Reviews

The love that I have by James Moloney

Angus and Robertson, 2018. ISBN 9781460754634
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Themes: World War II, Germany; Concentration Camps; Love and Romance; Historical Fiction; Bravery; Survival. Is it possible for a love story to be set within the shadow of a German concentration camp? Do love letters and awful atrocities ever connect in a believable way? Will love be stronger than death? These questions are answered in this amazing book set in a time and setting that is marked by terrible expressions of the power of Nazi-influenced Germany. In the shadows of this horror, Margot - an innocent German teenager, takes on a job in the mailroom attached to the Concentration Camp at Sachsenhausen. Her role is to destroy the mail 'posted' by inmates of the Camp. A decision made on a whim to read some of these missives leads her to discover more than she could imagine - she hears the humanity in the words she reads. And when one of these letters is addressed to a Jewish girl with the same first name, she learns of a young man whose words and heart-felt expressions of devotion impact her life with an unexpected empathy. Her assumption that the 'other' Margot must surely be dead, leads her to write back, as if she was the other. What follows leads the reader into the very heart of young love and into the horrors of the end of the Second World War, as the Germans were experiencing it. With some showing incredible bravery, we see the occasional glimpses of hope amidst the abyss of Nazi oppression and concentration camp life.
This is a love story in a horrible setting. For those who have been impressed by The Book Thief and The Boy in Striped Pyjamas, this book will rival those stories for the insights into history, the German experience, and into the very best and worst of human hearts. It is brilliantly written with the perspectives of the two main protagonists being told at different points of the story. Death and apprehension are constant companions. Despite alternate explanations for circumstances, the power of 'story' to create empathy and compassion, as against the ignorance of propaganda is highlighted for the reader. Moloney has also reminded the reader that not all on the German side were tarred permanently with Hitler's brush, even if their sight was sometimes dimmed and their hands prevented from acting to stop the horrors. Impossibly difficult decisions are made under the pressures of war and survival.
Highly recommended for readers aged 14+ (Maturity required considering the awful situation; both male and female readers will connect despite the 'love story' genre.)
Reading group notes and teacher's notes are available here.
Carolyn Hull

The Adventures of Jellybean by Bill Condon and Dianne Bates

University of Queensland Press, 2018, ISBN 9780702260001
(Age: 6+) Recommended. Themes: Goats, Friendship, Pet ownership. "The Adventures of Jellybean" is a fun story, filled with friendship, family life and the highs and lows of owning a pet goat. Author Di Bates has drawn on her special childhood memories of growing up on a goat farm, to co-author this relatable junior novel with Bill Condon.
Best friends and neighbours Rory and Trang love observing their neighbours from high up in the fig tree that borders both of their houses. They love to discuss their future careers, maybe they'll become wrestlers! When Rory's dad complains about mowing the backyard, Trang comes up with a brilliant idea - a pet goat would help. He's even helped milk his uncle's goat.
After a family discussion at Pop's birthday party, Rory's parents agree to buy a nanny goat which both Rory and Trang promise to look after. Jellybean named for her splotchy brown and white coat proves to be a challenging pet. She's noisy, messy, escapes from her pen and even eats human hair. Pet ownership is a steep learning curve! The boys learn responsibility, perseverance and how to be neighbourly sharing her milk with the people living nearby. With the help of their families they make goat's milk soap and learn some life lessons at the school Pet Show.
"The Adventures of Jellybean" is written in an easy to read style, just right for a junior class novel or for independent readers who enjoy realistic stories. Condon and Bates have crafted an engaging story that explores the responsibility of pet ownership, extended family dynamics, being neighbourly and the ups and downs of friendships. Humour, surprising situations and fun facts about owning a goat and goat's milk products add life to this story.
Rhyllis Bignell

Not if I save you first by Ally Carter

Scholastic, 2018. ISBN 9781742765945
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Themes: Thriller. Kidnapping. Conspiracies. Alaska. Survival. Maddie and Logan were inseparable until a kidnapping attempt was made on Logan's mother and Maddie's father foiled the attempt. He was the bodyguard of Logan's father, the President of the United States, and after the rescue, Maddie was whisked off to the wilds of Alaska, and didn't hear from Logan again. Life was tough for Maddie in Alaska; she lived in a very isolated spot, was homeschooled and didn't have any friends. What made it worse was that Logan her best friend didn't answer her letters so when he turned up with two security guards to live with her father and her, she wasn't too happy. Then Logan is kidnapped and Maddie has to use all the skills she has learnt in the wild to try and rescue him.
A very exciting stand-alone novel, Not if I save you first will appeal to boys and girls alike as Maddie and Logan face the harshness of the wilderness and the fear of what the kidnappers will do. Through a series of letters to Logan, some never sent, the reader is taken on Maddie's learning journey about Alaska, her loneliness and the growth of strength and toughness that the isolation has taught her. All these skills will be of great assistance as she tracks Logan and his kidnapper. Meanwhile Logan uses his photographic memory and intelligence as they try not to lose themselves in the harsh cold conditions.
Action packed, this is a roller coaster of a story and readers will find it very difficult to put down. Fans of Ally Carter's other series, The Gallagher girls, Heist Society and Embassy Row will not be disappointed and readers new to her books are in for a treat.
Pat Pledger

Dude by Aaron Reynolds

Ill. by Dan Santat. Hachette, 2018. ISBN 9780734418784
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Sharks, Friendship, Surfing, Humour, Cautionary tale. To all those intending to read this hilarious book out loud, you will need to practice saying 'dude' in a variety of different ways with different intonations, expressions and meanings. From the first 'dude' where platypus and his friend the beaver, meet on the beach, run to the water's edge with their surf boards held up over their heads and paddle out into the ocean, to the last 'dude' where the two have now befriended a shark and the trio is sitting on the beach in their board shorts, eating their ice creams and staring contentedly out into the ocean, laughter will explode with each rendering of the word.
The two friends initially encounter the shark with trepidation, the 'dude' at first said very quietly with a question at the end of the word, while over the page, the word takes up the double page as the pair hightails it for shore. But things happen to make them less fearful of the predator, and all ends happily as the three become friends, surfing the waves together.
This very funny look at friendship is set against the surfing world which may not be known to many younger readers. Santat's wonderful illustrations bring this world to the reader, with its ice cream shack on the beach, wave types, the array of very different board shorts, along with very different participants and boards. And a few subtle hints occur in the illustrations making the reader aware of some of the shortcomings of being near the sea. This is a wonderfully funny tale, all centered incredibly on one word, with plenty to look at to wonder at, to learn and enjoy, and many people will be reading and rereading this story to a range of listeners who will try it out for themselves, keeping their friends happily engaged.
Fran Knight

Julian is a mermaid by Jessica Love

Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781406380637
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Mermaids, Grandmothers, Imagination, Diversity, Individuality. Julian is mesmerised as he returns home on the tube with his grandmother. Several women are dressed in the most spectacular of costumes, brightly coloured, adorned with jewellry and head dresses, they make an indelible impression on the boy. He dreams of running home, taking off his clothes and diving into the ocean with a tail just like them. And once home, he ferrets around in his apartment for things to dress himself just like the women he saw on the train - the mermaids. He uses the pot plant fronds for his head dress, nabs the flowers from the bowl to put in his hair and the curtains from the windows to make a tail, and when his gran comes out of her bath she gives him a string of costume jewellry for his necklace. The pair then enter the street and make their way to find others just as flamboyantly dressed, making their way to the sea.
A dazzling tribute to all those individuals not afraid to show their difference, who reflect diversity as well as those who support them, this book sings with the exuberance of youth and being an individual.
Colourful, fun filled and light hearted, the cheery liveliness of the two main characters permeates the book as they join the mermaids at the seaside dressed in their finery. The illustrations are amazing, brown sepia tones fill the background against which the luminous colours tell the story of Julian with humourous light heartedness. And the end papers are divine and will entrance all readers.
Jessica Love is a Californian artist and this is her first venture as author illustrator. Classroom ideas are available here.
Fran Knight

Be Cool Be Nice

Templar Publishing, 2018. ISBN 9781787410961
(Age: Teenager/Young Adult) Recommended. I have to be honest when I first saw this book, I thought it was just another activity book but how wrong was I! After doing some googling, I was amazed with the background of this book and the meaning behind it. This is a must read for all boys and girls who have experienced the following:

• Dealt with drama
• Have experienced bullying
• Have experienced selfie addiction
• Have experienced Chronic Bad Attitude Syndrome (CBAS)
• Have goals

Kit meets Covington: Ride by Bobbi JG Weiss

Candlewick Press, 2017. ISBN 9780763698355
(Age: 10-14) "When American teen Kit Bridges moves to England to attend an elite equestrian boarding school, neither she nor her new home will ever be quite the same.
Trying to move on from her mother's death and afraid of riding after a bad fall, plucky fourteen-year-old Kit Bridges doesn't quite know what to expect when her father takes a position at The Covington Academy, a prestigious boarding school in England. Things are looking up when Kit meets her cool, possibly secretly royal new roommate, Anya, and the boys of Covington, like Will, with their charming accents. But she hadn't anticipated such a strict headmistress as Lady Covington. Or the expectation that every student be a rider. Or the wild horse that she seems to have a strange and special bond with. While navigating new friendships, romances, and an alarmingly austere new environment, Kit needs to figure out whether she's ready to get back in the saddle. And at the end of the day, it's hard to tell who will be more changed by her arrival - The Covington Academy or Kit herself." (Publisher)
My sister was always the one who read Trixie Beldon and then my daughter later read The Saddle Club. I can see this book entertaining the next generation of horsey readers. It is based on a Nickelodeon TV show so some readers may be familiar with it. I did love the photos of the characters from the TV show and I did find myself flicking to check them out every now and then. It has an entertaining storyline and I love the old worldly insight into traditional English boarding schools of course with the added bonus of the odd drama thrown in. There are the typical characters of mean girl, popular girl, new girl on the block, popular boy etc etc. By the end of the book you do feel like they are your own friends. It is simple to read and I would recommend it for children aged 10 and up purely for the fact it does touch on young love in a very innocent way. A welcome addition to the horse collection in the library.
Kathryn Schumacher

My girragundji by Meme McDonald and Boori Pryor

Allen and Unwin, 2018. ISBN 9781760297107
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. Themes: Aboriginal themes. Bullying. Talisman. Growing up. This wonderful little book burst onto the scene in 1998, and a reprint for its twentieth anniversary is most welcome. Semi-autobiographical, it tells the story of a young Aboriginal boy sandwiched between two worlds, and bullied at school because of his colour.
Based on the story of Boori's pet frog, the boy in this story builds confidence with the little frog beside him. It hops through the louvre windows into his room one night and tells him that she will always be there, their spirits will be together and be strong. With the frog's support he repels the bully at school, talks to the girl next door who he is keen on, shakes off the hairyman who terrorises the house and walks through the mangroves unafraid.
A delightful story of growing up, of knowing who you are in an unsettling world, My girragundji speaks volumes about that time between childhood and adolescence, of making sense of who you are, made more poignant when the family has arguments each night, as the boy and his brothers sleep in one room, and their seven sisters sleep in the other. When the boy goes to the lake to fish with his father, he learns to kill a turtle, calling on the strength of the frog to help him, and when walking past Sharyn, he needs the help of the frog to say hello. Meme McDonald filled the story with elements of the life lived by Boori Pryor and his family, the Kunggandji people: their culture, beliefs and lifestyle making this tale an absolute treat. Snippets of a young boy's life being taught the culture of his people, of making his way in the white world, of dealing with racism and learning to stand on his own feet, are seamlessly brought into the story, making the reader aware when they put the book down of how much they have learnt about one boy's Aboriginal childhood.
Short summaries at the end tell us how the book came to be written, and show the covers of other novels written by Boori Pryor. A must for every school library.
Fran Knight

The wonder of us by Kim Culbertson

Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781406377170
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended . Friendship on the brink, after spending a school year in different countries? Struggling with your parent's divorce in a little country town while your best friend since kindergarten is swanning around Europe? How do two best friends reconnect when distance would otherwise have them drifting apart? First, Riya invites Abby to Europe, arranging an epic tour through six countries to show Abby, the history nerd, as many sights of interest as they can squeeze in. Not entirely altruistic, Riya intends to tell Abby at the last stop, that she's not coming back to California to graduate and attend college with her.
An overbearing chaperone, Riya's cousin Neel, is the catalyst for most of the misadventures in the story. Neel isn't letting the girls out of his sight but they have other ideas. The early tension is mostly between the two cousins. Neel has relationship problems of his own as Riya and Abby spend much of their time squabbling and making up amidst a wonderfully cosmopolitan backdrop.
This travelogue across Europe, hops predictably between historical locations metaphorically linked to the seven wonders of the ancient world. Kim Culbertson and her research assistants, have styled these cities appealingly into the section divisions of the novel. The theme of shared childhoods being a foundation for a lifelong friendship despite geographical separation is built incrementally by changing narrators in alternating chapters. Fittingly, the girls have contrasting personalities and interests - Riya enrols in a drama course and Abby plans a future based on her passion for history. The light romance thread is suitable for tweens but Culbertson's craft accentuates the key message - that two friends can grow up to follow different destinies without necessarily growing apart. The last 'wonder' might be that the author discusses all manner of relationship break-ups without leaving the 'Clean Literature' category.
Deborah Robins

Norton took something by John Dickson

Berbay Publishing, 2018. ISBN 9780994384140
(Age: 5-7) Recommended. Theme: Honesty. This is a first chapter book for independent readers with large text and black and white illustrations on most pages. The story starts with Norton secretly taking something special from his sister (we are left in the dark about what it is and why he takes it, which only helps to make it easier for readers to place themselves within the story). His sister April, devastated by the loss of her lucky charm, turns into a 'big pile of sadness'. Norton is sad too 'because he had made a special thing-sized hole in his sister's life and she had filled it with tears and anger'. Norton wants everyone to be happy again but he does not want his sister 'to see him as someone-who-steals-things'. He decides to bury the thing so he is not reminded of what he has done, but this does not work. He still feels bad and doesn't know how to make it stop; it creeps into his mind at the strangest of times, blocking his learning and borrowing his hunger. Finally, after a discussion with his teddy bear, Norton decides he needs to say sorry and give the thing back to April. Yes, April is angry but eventually they hug it out and everybody ends up feeling really good.
The strength of this story is its insightful way of describing emotional behaviour and feelings in a way that is tangible and visual ('She held her breath, let it out, then held it again. Her face looked like it was on fire.') We do not see or know what the thing is; just that it brings joy not just to April but also to everyone else. This means that children can imagine the thing as something that is special to them, placing themselves into both Norton and his sister's shoes. It emphasises that it is OK to make mistakes but that it is better to own up to what we have done or our conscience won't let us move on. Norton's family are so supportive and model to children and parents appropriate, yet realistic behaviours.
Nicole Smith-Forrest

Crash! Boom! a maths tale by Robie H. Harris

Ill. by Chris Chatterton. Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781406380514
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. Themes: Maths. Building. Experimentation. Perseverance. STEM. Resilience. Elephant wants to build something as tall as he. He experiments, calculates, builds and when his efforts fall to the floor, he cries but he tries again. Surrounded by a number of different shaped building blocks, he tries them out, adding one to the other. Younger readers will love to call out which is the next block Elephant should pick up and delight at the shape he is building. They will offer suggestions, make deductions and encourage him to try again as the book is read, noting the numbers and shapes that are offered on each page.
He tries again until his building is finished, and this time he is the one who makes it fall down. After that he uses all the shapes on the floor around him to make a final shape.
The bucket of blocks is used over and over to make different shapes, encouraging the readers to make up their own, so have some ready.
The clear pictures are a treat, Elephant is always energetic, the pictures flowing from one page to the next, showing movement as Elephant attempts his tasks. His disappointment when his first building tumbles will be recognised by all readers, each of them having to cope with small disappointments as they try new things, but like Elephant will try again.
This is a lovely introduction to the ideas of trying things out, of experimenting, of overcoming disappointment and trying again, and is well suited to any classroom or home library where open minds are encouraged.
Fran Knight

Honor code by Kiersi Burkhart

Lerner Publishing Group, 2018. ISBN 9781512429961
(Age: 14+) Sam is excited to be enrolled into Edwards Academy, a prestigious boarding school, as she believes it will be a positive move towards achieving her dream of getting into Harvard Law School. The Academy is everything Sam has not had before, a true sense of belonging amongst high achievers who respect each other and 'look out' for each other according to 'The Honor Code' of Edwards Academy. This Honor Code was written by students for students and it is something they all respect and abide by.
Everything seems to be going well for Sam, she had a great roommate called Gracie and Sam is certain they will be best friends forever; she had joined several clubs and she is slowly starting to feel that she really belongs here. One of the clubs Sam has joined is Art club where the most popular senior boy Scully poses for the budding artists to sketch. To her delight, Sam is paired with Scully for the upcoming school Mixer (dance) and the girls start planning for the much-anticipated event.
The story takes a turn from this point of the story and Sam questions the values and authenticity of the Honor Code and all that Edward's Academy stands for.
This book explores the dark depths of institutions and those who are coveted in these societies vs those who are not. There are power struggles between the popular and the not, the rich and the poor, the fake and the real and highlights the lengths we go to have a voice.
Themes in this book are: school relationships, friendships, values, justice and social status. This story would appeal most to girls who like reading about friendships and struggles faced in a school setting and going after what means the most to you... at all costs.
Gerri Mills

Is it the way you giggle? by Nicola Connelly

Ill. by Anna White. New Frontier Press, 2018. ISBN 9781925594102
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Diversity, Play, Humour, Difference, Family, Inclusivity. Enthusiastic and energetic, a young child leaps across the front cover begging younger readers to open the book. Once inside, the endpapers tell of a party with hats, balloons and skipping rope. Intrigued the reader will delve further, wanting now to be involved and in a mood to laugh. From there they read of all the things that make each one of us different from the other. From the way we giggle, to wriggling toes, do cartwheels, or maybe physical things like the size of a nose, or the curl of the hair, or perhaps the way we sing or swim.
Each page zings with activity as the children dress up in the array of clothes and feathers, necklaces, shoes and hats, or play outside, running and jumping, cartwheeling and swimming, or staying inside with a book, or crayons and paper. Each activity is as different as the children, asking the question on nearly every page, 'What makes you special?' Sometimes a child is alone doing something by themselves, most times they are together in a group, playing, but all times they are happy and active, and at the end they come together as a family group, happy and loving.
By this time many of the readers will be calling out the things they do that makes them happy, joining in with the fun and activity of the book, and those reading it to them will be able to guide their enthusiasm to help them see that everyone is different in their own way, special and individual. The range of activities shown will enthuse the readers to try things out for themselves, to experience what the children in the book are doing, to play along with them.
Nicola and Anna had their first book, My Dad is a Bear, shortlisted for the Prime Minister's Award.
Fran Knight

In the dark spaces by Cally Black

Down among the sticks and bones by Seanan McGuire

Wayward Children book 2. Tor, 2017. ISBN 9780765392039
(Age: Senior secondary - Adult) Recommended. Alex Awards for the 10 best adult books 2018. Themes: Horror, Fantasy, Fairy tales, Diversity, Gender stereotypes. Fans of Seanan Mcguire's books will have encountered twin sisters Jack and Jill in the first book in the Wayward Children series, "Every heart a doorway".  "Down Among the Sticks and Bones" tells the story of what happened to them before they were sent to Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children.
This not a story for the faint hearted or for younger teens. It is dark and compelling and the atmosphere is chilling. Jacqueline is the perfect child, who is dressed like a little doll and is always quiet and respectful. Jillian is the opposite - outgoing and risk taking and their father's favourite. The twins don't trust their parents and when they turn twelve they find a staircase that leads them into another land, the mysterious land of the Moors where vampires and werewolves roam and a mad scientist does his experiments.
It is here that Jack finds out what she really wants to be and that she doesn't have to fit into a gender stereotype. She studies with the mad scientist, and falls in love. Jill is left in the castle and becomes increasingly frustrated and angry. To tell more would spoil this beautifully crafted but terrifying story, but it is sufficient to say that there are heart breaking incidents, betrayal, and terrible choices to make.
Pat Pledger