Forget Me Not: The Story of One Family's Voyage on the Titanic by Sue Lawson
Black Dog Books. ISBN: 9781742032108
(Ages: 14+) Recommended. This is a well plotted novel
that builds slowly to its inevitable climax focusing on two
fictional siblings, Thomas and Eve. Lawson surrounds them with a
mixture of other made-up and real people, all serving an important
purpose when the Titanic hits the iceberg. They are authentic
teens (daring and disobedient) and siblings (moody towards each
other, yet fiercely loyal), and their adventures capture the mood
and atmosphere of the unsinkable ship well.
There are a multitude of fascinating details, due to Thomas and his
new friend, Hugh's fondness for exploring beyond their social
status. Not only do they explore first-class (the gymnasium and the
Grand Staircase), but they also slip down to the Orlop deck where
the boiler rooms are. Lawson brings the vessel alive, and even
though there is a bitter sweetness to the constant reference to the
'unsinkable ship', there was also frustration at everyone's
arrogance and unshakeable faith in the design and build.
There are a few familiar contrivances here: A strict mother hiding
unbearable pain; the generous father over compensating for his
wife's inability to show warmth to her children; Helpful stewards
who turn a blind eye to the reckless behaviour, and the almost
psychic feelings of impending doom felt by Eve, all but ridiculed by
the adults. But in the end, these don't detract from the narrative,
which is engaging and meaningful.
A timely book, given the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the
Titanic, and a useful way to engage teenagers with this historical
event. Themes include family, women's place in society, societal
expectations, and historical studies.
Trisha Buckley
Stolen away by Alyxandra Harvey
Bloomsbury, 2012. ISBN 978 1 4088 1132 0.
Highly recommended. You would never expect a gorgeous guy carrying a
sword to kneel at your feet while cooling off with your friends.
Eloise Hart never expected that it would happen to her, kind of
hoped it wouldn't. She isn't impressed by this guy like everyone
else in the car park. Worse, he claims he has come to protect her
from the Faery king, Lord Strahan. Eloise is abducted from her home
and is used as a lure to capture her aunt Antonia, the king's wife.
Eloise's friends, Jo and Devin must help her save both Faery and the
mortal world from the chaos Lord Strahan causes.
I loved the transition Eloise makes from the quiet and shy girl to
strong-minded and wilful. The detail in which Alyxandra writes is
wonderful; I was hanging on every word. Each chapter had some
new secret that would help Eloise and her friends throughout the
book. Looking at the cover and the title I had imaged something so
different to what it was and it was a nice surprise, I enjoyed every
page. It's a good book for those who like some mystery and fantasy
with their life.
Cecilia Richards (Student)
Grace beside me by Sue McPherson
Magabala Books, 2012. ISBN 9781921248498
(Age: 15 +) Highly recommended. This is the first novel from Sue
McPherson, winner of the inaugural 'black and write!' Indigenous
Writing Fellowship. The narrator is Fuzzy, a young girl with
indigenous heritage, who is living with her grandparents in a small
Australian country town. Fuzzy tells us that she and her
grandparents 'all love stories' and that she is 'a guardian of
stories'. In fact, this book reads less like a traditional novel
with a beginning, a middle and an end and more like a series of
vignettes. It is as if the reader is sitting down over a cuppa while
Fuzzy regales us with stories about the life and characters of her
country community.
Some of these characters are larger than life (like her neighbour,
Yar, who has a penchant for gardening in his purple tutu), some of
them are funny (like Father John who always seems to be in a spin)
and some of them are decidedly sleazy (like Mr Ridgeway). The sense
of storytelling is particularly evident in Fuzzy's use of a
straightforward and chatty style which is frequently peppered with
old fashioned Aussie slang: 'two bob's worth', 'we're buggered', 'I
reckon' and 'bloody oath'.
Interestingly, despite the teenaged narrator, the focus of the story
is less about teenagers and more about family; in particular,
Fuzzy's Nan, a woman with strong views and a forthright approach to
life. It is Nan's saying 'with Grace beside me' that provides the
title of the novel and a common core to the stories, as Fuzzy learns
how this refrain not only provides solace when faced with life's
rough patches, it can also provide her with a way forward.
Fuzzy claims that 'stories link us to our mob' and Sue McPherson's
book demonstrates this beautifully. It provides a glimpse into the
stories of both a community and a nation, with special mention of
Anzac Day and Sorry Day. However, what emerges most strongly of all
in this book is the importance of family to Fuzzy's mob and the
power of story.
Deborah Marshall
The hum of concrete by Anna Solding
Midnight Sun, 2012. ISBN 9780987226501.
This is a most intriguing novel, covering so many issues of the
modern world that it leaves one reeling after the surprisingly
personal ending. In a series of short anecdotes, that
weave in and out of different lives, Solding takes us into the homes
and minds of a range of characters whose lives converge in
unexpected ways.
Solding's setting is Malmo, in modern Sweden, yet the speech of the
characters rings with Australian vernacular, 'see ya' making me feel
quite at home with certain characters. Her link to an
Australian lover for one of the women, who is quite happy with her
profession and life until she forms an unexpected relationship with
this man, ties back to this country and seems to happily match the
speech patterns.
Covering a wide range of families and situations, Solding places us
in the homes of new migrants from Africa, revealing the shock of
public semi-nudity for Muslims almost as an affront, yet she has the
characters work through this as one of the settling-in acceptances
necessary to live in this new cold land. Friendships formed,
lovers found, gay relationships happily normalised - all are woven
seamlessly into this perceptive construction of a current
multi-cultural world where we are learning to understand the myriad
ways of being human.
Told in many different voices, and in different ways, this story is
ultimately a satisfying reading experience that offers hope for a
more tolerant world and the challenge to meet others where they are,
rather than remaining smugly satisfied with our own lot in life.
Elizabeth Bondar
Maisy goes on a sleepover by Lucy Cousins
Walker, 2012. ISBN 9781406337457.
(Age: 3-5) Another book in the delightful Maisy series, this
time Maisy goes and stays overnight with her friend Tallulah. There
she meets Tallulah's new friend Ella and they have lots of fun
together, playing music, dancing and singing and eating a delicious
supper. Finally after going to the bathroom one by one they snuggle
down and talk and laugh until they finally go to sleep.
Cousins has written another story that will prepare children for
what is often a very eventful occurrence in their lives. Staying
away from home can be quite an experience, but Cousins shows how
much fun can be had on a sleepover. The way she describes Maisy
packing and what happens on the sleepover could also give lots of
hints about how to prepare for one or even give one.
A deft hand with giving subtle messages, Cousins' introduction of a
new friend for Tallulah and Maisy's acceptance of her without
feeling jealous could provide young children with a model for making
new friends. Maisy is happy knowing that she is still Tallulah's
friend and can see all the advantages that Ella can bring to the
trio.
As always, the bright colours, amusing figures outlined in black and
clothes with interesting patterns are memorable and will delight
children who already love this series.
Pat Pledger
Twelve Minutes to Midnight by Christopher Edge
Nosy Crow, 2012. ISBN 978 0 85753 050 6.
(Age: 10-14) Highly recommended. The mystery begins in 'Bedlam', an
insane asylum where at precisely twelves minutes to midnight the
sleeping patients suddenly arise from their beds and in a catatonic
state start to write furiously with whatever they can find, on any
surface. When they awake the next morning they cannot remember
anything of the experience.
The heroine of the story is 13 year old Penelope Treadwell, the
editor and main writer of the tantalizing and sinister Penny
Dreadful. As the time and setting of the novel is Victorian England,
feisty Penny must disguise her role in the magazine by hiring an
actor to play her non de plume, Montgomery Flinch. She accompanies
him as his 'niece'. This gives Penny the opportunity to scrutinize
the Bedlam mystery by assisting 'Montgomery Flinch' in his
investigations, although brave and inquisitive Penny certainly
struggles with the hired Flinch's cowardly behaviour. Penny has more
support and help from her young friend Alfie.
This story keeps you on the edge of your seat. The mystery at the
insane asylum, the mysterious and beautiful Lady Cambridge and her
obsession with spiders, the inclusion of the most famous writers of
Victorian times and Penny's natural inquisitiveness add to the
drama. Clever twists and turns are used by the author to keep you
turning the pages. The content of the mysterious writings is a big
surprise.
The black, white and red cover is appealing and the forthcoming
second novel echoes the same design features, so it is visually easy
to tell it is a sequel.
I highly recommend this book to children aged 10 to 14 who like
mystery, excitement and some gripping scary moments in their novels.
Jane Moore
End of the Night Girl by Amy Matthews
Wakefield Press in 2011. ISBN 978 1862549449.
(Age: Older Adolescents - adults) Highly recommended. Amy Matthews'
brilliant novel, End of the Night Girl, is the story of
Molly, who works as a waitress, disaffected and lost, interlaced
with confrontational language and action. Highly descriptive,
Molly's observations draw us into her world and her dawning
understanding of what life can be, if we let ourselves imagine the
possibilities.
Tearing a scrap of paper from a library book, Molly begins to create
a story of the life of a woman named in a list of Holocaust victims.
Gienia, a Polish Jew, becomes the focus for Molly, and it is through
imagining a story for the young woman that Molly finds an expression
for her horror of the persecution of the innocent during the Second
World War, and is herself redeemed in the writing. Amy Matthews has
grounded the story so deeply in the grossness of life in both
worlds, but then shocks us in the story of Gienia's struggling to
survive the atrocities of the concentration camps, her descriptions
harrowing and horrifying, giving us an insight into how much human
beings will sacrifice of their humanity to just stay alive.
Matthews' astute observations of the gritty nature of modern life,
in her compassionate portrayal of a young woman slowly realising
what she values, and finding a way to live a good life, are enhanced
by her protagonist's grasp of the nature of story-telling. It is
actually through the interweaving of the two stories that we gain an
insight into Matthews' suggestion that it is how stories shape
themselves that we understand their meaning. Finally, it is in
Molly's construction of a story for Gienia that she reclaims control
of her own life.
This wonderfully challenging and brilliant novel is not for young
readers, but older adolescents would certainly resonate with this
world and the harsh language that saves characters from expressing
what they really feel - or mean. I loved this book and would highly
recommend it.
Elizabeth Bondar
Red by Libby Gleeson
Allen and Unwin, 2012 ISBN 9781741758535
(Ages: 10+) Recommended. After a cyclone has devastated the shores
of Sydney, Red wakes to find herself being watched over by a boy
called Peri. They shift uneasily together, finding food, clothing
and shelter over the first few nights. But Red has no memory of who
she is or where she is from, and they carefully piece together some
recognition for her after they find her photo in the library at a
deserted school.
The images of Sydney, almost demolished by a cyclone, with people
wandering aimlessly, looking for family and friends, crowd in on the
reader. TV footage of similarly destroyed communities Christchurch,
Indonesia, Northern Queensland, and the devastation of the Victorian
bushfires are readily brought to mind as these pages are read. As a
consequence, readers will immediately start to think about how they
would survive in the aftermath of such an event, and will follow
Red's story with heightened awareness.
Red eventually opens the locket around her neck, finding a memory
stick within. The impact of the images shocks her as she sees a man
she believes to be her father telling her to trust no one and get
the USB to a Royal Commission at present meeting in Melbourne. So
begins a struggle to survive and get to Melbourne, all the
while avoiding the police and other inquisitive travelers. Red
finds everyone suspicious, even her friends, and it is up to her to
get the information to the judge. A heart popping thriller of a
story, Red will excite middle school readers.
Fran Knight
Moo Hoo by Candace Ryan
Ill. by Mike Lowery. Bloomsbury, 2012. ISBN 9781408825228.
(Ages: 3-6) Recommended. Cow and Owl are best of friends and do
everything together. They play music, mend their toys and have lots
of fun saying Boo at Halloween. When Roo comes along wanting to be
friends they don't include him in their games, but they soon realise
that their pastimes could be enlivened by a third friend and go off
to find him.
Ryan and Lowery have combined to make an unusual and delightful
picture book. Collaborators on Ribbit
Rabbit, 2011, they come together again in a clever and
memorable rhyming book. Cow and Owl are identified with the words
Moo and Hoo and it is amazing how many rhymes can be made with words
sounding like 'oo'. It is also a warm book about friendship. As a
reader my heart fell when Roo went off feeling blue after Moo and
Hoo ignored him , and soared when they finally found him, with a big
'Woo hoo!'
Lowery's illustrations at first glance look flat with pastel
backgrounds, but as the characters became more familiar his ability
to draw emotions with one or two strokes is very evident. As a
reader I delighted in the little subtle touches of humour like the
cowbell around Moo's neck and Moo and Hoo's obsession with super
heroes.
This would be a great book to read aloud and one that young children
will easily be able to memorise and begin reading for themselves. It
will also be a good opportunity for parents and teachers to point
out that capital letters can be used entirely for the text in a
picture book as has occurred in this one, and then compare it with
another book that uses upper and lower case.
Pat Pledger
Change the locks by Simon French
Walker Books, 2012. ISBN 9781921720758.
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Eleven year old Steven lives a precarious
life in a rural town with his mother and baby brother. Money is
tight and now that their car has been stolen, his mother is
especially distracted. In fact, his mother hasn't had much time for
anything or anybody since Darryl left. Steven is glad that Darryl
has gone but also worries that he might come back. It seems that
Steven always has something to worry about.
Disturbing memories from early childhood keep intruding into
Steven's consciousness. His mother refuses to talk about the past
other than to say that they lived in the city. Steven thinks she is
hiding something, but why? A chance discovery provides some clues
but there are still more questions than answers. He wants to talk to
his mum but how can he do this without adding to her worries?
Steven is a very sensitive boy. He looks after his little brother
when his mother seems incapable of doing so. He envies the home life
of his friend Patrick and his warm and accepting parents. He likes
living where he does but is fearful of the school bully and running
into the undesirable friends of Darryl.
This book is a sensitive insight into the mind of a young boy reared
in challenging and unsettling circumstances. Written by award
winning author, Simon French, it was first published in 1991
however, its relevance remains constant. It has great potential to
facilitate awareness of broader social issues such as teenage
pregnancy and homelessness. Read aloud, it could be a great stimulus
for class discussion.
Tina Cain
A matter of magic by Patricia C. Wrede
Tom Doherty Associates Book, 2010. ISBN 9780765326324.
(Age 12+) Recommended. This volume contains two of Patricia C.
Wrede's books, Mairelon the Magician and The Magician's
Ward. Set in Regency England, they are full of mystery and
suspense, and will appeal to readers who enjoyed Ruby in the
smoke by Philip Pullman and stories by Georgette Heyer.
Kim is a young girl alone on the streets, masquerading as a boy to
protect herself from predators. She breaks into Mairelon the
magician's tent to steal an orb that is supposed to be magic and
when discovered, finds that her whole life is changed. She becomes
Mairelon's apprentice and begins a series of adventures following a
trail of thieves and murderers, while she struggles to learn how to
read and to behave like a lady. The second story continues her story
with an emphasis on her maintaining her style and integrity while
giving the appearance of a lady.
Wrede's combination of fantasy and comedy make for an entertaining
read. Her use of thieves' cant like 'nabbing culls' and bad grammar
like 'aint' add humour to the predicaments that Kim gets herself
into as she learns how she can operate in a different world to the
stews that she was born into. Kim is a feisty girl who doesn't
compromise her values even when faced with the opportunity to have
an easy married life with a rich man.
I really enjoyed these two stories. They were fun and easy to read
and I will certainly be finding more of Patricia C. Wrede's book to
read.
Pat Pledger
A confusion of princes by Garth Nix
Allen and Unwin, 2012. ISBN 9781 74375 861 0
(Ages: 10+) Recommended. Fantasy. Science Fiction. Prince
Khemri is born to rule. The Empire chose him when he was an infant
and removed him from his parents to be enhanced, indulged and kept
in isolation and ignorance of the truth of the politics of the
Empire. Though he didn't know it at first Khemri is one of millions
of princes all jostling for power and position.
The Empire is an unequal world. Scientific advances have made them
the leaders in 'Mektek', 'Bitek' and 'Psitek'. Although some of
their rivals have some of these advancements the Empire seems to be
the only civilisation with all the advanced technologies. Princes
are enhanced. Their minds are developed with educational and
developmental programming and their DNA is changed and improved and
even their bones and muscles tweaked to strengthen and quicken
reflexes.
Khemri's life changes dramatically when he is 17 and he is brought
into contact with the real world, to take his place as a prince of
the Empire. It's not quite as he has imagined it! Not only does he
not take command of anything immediately there are other princes
trying to assassinate him. Fortunately his Master of Assassins is
experienced and skilled and is able to bring him safely to his
investiture.
Life in the Empire seems at first to be chaotic but as time unfolds
and Khemri's options are given he comes to realise that all is
mapped out and little is left to chance. He joins the Navy and from
then is given a series of tests and finds he really has but one path
to follow: that given by the Empire or failure and death.
His greatest test comes when he is dropped into a world where he is
stripped of his princely assets of both mind and body. He no longer
has the strength, agility, sight and mind control he has been used
to and it also seems that he has also begun to feel emotions of
ordinary humans. He begins to wonder if the life of a prince is
really the life he wants for himself. Khemri also begins to have
doubts about the political correctness of the Empire and the
Emperor, even though he has been selected as a candidate to become
Emperor.
Garth Nix has created a world where a huge central government has
control through its creation of princes. The populations of many of
the dominated worlds are unaware, as are perhaps many of the princes
themselves of how manipulated they all are, and how expendable. A
parable on our world at the moment? Where the subtleties of
information control and flow are in the hands of a few?
For trailers and an interview with the author, go to Allen and
Unwin's website .
Mark Knight
Fallen in love by Kate Lauren
Random House, 2012. ISBN 9780857531643.
(Ages: 14+) This very short novel has 4 separate love stories
featuring Miles, Shelby, Roland, Ariane, Daniel and Luce from the
popular Fallen series, The stories are set around St Valentine's Day
in medieval England, and are connected through the collective wish
of four of the characters for Daniel and Luce to have a romantic
night together.
Miles and Shelby act on their long time attraction in their story,
while Roland secretly visits the mortal woman that he abandoned
years before in his tale. Ariane's love affair with Tess ends badly
when she is forced by Tess to choose between following Lucifer or
the Fallen Angels. The last story is that of Daniel and Luce and how
they are brought together by their friends on Valentine's Day.
Readers who have not read other books in the series will find much
of the book confusing, as there are limited explanations about why
characters are in their particular situations. This book fits
between the fourth and fifth book in the Fallen series and
would be enjoyed by fans of the other books.
Chris Lloyd
Andy Roid and the field trip terror by Felice Arena
Book 2. Puffin Books, 2012.ISBN 9780143306047.
(Ages: 7-10) Andy is 'half boy, half machine'. A bit like a younger
version of the Six Million Dollar Man, if you're my generation and
can remember the show!
This title is number 2 in the series. I had not read the first book
but fortunately a prologue gives the reader all the necessary
information. Andy survived a horrific truck accident but in order to
save his life, Andy's parents, who happen to be robotic specialists,
rebuilt him to include great strength, speed and amazing apps.
Andy has to live undercover now to be protected from the evil Dr
Baffi, so book number 2 deals with Andy's first days at his new
school. There is the friendly, nerdy kid who is constantly picked on
by the school bully Hunter and another mysterious new student, Judd
who is super cool and has amazing abilities himself.
Andy cannot display his super powers without exposing his true
identity but a school visit to a local bank changes everything and
Andy has to make a decision between saving lives and protecting his
secret.
An action packed book that will be enjoyed by boys 7 to 10+. The
book covers have dynamic artwork that will appeal. There are 5 books
available in this series at present (April 2012).
A promotional book trailer is available.
Jane Moore
The coat by Julie Hunt
Ill. by Ron Brooks. Allen and Unwin, 2012. ISBN 978 1 74114 605 9.
(Ages: 6+) Warmly recommended. Picture book. Fable. The fable of a
scarecrow giving up his coat to a man wandering along the highway,
is told in imaginative tightly constructed prose by Julie Hunt.
Against a sepia background, the vagrant, a lonely and dejected man,
comes to life when the coat takes him upwards, over the trees and
houses, the villages and towns until he gets to a city. Here he
finds his voice, and taking a piano accordion from the wall, begins
to play and sing to the assembled people at the inn. His music fills
the room, moving the patrons to sing and dance, turning them into
acrobats, twisting and diving in the air above them, as colour
returns to his life.
When he comes to leave he does so with thunderous applause, unable
to give a response to the question of when he will return.
But the joy given to the people will live on, just as the man and
his new coat bring music and joy to other such communities along
their path. The coat, which felt it was a waste stuffed with straw
in the field of strawberries, has a new life, as does the
disappointed young man who puts it on.
There is a lot to like in this story as the coat takes on a life of
its own in trying to avoid being disregarded, while the man can see
how important the coat was once, gracing the shoulders of someone
with distinction. The man fills the coat, changing from a small,
insignificant man to one whose qualities shine for all to see. On
many levels it is a story of fulfilling one's potential, of taking
risks, of making the most of a moment, of taking opportunities as
they present themselves. Adages crowd in to be discussed and
pondered, 'Clothes maketh the man', 'Seize the day', 'Opportunity
knocks but once', to name a few.
And the illustrations, by Ron Brooks, are just marvellous. I had art
books all over the floor as I tried to match some of the styles he
uses to an artist or period of art history. All students will love
finding similar books in their library to compare with the sweeping,
intricate, sepia and colourful illustrations presented by Brooks,
with Chagall and Brueghel coming immediately to mind.
I can imagine hours of discussions proceeding from this book, once
the beautiful linked script has been deciphered by the students.
Fran Knight
