Wake up Lionel! by Sian Turner. Illus. by Rebecca Cool
Little Steps, 2023. ISBN: 9781922833907. (Age:3+) Recommended.
Poor old Lionel walks in his sleep and on his Granny’s farm this causes some hilarity. Readers will laugh out loud at the sight of Lionel wandering around the farm in his pyjamas, clutching Ted. First he tries to sit on the rocking chair, but finds this is the cat’s sleeping place so he must find somewhere else. Next he finds the dog and tries to share his bed, then rebuffed he goes outside to the stable, where he snuggles into the horse’s hay. The horse says neigh and so he moves on to the pigsty. Again he must move and he finds the henhouse.
Ted becomes hooked up in the wire so must be freed before the pair perch on the roost with the hens.
Leaving the henhouse he is followed by the animals he has shared a bed with and as he goes back to his own bed, the others do the same. They stay a little while then leave Lionel to his own bed, where he is woken by Gran at 7 o’clock with a sunrise.
Black outlined, bold and colourful illustrations cover each page. Readers will be drawn to the images of the animals, recognising each in their turn, and learn the name of each shelter the animal inhabits. Images of the farm will also draw their attention, and the detail shown of the animals and their sounds will entreat readers to say them out loud. Reading the book aloud to a young audience will see them joining in, repeating the sounds made and predicting the rhyming word at the end of each pair of rhyming lines.
A laugh out loud story which begs the reader to be involved, this tale of the animals’ attempts to wake Lionel will be a read it again picture book.
Themes Read aloud, Animals, Sleepwalking, Farm life.
When 12-year-old coding whiz Zoey goes from home-schooled by her software-programmer parents to real school where there are teachers and other students, in an attempt to fit in, she develops an app called the Cool Code with a cute pink llama avatar called C.C. that she hopes will tell her everything from what to say to what to wear based on pop culture algorithms she's uploaded. But although C.C. may be cute, it's also bossy and starts to give her ridiculous advice, such as running against her new friend Daniel in the school election, and things get awkward. With a few upgrades and a bit of debugging from the coding club, the app actually works - Zoey gets really popular . . . and gets her pulled in all kinds of directions, including away from her real friends.
Even though the new school year is some months away, nevertheless enrolments are open and for many students about to make the transition from primary to high school. the anxiety is starting to grow as they grapple with the changes involved, particularly the aspect of meeting and making new friends at a time in their lives when social acceptance and peer pressure is starting to dominate relationships. So while this is a path well-trod in many stories by numerous authors, nevertheless each one has a place to help reassure those about to embark on a similar journey. It's graphic novel format means it is one to be read individually, but that same format could be the hook that gets the reluctant reader in.
One to add to a display on the theme, including the CBCA shortlisted August and Jones, that might allay the fears of some and also spark conversations about what is concerning them most and how to prepare to overcome that. At the very least, it will demonstrate that their worries are common and shared, and that, in itself, can help.
Themes Mobile apps, Computer programming, Friendship.
Barbara Braxton
Mother Earth by Libby Hathorn. Illus. by Christina Booth
This is a gorgeous collection of timely poems about the wonder of nature, the human effect on the earth and what we can do to protect it. Christina Booth's (Welcome Home) illustrations are rich and poignant, her use of light and depth a particular strength. The poems within are varied in form and focus. There are some haikus, rhyming poems, a rap, a riddle and some with context provided (rescued koala after bushfire). There is a poem about some plant species that need protecting in each state and territory ('Small tufted bush pea with reddish stalk slender, you're tough and you're vibrant and yet you are tender'), one about the danger of cane toads ('We're dangerous to wildlife with our poisonous glands, haven't you heard to dogs and to birds?'), one about rubbish and recycling ('Learn the trick to sep-a-rate, you can do it, sort it, mate!') and another about the Gundungurra people of the Megalong Valley ('The song of songs was there, the heartbeat of the earth, the oldest story known of life, of death, re-birth'). Birds, storms, sounds of nature, trees, deforestation, wildlife, native flora, icebergs, coral reef exploration and water are also covered.
This is a wonderful collection that deserves a place in every Australian school library. 'Keep the forest, green gold place, the glow of hope on this earth's old face'. Libby's website even has some tips and prompts for writing poetry that could be adapted to any age as well as offering poetry workshops for teachers. Teacher's notes are available.
Themes Nature, Poetry.
Nicole Nelson
When dark roots hunt by Zena Shapter
Midnight Sun Publishing, 2023. ISBN: 9781922858061. (Age:14-18) Recommended.
For lovers of alternative worlds with hints of our own, or worlds and communities which have degraded and fractured, this is an amazing journey! This story follows the main character Sala, whose own heritage puts her at odds with her village community. She tries desperately to live well and still get the locals to consider innovation and new ways of existing in their lakeside community. The waterways of her alt-world are ringed by Wyann trees that are vicious and inclined to attack anything that enters the water. There are also brutal giant water-ants that hunt anything on the water surface. Neighbouring communities and trade links must overcome a host of problems to enable survival, but it is the arrival of a crashed spacecraft and its alien (but humanoid empath) that sends the known world into chaos as they each seek to steal any technology that might help their own community. Violence and partisanship rise to the fore and Sala must determine whether she aligns with her alienated and autocratic mother and her community, or her father’s democratic village and her childhood friend, or does she readjust to see her world through the eyes of her new alien friend and possible romantic interest, who always seems to understand her every concern and hope for the future.
At first I struggled to align my understanding and imagination to this alt-world, but as the book progressed I warmed to the journey, the struggles of the lead character and the possibilities offered by the alien presence and technology. Lovers of sci-fi and speculative fiction will love this story. But even those who are more attuned to adventure and conflict will be charmed. The addition of a sprinkle of potential romance will also win over a completely different audience of Young Adults. Because there is a wide potential audience, I can recommend this story, and especially to those who have enjoyed books like The Hunger Games or other dystopian fiction as there are traces of a dystopian genre mingled with the sci-fi threads. This author has created a unique new world, adventure, conflict and turmoil with unusual creatures, weapons and threats, for readers aged 14 –18.
Themes Sci-Fi, Speculative fiction, War and conflict, Aliens, Technology, Friendship.
Sophie Masson is a master at weaving historical facts into captivating stories, and this book is no exception. Set in AD 84, more than 40 years after the successful invasion of Britain, it tells the story of Livia, a recently orphaned twelve-year-old girl. Livia and her father have been treating people with eye problems for as long as she can remember, so when her father dies, she must find somewhere else to live. Her dying father has given Livia a key with instructions to take it to her estranged uncle Marcus, however when she finds his house, he has already left for a town further north. One of her uncle’s servants, Mato, says he can assist her with information but will only help her if she allows him to come along on the journey. Mato was kidnapped and put into slavery during a battle, and he wants to go home and see his mother who he believes is dying. As they travel on her aging horse, Pegasus, in search of the uncle, they come to realise that the key holds a dangerous secret, and they seem to be unable to guess who is an ally and who is an enemy.
The exciting plot moves along well, and readers are drawn into the dangerous game Livia is playing when she tries to figure out what the key means and why her uncle and his enemies will do anything to get or destroy it. But will they uncover the truth in time to stay alive? Detailed background notes and a glossary at the back of the book are very helpful additions for young readers.
Themes Great Britain History, Roman Britain, Family relations, Mysteries.
When Sam lets in a little fear one night, he's sure it won't be any bother. But before he knows it, the fear has grown and grown and grown. Until even the sunniest of sunny days doesn't feel very sunny any more. There's only one thing for it. Sam must try and be a little bit brave .
It's not so long ago that if we wanted books that addressed the mental health of our youngest readers we would be searching the shelves, possibly in vain. But with the growing recognition and understanding that the well-being of our teens and young adults begins with their ability to cope with their earliest fears - fears that all children have as they start to navigate the road to independence - then books like this are not only becoming more common but, sadly, more necessary.
Sam's particular fear is not identified but it is given shape, form and colour so that it seems real, and that in itself is important because it acknowledges that for Sam, and other children, whatever it is is a real concern so the story has wider applicability. In Sam's case, the fear grows so large it follows him around like a big black cloud until he decides that to be brave, he just has to put one foot in front of the other. There is no indication that he tells anyone about it or seeks adult help, so if this book is used in a class program perhaps those steps should form part of any ensuing discussion. To give the impression that something that has grown as large as it has is something the child could/should deal with alone is perhaps instilling even more anxiety especially if using Sam's strategy doesn't work. So while facing our own individual demons, regardless of their size, shape and colour, all of which can keep changing, is something we ultimately have to do ourselves, there needs to be a strong message that we don't have to do it alone. So while I'd recommend it as part of your mental health collection, it is one that should be shared in the first reading.
Themes Fear.
Barbara Braxton
Timefire by Nean McKenzie
Midnight Sun Publishing, 2023. ISBN: 9781922858030. (Age:9-12) Highly recommended.
Timefire is a complex and fascinating story skillfully interwoven around a number of major bushfires in Victoria’s past. Set in 2033, young teen Gilbert Black has been accused of lighting fires in his local area. His missing mother was accused 13 years before of lighting the 2020 fire in Mallacoota and someone is out to frame Gil for the latest fires in the area. Gil loves history and has a fascination with fires. After he presented a school assignment on the fires of Black Thursday (1851), Black Saturday (2009), Black Friday (1939) and Ash Wednesday (1983), suspicions began surfacing about him.
Early in the story, lonely Gil meets Vargo, a time travelling fire seeker, who convinces Gil that he is part of a family legacy of fire travel. He encourages him to travel through a tunnel of fire holding on to the burn mark on the back of his left shoulder. When he is through the tunnel he finds himself in the past where he meets family members who are also fire seekers. Gil is confused as to why he is back in the times of major fires, tries to help where he can, but is determined to find out more about his missing mother and the legacy he is fulfilling.
Timefire is a wonderful read where past meets present, and history is shared in an engaging and exciting way. The action is fast-paced, the strong characters are cleverly connected and the enthralling complicated ending has a surprising twist.
Themes Future, Climate Change, Bushfires, History, Family, Arson, Rumours, Time Travel, Small Communities.
Kathryn Beilby
How to draw the Gruffalo and friends by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
Award-winning illustrator Axel Scheffler has created a wonderful step-by-step guide to learning how to draw images based on the popular books by much-loved author Julia Donaldson. Celebrating 30 Years of Favourite Stories, this colourful and well-presented book, is a treasure trove of characters and scenes from The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo’s Child, Room on a Broom, The Snail and The Whale, The Smartest Giant in Town, A squash and a Squeeze, Monkey Puzzle and Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book.
The book begins with a warm introduction from Axel Scheffler and in each of the eight sections he gives personal thoughts and ideas. He also includes an important orange-coloured Top Tip bubble for the reader. Each character is cleverly introduced with instructions provided in an easy-to-follow manner. There are starting points and extra support with guide lines being added. As an additional bonus is the opportunity to design and create scenes for some of the characters.
For readers of Julia Donaldson’s books this a wonderful addition to a home library or for a teacher to share with their students. It gives a valuable behind-the scenes look at how Axel Scheffler brought these popular books to life.
Kathryn Beilby
The blue umbrella by Emily Ann Davison and Momoke Abe
Andersen Press, 2023. ISBN: 9781839132520.
It wasn't supposed to rain the day the little girl found the blue umbrella on her doorstep with a note that said, "For you." But she took it with her to the park just in case, and sure enough the rain started. As it got heavier, she realised her mum was getting wet, and even though it was just a little umbrella she told her mum to get under it. And, miraculously, they both fitted. As they noticed more and more people getting wet, they invited them to shelter too, and the umbrella grew to embrace them all. But the biggest miracle was yet to come...
This is a heart-warming story of the power of community coming and working together that will delight young readers, particularly. Somewhat reminiscent of the story of the magic pot that kept multiplying the food so all the peasants could be fed, but without the didacticism, it shows just how the ripples of kindness can spread into unexpected corners - how a simple act might be the shining light in a person's struggle, as it was for the old man on the park bench. Perhaps the children might not have a mysterious, magic umbrella but they do have a smile that can spread just as widely.
Themes Umbrellas, Rain, friendship, Community life.
Barbara Braxton
Tamarra: A story of termites on Gurindji Country by Violet Wadrill et al.
Tamarra: A story of termites on Gurindji Country has been written by 30 First Nations and non-Indigenous people and gives a fascinating insight into the habitat and life cycle of the termite on Gurindji Country. Working together for over four months in 2021, Gurindji Elders, storytellers, artists, translators, scientists, and a linguist, have created a stunning factual picture book about the termite and its strong connection to the First Nations People of the area.
The initial introductory pages provide a map of Gurindji Country, an explanation of the word tamarra with the pronunciation ‘DAH-mah-rrah’, the languages used in the story as well as a thoughtful glossary of some Gurindji words with their English translation and pronunciation. There is also a QR code shaped as a termite mound where the story is read in Gurundji and glossary words are pronounced. The double page following provides information about termites with photographs and a clearly labelled diagram giving vital facts about this ingenious insect.
The story begins with the birth of a baby and how the grandmother will use some of the termite mound as a treatment to strengthen the baby’s body and spirit. The preparation of the termite mound and the information shared about the ceremony is fascinating. This is followed by the essential role spinifex plays in the life of the termite. The reader is given further information about the termite mound, the gut of the termite, what happens during and after the rain season and the future of the Gurundji culture. The final pages share the behind-the-scenes story with detailed information about the Tamarra Project.
Each glossy double page is strikingly presented with information written in a First Nations language as well as English, a ‘Did You Know?’ bubble with interesting facts, a sharp and clear photograph, plus a magnificent full-page painting related to the text. There is also a clever key at the bottom of each page of information. The impressive cover and endpapers along with the vibrant paintings and photographs throughout, will draw readers both young and old to this very special book. A wonderful resource for schools and public libraries that will provide so much new learning for all.
Where's Wally? Days out colouring book by Martin Handford
Walker Books, 2023. ISBN: 9781529507386. (Age:5+)
Young fans of Where’s Wally? will enjoy this latest colouring book of destinations including an art gallery, restaurant, parade, doggy day care and even a Jurassic scene. With detailed drawings in black and white, and Wally hidden on the page, there is the opportunity for the young reader to make each double page their own. There are items to search for and also black and white stickers to colour in.
Cat lives in Kent with her parents and is two years older than her more sensible, tree-hugging sister, twelve-year-old Luna. The two main influences in Cat's life are Taylor Swift and “The Bible to the Stars”, her astrological guide to everything. Her secret main obsession is classmate Alison Bridgewater, ‘the Prettiest Pisces Princess” p15 and she dreams about kissing her and decides to write her a poem. When Alison asks her to meet after school Cat is ecstatic but when she sees Alison talking to a boy, she is so distracted she steps in front of a bus. Cat is not badly hurt and her friends rally round to cheer her up. Best friend Zanna is her main supporter and knows about her crush but Cat is part of the popular, pretty group at school ruled by queen bee, Siobhan who gets to decide who is in and who is out and Cat wants to fit in so keeps her preference secret. The girls know Siobhan is a bully but want to be included in her group for protection. At weekends Cat’s mother has a sewing group and her best friend’s son, Jamie Owasu, regularly spends time with Cat though they have nothing in common. When Cat accidentally mentions she thinks he is good looking Jamie starts gazing at her in a different way and then she tries to hide her crush on Alison from Siobhan and her group by saying she likes Jamie. Before she knows it, they are boyfriend and girlfriend and Cat’s life gets even more complicated. When new girl, Morgan Delaney, a Gemini and not one of Siobhan’s group, rescues Cat’s journal from the river things start to change and Cat must reassess the horoscope assertion ‘never trust a Gemini”. Packed with fun alliteration like ‘brutal broomsticks” and ‘dancing dingoes divine” Cat’s is a fun story for young middle school girls (the characters seem much younger than their stated age). Racism and casual xenophobia are called out with a light touch, a bit too light really, and it does shine a light on peer group bullying and the importance of standing up for others; again, rather weakly and late in the piece, similarly with homophobia. I was a bit disturbed by the disappearance of Jamie on page 147 with no follow up on his welfare, and the lack of any good male characters was a shame. The fast-paced dialogue-rich narrative is broken up with occasional poems and group chats. This is very much a girls’ book, a bit shallow and thoughtless but it will no doubt appeal to its intended audience.
Themes LGBTQ+, friendship, astrology.
Sue Speck
Miss Penny Dreadful & the malicious maze by Allison Rushby
The second in this highly readable and engaging series of mystery stories centring on the wonderful Penny Pickering will catch readers who crave something more, casting aside the mountain of rosy pink BFF stories that have crowded shelves of late. Penny is a feisty, single minded girl, taken out of boarding school by her equally headstrong mystery writer aunt, to solve puzzles that come across their path.
When Penny visits her missing parent’s apartment and finds their laboratory turned upside down she knows something is wrong. A postcard from Switzerland does not allay her fears, but when Aunt Harriet is asked to solve the mystery of the malicious maze, this takes priority.
They immediately go to the house in Surrey, Harewood Hall, and instead of announcing themselves at the door, they go instead to the towering maze. No sooner do they step inside the maze, that Aunt Harriet disappears, leaving Penny all alone. But Sir Fothergill suddenly appears. Harriet and Penny follow him to the hat room, where Penny finds a maid’s hat with an article from the paper tucked inside its brim. The story concerns the missing servants, but when Penny tries to get some answers, she is forestalled. Only a talk to the stableboy Tom, allows her to feel she is getting somewhere, and donning his clothes goes to the village to seek answers.
But a second postcard has appeared from her parents, given over by the inscrutable Mr Crowley who has arrived without warning. Penny is always suspicious of his motives and the postcard adds to her concerns.
A stunning mix of mystery and suspense, the tale of Penny Pickering and the maze will delight mid and upper primary readers.
The first in the series, Miss Penny Dreadful and the midnight kittens (2022) is a wonderfully entertaining introduction to the stories about Penny, and her adventures are continued in Miss Penny Dreadful and the mermaid’s tale (2024)
An author’s note at the end of this story details the fascinating role of the Penny Dreadful in Victorian literature.
Themes Adventure, Mystery, Series Miss Penny Dreadful, Mazes, Humour.
Fran Knight
The Secret Boat by Mark Macleod and Helene Magisson
Dirt Lane Press, 2023. ISBN: 9780648899679.
The child's literacy development and mastery is underpinned by a rich, imaginative and informed vocabulary and the poems in this beautifully illustrated book certainly contribute to this. Using a variety of familiar situations which "take the reader from beachside to countryside, from revolting to delicious, from realism to fantasy, and end with a suite of bedtime meditations" the clever, creative use of words paints pictures that little ones will love to here and visualise over and over again.
Who doesn't have a smile as they picture this... It's soft inside my mother's pouch. I can hardly feel her hopping. But on the way back home again, I'm squashed in with the shopping. OUCH.
And who is not taken back to the beach when they hear this... The bubbles giggle up the sand, tickle our toes on the shore. They take a breath, they run away and then come back for more.
Just listening to the rhythm and rhyme of language teaches children so much about how they, themselves, can and will express themselves, but taking a few moments to explore what is being said in these short, often whimsical, poems empowers them to be more observant of their world and try to describe it for themselves. Next time they let the waves just tickle their toes they will think of the bubbles giggling as they make those toes curl up and jump.
While the Australian Curriculum has a strong strand that includes a focus on vocabulary, the NSW syllabus is more explicit requiring students from Kindergarten to use "Tier 2 vocabulary to extend and elaborate ideas" with Tier 2 words being defined as "high utility for mature language users and are found across a variety of domains" which "add power and precision to written and spoken language" and this collection has all that is necessary to support that outcome. Even if it is not used in the classroom formally, the images that are built as the words roll so naturally off the tongue to make the ordinary extraordinary make this just the best introduction to the poetry genre for young people and while the illustrations are exquisite, the words themselves are enough to just shut your eyes, listen and imagine.
Simply the best historical fiction I have read, the scenes of the English Civil War and the siege of Lyme Regis will stay with the reader long after the book is finished. And Minette Walker’s creation Jayne Swift is memorable.
Without taking allegiance to either the Royalist or Parliamentary forces in the English Civil War, Jayne Swift continues to practise her life’s work: healing. She finds herself at Lyme Regis setting up a hospital for the embattled town as Royalist forces hammer at their gates.
The eight week siege sees her skills needed every hour of every day, and she conscript many others to the hospital. Here she learns of the beliefs tearing families apart, not least her own. Coming from a Royalist family, she is surprised when one of her brothers enlists in Cromwell’s forces. But in the hospital and in Lyme itself Jayne becomes aware of the conflicted nature of opposing beliefs, and the utter brutality of the war, where intrigue and guile are used to undermine the opposing forces. Into this mix she meets William Harrier. Each time she meets him he is hiding behind a different guise, one a footman, a Caption at the Royalist stronghold of Corfe Castle, then a spy, but for whom? Their paths cross more often than she would like as a grudging interest in the man develops.
The background of the English Civil War is wonderful, giving a blow by blow account of the cruelty of the forces as they try to outdo each other, and giving the reader an intimate knowledge of the reasons each group fights. Through a small number of families, Walters is able to show the allegiances which supported each side, prolonging the agony for the smaller communities as their crops are razed, flocks taken for food, women assaulted, men killed, houses and farms destroyed. The portrait of the siege of Lyme Regis is powerful, allowing even the most casual of reader to understand the blood, sweat and tears that such a siege engenders.
The growing feelings between Jayne and William carries the story behind the fighting, and allows the reader to see just how different life was for women in the seventeenth century as she must tread a careful path lest any be aware of their mutual regard, particularly her parents.
I read this book via an audible version and the reading in a Dorset accent was thrilling. Jayne Swift is a character you will want to know better, her beliefs and expertise at a time when most doctors still followed the ideas of humours causing illness, bring her detractors as well as supporters both at home and further afield. This is an exceptional read on so many levels.
Themes Medicine, English Civil War, Dorset, Charles 1, Cromwell, Lyme Regis, Siege of Lyme Regis, Women’s role, Hospitals, Surgery.
