Australia's Greatest People & their Achievements by Linsay Knight
Random House Australia Children's, 2013. ISBN 9780857980205.
Recommended for Middle/Upper Primary. Here is one of those very
useful books which can earn a place on the library shelves or for an
award prize with equal ease.
Very attractively packaged and with loads of information on people
from both historical and contemporary times, it's a perfect book for
dipping into or for students to find the first 'kick off' for a
biographical research project.
As well as both brief and fuller informational text, quotes, break
out boxes and quick fact pages are interspersed throughout. Broken
up into sections from Pioneering Australians to the Arts to Science
to Social Justice and more, this covers a wide range of both well
known Australian achievers as well as those not so well known -
something I found particularly interesting.
Along with the companion book Australia's Greatest Inventions
& Innovations, this comprehensive text would be a very
useful addition to primary school libraries in particular.
Sue Warren
Ghetto Cowboy by G. Neri
Ill. by Jesse Joshua Watson. Candlewick Press, 2013. ISBN
9780763664534.
(Age: 10+) Recommended. When Cole's mother decides that she can no
longer deal with him, she leaves him in the mean streets of
Philadelphia with the father that he has never met. To his horror,
there is a horse in the house, and a stable full of horses nearby.
He never dreamt that there were black cowboys. Soon he is mucking
out the stables rather than skipping school and getting into
trouble. When the City decides that the stables should be shut down,
Cole knows that it is time to fight back and save his father's way
of life.
This clever and moving story comes from the 2011 Coretta Scott King
Author Award Honor winner, whose ability to write a compassionate
look at a young boy and his father getting to know each other for
the first time is inspirational. It has been inspired by the real
life urban black horsemen of North Philadelphia and the
Brooklyn-Queens area, and a picture from Life magazine and
information at the back of the book give added information.
Although the background is intriguing, it is the portrayal of father
and son getting together, that is at the heart of the story. Cole is
on the verge of getting into bad company and truanting from school
when his mother decides she can't cope with him anymore. Cole's
father has kept the stables going believing that looking after
horses will keep the local kids away from danger but has no idea
about how to act like a father. Together they get to know each other
and their fight against the closure of the stables brings them
together.
The setting and the real life background of the ghetto cowboys makes
this an exceptionally interesting book to read and I really enjoyed
Cole's journey as he began to know his father. It would make a great
read aloud and provides a fascinating alternative for those who
enjoy books about horses.
Pat Pledger
Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George
Bloomsbury, 2013. ISBN 9781619631847.
(Age 10+) Recommended. Based on the legend East of the sun, west
of the moon, the Lass, who doesn't have a name, agrees to go
away with a great white bear to his castle when he promises her
family treasure to make them rich. But of course the bear is not
what he appears to be and his castle is made of ice. She is
determined to find out what is happening when servants begin to
disappear and sets out on a gruelling journey to rescue the bear
when he disappears.
Jessica Day George has chosen to expand the fairy story, keeping
faithfully to its origins, but giving it a very likeable heroine who
grabs the reader's attention right from the beginning. Any reader
could easily identify with the young girl whose mother has refused
to name her and whose sad older brother, returned from mysterious
adventures at sea, seems to be her only friend. When she frees a
white reindeer trapped in the woods, it rewards her with a name and
the ability to hear what animals are saying. The Lass cares deeply
for her family and cannot refuse the large white bear's request to
stay with him for a year in his castle. She is an intrepid girl
whose naive curiosity leads to dire consequences, but also gives her
the inspiration to find a solution to the spell that has been cast
on the bear.
The bitter cold and the isolation of their home in woods, often deep
in snow, is beautifully described. The grim poverty of her family
and the desperate straits that they find themselves in provide a
fitting background to the story. The addition of the heart broken
brother Hans Peter and his link to the ice castle is a fascinating
one and gives an extra dimension to the story.
This is a well written, timeless tale that is sure to please readers
who enjoy retellings of fairy tales.
Pat Pledger
Mabel and me: best of friends by Mark Sperring and Sarah Warburton
HarperCollins, 2013. ISBN 9780007468362.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Picture book, Friendship. When her friend,
the mouse tells Mabel that she is her best of friends, Mabel asks
the simple question Why? Stuck for an answer, the pair is
interrupted by a French photographer asking to take their
photographs. He asks Mabel if he can take her photo as well as the
little creature with her. Mouse thinks he is talking to her and
calling Mabel a little creature and so is cross on her behalf,
saying that they will go to the photo booth instead. There their
feet are seen by a passing ballerina who tells Mabel that her feet
are just right for learning to dance, but not the hairy feet of her
companion. Mouse again takes umbrage and thinks the ballerina is
referring to Mabel's feet and storms off. The confusion is resolved
when Mabel explains what has really been meant by the two, but the
mouse is stunned that now she knows why she likes Mabel. Its because
of the crazy things she says.
Surrounded by whimsical illustrations, the story moves along with a
variety of fonts and font sizes, a large pallet of colour and
fascinating buildings and interiors. Every page is stacked with
humour, be it in the illustrations, the background or the words. A
lovely treat for discussions on friendship and working together,
this book will be well used in the classroom and home, the front
cover inviting a reader to pick it up. For an adult presenting the
notion of irony with children, this is a most suitable example.
Fran Knight
How to build a human body: a mind-bogglingly brilliant body book by Tom Jackson
Scholastic, 2013. ISBN: 9781407137377.
Highly recommended for readers from 9 - 90. Subjects: Biology, Body
Systems, Scientists, Anatomy, Science Experiments. Tom Jackson's
conversational style of writing introduces the reader to all the
major body organs and systems in a fun and dynamic way. There are
simple experiments included to help gain insight into the way our
body works, try the tendon test or make an extra stomach.
Each double page spread has a bold bright coloured background with
easy to read information, layered text boxes, interpretive diagrams
and fun photos. The information is written in a personable style
whilst engaging and informing the reader. The titles are catchy -
Take a Breath, Pee Procedure, On the Nerves and Invaders Attack are
some examples.
The reader can also learn about scientists who had a key role in
discovering the functions of these body systems. In 1840 Justus von
Liebig a German scientist discovered the importance of nitrogen as a
plant nutrient.
As the reader explores this book they can absorb information on the
anatomy and biology of the human body in a fun and fascinating way.
The glossary is transformed into Cool Words and there are additional
websites and books included in the Find Out More section.
Tom Jackson is an experienced scientific writer who has written more
than eighty books and once again he excels in bringing How to build
a human body: a mind-bogglingly brilliant body book to life.
This book is highly recommended for readers from 9 - 90, there's
something here for everyone. This is an excellent teaching tool for
Science and Health and Personal Development.
Rhyllis Bignell
Lulu Bell and the Circus Pup by Belinda Murrell
Ill. by Serena Geddes. Random House Australia Children's, 2014.
ISBN: 9780857981998.
(Age: 7-9) Recommended. Themes: Family Life, Circuses. The circus is
coming to town with performing dogs, clowns, jugglers and prancing
horses.
After Gymnastics where Lulu Bell and Rosie practice their
cartwheels, Mum takes the family home the long way through Lagoon
Park. They are excited to discover the red and white circus tent
setting up nearby. As they watch the horses are being unloaded and
watch a young girl walking a collection of dogs. As Lulu and her
family walk past, they see the young girl Stella crying because
Spangles the performing dog is missing. After finding Spangles,
Stella rewards Lulu by teaching her some circus tricks. Lulu loves
spending time with Stella and her Mum in the circus ring and in
their little caravan. After Dad helps Goldie the camel giving birth
to twin babies, the Bell family are given VIP tickets to the circus.
There's a special surprise in store when Lulu joins in the
performance.
This is another enjoyable addition to the Lulu Bell series by
Belinda Murrell. She has created a fun, relatable family whose every
day activities turn into adventures. Serena Geddes' black and white
illustrations add character to the stories. This series is a great
class read-aloud and I would recommend them for readers from 7-9
years.
Rhyllis Bignell
Yoo-hoo, Ladybird by Mem Fox
Ill. by Laura Ljungkvist. Penguin Viking, 2013. ISBN 9780670077304.
'Ladybird loves to hide. Yoo-hoo, Ladybird! Where are you?' And so
begins another Mem Fox classic, which she describes as a Where's
Wally for the very young. For Ladybird, one of those
teeny-tiny red, with-black-spots creatures that just fascinate
little people, has a wonderful time with her friends and is not easy
to spot unless you have very keen eyes! But, it's OK if you don't
find her because there's a close-up on the next page to help you.
What is there that's new to say about Mem Fox and her ability to
write deceptively simple books that just appeal to generation after
generation? Possum Magic had its 30th anniversary in 2013
and now Miss Nearly 3 won't sleep without hearing Where is the
Green Sheep? first. And here is another winner!
In Mem's words, it is 'a typical Mem Fox book for the very young
with simple language, predictably wrapped in rhyme and neatly tied
with rhythm and repetition'. Even though it is only 133 words, it
took two years to write because it took that long for 'every one of
those 133 words fell into place, the syllables sang the right tune,
the commas settled into their correct position, and the page-turns
worked like the puzzle they were meant to be.' (You can read more of
what Mem says on her website.)
The illustrations which are absolutely integral to a book of this
nature are utterly charming and Ljungkvist has done a perfect job of
making the puzzle tricky - but not too tricky - hiding Ladybird in
plain sight in familiar places amongst toys and objects that will
appeal, but which will also create a lot of discussion! Would you
really find an octopus in your bath? As well as hiding Ladybird, she
has cleverly included lots of other repetitive elements in the
pictures so this can become a hide-and-seek on a grand scale!
If you were to construct a Who's Who in Children's literature,
Australian or otherwise, particularly of those who are the leaders
of perfect picture books for under-8s, Mem Fox would be at the
pinnacle. In my opinion, she is a national treasure and needs to be
in every child's life and library.
Barbara Braxton
The Debt series by Phillip Gwynne
Allen & Unwin, 2013.
Instalment 1: Catch the Zolt. ISBN 9781742378442.
Instalment 2: Turn off the Lights. ISBN 9781742378435.
Instalment 3: Bring back Cerberus. ISBN 9781742378596.
Instalment 4: Fetch the Treasure Hunter. ISBN 9781742378602.
Instalment 5: Yamashita's Gold. ISBN 9781742378619.
Instalment 6: Take a Life. ISBN 9781742378626.
Since his blasting onto the writing scene with the award-winning Deadly
Unna (1999: Book of the Year - Older Readers) Phillip Gwynne
has proven his ability as an outstanding writer, particularly for
the YA market. In this new series, he sends the reader on a
thrilling ride with all the verve and adrenalin rush of series such
as Conspiracy 365 (Gabrielle Lord) and Alex Rider
(Anthony Horowitz).
Dominic (Dom) Silvagni, is a reasonably typical Gold Coast teenager
- albeit from a very privileged but outwardly normal family. Their
home in the elite gated community of Halcyon Grove is a show piece
and Dom, along with his parents, older sister Miranda and younger
brother Toby lack for nothing. His much loved paternal grandfather
Gus, is close at hand and is Dom's coach - both of them with a
passion for middle distance running - despite Gus' having lost a leg
in a 'shark attack' at a young age. He has also grown up almost next
door to the love of his life, Imogen, who sadly has lost her father
and been left with her slightly unhinged mother.
Dom's regular schoolboy existence at the top notch Gold Coast Boys
Grammar comes unstuck on the night of his fifteenth birthday when
his father, David, and grandfather Gus initiate him into the
Silvagni family inheritance - an ancient debt owed to the
'Ndrangheta' - a Mafia-style organisation from the old country. Each
male child from the Silvagni is required to pay back the debt in six
instalments - or lose a 'pound of flesh'. With each successfully
completed instalment the inner thigh of each Silvagni male is
branded until the mark of repayment is whole. With growing horror
Dom realises that his grandfather's missing leg was not the result
of a shark attack, witnessed by his incomplete branding . . .
becoming acutely aware that this is no joke, but a very dangerous
and deadly serious undertaking.
When presented with the opportunity to review the final Instalment
bk 6, I commented that I had not read the full series - and
fortunately, I was lucky enough to do so. This is definitely a
series to be read in sequence, as we follow Dom's heart-racing
exploits and watch him develop skills, acquire both allies and
enemies and despite all odds, complete seemingly impossible tasks.
Throughout, the reader becomes aware, as does Dom himself, that
there is much more to this deadly challenge than just the Herculean
assignments set. What really happened to Imogen's missing politician
father? Why does Dom's own father insist he has never been to Italy,
nor speaks 'wog' yet is overheard talking fluent Calabrese? Why does
his Californian mother have cosy chats with Roberto, the gardener?
How is it possible that the same taxi driver keeps turning up just
when he has need?
Loaded with all the thrills and spills that will particularly appeal
to teenage boys - fast cars, private jets, an unending number of
useful smartphone apps, heroic action, daring rescues plus more -
and with a knock out ending, this will enthrall readers from 12
years up.
The Debt website
A SMH
interview with Phillip Gwynne about the series.
Instalment 6 Book
Trailer
Sue Warren
The Midnight Dress by Karen Foxlee
University of Queensland Press, 2013. ISBN 9780702249648.
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. Rose Lovell has moved from town to
town with her alcoholic father and wonders if life will be different
tin the small sugarcane town where they live in a caravan. When she
meets pretty and popular Pearl Kelly, she feels that she might have
a friend at last. Pearl persuades her to go into the Harvest Parade
and for this she needs a special dress. She finds Edie Baker, a
strange dressmaker who helps her make a dress of midnight blue and
who introduces her to the mountain and the bush nearby. Then
everything changes when a teenage girl disappears.
Foxlee writes in a compelling manner keeping up the suspense until
the very last page. Her plotting is complex and clever. From the
first page the reader knows that someone has gone missing but is
uncertain about who it is. The story progresses on two levels: one
chapter written in italics, tells about the disappearance of the
girl, the next is told from Rose's point of view as she comes to
term with life in the insular country town and befriends Edie the
eccentric dressmaker. Rose doesn't have an easy life, her father's
moods are up and down and she finds it difficult to fit in. The
themes of love and anger, of fitting in and making friends are woven
between the mystery of the girl's disappearance.
This is a haunting, beautiful and literary story told on many
levels. There is the friendship between Rose and Pearl who is
searching for her long lost Russian father. The odd bookseller who
is teased by Pearl and Rose's relationship with her father and the
young boy who admires her are fully developed. Edie's story is
heart-breaking as well.
The language is lyrical. The descriptions of the Australian bush,
the tall trees, rocky waterfall and sweeping beaches bring this
Queensland area to life and provide an atmospheric background to the
story.
This is a complex, haunting story and I look forward to reading more
from this author.
Pat Pledger
Strike of the Shark by Bear Grylls
Mission Survival bk 6. Doubleday, 2013. ISBN: 9781782950028. Strike of the Shark is the sixth book in Bear Grylls' Mission
Survival Series. It stars Beck Granger, a 14 year old boy
whose parents took him travelling all over the world from a young
age, exposing him to various tribes and cultures from which he
learned an array of survival skills. Prior to this book his parents
had both been killed leaving Beck an orphan under the custody of his
uncle. His many exploits, even since the death of his parents, have
given him some level of world renown as a survival expert.
In this book, Beck travels from Florida out into the waters of the
Bermuda triangle on a cruise ship that is sabotaged, leaving him and
four others stranded in the middle of the ocean. The five come face
to face with shipwreck, isolation, lack of water, shark attack and
the battle between good and evil. The survival themes are strong,
with basic and useful survival tips incorporated into the narrative.
The protagonist (though somewhat extremely larger than life) is a
likable boy with strong moral principles. The plot, especially as
part of a series, is rather far-fetched and the main character
certainly has an unrealistic level of life experience, but the story
should be fairly engaging for a young audience.
The language and structure is simple, though certainly lacks
sophistication and is not particularly well written. It gets off to
a bit of a slow start, though the plot does have several twists and
turns.
The main function of this book would be to capture the interest of
young people who are perhaps not avid readers. In my opinion the
survival tips they have integrated are the novel's best feature.
They encourage children and teens to respect the environment around
them and not take unnecessary risks, but equip them with some basic
principles for how to deal with unforseen circumstances. The
novel promotes values of respect, conservation, understanding of
humanity, morality and determination. It is a worthwhile addition to
a school library, though would likely not be useful as a class text.
Sarah Rose
Christina's Matilda by Edel Wignell and Elizabeth Botte
IP Kidz, 2011. hbk ISBN 9781921479878. ebk ISBN 9781921479885.
This fascinating title by Edel Wignell focusses on the story behind
the story of our unofficial anthem, Waltzing Matilda. As
Wignell asks, why is Paterson's role in the creation of this song so
well-known when that of Christina Macpherson is almost unknown, even
though it is just as vital? Wignell then tells us the story of
Macpherson beginning with an encounter with bushranger Daniel 'Mad'
Morgan at the family home of Peechelbar in Victoria, her childhood
in a large wealthy Melbourne household, and her eventual meeting
with A.B. 'Banjo' Paterson at the home of her brother on a station
on the Diamantina River about 128km from Winton, Queensland.
Evenings were a time for entertainment - Paterson sharing his poetry
and Macpherson playing the piano, including a tune called Craigielee that
she had heard at the Warrnambool Races some time before and which
had stuck in her mind. Paterson was well aware of the plight of many
shearers displaced by the Great Shearers' Strike in 1894 and the
stories accompanying the hardships they endured, and it wasn't long
before he penned the words of Waltzing Matilda to fit the
tune. Wignell then traces the story of the song through to its place
in the Australian identity today, including the work of Richard
Magoffin who relentlessly tracked the song's origins, eventually
being able to identify Christina's contribution in 1983.
The story is accompanied by a variety of illustrations including
paintings and drawings, maps, photos, posters and programs, letters
and sheet music, each adding to the authenticity of the story and
providing insight into the times that inspired the lyrics and the
history of the song. Perhaps the most interesting is a facsimile of
an extract from a letter from Christina which explains how the song
came to be. Each sepia page is bordered with exquisite line drawings
by Elizabeth Botte which enrich and enhance the story.
While it is written in a style and language accessible to a newly
independent reader, its use of primary sources to support the text
would be a great way to introduce the importance of these sorts of
sources to support research and provide evidence, an integral
element of the historical skills strands of the Australian History
Curriculum for Year 7.
This is a resource that needs to be on library shelves and a story
that needs to be known by everyone old enough to sing the song!
Barbara Braxton
Stories for boys by various authors
Ill. by Tony Flowers. Random House Australia, 2013. ISBN
9780857980885.
(Ages: 5-8) Highly recommended. This entertaining compilation
consists of twelve short stories by some of Australia's best-loved
children's authors including Tristan Bancks, David Harding, Bill
Condon, Martin Chatterton, George Ivanoff and Janeen Brian. With a
wide range of subject matter, these stories introduce young readers
to genres including mystery, science fiction, fantasy and adventure.
All the stories are written specifically for junior primary aged
boys, so as expected topics include pirates, dinosaurs, robots and
superheroes.
One common factor throughout the book is humour, with all stories
displaying some enjoyable twists and the element of absurd
imagination which young boys love, but without the toilet humour so
often encountered in writing for this age. There is also just enough
thrills and 'spooky stuff' to keep young suspense fans on the edge
of their seats.
The perfect bedtime reading book, one story per night - if you can
convince your child to stop at just one!
Donella Reed
Call the shots by Don Calame
Candlewick Press, 2012. ISBN 9780763655563.
Recommended for readers 12+. An engagingly written book, Call
the Shots is a humorous story designed to appeal to boys in
lower to middle secondary school. It is the final of a set of three
novels (the other two are Swim the Fly and Beat the Band),
each told from the point of view of a member of three teenage
friends, though it can certainly stand alone.
Coop, the 'brains' of the trio, dreams up an idea of making an ultra
low-budget horror movie to solve a problem for Sean, the unassuming
protagonist, which is to make enough money to build an extension at
Sean's house so he doesn't have to share a bedroom with his
obnoxious twin sister when the family's new baby arrives. This is
the vehicle through which the reader can laugh while gaining
insights into human nature.
There are many different elements in Call the Shots worthy
of discussion - trust, belief in oneself, manipulation, girlfriend
issues, acceptance - which could make this a worthy novel for
classroom discussion. Though clearly written primarily to engage
boys, girls will also enjoy this book. Definitely recommended.
Anne Veitch
Bushland Lullaby by Sally Odgers
Ill. by Lisa Stewart. Scholastic Australia, 2013. ISBN:
9781742831787.
(Ages: 2 - 4) Highly recommended. This beautifully illustrated
picture book introduces young children to a wide variety of native
Australian animals, with some unexpected inclusions. The baby
animals are all sleeping in their natural habitats, and the lyrical,
rhyming verse captures the environment perfectly. There are a number
of words not usually found in picture books, and descriptive phrases
such as 'where eddies dance with winking sun' and 'where breakers
sing when the wind breaks free' provide a glorious expansion of the
usual pre-schoolers vocabulary.
The pastel colours of the illustrations perfectly match the gentle
rhythm of the verses, and I can easily see this becoming a favourite
bedtime story in many households.
Donella Reed
Horse crazy & Horse shy by Bonnie Bryant
The Saddle Club series. Random House Australia, 2013. ISBN:
9780857980632.
(Ages: 7 - 13) Random House have started to re-release the popular
Saddle Club series which consisted of over one hundred titles
published between 1988 and 2001. This book contains the first two
titles written, Horse crazy and Horse shy. While many primary school
aged girls will be familiar with the television series, it is
possible some of them may not realise the show was spawned from the
books, so it's time for a new generation to discover them! The new
covers include pictures from the tv series, so will be instantly
recognisable by fans.
The series begins by introducing the reader to best friends Carole
and Stevie. These 12 year old girls spend all their spare time at
Pine Hollow Stables where they take riding lessons. In Horse Crazy,
new girl Lisa joins the club and learns the hard way that not all
the girls are as friendly as Carole. Primary school girls may find
they can relate to some of the emotions and anxieties faced by Lisa,
while also enjoying the closeness of the friendship of the main
characters. Lisa joins Carole and Stevie, and the threesome lead us
into the second title Horse Shy where they set off on an overnight
trail ride. The girls have a wonderful time, but when they return
tragedy strikes and their friendship is put to the test as Stevie
and Lisa have to try and help Carole heal emotionally.
With likable and mostly realistic characters, and of course plenty
of horses, the series is sure to be as popular as it was the first
time around.
Donella Reed
