Illus. by Annabel Cutler. Little Steps Publishing, 2019. ISBN:
9781925839418. pbk., 28pp
Highly recommended. This is a simple story about eating well and
teaching children good habits for healthy eating later in life.
Comparing the foods to the rainbow makes it a fun story and could
get young children thinking about what they are eating and how they
can vary what they are eating.
The illustrations in the book support the story well making it fun
to read.
The introduction for parents in the front of this book is a great
reminder to parents about the importance of eating healthily, and
that also it doesn't have to be a chore, it can be a game. Use the
rainbow plate to see how many different colors you can eat in a day.
You could also keep a record and see if over a week you can manage
to eat all of the colors of the rainbow.
I highly recommend this book.
Karen Colliver
Otherwise known as Pig by Catch Tilly
Wakefield Press 2019. ISBN: 9781743056790.
(Age: Years 9-12) Originally presented as a play, this story of year
nine students bullying and harassing each other, explores the damage
students can suffer at school when these issues are not addressed.
Morgan is physically bullied by Stormin, who is a slow learner and
makes up for it by being the biggest bully and fear of retaliation
means the other students don't intervene or report. Morgan is
academically clever but hates sports, much to his father's
disappointment. His parents are vaguely aware of his problems but
expect him to stand up for himself and his dad suggests self-defence
lessons. More worrying than Stormin is Chris, an intelligent
manipulator who Morgan has identified as a sociopath. He engineers
Morgan's being banned from his haven, the library, and then burns
down the art room when Morgan is welcomed there. Even Lissa, the
girl he likes, is affected by the bullying when Chris' girlfriend
Steph, makes sure she denies him. Morgan is not immune from the
culture of bullying, verbally taunting Stormin in a cycle of abuse.
This is a story of warped and abusive friendships and a boy
desperate for affection and self-respect. 'Loser' is a powerful word
wielded by the stronger in a daily struggle growing up in our
schools. The protagonists in this story feel powerless and the
adults are complicit in not maintaining a safe environment. I can
see this would have been a successful play but I found the
characters a little thin and unconvincing for a novel. The absence
of an adult perspective may make the book popular with younger
readers who may feel empowered by it and it will be a useful
discussion starter for middle school students. Teacher's
notes are available. Themes: Bullying, friendship.
Sue Speck
Cat science unleashed by Jodi Wheeler-Toppen
Photographs by Matthew Rakola. National Geographic Kids, 2019. ISBN:
9781426334412. 80pp., pbk.
(Age: 6-12) This is part of the NatGeo Kids Hands-on science series
and complements their website
aimed at 6-12 year olds. But rather than just facts and figures
about cats that can be found in any book about them, this encourages
the reader to participate in 22 safe and cat-friendly activities
that let them work alongside their cat to discover what makes it
tick.
They can learn the effects of catnip and why it can see so well in
the dark; how it balances so well and always land on its feet as
wells as toys to make. Each activity is paired with step-by-step
instructions, clear and interesting scientific explanations, and
cool photographs shot specifically for this book. Hands-on
activities and fun information for budding scientists prompt further
learning and offer a behind-the-scenes look at current feline
research.
Using a magazine format with lots of photos and diagrams as well as
information in accessible chunks, it is divided into four chapters,
each accompanied by relevant explanations and activities. There is
also a glossary, an index, and other extra information to help
students build their information literacy skills as they learn to
navigate non-fiction texts.
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
Aesop's fables first reading series by Susanna Davidson
Illus. by John Joven. Usborne, 2019. 48pp., hbk. The lion and the mouse. ISBN: 9781474956550. The ant and the grasshopper. ISBN: 9781474956567. The hare and the tortoise. ISBN: 9781474956543.
There are some stories that have stood the test of time for
generations and Aesop's fables are among these with their messages
still pertinent even in this age of screens and technology. So this
new release of these old tales written and illustrated for young
emerging readers will open them up to a new generation. The lion and the mouse tells the story of the arrogant lion
who cannot imagine that a tiny mouse would ever be able to help him
but discovers that friends can be found in strange places; The ant
and the grasshopper reminds us about the need to balance work
and play as Ant busily prepares for winter, while Grasshopper sings
the summer away; and The hare and the tortoise pits a
boastful hare against the slow tortoise with a surprising result.
Knowing these sorts of stories which are the basis of many other
stories enriches the young child's literary knowledge and adds depth
to their understanding of those other stories so to have them
available in the library's collection is essential, in my opinion.
Barbara Braxton
The Great River Race by Tim Harris
Illus. by James Foley. Toffle Towers 2, Puffin, 2020. ISBN:
9780143795438. 253p.
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Toffle Towers is still 'Fully
Booked' (Book One in the Toffle Towers series).
Chegwin Toffle, the world's youngest hotel manager, leads his loyal
staff in improving facilities and services to put the flagging hotel
back on the map. Guests love walking on the ceiling in magnetic
boots to check in at the desk with Lawrence, the hotel butler. With
the Great River Race looming, visitor numbers are climbing - plus
Chegwin's novel ideas are popular with tourists looking for unique
experiences.
Unfortunately, a number of 'reverse muggings' distract most of the
staff from providing their usual competent services. His waitress,
Katie begins reciting bad poetry to the diners. Dean the caretaker,
must cope with oven mitts glued to his hands and the guests are
defecting to Brontesa Braxton's hotel on the other side of Alandale.
Chegwin makes a few mistakes in countering this obvious sabotage and
learns important lessons about the value of consultation, respect
and teamwork as he grapples with a secondary mystery of an elusive
guest squatting in Room 49. The mystery leads Chegwin to discover a
veritable network of tunnels linking the various parts of the hotel.
In one of his daydreams Chegwin unwittingly agrees to sign over
Toffle Towers if the hotel boat loses the Great River Race to the
Braxton Hotel. Whilst the team have pitched in early with a winning
design, it is Chegwin's ability to brainstorm under pressure that
will decide the fate of Toffle Towers.
James Foley's illustrated cartoons, storyboards, tables and memos
compliment Chegwin's imaginings and consolidates unbelievable
possibilities in our minds. There are still mysteries to solve which
means we can anticipate a few more adventures at Toffle Towers.
Deborah Robins
Big lies in a small town by Diane Chamberlain
St Martin's Press, 2020. ISBN: 9781509808625.
(Age: Adult - Mature YA) Recommended for adult readers. The young
woman, Morgan Christopher is unexpectedly rescued from jail through
a bequest and request from a benefactor known for his incredible
artistic talents. Morgan's own incomplete art skills are needed as
she is thrust into the task of restoring a mural created in 1940.
This restoration project comes with time pressures and emotional
pressures from the artist's daughter as she unearths the history of
the original artist, Anna Dale. Anna was the winner of a National
Town Mural competition to paint the mural for the town of Edenton.
As an outsider, she ruffles a few locals and her Northerner ways and
opinions are sometimes at odds with the local North Carolina
residents. The social milieu of the 1940's town reveals the
inter-racial conflicts of Southern USA in the 1940s as well as the
joys and challenges of the small town. What should she include in
her artistic representation of the town? When the contemporary
parolee, Morgan, investigates the history of the mural that was
never displayed, she uncovers a history that has many twists - and
some of them are not pleasant. In her own story she must unravel her
own insecurities related to the event that caused her imprisonment,
and needs to decide whether she is worthy of love and the incredible
honour of becoming an art restorer for the late renowned artist.
This is an impressive adult dramatic saga incorporating the two
separate stories of the original artist - Anna Dale, and the
contemporary restorer - Morgan Christopher. Told with time shifts
back and forth between the two stories, there is a slowly unfolding
revelation of the drama that led to the mural's disappearance. The
process of art restoration is overseen by the interesting gallery
administrator and there are stories of family disharmony and
restoration woven through the saga. Diane Chamberlain is a master of
the romantic and historical narrative, and this is the kind of book
that would be enjoyed as a 'holiday' selection because of the
revelation of the mystery and social drama across the generations
within the 385 page narrative. Although this is an adult story, it
could be read by mature YA readers.
Recommended for adult readers. Themes: Historical drama; Art
restoration; Racial discrimination - USA; Romance; Murder mystery;
Sexual Assault
Carolyn Hull
The Little Grey Girl by Celine Kiernan
ISBN: 9781406373929.
The Wild Magic trilogy Book 2. Walker, 2019. 217 pp.
9781406373929. pbk.
In the first book in The Wild Magic trilogy, Begone
the raggedy witches, Mup realises that she has magical powers.
The Queen from across the border, her grandmother, uses her magic to
keep control over her subjects and when she flees with the raggedy
witches, Mup's mother is the obvious replacement, but she does not
want the power nor does she want to be queen. She is persuaded to
leave her own home and move to the Glittering Lands guiding her
daughter, Mup, and her husband and their son, Tipper, now a dog,
over the strange waterway which marks the entrance to this
mysterious place.
The second in the series, The Little Grey Girl, takes up the
story as Mam is declared queen, protesting all the while. She is
besieged by petitioners, and heads back into her mother's castle to
think about what to do next. But during the night, Mup sees a
mysterious little grey girl in the courtyard, and calling Crow they
go to investigate. It has been snowing fiercely, and Mam's adviser,
Firinne, has warned her that this is the old queen's curse and to be
watchful.
The castle is still full of memories of the tyrannical past, and Mup
grapples with the question of free will, as her mother encourages
the people to make up their minds for themselves; she will not tell
them what to do.
The characters in this beautifully written book are exceptional: Mup
with her strong moral centre is brave and disarming, able to throw
lightning from her fingers to keep herself protected from the forces
of the evil she feels all around, while Crow the bird that can
change into a boy speaks in rhyme.
But the little grey girl intrigues; is she a threat, either a a
raggedy witch or someone who needs help. With the long dead Dr
Emberly and Crow, Mup descends to the dungeons beneath the castle
following the little grey girl, to find out about the drawings she
leaves on the walls, which cause such distress. But to find the core
of the problem they must fight the dog which holds all the sadness
the little grey girl takes from people, a fight which could lead to
their deaths.
Kiernan's voice is unique, taking its readers along brave new paths,
involving them with a strong, independent young girl hesitantly
using her magical powers, but always aware of how it will affect
those around her.
Fran Knight
My book with no pictures by B.J. Novak
Puffin Press, 2019. ISBN: 9780241444177. 40pp. pbk.
(Age: All) Recommended. The
book with no pictures is a fun story and this book makes
that story even more fun by letting people fill-in-the-blanks and
write their own words.
Kids of all ages can have fun putting different words into the story
to make it as funny as they like. It would appeal to all ages, as
anyone can add words into the story.
Kids can have fun filling in the blanks and then getting their
parents or teacher to read it.
This book can be used to encourage reluctant writers to create a fun
story using the scaffolding of the book with no pictures.
I enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to anyone with a sense
of humor.
Karen Colliver
Slay by Brittney Morris
Hodder Children's Books, 2019. 330pp. ISBN: 9781444951721. pbk.
Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) are a
combination of role playing video games and online games in which a
very large number of people interact with one another within a
virtual world. As an older reviewer I found I had to immerse myself
in the terminology in the book, using the internet to find answers,
then jumping into the gaming word portrayed. Most readers of this
book will find a more comfortable affinity with the world created by
Morris to tell her story about racial inequality in the USA. This
multi layered and complex issue is displayed by a range of
characters: Kiera, one of four Black students at Jefferson High is
peculiarly asked for her opinion as if she is the spokesperson for
all Back people, Steph, Kiera's sister is a promoter of African
American Vernacular English, Malcolm Kiera's boyfriend is desperate
for them both to be accepted into Spelman College, one of the
foremost HBCU places (Historically Black College) where he feels he
will not have to compete with white students, while Kiera's white
friends ask her if it is OK to wear their hair in dreads, or wear an
Indian headdress to a fancy dress party. Kiera retreats into the
digital world she has created, Slay, where all of the players are
black and in playing, understand the rules of the game. And here she
can be herself.
Morris very cleverly places all the characters into positions where
they are able to reveal the racial tension that underlines their
lives. But the game is above all this, or so Kiera believes.
When she finds that one of the players, Anubis has been killed over
the paper money used in the game, she is appalled. Not knowing that
she is the developer, her friends and family discuss the issues that
this Black game creates: is it anti white, discriminatory, is it
racist, what happens when the developer is discovered, will he or
she be sued for the boy's death? Kiera must solve the crime and the
last half of this engrossing tale hangs on crime detection as she
and Steph and her friend in Paris untangle the web of clues hidden
within the game, leading to a neat resolution with a twist in the
tale.
Fran Knight
Near extinction by R.A. Spratt
The Peski Kids book 4. Puffin Books, 2020. ISBN:
9780143796367.
(Age: Upper primary+) Highly recommended. Near extinction is
the third book in The Peski Kids series. This time the Peski
(pesky) kids literally face their own extinction in a dinosaur park
on a class geography/paleontology excursion. The Peski Kids series is full of exciting, page-turning
adventure. Spratt exposes the reader to current
social/cultural/political concerns, language and vocabulary whilst
somehow managing an authentic tween/teen voice.
The characters are clever and outrageous young people who stun the
reader with their sharp banter and antics. You can't identify with
them (they're too wild) but the teenage reader would be impressed
with them, following their activities (from a safe place) and never
admitting openly (rather surreptitiously investigating) if they don't
understand some of the witty allusions. The Pesky Kids are
countercultural with some of their comments and actions. Being well
rounded characters, they all have flaws and strengths which happen
to be somewhat complementary.
Hilarious, current, politically incorrect terms and idioms by the
dozen fly in the rapid fire dialogue between the characters. The
smart play with language and meaning is perfect for the upper
primary child. We want our readers to be exposed to rich vocabulary.
The book demands active thinking too. The motivation is there
because this is rude, insolent, smart kid talk and as a kid yourself
you would not want to appear out of it. The author tantalizes the
reader with connections like " . . . my brother will bear a striking
resemblance to Anne Boleyn . . . " Many terms and concepts such as
man spread, misogyny, roadkill and human smoothies are thrown about
and hilariously dealt with by these characters. The Peski Kids: Near extinction conjures up a fantastic
visual adventure. Imagine a pink school bus with a theme park
dinosaur speared into the roof with a child caught in its jaws being
driven by jewel thieves at break-neck speed down a country road
chased by a rural policeman and international spies.
Even though The Peski Kids: Near extinction seems to be
about tough, naughty kids who go against the grain, it is also about
love, family, right and wrong and shades of grey. Adoption,
migration, international espionage, teenage relationships and
unusual family structures are embedded themes.
R.A. Spratt does not disappoint with The Peski Kids series
for older children. Highly recommended.
Wendy Jeffery
Hot Dog: Show time by Anh Do
Illus. by Dan McGuiness. Hot Dog 7. Scholastic, 2019. ISBN:
9781742997889. 128pp.
(Age: 6-8) Recommmended. In Hot Dog Book 7, the three main
characters, Hot Dog, Kev and Lizzie are once again ready for a new
and exciting adventure. Toy Town is holding a Talent Show and the
three friends are desperate to win - the prize being a voucher to
the best toy shop in town. They spend quite some time deciding on
what to do, with most of their trials not being successful. However
they decide on a song and set about writing the lyrics and making
the costumes, all with lots of fun and humour. The big day arrives
and the entertainment is awesome! The three friends are a hit with
the crowd and have everyone in the audience singing along. They
ultimately come a gracious second to the Daredevil Hamsters and win
a huge tray of cupcakes.
After the Talent Show they have to prepare for Emma and Ribbit's
wedding in the Big Top at the circus. The day does not go according
to plan due to rainy weather and Hot dog, Kev and Lizzie have to
pitch in and support the wedding couple with all the help they can -
from making bridal outfits, for the circus animals, finding flowers,
providing the entertainment and sharing their cupcakes.
The illustrations of Dan McGuiness complement the story perfectly
and keep the reader engaged in the simple yet engaging text. The use
of different sized fonts draws the reader's attention and maintains
interest in the story. The Hot Dog series is perfect for
emergent readers as well as those children who struggle with reading
as the use of the same characters and familiar words allows these
children to successfully read independently. Themes: Humour,
Friends, Talent show, Wedding ceremony, Family.
Kathryn Beilby
Silly, messy, amazing, magnificent ME by Kylee Cooke
Little Steps Publishing, 2019. ISBN: 9781925839630. pbk. 28pp.
Highly recommended. Sometimes Em is told she can't do things like
wear certain clothes or be a dragon, but she does not listen and is
determined to do what she wants. With her family's support, her mum
tells her to 'wear what you feel good in and be confident!',
Her dad tells her 'anyone can play any sport.'
Em tries her best with both things she enjoys and things she is not
so crazy about.
Em knows she is not good at everything but Em loves everything about
herself, especially her name because backwards it spells ME.
This is a very positive book about the importance of loving
yourself, it doesn't matter how good or bad you are at something, it
doesn't matter if people say you won't be able to do that, if you
give it your best shot and enjoy what you are doing you can do
anything you want.
I highly recommend this book for its positivity.
Karen Colliver
Going the distance by Beth Reekles
The Kissing Booth 2. Penguin, 2020. ISBN: 9780241413227.
368pp.
(Age: 15+) Noah has left for college while his girlfriend Elle and
brother Lee navigate senior year in his shadow. Lee made the
football team, but he's not quite the player Noah was, meaning Elle
doesn't get much sympathy from Lee as she yearns for Noah. Lee is
consolidating his romance with Rachel more and more, which means
Elle becomes more and more friendly with the new boy to the group.
Levi is cute if not a tad maudlin having been dumped by his
girlfriend, since moving interstate.
Tension builds as Noah is pictured on social media, enjoying frat
parties and meeting pretty college girls. High School rumours
precipitate a showdown between Noah and Elle. Will their
relationship survive or are new love interests the natural outcome
of trying to sustain a long distance relationship?
Acclaimed adolescent author, Beth Reekles is on a winning YA formula
with the success of her Kissing Booth series. Both
manuscripts so far have been adapted for Netflix. The cliched
romantic plot shies away from any number of modern, familial or
social themes. Interesting that this volume in depicting the
obligatory obsession of adolescents with romance is, according to
the author, somewhat improved in the television manuscript. The
comparison just may be a boost to both readership and views but
certainly won't condemn the reality of peer pressure in the manner
of the best of jarring and jolting YA literature.
Deborah Robins
The reef rescue by Delphine Davis
Mermaid holidays series. Illus: Adele K. Thomas. Penguin
Random House, 2019. ISBN: 9780143796473.
(Age: 5-7) The Mermaids are going to Sea Star Reef Summer Camp
together, a holiday that Olivia Ocean is really looking forward to
sharing with her friends. She plans to have as much fun as possible
and do some exploring of the reef while she is there. Finding the
elusive 'Dumbo Octopus' becomes the driving motivation for Olivia
and her mermates. They do however break some rules and put
themselves into a risky situation which might have some
consequences.
This is a story that is like a cartoon episode with animated
characters and slightly lame humour and sea-themed terminology. The
essence of the story is just about friends getting together, but the
cartoon-like illustrations reveal the underwater fantasy and the
slightly odd characters in the mermaids' holiday world. Text within
the book has coloured capitalised words scattered throughout to add
interest, and many of the expressions and idiom have a marine theme.
This is just a light-hearted story to engage early readers.
Suited to readers aged 5-7 who have graduated to easy chapter books.
Themes: Mermaids, Friendship.
Carolyn Hull
Saga by Nikki McWatters
University of Queensland Press, 2019. ISBN: 9780702262517.
(Age: 13+) Recommended. Three eras, three random women in a long
matriarchal line beginning in the 11th Century with Astrid, a
priestess of the Temple of the Goddess Nerthus, fighting to save her
doctrine and community from destruction by the Roman Church. Even
the mighty Vikings convert and threaten everything Astrid holds
dear. Her second sight and her role as the Skaldmaer, in learning to
write the King's epic poems, prompts her to record the tenants of
her religion for posterity. Unfortunately, she is distracted by King
Olav, her childhood sweetheart, proposing marriage and making her an
enemy of the state.
Fast forward to the 19th Century to an orphaned girl purchased from
the Glasgow Poorhouse by a ruthless undertaker. Mercy escapes to
London where her bold nature opens another door, indentured to
novelist and feminist, Anne Radcliffe. Mercy is self-taught but Anne
completes her education as a social experiment. Though thriving,
Mercy longs to discover her true identity returning to Glasgow to
use her skills to help educate poor children.
McWatters must imagine a modern counterpart and this time it is Mia,
living in present day Australia, who inherits the ancient book
Systir Saga. Ostensibly a valuable family record, written in an
ancient language, she and her bestie travel from the Blue Mountains
to an island in Scotland to learn about her mysterious heritage. Saga completes the trilogy, which began with Hexanhaus,
then Liberty. Like these earlier novels, Saga may
stand alone but the rule of three still applies - three strong
women, three periods in human history, weaving intergenerational new
characters to highlight all nine heroines in a long matriarchal
line, championing the meek and changing the course of history. One
for both feminists and fans of historical fiction. Teacher's
notes are available.
Deborah Robins
