Egmont, 2010. ISBN 978 1921859277.
Series: Billie B Brown
(Ages: Junior primary) Recommended. A seemingly simple tale, charmingly
told, puts this series in the
forefront of the groups of books being offered for newly confident
readers. Exuberant Billie (the B stands for Bursting) is making
gingerbread biscuits for Christmas. She and her friend from next
door, Jack, have a problem leaving some on the plate for others to
eat. Billie and Jack talk about presents and Billie shows Jack what
she thinks is her Christmas present - a bicycle hidden in the shed.
Jack is saddened because that is what he has asked for and the pair
quarrels, which Billie later regrets. Her bubble is burst when her
parents tell her to leave the shed door closed because that is where
the people next door have hidden Jack's present. So the stage is
set for a surprising Christmas Day.
Full of the warmth of family and friends around Christmas time, the
story is delightful in resolving the quarrel between the two
children. And the bubbly Billie B is a lovely character for children
to read about. They will have fun answering the questions that Sally
Rippin poses through the text, flagging what may be about to happen
and asking children to make predictions. All wrapped up in a neat
easy to hold, stiff covered book the illustrations by Aki Fukuoka add
to the humour of the text.
Fran Knight
Last tree in the city by Peter Carnavas
New Frontier Publishing, 2010. ISBN 978 1921042218.
(Age 4-8.) Picture book, Recommended. The power of one is stunningly
illustrated in this story of a young boy re-treeing the city. Dismayed
when his one tree is cut down, he finds a discarded piece of it, and
plants it in some soil in the carriage of his tricycle. He has always
had fun on that tree, climbing it, playing in it and appreciating its
greenness in the grayness of the surrounding city. But to find it cut
down is devastating. His solution is carried around on his tricycle for
all to see, and so many other people in the city, follow his example,
making the city greener than it has been before.
The illustrations meld with the words as the reader views the
colourless outlines of the city in the first few pages, contrasted with
the vibrant green tree which fills the following pages, overshadowing
the pale buildings. The middles pages of the book when the tree is cut
down are stunning, showing mainly white pages with a short sentence in
small print in the centre of the page and a despairing boy. The sad
face and pages of white space change when he works out what to do, and
the face gets happier and the pages fuller until the last double page
is full of colour, people and life. The designer and illustrator have
worked hard to use the white space with great effect.
This is a wonderful book with which to start talking to students about
their environment.
Fran Knight
Odd and the frost giants by Neil Gaiman
Bloomsbury, 2010. ISBN 9780747598114.
(Ages 10+) Myth. With his father dead and a new man and his children
taking his place, Viking boy, Odd, feels rejected, and has no choice
but to leave his once happy home. He meets a bear, an eagle and a fox,
who tell him of their home now beset by the frost giants, who have
stolen spring and summer, making everything cold, snowbound and frozen.
They implore Odd to help them rid their place of the frost giants, but
Odd, crippled when a tree he was felling crushed his leg, finds it hard
to believe that he can. But try he will, always carrying his father'[s
unfinished piece of wood sculpture with him.
Through cunning and bravery Odd carries out their wishes and returns in
summer to the people of Asgard, finding that his three companions are
more than they seem.
This is a wonderful tale of courage in the face of overwhelming
failure, tenacity in the face of fear, and home in all its variations.
Kids will love to read of Odd, and feel close to him as he uses his
crutch to climb massive mountains and slippery ravines in his quest.
The illustration on the front cover will surely encourage the readers
to delve into the trials of the unflappable Odd.
Fran Knight
Mortlock by Jon Mayhew
Bloomsbury, 2010. ISBN 978 14088 0392 9
Suggested reading age 13. Whilst much of this tale is set in Victorian
England, the narrative commences in Abyssinia in 1820 with an exploring
party led by Sebastian Mortlock searching for a magical plant called
the Amarant. His companions on this expedition are Thurlough Corvis and
Edwin Chrimes and after locating the plant but finding that it has evil
powers, the trio swear a blood pact to never return or reveal its
location.
Little more is explained and the story proper opens with teenaged Josie
Chrimes performing as a knife thrower alongside her guardian 'The Great
Cardomom'. Josie is happy living amongst the entertainment community
yet this is all destroyed when her guardian and benefactor is visited
and killed by sinister women acting for the Lord Corvis.
It is revealed that Cardomom is actually Edwin Chrimes and Mortlock has
mysteriously disappeared with the Amarant which Corvis is prepared to
recover at any cost. The Amarant gives the power to revive the dead and
control or destroy people. The holder of this plant may rule the world.
Josie is forced to flee, pursued by the women who morph into horrific
giant crows which skewer people and dismember them with their beaks. In
making her escape, Josie meets a twin brother of whom she was unaware
and the two seek to survive and destroy the Amarant whilst untangling
the mystery of their family origin.
Pitched at young teenagers, the story will appeal to those who enjoy
Gothic horror and the chapters of this sparse narrative are extremely
short which will appeal to those who find extended description
challenging. The theme of death permeates every aspect of this story,
from the desire to achieve immortality to the involvement of
undertakers, grisly murders, frequent appearances by zombies or walking
dead and the use of graveyards as settings.
Younger readers will not be overly critical of implausible events or
the simplistic narrative style and are likely be intrigued to discover
the truth of the twins' parentage and the unpleasant motives behind the
quest to hold the Amarant.
Rob Welsh, Xavier College
Girl Saves Boy by Steph Bowe
Text, 2010. ISBN: 978-1-921656-59-0
Recommended. Jewel has spent the past 10 years living with her
grandparents, now she has come home. Sasha had leukaemia as a kid, now
it's back and it's terminal this time. When Sasha receives this news he
tries to end it, Jewel finds him and she saves him. Has Sasha found a
new reason to fight the cancer? Read on, the answer awaits you...
The plot of this story, although not straight forward, a good book
never is, is complex and well written. It is the sort of book you just
simply cannot put down. The book leaves you thinking about it long
after you have finished reading it and is told from two different
people's perspectives. The story and its characters are quite
believable, however most people would not encounter anything like the
story in their lifetime, only a select few. Most of the characters you
would expect to bump into in the street, but they are unlikely to be
like Jewel and even less likely to be like Sasha. It is set in the
suburbs a slight distance from a city, there is no evidence to conclude
where this area is though.
The author, who is 16 year old, uses a fairly high level writing style
for that age. She uses a fair amount of sensual imagery to depict the
story and uses it well.
This novel deals with some more serious themes; they are depression,
suicide, fighting to live, cancer, terminal illness and death, as well
as love and a minor theme of starting year 12. Because of the serious
nature of the themes, this book is not recommended for the
faint-hearted and under 14's. I would recommend it for ages 17 and up,
male or female. However, although it can be read by 14 to 16 year olds,
I would recommend only those of this age group with a higher degree of
maturity should read it for it to be best understood. I would rate this
book 9.5/10 stars.
Amelia Kelly (17 years old)
Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride
Penguin Books, 2010. ISBN 9780143204961.
Meet Sam, just your average guy rocking the fast-food career. Meet
Douglas, not just your average guy, but a powerful and violent
necromancer, who immediately recognises the threat Sam poses.
When one Sam's friends dies and comes back as a head, Sam's life will
never be the same. Jumping into the-world-of-the-dead, Sam finds a
hidden family blood-trait that will change the way he looks at them
forever. With the help of his new-found talent, Sam will have to battle
it out to a world shaking end.
Aimed at teenage readers, this supernatural fantasy book is likely to
set the imagination into overdrive. Set in a first person text it will
leave you wanting more. Lish McBride has left the window open for a
sequel, fingers and toes crossed, because Hold Me Closer,
Necromancer
is spilling over the edge with action and deserves a follow-up.
Zoe Pfeiffer (aged 14)
Persistence of memory and Token of darkness by Amelia-Atwater Rhodes
2 books in one. Random House Australia, 2010. ISBN: 9781742750774.
The book Persistence of Memory is a strange story of how a girl
with
schizophrenia has, what the hospital and her dad like to call
'Episodes'. When Erin has one of these episodes a vampire named Shevaun
ends up in Erin's body. The hospital calls it multiple personality but
Erin's supernatural boyfriend thinks there could be more to this than
just schizophrenia. One night during a dream Erin wakes to find she is
in a completely different room and finds herself for once the opposite
way round and in Shevaun's home and body. Shevaun's lover happens to
come into the room sensing Shevaun is not herself. Adjila, the Triste
witch finally sees what's wrong here and fixes the problem.
This book had tons of great characters in it and I found it so easy
understand, for age recommendation I would think probably young adults.
This truly was a good book and I wish it could go on but sadly it can't.
Token of Darkness by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Random House Australia, 2010. ISBN: 9781742750774. Token of Darkness is a book about a teenage boy who was a lucky
survivor in a horror smash on a highway and is haunted by a ghost girl
called Samantha.
Samantha doesn't have a past and doesn't know why Cooper is the only
one who can see her. Things get a little strange when Cooper meets a
guy, Brent, who knows quite a lot about ghosts. Things get even
stranger when Brent tells him to go to a sorcerer named Ryan to figure
out who or what Samantha is.
I felt I could relate to most of the characters in this book and feel
what they felt. Sometimes when I read it and stopped reading, it felt
like I was in the story. This was a very good book.
Sarah Filkin (Student)
The Project by Brian Falkner
Walker Books, 2010. ISBN 9781921529795.
(Age 12+) Recommended. Falkner, award winning author of The
tomorrow code and Brainjack, both of which I thoroughly
enjoyed, has
written another fast paced adventure story that is sure to appeal to
boys in particular. Tommy and Luke think that the book they are
studying at school is the most boring book in the world, but then they
discover an old book that is the most boring book in the world, a
perfect place to hide a terrible secret. When a flood enters the
basement of the library where old and valuable books are stored, Luke
and his friend Tommy help to move them to safety. Luke, with his
amazing memory, thinks that he sees the treasure that could change the
course of history forever. When he goes back to check the boys run into
danger and the race is on to save the future.
This is a fast paced adventure that manages to combine gadgets, bike
rides, time travel and evil Germans all in one thrilling story. At the
same time readers will gain some insight into Leonardo da Vinci, Nazism
and spying as they follow Luke and Tommy in an exciting race to rescue
the secret in the most boring book in the world.
Falkner has the happy knack of writing engaging characters that you
immediately like. Both Luke and Tommy grabbed my interest from the
start. Their pranks were very amusing but they were also willing to
help out in the community when there was a need. Tommy's obsession with
gadgets is also fascinating. Their vibrant personalities carry the plot
along. The Project is definitely not a boring book and is sure to be
grabbed
up by anyone who likes a thrilling combination of mystery, history,
action and science fiction.
Pat Pledger
The tall man and the twelve babies by Tom Niland and Kilmeny Niland
Ill. by Deborah Niland. Allen and Unwin, 2010. ISBN 9781742371153.
(Age 2-6) Recommended. A zany picture book that will get children
asking questions, The tall man and the twelve babies tells the
story of
six baby boys all called Alistair, and six baby girls all called
Charlene. They all live with a very tall man in a tiny apartment in a
big city. When they are happy they laugh at the same time and when they
are angry they all yell at the same time. One day when the tall man
stepped outside with the Charlenes the door slams shut. How will he get
back to the Alistairs?
This is a hilarious tale of being a parent, but in this case, the tall
man is the sole carer for the twelve babies and what antics they get up
to. It is told in simple prose and short sentences with the use of bold
print, large letters and capitals to emphasise words.
Beautifully illustrated by Deborah Niland, the little round faces of
the twelve babies are a joy to look at. The drawings of the tall man,
with his long skinny legs and expressive face, wonderful multicoloured
curls, spotted scarf and striped shirt give him a very distinct
character. The humour of the story really comes to life with the
drawings of the tall man when he tries to get back into the apartment
through a tiny flap. Looking at the Charlenes pulling on his legs and
the Alistairs pulling the other way made me laugh out loud.
The delightful illustrations and the unique story make this a very
memorable book to read aloud and talk about.
Pat Pledger
Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf by Curtis Jobling
Puffin, 2011. ISBN 9780141333397
(Ages 12+) Wereworld is about 16 year old Drew. When a beast
invades
his home and kills his mother who he loved very much his father blames
him and he is forced to leave his home. Drew seeks refuge in the
Dyrewood one of the most dangerous places in all of Lyssia. When he is
captured by Lord Bergan's men he has to prove he is not the enemy.
Through many events he meets new friends, makes many enemies and learns
about the animal within. But will he be able to stop the werecreatures
out to destroy him and master the animal within before its too late?
At first this book isn't very interesting; it's good but not very
interesting. But when I got to part VI (6) it became extremely
interesting and went from good to great. I would recommend this book to
people that like fantasy, adventure and don't mind waiting awhile to
get to the best part of the book.
Tahlia Kennewell (student)
Ill. by Serena Geddes. New Frontier, 2010. ISBN 9781921042539.
(Age 3-5) Two children are having fun rowing down the river. One
rows while the other uses a telescope to spy out what he can see. They
see a frog that leaps on board and sails with them. Next they come to a
chimpanzee that joins them, then a parrot eating a carrot and so
on. The boys and their boatload of animals finally see a snapping
crocodile that they mange to evade. They land safely and have lots of
fun dancing and playing on the riverbank.
The story is based on the familiar Row, row, row your boat song
and its
rhythm makes it an ideal book to read aloud or for children to sing
along with. The repetition of the Row, row, row your boat chorus is
sure to have young children chiming in with the reading and
anticipating what's coming next.
The soft water colour cartoon like illustrations by Serena Geddes will
appeal to children. The emotions on the faces of both the children and
animals are delightful and add to the humour of the story.
This is a simple lift the flap book with the flaps disguised to blend
in with the background of the illustrations on the second hand of each
double spread. They fit in so well with the colours that young children
will have fun trying to find them as well as guessing what animal is
behind the flap. They could even trying their hand at making a rhyme.
Pat Pledger
Maudie and Bear by Jan Ormerod and Freya Blackwood
Little Hare, 2010. ISBN 9781921541407.
(Age 5-7) Highly recommended. In a wonderful collaboration Jan Ormerod,
who is an outstanding illustrator in her own right, has joined with
award winning illustrator Freya Blackwood, to produce a stunning
picture book that could well become a classic of the future.
Maudie and Bear are best of friends. Bear cooks and cleans and is
always there when Maudie needs him. The book is divided in very short
illustrated chapters, each showing the personality of exuberant and
demanding Maudie and patient, loving Bear. Each chapter is humorous and
illustrates the themes of love and friendship. In chapter one the pair
go for a bike ride after Maudie decides she needs some exercise. After
taking an age to get her sunglasses, scarf, sunscreen, and bug spray,
Maudie gets into the basket and Bear pedals away, with Maudie remarking
that 'exercise is good for you.' Chapter 2 is a funny retelling of The
three bears while Chapter 3, The snack, sees Bear labouring over food
preparation while Maudie stands by idly and gives instructions.
Making up shows the nature of true friendship, even if Maudie is very
offended when Bear laughs at her dancing. The final chapter,
Telling stories, is a heart-warming look at staying awake when a story
is being told.
I adored the character of the stalwart Bear, who is like the most
patient of parents or carers. He is warm and untiring in his love for
Maudie. Maudie on the other hand, is a typical demanding child,
self-centred and troublesome but loving as well.
The illustrations are just fabulous. The imaginative details that
Blackwood has conjured up are amazing. I loved the scarf that was a
fox, the little frilled bloomers that peeped out from under Maudie's
dress, and the drawings of little toys and household utensils.
It is an unusual picture book in that it contains five chapters, each
with a different story. Beginning readers who are almost ready to move
onto chapter books will enjoy the easy vocabulary and beautiful layout
of the story and will feel comfortable with the picture book structure.
This book is a keeper and deserves a place on all library shelves.
Pat Pledger
Bink and Gollie by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee
Ill. by Tony Fucile. Walker Books, 2010. ISBN 9781406329681.
(Age 6-8) Recommended. Bink, short and exuberant and Gollie, tall and
thin, are the best of friends, although they like different things.
Bink loves goldfish and brightly coloured socks, and Gollie likes to
use long words like 'bonanza' and 'compromise' and to dream about
travel. She hates Bink's new socks. They do have one thing in common -
they both love to roller-skate.
Told in three chapters where they share different adventures, the story
of the Bink and Gollie's friendship evolves. The humour of the story
stands out as Bink insists on wearing her outrageously bright socks and
Gollie ventures out to conquer the Andes Mountains. The
vocabulary may be demanding for a beginning reader,
who would however relish new words after the story was read
aloud.
Tony Fucile's cartoon-like characters are a delight and add to the
humour and depth of the story. Bink's hair stands on end and she is so
full of life. Her little pleated skirt is gorgeous, as is the little
tongue that hangs out when she is concentrating. Golli's more reserved
character also comes alive as she plans adventures and saves the life
of Fred the goldfish. The expressions on the faces of both girls are
exquisite and really show how they are feeling.
The themes of friendship, compromise, adventure and imagination, are
all wrapped up in a story that is entertaining and thought-provoking.
Pat Pledger
Editor's note: Bink and Gollie was a New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book
for 2010 and won The
Geisel
Award for the most distinguished American book for
beginning readers published in English in the United States during
the preceding year
Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin
Bloomsbury, 2010. ISBN 9781599906188.
(Age 13+) Avery Hood is an
orphan. Her parents were brutally murdered and she is the only witness.
But she is so traumatised by it that she can barely remember what
happened, except that she saw 'silver, deadly silver, moving inhumanly
fast'. Then she meets the new boy at school, Ben, who she finds out is
a werewolf. They fall in love and she trusts him, at first. Then she
sees his eyes sometimes flash silver, and she isn't the only one who
can't remember the night her parents died.
This story is how she tries to find out what really happened, part
murder-mystery, part grief-narrative, and part headlong romance.
I loved this book for many reasons. It is original in one sense, but
sometimes it echoes faintly of Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. The
language is evocative and rich and the plot and characters really pull
you along on a breathtaking ride of murder and romance. The characters
are mostly realistic, but, like most books, they still manage to have a
few small flaws. The little things that Avery remembers are well
thought out by the author, because although they seem to be meaningless
to start with, they all tie together to reveal who the killer really
is. And who the killer is found out to be, is a great twist at the end
of the story.
The book isn't as long as I would have liked, because it didn't seem to
build enough suspense. It is also surprisingly violent; during Avery's
flashbacks there is
often a lot of blood and gore. One thing I really liked about Low
Red
Moon was that whenever the word
'moon' is written in the book, it is printed in red, which added to the
spooky atmosphere. Low Red Moon stands out from all other supernatural romances
because it
has an element of murder in it. It is original, scary, beautifully
crafted, gripping and it kept me on the edge of my seat.
Rebecca Adams (Student)
Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld
Viking, 2010. ISBN 978 067907394.
(Ages 11+) Recommended. Pursued by the German ironclads, the beastie
powered Leviathan's captain must make some brave decisions to avoid
capture. He knows that Alek is more than he seems, and although
Austrian, has saved them twice, despite his pre Darwinian philosophy.
Unbeknownst to the British captain and crew, Alek is indeed the son of
the assassinated archduke and his wife, and their murders have set in
train a series of events which will spiral the world into World War 1.
But this is an imagined past, Westerfeld has taken a significant time
in history and given it a Steampunk twist, with animal powered
airships, the Darwinians and their knowledge of evolutionary change set
against the Clankers, those who hold on to the past, abhorring the
evolution of animal powered machines. (Check out the message lizards on
page 82 or the Clanker walkers on page110! Wow!)
Sumptuously illustrated with adventure piled on adventure, Behemoth is
fascinating reading with its array of mesmerising machines with animal
behaviours, and the continued sparring between the Clanker Alek and the
Darwinist Deryn, a commoner he meets on the ship who is more than he
seems. Alek and, Derryn must fight for their lives against the German
foe intent on killing Alek even though they are not on the same side.
One night Alek and his entourage escape from the Leviathan, but in so
doing, Alek takes one of the newly hatched beasties, because it has
bonded with him and will not be quiet if Alek leaves it. The boffin, Dr
Barlow will not be pleased, or will she?
Now in Istanbul, the group is aware that the Germans are exerting a
hold over the Ottomans, and so the stage is set for Alek and his men,
along with the Darwinists and Deryn to cause some significant damage to
their designs.
Sub plot and counter plot, subterfuge and strategies impel the reader's
brain to work enjoyably overtime following the deeds and misdeeds of
all the protagonists. The groundwork of history makes for an ultra
exciting read with its overlay of fantasy drawing the reader into this
mind-boggling but wholly credible world, so well written and
illustrated that you feel you can step into it at any time. This
is the second in this new series by Westerfeld, following on from
Leviathan.
Fran Knight
