Illus. by Deb Hudson. Puffin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760895150.
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. A series of stories for the newly
capable reader will captivate its audience as they read of a girl
just like them: one who gets into trouble without trying to, who
seemingly does the wrong thing without meaning to, but is loved and
cherished despite her shortcomings.
Zola lives with her mother and her widowed Nonna. Nonna is a keen
gardener and one day she tells Zola to get the special seeds from
the shed. Without meaning to, Zola drops the container and spreads
them over the floor having to hastily pick them up again. Nonna
tells her that they were bought for her by her husband years ago at
the St Odo's fete and she would know when to plant them.
At school, Zola's teacher has displayed some photos of St Odo's fete
and there is one of Zola's Nonna and Nonno Nino. Zola is surprised
at how happy her Nonna looks.
That evening she and her friend trampoline in the garden. The gate
is left open and her dog rushes into Nonna's vegetable garden and
pulls down many of the plants, particularly the ones from the seeds
in the shed.
Nonna is devastated and Zola feels the weight of her mistake but has
an idea to restore the situation.
What she does brings smiles all round and encourages the class and
the community to restore St Odo's garden to what it was.
Well supported with charming, family friendly illustrations,
this lovely rounded story is told with a sensitivity for the
generations that have preceded us. The tale will delight younger
readers, eager to find out how Zola resolves the situation she has
made. This is the first in a series which covers the days of one
week, starring Zola and her family, and readers will know from the
back page that Tuesday involves a cat. Themes: Family, Vegetables,
Gardening, Days of the week.
Fran Knight
Alice-Miranda in the outback by Jacqueline Harvey
Alice-Miranda book 19. Penguin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760891039.
(Ages: 8+). Recommended. Alice-Miranda in the outback is the
nineteenth book in the popular middle grade series. Author
Jacqueline Harvey has once again delivered an entertaining and
exciting read full of mystery and dangerous situations. She also
provides an Acknowledge to Country out of respect for the Indigenous
characters in her story as well as recognising the land the story
takes place.
In this newest adventure Alice-Miranda, her family and best friends
travel to the Australian outback in their school holidays to help
support a family friend of Alice-Miranda's father. The story begins
with a prologue where the reader is introduced to Barnaby Lewis the
owner of the outback station who is struggling with the demands of a
failing bore and family concerns. He is needing support and help is
on the way with the gang from the city. On the journey to Hope
Springs, the family and friends meet some interesting and colourful
characters although astute Alice-Miranda already has her radar up
about the owners of the General Store where they stop for lunch.
They run into one of the owners later in Coober Pedy and all is not
what it seems. An old mate of Hugh's, Sprocket McGinty, lives in a
local dug out and shows the group around but later turns up at Hope
Springs with a somewhat cagey explanation. Added to this mix is a
partly torn map, a hidden diary, a snake bite, a missing child, an
opal miner named Taipan Dan who has not been seen for many months,
cattle mustering, limited water and mysterious strangers camping on
the station.
Jacqueline Harvey has set the scene for another enjoyable read where
Alice-Miranda and her friends use their clever problem solving
skills to help Barnaby and his family solve the issues with the
bores and the unwelcome strangers. Alice-Miranda is also
instrumental in solving a sensitive family issue with her wise and
caring manner. Themes: Family, Friendship, Adventure, Australian
outback, Opals, Mystery, School holidays.
Kathryn Beilby
Worse things by Sally Murphy
Illus. by Sarah Davis. Walker Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781760651657.
(Age: 9+) Highly recommended. Three stories evolve in this heart
thrilling book told in short snappy page long verses, wrapping the
reader easily into its rhythm. Blake the football player, bent on a
long career in the game he loves, is first and the opening line
'Crack', brings us abruptly to the pain of his broken arm, and
moreover the realisation that he is out of the team for a long time.
Jolene comes next. A hockey player with a pushy mum wanting the girl
to pursue the career she always wanted. And finally refugee Amed, at
a loss in his new school, friendless and with only his aunt to live
with after his family were all killed, he landing in a refugee camp.
The trio of kids about to go to high school each has problems with
isolation. Blake is isolated from his friends through his injury,
realising that his life is football; Jolene has come to understand
that her hockey team does not like her, she feels isolated from her
pushy mum, her father works overseas and her mother is threatening
to send her to boarding school a long way from the town of Cowan
while Amed is isolated through his lack of English and it is because
a teacher suggests Jolene have conversations with Amed to improve
his English,that change occurs in all their lives. There are some
heart warming sequences in this story which will melt hearts and
help readers see the threads which bind us all.
Amed has lost all his family to war, but in realising that his aunt
is now his family, has a photo of the two of them framed and placed
next to the only photo he has of his dead family. His aunt gives him
a soccer ball and he is able to tell Blake about it initiating Blake
to show him that others in the town play soccer, but the pitch is
almost hidden behind the sports field. And Jolene finally tells her
mother that she does not want to play hockey, but when disaster
strikes, it is hockey and the girls she thought didn't care, that
enfolds her.
This is a wonderful story of finding your place, of belonging, of
working out who your friends are, of reaching out.
Readers who love Sally Murphy's work (remember Pearl
verses the world, Toppling
and Roses
are blue) will eagerly pick this up. Others, like me,
looking past the cover that seems to offer a fantasy story, will on
opening the book, and reading the first page be convinced that this
is a story well worth reading. Teacher
notes are available. Themes: Football, Soccer, Hockey,
Friendship, Verse novel, Family.
Fran Knight
Yellow truck road train by Mandy Tootall
Allen & Unwin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760525811.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. The multi media approach with pen,
ink, gouache and collage, creates a landscape instantly identifiable
as outback northern Australia. Along the dusty Buntine Highway (Daly
Waters in the NT to Nicholson in Western Australia) we see the ever
present gangs grading the roads with their machinery, the constant
threat of kangaroos jumping in front of the truck, the side tracks
where cattle are collected, loads of feral donkeys and the danger of
wandering buffalo.
In this wonderful celebration of the road train and its work,
ferrying animals across Australia, younger readers will thrill with
the young boy as he rides the roads with his father, Matches, the
long haul driver of the yellow road train.
They pass pandanas, cycads and termite mounds, a horse and rider,
other trucks, calling to each other by name. They stop for truck
steak cooked on an open camp fire, and sleep behind the driver's
wheel in a bunk. When it begins to rain Dad knows this will be the
last cattle haul till next year, and getting bogged, needs Kelly and
the loader to pull him out of trouble.
The wonderful full page images of the road train will delight
younger readers, and the lift out pages which make a four page view
of the road train and all of its innards will keep readers
intrigued, poring over the splendid detail. Kids will learn a great
deal from this lovely book: about the road trains and what they do,
about the families behind the drivers, of living along the route and
those they meet along the highways of Australia.
Alert eyes will pick out the detail of the truck and its travel, the
background of each page filled in with maps of the route, the
changing sky scape, the detail within the truck's cabin, comparing
it all with the photo on the last page of Matches and his family,
complete with the poddy calf. A handy glossary covers some words
used in the story which may be new to those not living in the
outback. Themes: Road train, Trucking, Northern Territory, Outback.
Fran Knight
Bluey : All About Bluey by Bluey
Penguin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760898304.
(Age: Preschool -5) Recommended. A large board book shaped just like
the very popular TV character, All about Bluey is sure to be
a hit with young children who love the award winning TV series.
Bluey is a 6 year old blue heeler who lives with her mum, a red
heeler, and dad, a blue heeler, and little sister Bingo, a red
heeler.
Bluey's antics and family have made her a beloved character and All
about Bluey will give children the chance to enjoy her
imagination and games between the pages of a book, rather than on
the screen. This makes it a perfect book for bedtime stories, or for
a newly independent reader to read things that they will be
instantly familiar with.
Right from the first page when Bluey says she has an idea, her
imagination is portrayed as she makes up games with Bingo and her
friends. Readers will recognise how difficult it can be to make the
rules for games and will identify with Bluey's classroom where
everyone has different skills and likes to make up different games.
Bluey also has lots of silly fun at home with her father, and the
illustrations are very enjoyable as the pair wrestle and dance
together. Bright colours, beautiful backgrounds and warm expressions
on the faces of the family members make this a lovely book to have
in the home or classroom.
Pat Pledger
Rocky and Louie by Phil Walleystack and Raewyn Paisley
Illus. by Dub Leffler. Penguin Random House Australia, 2020. ISBN:
9780143786528.
(Ages: 5-10) Highly Recommended. This is a superb collaboration
between three accomplished Australian storytellers. It tells the
tale of two Indigenous brothers, their special bond and their
connection to country. Younger brother Louie simply adores his big
brother Rocky, who teaches him to play footy as well as about their
country. Thanks to Rocky, Louie knows not to step on the new shoots
coming up through the dirt, how to take care of the land through
lighting little, cool fires and how to respect the country's
animals. But one day, Rocky tells Louie he is leaving; he has big
dreams and wants to pursue them. It's difficult for Louie to say
goodbye to his brother, so he crafts a boomerang for Rocky, to
remind him that he will always return to the place where he belongs.
The illustrations are soft, sparse and dreamlike, perfectly
capturing the immenseness of remote communities. However, they also
capture the joy and love of the people living there and their
respect for their place in space. There is a beautiful message here
about belonging and living with traditions co-existing with dreaming
big. This is reinforced with a heartening show of community and
family support for Rocky and his decision to leave for the city and
a final page showing Rocky returning to his country and his little
brother. It also seems fitting that specifics about Rocky's dreams
are omitted, leaving it open for the reader to put themselves in
Rocky's shoes (although the final page gives some clues with school
certificates and sports medals). This will be a meaningful book for
young Indigenous children but also important for all Australian
children as they develop an understanding of Indigenous connection
to country. Themes: Australian rules football, ATSI perspectives,
Connection to country, Family.
Nicole Nelson
Boxed by Richard Anderson
Scribe Publications, 2019. ISBN: 9781925713657. 288pp.
(Age: Adult - Senior secondary) Recommended for lovers of Australian
rural noir. Dave Martin is depressed; his wife has left him and his
farm is failing. When he isn't drinking too much he buys cheap tools
on the internet, passing the time collecting the parcels from his
roadside mail box. When boxes turn up that he hasn't ordered he
tries to find out who is sending them and finds himself drawn into a
world of violence and danger.
Anderson who is a second generation farmer in northern New South
Wales, brings his in-depth knowledge of farm life with its problems,
describing what it is like to live in country Australia and this
background gives a feeling of real authenticity to Boxed.
The suspense builds as Dave tries to find out where the boxes are
coming from, each new box and the people who turn up asking about
them, adding to the puzzles surrounding them and putting Dave in
danger of his life, not knowing who to trust and where to turn. Add
in the secondary story of his thoughts of suicide, his failed
marriage and what happened to his son James, and the reader is kept
in a state of suspense for the whole story.
This was an easy to read, thoroughly engrossing, and quite different
crime novel and one what will appeal to readers who enjoy a good
mystery. I am certainly tempted to pick up Anderson's first rural
crime novel, Retribution (2018).
Pat Pledger
Evie and Pog: Party Perfect! by Tania McCartney
Harper Collins Children's Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781460757956.
(Ages: 6-10) Recommended. This is the latest addition to prolific
Australian author and illustrator Tania McCartney's (Australian
Kids Through the Years, Fauna: Australia's Most
Curious Creatures) Evie and Pog series. Previously
published titles include Take
Off and
Puppy
Playtime. This instalment features three short chapter
stories with action-packed, expressive black and white illustrations
on nearly every page. The stories are perfect for newly independent
readers or as shared reading books. The two main characters are Evie
(a girl) and Pog (a dog), who live in an open-plan treehouse next to
Granny's big old house. Evie is six years old and enthusiastic about
life, especially knitting, reading and daisies. She also loves
making noise and uses her cymbals to get people's attention. Pog is
two years old and loves drinking tea, making plans and vegetables.
Other important characters are just as interesting. Granny, for
example, is generally accepting of Evie and Pog and the chaos that
seems to follow them but she can't stand noise or mess so is
continually following them with a dust buster.
These three stories see Evie and Pog preparing dress-ups for the
book parade, making creative pieces for the art show and preparing a
birthday surprise for Granny. Children will delight in these three
humorous and full-filled adventures. While the book is over 100
pages long it is separated into short chapters, making it easy to
read in smaller chunks. It will be perfect for readers who like
series such as Ivy and Bean, Billie B Brown and Ella
and Olivia. Aside from Pog, pets feature heavily in each story
so will also have special appeal for animal lovers. Themes:
Beginning reader, Friendship.
Nicole Nelson
The Little Engine that could by Watty Piper
Illus. by Dan Santat. Penguin Random House, 2020. ISBN:
9780593094396.
(Ages: 3-7) A classic children's tale first published in 1930,
The Little Engine that could shows the power of kindness and
determination. This 90th anniversary edition has a heartfelt
introduction by Dolly Parton and vibrant illustrations by Dan
Santat, complete with wide open spaces, sunlit fields and blue
skies. The text is completely unchanged from the original so is a
little outdated (the train is still carrying jackknives and glass
bottles of creamy milk for the boys and girls) but this simply adds
to the magic and timelessness of the story as a whole.
For those unfamiliar with the story, a happy little train is taking
toys and good things to eat to the little boys and girls on the
other side of the mountain. So when the red engine breaks down
suddenly, the toys and dolls attempt to get passing engines to help
them across the mountain. The shiny new passenger engine thinks
itself far too superior to pull the likes of the little train, the
strong freight engine thinks itself far too important and the dingy,
rusty old engine is simply too tired to even try. 'I can not. I can
not. I can not' he chugs as he rumbles off. But the little blue
engine who comes by thinks of the desperate toys and dolls who need
her help and of the good little boys and girls waiting for their
toys and good food. 'I think. I can. I think I can. I think I can',
she says as she tugs and pulls the train over the mountain. The toys
are ecstatic and the little blue engine is proud of herself and her
self-belief.
There is a reason this is a classic and it stands up amazingly to
the test of time. Its simple message is still as relevant as it was
90 years ago: the world needs us to do our very best and being kind
and understanding is just as important as ever. The story shows that
the act of one humble being can have great effect on many, a message
that we want to convey to all our young people who have the
potential to change the world for the better. Themes: Trains,
Determination, Self-belief.
Nicole Nelson
The New Baby's Bunny by Philippa Brown
Illus. by Krista Brennan. Little Steps Publishing, 2020. ISBN:
9781925839029.
(Ages: 3-7) There is a new baby on the way and Nanna is knitting a
special bunny for its arrival. Told through one of the three older
siblings, the story tells about the bunnies Nanna knitted for each
of the older children when they were born and how loved they still
are. 'My big brother's bunny is brown with black eyes. When my big
brother goes to school, his bunny watches over his room'. The bunny
for the new baby is all finished but Nanna is having trouble finding
the right buttons for the eyes. Can the children help? Off to the
haberdashery go the family, each choosing what they think could be
the perfect button eyes. Dad's buttons are a bit big, Mum's are too
dark and the buttons chosen by the two brothers are very interesting
but not quite right. It is the green buttons chosen by our narrator
that are perfect.
It is great to see a diverse family representation in an Australian
picture book and a larger family, not often seen in picture books.
The soccer ball and train buttons chosen by the brothers will
probably elicit a giggle or a smile. This is a pleasing depiction of
a family respectfully and jointly preparing for the arrival of a new
baby and the illustrations are full of love, calm and
thoughtfulness. An ordinary family and a simple gesture of love.
Themes: New baby, Comfort toys.
Nicole Nelson
Mabel and the mountain by Kim Hillyard
Ladybird, 2020. ISBN: 9780241407929.
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. Subtitled, A story about believing
in yourself, the wide eyed creature in a smart knitted hat
invites the reader to look further inside, if only to know what this
creature is. We find out soon enough as her route is tracked over
the intervening pages before the story starts, further intriguing
the reader. Mabel is a fly, and Mabel has some very big plans. Her
list of things to do fills a page: climb a mountain, host a dinner
party and make friends with a shark. Readers' imaginations will soar
with Mabel, wondering how a little fly can achieve such momentous
things. When she announces her plans to her friends, they all say
lots of negative things: no, stay at home, flies do not climb,
ridiculous and it can't be done. These derisive comments do not
deter Mabel. She finds a mountain to climb and climbs, passing other
climbers with all the right gear, seeing animals that threaten,
wondering if she has the courage to go on. But a voice tells her to
keep going and she does, arriving at the top of the mountain,
thrilled at what she sees. Returning she finds things have changed:
her friends are no longer derisive, but making plans of their own,
asking her what her next plan is.
And children reading this lovely positive picture book will do just
that: dream about their own big plans and, like Mabel, start straight
away. Like me, readers will look closely at the detail on each page:
the funny fly faces, the things they are dressed in and what they
are holding, the way each fly is made different with what seems like
a few strokes of the pen. A wonderfully positive read, sure to
encourage readers to believe in themselves. Themes: Mountains, Self
awareness, Challenges, Adventure.
Fran Knight
The switch by Beth O'Leary
Quercus 2020. ISBN: 9781787475007.
(Age: Adult) Leena has a job she loves, lives in a trendy flat in
Shoreditch, London, which she shares with flatmates Martha, Yaz and
Fitz. But since the death from cancer of her sister, Carla, she has
been having panic attacks and making mistakes at work. She feels
horror and shame when her boss insists she take two months leave.
Leena is close to her 79 year old grandmother Eileen who lives in
Hamleigh-in-Harkdale. When Leena visits her she finds a list of
unattached men in the small village; Eileen is looking for a new
relationship since husband Wade left her. Leena suggests an online
dating service but there are not many local entries for the older
age group. London offers many more and from this is born the idea of
swapping places while Leena is on leave. Eileen agrees, partly for a
bit of fun but also to break down the barriers between Leena and her
mum Marian, who lives nearby. She has also been struggling to cope
since Carla's death and mother and daughter have barely spoken. So
as Eileen embraces London life Leena sets out to fill her place in
everything from Neighbourhood Watch meetings, dog walking, visiting
Marian and organising the local May festival.
As we follow the narrative, alternating between the point of view of
overachiever Leena and pragmatic Eileen the value of a change of
perspective becomes apparent. The characters are funny and engaging
and the comedy lightens the messages about caring for one another,
the importance of family, acknowledging grief and of course finding
love. A light read for women.
Sue Speck
Where's Spot? by Eric Hill
Spot the Dog. Puffin, 2020. ISBN: 9780241446850. Board book.
(Age: 0+) Highly recommended. With a gorgeous ruby cover to
celebrate 40 years since the publication of this classic picture
book, young and old alike will delight in the simple story of Sally
trying to find Spot the little puppy. She looks in all sorts of
places, under the stairs, in a box, under the rug, but Spot is not
there. Instead she finds an array of smiling creatures, a crocodile,
a snake, a bear, and a hippopotamus until she finally finds him and
gives him his dinner.
The gentle refrain of "Is he in the . . . "; "Is he under the . . .
" will be one that children can repeat along with the reader and
then shout out a resounding "No." There will be opportunities for
children to play hide and seek themselves and peek-a-boo after
reading the story. The simple repetition and large print will also
help emerging readers as they repeat familiar pages.
The pages are sturdy and the lift-the-flaps are big enough for
little fingers to handle. What makes it so special are the big
images of Sally the dog, outlined in black and the vivid colours
that children are sure to enjoy.
This is a lovely book that will bring back memories to the
generations who have read it aloud to children. Now their children
have the opportunity to read it to their children as a board book
and grandparents will be overjoyed to bring back memories with this
gift to their young grandchildren as well.
Pat Pledger
Deep water by Sarah Epstein
Allen & Unwin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760877286.
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Chloe misses her friend Henry and is
determined to solve the mystery of his disappearance. Following a
violent storm one night, the only clue to Henry's whereabouts is
his mountain bike leaning against the train station wall. Did he
just leave, as he once hinted he might do, or did something
terrible happen to him?
Epstein's novel switches between Chloe narrating in the present, and
past snippets of Henry's online messages with a mysterious friend,
and chapters about Henry's brother Mason in the lead-up to the
eventful night. Both Henry and Mason suffer from abuse by their
alcoholic mother Ivy. The early scenes depicting their home life are
so ugly, with no insight into any redeeming characteristics for
their mother, that some readers may find it hard to engage with the
narrative, but once past those pages, the mystery about Henry's
disappearance, and the clues that Chloe unearths, leads the reader
on a twisting path of suspicion and conjecture that holds our
attention until the last pages.
Chloe's detective work points to Mason; and we know that Mason
himself is afraid of his own anger. Is he a product of his parents -
son of an abusive mother and a criminal father: is he bad, empty,
worthless? Is he set on a path that he cannot change?
Chloe and her circle of friends gradually uncover the events of the
night of the big storm, there are many misleading clues and red
herrings that Chloe determinedly investigates one after another. No
adult seems willing to help. Suspicions turn from one person to
another, but most suspicious of all is Mason, the boy within their
friendship group. Chloe does not give up, until suddenly she finds
herself confronting a danger she had not predicted.
This is an engaging mystery thriller that readers of this genre will
thoroughly enjoy. Teacher's
notes are available. Themes: Murder, Mystery, Child abuse, Anger management.
Helen Eddy
Weirdo 14: Vote Weirdo! by Anh Do
Illus. by Jules Faber. Scholastic, 2020. ISBN: 9781743836668.
(Age: 7-9) Weirdo 14: Vote Weirdo! is the latest
entertaining story in the Anh Do series and begins with Weir Do and
his classmates choosing students to run for Class Captain. Weir Do,
Bella Allen and Hans Some are nominated for a number of different
reasons. Weir Do rushes home to tell his family but discovers his
father has bought hair clippers. His father is a serial collector of
junk and this time the consequences for Weir are highly embarrassing
especially as he is about to begin his campaign for Class Captain.
Fortunately Henry and his father are able to help Weir Do cover up
the slightly awkward problem. The campaign involves creating
posters, presenting three ways to improve the school and giving a
speech to the class. Bella and Weir Do complete this admirably but
Hans Some with his sky writing campaign, egocentric ways to improve
the school for himself and parent written speech misses the mark. An
unfortunate event with a gust of wind ends Weir Do's chances of
winning but in the end everyone is satisfied.
The illustrations by Jules Faber create added interest in the story
and the bright blue theme begins with the cover and continues
throughout the book. This fourteenth book in the series is perfect
for those younger students discovering chapter books, reluctant
readers or just for those children who can relate to a light,
humorous and quick read. Themes: Humour, Friends, School, Family,
Recycling, Voting.
Kathryn Beilby
