Wakefield Press, 2018. ISBN 9781862543232
(Age: Senior secondary - Adult) Highly recommended. Re-released for
the 25th anniversary of the trial, A case to answer is a
thorough and objective account of the first European war crimes
prosecution held in Australia - where a quiet elderly man in
Adelaide's suburbs was arrested for participation in the murder and
massacre of Jewish civilians in Serniki, a village in Nazi occupied
Ukraine.
Amidst political controversy, Australia enacted the War Crimes
Amendment Bill in 1988 allowing for the prosecution of European war
criminals on Australian soil. And the first case pursued was the
case of Ivan Polyukhovich, a Ukrainian forester who was accused of
collaborating with the Nazis to kill the Jewish population of
Serniki. David Bevan was a court reporter for The Advertiser at the
time, and his book is an impartial record of the prosecution and
defence - he does not argue a case either way, but carefully records
the issues that were encountered by both sides. The book becomes a
fascinating document about the collection of evidence and the
problems of prosecuting or defending charges made by witnesses from
another country, another culture and language, 50 years after the
crimes were committed.
Bevan describes how, after many months of investigation, prosecutor
Grant Niemann gradually realised the familiarity of the types of
issues he had encountered in arguing claims on behalf of Aboriginal
communities in the Northern Territory in the 1980s - problems of
cultural misunderstandings, and of concepts and language alien to
the white legal system. The Ukrainian witnesses in the war crime
case also belonged to an entirely different culture, an essentially
oral society. They were fearful of authority and did not understand
the procedures of the legal system. Particularly interesting are the
problems of translation - the nuances of language that could use the
male pronoun for child regardless of gender, where clothing is
described as dark or light-coloured rather than a specific colour
differentiation, where the term morning implies daylight rather than
the hours after midnight, different meanings for the concept
'knowing', and different ways of using yes or no in agreement with a
question. These are the kinds of issues discovered by learners of
other languages but not part of the experience of an essentially
monolingual society and legal system.
The book describes the many legal issues of what constitutes
evidence - issues of identification, issues of uncorroborated or
varying accounts, as well as the question of how to test the
evidence after a period of 50 years when many people had died and
most of the village had been destroyed during the war and rebuilt in
the following years. Both the prosecuting and defence teams
travelled to the Ukraine to uncover the massacre site and to check
witness accounts. So much work went into the case, in the pursuit of
justice. Whether justice could ever be achieved remains in question.
I would recommend this books for students of law, history, and of
language and culture studies. It is a fascinating record that raises
many questions for discussion.
Helen Eddy
Grandmas from Mars by Michelle Robinson
Ill. by Fred Blunt. Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2018. ISBN
9781408888766
(Age: 3-6) Themes: Martians. Grandparents. Fred and Nell's mother
and father leave for an evening meeting with Grandma in charge.
'Homework, a bath and in bed before eight,' are the simple
instructions. All across town parents also leave, with responsible
grandmas caring for their children. Unbeknown to the townsfolk,
their homes are under scrutiny from bright green Martians who hatch
a tricky plot. In a lightning fast beam, all the grannies are shot
into the air and replaced by multi-limbed green aliens.
At first Fred and Nell enjoy the silly instructions, staying up all
night, sliding down the bannisters and hovering over the chairs.
After the children realise their grandma has some unusual body
parts, they decide to run away. Mayhem occurs with all the Martians
chasing the little ones, crushing the cars and going bonkers. With a
special trick, Fred, Nell and the other children stop the Martian
Grans and save the day.
Michelle Robinson's madcap rhyming story is fun to read out loud,
complimented by Fred Blunt's lively, colourful illustrations. The
bold green aliens with their extra eyes and limbs, antennas and
silly expressions are humorous; youngsters will enjoy their actions
and viewing the trouble they wreak. Grandmas from Mars is just right
for junior primary students to model writing rhyming stories and
make predictions about a visit from the Grandpas from Mars.
Rhyllis Bignell
My best friend is a goldfish by Mark Lee
Ill. by Chris Jevons. Carolrhoda Books, 2018. ISBN
9781512426014
(Age: 4+) Theme: Friendship. The boy and his friend argue, and in
trying to find another best friend, he rejects them all, realising
that his former best friend is the one for him, but he must be more
patient and celebrate the fact that they are different.
He trials many other things as his best friend. First there is his
dog, Murphy. They howl at the police car, sniff everything together,
eat from the bowl on the floor, but when they go to the park, Murphy
wants to play with his real friends.
Then he trials Gus the cat, the hampster, Hercules, and the
goldfish, Fishy Robert. Finally he comes to work out that just as
cookies and milk are the same but different, they are still perfect
together, just as he and his friend are the same but different, but
still work as best friends.
Mark Lee has a few books to his credit and lives in New York, while
Chris Jevons began life as a cartoonist and lives in England. The
two forms work well together, Jevons' cartoon like characters please
the eye and compliment the spare words with ease.
Fran Knight
We come apart by Sarah Crossan and Brian Conaghan
David Fickling Books, 2018. ISBN 9781408878866
(Age: 14+) Themes: Families. Adolescents. Love. Survival. Prejudice.
Racism. Domestic violence. Jess and Nico meet during community
service. Jess has to deal with her dysfunctional and fractured
family and Nico feels trapped in a life he hasn't chosen and doesn't
want. Nico spots Jess and is instantly attracted but Jess has her
own problems and doesn't need any more complications in her life
right now.
I chose this book as a challenge to read a novel written in verse,
thinking it would be difficult. I am happily surprised how easy to
read and enjoyable it was. The story written in this way seems to
add more power to the words and gives you space to feel the full
impact.
Jess speaks honestly and with a bluntness common to her estate
English slang.
Nico speaks in broken English as a Romanian struggling with not only
the complexities of the language but also the added burden of the
local jargon.
This is not a happy story of love in an ideal world but of two
adolescents struggling with their lot in life, thinking they are
alone only to find strength in each other.
Joyce Crawford
Bush and beyond: Stories from Country by Tjalaminu Mia, Jessica Lister, Jaylon Tucker and Cheryl Kickett-Tucker
Fremantle Press, 2018. ISBN 9781925591132
Recommended. This collection of four stories is from the Waarda
series of Indigenous Stories and focuses on the importance of
spending time with Grandparents. The collection is perfect for
primary schools looking for books that support the teaching of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and culture.
The first and second story in this collection 'Bush Secrets' and
'Yippee! Summer Holidays' feature a brother and sister duo Debbie
and Billy. The children are looking forward to Dada Keen (their
Grandfather) coming to stay from the city. Their life is simple and
fun - they live in a small bush community. Debbie describes the
stories her Dada Keen and their walks together. What I loved most
about this is the way in which the authors teachers the reader about
the Noongar Tribes of Western Australia, even incorporating their
language. Dada Keen teaches Debbie and Billy about their heritage in
a simplistic but charming style. My only criticism is Debbie's
constant references to having and keeping secrets, which contrasted
with what I am currently teaching my class in their Child Protection
Curriculum lessons.
The third and fourth stories used even more of the Noongar language
and taught the reader some of the features of the Swan River,
Wheatbelt, Moora and north-east WA goldfields. All regions from the
Katanning area in WA originally inhabited by the Noongar people.
Both heavily narrative, one was about a little boy camping with his
family and the other was about Thuri (grandfather) taking his
grandsons on a bushwalk. The simple narration of what the flora and
fauna they come across, and the features of the land, was very easy
to read.
The collaborative authors belong to Indigenous groups from Western
Australia and have written teaching
notes to accompany this as well as all three books in
the series. There are two more collections Cyclones and Shadows
and Eagle, Crow and Emu which would greatly add to the AITSI
resources in any Australian school library. Another pleasant aspect
of these stories was that they are not Dreaming Stories but
narratives, and would be great as read-aloud chapter books that
celebrate culture and heritage of AITSI students during events such
as National Reconciliation Week.
Clare Thompson
Our birds by Siena Stubbs
Magabala Books, 2018. ISBN 9781925360981 Our Birds is the ideal book for any bird lover. It is all
about the birds of North East Arnhem Land and uses the photographs
taken by the author who was 12 at the time. Each bird is named in
English and Yolnu - the local Indigenous language - making it a
great way to connect with this ancient culture. It is also the
author's culture.
Readers will learn interesting facts about each bird and view
detailed photographs. Read about the Nerrk and its yellow crest or
the Bilitjpility and its beautiful colours. Did you know the Yolnu
people know when it is the season to hunt for Gurrunatji by
listening for its honk at night? Did you know the Nama' is related
to the pterodactyl?
The facts and personal connections to each bird are easy to read as
well as interesting and educational. Our Birds is a good
read as well as a way to observe Australian birds. It is also
inspirational for all young, budding writers and photographers,
making the book a great model for English and Science lessons.
Kylie Kempster
Clean by Juno Dawson
Hodder Children's Books, 2018. ISBN 9781786540362
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Lexie Volkov is many things, but she is not
a drug addict. Everyone does a little coke now and then, right?
That's normal for rich kids in London.
The first step to getting clean is admitting you have a problem. But
what if you don't have a problem? That's Lexie's question anyway,
after her brother kidnaps her and forces her into rehab on some
remote island. Stuck with a handful of misfits recovering from their
own illnesses and addictions, Lexie must play the game to get back
to her boyfriend, Kurt, and the sweet retreat of heroin. But with
each sober day, Lexie finds her outlook is changing and her
Kurt-centred life is no longer the same when there are girls dealing
with anorexia and eating disorders right beside her, and Brady, a
boy with a mysterious addiction no one talks about. Lexie is no
stranger to therapy and determined to give nothing away - nothing
that matters anyway. They talk about her family and status, but
Lexie carefully avoids school, something Goldstein eventually picks
up on. Something that might explain Lexie's drug habit. With the
death of a patient after drugs were smuggled into the facility Lexie
and Brady are drawn closer together. It seems a relationship is
blooming, or are they simply using one another as a crutch on the
road to recovery? Soon secrets spill out and everything changes.
Kids are always taught (rightly) to "say no to drugs"; however,
there is often an experimentation period and it is important that
they know the consequences of their actions. This is one of the
things which Clean does well. It shows how easy it is to not
know you're suffering from an addiction (be it drugs or otherwise)
and how simple it can be to get caught up in the crowd. I would
recommend this novel for people fourteen and up.
Kayla Gaskell
In search of us by Ava Dellaira
Hot Key Books, 2018. ISBN 9781471406515
(Age: 14+) Recommended. This book tells the story of Marilyn and
Angie, mother and daughter who have only had each other as Angie's
father died before she was born. Marilyn can't talk about Angie's
father without getting sad and teary about it so Angie is reluctant
to ask her mum to talk about him. Angie has always longed to know
more about her father who is African American as she takes after him
in looks rather than her fair skinned mother.
Life in their single parent household is happy, but not without its
struggles and Marilyn spends her days working and spending her free
time with Angie. Angie has a boyfriend Sam and they are well suited
however there is something stopping Angie from telling Sam that she
loves him and it causes tension in their relationship. One day Angie
accidentally finds a photo from years ago of her mum and a boy who
she knows instantly is her father. The image consumes her but she
knows she can't talk to her mother about it and so starts her quest
to find out more.
The story swaps between Marilyn and Angie and it all ties in nicely
to show the reader how a series of events and life paths end up
tying together the pieces of Angie's quest to find out more about
her father, the missing puzzle piece in her life. It is interesting
to see the very different ways Marilyn's mum Sylvie and Marilyn
parent given they were bought up in similar circumstances.
This story explores the relationships and bonds between mothers and
daughters and the way our actions impact others. Other strong
relationship themes in this story are those between families and
those between girlfriend and boyfriend.
I would recommend this story to ages 14+.
Gerri Mills
Dingo by Claire Saxby
Ill. by Tannya Harricks. Nature Storybooks. Walker Books
Australia, 2018. ISBN 9781925381283
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended. Subjects: Dingoes, Australian animals.
Author Claire Saxby's Dingo is her fourth beautifully
crafted picture book in the award-winning Nature Storybooks
series from Walker Books. Dingo's familiar two layered text
includes her emotional, sensory narrative and her expository writing
explores the lives of a mother dingo's life with her nine-week old
pups. Each is delineated by a distinctive font allowing the reading
audience to interact and engage with both the story and the
information. Can you see her? From this first sentence, the world of the
mother dingo unfolds. With alliterative phrasing and sensory
expressions - pointed ears twitching, her nose snuffing and tawny
eyes flashing Saxby brings the dingo to life, while the factual text
is written in an easy to read style with information accessible for
younger learners as well.
Mother dingo leaves her den at dusk in search of food for her newly
weaned pups. She passes a mob of kangaroos grazing, then climbs to
the highest rocks, snuffing into the wind, her sense of smell up to
a hundred times better than humans. The night is young and there
is hunting to be done.
Award-winning visual artist Tannya Harricks captures the natural
beauty of the Australian landscape and the wild dingo's habitat with
her expressive oil painting illustrations. The bold broad brush
strokes and richly layered colour palette seamlessly bring Saxby's
descriptions to life. Dingo is both an entertaining and informative non-fiction
narrative exploring the life cycle, diet, habitat, natural
adaptations of this top-order predator. This is an excellent
resource suitable for Early Years' students researching STEM and
HASS topics and for writing information reports.
Rhyllis Bignell
Missing by Sue Whiting
Walker Books, 2018, ISBN 9781760650032
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. Themes: Missing persons, Panama,
Rainforests, Family Life. Missing is a frank, emotionally
heartfelt teen novel that explores the impact of a mother's
disappearance wreaks on a family. Mackenzie da Luca's is preparing
for her Year 6 graduation, looking forward to her mother, a bat
biologist returning from a trip to Boquete in Panama in time to buy
her a special dress. Each chapter begins with a portent, a moment in
time for Mackenzie, changing from past to present, a place and a
countdown, eg: Now
25 March, Boquete, Panama
Missing 117 days
Whiting's passionate story is driven by an intensity that drives
each character. Mackenzie's father still reeling from his wife's
uncertain fate, drags his daughter from her bed in the early morning
secretly takes them to the airport for a long and arduous journey.
Her Nan is equally determined, she wants closure, a memorial service
to honour her daughter Maggie and for her granddaughter and
son-in-law to move forward in their lives. Theirs is the tragic
reality of the unknown. Dad becomes dangerously ill with typhoid and
Mackenzie and her new friend Carlo are forced to continue to canvas
the townsfolk, searching for anyone who has sighted the missing
biologist. A postcard supposedly sent by her mother and the last
messages and photos from a parade in Boquete help Mackenzie struggle
with her despair. She desperately hangs onto anything to believe
that her mother is still alive; then resourcefully and courageously
journeys up into the mountains and into the dense rainforest in
search of answers.
What a driven narrative, Whiting keeps the tension at a high level
throughout, adding past reminiscences, lighter moments, Carlo's
secret tortilla business, to balance the sadder notes.
Richly descriptive, Whiting bring the town of Boquete, the sights,
sounds, animals and experiences of the jungle and landscape to life.
As we are drawn to the ultimate revelation, there is both a
sensitivity and a reality shown in Mackenzie's emotional
experiences. She has a dogged belief her mum is in the witness
protection program, then explodes with fury when faced with the
truth. Missing is a powerful story, demanding, confronting
at times, one that will resonate long after the reader has finished.
Rhyllis Bignell
Catastrophe Girl : The pie thief mystery by Diane Harding
Little Steps Publishing, 2018, 128 pages; paperback. ISBN
9781925545579
(Age: Lower/Middle Primary) Catrina (or Cat) has secret powers. She
only has to whisper a few magic words and she turns into a super
hero. Her power is in the ability to save people from catastrophic
situations without them noticing that she has even moved, in
lightening quick time. When she finds out there has been a pie thief
at the school canteen, Cat goes into superhero mode to save the day.
But . . . uh - oh! Cat forgets what the magic words are, how can she
save the day without her super powers?
The way this novel follows a very basic structure; beginning,
middle, (containing the complication and solution) and ending would
be good if used for teaching the beginnings of creating a recount.
Parts of the book were quite funny, and increasingly silly as Cat
gets into more and more mess trying to remember the secret words to
make her magic happen.
The novel is broke up into short 2 - 3 page chapters, and is dotted
with clever comic-like illustrations. The number of unbelievable
scenarios Cat finds herself in will entertain a young reader, but
those with a longer attention span will find this one hard to read
as, in parts, it felt like a collection of shorter disjointed
stories collated as one. I felt like I was reading a Year 3 recount.
While the length and simplicity of the sentences would be good for a
student who is on a lower reading level, the text was not
complicated enough to appeal to most 7/8 year olds. It is the
beginning of a series, so those who enjoy it can read more about
Catastrophe Girl in 2018.
Clare Thompson
Stratification by Ilsa Evans
Harbour Publishing House, 2018. ISBN 9781922134356
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. Stratification reads like a
cross between The hunger games, The crossing, and The
handmaid's tale, with a bit of fantasy thrown in.
A nuclear conflict has resulted in the destruction of most of the
world, the only survivors being those who sheltered beneath the
shield, a device constructed by a paranoid billionaire, a
billionaire who fancied himself a god. Everyone under the shield,
once of age, by law, must spend a year travelling. However, this
isn't the case for Grady Pryndot, who, as much as she'd love to,
won't be leaving her home town of Kale. Set to become the next Seer,
Grady is too important to risk, and must continue her lessons with
the demi-god Rainus.
But plans change with an unexpected collection and the revelation of
Grady's gift. By mistake, Grady's friend Layton is taken, and, in a
moment, everything changes. Rainus and Pryn are now desperate to get
Grady and the other young people away before anyone learns that
Layton isn't gifted. Grady's prayers for travel have been granted,
but at what cost? Distressed at Layton's removal, Grady is
determined to go after her friend and keep her safe from the god's
wrath. With the help of Dex, Mia, and Maddox, she must make it to
Harbourtown to rescue Layton, and remain unnoticed. But what will
happen when Grady enters the lion's den? Why was it so important
that she stay safe and hidden in Kale? And who is Koel and why is he
looking at her as if he recognises her?
In some places terrifying, in others, adventurous, this YA dystopia
is engrossing. It discusses problems with a power-centred world and
introduces Marxist ideas within a fantasy context. I would highly
recommend the novel to people twelve and up who enjoy dystopia.
Kayla Gaskell
Nganga: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander words and phrases by Aunty Fay Muir and Sue Lawson
Black Dog Books, 2018. ISBN 9781921977015
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. Nganga is translated as 'to see and
understand'. The book presents an alphabetical list of words and
phrases to do with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture or
related issues. Many are words encountered in everyday life but
perhaps without being able to give a good explanation - for example,
the difference between Aboriginal, aborigine, and Indigenous.
The book explains words such as songlines, sorry business,
cleverman, skin names, moiety and totem but also provides historical
context for colonialism, assimilation, Aboriginal Protection Board,
NAIDOC, terra nullius and native title. Do you know what a waddy is,
or a yidaki, or a scar tree? The explanations are concise and easy
to understand, and the print is well-spaced so is suitable for
younger as well as older readers.
It is a simple little book, easy to pick up and read something
interesting, or as a reference for school studies. It includes 'see'
references for related terms. I would recommend this book for all
school libraries, particularly as we celebrate National Reconciliation Week,
or NAIDOC Week, but also as a useful reference for Aboriginal
perspectives across the curriculum.
Helen Eddy
The incredible Oik the crab by James Nott
Little Steps Publishing, 2018. ISBN 9781925545302
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Oik the crab lives on the Great
Barrier Reef and he is cheeky. Actually, Oik is rude! He teases a
sea slug, is rude to a clownfish and ignores a lionfish. Oik's mum
and dad are not happy. They remind Oik to be kind to the other sea
creatures or he will not have any friends. Before you know it, Oik
insults a seahorse and makes a threat. Mother crab is shocked and
Oik is grounded. It is time for the adult crabs to migrate and Oik
is left on his own. His mum and dad hope this will make Oik change.
A freak accident causes Oik to lose an arm. Will this accident help
Oik see how mean he has been? Will it help him change his behaviour?
The incredible Oik the crab is a lovely story about treating
others well. Each chapter sees Oik changing and becoming a better
crab. Readers will see other sea creatures wanting to help Oik
instead of avoid him. The story also informs readers of the repair
and action needed to support the health of the Great Barrier Reef. The incredible Oik the crab is packed full of positive themes
and ideas. It is a great first chapter book and its large format,
hard cover and colourful illustrations make it a rather special
addition to any library. It would make an excellent read aloud or
bedtime story, offering many discussion points including how to
treat others, believing in yourself and everyone is responsible for
the environment in a small or large way. The descriptive language
and character descriptions would also be good for reading in the
classroom during Child protection lessons, Health, Science,
Geography or English. This story is highly recommended for readers
aged 4+ with an adult and independent readers aged 8+.
Kylie Kempster
Please don't cry by Natalie Mooney
Little Steps Publishing, 2018. ISBN 9781925545678
(Age: 0-5) Highly recommended. Please don't cry is a
lullaby, great for reading to young children at bedtime. The rhyming
text is calming and the illustrations are bright and detailed.
Children and their carers can see how different families get their
children ready for bed. They can also look at all of the different
types of beds that can be used when it is time for sleep.
The rhyming text of Please con't cry creates a soothing
rhythm and children and their parents could sing the lullaby
together. What a great bedtime routine! The rhythm of the text is
reminiscent of other lullabies, making it a lovely keepsake book and
maybe even a new tradition.
Each illustration is a wealth of new vocabulary for children. They
can be encouraged to describe places to sleep, dragons and dinosaurs
and more. They can discuss the feelings of each child in each
picture. This story will help create a magical bedtime routine and
is highly recommended for children from birth to 5 years. The
rhyming pattern could also be investigated in early primary as
children learn about words that rhyme.
Kylie Kempster
