The Crime Club Scene Series: Fact and Fiction by Kenneth McIntosh
Mason Crest,
2009. Heinemann.
Cashing in on the obsession
with solving
crime with forensics, this series of 6 books, nos. 7-12 in the series,
have the
novel idea of being both fact and fiction. Being about two thirds
fiction they
will be undoubtedly be catalogued as such, but this type of 'faction'
may well
be the new novelty. Appealing to both genders, the first part of the
book is
the adventures of the teen group, the Crime Club, who learn forensic
science. Each book deals with a different
aspect of
forensics. The last third of the book explains the concepts and
vocabulary used, chapter by
chapter and is well designed and
comprehensive. Each book has an excellent
Further Reading, Bibliography
and Index, albeit very American. The series also boasts a resident
consultant who
is a Senior Forensic Advisor from the Department of Justice.
The Crime Club consists of 5 teenagers -
Lupe, Maeve, Jessa, Ken and Wire from Flagstaff, Arizona, who work
with Detective Dorothy Kwan. In the earlier books they find a lost
treasure,
recover priceless artifacts, solve a cold case and get injured in the
process. This
is The Secret Seven/Nancy Drew meet the brutal
21st century. Each book centres on a different club
member.
There are dysfunctional families, murderers,drugs etc etc.
Considering how often there's a gun
pointed at the gang, it's a miracle they all lived! Of course unlikely
coincidences abound,but this is the
unreal world counterbalanced by the real world.
Whilst each book has an action
packed story
which keeps the suspense bubbling, they have a 'worthy' feel, eg a
member of the group has an eating disorder,
which enables the author to explain this in the notes. This educative
agenda
seeps into the style of writing which seems to use vocabulary designed
to be
defined, eg. 'She couldn't answer; she
was too scared that the inhalation needed to vocalize would threaten
her
tenuous grip.' (p28. The Earth cries out.)
Stories are suitable for upper
primary and
middle school libraries, but some of the explanations would suit middle
and
upper secondary. Excellent, of course, for
someone considering a career in forensics.
Another problem is that the
books do not open anywhere near flat and are hard to hold open.
Although a glossy production, coloured illustrations are crude and
cartoon style, and contrast with the photographs in the factual section.
No 7. The Monsoon Murder.
Forensic
Meteorology. ISBN 9781422208823.
Iraq and Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder
combine with a drunken mother, murderous uncle and drug selling to put
Maeve
and brother Lance in danger of being tried for drug possession and
murder,
until a lucky weather coincidence enables Maeve to put her forensic
meteorology
to good use. DNA, Chemical signatures,
ballistics,
alibis, warrants, citizen's arrest, tasers, arraignment and Vietnam are
explained.
No
8. If the Shoe Fits. Footwear
analysis. ISBN 9781422208779.
Reopening a cold case and
discovering the
shoe prints used as original evidence have been swapped allows Jessa to
explore
this aspect of forensics and the complexities of truth. More
dysfunctional
parents suddenly see the error of their ways. Facts here cover:
Sherlock
Holmes, DNA,
Navaho beliefs, diabetes, nuclear power, OJ Simpson case.
No.
9: The Earth Cries Out. Forensic
Chemistry and Environmental Science. ISBN 9781422208786.
Plenty of action here as the
group scale a
mountain, face a mad bear attack, are nearly blown up and deal with
drug
manufacturers, hence the chemical analysis. The black bear, crazed by
hunger
and ingesting drug chemicals, has annoying anthropomorphic thoughts and
behavior, which is unexpected in such a series. However, the story
moves at a
fast pace and romance is thrown in as well. Facts here deal with global
warming, GPS,
drug chemistry, warrants, hypothermia and hospital waste.
No 10.
Things fall Apart. Forensic
engineering ISBN 9781422208809.
If you can buy a ghost giving
clues as to
why and how a funfair ride crashed and that there was no official
investigation
into it, you may enjoy this tale of investigation into the engineering
of a
thrill ride.
Facts explored include civil
and criminal
case difference, cold cases, urban legends, physics, forensic
photography,
arson and obstructing justice.
No
11.Numbering the Crime. Forensic
mathematics. ISBN 9781422208816.
Jessa is abducted and nearly
shot, so
plenty of detective work here, with Ken the romantic hero and Wire
calculating
possible distances travelled by the abductors. Facts cover hypotheses,
probability, algorithms, Bayesian analysis,
apogee,
the Jonestown massacre, DNA analysis.
No 12.
A Stranger's Voice. Forensic
Speech. ISBN 9781422208793.
This is the finale in the
series when the
club disbands and members go different ways. Cyber crime and computer
hacking feature
here, with stereotype goodies and baddies, more shoot outs and high
tech
gadgetry. Throw in the Navejo Way of harmony for good measure. We learn
about spectrometers,
voice
recognition technology, retinal scans, Linux, Java, lie detectors, OPEC
and
GPS.
Kevyna Gardner
How to get dumped by Pat Flynn
Puffin, 2009. ISBN 9780143303947.
(Ages 10+) The very funny
Pat Flynn is at it again, this time
getting into the mind and heart of a year nine boy, overwhelmed with
the
problem of dumping his overbearing, manipulative girlfriend, Ashleigh.
Tony has
landed Ash, but she decides early on in their relationship that she
must
restrain from kissing for a month to be able to write a poem about
sacrifice.
Tony has just made the grade and likes kissing so it distressed to find
this
avenue of fun things to do cut off. But when he realises that she has
manipulated him into spending lunch times, the only time in the week he
can
play his beloved handball, in the library, he is moved to action.
But try as he
might with deceptive maneuvres, she always
sees his deception as positive. He engages his best friend, Kane to cut
in on
him and take his girlfriend away. Another complication involves Ash's
last
boyfriend, who has threatened Tony with dire happenings should he hurt
Ash in
any way, and apart from that Tony's eyes have moved happily to
another, his
friend's sister, Lacy. All the ingredients for a funny, fast paced
story set in
a school, with familiar figures, a hippy teacher, the slightly dippy
librarian,
school bullies and so on are threaded together to make for an
entertaining read
for upper primary and lower secondary kids.
Fran Knight
Z.Rex by Steve Cole
Doubleday, 2009.
(Age 10+) Be careful not to confuse Z.Rex
with
Steve Cole's hugely successful Astrosaurs series. The
latter are a fun filled romp, perfect for boys age 7 up. Z.Rex
is made of sterner stuff - the sometimes bleak, but always
action packed story of thirteen year old Adam who finds himself
captured by a
new breed of dinosaur - the terrifyingly intelligent Z.Rex. Zed is a
complex
creature, partly because his creator is Adam's scientist Dad, who
actually
embedded some of Adam's personality traits into the dinosaur. Just
imagine a dinosaur
seething with teenage hormones and you have the picture.
Adam's Dad is kidnapped as his work on
Zed is infiltrated by the mysterious Geneflow, a company managed,
unsurprisingly,
by evil megalomaniacs. The chaos that follows is a rollicking ride of
double
crossing action, nail biting chases and vivid fight scenes. It makes an
impressive, if at times gory read for upper juniors and lower secondary
children.
Steve Cole's skill as a script writer for
Dr Who is apparent in his cinematic action sequences and his ability to
convey
a strong sense of place. The second half of Z.Rex
is set in Edinburgh and I could almost picture Zed pounding up Princes
Street.
Fortunately everything turns out OK, although Edinburgh Castle will
never be
the same again. In a neat ending Zed lopes off into the sunset,
leaving the
perfect set-up for a sequel.
Z.Rex
can be read as a straightforward action adventure, but Cole does pose
some
interesting questions about the nature of consciousness, freewill and
the
responsibility that people have towards the animals (especially
dinosaurs) that
they are manipulating for their own ends.
The cover deserves a special mention - a
terrifying dinosaur head in three-dimensional relief: inspired! I hope
the
publishers adopt the same style for the paperback edition. Display Z.Rex
in your library and it will fly
off the shelf - and hopefully be devoured.
Claire Larson
Glister: The Haunted Teapot by Andi Watson
Walker
Books,
2009. ISBN 9781406320480. Book 1.
(Ages 9 and up) 'Strange things happen around Glister
Butterworth,' with
this tale focused on the arrival of a parcel. As their current teapot
pours so
badly, Mr Butterworth is eager to accept the unsolicited and
unexplained
appearance of a new one. When Glister makes the tea, it becomes evident
the pot
is haunted by the ghost of a writer who has left behind an 'unfinished
masterpiece' and wishes to use Glister as his 'amanuensis'. With a
certain
amount of vocabulary which is above that of the average young reader
and would
probably be overlooked by many children, I imagine the novel would,
nonetheless, still hold their attention as the mystery is solved and
the book
concludes.
Frustratingly, the covers of
these books have no
clear
labels indicating their order, only an image promoting the other story
so as a
result, I foolishly read these two books out of sequence. Hence, the
mystery
explained in The Haunted Teapot seemed to lose its impact. The
books
could
stand alone, yet I would recommend reading The Haunted Teapot
first as
it
explains
the appearance of a different 'Ghost Writer' in the Haunted House.
Unaccustomed as I am to the
cartoon' style genre,
this
series is made more interesting thanks to the colour of the internal
images and
print being matched to the predominant colour of the cover and the
detail
provided by the illustrations. I found this to be a reasonably engaging
tale.
Jo Schenkel
Glister: The House Hunt by Andi Watson
Walker
Books,
2009. ISBN 9781406320497. Book 2.
(Ages 9 and up) On first glance, this book held little
appeal. The
cover
appeared simplistic with a lack of colour variation; the cartoon style
was not
my personal favourite, especially as it was all presented in a dull
teal
colour. On finally deciding to begin the story however, I was
considerably more
impressed.
Glister, 'a magnet for the odd and peculiar',
lives in
Chilblain Hall, a somewhat magical home which is definitely a major
character
in this graphic novel. There are similarities to Hogwarts and its
moving
staircases as the Hall sprouts an extra wing, on occasion, before
having it
again magically disappear. Problems begin when the Chairman of the
Village-in-Bloom competition insults the Hall. The house is miffed so
uproots
and runs away. Although Glister and her father relocate to a tree
house and
her father begins to take an interest in their modern new home, Glister
soon
begins to miss the Hall and sets out to retrieve it. With a little help
from
the 'Ghostly Writer', Philippa Veil, a happy resolution is reached.
Despite my initial reluctance, I rather enjoyed
Andi
Watson's humour and clever cartoons. Given the amusing characters and
entertaining
storyline, this series should work well for children who, although more
mature
readers, are looking for more depth of plot without ploughing through
dense
amounts of text.
Jo Schenkel
My private pectus by Shane Thamm
Ford
Street
Publishing, 2009.
ISBN:
9781876462833.
Highly recommended for 13 years plus. My private pectus is a
story based on teenage life
and
relationships from the male point of view.
Jack McDermott, the main character states early on
that: 'If
I were to take off my shirt you wouldn't see my face, freckles or ratty
hair. All you'd see is the crevice in
the middle of my chest.' The storyline
follows
Jack's struggle to acknowledge and show his chest deformity, (a genetic
flaw
known as 'pectus excavatum') to his school friends and the low self
esteem and
sometimes irrational behaviour that results. Jack, nicknamed 'Sticks,'
also
strives to overcome his father's desire for him to play rugby league
and join
the army without upsetting him.
Many aspects of teenage life, like rugby training,
beach
parties, cars and relationships with girls are interwoven in a very
believable
and readable manner. The author's career
in outdoor education and university studies of masculinities gives
credibility
and realism to make this an insightful story. Front cover photos of
three surfers and a rugby ball will
attract the
targeted male audience, as will the large font of the text.
Kay Haarsma
Chalkline by Jane Mitchell
Walker Books, 2009.
ISBN
9781406315172.
Rafiq and his
crew of 6 boys about his age are hiding in
the ricks by the side of the road, waiting for the convoy to appear.
They have
spent some time laying the bombs and now must wait till they finish
their
deadly business, picking clean the resultant mayhem, amongst the bodies
and
debris. So begins this powerful story of children being used by
terrorists for
their own ends.
The following
chapter tells us how Rafiq and some of his
village peers are recruited. No ideological transformation this, but
boys in
the school are told to lean against the board where a chalkline had
been drawn.
Those who are as high or higher than the chalkline are taken. The
arbitrary
nature of the whole thing scaring the reader, but worse is to follow.
The Kashmiri
Freedom Fighters are warring with India over
territorial disputes, and so take children as young as nine to build up
their
numbers. Their training is horrific, only the brave and daring survive,
the
weaker ones used for killing practice.
When Rafiq's
parents realise what has happened to him,
they give up, but Rafiq's sister does not, keeping his memory alive
within her
family, making efforts to find him. All the while we hear of what Rafiq
is
doing, and how the training and his exploits are changing him. The
denouement
is chilling, as he is sent to bomb a temple and she sees him.
The contrast
all the way through this timely novel is
between her belief and his growing absorption into the world he now
knows.
Whether or not he can wrench himself free of all the horror he has seen
and
been a part of is something readers will ponder. The endorsement by
Amnesty
International points to the verity of this novel, and Mitchell's
extensive travel through the region invests
it with a sound basis if fact. It is unputdownable.
Books on the
theme of children taken in war or affected
by war are many, including Deborah Ellis' marvelous Parvana
series, AK by
Peter Dickinson, Bite of the
Mango by Mariatu and the two volumes of children
speaking about their war experiences by Deborah Ellis, Children
of War, and Off to
War. All could be used with Chalkline
as part of a unit on War.
Fran Knight
Blackthorn's betrayal by Elizabeth Pulford
Walker Books, 2009. ISBN 9781921529030.
(Ages 9-12) In this sequel to Blackthorn, the reader
follows Blackthorn on a quest to become a Trahern warrior. A stranger,
Esil,
has arrived in the forest requesting that Blackthorn find his daughter
Freya, who
has been abducted as a baby by the Doane. On a promise that a
successful
mission will finally seeing her win her coveted goal of becoming a
warrior,
Blackthorn sets out on her dangerous travels deep into enemy country.
Freya's
sister, Sepha, accompanies her and they
plunge into a perilous journey, surviving traps, freezing conditions
and saving
an abandoned baby boy on the way to Blackthorn's ultimate betrayal.
This is a thoughtful adventure story with a feisty heroine,
who learns much from her mistakes and about herself on her quest. The
characters are well drawn and memorable. The moral dilemma of where do
you
belong, with the family that has brought you up or with your blood
relations,
is a tantalising one and handled very well by Pulford.
I was drawn into the chilly, heavily forested world that
Blackthorn inhabits and intrigued by the warring tribes. The book had
the feel
of both a fantasy and a historical novel and should appeal to readers
who enjoy
both of these genres.
Pat Pledger
Nanny Piggins and the wicked plan by R.A. Spratt
Random House, 2009. ISBN 9781741663174.
(Ages 8-10) Highly recommended. This
second book is as amusing as the first, The adventures of Nanny
Piggins, and with as many
outrageous situations. Mr Green has
wedding plans in mind, but the canny Nanny Piggins is unstoppable in
her
determination to ruin his prospects. The
children, Samantha, Michael and Derrick are horrified at the thought of
losing
their nanny. Nanny Piggins, the children
and Nanny Piggins' bear brother Boris have a series of hilarious and
unbelievable
adventures always involving chocolate. What with a challenge from an
armadillo to be blasted from a
cannon over
Dead Man's Gorge, breaking into a maximum prison and fighting a Gypsy
Queen who
wants to marry Mr Green, it's a roller coaster ride for them all,
including the
reader! It's refreshing to see a story
written in a zany, fun way with almost ridiculous plots, yet most
enjoyable and
superbly entertaining.
Sue Nosworthy
Hopscotch: Medusa stone by Ian Trevaskis
Walker Books, 2009. ISBN 9781921529115.
(Age 10+) Hannah and Jake steal an enchanted stone and a
vellum from Kostas the Greek and find themselves in the middle of a
frightening
game played by the Greek gods. They draw a hopscotch pattern and follow
the
instructions on the vellum:
Cast your stone upon the square,
Leap and dance across the air.
At the end a door awaits,
Be prepared to meet the Fates.
The book opens with an exciting and bloodthirsty scene where
Hannah witnesses the soldiers coming out of the wooden horse at Troy.
Hannah is
an intrepid heroine who uses her wits and determination to overcome all
the
odds. Separated from Jake, she is determined to find him and meets many
of the
legendary Greek characters as she carries out her quest from Kostas to
'bring
back the winds of Aeolus, the winged sandals of Hermes and the coin
from under
the corpse's tongue.' Pg80. Jake is also
an engaging character, more thoughtful than Hannah. The Greek heroes
they meet
on the way are well rounded characters who bring the old legends to
life.
Complete with appendices at the back with Authors
notes about
Ancient Greek myths, Glossary with words explained and Notes about
Ancient
Greece, this book would be an exciting introduction to Greek myths and
could
lead the reader on to discover more about these wonderful stories.
Pat Pledger
Undercover by Beth Kephart
HarperTeen, 2009. ISBN
9780061238956.
(Age 12+) Recommended. The cover states that this book was a
nominee for the US National Book Award, and as such I knew I would be
reading
quality fiction. Elisa is a lonely girl,
who like Cyrano De Bergerac, writes love notes for the boys at her
school. When
Theo asks her to write a letter to Lila, a popular but often nasty
girl, she is
disappointed because she likes Theo and knows that Lila is not good
enough for
him. Lila is vicious about her growing friendship with Theo, and things
are
tough at home as well. Her father is away on an extended business trip
and it
looks as if her parents' marriage is rocky. Elisa buries her feelings
by
skating on a lonely pond and in her writing.
I became engrossed in Elisa's story, following her growing
feelings for Theo and her fear of family breakdown. Her efforts to
excel at ice
skating and bring her family together are compelling. This is a
wonderful
coming of age story and I found myself cheering Elisa along as she
learnt how
to skate, write beautiful poetry and find love.
The beautiful language of the book, the poignant poems that
Elisa writes and her book of words and their definitions are inspiring.
This is
a book that would be a boon to the English teacher who wants a class
book that
features literature as its centre piece. It is also one that librarians
should
hand sell, especially to children who are gifted in the language arts
area.
Pat Pledger
Malcolm and Juliet by Bernard Beckett
Text Publishing, 2004. ISBN: 9781921520327.
(Age 15+). Highly recommended. Malcolm
is 16, fascinated by sex, and keen to do well in his up and
coming science project. Hence the decision
to make sex the subject of his assignment! Juliet has received a ransom
note -
demanding $1000 for silence on a secret she thought no one would have
known
about. Kevin is in love with Brian who is in love with Juliet.
Charlotte is in
love with Malcolm: if she was brave enough to mention it to him, she
wonders
what he would think. The science project takes the group on an
interesting and
often hilarious journey.
Original,
with a fresh voice for teenage readers, Beckett has created a
wonderful array of interconnecting characters. There are candid
discussions of sex
and some occasional strong language, but the story and the lively
friendships
played out, override any concerns here. This title is highly
recommended. A
winner of numerous awards in New Zealand, this clever book follows the
success of the more serious and thought-provoking Genesis by Beckett.
Julie
Wells
Liar by Justine Larbalestier
Allen and Unwin, 2009. ISBN 9781741758726.
(Ages 14+)Recommended. When Micah hears of Zach's death she
is stunned.
Not for her the tears and running to the toilet block as do the other
girls in
her senior class, but she asks questions of her biology teacher about
how long
bodies take to deteriorate. Her classmates stare at her, fascinated,
wanting
the information themselves but shocked at her callousness. Some take it
further, resorting to the name calling they spat out when she first
arrived.
Back then when word of her lies spread around the school like a cloud,
other
students felt impelled to stare, ask questions and call her names. Now,
the
whispers and looks have come back, as some braver than the rest, mouth
the word
murderer as she passes.
So it is up to Micah to prove she did not
kill Zach. She has seen a white boy hanging out in Central Park where
she and Zack used to run, but fails to find him. She becomes closer to
Sarah and
Tayshawn,
Zach's friends and they go to places where Zach used to hang out in
search of
some greater understanding. But Micah's self is changing and in that
change her
parents question her and attempt to place some controls over her.
School is
worse, with people staring and shunning her, only Sarah and Tayshawn
showing
any interest in her at all. And all the time she is aware of the
suspicions of
the Police, her parents and the teachers.
Divided into three sections, Telling the
truth, Telling the true truth and The Actual real truth,
Larbalestier
keeps the
reader guessing until the last page, and even then, questions will dog
the
reader for some time after. Nothing is solved, no truth is absolute,
nothing is
probably what it seems. Micah reveals what has happened to her to the
reader,
but then derides herself for telling lies, and purports to tell the
reader the
truth , again. So the reader is always on edge, wondering which piece
of the
narrative is true and which a lie. And this is kept up for the whole
story.
Superbly written, tightly plotted, with
believable and sympathetic characters, this book grabs the reader from
the
start. The tactile cover with its blobs falling into letter shapes, the
size of
the book, the lovely print, the short chapters, the chapter headings
bringing
the thought processes into play before the narrative begins, all is
designed
to entice, thrill and seduce the reader. I was hooked before I began to
read.
Then the words held me to the end. And I know the story will stay with
me for a
long while, and be the subject of discussions with others who have had
the
engrossing experience of reading a story by a clever and gifted writer.
Recommended for middle secondary readers who
want a story unlike any other they have read, who are willing to
suspend belief
and take on a different set of values as they go into Micah's world.
Set in New
York, the city is more than a background against which the story is
set, it
invades every scene and inhabits every event which occurs, so that the
reader
will feel they know the city before they finish the book.
Fran Knight.
Isabella's garden by Glenda Millard and Rebecca Cool
Walker Books, 2009. ISBN 9781921150333.
(Ages 5-10) Highly recommended. A picture
book not to be missed, Isabella's
garden is a feast for all the senses: Cool's rich and rewarding
illustrations stun
the eye and Millard's brilliant language appeals to the ear as it
evokes the
life cycle of a garden in an unforgettable way.
It is the story of Isabella's garden where the soil is 'all dark
and
deep' and where Isabella and her friends plant the seeds that emerge
into a
glorious garden, changing with the seasons until Jack Frost comes and
all that
is left is a well-feathered nest and a handful of seeds.
This beautiful story uses as a basis the old rhyme This is
the house that Jack built, with language rich with alliteration and
imagery.
The repetitive and quite challenging rhyme will challenge older readers
while
younger children will love to listen to the rhythm of the words.
Wonderful illustrations are full of vibrant colours, rich
greens, purples and reds, with lovely patterns on the clothes and hats
that the
children wear. Jack Frost is a wonderful
creature with a jester's hat and incredible mantle of 'sequins and
shimmer' that
he spreads over the garden.
This is a very worthy addition to a library and classroom and an
outstanding gift for children.
Pat Pledger
Tallow by Karen Brooks
Woolshed
Press, 2009. ISBN
9781741664355. The curse of
the Bond Riders Book 1.
(Ages
12+). Fantasy. Recommended. Tallow has
been raised in the household of a candle-maker
and been kept hidden from view because he is different. Pillar, a
poor
candle-maker, was responsible for bringing the baby Tallow back to his
workshop
in the canalled city of Serenissima despite his reservations about how
Quinn,
his mother, would react. Quinn is quick with her fists and her boot,
especially
when she has been drinking. Life for Tallow is not easy.
Life gets more
complicated when it is time for Tallow to
begin making candles on his own. Although the candles look perfect,
better than
Pillar's, the customers find fault with them. Neither Pillar nor Quinn
is happy
about that. Both Pillar and Quinn are aware of the problems Tallow
could bring
down on them, but the arrival of Katina, a bond rider, helps settle
their
fears.
Katina teaches
Tallow to channel the special powers so
that they are controlled, but before she can complete the training she
must
return to the Limen, a strange nether world she has given a blood bond
to. She leaves
and
gives Tallow a warning not to use the special powers on humans and not
to give
cause for unwanted attention which could rouse suspicion as to Tallow's
identity.
Needless to say Tallow is
unable to follow these
instructions and has to help out when people and animals are unfairly
treated.
Tallow thus seals the fate for not only Pillar and Quinn, but also
Dante who
has become a very special friend along with many other citizens of
Serenissima
who die in a plague brought in by the wraith like Morte Whisperers.
Karen Brooks has woven a
tale that is exciting,
dangerous, frightening and eminently readable. Her characters are
believable
and have very human frailties and faults. This is the first of a
series, The Curse of the Bond Riders, and if
the usual pattern of fantasy writers is followed then this will be a
trilogy
and I imagine the next book will be much anticipated, because there are
so many
Mark Knight
