This is book one of a new series by the comedy-writing duo behind the award-winning children's TV show, Hardball. It is highly illustrated and packed full of over-the-top silliness and groan-out-loud grossness, including a principal called Phaart who drinks her own wart-pus smoothies .. eww!!
It is the day of the school sports carnival and animal friends Eddie, Mabel and Princeton are determined to beat cheater Echo this year. They support each other in a series of unlikely sporting events and are encouraged by the not-so-lofty aim of coming in second last, rather than last.
The story moves fast and has a host of characters to meet. As there is a lot going on, younger children may enjoy having this read to them or alongside them (if parents can handle the grossness!) while readers from around 8+ could be let loose on their own to enjoy.
With such a silly story I was pleasantly surprised to find that a moral was snuck in towards the end – a pep-talk given to one of the animals about there being no need to be the fastest, most fearless, or fittest but that the main thing was just having each other’s backs and being a team. After that it really doesn’t matter who wins!
The cover title is neon-pink and very appealing for young readers; the text inside includes an abundance of large bold fonts for actions and emphasis, and the story is generously supported by heaps of zany greyscale illustrations. The back of this book contains an epilogue titled ‘the bit after the end ends’ which neatly wraps up the story while including a book two teaser.
Pan Macmillan Australia, 2021. ISBN: 9781760987800. (Age:3-6)
Based on a popular television show featuring a cast of Aussie animals training to be lifeguards, these board books of the same name will be appreciated by fans of the series. Gemma, Pounce, Neville and Frizzy are facing big waves and learning how to dive under them. Pounce is scared but he is too proud to admit it. 'I've dived under so many waves before, it's easy-peasy', he says. His friends are open with their emotions and their struggles, providing for easy comparison between the two different approaches to fear. 'I keep getting dunked', says Neville, asking Pounce to show them how it's done. Pounce keeps up the pretence that he knows exactly what to do, but when Gherkinn gets into trouble with a big wave and Pounce struggles to help him, his cover is blown. 'I thought you were confident in the waves', says Big Trev. 'I was pretending to be', says Pounce, finally admitting his fear and accepting Big Trev's help.
Perfect for the summer and for initiating discussions about the dangers of the beach, Brave the Waves encourages children to be open and honest about their feelings and emphasises that asking for help and admitting fear is the best way to overcome it. Big Trev even admits that he used to be scared of the big waves, showing that confidence is not innate but comes with practice and having a go.
Beach Buddies colouring book and Fun in the Sun sticker activity book are also available.
Themes Bravery, Swimming, Water Safety, Board book.
Nicole Nelson
I wish I had a wookiee and other poems for our galaxy by Ian Doescher
Young fans of Star Wars will love this newly published book of poems. It is cleverly written and explores all aspects of this much-loved movie phenomena related to everyday life. The poems are all about children who interact with numerous characters, objects and settings. For example, the following poem is titled ‘Star Barber’:
In the Star Wars galaxy, When a barber cuts your hair, Does she use a razor with A little lightsaber in there?
Some of the poems encourage children to be or do their best like the one called ‘Role Model’ where young Sophie wants to be like Mon Mothma and knows she will have to work hard at it. The poem named ‘The Fetts’ has a message about good and evil and mentions that Jango and Boba may not be all that bad and ‘sometimes they must have just been a kid and his dad.’ Another poem with a thoughtful message is the lovely, ‘A Galaxy of Families’ where the final verse says:
All families don’t look the same. What types can you think of? The galaxy has many kinds- Their common theme is love.
The illustrations by Tim Budgeon are beautifully drawn in tones of black and grey with a single pop of colour. This book would make a perfect Christmas gift for Star Wars obsessed children and is a brilliantly creative way of encouraging younger readers to read poetry.
Wow! This is a book that is hard to put down! When Ivy, Mateo and Cal meet in the high school car park one morning they decide that it is a perfect day to skip school. Although they were no longer friends, they had had 'The Best Day Ever' when they had left a boring excursion when they were in middle school, and all had reasons to want another best day ever. On their way downtown they spot Boney Mahoney who is also truanting and almost witness his murder in an empty apartment building. The day turns out to be a disaster. They must evade the police, a witness claims to have seen a blond woman leaving the apartment, wild speculations that it is Ivy come from classmates and all three have secrets to hide. Why was Boney killed and who is the murderer?
McManus is an excellent writer of mysteries and thrillers. The pacing is fast and keeps the reader on the edge of the seat as one twist follows another. Fans of her previous books, One of us is lying,Two can keep a secret,One of us is next and Cousins will be queuing up to read this compulsive thriller. I could not put it down and read it in a couple of sittings.
But it is not just the plot that makes this a compulsive read. The characters are well drawn and easy to relate to. The story is told in the alternate voices of Ivy, Mateo and Cal and their background difficulties become evident through the narrative. All three have problems. Ivy is a high achiever who is very jealous of her talented brother. Mateo is working three jobs to help pay for his mother’s medical expenses while Cal is facing the results of a disastrous relationship. They are all keeping secrets from each other, all of which could lead them into danger.
Readers who enjoy this may want to watch the 1986 classic movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Other books that will appeal are The Inheritance games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes and A good girl’s guide to murder by Holly Jackson.
Themes Murder, Jealousy, Poverty, Relationships.
Pat Pledger
If not us by Mark Smith
Text Publishing, 2021. ISBN: 9781922330796. (Age:14+) Highly recommended.
Hesse and his widowed mother live in the small Victorian coastal town of Shelbourne. He loves to surf, taking every opportunity to do so, despite his mother’s misgivings after her husband’s disappearance at sea. Towering over the town is the coal mine and smelter, the smoke often noticeable in the fresh sea air, the mine offering work to many of the town’s inhabitants and sealing its place by supporting local clubs and community events.
But some, including Hesse’s mother, Imogen are unhappy with its pollution. And with uncertainty about the future of coal, the mine is not doing as well as it once was, and is up for sale. A group forms to rally against the mine, meeting at Hesse’s place and he becomes involved listening to the talk in his lounge room. An exchange student from The Netherlands, Fenna, comes to the town, surprised to see a coal mine still in operation. Fenna sees it all from a European perspective, making Hesse question things he has taken for granted.
With the title, If Not Us, take from a statement by John F. Kennedy, printed with a statement by activist Greta Thurnberg in the front of the book, the major theme shines through as the political aims of Hesse’s group clash with those of the mine and its supporters. Hesse’s speech at the forum ignites passions, Hesse thrust into the gaze of the world when his speech and its support goes viral. But with the accolades from those supporting Hesse and the action group come the trolls and detractors, one of whom holds Hesse and Fenna in his spotlight before firing a warning shot.
A tightly packed thriller of a read, the story leads itself to a wide range of eager teen readers: those who applaud action taken over climate change, those interested in how opposition groups work, many following the love story between the two main characters, while the presence of the coal mine at Shelbourne parallels the issue holding Australia back from confronting climate change with conviction. If Not Us is a triumphant look at modern Australia, its prevarication, the fence sitting, the divide between those who think coal has a future and those who question its production. The book focuses on questions about people’s loyalties and convictions, and would be an ideal vehicle to encourage discussion and thought with secondary students and readers.
Smith’s Winter trilogy has similar issues close to its heart, with a group of teens surviving after climate change destroys the life they once knew.
Smith is an able writer for teens, encouraging them to think outside the square, to participate in issues that matter, leading them to question the platitudes of those with power. Teacher's notes are available.
Themes Climate change, Activism, Coal power stations, Conservation, Environment.
Fran Knight
The last kids on Earth and the Doomsday race by Max Brallier. Illus. by Douglas Holgate
Full disclosure: I was delaying reading this book as it is book seven of a series I had not seen or heard of before. Then my 12-year-old son spotted it in my review pile and excitedly told me about the fantastic cartoon Netflix series, before promptly stealing the book.
I stole it back from his bedside table and was immediately hooked. Yes, there are some things that, without any background story, don’t completely make sense to start with, but the characters are engaging and funny, and the story and relationships unfold neatly so that more information and context are revealed along the way.
13-year-old Jack Sullivan is living in a world populated with monsters and zombies. He and three friends (Quint, June and Dirk) are a monster-fighting gang, each with special skills and powers to aid in the cause. Jack can control zombies, so his zombie squad of Alfred, Lefty and Glurm are also along for the ride. The gang are having a short break after a victory at the end of the previous book, where they survived a skeleton army and escaped with an unusual slime-producing creature they’ve named Drooler. They are planning to find Thrull (the main monster antagonist) and save the world.
This book starts with a massive centipede-type monster hoovering up the gang during their break and depositing them into a mega shopping mall which is already inside of it. The mall is packed full of peaceful monsters who are ruled by The Grand Protector. It turns out Jack’s gang have met The Grand Protector before, and they are suspicious of his motives to protect and watch over all these monsters.
Jack’s gang work well, supporting each other and solving problems together. They are almost like siblings, teasing and joking one minute then ferociously defending one another the next. And the defence is absolutely necessary, with several long fight scenes described in detail - I can easily imagine the TV cartoon!
This is a highly illustrated novel where the detailed grayscale pictures are an integral part of the story. A very entertaining and humorous read.
Fans of the eight books set in Deltora, will be thrilled to see all eight books brought together in one handsome hard cover volume, celebrating the 21st anniversary of the Deltora Quest books. Those who don't know the series will be drawn to the beautiful cover and will want to find out about Leif, Barda and Jasmine the three companions starring in the stories and the quest that they are on to find the seven lost gems of the Belt of Deltora.
They face danger from the evil Shadow Lord and their journey to find the missing jewels leads them through the kingdom of magic and monsters to the Shadowlands, a strange and unknown place. It is only when all the gems are placed in the belt that the country will be safe from the Shadow Lord, and they will need all their ingenuity and intelligence to solve the mysteries and puzzles that will give them a complete belt.
This is high quality fantasy and would be an ideal gift for children who love adventure and magical lands, as well as a welcome volume on library shelves.
Ryan Watson is a young girl approaching summer holidays before beginning Year 5. Her family are loving and warm and they are waiting on the arrival of a new sister. Ryan is both delighted and impatient for the changes that will follow the arrival of the new baby. While she waits and her mother rests, she must cope with changed holiday routines and overcoming fears related to the church camp that she is now old enough attend. Ryan is a delight - thoughtful and responsible and keen to make her parents proud. Her family are hardworking, salt-of-the-earth folk and this is just an insight into a moment of time that impacts them all – but seen through the eyes of the young Ryan.
The delight of this book is the gentle understanding of a family that are church-attenders, of a different cultural heritage and whose work circumstances are different (Ryan’s father is a shift-worker). These differences help readers to recognise diversity and realise that not everyone in the world is the same. The fears and friendship concerns for Ryan will connect with young readers. No issue in the book is big, but for a young child these are the things that they encounter – struggles with an older brother, missing time with a parent, wanting to be a ‘best friend’, overcoming fears, and with a touch of humour, Ryan’s desire to be helpful means that she also over-consumes pickles! Young readers (aged 8-11) who desire an uncomplicated story will enjoy this book.
Themes Family, New child, Love, Friendships, Church life.
Ivan Lucic is called out to Finnigans Gap, a small opal mining town deep in the outback, where a crucified man has been found in a mine. Joined by Nell Buchanan a young detective, the pair investigate this bizarre murder, coming up against an array of eccentric characters, including two billionaire mining magnates and a cult of religious fanatics. While trying to find the killer, the pair are faced with an internal investigation which has finished the career of Montefore, Lucic’s mentor in the Police Force and which threatens to end their careers as well.
Treasure & Dirt is a compulsive read. The setting of the opal town, Finnigans Gap, really makes the story. It is fascinating to read about the mines and miners, the ratters who stole from the mines in the dead of night and the dry, harsh country. The power that rich people wield and the game playing about the share market also provides a rich background to the murder.
Clever descriptive writing makes the characters come alive. It is easy to imagine the two billionaires striding to their private planes, and the cult leader is suitably villainous. Lucic has his problems, and Nell emerges as a character that I would like to see featured in another book by Hammer.
As secrets about the past merge with the mystery of the crucified miner, Lucic and Buchanan need all their intelligence and ingenuity to solve the case and avoid the danger that surrounds them.
This is a nail-biting mystery, with in-depth characterisation and a wonderful setting and will please fans of Australian noir.
Themes Mystery and suspense, Opal mining, Detectives, Power, Corruption.
The intriguingly tactile dust cover showing a couple of ghosts peering out from the two letter o’s in the title, invites all readers to look further. Through the opaque cover they will just be able to see an old fashioned three storied house, complete with bell tower and ghost, set amidst a grassy field. Tantalised and excited, they are keen to open the pages, albeit cautiously.
Inside a young girl takes us on a tour of her house, where she is sure a ghost exists.
Readers will scream with laughter as they spot the ghosts lurking in the rooms the girl invites us to see. She cannot find any apparitions, but once the opaque paper is drawn across the page, the readers will see what she cannot. Ghosts in the chandelier, a ghost on the stairs, ghosts under the table, sitting at the library desk, their ghostly forms apparent when the inserted page covers the illustration. I can imagine lots of voices calling out, ’there he is’, wanting the girl to look in the right place for her ghosts. Readers will be highly entertained as the story takes them through the house searching every room for the ghosts.
The illustrations, reminiscent of many ghostly cartoons, shows small creatures with eyes burning thorough a sheet, or is that a dust cover? hovering above the ground all through the book and again in the wonderful endpapers.
The girl asks questions, and readers will offer many explanations and pieces of information from their experiences. She knows there is a ghost in the house, but questions whether they can be easily seen, or if they have chains and haunt the halls. She has checked the chimney and the wardrobes, peered into the attic and under the beds. She understands that they are hard to see. Perhaps they can only be seen at night, she asks, but in the end while walking past a vaguely familiar portrait, readers may jump to their own conclusions about where the ghost is hiding.
A wonderful read which screams out for sharing and reading aloud, the book encourages readers to discuss all they know about ghosts, giving them a platform to talk about things they believe but cannot see, whether they believe in ghosts, and whether to keep on looking for something that does not wish to be found. New York based author/illustrator, Jeffers brings up these intriguing questions in his entertaining YouTube clip and you can also hear Jeffers reading his book here.
The warmth of hugs and kisses, of feeling safe, of family togetherness, tenderness and openness are all extolled in this picture book with its fantastic illustrations filling each page.
The repetition of the line, ‘but it’s not as big as my love for you’ underlines every big thing in the book. We are introduced to a big house, with a big kitchen and bathroom, a house so tall that trees tickle its roof, but its not as big as the love for a child.
Each time a page is turned the same idea is presented: something large is shown with the refrain following, stressing the fact that parents and children’s love is the biggest thing there is. We see the town with winding streets and apartments, a river with ducks and playground. We see a city with skyscrapers, buildings, and construction sites, bridges and streets, busses and an oval. Then we see the world, in its very bigness, lots of different people and animals and iconic structures. All vey big, but not as big as then parent’s love. Then the illustrations take the reader off into space, the biggest thing there is, but of course, not as huge as a parents’ love, and finally we see the universe.
Each time the refrain solidifies the love between a parent and child, ensuring it is the biggest thing there is, extolling the relationship between mother, father, grandparent and child.
I love the illustrations depicting a range of families, showing a range of activities undertaken by a happy, loving family. Children will love learning the refrain, repeating it when appropriate as the pages are turned by the reader. They will enjoy sharing the things they do with their parents, things that reflect the love between them and their parents.
Fran Knight
Seeking asylum: Our stories by Asylum Seeker Resource Centre
Black Inc., 2021. ISBN: 9781760643300. (Age:15+) Highly recommended.
This beautiful hardback book is a rich collection of the personal stories of refugees and asylum seekers. As Liliana Maria Sanchez Cornejo says in her introductory essay, when people are exposed to only one story about refugees, it makes them into a stereotype that’s easy to not care about. Through this book we can get to know a whole variety of people from different countries and with different stories; we get to know them as individuals that engage our interest and our empathy. They are ordinary people who have escaped extraordinary circumstances, embarking on a risky journey towards freedom. And for many the journey hasn’t ended. People on Temporary Protection Visas are denied the right to work or study, without access to Medicare or support. This is one of the areas where the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre provides a life-saving haven.
At the end of the book, Kon Karapanagiotidis provides a history of the ASRC, from its humble beginnings in 2001 as a TAFE student project, to its present day status as an organisation offering a foodbank, legal advice, psychosocial support, English classes, health clinic, employment program, along with friendship and hope. All this, without any government funding.
Julian Burnside QC also contributes a chronology of the political changes that saw Australia introduce laws of punishment and deterrence rather than the safety and protection that is the right of a refugee under the Refugee Convention, a convention that Australia itself helped draft. Burnside asserts that we can treat people seeking asylum with compassion, humanity and fairness, and have secure borders.
The information is presented in a clear easy-to-read style, but by far the most powerful impact of this book comes from the incredible, often heart-rending stories from people who have had to overcome enormous challenges to try find safety and create new lives for themselves. They share their stories in a spirit of generosity and friendship. Many have now found a home here, but for some the journey is still not over, and there is an ongoing struggle to feel safe, and for their families to feel safe. Their courage is amazing, as is their determination to help others and give back to their new country despite the hardships and racism they might encounter.
The photographs are stunning – faces of people from many different places and different experiences, but all people who want you to know them for who they really are. This book deserves to be in every library, in every home, and would make a Christmas present to treasure. As a pro bono publication by Black Inc Publishers, all proceeds are dedicated to funding refugee-led initiatives.
Themes Refugees, Asylum seekers, Freedom, Personal stories, Human rights.
Helen Eddy
Egg marks the spot by Amy Timberlake. Illus. by Jon Klassen
Allen & Unwin, 2021. ISBN: 9781407199405. (Age:8-11)
What a bizarre story! Badger is a rock-collecting whiz-badger, who is determined to collect a rock for each letter of the alphabet. Skunk is a quirky garrulous chef with an unusual friendship with rats and now chickens. The friendship between Badger and Skunk is close but not always warm. Sometimes friendship is like that, but maybe it is because Skunk has the potential to be malodorous. Badger’s cousin has stolen his ‘A’ agate, and this is Badger’s achilles heel and a source of great consternation. When there is the opportunity to find another rock source – amber, which is fossilised resin, it comes with an unusual egg inserted in the prehistoric stone. The two friends, with the addition of a fluffy chicken, are able to rescue the prehistoric hatchling from within the amber.
I cannot say this is a story with the clarity needed for younger readers. Timberlake peppers the narrative with onomatopoeic ‘blurts’ for animal and setting sounds and conversation, and sometimes there is dialogue that just seems confusing. The unusual personalities of Skunk and Badger add some comedic moments, but sometimes their idiosyncrasies are more likely to be understood by an adult rather than a child. I struggled to the end of this tale, and even the ‘scruffy’ naive illustrations by Klassen did not lift the story for me. For those readers aged 8-11 who love eccentric characters, animals personified with human traits far removed from their animal selves, and the oddities of excessive onomatopoeia and a weird plot-line… this may appeal, but don’t expect a child to be delighted by this story.
Kangaroo Beach : Frizzy's Treasure Hunt by Tim Bain
Pan Macmillan Australia, 2021. ISBN: 9781760987817. (Age:3+)
Frizzy is a feisty, independent, imaginative little koala for whom adventure is first priority and safety is, well, much further down the list! In this charming Aussie story by Tim Bain, Frizzy and her cadet friends, genius Gemma the Platypus, nervous Neville the wombat, perky Pounce the Kangaroo, as well as grumpy Grandpa Big Trev, are learning to scuba dive with a couple of lifeguard kangaroo instructors, Sandy and Bondi (very much in situ names!). Frizzy, who imagines herself as "Queen of the Sea” decides to swim off by herself despite warnings from Big Trev that they must “STICK TOGETHER”, and a rescue operation begins… but it isn’t quite the one they imagine! Frizzy learns a valuable lesson about safety (or does she?!?) and all is well in Kangaroo Beach once more.
Any child who is learning to read and loves Kangaroo Beach will enjoy this adventure. The pages are appropriate for little hands still learning to turn pages safely and keywords are highlighted in bold to make it eye-catching and easy to follow along for new readers.
Tim Bain has also written for hit series Bluey and Fireman Sam. Genre: New readers’ adventure.
The illicit love between impoverished Irish immigrant, Henry, and black slave woman, Sarah, in pre-Civil War Virginia, is at the heart of this novel, which, whilst being over 350 pages long, rushes along with short chapters interleaving their stories. It is hard to put down, the writing is so good and the characters so real; in fact they are based on the author’s own great-great grandparents’ experiences plus a great deal of research into the slave era in America.
It is an enthralling and tender story, and in itself would be satisfying enough for most readers, but Huf takes it to another level by also including the voice of Maple, the illegitimate black daughter of a slave owner forced into servitude to her half-sister and torn from the only family she knows. It is her bitterness and her powerlessness that really drives home the reality of the life of the slave, with no say, no power over her own destiny, subject to the whims and desires of her masters, knowing that any wrong step could end in a whipping.
Sarah and Maple’s master prides himself on being a Christian, a kind and just man to his slaves. But it is kindness on his own terms. His brand of Christianity does not tolerate any kind of intimate relationship between the righteous whites and the blacks deemed their inferiors. He makes all the decisions on who the slaves may mix with, who they may marry, where they shall live and the work they are allotted. Sarah declares that ‘slave suffering is a different thing. When somebody owns you, there ain’t nothing they can’t do to you.’
The tension builds as Sarah and Henry take greater and greater risks to be together. It is a thoroughly immersive reading experience. Lovers of historical fiction and romance will certainly enjoy this novel.
Themes Slavery, Romance, Black women, Freedom, Racism.
