1865, southern England. Nell lives a quiet life, attempting to blend in despite having birthmarks that set her apart. Jasper Jupiter's Circus of Wonders comes to town, but Nell has no interest. The same cannot be said for everyone else, including her father, who sells her to Jasper. Betrayed and hurt, Nell cannot believe what has happened. But when Jasper tells her he can make her grand, she wonders if maybe she can be someone. Jasper's brother, Toby, is always by his side - through childhood, through the Crimean War (Jasper a soldier, Toby a photographer), and feels indebted to Jasper. But Nell has caught his eye, and things may be about to change.
Circus of Wonders is a different kind of historical fiction, where power is up for grabs, women are featured prominently and the circus is the centre of it all. Fans of the movie, The Greatest Showman, will enjoy this in depth exploration of the lives of the troupe who perform in the Circus of Wonders, with the story being shown from the points of view of Nell, Jasper and Toby. Macneal has created a realistic historical circus, complete with performing animals, spectacular acts and 'wonders of nature'. With flashbacks to the Crimean War, readers will be immersed in the past and 'present' of England in the 1800s and the Crimean war. Throughout the book, the underlying current of 'who owns/runs my life' is present for all the characters, something that many readers will find relatable.
Themes Historical Fiction; Circus; Romance; Ownership; Power; Beauty Perception; War.
Melanie Pages
The treehouse joke book 2 by Andy Griffiths. Illus. by Terry Denton
Pan Macmillan Australia, 2021. ISBN: 9781760980511. (Age:6-10) Recommended.
The Treehouse funsters have collated and illustrated a collection of jokes and riddles designed to tickle the fancies of their young readers. Most of these jokes are 'oldies, but goodies' that new generations of children will discover and share. I can see this book flying off the shelf and giggles being shared! With an array of knock, knock jokes and word play as well as slightly longer jokes this is not a reading challenge, but it will be enjoyed by readers aged 6-10. Terry Denton's cartoon illustrations are again a quirky delight.
This story will keep you laughing until the cows come home! The Nerd Herd is a hilarious and highly entertaining story, featuring a quirky and rambunctious lamb named Baarnabus; who likes to go by the name of Barny with one 'a', to be more precise. He, along with his two best friends Shaama Llama Ding Dong - a llama and Billy the Kid - an angora goat, live on a petting zoo type farm. After reoccurring incidents with the other overbearing farm animals, Barny decides they should create a gang to rule the farm and take charge. His friends are not so keen on the idea, but like true friends they support him in this adventure. As the 'gang' work together to reduce the chances of being beaten and bullied, they see another opportunity to reach hero status. But just when they think they have succeeded; they realise they have actually inadvertently created a further and more ferocious dilemma.
The storyline is fast paced and exciting, leaving the reader captivated and engrossed in how these three woolly friends will go in their endeavours to reach for higher farmyard status. The continual and clever play on words and puns throughout the story will keep you laughing out loud, as you turn each page. Both children and adults alike will be thoroughly entertained by this short novel. The engaging illustrations, comic panels and speech bubbles bring extra connection for the reader; enhancing their enjoyment, appealing to a broader audience and diversifying the reading level. If you enjoy genres like the Real Pigeons, you are sure to love The Nerd Herd too! When you reach the last page, you are left wanting more, and can't wait to go and get the next book in the series to see what happens to Barny and his friends.
Themes Teamwork, Friendship, Relationships, Humorous, Animals, Problem solving.
Michelle O'Connell
A class full of lizards by Alison Hart
Allen & Unwin, 2021. ISBN: 9781760877378. (Age:8+) Highly recommended.
A sequel to the very funny School rules are optional, sees Jesse bemoaning the first day of the last term at his primary school as the group goes on tours of the local high schools to select where they will do their grade seven.
He and Alex have been friends for ages but Alex seems very cool, not waiting for him to walk to school together, making excuses about where to spend recess and simply not being there. Jesse has some serious problems at home as well: his parents have gone on a health kick. Not only does Dad wear the most inappropriate clothing, he buys an expensive bike to go with it and is often out cycling. Both parents have installed a healthy eating regime and Jesses is saddled with cardboard to eat for lunch.
At school he has a group project to finish for the teacher, Mrs Leeman, and the wannabe well being officer, 'call me Ian', keeps popping up to check they are all well. Jesse's buddy from the year before, finds his company more acceptable than kids his own age, so hangs around at breaks.
Jesse joins an early morning running group because they offer breakfast, he eats at friends' houses for proper food, and tries to swap food at breaks, even offering his healthy food to the semi tame lizard which inhabits the wall where they sit.
The finely detailed observation of school life will cause moments of hilarity and recognition, as the children and staff interact. And it all rolls together for a wonderful conclusion.
A class full of lizards : Grade Six Survival Guide 2, is often hilarious and always good for a giggle. The perfectly observed classroom will have readers laughing out loud recalling similar accidents that classrooms are plagued with.
A pleasing, funny, character filled story that will draw in readers of all persuasion, A class full of lizards is a wonderful foil to the over the top gungho, adventure filled series that seem to be swamping the shelves at the moment.
Penguin Random House, 2020. ISBN: 9780241437551. (Age:10-14) Highly recommended.
I loved Beyond the bright sea by Lauren Wolk and when I saw that her latest book Echo Mountain had been shortlisted for the 2021 Carnegie Medal, I immediately grabbed it from my local library. Lovers of historical fiction will be immediately engaged by the story of Ellie and her family, who after losing everything in the Great Depression, flee to Echo Mountain and begin a new life, building a log cabin, growing vegetables, and bartering for goods. Ellie loves the life and is intrigued by the beautifully little wooden animals and flowers made by an unknown carver that she finds around the countryside. When her father lies in a coma after a terrible accident, she is left to take over many of her father's jobs like hunting and chopping wood. She loves roaming in the woods and one day she is led by a large hound to an isolated part of the mountain where she finds the hag, Cate, and a wild boy named Larkin.
Life in 1934 Maine is vividly brought to life. Ellie has an affinity for the feelings of animals and other living things and finds it difficult to kill for food, but this is the only way that her family can survive. She is determined to find a way to bring her father out of his coma and her problem solving is most unusual. However, she is a determined girl who takes risks and is prepared to learn by doing, learning from her mistakes and she seems to have an innate ability to heal. It is fascinating to read of the remedies that were used to help the healing process, including putting maggots on wounds and potato poultices on sores.
The author describes in lyrical prose the natural beauty and dangers of the mountainside and brings Ellie's family to life. Her mother is burdened by poverty and feels unable to play her mandolin or bring any music into their lives, while her sister Esther longs for her old life. Little brother Samuel's outlook on life and quaint sayings add some humour to the story and the dogs, Captan, Maisie and Quiet are all important characters.
Readers will learn that first impressions are not necessarily the right ones and will celebrate the resilience of the mountain folk and the determination of Ellie. This would be an interesting book for a class novel and readers who enjoy a survival story may enjoy Nowhere on earth by Nick Lake.
This book begins in England in 1872 and follows the Sansonnet family ready to begin their new life in New Zealand. Our thoughts of a harrowing long-haul plane flight pale into insignificance when compared to the hardships of sea travel in the late 1800s. The family is moderately comfortable in England, so they do not have the indignity of the assisted passengers in steerage class, instead able to easily socialise with others on the upper deck. The steerage class includes many poorer Norwegian families also keen to begin a new life, but with far fewer resources. But sea-sickness, illness and tragedy do not know a social divide on the trip and Eloise’s family suffers enormously. If it weren’t for the opportunity to share her griefs with Lars, one of the Norwegian travellers, Eloise might have gone under emotionally. Even after they land on the New Zealand shore they must undergo continuing hardship as Mother falls into a deeply depressed melancholy, Father leaves to find an income, Billy must deal with blindness and Martha continues to deal differently with life (portrayed with characteristics of Asperger’s Syndrome) and Eloise is effectively alone holding the pieces together. Were it not for Serenity, the Minister's daughter who travelled with them on board ship, who has her own faith-filled ministry and benevolence to share with them, Eloise's life would have foundered on the rocks of her new home. Things do not go well for the family, and it is clear that life for new settlers was hard.
This historical fiction, winner of the Tessa Duder Award, is based on the circumstances for new settlers in New Zealand and it gives a compelling reminder that the early years for immigrants was not easy. The opening chapter reveals the depths of loss for the family. The relationship with Maori indigenous people is portrayed within the context of those who had some contact via Christian missions of the early years. Faith and faithlessness, and love and cruelty are woven together in this book and it is a reminder that the success of a country is built on the hardships and hard work of those early settlers, but that fear, failure, poor choices and discouragement were never far away. This book will be enjoyed by those who love historical fiction with a touch of romance, and there are situations that reveal that not everything was virtuous in this rough beginning for the family.
Themes Historical fiction, Immigration, New Zealand, Family, Romance.
Darcy Phillips has a complex life and family. Her parents are separated, her older sister is a creative transgender and Darcy is actively involved in the Queer and Questioning Club at her USA school, identifying as queer. Darcy has had a long-term crush on her best friend Brooke, but it has never been realised as a romance, but the friendship is warm and close. Because her mother is a teacher at her school Darcy has regularly waited on campus after school and this provided the opportunity to take 'ownership' of a locker which has become her mailbox for her 'Relationship advice service'. Despite her youth, she has become remarkably knowledgeable and wise with her advice which is well-researched and psychologically balanced, as well as being quite lucrative and she has managed to keep her identity very secret. When Alexander Brougham, a wealthy and good-looking former South Aussie, who has his own relationship and family predicaments, discovers her identity as the 'Agony Aunt' he pays well for good advice. The secrecy her service demands and the lies she once told to keep Brooke unattached will one day come back to haunt her, but along the way she also swings in her affections and discovers that Alexander Brougham is more than just a client to her. The complexities of life and romance for the coterie of teens is quite charming.
Because this book is openly written as a Queer Rom-Com, it could have been quite opinionated, but the author (who has a psychology role as well as being an author) has just created a well-written romance story with a plethora of LGBTIQ teens populating the very normal dramas of teenage life and romance. The advice to problems of the mostly heterosexual clientele is given as email responses scattered amongst the narrative and is extraordinarily rich in its wisdom. There is a light touch in the way relationships are discussed, balanced insights into relationship complexities and an almost comedic deftness in dealing with Darcy's own ironies as she struggles to work out her own relationship dramas while successfully solving the problems of others with ease. Maturity will be needed for readers, but LGBTIQ young people will appreciate seeing themselves in YA literature.
Themes LGBTIQ, Romance, Relationships, Lies and secrets, USA schools.
Puffin Little Environmentalist: Gardening is another welcome addition to the cleverly written Puffin Little Series. Gardening has always been an important pastime for both adults and children and during the recent COVID pandemic it reached new levels of popularity. This little book provides the younger reader (and perhaps older ones too) with information to successfully plant and maintain their own garden. As with all the Puffin Little books, the reader is given a personal welcome to join the little puffin, this time in its garden. The book gives an important introduction to gardens, how plants grow with information on photosynthesis, germinators and pollinators and how to plan and care for your garden. In these chapters ideas about watering, climate, light, shade, garden beds, compost and tools are shared with the reader. The final three chapters discuss garden wildlife, planting a native garden and growing a kitchen garden. One important fact shared is that by returning green space to our backyards and balconies new habitats are provided for wildlife especially bees and birds. As in the other books in the series, at the end is a fast facts page, glossary and quiz.
Plants are an important part of the Australian Curriculum Science component for a number of primary school year levels and this very comprehensive yet easy to read and explore book will be a welcome resource for both students and teachers.
Another book in the favourite Spot the Dog series will be welcomed by small children who delight in the cute spotted dog and his adventures. This time Spot is visiting his grandparents and children will love the front cover showing Spot, with a happy grin on his face, carrying a gift basket and flowers on his way their house. This is a study board book, with the familiar drawings of lovely spotted dogs. It is not difficult to distinguish Grandma and Grandma just from the size of their noses and their expressions show how happy they are to see Spot.
The lift-the-flaps are lots of fun. Spot gets into a cupboard that has cookies; another flap reveals Spot ready to garden with a spade and fork, and children will giggle when another flap reveals poor Grandpa being hosed by Spot. Each double page spread has one sentence or question in big bold print and the other page contains the lift the flap that complements the text. Older children will find that this is an easy book to memorise and may begin the road to recognising words on a page.
Spot also has fun finding things like a ball that his mother played with as a young pup and children will relate to this and may be able to tell of toys that they have found at their grandparents' home. This would make a lovely gift for a child before they go on a trip to their grandparents, or a book for grandparents to keep and read when their grandchildren visit.
House of Earth and Blood, by prolific fantasy romance writer Sarah J. Maas, is another entertaining offering for fans and new readers alike. House of Earth and Blood is the first in a new series titled Crescent City, set in the world of Midgard where humans, Fae, angels, demons and other magical creatures coexist. The novel follows half-human, half-Fae Bryce Quinlan, a carefree young adult living her best life until a tragedy changes her world forever. Two years after her best friend is brutally and inexplicably killed, Bryce finds herself at the centre of a murder investigation that will have far-reaching consequences for both herself and her community.
Unsurprisingly for a Maas story, there are plenty of characters with painful and tragic pasts; every protagonist is damaged and traumatised in their own way. However, unlike Maas' other recent release, A Court of Silver Flames, Crescent City is saved from being a tedious cliche by Bryce's characterisation. Bryce is a strong, determined and sassy leading lady. She is less helpless, less forgiving of misogyny and prejudice and more assertive than many of Maas' other female protagonists. Maas appears to be more self-aware as an author in House of Earth and Blood, seeming to poke fun at some of the romance genre tropes she has heavily relied upon in the past.
Maas' worldbuilding has also improved in this novel. The world of Midgard is an intriguing mix of Ancient Roman and Celtic architecture and mythology and modern technology and culture. Woven throughout are the magical elements that anchor the book to the fantasy genre.
Like all Maas novels, House of Earth and Blood has a long, bloody and sexy narrative that, at times, can veer into the overdramatic. Overall, however, it is an entertaining and enjoyable read which bodes well for this new series.
This is a sequel to the previously published How (Not) to Annoy Dad. The koala family are back and this time they are spending the day (not) annoying Mum. They are helping her have a relaxing morning (waking her up and asking her to help with homework), getting themselves ready for school (refusing the offered lunch snacks and losing shoes) and being good in the car (yelling about the song choice and finding mouldy sandwiches in the seats). And so it continues, for the entirety of the day: disrupting her when she is trying to work, whinging and nagging in the supermarket, (not) helping look after the dog, (not) eating their dinner, etc, etc.
Parents and children will find this ridiculously, laughably relatable. The Zoom meeting interrupted by the "I just did the BIGGEST POO" assertion is perfectly and hilariously illustrated by the ever-dependable Heath McKenzie. The outlandish requests, the nonsensical protests and the exasperating comments; it's all captured beautifully in both the text (mostly child dialogue) and the illustrations. It is also clever that the ever-suffering Mum and Dad are completely silent: scrambling and facially emotive but silent. There is finally a smile from Mum at the end when the children make her a card and a cake and pick her some flowers (albeit also making a gigantic mess) alongside the reassurance that "Mum thinks you're perfect. Just the way you are". This captures and normalises the daily and shared frustrations of parenting but champions the overall joy of family. Kids will think the disconnect between the instructive elements of the book and what the children are actually doing is outrageously funny. And no doubt they will say "I don't do that!"
If the title isn’t clear enough, the first image you see when opening the book is a rock falling from the sky. Prediction skills are on high alert when the next illustration is turtle standing alone and unprotected in an open space - with lots of visual emphasis and space given to the sky.
Turtle states, “I like standing in this spot. It is my favourite spot to stand. I don’t want to be anywhere else.”
When you read this story aloud to children they immediately guess what is being foreshadowed, and are squealing and laughing at Jon Klassen’s deadpan style of humour. Of course, adults enjoy this story for exactly the same reasons.
Turtle does escape his deadly fate with the help of Armadillo, who with the reader, just senses something bad is going to happen.
Like all good comedy there is perfect timing and the wonderful anticipation about what is going to happen next.
Snake joins Turtle and Armadillo and gets involved in the crazy and at time surreal situations, such as Turtle denying he has fallen on his back due to falling off the rock, while he is on his back because of falling off the rock, a shared imaginary future between Turtle and Armadillo and the perfect funny ending that combines all the crazy antics - which I will not divulge, so there are no spoilers.
The story is divided in to 5 chapters and different coloured text makes it is easy to understand which character is speaking.
I highly recommend this book, in fact I insist everyone read the story to ensure they have at least one wonderful moment in their day.
Recommended for primary school students and everyone else!
Jane Moore
Not all heroes wear capes by Ben Brooks. Illus. by Nigel Baines
Ben Brooks, author of the very popular book, Stories for Boys Who Dare To Be Different, has written another very comprehensive and thought provoking book about everyday ordinary humans, both young and old, who do heroic things. Not All Heroes Wear Capes presents a myriad of people from all over the world who have made a difference to others around them. These people did not set out to be text book, motion picture stereotypes of heroes, and did not look for recognition as heroes but quietly went about their business. The number of heroes mentioned throughout the book is vast and one in particular stands out as he brought a ray of light and hope to the world crushing COVID pandemic. At 100 years of age, Captain Tom Roberts, chose to do something small and achievable to help raise funds for the frontline health care staff who were putting themselves at risk. His incredible efforts raised millions of pounds just by walking laps of his garden. Another much younger hero was ten-year old Tilly Smith who was holidaying in Phuket, Thailand in 2004. While on the beach she noticed the water was receding from the shore and remembered a geography lesson from school where her teacher had talked about tsunamis. She was able to alert everyone on the beach and they were able to run to safety.
The book opens with a discussion about what is a superhero and then is divided into ten chapters. Each chapter discusses a different aspect such as Dare to Dream, Look For Those Who Need Your Help and Share What You Know. Within the chapters are brief graphic style storyboards portraying the heroes and their story, more detailed text giving thoughtful and relevant information, clever images and large print headings to capture the reader's attention. The author's anecdotal and humorous style of writing engages the reader and may encourage further research and discussion. This book would be perfect for upper primary and secondary students.
Themes Heroes, Ordinary People, Kindness, Courage, Caring for Others.
Puffin Little Historian: Dinosaurs is another publication in the very popular and highly engaging non-fiction Puffin Little series. The personal invitation on the beginning pages welcome the reader to take part on a journey with little puffin to find out more about dinosaurs. The book introduces the prehistoric world including information about the Mesozoic Era, evolution and extinction as well as discussing 'What is a Dinosaur?' Other chapters look at the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods and include a range of dinosaurs that existed throughout these periods. Each dinosaur mentioned has a simple illustration, pronunciation of its name, when and where it lived as well as its size and diet and additional information. There is also timeline presented at the bottom of the pages explaining in which period a particular dinosaur lived. There is a detailed section on palaeontology and a fast facts page, pronunciation page, glossary and quiz. The format of the book and the ease of readability of each page will encourage younger readers to feel confident about reading this on their own. As dinosaurs books are continually sought after by younger students, this little book will be a welcome addition to any home, school or public library collection.
Themes Dinosaurs, History.
Kathryn Beilby
Love is for losers by Wibke Bruggemann
Pan Macmillan, 2021. ISBN: 9781529033724. (Age:14+) Highly recommended.
In present day London we find Phoebe Davis - opinionated, out spoken and not too fond of people. She is 15 and preparing for the GCSEs. GCSE is the qualification taken by 15 and 16 year olds in England, Northern Ireland and Wales.
Phoebe's best friend Polly is enthralled in first love and their friendship has altered. Phoebe has some very definite ideas about love and can't imagine any circumstances where she would be as cliche, stupid and foolhardy as those around her. Told in diary format, Phoebe's observations and reflections on life have the reader laughing out loud or crying in solidarity. When Phoebe can't understand something, she googles it. The book is peppered with facts, and the knowledge that Phoebe is struggling with being socially awkward, and being caustic with her judgements.
Phoebe's Mum is a doctor working for a humanitarian agency. She regularly leaves Phoebe with her best friend, Kate, while away for months at a time in war torn countries. Phoebe's Dad died before she was born. While he has never been a presence in her life, she is now discovering more about him and has questions.
Kate, having previously worked with Phoebe's Mum, now manages a thrift shop. Phoebe agrees to volunteer in the shop following a designer kitten debacle. This close knit group (crotchety Pat, considerate Alex and perfect Emma) is richly drawn, endearing and, despite her best efforts, wind their way into Phoebe's life.
The relationship between Kate and Phoebe is nurturing and life affirming. Kate's character is well grounded and their relationship developed positively throughout the book. Kate's down to earth approach subtly delivered guidance, empathy and hope for all (including Phoebe) when the storyline explored some difficult themes. The diary format worked well for this story and enabled the reader a front seat in the confessions of a flawed individual who learns from her mistakes.
