Sam's Bush Journey by Sally Morgan and Ezekiel Kwaymullina
Ill. by
Bronwyn Bancroft. Little Hare
Books, 2009. ISBN 9781921541049.
(Picture
book, Ages 4-7) Sam stays with
his grandmother in the bush, but finds the
place not to his liking. Every time Grandma takes him for a walk, the
bushes
scratch him, the mosquitoes bite and he is ever fearful that the big
gums will
drop limbs upon his head. So he makes excuses not to go for walks,
saying he
has a headache and so must stay in bed. One night he finds himself in
the bush
and hungry, he recalls Grandma's talk about bush food, and finds some
berries
on the bushes. He is thirsty and recalls Grandma talking about the
birds, and
so follows the birds and finds water, when he is sleepy, he looks for
shelter
in the big trees.
All of the
things that Grandma has talked about on their
walks have a meaning which he can now appreciate. The bush is a
storehouse of
food, water and shelter. Next time Grandma invites him to go on a walk
into the
bush, he is happy to go, knowing that he will learn more about the
place
of his
ancestors. Arriving at the waterhole, Grandma comments that the birds
seem to
be greeting him as an old friend. This is a delightfully symmetrical
story which will enrapture those who read it.
Bancroft's
distinctive black outlined illustrations perfectly reveal the things
the boy
will find in the bush. The blocks of colour contrast with the black
making an
easily identified illustrative style which suits these stories so well.
On each
page are different things to watch out for and for kids to notice. The
figures
behind the trees gradually come together holding hearts between each
figure
reflecting the love found in the bush by those who care to look.
Fran Knight
Willy Waggledagger: A belt around my bum by Martin Chatterton
Little Hare, 2009.
ISBN: 9781921272981.
(Ages 8-12) The young Willy Waggledagger, AKA William
Shakespeare, the eleven year old son of a local tanner, is traveling
with the
Black Skulls theatre troupe to perform for Queen Elizabeth. When the
self-appointed 'King of the Faeries' confronts the troupe and demands
they
retrieve his 'Golden Girdle' from the Queen, Willy is given a love
potion to
assist in the task. Things begin to go dramatically wrong when the
potion is
taken by the wrong characters and Willy again has to work hard and fast
to
resolve the situation.
As a humorous novel which shares some
elements of A Midsummer Night's Dream, this romp through the
childhood
of
William Shakespeare is hardly on a par with the works of the Bard. It
is not
brilliantly crafted 'literature' but is nonetheless an enjoyable read
and could
provide children with an introduction to Shakespeare's plays.
Gregory Rogers' illustrations, particularly
the silhouette style used on the cover, add their own unique brand of
humour to
the story. Both cover and title would be likely to draw the child in
and
maintain interest to the end to see how the story concludes. This could
be a
welcome addition as a class read aloud.
Jo Schenkel
Eternal by Cynthia Letich Smith
Walker, 2009. ISBN 9781406325003.
(Age 15+) Zachary is Miranda's guardian angel but
he has a
problem - he is in love with her. Instead of letting her die he reveals
himself
in the forbidden angel form and rescues her, only to have the King of
the Mantle
of Dracul overpower him and swoop her to off his palace. There Miranda
becomes
a vampire princess, the life of the party. She is expected not only to
drink
blood but to occasionally kill anyone who displeases her. Meanwhile, in
disgrace,
Zachary is given one last chance of eternal redemption, and poses as
Miranda's
personal assistant, planning the King's Death Day gala. Will he be able
to save
her soul and rescue the human Bleeders imprisoned in the dungeons?
This is an entertaining romp of a story, told in
alternate points
of view by Miranda and Zachary. I had quite a few chuckles from the
witty
language, and enjoyed the passing references to Anne Rice and other
vampire
books as well as A tale of two cities. What lifts it above some
of the
other
vampire/angel books I have read recently is the fact that Miranda
manages to
shake off her quiet persona and come into her own by the end of the
story, turning
into a feisty heroine who makes really hard decisions about her future.
Zachary
is an appealing fallen hero who also has a hard time coming to grips
with what
redemption means. Supporting characters are fully formed and lots of
fun,
especially Harrison, the starchy human personal assistant to the Master
and
Lucy, Miranda's best friend, who sets up a blog appealing for any
information
about her disappearance.
Smith's vampire world is well developed, dark and
gruesome,
and there is plenty of action to delight fans of horror and vampire
tales.
There is a companion book, Tantalize, and another one, Blessed,
to
follow.
Pat Pledger
A year in girl hell: Trashed by Meredith Costain
Hardie
Grant
Egmont,2009. ISBN
9781921502316
(Age 10-12) A
year in girl
hell: Trashed follows the life of Alysha as she makes the
transition to high
school. In the process of fitting in she
leaves her
primary school friends to join the 'shiny' group of popular girls.
Alysha sees herself as 'a big fat lump. But
I'm going to do something about it. Just
like Paige and Jayde.' Her new friends are nicknamed the 'Chuck twins'
and
Alysha even goes as far as forcing herself to throw up her meals too in
order
to get thinner. Alysha's beautiful older sister Bec and her busy
parents, who
seemingly have little time for her, make her teenage transition even
harder.
Alysha
finds
herself doing all the dirty work for the 'shiny' group as she strives
to avoid
being a 'loser.' When they ask her to send incriminating photos about
another
student all around the school Alysha finally realises the controlling
influence
they have over her. Admitting to herself that she 'had been an absolute
cow all
year' Alysha tries to rejoin her former friends Lexi, Mia and Michi. Trashed
is the
fourth and final book in the A girl in hell series about
growing up
and
fitting in. Each book stands alone as
they follow different girls through their transition to high school.
Melbourne
based author Meredith Costain is a prolific writer with her own website .This book
will be popular with 10-14 year
girls.
Kay
Haarsma
Fallen by Lauren Kate
Random House, 2009. ISBN 9780285618021.
The
opening chapter, entitled In the
beginning, alerts us to the otherworldliness of the story about to
be
played out. This bodice ripper of a sequence, full of looks, longings,
emotion
filled eyes, and a malevolence unable to be classified, will have the
readers
emotionally charged from the outset.
The
following chapter is benign by comparison as Luce enrolls in what
appears to be
a Reform School. Waving her grieving parents goodbye she is taken by
the guard,
along with several other new arrivals to meet their mentors for the
day. Luce
is immediately taken up by Arriane, a girl who exudes confidence and
she
efficiently teaches Luce the ropes. So begins her time at Sword and
Cross, and
teasingly we find out a little of why she is there.
This
is an amazing Reform School. A mix of males and females, each has their
own
Spartan room. There are games and parties, a cemetery, a gym, a library
(strangely with the religion section at 999), many female teachers,
some of
whom are pleasant, and lots of space. But once there, Luce begins to
feel the
presence of the shadow. It is this shadow that preceded the incident
with
Trevor, whose burning is the reason she is in this place.
Luce
is drawn to the brooding, aloof Daniel, convinced that she has met him
before.
He is elusive in his dealings with her, saying things that may be
construed as
confirming their previous acquaintance, but he denies this. While
searching for
a book about angels in the library, the shadow feeling comes once
again, and
immersed in the Dictionary of Angels after a class on Milton's Paradise
Lost,
she does not hear the fire alarm.
She
wakes in hospital, and comes to realise that Todd, her companion, died
in the
fire. Again she feels that something is hovering over her, giving her
an
unbearable feeling of unease. Seeing Daniel they talk of her shadow,
and he
reveals that he knows it too. She is so drawn to him that she daydreams
about
him, wrapped in his wings, but later, when Cam intervenes, the two
fight,
Daniel eventually taking her home.
With
hints and suggestions, Daniel strengthens the belief that they have
known each
other before. His school file tells her nothing, but using the internet
reveals
a whole history of the Grigori clan, dating back to Medieval times.
A
story with all the allure of the Twilight
series, the romantic longings of the main protagonists will thrill the
adolescent reader down to her toes. The information is teased out as we
learn
that there is a history between Daniel and Luce, one she never
remembers when
they meet. They appear to be on a roundabout rather like the scenario
in the
film, Ground Hog Day, Luce appearing
and then dying every seventeen years. But this time it is different.
The
first in a quartet of books, this Gothic romance with a thriller
element will
keep readers captivated as they search with Luce for the truth of her
attraction to the angel, Daniel. This engrossing story opens the reader
to the
possibility of angels, both saved and fallen, who have been around
since The
Fall. Like Luce, the quest will in part be working out who is to be
trusted and
who is not.
Fran Knight
Pilot and Huxley by Dan McGuiness
Scholastic, 2009. ISBN
9781862918122.
(Ages
8-13) With
the clever, off beat humour of South Park and the graphic style
sure to
entice
those primary boys who can never find anything they like in the
library, this
series will rarely be on the shelves. Word of mouth will ensure it is
read and
reread, with a plethora of fans waiting for the next installment.
Produced in
full colour, the 64 pages will be a hit with those wanting something
immediate
and funny.
Friends
Pilot and Huxley find themselves in trouble with the Grim Reaper. He
has
changed jobs, death not being to his liking, and is now working as the
Inter-Dimensional Hit Man Debt Collector for the local video store.
Pilot
neglected to return a video game and so the Reaper comes calling. He
transports them into another world, where
boogers and snot figure highly. Here they must seize the golden nose
hair of
the mountain giant if they are to be returned. With crazy adventures
and jokes
that primary kids will love, a broad group of kids will be found
chuckling over
this graphic novel in corners of the library and classrooms as it is
shared
with friends.
Being
transported back means finding themselves in the wrong world, and so
the stage
is set for another lunatic adventure. Comic artist Dan can be found at
Pulp
Fiction, a shop in King William Street devoted to Graphic Novels, and
he is an
avid reader of comics, watcher of video games and movies, with many of
these
conventions and references coming out in this story. The launch at
Mostly Books
at Mitcham revealed that number 2 is due out in 2010, and another is in
the
pipeline, so readers of this tantalising genre will not be
disappointed. The
series is most suitable for middle primary to lower secondary, although
I
suspect a few adults will sneak a peak as well, and unusually for this
genre,
it is not violent or scary, just great fun.
Fran Knight
Eragon's Guide to Alagaesia by Christopher Paolini
Doubleday, 2009. ISBN
9780385617888.
Paolini,
together with illustrators; F. Gambino, L. McDougal, I. Miller, D.
Wyatt
and
designer J. Lambert have produced an album style guide to Alagaesia.
All
those
who have loved Eragon, Eldest and Brisingr will
enjoy the rich
illustrations
and attention to detail in this plush companion edition to Paolini's
books.
To
most Paolini fans, I'm sure the information for the most part, comes as
no
great surprise. But there is a useful time line showing the arrivals of
the
main groups of people to Alagaesia; the Dwarves, the Elves, Humans and
Urgals.
There is also background data on animals and plants; such as cave
bears,
feldunost, the Menoa Tree and fireweed. There are marvelous black and
white
illustrations showing great technical, and anatomical skill with close
attention to detail. Included are some little samples of Elven weaving,
samples
of language phrases from the three non-human groups and even a fur
sample from
the Feldunost. There are little booklets and flip over cards that will
fascinate the younger readers.
The
album has been designed to enable the reader to enter into Eragon's
world of
Alagaesia and understand what this 'otherworld' contains and gives some
major
do's and don'ts when visiting.
Coming
up to Christmas I'm sure there are many fans who would love this to be
part of
their festive celebrations.
Mark Knight
Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
Simon Pulse, 2009. ISBN 9781416971733.
(Ages 10+) Recommended. Excitement,
extreme adventure and thrills start on page one and don't let up until
the last
page in this latest blockbuster in the steampunk genre. Riding machines
that
are fuelled by living creatures, with talking lizards taking messages
between
crews, the Darwinists (the Allies) are about to be embroiled in a war
with the
Axis powers (the Clankers) who still use only mechanically driven
machines. It
is World War One, taken to a whole new level.
The
Archduke and his wife have been shot; their son is fleeing for his life
on the
magnificent Stormwalker, and is holed up in a castle, especially
prepared for
him, in Switzerland. Landing badly nearby, a whale airship, powered by
bats,
called the Leviathan, the most magnificent beast in the British fleet,
is
stranded and dying. After Alek skis down to aid the wounded man, the
captain
and particularly Dr Barlow, turn for help from him and his small crew
at the
castle. Each has a hidden agenda, and if Alek can help the airship at
least
clear the ground then the hope of continuing its mission to
Constantinople will
be realised.
Alek,
the son of the Arch Duke, and Deryn, an imposter aboard the airship,
trying to
make it as a crew member, and hiding her sexuality, become friends, and
so the
adventure begins.
Readers
will be enthralled at the beasts themselves, whether they be the
mechanical
giants of the Axis powers, or the part animal beasties of the Allies,
the
descriptions are fascinating, made more so by the scatter of drawings
through
the text and the engrossing drawing of the map of Europe on the end
papers. The
publication of this sublime novel, of which there is at least a sequel,
is
handsome. Hardback, a sumptuous cover with tactile lettering and raised
pictures, the end papers are illuminating as are the descriptions added
by
Westerfeld at the back of the book. Everything about this book screams
a
pleasurable experience, and the reader will not be let down.
Fran Knight
Ten little hermit crabs by Lee Fox and Shane McG
Allen and Unwin, 2009. 9781741757392.
(Ages 2-5)Recommended. 10 little hermit
crabs live on the seashore.
One by one they disappear. A seagull swoops one up, a shark gobbles
another,
one gets hooked on a fisherman's line. In a satisfying conclusion, one
little
hermit crab alone on the pier finds nine little crabs on the beach each
in its
distinctive shell.
An appealing counting book, Ten little hermit crabs is a
great read aloud because of its rhyming words, alliteration and
repetition of
every second page with the rhyme:
Hush says the
seashore.
Shh, says the sea
How many hermit crabs will there be?
This repetition allows the young listener or
reader to think
about numbers and predict how many crabs will be left and what will
happen to
them. There is factual information at the beginning about hermit crabs
taking
second shells as their homes and each crab has a beautiful different
shell.
The glowing yellow, blue and green colours of the illustrations
by Shane Mcg make each page a delight to turn over. Children will love
the
little eyes on stalks and the comical expressions on the faces of the
crabs and
their predators.
Pat Pledger
Little Bird by Camilla Way
Harper Collins, London 2009. ISBN 978000
7242375
(Ages 16+) Highly recommended. 'It took one second to snatch the child'
was the
dramatic
opening line of this novel set jointly in London and France and New York.
Three year old Elodie Brun
was
taken from her pram outside a boulangerie in France in 1985. The baker
heard the horrifying scream of
Therese, her mother, and knew that 'in the same brief moment Therese
and
all she
was and might yet still have been was taken too.'
Elodie was stolen and hidden away in the Foret de
Breteuil
by a mute man. She soon forgot the few words she knew and her old way
of life.
Instead she learnt how to mimic birdsongs and to fish and gather edible
food
from the forest.
Ten years later, as Elodie is entering adolescence,
her
kidnapper commits suicide and she runs out of the forest and into
civilization.
Because she only communicates through grunts and bird whistles she is
nicknamed 'Little Bird.' She isn't
returned to her
mother but taken under the wing of Dr Ingrid Klein, an expert in
psycholinguistics. Amazingly she learns to speak but again finds
herself hidden
away from society, this time as the doctor's 'laboratory specimen.'
At age fifteen Elodie pushes Ingrid away in the
kitchen
causing her bad injuries from which she ultimately dies.
Elodie flees once again, manages to change
her identity and survive in Queens
and even
settle down in the workforce.However
Elodie is always looking over her shoulder fearing that she will be
recognized
and exposed. Eventually the anonymous phone calls come whispering her
former
name. Whom can she trust?
This is a multi-faceted book with many subtle side
themes
examining relationships, prostitution, and drug taking as well as how
we learn
to speak. Useful adjuncts include a Q and A section with the author and
ten
other books set in London.
Intriguing from beginning to end Little Child is highly
recommended
for
secondary students and would make an excellent senior study novel.
Kay
Haarsma
Operation Storm City by Joshua Mowll
Walker Books, 2008.
ISBN: 9781844286478.
(Age: 10-14) Book Three of the Guild
of Specialists trilogy; books one
and two were Operation Red Jericho and Operation Typhoon
Shore. This handsome hardback looks appealing; photographs,
documents,
water colours, diary extracts and pencil sketches capture exotic India
in the
1920s with its maharajan palaces, temples and characters. Fold out
pages describe intricate devices and
mechanisms created by long lost civilizations involved in the good v
evil world
domination struggle, as well as the interiors of the Zeppelin and the
maharaja's personal luxury train. History and fantasy blend in this
'Alex Rider
meets the da Vinci Code' swashbuckling adventure which has it all -
secret
societies, codes, flame throwing Cossacks on horseback, tsarist
plotters,
swordfights, tattooed lips, not to mention mysterious Chinese warrior
sects.
Teenage superheroes Becca and Doug Mackenzie return to
their old family home in Lucknow, India, searching for clues to their
missing
parents' expedition route and the fabled city of Ur Can, known as Storm
City,
in remote Sinkiang. They embark on a journey to the Takla Makan desert,
racing
against the enemy by steam train, riverboat and Zeppelin airship across
the
Himalayas! They often escape death by a hair's breadth, as when Liberty
pilots
an aircraft out of a doomed airship. Becca and Doug possess amazing
skills such
as navigation and sword fighting and whilst they act like modern
children they
are fantastic creations.
It would have helped to have read the first two books in
the series as the siblings meet up again with a bewildering array of
characters
from the first books and prior knowledge of the sects and societies
involved
would have made it less confusing. It's action all the way and one for
the fans
of this genre. The presentation and packaging make it a keepsake and
are the
distinguishing features of the book. One thing seemed strange to me was
how
reticent the children were on meeting their long-lost-given-up-for-dead
parents
- no joyous reunion to find them alive! Perhaps it's a British thing!
Kevyna Gardner
Lessons from a dead girl by Jo Knowles
Candlewick Press, 2009.
This short, easy to
read
novel follows the relationship between two young girls, Lainey and
Leah. Having names a bit more different
would have made
it easier! Laine / Lainey, the awkward
and shy type with boyish looks and short hair struggles to make
friends. Leah, on the other hand is good looking,
smart and outgoing. The storyline is
recounted by Laine after Leah invites her to join the 'in' crowd and
they
become best friends.
The need to be
wanted is an
overwhelming one as illustrated by this quote from Lainey: 'Any time I
start to wonder why on earth
Leah Greene wants to be my best friend, I tell myself not to think
about it... I
feel so deliriously happy ... I'm not no one anymore.'In
fifth grade Leah writes 'FF', meaning
friends forever in permanent ink on their hands. This childhood promise
emerges
again and again in the years ahead to trouble Lainey, as she tries to
come to
terms with becoming an individual in her own right.
The relationship
soon becomes
more complex as Leah introduces secret sessions in Lainey's closet
where they 'play house' kissing and touching all over to 'practice for
when we are
older'. Afterwards Leah taunts Lainey
that she really likes this physical contact, and that is she is
abnormal. However it is Leah that always
initiates
these sessions while Lainey allows it to maintain the friendship.
Leah's controlling or bullying actions
increase even though she gives little friendship back.
Lainey starts
seeking new
friends by going to a lot of parties where binge drinking is the main
activity.
Along the way she meets Web and Jess who teach her the real meaning of
friendship. However this forces the
controlling Leah over the edge and she reveals all about their physical
relationship to all the guests. Leah, while fleeing the party with
Lainey
driving after, crashes to her death.
Lainey then has to
face
feelings of guilt as she had grown to hate Leah and secretly wish her
dead.
Some issues like
the binge
drinking and sex at parties are glossed over rather than explored as
the author
focuses solidly on the dysfunctional
friendship between the two major characters. The physical nature of the
sexual contact isn't depicted in
detail so it
shouldn't offend. Many teenagers will relate to some of the controlling
and
bullying type of behaviour. Teenage girls are largely the audience for
this book,
but it could be useful as a secondary text for health classes, with its
interwoven
themes of friendship, sexual abuse and guilt.
Kay
Haarsma
Cooking with Grandma by Rosemary Mastnak
Hardie Grant Egmont, 2009. ISBN 9781921564192.
(Ages 2-6)
Recommended.
Following Dancing with Grandma, comes this delightful picture
book
featuring Anya
and her grandmother. Anya goes to stay
with her grandparents for a week, and she and Grandma make a different
treat
for each day. There are toast soldiers and
boiled eggs on Monday, scones on Tuesday and a chocolate cake on
Saturday. Then
they set it in special places to serve to special people, culminating
in a
wonderful party on Sunday.
Mastnak celebrates family life with this warm
hearted story.
I loved Grandma. She is so modern, with her floppy hats and beads and
is such a
loving, happy go lucky person. Anya is a treat and Grandpa and other
family
members are great too.
The illustrations fit the story perfectly and
bring alive
the different characters and the wonderful settings for cooking and
serving Anya
and Grandma's cooking. The kitchen is a pleasure and the garden with
its large
gum tree is beautiful.
All the recipes are ones that would often be made
at home
and could be duplicated by a grandmother who might like to read a story
and
then follow through with the food.
Pat Pledger
A history of cricket by Catherine Chambers
Black Dog Books, 2009.
(Age 10 +) Today cricket is a highly organised,
international
sport but its origins lie in the villages of 14th century
England.
The journey has been rich in history, shadowing the British Empire
which ensured
the game's spread around the globe. It is a story of fascinating
anecdotes, champions,
humour, controversy, tradition and change.
Catherine Chambers has told that story in a book which
resembles a paperback novel. A wealth of detail is carried along in a
fast-paced
narrative, driven rather than slowed by dot-points and brief
biographies of
famous players. Headings entertain with alliteration and rhyme. Quotes
from
those who were mystified by the game and those who loved it provide
voices from
the past. For the novice, there are explanations of the rules,
technical terms
and positions. Devotees can pore over the timelines, batting averages
and match
results. Everyone can enjoy the social history which influenced the
sport's
development. A comprehensive index is a welcome addition in a title
which is
tailor-made for both research and reading for pleasure.
The writing style is breezy and colloquial. The attempt
to be entertaining is largely successful but is marred occasionally by
cultural
stereotypes. All the photographs are in black and white. Recent
pictures of
cricketers in action have been chosen for their drama and maintain
their impact
despite the absence of colour. A history of cricket is a light-hearted, enjoyable
and informative sequel to the author's previous title - Goal! How
football
conquered the world.
Elizabeth Bor
A Necklace of Raindrops by Joan Aiken and Jan Pienkowski
Jonathan
Cape, 2009. ISBN 9780224083805.
(Age
7+) Recommended. Joan
Aiken's delightful collection of short stories, first published in
1968, has
been reissued just in time to enchant a new generation this Christmas.
These
fables and fairy tales are the product of such unbridled imagination
they
cannot fail to please. Aiken rolls up her sleeves and wades straight
in, wasting
little time on scene setting and build up. The power of these stories
lies in
the continuous dramatic action, making them ideal to read aloud.
Nevertheless
there is still plenty for young readers and listeners to ponder. One of
my
favourites is The Elves and the Shelves where a privileged
little girl,
the
recipient of many material possessions, feels lonely and realises a
friend is
worth more than all the toys she could wish for.
Jan
Pienkowski's illustrations are a sumptuous partner to Aiken's stories.
The
contrast between intricate silhouettes and splashes of rich colour work
a treat
and serve as a reminder (if you need one) of his amazing artistic power.
Perfect
for calming frayed nerves during a fraught end of term, and a welcome
addition
to Christmas stockings.
Claire Larson
