Ill. by Rosalind Beardshaw. Nosy Crow, 2015. ISBN 9780857633156
(Age: Pre-school - Yr 2) Betty was a fairy who just never got things
right,
She was always in a muddle though she tried with all her might.
No matter what Betty tried to do at fairy school, she just couldn't
get herself sorted. Even her wand was tied on with elastic so she
wouldn't lose it! And her first attempts at spells did not have the
desired results. She can't scatter dewdrops or wake up the flowers
or paint rainbows and she is terribly upset. But Betty has something
else - she has compassion and empathy and as she wends her way
through the book many of nature's gentle creatures are thankful for
what she offers.
So when it is time for the Fairy Ball, Betty is disconsolate for she
knows she will not be chosen as the fairiest fairy until.
This is a charming story - that focuses on friendship, persistence,
resilience and individuality in a setting that will definitely
appeal to most very young girls. Betty could become a role model as
she refuses to give up, putting the needs of others first when she
could be practising. Booth has chosen to write the story in rhyme so
it has that rhythm that little ones like and Beardshaw's gentle,
bright illustrations are a delightful accompaniment.
Given the continued popularity of stories about fairies that never
seems to wane as each new class of preschoolers and Kindy kids comes
to the library, this will be a popular addition to the New-For-You
display at the beginning of term.
Barbara Braxton
Socks, sandbags & leeches: letters to my Anzac dad by Pauline Deeves
National Library of Australia, 2016. ISBN 9780642278845
(Age: 10+) Recommended. World War One, Anzac, Home front,
Propaganda. Through Ivy's letters to her father at Gallipoli during
the eight months that the Anzac troops were stationed there, and
after in France, we see what life is like at the Home Front, as she
and her mother have to move in with Aunt Hilda, the small flat
barely accommodating them. The twenty letters sent between 1914 and
1918, describe the attitudes at home, the volunteer work done, the
lack of money, the making do, the work of the cheer up society, the
growing prejudice against those with German ancestry, and the
propaganda disseminated to the populace.
Each letter is illustrated with pictures from the times, sourced
from the archives at the National Library of Australia, and
indicative of society and its attitudes during World War One. For
students to find out how children coped with their fathers away at
war, and their family so confined by restrictions of war time, then
this book will be a fascinating resource for the classroom and
library. For older readers, it is an interesting factual book, as
each letter reveals something about Australia at war, and for many
the book will be like a memoir, a story to be read from start to
finish, gaining a great deal of information about life in Australia
one hundred years ago.
One letter amongst many which took my interest is about Fundraising.
In the letter, Ivy tells of their visit to the local doctor's house,
opened to raise finds for the Red Cross. She describes things about
the house which would interest her father. Around the letter are
many examples of fund raising activities with posters of the Red
Cross Nurse, and a Gala Day. One poster shows an extravagant woman
spending money on frivolous things, exhorting women to be thrifty,
while another details the work done by the Education Department's
War Relief Fund in Victoria. Each poster gives more information
about the work done in raising money and awareness.
A detailed index appears after a glossary and fascinating list of
illustrations, giving details of where all the illustrations came
from, all designed to add weight to an already impressive resource
book.
This is a book to use in the classrooms or just to dip into for an
insight into how children coped with being on the home front during
war time.
And a fascinating fact I came across: St Kilda Football Club changed
their colours because they wee also Germany's colours, is one
example of the range of information given sure to have broad appeal.
Fran Knight
BRO by Helen Chebatte
Hardie Grant Egmont, 2016. ISBN 9781760125509
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Bro by Helen Chebatte is a fictional
work which explores the racial divide in modern Australia. The story
is set in a modern school where racial matters are everything and
the slightest insult cannot be tolerated. The author of this review
would recommend this novel for those aged 12+.
Romeo Makhlouf is a boy caught in the racial divide in his school,
with an Australian mother and an Arabic father. He is a member of
the Lebs, one of the four racially divided groups in the school. He
knows the rules: do not tolerate insult to your group, and do not be
afraid to fight for the honour of your peers.
But when an unfortunate first kiss and the starting of a fight club
spark war between the different groups, Romeo does not know on which
side to stand; with the Lebs, where he has belonged all of his life,
or with the Ozzies, where he has found both love and hate? BRO demonstrates how foolish it is to focus on race, and the
consequences of doing so.
Jos A. (Student, Year 10)
Squishy Taylor and the Bonus Sisters by Ailsa Wild
Ill. by Ben Wood. Hardie Grant Egmont, 2016. ISBN 9781760126759
(Age: 6+ - Independent readers) Recommended. Themes: Family -
Step-families; Relationships; Homelessness; Forgiveness. Squishy
Taylor is in a newly blended family, learning to deal with her
laid-back father's divided attention, an absent Mother, a Step
mother and her twin daughters and the young baby brother they share
with Squishy. It takes a shared secret and a few poor decisions to
bring the Bonus sisters together, but first they go through a
fraught settling in period. A young runaway boy and a grumpy next
door neighbour (and a bit of misguided revenge) assist to bring the
girls together and to learn to see the benefits of having bonus
sisters and living in a blended family.
This will be a new series involving Squishy (yes, it is a
nick-name!), who is sometimes inclined to bounce against the
boundaries, and will fit nicely between Billie B Brown and
the Go Girl series for young readers.
Carolyn Hull
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
The Illuminae Files bk 1. Allen & Unwin, 2015. ISBN
9781760113803
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Science fiction. In the distant future of
2575, at the edge of the universe is a tiny, freezing planet known
as Kerenza IV, where a secret mining colony live in relative peace.
Then one day, a giant warship appears out of the sky and fires on
the colony without warning, killing countless civilians and
prompting a full evacuation.
Kady and her ex-boyfriend Ezra barely escape alive onto the rescue
fleet, and that's just the start of their problems. With the warship
still chasing them down, a mysterious illness spreading among the
survivors, the rescue ship's artificial intelligence beginning to
wreak havoc, and a possible conspiracy among their ship's command
crew, Kady and Ezra will have to work together to uncover the truth.
One of the best facets of Illuminae is its rich, engaging
world. The story is told through the unusual form of compiled 'real'
documents such as interviews, private journals, emails, and so on.
In the wrong hands this style could have easily felt out-of-place or
gimmicky, but here it adds another layer of realism that draws the
reader in even further.
Another highlight is the characters; they are multifaceted and
likeable, but still have realistic flaws, and both Ezra and Kady are
very enjoyable to read about. However, since the book is told mostly
in third-person perspective 'documents', it's not as easy to relate
to Kady and Ezra as it would be if it were a straightforward novel
told in first-person.
Similarly, although Illuminae is fascinating because of how
it is told - through interviews and the like - this also makes the
story lose some of its immediacy. Take for example the opening
interview where Kady is discussing her escape from Kerenza IV; while
interesting, it lacks the excitement that having it described in
present tense would generate - precisely because the reader already
knows that Kady is alive to tell the tale, and thus any sense of
danger during the scene is lost. Much of the novel is like this, but
it's a small price to pay for such an intriguing story. Illuminae is a page-turning, fascinating adventure of a
novel.
Rebecca Adams (university student)
The Princess in Black and the hungry bunny horde by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale
Ill. by LeUyen Pham. The Princess in Black, bk 3. Candlewick
Press, 2016. ISBN 9780763665135
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. Princess Magnolia is off to have
brunch with her friend Princess Sneezewort, when her glitter-stone
ring rings and she is summoned to fight monsters as the Princess in
Black. But when she and her unicorn Frimplepants, who turns into
Blackie her horse, arrive at the goat meadow they find cute little
rabbits nibbling on the grass. Even though Duff the Goat boy warns
her that they are monsters, the Princess in Black thinks that the
rabbits are really little darlings. Blackie her horse is not so sure
of their innocence, especially when they start eating the princess's
sceptre, and has to use his power to understand what the rabbits are
saying and help save the day.
This is the third in the series and is just as good as the previous
ones, The princess in black, and The princess in black
and the perfect princess party. The contrast of an endearing
princess who looks adorable dressed in sparkly pink and her bold
endeavours as a superhero dressed in black is one that is sure to
appeal to young readers. The idea that she can be comfortable both
in pink and black, taking on two demanding roles, is a sure-fire
winner. The cute little bunnies are so well drawn that they appeal
to the reader as well as to the Princess in Black, and it is a good
thing that Blackie can speak the rabbits' cute language and warn the
princess of danger.
I love the Princess in Black stories. I adore the humour,
the whimsical illustrations and best of all, my six year old
granddaughter loves them too! They are ideal for children who are
just starting to become independent readers, with short chapters,
names that can be remembered like Frimplepants and Princess
Sneezewort, and charming characters and funny plots.
The combination of humorous prose, an engaging plot and wonderful
illustrations is a winning one.
Pat Pledger
This Broken Wondrous World by Jon Skovron
Man Made Boy bk 2. Allen & Unwin, 2015. ISBN:
9781743315972
(Age: 15+) After getting attacked by a myriad of monsters, taking
down a psychotic artificial intelligence unit, and basically saving
New York, seventeen-year-old Boy - the son of Frankenstein's monster
- is looking for some downtime. With the advice of his father, Boy
goes to live in Switzerland with the human descendants of Dr
Frankenstein, hoping to attend college and live a normal life - or
at least as normal as you can get for the child of a literal
monster.
What he doesn't expect is to be contacted by the infamous Dr Moreau
- long ago banished to a secret island - and asked to fight
alongside his fellow monsters to help overthrow the human race. With
a violent war escalating and Moreau's forces growing stronger, Boy
will have to decide which side he's on - before it's too late.
Whereas Man Made Boy drew obvious inspiration from the works
of Mary Shelley with Boy's character, in This Broken Wondrous
World there is a noticeable H. G. Wells influence. As well as
the characters of the Invisible Man and Doctor Moreau,
the story itself reads vaguely like a Wells novel, from the
descriptions of fearsome monsters, to the sense that it is much more
of a character study than an action novel, as one might expect.
While this does make it an intriguing read since the story focuses
on the son of Frankenstein's monster, it is also one of its major
flaws.
The character of Boy, while an interesting protagonist, is never
really well developed or flawed enough for him to be relatable on a
deeper level, and since the story is told through his perspective,
it makes for an occasionally slow read. This is most noticeable in
the first part of the book where he is living in Switzerland and
attending college, which drags slightly despite it being quite well
written. It is only when Dr Moreau actually appears in the story -
almost halfway through the book - that the story really picks up the
pace and becomes a truly engaging read. This Broken Wondrous World is an enjoyable, if ultimately
flawed read.
Rebecca Adams (university student)
Thicker than water by Brigid Kemmerer
Allen & Unwin, 2015. ISBN 9781743318638
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Mystery. Paranormal. Thomas Bellweather's
mother has been murdered and he is the prime suspect. His new
stepfather, Stan, is a cop and his colleagues are very suspicious of
him. The only person who is prepared to believe in his innocence is
Charlotte Rooker, whose three brothers are cops. Her best friend had
been murdered many years before and she wants answers to both of the
murders.
Written in alternating chapters with the voice of Thomas and
Charlotte, the reader gets to know both of the characters very well.
Thomas is a damaged boy and gradually the author, who has a great
capacity to describe male protagonists, lets us know what his life
has been like. It is not difficult to become supportive of him as
his voice seems so honest and his love for his mother very real.
Charlotte is very protected by her three brothers, but she is strong
enough to form her own opinions about Thomas and his involvement in
the murder. The romance takes second place to the tension that the
mystery generates, but it will satisfy those who enjoy a romantic
touch in their reading. Stan, Thomas' new stepfather, is also a
well-developed character and the reader can sympathise with his
actions as he tries to come to terms with his changed family
circumstances.
Kemmerer ramps up the suspense in this exciting thriller with a
touch of the paranormal that is very surprising. There is a lot of
excitement, some shocks and an ending that the reader won't expect.
It is a gripping mystery and leaves the reader wanting to know more
about the characters and hope for a continuation of Thomas and
Charlotte's story.
Pat Pledger
Boy 23 by Jim Carrington
Bloomsbury, 2015. ISBN 9781408822777
(Age: YA) Highly recommended. Themes: Science Fiction; Survival;
Adventure. This is a story with a mystery that does not get fully
revealed until right at the end, involving a naive boy with no name,
who lives in isolation. His existence is supported by The Voice with
whom he has no physical contact. From the beginning of the book we
are part of Boy23's release from captivity. Blindfolded and
abandoned with only a few basic items, he needs to survive and to
escape from those who are desperate to recapture him. The Voice
becomes his only means of support until he meets Carina in the
religious Children's home where he has found temporary refuge. His
unusual physicality leads to suggestions of a miracle.
The book is told with alternating voices - with the Boy, The Voice
and Carina each telling the story from their perspective, with the
past revealed through dream sequences or reflections of what has
gone before. This is an alternate world, with influences of World
War II Nazi occupation and a post-apocalyptic disaster combining to
create a place in time and history that is unique, but non-specific.
The language of the community is German, but Boy23 has been taught
English by The Voice. Carina is bi-lingual and her own painful past
gives her a reason to support the remarkably gifted Boy in his
escape from powerful opposition.
This is wonderfully exciting book, a mystery adventure that will
captivate a Young adult audience. The German language spoken by
characters within the book is not translated and we get a feel for
the confusion of the Young boy as he seeks to understand what is
happening around him. (Students of German will enjoy using their
language skills to add an extra layer of meaning. It is not
necessary to translate, as the story becomes self-explanatory, and
we make meaning from context.) There is some violence as part of the
action of the book and a sexual assault is alluded to, but no detail
given. Young readers will be captivated by the excitement of the
escape attempt.
Highly recommended for YA.
Carolyn Hull
Cinderella's sister and the big bad wolf by Lorraine Carey
Ill. by Migy Blanco. Nosy Crow, 2015. ISBN 9780857633132
Once upon a time (although quite recently in this version),
Cinderella lived with her stepmother Mrs Ugly and her three
stepsisters. But this isn't a traditional or even a flipped story
about Cinderella. It's about the youngest Ugly sister, Gertie.
Unlike her mother and sisters who lived up to their name, Gertie was
kind and gentle and very hard-working. While Cinderella lazed around
and did nothing, Gertie did all the chores of the original story.
Gertie's niceness was the cause of great shame and despair in the
Ugly family and so she was hidden away not allowed to go anywhere
with them. So when an invitation comes to attend the Grand Ball,
there is no question of Gertie going - unless she can prove that she
can be bad and mean. But to be bad and mean will take lessons so she
is sent to the Wicked Queen who is on her way to deliver a poisoned
apple to Snow White. Unable to help herself, just as Snow White is
about to accept the apple, Gertie warns her that it is poisoned. The
Wicked Queen is furious and immediately sends Gertie home to her
very angry mother. Gertie's pleas for a second chance see her
protecting Hansel and Gretel from the Wicked Witch and again, sent
home in disgrace. It is not until she meets the Big Bad Wolf who is
determined to eat Little Red Riding Hood that her chances of going
to the ball improve.
This is an hilarious twist on a range of familiar fairytales with a
most delicious ending. The bright, trendy illustrations bring it
into the 21st century and into the world of today's young reader.
They will delight in revisiting characters they've already met and
seeing a whole new side of the Cinderella they know and love.
Apart from being fun to read for its own sake, this would be an
ideal story to use as part of an investigation into perspective
because not only is the story told from a different character's
point of view, bringing it into modern times offers a range of new
possibilities too. Thus it will have a broader appeal than just the
very young who are fairytale fans.
Barbara Braxton
New Year surprise! by Christopher Cheng
Ill. by Di Wu. National Library of Australia, 2016. ISBN
9780642278838
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended. Chinese New Year, Responsibility,
Family, Celebrations, Festivals, China, Inclusivity. This beautiful
book shows the reader many customs and traditions surrounding the
celebration of New Year in Northern China. In a small village the
New Year is almost here. Little Brother is told he is too little to
help with the adults or older children, but Grandfather tells him
that he has a special job to do. He is eager to find out what this
is.
Each few pages shows the village preparing for the festival, with
Little Brother wanting to help, and wondering whether this is hie
special job. Through him we see the variety of preparations needed
to celebrate new Year in the village: Sister and Mother spend lots
of time making dumplings, Father hangs the banners and red lanterns,
Brother and his friends go and fly their kites, Father chooses the
duck from the hawker, the relatives come for special tea, and so on
until finally it is time to get the Dragon ready. Little Brother
hopes he will be included but is told he is too small. Father then
appears with the Pearl of Wisdom to carry before the dragon. But he
has two, one is for Little Brother and the two carry their Pearls of
Wisdom before the dragon to bring luck to the village for the
following year. Everyone sleeps well that night.
This beautiful book not only tells the story of how New Year is
celebrated within a tale of inclusivity, but the illustrations will
astound and astonish as well. Di Wu once a farmer in Northern China
used traditional rice paper on which to do his illustrations using
brushes and traditional colours to ensure its authenticity. His
achievement is breath taking. Each page draws the eyes to its colour
and movement, as the small child watches what is going on, desperate
to be involved. Each page shows a range of activities and readers
will love looking at its variety and vivacity.
A wonderful addition to any school or home library, the book has
explanations at the back which are most informative as well.
Fran Knight
Anna and the Swallow Man by Gavriel Savit
Bodley Head, 2015. ISBN: 9781782300533
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. Anna and the Swallow Man
tells of the heartbreaking search of a little girl for meaning after
her father, a professor of linguistics, disappears in Poland nearing
the end of 1939. The country is in turmoil and bears and wolves are
everywhere, determined to maintain control of the nation while
Germany's forces expand. The story centres on Anna, whose life is
about to change forever. A little girl with nothing more to lose,
and everything to gain.
Having been left in the care of a German shopkeeper, Anna expects
her father to return at any moment. When he doesn't return, Herr
Doktor Fuchsmann refuses to have her in his shop any longer. Ever
the good girl, Anna respects his wishes, waiting outside of the
shop. Instead of her father appearing, Anna is approached by a tall,
slender man in fine clothes and a red neck tie. Curious about her,
he begins asking her questions, switching from language to language,
unaware that she can understand them all. United by their
multi-lingual talents, Anna follows the man out of town; hence, her
new life begins.
Life is hard. Days are spent walking, foraging and avoiding patrols.
Like her father, the Swallow Man is incredibly knowledgeable. He
teaches her about the birds in the wetlands and how to be deceptive.
He shows her how to get what she wants, what she needs, from people
without ever having to ask. He teaches her how to survive. He has
become everything to her. A friend. A mentor. A father. But can he
maintain such a relationship when even her real father could not?
Like her Swallow Man, she must do all that she can to stay alive,
never to give in.
Already, this novel has been said to sit together with The Book
Thief and The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas. I would
highly recommend it to all readers above twelve. While being set
among very real events, the story possesses qualities of magical
realism and enough intrigue to keep a reader guessing.
Kayla Gaskell (age 19)
The bad guys episode 2 by Aaron Blabey
Bad Guys series. Scholastic, 2016. ISBN 9781760154127
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended, Humour, Animals, Black humour, Caged
animals. The four animals from Bad guys episode 1, Mr Wolf,
Mr Shark, Mr Piranha and Mr Snake led by the wolf, strive to
overturn the poor image each of them has. Each is cursed with
negative characteristics and Mr Wolf is determined that they been
seen as the good guys. To this end he devises a break in of a top
security prison, Sunnyside Chicken Farm. Surprised at the level of
security surrounding this place, he enlists the help of Mr Spider
whose dexterity is unsurpassed with his eight appendages. He is an
expert hacker and his skills are a vital component to breaking in to
this facility. But once in they discover a room full of laser beams.
Here Mr Spider's ability comes to the fore and he is to deactivate
the lasers before releasing the chickens, but hilariously leaves one
stage out.
With the thrills of an exciting spy thriller, the animals make good
their promise to release the chickens, but in so doing engage the
wrath of the owner of Sunnyside Chicken Farm, ensuring that they
will appear in a third book in the series.
Excrutiatingly funny, readers will laugh out loud at the antics of
the animals, giggling at the black humour, chortling at the parodies
of spy behaviours, taking in the hilarious illustrations used to
augment the text. Mr Shark's attempts at disguise will make them
roll in the aisles, especially when the chickens see him as their
mother hen.
A funny series for all primary people, this continues the hilarity
begun with number one, and hopefully subsequent stories will be
published.
Fran Knight
Kakadu Sunset by Annie Seaton
Pan Macmillan, 2015. ISBN 9781743535011
(Age: Adult - 16+) Recommended. Romantic suspense. Ellie Porter
loves her job as a helicopter pilot, especially as she is based in
the beautiful Kakadu National Park. When she spots some strange
excavation works where they shouldn't be, she decides to
investigate, but new co-worker, Kane McClaren, proves to be a
distraction and she plunges into danger.
Ellie is a determined and feisty character and when she decides to
find out just what is going on with the extensive excavations she
doesn't give up until the truth is revealed. Kane also has secrets
in his past which he has to lay to rest and these provide an edge to
his character. Secondary characters are well rounded, and the
villain is sinister indeed.
Seaton has given the story a lift with the vivid descriptions of
Kakadu from the air. People who have visited the area will be
thrilled to read about what they have seen and others will be lured
to put Kakadu on their must-visit list. The background information
about the skills required for flying a helicopter and running
search-and-rescue missions in the Park, the descriptions of
crocodiles and everyday life of guides will also intrigue.
But what really makes this romantic suspense novel stand out is its
topical theme of corruption around mining and the environment. The
mix of big business and political power and the ways people can be
exploited made a fascinating story. The suspense is built up very
skilfully as politicians and Aboriginal leaders are manipulated to
give their votes to a mining consortia.
Combined with the glorious setting of Kadadu National Park, a
chilling theme of fear of crocodiles running through the book and a
blossoming romance, this eco-thriller will be a hit with anyone who
enjoys romantic suspense.
Pat Pledger
The words in my hand by Guinevere Glasfurd
Two Roads, 2016. ISBN 9781473617865
(Age: 14+) Recommended. The Words in my Hand is an
interesting historical fiction about Dutch maid, Helena Jans, and
her time with the philosopher, Descartes. At the time however,
Descartes lived a life of danger, continuing to write and publish
against the wishes of the church. Because of this, their affair had
to be suppressed, least the church seize the sin and campaign
against him.
The story follows Helena and her journey to her first placement as a
maid, in the house of Mr. Sergeant. The only one willing to have a
literate maid, Mr. Sergeant decides to test Helena's literacy by
offering her a quill and ink and instructing her to write. Finding
her severely lacking after their first session, Mr. Sergeant
dismisses her and leaves her to the usual duties of a maid.
Determined to better her writing, Helena hoards old quills and boils
beetroot to make ink, for paper, she used her body, scrawling words
by night, and covering them by day. Despite the hard work, she lived
a comfortable life . . . until Descartes arrived. Their affair began
innocently enough with conversation, but quickly progressed. She
first became his student, leaning to write and perform arithmetic in
secret. She learned of science, of French, and of love. But for
Descartes, she was all alone in the world and her life would never
be the same again.
This is the story of a scandal and of the imagined life of Helena
Jans, pieced together through a variety of records. Glasford works
hard to make her Helena a real and believable character who most
women could relate to. Unfortunately some of the French in this
novel goes untranslated, and so might challenge readers, however I
would still recommend this novel for girls aged fourteen and up with
an interest in philosophy and history.
Kayla Gaskell (University student)
