Reviews

Nothing tastes as good by Claire Hennessy

Hot Key Books, 2016. ISBN 9781471405747
(Age: 15+) Mental illness. Death and grief. Anorexia and eating disorders. Abuse. Teen romance. Secrets. Food plays a very powerful role in this book; it is the beginning and end of the conflict. For Annabel, the narrator of this YA book, food (or the lack of it) led to her death. She is now in the afterlife and has been appointed as a 'post-life' guide (not unlike a guardian angel but without any spiritual or godly role). Annabel's role is to be the one to change the life of Julia - to rescue her, to guide her. But will her own issues impact her new charge. Will Annabel ever be able to connect again with her own family, now lost forever? At first glance Julia does not seem to need help. She is a gorgeous, mature, positive and motivated student with a passion for the school newspaper and a future journalism career... but something is going wrong with her relationship with food, with her body and in her relationships with others. Annabel can barely believe that this is the person that needs her help! The potential love interest in Julia's life is quite gorgeous (and perhaps too good to be true) and although he is not actually a Knight-in-Shining-Armour for Julia, his role does give this serious book a romantic flavour.
On one level this is a journey into the psychology of trauma, and the impact that this can have on our choices, but it is also an insight into eating disorders and the terrible tragedy that this expression of illness can be. Through a fairly normal teen coming-of-age plot, with parties, school concerns, and relationship beginnings and endings, Claire Hennessy has overlaid the internal dialogues, secrets and tensions of Julia, and has given us a powerful insight into the thinking of Annabel, the anorexic. As a consequence there is almost a risk that it is too real, and too confronting, and perhaps even dangerous for some vulnerable teenagers. Hearing the internal dialogue of the teens in connection to food issues, and counselling provided by adults and professional helpers is a reminder that Mental Health issues are not easy to deal with. Hennessy writes with a deft touch and insight into teen behaviour and thinking.
Although a very well-written YA Fiction novel, its content should be taken into account before recommending it, particularly if body-image issues are a risk.
Carolyn Hull

All the way home by Deb Gliori

Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408872079
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Penguins. Antarctica. Arctic. Christmas. Parenting. When father penguin and his egg are picked up by a huge wind and deposited in the Arctic, life is very strange for the penguin. Here he meets animals that don't exist in the south, trees and ice and snow and a man in a red suit that gives him breakfast.
The penguin has been left by his mate as she goes off into the ocean to fish. He is in a huddle with other male penguins, their eggs on their feet, keeping them warm until they hatch. But the penguin is hungry and goes to the edge of the huddle where the wind grabs him.
In the Arctic he meets a variety of creatures unknown in the south: reindeer, foxes, whales and moose. But once finding the home of the genial Special Air Navigation Transport Authority, he is able to have a ride back home when this person delivers presents. Back home, the chick and its father are greeted by mum who was looking out for them.
A cold, wintry tale will win over hearts as the readers are transported to the Arctic along with the father penguin. This is a neat tale of fatherly love, of the way Emperor penguins raise their chicks, of life in the coldest places on earth. In between the story of the father and his egg, we see factual information given about the penguins and the environment, and the reader is also shown the difference between the ice-bound lands on the north and south poles.
This books is a blend of fact and fiction, making it a book that will engender discussion about these places. The inclusion of the most famous inhabitant of the north pole, Santa Claus, will further endear the readers. Gliori's soft illustrations, a mixture of the many varieties of her favourite colour, blue, with great expanses of white reflecting the polar environments will keep younger readers looking at each page to find details of the animals that live there.
I love the use of the world map to help younger readers work out where the penguin lives. A lovely Christmas story to add to the range available for younger readers.
Fran Knight

A Christmas Advent story by Hanna Tolson and Ivy Snow

Bloomsbury 2017. ISBN 9781408889787
(Age: 6+) Recommended. Lift the flap book, Christmas, Advent calendar, Customs. A European custom of celebrating the twenty five days preceding Christmas Day is to hang an Advent calendar in the home for children to open each day. This handsomely produced book replicates the calendar that may hang in the house and encourages children to follow the days from December the first to December the twenty fifth. Each day has a window to lift revealing a small item usually found in the house.
Many traditional Advent calendars feature the manger scene but others now reflect a theme, like sports or the home, film or the environment. Wikipedia has a brief outline of the history of these calendars in the Christian tradition and this can be found at Wikipedia.
In this book a roll call of customs and traditions can be found. The children look at the array of Christmas cards, they go Christmas shopping walking through the snow, help select a Christmas tree, sing carols, help decorate the tree, wrap the presents using Christmas wrapping paper, help make the Christmas pudding and Christmas biscuits, while in the last few pages they talk about Santa Claus and what he might bring them.
For children each day has a different window to open, fueling the anticipation they feel leading up to Christmas. In a classroom this could be put to good use, reinforcing the customs that Christmas has engendered over the years, and could provide a talking point as to where these customs originated and why we follow them.
Readers will enjoy following the children getting ready for Christmas as well as the happy brightly coloured illustrations and of course, opening each window.
Fran Knight

Malibu and the naughty elf by Michelle Worthington

New Frontier Publishing, 2017. ISBN 9781925520644
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Malibu and the Naughty Elf is an Australian themed Christmas story. Malibu is a kangaroo who is hanging out with Santa, the elves and the reindeers at the beach. While everyone seems to be having fun, Bobby the elf is getting into a bit of trouble. He is playing tricks and getting into his mischief because he wants to be a photographer not one of Santa's elves. It is time to head back to the North Pole but Bobby and Rudolph are missing. Will elf teamwork save the day? Can Malibu the kangaroo make a suggestion that helps Bobby?
Malibu and the Naughty Elf is a cute Christmas story without a snowflake in sight. The pictures are colourful cartoons full of gorgeous beach scenes and sun-filled days. Readers will giggle at Santa in his Speedos and the many funny faces of Bobby the elf. Malibu and the Naughty Elf is also a story about being yourself.
Bobby isn't like the other elves and instead of following his own dreams he makes the lives of those around him more difficult. This story has a great message - be yourself! Christmas stories are good for all ages and this story will be enjoyed by parents and their young children. It is recommended for readers aged 4+.
Kylie Kempster

Facts! One for every day of the year by Tracey Turner

Ill. by Fatti Burke. Bloomsbury Childrens, 2017. ISBN 9781408884621
(Age: 7+) Recommended. This is a really interesting book that grabs the reader's attention as soon as it is opened. Turner has come up with a different fact for every day of the year. Some of them are just amazing - when opening the book to 15 May, the reader discovers that "in France, it's against the law to call a pig Napoleon" (pg. 45). Other entries are factual and fascinating - an example is the notation for the 5 August when the reader learns that "Greenland sharks live in cold Arctic waters and swim very slowly" and "can live up to about 400 years!" Then there are the humorous entries that will delight - for the 30th April, the reader discovers that "Wombats produce cube-shaped poo" and on December 25, will learn how to say 'Happy Christmas in 20 languages'.
The background to each page is coloured in bright tones, and illustrations by Fatti Burke add to the interest of the factual information. Some double spread pages have a large drawing like the heart that illustrates the 29 June entry ("During your lifetime, your heart will beat about 2.21 billion times, and you'll take around 672 million breaths" pg. 55). Others are decorated with small birds or insects, footprints or foliage.
This would make a great discussion starter in a classroom and would appeal to those children who love weird and interesting facts.
Pat Pledger

Big Fella Rain by Beryl Webber

Ill. by Fern Martins. Magabala Books, 2017. ISBN 9781925360639
(Age: 4-7) Recommended. Themes: Weather, Seasons, Rain, Natural Environment. 'Way up north when the mighty storm comes, lightning flashes through liquorice clouds.'
Beryl Webber's delightful picture book describes the anticipation, reaction and wonder as the 'Big Fella Rain' sweeps across the Top End of Australia. Her lyrical and alliterative language brings the story to life, with 'liquorice clouds', the 'tiny insects hum and sing' and 'raindrops hit the dusty red earth.' Fern Martins' magical watercolour and dot paintings beautifully depict the awakening of the 'cracked earth' and the birds, insects and animals' responses.
Magabala Books positively foster and encourage Aboriginal authors and illustrators to share their connectivity and their wealth of understanding about the natural environment. Beryl Webber's debut picture book allows young readers to see the impact of the Wet Season on the environment. From raindrops to puddles, then ponds to streams, creeks and billabongs, the water replenishes the dry lands and brings new life.
Martins' watercolour washes of blues, greens and browns display the reawakening of the environment, there is an iridescent quality to the dragonflies' wings and the sweep of seeds blown in the wind. Take time to explore her delicate patterns on the dancing brolgas and the tiny dots on the green ants climbing the paperbark tree.
Big Fella Rain is an excellent resource for Junior Primary Science where students investigate the 'daily and seasonal changes in our environment, including the weather and how they affect everyday life.' This picture book is a great introduction to learning about the Water Cycle and for students' engagement with the traditional knowledge of Aboriginal people about native flora and fauna.
Rhyllis Bignell

There's a big green frog in the toilet by Anh Do, Simon Mellor and Heath McKenzie

The Mitford murders by Jessica Fellowes

Little, Brown, 2017. ISBN 9780751567168
(Age: 15+) Recommended. Mystery. Louisa Cannon has problems. It's 1919, and her oppressive uncle is proving to be dangerous. She really wants to escape London and is happy when she secures a position as a nurserymaid at Asthall Manor the home of the Mitford family. Then Florence Nightingale Shore, goddaughter of her famous namesake, is murdered on a train and Louisa becomes entangled with a young railway policeman and Nancy Mitford as the trio try to solve the murder.
To my surprise I discovered that this was a real murder, which has never been solved. It was interesting to read a murder mystery knowing that the culprit had never been found and wondering how the author would present the case. Many people have put forward theories and Fellowes' solution is one that the reader can believe in.
Setting much of the action in the Mitford home will give readers who enjoyed The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate by Nancy Mitford, a glimpse into the life of the upper classes in the early 20th century. At the same time the reader gains an in-depth knowledge of World War 1, the brave nurses who served during the war and the life of the poor in London.
The narrative is slow but the historical background and characters of the three main protagonists keep the reader's interest and ensure that further research is done into the real murder.
Pat Pledger

The Paris Wedding by Charlotte Nash

Hachette Australia, 2017. ISBN 9780733636455
(Age: Adult - 16+) Recommended for romance lovers. Australian country life. Rachael West is 28 and devastated by the death of her mother. Years before she had chosen to care for her mother who suffered from MS and run the family farm, rather than following her boyfriend Matthew to university to study as a journalist. Now she has received an invitation to Matthew's wedding to a rich socialite, Bonnie, in Paris. Determined to put her feelings for Matthew, now a successful doctor, behind her, she sets off for Paris with her best friend Sammy and there is faced with many difficult choices. Can she and Matthew rekindle what was there when she was 17, even though it would break Bonnie's heart, and does she have a future in journalism or fashion design?
What stands out in this novel is not the romance between Rachael and Matthew or the attraction that Rachael feels for the photographer Antonio, but rather the coming of age of Rachael as she struggles to come to grips with her feelings for Matthew and her desire to discover what abilities and future she might still have. After over hearing two women talking about her being left behind she is overwhelmed by the need to uncover her talents as a seamstress or as a journalist. Her caring nature also stands out, even though she is oblivious to the problems that her friend Sammy is experiencing.
Of course the beautiful setting of Paris makes a wonderful background to the story and will ensure that people who haven't visited will want to go, and anyone who has been fortunate enough to visit there will be enthralled by the descriptions of the standout landmarks and also the little back alleys and the world of high fashion as well as the beautiful dresses that Rachael has designed. But Rachael's vivid descriptions of the Australian outback near Parkes to Antonio will also strike the reader with a vision of just how beautiful the Australian landscape can be. The hard work and business acumen needed to run a country farm also come to life as Rachael's struggles with her dilemma of whether to stay on the farm or seek her life further afield.
An easy to read story, the narrative in The Paris Wedding flowed beautifully, grabbing the reader with relatable characters and Rachael's feelings for her first love and the strength of her friendship with Sammy. The book also includes an extract from Nash's bestselling novel The horseman.
Pat Pledger

Landscape with invisible hand by M. T. Anderson

Candlewick Press, 2017. ISBN 9780763699505
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. Wealth and power. Commerce. Art. Invasion. Science fiction. When the vuvv hover above earth, telling people that they have been watching since the 1940's, they promise sharing their technologies which means freedom from disease and less work.
But as with all invaders the promises are hollow. Humans lose their jobs to the technology, food is prepared elsewhere and sold to people whose farms are now derelict, so can no longer afford to buy it, medicine is costly, healthcare a thing of the past and humans must learn to communicate with the vuvv through translators attached to their bodies. Not being part of the world of those who became wealthy when the vuvv arrived, Adam and his family reflect the growing desperation of humankind.
When dad loses his job he abandons them, mum keeps going in the hope that she will find something to do, but with long sometimes aggressive queues at every job opportunity, she begins to despair. They sell their possessions eventually taking in another family whose rent buys their food for a while.
Told in chapters which reflect paintings that Adam creates, Adam and his girlfriend, Chloe, sell their intimate moments to the vuvv. Saddled with recording equipment and translators, they learn the idioms of the post WW2 America to give the vuvv what they want to see. But this breaks down when Adam and Chloe part, Chloe pairing with someone else to cash in from the vuvv and Adam left with litigation.
Adam's unabashed look at the new world is startling. Through his eyes we see the invasion of his society by another force and their degradation through being seen as an indigenous culture whose mores and traits, music, art and language are studied as a curiosity.
Anderson makes some pithy comments about how our society is proceeding, with a huge divide developing between rich and poor, a reliance on technology that is stultifying; factories, shopping centres, suburbs and cities left derelict, a school system where teachers are volunteers, while Adam has Merick's Disease, an everpresent bowel and stomach condition which has come from drinking unpurified water, a service the government no longer provides.
Submitting several of his landscapes to the vuvv for a competition, Adam goes to the celebration in the sky gallery and finds that his voice is lost in the crowd, he has become a non person, so he decides to act.
This is a powerful look at our society. Set in New England, it could be any western country, where technology is seen as the great nirvana but means loss and dislocation for many, where government decisions are made for the rich, where services are abandoned and where the aim to be wealthy over rides all common sense. The distance between - the space, is never going to be spanned, but Adam and his family hope for a future where the invisible hand reclaims what is lost.
This is one story that begs discussion and debate as it exposes the nastiness in our society, one that has gone off the rails in its adherence to commerce, technology and wealth.
It is fascinating that it was written probably several years ago to be published in 2017, but could have been written about Trump's America.
Fran Knight

Busy builders: Airport by Timothy Knapman

Quarto Children's Books, 2017. ISBN 9781925381443
(Ages: 3-7) Airports, Airplanes. This presents as a largish box containing a small information book and materials to create a model airport. It includes very thick runway pieces that fit together like a jigsaw puzzle and cardboard pop-outs made of sturdy board. When opened out, the packaging box becomes the airport terminal and joins the runway pieces. The last part of the book contains the construction instructions, which are easy to follow with helpful illustrations. The construction is simple, mostly requiring engines and tails to be slotted in, etc. Children in the younger age group may need help with some of the smaller, fiddlier pieces but they will be interested in both the book and the airport and the models will mostly withstand their play. When the child is done with playing, the pieces can be packed back into the box and reassembled without too many hassles. There are lots of planes and extra bits and pieces (control tower, windsocks, baggage truck, etc.) for increased engagement. As the children assemble or assist in the assembly, they will learn lots of aircraft specific language and about different aircraft parts (e.g. blades, engines, fuselage, etc.). There is also a selective glossary at the end of the book for general airport terms such as arrivals, pilot and hangar.
The rest of the book has detailed illustrations and information about airports and air travel, including what happens behind the scenes (air traffic control, preparing the plane). The Information is clear and factual, often explaining to the reader what they need to do at each stage or area of the airport (e.g., 'Show your ticket and ID here to get a boarding pass...'). It also uses up-to-date terminology ('unless you have already downloaded one to your smartphone or tablet') and does not shy away from using proper terms ('the pilot turns on the transponder'). However, it is still manageable and uncomplicated, even for younger children ('This sends a signal to tell the controllers where the plane is'). Information is given in detailed illustrations and signs within them, speech bubbles, text boxes, labelled diagrams, etc. This publication will appeal to children of a wide variety of ages on different levels. Adults will easily be able to pick out bits of interest for younger children while older children will be able to read the book and assemble the model themselves. Information is organised under clear headings and with a logical flow. A contents page is also included. As an information book this is great but because it is more of an activity pack than just a book (and because the back of the book includes the instructions for model assembly) it is more suited to individual home use rather than to schools or libraries.
Nicole Nelson

When I grow up by Tim Minchin

Ill. by Steve Antony. Scholastic, 2017. ISBN 9781742764955
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Growing up. Adulthood. A child's perspective of being an adult is shown with fun and music in this offering from Tim Minchin. The children see adulthood through their eyes, the things an adult does are the things they would like to do, but are restricted from doing by the adults. So their adulthood means that they can watch all the cartoons they want, or eat all the sweets and restricted food that they want, go to bed late every night and wake up when they want to. When they grow up they will be strong enough to lift all the heavy things adults carry around, and brave enough to scare away the monsters beneath the bed.
Minchin's representation of childhood exposes all those things that adults tell them not to do, or eat, while his adulthood reflects some of the things that children see as only being able to be achieved when that age is reached. He cleverly exposes some of the needs of children and toils of being an adult through his humorous lines, and readers will have a great time listing all the other things they will be able to do as an adult that they cannot do now.
Added to the fun are laugh out loud illustrations, designed to register with the younger readers, and proving a smart adjunct to the words.
A good read aloud, the words and illustrations demand children be involved, either predicting the words that follow each line or humming along or sweeping their eyes over the illustrations, involvement will be effortless. In the front of the book is a card that enables the readers to download Tim Minchin performing his story.
Fran Knight

My dog Socks by Robyn Osborne and illustrated by Sadami Konchi

Ford St, 2017. ISBN 9781925272826
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Dogs. Family. Love. Imagination. Socks' owner loves walking with his dog, because wherever they go Socks becomes another animal. If they are in the forest, he becomes a black bear, scraping the trees with his claws, or a wild wolf, calling to the moon, or a terrible tiger, searching for prey. When they visit the farm, he is more like a contented cow, rolling in the grass, or a pongy pig, mucking about, while at the beach he becomes a daring dolphin, cresting the waves. In the garden he becomes a mischievous magpie, reaching for snacks, or a curious cat, racing in circles. Each double page has a glorious illustration of the boy with his dog, Socks, as he and the dog explore their environment, the dog taking on the attributes of each animal, with its shadow the shadow of that animal. Readers will love seeing the dog become those animals as they turn each page. The watercolour illustrations are just delightful, underlining all the while the antics of the dog, and the bond between Socks and his owner, as they walk through the forest, visit the farm, go to the beach and play in the garden. A host of different activities are shown, and the background displays an Australian lifestyle, a barbecue, paling fence, Hills clothes-hoist, outside toilet and bungalow.
Each animal is presented with alliteration followed by two sentences brimful of movement and colour.
I love the front cover, impelling the reader to pick up the book and turn the page while the endpapers cleverly reflect the relationship between the boy and his dog and foreshadow the way in which their relationship is represented.
Children will relish the way the dog is part of the boy's life, and see that their relationship is a mutual one, each is the other's best friend.
This is a lovely addition to the range of books available about the place of dogs in our families and our hearts.
Fran Knight

A semi-definitive list of worst nightmares by Krystal Sutherland

Penguin, 2017. ISBN 9780143573913
(Age: 15+) Recommended. Themes: Fear and Anxiety; Resilience; Cowardice and Bravery; Mental Illness: Suicide; Teen Romance; Family Struggles. This is a book filled with gut-wrenching fear - for the characters, not the reader. It is a book filled with oxymorons - tragedy and comedy; cowardice and bravery; depression and hope; obsession and a light touch. Krystal Sutherland has also managed to braid into the harder parts of this book romance and understanding of the very complex world of those who struggle to live well with mental illness. And you won't want to put this book down because the characters will charm you!
Esther Solar is the quirky, fear-riddled central character whose family appear to be cursed with struggles that lead them down the road of mental illness in a myriad of forms. Her family life could only be described as twisted out of shape. Her twin brother is severely challenged by the dark, her mother is afraid of bad luck (which she seems to court by her gambling habit) and her father has not left the basement for years; and Esther manages to keep going, wearing bizarre outfits that are her way of disappearing (even though everyone looks at her!). Her best friend, Hephzibah, is a selective mute and together they have silently battled being the odd-bods at school by sticking together. The only person from their past who supported them, Jonah, dramatically reappears into the action. He then proceeds to complicate Esther's existence in ways that she could never expect, compelling her to confront the long list of fears that hangs over her like an ever present storm cloud, ready to drop an unexpected deluge of disaster. And through all of the complexities of her life walks the visitor from her Grandfather's tales - the visitor that no one ever wants: Death!
There are many laugh-out-loud moments in this book as Esther's family's frailties are 'undressed and revealed' in their raw humanity in the face of the deep darkness that accompanies them. Despite this expose of severe mental illness, the care of a friend and the expressions of love provide opportunities to see hope grow. Not with an easy-fix, but as if the clouds part and small glimpses of sunshine peek through. Jonah is an endearing and strong character, who has his own tough issues to deal with - but is absolutely a 'winner'. But don't expect everything in this book to be completely believable!
The book contains some hints about how to seek help for those facing their own battles with anxiety and mental illness.
NB: The personification of Death in this book could enable this book to be used as a paired text with Markus Zuzak's 'The Book Thief' for Senior English students.
Recommended: For mature readers aged 15+ (Readers who have enjoyed John Green books will also enjoy this book). There is some swearing included.
Carolyn Hull

Danny Blue's really excellent dream by Max Landrak

Hachette, 2017. ISBN 9780734417589
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Blue, Colour, Change, Invention. A quick flip through this book shows readers that blue is the predominant colour for most of the book, while more colours creep in towards the end, and the endpapers at the start show only various chades of blues while the last endpaper shows the whole colour spectrum. So kids' interest will be piqued and they will want to know about Danny and why his last name is Blue.
Danny lives in a world of blue. There is nothing in his world which is not blue. He eats blueberries out of a blue bowl with a blue fork, he wears a blue striped shirt, he lives in Blue York, his favourite band is The Blues Brothers, his favourite food, blueberries and his favourite colour sunset blue! One night in his blue bed he dreams about the blue whale, but suddenly the whale isn't blue anymore. Danny does not have the words to describe what he has seen in his dream, and despite being sent to Dr Indigo, and playing his blues guitar and eating blue cheese, he cannot get the new colour out of his head, so he decides to make it. He uses his chemistry set to make up the colour he has seen, and tries to share it with others. But they are not so sure: some do not like it at all, some are baffled by it, some think it the worst thing ever, but every now and again the non blue colour turns up in the most unexpected places, until it becomes accepted. But then comes the problem of a name . . .
This lovely tale of invention and change will cause ripples of laughter from the audience as they read of the blueness of Danny's world, and his attempts to bring about change. In doing this he accepts that people are unhappy about change but by simply presenting what he has seen, change does occur, from something small to something more widely accepted. People are encouraged to move outside their comfort zone and accept something new.
This delightful book, like a fable, will engender much discussion and little fingers will love looking a the various shades and hues of blue and the way the illustrations reflect the sameness at the start and the beginnings off change towards the last few pages.
Fran Knight