Lothian, 2017. ISBN 9780734417954
(Age: primary) Recommended. Animals, Endangered animals. Artist and
writer Cossins, has brought her skills together to present this book
about some of the world's endangered animals. Each double page
represents one of the animals in danger, in alphabetical order from
Amir tiger to Zebra duiker. On one side is a brief outline of the
animal giving readers information about their endangered status, how
many are left in the world, what their characteristics are, why they
are endangered and several interesting facts.
M is for Mandrill for example, and we learn that there are only 3000
left in the wild. They live in equatorial jungles in Central Africa
and eat a variety of food. Their habitat is under threat but the
biggest threat today is the search for bush meat. On the right hand
side of the page is an illustration of the animal.
Children will love using this book as an information book but I can
also imagine children reading it from cover to cover. The
information is precise and concise, and paired with the
illustrations gives a fact file about the animal, enough for most
younger students but encouraging others to search further. To this
end, Cossins gives websites for the readers' research and an outline
of what the words used in the book mean: endangered, threatened and
extinct for example.
Fran Knight
Dino diggers: Digger disaster by Rose Impey
Ill. by Chris Chatterton. Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408872444
(Ages: 2-5) Dinosaurs, construction, teamwork. This cleverly
combines two things that young children love: dinosaurs and diggers,
and the bright, cartoon-like and action-filled illustrations will
keep them engaged. This is just one in a series of dinosaur
construction stories, each one containing a cardboard pop-out
build-your-own project. This one has a build-your-own dino and
digger. In each story the team of Dino Diggers 'put things right
when they go wrong and never let you down'. This is a great motto
for young children to hear and model their behaviour on. The
dinosaurs have great names and personalities, like the grumpy Mr Ali
O'Saurus and the clumsy apprentice Ricky Raptor. Today the team are
building a car yard but it isn't long before they run into a
problem: they've hit a water pipe. Everyone pitches in to fix the
problem and their great teamwork means that they finish the job on
time. Even the apprentice, who turned the plans upside down and
created the problem is supported and valued, not ridiculed. There is
great modelling here for young children: happy workers who are proud
of their work and a team of boy and girl dinosaurs building, driving
machines and working side by side. The construction language is also
great: backhoe, cracked a water main, digging out the foundations,
tower crane. Little ones who spot a construction site from a mile
away will love this and the fact that the characters are dinosaurs
makes it even more fun.
Nicole Nelson
The Cherry Pie Princess by Vivian French
Ill. by Marta Kissi. Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406368970
(Age: 7-9) Themes: Magic, Princes and Princesses, Castle Life.
Princess Peony lives in a castle with parents the King and Queen and
her six older sisters. Their lives are ordered and organised - even
a visit to the Royal Library is strictly controlled. Whilst the
governess quickly herds the older girls through, young Princess
Peony expresses her interests in the recipe books. After she's
hurried away by the strict Miss Beef, the chief librarian Denzil
Longbeard notices a cooking book about pies and pastries is missing.
For a short while, the youngest princess enjoys cooking in the
castle kitchen, until the King finds out and bans her.
When a baby prince is born, his parents plan for an elaborate
christening party and invitations are sent out to the most important
people including magical creatures. The King refuses to invite the
wicked hag; this of means there will be magical mayhem at the
upcoming event.
The story switches focus to the Hag's preparation of a magical brew
in her cauldron and the three fairy godmothers' plans to attend the
party. Basil the talking cat observes the activities at the palace
and reports to the fairies.
Just after her thirteenth birthday, feisty Princess Peony discovers
that Mr. Longbeard, the librarian, was thrown in the dungeon for
talking to her when she visited the library. She finds herself
locked in the dungeon for speaking out of turn to her father. Of
course, she escapes and with the help of Basil and the other
prisoners, she's in the right place at the right time to foil the
hag's plans to steal young Prince Vincenzo. The Cherry Pie Princess is an easy to read junior novel
written by Vivian French. She is a popular children's author who
understands the interests of her young audience, girls who enjoy
princesses, life in a castle and magical creatures. Marta Kissi's
beautiful and humorous black and white illustrations display the
adventures of the determined and creative Princess Peony.
Rhyllis Bignell
Horizon by Scott Westerfeld
Scholastic, 2017. ISBN 9781743817605
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. Science fiction, Survival, STEM. On a
flight from the USA to Tokyo, eight teens on the plane are the only
survivors when it crashes. But where they expect snow and ice, is
jungle, with strange birds and even stranger noises. The eight must
work together to work out what is happening to them, but this is
difficult when the oldest in the group, Caleb, sees himself as the
leader, and hates being questioned by the four from Brooklyn Science
and Tech, en route to present their robots at the Robot Soccer World
Championship in Tokyo. In particular Molly and he do not see eye to
eye.
Yoshi goes off in search of water, while Molly experiments with the
device she has found on the plane, something which appears to lift
them off the ground. But once in the air they are attacked by
shredder bird which tear into their clothing and skin, so they need
to plan their journeys.
A wonderful story of methods used by the group to develop an
hypothesis then work out a solution, this story is brimful of
scientific argument and logic, as well as honing in on relationships
and survival.
When some of the group leave to try and find out what its over the
stone wall, the gravity machine comes in very handy to make their
ascent easier. But hiding in a cave they are besieged by tiny
robots, intent on stealing their mechanical objects. All is most
curious until they find themselves inside a set of office like
laboratories and they begin to work out where they are and what has
happened, leading to an idea of how to get out.
This is a heart in the mouth story, Westerfeld cleverly leading the
reader on making them try and work out what is happening, collecting
evidence, using their reason to make deductions and hypotheses. But
as they do not reach their destination at the end of this story,
another story is in the pipeline. Westerfeld tells us that this is
the first of seven books in the series, and is a mixture of Lost,
Lord of the flies and Hatchet. This is easily
accessible science fiction with the themes of survival and
relationships uppermost putting the readers into the skin of the
protagonists, drawing them into the lives on the page. I look
forward to the next in the series.
Fran Knight
Whatcha building? by Andrew Daddo
Ill. by Stephen Michael King. Harper Collins, 2017. ISBN
9780733334153
(Ages: 4-8) Recommended. Construction, recycled materials. Andrew
Daddo and Stephen Michael King have created a multi-layered book
about how our world is changing around us. When the old wooden milk
bar is torn down and replaced with a shiny steel supermarket, Little
Davey collects all the old timber. It isn't until the end that we
find out that Davey has rebuilt the milk bar in his backyard. This
is uniquely Australian storytelling; not only is the builder called
Big Bruce, but the text is littered with Australian slang (g'day,
mate, cubby, fella) and a little bit of Aussie word butchering ('are
ya?'). It even uses the analogy 'Like Melbourne rain'. At its heart,
this is a book about change (new materials vs. recycled, old
buildings vs. new buildings) and is nostalgic for a slowly
disappearing Aussie-ness. It shows the concrete and steel of the
city beginning to encroach on the rustic, woody, natural
environments and the houses with big backyards often associated with
Australia. When reading this many adults will feel a sense of loss
for that easy, laid back lifestyle characterised by a friendly
'g'day' from a stranger, children walking home from school alone and
playing in the streets and a dog hanging out in the back of a ute.
Nevertheless, there remains an optimistic tone that despite
technological and modern advancement a certain spirit lives on in
the children of today (a simple game of backyard cricket with the
skyscrapers of the city in the background, Little Davey's enthusiasm
for building a place to sit down and share a cuppa and a chat). It
isn't shiny new buildings or even a rollercoaster or a skate park
that Little Davey wants; it is the old milk bar on the corner that
he thinks is special. There are many themes and ideas presented here
that will initiate a variety of conversations and explorations,
especially regarding how the world is changing, what is being lost
and what we should try to hold on to.
Nicole Nelson
Is this an emergency? Ambulance. The adventures of Toby the Teddy by Catherine Buckley and Amelia Harrison
Ill. by Emma Stuart. Amelia Harrison, 2016. ISBN 9780646952901
(Ages: 4-6) Medical emergencies, ambulances. An Australian primary
school teacher and an illustrator with experience in emergency
medical services have created this book to fill a specific
educational resource gap. They particularly wanted to address the
high number of prank and hoax calls that young children make to
emergency services. It is aimed at preschool and school age children
but because of its cutesy, somewhat babyish illustrations and tone
it has a limited audience (despite it being a topic that pertains to
much older children as well). I can't help but think that most prank
calls come from children slightly older than this book will appeal
to. The book follows Teddy (a teddy bear) as he faces problems and
shows how he deals with them, each time asking the reader 'Is this
an emergency?' and then explaining what Teddy should do next. It
uses examples that will be familiar to children in the target
audience and that are the most likely and critical medical
emergencies they may encounter in the schoolyard or at home (asthma,
anaphylaxis). The examples illustrate that different actions are
appropriate in different emergencies and familiar adults and
teachers are put forward as examples of people who can help rather
than it always being necessary to call an ambulance. Importantly
though, it is stressed that if no other adult is close by an
ambulance should be called. This will stimulate important
conversations about whether children know their home address and how
to phone an ambulance in an emergency. There are notes in the back
for teachers and parents, including discussion points and activity
ideas. The book is written in a non-frightening way and the language
used is clear and appropriate for young children. It gives children
a language to talk about medical emergencies (allergic reaction,
rash, can't catch his breath, etc.) and Teddy is a perfect
clear-thinking role model. Despite the whole thing feeling a bit old
fashioned (even the telephone depicted is an old wall-mounted
landline . . . with a cord!) it does fill a resource gap and would
be a useful resource for teachers and parents of preschool and
primary aged children, especially in classrooms or families where
there are children with medical conditions.
Nicole Nelson
Never a true word by Michael McGuire
Wakefield Press, 2017. ISBN 9781743054734
(Age: Adult) Recommended for Adults only (and only for those with
political interest) Themes: Politics; Elections; Public relations.
This is a thinly veiled expose of the political process - McGuire
lifts the tent flaps and reveals the soiled undergarments of the
political circus through the eyes of the spin doctor or ringmaster
employed to keep control of the information flow to the waiting
media. This is a fast paced and satirically humourous journey into
the murky depths of politics and the back-room faceless few. The
somewhat grimy revelations and language of those involved are far
from pristine, and we feel the tension of the ringmasters employed
to hold back the 'performing lions and tigers' who perform with
teeth bared in order to be re-elected for another four years.
Although I would not encourage a young voter to lose their trust in
democracy by reading this book, anyone who has had to wield a pencil
in a cold hall more than a few times and whose eyes are open to the
subterfuge of politics and media reporting will probably enjoy the
'naughty' truths that are revealed. The well-described politicians
and media identities are close approximations of people we have seen
or heard, and part of the entertainment of this book is identifying
those who might have inspired the characterisation. Truths and lies
are revealed; raw power and personality faults are revealed in all
their gory glory . . . And our eyes are agog!
Carolyn Hull
Beyond the wild river by Sarah Maine
Hodder and Stoughton, 2017. ISBN 9781473639683
(Age: Senior secondary-adult) Recommended. This is a terrifically
well researched novel, and the story, and indeed the plot, are
finely wrought. I was captivated by the settings, described in rich
detail, from the new city of Chicago to the wild lands and rivers of
northern Ontario. Responding with violence to a burglar, one dark
night on a Scottish estate, a man is killed, a story is constructed,
and a very young Evelyn Ballantyre learns one version of events that
she accepts but with both a sense of having been told what was best
for her to know and a feeling that this version was not the true
story.
From a Scottish estate to the wilds of Ontario, Maine captures a
world of change, taking us from Scotland, on a sea voyage to the
United States in 1893, where the characters visit the Columbian
Exposition in Chicago, described in rich and fascinating detail, and
then go into the wilds of Canada to inspect, we deduce, an
investment of Evelyn's father. This is a fine section, introducing
us to a little known area and history for most readers outside of
Canada or the USA.
The story that ensues is a sequel, in a sense, to that terrible
night on Evelyn's father's estate in Scotland. Strangely, and indeed
oddly, it seems that the characters who were at the estate on the
night of the murder have come together for a journey up the Nipigon
River, in Northern Ontario, 13 years later. We realize that
Ballantyne has controlled all of this, with the characters of the
past all in close proximity for a trip that will be challenging.
Whilst it is not clear to us just what will happen, we are given
plenty of clues so that we are aware that some kind of dramatic
event will take place as the tension builds up day by day on that
journey. The terrain is described in wonderful detail, the
atmosphere of the Nipigon River and the campsites particularly
featuring as places of wonder for the European visitors. We read
about the way that campsites were positioned near the river, how the
fish were caught, and we learn something of the indigenous people of
that region. All of this is absolutely captivating.
That the conflict would be resolved is expected, but somehow the
resolution is just a little tawdry, and the characters involved in
it demeaned by the decisions. Yet in a sense the decisions and
actions are consistent with the characterization. Just as we readers
might have liked a happy ending, her resolution is consistent with
her characterization. Her strengths are in this narrative
consistency, in her richly detailed settings, and in her capacity to
create a story that is reminiscent of its time, its place and the
characters that she has created. This is a fine adult and older
adolescent romantic and historical novel.
Elizabeth Bondar
A patch from scratch by Megan Forward
Penguin/Viking, 2016. ISBN 9780670078295 Living a country life in the city is an appealing prospect for many.
Picking fresh fruit and vegetables from the garden bed instead of
the supermarket shelves; having your own chooks to provide fresh
eggs; recycling waste instead of sending it to landfill - all these
things appeal to Jesse and his family and so they design, plan and
develop their own patch from scratch.
Told from Jesse's perspective, the story chronicles what would seem
to be a real-life experience that shows all the aspects of creating
an edible garden in a suburban backyard. From Lewis' desire to grow
beans like Jack of beanstalk fame, to Jesse's dream of fresh
strawberries and even Mum's longing for chooks, each step is
documented in text and illustrations that show what needs to be done
in a way that draws the reader in and shows them that they can do it
too. In fact, once they start it's amazing how many people become
involved as seeds, seedlings and advice are shared and suddenly
chores like weeding and watering become fun. Jesse starts a plant
diary for his strawberries as he patiently waits for them to ripen.
But why are there five not six? And what is happening to the
tomatoes and lettuce, leaving holes in them? How can the patch be
saved from the robbers?
As well as being so informative, particularly as more and more
schools are developing kitchen gardens to supply the canteen, there
are lots of other issues raised that will kickstart lots of
investigations that should give greater understanding for the future
of our planet. Why are bees critical? If pesticides wipe out bugs,
what will the birds eat? How did people manage when there were no
supermarkets? What happens to supermarket food when it is not
bought? What are the essential elements that need to be included in
the design of a chicken coop?
To round off the story, there is some really useful information and
suggestions for finding out more as well as a flowchart of how the
patch from scratch works. There is also a lot of information on the
author's page
for the book and at the Kitchen Garden
Foundation which supports this concept in schools.
Identified as a CBCA 2017 Book of the Year Notable and with
sustainability being one of the cross curriculum priorities of the
Australian Curriculum this is an essential addition to both the home
and school library as we look to a better, healthier future.
Barbara Braxton
Margherita's recipes for love by Elisabetta Flumeri and Gabriella Giacometti
Simon and Schuster, 2017. ISBN 9781471162695
(Age: 15+) Well, this is a delicious read, a feast for the senses.
The writers almost dare us to not relish or enjoy the food, the
convoluted love stories, the solving of issues of love, loyalty and
friendship all set in the delightful towns and countryside of Italy.
Flumeri and Giacometti have previously written radio programs,
novels and a number of screenplays. In this novel, they focus on
food and love that are depicted as inextricably linked, choosing an
ideal setting that is a feast for all the senses, the adventures
mostly taking place in the enticing, glorious green hills,
vineyards, old homes of the small towns of Tuscany.
The story has a complexity that is used to build up the requisite
tension, and the outcome, while perhaps predictable, is a satisfying
one. However, it is not the characters who dominate this
food-lovers' novel, but the food itself. Described in richly
evocative phrases, food, in its powerful effect on the emotions and
behaviour of the characters, is really the star of this story. Food
dominates, and is used to create tension, to solve issues, to bring
people together, be it for friendship, family issues, business or
love. Descriptions of meals are passionately described, and we are
persuaded to see how the particularly powerful, sexually arousing
effects of dishes that persuade people to like, love, or indeed to
disdain, others. Melodramatic it may be, but it is a happy,
well-written and quite simply enjoyable book that brings a smile to
the face and enjoyment not dissimilar to watching a good cookery
program on television.
Elizabeth Bondar
The curious case of the missing mammoth by Ellie Hattie
Ill. by Karl James Mountford. Little Tiger Press, 2017. ISBN
9781848694484
Bong! Oscar is woken by the town clock striking midnight and strange
noises in the street. As he looks out his window he sees a huge,
hairy woolly mammoth. Instead of being scared, he is dressed and
outside in a flash where Timothy the mammoth explains he is
searching for his little brother. Together they continue the search
which leads them to the town museum where the door opens a crack to
reveal the inhabitants have come alive and are having a party.
Continued through the interactivity of gatefolds, lift-the-flaps and
speech bubbles the search progresses through the various sections of
the museum until... It is certainly the most extraordinary hour
of Oscar's life.
Apart from kids' universal curiosity about the mysterious creatures of
the past, this is a book that will delight young children as they
explore it over and over as it combines so much information as the
quest continues. There is so much detail included that there will be
something new to explore and learn with every reading. It is
certainly an intriguing way to help them discover their world and
enjoy having to be part of the action to move the story along.
Barbara Braxton
Bring me the head of Ivy Pocket by Caleb Krisp
Ill. by John Kelly. Ivy Pocket series; book 3. Bloomsbury,
2017. ISBN 9781408858721
(Age: 9+) Highly recommended. Themes: Orphans and orphanages;
Jewellery; Ghosts; Supernatural stories; Mystery and suspense
stories; Ghosts; England - Social life and customs - 19th century.
This is a fabulous conclusion to the Ivy Pocket series, here
ghosts are laid to rest, answers to mysteries revealed and lost
friends rescued. This feisty protagonist faces dangers head on,
relying on her quick thinking, fighting skills, acerbic dialogue and
fun disguises to rapidly race through across the country and into an
alternate kingdom.
Ivy's final missions are difficult ones; she needs to rescue
Anastasia Radcliff and young Rebecca Butterfield from dreadful
circumstances. Of course, the evil henchwoman Miss Always and the
creepy little Locks are chasing her across country, causing her
trouble at every turn.
As Esmeralda Cabbage, Ivy returns to Butterfield Park, scene of a
previously disastrous birthday party ready to confront Lady
Butterfield, Countess Carbunkle and Estelle Dumbleby. Hidden beneath
a secret passage in the ballroom is Anastasia's prison and Ivy is
there to assist with her friend's escape. With the concerns about
the Clock Diamond not working and her enemies closing in, Ivy's bold
antics and her willingness to overstep the boundaries are fun to
read. Ivy's exploits in the fantastical world of Prospa are intense
as she confronts her nemesis, delves into the mystery of the Shadow
and races against time to find the portal back into the real world.
John Kelly's comical drawings display some of Ivy's most intense
scenes; the Countess and her headdress of peacock feathers in flames
and Ivy's triumphant tea party are highlights.
Calvin Krisp's Bring me the head of Ivy Pocket will delight
those readers who have enjoyed the exploits, adventures and quirky
character of this fun female protagonist. This series is perfect for
a Middle Primary class novel, as the author's humorous narrative is
engagingly alliterative, deliciously descriptive and certainly
attention grabbing.
Rhyllis Bignell
Rose's red boots by Maura Finn
Ill. by Karen Erasmus. New Frontier Publishing, 2017. ISBN
9780957988446
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Autumn, Rhyming story, Play, Clothing,
Weather, STEM. Rose goes out to play in the blustery wind with her
dog, Banjo. Leaves gently drift to the ground, the sky is full of
fairy floss clouds, and Rose takes her kite with her. On her feet
are her red boots and she uses these to march across the paddocks to
her destination. Each double page shows Rose and Banjo in action,
and each alternate double page has a repetitive rhyming stanza using
the boots as a lead into something she is doing. Readers,
particularly in a group where the book is read out loud, will love
to learn the refrain, reading it with the leader and act out what
Rose is doing as the story proceeds. It is an infectious story of
one girl's morning out of doors, and children may like to make their
own kites to try them out. The book is a wonderful introduction to
the theme of autumn showing readers the various things which can be
expected during this season.
When it unexpectedly becomes colder and begins to rain with
lightning flashes across the sky, then she and Banjo head for home,
'racing, racing, home for morning tea'.
Fran Knight
The Mysterious Mr Jacob : Diamond Merchant, Magician and Spy by John Zubrzycki
Transit Lounge Publishing, 2017. ISBN 9780995359437
(Age: 16+) This story, claimed by William Dalrymple to be 'one of
the most exciting narrative histories to come out of India', is
indeed utterly fascinating. Set in the late 1800s and early 1900s,
the story is centred on Alexander Malcolm Jacob, who arrived in
Bombay in 1865. His parentage is unknown, seemingly because he
mostly tended to claim different stories at different stages of his
life. It is not a light narrative, its stories often complex and
their 'truth' quite often questionable, yet it is, at times, so
mysteriously fantastic that it seems as if he could have been a
character in a fictional fantasy.
Jacob became well-known in his own world of commerce, in the Indian
world of the time, particularly through his diamond-dealing, the
stones he sourced often being worth millions. However, he was also
known as a great magician, his complex tricks often being challenged
as impossible, therefore judged to be real magic, and therefore
unacceptable. As there appeared to be many for whom the tricks were
too difficult to comprehend, he was ironically criticized for this
very complexity, judged to be too close to real magic for the
audience, who ranged from the wider European community of
expatriates and those from the world of the Middle East, as it was
known at the time.
Keeping to the narrative genre, Zubrycki creates a believable and
indeed mysterious character whose fabulous wealth and control of his
world seem to have been impossible, given his background. Indeed, it
is this aspect that was so referred to so often in the work by his
critics. His capacity to create apparent magic, the strength of his
personality, his persuasive powers, his ability to buy and sell
works of art, particularly fabulous jewels, made him renowned across
British India, and abroad. He is said to have bought diamonds from
Australia, to have had friends in many countries, to have worked
impossible sleights of hand that could not be analysed, which added
to his mystery, and yet, before he lost his wealth, status and
friends, he appears to have been charismatic, mysterious and to have
been a consummate magician. He was interviewed by pragmatic
journalists, and even these non-believers wrote that there was
something unreal about this man's powers.
It would be a suitable book for older adolescents, as an informative
and challenging account of an unusual man. However, I would suggest
that this is not a book for younger readers because of its subject,
its complexity, its literary/historical nature, its references to
the real world of the Raj, and India in this historical period
(comprehensible with an understanding of India's complex history),
and because of the unresolved, and indeed mysterious aspects that
are part of its complexity.
Elizabeth Bondar
Bronze bird tower by Carole Wilkinson
Dragonkeeper book 6. Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781922179586
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Dragons. Fantasy. Myths. Mythical
worlds. Carole Wilkinson has ended the Dragonkeeper series
with another thrilling, fantasy journey into the mythical world of
Huaxia (China) in the safe haven where the dragons have sought
sanctuary. This series is set at a time when it seems that dragons
are about to lose their capacity for survival. Tao the dragonkeeper
(who has power to summon the life-force from the invertebrate world
and the ability to see visions into the future) is called upon again
to rescue the dragons and their hope for the future - their dragon
stones. His Buddhist leanings (although challenged at times)
encourage him to seek peaceful solutions for the dragons in order to
solve their in-fighting and the war-like advances from humans bent
on using the dragons for their own power displays. Tao's faithful
dragon companions, who see and know his strengths despite his
peaceful demeanour, eventually work with him to ensure the long-term
survival of the remaining mythical creatures. But will his role as
dragonkeeper protect them into the future?
Wilkinson has managed to create a stand-alone story (even though
this is Number 6 in the Dragonkeeper series) that could be
comfortably promoted to readers even if they have not read other
books in the series. (I confess to only having read books 1 and 2 in
the series, prior to reading this final offering.) This is a series
that can be savoured for introducing a fantasy and mythical world of
dragons and magical powers that is still narrative-driven, gentle,
and not blatantly sinister. It also explores and parallels human
motives as they pursue power and self-aggrandisement. The Buddhist
practices of Tao are generally confined to peaceful and vegetarian
preferences, but this also provides an uncommon perspective for
children's literature. His wisdom and mystical powers supersede his
religious life.
Carolyn Hull
