Once Tashi met a dragon by Anna Fienberg and Barbara Fienberg
Ill. by Kim Gamble. Allen & Unwin, 2013. ISBN 9781741758870.
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. Picture book, Tashi series, Dragons.
Those hooked by the Tashi stories will be equally as excited with
this new picture book concerning Tashi's first meeting with a
dragon. The familiar little boy questions his grandmother about the
dragon he has heard about, and then questions Second Uncle and
Wise-as-an-owl and learns little.
Gamble's lovely watercolour illustrations are immediately
recognisable, as his sweep of muted colours give the impression of
an Asian countryside, not very far away with the warm green and
brown hues contrasting vividly with Tashi's more exotic clothes. The
lovely tactile image of the dragon on the front cover will draw
readers in to open the book and keep reading.
When the rains come crashing down, Grandmother tells the child that
the dragon brings the rain, but one year the rains do not come.
Tashi sets off to investigate. He finds the dragon, who is
distraught that he cannot wake his mother and has inadvertently
eaten his sister. Tashi teaches him to sing the song which wakes his
mother and so all is resolved with the rains once more falling on
the village.
As with all the stories, the character of Tashi is endearing: he is
a problem solver, he is not afraid of taking bold steps to get to
the heart of a problem. Readers will love reading of this adventure
and eagerly wait for the next. And if that is too hard, then a look
at the Tashi website
may fill the time.
Fran Knight
Where the stars still shine by Trish Doller
Bloomsbury, 2013. ISBN 9781619631441.
(Age: 15+) Recommended for older teens as there is some explicit
content. Child abuse. Self-esteem. Family relationships. Callie has
been on the run for years. Stolen by her mother from her father and
a large extended family, she has been hidden in dingy flats; she has
never attended school and has found her food in Laundromat vending
machines. An intelligent girl, she has managed to learn to read and
has used libraries to discover things, but she doesn't have a clue
about how to live a normal life in a family. When her mother is
finally arrested and she is returned to her father, she must find a
way to fit in with her father's new family, a stepmother and step
siblings.
I was quite fascinated by the character of Callie and her voice felt
so authentic that I believed whole heartedly in her story,
empathised with her predicaments and cheered on her fumbling
attempts to fit into a normal family and her feelings about the way
her mother betrayed her. This is not a light look at a teen in
danger. The reader is carried along with Callie's story of how she
had been neglected by her mother, the danger that she was placed in
when her mother brought home men and her belief that she needed to
use sex to be loved. She is resilient and smart and her journey to
self-esteem and believing in love is a memorable one. When she meets
Alex Kostas she discovers that sex can be a beautiful and empowering
thing, rather than something to fear and the Greek community help
her to realise that she can be valued for herself.
This is a gritty, heart rending story that left me wondering how a
girl who hadn't gone to school and who was abused could manage to be
resilient against all the odds. Doller is such a clever author that
she made me believe that Callie would survive. This is sure to
appeal to readers who like harsh, realistic stories and could be one
for reluctant readers to pick up.
Pat Pledger
The Lake Frome monster by Arthur W. Upfield
Bolinda Publishing, 2013. ISBN 9781743153321. Heinemann, 1966.
(Age: 11- adult) Highly recommended. Crime, Australian deserts,
Camels. First published in 1966, two years after Upfield's death,
this book was completed by J. L. Price and Mrs Dorothy Strange, from
the unfinished manuscript and copious notes left by the author.
Based as were many of his detective books, on his journeys into the
interior of Australia, The Lake Frome Monster is a rivetting
read, full of the dust and loneliness of outback South Australia,
where Lake Frome can change from a dry salt pan to a flooded lake
the next. Upfield's detective, Napoleon Bonaparte is an experienced
crime fighter, used to pitting his mental and physical prowess
against the criminal, often in rural outposts. With an Aboriginal
background, and work done as a tracker, Bony is accustomed to
working with a vast array of people, be they Indigenous or European,
police or criminal.
This audio version, published by Bolinda, is an engrossing rendition
of the story, retold by voice over artist and actor, Peter Hosking.
His voice takes on the array of people, from the sly and quickly
speaking high pitched voice of Needle, to the earthy, knowing voice
of Nuggett, or the more cultured accent of the Commander from the
station. Each voice is identifiable and distinct, adding a vibrancy
to the telling, amidst the events which build to an exciting climax.
Hosking's laconic tones add authenticity to the tale of Bony delving
into the murder of Maidstone at Bore 10 along the Dingo Fence
between NSW, South Australia and Queensland.
To investigate this murder, he must go undercover, becoming a
boundary rider along the fence, checking its condition and repairing
breaks where the wind has swept sand over the wire. Hard work, with
the added investigations, dodging the stray bullet, subtle
questioning of the other boundary riders, local Aboriginal people
and overseers, while along the way solving the mystery of the
monster.
Fran Knight
The Skull by Christian Darkin
A & C Black, 2013. ISBN 9781408192979.
(Age: 11+)'Alfred turned slowly to face the center of the clearing.
There was the prior's body, mud and blood soaking his clothes, he
was lying bent over backwards, held up clear off the ground by a
huge lump of rock. But it was not a rock. At the bottom of the mast
stone, the shape of a vast empty eye-socket was visible above the
mud. Higher up, the stone tapered to form a blunt snout, lined with
curved serrated teeth. The massive mouth was frozen, gaping open and
the whole skull was embedded in grey rock as though the earth had
grown around it like flesh and muscle. The terrifying jaws formed
deep crevice in the boulder on which the prior had landed, his
fragile body impaled on its terrible sharp teeth.'
The Merchant family has encountered the same Megalosaurus skull
throughout history and every time they have it changed their life.
The story starts 144 million years ago when a Megalosaurus dies then
millions of years later (1176) Alfred Merchant discovers it next to
the dead prior's body and as a punishment for suspected witchcraft
has to build a tomb around the prior and the skull. The story
follows the Merchant family from 1176-2201, where the Merchant
family lives on Mars and has the skull with them and as each
Merchant discovers it they reveal more and more about it. The Skull is a thrilling, mischievious book that has a sort
of back-to-the-future feel about and it gives you a look at history.
After reading this book I wanted to find out more about my family's
history. It made me feel like I had watched a whole family live out
their lives.
Christian Darkin really captivates the reader and I think I will be
reading more of his books. This book is perfect for people my age. I
think that Christian Darkin did a great job.
Abbey Nicholls (Year 7 Student)
Every breath by Ellie Marney
Allen and Unwin, 2013. ISBN 978 1 74331 642 9
(Age: 13+) Recommended. Crime. Rachel Watts, recently moved to the
city after her parents' farm has been taken by the bank, has met and
teamed up with a neighbour who also goes to her school, Mycroft. The
link between their names is obvious, and the two with Mycroft's
prodding form a team to solve crime. Mycroft is already heavily
involved, setting up a lab of sorts for forensic testing, and
following crimes with an obsessive interest. He has shadows in his
life, however, and these are hinted at through the story. And always
in Watts' background is her love of the farm and desire to return.
Her anger with her parents for coming to the city and their slavish
devotion to working non stop to pay off their debts causes rancour
in the family.
When the two find their homeless friend, Dave, with his throat cut,
and his dog missing, Mycroft sets to work. Hie photographs of the
scene of the crime are scrutinised and he revisits the scene trying
to find clues and deduce what may have happened. Tenuous connections
lead him to a group of graffiti artists and from there, they track
down people at the zoo, where Mycroft's odd guardian aunt, Angela
works.
When the zoo director is killed and his strange daughter goes
missing, they use a friend to reenter the zoo after hours and talk
to him in his laboratory about poisons. A wrong move!
A fast paced story of crime and sleuthing, the links to Sherlock
Holmes make this a fascinating parallel to those stories of old, and
the characters of Mycroft and Watts reflect those of Sherlock and
Watson in the original books in a modern setting. All good fun as
the clues lead them all the time to the zoo and in a heart stopping
climax the pair is thrown to the lions.
A sequel, Every move, is to be released soon and should be
just as much fun to read.
Fran Knight
The Swap by Jan Ormerod
Ill. by Andrew Joyner. Little Hare, 2013. ISBN 9781921541414.
Oh dear. There's a new baby in the house and Caroline Crocodile is
not happy that he is soaking up all her mother's attention. Mama
Crocodile loves that he is as green as a grub, loves to eat his fish
and frogs and has an adorable snout, but to Caroline he's smelly, he
dribbles and he is no fun. And she hates that he takes up all the
room on Mama's lap and gets the big smacky-smoochy kisses that she
wants. So, on a day in town when Mama asks her to mind him for a few
minutes while she goes into The Hat Shop to swap a hat she has
bought, Caroline sees The Baby Shop and figures if her mother can
swap a hat . . . And so the trials begin - but is ANY baby quite
right?
This is Jan Ormerod at her peak, but it is also Jan Ormerod at the
end of her career as she died earlier this year. Ever since her
first wordless picture book Sunshine was released in 1982,
her delightful stories have enthralled young children and she has
won the hearts of many, including me, for her illustrations and her
story-telling. Her ability to turn the most ordinary of family
situations into an engaging tale that enables the reader and
listener to empathise and put themselves in the story, is the
hallmark of her work. The Swap is no exception - who hasn't
known an older sister or brother filled with the promise of a
playmate being disappointed with this all-consuming baby who just
sleeps, cries, smells, takes up the space of your lap and gets the
big smacky-smoochy kisses?
Caroline's predicament is one which many children in the preschool -
Year 2 range face and it provides a perfect vehicle to discuss
expectations about the new baby as well as asking the sibling about
the things their mummy loves about them and reinforcing that they
are just as loved and treasured as they always were, and there are
plenty of smacky-smoochy kisses for everyone. At that age they are
straddling that dependent-independent gap, not quite able to
articulate their feelings and this is a great opportunity to address
them. (Perhaps it might even be a subtle reminder to the new parents
as well, that their big-girl-now still has little-girl needs.)
Andrew Joyner has illustrated this story, not Ormerod, and his
pictures are perfect. You can tell from the title page just what the
theme of the story will be, and his skill is such that even the
reader agrees that a baby crocodile is gorgeous! There is such
detail and humour in each spread that you could spend an hour just
focusing on them - the chef with the C8K rego plates; the zebra
reading texts on the zebra crossing; a mouse on a motorcycle (which
could lead to reading the book by Beverly Cleary) - there is
something new each time you read this, and all add to the richness
of a tale well-known and well-told.
It IS a story to read again and again and when Mem Fox tells us that
when we read to children, we should read three stories - a
first-read, a familiar and a favourite - this will be on the
favourites pile very quickly.
Barbara Braxton
The killing woods by Lucy Christopher
Chicken House, 2013. ISBN 9781906427726.
(Age: 16+) Highly recommended. Suitable for older teenagers as it
contains some explicit content. Psychological thriller. Murder.
Mental illness. Drugs. Emily's father suffers from flashbacks to the
time when he was a soldier and he is blamed when a young woman is
found murdered in the woods. But his daughter Emily is convinced
that her father is innocent and is determined to find out the truth.
She seeks out Damon, the dead girl's boyfriend but doesn't expect
the secrets that she uncovers in the woods.
This is a dark and compelling thriller. Told in two voices by Emily
and Damon, it takes the reader through frightening scenarios and
into the dangerous game that Damon and his friends played in the
woods. Set against the background of the woods, with enormous oak
trees and shy deer, Christopher builds up the suspense as Emily and
Damon gradually discover just what happened the night that Ashlee
died. Although the desire to find out who did murder Ashlee remains
at the forefront of the narration, the reader is drawn into the
lives of the two main characters, their thoughts and fears, as well
as the reactions of their friends around them. Emily is resilient
and loyal, and is convinced of her father's innocence. However she
is also clear about what is right and wrong and following her
conscience. Damon is a less attractive figure, using his power as a
prefect for his own ends, but vulnerable since the death of his
soldier father and unsure about love. Using alcohol and drugs hasn't
helped him cope either and he struggles to remember what happened
that night in the woods after he blacks out.
The killing woods is certainly not a book for the faint hearted or
for the young teen. Christopher explores the obsession that
teenagers have with danger, sex and love and the outcome of the game
in the woods is shocking. However the exploration of the themes of
the dark side of sex and of collective responsibility is thought
provoking and would lead to much discussion about being accountable
for one's actions. The writing is beautiful and the pacing
impeccable. For mature readers.
Pat Pledger
Joshua Dread: The nameless hero by Lee Bacon
Hardie Grant Egmont, 2013. ISBN 9781742974125.
(Age: Confident readers) Recommended. Joshua Dread: The Nameless
Hero is the second book in the Joshua Dread series
which hooks into the current revival of super hero characters made
popular by the Avenger movie and books.
Joshua and his friends Sophie and Milton are preparing to enjoy the
summer holidays but the last day of year six is a little more
exciting than usual. Not only does a mutant substitute Librarian try
to kill them, but some mysterious notes suddenly appear warning
Joshua before the event. Having disposed of the attacker other
envelopes appear this time inviting Sophie and him to attend the
Gyfted and Talented summer program.
Developing Gyfts and maybe saving the world concerns Joshua whose
parents are supervillans but he is keen to go when Sophie, whose
father is the superhero Captain Justice, convinces him to join her.
Not to be left out Milton, who has no super talents, joins them with
a forged invitation.
The children discover that they along with 2 others have been chosen
to help form 'The Alliance of the Impossible, the greatest superhero
team of all time'. The return of Phineas Vex, the villian of the
first book leads to Joshua saving the life of nFinity, an already
famous super hero, and suddenly being thrust into the media
spotlight as The Nameless Hero. The media attention creates problems
for Joshua with both his friends and family though the threat of
being killed by Vex is the greatest problem of all.
Written in the first person we are privy to Joshua's thoughts,
feelings and wry observations as he comes to terms with his fame,
abilities whilst maintaining his friendships. With clones, all
manner of robots, including the hapless butler Elliot, metal eating
ants and a plethora of super powered action this series will appeal
to confident readers.
Sue Keane
Brilliant Bites for boys: Four favourite Bites just for boys!
By Jane Godwin, Danny Katz, Jen Storer, and Patricia Wrightson.
Penguin, Australia: 2013. ISBN 9780143307808.
The Aussie Bites series has been around for years, and
proved valuable in the transition of young readers to chapter books
and easily identified by the unique bite from the top right corner
which has now become a cover feature only. With a huge variety of
titles and great Australian authors they, along with their companion
series Aussie Nibbles and Chomps have been very
popular in school libraries.
This book is a collection of four of the Bites stories
popular with boys. The short stories with their excellent supporting
illustrations, which have been a feature of the series, create a
balance between the more serious topics of Rattlers Place
and The Day I Turned Ten and the more humorous treatment of
The Parents are Revolting and Sing Pepi Sing. Rattlers Place by Patricia Wrightson explores what it is like
to move away from all that is familiar. Guy especially misses his
dog Digby and his toys which have yet to arrive. He explores his new
surroundings and solves the mystery of 'Rattlers Place' written on
the back fence. Sing, Pepi, Sing by Jen Storer is the story of Pepi the
Mexican walking fish whose singing creates a sensation in Tony and
Lola's restaurant. When the loan sharks come to collect the money
owed to them it's either give them Pepi or lose everything. Pepi has
to decide where he really wants to be in Hollywood, Mexico or with
Tony and Lola. The Day I Turned Ten by Jane Godwin begins as any other day
for Jeremy, excited that it is his birthday. Nothing is going to
upset him, not even baby brother Oliver or having to wait to open
his presents. Then Oliver goes missing and Jeremy feels responsible.
What a birthday! The Parents are Revolting by Danny Katz is a lesson in what
happens when parents decide to act as parents rather than slave to
their children's every whim and demand. The parents might revolt,
but it is the children who are revolting.
The original stories have stood the test of time and as a collection
will be just as popular.
Sue Keane
The first week by Margaret Merrilees
Wakefield Press, 2013. ISBN 9781743052471.
(Age: Senior secondary) Marian Anditon lives on a farm in the south
of Western Australia, her husband Mac died ten years ago and now her
son Brian and his family run the farm. Her second son Charlie
dropped out of university in Perth and Marian's world is shattered
when she gets a call to say he is in trouble. Gradually it is
revealed that he has shot two people and the rest of the book works
through the shock, grief and blame that radiated from that act.
Charlie's tutor at university shows Marian a paper he wrote entitled
White Culpability for Damage to the Land and its Indigenous
People with a note saying what was needed was 'direct action'
but everyone she talks to seems to blame themselves and we are not
given any insight into his motivation and the soundness of his mind
is in question. So we are left with every detail of Marian's journey
to Perth and the stages of her grief for lost lives, analysing
blame, confusion and responsibility against a backdrop of the
natural environment. Just about every white Australian moral and
environmental issue is touched on; war; land clearance; aboriginal
rights; guns; capital punishment; live sheep exports; racism;
prejudice, the list goes on but as Charlie's tutor says 'we do a lot
of talking here about what's wrong with the world' and when Marian
goes back to the farm there is no doubt that she has questioned
their lives but there don't seem to be any answers.
A very different book to We need to Talk about Kevin but it
could be a connected text for senior secondary.
Sue Speck
Jacko and the Beanstalk by Kel Richards
Ill. by Rob Ainsworth. Scholastic Australia, 2013. ISBN
9781742835389. Jacko and the Beanstalk joins the list of classic children's stories
given an Australian twist. Designed for a preschool audience, the
rollicking rhymes and brightly coloured illustrations will appeal to
parents and children alike.
Jacko is a young kangaroo who, in the tradition of Jack, buys magic
seeds instead of food from a sly dingo. The seeds develop into a
massive beanstalk, which Jacko climbs to find a giant croc at the
top. The croc chases Jacko down the beanstalk which Jacko chops down
causing the demise of the croc. Still poor but smart an enterprising
Mum makes her fortune from broad bean pickles.
The real joy of the book is in the rhymes which not only reflect an
older Australian idiom for example Jacko is described as 'thick as
three short planks' and later runs 'down the plant like a bandicoot'
, but also references the Fee, fi, fo, fum line of the original
story on almost every page. From 'Fo, fum, fee, fay' to 'Hip, hop,
flip, flop', it is not surprising then that 'Fee, fi, fo, fossie!'
is celebrated with large print as the giant croc threatens 'I smell
the blood of a juicy Aussie.'
This version is not for the faint hearted as the croc is depicted in
garish colours, salivating with vicious teeth as he prepares to
devour Jacko, and obviously dies when he falls creating a crater. I
do love the final picture of Jacko though as he reads a pamphlet
entitled 'How to Grow Anything from Seeds by Trik Stir' as he
contemplates a display of Jelly Bean packets.
Sue Keane
Little BIG by Jonathan Bentley
Little Hare, 2013. ISBN 9781921894442.
This is a lovely story about a little brother who desperately wants
to be bigger and do the things his big brother does. No matter how
hard he tries, it doesn't work. But then he realises that while
being bigger has advantages, it also has distinct disadvantages. And
there are some times when being little is just perfect.
Jonathan Bentley has used his writing and illustrating skills to
create a book that so many children can relate to - having a younger
sibling who wants to do what they do, or being the younger child
wanting to emulate their older siblings. Miss 7 is struggling with
that now as Miss 2 doesn't understand that their five-year age gap
means that things cannot be the same for both. (This will definitely
be the read-aloud when they are here on Saturday!)
The illustrations are rich with things to discover - why does the
little boy choose to be a giraffe, a gorilla and a crocodile - but
each is touched with a gentle hand so they are not scary. There is a
subtle humour that appeals, particularly in the final spread which
is the perfect end to a well-told tale.
In the hands of a skilled teacher, this book could be a great way to
start a discussion about how we all grow and change but how we are
right now is just perfect. It could also be the platform for the
students to write an extra page. Using the model of
advantage/disadvantage they could explore what could they do if they
were bigger, but what would that mean they couldn't do. Books that
inspire talk and a personal response deserve their place on any
library shelf.
Barbara Braxton
Burning the bails: the story of the Ashes by Krista Bell
Ill. by Ainsley Walters. One Day Hill, 2013. ISBN 9780987131980.
(Age: 7+) Australian History, Cricket. Krista Bell offers younger
readers a ficitonalsied telling of the burning of the bails which
led to the Ashes, the name given to the series of cricket matches
between England and Australia. Within the brief story of the Clarke
family, the events leading up to Lady Janet inviting the burning of
the bails as a joke, then finding a small perfume bottle to contain
the ashes will intrigue younger readers. Bell tells the tale through
the eyes of Lady Janet's then younger son, six year old Russell,
ensuring it will appeal to that age group.
Beginning with the Clarke family's voyage back to Australia after
their Grand Tour of Europe in 1882, they met the English Cricket
team, a mix of professional and amateur cricketers coming to
Australia. Romance developed between their captain and Lady Janet's
companion, and the whole family being cricket mad, an invitation to
stay for Christmas at their home in Sunbury, Victoria was eagerly
accepted. The recent loss by the English Cricket team to an
Australian cricket team had prompted a journalist in London saying
that British cricket had died and was to be cremated, so starting
the idea of the ashes, to be made actual by Lady Janet's actions.
Naive pictures of the events in bold, arresting colours accompany
the text and photographs lent by the Clarke family are used as
endpapers as well as through the many pages of information given in
the last half of the book.
This tale will add to the array of picture books for middle primary
students being published at the moment, on various topics about
Australia's history suited to the Australian Curriculum.
Fran Knight
War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
Ill. by Rae Smith. Egmont, 2013. ISBN 9781405267960.
Inspired by a plaque on a painting of a horse in a village hall in
England, Michael Morpurgo has created this sensitive and
inspirational story of Joey, a young foal separated from his mother
a county fair to become the property of a harsh but hard-working
farmer who becomes a most courageous horse in the battlefields of
World War I. Told from Joey's perspective, it is through his eyes
that we learn of the sights, sounds, and smells of war, its ugliness
and fear in a way that shows its futility, yet, at the same time
demonstrates the courage, resilience, and loyalty of both humans and
animals in these times. But it is also a story of love and devotion
between a man and his horse and the synergy that that creates,
giving it a softness and poignancy that make it utterly engaging and
thought-provoking. Even though Joey and Albert come home to a hero's
welcome with bands and bells, Joey observes that 'the real heroes
have not come home'. What is it that makes a hero?
At times the story is challenging to the senses because it is
faithful to what was, but it is accompanied by magnificent
monochrome drawings by Rae Smith, designer of the National Theatre's
production of the stage version, which are far less confronting than
the images conveyed in the movie version and which earned that an M
rating. This makes it suitable for the primary library but some
discretion might be needed before it is recommended for a child just
wanting 'a horse story'. Others have likened it to some parts of Black
Beauty by Anna Sewell which may provide some guidance.
This would be a perfect read-aloud novel to introduce students to
the period of history that is World War 1 so there is an awareness
that there was more to the war than what happened on the Gallipoli
Peninsula. For those building a collection of titles to support this
period, this is a must-have addition.
Barbara Braxton
The Rig by Joe Ducie
Hot Key Books, 2013. ISBN 978147140219.
(Age: Teens) Recommended. When serial escapee William Drake is sent
to the 'Rig', a giant prison in the middle of the Arctic Ocean, he
is confident that it will only be one more step on the road to
freedom. However he is confronted by the most advanced prison system
ever developed; his every move is tracked by both man and machine.
And the rig is no normal prison because something strange is
happening to the inmates; some are disappearing and some are gaining
mysterious powers. All Drake knows is that he must escape. To escape
Drake will not only need to survive the sadistic guards and brutal
fellow inmates, but the Alliance, the syndicate who landed him in
prison, and their lethal biological experiments. His only hope of
escape is by
using every ounce of his skills and expertise and even that may not
be enough.
Like any good piece of science fiction this book raises at least one
philosophical question, in this case, about the ethics of
experimentation on humans. Another trait common amongst science
fiction that The rig possesses is a more action orientated
story line. The only negative point in the entire book is that it is
set at first in a believable futuristic world but later morphs into
a slightly fantastical one.
Joe Ducie is a relatively new author yet has released several good
books including the acclaimed Reminiscent Exile series. The
Rig is an enjoyable book with strong elements of science
fiction and seriousness.
(Alex Leuenberger, student)
