Lightning Strikes series. Walker Books, 2012. ISBN 9781921977497.
(Age: 11+) Recommended. High interest, low literacy. When
Charlie and his sister, Helen are taken to the zoo for the day, they
are most disappointed to find the zoo is a farm zoo, chosen mainly
for their baby sister, not them. Dragging themselves around the farm
looking at the sheep, the pigs, the alpacas and the milking
demonstration is not quite what they bargained for. Helen takes many
photos and decides to climb up on the alpaca's railing to get a
better photo, so falling into its enclosure. The farmer tells them
off, opening the gate for her, but she jumps the fence instead.
Later, they see the alpaca out of its enclosure and try to help
round it up to take it back home, lest they get into any more
trouble with the farmer. There follows a very funny adventure trying
to get the animal to do as they want, with an annoying younger child
with a camera trailing them, and discovering there is more than one
alpaca out of its enclosure.
All is neatly resolved however, and the reader will be doubly
intrigued with the information gently included in the story. Another
superior story within the Lightning Strikes series for those with
less able literacy levels and those wanting a quick read, with a
good story and well rounded characters.
Fran Knight
I love my ABC and I love my 123 by Anna Walker
Scholastic, 2012.
ISBN: 9781742831510 (I love my ABC)
ISBN: 9781742831527 (I love my 123)
These sturdy board books make the perfect introduction to the world
of Ollie, the zebra, who is the hero of many books by Anna Walker.
These simple books, with vibrant colours and cheerful illustrations,
are a lovely way to introduce literacy and numeracy to the under
2's.
In I love my ABC, Walker presents Ollie walking through the
pages, with each page featuring both upper and lower case letters,
and Ollie interacting with something beginning with that letter. The
selections are simple and predictable, with the usual minor quibbles
of some of the letters not lining up with their phonemic friends (i
for ice cream, x for xylophone). The text encourages interaction
between the reader and the readee - identifying pictures and naming
letters and sounds.
In I love my 123, Walker again uses Ollie to introduce
concepts of 1 to 1 correspondence. Ollie walks from 1 to 10, with
each page featuring the allocated number of objects, the numeral,
and the text for the noun group. The white pages really allow the
rich colours to soar, and the grey text supports this.
At the end of the story, Ollie is shown frollicking in the garden,
with all the objects from the story, which is a lovely touch.
Babies and toddlers will delight in Ollie's adventures, and learning
to count is a bonus!
Freya Lucas
Middle School: Get me out of here by James Patterson
Young Arrow, 2012. ISBN 978-0-099-56753-0.
Suitable for 9 to 12 year olds. What to read after the Wimpy Kid
stories? Well here's another choice. This is James Patterson's
second novel about Rafe Khatchadorian, the first being the New York
best seller Middle Years, The Worst Years of My Life.
Due to unfortunate circumstances, Rafe with his mother and sister
have to move the big city and share cramped accommodation in his
grandmother's flat. Good luck comes when the talented Rafe is able
to attend art school and finds himself a new friend. Bad luck comes
when he is threatened and harassed by new bullies.
Rafe seems to be in total angst about his life and often 'talks' to
his deceased brother Leo who gives him advice and helps him to
devise Operation Get a Life, concentrating on new experiences, not
all of them helpful. He also discovers information about his missing
Dad and a relative of his fathers.
So there is a lot happening in Rafe's life and at times he makes
some poor decisions. Maybe it is because I am an adult and an
educator but I felt uncomfortable with the way the bullying was
handled. I can't recall Rafe getting any support or confiding in any
adults at school or at home about some very serious bullying
including cyber bullying on the school website and vandalism of his
property at school. In fact he becomes involved in pay back which of
course doesn't work out well. Perhaps that's the lesson.
The book is packed full of Rafe's black and white illustrations.
There is a book
trailer to advertise the book
James Patterson is a very successful writer for both children and
adults and is passionate about reading and has a web site
Jane Moore
The children who loved books by Peter Carnavas
New Frontier, 2012. ISBN 9781921928161.
(Age: Pre-school-6) Recommended. Angus and Lucy love books. They
have so many of them that the caravan they live in becomes much too
crowded and the books have to go. But they don't have a
television or a car and without the books there was a lot of space
between the family members. Then one day they discovered Lucy's
library book and reading it brought the family closer together. And
when they found the library they knew they had everything they would
ever need.
Peter Carnavas has the happy knack of writing uplifting stories that
warm the heart and leave the reader feeling happy. Lucy and
Angas' family is portrayed as poor, living in a caravan and
having few material goods, a relatively rare occurrence in picture
books. However Carnavas beautifully shows that it is not possessions
that are the most important things in the world, rather it is the
closeness of family life, and that reading can make a family happy.
His signature soft water colours bring the life of the family alive.
There are little touches of humour like the chickens perching on top
of the caravan or pecking at the ground and a little ginger and
black striped cat on most of the pages. The drawings of the people are
memorable, with uplifted noses and distinct personalities.
This is a wonderful book that celebrates reading and the importance
of libraries.
Pat Pledger
The Phoenix Files: Fallout by Chris Morphew
Hardie Grant Egmont, 2012. ISBN: 9781921502439.
Recommended. This is the fifth book in The Phoenix Files
series and like its predecessors, the action is fast paced and
almost unabated. The clock continues to count down at an alarming
rate and as the story begins, there are only 14 days left. What is
intriguing about this series (and this book) is that the clock is
now ticking on more than one level: it is not just signalling the
end of the world, it is also ticking down towards the birth of
Jordan's brother or sister as well as Luke's likely murder. So the
anxiety levels have been significantly raised for both the central
characters and the readers.
The main focus of concern is still the future of Phoenix, and the
wider world, with the imminent release of Tabitha. But there remains
the daily problem of survival especially whilst living at such close
quarters in an underground shelter. As Jordan and Luke are all too
aware, just because everyone in the shelter shares a common enemy,
this does not mean their motives, or the actions they are willing to
use, are similarly shared. There is a constant undercurrent of
distrust among those living in the underground forces, a constant
fear of betrayal.
Perhaps one of the minor disappointments of the novel is that the
focus on action and intrigue leaves little time for exploration of
some of the moral dilemmas which are raised in the book, in
particular the fine line between justice and revenge. This means
that sometimes the characters seem just a little too one
dimensional.
However, few readers will be disappointed in the writer's ability to
spin an exciting story: just as one mystery is resolved in the story
another arises, so the reader is constantly being tantalised anew.
Morphew's sense of pace and his ability to provide a cliff-hanger
ending is to be celebrated because it has certainly produced an
exciting series and this instalment is no exception.
Deborah Marshall
Run, Jimmy, run by Malachy Doyle
Wired series. A and C Black, 2012. ISBN 978 14081 12592.
(Age: 11+) Recommended. High interest, low literacy. Jimmy steals
some money from his father's wallet and packs his rucksack to run
away. He has not thought any further ahead than that, wanting to
escape school and the bully, Daz. But on the train, he turns around
to find that Daz is on the same train. When the conductor comes to
take his ticket, Daz sidles up and takes Jimmy's, telling the
conductor that it is his, forcing Jimmy to pay again. When the train
comes into the station, Jimmy runs like hell, trying to escape the
bully, and several chapters show his efforts at shaking the boy off.
An involving short story, all readers will have some experience of
the fear that another person can engender, and feel for Jimmy as he
finds a safe place to be.
As with the other books in the Wired and Wired up series, these have
wide margins and larger print, designed to attract the child for
whom reading is a chore or difficult. The stories are all high
action, involving and well told, drawing the non reader into the
plot quickly and effectively. A quick read or one for lower literacy
readers, these fill a niche alongside Lightning Strikes.
Fran Knight
Little witch by Juliette MacIver
Ill. by Cat Chapman. Walker Books, 2012. ISBN 978 1 921720 48 8.
(Ages: 7+) Warmly recommended. Short stories. Three short
stories about the Little Witch are included in this attractively
produced, small hand sized book. Little Witch is not too keen about
her new baby sitter, but mum said that she is OK, and not to listen
to stories that others have told her. But her visit brings a whole
range of delights for the little girl, and she wants her to come
again, despite mum now realising that perhaps her daughter was
right.
In the next story we see Little Witch being cross with her mother
for serving up the same old cereal for breakfast, Toothflakes. She
wants the exotic lemon and slime ice cream like her friend Billy is
given to eat and mayhem ensues as she tries to get her way.
The third in this easy to hold book has 'wixed up merds' as its theme,
which is sure to have the readers trying their own as they read of
Little Witch's exploits in causing problem for her father.
All three stories will be cause for mirth amongst the middle primary
readers and the attractive drawings of the little girl and her
adventures by Cat Chapman will add to the merriment.
Fran Knight
Eleven seasons by Paul D. Carter
Allen and Unwin, 2012, 9781742379715.
(Ages: 14-18) Recommended. This year's Vogel Prize winner, awarded
annually to an unpublished novel by a writer under 35, is a
coming-of-age story. The reader follows the progress of Jason Dalton
through late childhood, adolescence and early adulthood across
eleven seasons of Australian Rules football. In Year 7 the
fatherless Jason is sustained by football; trips to the AFL games
with his friend, his collection of football cards, his obsession
with his team, Hawthorn, help him through the lonely hours in his
apartment. His mother is loving but works double shifts in the hope
of buying a house, so she is either at work or sleeping. Jason does
his list of chores and goes to bed alone in the apartment every
night. At school he is a poor student, dreamy and unfocused, his
teachers say, and it is true that he is not interested in school. He
is passionate about building his footy skills; he keeps a record of
his solo practice sessions; marks, kicks, push-ups, passes are all
recorded. His mother eventually allows him to join a club although
she is clearly against him playing. He bonds with the club, the
coaches and players, and is recognized as having talent and courage.
He survives school but more importantly for him he flourishes in the
football world, which in time includes after game drinking and
marijuana. After thousands of workouts and training sessions he is
selected for the Hawthorn Under-Nineteens. His team wins the
Premiership, but this is the night when his mother tells him that
his father, a promising football hero, had raped her and that,
pregnant, she had to leave her home town. Devastated, Jason leaves
Melbourne and football. He wastes several years on the Gold Coast
where drugs and alcohol become too important. When he returns he has
to accept his history, learn how to relate positively to others,
particularly women, and to rebuild his relationship with his mother.
He plays football again, at the District level for money, finds work
in bars and once more becomes part of after game partying until he
witnesses a gang rape. He decides to travel to his mother's home
town to find his father or least settle some questions. The
character of Jason is well-established and believable; he is subject
to the temptations of teenage boys and often succumbs to them, yet
his mother's early care leaves its mark. The football games,
including Hawthorn Premiership wins in the 1990s are described in
detail, more interesting to some than others, but this is the kind
of obsessive detail that fans would perhaps relate to. The writer's
voice is sure and the language appropriate. Boys, and girls, who
love football will probably love this if they can sit down long
enough to read it. Recommended for middle level and senior readers.
Jenny Hamilton
Animal tales: Double trouble by Helen Kelly
Random House Australia, 2012. ISBN 978-1-74275-330.
(Age: 7-10) Recommended. Two sweet and apparently well behaved
terriers look adoringly from the attractive front cover of this book
but the title Double Trouble indicates that this doggy
brother and sister are not as well behaved as they look.
Ben and his friend Cassie agree to look after the dogs, Tommy and
Tallulah while their elderly owner spends a few days in hospital.
Eating a school project, charging at another dog and running off in
the park are some of the antics that keep Ben and Cassie occupied
with the troublesome twosome.
This is a story about everyday children and the trials and
tribulations of caring for pets. Both children demonstrate kindness
towards the dogs even in stressful circumstances. Double Trouble is book number 3 in a series endorsed by the
RSPCA, with information about the organisation at the back of the
novel. Relating directly to this story, is the RSPCA's service of
looking after animals of older people who need to go to hospital.
With only 80+ pages of larger text, this series is aimed at children
who are 7 to 10 years old. It's not high action but will be
appealing to animal lovers.
Jane Moore
Happy like soccer by Maribeth Boelts
Ill. by Lauren Castillo, Candlewick Press, 2012. ISBN 978 0 7636
4616 5.
(Ages: 6+) Warmly recommended. Picture book. Sierra knows that
soccer is the thing which makes her the happiest of all, but it is
also sad, as her aunt cannot be there to see her play. Each Saturday
she is picked up by the coach and driven to the pitch many miles
away. She would love her aunt to be there. When their match is
delayed by rain, she has an idea and asks the coach if they can play
in the vacant allotment next door allowing her aunt to watch. He
readily agrees and so Sierra has all her happiest times together at
last.
A lovely story extolling the virtues of family and resolution, this
story with its bold, seemingly simple drawing style will appeal to
many children. All of those who love soccer will be absorbed while
those who live in the city and know the problems of getting a spare
space to play in will also read it with pleasure. There are many
subtle things about this book which will appeal to the younger
reader. The family in this story is not the classic family, the two
sharing a bedroom in their little house, one of a group of small
terraced houses, and the vacant allotment next door, is not the most
ideal place to play soccer. Portraying a child not normally seen in
picture books is encouraging and the neat resolution of her problem,
one that can be discussed and emulated.
Fran Knight
Promote Reading: activities and strategies to motivate reading edited by Pat Pledger
Pledger Consulting, 2012. ISBN 978 1 876678 27 2.
Highly recommended. Promote Reading is an invaluable resource for
teacher-librarians, librarians and teachers alike, in the National
Year of Reading. The variety of strategies outlined and their
interactive nature are just two of the highlights within this
collection of ideas.
I was particularly taken with the ideas involving digital technology
such as QR Codes, Wordle, Pinterest and Glogging and I am looking
forward to introducing these to my students. Links are given to
print and digital resources while the content throughout is fresh
and relevant with reference to the Australian Curriculum and
emerging technologies.
The ideas suggested within this resource can be undertaken in either
a short time frame such as within a lesson (Wordle, Shelf talkers
and the Graffiti wall) or can be incorporated over time into a unit
of work (Literature Circle: Year 5 Australian Colonies, Book Clubs
and the Book Week passport). They are appealing to even the most
reluctant reader and staff are provided with inviting, practical and
creative strategies to assist them in promoting reading to students
from R to 12.
This resource is very much like an inviting pool on a hot summer's
day - you are encouraged to dip into it again and again.
Tara Burton
On my way to the bath by Sarah Maizes
Ill. by Michael Paraskevas. Bloomsbury, 2012. ISBN 9781408825884.
(Ages: 6+) Recommended. Picture book. Humour. What a treat, Mum
calls for Livi to come and have her bath, but Livi has too many
other things to do between her toy strewn bedroom and the bathroom.
There are statues to build, somersaults to practice, music to dance
to, her guinea pigs to talk to, a jungle to explore while all the
time mum's voice is becoming more insistent, as her speech bubble
gets bigger and bigger, using all the words that many children hear
over and over again. The repetition of the opening phrase on each
page, 'On my way to the bath', will encourage children to join in,
and the story of all the things which occupy Livi's attention will
be familiar.
The illustrations, in bright, bold colours will delight younger
readers as they spy all the things included on the page. Livi's cute
face smiles out from the front cover inviting children to open the
book, and her antics will ensure that they will read to the
end. The interaction with her family is lovely, underlined by the
drawings of the baby and sister, and long suffering mother, while
the images of the adventures she has on the way to the bath will
encourage interest and discussion.
Fran Knight
Wired up series by various authors
A and C Black, 2012. Begging letter by Judi Waite. ISBN 9781 40814264 6. Is there anybody there? by Maggie Pearson. ISBN 978 1 4081
4261 5.
(Age: 11+) Recommended. High interest, low literacy. Two strangely
different stories in this wonderful Wired Up series of books
from England, will be readily picked up by students wanting a quick
read. Those with a lower literacy ability but wanting something a
bit grittier than those usually published in 60 or so pages with
wide margins and larger print, will love all of this series. Begging letter has Connie sending a letter to the Universe.
The love of her life has a steady girlfriend, Megan and so she begs
the Universe for Josh to drop Megan and go out with her, but when
she sees Megan the next day with her beautiful hair cut off and Josh
asks her out, she begins to wish her wish to be undone.
A different take on the adage, be careful what you wish for. Is there anybody there? revolves around a seance, where
several teens use a pack of lettered cards to call on a dead person.
They give him a name, age and job during WW2, and are very scared
when the person becomes real. At first they all blame each other,
but when one is knocked off his bike, and one continuously draws the
face of the man called Tom, things become seriously creepy.
This is certainly a scary story and one which could be used as a
model for writing in the classroom.
Fran Knight
Today I will fly by Mo Willems
Walker Books, 2012 (2007). ISBN 978 1 4063 1467 6
(Ages 4-5) Picture book, Virtues. With the look of a reader, this
story in the Elephant and Piggie series is a simple tale of trying
your hardest to do something even though everyone tells you that you
cannot do it. Piggie wants to fly but Elephant tells him that he
will not fly. He tries different schemes to be able to fly,
enlisting the help of others. He never gives up and at the end of
the story repeats the refrain, tomorrow I will fly.
The book has simple line drawings and no background giving it the
appearance of a cheaply produced reader. Its contents are
encouraging, with repetition, 2 main drawings that repeat on each
page, of the elephant and pig, and a simple single theme of keeping
on trying no matter what. In a class where virtues are being
actively taught, or at home where the parents want to talk about
doing your best, then this will have a place.
Fran Knight
Dork Diaries, Skating Sensation by Rachel Renee Russell
Simon and Schuster, 2012. ISBN 978-0-85707-119-4.
(Age 8-11) Recommended. SQUEEE!!! Nikki is back writing in diary
number 5 about her skating experience or rather lack of skating
experience. Nikki agrees to help her skating BFF's Chloe and Zoey
participate in a ice skating performance to raise money for the
charity, Fuzzy Friends. This charity has special meaning for Nikki
as her secret heart throb Brandon is closely involved with the
organisation.
The main problem is that she has no skating experience and
must perform in front of a large audience. Will it end happily? This
is just one of many problems for Nikki who has an annoying younger
sister, embarrassing parents and the attention of the stuck up
school nasty MacKenzie who constantly plots her dorky downfall.
This is a girl's version of Wimpy Kid, full of diary entries
on lined pages and sketches of all the dorky action. Strangely the
drawings have an unusual habit of showing Nikki and friends with
normal arms and legs but at times these are drawn in black with
white mitten hands and white feet. Not sure what that's about.
There are lots of OMG! ARRRGH!!! and smiley faces scattered
throughout the text. Nikki does love her exclamation marks.
This is a very American text with a white Christmas and skating as
the theme but Nikki's feelings and experiences will be understood by
Australian pre teen and young teen girls.
I know this has appeal for many students, who enjoy this chatty,
diary format told from the viewpoint of the good kid who gets a
rough deal but ultimately wins in the end . . . and yes there is
another diary coming soon.
Recommended for 8-12 year olds
Jane Moore
