Allen and Unwin, 2012. ISBN 978 1 74237 623 3
(Ages: 12+) Highly recommended. Humour. Looking around for a
challenge to research to further her intellectual abilities for a
career in journalism, Penny stumbles over a boy leaving a computer
in the library. With some finesse she is able to get a look at what
he was accessing, a website called love-shy.com. From here her
senses are aroused and through an hilarious process of elimination,
finds out who the boy is in year 10 who is so love shy that he talks
about his problem on a blog. Thinking about a page one article for
her school Gazette sees her delving into this boy's life, gathering
information, eventually gaining his trust to a point where she
becomes a surrogate date to try and increase his skills with the
opposite sex.
This sounds very straightforward, if it was not for Penny's innate
and at times insufferable belief in herself and the rightness of
what she is doing. She ploughs ahead, not heeding the depths she is
plumbing, or the anxiety she is causing for Nick. She storms on, not
realising that she may be in the same predicament, not quite a
loner like Nick, but keeping herself aloof, surrounding herself with
tasks and committees, jobs and clubs, all to avoid having to make
and communicate with friends. When she and Nick finally argue, after
she inadvertently reveals that she reads his blog, he tells her that
she is just as bad as he, and this rocks her world. Absolutely
stunned, she learns something about herself and so sets about
involving others in her journey to self improvement.
This is a wonderful tale, full of fabulous characters, some amazing
like Nick's parents and some most understandable, like Penny's
parents, but all of them drawn so convincingly and with such a sense
of warmth and understanding that it is hard not to like them all.
The humour is understated, as we see Penny blinkered by her research
project, oblivious to anyone else, focussed on her goal of being a
journalist. The scenes at the party and at various functions around
the school are very real, written with a deft touch based on
Wilkinson's fine ability to observe and deconstruct what is going
on.
Fran Knight
Cinnamon Rain by Emma Cameron
Walker Books, 2012. ISBN 9781921720451.
(Age: 15+) Verse novel. This book follows the lives of three
teenagers, Luke, Bongo and Casey, the girl they are both infatuated
with. Approaching the end of their high school years, the friends
must look to the future but first they have to survive the present.
Bongo hates living with his callous step dad while his mother
bounces in and out of rehab. His little brother has already been
removed from the home by welfare authorities. Now the one good thing
in Bongo's life is out of reach.
Casey, meanwhile, lives in fear of her protective and authoritarian
father. She is denied many of the everyday experiences most
teenagers enjoy as her dad seeks to stifle any sign of independence.
She's not sure she can stick around to finish high school. She needs
to put as much distance between herself and the family as possible.
Luke seems to have the most stable life, at least in Bongo's eyes.
His dad works and his mum puts nice meals on the table. However Luke
sometimes wonders if he is adopted. His parents seem to go through
the motions but they are really preoccupied with their own
responsibilities.
As the tension mounts in their lives, they find themselves forced in
unanticipated directions. With increasing maturity comes the
realization that life doesn't necessarily turn out as planned.
Presented in verse form, the author delivers a sensitive narrative
on the sometimes painful journey of adolescence.
Tina Cain
The Fitzosbornes at war by Michelle Cooper
Montmaray Journals, Book 3. Random House, 2012. ISBN 9781742750323.
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. The third and last book in the
Montmaray Journals, Sophie continues to write in her journal, this
time with accounts of what is happening in Great Britain and
particularly London during the devastating Blitz. Life is filled
with evading falling bombs, sheltering in bomb basements and dancing
in nightclubs with young soldiers. Her brother Toby is in the
airforce and Henry decides to join up as well. As the war comes to
an end, it may be possible that their beloved Montmaray will be
liberated.
This is a wonderful but often heart wrenching conclusion to a
fascinating series that should be in every library. It paints an
extremely vivid picture of life during World War 2, with all the
heartbreak that is associated with war, as well as the joy of
falling in love. The journal recounts actual historical happenings
during the war, as well as giving a fictional and emotional look at
what is happening. Cooper gives an insight into her sources at the
end of the book, and readers who enjoyed reading about women's
experiences during war time will be able to follow their interest
with some non fiction books.
Sophie's experiences, as well as her voice in her journal, are much
more mature in this last volume, as befits an adult woman. The
journal spans the years from 1939 to 1948, so the reader follows
Sophie's growth from an adolescent to a young woman. The Fitzosbornes at war was very difficult to put down, and I was
sad to see the end of the series. Cooper's superb writing
effortlessly gained my attention and held it to the end as I avidly
read on to see what would happen to Sophie, Veronica, Henry, Simon
and Toby. There was an ultimately very satisfying, if painful
conclusion (after all it is wartime and not everyone survives), and
I'm very much looking forward to seeing what Cooper writes next.
Pat Pledger
Girl, stolen by April Henry
Walker Books, 2012. ISBN 9781406334852.
(Age: 13+) Recommended. Reluctant readers. YALSA Best Fiction
for Young Adults (2011). Sixteen-year-old Cheyenne Wilder is
sleeping in the back of the car while her stepmother fills a
prescription for antibiotics for Cheyenne's pneumonia. Before she
realises what's happening, the car is being stolen. Griffin is
shocked when he sees that Cheyenne is in the back of the car and
doesn't know what to do when he discovers that not only is she sick,
she is blind as well.
From here on Cheyenne is a terrifying journey until she is finally
tied up in a bedroom and threatened by Griffin's father and his
sidekicks. But Cheyenne is a strong and very determined heroine who
is intelligent enough to work out ways of escaping. It also helps
that Griffin has a conscience and doesn't agree with what his father
plans when he discovers that Cheyenne's father is the rich and
powerful head of huge corporation.
Told in alternative viewpoints by Cheyenne and Griffin, the reader
quickly begins to identify with both. I was engrossed with
Cheyenne's story. Even though she was blind and her mother had died
fairly recently, she is resourceful and persistent. The back-story
of how she became blind is also fascinating. On the other hand,
Griffin also gained my sympathy. Forced to stay with his father when
his mother disappeared, he is not really a villain like his father.
I was able to empathise with his plight although it was obvious that
he was on the road to a life of crime when he stole the car Cheyenne
was in. What do you do when you are a teen with no resources and no
family support but a thief for a father? The relationship between
the two is cleverly built up by Henry and always seems realistic.
Questions about the nature of the bond between kidnapper and
kidnapped are raised and the contrast between the life of a rich
girl and that of a very poor boy is poignant.
Readers are in for a roller coaster ride as the resourceful Cheyenne
makes some escape attempts. There is action and suspense galore,
some gory moments and some very frightening scenes. The fact that
Cheyenne can't see makes everything even more thrilling.
Reluctant readers, especially girls, will enjoy this story, with its
fast paced action, and engrossing characters. The fact that it is
not too long will also help!
Pat Pledger
An unexpected arrival by Jess Black
RSPCA animal tales ; 4. Random House, 2012. ISBN
9781742753324.
(Age: 8+) Cassie Bannerman's mum and dad own a deli that she spends
a lot of time hanging around. So when the class teacher tells them
they have to spend a day watching their parents at work, Cassie is
disappointed. Fortunately her friend Ben comes to the rescue. His
dad is a vet and Cassie is invited to join them for the day.
Dr Joe, as Ben's dad is called is on official RSPCA business when
Ben and Cassie spend the day with him. The RSPCA want to encourage
farming practices that allow animals to lead comfortable and happy
lives. Farms that meet these standards can be given the Paw of
Approval and have their produce endorsed by the RSPCA.
While Dr Joe assesses Brackenridge farm, Cassie and Ben are able to
see a working farm first hand. They are enjoying the
experience when an emergency develops. They never expected that Dr
Joe would need helpers on his farm visit. Now they must roll up
their sleeves if a crisis is going to be averted.
This book is one in the series of RSPCA animal tales. It is an
entertaining and educational story that has some interesting fact
sheets at the end. It is a short chapter book suitable for junior
readers and the subject matter lends itself to classroom discussion.
Tina Cain
The carousel by Ursula Dubosarsky
Ill. by Walter Di Qual. Penguin, 2012. ISBN 978 0 670 07462 4.
(Ages 6+) Picture book. Journeys. In rhyming stanzas, Dubosarsky
tells the story of a young girl, and her relationship with the horse
she rides on the carousel. When circling, the girl can hear the
beating heart of the horse, and knows that he is sad. He is confined
to the rhythm of the carousel, going up and down, around and around,
and longs to be free. Her father's voice takes her away from her
wishes for the horse, but that night, staring out of her bedroom
window, she sees the little horses breaking away from their
confinement, galloping along the roadways and off into the hills
where they gallop forever free.
Children will love the story of the little horses breaking lose from
their captivity and ponder the position of the little girl and her
relationship with the horses. The illustrations, rendered in bold
colours, with white thick splotches of paint, pages of an almost
sprayed effect, mixed with a water colour effect for the horses and
their ride to the hills, are mystical in their nature, giving an
ethereal overlay to the story.
It always astonishes me that two stories can be published within a
few years, and be so similar. Kids will love to read and compare
this sorry with Flame stands waiting by Corinne Fenton
(Black Dog Books), another tale of a horse in a carousel.
Fran Knight
In the Beech Forest by Gary Crew
Ill. by Den Scheer. Ford Street, 2012. Hbk., RRP $29.99.
9781921665578.
"He was an ordinary boy, nothing special, and he went into the
forest alone. He had no particular purpose other than to look, as
adventurers do, or to slay imaginary monsters, as children do, so he
held his head high, and gripped his toy sword, just in case. But as
withered leaves shifted, and grey shadows lengthened, he hesitated,
remembering his computer games, the fearful quests he encountered
there, the dreadful heroes, the beasts unconquered and he wondered
if such wild fantasies might threaten here."
Is truth, indeed, stranger than fiction? Can the magic and mystery
of nature conjure up more than the most amazing brains dedicated to
scaring the pants off you via the screen? As he walked deeper into
the forest he heard 'rustlings and scatterings and promises of life'
but gradually all quietened and stilled and there was only silence
and darkness. This is Gary Crew at his best, as he takes the boy on
a journey, not only through the forest but also through his own soul
as he conquers his fears and finds himself and his power. The story
is accompanied by the most evocative images by newcomer Den Scheer,
who must be in line for the Crichton Award for new illustrators in
2013. The sepia tones, set in a border of stone add to the feeling
of ancient, dark, and mysterious times and places enrich and enhance
the text in a perfect marriage.
Crew is one of the masters of the picture book for older readers and
this is no exception - it is sure to entice and engage even the most
reluctant reader. My prediction is that this will be on the 2013
CBCA shortlist, and the artistry of Den Scheer will
become as well-known as other leaders in the picture book field.
Barbara Braxton
Fitter, faster, funnier Olympics: Everything you ever wanted to know about the Olympics but were afraid to ask by Michael Cox
A and C Black, 2012. ISBN 9781408165584.
(Age: 8+) 'From unbelievable tales of triumph (with all the shocking
bits left in) to incredible facts about Olympic athletes, this is an
aspirational, informative, interactive and hilarious guide to the
Olympics - what they're all about and what made them what they are
today. Packed with funny illustrations, inspirational ideas and
amazing activities, this is a brilliant guide to the Olympics past
and present.' Blurb.
Information ranging from the ancient Olympics to modern Olympics to
a do it yourself Olympics comes in a form that children will love.
There are true facts interpersed with some very funny details that
will have children laughing out loud. As Michael Cox writes,
'Instructions are somewhere between totally daft and certifiably
insane'.
The book will especially appeal to reluctant readers who will enjoy
the weird and wonderful humour. Some of the imagery, like 'Kebab an
entire queue of people at a bus stop during your javelin practice'
would leave readers with an amazing picture in their heads.
With humorous black and white illustrations, this small book
of 128 pages, will have a place in the hands of children who
want some facts but like to have a laugh at the same time.
Pat Pledger
Dark water by Cindy Jefferies
Wired up series. A and C Black, 2012. ISBN 9781408156513.
(Age: 15+) Sarah is working hard to earn selection in the Olympic
synchronised swimming team. It means she has a very challenging
training schedule which involves practice in the pool every morning
and work outs in the gym every afternoon. Despite working hard to
achieve her goal, Sarah doesn't tell the other kids at school what
she does. She thinks they will tease her.
Sarah is shy but she catches the eye of Tom, a boy from school. He
doesn't make fun of her shy demeanour like some kids. One day, Tom
and Sarah decide to join some class mates on a picnic.
Unfortunately, someone brings alcohol and before long things start
to get out of hand. Sarah is forced to take centre stage.
This is a very short chapter book with large writing and black and
white illustrations. It is recommended by Catch Up, an organisation
that aims to tackle literacy and numeracy problems that result in
under achievement. It is a simple story but the subject matter is
relevant for older teens.
It is a good book for those who struggle to read because it is an
enjoyable story and the size of the book is not overwhelming.
Tina Cain
Cannily, cannily by Simon French
Walker Books, 2012.
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Eleven-year-old Trevor and his carefree
parents are always on the move. With only a kombi van as their
actual home, they travel from one place to the next, applying for
minor jobs along the way. For Trevor, it means attending around six
schools a year. He is quite used to making new friends and fitting
into new places, but when they come to a small countryside town, it
suddenly turns difficult for Trevor to fit in at school once again.
He joins a school football team, but will it bring him any luck from
being an outsider? And what will Mr Fuller, the coach and also his
class teacher, think of him when truth will be revealed and everyone
will realize that Trevor never played football in his life?
Commended, Book of the Year, Children's Book Council of Australia
Awards, 1982. Cannily, Cannily is a brilliantly written novel. The style of
writing was flowing from the start to the end of the book, which
made it easy to read. I loved the way Simon French described the
characters, where each one of them had a different personality. Many
styles of writing can be so-called 'alive', and this novel is no
exception from this type of writing.
In my opinion children who love football, as this story is based on
this sport, will especially enjoy Cannily, Cannily. It is a
fabulous story about an eleven-year-old boy who tried hard to make
friends at his new school with other kids by joining the local
football team, also known as Club Under Twelves.
This novel is perfect for some relaxed reading, as it isn't that
serious as some books can get. It also gives the readers an
excellent example of what a life is like when travelling from one
town to another on four wheels without having a proper home. Cannily, Cannily is a perfect novel for primary school
children, because most of the characters in this book are roughly
their age. Many people of different ages will enjoy it though, as
it's the kind of book people would read for pleasure. In my opinion,
it is a wonderful novel.
I recommend this book.
Nika Aroutiounian (Student)
Two mates by Melanie Prewett
Two mates by Melanie Prewett
Ill. by Maggie Prewett. Magabala Books, 2012. ISBN 9781921248450.
(Ages: 6+) Warmly recommended. Picture book. Aboriginal
themes. Disability. A colourful picture book which shows two friends
playing together is not new, but this story has a different setting
and overlay that will make it instantly endearing to all who pick it
up. The families live in Broome, and the two boys' life together
means a day full of fishing, swimming and collecting bush tucker
which they cook together on coals. Jack and Raf do all sorts of
things and this little book is brim full of their adventures and
excursions. The two boys could be anywhere, playing together,
sharing their company and food, their families and environment but
the setting makes it intensely rich for other readers.
The marvellous country side is brought to life through the
descriptions of their days, and the reader incidentally learns a
great deal of information about Broome and the surroundings as well
as the lifestyles of those who live there.
It is only at the end of the book that Raf's disability is revealed
through a drawing of the two boys, and this gives a touch of
surprise at the physical nature of their activities - there is no
thought that Raf's disability will hold them back. A brief
explanation of spina bifida is given and a double page spread of the
families to which the boys belong ends the book. For a class wanting
a great read to introduce a topic on disability, or about Broome, or
a range of ideas about Indigenous Australia, then this book will
serve the class well, bringing a different perspective on friendship
and togetherness.
Fran Knight
Australian Timelines (series) by Scott Brodie and others
Trocadero Publishing 2012. pbk. RRP $24.95 each.
With the national history curriculum in place in some states, and
imminent in others, it is great to welcome a new series of print
resources that will support its implementation. Written by a variety
of authors, there are currently seven titles in the series . . . The Constitution: The document that created a nation (ISBN
9780864271075) Immigration since 1788: The making of modern Australia (ISBN
9780864271037) Exploration and Settlement in Colonial Australia (ISBN
9780864271099) The Governors 1788-1855 and how they influenced Modern Australia
(ISBN9780864271013) Gold: The precious metal that brought instant wealth and
long-term prosperity ISBN (9780864271198) Prime Ministers and their Governments (ISBN 9780864271061) The Commonwealth of Australia: Evolving into a nation (ISBN
9780864271167)
Two of these, Immigration since 1788 and The Governors
1788-1855 are also available as pdf ebooks for $29.95.
Of course, your first question will be, 'What do these resources
have that all the others in my library do not?' and the answer is
that they are designed for the lower secondary market so they have
much more information than other series I've seen. Rather than just
being a chronological series of Australia's development, each topic
spans its Australian timeline. Gold isn't just confined to the
Victorian goldrush era: The Commonwealth of Australia
includes the structure of the Commonwealth as well as its evolution
coming forward to Kevin Rudd's apology to the indigenous peoples; Prime
Ministers includes these Gillard years; Immigration
begins with the convicts and continues through to the current issues
with asylum seekers.
Even though there is a lot more text packed into the pages, it is
well-balanced with images and the layout makes for easy reading.
Each title is indexed and each has been thoroughly researched.
The series is marketed as being for Years 7-9, but I believe it also
has a place in the primary library for those more able students who
need something a little more meatier to explore, particularly as the
focus of the history curriculum for that age is Australia as a
Nation. If you are looking for new resources for a well-resourced
topic, then this series is it. More details are available
and publisher/author Scott Brodie is visiting Melbourne in mid May.
Contact INTBooks for
details.
Barbara Braxton
Fated by Sarah Alderson
Simon and Schuster UK, 2012. ISBN 9780857074348.
(Ages 14+) Evie is seventeen and has just found out that she is the
last in a long line of hunters and is in the centre of a war that
has be going on for the last thousand years. She never knew her
parents and can't wait to leave Riverview, California but all her
plans are changed when she is attacked by a group of unhumans. Lucas
Grey is half shadow warrior and half human. He is a member of the
Brotherhood, a group of unhumans tasked with killing every last
hunter on earth, but form the first time he sees Evie he will stop
at nothing to protect her. Being half human give Lucas an advantage
when it comes to being around hunters because they can't sense him
as easily, and so he was able to get close to Evie. He was supposed
to get her to trust him, so that he could kill her. At first he
didn't know why he was protecting her by stopping the others from
killing her but he knew he had to protect her. Even if it meant
losing his life.
This book was amazing and I really hope it's part of a series. It
was funny in parts and the characters were like real people. This
book is in third person but from Evie and Lucas' points of view so
it was easy to see how Lucas and Evie felt and although it wasn't as
easy to tell how the other characters felt you could still see how
they felt. I would highly recommend this book, as it is interesting,
a great book and kept my eyes glued to the page till the end.
Tahlia Kennewell (Student)
A day to remember by Jackie French
Ill. by Mark Wilson. HarperCollins, 2012. ISBN 9780 7322 9360 4.
(All ages) Warmly recommended. War. Picture book. In showing
us the history of Anzac Day, Jackie French is also promoting a plea
for peace as the Australian Defence Forces concentrate more on
keeping the peace in countries, both near neighbours and those far
away. From the first Anzac Day, April 25, 1915, when thousands of
Australian and New Zealand troops were landed at Gallipoli in a vain
attempt to reach Constantinople, the day has been recognised as a
day to remember the valiant deeds of those brave few. Over the
years, Anzac Day has come to include all the men and women of all
the forces, and Jackie French gives us a deft potted history of just
how that day has developed. Through spare prose she tells us of the
few who gathered around the Cenotaph in Sydney in 1927,
leading to a few more the following year, building up to a Dawn
Service and a march. For some years the tradition faltered, as
attitudes to our involvement in war changed, but a resurgence of
interest and in particular, a rethinking of the sacrifice made by
these people, has served to reinvigorate the day's observance.
Today many make a pilgrimage to Gallipoli, many thousands make the
day a special day in their family's year, and many more watch the
march on television.
Mark Wilson has effectively used photographs and illustrations from
the past to render his impressions of our involvement in war for the
younger reader. Letters, newspaper accounts, old photographs,
pictures, medals and the occasional sprig of rosemary along with the
odd poppy, are drawn with pen and ink, and acrylic paint to produce
the sweeping illustrations of war and its aftermath. Each page
is markedly different as time flows on, the placement of the script,
the pictures, and scope of what we are seeing, all give a resonance
to the subject at hand, and impel the reader to look more closely at
the images presented An astute teacher or librarian would invite the
art teacher to discuss with the students the varying styles of work
Mark Wilson presents, and ponder the reasons for his using such
markedly different techniques.
I always marvel at the depth of research undertaken by Jackie French
in her historical books, and this is another which underlines her
considerable skill. I love the snippets of information she includes,
giving the sometimes known information something extra to ponder and
discuss.
Fran Knight
The emperor's new clothes horse by Tony Wilson
Ill. by Sue deGenero, Scholastic, 2012. ISBN 9781742830452.
(Ages: 5+) Warmly recommended. Picture book. A whimsical take of the
old cautionary tale, The Emperor's new clothes, this
wonderful picture book offers an entertainingly funny book to read
aloud to a class or child. The enticing layout with the words in a
column on each side of the page with a large illustration across the
double page spread, makes it child friendly as they turn each page
knowing where to look.
The story has an emperor with everything but wanting desperately to
win the one last cup to adorn his shelves. Searchers are sent out to
find a horse which will win this cup for him, and the horse that
arrives is not what is expected. But beauty is in the eye of the
beholder, and as with the Emperor's new clothes, no-one has the
courage to tell him what it really is.
Great fun, with delightful illustrations, this book will be a hit
with younger students and could well be compared with the original
tale. Each page has different things to seek out for the quick eyed
reader, and there is fun to be had for the adult following the
money.
Fran Knight
