Allen and Unwin, 2017 ISBN 9781760295554
(Age: 9+) Recommended. School. Martial arts. Chase talks directly to
the reader, enfolding them into his world of being a Ninja. Eleven
year old Chase has an unromantic view of himself, scrawny,
unpopular, not good at sports, a reader, but when his parents move
into a slightly bigger house, he must go to a new school, Buchanan,
and here things change. The only person he knows is his cousin, Zoe,
but he is unsure about how he will fit in. She takes him under her
wing, showing him around and introducing him to her friends, but
when he sees something flash by his eyes in the woods near the
school, she fends him off. But he is intrigued and going into the
woods finds a Ninja clan, willing to allow him into their fold after
he has passed the test. Zoe joins him, but when they are asked to do
one more test, Zoe balks, walking away. Brayden warns Chase about
joining the group but Chase is unconcerned, even if it means lying.
But when the group gives him Zoe's backpack to return to the school,
and he finds it full of money, the cash missing form the school
money drive, he is torn thinking about what to do.
Friendship and loyalty drive this story as Chase must work out just
who his friends are, and whether lying and stealing to be with the
Ninjas is worth it.
The story about choices will appeal to the target audience. Easy to
read, with chapters of three or four pages, and some illustrations
to break up the print, the series of ten books will be sought after.
Fran Knight
Stone cold by Jane Yolen and Adam Stemple
Ill. by Orion Zangara. The Stoneman mysteries bk 1. Graphic
Universe, 2016. ISBN 9781512411553
Graphic Novel. Murder mystery. Dark fantasy. Set in
Edinburgh in the 1930s this very dark graphic tale begins with a
murder and suicide rescue, and a talking Gargoyle on a local church,
and some priests who seem to have issues with one another. The young
lad whose life is saved goes on to join the investigative work of
the gargoyle - a beast trapped in stone. With frightening
progression, murder becomes common and involves evil influences in
the oppressive and gloomy streets. The young lad's work is to
collect information in order to solve the mystery of who is
responsible for the loss of life. But is he being dragged into the
evil net of the dark forces?
This is no light-hearted comic book! Rather it is a dark and ominous
fantasy that involves evil spiritual influences, but tangles this
with traditional faith contexts. Not something to recommend to a
young vulnerable reader. The black and white illustrations in
graphic novel panels are atmospheric, but it isn't always easy to
recognise or identify the characters speaking. Although the graphic
novel genre does cater for the dark story-lines of Noir fantasy,
this didn't appeal to me.
Carolyn Hull
Pax by Sara Pennypacker
Ill. by Jon Klassen. HarperCollins, 2016. ISBN 9780008124090
(Age: 11 - adult) Highly recommended. War, peace, Animals, Foxes.
When his gruff and distant father leaves to fight in the war,
motherless Peter is forced to stay with his grandfather and made to
abandon his pet, a fox called Pax.
At his grandfather's he learns of the dog his father once owned and
cared for. They were inseparable. Duty and responsibility overwhelms
Peter. He feels abject guilt at leaving his pet behind and decides
he should be with Pax. He packs his rucksack, takes some water and
food, and sets off, back to the place where he abandoned the fox,
and in alternate chapters we learn of what Pax is doing to get back
to his human.
After he falls and breaks a bone in his foot Peter meets Vola a one
legged recluse living in the woods. Through her he comes to
understand the effect of war, as he is maneuvered to use her
marionettes to tell the story of Sinbad. She killed a man in a
previous war and finding a tattered copy of the Voyages of
Sinbad in his coat pocket, carved the puppets as a memorial to
him, but now she needs to see it performed. Peter is forced to stay
with her until his foot has healed enough for him to move on, but he
is anxious to leave and she is just as anxious that he is able to
survive alone. The two rub against each other just as Pax is finding
it difficult surviving with the other foxes he meets, learning the
skills he missed as a kit,
An involving story of survival, the author is able to get inside the
fox's head to portray its survival with assured realism. She
beautifully contrasts the development of all three characters as
they adapt to the changes in their world, while Klassen's brittle,
black and white illustrations form a majestic backdrop to the
events.
Beautifully written, Pax can be read by children and adults
alike. The image of war is ever present, from the father going off
to war, the woman, Vola and her wooden leg and her mission to see
the Sinbad story performed, and the threat of encroaching war.
Peter eventually leaves to find the fox, and a heart stopping
conclusion brings the reader to rethink the idea of friendship and
challenge the concept of war and its effects on the people involved.
Allusions to Sheherazade, the tale of the phoenix, the stories of
Sinbad, the roc, and so on are throughout the book, impelling the
reader to look further into the tale. The stories behind Vola's life
too are captivating as she becomes the teacher she wanted to be,
rather than the soldier she was.
This wonderful book held me to the end.
Fran Knight
Barefoot on the wind by Zoe Marriott
The Moonlit Lands series, bk 2. Walker Books, 2016. ISBN
9781406333374
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Fantasy. This beautifully written retelling
of Beauty and the beast is a companion novel to Shadows
on the Moon, and takes the reader back to the Moonlit
Lands in a Japan like setting. Hana is a young woman, who is
confined to a remote village surrounded by a forest. The trees
whisper to her saying 'There is a monster in the forest' which Hana
knows for a fact, as many of the villagers have disappeared, never
to be seen again - one of them her beloved brother. When Hana's
father is taken, she is the only one in her village who is prepared
to try and find him. She is successful, but is determined to kill
the beast and goes off again in search of it, encountering much that
is magical and more dangerous than she could have imagined.
At the beginning of the book Marriott has written about her idea for
the book and her wish to write it from 'a feminist perspective,
asking 'What if Beauty went after the Beast of her own free will?
And how could the Beast redeem himself in order to truly deserve her
forgiveness . . . and her love?' The author is very successfully in
achieving her aim. Hana is a resourceful and clever person, who has
the strength of character to pursue what she knows is right. In
doing so she is able to forgive not only the Beast and her father
for their mistakes but she is able to come to terms with her own
actions when her brother went missing. This has a ripple effect on
the magic in the forest.
The strong imagery in the book provides an atmospheric background to
Hana's adventures. It is easy to imagine the shadowy woods, the
dense thorn hedge, the frozen lake and the evil creations that
inhabit the forest. The petty mindedness of the villagers and the
isolation of Hana also adds to the dark and brooding atmosphere.
This is a really good retelling of the fairy tale and while it is
suitable for younger readers, teens will also enjoy it for its
unusual setting and wonderful characters.
Pat Pledger
Royal rabbits of London by Santa Montefiore and Simon Sebag Montefiore
Ill. by Kate Hindley. Simon and Schuster, 2016. ISBN 9781471157868
(Age: 7+) Highly recommended. The Royal Rabbits of London is
a richly rewarding adventure story for newly confident chapter book
readers to enjoy. Shylo Tawny-Tail lives with his family in a deep
burrow in the countryside. As the runt of the litter he suffers
teasing and bullying from his three older brothers and sisters; they
constantly make fun of his eye-patch and play tricks on him. Shylo's
only escape is the secret meetings with his friend, Horatio an old
grizzled rabbit who lives at the edge of the forest. He shares
stories of the Royal Rabbits of London; a secret society of agent
rabbits living under Buckingham Palace, whose job is to protect the
Royal Family. Horatio is a true friend, who encourages his young
friend praising his fearlessness and courage for traversing the
dangerous forest and visiting the scarred old rabbit, banished from
his former home and family.
One morning, when Shylo hides in a fallen oak tree to escape from
his bully brother Maximilian, he overhears three evil rats plotting
to embarrass the Queen. The Ratzi's purpose in life is to hunt the
Royal Family down, take, and publish embarrassing photos of them.
Suddenly Shylo has a mission, a purpose for his life, and old
Horatio instructs him to travel to London and warn the protectors of
the queen, the mysterious and hidden Royal Rabbits. Their skills are
needed to foil the Ratzi's plan and make them aware of the impending
plot.
Horatio sends young Shylo off to London with clear instructions and
this encouragement. 'Life is an adventure. Anything in the world is
possible - by will and by luck, with a moist carrot, a wet nose and
a slice of mad courage!' The pace picks up when Shylo encounters the
frenetic pace of life in London, with growling dogs and busy
traffic; he leaves the safety of the farmer's cart loaded with
spring cabbages and sets out to find the Weeping Willow entrance to
a secret tunnel. The London Royal Rabbits are elegant and their
personalities unique, their world is rich in structure and
tradition, their warrens stylish and their lives quite a contrast to
Shylo's world.
The difficult journey under Buckingham Palace, the dramatic scenes
fighting with the Ratzis, and the escape from the Pack of the
Queen's dogs, is fraught with danger and some scenes are graphically
told. Shylo is a hero; he overcomes his fears, grows in
self-confidence with his physical limitations and is even
instrumental in a family reunion.
From the gold embossed jacket to the beautifully meticulous
illustrations and the rabbit paw prints that hop across the page
corners, this is a quality children's story. Kate Hindley's detailed
line drawings are intricate and emotive, they show Shylo's
vulnerability, Horatio's kindness, Belle de Paw's elegant style and
the frenetic action in the Royal Kennel.
Santa and Simon Montefiore's descriptive story is perfect for a
class novel for years 2-4, as an English text to discuss character
depiction and development and the well-paced narrative arc. In
Health and Wellbeing, this is an excellent forum to discuss the
implications of bullying and to encourage building healthy
self-esteem with an 'I can do it' attitude.
Rhyllis Bignell
The Twins of Tintarfell by James O'Loughlin
PanMacmillan, 2016. ISBN 9781743548097
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. The Twins of Tintarfell is a
completely captivating fantasy adventure novel by author James
O'Loughlin. The plot changes directions, focuses on different
characters and their decisions and actions and is fast-paced,
delivering strong protagonists and an exciting array of animal
characters. O'Loughlin writes with a fluidity of style that will
capture the audience.
Orphaned at birth, twins Dani and Bart live as servants in
Tintarfell Castle, working in the kitchen. They have become friends
with spoilt Prince Edward and meet him on their afternoons off. King
Corolius gives his timid pony-loving son a new huge horse named
Midnight and demands that his son prove himself by riding the beast.
Fearless Bart who has a deep connection to animals, and can
communicate with them, takes Edward's place and rides out of the
palace only to be kidnapped and held for ransom. Dani makes it her
mission to rescue her brother; unfortunately, Prince Edward becomes
her reluctant assistant.
Deep in the forest, evil Lord Randling awaits the kidnapped victim's
arrival hidden in a hay cart. He understands Bart's special power
and greedily desires this ability. Dani follows the trail of hay
left by the sparrows and eventually discovers her much-changed
brother. Their dangerous journey takes them through the dark forest
where tigers and lions roam; up dangerous mountains and steep cliffs
guided by a talking fox, to Melindarah the healer's castle. Here,
Dani must choose to pay the highest price for loved twin brother
Bart.
With powerful themes of love, sacrifice, friendship, resilience,
acceptance and courage interwoven, this story challenges the reader
to consider their own beliefs. The power and manipulation of adults
and their affect on the lives of the children needs to be considered
as well. Use this novel for Upper Primary students to engage with
the fantasy genre. The Twins of Tintarfell by James O'Loughlin is an excellent
class novel for Years 5-7.
Rhyllis Bignell
Last Descendants by Matthew J. Kirby
An Assassin's Creed series. Scholastic, 2016. ISBN
9781743811788
(Age: 12+) 15 year old Owen's life has not been the same since his
father was imprisoned for a murder Owen is sure he didn't commit and
then died in prison. His mum has to work long hours and they live
with his grandparents who take every opportunity to disparage his
father and pry into his life in case he is turning out like him.
Owen has drifted away from his best friend Javier but he seeks him
out for support in his quest to clear his father's name. Monroe, an
IT worker at his school has offered Owen the chance to try the
Animus simulation developed by Abstergo Corporation which takes
samples of your DNA and allows you to access genetic memories,
entering into the lives of your ancestors. Owen asks Javier to go
with him for support but finds out that the simulation can't help
his quest as his father's DNA can only be expressed in him up to the
time he was born. They both go ahead with a joint simulation anyway
and find themselves as a conquistador and a Tlaxcaltec warrior. When
they meet with Cortez and feel him wield a powerful influence on
them Monroe abruptly ends the simulation and anxiously hurries them
away. It turns out that the powerful influence came from an object
of power that the secret societies, the Templars, who believe that
powerful people can impose order on chaos, and the Brotherhood of
Assassins, who believe in preserving the free will of the people but
who demand absolute loyalty and obedience in their members, have
been searching for and that Owen and Javier are now being hunted
down for their genetic memories. In a bid to find the object first
Monroe whisks them away to a warehouse where they meet a group of
kids their age who all have either Templar of Assassin in their DNA.
They enter into a group simulation which takes place during the 1863
New York Draft Riots to find Cortez's dagger, a powerful Piece
of Eden which they believe was taken to the Aztec Club
headquarters in the Astor Hotel.
As a phenomenally successful video game Assassin's Creed has
spawned books, games, and the recently released movie. This new book
joins eight previous successful series and is sure to find an avid
readership in the middle school age group. As a new reader I found
enough fundamental information to follow the story though there were
too many characters to really engage with them. No doubt they will
come into play in subsequent books in this series. It was good to
see some powerful female figures but this is still essentially a
book for boys.
Sue Speck
Little People, Big dreams series
Frances Lincoln, 2016. Amelia Earhart by Isabel Sanchez Vegara. Ill. by Maria
Diamantes. ISBN 9781847808851 Maya Angelou by Lisbeth Kaiser. Ill. by Leire Salaberria.
ISBN 9781847808905
(Age: 5-8) Highly recommended. Frances Lincoln Children's Books have
published a new series Little People, Big Dreams, which
celebrates the lives of exceptional women activists, designers,
scientists, artists and authors. These simple biographies suited to
preschool and junior primary classes, are centred on a little girl
with a dream and their life journey, the struggles, hardships and
sheer determination needed to attain their goals. Each story
concludes with timeline, photographs, biographical information,
websites to visit and additional books to read.
Amelia Earheart's dream was to fly like a bird, and in her young
imagination she sees her arms stretch like wings ready to take
flight. In her early twenties, her dreams become a reality and she
learns to fly, soon she is crossing the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean
in her tiny plane. She is an inspiration to other women and
encourages them to dream big as well. Her final flight when her
plane disappears is carefully worded for the young audience. Maria
Diamantes' colourful graphic illustrations use space, light and
shade, simple backgrounds and layering to complement the narrative.
Take time to engage with each spread, especially the Atlantic Ocean
with the mid-turquoise sea, huge whale shadow and small red bi-plane
flying bravely above.
Maya Angelou's complex and confronting life story is carefully and
succinctly written. She experienced a traumatic incident as a young
girl and became mute for five years. Maya grew up in Missouri where
she faced the extreme difficulties of racial prejudice. With the
encouragement of a family friend, Maya learned to love reading and
began her writing journey. As an adult, she became a singer, an
actor, civil rights campaigner and a famous author and poet. Leire
Salaberria's illustrations support the story; she celebrates the
triumphs of Maya's life, her classroom, the graduation, her overseas
travels and many careers.
This series supports the social justice curriculum and Health
education, linking to personal wellbeing in the kindergarten and the
early years of schooling. In English and History lessons, students
can write their own biographies, discuss their plans for the future,
and engage in additional research as well.
Rhyllis Bignell
Tracy Lacy is completely Coo-Coo Bananas by Tania Lacy
Ill. by Danielle Donald. Scholastic, 2016. ISBN 9781760156251
(Age: 9-12) Highly recommended. Move over Wimpy Kid and Big
Nate, Tracy Lacy is ready to take her place in the illustrated
diary genre. With a distinctive voice, unique personality, loyal
friends and a crazy family Tracy is ready to leave behind the
embarrassing socially catastrophic events of primary school, survive
the school holidays and begin high school as a changed person! Laugh
aloud with Tracy; everything she does has hilarious consequences,
she is opinionated, not afraid to share and her life is an open
book.
In Grade One Tracy drew a pretty pink pony Oomphoof with a
strategically placed rainbow in art class, and everywhere she went
at school kids made farting noises! She led a strike in Year 3, drew
goulash instead of a ghoulish picture in Year 5, she was zero on the
HA-YA Scale - how awesome you are. Tracy and her best friends Ag and
Ponky determine they need a self-improvement plan and spend their
holidays before high school working on it.
There are constant asides, side thoughts and hilarious family
memories. Tracy's Mum and her German Dad's ye 'olde worldie' wedding
flashback is a highlight. There is rivalry over whose Pavlova is
better, Grandma's or great grandma Gammy's. On the dance floor, Dad
whirls Gammy's wheelchair in time to the music, but unfortunately,
she is unresponsive. During the family photos, Tracy stretches
Gammy's mouth into a smile, Dad quietly wheels their dead great
grandma into the kitchen and the celebration continues.
Their annual summer holiday at Poowong, is a series of unfortunate
incidents for Tracy. She meets the BOMD - boy of her dreams and
knocks him unconscious with a minigolf club. She plans to reboot her
life with four main goals, she must self-sensor, be a show-off free
zone, she will not argue or bicker even if she is right and will
listen instead of doing her own thing. Yes, nothing goes to plan,
her second meeting with the BOMD involves a highly allergic reaction
to Mum's revitalising face cream resulting in a sunburnt puffer fish
face. She crowd surfs to the Poowong Minigolf Championships where
Mum and Dad are playing in the championship round and becomes a
legend. The Poowong Big Head also known as Tracy crawls out of the
minigolf swamp and becomes a celebrity on social media and the news.
Danielle McDonald's expressive caricatures add fun and vitality to
Tracy's diary entries. With flourishes, starry borders, bold sized
text and an array of fonts, it is a visually exciting novel. Themes
of self-acceptance, resilience, loyalty, puberty, coping with the
transition to high school, family life, making the right choices are
included with a large dash of comedy and some cringe-worthy moments
to make this story enjoyable. Tania Lacy's first book Tracy Lacy
is completely Coo-Coo Bananas in this new series is an
enjoyable read for preteens, both girls and boys.
Rhyllis Bignell
A dog like that! by Janene Cooper
Ill. by Evie Kemp. Starfish Bay, 2016. ISBN 9781877378416
(Age: 2-5) Janene Cooper introduces us to a little girl whose dog
just doesn't conform, he's not like that! Grandad's dog is a guard
dog, while Uncle's is clever and the neighbour's dog is fierce
barking at the local cats and dogs. Instead of watching out for
strangers, protecting the yard or barking this little brown dog
prefers to sleep on the bed and lick everyone, even visitors. Yes,
he does not fit in but he is a loveable pet who even licks up sad
tears and keeps her company when she is sent to her room.
Evie Kemp's layered cutouts and computer graphics, placed on bright
backgrounds enliven the different dogs represented. The fierce dog
is positioned on a bold red background, while the bouncy Dalmatian
has jumped part way off the page. The large single word exclamations
are emphasized with large letters, they sum up the feelings
presented and are enhanced by the images. A dog like that is an enjoyable book to share with family and
at story-time.
Rhyllis Bignell
Shield by Rachael Craw
Walker Books Australia, 2016, ISBN 9781922179647
(Age: Secondary) Recommended. Science fiction. Future. Dystopian
fiction. 'Love, freedom and future, in a final attempt to right the
wrongs of the Affinity Project and save her family' (New Zealand
author, Rachael Craw's elevator pitch for Shield says it
all) as the third volume in the Spark trilogy continues the
story of Evie (Evangeline Everton) who begins to develop powers
beyond her imagination. She finds that she is part of a genetic
experiment called the Affinity Project, where a synthetic gene has
been implanted to produce the perfect soldier, but she rebels. In
the second book, Stray, the Affinity Project wants to take
Evie back to control her, forcing her to do the work she had been
genetically manipulated to do, even if innocent people must die.
Evie is forced to take sides in a struggle with the Affinity Project
which ends with her being held in a psych ward, and the third, Shield,
has Evie sent back to the Affinity Project for retraining. Here she
is resented after what happened in book two, and is forced to take
sides once again to survive. But she has secrets and after
Counsellor Knox takes a blood sample she knows it will not be long
before he works out what she is. Knox is wrestling for power within
the Affinity Project, using Evie as a tool to undermine those who
would bring him down. She eventually finds a group trying to
initiate change but she is forced to make some decisions in the face
of fierce opposition.
The series is a heart stopping sci-fi thriller. Set in a complex
dystopian society with a little romance and sympathetic characters,
this fast paced tale will appeal to many teens.
Fran Knight
The awesome book of rap, rhyme and putrid poetry by Andy Jones
Ill. by Jules Faber. ABC Books, 2016. ISBN 9780733335662
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Entertainer and author Andy Jones understands
exactly the kind of things that children love to read and gross body
humour rates highly. Burps, pus, dancing in your underpants, vomit
and so much more are included here in rhyming format. Jones has
rewritten nursery rhymes in rap style, presented a range of poetic
pests and included epic poems about singing belly buttons and Ziggy
Snotball Smell Detective.
In Andy's 'Limerick Tricks', there is the unicorn named Kevin and an
unfortunate incident with Devon meat, the Pus Bus and the troubles
of the pimply dimpled boy. In 'Punk Porkers A Pigtacular Tale' Jones
transforms the familiar story of 'The Three Little Pigs'. Here the
porkers are reinvented as a punk rock band, hamsome Brad is the
leader, Priscilla P from the Pigsy Chix and Hogzilla plays the
guitar.
'The moral of the story goes,
Dreams sometimes do come true,
And big bad wolves rarely get the better,
Of the likes of me and you.'
How to create different forms of poetry is discussed at the end of The
awesome book of rap, rhyme and putrid poetry. Different rap
styles, freestyle, lyrical and rapid fire as well as how to write an
irregular ode and epic poetry. In the 'Pooetry' Toolbox, essential
language terms are explained in easy to understand terms, including
alliteration and metaphor. Middle Primary classes will enjoy Jones'
special brand of humour and are encouraged to create their own poems
utilising tips from the toolbox.
Rhyllis Bignell
A most magical girl by Karen Foxlee
Picccadilly Press, 2016. ISBN 9781848125742
(Age: 10+) Magic. Good vs evil. Friendship.
Heroism. Annabel Grey is an ordinary but vibrant girl living in
London during the era when young ladies were raised to decorate and
adorn and needed to learn the refinements of a delicate life with
appropriate manners. Her mother has removed Annabel from her genteel
life and deposited her with her rather elderly and unusual Great
Aunts - who also happen to own a magic shop and practice magical
skills. Annabel is a reluctant participant in the Magic Arts, but
she soon learns that although her mother had turned her back on the
magical world, now Annabel is needed to save London from the
overbearing influence of the Dark Magic wielded by the ironically
rather awful Mr Angel. This unexpected role as the good and innocent
rescuer of the aging witch and magic community (and all of London as
well) from the oppression of Mr Angel, takes Annabel into Under
London, the world that exists in parallel to the streets she knows.
With an unenthusiastic assistant in Kitty, she also meets Trolls and
Dragons as she attempts to rescue the White Wand that will protect
the order of life in London.
This story has parallels to the Harry Potter saga in that the hero
(heroine) of the story is good, brave and reluctant, and relies on
the help of trusty friends to overcome evil influences. In
comparison it is considerably shorter; but it does involve entry
into the magical world with creatures and magical talents and a very
dark and malevolent opposition. This dark and oppressive adversary
has his story and evil plans scattered through Annabel's narrative,
and the reader recognises the growing threat. Because it is shorter,
it may be more accessible to young readers and with a female lead
character it may be appreciated by readers looking for a strong
female heroine. The magic and witch world is obviously a fantasy
adventure, and there are some small moments of humour hidden amongst
the drama.
Carolyn Hull
Remind me how this ends by Gabrielle Tozer
Harper Collins, 2017. ISBN 9781460751688
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Relationships. Grief.
Decision-making.
Milo has finished school, but doesn't know where his life is headed.
His long-term girlfriend has moved away to study and she now has a
whole new life and a circle of 'friends' that do not include him.
His parents are persistently on his back to encourage him to make a
decision about the direction in his life... to overcome the lack
of direction in his life. And into this turmoil of uncertainty about
what the future will bring comes Layla. Layla is returning to the
small town of her childhood, where she was well known and had grown
up until her life was torn apart by the loss of her mother in a
dreadful accident. Still grieving, and struggling in a
relationship that is complicated by her tangled past, she blows back
into town and reconnects with Milo, her neighbour and friend from
childhood. Her vibrancy and spark ignites Milo in directions that he
was not expecting and gives them both a human anchor to hold onto as
they are buffeted by choices and decision-making.
Rich in the psychology of young relationships and the difficulties
of grieving well, and also in the angst and uncertainty of laying
the pathway to adulthood, this is a book that will appeal to young
readers. The text conversations between the main characters are
refreshing, with the humour laced with feistiness and the spark of
personality that is endearing. What seems an inevitable road in
their friendship has its own twists and turns, and you will wonder
along the way about how this will end... will there be tears, or
is this the start of something new? Gabrielle Tozer writes well for
older teens, and although her characters reflect teenage 'types',
they have their own unique ways of relating and interacting and
responding to their world. Set in a regional town, the weight of
expectations and the circumstances for teens who need to make big
decisions at a young age impact upon the direction of the
characters. This book demonstrates that many decisions can be
difficult and Tozer avoids giving neat and trite solutions to the
complexities that teens face.
Carolyn Hull
Animals in my garden by Bronwyn Houston
Magabala Books 2016. ISBN 9781925360448
(Ages: 2-4) Recommended. Written by Australian author and
illustrator, Bronwyn Houston, Animals in my garden is a
vibrant and richly textured counting book that will engage toddlers
to learn about the unique Australian animals found outside through
its enchanting and playful style.
Bronwyn's images are filled with bright colours, texture and
movement which adorns single pages in this sturdy and small board
book. Images featured in Animals in my garden are highly
detailed and hidden amongst leaves and trees which encourages
children to look closely to find and count the animals, just like
they would if they were playing outside.
Overall, Animals in my garden supports early numeracy
development whilst introducing native Australian animals to
toddlers.
Keely Coard
