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
A very singular guild by Catherine Jinks
City of orphans, bk 3. Allen and Unwin, 2014. ISBN
9781743313091.
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Ned Roach is now Alfred's chief
apprentice, luring out child eating bogles with his use of verse, so
that Alfred can kill them. Before working with Alfred he was a
mudlark, scavenging for a living in the mud along the Thames. Now he
is employed alongside of Alfred who has been paid by the London
Sewers Office to rid London of an infestation of bogles. As well as
facing the evil bogles, Ned and his friends, Jem and Birdie, face
deadly danger from an enemy from their past.
In this the final story in the City of Orphans trilogy,
following A very unusual pursuit and A very peculiar
plague, Jinks relates the tale of Ned, who is a very likeable
hero. He is intensely interested in machines and is fascinated by
the steam engines and new machinery that he encounters in his
travels with the employees of the London Sewers Offices and would
love to work with them. However, he is very loyal to Alfred who has
taken him away from the insecurity of scrabbling for a living in the
mudflats, and believes that he must help him to entice the bogles
out even though he is really afraid of them. His loyalty and
steadfastness even when terrified as well as his powerful curiosity
about machines make the story very enjoyable.
The setting of Dickens' London and the beginning of the machine age
are all cleverly mixed with the superstitions of a people who
believe in strange creatures who capture children. Jinks subtly
draws the reader into the life of poor orphans in the 19th century
and will leave them empathizing with the drawbacks of not being able
to read and having to earn a living at a very early age. The
descriptions of London's underground tunnels and sewer systems, the
wickedness of some of the slum dwellers, the contrast with the
wealthy and the frivolity of the actors in the theatres of Drury
Lane bring a wonderful feel to the story.
Beautifully written, Jinks manages to tie up the fates of her
characters in a very satisfying and atmospheric conclusion to an
outstanding series which should grace every library shelf and would
be a great read aloud in the classroom as well.
Pat Pledger
Two trickster tales from Russia, retold by Sophie Masson
Ill. by David Allan. Christmas
Press, 2014. ISBN 9780992283803. Audio book ISBN
9780992283810.
(Age: All) Highly recommended. Picture book, Folk tales. The
illustrations in this beautiful book impelled me to open the book to
read, the front cover indicating the style Allan has used to
compliment Masson's words. He uses a combination of black and white,
and sometimes coloured images. For emphasis some images coves a
double page, but more often, images are smaller and framed, with the
frame sitting in front of another image, giving a three dimensional
effect. Panels are used at the top and bottom of the page, and
sometimes down the side, which along with the black outlined
pictures, gives a wood block printing effect harking back to books
of old. The illustrations draw the eye in to look at the detail
encased within the borders, and readers will love the effect given.
The two stories retold by Sophie Masson, one of a girl, Masha,
outsmarting a bear and the other about a preening rooster. In the
first Mash goes out picking berries but soon becomes lost, walking
into a house where porridge sits on the stove. She eat some with her
berries only to find the owner, the Bear comes in and keeps her
there to do his cooking. Eventually she convinces him to take a
basket of pies to her parents and hides inside the basket, she has
become so thin.
In the second tale a fabulous rooster is tricked repeatedly by the
fox. He is always rescued by his friends, the thrush and the cat,
until one day he is almost eaten. The animals trick the fox and she
runs away. Two well told stories made even more interesting with the
stunning illustrations should make a useful addition to the school
library. Christmas Press is a new publisher set up by Sophie Masson,
David Allan and Fiona McDonald in Armidale NSW, more information can
be found at christmaspresspicturebooks.com
My review copy came with a CD for listening to the two stories.
Fran Knight
The Great Fire of London Unclassified by Nick Hunter
Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781408193037.
(Age: 9+) Recommended. Picture book, Fire, History. Published under
the auspices of the National Archives and filled with an array of
photographic evidence, pictures, maps, drawings, copies of written
documents and many other primary sources, this book will fit the
History curriculum when children study the Modern World within the
curriculum for years seven to nine.
Both the Plague of 1665 and Great Fire in 1666 fire children's
imagination at the sweep of such things four centuries ago. They
will gasp at the lack of communication, lack of equipment to fight
each disaster, lack of knowledge and the unstoppable nature of the
fire, ponder at a conflagration just waiting to happen.
With London built cheek by jowl, the small but tall wooden houses
needed only a spark, and when a bakery in Pudding Lane was not quite
dowsed for the night, the fire began. The Mayor of London, refused
to pull down the houses which would have halted the fire for fear of
being blamed for the loss of the buildings, and so the fire spread
taking in the churches, waterfront, St Paul's and much more, until
over the three days, over three quarters of the city was lost. With
no fire insurance, people simply had to start again.
I loved reading every page, looking at every photograph and map,
along with the primary source material, comparing this fire with the
ones that have destroyed parts of Australia recently.
Kids in upper primary and lower secondary will enjoy reading of this
time in Britain's history along with the last part of the book
dedicated to its rise from the ashes to become what it is today.
A sound glossary matched with a compact index and further resources
to peruse, make this a must for libraries.
Fran Knight
Fools' gold by Philippa Gregory
Order of Darkness, bk 3. Simon and Schuster, 2014. ISBN
9780857077394.
(Age 14+) Recommended. Historical. Counterfeiting. Philosopher's
stone. Luca's master directs him to go to Venice to investigate a
gold coin counterfeiting scheme. Together with his companions
Isolde, Ishraq, Frieze and Brother Peter, they arrive in Venice at
Carnival time. The city is aglow with masked revellers and
speculators are frantically buying up gold coins. Isolde's brother
has set men on her trail and Venice has its own laws that make it a
dangerous place to be. When the group meet the Alchemist and
discover that he plans to create the Philosopher's Stone and with
the flood of gold coins appearing in Venice, it looks as if there is
even more danger than they had imagined.
In this, the third in the Order of Darkness series,
following Changeling and Stormbringers, once again
provides an impeccable and fascinating glimpse into history. Her
descriptions of Venice, its canals, palaces and churches and the
celebrations of the Carnival provide a beguiling background to the
mystery surrounding the appearance of gold coins into the financial
world of the traders. The Alchemist and his assistant are strange
figures and their laboratory and what is in it make for an gripping
insight into the Middle Ages belief that ordinary objects could be
turned into gold and that the Philosopher's Stone could give
immortality.
The romantic interest between Isolde and Luca is ramped up in this
book although both seem to realise that their circumstances will
make their love for each other difficult to sustain in the world
they live in. Luca is the son of a farmer who has been taken into
slavery on the galleys, and is also bound to the Church, while
Isolde is a lady of quality.
With a website to
support the series and an author note at the end of the novel about
Medieval Venice, the role of Jewish moneylenders and alchemy,
readers will have much historical information to feast on.
Pat Pledger
Australian and world records 2014 by Jennifer Corr Morse
Scholastic, 2013. ISBN 9781743622094.
(Age: 8+) Australian and world records is a companion volume
to Scholastic's annual Book of World Records. The global
publisher's decision to produce a title with an Australian focus
enables children to learn about records that may not be recognised
internationally but will open their eyes to aspects of life in their
own country.
The first quarter of the book is devoted to Australian records. Both
this section and the international section that follows, have a
significant emphasis on sporting achievements. The remaining topics
are money, pop culture and nature. While the mix may not satisfy
readers accustomed to the broader range of similar titles, many
children will enjoy this pared-down version because of its
user-friendly format. With few exceptions, there is only one entry
to a page. Large photographs, informative text and graphs of top
record holders in each category, may encourage readers to
investigate the information instead of skipping from picture to
picture. Alliteration and word play in the headings helps to make
this title a rewarding reading experience. Some of the records, such
as those for the largest animals, have remained unchanged for
understandable reasons, but others have been updated to the year of
publication. The font is relatively small but clear and while there
is no index, the brief table of contents is serviceable.
Jennifer Corr Morse and her Australian co-authors have created more
than a collection of superlatives with pictures. Australian and
World Records 2014 is an interesting and occasionally
thought-provoking book, that is tailor-made for young readers who
are keen to extend their general knowledge and curious about the
world in which they live.
Elizabeth Bor
King Pig by Nick Bland
Scholastic Press, 2013. ISBN 9781742834955.
King Pig thinks he is just that - an autocratic leader who can get
the sheep to do anything they want. But while he could make them do
such things as strap boards on their backs so he has a ramp into his
sheep-free palace or pull down the branch of the apple tree so he
could pick the fruit, and scrub his castle he just couldn't make
them like him. No matter how loudly he shouted, they didn't listen
properly; no matter how hard he tried to get their attention, the
more they ignored him. Viewing himself in the mirror one day, he
decided that a fancier set of clothes might be the answer. So he
invited them into his castle and there they set to work.
To discover whether this works and if there is any way this arrogant
pig can make friends, you need to read this brilliant book by one of
Australia's most popular authors. And you need to read the pictures
as well as the words because the two not only work perfectly in
harmony to tell the surface story, but they also tell a story of
their own about power and bullying, making friends, arrogance and
humility, do clothes maketh the man? - all great discussion starters
that will help children reflect on the sorts of qualities that are
shared and valued by friends.
Nick Bland has that unique gift of being able to tell a tale within
a tale without being overtly didactic. The story can stand alone as
entertainment without delving deeper and his appealing illustrations
inject humour that tickle the fancy of even the youngest audience.
With a growing body of work to his name, Nick is becoming a
well-known name amongst our younger readers and new stories are
greeted with delight and appeal across the board because of the
levels at which each can be read.
Barbara Braxton
The spotty dotty lady by Josie Boyle
Ill. by Fern Martins. Magabala Books, 2014. ISBN 9781922142108.
(Age: 5+) Recommended. Loneliness, Aboriginal themes. A lady
living alone has no friends beside her flowers and plants in the
garden. One day she notices a different plant growing amongst those
she knows and watches it as it grows. The spotty bud grows quickly,
until one day it flowers with big, wonderful, spotty, dotty flowers.
So taken with these that she decides to paint her kitchenware with
spots, and she keeps on going until her whole kitchen is a maze of
coloured dots and spots. And she does not stop there. She soon
covers her whole house with spots and dots, causing a small
sensation in the street.
The postie tells the neighbours and they tell their friends, so soon
everyone in the street is outside her house. They soon begin to
bring things for her to paint, and after that of course, they stay
for a cup of tea. Soon the Spotty, Dotty Lady has many friends and
when they hold a party at her place it becomes the happiest street
in town.
A lovely tale of friendship developing out of the environment,
reinforces the relationship between the natural world and people, an
enduring theme amongst Aboriginal stories. But this modern tale has
significance for us all.
Fran Knight
The day the crayons quit by Drew Daywalt
Ill. by Oliver Jeffers. HarperCollins Children's Books, 2013. ISBN
9780007513758.
One day, in class, Duncan went to take out his crayons and found a
stack of letters with his name on them. Each letter was from a
different-coloured crayon explaining why they didn't want to work
anymore. Red feels overworked, constantly colouring in fire engines,
apples and strawberries, even working in the holidays colouring
Santas and Valentine hearts. Black is bored with just being used for
outlines and craves things such as black beach balls while poor
peach has had all the paper peeled off and is too embarrassed to
leave the box! So Duncan decides to do something about it . . .and ends
up making all the crayons happy! The Day the Crayons Quit has consistently appeared on all the
best-reads and must-haves lists that appeared at the end of 2013 and
with good reason. It is delightfully original and has many layers to
it, with each audience being able to take something from it at their
level, whether it be 'What other things could Duncan colour purple?'
to investigating whether it's OK to have an orange whale. I'm very
much reminded of Flowers are
Red by Harry Chapin. There are lessons to be learned
about stereotyping - something we strive to make students aware of
but modern literature doesn't readily allow it because authors
strive to avoid it! You could also use it to explore emotions and
feelings and how we can tactfully express that things are making us
unhappy. So just as the crayons express why they are unhappy,
perhaps this could be a model for each child to express why they are
happy. Because this book has received such acclaim, there are many
suggestions for how it might be used online accessible by a search.
Each letter is written 'by' a crayon using a font that might make
this story difficult for the emerging reader to read alone, but it
is a perfect read-aloud for many ages! Jeffers' illustrations have
an authenticity about them - they look like they have been drawn and
coloured by young children and the credits suggest that there has
been significant input, either physical or intellectual, from them.
And this provides another level to the book - my experience is that
children start to believe that their drawings are not worthy because
they don't have the realism they see around them or the
professionalism of book illustrators, so seeing pictures that look
just like theirs in such a popular book validates their efforts and
hopefully encourages them to keep drawing.
I borrowed this book from my public library because I wanted to see
what the fuss was about, but it is now on my to-buy list so I can
share it with Miss Nearly 3 and Miss 7 because it will appeal to
both. That's the greatest accolade I can offer.
Barbara Braxton
