DK, 2018. ISBN 9781465468604
More and more as news coverage reports scientific breakthroughs, it
is a woman who is the face of the science rather than the
stereotypical man in a white coat. Women leading scientific
discoveries is not a new phenomenon, as this new DK publication
demonstrates with its introductory section about scientists of
ancient times, but at last it is becoming understood and accepted
that science is not "bizniz bilong men".
Written especially for young readers who are verging on independence
or who have made that journey, this book links the achievements of
just a handful of women who have made significant contributions to
their field of study. Familiar and unfamiliar names are included as
well as a brief introduction to just some of the fields that come
under the science umbrella, encouraging the reader to perhaps be the
next big name.
There is a quiz to spark further investigations as well as the
characteristic DK attention to detail in the layout and supporting
clues and cues.
As well as introducing young readers to the work of these remarkable
women, there is scope for it to be the springboard as they answer
the questions, "Who would you add? Why?"
Barbara Braxton
Palace of Fires: Initiate by Bill Bennett
Penguin Books, 2018. ISBN 9780143783794
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Themes: Witchcraft. Good and evil. Beginning
with the tale of an ancestor's pact with the devil, Initiate
follows a modern American girl, Lily, on her journey of discovery
following her mother's disappearance. For the first time since her
father died Lily's life is close to settled. She and Angela are
selling their produce and hoping for a decadent lunch at one of the
fanciest restaurants in town. But things change when three scary
looking women appear. Without any warning Angela takes Lily and
flees, leaving her daughter in a motel and disappears. With Angela
gone, leaving Lily all alone she has no choice but to get in contact
with her uncle Freddie who, as Angela explained in the letter she
left, would explain everything. While Freddie organises someone to
collect her, Lily is subject to the questioning of Detective Marley
Davis, who, of all things, asks her about witches and the Golden
Order of Baphomet. While Lily dismisses this as ridiculous, she soon
learns it is anything but, and she has the potential to be a great
and powerful witch, with training. But first she must reach her
uncle in Santa Fe while continuing to evade the three biker women
who are desperate to catch her too.
Confusion reigns for most of the novel as Lily comes to terms with
her budding sensitivity to the energies that surround her and her
sudden desirability to the school stud, KJ and the forces of evil.
Meanwhile she hurtles towards a destiny she previously could not
imagine, discovering family secrets along the way and embracing the
reality that she is a soldier of the light.
I would recommend for anyone twelve and up with an interest in
witchcraft and the battle between good and evil.
Kayla Gaskell, 21
The detective dog by Julia Donaldson
Ill. by Sara Ogilvie. MacMillan Children's books, 2018 (2016). ISBN
9781509801596
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Dogs, Board book, Detection. School.
Books. Libraries. Read aloud. I love books about books, stories that
tell of people sharing books, of reading books, of borrowing books.
Well, this one is someone stealing books! But it all ends happily,
so don't fret. Nell's story is told in rhyming stanzas, a tale of a
dog who is born to be a detective, her nose sniffing out the places
where all sorts of things lie hidden: socks, honey, a lost book, a
spider in the bath, a lost ball. And she loves going to school to
hear the children read, but one day when they come to school, the
library has been ransacked and all the books are gone. Catastrophe!
But Detective Nell to the rescue. She picks up the scent and follows
it, leading the class trailing out behind her. They traverse roads
and gardens, past the zoo and the take-away shop and into a wood.
Here they run through a very overgrown garden and push open the
messy gate. Behind the gate sits the culprit, a man with a stack of
books, his nose buried in one of them. He is most apologetic,
promising that he intended to return them after they had been read,
and he helps the children take them all back to school. A happy
relationship is established as the children show the man how to open
a library account and borrow as many books as he wants. The
infectious illustrations swirl with colour and life moving quickly
across the pages, inviting the readers to follow the action. The
dog, Nell, is a wonderful creation, one every child would love to
have, and the way Nell is depicted with her nose in everything about
will have resonance with most dog owners.
This is a charming homage to pets and libraries, to frazzled
teachers, to those sharing books, to those who are helped in their
quest to find books, and of course to skillful dogs and
accommodating children. A real treat. And now republished as a board
book spreads the fun to a wider audience.
Fran Knight
Toto the Ninja cat and the great snake escape by Dermot O'Leary
Ill. by Nick East. Hodder, 2017. ISBN 9781444939453
(Age: 7+) "Oh hi! You're here. Purrfect Timing! I wrote this story
about my cat. This is TOTO and she's awesome. But she is no ordinary
furry feline, my friends. She is almost totally blind, she has ninja
skills and at night she has amazing adventures with her cheeky
brother, Silver. Want to join them on their first great adventure? A
deadly King Cobra has escaped, and TOTO's going to have to use all
her powers to capture him . . . . "
For young readers who love books about animals this is bound to be a
popular series. It would make a fantastic read aloud or be equally
enjoyed by a child reading it by themselves. It is a purrfect fit
for those wishing to read chapter books as the text is large and
interspersed with gorgeous black and white illustrations. Underlying
themes of friendship, inclusivity and facing adversity and winning
it would make a great back to school read. I love the Q and A at the
end of the book with O'Leary as it gives the reader an added insight
into the book. Children will also appreciate the findaword. Toto
will fast become a favourite with many. Suitable for ages 7 and up.
Kathryn Schumacher
Appendix Man by Angus McNeil
Crowbar Media, 2017. ISBN 9781925658002
Themes: self-belief, friendship, superheroes. Leon and Daisy have
been friends since primary school, but when 17 year old Daisy
declares she is going to be Australia's first megahero, her first
target being eco-villain, Dr Green who aims to destroy people for
damaging the planet, all Leon can do is be supportive and suggest
she might be overreaching her abilities. Undaunted Daisy adopts the
name "Appendix Man" after an operation. Both their parents go
off on an unexpected holiday together leaving the friends to find
all the accoutrements needed for a megahero in an underground bunker
in the backyard where Daisy's Dad has been experimenting with hi
tech gadgets. They team up with the author of a crime-busting
website, Ash; added into the mix is Hong, the martial arts teacher
whose teaching involves sitting in a red room doing nothing, and the
Ginger Ninja who also needs to be defeated before she joins forces
with Dr Green and his family.
Set in Melbourne at some time in the future when Koalas are extinct,
the story has an unlikely cast with a different twist around fixing
the planet. Appendix Man's gender seems to confuse even the author
and there are more errors in the text than there should be. I found
it difficult to suspend disbelief as the plot became more and more
extreme, including genetically modified drop bears with the
denouement hinging on preventing the villain finding an organic
self-destruct button. However it is essentially a story about
friendship and support which may entertain younger readers looking
for something a bit different.
A website is available.
Sue Speck
Rain Fall by Ella West
Allen and Unwin, 2018. ISBN 9781760296834
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. Themes: Murder. Crime. Thriller. New
Zealand. Coal mining. Rodeos. Horses. Annie is running late for her
basketball game when she spots what looks like a raincoat floating
in the river. Then her whole neighbourhood is cordoned off by police
who say that her neighbour is dangerous and has a gun. She doesn't
believe that her neighbour Pete would hurt anyone and hopes that he
has got away. When riding her horse, Blue, on the beach, she comes
in contact with a new boy riding an amazing horse, but not trusting
strangers is careful to brush away any signs of Pete. Then a body is
found and Annie becomes embroiled in the mystery.
The constant rain provides a good background for this crime thriller
and it is easy to visualise the wild coast of New Zealand. The story
of coal mining and its demise also provides an interesting backdrop
to the tale as West describes what happens when a community loses
its only means of livelihood. Annie's father drives the coal train
and when the mine begins to fail, so do the jobs that keep the town
going. Annie's having troubles at home as well, with her father
uncertain about his job and the family is faced with the prospect of
moving away from their home.
However it is the mystery that really grips the reader, who becomes
immersed in what is happening. Why was the man murdered? Is Pete
really to blame and where has he gone? How far can Annie trust Jack
the new boy who is so attractive and can she keep her actions a
secret from her parents for very long?
This is a great read and will appeal to people who like mystery and
suspense, with a touch of romance and interesting background. In
addition there are two wonderful horses, some information about
rodeos and likeable characters, all adding up to a most enjoyable
story. Readers who haven't read Night vision by Ella West
would want to pick up this excellent book as well, and teachers
could find this a useful class novel or literature circle text. Teacher's
notes are available on the publisher's website.
Pat Pledger
Lucky Button by Michael Morpurgo
Ill. by Michael Foreman. Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781406371680
(Age: 8-11) Highly recommended. Themes: Orphans and Orphanages,
Classical Music, Wolfgang Mozart, Friendship, 18th Century Britain,
Bullying. Michael Morpurgo's Lucky Button is a thoughtful
time slip story set in the present day and in The Foundling
Hospital, Britain's first home for abandoned children. This charity
was started by philanthropist Thomas Coram in 1739 with the
assistance of British painter William Hogarth and composer George
Frideric Handel.
Young Joshua Trelawney's life is divided clearly into two halves. At
home he cares for his wheelchair bound mother while at school he's a
loner longing for a friend while suffering the taunts of the bullies
who make fun of his name with Moby Dick taunts. Music is Jonah's
solace; he loves to sing and desperately wants to join the school
choir. Jonah escapes from the bullying seeking refuge in the chapel
originally part of the Foundling Hospital. Finding a small gold
button and meeting a ghostly organist helps Jonah to understand his
current circumstances and to find happiness.
Nathaniel Hogarth shares his life story, abandoned as a baby at the
Foundling Hospital, then sent to live with kind foster parents in
the country. Music provides solace for young Nathaniel when he's
returned to the hospital, and he meets Handel and is chosen to sing
in The Messiah. Foundling 762 grows up to be apprenticed at the
artist Hogarth's stable and takes his surname. Fortuitously young
Nat moves on to Sir John Sullivan's estate where he becomes a
companion to young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Woferl. Lucky Button celebrates the power of music, with Morpurgo's
touching narrative beautifully told through Michael Foreman's
detailed watercolour paintings showing strongly drawn historic and
contemporary characters. This is a story that resonates with hope,
friendship and resilience rising above adversity, a story perfect
for sharing with students in Years 3-5.
Rhyllis Bignell
Race to the bottom of the sea by Lindsay Eagar
Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9780763698775
(Age: Year 4+) Highly recommended. Can a clever young inventor
uncover a ruthless pirate's heart of gold? When her parents, the
great marine scientists Dr. and Dr. Quail, are killed in a tragic
accident, eleven-year-old Fidelia Quail is racked by grief - and
guilt. It was a submarine of Fidelia's invention that her parents
were in when they died, and it was she who pressed them to stay out
longer when the raging Undertow was looming. But Fidelia is forced
out of her mourning when she's kidnapped by Merrick the Monstrous, a
pirate whose list of treasons stretches longer than a ribbon eel.
Her task? Use her marine know-how to retrieve his treasure, lost on
the ocean floor. But as Fidelia and the pirates close in on the
prize, with the navy hot on their heels, she realizes that Merrick
doesn't expect to live long enough to enjoy his loot. Could
something other than black-hearted greed be driving him? Will
Fidelia be able to master the perils of the ocean without her
parents - and piece together the mystery of Merrick the Monstrous
before it's too late?
What a fantastic book for our Year 4 and up students, in particular
girls, to read. Fidelia encompasses many things that girls wish to
experience. This is a powerful book with a strong protagonist who
encounters pirates, treasure, adventure, mystery and suspense.
Fidelia is smart, nerdy and brave but also extremely compassionate.
She is very strong willed and does not let those around her deter
her intentions, though at times this can result in encountering
sticky situations. Fidelia's knowledge of marine biology, partly due
to her parents' occupations, will hopefully inspire many to look
after the ocean. A must have for your library.
Kathryn Schumacher
Love and gelato by Jenna Evans Welch
Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406372328
(Age: 13+) Recommended. Themes: Secrecy. Romance. Italy.
Self-perception. Diaries. Feel good book. Teens Top Ten 2017.
Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Young Adult Fiction 2016. Lina
has come to Tuscany to live with Howard, the father that she has
never met. Devastated by the death of her mother, Lina begins to
read the journal she has left behind of her early time in Italy and
with Ren, her cute neighbour follows in her footsteps. What she
uncovers is the truth about her father as well as learning about
herself.
This is an ideal book for anyone who enjoys stories about other
countries. The author captivates the reader's imagination with her
vivid descriptions of Tuscany, Florence and Rome and the life that
Howard leads in the American Cemetery where he works. Not only are
the wonders of the Italian architecture and sculpture described by
Lina but the reader is taken on a culinary tour, almost being able
to taste the gelato that she loves.
Told in the first person by Lina, and interspersed with extracts
from her mother's journal, the reader is led into the feelings and
loves of both mother and daughter. The style is breezy and easy to
read and the characters are very likeable. The mystery of what
happened to her mother so many years ago also keeps the reader glued
to the page as Lina follows the clues left in the journal about X,
the man her mother fell in love with.
I finished this book in one sitting - it had everything to make it
an outstanding contemporary romance - charming characters, wonderful
setting and feel good vibes.
Pat Pledger
The Kindness Club: Chloe on the bright side by Courtney Sheinmel
Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781681195315
(Age: 8+) Fifth grader Chloe Silver is good at looking on the bright
side. But staying positive has been difficult since her parents
divorced and she had to start at a new school. When Chloe is given
the chance to try out for the exclusive It Girls club, things are
finally looking up again. Then Chloe is assigned a science project
with offbeat Lucy Tanaka and brainy Theo Barnes. Together they
create an experiment that tests how people react to different acts
of kindness. Officially forming the Kindness Club, Lucy and Theo are
fun to be around, and their new club means a lot to Chloe. But the
It Girls don't want to share Chloe with anyone else. Can she find a
way to be kind to all of her friends, and still stay true to
herself?
This is a feel good book that will develop into a successful series.
I think the underlying themes of friendship, family and kindness
will resonate with many. Many children will be able to make strong
connections with Chloe, who may be experiencing divorce and having
to start at a new school. I like how the story looks at the meaning
of a true friend and the qualities they possess and that it is
possible to be friends with different groups of people. Acceptance
is a huge part of a child's life and Chloe seems to tackle it head
on in a kind way. This book has a great lesson for all readers -
that it is not always easy to do the right thing. The author
cleverly does this in a unique way ensuring that the novel maintains
interest and one develops feelings for the main characters.
The snippet of the second book at the end of the book is a very
clever marketing tool. Children 8 and up will enjoy this book.
Kathryn Schumacher
100 scientists who made history by Andrea Mills and Stella Caldwell
DK, 2018. ISBN 9780241304327
Throughout history there have been so many perceptive pioneers,
brilliant biologists, medical masterminds, clever chemists,
phenomenal physicists, incredible innovators and other scientific
superstars who have challenged the known to change our lives that to
choose just 100 of them must have been a taxing task.
Nevertheless, in this brand new release from DK, the achievements of
people as diverse as Aristotle, Alexander Fleming, Louis Pasteur,
Ernest Rutherford, Alan Turing and Edwin Hubble are all described in
typical DK format with it characteristic layout, top-quality
photography, bite-sized information and accessible language. But
there is so much (and so many more). Although not being of a
scientific bent, while many of the names of those in the clear
contents pages were familiar, there were as many that were not, and
sadly many of those not were women.
But the authors have included many women in the lists - who knew
that Hildegard of Bingen, aka the singing nun, born in 1098 could
have had such an impact on medical treatments through her study of
and writing about the medicinal uses of plants? Or that of five of
those credited with having such an influence on the development of
computing, three were women? Or that Mary Somerville correctly
predicted the existence of the planet Neptune in the early 19th
century and that there were many 19th century astronomers who were
female?
This is a wonderful book for everyone - not only because it will
introduce a new generation to those who discovered so much of what
we take for granted today - they didn't make history because they
became famous, they made the history we look back on so we can move
forward - but also to inspire - 'If them, why not me?' Challenge
your students to find another scientist who could have been included
and have them develop a page for them using the DK format as a
model.
I know a budding scientist who needs this book!
Barbara Braxton
36 questions that changed my mind about you by Vicki Grant
Hot Key Books, 2017. ISBN 9781471407086
(Age: Senior secondary) Highly recommended. Deciding to take part in
a psychological survey about discovering whether two participants
can get to know one another through asking and answering a series of
questions, Hildy, a high school student, 18 years old, intelligent,
and anxious because of her parents' worsening relationship, is
partnered with a young man, of a similar age and seemingly quite
different to her, with whom she will exchange answers to a series of
36 questions created to reveal their sociability, intelligence and
attractiveness to the other participant. Paul is doing it for the
money.
Their answers reveal many differences in their childhoods, family
and social circumstances. The questions are challenging and
personal, their answers revealing much about themselves. The
discussion generated gradually brings them together despite his
suspicion that she is 'out of his league'. The gentle flowering of
the relationship is captivating, and heart-warming, as we notice how
each offers the other an honest response to the questions, and
sometimes more emotional responses than they would have expected.
This is a well-constructed depiction of relationships in the modern
world, depicting the lives of two young people living in quite
different circumstances in the west coast of the USA. We are drawn
into their personal lives both through their question and answer
times and in Grant's narrative sections where she reveals more
detail about the two young people. The questions are intriguing and
challenging and their determination to reply honestly gradually
enables them to understand both themselves and their Q/A partner
better.
This is a delightful and intriguing new 'novel' about young people
and their relationships. I would highly recommend it for senior
school students, parents and teachers as both an unusual and
delightful introduction to how adolescents work out their place,
ambition, and how they wish to live in the modern world.
Elizabeth Bondar
48 Hours: The Vanishing by Gabrielle Lord
Scholastic, 2017. ISBN 9781743629758
(Age: 12+) "One kidnapping. One cold case. Two amateur
investigators. Only 48 hours to solve the crime . . . Jazz's best
friend Anika has been kidnapped! She can't call the cops, so Jazz
forges a shaky truce with her brilliant nemesis, Phoenix, to help
her investigate. Together, they uncover clues and crime scene
evidence. Sneaking into a forensic lab, they test DNA, fingerprints
and more, to piece the clues together. The results are shocking.
Could it really lead to a twenty-year-old murder case? In a race
against time, Jazz and Phoenix only have 48 HOURS to collect the
evidence, profile the kidnapper and find their schoolmate's
location, or Anika will die. The clock is ticking . . . (Publisher)
This is the first book in a series based around two inquisitive teen
detectives who must solve three intriguing yet dangerous crimes.
Jazz, the female lead character is obsessed with crime and solving
them. When her best friend, Anika, is kidnapped she thinks she is
the best person to find her. To make matters worse the friends were
having an argument, as friends often do, before Ankia was kidnapped.
As a result, Jazz feels terribly guilty. I absolutely loved this
book and found myself picking it up whenever I had the chance. The
lead characters are 14 so it is a read for an older audience. It is
action packed, with each page leaving you on the edge of your seat.
Persistence, determination, friendship and the ability to follow
things through will resonate with the reader.
A must read for both boys and girls 12 and up who love criminal
investigation, code breaking, forensics and kidnapping.
Kathryn Schumacher
How to get rid of a vampire by J. M. Erre
Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781846884221
(Age: 9+) "Zazie has just received a beautiful new notebook, and
decides to keep a diary. Brimming with imagination, she writes down
her impressions of her cat Roudoudou, her awful cousin Lucas and her
new teacher, Mr Labat - who, with his pale skin and blood-red lips,
must surely be a vampire! In order to save her life and those of her
classmates, Zazie must find a way to get rid of Mr Labat - and what
better way than by following the advice found in Bram Stoker's Dracula
. . ." (Publisher)
This is an entertaining read that will resonate with those with a
wacky sense of humour. The brave and likeable heroine, Zazie will
have readers falling in love with her as her imagination takes its
course. There is a slight Roald Dahl influence in the story with
Zazie making up some words of her own - something that certainly
appeals to many children. Many of the audience will be able to
connect with the lead character as she is always in trouble at
school and at home - simply because adults do not get her!
This is a funny book that would be a perfect fit for both boys and
girls aged nine plus. We know that many children love the magical
world of vampires and I am sure it will become popular with many.
Kathryn Schumacher
Perfect Petunias by Lynn Jenkins
Ill. by Kirrili Lonergan. EK Books, 2018. ISBN 9781925335583
Loppy LAC is very worried about not doing his homework well enough.
He is always focusing on what he hasn't done rather then what he
has, and he becomes very frustrated. So, his friend Curly teaches
him about how petunias grow - in lots of different, imperfect
directions that we can't control! Loppy learns that by trying to
control whether he makes mistakes or not it's as if he's always
trying to grow 'perfect' petunias. Sometimes he just needs to
accept that things go a certain way and to change his definition of
'perfect' to mean trying his absolute best.
This is the third in a series
to help Loppy the LAC (Little Anxious Creature) deal with his
anxieties, in this case not being satisfied with anything that he
sees as being less than perfect. Children like Loppy are present in
every class, either being afraid to start something in case it is
not perfect on the first attempt or giving up in tears, frustration
and even anger, so a story and strategies that help them focus on
the things that they have done well rather than the 'mistakes' they
have made can go a long way towards helping them accept themselves,
their activities and other people with all their imperfections.
Helping them to see the glass half-full, the silver lining, the
rainbow rather than the rain can lay the foundations for strong
mental and emotional health in the future. Developing a mantra of "I
can" rather than "I can't" is so important if they are to take risks
to try new things that will open up so many new worlds to them.
Barbara Braxton
