Magabala Books, 2015. ISBN 9781922142627
(Age: 3-5) Reminiscent of Bronwyn Bancroft's An Australian ABC
of animals, this book takes the reader through the alphabet
with an Australian creature for every letter. The artwork of Brim, a
celebrated Queensland artist, is the real feature here. Descended
from the Djabugay people, his art is inspired by the Dreaming
stories told to him by his family and his bright hand-coloured
linoprints and acrylic paintings are striking examples of Indigenous
art. Each page provides a large artwork of an animal or a plant,
presented with the name of the creature with the initial upper and
lower-case letter alongside it.
Many of the creatures will be familiar to children (ant, owl,
turtle) but many are less well-known (Ulysses butterfly, quandong
fruit, long-nosed bandicoot). Each of the animals or plants can be
found in the author's rainforest home in Far North Queensland.
Useful for introducing young children to the alphabet, Indigenous
art and native plants and animals, this book is a great resource for
early childhood educators. While its simplicity is more suited to
pre-school children, it could also be a useful resource for teachers
in the early years of school, particularly for work around art
techniques and native flora and fauna.
Nicole Nelson
Trigger Mortis By Anthony Horowitz
Orion Books, 2015. ISBN: 9781409159537
(Age: 16+) Highly recommended. This book was read in one sitting, as
it just refused to be let go. The Ian Fleming Estate provided
Anthony Horowitz with original, unpublished writing for this book.
This book reacquaints the reader with M, Moneypenny, Pussy Galore
and a range of dastardly villains guaranteed to keep you on the edge
of your seat.
007 is in a deadly mission against the Soviet organisation SMERSH
and Korean Jason Sin. He must enter a Grand Prix race and save the
American Space Program. The stage is set for action at its most
thrilling.
The story is fast paced and so well written the reader is almost
pulled along from one heart stopping event to the next. Horowitz has
spared no effort in providing authentic detail for Grand Prix racing
and the massacre at No Gun Ri. He also relates the inner thoughts of
007 in such a natural way the reader almost feels the thoughts are
their own.
An interesting inclusion in this story is the tension where 007 is
deciding whether to dispatch a character. His 007 status explained,
he makes a decision the reader is at first confronted by. The James
Bond in this book is a man of Ian Fleming's times who is challenged
by the sensibilities of the modern world. It makes great reading.
Linda Guthrie
Zarkora: The Fyrelit Tragedy by Nicholas Lochel and Alison Lochel
Lothian, 2015. ISBN 9780734416421
(Age: 10+) Recommended. The Fyrelit Tragedy is the first in
the four-book Zarkora series. This book is written by a
brother and sister team who write well together. The beginning pages
of the book are overly peppered with adjectives, however the story
settles in to be a well told and captivating read. There is a
charming mix of the fantasy elements such as sailing boats and
swords and steampunk elements such as machines that use fuel.
The main characters, Neleik and Ervine inhabit a fantasy land of
dragons, ogres, princesses and quests. Their sister, Skye, is
kidnapped in mysterious circumstances and so begins their quest to
rescue her. They must venture into lands they have never known
before and call upon the kindness of strangers to help them on their
way.
The story is action packed and has all the elements a young fantasy
reader could wish for - intrepid heroes, truly evil villains, loyal
friends, magic swords and just a hint of romance. The challenges and
riddles within the story are interesting and have the reader
puzzling to solve them before the answer is revealed.
Linda Guthrie
The Mirror World of Melody Black by Gavin Extence
Hodder & Stoughton, 2015. ISBN 9781444764628
(Age: Adult) Highly recommended. 'You have a choice about what you
put into the public domain.'
This book is really difficult to put down. It tells Abby's story
from her perspective as Abby spirals into a manic episode following
finding her neighbour dead in the flat next door.
Abby is inspired in her mania - brilliant ideas and fashion choices
emanate from the page as she describes her adventures. Is it
possible for the reader to identify the point where Abby tips into
madness? The writing is compelling and there is a very real sense
that the writer has first-hand experience with this mental illness.
The author's note at the end of the book put this in perspective and
adds an authenticity to the writing.
Abby's very supportive psychiatrist plays a key role in rescuing
Abby as she plummets into depression. It is while undergoing
treatment in hospital that Abby meets Melody Black and the
significance of the title of the book becomes clear.
Another key aspect of the book is the development of the
relationships in Abby's life. The incredible resilience and caring
of the family and loved ones standing by Abby throughout her episode
and the mysteriously satisfying remote relationship with poet
Miranda Frost are detailed with humour.
Linda Guthrie
Azizi and the Little Blue Bird by Laila Koubaa and Mattias De Leeuw
Book Island, 2015. ISBN 9780994109866
(Age: 5-12) Recommended. Picture book. Azizi lives in a country
dominated by two greedy rulers. They feast and feast and expand with
both food and power. They have captured all the blue birds in the
land and have locked them up in their palace.
Azizi feels he and his people are shrinking while the rulers expand.
One night an escaped blue bird visits Azizi and together with a
trail of threaded flowers they embark on a plan to free both the
birds and people.
This story can be enjoyed both as a modern fairy tale, or as a
symbol of people power overthrowing a cruel regime. According to the
website the events in
this book are based on a true incident: 'in 2010/2011 when,
during the Arab Spring the internet was censored and/or shut down
during the uprisings, in an attempt to prevent protests from
spreading over the region. The little blue birds - have you already
guessed it?- refer to Twitter. '
The author is Dutch and the original text has been translated by
David Colmer.
This is a large format picture book and the illustrations by Mattias
De Leeuw fill each page with strong lines and bold colour.
I recommend this book for primary school libraries and children from
5 to 12 will enjoy this story at its many levels.
Jane Moore
Danny Best Full On by Jen Storer
Ill. by Mitch Vane. ABC Books, 2015. ISBN 9780733333330
(Age: 7-10) Like one of Danny Best's wild racing tracks in the yard,
this book is full of movement, sound, smells and fun.
Danny Best is the self appointed leader of a group of friends and he
and his mates enjoy a variety of adventures from playing cops and
robbers, building their hair raising bike track to a scary camping
night out.
Along with human friends, his animal company include Pugsley, the
dog who is famous for his many aromas and Doctor Hook the aggressive
cat.
Each page is a wild mixture of text, illustrations, and quips. It's
a lot to take in but very amusing. Both Jen Storer and Mitch Vane
have successfully blended their work into pages and pages of zany
fun.
Every chapter is followed by a test to see how accurately the reader
can answer questions about the story. Danny Best, will be enjoyed by newly independent readers who
want to read lengthier text or any child who enjoys reading humour.
A crazy, comical book for students aged 7 to 10 years old.
Jane Moore
Counting Stars by Keris Stainton
Hot Key Books, 2015. ISBN 9781471404634
(Age: Adult) Anna is eighteen and desperate to leave home and begin
her life. Her passion is to work in the theatre. While on work
experience she is offered a job in Liverpool and decides to take the
plunge and move there.
She shares a flat with characters who are also finding their way as
young adults. Each character has an intricate and moving story, told
well. The characters are well drawn and have the reader at turns
sympathising and cringing in embarrassment.
An underlying and important element of this story explores the
ethics and dangers of chronicling your life (and the lives of
others) using social media. Anna's very public diary is her way of
making sense of her maturing world, and she soon comes to find there
are consequences for her and those she reveals through her vlog.
This is a book about romantic relationships. It sensitively explores
the tricky issues of sexual harassment, inappropriate relationships,
abusive relationships and gay relationships. It is, however, the
explicit descriptions of the more intimate scenes in these
relationships that moves this book into the adult range. This is
unfortunate as the story holds much for, and is well suited to, the
young adult reader.
Linda Guthrie
Risk by Fleur Ferris
Random House Australia, 2015. ISBN 9780857986474
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. Online predators. Adolescent. Taylor
and Sierra have been best friends forever, but Taylor is annoyed
when Sierra always seems to get whatever she wants, regardless of
whether she hurts her friends or not. Taylor has had a crush on
Callum for ages and was angry that Sierra was supposed to kiss him
at a party. When Sierra decides to meet in real life a boy both of
them were communicating with online,
Taylor covers for her. When she doesn't come back when she said she
would, Taylor thinks that it is just Sierra being careless, and
doesn't tell anyone.
This is a really gripping story told in Taylor's voice. The reader
is carried along, knowing that Sierra is taking awful risks in
meeting someone from online and when she doesn't come home, the
reader is flung into a dark place, hoping against hope that she will
make it back safely. On the terrible wait, much is learnt about how
online predators can hide their identity and lure young girls into
trusting them. Details are given about how they learn about their
likes and dislikes, where they shop, the sports they play and their
friends. All this knowledge is used to create a persona that will
appeal to the girl, making her feel as if she has met her soul mate.
It is easy to empathise with Taylor who has always felt that Sierra
is the centre of attention and understand why Sierra's friends
believe that Sierra could be acting in her usual selfish manner. The
jealousies, romances and relationships of teens all resonate and
make the story feel as if is real. Ferris has captured the dilemma
of when a friend should alert adults to their friend's behaviour and
why it can be dangerous not to. All the characters, adult and teens,
carry guilt about their actions, and this is explored in-depth as
well.
Ferris has built up a very credible story and her background as a
police officer and paramedic give it authenticity. The police scenes
were really well done and would be an eye-opener for teens who
haven't dealt with the police.
This was a compelling read. It would be a powerful class novel or
literature circle book as it relates directly to the use of social
media and the online world that is such a pivotal part of teen life.
Pat Pledger
The Witch's Britches by P Crumble
Scholastic Australia, 2015. ISBN 9781760151539
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. The Witch's Britches is a fun
rhyming story that explains where the magic of a witch comes from -
her britches! Ethel is a new witch and her packet of britches has
arrived. Britches need to be kept clean or their magic doesn't work
so Ethel washes them. Unfortunately it is a bit windy and the
britches blow away. Can Ethel get her britches back or will mayhem
occur?
Bright images accompany each rhyming couplet and bring a sense of
fun to an already funny story. The text is simple and easy to read
and is highly recommended to readers aged 6+. Use it in the
classroom to introduce rhyming poems or recreate the story with
another piece of clothing. Enjoy reading it out loud with your
child, creating a song with the rhymes and rhythms of the language.
Kylie Kempster
Timmy Failure: Sanitized for your Protection Stephan Pastis
Walker Books, 2015. ISBN 9781406363494
(Age: 9 yrs+) Recommended. Timmy Failure is back again, seeking
greatness and world domination as the CEO of Failure Inc., formerly
Total Failure Inc., detective agency. Whilst modesty is not part of
Timmy's nature his natural tendency to take a simple situation and
cause extraordinary havoc has not diminished. Sparkling comedic
writing combined with quirky line drawings makes Timmy a winner not
a failure.
This episode in the ever eventful life of our hero, revolves around
a road trip to Chicago during spring vacation to relocate Doorman
Dave, Timmy's mother's boyfriend. But this simple holiday is getting
in the way of Failure Inc. solving a case. The funds raised by YIP
YAP to buy books for poor Yergi Plimkin 'a boy from somewhere that
is not here' have gone missing. Timmy is of course focussed on
solving the case which takes up all his thinking and deductive
powers.
Further complications include Total, the polar bear, leaving a path
of destruction and bonbon papers behind him, The Moskin family who
travel with them, and Timmy overhearing his mum and Dave talking
about marriage.
Forced to go on the run with Mollie Moskin in an effort to finally
solve the case and hopefully confront the culprit, leads to even
more chaos and hotel staff on the verge of a breakdown. Finally
Timmy is apprehended himself and returned to his mother whilst the
case solves itself and Timmy makes someone's night 'because
detectives are tough and decent men'.
This is a delightful romp, easy to read and funny enough to laugh
out loud at. Some of the word plays and chapter headings like 'Suite
dreams are made of this' and 'Grapes and Wrath' may not resonate
with some students but certainly added to my enjoyment of the book.
Sue Keane
The fairy dancers by Natalie Jane Prior
Ill. by Cheryl Orsini. ABC Books, 2015. ISBN 9780733333576
(Age: 5+) Recommended. Mia, Emma and Grace love to dance and every
Saturday morning they tie on their ballet shoes and turn into 'fairy
dancers'. The story is divided into three delightful episodes where
the three friends have fun and sparkle when dancing.
Each of the three stories take the reader into a familiar setting; a
shoe shop, a surprise birthday party and a concert. In The magic
slippers, the reader meets Miss Ashleigh, the ballet teacher,
who is beautiful and very kind as well. When one of Emma's slippers
goes 'flop, slap, flop' she tells her that she must get her mother
to buy her some new ones so the fairy dancers and their mothers
visit Eva's Dance Shop. Emma decides that she wants blue slippers
and paints them, but when the little dog Coco runs off with her bag,
the slippers are magically pink again. In The secret birthday,
the children and their mothers give Miss Ashleigh a surprise
birthday party and in The fairy concert, Mia has a brilliant
idea when her friend Grace breaks her arm.
All the stories are told with a warmth and charm that makes them
quite compelling to read. Lovers of dance will eagerly read the
book, but all children will be attracted to the kindness and
friendliness of the stories. The illustrations beautifully
complement the text and add an individuality to each of the
characters. The mothers are quite different; one reads, one likes to
bake cakes and one has the little dog Coco who is a naughty little
imp. I loved the humour when Miss Ashleigh's boyfriend, her Prince,
takes her off on a bicycle. The fathers make an appearance as well
and overall, the reader gains a feeling of familial security and
love.
This would be an idea book for readers who are just becoming
independent. The three episodes or chapters give it more depth than
a picture book and each story is a delight in itself. The fairy
dancers is a keeper.
Pat Pledger
Little Creatures series by Jedda Robaard
Five Mile Press, 2015. The little koala who lost his tree. ISBN 9781760069223 The little joey who lost her bounce. ISBN 9781760063467
(Ages: 2-5) Recommended. Board Books. Here are two new titles in the
Little Creatures series by Jedda Robaard, all of which are
about an animal who has lost something and is trying to get it back.
Others in the series include The little mouse who lost her
squeak and The little bear who lost her way. These new
titles are the first to feature native Australian animals. The
underlying concept is similar to the popular Usborne Touchy Feely That's
not my . . . series, however without the textural element.
The slightly longer and more complex narrative text and the addition
of interactive flaps make this Little Creatures series
suitable for a slightly older audience than the Usborne books.
In Little Koala who lost his tree, koala wakes up not in his
own bed, but in an apple tree. Desperately tired, he tries out
different beds, including a washing basket, a television antenna and
a tent. However, there is always something not quite right . . . too
noisy, not enough room, too wobbly, too wet. He climbs the nearest
tree and bingo! He has found his bed, right where he left it! The little joey who lost her bounce Little Joey has not lost
something physical like little koala. She wakes up knowing she needs
to bounce, but she cannot remember how. She looks in the cupboard
with the bouncy balls, she tries jumping on the trampoline and tying
springs to her feet. She even tries the big bouncy bed, but nothing
brings back her bounce. Then, just as Little Joey sits down to
ponder her next move she falls backwards onto her tail . . . and her
bounce is back!
The flaps - some which open up to make double the page height - make
for an interactive reading experience for young children and the
board book format and durable flaps make them suitable for
independent exploration. The narrative, while kept short and simple,
integrates some more interesting vocabulary, such as
'uncomfortable', 'restless' and 'familiar', so is suited to its
target audience of toddlers and pre-schoolers.
The soft, watercolour illustrations by Robaard portray the cute,
cartoon style main characters. The fun typeface is large and
integrated with the illustrations, making it perfect for
pre-schoolers and their developing awareness of print.
Nicole Nelson
Guinness World Records 2016 by Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records 2016 by Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, 2015. ISBN 9781910561010
(Age: All) Recommended. The Guinness World Records book
needs no introduction. Chock full of incredible new records, strange
trivia and interesting illustrations, it is a must for every library
and a book full of appeal for the reluctant reader.
Some of the most eye catching entries include the tallest man (251
cm. tall) and a page of incredible extreme body modifications
(tattoos and facial flesh tunnels). All are portrayed with colourful
photos that grab the imagination. New entries include waterfalls,
apps, manga, drones and pirates as well as other interesting topics.
For those who want their reading a bit more focused there is a Table
of Contents which includes headings like Sports, Science and
Engineering, Animals, Humans, Adventurers and Extreme Exploits to
name a few. An index is also available and would be helpful for
those who want to target particular records. Enthusiasts can also go
to the website,
and get extra information and background stories by reading the book
and finding the answers to questions.
Once again Guinness World Records 2016 will be sure to
astound readers as they flick through amazing records and photos, or
read in more depth about the staggering things that people can get
up to and the incredible animals that can be found. This is a must
for libraries and would make a great present for children with
inquiring minds.
Pat Pledger
The River and the Book by Alison Croggon
Walker Books, 2015. ISBN 9781925081725
(Ages 12+) Recommended. The River and The Book has been
acknowledged by Amnesty International for addressing human rights
abuse in cultural, and economic terms. Poetically written this book
will be an asset to for its literary and thematic content. Simbala
is the Keeper of the Book and as the women in her family before her
is an important member of the village in which she lives. People
come to consult the Book for many reasons but Sim is the only one
who can touch it or read its messages. The book contains the history
and soul of the village, and like the oracle has the answers to all
the villager's questions.
The River is the life blood of the village bringing life and riches
as well as providing transport. Droughts cause the river to fail but
when developers upstream reduce the flow and begin polluting the
River, neighbouring villages are turned against each other. When
consulted the Book offers a one word answer to the problem,
'Change.' However change arrives in the unexpected form of Jane
Watson, a foreigner intent on writing about the river people, who
befriends Sim but betrays her trust, steals the Book and disappears.
Desperate to return the book to its rightful place Sim travels down
the River in search of the thief, vowing to only to return when she
has recovered the treasure. Along the way she meets a variety of
companions, and eventually settles in the city, still searching for
Jane. She finally discovers Jane is working at the University and
has published a book highlighting the plight of the River and the
people who rely on it for their living.
Why someone would assume they had the right to take a community's
most precious property is foremost in Sim's mind and could be a
stimulus for deep discussion between students in an exploration of
human rights and ethics. The divide between cultures and the assumed
rights of westerners is foremost but the book is also an
introduction to discussions surrounding development, pollution and
change.
Sue Keane
The Haunted Book by Jack Heath
Scream bk 3. Scholastic Australia, 2015. ISBN 9781760152109
(Ages: 8+) Prepare to be frightened. This easy to read series, is
reminiscent of the popular R.L. Stine books with its array of man
eating plants and ghoulish characters. In this case an old book
borrowed from the shelves of a holiday house is just the beginning.
Definitely a winner for the younger Horror fiction aficionado,
though they could be left wondering about borrowing strange books.
Dale and his parents, accompanied by his cousin Sarah, arrive at the
ski lodge his mother has booked for a holiday. With his e-reader not
working, Dale borrows an old book to read from the lounge shelves.
The book seems to have a power of its own and added to the spooky
nature of the house with its history of secret passages and basement
and the strange man only Dale saw in the woods, the scene is set.
The book is the hand written diary of a previous resident Luke
Greenway. The first line warns the reader 'Do not stop reading; my
life depends on it.' and by reading on ' . . . you will find
the secret of my immortality'. Strange things continue to happen,
but only to Dale who sees slugs in his breakfast, hears strange
noises, sees a ghost in the lake and seems to be followed around by
the book.
As he reads on he learns more about the strange Mr Greenway and his
experiments in the now boarded up secret passage way and basement.
It is up to Sarah and the stranger, Mr Sop, to save Dale from
Greenway and his mind altering chemical discovery Credence B.
This story with the 'police report' at the end filed by Dale's
father, a detective, will give some readers an argument for
e-readers being safer than books.
Sue Keane
