Reviews

Begone the raggedy witches by Celine Kiernan

The wild magic Trilogy: Book 1 Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781406366020
(Age: 10-14) Highly recommended. Themes: Fantasy. Witches. Good and evil. Strong female character. On their way home from the hospital, where Mup's great aunt lies dying, Mup sees the raggedy witches flying along, leaping from tree to tree and following their car. When they fail to persuade Mup's Mam to go with them, they kidnap her father and the family is forced to try and rescue him. On the other side of the border the land is strange and Mam is powerful and strong. Mup realises that she too has witch's powers and is caught up in the struggle of the land between the evil Queen and those who oppose her.
Lyrical prose and wonderful characters made this a story that is hard to put down. The world of the witches is described in detail, and the magic that happens there is unique, frightening and fascinating. There are people who can turn into birds, Mup's little brother is turned into a dog who speaks so that he can keep up on their swift journey and Crow the boy that Mup befriends is a raven who must talk in rhyme.
Mup is an outstanding character, thoughtful, caring and brave, and her courage and moral conviction about good and evil, shines out in the book. As well as many exciting adventures that drag the reader along at break-neck speed, there are dilemmas too that must be considered by the reader. Did Aunty make the right decision in keeping her niece away from the land where she had magical skills and could have been a good leader? Should Crow's mother been more loving and caring? Should people stand up against a tyrannical leader?
This is an exciting and compelling read that will appeal to all lovers of fantasy. It was so original and interesting that I finished it in one sitting and look forward to the next in the series.
Pat Pledger

The little stowaway by Vicki Bennett and Tully Suwannakit

Scholastic Press, 2018. ISBN 9781742993072
Highly recommended. Themes: War. This is a touching story about the human spirit.
It is a well written story that can be used to talk about the subject of war and that good things can come out of war.
Honore is lost in the snow, hungry and cold. He finds the Australian flying Corps and this changes his life for the better.
The illustrations in this book are tied well with historical photos which highlights the true story in this book, and what one man did to change the life of a child forever. This book highlights the human spirit and courage.
This book is an easy to read story about war that can engage readers of a wide range of ages.
I highly recommend this book.
Karen Colliver

Rose Raventhorpe investigates: Hounds and hauntings by Janine Beacham

Little Brown Books for Children, 2018. ISBN 9781510201323
(Age: 9+) Recommended. Themes: Detectives. Criminal investigation. Secret societies. A huge ghost dog wanders the streets of Yorke frightening the superstitious townsfolk. Is Barghest the sharp-toothed, red-eyed hound responsible for the death of young Moll a pickpocket in Mad Meg Lane? It's time for young Rose Raventhorpe, her friend Orpheus, and Heddsworth, Rose's butler, to investigate a new crime and find the culprit.
After an early morning fencing practice on top of the city wall, the trio head towards a new chocolate emporium. On the way they discover the crime scene and Rose quietly starts to look at the surroundings for clues the police have missed. Authoress Miss Wildcliffe and her large dog Wolf also happen upon the scene and become falsely accused of the crime. Rose, Orpheus and the secret society of Silvercrest Butlers begin their own investigation as the police try to convince everyone Miss Wildcliffe's dog is to blame. As the action moves through the city there are confrontations, consequences for actions and plenty of drama throughout. The children take on the Lord Mayor's Wakemen who patrol the town bullying and threatening those who stand in their way. With Rose's parents away, she is able to explore the Victorian city, the alleyways, visit Miss Wildcliffe's home on the moors and gather the vital information needed to solve the mystery.
Janine Beacham's third novel in the Rose Raventhorpe investigates series is filled with the colourful characters, atmospheric settings and action-filled scenes that keep the reader wanting more. Hounds and hauntings is a great novel to add to the popular genre of historical mysteries.
Rhyllis Bignell

Mr Mo starts to grow by Laura Stitzel

Lothian, 2018. ISBN 9780734417718
(Age: 4+) Themes: Humour. Monsters. Growing up. Friendship. Change. Toys. Jane and her squishy soft toy, Mr Mo, do everything together. They play together and run outside, take risks, make mischief, make up songs, play a little magic, in fact spend all day long together. That is until Mr Mo starts to grow. One day he notices that he has become quite large, and so hides away. Jane looks everywhere for him, in the lane, by the woods, under the bed, in the kitchen cupboard, but he is very well hidden and very sad.
Children will instantly recognise the toy as he tries to hide, calling out with glee, alerting Jane to his hiding place. The warm illustrations show a variety of poses for the soft toy, endearing the animal to the readers.
But one night during a thundery storm, Jane misses her soft toy. She hears the door creak open and footsteps cross the room and head for the space beneath her bed. She peers under her bed and finds Mr Mo, shivering and quaking in fright. Jane is elated to see him and knows just what to do to alleviate his fears, and they go on to make some mischief, making sure they are always together.
This is an allegorical look at children growing up, of losing the need for a soft toy to be with them when they go to bed or are frightened. Many children will equate the story to some toy they had in the past, now no longer around, or given to a younger sibling, sitting in a cupboard or just thrown away.
But whatever happens that toy is always there, even if only in a memory, ready to offer comfort when the child is frightened or in need of a friend. The reading of the book will lead on to many discussions about the role of toys in a child's life, and would be an impetus for children bringing their soft toys in to develop a display in the library.
Fran Knight

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

Penguin, 2018. ISBN 9780141388663
(Age: 16+) Recommended. Themes: European Fairytales, Supernatural, Fantasy, Young Adult. The Hazel Wood is a terrifying look at Fairy tales that turns the happy ever after notion that is often presented to readers on its head. With this book you are encouraged to fear the fairy tale world and in the immortal words of Frank L. Baum "you are not in Kansas anymore".
We follow 17-year-old Alice and her Mother through what appears to be a relatively normal existence (well for them anyway) where they are always on the move - it leaves the reader intrigued as to what they are running from. Alice is the main protagonist and you feel for her a few pages in. There is also a mysterious Grandmother who has been writing a series of books regarding Hazel Wood which have reached cult status.
It is beautifully written but haunting to the core. It left me both wanting to put it away in the dark place it came from to wanting to keep reading it - not a book I recommend reading on a dark windy night that is for sure. It is truly mesmerising and so dark that it won't be for everyone. Melissa Albert has perfectly written a story for teenagers that will truly speak their language.
Alice's mother is stolen by a character from Hazel Wood and even though she is warned not to come to Hazel Wood if Alice wants to see her Mother again she must. I must admit that pace to start with is slow and you are left wanting more to happen. But as you progress in the story and encounter the characters that are not always to my liking that the true genius of the writing comes to the fore. Melissa Albert's world is twisted, and frightening and very, very unnerving. It reminds me of Stephen King and Dean Koontz where what makes their stories truly terrifying is the element of truth that is present. I am a great lover of horror stories but this one left its indelible mark on me and it one for older readers.
If you like books from Holly Black (Doll Bones) or Maggie Stiefvater (Shiver series) then this is the book for you. The conclusion was great and it could have finished the story there but I am glad to say that there are more planned. I am hoping that they are as dark and disturbing as this one. It certainly stays with you for quite some time after the book is finished and put down.
Elaine Grottick

On the buzzer by Michael Panckridge

The legends series. Ford Street Publishing, 2018. ISBN 9781925272932
(Ages 9-12) Recommended. Themes: Basketball, Team competitions, Sportsmanship. Michael Panckridge was inspired to write fast-paced sporting books for reluctant readers. His popular The Legends series has been republished with updated covers, ready to be enjoyed by a new group of per-adolescent readers. Each book explores, friendship, school life and is centred on a different sport with fierce competition, rivalry and plenty of skills and tactics added.
At the end of the fifth round, the coveted football trophy mysteriously disappeared from the Sandhurst School library. Friends and team-mates, Bryce and Bubba are on the case, uncovering a secret tunnel that connects their school to their rival's college. Former team-mate Jack has moved house and school, he's now at Ascot; where will his loyalty lie?
There are underhanded tactics, and the assistance of the boys' coach Mrs Cartwright is less than stellar so Jack and his friends are forced to develop their own game-lay techniques as they learn to rely on each other. Lucy, Beck, Jack, Bryce and Bubba enjoy being friends even undertaking scary trips under the school to solve the trophy's disappearance. They work well together against the bullies, balancing schoolwork, family life and honing their basketball skills. The girls' team respond well to their coaching, however there is something very fishy about the boys' coach, why is she sabotaging their efforts?
On the buzzer is an exciting easy-read novel just right for sporting fans. Basketball stats, competition ladders, progress scores and a quiz add to the excitement of reading the sixth book in The Legends series.
Rhyllis Bignell

Somewhere in the reef by Marcello Pennacchio

Ill. by Danny Snell. Scholastic, 2018. ISBN 9781760159894
(Age: 3+) Recommended. Themes: Great Barrier Reef, Sea creatures, Fish, Counting book. Using the rhyme, Over in the meadow, Pennacchio has developed a read aloud counting book that is infectiously entertaining and informative at the same time. Children will love hearing the straightforward rhyming pairs of lines, joining in as they realise that each pair is similar, repeating phrases in each doublet. Each set of four lines introduces a sea creature: dolphins, sea snakes, clown fish, eagle rays, giant clam, sea horses, jellyfish, turtles, crocodile and octopus. Each set of lines shows the offspring of the creatures, teaching a younger reader their correct name, and starting with the one dolphin (pup), on to the six seahorses (fry) leading up to the ten crabs. This counting book will delight readers as they see each of the creatures living on the Great Barrier Reef, showing the different environments each of the creatures inhabits. Snell has vividly brought the sea creatures to life, making them easy to recognise for younger readers, but giving enough detail for them to realise how involved and interrelated the animals on the reef are. Little eyes will thrill counting the numbers of the offspring, learning the particular name for each creature's babies, and love pointing out all the different aspects of each environment. They will love hearing the rhythm when it is read out loud, and recount the familiar lines with the older reader.
Fran Knight

Wait! by Beck and Matt Stanton

ABC Books, 2018. ISBN 9780733337970
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Humour, Waiting. Rather like a child's version of Waiting for Godot, this book makes the reader wait on each page. Instructions of every sort are garnered to make the reader wait. All sorts of excuses are given for not actually beginning, reasons for the moment to be delayed.
It is a funny book, the excuses and reasons paralleling so much that is said by parents, teachers and children during the day, each reminiscent of something once said themselves.
Children will love the humour presented as they recognise the instructions, read the repeated words for themselves, and follow the instructions at the end of the book.
The plain bold print is easy to read; the illustrations using strong colours presented on a white background stand out as kids turn the pages, enticing them with this visually appealing format.
Husband and wife team, Beck and Matt Stanton love to stretch imaginations, love to ignite young minds and make them think about what they are seeing or hearing, but above all to have fun. This is a ball (2015) by the same team caused ripples of laughter as children tuned into the off beat humour.
An unusual offering, an excellent read aloud, funny, questioning and mind boggling at the same time.
Fran Knight

Barney and the secret of the French spies by Jackie French

The Secret Histories series, book 4. Angus and Robertson, 2018. ISBN 9781460751305
(Age: 10-14) Highly recommended. Barney and the Secret of the French Spies is the fourth book in The Secret Histories series. This novel continues the adventures of Barney Bean and Elsie, whom we encountered nine years earlier, when their lives became entwined in Birrung and the Secret Friend (Book 1).
It is 1798 in New South Wales and 19-year-old Barney, once the child of a convict woman, now has a home and property of his own. Yet his world is thrown into chaos when he receives word that his closest friend Elsie is gravely ill.
While sitting by her bedside, Barney discovers Elsie's deepest secret, one that has kept her silent since he discovered her as a child, hiding in the bush many years ago.
This story provides an intriguing insight into the relationship between England and France during the 18th century and the race to claim Australia that resulted in spying by both countries. The new colony of New South Wales was fearful of an attack by the French and people were suspicious of anyone who had a connection to France.
New fauna and flora were revealed in the mysterious southern land of Australia and Jackie tells the story of Jeanne Bare, a female French botanist, who disguised as a man, made wonderful new plant discoveries she collected and documented. Women's stories are rarely recorded in history books but as Jackie states, "Remember this, whenever you study history: if women aren't mentioned, keep looking. They'll usually be there, somewhere."
As usual, Jackie has expertly combined historical research with an appealing tale and she can transport the reader back in time with the sights, sounds and smells of early colonial life. She provides extra historical information in chapter 11 and in the author's notes at the end of the novel.
Black and white pencil illustrations are scattered throughout the text and the cover features a photograph of the beautiful and mysterious Elsie, whose background is finally revealed in this fourth story.
Teacher's notes are also available.
I highly recommend this book to 10 to 14 year olds.
Jane Moore

Planet Middle School by Nikki Grimes

Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781619630123
(Age: 11-14) Highly recommended. Themes: Coming of Age; Identity; Growing up; Puberty. Jeans and sports shoes are the attire of choice for Joylin. She is the girl who would prefer to play basketball rather than do anything that her female friends are interested in. Playing basketball with her friend Jake and the other guys is much more fun than anything else. Her attitude towards the girls at school is full of disdain as they swoon in front of the boys, or primp and preen in front of the mirror, until . . . Santiago comes into her field of view. We then see that Joylin is in fact a normal young person about to undergo the transformations that all teens experience in varying ways. But will she lose herself in the process?
This is a lovely story of growing up and the relentless changes that creep up on a young person as puberty impacts life. Joylin's honesty and the journey through the beginnings of desire are delightful in their revelation for a younger reader. (This would make a good Growth and Development read-aloud for a year 6/7 class). There are other characters in the story who are also dealing with identity (Joylin's younger brother Caden, the artistic, non-sporty type, and her friend KeeLee, the Pastor's daughter; and Glory, the 'dressed-up' basketball star, and maybe even, Jake, the reliable friend.)
Written in a Prose Poetry style, this book would be excellent for a reader who struggles with longer text, but who is on the cusp of Middle School life. But it will be equally enjoyed by capable readers because they will recognise the changes that are flowing through the story.
Highly recommended for age 11-14 years
Carolyn Hull

Eric makes a splash by Emily MacKenzie

Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408882962
(Age: 4+) Themes: Fear, Overcoming fear, Swimming. Eric is a worrier. He worries about the smallest of things: getting lost in the park, making his boots dirty, splashing in a puddle, what Mum has given him for lunch. So much so that he halts at trying different things or even doing everyday things. His friend, Flora is fearless, and buoys him up when he is worried. She often offers an alternative perspective of whatever they are doing, making him imagine that he is somewhere else or perhaps something else.
So when he pulls back at splashing in the puddles, she asks him to imagine that he is a piglet or a hippo rolling about int he mud. When he is troubled by climbing the frame she suggests that he imagines that he is a spider with legs that attach themselves using their sticky web. But when an invitation comes along for a pool party he is dismayed. Flora must make an extra effort to get him into bathers and to the pool's edge and finally into the water. But when he realises that he can swim he finds that he has another problem to solve: Flora.
This is an easily digested story of overcoming fears, of how friends can help, and will be read eagerly by younger readers, ready to offer their own examples of fears and how to get over them.
Fran Knight

Peg + Cat : The camp problem by Jennifer Oxley and Billy Aronson

Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9780763699222
(Age: 6+) Peg and Cat can't wait to go to Camp Niniwawa with their friends Ninja Girl, Aki and Richard. But Richard, a space creature, is really homesick. It's a big problem! A little pattern-making in arts and crafts helps him feel better, and so do the coolest counsellors around - the Teens! But Tessa and Jesse are so focussed on the battle of the bunks that Peg gets worried, winning isn't everything, which bunk - the Gophers or the Raccoons - will get to one hundred points first? And what about sportsmanship? Doesn't that count for something?
I was pleasantly surprised with this book and can see it becoming a firm favourite with many children. It will fit nicely into the section of our library that I call 'quick reads'. It is a great book for those that are testing the waters of chapter books. The story line is simple to follow and the benefit of a mix of text and pictures is a bonus. It does discuss the notion of winning at all costs which would offer teachers a chance to chat about this notion. Will certainly be highly sought after. Peg + Cat is the Emmy Award-winning animated TV series.
Suitable for ages 6 and up.
Kathryn Schumacher

There's someone inside your house by Stephanie Perkins

Pan Macmillan, 2017. ISBN 9781509859801
(Age: 15+) Themes: Horror. Teen slasher. Romance. Makani Young has settled in Nebraska, after leaving behind a dark past. She has made friends with Alex and Darby and has a crush on Ollie, the strange boy who has dyed his hair pink. Then there is a series of shocking murders, starting with the popular Haley, star of the school's drama club. How is Makani involved? Does it have something to do with the secret about her past that she is desperate to keep?
Stephanie Perkins is best known for her romances, Anna and the French kiss,  Isla and the happily ever after, and Lola and the boy next door, all of which are wonderful stories of love. There is certainly a strong element of romance in There's someone inside your house, with Makani and Ollie's growing relationship, but there are also all the elements of a teen slasher movie with some very gruesome murders, culminating in a rather violent chase. At the same time the reader is left wondering just what Makani did to make her leave Hawaii and her ability as a diver far behind.
Perkins is an adept writer, the relationships between the characters are very relatable and the reader is kept in suspense right to the end.
A relatively easy read, this will really appeal to teens who like the horror genre, as it is fast paced, exciting and hard to put down. It is not difficult to see this made into a horror movie and it is one to promote at Halloween!
Pat Pledger

How to hang a witch by Adriana Mather

Before I let you go by Kelly Rimmer

Hachette, 2018. ISBN 9780733639173
(Age: Senior secondary +)This is a stunning modern narrative evoking some of the hardest issues that humans face. With a 2am phone call, Annie is plunged back into her troubled sister's life, realizing that she is being called upon to help once more as she listens to her sister's despair. Kelly Rimmer has written this gripping story with an eye both on the past, and how it can so deeply and negatively effect one's future, while setting her story very much in the present. Annie is a successful young doctor, working in the same hospital as her partner, also a doctor, and planning to marry in the near future. Her sister's call not only evokes dark and disturbing memories of their childhood, but also forces her, and her partner, to respond beyond their expectations.
Stories of drug dependency are always going to evoke a sense of helplessness when a person is asked to respond to the care and needs of a family member, but this time, with a baby coming to her heroin-addicted sister, Lexie, Annie must be involved. The strong familial bond will be enough, Rimmer hints, early in the narrative, but she also raises the concerns of Annie's husband-to-be, her workplace, and quite simply, the time she will have to take off work to care for her sister and baby.
This novel is set in the USA, but shares the common story with the modern world of drug addiction and dysfunctional families. Rimmer extends her story back to the terrible events and cataclysmic effects of things that happened in childhood. When these are inconceivably bad, abusive and lastingly disturbing to the characters, then the writer is challenged to find a solution that makes sense to the reader. So we see that Rimmer carefully reveal the details of the past that explain the present, and suggests the best possibility for the future, evoking both deep familial love, forgiveness and tenderness that heal when life has handed too much to one with a broken spirit.
This is a riveting and beautifully crafted story, with the tragic and terrible events of the past acknowledged for their effect on the characters, yet evoking our empathy through descriptions of the deep love, support and care that families, at their best, engender. Rimmer deals with important and distressing issues so deftly that the novel is utterly captivating, while being 'heartachingly' sad. It would be acceptable for senior secondary reading but not for younger readers.
Elizabeth Bondar