Ill. by James Hart. Allen and Unwin, 2017. Sky high. ISBN 9781760295981 Double trouble. ISBN 9781760295998
(Age: 5-7) Recommended. Dinosaurs. Robots. Adventure
Stories. Susannah McFarlane and Louise Park authors of the popular
series Zac Power have written an exciting new series perfect
for young readers. D-Bot Squad takes place in a world filled with
dinosaurs, high-tech gadgets and young riders who rescue and
teleport these creatures back to safety.
In Sky high Hunter Marks is learning to ride his dino-bot,
mastering the controls in windy conditions. He is part of the D-Bot
Squad whose mission is to catch robotic dinosaurs that have escaped
from a secret island. After being dive-bombed by seagulls and a dip
in the sea, the young rider captures the pterodactyl and teleports
it back to base. Unfortunately, when Hunter decides to ignore
mission control and go after a second animal, he is caught in the
claws of a flying Quetzalcoatlus and he needs to be rescued himself.
Double trouble continues Hunter's story, he is being held in
the clutches of the flying dinosaur as it flies high above the sea.
How can he escape? Charlie and her d-bot fly in to save Hunter, in a
daring rescue. Teamwork is needed to capture this dinosaur and
teleport this animal to safety.
Easy to read text, short paragraphs, engaging font styles and sizes
are interspersed with a combination of graphic novel spreads to
engage and encourage the development of reading and visual literacy.
These D-Bot Squad novels are just right for reluctant readers and
for children beginning to read chapter books. After sharing these
fun stories, Early Years students can research the dinosaurs
included, develop their own project cards, then design and create
their own dinobots.
Rhyllis Bignell
The names they gave us by Emery Lord
Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408877814
(Age: 14+) Recommended. A coming of age story about summer camp and
girlhood - a high school senior and bible camp graduate becomes a
counsellor at a camp for young disadvantaged children. When Lucy
Hansson's mother's cancer returns despite all of Lucy's prayers and
bargains with God, she begins to act out in response to her
faltering faith. Her equally devout boyfriend, Lucas, dumps her. Her
mother wants to spare Lucy the worst of her cancer treatment and
asks her to work at the summer camp she herself attended as a
troubled teen.
At camp Daybreak Lucy sees how the less fortunate live and becomes
protective of her young charges. The extraordinary camaraderie
between counsellors is a bonus. At camp, Lucy learns about her
mother's past and she falls for Jones. Henry Jones not only shares
her love of music, but unlike her ex-boyfriend Lucas, he can truly
connect with her emotionally.
The summer lurches from one drama to another as the minor characters
are fleshed out through a gambit of themes - child abuse, bullying,
intolerance, anxiety, death, teenage pregnancy and more. Daybreak
distracts Lucy from the tragedy unfolding in her own perfect
Christian family - but ironically exposes their dark secrets.
Through this unforgettable narrative, Lucy stays true to her
identity but develops a newfound understanding of both human frailty
and boundless spirit. Readers will soar and cry with Lucy and her
fellow counsellors. Perhaps some will even feel inspired to search
for happiness, not in self-absorption but in the service of others.
Deborah Robins
The darkest dark by Chris Hadfield
Ill. by Terry and Eric Fran. Macmillan, 2017. ISBN 9781509824090
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended. Space, Astronauts, Fear of the dark,
Overcoming fear, Canada, Aspirations. Canadian astronaut Chris
Hadfield has put his considerable background experience in space to
pen am exciting picture book based partly on his childhood. The boy
Chris is an astronaut, building space ships from what ever he finds
around the house, chasing aliens away, flying to Mars in his bath.
His imagination is wild, but when it comes to going to bed his
imagination grows even wilder, imagining all sorts of aliens and
monsters in his bedroom. His parents try all sorts of techniques to
overcome his fears, but to no avail; he still ends up in their bed
at all times of the night. Astute readers will notice the calendar,
July 1969, and be aware that on several days during this momentous
month, two men landed on the moon. Chris and his family are invited
next door to watch the moon landing on their neighbour's television.
And watching this Chris sees the darkness of space, and resolves not
to be afraid again, but to do everything in his power to become what
he wants to be.
The superb illustrations done in pencil, then coloured digitally,
are stunning, reflecting the Canadian hinterland with its pine
cabins and forests, lakes and star filled skies. The images showing
the space capsule, Apollo 11, are absorbing and will be pored over
by younger readers.
For classes looking at space and the moon landing, rockets and
science this book will be a wonderful introduction to that work, as
well as being a platform for talking about fears and overcoming
those fears.
Hadfield wrote this book with journalist and author, Kate Fillion,
and the Fan brothers worked on the illustrations together. Readers
will be encouraged reading the extra information Hadfield adds at
the end, displaying photos of his youth and time as an astronaut and
telling the readers how he made his dream come true.
Fran Knight
Release by Patrick Ness
Walker Books 2017. ISBN 9781406331172
(Age: 16+) Recommended. Adam Thorn has always liked boys. At
seventeen he has had two boyfriends and four sexual partners. But
despite being comfortable enough with himself, he is not comfortable
being open about himself with his family, who are deeply religious
and anti-gay. This is the crux of a number of problems - many of
which drive Adam to keep his sexuality away from his family as much
as possible.
It was meant to be the best day. Adam has a tight schedule but he's
looking forward to the evening and Enzo's going away party. But
first - chores. He must stay on his parent's good side otherwise
they will change their minds about the 'gathering'. Things start to
go downhill from the beginning. When Adam's brother, Marty, goes to
him for advice, Marty accuses him of not knowing what real love is.
This in mind, on the day Adam is planning to have sex with Linus and
farewell Enzo, his ex-in-denial, Adam starts to wonder if something
is wrong with him and whether he might just not deserve love.
Meanwhile, not so far away, the spirit of a dead girl merges with
the spirit of the lake to get revenge on her murderous boyfriend.
While it can be said that this is a coming out narrative, Ness
produces a book that shows the uncertainty and fear in which many
people hold coming out to their families. It is an easy and
engrossing read and I would recommend for teenagers sixteen and up.
Kayla Gaskell, 21
The Medusa chronicles by Stephen Baxter and Alistair Reynolds
Gollancz, 2016. ISBN 9781473210196
(Age 14+) Highly recommended. Science Fiction. With permission from the Clarke Estate, this novel continues the account of Commander Howard Falcon, who is the main character in Arthur C. Clarke's award winning short story A meeting with Medusa. Howard's life changes after a horrific crash in the Grand Canyon and he is saved by experimental surgery. This surgery changes Howard into a cyborg - part human and part machine - and has the effect of extending his life by centuries. The Medusa Chronicles is a compelling account of Howard's journey over the centuries involving the evolution of AI into thinking machines, the manipulation of the intelligence of animals of earth, human exploration and colonization of planets and moons and their interaction with the inhabitants of these planets and moons. The reader is not required to have read Clarke's A Meeting with Medusa before reading this novel as the authors encompass Clarke's short story in their novel.
The Medusa Chronicles delves into how the human race reacts to intelligent machines, intelligent animals and native inhabitants of other worlds, the possible consequences of this interaction and the moral and ethical issues that are raised. The ending reminds you of parts of 2001: A Space Odyssey revealing mystical and enormous possibilities of the future.
If you are a fan of science fiction genre and, in particular, Arthur C. Clarke's novels you will thoroughly enjoy this book. This is a classical science fiction novel.
Glen Avery
Super Fly vs Furious Flea by Todd H Doodler
Super Fly series. Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781619633841
(Age: 6+) Recommended. Humour, Rubbish. This is one in a series
about Super Fly, a geeky school student who loves to invent things,
and one day becomes a super fly, able to fly 9,000 times faster than
normal, cleverer by 9,000 times than usual and altogether a really
handy person to have around. But he cannot reveal himself to his
fellow students, let alone the bully in the school, Cornelius C
Roach.
The first chapter in this rollicking book reprises some of the fun
that has gone on before, acquainting readers with the reason Eugene
Flystein became Super Fly, and hinting at problems he has solved,
along with his sister, Fly Girl and his friend and sidekick,
Fantastic Flea.
But in this story, rifts appear between Fantastic Flea and Eugene,
as he becomes rather conceited after being named Student of the
Season. The Roach senses the rift and turns Fantastic Flea against
his friend. The Flea take his training to heart, getting himself fit
for the big meet.
The humour comes thick and fast with puns on the protagonists names
and where they live. Each part of the rubbish tip at Stinkopolis is
used, including the toilet bowl where Eugene and his family live.
Tongue in cheek humour, a liberal sprinkling of puns and toilet
humour will make this an instant hit with those newly skilled at
reading chapter books. The chapters are short and include
illustrations, and I love the way the author has used language which
will stretch some children's vocabulary.
All in all, fun from start to finish.
Fran Knight
Timmy Failure: the book you're not supposed to have by Stephan Pastis
Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406373653
(Age: 9+) Recommended. Timmy has been banned from his detective work
and has to wait until school is over. The teachers have gone on
strike so school has been extended. Timmy has to find a way to carry
out his work and solve the mystery of the missing Rollo and do all
this without getting caught by his mother or his loony cousins.
This book was a funny and interesting book, the character's roles
were strange and all played funny/clever roles. I loved how the
story had feeling and the plot was imaginative. The story had many
problems, some big some small, all of them got solved in the end.
The theme engages the reader and it has a new perspective from what
I normally read. The settings are creative; the settings are set
around Timmy's home town. The book is written from Timmy's point of
view. The book has an imagery style.
I would recommend this book to 9+ boys who are interested in
detective stories and to read the books in order.
Grace Colliver (Student)
Trouble tomorrow by Terry Whitebeach and Sarafino Enadio
Allen and Unwin, 2017. ISBN 9781760291464
(Age: Mid teens) Highly recommended. One of the benefits of reading
stories, it is said, is that the reader travels to places they
otherwise would not; and confront experiences they would not
otherwise have. From these things we learn, vicariously. By the end
of the prologue this book has transported the reader to the civil
war lands of southern Sudan, landing in the midst of a village raid
by rebel soldiers - as far from western comfort zones as could be.
The reader is running beside Obulejo, mid-teens son in a highly
respected village family with a father of wise morals. But returning
to family doesn't ensure safety as the raids continue; finally
Obulejo keeps running. The landscapes he must cross do not bring
safety either. Constantly danger prowls: groups of wandering rebels;
tribal groups protecting their country; and, of course, wild animals
on the hunt. Reaching a refugee camp only provides an illusion of
safety. There is protection from others for a while but the common
goal of survival - basic survival - means that each individual must
eventually find a way to simply stay alive. The reader feels
Obulejo's agony as he makes decisions that he must, which fail his
father's teachings. The writing is relentless, compelling,
unremitting - as it should be to reflect the ever-present dangers
and horrors that haunt the lives of all of these refugees.
Eventually Obulejo escapes the clutches of the camp environment. To
detail here how he does would spoil the gripping tension of his
story. But it takes many years and those who would deny him the
safety of our lands should read a book such as this to better
understand why that position is wrong. Every mid-teen Australian
should be encouraged to read this book, highly recommended for that
reason.
Kerry Neary
Glitch by Michelle Worthington
Ill. by Andrew Plant. Ford St Publishing, 2017. ISBN 9781925272710
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Recycling. STEM. Friendship. Building.
Glitch and June live on a rubbish heap. Glitch collects all sort of
spare parts from the rubbish and builds the most amazing billycarts,
ready for June to race. But he is a worrier. He twitches about minor
things but these end up with June losing the race. One year he
forgot to check the brakes, one year he turned left instead of right
and one year he led June onto a big rock. Consequently they have
never won a race. On their first test tun for this year's race, they
have an accident and June's antennae are bent. She can not drive
without them so tells Glitch that it is up to him. This makes him
twitchier than ever, and when June comes to collect him the next day
he gives an assortment of excuses not to drive. But she perseveres,
and encourages him, telling him that no matter what happens, they
will always be friends. The competition is fierce and as they round
the finishing line, they lose by a nose. But coming second is no
problem, says June, because they will win next year.
This is a charming tale of friendship and all it entails,
understanding, sympathy, encouragement, companionship and so on, as
June displays the very best of what a friend brings to a
relationship. She is not judgmental, instead encouraging her friend
to do his best, and offering an alternate goal.
Plant's illustrations are wonderful, with the mess of a rubbish dump
crowded around the bugs as they delve into the mass of thrown out
bits and pieces. Plant skillfully displays their characters in a
merest twinkle of an eye or twitch of an antenna, and the billycarts
made up from the stuff thrown away will encourage readers to rethink
the things that are discarded, and perhaps look anew at what is
thrown out from the classroom and at home.
Discussions about the rubbish tip could produce some interesting
results, not the least of which could be to make something from
recycled materials. I loved working out what rubbish had been used
to make the billycarts, and I'm sure readers will too, and watch out
for the different methods of construction used by Glitch.
Fran Knight
Ella diaries: Going green by Meredith Costain
Ill. by Danielle McDonald. Scholastic Australia, 2017. ISBN
9781760279059
(Age: 7+) Ella's school is attempting to go green. A Planet
Protection Captain must be elected to head the campaign. Ella has
always dreamed of being the Captain but she is up against some stiff
competition in the form of Peach, who will stop at nothing to
achieve success. Who will come out with the top job? As with all the
Ella diaries this will be another welcome addition to the very
popular series. It is easy to read and with a fast-paced story
incorporating descriptive language, it will appeal to girls from 7
upwards. It fits into the diary formats like Diary of a...,
Diary
of a wimpy kid. It has illustrations interspersed
throughout the text which makes the book seem a lot longer than it
really is. This is great for struggling students that want to be
seen to be reading longer books.
The theme of the book is prevalent in all schools today and one that
the majority of students are interested in - how can we reduce our
carbon footprint? What can we do at our school to make a change for
the better?
This series is walking off our shelves, the books are in constant
demand and this will be another welcome addition to the collection.
Kathryn Schumacher
Dinosaur trouble series by Kyle Mewburn
Ill. by Donovan Bixley. Scholastic New Zealand, 2017. The great egg stink. ISBN 9781775433668 The lava melt shake. ISBN 9781775433675
A new series about dinosaurs that I am sure will be a hit with young
boys. There is plenty of toilet humour and descriptions of bodily
excretions. We meet Arg and his family and a wide array of
dinosaurs. Poor Arg finds himself in a number of difficult
circumstances, which ultimately lead to him narrowly escaping
trouble with his parents. Each book is a story within itself -
consequently they do not have to be read in order. The books are set
out in chapters and will be popular with students moving into short
novels. The text is reasonably large and accompanied by
illustrations. They would fit into the 'Quick Read' section of the
library.
Kathryn Schumacher
The Scattering by Kimberly McCreight
The Outliers book 2. Harper Collins 2017. ISBN 9780008115081
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Only weeks have passed since the incident at
the camp in The Outliers. Wylie and Jasper are both far from
fine, united in their shared insomnia and horror. Cassie is dead.
Nothing can help that. But things fall into seeming normalcy as
everyone tries to move on. Wylie, now aware of her Outlier powers,
has been practising reading people. She has discovered how to
diverge her anxiety from that of others, but even still, reading
someone can be difficult. While it seems like the horrors born of
her Dad's research are over, they have only just begun.
A new researcher as appeared and is interested in taking over Dr.
Lang's work, this time with a theory about the girls being outliers
due to an illness. While at first, he seems harmless, things change
when Wylie is captured, drugged, and awakes confined in a quarantine
area with a number of other outliers. As if that weren't enough to
send Wylie's anxiety over the edge, Kendall (one of the cops from
the camp) appears, this time as a doctor. The other girls have
decided that Wylie is mad. It doesn't take Jasper long to break into
the ward and find Wylie but she refuses to leave. She can't just
abandon the others. Faced with the problem of how to save people who
don't know they need saving, Wylie must use all her wits to keep
them all safe.
Following on from The Outliers, this novel can only be read
as a sequel. Although not as great as the first, it still retains
the mystery subplot and focuses more on family and loyalty than on
romantic subplots - keeping the focus on Wylie's anxiety and outlier
abilities. Recommended for readers fourteen and up.
Kayla Gaskell
Play by Jez Alborough
Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406373073
(Ages: 2-5) Play features Bobo the Chimp from the immensely popular
Hug. The simple story is told mainly through illustrations,
with limited text (some speech bubbles with one to two word
utterances). Bobo's mother is attempting to get Bobo to settle down
to bed but the sun is still up and Bobo is determined to play with
his friends. He repeatedly sneaks off when his mother's back is
turned. When the sun does set, Bobo is alone and scared. 'Mummy' he
calls in a loud, shaky voice. Sighted and flown home by his pelican
friend, Bobo is delivered safely into the arms of his worried
mother. The double page where Bobo and his mother are intertwined in
sleep is gorgeous and portrays a real sense of safety and comfort,
which young children who enjoy snuggling with a loved one will
identify with. The next day Bobo wakes early with the sun and is
filled with excitement for the day ahead. 'Play', he says. Following
the illustrations across the page is lots of fun and the vivid
illustrations bring the actions and emotions of the characters to
life. The use of simple words makes this great for emerging
independent readers and for younger ones who will be able to tell
the story using only the illustrations. There is a touch of moral
teaching here about listening to your parents and keeping safe but
it is more a celebration of every day adventure and the uncrushable
spirit of young children. It may also open up conversations about
the cycle of day and night. The artwork really is something special,
especially as Alborough has perfected these characters in previous
books Hug, Tall and Yes. A must for all Bobo
the chimp lovers but it will also be enjoyed by those who haven't
met him before.
Nicole Nelson
Marsh and me by Martine Murray
Text, 2017. ISBN 9781925498011
(Age: 9+) Tolerance. Diversity. Acceptance. Joey is a shy, sensitive
boy who longs to be good at something. He just wants to stand out -
maybe as a famous astronaut or a mountain climber. At the back of
Joey's house is a hill where a rubbish dump used to be. This is his
sacred place where he goes to escape from the dramas of everyday
life.
One day he discovers a tree house in an old peppercorn tree on his
hill. Now someone has invaded his hill. This is his private domain.
Who could it be? How will Joey be able to meet her? He decides to
lie in wait.
The tree house girl, Marsh, is wild and hostile and does not
appreciate Joey invading her new-found haven. Joey tries desperately
to get to know Marsh but he has no luck. He knows that Marsh is
hiding something from him but he can not figure it out. One day Joey
decides to follow her home and try to discover some things about
Marsh for himself. Marsh and Me follows the path of a developing friendship
between two people that just want to be 'normal' and accepted. Both
have their own quirks but begin to appreciate themselves for who
they are. The characters begin to realise their self-doubts are
unfounded and start to have insights into each other's lives. A
heart-warming story that would fit into themes such as tolerance,
diversity and acceptance. The print is relatively large and would
suit children from 9 years old and up. Teacher's
notes are available on the publisher's website.
Kathryn Schumacher
Ice Breaker by Lian Tanner
The Hidden series, book 1. Allen and Unwin, 2016. ISBN
9781760293178. (First published 2013. Rejacketed.)
(Age: 11+) Highly recommended. Themes: Fantasy; Adventure;
Friendship; 'Junk Punk'; Overcoming adversity; Conflict. This is the
first book in The Hidden series of fantasy adventure set in a
strange time on board an ancient icebreaker in an environment marked
by icebergs, pack ice and extreme cold, and a reverence for all
things mechanical! And there is a 'sleeping captain' that provides a
mysterious backstory that is intriguing and hinted at rather than
given strong detail to explain why this rusting and antique vessel
exists in this austere location. The ship is the home to an isolated
community that is strongly caste-like and divided based on their
roles on board the ship. In this fiercely contested hierarchy we see
the world through the eyes of the central character, Petrel.
Petrel's parents had defied the hierarchical rules, to their peril.
Petrel lives an outcast's life, hidden amongst pipes and corridors
and shunned by the entire ship's population. Mostly she is just
ignored, but a few are openly hostile and she is friendless (except
for the ship rats). The plot shifts when a boy, abandoned on the
pack ice is pulled aboard. His story hints at an ancient conflict,
and he is embroiled in a destructive plan that is kept a closely
guarded secret. Petrel though, displays remarkable qualities and
kindness towards this potential enemy and together they hide and
scramble to escape the ship's hostility after they are accused of a
crime.
The setting of this book is unique and the 'Junk punk' genre (hints
at the past and with less than perfect technology) creates an
interesting backdrop to a story about outcasts and conflict, with a
fantasy with some technology twists!
Highly recommended for readers aged 11. This is an intriguing and
exciting journey from start to finish.
Carolyn Hull
