The Smidgens is written by London author and illustrator David O'Connell. The madcap action is perfectly accompanied by the quirky illustrations of Seb Burnett.
The Smidgens is bound to become the first of a much loved series of magical adventures to be enjoyed by children. This book allows children to enter into the world of little people, of fantastical adventures, of characters who are full of wit and quick thinking. It is a world where there are baddies and ghosts; there are magical powers for good and bad. Human beings live above and the Smidgens venture into the human world.
The Smidgen family in this story live with a sense of loss, of a dark past. They are the only survivors - just one little family of which Gafferty Sprout is the oldest daughter and chief protagonist of the story. No bigger than 10cm high, Gafferty lives by the Smidgen's rules: stay hidden and observe, don't do anything flipping stupid, be ready to run and run fast and if in doubt make it up. Gafferty is lonely and would love to meet other Smidgens her own age if they still exist. She discovers an old book and this not only sets her on the trail of finding others like her but also leads her into dangerous action packed adventure where she needs all the skills, magic and help from others that she can get.
In its whimsicalness and depiction of loving family life and funny little creatures The Smidgens is a little like The Moomintrolls by Swedish author Tove Jansson. It is also reminiscent of the Mrs Pepperpot series by Norwegian author Alf Proyson which was about the adventures of a little woman no bigger than a pepperpot. The Borrowers by Mary Norton is a classic series featuring little people; The Smidgens is funnier.
There is somehow an importance for children to experience reading about the adventures of little imaginary fantastic folk. Wondering about what it would be like for a whole family to dine on a potato chip and still have left overs and all the other things experienced by the Smidgens opens up the world of imagination and enhances the ability to see the world from a different perspective.
The Smidgens will bring a lot of gentle pleasure and laughs into the lives of young readers.
This book is impossible to put down. Real events inspired this story. The island of Eilean Mor in the Outer Hebrides has a lighthouse. In December 1900 three keepers disappeared from the island. The mystery remains unsolved and has inspired film and poetry.
Emma Stonex sets The Lamplighters in Cornwall in 1972. Three lighthouse keepers have vanished. The entrance door is locked from the inside, beds are made and the clocks have stopped at 8:45.
In 1992 an author seeks to investigate and resolve the mystery and this provides an opportunity for the women left behind to confront their fears, and reveal what has been kept hidden for twenty years.
The writing is riveting and suspenseful as the author moves seamlessly between 1972 and 1992. In 1972 we in turn hear the voices of principal keeper Arthur Black, Bill Walker and Vincent Bourne. Their characters are exposed through sensitive, deft writing that is compelling and engrosses the reader. The moods of the sea, the rhythms of life in a lighthouse and the realities of isolation entwine to heighten the the mystery of the disappearance of the three. The reader is invited to speculate the cause of their disappearance: something supernatural; madness; murder; criminal activity; misadventure.
In 1992 we find Helen, Jenny and Michelle. Each, guarding their secrets, has severed ties with the others at a time when you might think they would be bound together. The author skilfully builds tension as the very different personalities reveal the betrayals, grievances, guilt and suspicion that have haunted their past twenty years.
The author has crafted a stunning debut novel that captivates and haunts the reader.
Do Something for Someone Else is another beautifully presented and topical book by Loll Kirby. Her first book Old Enough to Save the Planet presented twelve activists providing solutions to the effects of climate change. In her latest book the author introduces us to another twelve children from around the world who focus on another type of activism: spreading kindness in everyday activities. Kesz who had been living on the streets in the Philippines from a young age was given the opportunity to improve his circumstances. He then set up an organisation called Championing Community Children to support other children living on the streets. Havana from the USA began fundraising from a young age to provide books for black children that contained black characters. She is also passionate about girls and education. Winter from Australia discovered at the age of nine that children in some countries did not have clean drinking water. He began to raise funds to support these children and set up a fundraising programme Surf to School where students can wear surf clothes to school and donate to this campaign. Each activist and their cause is presented on a double page spread and the highly detailed illustrations are interspersed with interesting facts. At the end of the book are ideas about helping do something for someone else as well as ten things you can do to make a difference to someone else. The website addresses of all of the mentioned activists are included and would be a great starting point for further research.
There is nothing that Couch Potato likes more that slouching on the couch. In fact it spends all its free time in the exact spot on its comfy cosy couch, and really, there is no reason to move. With a range of gadgets - even one that fetches its snacks - and a wall of shimmering screens in front of it, it can control its entire life all the time with a few taps and a couple of clicks.
Life is perfect until there is a power outage! Suddenly everything goes dark and Couch Potato is forced to open the curtains to let some light in where it sees the outdoors for the first time in a long time and it is tempted outside.
This is a new addition to Jory John's collection of modern cautionary tales for young readers joining The Good Egg, The Bad Seed and The Cool Bean. Encouraging those who prefer to live their lives vicariously through the screen to get outside and enjoy the sunshine, fresh air and being actively involved with friends, it opens up investigations into a healthy lifestyle and the need for balance.
Starting university is a challenge for anyone but what if you are obviously different? Tara is a Muslim who chooses to wear a hijab at a time of racist/religious tensions in Sydney. Her first day at University of Sydney is certainly a stand-out as she becomes the centre of a bomb scare. Sunburnt Veils follows her progress as she makes a stand for herself and other "outsiders", opens herself up to new experiences and people, and navigates a relationship with someone from the other side of the tracks. On one hand this story is another coming of age love story. On the other hand, it explores different cultural beliefs and backgrounds, albeit with a fairly light touch. However, it's uncomplicated narrative does not make it less valid. It is important to have everyday reads that show differences as major parts of the story and give everyone a face and voice. While the focus of this book is that of making the choice for Khoda (God), wearing the hijab and so standing out in the university environment and indeed in wider Australian society, it also touches on other aspects of fitting in to different social groups and public perceptions. It does this while also being a good old-fashioned teenage romance and coming of age story.
Themes Islamaphobia; Coming of Age; Cultural Differences; Racism; Homosexuality; Romance.
Gaye Howe
Huda and me by H. Hayek
Allen & Unwin, 2021. ISBN: 9781760526023. (Age:10+) Highly recommended.
Huda is nine, a girl filled with smiles, intriguing ideas and is full of zest. Akeal is a few years older, but he is Huda's greatest supporter, closest sibling and the responsible one. When their parents need to urgently go to Lebanon, they leave behind Huda and Akeal and their four older siblings and the younger toddler of their family to the care of a family contact, Aunt Amel. Unfortunately, this is definitely not a wise move and Aunt Amel is far from the perfect carer. She is not Mary Poppins! But Huda has a plan to rescue them all. She books tickets for Akeal and herself to travel to Lebanon to warn her parents of the disastrous situation. Huda reveals herself as a master tactician and a winsome travel 'agent' as the two young 'unaccompanied minors' make their way overseas to resolve the family difficulties.
This is a funny story of the audacious adventure when the forthright young girl sets her mind on solving the family's dilemma. The counterbalance between the over-confident Huda and the careful and anxious Akeal reveals a delightful family dynamic amidst the drama of the journey of the two intrepid travellers. The characters introduced in this Lebanese-Australian Muslim family are all loveable and warm. This will be enjoyed by young readers as they consider the brave actions of two young children as they outsmart adults and show great courage. For non-Muslim readers it will also reveal the delightful warmth and love of this family and their culture. Teacher's notes are available.
Themes Family, Identity, Muslim children and culture.
Set in 1991, this book introduces the reader to Ron - an aged widower and an inveterate collector, a garage sale aficionado and a hard-rubbish scrounger ready to make a dollar from what someone else has discarded. He is part of a community of bargain hunters all contesting to find the best items. An accidental meeting at the CES connects him to a young man, Joseph, who becomes his muscle and support on his sorties into the world of the second-hand market. Joseph has had a very hard life, mired in domestic violence, and there is continuing distress as he and his mother try unsuccessfully to claw their way through life amidst the social and financial difficulties of the economic downturn of the 1990s. The connection between Ron and Joseph is quiet, pain-filled and strangely sincere, while never going beyond an arm's length connection. Joseph becomes the best find – the book's 'McCubbin' despite his rough and lacklustre appearance - he has value if only you looked beyond the surface.
This adult story is heart-warming and yet sad, strangely compelling and poignant. The world of the Australian garage-sale scrounger is delightful and almost humorous, and a casual watcher of television's Bargain Hunt or American Pickers would recognise the desire to find the items of treasure amidst the trash. But the delight of this book is the subtle and under-stated way that the author describes her characters and deals with poverty, grief, mental illness, addiction and family violence. In the process she reveals the resilience and strength required to survive and shows that this is not always possible without help. This is an awesome story set in recent history that esteems a sub-culture and allows us to see into the lives of the 'hard-luck' poor with empathy.
Although essentially this is an adult book, the attention on Joseph as a post-high school teen could make this a valuable Senior English book to be read as a parallel text to Boy Swallows Universe.
Themes Garage Sales, Collecting, Family dysfunction, Mental illness, Grief and loss.
Passionate vet and nature lover Jess French has written another colourful non-fiction book Earth's Incredible Oceans to add to her collection, Her previous titles include Book of Brilliant Bugs and What a waste. Readers of this newest release will not be disappointed in the beautifully illustrated and colourful pages. The reader is taken on a journey from: What is an Ocean? to Oceans & me. The pages are full of interesting and at times fun facts about layers beneath the sea, different sea creatures such as seabirds, narwhales, invertebrates, ocean reptiles and mammals as well as plant life, food webs, and the seashore. The final chapter gives information about how the ocean helps us, how it is changing and how we can help look after it. Each double page spread is creatively designed and draws the reader's eye to the striking visual images and the cleverly placed text. The Contents page is clearly set out and both the Glossary and Index are very detailed.
This book is one to be shared between children or read alone. There is so much detail to be found on each page and the use of both illustrations and photographs further enhances the appeal of the book. A perfect book for home, school or public library.
Young people today are fortunate to be growing up in a time where they have the ability to read, share and discuss issues around life skills and consequently their own mental health. One new non-fiction read, Life Skills by Keilly Swift, is a thoughtful and engaging guide book that will enable middle grade to teenage readers to source life skills' information and advice when they may require it. This book covers many topics under the headings of Finding Solutions, Ways of Thinking, Communicating, Understanding Feelings and Coping Skills and begins with a well written introduction to the actual meaning of life skills. Throughout the book the reader has the opportunity to try activities such as mind-mapping, looking at different facial expressions in a mirror, standing in someone else's shoes and learning about body language. On each page the information is broken up into very readable segments and contains attractive and detailed coloured illustrations. Every page is designed differently and this will add extra appeal for the intended audience. There is a glossary and a detailed index as well as help, advice and information pages although these provide UK-based details. Learning life skills from a young age, both at home and school, is so important and needs to be discussed openly. This would be an excellent resource book to have in every home, class, school and public library.
Themes Mental Health, Life Skills, Problem Solving, Choices, Decisions, Emotions, Well-being.
The 50th anniversary edition of Mr. Tickle, the first in the very popular Mr Men series, is a lush production, with an attractive eye-catching gold cover. It has an introduction telling the reader how the idea for the book was conceived - 8-year-old Adam Hargreaves asked his father 'What does a tickle look like?' Roger drew the memorable Mr. Tickle figure, with huge, long arms and a smug grin, and then went on to make a book, which became a favourite with many children. Mr. Tickle is a terror; he can reach downstairs with his long arms and sneak a biscuit out of the biscuit tin, and he can go on a path of destruction tickling figures in authority on the way. When he comes to a school, he quietly opens a classroom window and tickles the teacher, causing pandemonium. Next, he causes a traffic jam by tickling the policeman on traffic duty, and when he tickles a greengrocer, apples spill everywhere. Off course children will love to see the chaos that Mr. Tickle causes and will laugh out loud as his antics.
What makes the book really stand out are the fabulous bold illustrations in bright primary colours and outlined in black. Mr. Tickle is a hilarious figure, and the sight of his long, long arms appearing in the illustrations will lead to giggles. His face always has a great grin on it, while the very large faces of his victims take up a full page and are very stern and solemn.
This is a book that is made to be shared with an adult who could explain that while the actions of Mr Tickle are hilarious, in real life they may lead to accidents. And of course, the final pages will lead to much tickling and laughter as the child is warned that Mr. Tickle may be prowling about the house just waiting to tickle someone.
Themes Tickling, Laughter.
Pat Pledger
Turning cartwheels by Amy Adeney. Illus. by Amy Calautti
EK Books, 2021. ISBN: 9781925820515. (Age:6+)
Emma is desperate to join queen bee Carly's Cartwheel Club. Week after week Emma lines up for a try-out, only to be told that she hasn't made the cut. When Emma is finally accepted, she finds that Carly's rules and requirements take all the joy out of cartwheeling, and being part of the gang isn't as awesome as she expected. And so she takes matters into her own hands.
This is a story that could have taken place in any school, anywhere and so it will resonate with a wide range of readers. At a certain stage the need to belong, to be part of the in-crowd becomes the driving force in a child's life but so often, once in, things aren't as rosy as expected. Emma's solution to her dilemma shows imagination and resilience and could be a suggestion for those who are struggling with the constantly changing friendship groups that dominate those middle primary years. It brings that subtle social bullying to the surface to be examined and exposed for what it is, putting those who practise it on notice, while alerting the Emmas about its existence and how it is manifested.
An excellent addition to your collection and lessons about what friendship and bullying is, taking the reader into the realm of how friendships change as children get older. Things are sometimes more than they seem. Teacher's notes are available.
Themes Social Bullying, Friendship, Peer Pressure, Fitting in and School.
Barbara Braxton
Princess Benjamina has a very cheeky bum! by Claire Hooper. Illus. by Jackie Nguyen
Albert Street Books, 2021. ISBN: 9781760876579. (Age:3+) Recommended.
When Princess Benjamina is in the room, strange things happen. Her bum says things and in the main, not very polite things. This causes considerable embarrassment for her family and she is often sent to her bedroom, where she despairs of the things her bum says.
When a visitor comes to the palaces her bum says that his nose is huge, at the market her bum tells a seller that the pumpkin looks just like his head, when the queen, her mother cooks some tarts, Benjamina's bum says they smell. Sent to her room she contemplates what to wear for the coming ball which will stifle the noise coming from her bum. She designs a dress with the fullest skirt and stuffs several pillows and a doona under it to cover her bum. And it works except now there is a new problem when a prince arrives with the same embarrassing problem.
Hilarious rhyming lines will have children giggling along as they predict the rhyming words, all to do with variations on the word bum. Kids will love calling out the rhyme: bottom, behind, derriere, backside, and so on, and snigger every time the word bum is read out. A very funny situation comes to a resolution as Pierre, the prince from the neighbouring country has the same problem and in sharing their trouble, find that the problem lessens for them both.
Cute illustrations by Jackie Nguyen add to the humour of the story, giving readers an interesting fairytale background to explore. I love the endpapers with their plethora of pillows.
Claire Hooper is a stand up comedian and TV presenter who has always wanted to write a children's book, while Jackie Nguyen, an illustrator and graphic designer use bold bright colours in her work.
Masters of Disguise : Camouflaging Creatures & Magnificent Mimics is a beautifully presented non-fiction book discussing a number of creatures from around the world that are able to camouflage and mimic in their own particular habitat. The endpapers take the place of a Contents page and cleverly provide the reader with the name of the twelve creatures introduced and discussed as well as showing where they are to be found on a map of the world. Some of the creatures discussed are the Panther Chameleon, Gaboon Viper, Orchid Mantis, Three toed Sloth and from Australia, Leaf and Stick Insects. The author gives a brief explanatory introduction about the creatures, habitats and a message about the need for protection. The stunning illustrations and setting out of the text on each double page spread is visually appealing and will engage even the most reluctant reader. The information is clearly presented with easy to grasp facts about the creature. Following these pages is another double spread encouraging the reader to find a number of the previously discussed creatures camouflaged in their natural habitat. This book provides the reader with information, striking images and the opportunity to use number and visual skills. A wonderful addition to any home, school or public library.
Themes Animals, Camouflage, Disguises, World Habitats.
Ana is a 16-year-old recent arrival to the USA from Argentina. English is her second language and the nuance of life in her new adopted home has silenced her . . . there are few words for all the emotions and dilemmas that she faces as she tries to fit in. Who is she when she does not have the words to explain? But the cute American boy who needs help with Maths, and the shy Greek migrant stumbling with his English in her ESL class become part of her experience of life in the USA. Romance stumbles into the sphere of life, but how does she find the words to communicate what she feels? Can she be the Spanish-speaking and confident person she used to be or must she reinvent herself? Will her poetry give her opportunity to find words for all that wells up inside? And will her family understand her as she matures and changes in her new cultural home?
This is a creative exploration of life, love and the experience of being wordless. The author cleverly creates this wordlessness with blanked words to communicate the struggle of understanding life when you have no vocabulary or miss too many words. As she learns the language, these moments of confusion lessen. The struggle of romancing two classmates and the distress of misunderstanding frequently is highlighted in this romance tale. Interspersed into the narrative is Ana’s poetry, written in English in her ESL class as she struggles with words and ideas. The characters in this book are likeable and the secondary school setting will make this familiar to young Australian readers. Female readers aged 14+ will enjoy this romance tale, but will also empathise with Ana in her struggles with identity in a new culture.
Themes Romance, ESL, Language, Identity.
Carolyn Hull
The Katha chest by Radhiah Chowdhury and Lavanya Naidu
Allen & Unwin, 2021. ISBN: 9781760524326. (Age:4+) Highly recommended.
The charm of women coming together and sharing stories of love and family percolates from every word and illustration in this wonderful book. Asiya loves going to Nanu's house because she can look in the chest which contains the katha quilts. Made from the women's old saris, the material so worn they are no longer wearable, each quilt has a story to tell. They are soft with age, sometimes several sewn together to form a quilt, sometimes only enough pieces left to make a patchwork quilt. Asiya pulls out several quilts, breathing in their perfume discernible long after they have been worn. She snuggles into one, its design reminding her of the medal she was allowed too play with, another has the bright colours of her aunt's stained fingers, another has the stiff neatly stitched edges another of the women sews, and another has a white panel, reminiscent of the colour worn after a death. Each of the quilts has a special memory and the illustrator shows us its history in a double page of panels after each quilt is taken from the chest. But when everyone has gone home, Maa wraps her daughter in one special quilt, Nanu's quilt, the oldest of them all; paper thin, smelling like tea and wood, old books and porcelain, it is wrapped around the girl and her mother, as she tells stories of the quilt's creator. This wonderful tale of story telling, of traditions passed down from one hand to another, of women coming together, of recycling, will melt the hearts of its readers as they sit with the women talking about those who were once there, the older women who made the quilts with love and affection. Naidu's illustrations are wonderful, filling each page with the patterns of the saris reused in the quilts, the colours and patterns forcing the reader to look more closely at the images before them. The text directs the eye to the quilts, giving a story behind the quilt, pressing the reader to look into the traditions of these women from northern India. The author and illustrator present family histories with a tenderness that is as overpowering as the smells Asiya breathes in from the quilts she takes from her grandmother' chest.
Themes Family, Quilts, Recycling, Women, Story telling, India.
