Bloomsbury,2016. ISBN 9781408862353
(Ages: 7+) Highly recommended. Non fiction. The awesome body
book is an engaging and entertaining look at the human body in a
'Believe it or Not' style text. Colourful comparative graphics with
bubble-sized chunks of information make this book easy to digest and
appealing to a wide variety of clientele from non-fiction fact fans
to reluctant readers. A varied approach with answers to puzzling
posed questions, brain teasers and quizzes mean you can delve into
the book at any page and be enthralled to keep reading.
Covering almost every aspect of the body structure and functions,
readers will find this book hard to put down with so many amazing
facts. The optical illusions the eyes perceive and how to pick a
fake smile, to a good dose of fart facts and how much poo humans
create in relation to other animals over a lifetime are riveting
reading for many age groups fascinated by facts about why we are
like we are. A list of sources for avid fact finders is also
available at the end of the book for further reading.
This highly recommended book for the 7-12 year age group, will
promote fact swapping discussions and intrigue all ages, as once you
have learnt some awesome facts you won't be able to keep them to
yourself!
Annette Mesecke
Dog house by Katie Abey
The Five Mile Press, 2016. ISBN 9781760402310
(Ages: 1-4) Board book. Homes. Katie Abey, English author and
illustrator, has created this bright, bold and glossy board book
with textured illustrations (dirt ground, trees, pond water,
beehive, birds nest).
The humorous illustrations, showing the dog looking very out of
place in a bird's nest, on a lily pad, inside a rabbit hutch, and in
a beehive will amuse young readers. The story follows the oft-told
formula of an animal looking for where it belongs, and speaks
directly and bluntly to the reader: 'Toby is lost. He is looking for
his house'. This simple narration accompanies Toby's dialogue with
the other animals, 'Do I live here?' he asks, 'No! I live here' says
the bird. And so it continues, as Toby searches high and low for his
home, a little like the baby bird's search in Are you my mother?
Just as the rain mingles with his tears and Toby is starting to feel
like he will never find where he belongs, he hears a 'woof' in the
distance. Running into the sunshine, he finds another dog and a
kennel with his name on it.
The simplicity of this book (perfect for its target audience) means
that the text doesn't tell us everything (e.g. names of the other
animals, the kind of homes they live in), leaving opportunities for
children to point things out and infer meaning from the
illustrations. Young children will be able to relate to this short
text about having a place (home, bed, etc.) where you feel
comfortable and cosy.
Nicole Nelson
The other side of Summer by Emily Gale
Random House Australia. ISBN 9780143780113
(Age: 11-14) Highly recommended. Grief. Migration. Grief stricken,
Summer is trying to recover, her only consolation a guitar that her
brother had owned. Then her father makes a momentous decision - her
family will move from London to Australia - and Summer is even more
distraught. She had to leave everything she knows behind, including
her best friend Mal, and face a life in a new country. There she
meets a strange boy who seems to be magically connected to her
guitar. Together the two will try to help each other.
This was a fascinating novel. For many chapters it seemed to be a
typical story of a young girl trying to cope with her grief while
facing strange new words and customs on a new country. Then Gale
introduces a touch of magic realism and the reader is blown away as
the strange young boy Gabe appears as if he is time travelling. As
Summer works through what is happening, the story of the family
tragedy gradually unfolds, amidst family angst and heartache. The
family dynamics are beautifully described, as Summer struggles with
her feelings about her mother who seems to have abandoned them and
her sister Sophie who has changed from being totally annoying with
her to a sympathetic character. The reader keeps wondering about
Gabe and who he is and even the the boy next door Milo, is one that
the reader can identify with.
The mystery of Gabe is one that will keep readers guessing and
Summer's gradual coming of age and belief in what is happening with
Gabe will be followed closely.
This was a wonderful read that I finished in one sitting. Although
it is aimed at middle school readers, the writing that flows with
ease, the vivid descriptions and realistic characters will appeal to
older readers as well.
Pat Pledger
Self-destructing Science: Space by Isabel Thomas
Ill. by Nikalas Catlow. Bloomsbury, 2016. ISBN 9781408869499
(Ages: 6+) Highly recommended. Activity Book. Self-Destructing
Science: Space by Isabel Thomas is more than just the average
activity book. It has quality information and an amazing array of
science-based activities, covering a variety of disciplines,
presented in a highly engaging manner. The book will literally
self-destruct as the user is encouraged to cut up, fold, experiment
and scribble on the pages in the quest for greater understanding of
how space and our world interact.
Bold graphics with small chunks of relevant information and clear
step by step instructions make this book user-friendly. Confident
scissors skills are a must, but otherwise adult assistance is only
suggested for some projects for safety reasons. Projects vary from
creating a simple flip book of the Earth's tilted axis showing the
seasons of a year, to making a bedroom planetarium, or creating an
astrolabe to measure altitude.
Covering almost every area of science, this book will promote STEM
principles.
This highly recommended book for the 6 -9 year age group will
facilitate a greater understanding of space and the forces at work
on our Earth while having lots of fun.
Annette Mesecke
Truly Tan: Hoodwinked! by Jen Storer
Harper Collins, 2016. ISBN 9780733334115
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. In Truly Tan: Hoodwinked, year
4 students Tan and Gloria love being spies in Peppercorn Valley.
They keep an eye on things going on around the town and at school,
have excellent imaginations and practise their spy skills even when
having fun at the swimming pool. A new person in town is the start
of an exciting new case. Tan and Gloria start keeping notes on the
unusual behaviour of Ophelia Crisp. She is also in year 4 and is
staying with her cousin, a girl Tan and Gloria aren't friends with.
Ophelia never answers Tan's investigative questions and seems quite
suspicious. Why does Ophelia keep missing school? What does she need
with a blue blanket? Can Tan and Gloria solve the mystery and find
Ophelia when she goes missing? Truly Tan: Hoodwinked is highly recommended for readers aged
8+. The events unfold through diary entries and the main story. Tan
is very technical and loves using unusual words. The definitions are
included, helping it resemble a diary. It is written in episodes and
each episode has several chapters. The text is descriptive and moves
quickly to engage readers within the mystery. Readers will be able
to piece the clues together but will they solve it before Tan? Will
their predictions be correct?
Kylie Kempster
Princess Betony and the Thunder Egg by Pamela Freeman
Walker Books, 2016. ISBN 9781925381030 (paperback)
(Age 9+) Recommended. Princess Betony and the Thunder Egg is a cute
story in a cute little book. it is the second story
involving Princess Betony and she comes from a land of magic. To
help celebrate the King and Queen's anniversary, the Wild Magic
gives them a gift but it is the Princess who must collect it. Betony
must travel to the Dark Forest. It is a great privilege but also
very scary! Can she retrieve the gift safely? How will she make it
through the forest of spider webs?
This small paperback book is just over 100 pages long and reminds me
of the types of little books little girls would have been given in
the 'olden days'. The author, Pamela Freeman, has created a lovely
little story, like a fairy tale, and I would recommend it to girls,
aged 9+. Another welcome reprint this time in paperback.
Kylie Kempster
Princess Betony and the rule of wishing by Pamela Freeman
Walker Books, 2016. ISBN 9781925381047 (paperback)
(Age 8+) Highly recommended. Princess Betony and the Rule of Wishing
is another book in the series featuring Princess Betony as the main
character. It is a cute little hardcover story and would make a
lovely gift for girls - especially for those who like princesses.
Princess Betony wants a friend but her teacher is more concerned
with her acting like a princess. Luckily, Betony's mother
understands and gives Betony time off from her princess studies,
giving her the chance to meet Clover, the gardener's niece. They
spend the holidays gardening and when the wizard uses magic to help
the seeds grow, Clover decides she wants to be a witch. Clover
becomes obsessed with passing the test and making the right wish.
Will Betony lose her friend to magic or will Clover become the
greatest witch ever? Princess Betony and the Rule of Wishing
is a quick moving tale and is highly recommended to girls aged 8+.
Collect the series and enjoy the adventures of Princess Betony.
Kylie Kempster
The summer we saved the bees by Robin Stevenson
Orca Books Publishers, 2015. ISBN 9781459808348
(Age: 11+) Recommended. Bees, Alternate families, Grandparents,
Families and relationships. When Wolf does a project about bees
dying in Canada, he little realises that his 'hippy' mother will
take it to heart, sewing bee costumes for the twins, Saffron and
Whisper, and having the whole family get into a van and do a trip
across the country spreading their bee message through guerilla
theatre. The stage is set for a funny book about relationships and
family on a road trip, a journey in which the cracks pulling them
apart are finally brought to the surface.
Wolf does not want to dress up as a bee and perform in front of
strangers, one of his sisters, Whisper, usually quiet, has not
spoken for days, and his older step sister, Violet, has brought her
boyfriend along after being told he was not welcome. Wolf's mother
will not listen to any of their concerns, and when the van breaks
down, Ty and Violet decide that they will catch the bus to Nelson,
where Violet's grandma lives. So all five set out on a ten hour
journey to someone who does not know they are coming.
When the parents finally follow them to Nelson, some hard talking
ensues making sure that mum finally understands what the children
feel and a resolution of sorts is arrived at.
Readers will recognise family situations where the parents want
something and include the children as a matter of course, leaving
them out of the decisions. The parents think they espouse alternate
views but are really just as narrow in their focus as those parents
they deride, and it takes a major event to make them see how they
have alienated their children.
The parallel to bees makes this a fascinating read, as the narrator
compares his own family with colony collapse disorder. Everyone must
play their part to ensure the family works like a well behaved
beehive.
Fran Knight
Alana Oakley: Bloodlust and Blunders by Poppy Inkwell
Big Sky Publishing, 2016. ISBN 9781925275803
(Age: 11+) Recommended. In Alana Oakley: Bloodlust and Blunders,
14 year old Alana's new neighbours look suspiciously like vampires,
the PE teacher isn't as vicious as usual and she has to learn
ballroom dancing. Not a great start the new school year! What's
worse is Alana needs extra dance lessons from her 'vampire'
neighbours. The neighbours just happen to live in a creepy old house
with creepy old family members.
Subplots weave through the narrative; a dead body on a table and
Alana's mum and her friends trying to get to Tasmania. Readers could
find keeping track of these subplots a little tricky but the use of
different fonts and each event having its own chapter helps. Alana
and her friends come from a wonderful selection of cultures, showing
readers Australia has so many stories and cultures to learn from.
The text is descriptive and easy to read, moving through events
quickly. It is recommended for independent readers aged 11+ as there
are some teenage themes.
Kylie Kempster
Rockhopping by Trace Balla
Allen and Unwin, 2016. ISBN 9781760112349
(Age: 9+) Highly recommended. In Rockhopping, readers will
learn about the geography of The Grampians, some history, some
Aboriginal culture and the variety of animals and plant life of the
area. Clancy and his Uncle Egg are on a walking trip through The
Grampians, Victoria. As the two travel, they see wonderful flora and
fauna, meet other travellers and hear about Aboriginal connections
to the land. When Uncle Egg's backpack rolls down the hill, Clancy
tries to rescue it but finds himself alone. Will Uncle Egg make it
to Clancy before nightfall? Will Clancy find shelter while he waits?
Rockhopping is told through amazing illustrations, speech
bubbles and text boxes. The flora and fauna in every detailed
picture is labelled, enabling readers to identify the different
species. It is a lovely story of a deep friendship between uncle and
nephew, of adventure and discovery and how to appreciate your
natural surroundings. The text will suit readers aged 9+ but the
book is highly recommended to all readers including adults. Discover
things about The Grampians, share it with overseas friends or read
it in the classroom as part of Science and Geography.
Kylie Kempster
My dog Dash by Nicki Greenberg
Allen and Unwin, 2016. ISBN 9781760110673
(Ages: 4-8) Recommended. Imagination, Pets. Dash is not your
ordinary dog (he is a snail), but to this little girl with a big
imagination, he is the perfect pet dog. The young girl, who has
unbridled enthusiasm for life, tells us in first-person about Dash:
from his slow start at puppy school, to his constant slobbering and
his slow walking pace. She is mainly optimistic about Dash's
downfalls as a dog; he can't fetch yet, but he'll get there; he
takes forever to go for a walk . . . but it's because he has to lick
every flower, and leaf, and stick. Her attempts to teach Dash
standard dog tricks are humorous, as are her attempts to blame her
naughtiness on him. Children will also enjoy the ending, in which
Dash meets another dog from down the street. 'WE'VE GOT PUPPIES!'
she shouts, before asking the reader 'Do you want one?'
On all pages, the picture tells a slightly different story to the
text, or provides extra information, making it a great book to
stimulate inferential thinking and discussion. The question posed to
the reader at the end of the story also provides a great opportunity
for further conversation. At its heart, this is a book about
imagining the world as you want it to be, and in that way is
reminiscent of Prudence Wants a Pet, a title that is loved
by children.
It is a joy for the young and the youthful, with interesting
illustrations and fantastic text-illustration arrangements. My
Dog Dash will appeal to pet owners, pet lovers and everyone in
between.
Nicole Nelson
The leaving by Tara Altebrando
Bloomsbury, 2016. ISBN 9781408877807
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Mystery. Abduction. I couldn't put this
down. A very suspenseful novel with a great premise sees five teens
come back years after six of them were abducted when they were
attending kindergarten. They all appear in good health but none of
them can remember where they have been and what has happened to Max,
the sixth young child who went missing at the same time. Avery is
Max's sister, and she is determined to find out what has happened to
Max. Lucas and Scarlett think that they can remember each other, and
gradually by following obscure clues that they seem to have left
behind as reminders, strange things begin to unfold.
This was an edge of the seat thriller as Avery begins to ask the
questions that the reader is thinking - have the five who returned
really lost their memories and what have they done with Max? She
knows that her life is impossible without discovering the truth.
Lucas is also determined to find out what the camera symbol means
and he and Scarlett start to follow eerie clues in an attempt to
find out the truth. Told from the viewpoints of Avery, Lucas and
Scarlett, each chapter often ends on a cliffhanger that ensures the
reader continues on to find out what happens next. Scarlett's
chapters in particular were fascinating, with print arranged in
different patterns to make an impact and to get the reader thinking.
Very tightly written until the last chapter, it had me guessing
until the unexpected end. A great read for those who like thrillers.
Pat Pledger
The detective dog by Julia Donaldson
Ill. by Sara Ogilvie. MacMillan Children's books, 2016. ISBN
9781509801596
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Dogs. Detection. School. Books.
Libraries. Read aloud. I love books about books, stories that tell
of people sharing books, of reading books, of borrowing books. Well,
this one is someone stealing books! But it all ends happily, so
don't fret.
Nell's story is told in rhyming stanzas, a tale of a dog who is born
to be a detective, her nose sniffing out the places where all sorts
of things lie hidden: socks, honey, a lost book, a spider in the
bath, a lost ball. And she loves going to school to hear the
children read, but one day when they come to school, the library has
been ransacked and all the books are gone. Catastrophe! But
Detective Nell to the rescue. She picks up the scent and follows it,
leading the class trailing out behind her. They traverse roads and
gardens, past the zoo and the take-away shop and into a wood. Here
they run through a very overgrown garden and push open the messy
gate. Behind the gate sits the culprit, a man with a stack of books,
his nose buried in one of them. He is most apologetic, promising
that he intended to return them after they had been read, and he
helps the children take them all back to school. A happy
relationship is established as the children show the man how to open
a library account and borrow as many books as he wants.
The infectious illustrations swirl with colour and life moving
quickly across the pages, inviting the readers to follow the action.
The dog, Nell, is a wonderful creation, one every child would love to
have, and the way Nell is depicted with her nose in everything about
will have resonance with most dog owners. This is a charming homage
to pets and libraries, to frazzled teachers, to those sharing books,
to those who are helped in their quest to find books, and of course
to skillful dogs and accommodating children. A real treat.
Fran Knight
Princess Betony and the hobgoblin by Pamela Freeman
Ill. by Tamsin Ainslie. Walker Books. ISBN 9781921720260
(Age: 6-9) Highly recommended. The 4th in the delightful series
starring Princess Betony is another winner that will be enjoyed by all.
Princess Betony is not your average princess - she loves gardening
and is very curious. When her governess Lady Pineal decides that
milk should not be left out for the hobgoblin who lives in the
garden, chaos results as the hobgoblin is not happy and Rosie the
gardener is not around to sort things out. When the hobgoblin is
captured and imprisoned, Princess Betony and Basil the baker's boy
have to work out a way to stop an invasion from his hobgoblin
friends.
This is a perfect series for young readers who are just starting to
read chapter books. Princess Betony is a courageous girl who loves
to solve problems, go exploring by herself and learn about magic
from the court sorcerer. On one of her adventures in the underground
burrows, searching for the hobgoblin, she inadvertently leads to his
capture and she knows that she has to do something to make things
right. She is ably assisted by the baker's boy who is a quiet,
sensible lad willing to do his best to help the hobgoblin.
This would make a good read aloud with its great characterisation
and humorous incidents and with the other books in the series, would
be a great way of moving children from picture books onto chapter
books. The line drawings by Tamsin Ainslie are very appealing and
add to the humour of the story. Readers can go to the Princess
Betony website
for information about the other books in the series, games and
stories.
Pat Pledger
Wolfish stew by Suzi Moore
Ill. by Erico Salcedo. Bloomsbury, 2016. ISBN 9781408844953
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Humour, Wolves, Rabbits, Read aloud.
Rabbit loves to forage in the forest, but is warned to beware of the
blue bushy tail. This tail belongs to the blue wolf, well known for
wanting a rabbit to put in his stew. This delightful tale ends a
little unusually when the wolfish stew is not the one we expect to
see.
In rhyming lines, the tale unfolds of rabbit roaming through the
woods. He finds some carrots, and some berries, and sits for a while
for a picnic on his rug with a pot of coffee. Each page exhorts the
grey rabbit to watch out for the wolf, while readers will call out
the name of the wolf's body part that appears hidden on the page.
Great fun for young and old as we see blue bits in the shrubbery, up
the tree, hidden as a stepping stone in the river. Readers will
laugh out loud as the journey progresses, the grey rabbit avoiding
any of the tricks the wolf may put in his way.
But wolf then has problems finding the rabbit until some of the
other animals find a way to trap him instead.
All ends well with the wolfish stew being not what the wolf had in
mind at all, and the grey rabbit's collection of carrots and
vegetables collected on his walk go into the pot. For younger
children this is a lovely hide and seek tale, a story teaching them
about parts of the body, a classic tale of cat and mouse while
learning about an array of vegetables for good measure.
Salcedo's illustrations reflect the humour of the story. The bold
blue wolf will delight younger readers, especially the elongated
snout, and the grey rabbit fixated on his errand with intrigue them.
The range of things in the background begs to be identified and the
end papers with their reprisal of the tablecloth with its covering
of vegetables will encourage children to call out their names.
Fran Knight
