HarperCollins, 2007.
(Age 11-14) Miki tells the story about her forbidden love and the sort of
relationships that happen in this world since she's known her boyfriend.
Miki's boyfriend is a kind of supernatural being called Delivers. He
observes couples to see if they have true love and he gives tests to
see if the couples could survive. If they can't, he will take their
love and give it to another couple who have a chance. When Miki got to
his house planning to surprise him, she sees him with another girl, who
is a Deliver just like him.
Afterwards in her boyfriend's notebook, she sees some notes about her
friend and her friend's boyfriend. She finds out that her friend's
boyfriend is cheating on her with another friend.
Her friend accuses Miki of cheating on her with her boyfriend. Later
Miki's boyfriend takes her out on proper dates. Then at this time the
girl appears again to warn her off so Miki breaks up with her
boyfriend, but Miki and her friend forgive each other because her
friend's boyfriend confessed what happened. Miki's boyfriend still
doesn't want to break up.
Lisa Cao (student)
Daisy Dawson and the big freeze by Steve Voake
Walker, 2009.
(Ages 7-9) What is Daisy to do? Woolverton, the curious young lamb, has
disappeared into the ice and snow and Ricky the sheep dog is off
working. It looks like it is up to Daisy and her loyal pet dog Boom to
venture into the dangerous woods and rescue Woolverton. Who will they
encounter on their way and what will they find? And most importantly,
will they bring Woolverton home safely?
The third in the Daisy Dawson series by English author, Steve Voake,
this book continues telling Daisy's adventures. Daisy is an energetic
and kind girl who possesses the ability to talk to animals. Her home
and school life is warm and cosy, providing the backdrop for her safe
but satisfying adventures. The early chapters chronicle Daisy's day at
school in the snow, which while engaging, left this reader impatient
for the main storyline to develop.
The good-sized print, short chapters and regular illustrations make
this a good choice for newly independent readers. Its appeal will be
mainly for girls, particularly those who enjoy animal stories in cosy
and comfortable settings.
Rachel Flenley
Evernight by Claudia Gray
HarperTeen, 2008.
(Age 14+) Teen romance, vampire angst, and ancient hatred all feature
prominently in this plot driven story. Bianca has been enrolled in the
exclusive Evernight Academy by her parents who also teach at the school
and who are convinced that she needs to broaden her horizons and join
the real world. Bianca doesn't fit in with the perfect students, all
sleek and beautiful in their tailored uniforms. She wants to escape but
then she meets another newcomer, Lucas, and feels an instant rapport
with him, although he warns her to be careful. Can their love survive
their differences and what are the secrets that the school is hiding?
The story is told in the first person from Bianca's point of view.
Right from the start I was drawn into the plot and found it hard to put
down as I followed Bianca's attempts to fit in and find friends and her
growing obsession with Lucas. Bianca, although initially shy and rather
withdrawn, grows into a strong heroine who is prepared to fight for
what she wants. There are a couple of big surprises in the book and a
third love interest with Balthazar, a very popular senior, as well as
the inevitable battle between the vampires and their hunters.
Gray has written a suspenseful story with a great romance and her
exploration of how vampires would need to survive in a modern world is
leavened with humour. Readers who loved the Twilight series will love
this book as well, and sequels are on the way!
Pat Pledger
Alive in the death zone by Lincoln Hall
Random House Australia, 2008.
ISBN 9781741663372
(Ages 11+) Highly recommended. Alive in the Death Zone by
Australian
mountaineer Lincoln Hall successfully aims at the children's market,
and is an adaptation of his adult book Dead Lucky.
The title refers to the author's miraculous survival from being left
for dead overnight at 8,500 metres, just after summiting Mt
Everest. Only the last 3 of 12 chapters are on this
subject. Earlier chapters describe how Lincoln was introduced to
climbing through his school's PE teacher and follows his career from
initial excursions into the Brindabella's (ACT) and Blue Mountains,
through to training in New Zealand and then completing his first
Himalayan climb of 7,000 metre Dunagiri. It also
describes how he worked as a trek leader and expedition photographer
before his 2006 Mt Everest climb.
This book is brilliantly put together with the autobiographical story
being regularly broken up with informative text boxes and captions on
such topics as acclimatisation, snow blindness, dangers of couloirs
(mountain gullies), yaks, lists of equipment etc. The 103 pages
include 90 stunning photos enticing even the laziest person to have a
browse. Reality is enhanced with a photo of Lincoln's black and
decaying frostbitten fingers, parts of which are later amputated.
This book can be read in less than 2 hours, or savoured a chapter at a
time.
The climbing history of Everest is summarised: from the 1924 Mallory
expedition; the problem that access from either Tibet or Nepal was
forbidden for many years; and the successful attempt by Edmund Hillary
and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay in 1953. A list of the
world's highest mountains, a glossary and even a snakes and ladder type
game of 'the Everest summit' also contribute to make this book
educational. Alive in the Death Zone is highly recommended for all upper
primary and
secondary libraries. Its picturesque cover and colourful and varied
presentation from page to page will hold the interest of all.
Additionally it will be a useful reference for those doing climbing in
outdoor education. Adults seeking an inspiring story also will
love this book and find themselves subconsciously extending their
knowledge.
Kay Haarsma (Salisbury East High School)
Auslander by Paul Dowswell
Bloomsbury, 2009
(Ages 12+) Living in Poland with his German parents, Peter has only an
inkling of what it means to be an outsider, a foreigner, when the
German army comes racing through the countryside, killing and looting.
After his parents are killed by a German tank, he is sent to an
orphanage, but his German background and Aryan looks serve him well and
he is adopted by a high ranking German professor of Eugenics at Berlin
University.
Here he learns first hand that he must support the Nazi regime. At 14
he must join the Hitler-Jugend (Hitler youth) and be involved in
patriotic things they do, as they become more and more allied to
supporting the war effort. Peter meets Anna, and when she feels she can
trust him, invites him to join her family supporting Jewish people
hiding in the city. Peter's ideas of being an outsider, allied with his
questioning of what Hitler is doing, alongside the news he hears which
contradicts what the Hitler Youth is saying, sees him query the regime
more and more. He and Anna visit a cafe where American music is played
and must run for their lives when it is raided. His guardian bans him
from playing Mendelssohn, then one day the older sister, Elsbeth, tells
him what she has been doing as a nurse.
A page turning thriller, Auslander tells younger readers just how the
Nazi regime put its ideas about a pure race into practice. Told against
the background of the encroaching British and American armies, the
story is exciting and involving, showing how some people rebelled
against the Nazi order.
Fran Knight
Crime time: Australians behaving badly by Sue Bursztynski
Ford Street Publishing, 2009
ISBN 978 1 876462 76 5
(Age 11+) We all know the fascination held by many readers for true
crime stories and investigations. Here is a well-researched and
broad-ranging collection of tales which focus on criminals appearing
throughout Australian history. Beginning in the 1600s, a comprehensive
list moves through the decades to the early 2000s, featuring such names
as John Giles Price, Ned Kelly, Squizzy Taylor, Ronald Ryan, Julian
Knight, Ivan Milat, Chopper Read, and Carl Williams. Each story
devotes about four pages to its subject, accompanied by a clever little
portrait drawn by Louise Prout, with Did You Know facts presented as a
footnote to each chapter. This compilation is readable and
interesting, and perfect for the young investigator. Kerry
Greenwood's introduction invites the reader, with great enthusiasm, to
wallow in the 'deep, dark history of crime, true crime' of Australia's
past. However, it is disconcerting to find some stories included,
such as Martin Bryant's of the Port Arthur Massacre, with his portrait
illustrating the title page, when the cover, title and introduction
imply a certain light hearted or sensational element to the
collection. Overall the collection is informative and extensive,
with each entry conveying a good sense of place, time and
character. A useful bibliography and index are included.
Julie Wells
The composer is dead by Lemony Snicket
Harper Collins, 2009.
(Ages:all) Recommended. This story is a crime tale, and the detective
called to the scene of the crime, goes through the whole orchestra in
search of the murderer. One by one he eliminates each section of the
orchestra, finding out where they were at the time in question. On each
double page spread the section of the orchestra under suspicion is
drawn in silhouette, and bars of music are scattered from one page to
another. The whole is a musical treat, as it introduces younger readers
to the instruments which make up an orchestra and what each section
does. The composer's death is still a mystery at the end, but all the
orchestra including the conductor admit to having some hand at killing
a composer at some time in their lives. Linked with humour, dancers,
bars of music and the best of illustrations, every reader will be
entranced,
The beautifully illustrated and presented hard cover book, The
composer
is dead, is augmented with a CD containing the story narrated by
Lemony Snicket, and the instrumental version, tucked into the front
inside cover. The illustrations by Carson Ellis reflect the humour
inherent in the tale, using a small range of colour luminously. This
book is a treat for all.
Fran Knight
Cicada Summer by Kate Constable
Allen and Unwin, 2009. ISBN
97817417828 3
(Ages 10+)Highly recommended. Gently reflecting the twin values
of family and friendship, Cicada Summer will captivate readers
as they
examine the enigmatic Eloise and her struggle to communicate. She is a
lonely yet resilient 12 year old, wary of people, but desperate to have
a friend. She takes risks, and although unable to speak, watches with
an artist's observant eye.
Moving to the country supposes a fresh start for Eloise and her dad.
With his grandiose ideas of developing his mother's long empty house,
he hopes Eloise will find her voice, lost after her mother died. Not
happy to see them, Eloise's Gran, Mo, is wrapped in her own reclusive
world, and is even less happy when her son leaves for the city. An
unhappy combination, Mo retreats to her study, while Eloise grabs an
old bike from the garage to ride to Mo's abandoned house, briefly seen
on the way. There she walks into a time when the house is full of
people, the garden cared for and a child of her own age there to be her
friend.
The world Eloise inhabits is both familiar and unsettling as she
returns each day to be with Anna. The two girls paint the summerhouse,
Eloise further developing her drawing and painting skills, and through
her friendship with Anna, learning to accept her mother's death.
Christmas sees Elois's father return with a friend and Mo's next door
neighbours, the Durranis, decide to cook the Christmas meal for the
family joining in with their celebrations. The stage is set for some
revealing behavior from all sides.
Fran Knight
The Donkey who carried the wounded by Jackie French
Angus and
Robertson, 2009 ISBN 978073228839 6
(Ages 10+) The inestimable Jackie French has done it again, writing a
wonderful novel of a time in our history that we have all heard of, but
may know little about. Effortlessly she makes us believe that the
donkey which carried the wounded at Gallipoli was aware of what he was
doing, that he had a relationship with Simpson, the ambulance man who
retrieved the wounded from the terrible gulleys above the beach. Her
writing, using alternate chapters about Jack (Simpson) and the donkey
will impress the reader with their poignancy and authenticity. She has
used wide research to make sure that her setting is real, the
information is accurate and the ambience, truthful. Readers will soak
up the atmosphere, cling to the stories of the wounded and immerse
themselves in the world of Gallipoli in 1915, when so many were killed
and wounded.
She tells us in her notes at the end that she made up the beginning and
end of the story, and has used all sorts of research, myths and stories
to write her novel. She has succeeded brilliantly in creating a story
which will enlighten, inform and involve its readers. No-one will be
immune from shedding tears while reading this, as French gives us
chapters about some of the wounded, alongside Jack and the donkey, as
well as chapters about the sniper in the hills, who eventually killed
Simpson.
The whole, as in all of this series, The Animal Stars, has a
large
afterward, explaining the research that she undertook, and giving extra
notes about some of the features of the novel, along with an
informative glossary. This beautifully written book is a significant
addition to the books about Gallipoli, especially Simpson and his
Donkey. And, as in all of her books about war, she promotes the lives
of those less well known, the footnotes of history, and this makes
history truly real for her readership.
Fran Knight
Ever by Gail Carson Levine
HarperCollins, 2008.
(Ages 9-14) Imagine that you are a young girl on the brink of
womanhood, and because of an oath that your father has made to the god,
Admat, you are going to be sacrificed. Kezi, knowing that she has only
a month to live, is trying to keep up her spirits, when she notices a
majestic, muscular young slave at a wedding. Unknown to her, it is
Olus, the god of the wind, and he has has fallen in love with her and
is determined to help her. He offers her the chance to become immortal,
but to do that they both have to undertake a difficult task to prove
their worth.
The author has written the story in the first person, with alternating
chapters told by Kezi and Olus. The reader gets to know the two
characters quite well as they recount their fears, feelings and what is
happening around them. All the sentences are short, as are the
chapters, and this makes for ease of reading. The exotic setting,
perhaps the Middle East, is fascinating, particularly the descriptions
of rug making and dancing, both of which Kezi excels at.
On the surface Ever appears to be a straight forward love story
between
a young god and a mortal girl, and younger readers will enjoy the
plight of the young couple and the action surrounding the difficult
quest that each must undertake. More discerning readers will spend time
pondering the meaning of love and what some people are prepared to
sacrifice for it. Religion is also a major theme and Levine examines
the way that two different belief systems can operate: in Kezi's world
there is only one god, but in Olus's domain there are many.
A very attractive cover will be sure to draw in readers, who will then
have to read on to find out if Kezi survives and if the young lovers
find happiness.
Pat Pledger
Bite of the Mango by Mariatu Kamara with Susan McClelland
Allen and
Unwin, 2009.
(Ages 15+ ) Biography. Civil war in Sierra Leone means that
Mariatu and her family have no idea of where to run when the rebels
arrive. Burning villages, raping, murdering and mutilating those they
come across, the drug addled, and leaderless anarchistic rebels cut off
the girl's hands in an effort to stop her voting for the president.
What is a president? She asks, underlining her innocence and naivety at
what is going on around her.
This amazing true story will fill readers with dread as they read of
what is happening in countries where guerilla bandits attempt to take
control, or at the very least, destabilise their country. It is a story
filled with horror as harrowing story after harrowing story is related
by this young girl. Eventually getting to a hospital, she finds that
she is pregnant, not to one of the rebels, but raped by her husband to
be.
Living in a refugee camp where she and her friends must beg to survive,
Mariatu is heartened by news that people from rich countries have read
of her plight and sent her money to survive. She revels in the fact
that she is being noticed, and is eventually taken to Canada where her
benefactors find a place for her to live and be educated. She decides
that her education will be the savior for herself and her country and
now divides her time between Canada and Sierra Leone helping others in
her situation.
A distressing story from start to finish, the core at its heart is
Mariatu's spirit. She rarely allows herself to be self pitying, instead
looking for ways to ensure her survival. She takes every opportunity
available to her, noting that those who have come from a life like hers
are eagerly taking up the education offered to them. It is a salutatory
read, one which will enhance our students' view of themselves in this
world, making them much more aware of the courage that some display to
survive. Fran Knight
The best cow in show by Andy Cutbill and Russell Ayto
HarperCollins,
2009.
Ages 5+ Following on from the success of The cow that laid an egg,
comes this
charming picture book, relishing in the cow with her chicken offspring.
When the farmer's wife declares a competition to see who has the most
beautiful baby, all the cows are prepared to present their offspring.
There are calves everywhere, except for one place of course. Marjorie
and her chicken, Daisy, are ready to be inspected by the farmer's wife,
when Daisy spies a worm in her hat. Without further ado, she picks off
the worm, and the farmer's wife faints. All the cows laugh, but
Marjorie whisks Daisy into her arms telling them that she may not
be the same as all the others, but she is loved. With that the
bull, Derek, gives her the rosette as best in show because she is the
prefect mum.
A delightful story with a serious message, The best cow in show
will
absorb and amuse younger readers as they follow Marjorie's antics
through the book. The moral of the story is obvious to all, and many
discussions in class will follow as the children talk of how love is
unconditional. The fine illustrations by Russell Ayto are perfect,
paralleling the nonsense of the story, with the theme of a mother's
love reflected in the eyes of all the cows.
Fran Knight
Torn pages by Sally Grindley
Allen and Unwin, 2009.
(Ages 12+) The impact of AIDS in Africa is told to readers using a
small family left alone by the distress of the deaths of their parents.
Lydia, a young girl in her early teens must look after her ill sister,
Kesi and brother Joe. One would expect other family members to
come to the fore and help the youngsters, but their only relative,
their father's mother, proves to be a disturbing and undermining
grandmother. She cannot accept her son's death and so blames the
mother, leaving the children bereft of any support.
In describing the family's plight, Grindley reveals the force of this
disease on the community. Lydia and her siblings can no longer attend
school, so their future is made even grimmer. Their isolation by some
members of the community, reinforced by the suspicion that Kesi has
AIDS, and the fear of catching the disease, is underlined by Kesi's
separation from other students at school. It is the daily existence
that Grindley explains so well: the family's attempts to grow
vegetables, Lydia's attempts to repair their clothes, the kindness of
others in the village, the daily struggle to attend school and Lydia's
nervousness at the offers of help from a local man. Lydia's continual
support comes from the diary left by her mother, encouraging the young
girl in her efforts to be optimistic and aware of her parents' love.
Quotes from this diary form a neat parallel to their day to day
existence.
Reading this novel will engender plenty of discussions about AIDS and
its progress through a community, and students will be able to compare
this book with others written on the same theme, Chanda's secret
(Allan
Stratton) The Heaven Shop (Deborah Ellis) and Two Weeks
with the
Queen (Morris Gleitzman) .
Fran Knight
When the Hipchicks went to War by Pamela Rushby
Lothian, 2009. ISBN
978 0734410917
(Ages 14+) Using the medium of three young girls off to Vietnam to
entertain the troops, Rushby presents an easily digested story of the
Vietnam War and its impact on all concerned. Told through the youngest
of the girls, Kathy, a sixteen year old apprentice hairdresser, we see
her caught up in the times, the swinging sixties, wanting more out of
life than setting perms for housewives. She goes along to an audition
for dancers, and is dismayed to see the hundreds of girls just like her
lining up. Another girl suggests that she, Kathy and a third girl
present themselves as a trio, and they are immediately hired.
Once in Vietnam, they are quickly employed by the Americans to tour the
hospitals and they see the war at first hand. Covered in protective
gear, they ride in jeeps and helicopters of all shapes and sizes to the
hospital tents where they entertain the sick, injured and dying. The
impact on the girls is overwhelming, and Rushby's writing ensures that
the reader will be just as moved. The journey the girls take from
innocence to horror is riveting, and confronting. Kathy's brother is
called up, her boyfriend and closest girlfriend back in Australia are
involved in the anti Vietnam War rallies, they are followed by a
journalist Jan, who writes about their experiences for the Women's
Weekly and so on, all these experiences are real and add to the
authenticity of the story.
Rushby shows the changing times incredibly well, the attitude to women,
the protest movement, a shotgun marriage, the increasing
disillusionment with the war; increasing use of drugs and so on,
reminding me with immediacy of my uni days in the 1960's; the marches,
the burning of call up papers, the TV footage of the wounded and dying,
the self immolation of Buddhist priests, the imprisonment of
conscientious objectors. The book is redolent with the changes that the
Vietnam War and the sixties brought to the youth of Australia and will
be an eye opener for astute mature readers from about year 9 and up.
Fran Knight
Chalice by Robin McKinley.
G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2008.
(Age 11+) Recommended. I have never been disappointed with a book
written by Robin McKinley and this is no exception. Mirasol is a humble
beekeeper, who tends her bees and sometimes hears the earthlines speak
to her. She is astounded when she is chosen to become the Chalice, a
very important member of the Master's Circle. It is her role to bind
the Circle together with its new Master and keep the Willowlands and
its people healthy. But Mirasol has not been trained for this important
duty and the new Master is a priest of fire whose very touch burns. How
can she give the Master his chance to lead his lands to prosperity?
McKinley never repeats her plots. Each book is a new and unique
experience and Chalice brims with originality. Her heroine is a
strong
young woman who must contend not only with bees that are making huge
amounts of honey and goats who are producing bounteous milk but the
enigmatic Master who burns beneath his cloak and who also has doubts
about his ability to lead.
This is not an action packed fantasy with sword wielding characters and
wicked sorcerers; rather it is a rich and rewarding story about duty
and love of the land. The tension revolves around whether her heroine
and hero will be able to overcome their doubts and fears and reach
their full potential.
The beautiful language ensures that the reader will remember the images
of Willowlands, the earthlines and most of all the healing power of
honey.
Intelligent readers who want their fantasy laced with intricate
language, wonderful images and a quiet romance will need to go no
further. This book is a keeper.
Pat Pledger
