Reviews

Wood angel by Erin Bow

Chicken House, 2011. ISBN 9781906427603.
(Age 13+) Recommended. I picked up this book because of its beautiful cover, thinking that it probably was a fantasy about fairies, and when it was recommended by Meg Rosoff on the cover, I knew that I probably was in for a treat. Well it certainly is a treat, but it's not about fairies. Plain Kate is a woodcarver. Left alone on the death of her father, she lives in a bottom drawer of his market outlet, with only the cat Taggle for company. She carves little charms that are supposed to bring luck, and this brings her to the attention of the villagers, who think she could be a witch. When times get hard, she becomes scared for her life and turns to Linay, a white haired stranger, who promises her safety and companionship in exchange for her shadow. How will she be able to function and what does this mean for the safety of the world?
This is a beautifully plotted story with Plain Kate at the heart of its appeal. She is a feisty girl whose actions and dilemmas held me captive for the whole of the book which I devoured in one sitting. I was awed at her courage in leaving her village and taking up with the Roamers and astounded at the way that she was able to deal with Linay, who had gone mad over the death of his twin sister at the hands of the witch-hunters. She didn't fit in with her village or with the Roamers, but in typical, stoic fashion, made the best of her opportunities, aided by the fabulous talking cat, Taggle, who is one of the best characters that I have come across in my recent readings. His cheeky asides always brought a grin to my face and relieved the darkness of the circumstances facing Kate.
It was also a thought-provoking story, examining the alienation of people who were thought to be different. The death of his sister so haunts Linay that his desire for revenge grows enormously. He is a very frightening character and his magic is quite sinister. Even the Roamers have cast him out.
Erin Bow has twined magic and revenge into a wonderful story that reeks of atmosphere. The loss and sorrow that Kate faces joins together with hope and the steadfastness of friends and the conclusion is wonderful.
This is a book that will remain with me for a long time. I intend to seek out other novels by this fabulous author.
Pat Pledger

The Japanese Ninja surprise created by Jeff Brown, written by Sarah Pennypacker

(Flat Stanley series). Little Hare Books, 2011.ISBN 9781 405252102.
(Ages 7+) Humour. The character of Flat Stanley so loved in the 1960's is back in his own shorter novels for younger readers. The original series created by Jeff Brown was published continuously until the year of his death, 2003. It has its own website, and a project aimed at getting kids to write letters. There is even a Flat Stanley Day and he is one of President Obama's favourite children's books and so receives a great deal of publicity.
This book for newly arrived chapter book readers, has Stanley helping his hero, the ninja movie star, Oda Noopu, after posting himself to Japan to see him. On arrival, of course, all is not well with Oda and the pair teams up to solve his problems. Initially Oda uses Stanley to make an origami star, which displeases Stanley somewhat, but when Oda is kidnapped it is the trail of origami stars which lead him to his hero and  Stanley saves the day.  Stanley survives to return home to his adoring family. Readers will learn much about Japanese society from this charming small book, and will again be exposed to the story of Flat Stanley, of which there are many more.
Fran Knight

Song of the Dove by Errol Broome

Ill. by Sonia Kretschmar. Walker, 2011. ISBN: 978 1921529245.
Bellini, the young music student, takes as his pupil the beautiful Maddalena Fumaroli. As their lessons together continue, they develop a deep bond and fall in love. Walking the cobbled streets of Naples, the couple spy two doves which they agree are always together and remain so for life. When Bellini asks for Maddalena's hand in marriage, her horrified parents refuse and send the young man away. Meeting secretly, Bellini promises that, when he has completed his tenth opera, he shall return and they shall be together, 'dead or alive'. After being sent to Milan, the couple continues to write regularly. Finally, Maddalena's parents have a change of heart and agree to the marriage. Will they be together in life?
A simply and concisely written story with perfectly matched illustrations which add to the historic perspective of the tale, this book is a biography, telling of love, persistence and, despite the ending, resilience. If the book were to be used with a class, one could discuss determination and the problem of labeling or pre-judging people based on first appearances. Not a book which I believe will be eagerly devoured by young children; it nonetheless has its place in a classroom program.
Jo Schenkel

Prohibited Zone: a thriller in the desert by Alastair Sarre

Wakefield Press, Kent Town, South Australia, 2011. ISBN: 978-1-862545-943-2.
Highly recommended for 13 years plus. Alastair Sarre has penned an outstanding debut novel with Prohibited Zone. Sarre draws on his outback childhood in the outback town of Leigh Creek and later living in the Adelaide Hills to describe scenery, places and towns in detail based on reality.
The story is based around an actual happening, a break-out by many refugees from the Woomera Detention centre in the Australian desert, in 2002. Amid the hysteria associated with the war on terror and newspaper beat-up there are not only cops and secret police out on the search but also redneck vigilantes with the additional incentive of a $10,000 reward. The two main Afghanis sought are Amir Ali Khan, who is deemed to know bin Laden, and his friend Saira Abdiani.
Ex AFL Crows star Steve West, now an outback mining engineer is the narrator. Whilst heading to Adelaide for a week's holiday he comes across several police roadblocks. Subsequently, while having a beer at the Pimba roadhouse soft hearted Steve gets conned by activist and Sydney-sider Kara Peake-Jones into helping transport Saira to town. Kara is aiming to get Saira interviewed by 60 Minutes about the atrocities of rape and other abuses that have been happening in the detention centre. Steve's unwitting involvement has many ugly consequences for him.
Alastair Sarre uses rich dialogue such as describing someone as 'a lanky, stringy bit of gristle about 6 feet 3.' Country characters are named Spud, Chook, and Baz. His opening line of: 'Dusk was falling soft on a land as hard as old bones and I had the road and the world and the whole damned universe to myself,' paints the outback perfectly.
The author also uses his topic to educate the reader about different cultures. When Steve questions why one would kill for religious reasons, Kara states, 'When you're locked inside a religious paradigm, the easiest thing in the world is to find a reason to hate everyone outside the paradigm. Particularly when they own land and wealth you think is yours and claim God for themselves.' '
Prohibited Zone is a fast moving political thriller that could be a senior text. Highly recommended for 13 year plus. Book club questions are available .
Kay Haarsma

The Warlock: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott

Doubleday, 2011, ISBN: 978 0 857530264.
Highly recommended for ages 11 and up. For the first time in their lives, the twins of legend, Sophie and Josh Newman, have been separated. Each has joined characters from different sides and with different allegiances and continues to hone their magical powers. Whilst Josh has gone to work with Dee and Virginia Dare, it seems he has been transformed to accept their evil and selfish motivation. Meanwhile, Sophie has continued to support the Flamels who have fought against the Dark Elders to save the planet. Absolutes in terms of right and wrong, good and evil seem difficult to grasp. Each of the children has occasion to question not only the motives of those with whom they have chosen to side, but also those of their missing sibling. Links between the twins allow them, at times, to have insight into what is happening in the life of the other. At the back of their minds are the words of the prophecy which refers to twins 'with the auras of silver and gold, a brother and sister with the power to either save the world ... or destroy it.' The end is fast approaching!
Scott has written a series which has the capacity to keep the reader on the edge of one's seat. Each chapter has a different character or setting as its focus and the action is fast moving and engrossing. Allegiances change throughout the series and friendships and loyalties continue to evolve. Little in this series seems predictable or anticipated, the characters based on those from myth and legend, blending in such a way as to seem almost natural, despite their differences. This is a wonderful fantasy series for the more capable readers of fantasy. Undoubtedly, I now join a horde of others who eagerly await the final instalment due out in mid-2012!
Jo Schenkel

Chick 'n' Pug by Jennifer Sattler

Bloomsbury, 2011. ISBN: 978 1 4088 1373 7
Recommended for ages 4 and above. Chick, the adventure-reading member of the coop, is desperate to break away from the humdrum existence of the farm and experience adventure first hand. On his journey, he meets a 'real-life Wonder Pug'. Pug reveals early on that, he is 'A Pug', but one who shares few similarities with the hero of Chick's book. Whilst he waits for the pug's adventurous nature to shine through, Chick figures maybe he could help out when a cat enters their territory. Thus is a hero born!
As stated in the blurb, 'This is a funny, heartwarming story of misplaced hero worship - and the beginning of a wonderful friendship'. Accompanied by painted illustrations which depict two totally endearing characters, the text is sparse but implies far more. In a style similar to that of Lynley Dodd, the illustrator has shown only the legs of the human, thereby maintaining the focus on the animal characters, and injecting humour as the uncomplaining, compliant pug is dressed by its owner. This would not only make a delightful story to read to very young children, but could be used with older children to discuss friendship, respecting the differences of others and such personal attributes as risk taking, curiosity, and the desire to try new things.
Jo Schenkel

Afterlife by Claudia Gray

HarperCollins, 2011. ISBN 9780732289706.
(Age 15+) Afterlife, the fabulous conclusion to the Evernight series, which included Evernight, Stargazer and Hourglass,  finds Bianca facing life as a wraith, and her beloved Lucas changed into a vampire, the last thing that he had ever wanted. They decide to go back to Evernight Academy where they believe that Lucas may learn to overcome his dreadful desire for blood from any living person that he encounters. There they face Mrs Bethany, the headmistress of the Academy, who is setting traps for unsuspecting wraiths and imprisoning them for her own evil needs. Bianca and Lucas are faced with a new challenge. Not only do they have to learn about living in the Afterlife, they must stop Mrs Bethany's evil actions.
There are some exciting scenes as Bianca learns how wraiths operate and the team of Balthazar, Ranulf, Patrice, Vic and Maxie plot to find the wraith traps and uncover Mrs Bethany's wicked plot. Some heartrending moments unfold for Lucas as he confronts the aggressive Black Cross and the prejudice of his mother, while Bianca has to face her parents once again. The threads of Balthazar and Charity's story are also gathered together with some frightening moments as well.
I couldn't imagine how Claudia Gray could come up with a solution to the dilemma that faces Bianca and Lucas. How could their love survive one of them being a wraith and another a vampire, who is seriously considering taking his own life because he can't face what he is? However she manages to do just that in an exciting, unexpected and very satisfying conclusion to what has been a very good series.
Pat Pledger

Little Sister by Aimee Said

Ministry of Pandemonium by Chris Westwood

Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2011. ISBN: 9781847801906.
Ministry of Pandemonium is similar to the film The Sixth Sense (2000), as the main protagonist, Ben Harvester, begins to discover that he can 'see dead people.' Set in London, Ben and mother have just moved into a new area and both struggling on the meager waitressing wages and tips that her mother receives. The story begins in the summer before Ben is due to start at a new school, when he develops an interest of visiting cemeteries to draw headstones whilst pondering the lives and deaths of the people that they represent. Soon after Ben meets a homeless person, Mr October, on the street who later turns out to many guises and is constantly his appearance. Mr October is part of a group of spirit people who work to ensure the all dead people are successfully guided on to their next life. Ben has been especially recruited to help them with this task, which includes recording on a type-writer every death that occurs. Meanwhile, Ben has is overcoming common teenage difficulties of being labeled 'weird' at his new school and has found new friends through his talent in art. To complicate Ben's life further, his mum's sister has just died of cancer, his mother is now ill and he has begun to find out information the reason for his father's disappearance when he was younger.
The Ministry of Pandemonium has many story lines occurring at once, both in the worlds of the living and the dead, and in some ways reflects the types of scenarios faced by some young adolescents. The concepts of the death Register registered other supernatural themes are mostly original and clever. This book would be recommended for 12 to 14 year old students interested in fantasy books with paranormal themes.
Adam Fitzgerald

Unlocked by Ryan G. Van Cleave

Walker, 2011. ISBN 9780802723550.
I admit that I am not fond of novels written in verse. However Unlocked has helped me overcome this dislike. The book deals with a number of important issues, such as friendship and should all secrets be kept regardless of the consequences.
Andy is a loner with problems of his own, not the least being that he is the son of the school's cleaner and caretaker. He meets another boy who is a loner like himself and they begin to be friends. The friendship starts when Andy volunteers to find out if the rumour that Blake has a gun in his locker is true. He does this as he hopes to impress Becky Ann and become friends with her.
Usually the problem I have with novels written in verse is that the characters are not developed and it is hard to have any empathy with them. In Unlocked the author avoids this and as the story progresses you begin to have an insight into Andy and why he is like he is and why Blake has the gun in his locker. Even while not approving of his actions you can have some sympathy with what has caused him to get to the point he does. At the end I realized that I had enjoyed the book. It was easy to read, provided insight into the characters and their problems and ended convincingly.
It could easily be used as a basis for discussion in middle school.
David Rayner

When the World was Waiting for You by Gillian Shields and Anna Currey

Bloomsbury, 2011. ISBN 9781408806302.
'When the world was waiting for you, the air was bright, the sun seemed new ...' begins this gentle rhyming book about the preparation and anticipation that precedes a new baby. With its little rabbit characters, it is designed to show the newcomer that they were loved and wanted right from the very beginning, and their arrival caused great excitement and anticipation. The nursery is made ready, gifts are bought and everyone is delighted when the moment finally arrives. It also gives older brother/sister the opportunity to reflect on how exciting their own birth was for everyone.
Everything about this book is designed to convey the special-ness of birth - its padded cover, the soft, watercolour illustrations and the whole, positive message all contribute to a very special picture book. A simple concept beautifully executed.
I first shared this book with Miss 5 as she awaited the arrival of her new sister so she could understand how we were just as excited about her arrival as that of her new sister. It really helped her feel included in the event and we talked about the things we were doing for Stacey that we also did for her. She seemed to really relate to it, and now, when Stacey is 12 weeks old, she often makes comparisons between what we do for Stacey and whether it was the same for her. 'Did Grandad hold his nose like that when I was little?' (Yes.) 'Will we take Stacey to the snow and make a snowman?' (Maybe not this year.) She really seems to be getting an idea of the passage of time and how she has grown and changed already.
The press release says, 'The traditional story and illustrations reminiscent of the work of E.H. Shepard and Beatrix Potter, give this the feel of a classic picture book. The padded jacket and gold foiling make it an ideal gift'. I agree.
Barbara Braxton

The dead I know by Scot Gardner

Allen and Unwin, 2011. ISBN 9781742373843.
(Age 14+) Highly recommended. 'Aaron Rowe walks in his sleep. He has dreams he can't explain, and memories he can't recover. Death doesn't scare him - his new job with a funeral director may even be his salvation. But if he doesn't discover the truth about his hidden past soon, he may fall asleep one night and never wake up.'(Publisher)
In Aaron Rowe, Scot Gardner has created a memorable and complex character, one I will not forget. I found myself sympathising with this young boy who is a dropout from school. He is looked down by the local townspeople because he lives in a caravan park with his Mam an eccentric woman who forgets things. She is becoming increasingly difficult, often injuring herself and becoming dangerous to leave alone. Not yet an adult, Aaron finds himself in the role of a carer, uncertain of what to do. Life is becoming very difficult for him and to make matters worse, he has begun to have strange dreams and to sleep walk.
Fortunately for Aaron, John Barton, the funeral director, sees potential in him, and is willing to employ him in his funeral parlour. Barton is a kind man, who encourages Aaron to speak and who supports him when his Mam is taken to hospital with a broken arm.
As I followed Aaron in his journey to learn about the funeral industry, which was quite fascinating, other intriguing mysteries emerged from Gardner's skilful writing. What was going on with the druggie family in the caravan next door and who killed one of them? Why is Aaron dreaming of blood and sleep walking?
This is an engrossing and well told story that will appeal to teenagers. The themes of death, responsibility, murder and friendship are challenging but very positive and life affirming. The funeral industry and the deaths that Aaron encounters are handled sensitively, but it is Aaron's coming of age and dealing with the mysteries that surround him that will enthral readers. I think this would make a great class text or literature circle novel. Teacher's notes by Fran Knight are available at the publisher's site.
Certainly it is a book not to be missed.
Pat Pledger

Where she went by Gayle Forman

Random Books, 2011. ISBN
(Age 14+) Highly recommended. The sequel to the highly recommended If I stay, Where she went continues the story three years after Mia walked out of Adam's life without any explanation. Adam, now a popular world-weary rock star has always wondered why she left him without a proper farewell. When he is in New York and discovers that Mia is about to perform in a concert, he can't resist the urge to attend. He finally gets the chance to see her again and together they revisit the past.
I was lucky enough to have both books on hand and read them one after another. I loved the fact that If I stay was written in the voice of Mia and Where she went in the voice of Adam. If I stay concentrates on the devastating accident that leaves Mia in a coma, and the way that Adam is determined to bring her back to consciousness. Their relationship is heart rending and I used up quite a few hankies on this book so I had to rush to read the second immediately to find out just how their story ended.
Forman uses her writing craft brilliantly to depict two people who have to make their way in the world but who could have a second chance at love. But these two books are not just a simple love story. They explore the complex issues of death, the difficulty of being left alone, love and its responsibilities.
The books are not too long, about 250 pages each, and are not difficult to access, so they are sure to be picked up. However it is the depth of emotions, the exploration of love and death, that will ensure that they are passed from one teen to another. I am very keen to read more from this talented author.
Pat Pledger

Digger Field: World Champion (maybe) by Damian Davis

Cardboard robot by Felix Hayes and Hannah Broadway

Bloomsbury Books, 2011. ISBN 978 1408806555.
(Ages 4+) Picture book, Humour. A seemingly simple story of the disagreement between two friends, Robot and Monkey, becomes a tale of reconciliation and co-existence, when Monkey is unhappy and refusing to play the usual games with Robot. The two friends share a large house with lots of things to play with, read and do, but one day when Robot suggests a range of things to occupy their time, Monkey says no to them all.
Robot proceeds to make a cardboard robot to play with, but the robot cannot respond to his games. The Cardboard Robot cannot throw back the ball, or play at being a pirate or run a race. Monkey's interest is piqued when Robot asks him for help to make his Cardboard Robot more adventurous, and so he too builds a cardboard monkey, named Super Monkey. Together the two friends and their cut out playthings work together to have fun.
A charming story of working together, of finding common ground and what it means to be a friend, parents and teachers will make good use of this story in the home and classroom to mentor co-operation and working together. With good humour the story also reflects things the children can do at home, especially making things to play with. The fold in page at the end of the book has cut out pieces for children to make their own Monkey and Robot and dress them up to play with when the story has finished.
Fran Knight