How to build the perfect cubby house by Heath McKenzie
Scholastic Australia, 2019. ISBN: 9781760152673.
(Age: 4-8) Recommended. Themes: Families, Cubby Houses, Diversity.
Heath McKenzie (illustrator of Andy Lee's Do Not Open This Book
series and author/illustrator of a whole swag of picture books) has
created this happy celebration of family and togetherness. Despite
this being a depiction of one family, it incorporates cultural
diversity in such a way that every child will see themselves and
their own family represented. The family tree in the endpapers shows
how this big, varied family fits together (with a same sex couple, a
single mother, couples of different skin colour and
cultural/religious heritage). The dedication also shows Heath's big
and intricate family tree, which obviously inspired this book. The
story is structured as an instructional 14-step plan to building the
perfect cubby house: '1. Have a plan, 2. Listen to others, 3. Allow
plans to change, etc.'. The first page shows a young child and his
dad starting work on a little cubby, and on each subsequent page a
new family member enters and gives their opinion on what else the
cubby house needs (e.g., a garage for bikes, a movie room, a secret
lair, a kitchen, a library). By the time we get to step '13.
Celebrate your hard work' the monstrous, multi-levelled cubbyhouse
is threatening to fall down under the weight of all the additions.
When it does, all that is left is the little cubby house that we
started with, but that is okay because 'the perfect cubby house only
needs to be one thing . . . a place where everyone is . . welcome'.
This is a great story that ultimately highlights the beauty of
families as places of belonging, even when everyone has their own
individual differences. The busy illustrations are fun and messy
(much like families themselves) and the use of speech bubbles means
that the story is appropriately told through the varied voices of
the family members.
Nicole Nelson
Alice-Miranda keeps the beat by Jacqueline Harvey
Alice-Miranda book 18. Penguin, 2019. ISBN: 9780143786030.
(Age: 8-12) Recommended. Themes: School life, Fund-raising,
Festivals, Mystery. Jacqueline Harvey's extremely popular Alice-Miranda
series returns for the eighteenth time in Alice- Miranda
keeps the Beat. Alice-Miranda and her friends are returning to
their school, Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young
Ladies, after enjoying a barbecue lunch with Jacinta's mother. As
they walk through the village, they see smoke rising from the
restaurant Fattoush and the apartment above. With Mr and Mrs Abboud
and their children trapped inside, Alice-Miranda and Millie run into
the blaze, searching for the children. Selflessly Alice-Miranda
rushes up to the smoke-filled attic to rescues the babies. The fire
leaves the family homeless, without anything. Alice-Miranda who's
been secretly taking music lessons, comes up with a fund-raising
music festival to help.
Back at the Academy, tension amongst the staff rises, notes
demanding work above and beyond their normal duties upset the
teachers, even Dervla who manages the stables is under extreme
pressure. With the arrival of a young new teacher with inspirational
ideas, the established staff feel threatened. Has the power of being
in charge gone to Miss Reedy's head? Of course, Caprice is up to her
usual selfish ways, she wants to headline the music festival.
Alice-Miranda and her friends rise to the challenge, with the
support of the village, their families and supporters to make The
Fields Festival a rousing success.
Jacqueline Harvey's special style of weaving mysteries and secrets
into her middle grade novels, certainly keeps the readers guessing.
Each thread is beautifully woven throughout, and we discover why
Zara Abboud was missing at the fire, the real reason Jacinta's
absent father returns and the true identity of the new teacher. All
the much-loved elements are here, pony rides, delicious food (except
for the problem scrambled eggs), community spirit, new babies and
close friendships. Combined with Alice-Miranda's sense of fair play
and supportive nature Alice Miranda Keeps the Beat makes
another delightful addition to the series.
Rhyllis Bignell
Nits! by Stephanie Blake
Gecko Press, 2019. ISBN: 9781776572243.
(Age: 4+) Themes: Nits, Classroom behaviour, Friendship, Humour. A
disarmingly simple text tells the reader of the friendship between
Simon and Lou. Simon loves Lou but she loves Mamadou. Simon is quite
upset at seeing Mamadou kiss Lou, but when Lou begins to scratch at
the nits in her hair, her friends, including Mamdou, desert her. But
not Simon. He assures Lou that her mother will fix her problem, and
kisses her. And so Simon gets nits as well.
Simply told the story shows how easy it is to get nits, and tells
readers what to expect when they get them. The story reiterates that
there is nothing to be afraid of and tells readers that their
mothers will be able to get rid of them for them.
The simple clear illustrations underline the straightforward message
contained in the book, and will appeal to the target audience of
early primary readers.
Astute teachers will use this book as an introduction to the
prevalence of nits within school communities and take the
opportunity to encourage preventative action as well as showing the
children how they can be managed.
Fran Knight
To the Moon and back by Bryan Sullivan with Jackie French
Angus and Robertson, 2019. ISBN: 9781460757741.
(Age: 12-Adult) Highly recommended. Themes: Space Travel; Moon
landing; Astronomy; Space History; Science History; Technology. This
edition of To the Moon and Back has been released in
recognition of the 50th anniversary of the first landing of humans
on the moon. The book details the involvement of Australian Space
Tracking technicians in enabling the world to see the Apollo 11
astronauts take their first steps on the moon's surface. Bryan
Sullivan was one of those technical experts. In an era when the
experts involved had 'fix-it' and 'can-do' expertise (sometimes
self-taught), and computers were relatively rudimentary beasts, the
miracle of the moon landing seen through the eyes of one of the
Aussies involved is great reading. With updates that acknowledge the
involvement of women in the space industry in its early years (as an
example, reference is made to Katherine Johnson and the female
experts of the Hidden Figures movie renown); essentially
though, this is a book that gives insights into the Australian
contributions to the Space History related to the exploration of the
Moon. The book does not just describe the history, it also inspires
readers to consider Astronomy as a field of study and to view the
discoveries beyond our planet in a new light. Young and older
readers will look at the moon differently and will also be more
critical of Space History as seen in movies (note: The Dish
was a great Australian film, but it did not accurately record the
location of the Tracking station involved in conveying the images of
the Moon Landing. A reminder that movies are not necessarily
'truth'.) With Jackie French's finesse and writing skill, this book
is very easy to read and hard to put down.
This is definitely a book worth recommending to another cohort of
readers, particularly those with STEM interests.
Highly recommended for readers aged 12 - adult.
Carolyn Hull
The rest of the story by Sarah Dessen
Balzer and Bray, 2019. ISBN: 9780008334390.
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Themes: Family, Friendship,
Self-perception, Class structure, Anxiety. Sarah Dessen does it
again - The rest of the story has all her wonderful
hallmarks, beautiful writing that grabs the reader straight away, a
feel good look at a difficult family life, a swoon worthy but slow
romance and a clever view of class structure and wealth.
When Emma Saylor is sent to spend the holidays at North Lake with
her grandmother and cousins, people she hasn't seen since she was a
small child, she finds things difficult. Here she is called Saylor,
the name given to her by her dead mother, while at home she is
called Emma by her father and other family members. There are
unknown cousins to become acquainted with and Roo the boy who had
been her best friend when she was little. Roo is the key who helps
her find out about her mother and her past.
Emma is a character that the reader will immediately identify with.
It is easy to relate to her feelings when she arrives at her
grandmother's house. She has to navigate family shoals while coming
to grips with the fact that there are two communities at North Lake.
There is the working class group at North Lake, where her mother
grew up and where her grandmother runs a motel, and there is the
rich Lake North resort, where the wealthy spend their holidays.
There is Roo, the caring boy, who lives on the working class side
and the rich boys who stay at the resort. And there are all the
stories that she finds out about her mother who died when she was
ten and the side of the family that she didn't know about. Who is
she - the Emma from the rich family who stay at the resort, or
Saylor, the girl who helps her cousins clean the motel? And can she
overcome her anxiety especially about driving?
Dessen is one of my favourite authors. I love her characters and
even though she often explores complex family and personal
situations, she always leaves the reader hopeful of a good outcome
and better understandings as her characters grow and develop. Her
books are ones that fans will want to revisit and The rest of
the story is certainly one that would richly repay a reread.
Pat Pledger
Dream Riders : Frankie by Laura Bloom and Jesse Blackadder
Walker Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781760650513.
(Age: 10-12) Recommended. Themes: Horse-riding, family
relationships, friendship, bullying. Laura Bloom and Jesse
Blackadder's Dream Riders series focuses on an alternative
riding school the Pocket of Dreams, where riders learn to relate
with their horses in a more natural way. Each middle grade novel
explores the lives of a young teenager who is finding their own
identity, overcoming personal struggles, building relationships,
friendships and their horse-riding abilities.
Frankie's families have moved to Mullumbimby for a tree change, her
parents have separated and her Mum lives with new partner Vivian and
her daughter Elise. Dad isn't coping with the marriage breakdown and
Frankie is caught in the middle. She excited about Mum's promise of
her own horse, but the reality doesn't quite match Frankie's dreams.
Zen is a rather tubby pony with a windy problem. Frankie's first
encounters with the girls at the local riding school are difficult,
the elite riders are snobby, putting both Frankie and Zen down. She
must join the beginner's class and struggles with her
disappointments.
When Kai a close friend comes to stay with Mum and Vivian, Frankie's
unsure of his actions and their relationship goes through some ups
and downs. Life is tough on both the home front and in school where
Frankie is bullied by the snobby girls from the riding school.
When Frankie meets Shannon the owner of a unique equestrian centre,
she learns new techniques to connect to her pony Zen and begins to
understand herself better. As she creates and organises the Dream
Riders' club, Frankie's relationships change, and she comes to value
her family and new friends.
Laura Bloom and Jesse Blackadder's Frankie explores current
issues from family breakdowns, same sex couples, peer pressure,
addiction to technology and bullying. A great novel for readers from
ten who enjoy animal stories and teenage life with real and
relatable characters. Teacher's
notes for the series are available.
Rhyllis Bignell
Paint with magic by Sandi Wooton
Illus. by Pat Kan. Big Sky Publishing, 2019. ISBN: 9781922265098.
(Age: 4-8) Themes: Painting, Sea Animals, Rhyming Story. This is a
first picture book for poetry writer Sandi Wooton and her poetic
story is the perfect accompaniment to Pat Kan's vibrant painted
illustrations. This was previously published as a poem in the NSW
School Magazine but it suits a printed book format really well. The
cover is particularly enticing, cleverly using sea creature features
and a paint brush to create the letters of the title. The story
begins 'I sat in my room on a cold rainy day, trying to think of a
fun game to play. I grabbed my new paintbox from under the table.
'Paint with Magic' it said on the label.' After painting an octopus
it shouts out to the artist, 'Hey you, with the paintbrush . . .
I've only got seven. You've left off one arm.' There clearly is
magic inside this paint! From there it continues with the octopus
helping the artist to paint a complete underwater scene. We never
see the artist, apart from a pair of hands, so it is easy for the
reader to put themselves inside the story and will hopefully inspire
them to be creative in their own artworks. This is a great
celebration of imagination and the freedom that painting brings.
Children will love how the octopus and the artist work together to
create the scene and how the artist wrangles back control by
painting in a shark!
Nicole Nelson
Kisses in your heart by Sonia Bestulic
Illus. by Nancy Bevington. Big Sky Publishing, 2019. ISBN:
9781925675924.
(Age: 2-7) Themes: Love, Comfort, Emotions, Rhyming Book. Similar to
The Kissing Hand, this Australian publication reminds us that
we carry the ones who love us wherever we go and can draw on that
love for strength and courage. The sun is going down and the young
girl in the story is getting ready for bed. Mum places kisses gently
on her heart and tells her 'My dear no matter where you go, listen
closely, you must know. Those kisses carry my love inside, hold your
head up, glow with pride. Whether I am near or far, my love burns
like a happy star.' The little girl feels warm and happy, and
explains that sometimes she feels scared, sometimes sad, worried or
lonely but then she feels the kisses in her heart and knows that
they carry love inside. There is some beautiful imagery in the text
and illustrations that do well at reflecting the girl's emotions (a
starry love heart burning strong and warm, the girl scared and cold
like a stone). This is a perfect book for young children who
struggle with separation, as parents and caregivers will be able to
use the language of the book (placing kisses on the heart, these
kisses carry love inside, etc.) to comfort and reassure them.
Nicole Nelson
Young dark emu, a truer history by Bruce Pascoe
Magabala books, 2019. ISBN: 9781925360844.
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Non-fiction. Pascoe's revelatory book
Dark
emu, black seeds has now been made into a simplified
illustrated hardback version for younger readers - allowing a
younger audience to also learn of Pascoe's research into the
agricultural practices of Australian Aboriginal people. Pascoe draws
on historical records and artefacts to piece together a picture of
Aboriginal settlement before the arrival of Europeans, and contrary
to the long held view of the 'hunter-gatherer' existence that suited
the colonialists' idea of an 'empty' land, he reveals the existence
of Aboriginal farming and land care, permanent settlements with
houses and storage buildings, and complex aquaculture management
systems.
Teachers will welcome this book as an excellent example to show
students learning how to research primary sources for their
projects. Pascoe includes extracts from many original nineteenth
century colonial diaries and reports, and he revaluates the artwork
of colonial artists who showed cultivated fields in their paintings,
once dismissed as an English romanticising of the Australian
landscape. He urges the putting aside of preconceptions and
interpreting with a new eye the original materials. 'It is a
different way of looking'. Thus the so-called 'humpy' was actually a
substantial construction that could accommodate many families, the
'lazy' fisherman had actually engineered an ingenious fishing
machine, and fire was not a threat but a useful tool for tilling and
cultivating pastures.
Pascoe has collected the evidence to present the case that the
Aboriginal way of life actually met all the criteria of an
established agricultural society that lived in harmony with their
environment. This is not what the colonialists wanted to see, in
their quest to occupy new land. And it is evidence that was
destroyed as they took possession, and introduced their livestock.
This is an important book in the study of Australian history - it
provides a new perspective to be read and discussed. It needs to be
on every teacher's reading list and in every school library.
Helen Eddy
Detention by Tristan Bancks
Puffin, 2019. ISBN: 9780143791799. 240pp., pbk.
Highly recommended. Sima and her family are pressed to the rough,
cold ground among fifty others. They lie next to the tall fence
designed to keep them in. The wires are cut one by one.
When they make their escape, a guard raises the alarm. Shouting,
smoke bombs, people tackled to the ground. In the chaos Sima loses
her parents.
Dad told her to run, so she does, hiding in a school and triggering
a lockdown. A boy, Dan, finds her hiding in the toilet block.
What should he do? Help her? Dob her in? She's breaking the law, but
is it right to lock kids up? And if he helps, should Sima trust him?
Or run?
Whatever decisions are made will change their lives forever.
With the rise and spread of nationalist, right-wing conservative
governments around the globe, xenophobia is alive and well in
communities and countries around the world. In Australia it is
always a hot topic particularly around election time and especially
since former prime minister John Howard declared, 'It's about this
nation saying to the world we are a generous open hearted people,
taking more refugees on a per capita basis than any nation except
Canada, we have a proud record of welcoming people from 140
different nations. But we will decide who comes to this country and
the circumstances in which they come' in an election speech just
weeks after the attacks on the World Trade Centre buildings in 2001.
Having just had another federal election with the rhetoric of asylum
seekers, detention centres and people's rights claiming a lot of
media space and votes, this new book from Tristan Bancks is very
timely. In it, through the students in the Reading Superstars class
and their teacher Miss Aston, he asks the questions that need to be
considered about the plight of refugees, particularly as much of
what the children say is the echo of their parents' perspectives.
Bancks says he has tried to tell the story as 'a human one, rather
than a political one' and he has achieved this as the reader becomes
very invested in the plights of Simi and Dan and constantly wonders
what would they do if they were either of those characters.
In my opinion, the greatest power of this book is in the hands of a
class teacher reading it aloud and discussing the issues as Miss
Aston does while she and her charges are in lockdown. That way, a
range of points of view can be explored and explained, taking the
story to a whole new level, rather than being an individual read
that throws up questions but for which the reader doesn't seek
answers. And that teacher should be prepared to answer the
inevitable, 'What would you do if you were Miss Aston?'
Books for this age group are rarely the focus of reviews on this
blog, but I believe that this is such an essential read as part of
any study about migration and refugees, it deserves all the
publicity it can get. Superb. Teacher's
notes are available.
Barbara Braxton
No baths week by Katrina McKelvey
Illus. by Cheri Hughes. Big Sky Publishing, 2019. ISBN:
9781925675429.
(Age: 3-7) Themes: Bathing, Pets, Play. This is a fun, colourful
adventure about Ben and his best mate Bandit (his dog) and their
mission to avoid the bathtub for an entire week. The best part about
this is the unstructured, messy, creative, outdoor play that Ben and
Bandit engage in without an adult hovering by and directing the
action. In addition they live in a big old house surrounded by space
and lawn and a cow over the next door fence. Mum is patient and fun,
caring for them, while at the same time letting them be independent.
They finger (and paw) paint their secret hide-out, they explore
forbidden and dirty places like under the house, they bake dog
biscuits (even snail-flavoured ones), dig to the very bottom of the
sandpit, make sticky mud pies and a mud slip and slide. At the end
of each day they come up with a way of getting clean that doesn't
involve the bath (the sprinkler, the mobile dog wash, even the car
wash), each one with humorous results. They are running out of ideas
when Mum suggests the hot, steamy dishwasher . . . that has Ben and
Bandit running for the bath! Ben's unbridled spirit is obvious as he
announces that next week is go to bed late week! There is a definite
message for parents about giving kids freedom and access to creative
and outdoor unstructured play (Ben even wears a t-shirt that says
'Art is Education') and the depiction of this play in the funny,
busy illustrations will thoroughly entertain and engage young
children.
Nicole Nelson
Hey baby! by Stephanie Warren Drimmer
National Geographic Kids, 2019. ISBN: 9781426329319. 192pp., hbk.
'In every corner of the Earth - from the Arctic to Australia, from
ocean depths to mountain tops, from dry deserts to lush rain forests
- tiny tots are learning to find their way in a big beautiful
world.'
But these are not human babies - they are animals of all shapes and
sizes and each has its own life story, some more complex and
demanding more attention than a human baby. Using the most stunning
photos, this is a collection of pictures, poems, stories, folktales
and information from Nature's nursery that will introduce young
readers to the diverse creatures of this planet. Grouped according
to habitat such as mountains and plains, forest and streams, oceans
and seas, each creature has a short fact box giving the name of the
young, its home and its food as well as other information, and each
section also has a Tot Lot which is a group of eight creatures with
not quite so much detail but adding to the wonder of the variety of
fauna that shares this planet with us. Many have a story or even a
classic poem to accompany them, such as 'The Legend of the Pink
Dolphin' or 'The Duck and the Kangaroo' by Edward Lear to further
engage the young reader as this is a book to be shared or read by an
independent reader.
An investment in a child's learning.
Barbara Braxton
My real friend by David Hunt
Illus. by Lucia Masciullo. ABC Books, 2019. ISBN: 9780733334894.
32pp., hbk.
Rupert is William's imaginary friend, a role he is quite happy to
have because they do so much together. Make music, paint pictures,
play games . . . it's all great fun except for two things. He
never gets to choose the game and be the hero, but worst of all,
that William will stop imagining him and he will fade away. And one
day, William breaks the news to him . . .
Told from Rupert's perspective, this is a charming book for early
readers who are familiar with imaginary friends. As Rupert contrasts
his life with William's, there is a lot of humour in his
observations and sometimes Rupert's life in the imagination seems
more fun. Poignant though his comments are, there is always the
expectation that this story will not end well for Rupert but
Masciullo's clever mixed-media illustrations soften the blow and his
appearance as the shadow on William's new friend's skateboard is
masterful, suggesting that William might not quite have let go yet.
Friendships, real and imaginary, wax and wane over time as
circumstances and situations change and this is a celebration of
that. Rupert is a vital part of William's childhood, as imaginary
friends are for many children, and the letting go as social circles
widen can be painful. It validates those imaginary friends of the
young readers and opens the doorway for discussions about the
difference between the two and the place they have in our lives. It
is a way of encouraging those still rooted in their immediate
concrete world to start viewing things from another perspective,
particularly through Rupert's weariness of always being the victim
or the loser! Teacher notes
to guide the discussions are available.
Barbara Braxton
Exhalation by Ted Chiang
Pan Macmillan, 2019. ISBN: 9781529014518.
(Age: Adolescent - Adult) In a stunning, revelatory and riveting
work, Ted Chiang plunges us into extraordinarily different worlds,
past, present and future, such as the old world of Baghdad, evoked
both in its past and present, where his characters travel through
time and place to find their old selves to settle what they perceive
as awry in their current lives. His notion that some beings can
change, as a result of understanding their lives through revisiting
the past, is pivotal in this work, just as he explore how others
might be able to change as a result of experiencing the future. This
is explored deeply in his work.
In exciting ways, and in lucid prose, Chiang captivates us while
positioning his characters to act in ways that enable us to grasp a
point. While some characters are shown to have been fortunate in
their choices, others are led to understand that their self-centred
nature, perhaps as a younger person, has caused them to have lived a
less fulfilling life determined by what they did in a past life. His
ultimate message is that living beings can learn from their actions,
and indeed from their mistakes, understanding this through this
portal of time, and comprehend what they must do to atone for, or to
attempt to fix, what was not a good past decision.
Each one of Chiang's ideas is about the deepest notion of human
culpability and responsibility to live our lives well, not just for
ourselves, but for others too, tying us to human interaction and
goodness as at the heart of being human. Exciting and exhilarating,
this novel is different, emotionally both disturbing and affirming.
It would challenge all readers to consider the way we live today, in
our values, aspirations, fears and responses to others. Brilliantly
capturing the digital age and ironically placing this
alongside/within future worlds or the world of the past, Ted Chiang
compels us to consider what we do, why we act as we do, and to
wonder if we could have chosen a different way of being ourselves,
or indeed, a different way of considering life and living our
allotted span. This enlightening work would be suitable for
adolescent and adult readers.
Elizabeth Bondar
Puffin book of bedtime stories: eight favourite Australian picture books
Puffin, 2019. ISBN: 9780143796732.
Recommended. When it is time for kids to calm down, snuggle up in
bed or just laze the afternoon immersed in a book, Puffin book
of bedtime stories is a great place to start. It is filled
with 8 stories all by Australian authors and illustrators, many of
which have been well read by children over the years.
I really liked the pillowy feel of the cover, and although it is a
thick book the cover adds to the 'bedtime' theme. The dark blue
background with vibrant pictures also makes it very easy to find on
the shelf amongst all the others!
Some of the titles include Bed Tails by Meredith Costain, Sophie's
big bed by Tina Burke, One very tired wombat by Renee
Treml (my personal favourite) and Jesse by Tim Winton.
I just really liked this specific collection of stories and we
really enjoyed reading a couple each night at bedtime. My 4 (almost
5) year old agrees, stating that it's 'good at bedtime and quiet
time'. Mister almost 9 wasn't too phased by the whole thing, however
he did read Come down, Cat by Sonya Hartnett to her so I
count that as a win!
There are lots of great themes within the stories such as bedtime,
counting, Australian animals, transition into a big bed, grief and
change (bring the tissues for the beautiful A bear and a tree
by Stephen Michael King! Such a wonderful story about having just
one more day . . .), growing up, adventures and a good old-fashioned
cat rescue!
I thought the majority of the illustrations were wonderful, vibrant
but soft, and the felt and wool tawny frogmouths in Baby Tawnies
were different and blurry. We enjoyed the story.
It is a great book to keep on the bedside table, but also to take on
holidays instead of dragging around loads of different titles. An
interesting group of Australian authors and illustrators all in one
place, 4 out of 5.
Lauren Fountain
