When 12-year old Josh Primm and his family move to New York City, they are surprised to discover a crocodile living in their attic - a crocodile that is fun, playful, and can sing! Josh and Lyle become best friends but then Lyle's former owner turns up to claim him for a new musical act and despite the issues Lyle has caused with a neighbour, the Primms realise how much Lyle means to them and that they need to keep him as part of the family.
Based on the original story by Bernard Waber, this is the novelisation of the film currently so popular with young children, making it an ideal addition to any family or school collection as we encourage them to read and revisit the fun they have shared. Knowing the scenario will support those who are consolidating their skills while others may seek out the original as well as others in the series and others by the same author, expanding reading horizons beyond the screen.
The prologue to Laura Shepperson’s version of the mythical Phaedra story sets the scene with the bard adapting his storytelling to the tastes of his audience, so the foreign princess becomes a seductress; Hippolytus, the macho son of Theseus is cheered; and the whole story is embellished to the cheers of the audience. The story is not the truth, the bard himself has no idea what the truth is, and he does not give a second thought to the hooded figures on the edge of crowd, the women, for their opinion is worthless.
At the heart of Shepperson’s story of Phaedra is a trial, the first of its kind in Athens, where the Cretan princess Phaedra accuses her step-son Hippolytus of rape. It is the word of one miserable woman against the word of the prince, in a world where women are used and abused. There is a whole chorus of women who have suffered at the hands of men. Phaedra hears their cries at night: It happened to me. And me. And me. Me too. Phaedra increasingly finds the strength within herself to stand up against the mistreatment of women. But she could not find herself in a more hostile situation.
In this intriguing version of the Greek myths, Shepperson suggests that perhaps the stories of women visited by gods are the excuse that desperate women in Phaedra’s situation revert to. How can she face the return of her husband to find her pregnant to another man? So perhaps she could say she was sitting by the shore awaiting his return and was visited by the god Poseidon instead. Then her child would be half god, and must be revered.
Stories of the gods may have been invented to account for all sorts of strange events. Perhaps there is a similar explanation behind the story of her mother’s birthing of the Minotaur. Indeed, was the Minotaur even a strange beast? Phaedra knows him only as a gentle kind brother hidden away from the view of outsiders.
Stories can be twisted and turned, innocent people can find themselves reviled by the crowd, just as can occur in our present times of social media, cyberbullying and trolls. This story drawing on Greek mythology has just as much relevance today in the times of court cases and ‘me too’ protests. Shepperson’s historical fantasy novel shines a light on the world of women in ancient Greece, but can also be seen as having parallels with the situation for modern day rape victims and casualties of social media.
This is another feminist retelling of ancient stories which would definitely be a winner with readers who enjoyed Jennifer Saint’s books, Ariadne and Elektra.
It's 2002 and Leo is 13. His mother has died, and his father has remarried, so Leo is not only dealing with grief but also with a new stepfamily, new home, new friends and new school. Life seems unfair and tough, and he wishes everything could go back to the way it was when his mum was still alive.
It's 1933 and Ivan is 7. He lives in Prague with his parents and life is good. He has a big house with servants and lovely clothes and toys. But, as a Jewish family back then, it's only a matter of time before everything changes forever.
While trying to carve out some quiet space for himself, Leo finds a way to step between his own time and Ivan's. These 'visits' open his eyes to the reality of life during the leadup and outbreak of World War II, while putting his own troubles into perspective.
Leo and Ivan form a firm friendship, each learning from and helping the other. They both love to run and running becomes not just a physical challenge and bonding experience for them, but also a way to quiet their thoughts and temporarily escape their problems.
This is historical fiction at its very best. The timeslip formula works so well, with the storyline progressing rapidly in each timeline and keeping the reader interested and invested in the lives of both boys. The inclusion of a wise mentor in Leo's time, and a love interest in Ivan's time, are both handled with gentleness and honesty. The historical accuracy provides a real sense of dread and urgency in Ivan's timeline, while the varied relationships explored in Leo's timeline add a layer of complexity which ensure he is always seen as an equal protagonist rather than a supporting character.
This would be an excellent choice for a class novel or book club with its many rich themes to explore.
Themes Friendship, Bereavement, Bravery, Resilience, Blended families, Holocaust, European history, World War II.
Kylie Grant
Song in the city by Daniel Bernstrom. Illus. by Jenin Mohammed
HarperCollins, 2023. ISBN: 9780063011120.
Sunday morning in the city, and Emmelene is accompanying her Grandma Jean to church where there is a choir singing and trumpets blowing and hand-clapping to hear and join in with. But Grandma Jean is getting cross because Emmelene is lagging behind because she is listening to the music of the city - the tap-tappa-tap, the yip-yippa-yip, the pitter-patter-drip and all the other sounds that her ears hear but her eyes can't see.
And in church, when Grandma Jean's music makes little impression on Emmalene , Grandma gets even crankier and just doesn't understand what Emmelene can hear - although she does try. And then Emmalene shows her...
A long time ago, I read a poem about the sounds of night falling and it made such an impression on me, that now, mosquitoes willing, one of my favourite wind-down activities is to listen to the dark creep across our bushland home. I have to admit that I'm a bit like Grandma Jean and haven't heard the music of the city so maybe I should sit in the park in town and close my eyes... Certainly, it is something we can do with our kids on a nice day - take them outside, let them lie on the grass in the sun and just listen to the music of the outdoors. And if someone falls asleep, that's fine - either they needed the rest or the activity had the desired effect of putting them in the zone for a while.
But, while this is a great book to inspire an awareness of our surroundings and be mindful in the moment, on a more practical level it is also one for exploring the concept of onomatopoeia as the sounds of the vehicles and other things that Emmelene hears are illustrated in a way that makes you see them as well as hear them. Another opportunity to explore and experience our language.
In lyrical writing, Costa Award winning author Frances Hardinge takes us into a unique world where 'The Little Brothers', sentient spider like creatures, give people the ability to curse those they hate or who have caused them harm. Kellen is a teenager who can unravel those curses, and had helped Nettle and her brother who had been cursed into birds by their stepmother. However his ability is beginning to come apart as fabric around him unravels and he realises that he too has been cursed. When he and Nettle are approached by Gall the owner of a vicious Marsh Horse to investigate Salvation a group that is spiriting away cursers, they embark on a dangerous quest. It takes them into the mysterious Wild here terrifying creatures haunt the waters and the Moonlit Market.
Although lengthy, some 481 pages, it was easy to become totally immersed in the world that Hardinge describes in detail. She also explores layers of complexity in her themes. Are some actions bad enough to justify cursing? are the cursers evil? What happens to those whose curses are unravelled and how do they cope? What is the difference between feeling anger toward someone and hating them? Both Kellen and Nettle, in amongst their exciting adventures, must come to grips with the ways that cursing and unravelling have affected them.
With wonderful world building, unique characters, an unexpected villain and cruel creatures, Unraveller is sure to appeal to readers who enjoy complex fantasy. They may enjoy Monster Blood Tattoo trilogy by D.M. Cornish.
The prestigious Australian Archibald Prize for portraiture has had its share of controversy, with censure for the appropriateness of subject, residency of the artist, gender of the artist, and in 2004 the challenge to Craig Ruddy’s image of David Gulpilil was on the basis that it was a charcoal sketch rather than a painting. But the most outstanding case of all was the 1943 court challenge to William Dobell’s portrait of Joshua Smith on the grounds that his painting was a caricature rather than a portrait.
Anderson tells the story of the relationship of the two men, both artists, and how the case brought by more traditional artists, Mary Edwards and Joseph Wolinski, members of the Royal Art Society, on the grounds that Dobell’s portrait was a distorted and caricatured form, led to a questioning of the authenticity of modern art, and the relationship of realism to art in general.
The Prize will be of interest to students of modern art, and people interested in the history of Australian art more generally. The story is also a powerful depiction of societal attitudes towards homosexuality during that period of history, and reveals how men had to hide their feelings behind a veneer of respectability and convention. Unfortunately for Joshua, a man mercilessly controlled by his mother, the spirit of independence that Dobell so powerfully captured in his portrait became reduced to timid stubbornness. It is a very sad love story.
Themes Archibald Prize, Australian art, Court case, portraiture, LGBQTI+.
Helen Eddy
The Grizzled Grist does not exist by Juliette MacIver and Sarah Davis
Gecko Press, 2022. ISBN: 9781776574155.
It's the class trip to Dismal Hills wilderness. and the children are excited to show off their outdoor skills-foraging, climbing, trapping and hiking - under the leadership of the indomitable Ms Whiskersniff (who prefers to be called Ms Whisk). That is, all except quiet little Liam who would rather hide...
A hider moves with soundless ease and treads as softly as the breeze. At times, a hider barely breathes - but what is this the hider sees? But when what he sees is dismissed as non-existent let alone a threat, the class finds themselves in big trouble. Can Liam save them by being the world's best Hider?
From endpaper to endpaper (and including them) this is a brilliant story that should be shared just for the fun of it. It bounces along in rhyming language, mostly carried in the conversation between Ms Whisk and Liam, but superbly accompanied by the illustrations which are such an integral part of the story, as the best picture books are. Readers will delight in spotting the clues that observant Liam does and many will relate to being the more introverted, non-outdoorsy type so often not seen and not heard.
But as well as the clever wordplay and diverse characters, this story will appeal because it is just an entertaining, engaging read. There's no overt message of impending global gloom, doom and disaster (unless you count the fate of Ms Whisk and Liam's classmates) that seem to permeate so many recent picture books for young readers and while there is much to discover and discuss, there is not the sense that they must do something as a result of reading the story - except to read it again and again for the sheer joy of it.
Allen & Unwin, 2023. ISBN: 9781761068720. (Age:6+) Highly recommended.
This is paws down one of the best Anh Do books ever!
JJ and the Giant Panther written and illustrated by mega talented Anh Do is the second book in the Smarty Pup series. Be entertained again by the humour and adventure throughout; this time delving into what is takes to be brave.
JJ is a super talking, genius dog, after purple goop fell on him a while back. Now, even NASA has him on speed dial! He has super sensitive senses in sniffing and hearing; making him a great detective when playing hide and seek!
He lives with a young girl, Lily and her family, and he is her best companion. So, when Mr Hasting, the sports teacher, announces there is a going to be a school camp, Lily insists that JJ attend too. While on camp, all the children are grouped in threes to tackle each task aimed to develop and assess their bravery. Each group will be allocated points for completing the tasks successfully.
Lily and JJ are paired with Timmy, but both Lily and Timmy don’t feel they have good bravery skills that will assist them. How will they even complete each task, let alone get bonus points for finishing first?
JJ, with his genius skills, takes the lead in the group but becomes a petrified and hiccupping mess when he thinks he sees a giant panther. Can Lily, Timmy and JJ’s team complete each activity and survive the school camp, or will the giant panther prove too much for all of them?
This fabulous short fiction novel is extremely fast paced with a highly energetic and engaging storyline. Filled with quick wit, humour and adventure, this story will keep its audience captivated until the very end. The vibrant and amazing full colour paged illustrations throughout will grab the reader’s attention, along with the interspersed jokes scattered amongst the storyline.
Cheerful, colourful and creative, this series definitely won’t disappoint!
Themes Bravery, Humour, Adventure, Problem solving, Friendship.
Michelle O'Connell
You need to chill by Juno Dawson and Laura Hughes
Farshore, 2023. ISBN: 9780008488284.
When Bill can't be found at school one day, the imaginations of the other children run wild. Is he on holiday? Is he lost in the park? Has he been eaten by a shark?! It's up to Bill's sister to explain.
This is a fun-filled celebration of family diversity that is filled with love, acceptance and humour as the suggestions of Bill's whereabouts are contemplated and the only response is, 'Hun, you need to chill'. But finally the answer is disclosed and it's not what a lot of readers will expect, but knowing little kids, one they will accept. It opens up the opportunity for discussions about not only Bill's new circumstances but also family diversity in general and the children will soon realise that no two families are the same. Such growth in tolerance in the years I've been teaching, led by books like this which expose our young readers to new situations so they are ready for them when they encounter them.
Themes Brothers and sisters, LGBTQI people, Transgender, Personal identity.
Barbara Braxton
Wolfsong by T.J. Klune
Pan Macmillan, 2022. ISBN: 9781035002146. (Age:Adult)
Green Creek in the Cascade Mountains is a small, out of the way sort of place and Ox (Oxnard) Matheson lives there with his mum, Maggie, who works in the local diner. His Dad, a violent drunk left when he was 12. Ox is big, says little and does not lie; his father called him “dumb as an Ox” and before he left, told him “You know you are not the smartest boy” and “You’re gonna get shit, for most of your life” p2. Local mechanic, Gordo gives Ox a job and helps the family out. Down a lane towards some woods is an empty house, sometimes there is a car outside briefly but one day a man comes to the diner and introduces himself as Mark, from the family who own the house. Ox likes him and asks if they can be friends, Mark says “It’s always the ones who are the quietest who have the most to say. And yes, I think we’ll be friends.”p18. It was not until Ox is sixteen that Mark and his family move into the house in the woods. Ox is met in the road by ten year old Joe, a whirlwind of a boy who instantly takes to Ox, climbing up to cling to him chattering constantly as they go to meet the family. There is Carter, about Ox’s age, and Kelly, a bit younger and their parents Elizabeth and Thomas Bennett. Mark is Thomas’ brother and the Bennetts become more and more a part of Ox and his mum’s lives as they absorb them into their pack. “It should have been obvious what they were, but then I wasn’t looking for the incredible buried in the ordinary” p64. The family are werewolves, part of a wider community of werewolves constantly alert to the dangers of those who hunt them and to power struggles within the community. Not only does Ox find an extended, loyal, caring family he falls in love with Joe in spite of the six year age difference. As the story develops over ten years, Ox gains in confidence and supported by the family and Gordo, who turns out to be a witch, (an important “tether”) he becomes a leader, fighting against the villain Richard. This is a brick of a book, well over 500 pages, difficult to sustain, given that it is character, rather than plot driven, and while the development of the relationships of most of the secondary characters was beautifully realised I didn’t find the love story very convincing. There is an animal attraction between Joe and Ox from the beginning and it never seems to develop past Joe’s sexual possessiveness and need to mate. What we get are explicit sex scenes which narrow the readership regardless of the gender of the participants. This is a shame because there is much to love in this paranormal fantasy; I liked the emphasis on loyalty, support, friendship and how Ox’s perceived deficits become strengths. The werewolf relationships are more attractive than vampires, quite sensual with their touching, smelling wrestling and pack bonds, a shame about the sex scenes.
When Grandma tells Lee she will soon be 'going home,' Lee is confused. Isn't Grandma already home But as Grandma's health gets worse and her death approaches, Lee learns what it means to 'walk Grandma home' to heaven, while also reflecting on his good memories and dealing with his grief alongside his extended family.
Written by a child psychologist and counsellor this is a touching and relatable story about a young boy's grief to help young children understand what it means to lose a loved one and how to process their own emotions of fear, grief, and joyful remembrance. It includes a page that explains the child's perspective to help parents and caregivers to process the child's emotions in a healthy and loving way and personalise the story to the child's own experience.
Sadly, this is a situation that many of our young ones face - just this week there was a request for suggestions for titles for a child who was angry that her grandfather was in a wheelchair and succumbing to dementia when her friends' grandparents weren't - and thus any books like this that can be added to our collections to help ease and explain the situation have to be welcome. And while each incidence is unique and can be overwhelming for the child involved, perhaps being able to read such stories and have their experience and emotions validated will help a little.
Welsh schoolboy, Jason, lives with his 19 year-old brother, Richie; recently orphaned, they are trying to survive on their own. Richie is valiantly trying to work to earn enough money to keep a roof over their heads, but he has made an unwise choice under duress, and this has put the boys under further pressure. Jason has a few good friends, but grieving is hard, and now he is really worried about the future. A plan to make some extra pounds from the local paper by catching a photograph of an elusive big wildcat wandering through the Welsh countryside sets Jason and his three friends on an adventurous trek. Avoiding local bullies, and a rampaging bull, the children discover true friendship as they battle cold, danger and their own fears, and demonstrate resourcefulness as they pursue the prize.
This is another heart-warming story from Lesley Parr, a writer who is not afraid to explore tough issues, but does so with gentleness and warmth. Set in the 1970s, it is during a time of industrial struggle that impacts local miners and cuts income, and all families must struggle with limited access to power and an uncertain future. Because of the Welsh setting, she also scatters Welsh language through the text. This will confuse some Aussie readers, but it is lovely to see the consonant-rich words, and also the rich vernacular words (eg lush = great/awesome). I used an online translator to assist on several occasions. If young readers aged 9-12, can get past this occasional use of Welsh, they will grow in appreciation of other cultures and language, other histories, and the painful struggle of hardship. The grief of the central character is revealed with understanding, and the reactions and support of his friends is occasionally uncomfortable. This is a ‘show-don’t-tell’ guide to how to support someone dealing with intense grief. This makes this a powerful story on many levels. The choices that Richie makes that get him into trouble are not given any glory – quite the opposite - crime doesn’t pay at all. The characters in this story are all delicately developed and I absolutely loved the huge Tam – the Rugby-loving, gentle giant with a faith-influenced view of conflict resolution, but who also struggles with how he should support Jason.
Themes Orphans, Financial hardship, Family, Friendship, Wales, UK – 1970s.
Carolyn Hull
The settlement by Jock Serong
Text Publishing, 2022. ISBN: 9781922458797. (Age:16+ - Adult) Highly recommended for mature readers.
This is an intensely moving, stunning and uncomfortable story based on real history. The convict settlement of Tasmania and the settlers who took landholdings for themselves were not the first inhabitants of the island state. The indigenous people of Tasmania became victims of the violence of the colonisers and their own struggles with different clans as they were pushed into each other’s territory. Into this historical background came ‘the Protector’ George Augustus Robinson, a man whose plan for the protection of the remnant indigenous population was initially motivated by good intentions (and the possibility for his own personal advancement) but did not really empower the people he was trying to protect. The plan was to take the remnant community off Tasmania onto a smaller island refuge (away from their own lands), and to provide them with a Christianising influence; and utilising Convict labour and servitude to enable the hard labour to be carried out . The relationships between colonisers and indigenous Australians were complex and sometimes violent and occasionally amiable, and at other times profoundly condescending. Sadly, the new settlement became a torment for all, with illness and abuse, hypocrisy and contemptible behaviour towards the indigenous residents overriding any of the original good intentions. The focus on two children, Whelk and Pipi, and their pain at the hands of the ‘professional Catechist’ will bring even a hardened reader to tears.
This is an extraordinarily compelling story, and yet it is so hard to be anything but horrified by the way the story proceeds. Every colonist displays incredible hypocrisy – almost as if their clothes are all that defines them as civilised. The story is divided into the story of the gathering of the island’s aboriginal people with leaders from their own community involved, and then their life in the island ‘refuge’ settlement. No one escapes the torch of scrutiny in this book – the surgeon appears incredibly barbarous and incompetent from our 21st Century viewpoint, but he too is more interested in his own career prospects. The Catechist, as the professional Christian, is just horrific and as a Christian myself I am appalled at his depths of hypocrisy . Even the indigenous people display their own double standards, but sadly their story is really just their attempts to survive. But for all the tragedy of the story, it is beautifully written, with a gentle touch and an absorbing style that draws the reader in. The sadness of this fictional account of real history is that we really do feel the pain, and can see that our nation’s history is marred horribly by selfish vagaries and violence and that it is this that demands a spotlight, no matter how uncomfortable. This is a book for mature readers, 16+ - adult, and is highly recommended, particularly for readers of Aboriginal history. As a 21st Century reader I am ashamed of this history, and so grateful for the opportunity to have read this story of the ‘voiceless’ first inhabitants of Tasmania at the time of early European colonisation.
The useless tune by Chris Uhlmann and Paul Uhlmann
Walker Books, 2023. ISBN: 9781760653729. (Age:7+)
A young magpie, Maggie, has left her parent’s nest in search of her own tree and a new home. Along the way, the magpie shares her special song with a number of trees, but is rejected by a rude Mountain Ash, an angry Ironbark and an unkind Red Gum. These trees feel that a magpie’s song is not able to offer them anything but trouble and cannot protect them from natural and manmade disasters such as bushfires, drought, flood or logging. Poor Maggie feels that she really has nothing to offer, is exhausted, and finally sleeps overnight on the ground. When she wakes, a small Scribbly Gum asks to hear her song and convinces Maggie to make her nest amongst its branches.
This thoughtful and calming story is set in a barren Australian landscape captured by the simple and subdued illustrations. The poignant text is asking the reader to really listen to the sounds around us and think deeply about what is being said.
Themes Magpies, Nature, Trees, Australian Bush, Song, Harmony.
Kathryn Beilby
Out of the Blue by Robert Tregoning Stef Murphy
Bloomsbury, 2023. ISBN: 9781526627964.
What happens if you live in a world of blue -
ONLY BLUE ALLOWED, by Blue government demand Anything that isn't blue, by colour law, is banned
- but your favourite colour is yellow?
What if your favourite toy is a little yellow rubber duck but you have to hide it even from your family? This is a story that not only champions diversity, difference and pride but encourages those who are different to have the courage to come forward and celebrate that. In a world that is hopefully disappearing rapidly - despite those in some US states clinging to the "old standards" by banning books and educators facing criminal charges for breaches - and conformity was the key, there were always those who preferred yellow in a world of blue whether that was colour, religion, political or gender identity, or any of the millions of other ways that humans differ. And it's been a theme in many children's books now for some time, but this one stands out for its simplicity in explaining the concept. Liking yellow in a world of mandated blue is something even the youngest readers can understand and they can start to think of things that they like that perhaps others don't, like Brussel sprouts and broccoli, then consider if that is necessarily something to be shunned for. A friend recently posted a message to social media about a daughter who "marches to the beat of her own drum" (whatever rhythm that might be) and my response was that it was wonderful that she now lives in a world that is willing to accept and embrace so many different tunes because while it might sound like a cacophony, it is actually the harmonious sound of humanity. So it doesn't matter how many times our little ones hear this vital message about being yourself, of celebrating difference, of having the courage to stand out, because now we are finally reaping the benefits. A guide is available.
