Bleakboy and Hunter stand out in the rain by Steven Herrick
UQP, 2014. ISBN 9780702250163.
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Bullying. Environment. Family life.
Feel good book. Humour. Jesse is a boy who has some problems fitting
into his new school. He has one good friend, Kate who entices him
into helping her on her quest to Save the Whales. He has one enemy,
the school bully, Hunter, who continually calls him names and gives
him a hard time.
The story is told in alternative chapters, first in Jesse's voice
telling of his trials, and then in the third person narrative,
relating the very different life that Hunter has, giving the reader
a really good experience of travelling in each of the character's
shoes. Laced throughout with humour, the reader is taken on a joyous
ride as Jesse talks to a poster representing Jesus, whom Jesse calls
Trevor so as not to annoy his agnostic parents. Jesse's home life is
very loving, even though his parents and sister often embarrass him.
Hunter on the other hand is going through some problems as his
father has left and gone to New Zealand with another woman, and both
he and his mother have to face his desertion. At home Hunter is a
very different and loving boy, in comparison to the face that he
presents at school, and it is not until both he and Jesse are
standing out in the rain that they come to an understanding.
This is a feel good book that leaves the reader feeling uplifted.
Even though the problems are huge: bullying, marriage breakdown, and
the fate of the whales, the characters are big hearted and people
help each out. Hunter's meeting with Senior Citizen Les helps him
and Kate's work with the Save the Whale campaign bring a different
perspective to the story. The themes of helping each other and the
environment stand out.
This would make an excellent Literature Circle book or Read aloud
for upper primary students and comes highly recommended for any
library collection.
Pat Pledger
A walk in Paris by Salvatore Rubbino
Walker Books, 2014. ISBN 9781406341522.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Paris, Cities, Grandparents, Travel. A
grandfather and his granddaughter spend a day walking through the
main attractions of Paris, giving information about each place where
they stop, and adding a few French words to the reader's vocabulary
as they go.
At the day's end all readers will have a greater understanding of
where the places of interest are in Paris, the City of Light, as
well as some understanding of French culture.
Each double page is a delight, with colour filled drawings of the
older man and his young charge, looking at the sights, sounds and
colour of this magical city.
The endpapers have a map of Paris enabling the reader to follow
their trail around the Seine, the city's river. The first endpaper
is a map with their intended trail marked on it, while the last
endpaper has a small index, drawings of their Bistro bill, tickets
to some of the places they have seen, some euros and cakes.
One double page which interested me was the view from inside a
bistro, and the text explains what a bistro is and why it is
specifically French, then the images shows the girl and her grandpa
sitting at a table while smaller images are redolent of some aspects
of French culture. There is a dog in the bistro, a wall menu has the
Plats du Jour, there is a range of people eating and drinking in the
bistro, while through the window can be seen the Boulangerie.
On another double page is a view of the well known Paris streets,
with their four stories, balconies and shops on the street level.
The text again explains why the Parisian streets all look like this,
and shows the difference between the small medieval streets and the
newer boulevards. And towards the end of the book is a fold out
picture of the Eiffel Tower, which will delight younger readers.
This is a charming book, not only for classrooms where French is
taught, but also for anyone interested in this beautiful city,
learning of the culture, language and sights as they tour with the
young girl and her grandfather. A companion book, A walk in New
York was published in 2012.
Fran Knight
Shahnameh: The Persian book of kings retold by Elizabeth Laird
Ill. by Shirin Adl. Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2014. ISBN
9781847804976.
Recommended. The story told in this sumptuously illustrated book is that of
Rustam the king's champion and his trials as a warrior. The back
stories of his parents and his birth are vividly retold by Laird, a
specialist in Middle Eastern stories and a children's fiction writer
whose stories are often set in those countries. His father, Zal was
born with a shock of white hair, and, convinced that he is a devil,
his father abandons him in the desert. Here he is picked up by an
eagle who takes him to her nest, giving him the blood and meat of
the captured animals she feeds her own young. A marvelous beginning
to a great story. All heroes have unusual beginnings and Zol is no
exception. He marries a beautiful woman from a neighbouring country
and their first child is also born in exceptional circumstances. His
wife is in great pain and the baby will not emerge, so he sends for
his foster mother and she advices him to cut her belly. So Rustam is
born. As a young boy his strength is something to marvel at and he
has the promise of being great, but must endure some trials of his
courage and abilities.
The story as with all myths and legends, show him in a range of
situations, slaying the enraged elephant, taming an untamable
stallion to be his own horse, marrying the most beautiful of women,
to become the king's champion warrior. We follow his life as he
succeeds with his seven trials, and then marries and has his own
son, Sohrab.
The illustrations reflect those on manuscripts found of the stories
(see Wikipedia)
and are a colourful adjunct to the story, making this a book to
treasure.
Fran Knight
Don't kiss girls : and other silly stories by Pat Flynn
University of Queensland Press, 2014. ISBN 9780702253300.
Recommended for 9-14 year olds. Pat Flynn has used his knowledge and
observations of young people and the school environment, gained as a
teacher, to advantage in this story. The characters would be
genuinely recognisable in any year 8 population.
Tony Ross is dead! Fortunately he had the good sense to record
stories about his life before he died and an angel called Angel
passed the voice recorder on to the random stranger he met on the
bus one day. Thus we are introduced to the hilarious stories of the
life of thirteen year old Tony.
On reflection, Tony realises that whatever he attempts usually ends
in trouble. His ambition to be as good as his best mate, and biggest
rival, Kane leads him into all sorts of escapades from cheating at
cricket to auditioning for a role in the school musical. Winning the
lead role, despite not being able to sing requires some ingenuity,
but the thought of kissing Ashleigh as part of the performance
drives him on.
As Tony relates his experiences we learn how not to approach work
experience and that acting as a golf caddy is a serious business.
The on again, off again nature of his relationship with Ashleigh,
his money making schemes and sibling rivalry all lead to trouble.
With typical schoolboy enthusiasm and unwavering self belief Tony
manages to find a way out of each predicament. That is until his
last night when kissing Ashleigh was not such a good idea.
The lists which intersperse the stories like Funniest Things
Teachers have Yelled at Me and Favourite Excuses for
Forgetting My homework add to the enjoyment of the text which
can be read like a series of short stories, though the imperative to
find out how Tony dies keeps the reader focussed.
I look forward to meeting Tony in his next incarnation, assuming
that Angel, the angel, is right.
Sue Keane
Crawf's Kick it to Nick : The Cursed Cup by Shane Crawford and Adrian Beck
Penguin, 2014. ISBN: 9780143307846.
(Ages: 7-9) AFL Football, School Life, Friendship, Fantasy. Shane
Crawford AFL football star and Adrian Beck TV producer for the The
Footy Show have teamed up to write an eight book series with
an AFL theme - Kick it to Nick. They have used their
expertise and understanding to write junior novels based on this
sport with mixed teams of feisty girls and fun boy characters. These
will appeal to younger readers from 7-9 years.
It's the first footy game on the new oval and Nick and his under-11
team, the Cobar Creek Crocs, are desperate to win the golden cup.
The oval has been built over an old mine with disastrous
consequences. When the trophy cup is taken from the cabinet it
changes into a terrifying metal monster, hungry to wipe out
everything around it. Nick the team captain is the only one who can
stop the destruction.
With great references to team participation, AFL superstars and a
dash of mystery, this series is one that will appeal to young footy
fans.
Rhyllis Bignell
Billy Slater presents: Try time by Patrick Loughlin
Ill. by Nahum Ziersch. Random House, 2014. ISBN 9780857982469.
Chapter book. This is a great series to tempt your rugby
league fans into reading as well as playing. It focuses on the West
Hill Ravens, a local team just starting their new season and
comprising kids from all backgrounds, demonstrating that this is a
game for all. In the team, Josh Brown has the potential to be a star
player - he has the speed and the skills of a winger, but he is also
cursed with nerves. Every time he steps on the field the butterflies
in his tummy take over and when he fails to score an easy try in
that first match, he thinks of giving it away altogether. He feels
he has let his team down, himself down, and most critically, his
grandfather who is football mad and screams encouragement from the
sideline each time.
But then, NRL legend Billy Slater turns up at training one day - can
he help Josh overcome those nerves? Written with action-packed
descriptions of games, good advice and a likeable lad who many will
empathise with this is a book worth promoting. In the introduction,
Slater emphasises that while playing well is important, it's more
about being part of a team, feeling you belong, having fun and
enjoying what you're doing because that's when you're at you're
best. But, at the same time, understanding that there are times when
things won't go your way and you have to have what it takes to work
through that. It's about being resilient, forgiving yourself and
digging deep to keep going. A strong message indeed from someone who
is a hero for so many. And apart from that there are several pages
of tips that the reader can think about to improve their own game. Try Time focuses on Junior Taafuli, nicknamed Cannonball the
biggest player in the West Hill Ravens, who thinks he is only valued
for his size. Again Slater steps in to help him learn a life lesson.
While the content alone of these books is likely to make them
appealing to younger readers, it is the endorsement by Billy Slater
that sets them apart from others of a similar theme, giving them a
strength because they show reluctant readers that their heroes do
read and write; that reading is a cool, in thing to do and it's
possible to combine football and reading. Perhaps we should ask the
publishers for a poster of Billy reading this title to reinforce
that message!
Barbara Braxton
Banana kick by Patrick Loughlin
Random House, 2014. ISBN 9780857982667.
(Age: 9+) Rugby. Banana Kick has a great theme - be happy with who
you are and don't try to change for other people. Our main
character is Junior, a 10 year old Samoan boy who is built to play
rugby (referred to as footy in the book). He is a member of West
Hill Ravens and is teased by other teams for being so big. Junior
can play rugby though and his skills have really improved his team's
scores. When other players as well as the crowd start commenting
more, Junior stops playing as well. It makes him feel sad and
different. Is Junior's big family enough to make him feel good about
himself or does Junior need more help?
Junior's team is mentored by Billy Slater - he plays for Queensland
and Melbourne Storm in real life - and involving him in the story is
a great touch to creating a story that will be enjoyed by reluctant
readers. Banana Kick is quick moving, full of rugby and great for
boys aged 9+. They will enjoy the descriptive rugby games.
Kylie Kempster
A breath of frost by Alyxandra Harvey
Lovegrove legacy, bk 1. Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781408836354.
(Age 13+) Emma had a dainty life, parties, suitors and money. But even though
her life as a young lady seemed picture perfect, Emma's mother
remained mentally unstable and in care and Emma's father was
isolated and business orientated. Emma and her two closes friends
and cousins expect nothing unusual to happen at a ball they attend.
Regardless of their expectations, at the end of the night there was
a fire, a sudden icy change in weather and a dead body. With Emma
being dragged to the bodies of young debutante girls, all suspicion
is placed upon her as the enforcers of magic remember in fear
inspired awe the memory of her now incapacitated mother. A huge and
possibly dangerous mystery arises concerning Emma and her cousin's
past. What had her mother done to render her this way? Why does Emma
continue to find the bodies of young ladies? Why does the weather
change and become extreme when Emma's feelings ripple? All through
these complications and seemingly endless questions, Emma still
manages to find herself with Cormac, is this an old rivalry or a
newly budding romance? A Breath of Frost written by Alyxandra Harvey evokes the themes of
mystery, drama, suspense and romance. An altered past is what we
receive when the reader delves into the more magical side of Regency
London. This novel is best suited for older readers due to the
stylish and descriptive language used by the author. A first in a
trilogy, the next two are sure to be just as elegantly written and
attention grabbing.
Sarah Filkin (Student)
Shadow sister by Carole Wilkinson
Dragonkeeper bk 5. Black Dog Books, 2014. ISBN 9781922179579.
(Age: 9-12) Highly recommended. Dragons - China. Adventure. Fantasy.
Good and Evil. Shadow sister is the fifth fantasy adventure novel in the
Carole Wilkinson's Dragonkeeper series. She is a meticulous
researcher who has blended the ancient Chinese ways of life and
Buddhist teachings into this wonderful engaging story.
Tao leaves the Buddhist monastery, just as the evil monk Fo Tu Deng
takes over as abbot. The fifteen year old boy's courage, wisdom and
strength are tested as he learns the duties and trials of
dragonkeeping with a contrary dragon. An unusual diet of scorpions,
tiger's blood, bat dung and cockroaches are sourced by Tao in his
search to help the sick dragon. The tenets of Tao's religious faith
also prove challenging, he's a vegetarian and won't harm living
creatures.
They have a dynamic relationship and the reader builds up empathy
for Tao and his dragon's journey, faced with so much evil. Safety is
a huge concern with a band of marauding nomads in close pursuit,
encounters with a ghost-spirit and an attack by a giant snake with
seven heads. There are lighter moments when they take care of a
young baby and an old man. Who knew that Kai understood about baby
food? Two girls, one a ghost and the other Pema his friend who has
joined the Black Camel Bandits, play important roles in the
narrative.
Sonia Kretschmar's bold artwork uses a Yin and Yang style, with Tao
in the bold foreground and dragon Kai in complementary colours in
the background. Carole's
website includes additional information and a short story
about Pema.
I highly recommend this book to readers from 9-12.
Rhyllis Bignell
Kick with my left foot by Paul Seden
Ill. by Karen Briggs. Allen & Unwin, 2014. ISBN 9781743313442.
(Age: 3-5) Highly recommended. Preschool picture book. Left and
right. Football.
In bold colourful pages, the simple tale of a young boy learning to
handle the football, and then to kick it, will have enormous appeal
to the preschool readers.
At first, he puts on his boots, then he laces them up, each time,
telling us quite definitely which foot is which. Each double page
shows him achieving a new skill with both his right and left leg or
arm. He learns to run, catch and bounce on each side. But when it
comes to kicking, he pas a problem. His kick with his right side is
a dribble. The ball just falls to the ground, so over the page he
kicks with his left foot, and scores a goal.
Through the story, children will learn what is left and right, they
will learn to differentiate arms, feet and legs. They will see
clearly the procedure needed to get themselves ready for sport, and
follow the boy's trials to kick the ball. For beginning readers this
story will be fun, as the pages turn to each new skill the boy is
learning. The bold print is easy to grasp, and the repetition will
make it easier for a beginning reader to predict what will happen.
The illustrations are infectious, making any reader involved in the
boy's attempts to use the football effectively, and the endpapers
show clearly the community in which he lives.
The background in a community with its sparse trees and red dirt
oval, gives readers a clue to where it is set, but the attempts by
the boy to master the skills are universal.
This book has been produced under the auspices of Allen & Unwin,
and the Little Big Book Club, with funding through the Australia
Council for the Emerging Indigenous Picture Book Project.
Fran Knight
On the nose by Robert Favretto
Ill. by Kevin Burgemeestre. Morris Publishing, 2014. ISBN 9780987543479.
(Age: 7-12) Recommended. If you have a nose for a good
story this could just be the one for you but you need the good
scents to pick it up. And be warned... the author has taken
plenty more opportunities to play with words related to noses and
smells.
Justin Credible is the hero of this story about smells, odours and
all things nasal. In fact Justin has an incredible sense of smell
which goes with his incredibly long nose. Having honed his skills by
collecting an amazing array of jars each containing a nasty odour
and achieving fame at school by solving the problem of the revolting
gas leak, he is recruited by the DNA (Department of Nasal Affairs as
a detective.
After training, led by Sergeant Sinus, he is given a 'licence to
smell' and with his driver and body guard Len D'Hand embarks on his
first mission to catch a skunk thief. Soon after, he is called in by
the Mayor of Aroma City, Willy Winn to save the city from a terrible
stench.
The face paced story is a mixture of clever references to all things
smelly and names with double meanings which will delight that group
of students which have become aware of the delights of playing with
language. The black and white pictures interspersed throughout,
which highlight the extreme length of Justin's nose, added to the
short length of the story, help make the story funny and accessible
for the most reluctant reader.
Sue Keane
Happy birthday, royal baby! by Martha Mumford
Ill. by Ada Grey. Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781408854822
(Age: 5+) Recommended. Picture book. Humour. Babies. Royalty.
After the successful Shhh, don't wake the royal baby and
its laugh out loud story of a new born child in royal circles, this
book follows the child as he has his first birthday.
With people gearing up for Prince George's first birthday in July,
it seems appropriate to have a book which celebrates that event but
also all other birthdays of those about his age.
With the Queen parachuting from the sky holding onto a load of
balloons on the front cover, children will be in little doubt about the fun
to be had inside. Every page is covered with little things to
delight the eye and the words match the young prince finding nothing
of interest in his vast array of presents. That is until the Queen
parachutes in bringing him a present that she knows he will love.
Wonderful illustrations of the Queen and the family will tickle the
funny bones of all readers, young and old, and the array of presents
will engender much laughter, while the picture of all the guests
sitting down to the birthday party is just fun.
A wonderful read aloud, a book to discuss babies and their
birthdays, or anyone's birthday, and even a talk about the monarchy,
this book is a treat.
Fran Knight
Violet Mackerel's helpful suggestion by Anna Branford
Ill. by Sarah Davis. Walker Books Australia, 2014. ISBN 9781922244369.
Recommended. The list of Violet Mackerel books continues to
grow but the warmth, charm and freshness of these stories centred on
family and friends never ceases to delight. The recent shortlisting
of Violet Mackerel's Possible friend in the CBCA Book of the Year
awards is sure to rekindle interest in this series.
Rose, Violet's best friend from next door, is excited about her
coming trip to Japan for six weeks, but Violet is sort of excited for
her and also worried that Rose may forget her.
The other news is that Vincent, Violet's stepfather, has a trial
for a job at Nuts and Beans, a self serve bulk store. While the
family are excited for him he is worried and needs to learn the
prices for all the various beans, lentils, dried fruit and rice he
will sell before starting work.
While at the family's usual Saturday market stall, Rose and Violet
enjoy their remaining time together learning Japanese words from a
flashcard set Rose has been given. This gives Violet an idea, a
helpful suggestion, to assist Vincent remember the names of the
goods and their prices. The whole family join in making flash cards
to help Vincent.
Just before Rose leaves Violet comes up with a new theory to help
the friends feel closer, the 'Theory of Sending Small Things' which
helps them feel closer whilst they are apart.
As with the other books in this series there are step by step
instructions at the end of the book to assist the reader in making
whatever idea Violet has come up with. In this case there are how to make and
use a set of flash cards for something you wish to remember. The
suggestion that times tables and spelling cards could be an idea will
surely curry favour with teachers and parents.
Sue Keane
Thief's magic by Trudi Canavan
Orbit Books, 2014. ISBN 9780356501116.
(Age: 13+) Recommended. Fantasy. Adventure. Science Fiction. Thief's magic is the first book in the new Millenium's rule trilogy
by author Trudi Canavan. The book comprises two stories which, in
this first book at least, run parallel to one another with no
crossover. Magic is at the heart of both stories, however its use is
viewed very differently in each.
The hero of the first tale is Tyen Ironsmelter who is a student of
sorcery and archaeology at the Academy. In Tyen's world sorcery is a
valued profession and extensive use of magic to power great machines
has been responsible for society's development. So heavily has magic
been depleted in this world that there are fears it will run out.
An archaeological expedition at the beginning of the first chapter
sees Tyen find a magical book in an ancient tomb. The book calls herself Vella and we discover that she was once a living person. Vella
is a repository for knowledge - she is able to learn from those who
touch her and communicate with writing which appears on her
otherwise blank pages. Tyen develops a 'relationship' with Vella and
is determined to find a way to return her to human form. His desire
to hold on to her, coupled with his concern for how others may use
her knowledge, see him become a fugitive on the run from the Academy
and, ultimately, from his own world.
The parallel story is that of Rielle Lazuli whose parents own a
respected dye works. We learn early in the tale that since a young
age Rielle has been able to see 'stain' - the evidence of where
magic has been used. Rielle's world appears significantly less
advanced than Tyen's and here the use of magic is forbidden by all
but priests as it is seen as stealing from the Angels. As being able
to see 'stain' is associated with the ability to use magic Rielle
has been encouraged by her aunt to hide the ability from everyone -
including the rest of her family.
When Rielle strikes up a relationship with an artist, who her
parents see as being below her status, she turns to magic for help.
A series of events sees her crime discovered and she is arrested and
banished to a far off land. Thief's magic is an intriguing start to this new series. I was
considerably more engaged by Tyen's story than by Rielle's however I
suspect that in future books the two will intertwine. A substantial
read at 553 pages, I would consider Thief's magic equally as
appealing to both sexes and would recommend if for fantasy fans 13+
years of age.
Nicki Paterson
Prisoner of night and fog by Anne Blankman
Headline Publishing. 2014. ISBN 9781472207821.
Recommended. There are not too many readers who don't enjoy a good
murder mystery. Prisoner of night and fog is, in essence,
just that - something to keep the reader turning the pages as the
heroes search for the truth, face danger, experience betrayal and in
amongst it all find love and friendship. However Prisoner of
night and fog is so much more than that, set as it is, in the
turbulent times of Munich, 1931, when Hitler is on his rapid rise to
ultimate power.
The hero of the story is Gretchen Muller who is a favourite to her
Uncle Dolf (Hitler) who calls her his 'little sunshine'. At the
beginning of the tale she leads a relatively stable life, believing
in the doctrines of her uncle and with dreams of becoming a doctor.
Her home life is a little difficult as she is required to help her
mother in the boardinghouse and is sometimes subject to
mistreatment from her brother Reinhard, a member of the thuggish
Brownshirts. Then she meets a Jewish reporter who not only raises
questions about the death of her father but also causes her to
question some firmly held beliefs as she comes to realise that his
features 'all combined to make it difficult to remember he wasn't
subhuman' (p. 93) as she had been taught. This new understanding is
gradually consolidated as she meets other Jews and discovers the
real intentions of her Uncle Dolf. As the story progresses Reinhard
is revealed for the psychopath that he is and parallels are drawn
between him and the Fuhrer by Whitestone, the English doctor who has
come to Germany to write a psychological profile of Hitler.
Together with the reporter, Daniel, she sets about to discover,
firstly what happened to her father during the Beer Hall Putsch of
1923 and indeed who was really responsible for his death. Along the
way Daniel and Gretchen face increasing danger, both as their
relationship is 'verboten' and because in their search for truth
they uncover details, the knowledge of which would see them killed.
Their bravery and sometimes recklessness all combine to ensure a
thrilling finale.
As Anna Blackman herself says, 'although Prisoner of night and
fog is a work of fiction, much of it is rooted in fact'
(Author's note p. 361) and it is this which adds tremendously to the
quality of this novel.
Barb Rye
