Fart Monster and me: The birthday party by Tim Miller and Matt Stanton
HarperCollins, 2019. ISBN: 9780733340208.
(Age: 5-9) Themes: Birthday parties, Humour. This is the third book
in the Fart Monster series (The Crash Landing, The
New School). It uses simple language, perfect for newly
independent readers. The content will also be appealing and
relatable, even for slightly older children, making it a great
series to try with struggling or reluctant readers. The series is
wonderfully Australian, full of toilet humour and reflective of the
everyday life of a typical Aussie kid. For those not familiar with
the previous titles in the series there is a helpful prologue
introducing Ben and his green fart monster who crash-landed in his
yard. Luckily (and unluckily) Ben is the only one who can see the
fart monster, so someone else is forever being blamed for his
stench.
In The Birthday Party, Ben's whole class have been invited
to Chris's birthday party and the fart monster is there too. There
are plenty of party games and lots of farts being blamed on the dog.
If you take out the constant farting this would just be a story of a
kid going to a birthday party but add the farts in and it gives it a
little more oomph. It's silly and repetitive but the jokes are just
right for the target audience and it is a perfect length, layout and
text for beginner readers. There are black line illustrations
throughout showing the hideous fart monster, which will help to keep
readers engaged.
Nicole Nelson
Me and my sister by Rose Robbins
Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760524456.
(Ages: 3-8) Themes: Autism, Differences, Siblings. Me and My
Sister indirectly and gently looks at what it's like to live
with a sibling with autism. It doesn't label the sister as having
autism but her brother points out things that make them different
(she doesn't use many words, likes different foods, can be rude to
people, goes to a different school, doesn't get told for things that
he would get in trouble for, doesn't always like hugs). The book
also highlights things that they like doing together or that they
can help each other with (listening to music, comforting each other,
reading together, laughing together). The brother acknowledges that
he doesn't always understand his sister or how other people respond
to her, which is a common issue with siblings of children with
autism and other disabilities. It shows the highs and lows common in
any relationship, but the love between the two is clear.
The illustrations are warm and cheerful and it is a nice change to
see a female depicted with autism in a picture book as it is
commonly boys that feature. The author (based in England) has a
brother with autism and she teaches autistic young children; this
knowledge and understanding of everyday life with a person with
autism is obvious and the tone of the book is empathetic and loving.
This could be used as a general book about accepting difference in
others but it will be much more appealing and meaningful to those
who have a family member with autism.
Nicole Nelson
Baby business by Jasmine Seymour
Magabala Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781925768671.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Aboriginal themes, Country,
Babies, Smoking ceremonies. When a child is born, the women of the
Darug community take the baby into the bush, gathering paperbark
leaves, the leaves from green bushes and termite mound mud to
prepare a smoking ceremony. This ceremony welcomes the new child
into the community, making sure it will know things about the
environment into which it is born and ensuring that it will follow
the path of the community's laws. Warm smoke from the fire tickles
the baby's feet making sure it is connected to Country; smoke winds
its way to the heart ensuring the child knows it is cared for by
Country; the smoke reaches the hands reminding the child that it
takes only what it needs; smoke reaches the mouth and tongue keeping
the language and songs of the ancestors alive and smoke reaches the
ears making sure it will listen for the song of the bees, the baby's
totem.
Each facet of the baby's life is mentioned in the smoking ceremony,
passing on the laws that will make sure it survives just as its
ancestors have for millennia.
This beautiful book shows a ritual as old as time - that of
welcoming a new child into the community. All readers will be able
to relate to this act be it in a church, temple, home, Country, as
laws are passed on, customs reinforced, responsibilities outlined.
The book's digital illustrations, are simply stunning. The figures
move through a wonderful landscape, with browns, greys and white
predominant in the background, and keen eyes will notice specific
plants and animals on the pages. The women's group collect their
materials as they go, sitting in a semi-circle around the fire as
the smoke curls up around the baby. They are all part of its growth,
each taking part in its education into the community, the family a
strong part of the child's development.
Darug words are used throughout the text, and many readers will work
out what each word means as they read, and there is a glossary at the
back of the book for those who need it.
Jasmine Seymour is a Darug woman from the Hawkesbury area of NSW and
aims to make people aware that the Darug community is still there
through her work. I hope this is the first of many stories from her.
Fran Knight
Willow Moss and the lost day by Dominique Valente
Illus. by Sarah Warburton. Starfell bk. 1. HarperCollins,
2019. ISBN: 9780008308391.
(Ages 8-12) Recommended. Themes: Magic, Witches, Time, Fantasy.
Dominique Valente's debut fantasy novel conjures up a magical world,
filled with witches and trolls, controlled by an evil time spell. In
the village of Starfell everyone has a magical talent, some are more
exciting than others. Unfortunately, Willow Moss has a simple one,
she can find lost things, wooden teeth, lost glasses, and the
townsfolk line up and pay a spurgle for her help. Then powerful
witch, Moreg Vaine, requests that Willow accompany her on a quest to
find the missing day - Tuesday. The pace picks up as Willow leaves
her home town with her carpet bag and Oswin, a very opinionated
kobold (a green furry cat-like creature) and ventures out into dark
forests and magical towns. Journeying by broomstick, they are guided
by the Storypass, and stopped by the menacing Brothers of Wol, Moreg
who want to rule the world. Danger lurks at every turn, who can they
trust, where will their journey take them?
The young witch grows in confidence as she travels far from home.
Feathering the dragon joins the travellers transporting them up to
Cloud Mountain, meeting a forgotten teller (not fortune teller)
Nolin Sometimes, who reveals more of the mystery to them.
The impact of losing a weekday seems insignificant, until Willow
thinks about all the births, deaths, special appointments and events
that are lost, as history's course is changed. One young witch and
her quite sarcastic sidekick Oswin the kobold finds hidden
strengths, learn resilience and find courage on their dangerous
mission.
Dominique Valente's imaginative world building, cast of unusual
crazy characters, fun conversations, humorous and dangerous
encounters and fast-paced actions make Willow Moss and the lost
day an exciting and enjoyable novel. Middle Primary students
will enjoy diving into this magical world, overflowing with witches,
wizards, trolls and monsters. What's next for Willow Morse and her
caustic kobold?
Rhyllis Bignell
Don't let go by Harlan Coben
Cornerstone, 2017. ISBN: 9781780894249.
(Age: 15+) Recommended. Themes: Mystery, Revenge, Secrets.
Best-selling author Coben writes a compelling thriller about the
death of two teenagers, Leo and his girlfriend Diana, who were found
dead on train tracks. Nap Dumas, Leo's twin brother, now a detective
in New Jersey, has never been convinced of the official verdict
especially as his girlfriend Maura disappeared at the same time.
When her fingerprints turn up in the case of a suspected murder, he
is even more determined to find the truth.
Coben is a master at keeping the suspense going in a tightly woven
plot that kept me reading until the twist at the end of the book.
Nap Dumas was a complex and interesting character, and the
exploration of his first love of Maura, adds to the plot. His
investigation of secrets, those of his high school friends, his
colleagues and the government and the notion of revenge make for a
highly readable story, and the short chapters and crisp dialogue
make it a quick read as well.
I had not read books by Coben for many years but will seek out more
books written by him. I really enjoyed this suspenseful, tricky
stand-alone story. A great read for lovers of mysteries and
thrillers.
Pat Pledger
Shauna's great expectations by Kathleen Loughnan
Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760631574.
(Age: 16+) Shauna is on an Indigenous scholarship to Oakholme, a
prestigious boarding school. She's in her final year and she's
excelling at French and Maths, and dreams of going to Paris with her
equally smart friend Jenny, before going on to study journalism at
Uni. She has a great group of dorm friends, dubbed the 'ethnics' by
rich country girl Keli, who gives them all a hard time. Keli has
mastered the art of covert racist taunts and seems to have all the
teachers' approval.
I thought the novel gave a particularly insightful expose of the
frequent ineffectual response to bullying in schools despite the
good intentions of teachers and the espousal of an anti-bullying
policy. Shauna and her friends just have to swallow their anger,
occasionally managing a smart retort.
Things start to become more complicated for Shauna at school. She's
asked to mentor the latest scholarship recipient, Olivia, who is
full of attitude and clearly doesn't want anything to do with her.
And she discovers that her summer romance with country boy Nathan
has brought its own complications...
When Shauna finds that some of her dreams are going to have to go by
the wayside as she takes on the responsibility of an unplanned
teenage pregnancy, the tone of the novel is strongly pro-life rather
than abortion, and the drama is how to get the school to accept a
pregnant student. Shauna's ambitions change, she is proud to be a
good mum, friend and student, but how she is going to achieve her
further study is left unclear. It seems to be enough that she has
chosen her own path and has the support of family and friends.
The strength of the novel lies in its affirmation of friendship, and
working through relationships to better understanding, even with the
most difficult people. The friends' conversations and conflicts will
resonate with many YA readers. However I am not sure why the author
took on the persona of an Aboriginal girl - is this an authentic
voice, or a device to distinguish this book from other school
stories? You can read about Loughnan's views in the teaching
notes available online.
Helen Eddy
Wilam: a Birrarung story by Aunty Joy Murphy
Illus. by Lisa Kennedy. Black Dog Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781925381764.
(Age: 4 - adult) Highly recommended. Themes: Yarra River, Melbourne,
Aboriginal history, Environment. The stunning acrylic illustrations
that cover every page will entice readers to pore over every detail,
looking out for examples of the environment through which the
Birrarung (Yarra) River flows from the mountains to the sea. Keen
eyes will spot birds and animals, trees and different forms of
forest, insects, flowering plants, houses, bridges and cities. The
river flows through all of these, wrapping itself around both the
modern world and the past, speaking for both cultures which inhabit
this place, joining them together in a way both startling and fresh.
Wilam (home) is home to all, and this inclusive story tells of the
river, encompassing everything and everybody along its shores.
Indigenous and non Indigenous people populate its banks, each as
proud as the other of the river and recognising it as home.
Some of the pages are framed with scenes from the modern world and
those of the past, reflecting Indigenous people and their skills,
linking them with modern skills shown by bridges and roadways. Told
in English and Woiwurrung the language of the Wurundjeri people of
the area now known as Melbourne, the authors, Aunty Joy Murphy and
Andrew Walker grew up in Wurundjeri country along the Birrarung
(Yarra) and both hold dear a responsibility towards this
environment. They worked with Lisa Kennedy, an illustrator working
out of Melbourne. Her links with the Marybyrnong River and its
reclamation are evident in the work she has done for this book,
highlighting the shared aspects of regeneration.
As Woiworrung words are used throughout the book, a wonderful
glossary ends the book, with a smaller version of each page given
with the words and their translation into English shown. Children
will readily accept the different words as they read, learning some
of the repeated words (Wilam, Birrarung, Waa and Warin, for example)
with ease.
This beautiful book adds to the growing number of books
encapsulating our Aboriginal heritage, demonstrating our shared
history and culture. Each page resonates with meaning, begging to be
looked at closely while pondering the enormous time span represented
by this river's being home to so many, in the past, now and into the
future. Teacher's
notes are available.
Fran Knight
Making friends with Alice Dyson by Poppy Nwosu
Wakefield Press, 2019. 264 pages, pb. ISBN: 9781743056127.
(Age: Teens) Recommended. Making Friends with Alice Dyson is
a story about growing up, growing apart, first loves and getting to
know those around you. It is a story about Alice who is in her final
year of high school and is focused on her future. She studies hard,
she never gets in trouble and nobody bothers her. That is until a
bizarre situation happens with the school's so-called troublemaker,
that ends up with her being the centre of attention. Her! Alice the
textbook nerd, Alice the nobody. No one ever pays her any mind, and
she likes it that way. So why won't he just leave her alone so she
can go back to her normal self? From there, things just get more
complicated and messy.
Poppy Nwosu writes a story that is driven by teenage emotions,
feelings, gossip and drama, and characters that are young and
emotional and really capture what teenagers can be at heart, both
the good and the bad parts. Parts of the story are not given to the
reader right away; the author teases bits of information then skips
ahead to something else. This is a good tactic to keep the reader
interesting and engaged. While this may seem like a bad idea to
some, she makes it work well to further the story. Two important
points I think the author is able to get through in this story are
that sometimes realizing you love someone isn't clear at first. For
the most part, it's messy and confusing but in the end it can be
worth it. And lastly, that people can change a lot during high
school, or even during just one year, but if you value someone's
friendship don't let their changes push you away.
I would recommend this to teenagers.
Kayla Raphael
You ain't seen nothing yeti! by Steven Butler
Illus. by Steven Lenton. Nothing To See Here Hotel bk. 2.
Simon and Schuster, 2019. ISBN: 9781471163852.
(Age: 8-11) Recommended. Themes: Fantasy, Trolls, Hotels, Yetis,
Families. Steven Butler's fantastical Nothing to See Here Hotel
series returns with more eccentric characters, hilarious scenes and
a magical mystery to solve. In You ain't seen nothing Yeti
the hotel owners are busily preparing for 'Trogmanay' the midsummer
festival. Amazing food is being cooked in the kitchens, unusual
floral chandeliers hang from the ceilings, and even the walls have
ears that really listen. It's exciting pandemonium! When Nancy the
eight-armed Giant Brittle-back spider returns from food shopping,
she brings news of a freak blizzard sweeping across Asia and Europe;
even the Eiffel Tower is frozen solid.
Swept in by the snowstorm the Kwinzis arrive. The family of yetis
have ridden across continents on their ulk ready to spend time with
Frankie's family and renew their friendships. What does this mean
for the rest of the guests expecting sunny summer activities?
Frankie the owner's son steps up to sort out the problems, caused by
an influx of unexpected visitors and to try and solve the mystery of
a missing relative. Evil comes in some strange forms when Maudlin
Maloney the leprechaun and her lepre-caravan land in a cloud of
feathers. The tension builds dramatically, as the snow radically
changes the landscape. Then as night falls, the walls whisper
secrets of the stranger in the storm and the hotel's imminent
destruction.
Steven Lenton's illustrations cast an eeriness over the scenes, add
heightened tension and bring a liveliness to Butler's unique
characters. With such a fast-paced plot, so many twists and turns,
secrets uncovered and humourous scenes, You ain't seen nothing
yeti delivers another fabulous magical read just right for
ages eight plus.
Rhyllis Bignell
My friend Fred by Frances Watts
Illus. by A.Yi. Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760290948.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Friendship, Humour,
Difference. The lovely dachshund, Fred stares out at the reader, his
big eyes melting every heart as his friend tells the reader about
his habits. From the cover to the end of the book, kids will love
watching what the dog does, following his eyes to various parts of
the page where a whisper of this friend, the narrator, may be seen.
Each pages begins, 'My friend Fred', encouraging readers to predict,
as they read out loud the opening phrase or listen with
eagerness about what Fred does this time. Sometimes Fred eats
disgusting food, sometime he chases balls endlessly, often he gets
excited when the doorbell rings, sometimes he digs holes and gets
told off, but he doesn't like climbing stairs. Each time his friend
tells us something of himself and by the end of the book, more
astute readers will have guessed just who the friend is. By this
time, kids will have seen that the two animals are great friends,
despite them being quite different, eating different things, liking
different things, looking different from each other and sometimes
not understanding just why their friend does the things he does.
The funny tale offers a great parallel for children to draw with
their own friends; that they are different and like different
things, they may dress differently and eat different things and like
different things, but for all that they are still friends.
A. Yi's illustrations are very clever. I love the disappearing
animal and kids will love spotting the tail or the legs going out of
some of the illustrations, adding to the humour of the story. They
will love the images of the dog, Fred with his large eyes roaming
around the pages, and they will laugh at the things both animals
love to do, going back to read it all again with the knowledge at
the end of just who Fred's friend really is. And the endpapers with
the array of antics of both animals will inspire and delight
readers, particularly those who have a pet or wish for one, and
doesn't that cover everyone!
Fran Knight
Devil's Ballast by Meg Caddy
Text Publishing Company, 2019. 305p; p/b. ISBN: 9781925773460.
(Age: 14+) When Anne Bonney disguises herself as a pirate to escape
her abusive husband, pirate hunter Jonathan Barnet relentlessly
hunts her crew down. Much of the focus of Devil's Ballast is
on the primary themes of abuse, trauma and revenge. Both main
characters are haunted by traumatic events from their pasts, and the
plot is driven by their attempts to seek revenge for it. By
juxtaposing two victims as protagonist and villain, the novel
inherently makes a statement about whether revenge is a healthy
coping method, but definitely avoids judgemental black-and-white
moralising. With the novel's exploration of deeply personal themes,
characterisation is vital, and Caddy gets it spot on. The reader
spends a lot of time in Bonny and Barnet's heads, getting to know
them and the differences well, while more minor characters still
have unique memorable traits without belabouring unnecessary
details.
The first-person perspective, switching between the two viewpoint
characters, is beneficial both for characterisation, and the theme,
giving the reader a peek into their traumatic flashbacks. The plot
is action-filled and exciting, keeping the reader engaged while
providing ample opportunity for the characters' issues to drive the
themes. The setting is firmly an explicitly rooted in the Golden Age
of Piracy, with time-relative references to Blackbeard and Caribbean
locales like Nassau being central to the plot. Teacher's notes are
available.
Vincent Hermann
A girl called Justice by Elly Griffiths
Quercus, 2019, ISBN: 9781786540591.
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Themes: Boarding schools, Girl detectives, Mysteries. Adult crime writer Elly Griffiths presents a
1930s' mystery with twelve-year-old Justice Jones as an amateur
detective, who's been lovingly home-schooled by her mystery writer
mother. When her mother passes away, her father Herbert Jones QC
sends Justice off to Highbury House Boarding School for the
Daughters of Gentlefolk, set amidst the bleak landscape of the
Romney Marshes. What an ideal setting for a little mystery, mayhem
and murder, an isolated Gothic school, with creaky stairs, hidden
rooms, turrets, attics and a creepy basement! Of course, Griffiths
sets the scene with an icy winter snowstorm cutting communication
off to the outside world, the students and staff are locked in and
tensions rise.
Justice's analytical mind, keen sense of observation and her
meticulous journal writing assist with her crime-solving, even when
overwhelmed with feelings of grief and loneliness. The austere
school environment is dominated by a slightly terrifying
headmistress Miss de Vere. Everything seems strange to the young
girl who's been very close to her mother, from the limited food
choices, the strict rules, the icy-cold bathrooms and the grim
dormitories. With the help of new friend Stella, a scholarship
student, Justice navigates school life and seeks answers to the
mystery of the disappearing maid.
Surreptitious notes passed inside books, leads to midnight forays on
the way to the haunted tower and secret meetings in the maid's room.
The tension builds as the feisty young detective delves into the
backgrounds of the staff, takes risks and keeps up with her
schoolwork. Through coded messages she keeps her father informed
about the dangerous environment.
Elly Griffiths' A Girl called Justice combines a
dramatically tense action-packed plot, quirky characters and a
resilient protagonist. Her setting of an isolated school on the icy
marshes is reminiscent of an Agatha Christie or Enid Blyton novel.
An entertaining mystery suited to readers from ten plus who enjoy a
dramatic school story in an English period setting, with a dash of
mystery and adventure.
Rhyllis Bignell
The assassination of Brangwain Spurge by M.T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin
Candlewick Press, 2018. ISBN: 9780763698225.
(Age: 10-15) Highly recommended. The old-style gold embossed front
cover of this novel gives a strong indication of the story to
follow. The collaboration between M.T. Andersen and Eugene
Yelchinhas has produced a book that harks back to an older world
where goblins and elves live apart and are wary of each other.
The story opens in a manner similar to Brian Sleznick's (The
Invention of Hugo Cabret and The Marvels) style where
illustrations are whole chapters and tell the story visually. These
Gothic style drawings feature throughout the book and are
intricately woven into the story.
Brangwain Spurge is an historian elf. He has been selected to
deliver a gift to the kingdom of the goblins. He believes he is a
messenger of peace and agrees to stay with his host, a fellow
historian, a goblin named Archivist Werfel.
At first Brangwain's superior attitude is a struggle for the
friendly Werfel and gets them both into some dangerous situations
due to Brangwain's total disregard and disdain of Goblin cultural
and social mores.
Although set in an ancient world, the storyline has strong
connections to modern politics and the 'spin' that each group or
country places on events.
Both elf and goblin argue and disagree about their versions of
historical events and wars but as the story unfolds a more mutual
purpose exists between them and they need to work as a team to deal
with treachery and danger.
There is humour and fun when these two different characters buddy up
and unwittingly embark on a perilous adventure together.
The reader needs to process all the information that is presented in
the novel in both illustrations and words, to discover the real
truth and knows more than both of the hapless historians.
This is a wonderful story that will appeal to those who love
fantasies such as Lord of the Rings.
I highly recommend this book to students aged 10 to 15 years old,
but this will also appeal to fantasy genre lovers of any age.
Jane Moore
Arthur and the tiger by Sophie Beer
Penguin, 2019. ISBN: 9780143791836.
(Age: 4-7) Recommended. Visually exciting with bold colours, vistas
filled with light and shade, strong linear definitions and bright
patterns, Arthur and the Tiger explores overcoming fears and
prejudices, developing courage and creatively meeting challenges.
A happy little circus perches on the edge of a smog-filled city.
Inside the bright orange and yellow tent are fire-breathing
jugglers, a soaring acrobat and the Strongman capable of balancing a
car on one finger. On the side of the circus ring sits Arthur the
Ringmaster's son who's 'tried to learn all kinds of daring circus
tricks' to no avail. He's happiest picnicking with his little mice
friends.
When his father announces the arrival of a new circus animal a
fierce tiger, poor Arthur is told he'll be the tiger's trainer. All
of the other circus performers are afraid, 'the jugglers jittered'
and 'the strongman shivered.' Tensions build, as the townsfolk show
their anger and fear, with banners and shouts they protest. How does
Arthur face his fears, gather himself and bravely tame the huge,
growly beast? Will the townsfolk overcome their prejudices and
realise they need to accept differences in their world? Arthur and the Tiger is a wonderful story to share, filled
with gorgeous alliteration, some fun descriptions and phrases to
extend vocabulary combined with a tension-building storyline. Sophie
Beer's artworks and text create an energetic and visually appealing
story. Take time to investigate all the animals' activities, find
the little mice and discuss the ranges of emotions shown. Use as a
springboard into creative writing with a Junior Primary class.
Themes: Circuses, Tigers, Courage, Prejudice.
Rhyllis Bignell
The race for the red dragon by Rebecca Lim
Children of the Dragon book 2, Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN:
9781760297374.
(Ages 9-12) Highly recommended. Themes: Dragons, Magic, Adventure.
Rebecca Lim's Children of the Dragon series is an exciting
continuation of Harley's quest, another fast-paced adventure, filled
with dragons, magic and powerful sabotaging forces. In The
race for the red dragon thirteen-year-old Harley travels by
private jet with his father Ray Spark to Taipa Island Macau. On
board, Qing the blue dragon accompanies them preparing herself by
consuming tins of tuna for strength. Her special abilities to morph
into a Chinese girl, a glowing ghost, a glowing pearl and her
martial arts skills prove extremely advantageous in their quest to
find the second mysterious vase and save her sister the red dragon.
Harley's dad works closely with some shady characters, the criminal
underbelly of society, relying on these contacts to assist in their
travel arrangements to move them to Hong Kong and into the Wudang
Mountains in China. 'The entire criminal antiquities' world sees Ray
and Harley as walking bags of money'; there's a
twenty million dollar reward on offer.
Qing changes into a tiny glowing pearl to direct Harley's escape
through the dense crowd of people in Taipa airport and hide on the
Hong Kong ferry. Separated from his father and Schumacher their
German bodyguard, Ray and Qing bravely face obstacles, fight the bad
guys and seek direction. Harley's strength is equally tested as he
struggles to uncover the hidden dragons. With the assistance of an
old Chinese cook Ah Po and her getaway car, a beige 1970s hatchback,
Qing and Harley continue their dangerous journey. After an
interesting border crossing, they climb aboard the Jolly Bus and are
reunited with some heavily disguised but familiar characters. Harley
Sparks proves himself in the final struggle to unleash the dragon in
the lake. He draws on his inner strength and reasoning, listening to
his secret voice and works to ultimately save his dragon friend from
the villain's evil schemes. The Race for the red dragon is a wonderfully descriptive
narrative, filled with a sensory feast of Asian food, colourful
scenes, back alleys and buildings, volcanic landscapes and
mysterious lakes. Her gorgeous dragons are richly written,
colourful, energetic and magically powerful. Qing and Harley's
character growth and their developing reliance on each other's
abilities underpins this exciting story. Rebecca Lim's thrilling
infusion of her Chinese heritage and understanding of Ancient
Chinese history, culture and mythology adds to the excitement. What
an incredible junior novel, perfect for readers who enjoy modern
fantasy adventures! What's next for Harley and Qing?
Rhyllis Bignell
