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
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
