Walker Books, 2010. ISBN 978 1406311044.
Four teenagers from diverse backgrounds and trained as special
operations agents are given the task of entering Nazi occupied Norway
and destroying heavy water stores to prevent the Nazis making atomic
bombs. Ase, Frederick, Jakob and Lars all have unique skills to
contribute to the mission. Ase has explosives training, is a gymnast
and speaks four languages. Frederick has a photographic memory, is
bilingual in two languages and can read a number of others. Jakob is an
all round athlete and born leader and Lars is a good outdoorsman and
skilled navigator however has recently been interrogated by the Gestapo
and is particularly withdrawn.
The four meet at a facility in the wilds
of Scotland where they spend time preparing for their mission and
getting to know one another and the skills they bring. Colonel
Armstrong subjects them to various situations simulating what they
might encounter during their journey and develops strength within the
group to withstand extreme conditions and circumstances. When the
mission begins this training proves invaluable to the situations they
face and the execution of the mission is both dangerous and extreme
with the group becoming separated in the final stages. This story has
elements of espionage, intrigue, sabotage and personal sacrifice. The
book is written in log form with entries by Ase and Jakob (whose
entries are accompanied by sketches) which makes for an exciting and
compelling read.
Tracy Glover
Chess nuts by Julia Lawrinson
Puffin, 2010. ISBN 978 0145304708.
Jackson a sports nut is aiming to win the swimming championships and so
get the prized trophy naming him Athlete of the Year, before he leaves
primary school. But he is interested in chess and plays at home, so the
chess club appeals to him. But these people are seen as geeks and
losers by his friends and certainly the other sporty members of the
school, and particularly the school bully, Freak Buckley, who easily
makes Jackson's life hell. Into this mix comes Anna, a girl in the
chess club with whom Jackson has an odd relationship. Together they
decide to help each other so that their team can win the school chess
championships, and surprisingly, another member of the school offers to
help.
Not just a story for chess buffs, this is a smoothly flowing story about
kids at school, finding their own talents and abilities, helping each
other achieves their goals and striving to do their best. Sport
encompasses chess, so Lawrinson is not only engaging students with her
story but flying a banner for this neglected team sport. Her chess nut
family gave her the background for the story and I was intrigued with
the chess boards laid out in spots through the story allowing readers
to try out games for themselves. An absorbing read for middle school.
Fran Knight
The star by Felicity Marshall
Ford St Publishing, 2010. ISBN 978 1876462 92 5.
Picture book. Recommended. When the dancing and singing
wooden doll, Marion, is seduced by stardom, her loyal friends go along,
supporting her in her endeavours and striving to keep her feet on the
ground as the man with the hat keeps asking more and more changes
from her. Eventually she has a reshaped nose, a chauffeur, bodyguards,
someone to reply to the room full of fan mail and no real friends.
But when one day the Man asks her to change again, she falters, turning
again to her friends for their help and support, but cannot find them.
She has left them along the way and so must search the darker reaches
of the city, a far cry from the life she is now living, to gain their
help. She finds them in poor circumstances, but instead of questioning
what she has done, readily come to her aid, but the whole sequence of
events is repeated, and Marion is tossed aside. She joins her friends,
a sadder but much wiser person.
A homily for our times when stardom and celebrity status is what many
strive for, bolstered by our society's adulation of stars, this book
will initiate much discussion among middle school readers, who will be
able to readily identify many people that this has happened to. Fame
without substance could be applied to many often seen in our newspapers
or on television, and an astute teacher will be able to encourage
student discussion along that path.
The story is well told and supported by superb illustrations, which
highlight incredibly well the disparity between the life of those who
have achieved fleeting fame and those without. I loved particularly the
illustrations of Marion's face on the advertising hoardings, bright and
glossy at the start, contrasting with the picture on the back cover of
the tattered and torn poster of her face. The whole page illustration
of Marion searching for her friends too, appealed (amongst many) with
its contrast between the bright lights of the city and the destitute
situation of her friends.
Fran Knight
Koala: The real story by Dr Mark Norman
black dog books, 2010. ISBN 978 1742031309.
(Age: Junior primary: Non fiction text). Recommended. From the
enticing picture on the front cover, to the bandaged animal on
the last page, the information Dr Mark Norman expounds in this book is
stimulating and refreshing. Each double page is full of life, with
photos of mainly sleeping koalas taken from all angles, alongside
concise pieces of information. The facts, told in a chatty style, are
most accessible to a younger audience: new words are given in bold
print, their pronunciation following in parentheses: at the bottom of
some of the pages is a smaller fact box comparing a child's life to
that of the koala, adding a bit of fun to the non fiction text. Most of
the photos are of koalas sleeping, because, after all, that is what
they do most of the day, and it is fascinating to actually read about
why they sleep so much.
Double page spreads are about particular topics, and these range from
Awkward acrobats, Amazing birth, Bringing up baby to Koalas and climate
change. The whole is served well with a succinct glossary, giving the
reader meanings for some of the new words found in the text, and an
index, teaching younger readers where to go when requiring information
in the text. I was disappointed with the map showing where koalas live,
as the text mentions Kangaroo Island and South Australia, but does not
show it on the map, but an astute teacher will have a large map of
Australia in the classroom to rectify this omission.
A delightful and charming expose of the inactive lives of the koala,
the icon of Australian animals, told in a chatty and inviting style,
brimming with accurate and up to the minute information, this book will
be a hit with primary aged children. Dr Mark Norman is senior curator
at Museum Victoria and well known for his books on life in the sea (The
octopuses'
garden: The Secret World under the Sea, The Penguin Book:
Birds in suits, The Antarctica Book: Living in the freezer, The
Shark
Book: Fish with attitude and The Great Barrier Reef Book: Solar
Powered) which have won accolades from the Children's Book Council
of
Australia and the Wilderness Society.
Fran Knight
The Number One Aussie Alphabet Book by Heath McKenzie
Black dog books,
2010. ISBN 9781742031477.
(Ages 3-5) Recommended. This alphabet book is both an early
introduction to the letters of the alphabet and a fun way of learning
about Australian animals. Ant (Aa is for ant) invites the reader to
come along and meet more letters and animals. On turning the page the
reader finds a letter, a verse and a zany illustration for the
Australian animal.
A large capital letter and a lower case letter in vibrant colour will
make it easy for little fingers to trace over and make the sounds. The
accompanying picture is a comic representation of an Australian animal
or bird. Not only are there the favourite Aussie animals like kangaroo
and koala but less well known birds and animals feature like the long
legged ibis, a 'black, and white and blue' jabiru and a shy numbat. The
humorous illustrations should help the young reader to remember the
letters while the rhyming text is both fun and good to read aloud.
At the back of the book the author, (H is for Heath McKenzie), has a
page
talking about the alphabet and the animals that are his favourites to
draw.
Young children will have fun with this book, looking at the letters and
laughing at the whimsical drawings of the animals while older children
will love the verse. Recommended for libraries and as a gift for young
children.
Pat Pledger
Closets are for Clothes, a History of Queer Australia by Rachel Cook
Black dog books, 2010. ISBN 978 1742031040.
Published in black dog book's The Drum series, this title adds
significantly to the literature available at secondary level outlining
the history of homosexuality in Australia. Beginning with the First
Fleet, an overview of each historical period is given, showing the
activity within that time frame. Each chapter relates its history and
then adds to the bare facts with letters, epistles and stories of
individual people. Many of these are real people, but some are
fictionalised first person accounts, giving a sound authenticity using
the facts from the times. So in the first chapter, A New World, White
Settlement of Australia, the facts are presented in a text format
giving the reasons for the First Fleet and what it represented for
Australia. Interspersed are stories of individuals, such as Rebecca
Cooper, Arthur Palls, Robert Pringle Stuart (a magistrate) and Lt
Charles Bowen. Each story relates a differing point of view.
Little is known about the nineteenth century, so much of the text is
devoted to the late twentieth century when attitudes were polarized.
World War 2 made quite a difference to gay men and women, but it seems
that once over, things went back to the way they had been. During the
50's and 60's, the medical profession came to view homosexuality as an
illness, and the book outlines the 'cures' used over the world. In
Australia, aversion therapy was used widely, and it is salutary to read
of the attempts made using this barbaric treatment.
The 60's saw an upswing in movements for freedoms across the board, and
the gay community stood up to be counted, resulting in demonstrations,
arrests and threats. The onset of AIDS, Mardi Gras, the call for
equality before the law, and so on are covered briefly in this book
A comprehensive index, glossary and time line, reference guide and
acknowledgments accompany the book, making it an indispensible aid to
studies at senior level. It makes salutary reading to realise that
although things have changed, many of the attitudes remain the same and
that there are still battles to be fought and won.
Fran Knight
Boom! by Mark Haddon
David Fickling Books, 2009.
(Ages 9 +) Recommended.When Jimbo's friend Charlie is
kidnapped by
aliens, Jimbo enlists the help of his older sister Becky to plan a
daring
rescue. The two of them steal a motor bike belonging to Becky's
Neanderthal
boyfriend and head for the aliens' headquarters on the Isle of Skye in
an
effort to rescue Charlie and foil a dastardly alien plot to invade
planet
earth.
Haddon has a wonderfully
laconic style full
of understated humorous action and plenty of breezy one liners.
Narrated by
reluctant hero Jimbo, Boom! is filled with flamboyant
characters. Dad
has been
made redundant and is recreating himself as Jamie Oliver. Charlie's mum
is
someone you definitely wouldn't want to meet on a dark night. Sixteen
year old
Becky, a moody, depressive Goth, can't stand her younger brother until
she
realises he is about to be murdered by aliens, while Charlie is full of
grand
schemes and wild plans. However, it is down to Jimbo's devious cunning
and Becky's
accuracy with a large cudgel that save both Charlie and planet earth.
Although Boom! may not have the depth of The
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night
Time it is a light-hearted, rollicking read that shows just how
versatile
and original Haddon is.
In the foreword Haddon explains
how Boom! was originally published in the
early 90s as Gridzbi Sbudvetch! although
he has almost entirely rewritten it for the modern technological age,
and
thankfully given it a new title too. I am always a bit suspicious of
authors who
rewrite earlier works once they become famous, but this has a freshness
and
originality that really works. Haddon is definitely making his mark. If
any of
your readers enjoy Morris Gleitzman try them with Boom!
it should prove to be a big hit.
Claire Larson
The Enemy by Davide Cali and Serge Bloch
Wilkins Farago, 2009.
Highly recommended for all readers of 8 years and above. From the
opening page, written in a huge white font on a dark background, we
know 'There's a war on'. On the vast expanses of white paper, we then
see what 'could be a desert' and two holes, each containing a soldier.
All of this appears before the publication details and the red title
page. As the soldier waits in his hole, firing a shot each day,
otherwise staying hidden for fear of the enemy, lighting a fire only
when hunger pains truly strike, he ponders their shared states of being
alone and hungry. He reflects, also, on the information provided in his
manual at the start of the war. From this he knows the enemy is 'cruel
and ruthless - not a human being'. Fear and desperation lead him to
finally leave the security of his hole, disguised by a branch, in order
to kill the enemy. The result is that each is forced to see the other
as a human being with a home, family and a different perception of what
makes an enemy.
This picture book was published in association with Amnesty
International Australia and deserves a place in every school library to
promote the futility of war, the importance of human rights and the
effects of propaganda. Likewise, it highlights such ideas as
misconceptions or differences in perspective. Not only would it be a
perfect resource to use in a unit on war but would fit exceptionally
well as part of a study on bullying. It could be a great text when used
in Restorative Justice Sessions, encouraging students to consider the
viewpoints of others. The simplicity of the one-sided tale and the
predominantly black and white sketches brilliantly support the story
and make it accessible to all readers.
Jo Schenkel, Pilgrim School
Ripley's wild animals, believe it or not by Camilla de la Bedoyere
Scholastic, 2010.
Recommended (non fiction). A book of facts and photos of wild animals
sounds a bit lame, but when it
is produced under the auspices of the Ripley believe it or not team,
then kids will know they have a winner to read. Full of strange facts
about the largest frog in the world, or the family that has a pet
buffalo in their house, or the macaques sitting in their spa with snow
on their heads, or the chimps using a tool to extract ants from a nest,
all the facts and photos are irresistible.
Divided into chapters with headings such as, Armed and dangerous,
Mighty munchers, Meet the ugliest, Reaching the max and beast buddies,
readers will need little incentive to pick up this book to read from
cover to cover or dip into.
Fran Knight
Night School by Isobelle Carmody and Anne Spudvilas (illustrator)
Penguin Viking, 2010. ISBN 978 0670072071.
Picture book. A picture book which could scare the pants of its
readers, Night School
is definitely one for the older readers, with its atmospheric
illustrations done in a variety of media, oil paint, water colour,
graphite and coloured ink, and a story which gathers momentum as a
group of children stay overnight in the seemingly deserted school. The
instruction that each child, alone, goes into the hall then must go
into each of three rooms and write their name on the list provided, is
followed by the group, but they decide that as this is a war, then they
must form a company and go together. They follow the light from the row
of candles leading them into each room and do what they have been
asked, until with a lantern they summon the boys and then find
themselves face to face with the prince of midwinter night.
Hints of past wars, captured children, a lost sister, an odd caretaker
abound to make the story redolent with all sorts of possibilities and
yet none. The eeriness is a puff of smoke, a fog of words and
illustrations, drawing the reader into its core, only to find nothing
there. But it will cause an intense amount of discussion as readers use
the clues to create their own stories, reasons, backgrounds and myths.
Fran Knight
Conspiracy 365: February by Gabrielle Lord
Scholastic 2009. ISBN 978 1741690347.
Callum has remained hidden for one month, knowing that he must remain
alive for 12 months, surviving by his wits, as well as striving to
uncover the reason his father was killed, and just who is trying to
kill him and why. A book a month is being published by Scholastic,
aimed squarely at the middle school reader, with added extras such as a
website to log onto, with your own pin number and prizes for
competitions throughout the year. February sees Callum attempting to find out about the Ormond
Riddle,
and seeking more information concerning a family secret that has killed
his father and puts his life in peril. Winter Frey may help him, but he
must be wary lest she lead him even further into danger. Scanning
the car yard he spies a red haired woman who he thinks was the one who
interrogated him. He finds out that she is the famous criminal lawyer,
Oriana de la Force, and he hides out in a local drain to avoid
recapture. When that drain floods he seeks refuge in the zoo, only to
be clawed by a lion. Things are not looking happy for Callum and while
fleeing yet another would be assassin, his foot is wedged in the train
line with a train approaching.
Again, the action is fast paced with diary entries like bullets, full
of speed and the probability of life threatening damage. Again, the
countdown is underlined with the pagination of the book starting at
188.
Fran Knight
Nathaniel Wolfe and the Bodysnatchers by Brian Keaney
Orchard Books, 2009.
(Ages 9 +) This is an atmospheric ghost story perfect for readers who
demand action rather than description. Keaney crafts a complex plot,
but tells his story both simply and swiftly. There is barely time to
pause for breath and plenty of cliff hanging tension to keep young
readers on the edge of their seats as the plot twists and turns to its
dramatic climax.
Nathaniel Wolfe is a ghost hunter in Victorian England, and this time
it's the ghost of an old man that haunts him; an old man in great
distress, who tries to give Nathaniel a mysterious gold ring. Nathaniel
and his friends Sophie and Lily discover that the ghost longs to make
peace with the daughter he rejected at birth. As a massive fortune is
involved, the three children are in a race against time to locate the
daughter and save her and the money from the devious and aptly named Mr
Hemlock and his band of murderous bodysnathers.
Keaney immerses his readers in the Victorian era and his account of the
harrowing opium dens is full of atmosphere, as is his description of
Old Phossy, a shady character who suffers from Phosphorus jaw from his
work in the match factories. Peoples' terror of cholera and the
newfangled idea that cholera is actually a waterborne rather than
airborne disease also gets a mention, although it was John Snow, not
Henry Snow as Keaney suggests, who discovered this. (That kind of
error, although minor, does irritate me as it smacks of slapdash
research that should have been picked up at the editing stage if not
before.)
Minor criticisms aside, three of the Year 5 children at my school (ages
9 and 10) devoured it and gave it top marks. This is the second
Nathaniel Wolfe story, but it's not essential to read them in the
correct order. I'm sure Keaney will write more and this has the
potential to become a very popular series. If your readers enjoy this,
they might also like Tim Pigott-Smith's Baker Street Mysteries.
Claire Larson
Hooray! There's a hippopotamus on our roof having a birthday party by Hazel Edwards
Penguin, 2010. ISBN 978 0670072637.
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the now classic tale, There's
a
hippopotamus on our roof eating cake, Puffin has republished the
original along with another tale by Hazel Edwards and illustrated by
Deborah Niland, concerning that same old hippo. This time the
story revolves around the young boy getting ready for the birthday
party. Each double page spread has the boy's preparations on the left
hand side, contrasting with those preparations by the hippo on the roof
for his birthday party on the right hand side page.
As mum and the boy mix the ingredients for the cake, the hippo on the
roof is licking the bowl, as each of the children tries on different
costumes for the party, so too, the hippo tries out different costumes,
as the children play hide and seek, the hippo hides, and so on, all
making delightful contrasts, one page to the other. Readers will love
the hippo and the child all over again, seeking out things on each page
to smile and laugh about, while reading the straightforward prose,
which brings a smile to the face through its economy and what is left
unsaid.
Fran Knight
When I was Joe by Keren David
Frances Lincoln Books, 2010. ISBN 978 1847801005.
Ty's life, as well as those around him; his mother and gran, changes
dramatically when he witnesses a murder. He becomes Joe, begins a new
life, becomes a different person but not in name only. Keren David
begins a narrative that is exciting and very readable. It involves
extraordinary circumstances, but in the end it is a coming of age tale
with the same feelings of guilt and anxiousness of any young teenage
boy but with the consequences of his actions having enormous
repercussions for his friends and family.
As Joe, Ty is empowered. He has friends, girls find him attractive and
mysterious, he is good at athletics and he finds a confidence in
himself he never had as Ty.Always lurking in the background is
the incident with the knife. It haunts him especially at night until he
is unsure what is real and what is imagined. Popularity also brings its
problems. Ashley the most influential girl in his school makes it known
that she fancies him and won't brook no for an answer. He also becomes
noticed by other boys in the school with their positions as top dogs to
defend. Joe finds in the end that he's not exactly keeping a low
profile.
His Mum, Nicki, doesn't cope with their changed lifestyle at first. She
can't continue with her job or her study to be a lawyer. She has to
leave her sisters and mother in London. She and Joe are alone in a new
place with new identities. The police are their most constant source of
information and for Nicki the only human contact other than Joe. She
becomes depressed and introverted.
David's narrative continues and ramps up the pace when gran is attacked
by the gang wanting to know the whereabouts of Ty, Joe is in increasing
amounts of trouble at his new school, and his social life is going down
the toilet. Just when the reader believes the package will be neatly
tied up with a bow and ribbon we learn that we have to wait for the
next book! This is the most disappointing aspect of the book. I would
have liked it to reach its climax and any remaining mystery solved.
A good read. Hopefully David will be able to keep up the pace for
another entire book.
Mark Knight
The City by Armin Greder
Allen and Unwin, 2010. ISBN: 978 1742371429.
(Ages 10 and up) Highly recommended. 'The most beautiful son a mother
could wish for' is born to a woman, living in a city in which grey
winters seem to last for years. Having lost her husband in the war and
wanting to protect her beloved child at all costs, she leaves the city
and goes to an isolated place where she builds a house in which they
can live. When some travelers arrive, having lost their way from the
city, the boy expresses a desire to visit the city. His mother's only
response is to love him even more until 'one moonless night she died'.
The boy must then learn to take control of his own destiny.
Looking very much like his award winning book, The Island, this
new
title uses Greder's familiar style of illustration. Most of the
pictures are done in charcoal and somber tones until the arrival of the
strangers brings the addition of colour and vibrancy. The concept that
isolation or living apart from society can give a sense of security is
evident in both books. Here, however, the boy overcomes the
fear and insecurities created by his overly controlling, albeit loving,
mother to venture out into the world. Perhaps this is more of a
cautionary tale for parents, warning them to prepare and socialise
their children rather than closeting them away.
Greder's work is always thought provoking, powerful and challenging and
this is no exception. Although it is not a title which children would
necessarily seek out, it will be another which teachers will use with
classes to illustrate such concepts as independence, confidence and
coming of age.
Jo Schenkel, Pilgrim School
