Peat Island, dreaming and desecration by Adrian Mitchell
Wakefield Press, 2018. ISBN 9781743055502
(Age: Adult) This is a sorry story of the history of the institution
for the mentally ill, on Peat Island, in the lower Hawkesbury, just
north of Sydney. Mitchell begins his account with the dispersal of
the Darkinjung people, original inhabitants of the island, and then
describes how this place of beauty became a place of ugliness - a
holding place, originally for alcoholics and drunks, and then for
the handicapped and mentally ill, identified under the Mental
Defectives Act, 1926. The concept behind the act was grounded in the
theory of eugenics - weeding out from society the subnormal, the
people who weakened the moral and political fibre of the nation.
The institution included children, and it is horrible to contemplate
what happened to them. Mitchell collects what is available of the
evidence on record, and presents it for us to fit together for
ourselves the stories behind the sparse words that are collected -
the caging of a child, drownings, deaths, filth, disease, tortuous
removal of fingernails. People were locked together with no
possibility of freedom, hidden away from view on an island only
approached by boat.
Whilst some of the plans for the island were well intentioned, not
many came to fruition, and no-one was held accountable for what went
on there. The people were forgotten inmates.
Over years policies change, and Peat Island eventually became a
happier place. In recording the history, the book reveals many of
the dilemmas that are still argued today, of institutional treatment
vs community programs, and how to best care for people with
disabilities or mental issues.
Helen Eddy
The Invasion by Peadar O'Guilin
The Grey Land Book 2. David Fickling Books, 2018. ISBN
9781910989647
(Age: Young Adult) Recommended. In this world, teenagers are trained
for the most horrible three seconds of their lives, the Call. When
Called you must survive three minutes in the Sidhe's territory, the
enemy of Ireland. Beautiful and distorted beings capable of molding
you into whatever they so desire, so don't get caught. They all come
back from the Call of course, but not always alive or in the same
physical state they left in. And there is one rule you must always
remember, don't make a deal with the enemy. Or you are a traitor to
the Nation. After they thought the danger was over, Nessa and Anto
thought they would finally be able to live a happy and quiet life.
But with the Side invasion becoming more and more prominent, the
government starts tracking down suspected traitors to the Nation.
Nessa is one of them. Nessa and Anto are denied their happy reunion,
and the only thing keeping them going is the thought of seeing each
other again. Nessa must fight against being branded as a traitor and
survive while trying to stop the invasion of Ireland. While Anto is
shipped off to join a militia made to stop the magic of the Sidhe
from spreading.
Will Nessa be able to survive long enough to see Anto again, and
will Anto be able to find her?
This story is a compelling sequel to the first book in this series The
Call. In the first few chapters it does well to recap the
story so far and set up the events that will follow. Each chapter is
also split into three character's perspectives, which made the flow
of the story suspenseful and engaging. The world that Peadar has
created is a modern-day Ireland being attacked by the Sidhe enemy.
And the interactions between the real world and the Sidhe are action
packed and fast paced. There was never a dull moment, and it kept me
on my feet the whole time trying to guess what's going to happen
next.
I would recommend this to young adults readers and above.
Kayla Raphael
The King with dirty feet by Sally Pomme Clayton
Ill. by Rhiannon Sanderson. Otto-Barry, 2018. ISBN 9781910959237
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended. Themes: Fable, India, Problem solving.
When the king decides to take a bath, everyone is impressed, because
this is a task he rarely undertakes. He cleans his teeth, scrubs his
body and washes his hair but when he gets out of the river his feet
remain dusty and dirty. He is appalled, and tells his servant, Gabu,
that he must find a way of allowing his feet to retain their
cleanliness on pain of death. he has three days to solve the king's
problem, before he loses his head.
Gabu tries several different ways of keeping the dust in the country
down, but to no avail, it takes an old cobbler to come up with an
idea, one that the population takes to with relish.
This is a charring take on an old Indian folktale called The King
and the cobbler, and has been rewritten many times.
The bold illustrations using mixed media and photoshop will entrance
younger readers as their eyes dance across the scenes of Indian
life, with its array of animals, people and houses. Readers will
love working out what other things the king can do to keep his feet
clean, remarking on how clean their own feet are and what they do to
wash them.
Apart from the beautifully resolved folktale and the problem solving
idea it contains, the book could well be used in a class where
personal hygiene is under discussion, the story lending itself to an
awareness of the children's feet.
Fran Knight
Messy Weird! by Ahn Do
Ill. by Jules Faber. WeirDo book 10. Scholastic, 2018. ISBN
9781742768045
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Themes: Moving House, Family Life, Humour. Messy
Weird continues the fun and craziness of the Do family's life.
They have moved into an awesome but messy house with a wild jungle
of a backyard. 'It's bananas,' comments Weir as there are boxes
everywhere and loads of cleaning up to do. Banana yellow is the
colour focus, with bright yellow backgrounds, a fun lenticular cover
and creative and colourful font sizes and styles. The yellow text
blends into the white pages making it difficult to access for
readers with vision difficulties.
With Mother's Day only a few days away, Weir comes up with a
fantastic idea. With his friends Bella and Henry they offer to clean
up the house and yard for pocket money to buy special presents for
their mothers. Early next morning with Dad, Mum and his siblings out
shopping, Grandpa is left in charge of the eager cleaners. Of course
he immediately falls asleep in his recliner and the trio are left to
do the washing. With a whole box of washing powder added, they set
the dial to Disgustingly Filthy and move on to the vacuuming. Every
task they undertake results in problems and all three children
discover just how much work is involved in housework. Ahn Do's
humourous cartoons show the fun and problems Bella, Henry and Weir
encounter, bubbles everywhere whilst washing the dishes, Bella's
topiary bird, Grandpa's slide on the slippery dip and the discovery
of directions to pirate treasure.
Along the way there are plenty of jokes, laughs, ideas for drawing
and a near explosion from the soapsuds in the washing machine. The Weirdo
series are just right for readers beginning chapter books and for
reluctant readers. This is another winner for Ahn Do, fans of the Weirdo
series will find Messy Weird entertaining.
Rhyllis Bignell
Carmichael's journey by Shelly Fussell
Ill. by Samantha Metcalfe. Little Steps Publishing, 2018. ISBN
9781925545692
(Age: 4+) Themes: Environment, Conservation, Native birds,
Cockatoos, Loss of habitat. An earnest look at the plight of the
Carnaby's Cockatoo is revealed in this picture book telling of its
reduced habitat. We follow the birth of a young chick, secure in its
nest in the tall trees, having its mother stay with it while its
father goes away for food. But we learn that his journey takes
longer and longer to find the food for his family, and when
Carmichael and his parents leave for the summer to go to their
traditional feeding grounds by the sea, they fill up on nuts and
seeds and grasses. But on their return to where Carmichael was born
they find that their trees have been chopped down, the land is clear
of woods, other birds are looking for a foothold. The family, now
only two after the male is hit by a truck, eventually finds a place
to stay but the lesson is there for all readers to absorb, that we
are destroying the habitat of these magnificent birds. Throughout
the story, embedded in the text, are facts which children will love
to pick up about the cockatoos, their habitat and habits.
The end of the book has a dedication to the volunteers who look out
for these animals, and play a place in rescuing them, and the last
page gives the reader a more scientific outline to the plight of the
Carnaby's Cockatoo.
The illustrations show the cockatoos in their environment using an
almost naive style, but the drawings of the people are not as
successfully depicted.
Fran Knight
Small spaces by Sarah Epstein
Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781921877381
(Age: senior secondary - adult) Highly recommended. Themes:
Psychological thriller, young adult, contemporary, mental health and
trauma. Small Spaces follow the journey of Tash Carmody, a
traumatised teen with memories that haunt her from the carnival she
attended as a young girl. She watched her friend Mallory Fisher get
lured away by her grisly imaginary friend we know as Sparrow. At the
time of Mallory's disappearance nobody believed of Sparrow's
existence and people forced Tash to believe he isn't real. After
Tash's parents force her to see several psychologists and
psychiatrists her friend Sadie, the edgy lesbian, helps calm Tash
down when she starts to have anxiety attacks by reasoning with her.
However, Sadie doesn't know everything as Tash is scared Sadie will
think she's crazy. After Mallory's disappearance the Fishers moved
away for many years, hoping for a fresh start. Tash was doing
better, but when the Fishers start to miss their country town and
come back home to Port Phillip, it causes everything Tash worked
towards to come crashing down. Tash's memories of the carnival come
flooding back and Sparrow is slowly starting to appear again. Tash's
aunty also suddenly pops into her life again and offers her to come
around to the family house, where she first encountered Sparrow as a
young girl. Accepting this offer Tash believes she may find some
closure to Sparrows' existence. Mallory's older brother, Morgan,
also starts to take an interest in Tash; she realises that he
provides not only a welcomed distraction but a way to get closer to
Mallory. Mallory now being a mute since the week she went missing,
Tash realises the key to finding out what links their dark past is
Mallory and hearing what really happened to her. Will Tash finally
get the closure she craves to live a normal life? Does Sparrow even
exist? or is Tash far more dangerous other people then she really
thinks?
Similar reads to Small Spaces would be White Rabbit, Red
Wolf by Rom Pollock and The Tribe 2: The
disappearance of Ember Crow by Ambelin Kwaymullina.
Emily V. (Student)
Forgetting Foster by Dianne Touchell
Allen and Unwin, 2018. ISBN 9781760110796
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Themes: Memory, Memory Loss, Family,
Mental health. Dementia or early-onset Alzheimer's disease is
extremely distressing. In this beautiful book, full of pathos and
pain, we enter young Foster's world as his very young father, a
successful businessman, creative story teller and trusted and caring
father, slides down the steep slope of dementia, dropping memories
and certainty along the way as he slides into the abyss of
forgetfulness. In the process, Foster too (aged just 7 when we meet
him), also seems to be left behind and forgotten. But the reader
hears his voice and his pain as he grapples with losing the man he
loves and admires, and watches as he copes with the torment of his
changed family dynamics. The poignant naivete of Foster's
understanding is counterbalanced with the tortured grief responses
and uncertainty of his mother as she deals with the confused man
that her husband is becoming. (Her own historical recovery from a
brain injury following a car accident is an aching counterpoint to
the dementia slide). Everyone in this story is in pain, and their
ability to cope with the rapidity of change is challenged at every
turn. You cannot read this book without having sympathy for all the
characters. The older protagonists have their own struggles, and
sadly they do not have the emotional reserves to understand Foster's
hidden distress that the reader is experiencing with him!
Having a personal experience of a family member with some dementia
symptoms (albeit much older than Foster's father) and knowing of
people who have had early-onset Alzheimer's and who still had
dependent children, this book carried an extra layer of pathos. But
the impact of the story would be powerful without any personal
connections or experience, as every young reader will recognise the
pain of being ignored and will connect to their younger selves
through seeing the story through Foster's eyes. There are moments of
humour, but the experience is almost painful . . . like laughing
when you have wounded yourself.
This book is highly recommended and could be used for Senior
Secondary students, despite its very young main character and
simplicity. The perspective of the young naive voice could allow
this to work as a powerful paired text with books like: The Boy
in Striped Pyjamas, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the
Night-time, and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.
But it would also be good to consider the story's perspective from
the adult viewpoint and compare the powerful story of 'forgetting'
in Still Alice (book or movie).
Highly recommended for ages 14+. Note some maturity required,
because the topic is tragic.
Carolyn Hull
Two sisters by Asne Seierstad
Little, Brown, 2018. ISBN 9780349009049
(Age: Senior secondary) Highly recommended. Two Sisters is a
compelling read which fascinated me from the moment I read the first
paragraph. Not only is Asne Seierstad's book an enticing piece of
literature but it's partnered with realism and a form of education
based around the territory of the Islamic State, extremism and the
fear of radicalisation in the human population. Choosing this book,
my initial thoughts were that it'd only be an interpretation, a
fictional story of the journey to join Islamic State. This was until
I found out that Asne Seierstad is not only an author but a
freelance journalist with over two decades of war correspondence
under her belt who partnered up with the support of the Juma family
which this story is based on and I realised my assumptions of this
book, its narrative and the author couldn't have been more wrong.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Two Sisters simply because I
was able to understand and become informed of a family whose life
has been changed since these two sisters, two daughters, friends and
family members chose to leave their life in Norway on the 17th of
October 2013, to join the Islamic State in war stricken Syria to
help Muslim people who have become under attack and in need of
critical aid. Reading this book, something clicked in my brain, if
you have the ability to help someone, then why wouldn't you help?
Maybe the fear of being hurt yourself is what sets human beings back
but the strength and utmost bravery these two girls have is
admirable and understanding this from a report of sorts is what kept
me reading. Asne Seierstad has created an intense, enticing and
furthermore investigative book, one that has sparked questions and
conversation within myself but internationally to all people who
read this piece.
I highly recommend Two Sisters by Asne Seierstad and am
looking forward to reading more of Asne's work in the future.
Rylee Bogisch (Student)
Never lose hope by Mark Wilson
Lothian, 2018. ISBN 9780734416797
(Age: 5+) Recommended. Themes: Convicts, Sydney Cove, Education,
Australian history. Subtitled, The story of Australia's first
school, this evocatively illustrated picture book about the
early years of convict settlement in New South Wales, shows younger
readers the efforts of one woman, Isabella Rosson, bringing the most
basic of education to the children in the colony at Sydney Cove.
Using the colonial paintings of John Glover and Thomas Watling as a
guide, Wilson presents a view of early life in Sydney Cove that will
be easily recognised by younger readers. In each of the paintings
life in this isolated place can be seen: men fishing with nets in
the stream, bark huts - their roofs held down by lengths of timber,
Rosson's horn book - a treasured possession, the soldiers, tents and
chains. Each detail brings the lives of these early settlers closer
to the audience, as they read of John Hudson, a young convict sent
to New South Wales for stealing a shirt, and now on the run again
after stealing bread in this starving colony. Isabella finds him and
takes him into her hut to feed him and give him a place to rest. He
sees her book, and gently turns the pages, returning to watch other
children come for their lessons, leaving flowers for her, until one
day he comes inside to be part of the class, until the soldiers
finally find him and he is caught.
Isabella tries to find the lad and help him, enlisting the help of
the Johnson family, Richard Johnson being the chaplain in the
colony, but they can do little except report that John has been sent
to Norfolk Island.
Wilson likes to imagine that the lad uses his newly found skills to
do well and survive in this new colony, setting up the farm that he
told Isabella about, using the phrase, "Never lose hope", as his
guide.
Within the illustrations Wilson includes pages from a diary showing
some more of the colony and how it works. Through the eyes of the
two convicts, Isabella and John readers will be able to extract some
feeling for people sent to this place of exile and how some people
made the best they could of being here.
The theme of hope is ever present in Wilson's latest tilt at
offering Australian history for younger readers and will be an asset
in a classroom, either as a teaching tool or read aloud, encouraging
readers to think about their experiences compared with John's and
how they may have coped in the early years of European settlement.
Fran Knight
The Most Marvellous Spelling Bee Mystery by Deborah Abela
Random House, 2018. ISBN 9780143786689
(Age: 8-12) Themes: Spelling, Competitions, Friendship, Mystery.
Triumphant India Wimple returns to Yungabila after winning the
Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Bee at the Sydney Opera House.
India overcame her self-doubt with the support of her family and
some spelling bee friends. When a special delivery letter is handed
to India at the whole town celebrations of her success, things are
about to change. India is invited to travel to London for the Most
Marvellous Spelling Bee along with champions from across the globe.
The whole town rallies together, even while suffering from a drought
to raise the finances for the Wimple family's trip.
Canadian champion Molly is accompanied by her rather selfish parents
who would rather promote their Beat Butts and Guts fitness program.
Peter and his grandpop travel from Wormwood in England and Rajish
Kapoor reunites with India as well. Their friendship and love of
spelling has been shared via letters rather than emails. The
contestants enjoy a wonderful afternoon meeting the Queen at
Buckingham Palace, even superior Summer seems to have settled down.
Unfortunately someone is out to sabotage the completion, The Kroft's
Dog Show hounds are let loose at the hotel, dangerous equipment
falls on to the stage and there is a fear the Spelling Bee will be
cancelled. India and her friends rally together, overcoming their
individual fears, while drawing on each other's strengths and with
the aid of some family members they discover who is behind the
disruptions.
Deborah Abela's The Most Marvellous Spelling Bee Mystery
shares positive themes of friendship, confidence, and personal
growth while she honestly explores different family dynamics, and
looks at the impact of asthma on a family. Read aloud to a middle
primary class, they will enjoy the quirky characters, solving the
mystery and Abela's celebration of the English language. Each
chapter heading begins with a spectacular, triumphant word, the part
of speech, meaning and use in a sentence as presented to a Spelling
Bee contestant. The reader learns that winning isn't everything,
just like the young contestants who discover something more
important.
Rhyllis Bignell
Simon Thorn and the Shark's Cave by Aimee Carter
Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408858059
(Age: 9-14) Recommended. Simon Thorn is an Animalgam which is a
secret race who can each shift into animal form. There are 5
Animalgam kingdoms, birds, insects, reptiles, mammals and the
underwater world.
Simon has a secret, he can shift into animals from any kingdom. He
has to keep this rare gift a secret, for the leaders of the five
kingdoms would destroy him. This is the third book in the series but
the first I have read, so it was a little confusing at times. The
author does her best to succinctly fill in past information from
previous novels but I recommend that the books are read in order to
gain a better understanding of the plot.
Each book is dedicated to a different world and this novel is set
underwater as the title suggests. Simon, his twin brother and other
shape shifters are grudgingly allowed to visit the underwater
kingdom.
Simon's evil grandfather, Orion is planning on taking over all the
kingdoms and needs the scattered pieces of a terrible weapon to
achieve his aim. One of the pieces is hidden in the underwater
world. Simon needs to find the piece before his grandfather but this
is difficult to do in the militant, guarded sea kingdom. Aimee
Carter has portrayed the underwater kingdom as being very regimented
with the creatures behaving like soldiers in the army and schools of
fish are compared to parading military.
These fantasy stories take the reader into different focus worlds,
where Simon has to face danger and solve difficult problems. He is a
young hero who has to overcome extreme odds, similar to Percy
Jackson in his mythical world.
Aimee Carter has written young adult novels before embarking on this
5 five book series. I would recommend these books to students aged
from 9 to 14 years.
Jane Moore
Blast off! by Shelly Unwin
Penguin Random House, 2018. ISBN 9780143785040
(Age: 4-8) Recommended. The front cover of this is deceiving as what
looks like a frivolous picture book is actually a fairly informative
romp through the solar system. The end papers show the planets of
the solar system and the sun in their relative positioning and the
factual information continues within the pages. Two kids and their
dog are headed off on a space adventure and we're invited on board
the rocket just in time for the countdown; "Let's climb aboard our
rocket ship and zoom off planet-bound". Facts are woven cleverly
through the well-written rhyming text ("Eight planets in the solar
system, spinning round and round") and both the pictures and the
accompanying text provide humour and light-heartedness. As the
rocket zooms along "Stand back!", one of the children shouts,
"Mercury is mega-hot and closest to the sun. You couldn't visit
Mercury, the heat would burn your bum!". We see that Let's bake
woofles is the title of the dog astronaut's book and the boy is busy
cooking bacon and eggs. At the bottom of each page are the planets
in order with an arrow showing which planet we are on now; along
with the endpapers this will orient readers to the layout of the
solar system. There are many details within the busy illustrations
for children to laugh at and enjoy. The last two pages have further
explanatory information about each planet as well as about the
Apollo 11 mission. For an interactive element and to encourage
rereading there are also two very well hidden aliens to find on each
page. Best of all, this is a fast-paced, rollicking journey through
the solar system that will inspire curiosity about outer space and
the planets within it.
Nicole Smith-Forrest
Dad by my side by Soosh
Hachette Australia, 2018. ISBN 9780734418739
(Age: 7+) Recommended. How many things do dads do for their
children? What games do they play? What stories do they read? How do
they make you smile when you are sad? Do you make your dad smile? In
the story Dad By My Side, the illustrator/author uses
gorgeous illustrations and simple descriptions to show just what
dads do for their children. The dad in this story puts on puppet
shows, comforts his daughter, calls when he is away, plays games and
gives cuddles. The daughter in this story helps her dad, comforts
him and cooks with him. In each illustration, the father seems as
big as a mountain, just the way all children see their father. He is
tender, caring, fun and thoughtful. Dad By My Side is a beautiful depiction of fathers and what
we do not always see them doing. This book cracks the stereotype of
fathers and what we think they do. It will make a great gift for
Father's Day (children can add a personal message) and is best read
out loud. The beautiful illustrations will create discussions,
making it good for the History curriculum in junior primary classes.
The vocabulary is appropriate for readers aged 7+ and is recommended
for readers of all ages (whether it is read to students, read
independently or read before bed).
Kylie Kempster
A stone for Sascha by Aaron Becker
Candlewick Press, 2018. ISBN 9780763665968
(Age: 6+) Themes: Grief. Death. Dogs. Imagination. History.
Caldecott Award winning author illustrator, Aaron Becker has
produced a magical story of the cycle of life. With the most amazing
digitally painted illustrations, detailed and encompassing, Becker
does not need words to show us a saddened young girl burying her pet
dog. Going on the family camping holiday is simply not the same
without him and she holds back when other children play happily in
the water. But she finds a smooth stone and hurling it up into the
sky, the stone reveals the history of the world through its journey
from being a piece of extruded rock, to a large monolith hauled onto
the hill top by a group of men, to the hand sized stone she now
finds in the water.
Over millennia we see the stone first thrust out of the earth, then
being used, first as a large standing stone, next as a smaller piece
in an Egyptian temple, then smaller still, a building block in a
statue of Buddha, then as the keystone in a bridge in China and
smaller still it is sculpted and sent to the Americas, where what is
left now lies near to the water's edge, a much smaller version of
itself.
The endpapers show a map of the world and trace the journey of the
stone through its various incarnations from large to small, through
Ethiopia and Mesopotamia, India, Burma, China then across the
Pacific Ocean to Honolulu to its final resting place where the girl
finds it on the western seaboard of North America. The maps show an
overview of the world's history sure to intrigue and delight younger
readers who will search out more information about the empires that
have risen only to fall and be replaced by another.
This is a surprise of a book, worth delving into, capturing readers'
imaginations as they put their own words to the pictures, build
their own timelines around the stone, and ponder the circle of life
as the stone keeps going on in one shape or other. There are so many
layers to this book, that it is hard to dwell on any one. But I love
the different forms of travel shown through the illustrations, and
the differing work done by the individuals shown, as well as their
costumes, and the few animals that pop up in the pages, quietly
watching the activities of the people and the stone, while the story
comes full circle, the stone finally at rest on the dog's grave.
Fran Knight
The lies they tell by Gillian French
HarperCollins, 2018. ISBN 9781460755808
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Themes: Mystery. Social class. Pearl Haskin
is convinced that her father had nothing to do with the fire that
killed the rich Garrison family. Blamed by the affluent summer
residents of Tenney's Harbor, her father once caretaker of the
Garrison's estate, is struggling to find work and stay sober.
Tristan Garrison is the only survivor of the tragedy and when he and
his friends come back she is determined to get to know them and try
and uncover what really happened that night. But there are dark
secrets and danger as she gets closer to the truth.
The difference in social class is marked in Tenney's Harbor, the
working class townies are separated from the privileged rich and
rarely mix socially. Pearl and her friends work at the club
frequented by the summer crowd, those very rich people who own
estates and sail in the bay. Pearl is a calm, gutsy young woman who
gradually gets to know Bridges, one of Tristan's inner group and
then Tristan, the sad lonely boy who has lost all his family. As she
goes out with them, she begins to uncover what happened that last
summer.
This is a tense, suspenseful mystery and the reader's heart will
pound in fear for Pearl as she investigates the nasty things that
occurred before the Garrison's death. There are lies and darkness
pervades the story. It is so well written that French managed to
keep me guessing right up until its very satisfying conclusion.
Fans of the mystery genre will love this book which is perfect for
those who liked One
of us is lying by Karen McManus and Small spaces
by Sarah Epstein.
Pat Pledger
