Bloomsbury Books, 2018. Reprint. ISBN 9781408895016
(Age: 11+) When Jackson witnesses the murder of a teacher by two of
the pupils at his school, his life becomes inextricably linked with
that of the dead teacher's wife, and surprisingly, the killers.
Refusing the counselling offered by the school, he decides that the
best way he can deal with what he has seen is to ask questions, and
try to work out why the boys took the extraordinary step of murder.
He enlists the help of Mary Joseph, the dead man's wife, and goes to
the houses of the two boys to ask questions. The reader will
identify with his need, but be aware that he is stepping into
territory where anything could happen.
An involving story of one boy's search for the truth, Teacher's
dead is often uncomfortable as Jackson takes steps which take
him to places where harm can and does befall him. Written by British
poet, Benjamin Zephaniah, the story is poignant and enthralling as
we follow Jackson's path to find the truth. A most realistic story
set in the schoolyard against a background of bullying, violence and
intimidation.
Fran Knight
What the light reveals by Mick McCoy
Transit Lounge Publishing, 2018. ISBN 9780995409873
Mick McCoy details the everyday lives of an Australian couple who,
having refused to hide their dedication to communism in the middle
years of the 20th century, conclude that the only way they can find
work, given their unacceptable beliefs and commitment, is to move to
the USSR. His narrative is realistic, true to its time and place, I
believe, both in climate and in the descriptions of the everyday
lives of the Russian people. That the majority of Russian people
were better off under the rule of communism, even with its attendant
hardships, than they had been previously, is a given in this
narrative, at least for that period in history.
Mick McCoy has written his work to reflect both the aspect of strong
political and personal beliefs, and that of the lived reality of the
time, in his clear descriptions of the deeply challenging decision
to move to live in a foreign country at such a time in history - and
to a place with such a harsh winter climate. Yet we are aware of the
sustaining force of the parents' strong beliefs in the rightness of
their decision, and of their love for their two children. While both
are challenged, their faith in the deep truths of communism and
their love for their family, sustains them. The inevitable
frustration of living in a place where all residents must live
harmoniously in their little apartments, following the ideals of
communism, where they, like all others, will be watched daily, spied
upon for any slight mistake against the communal ways, or even a
slight error in judgement, takes its toll. In this fine work,
McCoy's 'light' does indeed reveal the reality of the time and
place, and of the lives of people such as this family.
Elizabeth Bondar
1984 and Animal Farm by George Orwell
Text Publishing, 2017. ISBN 9781925603040
(Age: secondary) Recommended. Themes: Tyranny. Satire. Classic
novels. Classic novels, 1984 and Animal Farm have
been reprinted in one volume for another generation to grapple with
the stories that have reached a status all of their own in twentieth
century literature. Both novels rail against tyranny and injustice,
showing a society where the individual is made subordinate to the
power of the government machine, where individuality is quashed, and
doublespeak abounds. A fitting reprint for today's world. 1984 has an informative introduction by author, Charlotte
Wood (The natural way of things and The writer's room)
which sets the book in its time, showing how so many of the phrases
Orwell wrote have become currency within the English language, while
some of his predictions about totalitarian states have become all
too real. Animal Farm has an introduction by author and commentator,
Don Watson (Death sentence and Recollections of a
bleeding heart amongst others) who tells us about Orwell's
background. His participation in the Spanish Civil War galvanised
his attitude to Russia, where the Russian Revolution has fallen into
despotism, and his experiences during World War Two led him to doubt
the future of civilisation, in turn leading to the development of
his 'fairy story', Animal Farm, warning us all of the
dangers of totalitarianism.
When people catalogue the most influential and inspiring books they
have read, these two figure high up in the list, warning as they do
of the corruption of society, the tyranny of government and the
restricting of the individual, and in these times his warnings are
chillingly real.
A pair of novels published for those who wish to read and appraise
their relevance to today, these novels have stood the test of time,
being read and reread, acknowledging that things do not change,
perhaps called by a different name, but tyranny, repression and
injustice still abound.
Fran Knight
Little whale by Jo Weaver
Hachette, 2018. ISBN 9781444937503
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Whales. Ocean. Home. Family.
Little whale and her mother are going home, home to where the calf
will meet her relatives, and rest and feed in the rich northern
waters, far from where she was born.
This beautifully presented book with its lovely spare language and
inviting illustrations underlines the feeling of home and its call
to us all. Everybody reading it will feel the tug of their own home
and what it means to them as the calf sees her home for the first
time.
The pair leave the shallower waters and head out into the Southern
Ocean. Most of the others have already left and our pair must make
their way north alone. They pass the coral reef and see many other
fish, they travel many miles, into colder waters, passed by large
ships, and then a pod of orca. Little whale feels scared and moves
in more closely to her mother. She is tired but assured that it is
only a little way to go. Finally they hear the whale song through
the water, calling them home to the northern snow capped peaks and
the other grey whales.
The blue hues on every page contain a variety of fish for eager eyes
to spot and recognise, while the skies above change as they swim
north, revealing a change in where they are in the world.
Fran Knight
Ninja Kid: From nerd to ninja by Anh Do
Ill. by Jeremy Ley. Ninja Kid book 1. Scholastic, 2018. ISBN
9781742993263
(Age: 7+) Recommended. Themes: Superheroes. Inventions.
Nelson does not seem like a Superhero. In fact, he can only be
described as a 'Nerd'... until his 10th birthday. Nelson's family
are not wealthy - they even live in a junkyard. His Dad is no longer
on the scene and his grandmother is an inventor and recycler with
unique talents. On his 10th birthday, Nelson is transformed in
amazing ways and although he is not prepared to become a Superhero,
his new talents will be needed. He may even be needed to save the
world! (Initially he may also need some extra help from his
perpetually hungry cousin, Kenny.)
This is a simply written adventure that will appeal to Anh Do's fan
base. With comic illustrations by Jeremy Ley dotted through the
narrative, the book will not challenge a capable reader, but will
appeal to early chapter book readers and those wanting an amusing
'quick read'.
Carolyn Hull
An unsuitable match by Joanna Trollope
Pan Macmillan, 2018. ISBN 9781509855636
(Age; Senior secondary - Adult) When Tyler proposes to Rose, he is
as stunned as she is bemused. Her husband has recently left his
thriving medical practice in London for a new life with his
long-time mistress (about whom his wife had known nothing) working
in Australia. Shocked and determined to protect her grown-up
children from the collapse of the family, Rose had been growing
accustomed to the reality of being by herself, no longer supported
and protected by her husband, although he had left her the family
home.
Tyler had been married to a very rich woman in the United States for
many years, being a faithful husband and a quietly calm father, yet
strangely disconnected from the world of his wife, and of his
children. His wife had not sought his company, and neither had her
father, whose opinion she valued above all else. When his wife died,
he returned to London, seeking to recapture a sense of himself in
his former, familiar world.
The children of both families are shocked at the news of Rose and
Tyler's proposed marriage, considering whether it will even work. We
are aware that there is nothing 'wrong' with Tyler, and Rose likes
him a lot, yet she is unsure of her commitment to a new marriage, or
to the kind, thoughtful, gentle man who adores her, as are the
children of both families.
Delightfully written, in Trollope's easy, gentle prose, faultless
and lyrical, this story, and the proposal of a new life, seem to be
perfect, yet the underlying tensions cause some heightening of
mistrust, in both reader and family, and Joanna Trollope holds us to
the very end. That slight tension depicts so well her understanding
of human nature, families, and the demands of living in the modern
world.
Suitable for adult and older adolescent reading.
Elizabeth Bondar
The Queen's rising by Rebecca Ross
HarperCollins, 2018. ISBN 9780008245986
(Age: 13+) Recommended. Brienna is a student at Magnalia House,
where she is studying the passion of knowledge. She desperately
wants to be chosen by a patron at the solstice but her worst fears
occur - while all her friends leave happily off their patrons, she
remains at the school. Her headmistress consoles her, finally coming
up with an unusual choice and it is with this patron that Brienna
meets her destiny when a dangerous plot to overthrow the evil king
of Maevana is planned.
The Queen's rising was an easy to read fantasy and could be
recommended as a fairly straight forward introduction to the genre
as it has all the familiar tropes, an orphan heroine, an evil king
who must be overthrown, brave resistance fighters and romance, to
make it very readable. In addition Brienna is a most likeable
heroine and even though brought up initially in an orphanage, she
knows what is important in family life and is loyal and steadfast to
those she loves. She has to make difficult choices about who is the
rightful queen of Maevana and how to act when she arrives there.
What makes this different from other fantasy stories is the school
where Brienna is placed by her grandfather. When she arrives at
Magnalia House she has to choose one of five passions - art, music,
dramatics, wit, and knowledge - to study. She quickly makes friends
there but tries all areas of study until Cartier, the Master of
Knowledge, takes her as a pupil and tries to teach her all she needs
to know to become a passion of knowledge in three years instead of
seven. From the other girls studying there the reader finds out
about the different passions and how they feel and act about them,
giving an in-depth understanding of what people passionate about the
arts and knowledge experience. This could encourage readers to
consider what their own passions could be and what is needed for
them to develop.
Although advertised as the first in a trilogy, The queen's
rising can be read as a standalone as it comes to a very
satisfying conclusion. There is no cliff-hanger to entice the
reader, although I for one will find it difficult not to pursue what
may come next in Brienna and Cartier's lives.
Pat Pledger
The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton
Gollancz, 2018. ISBN 9781473223967
(Age: YA) Recommended. The Belles looks like a typical
fantasy princess story from the outside, but the inside reveals the
ugliness that lies under the characters beauty. There are some
definite strong points to the novel but also some parts that almost
ruin it. The writing style is definitely one of the strong points as
it fits the world of Orleans perfectly; the lavish, vivid, and
beautifully detailed descriptions of the world enhanced the
experience of the story (though it could still be a bit much at some
points).
The characters were mostly (I'll talk about the exceptions in a
minute) enjoyable to experience. Camellia' sisters (the other
Belles) had their own personalities and flaws which will be really
interesting to see being explored in the next books in the series
(especially excited about Edelweiss and Remy!). The antagonist was
really well written as well, creating conflicts and difficult
decisions throughout the story in a way that keeps the reader
reading. Camellia's character wasn't incredible; I didn't hate her,
but I didn't always like her either. She had moments where I cheered
for her and thought her decisions were the correct ones, but at
other points, she made rash decisions and fell in love with a guy
who really seemed to have no redeemable qualities, which made me
like her less.
The pacing was also a bit slow at the start, but it sped up once the
world was set, and important plot points were laid out.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel! I would recommend it to YA
girls and would give it 3.5/5 stars!
Similar books: The Selection Series by Kiera Cass.
Emily Douglass (Student)
Unplugged by Steve Antony
Hachette, 2018. ISBN 9781444934168
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Indoors, Outdoors, Electronic
devices. Blip loves her computer. Plugged in she can play games,
learn new things, dance to some music and visit exotic places, all
day long. But one day, the power is turned off and Blip is so
surprised that she trips over the cord and falls all the way
downstairs to the outside. She topples down a grassy slope, down
beside a bubbling stream and into a forest. Here she learns new
things, plays games, visits new places and listens to music. At the
end of her day she returns home where the power has returned, and
when Blip plugs back into her computer, all she can think about is
the wonderful day she had outside and the new friends she made.
The black and white illustrations are perfect for the images of Blip
and her computer, contrasting with the welcome colour of outside,
contrasting the times spent in each place, one shut off in a
darkened room, all by herself, the other surrounded by fresh air and
the outside and colour.
This is a great story for kids to read, they will appreciate the
humour of the difference presented between outside and inside, and
perhaps talk about the properties of each place, limiting their
inside fun and expanding their outside fun.
Fran Knight
Sandcastle by Philip Bunting
Allen and Unwin, 2018. ISBN 9781760295387
Rae loves the beach and wants to build a sandcastle, one of those
magnificent ones you see in books with towers, ramparts, a moat and
even a dragon to guard it! With the help of his grandfather, he does
just that. But while they eat their fish and chips, the inexorable
tide moves closer and closer and Rae is worried that the
fortifications will not be enough to keep out the sea. Sadly, they
don't but Rae learns an amazing lesson about the nature of things.
In the author's dedication he says, "You, me, this book, your
breakfast . . . we're all made from tiny particles, stuff that has
been around since the beginning of time. We're only borrowing these
particles from the enormous universe that made them. Once we're done
with them, the bits that make us will go on to lead many new
existences on Earth, and beyond." So while, on the surface, this
could be just a pleasant story about a boy and his grandfather at
the beach doing something and experiencing the consequences that so
many young readers will resonate with, it could also be an
introduction to lessons about matter and atoms and stuff, another
one of those topics that little ones find tricky to understand
because they can't see the individual components.
But for me, I found beauty in the words as a way of helping a child
cope with the grief of losing a family member or pet - that no
matter how a disease might have crept through their body and
ultimately stolen it, as the sea does a sandcastle, the person still
exists as memories and that a little part of them lives on in each
person they touched and influenced in some way. Very philosophical
but a mark of a quality storyteller whose work can touch the reader
in many, often unintended, ways.
Barbara Braxton
Missing by Sue Whiting
Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781760650032
(Age: 12-16) Highly recommended. Themes: Missing Persons; Mystery;
Family; South America; Bats. Mackenzie's (Kenzie) life is in free
fall because her mother is missing. Kenzie's father and her Nan
appear to be either falling apart or hiding something from her. When
clues appear to point in confusing directions, Kenzie ends up with
secrets that she can tell no one. Not even her Sketchbook can reveal
what she thinks she knows, but it does give her opportunity to draw
what her mother loves - bats! A sudden trip with her father to a
remote South American location takes her to the place where her
mother was last seen. Confusion and isolation in Panama do not help
her solve her secrets and the mystery of her missing mother.
It is written in an interesting chronology with chapters detailing
present day events interspersed with the history of what had
happened in her life immediately after her mother's disappearance.
This disparate time setting slowly reconnects, as the history
catches up to the present. This is a sad and tense story revealing
the challenges for those left behind in a missing person case. In
addition there is the intrigue of the scientific interest in bats
and the South American setting, in combination with a desperate but
likeable teen coming to terms with significant issues in her life
and finding her place and friends in a new school. This is
compelling and emotionally charged, and will be appreciated by
readers wanting something that is not formulaic, with some mystery.
Carolyn Hull
Lucy's dawn by Juliet Blair
National Library of Australia, 2018. ISBN 9780642279170
(Age: 10+) Fourteen-year-old Lucy's life changes when she starts a
job working in Louisa Lawson's printery, where only girls and women
are employed. But it's the late 1880s and the male printers
elsewhere think that this work should be for men only. So they
decide to make the girls' lives difficult! Lucy has many battles
ahead but, in the process, she realises who her real friends are -
and finds her first love.
As a lover of historical fiction I am pleased to say that it ticked
a lot of boxes. Written as diary entries from the viewpoint of Lucy
Coombes, in late 1800s Sydney, the reader is drawn into the
interesting life of Louisa Lawson, the mother of Henry Lawson. I had
no idea she was such an influential suffragette, printer and writer.
The group of young girls who were employed by Mrs Lawson faced the
constant threat of being shut down and bullying from men who thought
women were better served at home. The historical notes are an added
bonus but I did find myself wanting to do my own investigating. Do
not be perturbed by the blur that says 'first love' as it is all
very innocent and interwoven into the story beautifully.
Themes such as friendship, the desire for independence and
persistence are evident - the book would appeal to students from ten
and up. I do not think it would work as a read aloud but I could see
a teacher sharing snippets of it to students to help them gain a
better understanding of Early Australia.
Kathryn Schumacher
The power game by Meg and Tom Keneally
Monsarrat series, book 3. Vintage Books, 2018. ISBN
9780857989420
(Age: Senior secondary-Adult) Highly recommended. Themes: Australian
history. Convicts. Van Diemen's Land. Maria Island. Monsarrat and
Mrs Mulrooney are sent to Maria Island, off Van Diemen's Land, to
investigate the murder of Harefield, the bosun who brings supplies
to the island from Van Diemen's Land. The situation is political as
the main suspect, Thomas Power, an Irish baronet, convicted of
treason against the Crown and sent to Van Diemen's Land rather than
being made a martyr through his execution, is seen as a convenient
target by the authorities. Harefield is one of the few free men not
under the direct control of the island's Commandant, and has made
enemies through his illicit trade in rum and information.
Mulrooney and Monsarrat are at a disadvantage because of their
convict pasts which have not been revealed to the Commandant. This
means that they must lie about their respective backgrounds, making
them vulnerable, especially as information is used to blackmail and
intimidate in this isolated place.
The free community on the island is very small and the gathering of
information by our two investigators proves very difficult,
especially when the Commandant, his wife and her brother are not
particularly cooperative. Power has enjoyed a number of freedoms
including dining at the Commandant's house, but rumours circulated
by Harefield have meant that Power is now confined and under house
arrest, though still enjoying more privileges than his fellow
convicts.
It is when Monsarrat foils an escape attempt by Power that he begins
to see how Harefield's murder and Power's attempted escape are
linked. Those who enjoyed the first two books in this excellent
series, The
soldier's curse, and The unmourned, will also
find this a most satisfying outing for the Keneallys' two
protagonists, Mulrooney and Monsarrat.
The settlement on Maria Island was initially set up for convicts who
were not as much bother as many sent to Van Diemen's Land, but the
place still felt isolated and entirely dependent on supplies sent
from Van Diemen's Land when the weather was good enough to allow
ships to land. Each of the three novels showcases a place most
significant in Australia's convict past: Port Macquarie, Parramatta
and now Maria Island, bringing a fresh view of the place and its
inhabitants as they forge a new life in Australia. The series is not
only a wonderful crime series but its historical background is
mesmerising.
Mark Knight
Gangsta rap by Benjamin Zephaniah
Bloomsbury, 2018 (2004). ISBN 9781408895009
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Themes: Violence. Gangs. London. Schools.
Music. Rap. Ray is always in trouble both at home and at school. But
after the latest escapade, Ray and his friends Prem and Tyrone are
suspended. When their headmaster decides to give them a second
chance, that of forming a rap group, they see this as a dream come
true. Through a special program, they are taught the business of the
music industry, how to record an album, and how to lay down a track.
Taking the name Positive Negatives, after all their training at the
program, it is not long before they have signed a record deal and
gain gigs. But readers know this will not last, and their dream soon
becomes a nightmare as violence gathers around them. Without
warning, their new careers seem lost and their perceived futures as
well as their lives are on the line. But they are determined to show
that crime and rapping do not necessarily have to be paired and so
fight against the influences set to overpower them.
Reading other reviews on Good Reading shows a wide variety of
responses to this book, first published in Australia in 2004. Some
thought it poorly written and violent, while several questioned
their teachers having given it to them to read. But most admired the
theme of the book, giving an insight from someone who has been
there. Zepahiah, a highly esteemed rapper, poet and writer in
England, has a wide following, and with the re-release of several of
his books, the current readers can make up their own minds.
He writes from personal experience which makes his books seem real,
and his international success as a performance poet makes him well
known to kids who will pick up this book. And the wonderful new
cover is sure to attract readers.
Fran Knight
Pugs don't wear pyjamas by Michelle Worthington
Ill. by Cecilia Johansson. New Frontier Press, 2018. ISBN
9781925594034
(Age: 4+) Themes: Pugs. Pets. Dogs. Families. Responsibility. When
Tom goes to stay with his aunt, she has a surprise for him. Aunt Roz
has a pup, a pug called Ellie. Tom is even more surprised when Ellie
seems to do everything that Aunt Roz does. Going to bed the first
night, both Ellie and Tom are in their pyjamas in bed ready to hear
their story. Tom says, 'Pugs don't wear pyjamas' and to his
surprise, Aunt Roz replies, 'Ellie does'.
Each thing they do on his visit sees Ellie doing exactly the same
things as people do. She sits at the table in the cafe, eating her
cake and drinking her glass of cordial with a straw. She slides down
the slippery dip, climbs the tree, rides a skateboard and makes
friends wherever she goes. But Tom doesn't and he feels a little
dejected.
Eventually Tom's ball skills means the latch on the back gate comes
loose and Ellie runs off. Tom and Roz search high and low for the
pug until they finally find her outside the pet shop. It is only now
that Tom begins to realise some of the responsibility needed when
owning a pet, as the idea of the animal being lost saddens him. But
all finishes well.
This story reflects the idea of pet ownership and the
responsibilities involved in having a pet in your home. It shows the
relationship which develops between an animal and its owner, and
begs the reader to question whether they would treat their animal in
the way Aunt Roz or Tom do. Each page will bring a question to the
lips of the reader, as they see the animal doing what they would do.
Swedish freelance illustrator, Johansson brings a layer of humour to
the story which will be appreciated by the target audience.
Fran Knight
