Book Two of the Lumatere Chronicles. Penguin, 2011. ISBN:
978-0-670-07608-6.
After reading the first two books of the Lumatere Chronicles I have
discovered that the chronicles are much more than just books, both Finnikin
of the Rock and Froi of the Exiles are epic fantasies
of the kind that are rarely seen today. Both have, I believe, the
genius of something similar to The lord of the Rings and Harry
Potter. The only books I've read by Melina Marchetta have left
me with a hunger for more. Froi of the Exiles follows three years after its predecessor
in the kingdom of Lumatere of Skuldenor. The curse of Lumatere has
been lifted and trade is just beginning between Lumatere and its
neighbours. But all is not well. The Mont valley suffers an
'infestation' of sorts; Charynite's have come to beg sanctuary from
their own. They bring with them wild talk of plague, curses and
plots to kill a king. In order for peace to return to the Valley
Froi is dispatched on a mysterious mission to Charyn; but what he
finds there amidst the anarchy will leave him questioning his home,
his heart and even his way of life.
This richly woven tale is guaranteed to keep the reader on the edge
of their seat and while some concepts may be frightening and
confusing to readers younger then fourteen I would easily recommend
this novel to anyone with a thirst for fantasy. I have to add that I
thoroughly enjoyed every page of both books of Lumatere and I'm sure
we will soon be hearing of awards won by Froi of the Exiles.
The next instalment is expected in October this year, entitled Quintana
of Charyn.
Kayla Gaskell, (Student, 15)
Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
Pop-up ed. Ill. by Anita Jeram. Walker 2011. ISBN 9781406327977.
(Age 2-5) Highly recommended. A pop-up edition of a well loved
picture book, Guess How Much I Love You is sure to please young
readers. It features two hares, one very small, Little Nutbrown Hare
and one very large, Big Nutbrown Hare. Little Nutbrown Hare is going
to bed and wants to get the attention of Big Nutbrown Hare so he
pulls his ears and asks, 'Guess how much I love you?' Little
Nutbrown Hare throws out his arms, reaches as high as he can go,
goes upside down to his toes, hops high, but each time Big Nutbrown
Hare can go further and higher.
This is an endearing book that beautifully demonstrates the love
between father and son and ends in a perfect confirmation of just
how much the father loves his little son. Anita Jeram's
illustrations in soft washes of browns, greens and blues are
beautiful. The pop-up sections and flaps of the book are fabulous,
but I would advise that parent or teacher carefully supervises the
wheels as little fingers could easily pull them apart.
This is a book that will become part of a cherished collection for
my grandchildren.
Pat Pledger
Relics of the dead by Ariana Franklin
Bantam Books, 2009. ISBN 978 0553820324.
(Age: Senior school) Highly recommended. Crime, Medieval.1176 and
bones have been discovered at the Abbey at Glastonbury, one is small
in stature, the other larger, like a warrior. In a country in
turmoil, with the Welsh trying to hold back Henry 11 of England, the
idea that these bones are those of the Once and Future King, Arthur
and his wife Guineverre, is enough to give strength to the Welsh
cause. Henry 11 wants them identified preferably not as those of the
king, Arthur and Guineverre, but the monks, in desperate straits,
want a reason for people to make pilgrimage to their abbey,
desperately short of funds. Into this maelstrom of conflicting
interests, Henry 11 sends Adeliar Agular, his 'mistress of the art
of death', to find out exactly whose bones they are. She in turn is
angry that he has once again been able to circumvent her own wishes
and send her on this perilous mission, one in which she is yet again
exposed to the whims of the men in her life.
A fascinating story follows, firmly entrenched in its setting of the
medieval township and abbey, with wholly credible characters moving
around each other, often belligerently, sometimes with love and
understanding, but always capturing the readers' interest and
eagerness for the story to unfold.
Adelia is a wonderful character, a trained doctor in a time where
few had scant knowledge, and women not at all, she must move about
England with her trusted servant, Mansur, a Moor, to whom in public
she defers, taking on the role as his translator to defray knowledge
of her abilities. Added to this problem, she has a daughter, and the
father of this child, Adelia's former lover, is now the Bishop of St
Albans, who regularly intrudes on her life.
This the third in the series of books about Adelia, is a book to
savour and keep to reread. Its setting is masterful, the attitudes
and lifestyle of the times impeccably revealed, and the crime to be
unravelled, complex and involving. Ariana Franklin, the British
author, Diana Noonan, died in 2011. Her marvellous creation, Adelia
has lived through four books, Mistress of the art of death
(2007), The death maze (2008), Relics of the dead
(2009) and a fourth, A murderous procession (2010).
Fran Knight
Knuffle Bunny free by Mo Willems
Walker, 2011. ISBN 9781406336498.
(Age 2-5) Recommended. Trixie and her family are off to Holland to
visit her grandparents. They have a wonderful trip on the plane, and
it is not until the next day that Trixie realises that Knuffle Bunny
has been left on the plane. When her father rings the airport, he
discovers that the plane is on its way to China.
Pictures of Trixie, Knuffle Bunny and her family are superimposed on
black and white photos from around the world and this makes for a
wonderful opportunity for children to explore both the real world
and use their imagination. I was captivated with the portrayal of
the trip, the taxi ride to the airport, going through security, the
waiting around and finally the plane trip itself. For parents who
are planning going on a holiday by plane this would make a perfect
book to familiarise young children with what to expect and also to
help them to remember to get all their toys from the plane's seat
pocket. The photos also give a great background to the Netherlands
and the centre page foldout shows all the wonderful places around
the world that Knuffle Bunny could be visiting.
The story itself is a wonderful example of family love and a young
girl beginning to grow up a little and realising that she may have
to part with beloved toys. I loved the ending and so will people who
are reading this story to young children.
Pat Pledger
Pegasus by Robin McKinley
Puffin Books, 2011. ISBN 9780141338095.
(Ages 10+) For thousands of years the humans and pegasi have leaved
peacefully in the beautiful green country past the wild lands. Their
only means of real communication is through pegasi shamans and human
magicians and that's the first thing either species learns about the
other. So when Sylvi is bound to her pegasus, Ebon, on her twelfth
birthday it is a big surprise when they can understand each other.
Within a few weeks they become best friends, but some people do not
like that they can understand each other and believe it's dangerous.
As
their bond becomes more powerful it does become dangerous and their
friendship could threaten to destroy the peace and safety of their
two
worlds.
I enjoyed this book heaps. I would recommend this book because not
only
is it a good book, it also had an amazing friendship in it, Sylvi
and
Ebon, that would just about be impossible to break.
Tahlia Kennewell (Student)
Daughter of smoke and bone by Laini Taylor
Hodder and Stoughton, 2011. ISBN 9781444722635.
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. Karou keeps two lives in balance. On
one hand she is an art student in Prague, on the other she travels
around the world collecting teeth from endangered animals and
criminals for Brimstone, a monster who is family to her. She was
raised half in Elsewhere and half in the normal world. When the
doors to Elsewhere begin to close, Karou is forced to choose between
the human world and the strange and dangerous place behind the
doors.
Taylor has created a fabulous world for this highly original
fantasy. The beautiful city of Prague is brought to life, with its
intimate coffee shops and narrow alleyways. Then there is Elsewhere,
a frightening but compelling world, where Brimstone concocts strange
beings and the land is being torn apart by war.
Karou's normal life as an art student is vividly described. She has
blue hair and is immersed in the art scene in Prague, drawing
unusual fantasy creatures that no one guesses are her family. She is
strong and independent, careful of her friends, but hiding secrets.
When Brimstone sends a message via the almost crow, she drops
everything to do his bidding. The reason that Karou collects teeth
is a wonderful device used by Taylor and kept me guessing until all
was revealed. Other twists and turns were introduced as well that
kept the suspense of the story quite enthralling.
For those who like romance with their paranormal fantasy, Akiva, an
angel who loves Karou, will be a satisfying partner as the tragic
events that surround him provide Karou with clues to her real
identity.
Taylor has created a rich world world that will ensure that readers
eagerly await the next book in the series. The ending, which is a
cliff-hanger, is also sure to both frustrate readers who longed for
a satisfying conclusion and entice people into reading the sequel.
Pat Pledger
Going Underground by Susan Vaught
Bloomsbury, 2011.
(Ages: 15+) Highly recommended. This novel opens with the main
character, 17 year old Del, digging a grave and pondering his life
in
the 'deadzone' a place 'without life, without feeling, without air'.
He
has no prospects, despite still being at school and a good student,
is
not permitted to apply to college and the only job he can get is
working for an alcoholic cemetery caretaker.
What could this boy, who was bright, funny and friendly, a child
that
any parent would be proud to call their own, have done that was so
dreadful as to ruin his whole life? His story is told in a series of
flashbacks to the time three years ago, when his world was turned
upside down. The account is cleverly accompanied by Del's own
musical
soundtrack, that reflects his thoughts and feelings. When the
circumstances are slowly and painfully revealed it comes as a
surprise
and a shock, but not for the reasons you think.
Del falls for the beautiful Livia, seeing her when she visits her
sister's grave. She is sweet and lovely with her own tragic
background,
and he faces the dilemma of having to tell her his secret without
losing her. The matter is further complicated by the Goth girl
Cherie
who has taken a shine to Del, despite knowing his past, and cannot
take
the increasingly strident hints that he is not interested.
The characters are appealing, quirky and well rounded, even Fred the
foul mouthed and cheeky African gray parrot who is Del's
constant
companion. It is especially pleasant to see that the majority of
adults
are thoughtful, compassionate and kind, not the cliched villains
or clueless stereotypes that feature in so much YA fiction. There
are
of course exceptions to the rule in the cynical and hypocritical DA
who
appallingly uses the situation to further his own career.
This is an engaging and rather lovely novel, that deals with the
topical themes of teenage sexuality and sexting as well as
friendship,
love and loss with sympathy and understanding.
Alicia Papp
Assault by Brian Falkner
Recon Team Angel, Book 1. Walker Books, 2011. ISBN 9781921720543.
(Ages 14 +) Recommended. When the story begins it is 2030 and most
of the world has been taken over by an alien race called
Bzadians. We are introduced to a highly trained multinational
group of teenagers who are part of an elite fighting squad, Recon
Team Angel. They have learned the Bzadian language, how to operate
their weapons and have been disguised through surgery and skin dying
to resemble the enemy. This team of six is dropped into the centre
of Australia to break into the Bzadian top secret facility under
Uluru and destroy it.
One of the six teenage soldiers is a traitor and solving this
mystery is an important element of the story. The main character of
Ryan Chisnall is well developed and the bravery and inventiveness of
his team leads to some exciting battle scenes. The teenage fighters
are forced to make some thought provoking ethical decisions and
these would be interesting to explore with readers in a class or
individual discussion. For example, how many lives can be classed as
just collateral damage?
This book is the first of a planned sci fi series documenting the
war to defeat the Bzadians. It is recommended for boys who love
adventure and war novels.
Chris Lloyd
Stink and the ultimate thumb-wrestling smackdown by Megan McDonald
Ill. By Peter H. Reynolds. Walker Books, 2011. ISBN 9781406334586.
(Ages 6-11) Recommended. In the 6th title of the Stink Moody books,
Stink is excited about receiving his school report, and looks
forward
to seeing a long list of O's for Oustanding Achievement. He is
horrified though, to see a U for Unsatisfactory beside Physical
Education. Stink has never enjoyed sports, as he thinks he is so
small
he'd get hurt too easily, but now it looks like he'll have to find a
sport to play if he wants to regain his status as the perfect
student.
After ruling out bike-riding, skateboarding, golf and badminton,
Stink
discovers the best sport of them all - Thumb Wrestling! He makes a
costume for his thumb and dubs it Shark Hammersmash, but even such
an
awe-inspiring name cannot help him win. Deciding that perhaps he's
not
cut out for the world of thumb wars after all, Stink finally decides
to
try Karate, and finds he is very good at it. The confidence he gains
from achieving his yellow belt might even give him the boost he
needs
to defeat T.Rex Wasabi, the school's thumb-wrestling champion.
There's a lovely message in this book, that while nobody is good at
everything, everyone is good at something. Students already familiar
with the characters of Stink and his sister Judy will enjoy seeing
Judy
feel quite proud of her brother for a change, and those new to the
series will find themselves wanting to read more.
Donella Reed
Wild Rescue Series by J Burchett and S Volger
Hardie Grant Egmont, 2011.
1. Poacher Peril ISBN 978-192169025-9
2. Earthquake Escape ISBN 978-192169026-6
3. Forest Fire ISBN 978-192169027-3
4. Polar Meltdown ISBN 978-192169028-0
This series has it all for 7 to 9 year old readers. Adventure,
intrigue, a top secret organisation (Wild) and twins Ben and Zoe who
solve mysteries and save animals.
In Book 1 Poacher Peril, Ben and Zoe receive a mysterious
message from their famous zoologist uncle who wants them to join Wild,
saving endangered species around the world. They are equipped with
high tech gadgets and sent undercover to the Sumatran rainforest to
ensure a tiger and her cubs are safe from poachers.
The story is exciting and fast paced. There are ample black and
white illustrations to support the text.
Throughout the book the reader is given lots of information about
the focus animal, in this case tigers and the problems they face. At
the end of the novel is a 2 page fact sheet.
Each book in the series gives the twins a new mission, a new animal
and problem to solve.
In book 2 Earthquake Rescue, Ben and Zoe must save a baby
panda in China, Book 3 Forest Fire involves a young
orang-utan in Borneo and in Book 4 orphan polar bear cubs need to be
rescued in the Arctic.
Read the first chapters of these books to children and you will have
them hooked.
Jane Moore
Lost in Time by Melissa de la Cruz
Atom, 2011. ISBN: 978-1-905654-76-5.
(Age: 16+) Recommended. They are young, fabulous and fanged. They
are the Blue Blues, the secret vampire elite. Now the young Blue
Bloods are being murdered by the most powerful and strongest
vampires of all . . . the Silver Bloods. With the coven of Manhattan
in disarray, three young Blue Bloods find themselves on a journey to
Egypt, which seems to hold the key to protecting the Blue Bloods.
Schuyler Van Alen has just won the love of her life, another Blue
Blood who was meant to be bonded to another, but things are not
completely happy for the new couple. Schuyler must continue on with
the Van Alen legacy to protect the remaining Blue Bloods, while
Jack, her beloved, must face his twin, his bond mate, to end the
bond and destroy her, so that he and Schuyler can be together
forever.
Mimi has been made leader of the coven of Manhattan and she feels
that she can't fulfill the role completely without help of her new
love. However, Kingsley has been taken to the underworld to live the
rest of eternity there. So Mimi must travel to the underworld to
rescue him before it's too late for him and the rest of the coven. Lost in Time is the sixth novel in the Blue Blood series
which follows the characters Schuyler, Mimi and Jack as they try to
restore the covens to peace as the Silver bloods try to take over
the world. At times during the story, your heart will race faster
and not only due to the action but also for other reasons. Melissa
de la Cruz has finish this book with the readers wanting more as I
know that I can't wait until the next book to come out.
Lauren Pfeiffer (Year 12 student)
Ships in the field by Suzanne Gervay
Ill. by Anna Pignataro. Ford St
Publishing, 2011. ISBN 978192665233.
(Ages: 6+) Picture book. Migration.
The girl hugs her toy dog, Brownie, as her father twirls them around
after coming home from work. Mum watches on rather sadly, but
significantly and unusually kisses the little girl on the top of her
head. Both parents have come from another country, one destroyed by
war, a memory which still haunts the mother. Each parent works at a
manual job even though they had better professions in their old
country. The little girl longs for a dog. Quietly, the author ties
in
subtle clues showing what this family has lost in coming to
Australia,
and when going on a picnic, reveals some of the small slights they
endure in settling into a new place, exemplified by the title, the
meaning of which becomes clear in the last few pages. A subtle
story,
overlaid with beautiful water colour images of Australia after World
War 2, the small girl and her family stand for the many hundreds of
thousands of refugees, displaced people, migrants and asylum seekers
who came to our shores at that terrible time in world history. The
gentleness of the water colour images belie the nature of war which
displaced this family, but closer inspection of these pages reveals
the
horror and destruction which occurred.
A reminder from the author and illustrator of the nature of
Australia's
population, Gervay and Pignataro are both children of people who
found
a safe haven in Australia. This book is a complimentary addition to
the
library and classroom where books such as The littlest refugee
(Ahn Do) and Ziba came on a boat (Liz Lofthouse) are
available.
With Ships in the field talking about post World War 2, The
littlest
refugee evoking memories of the boat people after the end
of the Vietnam War and Ziba came on a boat revealing what it
is
like now for people searching for asylum in Australia, any reader
will
gain further understanding and sympathy for the refugee's flight.
Fran Knight
Bluefish by Pat Schmatz
Candlewick Press, 2011. ISBN: 9780763653347.
(Age: 16+) Highly recommended. Bluefish is primarily the
story
of Travis, a troubled and illiterate teenager, but
readers
will also be charmed by the character of Velveeta who befriends him.
It
is set in a small town in the U.S. and includes some thought
provoking
and vivid descriptions of Trailer Park life. The point of view
switches
between Travis and Velveeta with each chapter. Travis's perspective
is
revealed in the third person and Velveeta's in journal form.
There are many secrets in the lives of these two characters and the
compulsion to keep reading until the story is finished is strong.
There
are strong messages of hope and resilience as Travis learns to trust
others, including his inspiring reading teacher, and we witness his
anger and bitterness begin to fade.
I found the story highly emotional, especially the descriptions of
the
huge challenges Travis has in learning to read. The author cleverly
weaves in references to one of my favourite books The Book Thief
by Marcus Zusak. Lovers of Doctor Seuss will also enjoy the
explanation of the book's title.
This book could be a useful Year 11 English Communications text but
also a great paired text with other stories of hope, forgiveness and
struggle.
Chris Lloyd
Clara Button and the magical hat by Amy De La Haye and Emily Sutton
V and A Publishing, 2011. ISBN 978-1851776580.
(Ages: 4-8 ) Clara Button loves buttons, making clothes for her
dolls and hats, especially Granny Elsie's hat. When her brother
Ollie breaks her special hat, her mother decides to cheer Clara up
by taking her and Ollie to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London,
to have a 'magical hat day'. Both Clara and her brother find
interesting items at the museum (although Ollie is reluctant to
admit it) and Clara is lucky to meet some of the curators of the
hats and costumes.
If only everyone can visit the wonderful V&A Museum (I
especially remember the glorious cafe featured in the book) but if
you can't get there, then this book is a great introduction.
The writer was herself a curator at the V and A and the
illustrations are wonderfully intricate and remind me of children's
book illustrations from 50 years ago. This is the first book
published by the museum.
This picture book will have special appeal to creative children
(ages 4-8 ) who love sewing, clothes and costumes.
Jane Moore
Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick
Simon and Schuster, 2011. ISBN: 9780857072283.
(Age: 14+) Recommended. 'The noise between Patch and Nora is gone.
They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past, bridged
two irreconcilable worlds and faced heart wrenching tests of
betrayal, loyalty and trust - all for a love that will transcend the
boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their
absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate
fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything
they've worked for - and their love - forever.' Back cover.
As this is the third book I was a bit lost, but it was easy to find
and follow the story. Fitzpatrick is a wonderful writer, within just
a few pages I was sucked into another world. It seemed like just
when I thought one thing was going to happen, another completely
unexpected thing happened instead. I cannot wait to get down to the
book store and buy the earlier books. The perfect book for those
really long summer holidays.
Taylor Oxenham (student)
