There is something nice about reading books by Australian authors published by relatively new Australian publishing houses.
Fil and Harry is written by Jenny Blackford of Newcastle, illustrated by Kristin Devine of regional NSW and published by Christmas Press in Armidale. Jenny Blackford is winner of the 2020 Davitt Award for Best Children's Crime Novel, Kristine Devine is winner of the 2019 New England Illustration prize and Christmas Press (which is also part of United Publishers of Armidale, with fellow publisher Little Pink Dog Books) has as its mission, a desire to support a wonderful book community. In this endeavour they have been assisted by the Australian Government and Australian Council for the Arts. Obviously United Publishers of Armidale are extremely discerning about what they publish.
And so... we have the sweet and gently humorous story for younger readers- Fil and Harry. It's short. There is a little fantasy in it. Harry is a talking cat. Fil is the central character. She is negotiating her way through the complexities of home and school life. These familiar struggles will resonate with young readers. At home she has an older teenager brother, her hapless, well-meaning father, her "try hard" stepmother and her grandmother. They are all trying to make life work. At school she has made a seriously bad choice in friends and she is hurt. Fil is such a likeable character and Harry the cat looks out for her.
The third person narration is light and breezy. Humour laces the storyline. We feel for Fil; we worry about her problems. We think we know where she is going wrong with her friendship choices. We love the way her family rally around her. There is a tangle in the story which any young child would recognise. Harry the magical cat has a solution and the ending is very satisfying. The pencil sketches scattered throughout the story are soft and comforting. Stars and cat paw prints accompany the text.
This is a delightful little book. As a school librarian I will be looking out for more from Jenny Blackford and Christmas Press. Little stories like Fil and Harry are lovely for our children to read themselves or have read aloud in the school library, classroom or of course by family.
Where do the Stars Go? is a playful tale about a curious young possum who wonders: "Where do the stars go in the daytime?" An array of stunning and realistically drawn Australian animals help him on his quest to discover the answer. Kookaburra draws his attention to the drops of water on the blades of grass. They may be shiny but "those aren't stars" says the rakali, pointing Possum's attention to the stars that "play in the water during the day". Each animal by turn (bungarra, numbat and galah) points out something else within the natural environment (the cross indent within a gumnut, yellow wattle flowers, and a sea of star-shaped flowers) until Possum is seeing stars everywhere he looks. Finally, safe back in the tree with his mother, Possum watches as the real stars begin to appear in the night sky. "They don't hide on the ground . . . They stay in the sky and appear in the dark" he realises. Even though Possum now knows where the real stars are during the day he still wants to look for more tomorrow.
This is great book to encourage young childrens' curiousty about their natural environment and to pose their own questions about the world around them. It could be used as a springboard text for getting out and about and looking for 'stars' or other interesting things. Possum is also useful as a model for early critical thinking. The mention of familiar and widespread plants such as wattles and gumnuts allows Australian children to recognise their native environment within the illustrations and the use of Indigenous names for some animals (rakali and bungarra instead of water rat and goanna) is important and well-considered.
Meet the Oceans is a wonderful vibrant read-aloud book showcasing the main oceans and seas on Planet Earth. Each page is filled with bold, bright colourful illustrations and fun rhyming text to engage the younger reader. The story follows a young child and trusty dog on a mini submarine journey around the major oceans and seas covering Earth’s surface. Along the journey they meet numerous sea creatures and formations such as beluga whales in the Arctic Ocean, silver swordfish in the Atlantic, jawfish in the Caribbean Sea, the Great Barrier Reef in the Coral Sea, giant Blue whales in the Indian Ocean and icebergs, penguins and Antarctic research stations in the Southern Ocean. On the Pacific Ocean pages the author discusses the effects of plastic on sea creatures and on the South China Sea pages talks about large ships jostling for space and seabirds. On the final pages is a plea for us to take care of our oceans and seas and the book finishes with a cleverly drawn map of the world.
This book is a perfect introduction to oceans and seas for early years and primary students. A welcome addition to any home, school or public library.
Themes World Oceans and Seas, Sea Creatures, Rhyme.
Kathryn Beilby
The Strangeworld Travel Agency : The edge of the ocean by L.D. Lapinski
The Strangeworlds Travel Agency: The edge of the ocean is the second book in the Strangeworlds trilogy written by UK author L.D Lapinski.
The heroine is the resourceful and gutsy twelve year old Felicity (Flick) Hudson who in the first book in the series, realised that she was in possession of the magical power of being able to create a schism - "a tear in the fabric of reality" in order to gain entry to other worlds. The growth of contol of this power mirrors the growth of understanding of much including the gentle brushstrokes of suggestion of budding single sex attractions that occur in an uncontrived manner alongside all the other relationships between the characters within the book. Thus The Strangeworlds Travel Agency:The edge of the ocean, besides being a fantasy/sciencefiction/adventure book, is also a coming of age story.
Flick joins the Strangeworlds Travel Agency which consists of a tight group of interesting characters. Their travels to other worlds are accomplished by stepping into the right suitcase which takes them from the ordinary world of Little Wyverns to impossibly magical otherworlds. The friends are summoned by a pirate queen to save the world of The Break, a map of which is conveniently placed at the beginning of the book. The Break is a two dimensional world which is rapidly shrinking as parts of the edge break off. This loss of land could be caused by evil forces or the reader could see this story as an allegory referring to the eco refugees of today. Flick and her friends have to unite previous enemies and ultimately lead the inhabitants of The Break to safety through a combination of magic and trust. This book is well written, full of high action and dangerous, heart stopping adventure with escapes constantly made just in the nick of time.
The Strangeworlds Travel Agency: The edge of the ocean is a robust read for capable readers who are able to hold multiple storyline threads together. Readers of Terry Pratchett's brand of humorous fantasy and science fiction would enjoy this new series.
An unknown piece of our history of involvement in World War Two is revealed in the story of Sister Marie Eileen Craig, one of a group of nurses flown to Papua New Guinea to bring back wounded Australian soldiers. The tales of women's participation in war has long been overlooked and books such as these refresh people's ideas about the number of women who put their lives on the line during times of conflict.
Marie had always even interested in nursing, caring for her toys in the backyard, under the photo of her father, a survivor of World War One. When she was able she volunteered for the Royal Australian Air Force Nursing Service, one of a group of women who took to the skies to tend the wounded.
One particular incident is recounted in this book, handsomely illustrated in watercolour and gouache by Sawannakit. In this flight, headed for New Britain, the air surrounding the plane exploded with munitions, and on landing, soldiers rushed from the jungle with their camouflage canvas to cover the plane. When that was in place the food and parcels for the soldiers were unloaded and wounded soldiers put in their place. Marie held the hand of one blinded soldier, and when the plane struggled to get off the ground, reassured them all. Gaining altitude, Marie gave Alfred her own oxygen mask as they were one short. With the room on the plane taken up by the wounded, Marie had to stand all the way home, and saw one of the engines catch fire, but landing with fire engines covering the tarmac with foam saw them all arrive safely back in Australia.
This is a small incident amongst many but reveals the place of women in the war as well as the significant displays of courage under fire. For younger children it tells of times past, an introduction into the march of World War Two which came so close to our door. They will have a map of our northern neighbours and be able to trace the route the plane took; and talk about the role of nursing and nurses during conflict.
Suwannakit's sepia illustrations reveal a host of detail to be pored over and discussed, kids will love looking at images of the plane, her uniform and the details of the soldiers' injuries. I love the endpapers with their reproductions of war posters revealing the roles women had in that conflict.
Themes World War Two, Nursing, Rescue, Papua New Guinea.
Fran Knight
Huda and Me by H. Hayek
Allen & Unwin, 2021. ISBN: 9781760526023. (Age:9+)
Huda and her siblings have been left with their 'Aunt' Amel(a family friend) for two weekswhile their parents have had to rush off to Lebanon to tend to a sick grandparent. Aunt Amel does not have her own children and is looking for a way to occupy them all whilst at the same time having time off to have a holiday herself.
Aunt Amel devises a list of chores for each of the childrento do which she explains is something that will enhance their skills in life and will also be helpful for the smooth running of the household. What the chores really are, are ways for Aunt Amel to relax and not have to do anything herself except to look after baby Raheed who she adores.
Huda and AKeal are working day and late into the night to get all their chores done as well as attending school. Their brothers and sisters are looking sad and exhausted as well and Aunt Amel is watching them all like a hawk so that they can't report back to their parents or neighbour Mr Kostiki. As a result, Huda devises a plan to travel to Lebanon to let their parents know what is happening back home. She uses Aunt Amel's credit card to buy tickets for her and Akeal and from here on the two go on an adventure across the other side of the world.
Huda is a loveable, outgoing and adventurous girl who drags her brother Akeal along for a rollercoaster of a ride. Akeal is compromised as he promised his mother, he would look out for his sister but he also wants to do what is best for his family and at the moment his family is suffering under the guardianship of the conniving Aunt Amel.
This is a fun, light hearted adventure suitable for all ages and would particularly appeal to readers who enjoy reading about family relationships.
Gerri Mills
Themes Family, relationships, other cultures.
This is the dog by Maura Finn. Illus. by Nina Rycroft
Won't kids have a ball, stressing the first THIS each time the page is turned, joining in with the person reading the book out loud, predicting the rhyming words and laughing at the images presented to them as they read of the dog's plight.
The deceptively simple stanzas are full of emotion as the little dog, with snuffly snout, half crumpled ear and fur that sticks out watches as all the other dogs in the rescue home are taken. He longs for a place of his own, a forever home, and one day when the door is left open he decides to find his place by himself. Adventures crowd around as he sees an array of places and people, but no one sees him. Children will sympathise with the animal as he searches for his place, finally sighing with relief when someone stops and notices him. She can see what others cannot see, and together they make a wonderful team.
The illustrations this book will draw responses from the readers as they see the dog for the first part behind a door. Each image has a door like frame with latch and hinges, making it appear as if the dog is shut away. When that door is left open, he escapes and from then on the images spread across the page as he searches for someone to share his life. Readers will love the image of the closed door, the lock in the latch, the open door beckoning him out, and may encourage discussions about independence and self reliance, as the dog takes his future in his own hands.
Readers will love following the little dog as he marches though the streets, checking out the people, wondering whether this person or that one could be his new owner.
Rycroft's little dog is instantly appealing with its floppy ears and pleading eyes, searching the faces he sees in the street.
Polly and Swan are two teenagers in a 'Post-pulse' world. When Polly's mother is kidnapped just after she is about to tell her something, Polly's world is turned upside down.She later on meets Swan after running away and he takes her to an organization called the Base. They then meet Kel, a rem, and they are led down by Swan to the Base. Swan knows that these two are special, and runs away with them, and away from the Base, his only home.
After this, the Base and the Ghost squad are on their tail as they dive into a world that they do not quite know anymore. A world filled with pems, dems and rems, all of which are a variety of the reincarnated. Polly and Swan are thrown into the crossfire of two opposing organizations, determined to find out more about the afterlife, with information that could change life as they know it. They also chase afterKel, a kid that the unlikely duo found who is not quite what he seems, the two organizations throw Polly and Swan on the run. Never knowing who to trust, they try to find the person who started this all: a man who goes by the alias, Hermes and started both the Base and ghost squad.
Told in a 3rd person narrative for two voices, this story has an on-going theme of why the truth is so important and how sometimes you never know who to trust, with many twists and turns along the way. With its shifting points of view, it shows the differences between someone who is learning about the world and that of someone who thinks they know of the world. The characters Polly and Swan are interesting and always are connected and brings the plot together, always keeping it moving and giving an air of mystery.It’s a story that shows that sometimes it would be best not to have to pick a side, and instead stop the fighting. Polly, Swan and Kel show how when time are tough they will have to stick together. Readers who want a new view of ghosts and afterlife will enjoy this book.
The gentle genius of trees is both a thoughtful and fascinating read. Philip Bunting provides the reader with clear, simple information and drawings about the beauty of trees and their appeal to humankind. The journey begins with a description of what trees contribute to our lives which then leads into an understanding of how trees even provide the air that we breathe. There is a clear explanation, with diagrams, of photosynthesis and the root system of trees. The reader will be able to learn about communication and co-dependency between trees and how trees grow with absorbing facts about the relationship between parent trees and their seedlings. The author also shares with the reader how humans can learn from the journey and growth of a tree with the final words being . . . "And if we learn only one thing from the gentle genius of trees, let it be this . . . Grow slow, grow strong".
As the title suggests this is a gentle read. It is the perfect combination of informative yet easily understood text, with scientific terms included where necessary, and beautiful illustrations in true Philip Bunting style. His humorous manner in both words and pictures is evident throughout. A worthwhile addition to a home, school or public library.
Themes Non Fiction, Trees, Facts, Science.
Kathryn Beilby
Lola Online : The Secret Upstairs Fan Club Party by Shannan & Tayla Stedman
This is the first book in a series, written by two sisters, Shannan and Tayla. This novel introduces the main character of the series, Lola; a nine, soon to be ten-year-old girl from Australia, who has her own vlog on YouTube. She likes chocolate, dreaming big and believes that she needs to keep her fans up to date on everything in her life. Lola is a confident and extroverted fourth grader who has a best friend named Vee. The story begins with Lola planning her fabulous 10th birthday party. She is still unsure who she should invite as the final guest to her party. While contemplating this major dilemma, Miranda, her neighbour and arch-rival, announces she is going to have her own party and outdo Lola's. When hearing that her 10th birthday party could be potentially overshadowed by a water slide and chocolate fountain, Lola wonders what she should do. Still worrying about this, she then meets a new girl at school, Piper. Piper claims to be her #1vlog fan! Lola thinks nothing of this fleeting interaction as she busily prepares and plans her best birthday party. But when you have a #1 fan who is the president, vice president, merchandise director and official photographer AND they are wearing a t-shirt with your face on it and know the name of the bakery down the road from your house and the date of your party . . . what could possibly go wrong!
The Secret Upstairs fan club party is a humorous and engaging story relevant to the digital age. It explores the life of a young vlogger and delves into potential risks when using the internet. The story explores friendships, truth telling and how sharing personal information with online viewers can backfire. The laughable storyline and entertaining characters, including a country-music loving cat named Stampy, will appeal to the young children today; while teaching them valuable lessons on cyber safety, relationship building and family honesty.
Let's Build A House by Mike Lucas is a fun and lively step-by-step introduction to building for younger readers. As a real-life engineer the author has the perfect knowledge and understanding of the steps involved in constructing a house - from digging the foundations through to the finished home. A father and daughter are drawn onto each page and work alongside the builders. Each construction step is clearly introduced and then rhyme is cleverly used to engage the reader to become a part of the building process:
Now for the outside walls. Build them higher brick by brick. Mix some mortar, make them stick. Not too runny, not too thick.
The presentation of the book is upbeat, colourful and busy. The bright and appealing illustrations on each page show many of the tools and equipment that builders use on a daily basis which may foster a wealth of discussion. This vibrant picture book would be a welcome addition to support the Design & Technology Component of the Australian Curriculum F-2 Years and is ideal for home, school or public library.
Themes Builders, Houses, Tools, Rhyme.
Kathryn Beilby
Heartsick by Jessie Stephens
Pan Macmillan, 2021. ISBN: 9781760981549. (Age:Senior Secondary, Adult) Highly recommended.
The title of this narrative nonfiction book is apt. The reader is compelled to turn the page, yet aching for the loss and heartbreak that unfolds for the characters.
It is tempting to skip the preface and or introduction for a book but it is here that the reader learns that the author believes that "There are few things we can control less than how someone else feels about us." It is also where it is explained that Ana, Claire and Patrick are based on the lives of real people. Extended interviews were held before, during and after the writing process.
Ana is in her early forties and has been married to a man she loves for twenty-five years. She loves another man, and has done for twenty-five years. Patrick is in his early twenties and has never had a girlfriend before. He has met Caitlin and now his every thought is shaped around her. Claire is in her mid-thirties and has returned to Sydney from London with her new partner Maggie. This is not the only change that takes place.
The characters tell their stories in turn, and the stages in the relationship mirror each other - the thrill of the beginning through to the devastation at the end. Jessie's writing reminds the reader how easy it is to read a situation when you are not emotionally invested. The writing evokes empathy for the turmoil experienced by the characters and also many moments where the reader is mentally urging the character to stop and reconsider their actions.
There are no platitudes in this book. It delves deeply into the deep despair of the loss of love. The visceral, whole body sensations are richly told. At the end of the book Jessie shares her experience with lost love, along with startling statistics around the impact of lost love on the health of adolescents and men.
Themes Relationships (romantic), Grief.
Linda Guthrie
Talking to Alaska by Anna Woltz
Rock the Boat, 2021. ISBN: 9780861540969. (Age:10+) Highly recommended.
Originally published in Dutch the novel was translated into English.
This novel is easy to read and has the reader invested in the main characters very early in the book. It begins with Parker and Sven who are on their way to their first day at a new school. They both know nobody at their new school and want to fit in.
Parker's life is torn between grief for her dog, Alaska, and also for her parents. During the summer holiday break the family's lives were turned upside down and Parker's Dad has not been able to put it behind him.
Sven has changed schools because he has been diagnosed with epilepsy. He wants to make a good impression before the other students find out. Inside he feels like a loser and a freak.
On that very first day, Parker discovers that Sven now owns Alaska. She observes that Sven doesn't love Alaska the way she does and takes the decision to kidnap Alaska. Parker alters her dad's black woolly hat so it becomes a balaclava and breaks in to Sven's bedroom during the very early hours to take Alaska back.
Told in alternating voices, the development of the characters, Parker and Sven, endears them to the reader. Their friendship develops as they confront their personal trauma and grief together. They learn more about each other and the reader comes to understand that every day people are carrying personal stories that influence their behaviour and habits. This is a heart-warming and enjoyable book.
Additionally, the novel provides the reader an opportunity to build empathy for people with hidden disabilities, and epilepsy in particular. While most information provided about epilepsy is current, the word 'fit' is used interchangeably with 'seizure'. The reader comes to understand the crucial role of assistance dogs in supporting people living with epilepsy. In Australia seizure alert dogs like Alaska are assistance dogs that have received additional training that enables them to alert the owner of an approaching seizure.
In this riveting new novel we are challenged to consider who did write the Ern Malley poems? Was it Ern Malley, who was poorly educated but who was indeed a thinker, who died when he was quite young. Ethel claims to have found the poems after her brother died, and while it seems to her to be quite sophisticated poetry, she simply assumes that he must have been clever, and indeed the poetry would suggest that she is right, if he had actually been the author. She decides to submit the poetry to the Adelaide writer, thinker, social critic, and well-known social commentator of the day, Max Harris. Stephen Orr’s captivating narrative takes us into two worlds and two time frames, the world of poverty and the struggle to survive in Sydney in the 1940s, and of the Adelaide in that same period. Interspersing time frames, Orr takes us into the 1980s. Max was a well-known critic and social commentator, and he befriends Ethel in this story. Indeed they work together to introduce Ern’s poetry, yet both historically and in the present day, the literary world still questions the authenticity of the poetry.
Stephen Orr depicts that older world so vividly, in his descriptions of the city of Adelaide, its streets, university and gardens, and we learn about life, at that time, in the suburbs of Sydney. It is fascinating to read about Max Harris, who was a strong critic of the literary world, a vibrant, intelligent man. In his responses to the Ern Malley poetry, it is obvious that he considers the poetry as powerful, indeed of literary merit, in that it awakens human minds to what life really means. Orr makes us aware that the provenance of the poetry is still open to debate, and that it may well have been a hoax. Yet these claims seem to be secondary to the challenging ideas that are elevated by the lyricism of the poetry that addresses intelligent responses to ideas of what life really is and what it all means.
The novel would be appropriate for older adolescent students, and indeed it would be a fascinating tome, in that we hear about a changing world where literature is rising in popularity, Orr having created such a strong sense of the different historical periods.
Themes Deception, Poetry, Adelaide (S.A.) - History.
Elizabeth Bondar
Waking Romeo by Kathryn Barker
Allen & Unwin, 2021. ISBN: 9781760297152. (Age:14+) Highly recommended.
Wow! I am still thinking about this complex and unusual novel days after I finished reading it. It raises questions about the meaning of true love, all tied up with people using time travel pods to escape the dying world that they have created. Juliet Capulet lives in the now with a group of families who have chosen not to go to the future in search of a better life, but things are traumatic for her. Her love Romeo is in a coma and she has been ostracised by friends and family. When Ellis arrives from the future with a quest to wake Romeo, Jules begins to question her beliefs about love and starts to change her life.
Told from the points of view of Jules and Ellis and in five acts, the narrative jumps back and forwards in time, starting in 2083, flipping back to 2056 and concluding in 2107. The feelings that Jules has for Romeo are intense, and the reader will recognise much of Shakespeare's dialogue from Romeo and Juliet. As the story progresses, it becomes evident that Jules was not Romeo's girlfriend for very long and the author subtly questions Shakespeare's version of true love in comparison to real life. Ellis' connection to the book Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte is slower to appear and more subtle.
While the theme of true love dominates, the concept of time travelling to the future to avoid the mistakes made in the present is a fascinating one, and Barker questions whether the future would be any better if mistakes are not rectified. The effects of climate change are vividly described in the dystopian London that Jules lives in.
There are some surprises for the reader in the clever plot twists and some tense moments when a stranger in a gas mask shoots at the pair. However, all is explained in a most satisfactory way in the end.
This would make a challenging group discussion book or class text. Extensive teacher's notes are available, as well as a video with the author discussing the book, and another video with a special message to teachers and librarians are available on the publisher's website.
Themes Time travel, True love, Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare, Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte, Destiny, fate, Sustainability, Climate change.
