Dog on a digger: The tricky incident by Kate Prendergast
Old Barn Books, 2016. ISBN 9781910646144
(Age: 3+) Recommended. Kate Prendergast draws from her transport
industry background creating detailed images of machinery set
against an urban landscape filled with heavy machinery. This
wordless picture book with detailed black and white pencil drawings
with highlights of yellow and blue is a story of friendship, loyalty
and thoughtfulness.
Dog lives with his owner in a caravan surrounded by trucks, heavy
equipment and building supplies. The panoramic front spread
highlights the urban landscape at night; an owl flies by watched by
a city fox. Morning comes and dog wakes his master up with licks to
the face, time to start the day; meanwhile the food truck's owner
and her little white dog open up ready to sell hearty meals to the
workers. Dog joins his master in the cab of the big yellow digger
ready to move all the building rubble into the truck. Both of them
wear yellow safety vests. The digger's scoop is humanised - bolts
become eyes and the large mouth opens and closes eating up the
rubble and scrap wood.
At morning teatime, Dog plays with the small white dog sharing a
bowl of food, while their owners chat over a cup of tea. In an
instant, the little canine disappears and Dog sets off in a hurried
search climbing the stairs of the building next door to see where
his friend has gone. With the aid of Dog's owner, he guides him to
rescue the lost animal stuck in a grate beside the canal. Dog on a digger is an enjoyable picture book, when shared
with a class; students can add their own narrative, writing text in
sticky notes on each page, developing a class book. Pet ownership
and being responsible are topics for discussion as well. For Art,
explore pencil sketching, highlighting one element in colour;
introduce expressive drawing and humanising inanimate objects like
Thomas the Tank Engine and the yellow digger.
Rhyllis Bignell
Girl in pieces by Kathleen Glasgow
HarperCollins, 2016. ISBN 9781460751053
(Age: 15+) Recommended for mature readers. Charlie is really messed
up. But so is everyone at Creeley, the health facility for girls who
self-harm. Part One of Girl in Pieces chronicles their
despair fuelled by anxiety or abuse of one kind or another.
Charlotte (Charlie) is dealing with loss of her father in childhood
and more recently, her best friend.
In Part Two, Charlie is thrust back into the tenuous reality of the
outside world. She is not ready but both she and her counsellor,
Casper, have prepared some strategies to avoid self-harm. Mickey,
her childhood sweetheart, reaches out to her with a bus ticket and a
new start interstate. Inevitably, Charlie's attraction to Riley, a
musician and addict working with her in a coffee shop, can only lead
to one thing.
The author, who has a history of self-harm, takes us on a journey of
gradual understanding. Glasgow's insights into the thoughts of those
who self-harm are palpable and full of wisdom. We come to know
Charlie's own triggers for cutting and the horrific physiological
consequences of cyclical self-loathing. The use of flashbacks
confirm that she blames herself for attracting catastrophe.
Life keeps disappointing Charlie but in Part Three, the inclusion of
her sketches in a local art show gives us hope that she can
ultimately find peace in a world in which she has never felt
welcome. The abiding message of this confronting First Person tome,
is that you are not alone. You can choose self-annihilation of one
kind or another and there'll be no shortage of company - or you can
keep trying. Girl in Pieces provides insightful explanations
for addiction of any kind, but the sub-text is the importance of
mentors, artfully achieved from very well fleshed out and equally
flawed but resilient characters.
Deb Robins
Return of the dinosaurs by Bronwyn Houston
Magabala Books, 2016. ISBN 9781925360370
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. Return of the Dinosaurs is a
beautifully illustrated Australian picture book. What if dinosaurs
returned? What would they do all day? Better yet, what would they do
if they lived in Broome, Western Australia? Author, Bronwyn Houston
uses her local knowledge and Broome landmarks to help describe what
the dinosaurs would get up to. The dinosaurs could be seen at Cable
Beach or the local movie house. Locals could take photos as the
dinosaurs splash in the ocean and the dinosaurs could find the
secret salmon runs. The text is short and descriptive, making it a
great book to read before bed or to a class. The gorgeous
illustrations will provoke discussions, children could create their
own images to go with the story, real photographs of the landmarks
could be compare to the drawings and different art techniques and
mediums could be explored to recreate the images. Highly recommended
for readers aged 3+ but they will require an adult to read it to
them. Children aged 6+ will enjoy exploring the vocabulary and the
images.
Kylie Kempster
You are oh so horribly handsome by Eva Dax
Ill. by Sabine Dully. Starfish Bay Children's Books, 2016. ISBN
9781760360139
(Age: 4+) Image, Friendship. Gregor the monster is unsure of how he
is perceived by those around him. He is exceedingly loud and very
strong and can run extra fast. But one day sitting alone in his
house with a mirror, he looks at his sticky out ears and big nose
and asks himself whether he is handsome. He asks each of his friends
in turn to find the answer. His mother tells him that his squint is
more handsome than anyone else's. Dad tells him that he has the
cheesiest, stinkiest feet in the world, while Granddad tells him
that no one else in the world has crooked, yellow, rotten teeth like
his. On each page Gregor asks someone what he is like, and each time
he gets a list of superlatives about his appearance, and by now the
readers will have laughed out loud at the words used to describe the
monster, Gregor.
By the end of the book when Gregor looks again in the mirror and
lists all of his attributes, he also recounts what each of his
relatives and friends did when he asked them his important question.
Dad threw him into the air, Mum kissed and cuddled him, Granddad sat
him on his lap, he was kissed and cuddled, by all he asked, so he
knows that he is really handsome.
This is a charming story of how people are valued, not by appearance
but by who they are. The book will provide a jumping off point for
discussions about body image, or how people show their affection, or
family and friends and the strengths they show each individual.
First published in New Zealand by Deep Creek Press in 2015.
Fran Knight
The song from somewhere else by A.F. Harrold
Ill. by Levi Pinfold. Bloomsbury, 2016. ISBN 9781408879337
(Age: 9+) Recommended. Fantasy. Bullying. Acceptance. Fear.
Friendship. This is an amazing story of bullying and friendship, yet
it also enters into the fantasy world that lives in parallel to our
own world. Frank (or Francesca) is alone while her friend is away on
holidays and her pet cat has gone missing. The story begins with an
encounter with the local Junior School bully and his two goons while
she is out putting up Missing Cat posters. Her fear rises and
overtakes her until Nick, the big ostracised kid from her class,
rescues her from another incident of humiliation. Unfortunately he
is not a 'Prince Charming', but rather is the lumpish and large kid
who is also the butt of everyone's jokes, and the one that everyone
in class avoids because he smells. Without realising it, Frank
becomes Nick's friend, and the connection between the two lonely
kids is tightened by the mystical and magical music that floats from
within Nick's house and which has a restorative influence on Frank,
but is also part of the intrigue of the unusual Nick. This music
entices Frank's curiosity, and she becomes acquainted with Nick's
fantastic family secret. The tangles that this weaves are like
shadows that creep around in the middle of the night, with the
capacity to trip you over in the uncertainty of each step forward.
Frank's encounters with the fantasy world raise her uncertainties
about how to act; the moral dilemmas she has to face confront her
with her selfishness and her struggles to be friends with the boy
she formerly shunned. But the story ends well, despite her mistakes.
The black and white illustrations in this book are atmospheric and
ethereal in some places, which adds a hint of mystery to the story.
Although we have a fantasy tale at the heart of the story, it is
also a 'real-life' tale of friendship, acceptance and the impact of
fear. Frank's quirky family adds an element of humour to the
otherwise dark mystery. There is nothing in here that would cause
nightmares, but it is a moving tale of overcoming dark influences.
Carolyn Hull
All of us together by Bill Condon
About Kids Books, 2016. ISBN 9780994642806
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Depression (1930's). Australian history. Family. With Dad
leaving home to go on the road to look for work, twelve year old
Daniel is the man of the house, charged with looking out for his
mother and two sisters, Adelaide and Lydia. It is The Depression in
Australia and Daniel's father, like many other men, has lost his job
and so must search for work away from home. Sending any money he
gets back to his family, the budget is never enough, and this book
gives a clear idea of what it must have been like for struggling
families at this time in Australia's history. Daniel is influenced
by his friend Bede, and must make some momentous decisions about his
behaviour, particularly after the family is given some sad news
about their absent father. Without television, mobile phones and
cars, the family will seem quite alien to our middle primary people,
but they will learn a great deal from the setting in this book, and
follow the family's story with interest. About Kids Books is a
new publishing company set up by Di Bates committed to producing
quality books for the age group from middle to upper primary, always
a difficult age age to satisfy, and it is pleasing to see solid well
written stories offered by this new company, a neat counterpoint to
the plethora of poo and bum books seen in bookshops.
Fran Knight
The mountain who wanted to live in a house by Maurice Shadbolt
Ill. by Renee Haggo. Starfish Bay Children's Books, 2016. ISBN
9781760360030
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Humour. Mountains. Environment. Problem
solving. As the mountain stares down at the people in the town, he
is envious. People come to him to ski or have picnics, to climb and
watch the birds in the trees, but he wants to be just like them and
live in his own house where he would be protected from the cold and
wind and ice and snow, and not be lonely. So one day with a yell, he
begins to walk to the town. People become very anxious and drive
away, or walk or paddle down the river. One boy, Thomas stands in
front of the mountain to ask what he is doing, and finding that the
mountain wants to live in a house, begins to discuss the problem
with him.
He tells him about his mother sometimes washing his jumper only to
find that it shrinks, so he heads off home for soap and water, but
this doesn't work at all. Next he fetches a hammer and begins to
chop bits off the mountain, but the mountain doesn't like this idea.
At last the boy has a clever idea, and races back home to fetch his
father to paint the mountain. In that way the mountain would fit
into a house and be seen by everyone. So the mountain can stay where
he is but also be in the house.
I really like this story of working together to find a solution to a
problem. Readers could begin to discuss why things in the
environment are where they are, and how we can protect them. They
will enjoy the illustrations of the mountain's face peering out at
the readers and could talk about how to go about painting a mountain
scene. First published in New Zealand by Deep Creek Press in 2015.
Fran Knight
A dog like that! by Janene Cooper
Ill. by Evie Kemp. Starfish Bay Children's Books, 2016. ISBN
9781760360047
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Dogs. Pets. Comparisons. In this enticing
book, each group of pages introduces a different dog and its owner
and what it does best. Uncle's dog, a labrador, is clever and does
what he is told, but the girl who owns the scruffy dog on the cover
tells us that her dog is not like that. He does what he likes. Her
Grandpa's dog is a watch dog, and keeps guard at night, but the
scruffy dog sleeps. The neighbour's dog is fearsome, barking at all
the other cats and dogs, but the girl's dog likes everyone and licks
them all. Each dog is shown for something it does best, and the girl
is told that all dogs should be like that. But as we read on we find
that her dog is nothing like the other dogs: it sleeps with the
girl, is happy to see everyone, is scruffy and rumpled, and unlike
other dogs that leap and jump, her dog sits at the gate and waits
for her.
Her dog knows when she is sad and licks her face, and stays in her
room with her when she has done something wrong. And that is what
dogs should be.
The bold illustrations have the reader looking straight into the
face of the scruffy dog, comparing its behaviour with the other dogs
and knowing which dog is the best. Each page uses one main colour
with the dog prominently positioned by the words in a large font. It
is a delight to read and look at the illustrations and I can imagine
children reading it aloud, repeating the refrain, 'Dogs should be
like that' with growing knowledge that the best dog is not like that
at all. First published in New Zealand by Deep Creek Press in 2015.
Fran Knight
Why do cats have tails? by David Ling
Ill. by Stephanie Thatcher. Starfish Bay Children's Books, 2016 ISBN
9781760360085
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Cats. Pets. Problem solving. Surrounded by
their family's cats the little girls ask their Grandpa why the cats
have tails. Grandpa thinks up some wonderful reasons which will
bring gales of laughter to the listening crowd. He suggests that
they might use them to swing through the trees, but the girls tell
him that this is the reason monkeys have tails. He then suggests
that they could use them to swish away the flies, but the girls tell
him that cows use their tails in this way. Perhaps the tail helps
them swim faster, he says, but no, cats don't like to swim. Suppose
the cat uses his tail as a warning, but no say the girls,
rattlesnakes do that. Grandpa then asks the girls to offer a
suggestion and this is one the readers will discuss as they finish
the book. The pastel illustrations add warmth to the story, but are
a little washed out in my review copy. I do like the cat's paw
endpapers. First published in New Zealand by Deep Creek Press in
2015.
Fran Knight
The tales of Mrs Mancini by Natalie Jane Prior
Ill. by Cheryl Orsini. HarperCollins, 2016. ISBN 9780733335655
(Age: 5+) Recommended. Cats, Humour, Short stories, Friendship.
Three short stories are contained in this book, each delightfully
illustrated by Orsini, making the mouth water at the range of
wonderful cakes in Mrs Mancini's shop.
The cat with her human friend, Filippina, watches out for the humans
in the street where they live. Many come into the shop for regular
treats: the twins have a meringue on their way home from school,
Jack likes banana muffins, while Claudette and her brother Ziggy,
share their eclairs.
But one day Mrs Mancini sees Ziggy get into a taxi, leaving his
sister bereft. He doffs his cap for her to keep while he is away but
a breeze catches it and it lands on the roof. It is up to Mrs
Mancini to get it back for Claudette who is so lonely without her
brother. The next story concerns the accident prone Jack, at home
with his dad while mum is in hospital with the new baby. When Mrs
Mancini finds out why Jack has a bruised knee and a bandage around
his wrist, she decides to do something about the bullies. The third
story shows the twins, usually inseparable, falling out over a minor
rift. Mrs Mancini again saves the day, bringing the girls together
again.
Each of the stories shares lessons about living together.
Loneliness, grief, bullying, friendship, companionship and so one
are dealt with in these short stories and could form the basis of
discussions within the classroom or at home. Combined with the yummy
illustrations, this will be a treat for all who read it.
Fran Knight
Animasaurus: Incredible animals that roamed the Earth by Tracey Turner
Ill. by Harriet Russell. Bloomsbury, 2016. ISBN 9781408884850
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Animasaurus is a prehistoric
compendium filled with fascinating facts about the plant-eaters, sea
creatures, predators and creepy crawlies that once inhabited the
Earth. Discover amazing information, their statistics, habitats,
diet, size and weight and compare these with photos of modern day
relatives.
Unusual dinosaurs not commonly known such as the Therizinosaurus
lived on the Mongolian Plains 75 million years ago scared predators
away with its metre long claws. The fossils of Gigantopithecus or
giant ape were discovered in India and Southeast Asia. They grew to
three metres in height, had big teeth just right for their
vegetarian diet. Deep under the sea Cameroceras, nine-metre long
shellfish with metre long tentacles and sharp beaks used a
jet-propulsion swimming style to stalk their prey. Animals that are
more familiar are included as well -Giant Kangaroos, Woolly Mammoths
and Megaladons great white sharks.
Each double-page spread includes an introduction, exploration of the
animal's features, a map, timeline and size comparison to a human.
Centred on bold backgrounds of earth, sea and sky tones are Harriet
Russell's simplistic creature drawings.
As part of the Earth and Space Science strand of the Australian
Science curriculum, Animasaurus links to geological
processes and history, the fossil record and past environmental
conditions and changes over time. This non-fiction volume provides
information suited to student research projects and enquiry-based
learning. Fans of scientific encyclopaedias and budding
palaeontologists will also enjoy this book.
Rhyllis Bignell
The last beginning by Lauren James
Walker Books, 2016. ISBN 9781406358063
(Age: 13+) Recommended. Clove Sutcliffe is determined to solve the
mystery of Katherine and Matthew who vanished 16 years ago only to
be reincarnated at every key point in history. As Clove follows her
quarry from life to life, historical era to historical era, it seems
that she too is being stalked. Ella is as enigmatic as the mysteries
Clove must solve to unravel the past and secure her future.
The sequel to The Next Together, Lauren James's debut novel,
The Last Beginning, is a fitting follow on. The characters
are believable and the literary devices used at the beginning of
each chapter add credibility and interest. The book also provides
satisfying links with its prequel allowing for a truly satisfying
conclusion.
Ros Lange
Counting on you by Corinne Fenton
Ill. by Robin Cowcher. The Five Mile Press, 2016. ISBN 9781760403898
(Age: 3+) Recommended. Emotions. Written by award winning author Corinne
Fenton, Counting on you follows a boy and his kite and a
theme of emotion. The story begins with a whimsical feel but as you
read along, you begin to feel a bit down which may suggest it
focuses on the emotion of sadness.
Visually, the book is tactile with the front cover having a spongy
pillow affect. It feels like a good quality book with the
opportunity for individuals to give it as a gift which is a sweet
touch. Additionally, Robin Cowcher's illustrations have been created
using a limited colour palette and using a watercolour technique.
Keely Coard
Rain Stones by Jackie French
25th Anniversary Edition. Harper Collins Publishers, 2016 (First
published in 1991). ISBN 9781460753170
(Age: 9 - adult) Highly recommended. Themes: Short Stories;
Australian stories; Vision and Blindness; Aboriginal traditions;
Mythology; Ecology. Jackie French is a prolific story weaver with
every one of her books a testament to her great skill with words;
Rain Stones is where she started as a published author. These
stories have not lost any of their power and intrigue with age. And
as a collection of short stories it stands as a great reminder of
the craft of the short story - leaving the reader wishing they could
follow the next chapter in the life of the characters or see the
next twist in the plot. I loved each of the stories, all connected
with the thread of the Australian landscape, but I especially loved
the Afterword where Jackie French reveals the genesis of this book
and her career. She is the Australian J. K Rowling in that she began
her writing career to stave off poverty and to enable her to provide
for her child as a single mother. But we also see how a true
storyteller can overcome difficulties and create a masterpiece with
meagre ingredients, but with great passion. It's a pity I am not a
movie maker, because Jackie's story and her Rain stones
stories would make a wonderful Aussie film. This is also a book to
share with children who battle with learning issues or have come
from difficult circumstances, as Jackie French proves that from
these seeds can grow opportunities. And learning to see 'story' in
the dreams and environment around all of us is part of Jackie's
story for aspiring writers. She has had 140 books published, and I
have read many of them . . . . there is not a single story that
would disappoint! (And to think that her first manuscript created on
her type-writer from the tip (without the e-key) was so disgustingly
presented that the publishers laughed at its presentation . . . .
and yet the story won them over, as it will for you.)
Highly recommended for aged 9 - adult, and lovers of Short Story.
Carolyn Hull
Hilda and the Stone Forest by Luke Pearson
Hilda series, bk. 5. Flying Eye Books, 2016. ISBN
9781909263741
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. Luke Pearson's fantasy adventure
series stars Hilda the lively, blue-haired young girl, her pet
deerfox Twig and Tontu a house spirit who can walk through walls. In
Hilda and the Stone Forest she is swept up into the magical
adventures of her house spirit's world, chasing little nisse-sprites
through the forest of trolls. Hilda's mother becomes worried at her
disappearances and her dishevelled appearances and suspects her
daughter is lying. Sent to her room as a punishment, Hilda sneaks
out of her window to take an enchanting flight on the back of the
magic raven with her friend Frida. Grounded, for three days, Hilda
watches the world from her bedroom window as the troll fires burn on
the mountain.
While trying to stop Hilda from escaping through the wall with
Tontu, mother, daughter and Twig fly through the air and land in the
strange, shadowy forest of the trolls. Their journey takes them deep
into the mountain inhabited by trolls, where they learn to rely on
each other's abilities. Fantastical creatures, trolls with two
heads, a baby troll, worms with giant teeth and threatening
landscapes with rock falls, dead ends and dark caves prove dangerous
for Hilda and her mother. With the help of Twig and surprising
assistance from an unexpected character, they finally return to the
safety of their home in Trolberg.
Pearson's graphic novels are dynamic and fast-paced with his
creative illustrations displaying his understanding of connectivity
to space, time and movement. There is an energy created by images
that wrap around, with the unexpected placement of action panels and
diagonal lines, which burst across the page pushing the action
forward. The characters move across, up, down, defy gravity and
burst out from the scenes with minimal speech bubbles; the reader is
immersed in the drama. Pearson's use of a muted palette is visually
engaging with swathes of colours, greys, reds, earth tones, leaf
greens, colouring the characters and their backgrounds. Hilda and the Stone Forest ends with the assurance of more
magical stories to come.
Rhyllis Bignell
