Reviews

Mirror by Jeannie Baker

Walker Books, 2010. ISBN: 978-1-4063-0914-0.
(All ages) Highly recommended. The book starts with the words:
'There are two boys and two families in this book. One family lives in a city in Australia. And one lives in Morocco, North Africa. The lives of the two boys and their families look very different from each other and they are different. But some things connect them, just as some things are the same for all families no matter where they live.'
The book then divides into two books, one opening from the left and one from the right, that are meant to be read simultaneously. The reader is immediately drawn into the everyday world of the two boys and their families. The reader is fascinated by a double page spread for each illustrating their day. The children get up, have a meal and father goes off to work and so on. At the end the two families are united by the beautiful rug that the Moroccan family have woven and which the Western family has purchased. For all the differences between how the two families live, it is the similarities that will draw the reader back to the pages, realising that that it is the love of a family that is what is important, and that love exists no matter where their community or home. As Baker says, 'inwardly we are so alike it could be each other we see when we look in a mirror.'
Of course, as readers who are familiar with Baker's wonderful collages know, it is the illustrations, as well as the thought provoking ideas about culture and love, that make this book stand out. The pictures made from sand and cloth, paper and tin are superb, each one finely detailed and beautiful.
This is an outstanding book, both for how it extends our understanding of the world and another culture, but for the sheer beauty of the illustrations and design. It is sure to be featured in many awards.
Pat Pledger

The unicorn princess by Babette Cole

Bloomsbury, 2010. ISBN 978 0747599319.
(Ages 7+) The first in the series, Fetlocks Hall, which tells of a famous riding academy in England where students are hand picked to go as a result of their having very special gifs, unseen by most people. Penny is spotted by her riding teacher as one with just such special gifts and is hand picked to attend the school. Knowing her parents have no spare money for such an undertaking, Penny receives a scholarship and so is derided by some of the smarter more affluent girls in the school. But the kindness of the staff and other students make up for this. She is amazed at the unicorns which stand astride the stairs to the hall, and even more amazed when one of the stone statues winks at her. So begins an unimaginable adventure which sees Penny installed as a Unicorn Princess, one with special powers of flight on her horse, Peach, and given special gifts which she can use to fight those that want to take the place over.
The fantasy story is highly imaginative as Penny finds her wings and solves some of the problems occurring at the Hall, not least of which is the bullying girls. A story young girls will read with pleasure, seeking out those that follow it.
Fran Knight

The Byron journals by Daniel Ducrou

Text Publishing. ISBN 9781921656460.
(Ages 15+) This book is about a boy named Andrew, who lives in Adelaide and travels to Byron Bay in NSW for schoolies week. He goes to a party with his brother and his friends and ends up drumming with a band. He meets up with Heidi also from Adelaide.
Andrew goes to live with Heidi and two of her friends (also band members). He gets involved in their drug cultivation scheme. This gives Andrew his excuse he needs t stay away from Adelaide, where his family life is all messed up.
Andrew gets in over his head with the drugs. Heidi becomes unstable from her inner demons and the drugs. Andrew and the band play gigs in NSW where they plan to sell their drug crop. Then there is an almost fatal accident and things start to change for the worst.
The theme of this book is the effects of drugs, also relationships both with the opposite sex and parents. This book is best suited for students in Yr.10 or above.
Lorrain Robertson

The paradise garden by Colin Thompson

Random House Australia, 2010 (1998). ISBN978 1741664195.
Recommended. Picture book. Escaping from the narrow, noise filled streets of his home, Peter finds a garden. It is a wonderful place, peaceful and calm. He contemplates the many new plants and animal life, the forests, the trees and the ponds. He learns to live in this magical place, eating bananas from the trees in the palm house, washing his clothes in the lotus pond and sleeping under the stars. All the way through hints are given of his life before the garden, where he lived a lonely life, torn between his separated parents, living in a house where the neighbours' yelling could be heard and the noise from the street invaded his home.
The illustrations take the eye through the gardens, and as with all of Colin Thompson's wonderful books, there is a myriad of detail to contemplate and admire. Each page is brimming with ideas and framed with drawings which give another element to the story. And on each page Peter can be found. I love the double page spread which shows the gnarled tree trunk spreading across both pages, with little windows, drawers and doors peeping though. Hanging in the tree are many small houses, each with their lights on inside. Ladders and lifts, tunnels and stairways make their way to each of the houses.
The magic of his drawings is paralleled by the story of one boy running away but coming home a wiser person, bringing some of what he found home with him. The last page showing his narrow cottage in a narrow street, but with a green, flower filled garden, shows what he has learnt, and even though things at home may not have changed, he has the ability to take his garden with him.
Thompson's work always fills me with awe. I can imagine kids having a great time looking at the detail and being very aware of the theme of this book.
Fran Knight

The Other Countess by Eve Edwards

Razorbill Penguin, 2010. ISBN 9780141327303.
(Age 12+) This is a first novel by English author Eve Edwards who has a strong interest in Tudor times; this historical romance is obviously very well researched.
The story opens in 1578 when Ellie (Lady Eleanor Rodriguez of San Jaime) first sets eyes upon the young William Lacey. Ellie and her alchemist father are facing the wrath of William's family, upon discovery that the deluded man cannot make gold out of metal after all, yet much of the Lacey's family fortune has been lost in this ridiculous quest. Ellie and her father are dishonourably banished from the court. Four years later Ellie meets William again but this time they fall passionately in love. This is a romance to be tried and tested; family honour is at stake when Ellie is not considered worthy of William's advances.His responsibility is to restore his family's fortune.
The historical backdrop is impressive - war with Spain, conflicts between the Catholics and Protestants, court life and appearances made by Sir Walter Raleigh and Queen Elizabeth I.  Here is splendid historical detail - costumes, foods, conventions - all contained within an interesting narrative.  Young readers of historical novels will enjoy this story, and, as the subject matter is more of a human drama, rather than witchcraft and magic, new readers to the genre should take pleasure in the historical context. Discovering the turmoil in the minds of the young, living at this time, and the need to make imperative decisions for the sake of family and social standing, will highlight the differences with modern society.
This is a well written novel, especially suiting girls in the age group 12+.
Julie Wells

Dragonblood series by Michael Dahl

Ill. by Federico Piatti. Raintree, 2010. Raintree, 2010.
(Age 10+) Suitable for reluctant readers. Each book in this series starts with the words: 'A new Age of dragons is about to begin. The powerful creatures will return to rule the world once more, but this time it will be different. This time, they will have allies who will help them. Around the world some young humans are making a strange discovery. They are learning that they were born with dragon blood - blood that gives them amazing powers.'
Another set of books in the Dragonblood series, this time illustrated by Federico Piatti, will be welcomed by children who want a quick but compelling read. Each book has a small amount of print on the page, with an interesting type face that leads the eye onto words further on the page. The main characters are older adolescents and adults, so older reluctant or less able readers will not feel that they are reading books designed for young children. The stories are interesting and can be read very quickly by the more proficient reader, so will be useful on a spinner of 'Quick reads' in the library or in the classroom. Each book has different facts about the theme of the story, eg The Missing Fang looks at fangs through history, and there are discussion questions and writing prompts.

Dead Wings by Michael Dahl. ISBN: 978 1 40621 536 6
Dragon Cowboy by Michael Dahl. ISBN: 978 1 40621 537 3
The Girl who Breathed Fire by Michael Dahl. ISBN: 978 1 40621 535 9
Eye of the Monster by Michael Dahl. ISBN: 978 1 40621 538 0
Wings Above the Waves by Michael Dahl. ISBN: 978 1 40621 534 2
The Missing Fang by Michael Dahl. ISBN: 978 1 40621 533 5
Pat Pledger

April Underhill, tooth fairy by Bob Graham

The pig's knickers by Jonathan Emmet and Vanessa Cabban

Walker Books, 2010. ISBN 978 1406316247.
Picture book. When Pig grumbles about being plain and ordinary, a pair of knickers flies into her face, blown from the clothesline at the farm. She is delighted, and tries them on, feeling that they make her special. Being the prefect colour and the right size, she parades them around the farm, asking the other animals what they think. Politely they all tell her that she looks amazing, astonishing and astounding.  She is overwhelmed with delight. That night she washes her knickers and hangs them out to dry, only to find them gone in the morning. She is devastated. When she cries to her friends, they all tell her that it was not the knickers that made her astounding, but herself. A twist at the end will leave classes laughing.
A delightful story about being yourself, and the very specialness of each child, this story will be a great way of introducing the ideas around what makes a person unique. Kids will love the drawing of the pig with the knickers and then the other piece of underwear she finds. They will delight at the animals trying to help her see that she does not need anything else to make her special, and will giggle with the goat who so decidedly ate the knickers, whistling to itself in the background. Readers will love the looks on the animals' faces as they try to convince the pig that she is indeed special.
I loved the uncompromising use of language, new words for readers to get their mouths around and assimilate into their own vocabulary.
Fran Knight

The Life of a Teenage Body-Snatcher by Doug MacLeod

Penguin Books, 2010. ISBN 9780143203919, p/b, 303pp.
Highly recommended (for ages 14+). The title and cover of this novel are major attractions - one cannot resist picking it off the shelf and checking it out! Once the story begins, there is no thought of putting the book back on the shelf! Doug MacLeod has the reader hooked from the first page. Set in England in 1828, the opening pages take the reader at night to a ghostly cemetery where Thomas Timewell is digging up the corpse of his grandfather, buried only that day. He has good reason for doing this but is interrupted by the appearance of 'professional' body-snatcher. This is Plenitude and he offers to help Thomas with this grisly task.
There is much to discover about Plenitude and his life, and he has some amazing colleagues. Weaving through Thomas' story are fantastic characters as well - we meet his disoriented mother, the alcoholic housekeeper Mrs Greenough, his worldly 14 year old adopted brother John, his insecure school friend Charlie Callow, his obsessive teacher Mr Atkins, and the author of some ghastly popular fiction Mr Wilks who is not what he seems.
This is a clever black comedy full of gruesome and outrageous adventures.
Wildly imagined, the story keeps us reading! We are shown much of English society at the time - London at night, the prison system, class inequality and the publishing industry, plus plenty of body-snatching!  MacLeod's story is somewhat gross and confronting at times, but he cleverly balances this with humour and a strong sense of the importance of family, loyalty and friendship.
I invite you to check out Doug MacLeod's website too - it is a beauty.
This book should have a wide teenage audience - adults will love it too.
Julie Wells

Hopscotch: Golden Scarab by Ian Trevaskis

Walker Books; 2010.
(Age 10-13) This is the second book in the Hopscotch series where the adventurous Hannah and Jake are sucked into a game and are taken to an ancient civilization. In the first book they are transported back to Ancient Greece. In this edition they travel back to Ancient Egypt. Reminiscent of a young Indiana Jones this is a great series that has some historical knowledge of the times of the Pharaoh's and tomb raiders.  We learn early on that they have lost the device that takes them home which adds further complexity to the story. A great read for year 5-7 who are looking for a new quest to follow.
Wendy Rutten

In Lonnie's Shadow by Chrissie Michaels

Ford Street Publishing, 2010. ISBN 9781876462918, p/b, 334pp.
(For mature readers, 14+ years, Australian author). Highly recommended. Set in the 1860s in inner city Melbourne, this interesting tale is framed around archaeological finds from the present day - 'a retrieval of memories overlaid by time.' An inventory at the beginning of the book lists items found at Casselden Place included in a public exhibition. These items become the chapter headings and the action of the chapter explains how these items have come about. This imaginative use of subjects for a chapter heading by no means takes away from the story, and the reader soon becomes involved in the life and times of young Lonnie McGuinness, caught in slum life, trying to eek out a living with illegal horse racing, yet aspiring to become a jockey at some reputable stables, if he can escape the oppressive backstreets.
Murderers and thieves abound in this seedy world - a little easier for the wily Lonnie to survive but not for young girls, in particularly his dear friend Pearl, who is tossed about in miserable circumstances; everyone is witness to many harsh cruelties.
Michaels writes with a true sense of the times; poverty swamps everyone; homes and streets are awash with rubbish and the accompanying overpowering smells.
Life is hard and it takes fortitude to survive these times. The descriptions of character and place are evocative and are confidently authentic.
Also, it is worth checking the Museum of Victoria's website to get a sense of the times so well described by the author.
Full of tense excitement, with the ongoing adventures of Lonnie as he battles to avoid being branded a criminal, through little fault of his own but of his circumstances, In Lonnie's Shadow is highly recommended.
Julie Wells

Because you are with me by Kylie Dunstan

Hachette, 2010. ISBN 9780734411310.
Highly recommended for 4+. Sometimes it takes a bit of help from someone you love to find the courage to do scary and new things. Together a father and daughter discover all the things they can achieve, from walking down the hallway in the dark to eating all your vegetables.
The illustrations are unusual and beautiful. Using a striking collage technique with lokta paper, Kylie Dunstan has created a colourful father and daughter story that will appeal to young readers who are experiencing firsts in their own lives.
Kathryn Pledger
Editor's note: Kylie Dunstan's picture book Collecting Colour won the 2009 CBCA Award for Picture Book of the Year.

Montacute House by Lucy Jago

Bloomsbury, 2010.
(Age 13-15) Set in 1596, this title has all the trimmings.
For the villagers of Montacute, May Day did not bring good news. A boy's body was found with terrible burns and suspicious markings. For Cess this did not mean too much until her friend goes missing. Cess is one of the poorer members of the community. She and her mother are shunned as Cess was born out of wedlock. For all this Cess has great determination and is destined to do well. However the secrets that are revealed during the novel could spell disaster for Cess and those closest to her.
Themes include: Rituals, witchcraft, Village life, 1500's history.
It would pair well with The crucible.
Suitable for years 9-10.
Wendy Rutten

Lady Jane Grey: Queen for sale by Caroline Corby

Walker Books, 2010. ISBN 978 1406312553.
(Ages 10+) Recommended. Historical novel. Lady Jane Grey, great niece of the ailing Henry VIII, is a prized possession to her parents, the Dorsets, and their greed. Used as a pawn in the marriage stakes of like minded climbers within the court circle, Jane is told she is to marry the sickly Edward who follows as king when Henry dies. He is her cousin, and she feels sorry for him, sickly and pale, and guided by favourites who have wormed their way to be close to him. Her other cousins, Elizabeth and Mary she sees rarely. Henry's last wife, Katherine, seeing Jane at odds with her brutal parents, takes her into her household where she seems to lead a peaceful life, until Katherine and her baby die, leaving Jane alone again. With Edward ailing, the Dorsets marry Jane off to Darnley, the son of their benefactor, Northumberland who is close to the throne, and when Edward dies, Jane becomes queen. Nine days later she is beheaded, and so ends the shortest reign in history. Jane is only 16.
A story of the greed of those close to power, using whatever means at their disposal to gain and keep power, the story of Lady Jane Grey is mesmerizing in its sweep of British history following the death of Henry VIII. Corby fills in the background, giving Jane a life beyond the courts, seeing her as a pawn to be used in the game of power in the court. The background of her life and times is stunningly recreated, with the overlay of fiction to hold it together. One in a series called, Before they were famous, the others include Cleopatra, Boudica and William of Normandy.
Fran Knight

When I love you at Christmas by David Bedford and Tamsin Ainslie

Little Hare 2010. ISBN 978 1 921541261.
Picture book. The repetition on each page will encourage readers to join in with the language as they turn each page to find the young girl preparing for Christmas. Wrapping the gifts, making biscuits, hanging stars from the tree, singing and dancing and making cards are all done on the days before Christmas, and the toy tells the little girl that is when she loves her, getting ready for the day. But it goes on for she is also loved when she tosses and turns waiting for the day, and then when it comes, she is also loved opening presents, but the best of times is when the little girl gives her toy a present.
Full of the wonderful things a child does before Christmas, and following through the things done on Christmas Day, the book turns the story from being child centred and present centred to the toy loving being loved and hugged at Christmas. The presents lie around forgotten; it is the warmth of the holding and loving that is more important. A cute reminder of the best things at Christmas, this book will be a neat antidote to the commercial aspects thrown at children at this time of the year.
Fran Knight