Orbit, 2011. ISBN 9780733624223.
(Age 15+) Recommended. A fantasy set in the Last Domain of the Eleven
Domains, Ember and Ash is a companion volume to the Castings
Trilogy
and is set some twenty years later. Ember is going to marry a young
lord to join two warring lands and hopefully bring peace. At her
wedding, the ceremonial fire changes into the elemental Fire God,
roaring into huge flames and murdering her husband to be. Ember vows
revenge and refuses to accept the Fire King's act of putting out every
fire over the land. Instead she enlists the aid of Ash and a group of
young people, and sets off on a quest of retribution to find a spark
that will light the fires again. Their task is monumental and will
involve more than tracking down the Fire King. They will also
have to struggle against the Ice King who is determined to take over
the world.
This was an engrossing story of a young girl coming of age. Ember
demonstrates great strength and courage as she tracks the elusive fire
spark that she needs to save her people. She is prepared to put
everything on the line in the name of duty. Ash is a worthy companion
who champions her and their bittersweet love for each other is slow and
gradual. All the secondary characters were vividly described and also
came alive, battling the elements and domestic problems, in the case of
Arvid and Martine, the rulers of the Last Domain and Ember's parents. I
was thrilled to learn about the original Ash, beloved by Water, and see
a younger Ash, brave and determined set his own course. In fact I
became so immersed in some of the stories of the minor characters that
I wished that Freeman had written several books instead of one with
these people in it!
A wonderful world and atmospheric setting make this novel come alive.
The idea of warring elements, Fire, Ice, Water and Wind, is not new but
here was given a depth and originality that kept my interest. I became
engrossed in the cold, harsh environs of the North and the customs that
the people had developed to survive the climate. The supernatural
nature of the link between the gods and humans and rituals like stone
casting were fascinating.
These books written for adults by Freeman are also perfect ones for the
older teen, and will be enjoyed by both boys and girls. Readers who
like these could move onto adult books by Juliet Marillier, Kate
Forsyth and Trudi Caravan.
Pat Pledger
Diamond Spirit by Karen Wood
Allen and Unwin, 2011. ISBN 9781742373157. Diamond spirit by Karen Wood is a well written novel about a girl and
her horse, Diamond. When Diamond bolts through a cattle grid she breaks
both of her front legs and is failing to recover, Jess comes to a hard
decision, painful life or death. Jess wants to know how and why Diamond
was down by the cattle grid that day when the horse's yard was way
further up river. Only one person can tell her and give her half of the
answer to the mystery, Shara, Jess's best friend, the same best friend
who is moving to an agricultural school far, far away. Nothing can heal
Jess's broken heart except a beautiful filly, born where Diamond lay,
could there be a spiritual connection to the two? Jess wants to own
such an important foal but she's in a race for the bid, will she
succeed in getting the one horse made for her? Diamond spirit was such an exciting novel, I couldn't stop reading. It
opened my eyes to new events and I would recommend this book to anyone
who likes animals. I could relate to all the characters perfectly well
and this book was easy to understand. The age rating for this book
would be from twelve year-old onwards but I would say roughly anyone
would enjoy this book.
Sarah Filkin (Yr 9)
Two bad teddies by Kilmeny Niland
Little Hare, 2010. ISBN 978-1921541865.
(Age 2-5) Recommended. 'Gruffy Ted and Tilly Ted loved Mollie-Sue. And
Mollie-Sue loved her teddies.' But one day Grandma sent Mollie-Sue a
new toy to play with. Bendy Bill has long stretchy arms and a silly
grin. Mollie-Sue loved this new toy and even tucked him into her bed.
Gruffy Ted and Tilly Ted were extremely jealous and did lots of bad
things to try and get rid of Bendy Bill. One day, though, Bendy Bill
uses his long arms to rescue Gruffy Ted and they all become good
friends.
Niland explores a familiar theme of jealousy when a newcomer becomes
the centre of attention and old loves seem to be forgotten. Through the
humorous actions of the teddies, she is able to show that doing bad
things is not the best way to get the attention of those we love and
that cooperation is much the best thing.
Niland's illustrations are delightful. Vivid greens, reds and purples
abound and little details like a blue bowtie for Gruffie and a red bow
for Tilly make the illustrations stand out. I loved the grumpy
expressions on the two bad teddies as they watch Bendy Bill become the
centre of attention for their beloved Mollie-Sue. Other emotions,
bewilderment, determination and finally happiness, came alive with each
episode of the bears trying to oust Bendy Bill.
This is a perfect story to read when there is a new addition to the
family. Best of all read it out loud to a toddler and enjoy the fun!
Pat Pledger
That Dirty Dog and Other Naughty Stories for Girls and Boys by Christopher Milne
Hardie Grant Egmont, 2011.
Short, quick and funny are the three words that best describe the
stories in That Dirty Dog and Other Naughty Stories for Girls and
Boys. There are 6 short stories that use descriptive language and
black and white illustrations to help engage the reader. Boys and girls
aged 9+ will enjoy the humour.
One of the characters wishes his dad was nicer and gets a great
surprise. Another character has lost his dad and the author handles the
topic with tact and humour. What kid doesn't like talking (and reading)
about bad smells? Meet Stinky Adams, the king of smell making! Lots of
giggles for all and the quick moving stories make it easy and enjoyable.
Kylie Kempster
Remember Me Volume 1 by Christopher Pike
Hodder Children's Books, 2010. ISBN 9781444901269.
(Age: 13+) When Shari Cooper went out onto the balcony for some fresh
air, she didn't expect to die. But now she is dead, and a spirit in
between worlds. Still on Earth, but invisible to humans, she discovers
that her family and friends believe she committed suicide. But Shari
knows otherwise. She knows that she was pushed that night, and now she
has to find her murderer, before they strike again.
This story is well-written and imaginative. I loved it because it was
very original. I've read plenty of ghost stories and this was one of
the most unique so far. It manages to combine fantasy, murder, mystery,
and humour into one fantastic book.
At times this book turns from a dark, brooding atmosphere to bright
humour. This is a great example of how good a writer Christopher Pike
is. With some authors this type of abrupt change would be disjointed,
but here the book continues smoothly and enjoyably throughout.
I love the description and the imagination in this book. Description is
a big factor in how good a book is, and in Remember Me it was
fantastic. Christopher Pike always painted a very clear picture of the
scene in my mind. As for imagination, I always love it when
authors attempt to stretch you.
This is a great book for anyone who enjoys the fantasy/paranormal
genre. It is clever, unique, and a thoroughly engaging book.
I highly recommend this book.
Rebecca Adams (Student)
Chill by Carol Thompson
Little Hare Books, 2011. ISBN 9781921541735.
Picture book. Dolly the pig and Jack the rabbit are best of friends.
They do everything together, playing in the playground, listening to
music together, climbing trees, exercising and just laughing. But one
day when painting together, they decide to draw each other, and neither
likes the other's portrayal. They argue, and leave each other. But each
on their own place gets mad, then realises that without their friend
they are lonely and sad.
They each return to the tree they climbed and tell each other how much
they missed them, and so resolve their differences and become friends
once again.
A charming story of resolution and friendship, this book is a great
read a loud, and be most useful in the classroom when discussing
friendship and how to resolve differences.
Fran Knight
Embrace by Jessica Shirvington
Hachette Australia, 2010. ISBN 9780734411846.
(Ages 13+) Violet is dreading her seventeenth birthday dinner;
after all it is the anniversary her mother's death. The only good thing
about it is Lincoln will be there. Lincoln is her idea of perfect. She
loves him but he only wants to be friends or at least that's how he
acts. After he walks her home then leaves her at her front door after
giving her the best kiss of her life she is determined to get some
answers. Then she learns the truth. He had lied to her the whole time
she had known him. The truth is they are both Grigori, half human, half
angel and Lincoln is her partner it is for that reason they can never
be together. When she learns this she hates him. She can't think
anything nice about him. Then there is Phoenix an exiled angel who is
always there for her and has never lied.
But is Phoenix really who Violet thinks he is? And is her hate for
Lincoln real?
Caught up in a battle between light and dark she must make the right
decision because not only could the wrong cost her life it could cost
her destiny as well.
This book was amazing. I didn't want to put it down. I would definitely
highly recommend that you read this book.
Tahlia Kennewell (student)
The Valley of Blood and Gold by Tony Palmer
Penguin, 2011. ISBN 9780143008972.
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. The year is 1854. Miners are rebelling
against soldiers at
Ballarat, but Fintan Donovan, a young Irish boy, is fighting battles of
his own. The Irish and English are enemies, and one of the greatest
enemies of Fintan's family is Joseph Ward, a local wealthy preacher who
hates the Irish. As the situation in Ballarat reaches breaking point
and Fintan struggles to keep his friendship with Joseph Ward's son,
Matthew, he discovers things about himself that he never thought he
would. The Valley of Blood and Gold is a wonderful book that is richly
descriptive, surprising and thoroughly enjoyable in many ways. It was
fascinating to read about Australia in 1854 and what was happening
during that time, especially about the Eureka Stockade battle. The
actual story begins some time before that, and it was exciting, seeing
the tension slowly building up in the story, until suddenly everything
happened at once.
I thought this story was original, and quite clever. The main theme of
the Irish and the English hating each other was a good theme to write
about, and it certainly made for some engaging reading, especially when
two warring characters confronted each other. As for the
atmosphere of the story, the author did a good job of making it feel
like 1854, with the description, the dialogue, and so forth.
On the blurb, it says 'vivid and powerful, The Valley of Blood and
Gold
evokes a moment in history that is entrenched in national heritage.'
And that basically sums it up.
I highly recommend this book.
Rebecca Adams (Student)
Maisy goes to the city by Lucy Cousins
Walker Books, 2011. ISBN 9781406327366.
(Ages 5 +) Picture book. A Maisy first experiences book has
Maisy
and her friend, Charley, going by bus to the city to visit their
friend, Dotty. Each stage of their journey is told, the busy road
traversed, the large buildings looked at. When Dotty meets them at the
station in the city, he takes them to all the sights, the shops, busy
streets, up the escalator and the lifts, and helps them buy a present.
They then go to a cafe in the square where they eat pizza, and then
play in the park. Going back to Dotty's house means finding their way
around the underground, and when they return home, they thank Dotty for
allowing them to stay.
This cute little book in bold, bright colours, gives an outline of what
children can expect when going somewhere to stay. They learn the
procedure of what to do when staying with someone and what to expect,
what they will see and do. The book will encourage student discussion
about travel and going somewhere other than home, and they can share
some talk of their own travels. This book would be a good adjunct to a
lesson on holidays or living with someone else for a while.
Fran Knight
Chanda's Wars by Allan Stratton
HarperTeen, 2009. ISBN 9780060872656.
After her mother's death of AIDS, young Chanda is forced to drop out of
school to look after her younger brother and sister. Dreams of civil
war and lost children disturbs Chanda sleep nightly. Things take a turn
for the worst and suddenly the dream comes true. Rebel solders brutally
attack the family village while taking the village children with them,
including Chanda's younger siblings Soly and Iris. Together Chanda and
Nelson, the young tracker from next door, risk their lives to save the
ones they love the most. Can they overcome their differences and work
together to find their love ones before it's too late?
This young adult book is based a fictional war in Africa while the
issues and themes within these pages are true to so many people. The
way this novel has been created, placed me inside the story and I
was able to see the terror and heart break of the characters. While
being a particularly sad novel, I enjoyed reading this book as it's
easy to be absorbed within the storyline.
I would recommend this novel to young adults because some of the
violent and adult themes might distress some younger readers. Chanda's
War follows the first book Chanda's Secrets. Chanda's
War is a
stand-alone book, but there are slight references to some of the themes
in the first book in the series. After reading Chanda's War I'm
very
interested in reading the first book and can't wait to get my hands on
it.
Lauren Pfeiffer (Student - year 12)
Violence 101 by Denis Wright
Black Dog Books, 2011. ISBN 9781742031781
(Age 14+) Violence 101 starts in a juvenile detention centre,
following an extremely intelligent and violent boy named Hamish Graham.
The dialogue switches from the normal type to parts of Hamish's
journal. Hamish is 14 years old and has spent most of his life being
sent between juvenile detention centres. While his intelligence is
obvious, he does not really understand the world. He has three heroes,
Te Rauparaha, a Maori chieftain, Charles Upham, a New Zealand war hero
who was awarded the Victoria Cross two times, and Alexander the Great,
a Greek general. In his journal he talks a lot about things he had done
as a child. Then he hears about the accident that made one of his
teachers resign from the army. He sets out to replicate what happened,
almost killing himself.
This book was very well written, and it really made me think. The way
Hamish changes over the course of the book, and his firm belief that
the means are justified by the end make him a very interesting
character.
Gareth Peer (Year 9)
Editor's note: This book was awarded New Zealand Post Book of the Year
2009, and was an Esther Glen Award finalist 2009.
And Red Galoshes by Glenda Millard and Jonathan Bentley
Little Hare, 2011. ISBN 9781921541469.
Picture book. Recommended. Subtitled A story about a rainy day,
two
small children get up to all sorts of adventures using their bright red
galoshes and their imaginations. The little girl fills one up with
leaves to throw around while the little boy uses his as a kite that
soars high in the sky. The wind gets into their umbrella and swoops
them up into the air, with their little dog safely in the galosh.
What fun to have galoshes in wet windy weather.
In a deceptively simple verse story, Millard has used internal rhyme
like the lovely line 'Kite tails swooping, dancing, looping' to make
this story stand out. The repetition of the phrase 'and red
galoshes' ends each sentence and makes for an ideal word for a toddler
who can shout it out, or for a new reader who can begin to see how
words are structured.
Jonathan Bentley's delightful watercolour illustrations make the
reader's imagination soar with the words. With a rainy day palette of
soft blues and greys, the vivid red of the galoshes stands out.
Ideal for use with young children in a unit of work on weather, the
seasons, rainy days, and the wind, this book is one that grew on me the
more I read it.
Pat Pledger
Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen
Penguin, 2010. ISBN 9780141335346.
(Age 13+) Recommended.
New York City : 1929 : Summer = Glamour : Glitz : Excess + Danger :
Corruption : Power
Cordelia and Letty share a dream. They both wish to escape from their
drab, small and predictable home town of Union, Ohio. Letty seeks
stardom and Cordelia wants to find her rich bootlegger father whom she
hasn't seen since she was a baby. So together they set off for New York
City to create futures of their own choosing.
They discover that beyond the facade of beauty and decorum there
is danger and deceit. It is a city of excitement and bright lights and
of course, opportunity, but knowing whom to trust is a struggle and
remaining safe is equally treacherous.
This is a delightful read which provides a snapshot of an exciting, yet
unpredictable time in history. Cordelia and Letty are resilient
and strong, yet flawed characters who lead the reader on a journey into
the exciting and extravagant times of New York City in 1929.
Sue Mann
The Boy Who Cried Ninja by Alex Latimer
Corgi Books, 2011.
(Ages 4-7) Recommended. Tim has a vivid imagination and
whenever a problem arises such as missing chocolate cake, the loss of
Dad's hammer or forgotten homework he blames it on a passing Ninja,
astronaut or giant squid. For some reason his parents don't believe
him, even though Latimer's comical illustrations demonstrate Tim is
clearly telling the truth.
Tim decides that the only option is to lie. So when trouble is caused
by a sunburned crocodile and a time travelling monkey Tim accepts all
the blame. However even this doesn't satisfy his parents, who punish
him even more. In desperation Tim invites all the badly behaved
creatures to a party and when his parents realise he is telling the
truth they set the real culprits some well deserved punishment chores.
The combination of Alex Latimer's vivid imagination and wacky
illustrations make this new interpretation of The Boy Who Cried Wolf
a
perfect choice for children beginning to grasp the fine balance between
literal and figurative storytelling. The children I read this with
enjoyed debating whether the incredible tale could be true - which
would be great fun, or whether Tim's phenomenal imagination had
successfully hoodwinked his parents - which would be even better as
it's great when children run rings around a bunch of grown-ups!
Whichever way you look at it Latimer dishes up a comical plot which
could lead to extensive exercise of that favourite muscle, the
imagination. Just how many scenarios can young readers come up with for
their own excuses? After reading this, 'the dog ate my homework' simply
won't cut the mustard!
Claire Larson
Hush, hush! by Margaret Wild
Ill. by Bridget Strevens-Marzo. Board book. Little Hare, 2010. ISBN
9781921541926.
(Age 1+) Recommended. Baby Hippo couldn't sleep. His mother told him to
'hush, hush', but he decided to go for a walk. Wherever he went he
heard
mothers telling their babies to hush, hush. There were baby crocodiles,
baby giraffes, baby leopards and baby monkeys all having trouble
sleeping. Baby Hippo listened to all those 'Hush, hush' words and
finally
decided he was ready to go to sleep, but his mother was making a
terrible 'Snort, snore! Snort, snore!' noise.
I really enjoyed this bedtime story. It is one that I will be keeping
for my grandchildren and I am sure that they will have lots of fun with
the repetition in the story. They will also learn about different
baby animals in the most delightful way. The humour is infectious and I
particularly loved Mother Hippo snoring and snorting in her sleep,
refusing to hush for her baby.
The illustrations are very engaging and toddlers will get a giggle out
of the grin on the face of Baby Hippo and revel in his antics,
especially when he stands on his head. The deep purples of the sky and
beautiful greens and blues make for a memorable story.
This is a sturdy board book. It should hold up to much use, which I am
sure it will get, as it is certain to be a favourite with young
children.
Pat Pledger
