Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781408839331.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Story telling, illustrative technique. When
Elliott finds an abandoned machine in his attic, he ponders over its
use for quite a while. It has no power cord, it makes no noises and
it has no on/off switch. But when he accidentally sits on it, the
machine makes letters on a page. He is thrilled; he has found a
story machine, but sometime his spelling is a little awkward, and he
again discovers that the letters can make pictures. And he can do
these pictures in such a way that he can still tell a story.
But one day something goes very wrong with his machine, and it
refuses to work any more. Elliott is distraught, until he trawls
the attic once more, finding pen and paper, brushes and paint, and
finds he can still tell a story with pictures after all.
The illustrator has cleverly used a continuous roll of paper which
loops across the pages, linking one page to the next to tell his
story. His pictures of Elliott experimenting with different ways of
using the machine to create his story containing the seeds of things
that can be done at home or in the classroom, while the stories
Elliott develops will intrigue the younger reader, looking closely
at each page to find the myriad of pictures within the clatter of
letters, and then work out the stories being told.
How wonderful that McLaughlin lauds the use of an old typewriter,
paper, then brushes, paint and pen to extol the virtues of storytelling at its most basic, reflecting the ease of using such things
rather than their hi-tech replacements.
A book to engender much discussion.
Fran Knight
Fire by Jackie French
Ill. by Bruce Whatley. Scholastic, 2014. ISBN 9781742838173.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Fire, Australian rural life, Volunteers.
The evocative water colour illustrations impel the reader to look
carefully at every page, to steep in the atmosphere created, to
ponder just how anything survives during a fire like this. Whatley
has drawn a fire so intense the heat rises form the pages, the smoke
and ash almost choke the reader, and the haze created, blinds. Any
child reading the words and stepping into the fire will be under no
illusion just how ferocious it can be. Several illustrated pages
stand out, the page with the words, 'Oven's breath swallows the
day', has an image of a shell of a house, its burning structure
exposed and about to fall, and the page which begins with the words,
'Leaves are ash and trees are dust', has a stunning image of a burnt
tree, the embers still glowing. Two amongst an array of shocking
images, seen often on the television news, but rendered here with
subtlety and emotional pull that surprises.
French's spare rhyming words tell of the passion of the fire,
sweeping across all in its path, its unstoppable nature tempered by
volunteers, and in the end, 'Good things will grow again'.
As with Flood, the French/Whatley combination that drew
people's attentions to the work of the volunteers after the mammoth
Brisbane floods in 2010, this book too, draws its strength from the
sense of community, of family and volunteers, working together to
contain this natural disaster which is part of Australia's summers.
Fran Knight
The ghost bride by Yangsze Choo
Hot Key Books, 2013. ISBN 9781471401411.
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. Ghosts. Goodreads Choice Nominee for
Fantasy 2013. It is Malacca, Malay in 1893 and some of the Chinese
still cling to ancient superstitions. When Li Lan is asked by her
father to be the ghost bride of the newly diseased only son of the
very rich Lim family, it would be to soothe his restless spirit. Her
father has lost his money and believes that it would help him and
give her a comfortable home for the rest of her life. But it also
means giving up any prospect of marrying a real live man and after a
visit to the Lim mansion she meets Tian Bai to whom she is very
attracted. However the ghost of her would be groom begins to haunt
her and she is drawn into the world of ghosts and the strange Er
Lang.
This is a unique story, quite different to anything that I have read
before. In the notes at the back of the book the author explains the
notion of ghost brides and the after world in Chinese beliefs and it
is this authentic setting that makes this story so fascinating and
superior to the many books about the afterlife that seem to be
available. The daily world that Li Lan inhabits is beautifully
described as are the Plains of the Dead that she treads trying to
find out the secrets of the Lim family and their hold on her.
Li Lan is a young girl on the cusp of womanhood, almost betrayed by
her opium addicted father, but she is resilient and curious and
determined not to let the ghosts that she can see dominate her life.
Told in the first person, her voice and character come across
vividly and the reader can't help but want her to find someone to
love.
Written in well-crafted language, it contains the language, manners
and customs of its Malaysian period and combined with ghosts, fully
fleshed out characters and suspenseful action, it is a memorable
and very worthwhile read.
Pat Pledger
Collins Read On series by various authors
The passenger by Dan Tunstall. ISBN 9780007464784. Point danger by Catherine McPhail. ISBN 9780007464845. This boy by Pippa Goodhart. ISBN 9780007464708. The trick by Keith Gary. ISBN 9780007464906. Here come the girls by Helen Pielichaty. ISBN 9780007464913. Tunnel of terror by Barry Hutchison. ISBN 9780007464760.
(Age: 11+) Recommended. This series produced for middle school kids
looking for a short, easier read is welcome. The 6 books in this
series I read are all up to date, show kids in situations not
dissimilar to those which affect modern kids, bullying, gangs,
school rules etc and are short easy to read format with
illustrations, clear larger print, usually of about 40 pages divided
into four chapters. The passenger has a young boy going home on the bus. His
town is a half hour's drive away from the city and he is relieved
when he finds a seat, but less so when a black boy with cornrow hair
and cut eyebrows sits next to him and introduces himself. While
sitting in the bus, Matt's mother texts him that a murder has
occurred at the station where he got on. As the story develops the
reader will read to the end to see what happens. The characters are
drawn well in a few short lines and readers will sympathise with
both boys. Point danger by Catherine McPhail has a school trip to an
island with a lighthouse which is the centre of some strange
stories. McDuff is on his last warning, but his room mates Tom and
Alex bully Gary mercilessly, daring him to go to the lighthouse.
MacDuff follows with unexpected results. This boy by Pippa Goodhart has Kerry meeting a boy in their
new house. The trick by Keith Gray has Eric taking the challenge of the
magician, Mathew Masters to go into the box on the stage. Here come the girls by Helen Pielichaty is a fascinating non
fiction account of the rise of women playing football. Some 29
million play worldwide in many countries, but the beginnings was
fraught with difficulties, not least of which was being banned by
FIF in 1921, while Tunnel of terror by Barry Hutchison is a
scary ghost train ride that ends in disaster.
Fran Knight
These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
The Starbound Trilogy, bk 1. Allen & Unwin, 2013. ISBN:
9781743318522.
(Age: 16+) Highly recommended. Lost in space. The nightmare of a
society ever curious about space travel.
Stranded on what appears to be an abandoned planet after the Incarus,
luxury space-liner falls out of hyperspace mid-journey, Tarver
Merendsen must once again prove his worth as a soldier in order to
survive and keep Lilac LaRoux, daughter of the leader of one of most
influential corporations of the age, safe from harm. The planet
appears to be in the final stage of terraforming but something is
different, the usual flora and fauna introduced during terraforming
are supplemented by unknown, and possibly dangerous plants and
creatures. Tarver Merendsen has his work cut out for him as he
attempts to lead Miss LaRoux across jungle and mountains to the site
of the Icarus's crash where there are surely rescue teams
scouring the wreckage for survivors. Despite her airs, Tarver soon
learns that Miss LaRoux is more than just another dainty upper-class
girl as she uses her ingenuity to keep both herself and Tarver
alive. Their fate rests on a desperate hope of rescue before the
madness of the planet can set in.
Written for a mature audience These Broken Stars is a
romantic science fiction with remarkably vibrant descriptions and
sophisticated language use. I would highly recommend this to young
people over the age of sixteen with even a remote interest in either
genre. Focusing on the main idea of trust in oneself and others, it
also conveys a message of doing what is right despite the
consequences.
Kayla Gaskell (age eighteen)
World after by Susan Ee
Hodder and Stoughton, 2013. ISBN 9781444778533.
(Age: 15+) Fantasy. Angels. Dystopian fiction. In this sequel to the
bestselling fantasy thriller, Angelfall, Penryn is back with
her mother and sister Paige with other survivors of the angel
apocalypse. Paige is attacked by a group who believe that she is a
monster, and she disappears after a massacre. Penryn follows trying
to find her and her search leads her to the angels' hotel where she
discovers just what they plan for the world. Meanwhile the angel
Raffe, who believes Penryn is dead, continues in his search for his
wings and his place as a leader of the angels.
The first in the series, Angelfall, was self-published by
the author and was a bestselling e-book. The second has less romance
(Raffe and Penryn are separated for a large part of the book) but
there is plenty of action, lots of bloodshed, sibling angst and a
major fight against angels, all of which combined to make this an
escapist read. The characters are rather scary, Penryn's mother is
obsessive and schizophrenic, Paige has razor-like teeth and the
angel Uriel is evil, and it appears as if the local inhabitants are
on the verge of cannibalism. Penryn puts her family before
everything else and this leads her into many dark adventures in her
search for her sister and her attempts to survive in terrible
circumstances.
This books picks up immediately where Angelfall ended, so it
doesn't read as a stand-alone and should be read in sequence. Action
packed and gritty, it will appeal to fans of the angel genre who
will look forward to a third book in the series.
Pat Pledger
Girl of nightmares by Kendare Blake
Anna, Bk 2. Orchard, 2013. ISBN 9781408326121.
(Age: 14+) Ghosts. Death. Horror. Supernatural. The second book
following Anna dressed in blood, finds Cas Lowood grieving
the disappearance of Anna into hell. He is unable to move on, even
though his friends tell him that it is no use mourning a ghost girl
who has gone. He keeps seeing her in his dreams and when he is
awake. Anna seems to be tortured every time he sees her and he knows
she doesn't deserve that. He is determined to find a way into Hell
and save her.
Darker and more sinister than Anna dressed in blood, there are many
exciting moments as Cas struggles to find out what is happening to
Anna. Blake's descriptions of Hell are quite terrifying, although
they are lightened by her ghoulish sense of humour which fans of the
first book will appreciate.
This was a rivetting read which will appeal to readers who like the
macabre and enjoy ghost stories leavened by a dark sense of humour.
Pat Pledger
Boys are dogs by Leslie Margolis
Bloomsbury Books, 2009. ISBN 9781599903811.
Well recommended for early adolescents. A clever, humorous approach
to the troubles of growing up! Annabelle's mother has taken her to
live with her boyfriend Ted whom Annabelle calls 'Dweeble' (to
herself) and to start at a new school in year six in America. To
help her adjust Annabelle is given a puppy and a dog training book
which she follows studiously. Jason lives across the road and teases
her with names like 'Spaz' and 'Spazabelle'. Initially, Annabelle
recoils and retreats into herself but then she takes the puppy
training advice in dealing with boys! She changes the word dog to
boys and comes up with examples such as 'Understanding Boy Speak'.
Written with young girls in mind, with their issues of friendship,
jealousy and learning to deal with boys, this book has many
practical approaches and useful hints and suggestions along with a
good dose of self-evaluation.
Sue Nosworthy
On my way to bed by Sarah Maizes
Ill. by Michael Paraskevas. Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9780802723666.
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. Picture book, Bed time. A companion
volume to On my way to the bath (2013) this very funny tale
has Livi being exhorted to go to bed by her long suffering mother.
The voice outside the pages of the book gives the instructions,
Bedtime!, then the cajoling 'Come on Livi, time for bed', to the
instructive, 'Don't forget to brush your teeth', then the reminder
about school tomorrow and so on, until Mum comes in to find another
layer of excuses, a story to read, a glass of water, the door left
open.
Children will laugh out loud recognising the age old excuses given
not to go to bed just yet, and Mum's recurring instructions about
what to do.
The illustrations again give another story, as Livi's imagination
goes into overdrive as she plays with things in her room, rather
than go to bed. The expressions on the toy's faces are priceless,
and the little snippets of detail make this a fascinating book to
peruse the illustrations over again. The detail of the bed lamp, the
recurring frog, the line up of toys on her bed and so on, all add a
delicious layer of interest to the reader.
There are a several books about going to bed, and the routine of
sleeping. This book underlines the things which must be done before
going to bed, the interaction of mother and daughter, the repetition
of things done before retiring that all give a clear image of
routine and its importance in a child's life.
Fran Knight
Arclight by Josin L. Mcquein
Electric Monkey, 2013. ISBN: 978140526394.
(Age: Teens) Science fiction. Humans have a natural fear of the dark
and the unknown, they like to live in the light, finding it safe and
comforting.
In a warped future the human race has been reduced from billions to
hundreds living in the safety of a compound known as the Arclight.
They fear the dark and sleep in the light, controlled by colours and
their every move tracked by tracer bracelets worn for their own
safety a small number survive. An alien race known as the Fade have
brought darkness to the world depicted having a human form and
gleaming eyes these are the creatures which hide in the depths of
every child's nightmare stealing the bodies of those foolish enough
to fall into the Grey. As the Dark and Grey expand, slowly and
inevitably encroaching on the Light, the people begin to hope. A
girl rescued from the Dark lives among them, her memory lost but she
lives, breathes and functions just as a human should. The girl,
Marina, feels lost and alone in the compound of her own people, told
that she remembers little as she was taken young. When the Fade
begin an assault on the Arclight, Marina's past begins to reveal
itself to her, bringing with it unimaginable chaos.
This is a sci-fi novel with a quaint mix of teenage drama and
conspiracy, written in first person and set in the microcosm of the
Arclight the novel portrays how lies feed lies until they finally
tangle together to reveal the truth. I would recommend this novel
for young adult readers with an interest in science fiction.
Kayla Gaskell (age eighteen)
The Road to Gundagai by Jackie French
HarperCollins Australia, 2014. ISBN 9780732297220.
It's 5.00am and I've just spent the last hour finishing reading The
Road to Gundagai, the third in Jackie French's Matilda saga.
Circumstances have meant that I haven't had to opportunity to read
it one sitting as I did the previous two, A Waltz for Matilda
and The Girl from Snowy River but with my new focus of
reading in the gaps - all those spare minutes while you wait in
hospitals or doctors' appointments or nursing elderly relatives
through the night - meant that I'd made a little progress and so
this morning I set the alarm for birdsong determined to devote time
to finish it because, as with the others, I was so swept up in the
characters' lives, I needed to know what happened.
Those familiar with Australian Children's Laureate Jackie's
historical novels know of her magical ability to weave real times,
places and events into enthralling fiction that takes the reader
into those times and allowing them an insight into the life that is
not possible through drier, factual texts, and The Road to
Gundagai is no exception. In this, we follow newly-orphaned
and suspiciously-crippled Bluebell Laurence in her journey as a
make-do circus performer as she becomes a member of the Magnifico
Family Circus, which, like many others of its kind, travels the
roads during the Depression, bringing a little light and fun into
lives of families living on the edge of poverty as hard times take
their toll. The Boldini Brothers, Madame Zlotsky, the ringmaster and
the hunchback, the clown, the bearded lady, the 'only mermaid in
captivity' and the Queen of Sheba, a trickster elephant are all rich
characters who bring the circus to life and will make you wonder
about what really is happening at the next circus you visit.
But it's much more than a story about the behind-the-scenes
illusions of a circus and a physical journey that inevitably leads
to Miss Matilda and Drinkwater. Each character has a critical part
to play, not only in the telling of this story but in the telling of
the story of life in those times, particularly for women and girls,
so while the along-the-lines reader will be greatly entertained by a
grand tale, the between-and-beyond-the-lines reader will get so much
more and want to know more. And Jackie provides a taste of that in
her notes at the end, particularly about equal pay and jobs for
women. Your female students may not realise just what their
grandmother's generation were faced with and what we/they did to
change things so their lives are what they are. As a public servant
in the times, I well remember how many friends lost their jobs just
because they chose to marry.
Those who know my reviews know they come from the heart, and those
who know me know a little of my life lately and so they will also
know that to find a book that can allow me to escape into another
world, even for a little while, has to be one that is totally
absorbing with a powerful plot that is crafted by a master writer. The
Road to Gundagai, indeed the entire Matilda saga is
just that and I can't wait for the next two, even if it means the
saga will be over. This is a series that needs to be right by the
circulation desk to greet your students as they return to a new
year's reading journey and I thank Jackie for sharing it with us.
Barbara Braxton
Dr Maniac will see you now by R.L. Stine
Goosebumps Most Wanted Series. Scholastic, 2013. ISBN
9780545418027.
So ghoulish, horrible and superficial that it's hard to take the
story seriously. Readers of any of the Goosebumps series
would be familiar with the style: fast moving, and frightening
situations. But then the outlandish becomes humorous! Young boys'
sense of horror is well satisfied here. Richard has a sneezing
allergy and is given an injection by Dr Root. He loves comic books
and spends a lot of time in the Comic Book Museum where he chooses
to do a school project with Bree, who is has been chosen to partner
Richard. She's neither keen to work with Richard but agrees when he
says he'll do all the research and writing. This leads to many
extreme situations in the Museum with Bree and his brother Ernie. Dr
Maniac and many characters from the comics come to life but Richard,
from his reading, remembers how they were overcome. Dr Root opens a
door between two worlds and when questioned by Richard says,
'Because . . . I'm the Root of All Evil' p120. Hence the twisted
humour!
The series has been around for a long time and still new titles
appear. Perhaps children read these books and then move onto other
quality books.
Sue Nosworthy
After Eden by Helen Douglas
Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013. ISBN: 9781408828694.
(Age: Teens) Highly recommended. Science fiction. Ryan Westland,
mysterious foreign student, begins Perran School half way through
term in year eleven, a novelty among the students he quickly becomes
the gossip of the year eleven girls. Claiming to be from America
Ryan is the perfect student and manages to be rebellious
responsibly. Seemingly unaware of his growing fun club Ryan flirts
unashamedly with Eden, a relatively plain vegetarian who lives just
down the road from his house in Penpol Cove. He befriends first her
and then her friends, accompanying her to a beach party for Amy's
birthday; he is particularly interested in Connor, Eden's best
friend, as they each share a passion for astronomy.
As Ryan falls for Eden he becomes less and less private, even
allowing her into his home after she pays an unexpected visit. By
accident Eden takes one of Ryan's books, a book that by all rights
should not exist yet, it is the biography of her best friend, Connor
Penrose's life after discovering the planet Eden. Eden demands an
explanation and Ryan gives her one, putting them both at risk.
Together they must prevent the discovery of Eden (the only life
supporting planet other than earth) in order to save the human race
from its future extinction. After Eden is highly recommended for teenage girls with a
passion for drama and science fiction. Aimed at a young adult
audience the novel is engaging and easy to read as it well written
using colourful descriptions that allow the reader to visualise the
story.
Kayla Gaskell (age eighteen)
How they Met and Other Stories by David Levithan
Text Publishing, 2014. ISBN 9781922147769.
The last review I wrote was for another book written by David
Levithan, the spectacularly moving Two Boys Kissing, and now
I review How They Met and Other Stories.
Upon researching this author, it seems there is a theme of love that
runs through his work, and in my experience reading his work, his
meditation on romance is always fresh and intriguing. I am
particularly glad to see that David Levithan is inclusive of
same-sex relationships in his writing, which are often overlooked in
popular fiction. This work is no exception of this socially aware
approach.
This anthology sets out to chronicle love of all kinds, and the many
other emotions this one can conjure. In doing so, as always,
Levithan is beautifully honest and unpretentious, and it the
truthful nature of this work that makes it so compelling - Mills and
Boon this certainly is not! Here, love is unvarnished,
unglamourised, and presented to us in the messy and wholly
recognizable game that we play in our own realities. We can relate
to the tales of trial and triumph, where we understand and relate to
each character. Rarely has there been such a variety of characters
that I have so profoundly connected with in a book.
This work is, as the title suggests, a collection of short romantic
fiction, but unlike many other writers in this genre, Levithan
strives to and seemingly prides himself on his socially inclusive
approach. And he should be praised for this.
It is refreshing to see written work for young people that is
accessible and avoids the tired and expected trite, cliched
approach. I hope to see more work coming from David Levithan, as in
my eyes he is the most in-touch, and emotionally touching, young
adult fiction author of the moment.
Henry Vaughan (Student)
The Dark by Lemony Snicket
Ill. by Jon Klassen. Orchard Books, 2013. ISBN 9781408330029.
Picture book. Laszlo is afraid of the dark. But he lives in a big
house with a creaky roof, smooth, cold windows and several flights
of stairs so there are many places that dark can hide. But mostly,
dark lives in the basement waiting in a distant corner during the
day and then coming out at night to spread itself against the
windows and doors of Laszlo's house. But Laszlo thought that if he
visited the dark in its room, it wouldn't come and visit him in his
room so each morning he would peek at it in the basement and say
hello. Until one night, it did . . .
The power of this story lies in Snicket's ability to personify the
dark as a real entity as it leads Laszlo on a journey through the
house and down, deep into the basement. It talks to Laszlo as though
it is a real character, and Laszlo's calm response, both expression
and action, helps convey the message that there is nothing to fear.
Then just as the climax is almost reached, Snicket provides an
explanation of the need for creaky roofs and blank windows, almost
as though he is trying to defuse the suspense to make it manageable
for the young reader.
Jon Klassen's illustrations help build up the suspense - a limited
palette, the use of shadow, shade and light, bare walls, uncovered
windows and empty rooms all add to the atmosphere and feed a little
boy's imagination - and, in the words of one reviewer, this is an
'inspired pairing'. This is a perfect example of a picture book
where text and illustrations work so well that each would be
diminshed without the other. The Dark appeared regularly on the best-of lists for 2013,
particularly those in the US, and it is a gentler Snicket at work
than the one we are accustomed to. Both the US and UK
publishers have book trailers and you can listen to an audio
clip by Neil Gaiman.
This would be a great introduction to introducing the science
concepts of light and day, day and night, the rotation of the earth
and so forth so that young children begin to understand more and
fear less - another way to support the curriculum beyond the
traditional English perspective.
Barbara Braxton
