Simon and Schuster, 2019. ISBN: 9781982148713.
(Age: 16+) Highly recommended. Zelda is unusual. She has a
fascination with all things to do with Vikings, and she wants to
live her life by their code. We learn that she suffered brain damage
at birth due to her mother's alcoholism during pregnancy. Now,
having escaped from creepy Uncle Richard, it is just her and her
brother struggling to get by. But the problem is that in order to
get away and set up their new life, her brother Gert has become
embroiled with thugs and the world of crime. There are some dark
scenes in this novel, but throughout it all we are buoyed by Zelda's
curiosity, her naive questions and literal interpretations of what
people say. It will make you laugh, but at the same time you know
that she is in danger and some of the people around her are really
bad characters.
This novel has been compared to A critical incident of the dog
in the night-time, but this is definitely an adult version.
Zelda is 21, and she wants to have sex with her boyfriend Marxy, a
fellow participant in the community centre programs for 'different'
people. The people around her have varying attitudes to her interest
in sex, from her counsellor, Dr Laird, to Marxy's mother Pearl, to
her brother Gert, to her friend AK47, Gert's ex-girlfriend. But
Zelda is very strong willed and determined to do what she wants.
It is that determination and courage, part of the Viking code of
honour, that sees her enter some very dangerous situations, in the
quest to become her own legend, and save her brother from danger.
This novel will keep you laughing and engaged until the end. And you
can't help but admire Zelda's determination and courage; it is her
values that are at the heart of the novel, and ultimately see her
conquer the evil Grendels.
Helen Eddy
A is for ant illus. by Kate Slater
Dorling Kindersley, 2020. ISBN 9780241435922. 16pp. board book.
(Age: 1-5) Recommended. Young children are in for a treat as they
learn about ants in this engaging board book from DK. As is usual
for this publisher, the information and artwork is beautifully
produced in a most enticing board book. Every young child who has
this read aloud will be certain to learn lots about ants, while at
the same time, learning the words that start with 'a' (ant, antenna,
apple, anthill, air, ant farm, awesome, anteater and amazing). The
facts are basic and memorable: 6 different types of ants are
illustrated on the beginning double page spread and then a single
page is used to give information about specific parts of the ant and
what they eat. Children will be fascinated by the idea of an
ant farm and I am sure there would be some requests to have one in a
classroom or home.
The illustrations are bold and colourful, with some humour being
added; for example the long red tongue of the cute anteater will be
sure to bring smiles to the faces of children who are listening to
the well-structured narrative, which reads aloud very well.
This is a lovely non-fiction introduction to the world of ants, an
ideal book for any child who is interested in nature.
Pat Pledger
The haunting of Peligan City by Sophie Green
Illus. by Karl James Mountford. Potkin and Stubbs book 2.
Picadilly Press, 2019. ISBN: 9781848127630. 384pp., pbk.
(Age: 10-12) Everyone needs a friend like Lil. Dependable,
courageous and with a nose for a story, Lil's dream is to write for
the underground newspaper, the Klaxon, to report the REAL news. Some
ghastly events are happening in Peligan City. It's creepy! Prominent
people are simply disappearing. Who is behind it all, what happened
to poor Delilah, and is the Doll Hospital really just that? Lil's
good buddy, Nedly, makes people shiver when he passes near them. But
Nedly has invaluable skills that most people lack, like passing
through walls, because he just happens to be . . . a ghost!
Lil 'noses' her way into situations by tagging along with private
investigator, Abe Mandrel and his little dog Margaret. Abe is
baffled with the furtive happenings and when the Governor is
murdered too, Lil knows she must use all her knowledge and
experience to assist in solving the shocking crimes.
This book is definitely not for the faint hearted! Nor should it be
read late at night or if you are home alone! 10-12 yr olds should
enjoy this book.
Joan Smith
Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
Bloomsbury, 2019. ISBN: 9781526619211.
This collection of Norse Myths translated and adapted from original
texts by Neil Gaiman examines some of what has become the source
material for countless books, films and TV series. A mythology is
clearly articulated with an introduction to the gods and their
worlds before launching into stories of powerful players, strong
women, great trials of strength, betrayal and brutal retribution.
Stories of gods who shape men's lives; fickle, vain and
unpredictable beings who fight giants and sea monsters using magic
and cunning in stories which have been told and retold for
centuries. We learn that Odin is prepared to sacrifice a great deal
in his quest for wisdom and that he transformed himself several
times to steal the Mead of Poets. Great storytellers are
said to have tasted "Odin's gift" and the bad ones the wet fart he
let out as he escaped. In Freya's Unusual Wedding Thrym,
lord of the ogres has stolen the hammer of the gods, Mjollinir
wanting to marry the beautiful Freya as ransom. Mighty Thor is
persuaded to disguises himself as the bride to steal his beloved
hammer back. Always in the background is the devious Loki, never far
away when things go awry.
This is storytelling at its best, clear, accessible, funny and
engaging. It is a surprise when we read a text so rhythmic and
immediate that it cries out to be read aloud. In this era of high
definition video and amazing special effects we sometimes miss the
power of the spoken word to waken our own imagination and activate
memories that go back to the scary fairy tales we heard as children.
This is just scary enough to be loved by all.
Themes; Myths, fantasy, magic.
Sue Speck
Me and my boots by Penny Harrison
Bronte. Illus. by Evie Barrow. Little Hare, 2019. ISBN:
9781760502331. 24pp.
(Age: 3+) Recommended. Themes: Boots, Personality, Family,
Activities. Bronte's boots never leave her feet. She loves them and
in this charming tale of family relationships each person tells her
what they mean to them. Some people call them her bossy boots, queen
of all the land boots, but Bronte tells us that is not really her.
Mum calls them her brave-girl boots, Da her bright-eye boots, Gran
her big-dream boots, Pa calls them her you-beaut boots, Ben, her
brother calls them her bear-hug boots as they snuggle into the chair
to read together, her teacher calls them her bustling boots as she
rushes around the classroom doing jobs. Each person in her family
and friendship group have a different perception of who Bronte is,
and use the boots as a measure of her personality. We see her in
various places: home, the school and playground, interacting with
members of her family and those outside her family: friends, school
friends and the teacher. Each sees her differently.
Barrow's stylish illustrations hit the mark as they show a young
skirted Bronte doing a variety of activities, interacting with
various members of her peer group and family, acting out various
personas. And the readership will love looking for the details in
Barrow's illustrations, comparing the things in the house and
bedroom with those they have at home, drawing them closer to the
girl in the centre of the story. And at the end of the tale we learn
what Bronte thinks her boots reflect, herself.
Fran Knight
I am change by Suzy Zail
Black Dog Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781925126839.
(Ages 16+) A confronting but important story inspired by the true
experiences of young Ugandan women. I Am Change follows
Lilian, a young girl who dreams of becoming a teacher or a writer in
a village where women's education is not valued or encouraged.
Fighting hard to be the first person in her family to graduate
primary school, and eventually the first girl from her village to
graduate university, Lilian faces countless obstacles on the path to
these goals. From fasting so that the men have more to eat, to
exchanging sexual acts for basic school supplies, the women in
Lilian's village have accepted that their purpose is to please the
men in their lives. While the injustice and oppression around her is
suffocating, Lilian is determined to break free from the cultural
expectations that surround her and forge her own path towards the
future she dreams of. Zail fictionalises the recounts of real young
women in Uganda with an authenticity and rawness that maintains the
reader's interest and anger at the injustices that they face from
the first until the very last page. The novel highlights the
cultural beliefs and expectations that are still actively present in
Ugandan communities and brings them to the attention of readers;
providing a confronting insight into a very different environment,
with a hopeful message; while education is the key to battling
injustice and poverty, inner strength, determination and persistence
can improve even the toughest circumstances. Lilian's drive and
resolve not only improved her own life, but the lives of the women
around her, replacing feelings of shame, regret and hopelessness
with courage and light. Warnings should be noted for sexual assault,
domestic violence, female genital mutilation, sexism and misogyny.
Not recommended for younger readers.
Daniella Chiarolli
Funny Kid kicks butt by Matt Stanton
Funny Kid, book 6. HarperCollins Children's Books, 2019.
ISBN: 9780733336027. 281 pp., pbk.
(Age: 8-10) Just what does a kid have to do to become famous?
Especially more famous than that celebrity rich kid Spencer Daniels,
with his humungous bodyguard, The Fridge.
Max, alias 'funny kid', is super confident of winning the major role
of Captain Kickbutt in the new movie. But, things don't always go as
planned, so Max and his friends must resort to 'borrowing' a
superhero costume from the wardrobe department and, hey presto,
Thunder Butt is born.
From rescuing a guinea pig up a tree to saving an old man from being
run down by a bus, Superhero Thunder Butt must work very hard to
achieve his dream of becoming famous. Then there is the matter of
the stolen necklace from Hugo's family's jewellery store. Classmate
Abby tried to sleuth it out, but she needs Thunder Butt's help to
finally trap the culprit. Thunder Butt has no option but to
embarrass and infuriate 'famous kid' Spencer during very public
interviews, in a very mischievous way. While 'famous kid' throws a
massive tantrum, Thunder Butt realises being a Superhero is not all
fun, sometimes the best plan is to . . . RUN!
This entertaining little book is easy to read and should captivate
children aged 8-10 who like adventure and plenty of action.
Joan Smith
The colossal book of colour by Lorna Hendry
Wild Dog Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781742035727.
(Age: 6+) Recommended. With several pages introducing the idea of
colour and its importance, Hendry then has a double page about white
light, introducing the terms dispersion and refraction in terms
which will be easily understood. Following this she are two
fascinating pages describing what colour is and how we see colour.
Then a double page on each of the colours black and white follows.
When the book is read from cover to cover, the scheme makes sense
but it is hard to dip in and out without a contents page or index.
A colour wheel explains the positions of colours in relation to each
other, the primary and secondary colours and how they form
complimentary colours. The primary and secondary colours each have a
double page in which the colour is explained followed by several
more pages showing different aspects of that colour. Blue for
example has a page on why the sky is blue and the colour of snow, as
well as a page about colour blindness and a series of colour
perception tests.
Each page is fascinating and begs the reader to read it all,
thinking about it as they go, trying out some of the tests for
themselves, and attempting some of the suggestions. I love the facts
given at the end of some of the pages, the 'did you know' section
will be lapped up by eager readers.
With sections about the colours only animals can see, or how to make
your own dyes, how colours help some animals survive, the colours of
music, each page offers a variety of information and will keep
readers interested. And illustrated in the vibrant colours
described, interest will not wane.
Themes: Colour, STEM.
Fran Knight
Two can keep a secret by Karen A. McManus
Penguin, 2019. ISBN: 9780141375656. 327pp. pbk.
Twins Ellery and Ezra must stay with their grandmother in a small
town in Vermont, Echo Ridge, near the Canadian border while their
mother, Sadie is in rehab following a conviction for crashing her
car under the influence of a prohibited drug. They know that the
town lies under a cloud. Their mother's babysitter, Melanie had a
daughter, Lacy, who was killed five years ago. This is still an
unsolved murder and everyone has an opinion about who killed her.
And Lacy's boyfriend, Declan leaving soon after her funeral, divided
people's opinions.
But on the way to Echo Ridge from the airport, the twins discover a
dead body on the road - a popular teacher, victim of a hit and run.
Settled in, Ellery begins watching. She is a true-crime buff and
wants to know as much as she can about Lacy's murder, and her own
aunt's disappearance some twenty five years before.
She and Ezra go to the local fun park, once called Murderland, but
after the discovery of Lacy's body there, had its name changed to
Fright Park. Here the two apply for part time work.
Declan's brother, Malcolm has never felt comfortable with the burden
of being in the same family, and now when things begin to happen
again, it is Malcolm who is found at the crime scenes. Graffiti is
sprayed at the fund raiser for Lacey, Malcolm found with the spray
can in hand. At the cemetery where he and Mia go to put flowers on
the teacher's grave, he finds a montage declaring that a third
homecoming queen will be killed.
When Ellery plucks up enough courage to ask her Grandmother about
her missing aunt, she sees the impact the deaths have had on the
people of the community and resolves to uncover the secrets hidden
in the town. She and Malcolm follow the clues and almost lose their
lives in their endeavours to uncover the truth.
A gripping read, this tightly plotted story has an underbelly of
secrets, some reaching back into past history, others more recent,
but each obscuring the reality of what is going on. Set at the time
of the homecoming ball, the backdrop of life in a school in the USA
is illuminating.
McManus is the author of acclaimed, One of
us is Lying (2017) where five teens walk into the detention
room and only four walk out. A thriller writer, McManus is honing
her crime writing skills with these two books and will gain a
willing audience.
Fran Knight
The Besties to the Rescue by Felice Arena
Illus. by Tom Jellett. Puffin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760890971. 80pp.
(Age: 5+) Very highly recommended. Felice Arena and Tom Jellett of
the Sporty Kids series have released a new series that will
appeal to newly independent readers and parents alike. The series
focuses on best friends Oliver and Ruby who have been friends
forever. Ruby loves to learn new tricks on the trampoline and Oliver
is more interested in working on his drawings in his treehouse.
In the first book of the series, Oliver is recording Ruby performing
a new trick on her trampoline when they capture the neighbour's cat
knock a baby bird our of its nest. Oliver and Ruby decide to look
after the bird until they can get it back to its mum.
The story follows the efforts of Ruby and Oliver to protect the baby
bird and get it back to its mother.
This is a very funny story that will engage children in the younger
years and would work as a read-aloud, read-along or as a first novel
for young children.
The addition of activities and jokes in the back of the book makes
this a series to remember. I believe that this series will become
very popular within the school library setting as it is an easy read
that is interesting and follows two children who encourage each
other's interests and embrace their differences and friendship to
work together to solve problems. Themes: Family, friendship, nature.
Mhairi Alcorn
Frostheart by Jamie Littler
Puffin, 2019. ISBN: 9780241355220.
(Age: 9-13) Highly recommended. Ash is the hero of the story and he
lives in an inhospitable village in a frozen land.
I was instantly grabbed by the exciting opening, where Ash and
friends kick their ball onto the frozen sea. He foolhardily decides
to step onto the solid surface to retrieve the ball, even though
treading on the ice is forbidden. Underneath the surface lurks
monsters, Leviathans, who hear and see him, break through the
surface and to try to devour Ash. He only just escapes and is helped
by his grumpy Yeti guardian.
Ash has never fitted into the Fira community and the fact that he
can hear the monster's song and wants to sing back himself, fills
the locals with fear and suspicion. This all comes to a head when
rare visitors arrive at the village and it is Ash and his forbidden
skills that save them from certain death.
He decides to leave on the visitors' ship Frostheart and the Yeti
Tobu loyally follows him.
Ash is on a personal journey or quest to discover the mystery of his
missing parents who were 'Pathfinders' and the meaning of his gift
of 'singing', of being a 'Song Weaver'. Along the way he becomes
part of many exciting adventures and interacts with an assortment of
Frostheart crew members, closely befriending a Drifter girl
named Lunah.
Black and white illustrations are distributed throughout the novel
and they help to give a deeper understanding of the characters and
settings. The monsters are wonderfully scary, threatening and fast.
This fantasy tale is a debut novel for Jamie Littler and other books
will continue the tale. I feel this will be a popular series for 9
to 13 year olds and readers of Nevermoor and Harry
Potter will find this a thrilling read.
I highly recommend this novel as part of your school/public library
or personal collection.
Jane Moore
All the bright places by Jennifer Niven
Penguin Random House, 2020. ISBN: 9780241395967.
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Two young teenagers meet on the
narrow outside ledge of the school clock tower. Theodore Finch is
known as Theodore Freak, the weird boy always doing something crazy.
He is contemplating whether this day is the day that he will die.
Violet Markey is one of the cool girls, but who now suddenly feels
alone and guilty, having lost her sister in a car accident that
Violet blames herself for. Both find themselves looking down on the
school grounds far below.
Violet gets the credit for talking Finch down. Little do family and
school friends know but it was actually more in the reverse: it was
Finch who saved Violet's life. Thus begins a tenuous relationship as
Violet gets drawn more and more into a friendship with a person who
seems so charismatic, so dramatically in love with life, and so
irrepressibly full of enthusiasm - nobody can read these pages
without loving Finch. Only gradually the reader becomes aware of the
violence, the apathy, and the neglect that have coloured his life,
and which have left their deep scars. Finch however constantly
strives to find the joy and beauty in life. It is not until the
latter pages of the book that the reader, like Violet, comes to
really understand his situation.
The two students collaborate on a school geography project that
challenges them to explore the unique and celebratory places in
their home state of Indiana. In doing so they draw closer together,
and Violet gradually braves the demons that hold her back. She
becomes 'Ultraviolet Remarkey-able' as Finch likes to call her.
Author Jennifer Niven has written a tender story about two teenagers
struggling with thoughts of suicide, drawn together by a shared
experience of loneliness, rejection, depression and guilt. It is a
sensitive portrayal of grief and teenage love that is sad but
ultimately uplifting in its resolution. I am sure it will be a very
popular film when it comes to Netflix.
The end pages remind young readers that they are not alone, and
there is help out there. They list support services in the U.K.,
Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
Helen Eddy
The year of the rat by Charles Hope
Illus. by Jess Racklyeft. Wild Dog, 2019. ISBN 9781742035789. 32pp.
(Age: 4+) A timid and shy creature, Rat is happy with her costume
for the school play. She is to play a tree and has made an
appropriate costume, happy to be in the background. But on the day,
disaster strikes. Sheep breaks a tap in the bathroom and the stage
is flooded. Rabbit trips over a drum, spilling the pots of glue,
which cover his fur and worst of all, Tiger, the star of the show,
comes to school with a ferocious cold. Cancellation is spoken of.
But shy Rat is also imaginative and capable, and organises the group
into making use of things they have not thought about. She raids the
art room and brings out cardboard and paint, bottles, string and
tins and with the help of the others turns these into useful props
and instruments. Going outside they take over the playground as
their stage. Now only the star of the show is missing.
Rat has been to every rehearsal and knows the words by heart, so
donning a tiger skin she steps onto the stage and saves the day.
This lovely story of courage, of overcoming difficulties, will have
appeal to a younger audience, especially those who like Rat are
timid and unsure of themselves. The unusual illustrations will
intrigue readers as they look at the detail and follow the image of
Rat as she changes from someone at ease in the background to taking
over the main stage. 2020 being the Year of the Rat in the Chinese
Zodiac makes this an appropriate story for the coming year,
especially around Chinese New Year (25th January). Included at the
end of the book are several pages outlining the 12 signs of the
Chinese Zodiac, encouraging readers to work out which animal
represents the year they were born.
Themes: Rats, New Year, Chinese Zodiac, Courage.
Fran Knight
Top marks for murder by Robyn Stevens
Murder most unladylike series, book 8. Puffin, 2019. ISBN:
9780241348383. 400pp.
(Age: 10+) Recommended. This murder mystery is the 8th in the series
(nine in total) and the two leading characters Daisy and Hazel have
returned to their school, Deepdean, to find that a new, more popular
girl is now the focus of most of the students.
Deepdean is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary and there are
several days of activities and presentations for both the students
and their visiting parents.
Of course, 'A murder most unladylike' needs a body or two and the
first alleged murder is seen in the distance from the girls' dorms.
As Daisy, Hazel and their small group try to uncover the mystery of
the strangulation in the woods, more murders and attempted murders
occur throughout the story.
It is all very proper 1930's young lady's school meets Midsomer
Murders, as the bodies seem to mount up around Daisy and
Hazel.
Except for Inspector, who has a great respect for the girls'
sleuthing, the rest of the local police seem incapable of solving
any crime. Daisy and Hazel are encouraged to collect information
about the people present at the school anniversary and report their
observations back to the Inspector.
Robin Stevens illustrates how the girls interact and the way that
they treat each other. Class snobbery contributes to some of Daisy's
opinions about people. The narrator, Hazel, is a much kinder
character and doesn't see the world in the same black and white way
as Daisy.
This is the first book I have read in the series and although the
characters refer to other stories it was still successful as a
stand-alone book.
Many students at my primary school are very keen to read murder
mysteries and this gives them a chance to enjoy the genre, solving
puzzles and guessing 'who did it'. They are not gruesome or bloody
just good old-fashioned sleuthing.
I recommend this book to 10 year olds and above.
A book
trailer is available.
Jane Moore
Fairies in the forest by Lindsey Kelk
Illus. by Pippa Curnick. Cinders and Sparks book 2.
HarperCollins, 2019. ISBN: 9780008292140. 208pp.
(Age: 7+) Very highly recommended as a series. Recommended as a
stand-alone book. I haven't read book one Magic at midnight
but after reading this I am now looking out for it and book three as
I think you need to read them all in quick order so that you get the
full joy of these books.
The book begins with Cinders who is a modern day Cinderella on the
run in the deep dark woods with her dog Sparks and mouse who is now
a horse (of course) and Hansel. If you haven't read book one there
are a number of things that you either have to take for granted or
work out as the story progresses that have obviously occurred in
book one, however the story flows in such a way that you are pulled
along on a wild and enjoyable ride.
As Cinders ventures deeper into the forest she encounters the Three
Bears, sleeps in their beds, convinces Daddy Bear not to eat her,
escapes forest monsters and meets Rapunzel. In this convoluted fairy
tale adventure children will certainly be engaged and giggle as they
read the book, especially if they have experience with a number of
fairy tales. I love the illustrations and feel that these really add
to the story and help to support the story and engage the younger
readers.
This is a fantastic book, however I think that children would find
the cliff-hanger ending frustrating which is why I feel that this
series of books would be best read together rather than
individually. Saying this does not change my opinion that these
would be fantastic as class novels or as a read-aloud and will
become favourites within classes and libraries with all students,
especially those who have moved onto short novels. Themes: Family,
Friendship, Fairies, Fairytales, Animals, Magic.
Mhairi Alcorn
