Archie & Reddie book 3. HarperCollins, 2022. ISBN: 9781460760826. (Age:4+)
The Archie & Reddie book series, about two fox friends who have lots of fun, continues with Look What We Can Do! This early-reader graphic novel, the third in the series, tells the story of Archie and Reddie who are keen to win a wagon in the local talent show because they have so many books to carry. They already have one idea for the show, their super-special Foxy Friends Swish, but think they will need to add something more to really stand out. Over the course of the story they add a variety of actions, such as swishing and skating, music, juggling, kicking, balancing and singing. They finally realise that it is all too much and choose what they know they can do the best to perform. Archie and Reddie do not win the talent show but do receive a prize.
This story is a perfect example of friendship where two great friends cooperate, plan, listen to each other and speak kindly. Early readers looking for an easy graphic novel format will enjoy this story. Both the text and colourful images are large, easy to read and will keep the reader entertained.
Themes Friendship, Talent Show, Cooperation, Early Reader, Graphic Novel.
Kathryn Beilby
Five on a Treasure Island by Enid Blyton
Famous Five graphic novel. Hachette, 2022. ISBN: 9781444963670. (Age:primary)
This graphic retelling of the classic Enid Blyton tale is the first in the original series where the five meet. George’s father has decided to sell Kirrin Island as it will cost too much to fix up the ruins. Meanwhile the Five have discovered a treasure ship washed up after a storm and have to defend their find from the antique dealer who knows that there is likely to be Aztec gold buried there and has offered to buy the island. The Five have to find the gold before the criminals do, having exciting adventures along the way. The back story about the Ayacotl is a bit of a distraction and the plot is as improbable as in the original. There are some pretty scary male characters including George’s father who is easy to confuse with the other adult males in the story, not helped by the two “criminals” being twins! The 50’s colours, styling and characterisation is very reminiscent of Herge’s “Tintin” books and I found the mismatch a bit confusing.
This small, colourful retelling of the classic story will appeal to those familiar with the original series wanting to share with their grandchildren but this reduction to just 60 pages is unlikely to engage a new generation.
Themes Adventure, Friendship, Treasure, Mystery.
Sue Speck
Bandoola the great elephant rescue by William Grill
Authors often write a story because they stumble upon a thought or garner a glimpse of information which immediately appeals to them. This happened to William Grill when he chose to research and write the story of Bandoola: The Great Elephant Rescue after he found a book in a second-hand book shop titled Elephant Bill.
The book begins with a map of Myanmar’s position in the world and the contents page. The foreword gives the reader valuable information about Myanmar which was originally a British Colony named Burma. Unfortunately, the rich and varied resources of Myanmar were exploited by the British in the late 1800’s and early to mid-1900’s and this story tells of the still on-going practice of using elephants to transport the precious teak logs through the jungles and mountain areas of Myanmar.
James Howard Williams or ‘Elephant Bill’ was born in 1897, the same year as the elephant Bandoola with whom he formed an unbreakable bond. A WW1 veteran, Williams came to Myanmar to oversee 70 elephants and their riders known as oozies around the Chindwin River. He had a natural affinity with animals and spent time learning everything he could about elephants. Bandoola and his oozie, Po Toke, shared many memorable experiences with Williams, the most famous one being the amazing elephant escape mission that would take Elephant Company from Myanmar over to India across mountainous terrain during WW2. Williams and Bandoola led 64 women and children, 53 elephants, 40 armed soldiers, 90 oozies and assistants plus four British military officers through 190 perilous kilometres to safety. The elephants carried and paved the way to safety for the refugees in an incredible journey full of hardship. The story does not end there though and there is so much more to be learnt by reading this book. Throughout the book are multiple facts about elephants and events of the time combined with hand drawn illustrations in muted tones of mainly greens and yellows.
Bandoola: The Great Elephant Rescue is both a wonderful story and significant historical record of the life of working elephants in Myanmar as well as world events at the time. A valuable and informative book to share with students when sharing stories on Remembrance Day as well as a great resource on elephant facts.
Themes Elephants, Myanmar, War, Conservation, Logging, British Empire.
Ember Grove has that ‘sleepy hollow’ vibe, with a history of unexplained events; whose inhabitants sometimes revert to quaint rituals and natural remedies. One such rite of passage is Revelry – a night for graduating students to dance and party in the woods without adult supervision. The townsfolk, when quizzed, don’t have much recollection of their respective Revelries, except the sense it marked a significant change in the trajectory of their lives.
The narrator, Bitsy Clark, is not a senior but she is persuaded by her best friend, Amy, to sneak into the Revelry, after Amy learns of the secret location. Bitsy is nervous and wants to pull out – it is forbidden to attend any revelry except your own.
Predictably, neither girl can remember what happened the next day. Bitsy senses it wasn’t good given the hems of their costumes are singed and both are soaking wet. She becomes increasingly focussed on finding out because of a run of very bad luck. Her misadventures are in direct contrast to Amy’s experiences. When Amy scores the lead in the school musical, Bitsy is not selected for the swim meet due to an unexpected panic attack. Their contrasting fortunes become more than she can bear.
Skylar, the strange girl at the Revelry who lives in the woods, entices Bitsy back to the woods, sometimes all night. Bitsy researches past events to learn that the bargains struck at Revalry have changed the lives of some of the townsfolk down through the years. Bitsy knows Skylar has something to do with the strange disappearances following certain Revelries but Amy accuses Bitsy of jealousy and tensions rise. Will Amy come round and help Bitsy solve the age old mystery?
A contemporary thriller with classic twists, text messages, dialogue and the dynamics of friendships today, make this simply told tale a modern page turner for fans of ghost stories.
Themes Supernatural Thriller/Mystery.
Deborah Robins
Peppa's brilliant bumper colouring book
Penguin, 2022. ISBN: 9780241559406. (Age:2+)
With 64 pages of colouring fun, young children are sure to find something that will appeal and of course the familiar and popular Peppa Pig will add to the attraction. Flicking through the book it was easy to find many topics that children will love to colour. The double page spread of On the beach is a winner for chats about hot weather, while the Super Strawberries will prove very enticing for all those people who love that fruit. If an adult has the time to spend with a child, there are lots of opportunities to discuss what colours can be used - Busy Bee's costume is black and yellow just like a bee, and flowers can come in many colours.
The large illustrations are perfect for the very young to colour in and children's hand-eye coordination and hand strength is sure to develop as they grip a crayon or pencil, while having fun with colour. This is a perfect book to give children an activity away from the screen, allowing them to be creative and helping develop focus and patience!
Easter is just around the corner, so an Australian book about that time of the year, full of the cuddliest of animals, a koala, wombat and bilby is sure to please readers both local and overseas. And bringing a rabbit into the story gives a neat comparison of the bilby and rabbit, both favourites at Easter.
When Little Wombat is searching the undergrowth for eggs, somebody rushes past. He thinks it is Rabbit but there are things about this animal that are not rabbit like. He pulls his tail, then turns him around and pulls at this long nose. Suddenly Rabbit appears at this shoulder, and Little Wombat realises that this animal is not a rabbit, and Rabbit tells him that this is Bilby. The three animals then compare each other, they look at their attributes which will intrigue younger readers, giving them the opportunity to see what makes each animal different from the other. We hear about their tails, their snouts, and their ability to dig, the cute watercolour illustrations demonstrating what is in the text. Younger readers will love seeing these Australian animals, alongside a very English one, the rabbit, and see how both the rabbit and bilby fit into the Easter theme.
In the evening, the animals are invited back to Little Wombat’s burrow to share the eggs. Many more eggs have appeared. Koala has joined them and they soon see that Bilby is the one who has left the eggs for them all. An Easter Bilby has been.
Kids will love talking about Easter and what it means to them: Easter Rabbit or Easter Bilby, chocolate eggs and the hunt for the eggs. The book gives a wonderful introduction to the meaning of Easter for many people, and the lovely watercolour illustrations will ensure young readers look closely at the detail given and learn more about what makes these animals unique.
Themes Australian animals, Bilby, Rabbit, Wombat, Koala, Easter, Eggs, Sharing.
Fran Knight
The naughtiest unicorn on a treasure hunt by Pip Bird
The Naughtiest Unicorn on a Treasure Hunt, written by pseudonym Pip Bird sees the return of Mira and her UBFF (Unicorn Best Friend Forever) Dave back for another fun filled adventure! This novel is out just in time for Easter and is sure to be a favourite for many young readers who enjoy unicorns, adventure, and a hint of mischief! Filled with chocolate eggs, treasure hunting and more, this story is sure to bring a laugh or two to the day!
Mira and the other students from Unicorn School are super excited! It is Springtime and they are ready for a fun filled day to celebrate the longest day of the year. Everyone is up early and keen to watch the sunrise and take part in a jam-packed day of treasure hunting, games and fun. Everyone that is, except Dave - the naughtiest unicorn ever! He is still fast asleep and refusing to wake up. That is until he hears there are chocolate eggs to be won! Bring on the chocolate, and apparently anything can happen!!
With all the motivation he needs, he is raring to go. But, with a little too much enthusiasm and more bad manners, could he spoil everything? Mira definitely hopes not, as she is extremely determined to become the Treasure Hunt Queen. So, when Dave’s eagerness for chocolate accidently uncovers a clue for the hidden treasure, Mira puts her clue finding skills to the test. Can Mira use the clues that she has to locate the secret treasure, or will Dave’s behaviour spoil the day?
Pip Bird has written another entertaining novel. This fun and adventurous story is fast paced and amusing. Throw in your favourite naughty unicorn, some chocolate and an adventure, and you will be page turning all the way. Combined with awesome illustrations by David O’Connell, this book will engage readers with its witty humour and terrific clear imagery. A great book for young readers to enjoy, especially those who love unicorns!
Themes Humour, Adventure, Problem solving, Relationships.
Michelle O'Connell
The green planet by Leisa Stewart-Sharpe. Illus. by Kim Smith
The Green Planet is a beautifully presented non-fiction book showcasing stories from the brand-new BBC television series The Green Planet. From the vibrantly coloured rich foliage front endpapers to the sparse and confronting image of the lone plant on the back endpapers, this book is a visual treat for all readers both young and old.
The forward by Chris Packham introduces us to the notion that plants are both as interesting and as fascinating as animals. He stresses that we need to look after our plants as many are at risk of extinction and are vital to our health and ultimate survival. Each double page spread is clearly labelled with segments of information placed around very appealing and colourful diagrams and images. There are several pages providing information about life-giving plants and then the reader is lead into pages about the following five main areas: Tropical Worlds, Desert Worlds, Water Worlds, Seasonal Worlds and Human Worlds.
Within each of these worlds are pages devoted to an introduction, stories, inhabitants and a final summary where the effects of climate change on each world is discussed as well as encouraging possible solutions. The closing pages call for plant protectors and how to help your green planet grow. On the final endpaper is a short but telling message from Sir David Attenborough encouraging all to make a Greener Planet.
This is a wonderful book suitable for home, school and public library.
Piatkus, 2022. ISBN: 9780349430249. (Age:Adult) Recommended for mystery lovers.
With the 54th book in the In Death series, J.D. Robb has once again managed to write an engrossing mystery that will keep the reader guessing until the surprise (to me) reveal of the killer who leaves victims with a sign saying, ‘Bad Mommy’. When Eve Dallas is called to view the body of a victim who has been left on a bench in a playground close to her friends’ home, she is determined to find the perpetrator who appears to be reliving his feelings about his mother from decades years before. When more young women of a similar appearance disappear, Eve knows that she has a serial killer to find, and the hunt is on to uncover old crimes or women who may have had a similar tattoo to the one that the killer is putting on his victims.
As usual New York Times bestselling author Robb masterfully manages twists and turns and police procedures as she and her team try to work out just who could be the killer. She ensures that the reader is emotionally invested in the story by relating the background events around the disappearance of the ‘Bad Mommy’ and what happened to her, as well as the feelings of one of the victims who is imprisoned. Familiar characters, Peabody, Roake, and Mira all make appearances and add to knowledge about the killer and his background.
This was a riveting plot, one that readers will find easy to read and the shock reveal of the killer will add to the enjoyment.
Ren and her daughters are living in London following the funeral of her Polish mother - Layla and Izzy’s grandmother. Babcia was a scholar of folklore and much loved, so the girls never remove her gifts of amber amulets. Ren packs them up and heads back to live in a ramshackle cottage in Lowesdale, where Ren grew up. In the first half of the novel, Ren’s childhood experiences form the back story, published as italicised mini-chapters.
In Lowesdale, dreams and visions of a whistling, old white-haired woman intensify. Ren, Layla and Izzy are increasingly spooked by noises, intruders and incidents such as strategically placed dead birds. After a lot of sleuthing, Layla learns who or what has lured her mother back. So many adventures alone, together or with neighbourly James, entailing bike rides, bus rides, scooter rides, and boat rides to interview, or research or generally investigate criminal, historic and supernatural events will win over mystery fans.
As the pieces of the puzzle are gathered, Layla has no idea whether the sisters inherited their mother's Polish genes that gift them powers of a Vilsestra. But the mishaps and suspicious characters keep coming. After Ren is taken in dramatic fashion, Seb/(Dad), Henry the sleezy landlord, his son James, the suspicious Mor Hemlock and Mr Speckleback the museum curator, all help lead the girls to Mesula, a powerful Vilsestra. Will their combined, untested powers be enough to defeat her? To stimulate curious minds add an epilogue, map, a few graphics and a concise glossary of Polish folklore.
If you like mysteries and stormy, spectral battles between the forces of good and evil, don’t leave this one on the shelf.
My two year old grandson loves this book. It is the perfect read aloud for young children and would make an excellent resource for older children in the classroom, when a class is looking at how food is produced. The reader is guided through the whole process of growing corn, from the machine that is used to prepare the soil, right through to the harvest of the corn. Each piece of machinery is named and its function is described in an easy to understand way, while the bold, colourful illustrations complement the text perfectly. Meanwhile the tractor is at the centre of the action and a diagram at the back of the back shows all the parts that a tractor is made of.
Down on the farm, let’s cut the earth. Chop, chop! Don’t stop! Break that ground! Down on the farm, let’s cut the earth. What makes that cut-cut-cutting sound?
Sally Sutton’s narrative is very rhythmic and invites the young child to repeat the refrain 'Down on the farm', and then guess the name of the machine that is being described. This is a book that toddlers will ask to be read again and again and consequently their vocabulary about machines on the farm really grows with words like plough, harrow, seed drill and harvester.
Tractor joins other books by Sally Sutton and illustrated by Brian Loveday, including Roadworks, Dig, dump, roll and Wheels.
It is a great resource for home and school libraries.
It is refreshing to read and view a picture book retelling of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species. The concept for children and indeed adults is both daunting and complex, but this beautifully illustrated and well-presented book is the perfect introduction to this well-known scientific theory. In 1859 after travelling the world and observing nature, Charles Darwin changed the thinking of his generation that everything in the world began at the same time. Darwin’s Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection is explained thoughtfully in the book, often with humour, and written in an easy to comprehend story-like format so young readers will grasp some if not all of the concepts. There is information about variations and differences and how these help with survival and can be passed down through generations and how some babies of species may not survive and those that do are better able to adapt and breed in their environment. Also, that useful traits can passed on to future generations. In the final pages is an Author’s Note, Appendix, Misconceptions, Glossary and Recommended Literature.
The author and illustrator, Sabina Radeva, has a science background with a degree in Molecular Biology. She has created an excellent resource for children that will have a place in any school or public library.
Themes Animals, Habitats, Behaviours, Adaptations, Charles Darwin, Scientists, Theory of Evolution.
Kathryn Beilby
Dragon skin by Karen Foxlee
Allen & Unwin, 2021. ISBN: 9781760526108. (Age:10+) Highly recommended.
From the start we are in awe of this young girl, Pip, alone and mystified by what is happening around her. She finds an almost lifeless baby dragon near the waterhole where she hides out and takes it home to revive it. She recalls Mika’s words as she struggles to find the right restorative, taking syringes and cereal from her mother’s pantry to make a mash to put in its throat. Mum is brusque as usual lately, and tells her to get to her room before her boyfriend returns, angry and bullying, not wanting the young girl to be in his space. This suits Pip, she can concentrate on helping her charge, a male dragon she calls Little Fella.
She wags school the next door to care for the dragon, mindful of the wrath she will face when she gets home. But always her thoughts turn to Mika and what he would do. Her peers at school think she is still mourning Mika’s sudden disappearance and she recalls his first days at school when his unusual conversations and thoughts reached out to her. This was quite a surprise as she is a lone child, not used to having friends. But with Mika gone, and mum's boyfriend at the house, she needs help.
Eventually she reaches out to two of her classmates, peers she has rarely spoken to before; she is hesitant but needs them.
This is a glorious book about finding your place in the world, of saving your family along the way, of remembering. Pip is able to elicit support from her new friends, and so find peace. I love the description of the Australian bush, making it a most unusual dragon story within this setting. The writing makes the whole credible and inviting, as readers follow Pip’s journey to confidence and awareness.
Random House, 2021. ISBN: 9781529100891. (Age:14+) Highly recommended.
Following A deadly education the first in The Scholomance series, Novik ups the suspense and action as El fights against the maleficaria that seems to be targeting her. She has a group of allies around her and is determined that she will ensure that the students in the Scholomance make it out alive.
The constant thrills kept me on the edge of my seat as El recounts everything that is happening to her and her friends. Graduation is the goal and it was fascinating to follow El’s efforts to get everyone to work together, no mean feat considering the power of the enclaves and the needs of individuals who will do anything to find allies.
The story is told in the voice of El, who is often sarcastic, and this provides a welcome touch of humour against the breath-taking action and suspense. El matures along the way, gradually accepting that she does have friends, and accepting their strengths in her plan to get everyone out of the Scholomance. Her relationship with Orion also develops slowly and leads to the final mind-blowing cliff-hanger. There just has to be a third book in the series!
Novik is a clever author; her world is unique; her characters are relatable and the action is wonderful. Readers who love action and character driven fantasy are sure to like this series.
Themes Magic, School.
Pat Pledger
Enola Holmes and the black barouche by Nancy Springer
Allen & Unwin, 2021. ISBN: 9781761065255. (Age:Middle school)
A Netflix sensation, Enola Holmes has been the hero of six novels, and the seventh, Enola Holmes and the black barouche has now been published. In this exciting novel, Enola chases down a man she believes to be a murderer, the Earl of Dunhench, the husband of her friend's sister, Felicity, who has died in the most unusual of circumstances. Not only was the death certificate signed by Dr J Watson, who refutes this, the sister, Letitia, only received a short note from the Earl about Felicity’s death.
Letitia hires Enola to look into the situation, especially as his first wife had died in similarly strange circumstances. She goes to the village where he lives, cleverly asking questions of the locals but being a single woman she is not allowed to stay in the village inn, so she goes to his hall where she uses her guile to stay overnight, questioning the servants further as they dress her for dinner. Enola is a convincing fascinating character, who espouses twentieth century ideas while having to live by nineteenth century morals and customs. The comparison is enticing as she describes the way people live around her. The excitement of the hunt for the murderer is equally as interesting as the background information Springer includes in her tale. We see the disparity between rich and poor, the easy power of the upper classes, able to control people in their employ, the condition of the roads and transport, the difficulty of travel and the restriction that women’s clothes brings.
The first in the series, Enola Holmes and the missing marquess was followed by five more by Nancy Springer, now grouped together as the Enola Holmes mysteries. The seventh, Enola Holmes and the black barouche is now followed by an eighth incarnation. The first, Enola Holmes and the missing marquess, was made into a film by Netflix and so well received that a second is in production.
The books are full of adventure with an enticing main character, smarting against the restrictions society at the time impose on women. She is much more modern than the times, and with hints of the Suffragette Movement in the background along with the way women are treated, gives food for thought for the more mature readers.
Themes Sherlock Holmes, Nineteenth century England, Mystery, Humour.
