Hubert Horatio, Book 1. HarperCollins Children's, 2018. ISBN
9780008264086.
'These stories are about the days when the Bobton-Trents had it
cushy, very cushy indeed.' The Bobton-Trent seniors certainly know
how to make the most of their extravagant wealth - socialising,
doing things, buying things and generally being more than a little
bit irresponsible. Luckily for them, their son Hubert Horatio
Bartle Bobton-Trent is an exceptionally intelligent, talented and
sensible child. Unluckily for Hubert, this tends to mean that a lot
of his spare time is spent steering his rather unruly set of
grown-ups out of trouble. So oblivious are they, they don't realise
that their lavish lifestyle means that their money has run out even
when the Bobton-Trents and their guests sit at a bare dinner table,
waiting for an hour and 22 minutes for the maid to serve them,
unaware that the staff has left. They are also unaware of
their only child's immense talents - he phones his parents at
the age of one, reads at two and, when he tumbles into the pool at
age three, discovers that he is "a natural swimmer" - and when their
financial situation becomes clear to him, he tries ways to raise
money through schemes like hosting board game sessions and opening
the mansion up for tours, but all his schemes fail because his
parents just spend the proceeds. It even becomes his decision to
sell the mansion and downsize to an apartment!
Lauren Child brings her unique combination of story-telling,
illustration and humour to this new series of books for the
newly independent reader. Even though the message about money not
necessarily being the happiness-bringer it is reputed to be may be
lost on the target audience, nevertheless young readers will delight
in the outrageous lifestyle and Hubert's constant vigilance and
tactics to keep the family afloat. Those who are a little older
might like to think about how income is derived and disbursed and
the sorts of decisions that must be made.
With the second episode Alien beings due later this year,
this is a series that will become very popular as the word spreads
among your students.
Barbara Braxton
The ruin of kings by Jenn Lyons
Tor Publishing 2018. ISBN 9781509879496.
(Age: Adult) Fantasy. In a world with eight goods, magic,
music, and plenty of brothels, Khirin's life changes forever when he
robs the wrong house. Discovered as a long lost heir (and plenty
else over the course of the novel), he must fight to have his voice
heard and to save the city meanwhile escaping slavery and colluding
with a dragon. With the games of a mimic, the darkest wizard the
world has ever known, and danger in every shadow, it's a wonder
Khirin's survived this long.
Lyons excels in her characterisation, making Khirin the type of
character we all want to be - he's smart, calculating, and
resourceful. He puts his shadow-dancer skills to good use meanwhile
adapting to anything and everything Taja, Lady of Luck, throws his
way.
It is hard to simply summarise this novel other than to say it is
certainly a challenge. Familiar with epic fantasies and an avid
reader both in and outside the genre, The ruin of kings is just
one book I simply cannot finish. This isn't to say that it is bad or
awful, more that it is convoluted and deliberately challenging to
readers. Narration switches between first and third person
retrospective on alternating chapters, each telling the story of
Khirin, a minstrel's son come long lost prince, from different points
in his timeline. There is enough content and world-building in The ruin
of kings to have spanned multiple books comfortably, however,
for me at least, this tornado of a plot isn't something I'd go out
of my way for. Recommended for lovers of epic fantasy who are
looking for a challenging read.
Kayla Gaskell
The wellness puzzle by Andrew Jobling
Rockpool Publishing, 2019. ISBN 9781925682816
(Age: Adult) Non-fiction. Ex-footballer and fitness professional,
Andrew Jobling has drawn on his experience researching the essential
criteria for a healthy life and has come up with 7 interlocking
pieces to the puzzle, which he sets out in this easy to read book
about 'Creating optimal well-being, one piece at a time'. His
inspiration is his mother Sue who was able to turn her life around
after being diagnosed with a secondary cancer and only given 2-3
years to live. She went on to enjoy a further 15 years of joy and
fulfilment.
Learning the hard way, Jobling has experimented with different
approaches, and now feels that he has the 7 key ingredients. He
works through them one by one, using logic and examples to get the
reader on side and committed. Each chapter has a summary of the main
points, and key actions for the reader to embrace. The tone of the
book is open and friendly, like talking to a mate, and the
information can be easily absorbed. For people who have read the
essential material before, and are still struggling with motivation,
this book may provide a pathway to a happier, healthier life.
Helen Eddy
Cherries by Carrie Gallasch and Sara Acton
Little Hare, 2018. ISBN 9781760128593.
As soon as the blossoms appear on the cherry tree in Spring, the
children are eager to pick the fruit. But, "It's not time yet." As
the weeks pass and the cherries develop, the children indulge in all
sorts of outdoor pastimes, but "it's not time yet." Until it is . .
.
This is a joyful story of anticipation and family rituals as the
extended family all take part in the waiting and the eating. Young
children will delight in recognising events that are familiar to
them as well as starting to understand the passage of time, a
complex concept for little ones. The gentle words and pictures
complement each other, just as they did in Stitches
and stuffing and this has the potential to become a
favourite.
Barbara Braxton
Katherine Johnson by Ebony Joy Wilkins
Ill. by Charlotte Ager. DK Life Stories. DK; Penguin Random
House, 2019. ISBN: 9780241358580.
(Age: 8 - 13) Highly recommended. Themes: Biography; Katherine
Johnson; Mathematicians; Space; NASA; STEM; Discrimination.
Katherine Johnson may not be well known to Australian readers, but
her story has now been told in the movie Hidden Figures.
This amazing Afro-American woman was born in the era of segregation
in USA in 1918. Her family though were determined that their
children would explore every opportunity for education and it was
obvious from very early in Katherine's life that she had
considerable talent with numbers. No human restriction was going to
stand in the way of her inquiring mind and determination to let
numbers and their ability to describe the world to be understood and
communicated. Working eventually as a 'human computer' and
Mathematical analyst within NASA, she defied both discrimination of
her race and gender to become an elite force to be reckoned with,
originally in the Academic world and eventually within NASA. During
the incredible era of the Space Race and the first Moon Landing, it
was Katherine's role to create mathematical certainty for the
astronauts. At the age of 97, Katherine was presented with the
Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama, an
incredible honour for a long and incredible life. For someone who
loves counting, she certainly has a lot of years of a rich life to
count!
This is a book that should be read! Katherine Johnson is such an
inspiring advocate for STEM learning and is also just an amazing
person, not letting social obstructions be a barrier to learning and
success. Her resilience and determination are also worthy of being
shared with a younger generation. The presentation of this biography
in the DK Life Stories series is simple with plenty of
illustrations in a cartoon style, and with photographs dotted
through the simple text. With some text boxes and bubbles explaining
unfamiliar terms this is a book easily accessible for young readers
and visually 'youthful'. The family tree and timeline of Katherine's
life appears at the end of the biographical detail.
Carolyn Hull
The amazing adventures of Grover McBane rescue dog by Claire Garth
Ill. by Johannes Leak. Piccolo Nero, 2018. ISBN: 9781760641085.
(Ages 7-9) Recommended. Themes: Rescue Dogs, Working Dogs, Farms,
Pets. On a bold yellow and red cover, Border Collie Grover welcomes
junior readers into his world. All five engaging stories are
included in The Amazing Adventures of Grover McBane Rescue Dog.
Author Claire Garth has based her books on her experiences as the
General Manager of the Sydney Dog and Cats Home and her own loveable
rescue dog.
'Grover Finds a Home' begins with a hungry, lonely dog whose owner
doesn't care for him, so he escapes on a stormy night. He's picked
up by a local ranger and taken to the animal shelter. In the back of
the van, he's comforted by Clara a greyhound, who's escaped from her
home. Told from the dog's point of view, we learn of his feelings
about the vet's check-up and his most hated thing, a bath. His new
home at Cavendish Lane with his new family David and Annie McBane is
a comforting and happy place, with lots of new sounds, smells and
delicious food.
'Grover's New Friends' opens up our eyes to the fun of the park, a
doggy paradise filled with exciting new activities and new pals to
play with. Retired police dog Boris, and Hamish, the little black
dog with bundles of energy, befriend Grover. Even Mr Tibbles the
next-door cat welcomes Grover to the neighbourhood. He quickly
learns to love car rides and spending days at the animal shelter
where Annie works. Another happy ending occurs, when newly
relinquished dog Peanut finds a forever home with twins Grace and
Rachel.
The other three stories take Grover to the farm for some interesting
encounters with tricky farm dogs and sheep and to the Grandparents'
Home to help old Benji become their resident dog. Grover's Office
Dog role comes with many responsibilities including helping young
greyhound puppy Stretch with a plastered leg.
Garth's five stories are filled with fun experiences, warm feelings,
humour, doggy insight and love. Each of Grover's adventures show why
the dogs journey from the shelter. From young energetic puppies to
elderly deaf dogs all find their forever homes. The Amazing Adventures of Grover McBane Rescue Dog are
perfect stories to read aloud to junior classes. Young animal lovers
who will enjoy Johannes Leak's detailed sketches of all the
different dogs and their fun experiences.
Rhyllis Bignell
The man with small hair by Jane Jolly and Andrew Joyner
Hardie Grant Egmont, 2018. ISBN: 9781742977584.
The man with small hair loves his small hair. He also loves his
short pants, zing-a-ding boots and clickety-clackety beads. He
cartwheels with joy and bursts into song when he wears them. But the
man with small hair is the only person who wears his hair small, and
no one else has colourful boots or musical beads either. He decides
to hide the things that make him happy in order to blend in with the
crowd. Until one day he looks in the mirror and doesn't recognise
the man staring back at him.
Jane Jolly has written a particularly pertinent story about being
brave and confident enough to walk to the beat of your own drum,
rather than the tune that someone else is piping for you. Sadly, in
a world that wants to celebrate individuality and relies on
creativity and lateral thinking to solve its problems, conformity
seems to be the name of the game and those who dare to be different
are teased, bullied and shunned. So the man who prefers his hair
short, and indeed loves it because he likes the feel of the prickly
bristles and the funny shadows they make, hides behind disguises
that make him seem like all the others on the outside, makes himself
one of the crowd who move along in a grey flock, lacking the
confidence to express who he really is.
Andrew Joyner's choice of a predominantly grey palette for the start
of the story emphasises the monotonous, monochromatic world that the
man inhabits underlining what a dismal place a one-look-fits-all
environment can be But when the man lets his real self shine
through, then there is a great burst of colour - as bright as his
new found confidence. Not only does the story give the inner person
permission to be themselves, but perhaps when they do they will
inspire others to discard their masks and show the world their true
colours. And even if it is a world of school uniforms there is
always some how that we can let ourselves shine.
An excellent story to start off the mindfulness curriculum for the
school year. Teaching
notes are available.
Barbara Braxton
Believe me by JP Delaney
Quercus, 2018. ISBN: 9781787472419.
(Age: Adult, 18+) Highly recommended. An enthralling and turbulent
psychological thriller, JP Delaney's re-written and re-published
version of his 2001 novel The Decoy grasps the reader's
attention and interest and never relents. Claire Wright, a British
drama student living in New York without a green card, begins work
with a firm of divorce lawyers, acting as an easy pick-up in hotel
bars in order to entrap unfaithful husbands. Usually excellent at
her job, it is surprising when her newest target, Patrick Fogler,
remains faithful to his wife. While Claire dismisses this as merely
a rare decent husband, suspicions arise when his wife is murdered
later that very night. Requested by the police to make use of her
acting skills to lure a confession out of Patrick, the prime suspect
in his wife's murder, Claire gets to work. But from the beginning,
Claire has doubts about the part she is to play, and about whether
Patrick really could be a murderer. As she progresses with the
investigation, and wonders whether there could be more to this that
she was told, she learns that she never really knows who she can
trust, and that this might just be the deadliest role of her life.
JP Delaney provides a vivid and realistic world, with authentic
characters that make the reader question just how complex human
nature is. The storyline is engaging and keeps the reader on their
toes and constantly re-evaluating the motives of each character.
With each new twist and turn, the reader is sucked into Delaney's
world, and eager to uncover the mystery it revolves around. Note:
themes of violence, sex, murder, psychological torture, domestic
violence, necrophilia, BDSM and crime. Not suitable for younger
readers.
Daniella Chiarolli
A stack of alpacas by Matt Cosgrove
Scholastic, 2019. ISBN: 9781742998848.
(Age: 3+) Recommended. Themes: Alpacas, Rules, Family, Verse.
Younger readers will pick up this book with familiarity after
reading the others in the series about alpacas, knowing that they
are in for a treat, a fun verse story of mayhem, illustrated in a
way that will make them laugh out loud, and knowing that the end
will bring a twist that will keep them laughing a lot longer.
Cosgrove's distinctive alpaca with his bright eyes and upwardly
pointing ears and soft eyes has a small problem. He loves to collect
caps, and have lots of naps, but when his nephew, Drew along with
two nieces, Reece and Roo come to stay, mayhem begins.
They want to play stack on Uncle Mack which results in his back
being awfully sore; they flick their peas and eat lots of lollies,
make lots of noise and are always crashing and splashing, they fight
and whinge and despite Uncle Mack telling them about his rules, they
show no sign of obeying them. There is only one way to go. Uncle
Mack loses his stack.
After that the three small alpacas do all they can to repair their
relationship with their uncle and do lots of things to apologise.
And then comes the sting in the tail.
Cosgrove's wonderful rhymes combined with his detailed illustrations
which never seem to sit still on the pages, will give willing
listeners and readers a chance to laugh out loud, and at the same
time learn about family relationships and how to keep your older
relations happy. Macca's Christmas crackers, Macca
the alpaca, and Alpacas
with maracas are his recent books and a cute photo of Matt
reading his story to two lovely alpacas can be seen at https://www.facebook.com/MattCosgroveBooks/
Fran Knight
The extraordinary life of Stephen Hawking by Kate Scott
Ill. by Esther Mols. Extraordinary lives series. Puffin
Books, 2019. ISBN: 9780241373927.
(Age: 7-10) Highly recommended. Themes: Biography; Stephen Hawking;
Scientists; Science; Cosmology. In a very unpretentious format, with
simple language and naive illustrations, this biography of Stephen
Hawking introduces this amazing man of Science to youthful readers.
Explanations of his journey as a scientist and cosmologist, while
coping with the difficulties of his diagnosis and life with MND, are
described with side notes to explain any complex terms. Basic family
history and Hawking's appearance or influence in popular media and
film are also included. Obviously, the science of cosmology needs to
be explained at a fundamental level for the target audience, and
this is done well. Disability and the resilience of Stephen Hawking
is described with sensitivity. A time line of his life completes the
biography.
This series makes biography a great alternative to a fiction text
for youthful readers. This is certainly easy enough for readers aged
7-10 to manage. The use of green text and illustrations also will
appeal to the visual generation. The book also includes excerpts
from two other biographies in the series: Malala Yousafzai and
Michelle Obama. With more biographies planned to be released, this
will be a great series to collect for school libraries or to add to
a reading program.
Carolyn Hull
Connections in Death by J.D. Robb
In Death book 48. Piatkus, 2019. ISBN: 9780349422015.
(Age: Adult) Themes: Crime, Gangs, Detectives. Roberts has written a
very gripping police procedural in the 48th book in the In Death
series. This time the action centres on gang warfare. Dallas is
called into the case of the death of Lyle Pickering, a recovering
drug addict and gang member, who had turned his life around with the
help of his sister child psychologist Dr. Rochelle Pickering. Roarke
has just employed Rochelle in their new youth shelter, so there is a
connection for Eve as she and her team become involved in the drug
scene and follow the trail of the pink haired girl who was seen
going into Lyle's apartment.
This is a gritty novel that describes in detail the impact of drugs
and gangs on neighbourhoods and the people who live in them. It also
examines the difficulties that addicts have when trying to make a
new life. The reader knows quite early on who is most likely to have
organised the murders and the motive for the killings, and the novel
concentrates on the way that Eve and her team go about solving the
homicides and bringing the suspects to justice.
Readers who enjoy the In Death series will be happy to
follow their favourite familiar characters Dallas, Roarke and
Peabody especially as Roberts has once again found a new angle for
her plot. This is an absorbing crime thriller and fans will look
forward to more in the series.
Pat Pledger
How to train your dragon written and ill. by Cressida Cowell
Hodder Children's Books, 2019 (c2003). ISBN: 9781444950380.
(Age: 8-12) Recommended. To become a Viking hero it was a tradition
of the Hooligan Tribe to undertake the dreaded Dragon Initiation
Programme. Failure meant banishment from the tribe forever.
The unremarkable Hiccup, the son of Viking Chieftain Stoic the Vast,
and a member of the Hairy Hooligans, must capture a sleeping baby
dragon from the cave in Wild Dragon Cliff, preferably without
awakening the mass, take it back to the village and train it to obey
and catch fish for him. No easy task.
Hiccup and his little dragon, Toothless, are scorned and bullied by
other members of the gang. He has great difficulty training his
reluctant dragon, but patience pays off and Toothless eventually
proves to be very heroic when most needed.
All the characters have unbecoming names such as Snotlout, Thuggery,
Baggybum and Gobber, who is a six-and-a-half foot giant with a mad
glint in his one working eye and a beard like exploding fireworks.
The teenage Hooligans and their counterparts, the Meatheads,
initially clash in fierce rivalry. A dreadful crisis threatens the
entire village and the 'Big Drums' summon the two teams of boys, who
must work together to overcome two humungous dragons, causing
spectacular havoc.
Brave Hiccup, the only person who can converse with dragons, devises
a remarkably clever plan and endures a mindboggling experience with
Green Death and, with Toothless helping, struggles to outwit the
monsters, to avert a catastrophe.
Joan Kerr-Smith
Editor's note: Review from earlier edition.
The flying orchestra by Clare McFadden
UQP, 2019. ISBN 9780702249297
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Music. Orchestras. A windy day in
Brisbane sees a flying orchestra hit town. The image on the title
page shows a lad watching as the orchestra blows in, heralding a
story full of magical touches. Some poignant, others full of
laughter, the music played by the orchestra hits the right tone as
it creates a background symphony to the everyday corners of all of
our lives. Each page presents a different aspect of our lives,
missing the train, welcoming someone home at the airport, when a
baby is born or someone lies awake all night, thinking. Others are
at the beach or in the park, cooking for six or watching the dawn,
and each time music can be heard; an orchestra or solo violinist, a
percussionist is playing somewhere on the page, a soundtrack to our
lives.
McFadden's illustrations are vague and ethereal, sometimes almost
out of focus but each capturing the spirit of the words and its
music, as a slice of life is presented. I particularly loved the
image of the man missing the train. What a story could be evinced,
with his sad look, holding a bag with a bunch of flowers, the grey
and fawn colours of the neglected railway station reflecting his
mood. (With Bach's 'Chacomne' playing) And the image of the
orchestra playing on the escalator in a shopping centre, people
watching as they ride up, but one man stopping, leaning against the
rail, intent on hearing the music. (Elgar's 'Nimrod Variations'
here) Readers will love spying the orchestra on the pages and
recognising the different instruments, hearing the music as each
page is mused over. Teachers will be able to introduce instruments
to the class, having them hear how each sounds and what sort of
emotion it elicits.
I listened to some of the tunes on the playlist at the end of the
book and was astounded at how closely they recalled the images
presented in the book. What a wonderful class reading this would be
with the music playing in the background. Winner of the CBCA 2011
Crichton Award, this is the first time is has appeared in paperback.
Fran Knight
Happy camper by Shamini Flint
Ill. by Sally Heinrich. The Susie K Diaries. Allen and
Unwin, 2019. ISBN 9781760528287.
(Age: 8-12) Recommended. Themes: Camping. Problem
solving. Susie K really, really does not like camping. What she does
like is her skeleton, Bones, the school goldfish, her own company
and reading. So, when the camping trip approaches, she is far from a
'happy camper'. But her parents think it will be so wonderful. When
she finally is on the trip, there is only one other person who is
even less suited to camping than herself - Clementine, the school
glamour queen. Camping begins to become less awful for Susie K until
she gets lost with Clementine. It takes all of Susie's problem
solving and book-reading skills to get them out of the 'jungle'.
Shamini Flint has again created a wonderful character that will
endear herself to young readers. Previously loved for her Diary
of a . . . sports no-hoper series, this new series with a
female character will be a hit with those who love the odd-ball
character and the quirky cartoon style illustrations by Sally
Heinrich. There is minimal text and the reading skills required are
also suited to the reluctant reader.
Carolyn Hull
The lost girls by Jennifer Spence
Simon and Schuster 2019. ISBN 9781925791372.
(Age: Senior secondary - Adult) Themes: Loss. Time travel. Families.
Choices. When Stella makes her way home to the Sydney waterside
suburb she and husband Richard have lived in for forty years, it
soon becomes apparent that all is not as it should be. She finds
herself transported back in time twenty years to 1997 when the
apartment she now lives in is still undeveloped and her daughter who
had died at the age of 16 is still alive. Not knowing what else to
do she presents herself at the house they used to live in and is
taken in as the long lost Aunt Linda who disappeared fifty years
ago, also at age 16. Stella convinces herself that the time shift
happened so she could change the course of her daughter's life and
avert the tragedy of her overdose but as she tries to exert her
influence on the family she finds it is not possible to direct that
influence without affecting others. Her own mother knows immediately
that Stella is not Linda, her sister, and Stella gets involved with
finding out what really happened to Linda while forging new bonds
with her mother. As time in 1997 passes for Stella she begins to
doubt her own shifting memories and starts to write them down in a
notebook she finds in a drawer, referencing Doris Lessing's The
golden notebook. Towards the end Stella's grip seems to be
slipping and her behaviour more extreme. For older readers there is
a gentle nostalgia to indulge in while reflecting on the course of
life and the yearning for lost loved ones. Anyone who can remember
the events of 1997 onwards will enjoy the evocation of that time and
the tantalising idea of going back to change our own history.
Sue Speck
