Diary of a Minecraft Zombie book 9. Scholastic, 2017. ISBN
9781743818350
(Age: 7-9) Themes: Zombies, Friendship, Birthdays. The popular fan
fiction series continues with Zack Zombie's preparations for his
epic thirteenth birthday party. His birthday falls on Halloween
making it an extra special celebration. With his plans to host a
Larry Snotter party, Zombie realises that he needs to find a job to
finance his expensive costume. On Tuesday when he tries to find his
human friend Steve to discuss his party, he has disappeared. As he
checks out the nearby woods, Zack observes a strange occurrence
amongst the other villagers who are walking around with large
pumpkin heads.
With his neighbourhood preparing scary Halloween decorations in
their front yard, Zack helps Old Man Jenkins with his old Zombie
horse. Mr Jenkins' old bones keep falling apart and he offers him a
job grooming the horse. With a competition for the scariest costume
at school, talk of a Zombie Apocalypse, the mob villagers
disappearing and trying to organise his birthday party, Zack is
keeps busy. The final scenes of saving the mob of pumpkin head
villagers using the school oval sprinklers and Ursula the Witch's
potion prove exciting for Zack and his friends. Zombie's Birthday Apocalypse is a fun junior novel, packed
full of familiar characters, Minecraft images and the strange lives
of Zack, his family and friends. Humour, grossness, body jokes and
plenty of Minecraft activities are just right for the fans of this
popular series.
Rhyllis Bignell
Terrortide by Michael Adams
The Seven Signs book 6. Scholastic, 2017. ISBN 9781743628065
(Age: 13+) Recommended. Themes: Adventure; Danger; Sydney,
Australia; Futuristic adventure. Book 6 in the Seven Signs series is
as terror and suspense-filled as the previous five books in the
series. The young DARE award winners are yet again plunged into
horrific circumstances as they race to save the World from the
actions of the Gamemaster. This unknown and mysterious figure has
sent more images to solve via their hi-tech futuristic communication
devices, and impels all of the seven teens into more
life-threatening scenarios - this time with Sydney, Australia as the
potential target. With one catastrophe leading immediately into
another, it is not surprising that they author ends this penultimate
book of the episodic series on a cliff-hanger ending (or perhaps
more accurately - hanging on by our fingernails).
Readers will be desperate to find out what comes next (very clever
marketing strategy!) and solving the ultimate puzzle as to who is
behind this reprehensible series of awful events, and to see whether
the young teens can be heroic yet again and save the world from
destruction. Or is it too late?
Recommended to adventure junkies aged 13+.
Carolyn Hull
Crimewave by Michael Adams
The Seven Signs series book 5. Scholastic, 2017. ISBN
9781743628058
(Age: 13+) Recommended. Themes: Adventure; Risk; South Korea;
Colombia; Information; Futuristic Crime. With one twist after
another, the seven DARE award winners are thrust again into
life-threatening scenarios in the fifth exciting book of the Seven
Signs Series. The action picks up where it left off in book 4, with
the teenagers in RoboWorld Theme Park in South Korea. With
out-of-control robotic attackers still advancing and the clock
clicking closer to imminent destruction, five of the intrepid teens
must face their own fears and the threat of their own demise to save
the country. Meanwhile, Mila and Isobel are in Bogata, Colombia, and
they become embroiled in the plans of a criminal heavyweight. They
too are in imminent danger.
With a one page introduction or summary of previous events in the
series, the author launches into action. No time to draw breath!
Consequently this is mostly suited to readers who have been waiting
breathlessly to find out what might come next. And again, the author
leaves the reader dangling at the end of the book with a closing
cliff- hanger . . . Ready for the next exciting adventure to save
the world.
Recommended for action lovers aged 13+.
Carolyn Hull
Ava's big move by Mary Van Reyk
Surf Riders Club series. Hachette Australia, 2017. ISBN
9780734417909
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Ava's Big Move is the first book in
the series Surf Riders Club and has been created in
collaboration with Surfing Australia.
A new beginning and a move for a dream to come true sees Ava
unwillingly move with her family to a beachside town. She can't go
on the yearly snowboard trip and she is leaving her best friend.
Ava's first day of school and subsequent weeks end up being amazing
thanks to new friends and the discovery of liking surfing. Now, Ava
just needs to figure out if she has the skills to move to the next
level in surfing lessons. Can she catch the five waves or will she
be left behind? Through her surfing journey, Ava realises the move
to a new town is pretty good. She is spending time with her older
brother , seeing her parent's dreams come true and surviving high
school. Ava's Big Move is a great, positive story about new
beginnings and everyday life. Even better, it is set in Australia.
The themes of resilience, persistence and accepting others are
strong throughout and Ava and her friends are strong role models for
girls. The vocabulary is easy to read and understand. It might even
inspire readers to create stories about their own adventures. highly
recommended for girls aged 10+.
Kylie Kempster
Molly the pirate by Lorraine Teece
Ill. by Paul Sedden. Magabala Books, 2017. ISBN 9781925360660
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Pirates, Central Australia,
Aboriginal themes. The wonderfully spontaneous Molly lives a long
way from the sea, and yet dreams of being a pirate. With mum in the
background trying to hang out the washing on a very blustery day,
Molly dons her eye patch, pirate hat and sword. She rows out to the
pirate ship and there challenges Captain Chicken, but is made to
walk the plank.
She somersaults across the deck, outsmarting the crew made up of
other chickens and the cat, until the crew is so dizzy they feel the
need to lie down for a while. She climbs the rigging and comes back
to the deck to eat with the crew members. They then turn the ship
for shore and Molly returns home, certain that there will be more
adventures. A delightful story of the risk taking Molly and her
pirate crew, readers will love to see how she reacts once on board
the pirate ship, and love reading of her interaction with the crew.
And the illustrations are just magical, with Seden using common
kitchen items on each splendidly vibrant page. Young readers will
love searching them out and laughing at the way the illustrator has
used each in his drawings, while the background of inland Australia
underscores its distance from the sea. Each page is a delight and I
loved the way Sedden has used differing perspectives, challenging
the reader to work out where they are.
Fran Knight
Force of nature by Jane Harper
Aaron Falk book 2. Macmillan Australia, 2017. ISBN
9781743549094
(Age: 15+) Recommended. Mystery and suspense. Aaron Falk returns in
the second of Jane Harper's mysteries, following her best-selling The
dry. This time partnered with Carmen Cooper, they are
investigating a family company, BaileyTennants, which is suspected
of money laundering. His whistle blower, Alice Russell, has promised
to give them the documents to prove the case, but she turns up
missing after a team building bush walk in the rugged Giralang
Ranges. Five women from the company walked into the bush and only
four returned.
The action and the setting keep the reader riveted. Told in
alternative chapters, Harper describes what is happening on the
bushwalk and the direction that Falk's investigation into Alice's
disappearance is taking. The Giralang Ranges provide a dark and
frightening background and when the women take a wrong turning and
become lost there is not only the never ending sameness of the bush
to contend with but the lingering fear that once a serial killer and
his son roamed this wilderness.
Harper brings alive the characters of the five women: there is Jill,
daughter of the patriarch of the family company and nominally in
charge of the group; Alice Russell is self-centred and nasty but
committed to her daughter; the twins Bree and Beth constantly bicker
and Lauren is a self-effacing woman who lacks confidence. As the
members of the group try and find shelter and the way home any group
cohesiveness is lost and old wounds are opened with often nasty
results.
Family dynamics are vividly described. Lauren's daughter is
suffering after being brutally bullied at school. Alice's daughter
who goes to the same school, is also experiencing problems with the
son of the company's director and these complexities add a depth to
the story and the reader's feelings about the main characters.
The reader is never certain if Alice is still alive and has just
chosen to disappear or if she has been murdered by a group member or
someone following them in the bush. This suspense is kept up until
the very end when there is a very satisfying denouement.
This is a worthy follow-up to The dry and I look forward to
reading about Aaron Falk's future investigations.
Pat Pledger
Cinderella by Jane Ray
Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406377842
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Diorama, Theatre, Classic tale, Fairytale. A
three dimensional representation of the classic tale of Cinderella
is offered within the covers of this book in six pop up dioramas.
Each double page presents a scene from the fairy tale, with side
flaps giving the story, and the central offering a diorama of the
action presented in the text. In the first diorama, we hear of
Cinderella and her two lazy stepsisters. We see Cinderella sweeping
in the kitchen while her stepmother and stepsisters lounge about, in
an adjacent room preening, drinking tea and eating cake. They are
magnificently dressed, whereas Cinderella is dirty and disheveled.
The page is cut out so that the action stands out from the
background. Through the cut out foreground we can see into the
garden beyond.
Each double page is full of interest, and children will read the
text eagerly looking at the picture presented, searching out the
details of the story.
The book is subtitled, A Three-dimensional Fairy-tale Theatre,
and the side flaps are like curtains opening on the scene presented,
making the viewer's eyes focus on the opening of the stage curtain
and what is then revealed.
A different outing for the classic tale will be eagerly used by
young careful readers.
Fran Knight
Stitches and stuffing by Carrie Gallasch and Sara Acton
Little Hare, 2017. ISBN 9781760127787
Wherever Adeline went, so did Bunnybear. They had been together
since forever, never apart. He was soft and cuddly, his ears and
legs wibbling and wobbling and he flipped and flopped along. He even
had his own seat at the table for morning milk and biscuits with
Nanna. Bunnybear was her best friend and she didn't feel right
without him. Until one day, Bunnybear accidentally got left at the
beach. Caught in a tug-of-war between a curious seagull and
Adeline's puppy, poor Bunnybear was destroyed and Adeline was
distraught. That night there was a Bunnybear-shaped empty space in
her bed and she felt very alone.
Next day Nanna sat in her knitting chair and made a new Bunnybear
for Adeline. But this one wasn't the same. It was too stiff and
straight and no matter how Adeline squished and squashed him, he
felt like a stranger. And so he sat on the shelf, hard and still
like a statue. But then, one day Nanna had to go away for a while
and with no milk and biscuits for morning tea, and no sitting in the
knitting chair with her, the days became long and quiet. And then
Adeline remembered . . .
This is a soft and gentle story, illustrated with the soft and
gentle palette and the soft and gentle lines of watercolours, that
will remind all readers, young and not-so of their favourite
take-along-everywhere toy of their childhood. Everyone has a
Bunnybear in their story, that one toy that we felt lost without
regardless of whether it was shabby or pristine. In fact, shabby was
better because it showed how loved it was but despite that, there is
always room for change and sometimes when it is thrust upon us we
need to embrace it. This softness is not just in the storyline but
also in the rhythm of the story - long sentences that spread out
over vignettes and pages as life continues on its merry way but
changing to shorter, more abrupt statements when the worst happens
and then gradually getting longer and more rhythmic as life takes on
a new pattern. The whole wraps around the child like a hug,
reassuring them that things will work out even if they are
different.
Sometimes when little ones go to big school there is a suggestion
that it is time to leave their preschool lives behind, including
their beloved toys that have been with them since birth. And yet
with this huge change in their lives they are left without the
companionship of their most trusted and comforting friend and ally.
We have to remember we can still count in months the time these
little ones have been in the world and they need and deserve all the
support they can get. The astute teacher will acknowledge that these
are more than just a collection of stitches and stuffing, that they
are imbued with love, safety and security and perhaps having a
special shelf so the special toys can come to school too with the
child deciding when they want to wean themselves. Meanwhile the
teacher librarian can encourage them to read to their special toy in
school and at night and might even provide a collection of teddies
for those who just need an extra hug or two. It worked for me!
Barbara Braxton
The poesy ring: a love story by Bob Graham
Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406378276
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended. Themes: Love. Marriage. Artifacts.
Historical evidence. The journey of a poesy ring given to a beloved
in times long ago is full of significance as it is lost and then
found nearly two centuries later, meaning the same thing for the
couple today as it once did for the couple that lost it. A whole
story can be evoked from the opening pages watching a young Irish
woman gallop away from the sea, a tall ship disappearing into the
distance. It is 1830 and she has thrown the ring away. It falls to
the ground, spending time with the small animals and grasses that
grow around it. An acorn that falls nearby grows into a huge tree
before a deer finds the ring lodged in its hoof. The ring falls into
a meadow, and when the farmer tills his soil, a bird picks it up.
From there is falls into the sea only to be retrieved from a fishing
net and sold. By now it is 1967, and a couple busking in the New
York underground, take their earnings to a gold shop where they buy
the ring and walk home together in the snow.
The ring has come full circle, finding a finger on which it can sit
symbolising the love between two people.
This touching story of love, dedicated to Graham's partner of fifty
years, Carolyn, will endear itself to all readers, showcasing the
endurance and tenacity of love and its symbols. The inscription
inside the ring, Love never dies, resonates through the story as the
ring, buffeted by the passing seasons is eventually found in a shop
in New York, bringing a small tear to the eye of all who read it.
Graham's soft watercolour illustrations show time passing from tall
ships, then wartime destroyers and later a fishing trawler, while a
man turns the soil with his plough, reaping the crop with a scythe,
the images moving on to the escalator in the underground and the
shops in the streets of New York. This book lovingly shows the
passing of time and the enduring power of the little ring, lost and
now found, a circle of love for a new generation. Younger readers
will have a great time seeking the smaller pictures on each page,
reflecting the passing of time, while older readers will ponder the
timelessness of the gold ring and all that it implies. Graham
successfully inhabits his books with the small things of life, the
wonderful image of the ploughing man and his horses, the boots of
the fisherman, the tattoo on Sonny's hand, the children giving money
to the buskers. His books give a feeling of solidity, of family, of
community and continuity, and no more so than here, with the ring
coming full circle, to the hand of a woman in New York.
A wonderful interview of Bob Graham by Jason Steger of the Sydney
Morning Herald can be found here.
Fran Knight
On the free by Coert Voorhees
Carolrhoda Lab, 2017. ISBN 9781512429138
(Age: 15+) Themes: Survival. Disasters. Resilience. Santiago has
elected to undertake the Bear Canyon Wilderness Therapy Programme in
the Colorado mountains as a diversion from the juvenile justice
system. A small party supervised by two counsellors sets off on a
demanding trek designed to encourage the attendees to evaluate their
lives and take responsibility for the future. Santi's character is
brilliantly depicted. He's a good kid who has made a couple of poor
decisions which lead to serious consequences. I found myself nodding
at the entirely realistic portrayal of a lad lacking parental
guidance whose ethnicity and socio-economic background limit his
opportunities. When drug offences lead to criminal bad company and a
custodial sentence, I groaned, not just because Santi's choices were
so obviously flawed, but because this is daily reality for so many
young people.
It was also refreshing to see the Wilderness Programme presented as
a well-intentioned but slightly delusional attempt to help troubled
youths who treated it with some derision. This was partly due to
their adolescent cynicism and posturing but also because its
organisation and staffing were imperfect.
Victor is another trekker and is a thoroughly unpleasant character
who enjoys inflicting discomfort and humiliation on his fellows.
Again, the revelation of his past steers the reader to understand
and feel compassion for a young man whose future could have been so
much happier and more fulfilling.
The interaction and tension between Santi and Victor and other party
members is realistically portrayed and a natural disaster which
leads the pair to fight for life in the company of Amelia, one of
the camp counsellors is entirely plausible.
This is a good survival story which could have been brilliant. The
crafting of characters, setting and events in the context of
wilderness adventure created a fast-paced and satisfying read which
unfortunately lost its way a little after the disaster. The
inclusion of another aspect seemed contrived and unnecessary,
cluttering a story which was developing nicely on its own.
This is still a worthy read and I know it will appeal to those who
enjoy survival stories where individuals have to use skill and
resilience to overcome significant physical and mental challenges.
I'd suggest this suits readers 15+ and the text contains some
profanity which achieves a nice balance in presenting realistic
teenage dialogue which the readership will identify with, but which
is not particularly offensive or gratuitous.
Rob Welsh
Little Shaq: Star of the week by Shaquille O'Neal
Ill. by Theodore Taylor III. Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781619638822
(Age: 6+) "Little Shaq has always wanted his own kitten, but his
parents aren't sure he's responsible enough. When Little Shaq is
chosen as his class's Star of the Week, he knows that this is his
moment to shine, to prove to his parents that they can count on him.
Will Little Shaq be able to show he's ready for his very own pet?"
(Publisher)
Written by Shaquille O'Neale and illustrated in colour by Theodore
Taylor III, the Little Shaq story is sure to turn into a popular
series with young sports enthusiasts. This will fit nicely into the
'quick reads' section as it is set out like a chapter book and will
not take the reader long at all to complete. The relatively large
text with illustrations interspersed will act as a confidence
builder for children striving to read the 'chapter book'.
The book celebrates family, friends and community and the simple
language used is tailor-made to the target audience. Not only can
Shaquille play basketball, I think he has also hit the nail on the
head with this book. Suitable for students aged 6 and up.
Kathryn Schumacher
Paddy O'Melon the Irish kangaroo by Julia Cooper and Daryl Dickson
Exisle, 2017. ISBN 9781925335637
On the very day that he took his first steps out of his mother's
pouch, the little kangaroo is separated from her as two large black
marauding dogs race through the clearing, scattering them to
shelter. The joey cannot keep up with his mum so he hides, found
hours later by the O'Melon family who live in a valley in the
rainforest and who care for injured and orphaned native creatures.
They call him Paddy O'Melon, their Irish kangaroo. Wrapped in a
pillowcase pouch and bottle-fed a special milk mixture, Paddy not
only survives but thrives. He spends more and more time in the
garden as he grows, meeting and making friends with the other
creatures that the O'Melons have rescued. Eventually, all his time
is spent outdoors and the family tell him that when he is old enough
he can return to the wild and live with his own kind. But just what
is his "own kind"? When he introduces himself as Paddy O'Melon the
Irish kangaroo, he is met with sniggers and giggles and no one is
able to help him. The best advice he can get is to find the
cassowary who knows everything and everyone.
This is a charming story with echoes of Are you my mother?
but with much more depth and interest. Written by a highly regarded
naturalist, who has since passed away, it not only introduces the
reader to the unfamiliar and unique creatures of Far North
Queensland but carries a lot of information about them in both the
text and the stunning illustrations, but never intruding into the
story of Paddy's quest.
While many are familiar with kangaroos and wallabies, few know about
their cousins the pademelons who inhabit the northern rainforests In
an effort to spread the word about the species of her home region,
Cooper has deliberately included the more unusual.
There are also Teachers'
Notes available and royalties are being donated to further the
conservation of the area.
Apart from just being a good story, this book also introduces us to
more of Australia's wonderful wildlife, perhaps setting up an
investigation that compares and contrasts those of the FNQ region to
those in the students' region.
Barbara Braxton
Untidy towns by Kate O'Donnell
UQP, 2017. ISBN 9780702259821
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. Themes: Rural life, Private schools,
Future, Relationships, Conformity, Friendship. Abruptly leaving her
city private school in March during her year twelve is scholarship
girl, Adelaide's best move. She has endured this place since year
seven, putting up with the slights from other girls, the meaningless
relationships and the push to strive and do well to represent the
school, to conform, toe the line, and behave. But suddenly she no
longer wants to be the girl they want her to be, so catches the
train and goes back home to Emyvale near Geelong. Mum meets her at
the station, and there follows a blossoming of her place in the
world, a realisation that she can do what she wants. She becomes the
intern at her grandfather's history museum in their small town, a
step towards fending for herself, of finding her path.
She meets the people she went to primary school with, rekindling
relationships from long ago with relative ease.
Her family does not pressure her to do anything she doesn't want to
do, allowing her space to find out what it is she really wants,
while she finishes her studies long distance and applies for a uni
course for the following year, to keep her options open.
When Mia comes to stay during the school holidays, things change.
She becomes involved with Addie's old friend, Jen and the two work
out how they can see each other at uni the following year. Adelaide
becomes embroiled in her relationship with Jarrod, to such an extent
that people are expecting them to become more of a couple and stay
in the town. Adelaide has a melt down and they argue but in making
up, she realises that this is the jolt she needs to do something.
Exam results, New Year, and uni offers for some the following year
are the background to the last chapters of this engaging novel about
making choices, making your own path in life, making decisions about
your own future.
Lashed with humour and stories of the town the whole is a diverting
look at people with hard decisions to make about their futures. Told
in chapters following the months from March to January, the
chronology of the book invites the reader to compare it with their
own path and decision making in what many see as a crucial year.
Seeing past what others want for her is part of the mix.
The cover compels the reader to pick up the book, eager to see what
the young girl will do in her untidy town. The design, font and
illustration stand out on shelves full of books with unremarkable
covers, and once inside the readers will be unable to put the book
down. A choice made through good design.
And I love the list of books read and those still to read at the end
of the book.
Fran Knight
Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
Lothian, 2017. ISBN 9780734418074
(Age: 8-13+) Highly recommended. Nevermoor will be compared
to Harry Potter. There is an unloved child with unknown
powers, a journey to a parallel world with new friends and bullies
as well as an eccentric but kind mentor. The front cover even states
that "Readers will feel as though Harry Potter is meeting Alice in
Wonderland" (Kirkus).
Indeed, there are many similarities but Nevermoor and its
main character, Morrigan Crow are able to stand apart and be enjoyed
in their own right.
Morrigan Crow is a deemed cursed child, someone who only brings bad
luck to all around her and will die on her 11th birthday at midnight
on Eventide. Her family are cold and uncaring but she stays stoic
and greets each negative incident with an almost detached humour.
On the depressing night of her ordained death, Morrigan is rescued
from the evil "Hunt of Smoke and Shadow", by her unflappable and
charming mentor Jupiter North of the Wundrous Society.
She journeys to Nevermoor and lives in the fantastical Deucalion
Hotel owned by North and it is here Morrigan meets a variety of
interesting characters such as Fenestra the giant Magnificat and
Frank, a vampire dwarf - or is it a dwarf vampire.
Morrigan begins a friendship with Hawthorne, who is her greatest
support during the series of trials she must pass in order to remain
in Nevermoor. She is competing against hundreds of other children
who will all display their particular talents. The problem is
Morrigan has no idea of her own gift.
This is Jessica Townsend's first book (and obviously a first in a
series) but at the Frankfurt Book Fair she received requests for
publication from at least eight major publishing houses.
There is so much to recommend this book, the combination of magic
and humour, the wonderful activities of Nevermoor such as the
delightful Christmas celebrations and the unique, amazing rooms at
the Deucalion. The characters and scenes are vivid and very
theatrical. Morrigan herself is a wonderful heroine, steadfast and
brave while making witty comments about the goings on around her.
To the fans of Harry who mourn the end of the "Hogwarts" world", I
invite you to join Morrigan in Nevermoor. I believe you will not be
disappointed.
I highly recommend this book to anyone 8 to 13 + years old.
A small trailer
for the book is available.
Jane Moore
The untold story of Father Christmas by Alison and Mike Battle
Ill. by Lauren A. Mills. Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408892343
"In olden times, when magic still filled the air, there lived a
master toymaker and his wife . . ."
So begins this delightful retelling of the story of Father
Christmas, beautifully illustrated and set in a land of deep
forests, elves and magic.
The kindly toymaker and his wife discover that if you keep your
heart full of love and wonder, dreams really do come true . . . .
Who doesn't love a traditional story at Christmas time? A
beautifully illustrated and timeless story about how a toymaker and
his wife became Mother and Father Christmas for children all over
the world. The toy maker is a kind character, always seeing the best
in situations, except for one thing - they did not have their own
child. With similarities to The Elves and The Shoemaker, the
old couple set about making toys for the children in their village.
This is a truly beautifully written story that displays the true
meaning of Christmas and the act of giving. It would be fantastic to
talk to students about being selfless and what one can gain from
displaying this quality. I can see the children shouting out 'it's
Father Christmas' as I am reading the story as he is described as a
toy maker throughout the book and not referred to as this until the
very last page in the book. I am a sucker for a traditional story
using traditional colours in the illustrations and this did not
disappoint me. A welcome addition to the collection of Christmas
books.
Kathryn Schumacher
