How Lunchbox Jones saved me from robots, traitors and Missy the Cruel by Jennifer Brown
Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017. ISBN 9781681194417
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. How Lunchbox Jones saved me from
robots, traitors and Missy the Cruel finds Luke stuck in the
robotics team. Sure, he likes computer games but he hasn't a clue
about robots. The rest of the team is a bit weird too. There are the
two Jacobs who look identical but aren't identical, Missy the Cruel
(she just makes Luke's life miserable) and there is also Lunchbox
Jones. Luke freezes every time he sees him and the rest of the
school seems scared of him too. As if year 7 isn't hard enough! Luke
is also angry at his older brother for joining the marines and no
matter what he says he can't get his grandfathers to accept he
doesn't play football. How Lunchbox Jones saved me from robots, traitors and Missy the
Cruel is an excellent interpretation of the trials and
tribulations of students in middle school. Readers will appreciate
Luke's family worries as well as the school issues he faces. Anyone
interested in robots will enjoy the robotics theme and if they have
read other middle school themed novels like Diary
of a wimpy kid then they will enjoy this too. The story
telling is descriptive and relative, exploring family, friendship
and school life.
Kylie Kempster
Making the grade by Cate Shearwater
Somersaults and Dreams bk 1. Egmont, 2015. ISBN 9781405268783
(Age: 9-12) Gymnastics. School life. Friends. Family.
Thirteen-year-old gymnast Ellie happily lives in Cornwall with her
ship-builder father, artist mother and younger sister Lucy. Her
dream however is to be an Olympic gymnast like her aunt. With help
from Fran, her local coach, Ellie wins a scholarship to the
prestigious London Gymnastics Academy. Ellie boards at
Head-Over-Heels House with the other out-of-town gymnasts. Twins
Nancy, Tam, and their mother Mandy, who looks after the house, make
Ellie feel welcome and help her settle in.
Ellie faces many challenges, she worries about her own gymnastics
skill levels and she hasn't taken her Grade 2 compulsory exam. Queen
bee Scarlett, another team member, delights in commenting on Ellie's
abilities, and she bullies her relentlessly. While Ellie is at the
Academy she searches for the truth about her Aunt Lizzie who fell
from the beam at the Olympics. This stopped the British team from
winning the gold medal and ended her sporting career.
Emma their coach is there to support and encourage the team to
strive for their best. 'Gymnastics will teach you discipline and
teamwork. It will give you courage and self-belief.' Ellie loves the
academy, developing her skills on the floor, balance beam and other
equipment. Surrounded by her friends, she loves the business of
school, sharing the house with her friends and finding time for
socialising.
When Ellie brings Tam and Nancy to her home in Cornwall, she
introduces them to boating activities, boat races and family fun.
Cate Shearwater's Making the grade focuses on finding your
secret ingredient, your life-balance with your training and
dedication. This is the first in the Somersaults and dreams
series is a great read for girls from 9-12 years of age.
Rhyllis Bignell
Grover, Stretch and the broken leg by Claire Garth
Ill. by Johannes Leak. Grover McBane Rescue Dog series. Bk 4. Piccolo
Nero, 2017. ISBN 9781863959452
Number 4 in the series, this story continues the adventures of
Grover McBane a Border Collie who was rescued by the Sydney Dogs and
Cats Home. Grover is a real character and was adopted by the author,
Claire Garth, who works at the animal shelter. This is explained in
the back of the book and is an important part of the stories because
the books highlight the work of shelters and the responsibilities of
caring pet owners.
Although the animals come to the shelter under sad and cruel
circumstances the endings are positive and the animals all find good
homes.
In this story, Grover meets Stretch, a young greyhound puppy with a
broken leg who has been dumped at the shelter. He is fostered by
Grover's owner Annie and Grover is expected to teach Stretch how to
behave and to keep him safe. This proves challenging as the young
Stretch is into all sorts of adventures and can't resist the chance
to follow anything interesting. His long lanky leg is in a cast and
this proves to be an issue as he often gets trapped in tight
situations. The overriding object of course, is to find Stretch a
'forever' home.
The stories are told from the perspectives of the animals and we. the
reader, can understand what they are saying and feeling. There are
some black and white illustrations and at the back of the book are
information pages on all of the cats and dogs featured. All money
from sales will help the rescue centre.
An interesting interview with Claire and Grover is available on Youtube.
This book is suitable for years 6 to 9 and I think will appeal
strongly to the students that enjoy animal stories.
Jane Moore
Under the same sky by Britta Teckentrup
Caterpillar Books, 2017. ISBN 9781848575868
'We live under the same sky, in lands near and far...
We live under the same sky, wherever we are.'
The dedication to this gentle, lullaby-like book is 'For a united
world'. Using the softest palette, the creatures of habitats around
the world, rhyming couplets and clever cutouts, Teckentrup
emphasises this message of inclusivity perfectly.
With so much angst and anxiety that is focusing on difference, we
are reminded that despite the diversity of how we look, where we
live and what we do, nevertheless we all share this planet and have
so many things in common especially our dreams.
Hopeful, reaffirming and the ideal discussion starter for children
to focus on how they are the same and how they can live together in
harmony.
Barbara Braxton
Feathers by Phil Cummings
Ill. by Phil Lesnie. Scholastic, 2017. ISBN 9781760157357
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Feathers, Refugees, Connections,
Developing countries. Four feathers fall from the sandpiper as it
flies unimpeded to its new home across mountains, seas and deserts.
Each feather is found by a child: three hoping for a better
tomorrow, one realising just how lucky she is.
A boy sheltering in a village devastated by an earthquake puts the
feather to his face, another plucks the feather from the air,
tickling her brother's feet as they tramp in a line of refugees, a
third watches the feather made into a boat by their mother, floating
away in the floodwaters that have destroyed their house. Each
feather represents hope for a better future, and the last one,
picked up by Mia, a girl without any worries, is reminded by her
father just how lucky she is.
In spare, emotive prose Cummings captures the theme of
interconnectedness, of how we are all one world, a world which for
some is devastated by war or flood or earthquake leaving them to
live in heartbreak and need. The feathers of hope are dropped by a
bird which does not heed borders, it flies to its next home, a place
of warmth and safety, unhindered, a stark reminder of just how
detained some are in finding a place of refuge and peace.
Lessie's pencil and water colour illustrations add another layer of
connection, as his children, ragged and thin struggle against their
hostile backgrounds, until we get to Mia, healthy and happy, playing
at her home, laughing with her father. The contrast is arresting:
the single happy child playing on a swing with her father in a
bright carefree sun filled environment, set against the demolished
village after the earthquake, the submerged houses after a flood and
the lines of refugees moving away for their now unlivable city.
Readers cannot help but be touched by the contrast, reminding them
of footage seen daily on the news, of children left homeless by
things outside their control, of children without the luck that
keeps them safe.
Fran Knight
Teens : a story of Australian schoolgirls by Louise Mack
Angus and Robertson, 2017 (c1897). ISBN 9781460750797
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Lennie Leighton is leaving the governess she
shares with her younger sisters to attend school. She is full of
excitement and confidence, but has a false start when she receives
poor marks in an exam. Lennie goes on to edit the school magazine
and top the class in English and History. She also finds a best
friend in Mabel James, and the closeness of their friendship
contributes to the warmth and heart of this school girl story.
It has been a very long time since I have read a book this old and I
thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved the old worldy language and the
historical references to life in the 1880s. This book was the first
fiction title published by Angus and Robertson and was initially
released in 1897. It reminded me of Little Women and the
strong bonds that the girls formed during their teens. It is
interesting to note that many of the experiences the central
character, Lennie, encounters mirror the real life experiences of
the author, Louise Mack. She was in fact educated at home by her own
mother until she enrolled at Sydney Girls High School in 1885.
This is a delightful read about friendship, teen issues of the time,
family, differences and the importance of education. A must have for
a library collection to be added to the classics.
I would recommend it for 10 years of age and up.
Kathryn Schumacher
Super Moopers series by Fiona Harris
Ill. by Scott Edgar. Five Mile Press, 2017. Musical Markus book 1. ISBN 9781760406509 Nervous Nellie book 2. ISBN 9781760406493 Dramatic Dom book 3. ISBN 9781760406486 Giggling Gertie book 4. ISBN 9781760406516
(Age: 5-8) Highly recommended. Themes: Character Traits,
Self-esteem, Self-confidence, Personality. Super Moopers is
a bright and exciting new series from Sally Rippin Presents, written
by Fiona Harris and illustrated by Scott Edgar. Welcome to
Moopertown, an extraordinary place where everyone is unique, all
different sizes, shapes, colours and characters. There is a
similarity in style to Dr Seuss and his imaginary worlds - the Who's
of Whoville with the bright pops of colour, unusual settings and
quirky inhabitants. These four affirming stories introduce Musical
Markus, Nervous Nellie, Dramatic Dom and Giggling Gertie, Moopers
whose unique personality sometime gets them into trouble.
Markus loves to sing very loudly and he never stops. Unfortunately,
this is very annoying for other Moopers, who discourage him and ask
him to stop doing the one thing he loves. Fortunately, for Markus
someone needs his singing abilities.
Nervous Nellie loves the warm sun, tall Doopy trees and faffer birds
singing, but she is frightened of many things as well. Squishy
marshmallows, kites blowing on windy days and bubbles popping all
make her nervous. When a little Wixie chases her ball onto the road
in front of the racing milk cart, Nellie steps up to save the day.
Flamboyant purple Mooper, Dramatic Dom has been rehearsing forever
for his play. As he sets up the stage in the park, he notices an
alien spaceship land in a nearby tree. Dom convinces everyone that
the aliens have landed, when others ridicule him, Nellie stays to
offer some advice. Dom's new play shows he can rise above the
situation and turn his problems around.
Giggling Gertie laughs at everything, often at the most
inappropriate times. Her challenge is to remain calm during Lord
Hoity Toity's visit and not interrupt the scheduled performances. Super Moopers is a fabulous series celebrating diversity,
recognising that everyone has something inside that makes them
super. These are wonderful picture books for families and classes to
discuss wellbeing, building emotional resilience and developing
self-esteem.
Rhyllis Bignell
The Adventures of Pelle No-Tail by Gosta Knutsson
Translated by Stephanie Smee and Ann-Margrete Smee. Piccolo Nero,
2017. ISBN 9781863959247
(Age: 7-10) Recommended. Pelle No-Tail is a classic Swedish
story that has been translated into English for a new audience. The
Pelle stories have been a favourite since the late 1930's and tell
the story of little Pelle, a cat whose tail has been bitten off by a
rat. He finds his way into a car and leaves the farm to live with a
new family in the city.
Pelle has to deal with the city cats, bully Mans and his friends,
but he always seems to come out on top. Pelle gets to experience
Easter, Christmas and a summer holiday on a farm with his new
family. He travels in the car and on a train and meets a variety of
animals on the way.
Little Pelle's innocence and kindness endear him to both humans and
animals.
These ageless stories are simple yet entertaining and appealing.
There are a few black and white illustrations in the book and the
cover shows a jaunty Pelle admiring a medal he received from his
family.
Mother and daughter translators, Stephanie and Margrete Smee explain
at the beginning of the book, that they have translated the story
into English but have kept a few Swedish words in the text to ensure
that children understand Pelle's Swedish background.
Gosta Knutsson wrote 13 Pelle stories and 3 have been translated and
are available to purchase. Further Adventures of Pelle No-Tail
is Book no 2 and Pelle No-Tail Pulls Through Book no 3.
I recommend this story to students aged 7 to 10 years old.
Jane Moore
Pelle No-Tail pulls through by Gosta Knutsson
Translated by Stephanie Smee and Ann-Margrete Smee. Piccolo Nero,
2017. ISBN 9781863959476
(Age: 6-8) Swedish author Gosta Knutsson wrote his series of twelve
books about the affable cat Pelle Svanslos between 1939 and 1972.
Pelle No-Tail is a friendly black and white cat whose tail was
bitten off by a rat when he as a kitten. Stephanie Smee and
Ann-Margrete Smee have translated Knutsson's anthropomorphic tales
for a new audience of young readers. Pelle No-Tail Pulls Through is the third book in the series,
here Pelle's nemesis Mans and his minions Bill and Bull repeatedly
try to trick and upset him. Mans organises a big Swing Fair for all
the neighbourhood cats, but all his tricks to embarrass Pelle
backfire and he ends up in a scuffle instead.
When Pelle's family get ready to take him on holiday to the
Bergslagen forest, where they can fish, relax and have fun Mans
warns Pelle about the fierce Bergslagen troll who lives in the
forest and likes to eat cats. Luckily, Pelle meets a local cat Sigge
who shows him around and quickly clears up the myth about the troll.
Each chapter is easy to read, there is fun and humour added as Mans
continuously tries to swindle and cause mischief to Pelle No-Tail.
Lovissa Lesse's sketches show the emotions both Pelle and Mans
experience. The use of Swedish phrases and locations add interest to
these junior chapter books, just right for a reader who enjoys
animal tales.
Rhyllis Bignell
The inaugural meeting of the Fairvale Ladies Book Club by Sophie Green
Hachette Australia, 2017. ISBN 9780733636561
(Age: Older adolescents - adult) This may appear to be simply a
light-hearted read from the decorative cover, the title, and the
opening story. However, although there are many lighter elements,
the narrative reaches deeply into the personal lives of the
characters, exploring the dramatic changes that some face. The
narrative is imbued with a deep sense of overcoming hardship, yet
this is balanced by the humour, positive attitudes of many, and
indeed the happiness that some characters discover. Green's deft
management of the characters' personalities, quirks, interactions,
and ultimately, their choices is a strong element in the narrative.
She structures the story to enable us to see the pain, alienation,
anger, sadness, grief, loss and misfortune of her characters. Yet
she structures the narrative so that her characters are able to
recognise, ultimately, their own strengths, and the positive power
of forgiveness, acceptance, friendship and love.
The narrative is mostly set in the outback of the Northern
Territory, both in the town of Katherine and on the station that is
owned by one family, over the years of 1978 to 1981. Sophie Green
adds a list of pertinent events for each of these years, which
supports the responses and actions of the characters both for those
who would have lived through those years and those for whom this
would be the distant and unknown past. The books chosen are in one
sense secondary to the story but the responses of the members to
those books, and indeed their choices of books, are relevant to what
is happening in their lives and the club functions to enable the
individual members to become a group with a shared interest.
It is definitely a book that would appeal to both older adolescent
and adult readers, I would suggest, its focus being on coming to
terms with the vagaries of modern life, these elements so
dramatically emphasized in the vastness of the countryside in which
they live, its isolation and the challenging climate of this
northern part of outback Australia.
Elizabeth Bondar
Pretty girls don't eat by Winnie Salamon
Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781925272772
(Age: 13+) Recommended. Pretty girls don't eat is a realistic
chain of events involving numerous real life debacles. Winter May, a
16 year-old fashion designer, has one dream and one dream only, to
pursue a long-awaited career in the fashion industry. While
fine-tuning her sewing skills, Winter comes across Mable's, a large
fashion shop designed for plus-sized girls to feel comfortable about
their weight. After landing a job, Winter started to think she
could lose a few kilos here and there, after all, it wouldn't hurt
to try, but she was wrong. The tables turn when she discovers that
she has a chance in pursuing her dream.
Winnie Salamon's book will leave its readers committed and involved
to changing today's perception of body image. The author has
carefully used her modern understanding of body image to create a
truly inspiring novel to raise awareness of the problem of eating
disorders. This book will entertain as well as educate nearly every
audience and will teach people to be themselves no matter what they
look like. Pretty girls don't eat will leave you inspired to
do more and change society's biased perception of body image.
Jasmine M. (student)
The exile by Jo Sandhu
Tarin of the Mammoths bk 1. Penguin, 2017. ISBN 9780143309376
(Age: 9-12) Highly recommended. Prehistoric people. Ice Age.
Mammoths. Travel. Resilience. Courage. Jo Sandhu's exciting fantasy
series Tarin of the Mammoths is set in the Ice Age, the
harsh and hostile environment of Northern Europe, 30,000 years ago.
The Mammoth clan are strong and experienced hunters whose survival
over the Long Dark is reliant on the last successful hunt of the
season. Tarin's father is the clan leader and Tarin's desire is to
be a brave hunter, but he is weak and has a deformed leg. He is
bullied and ridiculed by the other clan members. He disturbs the
mammoth hunt and is sentenced to exile by the elders, tasked with
taking an offering to the Earth Mother. His brother Niko sneaks away
and together they begin a journey fraught with danger. A plunge into
an icy river separates the boys, Niko is rescued but Tarin is swept
away.
His rescuer Kaija brings him back to life, feeding him and keeping
him warm in a small cave. She is desperately searching for her twin
brother Luuka captured by the fierce Boar Clan. They have fled their
River Clan home after a plague swept through and killed all the clan
members. Together Tarin and Kaija join forces, exhibit great
courage, draw on their individual strengths and creatively plan to
rescue Luuka. Tarin realises he can conquer his own fears and rise
above the challenges of his physical disability. The Earth Mother's
offerings - natural medicines, food, flints, a blade, beads and a
spear are essential survival tools.
From the epic battle with the Boar Clan, the ingenious escape with
the two wolf cubs, their constant struggles with the elemental
forces and the journey of personal growth, Sandhu's The exile
is dramatic and powerfully written. The Ice Age setting draws the
reader in, and the author paints a detailed natural and spiritual
world, believable characters engaged in an epic journey. Sandhu's
use of Scandinavian phrases and names adds richness to this
narrative. The themes of courage, persistence, strength and reliance
on friends are key elements that elevate this junior fiction novel.
Rhyllis Bignell
Marge and the great train rescue by Isla Fisher
Piccadilly Press, 2017. ISBN 9781848125940
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended. Marge and the great train rescue
includes three short stories about Jemima and Jake and their rather
unusual babysitter, Marge. Marge is not your usual babysitter.
Besides being very short, Marge has bright rainbow hair and is a
duchess. She is always telling Jemima and Jake about her royal
escapades.
In 'Marge and the missing tooth', Jake has a loose tooth. Marge is
willing to try anything to get the tooth out. Unfortunately, once
the tooth is out, Jake forgets where he put it. Will they find the
tooth in time for the tooth fairy?
In 'Marge and the great train rescue', Marge, Jemima and Jake are
taking the train to the zoo. While dressed in disguises, Marge and
the children solve the problem that caused the train to stop. Who
knew you could talk to cows?
In 'Marge and the zany zoo day', Marge and the children explore the
zoo. Thanks to one of Marge's stories, Jake is determined to set his
favourite orangutan free. Can Jemima distract him?
The stories in Marge and the great train rescue are quick
and easy to read. The zaniness of Marge's stories will have readers
wondering what is an exaggeration and what is true. The vocabulary
is easy to read and this collection of stories will make a great
first novel for girls aged 7+. It would also be a great before
bedtime read, whether read out loud or silently. Parents could even
create their own versions for their children. This is highly
recommended for readers aged 5+.
Kylie Kempster
Free as a cloud by Bai Bing
Ill. by Yu Rong. Starfish Bay Publishing, 2017. ISBN 9781760360351
(Age: 5-8) Recommended. Sweetie is a myna bird who lives as a pet
with his loving family. He is well treated with juicy fruit, taken
out for rides and bought the most beautiful birdcage but Sweetie is
still unhappy. Although he loves his family he has no heart to sing
and doesn't know why. Eventually the reason is discovered, he needs
to return to his home jungle, where...
'I am so happy I want to sing out loud.
I want to sing to the other birds and sing to myself. I am a
beautiful myna as free as a cloud'.
The moral of the story is that freedom is essential to happiness, no
matter how wonderful the cage is. The family show true love to
Sweetie as they are pleased to set him free to ensure his
contentment and well being.
The illustrations are a combination of black paper cuts and free
form drawings, the main focus of the pictures being the dark cut out
shapes. They highlight Sweetie's personal story especially his
joyous expression as he flies home to the jungle.
This story was originally in Chinese and won the prestigious Golden
Apple Award from the Biennial of Illustration, Bratislava.
Recommended for 5 to 8 year olds.
Jane Moore
The legend of Rock Paper Scissors by Drew Daywalt
Ill. by Adam Rex. HarperCollins, 2017. ISBN 9780008252397
In the ancient and distant realm called the Kingdom of the
Backgarden lives the warrior Rock. He believes he is the greatest
because no one can give him a worthy challenge that will prove his
superiority. While his battle with the clothes peg and the apricot
entertain the backyard dwellers, he feels unsatisfied so he leaves
the garden in search of a worthy foe.
Meanwhile in the Empire of Mum's Study, Paper is feeling the same
way. No one can outwit him and so he, too, leaves to look for a
worthy opponent. At the same time, in the Kitchen Realm, Scissors
has beaten both Sticky Tape and Dinosaur Chicken Nuggets so she also
goes on a quest to find something better.
And in the great cavern of Two-Car Garage, the three meet for the
first time...
Children (and adults) everywhere play the traditional game of Rock
Paper Scissors to help them make decisions and reach compromises and
now the mastermind behind The day
the crayons quit has brought us their true story. Told in
narrative and speech bubbles which make the most of bold fonts and
imaginative layout, and accompanied by fantastic pictures that bring
the most mundane objects to life and emphasise the action, this is a
story that will be enjoyed again and again. Children will love the
boldness and loudness that oozes from the pages and you can just see
them swaggering around like the characters as they take on their
favourite.
'Dramatic', 'raucous', 'bombastic', 'energetic', 'outrageous' - all
have been used to describe this story. Apart from encapsulating it
perfectly, what fun students can have suggesting their own
adjectives for it and investigating what those ones mean. Further teachers'
notes are available.
A superhero origin story of a slightly different type!
Barbara Braxton
