Ill. by Nina Rycroft. HarperCollins, 2014. ISBN 9780732293642.
ebk.ISBN 9780730496397.
(Age: Early childhood) Hank is a very good dog - or so it seems. He
obeys all the house rules like not eating from the table or climbing
on the beds or chasing cars although he does have his own way of
interpreting them! But it's always with the best of intentions or
the taking of opportunities that present themselves. This is a
really funny story from master author Jackie French brought to life
by the charming pictures of Nina Rycroft, the team who created
Dinosaurs Love Cheese. Apart from the humour of Jackie's words,
their interpretation using what has to be the B-I-G-G-E-S-T dog
ever, who is all legs, tongue and tail, makes this the perfect
picture book in which there is such a marriage between text and
illustration that one would be diminished without the presence of
the other.
Written at a fast clip with nothing extraneous, we follow Hank as he
gallops through the day in his own way, being really good in a
wink-wink, nudge-nudge sort of way, depending on whether you are
viewing his actions through the perspective of an adult, a child or
Hank. It would be a great introduction to teaching children that how
we see something depends on our role within it. It might be OK to
wear a sock washed by Hank's slobber if you're a child, but maybe
not so flash if you're in charge of family laundry.
This is a feel-good story that can be a read-aloud, read-along or
read-alone because it will touch the heart of anyone who has ever
had a dog with a mind and a mischief of its own. You don't have to
be a younger reader to relate to this story and enjoy it. One of
these days I'm going to do one of those magical garden tours of
Jackie's garden and I fully expect to see Hank there somewhere.
Barbara Braxton
The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
Doubleday, 2014. ISBN 9780857532503
(Age: 10+) Recommended. 'Call!' Alistair barked. His face was pale.
'You absolutely cannot stay at the school. You don't understand -
it's too dangerous. Call, you must listen to me. You don't know what
you are.'
For as long as Callum Hunt could remember his father had told him
that magic and the Magisterium were too dangerous for someone like
him.
Then Call gets in to the Magisterium and starts to doubt everything
his father has ever told him. Why would his father tell him that
magic was dark and dangerous?
Another, more important question lurks in the back of Call's mind.
Why do the chaos-ridden seem to trust him and what is the secret of
his past?
I would recommend this novel to children of any gender above 10 as
this novel has action, humour, mystery and that slight touch of
schoolgirl crushes. I would also recommend this novel to people who
enjoy reading fantasy novels.
Holly Black and Cassandra Clare have done a brilliant job writing
this novel. They use descriptive language and as there is a second
book coming out in 2015 they don't give too much away at the end.
Jazmin H. (Student, Year 7)
Little Dog and the Christmas wish by Corinne Fenton and Robin Cowcher
Black Dog Books, 2014. ISBN 9781742032368
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Christmas. Animals. Customs at
Christmas. At this time of the year, there are so many Christmas
books published that I despair of seeing anything different. Several
years ago, I read a picture book called The gift of the Magi,
an old story by American writer, O. Henry. I was stunned, here was
something sweeping aside all the hype, stunning in its simplicity.
And this one, Little Dog and the Christmas wish is another.
An unadorned story, a story of a simple wish coming true, of the
bond between a child and his dog.
When Jonathan and his family go out on Christmas Eve, the lightning
scares Little Dog so much that he squeezes under the fence to search
for his best friend. Familiar streets soon give way to those less
familiar, until finally he is lost. He walks the streets, watching
the shoppers, the old man in the alley, the busker and then the
people bustling home for Christmas. Eventually he finds things
become more familiar, he finds his house and there waiting for him
is Jonathan, his Christmas wish answered.
A simple storyline, but told with compassion about the loving
relationship between a child and his dog, about something lost being
found, about Christmas being a time of reuniting with those you
love.
The charming illustrations reflect a time half a century ago, when
women dressed in stockings, hat and gloves to go shopping, a time of
a horse led baker's cart, and a time of street side paper
boys. The ink outlines with watercolour sweeping across the pages
entice the reader to spend time reading both the text and the
drawings as the dog walks across the pages in search of its home.
The images of the dog are continued on the endpapers making readers
seek out those same images of the dog used throughout the book. And
in the background are the customs of Christmas with which we are
familiar and can be a point of discussion with a class or attentive
listener. More information about this author can be found at her website.
Fran Knight
The twelve days of Christmas by Alison Jay
Scholastic, 2014. ISBN 9781724761145
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Christmas. Carols. Folk tale.
Presents. The beautiful Christmas carol 'The twelve days of
Christmas' is told with the most marvelous of illustrations in this
lovely production from Scholastic. The song is given on each page in
a stylish font reminiscent of former times, starting from the
simple, 'On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me'.
Each time the page is turned a new present is given to the young
woman from her love. For people new to the carol, this will be
a delight and for those who know the song, this edition will add a
new and quite lovely perspective.
The words are the same as always, but the illustrations add a new
level of understanding and interest. In very Victorian clothing, the
pair travels through the streets of their town, revealing the next
line of the song. Off to the pet shop for the turtle doves, then the
bakery for the calling birds, crossing the bridge we see the swans,
at the farmhouse, the milking maids, at the house, the drummers.
Each line adding a new present is given a new page of deft
illustrations, rendered in an old fashioned style. The clothing and
background are all most alluring, adding interest and delight. There
is a myriad of detail to look out for and discuss as the pages are
turned and children will love the anticipation of their own presents
at this time. On its simplest level a counting book, the book
offers so much more in its presentation of Christmas past. Children
will love peering more closely at the details, looking at the way the
pictures are presented with cracked paint, or the background of the
town in its stylised form, looking for the previous presents hidden
on the following pages, getting a kick out of the way this special
day is celebrated, and the customs surrounding the event. It will be
a definite discussion starter as well as a lovely book to read and
share.
Fran Knight
Christmas Wonderland by Yvette Poshoglian
Ella & Olivia series. Scholastic, 2014. ISBN 9781743620557
(Age: 5-7) Recommended. The Ella and Olivia series
are enjoyable beginning chapter books recommended for readers from
5-7 years. Ella is seven and Olivia is five and a half, they live with
their baby brother Max and Mum and Dad. It's Christmas time again
and this year the celebrations include an exciting Street Fair and a
competition with the neighbours. Who will have the best decorated
house and front yard?
The girls enjoy the arrival of the big Christmas tree delivered by
Dad and Uncle Stu. Max is old enough to help decorate the lower
branches whilst the girls help him. Bob their golden retriever puppy
is confused about a tree inside the house. With a special Christmas
Street Fair planned, Dad and Uncle Stu, an electrician, bring home a
van filled with festive lights and reindeers, ready for everyone to
help decorate the yard and roof. Ella and Olivia join in and help
with the decorating. The Azzopardi's across the street, however
decorate their front yard with fake snow and a giant blowup Santa.
When a news crew come to film their neighbours' Christmas display,
Ella and Olivia are disappointed that their own house isn't
included. Of course the Street Fair brings all the families together
and Mr. Azzopardi has a welcome surprise.
With decorated borders, simple line drawings and easy to read text,
this book is a great welcome addition to the series.
Rhyllis Bignell
Deck the sheds with bits of wattle by Colin Buchanan & Greg Champion
Ill. by Glen Singleton. Scholastic, 2014. ISBN 9781743620427
(Age: 5+) Recommended. Christmas. Carols. Australian life. The Aussie singing duo, Bucko and Champs
have teamed up once again with Scholastic to publish another one of
their popular Christmas parodies. Following on the success of their
Aussie jingle bells and Fair dinkum Aussie Easter picture books,
this new publication with accompanying CD makes for a great
Christmas present or class celebration.
Epitomising the Aussie bush and filled with Aussie slang, this song
introduces the reader to Syd Echidna and his thoughtfully decorated
outback shed. His wattle and gumnut ornaments suffer when a wild
willy willy sweeps through his place. Syd is greatly disappointed
and disheartened. In true country spirit Bush Cocky comes up
with a plan and enlists the aid of all Syd's bush friends to
redecorate the shed. This is a story of friendship and mateship as
they all rally round to cheer Syd up.
Glen Singleton's lively illustrations are fun and vibrant. He has
successfully brought to life Bucko and Champs' cast of Australian
animals.
A wonderful addition to the Australian Christmas celebrations, a fun
and festive gift and an exciting new carol for the school
festivities.
There's never been a shed this decked.
Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la.
Rhyllis Bignell
One night by Penny Matthews
Ill. by Stephen Michael King. Scholastic, 2014. ISBN 9781742990279
(Age: 3+) Recommended. Christmas. Animals. One of the tales
emanating from the story of Christmas, is that of the first
Christmas Eve, when animals were given the gift of speech. Penny
Matthews has used this story as the basis of this book, in which she
celebrates the role of animals on that first Christmas Eve. The folk
tales of this occurrence are concentrated in northern Europe and
many people in Germany and Poland still tell the story of the
animals speaking on Christmas Eve, and in telling this tale this new
book gives a different viewpoint from which to discuss Christmas
with younger readers.
In her modern version, Matthews has a farmyard of animals
remembering what happened on the first night, listing all of the
animals and what they did to help Mary and Joseph, and the newly
born baby. From the donkey which took them to the stable, the sheep
that gave its fleece for a blanket, the mice which chewed the straw
for the crib, each animal had a part to play on that night. The
story Matthews tells outlines many of the images we have about
Christmas, and will provide a firm standing point from which to
discuss Christmas and the customs surrounding that event in the
western world, with children, as well as telling a gentle story of
nurture.
King's illustrations render the story in tender understated images
of the animals in awe at the birth of Jesus, and surprised at the
roles they took on the first Christmas Eve. His pencil and water
colour pictures glow on the pages, melding the perspective from two
thousand years ago with that of today, linking the past with the
present through his illustrations. I love his depiction of the two
stables, the one in the past having nothing but hay on the floor,
the one in modern times with its range of equipment, buckets, things
hanging from the overhead beams and the bicycle. Each image King
presents begs a question to ponder, a thought to pursue with the
readers. This little known story is a lovely addition to the books
being produced for Christmas, and adds to the range of stories that
surround the event.
Fran Knight
Santa's busy reindeer by Ed Allen
Ill. by Nathaniel Eckstrom. Scholastic, 2014. ISBN 9781743624180
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Christmas. Reindeer. Counting game. Rhymes.
Paralleling the song of 'Ten green bottles', this rhyming
story will entreat younger readers with its easy flowing style and
rhyming words. The ten reindeer getting ready for Christmas get into
all sorts of trouble, reducing their numbers down to one.
Each task they have to do reminds readers of the array of customary
things to do around Christmas, and will encourage them to be
involved themselves in these tasks either at home or in the
classroom.
A long list of activities, from singing carols, putting up the
lights and the tree, delivering Christmas cards, baking special food
and trying to be nice is included in the song. Children will be able
to do some of these themselves, or recall times in the past when
these have happened, or be made more aware of things in their
community that celebrate this event.
Eckstrom's illustrations are richly detailed using a variety of
media to achieve his finished work. He uses oil paint on canvas as
well as pencil drawings which he fills with colour, while adding
images which are digitally created to produce mixed media images.
Again a reader will have fun working out just what he has used and
why, in creating his pictures. It adds another level of interest for
the reader to contemplate the choices an illustrator has made in
producing the work that he does. Santa's busy reindeer is great to
read aloud (practise first) and can be sung using 'Ten green bottles'
as its model.
Fran Knight
Tea and sugar Christmas by Jane Jolly
Ill. by Robert Ingpen. National Library of Australia, 2014. ISBN
9780642278630.
(Age: all) Highly recommended. Christmas. Australian history.
Nullarbor. Aboriginal themes. Kathleen is eagerly waiting for the
train. But this is no ordinary train. It is the Tea and Sugar Train
which runs each week between Port Augusta in South Australia and
Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, a vital lifeline for those living
and working on the Nullarbor Plain. But today is the first Thursday
of December, and each year, this train brings a special visitor for
the children along the line. They are not interested in the goods or
the equipment, the groceries or the fresh vegetables or the banking
facilities, not even the gossip offered by this train. They are
waiting to see Father Christmas.
Jane Jolly's charming story tells of the girl and her family and
through their conversations we see why they live where they do, what
Dad does along the line and how eagerly Kathleen waits for this
train.
Each double page has a black and white illustration of one of the
characters in the book, and the facing page has the text, but
opening the illustrated page reveals a double page of colour, an
illustration of the life of these communities, so isolated from the
rest of Australia. Ingpen's illustrations are uniquely different,
presenting people readily identifiable, giving the Australian
Outback a presence within the story. The corrugated iron, the wooden
walls, the dust and the saltbush, the few houses at the siding, all
tell of the life lived by people in the past, a time when the steam
trains needed to stop to take on water, and gangers lived in these
houses to repair the track.
But now, steam is replaced by diesel, timber sleepers by concrete,
and the Tea and Sugar Train no longer needs to run, closing down in
1996. This is a wonderfully vivid part of the story of Australia and
those who had a role to play in building the Australian character.
Reading this will add to the knowledge of Australia's history,
increase student awareness of the part played by a small group of
people, and fill the reader with wonder at the vastness of
Australia's landscape. And of course give a different perspective on
the celebration of Christmas.
Fran Knight
The Christmas rose by Wendy Blaxland
Ill. by Lucy Hennessey. Walker Books, 2014. ISBN 9781921720406
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Christmas. Folk tale. Flowers. The folk tale
of the Christmas Rose, the white hellebore is retold in this
stunningly different book. The white hellebore flowers during the
cold winter months and looks a lot like a rose so has been called
Christmas Rose for many generations.
In this story, the child, Madelon wants to accompany her uncle to
see the baby in the manger, but is told she is too young. Through
the story of her making the effort to get through the fields to the
stable, the story of the birth of Jesus is told. Children will hear
of the Three Kings and their magnificent gifts to the Saviour. They
will hear of the child's parents and the animals that surround the
manger. They will hear of Madelon and her tears, forming the bush
producing the white hellebore, so giving an offering to the child.
Her gift of love is in stark contrast to the opulent gifts of the
Three Kings and the practical but expensive gifts of her uncle and
his men.
The soft oil pictures by Hennessey are quite different from the
styles usually seen in books about Christmas and create images which
seem at once far away and intimate. And yet details can be spotted
which make clear the basic story of Christmas. They will be a
talking point amongst readers of all ages.
This lovely folk tale seems to have arisen from a song during the
Middle Ages, and classes may be interested in reading that song,
which can easily be found online.
This is a rarely heard story well suited to being presented in
classrooms where so many of the Christmas stories are about the
customs of Christmas, gift giving, spending money, decorations and
feasting. A neat contrast all round.
Fran Knight
Yikes, Santa Claws! by Pamela Butchart and Sam Lloyd
Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 978408851388
(Age: Preschool) Christmas. Verse. Vibrantly illustrated, this story
of a stand-in Santa Claus will cause a ripple of mirth amongst
younger readers, as they hear of the silly dinosaur and his antics
on Christmas Eve. When he arrives at the stegosaur house, he munches
on the Christmas tree, rips open the presents and tries them all on,
opens all the crackers and eats the Christmas turkey in one gulp.
Even when he goes outside he leaves a trail of poo behind. The
children trot upstairs to tell their mum and together they follow
the mayhem he has caused, asking who will stop him.
The real Santa Claus arrives in the nick of time, and puts things to
rights, causing Santa Claws to feel ashamed. He then tries to redeem
himself by cleaning up the poo, and mending the presents he has
broken. As Santa's helper he has made sure the children enjoy their
special day.
Told in verse, the lines hum along and will be enriched read aloud.
The background will be a neat starting point for discussions about
Christmas and the customs surrounding this event.
Fran Knight
The wild one by Sonya Hartnett
Ill. by Lucia Masciullo. Penguin/Viking, 2014. ISBN 9780670076970
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Environment, Generations, Childhood. Charlie
loves going into the woods to meet his friend, the wild one, his
inner self. He whiles away the days, climbing trees, running through
the woods, kicking up the leaves, catching tadpoles. When Charlie
goes home, wild one stays behind. Eventually Charlie must go to
school, and gradually his days are filled with learning, with
mathematics and science and astronomy. Charlie hopes that he has not
forgotten his wild self and next time they meet he tells him that he
wishes to be a doctor. He achieves his aim but his days are now so
filled with work that he forgets the wild one, until he one day has
a son.
An allegory for our times, this fable like story talks of the power
of not forgetting one's childhood.
Charlie has a carefree existence as a child, but once he becomes an
adult with adult responsibilities, the life he knew disappears. He
remembers when he has a son, and as life goes on, his granddaughter
is the one he takes to the woods to see what he had learnt as a
young boy.
Things may have changed, Charlie has changed, older trees have died,
some have been replaced by new saplings, but the wild place is still
there. Regeneration and rebirth continues. Life goes on.
Masciullo's illustrations perfectly parallel and add to the words,
offering a clear image of the cycle of life and death, of rebirth
and regeneration. The soft pencil and watercolour drawings show the
city in the background, the woods and river closer to the reader. As
the pages are turned we see images of Charlie doing all the things
that kids do when outside, things that some may have forgotten. His
wildness may have been neglected for a while, but it returns to pass
onto a new generation.
This will have wide appeal. Many adults reading it will recall their
own wild self, long forgotten and it is hoped they may resolve to
ensure their children experience it as well. Children will see the
life cycles, of birth, death and regeneration, and reflect on the
freedom of former generations, resolving too to make use of their
time in the wild.
Fran Knight
Pandora Jones: Deception by Barry Jonsberg
Pandora Jones bk 2. Allen & Unwin, 2014. ISBN 9781743318126
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Thriller. Dystopian fiction.
Pandemic. Survival. In Admission,
the first in the series, Pandora has been admitted into The School,
believing that her world had ended and that billions of people had
died in a pandemic and the people at the school are the survivors
that will enable the world to continue. In Deception, Pan
teams up with Jen, a strong independent girl, to try and see if her
fears that The School is betraying her and that her nightmares about
everyone being dead have been implanted. Pan is determined to find
out the truth, and together with Jen, breaks rule after rule in her
quest to find out what is happening.
In a clever first chapter Jonsberg encapsulates what has happened in
the first book through Jen's memories and lays the groundwork for
the story to follow. When she talks to Jen about her suspicions, Jen
doesn't really believe in them, but as an adrenaline junkie is more
than happy to take big risks, and to accompany Pan as she prowls The
School and the nearby village looking for answers. The reader is
taken on a roller coaster ride of midnight swims through dangerous
waters, hang gliding in a flimsy home-made glider and facing a huge
storm at sea, all vividly described and leaving the reader reading
on to find out whether the pair will survive.
With Nate out of the picture, the story concentrates on the
characters of Pan and Jen, and the reader gets to know them very
well and to see how their different skills and expertise lead them
on their quest. Those who like a romance will be tantalised by a few
references to Nate and a cryptic message, 'Trust me' left with Pan,
but the friendship that grows between the two such different
characters as Pan and Jen is a highlight of the book. Other
characters, especially the staff, are almost shadow figures, but
very sinister all the same.
Jonsberg is a very accomplished author and this shows in this
beautifully crafted, exciting novel that kept me gripped in the
excitement surrounding the two girls. The cliff-hanger at the end
left me gasping and wishing that this was one series that I had all
three books to read at once. I can't wait for the next one.
Pat Pledger
The Secret Abyss by Darrell Pitt
A Jack Mason Adventure Book 2. Text, 2014. ISBN 9781922147967
Recommended for readers from 11 years of age. Jack Mason, Scarlet
and Mr Doyle are back for their second mysterious adventure. This
time they are on the trail of a prison escapee, the world's most
evil killer, the Chameleon. In a world filled with huge Metrotowers,
giant metropolis', polluted cities and a sky teeming with airships,
steam cars and giant monuments, the three adventures follow the
villain across the Atlantic and set out to thwart the plot to kill
the President of the United States. Charles Ashgrove the evil rich
mastermind wants to incite a civil war and has a mysterious weapon
The Whip of Fire ready to wreak havoc.
Jack's physical skills, insight and ability to think quickly are
extremely useful in the variety of situations, he unpicks the
warehouse locks just in time for them to escape and he rescues the
President from an arrow attack. Scarlet is a willing accomplice, a
modern woman capable of meeting any challenge. Mr. Doyle's detective
skills also help save the day, he adds light to the story with his
never-ending supply of cheese in his pockets and his humorous
reminders about past cases solved by using three crazy items.
Darrell Pitt's second novel is another exciting, fast-paced
adventure filled with heroes and villains, steam-driven transport,
inventors and inventions, near drownings, rescues and cataclysmic
events. Will the introduction of electricity change the course of
history?
Rhyllis Bignell
The Party by Gabriel Evans
Woodland Whiskers series. Five Mile Press, 2014. ISBN
9781760060992
(Ages: 2 - 6) Recommended. It was Saffron's birthday and she woke
bright and early. The little mouse was excited.
The party is a beautifully drawn short story that evokes memories of
the Peter Rabbit books I was read as a child. It has a delicate way
of presenting the story and characters in both text and picture.
Questions can immediately be asked by a child reader as to which
mouse is which and the flowing text slowly answers the inquisitive
reader.
Along the way a young reader is also drawn to each page by the
little lift the flap pop out windows that they must open to find out
what is hidden behind. Most depict what is happening in the text but
a pretty little lady bug also draws the imagination. The Party is a beautiful book to read your child just before
they go to sleep. It offers a story and interaction that provokes
conversation while delivering a sweet little story about a quiet
mouse family on a special day. In a time where books are getting
increasingly louder and brighter it is lovely to see a book that is
simple and quiet in delivery.
Steve Whitehead
Editor's note: Another in this delightful series is A new pet
ISBN 9781760061005.
