Rhiza Edge, 2018. ISBN: 9781925563528.
(Age: 15+) Recommended. Themes: Suicide, friends, family,
depression. CBCA Book of the Year: Older Readers notable 2019.
Academic, talented, with the lead in the school musical, good
friends and a part time job at Woolworths, it would seem that Tiger
has everything a 16 year old girl from a small Tasmanian town could
want. However, with absent parents, she feels fragmented, hiding the
broken part of herself by filling her days, running from one thing
to another, proving herself. Raised by a loving aunt and
grandparents, Tiger has been in a tight group of friends since
primary school. Best friend Nick Wallace, Wally, a star football
player, son of a star football player tragically killed when Wally
was three, is expected to be selected to play AFL and leave to play
on the mainland. He shares a more sensitive side with Tiger, quoting
poetry, making her feel special and she starts to wonder if he will
ask her to go with him or if he too will go away. The chapters are
interspersed with letters to 'Dear Dad' and later 'Dear Mum'
revealing the writer's innermost thoughts, when Wally suicides, the
ultimate abandonment, her friends try to help but she pushes them
away. With the help of a friend outside her closest circle she
gradually comes to terms with her losses and gets help with her
grief. The stand out character is her Aunt who is always there for
Tiger, sensitively supporting her with unconditional love, willing
to wait until Tiger is ready to do what no one else can do for her.
The story has a strong sense of place and Aussie flavour with a lot
of recognisable references and I like that Grandma's chook shed is a
special place. I found friend Melody a bit over the top, 'Sometimes
people don't want to live inside a feminist echo chamber' p. 12.
also some of the food stereotypes, vegemite sandwiches and steamed
buns. There were some characters who seemed as if they would have a
role to play but were left behind. A quick read which will be
devoured by middle school girls. There are many like books
which could be read with this, I enjoyed I
had Such Friends by Meg Gatland-Veness.
Teacher's notes are available.
Sue Speck
Cheeky dogs: to Lake Nash and back by Dion Beasley and Johanna Bell
Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760528119.
(Age: 5 to adult) Highly recommended. Themes: Aboriginal themes,
Aboriginal stories, Autobiography, Outback Australia, Communities,
The Lands. A wonderfully inventive chronicle of one man's life
unfolds as pages full of those well known cheeky dogs punctuate his
journey from Lake Nash to Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Elliott,
and all places between in the eastern part of the Northern Territory
abutting Sandover Highway. Here Dion was born in 1991, his mother
going to Alice Springs, but returning to Lake Nash after his birth.
From there he travelled all over the area, Soapy Bore, Elliott,
Ampilatwatja, Canteen Creek, with his mother, finally living with
his grandfather at Mulga Camp after her death. Each place has a mix
of cheeky dogs coming in all shapes and colours. Once when Dion went
to the shop several big angry dogs surrounded him and scared him.
But now he loves riding his mobility scooter around the town of
Tennant Creek where he lives with Joy and her husband, Tony, feeding
the dogs and collecting rocks and images of dogs for his artwork.
Joy, an old white woman, took Dion in when his grandfather died and
is now his carer. Being profoundly deaf and contracting muscular
dystrophy has not stopped this young man taking life as it comes,
greeting every new day with purpose as he feeds and watches the
dogs. His memoir is full fo life and humour and is intoxicating in
its portrayal of a life lived so far from the cities where most of
us live.
His lively illustrations are full of the dogs he sees in all the
places he has lived and on each page readers will spot the dogs - on
the roads, travelling in packs, fighting, surrounding the edges of
the page. Beasley's marvellously naive style documents the many
places he has lived, with his flat maps of the communities and
camps, drawings of the houses, swimming pool, shops, images of the
environment as well as drawings and photos of his journey through
the footpaths and laneways of Tennant Creek. Readers will learn of
the remote townships where he has lived and the life he lives now in
Tennant Creek, of the events which fill his day. This is an
absorbing look at one man's life in remote Australia, his affinity
with his environment, his love of family and the place called Lake
Nash.
Fran Knight
My name is NOT Peaseblossom by Jackie French
Angus and Robertson, 2019. ISBN: 9781460754788.
(Age: 13+) Recommended. Themes: Shakespeare; Love and power;
Fairies; Midsummer Night's Dream. Jackie French has written over 100
books, and each one contains its own magic. This book though
contains a healthy measure of fairy magic and the essence of
Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream - a potent and
enchanted mixture to entrance the reader. Told from the perspective
of Peaseblossom, a servant of the Fairy Queen Titania, with his
fairy relative Puck as his guide and mentor, we discover the
fairies' perspective of the love stories and lives that are woven in
the Shakespearean tale. The characters of Lysander, Demetrius,
Helena, Hermia, Hippolyta and Theseus appear, with the rule and
authority of Oberon and Titania; but we are also introduced to other
participants in the fairy kingdom and the fantasy powers of fairies
(including the tooth fairy), selkies, vampires, banshees and other
assorted magical creatures that inhabit the world. (Note: even Elvis
Presley makes an appearance in this world in the lead-up to
Midsummer night! Are you lonesome tonight? and Love me
Tender are crooned in the background!)
The essential story of love and power, and freedom and
responsibility, is told through the dramatic tale of love when
Peaseblossom, posing as Pete, discovers the entrancing Gaela (a
selkie) who makes the best pizza in the world. Will the discovery of
love create chaos in the controlled fairy world? And should
Pete/Peaseblossom defy the rule of the Fairy Queen to pursue the
love that he has found for himself?
Even without a prior knowledge of Midsummer night's dream,
this book is accessible for young readers, but the occasional
inclusion of a direct quote from the play may confuse some. This
book has its own joys and delights, and the inimitable Jackie French
has explored and untangled some of the threads of the Shakespearean
play in a way that will be enjoyed by both Shakespeare-focused
readers and those who have only a passing knowledge of his work. And
the world of fairies has a wonderful charisma with time-travel
adventures and magical potions, as well as the ability to paint the
world with colour!
(The author's notes at the end of the book imply that this is the
last of the Shakespearean literary excursions . . . unless of course
some fairy dust settles and compels another!)
Carolyn Hull
Anna of Kleve, Queen of Secrets by Alison Weir
Six Tudor Queens. Hachette, 2019. ISBN: 9781472227737.
(Age: Adult - Adolescent) This compelling work vividly recreates the
rule of the iconic King Henry VIII. Anna is forced by her brother,
Wilhelm, ruler of the duchy of Kleve, to marry the English King
Henry, in order to align their countries. Henry had liked her
portrait and finds that he likes her, but cannot make love to her to
produce the important extra heir to the English throne. In this new
historical novel, part of her series Six Tudor Queens,
Alison Weir has vividly recreated Anna's story from the surviving
historical documents. This was a time when alliances were being made
by those who supported the growing Protestant movement, a time of
great upheaval in Europe where Catholicism had been dominant for so
many years.
Weir's narrative is richly detailed and deeply thought-provoking.
She raises the issue of planned alliances, with the 'right' marriage
considered as useful in healing rifts and cementing support among
the many countries of that world. Yet we are aware of the fear of
those who are involved in withholding truth and of those who do not
do what Henry wants, that they may be jailed, beheaded or hanged for
their perceived crime. Anna's secrets make her fear for her life.
While Henry cannot understand his inability to love Anna as he had
planned, her intelligence gives her an advantage that is outside the
realm of her questionable sexual attraction. When Henry decides that
she is a good friend to him as a dear 'sister', her fear begins to
lessen, although the secret that she keeps from him is never far
from her mind, as is her fear that the truths that she conceals will
be her undoing.
This is a compelling story, one that is indeed hard to put down.
Written for those who love history, particularly when the writer
recreates the world of the text so brilliantly, this novel is
powerful, its characters and issues staying in the mind long after
the book is finished. It is appropriate for adolescent and adult
reading, particularly for readers who enjoy the vivid recreation of
the life and times of such an iconic king as Henry Tudor.
Elizabeth Bondar
Nits! by Stephanie Blake
Gecko Press, 2019. ISBN: 9781776572243.
(Age: 3-7) Highly recommended. Themes: Nits, Friendship, Kindness.
Another book featuring Simon, the cheeky rabbit from I
can't sleep, Poo Bum, Super Rabbit and
others, sees Simon falling in love. He loves Lou but Lou loves
Mamadou and he is very jealous and doesn't know what he can do about
it. But then Lou gets nits and even Mamadou teases her. Simon is
steadfast in his love for her, and the reader can guess what will
happen when she kisses him for being so kind.
The bold colours, bright pinks, blues and yellows of the
illustrations are just gorgeous. Each individual rabbits has a
unique personality while Simon stands out from the rest of the
group, because he is a wearing a blue mask. The little hearts that
hover above the head Lou of the rabbits are really cute and make her
stand out as well.
The text is printed in a bold black and its sparseness makes for a
great read aloud, but it is also a book that newly independent
readers might like to tackle for themselves.
The story is a lot of fun to read and children will have plenty to
think about as they watch the growing relationship between Simon and
Lou. Nits are a common problem in schools and Blake will calm
readers' fears about catching them when she has Simon reassure Lou
that her mother will fix it. The humorous illustration of Lou
kissing Simon will also demonstrate just how easy it is to get nits,
regardless of how clean one's hair is. The kindness of Simon,
staying true to Lou and not joining in teasing or isolating Lou, is
a message that comes across strongly in the book.
Pat Pledger
Nullaboo Hullabaloo by Fleur Ferris
Puffin, 2019. ISBN: 9780143787143.
(Age: 8-12) Recommended. Themes: Fantasy; Fairies; School; Country
and farming communities. Gemma's science project is to research an
insect, but her initial field research on the school grounds leads
to a chance encounter with the hidden fairy community that lives
there. Living under the threat of the local silver spiders, the
fairies are desperate to survive. The revelation to the world of the
reality of fairies happens without Gemma's approval, and before long
the fairy community and Gemma and her family face another menace
from a bigger threat. Gemma's concern for the fairies and her
resolve to save them leads to a country community rising to
demonstrate their caring nature. The environmental concern of the
local rice growers is a parallel story that has its own stresses and
strains.
This is a different fantasy story, and the revelation of the fairy
world, their traumas and their limited magical attributes is handled
with a light touch and in an intriguing way. Young readers will be
delighted by the possibilities of having fairies at the bottom of
the 'school garden'. The pressures of the Government department that
is dedicated to eliminate the fairy world will add interest and
tension as the story unfolds. Sparely illustrated by Briony Stewart,
the line drawings add interest throughout the book.
Carolyn Hull
Sick Bay by Nova Weetman
UQP, 2019. ISBN: 9780702260322.
(Age: 10-14) Highly recommended. Themes: Friendship; Sickness;
Diabetes; Fitting in; Grief and Depression. Nova Weetman has written
another delightful friendship story that weaves a saga in and around
the difficulties of Year 6; struggling with grief and depression in
a family; and coping with the constant diligence of Diabetes Type 1.
The Sick Bay is the location where Meg finds solace from the world,
but also the place that feels more home than home since the death of
her father and the slide into deep depression for her mother. Meg is
constantly hungry and needs to cope with far more than just school.
Her only friend is her brown paper bag - ready to be used in case of
a panic attack. School is mercilessly unkind to her, but Lina - the
'queen bee' of the 'cool' girls seems to be the unkindest of all.
Dash is a regular visitor to Sick Bay because of his asthma, but it
is new girl Riley who creates waves for Meg. Riley is coping with
her own dilemmas as she is trying hard to be independent and yet fit
in, but her diabetes means that she is either misunderstood by her
peers or smothered by her mother's concern. The connection between
these two girls seems unlikely at first as Riley has become one of
Lina's sidekicks, but slowly Riley finds more in the Sick Bay than
just a place to take her blood sugar readings. The girls become more
than just Sick Bay refugees and understanding grows.
School based drama and friendship difficulties are part of the life
of most year 6 students, but the success of this book is that there
are layers of difficulties for the central characters that most kids
would never even consider. Creating empathy and understanding will
be the result for readers of this book. The book is written from the
perspectives of Meg and Riley in alternating chapters, and so we
hear their inner dialogue and concerns. There were moments when I
was almost brought to tears as I considered how difficult their
lives had become, and although adult intervention seemed distant (it
was there, but understated) this is probably reflective of how the
young see their lives.
Carolyn Hull
The Poppa Platoon in Saving Private Rabbit by Danny Katz
Illus. by Mitch Vane. Scholastic, 2019. ISBN: 9781742769257.
(Age: 6-9) Recommended. Themes: Birthday parties; Friendship;
Humour. Tapping into the current trend for comic stories, Danny Katz
(of Little Lunch fame) has created a 'mission' to attend the
Friendship-Bear birthday party for Abbie. Her Poppa is the
responsible adult to accompany Abbie and her friends on the risky
manoeuvres through the local shopping mall to the Friendship-Bear
party store. The dangers and problems that beset the young troop
will be understood be all who have attended a large shopping Mall!
Poppa is perhaps the one who suffers the most from this excursion
into 'danger'. . . but the party is important. And when Private
Rabbit goes missing, Abbie demonstrates extreme bravery and
leadership.
This book is full of kid-friendly humour and illustrations, and
although there may be some indirect references to 'military'
procedures that will pass over the heads and understanding of the
youngest readers, the inclusion of the booger on the end of the
finger of the Boogey-Woogie Booger Boy will amuse the young.
Illustrations by Mitch Vane are in a messy cartoon and almost
caricature-style and are quite amusing. This is not a book for
thinkers, but will be enjoyed as light-hearted entertainment for
young independent readers.
Carolyn Hull
Where Dani goes, happy follows by Rose Lagercrantz
Illus. by Eva Eriksson. My happy life series. Gecko Press,
2019. ISBN: 9781776572267.
This book by Gecko Press publishing house that promises 'curiously
good books' from around the world, will have readers enthralled at
Dani's journey, willing her to find her friend but not a little
concerned for her safety along the way. The book touches on themes
not usually shown in children's books. Her father is depressed over
his wife's death, his parents not a little unhappy at being called
in to help, and the irrepressible Dani is travelling alone to
Northbrook. She runs into trouble on the way which she must contend
with.
Dani is a strong young girl and this the sixth in the series will
delight younger readers who love her character, but also those new
to her stories.
Dani has been left again with her grandparents while Dad goes to
Italy to stay with friends. Dani is not impressed and when she
realises that tomorrow is Ella's birthday resolves to be her present
and be with her old friend on the day. But no one can spare the time
to take her so she is allowed to go by herself on the train. Armed
with a mobile phone and knowing that Ella's family will be there to
welcome her when she arrives, Dani sets off. But hurdles beset her:
there is no one at the station, it is cold and snowing, the
stationmaster leaves her in the waiting room where she is accosted
by two youths and a dog, who take her phone, and someone walks in
when she is hiding under the bench so does not see her.
Each incident will have readers thinking about what they would do in
that situation and admire Dani's handling of her misfortunes. It is
a strength of this wonderful read that Dani although a child is
having to face more mature problems. In simply wanting to surprise
her friend, she takes steps which go awry, but there are people
there to help.
The illustrations show clearly the sort of young girl Dani is:
resourceful, playful and generous, wanting to see Ella again, but
also realising that there are other people to consider. She learns
more about her father even though he is in Rome, as well as his old
girlfriend, Sadie and her new friend, Cushion, and in going on this
journey to see her old friend, Ella, realises that things change and
accepts Cushion as her friend.
Fran Knight
Don't follow Vee by Oliver Phommavanh
Penguin, 2019, ISBN: 9780143505747.
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Themes: Social media, Families,
Mothers. Oliver Phommavanh's novel Don't follow Vee looks at
the current trend of parents to overshare on social media and the
positive and negative impacts on their families in a fun and
insightful way.
Vee's mum has recorded every moment of her daughter's life since she
was a baby. As her thirteenth birthday approaches, Vee needs to make
some big decisions, to continue with 'The Chronicles of Vee' or come
up with an alternate plan. The plan includes becoming anti-Vee
making her life unfollowable and turning her mum's focus onto her
pursuing new activities. Vee has boundaries as well; she protects
her friendships by not posting any of their photos. When her mum
breaks the Golden Rule, Vee really begins to question the realities
of constant posting.
Every morning she wakes to her mum snapping a picture to add to 'The
Chronicles of Vee' - an account her mum started when she was a baby.
They have 100,000 followers and Mum has found sponsors who provide
their products to promote. Her pencil case is stocked with the
latest Typo products. Mum has themes for different day, Saturday
becomes Fiturday as they train for the Colour Run. When her mum
starts doing things like making up stories that get Vee unwanted
attention at school, and breaking Vee's golden rule of not posting
pictures of her friends, Vee starts to wonder if maybe it's time to
stop.
Vee values her best friend Annabelle's close relationship; things
change when her mother adds her photo to Vee's posts. Vee's anti-Vee
antics including dyeing her hair bright red have repercussions at
school and home.
Oliver Phommavanh's humorous novel is character-driven as Vee, her
mother and her close friends both guys and girls grapple with their
own and their on-line personas. Themes of growth and resilience,
self-perception, peer pressure and the realities and consequences of
creating and maintaining social media personas are presented in a
humorous and easy to read style. What impact now and in the future
will the one billion users of Instagram in May 2019 have? Don't follow Vee is an inspiring story, perfect to share with
Upper Primary students engaging with social awareness and digital
communication.
Rhyllis Bignell
Raising Readers by Megan Daley
UQP, 2019. ISBN: 9780702262579.
(Age: Adult) Recommended. This is unashamedly a book about books,
the subtitle How to nurture a child's love of books clearly
places the author among those for whom books are a passion they want
everyone to share. However, instead of a lot of 'motherhood'
statements the first part is full of well researched information
about the mechanics of reading organised along developmental stages
with multiple strategies for enhancing learning and dealing with
issues as they are encountered. The difference between educational
readers and recreational reading is explained, stimulating different
kinds of learning in the child, one without the other will leave
gaps. Equally the importance of comprehension along with word
recognition is explored. Asserting the need for multiple strategies
for children learning to read, the author has included are many
first-hand accounts from experts and 'literary friends'.
Particularly valuable are the book recommendations which
refreshingly feature Australian books. Parents and educators need to
offer children a balanced literary diet but can unconsciously do a
disservice by selecting books with a gender bias. Marketing is often
quite gender specific and in one of the very interesting
contributions author Jacqueline Harvey talks about the frustrations
of adults making decisions that her books are not for boys. The
second part of the book looks at the features of different genres,
as a fan of graphic novels I was pleased to see them discussed and
valued. The chapter on multimodal and digital reading suggests the
decoding skills necessary for reading can be transferred
successfully into computational thinking, 'thinking logically,
decomposing into smaller parts, looking for and recognising
patterns, abstracting ideas, designing algorithms and making
judgements' p. 150. Computer coding is a language and learning it can
enable children 'not just to use digital technologies, but to read,
comprehend and create them p. 151. Making and creating are integral
parts of a reading strategy, from making book week costumes to
library makerspaces and the research skills acquired, the link
between enjoying stories and creating responses to them whether it
be written, oral or visual are not forgotten. Some of the more
subtle aspects of reading; mindfulness, sustainability and diversity
are discussed and there are some useful 'How to' guides at the end
of the book. Comprehensive end notes and contributor biographies
make this a surprisingly concise, readable, useful and inspiring
addition to any parent or teacher's library.
Sue Speck
Mr Walker gets the inside scoop by Jess Black
Illus. by Sara Acton. Mr Walker book 2. Penguin, 2019, ISBN:
9780143793090.
(Age: 7-9) Recommended. Themes: Dogs, Hotels, Therapy Pets. What do
you do with a wonderful dog who's been trained by Guide Dogs
Victoria, whose larger-than-life personality makes him too lively to
assist vision-impaired people? Mr Walker now lives with his official
foster carer at Park Hyatt Melbourne Hotel. Author Jess Black has
written an engaging series of junior novels based on Mr Walker and
his engaging interactions and encounters with both staff and guests.
Hotel manager Henry Reeves and his family are the official carers of
Mr Walker, Labrador Ambassador. With the family off on a holiday
cruise, the friendly dog is left in the capable hands of the staff,
Omid Abedini, porter Thomas Glover and Elvis Head of Housekeeping.
Cue the drama, Jamie Gibson, hotel reviewer whose critiques are
often scathing is planning a visit, as well as a new hospitality
student from the country is arriving for a week's work experience.
The hotel staff go all out, cleaning, and tidying, making their
beloved hotel sparkle for Jamie Gibson. Poor Mr Walker is very
confused, not understanding Omid's figures of speech, 'Let's get all
our ducks in a row. What ducks?' Hoping to help he takes the
hospitality student under his wing and show her just what happens
behind the scenes. His attempts to help are comical and cause
troubles for the staff and Jess Black creatively handles the mix-up
between the student who is treated to a five-star stay and the
reviewer's time at the hotel.
With a beautiful hard cover and Sarah Acton's charming water-colour
illustration of Mr Walker fetching a paper, and black sketches of Mr
Walker's antics throughout this junior novel it is just right for
readers aged seven to nine.
Jess Black has created a loveable character who's valued by his
hotel family, and Mr Walker Gets the Inside Scoop is another
appealing addition to this fun to read series.
Rhyllis Bignell
The original Australians, the story of the Aboriginal people by Josephine Flood
Allen and Unwin, 2019. Revised and updated edition. ISBN:
9781760527075.
(Age: 16+) Non-fiction. Flood writes that her book was provoked by
requests from overseas friends for an introduction to Indigenous
Australia, and that she wanted to provide an informative and
objective account of Aboriginal history and culture that could be
read by the general public. She started out by collecting the kinds
of questions that people asked, such as where the First Australians
came from, their impact on the environment, was traditional life
idyllic, why were treaties not made, were Aboriginal children
'stolen', etc.
The resulting book begins with how Aboriginal society was gradually
discovered by the outside world, and thus starts with first contact
between foreigners and Aborigines. So we learn about the Dutch
encounters in the late 16th and early 17th century, the accounts of
Englishman William Dampier, and the trading relationship with the
Macassans, Indonesian fishermen, all before the arrival of Captain
Cook.
Other chapters are titled Colonisation, early Sydney; Confrontation,
in Tasmania and Victoria; Depopulation, a century of struggle
(1820s-1920s); Tradition, Indigenous life at first contact; Origins,
the last 65,000 years; Assimilation, a time of trouble
(1930s-1970s); and Resurgence, the story continues.
Clearly it is a mammoth task to write such a book. She is successful
in keeping the tone accessible to the general reader, at the same
time providing well referenced notes, and including various maps and
a collection of coloured prints of artworks and photographs
including ancient rock art sites. Surprisingly she does not include
the map of Indigenous language or tribal groups, an invaluable tool
in helping people to understand the diversity and number of
Aboriginal groups, and their 'Country', the places they were
connected to.
Some areas where there may be some dispute about Flood's account of
Aboriginal life may be in her assertion of their hunter-gather
lifestyle, ignoring recent interpretations of their cultivation and
agricultural methods, and also the assertion that Aboriginal
languages have no numbers beyond 3 or 4, ignoring the complexities
of Indigenous mathematical understandings that other writers are
exploring in the field of ethnomathematics.
Flood also takes issue with the word 'stolen' as applied to
Aboriginal children, and highlights the cases where Aboriginal
mothers gave their children into care; undermining the concept of
'stolen generations' and the ramifications for Aboriginal families.
And in the final chapter, Resurgence, in her description of the
Intervention, in highlighting views of the benefits to Aborigines of
the welfare card, she ignores any conflicting view of the impact on
their lives.
Flood ends on an optimistic point, in that whilst Prime Minister
Turnbull rejected out of hand the Uluru Statement from the Heart,
possibly new Prime Minister Morrison may come closer to giving the
First Nations people a voice in government.
Dr Josephine Flood is an expert archaeologist so this volume is a
worthy addition to the literature on Aboriginal Australians; however
the non-expert reader may be a little wary of generalisations made
about a people who are a diverse group with varying opinions on some
of the topics covered.
Helen Eddy
Happy birthday Wombat by Jackie French
Illus. by Bruce Whatley. HarperCollins, 2019. ISBN 9781460751596.
32pp., hbk., RRP
Highly recommended. There are a few modern characters in Australian
children's literature that are a must-have in the literary and
literacy journey of every young reader, and one of those is Mothball
the wombat. It is 16 years since we first met her in 2003 in Diary
of a Wombat and here she is, back again in a new adventure.
Today is her birthday and while her human friends are set to enjoy a
party for her, birthday parties seen through a wombat's lens are
different to those through a child's lens. A jumping castle may be
fun for the children but it's an enemy to vanquish to a wombat! The
result is an hilarious adventure that combines the minimal text of
Mothball's thoughts with the classic illustrations that tell so much
of the story, and which thoroughly engage the young reader as they
follow Mothball's day.
Anyone who follows Jackie's Facebook page will be aware of the
adventures she shares about Wild Whiskers and friends, and knows of
her love for and affinity with these creatures, including that they
bite and they can be very destructive. But her portrayal of these
characteristics as being almost childlike in their single-mindedness
not only appeals to the audience for whom she is writing, but also
raises awareness of these creatures in our environment, encouraging
a love to protect them from an early age. Living in the country as I
do, sadly wombats are often the victims of cars and I will never
forget having to pacify Miss Then-3 when she saw 'Mothball' on the
side of the road and clearly in wombat heaven. It took a lot of
talking to assure her it was a distant cousin who hadn't learned the
road rules and Mothball was very happy still living with Jackie near
Braidwood.
Long may she go on to have many more adventures that will bring such
delight and empathy to our very youngest readers.
For those who need to satisfy curriculum outcomes, teachers'
notes are available.
Barbara Braxton
Gravity is the thing by Jaclyn Moriarty
Pan Macmillan, 2019. ISBN: 9781760559502. 472p.
(Age: 16+) Recommended. Abigail Sorensen is a suburban, single
parent, who settles it - ordinary persons invariably experience
extraordinary events. Abigail is a wellspring of the paradoxes and
insecurities of modern life. Jaclyn Moriarty hasn't only written a
mystery novel for adults, whimsical in language and without
chronological structure; but a gentle rendering of characters, most
of whom respond to the human quandary by attempting to lead moral
lives.
Abigail's sardonic inner monologue running parallel to the narrative
are nearly as delightful as her young child's frequent malapropisms.
Oscar is the product of a one night stand, motivated by her
husband's long-term affair and subsequent abandonment. The polar
opposites within the central character know no bounds - she owns a
flaky happiness-themed-cafe and reads self-help books, yet she's a
qualified lawyer.
Equally the book's premise is anything but a trope. From the age of
15, Abigail has been the recipient of the intermittent and
unsolicited chapters of a self-help book, she calls, The
Guidebook. The story starts when she agrees to attend a remote
weekend retreat to learn the truth behind the subscription, which
she could never bring herself to cancel. The first instalment of The
Guidebook arrived at approximately the same time as her twin
brother disappeared - a sign from the universe that tempered both
her scepticism and her hope that somehow the two events were
connected. Abigail decides to meet with the other long-term
subscribers, who are dumbfounded that the book was not as
metaphorical as they thought - but in fact, a practical manual.
With a stable of YA novels to her credit, Moriarty is at ease
writing for adult readers. Indeed, the author makes us more open to
possibilities because of her refreshing demands on adult
imaginations and that's what makes Gravity is the Thing a
departure from adult literature but nevertheless, thought provoking
and addictive. Abigail's brief epistemological musings reward us
every time we resume reading. This mundane yet enigmatic piece of
adult literature is one for Senior Fiction. Why not recommend to
staff for pleasure or as reference material for their philosophy
classes.
Deborah Robins
