The Cleo stories: A friend and a pet by Libby Gleeson
Ill. by Freya Blackwood. Allen & Unwin, 2015. ISBN 9781743315286
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. Chapter book, Family, Friendship,
Pets. Two more stories in this highly appealing tale of Cleo and her
family, by the award winning duo of Gleeson and Blackwood will win
hearts at first glance with its two entertaining short stories and
wonderful illustrations.
In Cleo makes a friend, Cleo is at a loss on this rainy day:
all her friends are away and there is one she no longer cares for,
so she has nothing to do. Mum and Dad both suggest things,
especially one about tidying her room, but she is still desolate.
She begins to play with mum's makeup but is admonished, reminded
that she is not allowed in that room. Going outside she sees her
reflection in the newly formed puddles and this gives her an idea of
what she can do.
The second story, Cleo wants a pet, sees Cleo begging her
parents to have a pet in the house. She gives all the reasons
children give their parents for having a pet in the family, and they
respond with all the reasons parents give for it not to happen. It
is wonderfully rounded story, with Cleo resolving the matter to
everyone's satisfaction.
The wonderful soft edged illustrations show Cleo's house within the
few streets of her suburb. Each drawing shows a different aspect of
family life, from dad watering the vegetable garden, to breakfast at
the kitchen table, going to bed, family discussions and so on: all
redolent of the bonds between people living in the same house.
Blackwood's illustrations are inviting: readers will peer into the
details presented, comparing them with what they know. I love the
endpapers, giving a bird's eye view of the streets, challenging the
readers to work out where Cleo lives.
Fran Knight
Peter and the wolf, adapted and illustrated by Ayesha L Rubio
Five Mile Press, 2015. ISBN 9781760067816
Recommended. Folk tale, Animals, Respect. This old folk tale,
written by Sergei Prokofiev, is adapted for a modern audience and
stunningly illustrated to appeal to a new generation of readers.
Peter strays outside the garden gate and watches a bird and a duck
argue near the pond. A cat skulks by trying to capture the bird but
misses. Grandpa admonishes Peter for straying outside the safety of
the garden as a wolf is about. Just when Grandpa hauls Peter back,
the wolf eats the duck. Peter tells the bird to fly above the wolf's
head so that he can capture the wolf. He lassoes its tail when
hunters appear wanting to shoot the wolf. Peter placates them and
talks to the wolf, offering to let him go free if he releases the
duck from his stomach.
The old tale becomes one of reconciliation, of negotiation, of
respecting each other.
Readers will love the bold artwork, and thrill at the images of the
stalking wolf and the focussed hunters, as well as the image of a
determined Peter. His determination becomes almost wolf like as it
is given a voice, one which will save the wolf form being killed.
And finding an older version of Peter and the wolf, will
give children a chance to compare the two stories and discuss why
the author has made the changes.
Wikipedia offers an interesting outline
of the original story and a fabulous musical version can be found at
Youtube
which could be shared on the electronic white board.
Fran Knight
Freddy Tangles Series by Jack Brand
Ill. by Tom Jellett. Allen & Unwin, 2015. Legend or Loser. ISBN 9781760110345 Champ or Chicken. ISBN 9781760110345
(Age: 8-10) Recommended. This new series by Jack Brand explores
young Freddy Tangles life, his family, school dramas and
friendships. Presented in the style of Big Nate and Tom
Gates, with cartoon illustrations, diagrams and two ants who
provide a running commentary, these funny junior novels are easy to
read. Legend or Loser introduces young Frederick Augustus Reginald
Tangles - Freddy Tangles who lives with his mum, dad, old dog Mince
and younger annoying sister Jessica. He has to share a bedroom with
her and even though he doesn't mind playing dollies, she often
embarrasses him in front of his friends. He meets his Russian friend
Blocker who lives down the street when he accidentally dakked
Blocker's Mum. Freddy's life is full of crazy situations and
comments; he accidentally touches Tabby's tongue when they share a
dropped icecream cone, but he prefers to touch his dog's tongue.
When his full name is read out at roll call, Freddy quickly becomes
known as FARTboy and this quickly spreads across the school. Verbal
and physical bullying occurs and Freddy is forced to take action,
siding with another bully and his gang.
Freddy shows resilience as he creatively deals with the bullies will
a little advice from Blocker's mother and his friends and family who
are there to support him.
In Champ or Chicken, Freddy has to face his three worst
fears, spiders, heights and becoming naked in public. After the
running commentary on nose-picking, dealing with girls by pretending
they are boys and the problems caused by the new kid at school,
Freddy tries to be re-invited to Tabby's huge birthday party in the
park. Unfortunately, just as he's changing into his cowboy costume -
ready to ride the mechanical bull, he's confronted by menacing
spiders. A naked and embarrassed Freddy quickly climbs a tree
followed by the arachnids, and after reaching his limit, he falls
onto the bull. How much trouble can one guy get up to?
Freddy Tangles is a funny character who has a unique way of dealing
with all the dramas in his life. A great new series, complimented by
Tom Jellett's humorous cartoons.
Rhyllis Bignell
The dog, Ray by Linda Coggin
Hot Key Books, 2015. ISBN 9781471403194
(Age: 11+) Unapologetically sappy, this inoffensive reincarnation
story hits the spot for 11 years plus readers. Immediately after
being killed in the same motor accident which leaves her father
severely disabled, Daisy finds herself in the afterlife and learns
that a limited number of souls exist, necessitating rebirth as
another being. Following an imperfect re-entry, Daisy retains
memories and human understanding (including the ability to read)
when she is born as a dog which leads to an overpowering urge to
return to her human parents for reunification.
Unfortunately for her, upon leaving the litter, she finds herself
owned by a lazy, selfish boy - Cyril, who neglects and fails more
than maltreating her, and Daisy has little compunction about bolting
when she has the chance. The dog embarks on several adventures,
meeting both kindly and intolerant humans on her quest to find her
family. Daisy's greatest impediment is the incapacity to speak and
her excited greetings, speeches and warnings to humans are naturally
heard as frightening or irritating barks. The ability for dogs and
some humans to have a mutually agreeable relationship and the
understanding of voiced communication from both parties is depicted
in a lovely way when she meets Jack, a homeless man who gives her to
Pip, a lad who is sleeping rough.
Like Daisy, Pip is searching for lost family following a bereavement
and the pair roam the countryside, protecting one another from
dangers which threaten those without a home.
This story delivers a lot in terms of showing the value of human
kindness lavished on both people and animals during life's journey.
I also liked the message that different family arrangements can be
loving, nurturing and supportive, a notion that may be some comfort
to children following bereavement or family breakdown. What touched
me the most in this story had less to do with spiritual revisiting
than thinking about the delightful attempts by affectionate animals
to commune with those whom they love.
Believing in reincarnation was no problem for the purpose of reading
this story, however accepting that children in a contemporary
narrative for Australia could be called 'Daisy', 'Cyril' and 'Pip'
was difficult.
Rob Welsh
The pause by John Larkin
Random House, 2015. ISBN 9780857981707
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Depression, Suicide, Relationships,
Psychiatric hospitals, Therapy, Future. When Declan sees the train
appear, he runs towards it but suddenly pauses, thinking about the
impact his death will have on those around him. His girlfriend, Lisa
has been sent to Hong Kong, the furthest her dragon mother can send
her away from Declan, and without a mobile phone, has not
communicated with him for days. He is absolutely bereft and long
forgotten trauma builds adding to his depression and anxiety. That
pause saves his life, and the novel, told in non chronological
scenes, tells us why and how he got to this point.
But Larkin is at pains to tell us in his opening letter that this is
not a suicide novel, rather one of hope and the reasons for living.
He has been at this point and wants readers to know the signs, to
know there is help, to know that life is worth hanging on to.
Told in first person, Declan reveals his growing relationship with
Lisa, the abject disdain of her mother, the waiting for a call from
her in Hong Kong, the build up of tension and anxiety as he comes to
the conclusion that their affair is over, and so the decision to
die.
His pause on the railway station sees him surrounded by caring
people, holding his hand, calming him down, talking gently to him.
The ambulance takes him to emergency with the ambo holding his hand
the whole time, and from there he is sent to a psychiatric unit.
Here he learns techniques to avoid stress, to be aware of the signs
of depression, to take medication that will help and he learns to
laugh.
In the background his parents are bickering, hints are given about
the dreaded Aunt Mary, and what seems an average family home,
becomes more splintered. The second part of the story in part
belongs to Lisa. Declan and his mother opt to got to Hong Kong for
their family trip and there he meets Lisa and she is able to tell
him what has happened to her. Overwhelming as her tale is she always
felt that Declan was there, propping her up, encouraging her to take
a stand against her mother, showing her that other families exist
quite differently. And Declan finally opens up to her about the
trauma of his past and the triggers which brought it all to the
surface.
This is a wonderful story. Declan is frank about his reasons for
thinking about suicide and just as frank about the pause. The story
breathes truth, the psychiatric unit resounds with people's lives
interrupted by trauma, and readers will be left knowing how to
approach their friends who are having a rough time and recognise
symptoms within themselves. Larkin has certainly achieved his aim of
writing about hope.
And I must point out the wonderful cover and book design, the
chapter headings and placement of the chapters, which all contribute
to an absorbing read.
This book unsurprisingly won the Queensland Literary Award in 2105
for Young Adult Novel.
Fran Knight
Theophilus Grey and the demon thief by Catherine Jinks
Allen & Unwin, 2015. ISBN 9781760113605
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Humour, Historical novel, London,
1750, Street children. Theophilus (Philo to his friends) works for
the lawyer's clerk, Garnet Hooke, a man who stays all day in bed,
sending out his gang of linkboys to not only take people home in the
dark of the night, but also gather information which he then sells.
Philo hears from one of the less desirable acquaintances that there
is something not quite right, a feeling of someone behind him, of a
fearful smell. Philo talks to his master about it, but his fears
about a demon are dismissed, although Philis is dismayed when later
he finds that Garnet has been giving herbal remedies to others who
are worried.
A London of two and a half centuries ago is brought incredibly alive
in Jinks' writing as we see the children who work the streets,
lighting the way for people going home, pickpockets, potboys and
footpads, all squeezing out what little money they can get to
survive. We see the women coming into London escaping their
husbands, going to the parish church for help, girls selling small
bunches of herbs on the street, the workhouses that some of Philo's
crew have lived in, all uncomfortably real, redolent of the
eighteenth century, of the London of a century before Jinks'
previous series, City of Orphans.
This is the first in a series of two novels following Philo as he
tries to unearth the demon that people think is striking people
down. Helped by his new friend, the physician, Mr Paxton, he treads
a wary path through the machinations of his ill employer and those
who want him out of the way. His investigations take him to Rat's
Castle, the dwelling of the worst of men in the byways of London's
West End, and here he finds the flower seller, Samantha in a
particular predicament.
The background of this wonderful story is so well detailed that any
reader will be able to smell the filth and grime in which people
live, and wonder at the changes that have befallen our lives in two
hundred years and be grateful for it.
Philo is a most likable character, illiterate but street wise, canny
in keeping himself and his crew safe, waiting for an opportunity to
make a small amount of money and wary of those around him who would
do him and his friends harm.
Fran Knight
Sad, the dog by Sandy Fussell
Ill. by Tull Suwannakit. Walker Books, 2015. ISBN 9781921529641
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended. Pets, Dogs, Family, Home. A dog given
to an older couple as a gift is looked after by them but never given
a name. They feed him, wash him, scold him for barking or digging
the garden, or tearing up the newspapers but do not name him. So he
names himself. He calls himself Sad, because that is how he feels in
this home where he is unwanted and unloved. One day the couple pack
their belongings and move away leaving Sad behind. A new family
arrives and the young boy sees the dog and is instantly excited. The
family feeds him, they give him fresh water to drink and take him
for a walk. He is given a soft warm bed on the back verandah and
when he wakes, Jack is there with a treat. He does all the things he
did with his previous family but now he is not scolded or left
outside; he is loved, wanted and called by his new name, Lucky.
This is a treat of a story, one full of warmth and charm as the dog
is at first not cared for and then finds someone who loves him.
Along the way readers will see the difference between owning a dog
and loving and caring for a dog, how a dog reacts to the care given
it, of how an animal fits into the family. Children will love
reading of Sad and marvel at his change of fortune, and be instantly
mesmerised by the watercolour illustrations showing the changes in
the dog's fortunes as he goes from being alone and dejected to being
alive and happy. The endpapers reflect his status beautifully. This
is a treat simply as a great story well told and illustrated, but a
boon for teachers and parents wanting to discuss the care of a pet.
Fran Knight
Shadowcat by Julia Louise
Ill. by Anne Ryan. Five Mile Press, 2015. ISBN 9781760067090
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Bravery, Dreams, Siblings. Edith often sits
in the garden alone, avoiding her baby brother. She feels she is
turning into a garden gnome, sitting there quietly, without moving,
allowing the grass to grow around her. But one day a cat comes by
and asks her why she is doing what she is doing. He inquires why she
doesn't dream, and Edith, surprised asks him how he knows. He tells
her that cats can see when people dream as stardust forms around
them. He takes her hand and together they walk into the overgrown
garden and he teaches her to dance. Each night she dances and
stardust forms around her as she dreams. She dances in the garden
taking her brother's hand in hers. But one night the cat does not
come back, and she begins to feel a bit gnomish, until she finally
sees him through her window and he tells her to dream alone, to be
brave as the stars are always with her.
This is a charming story of daring to dream, of being brave, as
Edith becomes introverted when a baby appears in the household,
losing her place within the family. The stylised acrylic
illustrations show the young girl sitting quietly in the garden,
amongst the gnomes. The shadows of the trees make the garden look
ominous, but the night sky becomes warm and encompassing as she
dances with the cat.
A wonderful addition to the range of stories about the arrival of a
new baby in the household and learning to be resilient.
Fran Knight
The flyaway girls by Julia Lawrinson
Penguin, 2015. ISBN 9780143308652
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Gymnastics, Jealousy, Friendship.
Chelsea is threatened when a new girl, Telia joins her gymnastic
club. Chelsea has worked hard for a long time, doing extra training
at home after her five hours at the club each week, in preparation
for the Nationals. But this new girl has a natural talent that
Chelsea can only dream about, and each time she tries a new skill,
needs only a small amount of instruction from Louisa to get it right
the next time. Ellie does not believe that she has not been trained
and continues her snide remarks and comments towards the new girl.
Chelsea's other friends, Rosie and Gemma, practising for the school
band, form a neat contrast to the problems at the club, especially
when Chelsea can see her aim of being chosen for the Nationals
slipping away. But she likes Telia, and cannot abide the bickering
of Ellie, so she has a dilemma to work out, who to support.
This is a wonderfully written story of middle primary girls training
their hearts out for a chance at a place in the top rung of their
sport. The threat of not making it is always hangs over their heads,
and their regime at the club reinforces the work they must do to
succeed.
The finely observed detail of working so hard at club level pervades
the story and the reader settles in easily into the strengths and
weaknesses shown by the girls.
Problems at home also add to the mix of this very readable story
which will make all readers watch with new eyes the gymnastics at
the Olympic and Commonwealth Games.
Fran Knight
The Phantom Bully by Jeffrey Brown
Star Wars: Jedi Academy bk 3. Scholastic, 2015. ISBN
9780545621267
(Age: 9-12) Recommended. Author, illustrator Jeffrey Brown's popular
Star Wars Jedi Academy returns. Roan Sanchez is about to
enter his final year at the Jedi Academy. Middle School proves to be
challenging for the young trainee, as he is honing his Jedi skills,
performing in a class talent show, dating and coping with the class
bully Cronah. Creatively set out as diary entries with class
schedules, notes, holomail, holobook chats, cartoons, graphic
diagrams, Roan's diary is an exciting account of his student life.
After Spring Break Roan settles down to training with his mentor Mr.
G, as he wants to be a pilot like his father and enjoys using the
flight simulator. There's the Jedi Obstacle Challenge Trial to
complete where Roan learns the importance of friendship and
resilience. At the Icecream Social, Roan serves the dessert with
mite sauce and beetle jelly added for extra taste. Of course
Cronah's involved in this mischief. After a light saber battle
between Roan and his enemy, the reader gains an understanding of the
reasons behind the bully's behaviour.
This diary format with personal information, insights and
illustrations is an extremely popular format with preteen readers.
Jeff Brown's setting of the Jedi Academy and his understanding of
middle school life makes this another exciting adventure for Star
Wars fans.
Rhyllis Bignell
Wombat wins by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley
Angus & Robertson, 2015. ISBN 9780732299576
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Wombats, Winning, Carrots. The winning
combination of French and Whatley has produced another book in the
series about wombats. In this one, Mothball goes along to the school
sports day. She has yawned, scratched, eaten some grass and noticed,
after rummaging through the fridge that the small humans are racing
past the window.
The reader can see from their distinctive clothing that they are off
to a sporting arena of some sort, but Mothball has only one thought
in mind, to beat them getting to the carrots. So begins a marvellous
series of pages where Mothball is seemingly competing against the
small humans, winning the race by burrowing through the hill,
winning the sack race, jumping across the heads of the swimmers to
reach the end of the pool and inadvertently taking a gold medal. But
she spies a shopping bag out of which is sticking some greenery, so
hunts it down and luxuriates in the greens until she falls asleep.
Ah, just another day in the life of a wombat, Mothball. Readers will
love reading the story and looking at the wonderful illustrations,
reveling in the antics of this creature, wondering just how one
comes to be in a household, and marveling at the patience needed to
house such a thing. And also contemplate the idea of sports days,
winning and aspects of competition.
Fran Knight,
When I was me by Hilary Freeman
Hot Key Books, 2015. ISBN: 9781471404924
(Age: 15+) Story: Yesterday, Ella's life was completely normal.
Today, she woke up as a different person. Or, to be more exact, she
feels like the same person, but she looks different, her friends are
different, and every facet of her life is different to what she
remembers. At first she thinks she must be crazy, especially since
she's the only person who thinks that anything is wrong, but when
she meets a stranger named Daniel, she starts drawing closer and
closer to the truth . . .
Review: First things first: When I was me is actually a good
book. It has an intriguing, very original plotline, some interesting
characters, and tremendous amounts of potential. However, this
potential is never fully achieved - despite being very promising at
first, this book ends up just sitting squarely within the genre
of 'teen romance'. While not a bad thing necessarily, the
intrigue of the original idea - that of a girl waking up in a life
that is not hers, and all the consequences of that - almost feels
wasted here. One feels that Freeman could have easily made this into
a complex thriller with a dash of science-fiction sensibilities, but
instead the book remains simple - at times far too much - and
becomes just another run-of-the-mill teen novel rife with romance
and friendship dramas. This is not to say the novel is totally
flawed, however - there are some excellent themes here at play, and
Freeman deals deftly with complicated topics such as finding your
identity, and how we perceive reality. The characters are
interesting, yet ultimately underdeveloped, and it rollicks along at
an exciting pace. But while this novel is definitely enjoyable, it
never quite reaches the heights it could have, and ultimately,
that's the most frustrating thing.
Rebecca Adams (university student)
Battle of the Heroes by Kate Forsyth
The Impossible Quest bk 5. Scholastic, 2015. ISBN
9781743624104
(Age: 9-12) Highly recommended. Themes: Fantasy, Magical Creatures,
Good and Evil, Sorcery, Quests, Adventures. Kate Forsyth's
impressive conclusion to her magical fantasy series Battle of
the Heroes pits the four young heroes and their magical
creatures against the most frightening of creatures in Wolfhaven
Castle. Quinn, Sebastian, Elanor and Tom have escaped the evil witch
sisters' clutches by ingenious trickery and begin preparations for a
dangerous sea voyage to return to their former home, free the
imprisoned lord and his people and fulfill the ancient prophecy.
They have gathered the magical elements, a griffin's feather,
unicorn's horn, sea-serpent's scale and dragon's tooth and are ready
to wake the four sleeping warriors hidden beneath the castle. Sabre
the sea-serpent aids the travellers pulling their wooden coracles
across the dark treacherous lake.
Each step of their journey is fraught with danger - fighting the
spear-wielding bog-men, escaping from the Mistress Mauldred's
attacking ravens, relying on their magical creatures for rescue -
Tom's griffin helps with Jack's escape. The young adventurers draw
on their skills and knowledge to race into the underground tunnels
constantly being chased by their enemies. Together they discover the
hidden bone key in the Great Room and the secret passage that leads
to the sleeping warriors' chamber.
The final battle scenes are heightened drama, fighting a skeleton
army riding skeleton horses, fierce giant rats, swash-buckling sword
fights and overcoming the witches evil acts that nearly foil the
prophecy's fulfillment.
Kate Forsyth's rich imagery, feisty characters, lyrical language,
fast-paced action and engaging magic and fantasy elements, make the
The Impossible Quest series appealing to both younger readers
and adult fans of this genre.
Rhyllis Bignell
Me and Earl and the dying girl by Jesse Andrews
Allen & Unwin, 2015. ISBN 9781760290184
(Age: 14+) Recommended. For those thinking this contemporary debut
is similar to John Green's The Fault in Our Stars, think
again. This entertaining and highly realistic novel is not your
average 'sick lit'. Greg Gaines is a bit of a social chameleon. His
goal is to remain civil with everyone at school but not to belong to
any particular clique. After all, Greg just wants everyone to like
him. He only has one real friend, the pint-sized and foul-mouthed
Earl, who shares his love of film making. At least Greg only has one
friend until his mother makes him hang out with Rachel, an old
childhood acquaintance who has been diagnosed with leukaemia.
Despite Greg's protests, his mother believes that he can use his
infamous humour to cheer Rachel up in her time of need. Greg ends up
sharing more with Rachel than just his jokes, and he is well and
truly pushed out of his comfort zone. The one thing that he tried to
avoid, being disliked by anyone, becomes all too hard after all.
Jesse Andrews explores many themes in his debut including grief,
peer pressure, poor family backgrounds, and of course, cancer. He
tells the story of a leukaemia stricken girl in a very honest way
and uses humour to soften the harshness of this topic. Some mature
middle school students could handle this book, but it would better
suit senior school students due to the language used, and the
reoccurring use of drugs and smoking in the novel. Although, both
are well within the context of the story and are necessary in
exploring the theme of poor family backgrounds. Boys will especially
enjoy this truly hilarious and very real novel.
Emma Gay
Blue whale blues by Peter Carnavas
New Frontier Publishing, 2015. ISBN 9781925059410
(Age: 4+) Warmly recommended. Whales, Depression, Friendship,
Environment. When Penguin hears Whale singing the blues, he decides
to investigate. He asks what the problem is and Whale points out
that his bike is not right. Penguin laughs saying it is just upside
down and puts it up the right way and Whale is happy. Later Penguin
hears him singing the blues again and asks him what the problem is.
Whale is concerned that his bike is getting wet so Penguin gives him
a towel to dry it. This story line continues as the Whale sings the
blues and Penguin comes along like a good friend to help. Each four
page sees something which troubles Whale, and a friend coming to his
aid. When Turtle turns up on a trike, Whale laughs when Penguin
explains that he cannot use a trike as he has no legs and arms. This
evokes a great belly laugh from Whale and the friends are happy that
Whale is happy.
A gentle repetition of one line about the Whale feeling happy will
be a line readers will call out when each situation occurs. The song
to accompany the story is available as a download, and the
illustrations will cause a ripple of laughs from the readers as they
spy the absurdity of Whale's concerns under the sea. Along the way
readers will get a sense of some of the rubbish which eventually
finds its way into the oceans, and wonder how it affects the animals
that live there.
Fran Knight
