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.
Melanie Pages
Marcie Gill and the caravan park cat by Monica McInerney. Illus. by Danny Snell
Ten-year-old Marcie and the Gill family own and live in a caravan park on the shores of beautiful Snorkel Bay. They are preparing for an influx of summer holidaymakers. However, things aren’t going too well. Her beloved Gran is in hospital, unsuccessfully recovering from a hip operation after falling on the jetty, and her parents are fighting. Marcie must look after Gran’s cat George and help with chores around the park. She eavesdrops on her mother’s conversation to find that they are in financial trouble, since her father invested all their savings in a scam. Marcie feels that she must fix this on her own since her brother Fred is only interested in his fish and older sister Jemima is obsessed with tennis. She devises ways to help ease the financial burden and get her parents back together. A recently arrived teenager called Claude becomes a helpful ally. More importantly Marcie gets very special, slightly magical, help from Gran and George.
This gentle charming story has a light tone despite the troubles Marcie faces. It most certainly is not mired in angst and pessimism. Marcie is kind and thoughtful and readers will empathise with her and hope her plans succeed. Readers will also find her siblings, Fred and Jemima, readily identifiable. Annoying siblings who annoy and tease her, lie, and use up her things. Yet Fred and Jemima, and George the cat also add humour. Monica McInerney has successfully turned her writing talents to a young audience of 8+ years. This is well pitched, and the magical elements are just right. There are subtle themes of sustainability and caring for the ocean but also a strong theme of family love. There is quite an emphasis on art in the story, so Danny Snell’s very appealing illustrations and the great jacket design definitely complement the writing.
Themes Love, Family, Environment, Art.
Jo Marshall
My skin your skin by Laura Henry-Allain Mbe. Illus. by Onyinye Iwu
My Skin Your Skin is a brightly coloured and beautifully illustrated book which deals with in detail, the disturbing topic of racism. Written by an international award-winning early education specialist writer and children’s media creator, it provides the perfect resource for adults to share with children. The content of the book will lead to honest answers from children to the questions posed throughout, as well as powerful discussions. The book begins with a double page discussing how we are all different in skin colour, size, physical features, religious beliefs and family structures. It then goes on to explain the words race and culture. After this comes an explanation of racism with clearly presented dot points as well as large bold declarations such as ‘Racism is WRONG’ and ‘It is NEVER OK to be racist.’ Following on from this are pages devoted to discussing various scenarios of racism with detailed drawings and simple statements that children will be able to identify with. Further into the book is perhaps the most telling phrase “We are all born with beautiful skin. We are not born racist.” It is then explained how children learn to be racist. The book does provide thoughtful strategies to help children become anti-racist and speak up for others if they see racism occurring. In the final pages there is a glossary, some more questions for consideration plus an important note for the adults reading the book.
This book will be a valuable resource for both schools and public libraries.
Star Wars: The Mandalorian is a dramatically presented guide to the Season One television series which can be viewed on the Disney+ Channel. The book is a stunning photographic record of the production and features detailed information that covers the plot, settings and what took place behind the scenes. The Content page entices the reader with chapter headings of: The Story So Far, Season One, Characters, Locations and Means of Transport. The episode summary pages give a brief snapshot of the first series as a quick reminder for the reader of happened in each episode. It then leads into a detailed explanation of who the Mandalorian is and the history behind the character. At the end of each chapter are Behind the Scenes snippets which will intrigue the reader especially the photographs of how the Child was manipulated by puppeteers. The Means of Transport section with large glossy photographs followed by brief explanations will captivate those who are fascinated by the machines used in the series.
Fans of Star Wars will be thrilled to either purchase or receive as a gift, this latest edition to the Star Wars phenomena.
Themes Star Wars, Collector’s Edition, Television Series.
A lonely boy lives in an apartment building in the city. Evocative pencil and watercolour illustrations cover the first few pages, revealing his routinely solitary life. Alone, he gets out of bed, dressing himself and getting ready for school, no one else in evidence, hurrying by himself through the noisy streets filled with people, cars and trams, sitting by himself in the playground once he gets to his inner city school surrounded by concrete. At home dad works in the study, no time for the forlorn lad fending for himself. He makes his tea and takes a tray to the lot next door to sit with his friends. The stunning illustrations paint a sadness, an uninterrupted loneliness encompassing the boy’s life. We feel his loneliness, his anonymity in the crowds: home and school devoid of any comfort.
But next door is an overgrown space where he goes to read and visit.
Blackwood weaves the trees into shapes of animals that befriend him, animals that comfort him in his solitary life. And readers will all breath a sigh of relief: he is not alone. But another twist appears as the block of land is sold and each tree marked with a cross, ready to be cut down. Readers will gasp in horror with the boy as he sees what will happen, appalled that his friends should be destroyed. Blackwood’s illustrations lead the reader to feel with the child as he ponders what to do. And he finds a solution.
Blackwood’s amazing images are outstanding. Out of a forest of captivating images, several stand out for me: the elephant is part of the tree the boy sits beneath, the foliage coming together to make his shape, the pale greens contrasting with the night views as the trees escape the developers, their shadows looming against the blues of the buildings at night. And I love the looks inside the boy’s house, the stairs, detritus, the bedroom with the things he loves. His loneliness is palpable, and all readers will have heart stopping moments as the tale unfolds. Every page held me, as it will for every one who reads it.
Blackwood’s work is a meld of softness and hardness: we see hints of a broader environmental theme - the destruction of habitats, contrasting with the heart stopping images of a lonely boy doing what he can to save it. This gentle wordless picture book shows that we can all take a stand.
The 143-Storey treehouse by Andy Griffiths. Illus. by Terry Denton
Pan Macmillan Australia, 2021. ISBN: 9781760786236. (Age:6+) Highly recommended.
I found this book very entertaining. The illustrations are hilarious in this fast-paced, action-filled novel by Andy Griffiths. Some of the new levels to the treehouse include a word-o-matic, recycling depot, camping ground, and super big stuff storey.
The adventure begins with Andy and Terry playing scrabble, and Andy getting angry, again! He decides he needs a holiday, just the two of them. Not sure of this though, because their previous experiences haven’t been all that pleasant. However, they are due to write another book, so Mr. Big Nose sends a reporter and a photographer with them to do an exclusive story of their holiday.
The holiday turns out not to be just the two of them, and not quite as relaxing as they thought it might be especially when Andy gets chopped in half by the pax (axe). His two halves have to be stapled back together.
What’s a camping trip without having to make do with what you have? What’s the fun if you bring all the food with you? You wouldn’t have the experience of going fishing in a boat built for two, but with many more people occupying it. Toasted marshmallows by the fire, and spooky ghost stories to end the day sounds good, doesn’t it? Well, maybe, just maybe, that doesn’t go as planned either.
Do the friends escape the hobyahs? They sound very scary. After saying they weren’t scared of anything, they will have to follow Jill on the hunt for hobyahs. She assures them they are close, because she has seen their footprints. Just what have they done to all their friends? You’ll have to read the book to find out!
Themes Adventure, Fantasy, Friendship.
Natalie Fisher
How to repaint a life by Steven Herrick
University of Queensland Press, 2021. ISBN: 9780702263156. (Age:14+) Highly recommended.
Another heart-warming story from Herrick is sure to please his fans and is one that I couldn’t put down. How to repaint a life has Isaac leaving behind a difficult life with a violent father and finding a new chance in a small town. When he leaves the bus he has just his backpack and a small amount of money and his chief concerns are finding a place to sleep and something to eat. When he meets Joan, the owner of a small cafe, he is met with kindness and she gives him the chance to turn his life around, offering him a job and letting him try some new ideas to keep the café going. Meanwhile, Sophie, in her final year at school, is facing the future and thoughts about leaving town and going to art school. Both want to repaint their lives and try new ventures.
Strong themes of domestic violence, homelessness, bullying and loneliness are contrasted with bravery, kindness, art and family love. There are some wonderful portrayals of adults in How to repaint a life. Sophie’s parents are loving and caring. Her father is quirky and his approach to solving local council problems while humorous are also very practical. Joan’s decision to help a young man in need and to trust him makes a huge difference to Isaac, giving him a place to grow and leave the past behind. Isaac and Sophie are both characters that young adults could identify with, while supporting characters are very well fleshed out.
This would make a great class novel or literature circle text with its universal themes of overcoming the past and looking to the future. Extensive teacher’s notes are available.
Book of Curious Birds is a stunning look at ordinary and bizarre birds from all over the world. Written and illustrated by well-known writer Jennifer Cossins, this book will introduce you to both familiar and unfamiliar members of the bird population.
The Contents page lists twenty-six birds all having a double page spread. This leads into the introduction where the author talks about her fascination with birds and gives a general description of the types of birds you might find and learn from in the book. Each bird has a page of facts with a title, sub-title, location, wingspan, length and conservation status section followed by information well-spaced in paragraphs, with one coloured highlighted fact of interest. The second half of the spread is a gorgeous glossy illustration of the bird under discussion.
The information shared will fascinate young readers. For example, did you know that the Shoebill or giant-billed stork from Central and East Africa have a habit of pooing on their own legs to cool themselves down when it is too hot? Or that the North Island Brown Kiwi found in New Zealand has many features that are more like mammals even though their closest relatives are emus and cassowaries.
As well as being the perfect book to peruse through, this book would provide a wonderful resource for school students when doing research for report writing. The interesting text is presented clearly and is easy to read and comprehend. At the end is a Glossary, Acknowledgements and information about the author. The Book of Curious Birds is a valuable addition to any home, school or public library.
