Pan Macmillan, 2019. ISBN 9781760787202.
(Age:12+) Recommended. Themes: Dystopian, Future, Global warming,
Climate change, Refugees. A sequel to the award winning Hive
(2017), Rogue takes up the story as Hayley leaves her home
beneath the sea floating in the ocean until she lands on an island,
there taken in by a family after their grandson stuns her.
Recovering she listens and watches: the family does not speak
outside their roughly made house, the older man and his suspicious
granddaughter go off hunting, while gran stays in the kitchen.
Hayley is told of the boatloads of people who try to find their
island, and why they must not allow the refugees' equipment to pick
up their voices and come ashore. Refugees are meant to go to
Tasmania, Terrafirma, where they can be housed, not Maria Island, so
they must remain vigilant, alerting the authorities if they see an
incursion.
As in Hive, the story moves along rapidly, Betts giving
little away hinting of the life being led and what is to come. Full
of anticipation, teens will read this eagerly, noting the parallels
to our current position within the world and our treatment of those
who come to our shores for refuge.
Bitten by a snake, the family risk their lives to cross the water to
find Buckley the healer to help her. Here Hayley finds that their
blood type keeps them confined, they have opted to stay on Maria to
alert authorities about the drifters, but the daughter would love to
leave.
Everyone has had a DNA test and their blood type analysed, making a
simple test an easy way of telling whether they are allowed into
Australia, the Mainland. Drones test from above, but Hayley is
undetectable. When she decides to remain on Tasmania and find her
own way, she becomes the target of those who see her as a tradeable
item and readers will thrill with the story at her attempts to
survive alone. Meeting Jacob she goes to Davenport, there to cross to
Australia, but confused with a group of drifters, she is taken up
by a drone and finds Australia is not what it seems.
A marvellous survival story rich in detail of the possibilities of
science used to track our every movement, of DNA and blood tests
able to pinpoint every one of us, the implications of this dystopian
world seem very real, a position not that far away.
Fran Knight
Squidge Dibley destroys the school by Mick Elliott
Lothian, 2019. ISBN: 9780734419422.
(Age: 8-11) Recommended. Themes: Humorous stories, School. School
can be a very funny place, but Mick Elliott has made the Craglands
South Primary School into the most hilarious place in the universe.
The story of the arrival of Squidge Dibley (a most unique student
with bizarre 'medical' anomalies) and his interruption into the life
of 6PU is narrated by Padman O'Donnell, one of the students who has
his own quirky attributes and family life. The class is an
accidental nightmare as it seems that all the kids who might cause
trouble in a school are all co-located in the same class and
teachers are falling like deciduous leaves (there is a small glimmer
of hope along the way . . . but she does not last long either). The
final replacement teacher would have to be the worst (multiplied by
3) possible option for the class who have perfected the art of being
gross and uncontrollable. With explosions of body gases, weird
behaviours, tricksters, a blow-fish as a class pet and plots of
diabolical fiendishness, this account of school life is just one
amusing moment after another . . . with multiple detentions along
the way.
Written for the generation of readers who love Diary of a wimpy
kid, Tom Gates and other books designed to cater for
readers who love quirky and silly humour with crazy illustrations,
this will be another series that will be easily consumed and peer
recommended.
Carolyn Hull
Fashionista by Maxine Beneba Clarke
Hachette, 2019. ISBN: 9780734418975.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Fashion, Individuality, Self image. A
bright and breezy homage to being yourself is offered by Clarke in
this exciting book. Each page offers a different set of clothing and
movements as the young person dons different swathes of clothes, all
individually teamed with a choice of other accessories to make a
statement. This is me!
Each page exhorts the reader to stand out from the crowd, be
individual, be different, follow their own hearts rather than follow
the restrictions others may place on them.
In bold rhyming lines, which encourage the reader to predict the
rhyming words, the text flows across each page, using differing
fonts to engage and attract the reader.
But the images are outstanding: each page is full of movement as the
characters show off the clothes they are wearing, sometimes just the
heads are shown, displaying the hair colour, hair cuts or hats,
sometimes the feet are shown with different shoes, but mostly each
page has a full body image, full of life, humour and colour as each
image says quite clearly -
This is me and I am proud.
Nods to fashion icons, Prince, Beyonce and Serena Williams appear in
the book, along with the everyday clothing bought from stores,
recycled from friends or the charity shop, handed down from family.
Clarke uses collage effectively, teaming her watercolour pencil with
magazine cut-outs placed onto textured paper. Some classes will have
a great deal of fun using her techniques as a basis for their own
work after reading this book.
Full of bounce, verve and humour, readers will love looking at the
variety of colour and style Clarke shows in her salute to being an
individual, encouraging the readers to look differently at what they
wear.
Fran Knight
DEV1AT3 by Jay Kristoff
Lifelike book 2. Allen and Unwin 2019. ISBN: 9781760295714.
(Age: 15+) Recommended. Themes: Dystopian fiction, Robots,
Artificial intelligence, Memory, Extrasensory perception. Lemon
Fresh is on the run after the battle in Babel in LIFEL1K3.
She has been separated from Ezekiel and Cricket and is being hunted
by corporate operatives because of her ability to manipulate
electricity. She meets some other Deviates who are hiding out with a
man known as the Major. Meanwhile Cricket has been taken by the
puritanical Brotherhood and Ezekiel searches for Cricket, while
still hoping to be reunited with his beloved Ana. And Eve is still
inside Babel.
Kristoff is a master at writing an engrossing, engaging
rollercoaster ride of a book. This time Lemon is the main character
and readers will be holding their breath as she lurches from one
adventure to another, with the enigmatic Major perhaps holding some
clues to her background. The Brotherhood is described in detail and
readers may find some parallels with religious cults of today.
Cricket continues to add humour to the story and his friendship with
another robot adds zest to often dark occurrences in the book. But
the one theme that really runs through the book is the importance of
friendship and loyalty. Lemon, Cricket and Ezekiel are all
determined to find and help each other, and new characters
introduced also show these traits.
It is best to have read the first book in the series to understand
the background to Babel and why Eve is acting like she is.
Action galore, explosions, humour, religious fanatics, corporate
baddies, robots, wild chases across the desert, sacrifice and a
cliff-hanger of an ending make this a must read for adrenaline
junkies and readers who like to think about artificial intelligence
and robotics.
Pat Pledger
Wombat, mudlark and other stories by Helen Milroy
Fremantle Press, 2019. ISBN: 9781925815818.
(Age: 7+) Recommended. Themes: Aboriginal stories, Pilbara, Western
Australia. Eight stories about the environment from Helen Milroy
descended from the Palyku people of the Pilbrara region of Western
Australia, adds to the number of stories told with an Aboriginal
perspective which encourages people to more appreciate our shared
heritage.
These stories, from Wombat appreciating Mother Earth and her
allowing him to burrow deep down into her soil to let him sleep, to
the Mudlark singing to the Sun each day as he warms the pool to let
the bird splash in the mud without getting cold, each story tells of
the relationship between the animals and their environment in which
they live, detailing their friendship and dependence one upon the
other, underlining the fact that we are all responsible for our
environment and at the same time giving a social dictum for younger
readers to live by.
The book is one of a group published by Fremantle Press, Eagle,
Crow and Emu (2016) Cyclones and Shadows (2017) and Bush
and Beyond (2018) each presenting Indigenous authors and their
stories. Traditional Indigenous stories share information about
their cultures, wrapped in a story that captivates, enlightens and
amuses. So we see how animals came to be, their link to the Mother
Earth, the Sun, Moon and Comets, and learn a little of the
spirituality of their beliefs. But at its heart is a good story well
told and these four books offer stories that present basic
understandings to the readers.
In the story, 'Gecko and Big Rock', for example, the two are
friends, and when the sky darkens and blocks the sun, Gecko is cold.
He asks his friend, Big Rock to help, and he goes off to bring back
many rocks to pile on top of each other to reach into the sky,
allowing the lizard to access the sunlight to keep warm. The story
tells of the relationship between the animals and their environment
in a way that everyone can understand, emphasising the need one for
the other, giving reasons why these things occur and how they
evolved back before time. Each of the eight stories gives new life
to a tale of the environment, helping readers see how each can apply
not only to the animals but also the people who inhabit this
country.
Fran Knight
The Emerald Tablet by Meghan Wilson-Anastasios
Macmillan Australia, 2019. ISBN: 9781760552633. paperback, 401pgs.
(Age: 16+) Oh what an action packed adventure from start to finish!
I loved how I was taken on a journey through the adventures of the
two main characters, Essie and Dr. Benedict Hitchens. This was one
novel I really enjoyed reading. If you like historical fiction with
an archaeological feel, Meaghan Wilson Anastasios brings her second
novel in the Dr. Benedict Hitchens' series alive with a treasure
hunt for The Emerald Tablet. Wherever Benedict and Essie go,
danger follows them. This kept me reading into the late hours. I
found that there was an Indiana Jones or Lara Croft feel while
reading this adventure.
Anastasios takes us to the Suez Canal in 1956. The world is on the
brink of a nuclear war while also at the same time Benedict and
Essie are on a race against each other and other parties, on who
will to locate and unearth the secrets of The Emerald Tablet. If the
Tablet falls into the wrong hands it could mean the annihilation of
humankind. I was kept guessing on who the other parties were working
for: Nazis, Russians or villains that wanted to control the world.
And yes, the Tablet is a real artefact that I googled once I
finished reading.
I liked how both characters past kept coming up along the way to
haunt both and which made me understand who they were. I want to
learn more about them both and now am interested to read the first
book in the series. Throughout the book you could see how
Anastasios' knowledge as an archaeologist and working in
Mediterranean and Middle East made this novel come alive as she took
me on a journey through Turkey, Egypt, Israel and parts of Europe.
Oh, I nearly forgot. If I ever see the main villain Garve in real
life, I'm running. I do warn that there are few graphic sexual
activities mentioned. One of the main reasons I would say 16+ age
group.
If you are looking for a book with drama, action, history, love,
loss and greed, then I recommend this novel. I am so looking forward
to the next book in the series.
Maria Komninos
Joey and Riley by Mandy Foot
Hachette, 2019. ISBN: 9780734419217.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Dogs, Family life, Rural life,
Grandparents, City. When Joey must move to the city with his mother
from his grandfather's farm, he is devastated. He knows that Mum
must find work, times are tough and the farm must be left behind.
But Joey must also leave behind his dog, Riley, his best friend, the
one he does everything with. They hunt mammoths, ride a rocket ship
to the top of the hill, do their ABC's together with distance
education. Each day holds a different treat for the pair until the
day Mum announces that they are moving to the city. And Riley cannot
come. Joey is inconsolable until his grandfather tells him that he
will write everyday telling Joey what Riley is up to.
So begins a series of letters telling Joey what Riley is doing on
the farm. These delightful slices of farm life will enthral the
mainly urban audience, entranced with the images of Riley drawn over
a sliver of the letters Joey receives. Each double page illustrates
Joey in the city, contrasting his city life with the of Riley back
on the farm. Children will love looking at the differences the lives
these two friends now lead, to be brought abruptly to an end when
Grandfather must tell Joey that Riley has disappeared after a
frightening storm. A lovely ending will have all readers sighing
with relief as the two find their way to get back together.
This is a charming story of the relationship between a boy and his
dog, sure to please all readers who will scan the wonderful
illustrations to see the sort of life led on farm. I was entranced
with Foot's illustrations of rural life and the pages comparing the
life of the dog on the farm with that of the boy in the city through
evocative letters and soft edged illustrations, all revealing the
emotional ties between a boy and his dog.
Fran Knight
Roald Dahl's ABC illustrated by Quentin Blake
Penguin Books, 2019. ISBN: 9780241370308.
(Age: 1-5) Recommended. Board book. Quentin Blake's marvellous
illustrations are on display in this alphabet book which will be
fabulous for young children. The famous enormous crocodile from
Roald Dahl's book is featured, bringing lots of humour and
excitement to the book.
'A is for . . . Anteater
B is for . . . Books
C is for . . . Crocodile
D is for . . . Delicious!' (Publisher)
Each page has the upper case letter as well as the lower case letter
in bold print that would be easy for little fingers to trace and to
gradually remember. The background against which each letter is
situated is done in bold colours so that the letter stands out well
and this will make it easy for children to gradually learn to
recognise them. The board book is very sturdy, and should hold up to
a lot of use from young children.
Of course the drawings are wonderful. As well as the fun with the
snapping crocodile, children will delight in the 'F is for fox',
that has the fox chasing a terrified chicken, and the 'U is for
upside down' is hilarious. Not to mention the 'V is for vegetables'
that has an elderly man spitting out a cucumber and will have
children and adults in stitches. The 'X is for xenopus (A particular
sort of frog' is also cute and children will love to try and say the
new word out loud. The familiar illustrations have come from Roald
Dahl's books and will be recognised by adults and will be a pleasant
introduction to the books when the young child grows is old enough
to read them.
This is a lively ABC book that should prove to be a keeper.
Pat Pledger
The Big Kahuna by Janet Evanovich and Peter Evanovich
Fox and O'Hare book 6. Headline Review, 2019. ISBN:
9781472260925.
(Age: Adult) Themes: Thriller, Humour. Nick Fox and Kate O'Hare are
on the trail of the disappearance of a Silicon Valley billionaire,
known as the Big Kahuna. His wife, turned Instagram model, and his
business partner seem to be more interested in his money while his
drop out son who is living in Hawaii doesn't appear to know where he
is.
This is the first Fox and O'Hare book that I have read but it was
really easy to get to know the two main characters and pick up bits
of previous escapades. The big Kahuna is a very easy to read thriller, with some
laugh out loud moments, a beautiful setting in Hawaii, and some
tense action, perfect for a quick bit of escapism at the beach.
Other books in the series were written by Evanovich with Lee
Goldberg, and may have more depth.
Pat Pledger
Sensitive by Allayne Webster
UQP, 2019. ISBN: 9780702260483.
(Age: 11+) Highly recommended. Themes: Skin diseases, Eczema,
Psoriasis, South Australia, School, Growing up. In moving to a new
town where her father now teaches, Samantha wants to hide her old
self, calling herself SJ and hoping that the others at school do not
notice her flaky, sensitive skin, prone to redness and itchiness.
She has chronic eczema, and is prone to relapses of horrid flaking,
burning skin, often red with scratching, weeping and raw.
Webster details the gratuitous solutions offered by people around
her with wonderful understanding; people's opinions are given
without thought, and certainly not asked for, her desperate parents
at the rough end of the questioning and uncalled for solutions.
SJ is on the cusp of teen age and her emotions are fraught, body
image is all, her periods have started, she is interested in a boy
in her class, also called Sam, and she has to navigate the trials of
being new in a small school where long term relationships have been
established. Along with this pain at school, she must endure an over
protective mother and a new doctor who thinks she knows the solution
to the problem. At their wits' end, they try her solution but this
ends up with SJ in hospital, her raw wounds and poor diet leaving
her open to life threatening infection.
Transferred to Adelaide Women's and Children's Hospital, she meets a
fifteen year old, suffering from psoriasis and the two develop
a bond, a friendship born out of having a similar problem, and their
honesty with each other develops an honesty within Sam that she can
now use when dealing with other people.
Back home in Kingston, South East, she opens up to her new friend,
Livvy, and calling in to see her at home, meets her morbidly obese
mother and together the two share their thoughts, surprising both of
them.
Sam develops throughout the novel, learning to accept her disease
but equally hoping a cure will be found, relying on specialists for
advice, and learning to ignore the often ignorant advice from non
practitioners.
A truth rings through the story as Webster suffers from this disease
and many of the incidents she relates in the book happened to her as
a young girl. It is hoped that a book such as this will draw people's
attention to the fine line that some walk everyday, navigating their
way through the many things which may enhance an allergic reaction,
but of course also reading a good story well told of one young
girl's development. Teacher's
notes are available.
Fran Knight
Rabbit's hop by Alex Rance
Illus. by Shane McG. Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760524449.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Rabbits, Tigers, Kindness,
Humour, Goals, Strength, Endurance. Jack Rabbit is the best at
almost everything on his home of Rabbit Island. He can hop and jump
and run, beating every other rabbit, but he is second best at
zigagging. Zigga Rabbit always beats him. But he is also looking at
broader things, he is restless and unsettled so when his cousin, Roo
suggests a visit, via a message in a bottle, Jack is all ears.
But Roo lives on Big Island and that is a problem as it is across
the sea. Zigga Rabbit shows him how to zigzag his way cross the ice
flows to the mainland, and off he hops. But the waves are enormous,
almost engulfing him, until he puts his mind to one of his many
skills and jumps over them. He meets a whale caught up in a net and
again reminding himself that to work hard and be kind are two of his
mantras, he chews the whale free. In return, the whale takes him to
Big Island, where he finds he is a little afraid, but the whale
tells him to work hard, be kind and enjoy yourself, and he does just
that.
Jack Rabbit is a kind, hard-working animal who faces challenges
throughout his days spent on Rabbit Island and is keen to test
himself in a new territory. His mantra, work hard, be kind and enjoy
yourself, holds him in good stead as he races against the others on
Rabbit Island, and he is known for his kindness. This comes to the
fore as he tries to cross the water to Big Island, his kindness to
the trapped whale resulting in it giving him help to achieve his
goal. On Big Island, he again uses his skills to befriend a tiger
and together they race against each other.
The sequel to the popular Tiger's
roar (2018) promotes the same qualities, of being
yourself, of being kind, working hard and enjoying yourself. Subtly
promoting activity and sport the story will be eagerly looked for by
readers who recognise the Richmond colours, and are eager to see
another outing for Tiger and his friends. Teacher's
tips are available from the publisher.
Fran Knight
Into the wild by Anh Do
Wolf girl book 1. Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760525095
(Age: 8-13) Recommended. Themes: Adventure, Survival, Dogs, Drama.
In a book (and series) that is very different to Anh Do's humorous
stories, this is an adventure tale set in a dangerous situation that
is both full of action and intensely serious. In the opening scenes
the main character, Gwen, and her family attempt to escape from
impending disaster. Gwen ends up isolated and alone in the wild and
eventually is surrounded by a collection of animals - mostly canines
of various varieties. The pack work together developing survival
skills and exercising their own talents to enable them all to
survive. What starts out as an impossible and motley combination
proves to be a cohesive unit as they are forced to work together.
Set in an unspecified conflict or dystopian context, the requirement
for personal survival skills is of paramount importance. The
inclusion of a wolf into the troop suggests that this is not an
Australian context. The book ends with a cliff-hanger . . . the need
for Wolf girl book 2 to follow quickly will be important.
Anh Do has created an exciting book with intrigue and drama that
young readers will be happy to discover (once they have accepted
that it is not laced with humour). There is a lightness to the story
that still makes this very suitable for the young reader looking for
an exciting story.
Carolyn Hull
Now what? a Math tale by Tobie H Harris
Illus. by Chris Chatterton. Candlewick Press, 2019. ISBN:
9780763678289.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Maths, STEM, Problem solving. Puppy
is full of energy but also likes to snooze. He has a pile of
differently shaped blocks and for his snooze, looks at one which is
a rectangle with one long side. Is this the one he needs for a bed,
he ponders. Problem solving skills will be at the fore of every
reader's mind as they turn each page. The enticing little dog picks
up the blocks, wondering how to put them together and how to
use each to its best potential. Each block is described, some
rectangles, some squares and some triangles, while each individual
block is described with its angles and sides mentioned, teaching a
young reader about the difference between the shapes he or she sees.
Wanting a bed, the puppy tries out each of the shapes and decides
why the ones he has tried are not the shape of size he needs. He
eventually begins to combine the shapes into a larger shape that
will prove to be useful. By this time, readers will be calling out
which shapes to use, seeing the configuration that is needed to make
a bed.
Lots of fun will be had reading this book, playing with shapes on
the floor to replicate what the puppy is doing on the pages, and
having all the readers try out the sequence for themselves.
The bold illustrations have the wooden shapes as the main focus,
unhindered by background colour or distraction, making the clear
focus of the book the shapes the puppy is playing with. The playful
dog helps the readers work out exactly what the dog is doing and so
enable the readers to join in and try for themselves.
Fran Knight
Promise me happy by Robert Newton
Penguin Random House, 2019. ISBN: 9780143796442.
(Age: Adolescent - Adult) Recommended. Plunging us immediately into
the world of Nate, recently released from juvenile detention, Robert
Newton begins his novel with the poignant words spoken by this
troubled young man who wonders 'if it is possible for people to
change'. He decides to return to his old home in a country town,
surrounded by peaceful lakes and friendly people, and is
unexpectedly offered work.
We are captivated by this charming and peaceful little world,
nestled in the trees and sitting by lakes and the sea. Yet Robert
Newton writes of Nate's difficulty in settling back in this society
after spending time in 'juvie', given that Nate has also lost both
of his parents. When he finds that his willingness to get involved,
to work, to make new friends, and to settle down in this little
town, enables him to be accepted, and indeed to be supported, and he
is stunned. Newton evokes a powerful emotional response in the
reader as we sense the loving care and friendship offered by this
community to Nate. He meets a young woman but is shocked to discover
that she has to face a great challenge, harder than he can imagine.
They become strong friends, finding in each other both kindness and
love that offers great strength for both of them.
Robert Newton has constructed a strong narrative that is utterly
captivating, yet gentle and life-affirming. His narrative glows with
a vivid sense of place as do his lyrical descriptions of the little
town, its buildings, people and the extraordinary beauty of the
water that surrounds them, capturing and holding our imagination.
Quirky, but intensely moving, are the moments when he sees the dog
appearing to wink at him, this dog that acts as an agent of change.
He feels as if the dog is aware that he needs help and is simply
determined to be part of his life. The loving care that Nate is
offered, by humans and dog alike, and the gentle acceptance of his
presence, are monumental in someone so damaged by life.
This rich, vivid and compelling novel would be entirely suitable for
adolescent readers and indeed is a thought-provoking read for
adults. Teacher's
notes are available.
Elizabeth Bondar
Saved!!! by Lydia Williams
Illus. by Lucinda Gifford. Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN:
9781760524708.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Sport, Outback, Australian
animals, Aboriginal themes, Persistence, Determination, Self belief.
Multi awarded goal keeper for the Australian Women's Soccer Team,
Lydia Williams encourages young Australians to be involved in sport.
She borrows on her childhood where she and her family moved about
with their tent, camping in the outback, beautifully rendered here
with all its sparse red glory. Against this very recognisable
backdrop Lydia imagines the animals are her friends, and in Saved!!!,
uses them as a platform for playing different sports until she finds
one that she both likes and is successful at.
Younger children will recognise the repetitive phrases when Lydia
plays a sport, reading 'This isn't the sport for me' followed by the
reason that she has been beaten. But not to be outdone, she keeps on
trying.
First she plays high jump with a kangaroo, but the roo can jump much
higher than she, next she tries running, but the emu she choses to
race speeds past her, then she teams herself against a koala in
catching a football, but the koala climbs up her back and catches it
before she can.
Just when Lydia goes into her tent doing up the zip, she hears the
kangaroo ask about trying soccer. Intrigued Lydia looks at the round
ball, and the animals divide into two teams. Readers will love
seeing the animals all playing soccer displaying their unique
skills, while during the game, Lydia finds her best skill is between
the goal post as a goal keeper.
A wonderfully positive book for Indigenous and non Indigenous kids
alike, Lydia's commitment to finding a sport is empowering for all
those who find some sports out of their reach, while endeavouring to
find one that suits them shows courage and determination.
Accompanied by humorous pencil and watercolour illustrations,
readers will enjoy watching the various animals play the sport at
which they excel, while eager eyes will note the variety of animals
and flora portrayed and become aware of some of the animals'
attributes.
Fran Knight
