The ironically named Scarlett, used to be beautiful, but is now covered in disfiguring burn scars after surviving a horrific accident. Being a teenager with such obvious features is not easy in a society that is appearance-obsessed, but Scarlett herself is far from ready to be anything except pretty. Her family has already known pain and loss, but Scarlett was too young to remember much of this. The journey to recovery and acceptance after her accident is beyond hard, it is crippling and painful and debilitating, and a constant nightmare. No one can understand the torture of the grief of the loss of her former existence and were it not for her father’s insistence of a step-by-step response to her new life, she would have completely given up. The decision to finally escape her everyday school torture and her scarred life and take a reprieve on top of a mountain in a ramshackle cabin leads her to Eamon and his autistic sister, Cat. Here she finds friendship with no expectations and lots of acceptance, and with an alternative community as neighbours, Scarlett discovers that she is more than what you see at first glance and that her story and the scars that prove it make her strong in ways that she could not have predicted. Choosing courage every day is always going to be hard.
This is beautifully written, with the back story of the accident and the internal thoughts and feelings related to recovery from a traumatic burn injury interspersed throughout the present-day self-discovery. This is not an easy journey and feeling Scarlett’s pain is quite palpable. Hayley Lawrence creates an insight into teenage life for a burns survivor which is personal and insightful and will grow empathy for readers. As the mother of five daughters, Lawrence has also created a story that is a gentle critique of the appearance-obsessed and shallow world that teens occupy, that is valuable reading for girls. This is a book to be recommended to readers aged 13+ who can maturely cope with the horrific nature of Scarlett’s injury and her subsequent struggles.
Eyes stare at the reader from the cover, eyes that almost defy logic as the reader takes in its surrounds, the blocks of colour exciting fervent interest. Is it a cat? Opening the book will reveal the creature within.
A mother cat and her kitten pounce through their world, seeing galaxies, stars and comets in the house and garden. Worlds unfold as they reveal their surroundings: the moon a hammock, the round chair in the lounge a planet, the moon and stars reflected in their eyes. The pair plays in the foliage, pounce at things in the house, see asteroids and comets in the plants of the garden, drink deeply from the Milky Way before allowing gravity to pull them back to earth, ready to dream again.
In this quirky tale, imagination takes hold as the cats play within the confines of the house and garden but all the time viewing what is beyond their orbit. Words fly around, all the words that denote the objects in the sky above, looking into the space above our heads. What a wonderful introduction to the night sky and all it entails, seeing it through a cat’s eyes, but scaling it down to the glory that is all around, impelling younger readers to think and discuss the words in the context of space beyond them, but seeing it in the microcosm of their garden and house.
The wonderfully colour filled illustrations will enthral readers as they turn the pages, waiting to see what is offered overleaf.
Kids and adults will love the use of words common to the night sky encouraging discussion and observation as they peer into it for themselves.
Flying Eye Books (FEB, for short) is the children’s imprint of award-winning visual publishing house Nobrow. Established in early 2013, FEB sought to retain the same attention to detail in design and excellence in illustrated content as its parent publisher, but with a focus on the craft of children’s storytelling and non-fiction.
Their books add a layer of difference, of interest and intrigue to the trove of children’s books, and I look out for their new books, because I know I will be in for a treat, one that makes me stop and think deeply about what I am reading.
Themes Space, Night sky, Cats, Play, Humour.
Fran Knight
Jingle smells by Mark Sperring and Sophie Corrigan
From the author and illustrator of Mince Spies and Santa Jaws comes another hilarious offering for the festive season. Jingle is a little skunk who advises everyone to hold their noses as he passes by and is devastated when the town’s Christmas tree falls ‘with a giant, creaking crash,’ overcome by his smell. He believes that he has ruined Christmas, but when robbers capture Santa Claus, it is his stinky smell that saves the day.
Like his two previous Christmas stories this is a very funny tale that is a great read aloud with its rhythm and rhymes.
Jingle Smells, Jingle Smells Jingle all the way, Oh what fun it is to be a skunk on Santa's sleigh!
The inclusion of large print to emphasise words and ideas will help the reader, both adult and emergent, and adds to the fun. Children will be introduced to the little skunk and will have the opportunity to learn about this animal and its smell in funny situations. Meanwhile the way the robbers put things right is a subtle lesson that bad deeds can be atoned.
Sophie Corrigan’s illustrations are very appealing. Jingle, with his red cap and scarf is very cute, the robbers with their black masks are slightly scary and Santa of course, has a beautiful grin.
This is another great Christmas book to add to the collection, both family and library and will provide lots of laughs on rereading as more details are discovered.
Themes Christmas, Skunks, Smells, Humour.
Pat Pledger
An Aussie Christmas gum tree by Jackie Hosking. lllus. by Nathaniel Eckstrom
When Possum notices the children decorating a tree near their house, he asks Kookaburra what is happening. Several of the animals take up the idea of decorating a tree, but have no idea of how to go about it, after all, decorations do not just lie around. Magpie has an idea; we will ask Bower Bird, after all he collects lot of sparkling things.
They all set out to find his bower and ask him for help.
In four line rhyming verses, the idea of the Aussie Christmas Tree develops with a possum, kookaburra, wedge tailed eagle, wombat, koala, kangaroo, magpie, and bowerbird making an appearance in their quest to make an Aussie Christmas Tree. They collect lots of things from the bowerbird, taking them back to the gum tree near the farm and begin to decorate the tree. But all the decorations fall off the tree and onto the ground. The bowerbird shows them how to thread the trinkets onto the tree using pegs.
Digital illustrations reflect the landscape of the bushland these animals call home. Children will love recognising the various animals, the iconic Australian touches: the farm house, the flora and fauna, the hills, the clothes line, the ute. Each has a place in the background of the story and will entertain younger readers. The idea of Christmas is one beloved by all children and this story of decorating the tree will sing with references to what is happening in their homes and at school. The rhymes will elicit responses from the children, predicting the rhyming word at the end of each sentence, perhaps adding their own rhymes, or even a refrain or two.
Lovely to read and particularly read aloud, with lots of eager helpers, the tale is one of a bunch available at this time of the year and will be used with gusto.
Themes Christmas, Christmas tree, Decoration, Australian animals, Australian flora and fauna, Humour.
Fran Knight
Scaredy bath by Zoe Foster Blake. Illus. by Daniel Gray-Barnett
Zoe Foster Blake has come up with another hilarious story, following her very successful, No one likes a fart. Complemented by hilarious illustrations by Daniel Gray-Barnett, this is likely to be just as popular with young children.
Scaredy Bath dreads bath time with the two exuberant young children who invade the bathroom, screaming and carrying all sorts of toys and gooey stuff. Scaredy Bath even has to put up with the hairy one as well, but when the family goes on holiday boredom sets in. Then when a very tiny one appears, Scaredy Bath hopes that things will be calmer – but is in for a surprise!
The narrative moves along smoothly and is a joy to read aloud. It is such a funny story and youngsters will appreciate the bath time story being told from the point of view of the bath, a fabulous way for parents to help children overcome their fear of the water. Family life will be easily recognised – the children covered in dirt and spaghetti, sometimes running from Dad, but always caught and sometimes racing up to the bathroom, crashing and shouting on the way.
Set against a blue background, with black outlines, the illustrations are just wonderful. The joy and enthusiasm of the children having a bath are evident. There are splashes everywhere and an occasional comical naughty moment that children will pick up on. The expressions on the faces of the long-suffering Scaredy Bath and the toilet with a moustache and heavy black eyebrows, are priceless as well.
This book is a keeper for me and I can see it becoming a firm favourite with families, helping to make bath time as enjoyable for children as it is shown so energetically by the author and illustrator.
Themes Bath time, Family love, Humour.
Pat Pledger
The book that did not want to be read by David Sundin
The Book That Did Not Want To Be Read, created by Swedish author David Sundin is not your average book, by any stretch of the imagination. Just as the name suggests, this book definitely does not behave like your regular picture book. It is a cleverly created book that will keep everyone constantly in suspense and wondering what could possibly happen next. The audience will be enchanted and entranced, while the adult reader will be kept on their toes to improvise and entertain.
Upon reading the story – and this really should be done out loud for full effect – this misbehaving book has the reader using it as a steering wheel, making up new words, reading large, small and teeny tiny print, even patting a pet rabbit, singing, flapping, book turning and much, much more….. all those things that are highly entertaining for an audience! This ingenious story is an interactive and continually evolving one. It will have the audience enthralled, as the reader improvises and interacts throughout the book.
Showing a brilliance and flair for creativity, Sundin first wrote this book in Sweden in 2020, before it was translated into English in 2021. It will have children captivated and bring great joy as a unique read aloud, especially before bed. This is a book that will have the audience intrigued and begging for it to be read over and over again. Children will love with story, but adults will need to be prepared to think on your feet and expect the unexpected!
The Book That Did Not Want To Be Read is sure to a become a new favourite in every home!
Readers will be lured in with the gorgeous cover of Half my luck, as well as the fact that it won the inaugural Matilda Prize and they will not be disappointed with the story of Layla Karimi, a girl who believes she has been cursed by the evil eye. Half Lebanese and half Australian, she does not fit in with either group and when the Lebanese group calling themselves The Cedar Army and led by her cousin Sufia, is wrongly accused of letting off a firework and injuring a young girl, and she knows the real culprit, she is faced with a real dilemma. Should she go to the police? Who can she trust?
The story is mostly set on a beach on the banks of the river, with Layla and her two friends, lying between the group of rich white kids, leaders of the popular group at school, and the Cedar Army, and her cousin Sufia. The sights and sounds of summer are brought to life as the teens lounge on the beach and buy treats from the kiosk.
The dual narrative is told from the point of view of Layla and Imogen, the sister of the girl who was injured and who once had been Layla’s friend until her parents decided that she was not suitable – daughter of a divorced parent and half Lebanese. The two voices give the reader an in-depth understanding of the two cultures and feelings and problems that both girls face. Layla’s grandmother is a wonderful character that readers will relate to, while Imogen’s mother, aiming for a life in politics, is much less likeable. Layla’s friendship with Jordan Michael, who works in the kiosk, is an outstanding part of the story. He offers Layla useful advice and helps her to realise that she can be her own cheerleader.
Relatable characters, events and themes of cultural diversity, belonging, ethics and friendship make this a worthwhile novel for a class novel or literature circle read. Extensive teacher’s notes are available.
Themes Coming of age, Cultural diversity, Ethics, Friendship.
Luke lives in an ordinary family on an ordinary street with parents running on the treadmill of capitalistic endeavour. Into this scenario a community of environmental activists arrive as squatters into the house across the road. Due for demolition, this house is in the way of the progress of an airport runway extension and the expansion of capitalistic and environmentally disastrous endeavours. Akin to The Castle in Australian folklore, the activists must fight against the ever-encroaching movement of progress and destruction. Luke’s sister, Rose, moves across the road to join the activists. Her father joins in too in the hope that Rose will return home, and Luke and his mother watch on in varying shades of desperation. Slowly the ‘cause’ takes over the whole street and mediocrity and apathy is replaced by endeavour and cooperation. Luke joins his new friend, Sky, and finds his voice to address his family division and the future of the planet.
This is a gentle environmental story exposing the actions and motivations of the environmental movement, with touches of humour added to lighten the activism. Woven within the distress of a family slowly fracturing within suburbia, there is still hope as they discover a common cause and work together. Luke is reflective and reserved and an endearing and modest heroic character. The delight of the book is seeing inside and discovering the plans of the eclectic and extraordinary community of climate activists who lurch from one issue to the next as they attempt to change the world.
Little Nic's big world by Nic Naitanui. Illus. by Fatima Anaya
Albert Street Books, 2021. ISBN: 9781761066061. (Age:5+) Highly recommended.
Little Nic's Big World is the second book written by well-known AFL West Coast Eagles footballer, Nic Naitanui, following Little Nic's big day. Once again, the author has created an entertaining read which celebrates the multi-cultural society that is Australia today. In this story, Nic’s school is having a fete with the theme, 'The World Comes to Us.' Students are encouraged to bring and share traditions from their own home and away cultures and Nic, who comes from a Fijian background, has chosen to bring his Bubu’s (grandmother) Cassava cake.
Before the fete begins Nic kicks the footy around with his friends and then rushes off to listen to the Acknowledgement of Country. Unfortunately, he leaves behind his backpack which contains the precious Cassava cake and spends time looking for it as it has disappeared. On his search for the missing backpack, Nic participates in a host of music, craft and sports from other cultures. The backpack is returned to Nic and his Cassava cake is very popular. The author has included a ‘Can you find...’ page at the back of the book with a list of items to search for. The colourful illustrations by Fatima Anaya are bright and bold and fill the page.
This highly engaging picture book with its clever rhyme will appeal to young readers. Little Nic's Big World shares an important message of how diverse our world is and how we can learn from each other’s traditions.
Themes Rhyming stories, Diversity, Multi-culturalism, Differences, School Fete.
Kathryn Beilby
The magnificent Hercules Quick by Ursula Dubosarsky. Illus. by Andrew Joyner
Allen & Unwin, 2021. ISBN: 9781761065712. (Age:5-9) Recommended.
This is a special 'Australia Reads' publication and a follow-on to Dubosarsky and Joyner's previous title Ask Hercules Quick. It's a short illustrated chapter book which works well as a read-aloud or for older independent readers. Dubosarsky's eccentric characters and silly storylines are perfectly accompanied by Joyner's vibrant, eye-catching illustrations.
Hercules Quick lives in a three-storey house with an assortment of other creatures, all with their own intriguing characteristics. Readers will feel absolutely enveloped in this comforting world that is brilliantly brought to life through text and image. Hercules is saving up to buy a box of magic tricks and in each chapter he does odd jobs for one of his neighbours. Mr Octopus needs an extra pair of hands (despite having eight of his own!), Second-Cousin-Twice-Removed Elk needs someone to tell his friend that he loves her and the turtle brothers Herbert and Mike are worried that they might have gotten their own names mixed up. Hercules faces each of these confounding problems with both puzzlement and eagerness. This is a beautifully quirky and humorous short chapter book bursting with rich language and even richer characters. Another delightful collaboration between two champion creators of children's literature.
Themes Community, Helping.
Nicole Nelson
The Listies' Teleportaloo by Richard Higgins and Matt Kelly
The Listies' tele-porta-loo written by Australian comedians, Matt Kelly and Richard Higgins, is the first book in their new series, sure to entertain any reader who is amused by witty comedy, crazy sci – fi adventure and super-looper toilet humour.
When Rich and Matt discover far too late that their Nan is not your average Nan and the backyard loo is not your average loo, they are sucked into an adventure that may in fact change the world as they know it! Nan has upset her arch-enemy and has taken one too many objects. It is now both Matt and Rich’s mission to save the world and retrieve one of these, the powerful hula hoop. Evading a Zilla, a flash flood, an angry mob and more, what could possibly go wrong? Will they be able to survive the encounters and save the world from potential doom? This is an adventure that many of us won’t forget for a long time, and especially Matt and Rich! Filled with quirky illustrations, hilarious captions and banter, this story is one to entertain and amuse many.
Australian comedians Richard Higgins and Matt Kelly are usually performing laugh a minute live shows for kids. As hilariously funny and entertaining comedians and artists, they are now writing impressively appealing and riotously funny children’s novels. They have cleverly captured the audience with the mastery of similes and metaphors that leave the readers visually stimulated with a story that clearly shows the actions, feelings and emotions of all the characters. Include into the mix, many highly entertaining cartoon type illustrations and you get a book that is guaranteed to give you a laugh and a half! The question is, what escapades and shenanigans will Rich and Matt be involved in next!
Themes Humour, Problem solving, Science Fiction.
Michelle O'Connell
The worst sleepover in the world by Sophie Dahl and Luciano Lozano
A book every child and perhaps parent can relate to, a must read! With the combination of a very fussy child and a parent who tries too hard and wants to join in to improve the mood of the sleepover, the reader will find the book hilarious.
Ramona is having her first sleepover with her friend Gracie. She dreams up all the wonderful things they are going to do and feast on. However, her best laid plans go down the drain. First, her mum upsets the plans, and then on the night, things go from bad to worse.
It’s as if Gracie doesn’t want to be there from the moment her mum drops her off. She says she’s fussy, but maybe it’s something else.
As the night goes on Ramona gets more and more upset because Gracie takes her bed, then her mum’s bed and she thinks her mum loves Gracie more than her. Finally, at midnight all have fallen asleep. In the morning things always look different, can the girls patch up their friendship?
I found the illustrations very colourful and depict the feelings of each of the characters accurately. With more words in this picture book than you would normally find, Luciano Lozano still crammed plenty of detail into his wonderful pictures. Teacher's notes are available.
The final book in the Serpent and Dove series sees Lou, Reid and their friends face greater challenges after their narrow escape from Cesarine at the end of Blood and Honey. Not completely recovered from their ordeal, Lou starts acting differently, almost like she isn't herself. The road they travel is treacherous, as their faces are plastered on posters all over Belterra, and Chasseurs are constantly on their trail, not to mention Morgane, hell-bent on capturing Lou at any cost. As Lou, Reid and the others travel, they learn more about their enemies and themselves, and Reid is faced with a terrible choice - sacrifice or the death of those he holds dear.
This intense fantasy completes the Serpent and Dove series and is a must read for those who have read the previous two and want to know how the series ends. High drama and plenty of action, Gods and Monsters will keep readers on the edge of their seats as they read the exciting conclusion to the series. The novel has a map of Belterra and the book is split into multiple parts. Mahurin has created relatable characters who face difficult situations and a written a series that covers a variety of mythical and magical creatures. In terms of the content, it is more suited for older readers, as some of the scenes become quite graphic, in particular intimate scenes. This being said, they do not dominate the book, and the series would suit fans of Sarah J. Maas' Court of Thorns and Roses series.
Themes Fantasy, Magic, Relationships, Love, Loss, Good versus Evil.
Melanie Pages
Endgame by Malorie Blackman
Penguin, 2021. ISBN: 9780241443996. (Age:16+ - Adult) Recommended for lovers of crime drama.
This is the last book of the Nought and Crosses series written by Malorie Blackman and I must apologise to all lovers of the series that this is the first book of the series I have read. Despite coming to the characters, alt-setting and storylines afresh in the ultimate book of the series, I have loved the journey into the intrigue of politics, the complex web of deception within the crime world mired by money and power grabs, and the family drama of life within a polarised society distinguishing Noughts as less than Crosses. And on top of those dramas there is romance, a kidnapping, murder, subterfuge, violence and lies. And the Prime Minister is twisted up in all of that. Knowing the backstory of each character may have helped enormously as I began the book, but it was not long before it was possible to understand the conflicting motivations of all the central characters in this political and crime conspiracy. This is a tour de force and an enjoyable dramatic adventure.
Written through the voice of multiple characters and with additional input via occasional reports and newspaper articles, there is plenty of opportunity to get inside the character’s heads and the permutations of this twisted plot revolving around the kidnapping of two teens and the murder of a crime lynchpin. For the uninitiated this may create some confusion, but it is a powerful narrative tool in this complex story at the end of a long series of books. Blackman manages to create a good stand-alone book and a powerful end to a saga. One of the communicating characters does even manage to speak in first person of their own death – a sometimes strange narrative ‘voice’ while dying. Overall, this is a mature crime and political adventure within the world of discrimination and bigotry of the Noughts and Crosses that is recognisable from our own world, even though it is not our world. Recommended for readers aged 16+ who enjoy crime drama.
Themes Political corruption, Crime, Discrimination, Kidnapping, Murder.
Carolyn Hull
A pho love story by Loan Le
Simon & Schuster, 2021. ISBN: 9781398502673. (Age:12+) Recommended.
Meet Linh Mai and Bao Nguyen. They like each other. But their families are rivals in the pho restaurant business, directly across the street from each other! Growing up so close yet apart, they finally come across each other and realise the attraction is mutual. They decide to go for it, but have to keep it a secret from their families. Working for the school newspaper, Bao writing the articles and Linh sketching and painting the scenes, they compare notes on parental expectations. As they learn more about each other, their dreams (or lack of) and their families, will their families' age-old feud keep them apart?
Written in dual perspective, swapping between Bao and Linh's outlooks, this high school rom-com is a lovely story, with star-crossed lovers and complicated families. Linh and Bao's relationship slowly develops through the book, becoming friends before starting to date. Joined by their faithful best friends, Ali and Viet, these relatable characters interweave their stories seamlessly. Covering issues facing teenagers of immigrant parents, as well as pressures facing teens on choosing their path after high school, this novel was well written and authentic. The author has incorporated Vietnamese language and family dynamics, as well as the racism facing immigrants. With plenty of descriptive narrative surrounding traditional cuisine, beware if you read this while hungry! Ideal for fans of YA romance, and those who enjoyed Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen.
Themes Love Stories, High School, Rom-Com, Star-Crossed Lovers, Vietnam, Refugees, Restaurants; Cooking.
