Magabala Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781925936247.
(Age: Adult - Senior secondary) Highly recommended. In these days of
the Black Lives Matter campaign and discussions of white privilege,
this book is a highly relevant reminder of Australia's violent
settler-colonial history and the ongoing conflict between settler
systems and Indigenous values. The title Living on stolen land
sums it up; it is a history that many would prefer not to recognise.
Kwaymullina's book sets a challenge: 'You are living on stolen land,
What can you do about it?'
In simple prose, written like the lines of a poem, she explains the
different concepts of sovereignty, time, Country, processes, and
knowing. She describes the 'long con' where Indigenous knowledge is
always seen as less, less important, less than the dominant culture.
She challenges us to think about the different biases we hold:
structural, explicit and unconscious. With unconscious bias even the
best intentioned person needs to actively check their own
behaviours, reflect and listen. There is a pathway forward; it
requires humility and respectful relationships. Living on stolen land is a slim volume, a deceptively simple
looking book, but the ideas provide provocation for much thoughtful
reflection and discussion. Each chapter is introduced with a design,
a visual representation of the concepts being introduced. The cover
shows a tree with deep roots but also shoots of new growth. This
book could be read, and read again; it is an invitation to create a
new future, together.
Kwaymullina has written a number of books for different ages,
picture books to science fiction. Catching
Teller Crow was 2019 winner of the Victorian Premier's
Prize for Writing for Young Adults. This latest work of non-fiction
is aimed at an adult audience.
Themes: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, Colonialism, Racism,
Bias, Reconciliation.
Helen Eddy
In her own name : A history of women in South Australia from 1836 by Helen Jones
Wakefield Press, 2020. ISBN: 9781743056981.
Recommended. Helen Jones first published this remarkable book in
1986, with a second edition published in 1994, and this third
edition published in 2020. The book has grown over those years and
this current edition is a large paperback of 387 pages of history,
with a further set of supporting data that is 1/3 of the book's size
in total. This most outstanding work is a weighty tome, both
fascinating and enlightening regarding the way that women developed
their own lives, from education, preparation for work, and
motherhood, to being married, running a household, or continuing in
their education, and gaining the right to not only vote in the
elections of Members of Parliament, but eventually to be able to
stand themselves for a seat in Parliament. Supporting structures are
explored, particularly as they were instituted to enable the women
to work and learn, and to have their children cared for, initially,
and then educated, in South Australia over the period of time from
1836 to 2020.
Accessing an extraordinary amount of data, much of which is
included, Helen Jones has presented a 'story' that covers the world
of women from very early settlement to the current times. It is
important to note that her work is supported with documentation that
includes names, dates, places and purpose. In that we are given
evidence of the way that women were able to develop lives, often in
ways that had been historically taboo, this book delves into the
various categories of education available to the different needs of
young women, particularly noting that State education has been free
in South Australia. Schools, both state and private, are shown to
have played a strong part in both the development of a strong system
of education available for girls, and in the preparation of young
women to train as teachers from quite early in the colony.
This extraordinary book is a riveting read, both in its attention to
detail, and in its breadth of data. It would be a stunning book for
students to access in learning about this state and enabling access
to real details of the history of women in South Australia. Thus it
would be ideal for study both as an historical document, and as a
source of data that proves just how deeply women were involved, from
its beginning, in the development of South Australia.
Elizabeth Bondar
All about friends by Felicity Brooks
Illus. by Mar Ferrero. Usborne, 2020. ISBN: 9781474968386. 32pp.,
hbk.
It can be fun to spend time by yourself, You can play whatever you
want and you don't have to share your toys or your snacks . . .
But what every one of us has learned over the isolation of the last
few months is that friends are critical and a crucial part of our
mental well-being. As schools gradually return to full-time
face-to-face teaching, some little ones may have been at home for so
long that they have forgotten what it is like to work and play with
others and how to be a friend, so this beautifully designed book
will be the perfect platform for getting things back on an even
keel. Each double page spread focuses on an issue such as what are
friends, why we need them, what makes a good friend, who can be
friends and so on, offering lots of scope for sharing personal
stories and contributing to discussions in a way they haven't done
for some time. There are also pages devoted to how friendships grow
and change, how they can be destroyed and how they can be mended so
that the children realise that there will be ups and downs and part
of growing up is knowing what to do and doing it, developing
tolerance, understanding, forgiveness and resilience.
The final pages include a "friendship puzzle" offering the reader a
few scenarios for which they have to select the most appropriate
behaviour, and two pages of information for new parents about their
children's friendships, skills and strategies to help them develop
and some reassuring words about imaginary friends and dealing with
conflict - the most important being to give the child time to try to
sort it out. That perspective alone tells me that this author knows
her stuff and her advice is sound.
Barbara Braxton
The daddy animal book by Jennifer Cossins
Lothian Children's books, 2020. ISBN: 9780734419873.
(Age: 2-6) Highly recommended. Jennifer Cossins has come up with a
marvellous, informative picture book that will thrill its readers,
who will learn not only the names of daddy animals but what baby
animals are called as well and some detailed information about the
animal.
Although almost giving the appearance of a small board book, the
information inside is impressive. Children will learn that a daddy
polar bear is called a boar, while its baby is a cub. Then there is
a descriptive sentence telling how the boar can be as heavy as a
car, and the baby when it is born is not heavier than a jar of
honey. This format is repeated throughout the book, with two short
sentences describing the father and offspring, then a longer
sentence giving interesting details that will really increase both
adult and children's knowledge of the animals presented. The
repetition of the daddy and baby's names in the longer sentence will
also aid in remembering them.
I was enthralled by the beautiful detailed picture accompanying the
details about the turkey family. Set against a pale lilac background
is a gorgeous daddy turkey surrounding by its little poults. The
daddy penguin is gorgeous with its little chick balancing on its
toes, and the daddy wombat (a jack) can be seen against a stylised
landscape of tufts of grass, outlined in black. All the
illustrations are beautifully drawn with the daddy animal standing
out, with its baby or babies around it.
This is a first buy for libraries as it would be a very useful aid to
research and discussion about animals in the classroom. As a home
library addition, it would give rise to discussion and expansion of
many animals. Others by this award winning author are The
mummy animal book,A-Z
of endangered animals and The
ultimate animal counting book, all equallyinformative
for the young inquisitive child.
Pat Pledger
Rusty runs away by Sally Scudamore
Illus. by Lexie Watt. Little Steps, 2020. ISBN: 9781925839777.
32pp., pbk.
When the family go on their beach holiday without him, Rusty the
Australian terrier is perplexed, but when Farmer Gruff and Grandma
Jude whose care he has been left in are too busy to care, Rusty
decides he will have a holiday anyway.
But when he hitches a ride on a truck to escape the fast cars and
sore paws, he doesn't realise that he will end up far away from his
home in Goondiwindi, Queensland - in Snowtown, South Australia!
Told in rhyme with different fonts distinguishing the different
characters, this is based on the true story of a little dog on a big
adventure. Accompanied by clever, detailed illustrations, the reader
is taken on a remarkable journey through some of Australia's most
isolated landscapes that will encourage young readers to get out the
atlas and track his trail and with some calculations, determine just
how far this little dog travelled.
First-time author Sally Scudamore has continued the family tradition
of storytelling, particularly now she lives in the UK and they are
in Australia, a tradition a lot of families may have implemented
during these days of social distancing. Her debut book speaks of
more to come.
Barbara Braxton
Little Lon by Andrew Kelly
Illus. by Heather Potter and Mark Jackson. Wild Dog, 2020. ISBN:
9781742035970.
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended. When a new development loomed to knock
down a now run down area of Melbourne to make way for the
Commonwealth Building in 1988, an archaeological dig was initiated
to record and preserve mementoes of the lives of people who lived in
the back lanes of the inner city, lives rarely documented by
historians, overlooked by the builders of memorials, statues and
plaques that dot our landscape.
It is these lives that Kelly reveals in Little Lon. Just as the
illustrators, Potter and Jackson, preserve the buildings in their
beautiful drawings, so Kelly preserves the lives of the
ordinary people who lived there using interviews and
observation. And what a range for younger readers to ponder: the
Syrian family living above their shop, the boot makers from Lebanon,
the watchmaker in Cumberland Place, the Chinese cabinetmakers, the
Italians who made fairy floss for Queen Victoria Markets, the
Hungarian man who sold chestnuts from his cart. During the day Marie
went to the local St Patrick's Primary, reminded to wash her hands
when she arrived at school. Each Saturday the family went to the
City Baths for a slipper bath and on Sunday Mum took her roast to be
cooked by a restaurant in Exhibition Street, ready to be picked up
after church.
The details of the lives lived in these street will amuse and inform
younger readers, making them reflect on the changes in lives through
the generations, and see how different things were for those who
lived in less fortunate circumstances. The richly detailed
illustrations will generate a mountain of questions as readers spy
the clothing, streetscapes and housing styles. They will take note
of the brick gutters, the closeness of the houses, the lack of
verandahs and front yards, the pinafores, rag rugs, and lino floor
covering as well as the myriad of details shown on the shelves in
the rooms, the detail in the shop windows, the classroom and various
forms of transport. I pored over this book, reminded of things my
grandparents talked of, or things I had seen for myself. Inner city
suburbs are all but gone, but the remnants are still there if you
look, and this book encourages younger readers to do just that.
These remnants should be sought out, reminding us of change, but
also of the range of people who lived and worked there and by
association what happened to the houses and the people as the march
of civilisation engulfed them.
Themes; Australian History, Melbourne, Cities, Housing, Poverty,
Immigration.
Fran Knight
Gargantis by Thomas Taylor
The Legends of Eerie-on-Sea series. Walker Books, 2020. ISBN:
9781406386295. 352pp.
(Age: 11+) Highly recommended. Herbie Lemon is a Lost and Founder in
the Grand Nautilus Hotel, where the overbearing manager is called Mr
Mollusc and the owner is called Lady Kraken. The weather in the town
of Eerie-on-Sea is going quite pear shaped as a mysterious man, who
Herbie dubs Deep Hood, books into the hotel. Herbie enlists his
friend Violet Parma to investigate a clockwork hermit crab and a
mysterious bottle with undeciphered writing on it, washed up along
with local beachcomber Mrs Fossil. All the fisherfolk and Deep Hood
are intent on getting their hands on the bottle and some are willing
to use violent means to get it from Herbie and Violet. A strange
light called a Sprightening is released from the bottle and the
children learn that a sea monster called Gargantis is responsible
for creating havoc. In fact old rhymes have forewarned them of these
events. Herbie is terrified of the sea but needs to help restore
order along with Violet. They venture out into treacherous waters on
a boat called the Jornty Spark and face the their enemies and the
Vortiss.
A lot of scary things happen in this fantastic tale but the humour
and over the top characters and events, stop it from ever being too
menacing. Since the story is told in the first person, from Herbie's
point of view, we also get his funny observations and experience the
perilous moments. Violet and Herbie make terrific protagonists,
Violet is brave and a risk taker while Herbie is more thoughtful and
cautious. Thomas Taylor successfully conjures up an original
adventure with a touch of whimsy which would work well as a read
aloud. Taylor's illustrations and maps are great additions to the
book. This is the second in The Legends of Eerie-on-Sea
series, however you don't need to have read
Malamander in order to understand the story. A book
club guide and a storytelling
challenge are available.
Jo Marshall
My Superhero by Chris Owen
Illus. by Moira Court. Fremantle Press, 2020. ISBN: 9781925816464.
Board book. 15pp.
(Age: 2+) Highly recommended. First published in 2013, this board
book version of an award-winning book (International Youth Library
White Raven list, 2014, Western Australian Premier's Book Award
shortlist, 2014) will be very welcome. It is a celebration of the
skills that fathers have, not at all similar to the superheroes that
are normally portrayed in print. Owen commences the book off with a
description of what is traditionally considered as superhero - tall
and strong, wearing a snazzy bodysuit, then comes the refrain
"Kaboom! Kabam! Kapow! Kasplat! My superhero's not like that." Then
follows a description of how protected the child feels when his
superhero gives him hugs and other ways his father is a superhero,
all written in rhyming verse that is a joy to read aloud.
The pictures by Moira Court are stunning. Twelve mask wearing
animals are portrayed as the traditional superheroes, so the reader
will smile at a masked sheep leaping over the tallest office blocks
around and an elephant squashing a car completely flat. Other
animals portrayed will have children guessing what they are.
This is a perfect book to celebrate Father's Day, or to introduce
the idea that normal everyday things are very important. Extensive teacher's
notes are also available.
Very young children will also respond to the rhymes and love the
pictures and every Dad will be proud to hear about the super
qualities that they have.
Pat Pledger
Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth
Hodder & Stoughton 2020. ISBN: 9781529330243.
(Young Adult/Adult). Recommended. Chosen Ones is the first
in a new series by bestselling Divergent
and Carve the Mark author, Veronica Roth. Unlike her
extremely popular dystopian young adult series, Chosen Ones
is aimed at an adult audience, likely to capitalise on teen Divergent
fans who are now adult readers.
The book tells the story of five friends, the "Chosen Ones" who, as
teenagers, defeated the magic, otherworldly figure known as the
"Dark One", halting his reign of terror and destruction. Plucked
from their families by a secretive government agency, the five lived
and trained together to fulfil a prophecy that predicted that they
were the only ones able to destroy the Dark One. Ten years later,
the world is celebrating a decade of peace, viewed very differently
by each of the Chosen Ones - Sloane, Matt, Esther, Albie and Ines.
It is during this celebration that the unthinkable happens - one of
the Chosen Ones dies. Suddenly and viciously, the other four are
thrown back into the chaos of a decade ago, realising that the Dark
One was never really defeated after all.
Too often in young adult fiction do we see the heroes defeat their
enemies and assume that they are able to live happily and
trauma-free ever after. Chosen Ones sets out to prove that
this is not the case. The five friends are all damaged in their own
ways and have spent ten years using different methods - drugs,
social media, therapy and busy schedules - to try and cope. The book
is an interesting and clever subversion of many of the tropes common
to recent and popular young adult fiction. While still suitable for
older teen audiences, it is an adult offering that will be appealing
to many of Roth's long time readers. Themes: Friendship,
Relationships, Trauma, Death, Magic.
Rose Tabeni
Black Summer by M. W. Craven
Washington Poe. Little, Brown, 2019. ISBN: 9781472127495.
(Age: Adult - Senior secondary) Recommended for readers who enjoy
the mystery genre. Jared Keaton, Michelin Star chef, is in jail for
the murder of his daughter Elizabeth. Detective Sergeant Washington
Poe was largely instrumental in his conviction, although Elizabeth's
body was never found. Then Poe finds himself in danger of losing his
job and worse when a young woman claiming to be Elizabeth turns up
after claiming to have been held captive for the last six years.Her
blood tests match that of Elizabeth, and Poe with the help of the
brilliant Tilly Bradshaw, must work out how someone can be both dead
and alive at the same time.
This was an intriguing mystery with the problem of blood at its
heart. Craven had obviously researched the science of this
intensively and this scientific evidence made the plot quite
different to any I had read before. There were many twists and
turns, quite a few heart stopping moments for Poe and some clever
research by Tilly, as Poe followed many clues in his attempt to
prove that the girl claiming to be Elizabeth could not be her, even
though her blood matched that of Jared Keaton's daughter.
The background of cold and stormy Cumbria, what happens in a master
chef's kitchen, where truffles can be found, and old war bunkers all
make for an absorbing mystery.
Craven won the CWA Gold Dagger Award 2019 for The Puppet Show which
I will be sure to pick up now that I have met Poe and Bradshaw. Black
summer can be read as a stand-alone as the characters and
setting are described vividly.
Pat Pledger
Lottie Luna and the Twilight Party by Vivian French
Illus. by Nathan Reed. HarperCollins, 2020. ISBN: 9780008343019.
144pp., pbk.
This is the second in this series for newly independent readers
about Lottie Luna who is a werewolf and follows Lottie
Luna and the Bloom Garden. While she's super-fast,
super-strong and has X-ray vision. she doesn't really like to use
her skills. She just wants to be like everyone else. But when it's
her friend Marjory's birthday, Lottie sees a way she can use her
special powers to get her the biggest surprise ever.
Characters having alter egos with special powers continue to be
popular with readers and this new series for newly independent
readers will satisfy those who like this genre. Richly illustrated
with monochrome cartoon-like illustrations to support the text,
young girls will see themselves in Lottie - on the surface being
just regular little girls, but with a heroine not too far below the
surface.
Barbara Braxton
Steerswoman series by Rosemary Kirstein
Amazon Digital Services The Steerswoman. ISBN: 9780991354689 The Outskirter's secret. ISBN: 9780991354658 The lost Steersman. ISBN: 9780991354665 The language of power. ISBN: 9780991354672
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. Intrigued by the following quote by
Jo Walton, Hugo and Nebula Awards winner, I picked up the first in
the Steerswoman series and was hooked:
"If you like science, and if you like watching someone work out
mysteries, and if you like detailed weird alien worlds and human
cultures, if really good prose appeals . . . you're really in luck."
I then went on to read the next three books in the series and really
wish that there were more.
Rowan is a Steerswoman. If she is asked a question, she must speak
the truth and if she asks a question, the truth must be given to
her. As a Steerswoman, she travels around the world, observing,
questioning and recording what she discovers, making maps and always
on the quest for more information and more knowledge, which she
shares with all. When she finds some little blue jewels that seem to
be made of a magical material, she is determined to find out their
origin. The wizards are the only ones who have knowledge of magic,
and her determination to uncover the secrets of the jewels leads her
into danger from them. With every wizard in the land determined to
find her, Rowan, accompanied by Bel, a warrior from the Outskirts,
meets many dangers as she gradually uncovers the truth.
Readers will meet many fascinating characters as she travels around
the land. Bel is surprising - not only is she a wonderful fighter
but is a poet as well. William is a young teen who can blow up
buildings with his magic and longs to know more. The leaders of the
Outskirters are fascinating as is their nomadic way of life, and
Rowan's liaison with Fletcher is beguiling and her dealings with the
lost steersman are heartbreaking.
The countryside is described in detail and readers will enjoy
travelling with Rowan as she navigates dangerous seas, lives with
nomadic people and then in towns in the Inner Lands. But it is the
melding of science (Magic) and the mystery of the little blue jewels
that will keep the reader glued to every page of these four volumes.
There are hints along the way about the Guidestars that hang in the
skies and help travellers navigate and the material that William
uses to blow up structures. The language of power brings
many answers but leaves room for more books to come.
This is a series to give to any reader who enjoys a combination of
science fiction and fantasy, dealing with big questions of science
and knowledge, truth and humanity. It is a must read for young women
and men and would encourage many to look at STEM subjects with a
different and inquisitive eye.
Pat Pledger
Timmy the ticked off pony and the poo of excitement by Magda Szubanski
Illus. by Dean Rankine. Scholastic, 2020. ISBN: 9781743832165. 40pp.
Recommended. This is the first book in a new series by the hilarious
Magda Szubanski, and she really delivers the laughs with this one.
It follows the story of Timmy who is a self-centred, cranky, and
bold pony that believes he is a gift to everyone who knows him. He
has the flashy cars, a big house and servants to complete his
lifestyle until one day things go very wrong for him . . .
He thinks that he is making his big debut and during an audition for
a big movie, he sees his dream pony and well, he does the poo of
excitement. Timmy almost gets through the shock and uses it to his
benefit, but it seems that he is not a one trick pony!
This story is funny, but also easy to read so will certainly suit
children that are emerging from levelled books and wanting to be
independent readers. The text is clear, has lots of space around it
and is beside the wonderful illustrations by Dean Rankine. There are
some interesting words used which children will enjoy and it
predictable enough to give them confidence to continue.
The illustrations deserve another mention as they are so funny, add
huge value to the text and the pops of green (very reminiscent of
the Hot Dog series by Anh Do) are really eye catching, but
do not clutter the page. I think that readers who enjoy Anh Do's
series (Hot Dog or Weir Do) would also love Timmy
the ticked-off pony, as it is of a similar level and
structure.
I am really looking forward to reading the second instalment of the
Timmy the ticked-off pony series and cannot wait to see how he
enacts his revenge . . .
Lauren Fountain
Diary of a young naturalist by Dara McAnulty
Text, 2020. ISBN: 9781922330000.
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. A book about an adolescent's love of
the natural environment of Ireland, the birds, insects, animals, the
hum of life; how relevant would that be to readers in other parts of
the UK, and in the case of this reviewer, on the other side of the
world, in Australia? I must admit I was pleasantly surprised, I was
drawn in from the first page; the descriptive language is so
beautiful, and the feelings that are expressed will resonate with
anyone who longs for a better connection with the natural world, and
a better response to climate change. Was McAnulty really once
described by an unsympathetic teacher as incapable of "complet[ing]
a comprehension, never mind string a paragraph together"? This book
is beautifully written and is a testament to the intelligence and
perseverance of the author, the power of understanding and
encouraging parents, and of the love that unites and enriches this
particular family of five, all of whom, apart from the conservation
scientist father, are described as autistic.
McAnulty's diary records the changes of seasons and the plants and
wildlife he revels in discovering in the natural patches of country
around his home. At the same time he provides insight into the
anxieties that wrack him in his interactions with other people and
the fears of bullying that persist from his past school experience.
We learn of the challenges of going to new places, and the people
noises that overwhelm him. Nature is his passion; it is the plants
and birds and insects that enthral him and bring him peace. But
sadly so much of the natural world is threatened by human
development. And so McAnulty has become an activist speaking out to
save the environment that is so precious to him. He is the youngest
ever recipient of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Medal, among other awards, in recognition of his contributions to
conservation. His book will provide inspiration to other activists
to speak up on issues of climate breakdown, biodiversity loss and
the persecution of birds of prey. Read a Q&A
with McAnulty on the Booktopia site. Teaching
notes are also available from Text Publishing.
Themes: Nature, Conservation, Autism, Activism.
Helen Eddy
Tell 'em! by Katrina Germein, Rosemary Sullivan with the children of Manyallaluk School
Illus. by Karen Briggs. Working Title Press, 2020. ISBN:
9781921504921. 32pp., hbk.
It starts with a little girl answering a question asked by an unseen
asker - "I know what you should tell 'em " - and, apparently
prompted by that unseen asker asking "what else?", continues with a
joyous celebration of the lives of the children as they share the
activities of their community and country. And even though the
children of this remote community live about an hour east of
Katherine, NT much of what they do and enjoy is very similar to what
all children enjoy because kids are kids, everywhere. Tell 'em how us kids like to play. We got bikes and give each other rides. Tell 'em about the dancing and singing, And all the stories the old people know.
Yes, there are things that may be unfamiliar like the buffalo and
the crocodiles - "just freshwater ones" - and maybe families hunting
for bush turkey, goanna and kangaroo for dinner might not be the
norm for city kids but dancing and listening to stories and hunting
for phone reception will all resonate.
But what threads through this achingly beautiful picture book apart
from those similarities is the sheer delight and joy that these
children have in their lives, the respect they have for their elders
and their country and their understanding of the intertwining of the
past, present and future.
I wonder what the children in our communities would share if they
were asked the same question!
Maybe the first step could be figuring out the question these
children were asked, and then given that most were so keen to get
back to school after their enforced weeks at home, build a class
response that helps them focus on why!
A stunning, exuberant joyful celebration of being a child that has
to make you smile.
Barbara Braxton
