Pan Macmillan, 2023. ISBN: 9781509806928. (Age:15+) Highly recommended.
The ghost ship is the third in the series The Joubert family chronicles but absolutely can stand on its own as a fascinating story of two unique women carving out their lives in the 1620s, the story travelling from France to the Dutch Republic to the Canary Islands off North Africa. It is the time of the persecution of the Huguenots, or French Protestants, by the Catholic nobility, leading to an exodus of refugees to South Africa. Louise Reydon-Joubert is a determined young woman, in love with ships and the sea, who takes command of the merchant ship ‘Old Moon’, first as the owner, then as the captain.
There are many well-researched books of historical fiction that recount the adventures of headstrong independent women. The thing that sets this one apart is the interesting juxtaposition of the two main characters. Louise is a woman who confronts male prejudices and asserts her intelligence and determination, speaking and behaving in ways that society is reluctant to countenance. On the other hand, there is a young girl who is forced to step into the shoes of her dead brother, and become a boy in order to secure his inheritance. She becomes the quietly spoken, and cautious Gilles, a man who avoids attention and keeps to himself as much as possible, always in fear of being found out. When the paths of these two meet they become gradually drawn to each other. They are both assuming roles outside of societal norms. Their relationship becomes something forbidden and dangerous, in the times of conservative religion and the Inquisition.
Added to this is adventure on the high seas, with merchant ships and slaving ships, and pirates! The ‘Ghost Ship’ is a strange phantom ship enveloped in clouds of noxious air, with no living crew, only dead figures slumped at the oars. Stories of the ship become embellished with superstition: the vessel is crewed by the undead, it is a thousand feet long, and it is commanded by a red-horned she-devil!
Mystery, adventure, murder and romance; this book has it all. And at the heart is an interesting interrogation of the role of women, of religious conservatism and intolerance, and the recurring and ongoing persecution of refugees. Readers who enjoy intelligent historical fiction, will no doubt eagerly await the promised sequel.
Themes 17th century, Huguenots, Women, Gender, Sailing ships, Pirates.
Temora Murphy is eleven years old. She lives in a world where she never really fits. The other girls make fun of her. She's not the "right" sort of girl for anyone - least of all her mother. On the candles of her birthday cake, she wishes for escape. Like magic, in a black pearl box at the bottom of her garden, books begin to appear. The books help her to leave her world and find another where she belongs.
On her twelfth birthday, Temora makes another wish, a wish that alters her life forever. Temora Tempest is welcomed into a world within a book, where everyone else has been waiting for her. But when some of the other apprentices fall victim to a magical disease that could only be caused by one person - a monster thought long dead - Temora realises that there can be darkness in every story. And that it might be her job to save everyone.
Described by the publisher as "a literary children's story; a portal fantasy work, featuring a diverse cast of characters and a protagonist who marches to the beat of her own drum" this is a story for all those girls like my now-Ms 17 who go through primary school more in touch with the characters in stories than the luminaries of social media and who can not only transport themselves deep into a story but have a solid conversation as though they were a real part of it. Although S grew up in a loving family with a loving mother, and did not have the same adventures as Temora, she certainly had the confidence to march to the beat of her own drum because of her reading (and still does), and would have loved this book when she was in her late primary years.
A complex read for independent readers who would like to find themselves in their favourite stories it is one to snuggle up with on cold winter nights, particularly as the next in this Wordspinner series - Temora and the Dreamers - will be out in September.
Danny is bored. He would have liked to have been playing with his brother Mick but he's off with his mates so, instead, he takes his dog Scruff for a walk on the beach. Even though Danny thinks it's a vast, boring nothingness, especially on a cool wintry day. Scruff loves it and it's not too long before they are having a game of fetch as Scruff continually chases a stick into the water and brings it back. But it's when they see a crowd of people shouting and laughing and waving to someone in the water, that Danny's afternoon takes a remarkable turn...
As usual, master storyteller Browne offers a visual feast as he combines fairly straight-forward text with his rich illustrations and, just as Danny' mother suggests he use his eyes closely because "you never know what you might see", so too should the reader. But, for me, as much as I love the sea in all its changing moods and colours, and the treasures found along its shore, it is the dedication that underpins this story. "In loving memory of my big brother Michael" suggests there is a poignant undertone of loss and longing that there could have been a different ending to his brother's real-life story and this is echoed in the muted palette and flat, almost featureless seascape with just the odd break on the horizon.
So, as well as offering young readers the opportunity to think about what Danny's mother suggests about finding hidden treasures and sharing their stories of seaside adventures, it is also an opportunity to think about friends and things lost forever and the emotions attached to this. Given this is the third book about loss and grief that I have read and reviewed in the last three days, perhaps I am overthinking what might seem a simple story but my experience of Browne's writing is that like, the beach, there are always hidden treasures to discover. You just have to look.
Themes Dogs, Sea, Imagination.
Barbara Braxton
Consumed by Greg Buchanan
Hachette, 2023. ISBN: 9781398712720. (Age:Adult) Recommended for fans of dark mystery.
I picked up Consumed because Greg Buchanan’s first book about Forensic veterinarian Cooper Allen, Sixteen horses, was described as a literary crime sensation. I was intrigued to read about a new field in the crime genre, as well as read a literary thriller. I have not read Sixteen horses but was able to follow the motivation and character of Cooper as she investigated the horrific scene that she had been called to. Famous photographer Sophia Bertilak had fallen outside her house and been consumed by her two pigs. Although it seems like an awful accident, photographs have been removed from inside the house. Cooper becomes absorbed in the life of Sophie and her children, Matthew and Lucy, especially as Sophie’s most famous photograph had been of a pipe sticking up out of the ground, which was discovered to have been the burial place of a lost child. As Cooper delves deeper into Sophie’s life, long unsolved mysteries emerge, and these secrets begin to take over her life and her sanity.
Although the writing is wonderful, and the chapters short, I did not find Consumed easy to read. The title Consumed is very apt – not only do the pigs consume a body, but Cooper is consumed with what has happened both in the past and the present. It is dark and terrifying, more a tale of horror than a mystery. However, as often as I put it aside, I found myself returning - the suspense and tension, the secrets and the unlikeable characters, kept drawing me back to the pages.
This is not for readers who enjoy cosy mysteries, or prefer a clever detective, but may appeal to those who enjoy a dark, complex plot with an unsettling mystery within a mystery. An unforgettable read.
Themes Mystery, Crime, Forensic veterinarian.
Pat Pledger
A very dinosaur birthday by Adam Wallace. Illus. by Christopher Nielsen
A verse story about a dinosaur will always be a hit. But add in the attributes that this dinosaur brings to a party will have the listening audience laughing out loud. Through the book readers will get an idea of what happens at a birthday party. The opening page tells us that a dinosaur should never be invited to a birthday party because he is too farty. Over the page more reasons are given: they bring old presents that are mouldy, or broken or stinky. When it comes to the games, they cause mayhem as well. Hiding a dinosaur in hide and seek is problematic, pass the parcel causes concern, and pin the tail on the donkey could mean a wall falling down. The pool sounds cool but not when the dinosaur jumps in, offering food means none is left for the kids, blowing out the candles sees everyone covered with icing, while going up to bed at the end of such an upsetting day causes more surprises as the dinosaurs have opened all the presents, messily.
Rollicking rhymes showcase a very funny tale of how various dinosaurs can upset a party, and accompanied by the bright, zany illustrations will be read and reread by younger kids. Laugh out loud while being read aloud, kids will love looking at the different types of dinosaurs and how their names are intertwined with the rhyming structure. They will love predicting the rhyming word and learn some of the lines for themselves, particularly the ones involving bums and farts.
The endpapers contain images of various dinosaurs with their names, while at the end of the book are activities that readers could be involved with at a dinosaur birthday party.
Imagine opening a picture book and being confronted with the talons of a bird, talons that are bigger than your own hand! And then discovering that they belong to a real bird, the harpy eagle!
This new book in this series, this time, compares some of world's smallest and largest deadly animals and invites children to think about how they compare with these amazing creatures. And as well as discovering that many of the deadliest creatures are not necessarily the largest - the most successful predator is actually the common dragonfly - they also discover that just because something may not be deadly to humans, nevertheless it deserves its place in the book because of its impact on its own environment.
Every second double-page spread features a lifesize portion of a creature including caimans, snakes and lions, and the following spread explains why it is deadly and so effective within its own habitat. So while the Bengal slow loris releases a deadly, flesh-rotting venom to kill, it only uses it on its own kind.
Unlike Lifesize Baby Animals, which lent itself to children comparing their own size to that of the featured creatures, this one takes the reader into a different sort of investigation as they consider food chains and how species satisfy their basic need to eat. Sometimes the biggest or scariest are not always the ones to fear the most.
One of my enduring memories of my 50+ years of teaching in both classroom and library, is seeing groups of young boys, often not the best readers, poring over books like these excitedly discussing their discoveries, trying to outdo each other in the WOW stakes, and I am convinced that the provision of books like this contributes much more to their learning (and reading development) than the content presented within. For that alone, this is a series worth having and sharing (although I am glad that Lifesize Creepy Crawlies is only available as an ebook!)
Themes Animals.
Barbara Braxton
Love, Clancy by W. Bruce Cameron
Pan Macmillan, 2023. ISBN: 9781529010077. (Age:15+)
Clancy is a good boy. Clancy listens to his human, JayB, and does what he asks. They go for walks, sometimes picking up Odin, their neighbours dog. They go to the park and they walk there. Recently, they've started meeting other people, and more dogs, including Phoebe, the most beautiful dog Clancy's ever met. Meanwhile, JayB has lots of people in his life - there's Maddy, who appears to be JayB's girlfriend, though Clancy hears JayB saying things about them not being a couple? There's Rodney, who is JayB's friend from school, though if he's anything like his dog, Spartan, there's something a bit off about him. Walter, JayB's dad, who seems to have won something called the lottery? And then there's the cat. Kelsey. JayB doesn't understand the contempt that the cat has for him. But Clancy does. And then there are new people who have come into their lives and Clancy is excited to meet them, but where do they fit?
Switching between diary entries and the 'real time' perspective of Clancy, the book follows the story of Clancy and his owner, JayB. Full of complicated relationships and real world dramas, the story follows JayB's life and those around him. Realistic characters, many that readers would find relatable, some annoying, a good balance for the majority of readers. Very much a contemporary story with family and friendships, plenty of cute dog and cat cliches, though cat fans will struggle with the attitude of Clancy towards cats in the book. While the diary entry format is a sweet addition, as the entire story is from Clancy's perspective, it doesn't add that much to the overall story.
Themes Contemporary; Family & Relationships; Animals; Romance.
Melanie Pages
Fireflies in flight by Mette Jakobsen
Angus & Robertson, 2023. ISBN: 9781460762097. (Age:14+) Highly recommended for lovers of dystopian fiction.
For lovers of dystopian fiction, this is another gem! The follow-up story to The Snow Laundry which left readers on a knife-edge at the conclusion of the book, this sequel follows Ally who has managed to escape the Towers, the ‘workhouse’ environment where her friends continue their servile drudgery for those in power. She is desperate to liberate them, but the regime in power is doing everything to get in the way and make life difficult; there is even a possible coup on the horizon. Her former survival skills as a homeless ‘Tunnel kid’ stand her in good stead as she makes her way back to a city that has almost changed beyond recognition. Linking up with another group of young, orphaned teens who are also defying authority, Ally tries to share some information that might give hope to her friends still stuck in their hopeless existence, but is she too late? Will they become fodder for the destructive administration that cares nothing for their existence? Will they ever know freedom?
This is part 2 of Mette Jakobsen's dystopian series and yet again she leads the reader on a fast-paced action story that is intense and deadly in equal measure. For readers who have loved Divergent and The Hunger Games this is another book to excite them. Realistically this book should not be read as a stand-alone novel as it is the conclusion to the story of Ally, originally living in poverty and as a virtual tunnel-rat, who finds herself as a possible lab-rat and experimental pawn in a regime that cares nothing for its citizens. (Indications of a Nazi-like totalitarian rule). The appeal of this book for YA readers is that it also includes the potential for romance for the central characters, even though they are also fighting for survival. This series is best read by 14+ readers as there is violence and distress at every turn. It will certainly keep readers absorbed to the last page.
Everyone except Gerald loves Mr Impoppable. Gerald hates balloons and has become the world champion balloon popper, so Mr Impoppable becomes his target; but this balloon is different. He makes fabulous chocolates for all the kids. And they love him for it but Gerald hates chocolates and warns Mr Impoppable that he will pop him. So one quiet afternoon, Gerald uses his pin to try and pop Mr Impoppable. He fails.
The chocolatier sends him off to sharpen his pin. This sharpened pin does not work either, and Mr Impoppable invites Gerald to stay for lunch. Gerald is surprised, no one has ever asked him to stay for lunch before But Gerald carries on with his quest. He uses a sword and this fails, so Mr Impoppable bakes him a birthday cake. Gerald trains a bunch of ninja kittens who hiss and spat and hack and when this fails the pair sit down to afternoon tea. Gerald brings in a cannon, once the property of a fearsome pirate, and a slingshot and when these also fail, they sit down to a game of chess. Gerald continues on with his quest. He has a bunch of scientists create a steamroller, the likes of which has never been seen before. Gerald rides the Popatron 3000 to mow down Mr Impoppable and something does go pop, but not what Gerald expects.
This very funny story of two people at odds coming together. Gerald is convinced that he will succeed but the chocolatier knows he will not. He offers the hand of friendship to Gerald and the two become close. Gerald seems to be a friendless boy intent on doing negative things to fill his time. So the hand of friendship that is offered from his victim takes him aback, and he accepts what is offered.
The wonderful illustrations are mesmerising: I was entranced that a few seemingly simple lines could get across the feelings of the two characters. A small change in the way the mouth curls, or the eyebrows on the face sit, allow the reader to be aware of the feelings of the two as they come to some understanding of each other. The story and its images will serve to encourage readers to look again at difference and how to bridge that gap.
Themes Difference, Understanding, Balloons.
Fran Knight
Birdie lights up the world by Alison McLennan and Lauren Mullinder
EK Books, 2023. ISBN: 9781922539489. (Age:3+)
Each evening at sunset, Birdie the penguin would sing to the sky, enticing the stars and the moon to come out so the other zoon animals would not be left in darkness. She believed that she was the chosen one, and this was her sole purpose. But she is dismayed when she gets sick and cannot sing, and depressed when the sky lights up in its evening show regardless. Clearly, she is not as important as she thought she was. What is her purpose if not to sing the night in?
This is a sensitive story that opens up opportunities to discuss some philosophical questions with young readers about purpose and responsibility and coping with disappointment. The teachers' notes suggest some of the questions that could be posed and how Birdie's situation might be related to their own lives, particularly if ambitions or expectations are thwarted somehow. In a world where every little thing is rewarded with praise and celebration, some children are not learning how to deal with things that don't work out the way they want and so this is a chance to ask, "But what if..."
"The author has said that she wanted to deliver the message that we all have special, unique gifts and it's our responsibility to share them with the world. If we have a song to sing, we should sing it, whether it fills a stadium or only brings joy to one person. It all counts."
Barbara Braxton
Granbad by Penny Tangey. Illus. by Peter Baldwin
University of Queensland Press, 2023. ISBN: 9780702266232. Recommended.
Rebellious Grandpa is not too keen on rules, so that is why the kids call him Granbad. One day they all go along to a protest about saving the forests. Granbad puts on his greater glider costume, hands out his lollies to the kids, despite mum’s protestations, and climbs a tree, ignoring the do not climb notice, to photograph the protest. He houses his grandson on his shoulders, ignoring mum’s reminder about the doctor’s advice. On the way home they look at Granbad’s photos despite dad reminding them of their limited screen time. That night Granbad read them stories long past lights out.
But next week they hear that the protest did not work and the forest was to be cut down. So Granbad planted himself in the tree, something very illegal, daring anyone to cut him down. Others protesters passed food to him and eventually the bulldozers left and the greater gliders were safe. ‘Sometimes you have to break rules to do what’s right’ Granbad tells them.
A very telling story about conservation and what we need to do to save things in our environment, Granbad tells this tale using humour, and the illustrations add another level of humour to the text. Each page shows the family in a different situations, mum and dad trying hard to restrict Grandpa’s extreme points of view and the lengths he will go to to save the glider.
His image will make kids laugh showing his wild hair, sunglasses and clothes. I love the books the kids are reading, the detail is absorbing. Teacher's notes are available.
Garth Nix is a favourite fantasy author of mine – I especially loved Sabriel, the first of the wonderful Old Kingdom series, and The left-handed booksellers of London and I was thrilled to find that there was a collection of short stories that I had not read. Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz comprises of eight stories gathered for the first time, plus one new story “The Field of Fallen Foe,” to whet the appetites of those who are familiar with those previously published. Featuring Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz, readers will be drawn into their world, where they function as agents of the Council of the Treaty for the Safety of the World. The pair are tasked with finding and removing gods who have been listed as dangerous. Sir Hereward is the son of witches, a knight, skilful at swordplay and artillery, while Mister Fitz is a sorcerous puppet, who wields magic needles. And what a combination they are! Travelling from place to place they encounter adventure and danger in a magical land.
It was very easy to fall into these short stories and grow to like the main characters. Each one saw the pair face a different sorcerous god, and both had to draw on their skills to overcome the danger. There are scenes of derring-do, with the pair facing pirates, using gunpowder, and riding strange creatures across difficult terrains. By the end of the collection, the reader is familiar with some of Sir Hereward’s background and the family of witches he is related to, and how Sir Fitz was created.
This is a must have collection for Nix’s fans, easy to read and enjoyable, and is likely to appeal more to adults and older teens. George R.R. Martin mentions on the back cover that Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz “are the best partnership in the world of fantasy since Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser’’ by Fritz Leiber, and readers may want to check out that collection too.
At the heart of this story is a bizarre event that has impact on the lives of all who were there. Nine year-old Fran and her younger brother Theo are awakened from their sleep on a camping trip by bright lights that seem to lift the car and their tent up into the air. There is a fire somewhere and a burning figure, but their mother Stella clamps her hands across their eyes so they do not see more.
No explanation is ever offered to them for what happened that night outside the town of Temperance. All the children know is that their mother drove them back home in a terrified hurry, and her friend who had been with them, the beautiful Mardi, has disappeared. It is a mystery, like the disappearance of their father, years before, when his car went over the side of a bridge. For Theo, especially, it is another bafflement, to be added to the departure of his beloved elder sister Tess from their home.
Stella becomes taut and aloof, Fran develops a stutter, and Theo is haunted by nightmares. The consequences of that strange night extend into their lives, and impact the paths they each take. Lefevre perfectly captures the fear, confusion and complicit silence around events the children cannot make sense of, and shows how those events shape their characters and their futures. It is only later in life that they dare to search back over what happened.
This is a fascinating story of mystery and of coming of age. Predominantly told by Fran, but also by Theo, it focusses on the concerns of the children in the exhausting life of a single hardworking mother in 1960’s Adelaide. Stella’s sole parent status and her relationship with the sassy free-spirited Mardi are met with disapproval by many watchful eyes. There is also the danger of pushy men and hooligan drunks. But within the community there are sparks of kindness in some unexpected places; the generosity of Mrs Caparelli and the friendship of Hughie the homeless man relieve the loneliness and insecurity of the two children.
Many Adelaide readers will recognise the places described in this book, and enjoy the story that is woven around them. Many will also recognise the less enlightened attitudes of a past era, and the prejudices that continue to manifest today. And most definitely readers will be absolutely drawn in by the unravelling of the mystery of that strange night in Temperance.
An array of different dads and their children are shown in this story: playing, talking, having fun, eating and drinking, studying. Each page reflects the love felt between the two as they wake in the morning, eat breakfast together, then go through the day at the playground, at the supermarket, walking though a field, playing in the back yard, mending the car. Each image shows the love felt between the two, offering different dads and their children. One dad is in a wheelchair, one is hearing impaired, there are different body shapes and ages, while the children depicted are just as diverse. I loved looking at the different hairstyles of the young and old. The bold illustrations will attract the eyes of the readers as they scan each page, working out what the child and their father is doing, how they are interacting and what it shows about their relationship. Some pages are standouts; I love the double page of Dad cooking eggs, his daughter sitting on the kitchen bench, and the double page showing them in the supermarket, doing what all of us love to do, the indistinct shelves giving the impression of speed, and I love the image of the pair on the roof watching the night sky.
A delightful story of the link between fathers and their offspring, the book shows a group of diverse fathers interacting with their children, embracing the love that exists between them all, modelling a loving and strong relationship.
Text Publishing, 2023. ISBN: 9781922790330. (Age:16+) Highly recommended.
What makes a woman stern and forbidding towards her children? Why would they grow up feeling unloved? Kate Grenville’s grandmother was a woman like that. And when in her later years she regretfully asked the question of little 5 year-old Kate, “Do you love me Cathy?” the child’s answer was “No”. Grenville’s latest novel Restless Dolly Maunder is an attempt to understand that aloof and unloveable woman that was her grandmother.
Dolly Maunder was a young woman in the late 1880’s, living in rural Currabubula, NSW. As a child she liked going to school, she was “clever little Dolly”, rewarded with the teacher’s star. She thought she might like to be a teacher too, but the response from her father was a resounding “Not over my dead body”. She was a girl, her place was in the home, there was work to do, and one day she would be married, and carry on with the household work and rearing children.
Grenville masterfully captures the drudgery of women’s daily work at that time. One of the first jobs was to prepare meals for the men on the farm.
But before you could put the butter on the bread you had to churn the cream, and before you could churn the cream the milk had to be set out …, and before that the cow had to be milked, and before you could milk the cow you had to … etc.
The long litany of tasks turns into a chain of syllogisms, which drag on to be repeated day after day. And then one day you married, and you started the same chores over again. Dolly becomes bitter and resentful of the freedom that man take for granted, and that feeling of entrapment finds its outlet in her relationship with her children. In wanting better choices for her daughter, she finds herself repeating the same mantra “Not over my dead body”, overriding her daughter’s wishes and insisting that Nance study pharmacy. Nance might be offered a different future but the overriding forcefulness is the same.
Restless Dolly Maunder is a reminder of the struggle that women had to undertake to be recognised as individuals with the right to make their own choices and their own future. Dolly Maunder may not have got it completely right, but she struck out as hard as she could to make it happen. With the result that today Kate Grenville is a woman making her own career with wonderful books that highlight the experiences of women in the past, their struggles not forgotten.
