Reviews

Snow Penguin by Tony Mitton

Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408862964
(Age: All) Recommended. This little penguin can never stay still.
He's always in search of excitement and thrill.
In the frozen Antarctic one curious little penguin decides to explore the ice and the snow and the sea. On his travels he sees two blue whales, a family of sea lions and a whole school of orca, but soon Penguin starts to miss his own family. Sometimes coming home is the best adventure of all.
This is a gorgeous book about penguins having a wonderful time in the snow. This is sure to become a family favourite that will eventually fall apart. I can see a child snuggled up on a parent's lap discussing the questions and answering them over and over again! The young readers will identify with the cold weather and the fun that can be had in the snow. Would make a fantastic addition to the Christmas stocking. Suitable for all.
Kathryn Schumacher

Ho! Ho! Ho! There's a hippopotamus on our roof eating Christmas cake by Hazel Edwards

Ill. by Deborah Niland. Penguin Random House, 2018. ISBN 9780143790679
(Age: 3-6) Recommended Themes: Christmas. There are quite a few Hippopotamus books in this series now and this latest one follows the same signature style that has made the books so popular over many years. Short sentences, noisy words and big bold illustrations bring the hippo on the roof to life and let children's imaginations run wild. This time he brings all the fun of Christmas: baking a Christmas cake, writing a Christmas list (the hippo's list is very long and full of cake), dancing, decorating the Christmas tree (hippo's tree has cake of course, making gingerbread, wrapping presents, turning on the Christmas lights, dressing up in Santa suits (hippo's outfit is complete with Christmas nail art), singing carols, and leaving treats out for Santa and the reindeer.
The illustrations are filled with such fun and children will delight in pointing out what hippo is doing and laughing at his antics. This will remind parent readers of the joy and fun children find in preparing for a family Christmas and will appeal to all fans of the hippo, new and old. It is an absolute delight and perfect for Aussie kids.
Nicole Nelson

We're going on an elf chase by Martha Mumford

Ill. by Laura Hughes. Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408872413
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Christmas, Elves, Hunt, Lift the flap book, Verse. Fingers will just love lifting the flaps in this book as the reader is asked to work with the bunnies on their wintry quest to find the elves. Four very warmly wrapped bunnies walk through the snow to find the elves hidden in various places on each page. Sometimes lifting the flap reveals an elf, sometimes something associated with Christmas: presents, a candy cane, a stocking.
Through the woods, passing penguins and polar bears, the bunnies have their work cut out for them as they travel north. Through snow and wintry weather, past gingerbread houses, and stables with reindeer housed in them, they finally reach the place in the North Pole where many elves are working, wrapping presents for Christmas Eve. Then they must rush back home and be tucked up in bed for when their turn comes for someone very familiar to land upon their roof.
A very cute introduction to the ideas around Christmas which we all hold dear: stockings, elves, reindeer, gingerbread, fir trees, snow and so on, this will have broad appeal at this time of the year, and the rhyming lines encourage prediction of the next word, and underline the ideas of poetry, as well as being good fun for kids looking under the flaps.
Fran Knight

Santa Claus vs the Easter Bunny by Fred Blunt

Ill. by David Cornish. Allen and Unwin, 2018. ISBN 9781760634698
(Age: 5-10) Humorous Stories. 'Santa Claus and Easter Bunny live next door to each other. Santa was a jolly fellow. Bunny was not.' Bunny's bad attitude to life is because he has to make the chocolate, turn it into eggs, wrap the eggs and deliver the eggs ON FOOT. Santa on the other hand, has a workforce of elves, a herd of magic flying reindeer and gets tasty treats at every stop. 'EVEN THE DUMB REINDEER GET A CARROT! I'D SETTLE FOR A CARROT. I LIKE CARROTS. IS IT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR A CARROT' says Bunny on his rant. He wants to get even with Santa and the ungrateful children of the world so he pumps Santa's toy making machines full of chocolate. The plan backfires. The children are ecstatic! Toys made out of chocolate! Santa has made Christmas even better, they say. Bunny is distraught. He packs up his workshop and has decided to leave for good when Santa knocks on his door . . . but instead of being angry Santa offers him a partnership and thanks him with a bag full of carrots. 'Bunny was a happy bunny indeed, and as for Santa, Well, he was always happy'. The cartoony illustrations are busy, vibrant and humorous. They perfectly match with the style and tone of the story. Santa is this massive, ever-smiling, slightly daft looking man and Bunny is a scrawny, snivelling mess. This is a completely crazy story but is well written and full of flair. Older children will love its crude humour and will probably be asking for chocolate toys for Christmas this year. It isn't a book to share with younger children though, whose pure understandings of Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny as altruistic and kind will be irrevocably challenged.
Nicole Nelson

Santa Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins

Princess Snowbelle and the Snow Games by Libby Frost

Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408896853
(Age: 3+) Recommended for its themes of cooperation, sharing, teamwork and being a good sport. Following Princess Snowbelle and the snowstorm this very cute picture book features Princess Snowbelle competing at the snow games with her family against the neighbouring kingdom of Snowland. Princess Snowbelle hopes to win the Ice Trophy while her brother Noel is convinced that he will win the sledging race and Nicholas has been training for the running race. Meanwhile Snowbelle's mother and father remind them:
'Remember, it's not about winning, it's about trying your best.' And when the games begin the children from both families show their competitive spirit and how to be a good sport when they don't win. Sparkleshine helps Snowbelle when she gets into trouble in the horse race, even though it means that she could have won the race and instead of competing for the final event, making a snow sculpture, the children all cooperate together in a wonderful display of teamwork to make a magical snow sculpture.
Although rather didactic, small children will love the cute, diverse main characters with their smiling faces, capes and sparkles and the snowy landscape will attract much attention as the children compete in the snow games. The themes of being a good sport, of helping others and about doing your best in competitions would fit in well in classrooms when these issues are being discussed and would also be a talking point when reading the tale as a bedtime story.
The book would also be good for emerging readers to engage with, especially those who are interested in little princesses who are magical and helpful.
Pat Pledger

Feminists don't wear pink and other lies by Scarlett Curtis

Penguin, 2018. ISBN 9780241364451
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. Scarlett Curtis assembles a magnificent 'guide book' for the Girl-Up movement, with this anthology of short essays, blogs, narratives, lists, poems, diaries, interviews, anecdotes - including an Alphabet. The Girl-Up brand, spanning over 2,000 clubs worldwide, is transparent but both the foreword and further reading sections encourage any and every level of feminism. Listing websites, books and everyday actions, Curtis is expansive, including books like The Hate U Give and The Bone Sparrow to reassure girls that equality for women runs parallel to equality for all people. Important quotes and truisms loom large covering entire pages. 'Women's history is bigger than one person, so the way we talk about the past needs to be as well.'
Kiera Knightly addresses her young daughter fiercely regarding the lie of the weaker sex. Nothing is sacred as her co-contributors gleefully discuss periods, bras, genital mutilation, masturbation, man-hating, ableism, #MeToo, intersectionality and more.
This historical quest for equal rights across gender, age, race, class, disability is pervading, although the history of the women's movement is extolled in the very last 'Education' section. It's a shrewd device because we have spent 300 pages being highly engaged by comedians and actors with amusing perceptions and fascinating experiences - from transgender girls to traditional Muslim girls. The reader does not want for feminist definitions, but Scarlett Curtis, while pinpointing the gender stereotyping of the patriarchy, opens her feminist arms wide, 'The goal of the feminist movement aims to give each person on the planet the freedom to live their life the way they want to live it, unhindered by sexism or oppression or aggression.'
One of the contributors warns against using the internet abounding with confusing fallacies, encouraging girls to go right to the source - the wealth of books written by historical and current feminists. Perhaps drawing on those higher tier needs and habits of humanist thinkers, Curtis encourages girls not to leave any girl behind, rather support them with understanding and encouragement for their own difficult struggles against aggression. Beanie Feldstein's drama teacher encapsulates the books sentiment, 'Stuff your pockets'.
Although females and males of all ages will devour this funny, uplifting and sometimes shocking collection, school libraries are likely to run into problems with the many colloquial referents for female genitalia - thus an 'M' for mature sticker is mandatory. There's not one picture in this verbal 'mash-up' but there's a brilliant reason for the cover's particular shade of pink - finding out is definitely worth it. Want more? Investigate the podcasts on itunes found on the book's site.
Deborah Robins

Bad Mermaids: On the rocks by Sibeal Pounder

Ill. by Jason Cockcroft. Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408877142
(Age: 8-11) Recommended. Another hilarious, laugh out loud book about mermaids, evil mothers, talking seahorses, fish, crocodiles and more. Featuring magical mysteries and fabulous fashions, this adventure brings a whole new twist to the underwater world of mermaids.
We leave where we left the girls the previous time in Bad Mermaids, stuck in a ship being flung to parts unknown. Steve is getting shipsick/seasick? The girls are trying not to panic too much. And on the other side of the story we see Paris. A girl we already met in a fleeting way in the first book, is the one who handles the ice cream cart. But she is also much more than that. She also loves inventing and has put a tracker on the mermaids.
My favourite part of the book was the mermaids, seeing their friendships, and seeing them discover new places, and try to, once again, save the day.
I love that we found out more about the mermaid world. This time we see about a kingdom with crocodiles. Mermaids with crocodiles' tails, crocodiles for transport. And then the fact that there are even more kingdoms/countries to explore, and I hope that we will be going there as I want to see what mermaids live there and what their life is like.
It was fun that we discover magic is real, and that there are witches.
The book is delightfully illustrated.
Donna Isgar

Weirdo 11: Splashy Weird by Anh Do

Scholastic, 2018. ISBN 9781742993751
Recommended. More funny adventures with Weir and his friends, this time at the school swimming sports where Weir learns that participation and having fun is even more important than winning. Weir is dreading his school's swimming carnival. After attempting to fake his way out of having to attend (COUGH! COUGH!) Weir relents, deciding he will attend but not participate in any events. After all, if he's too 'sick' for the swimming carnival, then he won't be able to attend the first family dinner with the Do's new next door neighbours.
When he accidently wins a race at the carnival Weir not only has to worry about his family embarrassing him in front of Bella and her family at dinner the next evening, he also must face almost certain humiliation at the Regional Swimming Finals! Weir's classmates, who have featured earlier in the series, make appearances in this book; naturally Han Some is as brilliant at swimming as you would expect.
The illustrations always add to the humour of Anh's books. My favourite image this time was the family pets playing a game of limbo.
Donna Isgar

Kin, an extraordinary Australian filmmaking family edited by Amanda Duthie

Wakefield Press, 2018. ISBN 9781743056028
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Non-fiction. This book is a tribute to the amazing Australian family pioneering Indigenous radio, cinema and television - Freda Glynn, and her children Warwick Thornton and Erica Glynn, and the next generation, Dylan River and Tanith Glyn-Maloney, have changed our media, making opportunities for the stories of Aboriginal people to be seen and heard, giving voice to people previously ignored, and enriching our culture for all.
The Don Dunstan Award is presented by the Board of the Adelaide Film Festival to recognise those who have significantly enriched Australian screen culture. Previous recipients have included actor David Gulpilil, director Rolf de Heer, director Scott Hicks, critics Stratton and Pomeranz, and in 2018 the award goes not to one person but to an iconic Alice Springs family of three generations who have had an enormous and ongoing influence on Australian film and other media. The award could have gone to any one of them alone, but by drawing the connection between each of the family members, it gives recognition to the special culture of family and community and the unique creative vision that imbues them all.
Freda Glynn provided the Aboriginal community connection needed to drive the Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association (CAAMA) and also the Imparja television station. Her son Warwick Thornton (director of Samson and Delilah, and Sweet Country) and her daughter Erica Glynn (In my own words, and Truth be told) are renowned filmmakers. Freda's grandchildren Dylan River (director of the documentary Buckskin) and Tanith Glynn-Maloney (actor and film producer) continue the family contribution to a unique and creative film culture.
The book Kin brings together the memories and stories of people who have worked with Freda and her family: Dr Philip Batty provides a history of CAAMA; there is praise from respected Australians like Deb Mailman, Bruce Pascoe and Larissa Behrendt, leaders in their own fields; Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton add their tributes; and praise from international figures such as Maryanne Redpath (Berlin) and Faye Ginsberg (New York). These are just a few of the voices, the influence of the Glynn family has spread far and wide, and each essay or poem adds another facet to their story. It is a strong and talented family group that Australian audiences should be appreciative and very proud of.
Helen Eddy

Up the mountain by Marianne Dubuc

Book Island, 2018. ISBN 9781911496090
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Friendship. Generosity. Outdoors. Life skills. Mrs Badger lives at the bottom of a mountain and each Sunday she takes a walk up the path to the top. She knows all the creatures who live along the way, stopping to talk to them or help them on their way. One day a cat called Leo stops her and she convinces him to walk with her. He is easily tired and they need to stop and rest, but she shows him all the other animals and plants on their route, showing him which mushrooms are best to eat, and how to avoid dangers. Leo tires quickly because of his short legs, but Mrs Badger urges him on. Together they reach the top and the view of the world is magnificent, worth the effort made. Together they climb the mountain each Sunday, Mrs Badger teaching him the names of the plants and animals, watching over him as he learns the way. But one day Mrs Badger cannot climb the mountain as easily as she once could, and it is up to Leo to help her. The situation is reversed until there comes a time when Mrs Badger can no longer climb the mountain at all. Leo brings back some of his findings for her and eventually someone else climbs the mountain with him, Leo showing the way.
Translated from French, this is a gentle story of the passing on of knowledge, of leading younger people to being independent, as Mrs Badger leads Leo up the mountain of life, and when she can no longer help, he in turn helps another.
The trek through the path leading to the mountain displays a lot of the outdoors to children, a turtle on its back needing help, a group of baby hedgehogs crossing their path, keeping to the right path, making a stick to help with walking and so on. Lots of discussion points to pursue with a group of children, eager to be outdoors themselves.
The charming illustrations invite closer inspection of the animals that a child would find in the European outdoors, badger, hedgehog, fox, a bunting bird and so on. I love the repetition of the illustrations as Leo becomes the leader, changing roles with Mrs Badger. The drawing of Leo helping Mrs Badger at the top of the mountain is inspiring and children will easily understand the message being shown.
Fran Knight

Sage Cookson's stormy weather by Sally Murphy

New Frontier, 2018. ISBN 9781925594263
(Age: 5-7) Recommended. Themes: Cooking. Cyclones. Courage. Family life. Ten-year-old Sage Cookson travels with her famous TV chef parents Ginger and Basil all over Australia and the world. In each new destination, the crew film her parents tasting new foods, eating at popular restaurants and promoting the local cuisine.
Townsville is their new destination and Sage is excited about swimming at the beach and sightseeing. Her best friend Lucy is a little jealous until Sage shows her the amount of school work their teacher has assigned. There's even a research project on extreme weather and when Sage checks the forecast and realises that Cyclone Riley is rapidly approaching the Queensland coast.
Sage remains at the hotel completing all her homework while her mum and dad film segments of their show. Townsville is preparing for the extreme weather, clearing debris, stocking up and preparing shelters. Even their hotel manager and the staff clear out the stockrooms in case of emergency. There's time for swimming in the safety of the hotel pool and some delicious seafood meals before Cyclone Riley hits the city.
There's no mystery to solve in Stormy weather, instead we see the family working together, sheltering in the hotel during the cyclone and helping the community afterwards. Sage and her family cook up a huge seafood feast for all the community and the helpers to say thank you.
Sally Murphy's Sage Cookson's books are just right for the newly independent reader, someone who enjoys cooking, adventure and family fun. A delicious recipe for Mango Cheesecake Dessert Cups is included as well.
Rhyllis Bignell

Woo's wonderful world of Maths by Eddie Woo

Macmillan, 2018. ISBN 9781760554217
Themes: Mathematics. This is not a conventional book about Maths which would normally have more numbers than letters. In fact, there aren't a lot of numbers in this book. Rather, it is a collection of essays which explain the way Maths is used in life.
The book looks at the way in which Maths is really all about patterns rather than about numbers. It explains concepts such as how a computer works, the golden sequence and the periodic table of numbers.
Woo builds impressive cases for the explanation of Maths in our lives, but this may not be an easy book to digest if you are not interested in the subject. Woo is enthusiastic in his storytelling, using card tricks, conspiracy theories, teacups and other phenomena to plead his case.
Not for anyone who is Maths-phobic but will appeal to those who love Maths!
Donna Isgar

Girltopia by Hilary Rogers

Scholastic, 2018. ISBN 9781742994581
Recommended. Themes: Coming-of-age. Set in Melbourne, a virus wreaks havoc on the men and boys within the city. Clara is front and centre to the information as her Mum is a lead Doctor on solving the problem. Not keen on waiting for her Mum and the other Doctors for a solution, Clara is determined to step in and locate her Dad and see what can be done. She drags her best friend, Arabella and a family friend, Izzy, to assist in her mission.
Clara shows us what a strong-minded girl with great support can achieve.
This is a fast-paced, exciting novel with a balance of intrigue and personal journey. Clara's physical and emotional development is sensitively portrayed.
It explores female coming-of-age issues, amid the action of the story.
Donna Isgar

Midnight at the library by Ursula Dubosarsky

Ill. by Ron Brooks. NLA Publishing, 2018. ISBN 9780642279316
(Age: All) Highly recommended. Themes: Libraries, Books, History of books, Reading, Illustrative technique. This sumptuously created book, published to celebrate 50 years of the building of the National Library of Australia in Canberra, has brought together the talents of two of Australia's most creative artists in Ursula Dubosarsky and Ron Brooks. Dubosarsky's story charting the history of the book is riveting, taking the reader across the years through every story's beginnings as a head full of words to its being written down and printed. As a book it travels by horseback and train, it moves over desert and sea, it is opened and read, given, taken and sometimes forgotten. It is lost and found, buried, dug up and retrieved, almost burnt, but saved until it finally reaches the shelves of a library, safe for all time, available to everyone.
In telling this story in sparse, lyrical prose, with several lines repeated through the book, Dubosarsky extols the timeless quality of the book, its place in the human pantheon, its journey through the millennia being involved with people along the way: readers and printers, writers and lovers of books, but also those who would see it harmed.
Two children come into the library at midnight, walking up the stairs to a dark and secluded place where the book is kept high on a shelf, its gold gleaming in the moonlight, ready to be taken down and read. And it is pure gold, an item of the highest value, something to be treasured and shared, gold for all time.
Brooks' illustrations are there to be treasured, as he shadows well known artists such as Escher and Van Gogh, but brings his own award winning talents to the book with his depiction of the little gold book which he developed. He also shows the Nazi book burning, the development of the printing press, a man traveling by donkey in the desert, and on the last page but one, an image of the National Library of Australia we know so well from its logo. The marvellous endpapers will delight children and adults alike as they peruse the many shelves of books, while every page cries out for closer attention, the eyes taking in its overall impact, then looking at the detail and absorbing the minutiae of Brooks' imagination. Every reader will be engrossed by the wonderful world of the book within these pages.
Fran Knight