Walker Books, 2013. ISBN 9781406341386.
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Historical. Crime. Confined to an workhouse
but bullied and beaten because of his appearance, the child called
Wild Boy is eventually taken away by a Showman, a circus owner who
has a Freak Show as part of his entertainment. It is London, 1841,
and a boy covered in hair, wild and snarling at all who come near
him is just what Finch needs to draw the crowds.
But one night, Wild Boy witnesses a murder, and crying for help he
runs into the circus tent, a place forbidden to the likes of him,
covered in blood and is instantly accused of the murder. Locked in a
cage, he is helped to get out by the ringmaster's daughter,
Clarissa, a girl who, like him, is beaten, and together they make
their escape. Found by Sir Oswald, another in the freak show because
of his amputated legs, Wild Boy is nursed back to health, and with
Clarissa, who he still cannot trust, they decide that they must find
the killer, or be hanged for the murder.
An exciting crime story for middle school readers, the setting is
creepily authentic, from the workhouse to the freak show in the
circus to the summary justice about to be handed out to the boy by
the mob, convinced that he is the murderer.
A page turner that will have wide appeal, having a male and female
as the main characters, the harsh background of the lives of these
children is ever present, and the violence with which they must deal
is at times overwhelming. A second in the series is to come, Wild
boy and the black terror.
Fran Knight
A diplodocus trampled my teepee by Nick Falk
Ill. by Tony Flowers. Saurus Street 6. Random House, 2013. ISBN
9780857981844.
(Age: 6-8) Recommended. Dinosaurs. Adventures. Pirates. Camping.
'He who finds my eye and says my name three times will bring my
bones back to life' - Captain Saurus pirate dinosaur
Dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures rapidly take over this sixth
novel in the Saurus Street series. Jack's Dad and his scary sixteen
year old sister Saffi take the boys camping in a giant teepee at Camp
Saurus. Jack finds some great beach treasures but unfortunately one of
them is legendary Captain Saurus's magic eyeball that brings fossils
to life! When Saffi accidentally unleashes the scary pirate's curse
their wild ride begins.
The fun starts with an extremely humorous event, a ferocious
feathered chicken-lizard microraptor causing havoc, eating sleeping
bags, Saffi's clothes and swallowing socks. Everyone's reactions to
the intruder are drawn with great comic style that compliments the
text and the fun font styles and sizes.
Next Captain Saurus's diplodocus causes chaos, leaving poor
Dad unconscious and the three campers cowering in a cave. With Toby
wearing the magic eyeball attached by Saffi's elastic hair band,
they search for the pirate captain's secret hiding place.
Encountering snarling deinonychuses, riding on the comfy back of an
ankylosaurus, falling into a chasm under the earth and coming face
to face with One-Eyed Rex are all part of the fun.
This is a great addition to the Saurus Street series as Nick Falk
packs this younger reader's novel full of humour, exploits and crazy
dinosaur antics. This is just the right formula for 6-8 year old
boys from who love these fast-paced adventures. Tony Flowers grey
and black pen and ink cartoon illustrations bring the characters to
life and add to the fun and pace of this novel.
Rhyllis Bignell
How to babysit a Grandad by Jean Reagan
Ill. by Lee Wildish. Hodder, 2013. ISBN 9781444915884.
(Age: 4+) Warmly recommended. Picture book. Grandparents.
Babysitting. This is a warm and loving expose of what happens when
Grandad comes to babysit, when the child thinks he is babysitting
his grandfather. Within the pages of this highly entertaining book
are listed all the things the child does to keep his grandfather
amused for the day.
He hides when his grandfather is about to to appear, then when his
parents leave, the two snack, they play dress ups, go for a walk,
then play. After this Grandad falls asleep in the arm chair,
allowing the lad enough time to make some drawings for him to take
home.
All the while the two interact and play together, and then when it
is time for the parents to return, the pair pack all the toys they
have spread around the house, back into the toy box.
The charming illustrations underline the text, showing a loving
relationship between the boy and his grandfather, the pair playing
together while the parents are away, making decisions about what to
do next, then cleaning up after themselves. Grandfather is as all
grandparents should be, accommodating, fearless and available, and
the twist of the child looking after his grandfather, gives an
underlying layer of humour to the whole.
Fran Knight
Horrendo's curse by Anna Fienberg
Ill. by Remy Simard. Allen and Unwin, 2013. ISBN 9781743315262
(Age: 8-10) Graphic Novel. Problem-solving. Pirates.
Adventures. Risk taking.
Anna Fienberg's novel for younger readers, originally published in
2002, is now a rambunctious graphic novel.
As a baby Horrendo was cursed by a wise woman and he's unable to be
rude to anyone. In his village, the boys who turn twelve are
captured by rough pirates and turned into slaves, and for the next two
years they are harshly treated. This brings about a difficult
predicament for Horrendo as he can't fight or swear during his
captivity.
This colourful graphic novel begins with Horrendo's twelfth
birthday, surrounded by party goers taunting him with rude remarks
and caustic comments about the upcoming dirtiest chapter of his
life, his time with the fearsome pirates. Each speech bubble is
filled with dire warnings and consequences.
When he is inescapably caught he takes on the role of cooking,
something he's skilled at, and makes them French toast and soup.
Whilst the crew love his food that is a vast change from old catfish
and jellied eels, the pirate captain is extremely unhappy with
Horrendo.
It's a fun re-release of this favourite story as a graphic novel.
All the adventure, slightly gross humour and pirate antics make this
a great read. Remy Simard's art is bright, bold and his style
emphasizes the character's unique expressions, exaggerated actions
and strong character attitudes. Fienberg's messages of respect for
differences, cooperation and friendship are still current. A great
read for eight years to ten years of age.
Rhyllis Bignell
The screaming staircase by Jonathan Stroud
Lockwood & Co. bk 1. Random House Australia, 2013. ISBN
9780857532022
Highly recommended for readers from 10 onwards. This new series from
Jonathan Stroud is the first since the Bartimaeus Sequence which
sold over six million copies, and was translated in over 35
languages. The fact that Universal Studios has already picked up the
film rights to Lockwood & Co. is an indicator of the enthusiasm
this new series should generate.
In a London that echoes a steampunk feel, Lockwood & Co. are... well, they are ghost busters! The populace is gripped in a plague
of pesky poltergeists, spooky spectres, appalling apparitions,
loathsome lurkers - pretty sure you get the picture. This
supernatural pestilence has been creating havoc for forty years and
sales of lavender (a well known deterrent), salt (ditto) and iron or
silver wards (charms hung about the person or home) have
skyrocketed.
Among the many businesses which have been set up to offer protection
against these unwelcome visitors, possibly the most unprepossessing
is Lockwood & Co. The charming Anthony Lockwood is the
proprietor and employs a nerdy sidekick named George and most
lately, a skilful psychic investigator called Lucy Carlyle. While
only children can see the Visitors (the Talent) and so therefore are
those employed by all such agencies, Lockwood & Co. is somewhat
unusual in that it is completely without any adult supervisors - a
situation that can create a little doubt in some of their clients.
Throughout, the determined trio manage to set a house on fire,
release dangerous spirits, send the company bust, incur the wrath of
the DEPREC (Department of Psychical Research and Control, a
government agency, which monitors the various agencies and works
closely with the police) and generally find themselves more than
once in real bother. However, in the spirit of all great
adventurers, they turn the tables entirely when they solve not only
a long standing Haunting but also a nasty murder, winning kudos (and
financial solvency) all round.
With some wonderful humour, enough spookiness to be entertaining,
some tense moments dealing with more difficult Visitors and, most of
all, a terrific plot, Stroud has produced a real winner with this new
novel.
Sue Warren
The whole of my world by Nicole Hayes
Woolshed Press, 2013. ISBN 9781742758602.
(Age: 14+) In a highly commended debut novel Nicole Hayes has taken
her own personal teenage obsession with footy (Australian rules
football) and woven a strong resonating story of Shelley, a
Melbourne girl who is struggling to come to terms with the changes
in her life.
Aside from the typical complications faced by teenage girls coming
to grips with their identity and place in an adult world, Shelley
has the additional burden of dealing with a poignant grief having
lost her mother and her twin brother in a car accident. The year
that has passed since the tragedy has driven both Shelley and her
father into a grim place of hollowness - behaving almost as if the
two lost ones never existed.
Unable to cope with her old school and her perceptions that everyone
now sees her as incomplete, Shelley starts a new school where she is
confronted by an unfriendly bunch of cliquey girls who seem
determined to ostracise her from the very start. Her one salvation is
discovering Tara, who is even more a footy tragic than herself.
Through Tara, she is drawn into a crowd of team worshippers and
becomes embroiled on a personal level with her heroes of the local
footy team, in particular, the new star player on the team, her
idol, Mick.
As Shelley becomes more and more involved in the culture of the
club, Hayes is able to explore the dichotomy between males and
females, boys and girls, within the constraints of society and
expectations. Far from finding her place within the team circle as
she had thought she would, Shelley is faced with more and more
difficult reflections, secrets and questions as she fights to find
her own true sense belonging.
This is a challenging novel in some ways, and does contain some
adult themes and strong language but recommended for young adult
readers 14+
Sue Warren
Flora's war by Pamela Rushby
Ford Street Publishing, 2013 ISBN 9781921665981.
(Age: 11+) Flora's war begins in late 1914 in Cairo, where
the somewhat indulged daughter of an Australian archaeologist whose
only interest is discovering the antiquities of Ancient Egypt, meets
up with her American friend Gwen, quite determined to be 'modern
young ladies' of the time now that they are 16 and having 'come
out', are afforded much more freedom. Flora's war ends a
year later in Cairo where two much more mature young ladies
contemplate their future having seen and done much more than 'modern
young ladies' should have - in fact having seen and done much more
than modern young ladies (or gents) of any generation should have.
Cairo in 1914 is not the place Gwen and Flora have known from their
annual visits for the excavation season since childhood. Instead of
the close-knit expatriate society they know, the riches and richness
of the privileged life of hotels where steps are swept as soon as
they are stepped upon, and the endless desert stretching to the
beckoning pyramids, it is becoming more and more crowded with troops
from Britain, Australia and New Zealand and tent cities are
springing up. There is an air of expectation that something is going
to happen, strengthened by the military's acquisition of their
hotels for hospitals and the girls being commandeered to volunteer
as helpers in Lady Bellamy's rest and recreation centre - a pavilion
in the Ezbekieh Gardens where soldiers on leave will be tempted with
tea and table tennis to distract them from the salacious attractions
of 'The Wozzer'. The war is acknowledged but it is far away from
Egypt, yet still the troop build-up and training continues and the
arrival of contingents of Australian nurses is an ominous sign. But,
undeterred, Flora and Gwen push on to being modern young women,
learning to dance in new ways, smoking cigarettes, hosting
spectacular parties, and most importantly for their freedom,
learning to drive a car. And it is this skill which takes them to
sights, sounds, smells and experiences that no one should ever
endure, let alone 16 year-old girls. For, as what we now know as the
Gallipoli Campaign begins and intensifies, the war comes to Cairo as
tens of thousands of wounded soldiers are evacuated and Flora and
Gwen are enmeshed in their care.
There have been so many books written about the events of 1915 on
the Gallipoli Peninsula, events that have shaped the Australian and
New Zealand psyche and spawned the enduring ANZAC spirit of
collaboration and rivalry, and as the centenary approaches there
will be more. But Flora's war is different - it's written
from the perspective of 'what happened next'. We know the facts and
figures and stories of the soldiers in the trenches and the bravery,
courage and losses, but what happened to those who were injured,
those who were evacuated to the hospital ships sitting just
offshore? So often the stories stop on the beach. In the notes, the
author, Pamela Rushby tells of her journey from reading a story
about Australian nurses in 1915 to writing a story of a young
civilian volunteer in Egypt, and it is this aspect that makes this
novel stand out. Even though Flora Wentworth is fictional, it is
nevertheless the story of real people, inspirational people whose
story has seldom been told. Flora's war is an engaging read, written by a hand that knows
how to weave light and dark together so that the reader is
entertained but also educated. Flora loves her social life and we
learn how the social conventions of the time remain paramount - as
unmarried young women, their duties are arranged so they cannot see
men without their pyjama tops, yet emptying bedpans is acceptable -
contrasted against the pathos of young men knowing they may never
return from this 'adventure' they signed on for. It paints a picture
of a time in history that we all know, that has been rarely seen.
Like Boy soldiers by Cliff Green, this is a story that
stands above others on this topic for me. My copy will stay on my
shelves until my granddaughters are old enough to read it and
perhaps understand what their great great grandfather endured.
There are Teachers'
notes written by the author and these offer a range of ideas
which take this story beyond the realm of a girls' own adventure to
a work that has a real place in supporting our students'
understanding of this critical piece of Australian history. If you
are looking to boost your collection in anticipation of the 1915
centenary of Anzac Day, this should be at the top of your list.
Barbara Braxton
Every Breath by Ellie Marney
Allen & Unwin, 2013. ISBN: 9781743316429
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. Themes: Crime, Family, Friendship,
Romance, Thriller, Mystery, Grief/Loss.
I am starting to be more conscious of the use of the word 'sexy' to
sell YA books. With the emergence of the 'New Adult' category, it's
getting harder to work out where to draw the line with explicit
content. Books are now coming home with me a lot more, until I can
read them and be aware of what's in them. Every Breath has the word
'sexy' on the cover, but this is not one you will have to worry
about. Rachel and James' relationship takes most of the book to
develop, and although there is some hot kissing, it does stop there.
Every Breath is more about establishing itself in the detective
genre. It uses clever references to Sherlock Holmes lore as a fun,
irreverent way to establish its protagonists. Rachel Watts and James
Mycroft live two doors down from each other, since Rachel's family
left their bankrupt farm. We are shown this friendship four
months in and not given very much background at all, as to how or
why they came to be friends. They just are, and we accept that.
Mycroft is a genius with a damaged psyche and Rachel's practical
nature is the best thing for him.
When one of Mycroft's friends is murdered, the pair stumble into
solving the crime (although not so much with the stumble, and more
with the determination of a boy who has already seen too much death,
and who needs to make order from chaos). Rachel is not sure
what she should do: Placate Mycroft and let him think it is capable
of actually solving the crime, or persuade him to leave it to the
authorities. She oscillates between wanting to stay out of the mess,
and wanting to learn more. Of course, they do become entangled, and
the climax at the zoo has all the elements mystery lovers
want: danger, an evil psychopath and sacrifice.
There will be at least two more, with the next one (Every Move)
delving into the mysterious deaths of Mycroft's parents, only
mentioned here in passing.
Trish Buckley
The locket of dreams by Belinda Murrell
Random House 2013. ISBN 9780857980212.
The publisher's blurb reads:
'A magical timeslip adventure set in Scotland of the 1850s and
present-day Sydney. Sophie discovers a golden locket in an old
treasure box that belonged to her grandmother's grandmother. When
she falls asleep wearing the locket, she magically travels back in
time to 1858 to learn the truth about the mysterious Charlotte
Mackenzie.
Daughter of a wealthy Scottish laird, Charlotte and her sister Nell
live a wonderful life with their parents and animals, on a misty
island with its own ruined castle. Then disaster strikes and it
seems the girls will lose everything they love. Why were Charlotte
and Nell sent halfway around the world to live with strangers? Did
their wicked uncle steal their inheritance? What happened to the
priceless sapphire - the Star of Serendib? With the magic of the
golden locket, Sophie begins to unravel the mysteries as she shares
the adventures of Charlotte and Nell - outwitting their greedy
relatives, escaping murderous bushrangers, and fighting storm and
fire. But how will her travels in time affect Sophie's own life?'
This is not only the perfect summary of this historical fiction
novel, but also the perfect bait to get our girls who are
independent readers to take the hook. I have to admit that lack of
time and opportunity meant this novel from Belinda Murrell had not
made it to the top of my review pile, but having read and thoroughly
enjoyed The River Charm it was immediately elevated to the next
must-read position and it deserved its place.
In my review of The River Charm I wrote, 'Historical
fiction, written well, can provide a greater insight into the life
and times of a particular period better than any website, textbook
or other non-fiction resource. Historical fiction, written well and
woven around actual people, places and events can bring the past to
life and enable students to really appreciate the contrasts between
life in a particular timespan and their own enabling them to reflect
on not only the changes that have occurred, but, often, why they
have' and it applies equally to this title as that. Murrell has
based the story on tales handed down through the generations of her
family, tales accompanied by the passing of the locket from mother
to daughter for 150 years. She remembers holding the locket in her
hand as a youngster when her mother owned it and wishing she could
see what 'Ellen Mackenzie must have experienced while she wore it.'
Murrell has a wonderful knack of looking at her family's history and
saying 'I wonder' and crafting a most readable story with credible
characters that makes you say, 'Of course that's what must have
happened' while, at the same time, because of her thorough research,
providing an insight into the life of the times in a way that
enriches the history curriculum making what could be tedious come
alive. I'm now going to seek out her other titles - The
Forgotten Pearl, The Ivory Rose and The Ruby
Talisman - because I think they will make a must-have
collection that will provide a remarkable journey back in time that
will be an excellent support to the history strand of the Australian
National Curriculum.
Barbara Braxton
The bear went over the mountain by Louis Shea
Scholastic Australia, 2013. ISBN 9781742833712.
A bear went for a walk over a mountain to see what he could see,
leading the reader through a variety of environments, with different
animals seeing wonderful sights. First the bear sees singing
squirrels in the forest, then a fox sees creative crabs in the sand.
Simple repetitive text makes this a cute read aloud that younger
students will love. They will be able to join in with the rhyme and
repetition, and will enjoy the animals and the cute illustrations. I
read this to a group of 5 year olds and they absolutely loved it.
This would also be useful for teachers looking at animals in
different environments, with students being able to extrapolate
information from the pictures. The accompanying cd is a nice bonus.
Jemma Lorenz
The fault in our stars by John Green
Penguin, 2012. ISBN 978 0143567592.
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Cancer, Relationships. With a miracle
drug prolonging her life a little longer, Hazel is under no
illusions that she has a limited time to live. She goes along to
support group for cancer teens as a balm to her frantic over
protective parents, who think she has not accepted her fate, and
there she meets Augustus, who after having one leg amputated, is a
survivor of cancer.
Over the next few months, Augustus and Hazel develop a fractious
relationship, eventually admitting that they have fallen in love.
Throughout their story, Hazel refers constantly to a book she holds
dear, An Imperial Affliction by Peter Van Houten, one which
speaks to her about what she is feeling about her condition and
imminent death. She often refers to this book, quoting slabs of it,
using it as a reference and guide, and writing to the author who
lives in Amsterdam. Her one aim before she dies is to meet this man,
but as he does not respond to her enquiries, Augustus takes up the
cause and finally breaks the impasse, the two going to The
Netherlands to meet him. She wants to find out what happened to the
family in his book to better help her mother cope with her death.
Green presents the non sufferers with accuracy, their irritable
comments, their glib reassurances, and above all, their inability to
let Hazel and Augustus be themselves. All through we hear of the
wider community of cancer sufferers, their treatments, survival
rates and their families.
Although death stalks the book, it is also very funny, with Green
lampooning the well wishers and do gooders, and the two main
characters employing black humour to ease the tension.
Fran Knight
Alice-Miranda Shines Bright by Jacqueline Harvey
Random House, 2013. ISBN 9781742752907.
Highly recommended for ages 8 and up. Themes: Mysteries,
School Life, Friendship, Village Life. Alice-Miranda is a lovable,
friendly, caring character, who attends a wonderful boarding school
Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Girls. She is
back shining bright in her eighth adventure. School life is fun with
auditions for the Summer Spectacular, friends to help and ponies to
ride. The sixth form girls are preparing for high school and one
sixth-former Jacinta is acting out, causing problems for the other
students.
Meanwhile in Downsfordvale, Mayor Silas Wiley is involved in a
mysterious scheme, while his secretary Ursula has her own secrets
and Mr. Reginald Parker has woken from a three year coma and
disappeared with his nurse. Alice-Miranda and Millie want to help so
they take their ponies Chops and Bonaparte to search the nearby
woodlands. They make a wonderful discovery in a hidden cave but vow
to keep it a secret. There are different mysteries woven through
this story that need Alice-Miranda's help to solve.
Harvey has created a wonderful world for Alice-Miranda, her boarding
school life is one to envy with fun, lack of restrictions,
supportive staff and lots of food! The girls have a lot of freedom
to explore and interact with the townsfolk and help them. Alice-Miranda is a well-loved series with fans in many countries.
This is another highly recommended book for readers from eight years
of age. There is a blog
for the series.
Rhyllis Bignell
What makes you you? by Gill Arbuthnott
A & C Black, 2013. ISBN: 9781408194065.
(Reading Age: 11-13) Highly recommended. Subjects: Genetics,
Evolution, Cloning, DNA. What Makes You You is an excellent introduction to the science of
genetics. Gill Arbuthnot's explanations are expertly written in easy
to understand style that is engaging for a younger audience. From
Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, the importance of Mendel's
experiments to the development of DNA photography in the 1950s up to
the latest developments in 2012, the history of genetics is
explored. The reader gains insight into the men and women scientists
who have been instrumental in researching DNA, human genomes, stem
cells and cloning. From mice growing human ears to saviour siblings
and the future of genetic engineering, this is a fascinating insight
into the past, present and future of genetics.
Double page spreads with bold coloured backgrounds underpin the
information presented in a more inclusive, conversational style. The
use of cartoon illustrations, diagrams, tables, flow charts,
photographs and speech bubbles compliment Arbuthnot's text.
A step-by-step experiment to extract DNA from fruit provides the
reader with the opportunity to further explore this area, adult
supervision is needed. A timeline, glossary and a Find Out More page
is included.
This is an excellent book suited to readers from 11 -13 years and is
also an excellent resource for Science and Health lessons.
Rhyllis Bignell
Awaken by Meg Cabot
PanMacmillan, 2013. ISBN 9780330453899.
(Age: 13+) Paranormal. Greek mythology. In this finale following Abandon
(2011) and Underworld (2012), seventeen-year-old Pierce and
her boyfriend John, Lord of the Underworld, face a fight on two
fronts. They find themselves in the middle of a hurricane, trying to
stop a corrupt developer, whose son is possessed by Thanatos, the
Greek personification of death, and who threatens Earth. Meanwhile
the Furies are determined to find and destroy them and the
Underworld.
In order to gain maximum enjoyment and understanding of the series,
the books should be read in order. Teens who have been following the
series are sure to enjoy the last book as Cabot manages to find a
satisfying conclusion that will leave lovers of romance happy.
Others will be happy to learn more about Greek mythology and the
legend of Persephone which the series is lightly woven around and
will enjoy the action packed adventures and dilemmas that face
Pierce and John.
Pat Pledger
The looming lamplight by Ursual Dubosarsky
Ill. by Terry Denton. Cryptic casebook of Coco Carlomagno (and
Alberta) bk. 2. Allen and Unwin, 2013. ISBN: 9781743312599.
If you are looking for a book which includes puzzles as part of the
text and is suitable for younger readers, this series is for you. The Looming Lamplight is the second book in this series
starring the crime solving guinea pig cousins Alberta and Coco
complete with a Spanish flavour. The glossary of Spanish words used
by Coco is a useful addition to aid the younger readers who will
enjoy the challenge of solving the mix of puzzles by Terry Denton
scattered throughout the text.
Alberta abandons her bath to answer a summons from her easily
spooked cousin Coco Carlomango Chief of Police in Buenos Aires,
Argentina, South America. Coco needs help to solve the mystery of
the flashing light which is filling him with dread.
Whilst solving the light mystery, Coco captures the 'dreaded pillow
burglars' and is awarded the Medal of Honour for Extreme Courage by
the President and Alberta takes her paperbag of belongings and heads
back home for that bath.
Terry Denton's amusing sketches add life and interest through the
book and his extra crossword at the end related to guinea pigs will
add to the enjoyment of the committed pet lover.
Sue Keane
