Reviews

The Chess Raven: The girl who fell by Violet Grace

Factfulness: ten reasons we're wrong about the world - and why things are better than you think by Dr Hans Rosling with Ola Rosling and Anna Rosling Ronnlund

Hachette Australia, 2018. ISBN 9781473637467
(Age: Adult - Senior secondary) The main premise of the book is that people in the western/developed world have a pessimistic view about the world (widening gap between rich and poor, poverty, lack of education and health in the developing world, etc). This was surmised from the responses to 13 questions by Gapminder .
Rosling, spends most of the book attributing the poll results to ten human instincts: gap, negativity, straight line, fear, size, generalization, destiny, single perspective, blame and urgency. He postulates that being aware of and using facts or 'factfulness' is the antidote. This would then help towards a better understanding of the world and peaceful achievement of global aims.
Where statistics and diagrams are included, it is frustrating that the source of such data is in such small and faint print, that it is almost impossible to read. The sources are given as notes to chapters at the end of the book rather than as footnotes. The end chapter summaries are very useful.
The most readable parts of the book are those relating to Rosling's many and varied experiences working as a medical doctor in third world (or level 1 as he prefers to call them) countries dealing with diseases such as Ebola outbreaks.
While the author's enthusiasm for his subject and his efforts to convert the world to his point of view, are strongly evident, I found the book somewhat repetitious and did not really appreciate the point of his major premise.
It would probably be of use for IB Theory of Knowledge and possibly Psychology students.
Ann Griffin

More and more and more by Ian Mutch

Fremantle Press, 2018. ISBN 9781925591545
(Age: 4-8) Highly recommended. More and More and More by Ian Mutch is a picture book that has a huge amount of relevance in today's society. The story follows Henry Harper who loves to collect everything. He finds Kate, who also loves collecting - just like him! They collect from everywhere and everything until their once tidy world is full to bursting and the inevitable happens. All the 'stuff' they collected is gone and now they are on a beautiful, clean planet together. And guess what????? They are happy just being together.
I love this book as it shares the notion that just being with each other, and enjoying nature and our surroundings is so much better than having stuff and collecting things we don't necessarily need. I love the explanation of the book by the publisher "this environmentally friendly fable about the perils of over-consumption calls for a realignment of our priorities from products to people". It sums it up perfectly!
More and More and More is a simple book with a big message for your young children, and Ian Mutch really gets the meaning across with some simple prose and enticing pictures. The two alien/space characters look friendly, and the colourful illustrations were interesting and engaging. Both my 4 and 8 year old liked this book and were able to pick up different aspects of the overall meaning. A great book for starting the conversation about our planet and looking after it! 4.5 out of 5
Lauren Fountain

Lego Ninjago Ultimate Sticker Collection

DK, 2018. ISBN 9780241340325
Ninjago is one of 16 connected realms in this themed collection from Lego. Its capital, Ninjago City is protected by Kai, Cole, Zane, Jay, Nya and Lloyd from the powerful enemies including the Vermillion and the Sons of Garmadon.
Young readers are encouraged to read the captions and then use their visual acuity to select the appropriate stickers from the large collection to complete the scenes. There are also extra pages and extra stickers where they can build their own scenes of battles.
While these sorts of books may be seen as just another way of marketing the Lego merchandise, they can play an important role in the young fan's literacy development as they have to read the captions and make the appropriate selections as they learn more about the underlying plot and the characters. By having the opportunity to build their own battle scenes they can retell the story or make up their own, explaining and justifying their choices - all critical elements of understanding and telling stories.
This may be one of those special treat books that you have in your collection ready to engage or settle a child who needs some distraction.
Barbara Braxton

Mr Pegg's post by Elena Topouzoglou

New Frontier Publishing, 2018. ISBN 9781925594195
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Post, Letters, Loneliness, Lighthouses, Greece. For many children this story will have new ideas for them to absorb, as Anna lives in a remote lighthouse, so remote that the only communication with her friends is via the post. Mr Pegg the pelican postman delivers the letters around the island and the lighthouse, and although there are sometimes letters for her parents there are none for her. She feels very lonely.
One day during a particularly ferocious storm she hears a thump at the door. Mr Pegg, buffeted by the heavy winds has landed awkwardly, hurting his wing, letters spread all over the place. Anna helps him, fixing his wing with a sling, and offers to help him deliver his letters until he gets better.
Over the next few days and weeks she rows Mr Pegg to his delivery points, meeting the people whose letters she delivers. She makes new friends and is very sad when Mr Pegg's wing gets better. But a surprise is in store for her as Mr Pegg gives her a postie's hat and a pile of letters from her friends.
This is a delightful story of loneliness and finding new friends. Younger readers will enjoy learning about the post and how it is delivered, perhaps using the opportunity to write their own letters to see how it is done, or watch out for the postman, or visit a post office.
Watercolour images give a wonderful impression of living by the sea, the clear blue waters of the Mediterranean lapping at the cliffs on which the lighthouse sits. London based, Elena's Greek roots surface in her wonderful illustrations.
For more information about Elena visit her website and there I was amazed to find that she worked for ten years as a visual effects compositor, working on two of my favourite films, Paddington Bear and Hugo.
Fran Knight

So you think you've got it bad? by Chae Strathie

Ill. by Marisa Morea. Noisy Crow, 2018. ISBN 9781788001359
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. Themes: Ancient Egypt, History. Subtitled, A kid's life in Ancient Egypt, what sets this book apart is that the information given about life several thousands of years ago is compared with that of kids' lives today. So when talking about clothing, the reader is told there is not a tracksuit to be had, and servants walk around naked, while all kids would be expected to wear a pleated linen dress. The comparisons make this book very funny, teaching the reader of life in Ancient Egypt, but making it accessible by using today's customs.
Divided into ten chapters, concerning for example, Diet, Housing, Family life and Discipline, each section makes fascinating reading. Included in the chapters are paragraphs of text divided by humorous illustrations are also boxes of information called "Fancy That!". I learnt that the men did the washing in the Nile because of the crocodiles, and that hyenas were fattened up for feasts, while rich Egyptians ate raw cabbage as an entree! A double page towards the end gives more information about the down side of being an Ancient Egyptian, and this is followed by a glossary of terms and an index.
The illustrations are detailed and reflect the large amount of information found in the text. They are limited to a few colours, paralleling the muddy browns and sand colours of the landscape.
The whole is illuminating and should find a ready audience amongst those fascinated by Ancient Egypt.
Fran Knight

Leverage in Death by J.D. Robb

In Death series, book 47. Piatkus, 2018. ISBN 9780349417905.
(Age: Adult) Recommended. Themes: Mystery, Murder. In the latest in the popular and long running series, Lieutenant Eve Dallas is faced with a strange act of violence. Why did Vice President Paul Rogan, a seemingly happy family man, set off a bomb at his office, killing eleven people? The meeting there was an important one, with two big companies merging and there didn't seem to be a motive for the killing until his wife and daughter were found chained up in the family home and Dallas could confirm that he had been forced to choose between the lives of those he loved dearly or the lives of his colleagues. Then comes another bizarre case and Eve knows that she has a serial killer on the loose. Working with husband Roarke, she investigates the financial and art world to try and find the motivation behind the murders.
Even after so many books Robb does not disappoint. Each book has a very different case for Dallas to solve, and the reader is kept interested and entertained throughout, with this one centred on the financial world. The humour of the dialogue between Peabody and Eve, and the latter's constant strange use of common phrases, add a bit of lightness to the dark of the callousness of the bombings, while the relationship between Eve and Roarke will satisfy those readers who like some romance with their murders.
Sure to keep the reader engrossed, the familiarity of the characters makes it easy to concentrate on the plot. Leverage in death makes for a solid and satisfying read.
Pat Pledger

The Weird Beard by Andrew Hansen and Jessica Roberts

Bab Sharkey and the Animal Mummies. Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 978176060650001
(Age: 8-12) This is a crazy, fun story about a boy called Bab Sharkey who becomes the new Pharaoh of the lost city of Animal Mummies, after a magical Pharaoh's beard attaches itself to his chin. He becomes the ruler of a group of dead mummified creatures who may stink a little but become Bab's friends. They are happy to be ruled by the kind-hearted Babs as they have just endured the cruel Unpharaoh, who has passed into the afterlife forever. Or has she?
The author, Andrew Hansen, well known for his work on comedy shows such as The Chaser, incorporated lots of comical quips and comments in this first book of the series. Bab's sidekicks, the mummified Scaler and Prong have some great lines and their city Mumphis contains many other quirky characters.
Jessica Robert's illustrations perfectly complement the text. They are generously spread throughout the novel and add to the craziness of the book.
Jessica Roberts is married to Andrew Hansen and co-authored the book. They both were inspired by a trip to Egypt where they saw a multitude of mummified animals and were surprised to see a mummified fish and Ibis, which are the two main characters of Scaler and Prong.
This book is a mixture of comedy and fantasy and would be enjoyed by students aged 8-12 years old.
Below is a video clip of the two authors talking about their book.
Jane Moore

The garden of hope by Isabel Otter and Katie Rewse

Little Tiger, 2018. ISBN 9781848577138
"Things had changed since Mum had been gone. The house was untidy. Maya, Dad and Pip were a bit of a mess. And the garden had become wild and overgrown. "
Each of them was sad and anxious, trying to help each other as best they could. One day, Dad tells Maya that whenever her mother was feeling anxious, she would plant some seeds because she knew that by the time they had grown, the worries would have faded. They were her "seeds of hope".
So Maya decides to try her mother's remedy, starting with planting sunflowers which were her mother's favourite. And gradually a transformation occurred - the garden started to flourish and Maya and her father started to heal. Despite the darkness and sadness, there was still beauty and hope in the world.
This is a charming story with illustrations as gentle as the text, that offer a wonderful strategy to help anyone, young or old, to deal with grief. Sometimes when we are overwhelmed by our emotions it is hard to see that time will pass - rather each minute seems to drag into an hour - so having something as simple as planting seeds, something that could be done in almost any situation, and watching the progress of the flowers can not only offer distraction but also shows that there is movement in time, that some some peace of mind is possible and there can be unexpected rewards. For Maya, the new garden brings not only beauty but bees and butterflies and other little creatures who find a home and sustenance because of her efforts. And because gardening can be a solo or a shared activity that healing can help more than just the seed-sower.
Children love to plant things and watch them grow, and many schools have established gardens, particularly kitchen gardens which supply the school canteen. But how wonderful would it be to also have a flower bed, one where a troubled or grieving child can go to potter and seek tranquility and calm as they literally "smell the roses".
This is a gentle, understated story that would be perfect to share with any little one suffering loss or heartache.
Barbara Braxton

In the mouth of the wolf by Michael Morpurgo

Ill. by Barroux. Egmont, 2018. ISBN 9781405285261
(Age: Independent readers) Recommended. In the village of Le Pouget, in the Languedoc region of south west France, Francis Cammaerts is resting after the celebrations for his 90th birthday come to a close. As dusk turns to dark and the church bell strikes midnight, he thinks of those who have been a part of his journey to this ripe old age - those who raised him, supported him and had so much to do with the man he became. And from those reminiscences comes a story of determination, danger, courage and heroism that would have gone untold if not for Morpurgo's pen and Barroux's brush.
One of two sons born during the Great War, Francis grows up to be a teacher while his brother Pieter is a burgeoning actor. But when World War II breaks out, the brothers take very different paths. Frances believes war is futile and barbaric, that people should not descend to the level of the fascists and that only education and pacifism are the "way forward for humanity". Pieter, however, believes that pacifism will not stop Hitler, that the cruelty of fascism had to be confronted and so he became a Sergeant Navigator in the RAF. While he eventually went to join a bomber squadron in Cornwall, Francis went to Lincolnshire to work on a farm having justified his beliefs to a tribunal.
But when Pieter is killed returning from an air raid over France and a bomb dropped by a German plane kills the family on the next farm including including baby Bessie, Francis begins to rethink his decision, particularly as he now has a wife and the birth of his own child is imminent. He talks to Harry, his mentor from his teaching days - a conversation that changes his life forever as it leads him into the silent world of the secret agent working with the Resistance in France . . .
As with Flamingo Boy, Morpurgo shines a light on the real story of war and its impact on ordinary people by taking an unusual perspective and telling the story through that. This is not a tale of derring-do embellished with action scenes and special effects - although it could be that in the hands of another - but a quiet tale of remembrance and reflection, of the impact of the legacy of others on a particular life, when that life itself has left its own legacy. Morpurgo has said, "This book may read like fiction. But it is not. That is because it does not need to be." It is the story of his own uncles.
Generously illustrated using family photographs which are included at the back of the book as well as biographical details of those who had such a profound impact within the story, Morpurgo has produced a work that not only tells yet another untold story of the war but one which has shaped his life too.
One for independent readers wanting something different, compelling and utterly readable.
Barbara Braxton

A boy called BAT by Elana K. Arnold

Ill. by Charles Santose. Walden Pond, 2018. ISBN 9780062445834
Highly recommended. Bixby Alexander Tam, known to those who know him as BAT because of his initials, his love of animals and the way his arms and hands flap when he gets excited, prefers life to be logical, predictable, routine and without surprises. He's not good with noise (so wears his sister Janie's earmuffs often), doesn't like the mushy texture of some foods, is sensitive to the feel of fabrics on his skin and finds it difficult to make eye contact and hold casual conversations. Clearly, to even a non-teacher who doesn't know the signs of being on the autism spectrum, this is a little boy with special needs. But Bat is not unhappy or frustrated - his mum, sister and teacher are sensitive to his needs, his peers seem to accept him for who he is, and although his father, whom he stays with "every-other-Friday" seems to struggle a little with his non-sporty son, generally Bat is content and just gets on with things. But when his mum, a vet, brings home a newborn skunk that needs special care, Bat comes into his own, devoting his life to caring for the kit and planning how he will be able to keep it and care for it beyond the initial few weeks before the local wildlife refuge can take over. He needs to show his mum that he is responsible and committed enough, even contacting a skunk expert for advice.
This is an engaging story that shows the reader the world through Bat's eyes but which is not patronising, sentimental or emotional. Bat's autism adds a different and interesting perspective to the relationships between the characters but the concept of an eight-year-old taking care of an orphaned animal and hoping to keep it longer is a story that could be about any young person. I believe that all children should be able to read about themselves in stories, and those about autistic children are rare, so this one which has such a solid, familiar storyline so every reader can relate to it while learning about the world through unfamiliar eyes, is a must-have.
Its sequel Bat and the Waiting Game is also available in hardcover.
Barbara Braxton

Boy underwater by Adam Baron

HarperCollins, 2018. ISBN 9780008267018
(Age: Independent reader) Recommended. Cymbeline Igloo is nine years old, is the third-best footballer in Year 4 (joint), second best at roller-skating. Even though he has only one parent while his friends have two or even four, he is fit, healthy and totally normal in every way. Yet, despite living in Lewisham in south-east London he has never been swimming. His mum has never taken him near a pool, a lake, a river, the seaside - always brushing away his request with seemingly plausible excuses.
So when his teacher says that the class will be starting swimming lessons the following Monday, Cymbeline is somewhat daunted. He doesn't even own a pair of swimmers! But encouraged by his best friend Lance (named after the disgraced cyclist) and goaded by the class bully Billy, he agrees to a race against Billy in the pool. Naturally, things end very badly for Cymbeline, not the least of which is losing the swimmers he found in his dad's things in the attic, but it is the response of his mother who is called to the pool that is the most startling of all.
As a result of this incident, she ends up in a psychiatric hospital taking Cymbeline's beloved soft toy Mr Fluffy with her. And Cymbeline is forced to stay with his rich Aunt Millie and Uncle Chris , to whom he is a burden, and cousins Juniper and Clayton who make it clear they want nothing to do with him. Totally alone, his mother hospitalised and not well enough to see him, and no cuddly toy to take to bed to comfort him, Cymbeline is bewildered and scared but determined to find out what is wrong with his mum to have had such an extreme reaction. Surely the world seeing his willy isn't enough to provoke such a response. And why has she taken Mr Fluffy? Befriended by super-smart Veronique and even Billy, who has his own issues at home, Cymbeline is determined to get to the bottom of things. And when he does, it becomes clear that adults really should paint the whole picture when they tell a child something big, not just the bits they think the child can handle. Sometimes honesty can prevent a lot of heartache - the child isn't left to fill the gaps with their own, often wild, imagination.
Written in the first-person in a voice that really echoes that of a 9-year-old boy, this is a story that will engage the independent reader with a storyline that has some meat to it and is totally credible. Even though it deals with some heavy-duty issues, this is done with a light hand, humour and empathy, providing an insight into the lives of some of the children in our care that we might not always see. Families falling apart for whatever reason is a common story, sadly, and it's not always the teacher, in this case Mrs Phillips, who is the confidante. Many children, like Cymbeline, are carrying unseen burdens.
For me, a quality novel is one that engages me to the end and I can hear myself either reading it aloud to students or book-talking it. Boy Underwater is indeed, one of those.
Barbara Braxton

Play this book by Jessica Young and Daniel Wiseman

Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781681195063
Seven instruments sit alone on a stage - guitar, keyboard, saxophone, trombone, drum, maracas and cymbals - waiting to be played so there can be a show. But without the reader lending a hand, there can be no band. And so how to play each instrument and the sound it makes becomes the focus of this interactive book featuring lots of different children introducing each instrument. By the end of the story, all the instruments have been tested and are brought together in a grand cacophony of sound appreciated by the audience.
This is a wonderful opportunity to acquaint young readers with some common musical instruments and the invitation for them to "play" them will be irresistible. Interactive in a similar fashion to the Herve Tullet books like Press Here, this one will engage very young readers as they return to it again and again.
The importance of music in a child's life cannot be underestimated and is encapsulated in this research from the University of Canberra so Play this Book would be an important addition to your early music teaching resources. A natural follow-on would be Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf supported by Energy in the Air: Sounds of the Orchestra. To round out the experience, Birdsong by Ellie Sandall gives the children the opportunity to make their own music by using their voices and their bodies!
As is proclaimed in another classic, "Let the wild rumpus start!"
Barbara Braxton

Sleep by Kate Prendergast

Old Barn Books, 2018. ISBN 9781910646229
(Ages: 3+) Recommended. Themes: Sleep, Dreaming, Night time. A picture book telling younger readers about how animals sleep is a lovely book to use at the end of the day to get children ready for bed, a quiet time to relax with an information book before bed time. Its soft illustrations showing a range of animals and how they sleep will show younger children that they are part of the animal kingdom, and like all others, need their sleep. Sleep is a natural part of the activities of the day, and each animal has some sleep to revitalise themselves. Each animal models sleeping behaviour, some sleep in groups, some alone, and some for only a few minutes each day. Most children will be aware of their pets sleep patterns and be able to tell each other how long their dog or cat sleeps, and then widen the conversation to include other animals they may know of. The book allows for younger readers to share the information and wonder at the facts given to them in boxes at the end of the book, reiterating what has been seen in the brief lines and soft illustrations already looked at.
This is a warm inviting look at animals and their sleep patterns, hugely valuable to use at night to model sleep behaviour but will also intrigue readers with the depth of information given in so few words.
Fran Knight

Finch by Penny Matthews

Walker Books, 2018, ISBN 9781760650759
(Ages: 9-12) Highly recommended. Themes: Moving House, Country Life, Birds, Individuality. Finch by Penny Matthews is a beautifully written coming of age novel, weaving themes of individuality, self-perception, family hardship, the rigours of country life with an emotional environmental message. Her main character Audrey's journey is poignant, sensitively portrayed and her voice will resonate with readers stepping into their teenage years, filled with uncertainty, questioning friendships and fitting in with their peers.
Moving to a hobby farm in the country fills Audrey with dread, she fears the unknown, a new school, making friends and settling into an unfamiliar environment. Her father and younger sister's excitement and acceptance of the change is at odds with her mother's feelings and her own. Her mother had been the breadwinner in the city working as a legal secretary and isn't excited by their tree change. Chloe calls her older sister 'Nerd Girl'; she's quieter, more interested in studying birds researching their scientific names and features and caring for her pet finches, than all things girly.
Late at night Audrey observes a little dog moving through their property, and no-one else notices him. She asks their old neighbour Mavis about the mysterious dog but she has no knowledge of the small animal. While Chloe loves the new school and quickly makes friends, Audrey is more cautious. Her Year 7 teacher Mr Scardino welcomes her; he shares her passion for natural sciences and humorously encourages her to try fitting in to rural life.
While her school and home life have its ups and downs, Audrey's forays into the surrounding bush brings her joy. She loves looking for and identifying native birds, and this leads her to discover a secret cave and a teenage boy who owns Snowy the dog. She finds a connection with Finch, who loves nature and has made his home here away from the dramas of life with his uncle.
When a heavy downpour floods the creek and cave, Audrey is worried and she reveals her friend's secret home and raises the alarm. The authorities unsuccessfully search for Finch and Snowy. Common threads and conversations with Mavis unravel to reveal secret connections. Through this difficult time, Audrey discovers an inner core of strength and a previously unknown sense of purpose.
Penny Matthews Finch is a rich and rewarding story, filled with hope, tinged with mystery and realistic characters that will resonate with middle school readers. She captures the heart of rural life, the reality of families struggling to find purpose and pulling together when times are tough.
Rhyllis Bignell