Ill. by Wayne Harris. Black Dog Books, 2018. ISBN 9781925381122
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Birds, Trees, Convicts. In
following the life of just one tree, Saxby and Harris reveal the
European settlement of Australia, as the wood from the tree is used
to build ships that are used to bring the convicts to Sydney, then
reused to make a loom, reused again as part of a settler's hut, and
then a part of the now derelict hut is fashioned by a wood turner.
In the beginning the tree grows from a seedling born out of a seed
dropped by a bird flying overhead. The wood turner at the end
fashions his piece of wood into a bird, completing the circle of
life for the tree, bringing the story back to its roots.
Readers will eagerly follow the story of the tree from the seedling
to the bird being used by children at the end. The bold
illustrations show the tree as a seedling, growing to an enormous
tree in the forest, used by birds until it is felled by woodsmen.
They take the tree to the hungry city where ships are built and beds
made in the ships for the convicts on their journey across the seas
to Australia. Here the wood becomes a loom to fashion the wool, and
when this is no longer used, it makes the roof of a settlers hut,
until it is used by the wood turner to fashion a bird.
The sparse text reminds the readers of the uses to which just one
tree can be put, and reflect the cyclic nature of life. The
wonderful illustrations reference early Australian paintings,
particularly of Sydney Harbour, and the style Harris uses recalls
for me the techniques of impressionist painters such as van Gogh and
Georges Seurat.
The book extols the virtue of recycling, of reusing resources,
showing a perspective of Australia's history through the wood used
to bring people here, but then reused many times to get the most
from it. A gentle story of Australia's beginnings is given a broader
scope through the illustrations showing Australia through time;
beginning with the convict ships arriving on Sydney's shore to the
building of looms to prepare cloth, the settlers' huts miles from
the city, then back to the place it started, the harbour where
children play with the last product of the original tree.
Fran Knight
The taste of blue light by Lydia Ruffles
Hachette, 2017. ISBN 9781444936742
(Age: Senior secondary, Adult) The title, and the enigmatic opening
words, of Lydia Ruffles' stunning modern-world masterpiece plunge us
into a disturbed young woman's life. The protagonist states that she
'is determined to 'find the old Lux' and 'sew' herself into that
person she used to be. The closing words of this narrative are apt.
Lux cannot understand why her life, at the elite Artists' boarding
school in the verdant countryside of England, is causing her such
angst. Even though she is medicated to help keep this new sensation
of absolute terror at bay, she can still hardly sleep and life seems
too hard to endure. Yet everyone, including her parents, who live
far away in Hong Kong, continues to support her, even through her
sometimes outrageous moods and actions. This situation is deeply
puzzling for the reader.
Drugs, sex, anxiety and sleeplessness take their toll as her skewed
brain responds to the world by translating everything into colour
- in the physical senses, in food, emotions and in her interactions
with others. Colour defines her world so dramatically, enabling her
to just keep going. Terror, violent and inexplicable, stops her
sleeping. Anxiety rules every moment of every day yet she is
supported so gently by everyone, by kindness and understanding. In a
masterful literary stroke, we discover that only Lux and the reader
are 'in the dark' about her situation. We are drawn into her
gradually dawning memories of her experience, emotionally and with a
powerful, shared angst.
Sitting firmly in the modern world that has experienced violent
attacks and murders, in a country that is desperate to retain its
culture of decency, kindness and non-violence, Ruffles' revelation
of the assault on peace alert us to her challenge. She seeks to
remind us that we must work to preserve our world, to survive
violence and terror, and infers that this will only be achieved
through kindness, goodness, acceptance of others, in all their
differences, and love. This powerful modern novel is suitable for
older high school students and adults.
Elizabeth Bondar
The Curse in the Candlelight by Sophie Cleverly
Scarlet and Ivy book 5. HarperCollins, 2018. ISBN
9780008218300
(Age: 9-12) Recommended. Themes: Mystery, Boarding Schools, Twins,
Bullying. Fourteen year old identical twins Scarlet and Ivy return
for a new year at Rookwood School leaving their distant father and
evil stepmother behind. Eager to catch up with their friend Ariadne
and take Miss Finch's ballet classes, the twins are happy to be
back. As the school assembles for the first day's instructions, a
dark-haired new student Ebony McCloud makes a grand entrance into
the school hall. She has a mysterious presence about her, defiantly
flouting the school rules and soon draws younger students into her
group.
Sophie Cleverley layers this mystery plot with curious clues along
the way; characters have hidden agendas and a presence of evil
directs the actions. She balances this junior novel with familiar
lessons, favourite teachers and every day activities. When Ariadne's
archenemy Muriel Witherspoon joins Rookwood Academy she appears to
have changed her bullying ways however Scarlet and Ivy are not
convinced about her motives. When the celebrations on All Hallows
Eve go terribly wrong, the twins work together to save Ariadne and
expose the real prankster. Told from the sisters' alternate points
of view, Scarlet and Ivy's new term proves to be filled with
mystery, magic, secret escapades and growing friendships. The Curse in the Candlelight is the fifth novel in this
exciting series. Each novel reveals more about the main characters
and their friends' home lives. The mysteries and different ways the
twins work together to solve them make these novels just right for
readers from 9-12 years.
Rhyllis Bignell
Alcheringa Snow by Toni Cary
Little Steps Publishing, 2017. ISBN 9780980723724
(Age: All) Highly recommended. Picture book. Alcheringa Snow
is told from the perspective of Francine, a French Pyrenees dog. She
is a huge mountain dog who dreams of climbing mountains. Francine is
a dreamer and so are her friends. There is Banjo the green and
golden bell frog who dreams of riding a snowboard. Readers can learn
about how this type of frog spends the winter. Then there is shy
Colin the copperhead snake who dreams of the coming spring. Find out
where Colin sleeps when it is cold and when it is hot. Anna and Amy
are echidnas and they dream of ants. The two wombats dream of eating
grass all year round. Keep reading to find out about the dreams of
magpies, cockatoos, wallabies and kangaroos. Alcheringa Snow is a gorgeous picture book for readers of any
age. The pictures are detailed real-life paintings that will invoke
lots of conversation even before the words are read. The descriptive
vocabulary is ideal for independent readers due to the great
adjectives and descriptions of the animal's antics. Younger readers
will enjoy this book as a read-a-loud before bed or even in the
classroom. The story would make a great addition to any English
program or descriptive writing unit. Alcheringa Snow would
also be good in a Science program based on Biological Sciences and
the study of Australian animals.
It is highly recommended for all readers.
Kylie Kempster
Landscape with invisible hand by M. T. Anderson
Candlewick, 2017. ISBN 9780763699505
(Age: Middle secondary - Adult) This small novel captures perhaps
some of the less-voiced anxieties about what exists in deep space
that might threaten us. Not the simple man-in-the-moon idea, but
something deeper and far more catastrophic for earth. Anderson
places us in a recognizable world except for the fact of our unseen
and obviously unrecognizable 'overlords' being from 'other' places,
not human and not just machines, but intelligent, demanding and
frightening "Vuvvs" that demand obedience, recognition and
submission.
In this novel the characters are placed in a world from which they
can instantaneously visit other planets or modules that hover in
space. Earth appears to be somewhat ragged, down-at-heel and much
lesser than we might think of ourselves. Poor, abandoned by their
father and husband, the families of Adam and his girlfriend, Chloe,
struggle to survive financially and fear what might happen if they
fail all together.
This is a book without a sense of great hope or change, yet it deals
with human beings struggling to survive mentally and physically in a
world that appears to be disadvantaged by its being an underling of
a greater spatial world empire, and by its down-at heel state. Human
beings are lesser and the characters try to reach the standards of
behaviour and work expected by the 'others', the overlords. Human
characteristics valuable and appropriate to us seem lesser, and the
characters in this short novel are good people and offer us some
hope, but not a lot, in this imagined world.
This is a strong and brave modern novel that addresses the idea of
our perhaps not being alone, nor being in fact superior, or
protected by any higher beings, living on the edge and in tension,
on this planet in the universe that we inhabit. It is coldly
challenging, blunt and suitable for middle secondary to higher
secondary, and adult, reading.
Elizabeth Bondar
Parvana a graphic novel by Deborah Ellis, adapted from the film by Norah Twomey
Allen and Unwin, 2018. ISBN 9781760631970
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Graphic novel. Themes: Afghanistan,
Refugees, Taliban, Extremism, Survival. From the highly acclaimed
and awarded novel, Parvana, comes this pared down version
presented in a graphic novel format, destined to entrance another
generation of readers who will seek out the original stories once
they have finished the graphic version.
Every page is replete with the horror of living under religious
extremism; the rules imposed upon the population of Kabul in which
Parvana and her family live are part of the fabric of the story and
its illustrations. In dark, threatening browns, reds and blacks, the
ever present threat of arbitrary rule is made real. Parvana's father
has lost his job as a teacher, now selling his skills in the market,
there to be questioned by an ex pupil, scathing of education and
learning. He is questioned too about Parvana, a girl, being allowed
outside or having part of her face exposed, but when he is taken to
prison, the family loses all contact with the outside world. As
women are not allowed in the street alone, Parvana dresses as a boy
to earn money to support her family.
The appalling regime and its impact are seen on every page as
Parvana tries to earn money to help her father get out of prison.
The usual rule of law has broken down, allowing men to use their
power to further impose their wills upon women. Small touches of
humanity shine through the gloom, as Parvana finds a school friend
doing the same as she, when she reads the letters of illiterate
people willing to pay money to find out about their families, and
where someone helps Parvana in her search for her father.
But in the end although Parvana finds her father and her family have
escaped the brutal man who would use them, the future is bleak.
Readers will ponder long after this is read about how they would
survive, and about how all those children still under the rule of
these fanatics are faring. A film made of the Parvana books,
called The Breadwinner received an Academy Award nomination
for Best Animated Feature in 2018, and it is on this film that this
graphic novel is based.
Fran Knight
Lintang and the Forbidden Island by Tamara Moss
Random House, 2018. ISBN 9780143783459
(Age: 9-12) Highly recommended. Themes: Adventure stories, Pirates,
Fantasy, Seafaring adventures. Lintang and the Forbidden Island
continues the gripping story of a feisty young adventurer on her
quest to find Captain Shafira and re-join her friends on board the Winda.
Tamara Moss creatively balances the elements of mystery, exploration
and detailed imaginary creatures in this fantasy world.
Lintang's life changes dramatically just on her thirteenth birthday;
all her plans are thwarted as their island is taken over by the
United Regions. Fortuitously Captain Moon arrives with an
apprenticeship offer for Lintang because of her previous experiences
aboard the Winda battling the mythies. Life on Captain
Moon's ship is regimented and dull, her one job is to watch and
stoke the fire.
After a daring escape through a marketplace, the sea captain
captures her and reveals his special plan. There is a bounty on
Captain Shafira's head and Lintang needs to be secretly returned to
the Winda. Each of Lintang's lessons aboard provide her with
the skills need to survive in the dangerous world ruled by the
Vierzan's and inhabited by the fierce mythical creatures. She is
given her own sword and taught how to fight, Eire tests her to the
limits of her endurance and Zazi teaches her the ways of their
ancestors. The Mythie guidebook entries introduce the dangerous
beings they need to fight as their journey progresses. The
fast-paced action sees Lintang, Captain Shafira and the crew
fighting their enemies on both sea and land.
Lintang's friends, Bayani, the pixie Pelita and the crew come alive
in Moss's detailed and descriptive narrative novel. Rich with
mythology, she continues to explore this magical world, explaining
the existence of the Mythies. Her protagonist's personal growth in
confidence is very relatable, from a lack of self-assurance, Lintang
learns resilience, shows determination and reliance on her friends.
What adventures await this feisty young hero? Read both of Lintang's
stories to students in the middle primary and they will be
captivated.
Rhyllis Bignell
Bad Dad by David Walliams
HarperCollins, 2017. ISBN 9780008254339
(Age: Middle - Upper primary) Recommended. "Dads come in all sorts
of shapes and sizes. There are fat ones and thin ones, tall ones and
short ones. There are silly ones and serious ones, loud ones and
quiet ones. Of course there are good dads. And there are bad dads .
. . "
Here, David Walliams has created a dad who, despite his failings,
loves his son Frank immensely. Whilst racing Queenie, his old Mini
emblazoned with the Union Jack, Dad has an accident and loses not
just his leg but his title as "King of the Track". With Frank
sleeping by his dad's hospital bed, mum finally walks out and leaves
dad for another man. Eventually dad loses his job, along with his
celebrity status, and falls into a depression. On Frank's eleventh
birthday, dad gives him an amazing racing set and the pair spend
many hours playing with it together. Soon thereafter, hard-faced
debt collectors appear at the door and take everything Frank and dad
still owns.
With Auntie Flip as a baby-sitter, Frank leaves the house one night
to follow his dad on what he knows is an extraordinary outing. He
witnesses Dad acting as the driver in a bank robbery, in order to
pay off his debts. Thus begins an incredible adventure for the pair,
culminating in Frank being able to fulfil one of his lifelong
dreams. The addition of some hilarious characters, including the
Reverend Judith the local vicar, lead to some unexpected twists and
turns in the plot.
My first ever David Walliams book, this has convinced me that the
comparisons to Roald Dahl are not without some substance. This was
an entertaining, easy read and has explained the students' eagerness
to devour each new Walliams title as it is released. Double spaced
print, font which changes to highlight various words or parts of the
text, and a liberal smattering of cartoon style illustrations, make
this novel eminently accessible to boys and girls in the middle to
upper years of primary school. I'm sure this won't be the last
Walliams book I will read either, as it's a great romp.
Jo Schenkel
Little Lifesavers by Yvette Poshoglian
Ella and Olivia series. Scholastic, 2018. ISBN 9781743811498
(Age: Emergent readers) Recommended. When Ella and Olivia go to stay
with their grandparents, along with their family, they decide that
they want to follow in mum's footsteps and join the Nippers surf
lifesaving club. With their new tops emblazoned with the words Two
Pines Beach, the girls head excitedly to their first lesson. Despite
them both trying their hardest, Angela, a mean girl, manages to make
them both doubt their abilities and almost their decision to join.
Mum and their Nanna are proud of the fact that the girls help each
other and do their best.
Over the coming week, the girls continue to practise and improve
their skills. By the time the next week comes around, they eagerly
head off again, hoping to show the coach how well they have done.
Will they be able to fulfil their dreams or will Angela manage to
beat them again?
Not having read an Ella and Olivia title before, but knowing
just how popular they are in school libraries, I put myself in the
headset of our younger readers and realised that the stories are
definitely aimed at young girls and encourage them to try new skills
and adventures. As I neared the end, I'd predicted the outcome and
found myself being totally engaged in the simple story. I hoped that
the girls would manage to achieve their goals and was quite
satisfied with the conclusion. I can see exactly why emergent
readers love these stories so much and will be even more proactive
in recommending them to this demographic in future.
Jo Schenkel
LuLu le baby Chef by Katrina Meynink
Little Steps Publishing, 2017. ISBN 9781925545661
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. LuLu le baby Chef is the story
of a baby named LuLu and her amazing gift. She can whip up any meal,
cooking amazing dishes and tasty foods. She tastes many foods adults
have not had the chance to try. Unfortunately for LuLu, something is
missing from her dishes and she just doesn't know what it is. So,
LuLu travels around the world - to Italy, Beirut, France, Rome and
Amsterdam. She experiments with different ingredients and even cooks
with a famous chef. However, that one missing ingredient is never
found. Lu Lu heads home. Was the answer always there? LuLu le baby Chef is a beautifully illustrated picture book
and the pictures alone will keep younger children busy for hours.
The details are wonderful. The story demands to be read aloud thanks
to the rhyme and rhythm in the words. Children will be able to learn
about different foods and different countries as well as new
vocabulary such as delight, tenderised and scrumptious. The story
will be a good read-a-loud in both the classroom and at home.
Use the story to identify the elements of a narrative and complete
oral retells. In Geography, map LuLu's travels and identify the
different countries and continents.
This book is highly recommended for readers aged 4+.
Kylie Kempster
Missing by Sue Whiting
Walker Books Australia, 2018. ISBN 9781760650032
(Age: 11+) Highly recommended. Themes: Crime, Adventure, Panama,
Bats, Missing persons. When Mackenzie is told to pack and be ready
to leave, she obeys her insistent father without demur, but once on
the plane for Panama, she wants to talk to her Gran, the one stable
thing in her life since her mother's disappearance five months ago.
Told in alternate chapters, one in the present day as Kenzie and her
father search for the woman in Panama, the other back in Sydney
months before as concern builds after Mum's non appearance at the
airport after photographing bats in South America.
Kenzie is about to go into secondary school, and her mother has
insisted she go to a private girls' school, to be less distracted by
the boys at the local state school. She is unhappy but with her
mother gone, wants to do as she had planned for her. Her first day
is unsettling, until she meets Billie. The two hit it off, partly
because Billie does not ask about her mother.
In South America, Kenzie and her Dad go to Bouquete, the last place
the woman was seen alive, and question again those who remembered
seeing her. When Dad lands in hospital it is up to Kenzie to find
out more information, and talking to a researcher in the town, finds
that her mother spoke to him the day after the police thought she
had disappeared. She gets on the bus, with Carlos from the hotel in
her wake.
This is an engrossing read about one girl's search for her mother.
Developed partly after Whiting read of the large numbers of missing
people in Australia each year, she honed in on how the teenager
would react and respond to such a crisis. She has succeeded, drawing
us into Kenzie's world as she tries to make sense of all the things
that happen around her, being buffeted from one thing to another.
Whiting very successfully exposes the vacuum into which Kenzie
falls, unable to trust anyone, scared and suspicious.
Australian author, Sue Whiting lives near Sydney and has won awards
for several of her books, including Platypus and A swim in the sea.
This story would make a good class text, a great read aloud as well
as a book to study.
Fran Knight
Bird builds a nest by Martin Jenkins
Ill. by Richard Jones. Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781406355130
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Birds, Building, Forces, STEM.
The seemingly simple tale of a bird building its nest is given a
wider emphasis as the author and illustrator explain forces through
pushing and pulling, and how we use forces to move things.
The bird rises with the sun and goes to look for a worm to eat. The
first one she finds it very large and despite all her effort at
pulling it from its hole, she is unable to move it. In smaller type
the rule of physics is given, that the stronger something is, the
more force it can apply. The bird sets out to find another smaller
worm and is successful. Bird then sets out to find some twigs to
build her nest.
The one she chooses is too big and a law of physics is again given:
that the more something weighs, the more force is needed to lift it.
She finds some smaller twigs and fashions her nest, pushing the
twigs together. Another law of physics is given: when you push
something you are applying a force away from you. In dropping one of
her twigs, the author then is able to tell the reader about gravity,
and then when the nest is complete she is able to lay her eggs.
Children reading this book will come to understand the laws of
forces through the simple act of a bird building its nest,
illustrated in sepia tones rendered in blocks of colour reminiscent
of collage and block print techniques. The illustrations add a level
of humour as the readers eyes follow the antics of the bird in going
about her business. At the end of the book is a small index, with
questions to ponder about the forces explained in the book.
A wonderful introduction to discussions about the forces we use
everyday.
Fran Knight
I remember by Joanne Crawford
Ill. by Kerry Anne Jordinson. Magabala Books, 2018. ISBN
9781925360769
(Ages: 4-8) Themes: Memory, Childhood. This is the recollection of
an elderly woman about the Murchison River camping trips she went on
with her family when she was a child. While presumably based on the
memories of the author, the elderly storyteller pictured is
fictional. She begins, "When I was young, I remember . . . " and
what follows is her reminiscing about how she felt, what she thought
and the evocative nature of her memories ("I can almost feel the
slimy, squishy river mud between my toes"). At the end of the book
we are taken back to our storyteller who tells us about how memory
can be elusive ("The memories don't come all that often, just
flashes here and there") and are reminded of the fragility of memory
but also about how sharing our stories keeps them alive. The
illustrations help to bring her memories to life, not just how it
was but how she remembers it (the wildflowers as far as her eyes
could see, the dark water of the dam that terrified her, etc.). This
tale will resonate with parents and grandparents all over Australia,
who will have memories of similar cherished memories. In addition,
most children who have ever been on a family holiday will be able to
relate to the storyteller's excitement about packing things into the
car, the anticipation felt driving to the destination and then the
peaceful time spent with family. This could be a useful educational
resource when dealing with memory, family history and oral
traditions of storytelling.
Nicole Nelson
Tempests and slaughter by Tamora Pierce
The Numair Chronicles book 1. Lothian, 2018. ISBN
9780734418678
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. Themes: Fantasy, Magic, Wizards,
Sorcery, Puberty. Arram Draper is the youngest student in his class
at the Imperial University of Carthak, and his gifts are so great
that he is constantly being put into higher classes with older
students. When he meets Varice, a clever girl with kitchen magic,
and Ozorne, the left-over prince, he finds two friends who help him
fit in and the three of them form a bond that will have far reaching
consequences.
In this long, slow moving and absorbing story of the boy who will
become the great mage Numar Salmalin, featured in Pierce's previous
Tortall stories (Song of the Lionness series and The
immortals series), the reader follows the schooling of the
three friends. It is fascinating to see the growth of Arram's skills
and beliefs and follow his encounters with gods, a sunbird and the
friends that he makes among the gladiators and creatures in the
river. His curiosity and well-meaning nature will endear him to the
reader, who will empathise with his feelings about slavery and
follow his ability as a healer and water wizard with great interest.
Meanwhile Ozorne is schooled in the magic of warfare and the reader
knows that danger will follow from that, while Varice is shown as a
caring attractive girl who has great social and culinary skills.
I had read the books about Alanna (Song of the Lionness series) many
years ago, and found the story of Arram so fascinating that I
immediately borrowed the four books in The immortals series to find
out about Arram (Numar) as a grown man. Tempests and slaughter can be read as a stand alone story,
and fans of the books originally set in Tortall will especially
welcome this new series about a favourite character. Books by Tamora
Pierce are must reads for any fantasy lover.
Pat Pledger
Dig, dump, roll by Sally Sutton
Ill. by Brian Lovelock. Walker Books, 2018 ISBN 9781760650056
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. Themes: Machinery. School. Workers.
The building of a school is shown in new light as the different
machines are brought in to help in its construction. First is the
bulldozer, crashing, rumbling, crashing and grumbling as it clears
the ground. In two rhyming sentences the author distills the work
done by this great machine, ending with the word that describes the
machine and the refrain, 'coming through!'
From there other machines are described just as pithily, with the
repeated 'here's a clue' and 'coming through', inviting children to
yell these out as the book is read to them.
The bulldozer is followed by the digger, then the dump truck,
roller, concrete mixer and finally the builders, building a school.
Each page is brightly illustrated with lots for children to
recognise and ask about. The builders are all enveloped in fluoro
vests and hard hats, inviting discussions about safety, each machine
is wonderfully drawn, inviting children to look more closely at its
separate parts, the builders are shown working with the machines to
get the job done.
The first two lines of each stanza about a particular machine is
full of movement and action, inviting students to move along with
the words or sound them out.
I can imagine groups of kids having a great deal of fun with this
story, moving, yelling, predicting, learning lines, making the
noises of the machines and finally building the school. On the last
page is an outline of the machines presented in the book with
further information about their parts. Readers will love it.
Fran Knight
