Random House Australia, 2015. ISBN 9781742756202
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Out To Launch is the first in
a new series which will foreseeably be every bit as popular as
Colin's previous bestsellers. With his very recognisable acerbic wit
and uncanny ability to pinpoint the most laughable and ridiculous
aspects of popular culture, Colin's newest comic offering puts the
spotlight on reality TV shows with superb results.
Billionaire entrepreneur Radius Limpfast is the most successful
creator of reality tv shows in history but is never content to rest,
always seeking more spectacular attention on his programs. Then one
night, after a particularly creative bacon curry, Radius dreams up
the ultimate reality show.
He intends to send an ordinary family to the moon to live in a huge
glass dome where they will be watched by the entire world. Sounds
incredible doesn't it? Amazing even!! What a concept it is for the
ultimate in reality television and all planned to the last detail.
Nothing could possibly go wrong.
Except for choosing a family that is not really the 'ideal' for the
project (The Contrasts: Stark, Laura, Primrose, Jack and Crumley the
dog) with the throw in of a 'fake' granny, Apricot. And except for
cutting corners on costs for essentials like a reliable rocket
transport and a suitably protective glass dome dwelling. And except
for underestimating the skills of 14 year old girls and elderly
ladies. And more! Boys and girls from around 10 up, plus those of us
who relish Colin's very particular sense of humour will be very
excited about this new series. The second instalment In the Pink
is already in the works and who knows how many more to come?
Highly recommended for readers from Middle Primary to Lower
Secondary.
Sue Warren
The Spy Catchers of Maple Hill by Megan Frazer Blakemore
Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781619633506
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Themes: Friendship; Mystery; Adventure;
Communism - fiction. Hazel Kaplansky lives during the period
post-WWII in the United States when the fear of communism could
divide communities, with lies, rumour and innuendo used as weapons
that could harm relationships and reputations. Hazel is a
self-proclaimed, relentlessly focused spy-catcher who uses small
hints, clues and fabrication to create a portfolio of evidence
against potential spies. She is influenced by the Trixie Belden
model of solving mysteries. She is also on the idiosyncratic end of
the personality scale - her initial poor self-awareness and her
attempts to impress with her higher order thinking create a humorous
and peculiar view of life. Her parents run a Cemetery, with
particular emphasis on the horticultural enhancements to the
grounds. The combination of her natural curiosity and her lack of
friends creates an environment where things get out of hand. She is
the target of the mean girls at school and finds the new boy, Samuel
(who joins her in their sights), as a worthy companion in her
attempts to find hidden secrets that extend into the past. Samuel's
own story is full of them! Hazel's misadventures eventually lead her
to greater awareness of the complexities of life. There are many
wonderfully humourous scenes in this book - her relegation to the
triangle in school music lessons, and her relationships with her
parents and other adults are often quite quirky.
I can recommend this book for readers aged 8+, but I suspect the
references to Communism as a threat will go over the heads of
younger readers in Australia. They should still enjoy Hazel's
misguided view of her circumstances, and her attempts at solving
problems.
Carolyn Hull
Mr Huff by Anna Walker
Penguin Viking, 2015. ISBN 9780670078042
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Depression, Mental illness, Childhood
fears, Bad hair days. Poor old Bill just can't seem to get rid of
the cloud that hangs over his day. Right from the start things go
wrong. He loses a sock, his cereal is soggy, he spills the milk as
he trips over his bag. The day just gets worse. He is late for
school and someone seems to be sitting in his place. The cloud which
follows him seems to get bigger and he tries to talk to someone
about it but the words simply cannot come out. He tries to ignore it
but that does not work. He tries to be brave to get rid of it but
that doesn't work. But when he takes Mr Huff by the hand and they go
home, walking through puddles, smiling at the other children,
watching the friendly dog in the street Bill accepts Mr Huff and the
next day he wakes to a cloudy day but with the promise of sunshine.
This is a wonderful story, seemingly a simple tale of Bill accepting
the cloud which sometimes hangs over him, the tale expands to a
story about the highs and lows of life, the depression we sometimes
feel when things do not go our way, the clouds and sunshine which
make up all of our days. What a treat for young children to read,
seeing themselves in each of the pages, sometimes happy, sometimes
sad, learning that this is a condition of life. The glowering
menacing Mr Huff looms larger as the story progresses, but changes
once tears fall from his face. He is no longer the thing to be
voided, rejected or hidden, but an integral part of the boy and his
day.
The watercolour and pen illustrations suit the story, with their
emphasis on home and the everyday things around the child. The
street scenes are full of the ordinary things of life, things we
take for granted but are there to support us when blue. A delightful
story full of moments which are easily recognised by a reader of any
age, and may initiate much discussion in the classroom and at home.
Fran Knight
Bomber by Paul Dowswell
Bloomsbury, 2015 ISBN 978 1 4088 5849 3
(Age: Upper Primary and Lower Secondary) Well recommended. A
realistic and grim account of a US crew flying a B-17 bomber to
England to support the RAF and then the perilous flights to bomb
strategic places in Germany in 1943. Told from Harry Friedman's
perspective, the reader is enveloped in the everyday detail, from
the devestating explosion of a retuning bomber when all the aviators
died on landing, to the intricate detail the mechanics went to keep
the bombers flying. The unseen horrors of night flying over Germany
for the crew of the Macey May, the bail out over occupied Holland on
a training run, the first successful sortie followed by a heart
stopping final flight gives the reader a taste of the real horror of
war and of being brought back to England by the French Resistance.
The descriptions of the crew and their reactions bring a touch of
normality to this gripping and believable story, loosely based on
places the author knows.
The pace moves swiftly along with story line and has clear, well
spaced text.
There is a clear double page explaining the positions, names and
aeroplane details of the crew of the Boeing Flying Fortress B-17 G.
There are 3 pages called 'Fact Behind the Fiction' where the author
is interviewed.
Sue Nosworthy
Yes! No. (Maybe . . . ) by Liz Pichon
Tom Gates bk 8. Scholastic, 2015. ISBN: 9781760153663
(Age: 8-12) Highly recommended. Themes: Family Life; Friendships;
School life; Humour. This is another wonderful excerpt from the life
and drawings of Tom Gates. The comical illustrations partner well
with the text to reveal Tom's character and his relationships to all
around him. Tom is in year 5 and has to cope with school (not always
as well has his teacher would like,) an annoying older sister,
friendships, band practice, the 'Fossils' (grandparents) and their
peculiarities and Parents! In this episode in Tom's life he needs to
participate in school Business Day while dealing with an array of
substitute teachers during an outbreak of 'the coughing bug'; help
his family de-clutter and get rid of their 'junk' at a Boot Sale;
recover a valuable item inadvertently included in the 'junk' and
remember to honour his Mother's birthday.
The quirky illustrations and Tom's unique view of life will appeal
to all young readers in the 8-12 age bracket. This will be another
of Liz Pichon's books that is in high demand in library collections.
Carolyn Hull
88 Lime Street - The Way In by Denise Kirby
Omnibus Books, 2015. ISBN 9781742991009
(Age: 11-14) Ellen and her family have left their old life behind to
move into a new house in a new town, and that means making new
friends. When they first see their new house it seems to Ellen
something isn't quite right, besides the fact it is such an old
house, it's a maze of rooms and doors or lack of. There are two
towers; one the children love to explore, the other they can't seem
to find the door.
One afternoon exploring Ellen and her brother, Ben, find what looks
like the plans to the house. Ellen can quite clearly see the secret
door to the tower but Ben and no one else can. Then strange things
start to happen, messages appear; there are threatening emails and a
fountain in an overgrown garden fills up with water.
Is the house haunted? Is it trying to tell Ellen something? The
other kids at school seem to think so and have fun bullying Ellen
about it. But she won't give up trying to solve the riddle of the
mysteries of 88 Lime Street. Time is of the essence!
I found 88 Lime Street quite easy to read and shouldn't be a
problem for senior primary school students to become fully engrossed
in. Denise Kirby has developed the characters well and the reader
will have no problem feeling sympathy for Ellen as she has trouble
settling into her new settings and dealing with the school bullies.
I was quite surprised with how much I did enjoy this book, and the
characters within it.
Jody Holmes
Lara of Newtown by Chris McKimmie
Allen & Unwin, 2015. ISBN 9781760112325
Author and Illustrator Chris McKimmie has created another quirky
book in his unique style. This is a story of a cat that, after being
abandoned by its original owner, discovers new homes encountering
some difficulties en route. The story is not appealing in
complication or resolution nor is it particularly strong in any
other narrative features and would not be endearing to a young child
(even if they do like cats!).
The illustration style, with drawings by very young relatives and
other young participants which are collaged with McKimmie's own
drawings in a similar naive style are not particularly appealing in
colour or style. The book is relatively dark in colour tones and it
relies on its uniqueness of style rather than its strength in
illustration. I am not sure that it would actually appeal to the
younger reader except as an example of how their own drawings could
be used to illustrate a story.
Carolyn Hull
Kerenza by Rosanne Hawke
A New Australian series. Scholastic, 2015. ISBN 9781742990606
(Age: 11+) Highly recommended. Historical novel, Early settlement,
Migration, South Australia. When her father knows that the mine will
soon be closed he decides to join his brother in the Mallee in South
Australia to set up a farm. It is a great opportunity to have their
own land and raise crops to sell in this newly opened area of South
Australia. But there is scrub to be cleared before any planting can
occur, and Rosanne Hawke shows just how determined these immigrants
were in carving out a niche for themselves in their new home.
But it is also the tale of Kerenza. She has left her beloved Gran,
sister and friend in Cornwall, to move with her family, and in the
Mallee there is so much work to be done. While the men clear the
land with axes and a horse, she must wash, iron, make bread, look
after her siblings, clean the oven in their tent house. Her mother
is increasingly tired and Kerenza is called in to help more often,
and when she falls over must go to the city to recuperate and wait
for her baby to be born.
Meanwhile Kerenza and her siblings are learning to get along with
their cousins, sometimes difficulties arise but when Kerenza finds a
friend on the nearby property, things begin to look up. Her
interaction with an Aboriginal girl who lives rough with her father,
a swaggie, means that the way is laid for these families to help
each other times of need.
I loved this story of our early Cornish pioneers and read it in one
sitting, eager to see where Rosanne Hawke would take the reader,
knowing that she handles the tale of migration with such certitude
that every reader will learn something new and be amazed. I had no
idea about how to dig a well, or how these people cleared the land,
nor did I realise how they lived until the family had time to build
a dwelling. The richness of the background often made me stop and
think or reach for the iPad.
This is one of a new series from Scholastic, A New Australian,
and will add to the range of books revealing how Australia is a land
of immigrants to a younger generation.
Fran Knight
One True Thing by Nicole Hayes
Random House Australia, 2015. ISBN: 9780857986887
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. With this second novel, Nicole Hayes
has absolutely confirmed her talent as a quality writer for young
adults. We are all too aware of the intense scrutiny under which our
politicians are placed - and often, rightly so - and the
accompanying media feeding frenzy which generally accompanies this,
but how often do we give thought to the effect of all this on a
public figure's family or children?
Hayes has taken this idea and crafted a stunning story revolving
around Frankie (Francesca) Mulvaney-Webb, daughter of the Victorian
Premier, Rowena, who has stepped up into that position and is now
running for election to confirm her post.
Amid considerable antipathy from some quarters about having a female
state leader, Rowena is subjected to a vilifying media campaign over
her connection with an unknown young man. Woven into this fabric:
Frankie's new friend (potential boyfriend) who is a dedicated
amateur photographer, who has unwittingly provided the 'evidence' of
this questionable relationship, her young brother and father who,
like the rest of the family struggle to cope with the glaring
spotlight and open 'slur' tactics, her rather eccentric Irish
grandmother who appears to be keeping secrets, Frankie's indie band
and her relationships with her best friends, all of which combine to
impact on Frankie and her life in ways which would have many of us
running for cover.
Despite her life seemingly going completely pear-shaped, Frankie
demonstrates strength of character which is both admirable and
inspirational. Strong female characters abound in this novel which
makes it a must-read for young women as they also navigate their way
to sometimes fraught teenage years.
For those looking for novels which also deal with gay issues, this
is a worthy addition to your 'Rainbow' collection as Frankie also
deals with the developing gay relationship between her two best
friends. Her difficulties in adapting to being a 'third wheel' would
easily apply to many other circumstances and her struggle to bring
herself to an acceptance with grace and warmth is a pattern for
similar situations.
Lending itself well to philosophical debates such as: when does the
political become personal, when is a secret not ours to share, how
does a family demonstrate its unity in the face of overwhelmingly
opposition, loyalty, love and commitment to a cause, there will be
much to unravel in discussions arising from the reading.
An amazing book which demands to be consumed immediately, I know I
for one will follow Hayes' writing career with great interest.
Highly recommended for readers, particularly girls, from around 13
upwards.
Teaching notes are available on the publisher's website.
Sue Warren
The memory shed by Sally Morgan and Ezekiel Kwaymullina
Ill. by Craig Smith. Omnibus Books, Scholastic, 2015. ISBN
9781742990347
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. Aboriginal themes, Memories,
Grandparents. This wonderful series of books from Omnibus will
tickle the hearts of the readers as they delve into the relationship
between a child and her grandmother. Annie is staying with her
grandmother to help clean out the old shed at the bottom of the
garden. Grandma wants to sell the stuff at a garage sale, and clean
the rest out so she can replace the old building. During the night
Annie is worried by a creaking noise and gets up to investigate. She
finds Grandma is up as well, and the two become a little scared when
they think the shed has come closer to the house. Next day they
begin to clear the shed and Grandma finds that some of the things in
the shed remind her of things long past. Her old hat was made by her
Gran, the bike was one she rode as a younger woman, and the old tin
with the dog on its lid was one where she kept her harmonica, given
to her by her father. Each of the things they find recalls some
memories from Grandma's past and in recalling these, she encloses
Annie in her family's history. Her husband had built the shed and
memories of him are wrapped up in it. No wonder it creaks at night,
telling the two not to demolish it. Both come to see just how
valuable the shed is and the story underscores the importance of
family, history, memories and relics of the past.
Illustrated by Craig Smith and his decidedly recognisable drawings,
they form a perfect partnership with the story. The story is divided
into five chapters of about ten pages each making it an ideal early
chapter book for beginning readers and those who find reading a
little more difficult. The clear larger print add to its use as an
ideal early book.
Two others in the series are also available, Going bush with
Grandpa, and One rule for Jack, and reflect the same
high standard as this one.
Fran Knight
Hard nuts of history: Kings and queens by Tracey Turner
Ill. by Jamie Lenman. Bloomsbury, 2015. ISBN 9781472910929
(Age: 9+) Recommended. Non fiction, History, Kings and queens
The fourth in the series of books about the hard nuts, those people
in history who have made an impact, who have been adventurous, sees
the author focussing on the kings and queens in the past. Many names
are familiar and some quite well known, but most are of people who
will fascinate and intrigue as a brief outline is given to describe
each.
So we have a double page spread devoted to the known: Henry v111,
Elizabeth the first, Montezuma, but these are mixed with people such
as Murad 1V, Suleiman the magnificent and Queen Tamar of Georgia.
Each person has several paragraphs outlining their lives and impact,
while nutty pictures are added to illustrate the information. Other
people are given just a paragraph in a double page of a group of
people, such as warriors which contains a kernel (sorry) about
Charlemagne and Boudica, Mary 1, Richard 1 and Edward 1, are grouped
together in a double page entitled, More hard nuts of British
history. Readers will laugh out loud at the way the
information is presented, and develop a brief understanding of who
these people were and what they did to be remembered.
In the middle of the book is a quiz which will also entrance the
readers, and the last few pages offer a timeline, glossary and
index. The timeline puts all the people in the book in chronological
order which helps the reader place them in history.
A most interesting addition to this series, readers will love this
expose of some odd kings and queens from history.
Fran Knight
Extraordinary means by Robyn Schneider
Simon & Schuster, 2015. ISBN 9781471115486
(Age: 13+) Recommended. Seventeen year old Lane has been sent to
Latham House, a boarding school for sick teens with total drug
resistant tuberculosis. His old life is four hundred miles away with
his car, his dog and his girlfriend. He can't believe that his life
has come to this. When he meets Sadie, a familiar face whom he
recognises from summer camp, he realises that life might not be as
bad as it first seems. A week of hard studying for college entry and
the break up with his girlfriend has made his symptoms become worse.
Then one night after talking to Sadie in the gazebo things slowly
begin to change. He is accepted into their eccentric group and for
the first time he starts to live his life.
A heart-wrenching story about love, bullying, strong relationships
and second chances. Fans of John Green, Stephen Chbosky and Rainbow
Rowell's Eleanor and Park, will enjoy how Robyn Schneider
has presented the characters and the theme of this book. The
character's dry sense of humour is appropriately written and makes
the other characters' charms more attractive. I loved the simplicity
of Sadie's character which made her more real and accessible. Lane's
character is more complex, an overachiever and socially awkward at
first, but as their relationship grows his personality becomes more
relaxed and likable.
This is Schneider's second book and I can't wait to read her other
book The beginning of everything. I thoroughly enjoyed this
book and would recommend it to young adults and any one above.
Jody Holmes
The Potion Diaries by Amy Alward
Simon and Schuster, 2015. ISBN 9781471143564
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Samantha Kemi has a bright future as a great
natural alchemist, as generations of Kemi's have done so before her.
If only she could further her skills instead of staying behind to
help out with her families slowly dwindling potion shop. An
opportunity arises when she is summoned by the royal family to take
her place in the Wilde hunt, a national wide hunt held to help find
a cure for the princess who has been poisoned by her own love
potion. Also in the hunt are her family's rivals, the father and son
team of Zol and Zain Aster, who own the synthetic potion company
ZoroAster Megapharma Company. Samantha must travel through wild
terrain with the family's ingredient finder, Kirsty. Together they
must race together to beat the other competitors to gather all the
ingredients, mix the potion and save the princess before it's too
late. The potion diaries is a magical modern fairy tale adventure
story. Amy Alward has also written under the name Amy McCulloch. She
has beautifully crafted easy relatable characters that are
bewitching and enchanting. The story is fast paced and simple to
follow the two main story lines. The potion diaries will be a hit for senior primary students
and above who loved the Harry Potter series or even Divergent.
I loved reading this book and could not put it down, it left me
reading 'just one more chapter'. I can't wait to read book 2 coming
out in July 2016.
Jody Holmes
Jackaby by William Ritter
Algonquin, 2014. ISBN 9781616202535
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended, Crime, Detection, Supernatural,
Historical novel. When seventeen year old Abigail Rook lands at the
port of New Fiddleham in New England in 1892, she must look for
lodgings and then work to support herself. Work comes first as she
falls into the wake of one R F Jackaby, a detective who does not
dismiss the supernatural in his musings. She answers his
advertisement for an assistant, and she goes with him to investigate
the mysterious and bloody death of a man at a boarding house. But he
includes many things in his investigations, laughed at by the police
detective, Marlowe and his assistant, Crane, who like Inspector
Lestrade in some of the Sherlock Holmes stories, provide a play it
by the rules foil to Jackaby's sleuthing. A second even more bloody
death sees the pair imprisoned by Marlowe, and while incarcerated
they hear the banshee's cries, just as the two men did before their
deaths the previous nights.
This is a wonderful read, set brilliantly in the New England area of
the USA at the end of the nineteenth century, evoking the delightful
Jackaby with his Sherlock Holmes style of investigation, looking
closely at clues unseen by others, but with a does of other worldly
things reminiscent of fantasy stories. At his house is a duck, the
unfortunate Douglas, his previous assistant, and a ghost, the
wonderful Jenny who keeps Abigail informed. The house is an eclectic
clutter of things, deliciously described, enticing the reader to
look into every corner of each of the rooms. But beware those who
stare at the frog, because this initiates a smell which causes the
whole house to be evacuated.
I read this with relish, laughing at the black humour, revelling in
the blood and possibilities of other worldly creatures, admiring the
wonderful characters and marvelling at the setting. And I am pleased
to see that Jackaby has a sequel, Beastly bones.
With a chapter ending, 'Across town Mr Henderson - the man who had
head the banshee's silent scream spent the evening dying. To be more
accurate, he spent a brief portion of the evening dying, and the
rest of it being dead,' who could resist the call to read on.
Fran Knight
Poppy in the field by Mary Hooper
Bloomsbury, 2015. ISBN 9781408827635
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. World War One. Historical fiction.
Nursing. Historical fiction at its best, Hooper continues the story
of Poppy, a parlour maid from a grand house who joins the VAD's at
the outbreak of World War One. This group of volunteers were able to
rely on money sent from home, but Poppy is supported by a former
teacher, wanting her to break free from her humble origins. In the
first book, Poppy serves at a hospital in Southampton, dealing with
soldiers ferried across the channel from France. She sees the end
result of war, the pain and suffering it causes, the death and
carnage of trench warfare. But rejected by someone she thought loved
her, she volunteers to go to France to serve in the frontline
hospitals. She is sent to a small coastal town where she deals with
soldiers sent on from the hospitals at the fronts. Here she must
deal with soldiers who have received initial help, surgery,
bandaging, assessment, and now are in the second line of aid. She
meets men with limbs amputated, those who feel life is at an end,
those who can't wait to get back home and those who lie to avoid
their girlfriends and families knowing the truth.
She joins a pair of American nurses who try to capture any moment of
fun they can, and several times take out a car to go on a picnic or
simply drive. She meets again Dr Michael from Netley and is drawn to
him. But the strict moral code of Edwardian times still imposed in
time of war sees Poppy almost sent home.
A wonderful story of a young woman learning that she can do things
beyond those set by custom and society as she plays an important
role in the hospitals abroad. Her hospital is an old casino in
Boulogne and here she proves her metal. She meets other women who
have come to be of service, none more so than the two women who set
up a surgery near the front line in Belgium to treat soldiers for
minor complaints to allow the doctors to get on with the war wounds,
and the two American nurses wanting to do their bit.
Based on much research, this story is easy to read and engaging,
giving a well grounded look at how the immediate aftermath of
fighting was dealt with. And the romantic involvements running
through the story add an extra piquancy which readers will enjoy.
Fran Knight
