Illus. by Nomoco. Harper Collins Australia, 2020. ISBN:
9781460759806.
(Ages: 7+) Recommended. First performed in response to the Covid-19
pandemic, this poem has been viewed over 60 million times and
translated into over 20 languages. The young author, UK spoken-word
poet freelance filmmaker Tomos Roberts, struggled financially when
the pandemic hit and set himself a challenge to find a hopeful
message within the hardship and isolation faced by many. He
describes the book as 'a bedtime story for a time of change' and a
'reminder that we need not aim for a return just to normal when
there is a tangible prospect of progress and the potential for so
much more'. Nomoco's vibrant watercolour illustrations are minimal
but poignant, adding to the wonderfully serene, yet hopeful nature
of the poem itself.
The story starts with two children asking for a bedtime story: 'Tell
me the one about the virus again, then I'll go to bed'. The story
the children are asking for begins before the pandemic and tells
what the world was like before: big companies, instant gratification
of material needs, busy people without time to talk to each other,
isolation and environmental destruction. It tells of how while
everyone was busy hiding from the virus, wonderful things started to
happen: we started to talk more, rush around less and enjoy simple
activities and the environment started to breathe again. Then it
talks of what we hope will happen: 'we all preferred the world we
found, to the one we'd left behind'.
This is a beautifully optimistic book that wants to separate history
into pre-covid and post-covid, with the hope that the two eras will
look drastically different. While it remains to be seen if this will
come to fruition, it's a realisation worth sharing with people of
all ages. A
teacher's guide is available. Themes: Modern life, Hope, 2020
Covid-19 pandemic, Poetry.
Nicole Nelson
Old man Emu by John Williamson
Illus. by Simon McLean. Penguin Random House Australia, 2020. ISBN:
9781760898793.
(Ages: 3-7) This picture book adaptation celebrates 50 years since
the release of iconic Aussie singer-songwriter John Williamson's hit
song Old Man Emu. After recently publishing book versions of
Christmas
in Australia and My
Dad Snores this new release of one of his most enduring
songs (and the one that kickstarted his career) comes as no
surprise. The crazy lyrics are perfectly paired with wacky
illustrations by Simon McLean that will have little ones giggling
the whole way through. For those unfamiliar with the song, it tells
the tale of what an emu can and can't do and compares its abilities
to other Australian birds and animals (he's got a beak and feathers
and things, but the poor old fella ain't got no wings'). While he
may not be able to fly what he can do is 'run the pants off a
kangaroo'.
There is beautiful rhythm within the rhyming lyrics and lots of
repetition, perfect for getting kids to join in, especially with the
'oom ba da little da da da'. As well as obvious uses around music
and singing the book could also be used to start a conversation
about Australian animals and their individual abilities and
characteristics ('you can't loop the loop like a cockatoo', 'duck
can swim, but he can't sing') and applying this to our own
individual human abilities.
This is a joyful and fun way to introduce kids to songwriting and
rhythm and will be a particular favourite for children who have
already been introduced to the song by their parents or teachers.
Adult fans will appreciate the subtle nods to Williamson himself
(the emu is clearly modelled on his image and there are some
references to Quambatook where he grew up). Themes: Poetry/song,
Australian animals, Abilities.
Nicole Nelson
Meet Dooley on the farm by Sally Odgers and Christina Booth
Aussie Kids. Penguin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760893682.
(Age: Beginning independent readers) Recommended. Meet Dooley on
the farm is one of 8 books in the new series Aussie Kids
published by Penguin Random House. This wonderful series has been
very well thought out with each book a story about a child from a
diverse background, from each of the Australian states and
territories. Each book also showcases a special event or day or a
unique place where they live.
These books are written for young readers aged 5-8, who are newly
confident. The text is of a good size, there is ample space between
lines and the 2 colour illustrations assist the reader to make sense
of the story.
In this particular book, by Sally Odgers and Christina Booth (both
Tasmanians too!), the main character Dooley is showing his farm to
his city living cousin Sienna. He shows her the country life, and
they experience lots of 'pongs' including farm and wild animals, hay
and the pond loving family dog. The main event is when they attempt
to sleep in the barn and are consistently woken up by a large number
of animal friends.
I think this book really hits the brief of being for beginning
independent readers. The words used are fairly easy to decipher when
needed and the content is relevant. I think that children will both
enjoy reading about something within their state, but also maybe
somewhere they have previously been or would like to go. This adds
that element of connection which is important for many readers. A
really great start to the series, I look forward to finding the rest
and adding them to our library.
Lauren Fountain
Troubled blood by Robert Galbraith
Cormoran Strike, book 5. Little Brown, 2020. ISBN:
9780751579949. 944 pp.
(Age: Adult - Senior secondary) Highly recommended. Although a massive 944 pages, fans
of the series will be rivetted by the complex plotting and
relationships in Galbraith's latest offering. Strike and Robin are
back again, this time investigating a cold case involving a young
doctor, Margot Bamborough, who mysteriously disappeared forty years
earlier. Strike had been approached by her daughter to see if he
could find the truth about her and give her some solace. As Strike
and Robin start investigating, they discover that there had been a
serial killer on the loose nearby, and the detective in charge of
the case had been convinced that he was the killer. However, he had
become increasingly obsessed with tarot cards which he was using to
solve the case and eventually was forced to leave it. Strike and
Robin must delve through copious strange notes, interview any
surviving witnesses all the while researching the many cases their
agency was actively pursuing. Not to mention Strike having to cope
with the fact that his aunt, who had brought him up, has cancer,
while Robin is struggling with a difficult divorce.
There are many plot threads to follow in Troubled blood, and
the author keeps the reader puzzling not only over what happened to
Margot Bamborough, but also what happened to other young women that
the serial killer was supposed to kill. Even the other cases the
agency is investigating are interesting and contain more puzzles for
the reader to try and solve. And readers who have been following the
growing rapport between Robin and Strike will enjoy the way
Galbraith has given an in-depth understanding of how their
backgrounds and past relationships have affected their emotional
growth.
Fans of the Cormoran Strike series will not want to miss
this one, and lovers of the mystery genre will appreciate the
intricate plotting and may, like me, be surprised by the final
denouements.
Pat Pledger
Peppa loves the Great Barrier Reef by Peppa Pig
Penguin, 2020. ISBN: 9780241457542. Peppa loves the Great Barrier Reef is a story based on the
popular children's TV show Peppa Pig, and seems to be part
of a new range of Peppa Pig books aimed at Australian fans.
In this title, Peppa and her family visit their friend Kylie
Kangaroo (who has been on other episodes) and spend time with her at
her mother's work in a submarine on the Great Barrier Reef. The Pig
family are amazed at how beautiful the coral is on the reef and make
links to the fish tank at Kylie Kangaroo's house. They love the
different sea life and rainbow coral, all that is missing is a chest
full of treasure . . . or is it?
I think that this book missed a really good opportunity to talk a
bit more about the Great Barrier Reef and how to protect it. All
they said was not to take anything away, and then a treasure chest
full of gold coins is discovered and taken away . . . Young readers
would most likely not understand that a treasure chest and coral are
different things (living and not) and may be confused by this part
of the story.
Overall, the general storyline is okay and fits in very well with
the other Peppa Pig books I have read before. The
illustrations are bright and colourful and represent all the
characters that fans of this show will recognise. The addition of
the textural sparkles/glitter on the cover is also nice and helps
the book stand out, which will inevitably draw in young fans of the
show and possibly even those that have not seen it yet.
Lauren Fountain
Older by Pamela Redmond
Hachette, 2020. ISBN: 9780733645372
This story is written as a sequel to Redmond's earlier novel,Younger,
the book that was the foundation of a highly popular television
series in the USA. Redmond's follow-up novel takes us into her adult
life, the choices she makes and the challenges that she faces, after
the huge following that was elicited by the TV series. This book
would be suitable for adolescent and adult reading.
In Older, Redmond describes the issues that a new mother
faces, from the lack of sleep, the demands of a child, when life
before motherhood seemed so full, vital and energizing. Now we read
of the exhaustion, the need for patience when a baby is unsettled,
and the pressing need to have a break from the seemingly
never-ending demands of motherhood. We are able to see the pressing
need for help with the child, and how new mothers particularly seek
a solution to this issue. Redmond addresses the issue of the role of
grandparents in this modern world, and their challenges in this
role.
Vital, interesting and very much a description of the modern world
of the clash of jobs, children, work and relationships, this novel
bares all. We are also taken into the world of television, where and
how programs are generated, written, performed and received by
audiences. This book provides a view of that world and it is indeed
a fascinating but incredibly demanding world.
Elizabeth Bondar
Future Girl by Asphyxia
Allen & Unwin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760294373.
(Age: Middle to senior secondary) Recommended. Irene McBride is
Organicore's chief scientist, overseeing the nutritional value and
health supplements in Recon, artificial food replacements regularly
delivered to 65% of the Australian population. Her 16 year old
daughter Piper is deaf but brought up using hearing aids and lip
reading so she can fit in with a mainstream school. Everyone has a
wristlet with visi screen linked to the government controlled "Quest
tool" (Cesspool) which also controls access to bank accounts, public
transport and ID. Rich kids aspire to having them implanted. While
Piper can operate in a hearing world, it is a constant struggle; she
has a best friend, Taylor, but becomes isolated in groups or noisy
environments. Their world is turned upside down when petrol prices
soar; transport becomes unaffordable, jobs are lost, shortages lead
to rationing and the deliveries of Recon dwindle to the point that
everyone is hungry. Piper's mum loses her job and they move into
their basic guest flat and rent out the house. When Taylor takes up
with controlling older boyfriend, Beau, Piper's only consolation is
to draw and write in her journal, a relaxing, end of day time when
she takes her frustrations and dumps them on the page. She decides
to refurbish an old bike to get around on and meets a hot guy,
Marley, working at the bike shop. He is CODA, (child of deaf adult)
and teaches Piper to sign in Auslan. She sees a flyer advertising a
workshop on growing your own food but when she attends she can't
follow what is said. Marley introduces her to his mother who grows
her own food and Piper embarks on a journey to learn about not only
growing food, but about the Deaf community and how individual
activism from the ground up can change the world.
Beautifully produced as Piper's journal with colour, pattern and
illustrations on every page, the collages are eloquent at expressing
feelings, augmenting the story and adding instructional material to
the text. Piper bravely faces the challenges in her life,
including killing the chickens she has raised for food, and in doing
so she discovers inner toughness and a direction for herself in a
world which has lost direction. Asphyxia has
online blogs and videos for readers who want to know more about the
Deaf community and sustainable living and there is a list of Art
Journal ideas at the back of the book. Recommended for middle to
senior students and a useful resource in combining text with
illustration.
Themes: Dystopia, Deafness, Sustainable living.
Sue Speck
Hermit by S. R. White
Headline, 2020. ISBN: 9781472268419.
(Age: Senior secondary/adult) Highly recommended. Dana Russo and
Nathan Whittler, one the detective and the other the suspect, are
both damaged people. In both cases their families have significantly
affected their personalities and the way they conduct their lives.
They have a synchronicity which grows more apparent to both them and
the reader as the mystery unfolds.
Nathan Whittler is found with bloodied hands crouched over the body
of a local shop owner when the police arrive in answer to a silent
alarm. Lou Cassavette is dead; a single stab wound seemingly
expertly delivered. Dana Russo's day off has been interrupted, as
have her suicidal thoughts on this her special anniversary day.
Dana has been chosen to lead the investigation because it is felt
she could gain the confidence of Whittler. Since his arrest he has
said nothing and appears totally withdrawn and unwilling to share
any information. He is the obvious suspect: bloodied plastic bags on
his feet, gloved hands and signs of entry through a window into the
shop.
With patience, gentleness and understanding Dana gains insight into
the life of Nathan Whittler. He is a local, but there is no intel
about him for the last 15 years. He has no credit card; his bank
account hasn't been accessed; there is no tax record, in fact no
record at all. The further Dana delves the more parallels she finds
she has with Nathan's family dynamics and the more empathy she has
with the damaged person Nathan Whittler has become.
Nathan's upbringing on a small land holding was one of a religion
that was strict and unforgiving and seemingly his parents, well
known as religious fanatics, were to blame for Nathan having to
escape so thoroughly from society. But the story of Jeb, his older
brother begins to emerge. Some one very different from Nathan both
physically and psychologically, Jeb is a big man, successful in
business and used to getting what he wants. He would also like to
see his brother who has turned up out of the blue after 15 years.
Set somewhere in Australia, Hermit is not quite a member of
the Australian noir set in my opinion because there is no great
sense of place. The story could have been set anywhere with only the
occasional reference which would remind you of the setting. This
however in no way lessens the impact of S. R. White's story telling.
The fact that Dana Russo carries the baggage of her upbringing with
her at all times but especially on the "day" makes her very
different from the usual crime fiction detective. Nathan Whittler is
also a very different suspect; there is nothing of the serial
killer, rapist, sexual sadist about him which is very refreshing.
For a first novel it is a great read and I recommend it highly.
Themes: Crime, Religious fanatics, Psychological trauma.
Mark Knight
Ten minutes to bed: Little Unicorn's Birthday by Rhiannon Fielding and Chris Chatterton
Penguin, 2020. ISBN: 9780241453162. (Age: 3-10) Recommended. Little Unicorn's Birthday is a
gorgeous book that really captured my 6-year-old daughter. She has
previously loved other books in this series (Little
Unicorn and Little
Mermaid) and has requested that we find the other 3!
The book follows a count down sequence where each minute that Dad
counts down (to bedtime) something happens at Little Unicorn's
party. They play games, open gifts, eat delicious food and of course
eat cake. It all ends with Little Unicorn and her friends all fast
asleep under the night sky.
This book is easy to read and follows a reasonably simple rhyme. I
liked the count down aspect too which is always an important skill
to cement for younger children.
The illustrations are my favourite and I have truly loved them in
every book in this series we have read. The cover is textured with
sparkles which really draws your attention and the illustrations on
the pages really show the mood of the book. Lots of colour, and then
it slowly darkens to the night-time scenes. The characters have
wonderful facial expressions and are extremely cute.
The author/illustrator partnership between Rhiannon Fielding and
Chris Chatterton is very successful, and I feel that these books are
a testament to that. I think that any book in this series would be a
great gift or library addition for readers from 3 to 7 years old.
Lauren Fountain
Hollowpox: The hunt for Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
Hatchette Australia, 2020. ISBN: 9780734418241.
(Age: 9+) Highly recommended. Hollowpox: The hunt for Morrigan
Crow is the third book in the popular Nevermoor series
written by young Queensland author Jessica Townsend. Readers of Nevermoor
and Wundersmith
will not be disappointed in Hollowpox as the author has
certainly maintained her momentum in creating an intensely exciting
and imaginative read that continues the enthralling journey of
Morrigan Crow. The story begins with thirteen year old Morrigan
arriving at Station 919 and enjoying the quiet moments before her
eight fellow 'brothers and sisters - Loyal for Life' arrive. They
travel to Wunsoc, the Wundrous Society's 100 acre campus to begin
their final day of the term. Surprisingly they all have a timetable
change and take a new class labelled "Containment and Distraction"
together. The reason for this class is simply quite brilliant. The
bond these nine very talented and clever scholars have developed is
instrumental to the storyline and throughout the course of the book
they are called upon to support each other often. The chapter titled
'Book Bugs' is true testament to this loyalty. Morrigan spends her
evenings and term holidays in the extraordinary Hotel Deucalion
living with her patron Jupiter North and an assortment of larger
than life characters always involved in the most unbelievable and
often humourous situations. In this story Morrigan begins to be
trained in the Wundrous Arts of being a Wundersmith and becomes
completely fixated with the process of learning from The Book of
Ghostly Hours. Running parallel to her training is an unfolding
drama with the peaceful Wunimals turning violent after contracting
what is suspected initially of being a virus. It is given the name
Hollowpox as after the Wunimal has exhibited ferocious and
uncharacteristic behaviours they are left hollow. The city of
Nevermore is placed in lockdown, curfews are set and Wunimals are
left in isolation. This is so reminiscent of Australia in 2020 that
readers will clearly be able to identify with the feelings of the
characters. It also highlights elements of racism in the Nevermore
community and the sense of fear of the unknown that creates chaotic
and dangerous situations. The evil Ezra Squall reappears in this
story and his bond and interaction with Morrigan continues. Will
Morrigan be able to save Nevermore from the Hollowpox curse and at
what cost?
For those readers who have not yet read the first two books in the
series or those that are worried they may have forgotten elements,
do not fear as the author has cleverly interwoven aspects of the
first two books into the story to subtly provide background
information. The ability of Jessica Townsend to continue to hold her
audience's interest and to explore and write using her fanciful
imagination allows this novel to be a fabulous read for both
children and adults.
Themes: Themes: Magic, Fantasy, Adventure, Good vs evil, Friendship,
School, Danger, Humour, Loyalty.
Kathryn Beilby
Maths Mutts: All about time by Charles Hope
Wild Dog, 2020. ISBN: 9781742035994.
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. All about time is one of two titles in
the Maths Mutts series by Charles Hope. It is a beautifully
presented non-fiction book encouraging young children to learn about
the Maths concept of time in a non-threatening story format. Time is
often a stumbling block for children in their understanding of Maths
concepts and this book cleverly presents all aspects of time in an
easy to read and relate to presentation. The book introduces time as
a moment or a measurement. It is a measure of how long it takes to
do something and can be measured in small or large amounts. Time
helps us to plan our day and is always moving forward.
The author, Charles Hope, has used appealing photographs of Bud the
dog and his friends to help support the young learner. The author
encourages the reader to read the book with a pencil and paper handy
to do the activities as the book is being read. There are answers at
the back of the book as well as a glossary and index. The contents
page at the beginning clearly states each concept covered.
This would be a wonderful resource for Years 1-4 students as an
independent or group task read or a teacher sharing it with a class
and working through the activities together. Themes: Maths, Time,
Dogs.
Kathryn Beilby
There's something weird about Lena by Sigi Cohen
Illus. by James Foley. Walker Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781760651503.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. With intricate digital illustrations
to pour over, kids will laugh uproariously as the story unfolds,
leading the audience to think about what Lena actually is. Her
strange behaviour, playing pranks on other kids at school, ranges
from the innocuous putting gum on someones' hair to scaring someone
half to death, putting worms down someone's back to letting loose a
bag of snakes in the classroom. Each prank causes distress to those
against whom it is perpetrated, and they decide it is high time they
did something about Lena. Several of her classmates dress in spooky
costume and go to Lena's house, but their moans and wails attract
the attention of a giant hyena from inside the house. It chases them
to a convenience store where they attempt to hide and are surprised
when Lena suddenly appears. By now readers will have made a link
between the rhyming words Lena and hyena and laugh out loud as the
story comes to a conclusion.
Told in rhyming stanzas, kids will get a second layer of fun in
predicting the rhyming word in each couplet, while the illustrations
aptly support the fun of the tale, and evoke another level of
interest and involvement. Kids will watch out for hints of
Halloween, and love the endpapers with their differing views of Lena
changing from a young girl in the first instance to a hyena in a
girl's dress at the end. I love the scattering of bones, the
headstones, the recognisable school rooms and excursions and the use
of shadows to create feelings of unease.
I loved the array of plants in the school grounds, the posters on
the classroom walls, the looks on the kids' faces. The detail is
engrossing and adds to the fun of reading this enticing book.
A fitting second book from the Perth based team which created My
dead bunny (2015). A book trailer is available.
Themes: Halloween, Horror, School, Pranks.
Fran Knight
The Windsor diaries 1940-45 by Alathea Fitzalan Howard
Hodder & Stoughton, 2020. ISBN: 9781529328097.
The author of the diaries (edited by her niece-in-law Isabella
Naylor-Leyland to whom they were bequeathed) was born in 1923 to an
aristocratic Catholic British family. She would have been the next
Duke of Norfolk had she been a male.
Alathea recorded her life in diary entries from January 1939 until
she died in January 2001, but only the 1940 to 1945 war years when
she lived with her grandfather in a grand house near the Princesses
Elizabeth and Margaret at Windsor are covered in the book.
Given her social status, mention of famous people of the time are
frequent. What stood out to me was Alathea's obsession with becoming
and remaining part of the 'royal circle' to the extent of acting and
dressing younger than her years to be closer in age to the
princesses.
As appropriate to her age at the time, the entries are often of a
shallow nature - what she and others wore and ate, visited,
liked/hated, marriage, etc. Some entries indicated a very troubled
(self harming) teenager, with an ambivalent relationship to her
parents.
The war and its effects are only incidentally touched upon. The
references to food, clothes, parties, etc are not indicative of
great war time hardships. Having to undertake mandatory war work
appears to be resented as an intrusion on Alathea's social life.
The diary entries reflect the class distinctions and prejudices of
the time and Alathea's main preoccupation besides continuing the
friendship of the royals is love and marriage to a suitable
aristocratic man (but not a 'second son'). She does appear to have
insight that the aristocratic way of life with servants, leisure,
etc is a thing of the past - which she greatly regrets.
Not a gripping book, but useful as an insight into the effect of
WWII on a small segment of upper class British people. The diaries
could be used as a primary source by History students to compare
WWII experiences of upper and other class teenagers. For those
interested in the British royal family, there are some insights into
the daily life of the royal family during the time spent at Windsor
during WWII.
Ann Griffin
Norton and the Bear by Gabriel Evans
Berbay Publishing, 2020. ISBN: 9780648785132.
(Ages: 3-8) Highly recommended. Intricate, delicate illustrations
accompany this story about individualist Norton (a poodle living in
what has the feel of a French village). He finds a jumper that is
very different to what everyone else is wearing and he is really
happy about his uniqueness. That is until a bear sees him and
decides he needs one too! He adds a scarf to his outfit but soon
enough he runs into the bear again. 'That scarf is the perfect
accessory for this jumper. I must get one'. And he does. The bear is
ecstatic that they are so similar, but Norton is appalled. He runs
and hides and tries again and again to feel unique, with a hat and
then socks and then a flower in his hat. But no matter what he does
the bear is there and is copying him. Finally he cracks; 'Stop
copying me!', he shouts. When the roles are reversed and Norton sees
the bear sporting a new addition to his outfit Norton realises that
wearing the same clothes doesn't really matter as he and Bear are
both very different anyway and perhaps the bear just wants to be his
friend?
All primary-aged children, most of whom love to copy others but
despise being copied themselves, will identify with this story. The
humour will grab children as they will see their own overreactions
within Norton's despair at Bear and his copying. This is a simple,
meaningful and visually stunning book that reminds us all that what
we look like on the outside doesn't matter nearly so much as what we
are like on the inside. It also provides a fun way to talk about why
imitation is so annoying and why people copy others (for children it
is generally because they want to be friends or want to be more
socially accepted). It's a useful reminder to be more tolerant of
others and to let go of the small things that bother us and be more
empathetic. Themes: Individuality, Belonging.
Nicole Nelson
Catvinkle and the missing tulips by Elliot Perlman
Ill. by Laura Stitzel. Puffin Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781760894382.
(Age: 9-11) Recommended. This is the second book in the Catvinkle
series, following The
adventures of Catvinkle published in 2018 as Elliot Perlman's
first children's novel. Although the characters are mostly the same,
and there is some reference to what has happened previously, there
is no need to have read the first book as this story can stand
alone.
Catvinkle is a fluffy white cat who lives with her dalmatian friend
Ula and their human. In this book they are called on to help two
sheep accused of nibbling on Amsterdam's famous tulips.
The story is quite complex and involves assistance from a curious
range of animals as well as travel to another country. The central
question of what happened to the tulips keeps the reader guessing
till the very end.
Throughout the story there are explicit lessons about empathy,
fairness, inclusion, looking after the environment, telling the
truth and doing whatever you can to stand up and speak up for others
who are less fortunate.
There is a timely reminder, too, about stopping to think whether
information can be trusted, especially if you hear something bad
about someone. It covers the questions you should ask yourself to
verify information and one of the animals clarifies "So just because
someone says or even tweets something, doesn't mean it's true?" This
is an excellent message for students to absorb before they reach the
age where they really start engaging with social media.
Students who enjoy books with morals or messages will love this one.
The black and white illustrations by Melburnian Laura Stitzel are
very sweet and do a great job of adding to this story.
Themes: Animals, Friendship, Fairness, Empathy, Environment.
Kylie Gran
