Max Booth Future Sleuth: Tape escape by Cameron Macintosh
Ill. by Dave Atze. Big Sky Publishing, 2017. ISBN 9781925520606
(Ages: 7-9) Themes: Future, Detectives, Dogs, Robots. We dive right
in to the future with orphan Max Booth and his robot dog Oscar; it
is 2423 and they are about to become detectives. They have escaped
from the Skyburb 7 Home for Unclaimed Urchins and now live in the
storeroom of the Bluggsville City Museum for old technology. Jessie
the museum supervisor is their friend and she presents them with
challenge to find out information about a mystery object.
Oscar's handy projector allows Max to search the Splinternet for the
name of the object and they discover it was made pre 2037. We find
out that a book is needed for further research and paper has not
been used since 2021, so it is up to the duo to find an expert to
help. They first visit the library where Oscar makes a 3D impression
of the guard's tongue to gain access. Here, they must avoid laser
beams and eight-legged guards, climb to the top shelf, find a
specific book and look through pictures of ancient musical machines.
Their object is a cassette tape and needs a cassette player to
listen to the music. After a quick escape down the library roof,
they meet up with Jessie back at the museum. With the help of
Oscar's fast moving tail and an ancient barcode reader, they hear
the long lost songs from a popular mega-star David Snowie.
To authenticate their find, they travel to District 6 where an
unscrupulous forensic muzicologist steals the cassette tape. Max and
Oscar's sleuthing skills, quick thinking and creative disguises help
them rediscover the missing tape and return it to the museum.
Cameron Macintosh includes many puns and funny references to old
technology as he brings a realistic future world to life. David
Atze's cartoons add fun to the easy to read text for younger readers
as they begin engaging with chapter books. Max Booth Future
Sleuth is suited to high-interest lower reading age students
as well.
Rhyllis Bignell
The Wonderling by Mira Bartok
Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406370645
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Welcome to the home for wayward and
misbegotten creatures, run by the evil Miss Carbunkle, cunning
villainess, who believes her terrified young charges exist only to
serve and suffer. For the Wonderling, an innocent, one-eared
'groundling' - a mix of fox and boy - the Home is all he has ever
known. But when unexpected courage leads him to protect a young bird
groundling, Trinket, from being bullied, she in return gives the
Wonderling two incredible gifts: a real name - Arthur, like the good
king in the old stories - and a best friend. With the help of an
ingenious invention by Trinket, the two friends escape from the Home
and embark on an extraordinary quest into the wider world and down
the path of Arthur's true destiny.
This is a beautiful story where two very different creatures are
drawn together out of need and end up developing a strong bond where
they are searching for their destiny beyond the walls of the awful
orphanage. Bartok has cleverly incorporated humans, regular animals
and the hybrid human/animals named 'groundlings'. She uses rich
descriptive language that creates a magical mood where even the
smallest details seem important. Arthur is an extremely likeable
main character with a kind heart. He is extremely brave and
desperately searches for anything beautiful or good that he can
cling to.
The book is absolutely beautiful, with quaint pictures interspersed
throughout the pages. A true masterpiece that will be a must for the
library collection. As some of the storyline can be somewhat dark, I
would recommend the book for more mature readers, 10 years old and
up.
Kathryn Schumacher
The glow of fallen stars by Kate Ling
Little Brown Books for Young Readers, 2017. ISBN 9781510200180
(Age: 13+) Recommended for people thirteen and up who have an
interested in sci-fi/romance. Like the previous novel in the series,
The
loneliness of distant beings, The glow of fallen stars
has a slow start. Seren, Mari, Ezra, and Dom have landed on
Huxley-3, a planet with the potential for supporting human life
after escaping from Ventura, the ship on which they were all born.
Seren and Dom are celebrating their freedom, meanwhile Mari and
Ezra's thoughts turn more practical - how are they going to spend
the rest of their lives stranded on an island on an alien planet?
After an encounter with some glowing coral, both Seren and Ezra are
struck by a relentless sickness which renders them unconscious and
close to death. Having both recovered, but being rendered weak by
the sickness, lack of food, and torrential rains, the four are
driven by desperation to take the boat and make for the mainland.
Days pass, and luck brings them to a coastline where they soon find
a pioneer settlement from the ship Concordia. The people of
Concordia, like Ventura, originated from Earth. But what will come
of their lives now, living on planet for the first time? It seems as
if everything has changed, but has it really? Have Seren and Dom
achieved their goal of being together, or will Concordia's breeding
program spell disaster?
While quite a bit of Seren and Dom's relationship is portrayed as
lust, problems caused by lies, trust, and outsiders are also
explored. Friendships are formed, broken, and transformed across the
pages and the importance of forgiveness, acceptance, and talking are
all approached. I would recommend to people thirteen and up who have
an interested in sci-fi/romance.
Kayla Gaskell, 21
Moonrise by Sarah Crossan
Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408878439
(Age: Senior secondary - Adult) In this stunning new work, an
extended lyrical work reminiscent of 17th century lyrical poetry,
Sarah Crossan plummets the reader into the lives of one family and
the outcome that looms for one member. As she leads us into the
complex, violent, dramatic and immensely sad lives of the family, we
are drawn deeply into the events of the past that have led to this
point. The story is discomforting, its tale alternating between love
and neglect, loyalty and rejection. Here we have a family that did
not nurture the children, where there is violence, and the parents
seem to have been careless of the wellbeing of their children. One
of the children is to be executed for his crime, of manslaughter,
and his sister is determined to offer him love and understanding.
Harsh and deeply moving, the reality that Crossan presents becomes
discomfortingly comprehensible both in the crime and the punishment.
Told in its bare essentials through a gentle, poetic structure, this
narrative offers us the shocking contrast of neglect and love in one
family, and disturbs us with a harsh state response that is
unforgiving. It is constructed in an unusual manner for a story
placed clearly in the modern world of narrative literature, the
story told as an extended poem. Crossan, in her creation of warmth
and in her deft handling of the angst felt by the family, uses the
bareness of this poetic narration to draw us into the family's
disturbing past and present.
Captivating and powerful, Crossan's work tells nothing outside of
the events and interactions that are crucial to the narrative, yet
the emotions, the drama and the characters are evoked in a
surprisingly lyrical manner. Unexpectedly, as we are drawn into the
world of the text, Crossan builds a feeling of calm, elicited in the
delicate brushstrokes that paint the love of one sibling for
another, in its bare details. This extended poem, in its gentle
tone, is clearly quite at odds with the brutality described and the
violent punishment that is about to occur, yet it is difficult to
ignore her unwritten plea for forgiveness and understanding, for
clemency and non-violent punishment. It is apt for adults, suitable
for older adolescents, but its topic difficult to understand and
disturbing in reality for younger adolescents.
Elizabeth Bondar
Niko draws a feeling by Bob Raczka
Ill. by Simone Shin. Carolrhoda Books, 2017, ISBN 9781467798433 (Age: 4+) Recommended. Emotions. Feelings. Drawing. Writing about
emotions and feelings is always fraught but the author and
illustrator here have presented a book about emotions that younger
readers will grasp. A gentle book filled with line drawings Niko has
made to represent how he feels, children may not understand what
Niko is trying to show with his drawings, but will appreciate that
he loves to draw and each drawing represents something he has heard,
seen or felt. Children will recognise with ease the
misunderstandings between children and adult as each person puts
their own interpretation on Niko's drawings. He draws the ting-
a-ling of the icecream truck, for example and his peers tell him
that it looks nothing like the icecream truck. He explains that it
is the ting-a-ling, not the truck, and still they do not understand.
Moments like this appear throughout the book, causing laughter of
recognition amongst children as they recall being unable to explain
things to other people. They will certainly understand the feeling
of being misunderstood, and of trying to communicate ideas with
other people.
The mix of media used in the illustrations will attract younger
readers, seeing things in the stylised children's art work that they
will recognise and attempt to emulate. I love the spirals and lines
of colour weaving their way from one endpaper to another, covering
the whole of the book from start to finish. Children will love
following the lines as they seem to pull the pictures together, and
they, like Iris will be drawn to Niko's work. A most unusual and
engaging picture book for art lovers.
Fran Knight
Drawn onward: A back to front to back tale of hopelessness and hope by Meg McKinlay and Andrew Frazer
Fremantle Press, 2017. ISBN 9781925164848
(Age: Upper primary - Lower secondary) Recommended. This book starts
out very dark and negative, there is no hope. The faceless creature
in the book is slowly burdened by all of the negativity as it grows
with each page, until you reach the centre of the book where it is
almost overwhelming him. Then the words are turned around and the
emphasis is changed which changes the whole meaning of the words,
the burden is slowly lifted from the creature and he is able to
slowly emerge with a face and hope.
This book highlights the power of positive thought and that anything
can be changed for the positive.
I would recommend this book for upper primary, lower secondary. It
is a good example of how the same words can have very different
meanings depending on how they are used and in what order they are
put together. It could be utilised as a teaching tool looking at how
words can change their meaning depending on the order and context
they are used in.
Karen Colliver
The girl, the dog and the writer in Rome by Katrina Nanestad
ABC Books, 2017. ISBN 9780733338175
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Themes: Family and friendship,
Travel, Dogs. When Freja's scientist mother, Clementine has to go to
Switzerland for treatment, she leaves her only daughter with an old
friend, crime writer, Tobias Appleby. Clementine and Freja have
never been separated: when mum goes on her expeditions to the
Arctic, Freja goes too, when looking at animals in the wild, Freja
is by her side. She has never had to deal with people, content just
to be with her mother, but now she must live with someone she does
not know. She is distraught. But Tobias turns out to be funny and
not a little unlike herself.
When she breaks into tears, she feels that she cannot upset Tobias
by telling him she misses her mother and tells him a lie, resulting
in the two along with Finnegan the dog, going to Rome, when she
spurts out the first thing she can think of after reading Tobias'
new crime book, Rome's Reward.
This is a delightful story, full of witticisms, wonderful imagery,
delightful characters and superb names. The language will envelope
the reader, making them feel they are tucked up by a wood fire, with
no need for a mobile phone or stories about testy relationships with
other children of the same age or issues! Freja does not want to go
to school where she must deal with other children, or be made to
write an essay, I am an avocado, as she is gaining quite an
education in Rome. She learns to make pasta, drawn a map of Rome,
visits all sorts of historic places, and leans some Italian. She has
an education, and does not need school.
As their stay in Rome extends, Freja becomes aware that she has made
friends without realising it: the old couple downstairs, the cafe
owner, the monkey grinder and his monkey and a priest. She learns
that making friends is not as hard as she thought, but the question
always nagging her is her relationship with Tobias. Several people
remark on him being her uncle, and even though he denies this she is
desperate for him to be her uncle.
Meanwhile, Tobias spills ink over the white habit of a passing nun,
and so a priest chases him, being very unpriestlike in his pursuit
and threatening behaviour. A neat mystery ensues, equally as
involved as some of Tobias' plots. But as the trio wanders about
Rome, readers will ingest much information bout that city and some
language as well. I loved it and it leaves the way for a sequel
which will thrill the readers.
Fran Knight
A thousand paper birds by Tor Udall
Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408878644
(Age: Senior secondary - Adult) This lyrical story captures the
imagination in its characters, its garden setting, its wonderful
language and in its story-telling. From the beginning we are plunged
into a world of sensory experiences, of smell particularly. Place
matters in this text, and the gardens (based on Kew Gardens in
London) feature prominently as a place of retreat of delight, of
background, foreground and as a place that is so strongly real it
justifies living.
Udall writes so lightly, it is as if his characters were the paper
birds fashioned in origami, the art so passionately followed by one
character. Her creations are exacting and beautiful, and express the
depths of her being in a way that she cannot do herself. Chloe is
young, an adolescent inexperienced in love, and unable to comprehend
the adult world of anxieties, driving ambition and love. The
physical she can do, and she brings her sense of wonder to a
relationship with Jonah, and he begins to be healed after his tragic
loss.
Loyalty and love, the warmth and exploration of the physical and
mystical aspects of the joining to one other in sex, and the
possibility of healing predominate in this lushly written novel of
companionship, joy, friendship, love and nature. Udall's lilting
prose is joyous, his characters complex and often troubled, but the
world into which he places them is so green, majestic yet gentle,
soft and calming that the unravelling of their individual worlds
slowly seems to be controllable. A truly wonderful piece of
literature, and a joy to read, Udall's work lifts the spirits,
restores feelings of soundness to human life, and is utterly
captivating.
Elizabeth Bondar
The Starman and me by Sharon Cohen
Quercus Children's Books, 2017. ISBN 9781786540089
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Themes: Adventure, Origins, Science
Fiction, Communication/Mind-reading. The title suggests something
out of this world! To a certain extent this is a book about things
outside of the normal realm - about where we come from, and what we
can become. Kofi is the young protagonist - a thoughtful,
sometimes-bullied young student whose perception of a strange
apparition on the local roundabout leads him to an adventure of
mind-blowing proportions. The 'apparition' is more than a magical
moment, it has a name (Rorty Thrutch) and an unusual identity. Rorty
Thrutch communicates with Kofi in strange ways and with a
captivating grasp of English, and then leads him into a rescue
mission that requires additional support. Cue his friend Janie and
some unexpected helpers. With school discussions highlighting
personal origins and DNA and a father that has a scientific project
that involves thought-control, the direction of the narrative is
quickly high-jacked and taken on its own helix of twists and turns
that are warm and uplifting, but also exciting and unexpected . . .
and a little bit dangerous as well. There is action that is
impossible to comprehend, characters that behave in ways that are
cruel, and scientific, cutting-edge moments akin to magic.
This is not your average school-based adventure, and it will appeal
to a wide range of ages. The relationships and adventurous action
suggest a high-school base, but Primary school readers will also be
impressed by the warmth of Rorty Thrutch, and his endearing and
naive dialogue adds touches of humour throughout the parts of the
story that are quite serious.
Carolyn Hull
Alex and Eliza by Melissa De La Cruz
PanMacmillan, 2017. ISBN 9781509869978
(Age: 15+) Recommended for readers of romance. Themes: Romance,
American History - American Revolution, Love, Wealth and Privilege.
If you loved Pride and Prejudice you'll love this American
tale of love in the privileged world of old New York in the 1770's.
This is also the era of George Washington, the rise of the American
identity and patriotism separate from their British and European
forbears, and also the era of conflict known as the American
Revolution. Into this historical setting is a retelling of real
events involving the young Alex Hamilton, who came from nowhere to
be the respected right-hand man for the General George Washington.
In this role he meets the Schuyler family (one of the wealthy
founding families in America of Dutch heritage) and falls for the
second of the marriageable daughters - Eliza. Eliza is much like
Elizabeth Bennett of Pride and Prejudice in that she is
thoughtful, responsible and a little bit feisty and independent, and
not swayed by the fashion trends and social expectations of the
times. Her independence and unselfish attitude is unusual in the
world of privilege and wealth that has formed in the growing
country. The Schuyler's circumstances and the troubled times mean
that love and marriage is a carefully orchestrated alliance between
well-to-do families to protect and preserve the honour of a family
name in the new country. Consequently any connection between Alex
and Eliza, although romantic, may be doomed to fail. The course of
history though reminds us that in this unusual story, love does rule
over expectation.
Melissa De La Cruz wrote this novelisation of the historical love
story after seeing the musical - Hamilton: An American Musical.
The epic love story is written in the style of a much older novel,
with a proper and polite nod to the times. The beautiful language is
very reminiscent of Jane Austen and other writers from the same era.
The glimpse into early American history, and the social and fashion
history of the 1770's is delightful and almost humourous to a modern
reader eg. the dusted wigs worn by male and females as a statement
of their standing in society is almost impossible to fathom for a
modern reader! An insight into the period of the American Revolution
is also intriguing, as it weaves through the romance.
Carolyn Hull
Fox and Moonbeam by Aleesah Darlison and Narelda Joy
Wombat Books, 2017. ISBN 9781925563009
(Age: 3-10) Fox and; Moonbeam by Aleesha Darlison is a
whimsical story about an unlikely friendship between Gerald Fox, the
clock winder and Moonbeam Lapin a dancer. It is set in Victorian
England and starts with tale of a seemingly depressed and lonely Fox
who lives in a world of darkness and shadows. We then meet
Mademoiselle Moonbeam Lapin whose life is quite the opposite with
bright lights and glamour. When the two meet in the Queen's castle,
where Fox works and Moonbeam is performing they find that they enjoy
spending time together.
The undercurrent of this book is that of pursuing passions; such as
Fox's love of the violin, and doing the things we love; just like
Moonbeam and her dancing. I also like that the story shows that Fox
had to gain the courage to follow his love of playing the violin,
which I think is something that resonates with many young people
today.
This book has many facets that could be pinpointed as conversation
starters in both large groups and on a one to one basis. Topics such
as lack of self-esteem, loneliness, finding your passion, careers of
the Victorian era and courage are all things that could be pulled
apart and discussed using this story as a backdrop. It is also
lovely on its own, as a bedtime story or quiet time activity.
The illustrations by Narelda Joy are very extravagant, and add the
magical feeling of the story. My 3 year old particularly loved the
depictions of Moonbeam as she is often surrounded by stars and or
colours.
An enjoyable book for children up to ages 10.
Lauren Fountain
Aussie legends alphabet by Beck Feiner
ABC Books, 2017. ISBN 97807333338946
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Alphabet, Legends, Australian
legends. Alphabet books are always fascinating, speculating on the
reason some words and images were included to homour that letter.
This one will engage readers, pondering just who they would give the
nod to as a legend of Australia, and being delighted at those who
have made the cut in this board book from ABC Books.
From Cathy Freeman to Julia Gillard, Victor Chang to Eddie Mabo,
Jorn Utzon to Steve Irwin, each inclusion is as surprising as it is
informative. I was impressed that there is only one footballer,
yeah! and Adam Goodes was included partly because of his ability on
the football field but more importantly for what he has done for his
people. Medical pioneers, Fred Hollows and Victor Chang make a
wonderful inclusion as do social vanguards, Kath and Kim, Ita
Buttrose and Dame Edna Everage. And a nod to history includes Ned
Kelly, Henry Lawson and Nancy Wake, while the arts are represented
by Dame Joan Sutherland, INXS, Yothu Yindi and Queenie MacKenzie
amongst others. Each is included for a multiplicity of reasons,
which younger readers and older ones as well, will delight in
reasoning out. At the end of the book are a few pages containing
more information about each inclusion.
Each person represents excellence in their fields, achieving
something all of us can admire. Each page has one letter with an
often amusing representation of that person wrapped around the
letter, while the page next to the illustrations contains a brief
amount of information.
This is a fascinating alphabet book, sure to delight, amuse and
inform.
Fran Knight
No filter by Orlagh Collins
Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408884515
(Age: Adolescent) Beautifully written, told in the first person by
two adolescents who meet unexpectedly at the seaside in Ireland,
this novel is delightfully entertaining. Collins directly addresses
important issues for adolescents in the modern world. Emerald has
come from England, having just finished her penultimate year at
school, and Liam is similarly on holidays, having completed his
schooling in Ireland. It is instant attraction for them both when
they meet at the beach, and the summer is spent together as much as
possible. Emerald has been sent to her grandmother's home in Ireland
for the summer, her family having some undisclosed issues, and Liam
is working while deciding what he will do in the future. Their
powerful attraction is beautifully recounted, particularly as told
in their first person narratives. The seaside setting is idyllic and
described in its wildness and beauty.
In this vibrant, gripping, entertaining and delightfully told
narrative, Collins addresses the issues of mental health, of class
divisions and factionalism, of aging, of adolescence, of betrayal
and loyalty, and of the abiding joy of deep friendship and the
possibility of loving the right person. Beautifully told, this
narrative reveals the goodness of two young people who grow to care
deeply about each other, but also Collins ensures that we understand
that they care and respect their families and their place in those
families.
A strongly expressed reflection on the modern world, on family
secrets and weaknesses, on healing, friendship and reconciliation,
this is a powerfully moving novel of an emerging modern Ireland and
its relationship with its neighbours. Highly suitable for
adolescents, younger and older, and a beautifully written novel that
would be enjoyed by adults who understand the conflict that has been
so much a disturbing part of modern Ireland.
Elizabeth Bondar
My dog gets a job by Elizabeth Fensham
University of Queensland Press, 2017. ISBN 9780702259593
(Age: 7+) Recommended. I recommend this book to 7+ readers and pet
lovers of any age.
What is a nine year old boy to do when his dog is constantly getting
into trouble? Eric is in just that situation, his dog Ugly is always
getting himself into trouble. For example, what is a dog supposed to
do when a fresh
roast chicken is left on the bench to cool . . .
Eric finds himself faced with the difficult task of finding a job,
that will keep Ugly busy and stop them both from getting into
trouble.With the help of his friends they come up with a list of
suggested jobs that Ugly can do, some possible some not so. Eric is
determined to keep trying until he is able to find Ugly a job that
will make life better for both of them.
There are some hilarious situations as Ugly has a go at a number of
different jobs until he finally finds the one that is right for him.
Through the book Eric learns the importance of accepting people even
if they are a bit different.
Karen Colliver
Zombiefied! Apocalypse by C.M. Gray
Harper Collins Children's Books, 2017. ISBN 9780733334245
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Halloween can be a fun time but when you are
half zombie things can be a bit different. Ben hopes that being half
zombie will help him get extra candy this Halloween.
Ben and his best friend Sophie soon find themselves in a sticky
situation. They are the only ones who seem to be aware of what is
going on in their town. They need to stop the evil Mr Bill, but that
is difficult to do when you don't know where he is or what he is
exactly planning. The two friends work together, making the most of
the extra powers they have because they are half zombie to try and
save their town. In the end Ben finds his own inner strength and
realise he doesn't need his zombie powers to achieve what he set out
to do.
This book is written from Ben's perspective and is very well told,
it draws the reader in so that you want to know what is going to
happen next. It is written in a way that you think you know what
will happen next and then there is a twist and it is not quite what
you expected.
I recommend this book to 8+ year olds.
Karen Colliver
