Walker Books Australia, 2018. ISBN 9781760650605
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Themes: Fantasy. Romance. In a world where
it is a crime to speak against injustice, a jester dares to perform
a play that enrages a powerful tyrant prince. The jester's daughter,
Giovanna, must journey into the heart of danger to turn back the
terrible consequences unleashed by her father's words - and becomes
entangled in a treacherous plot to overthrow the prince. She alone
holds a secret which, if made public, will end the prince's reign and
liberate his oppressed people. But when to openly denounce him
brings certain death, will Giovanna have the courage to speak out?
Jordan crafted an inspiring tale about the power of free speech,
self-expression and the need for courage to do what is right.
Self-sacrifice was a prominent theme as characters grew to recognise
the magnitude of issues in their world and the importance of others.
This not only emphasised the key ideas, but also prompted ethical
debate, causing the readers to question whether it is morally
correct to take a stand on an issue and encourage change even if it
causes others pain, or to compromise to minimise the damage caused.
Giovanna was a strongly written main character whose bonds with
other characters revealed the way like minds can connect. The
romance in the story was innocent yet intense, with both characters
fiercely devoted to each other after a short period of time. The
imagery was vibrant and dynamic, with the descriptions of magic and
the characters themselves bringing the story to life. The choice to
write Giovanna without any magical powers while her antagonists had
magic only served to emphasise the importance of knowledge and free
speech, an important message in this day and age. The pacing started
slowly as Jordan introduced the audience to Giovanna's world, but
then sped up and reached the climactic scene at breakneck speed.
This was an interesting read, bringing modern day issues to the
forefront of the mind and providing ideas and themes to reflect on.
Stephanie Lam
The house with a clock in its walls by John Bellairs
Piccadilly, 2018. ISBN 9781848127715
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Themes: Fantasy. Film tie-in. USA.
Orphans. When Lewis Barnavelt is orphaned and sent to live with
Uncle Johnathan, a man he has never met, his aunts are dismayed. But
Lewis is thrilled: his uncle is endlessly interesting, a man of many
talents, a magician to boot, and later, Lewis finds out that he is a
wizard. And there is a mystery in his amazing house - apart from the
unusual Mrs Zimmerman from next door, who cooks for them, the walls
seem to tick.
This wholly engrossing story was first published in 1973 by United
States' author, John Bellairs, and has been released as a film,
starring Jack Black and Cate Blanchett.
The ticking walls draw Uncle Johnathan from his sleep and his
prowling the walls each night wakens Lewis. Eventually they both
meet during their nightly prowlings and Johnathan is forced to tell
Lewis some of the story. But Lewis is having trouble fitting in at
school. He hates sport and wears glasses. One boy seemed to take an
interest and when this wains, Lewis betrays some of Johnathan's
secrets to entice him back to being his friend. At the graveyard one
Halloween, Lewis practises some of the wizardry he has been shown
and releases the old owner of the house from his grave. The Izards
used to live in Johnathan's house and their clock is ticking along
nicely, ticking off the end of the world.
Lewis must do something to repair what he has done, and Mrs
Zimmerman is there to help. This lively and engrossing book is most
unusual, not your usual fantasy fare, but one that intrigues with
the idea of a clock ticking within the walls of the house, spelling
out impending doom.
Lewis is an amiable character with all the flaws of youth, trying
desperately to find a friend in a new school, willing to do anything
to keep him, despite the bullying and name calling. I will be
interested to see how far the film strays from the book.
Fran Knight
Incy wincey spider by Matt Shanks
Scholastic, 2018. ISBN 9781760276959
(Age: 0-5) Highly recommended. I have to admit that I thought this
was going to be just another book with the "Incy wincey spider"
rhyme. Thankfully I was wrong! I have read lots of versions of Incy
wincey spider but this is one that I really love. Scholastic
have created an adaption of the original that children and adults
alike will enjoy reading. It starts out as we all know it but then
it takes an Australian twist. Incy meets animals such as a kangaroo,
galah, emu and a cute little girl. It ends with a tired spider
sleeping in its web.
The illustrations by Matt Shanks are fabulous, colourful and add
such a vibrancy to this story.
This book has quickly become a favourite with my 4 year old, who
especially loves the page with the galah. The facial expressions of
the birds in the bird bath are hilarious and you can almost hear
their frolicking sounds!
Another interest point within the book is the inclusion of a funny
little fly on each page. This little guy gets up to lots of mischief
and Miss 4 always wanted to find the fly on every turn of the page.
This book is fun, engaging and a really great Aussie addition to the
many versions of the famous rhyme Incy wincey spider. Sure
to be a firm favourite with all kids 5 and under, 5 out of 5.
Lauren Fountain
Pig the grub by Aaron Blabey
Scholastic, 2018. ISBN 9781742769691
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Dogs. Bath time. Smells. With
wonderful words that rhyme with "rotten" and "rank" and "muck" that
will bring lots of laughter from young readers, Blabey shows Pig the
pug's antics as he does everything he can to avoid being bathed. He
is the smelliest dog around, known for his loathsome habits shown in
some detail in the book and readily recognised by the audience. He
scrapes his bottom along the ground, rolls in the mud, drags things
from the bin, licks up flavours long past their use by date, loves
playing with poo, sniffs other dogs' bottoms and even drinks from
the loo.
All these gross habits will resonate with kids as they read,
screaming out words which reflect their disgust at Pig's habits.
So when mum decides it is time for the bath, Pig does all he can to
avoid the torture. He gallops through the house, avoiding capture at
every turn until, armed with a wrench, he turns the water off in the
bathroom.
Kids will applaud his inventiveness but the action causes the water
to explode from the wall, making his having a bath inevitable.
Sitting in the bath, Pig has his revenge, because even here he can
cause mayhem with a smell.
A wonderful new story about Pig the pug, Blabey invests his little
dog with such mischievous looks that everyone will be entranced by
him. The looks on his face are priceless, Blabey able to give a
knowing look on that pug face with absolute conviction.
Blabey's illustrations, acrylic with pen and pencil, are a delight
from the mud pawed endpapers, to Pig's pink shower cap, the
overturned bin and the knowing looks of the pig's companion - each
page bringing a fresh look to peruse and look at more closely. The
use of different sized font, italics and white space make reading
this out loud a treat, and younger readers will adore predicting the
next word in the line, after they have finished laughing.
Fran Knight
Leaving the Lyrebird Forest by Gary Crew
Ill. by Julian Laffan. Lothian, 2018. ISBN 9780734418432
(Age: 9-12) Highly recommended. Themes: Lyrebirds,
Friendship, Coming of age. "Are you lonely here?" her mother asked. "Never," Alice said.
"Not while I am friends with the lyrebird". Leaving the Lyrebird Forest is a poignant and lyrical
story about friendship, family and growing up in the bush. Alice
Dorrit lives with her artist parents in a small house surrounded by
bushland. Set in the 1930s, the family live a self-sustaining and
simple life. Alice walks three miles to school and her family drive
their Model T Ford to the nearby town one hour away to sell their
artworks and pick up supplies. When Alice turns three, a young male
lyrebird begins to visit, knocking and tapping on her bedroom
window. She awakes every second morning to visits by Birdy; Dad
builds a platform for him and Alice feeds him grubs and worms. Alice
and Birdy build a special relationship; she teaches him to respond
to her calls and mimic sounds.
Alice befriends Mr Brown a lonely widower who lives on an adjoining
property, and she discovers that he loves the forest and wildlife as
much as she does. The mystery of the timing of Birdy's visit is
solved as well. As Alice grows up, she knows her future lies in a
different direction, and she must leave her family friends and
much-loved lyrebird for her future schooling.
Award winning author Gary Crew's beautifully descriptive novel
captures the lush forest settings, heart-warming relationships and
special bond of Alice and her wild bird. Julian Laffan's impressive
woodcuts add depth, dimension and character. Leaving the
Lyrebird Forest showcases a wonderful synergy between author
and artist.
A wonderful story to share with readers in the Middle Grades with
themes of friendship, acceptance, caring for the environment
concerns and coming of age.
Rhyllis Bignell
A Winter's Promise by Christelle Dabos
The Text Publishing Company, 2018. ISBN 9781925603828
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Themes: Fantasy. A mix of misfit and
misunderstood genius, Ophelia possesses two special gifts: the
ability to read the pasts of objects and to travel through mirrors.
Her peaceful existence on the ark of Anima is interrupted when she
is promised in marriage to Thorn, a member of a powerful clan from a
distant ark, the cold and icy Pole. Ophelia must follow her fiance
to the floating city of Citaceleste, where nobody can be trusted. In
the company of her inscrutable future husband, Ophelia realises she
is a pawn in a plot that will have consequences not only for her but
for her entire world.
Dabos weaves a story of politics and manipulation in which the
stakes are heightened by the fantastical setting and the characters'
magical abilities; however, the story's messages still ring true for
our society. The clever use of mirrors as a metaphor highlighted the
need to search for truth in a society filled with subterfuge,
manipulation, incredibly complex relationships, and social dynamics.
The rich imagery was delightfully whimsical and was detailed enough
to make the scene feel intimately real.
The main character Ophelia stands out in her mannerisms and
attitudes; an unlikely protagonist at times, but as a mirror walker
with a thirst for truth, she suits the story and grows along with
it. The growth and development of her and many other characters in
response to the trying times endured is thought provoking, providing
a glimpse into the inner workings of our own society and how we as
humans respond to pressures.
The pacing of the novel was overall steady, but sometimes slowed and
became sluggish due to the long building of a revelation, or raced
by as the characters whirled from place to place and emotion to
emotion.
It was a great read with a wonderfully twisty plot as Ophelia
unravels the secrets hidden from her. While the revelations were
never expected, they always reinforced the poisonous nature of
deceit and the need for candour.
This novel was a compelling analysis of society and gives rise to
many questions about human nature.
Stephanie Lam
And the ocean was our sky by Patrick Ness
Ill. by Rovina Cai. Walker, 2018. ISBN 9781406383560
(Age: 14+) If Patrick Ness was to write a fractured fairy tale then
this is it. It is the story of Moby Dick but turned completely
upside down and inside out. The protagonist is 'the devil himself'
the elusive Toby Wick who travels the ocean on a man ship.
In this story, the whales are the hunters and man is the prey. The
whales travel the beneath the ocean in upside down ships led by
captains who are supported by their crews of apprentices and
'sailors'. The crew on this ship is led by Captain Alexandra and one
of her apprentices asks the reader to call her 'Bathsheba' (not her
real name but is a biblical reference) and we see this tale unfold
through her eyes.
The hunt for Toby Wick is cruel, bloodthirsty, and appears to be
driven by a myth or legends of the past where the only reason for
being is to avenge the deaths of those before them. In Bathsheba's
case, it is her mother's death that drives her hunt.
Bathsheba is not as ruthless as her captain Alexandra even though
the memory of her mother's death haunts her and this is depicted
through the relationship she has with a human male prisoner,
Demetrius, held captive on their ship. Captain Alexandra believes
Demetrius holds information to where they can find Toby Wick and
instructs Bathsheba to do whatever necessary to extract the
information out of him. Demetrius knows he is doomed to die by the
hands of the whales whether he gives the information or not.
The ending comes to a crescendo where we see the results of the
whale's quest, of Bathsheba's relationship with Demetrius and the
final confrontation with Toby Wick.
In Patrick Ness style, it is a dark and graphic story and supported
perfectly by the illustrations that enhance the story.
Gerri Mills
Maddie's first day by Penny Matthews
Ill. by Liz Anelli. Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781925381351
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Schools, First day, Friends,
Family. Before Maddie's first day at school, the family has prepared
her for this big event, buying her uniform, buying a new backpack
and filling it with new pencils, an art smock and a water bottle.
Into this backpack is also her blanky, added once her parents were
not looking. On the day, Dad makes her lunch, and she says goodbye
to Mum. Once at the school gates with Dad, her tummy starts to
wobble as she sees the number of other children, and not one that
she knows. She puts her backpack into her locker, but takes out her
blanky as she does. Other children see her and are rude about her
actions, and when she sits with the group they tell her that the
blanky should be left at home. But one of the group, Charlie takes
her to the lockers where he shows her his backpack and inside is his
blanky. The two remain together for the rest of the day, playing,
learning, reading and drawing, and when Mum collects Maddie, she can
tell her that she had the best day ever. At home that night, blanky
is put into a drawer where it belongs.
A charming story of learning to fit in, of facing fears, of finding
friends will appeal to all children. The first day jitters is a
shared concern and this book allows younger readers to think about
and discuss their qualms about going to school for the first time.
Being involved in anything for the first time is always accompanied
by a certain amount of concern and the skills learnt through this
book will help children see that there are many first times and
friends and family will support and share those concerns.
The soft illustrations, created with mixed media, draw the
children's eyes to things they recognise, comparing Maddie's
experiences with their own. Readers will love the detail, Maddie's
house, her backpack, the walk to school, the view of the school
yard, the classroom. Each page shows a view both known and different
and readers will enjoy the visit that each page offers. I love the
classroom photo at the end showing the range of children within the
group. Maddie's first day offers a range of things to discuss in the
classroom, fears, friendship, bullying, first days, and being in a
new school.
Fran Knight
Splat the Fake Fact! by Adam Frost
Ill. by Gemma Correll. Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408889503
(Age: 8+) Splat the Fake Fact is a puzzle activity book
filled with information that has escaped from popular author Adam
Frost's Amazing Fact series. He encourages you to splat
them, doodle on them or even lasso them! After the disclaimer is
signed, he asks that you take any measure needed to completely
obliterate the wrong facts. Which Barmy Beasts has Frost created, is
it the bone-eating zombie-worm, the Javanese Tree Sheep or the
Raspberry Crazy Ant. Luckily the answers are easy to find. For those
who love fart facts and gross jokes there are plenty. There is a
vast array of weird, wacky and unusual information on topics like
Mad Monarchs, Camel Claptrap, Killer Creatures and Leonardo's Lab.
Guess which Surreal Sports is an imposter! Is it Worm Charming,
Toilet Racing maybe Wife Carrying? There are disgusting facts about
snot, vomit, ridiculous rules and exploding underpants. Frost's fake
facts are fun to share, sometimes the most obvious answer is
incorrect!
Gemma Correll's cartons, doodles, diagrams and crazy characters add
to the humour of Frost's fact collection.
This is a fun activity book with plenty of opportunities to
embellish, lasso, draw, solve the codes, decipher hieroglyphics and
identify the truth.
Rhyllis Bignell
Catching Teller Crow by Ambelin Kwaymullina and Ezekiel Kwaymullina
Allen and Unwin, 2018. ISBN 9781760631628
(Age: Older teens and young adults) Highly recommended. 9/10.
Themes: Crime, thriller, spiritual story. This is a book for those
who enjoy exciting fiction with twists and turns and those who have
an open mind. Nothing is quite as you start to think when working
through the novel through the minds, thoughts and experiences of
Beth Teller and Isobel Catching. Both young girls are Aboriginal and
they both have and share a spirituality which is beautifully
depicted. Their spirituality and those of the tribal women of the
past is very credible, strong and serene. It brings a sense of
another dimension which exists and can possibly be accepted by even
the most skeptical non-believer of anything that cannot be explained
by logic and science.
Beth struggles to stay in "the world of now" in order to support her
grieving father. She is a lost soul who is tied to the physical
dimension but realizes that she needs to move on to the world that
she belongs to. Her father is a detective who is in the midst of
solving a murder and the circumstances of a tragic fire in a
children's home. Only he can see and hear Beth (or is he??), but he
knows that this ghost and his need for the ghost is tormenting him
from accepting what cannot be changed and hence making the most of
his life and his instinct to reach out to his wonderful extended
family.
Isobel Catching has suffered more than most people can endure.
Throughout the novel she remains tough, elusive and a mystery, yet
it is Isobel who helps Beth's father find clues, seek answers about
the terrible and shocking circumstances that have been perpetuated
in the small rural country town. In the colonial past, recent past
and present time, the aboriginal community lack a voice to defend
themselves and seek justice, hence Isobel is the protagonist who
speaks out, who struggles to make the injustices experienced by
present and past aboriginal women heard, understood and fought for.
Isobel has paid a heavy price but she is strong - a strong young
woman who is descended from strong women who transfer their gentle
power and wisdom through spiritual connections and well-remembered
stories.
About the Author - Ambelin Kwaymullina and Ezekiel Kwaymullina.
Brother and sister authors who are Aboriginal Palyku from the
Pilbara region, North Western Australia. This novel is their first
joint effort writing a young adult fiction. They have magically
woven fiction prose with story-telling in simple language and
artistically elegant poetry.
Maria Burford
Jacaranda Magic by Dannika Patterson
Ill. by Megan Forward. Ford St Publishing, 2018. ISBN 9781925804003
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Jacaranda, Playing,
Imagination, Friendship. When five friends loll about on a hot,
sticky summer's day beneath the Jacaranda tree, wishing for
something to do, the flowers from the tree fall around them, offering
a lifeline to their imaginations. They clamber up the tree,
imagining it to be a boat, one of them the captain, looking out for
mermaids, then the branch becomes a rocket taking them off into
space, the flowers become fairies for them to chase, butterflies to
set free.
The worlds created by the children using the tree as the stepping
off point to imagined possibilities will delight young readers as
they too see what can be made of the tree and its branches, leaves
and flowers. I can imagine them seeing the trees in their backyards,
schools and neighbourhoods with fresh eyes, willing the flowers to
fall upon them, initiating their imaginations just like the children
in the story. And then climbing the trees, practising their physical
prowess, encouraging outdoor activities.
With simple rhyming pairs of lines, Patterson has created a charming
storyline, one which will entice readers to predict the rhyme as
they listen to the story.
The watercolour illustrations, extol the colour purple, so well
known in Australian gardens, common to many suburbs with long
streets of these beautiful trees, people sharing photos in facebook
when they are in bloom. Using the purple flowers as a trigger for the
children's imaginations is sure to focus younger readers on the
beauty that surrounds them, encouraging them to take a moment to
look at things more closely.
Fran Knight
Digby and the Duck by Max Landrak
Hachette Australia, 2018. ISBN 9780734417770
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. Have you ever had the feeling of
someone watching you but when you look no one is there? Digby feels
like that. He is sure someone or something is watching him when he
brushes his teeth and in his dreams. It is time to investigate.
Digby finds a clue and then another but he doesn't make assumptions.
Digby researches and investigates books. Upon the discovery of a
duck, Digby no longer feels like someone or something is watching
him. Digby and the Duck is an excellent story for making
predictions as well as using the skill of inference. Readers will
not find out why the duck might have been watching Digby or even if
it was the duck. This mystery will create discussions and
assumptions. Have children create lists of reasons for a duck to
watch someone or even rewrite the ending. Digby and the Duck is easy to read and is beautifully
illustrated. it is highly recommended for readers aged 6+.
Kylie Kempster
Gastronauts by James Foley
S. Tinker Inc. book 3. Fremantle Press, 2018. ISBN
9781925591682
(Age: 7-9) Themes: Brothers and Sisters, Robots, Inventions. Sally
Tinker "the world's foremost inventor under the age of twelve"
returns for another improbable venture in Gastronauts. James
Foley's graphic novel takes us into uncharted territory, and this is
perhaps Sally and her friend Charli's most disgusting journey to
date.
Sally's previous inventions include the Resizenator which
unfortunately "embiggenated" Dougie the dung beetle. Sally's newest
invention is the smartCHIP which Charli suggests could minimise
carbon dioxide emissions and reduce global warming, or shrink the
world's rubbish to minimise pollution. She's also created the
SMARTBOT designed to install, maintain and protect the chips. When
her baby brother Joe accidentally swallows a test-tube filled with
the tiny brain-enhancing little nanobots, Sally and Charlie must
save the day. Imagine a superbaby with super powers wreaking havoc!
Sally and Charlie travel in the Sub with its onboard Resizenator
inside Joe's body to stop him becoming a superbaby. Straight into
Joe's stomach where undigested strawberries and a shrunken rubber
ducky and boat float by. Unfortunately, Sally's super-tight security
means there is no remote control to stop the smartbots installing
the smartCHIP in the baby's brain.
While Ms Tinker Sally's Nan looks after Joe, the girls travel in the
Sub through his intestines and finally up to his brain. Joe's
superpowers become evident after he's eaten his Nan's prunes, he's
jet-propelled around the neighbourhood by his farts. How do Sally
and Charlie save the day?
James Foley's unique characters, crazy situations and unusual
adventures engage the young reader. His cartoons capture the
grossness of the girl's journey and of course their special re-entry
into the real world. Scientific experiments and inventions underpin
this humourous story and the key themes of family, being responsible
and supportive friendships are included.
Rhyllis Bignell
Yesterday you were here by Melissa Little
Wakefield Press, 2018. ISBN 9781743055205
Highly recommended. Themes: Bereavement, Grief. Loss is never easy
and this is a thought provoking book, written in a simple way that
makes it easy to read with children to help them understand
loss.
The illustrations in this book are bold and support the narrative.
They are done in a way that anyone could see themselves in the
story.
There is a page at the end of the story that talks about sharing
this book with your child and the importance of talking about
feelings and answering their questions, and letting children talk
about it in their own time. There are also some pages at the back of
the book where children can write or draw some memories of the
person lost to help them with the grieving process.
I highly recommend this book to anyone trying to explain loss to
their child.
Karen Colliver
The Prince and the witch and the thief and the bears by Alistair Chisolm
Ill. by Jez Tuya. Walker, 2018. ISBN 9781406365139
(Age: 4-7) Highly recommended. Themes: Storytelling, Fairy tales,
Bedtime.
"What kind of story shall we have tonight? asked Dad . . . "A made up one!
said Jamie.
As Dad tuck his son into bed, they are ready to share a bedtime
story, a creative one filled with a cast of fairy tale characters.
Jamie's level of excitement increases as he constantly adds another
person and creature, changes the plot and questions then redirects
the actions. Dad's enthusiasm and his willingness to accommodate his
son adds to the delight of this story. The youngster even questions
his father's choice of the prince riding off to rescue the princess
trapped in the dark tower. They decide that the prince can do it,
this time. They often digress: How evil is the witch?
Can she turn you into stone or even jelly? When the villain falls to
her death, Jamie's a little hesitant. Dad's imagination changes the
fairy tale again because the former princess really a jewel thief
uses her grappling hook to catch the falling evil witch-ninja.
Jez Tuya's vibrant digital illustrations imbue each character with
attitude and make Alistair Chisolm's cumulative fairy tale comical.
Inside a star-filled border, a handsome prince rides his dappled
grey stallion whilst an ugly witch, a beautiful princess and a
flying fire breathing dragon wait ready for the story to begin. Atop
the tall mountain is a lofty castle and there's a large brown bear
lurking at the edge of the forest. The stallion sits back on his
hind legs, helps with the map and waits for the prince to work out
how far away is his kingdom. When Dad mentions the fierce bears and
dragons, Jamie needs a clear definition on their ferocity, so the
illustrator adds enormous shaggy coats and vicious claws. Each
double-page spread is filled with big, bold pictures that
delightfully express Jamie and Dad's dramatic fairy tale.
Alistair Chisolm's fast-paced story is a perfect read aloud with
many twists and turns. Jez Tuya completely captures the humour and
builds the drama through his energetic and colourful visual
storytelling. The Prince and the Witch and the Thief and the Bears is an
enchanting narrative for Junior Primary classes to engage with plot,
setting and characterisation, stereotypes and the structure of fairy
tales.
Rhyllis Bignell
