Reviews

Wild animals of the south by Dieter Braun

Flying Eye Books, 2017. ISBN 9781909263970
(Ages: 5+) Australian animals. African animals. South American animals. Antarctic animals. This is a translated edition of a German publication, with a second book, Wild animals of the north, also available. There are many of these artsy, illustration-based non-fiction books around for children and lots of them are extraordinary in terms of their visual appeal as well as their ability to engage young readers, many of whom are becoming more discerning about the aesthetic qualities of their reading material as well as shying away from text-heavy books. This one is organised into four regions: South America, Africa, Asia and Australia. In keeping with the visual focus, the contents are graphical (using a map) and the index, organised by region, is pictorial (confusingly not ordered alphabetically).
The introduction sets a conservationist tone for the reader as it draws attention to the many species of animal currently threatened with extinction. It opines 'We are intruders in the animal kingdom and with every animal that dies out, our life on this planet loses a part of its power and colour and beauty'. This is a wonderfully written statement with the power and clarity to resonate with adults and children alike. The author, by providing breath-taking illustrations that display their beauty and immenseness, emphasises that wild animals need to be respected and protected. The illustrations are not completely realistic, but they are scientifically accurate and incredibly detailed. The colours are bright and vibrant, but not always true to life. Many of the animals, composed of layered geometrical shapes, appear to pop off the page, piercing you with their intense eyes.
This is a book to appreciate visually but is in no way a reference or research book. Despite the introduction telling us, 'this book... tells us how and where they live, what they look like, what they eat, how they find each other or hide from one another and all the other things they get up to' the illustrations really are the main event and they deserve to be. Scientific names are given alongside common names but aside from this inclusion (which is probably done to give an exotic feel rather than for educational purpose) minimal and sometimes no information is given about the included animals. What information is given is limited in scope and often pertains to one aspect (e.g. the kookaburra's laugh). In addition, it is far from comprehensive; it includes only eighteen Australian animals and a mere eight from the Antarctic region. While clearly not intended as a reference book, it seems odd that information is not given for each animal. Nevertheless, this is a beautiful book of art sure to be treasured by animal lovers and young artists.
Nicole Nelson

Into the white: Scott's Antarctic odyssey by Joanna Grochowicz

Allen and Unwin, 2017. ISBN 9781760293659
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Antarctica, Exploration, Heroism. This extraordinary story of Captain Scott and his ill fated race to be the first to make it to the South Pole, is given new resonance for younger students in this highly readable book, Into the white. Having heard of Scott and his fellow expeditioners at primary school when Social Studies was filled with stories of well known people, I knew about their heroism, their daring and some of the tales about their trek. I read this thinking I knew at least the background of the tale, but was pleasantly surprised: the story is compulsive and the detail simply mind boggling. I can hardly imagine minus ten celsius, let alone minus fifty, but these men trudged on. The description of Wilson's hands bulging with frostbite and then saying that they would keep going, paralleled the tale of another three stuck on an ice flow being circled by killer whales, the poor horses slipping into the water. Or having to kill the horses to feed the dogs, or getting into sleeping bags that were wetter than they were. All the stories in this book attest to their courage and bravery, keeping on even though they knew that Amundsen from Norway would get there first.
The comradeship of the crew is impressive, the leadership shown by Scott amazing, and above all their reasons for being there a salutary reminder of the values of those who have gone before us.
I would have loved a timeline but was able to access one quite easily on the internet, which I kept referring to as I read. Written for younger readers, it is still 256 pages long and supplemented with a cache of photographs in the middle, several maps at the beginning and appendixes at the end rounding off the story.
I hope more people will read of these brave adventurers.
Fran Knight

Where's Wally? The colouring collection by Martin Handford

Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406375701
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. With the interest in colouring in going strong, both children and adults will find lots of pleasure in this colouring book featuring Wally. Even those who are not so keen on colouring in will still love the opportunity to find Wally in the many black and white scenes that can be found in the book. Wally is lurking near a pond, in a dinosaur park and in the middle of a medieval festival as well as many other exciting and interesting places. The pages present quite a challenge for the colourist to complete, with their small and intricate drawings, and definitely would be rather difficult for little hands to manipulate.
The paper is thick, the book sturdy and there are other challenges to complete. I was taken with the Super Sneaky Villains who all look like Wally with the exception of having mostaches and had fun trying to find Wally in the pages of villains. At the back of the book is a giant size poster featuring dinosaurs (and Wally is rather hard to find here), which could be pinned up in a library, classroom or bedroom and completed at leisure.
This book will give hours of relaxation and fun. It would also be a fabulous gift for children who have to while away hours on a long car or plane journey.
Pat Pledger

Giants, trolls, witches, beasts: Ten tales from the deep, dark woods by Craig Phillips

Allen and Unwin, 2017. ISBN 9781760113261
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Giants, Trolls, Witches, Beasts: Ten Tales from the Deep, Dark Woods is a book of ten fairy tales that readers would not have read before. The stories come from across the globe, from countries such as Germany, Ireland and Russia. Each story is told in comic form, making it appealing to all reading levels. Once readers are familiar with how to read a comic, they won't be able to put the book down. Being a collection of stories means the book can be read anytime. Readers who struggle with novels can read individual stores at different times and in any order.
Read about ogres, witches, heroes, villains and an exploding dragon. The detailed illustrations will keep readers busy as they tell the story. Inside the book is a story for all interests. Vasilisa the Brave is a female heroine with story elements very similar to Cinderella. The King of the Polar Bears tells the story of the polar bear king who receives a feather coat and must defend himself against those who ridicule him. The Boy Who Was Never Afraid has a male hero who shows kindness to even the fiercest of creatures.
This book of tales is highly recommended for all readers aged 10+. It would be a great book for students to use during the Daily Five activity 'read to self' where the reading of pictures and text is encouraged and modelled. The pictures tell the story, like all comics, and the text is descriptive and easy to follow and read.
Kylie Kempster

Henrietta and the perfect night by Martine Murray

Allen and Unwin, 2017. ISBN 9781760290245
(Age: 4-8) Recommended. This fifth book continues the adventures of 'Henrietta the Great Go-Getter'. She is going to have a new sibling, start school and discover a friend. Henrietta is trying novel things such as sleepovers and performing in plays. Henrietta befriends a crying Olive Higgie on the first day of school. Although Henrietta herself is anxious, it is her kindness towards Olive that makes the first day enjoyable for them both. Henrietta's mother is quietly supportive, offering love and understanding whenever Henrietta needs it. Growing up, Henrietta the Great Go-Getter, is 'go-getting' and she believes she is very brave having a sleep over with Olive and dealing with Olive's big brother.
Henrietta feels jealous at first when Olive is given the lead part of Noah is the class play but she knows that to be a real friend she needs to congratulate and support Olive in the role. The last chapter is of course the arrival of the new baby and a surprising gift.
These small sized books are beautifully illustrated by Martine Murray and have a restricted palette of soft colours. My only complaint is that the white text on the light backgrounds are difficult to read. The simple drawings are appealing and have a child-like quality about them. Martine's stories are gentle and realistic. It is easy to submerge into Henrietta's wonderful world and experiences, enjoying apple trees, bugs and the occasional apricot slice.
Jane Moore

History mysteries series by Mark Greenwood

Lasseter's gold. ISBN 9780143309321
The last tiger. ISBN 9780143309253
(Age: Middle primary) Recommended. Two wonderfully enlightening tales in the History mysteries series of books, giving a fictional account of a real event in Australia's history, will be well read as they offer excitement and adventure wrapped up in a plethora of historical facts about our past.
The claim by Lasseter in 1900 that he had found a massive reef of gold somewhere in Central Australia, still holds water today as people search for it. He was able to convince people to back him in 1930 and an expedition set out from Alice Springs. But people soon tired of his secrecy and seeming inability to understand the bush. More of them began to question if he had ever been in the bush, and so most went back to Alice Springs, leaving Lasseter and a gold prospector to travel on. They split, and later Lasseter's body was found buried in a shallow grave by Aboriginal people who had tried to help him. But the story endures, especially after maps and instructions were found in the bank after his death.
The story of the last thylacine in Australia is a poignant as it is instructional, pointing to the fragility of our environment and urging us to care for it.
Two other books have already appeared in this series, Diamond Jack and The lost explorer, and the four together make great reading for middle school people, introducing them to history through a well told story with illustrations, maps and a glossary to help the early learner.
Fran Knight

Harry Kruize, born to lose by Paul Collins

Hybrid Publishers, 2017. ISBN 9781925272628
(Age: 11+) This book draws heavily on one of the best-known poets and fiction writers of Australia's colonial period - Henry Lawson (1867-1922). One of Lawson's recurring themes in his yarns is dogs. Many a boy wants to have the mateship and loyalty of a dog. The stories Paul uses are pub yarns written for adults so many of the underlying morals to the stories will leave kids shaking their heads wandering what the connection is to the protagonist, 11 year old Harry Kruze; this is where teachers will revel in helping readers to dive into the finer details and discuss issues such as family relationships, mental health and student bullying and examine Harry's perception that life is 'all jumbled up and fragmented . . . All messed up. And back to front'.
Harry Kruize describes himself as the Hobbit, feeling like 'a walking disaster' and 'the class weirdo'. Not surprisingly he goes through each school day keeping his head down to avoid his nemesis Gavin Brickson, THE BRICK, while trying to make sense of his mother's fluctuating moods. Although having a low opinion of himself he dreams of becoming a writer and likes to think of himself as represented by font that is 'bold face', 'clear' and 'straight to the point'.
Paul Collins has cleverly interwoven Harry's voice into a class assignment where students come up with a list of wishes and diarise about them coming true or not. Without giving away any spoilers one of Harry's seven wishes is for a dog, hoping that having a dog and winning the Dog Day Race Cup might solve his lack of social skills all the while helped along by some dubious advice from a 'friend'.
Personally I like the cover but I would have preferred to see it representative of the main character's age. The pages are bordered by Microsoft Word desktop which students will feel connected to. The mix of font makes the appearance of the book attractive but a reluctant reader would benefit from increasing the spaces between lines. A warning also needs to be made regarding the graphic goriness depicted in Collins' The dog that wasn't.
Overall, this is an interesting book for readers aged 11+ years. It provides many opportunities for guided discussion about family relationships, mental health, student bullying and empathy.
Paul Collins was born in England, raised in New Zealand and immigrated to Australia in 1972. Paul is the founder of Ford Street Publishing and runs the speaker's agency Creative Net. He strongly believes in nurturing Australian talent and has selflessly dedicated his time to ensuring children continue to be challenged and entertained by their reading choices. Harry Kruize, born to lose is one of Paul's 140+ books. For more information about Paul Collins, stop by his website. There you will find information about all Paul's books, helpful tips for young writers and classroom tools for teachers.
Sharon Smith (Children's and Youth Services Librarian Riverina Regional Library)

The secret science of magic by Melissa Keil

Hardie Grant Egmont, 2017. ISBN 9781760127763
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Coming of age. Mathematics. Magic tricks. Sophia is very smart - she loves mathematics and finds it easy to relate to logic. Joshua loves his magic tricks and is obsessed with finding a way to get to know Sophia. He decides that timing is everything and begins a campaign starting with leaving 2 of hearts card in her TARDIS wallet. As the end of school life looms, both have to come to terms with change and work out what they will do with their futures.
Melissa Keil is an award winning author (Life in outer space and The incredible adventures of Cinnamon Girl) and she continues her winning approach in The secret science of magic. Her two characters capture the reader's interest right from the first chapter. Joshua, a tall lanky boy, loves all the illusions of magic and although isolated at high school has a job and good friends away from the angst of school politics. Sophia, despite being exceptionally bright, is increasingly anxious because her best and only friend, Elsie, is planning on moving to the US for college and her relationship with her brother Toby is exceedingly tense. She has never been interested in boys, but as Joshua gains her interest with magic tricks and plays a giant illusion prank on her Drama teacher, he begins to get under her skin. Sophia's anxiety escalates during the narrative and this is handled sympathetically by Keil as is the romance between the two protagonists. Joshua is caring and understanding of Sophia's anxiety disorder and helpful when she has problems with her friend Elsie.
Keil leavens her story with wonderful flashes of humour and references to Dr Who, musicians and authors like Robin Hobb add a dimension to the story. The insights into Mathematics and Grigori Perelman, a reclusive Russian mathematician are also fascinating and will have readers researching many of the things that are mentioned.
With its humour, diversity (Sophia is of Sri Lankan descent), its sympathetic portrayal of anxiety and its gentle romance, The secret science of magic would make a fascinating Literature Circle or class text.
Pat Pledger

We're all wonders by R. J. Palacio

Penguin, 2017. ISBN 9780141386416
(Age: 4-7) Highly recommended. Paperback, 32 pages. Imagination. Play. Emotions. Feelings. Acceptance. Tolerance. Special needs. R. J. Palacio's best-selling novel Wonder introduced readers to Auggie Pullman an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face. This novel inspired the Choose Kind movement that encourages everyone to choose kindness, be tolerant and accepting of other's unique qualities.
We're all wonders with its simple, bold statements and colourful, graphic illustrations introduces Auggie and his dog Daisy to younger readers. Palacio's desire is to help children understand the need for tolerance, acceptance and kindness. Auggie does ordinary things, riding a bike, eating an icecream and playing ball, however he does not look ordinary. On the portrait wall, even though there are students from different backgrounds, countries, with different facial features, he stands out. His loving mother says he is a wonder but he knows others see him as different.
Palacio's emotive, stylised illustrations beautifully portray Auggie's emotions when his feelings are hurt: the little boy, his dog, even the blue bird in the wagon all are drawn with their heads down looking dejected. His helmet is drawn as a symbol of protection and he blasts off across a starry galaxy to Pluto where all the creatures who have the same unique faces welcome him. Auggie is shown looking back to Earth wishing that there is room for everyone to be loved and accepted.
This simple picture book is a fantastic starting point for families to discuss tolerance, acceptance and physical differences. From the front cover, to the last page where the world is reflected in Auggie's one eye, this is a powerful picture book. We're all wonders is a key book for teaching ethical understanding in the Early Years: identifying and appreciating similarities and differences in people; exploring how people feel when they are included and excluded from groups and demonstrating appropriate language when encouraging others.
Rhyllis Bignell

My amazing body machine by Robert Winston

Ill. by Owen Gildersleeve. DK Publishing, 2017. ISBN 9780241283806
Young children are always fascinated with their bodies and how they work and this new publication from DK is the perfect starting point for those who are ready to delve a little deeper.
Divided into nine sections, each dealing with a different but related phenomenon of the body, with bite-sized chunks of information in accessible text interspersed with colourful informative diagrams and photos, this would be an ideal addition to the family reference library, ready to consult when questions are asked, as well as the school library collection. Having it out on display so students can leaf through it as they wait will spark lots of curiosity and a desire to find out more. The perfect introduction to the role of the encyclopedia as a starting point to finding out a little and sparking the desire to go to a more specialised book to find out more.
DK have been at the forefront of introducing non fiction to young readers for decades and this is no exception.
Barbara Braxton

Nat's naughty nits by Giles Andreae

Ill. by Jess Mikhail. Orchard Books, 2017. ISBN 9781408329375
(Age: 4-6) Hardcover, 29 pages. Lice. Rhyming stories. Humorous fiction. Health. Daily living.
'There are nits in the treetops,
Nits in the town,
Nits on the toilet seat with their pants pulled down!'
Giles Andreae tackles a new but very familiar subject in this funny rhyming story. Nat's naughty nits have come to play, they have invaded his hair and his life, they are even playing football, eating treats and sleeping safe and sound. There is an abundance of little black creatures up to all sorts of mischief, until Mummy appears with her shampoo and comb. Nate's nits are gone, and he is looking very smart until we see them travelling along the tabletop off to find a new head.
Jess Mikhail's lively nits wear a bold array of outfits perfect for their insect bodies, as they engage in a humourous range of activities. Their funny expressions, up close antics and settings are delightful, an amusing accompaniment to Andreae's rhyming story, which is presented with a range of font sizes from big and bold to tiny.
Nat's naughty nits is a fun story to share with a family or class, especially as an introduction to healthy living and how to cope with this very common school problem.
Rhyllis Bignell

Star Wars: the visual encyclopedia by Tricia Barr, Adam Bray and Cole Horton

The thank you dish by Trace Balla

Allen and Unwin, 2017. ISBN 9781760292355
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. Food, Gardens, Food production. When Grace sits down at the table to eat the meal her mother has prepared for her, she thanks all those involved in its making. She thanks Leo for lending her a ladder to pick the lemons, the road workers for laying the road on which she can ride her bike to the market stall, she thanks Suki for selling them the kale and corn, the kangaroos for not eating the carrots. A parade of people are thanked because they have in some way been responsible for her meal.
The story underlines our interdependence on other people, it shows how a small community can share its resources and produce, it promotes a grass roots attitude to growing our own produce and sharing it with others. For children it reveals how our lives are dependent on others, from family and friends to neighbours and workers, and will promote discussions abut how they can be involved. There are now many schools with vegetable gardens.
The quirky illustrations reveal a myriad of detail as the girl sits at her table thanking all those who had a hand in producing her meal. Nods to home grown produce are given on each page: a vegetable garden, fruit trees, local jams and relishes, a market stall are depicted with Grace and her mother able to reach each on their bikes, just like the author, Trace Balla.
This story oozes with love and family, with a friendly open community sharing and helping each other, something which many more people are aspiring to.
Fran Knight

Badge, boot, button: the story of Australian uniforms by Craig Wilcox

National Library of Australia, 2017. ISBN: 9780642278937
Recommended as a Library reference book. Themes: Uniforms; Military Uniforms; Australian History; Clothing. Uniforms are probably not everyone's favourite item of clothing, as they are usually worn in response to the authority of others or as a symbol of authority. In this book, Craig Wilcox has looked at the changing nature of uniforms in military and civilian contexts within Australia. With pictorial evidence and magazine-style excerpts of detail from specific examples, the book meanders from the early convict experience, to the military and sporting arena, as well as giving a nod to the influence of military history to civilian work uniforms and government emergency services. Read from cover to cover, there are difficulties in following the historical or chronological thread (particularly when there are multiple pages of pictorial content or sidebar examples interrupting the flow), but this will be an interesting resource for those interested in the way clothing reflects changing social priorities. References to everything from 'The Baggy Green Cap', to Sir John Kerr's Top Hat and topcoat appearance, to volunteer outfits at the Sydney Olympics and the changes of the attire of Flight attendants in an Australian context are all given attention. Surprisingly there is no mention of Cathy Freeman's unusual sporting 'uniform' and running outfit at the Sydney Olympics, nor does Wilcox address the nature of fabric technology changes and the subsequent impact in sporting fields. Understandably in a book of this size (166 pages), it is not possible to discuss every uniform permutation, and the social pressures that lead to change are addressed only briefly. What this book does do well though is to demonstrate that uniform can be reflective of social and political change.
Carolyn Hull

Clap hands series by Pat-a-cake

Ages: 0 – 4) Recommended. Board Book. Boldly illustrated as a series of four rhyming texts, each is your classic 'touch and feel' board book, every page featuring a differently textured material for parts of the characters' bodies. Here come the monkeys depicts different species of monkey on each page with Koko on page 3 bearing a lovely rough paw made of hessian that tells our little reader she must have been doing quite a lot of walking in addition to swinging from tree to tree. Each character is introduced by name and a little birdy, who remains nameless throughout the series, points out each feely feature. The reader is bid to clap hands for the clever creature at the turn of the page. My 11 month old granddaughter delights in the opportunity to display her recently acquired clapping skills after having a good feel. All the touchy textiles are well embedded making the book sturdy and long lasting. In the case of Here come the dinosaurs, the reader is introduced to a range of creatures falling under that umbrella with contractions of the species' names for each one. Terry is Pterodactyl's name and he sports one beautifully shiny foil wing which little birdy on the side sagely points out. The fold out surprise page at the end of each book provides an overview of and contextualizes the monkey, puppy, kitten or dinosaur varieties and providing an opportunity for further discussion with the older toddler. You do need to make the suggestion to your little reader however, that care must be taken with the fold-out, as it is not quite as sturdy as the rest of the book. A great little series for the very youngest of readers to get them hooked on books. Elizabeth Avery