Random House, 2011. ISBN 978 1 74275 074 3.
Grace and Joe are brother and sister who live with their parents in
Border City. Joe is having anger problems and when he does a
dark cloud forms. Grace is able to communicate with him
telepathically. In the city is the very rich and charismatic
Mammon Jones who also happens to be a demon.
After their parents are killed Joe and Grace discover their true
heritage. Their parents were part of the sarsareh, mercenaries
who hunt demons. Joe is considered extremely important to the
Order as he can summon rifts which are used to dispose of demons.
He is known as a Ferryman. Grace is a gifted telepath and can
control people by implanting suggestions. Together they join
the Order where Grace is strongly attracted to Ivan one of the
leaders of the Order.Joe becomes increasingly alienated and
falls under the spell of Mammon who is trying to win him over to
open a rift that will allow a demon army to invade earth and take
over.
There are plots within plots, plenty of action and a blossoming
romance between Ivan and Grace.
All of this should appeal to older teenagers as the ending leads on
to a sequel.
David Rayner
Fetlocks Hall: The Curse of the Pony Vampires by Babette Cole
Bloomsbury, 2011. ISBN: 978-0747599333.
Suitable for ages 11+ . This book is part of a series and unless you
have read the previous book you will find it a bit tricky to
understand part of the story. Fetlocks Hall is a special
school, a magical pony school. It is also an important place
to the S.U.S. (Secret Unicorn Society). Especially
gifted equichildren go there to develop their magical pony
skills. But King Despot Dragontail, King of the Devlipeds,
hates the school and will do all he can to get it closed down or at
least stop it running in its usual way. King Despot Dragontail
has sent a letter to the organization in charge of inspecting
schools and complained how students were wasting their time, playing
with the ponies instead of doing schoolwork and that the
headmistress lied about test results. All untrue, of
course. Unicorn Princess Penny has a difficult task ahead of
her . . .& to save Fetlock Hall from closure.
King Despot has sent evil pony vampires to start his evil
plan.These creatures are just plain disgusting, leaving
horrible, foul smelling orange droppings everywhere.
Yuk! Penny enlists the help of Uncle Faustus and his
family.Will she succeed in defeating the Devlipeds' plot and
overturn the curse of the pony vampires in time to save the school?
Janet Cassidy
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Allen and Unwin, 2011. ISBN: 978-1-74237-447-5.
(Age 16+) Highly recommended. Written in alternating persons Sara
Gruen has divided up into the re-telling of Jacob's earlier life and
his golden years in this historically accurate novel. Water for
Elephants is set in the nineteen thirties and follows the
splendid story of a travelling circus as it makes its way through
the American countryside.
Cornell educated, Jacob Jankowski joins The Benzini Brothers Most
Spectacular Show on Earth as their much needed vet. Being the
menagerie man Jacob is one of the first to meet their new arrival, a
bull elephant daubed Rosie. 'She's fifty-three, and she's perfectly
brilliant,' or so says Uncle Al, the owner of the Benzini Brothers
Most Spectacular Show on Earth.
Jacob Jankowski is ninety or is it ninety three? His mind is playing
tricks on him again but there is one thing he knows. He was part of
a circus, and not just any circus. The Benzini Brothers Most
Spectacular Show on Earth!
Poetic, unique but most of all I found that Water for Elephants
was an enthralling romance novel and I could barely tear my eyes
away. I love stories that switch between different periods in time
and Water for Elephants is a perfect example of this as Sara
Gruen has blended two stories into one to create a finely wrought
text. A compelling story and I would highly recommend it for anyone
over the age of sixteen.
Kayla Gaskell, (Student, aged 15)
Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. A group of beauty queens competing
for Miss Teen Dream are thrown into danger when their plane crashes
on a beautiful and deserted tropical island. With the film crew and
the pilot dead and only a handful of beauty queen contestants
surviving, they must learn how to battle the elements and survive.
As if that wasn't enough, they must also deal with jealousy, love,
and a few truly strange beauty queens.
And a group of reality TV pirates.
And also a massive conspiracy involving The Corporation, a company
that sort-of owns the world and has thousands of reality TV shows,
including one about the beauty queens. Their whole ideal is
perfection, and their motto is: Because Your Life Can Always Be
Better.
The really fantastic books are the ones that change the way you view
or think about the world, and this is definitely one of them. It's
highly original and spectacularly amusing at the same time. Some
people may find it slightly surprising because of some of the things
that are mentioned or happen in the book. These include death,
lesbian love, feminism, a few sudden sexual scenes, swearing, some
violence, conspiracy theories, and also The Corporation, a very
interesting company that insists everyone has to be perfect, and
apparently, it's impossible to be perfect without makeup, surgery, a
fake tan, hair extensions and saying anything that would be
considered 'individual'.
The writer has done a fantastic job of mimicking the way the world
is in real life, by exaggerating some of the themes that actually do
take place.
However, towards the end this book began to be a little too crazy,
what with the ridiculous conspiracy, perfect coincidences and
strangely TV/movie-like ending.
Stunningly original and very funny in parts, but definitely for over
15 because of some surprisingly adult themes, and definitely for
girls.
I highly recommend this book.
Rebecca Adams (Student)
Baby Wombat's Week by Jackie French
Ill. by Bruce Whatley. Angus and Robertson, 2011. ISBN
9780732293185.
(Age 2+) Highly recommended. Board book. The sequel to Diary of
a wombat as a board book format is another winner for the
French and Whatley duo. This time the main character is Baby Wombat,
whose mother Mothball featured in the first book. Baby Wombat leaves
a trail of destruction behind him as he plays with a ball, has a
snack from the baby's bottle and breaks the water pipe when he digs
a huge hole.
Bruce Whatley's delightful illustrations perfectly augment Jackie
French's sparse prose. The book is divided up into days, with Baby
Wombat having an adventure each day. He sleeps a lot and Whatley's
pictures of Mum and baby are so very heart warming, illustrating
love and devotion perfectly. Children will giggle out loud at the
pictures of the Baby Wombat stealing the tiny tot's ball and
drinking out of his bottle. They can easily imagine the fun it would
be to have a wombat knocking over a fence to smell the flowers in
the garden, and then causing havoc by eating them; as well as
digging a huge hole in a sandpit. And imagine the joy of showing a
baby wombat their house.
This sturdy board book is perfect for young children who will
greatly enjoy the adventures of Baby Wombat and if they haven't been
introduced to Diary of a wombat, they will certainly want
that one as well.
Pat Pledger
Freckleface Strawberry best friends forever by Julianne Moore
Ill. by LeUyen Pham. Bloomsbury, 2011. ISBN 9781 599990 782 6.
(Ages: 6+) Picture book. Freckleface Strawberry and Windy Pants
Stanley are best friends. They hang out together, do things
together, are happy in each other's company. Neither really likes
sports or games but they love to read, go to the museum and play
together. But at school, the boys tell Stanley that he should be
playing with them and ask why he needs to be with Freckleface all
the time. Similarly Freckleface is pestered by the girls, who tell
her that she should be playing with them. So a few miserable months
go by with the two playing with those they are told to play with
until one day they get back together.
An obvious tale of friendship, the moral of the story is flagged in
the sub title, Best friends forever, and so any reader knows
before they begin to read where the story is headed. The obvious
inclusivity within the story and its illustrations too I found
bordered on overkill, with Stanley having two moms, and there being
a smattering of non white children in the background. But it will
have its uses as one of a group of books dealing with friendship and
standing up for your friends in the school year.
Fran Knight
The book that ate my brother by Michael Dahl
Ill. by Bradford Kendall. Return to the library of doom series.
Stone Arch Books, 2011. ISBN 978 1 406 22511 2.
As the story begins Jack is frantically writing to an online
librarian on a website titled The Library of Doom in the
hope that they can help rescue his brother Tyler who has been eaten
by a book that is still lurking in the house somewhere. Tyler had
purchased the book because of its interesting title Chews your
own adventure and when he had had trouble opening it and then
thinking he heard growling coming from it he had thrown it into his
wardrobe - out of sight, out of mind. In the middle of the night
strange sounds were coming from the wardrobe and Tyler decided to
investigate. That's when the book ate him. As Jack goes to
investigate a new noise he is confronted by the drooling teeth of
the book and soon finds himself its next victim.In a nearby town at
a book sale Iris purchases the book Harry Potter, Volume Ate
and is excited to get it home to read. Unfortunately that's when the
trouble starts.
The coloured illustrations and diverse font of the text add to the
suspense of the story.
This book is part of a series Return to the Library of Doom.
Tracy Glover
Golden Bat by Sandy Fussell
Samurai Kids Book 6. Walker, 2011. ISBN: 978 1 921529474.
(Age 10+) This is the sixth book in the series. A group of young
Japanese teens are being trained as Samurai by an ex-warrior,
Sensei, also known as Ki-Yaga. Each of the teens not only have a
talent to contribute to the team (despite handicaps) but also have a
spirit to guide them. Taji's spirit is the golden bat. Taji is blind
but his hearing has become acute. After their team mate, Mikko, is
taken hostage by the feared pirate Captain Oong, a deal is struck
between the pirate and Sensei - rescue the pirate's nephew, Yuri,
from a corrupt Chinese magistrate and their friend and student will
be returned. But they only have eight days to complete their
task. If they fail Mikko will be harmed. As the group
travel across the countryside, they have adventures along the way.
Time starts to run out. Will they be able to deliver Yuri in time?
What will happen if they don't?
Janet Cassidy
Tantony by Ananda Braxton-Smith
Black Dog Books, 2011. ISBN 9781742031668.
(Age: 13+) Recommended. Boson Quirk has died facedown in the bog and
his body was found by Fermion, his twin sister. For the last few
months of his life he has communicated with birds, saying that they
were angels and brought him visions. Most people believed that he
was a monster, but some said that he was a saint. Will Fermion, too,
lose hold on reality when she listens to the voices in her head? And
what is happening on the Other Island, where it gods and monsters
lived, according to legend.
The opening sentence: 'We found my brother in the skybog' sent a
chill down my back and I knew that I had found a book that would
hold my interest and it did. I read it in one sitting quite a while
ago and the lyrical language still resonates, building up a
wonderful word picture of life in a small community where everyone
knows everyone else.
As with all exceptional books, I put it aside because I needed to
think about its themes, the language and the unique world that
Braxton-Smith had created. I don't believe that I can do justice to
it in a review, so I will recommend it as a book to be promoted to
teens who will gain so much more from it than much of the popular
paranormal series around. The themes of family bonds, bipolar
disease, difference and religion are all explored within a gripping
story about Fermion searching for answers about her brother's death
and her own life. Merrow, a CBCA notable book, was the first that Braxton-Smith wrote
set in Carrick and this one, a stand-alone, is another noteworthy
story. It would be a wonderful literature circle book, where readers
were given the opportunity to explore the novel's complex ideas with
others.
Pat Pledger
Lollylegs by Pamela Freeman
Ill. by Rhian Nest James. Walker Stories. Walker Books, 2011. ISBN
9781921529078.
(Age 6+) Recommended. When Dad brings home a little lamb to be
a raffle prize at the school fete, Laura falls in love. She names
him Lollylegs, looks after him and wants to keep him forever. How
can she bear to give him away? She decides to buy as many raffle
tickets as she can in the hope that she will win him when the raffle
is drawn. What will happen?
The Walker Stories series is an excellent one for beginning
readers and this is a heart-warming addition. Freeman has written a
delightful tale that will appeal to children who want a pet. They
will easily be able to identify with Laura and her love for
Lollylegs and will be appalled at what might happen to the little
lamb if Laura doesn't win him in the raffle. The closeness of the
family is brought to life with both the text and illustrations.
The book is divided into three chapters and is 64 pages long with
enough text for the emerging reader to be able to engage with and
feel confident about reading. It would also be a good read aloud and
could produce a lot of discussion about pets, responsibility and
family life.
Pat Pledger
The Great Expedition by Peter Carnavas
New Frontier, 2011. ISBN 9781921042812.
(Age 5-7) Recommended. Picture book. In a whimsical story inspired
by the journey of Bourke and Wills, Carnavas has a group of
young explorers travelling across wild country to deliver a valuable
parcel. Robert is the leader who is charged with the delivery by the
senior officer. He is accompanied by Will, the navigator; Ivy,
botanist, Henry biologist, and Lily the animal handler. The small
party has to overcome many obstacles on the way and some of the
expedition will not make it!
The story and illustrations are a delightful combination of humour
and whimsy. Adults and children will have fun giggling at the
situations that the team has to face and the traits of the team
members. Ivy the botanist is seen lost in a daydream of flowers,
Lily has to manage a difficult dog and a bug attacks Henry. Robert
as leader has to make some difficult decisions while Will leads them
to a bubbling waterhole. They will also come to realise that some of
the journeys that they face as children require skill and courage,
just like the early explorers.
Each double page spread tells the story of their adventures with the
final showing the dangerous land (a playground) that they had
traversed. There is a small paragraph about Burke and Wills on the
back page.
Children will be introduced to a more formal way of using language,
reminiscent of the times of Burke and Wills. Words like 'ramshackle',
'determination', 'biologist' etc. will increase their vocabulary and make
this a memorable book for them. Each time I read this book I found
more to smile about and think about. It is certainly a book with
appeal that grows on the reader!
Pat Pledger
The mouse stone by Andrew Melrose
Ill. by George Hollingworth. Pearson Australia, 2011. ISBN
9781442548176. 16pp
(Age: Early childhood and Junior Primary) Well recommended . A very
humorous story where the three children each have their own idea of
the problems for the mouse stuck in the stone. Annie sets the scene
but as the story unfolds the reader knows she really doesn't know
exactly what is going on. She, Billy and Meera take the story, as
only young people with amazing imaginations can, to very funny
conclusions. The ensuing discussions about why the mouse is stuck
are delightful for Billy can only think of his stomach and Meera is
concerned for his safety and we suspect Annie has lost control of
what appeared to be a simple problem. A delightful journey into
children's imaginations. Well written with clear expressive
language, appealing to the preschool child and the beginning reader.
A delight. The illustrations tell the story too, adding to the
enjoyment of the book. Text is well spaced and clear. The
illustrations are bright and expressive. A fun book to read aloud.
Sue Nosworthy
Editor's note: This is also available in paperback. ISBN
9781442548183.
Colours a bush rainbow with Gumnut babies
Scholastic Australia, 2011. ISBN 9781742830421.
(Age 2-4) Recommended. Board book. Beautiful illustrations from May
Gibbs bring this board book for young children alive. The back cover
states 'Learn the colours of the rainbow with May Gibbs' gumnut
babies.' Each page is adorned with a magical gumnut baby, carefully
selected from May Gibbs' drawings and with the print in the colour
that is being illustrated. When the reader comes to the end of the
book to see the rainbow each word is in a different colour to
illustrate the spectrum of colours.
But children will learn much more than colours from this book. Their
imaginations will soar like the gumnut baby who flies on a butterfly
high in the blue sky; they will long to touch the yellow glow of the
wattle and find a black spider for themselves, hanging from a leaf.
This little board book will bring those wonderful illustrations back
for another generation of Australians, and children's imaginations
will grow and flourish as they look at each magnificent drawing.
Pat Pledger
Lazy Lou Lou; Kind Katie by Susannah McFarlane and Lachlan Creagh
Little Mates (series). Scholastic, 2011.
Lazy Lou Lou ISBN 978 1 741698367 .
Kind Katie ISBN 978 1 741698356.
(Ages 3-5) Two more short stories in the Little Mates series, are
offered for young children. Brightly coloured, a nice size for
little hands to hold, with stories about Australian animals told
simply and with a warm charm, these will be picked up by the early
childhood centres, wanting a new range of books about Australian
animals to win over their students.
Kind Katie, a koala in the Kimberley, wants to join the karate
competition, but instead enters the karaoke competition, wearing her
kimono. A prevalence of words beginning with the letter 'k' will
have the listeners enthralled, as they guess at the range of words
which could be used in the slight story.
Lazy Lou Lou, the laziest lizard in the world, finds she is in a
position to save the little lizard from drowning and so decides to
become the life saver. A preponderance of 'l' words will have
students laughing as they and their teacher try to predict which 'l'
words will be used as the page is turned.
The series is now half way through the alphabet, and I'm agog with
anticipation about how the author will incorporate the x and the z.
Fran Knight
Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs
Bloomsbury, 2011. ISBN 9781408820186
(Ages 12+) All Tempest Maguire has ever wanted was to surf the
amazing waves near her Californian home and hang out with her
boyfriend, but life is never that simple. Tempest is half mermaid
and with her seventeenth birthday approaching she must decide what
she really wants; if she will stay with the life she knows now, or
if she will give herself to the ocean like her mother did six years
before. She knows the changes will begin soon after her seventeenth
birthday but then begin early, a whole week early, and she is so
angry because her mother said after her seventeenth birthday they
would begin. She has never wanted to be a mermaid, she has always
known she would choose human but when she meets Kona, a gorgeous
surfer whose amazing surfing abilities suggest he may be more than
human, the lure of the ocean becomes almost impossible to resist.
Soon enough she finds herself in the middle of a battle for
survival, with the future of the ocean at risk one mistake could
bring the end to life in the ocean.
This book is amazing and I wish it hadn't finished. You can feel all
of Tempest's emotions, well most at least. I would definitely
recommend this book as it has adventure, mythical creatures and has
amazing characters.
Tahlia Kennewell (student)
