Ill. by Brian Lovelock. Nature storybooks. Walker Books, 2017. ISBN
9781925126556
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended. Geckos. Australian animals.
Environment. In this magnificent series of books called Nature
Storybooks from Walker, in which every word on the page is
true, comes another outing in the form of a gecko.
Each page has text written in two fonts. One is the story of the
gecko, and the other is an information text, usually at the bottom
of the page. Children can read a story of a gecko, and be fascinated
by its everyday existence, finding food and avoiding capture by a
predator, then read more information given in the factual text
beneath. And augmented with lustrous illustrations, reading this
book is a treat.
Through the story Huber tells us how the gecko survives during the
day, licking its skin and eyes with its long tongue, lying in the
sun to keep warm, using its camouflage to avoid the hawk, finding a
cockroach to eat and defending its territory from an intruder. Each
time something happens in the story, information is given in the
different font to explain the theme: so we hear what camouflage
means or how the gecko uses its tongue, or why the tail dropping is
important.
All is informative, visually interesting and inventive as the story
weaves its way through the gecko's day. At the end of the book is a
page with more information, then it is rounded off with an index,
helping younger readers with new skills at research and recovering
information. This is a wonderful addition to a fascinating series,
well produced, thoughtfully written and informative. I am sure
younger readers will love it, so entranced with the cover image that
they will not hesitate in picking it up from the shelf.
Fran Knight
The snow angel by Lauren St John
Zephyr, 2017. ISBN 9781786695895
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Orphans. Poverty. Family. Miracles.
Friendship. Overcoming difficulty. Resilience. The snow angel;
is a wonderful, magical mix of African culture, sadness, dreams,
grief, resilience and the awful sobering realities of poverty and
homelessness - but despite this sad litany of ideas, it is filled
with bright moments of love and optimism. This is both a fantasy
tale with a light dusting of imagined mystery and a sobering expose
of the reality of modern Africa. The central character, Makena,
experiences the highs of living out her dreams within a loving
family and then the horrors that no child should ever have to
experience, after tragic circumstances swamp her life. Woven into
this tragedy is the vision of the 'snow angel' - a magical illusion
that appears and silently offers hope. Makena also meets an amazing
friend and a rescuer that are just what she needs. Even though there
are incredibly bleak and heart-breaking aspects to this story, it is
ultimately a story of hope for Makena. (But a mature reader will
also realise that there are many unnamed characters in the story
that will not experience this same hopeful ending.)
Lauren St John has written this book with understanding of the
Kenyan setting that comes from her own experience of life in Africa
as a child. She also peppers lightly the telling of this dramatic
tale with some profound quotes and pearls of wisdom, as well as a
glimpse of how those in poverty can retain joy in their lives,
despite the hardships they face. There are some chronology leaps as
the story unfolds that may confuse some young readers initially, but
the story is compelling and worth promoting.
Carolyn Hull
La la la by Kate DiCamillo
Ill. by Jaime Kim. Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406378009
(Age: 4+) Voice. Singing. Loneliness. The young girl on the front
cover loves to sing, but wants to share her singing with someone
else. She is hesitant, looking longingly at her front door, and
eventually moves through the door into the world outside. Here it is
golden and light filled, and she moves through this environment,
singing, trying to attract someone else. She goes back inside, but
the swirling leaves call her again and she moves outside into the
darker space. She sings again, to no avail, but sees the large white
circle of the moon shining. She tries to climb to the moon, singing
all the while, but still there is no one there.
Disappointed yet again, she retreats to her house, her small voice
singing the words to herself, but this time she hears them come back
to her as someone responds.
Author Kate DiCamillo is well known for her stories of children not
usually seen in children's books. Because of Winn-Dixie is a
superb story of one girl's school year as she is forced to go to an
integrated school after a law change. Raymie
Nightingale looks at a child for whom winning a
competition is the epitome. In these books, favourites of mine, I
can see hints of the child in La la la: all children are
hesitant, unsure of what to make of their situation, trying to find
a friend in a world that seems hostile.
In La la la, the world eventually becomes less hostile, and
she finds a friend.
Children will love filling in the story, adding words to this almost
wordless picture book, as they see the child striving to take charge
of her situation. Many will recognise themselves in this story, the
hesitation at meeting new people, the loneliness of not making an
effort to go outside, striving to be part of someone else's life, of
finding a friend. Kim's illustrations reflect her feelings of being
alone as a child, being hesitant and timid. The pictured girl is a
small figure on a large white page, emphasising her aloneness for
most of the story. A story of hope.
Fran Knight
I want to be in a scary story by Sean Taylor
Ill. by Jean Jullien. Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406363463
(Age: 3-7) Recommended. Little Monster wants to be in a scary story.
He asks the author to help him but as the story is constructed from
Little Monster's requests, he gets too scared and wants changes to
the plot.
Eventually the monster wants a funny story but the author has his
own fun by putting in a few surprises. In the end, the big
revelation for the reader is made by Little Monster himself.
This is an entertaining book and younger children love the stories
that seem to be written in front of them. Press
here by Herve Tullet and The
book with no pictures by B J Novak both have that
interactive feel and are hugely popular in my school library.
I think children will relate to monster's fear of being scared and
laugh at the tricks that are played on both the monster and the
narrator or reader.
The pictures are bold and brightly coloured and the font is coloured
purple when the (purple) monster speaks, making it easier for
children to understand who is talking. The monster is cute and looks
young and his facial expressions in the illustrations make it clear
when he is scared or anxious about what is coming up next.
I enjoyed this humorous picture book and I am sure younger children
will be delighted with it too.
I recommend this book for 3 to 7 year olds.
Jane Moore
Wilder country by Mark Smith
Text, 2017. ISBN 9781925498530
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Dystopian fiction, Survival, Violence. At
the end of The road to winter (2016) Finn has created a
place of safety for himself and Rose, away from the Wilder people,
those out to kill him and take Rose into servitude. The disease that
swept the world has left pockets of thugs in control, roaming the
countryside in search of women and food. Finn and Rose seem safe,
but then she dies in childbirth and the baby is taken by its father,
Ramage, the leader of the Wilders, Finn needs to reassess their
situation. He and Rose's sister, Kas and a young child, Willow,
pressed into his arms by her parents who knew their time was running
out, have survived all winter but now must find out what has
happened outside and find the baby, something they promised Rose.
This breathtaking survival story does not let up. Kas, Finn and
Willow meet others on the road, but are unsure of how much to say or
who to trust. They come across several Wilders at Ray's place, but
he is nowhere to be seen and when one attempts to rape Kas, she
deals with him. They move on, back to the farm where Willow's
parents live, but find them in chains, working for Ramage and his
motley crew. A deadly stalemate ensues.
With all the excitement of a multi layered thriller, Wilder
country will grab the attention of those who read it. A
survival story, a road novel, post apocalyptic in its scope, the
story will be eagerly read by those who love the genre heralded by
John Marsden's series, Tomorrow when the war began, and
recreated in many forms since.
The evil is so evil that I had to stop reading and put the book
aside, the creepy atmosphere created by Smith is one that takes hold
of the reader as they proceed. Teens will love it, and see parallels
to what is happening in some places around the world. That it is set
in Australia makes it more relevant and readers may ponder the
impact of such a situation in their own backyard. And like all good
dystopian novels, the last few sentences leaves it open for a
sequel.
Fran Knight
Koala bare by Jackie French
Ill. by Matt Shanks. Angus and Robertson, 2017. ISBN 9781460751619
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Rhyming story, Koalas, Australian
animals, Bears. The koala makes it known that he is not a bear. He
asserts that he does not eat honey or live in a cottage or eat
bamboo nor does he come in various pastel colours. On each of the
first few pages we see him standing with crossed arms, surveying the
things that bears do and like. But not him as he is not a bear. He
is talking to a white cockatoo intent on taking down this amazing
information, scribbling notes in a notepad. The bears in the
illustrations are doing all the sorts of things that children know
bears do: living in polar climes, climbing telegraph poles, eating
copious amounts of honey and bamboo, and looking very cute in shop
windows. But our hero is not one of these, and he lets us know in
strongly worded stanzas. He doesn't fish because he doesn't like
squishy things, he doesn't hibernate but prefers to laze in the sun
on a branch. And he certainly does not dress up, because he is bare,
and shows us his posterior.
A wonderfully funny look at several important things: the difference
between the words bare and bear, the fact that the koala is not a
bear and as the reader reads on they will learn some of the
attributes of bears. But the main focus is the fun, the wit of
French's rhyming stanzas, the prediction of the rhyming word at the
end of each phrase, the use of words like posterior, the attempts by
the koala to get readers to see him as he is.
Matt Shank's illustrations suit the story beautifully, adding
another layer of wit to French's story, giving the narrator a stance
that reflects his attitude to being called a bear, and along the way
showing readers exactly what real bears do. I love the nods to
Goldilocks for kids to watch out for.
And in the end the koala is asking to be accepted for what he is, a
neat segue into discussions about what makes us who we are.
Fran Knight
Free diving by Lorrae Coffin
Ill. by Bronwyn Houston. Magabala Books, 2017. ISBN 9781925360738
(Age: 7-10) Recommended. Themes: Pearl Diving, Broome, Western
Australia, Pearl Industry. Singer and songwriter Lorrae Coffin wrote
her song Free Diving in 1996 as a moving tribute to the
Aboriginal men and women who were forced to work as divers for the
pearling luggers in the mid to late 19th century. This unscrupulous
practice was called blackbirding and was used by white people for
the pearl shell industry in Broome Western Australia. The Aboriginal
people dived underwater to a depth of 12 metres without protective
gear. The reality of this practice was quite confronting, with every
dive they faced succumbing to the bends, attacks by sharks and
diving in cyclonic weather. Many of these Aboriginal and Asian
divers never returned home.
In Free Diving we are drawn into the emotional journey of a
young man who is a 'long way from home', . . . 'my people, my
country I leave.' With the help of the Malays and Japanese men on
board he learns to dive deep for the pearl shells. Bronwyn Houston's
colourful pictures add life and dimension to the sensitive text. Her
sweeping ocean scenes show both the majesty of the underwater world
and dangers faced by the divers.
At the conclusion of this interesting picture book, Lorrae's song is
included with the guitar chords as well. Information about the
practice of blackbirding and both the author and illustrator's
Aboriginal heritage is incorporated too. Free Diving is a
useful resource for the Australian Year 5 History curriculum studies
of colonial life in Australia in the 1800s. This includes the impact
of the Aboriginal, Japanese, Indonesian and Malay pearl divers in
Western Australia.
Rhyllis Bignell
Baabwaa and Wooliam by David Elliot
Ill. by Melissa Sweet. Candlewick Press, 2017. ISBN 9780763660741
(Age: Junior primary) Highly recommended. As you can guess by their
clever names, this is a book about sheep. Baabwaa loves to knit and
Wooliam loves to read. "It sounds boring but they like it".
They decide to have an adventure and while walking about the field,
come across a wolf in disguise. At first the wolf chases them, while
the sheep make a dash for safety deciding that being adventurous is
not as wonderful as they first thought.
The wolf stops his pursuit as he is distracted by Wooliam's comment
"It's that Wolf in sheep's clothing I've read about". The sheep show
him the book but discover that he cannot read. They begin reading
instruction for the wolf who still sporadically chases them, which
they decide is good for their fitness and health.
This is a delightfully comical picture book as David Elliot makes
humorous comments throughout the story, that children will love. I
love the forgiving nature of the sheep and that they put up with the
wolf chasing them as he is "just following his nature".
I enjoyed the end of the story where the wolf is engrossed in a
book, wearing knitted garments made by Baabwaa.
The illustrations by Melissa Sweet are perfect for the story and the
strands of wool on the endpapers are a great touch.
I highly recommend this picture book for junior primary aged
children.
Jane Moore
What makes me a me? by Ben Faulks and David Tazzyman
Bloomsbury, 2017 ISBN 9781408867259
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Self perception. What makes me a a me? is the
question posed on the front cover and all through the book as the
boy with the beanie and glasses on the front ponders an age old
question. The funny rhyming stanzas will have readers laugh out loud
as they recognise the question they all ask, and are offered varying
things that he is not. He may go as slow as a snail at times,
invoking mum's wrath but he is not a slimy snail with eyes on
stalks. He may sometimes be like his pup, but certainly not when he
eats bones and of course he has no tail. Each page is resplendent in
rhyming stanzas asking readers to predict the rhyming word and join
in the fun of reading the pages out loud. Sometimes he is like a
sports car, loud and lightning fast, sometimes a super guy, brave
and bold, or a tree with branches that stick out like his arms, or a
volcano when he blows his stack. But whatever he is like, he is
simply himself, and he may be like a lot of other things, but still
only a person that makes up me.
The funny illustrations will grab the readers' attention as they
scan the pages looking at the different things the boy is like: a
snail, a sports car, a tree, a super hero, a dog, a dinosaur, the
boy next door, a volcano, and a computer. He looks at his parents
wondering if he is like them, inviting readers to also compare
themselves with their parents and siblings.
Children will get a kick out of the thought provoking look at what
makes them the way they are.
Fran Knight
Forest dark by Nicole Krauss
Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408871799
(Age: Adult) Have you ever felt there is another one of you,
unknown, living somewhere in the world, or thought that the life you
are living you have lived before, or lived simultaneously with some
other existence? Could there be a multiverse, another form of the
universe? The two separate protagonists in Forest dark are
each contemplating their own existence - Epstein has recently lost
his parents and his life has changed from driven achievement to
gradually dispossessing himself of all the valuables he has
acquired. He wants to create a memorial that stays as a reminder of
his parents, and also contribute something enduring for the country
of Israel - after all, he may be a descendant of David, or so the
rabbi Klausner tries to convince him. And at the same time, a
novelist from Brooklyn, leaves her family, and returns to the
holiday hotel of her childhood - the Brutalist construction of the
Tel Aviv Hilton, intrigued by the mystery of the man who threw
himself to his death from the 15th floor. She encounters Friedman,
literary professor, possible Mossad agent, with a strange story of
another life lived by the novelist Kafka, in Palestine, after his
assumed death.
Each of them, the lawyer Epstein, and the novelist, enter a realm of
dream-like detachment and contemplation, trying to gain perspective
on their own lives, and understand what their newly discovered
guides are telling them. Each tries to fit stories from their past
with their new discovery of the present. They ponder 'the forest
dark' having wandered from the straightforward pathway, into a new
understanding of the present.
Krauss's novel is a perplexing but thoughtful novel, and invites
more than one reading.
Helen Eddy
Curly tales: Short stories with a twist by Bill Condon
Ill. by Dave Atze. Big Sky Publishing. ISBN 9781925520590
(Age: 6-8) Recommended. Proverbs. Animal stories. Humour.
Think about these twisted proverbs and sayings - 'the whirlybird
catches the worm' and 'curiosity chilled the cat'. Laugh aloud as
you read Bill Condon's Curly tales: Short stories with a twist;
these humorous animal stories are perfect for sharing with family,
friends and classmates. Fun settings, silly situations, talking
animals and crazy antics make up these creative twists on familiar
wise mottos.
Arty Smartypants and his team of fifty nifty muscled mice outsmart
bad to the bone Big Charlie the cat in 'Curiosity and the Cat'.
There is a trail of tiny fish nibbles, one large smelly fish and an
open freezer door all ready to trap the mean feline in this simple
quirky story.
The 8.35 Labrador to the city is packed with fleas including dad
Irving and sad little Fifi, who has read human stories about their
boring lives. Dad cheers his daughter up with a special concert.
After a fast ride in the city, they end up on the orchestra
conductor's shoulder and Irving dances on her nose and she wildly
waves the baton. A visit to watch the acrobats, jugglers, clowns and
other Flea Circus acts cheers little Fifi up and Dad notices her
change in mood. She is happy now and Irving ends with this wise
proverb, 'the best things in life are flea!
Harry Hairybutt the gorilla tests his friend nerdy gorilla Egbert in
the cautionary tale of 'a friend when kneed is a friend indeed!'
Condon's ridiculous characters include: Winston and Clemmy Love, the
not so typical senior citizen bunnies, Gerald the grasshopper who
picnics on Luigi de Lion's back and orphaned Nifty Neville the
giraffe being raised by Pip and Pete the Shetland ponies. Curly tales: Short stories with a twist supports the Year 1-3
English Curriculum where students engage with a variety of texts for
enjoyment and create a range of imaginative stories based on
Condon's tales. With large easy to read fonts of different sizes and
styles and David Atze's funny cartoons this is just right for
younger novel readers.
Rhyllis Bignell
Meerkat choir by Nicki Greenberg
Allen and Unwin, 2017. ISBN 9781760290795
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Meerkats. Choirs. Community. The
choirmaster insists that only meerkats can be part of his choir, but
he finds that this is harder than he thinks. The choir is all set to
begin their practice when a tortoise asks to join in. He is told
that this is a meerkat choir and so the tortoise leaves. Again with
baton raised the choirmaster attempts to restart. This time a
hedgehog asks to join and is told to go. Then an owl, a snake, a bat
and a giraffe come asking to join. Each time the harassed
choirmaster tells them no. He changes his notice to say the choir is
full, but then a crocodile appears.
When the crocodile goes away the choir is at last ready, but the
sound that comes from their mouths is so awful, that the choirmaster
calls a halt. He takes his baton and his sign and leaves the
meerkats. The choir hears some beautiful sounds coming from
elsewhere and move off to see where it is coming from.
And join in.
This beautiful story of strength in numbers, of not being exclusive,
of the joy in being together, will be loved by all who read it. The
meerkats with their elongated bodies and surprised eyes are a
delight and younger readers will be intrigued by the animals and
their dilemma, because it parallels some of the interaction which
goes on in their lives.
Greenberg's bold and lively illustrations will be especially
endearing to the younger readers, able to recognise the animals and
perhaps talk about where they can be found.
Fran Knight
Ava's big move by Mary Van Reyk
Surf Riders Club series. Lothian, 2017. ISBN 9780734417909
(Age: 10-14) Recommended. Ava's parents are following their dream
and moving to the surf mad town of Beachcrest. They are going to
open a cafe and give up their city jobs. This means Ava has to leave
her school and her friends to start afresh in a new town.
Ava realises that the main focus in the town is surfing and she
starts taking lessons at school. Other girls in the surf group are
friendly and encourage her to practise with them. Gradually Ava
begins to start a new life in the town, making friends and trying
different experiences.
Friendship and dealing with change are two of the main themes of the
book. Ava has to get to know a new circle of friends and eventually
even enjoys the family's big move. She comes from a tight knit
family and she finds she is even closer to her older brother after
the move.
Ava's challenge is to pass the surf test with the rest of her
friends so they can all go to the next level together. She learns
not to give up and overcomes her fears of being dumped by a wave.
There is a lot of information about surfing and the book is
officially endorsed by Surfing Australia.
It is easy to believe in Ava and her friends as they share common
problems and issues with young teenage girls.
This is Mary Van Reyk's first book and the second in the series is Bronte's
big sister problem.
I think this book would appeal to both upper primary, lower
secondary students as well as surfing enthusiasts.
There is a short YouTube
clip showing Mary talking about her books here.
Recommended for 10 to 14 years olds.
Jane Moore
The story of Tutankhamun by Patricia Cleveland-Peck
Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408876787
(Age 8+) The discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun is one of the most
celebrated events in the history of archaeology. It has intrigued
Egyptologists and enthusiasts alike since 1922, when Howard Carter
unearthed the young pharaoh's burial chamber and revealed its
extraordinary treasures.
Patricia Cleveland-Peck has told the story of that discovery in
three parts. Firstly, she has explained the family, beliefs, life
and death of Tutankhamun. Secondly, she has focused on the moment
when Carter entered the tomb, then described how the artefacts were
documented before their relocation to Cairo. The author has also
demystified the so-called curse. In the final section, Patricia
Cleveland-Peck has explained how technologies unknown to Carter have
thrown new light on the cause of the pharaoh's death, but failed to
solve all the mysteries which surround him. Instead of reproducing
photographs, Isabel Greenberg has illustrated the entire book with
stylised drawings. The inclusion of speech bubbles and the
occasional use of a handwriting font enable readers to experience
the text as a combination of graphic nonfiction and conventional,
information book. The narrative is readable but, in places, lacks
fluency. Younger readers may find the font small but will delight in
the colourful illustrations on every page. Although the book can be
used as a source of information, it lacks an index and a reference
list. The picture book format suggests that this is a book to be
shared and enjoyed.
The story of Tutankhamun will attract readers who are fascinated by
Ancient Egypt and its youngest pharaoh. It will also provide
insights into the quest by archaeologists to find evidence that
helps to explain the lives of those who lived in the past.
Elizabeth Bor
Sour heart by Jenny Zhang
ISBN: 9781408892404.
(Age: Adult) This story consists of interweaving chapters about
Chinese refugees and migrants struggling to make a new life in the
U.S. It begins with a chapter about 'Sour girl' and the places her
parents are forced to live - including a shared room with five
mattresses on the floor with various other families on the other
mattresses, and a blocked toilet that they use chopsticks to force
the contents down the pipe. They are at the mercy of unscrupulous
landlords and street gangs that steal their possessions. Life is so
hard that eventually Sour girl's parents have to send her back to
Shanghai to live with her grandmother until they can afford to care
for her again. Family members are frequently separated, with people
sent to different places around the world. And that breaking,
reconnecting and breaking up of relationships again and again takes
its toll on them all. Parents sacrifice and suffer, and children
harden their hearts. This is set within the historical context of
the Cultural Revolution in China where people were turned against
each other. Some of the childhood cruelty and heartlessness of that
time becomes hard to read at times.
The language of the book captures the continuous thought processes
of children, often telling the story in one long rambling sentence
as another thought adds another clause, twisting on and on;
sentences can be a page long. We are drawn into the experience of
each narrator, seeing things from each perspective, gradually
working out how people connect together.
The families endure the hardships and do survive, and people manage
to make a new life; thanks to their own determination and
perseverance - qualities we read about again and again in refugee
and migrant stories. The values of caring for family, working hard,
and protecting memories, continue to hold strong despite the
hardships and challenges.
Helen Eddy
