Text Publishing, 2021. ISBN: 9781922458056. (Age:Young Adult. Adult) Recommended.
First released in 1985, Lilian’s story was adapted for film in 1996 and this edition has a beautifully written introduction, ‘Seen and heard, Noticed and Remembered’ by Toni Collette who played young Lilian in the film. Set in Sydney’s harbour side suburbs in the first half of the 20th century Lilian’s life is expected to follow the normal trajectory of tennis parties and social gatherings followed by a good marriage, settling down to produce babies while the husband takes the ferry to business in the city. But Lilian is different, a sensitive and vulnerable personality whose self-esteem is undermined by her controlling and unstable father and repressed mother who are unable to give her the affection she craves. Her younger brother is quietly supportive but folds his ears closed, turning to his pictures of hands and feet to avoid the conflict in the house. Lilian finds a space for herself in the secret places, under the plumbago, out in a boat on the harbour or up a tree and feeds her emptiness with cream cakes. At school Lilian loves to learn but struggles with relationships. She is cruel to poor shy Gwen to bolster her ambitions to be one of the gang headed by Rick. She dares herself to steal from eccentric old Miss Gash, covertly observing someone else out of step with the world. As a young woman Lilian, “brilliant but unstable” p112 is allowed to go to university and finds companionship with poor F.J. Stroud and “flanneled fool” Duncan but a terrible scene between father and daughter seems to derail her. She thinks about “husbands and wives and wonders if there was any alternative.”p157.
Using richly coloured language and sensual, earthy, intimate descriptions we are immersed in Lilian’s world, seeing her move through life from childhood to becoming an eccentric, deranged old woman. She is not resilient but damaged yet she has a strong sense of self and chooses life, loudly and assertively. This is still a powerful novel which will appeal to senior school readers and adults. The introduction could be used for a close study; this is a great addition to the Text Classics range.
This book has been beautifully crafted with a simple, colourful and modern design that would easily entice a young reader into the world of marine animals. Starting with a rich mix of creatures on the front cover the book presents double-page spreads of information about each of 20 animals.
The information is parcelled in simple easy to understand and interesting segments arranged around a rich and stunning illustration. Everything is provided for a young reader who might need to know about an animal’s individual features eg. size, habitat, weight, diet and lifespan.
From clown fish and hermit crabs to the deep diving narwhal and the blue moon fish, this book will provide much new and interesting information. The size of each animal is presented in an interesting comparison with known objects such as a football, bike or a bus. Also, each animal has a ‘Did you know?’ section with an interesting fact.
The author illustrator provides a rich, modern, simple and bright enticement for the young marine scientist.
Themes Marine animals.
Paul Pledger
Nick by Michael Farris Smith
No Exit Press, 2021. ISBN: 9780857304544. (Age:17+ - Adult) Recommended.
It has been many years since I read The Great Gatsby but the character Nick Carraway remains etched as the watcher, the one who is part of the essence of the story as the one who sees and narrates the excesses and social decline of the American dream amongst Gatsby’s social circle, while remaining firmly fixed on the edge of this life. In this book, Michael Farris Smith has created the prequel to this confronting story as he reveals the backstory of Nick Carraway’s life – a life that is scarred and hurt. Nick is portrayed as having survived the distressing childhood of living with a severely depressed mother and then trying to find his place in the world as an adult as the war breaks out. His war service, in combination with his passive personality, leaves him with psychological scars. A brief romantic interlude in France during the war adds to his wounds and there is more pain post-war as he struggles to find a place to anchor his life. A random choice takes him far from his parents in Minnesota to Frenchtown in New Orleans, into bars and brothels, and into the tortured life of another severely damaged war veteran. All along the journey to the shores of the lake that looks towards Gatsby’s mansion, we become familiar with the way that Nick’s life is moulded by powerful circumstances to create the man who watches in the margins and narrates The Great Gatsby.
This is an evocative journey and a powerful tale that is powerfully-written and reflective of the character of Nick Carraway – the man who watches the world. The journey into his pains and psychological suffering is compelling and insightful as he battles his inner passivity. There is immense power in giving Nick a backstory, and this book will be appreciated by those who have read The Great Gatsby. (This is better read after having read F Scott Fitzgerald’s classic, and not before, as this would change understanding of the original Gatsby story.) Farris Smith has created a story that could stand on its own but the insight into Nick’s life adds extra pathos and power.
Themes World War II, PTSD, USA Culture - Post-war, The Great Gatsby.
Carolyn Hull
Malice by Heather Walter
Del Ray, 2021. ISBN: 9781529101287. (Age:13+) Recommended.
Once upon a time, there was a wicked fairy who, in an act of vengeance, cursed a line of princesses to die. A curse that could only be broken by true love’s kiss. Princess Aurora. The last heir to Briar’s throne. Kind. Gracious. Burdened by the curse. The future queen her realm needs. One who isn’t bothered that I am Alyce, the Dark Grace, abhorred and feared for the mysterious dark magic that runs in my veins. Aurora says I should be proud of my gifts. That she . . . cares for me. Even though a power like mine was responsible for her curse.
The setting and plot of this novel felt like a crossover of Maleficent, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. There was the wicked fairy, the war between humans and mystical beings, the romance, the wicked “step-family”; everything was there in perfect balance of hope and despair. Alyce was such a strong character, a woman burdened with an evil gift, determined to not become the monster that the people of Briar think she is. The connection between her and Aurora was so gentle and pure. Both finding solace in each other’s pain. The strong feminist trope shone through, women sticking together to take down the cruel men trying to take over the country. Who needs a handsome prince to save the day when you can have two powerful women? That is, until Alyce discovers her true power. The book ended on a big cliff hanger which will leave you desperately wanting to read the sequel. The biggest question is, can Alyce hold onto her humanity long enough to save, and keep, the love of her life?
This is a #ownvoices novel – a book about diverse characters written by an author in that same diverse group. Shirley Marr is a first-generation Chinese Australian who writes about the space where Eastern and Western worlds collide.
This is her second children's novel (after Little Jiang was published 2020). It is written in the present tense and in 2nd person. This can be a challenging point of view to read, but it allows the reader to really become Meixing, a girl who has just arrived in the New Land.
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Your pregnant mother (Ma Ma) and father (Ba Ba) have inherited a house from your late First Uncle and moved to give you and the new baby a better life.
But everything is so confusing and tricky. The house is scary, not just a little bit scary but ‘Big Scary’. You have the wrong bag and shoes for school. You struggle with the language. You meet a girl who pretends to be your friend but isn’t. Your neighbours are helpful but strange. Ba Ba is cranky and tired, and Ma Ma is disconnected and reluctant to leave the house. You think Big Scary has hidden rooms and lurking presences, and it seems to grow and contract depending on the moods of your family.
And just when you already think things are bad they manage to get even worse when tragedy occurs. You take on worries and responsibilities that are too heavy for you.
To escape all the swirling emotions you retreat to an old glasshouse in the garden, where you see First Uncle is still there along with the sun and the moon, and seeds that instantly flourish. You share the glasshouse with others who need a little bit of magic too and hope that somehow things will turn out okay.
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This book is both complex and gentle in its exploration of the emotions, imagination and relationships of an immigrant girl dealing with big changes. A teacher’s resource is available with discussion points including the: 2nd person point of view; immigration experience; cycle of life; and mental health.
Helene Magisson's illustrations are a standout here; they have a generosity and a spirit not unlike the style of Julie Vivas in Our Granny. Vibrant double page spreads depict a diverse array of families as they prepare for the arrival of a new baby. Different skin tones, varying homes, an array of ages and famliy sizes, people with disabilities, same-sex parents and various cultures and religions are all depicted. The one thing that is constant throughout the pages is the happiness and love shown on the faces of the families. The other fairly common thread is food, as families come together to eat and enjoy each other's company. Gentle rhyming text, directed at the listener, walks readers through the days leading up to their arrival: 'Before you were born and while you grew, there was a party just for you.' They wonder what the baby is doing inside and when it will arrive ('How big were you growing? Did you have hair?'). Everyone gathers, eager and excited, bearing gifts of clothes and toys and food and the nursery is lovingly prepared. At last the moment arrives ('And now that you're here, I know what to do...I will keep showering my love upon you'.
Little ones will love being read this story by their parents as a reminder of their special and important place within their family and of how loved they are. It would also be a fantastic book to share with those children expecting a new baby in the family so they can see how they too were so eagerly awaited, and to allay feelings of jealousy. In addition, it would be a lovely book to gift to a new baby or expectant parents.
It has been three long years for Victoria Aveyard fans. After publishing the last full-length novel in her bestselling Red Queen series in 2018, Aveyard is back with the first in a brand new young adult fantasy series. At over 550 pages, Realm Breaker is a fantasy adventure epic, fundamentally concerned with the classic trope of good versus evil.
The book opens with a vicious and bloody battle that will change the fate of kingdoms. Taristan, the forgotten second son of a long lost royal bloodline, is on a mission to unleash a great and ancient evil on the land. Though they do not know it yet, a group of unlikely strangers are the world’s only hope. Andry is a humble squire who believes that he is powerless in a world of powerful men and women. Erida is a queen whose position is much more precarious than would be believed. Dom is an immortal who knows only too well the unstoppable power unleashed by Taristan. Sorasa is an assassin, accustomed to only taking care of herself. Corayne, a pirate’s daughter, has a secret that could be the key to saving everyone.
Realm Breaker is a more mature story than the Red Queen novels and reflects Aveyard’s growing skill and confidence as a writer. There is a large cast of characters, diverse perspectives and detailed worldbuilding. At its core, Realm Breaker is an adventure story and will be particularly popular with fantasy readers who appreciate an epic and arduous quest. The Realm Breaker series promises to be as enjoyable and popular as Aveyard’s previous work.
Themes Fantasy, Adventure, Romance, War, Good vs Evil, Quests, Family, Friendship.
Rose Tabeni
The man with the silver Saab by Alexander McCall Smith
Detective Ulf Varg has returned for his third novel-length escapade. The creation of prolific British author Alexander McCall Smith (The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency and 44 Scotland Street), Detective Varg is back for another perplexing and perhaps trifling crime investigation.
Detective Varg is a very likeable character. Unlike so many of the angry, broken and functioning alcoholics that people contemporary crime fiction, Detective Varg is a calm, ordered and cultured intellectual. He enjoys modern Nordic art, teaching his deaf poodle Marten to lipread and driving his ancient silver Saab. As a member of the Department of Sensitive Crimes in the Swedish city of Malmo, Detective Varg is responsible for solving some of the police’s most baffling offences. In The Man with the Silver Saab, Detective Varg and his trusty team are approached by an art historian who reports that he is the victim of a series of trivial and bemusing crimes. Before he knows it, Detective Varg is drawn into a serious investigation where he may just lose his career, his dog and his heart.
There is a reason that McCall Smith has spent decades as a popular and successful author; his writing style is straight forward and always humorous. There is nothing Scandinavian noir about the Detective Varg series; the plots are light, witty and easy to read. McCall Smith’s characters do have a tendency to ramble on unnecessarily and avid readers of the crime genre may find the plot structure of this novel a little unusual. Nevertheless, The Man with the Silver Saab is an undemanding and entertaining read.
Night ride into danger is another historical adventure book by Jackie French which has to be included in every school library. In this story French has dug into the history of the area in which she now lives in the vicinity of the Atherton Tablelands of southern NSW. The story is bookended by two Henry Lawson poems.The poems describe Cobb & Co. and its impact on colonial life and also jail - an experience which shadows one of the main characters in the story. These poems along with French's interest in the history of her home in the Araluen Valley on the edge of the Deura wilderness were the inspiration for Night ride into danger.
Being the consummate storyteller, French wastes no time submerging the reader into the plot. The story begins in heavy rain in a Cobb & Co. coachyard as the night mail to Goulburn coachman and his son Jem wait for the passengers. Horses snuffle and stamp with impatience, small brown frogs jump around in the mud and the straw and old Ma Grimsby owner of the Braidwood lodgings whispers to Paw, "There's somethin' strange about one o' your passengers tonight...Terrible strange," she hisses. "Enough to shiver in your boots!"
The story gallops on from there with the speed and adventure of the wildest coach ride through the NSW countryside along the old Cobb and Co roads. French has thoroughly researched the design and set up of the coaches and horses and the old Cobb and Co routes. The characters are well fleshed out and even the most rotten and perhaps potentially dangerous character emerges as a complex person. The story is fiction but the bushranger character (Mr. Smith) is modelled on the real bushranger Frank Gardiner and the story of a young boy who had to drive the team himself when his father was injured really did happen. The rest of the characters and incidents are an amalgam of people and events of that period of time in Australia.
12 year old Jem is the hero of the story. He is a courageous, sensitive and good person. The third person narration draws in and holds the reader's sympathy with and interest in Jem throughout the entire adventure. The rollicking, heart-stopping and dangerous action culminates satisfactorily as all adventure story books should. To add to the interest for the pre teen reader this is a coming of age story where relationships bud and bloom. Of interest is French's depiction of cross cultural marriages involving Aboriginals, Indians, Chinese and Scots which were considered unorthodox in the 1800s.
French skilfully weaves in much historical detail. Her choice of subject is rarely covered in the history curriculum and therefore Night ride into danger is a great adjunct to the primary curriculum particularly at the year 5 level. The inclusion of Henry Lawson's poems is also a welcome addition, integrating Australian literature into history through the historical narrative form.
This book lends itself to a class read aloud as children will be hanging on their seats to find out what happens next to Jem on the Night ride into danger.
Jackie French is one of our best loved storytellers and this exciting mystery adventure story about the Cobb & Co. set in 1874 is highly recommended.
Themes History of the southern tableland area of NSW, Gold, Bushrangers,Cobb and Co., Adventure, Friendship, Trust.
Olivia, eager to use her Asian Art qualification, has taken an unpaid job as assistant to a London art dealer. When, in late 1999, she is assigned to assess a collection of Japanese netsuke offered by Beatrice, an elderly and eccentric client, she takes on the job with enthusiasm. One of the netsuke, the rare fox-girl, was stolen from a display in Oxford in 1976, so its provenance is important to establish prior to accepting it for sale. The parallel thread to this story goes back to 1945 in Burma where a group of young women from diverse backgrounds volunteer for the Women’s Auxiliary Service (Burma), known as WASABIES. Beatrice Fitzgibbon was one of a group of five women who found themselves in a group providing canteen services to troops fighting in the jungle close to the front line. They served meals to up to 1,000 men a day from temporary canteens set up in the tropical heat. They battle the elements as well as close encounters with the enemy and attention, both looked for and unwanted, from some men, forging a bond which could survive the testing conditions and petty jealousies inevitable in such close quarters.
Back in 1999, Olivia, suffering from a severe cold, is taken in by elderly Beatrice. Recuperating, she finds and starts to read old diaries from that time and from them learns about the fox-girl netsuke. When asked if she will accompany Beatrice to a reunion of the surviving women, which will also achieve certified ownership and provenance for the contentious netsuke, Olivia agrees. What follows strips away the years from the elderly women and brings clarity to their relationship, bringing old wounds to the fore to be healed through their solidarity. Far from being “The last reunion” the reader is left with a feeling their newly found alliance will be ongoing.
This is an interesting and rarely seen insight into the war in Burma and the women who went to support the troops. I was less persuaded by the ending but overall a good read for senior students or adults interested in this period in history.
Themes WW2, Burma, Women's war service.
Sue Speck
Once upon our planet by Vita Murrow. Illus. by Aitch
Once Upon Our Planet is an interesting and engaging book showcasing twelve original stories related to many amazing wilderness areas on Planet Earth. Nearly every story has Once Upon as its beginning title and is then finished with an aspect of the natural world - reef, tundra, mountain, forest, paradise, savannah, riverbank, salt-lake, wind, sun, island and top of the world. The stories are written in the style of a myth and use various animals and plants throughout. The first story, 'Once Upon Two Suns', tells of the animals who perform together and are left bereft when crocodile refuses to take part anymore as the suns are too hot and drying him out. The other animals devise a plan to get rid of one sun and night is born. 'Once Upon A Forest' shares with the reader the story of Captain Whitehead, an enterprising monkey, who was able to solve problems and had a special way with plants. To the forest creatures great dismay their habitat is being destroyed by a metal machine and it is up to the Captain to find a solution. He cleverly does this and becomes a legend in the forest.
Each story has a message about caring for the planet as well as friendship, cooperation and problem-solving. This book would make an excellent class read-aloud especially around World Environment Day or when discussing themes of sustainability. The book has a striking cover with embossed gold imprinted in the images and a sub-title: Rewild bedtime with 12 stories. The beautiful illustrations throughout the book will keep the reader connected to each story. A perfect gift for those children who love stories about nature and a welcome addition to a home, school or public library.
Themes Planet Earth, Wilderness, Short Stories, Mythology, Animals, Plants, Harmony.
Kathryn Beilby
Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray by Anita Heiss
Simon & Schuster, 2021. ISBN: 9781760850449. (Age:15+) Highly recommended.
The opening chapters of this novel are based on true events; the foolhardy white settlement of the Marrambidya flood plains and the devastating Gundagai floods of 1852. Two heroic Aboriginal men, Yarri and Jacky Jacky, paddled their canoes through the night to save people stranded on roofs and clinging to trees.
Anita Heiss gives us the fictional story of Wagadhaany, Yarri’s teenage daughter, rescued on that night along with the two Bradley brothers she works for – James and David. As the Bradley’s domestic servant, her life is tied to them, and when James and his new wife Louisa set out to create their future at Wagga Wagga she has no choice but to go with them leaving behind all the family and country she loves so dearly.
As a young black woman, Wagadhaany could be easy prey for the lecherous advances of David, the other brother, but this situation, though an only too common experience for young Aboriginal women, is thankfully not the focus of Heiss’s story, so much as the tenuous relationship between Wagadhaany and Louisa. Louisa is a lonely person, a Quaker, with humanitarian ideals, who aspires to befriend and save Aboriginal people. Of course there is a patronising element to her attitude, naive and good intentioned as she may be. Heiss explores the idea of whether it is really possible to have a friendship between two people from such different backgrounds and unequal situations; recalling for me the theme of Wilkinson’s When the apricots bloom about friendship between a foreigner and women trapped in Iraq. Wagadhaany is just as trapped. Her life is bound by the white man’s laws. She has no freedom.
Heiss’s novel beautifully describes the country, family and stories that mean so much to Wagadhaany, weaving in Wiradyuri language and beliefs. There is a lot of sadness in Wagadhaany’s life; and though there is a gentle love story, we are left with a very strong sense of the suffering and loss.
The chance discovery of a tender note in one of her mother’s books leads Izzy and her friends to connect the dots, and amazingly Izzy discovers her unknown father is actually the Crown Prince of Japan, which of course makes Izzy herself a princess! It sounds cliche, and the opening pages with their descriptions of Izzy’s Asian Girl Gang are particularly brash and upbeat, but the story develops well and the reader is drawn in, especially as Izzy is such a warm and likeable character, a person who 'leads with her heart'.
Izzy goes from being the out-of-place Japanese American teenager growing up with her single mum in California, to being the out-of-place American Princess Izumi trying to adjust to royal life in Japan, when she travels to Tokyo to meet her father. Emiko Jean provides descriptions of Japanese life, food and culture that enrich the story and add another level to what would otherwise be a light read.
It’s a lot of fun; there’s a bad boy cousin who befriends her, horrible enemy Shining Twins, and a scowling but enormously attractive body-guard who has romantic potential. And maybe, her father, the Crown Prince of Japan, still holds a candle in his heart for her mother.
Readers who enjoy this book will be pleased to know that there is the promise of a sequel in 2022.
Themes Japan, Identity, Conflict of cultures, Romance.
Helen Eddy
Ribbit Rabbit by Candice Ryan. Illus. by Mike Lowery
Board book. Frog and Bunny are best friends. They do everything together. They go swimming, eat peanut butter sandwiches and even fight monsters. But sometimes they don't get along and they have to work out how to stay friends.
In an original and unusual picture book, Ryan has written a rhyming story that will appeal to children who like mechanical toys and robots. The repetition of the words 'Ribbit, rabbit' with variations following it like 'Zip it, zap it' and 'Trip it, trap it' make it a fun book to read aloud. It is a story that will make the young listener and reader become aware of the intricate patterns of words and want to try out new rhymes for themselves.
The ups and downs of friendship are effortlessly included in the story as they fight over little and big things but realise what they have to do to make up. Ryan manages to convey in very few words how lonely it can be when you have had a fight with your best friend and also how difficult it is to make up.
The quirky drawings by Mike Lowery are cartoon like, and Frog and Bunny are endearing characters, their facial expressions bringing the meaning of the text to life. The young reader is challenged to follow the illustrations as they show what is happening to the two main characters and are an integral part of the story.
This is an intriguing picture book that I will keep for my young grandson.
An alien has landed in this big boy's house and he isn't terribly happy about it. He has no manners, controls the household and yet all of the adults are completely besotted with him! Can't everyone see how strange he is? The alien's special powers might work on mum and dad and the grandparents, but definitely not on him. But then he realises: 'To have someone to talk to. Someone with whom to play. To make me laugh when I feel blue. I might just let him stay.' Children expecting a new sibling will identify with some of the emotions the boy experiences: loneliness, confusion and uncertainty. It gives a humourous take on what it might be like to have a baby in the household, touching on a lack of attention from mum and dad, the constant crying and eating and the undecipherable mode of communication.
Digital illustrations give a movie-feel that will appeal to the target audience, but they do lack a little in depth and aesthetic appeal. In addition, the flow of the rhyming text is clunky at times ('No one is safe I say, Not Grandma, nor Grandpa. You won't get to me, no way! Can't they see he's just bizarre?'), making it hard to find the appropriate rhythm when reading aloud.
