Throne of glass bk 2. Bloomsbury, 2013. ISBN 9781408834947.
(Age: Teenage - Adult) Recommended. Celaena Sardothien is firmly
ensconced as the King's Assassin in this sequel to Throne of
Glass and she is as invincible as ever. Every deadly
assignment ends in success but whose severed heads are being thrown
at the King's feet? While Celaena's wealth and fame swells in the
service of a King she despises, she is secretly trying to discover
the source of the King of Adarlan's power. Her kindred spirit,
Princess Nehemia, helps her to decipher Wyrdmarks, riddles and
genealogies in order to explore the ancient Fae Queen's Tomb and the
catacombs under the castle for answers. The King's son and her
admirer, Dorian, has problems of his own, trying to conceal his
newfound magical powers, years after his tyrannical father has
supposedly eliminated magic from the realm.
When her closest male counterpart Chaol, the captain of the guard,
returns her love, Celeana's sexual awakening distracts her from
guarding the princess with dreadful consequences for the four
friends and the kingdom of Eyllwe.
Grief stricken, Celaena must re-assess her plans for freedom in
order to continue Nehema's legacy but not before Chaol discovers his
sweetheart's true identity when once again Celaena clashes with the
King's dark forces.
Fans of fantasy will continue to be awestruck by the clashes between
these fanciful ancient realms through the eyes of such a capable
heroine.
Deborah Robins
The Grace stories: 4 books in one by Sofie Laguna
Our Australian girl series. Penguin, 2013. ISBN
9780670077540.
(Age: 9+) Recommended. Australian history. Convicts. Following the
great success of the Our Australian girl series, in which
four books were published about the life of a girl in a specific
time in Australia's history, Penguin has now released the first of
the four books in one smart, hard back volume, complete with a
safety catch.
The story of Grace, a young girl forced to live as a mudlark in the
edges of the Thames River in London, becomes one of the convict
lasses sent to Australia in 1808 when she steals an apple to give to
a starving horse in the streets. The first of the four stories
follows her life aboard the convict ship, then we see her become
friendly with another girl, arriving in Sydney Town to be sent as a
servant to a household in the Blue Mountains, where she befriends
the wife of the farmer. Her adventure parallels those of many young
girls sent to live and work in Australia as convicts, and readers
will gain an insight to the privations of their lives in the early
years of this colony. The series is supported by an extensive website which
offers the readers and teachers a range of activities.
These books serve as a neat introduction to Australia's early
history and the publication of the books in a single volume will be
most attractive to the girls for whom these books speak volumes.
Grace is a level headed, hard working young girl, who takes the
opportunities offered her, despite the initial mistrust of the
farmer. But it is her determination that wins him over in the end
securing a place for herself within a family.
Fran Knight
The Octopuppy by Martin McKenna
Omnibus Books, 2013. ISBN 9781742990156.
This book is highly recommended for all ages. The Octopuppy is a
lovely story reminding us all about how important it is to love
someone for what or who they are and what they can do. Edgar wants a
puppy but received Jarvis the octopus instead. Edgar goes about
trying to teach Jarvis how to be a dog but Edgar is too smart. Why
play dead when you can dress up like a mummy and scare everyone!
Jarvis is just too smart. Edgar enters Jarvis in a dog competition
but things don't go well and Jarvis leaves. Edgar comes to realise
just how great Jarvis was. 'You don't know what you have got until
it is gone' is very true and a great lesson to be learned in this
story. How will Edgar prove he is a good friend and get Jarvis back?
This picture book has lovely illustrations that really tell the
story. The small amount of text only enhances the illustrations,
making this a great book to read to students/children, encourage
discussion and show how important illustrations can be.
Kylie Kempster
Spooked! by Susannah McFarlane
EJ12 Girl Hero bk 17. Lemonfizz Media, 2013. ISBN:
9781921931505.
Highly recommended for readers from 8-10 years of age. Themes:
Girls, Spies, Mysteries, Heroes, Detective Stories. Spooked is the seventeenth novel in this extremely popular
series featuring Special Agent Emma Jacks EJ12 and her Shine Stars
team. This exciting adventure takes place amongst the English
landscape with haunted castles, stolen treasure and scary night
missions for the girls. Emma Jacks and her friends Hannah and Isi
farewell their friend Elle and fellow Shine Academy spy who is off
to live in England with her family, however they soon met up on
again.
At the stroke of midnight in different castles all over England,
centuries-old precious coins have been stolen. The Shine Stars team
need all their specialised skills to foil the biggest SHADOW plot so
far. Emma is called upon to overcome her fears and confidently lead
her team in this frightening night mission.
Susannah McFarlane's EJ12 series books are keenly
anticipated and this novel once again delivers the fast-past spy
story the reader loves. Emma's resilience against the enemy and the
team's resolve to work out the ghostly problems make this an
exciting addition to the series.
Rhyllis Bignell
Blue Exorcist vol.1 by Kazue Kato
Shonen Jump Advanced Manga Edition. English adaptation by John
Werry. VIZ Media USA. ISBN 9781421540320. (First published as Ao No
Exorcist, 2009. Shueisha Inc. Tokyo).
(Age: Older teen) Rin and Yukio Fukimura, raised in a boys'
monastery by famous exorcist Shiro Fujimoto, are twins but they
couldn't be more different. Hot headed Rin is always in trouble
getting into fights while Yukio is studious and has entered the
prestigious True Cross Academy and is a trained exorcist. When Rin
starts to see demons it is revealed to him that he is the bastard
child of Satan, living between the mirror image realms of demons
(Gehenna) and humans (Assiah) and unlike Yukio, he has inherited
demonic powers. As he approaches adulthood he is increasingly sought
out by demons and when Satan kills Father Fujimoto who was trying to
protect him, Rin vows to control his demonic nature and defeat Satan
by becoming an exorcist himself.
As the first of many serialised chapters there is necessarily a lot
of character development but there are some great action scenes too.
Kato's drawings are dynamic and maintain interest throughout, she
also incorporates humour, preventing the story becoming too dark;
one of the demons seems to be made of pansies! This book, containing
chapters 1 and 2 will appeal to Manga fans of all ages. There are
links to additional material on the web and it has been made into an
Anime film. The rest of the series can be read online through
websites such as Manga Panda, Manga Fox or Manga Reader, though
searching using the original title 'Ao No' will yield more results.
Sue Speck
My merry Christmas by Rosie Smith
Ill. by Bruce Whatley. Scholastic, 2013. ISBN 9781742838014.
(Age: 3+) Recommended. Christmas, Family. In about 40 beautifully
chosen words, Rosie Smith presents the value of Christmas to us all.
The customs we all follow are there, from getting the tree, to
decorating it, making the cake, wrapping the presents, but the
main thing is that we are all together. All through the book is the
build up to the merry day where the family and friends come together
to celebrate their day. The first and last pages repeat the refrain
'When Christmas comes', reiterating the fact that that day is
repeated, and the same things happen, re-enforcing the value of
celebrating together.
Whatley's joyous illustrations underline the fact of family and
friends coming together, as the reindeer on the front cover invites
the reader to open the strikingly red coloured book. He is followed
by a woodpecker and mouse selecting a tree, while on the next page
we see the giraffe and small bird decorating it. There follows a
pair of animals on every page playing some part in the lead up to
Christmas, and on the second to last page they are all there,
together, celebrating.
This is a gloriously told story, one which will invite children to
share what their families do at Christmas, inviting children to look
and see what others do, giving
a list of customs which can be shared and discussed. The
illustrations will entreat and delight younger readers, as they
recognise the animal pictured, as well as the custom
presented.
Fran Knight
Redcap's Christmas by Susan Cason
Omnibus Books, 2013. ISBN 9781742990217.
(Age 10+) Redcap's Christmas is a cute tale about an elf and
his dream of working for Santa. Recap travels to the North Pole and
by chance (and by using his fixing skills) lands a job in Santa's
Workshop. Each chapter is a small adventure on its own, starring
Recap and his ability to make sure everything turns out right. When
the North Wind blows out the lights, Redcap solves the problem. When
it is time to choose a present for Santa, Redcap comes to the
rescue. When a troll tries to stop Recap and his friend, Recap
solves the problem. Recap's Christmas is an appealing hardcover story, perfect
for adults to read to children and good for independent readers aged
10+. It is a quick moving, easy to follow story and uses some
illustrations to tell the story. It is fun to see how Redcap will
save the day, proving that working hard is the best way to achieve
your goals.
Kylie Kempster
Moving among strangers: Randolph Stow and my family by Gabrielle Carey
University of Queensland Press, 2013. ISBN 9780702249921.
(Age: Senior Secondary) Gabrielle Carey has written an intriguing
and unusual investigative memoir, which explores the life of
Australian writer, Randolph Stow, through a rather tenuous link she
has made after reading a few pieces of correspondence that Stow
shared with Carey's mother. The reasons for setting off on a quest
to discover more about Stow is not very clear but what follows is an
insightful picture of a man who, after great literary success,
uproots and leaves Australia for England, where he lives out the
rest of his days. With her journey Carey discovers details about her
mother's life that she did not previously know and, consequently,
she explores the relationships she has with her sister, father and
the extended family. Carey's life is not unlike Stow's in many ways.
She achieved great fame with Kathy Lette for Puberty Blues
(1979), moving on to write more about the spiritual. She undertakes
a journey, which will also help her come to terms with the loss she
has suffered through family. Stow was bitter about the Australia's
inability to care for its indigenous people as well as its failure
to appreciate his work and artistic life in general.
Considerable space is given to analysing Stow's stories, not in a
deep literary sense, but almost in passing, which gives the reader a
wonderful overview of his work. There is little in print now,
although The Merry-Go-Round in the Sea (1965) is readily
available. (Midnite is another story this reader would like
to revisit). As well as recalling his letters, Carey quotes such
memorable lines from Stow's stories, that we wonder why his name has
been rather lost to time. Hopefully, this book of Carey's will renew
interest in such a writer of vision and beauty. Its great value lies
too, in showing how stories come about from finding connections
between people and places. Moving Among Strangers will be of great interest to more able
school students who are also interested in discovering more about
out writers and the Australian literary tradition.
Julie Wells
Jodie : this is the book of you by Randa Abdel-Fattah
Omnibus Books, 2013. ISBN 9781742990101.
(Age 11+) Highly recommended. Jodie: this is the book of you tells
the story of a Year 6 student, Jodie, as she comes to terms with
divorce and being part of her Dad's new family. Jodie and her
friends discover what seems to be a magical book in which cryptic
poems appear. Jodie feels connected to the original owner of the
book and uses the poems to guide her jumbled life. Jodie tries to
break up her Dad's new relationship, feels guilty about feeling
happy with her Dad's new family and finally interprets one of the
poems in a positive way. This interpretation helps her forge a
better relationship with her new stepsister and makes her realise
they are more alike than she knew. Jodie: this is the book of you is an inspiring story of a young
girl's refusal to let bullies put her down while tackling topics
that are relevant to many children today. It is easy to read and is
highly recommended for girls aged 11+.
Kylie Kempster
Slave of the Lamp by Paula Fogarty
DoctorZed Publishing, 2013. ISBN 9780987345271.
(Age: 11+) Slave of the Lamp is the story of Rufus and his decision
to get a job - the only way he will ever get his new computer! Rufus
is hired by a genie to go back in time and help out heroes
from the past. This story brings characters such as Aladdin, Theseus
(from Greek history) and Sinbad to life. During the school holidays,
it is Rufus's job to help the heroes. They call him by rubbing the
lamp. Rufus enjoys the adventures despite some of the dangers. Slave
of the Lamp is descriptive and full of adventure. It would be
enjoyed by girls and boys aged 11+ and is a great way for children
to read about these classic characters as a boy from modern times
helps them out.
Kylie Kempster
Don't Wake the Troll by Ben Kitchin
Koala Books, 2013. ISBN 9781742760605.
The text is aimed at readers aged 7+ but it is highly recommended
for everyone. Don't Wake the Troll is the story of a group of
dwarfs determined to get their treasure back from the troll who
stole it. The author uses descriptive language and humour to make it
funny and engaging. As the dwarfs get closer and closer to the
troll they realise how much noise they are making. The dwarfs stop
their noise but will a single gold coin be their undoing?
This is a great story to introduce narrative writing in the class and the
use of adjectives is a good way to model how children can engage
their readers more. The illustrations are cute and could be used to
help children with their writing. It is also appealing to many ages
- parents to read to their children or older children to read alone.
Kylie Kempster
The great granny gang by Judith Kerr
HarperCollins, 2013. ISBN 9780007467921.
(Age 3+) Recommended. What a wonderful fun look at great grannies,
the youngest eighty-two. They get up to all sorts of capers,
including babysitting a crocodile, taming lions, repairing chimneys
and going ballooning. When a gang steals all the goodies from a
baker, the granny gang comes to the rescue and stops the thieves.
Told in rhymes, this is a glorious celebration of older women and
this time of great grannies, rather than the usual grandmas found in
picture books. They do dangerous and daring things and all are still
active and on the job. Their exploits are humorous and often
dangerous, but can bring a smile to the face. They completely rout
the gang of young boys, who repent their wrong doing, and then they
enjoy the fruits of their endeavour - lots of yummy looking cakes
made by the baker's mother, another great granny.
The illustrations are in soft pastels, with each granny having a
distinct character and clothing. The animals are equally individual
and the crocodile with its wide grin is particularly appealing.
This is a book to read aloud and to celebrate the fact that great
grannies can be amazing.
Pat Pledger
Bitter Wash Road by Garry Disher
Text, 2013. ISBN 9781922079244. Recommended for older readers. Bitter Wash Road adds to Garry
Disher's growing reputation as a writer of crime fiction. The novel
is set in thinly disguised towns in South Australia's mid-north.
Hirsch, or Constable Hirschhausen, is in exile from the city and his
career seems to be in abeyance because he has given evidence against
a corrupt officer and is suspected of being corrupt himself. His
life seems to be threatened as a cardinal rule of the force is that
police do not grass on fellow police. Hirsch quickly learns that his
colleagues in Redruth are not to be trusted and do not trust him.
They also seem to be involved in a number of crimes, some petty but
some not. He survives an attempt to set him up and an official
enquiry, and is then asked to investigate in secret an under-age sex
ring. When a young girl is found dead by the side of the Barrier
highway Hirsch wonders about her possible involvement. He is also
suspicious about the supposed suicide of a farmer's wife, and the
possible involvement of the police officers who seem overly keen to
claim the death as suicide. Meanwhile he becomes established in his
small community as someone who cares and wants to be positively
involved in community life. As Hirsch builds trust he learns more
about the victims and the power brokers in the area, and it becomes
clear that the deaths are connected. The plot is resolved in a
suspense filled scene when Hirsch is confronted by a .303 armed trio
who have decided that the easiest way out is to kill him and dump
his body down a mine shaft. He is of course saved but in an
unexpected way, and in the course of tying up the loose threads
learns some unexpected truths about his sergeant. The plot is
tightly woven and the characters believable while not totally
predictable. Hirsch, an incorruptible but not infallible policeman,
is dealt with warmly. Another strength is the description of the
landscape which is understated but accurate, and lyrical without
being obtrusive. The novel is recommended for older readers.
Jenny Hamilton
Banjo Paterson Treasury by Banjo Paterson
Ill. by Oslo Davis. Random House, 2013. ISBN 9780857980069.
I confess. I am an unabashed fan of Banjo Paterson.
Since being introduced to his work as a newly arrived immigrant by
being enthralled with the movie 'The man from Snowy River' (the only
movie I have ever seen where the audience sat through the credits
and then applauded), I have loved his work to the extent that when I
sorted my CD collection recently, I found I had three sets of the
works by Wallis and Matilda who have set many of the poems to music.
The first lines of so many are so familiar... 'Once a jolly swagman
camped by a billabong', 'I had written him a letter', 'There was
movement at the station', 'Twas Mulga Bill from Eaglehawk that
caught the cycling craze', and each is featured in this treasury as
well as a host of not-so-familiar poems, illustrated by
cartoonist Oslo Davis.
Because of my passion, many of my students found themselves
exploring the works too, and more than one listed Paterson as their
favourite poet. Apart from the beauty of the language, the
stories they tell and the insight into the life of the times, I
found the poems made perfect introductions for a whole range of
lessons whether it was Year 3 putting their own illustrations to
'Waltzing Matilda' and 'Mulga Bill's bicycle', using 'The man from
Snowy River' as the catalyst for an investigation into the situation
of brumbies in Australia's high country, or stirring up a debate
amongst teacher education students at the Australian Catholic
University by asking if the little fellow in 'A bush christening'
was any less christened than one who had gone through a formal
church ceremony!
Paterson's works are part of the Australian heritage and psyche and
this latest collection in its paperback or ebook format is perfect
in size and price to keep with you at all times so you can delve
into them for pure pleasure or you can share them with the next
generation who need to know these words.
Barbara Braxton
Colour for curlews by Renee Treml
Random House, 2013. ISBN 9781742759210.
Two somewhat drab but curious curlews find an artist's brush and
some paint, and run off with yellow, red and blue. It's not
long before they are no longer drab. Then Bowerbird gets busy
with the blue paint, and Brolga with the red and suddenly this trend
has gone viral! So many colours and so much fun, and off they
go to show their friends. Then along comes the very tired
wombat from Renee's first book and puts his body down for a nap,
right where the paints have all merged into a brown puddle.
But those curious curlews that caused him so much grief in that
first book come back... and they have paint
brushes!!!
Ms Treml seems to have her finger on just what makes a great picture
book for younger readers. Rhythmic, rhyming text, colour,
humour, fun, an ending that leaves room for the imagination and some
tidbits about the birds is the bonus and could lead to an
interesting investigation of why birds have colours, and how there
were so many variations from just three tubes of paint.
Living where I do, I see a range of beautifully coloured birds every
day - they have certainly dipped into a paint palette as rich as Ms
Treml's imagination!
Barbara Braxton
