An Elephant and Piggie book. Walker Books, 2011. ISBN
9781406373592
(Age: 3-6) Recommended. Humour. Injury. Picture book. Animal
characters. Friendship. Mo Willems manages to entertain with few
words and simplified illustrations (and all text in speech bubbles);
and young children will love this! With few colours and few words,
Elephant tells the convoluted reason for his injured trunk. This
begins as a recount of the events leading to his injury (akin in
style to the fable, The giant turnip), but leads to a twist
connected to his friendship with Piggie. The simple explanation is
the basis of the humour, but this is then compounded and magnified
when Piggie also gets his own 'broken body part'!
It is a crazy story with silly illustrations, but very appealing for
a young audience aged 3-6.
Carolyn Hull
Home of the cuckoo clock by Robert Favretto
Ill. by David Eustace. Ford Street, 2016. ISBN 9781925272253 (hbk).
ISBN 9781925272260 (pbk)
Deep in the Black Forest nestles the village of Schoenwald, frozen
in time - but a somewhat chaotic time for there were no clocks and
people did things when they felt like it (or remembered) rather than
according to hands making a particular pattern on a numbered face.
One day a weary cuckoo lands in a pine tree and is dismayed to see
the disorder and disarray in the village and so the next morning,
and every morning after that, this natural time-keeper for Nature
sang out. What a difference this regular greeting made. Until one
night a huge storm brought the cuckoo's pine tree crashing down and
the cuckoo was blown off the mountain and way down into the valley.
Superbly illustrated in a calm palette and with intricate detail
(including a hidden egg on each page) that draws the reader into this
isolated village in a beautiful part of the world, this is a perfect
story for introducing children to the concept of time and the need
to have some order and continuity in our lives. Little ones will
have lots of fun imagining what would happen at home or school if
everyone could do what they liked when they liked and I can imagine
two contrasting murals being created with each child contributing a
vignette. Having explored the world of no-time, they could then be
introduced to the vocabulary of time - before, after, during, now,
then, soon, morning, afternoon, evening, night, dusk, dawn, first,
next, last - and the skills of sequencing. Those wanting greater
challenges could explore how and why the day is divided into the
chunks it is; time zones; time pieces; what they can achieve in a
given period of time. Time is the most abstract concept to teach but
it is the one that is most prevalent in our lives. To have such a
unique story and such stunning illustrations to kickstart its
investigation is such a gift.
Students could also have lots of fun enacting a storm (complete with
sound effects) so fierce that the cuckoo was blown away as well as
predicting what will happen to the village. How could the problem be
solved? what role might Franz, the village craftsmen have in that?
The call
of the cuckoo might be unfamiliar to some so they could listen to it
and discuss why it might be preferable to that of a rooster as a
wake-up sound. This could lead
into an investigation of familiar bird calls or the reasons behind
the 'dawn chorus' as well as setting up a bird-watching station and
identifying the common and seasonal birds which visit the school
playground. And of course, there is always the old favourite round,
Within
the
shady thicket. Maths, science, history, music and English
outcomes could all be explored in this one title.
Further teaching
notes are available.
Barbara Braxton
Black Sunday by Evan McHugh
Omnibus, 2016. ISBN 9781743627990
(Age: 11-15) Recommended. In February 1938, the largest mass rescue
on an Australian beach took place when up to 300 people were swept
out to sea from Bondi. I knew very little about lifesaving before
reading this novel and found it informative and moving, to the point
that I now have some understanding of the immense pride and
affection that beachgoers have for their local lifesaving clubs and
brave members.
Suitable for eleven to fifteen year olds, the story is told in diary
form by Nipper, a boy of twelve who idolises his Grandfather and his
lifesaving colleagues who patrol the beach at Bondi. Normally I find
diary entry chapters tiresome, however the author has worked hard to
make the story more interesting than simply leading to the main
event, by setting time and place in the context of the
post-Depression years in the prelude to World War 2.
Sometimes writers of historical fiction feel compelled to include
every tiny detail of remote relevance from their research and there
is faint evidence of this. However on the whole it works well and I
completely understand why the author chose to do this, given that
modern readers may have little appreciation of the simplicity of a
time when children routinely left school at thirteen, possessions
were few and the sight of an aeroplane was a magical wonder.
Some might consider the inclusion of Indigenous, environmental,
gender, refugee and geopolitical issues to be a little busy and
contrived. This is because they are all tied in to the story and
certain characters voice modern, socially acceptable points of view
as a counter to the prevailing attitudes of the time. This will
however help younger readers understand historical perspective.
Importantly, this is an exciting story with plenty of structure and
drama which recounts an amazing historical event without being a
boring lesson. On this momentous day, a series of colossal, freak
waves dragged hundreds of people far out to sea in dangerous rips
which prevented their return. By chance, a large number of
lifesavers beyond those on duty were present for training and they
soon plunged into action. What happened was truly stunning and the
reader is brought to understand the enormity of the feat by Nipper's
description of rips and long training periods where he tries to
improve his swimming to a standard which will serve him in later
years as a lifesaver.
Informative historical notes are included at the conclusion of the
story.
This delightful book would make an excellent text for study at
senior primary level and libraries should consider it for general
reading.
Rob Welsh
Mechanica by Lance Balchin
Five Mile Press, 2016. ISBN 9781760401085
(Age: All) Highly recommended. Picture book for older readers,
Technology, Machines, Environmental destruction, Extinction, Science
fiction, Dystopia. Machines have taken over the role of animals in
this dark view of our future, where the continued use of fossil
fuels has caused the environment to collapse, species have become
extinct and large areas of the world uninhabitable. Built to replace
the work done by animals (for example, a mechanical bee was
developed to propagate the crops) these interbred with drones built
for surveillance purposes when the world descended into war. Their
offspring are presented in this highly imaginative and compulsive
picture book, set out like a scientific catalogue of a new species.
What began as drones escaped into areas beyond human reach and
meeting the mechanica, designed by man to replace the animals lost,
their offspring become the most intricate and beautiful of
creatures, darkly mechanical, steam punk in their design and
absorbing in their detail.
Each verso page has the most imaginative of illustrations, depicting
one of these mechanica. One I particularly like is on page 23:
Interfectorem Apis (scientific name) or Killer Bee, and beneath is
given information about where it is found, how it was developed and
why it is called a killer bee. An example of its power is given and
then facts about the mechanica: its weight, length, speed, power
source, sensors and origin. Each fact adds to the knowledge of this
bee, giving hints about why it was created in the first place and
how dangerous it now can be. It is a formidable bee, and the
illustration is staggeringly beautiful. Readers will be enthralled
at the detail given, the mechanical elements of the creature and its
possibilities. And this is only one of a dozen or so creatures,
which aided by a useful index will be enjoyed by readers of all
ages. An afterword tells how the person who complied this catalogue
has found a real butterfly, so adding a note of optimism to this
bleakly dystopian story.
Readers from a young age to adult will pour over these pages,
looking at every detail of these creatures.
This powerful image of our future will resonate with many readers,
stunned by the destruction of our global environment and concerned
at the advance of war technology.
Fran Knight
Mac the Dog Man by Elizabeth Vercoe
Elizabeth
Vercoe, 2016. ISBN 9780994587008
(Ages: 3-6) The author, Liz Vercoe, met Mac in Melbourne during her
early morning walks by the river. Her story is about him: a dog
walker who is a 'kind-hearted king and the boss of the dogs'. The
text is comprised of stories that Mac tells about his dogs ('When I
came back, this one was so excited that she jumped right up to my
shoulder'), alongside details about Mac's practices ('Mac speaks
gently but firmly to all the dogs'), and with refrains of 'The dogs
love Mac' and dog noises ('Snoodle! Woff! Yap!'). The text is quite
lengthy and the way it jumps around may make it difficult for
younger children to follow. Some children may also find it difficult
to grasp some of the stories Mac tells about the dogs; but what they
will understand is that the dogs love Mac and Mac loves the dogs.
The soft watercolour illustrations highlight Mac's gentle nature and
the unique character of each of the dogs. This will appeal greatly
to dog lovers and the rhythmic language flows beautifully when read
aloud.
Nicole Nelson
Snail and Turtle: Rainy Days by Stephen Michael King
Scholastic, 2016. ISBN 9781760159061
(Ages: 3-6) Friendship. Stephen Michael King brings his distinctive style to this seemingly simple tale of friendship. Snail and Turtle are friends but it has been raining for days and days and Snail will not come out of his shell. Turtle tries performing Snail's favourite tricks, but to no avail. Therefore, Turtle works very hard to build Snail a lovely, warm shelter. Turtle's tenderness and patience with his friend is inspiring and the book carries a lovely message about being in tune with the feelings of others and thinking about how we can bring lightness to their lives. Turtle's smile is obvious the whole way through the story, as he remains optimistic that Snail will one day come out of his shell. As always, King's illustrations are playful, lovable and filled with symbolism. While this is a story with a deep undercurrent of depression and inescapable sadness, I feel like its symbolism may be lost on younger children who may think that Snail is refusing to come out of his shell because it is raining (thereby being confused because snails generally like the rain). While its theme may be appropriate for older children its simplicity makes it more suited to early childhood use. Nevertheless, this book will please fans of its predecessor, Snail and Turtle are friends, as well as those unfamiliar with the pair.
Nicole Nelson
Little Koala lost by Blaze Kwaymullina
Ill. by Jess Racklyeft. Omnibus Books, 2016. ISBN 9781742991283
(Ages: 2 - 5) Belonging, differences, Australian animals, counting.
This is an amalgamation of two common picture book structures,
comprising a counting element and a plot of a lost animal looking
for a place to belong. As implied by the title, one little koala is
lost in the bush, so off he goes looking for a place to live. 'Can I
live with you?' he asks two marvellous magpies, three tricky
turtles, four pesky pelicans, and so on. Each time the animals say
no, citing koalas lack of a physical attribute or ability that they
have that he does not. The emus tell him his legs are too short for
running fast and the magpies ask him how he would greet the dawn
when he cannot sing. Just when little koala has lost all hope and
begun to cry, ten kooky koalas appear in the trees. 'Would you like
to live with us?' they cry. The Aussie landscape depicted on each
page and the responses given by the animals that koala approaches
give some information about Australian animal behaviours and their
habitats. While there is little to set this picture book apart from
many others in the same genre, it provides a pleasant reading
experience.
Nicole Nelson
Such stuff: A story-maker's inspiration by Michael Morpurgo
Ill. by Michael Foreman. Walker Books, 2016. ISBN 9781406364576
What a master storyteller Michael Morpurgo is! His body of work and
his reputation are both completely awe-inspiring. This unparalleled
weaver of dreams who was the UK Children's Laureate from 2003-2005,
with over 100 books to his credit (many translated into other
languages) and numerous awards, has provided those of us who are such
admirers of this work with an unprecedented insight into his
writing. This is truly a joint production. When Michael's brother
suggested that so many people always ask about how the stories come
to life it would be a good idea to write about it, Michael took up
the idea with enthusiasm. It was natural to involve his long-time
illustrator and collaborator, Michael Foreman, who has often
provided him with the germ of an idea for a story. And along with
his wife, Clare, he began the task of collating anecdotes, excerpts and
background information for the brilliant format of this book.
The story of each book begin with Michael's recount of the first
idea, sometimes a real life incident, a media story, an historical
fact or a yarn from someone met in a pub. He discusses how the
pieces of each story then come together, to be woven into one
narrative. At times, many such singular ideas all combined into the
one book. Then follows an excerpt from the book in question, these
selected by Clare and lastly, a few pages of information that
provide back story to the particular theme of each all fascinating
and interesting aspects of the relevant title.
As an indulgence I must share this from the chapter on 'I believe
in unicorns': We know the best parents and the best teachers do this, change
lives. So often forgotten are the best librarians, dedicated
people who go quietly about their business of trying to encourage
reading. For many children who are not read to at home, or who
have been frightened of books, or bored by them, at school, a good
library and good librarian can change the life of a child, by
judicious and sensitive recommendations, by arranging book groups,
by readings, by inviting authors in to talk to children.
Thank you Michael both for that positive affirmation of our
profession but also for the joy you bring to our lives with your
superb writing.
I highly recommend this to you for students who are interested in
the process of creative writing, for lovers of Michael's work and
for your own professional reading. This one stays firmly on my own
shelf!
Sue Warren
Mila and the missing lions by Celeste Hulme
Five Mile Press, 2016 ISBN 9781760066826
(Age: 5+) Lions. Animals. Circuses. Lion taming. A curiously old
fashioned conceit of a child wanting to grow up to be lion tamer
like her parents will reveal a work environment no longer seen by
children. She takes the necessary equipment from her parents'
storage chest and makes a mane for her dog, Ralph. But Ralph simply
wants to sleep. He is not interested in being Mila's lion so that
she can practise. So Mila goes to the cage where her parents keep
their lions and inadvertently lets them escape. So begins a game of
cat and mouse as Mila asks the other circus people if they have seen
anything unusual. She does not want anyone to know what she has
done. She walks around the circus until she finally gets to the tent
of the bearded lady, an act that the lions seem to like. And sure
enough there they are sitting down to afternoon tea with her. Mila
works out how to get the lions back in their cage and all is well.
A delightful tale of righting a mistake the child has made, and
working something out for herself, while showing a younger
generation what an old fashioned circus is like. The illustrations
move the story along, adding another level of humour to the story.
I love the double page of framed portraits of Mila's family, and the
things being juggled by the juggler, while readers will love
following the tail they see escaping onto the next page. And the
last page of the text adds another level of humour and anticipation
as Mila works out what she wants to do next.
Fran Knight
Valdur the Viking and the ghostly Goths by Craig Cormick
Ford Street Publishing, 2016. ISBN 9781925272420
(Age: 7+) Highly recommended. Ghost pirates, ghost Vikings and ghost
ships. Did you ever wonder what happens to all who are lost at sea?
This short, funny story has all of the answers. Valdur is a Viking
child who has been sailing the seas, with his father, for hundreds
of years. Valdur, his father and their crew are all ghosts. The
pirates who attack them are ghosts. The ships the Vikings attack are
ghosts. When Valdur's father and most of the crew are kidnapped by
the pirate captain, Germanicus Bottom, Valdur is determined to sail
after them and rescue everyone. What role will Ragna, Valdur's dog,
play? What is salted porridge? Is it the Viking Captain Germanicus
is really after? Valdur the Viking is a quirky, easy to read novel and is highly
recommended for boys aged 7+. It is a great step into first novels.
The descriptive text is funny and boys will love the pirate and
Viking adventure. Who knew ghosts were sailing around out there?
Kylie Kempster
Wiggle and the whale: A book of funny friends by Roger Priddy
Ill. by Lindsey Sagar. Priddy Books, 2016. ISBN 9781783413522
(Ages: 2-5) Rhyming. Animals. Friendship. Collage. This simple book
in the Alphaprints series is explicit in its purpose, initially
asking 'What makes a perfect animal pair?', and then explaining that
even though friends can be different colours and sizes, all
friendships are special. Then follows shorts rhymes about each of
the pairs of animal friends: what makes them special and how they
are different. The animal pairs are fantastical (including a pink
baby bear and a hedgehog), but the drastic differences between them
make the message even clearer. While the lower end of the target age
may not fully appreciate the message of the story, they will enjoy
the simple rhyming text and the fantastic illustrations, which use
different objects (as well as many fingerprints) to create the
animals and the brightly coloured worlds around them. Photographs of
iced donuts create the bear and his lair, the hedgehog's body is a
pinecone, and the flamingo's neck is a pink feather boa. Children
will love identifying these objects and will enjoy the visual
textures they create on each page. The rhymes about each animal,
while not always masterful, are mostly pleasing when read aloud and
relate accurate information about animal behaviours and habitats.
Preschool and early childhood teachers will find this book useful to
get children thinking about how they are different to their friends
and to discuss diversity. It could also springboard art activities
involving collage and fingerprint printing.
Nicole Nelson
The tale of Kitty-in-Boots by Beatrix Potter
Ill. by Quentin Blake. Frederick Warne, 2016. ISBN 9780241247594
By day, Miss Catherine St Quintin appeared to be a very serious,
well-behaved black cat who answered to 'Kitty' whenever the kind old
lady who owned her called her. The old lady saw a 'Kitty' with all
the pleasant connotations that that name brings to mind but Miss
Catherine St Quintin led a double life.
Because by night, when she was supposedly locked in the wash-house,
Kitty was not curled up in her basket dreaming sweet dreams until
morning. She was not the purring, nuzzling, gentle cat her owner
believed her to be. Known to her more common cat friends as 'Q' and
'Squintums', she would leap out the laundry window to be replaced by
Winkiepeeps, another black cat who would wait inside until Kitty
came home just in case the old lady checked her, while she went
hunting dressed in her coat and boots and carrying an air rifle. A
female lookalike of Puss-in-Boots.
This particular night she collects her gun from her friend
Cheesebox, determined to join Slimmy Jimmy and John Stoat-Ferret as
they hunt for rabbits. However, she decides to hunt for mice
instead, but being a rather unreliable and careless shooter, that is
not very fruitful, only managing to shoot Mrs Tiggy-Winkle's
bundle of washing and some sticks and stones that weren't mice at
all. Sheep and crows seem a better target until they send her
scurrying behind a wall in fright and she gets a big surprise when
she fires at something coming out of a hole. Unexpectedly, she has
met up with Slimmy Jimmy and John Stoat-Ferret who take her gun off
her. But she refuses to hand over the pellets and so a rather
adventurous night involving the ferrets, Peter Rabbit, Mr Tod the
Fox and Mrs Tiggy-Winkles begins. Suffice to say, it's enough to put
Miss Catherine St Quintin off hunting for ever.
The story of this story is as interesting as the tale itself. Potter
completed the text in 1914 and created just one illustration but the
outbreak of World War I and other events meant she never completed
the rest. Thus the story went unpublished in her lifetime.
Undiscovered until Penguin Random House editor Jo Hanks found it in
the Potter archive at the Victoria and Albert Museum in 2013 and
with Quentin Blake accepting the invitation to illustrate it, it has
just been published to coincide with what would have been Potter's
150th birthday.
Fans of her works will be thrilled to share just one more adventure
from this prolific creator and delight in the appearance of an
older, more portly Peter Rabbit who has lost none of his smarts and
wily ways as well as other favourite characters from her other
books.
Barbara Braxton
Not the same sky by Evelyn Conlon
On cover: a story of Irish famine girls
brought to Australia. Wakefield Press, 2016. ISBN
9781743052426
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Migration, Irish Famine, Indentured labour,
Ship life. This book follows a group of four girls amongst a group
of Irish orphans, made destitute by the Irish Famine, who came to
Australia on The Thomas Arbuthnot, in 1849. They were under
the care of Surgeon Superintendent Charles Strutt whose diaries
about his voyage are now kept at La Trobe University in Melbourne.
In part, these diaries form the basis of the story around these
girls' lives. On board ship, Strutt made sure the girls were kept
busy with quite a rigorous regime. Rosters were organised for wash
days, singing and dancing, sewing and lessons organised so that the
girls would have a knowledge of English, more useful than the Gaelic
they spoke. They were organised into messes of eight girls each
responsible for their own utensils with each having a planned menu,
ensuring the girls had a reasonable diet aboard ship. Matrons
appointed to look after the girls made sure the deck where the girls
lived were scrubbed and kept clean, minimising disease.
Strutt thought about all the problems he was likely to encounter,
and set out plans to circumvent these. He made sure the girls, all
from different backgrounds, got on well, and were kept away from the
crew, and that he and the captain were on cordial relations.
On their arrival in Sydney they were housed in the Barracks, and
then allotted families where they would work as servants, some in
rural towns, as well as Sydney. Strutt stayed and supervised the
girls and their appointments, actually traveling to Yass with one of
the groups. He did keep in touch with some and through his visits we
hear of what happened to some of these girls, as they found husbands
and had children. One of the girls whose lives we follow in this
recreation takes on a life on the stage.
Historical fiction makes fascinating reading, as we see into the
lives of the girls, based on diaries and historical research. The
prologue introduces Joy Kennedy a monumental mason in Ireland who is
contacted to build a memorial to these women and her story gives a
modern day moral perspective on what happened to them. Life on board
the ship was for me the most interesting part of the tale, and
Strutt's care and attention to the daily routine of the girls
admirable.
For readers interested in a small part of Australia's immigration
history then this is a most interesting read.
Fran Knight
Tommy Bell Bushranger Boy: Shoot-out at the Rock by Jane Smith
Big Sky Publishing, 2016. ISBN 9781925275940
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. Tommy Bell has been in trouble at
school and has been sent to his grandad's farm for the summer. Tommy
sees it as a punishment but grandma and grandad don't even talk
about the troubles. They just make sure Tommy is busy and give him a
horse to work with. Tommy is ecstatic. Horses are his favourite
thing. It is the discovery of an old hat that makes life even more
interesting as Tommy's grandad believes it is an old bushranger's
hat. Tommy now has a connection with the bushranger topic he didn't
find very interesting at school. Tommy finds himself back in 1836
and face to face with the bushranger Captain Thunderbolt. How is
this happening? Is it the hat? Is Tommy imagining everything? Tommy Bell Bushranger Boy: Shoot-out at the Rock is a short
novel at 63 pages and would make a great read aloud class novel as
it links well with the Year 5 History Curriculum. At the end of the
book, readers will find historical information on the bushranger,
Captain Thunderbolt, and there is also a question and answer
section. It is an imaginary interview with the bushranger. Children
could create their own version after listening to the story and
doing their own research. This novel is great for readers who are
venturing into the world of novels and who also enjoy a little
adventure. The text is easy to read but still describes events in an
exciting manner. It is highly recommended for readers aged 8+.
Kylie Kempster
My feelings ill. by Sarah Jennings
Bloomsbury, 2016. ISBN 9781408869048
(Ages: 4-6) Board book, emotions. This is about how to cope with and
talk about emotions. It requires children to have a grasp on
labelling and recognising their emotions already as it does little
to identify what they are or what they look like. Rather than
telling the reader what it looks like to be worried or scared, shy
or happy, it gives practical suggestions for dealing with the
feeling ('When you feel scared . . . Run away fast. Say 'I'm
scared!''; 'When you feel happy . . . Whistle and sing!, Say
hello').
Young children often have difficulty dealing with emotions, even
positive ones, so this is a fantastic way to give them practical
outlets. The pictures clearly illustrate the suggestions, giving
children visual as well as verbal cues. This is a great book for
parents to read through in its entirety, but also to pull out during
emotional times to help young children find a way to deal with a
specific emotion. It is appropriately short, and the bright
illustrations and tab cutouts will keep young children engaged.
Nicole Nelson
