Walker, 2016. ISBN 9781406366969
(Age 4+) Highly recommended. One of my favourite authors, Anthony
Browne, has done it again with another wonderful book starring
Willy. This time Willy has a dark cloud that seems to be following
him, no matter what he does to try and get rid of it. When he goes
to the park, everyone else is sitting in the sun and enjoying
themselves but he shivers under the cloud feeling miserable. The
cloud follows him home and he is very unhappy. He tries to work out
how to make it leave, but nothing works until he comes up with a
solution to banish it and he can then be happy.
Browne's signature illustrations are as captivating as ever. The
misery on Willy's face will ensure that readers will empathise with
Willy as he does his best to overcome his unhappiness. The drama of
the moment when Willy shouts at the cloud and makes it go away with
resonate with readers, who will be thrilled to find that Willy can
be happy in the rain and the sun.
This is sure to be a perfect book to discuss feelings with children
at home and in the classroom. It could lead to an understanding that
everyone can feel depressed, anxious and lonely and Willy has one
solution to make his cloud go away. Children may be able to come up
with other ways of combating depression and loneliness. Willy and the cloud is a keeper.
Pat Pledger
When we go camping by Sally Sutton
Ill. by Cat Chapman. Walker Books, 2016. ISBN 9781921977787
(Age: 5-7) Recommended. Camping. Holidays. Everyone who has ever
been camping will relate to this amusing and informative picture
book that shows a family on holiday. The whole family, including
grandparents and pets, set out on a camping holiday. All the trials
and tribulations of setting up a campsite are shown in humorous
detail. The family members have to put up the tents, and try to
avoid tripping on the guy ropes; they place their sleeping bags
inside the tent on the floor and lay down to rest. When all is
organised off the children go to have lots of fun at the campsite,
swimming, playing with other kids and boiling a billy. They even
have to face the long-drop toilet that stinks!
Each double page spread has three lines of verse, with rhyming words
and lots of repetition and then a version of the phrase 'smacketty
tappetty bopp-io' to suit the picture. Children will have lots of
fun trying to guess the words in each of the phrases. The rhymes and
onomatopoeia make it ideal to read aloud and independent readers
will have a ball finding things to look at on the pages.
The narrative is accompanied by charming pictures by Cat Chapman
that not only complement the text but add to it. The grandparents
are seen sitting under an umbrella, a little dog appears on most
pages and has lots of fun with the children and the bush and beach
background is beautifully illustrated in soft pastel colours.
Sally Sutton has written other excellent books, including Roadworks
and Farmer
John's tractor and this lives up to the high expectations that
I had of this author.
Pat Pledger
Granny's place by Allison Paterson
Ill. by Shane McGrath. Big Sky Publishing, 2016. ISBN 9781925275629
Themes: Grandparents, Family, Change, Australian Social History. For
anyone who has had a Grandparent who lives in the country or on a
farm or whose grandparents have a house that retains historical
accoutrements, rather than a collection of 21st Century
mass-produced decor, this book will create links to their personal
past. The illustrator has depicted delightful images that speak of
social history and life before mass production. The Granny in this
book lives initially in a charming house with simple possessions and
it has strong appeal for the child remembering holidays there. When
Granny moves to the city because of a loss in her life (a fact very
gently mentioned for the sake of younger readers), her new home is
still a historical snapshot of the 1960s/70s. The child who visits
remembers with fondness her visits to Granny's Place.
This book is essentially a virtual time capsule of life from
previous generations, and it is perhaps a child's parents (or even
grandparents!) who will recognise the features illustrated. The
essence of the story is that it isn't the architecture, furnishings
or surroundings that make Granny's place special - but rather Granny
herself.
With the occasional clumsy sentence structure that would complicate
a read-aloud experience, the true hero in this book is the
illustrations that open the window to the past. (I had moments of
reverie myself!) Teachers may be able to use these illustrations to
discuss how life has changed over the generations. For example the
pantry on Granny's farm includes a Fowler's Vacola Preserving Unit,
and no cans or packets!
(Note: valuable as an Australian Curriculum History resource for
Year 1: Present and Past Family Life)
Carolyn Hull
Colours of Australia by Bronwyn Bancroft
Little Hare, 2016. ISBN 9781742976914
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. Award winning Indigenous artist,
author and illustrator Bronwyn Bancroft celebrates the vibrant hues
of the landscape, the earth, sea and sky in her new picture book Colours
of Australia. How richly rewarding to read and discover each
new setting, beautifully captured in both word and paint. Her words
are crisp, clear, and evocative, so carefully chosen to compliment
her unique artistic style. Indigo - Streaks of cloud across the evening sky
Find rest on a bed of mountains
Against a vivid, bold striped background, these purple and azure
mountains filled with a myriad of dots reach up to touch the sky.
There is a harmony, a fluidity of line, tone upon tone of colour
that holds your gaze. After reading the descriptive phrase, take the
time to discover 'the raindrops falling, the black shadows on the
water and the full moon poised against the night sky.' Tactile
exploration, the need to touch the pages, to follow the lines and
explore the ways Bronwyn has interpreted the settings, creates
meaning and memories for the younger reader. Colours of Australia makes a wonderful gift for an overseas
visitor, with dot-paintings that truly bring our country to life.
This is a must-have resource for schools for Visual Arts, English
and HASS lessons, for students to gain respect, explore the visual
artworks of Aboriginal Peoples, and develop their own artwork and
texts.
Rhyllis Bignell
Goodnight everyone by Chris Haughton
Walker, 2016. ISBN 9781406352320
(Age: 6 months - 6) Highly recommended.
'No dreamer is ever too small, no dream is ever too big'.
Chris Haughton's Goodnight Everyone is a simply told bedtime
story, starting with a small yawn, that grows bigger and bigger
until all the forest creatures fall asleep. Each turn of the page
reveals the mice, hares, deer even Great Big Bear, and they are
covered up and almost tucked into bed by the movement of the page.
Of course Little Bear will not give, however all the animals are too
tired and he too falls fast asleep.
Haughton's mastery of colour saturation, shape manipulation,
composition and layout are key elements. Multi-layered digital
images in vibrant, rainbow tones encapsulate and enliven this
bedtime story. Engagement with the actions from small yawns, to
gentle snores and a goodnight kiss opens up the simple, soothing
narrative to a young baby.
The front and endpapers show the Southern and Northern night skies
with the planets in order from the sun. The Little Bear and Big Bear
constellations are highlighted and their shapes transform into the
main characters. As the story is shared, look for the dandelion seed
blown by one of the mice; it floats through the pages like the
circle of life.
The easy to recite responsive text and bold illustrations make Goodnight
Everyone by Chris Haughton a fantastic picture book for
families to share. He writes about the inspiration for the book here.
Rhyllis Bignell
Ottoline and the Purple Fox by Chris Riddell
Ottoline, book 4. Macmillan Children's Books, 2016. ISBN
9781447277927
(Age: 7+) Highly recommended. Ottoline and the Purple Fox is a
dazzling new story from UK's Children's Laureate, Chris Riddell. It
was the first that I had read about Ottoline, but I had no problems
with the characters or the plot as it read beautifully as a
stand-alone story. Fans of Ottoline will no doubt be thrilled to
read another story about this independent little girl and the
strange hairy Mr Munroe. In this story the pair meet a purple fox
who takes them on an urban safari where they discover all the
animals who live in the city. While Ottoline takes notes about the
animals, Mr Munroe is intrigued by the poems left on the lamp post
and they both want to help the lonely poet find true love. The pair
organise a dinner party for all their friends and hope to help out
the anonymous poet.
This is a whimsical, humorous story that delights the senses with
its wacky ideas and fabulous illustrations. Ottoline is a wonderful
girl and the introduction of a new friend, Myrrh, who looks just
like Ottoline adds a twist that has the reader thinking about where
she fits into Ottoline's life. The purple fox grabs the reader's
attention and the journey through the city that he takes Ottoline
and Mr Munroe on is fascinating as various animals are shown in
amazing habitats.
Each page has something for the reader to linger over and smile
about and young readers will be pleased to be sent to other pages
for more information. There is a nod to the stories about Goth Girl
by Riddell - a subtle hint to the reader that there are other books
by this author! At the back is a fancy dress fortune teller that
children will love to make and use.
This is a series that is a feast for the imagination for all ages
and will richly reward those who are prepared to spend time perusing
the illustrations.
Pat Pledger
Mega Weird! by Anh Do
WeirDo Bk. 7. Scholastic, 2016. ISBN 9781760159092
(Age: 6-8, 8+ will also enjoy the simple humour!) Highly
recommended. Themes: Humour, Family, Asian-Australian perspectives,
Friendship, School, Identity. Anh Do does it again! He is a talented
author, comedian, artist and television personality and his writing
for young readers is spot on!
Another book involving the lovable wise-cracking Weir Do, who is up
to the usual joke sharing and simple fun stuff that kids love. Anh
Do tells the story of the Street Garage Sale and what that looks
like for this Asian-Australian family. Their junk-gathering garage
should be a gold mine for the family. Or is it just junk? Weir Do
helps his family as they aim to raise some dollars for a very
special reason. Along the way he also enters a writing competition
and tells very funny jokes.
This is a simple chapter book with cartoon illustrations (and few
words) that children love for its simplicity and amusing view of the
unpretentious things in life. In addition, this series works for
children that dislike or struggle with reading as it gives them a
means of engagement with books and the entire series takes very
little time to consume as there is probably only as much to read as
a typical picture book. An Asian-Australian perspective is also
refreshing.
Carolyn Hull
Party at Cuddleton Castle by Danny Parker
Ill. by Guy Shield. Lola's Toy Box series. Hardie Grant,
2016. ISBN 9781760126858
(Age: 5-6) Young Lola's best friend is Buddy a learn-to-dress clown
toy with zippers, poppers, buttons and buckles, and together they go on
amazing adventures to The Kingdom where toys are living things and
magical events happen. When her older brother Nick stops playing
hide and seek Lola decides to create her own fun. She chooses to
take her friend Buddy and vanish inside her magical Toy Box. Where
will this new adventure take them - to The Button Mines or The Story
Sea? Of course, Buddy comes to life in the magical kingdom and he is
there to help Lola in all sorts of situations. He loves to use
alliterative and exclamatory statements - polish my poppers or bless
my buttons!
The two friends land in Cuddleton Castle, the land of the Great High
Bear and the home of the cuddly toys. In the midst of the
festivities for the bear's birthday, a large cake arrives with a
hidden dilemma inside. Lola and Buddy use their ingenuity to foil
the wicked Plastic Prince's plans so order can return to the castle. Lola's Toy Box is a series just right for the very young
reader as an introduction to chapter books. With large easy to read
text and Guy Shield's full page simple line drawings, these books
are perfect for 5-6 year olds.
Rhyllis Bignell
Hester and Harriet by Hilary Spiers
Allen and Unwin, 2015. ISBN 9781925266412
(Age: Secondary-adult) Highly recommended. Crime fiction. Humour.
Asylum seekers. England. Two widowed sisters, Harriet and Hester,
live together in a small cottage in an equally small village in the
south of England. When one night they see their local homeless man,
Finbar in some distress they find that there is a young woman and a
baby in his living quarters, the local bus shelter. They take the
girl in, keeping her warm, and feeding her, finding that she has a
limited grasp of English and is very scared. At the same time, their
nephew Ben, lands on their door step, having run away from home.
They must give shelter to all three guests and find that the wayward
and taciturn Ben, who in the past has caused some upset within the
family, has skills never before known. He is able to talk to Daria,
and look after her son, Milo, and even more surprising, finds a
talent for cooking.
Problems compound when the women realise that someone has been in
their house and Finbar attacked, while a strange man has knocked at
their door, asking awkward questions.
The characters are a treat: each pedantic about the use of their
language, correcting Ben without a second thought, while homeless
Finbar is a classically educated man using Latin phrases. All three
have a wonderful grasp of language adding to the pleasure gained in
reading. When the women find that their houseguest has no passport
and has run away from where she was working in London, only to be
taken in by another couple with suspect motives, their impetus to
get in touch with the police is stalled by Ben's revelations.
They begin to be aware of Daria's untenable status in this country
and resolve to protect her, while at the same time keeping
themselves safe.
This is a beguiling read but beneath the word play, humour and
mocking tone lies a plea for refugees, asylum seekers, displaced
people and those for whom home is no longer a safe place. Through
finding out more of Daria's situation in England her legal rights
are brought to the fore, giving the readers a firm basis of fact,
enlisting their sympathy for people in this position.
Fran Knight
Timmy Failure: The book you're not supposed to have by Stephan Pastis
Walker Books, 2016. ISBN 9781406369762
(Age: 8+) Humour. Detectives. This is the kind of book
written for kids who like silly humour, impossible logic and
exceptionally odd and quirky characters who like to solve problems
(even if the problems don't really exist). Timmy Failure is a legend
in his own mind, and he considers himself to be the world's best
young private detective, however his definition of genius and his
tendency to see the world from a very warped perspective seem to get
him into trouble. With the looming wedding of his mother to Doorman
Dave (a man Timmy loathes), and with the punishment of NO detective
work until school is over, Timmy takes unusual routes to hide his
devious detective agency from her attention, and to avoid
participation in the wedding. Failure is intensely awful at
detective work, but he does not realise this. He also ropes in
classmates with equally dreadful deductive reasoning and manages to
just create mayhem wherever he goes.
Pastis has created a series that kids will like, but this is
certainly not great literature. With a crazy plot, scattered comedic
caricatures throughout the book and silly chapter headings, there
are plenty of places to tickle the funny bone of readers aged 8+.
But don't expect that they will grow in their maturity and empathy
by reading this book... it is more likely that they will giggle
at inappropriate moments!
Carolyn Hull
Spark by Adam Wallace and Andrew Plant
Ford St Publishing, 2016. ISBN 9781925272406
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Bushfire. Australian bush. Disasters.
A cigarette casually thrown onto the dry grass is the spark which at
first flickers but then the wind becomes its friend and helps the
spark grow. It races across the dry grass, increasing in size, until
it tops the trees and frightens the animals from the bush. It now
flies above the tree tops, burning everything in its path. It asks
the wind to quieten but it is too late, the wind keeps pushing it
along until eventually weakening, it changes direction and the fire
is reduced back to where it started, a small spark.
This involving story of taut, measured words shows readers the
strength of a fire as it races over the scrub. With both the author
and illustrator having first hand experience of fire in Victoria and
South Australia (Ash Wednesday, 1983 and Black Saturday, 2009), the
words and images are stunningly presented.
Plant's illustrations encapsulate the dreadful intensity of a fire,
from the tiny spark to the ferocious firestorm engulfing all in its
wake. His use of mixed media including water colour, pencil and
crayon present the small flame beginning quietly in yellows with a
pale blue sky then building to a intensity of reds and dark yellows,
and on to blacks, grays and reds savagely taking up the whole page.
Different illustrative techniques convey the changing nature of the
fire, and readers will be in no doubt about its destructive force.
This will make a powerful addition to any class study of disasters
and fire, of how fires start, of their destruction and place in the
Australian environment.
Fran Knight
The Legends series by Michael Panckridge
Ford St, 2016. Chasing the break. ISBN 9781925272482 Against the spin. ISBN 9781925272499
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Sports. School. With the upper
primary reading group such a hard batch to satisfy with good books,
it is great to see the republishing of Michael Panckridge's exciting
series, The Legends. This is most welcome, with the series
repackaged with an up to date cover and blurb, designed to appeal to
this difficult group of the reading public. Each of the eight novels
in The Legends series are very school based using day to day
encounters to develop the plots, involving sports which are part of
the school's competitions. Chasing the break involves a surfing competition at Sandhurst
Primary School. One boy, Travis Fisk, won the competition at last
year's annual beach camp and intends to win again, but he is
challenged by the new boy at school, Mitchell Grady. Told in short,
easy to read chapters, the characters are well developed and
identifiable, and the integrity underlining the story is easily in
reach of every reader. They will cheer the hero as he strives to win
despite the odds, overcoming the antagonism of the antihero of the
story. Against the spin has a similar plot line, with Travis nursing
his wounds and Mitchell shining on the cricket field as well. But
this involves more of Travis' undesirable bullying coming to the
fore, and Mitchell and his friends having to deal with his antics
both on and off the sporting field.
Exciting, fast paced and easy to read, each of these stories is
about one hundred pages long with scores and quizzes at the end for
further excitement. The whole set will rarely be left on the shelf.
Fran Knight
Animalia by Graeme Base
Penguin, 2016. ISBN 9780670079131
Thirty years ago in 1986 an armoured armadillo avoiding an angry
alligator appeared from the pen of one of Australia's most iconic
illustrators. It was followed by beautiful blue butterflies basking
by a babbling brook and a host of other creatures including eight
enormous elephants expertly eating Easter eggs; horrible hairy hogs
hurrying homeward on heavily harnessed horses; meticulous mice
monitoring mysterious mathematical messages; and even zany sabras
zigzagging in zinc zeppelins.
For this was the magical, mystical, marvellous Animalia - an
alliterative alphabet book and which, after selling more than three
million copies worldwide and spawning a television
series, is now celebrating its 30th birthday and a whole new
audience is set to wonder at its creativity, its detail, its colour
and try to spot the tiny Graeme on each page. It is indeed a feast
of vivid visual literacy. And underneath the familiar dust cover
which so cleverly hints at what is inside is a glamorous golden
cover AND a fabulous poster of the lazy lions lounging in the local
library. (Great role models for reading!!!)
Since Animalia's original publication we have come to
associate Graeme Base with intriguing stories woven around the most
scintillating illustrations and if this is your first introduction
to his work, you will be on the lookout for his other works.
Congratulations Graeme - thank you for bringing us these superb
creatures and creating such riches for our young readers.
Barbara Braxton
His Bloody Project. Documents relating to the case of Roderick Macrae by Graeme Macrae Burnet
Text, 2016. ISBN 9781925498257
(Age: Capable senior students) Recommended. Shortlisted for the Man
Booker prize 2016. His Bloody Project is clearly subtitled
as a novel, which is a useful guide as the book has the authenticity
of a historical investigation. It has also been described as a
'crime story', that is, a story about a crime and not a 'crime
novel'. The text is comprised of a number of sets of documents,
including reports from the crime scene, the accused's thoughts
written in prison, an account from a psychiatrist engaged to assess
the accused and press reports written during and after the trial.
The accused is Roderick Macrae, the son of a poor crofter living in
a remote village in the Scottish Highlands in 1869. The reader
learns that Roderick, aged 16, has admitted to brutally murdering
the constable of the village. The crime scene documents detail
events seen by a number of villagers who are all shocked and some of
whom are sympathetic to Roderick. They agree that he was seen
walking to the constable's house with several agricultural
implements and returning covered in blood. However, attitudes to the
boy differ. The school teacher attests that Roderick was a clever
student, a neighbour that he was treated too severely by his father,
but the minister that he was wicked and retarded. Roderick's
statement is written in gaol at the behest of his lawyer. The reader
is given a clear picture of the hardship and deprivation that was
part of Roderick's life, though Roderick does not acknowledge that
his own circumstances are any more difficult than anyone else's.
Roderick's father is a dour, punitive man who seems to accept and
administer hardship with a religious zeal. He is a poor farmer and
father, and sends Roderick to work for the laird despite the teacher
recommending further education. Roderick is dismissed as unsuitable
and so is unable to help with the family's finances. Motivation for
the murder is provided when the constable harasses the family and
finally deprives them of their land. Roderick's lawyer is moved by
the statement and hoping for a verdict of insanity engages a
psychiatrist. The psychiatrist's report illustrates the nature of
psychiatry at that time more than the character of Roderick. Doctor
Thompson is supposedly an expert in the criminal mind. He has no
interest in Roderick himself and little in justice but rather is
concerned with proving his own theories about the criminal
physiognomy and the criminal class. He is unimpressed by Roddy's
writing though to the reader it seems thoughtful and humble. Doctor
Thompson travels to Roddy's village and reinforces his theories by
categorizing the villagers as stereotypes of the lowest class.
Finally, the newspaper accounts relay the trial and its unsurprising
conclusion.
The book is convincing and is a disturbing look at poverty and
victimisation. It also, with its use of multiple voices and
viewpoints, powerfully illustrates the impossibility of truly
understanding the minds of others. It is recommended for capable
senior readers.
Jenny Hamilton
Three sisters, three queens by Philippa Gregory
Allen & Unwin, 2016. ISBN 9781471133022
(Age: secondary) Recommended. English history, Tudors, Henry VIII,
Status of women, Scottish history. When Katherine of Aragon comes to
the Tudor court to marry Arthur, his younger sister, Margaret looks
on with petulant disdain. This woman will be her sister in law, but
Margaret is in no mood to be charitable. She will have to take
second place to this foreigner who cannot speak English, and
Margaret above all else, wants to be first.
However, she must be on her best behaviour at their wedding, as an
ambassador is there to confirm her as the wife to be of James IV of
Scotland. She is thrilled to be betrothed at twelve hardly able to
wait until she marries at fourteen to be a queen.
Her younger sister, Mary is initially betrothed to the Spanish
emperor, so the three sisters are to become queens and are all
related through Henry. Katherine of Aragon becomes Queen of England
when she marries Arthur's brother, the future Henry the Eighth,
Margaret is Queen of Scotland and Mary, Queen of France, and their
fictionalised lives make fascinating reading. Gregory's research is
obvious in the huge amount of detail providing a solid background to
these women's imagined lives. Details like James' metal belt worn
next to his skin to remind him of his killing his father or
Katherine's pregnancies and hair shirt, the progress made by the
kings surveying their lands, the clothing and jewelry and
extravagance of Henry's court are intoxicating. And the details of
court behaviour, the differences between the three courts, the
intrigues behind the decisions to declare war and the hapless lives
of these women dependent upon the men in their lives, are absorbing
to read. Margaret's petulance does not subside, she is ever
comparing herself with the other queens, sometimes their solicitous
friend, other times disgruntled and critical.
Her life going between Linlithgow, Holyrood, Edinburgh and Stirling
Castles, carrying six children and losing all but one, is
magnificently retold, ensuring the reader knows all there is to know
about Margaret of Scotland and her part in the Stuart succession to
the throne of England two generations hence.
She is self absorbed, but her life, always bound but her brother's
ambition and political game playing, or that of her husbands and any
people currying her favour, made her a more sympathetic creature,
tossed around in a world where a woman's voice was seldom given
credence.
A wonderful historical novel for those who love reading of Tudor
times, and are particularly interested in the role of women in this
society.
Fran Knight
