one topic
make this visually appealing. We view a city scene with a cyclist,
street musician and traffic surrounded by descriptive words filling
the sky in a range of fun fonts, just right to investigate.
Fireworks blast and flash across the Entertainment page and
industrial robots, surveillance drones and high-tech humanoid robots
are surrounded by descriptive nouns, verbs and phrases in the 'R'
section.
The editors have included a broad range of words including both
familiar language and new topics to extend the reader's vocabulary.
This dictionary is clearly set out for younger children with a
simple definition and explanation included in a sentence. Colourful
images, half page photo spreads and three columns per page, bold
guide words and alphabetical order on the page edges make this an
interesting reference tool. Spelling tips, Writing and punctuation
tools, Maths facts and figures, Animal Families and a world map are
included as additional points of interest.
With more than 400 entries and 800 illustrations this First
Children's Dictionary is a constructive guide for families and
students in the early years. A beneficial introduction to grammar,
spelling tips and a useful resource for creative writing.
Rhyllis Bignell
Uncle Gobb and the plot plot by Michael Rosen
Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2018. ISBN 9781408873946
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Themes: Nonsense. Malcolm's new problem
presents itself immediately - in the middle of the night in fact.
Mum and Malcolm, aided to a small degree by his nose genie, discover
Uncle Gobb gearing up to turn his Dread Shed into a school for
'important facts and rich knowledge'.
Perhaps because this is a post fact world, for which Uncle Derek
Gobb is not equipped, his plot (both his plan and the name of the
land near the school) do not gain traction even with the help of his
own genie, disguised as Fred Shed. Will Malcolm's disenchanted and
grumpy Uncle Gobb succeed in opening the Dread Shed School next to
Malcolm's school?
The anachronistic Uncle Gobb makes an hilarious comeback in this
series that began with The Dread Shed and The Green Heads.
Neal Layton's charcoal comics and key words complement Michael
Rosen's narrative anarchy in that familiar way of a father
constructing a nonsensical story off the cuff to delight a child at
bed time.
In this manner, sometimes Rosen makes sense and sometimes not. There
is no fourth wall to suspend disbelief and no apologies made when
events or motives are incredible. All's well, because Malcolm's
mental meanderings and two witty weasels commenting on Rosen's text,
teach young readers a great deal about the art of constructing a
narrative.
As with much of Michael Rosen's work, Uncle Gobb and the Plot
Plot is partially recorded on his youtube channel. Visit https://youtu.be/pRxi6_XBaNk
to hear those early chapters read by the oddball author himself -
plus flashbacks of Spike Milligan for unwitting grandparents.
Deborah Robins
