Penguin, 2011. ISBN: 9780141333663.
This novel follows 17 year old Amy and 16 year old Elder. Both of the
characters are very different from each other. Seventeen year old Amy
is going to a new planet known as Earth but in order to get there she
has to be frozen for three hundred years. Fifty years before Amy is due
to land on the new planet she is violently awoken as an attempted
murder victim. Now Amy is on board an unfamiliar, unusual and
mysterious ship that is taking a whole world of people to a new
planet. Nothing on the ship makes sense to Amy. How will she
survive if nothing makes sense to her?
On the other hand sixteen-year-old Elder is getting ready to become the
leader of the ship. Getting ready to become leader is no easy task for
Elder because he has a lot to learn about the ship and about the people
on it. He also has to catch a murderer on board the ship. Will Elder
succeed and become the leader of the ship?
The style of writing that the author has put in to this novel is
unusual. It is told from Amy and Elder's points of view, but in
different chapters.
There are a lot of great themes in this book and these are just some of
the main ones: murder, friendship, differences, and love. These themes
are the strongest throughout the novel.
The characters
in this compelling novel are very different from each other with some
of the characters being human as we know it and some of them being
manipulated to keep them quiet on the ship. These are just some of the
characters that we meet during the novel: Harley, Eldest, Doc, and
Steela, who are some of the main characters.
This novel is set in
space two hundred and fifty years from now.
I think that this is an amazing novel and I would recommend it to
teenagers who like reading fantasy novels.
Emily Madden
Rot and ruin by Jonathan Maberry
Benny Imura 1. Simon and Schuster, 2011. ISBN 9780857070951.
(Age 13+) Highly recommended. When I discovered that Rot and Ruin had
won the Cybils Award for Young Adult Fantasy and Science Fiction
(2010) and was on YALSA's list of Best Fiction for Young Adults (2011)
I knew that I was in for a treat. Benny Imura lives in a world where a
virus has infested the human race and turned the majority of the
population into zombies. The small, fortified community, where he and
his brother Tom live, has rigid laws to keep the people safe. One of
them is that every teenager must find a job by the time they turn 15 or
they have their rations cut. Tom wants a reluctant Benny to join him in
the family business, which is to kill zombies. What he discovers about
the Rot and Ruin, the place that the zombies inhabit, will change his
life forever.
A fast paced plot, lots of action and great characters, are a feature
of the book. But for me what makes it stand out are the issues that
Maberry addresses. All the following questions are examined in depth
and I was left thinking about them long after I finished the book. What
qualities make a good human being? What is the nature of fear? Should
you turn a blind eye to things that you know are wrong? What is
courage? How much change is good for a society?
The relationship between Benny and Tom is also a highlight of the book.
At the beginning of the book Benny is a typical teenager, self centred
and blinkered, believing that Tom is a coward. By the end he has come
to realise that sometimes your perception about things can be
wrong. He also has a great relationship with his friends, Chong
and Morgie, and a budding romance with Nix.
I would have no hesitation in recommending this to boys. I think that
reluctant readers may enjoy it for the action and originality. It is
also a book that girls will enjoy, especially those fans of The
forest
of hands and teeth by Carrie Ryan or Peeps by Scott
Westerfeld. I am
really looking forward to the sequel that is due out later this year.
Pat Pledger
Princess for hire by Lindsey Leavitt
Egmont, 2011. ISBN: 9781405246125.
(Age: 11+) Recommended. Desi's life sucks. She has to wear a
stupid, furry costume at work, the guy she likes doesn't know she
exists and her former best friend hates her. So when she's accepted as
a substitute princess, it looks like she might finally have a chance to
shine - and there's a hot prince to meet! But is Desi really up to the
royal challenge? After all, the life of a princess isn't just tiaras
and slippers.
Follow Desi as she travels to other countries helping out young
princesses who want to get away from it all, family disagreements,
unwanted suitors and lost family/friends.
I really, truly liked this book. I read it in just a matter of days and
enjoyed every page. Lindsey must have a good grasp of what young
readers want and enjoy because this book really hit the spot. I think
that I might even give my younger cousin this book for Christmas as I
really think that any young child getting into reading (or anyone
really) would absolutely love this book as much as I have.
Taylor Oxenham (student)
Den of Thieves by Julia Golding
Egmont, 2008. ISBN 9781405241847.
Recommended for upper primary-female targeted audience.
Set 200 years ago in Georgian England, this story follows the life of a
very adventurous orphan by the name of Catherine (Cat) Royal.
Named 'Royal' after the theatre where she was abandoned as a baby, the
character does exhibit traits worthy of nobility despite her commoner
upbringing. Cat, as well as being a shortened version of her
name, also refers to her ability to get herself out of trouble - as if
she had nine lives.
This adventure takes Cat out of her usual comfort zone and into French
Revolution. Cat finds herself in the middle of trouble - something I
feel from information given in the story is something she always
does. With the support of her friends, and some good luck, Cat
manages to see things right. There would be a small window at
some points throughout the story to expand upon real world events and
conditions to give students an insight into English history.
This is the third book in a series of nine. Each of Cat Royal's
adventures may be read on its own as each adventure is complete.
Full of interesting characters, action, romance and a huge problem to
solve, readers will enjoy the story. Julia Golding has a
wonderful website
where readers can find out more about the characters and read other's
responses to the Cat Royal stories.
Zana Thiele
Boris gets a lizard by Andrew Joyner
Series: Boris . Penguin, 2011. ISBN 978 0143305033.
(Ages: 5-7 )Warmly recommended. The second in the series of
books about a pig called Boris, this too will please younger readers,
just becoming acquainted with early chapter books. With an easy to
follow story, engaging characters and accompanying humerous
illustrations, Boris will be around for quite a while, encouraging
younger readers to follow his adventures.
In this book, Boris wants a pet. He already has a cat, and has had a
sheep, some chickens and a duck called Quince. He tells his parents and
his classmates about the Komodo dragon, and writes to the local zoo,
offering to give their dragon a holiday. Excited by his efforts, Boris
tells everyone that a dragon is coming and so he and his friend build a
cage in readiness. The day arrives for the viewing, but no dragon has
appeared, so Boris places his little lizard in the cage. When it
disappears, Boris calls out that it has escaped, causing pandemonium
amongst his visitors. A letter from the zoo shatters his dreams of
having a dragon for respite, but the zoo sends him instead a number of
passes, and so the class and his family get to look at the dragon and
all the other animals instead.
Another charming story about Boris, sure to please the early readers
venturing into chapter books and learning to take note of the
illustrations that accompany a text, full of wit and often with a story
alongside the words.
Fran Knight
Ondine by Ebony McKenna
Egmont, 2011. ISBN: 9781405253420.
(Age: 12+) Recommended. What is the point of falling in love with
a man if he turns back into a ferret when the moon goes down? Ondine's
summer is turning out to be very eventful. When she discovers that her
talking pet ferret is actually a gorgeous boy trapped under a witch's
spell, she knows she has to help him.
But then other things get in the way. An assassination plot is
uncovered, a long-lost treasure discovered, and Ondine meets the
devastatingly handsome son of the duke.
Will Ondine ever have time to find the spell that will turn her beloved
back into a human?
This book has a great storyline going but I felt as if it was a bit
repetitive; don't get me wrong one of the best stories I've ever read,
but a bit over explanatory. Over all a good book but if you get
frustrated easily, not highly recommended but still recommended.
Taylor Oxenham (student)
Zero hour by Mark Walden
Bloomsbury, 2010. ISBN 978 14088 00164.
(Suggested reading age 10+) Zero hour is sixth in the Hive
series which
will appeal to younger readers, especially boys who appreciate fast
paced action. The plot is familiar, employing an evil megalomaniac who
seeks nothing short of world domination, resisted by a group of
courageous and intelligent teenagers who have only one chance to stop him.
Overlord is the villain in the tale and he has or rather is, artificial
intelligence which takes over other people, using their bodies as hosts
which do his bidding. When Overlord captures some revolutionary
armoured combat machines called 'Goliath' from the American Government
and takes critical international figures hostage, the HIVE school led
by Nero becomes involved.
Amazingly, amongst the frenetic pace, the author manages to weave
teenage attraction and affection into the story. The male characters
are appropriately awkward and embarrassed by the romantic developments,
ensuring that young male readers will not be put off!
Infiltrated via a dastardly plan, the students at HIVE must flee from
Overlord and his forces who seek to destroy all except Otto Malpense
who has a computer assisted brain. It appears that Otto in previous
stories had been created as a receptacle for Overlord yet was saved and
attends HIVE to use his powers for good rather than evil.
Led by Nero, the group set out to find Overlord and destroy him, yet a
series of betrayals lead to elements of the group being captured and
held hostage.
The remaining HIVE members are aware that their comrades will be killed
and that Overlord will control the world's armaments unless he is
defeated. The group must pool their special powers and intelligence in
a bid to rescue their friends and overcome an enemy who has no morals
and is incapable of showing mercy.
Mark Walden uses humour, action, technology and excitement in this
story which will enthrall young readers as it gallops along. The story
will especially appeal to readers who dislike stories which develop
slowly, employ more complex scene setting, detailed characterization or
introductory preamble.
Rob Welsh
Just a dog, Michael Gerard Bauer
Omnibus, 2010.ISBN 978 1862918870.
When the family is given a pup, a runt from a litter out of a pedigree
dalmation, but with an obviously non pedigree father, the family is
unsure. Put downstairs to sleep, it whines until it is taken upstairs
and given a spot in the porch to sleep. As it grows bigger so does its
impact upon the family. Through Corey's eyes we hear stories of the
dog, Moe and the part it plays within the family. The funny stories how
it got its name and of Amelia dressing it up, of sad stories of it
being run over by a car, and then the saddest of all when it comes to
the end of its life. Behind each story is always the complete loyalty
the dog gives its family, its trust and companionship, its unwavering
devotion and in some cases, its protection. For all of us the warmth of
owning a dog shines through, and Corey learns some truths about life
through this ownership.
In the background the reader can see the disintegration of Corey's
family, torn apart through lack of work and mounting debts, suspicion
and mistrust. For Corey the dog is always there, and its death does a
great deal to heal the family and bring it back together.
Shortlisted for the CBCA Book of the Year, Younger Readers, 2010, and
deservedly so.
Fran Knight
Lulu's lunch by Camilla Reid
Bloomsbury, 2011. ISBN 9780747599906.
(Age 1-3) Recommended. Lulu has an utterly delicious lunch. After
putting on her bib, she starts with a crunchy carrot, then eats a pizza
and finishes with yogurt and honey. Sometimes she has fish fingers for
lunch or goes for a picnic with her friends and eats sandwiches and
fruit. And guess what her favourite lunch is? Spaghetti!
This is a gorgeous interactive book that looks at a variety of
nutritious foods that could be eaten for lunch. Children will have lots
of fun undoing the Velcro tabs to put on Lulu's bib and touching the
sticky honey page. There are pages where little fingers will itch to
feel the textures and best of all is the flap at the end of the book
where Lulu is shown eating her favourite food, spaghetti that is made
out of pieces of string. The book is very sturdy with a very thick
cover and pages. The flaps are attached securely and should hold for
much exploration by curious children.
Colourful, interesting illustrations are sure to hold the attention of
the young children who could spend a lot of time naming different
objects on the pages. The double spread about fruit provides the
opportunity to learn the names of many different fruit. Aside from the
learning opportunities, it is a delightful book that reads aloud well
and is sure to become a toddler's favourite.
I am certain that my grandchildren will enjoy this treat of a book. It
is a keeper.
Pat Pledger
The boy who wasn't there by Michael Panckridge
The book of Gabrielle. Book 1. Black dog books, 2011. The boy who wasn't there begins with an air of mystery and
intrigue.
Who is this girl in the hospital bed? What has happened in her life
prior to this time? Who is the boy with his own story to tell (and his
own pages to tell it)? What is the Voice in her head really saying, as
it tells her 'You are not like anyone else'?
This is the first offering in a new series from Michael Panckridge,
whom I know best for his sporting stories, and in particular The
Legends series. It is the first book in The Book of Gabrielle
series.
The second book in the series The boy without a soul is already
on its
way.
The girl in the hospital bed is Gabby (Gabrielle), seemingly an orphan.
She is fostered by Jane and Phil Calvert for 4 weeks of the January
school holidays. Gabby is a strong and adventurous character, who
doesn't hesitate to explore her new home including the treasures and
mysteries of the attic.
There are strange happenings in this house. Michael Panckridge uses
strong imagery to create the horrors of these happenings eg the
incidents in Gabby's bedroom firstly with the swarm of moths and later
with the suffocating weight on her chest; and the terror of the spiders
and cockroaches in the incident in the attic.
On occasions the narrative seems a little disconnected; it doesn't
quite gel. The reader has to work hard at connecting the incidents as
the narrative progresses. On the first reading it is difficult to know
at times which character is speaking. Some of this confusion could have
been resolved with more precise editing. It would have been a more
satisfying read, too, if the characters had been more fully explored,
particularly in regard to sudden changes in their attitude, which occur
as the story reaches its resolution.
Nevertheless, I think that children in the Middle School years will
enjoy the sense of mystery, the ghoulish incidents with the creepy
crawlies, the ghostly nature of the boy, Peter and Gabby's success in
healing old wounds.
Margaret Strickland
This is my book by Mick Inkpen
Hodder Children's Books, 2009. ISBN: 9780340989630.
Highly recommended. The Bookmouse has a big job ahead of him. His task
is to stop the Snapdragon from being a menace who takes parts of the
words and letters used in the story. In order to solve the problem, the
mouse follows the advice of the Blink Owl and goes into Moonwood to
visit the ghosts of the Woolywolves. Finally he outsmarts the
Snapdragon and restores order to the book.
The illustrations in this book contain Inkpen's unmistakable style, and
remind one vividly of the Kipper series. White backgrounds on most
pages allow the reader to easily concentrate on the characters and
their actions. Where the setting moves to being at night, in the
Moonwood, lilac coloured backgrounds alter the mood of the tale and add
to the suspense. From the moment Snapdragon takes a bite out of the
letter B in the word 'Book', young children would be engaged. Inkpen's
humour is evident, as the dragon later takes a bite out of the letter P
in 'STOP' and announces, 'I always eat my 'P's'.
This charming picture book could become part of spelling and language
lessons in any junior primary classroom. Children could be encouraged
to look at base words and build on them or to focus on the changes
which could be made by the removal of parts of letters as demonstrated
by Snapdragon. This is a unique picture book due the way in which the
text is integral with the illustrations as part of the story. I would
highly recommend this title.
Jo Schenkel
My sister the vampire series by Sienna Mercer
Fangtastic. Egmont, 2009. ISBN 978 114052 43704. Vampalicious. Egmont, 2009. ISBN 9781405243728. Love bites. Egmont, 2011. ISBN 9781405256958.
(Ages 10+) Starting with Switched, a book which gave the reader
two girls at a school in USA, who worked out that they were twins
separated at birth, this series has gained a popular following as the
two are so vastly different, one a vampire, and the other, well,
normal. Their adventures are very funny, involving and fast paced as
the two try to hide the truth from all around them, and attempt to
become friends.
In Fangtastic, Olivia and Ivy are getting used to the idea of
them
being twins, and learning about each other, when the nosey journalist,
Serena Starr comes snooping around. Their attempts to put her off the
scent meet with hilarious results. Vampalicious follows, where Olivia and Ivy 's secret has been
discovered. Ivy's parents do not believe that Olivia can be trusted not
to reveal their secrets and so put her through a series of tests to
prove herself.
In Love bites, the pair has gone to Transylvania to meet the
scary side
of the family, the vampires. Here Ivy is watching over her sister more
carefully than usual, because she has become entranced with a very nice
boy, but Ivy knows he is a vampire prince and it is coming close to
Valentine's Day.
All in this series are easy to read with clever pun filled dialogue,
and short snappy adventures overlaid with a large dose of humour.
Fran Knight
Pictures of home by Colin Thompson
Random House, 2011. ISBN 9781742750903.
Picture book. When Thompson was still establishing himself as a
children's book illustrator he had a contract with the Leeds Permanent
Building Society. His brief for five years was to produce calendars and
Christmas cards for the society with the only proviso that each picture
should have a house in it. So we now have a well known children's book
illustrator and writer, partly because of the security that regular
income gave him in his early life as an artist.
This book is a compilation of those early calendars, the pictures of
the houses he drew, tagged with comments by children from Upperby
Junior School in Carlisle. And what a collection this is. Thompson's
style is obvious to those who love his books with their detailed and
minutely drawn illustrations of life. Each of these drawings of a house
is different, giving the reader a chance to peruse the finely executed
drawings with excitement. Classrooms will have fun finding all the
things Thompson hides in his drawings, and will marvel at the nods to
various artists shown. A book to enjoy and discuss, readers will want
to tell the class about their own home and what it means to them, share
with others how like one or other these drawings are to their own home,
and draw an ideal home for themselves. The possibilities are endless
and for many teachers it will be fascinating to see children's
reactions to this book. I loved the way the houses evolved from a tree
house at the start to an industrial estate at the end and the way the
seasons revolved through the year of pages. Every time I look at it I
see something new to think about and so it will be for students.
Fran Knight
Nanny Piggins and the Accidental Blast-off by R.A. Spratt
Random House, 2011. ISBN 9781864718591.
Highly recommended for ages 8 and up. Nanny Piggins continues to care
for Derrick, Samantha and Michael, regularly breaking the rules to
which her nemesis, Nanny Anne, rigidly adheres. The children are
encouraged not to attend school regularly, hence attracting visits from
the truancy officer and even causing the demise of the replacement
officer. Life is never dull with Nanny Piggins! The children certainly
enjoy different experiences to other youngsters; including a visit to
NASA which sees them being blasted into space. Later, they watch their
nanny as she competes in the Steel Chef competition. They also
participate in other action-packed adventures, such as a visit to the
circus to see Boris, Nanny's ballet dancing brother, and stop him from
being beaten by a gang of professional wrestlers.
Mr. Brown continues to be anything but an ideal father, despite being
involved in a competition through his work to prove otherwise. His
absence and lack of interest in his children are challenged by his boss
as Mr. Brown attempts to coach the soccer team, despite his children
not being involved.
This title, the fourth book in the series, does not disappoint the
reader. Each chapter is a self-contained story, filled with humour and
adventures, to delight any reader who could only wish to have an
irrepressible nanny such as Sarah Piggins.
Jo Schenkel
Guardian of the gate by Michelle Zink
Atom, 2010. ISBN: 9781905654536. Guardian of the gate is the stunning sequel to Prophecy of
the sisters,
the first novel in Michelle Zink's enthralling Prophecy of the
sisters
trilogy. The last book in the trilogy is Circle of fire which
is going
to be released in the middle of 2012.
This engaging novel once again follows Lia Milthorpe. We see her
journey to the enchanted Isle of Altus to find the missing pages from
the book of Chaos. These pages could tell her how to end an ancient
prophecy. This prophecy has turned generations of twin sisters against
each other for centuries. Lia knows that getting to Altus and finding
the missing pages is not going to be easy because her twin sister Alice
and The Souls are always trying to stop her. (The Souls are from a
different world known as 'The
Plane'. They are always trying to use Lia to get from their world in to
the human world).
This compelling story is once again told from Lia's point of view. We
see a
lot of the same characters including: Aunt Virginia, Louisa and Sonia.
We also see a lot of new characters including: Dimitri Markov, Aunt
Abigail, and The Sisterhood and The Brotherhood; Are the keepers of the
Book Of Chaos and the Rulers of Altus.
Throughout this superb story once again many themes present themselves
including: Friendship, Love, Loss, death and betrayal. Some surprises
are also added in to the mix.
This is an engaging novel and I would recommend it to teenagers who
like fantasy/mystery books.
Emily Madden (Student, Yr 9)
