Faber & Faber, 2015. ISBN 9780571311828
(Age: Preschool - Yr 2) What do you put on a sandwich for daddy if
you are going to make one with absolutely everything he loves? Well
you start with a slice of white bread that is crusty on the outside,
a little bit of butter, some cheese that's a tiny bit stinky and
some tomato - with the green bit pulled off. And then you let your
imagination go wild and add biscuits dunked in tea, his slippers,
his uncrinkled newspaper, his phone, and, and, and, finally a great
big squirt of ketchup. And to finish it off, you top it with the
thing that he loves most of all!
This is an hilarious story that will have young readers gasping with
delight as Daddy's sandwich gets more and more outrageous! And they
will be clamouring to tell you what they would put in a sandwich for
their daddy. The big, bright, bold illustrations underscore the
magnificence of this sandwich and its construction and capture the
mood perfectly. Making a sandwich is a fantastic way to introduce
young children to the concepts of instructions and sequencing and
there is much scope for encouraging the children to talk about what
they would put in their sandwich for their daddy and then creating a
pictorial version of it - perhaps scouring magazines for the perfect
illustrations.
But it's also just a great read-aloud to share as Father's Day draws
near.
Barbara Braxton
I want my Daddy! by Tracey Corderoy
Ill. by Alison Edgson. Little Tiger Press, 2015. ISBN 9781848690493
Sometimes when you have a really bad day, like the days when you're
a knight and your castle falls down, you just need your daddy. And
when your daddy is a knight too and has a special pot of castle glue
it's even better. Or when you fall off your valiant steed and hurt
yourself, daddies are the best. Or there is something on the end of
your fishing line and you are sure it's a monster.
This is a charming story for the very young about that special
relationship that they have with their daddies that is heart-warming
and reaffirming. Soft but bright illustrations exude love and the
bond between Arthur and his daddy comes alive. A great read-aloud to
recommend to families for special times between father and child or
just for reflecting on the love between them.
Barbara Braxton
Girls Uninterrupted: Steps for Building Stronger Girls in a Challenging World by Tanith Carey
Allen & Unwin, Imprint: Icon Books, 2015. ISBN 9781848318205
Highly recommended. Tanith
Carey
has had a long successful career as a journalist working with a wide
variety of some of the world's leading newspapers and journals. She
is also a highly successful author of books particularly several
related to parenting, the latest of which is Girls Uninterrupted.
Her work in this area has attracted high praise including
endorsement by the likes of Steve Biddulph and her books translated
into 12 languages to date.
As I am now working in an all girls' college, I am seeing firsthand
many of the issues which parents of teen girls face today so this
book could not be timelier. It will certainly be one I will promote
with our college community and parents.
Why are girls self-harming and suffering eating disorders in record
numbers?
Why do girls feel they have to 'little miss perfects' who are never
allowed to fail?
Why are girls turning against each other on social media?
What should we tell girls about how to deal with the challenges of
everyday sexism and violent misogynistic pornography?
How can parents, teachers and grandparents inoculate girls so they
can push back against the barrage of unhealthy messages bombarding
them about what it means to be female?
Formatted in easy 'chunked' steps the book offers practical advice,
anecdotes and real help with the increasing pressure of raising
happy healthy girls into strong positive women.
This was firstly a series of articles in the New York Times and the
resulting publication into a widely praised book is testimony to its
usefulness.
As a grandmother now raising a ten year old granddaughter it will
also be a 'go to' book for me as I help this little one become a
Mighty Girl <http://www.amightygirl.com/>
over the next few years. Highly recommended for anyone who is in the
challenging role of bringing up 21st century girls.
Sue Warren
Captain underpants and the tyrannical retaliation of the turbo toilet 2000 by Dav Pilkey
Scholastic, 2015, ISBN 9781760151553
(Ages: 8-10) Recommended for reluctant readers. This is the
"eleventh epic novel" by Dav Pilkey and it is the first this
reviewer has read in this series, despite having loaned it out to
many readers in the target audience. It could never be described as
'erudite literature'. It has an impossible plot line and crazy
mixture of flip-page illustrations (flip-o-rama) and Graphic story
format and references to super-charged toilets, cloned central
characters, space junk monsters, pre-historic creatures and a school
principal that morphs into an underwear exposed Super-hero (when he
isn't locked away in a home for the 'Reality-challenged'). The
weird, quirky, implausible and gross complications are all designed
to appeal to the young male reader who would probably find all these
features engaging. Hopefully they grow out of this phase of reading
and move into something that engages the brain matter more, but
while there are boys who laugh at gross jokes involving toilets and
exposed underwear (especially if worn by teachers!), there will a
reading audience.
(But move them on quickly!)
Carolyn Hull
Peas in a Pod by Tania McCartney
Ill. by Tina Snerling. EK Books, 2015. 9781921966712
When Pippa, Pia, Poppy, Polly and Peg were born they looked exactly
the same. And they did everything the same. And at the same time.
Even toilet training! But as time marched on, as it inevitably does,
the girls started to change, as they inevitably would. They like
different things and do different things at different times. The
changes become challenging. And their parents can't cope so they
step in and put everything right. For a while everything is the same
again until as time marches on, as it inevitably does, the girls
start to change again, as they inevitably would. And this time they
are old enough to take control - just little things at first but
eventually.
This is a superb book that looks at growing up and how there is an
inner us that demands to be different even if we are one of
identical quins! And that that little point of difference is what
makes us unique and needs to be explored, exploited and celebrated.
Charming, quirky illustrations that are so appealing emphasise the
humour which make this so much more than a mundane story about
growing and changing. While the adult reading the story to the child
will empathise with the parents in the story, the child will just
love it and delight in trying to trace each girl's journey.
This is a wonderful way to talk to students about not only finding
their inner self, but having the courage to stay true to it. While
we often focus on looking for the similarities of people while we
ignore their physical differences, this takes that to the next level
by looking beyond the similarities to the deeper differences. It's
about individualisation rather than generalisation.
Loved it.
Barbara Braxton
Love is like a tree by Shona Innes
Ill. Irisz Agocs. Big Hug Books series. Five Mile Press,
2015. ISBN 9781760066321
(Ages: 3+) Highly recommended. Shona Innes' wealth of experience
working as a Clinical Psychologist caring for children and their
families for over twenty-five years, underpins her heart-felt
writing in The Big Hug series. In her engaging new book Love is like
a Tree, she describes love as a special and growing thing, like a
unique magical tree that provides a comfortable, caring and safe
nest in its branches. Different expressions of love - love for
friends, for sports teams, for family and for grownups are explained
in easy to understand terms. Love needs to be nurtured and grows
when you show kindness, share and support others.
Hungarian artist Irisz Agocs's soft watercolor paintings, with her
charming forest animals, ducks, owls, hedgehogs, rabbits and bears
and woodland scenes, showcase the many aspects of loving
relationships. The caring creatures, dance, sing and are engaging
will delight the reader. The seasons of love are gently shown as the
tree's heart shaped leaves surround the characters. Emotions are
explained in easy to understand and comforting terms, this is a book
just right for all kinds of families to share. These books provide
opportunities for families to explore and engage with both the
wonderful and difficult times in a family and child's life. Love is
like a Tree is a special book just right for families to share, to
dip into again and again.
Rhyllis Bignell
Clementine Rose and the birthday emergency by Jacqueline Harvey
Random House Australia, 2015. ISBN: 9780857985163
(Age: 6+) Recommended. Little girls are always excited about their
upcoming birthdays and the all-important party planning. Clementine
Rose is no exception. She's counting down the days with excited
anticipation. Of course, deciding on the theme is most important and
luckily she has Uncle Digby to help with that!
But Clemmie's birthday is not the only big event in this newest
adventure. Her friends Teddy and Mintie are delighted when a new
puppy comes into their lives, the school sports carnival is on and
poor little Lavender is not at well and has a trip to the vet.
Lavender isn't the only one who needs medical attention however and
Clementine's long awaited party looks uncertain when the little girl
ends up in hospital for an emergency appendix operation.
Devotees of this series will enjoy the latest adventure with all
this action happening and thankfully as always there is a redeeming
happy ending.
For your younger readers who enjoy the 'series' following, you will
be sure this one will be very popular. Perhaps you could arrange a
Clementine Rose event for the fans in your readership as a library
event. I feel sure there would be many takers!
Recommended for newly independent readers from around 6 and up.
Sue Warren
The Bane chronicles by Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, Maureen Johnson
Walker Books, 2014. ISBN 9781406352429
(Ages 14+) This is a companion volume of stories to accompany The
Shadowhunter Chronicles written by Cassandra Clare - a series which
has been consistently popular over the past five years. Clare has
spoken of the fascination she had for the abandoned buildings in the
large cities of the United States; places which evoked fantastical
and historical imaginings and so, she began the stories of the
warlocks, vampires and humans. These eleven stories give the reader
some insight into the lives and loves of Magnus Bane, the leading
character in the already published Chronicles. Warlocks live forever
- so imagine what they have seen over time. Magnus is such a
likeable, flamboyant and heroic character blessed with good looks, a
fine sense of fashion and a great sense of humour plus amazing
magical powers. I was very drawn to these stories, which encompass
historical time periods from the 18th century through to the present
day. With a consistently readable writing style, Clare has drawn her
characters well; this special collection will be loved by her
reading fans.
Julie Wells
Footpath flowers by Jon Arno Lawson
Ill. by Sydney Smith. Walker Books, 2015. ISBN 9781406362084
(Age: Junior primary) Highly recommended. Small things, Childhood,
Environment. A young girl and her father walk through the city back
to their house. Along the way she collects the flowers she spies
growing in the most unusual places, around a telegraph pole, in the
cracks between the pavement of the footpath, or the gaps between the
cement layers on a bridge or the spaces between the pavers near the
bus stop. She picks herself a small bunch of flowers, smelling their
perfume as they walk, and she gives a flower to those she meets
along the way. Each of the recipients sees their environment in a
different way because of her gift, and eventually her dad, the one
who walked the same route and saw nothing, also opens his eyes.
Father with his bag of shopping and his mobile phone often at his
ear, simply walks the route, but the girl, resplendent in her red
coat, sees all. She spies out the flowers, finding their colour in
most unusual places, sees the people standing in a queue for a bus,
the contents of the shop windows, the dead bird on the ground. In
giving away the flowers she brings colour to the world, the person
asleep on the park bench, the dog, and finally her own family.
The wonderful illustrations begin with the stark ink buildings.
Shadows run across the pages as the two walk with their shopping.
The sights of the city are there to see, but she sees the smaller
things, the important things, the flowers at their feet. More colour
is added to the pages as she delivers her flowers, and the pages
become softer as they enter the family home. Smith offers us a world
full of small things, and the young reader will delight picking them
out on each page. They will see what the young girl sees, and marvel
at her small gestures of kindness in offering flowers to those she
meets.
A wordless hymn to the importance of the little things, this picture
book will delight and charm those who read it.
Fran Knight
The Beloved by Alison Rattle
Hot Key Books, 2015. ISBN 9781471403798
(Age: Mature senior secondary) Themes: Role of women in society
(1800's); Abuse - emotional and sexual; Historical drama; Family
drama. Set in 1848, this is a tale of family abuse, powerlessness,
betrayal, exploitation and family dysfunction threaded with a link
to religious abuse, heresy and corruption. Alice Angel, lives in a
household dominated by a manipulative mother who emotionally abuses
her daughter. Alice's responses to the abuse and the perceived lack
of love from her mother, which from the reader's 21st Century
viewpoint seem reasonable, are deemed to be evidence of her mental
instability and she is at risk of being sent to a mental asylum.
This uncertainty leads Alice to escape into an uncertain future, and
then into the unfortunate arms of an in itinerant preacher who
manages to convince her, and many other women, that he is their
Saviour - The Beloved. The servitude that follows is spiritual
abuse, and yet the vulnerable women from rich and poor backgrounds
succumb to the seductive charms of the enigmatic leader willingly.
Gradually Alice discovers that all is not what it seems, and the
abuse is revealed in all its horrors.
This is a sad tale and reveals how a woman's position in the world
was often easily manipulated in the 19th Century. The willingness of
the women in the tale to succumb to the spell of the charismatic
religious leader, who deceptively claims divinity, was immensely
sad. The fact that this is based on a piece of English history
(Agapemonites) is disturbing.
Some maturity is required to read this book, both as the result of
the descriptions of abuse (including sexual abuse), but also to sift
through the irreverence and false claims of the religious leader.
(Note: Christians will find the warped and corrupt expression of
their beliefs to be distressing but not surprising, as it still
continues today.)
Carolyn Hull
Hair Disaster by Yvette Poshoglian
Ill. by Danielle McDonald. Ella and Olivia series.
Scholastic Australia, 2015. ISBN: 9781743627426
(Age: 6+) (Reading Ages: 6-7) Recommended. Themes: Family Life,
Ballet, Brothers and Sisters, Hair. Older sister Ella is excited
about her Friday night ballet concert as she has the starring role
of Sleeping Beauty. Mrs Fry her ballet teacher has asked all the
dancers to come with their hair and makeup already done. To prepare,
Ella and Olivia decide to practice putting on makeup and styling
hair in the bathroom at home. Younger brother Max is shut out and so
is their hairy golden retriever Bob. Their first time just involves,
red lipstick, sparkly eyeshadow and lots of fun. Ella even teaches
Olivia some ballet steps using the bathroom towel rail. Their second
session in the bathroom, however, involves Olivia using Mum's nail
scissors to create a new hairstyle for her sister with a rather
dramatic result. Dad and Mum are a bit surprised and Mum's
creativity is needed for Sleeping Beauty to sparkle on her big
night.
Yvette Poshoglian continues to positively engage her young readers
in this delightful series about family life and everyday situations.
Danielle McDonald charming sketches capably show both the hair
disaster and hair triumph moments.
Rhyllis Bignell
The Last Place by Michael Adams
The Last Trilogy Book 3. Allen and Unwin, 2015. ISBN:
9781743316740
(Age: 16+) After the "Snap" occurred, sixteen year old Danby has
found the world has become a war zone and with most telepathic
survivors having their minds controlled by Jack. Danby has turned
into a soldier and is trying to rescue any survivors she possibly
can. Nathan and Danby succeeded in blowing an enemy helicopter out
of the sky, but unfortunately Jack has taken over Evan, Danby's
autistic brother's mind. Danby and Nathan must then escape from the
Jack's and survive on anything they may come across. They must try
and find some way to rescue Evan from being controlled by Jack and
find a safe place to restart living.
I found the beginning of this book very slow to get into. It was
hard to follow the Danby character as the story follows her in a
series of flashbacks within a 3 month period, however when I
realised I had already read the first book in the series I found I
could not put the book down. So I would not recommend reading it if
you haven't read the previous books. Set in the Blue Mountains I
couldn't help thinking that this series was very much like John
Marsden's Tomorrow when the war began series. I found the
way that Michael Adams describes the life after the "snap" to be
very realistic, particularly the way the characters have to deal
with decaying bodies and the animals who without carers have become
feral. With the amount of death and drug undertones I would only
recommend it to a more mature student and readers who loved to read
John Marden's Tomorrow series.
Jody Holmes
Poppy in the Field by Mary Hooper
Bloomsbury Publishing, 2015. ISBN 9781408827635
(Age: 13 years+) The first world war carries on and VAD Poppy
Pearson finds herself mending a broken heart from the love of her
life. Desperately trying to put him behind her, Poppy travels to
France nearer to the front lines hoping to help more of the wounded
soldiers of the dreadful battle, easing their pains, treating their
wounds. Poppy tries to do as much good as she can amidst the bad,
but many heartaches rattle her journey forward. With the loss of
family and the gain of new friendships and love, and difficulties
for both her and the soldiers she cares for, she battles against all
odds, sacrificing much and gaining little and the war is proving to
not only be on the battlefield, but inside Poppy as well.
The followup book to the novel Poppy, Poppy in the field
is story of gentle love and painful loss, regret, guilt and death.
Hooper unfolds the story of the renowned World War I in the eyes of
Poppy Pearson, a heroine who - though in a foreign situation to many
- readers will be able to relate with as we follow Poppy and her
letters in the many troubles she faces both in the sickroom and at
home. Hooper writes a heartfelt story that will leave many smiling,
sobbing and most probably, both.
Clarissa Cornelius (Student)
How to be Bad by E. Lockhart, Lauren Myracle and Sarah Mlynowski
Hot Key Books, 2015. ISBN 9781471404849
(Age: 15 years+) 'Think about it . . . the open road. We can do
whatever we want, whenever we want to do it.' How to be Bad follows the lives of three teenage girls who
are the complete opposites, and their impulsive decision to go on a
road trip for the weekend. Jesse, the saint, Vicky, the rebel, and
Mel, the new girl, all pile into a beat up Opel to experience life
on the open road - to make up with boyfriends, to escape reality as
they know it, try and gain real friends and maybe catch up with a
stuffed gator on the way. The sassy trio embarks on a trip of a
lifetime and take many twists they had no clue were even on the map
. . .
With three teens and three writers, different perspectives are used
in the story to see in the eyes and walk in the shoes of the girls
whose lives intertwine with each other's. This is a fast-paced,
relatable story of broken hearts and friendship's up and downs,
displaying stellar arguments and the journey to fix them, strangers
that become close friends, and close friends that keep too many
secrets. Lockhart, Myracle, and Mlynowski writes of the pessimisms
and highlights of a youth's life, a story that leaves you wanting
more of the sass, tears and laughs the girls have to offer.
Clarissa Cornelius (Student)
My Brother is a Superhero by David Solomons
Nosy Crow, 2015. ISBN: 9780857634795
(Age: 9-12) Highly recommended. Themes: Brothers and sisters,
Comics, Humorous stories, Heroes and heroines. Eleven year old Luke
Parker, life is rather average, he lives with his parents and older
brother Zack in an ordinary area of London. Luke is an avid comic
book reader; he loves reading about superheroes and their daring
adventures. One evening after an hour in their backyard treehouse,
Luke urgently needs to wee, and this changes the course of both
brothers' life. In those few minutes, Zorbon the Decider's
spacecraft lands and Zack is chosen to save two universes. He is
given six powers to help him, including telekinesis and the alien
leaves him with a final warning 'NEMESIS IS COMING'.
Luke is extremely upset: his nerdy brother loves maths and has no my
interest in being a superhero and saving anything. Luke relishes the
role of guiding Star Lad - Zack's superhero identity, making his
costume - a shower-curtain cape and constantly reminding him about
what is required. Life changes after a Saturday afternoon visit to
Comic Connection, Luke's favourite store, Star Lad stops an out of
control bus with his bare hands, lifting it into the air like a
champion weightlifter. When Luke's classmate Lara decides to unmask
Star Guy, Luke has his own mission how to prevent Zack's identity
being found out.
This is an action packed novel, the narration is humorous, the
impossible problems of being a superhero who can't drive to a crime
scene, there's the dilemmas of a first crush, Luke's witticisms and
asides to the reader and a monumental amount of superhero knowledge.
David Solomons' My Brother is a Superhero is a tremendous
novel for readers, who love all things alien, extraterrestrial,
adventurous and funny.
Rhyllis Bignell
