The City of Secret Rivers by Jacob Sager Weinstein
Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406368857
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Moving from Illinois to London was
hard enough but seeing her mother kidnapped has left Hyacinth in a
major predicament. On moving to London, Hyacinth's biggest issues
are a dad who is remarrying, a mum who seems to have no clue and
silly English taps that don't mix hot and cold water. Luckily,
Hyacinth has some plumbing experience but mixing hot and cold water
in England is huge no no! All of a sudden, Hyacinth is stuck in the
middle of magical waterways, her mum is kidnapped and Hyacinth is
chasing a glowing drop of water that could destroy civilisation. Her
grandmother told Hyacinth she would be well prepared so let's hope
so! The City of Secret Rivers is a quirky tale full of
descriptive vocabulary and exciting events. Readers will love the
mix of fantasy and real world while getting lost in this adventure
across London. It is a story of a strong girl who is determined to
find her mum and fix her mistake. Hyacinth's level of resilience is
extremely high, making her an excellent role model for girls.
Kylie Kempster
The Spectacular Spencer Gray by Deb Fitzpatrick
Fremantle Press, 2017. ISBN 9781925164671
(Age: 9-12) Recommended. Themes: Endangered animals, Australia;
Potoroos, Animal Trafficking, Courage. A search for a lost soccer
ball at lunchtime leads twelve-year-old Spencer Gray into a
mysterious adventure when he sees a suspicious man running away in
the bush. Spence's decision to explore the BBO - the bush behind the
oval and investigate further leads him to find a camouflaged tent
hiding caged native animals. This discovery quickly takes him down a
dangerous path involving animal traffickers, midnight missions and a
frightening kidnapping.
Spence returns to the tent and chooses to rescue one of the caged
small rat like animals. Concealing the creature in his school
locker, smuggling it home and into his bedroom, means Spencer has to
lie to his friends and family. After a sleep disturbed night,
Spencer confides in his two best mates and they work together to
return 'Fluffnut' to his natural environment.
During personal learning time at school, Spence discovers his small
animal is a critically endangered Gilbert's potoroo whose natural
habitat is the nearby bushland. Spence, Leon and Charlie's first
mission involves a midnight bike ride to Arrow Beach but
unfortunately, some other people are hunting in the area. Spencer's
second attempt leads to his capture and he endures being tied up and
put in a cage. The thrilling ending shows Spence's courage, quick
thinking, resilience and determination. The Spectacular Spencer Gray is an action-packed story with
extremely relatable characters, a strong focus on the plight of
endangered animals and a dramatic plot filled with adventure. Deb
Fitzpatrick's second Spencer Gray story stands alone, a totally new
and self-contained story. As a class novel, this is perfectly suited
to Upper Primary classes, supporting the English and Environmental
Sciences curriculum.
Rhyllis Bignell
Morris Mole by Dan Yaccarino
Harper, 2017. ISBN 9780062411075
Morris Mole is the youngest of the eight mole brothers, and because
he is a little different - they go to work in their hard hats with
their shovels while he looks like the town dandy; they eat at a
communal bench while Morris prefers fine dining; and they share a
bed while he has his own - they tend to ignore him.
And so it is when the biggest brother announces that they have run
out of food. Even though Morris says he has an idea, he is ignored
and the brothers start to dig even deeper than before. Morris's idea
was to dig UPWARDS - and so he does. Even though it frightened him
he found his courage built on his belief that even though he was
small, nevertheless he could still do big things. And what a
wonderful world he discovered when he broke through the surface.
Full of treasures and treats until . . .
Young children will enjoy hearing this story where smart thinking
overcomes physical size but be prepared to answer their questions
about why the wolf left Morris alone. They might even be able to
predict answers - perhaps wolves don't have moles in their dietary
plan. The bold computer-generated illustrations are interesting,
contrasting the underground and above-ground worlds well and the
message of small things being able to achieve big things will
empower them.
Barbara Braxton
Alex Rider: Never say die by Anthony Horowitz
ISBN: 9781406377040.
(Age: 13+) Recommended. Alex Rider: Never Say Die is book 11 in the
series for which Anthony Horowitz said he'd never write an another
action-packed novel. After a 5 year hiatus, and now 15-years old,
Alex Rider, is an ex-MI6 agent currently living in the United States
with his friend, Sabrina. One day, Alex receives an email from his
old caretaker and close friend, Jack Starbright, whom he thought was
dead. Alex then travels to Cairo, Egypt, Jack's last known
whereabouts. As the book progresses, Alex travels to many locations
across the globe, slowly finding out where Jack is. He also
discovers a plot to kidnap the children of the world's richest
people.
Throughout the book, Anthony Horowitz uses incredible description
and storytelling to make a story that is not only intriguing and
thrilling, but also engaging and thought-provoking. This
unbelievable book constantly entertains and seems to surpass all
other books in the Alex Rider series. Alex Rider: Never Say Die will keep you on the edge of your seat and
wanting more.
Jackson Olds (student)
Great goal! marvellous mark! by Katrina Germein
Ill. by Janine Dawson. Ford St, 2017. ISBN 9781925272673
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended. Football, Alphabet. This most
appealing rendition of an alphabet book has each page showcasing
the next letter in the alphabet, moving along the game of football
played by the young teams. The opening page begins
'Aussie Rules is awesome, I always arrive on time' with each of the
a letters starting the word, highlighted.
We see the two teams running out onto the field, hopes high and
skills at the ready. From there Germein reveals to the reader the
range of skills needed to play a football game. From the centre
bounce, to handball, a great goal, skilfull kick, a marvellous mark,
perfect play, the final quarter comes along with an unbelievable
goal, all capture by a volunteer with a video. It is a great read,
readers predicting how the next letter in the alphabet will be
characterised within the story of the football game. Not only do
young readers get to see words beginning with that particular
letter, they see how those words are used, while learning more about
the game of football as they read.
The brightly coloured illustrations give another level of
information about the game and its participants. We see the dog
running on the field, the parents huddling under umbrellas,
volunteers at the edge, umpires with head to toe waterproof clothing
and gum boots, cars around the field, the train in the background. I
love the middle double page which shows the whole field for those
new to the game, showing the size and shape of the field, the
goalposts and the team numbers. All is informative, revealed inside
a lovely story about a group of kids playing football.
Fran Knight
The Bagthorpe Saga - Ordinary Jack by Helen Cresswell
Harper Collins Australia, 2017. ISBN 9780008211677
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. First published in 1977 this is the
introductory volume in a new modern classics series from Harper
Collins. The Bagthorpes are, to say the least, one of the most
eccentric families you will encounter in a book. It's very English
and very funny with overtones of the even older Nancy Mitford books
with a very middle to upper class family who are all pretty much
bonkers. Father, mother, grandparents, aunt and uncle, and a swag of
children who are all pretty much above average - and then there's
Jack who is quite ordinary and in his own mind, inferior. With the
help of his Uncle Parker, who is easily one of the maddest in the
family, Jack sets about to impress his family by becoming a prophet,
seeing visions and making predictions. As you can imagine this is
quite disconcerting for the family and is not the easiest of
deceptions to pull off successfully.
With a pyromaniac four year old cousin, an attractive but
non-English speaking Danish au pair, a crusty old daily who is as
useful as 'a hedgehog' according to Mr Bagthorpe and some crazy
antics, this is a laugh a minute.
Suffice to say that in spite of its age, it is every bit as funny as
any contemporary family story and will no doubt appeal to many
readers who are looking for a simple humorous read.
Highly recommended for readers both boys and girls from around 8
years upwards.
Sue Warren
Big picture book of general knowledge by James Maclaine
Ill. by Annie Carbo. Usborne, 2017. ISBN 9781474917889
Miss 6 is at that stage where she wants to know "stuff". Inspired by
a teacher who not only encourages her endless curiosity but also
being independent in her quest for answers, she is always looking
through her growing collection of "fact books". And now she is all
but an independent reader, the thrill and affirmation she gets when
she can find the answers for herself delights her and inspires her
even further.
So this latest offering from Usborne will be a welcome addition to
her collection. With its double-page spreads of the sorts of topics
its intended audience is interested in - animals, the body, food and
drink, music, space, sports and many more - each double page spread
is packed with a plethora of short facts accompanied by lots of
hand-drawn illustrations. Rather than being an in-depth
encyclopedia, it is designed for those who love to dip and delve
into non fiction to see where what they discover will take them. And
for those whose interest is ignited Usborne have a page of
quick
links for them to investigate further.
Perfect for Miss 6 and that group of boys that we all know who like
to gather around a table in the library with this sort of book to
share and explore and discuss what they discover.
Barbara Braxton
Her by Garry Disher
Hachette Australia, 2017. ISBN 9780733638541
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. Australian history. Slavery. Child
abuse. Women. Poverty. Disher, a master of language, has written a
taut and highly disturbing story set in the early 1900's that will
linger in thoughts for a long time. One day a scrap man came to a
hut 'with his wife, who had cost him twelve shillings, once upon a
time, and a wispy girl, who had cost him ten' pg. ix. The
impoverished family had nothing to sell, but the scrap man went out
to the shed with the father of the eleven children and took away the
little girl, wearing a flour-bag dress, buying her for nine
shillings and sixpence.
She doesn't have a name, but is known as You; the scrap man is He or
Him, and there is Big Girl and Wife. She has much work to do,
tending the horse and the rabbit traps and hopes to run away one
day. The women are slaves, working tirelessly making toasting forks
and cushion covers from scraps and suffer dreadfully at the hands of
the scrap man. As You grows she is taken on the wagon with the scrap
man as he travels around country Victoria, selling his shoddy wares
and buying bits of metal and material. She learns to steal and lie
and when the Education man comes to see the family, she has to
pretend to be simple so that she doesn't have to go to school. As
she grows, the scrap man abuses her sexually, while spending any
money they make on women and alcohol.
This is a searing tale, shining a light on the terrible plight of
the helpless women, regarded so poorly that they didn't even have
names or any power at all. The background of the pioneers and
Australian bush, the small country towns and the push for men to
volunteer for the army in the Great War, give readers a solid taste
of Australian history at this time.
I read this book in one sitting, wondering what would happen to the
young child. Extensive reading group notes at the end of the book
also opened up many avenues of thought about the vivid language and
the occurrences in the novel. Suggested further reading gives a list
of Disher's historical works for children and some classic
Australian road stories.
Pat Pledger
The 91-storey treehouse by Andy Griffiths
Ill. by Terry Denton. Macmillan Children's Books, 2017. ISBN
9781509839162
(Age: 7-10) Highly recommended. Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton have
done it again with another book which is sure to enchant young
readers everywhere. The 91-storey treehouse is the seventh
book in their weird and wonderful treehouse adventures and they have
added another thirteen new levels, including the world's most
powerful whirlpool, a mashed-potato-and-gravy train and a human
pinball machine. Madam Know-it-all is there to tell the fortune of
anyone who asks her a question and when Andy and Terry are asked to
babysit their publisher's three children, they are all off to the
land of Banarnia after going through a wardrobe in a dump. Of course
Andy and Terry are not the best of babysitters and they all have
some amazing adventures, including flying down a cliff and being
stuck in a giant spider web. Not to mention that both Andy and Terry
lose their knowledge and have to have their minds retrained. At the
same time the big red button waits - will it be pushed or not and
what will be the result if it is pushed?
Readers will need no introduction to this fabulous series which is
hilarious. The illustrations are fabulous and children will spend
hours looking at them and laughing. I particularly loved the
alphabet that the children used to teach Andy and Terry how to read
and the number book was just as engaging.
The imaginations of Andy and Terry are wonderful and will stimulate
children to come up with their own weird and wacky storeys to add to
their own treehouses. Both text and illustrations will appeal to
people of all ages. Now wonder this series tops the best seller list
when a new book appears.
Pat Pledger
Stubborn Stanley by Nathaniel Eckstrom
Scholastic Australia, 2017. ISBN 9781760155025
(Age: 3-5) Recommended. Cooperation. Sharing. Recycling. Stanley is
a young inventor who just loves making things. He has put together
the Amazing Spin-o swing from an old Hills hoist and swung his toys
on it. But even though Stanley comes up with amazing things, he is
very stubborn and won't listen to anyone - not for requests to join
in the game or advice that is given. Stanley continues to do
everything by himself until one day he realises that it is not fun
anymore. He needs to come up with a plan to change things and when
he meets Martha, another clever inventor, things begin to look up.
Starting with the front cover, the illustrations clearly depict how
stubborn Stanley is with his arms folded and Keep Out signs
displayed prominently. His name is spelt out with tools like the
pencil, measure and spanner and he is dressed in overalls so
immediately the young reader is brought into his world of measuring
and making. Children will love to see the pictures of his Hills
Hoist swing and the washing machine for his long suffering dog, his
billy cart and space rocket. When he makes a see-saw the
illustrations show a despondent Stanley and it is then that he
finally realises that his inventions weren't fun for him. He tries
to come up with a plan to change things and it isn't until he spots
another invention that he meets Martha, and when they listen to each
other's ideas they have lots of fun together.
Themes of the importance of friends, of sharing and of listening to
each other permeate this book and its bright illustrations and
interesting characters will engage the young child.
Pat Pledger
A perfectly posh pink afternoon tea by Coral Vass
Ill. by Gabriel Evans. Scholastic, 2017. ISBN 9781743811689
(Age: 5+) Recommended. Dressing up. Afternoon tea. Humour. Annabelle
Mae and her five friends are a delight, dressing up in all their
pink finery for afternoon tea. They wear oversized hats and long
gloves, rows of pearls and lots of ribbons and lace. They have real
cups and saucers and teaspoons, jelly cake, balloons and sweet
lemonade. Things go along well, they are using their manners and
being ever so polite, but when the boys look over the fence at the
six girls having lots of fun they decide to mess things up. They
turn on the sprinkler and all of a sudden the cups are dropped, the
curls come out of their hair, the ribbons and laces droop, their
finery is ruined. But Annabelle Mae stomps her foot into the mud the
water has made and is so pleased with the result that her five
friends join in. Within a little while all six girls are covered in
mud and dirt and laugh at the fun they are having while the boys are
sitting under a nearby tree drinking their afternoon tea.
Great rollicking rhyming verses carry the story of the tables being
turned. The rhythm is infectious and readers will laugh out loud at
the antics of the groups, trying to outwit each other.
Readers will love the colour filled, boisterous illustrations with
the girls beginning totally in pink and ending up in brown, while
the boys takeover what is left of the posh afternoon tea.
Fran Knight
Grover and Squeak's farm adventure by Claire Garth
Ill. by Johannes Leak. Grover McBane rescue dog series.
Piccolo Nero, 2017. ISBN 9781863959469
(Age: 6-8) Recommended. Rescue dogs. Working dogs. Farming. Author
Claire Garth is the General Manager of the Sydney Dog and Cats Home
and she has based her junior novel series on her rescued dog Grover.
Written from the dog's point of view, readers quickly develop a
fondness for this slightly insecure dog, who loves new adventures.
He was rescued from a horrible Man with Big Boots and he now lives
happily with Annie and Dave. He loves his new job as Office Dog at
the shelter.
After a run-in with the mean cat next door, Mr Tibbles, Grover and
new friend Squeak, a kelpie puppy, settle on the back seat for a drive
into the country. Poor Grover is a little confused at first; is
Squeak joining their family, or are they both going to be a farm
dogs?
Fun and games occur when Grover and Squeak meet Rusty, Rex and
Steve the farm dogs responsible for rounding up Farmer John's sheep.
They trick unsuspecting Grover by leaving him with the job of
herding all the woolly creatures into the barn before dark. Luckily,
Barbara the sheep can communicate with him and he is able to
complete his task. Grover and Squeak's farm adventure is a delightful story to
read aloud to younger classes. This chapter book is perfect for
young animal lovers who will enjoy Johannes Leak's detailed sketches
of the dogs and their farm experiences.
Rhyllis Bignell
Funniest Dad in the world by Ed Allen
Ill. by Louis Shea. Scholastic Australia, 2017. ISBN 9781743817506
(Age 3-6) Highly recommended. Fathers. Humour. Ideal for Father's
Day, this very funny picture book will delight emerging readers and
littlies who listen to it being read aloud. Three baby creatures, an
emu, a frog and a rhinoceros, all think that their dad is the
funniest dad in the world. Each insists that their dad tells the
funniest jokes, while riding a unicycle and juggling pizzas and on
each double page spread they try to outdo each other with extremely
funny incidents.
The narrative is hilarious and each incident is outrageous. Starting
with just one line, "My dad's the funniest in the world because . .
." each time the little animal comes up with a new reason that it
has the funniest dad, this is added on and repeated until almost at
the end, where there are twelve lines that the young reader or
listener will easily be able to remember. Then there is a delicious
and unexpected twist at the end to further intrigue the reader.
The illustrations are also riotously funny. I especially loved the
rhinoceros, in a Hawaiian style shirt, riding a unicycle and
juggling pizzas and the drawing of the emu blowing a bubble out of
his nose, while high fiving a monkey, being tickled by a crocodile
on top of a whale is have everyone in stitches.
At the back there is a cardboard stencil trophy "To my funniest dad
in the world", which could be used by an individual child or copied
for more than one user.
Any father who has this book read to him will be hugely entertained
and children will have so much fun with the narrative and the
illustrations.
Pat Pledger
A thousand hugs from Daddy by Anna Pignataro
Scholastic Australia, 2017. ISBN 9781760276973
(Age: 2-5) Highly recommended. Another beautifully illustrated book
just in time for Father's Day A Thousand Hugs from Daddy is
a gentle and warm tribute to the love between a father and his
child: In your arms it's safe and snug,
you always give a thousand hugs.
And I'm as happy as can be -
one hug is not enough for me!
The story starts with a loving polar bear and his little child
crawling out of an igloo and beginning the day doing everything
together. The love and care that Daddy shows will give any child
reading this or listening to it, feelings of security and happiness.
Daddy is always able to find the little bear when it is hiding and
can help surmount any obstacle, all the while giving hugs for being
brave and travelling far and wide. Then of course there is one very
special hug for bedtime, making it an ideal book to read aloud when
putting a child to bed.
The soft water colour palette used by Pignataro is beautiful and
soothing. Often set against a pale blue background, with a tiny boat
emblem repeated on it, the two bears merge beautifully into the
snow, with just their caps and scarves helping to make them stand
out. Young readers will enjoy looking carefully at the pictures,
finding the little boat and talking about the happy and loving
expressions on the bears' faces.
This is a celebration of the tenderness and devotion of a father for
his child.
Pat Pledger
Sea by Sarah Driver
The Huntress series. Egmont, 2017. ISBN 9781405284677
(Age: 9-12) Highly recommended. Themes: Fantasy, Adventure stories,
Sailing Ships, Tribes and tribal systems, Families. We rove! We rove to trade, to meet, for the restlessness in our
bones; we rove at one with the sea!
The intricately designed, foil embossed cover with scrolling waves
and shiny fish encircling the title, the detailed map of the island
kingdom of Trianukka and the cutaway of the sailing ship Huntress
entice the reader into Sarah Driver's lyrical fantasy adventure.
Spirited hero Mouse lives aboard The Huntress with her
one-eyed grandma Wren, the ship's captain and her younger brother
Sparrow. Their tribe worship the majestic whales who protect them
and come when summoned by Sparrow's singing to help defeat the
bloodthirsty attacks from the flying terrodyls. They are on a voyage
to the great Tribe-Meet, and Mouse, who celebrates her thirteenth
moon, is her grandma's apprentice training to take over as Captain
of the Huntress. Their father, Da has disappeared and he has left
Mouse with a special quest to find the sea opals and restore them.
This is a complex and exciting story, set in an icy bleak world with
scary undersea creatures, and dangerous attacks from the Fangtooth
Tribe and their polar dogs. Trouble and danger ramp up when Grandma
Wren unfortunately allows Stag, a long-lost tribe member to rejoin
their crew. Mouse's resilience and courage is repeatedly tested as
the crew face serious threats from all sides.
Sarah Driver's debut novel is beautifully crafted with fast-paced
narrative, elemental forces driving their journey, good and evil
fantastical creatures and lyrical music her brother sings to the
whales. Her creative language is delightful to read: Mouse's heart
skip-skitters when she's in danger but she keeps her spine
arrow-straight and she is not afraid to face down a land-lurker
with iron-hard eyes. There are fun visual details added
throughout, shadowy whales, black merwraiths diving, moon-sparks
twinkling and terrodyl beasts soaring. Sea is the first in The Huntress trilogy and readers
who enjoy a challenging fantasy adventure will look forward to Sky.
Rhyllis Bignell
