Candlewick Press, 2012. ISBN 978 0 7636 2345 6.
(Age: 4+) Picture book. Art. When the whole class is asked to create
a mural for their library, Marisol volunteers to paint the sky.
After all she is the artist in the class, the one who paints and
draws, creating her own art gallery on the fridge at home. Going
through the paint box at school, she is disappointed when she cannot
find the colour blue.
But when she takes the bus home she spies a beautiful sunset, with
no blue in sight. And the next morning when it is raining, she
notices that yet again the sky is not blue. So begins a
transformation in her thinking about what colour to paint the sky
and she surprises everyone with her final choice.
The illustrations add to the humour of Marisol's quest, and the
drawings of the girl and her class will tickle the readers' fancies
as they see themselves in the story, and can identify with the
things Marisol and the class do.
Through this book and the two others in the series, The Dot
and Ish, Reynolds aims to encourage children to be part of
the creative process, looking at things anew, with a new focus. And
in this he succeeds. What child will not be encouraged to re-look at
the sky, for a start, to see exactly what colours do make up the
panorama that they see everyday but do not really look at. Cliches
can be overturned using the approach used in this book, and its use
will encourage art lessons to be wider in their focus.
Fran Knight
What's the Matter, Aunty May? by Peter Friend and Andrew Joyner
Little Hare, 2012. hbk, RRP $A24.95. ISBN 9781921714535.
'I have some questions, Aunty May.
Why did you shout at me today?
And why were you a little gruff?
Why did you scream, 'Enough! Enough!'
This is the hilarious story of what really happens when your wish
about
getting the kids to help with the housework comes true. It could,
perhaps,
be labelled as a 'precautionary tale', but is definitely an example
of
'Be
careful what you wish for!' It is NOT the story of a group of
out-of-control ruffians - indeed it is the opposite with our hero
dressed in
very dapper fashion, perched on as tool drinking tea as only the
most
well-bred English child might do - but it is a tale of destruction
that
brings the saying 'bull in a china shop' to mind.
Written in rhyming text and accompanied by superb illustrations that
convey
the action and atmosphere perfectly, and tell a quite different
story
to the
text - this is a great read-aloud for little ones. But, beware, it
just
may
give them the perfect excuse for NEVER helping with the housework -
EVER!
A great entertainment, but also a wonderful way to explore how
humour
can be
conveyed in a book where there are no jokes - he is perfectly
serious
with
his questions - and no canned laughter.
Barbara Braxton
Heather fell in the water by Doug MacLeod and Craig Smith
Allen and Unwin, 2012. ISBN 978 1 74237 648 6.
(Ages: 4+) Highly recommended. Picture book. Humour. Water
safety. Heather has such difficulty staying out of the water
wherever she and her family go, that they make her wear water wings
all the time to keep her safe. Chasing the cat, a day at the farm,
visiting the Japanese gardens, even a trip to the Art Gallery, all
end in the same way, Heather falling into whatever water is to be
found.
Wearing her water wings, Heather refuses to take swimming lessons at
school, because she is convinced that the water simply does not like
her. But one day her parents take her into the pool, each holding
one of her hands, allowing her to get to know the water. She finds
that she has a special fondness for the water, removes her water
wings and develops skills. A neat ending brings all the delight in
this book together in the refrain.
The repeated refrain will have children looking for the increasingly
familiar words as the pages are turned, and they will shriek with
delight at the reworked final sentence. The illustrations will take
the readers from Heather's accidents with water to her increasing
skill, and so readers will imagine themselves in a similar
predicament with its positive ending.
With MacLeod's zany view of life, filled with gentle humour and
recognisable situations, matched again with the wonderful
illustrations by Craig Smith, this winning duo has created again a
picture book to take the fancy of anyone who opens it, be they
children, parents or teachers. All will see the faintly ridiculous,
the lessons to be learnt, the humour in the story, and the strong
family connections and the familiarity of the situation.
Published in a larger than usual hard cover edition, this book is
ready for some serious use, and will rarely be on the shelves.
And grandparents reading the story will no doubt have the refrain
from the Goon Show in their heads, 'He fell in the water', Spike
Milligan, adding another level of humour for the reader.
Fran Knight
Fantastic Mr Dahl by Michael Rosen
Ill. by Quentin Blake. Puffin, 2012. ISBN 978 14132213 1
(Ages 9+) Recommended. Biography. For all those fans of Roald Dahl,
here is a biographical companion that not only lets you into the
world of Dahl, but also the author, Michael Rosen. Rosen, children's
writer and poet was the Children's Laureate in Britain from 2007 to
2009, and having met Dahl many years before is well placed to write
about this man. But this book is not your usual biography, Rosen
talks of Dahl within the framework of his own experiences and his
family, which gives the reader a glimpse into Rosen's world as well.
Divided into ten easily consumed chapters, these are then divided
into three groups, The Boy, The Man and The Writer. Each section
gives a view of Dahl from his boyhood mainly spent at a small
boarding school many miles from home and his widowed mother and
siblings, to the time as an adult he spent in the air force, then on
to how he became a writer. Each chapter is liberally sprinkled with
photos, with Blake's drawings running across the pages, snippets
from Dahl's letters and writing, as well as pages broken up with
unusual grabs of information that add to the child's knowledge of
the man. His letters are particularly fascinating, giving the reader
a glimpse into the way Dahl saw the world and wrote about it from a
young age.
For all fans young and old, this is an unusual book about Roald
Dahl, but one that will intrigue and amuse those who read it.
Fran Knight
Down-under The 12 days of Christmas by Michael Salmon
Ford Street Publishing, 2012. Pbk., RRP $A12.95. ISBN
9781921665592.
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me . . . no, not
a partridge in a pear tree. But a kookaburra in a gum tree!
In this quirky re-release of Michael Salmon's version of the
traditional Christmas song, Santa has landed in Australia's outback
and is checking his list. Although the kangaroos are in charge of
the presents, their koala helpers are not helping very much at all.
Are six sharks a-surfing and seven emus laying really what someone
wants to find under their tree - or anywhere?
Most of us are familiar with the bright, colourful illustrations
that are a signature of Michael Salmon's work and from the cover to
the final page which is a blackline master to be photocopied and
coloured in, they just delight the readers and put a smile on their
faces. Not only is the original song one of timeless tradition, but
this book is one of timeless quality which will bring joy to yet
another generation of little ones.
With ski-ing snakes and dancing dingoes, they are introduced to some
of Australia's most iconic creatures in situations beyond their
normal bush habitats and daily habits. And of course, the whole just
begs to be the basis of an improvisation that lets the students
demonstrate their knowledge of our fauna and alliteration. Imagine
eleven echidnas eating . . . Christmas Day in Australia IS very
different from all those snow-covered Christmas card scenes we seem
to still hang on to, and this classic proves it!
If your library copy from way back when is tired and over-loved,
this is the opportunity to renew it with a sparkling new version.
And don't forget to introduce the children to the fun and games
available in the cave at www.michaelsalmon.com.au
Barbara Braxton
The Tower Mill by James Moloney
UQP, 2012. ISBN 9780702249327.
Set in Brisbane, James Moloney's adult novel revolves around the
political rally by young demonstrators at the Tower Mill against the
visit of the Springboks South African Rugby team to Australia in
1971.
The story begins in 2003 with Tom and his Dad on a flight back to
Brisbane from London, but as the narrative moves between Tom and his
mother, Susan Kinnane, we learn how Tom arrived at this point.
Tom is flying with his Dad to his other Dad's funeral in Brisbane
and we soon learn that the woman he calls Mum is not Susan.
There are two fathers and two mothers in Tom's life; Terry Stoddard
and Susan, his biological parents, Mike Riley and his wife Lyn, who
have brought up Tom. Susan is already pregnant with Tom in
1971 when Terry is brain damaged from injuries sustained in the
demonstration against the Springbok tour.
The rally against apartheid takes the reader back to the early 1970s
when university students were active politically and demonstrated
against such political oppression and the Vietnam War. It was
also a time of arguing for equal pay for equal work, for women's
right to choose, for decriminalisation of abortion and to choose
tertiary education and a career over motherhood. When Terry's
injuries leave him permanently disabled and incapacitated, Susan
wants an abortion but coming from a Catholic family at this time in
history, this is not a possibility. Mike Riley loves Susan and
marries her, fully aware that he is not the father. The
marriage doesn't last and when Tom is three, Susan makes the choice
to stay in Sydney to study and Mike takes Tom back to Brisbane,
where he continues to provide love, care and a home for the child he
considers his son.
The story of Tom and Susan's precarious relationship is told through
the double narrative during the long flight to Australia. We
are taken back in time and reminded of the changes, both political
and social, that have occurred in the intervening years. The
novel is beautifully written and well deserves a place on the school
library shelves, although the students may classify it as
'historical fiction'!
Linda Koopman
Just doomed by Andy Griffiths
Ill. by Terry Denton. Pan Australian, 2012. ISBN 9781742610924.
(Ages: 10 +) One boy, nine stories and a whole lot of bad luck! Andy
Griffiths is a boy who is doomed; there is no doubt about it!
Absolutely and most positively doomed. Andy fights his way through
yet another Just book. Along the way he loses a lovely
ice-cream, is caught stealing a purple hand bag and spends his
summer holidays at a naturists' resort. From nudists playing
volleyball to a doomed zoo trip, Just Doomed, has it all!
Filled to the brim with jokes that'll make you laugh out loud and
hilarious drawing that are both stunning and entertaining, Terry
Denton and Andy Griffiths can make even page numbers unusual and
unique.
I strongly advise people to read this book and would recommend it to
people looking for a pick-me up . . .
Lilly-Ann S. (Student)
Falling to Ash by Karen Mahoney
Random House, 2012.
Eighteen year old Maria O'Neal became an unwilling member of the
Boston Family of vampires when she was 'turned' by Theo, the Master
of this family, in the Enclave of Massachusetts. It is now a
year since she was made and Moth, as she is now known, is finding
the transition from human to vampire difficult and frustrating in
many ways. When she was sixteen her mother died, leaving three
sisters and their father, who has taken to drinking to deal with his
grief. The girls feel abandoned and, of necessity, Moth has
left her family home but still maintains some contact with her
family, especially her younger sister Caitlin, to whom she
eventually tells the truth about what she has become.
The first person narration aligns the reader with Moth and her
difficulties in this situation not of her own making. The
story of her 'turning' intrudes into the present narrative with
Moth's memories, signalled by italics and prompted by things
happening in the present. In true vampire style, Moth will
always be eighteen and, as such, she has romantic involvements and
problems, not least with nineteen year old Jason Murdoch, a handsome
young man, whom she knew in her previous life and who is a vampire
hunter-in-training.
The murder of Rick, an old classmate of Moth's, brings Jason and
Moth together in an uneasy truce to solve the mystery of his and
other teenagers' disappearances. Rick has become a zombie, an
'Unmade', and Moth and Jason try to track the perpetrators.
This brings them into constant danger, from both humans and
vampires, with death and mayhem following them at every turn.
There is a definite attraction between the two and, after their
adventures and success, the story ends with Moth 'wondering what it
meant for the future' and the reader hoping for a sequel.
Despite this being another vampire story, the characters are
believable and we want them to succeed. This novel would be a
good follow-on from the Twilight series.
Linda Koopman
Fog a dox by Bruce Pascoe
Magabala Books, 2012. ISBN 978 1 921248 55 9
(Ages: 11+) Highly recommended. Animals. Wilderness. With the
gentle accumulation of story and setting, the tale of Albert's dogs,
and particularly the fox cub which he takes into this home, reads
like a fable. Albert is a timber getter, living alone in the bush,
felling tress, splitting logs, surviving the winter cold as best he
can. His part dingo bitch, Brim, has pups which many in the area
value, and each time she has a litter he has no problem in getting
each pup a good home. But when he brings home three fox cubs,
rescued from their den after their mother was probably taken by a
hawk, they are reared alongside the pups, the two females leaving
early to set up their own dens, the third, the male, staying on.
Albert calls this a dox, so that people in the area get used
to it being around, and not want to kill it. And one day the fox
repays the favour, going to the neighbour's house to fetch Dave when
Albert's arm is trapped in a log being split.
Through the story we hear of a young girl, Maria, dying of leukemia,
having to spend her days watching the Discovery Channel, getting
more and more interested and knowledgable about the animals she
sees. Eventually the two stories come together, the lonely men in
the wild with their dogs and a fox, and the young dying girl in the
hospital, desperate to be outside.
The setting is marvellous, the thickly timbered mountains region of
south eastern Australia immediately comes to mind, with the weather
closing in, the numbing cold of the winer days and nights, the
isolation of the other timber getters, within walking distance, but
rarely seeing each other, preferring to keep by their own hearths,
with their own dogs as company. These men rely on their dogs for
friendship, something to talk to, something to keep the small of
their back warm at night. Pascoe's seemingly simple writing style
invites the reader into the world he reveals, one with which he must
be very familiar, one he holds in his mind fondly. His Aboriginal
heritage comes through clearly in his understanding of the bush, and
his inclusion of some Aboriginal words adds another layer of
meaning to the story. A tale of friendship and trust, this story is
redolent of the Australian bush, of the hardship endured by people
who chose to work alone, of their coming together through adversity.
At 100 or so pages, the detail given is quite extraordinary and the
story itself, mesmerising.
Fran Knight
Dads, geeks and blue haired freaks by Ellie Phillips
Electric Monkey, 2012. ISBN 9781405258197.
(Age: Teenage) Recommended. Dads, geeks and blue Haired freaks
by Ellie Phillips is a quirky novel that will resonate with teens.
When first introduced to us Sadie Nathanson, Phillip's main
character, is looking for her identity in a hair colour named 'Blue
Haired Freaks', yet a birthday card from 'Dad' sets Sadie off on a
journey to unravel the mysteries of her birth. She goes looking for
a father and finds much more than she had bargained for in the
process. Sadie, from Hackney East London, is a sensitive yet
independent and intelligent 15 year old who must deal with the
contemporary issue of sperm donation. She is helped on her quest to
track down potential fathers known only as 254, 278 and 241, by her
resourceful, nerdish cousin Billy and his fellow rock band member
Tony Cruz. One of the strengths of this novel is Phillip's
sympathetic portrayal of Sadie's quest to make sense of not only her
birth but the standard conflicts teens face. Sadie is dealing with
the inevitable drifting apart between herself and ex-best friend
Shona Matthews and the subsequent bullying at school. To compound
this, Sadie is finding her mother clueless, less than supportive and
her Jewish Great Aunty Rita and Filipino Uncle Ze claustrophobic and
in typical teen fashion it is to the internet and chat rooms that
Sadie turns to for advice. Young adults will recognize the reliance
Sadie has on her virtual chat room friends for empathy and guidance.
Groovechick2 helps Sadie make sense of her troubled and confusing
life. Phillip's has crafted her main character's voice in a style
that mirrors the zaniness of Sadie herself. Sadie is an aspirational
hairdresser- we follow her moods and subversive tactics to find her
father through a variety of hairstyles and colours. Sadie's
judgements and reading of the people around her are based on hair
style and colour and while she competes with Shona for the
attentions of Tony, she must also compete with Aunt Lilah for the
right to cut her family's hair. Phillip's technique of including
texts, emails and chat room dialogue will find an audience in young
adults who are looking for a realistic novel with originality and
humour.
Leanne Bell
This is not my hat by Jon Klassen
Walker Books, 2012. ISBN 0 7636 5599 0.
(Ages 4+) Recommended. Picture book. Humour. A small fish appears.
He
is wearing a small jaunty hat on its head and is proudly telling the
reader that this is not his hat, he just stole it. He stole it from
a
much larger fish who was asleep, and the little fish hopes that he
remains asleep for a long time. The illustrations show a different
story, as the larger fish wakes and notices immediately that his hat
has gone. What fun for the listeners as they see the changing eyes
of
the larger fish, realising that his hat has gone. But read on. The
little fish heads for the seaweed where he thinks he will be safe.
Along the way he justifies to himself his theft of the hat, and
seeing
a lobster, tells him not to tell the larger fish where he is. The
next
page reveals the larger fish close by being given directions form
the
very same lobster. Into the weed he swims, and then comes out with
his
hat.
This is a delightful read a loud, where the audience will be able to
join in, warning the little fish about the larger fish, or telling
the
larger fish where the little fish is. They will be able to pick out
the
sea creatures shown in the illustrations, and talk about relative
size.
But of course the standout discussions will revolve around theft,
inviting students to contemplate what stealing is and how it affects
those who do it as well as those who have had something stolen. The
plight of the lobster will also be a theme for discussion in the
classroom. The illustrations are another source of interest and
discussion as the simplicity of the repeated prints of the two fish
is
able to give so much depth to the story through minor changes. The
readers will follow the eyes and the amount of air bubbles released,
giving an indication of how the fish are feeling.
Fran Knight
Greylands by Isobelle Carmody
Ford Street Publishing, 2012, 189 pgs., p/b. ISBN: 9781921665677.
Recommended for readers 12+. In 1997, Greylands won the
Aurealis Award Winner for Best Young Adult novel. This 2012
revised edition with a foreword from the author is a moving and
memorable story. The story is told from Jack's point of
view, and like Carmody's father who died tragically in a car
accident, Jack's mother also recently died in tragic
circumstances. When Jack looks into a mirror, he enters into
the greylands, which is a dreamlike world lacking in colour and
noise and has ferocious animals called wolvers that hunt Jack when
he crosses. What is this grey silent land that Jack discovers
on the other side of his mirror and why does Jack keep bumping into
Alice, a strange girl with a secret who tells Jack she belongs in
the greylands. It is Alice who also tells Jack it is the
wounded that seek refuge in the greylands. Jack soon realises
that he enters the greylands due to his state of grief and it is his
thoughts of his mother that moves him to the greylands. Will
Jack be able to deal with his fears and find answers to his
questions in order to escape the greylands before the terrifying
wolvers find him, or will he become trapped in the greylands forever
like Alice?
Carmody, who is also the best-selling author of the award winning
Obernewtyn chronicles has written a powerful story about a young boy
dealing with tragedy and emotions. I would recommend this book
to anyone who wants to learn the secret that Alice guards so
furtively?
Michelle Thomson
Stop! there's a snake in your suitcase by Adam Frost
Ill. by Mark Chambers. Bloomsbury, 2012. ISBN 9781 4088 2706 2.
(Ages: 8+) Early novel. Animals. The second in the series, Zoo
Story, this amiable tale introduces the readers to all sort of
information about snakes, how to care for them, what they eat, why
people like them and keep them as pets. Sophie and Tom Nightingale
are the children of parents who work in the London Zoo, and so have
access to all sorts of information and are also vitally interested
in all animals. When a scruffy looking man approaches on his barge
and tried to sell them some snakes, they are instantly alerted by
his appearance as well as the poor condition of the snakes. Grandpa
realises that they may be illegally imported snakes, and so they
ring the police.
Following the culprit along the river to the zoo, the children
notice the man throws out some pillowcases that move, and opening
one, get more than they bargained for.
This series offers pleasant stories which are more the vehicle for
telling lots of information about animals and the zoo, although the
facts are incorporated very neatly into the story. Sophie and Tom
are likable characters, living a life many animal lovers would love
to emulate, on a barge/houseboat moored near the London Zoo where
the parents work.
Fran Knight
Ella and Olivia series by Yvette Poshoglian
Ill. by Danielle McDonald. Scholastic, 2012.
(Ages: 6+) Friendship. For newly emerging readers wanting more
than a picture book, then this series will help them move into easy
chapter books before taking on something a little more imaginative.
The stories about two best friends, Ella and Olivia will not
stretch the imaginations of its readers. Simple stories, simply
told, without too much complication will make these an easy read for
new independent readers, wanting to achieve quick success. The new girl. ISBN 978 1 74283 499 3.
This story has the girls starting a new term at school. Within the class is a
new girl who appears not to like anything about her new school or
the people in her class. Ella decides to do something about this
situation and the girls all come to realise that they are all
friends and no one is trying to break up friendships. Ballet stars. ISBN 9781 74283 498 6.
The girls both love their ballet lessons, but when the teacher
decides that they will put on Cinderella as their term production,
the girls are mystified about who will take the lead role. A
solution is found for both girls to be a star.
Fran Knight
Baby Bilby's question by Sally Morgan and Adele Jaunn
Little Hare, 2012. hbk., RRP $A24.95 ISBN 9781921714856.
Remember when you asked your mum how much she loved you, she said,
'I'll
love you to the moon and back?' In this gorgeous book by Sally
Morgan
and
Adele Jaunn, Baby Bilby asks his dad the same question and the
response
is a
unique exploration of Australian fauna and the amazing feats they
might
perform. 'I will love you until a crow catches a falling star', is
just
an
example. Whether it's kangaroo kissing a koala or a platypus playing
with a
porpoise, the effect is the same - there is a feeling that this
little
baby
bilby will be loved forever, and there's a certain reassurance about
that.
This book works on so many levels - the story, the message, the
humour,
the
illustrations and the rhythm of the language make it a brilliant
read-aloud
while, at the same time it introduces the child to some of the
amazing
animals that are part of our landscape and culture. Slightly older
readers
might like to invent their own responses and draw these, while the
alliteration could provide an introduction to this grammatical
feature
for
those just a bit older again. But, above all, there's this warm,
snuggly,
secure feeling of being loved.
I will love this book until an echidna eats an eggplant!
Barbara Braxton
