Ill. by Mike Curato. Balzer & Bray, 2016. ISBN 9780062386335
Worm loves Worm. So they decide to get married. It shouldn't be a
problem but suddenly all their minibeast friends chip in. "You'll
need someone to marry you. That's how it's always been done." You'll
need a best man, bridesmaids, rings, a band... and so on and so
on, because "that's how it's always been done."
Worm and Worm agree to each suggestion hoping that after they
acquiesce they can get married but no... there is always
something else. So when they are told that they need to have a bride
and groom, worms being hermaphrodites, they have no trouble with
being either or both - but that isn't how it's always been done.
Will they ever just celebrate their love by getting married???
This is a charming book that, on the surface, is just a story about
two worms wanting to get married because they love each other, and
that, to a four-year-old is a natural thing to do. It is just a
celebration of love. For those in different circumstances or a
little bit older there is a sub-text of marriage equality and things
can change - things don't always have to be because they have always
been. It's enough to love each other without all the other
trappings; it's about inclusion and equality and showing affection
regardless of any traditional views and values that have been
imposed on a natural state of mind. That's what little ones
understand and accept - intolerance is something they learn.
Choosing worms as the main characters is a masterstroke because
there are no physical differences between worms - there is nothing
to say which is female and therefore the bride or male and therefore
the groom. So the central message of love being the key ingredient
and the rest of the elements of a wedding just being seasoning
remains the central theme. Perhaps some of our politicians and those
who influence them should read this and get to the core of what
really matters.
A great addition to a school library collection that allows children
to see their own family structure in a story, to show others that
there are all sorts of family structures, and to explain marriage
equality to those unfamiliar with the concept.
Barbara Braxton
Big picture book of long ago by Sam Baer
Ill. by Wesley Robins. Usborne, 2016. ISBN 9781409598725
Take a city, an English city, and then take a journey back through
time and discover how people have lived and worked there over the
centuries right back to its Stone Age camp beginnings.
Interspersed with double-page spreads of how people travelled, what
they wore and the structures they built, this is a Richard
Scarry-esque picture book loaded with pictures and captions that
will fascinate the young reader fascinated with history. Or it might
be the one that sparks an interest as the reader looks for the
changes across the centuries and thinks about why they have
occurred.
More to this than meets the eye.
Barbara Braxton
Three little monkeys by Quentin Blake
Ill. by Emma Chichester Clark. HarperCollins, 2016. ISBN
9780008164478
Hilda Snibbs is not like other people. She doesn't have a dog or a
cat or even a goldfish - she has three little monkeys. Their names
are Tim and Sam and Lulu and they are very lively. Every time she
leaves the house and leaves them on their own, they trash it.
Nothing is safe - not her hat, her knitting, her favourite shampoo,
the toilet paper...
She tells them she is disappointed in them, she asks what she has
done to deserve such wretched little monkeys; she wonders how long
she can put up with them - and each time Tim and Sam and Lulu look
at her with their big round eyes and say nothing. One day after they
had been into everything in her bathroom, she cries, "Oh, for a
peaceful life without these wicked little monkeys!" But when she
comes home the next day and they are gone, she realises how much she
misses them until...
This is a funny, lovable story that will become a favourite of
little ones as they recognise some of the mischief they themselves
might have created over time. Quentin Blake's words marry so well
with Emma Chichester Clark's illustrations - little vignettes that
are full of action and fun as they show the monkeys at work - that
this is a masterful collaboration. Even though the monkeys are so
naughty they remain lovable and it's Hilda Snibbs who becomes the
"villain". As Miss 5 said, "Why did she keep leaving them on their
own? She's stupid!" Three little monkeys is the perfect bedtime read-aloud as the
children delight in the antics and naughtiness of the monkeys and
see that they are loved regardless of what they do, while Hilda
Snibbs will resonate with exasperated parents who sometimes long for
the quiet life they had before their own little monkeys were born,
even though they know they wouldn't have it any other way.
Joyful.
Barbara Braxton
Flying through clouds by Michelle Morgan
Michelle Morgan, 2017. ISBN 9780995386501
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Depression (1930). Australian history.
Aviation. Reprising the familiar territory of her first novel, Racing
the moon, Morgan weaves a tale about Joe, a thirteen
year old boy in a religiously mixed family in the slum area of
Glebe, working as a runner for his father, an illegal bookie. Seeing
the arrival of Charles Kingsford Smith after flying across the
Pacific in the Southern Cross in 1928, Joe's sights are set on
becoming an aviator. All of his thoughts are dictated by how much
money he can earn to take flying lessons, apart from a few thoughts
devoted to the head master's daughter, Amy.
The background of the novel is wonderfully realised, with readers
able to sink into the surrounds of Sydney in the 1930's with crime
and unemployment, casual abuse, poor housing and illness ever
present. Morgan's sense of the times is well depicted, and she
includes some events which are well known, Kingsford Smith's flight
across the pacific, the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the
Bodyline Series, for example, positioning the story in its time
slot.
Joe's efforts to save money see him getting into trouble with his
father as well as the school for wagging while he does his friend's
running for another bookie. But saving is all he focusses on,
amassing enough money for one lesson, until his money is stolen. But
he is able to go and stay with a friend near Canberra whose family
has a Tiger Moth and the two fly off to Queensland, where another
adventure befalls them. A neat resolution occurs with Joe meeting
his hero, and his family accepting their son's dream.
This book will appeal to all those dreamers in upper primary looking
for an adventure story set in an historical time frame that is in
part recognisable.
Fran Knight
The CSIRO low-carb diet by Grant Brinkworth and Pennie Taylor
Macmillan Australia, 2017. ISBN 9781925481488
(Age 14 - Adult) Recommended. Following other successful books from
the CSIRO, The CSIRO low-carb diet is sure to be popular
with people who are seeking advice about a more healthy lifestyle
and diet. Based on research from around the world as well as
research that the CSIRO has done in Australia, it is particularly
relevant for people living here.
The book is divided into well illustrated easy to read sections. I
found the Our Health Challenges section particularly useful as it
looked at the rise of obesity and related diseases, in particular
cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes. Part 2, Why the CSIRO
low-carb diet works, gives the scientific background and facts about
carbs and glucose. The Weekly meal plans will prove a boon for
people who are determined to improve their diet. A shopping list for
the week is also a useful aid and the pictures of vegetables and
salad ingredients that contain low amounts and moderate amounts of
carbs make an immediate impact and are really useful to the reader.
The exercise section is also well illustrated with clear
instructions on why exercise is important and hints for staying
motivated. It gives information for both a weekly aerobic exercise
program and a resistance training program.
The recipe section is divided into Breakfast, Lunch, Seafood,
Poultry and Pork, Beef and Lamb, Vegetarian and Snacks and Desserts.
All the recipes have excellent photographs, providing the reader
with a tantalising idea of what the food will look like. The recipes
are well organised into ingredients and easy to follow instructions.
At the back of the book in Appendix A, How doctors manage Type 2
diabetes, is well organised information that will be very beneficial
to people with diabetes as well as those diagnosed with
pre-diabetes.
People using this book will find lots of useful information about
health issues, a diet to follow that will improve the health of
those who have diabetes and many recipes that can be incorporated
into daily eating habits.
Pat Pledger
The leaky story by Devon Sillert
Ill. by Anil Tortop. EK Books, 2017. ISBN 9781925335392
The Blossburn family are engaged in their usual activities - parents
engrossed in a television program while J.J. is playing with toys on
the mat. No one is taking any notice of the books on the shelves,
least of all the one that is slowly swelling as it demands to be
read. Only when it swells so much that it falls over and the letters
start to spill out with the drip-drips becoming plop-plops does J.J.
notice and try to stem the flood. In fact it is not until the
plop-plops become a splish-splash and the living room starts to look
like an aquarium as all sorts of sea creatures invade it and swamp
their recliner chairs that Mr and Mrs even start to notice that
something might be amiss. But their attention is grabbed when
pirates sail through and challenge them and the fun really begins.
Young children will love this concept as they willingly suspend
their reality and let their imaginations take over. Canberra-based
author Devon Sillert was awarded the Australian Postgraduate Award
for her research into speculative fiction for young adults and it
seems that this is a great example of the "what-if' story starter.
What if your favourite story came to life right there in your living
room? Can you imagine the responses the children could draw, just as
Anil Tortop has done with Sillert's words in such a colourful, fun
way? Let them tell you about a book they have bought or borrowed
that they just couldn't wait to read and what it would be like if it
came true right there in their home. A great way to start their
writing careers.
Or even if they all started with the same story - an intriguing way
to introduce the concept that even with the same information we all
perceive and interpret things differently because of our previous
experiences and understandings. Similarly, they might like to turn
the story around and talk about how 17th century pirates would feel
in a 21st century home.
The final page is very satisfying as the Blossburns have all
discovered the magic of words and the adventures they can take them
on - what will they have happen in their living room next? What
adventure would the children like to have? A trailer is available on
YouTube.
Barbara Braxton
Lift-the-flap questions and answers about Science by Katie Daynes
Lift-the-flap questions and answers about Science by Katie Daynes
Ill. by Marie-Eve Tremblay. Usborne, 2016. ISBN 9781409598985
From the time they are born children are innately curious and as
soon as they are able to articulate the words, they ask questions so
they can make the connections they need as they try to make sense of
their world. As the nearest adult we try to help them with the
answers. Some of the answers are at our fingertips but some need a
little more digging.
Often those answers lie in science and this book is a great
introduction for the budding young scientist who has the questions
and wants a basic explanation that can be followed further if they
wish. Just 16 pages long, it is divided into double page spreads
with the headings what, why, when, where, which, who, how and yes or
no. Each page has several questions, the answers for which are
hidden under the flaps. Starting with the basic "What is science?"
and "What do scientists do?" it goes on to explore other questions
about science itself as well as others such as "Is the sky really
blue?" Simple explanations and quirky pictures under the flaps
provide a straight-forward answer as well as the starting point for
further investigations. Having the answers under the flap gives the
child an opportunity to consider the question and then suggest their
own explanation before checking to see if they are on the right
track.
Aimed at the young reader with an interest in science, nevertheless
it is a book to be shared with a grownup who can help with some of
the words, interpret the answers more fully and suggest other
sources for finding out more including the Usborne
web page for the book which has more questions, links to websites
and other books in the series that delve deeper.
Books like this start the young child on their way to being
information literate - able to locate, evaluate, analyse, interpret
information so they can then use it to satisfy their curiosity,
discover the world around them and ask new questions. With the
current emphasis on STEM (science technology, engineering and maths)
in the school curriculum not only does this book provide answers,
it demonstrates that those answers can be found in print as well as
modelling how to ask questions that require more than a one-word
answer to take an investigation further.
It could even be the springboard for an ongoing class activity with
a question posed each week so students can share their answers which
are then compared to the explanation provided, discussed and
investigated, sparking an interest in science that endures.
This is a dip-and-delve book - one the reader will come back to time
and time again.
Barbara Braxton
Goodnight world by Debi Gliori
Bloomsbury Children's, 2016. ISBN 9781408872734
"Bedtime and time to say goodnight to the world.
Goodnight planet, goodnight world,
Peaceful clouds around Earth curled."
In a gentle, lullaby-like rhyme the little one is getting ready for
bed and wishing everything a goodnight before sleep takes over. The
polar regions, the Northern Lights, the oceans and seas , cars,
boats, planes, birds, bees and fish - everything that he knows is
included in this final farewell for the day.
"Goodnight houses, nests and burrows.
Goodnight daylight, until tomorrow's."
The text is captured in a soft palette of muted colours, softened
even further by subtle tones and shadings and blurred lines and
within each picture everything is settling down for the night,
snuggled together and listening to a bedtime story. Even the tiniest
insect is reading or listening as the flowers and grasses curl
around them. In fact the whole theme is one of being curled up in
the arms of something that loves and protects, and that night and
darkness and sleep are a time of safety and security.
This would be the perfect inclusion as the final read for the
bedtime reading routine, gently calming everyone and sending them
off to dreamland comforted and comfortable, loving and loved.
Barbara Braxton
William Wenton and the luridium thief by Bobbie Peers
William Wenton bk 1. Walker, 2017. ISBN 9781406371703
(Age: 9+) Highly recommended. Norwegian film director Bobbie Peers'
debut children's novel is a written like a cinematic thriller packed
with action, intrigue and drama. His creative attention to detail is
outstanding, with the purpose built bots supporting the cybernetic
world filled with advanced technology.
The story begins with a grandfather's disappearance, resulting in a
family fleeing to hide in a small town in Norway. A secret
ingredient called luridium holds the key and there are sinister
forces that will stop at nothing to find it.
Eight years ago, William's grandfather, a world-famous cryptographer
and inventor, disappeared into a tunnel deep in the London
Underground taking a secret with him. Now William and his parents
live a secret life afraid to be discovered. William hides out in his
bedroom honing his code-breaking skills, researching famous
cryptographers and creating puzzles, continuing his grandfather's
legacy. When the Impossible Machine arrives at the local museum, he
disobeys his parent's instructions and slips away to solve the
encrypted puzzle. Of course, this is a trap and after his
achievement is publicised, he is kidnapped and taken to the
mysterious Institute for Post-Human Research. Here young candidates
undergo testing for their supreme scientific and technological
abilities. What an amazing and unusual environment filled with
cybernetic bots, robotic plants, even a Cosmotorium. William
befriends another candidate Iscia and together they investigate his
grandfather's disappearance, the reasons why he left and the
mysteries of the intelligent metal. William Wenton and the luridium thief is a journey into an
incredible new world where technology and science are celebrated.
This novel received the Norwegian Ark Children's Book Award in 2015.
Peer's imaginative and intense cybernetic world add excitement and
danger to William's dangerous quest for the truth, and this would
make an exciting class novel for Upper Primary students.
Rhyllis Bignell
Brothers from a different mother by Phillip Gwynne
Ill. by Marjorie Crosby-Fairall. Penguin Viking, 2017. ISBN
9780670078486
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended. Difference. Pigs. Tapir.
Understanding. Tapir and Pig see that they are similar, both in
colouring and size, shape and interests. But when they swim together
they see that they are similar but different.
'You are a pig like me, but you're not a pig like me', Pig says to
Tapir and has the same response from the Tapir. They decide that
although they have some differences, they must be brothers from a
different mother. They happily play together, but are subjected to
harsh criticism from their parents. Both tell their offspring that
they have no brothers and must stay away from each other. The Tapir
and the Pig are lonely and eventually find each other once again,
playing as happily as they have done in the past. Asking other
animals gives them no clues, but when their parents find them once
again playing together, they look like they are having so much fun
that the Dads join in.
I love Gwynne's use of repetition, of each animal shadowing the
other's words, making it an ideal story for readers to read along
with the narrator. And the vivacious illustrations with a
predominance of mud colours give a neat understanding of where these
animals are from.
In the wake of Trump and Hanson, perhaps we need to have issues
spelt out more keenly such as Gwynne has done here, eschewing the
subtlety that some authors choose when presenting this issue.
Readers will recognise and understand the issue Gwynne is bringing
to the fore, and I can imagine a whole range of discussions in
classrooms where this book is read out loud.
Fran Knight
Clearing the pack by Michael Panckridge
The Legend series. Ford St Publishing, 2017. ISBN
9781925272642
The Legend of sport competition has started for another year and
students score points for skill based sessions, their knowledge of
the sport and their game skills. The winner of the Legend of
football and netball need to achieve the highest score in all three
of these areas to be awarded the Legend of the sport. Will Mitch be
able to win another title or will the school bully manage to win?
A group of friends learn the importance of team work and just
because you don't like someone doesn't mean you can't work with them
to achieve a common goal.
This is an entertaining story about the ups and downs of the
sporting world from a school yard point of view. There is a twist in
the book that you will have to read to find out more; what is the
mystery in the library?
The quiz at the end of the book is a great way to show your friends
how much you know about football and or netball, and test them to
see how much they know.
An easy to read book for any sport lover.
Karen Colliver
Usborne illustrated myths from around the world by Anya Klauss
Usborne, 2016. ISBN 9781409596738
What do Demeter and Persephone, Finn MacCool and the fish of Maui
all have in common? Well, they are included in this collection of
stories from around the world, beautifully illustrated by Anya
Klauss.
In times long past before the truth was known, many of the things
like the sun's passage across the sky or the formation of the land
were a mystery to those observing them so they made up stories to
explain the particular phenomenon. Even though they came from
far-flung places and diverse peoples their common thread was to
explain the seemingly inexplicable so that the world made sense to
them. Whether it involved giants, mythical beings and creatures,
magic or sorcery, each story sought to demystify and through their
telling through generations across thousands of years they have
endured, even though science may have intervened to expose the
truth.
As well as being a wonderful introduction to these sorts of stories
and embracing a range of cultures, such myths can also be the entry
point into scientific investigations for young and not-so-young
scientists. If Maui did not fish the North Island of New Zealand out
of the sea, how did it get there? If the changing of the seasons are
not caused by Demeter's love and loss, how are they formed? A great
way to link literature and science and start our students on their
own quests.
Barbara Braxton
Maisy goes to the bookshop by Lucy Cousins
Maisy's first experiences series. Walker Books, 2017. ISBN
9781406369847
(Age: 3+) Recommended. Bookshops. Books. In the series, Maisy's
first experiences, which includes stories of Maisy as she goes
camping, or visits the library or goes to a hospital, the wonderful
Maisy is put into situations which may be new to some readers,
showing them what to expect and helping to diffuse any concerns they
may have.
In this book, Maisy is off to a bookshop for the first time.
Once inside she sees rows of shelves with books and finds it
difficult to select just one. She looks at several before making up
her mind. Ostrich the book shop owner shows her his favourite book,
one about birds, then she spies her friends, Charlie, Cyril and
Eddie. Each has their own favourite and can imagine themselves in
the story. They then go to the cafe for a treat, and Maisy pays
Ostrich for her book, receiving a receipt. On leaving the bookshop
Maisy catches the bus to her friend's house to give her the newly
purchased book as a present, and they read it over and over again,
as well as out loud.
A charming book with Cousins' very familiar black outlined images of
Maisy and her friends, the tale introduces younger readers to the
delight of books and using their imaginations to be part of the
story. Words relevant to visiting a bookshop are used, introducing
the reader to specific words used for book buying and reading. A
wonderful introduction for younger readers.
Fran Knight
My name is Victoria by Lucy Worsley
Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408882016
(Age: 10-14) Highly recommended. Historical fiction. Miss V. Conroy
is a very good girl. She is quiet, well-mannered and wants to
obey her father Sir John Conroy, the comptroller of the household of
the widowed Duchess of Kent. When her father takes her to Kensington
Palace to be the companion to the young Princess Victoria, she finds
that she is expected to spy on her and report back to her father.
Princess Victoria is being brought up under the Kensington System,
which aims to keep her isolated and dependent on Sir John and her
mother and keep control when she becomes queen.
Lucy Worsley, described as the 'much loved TV historian', has
written an engrossing and fast paced tale of the two young girls.
She has chosen to give them an alternative history. Even though
Queen Victoria's letters and diaries suggest that the two were
enemies, Worsley has written a story presenting the scenario that
the two did become friends, while ensuring that the historical
period and background are accurate.
There is plenty of intrigue in the Kensington household and Worsley
has the skill to bring this period to life as well give an indepth
description of the cruel Kensington System which made Victoria so
unhappy. The reader gets to know the characters of the two young
girls and can empathize with Miss V. Conroy who is torn with the
dilemma of what she should tell her father, and Princess Victoria, a
headstrong and determined girl who has to contend with very
difficult circumstances.
Worsley introduces My name is Victoria on YouTube.
Well researched and absorbing My name is Victoria will
become a favourite of readers who enjoy historical fiction.
Pat Pledger
I love you by Xiao Mao
Ill. by Tang Yun. New Frontier Publishing 2017. ISBN 9781925059762
(Age: 3-6) Recommended. Written by award winning Chinese author Xiao
Mao, I love you sees Little Badger's teacher sharing her
favourite words with the class. At the end of the day, Little Badger
goes home to practise saying three special words - I LOVE YOU! I love you explores multicultural languages, school
environments and family relationships accompanied with neutral
coloured but wonderful illustrations. Xiao Mao's text sees how much
Little Badger appreciated the small things in life by simply saying
'I love you' in a number of languages.
Overall, I love you is a fantastic resource for families and
teachers with the focus on learning new things, love, families and
multiculturalism.
Keely Coard
