My Australian Story. Scholastic, 2019. ISBN: 9781742994307.
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Themes: Bushfires, Black Saturday, Victoria,
Dandenong Ranges, Emergency Services, Climate change, Disasters. Mid
to upper primary readers will absorb this story about the Black
Saturday bushfires in Victoria in 2009, told within a loving family
unit, the details of their lives making a strong backdrop to the
action. And what action! These bushfires, the worst in Australia's
history, took 173 lives, burnt out whole towns, ravaged huge swathes
of the Dandenong Ranges surrounding Melbourne, threatening the city
itself, and made people rethink strategies when dealing with fire on
this scale.
Shortly after Christmas in 2009, Amy waves farewell to her climate
science mother, going off to a conference in Brussels and is taken
back to her grandmother's house at Marysville in the Dandenong
Ranges, north of Melbourne. She and her dad talk about the trees and
the undergrowth, the recent rain and the greening of the bush, the
eucalypts that can be used as compost, while making Gran's home more
bushfire ready.
Amy loves reading of disasters around the world and the story is
placed firmly in its time with the plane landing on the Hudson River
in New York while references are made to disasters which happened
years before at Christmas: Cyclone Tracey and the Canberra
bushfires. Readers will enjoy reading about these and doing some
research for more information. Letters between Amy and her brother,
Aaron, now in Paris, give a different perspective to Amy's life with
Grandma.
But the air becomes more oppressive, warnings are given, some people
move to the city for safety, others clear their yards, fill cleared
out gutters with water, put their fire plans into action.
Finding their way to the local oval, they spend agonising days
trying to contact friends and relatives, and Sally Murphy is able to
make the readers feel that they are part of the action, fretful,
worrying and afraid.
This book joins a group of novels and picture books recently
published which enable readers to empathise with those caught in
such events and work out and understand how they could survive, all
the while presenting the amazing work done by mainly volunteer
emergency services, ambulance officers, fire fighters and police.
Fran Knight
What Momma left me by Renee Watson
Bloomsbury, 2019. ISBN: 9781681199498.
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Themes: Family, Domestic violence.
Originally published in 2010, Newbery Honor Award winning author
Renee Watson's newest UK edition of What Momma Left Me,
seeks to uplift another generation of YA readers with a contemporary
cover.
Serenity and her younger brother Danny lose both parents as a
consequence of domestic violence. Serenity begins journaling her
healing in the home of their maternal grandparents. A new start in a
new community forces them to look outside themselves to develop
symbiotic relationships with wider family, parishioners, students
and hardest of all - professional counsellors. Serenity uses her
epiphanies to help her new friend, Maria, having learned that little
good comes of secrets. Danny's catharsis comes only after further
tragedy but to some degree from realizing that materialism cannot
fill that dark hollow of human despair, from which no one is immune.
Serenity crushes on Jay, who is somewhat of a rough diamond, but
stays focused on her school work and writing. Every chapter explores
both a line of scripture and a poetry device from her first period
Poetry class, to be learned and applied. The last chapter called
'Amen' begins with an Ode. Serenity's naive ode to a Red Velvet Cake
is an important metaphor and specially blended Mother's Day surprise
for her Grandmother. Readers are treated to the recipe in the end
papers.
Both Danny and Serenity falter but their family, faith and
community, reconnect them to bittersweet memories and dispel their
fears that they are not destined to repeat the same cycles of
violence. The novel arrives full circle back to the scripture that
sustains Serenity on the day of her mother's murder.
This is a book centred on grief, but certainly refuting the metaphor
that the disease of domestic violence is either inherited or
chronic.
Deborah Robins
BumbleBunnies: The sock by Graeme Base
BumbleBunnies, book 2. HarperCollins, 2019. ISBN:
9781460753972.
(Age: 2-6) Recommended. Themes: Superheroes, Washing, Problem
solving. With exquisite pictures that demand the reader examine each
one again and again, Base has given very young readers a lovely
introduction to superheroes. In the second book Wuffle the puppy,
Lou the kitten and Billington the duck are watching the washing blow
around in the wind, when a sock blows off and lands near a muddy
puddle. What a dilemma! How are the friends going to get the sock
back on the line? After some misadventures with the sock, the
BumbleBunnies, those long eared heroes, come to the rescue.
The text is simple and easy for a beginning reader, but reads aloud
very well for the pre-schooler, who will have lots of fun
identifying each of the characters - even their names give clues to
who they are and the expressions on their faces as they fight over
the sock are priceless. Readers too, will enjoy having knowledge
about who the BumbleBunnies really are, while Wuffle, Lou and
Billington are bamboozled by the masks, capes and equipment that
they carry. It is fun to try and work out just what is in the garden
that will help the superheroes get the sock back on the line and
just what skills they will have to use as they come up with a
wonderful solution to the problem.
The illustrations are ones that beg for a revisit, as something new
and interesting will be found to look at in the rich hues of the
garden. The vivid drawings of all the characters ensure the reader
becomes familiar with each individual personalities.
The second book can be read as a stand alone, as there is plenty of
information about all the characters, but once started on this
series, young children will be asking for more stories about the
BumbleBunnies and the three friends and will certainly want to read
the first book, Bumblebunnies : The pond.
Pat Pledger
Mighty Mitch: Day/Night decider! by Mitchel Starc
Mighty Mitch series book 5. Scholastic, 2019. ISBN:
9781742769172.
(Age: 9+) Highly recommended. The U10 Wombats are in the enviable
position of playing in the Grand Final against the Dingoes team. But
there's a bigger challenge than their unbelievable winning streak.
Mitch and his quirky team mates are clearly having a ball playing by
the new mixed Junior Cricket rules with 7-9 on a team and a shorter
pitch; but now the rules state that the Grand Final is to be a
Day/Night game. How are they going to overcome playing under lights
with a pink ball to achieve new individual goals before the end of
season - especially Oli, the team buffoon?
Coach makes them practise under the lights with the fearsome ball
launcher and his motivational strategies seem to be doing the trick,
if Josh can stay off his mobile phone and Oli can find his way back
from the toilets or finally make a catch. Cassie, Jess, Hayden and
Raf set their own goals and victory is within their grasp in the
last over when Mitch's fumble is ruled a catch. Will he follow his
conscience or make his team and his parents happy?
This illustrated novel flows well to its ethical conclusion and
Starc must be commended on attributing ample skills to the girls on
the team. Non-cricketers are supported by Philip Bunting's winsome
illustrations and lucid technical aids, including a comprehensive
Cricket Terms Glossary, a Fielding Positions chart, a Batting Shots
Chart and even a table of all 11 Ways to get Out. Whether you can
already distinguish between a Cherry and a Sweet Spot or not, this
series is an excellent Middle to Upper Primary school introduction
to Australia's national game.
Deb Robins
Wrestle! by Charlotte Mars, Maya Newell and Gus Skattebol-James
Ill. by Tom Jellett. Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760296810.
(Ages: 4-8) Recommended. Themes: Wrestling, Identity, Families. Wrestle!
is inspired by the documentary Gayby Baby, which featured
the stories of four kids being raised in LGBTQIA+ families (Gus
Skattebol-James was one of the children in the film and Mars and
Newell were involved in producing and directing). It's nearly time
for Mardi Gras and Gus wants to go as a wrestler. The accompanying
illustration shows a table covered in family photographs and other
odds and ends which tell us a lot about Gus's life (he has two mums,
a little sister, likes lego, dinosaurs and wrestling, and he
barracks for the Sydney Swans). Gus's problem is that he LOVES
wrestling and wants to be big and tough with huge muscles. But his
mums think wrestling is 'violent and dangerous, and that having big
muscles and being macho isn't the only way to be strong'. This is
written so well: at a child's level but intelligently. 'I worry
Gus', says one of Gus's mums, 'that you might start thinking that's
the way to be a GOOD man, a POPULAR man or a SMART man'. It provides
families with a really lovely example of how to talk with their
children. 'You can dress up as anything you like at Mardi Gras . . .
As long as you're respectful and kind'. When Gus has a dream about
wrestling and decides he doesn't want to hurt people he realises
that there could be different kinds of wrestler (e.g., those who are
proud and stand up for themselves). I love the way Gus and his
little sister transform their wrestling toys with pink paper and
rainbow crayons (we also see the transformation on the endpapers).
Tom Jellett's illustrations are warm and generous, quite similar to
the work of Craig Smith. His other illustrative works include
popular picture books Sea Dog and My Dad Thinks He's
Funny. The illustrations perfectly reflect the realities of
life for an Aussie kid (Mum's folding washing, the kids are watching
the iPad on the couch).
This is a family story that just happens to feature a family with
two mums. These sorts of stories are important in the wake of the
same-sex marriage legislation change as we seek to expand young
children's understandings of normality in terms of family, sexuality
and gender.
Nicole Nelson
Harry Potter: A history of magic by the British Library
Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2019. ISBN 9781526607072.
(Age: 10 - Adult) Highly recommended. Themes: Magic. Fantasy. Harry
Potter. Another book for fans of Harry Potter, this handsome volume,
now in paperback, is sure to appeal to anyone who has read the books
or seen the Harry Potter films. Curated by the British Museum for
their 'Harry Potter: A history of magic' Exhibition, this book has
immediate appeal with its vivid cover and beautiful illustrations by
Jim Kay and copies of manuscripts from the British Museum. These are
dispersed throughout the book and make for a fascinating initial
perusal of the book, for those who like to flick through to get a
feeling of what is inside.
It has an introduction by Julian Harrison, the lead curator of the
exhibition and learned articles from people like Julia Eccleshare,
Lucy Mangan and Tim Peake, but what made it stand out for me were
copies of the original manuscripts that J.K. Rowling had written,
and pictures of some of her drawings of characters and scenes. It
was fascinating to see her annotations, her erasing of certain words
and the appearance of her characters in her clever illustrations.
The British Museum exhibition must have been a wonderful experience
for people who managed to see it, and this book makes it accessible
to all. It is a book that begs to be read from cover to cover, but
it rewards the person who dips into information that interests them.
I was really taken by the information about mandrakes and the
drawings of them were fascinating. Any reader will gain much
knowledge about the history of magic and will wonder at the
knowledge that J.K. Rowling brought to her books.
A table of contents gives easy access to different aspects of the
history of magic, including potions and alchemy, herbology,
astronomy and charms as well as care of magical creatures.
This would make a beautiful gift for any Harry Potter fan, and would
grace any school or public library collection.
Pat Pledger
Lady Smoke by Laura Sebastian
The Ash Princess series, book 2. Macmillan Children's Press,
2019. ISBN: 9781760559106.
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. Theodosia's escape from the Kaiser
has succeeded and for the first time since she was six years old she
is free from his clutches. But at what cost? With the help of her
aunt, the notorious pirate Dragonsbane, she makes for Sta'Crivero
where King Etristo has invited all of the eligible royal bachelors
to try for her hand in marriage. But with Soren imprisoned and
Blaise's berserker symptoms worsening, marriage is far from Theo's
mind. In Sta'Crivero Theo's priorities turn to her people in the
nearby refugee camp, however, the camp is nothing like Theo
expected, the Sta'Crivero people believing that the refugees bring
misfortune. King Etristo is one of Theo's strongest allies and she
must do her best to pretend to be the dim little girl they all
expect her to be - but how can she curb her enthusiasm now that
she's free of her shadows? Can she find a way to avoid marriage yet
save her people?
Similar in ways to Daenerys' story from George RR. Martin's A
song of ice and fire, the second book in The Ash Princess
series gives hope for Theo and her friends as they press forward in
their quest to retake their Astrean home. Dealing with friendship
and the ever complicated love triangle, Sebastian highlights the
importance of trust, honesty, and, most of all, friendship. Filled
with rich, complex characters, Lady Smoke is sure to keep
you captivated.
Highly recommended for young people twelve and up, particularly
those who enjoy fantasy.
Kayla Gaskell
The big chicken mystery by Meredith Costain
Ill. by Danielle McDonald. Olivia's Secret Scribbles.
Scholastic, 2019. ISBN 9781743817636.
(Age: 5-7) Recommended. Themes: Chickens. Theft. Diaries. Meredith
Costain's fifth Olivia's Secret Scribbles story focuses on
the rehoming of the Year 2 chickens. The Year 1 students are ready
to begin their chicken rearing and Olivia's class have the
opportunity to take Pearlie, Roxy and their friends home. First
Olivia writes a persuasive list of reasons to help Mum and Dad
agree. The whole class wants chickens to come to their homes, so the
teacher announces a competition for the best designed coop. Olivia's
diary is filled with her detailed plans, the Deluxe house includes a
swimming pool, tiled roof with a garden on top.
When Mr Platt their teachers announces the winner, Olivia is so
excited, Pearlie, Roxie and Sweetie are coming home. On Trouble
Tuesday, the hen house is empty and the girls begin a frantic search
to find the escapees. Olivia's diary records the trials of having
the chickens and the lack of eggs laid. After a visit to The Secret
Garden community centre for Nanna Kate's birthday, Olivia, her
sister Matilda and their mother work out a special plan for their
chickens.
Meredith Costain's easy-to-read book is just right for readers from
ages 5-7. Olivia's Secret Scribbles series is an excellent
introduction to chapter books for young girls. There is a brightness
and bubbliness to Olivia's point of view, that is presented with
yellow coloured bold text and design.
Danielle McDonald's cartoon illustrations capture Olivia's emotions
adding to the fun of the story; love the chickens roosting in Mr
Pappas' ginormous undies. The big chicken mystery looks at caring for chickens and
being responsible. Costain uses many different writing and design
styles to engage her young audience.
Rhyllis Bignell
The big race by David Barrow
Hodder, 2019. ISBN 9781444929294.
(Age: 4+). Recommended. Themes: Competition. Friendship. On race day
Lion takes down the name of all those strong, big and fast animals
who wish to enter the race. At the starting line are the fastest,
biggest and strongest animals, Lion, Cheetah, Crocodile and Buffalo,
each determined to win. But alongside these animals is the little
Aardvark, scoffed at by the others. He is just as determined, and as
the field sets off, he is just behind the pack, running hard to stay
with them.
He swims, traverses the waterfall, rides his bike, all keeping in
touch with the rest of the field, and when they ascend in their hot
air balloons, he is there beside them in his personal lifting
apparatus. But when this goes pop and he lands near the finishing
line the others are in a struggle to get over the line, ending up in
a big scramble of heads and feet, bodies and tongues, but who came
first?
Children will love to read of this take on the tortoise and hare
story, as the Aardvark takes on the mighty animals, pitting his
strengths against theirs. The funny illustrations will be a treat
for all readers, adults included, as they see allusions to the range
of sports played out each day on our TV set, people vying with each
other, pitting their abilities against the others, all for a medal at
the end.
Fran Knight
Princess Scallywag and the no-good pirates by Mark Sperring
Ill. by Claire Powell. HarperCollins, 2019. ISBN 9780008212995.
Princess Scallywag and the Queen are out on the royal yacht enjoying
the fresh air when they are invaded by three stinky, sweaty, no-good
pirates waving their swords and determined to take them prisoner.
But three stinky, sweaty, no-good pirates are no match for the
quick-thinking Queen and the persnickety princess, although it is
touch-and-go for a while as they desperately try to save themselves
from being made galley slaves, scrubbing the decks and walking the
plank!
A sequel to Princess
Scallywag
and the brave, brave knight, this is a bold adventure story
for those who like their princesses feisty, clever, and subversive.
Barbara Braxton
Australian Backyard Earth Scientist by Peter Macinnis
NLA Publishing, 2019. ISBN: 9780642279347.
(Age: 8-15) Highly recommended. Themes: Geology, Earthquakes and
Volcanoes, Water, Weather, Climate Change. This is a spectacular
book, written in an genuinely accessible style. In a very simple
manner, the book explains scientific information about the earth's
history and the forces and influences that have created and shaped
our world. I was incredibly impressed at the way Macinnis has
distilled significant scientific detail into language clear enough
for a young reader to understand, without avoiding difficult
concepts. The detail about complex issues such as tectonic shift,
earth science, climate change, volcanic action and weather
influences in the world is exceptionally clear and is interspersed
with brilliant photographic detail and practical projects or
experiments to help an interested child to recognise principles for
themselves. There is no 'barrow' pushed or covering over of
difficult issues, rather there is simple honesty of the difficulty
of explaining the complexity of the scientific influences and
understanding of the geology of the earth and what has changed over
time. This balanced perspective, both scientifically rigorous and
honest in expressing the difficulties of being certain about what
has had the most impact over the course of time is refreshing, and
very suitable for a young reader.
This is a scientific book that also includes lots of
Australian-focused information and examples and is presented with
clarity and in a magazine-style format. All illustrations, tables
and sidebars are clearly captioned and informative and even the
quirky carton illustrations by Tony Flowers scattered through the
book add to the visual appeal of this book. Careers of those who are
involved in various aspects of the field being discussed in each
chapter are explained (with an accompanying cartoon) - a useful
addition to encourage STEM careers. This is certainly a book worth
purchasing for a school library or gifting to a young reader who is
fascinated by science.
Carolyn Hull
Editor's note: The author has a site
'with a large collection of big format pictures of rock/earth
related things. . . All have a Creative Commons copyright allows
non-commercial use in any form, with attribution and share-alike.'
(Peter Macinnis)
Sleep tight, Platypup by Renee Treml
Penguin Random House Australia, 2019. ISBN: 9780143789697.
(Ages: 2-5) Recommended. Themes: Platypus, Night time, Fear. This is
a sweet bedtime book about conquering fear of the dark. A young
platypus, named Platypup, wakes up in his burrow: 'Shadows moved
across the burrow walls. Something rustled outside'. He's all alone
and he is frightened. 'Mummy! Mummy!' he calls. Mummy doesn't tell
him he is being silly. She gives him a big hug and helps him to
understand the night. She takes him outside and asks him what he can
see and hear. He sees the wattle tree, the rocks and the big old
gumtree; just like during the day. He hears leaves whispering and
grasses shifting in the wind; just like during the day. That's not
scary at all, Platypup decides. After a moonlight swim Mummy tucks
Platypup back in the burrow; 'now you must sleep and dream and
grow', she says.
We manage to learn a little about platypus habitats and habits, but
mainly this is a beautiful story about how everything is just as
familiar at night time as it is during the day if we can relax and
think clearly. The illustrations are simple but warm and emotional,
effectively depicting movement, sound and the calm of night. This
will be very useful with children who do have a fear of the dark,
but is a beautiful bedtime story for any young child.
Nicole Nelson
A curse so dark and lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
A Curse So Dark and Lonely book 1. Bloomsbury, 2019. ISBN:
9781408884614.
(Age: 13+) Recommended. Themes: Fantasy, Good versus evil, Monster,
Folklore, Cerebral palsy, Fairy tales retold. Kemmerer returns with
a retelling of Beauty and the beast for a modern audience.
Harper Lacy is sucked into the world of Emberfall after trying to
rescue a girl on the streets of Washington. There she meets Prince
Rhen, who is desperately trying to break the curse that an evil
enchantress has placed on him; every autumn he turns into a monster
killing everyone in sight, including his own family. The curse will
only be broken if a girl falls in love with him.
There is action a plenty as our intrepid heroine shows Prince Rhen
and his commander, Grey, what it means to be brave and daring, even
when she is in danger and in an unknown land. Readers will love her
feisty nature, her quick verbal come backs and her intelligence, as
well as her ability to overcome adversity. They will also empathise
with Rhen as he struggles to overcome his arrogance and begins to
care for the people under his care. Grey too is a young man that
readers will love for his loyalty. (Kemmerer has a deft hand with
male characterisation, as she ably demonstrated in her best-selling
series, Elementals). Minor characters are also fleshed out
well in the second half of the book, and readers will look forward
to the return of Harper's brother Jake and her guard Zo.
The setting of Emberfall feels real, with an enchanted castle,
people struggling with poverty and a Queen from a foreign land who
has begun an invasion. The story is narrated in two voices, that of
Rhen and Harper, and Kemmerer's easy to read style makes this an
engrossing read. The cliff-hanger at the end ensures that readers
will pick up the next in the series.
This is a story that will appeal to readers who have enjoyed Marissa
Meyer's stories. Those who like the fairy tale Beauty and the
beast could go on to read Beauty by Robin McKinley,
and Jane Yolen and Shannon Hale have written excellent books
retelling fairy stories. Juliet Marillier's Sevenwaters
series is another to recommend to readers waiting for the sequel to
A curse so dark and lonely.
Pat Pledger
Larklight by Philip Reeve
Ill. by David Wyatt. Bloomsbury, 2006. ISBN: 9781526606617.
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Larklight is a rip-roaring
adventure science fiction book with a wonderful whimsical story and
terrific characters, now a major motion picture. It is set in
familiar Victorian times with the added dimension of the British
Empire ruling some of the planets. Larklight is a large dilapidated house that flies around in
space in an orbit near the Moon. Art Mumby and his sister Myrtle
live there with their scholarly father. One day Mr Webster,
supposedly from the Royal Xenological Institute, visits and they
discover to their consternation that he is an enormous white spider
like creature, one of the First Ones, who captures their father and
takes over Larklight. Art and Myrtle manage to escape in a lifeboat
and are rescued by the pirate Jack Havock, who takes them aboard his
ship The Sophronia. Many hair-raising adventures follow in
their efforts to foil the First Ones and save the British Empire.
Wyatt's wonderful, funny and detailed drawings are a joy to look at
and add to the enjoyment of the incredible creatures and objects
that pervade the story. The book is one that booklovers will want to
keep for its beautiful illustrations, (including a final one of the
author and illustrator recording a new species of ogleweed), long
involved chapter headings and humourous footnotes.
Apart from the breath taking adventures, readers will love the zany
humour and references to Victorian customs and the weird beings that
live in this world. Hoverhogs whiz around and clean up, winged
ships, powered by a device called an Alchemical Wedding, flap their
way through the aether and the Crystal Palace attacks London.
Readers can look forward to further adventures and lots of fun.
Pat Pledger
Pirate Pug: The dog who rocked the boat by Laura James
Ill. by Eglantine Ceulemans. Bloomsbury, 2019. ISBN: 9781408895948.
(Age: 5-7) Recommended. Themes: Dogs, Adventure, Pirates, Sailing. Pirate
Pug is the fourth fun adventure for this roly-poly pet and his
owner Lady Miranda. Although Pug can't swim, they are off on a
seaside, staying in the deluxe suite of the Smuggler's Rest Hotel,
Pebbly Bay. Running Footmen Will and Liam are responsible for
transporting the holidaymakers down to the beach in a sedan chair
which comes in very handy along the way. An unfortunate accident
with a beach ball sees Pug with an eye injury and he has to wear a
pirate patch.
The town of Pebbly Bay is preparing for the annual parade,
celebrating four hundred years of freedom from pirate rule. Lady
Miranda and Pug meet the mayor who's wearing a special memorial
chain that is snatched by Rio the parrot. A chase ensues, pitting
Miranda and her new friends against three mean boys who've been
throwing stones at Rio the parrot.
Ingeniously with Liam and Will's help the sedan chair becomes a
galleon and the children are off sailing to Finders Keeper's Island.
Laura James builds the tension and drama with Pug captured by the
enemy gang, a sunken ship and finally everyone needs to work
together to save the day. Pirate Pug is written in large easy to read font, with
colourful and engaging illustrations adding fun to this story. Laura
James explores the themes of friendship, teamwork and how to face up
to your fears. As a perfect transition from picture book to
beginning chapter books, share the junior novel with Junior Primary
classes opening up discussion about the characters' feelings and
actions, interesting settings and narrative writing.
Rhyllis Bignell
