The Lost World Circus, Book 4. Penguin, 2014. ISBN:
9780143307303.
Highly recommended for readers from 8+. Themes: Circuses, Adventure,
Dystopian World, Animals. Justin D'Ath's Lost World Circus
books are set in the near future, in a dystopian world over-run by
ghost rats where nearly every bird and animal has been killed by the
virulent rat flu. Captain Noah's has saved the last of their kind in
a concerted effort to stop total extinction, keeping them at his
Lost World Circus. Each book in the series focuses on the saving of
a different species.
The main character Colt possesses superhuman strength received when
he overcame a ghost rat bite and his mother the circus vet saved him
with a dose of cow vaccine. He has become Superclown and his
strength requires that he constantly keeps up his food intake, this
time he is forced to eat rat food! His friend Birdy a young Asian
girl and circus acrobat is taken hostage in this adventure and Colt
sets out to search for her and rescue the last regent firebirds in
the world stolen by thieves working for a foreign billionaire.
This adventure is fast-paced with a kidnapping, birdnapping, a wild
flight on a sea plane, an uninhabited island, a strange colony of
ghost rats and fight off the evil thieves.
Justin D'Ath is an author who really meets the needs of readers,
with relatable characters with superhuman powers, short fast-paced
chapters and the themes of the fight of good versus evil and the
plight of animal extinction this series is a winner. Great for older
reluctant readers.
Rhyllis Bignell
A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
Text Publishing, 2013. ISBN 9781922079183.
(Age: Adult and mature secondary readers). Even though Eleanor
Catton's The Luminaries is a very deserving winner of the
2014 Man Booker Prize, my preference from the short list is Ruth
Ozeki's A Tale for the Time Being. The structure is as sophisticated
and revolutionary as that of the winner - and structure is paramount
in both.
Quantum physics is enlisted in A Tale for the Time Being to
reinforce the theme of time and its fluidity. Schrodinger's Cat
makes an appearance and this famous experiment is also explained in
one of the appendices. The title gives another clue as to the
importance of time in this novel and Proust's book, A la
recherche du temps perdu (In Search of Lost Time) plays
an integral part in the plot.
One of two major narrators, Japanese teen Nao, has written a diary
which is found washed up from the ocean by Canadian/Japanese author,
Ruth. There is a commonality between the character and actual
author, Ruth. Nao hasn't coped with her family's ignominious return
to Japan from the United States. He father tries to kill himself,
she is bullied at school, prostitutes herself at the French maid
cafe and is also planning her own suicide. Ruth becomes concerned
about Nao's safety and the story metafictively unites seemingly
impossible, overlapping worlds. Words and pages disappear, time
bends.
The narrative is set soon after the Fukushima nuclear power-station
meltdown, and the earlier tragedy of World War II's reluctant
kamikaze pilots is juxtaposed with this. Japanese content and words
are further explored with helpful footnotes, which also makes this
novel of interest to senior students exploring Asian literature. The
book was written for adult readers so some explicit scenes need a
closer look by individual schools before offering this brilliant,
and ultimately hopeful, novel to students.
Joy Lawn
The Spotty Dotty Lady by Josie Wowolla Boyle and Fern Martins
Magabala Books, 2014. ISBN 9781922142108.
Highly recommended for younger readers. At a time in our society
when many vulnerable people are living isolated and lonely
existences, The Spotty Dotty Lady is a story which gently
promotes compassion for younger readers and examines the way in
which nature and emotion/s are interconnected.
This second collaboration between Josie Wowolla Boyle (West
Australian singer, storyteller and artist) and Fern Martins
(sculptor, printmaker, artist in pencil, pastel and watercolour) is
a vibrant explosion of watercolour illustrations which will easily
capture young people.
A sad and lonely lady discovers a very unusual flower bud in her
garden and is intrigued by it. She carefully waters the plant with
its fat spotty bud and soon more appear. She is so taken with the
gorgeous spots she begins to transform her entire house, beginning
with her teacup, by painting colourful dots all over. As the spotty
buds unfold to reveal even more gorgeous spotty flowers, her dot
painting takes over her entire house, as she imagines each dot to be
a special friend. When the postie comes along and is delighted by
the now spotty house, he cheerfully spreads the word all around the
neighbourhood and suddenly people from all up and down the street
are coming to see the happy looking house and meet the owner. They
don't just stay and look however, soon they are asking the Spotty
Dotty Lady to paint their own teacups - and stay to drink tea out of
them. No longer the sad and lonely Spotty Dotty Lady, her actions
transform the entire street as it becomes the happiest place to live
for all.
This lovely picture book would be a marvellous starting point for
many discussions around ideas such as empathy, communities,
connectedness as well as inspiration for Nature and Art activities.
Sue Warren
Yaqui Delgado wants to kick your ass by Meg Medina
Candlewick Press, 2013. ISBN 9780763658595.
(Age 14+) Highly recommended. Bullying. Coming of age. 2013 Cybils
Awards YA fiction. YALSA 2014 Best
Fiction for Young Adults. YALSA 2014 Quick
Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. Piddy Sanchez has
just moved to a new school when she gets a message that Yaqui
Delgardo wants to kick her ass. She doesn't know Yaqui and certainly
has done nothing to provoke her, but she is stuck in this new school
and can't do anything about it. If she reports it she believes that
the bullying will escalate and meanwhile her grades are going down
the drain, her best friend has left the neighbourhood and is busy
happily fitting into a new school and her mother refuses to tell her
anything about the father that abandoned her.
At first Piddy tends to disregard the threats because she has enough
to cope with and is really more interested in finding out about her
missing father, especially after she overhears a conversation about
him at the salon where she works at the weekends. However the
bullying escalates and she finds that she can't bear to go to
classes. Her school work really suffers, she begins to get detention
and finally she starts to skip school altogether. This doesn't help
as Yaqui and her cohort finally corner her in a shocking incident
away from school.
This is a realistic portrayal of bullying. The reader follows
Piddy's downward spiral, sympathising with her confusion about what
to do, and knowing that often reporting the bully doesn't help.
Readers who have been bullied will recognise what is happening and
others will gain a deeper understanding of what it is like to be
bullied and how often the person who is being bullied does nothing
warrant that treatment. Sometimes bystanders have to stand up and
report what is going on. Sometimes as Joey says the victim might
have to 'Run if you have to'. Pg. 227.
Although the theme of bullying is central to the story, Medina's
crisp and often funny dialogue and Piddy's relationship with her
aunt Lila lifts the story. The characters around Piddy, her aunt,
mother, the women in the salon, her friend Rob and the young man
Joey, who finally leaves an abusive home, are all fully developed
and realistic.
This is a heart-warming story with a wonderful young woman at its
centre whose trials will clutch at your heartstrings.
Pat Pledger
Midnight by Mark Greenwood
Ill. by Frane Lessac. Walker Books, 2014. ISBN 9781921977718.
(Age: 7+) Recommended. War. Animals. Grief. The very successful
husband and wife team of Greenwood and Lessac has written another
enthralling picture book, this time based on a true story of a young
man taking his horse to World War One. The horse, Midnight does not
return, but Guy, the rider does, escaping spinal damage by a
whisker.
Midnight was born on a property well known for its quarter milers.
The black horse with its star blaze is Guy's horse and when World
War One begins he joins up, taken to Cairo on the troop carriers,
only to find that he is deployed to Gallipoli, his horse left
behind. But when the Anzacs are evacuated, Guy is reunited with
Midnight and together they rides with the eight hundred to take
Beersheba, a battle well known in Australian military history. A
bullet downs Guy and when picked up by the stretcher bearers,
Midnight stays behind.
A story of World War One which involves animals is not uncommon, in
the growing realisation that many animals have taken part in wars
over the years. A number of books, picture books and non fiction
books have been written redressing this omission, and a list can be
found in The Literature Base in 2013. What makes this one stand out
is the detail of war in such a place as Palestine. A browse through
Wikipedia's page
reflects the inhospitable nature of this area of the Middle East,
and gives more information about this battle. Details in Lessac's
gouache illustrations reflect the situation the Light Horse found
itself in, and it is one battle that needs to be remembered. Teacher's notes are available.
Fran Knight
Last Stand of Dead Men by Derek Landy
Skulduggery Pleasant bk 8. HarperCollins, 2013. ISBN:
9780007489220.
(Age: Secondary) As stated on the front cover, 'No one is safe'.
When war is declared between the Sanctuaries, Skulduggery and
Valkyrie need to team up with the remaining Dead Men to protect
against total destruction. Their foes and allies seem to be an ever
changing assortment of characters with good and evil often being
difficult to distinguish from one another. Finally, some of the
characters who seemed merely to act as light relief in previous
titles come to the fore and prove they have another side to their
natures and display some greater depth of character. With Darquesse
set to rise, what does Valkyrie's future hold?
Having read and reviewed the Skulduggery titles from the
beginning, what started out as a humorous (if somewhat black) series
has now become perhaps better suited to secondary readers rather
than primary students. As with the characters in the Harry
Potter books, Valkyrie has aged throughout this series. Now,
with an 18 year old protagonist, Landy has tailored his books to
suit older readers with much violence and bloodshed throughout this
title. True devotees of the series will be distraught at some of the
murder and mayhem which has occurred in this title and may be afraid
for their favourite characters in the final volume. Having skimmed
through many reviews written by fans, many seem to be filled with
dread as to what the outcome of the supposed last book of the series
may be. Personally, I found this to be a tome which was difficult to
get involved with initially (largely due to it containing 600 pages
of text, no longer double spaced or as easily accessible) but which
finally managed to get me involved by the time I'd read a third of
the book. Now, I wish the final book was already complete, just so
that I could read it without having lost the gist of the story
before its release. Skulduggery fans will undoubtedly love
and devour this title as much as they have the previous books.
Jo Schenkel
War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
Ill. by Rae Smith, Egmont, 2013. ISBN: 9781405267960.
Highly recommended for ages 8+. At the age of six months, the young
colt, Joey, is parted from his mother. She is purchased at auction
as a highly sought after working farm horse while he is far more
difficult to sell. His new owner is inclined to become cruel when
drunk, and promises to 'break' Joey. Luckily, the horse is cared for
and trained by Albert, the farmer's son. Their relationship grows
until, desperate for money, the farmer agrees to sell the horse to
the army, thus beginning Joey's transformation from farm horse to
war horse.
In typical Morpurgo style, the author manages to immerse the reader
in the world in which the tale was set. He ensures that we are
invested in the lives of the main characters, constantly hoping for
positive resolutions to the situations in which they find
themselves.
For some reason, this is one of the few Morpurgo books I had not
previously read. Perhaps the theme or front cover of the original
novel had put me off. Nonetheless, having agreed to review this
beautifully illustrated version, I am so grateful I have finally
read the book. From the powerful and haunting images on the dust
jacket and front cover, to the drawings liberally scattered
throughout the book and the combination of images and twists in the
text, this is as rewarding a tale as any of his other titles. I am
now eagerly awaiting the opportunity to teach another war unit to a
middle or upper primary task, and I plan to look at different
perspectives. With the horse as the narrator, I am expecting my
students to become as involved in this tale as I have been. Another
masterful Morpurgo!
Jo Schenkel
The impossible knife of memory by Laurie Halse Anderson
Text, 2014. ISBN 9781922182227.
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Post-traumatic stress disorder.
Memory. Hayley's veteran father has had great trouble overcoming the
feelings that he has had since coming back from war. Together they
had travelled the country in his truck, while he home-schooled her,
but he has finally decided that she should spend her last year at
school and they have settled down in the house that had belonged to
her grandmother. It is an opportunity for Hayley to have a normal
life, but as she struggles with school and makes friends with Finn,
she finds that she has flashbacks of memory that threaten to destroy
everything. Her father too is struggling with flashbacks and Hayley
lives with the fear of him harming himself or others.
Anderson has written a powerful and poignant novel about the effects
of war on soldiers, the way that they try to cope and the impact
that it has on the family and friends left behind. Hayley had hoped
that settling down would help her father deal with his PTSD, but he
is unable to hold a job, has terrible nightmares and even blackouts.
In vivid language, she describes just what it is like to remember
the awful things that happen during war while helping the reader to
understand what it is like to live with someone who has such
dreadful memories. As Hayley begins to realise that she has
suppressed many memories from her childhood: Gracie the girl who
lived down the road, a grandmother who loved her and a stepmother
who left, the reader is left pondering the nature of memory and how
it can be distorted by people who are struggling to survive.
Hayley's plight with trying to help her father, her struggle to fit
into school, her sarcastic remarks to teachers and her tenuous
relationship with Finn, who appears to be very easy-going, are all
portrayed brilliantly for the reader. As Hayley gets to know Finn
and her friend Gracie better, she realises that things can be tough
for many kids - Gracie's family is going through a nasty divorce and
Finn's sister is a drug addict, whose attempts at rehab have broken
up the family and used up all their money. However there is hope
that things will become better if only trust can be established and
help accepted. Hayley's loyalty to her father is tried and she needs
to find forgiveness for the abandonment by Trish when she was young.
This is an outstanding novel with tough themes that are relevant to
teens. It is also a compulsive read. Teacher's
notes are available.
Pat Pledger
Lilli-Pilli's sister by Anna Branford
Ill. by Linda Catchlove. Walker Books, 2014. ISBN 9781921977589.
(Age: 3+) Recommended. Fairies, Birth, Family. With Lili-Pilly's
mother about to give birth, Lilli-Pilly is concerned whether the
crib they have built will be satisfactory for her new sister, but
mother points out that it could be a boy. So we are invited
into the realm of the fairies, see their surroundings, the
Australian bush, the Lilly Pilly or Australian Cherry, the gum
trees, the naimals, Mum has difficulty opening her wings to fly as
her belly is so big and round, and sends Lilly-Pilly off to gather
things for the baby, all the while discussing what it might be.
The soft watercolour images augment the words, showing the soft warm
colours of the Australian bush, stylised gum trees rise out of the
creek bed, an array of insects and birds go about their daily
business, and many beautifully drawn flowers and plants fill the
pages.
For small children this book not only provides a delicate
introduction to the imminent arrival of a sibling, it also gives
parents and teachers the chance to engage their charges in
discussions about birth and babies, and where they come from.
Within the ambience of the Australian bush, the opportunities
offered by this book are wide reaching. Small children and others
will thrill at the depiction of the fairy family in their hippy
guise, and ponder at the array of small things peering out of the
dense scrub. The fairy family's use of found objects in their
environment is also a source of wonder from the reader. Classroom
ideas are available.
Fran Knight
Claws of the Crocodile by Bear Grylls
Mission Survival series. Random House, 2013. ISBN
9781849418423.
(Age: Year 3+) Beck Granger is just thirteen years old but, as the
son of Special Operations Directors for the environmentalist direct
action group Green Force, he knows more about surviving in harsh
conditions and climates than most people would learn in a lifetime.
In this adventure, Claws of the Crocodile set in the
Kimberley region of Australia, Beck goes in search of an Aboriginal
elder whom he met as a young child and who has a precious USB stick
with evidence that the earlier disastrous contamination of an area
of the Kimberley was caused by the cut corners and slipshod methods
of the multi-national company behind the project. Beck has a
personal interest in finding Pindari because finding him might
provide the clues and evidence for his parents' deaths. Accompanied
by his friend Brihony Stewart and two citified Aboriginal men, he
ventures into the hostile outback on this new mission.
This is a grand story told in the fashion of ye olde Boys' Own
Adventure - the action starts on the first page and doesn't let up
till the last. Written by Bear Grylls, known around the world via
his television series as an outdoorsman and survivor, this is a tale
that captures its audience from the beginning and keeps going. While
some of it may seem a bit far-fetched from the adult reader's
perspective, it works very well for its younger audience with lots
of information about survival embedded in the story as well as
explicit advice at the end. Grylls is well qualified to share his
knowledge having served 21 years in the British SAS, being appointed
as the youngest ever Chief Scout to 28 million Scouts worldwide and
one of the youngest to reach the summit of Everest. The adventures
he leads people on have raised huge amounts of money for children
around the world. As you read you get a real sense of the author
knowing what he is talking about - he has walked the walk.
That said, this story with its Australian connection, would make a
great read-aloud introduction to a unit on survival exploring needs
vs wants and the minimum requirements to be taken for any expedition
into the bush, even just an afternoon walk. With Australia's
bushfire season a regular threat such knowledge needs to be part of
any family's fire plan, but even more than that it could lead into a
worthwhile investigation of all our emergency services, professional
and volunteer, and what they do for us. Perhaps it might even lead
to some new recruits for the service most applicable to your area! Claws of the Crocodile is just one of a series written for
the Year 3+ brigade. Others, each with a different geographical
setting, include Gold of the Gods (The Colombian Jungle); Way
of the Wolf (Alaskan Mountains); Sands of the Scorpion
(the Sahara); Tracks of the Tiger (Indonesian Wilderness);
and Strike of the Shark (The Caribbean Sea). This is a
series that will not only appeal to those who love the outdoors, but
it may tempt those indoor-lovers out there.
Barbara Braxton
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore by William Joyce
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2012. ISBN 9780857079442.
'Morris Lessmore loved words. He loved stories. He loved books. His
life was a book of his own writing, one orderly page after another.
He would open it every morning and write of his joys and sorrows, of
all that he knew and everything he hoped for.' Dressed in a dapper
brown suit, he would sit on the balcony of his hotel room,
surrounded by books read, to-be-read and to-read-again, and write
his beloved story. Until, one day, in something reminiscent of the
tornado in The Wizard of Oz, his world is turned upside down and
everything he knows is scattered, even the words of his book. Sadly,
bemused and confused, he wanders through a dark and colourless world
looking down in deep depression. Until, 'a happy bit of happenstance
came his way' and he looks up, to see a lovely lady drifting above
him pulled along by 'a festive squadron of flying books'. Knowing
that all he needed was a good story, she sent him her favourite . .
. leading him onto a whole new chapter of his life as he discovers
the treasures of a library and how it helps him and those around him
. . .
Reviewing a book that won an Oscar in 2011 for Best Animated Short
Film and was an acclaimed animated app, both before it made its
print debut is somewhat daunting for what can I say that hasn't
already been said? But such is my conviction that this book must be
on your shelves, I felt I had to bring it to your attention. To
quote Shanetia P. Clark's review from the Nerdy Book Club (founded
by Donalyn Miller of The Book Whisperer), 'This carefully crafted
tale needs to be on display in every classroom, every library, and
every home. It illuminates the importance of sharing great stories
with one another, the joy of being caught up in a story; and the
transactional connection between the written word and reader. The
illustrations, too, tell a beautiful story and work in concert with
the written text.'
It would be the perfect title to start a new school year of reading
- for the younger students to introduce them to the magic of story
and for older students to delve deeper than reading along the lines
to reading between and beyond. To help you get started there are
some questions
to ask and some activities to do. YouTube has a range of
clips that bring the story to life; the app is available through
iTunes and there is even one called the IMAG-N-O-THON which brings
the pages of the book alive when they are viewed through an iPad 2/3
or an iPhone!
If you are not yet familiar with this beautiful story and its
equally rich and stunning illustrations, you need to be. If you have
it on your shelves but have forgotten about it, then bring it out
and start with a winner.
Barbara Braxton
Banjo Paterson treasury by Banjo Paterson
Ill. by Oslo Davis. Random House, 2013. ISBN 9780857980069.
(Ages: All) Recommended. This treasury of poems by Banjo Paterson
contains not only really well known classics like Waltzing
Matilda, The Man from Snowy River, Clancy of the
Overflow and Mulga Bill's bicycle , but other lesser
known poems that are a joy to read. It is arranged in chronological
order starting with an introductory poem, Prelude, first
published in 1895 and continuing through Paterson's publishing life
finishing with Unforgotten, written in 1940 and two poems
with dates unknown. There is an index of first words, which will be
useful for people who know the first lines of some of the poems, or
who can work out what the topic is by reading the first line. Black
and white illustrations by Oslo Davis add to the meaning of the
poems
The very interesting About section gives a potted biography,
telling of Paterson's early childhood growing up in the bush and his
adult work as a solicitor, war correspondent, ambulance driver in
World War 1 and editor of Sydney Sportsman. The poems
reflect his love and understanding of the bush and his experiences
as an adult. There is a poem about Federation, Song of the
Federation as well as many poems about war and national
identity, all of which would be very useful for the Australian
history curriculum.
Of course, it is well known poems about the bush that are more
recognisable, and still have the power to stir the emotions of the
reader as they learn about the hardship the pioneers faced, the
larrikins who roamed the countryside and the horses that were
coveted. These will be a thrilling read aloud or wonderful performed
by a class or group.
Pat Pledger
This star won't go out by Esther Earl, with Lori and Wayne Earl
Introduction by John Green. Penguin Books, 2014. ISBN 9780141354033.
(Age: 12+) Cancer. Diary. When Esther Earl died in August 2010 of
Thyroid Cancer, her friends and family with her, she left behind
diaries, emails, photos. These have been used as the basis for this
book, augmented by reminiscences from friends and relatives, nursing
staff and doctors. Esther's story is brought to the fore in this
large tome, as her parents and friends reveal what they knew of the
young woman who fought to the end with grace and attitude.
Using her journals, diaries and letters, photos from family and
friends, videos, blogs and utube uploads, reminiscences from those
around her, copies of her drawings and many many photos of her in
the last stages of her life, the book is a powerful look at a person
who keeps her star shining. Powerful because she never gives up, and
from age 12 to 16, she discusses all with the medical staff as well
as those about her, she does not stint in asking the hard questions,
nor does she falter in finding what is best for her. And she is
honest. Interspersed between the words are accounts in orange taken
from the website, Caringbridge,
set up in 2008 in which people record their feelings, and her family
document the progression of her disease.
One of her friends was John Green who recently wrote, The fault
in our stars. He, with a number of other people, spent a day
with Esther several months before she died, and he recounts that day
in his introduction.
This is not an easy book to read, and as there is no contents or
index page, it is difficult to just dip into and read sections at a
time. Many girls will read it from cover to cover, adding the book
to the range of books about kids with cancer, and many will go on to
read John Green's The Fault in our stars, looking for traces
of Esther in the main character, Hazel, although he started his book
years before meeting Esther.
The support from her family and friends, shines through the whole
book, and it is a testament to the young girl's courage in life that
John Green dedicated his book to her.
Penguin has published this book in a heavier paper, and although
paperback, is a solid book to hold, its 430 pages making it a long,
intense read.
Fran Knight
The Great Fire: A City in flames by Ann Turnbull
Ill. by Akbar Ali. A & C Black, 2013. National Archives. ISBN
9781408186862.
For readers from 7-9 years of age. Themes: Great Fire of London,
1666, English History, London (England) History. Anne Turnbull's new
junior historical novel is set in London in 1666. Sam has been taken
by the Giraud family after he was left homeless during the Great
Plague. He now enjoys working as their servant boy. His life has
settled down and he is thankful to have Budge his dog who proves to
be a loyal companion with him. Unfortunately the son Andre
constantly bullies him.
Pivotal to the plot is the Great Fire of London that started in
Pudding Lane and spreads with ferocity through the city, even
burning the houses on London Bridge. Of course the boys are drawn
into observing the flames devouring businesses and houses, watching
the fire-squirts trying to control the blazes and even helping in
the bucket brigades.
Adventure waits as the family flees to safe ground and both Andre
and Sam learn the meaning of relying on one another in times of
crisis.
Sam's previous adventure (Plague : a cross on the door)
described the impact of the bubonic plague's devastating impact in
England. Ann Turnbull has partnered with the British National
Archives to produce junior novels suited to the English History
curriculum.
Rhyllis Bignell
Stars in jars: new and collected poems by Chrissie Gittins
Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781408196939.
(Age: 7+) Recommended. Poetry. Humour. This lovely volume of short
poems would suit classroom use as well as another book of poetry in
the library. Gittins, often a poet in residence or speaker at
schools in Britain, has four published books of poetry, each about
all sorts of topics, most very funny.
Over one hundred poems deal with topics such as The British Museum
Print Room, How to Make a Cup of Tea, Computer, The Ballet Teacher,
The Fragrant Pirate, and so on. I loved the poem about the sloth,
especially after reading The Advertiser with its article about the
sloth in the Adelaide Zoo being the oldest in the world and Death
in the Poetry Library with its image of the poet's words
'lapping along the corridor', or Dusk at the Botanical Gardens,
Bath with its image of the half pancake moon, and remembering
the tastes of summer in winter in Summer Pudding.
Many of the poems are just a joy to read alone or aloud with a
group, and I can imagine these being read out in the classroom. Some
are a little more serious, while some are wonderful models for
children's writing. Here I am thinking of poems such as the group of
limericks, or Sam, Sam, Quite Contrary, Suzannah the
Tailwagger, The Hysterical Tulip or Riddle.
This infectious book would be ideal for leaving out for kids to pick
up and read to themselves or their friends.
More information about Gittins can be found at her website.
Fran Knight
