Something rotten - a fresh look at roadkill by Heather L. Montgomery
Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2018. ISBN 9781681199009
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Themes: Biology. Non-fiction [591.7] In this
easy-to-read memoir, Heather Montgomery investigates the impact of
roadkill, for the most part in the USA but also high profile
international cases such as the mysterious cancer decimating the
Tasmanian Devil population.
Through her personal interest, we are led to appreciate the unsung
work of those whose relationship to roadkill goes far beyond the
conversational style of this accomplished naturalist and educator.
We are introduced to experts who recycle roadkill for: research,
conservation, data collection, museum exhibits, zoo predators,
macabre art and even for human consumption. Montgomery raises our
awareness of both the value of specimens and the volume of data by
exploring methods of reducing the carnage as enthusiastically as her
own taxidermy skills.
But Montgomery's exposition is far more interesting because of her
own story. Each roadkill find links to data that sends us off on
each new tangent. We screw our noses up with her at the gross bits,
laugh or acknowledge what individuals and governments and
individuals are achieving. Her information always concludes with
potential action on some level. For instance, motorists are
littering less but are still throwing out biodegradable scraps. What
we thought we were recycling lures animals to rely on the hazardous
blacktop for food.
She teaches taxidermy in one chapter, visits a busy wildlife
hospital and rehab centre in another; and in another outlines the
engineering required for safe animal migration. One chapter hosts a
rogue taxidermist producing macabre art.
This handbook, like Heather's website
categorizes hundreds of footnotes and links to further information
and calls to action, as well the more traditional generic features
so essential for revisiting information: Index, Contents and
Annotated Bibliography. Kevin O'Malley's illustrations are light on,
but they consolidate and spark interest as do Montgomery's
footnotes, which always enrich the original tale.
You will be fascinated, even if you don't normally read non-fiction.
To sell biology, Montgomery has harnessed our curiosity using a
gross and thus sidestepped environmental impact of the world's roads
and highways.
Deborah Robins
Wakestone Hall by Judith Rossell
A Stella Montgomery Intrigue Book book 3. ABC Books, 2018,
ISBN: 9780733338205
(Age: 9-12) Highly recommended.Themes: Family, School Life, Mystery,
Belonging. Judith Rossell's marvellous magical Victorian series
comes to a conclusion with Wakestone Hall. She has captured the
hearts and minds of many young and older readers who have taken
Stella Montgomery to heart.
Orphan Stella Montgomery's life has been filled with tragedy, drama
and heartache. She has discovered new friends, learnt self-reliance
and discovered an inner magical self. Stella is packed off to
Wakestone Hall, her three aunts and her mother's former boarding
school. Here it is expected that she will learn to follow the
guidelines, live by the strict rules and become an obedient child.
Stella's unhappy and finds school life most difficult. There are so
many regulations, from no conversation after lights out and no
arising from their bed until morning. Late one night Stella rescues
a cat from the rooftops, and so begins a chain of events that leads
her down a different and dangerous path. Ottilie and Agapanthus the
two new girls assist Stella in releasing the cat and they become
secret friends. Miss Garnet the head-mistress, a strict
disciplinarian, is hiding a cruel secret that Stella needs to solve
as well. She wants to know more about her poor mother's history and
delves into her aunts' school life as well. Ottilie's mother has
disappeared and the young girl looks for clues on their school
excursions to the museum and gardens. When Ottilie is kidnapped by
the evil men from the Fair, Stella and Agapanthus step up to
investigate.
Their dangerous mission leads them behind the scenes at the
fairground, where they are chased by the evil Gabbro Brothers.
Stella and Agapanthus meet two young boys, scrappers who make a
living by searching the underground passages under the town looking
for anything that can be sold to make money. Through underground
passages, in slum apartments, driven by the need to find answers and
a sense of belonging, Stella and her friends learn resilience as
they rely on each other's' abilities.
Rossell's world-building is shaded with darkness and light,
beautifully written with powerful messages of hope, growing into
one's true self, belonging, acceptance and resilience. Her gorgeous
purple-toned illustrations and vignettes, bring the Victorian era
alive. Her evocative characters heighten the elements of good and
evil, and her touch of magic adds to the delight of reading these
stories. Fans both young and older, myself included will be saddened
by the end of Stella Montgomery's journey.
Rhyllis Bignell
A dog's way home by W. Bruce Cameron
PanMacmillan, 2018. ISBN PanMacmillan, 2018. ISBN 9781529002690
(Age: 12- adult) Recommended. Themes: Dogs, Dog Owners, Movie
tie-in, Animal Rescue. A Dog's Way Home is an emotionally
honest story of love, loss and the journey of hope told from Bella,
a pit-bull cross's point of view. W. Bruce Cameron's previous
award-winning novels and movies including A Dog's Purpose,
are written with a deep understanding of the bond between dogs and
their humans. He brings awareness to the predicament of feral cats
and dogs, the role of Animal Control officers and the Breed
Discriminatory Legislation and to the plight of military veterans.
Bella the puppy lives under the porch of an abandoned house, her
mother and brothers and sisters taken away by the Animal Control
Officers. Mother cat feeds her along with her own kittens. Lucas Ray
sneaks in to the building to feed the feral animals. Though the
apartment he shares with his mother, a disabled veteran, doesn't
allow dogs, Lucas can't resist taking Bella home. The young puppy
learns commands go to your crate, do your business and tiny piece of
cheese. Lucas even sneaks Bella into his work the VA, where she
brightens the lives of disabled vets.
Bella is part pit bull and these dogs are banned in Denver. When the
Animal Control officers threaten to take Bella away, Lucas is forced
to send her to a foster home until he can figure out what to do. The
young dog's world is turned upside down, different people, different
smells, sounds and ways of living. Bella decides to leave and find
her way home. However, there's four hundred miles of Colorado
wilderness, forests, rivers, snowy conditions between her and the
person she loves.
Bella's travels take several years and along the way Big Kitten a
cougar helps her find food and shelter. There are times of sadness
and joy, poignant scenes and tough encounters. Cameron brings
Bella's spirit to life; he captures her inner thoughts, her
struggles and her absolute love for Lucas. There are beautiful
moments, pearls of wisdom and life lessons written in a sensitive
canine point of view.
Both adults and readers from twelve plus will love this animal
story.
Rhyllis Bignell
Mamie by Tania McCartney
ABC Books, 2018. ISBN 9781460755860
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: May Gibbs. Art, Drawing.
Imagination. Australian bush. Fairies. Celebrating one hundred years
since the publication of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, this
charming, warm-hearted look at May Gibbs and how she developed her
ideas of the gumnut babies will endear itself to younger readers.
Those who do not know the stories of the gumnut babies will be
intrigued to look further, those who know the tales, will get their
copies out to reread, while others will find the back story of May
Gibbs an absolute treat, describing an artist who made a name for
herself when women were not expected to make their own way in the
art world.
A brief outline of her life is given on the last page, giving just
enough detail for a child reader, but for an older reader, whetting
their appetite to search out more.
In this picture book, we see the young May, called Mamie by her
family, enchanted with the fairies, elves and pixies that lived in
her garden in England. Brought up in a house where imagination was
actively supported, Mamie sang and danced, painted and put on shows.
But as quick as a wink, everything changed when her family moved to
Australia. In this new place she found it hard to find the pixies,
elves and fairies of the past. She loved the blossoms and gumnuts
of the new trees, learning to draw them with ease, winning prizes at
art shows, while one of her paintings was given to Queen Victoria.
She made dolls of the pixies and fairies, dressing them up like the
Australian blossoms until one night her ideas coalesced and the gumnut babies were born.
This beautifully illustrated book gives readers a version of May's
life which is at once full of historical detail, sticking to the
chronological timeline of her life, while at the same time giving
it a modern twist which will endear her story to younger readers,
making it possible for them to more readily empathise with May's
life and work.
The illustrations give an impression of May's artwork, and the
detail ensures further scrutiny by the readers. Some may find it
unusual that Mamie is dressed in modern clothes, but this will
ensure some research is done by classes looking for the reality of
the Victorian setting.
Fran Knight
The girl, the dog and the writer in Provence by Katrina Nannestad
ABC Books, 2018. ISBN 9780733338182
(Ages: 9-12) Highly recommended. Themes: Family life. Criminal
activity. Provence (France) - Social life and customs. The girl,
the dog and the writer in Provence is a delightful
continuation of young Freja Peachtree's story, moving to the
picturesque Provencal village of Claviers with her guardian Tobias
Appleby and their large boisterous Irish wolfhound Finnegan. Freja
still misses her mother Clementine who remains in a Swiss clinic
undergoing treatment; she sends her postcards describing her
wonderful new home. There is a frisson of uncertainty about her
relationship with crime writer Tobias, is he her father, her uncle
or just a really close friend her mother trusts? Nannestad
celebrates the joie de vivre of the small community, the olive
groves, lavender fields and the hidden treasures in the market
square.
Freja's friendship with their young precocious neighbour King Pippin
who lives with his grandma is eye-opening. His freedom to explore,
his knowledge of the quirky townsfolk and his unwavering care for
Freja is heart-warming. While Tobias is caught up in his imaginative
and creative world writing a murder mystery set in Provence, seeing
villains at every turn and unusual murder methods, the children and
ever-hungry Finnegan observe village life and become embroiled in
solving a series of crimes.
Love continues to blossom between Tobias and Vivi who has moved from
Rome to pursue her career in the world-famous Claviers patisserie
run by Monsieur Diderot. There's a wonderful unique carousel that
brings joy to the townsfolk, woodlands to explore and food to enjoy.
Katrina Nannestad's The girl, the dog and the writer in Provence
is a wonderful and delightful story filled with both light and
shade, love and uncertainty, food and festivities. Themes of
friendship, family relationships, creativity and acceptance are
beautifully interwoven. Tobias' parenting style and his willingness
to let Freja learn without formal schooling is both interesting and
concerning. Fans from across the world must wait for the next
exciting destination, mystery and adventure to resolve Freja's
family relationships.
Rhyllis Bignell
The amazingly disorganised help dictionary by Georgia Productions
Penguin Books, 2018. ISBN 9780143793250
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Themes: Internet. Persistence. Creativity.
Author and YouTube star, 19 yr old Georgia, has amassed half a
million followers from her bedroom in New South Wales. Although we
have seen vlogs and blogs become books before, this book captures
the essence of Georgia's YouTube persona. It is not merely a coffee
table book such as Doug the Pug or the delightful travelogue
of Penguin Bloom, the magpie. The popularity of the cute animal
doesn't apply to this human. Georgia is as entertaining on her
channel as in her writing. Both media give us real insights into the
teenage mind. As a bonus, Georgia is an accomplished comedienne and
cinematographer.
The title is a misnomer - this book is not a dictionary. This
teenager struggles with ADHD (a pneumonic for her book's title)
plus: anxiety, body image, peers, teachers, grooming and other
teenage rites of passage. Georgia doesn't utilise all the letters of
the alphabet - random letters decorate the odd pages to signal each
eclectic chapter. Georgia's thoughts are, on balance, fairly mundane
and naive; but to her credit they are also insightful, funny and
honest. You will be mesmerised by Georgia who definitely has an
attractive visage and personality.
However, a YouTuber is above all things, a marketer, an
entrepreneur. That is the refreshing thing about this book - it is
what it seems. Georgia, in marketing herself, needs to grab hold of
every truism, philosophy or common sense tip that she's ever
recycled in her short life, in order to populate her 'dictionary'.
She is very aware of the cycles of promotion and the certainty that
the book loops attention back to her YouTube channel. She even stars
in her own book trailer.
Forget the adage about self-promotion being no recommendation.
Vlogs are viewed and responded to both visually and verbally, making
for a connection and immediacy hitherto unknown. Georgia knows this
instinctively as a Millennial and gives credit to the vloggers who
inspired her. After nearly 5 years, Georgia has bragging rights as
far as vlogging skills go. One chapter forewarns prospective
copycats by explaining the difference between constructive criticism
and hateful comments. Promotion is the end game in the symbiotic
environment of YouTube. By sheer volume of hits, Georgia's films
resonate with teenagers seeking connection. Honing her craft as both
a producer and consumer of visual texts, her social commentary sheds
light on daily teenage chaos in a way which will uplift both young
and old.
Deborah Robins
The chaos of now by Erin Lange
Faber and Faber Limited, 2018. ISBN 9780571317479
(Age: Teens+) Recommended. Themes: Cyberbullying. Suicide. Computer
hacking. A group of hackers emerge with a new website that can avoid
the cyber snoop's radar, a place for people to voice their own
opinions for once without getting punished for it. The hackers claim
they want nothing but justice and payback. Payback for the bullies
who drove a student to take their own life. Eli, a hacker himself,
is not sure if he wants to get involved. But knowing he can turn the
cybershop's own system against them is more than tempting enough. But
soon enough justice turns into vengeance and Eli is not sure if he
will be able to keep things under control. This follows Eli, a smart
hacker who isn't too sure of his plans for the future after high
school, and some friends he makes during this story. With secrets of
his own, he gets caught up with a group of hackers who want to seek
'justice' for their friend whom earlier that year committed suicide
as a result of online bullying. Thinking he is smart enough to
handle this situation on his own he agrees, but things slowly spiral
into a mess he just cannot face alone. Secrets pile up and
friendships and relationships suffer because of them. The chaos of now mainly follows the topics of cyberbullying
and the aftermath of suicide, while also touching on teenage love
and high school dramas, as well as family issues relating to single
fatherhood and new partners. This is a very well written and
emotional story that teenagers can relate to, and I would recommend
it to teenage readers and above.
Kayla Raphael
Pearl, the flying unicorn by Sally Odgers and Adele K Thomas
Scholastic, 2018. ISBN 9781742997322
(Age: 5-7) Themes: Unicorns. Magic. Sally Odgers delights with a
second easy to read story filled with flying unicorns, ogres and
some magical problems. Once again, bold splashes of pink add sparkle
to the page borders, pretty illustrations and special words. Pearl,
the flying unicorn will continue to delight young unicorn and
fantasy fans with its easy to read chapters and amusing story.
Pearl the unicorn loves her Kingdom friends, Tweet the Firebird and
Olive the Ogre. She wants to surprise them with a treat of crunchy
apples, all she needs is to magically make them appear.
Unfortunately, Pearl's forgotten the order of the words in her magic
spell. 'Toss, wiggle, wiggle' results in a shower of pink sparkles
and giant pink teddy falling from the sky. Each combination of words
accompanied by head tossing and hoof stomping creates a unique
result, without any fruit appearing.
Olive the Ogre's pink flower magically changes into a small grumpy
lion, much to Pearl's surprise. Her friends try to encourage her,
but nothing seems to work. Pearl decides on a different approach
after pink milk splashes all over them. With Tweet and Olive on her
back, Pearl trots into the dark forest in search of a special apple
tree. When stinky gobble-uns threaten to take over the Kingdom with
their stinky magic, Pearl has a difficult choice to make.
Adele K Thomas' fun, pink, grey and black illustrations that show
both Pearl's magical failures and successes add sparkle to Sally
Odgers enchanting story. Pearl, the flying unicorn is just
right for young unicorn lovers transitioning from picture books to
early chapter books.
Rhyllis Bignell
Liberty by Nikki McWatters
University of Queensland Press, 2018. ISBN 9780702260292
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Historical fiction. Liberty
intertwines three stories: in 1472 France, Jeanne, a peasant girl
learns that Charles the Bold and his army is preparing to attack her
hometown of Beauvais; in 1797 in Ireland, Betsy becomes involved in
the Irish uprising against English rule; and in 1960s Australia, a
country girl Fiona becomes involved in university student protests
against conscription for the war in Vietnam. Each of them is bereft
of their mother, and each struggles in their relationship with their
father, trying to assert their independence and clashing with
cultural norms and expectations.
Though the lives of the three girls are different they each have to
find their inner courage and spirit, drawing on the strength of
their female forbears, the names recorded in the ancient Systir
Saga - a book that links them all together and which has been
handed down through generations of women.
The stories of the French and Irish girls are based on historical
accounts: of Jeanne Laisne, or Jeanne Hachette, who rallied the
French defenders by hurling herself against the enemy on the
ramparts and tossing down the Burgundian flag; and Betsy Gray who
fought fearlessly alongside her brother and her lover with the
United Irishmen. And while the third heroine, Fiona, is fictitious,
her story is based on the anti-conscription 'Big March' of 8
September 1967 in Brisbane, Queensland.
The central theme is liberty or freedom; Jeanne and Betsy become
embroiled in physical battles and have to fight to defend themselves
and their country. It is interesting that McWatters' modern story is
not of a physical conflict but about standing up against forced
conscription into war, standing for freedom to protest.
Although initially a little disjointed, the chapters soon pick up
momentum, and the reader is drawn into the personal stories of each
of the girls, and it is hard to put the book down, carrying the
reader on to each dramatic conclusion. Students will enjoy the
historical contexts, the courageous heroines and the developing
romantic relationships. The messages about the value of education
and feminist independence are all very positive. Teachers'
notes are available.
Helen Eddy
The Restless Girls by Jessie Burton
Ill. by Angela Barrett. Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408886915
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. Themes: Fantasy; Princesses. Twelve
excellent Princesses, all with talents unique and exceptional, are
plunged into a virtual prison by their father, the King, after the
unfortunate death of their mother. The grief over the Queen's death
unsettles the King and makes him irrational in his attempts to
protect his daughters. The girls are unable to find consolation from
within their imposed locked room existence . . . until they find a
hidden mysterious fantasy palace where they can again know joy. This
fantasy experience gives them opportunities to live life abundantly
(with talking animals and food of every description) and to dance
again. But the secret life they are enjoying must be kept hidden.
The King though becomes suspicious! Will they be released or will
the escape into their fantasy palace come to an unhappy end?
Written in the lyrical style of a classic fairy-tale, Burton has
written a wonderful story that esteems the intelligence of girls and
reveals their capacity to solve problems and to express their
loyalty to one another. The illustrations by Barrett are delightful
and reveal princesses that do not have Anglo-Saxon heritage.
Published as a hard cover 'fairy-tale' book, this would make a
lovely gift or also a good read-aloud book.
Highly recommended for ages 8+
Carolyn Hull
The callback by Maddie Ziegler
Maddie Ziegler trilogy book 2. Aladdin, 2018, ISBN
9781481486392
(Age: 9-12) Themes: School life, Dance, Friendship, Identity. Teen
Maddie Ziegler, one of the stars on Dance Moms and a judge on So You
Think You Can Dance draws inspiration from her life experiences in
her trilogy. In The Callback she writes about middle school
life, rivalry at the dance studio, friendships, settling in to a new
home and life in a new state.
Twelve-year-old Harper's life is super-busy; her family have just
moved to Florida and she's joined a new dance studio. She's part of
the elite team Dance Starz with five other girls who are very
competitive. Their teacher Vanessa challenges the girls with
individual solo performances in different dance styles and Harper's
is lyrical, a style that she loves. Rival Megan is determined that
the solo will be hers and sets about to cause problems by lying and
sabotaging her team-mates' individual classes.
When Harper accidentally falls asleep in English because she's
stressed about her dancing, her teacher keeps her back after class.
As she explains about all her after-school dance classes, her
teacher asks for her help. She needs a soloist to perform one dance
in the school play of The Little Mermaid because the previous dancer
had to pull out. Harper's life becomes even more busy; she's making
new friends and enjoying helping with the school play's dance
routines. At home, her younger sister Hailey is feeling left out and
Harper tries to assist her with her new video adventure 'Hailey on
the Daily' with some interesting results!
Maddie Ziegler's novel The Callback is a fun read with
plenty of dance moves, school dramas and friendship issues just
right for ages 9 to 12.
Rhyllis Bignell
Eva's imagination by Wendy Shurety
Ill. by Karen Erasmus. New Frontier Publishing, 2018. ISBN
9781925594232
(Age: 4+) Themes: Imagination, Family, Adventure, Problem solving.
When Eva cannot find anything to occupy herself, Mum tells he to go
and find her imagination. She takes her dog, Chops and sets off.
First she makes a list, then puts on her boots, taking a wooden
spoon from the kitchen as her stick. They walk through the long
valley of the passageway into the dining room with its forest of
tree trunks listening to a bird's call. Under the table they find a
discarded table napkin, and then walk up the stairs into the
mountains, to find a cave. Climbing under the bed to explore the
cave her hand comes to rest on something furry, and she finds her
lost doll. Walking down the passageway once more, she hops into a
rainforest, a wardrobe full of exciting things to see. Frightened by
something soft and furry hanging down across her face, Eva calls out
'snake', and runs for the stairs. Chops finds some books and the two
return to Mum, sure that they haven't found imagination, but loaded
with the books and the lost toy.
Readers will know that imagination is used all through the story and
Eva has not lost anything, but rather uses it all the time. Readers
will love recognising the familiar parts of the house, sharing their
own stories of what each room holds for them in their imaginations.
This is a lovely family oriented tale of a child and her mum in the
house, finding something to occupy her mind as she explores the
place with different eyes.
Erasmus' illustrations, like those of Freya Blackwood, give a loving
warm feeling of family and togetherness from start to finish. I love
the contrasting darkness of the pages when shadows appear on the
wall of the passageway and the area under the dining room table
becomes a forest. When Eva climbs under the bed and goes into the
wardrobe, each illustrations is increasingly dark, but still
radiating the warmth and security of the house.
Fran Knight
The caged queen by Kristen Ciccarelli
Gollancz, 2018. ISBN 9781473218161
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. Themes: Fantasy. Love. Loyalty. Roa
and her sister, Essie, share a bond that goes beyond understanding
and even death. Essie's spirit is trapped in the body of a hawk,
living in the limbo between life and freedom. Roa's driving desire
is to release her from this trapped existence, but to do so she must
sacrifice another life, and the victim must be the young King, Dax.
Dax comes from the Dragon people, and grew up with the girls to
escape his own dangerous father. But he is also the one that Essie
saved as she lost her own life. Roa is a strong, capable and feisty
young woman and in order to save the people of her homeland she has
negotiated a marriage with the hapless, Dax. Dax though has his own
solutions to problems, and they are not pleasing to Roa, and his
affections seem to be shared with too many other young women! This
fraught relationship between king and queen swings from open dislike
to something that surprises Queen Roa. With plots to destroy the
allegiance that Roa's marriage has enabled, Roa becomes embroiled in
the complications of her own confusion and in resolving her
connection to her former love interest.
Foremost though, this is an amazing and highly readable fantasy tale
with broken relationships, hidden love, knife fights, political
subterfuge and romance. These are all immersed in the world where
dragons may appear and communities share stories and aspirations,
and sometimes resort to violent solutions to their problems. Even
though this is not the first book in The last Namsara saga,
it is highly readable on its own and can be recommended to lovers of
fantasy and romance alike.
Highly recommended for readers aged 15+.
Carolyn Hull
Tilly and the Bookwanderers by Anna James
Ill. by Paola Escobar. Pages and Co. Book 1. HarperCollins,
2018. ISBN 9780008229863
(Ages 9-12) Recommended. Themes: Literary characters. Booksellers.
Mystery. Missing persons. Anna James introduces a truly wonderful
world where you can step into your favourite books and interact with
much-loved literary characters.
Eleven-year-old Tilly's mother mysteriously disappeared just after
she gave birth to her daughter and ever since Tilly's been living with
her loving grandparents above their bookshop 'Pages and Co.' She
loves to immerse herself in her favourite stories, hidden in in the
nooks and crannies, settled on a bean bag or visiting with Jack who
runs the little cafe. He loves to experiment with food, making
delicious literary inspired treats.
Tilly arrives home from school dripping wet; it's holiday time and
she's prepared for a rather lonely week, with lots of reading and
conversations with Jack. When she discovers a dusty cardboard box
with her mother's name on the label, Tilly's world is turned upside
down. Her favourite book characters Alice in Wonderland and Anne of
Green Gables appear in the bookshop. Tilly discovers an amazing
ability: she can bookwander into any story she chooses.
There are whimsical moments and interesting encounters with the
Avonlea characters. With the help of her friend Oskar Roux who loves
reading even though he has dyslexia, they venture into Wonderland
and Treasure Island. Mysterious and slightly sinister Enoch Chalk is
the enforcer. He keeps the strict rules of bookwandering, making
sure that that no-one is left in a book or forms relationships with
the characters. Will Tilly uncover the mystery of her mother's
disappearance and find the truth about her birth father?
Anna James' imaginative and magical novel authentically captures the
voices of fictional characters and their worlds. There is a warmth
and cosiness to her bookshop setting and an intriguing and
mysterious darker layer in the 'Underlibrary'. Paola Escobar's black
and white line drawings spring up throughout adding drama and
excitement. This is the first in a trilogy and it does rely on the
reader's prior knowledge of classic children's books. It also sets
up the extensive rules of bookwandering. Tilly and the Bookwanderers is an exciting junior novel just
right for readers who have enjoyed classic children's novels and
love the wonder of being drawn into the magic of books.
Rhyllis Bignell
Island born by Junot Diaz
Ill. by Leo Espinosa. Oneworld, 2018. ISBN 9781786074775
(Age: 7-9) Recommended. Themes: Culture. Identity. Lola lives in an
ethnically diverse community and the teacher's instruction to draw a
picture of her 'first home' causes problems for her because she
cannot remember! Interviewing others who have come from her home
island gives her opportunity to 'see' her home through their eyes.
The result for the reader is a beautiful metaphor of what life must
have been like on the tropical island that they left. Not everything
though was perfect on the island, with allusions to the reasons for
Lola's resettlement in her new country. Lola's final picture
includes all the aspects of the island of her birth in brilliant
detail. (A somewhat cryptic reference to a 'monster' might need some
adult help to explain the metaphor for something awful that the
island had to deal with - perhaps political turmoil or conflict. And
another reference to her grandmother's or her abuela's psychic may
also need explanation or caution.)
Leo Espinosa, an award-winning illustrator, from Bogota in Columbia,
illustrates this gentle exploration of identity with wonderful
colour and vibrancy. The language of the island is Spanish (not
everyone in the world speaks English!) and is included naturally and
with references to terms and titles, which gives a reminder of
diversity in the world. The author's background is from the
Dominican Republic and later, New Jersey in USA, and so the book has
an Americas influence which may not be understood by all
readers, but it certainly would open eyes to how others live in the
world and why some may choose to leave their 'home country'.
Recommended as a book to be shared and explained, for younger
readers aged 7-9.
Carolyn Hull
