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
Magic Animal Rescue: Maggie and the flying horse by E.D Baker
Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017. ISBN 9781408878286
(Age: 5-8) Recommended. One day Maggie finds a tiny injured flying
horse. Can she find help in time?
The characters in this story are Maggie, Zelia, Peter, Bob, Leonard
and all the magical creatures. The characters played a great role in
the story.
The plot is creative, engaging and very interesting.
The big idea in this book is helping a flying horse.
The settings of the story are the woods, meadow, cottage and Bob's
stable. I like all the pictures in the book as they help set the
scene and add an extra element to the story.
The style of text is imaginary and is a beginner's book.
I recommend this book for 5 to 8 year olds. I suggest reading this
book before you read the other book Magic Animal Rescue Maggie
and the wish fish.
Grace, Year 6
Magic Animal Rescue: Maggie and the wish fish by E.D Baker
Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017. ISBN 9781408878293
(Age: 5-8) Recommended. One day Maggie speaks to a magical fish who
promises her a wish, will she let him go, can she trust a talking
fish?
The characters in this book are Maggie, Zelia, Peter, Bob, Nora,
Leonard, Stella, and all the magical creatures. The characters are
creative.
The plot is also very creative and engaging.
The big ideas in the story are the fish granting Maggi her wish.
The settings of this story are the woods, meadow, cottage, bob's
stable and the lake. I like how the pictures tell some of the story.
The style of text is imaginary and is a beginner's book.
I recommend this book for 5 to 8 year olds. If you liked this book I
reckon you should read Magic Animal Rescue: Maggie and the
flying horse.
Grace, Year 6
The thunderbolt pony by Stacy Gregg
HarperCollins, 2017. ISBN 9780008257026
(Age: 11+) Highly recommended. After a devastating earthquake hits
Evie's hometown of Parnassus on New Zealand's South Island, the
entire town and herself are forced to evacuate. During the initial
earthquake, Evie's mum is injured and one of the first to be rescued
by helicopter. Evie was meant to be on the ride with her mother, but
refuses to leave her beloved pony, Gus, her dog, Jock, and her cat
Moxy behind. She is determined to find another way before people
realise Evie did not go with her mother. Instead she flees with her
tribe of animals in a race against time across difficult terrain to
reach the port of Kaikoura. Locals are being evacuated to the port
where they will be transported to safety.
No one could have ever imagined the difficulties Evie would
encounter. With aftershocks constantly shaking, Evie will have to
overcome her OCD and draw on her bravery, strength, and resilience
to bring her and her animals to safety.
Having never been one to read a 'horsey' book I was absolutely
enthralled from start to finish. It is a fast-paced book about a
girl's determination to do anything to save her beloved animals -
even putting her own life at risk. An emotional journey sees Evie
refuse to give up even when faced with impossible odds.
Evie is 12 years old and suffers from OCD. This has a huge impact on
her life and her ability to cope with events. There are countless
themes that are portrayed in the book including resilience, bravery,
family, community spirit, death and determination. I think the
audience need to be at least 11 years old as the themes can be quite
strong and the readers need to have a degree of maturity to fully
understand them.
This book would be a hit with girls in particular, but not
necessarily just ones that enjoy a horse story. A must have for the
library collection.
Kathryn Schumacher
Curiosity: the story of a Mars Rover by Markus Motum
Walker Studio, 2017. ISBN 9781406374681
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. Mars. Spacecraft. NASA. Exploration.
STEM. This beautifully presented book gave me all the information I
needed to know about Curiosity, the Rover which landed on
Mars in 2012 to explore that planet's surface. The unadorned text
introduces the reader to the space program designed to find out more
about Mars, our closest planet, and tell us why this mission is being
carried out. In sepia tones throughout the book, the illustrations
reveal the intricacies of Curiosity's make-up, the cameras,
wheels, laboratory equipment, battery and communication technology.
The size of a small car, the machine has a lot of work to do once on
Mars, photographing and sending back images of the landscape, taking
up pieces of the surface with its arms and testing the material to
send back the results.
The expectation that this machine would uncover some of the
information that scientists want to know about Mars spurs them on.
Mars, the red planet is the closest in make-up to our planet Earth,
and so scientists hope to discover what it is made up of and why it
is now seemingly desolate. The launch of the rocket taking 'Curiosity'
to Mars is described in detail, showing the various parts of the
rocket as it takes off, leaving behind boosters so that the final
piece to get to Mars lands safely. The speeds at which it hurtles
through space are mind boggling, and then the slowness of the
machine as it traverses across Mars just as intriguing. Curiosity
must first take photos of itself to send back to earth so that
scientists can gauge whether it was damaged as it landed on Mars.
I found this an altogether intriguing and fascinating book: loved
the diagrams, the information about why we need to go to Mars, the
statistics, the maps of the planets, the people back on Earth, NASA.
A great introduction to the exploration of space and why it occurs
will delight and educate younger readers, as well as older ones.
Fran Knight
A dog with nice ears by Lauren Child
Hachette, 2017. ISBN 9781408346136
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended. Dogs. Pets. Family. Lola wants a dog,
but her parents are adamant that she will not have one. This very
familiar scene, played out in many homes, is given an uproaringly
funny outing in this new book by Lauren Child, featuring her loved
characters, Charlie and Lola. Sometimes Lola pretends to be a dog,
lying in a basket on the floor, sometimes she pretends her big
brother is a dog and pats him while he is on the ground. She uses
the age old excuse of her best friend having a dog, but all to no
avail. Meanwhile the siblings discuss what sort of dog Lola wants
and what attributes a dog has that would make it so very welcome.
They talk about swishy tails, and barking and whether dogs need
glasses, sniffing dogs, wriggly dogs and dogs with fleas. Lola's dad
says he will take her to the pet shop on Saturday and she is
convinced that she is going to get a dog, and even has a name ready
for him.
All through the two discuss what a dog needs, what a dog does in the
family, how dogs behave and how people behave towards them, giving
information to the reader, as well as bringing up points of
discussion for a class or group or at home.
Child's zany illustrations follow the story, giving life to the two
and showing a range of dogs and their behaviour for the reader to
better understand the responsibilities involved in owning a dog or
pet. The background on many pages gives the idea of collage which
readers may like to emulate in their art classes, while the design
of each page offers a different look, inviting readers to take a
closer look at how the page is put together, and the differing fonts
used to emphasise what the pair are saying adds interest and variety
to the story. This will be eagerly sought after in the library.
Fran Knight
Even fairies fart by Jennifer Stinson
Ill. by Rebecca Ashdown. HarperCollins, 2017. ISBN 9780062436238
(Age: 2-5) Even fairies fart by Jennifer Stinson is a
gorgeous picture book that will make children laugh out loud and
also assist in beginning conversations about making mistakes.
The book follows a fairly easy rhyme, which engages both the
listener and the reader. My 3 year old daughter particularly loved
this book and after only reading it to her twice she is able to
predict the ending rhyme and join in with 'reading'. The pictures
are whimsical and feature many characters from familiar nursery
rhymes such as princesses, giants and of course fairies.
I really liked how this picture book made small mistakes such as
dropping food, toileting accidents or getting cranky normal and that
no matter who you are (or what character you play in a story), you
do them too and that they are not something to worry about. Plus the
inclusion of the word 'fart' is generally a winner in my household!
This story would be great to use with children from 2.5 to 5 years
old as this is the often the age when they are striving for
independence, learning many new things but also making some mistakes
along the way. It could be incorporated into a nursery rhyme theme
to extend the characters and their place in literature.
An easy read that will appeal to all those young (and not so young)
children who think farts are funny!
Lauren Fountain
The ugly five by Julia Donaldson
Ill. by Axel Scheffler. Scholastic, 2017. ISBN 9781407174198 The ugly five is a book about five of what are considered
Africa's least attractive animals - the wilderbeest, warthog,
spotted hyena, lappet-faced vulture and the marabou stork. Scattered
throughout the book are also a number of animals children will be
familiar with. Donaldson creates a touching storyline where the
group of savannah's 'ugly' creatures face rejection from their
fellow animals, yet realise that their own children think they are
the most wonderful animals and parents in the world.
The takeaway message of it does not matter what is on the outside,
the inside is what is important, will resonate with children and will
make a welcome addition to a social skills program. Discussions
could centre around what the students consider to be beautiful. Do
we all think the same things are beautiful?
Julia Donaldson has done it again and the accompanying illustrations
by Axel Scheffler will create plenty of discussion. Audiences will
be kept entertained with the memorable rhyming passages throughout
the book.
Kathryn Schumacher
The loneliest girl in the universe by Lauren James
Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406375473
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Themes: Space Travel; Trust; Science
Fiction; Loneliness. Imagine you are the only person in your
universe (apart from someone who is only contactable via email and
even then your responses may be separated in time by months or
years) . . . imagine the loneliness!
In this incredibly interesting Science Fiction book, the central
character, Romy, is a survivor on a Space exploration vessel which
is on its way to establish EarthII. Her story is further complicated
because she has never even set foot on Earth, as she was born in the
spacecraft The Infinity to her astronaut parents who were
commanding the interplanetary vessel which was stocked and prepared
for an extraordinary amount of years of travel away from Earth. The
craft was populated by many people and waiting embryos, all in
suspended torpor ready for something new - a brave new world. Romy
has been raised to be independent and resourceful and well-versed in
all things scientific and technical. Disastrous circumstances have
left her alone, living with her own grief, but in a position of
great responsibility. Into this lonely existence, filled only with
technical tasks, learning how to solve intensely difficult
Mathematics and Physics problems, watching film files and writing
her own fan-fic (fiction from fans that creates storylines into her
favourite Film fiction) is an interruption of the romantic kind.
Another spacecraft is on the way to connect with The Infinity.
Initially just a voice in a text, but eventually a meeting as the
newer vessel travels at greater speed to make contact with Romy's
own travelling spacecraft. The complications of a possible human
encounter raise all sorts of teenage dilemmas as Romy's imagination
takes hold. Will this meeting in space be all that she wants it to
be? Is there something not quite right about what she is about to
encounter?
Lauren James has a background in STEM subjects and this is a perfect
book to recommend to those who love Science Fiction and a sprinkling
of science related information in a science-rich context and
setting. (A genuine STEAM book, with the addition of the Arts!)
Understanding the relative shrinking of time between the two
converging vessels is important in understanding the loneliness of
Romy which is expressed through her email conversations. With a
mixture of the Sci-fi, romance and thriller genre for teens, this is
a wonderful book to recommend. It certainly causes the reader to
think about what space travel might be like, and what it might mean
for the future, and it places scientific knowledge into fiction in a
really positive way.
Carolyn Hull
The Mysterious World of Cosentino - The Missing Ace by Jack Heath
Ill. by James Hart. Scholastic Australia, 2017. ISBN 9781743812020
(Age: 7+) The Grand Illusionist, Cosentino, runs the popular
Copperpot Theatre in Coppertown, a place in Magicland. The
only problem is that the evil King has banned magic. Cos is busy
practising his latest illusion - escaping from a pit of deadly
snakes while in a sack padlocked in chain. Ace, an escaped soldier
from the King's army, runs in begging for help. He is being chased
by Hollow, a King's henchmen. Cos tries to help Ace with the
assistance of his friends. However, in doing so, he makes an
enemy of Hollow and the evil King.
The first book in The Mysterious World of Cosentino series
is very entertaining and will be a hit with those who love the world
of magic. James Hart's illustrations do a fantastic marvellous job
of bringing the characters to life. The book touches on
determination, friendship and the wonderful world of magic.
Children will especially love the magic tricks at the end of the
book. I would suggest children 7 and over would love this book. The
text is relatively large and does not look too daunting to read with
the interspersed illustrations.
Kathryn Schumacher
Insidious intent by Val McDermid
Little Brown, 2017. ISBN 9781408709320
(Age: senior secondary to adult) Highly recommended. Crime thriller,
Forensic science, Murder. When a young woman's body is found in a
burnt out car in a remote part of Northern England, DCI Carol Jordan
and psychological profiler, Tony Hill, are part of the team, now
called the ReMIT, short for Regional Major Incident Team, called in
to handle major cases in the north. Carol heads this new team, but
is treading on wary ground, having been party to a cover up of her
drink driving charge the year before, and only now admitting to
being an alcoholic, receiving help from Tony to remain sober.
The murdered girl has only recently teamed up with a man she met at
a friend's wedding, and the team has difficulty adding any new
information as to who this man might be. Floundering, it is only
when a second woman is found in identical circumstances, that some
members of the team uncover some small but significant clues.
McDermid's knowledge of police procedure and forensic investigation
makes for marvelous and informed reading.
Meanwhile, Tony and Carol rub against each other in the same way
that McDermid has presented in the previous nine Tony Hill/Carol
Jordan novels. An edgy relationship that borders on the fraught,
both members of the pair can be infuriating in their addiction to
their work. Tony has little empathy with the living and often
underestimates the effect some of his words will have, while Carol's
blunt approach often leaves her with enemies. One of these, Sam, was
not picked to be in her new team and harbours grudges, so much so,
that he hitches his star to an investigative reporter, out for
Carol's blood. Meanwhile, Paula and Erica, having taken on the son
of a friend who was killed, Torin, find that parenting is much more
difficult than they expected it to be.
A taught multi layered thriller of a read, the ease with which some
women can be picked up is staggering and in the face of such an
orgnaised killer, they have little chance of seeing through the
facade he presents.
But what do you do when the killer is known, and the evidence not
clear enough to have him arrested? In her heightened state, Carol is
under extreme pressure and how she reacts to that pressure makes for
a fascinating read.
Fran Knight
Colonialism and its aftermath: A history of Aboriginal South Australia edited by Peggy Brock and Tom Gara
Wakefield Press, 2017. ISBN 9781743054994
(Age: Senior secondary) Highly recommended. This book presents a
series of regional histories of the impact of colonialism on the
Aboriginal peoples of South Australia since 1836, based on the
research of historians, anthropologists, and linguists, and the
lived experience of Aboriginal elders. Each section includes
documentation of colonial history as well as the personal stories
and recollections of Aboriginal people who were impacted by the
spread of white settlers into their lands. People of different
regions fared differently - the Narungga people of Yorke Peninsula
were able to maintain a level of independence negotiating a life
between the Point Pearce Mission and their own lands, despite the
murders committed by pastoralists. People of the far north faced
starvation as land that was once well-grassed was overrun by cattle,
native animals wiped out, and their water sources muddied and
degraded. A repeating story through all the regions is one of
dispossession and violence.
It is so overdue for the voices of Aboriginal people to be given
equal credence with the non-Aboriginal sources that generally colour
our history books. And so we learn the terribly unjust story of Tom
Adams, son of educated Aboriginal woman Kudnarto and an illiterate
non-Aboriginal settler, who petitioned to be allowed to farm the
land granted to his mother at Skylogee Creek in the Clare Valley,
but who was not allowed to farm land in his own right after her
death - the land was granted to white settlers. Despite his farming
skills, as an Aboriginal man he was not allowed to make an
independent life for himself. This is just one of many stories of
the impact of harsh and inflexible government policies.
There are other personal stories - Alice Rigney was a black
campaigner for education equality and women's suffrage, but her
legacy is not celebrated the way we celebrate Catherine Spence and
Roma Mitchell. Stories of pioneering Aboriginal women have been
neglected. It takes this book to collect such stories and bring them
into the historical record.
The closing chapters tell of the Spinifex people and the Maralinga
bomb tests. The old concept of terra nullius, land belonging to
no-one, still coloured government thinking, and led to carelessness
about the fate of the people living there.
In her epilogue, Peggy Brock writes that policymakers seem to have
learned little from Australia's colonial history - in recent years
the Northern Territory Intervention and the introduction of the
'healthy welfare card' are two measures that have been imposed on
Aboriginal people with minimal consultation; punitive measures that
take away autonomy and raise the threat of child removal once again.
This book draws on much material collected since the advent of
native title in 1993, and tells of the ongoing struggle of
Aboriginal people to maintain their culture and connection to land
despite the toll of disease, warfare, destruction of food and water
sources, and relocation of people without any consideration of their
community structures and relationships. It is a history that should
finally be recognised and given its proper place in our school
curriculum.
Helen Eddy
The book of secrets by A.L. Tait
The Ateban Cipher book 1. Lothian, 2017. ISBN 9780734417671
(Age: 9+) Highly recommended. Gabe stared in horror at the small
book in his hand. The light from the low fire danced across its
golden cover, setting off a shower of sparkles from the rainbow of
jewels that adorned it. Its beauty was dulled only in one corner,
stained by a dark, spreading smudge of blood.
What's the secret of the book and why is it so valuable? These are
the questions Gabe must answer when a dying man hands him a coded
manuscript along with one instruction: take it to Aidan. Gabe is
hurled into a quest full of danger, intrigue, adventure and
unexpected friendship - a quest that will change everything he
thought he knew about right and wrong.
What an exciting series Tait has begun. With lots of twists and
turns in the story, children from 9 and up will enjoy the escapism
from reality. The author has a unique style with the ability to
create memorable characters and equally exciting action. It will be
a hit with both boys and girls as Tait has successfully created
strong characters representing both genders. Being set in a
fantastical middle ages, and the storyline representing a mix of
Robin Hood and Rangers Apprentice, the audience can not ask for much
else. Themes such as friendship, perseverance and adventure are
strong throughout the book. A must have for the library.
Kathryn Schumacher
That's my book! and other stories by Salina Yoon
Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781619638914
(Age:5-7) Recommended. Three short stories in one feature Big Duck,
quiet and clever Little Duck, and friendly and gentle Porcupine,
making this a very good book for the reader who is just
transitioning from picture books to chapter books. Readers familiar
with other books by Salina Yoon (especially those books featuring
Penguin, Penguin
and Pinecone, Penguin's
big adventure etc.) will welcome a longer book that has the
same brightly coloured pages and funny characters as their
favourites.
There are three disparate stories in this book, the first That's
my book, is very funny as it describes the boredom of
Porcupine, and Big Duck while Little Duck is happily engrossed in a
book and is surrounded by lots of other books that he can read if he
gets bored. Big Duck and Porcupine borrow some books but find lots
of different ways to use them - a stage for singing, playing book
dominoes, and for improving posture - but finally open one up and
discover the joy of reading.
In Let's have a talent show Big Duck shows off her many
talents but Porcupine is not successful until he makes a big and
beautiful stage for Big Duck, showing that he does have a wonderful
talent. Dress-like-a-pirate Day is the funniest of the three stories
and will have children laughing out loud as Big Duck thinks that
Little Duck's eye patch covers an injury and Little Duck's only
replies to her questions is 'Arrr!'
There are many humorous happenings in this book, some
misunderstandings and wishes, but the three friends manage to work
out everything and have lots of fun.
Pat Pledger
