Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781534445383.
(Age: 14+) Recommended. An exciting book that will tantalise book
lovers! Elisabeth has grown up in a Great Library where magical
grimoires are chained and book lice scuttle along the skirting
boards. If provoked they can turn into monsters creating
devastation. Elisabeth is desperate to become a warden but after
facing down one of the grimoires, she is accused of treason and sent
to the capital to face justice. Nathaniel a young sorcerer escorts
her there and together they begin to realise that much is at stake
for the country. Accompanied by Nathaniel's demon, Silas, they
battle to save the Great Libraries and their nation as well.
Elisabeth is a feisty young woman who has a clear sense of right and
wrong and she doesn't shirk her duty to the Libraries and her
country even when it is very difficult and dangerous. There are many
thrilling battles, when armed with her sword Demonslayer, she fights
off grimoires and other enemies. Heart stopping episodes draw the
reader in as she tries to prove her innocence and control her
powers.
The slow burning romance between Nathaniel and Elisabeth is a
subplot in this sweeping fantasy but will satisfy readers who will
be interested in the themes of loyalty, how perceptions can change
and the difficulties of being true to oneself.
Witty and often hilarious dialogue is a standout feature of the book
and the contrast between Nathaniel's sly asides and Elisabeth's
serious nature is beautifully written.
There is much to like about Sorcery of thorns, not least the
descriptions of all the magical books and the Great Libraries. I
will certainly pick up other books by Margaret Rogerson.
Pat Pledger
Our little monster by Ben Cunningham
Illus. by Chris Champan. Little Steps Publishing, 2019. ISBN:
9781925545852.
This is a funny picture story about the consequences of not paying
attention to your surroundings. Everyone has had a busy week and no
one notices when the parents in this book take home the wrong child
at the end of the week.
When Eric's parents took home little monster and Eric went home with
Mr. and Mrs. Monster both sets of parents noticed something was not
right but neither realised they had the wrong child. Eric and little
monster worked out things were not right and were able to fix the
problem and go back to their own home and family. Everything works
out in the end.
This is a fun story about parents not getting everything right all
of the time. Parents are not perfect.
The bold illustrations in this book add to the story. I recommend
this book.
Karen Colliver
The painted ponies by Alison Lester
Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781741758894.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Horses, Fairs, Farms, Family.
Matilda adores staying with her Grandma, Lucky and playing with her
set of painted ponies kept in a covered wagon each in their own
stall. One of the set of six has a white star on its nose and
Matilda asks Lucky about it. Grandma tells her a story of when she
was young and her family owned a travelling show.
The family moved with the sun, along with the football playing dogs,
the big horse called Hercules, the ringmaster, Uncle Remmy and
Grandma, the trick rider, who could twirl a lasso and was called
Lucky Star. Travelling cross the mountains they saw a group of wild,
dancing horses, and even though they would have loved to keep them
in their show, it was not possible. But in the throes of the cold
winter months when the ponies were shivering with cold and could no
longer dance, Mother and Uncle Remy brought them back to the show
and trained them as performers. They were a hit and people came from
far away to see them, but when summer came around, the ponies stared
at the mountains, their home.
One night, Grandma loosed the rail on their fence and let them go,
but hearing a whinny she saw that her favourite pony, the one with
the star had remained behind to stay with the young girl, Lucky
Star.
Award winning author illustrator needs no introduction with her
range of beautiful family oriented stories of life on the farm.
Horses and ponies have pride of place in all of the books and
introduce city based children to the delights that these animals
bring to a child's life.
Lester's charming pencil and watercolour illustrations reflect a
life that many will only ever read about, but bring that life to the
fore. Readers will love the tale of grandma's past life and her
meeting and training the horses, they will learn some things about
the wild horses in the mountains of Australia, and about their
training, as well as the travelling shows that used to be a much
anticipated form of entertainment in rural Australia.
Alison Lester was the first Children's Laureate, sharing that
position with Boori Pryor in 2012, received the Dromkeen Medal in
2018, and was the recipient of an AM in 2019.
I can imagine readers looking closely at the illustrations of the
animals in the book, turning to the glorious last endpaper which
gives a more recent history of the ponies and the dogs.
Fran Knight
A minute to midnight by David Baldacci
Atlee Pine book 2. Macmillan, 2019. ISBN: 9781509874460.
(Age: 15+) Recommended for lovers of thrillers. Themes: Kidnapping,
Murder. In this exciting and suspenseful novel, Baldacci immediately
grabs the reader's attention with a graphically described rescue of
an abducted girl by the intrepid Atlee Pine, who then realises that
she needs to resolve her anger about the mystery of the kidnapping
of her twin sister thirty years ago. She returns to her hometown in
Georgia, where not only does she uncover some of the secrets of her
past, but faces a serial killer who leaves victims posed in a
ritualistic way.
Baldacci's has a reputation as a leading thriller writer and it is
easy to see why: the flow of his narrative, the short chapters,
often with cliff hangers, and the interesting characters and
settings all combine to make for a satisfying read. I had not read
the first Atlee Pine book, but it was easy to follow both her
character, with Baldacci giving enough background information about
her for me to pick up this book and run with both her ability as an
FBI agent to solve dreadful crimes, but her desire to find out what
had happened to her sister so long ago. Her assistant, Blum, was
also fully fleshed out and added to the interest of the story.
There are enough twists in the plot about the serial killer to
ensure the reader is engrossed to the end, and the mystery
surrounding her sister's kidnapping turns up many twists and turns
that will surprise. And of course there is a cliff hanger at the end
that will guarantee readers will want to return to Atlee's quest to
solve the mystery of her past.
Pat Pledger
Dear Santa, Love Floss by Natalie Italiano
Illus. by Annabel Cuttler. Little Steps Publishing, 2019. ISBN:
9781925839555. pbk.
This is a heartwarming Christmas story, the story of a small
reindeer who has a big dream of flying with Santa's reindeers to
help pull the sleigh. When she finally gets her chance she
starts to doubt herself, will she be good enough to help pull
Santa's sleigh.
This story reminds us to dream big and believe in ourselves and
Christmas wishes can come true. If you work at your dream like Floss
did you can be the best at whatever you set your mind to.
The illustrations in this book complement the story drawing the
reader in.
A lovely Christmas story that doesn't focus on the presents. I
highly recommend this book.
Karen Colliver
Second child by Susan Moore and Doreen Rosenthal
Big Sky Publishing, 2019. ISBN: 9781922265395.
Recommended. Good, suitable book for expecting mothers or those
doing childcare. Sub-titled Essential information and wisdom to
help you decide, plan and enjoy a second child, 'this book
provides a wonderful mixture of expert advice and the voices of
parents and children to help plan for, survive, thrive, and enjoy a
second child. The book includes insights on coping with increased
workloads, sibling rivalry,financial issues, changing relationships
with children and partners and health and well-being. It provides
support to navigate the different issues and changes through the
developmental journey, and the challenges of having children with
different temperaments, abilities, ages and genders.' (Publisher)
Verdict: Second Child goes into all to expect and what to
deal with having a second child so for those who may not be entirely
sure what to expect or how to deal with both children, this is a
good reference book.
Vincent Hermann
Cooee mittigar by Jasmine Seymour
Illus. by Leanne Mulgo Watson. Magabala Books, 2019. ISBN:
9781925936865.
(Age: All) Highly recommended. Themes: Indigenous people, Darug
(Sydney region), Songlines, Dreaming stories, Indigenous language.
Songlines, Dreaming stories which connect peoples across Australia,
are introduced in this stunning book, with Darug words alongside
English, reinforcing the endurance of the Darug language and
culture.
Seymour, author of the lovely Baby
business (2019) introduces the reader to the world of the
Darug and the stories that tell the listeners of the seasons and
what happens in each, reminding them of the things they can do in
that time. The story encapsulate the Darug way of life, their
environment, the animals that live in the Sydney region, the peoples
who remain in the area. Darug words are used within the English
text, and readers will be able to work out what they mean although
translations are included at the bottom of each page. A swag of
words will be learnt while reading this tale, as Mulgo the black
swan welcomes the reader inviting them to begin their yana through
the land.
Watson's enticing illustrations are produced with digital collage
using mixed media, mono prints, stencils and acrylic painting. I
love the earthy colours offered on each page, the plethora of
animals hidden amongst the leaves of the stencilled background,
reflecting Australian flora, the flowers often picked out in
acrylic, vibrant and full of colour. I love the use of dots, so
entwined with Aboriginal artistry, with the dingoes, brolgas,
wombats and birds. Readers will appreciate the glossary at the end
of the book, showing Darug language, followed by a page of
information about the Darug people and another about the author and
illustrator, proud Darug women working for their communities.
Fran Knight
James Cook: The story behind the man who mapped the world by Peter FitzSimons
Hachette, 2019. ISBN: 9780733641275.
(Age: 15+) Recommended. The discovery of the east coast of
Australia, by Captain James Cook's first expedition had a
significant impact on the history of the continent. The lives of its
Aboriginal inhabitants were changed forever, convict settlements
were later established by the British, and unique flora and fauna
was revealed to the world. Cook's expeditions also had other
significant results which are highlighted in the book.
This well researched and interesting story describes how the
character and skills of the great explorer led him from his
impoverished Yorkshire boyhood with little formal education, to rise
through the ranks of the British navy and on to scientific
exploration. Cook's ability to lead his crew in a variety of
dangerous situations was extraordinary. When life expectancy at sea
was low due to scurvy, Cook did everything he could to ensure fresh
food was available and on most expeditions death through on board
illness was very low. Cook was awarded by the Royal Society for his
research in this field.
Peter FitzSimons delves into Cook's motivations and reasoning in
many situations, to reveal his true character and his essential
compassion for his fellow human beings. In telling the story the
roles of others, especially Sir Joseph Banks, are vividly described.
Descriptions in the book are written by the author based on first
hand accounts with footnotes. The text includes maps, illustrations
and portraits from the time of the explorer as well as sketch maps
to aid understanding. A plan of the ship 'Endeavour' was
omitted.
Students of History will find this book useful in understanding
James Cook, the early exploration of the Pacific and the experiences
of the native inhabitants and their often violent engagement with
the ship's crew.
Paul Pledger
Goodnight Starry by D'Arcy Lewis and Andrew McIntosh
Little Steps Publishing, 2018. ISBN: 9780648267317. hbk.
Highly recommended. A beautifully written goodnight story that
incorporates some fun facts about the planets. The astronaut on each
page showing how far away from earth each planet is adds an extra
element to the story. The simple illustrations complement this story
well.
This is an easy to read fun story that could be used to introduce
the planets to young children. As an extra with this book there is a
website listed in the front of
the book that has links to more information about the solar system
and also includes
teaching ideas to support using this book in the classroom.
I highly recommend this book.
Karen Colliver
Molly, Mop and Moppet's adventures in Paris by A.G. Krishnan
Illus. by Valery Vell. Little Steps Publishing, 2019. ISBN:
9781925839296. hbk.
This is a fun adventure had by three friends who are helping Molly's
cousin to find his missing music box. As the three friends explore
the major attractions of Paris looking for the music box they learn
some facts about the landmarks they visit. This book could be used
as a good starting place for teaching about Paris, the important
information in this book is in bold making it easy to go back after
reading the story and find the important places and people
mentioned in the story.
The illustrations in this book support the story well, there are
also facts that are part of the illustrations adding an extra
element to the story. I recommend this book.
Karen Colliver
Fauna : Australia's most curious creatures by Tania McCartney
NLA Publishing, 2019. ISBN: 9780642279545.
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended. This book is a gem for any school
library or classroom. The content will interest and engage most
primary and secondary students because the information is often
humorous, new, startling and offered in such a creative and
accessible way.
An emphasis in Fauna is the unique and curious animals of
Australia's land, rivers, lakes and oceans. The animals are not
presented in any particular order, although there are two indexes;
animal grouping and alphabetical. A glossary of useful terms is also
provided at the end of the book.
The information about each species, including rare animals that this
reviewer was unaware of, is in small sections to enable
understanding. However, the content as a whole provides a good
overall picture of Australia's fauna. Descriptions include
Australian locations, physical features, breeding habits, feeding
and habitat.
Attention is constantly drawn to the conservation of animals through
a rating for vulnerability of endangered species.
The use and placement of colourful and unusual diagrams and
illustrations really support the text to bring each species alive to
the reader. eg. actual (8cm) size of a crocodile egg, the platypus
as a fake (duck, otter, beaver), the heads of the four main species
of flying fox and the colours of the thorny devil. The title cover
gives a good example of the artistic quality of the book. The last
section of Fauna is devoted to animals seen as curiosities
to the first Europeans but common to indigenous Australians who gave
them their own names. Fauna has much wonderful information to amaze and engage the
young (and old) reader.
Paul Pledger
Aboriginal Australians by Richard Broome
5th edition. Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760528218.
This history of Aboriginal Australia from colonisation to the
present day looks at how our indigenous people have endured attempts
to erase their inconvenient presence through multiple programs to
assimilate or eradicate them. Reading it, as an immigrant, ignorant
Australian I have been appalled at the extent of systematic racial
discrimination over generations. Far from being a dry, academic tome
however, the author works through 15 focussed chapters using
interesting case studies and examples to support his analysis.
Colonialism infused the first encounters where "each was a dramatic
clash between Indigenous people who believed land was a spiritual
essence under their custodianship and was not transferrable, and
intruders who treated it as a valuable commodity to be exploited,
bought and sold" p37 including 1888 observations about "Social
Darwinism" p106 in which Europeans believed they were more highly
evolved. Assertions at Federation that Australia needed to "keep the
breed pure" p107, embroiled Aborigines in the White Australia
Policy, ultimately leading to the removal of children from their
families " a systematic, racially directed policy in an attempt to
erase Aboriginality and make Australia white" p200, The white man's
laws and ideas of justice brought to this country were imposed
universally including poaching laws which held property above life
until 1832 (p39) and there was (is) an ethnocentric bias as Mary
Durak observed in her 1959 book Kings in Grass Castles "no native
brought to justice in Kimberley was acquitted nor was any white
found guilty on a charge involving the treatment of an aborigine"
p114. Early missionaries brought Christian paternalism to people
they viewed as primitive savages and, apart from a few, well
presented exceptions "Aboriginal people on missions were generally
managed, protected, taught and chastised like children which eroded
their former autonomy." p153. Short summaries at the end of chapters
help to bring a perspective on specific issues, succinctly preparing
the reader for the next argument. Working through chapters on civil
rights, indigenous rights and aspirations for equality we are
brought up to the present day with chapter 14 "Crisis, intervention
and apology" and 15 'Seeking a voice" where we are suddenly thrust
from reading about past injustices to our own complicit involvement
in resisting acknowledgement of our nation's first people.
First published in 1982, the book has been fully revised and is in
its fifth edition, being reprinted 33 times. The author patiently
builds us a perspective on Aboriginal history, from the general to
the particular using statistics and individual accounts through well
referenced quotes. Nothing is sensationalised and strategic book
recommendations are offered to help readers educate themselves more
broadly. Extensive notes to each chapter make this a valuable
resource. It should be in every library and required reading for
every teacher and politician.
Sue Speck
Tilly and the lost fairy tales by Anna James
Pages and Co book 2. HarperCollins Children's Books, 2019.
ISBN: 9780008229900.
Recommended for readers aged 11+. In a world where magic happens
within the pages of books, Tilly Page and her friend Oskar are
Bookwanderers on the hunt to solve a mystery from within the pages
of the stories themselves. Their travel to Paris, as a distraction
after their adventure from book 1, Tilly
and the bookwanderers, in the Pages and Co series,
does not really work to take their attention from this drama as they
are soon plunged into the Fairy tale world that seems to be
unravelling. Political intrigue within the Bookwandering world seems
intent on creating further havoc and Tilly might just hold the
solution. And along the way, Tilly gets to talk to Prince Charming,
Rapunzel and Anne (with an 'e) from Green Gables.
Because this is the second book of the series, it is best read in
sequence and as a continuation of the original drama. It is an
engaging and unique fiction and fantasy exploration that will appeal
to lovers of fantasy. Intricate and yet set within the context of
story, plot and setting of well-known children's or classic
fairytales or books (and within bookshops and Libraries with unusual
'magical' qualities), there will be a cohort of readers who will
love the convolutions of this adventure and will want to keep
turning pages and adventure with Tilly and her family. Themes: Fairy
Tales; Fantasy; Adventure.
Carolyn Hull
The turn of the key by Ruth Ware
Vintage Publishing, 2019. ISBN: 9781787300446.
(Age: 16+) Recommended. Wow! What a compulsive read this was. From
the first page the reader was drawn into the life of Rowan Caine,
writing to her lawyer from prison. She had been a nanny in a
luxurious house in the Scottish Highlands and thought she had the
perfect job, but instead finds herself in prison accused of
murdering one of the children in her care. Her letters reveal
gradually reveal her life as a nanny as she tries to describe to her
lawyer just what happened to bring about the death of a child.
Rowan is an unreliable narrator and the reader is left trying to
unravel all of the events that had happened. Who was making the
weird sounds that had frightened away so many of the previous
nannies? What was the significance of the Poison Garden? Why wasn't
the death recorded by the smart house that kept everything on
constant surveillance? Who was Jack Grant the quiet handyman?
Needless to say, all these twists and turns kept me glued to the
last page, and the conclusion is one that will have readers
discussing it in fine detail. This was a compelling thriller,
written by an author whose books I will be picking up from now on.
Pat Pledger
The wind in the wall by Sally Gardner
Illus. by Rovina Cai. Hot Key Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781471404986.
(Ages: 15+) Highly recommended. Themes: Fantasy, Myth, Fairy
tale, Cautionary tale, Pineapples. In this new cautionary tale
reading like a fairy tale of old, Sally Gardner tells the tale of a
gardener in the employ of the Duke of Northumberland. The duke is
desperate to grow and raise a pineapple and employs the gardener to
take charge of the hothouse and the plant.
From page one we know that this hapless gardener is imprisoned and
read on to find out how and why he is thus ensconced.
Because he could not grow a pineapple, the duke demotes him to be
his wife's gardener, in charge of the flower garden, a position he
does not like. And a new person is employed to grow a pineapple. But
Mr Amicus arouses suspicion. Just what is in the birdcage he takes
into his house, and why is the hothouse filled with light at night?
And just how does he manage to grow a pineapple?
The gardener creeps to the hothouse at night and spies a naked
woman, surrounded by green feathers, imprisoned in the birdcage,
tapping all the while on its bars. Mr Amicus wears the same sort of
feather in his hat. He drunkenly returns and warns the gardener to
stay away from the hothouse and his wife. Shocked, the gardener
retreats, but one night after a summer storm a tree crashes onto the
hothouse and the birdcage is emptied. Later a tapping on his door
reveals the woman and they spend the night together, she offering
the gardener one wish in return for his kindness, but warns him to
choose wisely.
The next day Mr Amicus comes looking for her and chases the gardener
into the walled garden, where he uses his one wish unwisely and is
forever trapped.
This is a wonderfully engrossing tale, full of magic and humour, of
desire, greed, infatuation, ambition . . . all those tenets that sit
well in cautionary tales. Here the story warns us to be careful of
what we wish for, with the gardener finding himself trapped for life
behind a wall.
Stunning illustrations by Rovina Cai, a masters graduate from the
School of Visual Arts in New York, who now lives in Australia,
parallel the text, sweeping the eyes across every page, the turning
of which offers a new delight every time.
Fran Knight
