An old adage about the wind changing, is given a bright and breezy reimagining in this funny tale of the lengths Josie goes to make people laugh. ‘If the wind changes, that face will stick’ is one incarnation of the warning given by adults when a child makes a scowling face. Josie is a prankster, one the teacher, Miss Place, can do without and on photo day Josie pulls the biggest face she can conjure to make the class laugh and so spoil the photograph. Miss Pronounce gives her the warning, but to no avail, and when the wind does change, faces of both students and teachers are set.
Readers will laugh out loud at the rhyming text, full of puns on the teachers’ names, drawing out lots of fun in predicting rhyming words and words that go with the particular teacher.
The catastrophic storm whips iron from roofs, turns the clouds black, sends some teachers up the trees, while others hide beneath a table. But all have had their faces frozen into the grimaces caused by Josie’s prank. Miss Hap’s tongue is hanging from her mouth, Miss Fortune is very out of sorts thinking about her imminent wedding and needing to be able to speak. Miss Fit send them all back to their classrooms, but Miss Pronounce looks like a hermit crab and Mr Meaner blows up the science lab, Miss Diagnose the school nurse is busy in the sick bay but their new headmaster is appallingly distorted.
Readers will heartily enjoy the reimagining of the adage and think of a few more lines to add with other ingenious teachers’ names. They will enjoy the hilarious illustrations, giving range to a wide variety of scowling faces, and very frustrated teachers. The very witty twist in the tale with cause gales of laughter as they can see the possibilities of an evening with the oddly faced teachers.
Themes Humour, Read aloud, School, Weather.
Fran Knight
Animal factopia! Follow the trail of 400 beastly facts by Julie Beer
Britannica Books, 2023. ISBN: 9781913750732. (Age:7+) Highly recommended.
Welcome to the fourth book in the FACTopia! series, Animal FACTopia. This book allows the reader to follow the trail of 400 amazing beastly facts, about animals from all over the world; all shapes and sizes, and all linked in some way to the next. This is a book full of surprising and humourous titbits of information that will entertain any reader.
This colourfully presented book begins with a contents page with connecting dots to each new engaging topic. The first striking image presented combines a drawing of a balance scale across a double page with a photograph of a newborn female African elephant on one side balanced with 28 newborn babies. This then leads to further information about elephants and snorting which then leads to other sounds made by animals.
The clever connections throughout the book are enhanced by the wonderful drawings and stunning photographs. Readers are also given the opportunity to move away from the broken lines to turn to noted page numbers about other interconnected topics. There is a detailed index at the end plus information about the FACTtopians as well as a sources page and picture credits. The FACTopia! Series is a worthy addition to all home, school and public libraries.
Themes Animal Facts, Knowledge, Humour.
Kathryn Beilby
The forgotten song: Saving the Regent Honeyeater by Coral Vass. Illus. by Jess Racklyett
The critically endangered Regent Honeyeater is the focus of this new book by two very well-known creatives, Coral Vass and Jess Racklyett. This striking 20-24cm long, black and yellow bird, is native to parts of Eastern Australia but in 2022 it was estimated that there may be only 350-400 left.
The decline of Regent Honeyeater numbers is due in part to loss of habitat and urban sprawl but more significantly, it is the loss of older males of the species who can no longer pass on the mating call to younger males. Without the ability to attract a mate, numbers are declining and are cause for great concern.
This stunningly illustrated story begins with the sounds of songs from many birds but as the bush is decimated by developers, many birds vanish. A young male Regent must begin a search for his song. Along his journey he hears the songs of other species, the fiarbirds, rosellas and currawongs, and wonders if any are his song. Sadly, he cannot make their sounds but eventually he recognises the sound of a ‘sweet song’ from a nesting box and is able to finally sing his song and attract a mate.
The glorious full-page illustrations are a clever mixture of vibrant paint with collaged photographs, articles and paintings from over 100 years ago in order to show how the environment has changed over time. In the final pages are facts, a map, a valuable timeline, glossary and a note from the artiest and image credits. A very engaging book.
A strong sturdy little book suited to fit into small hands with a solid cover, this book shows many Australian birds in their differing environments. Helen, a descendent of the Palyful people of the Pilbara, uses a playful rhyming techniques to tell her readers about the birds, the text introducing a highlighted word in larger font in each line. In this way readers will gain some understanding of the habits of some of the birds. A wren pops out of its nest, a budgerigar rolls in the dew, a rosella cleans her feathers in a puddle, and so on. Each bird is distinctively illustrated, its surrounds made clear with minimal images.
Each double page has the text on one side with a visual treat facing it. The brightly designed motifs form a colourful background to the image of each bird. So kids will also get to know a king parrot, black cockatoo, eagle, cassowary, brolga, emu and lorikeet. Each stunning background reprises a style of artwork that is seen before in Helen Miloroy’s growing volume of work. More can be found out about Helen and her work at Fremantle Press website, or Magabala website.
Children will recall her books from Fremantle Press about Backyard bugs, Backyard beasties and birds, as well as those from Magabala Press presenting stories about Willy-willy wagtail and cockatoo wars.
The endpapers reprise the birds shown through the book, and the last page of the text asks the readers to see how many birds they can find. A great way to end the reading of this attractive little book.
Allen & Unwin, 2023. ISBN: 9781761180286. (Age:3+) Highly recommended.
Reading the author’s poignant story at the end of the book sets the tone for this wonderful tale of generations being together despite a gap in their ability to verbally communicate.
The child and her grandfather spend a lot of quiet time together. Not having a common language, they communicate thorough sound, smells and feelings, sight, touch and taste. They read to each other, knowing the other person can only understand a little of what is being read, they walk in the garden, watering the pots and flowers, looking at the bugs they find, wondering at the birds in the trees, splash through the waves, ride a bike, laugh and play, woof and howl like a dog, cook their favourite food and play on the beach.
All the wonderful times spent with grandparents is portrayed in this lovely warm book, showing the love that exists between children and their grandparents, even though there is no common language.
They communicate through the things they do together, watching each other, being together, sitting on Seeya’s shoulders or his knees, hugging him, burying him with sand, sometimes making a mess together, but always with the two together. It may be a quiet time but it is a time of love and companionship and this wonderful feeling shines thorough on each page.
Children will love reading this book, seeing time spent with a grandfather, comparing this with their own grandparents and the time spent with them: looking a the obstacles that may be in place keeping them apart, wondering how to overcome these impediments. Children will love seeing what the grandfather and his granddaughter do together, comparing it with their own activities, adding to the things they may be planning to do on the weekend.
The soft pencil illustrations adds a wonderful tone to the book, underscoring the place each person has in the heart of the other, reinforcing the place that they have in each other’s hearts, despite not being able to speak the same language.
There are ways to communicate without language being spoken and this could lead on to discussions about how we communicate without words.
Themes Language, Communication, ASLAN, Body language, Grandfathers, Granddaughters, Family.
Fran Knight
Big cat by Jess Racklyeft
Allen & Unwin, 2023. ISBN: 9781761066580. (Age:3+) Highly recommended.
This endearing parable about accepting change begs to be read aloud often as readers take Catherine to their hearts. A neat, tidy, meticulous seven year old, Catherine is an investigator. She wears her binoculars around her neck, keeps files in colour order, uses her compass to find her way around while humming to herself.
Clues are given in the newspaper cutouts on the pages, talking of an animal heading south. Catherine is alert, the idea like sherbet in her mind, she sleeps that night her curiosity rumbling. The next morning she is determined to hunt the Big Cat. She packs tins of tuna to act as a lure, and sandwiches for herself. She walks around Melbourne, looking for suitable places to leave her lures. Sitting on a park bench eating the last of her sandwiches, her hum falls silent as she spies the Big Cat. She thanks her for the tuna and together they set off to look at the wild places the Big Cat knows about. Catherine is a little unsure about the lawlessness of Big Cat, but her sneakers begin to get muddy, her hum is silent and the compass forgotten as they take roundabout routes to almost everywhere.
When Big Cat leaves she takes something of Catherine with her and while she will always be wild, Catherine has learnt that she can be a little wild as well, and with the Big Cat always in her heart she sleeps soundly.
This marvellous look at how change affects us was given impetus during the lockdown when Racklyeft like others in Melbourne, was restricted to their home and environs. Walking through her neighbourhood, Racklyeft became far more acquainted with the unfamiliar things that surrounded her, and these she brings to the reader with the magical endpapers and images presented as Catherine and Big Cat walk the streets. Keen eyes will spot parks and gardens, sculptures, buildings, laneways, streetscapes and fountains, while perusing the words presented in the endpapers will add another layer of interest to the reading.
The pencil and watercolour illustrations give an impression of Melbourne that is enticing and informative as the newly found friends walk the streets. And I love the detail: look out for the old maps of Melbourne, newspaper articles and cat book ends.
An interview with Racklyeft can be found here, while her website gives more information about her.
This second book of short stories by Adelaide author Stephen Orr contains short fiction loosely connected by their central character ‘the boy’. They range in style from poignant and heartbreaking to absurd and cruel. The majority have deeply troubled main characters, often the overwhelmed ‘boy’, struggling to understand the complicated world of the flawed adults around him, or the man he grows up to become.
The stories span a number of continents and decades. Several are set in WW2 Germany, with the boy suffering the fallout of his father’s nazi connections, and then again trying to comprehend the suffering of his mentally ill uncle. Orr has set others in outback Australia, or on the SA coast.
A number are contemporary; the stream-of-consciousness of an African youth stowaway in an aeroplane wheel-well, and a disgruntled ex-employee contemplating his plan to kidnap his boss’s son.
The majority of the stories involve either death, dementia or mental illness, murder, mass shootings, execution or suicide. In these terrible scenarios Orr casts fathers as sometimes abusive, sometimes caring or introspective, but always flawed, exerting influences that are carried on to subsequent generations, including the bewildered 'boy'.
Although the content of his stories is often deeply disturbing, Orr’s writing is beautifully lyrical, and his descriptions and dialogue are to be savoured and reread. He specialises in the slow reveal, with perfect examples of ‘show don’t tell’, leaving the reader to fill in the gaps and reflect. He portrays ordinary men and boys facing crises far bigger than themselves; not necessarily happy reads, but powerfully thought-provoking ones.
Twitch and his friends become embroiled in a mystery when the eggs from a Peregrine Falcon’s nest are stolen. Because of Twitch’s passion for birds he becomes a suspect in a crime that he was never likely to have committed. Twitch and his fellow Twitchers put on their detective ‘hats’ to solve the crime that defies their understanding. Why would anyone want to end the life of a new generation of rare birds? The local environment is also hosting a fishing competition that involves locals and visitors to the English countryside where Twitch lives. There are many suspects for the team to investigate and many twists and turns that need to be smoothed out before they can solve the mystery of the missing clutch of eggs. Another exciting adventure.
This is book three in the series by M G Leonard, a series beginning with Twitch and then Spark. Every book has a mystery and an investigation and woven within that is the wonderful world of the birding enthusiast in England and particularly the ‘fledgling’ fans … the young environmentalists. The excitement and intrigue have the feel of a Famous Five adventure combined with the environmental focus. Interestingly in this book, the world of the birdwatcher is at odds with the illegal actions of the egg collectors who must carry on their actions in subterfuge and with deceptive ploys. I have now read all three books in the series and every book is worth recommending and introducing young readers to the Twitching community. This is another series that readers aged 9-12 will enjoy for its detective story quality and for the young heroes and heroines who are the central characters, their daring and intelligence will impress readers who discover this series. But scattered through the story are moments of fun and silliness, and also insights into observational science.
Tansim Lark is a Hollower, a mortal with no magical talent. Instead of using magic to find missing treasure, she must use her intelligence and research skills to keep herself and her brother Cabell alive after their foster father disappeared with no trace. When she learns of a powerful ring relating to King Arthur she joins forces with her rival Emyrs in a desperate quest to be the first to find the treasure that could free Cabell from a deadly curse.
Bracken's narrative is fast paced and action filled as Tamsin and Emrys plunge into danger. Their journey leads them to the legendary land of Avalon and it is here that the author surprises with many twists and unexpected outcomes that will leave the reader breathless.
Tamsin is a valiant heroine who really cares for her brother. After being disappointed in past relationships, she is guarded and aloof, and reluctant to accept friendship, often appearing unlikeable and stubborn. The slow burning romance between her and Emrys will engage readers who enjoy an enemies to lovers trope and some twists here and at the conclusion of the story will ensure that the next in the series is picked up by fans.
Readers who enjoy stories with Arthurian legends may be disappointed in the lack of detail but fans of urban fantasy with strong characters are certain to enjoy Silver in the Bone.
Themes Fantasy, magic, Arthurian legends.
Pat Pledger
Selfie by Allayne L. Webster
Text Publishing, 2023. ISBN: 9781922790194. (Age:12+) Highly recommended.
Year 8 student Tully Sinclair has been picked by new girl Dene Walker to be her bestie. For Tully this is a dream come true as Dene Walker is a social media influencer with thousands of adoring followers. However, for Tully this newfound friendship and all it entails is not an easy one to navigate. Dene is not all that she appears to be and while she offers friendship to Tully she is also very manipulative.
Tully finds herself caught up in a rift with her loyal friend Kira, at loggerheads with her step mum Michelle and brother Luke, while her absent Dad is conveniently working interstate and has little time to be involved in the lives of his family. Running parallel to this is Tully’s angst and grief over her missing artist mother who walked out and left the family.
Throughout this sensitively written story, each character has an important role to play in the often-turbulent relationship developing between Tully and Dene. Tully’s family tries to protect her and encourage her look at other options. Dene exploits Tully’s adoration for her own misguided needs, but the reader will eventually come to realise that Dene is also struggling.
This is a book of complex relationships all beautifully explored by author Allayne L Webster. She shows a genuine understanding of the way social media influences the lives of young people and how so often it can have a devastating impact on relationships. The uplifting ending written for Tully and Dene provides a real sense of hope that relationships in life can be mended. A wonderful read. Teacher's notes are available from the publisher.
Themes Friendship, Social Media, School, Relationships, Bullying, Family.
Kathryn Beilby
Something Broken, Something Fixed by Kathryn England, illus Davilyn Lynch
A seemingly simple tale of two children making something reveals a tale of siblings coming together after a disagreement, making amends, repairing fences, both wanting to fix the gap between them. A broken dinosaur on the front cover could be a clue to the broken relationship, as Amy dons her tool belt over her skirt and rummages around the house to find things to build something special for her brother, Finn.
She finds a wobbly chair and takes the seat, she finds some wheels and grabs them with glee, an old picture frame is just what she needs, a pram, a shoebox in mum’s wardrobe, all are gathered together to create the thing she has in her head.
Meanwhile Finn comes looking for his sister. He has finished his puzzle in his room, and calls out for her. He cannot find her but can see where she has been, so he dons his tool belt and repairs some of the things she has left behind.
When they finally catch up in the garden shed, she presents him with her contraption, a remote controlled flying boat-car. But using the remote control however does not work, so they try to work something out together.
A subtle story of siblings coming together to do something together, the title, Something broken not only refers to the broken things around the house but also their friendship. So fixing up is at the centre of this story as Amy tries to make something special for her brother and he repairs the things she leaves behind.
Kids will love looking at the range of broken things depicted on each page, comparing them with what gets broken at home, reprising stories of how things at home became broken, making up a story of how the objects on the pages become broken. The broken dinosaur on the front cover begs for a story and will prove a start off point for many imaginative tales.
Head of Zeus, 2022. ISBN: 9781804541807. (Age:Young Adult) Recommended.
Stone begins with great emotional impact. Through the voice of Sam, we learn that his soldier father has recently died in Afghanistan as a result of an explosion. Despite the imminent funeral Sam goes to a party to escape this grim reality and meets a girl called Oona, who he is instantly infatuated by. The funeral is realistic and heart wrenching as he becomes overwhelmed and needs to escape the people at the wake. He takes the dog for a walk and in the process finds a strange stone which has supernatural powers. The stone seems to give him unnatural strength and he has frightening visions from the past, wolves and owls appear and so does his father. Sam becomes very aggressive and he is goaded into violence by an old enemy. He is also jealous of his best friend Chad because Sam believes Chad will win over Oona. Oona has extensive knowledge about the occult and teaches Sam what she knows. The story builds to a climax at Samhain/Halloween when the local young people have an outdoor celebration.
Hawkins very successfully creates a flawed and sometimes unlikable character in Sam. He is jealous and violently reactionary in his grief. At the same time these are believable traits, especially when he feels so guilty about the way he ended his last conversation with his father. However, we also know that he loves his mother and sister and feels a strong need to care for them. Luckily his sister is a foil for his impulsivity and she has great emotional intelligence. The supernatural connections to this ancient rural part of England and mythology are likely to be intriguing for many young adult readers. Yet it is the complex human relationships which drive the story. The support he gets from the psychologist, Oona and a kind older man guide him to make more positive choices. The addition of Hawkins illustrations, Tarot card art and the lists of Sam’s memories about his father, add extra layers to this insightful novel.
When a parcel arrives for Penguin, all the animals are excited. Living where they do, they are icy cold and would love the parcel to contain something to keep them warm. The parcel is a present from Gorilla so readers will have a great deal of fun guessing what might be inside. Penguin guesses it may be a cosy scarf, but the parcel is too heavy to be a soft scarf. So could it be a hot water bottle, but this too is rejected as the parcel is too cold. Several guesses later, the parcel is ripped open by all the animals to reveal something quite unexpected.
And what Penguin does with his gift will keep him very warm.
A very cute story eliciting a guessing game from the readers, Parcel for Penguin will appeal to young readers for whom learning about other animals is very new. These animals, situated in the colder regions of the world will help young readers learn about places in their environment, as well as the traits of these animals adapted to living in hostile conditions. But they will love Penguin, especially the detailed illustrations of this little creature on the endpapers.
The guessing book behoves the question about just what is an appropriate present for a penguin or its friends? Living in such a cold climate and will lead on to much discussion about the animals’ adaptations. Much more complicated ideas about weather and climate could ensue.
Life in a Hollow is the perfect introduction for Early – Primary Years students to one aspect of the Australian bush that is perhaps not frequently discussed. From the smallest of creatures, the Longhorn beetles, which are often responsible for beginning a hollow, to the largest of the creatures, the Brushtail possum, this book takes the reader of a journey of discovery to the different inhabitants of a tree hollow and how they make it their home.
The appealing rhyming text beautifully describes each of the species of bush creatures who live in the hollow.
It didn’t take long for some three-toed skin To see the hole, and with barely a blink Head for the hollow, leaving their stone. Now the shimmering skinks call this hollow a home.
Each time a new species relocates to the hollow, it is widened to suit their size and they remain there for as long as necessary. Once empty a new creature moves in. The author, David Gullan, gives important information about tree hollows in the final pages and how we can help to protect trees that provide a source of shelter for these Australian creatures. Further details are given about the animals in the story and there is an accessible glossary for young readers. The vibrant full-page illustrations in bush colours by Suzanne Houghton show great detail and will engage the audience.
The first of a new series from Larrikin House promises lots of laughs as Dad’s plans predictably go awry. The front cover provokes laughter as kids pick up the book, seeing a snake hanging from the tree, lots of eyes peering out at the family, while the girl clutches a significantly placed first aid box. Imaginations will kick into gear as holidays with the family are recalled.
The book opens with the plan of the camping holiday on the endpaper, a few hills and lakes are to be explored as Dad makes his hopes known. His kids need nature, he assumes, but his daughter would prefer glamping. Rhyming pairs of lines follow the disasters that befall Dad on their rustic holiday. From pitching the tent on a mountain of ants to disturbing a bee hive, Dad’s back to nature trip is sure to come unstuck. When he falls into the swamp and comes back up with leeches on his ears, a rat taking a bite from his chin and a crab snapping at this skin, the laughs come thick and fast at poor Dad’s expense. Others would give up, pack up the gear and head for home but not this dad. He walks into a tree and is stunned, so begins walking in circles, taking his kids with him. Just when things could not get any worse, a savage boar butts Dad on his bum. Some of his wounds are becoming infected and when the fire is lit to cook, the fox runs off with the steak. And then a snake appears. What else could go wrong? Well his many bites are now blowing up his head. Asking for the calamine lotion to cool himself down he sees the fire escape from the campfire and burn down the tent. A night spent in the car sees a black spider crawl up Dad’s leg, but after all this the children suggest they stay another night!
A very funny rhyming text is wonderfully supported with funny illustrations that remind all readers of the dangers lurking outside when someone wants to go back to nature. A laugh on every page, the images of the kids and their dog and dad coping with a mountain of calamities underlines the impact of trying something new, despite things going wrong. A discussion could be had after the laughter has died down around change and trying different things, of being adaptable, of preparing for change.
