Ill. by Lucinda Gifford. Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781925381597
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. Festivals. Anxiety. Bravery.
Friendship. Chook is paired with Praj to research a festival and
give a talk and they decide to investigate the Hindu festival
Diwali, especially as Praj and his family are going to the
festivities. They invite Chook to go along but he is nervous in big
crowds. However Praj and his family make him feel comfortable and
give him a deep red kurta to wear. Initially he is worried but he
overcomes his fears and he has a wonderful time, eating delicious
food and watching the fireworks.
Written in short chapters with its large font and easy sentences,
this is ideal for the emerging reader. The information given about
Diwali, the clothes worn and the food and celebrations is quite
detailed and any child reading this will gain an excellent insight
into the Hindu festivals and the customs surrounding it.
This is highly recommended for its focus on the fears that young
children can have when facing new experiences and the friendship and
help that Praj and his family offer is inspiring.
Pat Pledger
Cinnamon by Neil Gaiman
Ill. by Divya Srinivasan. Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408879238
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended. Speech. India. Cinnamon was a princess
who didn't talk. Her parents the Rajah and the Rani were determined
to find someone who could teach her to speak and offered a mango
grove, a portrait of the Rani's aunt, a parrot and a beautiful room
in the palace to the person who was successful. But no one was able
to get her to speak. Then one day a fierce and hug man-eating tiger
appeared at the palace and said that he was there to teach the
girl-cub how to talk. She was left in the room with him and there
she experienced pain, fear and love. It was love that woke
Cinnamon's voice and she told her parents that she had nothing to
say before but now the tiger has told her of love and the world she
has decided to go away with him.
This is a witty and fascinating story told by the award winning
Gaiman. The illustrations are outstanding. The palace of the Rajah
and Rani is depicted beautifully with peacocks strolling in the
gardens and swans floating in the lily pond. The saris of the women
are in gorgeous purples and greens Cinnamon comes alive with pearl
eyes, beautiful hair and nose ring beautifully drawn. The colours
are pastel and soft until the tiger comes along with his bold black
and orange stripes, wide mouth and sharp teeth, terrifying enough to
make the reader fear for Cinnamon and wonder just who he will eat.
Perfect for reading aloud, this fabulous tale is sure to become a
favourite with children who will be enthralled by the idea of a
talking, man eating tiger who can teach about love and entice a
princess to leave with him.
Pat Pledger
Really weird by Anh Do
Weirdo 8. Scholastic Australia, 2017. ISBN 9781760276768
(Age: 8-12) Highly recommended. Superb! Anh makes Weir Do feel like
your best pal. He has, as always, brought his many readers another
thoroughly entertaining read in this, the 8th book in the series
about the highly likeable Weir Do.
Oink-a-Doodle-Doooo! From pigs that aspire to be roosters, or run
away to join the ballet (pigs in tutus), or Poppy knitting a mini
beanie for Brian, the cactus, all Anh's usual appealing characters
are here, including Bella, Grandma Do, Henry, Mullet and Wendy, who
all keep the reader tickled and smiling until the last page is
all-too-soon reached.
With wonderfully simple sketched illustrations, Really weird
is carefully crafted, delightfully droll and should definitely
appeal even to the most reluctant reader in the 8-12 years bracket.
Joan Kerr-Smith
Double take! a new look at opposites by Susan Hood
Ill. by Jay Fleck. Walker Studio, 2015. ISBN 9781406377293
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Opposites. Perspective. Points of
view. More than a look at opposites, this interesting picture book
is also a challenge for the reader to ponder and delve into what an
opposite really means and to think about different points of view.
Hood has written an engaging, thought provoking text in rhyme,
looking not just at what a simple opposite can mean but how it
relates to who wants to know and the perspective of the person
asking: Who knows what's BIG
unless there's SMALL?
Does SHORT mean a thing
except next to TALL?
The illustrations done in a retro style by Jay Fleck are evocative
and add much to the text. The one on the back of the book with the
blurb was particularly engaging showing a tall flower in a small pot
with a bird looking at it and a short flower in a big pot with a
mouse looking at it. Another that caught my eye was the elephant
lifting a large weight that contrasted with the boy trying to lift a
small one: Who's STRONG
and who's WEAK
is hardly perplexing
Then the reader turns the page to see a double page spread with a
giant whale and the text: But STRONG can look WEAK
when a new champ is flexing.
The use of different styles of print to highlight the point being
made also adds to the fun of the book and would lead to easy
emphasis when reading aloud.
This would be a very useful book to have in the classroom, and its
easy rhythm and fun illustrations will engage both readers and
listeners.
Pat Pledger
Where's Wally? The totally essential travel collection by Martin Handford
Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406375718
(Age: 7+) Recommended. For thirty years, British illustrator Martin
Handford's Where's Wally books have delighted fans of all
ages. From the original Where's
Wally to The wonder book, his Hollywood
adventures and The
incredible paper chase, these popular seek and find
puzzle books are now available in one handy travel compendium. With
a flexible sturdy cover and a stretchy elastic bookmark, this is
perfect for a young explorer to take on a long journey, plane ride
or car trip. Six postcards tucked into the front and back pocket are
included, ready to colour in and send via snail mail to someone
special at home.
Each double page spread contains the familiar detailed settings with
hundreds of colourful people and animals busily engaged in a vast
array of activities. Wally with his red-and-white striped shirt,
bobble hat and glasses is sometimes hard to find amongst all the
other cast of characters dressed in similar colours. Two checklists
are included for each of the seven books. These add to the fun of
finding Wanda, Woof and lots of crazy people and animals hidden on a
space station, performing in the Wally Musical or fighting with the
Battling Monks. Where's Wally? The totally essential travel collection is a
wonderful way to introduce historical events, inspire creativity and
engage with a real book instead of a screen.
Rhyllis Bignell
Cowboy Pug: the dog who rode for glory by Laura James
Ill. by Eglantine Ceulemans. Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408866382
(Age: 5-7) Recommended. Humour. Dogs. Cowboys. Horses. Fear.
Following on the success of Captain
Pug the dog who sailed the seas by Laura James comes Cowboy Pug
the dog who rode for glory. Here the reader finds the long suffering
Pug dressed up in a cowboy hat and bandana, forced to trail behind
Lady Miranda as she goes off horse-trading. They find a very
tall horse Lady Miranda names Horsey and off they ride, meeting
Frank on the way and being carried off in a horse trailer to the
local horse show.
Cowboy Pug is a most reluctant hero. He would much prefer to lounge
in his chair, having snacks and dozing, to adventuring with Lady
Miranda. However when circumstances force him to be brave, he rises
to the occasion and saves the day.
Beautifully illustrated in reds, yellows and greys, the reader will
delight in the expression of fear on Pug's face and long suffering
on Horsey's face. The scene when they gallop around the show jumping
ring is brilliant. Lady Miranda is depicted as an impetuous young
girl and the two footmen Running Footman Will and Running Footman
Liam, who carry the sedan chair are hilarious.
The newly independent reader will sympathise with Pug as he is
forced into uncomfortable situations by Lady Miranda and
circumstances, cheer as he overcomes his fears and look forward to
the next in the series, Safari Pug.
Pat Pledger
Where is the very hungry caterpillar? by Eric Carle
Picture Puffin UK, 2017. ISBN 9780141374352
The world was first introduced to the very hungry caterpillar as he
munched his way through a menu of goodies almost 50 years ago! Now
he is back, hiding somewhere under the flaps waiting to be
discovered by little fingers.
With the bold colours and readily recognisable illustrations of the
wondrous Eric Carle who has a gift of turning the mundane into the
extraordinary, it's time for little ones to have even more fun with
the little caterpillar that so many of them already know and love.
And as well as recognising the familiar foods from the original
story and perhaps even being able to read the words for them because
of that, they can also learn what other tiny creatures inhabit the
world beneath their feet and maybe tread a little more gently on
this earth.
This ticks all the boxes about helping our first readers to
understand the basic concepts about print that are so vital to their
reading success, particularly making connections between this new
story and the one they know as they learn to carry that knowledge
and apply it to a new situation. Brilliant from what might appear to
be a humble board book!
Barbara Braxton
Storm whale by Sarah Brennan
Ill. by Jane Tanner. Allen and Unwin, 2017. ISBN 9781760293642
(Age: Primary middle years) Hardcover, 32 pages. Themes: Whales-
fiction, Conservation, Siblings. Bleak was the day and the wind whipped down when my sisters and I
walked to town . . .
Sarah Brennan's narrative verse is a powerful, driven story of three
sisters who try to rescue a whale stranded on a windswept beach. Her
beautifully evocative phrases filled with alliteration and colourful
descriptions are crisp and clipped. They need to be read aloud. She
builds the tension driving the story forward as the three sisters
battle the elements to save the stranded whale - scarred old
mariner, beached in hell, far from the cradling ocean swell.
Brennan's memories of Tasmania summer holidays on wet and windy
beaches provided the inspiration for Storm Whale.
The story celebrates the close bond of sisterhood as each draws
strength from the other, to frantically keep the whale bathed in
seawater. They show resilience and dogged determination fighting an
epic struggle in the stormy conditions. Without any adult
intervention, they finally return home, nearly defeated, unsure
about the large mammal's fate. They find comfort in each other,
wrapped in warm blankets by the glowing fire and wait for the
morning unsure of the outcome. Their freedom to explore the
storm-ravaged beach on their own and search for the whale, without a
parent, might be confronting to some readers.
Jane Tanner's powerful illustrations, changing from pencil sketches
to sweeping painted scenes powerfully enhance Brennan's emotional
tale. From hope to near despondence, her textured paintings bring to
life the sisters' elemental fight against the driving rain. She
creates the moodiness, the contrast of darkness and light, of cold
and warmth perfectly depicting Brennan's story. Storm Whale is an ideal picture book for older readers who
enjoy rhyming narratives. The rich, emotive language and wonderful
illustrations are suitable for Middle Years classes studying styles
of poetry, identifying how language choices and imagery build
emotional connection and engagement with this story.
Rhyllis Bignell
One of us is lying by Karen M. McManus
Penguin, 2017. ISBN 9780141375632
(Age: 15+) Recommended. Mystery. Five students are sent to detention
for having a phone in class. Only four walk out. One of them lies
dead from anaphylactic shock, having drunk water that was
contaminated by peanut oil. All of them have secrets that they
wanted hidden from Simon, the dead boy who had a vicious gossip app
that was followed avidly by everyone in the school. And his death
wasn't an accident - who is telling lies and who is the murderer?
McManus has written a very suspenseful, high interest mystery with
all the ingredients that readers could wish for to maintain their
interest. The four student suspects' characters and secrets are
gradually revealed as each gives their story in separate chapters,
showing their strengths and weaknesses and their perspective on what
has happened. Bronwyn is the brain and normally wouldn't break a
rule; Addy is the homecoming princess, who clings to Jake, Mr
Popular; Nate is the bad boy on probation for dealing drugs and
Cooper is the all-star athlete. When it is revealed that Simon
intended to reveal their secrets they all become suspects and as the
police focus on one and then another, their secrets are revealed and
they decide to gang together to get to the truth.
Seasoned mystery readers may not be confused by the many red
herrings and work out the end, or at least part of it, but the novel
is engrossing and the suspense continues to build right to the very
end. The characters are well rounded and not just the stereotypes
that could be expected from the brain, the jock, the bad boy and the
princess, and the plot is twisted enough to keep most readers
totally enthralled.
This was a quick read and it is easy to see it being produced as a
movie. It has all the elements to attract teens, a theme of the
problems of social media, a little romance and a strongly plotted
mystery.
Pat Pledger
Stinky Spike the Pirate Dog by Peter Meisel
Ill. by Paul Meisel. Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781619637788
(Age: 6-8) Recommended. Dogs. Shipyards. Pirates. This fun story
about a very smelly dog will delight young readers and would be a
boon to have on Talk Like a Pirate Day or any Pirate Day that is
occurring. Containing a very smelly but lovable dog, scary pirates
and all sorts of treasure it is sure to become a favourite with
newly independent readers and would also be good to read aloud to
younger children.
Divided into three chapters, with a good size print for emerging
readers, Stinky Spike the pirate dog gives the young reader a chance
to move on from picture books and to begin to enjoy a book which has
chapters and separate adventures. In Chapter 1, Shipyard Dog,
readers will learn all about Stinky Spike and the shipyard where he
frightens away sea gulls and yaps at rats, before disastrously
falling into the water. In Chapter 2 Lost at sea, Stinky
Spike bobs up and down in a barrel, surrounded by sharks and
observed by a whale, until he is rescued by stinky pirates led by
Captain Fishbeard. In Chapter 3 Sniffing for treasure, he
uncovers lots of things that smell wonderful and are treasure to
him, until he finds something else that is more acceptable as pirate
treasure.
The water colour illustrations add enormously to the humour of the
story. Stinky Spike is dressed in ragged sailor clothes and has such
fun doing his job chasing the seagulls and rats. It is easy to
imagine him and how much he smells just by looking at the pictures
of where he has been!
This is an entertaining addition to the chapter book genre and will
have fans wanting to read another book about this lovable dog: Stinky
Spike and the royal rescue.
Pat Pledger
With my daddy by James Brown
Ill. by Cally Johnson-Isaacs. Macmillan Children's Books, 2017. ISBN
9781509834426
(Ages: 2 - 6) Recommended. Picture Book. Each page of this
delightfully illustrated picture book features different zoo animals
from tigers to rabbits, bears to turtles, lions, mice, crocodiles,
penguins and pandas developing and enjoying unique relationships
with their dads. Rather than living in a zoo though, each animal is
transported to the human family scenario, undertaking the daily
activities little reader might enjoy participating in with his/her
Daddy. Whilst Daddy turtle playing frisbee with little turtle does
stretch the suspension of disbelief a bit for the adult reader, the
young one seems to have no trouble; such is the flexibility of the
very young mind. All readers should be gratified to see the
different dads pitching in with a wide variety of routines of both
traditional and non-traditional roles; great stuff for role
modelling both to the young reader and also to the reading dads and
mums. Doggy daddy for instance, has no qualms with regard to the
wielding of brooms, vacuum cleaners and pink feather dusters I'm
pleased to say. My granddaughter Maple has an especially close
relationship with her dad and loves to cook with him. She found this
well rhyming tale particularly engaging. A companion title to this
one is With my mummy also by James Brown and Cally
Johnson-Isaacs.
Elizabeth Avery
Begin, end, begin: A #LoveOzYA anthology edited by Danielle Binks
Harper Collins, 2017. ISBN 9781460752319
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. Any reader, young adult or adult will
not be disappointed with the short stories found in this
collection. With contributions from leading Australian young
adult authors, Amie Kaufman, Melissa Keil, Will Kostakis, Ellie
Marney, Jaclyn Moriarty, Michael Pryor, Alice Pung, Gabrielle
Tozer, Lili Wilkinson and Danielle Binks, one would expect the
quality to be outstanding and each of the stories is an exceptional
example of why they are such good writers. The backgrounds range
from outer space, to country Australia, to urban parties and a long
bus trip from Canberra to Melbourne, so there is something to appeal
to the most discriminating reader.
Each of the ten short stories have an interesting take on the theme
'Begin, end, begin'. Fans of Ellie Marney's mystery series will
be delighted to read a short story about Rachel and Mycroft's first
meeting and how they became friends in 'Missing persons'.
Michael Pryor takes on the hard and illuminating task of setting a
refugee situation in space and does this in a most heart wrenching
way in 'First casualty' commenting on politics and action that
will resonate with readers. Jaclyn Moriarty's quirky 'Competition
entry #349' will bring a smile to the reader's face as her
young heroine goes back and forward in time to see why her budding
romance has faltered, and both Amie Kaufman and Lili Wilkinson have
explored diversity in their relationships. In 'The feeling from
over here' Gabrielle Tozer explores the feelings that bullying
and name calling has and shows how difficult it can be to stand up
to bullies in a school setting. Alice Pung's 'In a heartbeat',
explores the difficulties of teen pregnancy and celebrates a caring
mother/daughter relationship. Begin, end, begin: A #LoveOzYA anthology showcases the
authors' talents. For those who may be unfamiliar with their books
it will give a wonderful introduction to their style and is sure to
make readers want to pick up more of their stories. I also look
forward to reading more by Danielle Binks in the future.
Readers may also be interested in exploring the #LoveOzYA hashtag on
Twitter and Instagram and going to the #LoveOzYA website to learn more
about the beginnings of the #LoveOzYA movement.
Pat Pledger
The midnight mystery by Clara Vulliamy
Dotty Detective bk 3. HarperCollins Children's Books, 2017.
ISBN 9780008132422
(Age: 6+) Recommended. Mystery. Detective. Camps. The Join the Dots
Detectives have a brand new adventure to enthral fans. Dot and Beans
are off on an Adventure Camp. They're looking forward to being away
from home and going grass tobogganing and sitting around a campfire
at night. Under the guidance of their teacher Mr D the class is
divided into groups and all want to win the Adventure Camp Prize but
Laura is up to her old tricks again and weird things start to
happen. Meanwhile back at home McLusky has been entered into the
Larks in the Park Dog Show and Dot really wants him to win something
in the competition.
Vulliamy once again brings an exciting book for young fans who might
imagine themselves as detectives. She introduces her young
detectives and their school group at the beginning of the book in
such a way that readers new to the Dotty Detective feel comfortable
in picking up the book, even if they haven't read the first two in
the series, Dotty Detective, and Dotty Detective: The
pawprint puzzle. The adventures at the camp are vividly
described and Dotty is very clever about finding out why strange
things are happening and is also very compassionate when she
uncovers the unexpected truth at the conclusion of the camp. McLusky,
her gorgeous little dog, also trains hard at home for his appearance
in the show.
This is a delightful tale that will appeal to children who may be
afraid about going to Adventure Camp as the illustrations give a
good idea of what to expect and will be reassuring about what will
happen there. Her depiction of the teacher and helping hands at the
camp was also encouraging for children who may be a little scared
about being away from home.
Written in the very popular diary form this will have immediate
appeal for the young reader who is just starting out on junior
novels. Large print with lots of bold words will help the emerging
reader and funny little illustrations add to the humour and suspense
of the story and the picture code that Dot and Beans used will be a
challenge for children who like to solve problems.
Pat Pledger
Short by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Scholastic, 2017. ISBN 9781743816516
(Age: 10+) The title and blurb will possibly lead you to believe
that Julia's height is of major significance, that we will be
reading a story about the difficulties of bullies and discrimination
similar to the emotional impact and profoundness of R.J Palacio's Wonder.
You will not. What you will find is a charming story narrated by a
young girl with a big message to share with us.
Julia Marks has always been small for her age. She is used to being
chosen last for sports teams and is so conscious of her smallness
that she has banned the 's' word from her vocabulary because it
gives her a negative feeling. But the world and its possibilities,
'no matter one's stature', open up for her when her mother makes her
audition for a community production of 'The Wizard of Oz'.
I felt a connection to every character in this story as Holly
Goldberg Sloan has skilfully developed each with careful attention
to detail as seen through the eyes of Julia.
Julia Marks is the main character and she exudes raw innocence and
self-centredness with meandering, yet shrewd, thought provoking
observations and a quirky sense of humour on loss, family and
romance.
Julia's little brother Randy doesn't seem to be affected by
constantly being overlooked and pushed into the background, not just
by his sister but by other adults. A comparison of Julia's and
Randy's interactions with adults would make for an excellent
discussion topic for students.
Other characters that left vivid impressions include Ramon, Julia's
dog, a loyal and constant companion who sadly 'passed on' early in
the story setting the theme for Julia's sense of emptiness; Mrs.
Chang, the neighbour with hidden talents; Shawn Barr, the
delightfully quirky and patient director; and Olive, the supportive
'little' adult actor.
If you enjoy the sweet writing and the innocence of Glenda Millard's
Kingdom of Silk you will enjoy Short by Holly
Goldberg Sloan, a light and entertaining story on growing up.
Sharon Smith
(Children's and Youth Services Librarian Riverina Regional Library)
The fairy dancers by Natalie Jane Prior
Ill. by Cheryl Orsini. ABC Books, 2017. ISBN 9780733337833
(Age: 6-8) Recommended. Ballet dancers. Friendship. Ballet.
Saturday mornings are special for young Mia, Emma and Grace, as they
dress in their dance clothes, tie the ribbons of their ballet shoes
and learn to dance and twirl like fairies. Natalie Jane Prior's
delightful picture book The fairy dancers contains three
entertaining stories about friendship, caring and having fun. These
are easy to read, just right for young dancers beginning to read
chapter books.
In 'The magic slippers', Mia's ballet shoes need replacing,
instead of hopping and skipping, she's flipping and flopping across
the room. The Fairy Mothers take their daughters to Eva's Dance Shop
where Mia falls in love with a pair of blue shoes. In Miss Ashleigh
ballet classes, pink shoes are required. Mia takes matters into her
own hands and colours her new pink shoes in with blue paints. This
problem is resolved in a fun, creative manner with the help of her
dog Coco. 'Miss Ashleigh's surprise birthday' is a fun,
exciting story with the three friends planning a special party in
the park for their favourite teacher. In the third story, all the
girls are busy practising for the Christmas concert, costumes are
made and everyone is very excited. When Grace breaks her arm, Miss
Ashleigh creatively includes the young dancer in the performance.
Cheryl Orsini's detailed pastel watercolour and gouache
illustrations bring the stories alive. Her fluid lines, hidden
details and soft palette show the delightful characters dancing
across the pages complementing Prior's gentle descriptive text. This
author and illustrator have built a strong collaborative partnership
working together on more than eleven books. This is evident in this
enjoyable picture book. The fairy dancers is a celebration
of dancing and being friends.
Rhyllis Bignell
