May Gibbs Children's Literature Trust Creative Time Fellowship by Jacqueline Harvey
I have just spent the past month in Adelaide, living in a gorgeous
little apartment affectionately known as The Burrow, in Osmond
Terrace, Norwood. Last year I applied for a Creative Time Residency
with the May Gibbs Children's Literature Trust and was thrilled to
learn that my application had been successful. I had thought about
applying in previous years but could never see my way clear to
having a month away from work. Since taking the huge step at the end
of 2012 to write full time, I was absolutely delighted to have this
opportunity.
Adelaide was completely new to me - and I have to say after a month,
it is now one of my favourite Australian cities. I love the ease
with which you can get around; traffic, what traffic? I really
enjoyed the cafe culture of The Parade in Norwood and on the couple
of occasions that I was able to venture further afield to the
Barossa Valley and Victor Harbour, I can attest to the fine wine and
food and stunning countryside.
The primary goal of the residency is to give children's writers and
illustrators a block of uninterrupted time to work on their craft.
There are also some opportunities to do school visits or work with
local libraries, earning a little bit of money along the way.
I went to Adelaide with the goal of finishing the draft for the
ninth instalment in my Alice-Miranda series, Alice-Miranda in
Japan. So there I was in Adelaide, writing about Tokyo and all
things Japanese. It was great to be able to write all day and into
the night if things were going well, or to take a walk around
Norwood, spellbound by the beautiful architecture and meeting
friendly folks along the way - including Boston, a little floppy
eared rabbit whose 7 year old owner, Abbey, takes for walks each
afternoon.
My four weeks were punctuated by events with the Norwood, Payneham
and St Peter's library, working with local schools; Norwood, East
Marden and East Adelaide and another event with the Glenelg library
and two of the Catholic schools nearer the coast. My publisher
arranged for me to do four book signings on Saturdays with; Dymocks
Rundle Mall, Dillons Norwood, Collins Edwardstown and lastly, on
national bookshop day I spent the morning at Mostly Books in
Mitcham. It was lovely to meet so many enthusiastic readers,
teachers, librarians and booksellers across the city.
I had the pleasure of meeting Pat Pledger and Fran Knight over
coffee and delicious cakes and I also spent time with Rebecca Bird
and James Williams from the legendary Pegi Williams Bookshop in
Walkerville.
A highlight of my time was an additional opportunity to visit
Griffin Press, where Random House (and numerous other publishers)
have their books printed. I had always wondered how books were made
- for me it was a bit of a magical process. You send the page proofs
back and 'voila' they return as a book. I wanted to be able to tell
children what really happens. And now I can. I was excited to see
the process but you can imagine how thrilled I was to learn that my
own books were being printed, collated, bound and packaged that very
afternoon. It was quite a surreal moment.
As a not for profit organisation, The May Gibbs Children's
Literature Trust relies heavily on the work of a volunteer
committee. This amazing band of women looked after me so well; with
airport and school visit transfers, food, coffee and friendship. I
cannot thank them enough and I am looking forward to seeing them all
again when I return to Adelaide for a book tour in 2014.
At the end of my time, I'd added 40,000 words to the manuscript and
ostensibly completed the draft. I've come home this week to lots of
reading and re-drafting but I was pleased to have achieved as much
as I did and thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to join the alumni
of Creative Time Fellows.
My Band by Elizabeth Lea
Ill. by Chantal Stewart. National Library of Australia, 2013. ISBN:
9780642277701.
(Ages: 4-6) Recommended. Nonfiction. Subjects: Music, Musical
Instruments. My Band by Elizabeth Lea and Chantal Stewart is a
great, lift the flap book that introduces the young reader to ten
different musical instruments explaining how they are played and
their musical family. Each double page spread starts with the same
question, a young girl asks, 'I'm off to play in the band. See if
you can guess which instrument I am going to play...'
On the opposite page on the front of the flaps are pictures showing
part of the instrument and the starting letter inviting children to
guess what is underneath.
The central band of colour across each page accentuates the text,
and the simple colourful illustrations of the young girl playing
each of the instruments are great visual cues for discussions about
bands, orchestras and music. At the end of this fact book are eight
projects for children to make their very own instruments with
everyday household objects. These instruments include panpipes, an
oboe and a tambourine.
This book is fun to read with the repetitive text, information
hidden under the flaps and great projects to make. This is a
great addition to the classroom, music room or home library.
Recommended for 4-6 years of age.
Rhyllis Bignell
Seventeen and Gone by Nova Ren Suma
Hardie Grant Egmont, 2013. ISBN 9781742976143.
(Ages: 14+) Seventeen and Gone is a chilling tale about
girls that go missing when they're 17 told through Nova Ren Suma's
poetic, evocative prose.
It's a story of one girl's devotion to finding out what has happened
to Abby, a girl found on a missing poster. It's also the story of
how that girl can lose herself in the process in this psychological
thriller.
Within its pages, we find out about Lauren's commitment to finding
out what happened to these missing girls, and she is the only one
who has the courage to wear on and look for what happened even when
their families and authorities have given up. Her perspective blurs
the lines of reality, one day she'd be in school and the next she'll
seeing spirits of the lost girls and they will be making her do
things.
The writing is poetic, chilling and beautiful, and captures the
heart of the novel perfectly. Through Nova Ren Suma's writing, we
experience the strange and confusing hallucinations and feelings
that the main character has as she slowly loses grip on her sanity.
I found Seventeen and Gone to be a thrilling adventure, with
its overarching mystery about what happened to Abby and the things
that were happening to Lauren in the process. I read the whole novel
in one day, because I was glued to this strange and haunting tale. Seventeen and Gone explores some very real issues, including
not giving up on missing persons (in particular, girls when they
turn 17) and the mentally unstable. It's certainly not a fluffy
read, but one that helps us to understand some darker issues in life
and may encourage others to reach out for help.
Jeann Wong
Flora's War by Pamela Rushby
Ford St Publishing, 2013. ISBN: 9781921665981.
Highly recommended for readers aged 13+. Between April 25 1915 and
January 9 1916, the Battle of Gallipoli, also known as the
Dardanelles Campaign, raged between British/French Allies and the
crumbling Ottoman Empire in modern day Turkey. It was a defining
moment for both sides but for Australia and New Zealand, arguably
the most significant military episode in their respective histories,
giving rise to an enduring national identity and the concept of the
ANZAC spirit. Since then there have been countless books,
discussions, films, articles and other retellings both fact and
fiction, of the tragic casualties suffered - a shocking almost 30,
000 Australian soldiers dead or wounded as a result of combat.
Pamela Rushby has previously explored through fiction and
nonfiction, Australia's part in significant wars, Ancient and Modern
Egypt and archaeology and in this new novel, combines all of these
ingredients to present a very different slant on the ANZAC story.
Flora is a young girl, newly transitioned from schoolgirl to young
woman, the daughter of a well-known Australian archaeologist who
enjoys an annual sojourn in Cairo, helping her father with his
current dig. In 1915 however, Cairo is a very different city
from all her previous visits, with endless rows of army tents,
drilling troops and dedicated young nurses in abundance. Far
from Flora's anticipation of a whirl of social engagements as newly
emerged 'young lady', within a very short time Cairo is hurled into
the bloody Dardanelles Campaign aftermath as waves of wounded
soldiers are transported from the Gallipoli battle- many of them in
near-fatal condition. The normal structure of hospitals and
nursing staff cannot cope with this flood of piteous survivors and
every possible building is commandeered to accommodate those who
recover and volunteers are hard pressed to transport and nurse them.
Flora's account of the Gallipoli tragedy is told compassionately and
provides the reader with a little known side to the well known
history of this disastrous military venture. The personal
relationships woven throughout the story lend depth and emotion to
the characters and their situations and the reader is drawn into the
atmosphere of the dark days they endured. The author has used
extensive research to provide solid factual recounts of the events.
This novel would make an extremely valuable addition to any
secondary library as well as a significant contribution to the study
of World War 1 and Australian Identity (ACARA Year 9 History
Strand).
Sue Warren
Sea Hearts by Margo Lanagan
Allen and Unwin, 2012. ISBN 9781742375052.
UK title: The Brides of Rollrock Island, David Fickling Books,
2012.
(Age 15+) Highly recommended. CBCA Winner Older readers, 2013,
Ditmar Award for Best Novel (2013), Aurealis Award Nominee for Young
Adult Novel (2012), Norma K Hemming Award (2013). Rollrock Island is
a small remote community where seals frequent the beaches. Strange
stories are secretly told of witches who have power over the seals
and of seal wives, beautiful women whose seal skins have been stolen
and who have married the fishermen on the island. Misskaella is a
tiny young girl, who is bullied by the island children and
overlooked by the young men. When she discovers that she has the
power to give the young men the seal bride that they so desire, the
consequences of this choice are far reaching.
Lanagan has taken this old Celtic folk tale and teased out the
emotions that face everyone when a young man buys himself an
irresistible sea-wife. Told from different viewpoints the reader is
taken along on a journey of desire, revenge, of loyalty and love and
of longing for the sea. The feelings of the husbands who are so
attracted to the seal women that they hide their skins where the
women can't find them are explored as well as the fathers who mourn
for their daughters who don't thrive on land and must be returned to
the sea. So are the feelings of the offspring, the young boys who
know how much their mams love them but how much they long for the
sea and the women who are abandoned by their husbands for the sea
wives. Even Misskaella's fate and grief as a result of her meetings
with the seal king is described poignantly although the reader can
have little sympathy for her manipulation of everyone's feelings as
she relentlessly pursues her revenge on the islanders.
This is beautifully written and rich tale that vividly showcases the
beauty and darkness of Lanagan's prose. The setting of Rollrock
Island sings to the reader, who can almost smell the sea water and
easily imagines the rocks, the fishing village and the isolation of
the community. Sea hearts is a story for the mature, imaginative reader who will
find much to stimulate discussion and thought in its themes and
authorship.
Pat Pledger
The top team by Sally Rippin
Ill. by Stephanie Spartels. Hey Jack series. Hardie Grant
Egmont, 2013. ISBN 9781742975429
(Age: 5-7) Highly recommended. School Life. Friendship. Cooperation.
Competition. The top team is the latest chapter book in
Sally Rippin's Hey Jack series. In each story Jack is
introduced by the emotions he's feeling; here he's grouchy. A black
and white sketch of Jack with clenched fists, a big frown and angry
thoughts illustrate his mood. Jack is angry because the teacher Ms.
Milton hasn't paired Jack with his best friend Billie B. Brown (star
of her own series.) He's paired instead with Alex who is much better
at Maths than Jack. They both learn to cooperate and encourage each
other with the daily lessons.
The books are easy to read with the large font and simple sentences,
making them a great beginning chapter book for emergent readers.
Sally Rippin adds values and life lessons in each story. In The
top team both Jack and Alex learn teamwork, cooperation and
the need to value each other's strengths. The black-and-white
illustrations bring life to Jack and his classmates and add insight
into their emotions.
These books are a favourite at school and are highly recommended for
5-7 year olds. These books are targeted to the boy reader; however
they can be enjoyed by everyone. They are great to read to a class
and can stimulate healthy discussions on moods, emotions and values.
Rhyllis Bignell
The demon trappers series by Jana Oliver
Macmillan, 2013. ISBN 9781447241744.
(Age: 15+) This volume has two books under the one cover: Forsaken
and Forbidden, book 1 and book 2 of The demon trappers
series. There are two other books in the series, Forgiven
and Foretold. On the back it states 'For older readers'.
The books revolve around the story of Riley Blackthorne, who has
always wanted to be a Demon Trapper like her father who goes hunting
demons with his sidekick, Beck. In the first book she is training as
an apprentice Demon Trapper which, with school, takes up all her
time. When younger she had had a huge crush on Beck but her
interests now lie with Simon a fellow apprentice. When a Grade Five
Geo-Fiend confronts Riley at the library and her world crashes
around her, she takes on a massive struggle again the demons. The
second book continues the saga with Riley growing in skill and
confidence as a Demon Trapper.
This is an exciting start to the series. Riley is a strong heroine
who has to grow up in a hurry. Her fights with the demons are
exciting and the world building is well done. Supporting characters
are well rounded and the action is more important than the
inevitable love triangle.
An easy to read, quite addictive duo of books that is pure escapism
and will be enjoyed by readers who like this genre featuring demons.
Pat Pledger
Zombelina by Kristyn Crow
Ill. by Molly Idle. Bloomsbury, 2013. ISBN 9780802728043.
(Age: 4+) Picture book. Zombies. Humour. Family. Zombelina
loves to dance. She dances with a spectre, dances like a ghost,
wiggles with werewolves and boogies with bats, but more than
anything she loves dancing for her family, her mother, the witch,
her father and brother, both vampires. In their house at Twisted Tree
Lane are all the things which make up ghost and scary stories, which
readers will love to find in the colourful illustrations.
Sometimes when Zombelina gets engrossed in her dancing, parts of her
body come off, and a leg may end up in the air but she keeps going.
Mum and Dad enroll her in a real ballet school, buying her all the
accoutrements which she will need as a ballet student.
She practices with all her might, until on the night all the girls
are arranged on the stage, she comes down with stage fright, and
cannot move.
But no worries, her parents save the day in this endearing look at
family love and support.
Girls particularly will enjoy reading about this little girl and her
attempts to learn ballet, and boys will love the background of the
house at Twisted Tree Lane.
Fran Knight
Mucked up by Danny Katz
Allen & Unwin 2013. ISBN 9781742379258.
Tom is trying to survive Muck Up Day at his school when the Year 12s
return to create havoc in the school with toilet paper, super
soakers filled with fish sauce, eggs and various other unpleasant
things as well as a baby pig.
The story is written from Tom's point of view as a Year 9 student,
it is also filled with cartoon style pictures and maps. This I
think is one of the problems with the book. In design and
layout it appears more suitable for a younger audience than the
actual story suggests. Whilst some of the episodes are
undoubtedly funny, especially the baby pig, others are less so, and
the so called pranks of the Year 12s appear to be little more than
mindless vandalism with little regard for the safety of students or
care for facilities. The school staff also seem to be
incapable of preventing what is happening and in the end are
somewhat of a caricature that I found distinctly not funny.
I have trouble deciding where this book would fit in the
library. The layout and humour suggests younger students
whereas the content is more suited to middle school readers.
David Rayner
Beauty and the beat by Kate Forster
Smitten series. Hardie Grant Egmont, Richmond, 2013. ISBN
9781742972541.
(Age: 16+) This novel is a pleasant enough foray into the romance
genre but hardly groundbreaking. Somewhat formulaic in style,
plotting and characterisation, we know from the opening chapter that
the 'Princess Perfect' Mia and the 'bad-boy' Rob will be together by
novel's end because they so clearly can't stand each other as they
make eye contact across the crowded hall at their school assembly.
This is pretty standard Mills and Boon territory. Or maybe it is
simply following the script of the musicals that Mia adores (and Rob
despises)? For music forms the background to these characters' lives
and to the storyline.
Of course, we soon discover that neither character is quite as the
other one assumes them to be: beneath her Princess Perfect facade,
Mia is a bundle of self-doubt with a serious anorexia problem whilst
Rob isn't so much a bad boy as an understandably angry young man,
due to family grief. Both find solace in music and eventually, in
each other's arms.
Bossy Mia may not be the most likeable girl at the opening of the
novel but readers are sure to be smitten by hunky Rob with his
smirk, his sadness and his hidden kind heart. His responsible
approach to sex is sure to win some hearts too.
For teenage girls looking for a light romantic novel with plenty of
pop culture and musical references, this story will no doubt provide
an entertaining read.
Deborah Marshall
Chook Chook: Little and Lo in the city by Wai Chin
University of Queensland Press, 2013. ISBN: 9780702249754.
(Age: 7-9) Highly recommended. Family Life. Pets. Modern
China - social customs. Chook Chook: Little and Lo in the city is author Wai Chim's second
story set in rural China. Mei Lin's pet chicken Little and her
rooster Lo now live happily on the farm after their previous
misadventures. She loves watching them dance and is very protective
of them. After the death of her father, her brother Guo is
struggling to cope with looking after their farm and her mother Ma
is finding life difficult. Mei Lin's happiness is threatened when Ma
decides to marry the one-eyed local butcher Jin. After the wedding
life changes on their farm, smoked pigs are stored in the cellar and
an aggressive rooster Itchy causes problems in the chicken house.
What is Mei-Lin's only course of action? She runs away to the city
to find her brother Guo who is now studying at university.
Along the way she meets street-wise orphan Cap who helps her
navigate the dramas of train travel and city life. Little and Lo
play an important role in the resolution of this narrative.
The Chinese country and Guangzhou city setting of this junior novel
add a unique backdrop for the action. Each of the characters Mei Lin
encounters have universal qualities that the reader can understand
like kindness and helpfulness - Cap and the old woman on the train,
or authoritarian like Professor Law. They also are quintessentially
Chinese.
I would highly recommend this novel for readers from 7-9 years of
age. This novel provides the reader with a slice of Chinese life
with adventure, family dramas, pet chickens and a feisty young girl
protagonist.
Rhyllis Bignell
Possum magic animals by Mem Fox and Julie Vivas
Scholastic, 2013. ISBN 9781862919730.
(Age: 0-3) Recommended. Board Book. This little book has
beautiful illustrations of the animals from Possum Magic. Julie
Vivas' delightful illustrations are a joy to examine, the faces of
the birds and animals just gorgeous to look at.
It is a sturdy treasure that would be a delight to give to babies as
a gift, but also very useful for the young child who might like to
trace the large words with their fingers as they learn the names of
Australian animals like possum, snake, kangaroo, dingo, emu,
echnida, wombat, koalas, kookaburras, and then end the book with the
words, friends and good night!
Pat Pledger
Broken melody by Trudy Adams
Wombat Books, 2013. ISBN 9781922074911
(Age: 13+) Broken melody is the first person recount of a
17yr old's physical, emotional and psychological abuse at the hands
of her foster parents. While friends and teachers commiserate and
boost Danae's self-esteem, conversely, her foster parents are really
villains and her foster siblings also damaged.
Danae Blackburn, the narrator and main character learns to play the
piano exceptionally well with little instruction and an almost total
absence of self-esteem.
The healing power of music and Danae's newfound religious faith
sustain her through a great many complications in her bid to win a
national music competition. The plot has sufficient twists and turns
although they are entirely predictable and when combined with the
didactic narration, events unfortunately contribute to our overall
disbelief. The janus-faced foster parents are complex and
believable, but the novel itself fails to haunt us.
Young Adult readers will ultimately decide whether Broken melody
aligns with Trudy Adam's intention as expressed on her Christian
publisher's website, 'I wanted to explore the battlefield that takes
place in a person's mind when they have been consistently told they
are 'nothing' or 'worthless'. Having worked with young people for
almost four years, I also wanted to create a story that was relevant
to the current generation.'
Deborah Robins
Snowy and snuffles ill. by Felicity Gardner
Lothian, 2013. ISBN 9780734413888.
(Age: 4+) Picture book. Friendship. This slight story of two wombat
joeys is all about friendship and doing things together. But Snowy
does some terrible things, stretching the bounds of friendship and
family life, and I would think their mother's patience. Snowy
upturns his food bowl on Snuffle's head, covers him with water in
the bathroom, tips him off the swing in the park, and when he messes
up the art room, he is made to clean it up, mother baking a cake for
the two when the chore is finished.
Despite all that Snowy does to Snuffles, he is still his best
friend, and they do everything together. The thrust of the tale is
that they are very different and can still be best of friends. The
soft illustrations reflect the Australian wombat well, including a
rare white wombat. For those readers with a sibling who is very
different from themselves this will strike a chord, and for those
wanting a tale about a family with some chaos then this may be
appropriate. The humour in the tale is reflected in the
illustrations.
I seem to be seeing more of these sorts of books, where there is no
author, simply an illustrator acknowledged. Why the anonymity? It
seems very odd to me. Perhaps it is someone in the publishing house?
Fran Knight
The big dry by Tony Davis
HarperCollins, 2013. ISBN: 9780732297633.
(Age: 12-14) Highly recommended. The harsh drought-stricken
landscape totally dominates the lives of thirteen year old George
and his younger brother Beeper. They are desperately trying to
survive after their father fails to return from a shopping trip.
Blasters, strong destructive winds, cause havoc, buildings crack and
crumble, invasive red dust seeps into the houses and water is
scarce. In this dystopian environment that has lasted for years,
people have developed violent survivalist skills, selling water,
stealing food and turning in abandoned children to the Welfare
Authorities.
George and his brother decide to leave the safety of their house and
search in vain for their father. On their return a strange girl has
invaded their space and threatens their very existence. She is
more worldly wise and has developed skills of self protection. Emily
challenges their thinking and confronts George's distorted view of
reality. Their reclusive neighbour Mr. Carey and the rabbitoh man
also aid in the boys' survival.
Powerful imagery and a driven plot take the reader on a journey
through a tough reality. Measured phrases, gritty internal dialogue
and unanswered questions add to the tension of the author's
narrative.
I would highly recommend this novel for readers 12-14 years of
age. As a class novel, students could discuss the impact of the
climate change and drought, the development of survival skills and
the need for self preservation.
Read this novel with a glass of fresh cool water, valuing each drop!
Rhyllis Bignell
