Allen & Unwin, 2014. ISBN 9781743319437.
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Sydney 1932. Crime. Ghosts. Gangs.
Prostitution. Hungry, homeless Kelpie believes the ghost, Tommy,
when he tells her that there are apples inside the room in the old
boarding house. But breaking in, she finds a recently killed man,
Jimmy, blood everywhere, his girlfriend standing by his bed, a card
in her hand. Hearing the police hammering at the door, the pair take
off, ending up sheltering under the bed at Darcy's house, with
Jimmy's ghost in tow.
So begins this amazing story, set in the Darlinghurst, Surry Hills
area of Sydney in 1932, a time when gangs used razors to maim and
kill their enemies. Chromo Dymphna was Jimmy's girlfriend and is
known by one and all as the Angel of Death, as her boyfriends never
seem to live long. But Jimmy's death is different. People think that
the killer is after Dymphna too, and with Kelpie involved, the two
must join forces to survive.
Dymphna wants to protect Kelpie, not realising that streetwise
fifteen year old Kelpie is close to her own age, but seeing in her a
child like her own dead sisters who she was unable to protect from
their murderous father.
They are told to go and see Glory, Dymphna's boss, the woman who
runs one of the two main gangs. Kelpie is torn, Jimmy's ghost keeps
telling her not to go there but she feels drawn to Dymphna. Standing
in front of Glory, Kelpie can see there are hidden meanings in the
conversation between the two women, and wonders what will happen
next. It is a day unlike any other.
The evocation of the streets of Sydney in 1932 is deft, with its
prostitution, power lust and gangs all forming the background of
this engrossing tale of one day in the lives of these two young
women.
The characters of Dymphna and Kelpie are marvellously drawn, both
doing whatever they can to survive in this seedy world. Layers of
interest will spellbind the readers, keeping them wondering how the
two will survive, but also how the gangs will work out their
differences, how the ghosts will impact on the women's lives, how
the young Kelpie will avoid the profession which has entrapped
Dymphna.
Based on meticulous research of this crime ridden time in Sydney's
history, Larbalestier has sprinkled her writing with idiomatic terms
from the era, giving the reader cause to stop and reflect on
language and its meanings.
The crime scenes are bloody and indiscriminate, the chase scenes
breathless, the tension heart stopping. I enjoyed every word.
Fran Knight
My dog doesn't like me by Elizabeth Fensham
University of Queensland Press, 2014. ISBN 9780702250170.
(Ages: 8+) Recommended. Dogs. Pets. Responsibility. Eric's dog does
not like him, and he wants to do something about it. He feels
rejected by the pet given to him by his family when he was eight,
and since then the dog, Ugly, loves his Mum and Dad, and his
grandfather even his sister, Gretchen. But not Eric, and as the tale
unfolds, it becomes obvious why the dog does not like him. Many
people give advice on how he should be treating the dog, but he pays
little attention, preferring to blame the others in his family for
his problem.
This is a wry tale, watching Eric make many attempts at getting Ugly
to like him, from changing his name, to drawing up a questionnaire
at school, to gathering other people's opinions of the problem,
while all through the solution to the readers is obvious.
Eric's grandfather talks to Eric one day about the possibility of
giving Ugly to a family which can really look after him, and this
spurs Eric into action. His grandfather calls in a friend who trains
dogs and the lessons she gives Eric change Eric and Ugly for the
better, all the while, Eric realising that he is the problem not the
dog.
For younger readers, the lessons about dog training spill over into
Eric's life as he takes on more responsibility in the house where
everyone is busy.
Fran Knight
Outside by Libby Hathorn
Ill. by Ritva Voutila. Little Hare, 2014. ISBN 9781921894688.
(Age: 3 to adult) Recommended. Picture book. Gardens. Exploration.
Imagination.
Moving from couplets to stanzas, using half rhymes and full rhyming
words, Hathorn gives the reader, child and adult alike a series of
entrancing words, designed to beguile the reader into the summer
scenes in a garden where two children play. The beckoning refrain,
'under fluttery leaves
in the magical breeze
in the summery sun
outside'
appears on most pages, giving a compact image to the reader as they
read. The words beckon the reader and the children, as we see them
experiencing different aspects of the garden: the cat on the stairs,
the chime bells up high, the tickly green grass, with descriptive
phrases added to the refrain. They explore and wonder at the magical
experiences in the garden.
Eventually the smell of dinner lures them inside, and the garden is
there for tomorrow.
If the words dazzle and beguile, the digitally produced
illustrations mesmerize, filling each page with colour, the eyes
taking in every detail.
Reminiscent of the scrap book days of yore, where children collected
sheets of cut outs and stuck them into a book, the doll-like
features of the children and the mother peer out. They are
surrounded by a myriad of detail, some looking like wallpaper some
like rug designs, adding to the feeling of nostalgia.
Children will pore over the pages, reading the words aloud, gaining
an impression of the world outside where no electronic device can be
seen. For classes, this book is a fascinating introduction to the
ideas of a garden or outside space. Fran Knight
Warrior heroes: The knight's enemies by Benjamin Hulme-Cross
Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781472904393
Recommended. (Age: 9+ readers, or as a book suited for struggling
readers 13+). Medieval times. Adventure. Quest adventure. The main
characters are not identified as being of any age, but one would
assume they are young teens based on the skills in archery that they
display, but they are always referred to as 'boys'.
In this series of books two boys, Arthur and Finn, are given the
opportunity to release haunted warriors from the torment that they
faced in their life, at the instruction of the boys' own
great-grandfather, who is also a ghost! This essential information
is given in a brief introduction to the rest of the narrative.
In The knight's enemies, Arthur and Finn are involved in
changing the course of history in medieval times. The quest they are
sent on involves rescuing the daughter of the Knight Warrior. He
also appears in the story before his untimely passing and we read of
Arthur and Finn's bravery as they are involved in fighting off the
enemy attack on the castle and then thwarting the attempts of the
unlikeable, traitorous young Knight who is ready to 'steal' the
Knight Warrior's daughter and has plotted against the Warrior
Knight.
This is an exciting and action-filled story suited to boys who enjoy
armed conflict adventure stories. Older readers who struggle with
reading could also enjoy this series because it is not complex, but
is not unlike a John Flanagan quest adventure like The ranger's
apprentice and Brotherband series, but much shorter
and simpler. Included in the book is some background information (as
notes taken by Finn from the Hall of Heroes Museum).
Carolyn Hull
Sylvia and Bird by Catherine Rayner
Little Tiger Press, 2009 ISBN 9781845068578
(Age: 4-6) Recommended. Picture book. Friendship. The shimmer-shiny
dragon called Sylvia is all alone. She cannot find any other dragons
to be her friend. But one day, feeling very lonely she sees a
bird on the branch beneath her. Bird was building a nest, so Sylvia
helped. They became friends and spent all of their time together,
doing things that friends do. But when Bird went away to join his
other friends, the birds, for a chat, Sylvia was left all alone
again. She thought to herself that perhaps there were dragons on the
moon, so decided to fly there. Bird knew that Sylvia was unhappy so
went with her on her flight to the moon, but it soon became obvious
that Bird could not cope with the cold and height of their travel,
so she plummeted back to earth, caught just in time by Sylvia.
And so they stayed on the ground, content with each other, friends
for all their days.
This charming story, superbly illustrated by Rayner, with soft
swathes of watercolour across the pages, will delight younger
readers, and teachers will be able to use the book to discuss what
being a friend means with the class.
Fran Knight
Apple and rain by Sarah Crossan
Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781408857717.
Recommended for readers 12+. Much was expected from this fresh and
innovative novel. I felt a strong sense of enthusiasm to read this
book and to be introduced to Crossan's writing whom I wasn't
familiar with. When I came to the end of the story, my initial
reaction was a feeling of relief as I had quickly grown tired of the
storyline. Although once I thought more about the story, I realised
that I expected too much from the young year eight old girl. Apple and
rain does have the potential to grow into a well-liked coming
of age story that could sit upon every thirteen year old's
bookshelf.
The story is narrated by almost-teen Apple, whose first name is too
hard to pronounce, and is unabashedly naive. Her tale begins when she
recounts a night like no other on Christmas Eve when her mother
leaves her safe haven and never returns. Despite the fact she
absolutely hates the season, Apple foolishly hopes that her mother
will one day return. Of course, it never happens so Apple is left
celebrating the season with her Nana, father and her much hated
stepmother.
Under the molly coddling and tough love of her Nana, Apple leads a
sheltered life. So when she finally meets her mother after eleven
years, she can't believe her luck. Despite her Nana's scepticism
about her mum, Apple wants to spend as much time with her as
possible and soon grows accustomed to her mother's wild lifestyle.
When life at home with her Nana begins to fall apart, Apple decides
to live with her mum and her not so perfect home. But when Apple
finally recognises that her life isn't all that it seems to be and is
slowly dwindling, it is only Apple's choice if she wants to fix it
or not.
This sad yet hopeful story is one for the ages and is truly
inspiring for young pre-teens who may be stuck in life. Apple is a
young girl whom girls her age can relate to as she is willing to do
whatever it takes to keep her mother happy. Apple goes from a life
of being closely monitored by her grandmother to becoming an adult
of the house and all the responsibilities it embraces. This is a
tale that I would most definitely recommend to readers aged 12+ as
it embraces unconditional love and the strength of a young girl
willing to do whatever it takes to keep her family happy. A book
similar to this is The first third by Will Kostakis and I
recommend this book to any avid reader who wants more from this
style of books.
Samantha May (Student)
Lucas and Jack by Ellie Royce
Ill. by Andrew McLean. Working Title Press, 2014. ISBN 9781921504662.
(Age: 4-7) Recommended. Family. Grandparents. Nursing homes.
When Mum visits her grandfather, Lucas stays outside in the garden
and waits for her. One day, while hoping that she will hurry up,
Jack talks to him. Jack is his Pop's best friend in the nursing
home, and they sit down on the garden seat together. Lucas, unsure
of what to say, asks Jack what he did before, and Jack tells him
that he was a farmer. This land was once all his. He points to
several other people in the garden: the man in the wheelchair, Leo,
was a great detective, the woman over there was a ballet dancer.
Lucas asks Jack what he misses most about being in the home, and
Jack tells him that he misses his dog. The two discuss their dogs
and the next time Lucas comes to visit, her brings his dog and a
connection is formed between the boy and the older men at the home.
This is a lovely tale of generations coming together, of seeing
beyond the wheelchair and wrinkles, of not judging books by their
cover. The soft illustrations have a gentleness that underlines the
spring and autumn ages of those in the story. It is a lovely well
illustrated story that will have many great uses in the classroom
where age, the passing of time and infirmity are under discussion.
Fran Knight
Bugged: how insects changed history by Sarah Albee
Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9780802734228
(Age: 11+) Non fiction. Insects. History. One hundred and sixty
seven pages of information of how insects played a part in
historical events will be a thrilling read to those people who love
the minutiae of history, those who love to winkle out fascinating
little bits of facts, those who find themselves a spot in a library
on cold days and love browsing for the oddest of books to read and
gather together information to share with friends.
I always seemed to have a library full of such people, mainly boys,
at lunchtime and this would suit them admirably. It will however
need to be sold to them as the cover and presentation of the book
may not have the panache of a Guinness book of world records to
entice them to open the pages.
Looking inside can be found chapters called 'The Horrible Histories
of Human Hygiene' and 'The Earliest Epidemics and Twentieth Century
Pox', and inside each oddly alliteratively named chapter can be found
details within that framework.
One I enjoyed reading was 'Travel Troubles'. Within this short chapter can be found details of the American slave
trade, the landing of the Mayflower, and information about yellow
fever, dengue fever and the like.
Published in the USA, this book is mainly about events which
affected that country, and will be fruitful for those who love
collecting odd bits of history, if only to share with friends and
family. It will prove to be a mine of information, but the purple
and green illustrations do not add to its marketability.
Fran Knight
On my way to school by Sarah Maizes
Ill. by Michael Paraskevas. Walker Books, 2014. ISBN 9780802737007.
(Age: 5-7) Recommended. Picture book. School. Journeys. A wonderful
book about Livi and the attempts by her parents to get her out of
bed and on the way to school, and her attempts to thwart them at
every turn. Readers will love seeing the two stories on each page:
Mum calling from beyond the page, giving instructions about getting
out of bed or reminding her to take everything with her, while Livi
dreams her dreams of a different life altogether.
Just as in On my way to bed (2012) and, On my way to the bath (2013)
the girl, Livi is headstrong, knowing all there is to know and so
just not needing to go to school. The illustrations move the tale
along as well as giving voice to Livi's dreams, resulting in a very
funny, evocative and most appealing story.
Her imagination runs wild as she sees an elephant as she brushes her
teeth, or becomes a famous chef when eating breakfast, or an
explorer when its time to pack her backpack, or flies with the
lemurs in the school bus, and is a movie star getting from the bus
to the classroom on the red carpet. All day long her imagination
works overtime, until when it is time to go home, maybe she will be
a teacher.
Livi is unstoppable, and readers will love to read of her exploits,
seeing some of their own tactics in dealing with the instructions
given in the morning. Livi has been at school a hundred times so
does not need to learn any more but while at school, she does learn
that being a teacher may be fun.
Fran Knight
The worst girlfriend in the world by Sarra Manning
Atom, 2014. ISBN 9781907411014.
Recommended for readers 13+. Sarra Manning's The Worst
Girlfriend in the World was a fresh and fun novel that
delivered the right touch of humor and wit. This book relinquished
an exciting tale that any teenage girl could relate to. I found
myself sighing and giggling at all the right places and repeated as
if a mantra, 'I would have done that to!'.
The tale follows a sixteen year old college girl named Franny, or
adoringly dubbed Franny B and her heart-breaker best friend, Alice.
Although her best friend has been titled as, 'The Worst Girlfriend
in the World', Franny is a one-guy type of gal who has been
obsessively pining after hopeless rockstar, Louis for what seems
like forever. The drama begins when Alice sets her sights on Louis
and his tousled hair which immediately causes a bitter rivalry
between the best friends. Determined to win Louis's heart, Franny
spots an easy advantage named Francis, or nicknamed 'Sneering Studio
Tech' but what she didn't know that friendship would spark between
them. Before long, Franny second guesses her cosmic love for Louis
and the strength of her friendship with Alice.
As each chapter begins, we are met with Franny B's cleverness and
enthusiasm for everything fashion. Franny had truly turned out to be
a loveable and comical character that any girl could connect to. The
author grants us innovative and refreshing characters that literally
could bounce off the page and become reality.
Teaching this novel to the class will provide lessons on the ideas
of 'don't judge a book by its cover' and understanding that there
are two sides to a story, not one. This book can be compared to the
likes of Rainbow Rowell's novels Fangirl and Eleanor and
Park and Sarah Crossan's standalone Apple and Rain.
Samantha May (Student)
Wayfarer by Lili St.Crow
A Tale of Beauty and Madness bk 2. Razorbill, 2014. ISBN 9781921880209.
(Ages: 14+) Recommended. In the stunning sequel to Nameless,
things have improved for Camille, however it's her friend, Ellen
Sinder who's in trouble now. With the death of her father and her
abusive stepmother pushing her to her limits, she's desperate to
escape Perrault Street as soon as she can, raking in credits by
charming for people on the streets. Of course, the plan to escape is
easier said than done, and with the return of Avery Fletcher, the
son of a successful charming clan, the introduction of her shabby
step-sister, and her step-mother's increasingly violent behaviour,
Ellie's left with the terrifying decision to run or face her fears,
and must face the consequences of her actions.
Ellie is a strong and realistic character who is easy to empathise
with. The emotions and decisions she makes are understandable,
considering her situation. Over the course of the novel, she
develops and faces challenges she would not have been able to had
she encountered them at earlier stages. The romance did not drive
the plot, which was quite refreshing, however it was still sweet and
solid with a natural flow. Wayfarer continues to explain the complex
world Ellen and her friends live in, with vivid imagery and settings
that seem to pop off the page. The novel deals with themes of abuse
and trust, highlighting the importance of support. There is some
strong language, and some scenes are quite horrific and dark,
however Wayfarer is an enrapturing read.
Wayfarer is a dark and saturnine retelling of Cinderella in a
dangerous fantasy world. Despite the slow pacing, Lili St. Crow's
unique and poetic writing style ensnares readers in the unique and
twisted world she has created while showing the importance of
support and trust between family and friends. Anyone who enjoys dark
retellings of fairy tales and complex worlds will love the second
instalment in the series, A Tale of Beauty and Madness, Wayfarer.
Ruby T. (Student)
Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor
Daughter of smoke and bone trilogy, bk 3. Hodder &
Stoughton, 2014. ISBN 9781444722734.
(Age: 15+) Dreams of Gods and Monsters is a thrilling end to
an amazing book series. It starts off really strong by introducing a
completely new (yet very important) character, Eliza. This helped to
create a mysterious feel that continues through the book until we
find out who Eliza actually is. The multiple twists and turns make
for a nice, thick plotline. I must admit I was getting worried when
I had reached the Epilogue and certain things hadn't happened but
that was all part of the breathtaking scheme Ms Taylor has created.
The battle between good and evil intensifies in this last book, and
in true YA fashion the evil is not the original evil we thought it
was going to be. The Misbegotten Seraphs and Chimaerae must work
together to combat the evil using good to the best of their
abilities. Laini ups her game in this book and it is more organised
than the others. It is broken down into multiple sections with
nursery rhyme like paragraphs. The sections titles Arrival + #Hours
creates an effective timeline to show that so many things can happen
in such a short period of time. There are so many more perspectives
in this book, which leads to a well-rounded story, we hear from lots
of different characters with enough clarity to determine who it is.
The language barriers between humans and Seraphs and humans and
Chimaerae provide just the right amount of comedy in this book. The
stupidity of humans makes a nice entry in this book and the ideas of
religion are questioned in this book. The happy 'middle' ending
creates a nice bittersweet ending to this epic series. I thoroughly
recommend this series for older teens; there are some interesting
concepts that are not really acceptable for younger readers to be
reading.
Azriel P.
Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor
Daughter of smoke and bone trilogy, bk 2. Hodder, 2012. ISBN
9781444722703.
(Age: 15+) Thoroughly recommended. I am so very glad that I did not
need to wait for this book to be published, as I don't think that I
would have lasted long on that cliff hanger. The characters are so
easy to latch onto that it becomes simple to feel their pain and
emotions as they progress through the story. This is the part of the
story where the YA genre comes into obvious play with an orphaned
child who loves a creature she shouldn't because he killed her
'family'. She must save her people by using the skills she was
taught by her foster-father. Although most of the characters are
pretty cool, there are a couple pesky ones that don't seem to want
to leave the story. There are things in these books that I had never
even imagined a YA author would try and do. A love triangle is added
in this book but it's not a choice between two men, it's Romeo or
Paris (if Paris was an angel-blood wanting white wolf). The
different third person perspectives are really cool and they provide
a very detailed and non-biased story telling.I really enjoyed the
pain felt by the characters, it is so heart wrenching that there are
times where you almost with you could reach into the page and
comfort them. In my opinion, the first book set a high standard and
this second one has met that standard and excelled. I thoroughly
recommend this book (just maybe not for younger audiences).
Azriel P. (Student)
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Hodder & Stoughton, 2011. ISBN 9781444722635.
(Age: 15+)Thoroughly recommended. It is not often that I can say that I have read a truly original concept. This book is full of amazing ideas and thoughts I have never seen from any other author. The whimsical style of writing, coupled with the third person telling of the story really sets up a cool beginning to an undoubtedly amazing trilogy. With just the right amount of human stupidity and freaky introductions to lovable characters, this book sets the mood perfectly. Karou with blue hair and a killer sense of 'otherworld-ness' enjoys messing around with both her appearance and her pesky ex-boyfriend with wishes that she receives from doing errands for her monster of a foster-father. These wishes tend to come in handy at times when Karou needs them, and provide just the right amount of comedy to a somewhat sad story. The names of the chapters in this book are perfection. They give subtle hints to the story while being short and concise. The thing I love the most about this book is that the story is told in two ways, the first through the detailed third person thoughts of our two main characters (Karou and Akiva). The second through little nursery rhyme like paragraphs at the beginning of different sections of the book. This creates a well-rounded story told from a unique point of view. I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who likes to read the occasional book about the war between Seraphs (angels) and Chimaerae (demons) with humans stuck a little less than halfway in-between.
Azriel P. (Student)
Nameless by Lili St. Crow
A
Tale of Beauty and Madness series. Penguin, 2013. ISBN 9781921880193.
(Ages: 14+) Nameless is the first novel in the dark A
Tale of Beauty and Madness series, retelling the story of Snow
White in a fresh yet twisted way. The story focuses on
sixteen-year-old Camille, orphaned into the rich Vultusino family at
the age of six with only the scars on her body to tell her of her
past. Over the course of the novel, she begins to discover the
horrors of her past while struggling to fit in with her
surroundings.
The characters in Nameless are solid and believable. Cami
suffers from a stutter, and it is easy to feel her frustration as
she tries to be heard by those around her. Her two friends,
fascinating twists on Cinderella and Red Riding Hood, have minor
roles, however they felt well developed with their own stories to
tell. The romance between Cami and Nico Vultusino was slow but
endearing, and the pace worked well with the characters. St. Crow
was able to convey the time and importance of the relationship as it
was tested to the limits through her poetic and vivid prose. There
is some swearing, particularly in the dialogue, which may turn off
some readers, however it all felt quite realistic, considering the
characters and situations. Each character has a distinct way of
speaking with natural dialogue that sets them apart. Nameless
is set in the city of New Haven, where mutilated Twists and Jacks
often cross paths with mere-humans and sophisticated Charmers. The
world building is quite complex and well thought out, though a lot
of terminology goes unexplained, making the story difficult to
follow at times, however Lili St. Crow's writing style is absolutely
gorgeous, with eloquently written emotions and vibrant environments.
Nameless was a slightly confusing dark and winding fantasy
set in an alternate reality, and will make for a very entertaining
and addictive read about finding one's identity to anyone who enjoys
twists on classic fairy tales.
Ruby T. (Student)
