Penguin Books, 2019. ISBN: 9780241370308.
(Age: 1-5) Recommended. Board book. Quentin Blake's marvellous
illustrations are on display in this alphabet book which will be
fabulous for young children. The famous enormous crocodile from
Roald Dahl's book is featured, bringing lots of humour and
excitement to the book.
'A is for . . . Anteater
B is for . . . Books
C is for . . . Crocodile
D is for . . . Delicious!' (Publisher)
Each page has the upper case letter as well as the lower case letter
in bold print that would be easy for little fingers to trace and to
gradually remember. The background against which each letter is
situated is done in bold colours so that the letter stands out well
and this will make it easy for children to gradually learn to
recognise them. The board book is very sturdy, and should hold up to
a lot of use from young children.
Of course the drawings are wonderful. As well as the fun with the
snapping crocodile, children will delight in the 'F is for fox',
that has the fox chasing a terrified chicken, and the 'U is for
upside down' is hilarious. Not to mention the 'V is for vegetables'
that has an elderly man spitting out a cucumber and will have
children and adults in stitches. The 'X is for xenopus (A particular
sort of frog' is also cute and children will love to try and say the
new word out loud. The familiar illustrations have come from Roald
Dahl's books and will be recognised by adults and will be a pleasant
introduction to the books when the young child grows is old enough
to read them.
This is a lively ABC book that should prove to be a keeper.
Pat Pledger
The Big Kahuna by Janet Evanovich and Peter Evanovich
Fox and O'Hare book 6. Headline Review, 2019. ISBN:
9781472260925.
(Age: Adult) Themes: Thriller, Humour. Nick Fox and Kate O'Hare are
on the trail of the disappearance of a Silicon Valley billionaire,
known as the Big Kahuna. His wife, turned Instagram model, and his
business partner seem to be more interested in his money while his
drop out son who is living in Hawaii doesn't appear to know where he
is.
This is the first Fox and O'Hare book that I have read but it was
really easy to get to know the two main characters and pick up bits
of previous escapades. The big Kahuna is a very easy to read thriller, with some
laugh out loud moments, a beautiful setting in Hawaii, and some
tense action, perfect for a quick bit of escapism at the beach.
Other books in the series were written by Evanovich with Lee
Goldberg, and may have more depth.
Pat Pledger
Sensitive by Allayne Webster
UQP, 2019. ISBN: 9780702260483.
(Age: 11+) Highly recommended. Themes: Skin diseases, Eczema,
Psoriasis, South Australia, School, Growing up. In moving to a new
town where her father now teaches, Samantha wants to hide her old
self, calling herself SJ and hoping that the others at school do not
notice her flaky, sensitive skin, prone to redness and itchiness.
She has chronic eczema, and is prone to relapses of horrid flaking,
burning skin, often red with scratching, weeping and raw.
Webster details the gratuitous solutions offered by people around
her with wonderful understanding; people's opinions are given
without thought, and certainly not asked for, her desperate parents
at the rough end of the questioning and uncalled for solutions.
SJ is on the cusp of teen age and her emotions are fraught, body
image is all, her periods have started, she is interested in a boy
in her class, also called Sam, and she has to navigate the trials of
being new in a small school where long term relationships have been
established. Along with this pain at school, she must endure an over
protective mother and a new doctor who thinks she knows the solution
to the problem. At their wits' end, they try her solution but this
ends up with SJ in hospital, her raw wounds and poor diet leaving
her open to life threatening infection.
Transferred to Adelaide Women's and Children's Hospital, she meets a
fifteen year old, suffering from psoriasis and the two develop
a bond, a friendship born out of having a similar problem, and their
honesty with each other develops an honesty within Sam that she can
now use when dealing with other people.
Back home in Kingston, South East, she opens up to her new friend,
Livvy, and calling in to see her at home, meets her morbidly obese
mother and together the two share their thoughts, surprising both of
them.
Sam develops throughout the novel, learning to accept her disease
but equally hoping a cure will be found, relying on specialists for
advice, and learning to ignore the often ignorant advice from non
practitioners.
A truth rings through the story as Webster suffers from this disease
and many of the incidents she relates in the book happened to her as
a young girl. It is hoped that a book such as this will draw people's
attention to the fine line that some walk everyday, navigating their
way through the many things which may enhance an allergic reaction,
but of course also reading a good story well told of one young
girl's development. Teacher's
notes are available.
Fran Knight
Rabbit's hop by Alex Rance
Illus. by Shane McG. Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760524449.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Rabbits, Tigers, Kindness,
Humour, Goals, Strength, Endurance. Jack Rabbit is the best at
almost everything on his home of Rabbit Island. He can hop and jump
and run, beating every other rabbit, but he is second best at
zigagging. Zigga Rabbit always beats him. But he is also looking at
broader things, he is restless and unsettled so when his cousin, Roo
suggests a visit, via a message in a bottle, Jack is all ears.
But Roo lives on Big Island and that is a problem as it is across
the sea. Zigga Rabbit shows him how to zigzag his way cross the ice
flows to the mainland, and off he hops. But the waves are enormous,
almost engulfing him, until he puts his mind to one of his many
skills and jumps over them. He meets a whale caught up in a net and
again reminding himself that to work hard and be kind are two of his
mantras, he chews the whale free. In return, the whale takes him to
Big Island, where he finds he is a little afraid, but the whale
tells him to work hard, be kind and enjoy yourself, and he does just
that.
Jack Rabbit is a kind, hard-working animal who faces challenges
throughout his days spent on Rabbit Island and is keen to test
himself in a new territory. His mantra, work hard, be kind and enjoy
yourself, holds him in good stead as he races against the others on
Rabbit Island, and he is known for his kindness. This comes to the
fore as he tries to cross the water to Big Island, his kindness to
the trapped whale resulting in it giving him help to achieve his
goal. On Big Island, he again uses his skills to befriend a tiger
and together they race against each other.
The sequel to the popular Tiger's
roar (2018) promotes the same qualities, of being
yourself, of being kind, working hard and enjoying yourself. Subtly
promoting activity and sport the story will be eagerly looked for by
readers who recognise the Richmond colours, and are eager to see
another outing for Tiger and his friends. Teacher's
tips are available from the publisher.
Fran Knight
Into the wild by Anh Do
Wolf girl book 1. Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760525095
(Age: 8-13) Recommended. Themes: Adventure, Survival, Dogs, Drama.
In a book (and series) that is very different to Anh Do's humorous
stories, this is an adventure tale set in a dangerous situation that
is both full of action and intensely serious. In the opening scenes
the main character, Gwen, and her family attempt to escape from
impending disaster. Gwen ends up isolated and alone in the wild and
eventually is surrounded by a collection of animals - mostly canines
of various varieties. The pack work together developing survival
skills and exercising their own talents to enable them all to
survive. What starts out as an impossible and motley combination
proves to be a cohesive unit as they are forced to work together.
Set in an unspecified conflict or dystopian context, the requirement
for personal survival skills is of paramount importance. The
inclusion of a wolf into the troop suggests that this is not an
Australian context. The book ends with a cliff-hanger . . . the need
for Wolf girl book 2 to follow quickly will be important.
Anh Do has created an exciting book with intrigue and drama that
young readers will be happy to discover (once they have accepted
that it is not laced with humour). There is a lightness to the story
that still makes this very suitable for the young reader looking for
an exciting story.
Carolyn Hull
Now what? a Math tale by Tobie H Harris
Illus. by Chris Chatterton. Candlewick Press, 2019. ISBN:
9780763678289.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Maths, STEM, Problem solving. Puppy
is full of energy but also likes to snooze. He has a pile of
differently shaped blocks and for his snooze, looks at one which is
a rectangle with one long side. Is this the one he needs for a bed,
he ponders. Problem solving skills will be at the fore of every
reader's mind as they turn each page. The enticing little dog picks
up the blocks, wondering how to put them together and how to
use each to its best potential. Each block is described, some
rectangles, some squares and some triangles, while each individual
block is described with its angles and sides mentioned, teaching a
young reader about the difference between the shapes he or she sees.
Wanting a bed, the puppy tries out each of the shapes and decides
why the ones he has tried are not the shape of size he needs. He
eventually begins to combine the shapes into a larger shape that
will prove to be useful. By this time, readers will be calling out
which shapes to use, seeing the configuration that is needed to make
a bed.
Lots of fun will be had reading this book, playing with shapes on
the floor to replicate what the puppy is doing on the pages, and
having all the readers try out the sequence for themselves.
The bold illustrations have the wooden shapes as the main focus,
unhindered by background colour or distraction, making the clear
focus of the book the shapes the puppy is playing with. The playful
dog helps the readers work out exactly what the dog is doing and so
enable the readers to join in and try for themselves.
Fran Knight
Promise me happy by Robert Newton
Penguin Random House, 2019. ISBN: 9780143796442.
(Age: Adolescent - Adult) Recommended. Plunging us immediately into
the world of Nate, recently released from juvenile detention, Robert
Newton begins his novel with the poignant words spoken by this
troubled young man who wonders 'if it is possible for people to
change'. He decides to return to his old home in a country town,
surrounded by peaceful lakes and friendly people, and is
unexpectedly offered work.
We are captivated by this charming and peaceful little world,
nestled in the trees and sitting by lakes and the sea. Yet Robert
Newton writes of Nate's difficulty in settling back in this society
after spending time in 'juvie', given that Nate has also lost both
of his parents. When he finds that his willingness to get involved,
to work, to make new friends, and to settle down in this little
town, enables him to be accepted, and indeed to be supported, and he
is stunned. Newton evokes a powerful emotional response in the
reader as we sense the loving care and friendship offered by this
community to Nate. He meets a young woman but is shocked to discover
that she has to face a great challenge, harder than he can imagine.
They become strong friends, finding in each other both kindness and
love that offers great strength for both of them.
Robert Newton has constructed a strong narrative that is utterly
captivating, yet gentle and life-affirming. His narrative glows with
a vivid sense of place as do his lyrical descriptions of the little
town, its buildings, people and the extraordinary beauty of the
water that surrounds them, capturing and holding our imagination.
Quirky, but intensely moving, are the moments when he sees the dog
appearing to wink at him, this dog that acts as an agent of change.
He feels as if the dog is aware that he needs help and is simply
determined to be part of his life. The loving care that Nate is
offered, by humans and dog alike, and the gentle acceptance of his
presence, are monumental in someone so damaged by life.
This rich, vivid and compelling novel would be entirely suitable for
adolescent readers and indeed is a thought-provoking read for
adults. Teacher's
notes are available.
Elizabeth Bondar
Saved!!! by Lydia Williams
Illus. by Lucinda Gifford. Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN:
9781760524708.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Sport, Outback, Australian
animals, Aboriginal themes, Persistence, Determination, Self belief.
Multi awarded goal keeper for the Australian Women's Soccer Team,
Lydia Williams encourages young Australians to be involved in sport.
She borrows on her childhood where she and her family moved about
with their tent, camping in the outback, beautifully rendered here
with all its sparse red glory. Against this very recognisable
backdrop Lydia imagines the animals are her friends, and in Saved!!!,
uses them as a platform for playing different sports until she finds
one that she both likes and is successful at.
Younger children will recognise the repetitive phrases when Lydia
plays a sport, reading 'This isn't the sport for me' followed by the
reason that she has been beaten. But not to be outdone, she keeps on
trying.
First she plays high jump with a kangaroo, but the roo can jump much
higher than she, next she tries running, but the emu she choses to
race speeds past her, then she teams herself against a koala in
catching a football, but the koala climbs up her back and catches it
before she can.
Just when Lydia goes into her tent doing up the zip, she hears the
kangaroo ask about trying soccer. Intrigued Lydia looks at the round
ball, and the animals divide into two teams. Readers will love
seeing the animals all playing soccer displaying their unique
skills, while during the game, Lydia finds her best skill is between
the goal post as a goal keeper.
A wonderfully positive book for Indigenous and non Indigenous kids
alike, Lydia's commitment to finding a sport is empowering for all
those who find some sports out of their reach, while endeavouring to
find one that suits them shows courage and determination.
Accompanied by humorous pencil and watercolour illustrations,
readers will enjoy watching the various animals play the sport at
which they excel, while eager eyes will note the variety of animals
and flora portrayed and become aware of some of the animals'
attributes.
Fran Knight
Heads and tails underwater by John Canty
Berbay Publishing, 2019. ISBN: 9780648397359.
(Age: 3+) Recommended. Themes: Sea, Sea animals, Heads and tails
(game), Humour. Every double page shows an illustration of the head
and tail of two underwater creatures. Sometimes a description is
given, with some clues about what it might be, and readers will have
a go at guessing the name of the animal before turning the page to
find out what it is. They will be able to derive information from
the sparse text while delving into the world of searching for clues
for themselves and find there is lots to discover, talk about and
take in. This book is a great start for kids setting out on the
research journey, learning to look for clues in text and
illustration, and learning to discuss things with others to share
and disseminate knowledge.
The wonderful illustrations sourced from a nineteenth century text,
will amuse and delight as the readers turn the pages. Pen and ink
and water colour have been used to great affect. The animals are
inventively illustrated; some needing only a swathe of colour to
give the image as with the jellyfish, while others needing more
detailed pen work as with the crab. All of the animals drawn are
lovely to look at, easy to identify and offer traits about the
animals which younger readers can observe and absorb. And they like
me will enjoy the excitement of seeing what is over the page from
the front cove to the back cover. Wonderfully designed with an
intriguing font and eye catching use of white space on each page, it
is sure to be a hit with younger readers, especially with the
appearance of the shark at the end, pointing in quite a different
direction.
Fran Knight
Kat Wolfe takes the case by Lauren St John
Illus. by Daniel Deamo. Macmillan, 2019, ISBN: 9781509874217.
(Age: 10-14) Highly recommended. Themes: Mysteries, Detectives,
Palaeontology, Pets, Conservation. When a landslide on the cliffs
above Bluebell Bay reveals a rare fossilized 'dragon' dinosaur and
uncovers a human skeleton, it is time for detectives Kat Wolfe and
her best friend Harper Lamb to investigate. Who was responsible for
the death of an amateur fossil-collector?
The town soon becomes overrun with reporters, scientists, fossil
hunters and attracts famous actors. Harper's palaeontologist father
immediately begins to lead the team in the preservation of the
dinosaur, whilst others are out to steal the skeleton for its
special medicinal qualities.
Kat's pet sitting service Paws and Claws provides opportunities for
her to listen, observe and gather information as she walks dogs and
cares for Mr B the python. Horses, dogs, her pet Tiny an F1 Savannah
cat, a stolen lynx and the python play important roles in the
discovery of an evil plot hatched by a dangerous group of people. A
weekend spent with Kate's grandfather, the British Minister of
Defence at his stately home also provides insight into the Bluebell
Bay mysteries. Kat's high-level computing skills (hacking) proves
crucial as well. Added to the danger of the investigation, the
animal catcher is determined to catch Tiny who loves to disappear at
night.
Author Lauren St John excels with this multi-layered, tense plot,
filled with fascinating characters and an array of pets. She
promotes a vegan lifestyle, explores the dynamics of family
relationships and delves into the illegal trade in exotic animal
products and the extinction of wild animal species. Her descriptive
narrative and detailed settings, her ability to lay the groundwork
and draw the threads together into a thrilling conclusion, make this
an engaging novel. Daniel Deamo's sketches, includes ninjas fighting
on a rooftop and a python curled in a driver's seat, combine with
the catchy chapter headings focus the reader's attention and build
the drama.
'Kat Wolfe takes the case' an excellent novel for readers from 10 to
14 years, opening conversations about conservation and environmental
issues.
Rhyllis Bignell
Rebellion at Eureka by Alan Tucker
Scholastic, 2019. ISBN: 9781742994314. paperback, 281pgs.
(Age: middle primary) Oh where, oh where was this novel when I was
teaching about the Goldfields to my class? Would have been awesome
to read it as a class novel. My class would have loved reading a
true-life adventure about the Goldrush. I think Rebellion at Eureka
would be a great addition to any school collection for students
studying the Goldrush. I will be buying copies for my school.
I found the story of 13-year-old Alf and his mum moving from
Melbourne to Ballarat goldfields an engaging story about life on the
goldfields leading up to an Australian historical event, the Eureka
Stockade and what happened during the event. The story is about Alf
and what he sees during his time on the goldfields. He finds himself
and gains his independence from mum while experiencing the events
during the stockade. I liked how Tucker showed how people who lived
on the goldfields helped and supported each other. Rebellion at Eureka was beautifully written and very easy to
follow which is a bonus as a class novel and would easily engage
students to imagine living during the Goldrush and experience the
hardships and treatment of the miners and families back in 1854. I
can't believe the corruption back then. You learn so much about the
Troopers.
The novel also includes references to historical figures like James
Scobie and Peter Lalor and the parts they played in real life at
Ballarat. At the back of the book you will find historical notes
which I found interesting.
Oh yeah, Joe the dog was quite a character too. Maria Komninos
The Bad Guys Episode 9: The big bad wolf by Aaron Blabey
Bad Guys. Scholastic, 2019. ISBN: 9781742993737.
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. Themes: Humour, Adventure,
Superheroes. Another wacky, hilarious episode of the bad guys is
sure to be a favourite with all the fans of this series. This time
Mr Wolf has been blown up into an enormous size, and he is
determined to go about destroying things. The rest of the Bad Guys
find themselves with problems to solve. How will they get Mr Wolf
back to his normal size and temperament and how will they stop the
alien invasion? Together with the International League of Heroes,
they all have to do some quick thinking and act in dangerous ways in
order to save the world, using their new superpowers.
Fans will have no problem jumping right into the funny story, while
people new to the series will still be able to follow the story and
characters, but will certainly want to go back and read the previous
episodes. There are some over the top incidents that will have
readers laughing out loud. I loved how Mr Snake got into Mr Wolf's
ear and using his superpower, tries to whisper him back to his
normal self. Of course, this proves exceptionally difficult, and it
is only when he reverts to his normal bossy self and tells Mr Wolf
off, that things begin to change.
A boon for reluctant readers and children who have difficulty
reading longer books, The big bad wolf is another winner for
Blabey.
Pat Pledger
The Red Scrolls of Magic by Cassandra Clare and Wesley Chu
The Eldest Curses book 1. Simon and Schuster, 2019. ISBN:
9781471162145. paperback, 350pgs.
(Age: 14+) This was my first taste of Cassandra Clare's fantasy
world of the Shadowhunters. I tend to see a copy in the hands of my
students frequently so really wanted to try this book.
The Shadowhunter Chronicles is a young-adult fantasy
franchise by American author Cassandra Clare. The series is so
popular with young adults that there are now companion books,
graphic novels, manga, film, and TV series adaptations. Each of the
books, as my students say, follow the supernatural conflict between
the Shadowhunters, a group of powerful human-angel hybrids, and
Downworlders, a society of mythological beings, and their battle
against demons. The Red Sea Scrolls of Magic is the first of a new series
after the Mortal War. It is co-written with Wesley Chu. This story
follows the High Warlock Magnus Bane and his new boyfriend Alec
Lightwood who is a Shadowhunter.
I found the book very easy to read and follow and wanted to know
more about the characters. The Red Sea Scrolls was a love
story between two people who should not be together due to who they
were. Magnus and Alec decide to take a relaxing romantic vacation
together through Europe. Vacation, I think not. Magnus' past catches
up and he is accused of putting a cult together called the Crimson
Hand. Magnus and Alec are on the hunt to find the real leader of
this cult and along the way they encounter vampires, werewolves,
demons and many other people and creatures.
It is action packed, full of love and great twists and turns, while
the reader also learns more about the past of both characters which
was very interesting. I actually did enjoy reading this LGBT,
fantasy love story book and can see why young adults love the
series.
The ending did leave me thinking, 'Will Magnus tell Alec the massive
secret of who his father really is'? Will have to read the next book
in the series to find out.
Maria Komninos
The ghosts of Mars by Ian Napier
Pegagus Publishers, 2019. ISBN: 9781784654528.
(Age: 13+) Recommended. Themes: STEM, Space travel, Mars, Science
fiction. When David arrives in San Francisco after his father moves
from Australia to take up a post at Silicon Valley, he links up with
a friend he met while at a NASA camp during the previous summer
break, Sierra. She and David are space fanatics, so for David to
come from Australia to the camp was impressive. That they hooked up
made their time at the camp even better. But now in San Francisco,
their interest is rewarded, when the heads of department at NASA
come to call.
It seems a door has been found on Mars, an actual door, and it must
be investigated. But NASA is ten years away from suspended animation
for long distance space travel, and an imperative has been added to
the mission to Mars; a meteor is headed its way. The only successful
suspended animation trials have been conducted on children, so David
and Sierra are asked to volunteer.
The premise on which this science fiction tale is based is luminous
- it is so believable, made more so by the writing which oozes with
an infusion of background knowledge. Napier's career in space makes
his setting more than credible: the words, descriptions and
scientific language are easily digested, the position the two are in
seems like something that could happen, the voyage they take seems
almost possible. Readers will love moving about in this engrossing
science fiction story aimed at teens.
The city the teens find on Mars rivals many of the CGI inspired
cities of recent films and the written word brings them to life.
With nods to 2001, a space odyssey, The terminator
and Star trek amongst others along with a splash of The
chariots of the gods (Erich von Daniken) thrown in to stir the
pot, this is a rich read of science fiction and I hope a second
outing for David and Sierra is in the air.
Fran Knight
Alfred Deakin by Belinda Beattie
Little Steps, 2019. ISBN: 9781925545777.
(Age: Primary - Middle school) Alfred Deakin by Belinda Beattie is
an interesting picture book showcasing the contributions made by our
second Prime Minister. The book is fact based, and delves into many
parts of his life, not just politics, but his physical features,
likes and dislikes and family situation. I thought this book was
extremely informative, giving me a broad understanding of who Alfred
Deakin was and where his ideals came from. I liked that they did not
paint a rosy portrait of him and told of his racist views towards
the Indigenous Australians. Belinda Beattie did this in such a way
that it was just another part of the story and it did not 'taint'
the ending.
The illustrations by Maxwell Tilse are lovely, with many of the
characters showing the feelings of the times through facial
expressions and colour. I felt that the pictures really added depth
and further understandings to the text.
One of my favourite parts of the story were the little tid-bits of
information like the total number of days he was in office (1174),
the meaning behind the name of his house 'Llanarth' and his love of
books and speech-making!
I think that this book would be a good addition to any library for
the use of primary to middle school students learning about past
Australian leaders. It is factual, thought-provoking whilst being
easy for a multitude of students to read.
Lauren Fountain
