Olivie Blake was a self-published author of six books before her novel, The Atlas Six, went viral on social media giant TikTok in 2021. Blake was quickly signed by traditional publishers who began to republish her previous works, including the urban fantasy novel, One For My Enemy, in 2023. A retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, One For My Enemy is a dark and moody version of the ageless story.
Sasha is the youngest of the seven Antonova sisters, famous for their beauty, cunning and ruthlessness. Their mother, Baba Yaga, is one of the most powerful witches in New York’s underground magic community, controlling the majority of the drug and intoxicant scene. Baba Yaga’s only real enemy is Koschei the Deathless, leader of the Federov family and father to three sons, Dimitri, Roman and Lev. When Sasha and Lev accidentally meet and fall in love, it sets into motion a series of events that will lead to all out war between the two families. What Sasha and Lev do not understand is that there are dark secrets hidden in the history of the Antonovas and the Federovs. And once the truth is known, there will be devastating consequences for both sides.
One For My Enemy is an entertaining and well-written retelling of Romeo and Juliet. Blake skilfully leads readers through five acts of action and romance. Her characters are compelling, and her plot has enough surprises to maintain interest. Like the original story, readers should expect death, violence and general mayhem. There are also sexual references and drug use that makes this novel better suited to older audiences.
Multi talented Andrew Daddo has teamed again with award winning illustrator, Bentley to produce a very funny book about potty training, an event in a child’s life which seems to engross many parents, sometimes ending in unnecessary stress. This irreverent book will put all at their ease when creating a routine time in a child’s life … well … routine. Daddo uses a variety of animals to make his point; that this is a natural occurrence, coming along at least once a day, (except for pandas) sometimes more, but a common event in all animals’ lives from a lion to a hippo, a dog to a panda, a monkey to a kangaroo, a giraffe to a goldfish, each has something in common: a poo face which goes with the effort made to expel it.
Bentley’s laugh-out-loud illustrations will tickle your funny bone as each page is turned. The expressions on faces are wondrously created with just a seemingly small difference in an eyebrow or mouth position. Kids will love looking at all the poo that the animals leave behind.
Yawuru creator Brenton E McKenna, based around Broome in WA, has created a wild and frenetic story based on two monstrous hairy holers, Begley and Redley who live in the Australian bush. A lost ‘skinny’ tourist named Joplin is headed towards Adelaide, mistakenly ends up in the wrong place and is captured by the hairy holers. They debate about whether he will become a delicious meal but is deemed too small and they release him. He tries to escape but faces dangerous animal predators and is eventually saved by the brothers. He becomes fascinated by Begley and Redley and sets about trying to help them find their parents by introducing them to the Internet. What follows is both confusing and hilarious. The darkly coloured graphic illustrations show a number of frightening characters in unusual situations, but it is all in good fun. Children will enjoy the slapstick humour and at times ‘rude’ comments. This is a short story and for reluctant readers with a sense of humour this book will hold great appeal. There will be further books in this series as the search for the parents continues.
Etta and the Octopus is a witty, illustrated tale that bridges the often difficult gap between picture book and chapter book. Zana Fraillon is known for her novels aimed at an older audience but this is wonderfully done by her and lovingly brought to life by Andrew Joyner's illustrations, which are so fabulous they deserve to be in colour, but are nevertheless spectacular.
It all begins when Etta discovers an octopus taking a bubble bath in her house. And on the floor is his suitcase, with the name Oswald on it in fancy writing. Oswald isn't an easy house guest but Etta is surprisingly patient. She makes a list of all the things she discovers about octopuses, or Oswald in particular; 'octopuses do not like to be cuddled', 'octupuses can (sometimes) be very helpful'. Smiley Oswald doesn't talk but he gets up to oodles of mischief due to his lack of social etiquette. He kicks Etta out of her bed, locks her out of the house, stinks out the whole apartment with his suitcase full of fish and throws Etta's board games out the window when he loses. Taking him out of the house leads to just as much trouble. Her efforts in putting up a lost poster are unsuccessful until a mean lady named Marina Prinkle Esquire turns up at the door demanding her octopus. Can Etta really send Oswald away with this horrible person or will she decide to protect her new friend?
This is a charming story with only small chunks of text on each page and large, often full-page illustrations. A little more text than Joyner's Boris series but less than Hercules Quick and still very approachable for newly independent readers. There is a reference to this being a new series, so hopefully we see more of Etta and Oswald soon.
Themes Octopuses, Friendship, Humorous Stories.
Nicole Nelson
Alight: A story of fire and nature by Sam Lloyd. Illus. by Samantha Metcalfe
In Australia we are unfortunately accustomed to the devasting effects of fire especially during the season of summer. However, what if fires were carefully planned and only burnt those areas needing to be controlled? Alight by scientist, Dr Sam Lloyd, thoughtfully answers this question and introduces children to the positive effects that a healthy fire can have on the natural environment.
The appealing cover with its pale tones, and the gorgeous endpapers depicting the plants and animals discussed in the story, provide a clue to where the fire will burn and what might be impacted. Each of the animal and plant characters mentioned are introduced in the beginning and the author has shared brief and interesting facts.
The story begins with Old Eucalypt becoming aware of the smoke but not worrying as people were working together and listening to the bush. The animals are warned to find shelter and the plants are reminded that it is time for new growth. Each of the plants and animals survive the fire in their own way and the rain brings newness to the landscape.
This is a fire that burns gently and in harmony with the bush ecosystems. The stunning illustrations by Samantha Metcalfe show incredible detail and perfectly complement the text. In the final pages there is further important information about ‘Fire in the Australian Bush’ as well as a glossary to explain the highlighted words used in the text. A wonderful book to share with both children and adults.
Themes Australia, Planned Fires, Bush Habitats, Ecosystems, Plants, Animals.
Kathryn Beilby
Huda was here by H. Hayek
Allen & Unwin, 2023. ISBN: 9781761068430. (Age:8+) Highly recommended.
Huda was here is the sequel to CBCA’s 2022 shortlisted novel, Huda and me. Created by talented Australian author, H. Hayek, this story is filled with beautiful connections and strong bonds. But, can Akeal endure another outlandish escapade with his sister, Huda (for the same goal…. to unite their loving family) or will this one really go too far?
Hooked in by a highly entertaining prologue, the reader is immediately captivated by Huda and her distraught brother, Akeal. Huda, with her usual sassiness and Akeal a complete wreck with worry are at the police station. How on earth could they have found themselves here! What plan has Huda come up with this time and more importantly, how can they possibly rectify it?
The story is told from the perspective of Akeal; an eleven year old who loves his family dearly. Huda, his pocket rocket, nine year old sister is strong willed and determined, yet sometimes a little too bold. She can be interchangeably bubbly and lovable or cranky and obstinate. Akeal is the calmer, gentler one; held back by hesitance and always thoughtful of others, he is torn between helping Huda and being caught out. However, their unwavering connection is undeniable.
Every reader will be instantly invested and pulled in by the strong connection; with Huda’s tenacity and sympathies with Akeal and what he must tolerate. As each chapter cleverly meanders back and forth in time, we discover how and why Huda and Akeal found themselves in this predicament…. And even more importantly how this will all end! Each twist and turn, keeps the reader completely invested and captivated.
H. Hayek has a great knack for writing a highly engaging story. The reader rides the waves of each emotion and scenario, as if they are watching it unfold first hand. You cannot help but spur Huda on; as her tenacity and drive are infectious and you just want both children to find the happiness and family unity that they so adore.
Themes Family, Friendship, Emotions, Problem solving.
Michelle O'Connell
Mizuto and the wind by Kay Baillie and Luisa Gioffre-Suzuki
Midnight Sun Publishing, 2023. ISBN: 9781922858023. (Age:6+) Highly recommended.
There are times when a picture book reaches into the heart of the reader. Mizuto and the Wind written by Kaye Baillie is one such book. This is a gentle story based on real events that will touch deeply all readers but especially those that have suffered insurmountable grief yet can find through something to believe in a sense of hope to move forward.
Mizuto is a young boy living in Japan who one day loses his father in the 2011 tsunami triggered by the Great East Japan earthquake. His whole life becomes a dark and aching void where no joy is to be found. His mother no longer smiles, his father’s garden is neglected and Mizuto feels trapped. One day Mizuto hears of the ‘Kaze no Denwa’, a phone connected to the wind, and a way to reconnect with missing loved ones. His mother does not believe in such a thing, so Mizuto travels alone to the phone box and finds a sense of peace after the wind takes his words to his father across the sky. He goes home and talks to his mother, and they slowly begin to heal.
The spectacular illustrations by Luisa Gioffre-Suzuki add drama and meaning to the powerful words. The wild seas are striking and perfectly complement the roll of the words across the page. The flattened and battered landscape after the tsunami will leave the reader with a feeling of emptiness. During the darkest times the colours are mostly black, grey and white but when the healing starts, the colour begins to reappear. The beautiful endpapers show the leaves floating on the wind.
The author has included an Author’s Note to explain the story behind the book which is so important to share with children and adults. A wonderful book for all libraries - home, school or public.
This is the story of two children, Sami, who lives in a coastal village in the Bay of Bengal, and Yuki, who lives in Northern Canada, inside the Arctic Circle. While they lead very different lives, both are impacted by global warming. Their stories alternate, ‘Here” Sami lives with his grandfather Solomon since his parents went missing during a cyclone which inundated their village. They have been forced to move along the coast and live in shelters built from debris since losing their village. Sami helps his grandfather fish for a living but they have to struggle with other displaced villagers, crowded fishing grounds and few fish. 'There' Yuki lives in a comfortable home with professional working parents. She goes to school, has a mobile phone, a best friend and a dog called Lockjaw. Yuki is concerned by the plight of polar bears, native to the region, which are encroaching on human settlements due to the shrinking ice fields that make up their hunting grounds. We learn that brown bears from the south have been expanding northwards and cross breeding with polar bears to form a new hybrid species called Grolar bears. Yuki sets out to capture a picture of a Grolar bear for the local Conservation Center in the hope that they will be protected. Both children want to play an active part in their futures, Yuki to highlight the effect of climate change and Sami to change his small family’s luck. Their stories are told through alternating chapters, with helpful colour coded text boxes to augment the speech bubbles. The stories are both dramatic with expert use of varying points of view and subtly different colour palettes for the two narratives but they sit awkwardly together, their lives are so far apart, not only geographically but in matters of survival.
As I was writing this review another cyclone hit the Bay of Bengal area highlighting the plight of children like Sami. One review stated that the children were 'equally affected by global warming' but there is nothing equal about their stories and I would have enjoyed them more as two separate books. There is graphically presented information at the end about global warming that could be useful for teachers. A follow up to Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin's Illegal, this beautifully presented book successfully puts an accessible and personal face to the issue of global warming.
Themes Global warming, Displacement, Polar bears, Climate change.
Sue Speck
Your story still untold by Andy Martin. Illus. by Valery Vell
Little Steps, 2022. ISBN: 9781922358509. (Age:3-6)
This first children's book by Andy Martin is inspired by his son Archie who was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate. The main character in the book, a dog, has a visible scar above his upper lip. As the blub says this is a uplifting book that aims to inspire children 'that they can turn to the love and comfort of their loved ones to support them through life as their story unfolds'.
Directed at the child listener the text begins, 'Life is precious, my little one, and your story's still to unfold. I hope these lines can help you through, the moments when it's told'. It talks about how things will sometimes be easy and happy and sometimes they won't, using weather as a visual analogy (sun-storm-rainbow). It also talks about how sometimes we feel disappointed in ourselves or what we can't do but that we need to take time out to appreciate the unique skills we bring and 'strive to be the best person you can be'. Then it goes on to gives some 'dos' for life: ' 'help others live positively', 'be kind and humble always', etc. The puppy is nearly surrounded always by family and friends (an array of animals), leading their support and their smiles, except for a few pages where he is scared and lonely. 'But don't be afraid of these moments, you don't just need eyes to believe. Trust in yourself and take your own steps, be the person you're destined to be'. This is a beautiful letter from a parent to a child, that will be relevant and heartfelt to all and make a wonderfully gentle bedtime story that will help everyone to reset for the next day. It is also a great one to read to children starting school or setting out on a new challenge.
Gorilla and his jungle friends are hungry. Their tummies are rumbling and they cannot get the coconuts down from the tree. A perusal of the endpapers will show younger readers just how hungry little Gorilla is as he dreams of all sorts of things to eat.
But Elephant brings in a parcel, tied sturdily to his back. All the animals are agog, what could it be? Snake comments on its size while the monkeys dare to think that the parcel is full of bananas. But this cannot be as it does not smell like bananas. Hog thinks it may be full of peanuts, but Gorilla says that his friend would not send peanuts as he is allergic to them.
'Maybe it is full of coconuts' whispers Snake just as the parcel slides off elephant’s back. All the animals come closer to help open the parcel just as the monkeys begin to tear off the wrapping.
The surprising present will make readers laugh even more, and Gorilla finds a way of using the gift to bring down the coconuts for them all to eat. A fun filled guessing game as to the contents of the parcel will keep readers intrigued as they will all want to know what might be inside. The surprise gift will cause lots of laughter as they realise just how strange it is for animals in the jungle, but Gorilla works out a way to use it to satisfy their needs.
Themes Problem solving, Animals, Jungle, Gifts, Humour.
Fran Knight
A Giant’s Trek by Nick Stella
Text Publishing, 2023. ISBN: 9781922330703. (Age:9-12) Highly recommended.
A Giant’s Trek written by debut author Nick Stella is an entertaining, fast-paced fantasy novel. What initially began as a bedtime story for the author’s young children, is now a wonderful adventure full of strong likeable characters and fantastical settings.
Giant twin brothers, Ash and Oak, are like chalk and cheese. Ash is smaller and quieter, not as good at things as his brother and not his father’s favourite. Oak is big and loud, able to do everything well and is definitely his father’s son. The twins and a girl giant named Mithra have turned 12 and are ready to complete a coming-of-age quest known as the Trek, in order to pass out of childhood into adulthood. The Trek involves leaving Haven-Home with an adult mentor and travelling many miles to search for something that will help to protect their village from wolves. Oak and Mithra choose to search for strong weapons, but Ash chooses to search for incantations in the magic form of stone, wood, water and fire. Ash’s mentor is known as Avalanche and has been ostracised from the village due to a serious injury to his previous young charge. He does though know incantations so is a perfect match for Ash. The journey for Ash and Avalanche to find each of the four elements is full of danger and challenging situations. Joining them part of the way is Marshall Sypender, one of the pocket folk soldiers, who must guide them through his land. He is not as brave as the giants, but his true worth is shown over and over again during their eventful journey.
This is an exciting story full of descriptive language and amazing challenges with the reader left wondering what could possibly happen next. It is also a story of finding one’s own place in the world and being the person you are meant to be.
Backyard Footy is a vibrant, fast-paced picture book, set in the Kimberley region of Australia and tells of a number of First Nations children joining in a game of backyard footy. Beginning with Jy playing football on his own, the story explores what happens as more children join in the game as the football is kicked over fence after fence. Sometimes the football is not always kicked true and straight and ends up disrupting other family members! Jy’s footy is finally popped when it lands in a fire but fortunately Shane has a new one, so they all go to the oval together and Jy lines up and kicks a goal. The children discover that while footy is fun on your own it is much better playing together.
This is an entertaining and fun read by author Carl Merrison and is the first in a sporty series titled Backyard Sports. This story moves along with the highlighted key words adding more drama to the story. The bright and bold illustrations perfectly complement the text, and the reader can feel the action and enjoyment of the children. A very enjoyable read.
Themes Aussie Rules Football, First Nations, Kimberley Region, Friends, Family.
Kathryn Beilby
Sunshine on Vinegar Street by Karen Comer
Allen & Unwin, 2023. ISBN: 9781761180132. (Age:9-12) Highly recommended.
Freya’s co-parenting parents have moved from Eltham for work to two different places. Her architect Dad has moved to Broome and Freya and her Mum have moved to Abbotsford in inner-city Melbourne. The change is huge for Freya who leaves behind her best friends, Raffie and Gemma, her basketball team, and the joy of living between two houses side by side. She and her Mum now live on the 11th floor of a high-rise apartment building with the café below where her Mum works and opposite one of Melbourne’s most iconic symbols, the Skipping Girl Vinegar sign, which is an important element of the story.
Freya’s first experience on the local basketball court near her apartment block sets the tone for the start of her life in a new place. Her beloved basketball is taken off by two mean girls who are unfortunately in her new class at school as well as being on the basketball team that Freya joins. The relentless bullying by these girls is central to the story and impacts heavily on Freya’s inability to settle in and affects her performance on the basketball court - the one place where she usually shines. Added to this is her fear of elevators and the problem that causes being on the 11th floor.
Eventually Freya does begin to make friends, play school netball, visits Gemma and Raffie and unknown to her Mum keeps a pet mouse. However, the mean girls, IVF babies and the problems on the basketball team take longer to resolve. Finally, Freya’s Dad comes back for his first visit, and it is during this time everything comes to a head for Freya.
Author Karen Comer has a written an astonishing verse novel with so much packed into a clever use of word shapes, text changes and highlighted words, as well as plenty of basketball and netball references. For older primary school students this would make a wonderful class novel.
A celebration of all grandfathers is captured in this rhyming text as Ben Faulks shows that grandfathers from many generations do the same thing in cherishing, loving and supporting their grandchildren. At the Grandad’s Summer Picnic the little girl asks to sit on her grandfather’s knee, asking about the grandpas that came before. Each of the grandpas tells a story in a stanza which shows the range of grandpas and their work. One grandpa is a baker, well known for his cakes, one is a builder who has built a hundred homes and now retired, building one for his grandson, one is an explorer who has travelled widely, another an inventor who has made an extraordinary set of popcorn powered wings. Each man has excelled in his profession, surprising the grandchildren with their diversity. No two are the same. Another is a barber, astounding the children with the range of haircuts he has done, one is a fisherman, telling tales of mermaids and sea creatures and whales, but while her grandpa does not tell a mesmerising story like some the others, he is the best as he sits at home, reading books to his granddaughter, singing songs with her, helping her get her act together when she gets in a muddle, giving lots of cuddles, and most importantly showing her love just like all the other grandpas.
This lovely story of the presence of grandpas in a child’s life will enchant younger readers as they recall the place their grandfather has in their life. They will recount stories of walks in the park, songs and books, cooking and sharing, of being with him and sharing the love that binds them together. Charmingly illustrated by Nia Tudor, a freelance illustrator who lives in the UK, children will love checking out the detail, looking for the animals, comparing the grandfathers depicted, and perhaps set up their own Granddads’ Summer Picnic and invite them all along to show how much they care.
Melissa was born and raised between both Gumbaynggirr and Bundjalung nations.
Drawing on this heritage she has written a charming bedtime story about the passage of sunshine throughout the day, easing the passage to sleeping time. Mother and child journey through the day and night, visiting elders, places that are special to them, watching the night sky, waking in the morning to a new day of adventure.
Soft muted illustrations fill each double page, accompanied by a rhyming pair of lines each set preparing the child to a particular time of the day. While the sun is up it is time to play, but sunset in the evening means it is time to say goodbye. The moon Giidany, now rises, and we thank the gift of the night sky. The evening helps children recall their ancestors, feeling the hugs they give. A brand new day with lots of new adventures await. There are waterholes to visit and cuddles from mother who loves her sunshine, her barlaagany.
The last pages of the book give the poetic words used in the text in both English and Gumbaynggirr languages giving the opportunity for children to learn some of the words to describe things like sunshine, moon and special place, amongst others.
This page is followed by information about Melissa and her upbringing, emphasising her closeness to her community, a closeness heralded by the story of barlaagany.
