Reviews

Hero by Jennifer Li Shotz

HarperCollins, 2016. ISBN 9780062652218
Hero, a retired search-and-rescue dog, is not prepared for a stray puppy to come into his life. But when he and twelve-year-old Ben find Scout injured and afraid, the new addition leads them down an unexpected and dangerous path. When Scout goes missing, it's up to Hero to use his search-and-rescue skills to find Scout and bring him home.
This is a compelling story about the bond between a boy and his dogs and the lessons Ben has to learn about sorting out priorities as he promises that he will keep up his schoolwork and grades if he is allowed to keep the puppy, Scout. But it's hard when you have friends and baseball also vying for your time.
More for the independent reader, nevertheless it would make a great read-aloud to a class or younger person who loves dogs, with just the right amount of tension and a happy ending.
Barbara Braxton

Henrietta the greatest go-getter by Martine Murray

Allen and Unwin, 2017. ISBN 9781760112417
Childhood. Imagination. I wouldn't be surprised if Martine Murray has used Whimsy and Miss Chief to help her in this bizarrely creative romp through the childhood excursions of imaginative play. With word permutations and positional wizardry, text floats in and out of reason in the world of Henrietta. This is actually a rebinding of three of Henrietta's tales, each as odd as the other, and deliberately quirky. Henrietta presents as a three or four year old, who is not bound by reasonable or logical interpretations of the world, and her excursions to places such as the Wide Wide Long Cool Coast of the Lost Socks demonstrate that there is no reason why we have to be bound by rules of normality. Were it not for the fact that I remember my daughter telling me equally bizarre stories in her early years of 'creative bedtime narratives', I might have discarded this book as a nonsense. It does have an odd quirkiness for an adult reader. I wonder though will young children understand the vagaries of someone else's odd imaginative expeditions and flights of fancy, or is this an adult interpretation of where a young child might travel in the dreamy half-light of imagination?
It is difficult to know what the target audience is for this book. Although the central character is quite young (pre-school age probably), the format and presentation with deliberately odd line drawings in a naive style and with floating and varied text formatting would be more suited to an older more independent reader. One hopes they would still remember their own eccentricities as their imagination took flight.
Recommend this to a child with the oddest of imaginations!
Carolyn Hull

Highest mountain deepest ocean: a pictorial compendium of natural wonders ill. by Page Tsou

Five Mile Press, 2017. ISBN 9781760406387
(Age: 6+) Recommended. Lists, Comparisons, natural world. Akin to a Guinness Book of Records or books of lists (which I love) this book will encourage avid readers of facts to delve deeper into the book, as they are assailed with information about the largest animals or the tallest trees, the highest mountains and the longest animal migration. Each double page has a range of illustrations with information about each thing represented. I was fascinated by the page of biggest storms. The sepia style of illustrations gives the page an old fashioned, woodblock look which reflects the time scale of storms represented. So we have a range of storms given: ice storms, hurricanes, typhoons, cyclones, hailstorms, lightning storms and sonic storms. Details are given about each type of storm with information about one of the most severe storm in that category. I can imagines lots of readers being drawn into each page, relishing the information given and poring over the pictures.
The old fashioned style is used throughout the book by illustrator, Page Tsou, to wonderful effect.
The endpapers are visually exciting showing the flight of a bird over the double page, a thrilling introduction and ending to the large format book. So to find out which is the fastest animals, or the longest living, the highest mountain, the deepest burrowing animal or the distance from the earth to the moon, this is the dip in book to read.
Like many of these sorts of books, it will be hidden on the non fiction shelves, so needs promoting to readers.
Fran Knight

Fly on the wall by E. Lockhart

Hot Key Books, 2016. ISBN 9781471406041
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Fly on the wall promises all the workings of a cheesy disaster of a teen read. The old Freaky Friday trick as a means to self-revelation seems trite and incredible. But thankfully, E. Lockhart proves us wrong. Gretchen, who is the quirky, insecure but equally hilarious voice of the novel; matures quite credibly after a throw away comment to her best friend traps her in the body of the creature she wished to be.
Gretchen Yee is an outsider for being comparatively normal in a public school designated as a centre for excellence in fine art. Boys baffle her and she is constantly overthinking their behaviour and motivations. Her parents are headed for divorce and her drawing teacher does not respect her signature comic book style - she isn't in a good place.
The half of the novel spent as an insect trapped inside the boys' locker room, is revelatory for Gretchen. To lower secondary students, the frequent focus on male anatomy may be too confronting albeit comical. In her wantonness, it is almost as if Gretchen jumps gender as well as species! The lads behave quite differently behind closed doors whether naked or not, and we witness bullying, insecurity, homophobia and mateship. What she learns during her metamorphosed week, gives Gretchen the confidence to understand that boys are equally clueless about the world, girls or themselves. Titus teaches Gretchen that communication and risk of self-exposure is key if we are ever going to see the good and bad that must co-exist in every person. Fly on the wall doesn't take a lot of unpacking - but it doesn't take a lot of effort either. A light read is sometimes just the ticket. Girls will love reading more yarns from Gretchen Yee's perspective.
Deborah Robins

Hit the road by Tony Wilson and Troy, Adam, Joel, Scott Selwood

Ill. by Mike Jacobsen. The Selwood Boys series. ABC Books, 2017. ISBN 9780733335471
(Age: 8+) Recommended. School holidays, December 1997 and the Selwood family are off to the Gold Coast in their Falcon six-seater. Four football mad brothers and a very patient Mum and Dad set out from Bendigo for a very long car trip to Queensland. What did kids do before mobile phones, IPods and digital entertainment? The brothers played corners, sliding along the bench seats and squashing each other and long games of spot the yellow vehicle - Banana Car. Sibling rivalry and ribbing each other is all part of the Selwood family dynamic. Of course, they discuss Joel's uncanny abilities as a great sportsman, bowling, football; he's good at them all. Troy, Adam and Scott decide they find their brother's one weakness like Batman's kryptonite.
With stops along the way for food, footy and photo opportunities and a supposed sighting of Billy Brownless the Cats player, their road trip is exciting. The Selwood's have a great family spirit, they love to laugh and have fun. They see the humour when Dad's foam boogie boards fall apart on their first attempt at surfing, and when they try to outdo each other at the all you can eat Chinese restaurant. There is time for footy at the nearby park, playing against the tough NRL young guys and Joel seems to excel at everything. The rollercoaster at SeaWorld finally proves to be his kryptonite.
Tony Wilson has captured a slice of family life in the late nineties; his humorous style of writing highlights the brother's sporting skills and personalities. The Selwood Boys books are great novels to share with a Middle Primary class, as we participate in and can enjoy both Women's and Men's AFL competitions.
Rhyllis Bignell

The thousandth floor by Katharine McGee

HarperCollins, 2016. ISBN 9780008179977
(Age: 15+) Romance/Speculative. In every sense, this futuristic birds-eye view of entitled adolescence seems plausibly speculative. We can imagine that in the twenty-second century most of New York's population could inhabit a single, mile-high building complex, traversed by hovercraft. The futuristic hierarchy is not only structural but financial - bottom dwellers are outclassed by McGee's genetically engineered teenagers and their families on the uppermost floors. However, sex, drugs, rivalry and school are still very much on the menu for all social classes. Little has changed.
McGee follows the cycling fortunes of romantic couples who are acquainted mostly through school or friendships. Eris and Mariel, Rylin and Cord, Leda and Atlas, Avery and Watt transcend social media by simply 'eye flicking' to chat or meet up at school, parties and bars. They each have separate problems: divorcing parents, being orphaned, drugs, poverty, cybercrime, identity issues and not least a taboo attraction; the last of which may warrant an M15+ rating. Thankfully there is no homophobia a hundred years from now - that doesn't appear to be a problem unless you count the irony of the fateful climax.
The entire romance/sci fi mash-up is retold as a flashback after a girl falls from the Tower on the first page. The interweaving of events surrounding a group of empowered and affluent teenagers is skilful but the addictive page-turning claim of Cecily von Ziegesar (author of Gossip Girl) has more to do with Leda's plans to unveil everyone's secrets in order to exact revenge on Avery and Atlas, her step-brother. With so much unresolved, we are in store for a sequel.
Deborah Robins

A place like this by Steven Herrick

Hooray for birds! by Lucy Cousins

Candlewick Press, 2017. ISBN 9780763692650
(Age: 3-7) Highly recommended. Can you imagine just for one day you're a busy bird? Lucy Cousins invites her young audience to visualise themselves as beautiful birds in this wonderfully bold and engaging picture book. She begins at dawn with the rooster's cry and ends at night with the brightly coloured owl's 'Tuwit tuwoo!' Set against solid bright backgrounds, each painted bird displays vibrant plumage inside strong black outlines. Cousins understands the use of contrasting and complimentary colours and the use of simple shapes and design.
Her rhyming text is easy to read to little ones, the bold letters flow across the page, moving up and down with the swimming swan and swooping up, down and around like the starlings. The gorgeous pink flamingo, invites us to 'Stand very tall on just one leg' as the text stretches to emphasize his stance. In a read aloud story circle, a kindergarten or library setting, young listeners can actively participate, predicting the rhyming text and waddling like a penguin, running like an ostrich or cuddling like a parrot in the nest.
From the popular author of the Maisy series, Cousins' Hooray for Birds is a wonderfully engaging picture book that can lead into extension activities in art, dramatic play and science - the basic needs of living things.
Rhyllis Bignell

Scavengers by Marcus Emerson

Ill. by David Lee. Diary of a 6th Grade Ninja bk 7. Allen and Unwin, 2017. ISBN 9781760295615
(Age: 9-11) Marcus Emerson's ten book series follows the chaotic life of 6th grader Chase Cooper, each follows the action-packed school life at Buchanan School. Schoolwork takes a secondary role in this series, the focus is on secret societies, friendships and bully busting.
Cousin Zoe Chase is running for student president owing to the unfortunate chewing gum saga that occurred in Career's Week. Chase is her Campaign Manager in charge of publicity, in charge of baby kissing, her schedules and a free pizza lunch. In the middle of helping Zoe, another secret club The Scavengers invite him to join. By refusing this offer, an avalanche of revenge attacks occur and Chase has the whole school disliking him; even his friends desert him and an old school reporter follows his every move trying to expose his secret ninja clan.
This fun series needs to be read in order, as the characters refer to previous events and incidents. David Lee's dark comic illustrations bring the difficult and dramatic events to life: Chase's ninja clan friends, the moment of truth with the Scavengers in the Dungeon and the secret group hidden behind their vulture masks.
Rhyllis Bignell

Me and you by Deborah Kelly and Karen Blair

Viking, 2017. ISBN 9780670079247
There are many people in a child's life - parents, siblings, grandparents, aunties, uncles, cousins, neighbours, best friends, parents' friends, pets . . . and that's before they even venture into the world of preschool and big school! And the shape of the relationship with each one is different. In this new book by Deborah Kelly, as softly illustrated as its focus, the connections are explored and enjoyed - the arty-crafty days; the yummy-scrummy days; the pedal-pushing days; the silly-billy days; the sandy-sandwich days; the footy-playing days; the slippery-sliding days; the grubby-garden days; the woofy-wagging days; the handy-helper days; the sausage-sizzling days; the stretchy-yawning days - all mixing, matching and melding together to enrich the child's life and cocoon them in love. Apart from the variety of adventures that the child has and the reader will resonate with, the richness of the language and its rhyme, rhythm and repetition will engage and perhaps even encourage the young reader/listener to start thinking about the relationships they have and starting to describe them using similar language. Primarily aimed at the preschooler, this book could also have traction with older students as an extension of learning about friendships so they move from thinking about what makes a friend and how to be one but also the types of relationships they have with those in their lives. For example, the relationship with their parents will be different from that with their teacher, and that with other children can be shaped by age, expertise and even power. Discussing why we are friends with particular people (or aspire to be), how friends should make us feel and where we fit in others' lives brings confidence and builds empathy and resilience when things don't work out.
Many parents seem to be deeply concerned about the friendships their children make particularly when the meetings are beyond parental control - as evidenced by this request to an international email group where a parent was looking for books about "choosing the "right" friends. She has requested that there be African American characters and she is concerned that he [bright son] seems to be choosing friends who are in the lower academic classes." By sharing Me and You older children might examine the friendships they have and what holds them together; debate the notion of "right friends"; discuss how a variety of friends who bring different circumstances, skills and attitudes can enrich our lives; and begin to understand the role and influence that friends have in their lives as well as their position in the lives of their friends. Such understanding may well offer valuable insight into their connections with other people now and in the future, helping them to make the sorts of choices their parents would be happy with or defending those that they wouldn't.
Perhaps author and illustrator just wanted to share the joy of being a child with all its fun and activity, but for me the best picture books work across a number of levels and delve deeper than the immediate storyline and pictures and therefore this one works very well.
Barbara Braxton

Frogkisser by Garth Nix

Allen and Unwin, 2017. ISBN 9781760293512
(Age: 9+) Highly recommended. Fantasy, Classic tales, Sorcery. This novel spins a tongue in cheek fantasy/fairytale which will entertain readers of any age. Nix includes all the elements necessary for the genre, a reluctant heroine, an evil sorcerer, magic, royalty, forests, castles and talking animals.
Princess Anya is second in line to the throne of a tiny kingdom, her sister Princess Morven is self absorbed, interested only in her latest beau and throwing tantrums. Anya seeks refuge in the castle library where she reads about magic. Her step-father Duke Rikard has become obsessed with magic and sorcery and wants the kingdom for himself.
He has plans to send Anya off to a remote school from which she may never return. Rikard has been refining his transformation spells and has turned Morven's suitor into a frog. Anya has to leave and find the ingredients for a magic salve which she must spread on her lips before she kisses the frog to turn him back to a prince.
With help of the Royal Dogs she slips out of the castle knowing that Duke Rikard will be hot on her heals. Thus begins her quest. But as she travels through the fractured kingdoms she finds that the expectations of others complicate matters and her quest becomes one to return justice and rule of law to the old kingdom which has been divided by the ill use of sorcery.
I recommend you join with Garth Nix and his wonderful cast of characters in this magical fantastic journey. Of course you know that good will triumph over evil as it always finally does, but the road travelled is amusing, gripping and enthralling.
Mark Knight

The things we promise by J. C. Burke

Allen and Unwin, 2017. ISBN 9781760290405
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. AIDS, Australian history, 1990's, Prejudice. The focus of Gemma's life in year eleven is the formal at the end of the year. She and her friends, Linda and Andrea talk about it incessantly, Gemma relying on her brother's return to do their hair and make up. He is a stylist in New York, where he has lived for five years with his boyfriend, Saul.
But tensions are mounting in her household. Mum is distraught when Billy's first boyfriend, Matt dies, she is evasive when Gemma talks about her brother's return, and Gemma is cross when the swatches for the material for her dress are sent by Billy's friend, Claude.
It is the early 1990's and the setting is recreated by Burke with absolute clarity. No one could be unaware of the climate in Australia when AIDS first became known. Community attitudes are clearly delineated, posters of male-female love appear, accepting no other possibility, gay men are called a range of offensive names, some like Gemma's father simply leave the family, avoiding the issue altogether.
Gemma finds a photo of Saul and Billy at a party in New York, in her mother's drawer. Billy has used his talents to make Saul look like a zebra, and the line on the back alludes to something being well covered. The reader is alerted, and eventually Gemma finds that Saul has AIDS.
A fascinating set of decisions need to be made as she gets on with her life. Who to tell? She is hesitant to tell her best friend, Andrea because of her homophobic attitudes, and with her knowledge, other people's ignorances seem to stand out. Through her growing knowledge of the disease, the reader is also given information with which they can judge the reactions of the school and the community in which Gemma lives. In following Billy's decline and visits to the hospital, Gemma is in no doubt about the seriousness of the illness, and the reader is privy to the range of prejudices and reactions of other people when confronted by the disease. In the background, Gemma is becoming closer to Ralph, a boy she likes and his involvement with her lands him in some trouble. The year rolls to an end and the formal is close at hand but other more important events take hold of the family and their friends.
For information about AIDS in Australia today,  an article about the decline in the number of HIV/AIDS cases. HIV/AIDS is no longer a death sentence and the number of deaths is insignificant, whereas in the 1990's about 1000 people died each year.
This is a beautifully told gripping story with some hard issues to follow. Burke makes the times ring with clarity.
Fran Knight

How the queen found the perfect cup of tea by Kate Hosford

Ill. by Gabi Swiatkowska. Carolrhoda books, 2017. ISBN 9781467739047
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Humour, Tea, Adventure, Quest. When the queen sips her morning cup of tea, she finds something is amiss. It simply does not have the taste she is looking for. Her servant James is puzzled: is there too much milk or not enough sugar. She takes to the skies in a hot air balloon to seek out the perfect cup of tea. She calls in at several places and a child makes her a cup of tea each time. The three are from different cultures and sharp eyed readers will notice the very different ways that their tea is made. Each time it is prepared, the queen becomes more involved, and children will see that her participation in the ritual of making tea is making her happier.
Repetition in the story makes it even funnier, as the same thing happens but with a different outcome each time, until she finally realises that she can make it for herself, and if she can make a cup of tea, then many other things she can do flow on.
This is a funny tale, sure to raise a laugh from the audience, whether read aloud or by themselves. Children will be sure to join in once they see the repetition, and watch out for the many animals that join in the fun along the way. The illustrations too compliment the tale well, adding another level of humour to the story. Readers will be looking to make a cup of tea at the end of their reading.
Fran Knight

The grand genius summer of Henry Hoobler by Lisa Shanahan

Allen and Unwin, 2017. ISBN 9781760293017
(Age: Yrs 2-4) Recommended. Henry Hoobler is a boy with worries. He is travelling with his family on a camping holiday but would rather stay at home with Nonna and not have to think about all the things that could go wrong or have to face the challenge of learning to ride the ominous new bike that is coming along on the holiday too.
His older brother Patch is more concerned with his music and his younger sister Lulu is obsessed with her toy ponies.
But holidays can bring new experiences and change and one of the first people he meets is Cassie who whizzes past him on her dragster, confident, self assured and friendly.
Supported by a caring, loving family, Henry gradually learns to face his concerns. He becomes good friends with Cassie, who has her own family issues and together they have a 'grand genius summer'.
I enjoyed the characters in this novel and was often laughing at the antics and comments of Lulu, Henry's preschool sister. Henry's internal thoughts highlight the importance of trying new things even if they are scary and he observes that confident people have their own fears and issues to deal with too.
Lisa Shanahan is able to write about the everyday happenings of families, friends and fears that children think about about and identify with.
The cover is bright and cheery and shows Henry and Cassie the main two characters, riding their bikes together, a major highlight and achievement for Henry.
Henry is in the summer holiday break before he starts year 3 so this novel would be a great story to read to years 2-4.
This is a good book and I would recommend this novel for purchase for your library.
Jane Moore

The secret place by M.L. Simmons

Little Steps Publishing, 2016. ISBN 9781925117998
(Age: 9+) Recommended. Themes: Mystery Adventure; Farm life; Bushfire. This charming story of the life of a young lad in rural Australia begins with the reporting of an unusual event after a bushfire, with a mystery involving a discovered skeleton that was inexplicably connected to saving Andrew's life. Later we read of the events that led to this unusual event. Andrew has lived on an isolated rural property all his life - beyond Bourke - which means School of the Air via Radio and a life of farm-related skills and activities. A shift to another property means life is about to change in many ways, including the chance to attend a 'real' school. However the majority of this book is about the celebration of the rural life, the Aussie bush, and family; with the warmth of a genuine insight into this young lad's life on a farming property. The mystery of an unusual neighbour, a quirky Aunt and a wild and remote 'secret' picnic spot all intertwine to lead to an explanation of the opening mystery.
This story is worthy of recommending to a young reader who is also on the verge of change and ready to demonstrate their independence. The Australian countryside and farm and family life is the star in this simple and innocent tale. City dwelling children will perhaps be amazed at the chores and tasks that Andrew and his siblings are required to do as part of their rural life.
Carolyn Hull