Reviews

Sandcastle by Philip Bunting

Allen and Unwin, 2018. ISBN 9781760295387
Rae loves the beach and wants to build a sandcastle, one of those magnificent ones you see in books with towers, ramparts, a moat and even a dragon to guard it! With the help of his grandfather, he does just that. But while they eat their fish and chips, the inexorable tide moves closer and closer and Rae is worried that the fortifications will not be enough to keep out the sea. Sadly, they don't but Rae learns an amazing lesson about the nature of things.
In the author's dedication he says, "You, me, this book, your breakfast . . . we're all made from tiny particles, stuff that has been around since the beginning of time. We're only borrowing these particles from the enormous universe that made them. Once we're done with them, the bits that make us will go on to lead many new existences on Earth, and beyond." So while, on the surface, this could be just a pleasant story about a boy and his grandfather at the beach doing something and experiencing the consequences that so many young readers will resonate with, it could also be an introduction to lessons about matter and atoms and stuff, another one of those topics that little ones find tricky to understand because they can't see the individual components.
But for me, I found beauty in the words as a way of helping a child cope with the grief of losing a family member or pet - that no matter how a disease might have crept through their body and ultimately stolen it, as the sea does a sandcastle, the person still exists as memories and that a little part of them lives on in each person they touched and influenced in some way. Very philosophical but a mark of a quality storyteller whose work can touch the reader in many, often unintended, ways.
Barbara Braxton

Missing by Sue Whiting

Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781760650032
(Age: 12-16) Highly recommended. Themes: Missing Persons; Mystery; Family; South America; Bats. Mackenzie's (Kenzie) life is in free fall because her mother is missing. Kenzie's father and her Nan appear to be either falling apart or hiding something from her. When clues appear to point in confusing directions, Kenzie ends up with secrets that she can tell no one. Not even her Sketchbook can reveal what she thinks she knows, but it does give her opportunity to draw what her mother loves - bats! A sudden trip with her father to a remote South American location takes her to the place where her mother was last seen. Confusion and isolation in Panama do not help her solve her secrets and the mystery of her missing mother.
It is written in an interesting chronology with chapters detailing present day events interspersed with the history of what had happened in her life immediately after her mother's disappearance. This disparate time setting slowly reconnects, as the history catches up to the present. This is a sad and tense story revealing the challenges for those left behind in a missing person case. In addition there is the intrigue of the scientific interest in bats and the South American setting, in combination with a desperate but likeable teen coming to terms with significant issues in her life and finding her place and friends in a new school. This is compelling and emotionally charged, and will be appreciated by readers wanting something that is not formulaic, with some mystery.
Carolyn Hull

Lucy's dawn by Juliet Blair

National Library of Australia, 2018. ISBN 9780642279170
(Age: 10+) Fourteen-year-old Lucy's life changes when she starts a job working in Louisa Lawson's printery, where only girls and women are employed. But it's the late 1880s and the male printers elsewhere think that this work should be for men only. So they decide to make the girls' lives difficult! Lucy has many battles ahead but, in the process, she realises who her real friends are - and finds her first love.
As a lover of historical fiction I am pleased to say that it ticked a lot of boxes. Written as diary entries from the viewpoint of Lucy Coombes, in late 1800s Sydney, the reader is drawn into the interesting life of Louisa Lawson, the mother of Henry Lawson. I had no idea she was such an influential suffragette, printer and writer. The group of young girls who were employed by Mrs Lawson faced the constant threat of being shut down and bullying from men who thought women were better served at home. The historical notes are an added bonus but I did find myself wanting to do my own investigating. Do not be perturbed by the blur that says 'first love' as it is all very innocent and interwoven into the story beautifully.
Themes such as friendship, the desire for independence and persistence are evident - the book would appeal to students from ten and up. I do not think it would work as a read aloud but I could see a teacher sharing snippets of it to students to help them gain a better understanding of Early Australia.
Kathryn Schumacher

The power game by Meg and Tom Keneally

Monsarrat series, book 3. Vintage Books, 2018. ISBN 9780857989420
(Age: Senior secondary-Adult) Highly recommended. Themes: Australian history. Convicts. Van Diemen's Land. Maria Island. Monsarrat and Mrs Mulrooney are sent to Maria Island, off Van Diemen's Land, to investigate the murder of Harefield, the bosun who brings supplies to the island from Van Diemen's Land. The situation is political as the main suspect, Thomas Power, an Irish baronet, convicted of treason against the Crown and sent to Van Diemen's Land rather than being made a martyr through his execution, is seen as a convenient target by the authorities. Harefield is one of the few free men not under the direct control of the island's Commandant, and has made enemies through his illicit trade in rum and information.
Mulrooney and Monsarrat are at a disadvantage because of their convict pasts which have not been revealed to the Commandant. This means that they must lie about their respective backgrounds, making them vulnerable, especially as information is used to blackmail and intimidate in this isolated place.
The free community on the island is very small and the gathering of information by our two investigators proves very difficult, especially when the Commandant, his wife and her brother are not particularly cooperative. Power has enjoyed a number of freedoms including dining at the Commandant's house, but rumours circulated by Harefield have meant that Power is now confined and under house arrest, though still enjoying more privileges than his fellow convicts.
It is when Monsarrat foils an escape attempt by Power that he begins to see how Harefield's murder and Power's attempted escape are linked. Those who enjoyed the first two books in this excellent series, The soldier's curse, and The unmourned, will also find this a most satisfying outing for the Keneallys' two protagonists, Mulrooney and Monsarrat.
The settlement on Maria Island was initially set up for convicts who were not as much bother as many sent to Van Diemen's Land, but the place still felt isolated and entirely dependent on supplies sent from Van Diemen's Land when the weather was good enough to allow ships to land. Each of the three novels showcases a place most significant in Australia's convict past: Port Macquarie, Parramatta and now Maria Island, bringing a fresh view of the place and its inhabitants as they forge a new life in Australia. The series is not only a wonderful crime series but its historical background is mesmerising.
Mark Knight

Gangsta rap by Benjamin Zephaniah

Bloomsbury, 2018 (2004). ISBN 9781408895009
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Themes: Violence. Gangs. London. Schools. Music. Rap. Ray is always in trouble both at home and at school. But after the latest escapade, Ray and his friends Prem and Tyrone are suspended. When their headmaster decides to give them a second chance, that of forming a rap group, they see this as a dream come true. Through a special program, they are taught the business of the music industry, how to record an album, and how to lay down a track. Taking the name Positive Negatives, after all their training at the program, it is not long before they have signed a record deal and gain gigs. But readers know this will not last, and their dream soon becomes a nightmare as violence gathers around them. Without warning, their new careers seem lost and their perceived futures as well as their lives are on the line. But they are determined to show that crime and rapping do not necessarily have to be paired and so fight against the influences set to overpower them.
Reading other reviews on Good Reading shows a wide variety of responses to this book, first published in Australia in 2004. Some thought it poorly written and violent, while several questioned their teachers having given it to them to read. But most admired the theme of the book, giving an insight from someone who has been there. Zepahiah, a highly esteemed rapper, poet and writer in England, has a wide following, and with the re-release of several of his books, the current readers can make up their own minds.
He writes from personal experience which makes his books seem real, and his international success as a performance poet makes him well known to kids who will pick up this book. And the wonderful new cover is sure to attract readers.
Fran Knight

Pugs don't wear pyjamas by Michelle Worthington

Ill. by Cecilia Johansson. New Frontier Press, 2018. ISBN 9781925594034
(Age: 4+) Themes: Pugs. Pets. Dogs. Families. Responsibility. When Tom goes to stay with his aunt, she has a surprise for him. Aunt Roz has a pup, a pug called Ellie. Tom is even more surprised when Ellie seems to do everything that Aunt Roz does. Going to bed the first night, both Ellie and Tom are in their pyjamas in bed ready to hear their story. Tom says, 'Pugs don't wear pyjamas' and to his surprise, Aunt Roz replies, 'Ellie does'.
Each thing they do on his visit sees Ellie doing exactly the same things as people do. She sits at the table in the cafe, eating her cake and drinking her glass of cordial with a straw. She slides down the slippery dip, climbs the tree, rides a skateboard and makes friends wherever she goes. But Tom doesn't and he feels a little dejected.
Eventually Tom's ball skills means the latch on the back gate comes loose and Ellie runs off. Tom and Roz search high and low for the pug until they finally find her outside the pet shop. It is only now that Tom begins to realise some of the responsibility needed when owning a pet, as the idea of the animal being lost saddens him. But all finishes well.
This story reflects the idea of pet ownership and the responsibilities involved in having a pet in your home. It shows the relationship which develops between an animal and its owner, and begs the reader to question whether they would treat their animal in the way Aunt Roz or Tom do. Each page will bring a question to the lips of the reader, as they see the animal doing what they would do.
Swedish freelance illustrator, Johansson brings a layer of humour to the story which will be appreciated by the target audience.
Fran Knight

Rebellion of thieves: A Robyn Hoodlum adventure by Kekla Magoon

Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781681195346
"Robyn Loxley can't rest now that she's the #1 Most Wanted Fugitive, Robyn Hoodlum. The harsh Nott City governor, Ignomus Crown, may have increased the reward for her capture, but this won't stop Robyn from masterminding her biggest mission yet: infiltrating the governor's mansion to rescue her parents. The perfect opportunity arises when the Iron Teen contest comes to Sherwood. If Robyn scores high enough, she'll be invited to a dinner at the mansion. But performing well also puts her directly in Crown's sights. Can she and her crew of misfit friends pull off such a grand scheme?" Publisher.
This is certainly an interesting second book in the series following Shadows of Sherwood. Magoon has very cleverly placed an African American girl in a story set in the future or even possibly another planet altogether. You do need to read the books in order. I like the concept of a modern day Robin Hood and it will certainly appeal to students who are interested in Science Fiction. There were some interesting parts to the plot and the characters we met in Shadows of Sherwood continued to develop.
Magoon has converted the legend into a futuristic version where Robyn meets technology that I dare say has not even been invented yet.
Kathryn Schumacher

The Sleeping Beauty - The Australian Ballet by David McAllister

Ill. by Gabriela Tylesova. Little Hare, 2017. ISBN 9781760129934
"From the stage to the page". Based on the Australian Ballet's 2015 production of this iconic ballet in which Creative Director David McAllister wanted to preserve the original choreography by Pepita "while introducing modern pacing and narrative logic", this is a ballet lover's must-have.
Following the traditional story with no Disney additions in sight, the story of Aurora, Carabosse, the Lilac Fairy and the handsome prince is told in simple narrative, accompanied by the most exquisite illustrations created by Gabriela Tylesova who was also the designer of the stage production. In all the shades of grey and pink all the characters have a magical quality filled with intricate detail that makes their balletic movements jump off the page. You can see the ballet and hear the music, even in the silence of awe.
From the intriguing front cover to the stunning back one, this is a book that will need to be in the ballet-lover's collection as well as that of anyone who just likes beautiful things. It thoroughly deserves its CBCA 2018 Notables nomination.
Barbara Braxton

In the lamplight by Dianne Wolfer

Ill. by Brian Simmonds. Fremantle Press, 2018. ISBN 9781925591224
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Themes: World War One, Hospitals, Nursing, Spanish influenza, Armistice.  With copious charcoal illustrations, archival material and a story told through diary entries alternating with text, this highly readable tale of two people surviving the rigours of World War One is intense, intimate and involving.
Following the success of her two books, the award-winning Lighthouse Girl (2013) and Light Horse Boy (2009), Wolfer has followed the journey of Light Horse Boy, Jim as he languishes in a rehabilitation hospital in Harefield village in what is now Greater London, unsure of whether he will see again.
Here he is nursed by Rose a local girl from the nearby village, and it is her diary we read as she falls in love with this Australian soldier, one of the 50,000 Australians and New Zealanders nursed at this hospital. Each time a coffin makes its way to the cemetery from the hospital, it is draped with a Union Jack and that flag made its way to Adelaide High School, where it has been recently restored by Artlab and will be on display for the celebrations marking the centenary of the end of World War One.
Through Rose's diary entries we hear of her life in Harefield before the war, which contrasts with life during war as privation set in, and the thousands of wounded come back from Europe. She decides to become a nurse to help care for these men, despite her family's anxiety. A girl in the village sends white feathers to those men who have not joined up, some mothers receive telegrams about their sons' deaths, but the village opens its heart to these wounded soldiers.
The archival material gives a wonderful impression of life at Harefield Hospital, with photos of the recovering soldiers, their dormitories, the funerals, celebrations, nursing staff and mascots.
I found this an engrossing read, one which gives a sound background to the lives of those we rarely read about, the men in hospitals, the staff who cared for them, those who remained home.
I can imagine many readers poring over the detail, and checking out the story of the flag that draped the coffin, which can be found here.
The map, background information and even the acknowledgements make for fascinating reading after the book has been read.
I thoroughly recommend this as a highly readable account of how war affects lives far beyond the battlefield. In joining Jim in Australia, Rose leaves her country and her family for ever, taking a risk on a man who has never seen her. It's an amazing thought, but one which parallels the changes taking place for women after World War One. Teacher's notes are available.
Fran Knight

Digger by Mike Dumbleton

Ill. by Robin Cowther. Allen and Unwin, 2018. ISBN 9781760296735
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended. Themes: World War One, Kangaroos, Children in war, Villers-Bretonneux. A link between Australia and France is created in Dumbleton's stunning picture book concentrating on the battle around the village of Villers-Bretonneaux in 1918. It is a reminder of the people behind the armies, the child back home, wondering about her older brother, the young girl in France, doing something for one of the soldiers who saved her village.
When James leaves Australia to fight in France, his sister, Annie makes him a present of her scrap material kangaroo, which she renames Digger. The little kangaroo is tucked into James' pocket and letters home to his sister tell of their time getting to France, then being in the trenches. When he is wounded he recuperates with a French family and their little girl, Colette, mends Digger for him. Again the little mascot is tucked into James' pocket and goes back to war, but this time, the kangaroo is returned to Colette alone, hardly recognisable in James' slouch hat.
Again Colette repairs the little animal, and the mascot is sent back to Annie with a name tag and slouch hat added, along with a letter from James' friend.
It is at the village that Colette leaves flowers on James' grave, and in Australia, Digger takes pride of place in the family's remembering James and the little girl in France who cared for the animal just as she cared for her brother.
This is a fresh look at the links between war sites and the people who fought and died there. As 2018 commemorates the battle of Villers-Bretonneaux, this picture book serves to give younger children a feel for the links that bind Australia and France through this battle and many like it. The book depicts a small moment but one that exemplifies the strong attachment many Australians felt for those they fought for, and for those back home.
The soft water colour illustrations draw the eyes to the images on each page, faithfully recreating James' involvement in war. We feel his expectation as he looks out to sea over the side of the ship on the way to France, the uniformed men trying to survive as the night sky lights up with gunfire and they hunker down into trenches and dugouts. Happy times recuperating at the French house are replaced by the sadder moments articulated simply by a much damaged Digger lying in his owner's slouch hat, being given to the girl, and the last four double page spreads shows each girl caring for the kangaroo in Australia and the grave site in France. The paralleling of each child strongly reinforces the sacrifices each country made for the other, as each girl goes about her life with the memories of James not far from their thoughts.
A memorable picture book with which to acquaint readers with the sacrifices of those behind the scenes, and the battle at Villers-Bretonneaux. Scroll down for Teacher's tips on the publisher's website.
Fran Knight

The war I finally won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Text, 2017. ISBN 9781925498851
Highly recommended. Sequel to the award winning The war that saved my life. "When Ada's clubfoot is surgically fixed at last, she knows for certain that she's not what her mother said she was - damaged, deranged, crippled mentally as well as physically. She's not a daughter anymore, either. What is she? World War II continues, and Ada and her brother, Jamie, are living with their loving legal guardian, Susan, in a borrowed cottage on the estate of the formidable Lady Thorton - along with Lady Thorton herself and her daughter, Maggie. Life in the crowded cottage is tense enough, and then, quite suddenly, Ruth, a Jewish girl from Germany, moves in. A German? The occupants of the house are horrified. But other impacts of the war become far more frightening. As death creeps closer to their door, life and morality during wartime grow more complex. Who is Ada now? How can she keep fighting? And who will she struggle to save?" Publisher
I absolutely loved this book. I found myself wanting to read it any spare moment I had. Although I had not read the other books about Ada I did not have any trouble following the storyline - although I will be seeking out the first book! The characters are so lifelike and it is extremely easy to make emotional connections with each and every one of them. The story touches on persistence, love, friendship and ignorance.
It would make a fantastic read aloud although it would need to be for upper primary students as there are references to the abuse and neglect Ada faced prior to being evacuated from London. It provides a fantastic insight into the hardships that affected all during the war - from the very poor to the wealthy. A must have for the library collection. Teacher's notes are available.
Kathryn Schumacher

Gladys goes to war by Glyn Harper

Road Trip by Danny Parker

Ill. by Nathaniel Eckstrom. Little Hare, 2017. ISBN 9781760127404
It's a familiar scene on Australian roads - cars packed to overflowing as the family heads out on a road trip. And, inside, the conversation is just as familiar . . . "How long till we get there, Dad?" "About an hour." "How long is an hour?"
Clearly, for this father and son that's the start of this new adventure because in clever rhyming verse Dad lists all the things that take an hour.
It's sixty short minutes, not one moment more.
A bike ride,
A boat trip,
Ice cream by the shore.
It's a hammock in summer; or the park with the dogs.
It's a snuggle in winter; hot chocolate with rugs . . .
But as the drive continues from the city through magnificent countryside his son gets more and more frustrated urging his dad to go faster.
But Dad is quite content to stick to the speed limit and enjoy the journey as the scenery unfolds. Until finally . . .
This story will be familiar to most families who have ever undertaken a journey that goes beyond the regular routine of shops, schools and sportsgrounds. Parents will relate to the joy of just getting away from those clogged, crowded roads and breathing the country air, while their children will be full of the excitement and anticipation of the destination and couldn't care about the journey. And why does it always take longer to get there than it does to get home? And how long is an hour anyway? What are the fun things that a family does that fill in an hour?
Apart from the charming illustrations which bring the journey to life for the adult reader but which tend to show the countryside as somewhat bland and featureless as a child sees it, illustrator Nathaniel Eckstrom has cleverly added some ideas in the endpages which suggest ways that child passengers might like to engage with the journey - making maps, writing a journey, recording a diary (although the concept of a cassette tape might baffle). Anything other than "I Spy" or playing video games.
This grandma who lives 90 minutes through the countryside from her granddaughters just might have to get creative. Perhaps a scavenger hunt looking through the car windows, or a count-the-clouds competition.
A CBCA Notable for 2018, it is worthy of that honour.
Barbara Braxton

Monsters of men by Patrick Ness

Chaos walking, book 3. Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781406379181
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Winner Carnegie Medal 2011. Themes: Dystopian fiction. Survival. Warfare. Stereotypes. "Three armies march on New Prentisstown, each one intent on destroying the others. Todd and Viola are caught in the middle, with no chance of escape. As the battles commence, how can they hope to stop the fighting? How can there ever be peace when they're so hopelessly outnumbered? And if war makes monsters of men, what terrible choices await?" (Publisher)
Monsters of men brings to a close the stunning Chaos walking series. Amid the warfare, violence and despair, Todd and Viola's love for each other stands out as a beacon, and keeps the reader hopeful of some type of resolution. There is also the glimmer of hope for redemption and that not even monsters are wholly evil, even the mayor Prentiss.
This is a tense, electrifying book that requires much resilience from its reader and the conclusion is stunning. There is a book trailer for the book on Patrick Ness' website, where he also reads from Monsters of men and has a conversation.
Pat Pledger

The ask and the answer by Patrick Ness

Chaos walking, book 2. Walker Books, 2009. ISBN 9781406379174
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. After the relentless suspense and an incredible cliff hanger ending in The knife of letting go, I wasn't sure if the sequel could live up to that Guardian Children's Fiction Prize winning book. However I was not disappointed! Ness has written another wonderful book full of action and issues that made me think long after I finished the book. Todd has taken the dying Viola into Haven but it has been made into the stronghold of his enemy Mayor Prentiss. Imprisoned, Todd is forced to fit into the new order and carries out Prentiss' awful orders. Not knowing what has happened to Viola, he follows directions, putting bands on the Spackle who are herded into a labour camp. He also bands the women. There are secrets, resistance movements and dire times for Todd and Viola, who are separated but still care for each other.
I can't reveal too much except to say that the action is non-stop, the dialogue is as fabulous as the first book and the theme of what people will do in times of war and how they act under duress will stay with me. The manipulation over people's minds by Mayor Prentiss is described so vividly that I finished the book with a clearer understanding of how a powerful personality can sway all before him.
Chaos walking is an engrossing series and I can't wait for the next instalment, after another cliffhanger ending.
Pat Pledger