Cherry Crush: the chocolate box girls by Cathy Cassidy
Puffin, 2010. ISBN: 978 0141335094.
(Age 10+) Recommended. Cherry's story telling abilities see her labeled
as a liar by her classmates and by her teachers as having an 'active
imagination'. Not having made real friends at her old school, Cherry is
delighted by the prospect of moving to Somerset to be part of a real
family with her dad's new girlfriend, Charlotte, and her four
daughters. Their plan is to continue running Charlotte's B&B whilst
her dad, who has given up working at McBean's Chocolate Factory, is
hoping to start his own chocolate business. Things never quite work out
perfectly, however, and although the three younger sisters, Coco and
twins Skye and Summer, are accepting of Cherry, Honey is less than
welcoming. To complicate matters even more, Honey's boyfriend Shay
Fletcher is somewhat too welcoming of Cherry for her liking.
Cathy Cassidy has the happy knack of providing her stories with all of
the essential elements for girls in primary school, friendship, family,
pets, boys and conflicting emotions as the protagonist settles into new
surroundings. The new ingredient in this story is chocolate! This
series will undoubtedly gather many new Cassidy fans as this first
title provides an entertaining and engrossing tale. Girls are also
likely to enjoy visiting her brightly coloured and well maintained
website in which she encourages her readers to read, write, daydream
and commit 'random acts of kindness'.
Jo Schenkel
Blackout by Robert Swindells
Corgi Books, 2011.
(Ages 9+) Recommended. Swindells is on top form with this fast
moving World War Two adventure of spies, robbery, enemy aircraft and
pesky kids who nearly perish in their attempts to solve a mystery.
There is more than a touch of the Enid Blyton's in Blackout and
this is
why it works so well. Robert Swindells knows exactly how to entice
young readers into the thrill of a gripping mystery with plenty of
action, larger than life villains and feisty, intrepid children in
mortal danger.
War has just been declared and the youngsters of the sleepy Welsh town
of Golfodd are on the lookout for spies. A couple of mysterious
visitors attract the children's attention but these villains are
robbers not spies, and they plan to steal the Golfodd Hoard - a
collection of ancient Roman coins that are the pride of the town.
As the story develops the children find themselves trapped in a mine,
alone and desperate as no one knows their plight. Meanwhile, a
German pilot crash lands nearby and hears their cries. Will he rescue
them and risk certain capture, or escape and leave them to their fate? Blackout offers plenty of learning opportunities for upper
juniors - it
works well as a showcase for plot construction of mystery and adventure
stories. One of the characters, a hack reporter, could be ably assisted
by pupils in writing up the story of the Golfodd Hoard. With an
introduction to the period of World War Two, this novel will also
generate plenty of interest and should attract reluctant readers too.
Well worth buying to support topic boxes and to promote an enjoyable
reading experience.
Claire Larson
Miko's Magic Number by Ruth Brown
Walker, 2010. ISBN 9781406317893.
(Age: 5-8) Readers are invited to roll-up, spin the wheel and choose a
number with Miko, the circus mouse, to see if the outcome is a trick or
magic. Miko holds 10 brightly coloured balloons with the numbers 1 to
10 printed on them. By picking a number and turning the wheel, children
learn to do simple addition and subtraction, but more importantly, they
may become engrossed in the idea of numbers and how they work. I
was fascinated by the mathematical concept in the book and had to try a
number of times to make sure that the number was magic.
Set in the circus ring with performing mice, this story will bring
alive the joys of counting and using numbers. Ruth Brown has drawn Miko
as a gorgeous little mouse with a yellow and pink ruff around his neck
and a cute little hat topped with a pomp-pom on his head. The
ringmaster has a curly moustache and flowing cape and all the mice are
wonderful little athletes, performing acrobatic tricks and even walking
on a tightrope. Spotlights bring the reader's attention to the mice and
a beautiful yellow watercolour forms the background to the big ring.
Not only has this book an idea that will appeal to the imagination and
quality illustrations, but the novelty aspects will also attract
children. The book appears to be very sturdy with thick
paper used throughout. The wheel and peepholes, as well as the flaps,
should stand up well under use by inquisitive children.
Nominated for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal longlist 2011, this book
is not only educational but a lot of fun to read and think about.
Pat Pledger
Wasted by Nicola Morgan
Walker Books, 2010. ISBN: 9781406321951.
Highly recommended. Jack allows his actions to be ruled by the toss of
a coin, never mind
the risks. This brings him a singer by the name of Jess. One reckless
night their options run out. Now it's the readers turn to play the
game. Spin a coin, catch it. Place it on the back of your other hand.
Life or death for someone, heads or tails?
The plot of this novel is well melded together, compelling you to read
it cover to cover. Each tiny part is intricately connected to the rest
of the story. It has a completely realistic plot that tells the story
of some past, present and future teenagers with similar or the same
sort of lives. There are two endings to this story, so I warn you that
it would be better not to read both or you will not get the same effect
of reading it.
The setting of this story seems to be in England,
however it does not actually state it anywhere. Most of the book is set
in either Jack's or Jess's house with some high school, beach, pub and
club scenes. The characters are teenagers of the current era and their
families, people you would come across in day to day life. Also quite
nice people too!
The main theme is about taking control of your life
and not just floating through it. There are minor themes as well that
stand out: music, love, alcohol, leaving high school, luck, death and
drink spiking. This novel does go a little way into the meaning of
life.
The author uses a medium level of imagery to tell the story with
a medium level of symbolism. It is written in a high sentence-level
style which suits the nature of this story. I believe that the target
audience of this book is 17-19 year olds, however it could be enjoyed
by those who are up to 25 years old. I would rate this book 10/10
stars.
Amelia Kelly (17 years old)
Half Brother by Kenneth Oppel
David Fickling Books, 2011.
(Age 13+) Highly Recommended. It's always a treat to
discover a new author and even more exciting to find that they are a
prodigious talent you've somehow missed - all those previously
published novels to look forward to!
From Half Brother's first page I knew I was in safe hands;
Kenneth
Oppel is a virtuoso who sails his readers expertly through the choppy
waters of an exciting, thought provoking and moving story.
Set in Canada during the early 1970s, Ben's parents are scientists and
as part of a university experiment they adopt a chimp to see if they
can teach him American Sign Language. Zan joins the family when he is
just a few weeks old and, like every new baby, turns the family's lives
upside down. Ben's initial uncertainty at sharing his home with a chimp
turns into acceptance and then love as Ben realises that Zan has become
his brother. At first Project Zan is a huge success and Zan learns to
sign. Their ability to communicate with each other simply strengthens
the bond between Ben and Zan.
Unfortunately, a year later the project is under threat and Zan must go
and live in a compound where he is at risk of being sent to a
laboratory. However, the bond between brothers is strong and Ben will
risk everything in his desire to protect his brother. To complicate
things even further, Ben also embarks on his first love affair and
Project Zan runs hand in hand with Project Jennifer - his own private
scheme to secure the girl of his dreams. But can you manage a love
affair the way you organise a science project?
This is an outstanding novel which is never didactic but will make
readers think. With consummate skill Oppel combines the day to day life
of school, friendships and family with overarching themes that concern
us all - the meaning of life, the ethics of humanising animals, the
debate about animal experiments and Ben's own tricky relationship with
his father.
With touches of humour and raw emotion this is a sure winner for those
who demand a story they can get their teeth into. I'm now off to get my
hands on everything else Oppel has written!
Claire Larson
Spike and Ali Enson by Malaika Rose Stanley
Tamarind, 2010.
(Ages 8-12) Recommended. This is a fun read, ideal for competent but
reluctant readers. Spike's baby brother, Ali is a nightmare; he takes
up all their parents' attention and produces a phenomenal quantity of
vile smelling waste products - from both ends! Then there's the small
matter of the suspicious glint in his eyes, the hint of scales and the
greenish tinge to his skin. In fact, Spike is convinced that his baby
brother is an alien.
Spike decides to take his fears to the UFO Notification Centre, where
the wacky boss TJ Hoppermann takes Spike's concerns seriously and
promises to investigate. Hopperman tests Ali's 'waste products' with
shocking results. Ali is indeed an alien and the story hits the
press. With the house surrounded by Paparazzi, Spikes's parents
finally reveal the truth about his brother.
At first I thought this would be a run of the mill story about sibling
rivalry, but it's far more imaginative than that. With a fast moving
narrative and unexpected plot twists, this is an ideal story to tempt
reluctant readers. The illustrations are lively and humorous, the
chapters short, with plenty of dialogue and an abundance of cliff
hangers, and the dramatic conclusion leaves room for a sequel. Great
fun.
Claire Larson
Three things about Daisy Blue by Kate Gordon
(Girlfriend Fiction, 20). Allen and Unwin, 2010.
(Age 12+) Daisy Blue is very unhappy. She is forced to go to Bali with
her mother, but she wants to stay behind with her friends. Paulina
Gifford is also going to Bali, and when her mother asks her to keep an
eye on Daisy, the strait-laced Paulina is in for a shock. Both the
girls keep a diary describing their life changing moments on beautiful
Bali.
Daisy calls her diary Angelina and writes a constant stream of
complaints about the possible lack of Diet Coke in Bali; missing out on
her favourite TV show and having her mother make pointed remarks about
how thin she is. Paulina on the other hand is looking forward to
learning about the religious customs on the island and trying the local
cuisine.
The Girlfriends Fiction series is made up of quality, easy to read
books with themes that will appeal to teenage girls, and this is no
exception. Daisy's desire to be thin, her mishap with alcohol and her
obsession with pink will resonate with readers, while others will be
drawn to Paulina, the nerd. Both girls make a journey of
self-discovery, learning about themselves and others, especially about
Cody, a gorgeous young film-maker and Wayan, a Balinese student who
wants to help others as a doctor.
The device of using diary entries show the difference between the two
girls and highlights how their attitudes to each other change and how
they cope with their problems. Daisy's entries are particularly
humorous and provide a light touch to the story, which does however
touch on some serious themes. Daisy's preoccupation with becoming thin
enough to attract Robbie Chandler 'who only goes out with skinny girls'
(pg. 5.) is central to the story. Paulina's attempts to always be the
good girl, as well as the themes of getting on with parents and making
friends, provide some thought-provoking ideas for young readers to
think about.
I enjoyed this book and believe it would make a welcome addition to
libraries.
Pat Pledger
Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
Hush, Hush 2. Simon and Schuster, 2010.
(Age 14+) The second in the series, following Hush, Hush, sees
Nora
Grey trying to come to grips with her life. Her gorgeous bad-boy
guardian angel, Patch, is not paying her as much attention as she would
like. Instead he seems to be making a play for her archrival Marcie
Millar. And then there is Scott Parnell, a boy that Nora's mother seems
to think would be perfect for her. Add some danger in her search for
her father's murderer, and Nora's life is in turmoil.
Much of the book was taken up with Nora's insecurities about her
relationship with Patch, and this grew a bit tedious after a while.
However teenage girls will like the paranormal romance and will be more
tolerant of Nora's doubts, jealousy and break-ups. I
would have liked more action and less angst, especially as Patch was
portrayed in a very unappealing light. Nora, too, seemed to loose the
strength that made her an appealing heroine in Hush, Hush,
which was a
disappointment. The end is a thrilling cliffhanger with surprise
characters and no doubt I will be compelled to pick up the next in the
series to see
what happens!
Pat Pledger
Prisoner of the Inquisition by Theresa Breslin
Doubleday, 2010. ISBN 978 0385617031.
(Ages 12+) Historical fiction. Indulged and spoilt, used to getting her
won way, Zarita's behavior causes the hanging of a poor man who tried
to ask her for money. His son is taken away to be a galley slave, and
Zarita, finding her mother has died, tries to make some sort of amends
by seeking out the boy's mother and making her final days more
comfortable. We are plunged into a world of Isabella and Ferdinand of
fifteenth century Spain, intent not only of joining their two large
provinces, but also to join all parts of Spain to make a one country.
One way to do this is to rid Spain of any believers who do not espouse
the one true faith, Catholicism. The Inquisition is revived and makes
it way through many areas of Spain, torturing and killing as it sweeps
all before it.
It is an horrific period of history to write about, and Breslin
certainly makes the reader feel part of this, with the inquisitors
torturing innocent people to scare the rest of the village, or the boy,
Saulo, on a galley seeing people brutalized to row the ship and then
being embroiled in a fight to the death with pirates. He escapes his
servitude through intelligence and cunning, and is saved by none other
than Christopher Columbus, intent on sailing west across the Ocean Sea
(Atlantic Ocean) to find a way around the world. One highly charged
incident follows the other, as the lives of the two protagonists, the
spoilt girl and the beggar's son intersect.
Columbus has gone to the court to seek permission from Isabella and
Ferdinand, Zarita is there to beg innocence in the wake of her step
mother's accusations, Saulo is there to seek revenge upon his dead
parents and the dreaded inquisitor is there too, ready to hunt down any
more idolaters, with Zarita in his sights. The stage is set for the
thrilling climax.
The over riding idea of the misuse of power by leaders using religious
intolerance for their own ends resonates through the novel as the
dreaded Torquemada and his minions ply their nasty trade. The power of
intolerance seeps through everything, terrifying everyone and forcing
people do behave in ways foreign to them.
Fran Knight
The lost treasure by Jan Stradling
Ill. by Cassandra Allen. Walker Stories series.Walker Books, 2010. ISBN
978 1928629086.
(Ages: 6-8) One in the series of Walker Stories, written specifically
for younger readers venturing into chapter books with a plot and
action, so building confidence in reading, this one will capture their
imaginations and help them become comfortable in reading for
themselves. Pirate Hamish and Pirate Ruby are rivals on the seas.
Hamish is always after treasure for himself, whereas Ruby is always out
to help people. On finding a bottle with a message, floating in the
sea, both pirates head for the island, only to discover a most
forgetful castaway. Spurred on with the smell of treasure, following
many maps written by Jack as a memory aid, Pirate Hamish digs lots of
holes, while Pirate Ruby is more than satisfied just being helpful. A
neat bow to recycling and conservation along with a morally sound
climax round off an absorbing tale.
A fun, easy to read story which does not pander to children whose word
knowledge is developing, this is one of as series of more than 16 such
tales. Published in a small easy to hold form, with bright inviting and
sturdy covers, both the story and its illustrations will hole the
reader's attention.
Fran Knight
Pond magic by Angela Sunde
Puffin, 2010. ISBN 978 014330525.
(Ages 10-12) Recommended. Another in the highly successful series,
Aussie Chomps, this very funny story has poor Lily watching
herself
turn into a frog. At first she notices her skin is going green, then
she embarrasses herself highly in the school bus with the most enormous
burps, when changing for swimming, she suddenly notices the webbing
between her feet, and to top it all off, she wins the race easily,
using the fastest breaststroke anyone has ever seen. Combine all this
with eruption on her face and a proclivity for flies, Lily's life is a
mess.
Her mother, Mrs Padd, surprises her with a French exchange student,
coming to stay and Lily is determined not to like him. But he speaks
French. So when Mrs Swan next door confesses that is it her doing that
is causing these momentous changes, Lily finds something on the web in
French, needing his discretion to translate it and so get her life back
to some sort of normalcy.
A great read with lots of puns and jokes around frogs and green things.
Fran Knight
Fear: 13 stories of suspense and horror ed. by R.L. Stine
Random House, 2010.
(Teenagers +) Fear is a great book. It has amazing twists that
you
won't
see coming and each of the thirteen stories are different.
The story Suckers by Suzanne Weyn is about a boy named Phil.
It's the
end of his junior high year and his parents decide to move to the newly
formed planet Lectus but then people start disappearing.
And then there's also the story Shadow Children by Heather
Brewer. It
is about a boy called Dax who misses out on going to his friend's party
because he has to baby sit his brother (Jon). But when Jon's night
light goes out and Dax refuses to fix it the shadows kidnap Jon.
Another story Tuition by Walter Sorrells is about a boy named
Marlon.
It's his 17th birthday and all he wants is a normal life, one that
doesn't involve stealing. He is on what could be his last job if it
goes successfully but if it doesn't he will go to jail.
I loved this book. As soon as I read the first sentence I couldn't put
it down. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes
mysteries, suspense and monsters.
Tahlia Kennewell (student)
Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin
Bloomsbury, 2010. ISBN 9781599906188.
Ivy Devlin, author of Low Red Moon, has created a masterpiece I
wasn't
able to put down. Low Red Moon is made up with the main characters, Avery, a girl
who
believes she is no more than human but is actually wrong, Ben, the
cute, new-boy at school, hiding something that changes Avery's life,
Renee, Avery's grandmother, Ron, the deceiving sheriff and Louis, Ben's
great-uncle.
Avery's parents are brutally murdered. Strangely enough, Avery
can't remember anything about that night, only that her mum wanted her
to go out and pick mushrooms for their dinner. She can, however,
remember silver. Silver slicing through the air inhumanly fast, the
sounds of tearing flesh and blood. Blood soaking right through her
clothes, shoes, all through her hair and between her toes.
Then Ben comes to town. Avery feels a strange pull towards him, she can
feel what he is thinking and feeling. Ben feels the same pull towards
Avery, only stronger. He also feels what she is thinking and feeling.
At first Avery builds trust in Ben, only for it shatter almost
immediately. Ben tries so hard to stay away from Avery, for her own
good, but Avery wants Ben, as does he want her so they always find each
other.
This book has the Bella-Edward romantic edge to it along with the
murder mysteries and threats. I loved this book and I recommend it to
all of the 'Team Jacob' fans. Happy reading!!
Heidi Bigge (Student)
Don't judge a girl by her cover by Ally Carter
The Gallagher girls 3. Hachette, 2010.
(Age 12+) Don't judge a girl by her cover is a really good book
that I
thoroughly enjoyed reading.
It all started for Cammie (Cameron Morgan) when her best
friend/room-mate, Macey McHenry (the vice president's daughter) asks
her to spend the rest of summer break with her in Boston. Macey, Cammie
and Preston (President Winter's first son) go up to the roof where they
aren't supposed to be, when suddenly a helicopter begins to hover over
the roof. Their door to get back inside gets slammed shut and locked
and there is no way down. A gang jumps out of the helicopter and begins
to atttack, so Preston gets to safety, but then there is no other
escape, so they make as many of their spy moves as they can. When they
get to safety, they are with the ones they knew, but in a place they
had never seen before.
As the story goes on, Cammie's aunt comes the college as a protector
for Macey while Bex, Liz (the other room mates) and Cammie, sneak
out of the school to track down Macey when she isn't at school to make
sure that the Circle of Cavan don't get her.
When Macey finds out about her family's past, she runs away, taking the
disguises with her. When the secret service wouldn't listen to Cammie,
Bex and Liz when they tried to tell them where Macey was, they snuck
out again. When it was all resolved it got mega crazy and hurtful for
Cammie.
It took me a nail-biting two days to read to read Don't judge a
girl by
her cover, as it was absolutely fantastic to read and I highly
recommend people to read this book. I also recommend this book for
people 12-13 and over as a person any younger probably wouldn't
understand a lot of it. Warning to parents, it has some violence in it
(ie. guns and other
weapons.)
I found it really well worded and it all seemed so real, I actually
cried in one part. The characters also seemed so realistic and alive.
The characters travelled from DC to Ohio to Boston and back to the
Gallagher Girls college over and over.
This book has a set theme of spy-work, family and fame. It has a great
story-line, one that I certainly would read again, in fact I wouldn't
mind reading all the other books in the series.
I found it a great book and I highly enjoyed reading it, so jump in and
grab a copy for yourself.
Tayla Pollard, 13
Scout by Nicole Pluss
Penguin, 2010. ISBN 978 0 14 3204589.
(Ages 11+) Historical Fiction. Aboard the ship, Scout, headed
for the
colony of South Australia, Kit and her mother are aghast from the start
when they are sent to the bottom of the ship with the steerage
passengers rather than the cabin they have booked in the intermediate
deck. But one of the passengers, a landed gentleman, along with his
whole staff and family has taken over that deck with his belongings, so
Kit and her mother must comply. Luckily they are reassigned and spend
their weeks aboard ship with people they would not normally have mixed
with, and are deferential and grateful. Pluss easily outlines the
tedium and everyday monotony of the days and weeks spent at sea,
underlining the challenge of keeping oneself private but at the same
time, making friends. A range of people inhabit the ship, from the easy
Clarissa; the sailor, Angel, with whom Kit develops a relationship; the
wealthy family with their entourage bound for South Australia, the crew
and captain. Each has their own story to tell, and Pluss effortlessly
draws us into the confined world that makes up one of these tiny ships.
All the time I recalled the Maritime Museum at Port Adelaide with its
mockup of a ship bringing settlers to Adelaide in the nineteenth
century and was struck again with these people's tenacity and courage.
Coming to Australia voluntarily in the mid nineteenth century is a step
beyond comprehension. Pluss has told their stories with verve and
relish, and it is fascinating to see that this book is designated non
fiction in some quarters. Pluss' research is obvious, her depth of
knowledge about the ship is infectious and the passengers and crew that
she has presented will make readers stop and give thought to their own
forebears and the privations they suffered in reaching these shores and
by implication, take time to think about the refugees who brave the
seas north of Australia.
The hitting of an iceberg in the Southern Ocean is the impetus for a
huge change in all their lives, as many who abandon the ship aboard
lifeboats, are never seen again, while the few who stay aboard,
eventually find safety with a whaler. Again and again, the reader is
reminded of the precarious nature of these voyages in uncertain seas.
And as I write this, the news is of some 30 refugees drowning north of
Christmas Island, making the poignancy of this novel even more
crushing.
The romance between Kit and the sailor will keep many female readers
intrigued, but what kept me reading was the very real setting and the
nature of the relationships between people compared with those of
today.
Fran Knight
