Transit Lounge, 2017. ISBN 9780995409804
(Age: Senior secondary - Adult) This is a deceptively complex and
very interesting book. While it seems, initially, to be about magic,
the real magic is the writer's subtle critique of the modern world.
Here we have simple days, calm, quiet, idyllic almost but surely
normal and predictable, in the Western Australian country town of
Nebulah. Yet the nights reveal the screams, the mist that becomes
figures that haunt the townspeople and force them to flee, killing
anyone who is not locked into their houses.
As the residents leave, the few remaining characters, who cannot
afford to leave, come together in a way that reflects the ancient
notion of human beings working together to survive, offering shared
toil and kindness - qualities that we come to see as lacking in the
world outside of the small country town.
So, as the story progresses, we come to see that this wonderfully
constructed narrative is perhaps not just about a weird, destructive
and vengeful wind and strange beings. Rather than simply being about
the paranormal, this beautifully written book is about the
ephemeral, ghosts in a sense, in a story that reflects the ills of
the modern world, the greed, the competitive nature of human beings
who have lost, in that strange 'mist' of time, the ideas of loving
friendship, collaboration, support, neighbourliness or simple
goodness. Deftly constructed, Murphy's world reveals its true spirit
as the narrative progresses, and we are slowly made aware of the
failings of the modern world, the sadness and greed that poison
friendships and families.
Considering that a nebulah is defined as a massive cloud of dust in
space, so the name of the town, Nebulah, aptly reflects the winds
and dust that haunt one little town, in an area of Western Australia
where the events of this novel take place. It seems vengeful, rather
than merely circumstantial, this wind and beings of destruction,
that wreaks havoc, and as time passes, its haunting seems to abate.
This is a powerfully constructed novel that is thought-provoking and
challenging, yet it is not about fear so much as it is about facing
up to the reality of the modern world, considering who we are as
individuals cooperatively sharing our little worlds with others,
ultimately thinking about what we do, what we say and how we treat
others. It is most suitable for older students, especially those who
would respond to the challenge, about how we live in our world
today, that Lois Murphy presents.
Liz Bondar
Slowly! Slowly! by T.M. Clark and Helene Magisson
Wombat Books, 2017. ISBN 9781925563221
(Age: 3-6) Recommended. Themes: Monkeys, Patience, Resilience,
Compassion. Bongani is a little boy who desperately wants to go to
school, but he is too young. Adapted from a South African saying,
"Softly, softly, catchee monkey", Slowly! Slowly! features
the same attributes as the motto: patience and perseverance.
Although Bongani is not big enough to go to school he is given the
job of looking after the crops and chasing the animals away.
Bongani's grandfather is there to give him advice about catching a
monkey when he decides to show his family that he is big and strong
enough to go to school. The trap he sets first doesn't capture the
monkey and Grandfather tells him to set it again, but this time the
monkey bares his teeth at Bongani who stops and waits. Finally
Grandfather comes up with a solution to catching the maize-munching
monkey.
The illustrations by Helene Magisson are in soft blues and greens,
highlighted with soft reds and purples, and bring the story
beautifully to life. Bongani's small size is emphasised against the
size of the huge tree trunks and Grandfather, while the cheeky
little monkey is a delight to follow as it gets the trap caught on
its paw.
The narrative reads aloud well, with a repetitive refrain that makes
the African tale stand out: Bongani stood tall.
'Dad, am I big enough?
Am I higher than the hyena?
Can I go to school?
When perusing Slowly! Slowly! a second time, the reader is
rewarded with a insight into African customs and family life as well
as the values of compassion and patience.
Pat Pledger
Merry Christmas from The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Puffin, 2017. ISBN 9780141388281
Fans of The Very Hungry Caterpillar will like this
small-format book from Eric Carle despite its northern hemisphere
focus. While the Very Hungry Caterpillar doesn't play an active role
in the story, he does appear on each page sharing the precepts of
the Christmas season in simple text and classic Carle illustrations
which will focus their thinking.
Older children could use it as a compare and contrast exercise as
they place the northern hemisphere version alongside their summer
hemisphere experience and then discuss the common themes. It could
inspire some artwork and help develop the language of comparison, or
even spark a discussion about the proliferation of Christmas books
and songs featuring favourite characters and artists and who they
enjoy most.
Barbara Braxton
Rockabye Pirate by Timothy Knapman and Ada Grey
Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408849392
A-haarr! It's always difficult to get busy pirates to hang up their
peg legs, cutlasses and eyepatches at the end of another eventful
day of adventures on the high seas. But even bloodthirsty Sea Dog
McPhail, Black Bearded Brewster and the others have to take a bath
and shampoo before eating their supper and huddling around Mummy
with her big story book.
This rocking rhyme about plucky pirates, with its captivating
illustrations, is a warm-hearted children's book, together with
easy-to-read text, that is sure to delight all who venture here.
J. Kerr-Smith
Refugee boy by Benjamin Zephaniah
Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408894996
(Age: 13+) On the disputed border of the African countries Eritrea
and Ethiopia, armed militants from both sides terrorise villagers
for being from the other nation. Teenager Alem has an Ethiopian
father and an Eritrean mother and his family literally has nowhere
to go because of the hatred and intolerance soldiers from each
nation show for the citizens of the other.
Naively thinking that he is going on holiday, Alem accompanies his
father to England where he enjoys the marvels of London for a couple
of days before he wakens in their hotel room to find his father
gone. In a desperate bid to ensure his son's safety, Alem's father
had abandoned him and returned to his border village, in the hope
that Alem might be granted refugee status.
Whilst Alem experiences an understandable sense of bewilderment and
loneliness, he is remarkably resilient and mature for his years and
stoically endures the trials of his predicament, trusting in his
father and British civil service.
Placed into a refuge for teenagers, Alem finds himself alone amongst
boys who appear to be a mixture of young offenders and orphans,
inevitably becoming a target for moronic bullies who derive pleasure
from domination through violence.
Alem endures this hardship and struggles to understand mindless
behaviour and careless attitudes to education and self-improvement
at the school he attends. Coming from an austere background in a
dysfunctional country, Alem has high expectations of British society
and experiences disappointment when he realises that some citizens
have no awareness of their good fortune.
Eventually Alem's personal circumstances improve when he is placed
with a loving foster family whose only desire is to ensure his
happiness and safety. Sadly, letters from his father confirm a
rapidly deteriorating situation at home and he lives in constant
fear for his parents.
This revealing story explains the difficulties faced by both
refugees and those public servants and legal adjudicators whose task
it is to determine who deserves asylum and who must be repatriated.
As with other stories dealing with similar situations, I could not
help feeling a sense of despair that so much trauma is caused by
religious, political and territorial disputes. So many people are
currently displaced in the world that it seems unlikely they will be
granted asylum anywhere safe. This novel considers the role of
advocates, protesters, lawyers and the judiciary in dealing with a
situation which is often presented too simplistically by both sides
of the debate.
Rob Welsh
The bum book by Kate Mayes
Ill. by Andrew Joyner. Harper Collins, 2017. ISBN 9780733332197
(Ages 2-7) Themes: Bottoms. This is a fun book chock full of bums,
bums, nothing but bums. Queen bum, horsey bum, had too much sun bum,
let's all leave the room bum, wobbly bum... Bums of all shapes,
sizes, colours and smells are represented. As the text itself says
"Everyone has a bum" and this aims to normalise bums, both the word
and the physical bum itself.
Very young children will like all the different bums, older children
will think it is hilarious and there is even humour targeted more
towards adults.
Andrew Joyner's illustrations provide fantastic visual humour as
always. I imagine he had a great time with these bright, in your
face, larger than life bums.
This unique dictionary of bums will provide a chuckle for readers of
all ages.
Nicole Nelson
A cold case in Amsterdam Central by Anja de Jager
Constable, 2017. ISBN 9781472120649
(Age: Secondary to adult) Recommended. Themes: Crime. Amsterdam.
Cold case. World War Two. Sympathisers. This is a wonderful
concoction of a crime thriller set in a totally different
environment, Amsterdam, with its canals, polders and tulips.
Detective Lotte Meermon is back after four months off police work
after being shot. Some do not want her back, and actively encourage
her to go, while others are giving her the benefit of the doubt. But
here again, she rubs people up the wrong way, insisting that the
death of a painter at a building site was not an accident. When his
wife of six months finds a locker ticket Lotte is called to help but
finds the bag in the locker contains bones. Lotte is sure there is
more to the death that appears, even though her partner, Thomas is
unconvinced.
With a single-mindedeness seen in Saga Noren from 'The bridge',
Lotte ploughs on, following leads that seem to come from fresh air.
Forensic examination of the bones reveal them to be from the war,
and the DNA matches them to a public prosecutor, brought up on
stories of her heroic grandfather, killed by the Nazis for his work
with the resistance, but the forensic examiner has also found a
spare arm, the DNA linking him to a crime boss not seen for some
years. Thomas follows the leads in this part of the investigation,
eager to excel with such a big case, leaving Lotte to follow the
painter's death, but the two coincide, bringing in a range of people
from Lotte's youth when she helped find the killer of her friend
Anges, when she was ten. Now that her mother has broken her wrist
and is staying with her, the antipathy between them adds another
level of comment into the story, comparing it with the fate of
several other older parents involved in the case.
Lotte is a fascinating character through this book, revealing
snippets of herself, and her past, but certainly saying what she
thinks, to the sometimes astonishment of those around her.
This is an involving sequel to A cold death in Amsterdam
(2015) and a third book is about to be published. I love reading
crime novels set in new places, and with a character as complex as
Lotte, the series will please.
Fran Knight
Ultimate Lego Star Wars
DK, 2017. ISBN 9780241288443
(Ages: 8+) In 1999 the first LEGO Star Wars sets were released and
since then the collaboration has continued to grow. This is a
definitive, unrivalled encyclopaedic guide to every LEGO Star Wars
minifigure or set ever produced. Each of the three main sections
(characters and creatures; locations and vehicles and equipment) are
comprehensive visual galleries. It shows their evolution from the
very first creations to what technology allows the LEGO designers to
create today. Even non-fanatics will be interested in seeing the
progression from the old yellow mini-figures with minimal detail to
the intricate figures with personalised facial details available
today. While there is only one version of many of the figures and
models, some have up to a dozen variants. The text accompanying the
photographs of each model includes a little information about the
Star Wars character itself, but is mostly committed to the actual
design and differences between the variants. There are even some
quotes from a LEGO designer scattered throughout the book for some
added insight. All the important information is included for both
serious LEGO fans (year, set number) and serious Star Wars fans
(mini-figure homeworld and affiliation, vehicle and equipment type
and model, location sector and system, etc.). There is a lot of
information here, but large visuals, easy to read text and labelled
pictures make it accessible even for a young audience. This is
really for the most serious LEGO Star Wars fans and collectors but
is fascinating even for those who aren't.
Nicole Nelson
The birthday invitation by Lucy Rowland and Laura Hughes
Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408862995
(Age: Junior primary) Recommended. Who would believe that losing
just one birthday invitation could lead to such surprising results?
Who will catch the invitation that Ella dropped? A wizard, a
princess, even a pilot flying high above.
Planning a birthday party is always so much fun, but never did Ella
anticipate such a colourful bunch of new friends turning up to help
her celebrate her special day, even a pirate's parrot.
This brilliantly illustrated book is a rollicking rhyme, skilfully
crafted and a delight to read.
I would recommend it for Junior Primary children who all enjoy a fun
and imaginative tale.
J Kerr-Smith
Pick a pine tree by Patricia Toht
Ill. by Jarvis. Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406360608
"Pick a pine tree from the lot -
Slim and tall or short and squat.
Long, straight limbs
Or branches bent . . . .
Mmm! Just smell that piney scent!" Publisher
I absolutely loved this picture book. It bought back many wonderful
memories of my own childhood - my sister perched up the tree with
Mum directing her as to which branch to cut and then the difficult
task of trying to make the said branch stand somewhat nicely. This
book takes us all on a familiar journey that we all venture on at
this time of year. It starts with choosing the perfect tree and
strapping it to the roof to ensure it arrives home safely. On
arrival home, the arduous task of rearranging the furniture to allow
the tree to have pride of place. The beautiful rhyming in the book
will provide ample opportunities for prediction as it is read aloud.
Excitement is built as each stage is reached and then the spreading
of Christmas cheer reinforces the true meaning of this special time
of year. This will be a welcome addition to the Christmas collection
and it will be sure to catch the eye of the reader with the sparkly
writing on the cover. Many children will be able to connect to the
story with this yearly ritual being performed every year right
around the world.
Kathryn Schumacher
A very quacky Christmas by Frances Watts and Ann James
ABC Books, 2017. ISBN 9780733329623
(Ages: 3-7) Highly recommended. Themes: Christmas, Giving. Samantha
Duck is getting ready for Christmas. She's putting up tinsel around
the reeds, singing her favourite Christmas song ("We wish you a
quacky Christmas") and hanging her Christmas stocking. "Christmas is
not for animals", her tortoise friend Sebastian tells her. Samantha
carries on regardless. "Christmas is about giving and sharing isn't
it? And animals like to give and share, don't they?" she asks. Faced
with this infallible logic, Sebastian reluctantly agrees to help her
deliver presents to animals all over the world ("That's impossible!"
he exclaims). The other animals on the farm are impressed with
Samantha's idea, donating their wool, eggs and other products to be
made into Christmas gifts. Samantha and Sebastian work hard day and
night making and wrapping gifts, but the delivery is the hard part.
Donkey lends them his cart but how will they make it fly? It isn't
until Sebastian thinks of all the generous animals and starts
believing that Christmas is for animals that their running and
flapping help the cart take to the skies. "Christmas is for
animals", he says.
In a world where the true religious meaning of Christmas has been
all but lost this is welcome reassurance that even non-religious
Christmas is worthy as a time of giving and sharing. If you want or
need a story that celebrates the humanity and generosity of
Christmas without harking on the religious tradition, this is
fantastic. It echoes the Santa Claus narrative but focuses on the
ability of everyone to be generous and make someone else happy. It
is also about how believing in the impossible makes it possible: the
true magic of Christmas.
The text seems effortless in its simplicity and reads exceptionally
well. The black line and watercolour illustrations from the talented
Ann James (I'm a Hungry Dinosaur, It's a Miracool, Shutting
the Chooks In) are stunning and Samantha and Sebastian are
very endearing characters.
Nicole Nelson
A Christmas wish by Beatrix Potter
Puffin, 2017. ISBN 9780241291757
Board book. It's Christmas Eve and Peter Rabbit and his sisters are
excited, but Peter is worried too. They have all wished for a
special present but Peter can't sleep, and he knows Father Christmas
won't visit if he's still awake. As the hours drag by anxious Peter
hears a little creak here, and a little bump there, so now he's even
less likely to fall asleep, especially as he is convinced each noise
must be Santa and he gets up to investigate. Then he decides to sit
and gaze at the lights on the Christmas tree . .
. will Santa come while he's there?
The charm and delight of Beatrix Potter's tales about Peter Rabbit
have endured over decades and this adaptation is no exception.
Perfect for that final sleep on the BIG night, little ones will
empathise with Peter as they share his excitement and find it just
as tricky to get to sleep it will become a classic part of the
annual Christmas Countdown.
Barbara Braxton
The Dollmaker of Krakow by R M Romero
Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406375633
(Age: 10+) "In the land of dolls, there is magic.
In the land of humans, there is war.
Everywhere there is pain.
But together there is hope."
Karolina is a living doll whose king and queen have been overthrown.
But when a strange wind spirits her away from the Land of the Dolls,
she finds herself in Krakow, Poland, in the company of the
Dollmaker, a man with an unusual power and a marked past. The
Dollmaker has learned to keep to himself, but Karolina's courageous
and compassionate manner lead him to smile and to even befriend a
violin-playing father and his daughter - that is, once the Dollmaker
gets over the shock of realizing a doll is speaking to him. But
their newfound happiness is dashed when Nazi soldiers descend upon
Poland. Karolina and the Dollmaker quickly realize that their Jewish
friends are in grave danger, and they are determined to help save
them, no matter what the risks.
This book is beautifully written in quite an unusual way. There are
two worlds in the story - the stark reality of Krakow, Poland in the
1940s and the fantasy world of The Land of Dolls where Karolina
hails from. The reader is certainly drawn to the similarities
between them. It is heart-warming to see the friendship develop
between the dollmaker and Karolina and how a little wooden doll
begins to warm the heart of an old lonely man. Faith in humanity is
restored with the bond developing between the two main characters
and a Jewish girl and her father.
I believe this book would appeal to children 10 and over and as the
worlds of fantasy and historical fiction collide, lovers of both
genres would certainly enjoy this book. I believe this book would
make a great read aloud and I can see interesting discussions with
children as they discuss good and evil, develop their awareness of
empathy and see that good can prevail over evil.
Kathryn Schumacher
Stanley's playing the trumpet! by John Field
Ill. by Tull Suwannakit. Book+CD. Scholastic, 2017. ISBN
9781743815892
(Ages: 3-6) Themes: Musical instruments, talent. This is a musical
story about Stanley, a rhino who practises and practises but can't
quite get the hang of playing the trumpet. It isn't until he gets
the urge to play the drums that he discovers his true musical
talent. The accompanying CD contains the story set to music and is
upbeat with a fast tempo. Some of the lines are magical ("a
syncopated symphony of rhythmic passion"), and the book both reads
well and sounds great sung. The story is about finding the
instrument that suits you best and about having fun playing music
with friends.
We often say to children that if they practise enough they will get
good at something but this explores the idea of innate talent suited
to a particular musical instrument. It is also a reminder to
children that it is okay not to be great at everything, but to keep
trying new things.
The story uses humour within the text and the illustrations,
particularly to show the reader just how terrible Stanley's trumpet
playing sounds. Birds are startled, Mum, Dad and the neighbours
cover their ears and owls fall from trees in shock. Sound noises are
also used in the text and within the illustrations: pop, squeak,
flop, wheeeee, blooort and blaacch are just some of the ear-piercing
noises that come from Stanley's trumpet.
The illustrations are fun, action-packed and filled with humour.
This is great for music teachers wanting to encourage children to
keep looking for the instrument that suits them best.
Nicole Nelson
The Bolton Boys' balloon adventure and other stories: Sound Stories by Barbara Murray
An Introduction to Consonant Sounds: Part 1. Ill. by Sarah Hardy.
Little Steps Publishing, 2017. ISBN 9781925545074
(Ages: 4-6) Themes: Phonemic Awareness, Synthetic Phonics. This has
been written by the co-author of the Sound Waves resources, which
teach spelling and reading skills using a phonemic approach, and is
one of four books introducing the 43 consonant and vowel sounds used
in the English language. Their aim is to help children hear and
identify individual sounds within speech. This first book contains
12 short stories, each one focussing on a different consonant sound
represented by the letters b, k, d, f, g, h, j, l, m, n, ng, and p.
There are some slight differences between these 43 sounds and the
popular Jolly Phonics programme sounds. Apparently, the Sound Waves
sounds are those specifically heard by Australian children. The
programme, being Australian, is also based on the Australian
Curriculum. The stories are short and simple with a clear narrative
structure, allowing for varied tone and pace when reading aloud. The
book contains an explanation of phonemic awareness and synthetic
phonics and clear guidelines for getting the most out of the
stories. The lists of words using the target sound, in both the
illustrations and the text, are useful, however it would be better
if there were more things within the picture that begin with the
target sound. While most of the pictures are quite detailed and
contain many things beginning with the initial sound, there are a
few that only have two or three. This is understandable for a sound
like ng, but even the j illustration only has a jellyfish. It should
also be noted that the text is small and is not suitable for helping
children to recognise the visual manifestation of the sounds (a
point of difference between the Jolly Phonics introductory books and
this series). This is a great addition for schools using Sound
Waves, but is a useful resource even for those using other synthetic
phonics programmes such as Jolly Phonics.
Nicole Nelson
