Allen and Unwin, 2018. ISBN 9781925266733
(Age: 6+) Recommended. Themes: School, Animals, Family. Containing
two short stories, The first day back and The zoo that
comes to you, this volume will appeal to younger readers who
have moved from picture books to reading something more complex and
wordy. Lemonade is an assured young girl, moving into primary school
after her prep school closed down. Mum is a little concerned about
the change, but Lemonade Jones is looking forward to the challenge.
But from the start things go awry. Her best friend is in a different
class, her teacher Miss Wisby is like a witch and she is made to sit
by a girl she does not know. When she becomes unsettled she bites a
child and is sent to the quiet corner for the rest of the afternoon,
but a talk with Miss Wisby sees a compromise on both sides as
Lemonade knows she did the wrong thing, and Miss Wisby thanks her
for reminding her just how upsetting the first day at school can be.
The second story concerns Lemonade Jones' birthday party. About to
turn six she chooses to have 'The Zoo that comes to you', as her
party and invites her friends from school. But when the organiser
turns up, he brings in just a few cages with birds, some spiders and
not a lot else. So Lemonade Jones must make some bold decisions, and
her imagination saves the day.
Lemonade Jones is a character children will take to their hearts as
they read of her in situations not unlike ones they have
encountered. West Australian author, Davina Bell has a light touch
writing about girls and their issues. She wrote the Alice books in
Puffin's Our Australian Girls series, which were
understandably well received. And Karen Blair's charming
illustrations bring another layer of interest to the stories.
Fran Knight
The Princess in black and the science fair scare by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale
Ill. by LeUyen Pham. Candlewick Press, 2018. ISBN 9780763688271
(Age: 5-8.) Recommended. Who says feminists can't be princesses or
wear pink? In this fantasy, Princess Magnolia and her multicultural
sorority of Princesses, have entered the science fair. All of the
impressive science projects seem to have outshone her own project -
a poster titled, 'How Seeds Grow into Plants'. But the source of
Magnolia's anxiety is Tommy Wigtower's talking volcano. Tommy has
inadvertently created a potentially dangerous goo monster, which
eats Magnolia's poster and proceeds to disrupt the science fair.
Princess Magnolia and Princess Sneezewort, in the guises of Princess
in Black and Princess in Blankets, are joined by Princesses
Honeysuckle, Orchid, and Snapdragon who help control the monster by
relocating him to a bigger home. By the end of their adventure, all
of the Princesses want alter-egos.
It's a struggle to contain the monster finally, but these burgeoning
multiracial feminists are gracious in defeat and genuine in their
praise of the Science Fair winner, vowing to try harder next time.
Both mums and daughters will find that despite cute, Disney styled
illustrations, Volume 6 of the Princess in Black series
continues to place valour ahead of vanity and smarts ahead of glass
slippers.
Deborah Robins
LEGO Super Heroes Visual Dictionary by Elizabeth Dowsett and Arie Kaplan
DK, 2018. ISBN 9780241320037
Since 2006 when it first released its Batman-themed sets, LEGO, a
contraction of leg godt which means 'play well' in Danish, have
offered fans construction sets related to the popular superheroes so
they can learn to read and follow instructions and develop their
fine motor skills as they make the intricate models from the movies,
then use their imagination to build new stories and adventures with
their creations.
This visual guide to the minifigures, vehicles and sets of the
Superhero world offers lots of background information about the
characters culminating in a behind-the-scenes chapter which features
concept art and an interview with the LEGO DC Super Heroes creative
team.
Like its predecessors that have been linked to popular movies and
characters, this is a book that will have young fans poring over it,
talking about what they are discovering, wanting to learn more and
reading to do so - engaging in all those behaviours that show that
print offers them something and that reading for pleasure is a
worthwhile thing to do. Guaranteed to hook young reluctant readers,
appeal to more independent fans and even offer suggestions for the
Christmas stocking as each model has details of its release date,
set number, and the number of pieces and minifigures that come with
it. There is even a Yellow Lantern Batman included!
Barbara Braxton
The Survivors by Kate Furnivall
Simon and Schuster, 2018. ISBN 9781471172304
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Kate Furnivall's latest historical
novel is an epic page turner. Klara Janowska is a displaced,
widowed, Polish resistance fighter, awaiting relocation in a
fictional refugee camp in post-war Germany. Graufeld is indeed a
'gray field', an uncertain limbo between the terrors of war and
refugee settlement. It is a dangerous place to be with your 10yr old
daughter, but they are warm and fed, unlike many Germans - that is
until Klara spots a Nazi officer from Warsaw in the camp.
Davide, a fellow survivor and aide to Coloniel Whitmore, is soon
attracted to the feisty Polish woman rescuing her more than once as
her attempts to prevent the menace that Oskar Scholz poses, go awry.
But the pair are not the only people hiding a secret identity and
gradually the details of Klara's survival unfold.
Equally, Alicja, Klara's daughter, is an appealing child who
reciprocates her mother's love by scheming to protect her too.
Klara's friend Hanna the camp laundress, and her son Rafal, are
interesting counterparts to the popular mother and daughter.
Furnivall's edge-of-the-seat narrative, where the main characters
are fully fleshed out by wartime flashbacks, allow us to experience
many recurrences of the duality within each character and between
wholly good or evil characters.
Complete with a 'Great Read Woman's Weekly' sticker, this adult
novel is not merely a 'Mata Hari' type account of survival during
the war. Rather it informs its readers about the conditions
immediately after the second world war - economic circumstances and
political events not nearly as well known. Seniors and staff will
consume this skilfully written wartime mystery.
Deborah Robins
Be the person your dog thinks you are by C.J. Frick
Ill. by Liza Donnelly. Nero, 2018. ISBN 9781760641023
(Age: 8-Adult) Highly recommended. Themes: Dogs, Animal-human
relationships, Humour. This fully illustrated little hard back book
is a joy - full of wisdom and humour, it is a volume that can be
returned to again and again to gain insights into both human and dog
behaviour, while getting a feel good vibe and some wise sayings at
the same time.
The book starts with the words
'To be the person your dog thinks you are, you should . . . ' and
continues from there with advice such as 'Be affectionate', 'Make
new friends', 'Celebrate special occasions', 'Be brave'. All are
accompanied by over forty full-colour humorous illustrations by Liza
Donnelly of many different dogs with cute expressions and expressive
ears. I especially liked the illustration of the little pug, with
the words, 'Take the time to make someone smile.' The author and
illustrator of this little book certainly ensured that each of them
was the person their dog thought they were, certainly bringing a
smile to my face. And the illustration that accompanied 'Understand
that life comes with messes' will be appreciated by anyone who
cleans up after a dog.
This is a book that would make an ideal present for any dog lover
and would have a place in a library, being sure to lift the spirits
of anyone who picked it up. It is certainly a book that can be
revisited for sage advice and humorous drawings.
Pat Pledger
The butcherbird stories by A.S. Patric
Transit Lounge, 2018. ISBN 9781925760101
(Age: 16+) Recommended. Short stories. The butcherbird sounds nasty
but it is actually a sweet singing bird, and it is the magpie that
hovers dangerously to snatch the cookie from the child's hand. At
night, the child has a nightmare about the birds hiding in the
shadows of the room. How can Daddy be sure that they aren't still
hiding there in the dark? Whilst offering reassurances, the father
himself becomes aware of the shadow of possibilities that lurk
around the edges of a swimming pool in the night-time when a man and
a precocious teenager paddle there alone. Like the sharp peck of a
bird's beak, danger may break anytime into the thread of each story
in this book. They are intriguing stories that will draw in your
curiosity to find out what happens next.
In 'Dead sun' there is the mystery of a man, recovering from a
trauma or an addiction, staying in the room of an elderly couple's
son, long gone, and observing another son and his attractive mother
next door. What happens next could be as harmless as a sleepwalker
in the night or as menacing as a stalker . . .
'Memories of Jane Doe' brings together the stories of people linked
by the death of an unknown woman found dead in the river. 'The
flood' tells of a taxi driver navigating through pouring rain,
texting for news from his wife in hospital, and maintaining a
conversation with a passenger whose intentions are gradually
revealed. They are unusual stories, exploring the tenuous line
between life and death, innocence and danger.
Some of the stories are just a few pages, providing insight into a
key moment, others are longer more complex intertwining of lives,
all are fascinating as they balance light and darkness, and the good
and bad in people. They will leave you wanting more from this
author.
Helen Eddy
This cruel design by Emily Suvada
Mortal coil, book 2. Penguin 2018. ISBN 9780141379289
(Age: 13+) Recommended. Following on from the first book This
mortal coil, This Cruel Design is best read in
sequence as much of the first book is necessary to understanding the
convoluted plot of the second.
Cat might have succeeded in cracking and releasing the vaccine,
however it seems that her problems are far from solved. Bit by bit,
the infamous gene-hacker Jun Bei is coming back, but Cat isn't sure
where the line between her current and past selves belongs. Jun Bei
is vicious and stunningly smart - a potentially lethal combination.
With the vaccine released it seems all that's left to do is secure
Lachlan. Together with Cole and Leoban, Cat intends to apprehend her
father and stop him causing anymore damage. But before they can find
him, the vaccine evolves. With the plague rife again, Cat must do
everything she can to find Lachlan and secure the patched vaccine
before Cartaxus launches flood protocol, wiping out everyone on the
earth's surface to rid the world of the plague.
When reading this novel it was hard to keep track of everything that
was going on. A large part focused on Cat rediscovering her past
with a lot of reckless violence, while the other part held the meat
of the story and all of the action.
Suvada deals with so many interesting ideas in the Mortal Coil
series however This Cruel Design seemed almost too slow and
too rushed in places. I would recommend the series to young people
interested in science and technology aged thirteen and up. There is
a lot of violence in this technological dystopia, yet it is highly
intelligent and thrilling.
Kayla Gaskell
Archenemies by Marissa Meyer
Renegades trilogy, book 2. Pan MacMillan 2018. ISBN
9781760559526
(Age: 12+) Book two in the Renegades
Trilogy, Archenemies allows the trilogy to take shape even
more so than before. As the budding relationship between Nova and
Adrian grows, can they keep their private lives private for much
longer or will the true identities of the Renegades most wanted
Nightmare and Sentential be revealed at last?
Coping with the aftermath of the Detonators death and the revelation
of her uncle's survival, it appears to be more important than ever
for Nova to succeed as a renegade. She is a spy and constantly on
alert for any threat. Yet she is also a decorated Renegade, being
publicly thanked prior to the reveal of a new weapon that will
change everything. A weapon that could strip prodigies of their
powers. Unable to silence her concerns about prodigy rights, Nova
quickly discovers he concerns are shared by other Renegades.
Renegades who don't trust other Renegades to consistently do the
right thing. Will her growing closeness with her team and with
Adrian put her in a compromising position? What does she stand for?
Is she a Renegade, an Anarchist, or neither?
A coming of age superhero story, Meyer presents Nova with a number
of big decisions to make not just about her life, but the lives of
people around her. Nova is in a unique position of power and it is
up to her to determine what the right path forward is not just for
her friends and family, but for the people of Galton City together.
Kayla Gaskell
Moscow Sleepers by Stella Rimington
Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408859759
(Age: secondary to adult) Themes: Spying, Cold War, Refugees,
Unaccompanied children, Hacking, Trafficking. Another great
Rimington read exposing the back story to some of the tactics played
out by spying communities around the world, this book is a stunning
thriller as Liz Carlyle, an officer within MI5, tracks the work of
two Russian sleepers in Germany. Irma is the head of a school which
takes in refugee children, but unbeknownst to her husband, Dieter,
she alerts her Russian handlers to the cleverest amongst these
unaccompanied children and they are taken to a school in rural
England where they are ostensibly trained to spot computer hacking,
but what they are really doing is hacking government computers
around the world.
With fingers being pointed at various governments at the moment
about computer hacking, this makes an up-to-the minute read. A
series of seemingly unconnected incidents come together in Liz's
mind as Peggy interviews an older teacher at the school in Suffolk,
dismayed at the way the school is operating, Liz goes to Eastern
Europe to interview a mole whose brother in the Russian military is
offering information, the two in Germany come under suspicion
because of their activities and Bruno McKay is sent to Russia to
recruit the brother. A heart stopping read ensues with many things
being juggled but coming to a neat conclusion, not before Liz must
once again contact Chief Inspector Pearrson as part of her
investigations and their relationship moves forward.
Former head of MI5, Rimington tells a smartly detailed and involving
thriller, steeped in a world she knows inside out. The authenticity
of the background of the tale demands the attention of the reader
and this is readily engaged to the very last page.
Behind the scenes Rimingtin gives a glimpse of the fate of
unaccompanied children, some trying to get to England by themselves,
others losing their families along the way, some used as in this
book by unscrupulous forces to exploit their computing skills, while
Border Force cannot patrol the whole coastline to catch those
attempting to land along the remote Suffolk cast.
Refugees are an issue for many countries, and it is with some relief
that the children in this book are treated at the end with a
generosity of spirit to be admired.
Fran Knight
Whitebeard by M. C. D. Etheridge
Flash Knight, 2018. ISBN 9780648359005
(Age: 8-10) Themes: Pirates, Christmas, Fantasy. Whitebeard
is a fantastical mix of pirates, derring-do acts, fights on the High
Seas and has a motley cast of characters with Captain Whitebeard at
the helm. This madcap adventure is fast-paced, overflowing with
Christmas references and plenty of piratical plundering.
Captain Whitebeard is the fiercest pirate on the High Seas, his ship
Rudolph's Revenge is crewed by seven tough men Dasher,
Dancer, Prancer, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen, as well as one
feisty female Vixen. Just before Christmas, they use sneaky
disguises to board a Spanish galleon, fight the crew and seize all
the booty, gold and jewellery. Underneath his tough exterior,
Whitebeard shows kindness when he releases the slaves chained up on
board. One of those released is Gretchen the evil witch who uses her
large emerald Green Envy to cast spells and cause major problems.
Compounding their problems even more, is Captain Jack Frost who's
pursuing his archenemy Whitebeard. He lost the sight in one eye
during a ruthless fight. Onboard the Frostbite are twelve
zombified mummies with blades instead of limbs; these Swiss Army
Knives dressed as Swiss Guards are primed to cut down Whitebeard and
his crew.
Etheridge keeps up a fast pace, adding so many side plots, dreams,
poems, sea shanties, extra characters and settings to the mix. The
descriptive narrative is filled with alliteration, tongue twisters -
'powder monkeys trained for peanuts' and 'freebooting French
filibusters'! Be prepared for singing mermaids who've lost their
children and the evil trolls who've captured them ready for a tasty
meal. He includes many festive signs including a special robin who
guides Whitebeard's decisions and a dream of his childhood and first
love Mary who also tells him the right way to live. The author's
historical references jump over two centuries from the Great Fire of
London, to the Age of Pirates and then to optometrists! Olivia Ong's
graphic line drawings add to the drama and excitement of Whitebeard.
Rhyllis Bignell
The Art of Taxidermy by Sharon Kernot
The Text Publishing Company, 2018. ISBN 9781925603743
(Ages: 10+) Highly recommended. A hauntingly beautiful journey of
self-discovery, loss, grief, and finding beauty even in the darkest
times. At eleven years old, Lottie, the daughter of German migrants,
is grieving the loss of her mother when she becomes fascinated with
collecting dead animals. Trying to revive and recreate these
animals, Lottie attempts to preserve them, as she slowly learns the
art of taxidermy. In creating beauty out of death, she attempts to
hold on to memories of her mother, and work through her grief, all
while moving through the milestones of life.
Written in lyrical verse, Sharon Kernot brings Lottie and the
supporting characters of this novel to life, much as Lottie attempts
to bring her treasures to life through taxidermy over the course of
the book. Kernot's use of poetic language brings a special charm to
the story and compels the reader to fall in love with Lottie as well
as her unique perception of beauty. Filled with symbolism, an
appreciation of the Australian landscape and its natural beauty, and
most of all, heart, The Art of Taxidermy is a book that will
stay with the reader long after they turn the last page.
A brilliant novel with powerful, insightful and authentic
characters. A melancholic yet touching read.
Daniella Chiarolli
Someday by David Levithan
Text Publishing, 2018. ISBN 9781925603903
(Age: Teenagers 14+) Recommended. 'Everyday a new body. Everyday a
new life. Everyday a new choice. For as long as A can remember, life
has meant waking up in a different person's body every day, forced
to live as that person until the day ends. A always thought there
wasn't anyone else who had a life like this. But A was wrong. There
are others. A has already been wresting with powerful feelings of
love and loneliness. Now comes an understanding of the extremes that
love and loneliness can lead to - and what it's like to discover
that you are not alone in the world.' (Publisher) Someday by David Levithan is the gripping sequel to the
previous book, Everyday. Someday explores a number
of themes such as love, loneliness and what it's like to be human as
well as giving readers a satisfying conclusion to the series. In
this book, Levithan has delved deeper into the complex lives of A
and Rhiannon and the struggles that they've been through in the past
few months since where the previous novel left off. A struggles with
their love for Rhiannon and the challenges that they've faced being
alone once more. Meanwhile, Rhiannon can't quite let go of A even
though she has no idea where A is or what A looks like. The story
gets increasingly more suspenseful with a new antagonist, previously
known as Poole, who is set on hunting A down and as the story goes
on, we discover more about his true motives and sinister way of
life. This storyline kept me hooked until the very end and it left
me thinking, long after I'd turned the final page. Someday follows the similar ideas and themes as Everyday
but with a completely new storyline. It's told in a number of
different perspectives that are all equally as engaging and
interesting to read about. Levithan has a very unique style of
writing which is one of the reasons why I enjoyed this book so much.
Someday explores a number of relevant and important themes
and teaches the reader to never give up on those you love and to
live every single day to the fullest. It also questions what it
really means to be human and what it's like to discover that you're
not alone in the world. These are are all very insightful and
thought provoking ideas that will really open your eyes to what it
truly means to love one another.
Overall, Someday is a gripping and heartwarming sequel to Everyday
that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I would highly recommend it for
teenagers over the age of 14 who are fans of some of David
Levithan's other books. Someday is a beautiful story and if
you enjoyed Everyday, you will not be disappointed by the
sequel.
'There are some days you know ahead of time are going to be
important, but most of the important ones end up catching you by
surprise. The best thing to do is to treat all your days well. Then
see what happens.' - David Levithan, Someday
Grace Austin (Student)
The Poppa Platoon in Operation Dessert Storm by Danny Katz and Mitch Vane
Omnibus, 2018. ISBN 9781742769240
(Age: 7+) Recommended. Themes: Humour. Illustrated novel.
Food. Major Poppa, Abbie, and her little brother Flynn are on
a mission to eat as much as they can at the Wibbly the Cheeky
Wizard's Spooky All-You-Can-Eat Family Buffet Restaurant, but still
keep some room for dessert. Of course when they arrive, things go
awry even though they had undergone training before their mission.
Any adult who has ever faced a huge buffet will immediately relate
to the problems that the Poppa Platoon face and will really enjoy
reading this with younger children. Kids who enjoy reading by
themselves have a hilarious, quick read to amuse themselves with and
those who are looking for something to read after the Treehouse
series by Andy Griffith and Terry Denton, The Bad guys by
Aaron Blabey and the WeirDo series by Anh Do will eagerly
pick up this series, which started with The
Poppa platoon in World War Chew.
It is extensively illustrated with very funny cartoon-like pictures,
all in black and white, which bring the characters, the people at
the buffet and the food vividly to life. I especially loved the very
cheeky look on baby Flynn's face and Abbie's actions were a scream.
Major Poppa of course looks like everyone's stereotype of an army
boss. The type is in different sizes and shapes and emphasises the
importance of what is going on, or the noise level of the voices.
This laugh-out-loud book is sure to be a hit with kids who love a
laugh and will encourage those who don't like reading much to pursue
the story.
Pat Pledger
Super science stars by Meredith Costain
Ill. by Danielle McDonald. Olivia's secret scribbles book 4.
Scholastic, 2018. ISBN 9781760277093
(Age: 5-7) Recommended. Themes: Science. Friendship. Diaries.
Meredith Costain's fourth story in the Olivia's secret scribbles
series focuses on the school Science Fair. Olivia's excitement is
hard to contain, her diary entries are filled with her own projects,
ideas and drawings of her experiments. She's made a glittery lava
lamp, slippery slime and grown a magnificent array of mould on
watermelon, cheese, cookies and sandwiches. These stinky items are
hidden under her bed!
Mr Platt's divided the class up into four groups and Olivia's happy
to be working with her friends. When the classroom door opens and
new girl Bethany with the bouncy hair joins their group, Olivia's
put out. Bethany's ideas are better, she brings in cute T-shirts
with Super Science Stars printed on them. Nothing seems to be going
right, Olivia's secret scribbles show that sometimes it's hard to be
part of a team. She desperately wants to build a Time Machine;
however, the others don't think it is realistic and choose Bethany's
egg experiment instead. On Thrilling Thursday, Sage and Samira's
group make a mirror rainbow and Milo and Mehmet's group prepare to
video their duck experiment. Stinky Friday is a rather fun day, when
Olivia's group reveal the results of their tests. After an exciting
weekend, Olivia is determined to have her group build a volcano,
once again Bethany's idea is chosen.
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
pink-coloured bold text. Danielle McDonald's cartoon illustrations
add to the excitement and enjoyment of the story. Super science
stars looks at acceptance, how to be a team player and
celebrates having fun with Science.
Rhyllis Bignell
It's not scribble to me by Kate Ritchie
Ill. by Jedda Robaard. Penguin Random House, 2018. ISBN
9780143790136
(Ages: 3-5) Themes: Drawing. Creativity. Rhyming books. The young
bear pictured on the front cover talks directly to the reader: 'I
have to say I'm not generally bad, but one thing I do makes my
family mad... You see, Mum, that red is far from a smear, it's
actually Santa, with a grin ear to ear'. This book is written from a
parent point of view and is aimed at parents. It starts by
identifying something that all parents struggle with (children
drawing anywhere and everywhere) and then reminds them that those
scribbles on the curtains, walls, windows (and sometimes a piece of
paper) have meaning. The voice changes towards the end of the book
and the little bear speaks to her parents: 'So please, Mum and Dad,
the next time you start crying and wailing at my works of art...
take a really deep breath and imagine you're me, then look a bit
harder, I promise you'll see - it's not just a scribble...' It is
then difficult to tell if the parent in the story or the reader is
being addressed: 'So what about you? Could you sit next to me, and
please draw me the magical things that you see?'
Yes, it's about how children create meaning through drawing (even if
it isn't visible to adults) and how important it is to provide
materials for expression. However, this is a written for parents
(albeit it slightly belittles them) and isn't going to be
particularly interesting for children. Also, we can encourage kids
to draw without advocating for total house destruction.
Nicole Nelson
