Super Side Kicks book 1. Penguin, 2019, ISBN: 9780143795865.
(Age: 7-10) Cartoonist Gavin Aung Than's graphic novel champions the
underdog in the super hero world, the sidekicks. When Junior Justice
- JJ - decides he wants to be a superhero instead, he calls a
special meeting at a secret warehouse location. He's tired of his
subordinate role and wants to stop cleaning up after Captain
Perfect, washing his costumes and organising his headquarters. It's
time to turn things around.
He chooses Flygirl who's tired of being sidekick to Rampaging Rita
who loves to destroy everything. Dinomite brings his communication
skills - he can speak 47 languages and has a quantum physics degree.
Watch him transform into any shape and size dinosaur, a flying
pterodactyl or large and menacing T-Rex. Goo's slippery, slimy body
allows him to fill spaces, block gaps and help fight crime. He's run
away from evil Dr Enok's laboratory and is willing to help JJ and
the other child super sidekicks.
After a cheesy photo and chocolate chip cookies, the sidekicks share
their fantastic array of skills. When confronted by their angry
adult superheroes who want their offsiders back, an all-out battle
ensues, while Rampaging Rita bashes everything in her path, Blast
Radius shoots lasers into the melee. When Dr Enok captures Goo and
takes him back to the lab, Junior Justice, Dinomite and Flygirl,
creatively work as a team to rescue the sticky creature.
Than's action-packed cartoons showcase the cast of quirky characters
and their special abilities. He's created a world reminiscent of the
1960s' superhero shows, as good and evil battles against each other.
JJ and his friends learn to value each other's skills, develop their
friendship and utilise their problem-solving skills. No adults
allowed is a super-exciting cartoon novel just right for super-hero
loving readers.
Themes: Superheroes, Villains, Good and Evil.
Rhyllis Bignell
Silver on the Road by Laura Anne Gilman
The Devil's West book 1, Saga Press, 2015. ISBN:
9781481429689.
(Age: 16+) Recommended. Endeavour Award Nominee (2016) . An original
take on a Western, this fantasy features a 16 year old young woman,
Isobel who makes a choice to work for the devil in the Territory.
The devil is an enigmatic figure who controls all the Territory and
anyone who wants to live there must abide by his rules. When Isobel
signs an Agreement to become his left hand, she doesn't realise just
what that means. Setting off with her mentor, Gabriel Karsun, she
travels the land, meeting magic and chaos on the way.
The setting is fabulous, the loneliness of the land is vividly
described as are Isobel's lessons in managing to learn how to cope
on the road. Acquiring the skills of horse riding, camping and
gathering knowledge of the magic on the road and meeting the
pioneers who are trying to make a living off the land provide a
fascinating background to the strange thing that is eating
communities and spreading disease.
Izzy proves herself to be a capable and sensitive woman. Once she
overcomes her shock about what being the left hand of the devil
really means, she displays great leadership skills, not being afraid
to stand up for what she believes her boss, the devil wants her to
do. The character of the devil is one that will intrigue readers as
they wonder if he is supposed to be the devil portrayed in the bible
or some mystical figure from folklore. And Gabriel too has secrets
that are not revealed in this first book of the series and that is
tantalising as well.
This is a book for fans who are looking for something different in
their fantasy stories. Fans of road trips and readers who enjoyed Tess
of the road by Rachael Hartman may also enjoy the road trip.
Pat Pledger
Last words by Michael Koryta
Mark Novak book 1. Hodder and Stoughton, 2016. ISBN:
9781444742619.
(Age: 16+) Recommended for fans of thrillers. This was the first
book I have read by Koryta, a New York Times bestselling author, and
I couldn't put it down. Not only was it exciting, I was uncertain
until the end just how the plot would resolve itself. Private
investigator Mark Novak looks at a cold case involving the death of
a young girl in a dangerous cave system, names Trapdoor. Ridley
Barnes the man who brought her body to the surface and who many
thought was her killer, had contacted him in an effort to find out
who was the murderer.
It is the setting that makes this an engrossing read. The dark cave,
its underground passages, perilous waterways and the almost
supernatural nature that Ridley Barnes believes the cave has, all
evoke a compelling atmosphere of danger that will keep the reader
gripped to the pages. Mark Novak is a man on another mission, that
of solving the murder of his wife and only takes the case in an
attempt to hold onto his job.
There are many plot threads that will bamboozle the reader. These
include not only the mysterious cave system, but the appearance of a
hypnotist, the dead girl's boyfriend, a curt sheriff and a small
town mentality that is not helpful for Novak's investigation.
The conclusion was gripping and complex and leaves the reader ready
to tackle the next book featuring Mark Novak, Rise the dark,
as he tries to find his wife's killer.
Pat Pledger
Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall
Orchard Books, 2019. ISBN: 9780316362382.
On the highest rock of a tiny island at the edge of the world stands
a lighthouse. From dusk to dawn, the lighthouse beams, sending its
light out to sea, guiding the ships on their way. As the seasons
pass and the waves rise and fall, outside, the wind blows; inside,
the lighthouse keeper writes, and the rhythms of his life unfold.
But change is on the horizon . . .
Whatever the season, whatever the weather, the lighthouse keeper
must keep the light going to warn ships of the dangers nearby. and
this stunning book by Australian illustrator Sophie Blackall takes
the reader back to a time in history when men lived on these
far-flung beacons, isolated from civilisation and charged with
keeping the ships and their sailors safe, regardless of whatever
might befall them. Set on a lighthouse on the tip of Newfoundland,
the story unfolds of the loneliness and the joy of a typical
lighthouse keeper who has a duty above all else.
In 2016, Blackall was awarded the Caldecott Medal, the first
Australian to receive if for her work on Finding Winnie and
now, in 2019, she has won it again for Hello Lighthouse. 'Masterful
ink and watercolor illustrations illuminate the story of a
lighthouse and the family inside. Stunning images of the lighthouse
in all kinds of weather alternate with views of intimate interior
detail and circular motifs. Blackall's skill with composition, line
and close attention to detail have created an exquisite book.'
But apart from the quality of the illustrations, this is a book that
will resonate with so many who are familiar with lighthouses as
there are over 350 of them dotted around our coastline. While there
are no longer any manned, nevertheless they still hold an appeal and
this journey back into another time because regardless of its
position, life was pretty much the same for all those who tended the
beacons.
Something very different that deserves a place in any collection.
Barbara Braxton
Colouroos by Anna McGregor
Lothian Children's, 2019. ISBN: 9780734418821.
In the Red Centre of Australia live the red kangaroos; in the Blue
Mountains live the blue kangaroos; and on the Gold Coast live the
yellow kangaroos. When the drought drives each group from their
traditional homes and they go in search of water and end up gathered
around the same waterhole, they look at each other and think they
are strange. But they all enjoy the cool water, are afraid of
dingoes, leap on their long legs and eat the juicy grass and when,
at night. 'the colour left to dance in the sky above', they all
looked the same. And strange things began to happen . . .
On the surface this is a delightful Australian story for our
youngest readers about the mixing of colours to create new ones, and
it does this very effectively, although the adult sharing it might
have to explain how joeys arrive. Full of colour, rhythm and
repetitive text it engages and perhaps inspires the young child to
do some experimenting with their own paints and ask What happens
when . . .? It could give rise to a host of science and art
activities about colour and light.
But a deeper look could also lead the older reader into considering
how humans also mix and match, mingle and marry and give birth to
the continuing story of multiculturalism and diversity that makes
each community so special. Not just colours interacting but also
cultures, foods, sports . . .
If there is one book to put on your to-buy list in preparation for
the next Harmony Day, this is it. The best picture books span the
age groups seamlessly and this debut by this author/illustrator has
nailed it.
Barbara Braxton
Kids who did - Real kids who ruled, rebelled, survived and thrived by Kirsty Murray
Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760524470.
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. A collection of biographical accounts
of the lives of young people who have made a difference is presented
in a larger than average paperback book with a few margin
illustrations, a contents page which offers the biographies in
groups and an index which I found more useful.
Beginning with stories of ordinary kids and their acts of bravery in
a chapter called Rescuers, the stories of kids as young as nine are
given in a fictional way making it more readable than a large amount
of text. This is followed by a chapter called Whizz Kids, showcasing
kids and their extreme intelligence, like George who at 11 stumped
the professors at Cambridge University with his mathematical skill,
not unlike a modern calculator. This is followed by a chapter called
Feral Kids with the tale of Victor a child who walked from the
forest one day in France and was presumably raised by wild animals.
Rulers follows which has stories of historical rulers who struggled
to maintain power, like Lady Jane Grey and the Dalai Lama. Each
chapter is full of interest and offers a range of lives to ponder,
going on to include, rebels, battlers, superstars, change agents,
climate warriors and survivors who were/are doing things quite
unexpected from people so young. This is an interesting and often
inspiring collection of forty stories about young people, some well
known, others not so well known, drawn from across the globe and
presented in an easy to read way which will attract young readers.
They will certainly be intrigued with stories of people of their own
age, taking hold of things happening around them, striving to make a
difference.
Themes: Children; Biography; Survival; Overcoming difficulties;
Fear; Prejudice; War; Sports; Heroes and heroism. Teacher's
notes are available.
Fran Knight
Tess of the road by Rachel Hartman
Tess of the road book 1, Southlands book 3. Random
House Books for Young Readers, 2018. ISBN: 9781101931288.
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Hugo Award Nominee for Best Young
Adult Book (Lodestar Award) (2019). In this highly readable coming
of age story, Tess is a troublemaker. After trying to be good for
the sake of her twin sister Jeanne who is getting married, she once
again finds herself in disgrace, after punching a relative's nose.
Being told that she must go to a nunnery, she decides to run away
and takes to the road where she meets once again an old friend, a
quigutl. Together they travel across the land, both carrying the
past with them.
Set in the same world as Seraphina,
2012, and Shadow scale, 2015, fans of this series will
welcome another stand-alone story that features dragons and a girl
who won't bow to pressure to be good and behave as a docile young
woman. The reader is gradually exposed to Tess's backstory and the
reason why she is shunned by her mother. It is a heart breaking one
that will remain in thoughts for quite a time after finishing the
book as the reader thinks about the way girls are treated and how
they are blamed for mistakes made, while young men are able to act
irresponsibly and thoughtlessly. However Tess is resilient and
compassionate, intelligent and strong, and she makes the most of the
lessons that she learns on the road in her quest to find the origins
of the quigutl. Tess of the road has an original and unique fantasy setting,
with relatable characters and themes of resilience and empowerment
and well deserves its Hugo nomination. I look forward to the next
book about Tess's life.
Pat Pledger
Love, luck and the demon by John F. Roe
Wakefield Press, 2019. ISBN: 9781743056431.
(Age: Adult) Non-fiction. Memoir. This is very much a love story.
John F. Roe tells how he fell in love with Ella the first time he
saw her, but through various misadventures it wasn't until years
later that they actually came to spend much time together and then
to get married. Roe describes his life then as incredibly lucky, to
be with the woman he loved, to gradually find a rewarding career in
teaching, and to have adventures in England, Rhodesia, and
eventually Australia. His descriptions of that time are rich with
wit and humour and many references to the literature he loves -
reminding us how powerful literature is in sharing experience and
understanding.
We know that his luck changes, because the first chapter warns us of
the demon that comes to haunt his dreams and invade his life. And as
we read on there are mentions of what is to come - but always that
is for later. Really more than two thirds of the book is full of
happy memories and funny stories - which must have brought so much
pleasure to write. Because what does eventually come is incredibly
sad. The writing changes as Roe goes on to tell us of the demon of
dementia that took over his beautiful and intelligent wife, causing
a horrible period of distrust and unhappiness. Through all that
time, the doctor consultations and the eventual move to nursing
care, he held onto to the love that still united them, and there are
lovely accounts of their outings, him pushing her in a wheelchair,
to all their favourite cafes and shops near the care home in North
Adelaide.
Dementia is a cruel disease, and it is something that more and more
of us are going to have to confront, as it is predicted to become
the second most lethal killer, after heart disease. What is
uplifting about this story is how Roe managed to keep love central
to their life, and the care and companionship he provides for Ella
is rewarded by happy moments of shared memories even at the end.
Helen Eddy
The talent show by Delphine Davis and Adele K Thomas
Mermaid holidays book 1. Penguin, 2019. ISBN: 9780143796510.
(Age: 6-8) Delphine Davis and Adele K Thomas introduce us to the
underwater world of Turtleville where four special mermaid friends
live with their families. Best friends since they were little
merbies, Sophia, Willow, Chloe and Olivia love meeting up again
after returning from their separate boarding schools. This is a
special holiday, and something exciting is about to happen,
Turtleville's first Talent Show.
Sophia Seashell is especially excited; she loves to sing and wants
her friends to be backup singers for the performance. Her sidekick
Smedley Seahorse cautions Sophia to consider what her other friends
are planning. When they meet to practice at the lagoon, Sophia
arrives last, excited to share her ideas. Wearing her super sparkly
popstar sunnies and holding her glittery microphone, Sophie launches
into one of The Flyfish Girls pop songs. Her friends are taken
aback. They don't want to sing; they can't sing. Smedley tries to
smooth things over to no avail.
Team work requires cooperation, listening to everyone's ideas and
working together, and that's just what the best friends do in the
lead up to their performance. Will they win the prize, tickets to
The Guppy Cove Adventure Park? The talent show presents a gorgeous underwater world, filled
with sea creatures and sparkly mermaids. Pink borders and accents
enhance the story and add fun to the delightful cartoon
illustrations. Written in a fun and charming style with plenty of
alliteration and special pops of pink-coloured exclamations and
highlighted words, this story is just right for mermaid-loving young
readers.
Themes: Mermaids, Friendship, Performing arts.
Rhyllis Bignell
All right already! by Jory John and Benji Davies
HarperCollins, 2019. ISBN: 9780008330033.
Bear and Duck are neighbours - but two more different would be hard
to find. Bear is huge, slow and somewhat grouchy; Duck small,
energetic and always looking for fun. Told in dialogue with each
character having their own font that cleverly echoes their nature,
each story focuses on a conflict between the two as Bear wants one
thing - usually a quiet life - while Duck wants the opposite. And it
is the same in this latest addition to this series for very young
readers...
It has snowed overnight and Duck wants to make the most of the fun
it offers while Bear wants to stay in his cosy warm house. Even
after Duck coaxes him out he is a reluctant participant in the games
and when he starts to sneeze, Duck bundles him back inside (where he
wanted to be all the time) and assumes the role of nurse. But
Bear is not particularly grateful and when Duck begins to sneeze too
and heads for her home, it remains to be seen whether Bear will step
up and nurse her.
Apart from being a charming story that young readers will enjoy,
there is much it offers for the development of early reading
behaviours for them as well. Firstly, being a series, it is an
opportunity for the adult to ask the child what they remember and
know about the characters already so their thoughts are already set
to the contrasting characteristics of each. When Duck goes to
Bear's house, full of excitement and anticipation, what sort of
reception is she likely to get? There is also the opportunity
to explore the concept of dialogue as the whole story is told in
conversation with Duck's voice in a different, lighter font to that
of Bear's. It offers lots of things to chat about such as why it
snows and why most Australian children won't wake to a snowy
morning; how we need to protect ourselves from catching a cold and
how we can keep from spreading the one we have, and also the things
we can do to make a friendship solid and sustainable.
While bedtime stories should always be about the bond and the
connections between reader and listener, there are subtle ways that
these concepts about print can be shared so that the young one
engages even further with the story and becomes even more determined
to become an independent reader.
Barbara Braxton
The oceans between us by Gill Thompson
Headline Publishing, 2019. ISBN: 9781472257956.
(Age: 16+) Highly recommended. It was 1941. Jack has happy memories
of his mother holding him, as a 5 year old, in her arms, singing and
dancing with him, then hiding with him under the table at the sound
of sirens and German bombers flying over London. But one day whilst
he is at school, there is an explosion, and his whole world is
changed forever. His mother disappears, and Jack ends up in the
dormitories of Melchet House run by the Catholic nuns, a life of
chores and punishments.
Unbeknown to Jack, his mother survived the explosion but was left
with amnesia. She passes her time in a hospital ward desperately
looking for something she is missing, but she doesn't know what it
is.
Life becomes worse for Jack as he becomes one of the thousands of
children shipped to Australia to a promised land of sunshine and
oranges. However, far from being a paradise, Bindoon, the Boys Town,
is a place of hard labour, beatings and abuse. Jack eventually has
an escape, taken to be adopted by Kathleen and John, an Australian
couple unable to have children. But he can't forget the suffering of
the other boys and when his friend Sam dies there, Jack is
determined to one day seek justice.
Thompson's novel brings together many themes: the suffering and
abuse of child migrants brought to Australia and placed in harsh
institutions; Aboriginal children taken from their parents to live a
life of servitude; the racism in Britain towards the Jamaican
immigrants who came on the Windshuttle; the threat of the childhood
disease of polio; and the crude treatment of mental health patients.
The novel paints an authentic picture of the times, and would be of
interest to students studying the history of the period. It
concludes with the apologies of both the British and Australian
prime ministers to the children shipped to Australia as child
migrants, told they were orphans and brought to Australia without
their parents' knowledge or consent.
This book would make an interesting comparison with Jae-Dee Collier's Jae-Dee
survives the home of many mothers (2019), a fictionalised
account drawn from the author's memories of her life as one of the
forgotten children in Australian orphanages, more of a memoir than a
novel. Thompson's story builds a wider context to the experience of
the institutionalised child, yet both share the loneliness and fear
the children suffered, and their longing for kindness and love. Both
stories reveal the long-standing aftereffects of abuse.
That is not to say that The oceans between us is difficult
to read. On the contrary, we are drawn into the lives of the
characters; there is romance, and there are happy as well as sad
moments. I thoroughly recommend it - it keeps the reader engaged
until the very last page.
Helen Eddy
The wall in the middle of the book by Jon Agee
Scholastic, 2019. ISBN 9781760663490.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Walls, Barriers, Prejudice,
Isolationism. A solid brick wall appears in the centre of each
double page. A child in armour appears with a ladder, and tells the
reader that his side of the book is safe because the wall is there
to protect him from whatever is on the other side. The other side
has a range of large animals: a rhinoceros, tiger and baboon, all
interested to see over the wall. But a small mouse happens along and
scares them away. On the safe side, water appears to be rising
rather rapidly, causing the boy to climb the ladder even higher,
while on the other side the animals are replaced by an ogre. The boy
tells us that the ogre is the scariest thing on the other side, but
when the water keeps rising and he is about to drown, or perhaps be
eaten by the lurking crocodile, the ogre leans over the wall and
plucks him to safety.
The boy is frightened when he realises that he is on the other side
of the wall. He tells the ogre that he is frightened that he will be
eaten, but the ogre assures him that this will not happen and shows
him around. All his fears vanish as he is befriended by the animals
and plays with them.
Readers will laugh out loud at the contrast of what is happening on
each side of the wall, especially when the 'safe' side becomes
anything but safe as the little fish are swallowed by a bigger fish
then a much larger fish as the water rises.
Readers will understand the theme of the book, that walls do not
make us safe, and discuss the way walls are used to give an
impression of safety in various situations. And unfortunately there
are a lot of examples around the world of wall building to draw
upon.
This is a laugh out loud look at the aim of keeping safe through
building walls, where building bridges would be more appropriate.
The watercolour and pencil illustrations are just wonderful, the
drawing of the wall down the centre of each page underlining the
difference between each side and causing much hilarity when the
situation is reversed.
Fran Knight
And then there were four by Nancy Werlin
Speak, 2018. ISBN: 9780147510266.
(Age: 14+) Recommended. A book for mystery lovers, Werlin has
written an easy to read and engrossing story about five teenagers
who escape death when a building collapses on them. It is not an
accident, someone is trying to murder them. Gradually the group
piece together a theory, unlikely as it may seem.
The plot contains enough twists and turns, unexpected events and red
herrings that the reader will be kept guessing until the end about
the teens' theory and whether it is true.
Written in two alternating voices, that of Saralinda del la Flor and
Caleb Colchester, Werlin skilfully draws out the characters and
events that befall the group. Saralinda's voice is quite unique with
exclamation points and strange sayings and once the reader becomes
accustomed to it, is very enjoyable to read. Caleb's on the other
hand is darker and told in the second person. All the characters are
unique and interesting, particularly Saralinda who has a club foot
and diabetes, but who with humour, manages to often be the voice of
reason in this diverse group. Caleb has suffered all his life,
labelled a bad boy, Kenyon is an outspoken young woman who has used
social media to call out a rape, while Evangeline and Antoine are
popular school leaders. As a group they don't appear to mesh well,
but when one of them dies, they have to work out a way to stay alive
and use each other's skills and expertise. And there are some
budding romances as well.
Mystery readers who enjoy books by Lauren Oliver and Karen McManus
are likely to enjoy the fast pace and suspense of And then there
were four.
Pat Pledger
Fart Monster and me: The class excursion by Tim Miller and Matt Stanton
ABC Books. 2019. ISBN: 9780733340215. 57p
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Themes: Humour, Speculative/Sci fi. Ben Dugan
takes his Fart Monster to school. His teacher, Mr Bendentoot has
organized an excursion to the Space exhibit at the local museum. On
the bus, various children deny causing the foul emissions of the
Fart Monster. At the museum, Professor Wilson demonstrates the
interactive displays to the class, which cleverly foreshadow the
novel's twist! After Fart Monster failed to find his home in the
simulated Solar System, an anti-gravity experience keeps Lucy,
Carter, Dave, Laura and the rest of the class occupied while Ben and
the Fart Monster investigate the Space Shuttle display.
Fart Monster convinces Ben to read the instructions so that they can
use the shuttle to take him home to his beloved 'Let her Rip'
planet. Despite his reservations, Ben and Fart Monster take off.
Their spacecraft stalls with their destination in sight but they
solve the problem and land the space shuttle. What will Fart
Monster's planet be like? How is Ben going to get home?
Another bodily function narrative with pleasing caricatures,
guaranteed to make you laugh out loud.
Deborah Robins
Find Spot at the library by Eric Hill
Penguin Random House Children's, 2019. ISBN: 9780241365694.
(Ages: 1-4) Themes: Libraries, Board book, Lift the flaps book.
Lift-the-flap books are usually instant winners with little ones,
especially when there is a cheeky animal or two hiding behind and
this third title in a new Spot series (previous titles are Find
Spot at the zoo and Find Spot at the museum) is no
exception. The series is a real nod to the original Where's Spot
first published in 1980, and while Eric Hill may have passed away in
2014 these have been done with the same humour and fun that has seen
generations of children fall in love with his books. Young children
will especially love finding Spot at the end, all dressed up in his
tiger costume for dress-up day at the library (it would have been
better if they had to lift a flap to find him though). All his
friends are there for the party too. The book also includes all the
elements that children love about visiting the library: borrowing
and returning books, story time, sing-along time, playing and
creating and quiet reading. This series will be a real hit with
toddlers, and this title a definite must for little library lovers.
Nicole Nelson
