Albert Street Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781760877279. 32pp.
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. When Bear and Ted go camping, Bear is
a little overwhelmed. He has never been camping before and is a
little unsettled by the dark. But when he hears noises in the night
he is convinced that they are not alone. His imagination takes hold
and he fears a blood sucking spider, a fire breathing dragon and a
hungry giant are all out in the dark ready to pounce. Ted assures
him that each of his fears is groundless and offers a perfectly good
reason for each of the noises Bear hears.
Bear then dreams good thoughts and falls asleep for the night.
The hilarious illustrations show the two friends in their tent,
surrounded by thousands of eyes in the blackest of nights, Bear's
eyes wide with fear. Ted's reassurances calm him and they sleep
well. Bear's eyes reflect his fears and younger readers will love
watching the change in him as he calms down to sleep. They will
recognise that their fears sometimes occur at night and are as
groundless as Bear's, although in the morning . . .
A very funny turnaround when the friends wake up will cause lots of
laughter as the readers see Bear's monsters cooking them breakfast.
This is a lovely book dealing with imagined fears that will initiate
discussion and help children who may be fearful.
McKinnon also wrote, I
just ate my friend, and Baz
and Benz, two equally funny stories for younger readers.
Themes: Fears, Reassurance, Humour.
Fran Knight
The Ghost of Howlers Beach by Jackie French
The Butter O'Bryan Mysteries. Angus and Robertson, 2020.
ISBN: 9781460757727.
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Jackie French has done it again! This
is a wonderful piece of fiction for young readers that weaves a
story within a historical period of history, making it accessible
for those who may have limited understanding of the Depression or of
the impacts on life in Australia for the returned veterans from
World War I. Butter O'Bryan is the 12-year-old central character
(this is not his real name, but nicknames are prevalent in this
family!), a young boy whose family is somewhat protected from the
worst of the post-war dilemmas, but they too have suffered loss as
Butter's mother died in the previous year in the Polio epidemic.
Butter lives with his doctor father and aunts in their "Very Small
Castle" - the result of their inheritance as children of the 'Jam
King'. When Butter encounters three children in the bay close to
home it seems at first that he has met a family of ghosts. The
mystery surrounding these children continues and slowly they become
intertwined into the summer holiday experience for Butter. The
solving of the mystery leads to understanding and care, compassion
and a future for many families living a hand-to-mouth existence on
the limited hand-outs from the government.
The setting of the coastal castle (albeit small) is charming, but
the caring nature of Butter's family is delightful as they slowly
become aware of the needs of first three children and then many,
living just beyond their doors, through a period of dreadful
hardship in Australia's past. The Depression and the hardships that
individuals faced also highlights the paternalistic society and
inherent racism and sexism that now seems so strange. Hindsight
reveals why so many social changes needed to occur.
What French manages to do most successfully is to make a
page-turning narrative that will appeal to young readers, male and
female. With cricket games on the beach, food choices that are all
basic 'Australian' fare and the freedom for young characters, mixed
with the horrors of pre-antibiotic life and health-care that often
excluded the poor, this is an eye-opening story. From the opening
line, when a skull is discovered on the beach, young readers will be
hooked. At the end of the story is also some background historical
detail to explain the 'Make-do' era, the 'Susso' payments or the
'dole', multiple 1930s recipes, and other reflections on 1930s life.
For our children of the 'throw-away' or 'instant-fix' era who have
many easy solutions to problems, this will be a worthwhile
introduction to this history.
I am hoping there will be more Butter O'Bryan mysteries. Themes:
Family; Historical Mystery; Post-World War I History; 1930s
Depression; Australian History - Fiction; Polio; Mental illness.
Carolyn Hull
Viper's Daughter by Michelle Paver
Wolf Brother series, book 7. Zephyr, 2020. ISBN:
9781838933357.
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Set in the period following the Ice-Age,
this adventure involves the Forest characters Renn, a mage with
links to the Ravens, and her mate Torak - a wolf-brother. While Renn
feels compelled to leave Torak in order to combat the influence of
her evil mother and protect him,Torak takes pursuit with his wolf
pack wolf-brother close behind him in order to bring her back.
Heading north into the even wider vastness of isolation and yet with
people groups to connect with along the way, this is a tale of love
against the backdrop of traditional cultural beliefs and the demon
world. The drama that enfolds reveals ancient culture and survival
techniques in a harsh world, but also a tale of the power of love
and the influence of ancient understanding on life. Written in a way
that reminded me of a Tolkien quest adventure, this is a powerful
story and a compelling drama that is unique and quite different from
most teenage fiction. At all times there is a sense that the reader
is immersed in the challenges of Stone Age existence, and yet can
see the power of the ingenuity of the people and the connections
with nature (in combination with the fantasy and belief influences
that are woven into the story). With a remnant population of
Mammoths (called Mammut in the text) and the ability to communicate
with animals, this is indeed a story with a difference.
I wish that I had discovered the series before launching into book 7
of the Wolf Brother series! But this is more about missing
the wonder of this series and the characters rather than feeling
like I have stepped into uncertain territory. This book stands on
its own quite comfortably. The use of language is intriguing as
expressions are used that convey different understandings of the
world e.g. the Wolf's language is spare, but genuinely descriptive.
I am certain though that many will enjoy the other books by Michelle
Paver and will enjoy the way she incorporates traditional life from
Eskimo, Inuit and Scandinavian culture and weaves these into a
traditional but fantasy tale. It almost feels like you are drawn
into an ancient (yet fantasy) world in the far northern Scandinavian
or North American wilderness. Themes: Fantasy; Stone Age;
Traditional Life; Adventure; Good vs Evil; Demons and Spirits.
Carolyn Hull
Break the fall by Jennifer Iacopelli
Hodder Children's Books 2020. ISBN: 9781444953244.
(Age: 12+) Gymnast Audrey (Rey) Lee has been on a 14 year journey to
become a top gymnast. At 17 she is able to ignore the pain of the
herniated disc in her back to make the US national team for the
Tokyo Olympics. Her coach, Pauline is like a second mother to her
but the coach for the national team, Coach Gibson exerts total power
over the gymnasts, always watching for signs of weakness. Also on
the team is Emma Shadowsky, Rey's best friend since she was 3,
Chelsea Cameron, the reigning Olympic all round champion, and
Daniela Olivero. All but Emma have a non-white background and
Chelsea comments that 'it can be tough for women of colour in this
sport. We're held to a different standard sometimes.' p.45. To
achieve her goals, Rey not only has to train constantly but adhere
to a strict diet and focus on her performance to the exclusion of
all else. Her back injury is chronic, going back five years and she
is only able to compete by having regular cortisone injections in
her spine. The injury means she will have to retire after the Tokyo
Olympics and even then will have issues for the rest of her life,
'But gymnastics is worth it. The Olympics is worth it.'p.65.
Training for the Olympics even takes priority over Leo Adams,
champion snowboarder and son of one of the gymnastic coaches. They
link up after years of following each other online but while the
relationship blossoms, he has to stay a discreet distance and not be
a distraction. What is a distraction is that Daniela is suspended
from the team for allegedly failing a drug test and she then makes
an accusation against Coach Gibson for sexual assault. The fallout
for the team is that they are interviewed by the FBI, they lose
their coaches, are sent to train at another facility and even have
to repeat the selection trials in front of independent judges. They
all suffer but manage, through the discipline of their training and
real teamwork, to rescue their dreams. The detailed descriptions of
the gymnastic routines are the main element in this sports novel and
the sexual abuse, grooming and victim blaming are handled with care,
demonstrating the girls' strengths and endurance, empowering them in
the most difficult of situations. A rare teen novel celebrating
athletic ability in girls with an extra twist about resilience, it
will appeal to middle school students.
Themes: sports, friendship, sexual assault, Olympics.
Sue Speck
How to be a pirate by Isaac Fitzgerald
Illus. by Brigette Barrager. Bloomsbury, 2020. ISBN: 9781681197784.
40pp.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. When CeCe wants to join the
neighbourhood gang and be a pirate like them, she is rebuffed and
told she cannot be a pirate, so she swings her sword over her
shoulder and marches off to see her grandfather who with all his
tattoos, must know a little about being a pirate. And she is right.
Grandfather trawls through his gallery of tattoos, each with a story
and each reminding CeCe of the tenacity needed to be a pirate. The
first tattoo is of a ship and he tells her that a pirate is brave,
overcoming obstacles and forging ahead. Next is a panther and to be
a pirate she must be quick to escape danger at any moment. A dancing
senorita shows her that she must also have fun, and an eagle
reflects a pirate's need to be independent. All of these attributes
are necessary to being a pirate, but Grandfather warns, there is one
that shines out over them all and it is this one that sees CeCe
rushing back to the tree house and joining the boys.
The imaginative use of Grandfather's tattoos underscores the humour
in this book. An older man's tattoos are usually hidden by clothing,
so to see them standing out proudly will cause a lot of laughter
amongst the readers, and to see how he uses each one to tell a story
and enthuse CeCe with the skills needed to be a pirate, is simply
charming.
Each tattoo creates a new adventure for CeCe to explore, and readers
will quickly fill out the story behind each of the the wonderful
illustrations. Vibrant and full of movement, readers will be in no
doubt about the exploits of a pirate, poring over the drawings to
see what pirates do and how brave, adventurous, quick and
independent they are. Pirates, Humour, Grandparents, Bravery.
Fran Knight
Australian Children's Illustrated Dictionary
Dorling Kindersley, 2020. ISBN: 9781760896577. 256pp.
All dictionaries contain lists of words with their meaning
displayed. This simple dictionary is targeting younger users, and it
has a few features that add some valuable detail to the word
meaning. The first pages explain basic grammatical terms in easy to
understand language. There are also some dictionary-related games
prior to the illustrated dictionary lists and at the end of the
dictionary are: lists of abbreviations; a phonetic spelling guide;
prefixes and suffixes examples; Facts and figures related to
measurement; Australian holidays; Numbers plus ordinal numbers and
Roman numerals; symbols and a list of countries in the world.
The presentation of this children's dictionary has Dorling
Kindersley's clarity and child-friendly quality. The definitions use
language that children will be able to understand (there is nothing
more frustrating than needing a dictionary to help understand a
dictionary meaning!)
This book will sit well in a classroom or school library as a basic
reference book. Theme: Dictionary; Words.
Carolyn Hull
The astronaut's cat by Tohby Riddle
Allen and Unwin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760524944. 32pp.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. The image of a cat peering out of the
space lab's porthole is mesmerising: at once preposterous and
curiously entrancing, it will impel younger readers to wonder about
the story inside.
This cat is an inside cat: she spends her time sleeping and eating
and playing with her musical ball which looks like Earth. She likes
to look out of the window at the astronaut at work, or just look at
the rocks. She knows that it will be too hot for her outside during
the day and freezing at night and there is air inside the space lab
and none outside, and there is some sound inside but not outside,
but still she wonders what it would be like. She dreams of being out
there, bouncing in the dust, leaping and twirling, higher than ever
before. She dreams she sees her ball in the ink black sky and dreams
she is on it with its millions of shapes and forms, colours and
things to wonder at.
The curious cat reveals the world as she can see it from space:
beautiful, colourful, scenic and pristine. But readers will know
that it needs care to remain this way. A testament to the fragility
of the Earth, Riddle's work is always quirky and mischievous. We can
rely on him to produce a story that has layers of meaning and
intent, and is deeply satisfying.
His quirky premise that a cat can live in a space lab will quicken
readers' imaginations, provoke them to dream themselves of what it
would be like for a cat on the moon and initiate thoughts about what
it would be like for them to be on the moon. And within
Riddle's sparse poetic lines they will pick up much information
about the moon and its treasures.
With his illustrations reflecting an interest with mixed media and
collage, readers again will be intrigued, looking for examples of
paper cut out, collage, antique engravings and watercolour
illustrations of flora and fauna. His mix of techniques adds yet
another level of interest to a book which is already endlessly
fascinating. Teacher tips and notes on making the book are available.
Themes: Cats, Astronauts, Moon, Space travel, Companionship.
Fran Knight
The night of the hiding moon by Emma Allen
Illus. by Sher Rill Ng. NLA Publishing, 2020. ISBN: 9780642279583.
(Age: 7+) Highly recommended. From the wonderful cover to the last
page the luminous quality of the illustrations will entrance the
reader. Turning from the bright yellow of the cover the book shows
us young Felix, cowering under his blankets, frightened. The pages
are now in direct contrast to the image on the front cover: black
and dark, menacing and scary. The moon is hiding too from the
deafening giants strolling across the sky. But Felix reaches for his
torch and uses the light to make a shadow puppet on the wall by his
bed and decides to make one his friend, a companion who will support
him when the moon is in hiding.
Together they shake off the fear that the night brings, and the
puppets display the attributes so needed by Felix to defeat his
fears. Together they go outside, bold against the bright light of
the torch, emulating the light used behind shadow puppets in a
theatre, and bring back the moon from her hiding place. The night of the hiding moon is a charming story about
finding courage in times of great desperation. Many find
thunderstorms a source of fear and anxiety, but Felix overcomes this
by confronting his fears, finding strength within himself.
Allen's delightful text allows Ng's strong illustrations to present
Felix's quest for courage in a way that all readers will understand
and enjoy. This tale uses traditional Asian puppetry as the puppets
conjured up by Felix and his torch and I love the inclusion of
several pages of background information on puppets used in the art
of storytelling, particularly in Indonesia, along with templates for
making your own shadow puppet. The puppets shown in the information
section are from the National Library's collection.
A wonderful read: an exciting story, imparting information about a
form of theatre we rarely see while giving children the opportunity
to make their own puppets. Themes: Shadow puppets, Fear, Anxiety,
Thunderstorms, Moon.
Fran Knight
Nelson: Pumpkin and Aliens by Andrew Levins
Illus. by Katie Kear. Puffin Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781760893347.
(Age: 6-10) Highly recommended. Can you name two ingredients that
would rarely be seen together? In this book, those two ingredients
are pumpkins and aliens (purple aliens!). Nelson Hunter is a Year 3
kid who despises vegetables in any form or at any meal. He has
elaborate plans to avoid every vegetable that is ever served to him,
even creating his very own, under-the-bed compost pile of discarded
vegetables. And to add to the dilemma, his grandparents grow
vegetables and are liberal in sharing them.
After a bad day when his school presentation lands him in detention
for telling the 'unbelievable' story of the Aliens from Despina and
his grandparents arrive and he cannot avoid the consumption of
pumpkin soup, there are some unexpected consequences . . . Nelson
Hunter wakes up with astonishing superpowers. The totally
unbelievable visit of the aliens with the potential to wipe out the
population of teachers at the school must be dealt with by Nelson,
with the help of his best friend Olive and the ingestion of pumpkin!
For every child who has disliked one or all vegetables, this book
will be a hit. With extremely quirky events (aliens at school),
eating from the under-bed compost and the potential for more
superpowers in combination with other vegetables, there will be
young readers eager to read this book and the future adventures with
Nelson Hunter. What does his Grandma have in mind with other
vegetables and how much weirder can his life get?
Gross and delightful in combination and deliberately funny, this
ticks all the boxes for young readers.
The cartoon illustrations by Katie Kear are naive and comedic, and
predominantly black and white with pumpkin-coloured highlights.
Themes: Vegetables; Aliens; Superpowers; Humour; Truth.
Carolyn Hull
Monty's Island: Scary Mary and the Stripe Spell by Emily Rodda
Illus. by Lucinda Gifford. Allen and Unwin, 2020. ISBN:
9781760529857. 176pp.
(Age: 6-9) Highly recommended. Emily Rodda always writes with flair
and understanding of what children will like. This book is for
younger readers for whom a little bit of fantasy and magical
nonsense is very appealing. Monty and his miscellaneous 'lucky-dip'
collection of animal and human companions live on a rather unusual
island. They beach-comb for treasures, avoid the local marauding
pirate - Scary Mary, practise magical tricks, laugh with (and at)
each other and visit the only sign of human habitation - the Cafe,
run by Marigold. An unexpected find on the beach leads to a magical
and stripy transformation of all that they see, just before the
arrival of Scary Mary's pirate ship with her crew of misfits. The
island has some far-fetched creatures including the Argue birds,
scatterworms, jinglebees and the Hairy Horrible, all of whom have a
part to play in the protection of the island from the destructive
talents of the Pirate crew.
This is just a light-hearted and fun adventure for young readers who
have moved to independent reading. With characters introduced with a
visual introduction by the illustrator with her appealing comic
cartoon-like illustrations, the book launches into the
not-quite-normal world of Monty's Island. Launching straight into
the text of Chapter 1 without spending time getting to know the
characters from the visual introduction is not wise, but it does not
take long to work out the antics of each of the eccentric island
inhabitants. As the magical and comedic adventure progresses, the
fun continues in spades (you need a spade to dig up the treasure,
don't you?!)
Definitely to be recommended for young readers who need a bit of
deserted island escapism. This is book one, with more to come, so we
will be able to keep recommending more from this acclaimed author.
Themes: Pirates; Magic; Treasure; Fantasy; Deserted Island;
Friendship.
Carolyn Hull
Sabotage by Shelley Johannes
Beatrice Zinker, Upside Down Thinker book 3. Lothian
Children's Books, 2020. ISBN: 9780734417350.
(Age: 7-10) Recommended. Beatrice Zinker, with her small group of
friends, have created a wonderful, but secret, campaign to
acknowledge 'special' people within their school community with a
certificate of honour. The joy of these awards seems to have sparked
a copycat. Beatrice is known for her creative thinking upside-down
(and for her break-dancing skills) and in combination with her
oldest friend Lenny and their new friend Sam, have made something
worthwhile in the community, but the copycat award introduces an
element of distrust in the friendship. Beatrice must sort out the
sabotage and work out who has copied their awards. Unfortunately,
things do not go smoothly and acting like a jellyfish, missing the
bus and a trip to the Principal's office create interesting detours
in her investigation.
Beatrice's eccentricity and her abilities, both right-way-up and
upside-down, make her a charming main character. This is the third
book in the series and there are references to the previous books
and complications for the young girl. The book could be read easily
without having to read the previous books in the series. Quirky
illustrations interspersed through the text add comedic detail. This
is another series that will engage younger female readers who love a
mystery and friendship story, with a hint of humour. Themes:
Friendship; Jealousy; Acts of Kindness; Break-dancing.
Carolyn Hull
Gulliver's wife by Lauren Chater
Simon and Schuster, 2020. ISBN: 9781925596380.
(Age: Senior secondary - Adult) Highly recommended. Mary Gulliver,
widow of the famous seafaring ship's surgeon, Lemuel Gulliver, has
carved an existence for herself as a midwife to women in need, her
hard earned income and frugality gradually paying off the debts left
by her careless husband. It seems that finally she might manage to
maintain her household - herself, her teenage daughter Bess, young
son Johnny, and the household help Alice, an escapee from a violent
home. It is the early 1700s London; women are completely dependent
on men to protect and provide for them. Mary has always to be
careful of her reputation, opinion could quickly turn against her,
and she could find herself spurned and despised, without anyone to
stand between her and the mob - apart perhaps from the steadfast
Richard, cousin to her husband, and probably the man she should have
married. It seems she has finally managed to work out a reasonable
existence, when what should happen but that the long lost husband,
presumed dead in a shipwreck, suddenly reappears drunken and
dishevelled, and invades their lives.
This is a novel in the style of The
other Bennett sister by Janice Hadlow, where the author
has picked out a minor character from a classic novel and reimagined
the story from their perspective. In this case, Mary Gulliver is a
minor character, barely mentioned in Swift's story of Gulliver's
travels. Chater has sought to understand what her life would
have been like, abandoned for years on end while he sailed the seas,
and then suddenly having to deal with a husband returned from the
dead, with stories of monsters, little men and tiny sheep. If
Hadlow's story of Mary Bennet highlighted the desperate need for
women to ensnare a suitable husband and provider in the 19th
century, Chater's story reveals the even worse situation in the 18th
century where women could be raped, abused, and cast out with
nowhere to go.
Centre to Chater's story is the mother-daughter relationship between
Mary and Bess. Bess cherishes her memories of her father's wondrous
stories and treasures from distant lands. She wants to live his life
of adventure and is unappreciative and alienated from her mother's
work with suffering women. Mary's desire to protect her daughter
from harsh realities means that the two have become distanced from
each other, and only with time does Bess come to understand the kind
of bravery that Mary represents.
This novel provides a unique perspective on the hidden lives of
women in literature, and in history, whilst also exploring the
mother-daughter relationship in a way that is relevant to today.
Themes: Women, Mothers and daughters, Abuse, Childbirth, Midwifery.
Helen Eddy
Dugong magic by Deborah Kelly
Illus. by Lisa Stewart. Hachette, 2020. ISBN: 9780734419965. 32pp.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. With the vulnerable dugong only surviving
within marine parks around Australia's coast, this timely look at
the animal and its habits and vulnerability should shake the
sentiments of young readers to help them become more aware of how we
have had an impact on the lives of these majestic animals who live
as long as we do.
The first half of the story shows the birth and early development of
a dugong, bonding with its mother, helped to make its first steps
within the marine environment, rising to the surface, testing its
strengths, finding the right food to eat and how to eat it, learning
to hide when predators come along. But it is the human activity that
throws them more than anything else. They must avoid the rubbish
thrown into the sea, dive down when noisy fast boats skim over the
water above, look out for nets that entrap until the dugong calf
finds it is alone.
Children will be saddened for the baby dugong, left alone in a sea
of danger, but be made well aware that it is unsafe because of our
misuse of the land in which we live. The last four double pages
offer solutions that will delight the readers, upset by the dugong's
plight. This will engage the children in real solutions after
reading the story preceding it, and all is followed by a page of
information about the dugong, aimed at giving the reader the
information they need to better understand the plight of the dugong,
half of the world's population of which live in Australian waters.
Themes: Dugongs, Pollution, Environment, Vulnerable animals,
Fishing.
Fran Knight
Goodnight glow worms by Aura Parker
Puffin Books, 2020. ISBN: 9780143792918. 32pp.
(Age: 3+) Recommended. What happens when glow worms must go to
sleep? These glow worms, the yellow, red, green, blue and pink glow
worms just cannot turn off their glow and lie awake in their beds.
In rhyming pairs of lines, Parker tells the story of a group of glow
worms going to bed. They lie down, but simply cannot wind down. They
try counting to three to no avail, so they call in mum for a
goodnight kiss. She kisses their noses, cheeks and toes and off they
go to sleep. But yellow glow worm cannot find his blankie so a
search is on until it is found and he can quietly go to sleep with
his sisters and brothers.
A bedtime story to quieten even the most irascible of would be
sleepers, the gentle coaxing rhymes will help with last minute
attempts to get them to sleep. The storyline is one that will
intrigue but the tale of the timeline to bedtime is
universal, ending with mum's kisses and a final hold on to a
blankie. The calming, quiet words envelop the listener, helping them
in their trip to snuggling down into their bed for sleep.
Along the path to sleep, Parker includes colours and numbers, subtly
introducing basic information at a young age, reinforcing learning
these concepts, while the rhyming phrases impel the listener to
predict the rhyming word.
Parker's use of mixed media, pencil, watercolour and digital
composition will delight the young as they see the humour in the
illustrations, carefully watching the little glow worms as they wind
down to sleep. The detail will intrigue and the endpapers
particularly will engage the readers, following the maps of the glow
worm caves. Themes: Glow worms, Bedtime, Humour, Verse.
Fran Knight
The crumbling castle by Brenda Gurr
The fabulous cakes of Zinnia Jakes series. New Frontier
Publishing, 2020. ISBN: 9781925594973. 88pp.
(Age: 7-10) Zoe Jones (alias Zinnia Jakes) is a nine year old girl
who lives with her Aunt Jam. Her mother, who was a famous pastry
chef, has died, and her father, a renowned restaurant critic, is
always travelling the world. Since a young age Zoe has had a flair
for cake baking and runs a very successful secret cake making
business under the eye of her Aunt. Zoe's best friend Addie is in on
the secret. Addie is a great gymnast and very good at STEM
activities. Zoe is emailed a special order to make a medieval cake
for a woman at a medieval fair. The cake will be raffled and the
money will go to a worthy cause. Her aunt and her aunt's boyfriend
are also learning medieval instruments, to play at the fair. Zoe's
cat Coco has special ways of communicating with her, such as paw
tapping and tail flicking, and lets Zoe know that her original idea
of building a castle from chocolate cake isn't authentic. Zoe does
some research and finds a very interesting original recipe. Addie,
being a STEM whiz, helps with the design of the castle. However, in
order to deliver the cake to her client and remain a mystery, Zoe
has to engage in some subterfuge. It isn't all plain sailing for Zoe
with an unpleasant teacher and boy bully but in the main it is an
upbeat though somewhat contrived story.
The author has included the medieval recipe Zoe uses which is quite
a good ploy. This novel has short sentences and is aimed at young
independent girl readers. Given the interest we have in celebrity
cooking it will certainly have an audience. The main characters are
all smart and resourceful, so are good role models for girls. The
sparkly colourful cover is attractive. Another book is coming in the
Zinnia Jakes series.
Jo Marshall
