Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760523480.
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. Themes: family, dolls, childhood,
Jewish customs. Anna is a young Jewish girl growing up in 1960's
Melbourne, Australia. The story follows Anna, her two sisters and
her extended family through a year of celebrations, illness and the
hunt for the perfect antique doll. The story revolves around the
hunt that is created by Anna's desire to own a doll just like the
one in her favourite book Hitty, the life and adventures of a
wooden doll, which she has borrowed from the library. Anna's
mother is a willing participant in the hunt and after Anna reads in
the final chapter that Hitty's final owner purchases her through an
auction house; the family spends every Monday looking through a
local auction place for the perfect antique doll.
The story also highlights the changing face of the world as the
story looks at the changes within the family and the world around
them, the excitement of making Deb mashed potato or eating kosher
chicken from the supermarket rather than Nona having to make it.
Anna includes the excitement of buying a half penny ice-cream from
the Mr. Whippy van and the joy of shopping in the city.
Her imagery and gentle tone makes this book an easy read and will
engage readers who are interested in history, family life and
childhood memories. This would be a fabulous book to open up the
lines of communication between the generations and encourage talk of
childhood memories when there were no seat-belts in cars, being the
chalk monitor was the highest honour at school and children drank
free milk at recess.
Mhairi Alcorn
Master of Sorrows by Justin Call
Gollancz, 2019. ISBN: 9781473222878. 577 pages, paperback.
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Contains violent scenes and depictions of
death. High fantasy. The Academy of Chaenbalu has stood against
magic for centuries. Hidden from the world, acting from the shadows,
it trains its students to detect and retrieve magic artifacts, which
it jealously guards from the misuse of others. Because magic is
dangerous, something that heals can also harm, and a power that aids
one person may destroy another. Of the Academy's many students, only
the most skilled can become Avatars - warrior thieves, capable of
infiltrating the most heavily guarded vaults - and only the most
determined can be trusted to resist the lure of magic. More than
anything, Annev de Breth wants to be one of them. Master of sorrows is a strongly written dark fantasy novel,
similar in tone and feel to the likes of We are blood and
thunder by Kesia Lupo. Call does not hesitate to highlight the
dark side of humanity, with the themes of lies, deception,
discrimination, wars, and death featuring prominently in the novel.
His worldbuilding is astounding and makes the story's setting feel
grounded and real. He crafts a deeply flawed, young protagonist who
bears too much at too young an age, making you feel empathy for
Annev, rejoicing at his triumph and despairing as he falls while he
fights for his chance in the sun. While Master of sorrows
follows a trend of stories with academy-trained warriors, thieves
and assassins, it stands out from the rest due to the protagonist's
desire to rise above the brutality and act with mercy and
compassion, which are often lost in similar stories. We see this
empathy was developed through his bond with his mentor and as Annev
experiences discrimination due to physical deformities, which in the
novel, mark him as a vile agent of evil. Call speaks against this
cruel and misinformed idea as he presents Annev as a flawed but
deeply caring individual.
While this novel's themes are evident, the events seem jumbled and
plot points were touched upon then never raised again in a way that
felt unfinished or not explored to its full potential. There are
also extremely disturbing descriptions not suitable for a younger
audience. Despite this, this was a strong high fantasy novel full of
both gritty realism and the buoyant kindness of the protagonist. I
would recommend to people who enjoy stories such as Nevernight
by Jay Kristoff and We are blood and thunder by Kesia Lupo.
Stephanie Lam(Student)
Cowboy and Birdbrain by A. Wallace and J. Hart
Scholastic. 2019. ISBN: 9781760661588. 185p
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. Cowboy is not a ringer - nor an NRL
footy player. He's an actual boy with a cow's head! He and his
partner Birdbrain, also a hybrid creature, work for a delivery
company called 'Iffy'. You guessed it, their motto: 'We Deliver
FARTS - Fast And Reliable Tracking Services'. After a call-in from
the Company Secretary, Ms Hambacon, (pronounced Harm Bayshon) Cowboy
and Birdbrain are grudgingly given an important delivery deadline by
their boss. Between their own incompetence and the interference of a
rival delivery team, the duo must overcome a number of impossible
hurdles to complete their mission.
This graphic story can't miss. Adam Wallace's far-fetched narrative
is littered with funny word play and acronyms. The adventure melds
perfectly with James Hart's quirky caricatures in a rich parallel
narrative.
The mandatory page of stickers is an unnecessary incentive because
middle schoolers will be lining up for the unavoidable giggles.
Deborah Robins
The secret runners of New York by Matthew Reilly
Macmillian, 2019. ISBN: 9781760559076. Paperback, 352 pg.
(Age: Upper primary - Secondary) A must read for thriller and
dystopian readers. Think of Gossip Girl meets Mad Max.
The story is about a shy girl, Skye, who moves to New York with her
brother Red. They move in with their mum's boyfriend in a very
affluent building. Skye tries to keep her head down at school but
gets caught up with the elite kids of New York. Within the group
Skye and Red join, are the Secret Runners of New York group who can
gain access to a ground portal that transports whoever enters to the
future which was effected by a Gamma Cloud.
Matthew Reilly writes about everyday life of a teenager and how they
cope in society, while every day is leading up to a Doomsday when a
Gamma Cloud is going to appear to end the world as we know it. As
the runners keep going through the porthole they realise that the
Gamma Cloud is real and they see what happens in the future.
Overall, I found the book easy to read and enjoyable. I was hooked
from the start wanting to know what happened to the missing females
from the same school and whether Skye would become one of them as
well.
In schools, some great discussions you could have with students
would be about bullying within the school and how it affected kids.
Another topic would be about the poor, middle class and the rich and
how what happened in the world affected these people.
All up, I found The secret runners of New York a great read.
I did laugh at the dedication at the front: 'This book is for
everyone who went to high school... and survived.' Cause yes I'm
one of those people.
Maria Komninos
Ninja switch by Anh Do
Ninja Kid book 3. Scholastic, 2019. ISBN: 9781760662820.
186p.
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Themes: Family, Humour. Nelson, Kenny, and
their gutsy grandma deliver another hilarious adventure. Nelson,
tired of being the school nerd, wants to let his cover slip a little
at the annual athletics carnival. Despite Kenny's enthusiasm, both
Mum and Grandma put the kybosh on his plans to win an event or two.
We sense rebellion is afoot until unintentionally, Grandma's latest
invention tampers with Nelson's super powers. In the same vein of
Damian Young's, My Nana is a Ninja, Grandma takes on the
mantle of Ninja. Sadly, Nelson's feeble performance at the Athletics
Carnival is more dismal than ever and worse, he can't impress Sarah,
the girl's champion. Ironically, it's a blessing in disguise since
the new Carnival sponsor is very interested in the highest
performing students. Too interested perhaps? Can Nelsen and his
eccentric family, foil Dr Kane's plans to kidnap and unmask the
Ninja Kid?
Nelson has Kenny and Ahn Do has Jeremy Ley to draw the pictures.
Together they make a very amusing adventure for middle-schoolers and
STEM students who will be inspired to construct gadgets which are
functional and fun. One certainty is that everyone is bound to get a
kick out of the much anticipated 3rd volume in the Ninja Kid
series.
Deborah Robins
Courting Darkness by Robin LaFevers
His fair assassin, Counting darkness duology, book 1.
Anderson Press, 2019. ISBN: 9781783448265.
(Age: 16+) Highly recommended. Themes: Historical fantasy, France -
History, Brittany, Assassins. After devouring the three books in the
award winning His fair assassin series, I was thrilled to read the
story of Genevieve, a young girl who has been undercover for so
long, that she is no longer sure that she will be called up as a
daughter of Saint Mortain by the convent. She becomes embroiled with
a prisoner and manages to take matters into her own hands. Meanwhile
Sybella from Dark
triumph, returns and is accompanying the duchess on her way to
be married to the King of France. She is surrounded by enemies and
her only hope is to get help from the novitiates who had been hidden
in the French court so many years ago.
Although Courting darkness could be read as a stand-alone, with the
author giving enough information to set the scene, readers would
enjoy the book more if they had read the first three books in His
fair assassin series, Grave mercy, Dark
Triumph, and Mortal
heart.
The story is told from two points of view, that of Sybella and
Genevieve. Sybella relates the travails of Anne of Brittany, who is
trying to save her country. Sybella is terrified for the safety of
her two sisters and is desperate for help. Genevieve's involvement
with the unknown prisoner and her uncertainty about Saint Mortain,
give another view of what is going on, and the mystery surrounding
the prisoner is tantalising.
The world of medieval France is enthralling, with the descriptions
of the intrigue, the power mongering, the fear and the prisons
taking the reader right into this time in history. Peopled with real
characters as well as the fantasy daughters of Saint Mortain, it
makes for a fascinating read for lovers of historical fantasy.
A difficult wait for the second book in the duology is in store for
the reader, who is left on a tantalising cliff-hanger. Readers who
like Juliet Marillier's books, the Witchlands trilogy by
Susan Dennard and the Lumatere chronicles by Melina
Marchetta are likely to enjoy Counting darkness.
Pat Pledger
Little Badman and the invasion of the killer aunties by Humza Arshad and Henry White
Illus. by Aleksei Bitskoff. Puffin Books, 2019. ISBN: 9780241340608.
(Ages: 9-12) Highly recommended. Themes: Family relationships,
Pakistanis in Great Britain, Rap music, Friendship, Missing persons,
Good and evil. Humza Khan is a typical 11-year-old who is prone to
making up stories and mucking around in class, but he does not see
this as a problem because he knows he will one day be the most
famous Rap artist the world has ever seen. He and his friends notice
something funny happening at school when, one by one, the staff
disappear and are replaced with Pakistani 'aunties' who seem
determined to fatten up the children. The great food seems wonderful
at first but slowly Humza, his friends Umer and Wendy realize it
must be part of an evil plan. The friends are brought closer
together by their need to solve this mystery. Humza's uncle, who is
called Grandpa because of his aged appearance, is also a character
that features in their hunt to find the truth.
Many Primary school boys will identify with Humza's character and
through the story he grows as a person to know and fully appreciate
his family through his adventures at school. As he says '. . . there
is nothing in the world like an alien slug invasion to make you
appreciate your loved ones . . . ' It is a fast-paced, rollicking
story that will keep the audience reading to the end.
Throughout the story we are given glimpses of the Pakistani culture
that forms so much of Humza's life in Britain. This may not be easy
for children in Australia to understand but it could bring about
some great discussion about immigration and refugees. The book is
written in first person and would be a good story to read aloud with
an upper primary class.
The author Humza Mohammed Arshad is an English actor, comedian and
writer of Pakistani descent. He is best known for his web series Diary
of a Bad Man (2010-2013) and Badman (2015-2018). Henry
White is a comedy writer who has written for TV, on-line and most
recently in children's fiction.
Gabrielle Anderson
The blue bench by Albert Asensio
Berbay Publishing, 2019. ISBN: 9780648397304.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Diversity, Friendship. First
published in Catalonia, this evocative picture book reveals more of
its subtle depths on rereading. A park bench is at the centre of the
tale, surveying all it sees as life goes on through the year. As
seasons come and go, different people use the bench, different
animals appear in the trees' branches, and a variety of people walk
past. Each is portrayed on the pages of this book, like a time lapse
camera, revealing a parade of life and activities.
The bench is painted, a squirrel collects nuts, pigeons mess up the
ground around, but the painter, Peter comes back to clean up the
mess. Over the years children play together in the sandpit and
eventually two fall in love, a variety of people and their dogs sit
on the bench, watching the world go by, the young and the old, the
boy and girl coming together, paralleled by the birds in the tree. A
nest is built, eggs appear,and the couple still sit on the bench,
but one day when it snows, she sits on the bench alone, and keeps on
coming to that same bench week after week, smiling in her memories.
And then someone else sits beside her, the bench again a witness to
the continuance of life.
A charming witty tale of the continuity of life, of seasons and
generations, of the old adage, 'life goes on', gloriously supported
by softly rendered illustrations emphasising companionship and
continuance.
Fran Knight
Bizz Buzz Boss by Natalie McKinnon
Ill. by Margaret Tolland. Starfish Bay, 2018. ISBN: 9781760360566.
(Age: 3-6) Themes: Bees, Spiders, Animals, Respect, Behaviour
Management. In Natalie McKinnon's picture book Bizz Buzz Boss
a very bossy bee lords it over all the other garden creatures who
are busy with their daily tasks. Little Spider loves to listen to
the homely sounds as she rests in a curly leaf. She hears the 'drip,
drip, drippetty-drip' of the tap and the owl family's twit-twoo
(shouldn't they be asleep.) However, the bossy bee who has a strong
sense of self-importance, explains that her job as pollen-collector
is more significant than the worms, ladybugs and lizards.
Little Spider appeals to Bossy Bee's vain nature by suggesting the
hard-working creature needs to rest, wrapped up in her silvery,
sticky web. As the bee remains immobile, it observes the worm
aerating and fertilising the earth, the ladybug nibbling the aphids
off the lettuce and the lizard catching the pesky slugs. Humbled by
these observations, Bossy Bee states, Oh, Spider, I promise to stop being bossy.
I've learned a lesson today.
I'll respect other creatures and value their jobs.
We should work as a team every day!
There's the moral to the story, you need to value other's efforts
and not brag about your own. Natalie McKinnon's simple rhyming verse
spoken by each creature is overly wordy for the young readers this
is targeted at. Margaret Tolland's colourful painted illustrations
provide close-ups of each of the creatures working in their lush
garden settings. Bizz Buzz Boss is a didactic tale suited
for sharing with young audience.
Rhyllis Bignell
Kensy and Max Undercover by Jacqueline Harvey
Kensy and Max, book 3. Random House, 2019. ISBN:
9780143791904.
(Age: 9-12) Highly recommended. Themes: Brothers and sisters, Spies,
Mysteries, Missing persons. After a week's intensive training in spy
craft, eleven-year-old twins Kensy and Max return to their London
home to begin the new school term. Kensy's unsettled and distracted
behaviour, thinking of her missing parents and grandparents, leads
to an unfortunate explosion in the school laboratory. When a second
blast destroys their grandmother's seven storey house, Kensy and Max
are packed off to Sydney to escape the espionage.
Granny Cordelia sends the twins to far away Sydney, Australia from
the danger; their new mission focuses on uncovering the troubles and
problems their grandmother's best friend's family are facing. They
are sent to infiltrate Van and Ellery Chalmers' posh private school
and watch the children. With Song the butler and Fitz as their
guardian and protector, Kensy and Max soon settle in to Sydney life.
Secret coded messages from their parents encourage the children to
keep on going. Fitz is disguised as the new PE teacher and the twins
placed in Year 5 and 6, Van and Ellery Chalmers' classes.
Counterpoint to this main story, we gain insight into the
whereabouts of the missing grandparents and their captivity. Kensy
and Max's spy skills come in to play, with the accompaniment of
their affable next-door neighbour Curtis whose knowledge of
transport and locations is very beneficial. Max's discovery of his
cricket skills also proves valuable. The reasons behind Mrs
Chalmers' secretive behaviour, hiding resources to help her escape
with her children also become apparent.
Jacqueline Harvey's 'Undercover' delivers another fast-paced story.
She is the master of creating exciting characters, set in the
backdrop of her familiar home-town Sydney. She is not afraid to deal
with bullying, industrial espionage, chemical warfare and domestic
abuse. The author continues to develop significant themes of
friendship, sibling loyalty, creative problem solving and personal
growth. Undercover is another brilliant read, complete with spy craft
and code cracking, proving to be another winner for the preteen and
young teen audience.
Rhyllis Bignell
Ivanhoe Swift left home at six by Jane Godwin
Ill. by A.Yi. Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760631864.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Adventure, Growing up,
Independence. Ivanhoe is determined to see what lies over the hill,
to travel to places unseen, to explore the world beyond his home.
His parents are concerned as they watch him pack. But Mum sings him
a song as he walks off, wishing him well on his journey but
reminding him that home is always there.
He has many adventures and meets a new friend, Maisie Jane. Together
they cross the fast flowing river, calm on top, but moving quickly
beneath and find an apple tree where they can eat their fill. Maisie
Jane discovers a little house and asks Ivanhoe to stay with her. He
tells her he still has more of the world to see. He sings a song to
himself as he walks through the dark forest and his kite is torn by
a group of bullies, but still he journeys on.
He reaches the sea, a place of wonderment and awe. He sits down to
mend his kite but the fierce wind carries it away. Cold and wet, he
recalls his mother's song and falls asleep. He wakes to find Maisie
Jane and together they walk up the hill until Ivanhoe recognises
where he is, and invites Maisie Jane home to tea. He tells his
parents of his journey, singing the new songs he has learnt, and
settling down to sleep, telling them that his adventures are over
for now.
The subtlety behind Godwin's simple story of gaining one's
independence will not be lost on its audience, as they all try out
new things everyday, stretching their worlds, pushing beyond what is
known.
Ivanhoe's journey is most satisfying; he meets new people, avoids
the bullies, can see for himself the dangers beneath the waters,
learns to sing his own songs and knows that his home is always there
for him to return.
Supported by the wonderful light touch of A. Yi's illustrations,
readers will love exploring Ivanhoe's world with him, seeking to
find out what lies beneath and over the hill as he does. Her
illustrations are full of life, moving with the boy as he explores
his world, taking him to places he has not seen before but evoking a
solidity with his parents through the words of his mother's song,
written across several pages.
Fran Knight
The Curses by Laure Eve
Faber and Faber 2019. ISBN: 9780571328048.
(Age: 12+) Recommended. The Curses, sequel to The Graces,
follows The Grace children and their recently resurrected friend,
Wolf. Wolf is the first person who has ever been resurrected but
something's off with Wolf, is it just that he'd been dead and come
back or is he completely changed? No longer wary of the love he and
Fenrin share, the pair grow closer and more reckless. Meanwhile,
Thalia grows close to Nathaniel, their dead cousin's boyfriend who
only seems to be encouraged by Thalia and Iona's resemblance. Is it
only Summer that can see something's wrong? And how does the Grace
family curse play into all this?
Strange things have begun to happen in town and it seems witchcraft
is never far away. With River's power and the handful of other
amateurs trying their hand at magic, it's up to the residence
witches to reign in the magic before anyone else can be harmed. With
the help of River, the wealth of Marcus' supernatural knowledge, and
a great deal of initiative perhaps Fenrin, Thalia, and Summer can
clean up their mess before their parents find out.
With magic and plenty of mischief, Eve's novel explores grief,
greed, and making mistakes. This coming of age novel shows that
everyone has a lot of learn, regardless of their age with not only
the children but also the parents being shown as complicated and
conflicted beings. I would recommend for lovers of fantasy twelve
and up.
Kayla Gaskell
The Runaway by Jane Smith
Tommy Bell Bushranger Boy book 7. Big Sky Publishing, 2018.
ISBN: 9781925675894. 111p.
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Themes: Historical, Speculative. Francis is
'that' friend who has a knack of getting his mates into trouble. He
wasn't even supposed to go on holiday to Carly's place in Queensland
with Tommy and Martin, who had set aside their time-travelling
cabbage-tree hat and boots for the time being. That is until Francis
inadvertently sends Tommy back into history.
One good deed leads to another in the bushranging days, but Tommy is
recognized by his enemy - Frank Gardner. Frank has turned over a new
leaf as the proprietor of an Inn, in Apis Creek. Frank locks Tommy
up to deal with him later but the mysterious old hat is on the
blink. Trapped, Tommy settles down for the night. Frank has bigger
problems as it seems the Police are closing in, without Tommy's
help.
Tommy and Martin make several trips back into the past to find out
what happened to Frank and his girlfriend, Kate. The Runaway has the same printing hallmarks as Jane Smith's
earlier books about the 'bushranger' boy. Smith has appended three
additional sections after the last chapter: An Historical Note, Q
and A with Archibald Craig (a minor character) and About the Author.
No doubt there are more instalments to come as the author leaves the
ending open for another adventure. Teacher's
notes for all Jane's books, including relevant links to the
Australian Curriculum English Language Arts are available.
Deborah Robins
Happy Camper! By Shamini Flint
Ill. by Sally Heinrich. The Susie K Diaries. Allen and
Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760528287.
(Age: 7 - 10) Recommended. Themes: Camping, Life skills,
Problem-solving, Friendship. The idea of going on a school camping
trip is very stressful for the main character, Susie K., who is much
more comfortable sleeping in her own bed with her skeleton and the
school goldfish.
She feels pressure from her mother to succeed on this trip and she
uses her excellent problem-solving skills and her reading to help
her out on this new adventure.
This is the fourth book in this series and a brief introduction of
the main character at the beginning means it can stand alone as a
good read for younger readers.
Written in cartoon style with predominantly pictures and speech
bubbles telling the story, younger readers will find this an easy
read that maintains a good pace.
Susie K. develops well as a character and assists the other students
during the first part of the camp and an unlikely friendship is
formed when she is separated from the group with a girl who is not
usually in her circle of friends. The goldfish provides amusing
comments that add to the story.
This book is not one that can be read aloud to the class as it
relies on the illustrations to tell much of the story. It would be a
good introduction to the Graphic novel genre for younger students.
If read by a group, it could provide an avenue to discuss trying new
things and expanding horizons for children who find it difficult to
get out of their comfort zone.
Gabrielle Anderson
Love lie repeat by Catherine Greer
Penguin Books, 2019. ISBN: 9780143791225.
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. All Annie wants is to be loved. By
Trip. By Ash and Ruby. By her parents. Even by her dead aunt,
Margaretta, who ruined everything.
Following the friendship ins and outs of Annie, Ash, and Ruby, three
'it' girls or 'sirens' in Sydney's rich Upper North Shore, Love
lie repeat shows the addictiveness of lies and manipulation
when you've got something to hide from everyone, including yourself.
Following Annie and her budding relationship with Ash's step-brother
Trip, a notorious fire-starter from Canada, the reader delves into
Annie's mind and her past to discover just what has soured this
beautiful and self-assured teenager.
Intoxicating and addictive, Annie, Ash, and Ruby's friendship is
half dream half nightmare. With sweet lies, broken trust, and
manipulation Annie keeps her best friends in line, carefully peeling
them away from her unfaithful boyfriend with little lies, spilled
secrets, and punishment. Meanwhile Trip romances each girl in turn
in different ways. A flirt and a liar, Trip is made for Annie. But
what is Annie protecting by endangering her friendships and her
friends? Love lie repeat will keep you on the edge of your seat as you
try to uncover just what is driving Annie's need to be loved. Her
tumultuous relationship with her parents and her memories of the
aunt everybody loved are sprawled throughout the novel reminding
readers that Annie's life and this story isn't just about Annie and
her friends. Highly recommended for girls twelve and up. Teacher's
notes are available.
Kayla Gaskell
