Affirm Press, 2020. ISBN: 9781925972597.
(Age: Secondary/Adult) Recommended. The story of Esme is set against
a time of immense change for women in Britain. She is part of the
tide sweeping the nation as it grapples with women's suffrage then
braces for war, a war which saw an acceleration of those changes
when women were drafted into the workforce.
Esme sits with her lexicographer father as he works in the
Scriptorium, a shed in Oxford where words are collected, discussed,
debated and given a place in the compilation of the Oxford English
Dictionary, or sometimes cast aside. Sitting beneath the table where
the scholars work, young Esme comes across a rejected slip with the
word 'bondmaid' and she scoops it up to put in Lizzie's trunk, the
first of many words pertaining to women, rejected by the
lexicographers. Lizzie has looked after her since her mother died,
and Esme questions whether Lizzie is a bondmaid, a question which
keeps resurfacing.
Over the years, Esme becomes one of the researchers in the
Scriptorium, a position usually only taken by men and she needs
special permission to enter the Oxford libraries, usually only open
to men. She meets an actress and is often seen at the theatre
watching her, only to become pregnant to her brother. Her child is
adopted by a couple who then move to Adelaide, and Esme returns to
her life in the Scrippy. Over the years she becomes more aware of
the position women have in society and emboldened, argues, usually
unsuccessfully, for words to be included in the dictionary.
She keeps on collecting words that are rejected, and she collects
some for herself. Her ear becomes attuned to new words, especially
by women unnoticed by scholars, and she writes them down with an
example of its use along with the author of the word and the date.
Lizzie's trunk becomes a repository of women's words, words that
will never find a place in the dictionary being compiled.
This wonderful tale, with the endearing characters of Esme and Lizzie
set alongside the reality of the Scriptorium, Dr Murray and his
researchers, resonates with authenticity as we watch the compiling
of this dictionary paralleling the emancipation of women but
oblivious to it. It is ironic that such a momentous change is barely
recognised by these men sitting in judgement over which words will
be included, and Esme's lost words underscore this irony, her 'Dictionary
of Lost Words' published privately by her husband as a token of
his love and esteem.
Throughout the story, words are presented which provoke thought and
deliberation, bringing the reader to question why these were not
included, and giving another layer of interest to an already highly
involving story.
Themes: Women's suffrage, Emancipation, World War One, Oxford
English Dictionary, Oxford, Lexicography.
Fran Knight
Bandits by Sha'an D'Anthes
Hachette, 2020. ISBN: 9780734419675.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Fern lives in a drab, colourless city where
everything looks the same and everyone keeps to themselves. She
loves to read, especially reading of times long ago when there were
trees where there are now buildings. One night bandits steal into
the city to steal, scattering rubbish all through the streets. She
follows the bandits out of the city and finds that they live in a
forest full of colour and trees. She is unsure but the two bandits
introduce themselves and she looks at the rubbish they have
collected from the city. She is astounded that they collect rubbish
until they show her that the rubbish is still usable to plant and
grow more trees.
She remains with her new friends, realising that the world is more
vast than she thought and she helps with tree planting.
This arresting book with its colour filled pages, will encourage
children to think about the things they waste. Food waste is a
growing problem and this book will initiate discussion about this
issue in the classroom, leading to children taking their own steps
with the school and at home. There are more books being published at
the moment alerting younger readers to the issue, nonfiction (What
a waste by Jess French and Family
guide to waste-free living by Lauren Carter), and
fiction (The
Tindims of Rubbish Island, by Sally Gardner and Jelly-boy
by Nicole Godwin, for example.)
And in this book, Fern finds like-minded people who become her
friends, working to undo the damage done to the planet.
Sha'an's first book was Zoom
(2017).
Theme: Waste, Recycling, Friendship.
Fran Knight
Everything in its right place by Tobias McCorkell
Transit Lounge, 2020. ISBN: 9781925760606.
(Age: Senior secondary / Adult) Recommended. Ford McCullen is a
teenager growing up in the rough neighbourhood of Coburg, in the
shadow of Pentridge Prison. However thanks to a legacy from his
grandmother (his father's mother) he gets to attend the posh school
in Toorak, including violin lessons. It is this dichotomy that is at
the heart of the book. The scene is set for us from the first
chapter when an encounter with Moose the tough kid of his
neighbourhood, and a wild ride on the back of a quad bike, sees him
waving goodbye to his violin.
Ford lives with his mother and his grandparents; his mother is not
coping, and his estranged father's various male partners are not
easy to live with. In fact there are some quite horrible scenes of
abuse in his father's place, but the whole story is told with a kind
of humour that accepts that is just the way life is. Life is rough,
Ford's mates are into drink, drugs, and hooliganism and Ford drifts
along with them.
His grandparents have great expectations of him, but his teachers,
and even his school friends, do not. They are actually surprised if
he performs well or if he says something intelligent. Because that
is not the kind of person they take him for.
McCorkell's novel deals with issues of class, teenage delinquency,
abuse, and mental illness, but it is not hard to read. The humour
carries it along, and while there are poignant moments, we know that
Ford will survive, perhaps even surprise everybody including
himself.
Themes: Families, Identity, Coming of age, Mental health, Abuse,
Class divisions.
Helen Eddy
Song of the crocodile by Nardi Simpson
Hachette, 2020. ISBN: 9780733643743.
(Age: Adult/Senior secondary) Highly recommended. An interweaving of
spiritual stories of ancestors and totems, and the down-to-earth
daily experiences of an Aboriginal family confined to the outskirts
of Darnmoor, a hard country town representative of so many towns in
Australia where racism is an undercurrent unrecognised by the
townspeople but with an ongoing impact on the lives of the
Indigenous people, this story brings alive three generations of the
Billymil family.
For me the portrayal of the bright curious and cheerful little girl
Mili was so magical - you could see her happy face, her thoughtful
questions, and her love for her elders and her cousins, a really
bright little spark. All of which makes so devastating the casual
violence that is inflicted upon her. Reading about her you
understand how spirits get broken, how life just becomes too hard,
and uncaring sets in. The other amazing character is Wil, full of
energy and optimism, hardworking and determined, and so full of love
and kindness towards a wife who is broken and a son that is not his.
There are many more characters who will capture your heart; probably
most poignant of all is Paddy, lost between two worlds, heading
towards danger.
Simpson's talent is in making her characters come to life, with
language so authentic, you can hear their voices, and their
conversations, and join in their humour. This deftness with
conversational language is combined with an ability to describe not
only the workplaces, the town and the physical environment, but the
magical spiritual world that flows beneath and around it all.
It is a hard story, of hard work, endurance, and suffering. The
spotlight is shone squarely on the degeneration of a culture with
alcoholism and depression, alongside the ugliness of racism and the
whitewashing of history. But the hearts of the people are true, and
the spirit of the country may have its revenge in the end.
This is a very moving story, harshly realistic and magical at the
same time. The writing is beautiful, incorporating Yuwaalaraay
language naturally throughout. The author is clearly a talent to
look out for; this debut novel was winner of the 2018
black&write! writing fellowship.
Themes: Aboriginal culture, Country, Racism, Identity,
Marginalistion, Violence, Rape.
Helen Eddy
Hello Jimmy! by Anna Walker
Penguin Random House Australia, 2020. ISBN: 9781760893422.
(Ages: 4-7) Highly recommended. Anna Walker's intensely beautiful
illustrations are again on display here and are matched with a
gentle, moving story about a young boy and his father, who he lives
with only sometimes. In the first few pages we are introduced to the
two characters and get a little glimpse into their life together.
Sometimes they talk, sometimes they don't, Jack's dad seems to work
a lot and smile only a little and he hasn't told a joke in a long
time. The house is quiet and Jack wonders if his dad might be
lonely. The house, gorgeously portrayed by Walker, will seem typical
to many kids; there is food on the floor under the table, electrical
cords lying around haphazardly and shoes, clothes and toys strewn
around.
And then, 'One Tuesday night when Jack arrived, his dad had a
surprise' and for the first time in the story his dad also wears a
smile. It's a parrot named Jimmy and it's loud, it laughs at his
dad's jokes and his dad seems so much happier now that the parrot is
here. 'He's amazing!', says his dad. Jack wished he was amazing
too.' So one night, tired of the parrot and its omnipresence, Jack
opens the window and lets it free, only to feel bad and go looking
for it in the morning. When his dad finds him he makes it clear that
it is Jack who matters. The last few pages show Jack and his dad
enjoying life together in a much more positive light (his dad is
smiling and they are interacting happily) and Jack realises how
loved he is.
There is a wonderful subtlety to the family circumstances here but
there has obviously been a parental separation and the impact of
that change has affected the relationship between Jack and his
father as well as their emotional wellbeing. This is a sensitive
topic but one that will be relevant for many children. It will
provide a safe way to discuss life changes with those dealing with
similar situations as well as an opportunity to explore different
family formats with all children. Themes: Family relationships,
Loneliness, Belonging, Love.
Nicole Nelson
A Tale of Magic by Chris Colfer
Hodder & Stoughton 2019. ISBN: 9781510202122.
(Age: Young Adult) Highly recommended. Actor and musician Chris
Colfer continues his second career as a bestselling children's
author with A Tale of Magic. This is Colfer's first offering
outside of his immensely popular Land of Stories series.
While set in the same universe and acting as a quasi-prequel,
readers do not need to be familiar with the Land of Stories
series to enjoy A Tale of Magic.
The narrative centres on Brystal Evergreen, a bookish and
intelligent teenager living in a patriarchal and oppressive society.
In the Southern Kingdom, ruled over by King Champion XIII and a
cadre of crotchety and sexist High Justices, Brystal's life is a
never-ending cycle of domestic duties and preparation for her future
role as wife and mother.
Until one day Brystal, who loves to read but is forbidden from doing
so due to draconian laws outlawing female literacy, applies for a
cleaning job at a library. So begins an adventure involving secrets,
magic, trials and servitude, culminating in Brystal's enrolment at
the newly opened Madame Weatherberry's Academy of Magic. For the
first time in her life Brystal begins to form friendships and become
comfortable is expressing who she is. However, when Madame
Weatherberry disappears, Brystal and her magical classmates must
find a way to save their teacher and, while they're at it, the rest
of the world. A Tale of Magic is a vivid, fun and exceedingly enjoyable
novel. Colfer excels at world-building and readers will be enchanted
by the colourful characters and scenes he brings to life. This book
is highly recommended, particularly for fans of magical school
narratives, such as Harry Potter and Nevermore.
Themes: Magic, Magical Creatures, Witches, Family, Friendship,
Adventure.
Rose Tabeni
Bad Mermaids: Meet the Sushi Sisters by Sibeal Pounder
Illus. by Jason Cockcroft. Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2020. ISBN:
9781526616883.
(Age: 7-9) Recommended. The fourth book in this amusing series
introduces Meri Pebble (the best spy mermaid in the Fortress Bay spy
school, according to Meri anyway!). Meri pesters her supervisor into
giving her a new mission and she is tasked with uncovering what is
behind a crabogram that says the Famous Sushi Sisters are going to
destroy all the humans. She and her friends - Beattie, Mimi and
Zelda, (aka the Bad Mermaids) go undercover as a personal assistant
and the GLAM squad to show that there is no truth to the idea that
the Sushi sisters would even consider harming any humans. Meri is
sure she can prove them to be the famous and seriously spoiled
mermaids who just do pranks for their TV show and nothing more. But
the mermaids soon realise the Sushi sisters are up to something and
wonder how the sisters got their hands on some very strange pets
like their mercats (half mermaid half cat) and hamstars (half
seastars half hamsters).
Meanwhile their human friend Paris is moving from California to a
castle in Scotland which boasts a loch haunted by a mermaid. Paris'
mother has given up making socks and taken up selling mermaid
make-up to humans under the brand name Flubiere. She has even
brought a tankful of Puffer fish to promote her brand to the
fish-loving people of Scotland. Paris befriends the mysterious
mermaid in the loch and helps her Bad mermaid friends in the
process.
The books all have delightful references to all things fishy that
young readers will enjoy. The lessons about being a good friend and
not getting taken in by the glamour and glitz of famous people are
carefully woven into the story as Beattie learns the hard way that
being the cool girl with the Sushi sisters is not all it promised.
Themes: Espionage, mermaids, seahorses, magic, friendship.
Gabrielle Anderson
The Night Whistler by Greg Woodland
Text Publishing, 2020. ISBN: 9781922330093.
(Age: Senior secondary/adult) Highly recommended. Mick Goodenough
has been sent to the country town of Moorabool quite a come down
from his former role as a detective in the city. Probationary
Constable Goodenough is now the lowest on the pecking order, but it
takes him no time to notice the station is badly run.
One of his dogs, a German Shepherd is found dead. A boy Hal, new to
the town, finds the body which has been tortured and its throat cut.
Hal later discovers the site has an unpleasant history. It was the
scene of a terrible family murder/suicide with only one surviver.
Mick Goodenough would like some investigation into the killing of
his dog but his sergeant shows no desire to waste police resources
on the animal. But with some digging Mick finds there is quite a
history of missing pets turning up maimed and killed, but no record
of any investigation.
Hal's father, John Humphries is newly employed by a local food
processing company and with his mother and younger brother have just
settled into life in a country town. A life Hal's mother is none too
keen on. After the company family Christmas party the nuisance phone
calls begin. They always begin with whistling and become more
personal toward Corrie Humphries.
Mick has become worried. The pet mutilations and now the phone calls
indicate an escalation by the perpetrator. He fears the next victim
may well be human.
Greg Woodland's murder mystery is set during the mid 1960s, when the
pace of life is slower and the New South Wales police is well known
for corruption. The atmosphere is very Australian: country town,
summer, racial tension and a belief by white locals that there was
no safer place to live.
The story is told by Hal and Mick Goodenough, both adding
their unique perspectives as new comers to a situation that becomes
increasingly desperate. Woodland's first novel is one which hooks
the reader because of a chemistry by which he has the reader
sympathising with the two main characters.
Themes: Crime, Corruption, NSW, Police, Pets, Stalking.
Mark Knight
The human body survival guide (Your body is really gross - but also pretty awesome!) by George Ivanoff
Penguin Random House Australia, 2020. ISBN: 9781760896744.
(Ages: 8-Adult) Highly recommended. Everything you always wanted to
know about bodily functions, in excruciating detail, can be found in
this entertaining book by George Ivanoff. It follows on from the
first book in this nonfiction series called The
Australia survival guide: Australia is trying to kill you,
this book will save your life! published in 2019.
George is onto a winner here with all the facts about the most
mundane of human anatomy presented in a highly amusing way. He
introduces the "Gross-o-meter" which is a scale included on each
page to rate how gross the particular section is according to the
author; it rates from Un-gross through a 5-step scale to
Ultra-gross. The book is divided into four sections : On the
outside: about skin, wrinkles, cuts, nails, sweat and body image; On
the inside: cardiovascular system, digestive systems, muscles and
the brain; Better out than in: about body secretions and excretions
(something kids all find riveting) and Everything else: a mix of
facts about parasites, the body being an ecosystem, bionic body
parts and much more. There is nothing about the Reproductive system.
These short chapters have some very funny titles e.g. The wrapping,
Food churning grossness, Red Spurty stuff, Pooping it out, Special
invited guests, etc. which will definitely attract all children to
this book. It also includes a Glossary and Further reading section
at the end but no Index. It is very informative and includes case
notes for real life examples of some things and little orange
post-it notes to point out extra interesting things.
The book has the look of an old handbook as the illustrations inside
are monochrome with large splashes of orange/red being the only
bright colour. The photographs used are also black and white and
this makes it very approachable for everyone who finds full colour
pictures of body parts and insides confronting. There are some promotional
videos by the author which libraries may find useful to
introduce these books to their clients. Themes: Human anatomy,
Physiology.
Gabrielle Anderson
Kensy and Max : Full speed by Jacqueline Harvey
Penguin Random House Australia, 2020. ISBN: 9781760890025.
(Ages 8-10). Recommended. Kensy and Max, the super child spies, are
back in the sixth book in this very popular series. In this
new book the twins find themselves on a mission to Zermatt in
Switzerland after there is a strange gas leak in the Houses of
Parliament during their school excursion.
When they arrive in Zermatt Kensy and Max are tasked with
befriending Soren, the child of a very suspicious couple who are
suspected of being involved in an arms smuggling ring. But the
mystery deepens for them when a secretive figure that was spotted in
London turns up in Zermatt and seems to want to kill Max.
There is also the mystery of who is behind the hacks that are
plaguing many large corporations around the world. Along with
the exciting, page-turning action in this book there is also a
softer side which explores family relationships through the story
behind Soren and his relationship with both his very self-absorbed
parents and their kind housekeeper Sylvie. Readers will enjoy
the spy tools and special gadgets used by the twins and their family
to give them the upper hand and solve the case.
These books can be read as a stand-alone book but some understanding
of the characters that pop up is enhanced if they are read in
order. As with previous books the chapter titles are written
in a special code, different in each book. This book uses the
Qwerty Code where the alphabet corresponds with the QWERTY keyboard
and is explained in the back of the book. Themes: Spies, Twins,
Siblings, Snow skiing, Mysteries.
Gabrielle Anderson
The biscuit maker by Sue Lawson
Illus. by Liz Anelli. Walker Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781760650438.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. A wonderful sense of place is aroused
with the biscuit maker and appreciative audience settled firmly on
the front cover against a street of houses. The houses are repeated
on the endpapers, several streets worth, with the houses drawn as
children might draw them, without perspective. A lovely touch, I
thought, and loving maps as I do, evoked an immediate response to
the setting.
Eventually opening the book, after my mind trawled through the
discussions I would have with the children listening to the story, I
was intrigued with the direction the story took. Not just a story
about grandmas and children baking, but a beautiful tale of coming
together, of neighbours, neighbourhood and friendship. Benedict
Stanley and his cat, Audrey Mae, say good morning and hello to the
passers-by each day but they are too busy to notice and hurry past,
jogging or going to work or reading a paper. So Benedict and his cat
tend their garden until their legs weary and they must rest. A boy
walks past telling them that the tooth fairy will visit him
overnight. Benedict goes inside and cooks him some celebratory
biscuits, leaving them on his doorstep. After this he cooks biscuits
for many of the people in his street, and people begin to wonder who
the biscuit maker is. One day, Benedict takes to his bed and the
biscuits stop coming. People are concerned about what has happened
to the biscuit maker, and why the biscuits have stopped. When Audrey
Mae yowls outside Rory's house he realises something is wrong. He
and other neighbours knock at Benedict's door, bringing food to him.
As Benedict and Rory share a cake or two, the neighbours tuck into
the garden, doing the sorts of things Benedict would have done if he
were feeling better. The neighbourhood bustles with friendship and
helping each other as they ready themselves for a New Year's Eve
street party.
This wonderful story of finding friends, of communicating with your
neighbours, of community, of watching out for the elderly, will warm
the hearts of the readers, especially apt after the year we have had
with its emphasis on helping those living nearby.
Each page shows a different facet of life in the street: kids
getting ready for the grand final, a kitten falling from a rooftop,
one family having triplets, a child who has lost a tooth. All happen
within the neighbourhood but it is only Benedict who is aware of the
range of incidents and acts upon them. Anelli offers us a crowded
street scene, full of life and events, fascinating and detailed, a
range of ages and backgrounds, of families and house styles, all
prompting the reader to look at their own neighbourhood with renewed
eyes.
Anelli's mixed media illustrations sing with friendship and
cooperation, showing a disinterested neighbourhood coming to life
when one person makes an effort. Benedict shows what can be done
with the smallest of gestures, eliciting a response from those
living next door, reviving the old community spirit that has lapsed.
The book exhorts us to reignite the spirit of cooperation between
neighbours. Children will love seeing the different aspects of
street life, and single out the range of biscuits made by Benedict,
turning to the back of the book for the recipe to try out for
themselves. Teacher's
notes are available.
Theme: Friendship, Neighbours, Cooperation, Community, Biscuits.
Fran Knight
Across the risen sea by Bren MacDibble
Allen & Unwin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760526054.
(Age: 11+) Highly recommended. Marta, Neoma and Jag are going to the
sunken city to scavenge what they can from the tall buildings, now
mostly underwater. Curious and ferociously independent, Neoma takes
the stairs, excited by the writing on one of the floors she comes
across. She has heard of such places where people sit at tables and
others cook and serve them food, but now, it means there may be
salvageable cans, enough to sustain them over the long hot summer.
A stunning dystopian story, Neoma and her mother are part of a small
community on an island, one of many formed after the seas rise.
Strangers from another settlement, called the Valley of the Sun by
the islanders, came one day and cut down some trees, erecting a
pole with a flashing light on top and guys to hold it fast.
Neoma, ever curious, digs one of the boxes at the base of one of the
ties and is badly burnt.
Coming back from their scavenging, they come across the interloper's
boat, now derelict, and tow it back to their island. One girl is
still alive and they nurse her back to health, with only Marta able
to understand her language. But the islanders are concerned lest the
others think they killed her companion and consequently Jag is
kidnapped by people from the Valley of the Sun as retribution. Neoma
follows in the catamaran but is soon taken over by a pirate. She
steals back her boat, but the girl from the pirate's boat comes
aboard, now less one finger, and they sail on to rescue Jag with a
crocodile and shark in tow.
A dystopian mystery by the author of award winning The
dog runner (2018) and How
to bee (2017), this tale is suffused with future
warnings, Neoma's island rejecting the trappings of modern life, but
equally needing some vestiges of it to survive. The ominous green
clouds, the disease which befell the nations, the rising seas, a
society fragmented into small islands of survivors, all suspicious
of each other, point to a world gone awry, and a future which seems
all too imminent for thoughtful readers. Teacher's
notes are available from the publisher's website.
Themes; Global warming, Climate change, Dystopian novel.
Fran Knight
Funny Kid: Belly flop by Matt Stanton
HarperCollins, 2020. ISBN: 9780733340604.
(Age: 7+) Recommended. This is the latest novel in the Funny Kid
series by author-illustrator Matt Stanton. Max is the funny kid in
his class, always looking for a laugh.
This book starts with a week to go until the annual school swimming
carnival. Max does not want to swim in the carnival and decides to
take action. As the carnival date draws nearer all that Max thought
he knew is turned upside down - is he really on the same side as an
11-year-old female super-villain? Why is he avoiding his faithful
sidekick, Hugo? Whoever thought craft glue was a good idea? And who
IS the bad twin?
For most of the story, Max, although funny, is a reckless boy full of
his own importance and wishes and without much thought for anyone
else. He behaves badly towards his best friend, shows no respect for
authority figures such as his teacher and swimming instructor, and
encourages and celebrates poor choices by his classmates.
It is only towards the end that Max realises the value of true
friendship and displays some empathy, understanding and regret
regarding how the adults and kids around him have been affected
during the week. He takes steps to put things right but there's
still some surprises in store.
Students who have enjoy the WeirDo books or who have read
others in this series will enjoy this new offering. The black and
white line illustrations don't just add to the story, they are an
integral part of the story and are very engaging.
This book contains an author bio as well as a sneak peek at his new
graphic novel series The Odds.
Themes: Swimming, Friends, Adventure, Humour.
Kylie Grant
Blood and honey by Shelby Mahurin
Serpent and dove series, book 2. Harper Teen 2020, ISBN:
9780063041172
(Age: 15+) As the sequel to Serpent and dove (Blood and
honey is the second in the series), this review may contain
spoilers for the first book for those who have not read it. A
descriptive and action packed fantasy, Blood and honey picks
up right after the cliff-hanger end of Serpent and dove,
with Lou, Reid and their companions on the run and in hiding. With
Lou's coven in pursuit of Lou, the church in pursuit of all of them
and the kingdom not having a place for them, their little band of
fugitives are in constant danger. With the threat of Morgane hanging
over them, the group seek allies in unlikely places - with their
enemies. Fearing this won't be enough to protect the ones she loves,
Lou turns to a darker side of her magic that may cost more than it's
worth.
Having enjoyed the first book of this series, I found the second
book just as compelling with relatable characters, interesting plot
development and well paced, detailed writing. There is also romance,
both hot and heavy and unrequited. Having been introduced to Lou,
Reid, Ansel and Coco in book 1, readers learn more about them while
their relationships develop. While Lou struggles to keep a grip on
herself, Reid struggles to accept himself. This well written novel
will appeal to many readers. It would suit fans of Sarah J. Maas' Court
of thorns and roses series.
Themes: Magic, Good and evil, Fantasy, Self-perception,
Forgiveness.
Mel Phillips
Of boys and boats by Ian Trevaskis
Ford St Publishing, 2020. ISBN: 9781925804515.
(Age: 12-14) Highly recommended. The Olympic Games in Melbourne in
1956 form the backdrop for this extraordinary story about a group
of friends. Jack (who suffers from asthma) and Percy (whose legs
have been affected by polio) have always been friends. They welcome
Heinrich (the new kid from Germany) and Anna (who is also an
immigrant from Italy) into their little group when they decide to
run a pretend Olympic torch around their neighbourhood.
Unfortunately, the local bully Bruiser loves nothing more than to
spoil all their fun. It seems to Jack that Bruiser and his mates
Ferret and Stinky McGee have been lurking in the shadows terrorizing
them for Jack's whole life and he laments that he hasn't yet had the
courage stand up to them.
The little gang become a great group of friends and when they
discover an unfinished boat in a shed behind Mad Mick's house, they
make plans to try to finish it so that Percy can experience sailing.
Jack meets Mad Mick when Jack's dog Skip is hurt by a car. So, Jack
works up the courage to ask Mick if the group can finish the boat
and Mick agrees if, in exchange, Jack reads to Mick each day. All is
going well, with Heinrich's knowledge of boats and the groups
commitment to working on the boat each day, until Bruiser and his
gang steal the boat plans and a special photo album that belongs to
Mick. Will they ever finish the boat now and sail her on the bay the
way Mick did so many years before with his precious love Edith?
A fast-paced dramatic story with touches of humour that explores
several relationships; between Jack and Mick, who talks to the ghost
of his brother lost in the war, the connection Jack has with his
parents, especially his dad who is in hospital with tuberculosis and
was an alcoholic. The way that Jack and his buddies finally defeat
Bruiser and his gang is priceless and proves the strength of
friendship will always prevail. Teacher's
notes are available for this book on the Ford Street
Publishing website. Themes: Friendships, Bullying, Olympic Games,
Boats, World War One, Immigration.
Gabrielle Anderson
