The Kangaroo Islanders by W.A. Cawthorne, edited by Rick Hosking
Wakefield Press, 2020. ISBN: 9781862546554.
(Senior secondary - Adult) Highly recommended. Cawthorne's original
story, written in the mid-1850s, although a fictional account of the
murder of Captain George Meredith serialised for a Melbourne
magazine, is based on real people and events in the early 1800's. It
thus provides fascinating insight into the lives of early settlers
on Kangaroo Island, rugged Robinson Crusoe types, carving out an
existence dealing in seal and wallaby skins, living rough and free,
and collecting extra bounty from shipwrecks lured too near their
coast. With multiple 'wives', they were men who stole Aboriginal
women in so-called Sabine raids of the mainland and kept them in a
relationship of slavery, dependent on the women's hunting and
foraging abilities. Practices such as thigh and ear slashing kept
the women submissive; however there are examples of a certain
respect and admiration for some individuals such as Black Bet, and
Cawthorne even writes how much more valuable such a talented wife
would be over some civilised lady of polite society who could only
be a hindrance in such an environment.
One chapter reveals the bounty of Indigenous food enjoyed by the
Islanders, baked wild dog, goanna in wallaby fat, ant eggs, heart of
the grass tree, and witchetty grubs. The garments of the men become
indistinguishable from those of the women, with skins and furs slung
around their bodies. Past readers of this tale must have been
fascinated by all these exotic details, and they are even more
valuable now, providing us with a historic record of a much
forgotten past.
This publication of Cawthorne's story is much enhanced by the
extensive notes and explanations by researcher and editor Rick
Hosking. The subtleties of the text are revealed to us, lost
meanings revived, so we too can appreciate what was probably the
first Aboriginal joke in print, among many other insights. Hosking's
essay 'Beyond the pale' provides historical context and an in depth
analysis of the complexities of the relationships revealed in the
story that could fuel many an interesting discussion for students of
Australia's colonial history.
The book also includes a selection of watercolours by Cawthorne, now
held in the State Library of NSW, providing an enduring archive of
scenes of Aboriginal life.
All in all, this book preserves a valuable historical record and a
reminder of a past that Australia as a nation seems too ready to
gloss over and forget. Thanks is due to Wakefield Press for their
commitment to publication of outstanding South Australian research.
Helen Eddy
Giraffes can't dance by Giles Andreae
Illus. by Guy Parker-Rees. Big book edition. Hachette, 2011. ISBN:
9781846164446.
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. Beginning readers will love the reprint of
the big book version of this wonderful, timeless story that has been
in print for 20 years. The beautiful verse by Andreae will be very
appealing read aloud to young children and the rhythm will make it
easy to remember the words and read along with the teacher. The fact
that many children may have heard it at home, as it is so popular,
will add to the appeal and the familiarity will be enjoyed by them.
Those new to the story will love it.
The pictures are very appealing, and the humour of the warthogs'
waltz, the chimps' cha-cha, and the lions' tango will be enjoyed by
all. Of course, the important message about finding your own way of
doing things is also an important one.
Gerard the giraffe really wants to dance, but his body with its long
neck and skinny legs, makes it hard to find his rhythm and the other
jungle animals laugh at his attempts. Despondent, he leaves the
gathering but a wise cricket tells him
" . . . sometimes when you're different You just need a different song."
And when Gerard finds that song he is able to do the most beautiful
dance in his own way. Children will love the warthogs' waltz, the
chimps' cha-cha, and the lions' tango, but most of all they will
love Gerard's dance, and his final words, "We can all dance, he said, When we find music that we love."
This is a lovely, feel good book, perfect for beginning readers.
Themes: Dancing, Giraffes, Verse story.
Pat Pledger
Frankie Pants and Mr Fox by Helen Lear
Illus. by Katya Swan. Little Steps, 2020. ISBN: 9781925839654. 28pp.
Recommended. This is a classic superhero story that follows the
story of a presumably lazy cat, who transforms into Frankie Pants -
a modern day hero here to save his animal pals. His nemesis Mr Fox
is on the radar in this story and with all his bravery and might
Frankie Pants saves the day . . . and his chicken friends!
This is a lovely, short story that is filled with wonderful words
and an easy to follow rhyme. Some of my favourite words/phrases used
are dastardly doings, devilish, villainous, gleaming, and wrestling!
All such wonderful words that required explanation for my younger
reader, who afterwards tried to use them whenever possible. The text
includes larger words (and s t r e t c h e d words) so the reader
can add addition sounds/curiosity for the listener.
I really enjoyed the illustrations in this story and felt that they
accentuated the characters, added interest and engagement for the
reader. The colours were vibrant and bright, and I particularly
enjoyed the expression on the chickens' faces. You can see the sense
of fear, despair and relief at being saved.
The year 1 boys I read this story to both enjoyed the adventure of
Frankie Pants, but unanimously said that it should have been longer
so Frankie could go on more missions to save more of his friends.
With a review like that, I think there would be great interest in a
sequel!
We gave it 4 out of 5 in the hope that a sequel comes along one day
so we can read more about the fun adventures of Frankie Pants!
Lauren Fountain
Alex Rider: Nightshade by Anthony Horowitz
Walker Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781406395877.
(Age: 10-16). Highly recommended. This book is number 13 in the
series from Horowitz and does not disappoint his fans with another
action-packed, exciting story involving Alex Rider, the teenage spy.
Alex has officially retired from his duties with MI6 Special
Operations and is looking forward to a normal life at school. A
series of events involving a new terrorist organisition called
Nightshade that uses children to perform their acts of violence
convinces Alex to assist for one last time. Having caught Frederick
Grey, one of the Nightshade children, MI6 special operations decides
they need to send Alex into the prison where he is being held to get
close to him and find out more about Nightshade. He is impersonating
a former prisoner called Julius Grief who had plastic surgery to
look just like Alex in the past. His handler Mrs. Jones has a
personal interest in this project as her children were kidnapped to
be part of Nightshade and Alex is tasked with trying to bring them
home too.
Time is of the essence for Alex as MI6 knows Nightshade is planning
a major terrorist attack on London within 3 weeks. Now, going into
the highly secure prison is one thing as he has contacts there that
can help him, but then Alex and Frederick escape Alex is taken back
to Nightshade headquarters in Greece. Here things start to unravel
for Alex as the attack draws nearer and the Nightshade controllers
realize who he really is.
The book is certainly a great addition to this exciting series and
fans of Alex Rider will love this story as it presents the
real-world issue of terrorism and the horrifying idea that children
are used to perform violent tasks in this way. The end of the story
lets us know that this will not be the last of the books involving
Nightshade. Themes: Espionage, Intelligence agencies, Terrorism,
Adolescents.
Gabrielle Anderson
In the city by Holly James
Illus. by Hannah Tolson. Bloomsbury, 2020. ISBN: 9781526616241.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Introducing young children to the delights of
an urban environment will be enhanced using this vibrant, detailed
and fascinating book.
As the city wakes, Oscar and Lucy set off, complete with backpacks,
camera and a map. Each double page begins in the same way as they
get on the train to go into the city, or have a picnic or look at
the skyscrapers. "Let's visit the museum", for example, shows the
children exploring this cavernous place looking at the art on the
walls, the statues, the plants, the mobile and the dinosaur bones,
while the book offers questions along the bottom of the page, asking
the readers to look at something in particular. On this page the
reader is asked to count the number of artefacts spotted, a new word
being introduced.
Each double page explores the range of things to be found in that
area of a city, and children will be delighted looking at the detail
on each page, sharing with others what they have seen or would like
to see, exploring the range of city offerings together, perhaps even
planning their own trip.
My favourite page, "Let's cruise on the river", shows a small boat
cruising down river, passing a range of other craft, highlighting
the bridges, waterfront, walkways and buildings nearby. A question
directs readers to look at the other things gliding along the water,
while several words in larger font reiterate the words that are
possibly new to the reader.
The family goes shopping and takes a train and bus ride, eventually
heading for home and bed. A double page after the children have gone
to bed, has images of a number of things and asks the readers if
they were spotted, so ensuring the readers will go back and read the
story again. And I can imagine the list of things noted and pointed
out will far exceed the 22 listed at the end of the book.
Themes: Travel, Cities, Urban environment.
Fran Knight
Be plastic clever by Amy and Ella Meek
Dorling Kindersley, 2020. ISBN: 9780241447079.
(Age: 8-12) Recommended. Amy and Ella Meek have been activists in
the area of plastic since becoming aware of the large amounts of
plastic in their local area in the United Kingdom. They started a
group called "Kids against Plastic" with the goal of ridding the UK
of single use plastic bottles. They have been inspired by several
other like-minded people who believe young people can strive for
change to help combat the growing issue of plastic pollution.
The book is set up like a nonfiction book into chapters that cover
everything young people need to know about plastic and what we can
do to reduce, re-use and recycle it. It has a good glossary and a
very useful index for research. In between each chapter there is a
short bio of someone the girls admire - their heroes. Famous
environmentalists such as Mahatma Gandhi and Sir David Attenborough
are followed by more contemporary heroes like Greta Thunberg, Grace
Hopper and Maddie Moate.
The girls themselves have set a goal to collect 100,000 pieces of
plastic in their local area and are well on the way to their goal.
They set out in this book what kinds of plastic there are and how
they are impacting wildlife around the world. They also discuss what
is being done in different parts of Europe about recycling these
materials and what individuals can do in their everyday life to
reduce the amount of plastic they use.
Easy to read and interesting content will make it popular for anyone
wanting more information for young people on this topic. The book is
a great resource, but it focuses on the United Kingdom and Europe
and therefore lacks the links and information about what is being
done in Australia and other countries around the world. Themes:
Plastic, Recycling, Environmental impact, Activism.
Gabrielle Anderson
TrooFriend by Kirsty Applebaum
Nosy Crow, 2020. ISBN: 9781788003476.
(Ages: 9+) TrooFriend by Kirsty Applebaum is a
thought-provoking look at Androids and the concept of Artificial
Intelligence (AI). The AI topic is sensitively handled and while at
times the situation for Sarah becomes unsafe, her ever-developing
relationship with her Android Ivy is key to the story. Sarah is
given a TrooFriend 560 Mark IV Android as her parents are too busy
and her best friend has moved away. The Android is marketed as the
best kind of friend for a child: I do not Bully I do not Harm I do not Lie I do not Covet or Steal or Envy I am your perfect friend Your one TrooFriend
Sarah would rather have had a dog and does not take to the Android
at first. Eventually she turns Ivy on for more and more hours per
day and discovers Ivy can do amazing things like tidy her room and
play games. Sarah decides to take Ivy to school for Bring Your Tech
To School Day even though there are media reports and demonstrations
that all is not right with this particular model of Android. The
school visit is a disaster for Sarah as Ivy makes inappropriate
comments and Sarah's friendship issues are exacerbated. The negative
media attention surrounding this Android batch reaches fever pitch
as another child is injured. Meanwhile Sarah has realised that Ivy
has developed human feelings and is responding in ways unusual for
an Android. Her parents are influenced by the media reports and want
to return Ivy to the factory where the Androids will be destroyed.
Sarah decides to take Ivy and run away but a dangerous situation
develops. Eventually Sarah's enduring friendship with Ivy enables
Ivy to be safely hidden away.
There are a number of social and family issues shared throughout the
story that will be familiar to readers, i.e. fitting in, impressing
the popular girl and feeling alone. This would be a fascinating read
aloud to a middle grade class as it offers a different view of
friendship and the resulting discussion would be both interesting
and beneficial. Themes: Family, School, Relationships, Feelings,
Friendships, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Technology, STEM.
Kathryn Beilby
Tippy and Jellybean by Sophie Cunningham
Illus. by Amil Tortop. Albert Street Books, 2020. ISBN:
9781760878474.
(Age: 5+) With the recent devastating bushfires and lots of
media coverage about the plight of Australian animals, particularly
koalas, this book with its sub title, The true story of a brave
koala who saved her baby from a bushfire, will have readers
instantly alert, their heads swimming with images they have seen,
ready for a happy story in the midst of much that was not. And they
will not be disappointed.
The baby koala and its mother realise that one day is not the same
as the rest. Hot winds are blowing, it is hot and smoky. The other
animals in their vicinity all protect themselves; the kangaroos hop
away, the wombat burrows into its hole, the cockatoos take off, but
the koalas can only climb. At the top of the tree, Tippy's fur is
singed and her paws are sore, but Jellybean is safe. A man coaches
them down and takes them to a vet, Kami. After her burns are
treated, they are taken to an animal sanctuary to recuperate and
when this is over, taken back to their home to rejoin their other
animal friends.
This endearing story tells of what has happened to many Australian
animals during the last bushfires, showing younger readers of their
plight and what happens to them if they survive but are injured.
In concise prose, the story tells of the people involved in their
rescue and the stages their rehabilitation takes.
The illustrations add to the sincerity of the story, giving younger
readers a look at the places these animals live, the other animals
in their environment, and their dependence upon the gum tree and
most importantly the effect of fire upon their domain. This book
will introduce students to the theme of fire and its effects upon
the animals and what happens to them once the fire has passed.
Themes: Koalas, Bushfires, Australian bush, Family, Love,
Motherhood.
Fran Knight
Star Wars: Use the force! Discover what it takes to be a Jedi by Christian Blauvelt
Illus. by Dan Crisp and Jon Hall. DK, 2020. ISBN: 9780241409183.
(Age: 7-10) Recommended. From the very moment I had this book in my
hand I knew that my 9 year old son would love it! The cover is
bright blue with a vibrant yellow, has a variety of font types and
images of popular Star Wars characters. Upon opening and
reading the book my thoughts were justified. Written as a
non-fiction book (with contents page, glossary, and index) each page
is filled with Star Wars based information, images from the
films but also funny drawings, interesting fonts and contrasting
colours. The language used is a casual, conversational tone and
includes anecdotes from the movies (which was an added bonus for me
as I will admit that I am not a huge Star Wars fan . . . )
I thought this book was well written for the 7-10 years group,
however both younger and older readers can appreciate different
parts of it. This text would also be brilliant for a reluctant
reader who is a Star Wars fan (like my 9 year old), as the
images and drawn illustrations add a really engaging factor to this
book. It would also be a great introduction to the non-fiction
aspects of texts.
My 9 year old son wrote this about the book "It was a good book. I
liked that it had facts. I really liked the pictures; some were
drawn and some were photos. If I was going to change anything, I
would make it have more colours. I think kids aged 7 and up would
like this-especially if they are Star Wars fans!"
Lauren Fountain
Her perilous mansion by Sean Williams
Allen & Unwin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760877361.
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Almanac, an orphan named for his
prodigious memory is asked to go to a manor house to be second
butler. At a loss understanding what is going on when no one greets
him, he meets Etta, the youngest of twelve daughters, come to work
as a chambermaid in the same house. Neither has any idea of how they
came to be there, why they are there or what is expected of them.
Convinced the house is under a spell, Etta thinks she will be able
to put things right if only she can find the library. A phone call
from Dr Mithilty sends them upstairs and eventually they find her in
the attic room, but leave without any of their questions answered.
While preparing their meal, the ingredients having mysteriously
appeared, what they think are rats in the chimney introduces himself
as Ugo, and further introduces the woman who lives in the pipes,
Olive. Etta comes to believe that all the people they have met, or
rather not met, must be ghosts and she struggles to find the spell
to undo this enchantment, while Almanac spends his days clearing out
the cellars, often grumbling to himself about Etta.
This is a wonderful read, full of twists and red herrings, humour
and laughs: voices up the chimney, people buried under bedclothes,
figures only partly seen, a seemingly endless stockpile of rubbish
needing clearing in the cellar, while the more they look the more
rooms and wings they find in the sprawling manor house. The two
children keep on trying to work out what is going on, each
suspicious of the other as the reader is scooped up at a brisk pace
for an amazingly mysterious journey.
Striving to escape, the children find they are prisoners, but Etta
manages to climb over the gate, Almanac grumbling that she has
deserted him. But he hears her in the house and tracks her down to
the tiny scullery, where she has been incarcerated with the rest of
the ghosts. It is up to Almanac to set them all free.
Highly original, the detailed descriptions give an authentic
backdrop to the story, while each of the characters, even Ugo in the
chimney, has a strongly identifiable and individual voice. A fabulous
read.
Themes: Fantasy, Orphans, Magic, Adventure.
Fran Knight
Elephant me by Giles Andreae
Illus. by Guy Parker-Rees. Hachette, 2020. ISBN: 9781408356524.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. When Elephant Mighty sits on his throne, he
asks all the young elephants to come forward and show what they can
do. In this way the younger elephants are given their name,
reflecting their talent. Enthusiastically they all line up,
proudly demonstrating their abilities, eagerly waiting for their
name to be given by the great king.
One pulls a tree out of the ground and gets the name, Elephant
Strong, another trumpets so loudly he is given the name, Elephant
Noisy, and at the end of the day when all the elephants have their
names, only one small elephant is left. He is unsure of what talents
he has, and tries to show some tricks to the crowd, but they laugh,
and Elephant Mighty calls him Elephant Nothing At All.
Told in four line stanzas, the story builds up to the point where
the little elephant is derided by the others, the audience now will
have realised that the tale is about bullying and how easily
people's self esteem is undermined.
Nunn-Nunn moves away and lives near a waterhole with a bunch of
other animals. One day the warthog asks him why he is there and when
he explains, the other animals are aghast, after all he is friendly,
and kind and true. They remind him that he is unique, for in all the
world, there is only one of him.
So they all descend on Elephant Mighty and state their case, that
each elephant is unique. This brings Elephant Mighty to tears,
because his name has meant that there are things he would like to do
but cannot.
So everyone decides that they should be able to do what they want to
do, not be hamstrung by names and expectations, neatly encouraging
readers to think about their own talents and self image, especially
in relation to the expectations of those around them.
An empowering tale told by the creators of the award winning, Giraffes
can't dance (2019).
Themes: Humour, Elephants, Africa, Self image, Isolation, Talents,
Self esteem, Empowerment.
Fran Knight
The Schoolmaster's Daughter by Jackie French
Angus & Robertson, 2020. ISBN: 9781460757710.
(Ages: 12+). Highly recommended. Author Jackie French has cleverly
used relevant facts from her own family history in the writing of The
Schoolmaster's Daughter. The story is set in 1901 where
changes were happening in White Australia's young history. Hannah
and her family have arrived at Port Harris ready for her father to
take up his post of Headmaster. Sadly their arrival was marred by
their ship being stuck on a sandbar for a number of days. After
escaping to the beach the ship sinks with all of their possessions
and the women and two children are left alone while the men search
for help. They are rescued by Jamie, a young teenager of mixed race,
who takes them home to his white mother Mrs Zebediah who feeds and
comforts the women. Jamie and his mother are ostracised by the
community but play a significant and pivotal role in Hannah's story.
Hannah has finished her primary schooling but her father does not
allow her to continue her education nor will he educate Jamie.
Hannah's disfigured but her outspoken suffragette and financially
independent mother has other ideas and secretly educates Hannah and
Jamie at the Zebediah farm. In 1901 this is scandalous and if
discovered would mean social isolation for Hannah's family and
terrible danger for Jamie and his mother. The local plantation owner
employs Pacific Islander people to work in his cane fields in
brutally shocking conditions akin to what we know of slavery in the
United States. The Schoolmaster's Daughter has so many important historical
facts for consideration: the conditions married women endured, lack
of education for girls after primary school, the White Australia
Policy as well as the mistreatment of the cane workers, all
interwoven in a compelling and absorbing story. The historical facts
Jackie French weaves into her stories allows the reader to gain
valuable insight into Australia's complex and turbulent growth as a
nation. Themes: Family Life, Australian History, Relationships,
1900's, Women's Issues, Cane Plantations, Slavery, Racism.
Kathryn Beilby
Orla and the Serpent's Curse by C.J. Haslam
Walker Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781406388480. 300pp.
(Age: 11+) Recommended. Twelve year old Orla and her family head off
on a much needed holiday to Cornwall. The believable banter on the
car trip reveals her older brother Richard is vain and only
concerned there won't be any WiFi at their destination, her younger
brother Tom is annoying and her mother is exhausted. We also soon
become privy to the humorous thoughts of Dave, their pet Jack
Russell. The family have been invited to stay in a cottage, which
Orla is told once belonged to a witch. Orla is keen to get out and
explore this coastal environment but observes that the area is
weirdly bereft of virtually all animals. She discovers an ancient
necklace that has extraordinary powers and is keenly sought after by
modern day witches (or pellers). Her nightmares become real events
which involve an incident that occurred two hundred years ago
between a witch and pirate. Orla is descended from this witch and
has the power to prevent a pending disaster but she needs to enlist
the help of her brothers, a new friend and Dave. They must also keep
their mother from knowing what they are doing. It becomes a race to
beat an evil peller, who is seemingly a sweet old lady, and stop the
necklace from creating global mayhem.
You need to keep your wits about you in this action packed fantasy.
There's a lot to keep track of with time travel, potions and spells,
shipwrecks, a bit of Cornish folklore and many grim deaths. Although
there are serious moments the author off-sets this with many
colourful characters and humour. The entertaining conversation keeps
you interested. Orla is smart and brave, as is Dave the dog! It will
suit a confident reader around 11 years plus, who will hopefully
enjoy this tale of witchcraft with a healthy dose of scepticism. It
is original in the way it combines so many fantasy elements but in a
modern world.
Jo Marshall
Peppa Pig : Peppa at the Aquarium
Penguin Random House Children's UK, 2020. ISBN: 9780241411797.
(Ages: 2-4) Peppa's goldfish is looking sad so Peppa and her family
head off to the aquarium to try and find her a friend. They see
jellyfish, a big blue fish and some seahorses, but nothing that
seems like a good friend for Goldie. But when they get to the cafe,
Peppa spots something behind the cupcakes. 'Who's that . . . , Miss
Rabbit?' 'It's Ginger, my goldfish'. The perfect friend for
Goldie!
Little ones will delight in lifting the flaps to find the aquarium
animals and seeing their beloved Peppa on the pages of this new
book. There are quite a few other titles in this Lift-the-Flap
series now, including Up and Down, At the Zoo and Night
Creatures. They are short and sure to engage little Peppa Pig
fans, both during independent and shared reading. Themes; Peppa Pig,
Aquariums, Sea creatures, Lift-the-flap book, Board book.
Nicole Nelson
The power of positive pranking by Nat Amoore
Penguin, 2020. ISBN: 9780143796381.
(Ages: 9+). Highly recommended. The power of positive pranking
by Nat Amoore is a powerful and uplifting middle grade read. Three
environmentally aware and pro-active children with wisdom and
creative problem solving beyond their years keep the reader highly
entertained and engaged in the eventful storyline. Casey, Zeke and
Cookie are the only members of the Green Peas tribe which practices
environmental activism through positive pranking. They have their
own manifesto of twenty-six rules which are each identified as the
chapter headings. The first chapter begins with a school assembly
and a series of hidden alarm clocks set to go off at intervals with
the final alarm going off under the Principal's chair. Needless to
say pandemonium sets in and the grand finale prank is a banner
dropping from the ceiling stating: WAKE UP! DINOSAURS THOUGHT THEY
HAD TIME TOO. SAVE OUR PLANET NOW. The three children are never
suspected and have made a positive thought-provoking statement which
begins some classroom discussion although the Principal is
definitely not happy. Each of the three members bring different
skills to the action group: Casey is the ideas person who organises
and plans everything, Zeke is the tech guy who considers himself a Ninja
and Cookie is super creative and arty. All three children come from
very different and diverse backgrounds: Zeke from a large blended
family, Cookie has two dads and Casey lives with her father and
grandfather who are both deaf. Casey's mother passed away when she
was young and shared throughout the book are Trixie's recipe cards
with meaningful thoughts for Casey written on them. When Mayor
Lupphol visits the school, the Green Peas once again make a stand
which is broadcast over the Internet and through Casey's
Grandfather's lip reading skills, the tribe learns that the crooked
Mayor has a major and sinister plan in place. With support from
other students and adults the plan is foiled in a cunning and
collaborative effort.
The author has cleverly connected her first novel Secrets
of a schoolyard millionaire to the story by three of her
characters Tess, Toby and Kathy joining the Green Peas. The
power of positive pranking encourages children to see that
they can make a difference in climate change and environmental
issues. This novel would be a wonderful read aloud to be shared in
the classroom as there are so many important learning points and
issues to be discussed. Themes: Family, School, Relationships,
Disability, Diversity, Activism, Grief, Humour, Environmental
issues, Sustainability.
Kathryn Beilby
