Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781760650049
(Age: 2-6) Recommended. Themes: Dinosaurs, Museums. Dinosaur Day
Out by author/illustrator Sara Action will entertain and
excite its young audience with a multi-layered approach. While we
read the story of Sally and Max's day out with Dad and their visit
to the museum, there is so much more happening in the visual
storytelling.
Sally and Max love dinosaurs and are keen to see the dinosaur
exhibition. Unfortunately, the area is closed with a large sign
stating "Dinosaurs Unleashed . . . dino's day off!" The children are
upset and their father buys them a book all about their favourite
animals. Off to the park they head, with "paths to explore and trees
to climb." Dad keeps up their spirits by reading dinosaur facts
aloud, "did you know about the diplodocus, the pterodactyl or the
stegosaurus?" While their father is busy reading and eating Sally
and Max are thoroughly enjoying the dinosaurs' day out! Hanging
upside down on a branch with the pterodactyl, feeding the diplodocus
leaves and watching it drink from the fountain. Even the t-rex
enjoys a triple scoop ice-cream when they stop for a treat. Their
day ends with Dad piggy-backing Sally as they walk back through the
park observed by a pack of dinosaurs.
Sally Acton's wonderful pictures seamlessly blend the dinosaurs into
the familiar park and city settings, natural tones of green and
brown sweep across the spreads. She shows Max and Sally's enjoyment,
their liveliness and interaction with the dinosaurs, a story within
a story that will enchant the reading audience. Dinosaur Day Out
is both an imaginative and informative picture book just right for
sharing with pre-schoolers and junior primary students.
Rhyllis Bignell
Inheritance by Carole Wilkinson
Black Dog Books, 2018. ISBN 9781760650360.
(Age: 12-14) Highly recommended. Themes: Australian history.
Aboriginal peoples. Time travel. Family histories.
"Generations of women in my family have been able to time travel...
" Nic (Veronica) tries to explain to her only friend in her new
town, Strathmartin. Keeping a secret like this is proving difficult
for a lonely girl who has been left to live with her Grandfather on
a very remote farm. She is at a new school, a situation with which
she is very familiar having been to numerous schools over her
childhood after losing her mother at birth and having a father whose
music career has taken precedence over raising his daughter. To her
dismay the townspeople seem to be holding a grudge because of the
actions of her wealthy ancestors who grew up in the area. Thinking
her mother is dead and wanting to find out more about her family she
stumbles onto the "isching", as one relative calls it, which enables
her to travel back in time. Her grandfather objects to her
"travelling" but this does not deter her as she searches desperately
for the answers to the many questions about her family.
Written mostly in the first person this novel also has several
chapters written by her relatives and other characters, which allows
the author to round out this extraordinary story. The theme of
conflict between Aboriginal people and early settlers runs through
the story. Nic's journeys into the past lead her to believe her
mission is to prevent the slaughter of a local Aboriginal tribe and
this theme will provide valuable discussions in History classes.
A very enjoyable book has lots of opportunities to study Australia's
early history. The detail included by the author about sourcing
evidence and primary sources for historical study will also prove
valuable in schools.
Gabrielle Anderson
His name was Walter by Emily Rodda
HarperCollins, 2018. ISBN 9781460710203
(Age: 10-14) Highly recommended. Themes: Storytelling. Books and
reading. Mystery and suspense stories. Folk tales. Supernatural
phenomena.
The idea was to do some research for an authentic History lesson in
an historic outback town, but what the four students and their
teacher encounter that night is much more powerful than anything
they had ever imagined. After they are stranded when their bus
breaks down they rush to take refuge in an old house nearby as a
wild storm brews around them.
This book is suspenseful, eerie and enjoyable from start to finish.
It gives a story within a story as the students decide to fill in
the time by reading aloud a hand-made book they find in the house.
The story is written and illustrated in a fairytale/folktale way
using animals as characters and while some of them dismiss it as
just a story a few feel an unearthly power that draws them into
believing they need to finish the book and release some supernatural
phenomena that seems to be lurking in the house. The theme of true
love conquering all is also a strong influence in the story.
The students' characters are also used to develop the story - the
shy new boy who is grieving the loss of his grandad and their
country home, the computer nerd who doesn't believe in anything he
can't see, the popular girl who always gets what she wants, the shy
sensitive girl who feels the supernatural power of the book first. A
large range of readers will find someone to relate to in this book
and I think it could be successfully read aloud to a class. Walter,
the character in the Folktale is also worth a mention as he develops
from a meek boy to an assertive character who accepts his fate but
always tries to do the right thing.
A mystery from the town's past is solved, and the book has a
fantastic way of showing how history can be uncovered in the most
unexpected places and corrected by uncovering the truth. Teacher's
notes are available.
Gabrielle Anderson
The amazing world of Olobob Top by Leigh Hodgkinson and Steve Smith
Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408897652
(Age: 3-5) The amazing world of Olobob Top is an activity
book created by Leigh Hodgkinson and Steve Smith based on the ABC
and BBC Children's show Olobob Top (If you have young children there
is a good chance you will have seen this show before!).
The blurb states "Have fun in the wonderful world of Olobob Top...
weave your way through mazes to explore forests, climb mountains
and soar up into the sky! With lots of exciting mazes and over 250
stickers, there are so many adventures to be had with the Olobobs"
and I think it sums it up pretty well. Each page surrounds a
different character or activity and asks the reader to complete
tasks and decorate with the supplied stickers. You may have to
follow the lines through the sky, find your way out of a maze or get
the Olobobs home safe. This part was probably the only downfall of
the book, there were just too many follow the line/maze pages
(actually all of them) and were a touch repetitive for Miss 4.
We did however love all the stickers and it kept her amused for an
hour which was a win for me!
It was also a good vehicle for directing learning towards shapes,
colours, sizes, counting and following directions - all of which are
key skills for young children.
I think this book is probably best suited for 3-5year olds who are
familiar with the show and its characters. There is another activity
book available (Make your own Olobob Top home), plus two
board books which would be fun activities for any young fan. We give
it 3 out of 5.
Lauren Fountain
Crowboy by Ricky Gibson
Serenity Press, 2018. ISBN 9780648230427
(Age: 6-9) Recommended. Themes: Differences. Acceptance. Need a book
for Halloween? Here is one that might work, that is neither too
dark, nor too grim!
Crowboy is not like the other children. He has tried to fit in and
be like them... but he just doesn't like what they like. He likes
haunted houses and other macabre things, and gets driven home from
school in the undertaker's hearse (with the coffin on top). When the
teacher sets a creative writing task, Crowboy has the opportunity to
share his imaginative side and he discovers a new accepting audience
for his dark and spooky tale. This is a book that shows that we
don't have to all be alike to find points of connection.
With a dark and slightly macabre illustrative style, with a touch of
whimsy, this picture book may not be suited for all in the under-9
age group, but there will be some who recognise the character hiding
behind the dark disguise - the one who is keen to be known, despite
his differences.
Recommended for the edgy children who 'do not fit' in the Under-9
age group.
Carolyn Hull
What should a horse say? by Fleur McDonald and Annie White
New Frontier, 2018. ISBN 9781925594201
(Age: 2-5) Themes: Farm animals. Horses. Farmer Rochelle's farm is
filled with noisy animals, all mooing, baaing and even clucking
"chick chick". However, she has one big problem, her horse also says
"chick chick"! She asks her friend Farmer Hayden for help, even his
tractor, quad bike and truck make the right noises. He's just not
sure about "what a horse should say". Farmer Rochelle continues her
quest to find the answer ringing her friend Susan who can't help
either. Her cocky just wants more chocolate and everyone she meets
still can't provide her with the appropriate solution. Dr Swan the
vet drives up in his red ute, ready to investigate what is wrong
with the horse. After a thorough check-up, he gives him some funny
tasting medicine and rubs yellow cream on to his throat. Has the vet
saved the day?
Annie White's sweeping vistas, close up farm scenes and lively farm
animals are delightful. Her large brown horse is the one to watch,
especially when Dr Swan checks his temperature. Find the little
happy chickens jumping and dancing throughout.
Fleur McDonald's noisy story What should a horse say is an
entertaining read aloud. Young children will love joining in with
all the farm animal noises. They will love the question and
response, knowing that all the way through the horse should be
neighing.
Rhyllis Bignell
From Elizabeth Mary Cummings, author of The Forever Kid
ISBN: 9781925675399.
A lifelong bookworm, English was my favourite subject at school. I
studied Psychology and Business Studies at University before doing a
postgraduate in Primary School teaching. I discovered my passion for
teaching and my love of working with young people.
Recently I have focused on developing and publishing my writing with
a special focus on mental health, writing about real life situations
in narrative form. This narrative therapy approach to discussing
mental health issues with children is something that I think is a
very strong tool for helping heal and develop positive communication
strategies especially when talking about difficult subject matter
with young people.
I got the idea for The
Forever Kidwhen I was thinking about my uncle who I
never met. He died when he was a teenager before I was born. My
father often spoke about him and described how sad the family was
that he had died, even though he had been ill for a long time before
then. I had been talking to my parents about life and family and so
I think that my mind was focused on family matters. I woke up in the
middle of the night and the whole story was there in my head. I got
up and write down my thoughts straight away and then spent three
years honing the narrative as well as seeking community engagement
and feedback before pitching it to publishers. It was so vital to
ensure that the story's message rang true and that the integrity of
the message remained intact throughout the creation.
My hope is to not only share this story but to facilitate a greater
awareness in society of grief from a child's perspective and to
start a dialogue with families and their support networks on the
matter of death and grief
The Forever Kid by Elizabeth Mary Cummings
Ill. by Cheri Hughes. Big Sky Publishing, 2018. ISBN 9781925675399
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Grief, Remembrance, Loss. The
Forever Kid is about remembering a child who will never grow
up. The family in the story celebrate the memory of the child who is
no longer with them by celebrating their birthday with the food and
games that that child loved.
This is a lovely book written from a child's perspective which means
it is easier for children to relate to the story. It encourages the
sharing of feelings in a safe supportive way.
The illustrations in this book are simple and they support the story
beautifully.
It can be used as a starting point for discussions on the topic of
grief both by parents and teachers, as this is a sympathetic way to
discuss the topic of loss. Some activities
are available from Just Write for Kids blog.
I highly recommend this book for 4+
Karen Colliver
The Botanist's Daughter by Kayte Nunn
Hachette, 2018. ISBN 9780733639388
(Age: Senior secondary - Adult) Starting a little slowly, yet
creating two worlds that have no defining link, this novel is
captivating, rich in depiction of the past, and cleverly
interspersing the two stories. The title suggests a story of a
family and an interest in botany, and it is that, yet this book
offers much more than a simple family history. One story is set
firmly in the present, where a young woman can take herself off to
England to seek an understanding of the book's provenance, while the
other plunges us into the past, particularly referring to the place
of women at the time of the story, telling a story set in the 1880s.
Both narratives delve into the lives of women in their era,
especially elucidating the differences between the possibilities for
the two: between education, freedom to travel, learn, work or
interact outside the family, and to create a life for one's self.
Placing her narrative in these two distinct eras, beginning the
story in the 1886, in England, and Sydney in 2017, Kayte Nunn takes
us into the lives, and indeed the minds, of two characters,
exploring their worlds and considering the wider world and time in
which each lived. Each story is lightly told while both are
revelatory of the particular differences for women in their times.
The modern story begins when an old book of beautiful botanical
illustration is discovered hidden within the wall cavity of an old
Sydney house, the owner, a young woman, is stunned. Captivated by
the beauty and artistry of the illustrations, the owner, Anna,
realizes that she is keen to unravel the mystery of the origin of
this book, and her determination to do so takes her to England. Back
in Australia, while Anna is redecorating the house, relishing her
discoveries and enjoying the search for what kind of person was this
ancestor of hers, she comes to believe that perhaps it was an
inherited interest that drew her into botany and the kind of life
had she has lived.
The story is told in two parts, that of the historical search by an
English woman and her servant, and that of the modern woman who has
found the intriguing diary. Moving back and forth between the
narratives, Nunn reveals that the original botanist was Anna's
grandmother, yet we are eager to unravel the mystery of why the book
was hidden and what is the accompanying history of this grandmother.
Beautifully written, clearly and simply narrated from the
perspective of both grandmother and granddaughter, who had not known
one another, this captivating novel creates a link between two
distinct eras. Nunn deftly creates an enigmatic story-line, while
subtly revealing the differences in the freedom and choices of women
in the modern era and that of the past in England in 1886, and
indeed of the violence that took place in defence of what one
believed to be the right to ownership.
This book is intriguing and would be appropriate for older
adolescent readers and indeed most interesting for adult readers,
particularly those who love a good historical novel that has an
added twist.
Elizabeth Bondar
The A-Z of Wonder Women by Yvonne Lin
Hachette, 2018. ISBN 9781526361547
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Subjects: Women - Biography. Award-winning
industrial designer Yvonne Lin is a leader in creating innovative
products for women. She designed The A-Z of Wonder Woman for
her young daughter Roni introducing her and other girls and boys
around the world to positive female role models. She has drawn
inspiration from leaders in various fields of endeavour, from
ancient times to the current day. Women of different ethnicities,
different ages and stages in their careers are presented in
alphabetical order by their first names. She has included popular
figures and those that are less well-known.
The book begins with English mathematician Ada Lovelace who invented
the first punch card algorithms in the mid-1800s. Cathy Freeman runs
across the page in her Australian Olympics uniform proud to be the
winner of the gold medal in the 400-metre race. Florence Nightingale
is celebrated as an English statistician who championed proper
sanitary procedures in hospitals and founded modern methods of
nursing. J K Rowling started a literary revolution when she wrote
her Harry Potter series, encouraging reluctant readers around the
world to read all 3407 pages.
Yvonne Lin commends Italian educator Maria Montessori, suffragette
Kate Sheppard from New Zealand and Oprah Winfrey one of the most
influential African-American women globally. The author has
recognised comedian and producer Tina Fey as a "titillating tickler"
and Yayoi Kusama the eccentric Japanese artist whose installations,
sculptures and paintings have influenced Hockney and Warhol's
styles.
The amazing layout of this book includes colourful backgrounds,
portraits of each women, a concise account of their achievements and
an encouraging quote. As a bonus thirty more influential women are
mentioned at the conclusion of this informative book. The A-Z of
Wonder Women is ideal for History and Social Sciences students
as a stepping stone for researching women who have influenced
changes across the globe.
Rhyllis Bignell
The Orphan Band of Springdale by Anne Nesbet
Candlewick Press, 2018. ISBN 9780763688042
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Gusta loved the golden sound of her
horn, the way the notes could make you ring like a bell, from your
hair bow to your toes. Its music was so large and grand. She was
quiet by nature, but the horn was the bravest part of her her sweet,
large, secret, brassy voice.
Throughout the book Gusta (Augusta) develops as a strong leading
female character. She lives in New York with her mother. Her German
father is wanted by the law with the threat of World War 2 looming
on the horizon. Gusta finds herself being uprooted and sent to live
with her grandmother and aunt who own an orphanage. She is
continually trying to make everyone around her happy and only truly
feels at ease when she is playing her horn. Gusta is surrounded by
children of varying ages from all different walks of lives and
develops a special bond with her cousin Bess. Throughout the story,
she has to make some incredibly hard decisions that even an adult
would find challenging. Gusta is determined to find the wish that
her great grandfather who was a sailor left behind. This allows for
a thread of magic to be interlaced throughout the story.
Themes such as justice, fairness, loyalty and friendship are
discussed. It was interesting to read the author's notes at the end
of the book that this was based on Nesbet's own mother's life.
This book is suitable for children 10 and up. A must have for the
collection.
Kathryn Schumacher
Collecting sunshine by Rachel Flynn
Ill. by Tamsin Ainslie. Penguin 2018. ISBN 9780143785187
(Age: 1-4) Recommended. Themes: Childhood; Play; Memories. An early
childhood book with two central characters who go to a park with a
paper bag ready to gather their own collection of treasures. When it
rains the bag breaks, but the children continue collecting, only
this time they collect memories which they later record in their own
art gallery. This is a simple picture book, with limited text and
appealing naive illustrations. The illustrations appealed to the
nearly-two-year-old that I shared this book with. She loved
searching for the dogs, the cat, and the bike in the illustrations,
but more particularly she loved identifying the blue budgie hidden
on every page. It wasn't until I was ready to review the book, that
I also discovered the illustrator had deliberately hidden a mouse on
every page as well as the blue budgie. The idea that you can collect
memories is the essential feature of the book.
This is a book that would appeal in a child-care context, prior to a
walk in the park, collecting sunshine and memories along the way.
Recommended aged 1-4 years.
Carolyn Hull
Inside the tiger by Hayley Lawrence
Penguin Books, 2018. ISBN 9780143788959
(Age: Senior secondary) Recommended. Themes: Justice system, capital
punishment, social action, friendship, family, grief, loss. Bel
Anderson is the 17 year old daughter of the Minister for Justice and
has attended an exclusive girls' boarding school in Sydney for the
last seven years. Her mother was murdered when she was a baby and
her father has made it his mission in life to get justice for
victims of crime; he is now campaigning for mandatory sentencing
laws. Bel's Legal Studies class is given an assignment to "align
yourself with a movement for the betterment of society, the world,
yourselves or each other" p 3. She is sick of causes, having been
dragged into her father's campaigns all her life so she chooses to
write a letter to a prisoner, seemingly the easiest way to fulfil
the assignment's requirements. When the prisoner, Micah, on Death
Row in a notorious Thai prison writes back Bel finds herself drawn
into caring about the 18 year old Australian and his situation, and
travels to Thailand to visit him. Knowing she will be opposing her
father's position on justice and punishment Bel draws support from
her friends, even though they are concerned and caution her about
the emotional cost. As she takes Micah's cause to social media and a
public rally she widens the debate "We don't allow our own
government to execute our prisoners so why should we be silent when
it happens to our people overseas." P223. But her actions have some
unforeseen consequences.
This first novel is remarkable in successfully weaving together a
rarely explored and controversial topic with a complex and
challenging coming of age story. Bel leads a life of privilege but
the loss of her mother and the preoccupation of her father leave her
emotionally vulnerable. Finding a "soul mate" in a Thai gaol helps
her find perspective and she grows in maturity as she faces some
hard truths.
Recommended for senior students and particularly those interested in
social action this novel could be used as a discussion starter on
social activism or capital punishment. The "From the Author" section
at the end of the book quotes the Foreign Prisoner Support Service
"Write to a prisoner. It will make your day, but it will make their
life". The story comes from what she learnt from five years of
writing to a prisoner on death row in Thailand.
Sue Speck
Ting Ting the Ghost Hunter by Gabrielle Wang
Penguin, 2018. ISBN 9780143787334
(Age: 9-12) Recommended. Themes: Ghosts, Chinese mythology, Sorcery.
Ting Ting the Ghost Hunter is the much awaited sequel to
Gabrielle Wang's Ghost in My Suitcase. These wonderful
stories bring to life Chinese culture, ancient mythology and
traditions, focusing on the belief in the supernatural and the art
of ghost hunting.
Three years ago, a small Chinese lady Bao Min rescued a young girl
from an orphanage, taking Ting Ting home to a place filled with
kindness and love. Now trained in the special skills of ghost
hunting, she travels with her grandma Por around Shanghai capturing
problem ghosts. Snake whips, mingshen mirrors, a coin sword and
brass bells are used to lure the spirits from their hiding spots.
Ting Ting is unhappy with her role just banishing "harmless
fat-belly ghosts" and wants to step up to her grandma's ghost
hunting level. When her Por is summoned to Black Band Village for a
special job, Ting Ting is left behind trusted to continue her
home-schooling and to seal Bao Mansion protecting the house from
spirits. She is very fearful of returning here because six weeks ago
she was hurt while fighting her grandfather's ghost.
When her Por disappears and doesn't keep in touch, Ting Ting decides
to travel to their Shanghai home and then on to the mysterious Black
Band Village. Her journey high into the mountains demands courage,
self-reliance, and use of her special skills and trust in the
villagers who have been exiled by a den of ghosts.
Gabrielle Wang's charming story opens up the world of Chinese
culture and beliefs, magic, festivals, fantastic food and an insight
into daily life. The characters are heartfelt and Ting Ting's growth
is encouraging to see. The author's charming sketches throughout add
to the excitement and understanding of their way of life. Ting
Ting the Ghost Hunter is an evocative junior novel, filled
with magical realism just right for readers from 9-12.
Rhyllis Bignell
I went trick-or-treating by Paul Howard
Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408892886
(Age: All) Recommended. I went trick-or-treating by Paul
Howard is a wonderful holiday specific story that will appeal to
readers of all ages. It adds to the popular I went . . .
series which includes a Christmas special with Santa and also a trip
to the supermarket.
The story follows a brother and sister who are trying to out-do each
other in a scare competition at Halloween! They come across ghosts,
toads, bats, cats and even pirates along their journey, with each
page building in a "test-your-memory" style story. This aspect of
the story was a great addition to our reading time. Both Miss 4 and
Master 8 were able to interact with the story (at their own levels)
by recalling creatures and characters and also trying to get them in
the correct order. The repetitive nature is beneficial to the
younger listeners, and helps to encourage and involve them in the
text.
The illustrations by the clever Paul Howard are very cute, colourful
and add humour through the facial expressions of all the characters.
My personal favourites are the Monster Boogie King, Naughty Warty
Toad and the Super Silly Skeletons.
According to my 4 year old daughter this book is "very funny". She
enjoyed counting the bats, thought the ghost was funny and liked the
animals the best.
Master 8 stated that it is a good book to read at Halloween and
thought that people from 4 to 99 years of age could enjoy this book.
I agree with both of them and think this book (and the other 2 in
the series) would be a great addition to any bookshelf or library.
4.5 out of 5
Lauren Fountain
