Quercus, 2019. ISBN: 9781786540997. 256pp.
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Oleg and Emma are best friends, hang out
together at school and have their own little hideaway in the
schoolyard. They use their imaginations to invent a student,
Sebastian, and even add him to the class register and hand up work
in his name. What shocks them both is when their imaginary friend,
Sebastian actually shows up, in a bizarre cardboard spaceship.
He is very friendly but not very wise in the ways of the world and
Oleg and Emma feel responsible for him as he is their own creation.
Sebastian participates in school lessons and eventually befriends
the class.
The impossible boy brings with him impossible adventures, as a
menacing group of masked people seem determined to capture him and
make him disappear again. Exploits include snow women who have come
to life, the groundsman who never seems to age, a pop-up goat and
the mysterious "Institute of Unreality".
Emma and Oleg have personal problems in their home lives which make
their daily existence difficult and uncomfortable. Both have issues
with parents who are not able to parent for differing reasons and
are unaware of their children's day to day life as well as the more
bizarre happenings around Sebastian.
Author Ben Brooks, well known for his Stories
for boys who dare to be different, has written a
rollicking tale where factual and imaginary worlds blend together
and the characters from stories or imaginations have their own life
in the real world.
He tells a fun story but also gives insights into the children's
world of friendships, loyalty and home responsibilities.
The front cover, illustrating Sebastian's arrival is bright and
appealing and there are black and white illustrations scattered
throughout the book. I recommend this story to students aged 8 and
over.
Jane Moore
The Frozen Sea by Piers Torday
Quercus, 2019. ISBN: 9781786540768. 352pp.
(Age: 9-12) Recommended. It is 1984 and Jewel lives with her mother
Patricia and her only friend, a hamster named Fizz. Patricia has
always been obsessed by her missing sister and there is a family
mystery regarding her childhood. Official information is gradually
released throughout the novel and this infers there was an
unsanctioned experiment regarding an alternative world.
Jewel tends to be an outsider and when she is chased by school
bullies, she seeks refuge in a bookshop. She falls into a book and
continues an adventure started by her mother and her aunt and uncles
many years ago. She is guided into the fantasy world of Folio where
she has to rescue her aunt who has been missing since childhood. In
this fantasy world, Fizz has the power to speak and gives lots of
comical, self-centred advice to Jewel.
Folio is inhabited by many storybook characters and a fearsome
collection of robots. Everyone is obsessed with their Stampstone,
which gives information and tells the wearers what to think. It's
interesting how nearly everyone in Folio relies on the Stampstone
and are obsessed with their screens and information, a strong
comparison to the tablets and iphones of today.
Aided by a copper robot and Fizz, Jewel must travel to the Frozen
Sea to find her aunt and meets a variety of fictional characters
along the way. The Frozen Sea holds all the answers to her quest and
she must face this danger to find a solution.
Piers Torday has written acclaimed fantasy books such as The
Lost Magician, short listed for an award by The Times.
I recommend this book to children 9 to 12 years old.
Jane Moore
The lonely dead by April Henry
Palgrave, 2020. ISBN: 9781250233769. 240pp.
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Adele is walking through the woods when she
sees Tori, the girl she had a fight with at a party. She realises to
her horror that Tori is a ghost and has been murdered. Adele has
always been able to see the dead, a talent passed down in her family
and even though she has been diagnosed with schizophrenia she knows
that she has this ability. Now with a murderer on the loose, she
must try to find out who it is without becoming a victim herself.
This is a quick easy read for fans of mystery and the paranormal. It
is easy to relate to Adele who has been on medication for years but
who feels so much better when she isn't taking them. However when
suspicion of the murder turns to her, the fact that she hasn't been
taking her meds makes her a more likely suspect. Her relationship
with Charlie the nephew of one of the detectives investigating the
murder adds interest to the story.
A lot of information about the effects of drinking and how
overindulging can lead to blackouts, is also a timely warning of the
physiological effects of alcohol, and Adele's inability to remember
much about when she left the party is also a useful device for
getting the reader to wonder if perhaps she did really murder Tori.
At 240 pages, The lonely dead is sure to please readers who
want a stand-alone that is entertaining and engrossing.
Themes: Mystery and suspense, Paranormal, Ghosts, Psychic ability,
Murder, Reluctant readers.
Pat Pledger
China through time retold by Edward Aves
DK, 2020. ISBN: 9780241356296.
(Age: 7+) Highly recommended. Themes: China, Canals, Yangtze,
Ancient history, Regeneration. Two and a half thousand years ago, an
emperor had a brilliant idea - joining the two mighty Chinese
rivers, the Yangtze and Huai to form a magnificent canal which would
enable him to move troops quickly to places where they were needed.
The next thousand yeas saw canals built and waterways joined to
create an incredible canal capable of trading between Hangzhou in
China's south and Beijing in the north.
Each double page of this outstanding large format book recreates a
scene in the life of this canal system, shadowing the rise of China
as a powerful nation in the Asian realm. The first double page,
entitled, Construction begins, Yangzhou 486BCE, shows an army of
peasants digging and carting soil. Information around the edges of
the pages gives details about how the people worked, while the
illustration shows in no uncertain terms the brutality of the regime
in charge. Several men in chains are being taken away by heavily
armoured warriors, one dying man is being carted off by fellow
workers, high towers surround the project with soldiers on the
alert. Eager eyes will pick out the work the men do, the
magnificence of the emperor and his retinue, the tools with which
these people worked.
Each subsequent double page displays the history of the Grand Canal,
completed in 605 CE. So readers will see the impact of the canal
bringing peace, civilisation and trade to towns along its banks. But
people became complacent and in 1699 CE a great flood threatened so
the emperor demanded that the river course be changed and the canal
dredged to avoid further floods destroying towns and cities. More
care was taken of the canal, reversing its decline and even though
fewer barges ply their trade along the waterway the Grand Canal is a
showcase of China's ancient heritage, a canal of some 1800 ks, the
longest and oldest canal in the world. This book shows readers the
people who use it: the builders, the soldiers, merchants, rivermen,
the emperor and his advisers, children and mysterious travellers.
The richly detailed illustrations are enticing, giving the reader a
panorama of Chinese life and customs, showing building styles, dress
and food, bridges and boats, life along the canal from small farms
and villages to the outstanding modern city of Tianjin, a stark
contrast to the pages before and after with their images of past
treasures. The last page offers a short quiz and glossary with
information about the illustrator, Beijing artist Du Fei who
specialises in detailed historical illustrations.
This is a remarkable book which reflects China's importance in the
world today while highlighting one of its past achievements.
Fran Knight
Foul is fair by Hannah Capin
Penguin, 2020. ISBN: 9780241404973.
(Age: 16+) Highly recommended. Revenge - this is the name of the jet
black hair dye that Elle chooses for her transformation into Jade,
following the night of her sweet 16 birthday outing to the St
Andrew's prep party, a party which changed her life, where she,
bright, shimmering in her silver dress and full of party fun, found
herself drugged by a spiked drink and gang raped by the school's
best young lads. Author Capin spares us the details of that night,
but the brief memory flashes that haunt Elle/Jade let us know enough
of what happened.
Elle decides she is not a victim, she is not a survivor, she is an
Avenger. She and her coven of loyal friends, Jenny, Summer and Mads,
set out to exact that vengeance with the death of every boy that
took part. And so Elle cuts and dyes her hair, and becomes Jade, the
tough new girl at St Andrew's. These are the first couple of
chapters of Capin's book. From there the action grips you by the
throat and drags you into the spiral of events where Jade, cool and
ruthlessly in control, targets each of her assailants one by one. A
pawn in Jade's game is the honourable young Mack, a boy who was not
part of the gang, but who becomes an easy target, someone who will
do her bidding.
If you think the story sounds violent and gruesome, think about the
plot of Macbeth, the Shakespearean play offered to senior
secondary students. Capin's novel is another version of the Macbeth
story; only it is not a mother driving her son to murder, but an
equally driven girl able to manipulate Mack in just the same way.
Her three friends are her coven, the witches, who chant and foretell
the future and assist Jade in becoming the powerful queen of the St
Andrew's peer group. There is no mercy, no kindness, no love, just a
fierce determination for vengeance and power.
Capin's novel would make an interesting study in its
reinterpretation of Shakespeare's play, an adaptation for modern
times that is bound to capture the imagination of students with its
setting of school peer groups, jealousy, bullying, and sexual
assault.
Helen Eddy
Denali by Ben Moon
Simon and Schuster, 2019. ISBN: 9780143133612.
(Age: Adolescent - Adult) In an unexpected way, this true story
lifts the reader into a realm where human and animal interaction
creates a bond that is intensely supportive and loving. Denali
is about the deep relationship between a dog and a human being. Its
focus is both on Ben's inner and outer 'selves' in all their
complexity, on his moods, desires and being, and intuiting the soul
and mind of his beloved dog. The narrative reflects the intensely
supportive and loving relationship that Ben builds with his dog.
In this intensely personal narrative, Ben takes us into his world,
one that embraces fresh air, mountains, surfing and climbing, and
includes, at the heart of his story, his beloved dog Denali. This is
clearly a revelatory and honest self-portrait that remains true to
its intention, woven around the relationship between human and dog.
The story soars with the emotional support that each offers when the
other is suffering. Throughout the narrative we are privileged to
'hear' what Denali is thinking, and those of us who believe in the
emotional and mental intelligence of dogs can understand how
comforting are the 'thoughts' that Ben intuits Denali as offering.
We are invited to understand the fundamental principles of loving
concern that Ben feels he is offered by Denali, and the deep concern
that Ben offers Denali in return is evident throughout their lives
together.
Ben Moon is a much respected professional photographer with an
absorbing interest in the outdoors, in the earth's extraordinary
structures, the mountains, the crags and the roiling seas. He surfs,
climbs and scales sheer cliffs, his stunning professional
photographs and stories supporting his lifestyle. Backed by the
suppliers of the clothing and tools appropriate for his loved
outdoor adventures, he makes short movies, writes up details of
places, climbs and outdoor walks, and produces exceptional
photographs of the mountains, cliffs, lakes and seas.
It would be most suitable, and indeed inspiring, for both adolescent
and adult reading.
Elizabeth Bondar
The Besties show and smell by Felice Arena and Tom Jellett
Penguin Random House, 2020. ISBN: 9781760890988. 80pp.
(Age: Beginner readers) Highly recommended. Felice Arena and Tom
Jellett have teamed up again with a new series called The
Besties. In the series, in each book, the two main characters
are introduced through illustrations and speech bubbles on the first
double page. "Hi. I'm Ruby." "Hi. I'm Oliver." These are fun,
page-turner beginner readers that are grounded in everyday
situations that engage children who are learning to read. The books
are small and easy to hold (approximately eighty pages) and each
page has a varied amount of large font text which is typeset in
different places on the pages - above, below and around the
illustrations for variety and interest. Sentences are well
structured; vocabulary is accessible; interest level is high. Even a
reluctant reader would want to read on to find out what is going to
happen to Olly and Ruby next. Because the situations are familiar,
much of the text (even the difficult words) could be inferred so
that the beginner reader would not stumble and lose the thread.
In The Besties show and smell, Ruby and Oliver have a
hilarious and worrying time with a relief teacher and Show and Tell
time in their class. At the back of the book are detailed
instructions about "How to make a rude noise with your armpit"
(Highly exciting!), a cartoon related to the topic by "Olly
Comics," a little ukulele song with an online address for lyrics,
chords and strumming patterns, two pages of jokes, information about
The Sporty Kids series and fun, child friendly information
about the author and illustrator.
There is plenty here to engage and indeed expand the world of the
beginner reader. Teachers would be pleased and relieved to see that
Felice Arena does not play "cool-not" games with incorrect grammar.
The beginner reader is exposed to only correct grammar and
punctuation! Hooray! Extracts could be used to direct student
attention to correct English usage as models for their own writing.
Highly recommended for both reading and interest level for beginner
readers.
Wendy Jeffery
Together things by Michelle Vasiliu
Illus. by Gwynneth Jones. EK Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781925820294.
32pp., hbk.
The little girl loved to do things with her dad - special things
like taming wild animals, flying high in the sky and climbing rocky
mountains. But now that's all changed because her dad is sick with
an illness that no one except a special doctor can see. And he might
even have to go to hospital to get better. However, her mother is
wise and she knows and explains how there are different things that
the girl and her dad can do together while he gets better, maybe not
as exciting as sailing stormy seas or drinking tea with the Queen,
but just as important so their love stays strong.
This is a story that will resonate with many of our students as one
in five adults experiences depression in their lifetime, so many
will understand and empathise. Together things helps young
children to understand that while it is okay for them to feel mad
or sad about this, sometimes they must do different things together
while their parent focuses on their mental health and getting
better.
Just as we are now paying attention to the mental health of our
students, so too must we help them understand that they are not
alone if there is such illness in their family and that they are not
responsible for it. Sharing this story and talking about how common
the issue is will help those kids seeing it firsthand realise that
they are not alone and that there are many ways to show and share
love.
Barbara Braxton
I am perfectly designed by Karamo Brown with Jason Brown
Illus. by Anoosha Syed. Macmillan Children's Books, 2019. ISBN:
9781529036152. 40pp.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. American media personality, author,
and activist Karamo Brown began his career in 2004 on the MTV The
Real world; Philadelphia, becoming the first openly gay black
man on a reality show. He is now a cultural icon, heading the
Netflix show, Queer Eye.
This book I am perfectly designed, celebrates diversity and
empowers children as it relates the story of a boy and his father
walking and talking through their day. Based on the interaction
between Karamo and his son, Jason, the book brims with
understanding. Each step is full of love and celebration,
companionship and family. Beginning with breakfast the chat between
father and son recalls their earlier years, as the boy remarks his
head seems so big in photos, but dad replies, it was perfectly
designed for you. This conversation sets the tone of the book, the
dialogue between the two, father and son, the child talking about
past events, dad reminding him all along that he is perfectly
designed. Climbing a tree in the ark, or playing on the swing, dad
reminds him that he is perfectly designed to explore the world. When
the boy becomes lost or sad, he is told that he is perfectly
designed and wonderful to his dad no matter how he feels.
The boy then talks about the future when he has left home and dad
grows older, and the two decide that roles will be reversed, that
the boy is perfectly designed to care for his father.
Each page reflects the sentiment expressed in the text, as the
illustrations are full of love and family, reminding readers what
they do with their dads, from talking over the breakfast table, to
walking to the park, celebrating Halloween, playing in the
playground, climbing a tree, meeting friends at the ice cream stall,
playing with other children in the street.
The illustrations by Canadian artist, Syed, bubble with family life,
displaying enthusiastic relationships between parents and children,
siblings and friends, reflecting the diversity of modern life.
The smallest detail will be picked out by eager eyes: tying
shoelaces, taking a photo with the phone, the age groups spotted in
the streets, the warmth of a family picnic, the market stalls, the
diversity of building styles. Each caught and held my attention,
making me want to read the book again. The endpapers too will draw
the eyes of the readers as they see themselves within one of the
family groups, and spot their friends and relatives.
This is a enticing story showcasing the loving relationship between
a father and his son, modelling the things they do together, the
times that will have as a family.
A clip
on the Macmillan website shows Karama and his son, talking about why
they wrote the book.
Themes: Diversity, Self image, Confidence, Inclusion, Communication.
Fran Knight
Deeplight by Frances Hardinge
Macmillan, 2019. ISBN: 9781529014570.
(Age: 11+) It is 30 years since the underwater gods of the Myriad
archipelago fought a cataclysmic battle and all died. Since then
relics of the gods' bodies are sought after as they retain power. 14
year old orphan, Hark, and his friend Jelt, 16, search the beaches
and dive for pieces of 'godware' to sell. Brave, clever, courageous
Jelt pulls Hark along like a current but his increasingly reckless
schemes eventually land Hark at the slave market where, after
eloquently speaking up for himself, he is saved from the slave
galleys and bought by Dr Vyne, a strange woman researching the old
gods. He is taken to an island fortress which turns out to be a
sanctuary for the old priests who no longer have gods to serve.
There Hark settles in to a life serving the priests and passing on
any of their knowledge to Dr. Vyne. When Jelt finds Hark and insists
on him helping retrieve an old bathysphere, loyal Hark gets involved
in something bigger than both of them.
This story is infused with language which conjures up images of the
sea, it ebbs and flows capturing the reader in a net of the
imagination. Through it all, issues of loyalty keep being tested:
'loyalty is not a virtue in its own right. Its' worth depends on
where it's spent' p128. Should Hark give loyalty where it is not
reciprocated? The more he learns through the stories of the old
priests, the more he understands about the connection between fear
and faith and the larger issues of Myriad's place in their world and
he has to make some hard decisions for the greater good.
A dark and complex story set in a well imagined fantasy world
suitable for middle school students and all lovers of fantasy.
Themes: Fantasy, magic, loyalty, friendship.
Sue Speck
Life without diabetes by Dr Roy Taylor
Simon and Schuster, 2020. ISBN: 9781760853914. 320pp.
(Age: Adult) Recommended. The Newcastle Diet gained notoriety in
2011, when a small group of people went on the diet exploring the
link between diabetes and the fatty tissue around the liver and
pancreas, by initially living for eight weeks on 600 calories a day.
Half of the small group were deemed to be in remission with their
diabetes at the end of the three month trial.
Professor Taylor's book, Life without Diabetes, outlines the
physiology of the gut and what the pancreas, liver and stomach do in
digesting food.
A forward by one of the participants in the study is of course
positive and joyous about having achieved a remission for her
diabetes and losing weight.
And following this introduction is a handy guide to using the book.
If like me, you want to get to the nitty gritty, then turning to
chapter 7 is the way to go, as this chapter tells you about the 600
calories a day diet and how to go about it. Chapters one to six
outline the way the body usually copes with food intake, and what
goes wrong to cause type 2 diabetes. And at the end of each chapter
is a fact file reiterating what was covered in the chapter before,
giving those overwhelmed with the terminology of the book an easy to
understand navigation tool.
The guide gives access to those with little time on their hands,
while many others will read the book from cover to cover. I dipped
in an out, reading the sections suggested, but also using the
substantial index to look things up that I wanted to know more about
(the pancreas, for example).
Although chatty and using layman's terms through out, I found the
book heavy going and needed to refer to the index, as well as having
a list of commonly used terms and their meanings as a book mark. Not
having done biology at school is a distinct disadvantage. (I have
also read Gut by Giulia Enders recently and even though it
is written in the most basic of language and uses humour to get its
message across, I needed to reread and keep a checklist of commonly
used words)
But this aside, for those living with diabetes, this is a
fascinating exploration of why it occurs and the steps people can
take to reduce the likelihood of getting it and a guide for some to
shake off the mantle of diabetes altogether. It worked with seven
out of the eleven original dieters in 2011 and has gained a much
larger group of supporters and participants since then.
A well researched and presented book, well worth a visit in the
continuing search for a way of loosing weight and preventing, even
reversing the onset of diabetes. Themes: Diabetes, Diet, Newcastle
Diet.
Fran Knight
Don't read this book before dinner by Anna Claybourne
National Geographic Kids, 2019. ISBN: 9781426334511. 144pp., pbk.
(Age: 6-12) "If you love to be grossed out, grab a seat at the table
to revel in some of the most repulsive and downright disgusting true
stories from around the globe.
From wretched rodents and beastly bugs to putrid plants and
muck-filled moats, step right in to find out more about the icky,
sticky world around you. Gloriously gross stories of decaying
delicacies, foul fashion, horrible history, awful animals, and more
are paired with eye-popping pictures, fun facts, and hilarious
quizzes in this fun book. Topics go way beyond food to include art,
plants, animals, fashion, pop culture, medicine, the human body, and
beyond. It's a hot mess to digest, but it's sure to leave kids
disgusted and delighted . . . " (Publisher)
Using an appealing double-page spread format to explore all things
gross, Nat Geo Kids is
designed to appeal to the 6-12 year olds keen to find out more about
their world and what is in it.
This particular edition is one that is likely to appeal to young
boys and while there are those adults who don't think this sort of
thing is "real reading" (in the same way comics were disdained in
their day), in my opinion anything that encourages them to hone
their literacy skills is to be commended, particularly when it has
the quality that you know is associated with Nat Geo Kids. To add to
the experience and spread their horizons wider, there is also the
Australian version of their website which has unique
topical local content such as What
is a Bushfire?
There are often queries to TL networks about what are the best
magazine subscriptions to continue as popularity tends to wane, and
for the primary school age group, Nat Geo Kids is always near the
top of the list proving it has stood the test of time as an
investment. With such a focus on the environment well beyond the
curriculum, it just make sense to make it available to our students.
Barbara Braxton
Graveyard Shift in Ghost Town by Michael Pryor
Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760523930. pbk., 307pp.
Following the success of Gap Year in Ghost Town (2017) comes
a sequel, Graveyard Shift in Ghost Town, where Anton and
Rani continue to work together to rid inner city Melbourne of a
swathe of ghostly manifestations. Pryor has lots of fun with
ghoulish humour keeping readers totally engaged and laughing. Anton
is nineteen and trying to be more mature and make mature decisions.
He is now part of his family firm, the Marins coming to Australia
after parting with the Company of the Righteous whose members get
rid of ghosts. Anton's family helps ghosts on their way, assisting
them leave this earth, a gentle strangely satisfying task. Anton and
Rani are about their trade one night when they discover there are
many many more ghosts than usual, and not just ghost: Lingerers,
Thugs, Moaners and Weepers are also hanging about in large
aggressive numbers.
Lulled into a smartly written and clever ghost hunting story I was
amazed when the duo came across the bodies of several homeless
people, strung up by chains, blood leaking all over the factory
floor. The mood of the book changes to something far more sinister
as Anton and Rani along with her researcher girlfriend, Bec, realise
that they were lured to this place and are now facing the worst of
the ghosts - Trespassers in the form of the Ragged Sisters with the
aim of ridding Melbourne of the Marins.
As the story becomes darker and more creepy, Pryor keeps the story
light with his emphasis on word play and asides, while their meeting
up with the brother and sister duo from London adds a new dimension
of intrigue to the story. When long lost aunt Angie turns up with an
horrendous story of being in the other world for five years, her
experiences help them with the ghost outbreak. Laugh out loud
humour, referencing up to the minute events, the setting in
Melbourne is intoxicating as the story and characters play out a cat
and mouse game to the death.
Fran Knight
Peace by Garry Disher
Paul Hirschhausen book 2. Text, 2019. ISBN: 9781922268150.
336pp.
(Age: Senior secondary - Adult) Highly recommended. Disher is an
expert at bringing to life the Australian countryside and Peace
is a wonderful example of rural noir. Although Constable Paul
Hirschhausen was introduced in Bitter Wash Road, Peace
can be read as a standalone. Hirsch is a rural cop patrolling the
areas in the dry country south of the Flinders Ranges in South
Australia. He is gradually beginning to be known by the town people
and even acts as Santa Claus for the children of the town. His
life has been relatively peaceful until there is a vicious attack in
Kitchener Street, and a woman leaves her baby in a hot car. Then the
Sydney police are involved and Hirsch has to use his expertise and
knowledge of the local area in locating a missing woman.
Disher is a master of descriptive writing and readers who have lived
in or visited small country towns will recognise the vivid pictures
of both the countryside and the town characters. And extracts from
Mrs Keir's 19th century journal will make the reader want to learn
more about early pioneering life and the Aboriginal community.
Hirsch is a very likeable character who is intelligent and very
capable of working out what is happening and following through,
making judgement calls that fit in with being a rural cop and
working with the community. His internal dialogue is often humorous
and adds to the enjoyment of the story.
The action ramps up with the discovery of a body and the reader is
left to grapple with all the different threads as Hirsch weaves his
way through danger, trying to avoid police bureaucracy and local
town politics. The nail biting conclusion highlights the clever
plotting by Disher and will leave the reader satisfied.
I can't wait for more Paul Hirschhausen stories.
Pat Pledger
Changing Australian education by Alan Reid
Allen and Unwin, Sydney, 2019. ISBN: 9781760875206.
Subtitled: How policy is taking us backwards and what can be
done about it. The author (an Adelaide ex-teacher and
university education lecturer) argues that neoliberalism is the
underlying cause of the problems in Australian education. These are
identified as a culture of competition (NAPLAN, PISA, etc. scores)
and an emphasis on self rather than the common good, leading to
inequitable educational outcomes and a socially segregated education
system including privatisation of the school system.
The proposed solution is to establish the purposes of education
which the author recommends as categorised into democratic,
economic, individual (education for its own sake) and social and
cultural purposes. Establishing these should lead to a fairer and
socially just society - the opposite of the effects of
neoliberalism. A case study is utilised to expand on the suggested
solution.
The book is useful for the general public interested in education as
well as educators as it covers a historical basis to current
education policy and discusses reviews of major reports (e.g. Gonski
Review, Grattan Report, work of T. Hattie) as well as critiques of
NAPLAN and PISA. However I found the language structure and terms
used detracted from ease of reading.
Ann Griffin
