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
A toaster on Mars by Darrell Pitt
Text, 2016. ISBN 9781922182869
(Age: Upper Primary, Junior secondary) It's a future world, the 26th
Century, suffering from pollution, 'and not enough people using
deodorant'. There are robots aplenty, cyborgs and varied creatures
from other planets.
It is 'home, sweet home' to Blake Carter, a law-enforcement officer,
searching for evil mastermind, Bartholomew Badde, who threatens the
world with a stolen Super-EMP, a fearsome weapon. While
investigating Badde's whereabouts, Blake is attacked and
hospitalised. Bad news continues: he is forced to accept a cyborg
(the toaster of the title) for a partner, he is taken off the case
and his daughter, Lisa, is kidnapped by Badde.
As ransom for Blake's daughter, Badde demands that Blake obtain for
him, the top-secret computer virus, called Maria. It can crack any
firewall and scramble any operating system within minutes. To force
Blake's hand, Badde threatens Lisa with insidious torture - watching
reruns of the Brady Bunch.
His ex-wife, Astrid, joins Blake and Nikki Steel, the cyborg, as
they try to break in to GADO, to locate Maria. Their adventures
include eluding a mutant, rampaging cheese sandwich, the result of
radioactive waste, a cannibal who threatens to eat them and a group
of Elvis clones, trapped in an inter-dimensional pocket in space.
Despite Blake's best efforts to capture Badde, he escapes yet again
to cause more havoc in a sequel.
Upper Primary and Lower Secondary students who appreciate the
ridiculous will enjoy this fast paced book with its zany sense of
humour. There is nothing subtle about the irony in the novel, which
creates many laugh-out-loud moments.
Thelma Harvey
This is a circle by Chrissie Krebs
Random House, 2016. ISBN 9780857988058
(Age: 3+) Recommended. Mathematics, Circles, Humour, Read a loud. In
rhyming pairs of lines, the story unfolds. A fox and a bear are
introduced, along with a circle and square, a ball and a box, each
page inviting the reader to look at what each word represents. The
next double page has four more objects, a car, a boat, a scarf and a
hat, while two more animals are added: a goat and a cat. Children
will by now be most intrigued about what part each will play in the
story of a circle and the adult reader will ask questions along the
way directing the child to give this some thought. Children will
also see the rhyming possibilities of some fo the words presented.
Over the next few pages each of the animals finds a way to climb the
large box, using one or more of the objects given, and children will
call out with glee at what each animal might use. And with such
simple rhyming stanzas the audience will be encouraged to predict
the last line of each to rhyme with a word before.
At last the problem is solved, but where to now? Again, children
will see the possibilities of the four animals stuck on top of the
box with nowhere to go. Clear funny illustrations reflect the mood
of the story adding another level of humour for children to read.
This is a treat for adult and child, as the lines are read and
visual clues searched for as the two read it together.
Fran Knight
From corner to corner : the line of Henry Colless by Adrian Mitchell
Wakefield Press, 2015. ISBN 9781743053690
(Age: Adults who are interested in local history) Recounting the
exploits of generations of the Colless family, the story of Colonial
Australia is told in a way which focuses on the efforts and
achievements of everyday men and women.
When George Colless was transported to New South Wales as a convict
in 1797, it could be argued that it was the best thing that ever
happened to him. Certainly completing his two year sentence would
have been arduous, however his prospects upon release were
infinitely better than what he would have faced as an impoverished
farm labourer in England. The new colony required food and George
was granted land along the Nepean River and convicts to help him
work it, instantly elevating his station in life.
The height and extent of the periodic floods along this river at the
time are mind boggling and bring to mind Dorothea Mackellar's poem My
country. Indeed George's children and grandchildren would
eventually spread over the sunburnt country as far as Bourke and
even Innamincka as pastoralists and drovers - alternately facing
disastrously destructive floods in the wet season and searing
droughts in summer. In 1888, a drought claimed more than five
million sheep in New South Wales alone.
The notion of being able to claim enormous tracts of land from the
Crown is difficult to fathom in modern times and it seems to follow
that such individuals must have enjoyed great wealth. As shown in
this work however, the price paid in terms of hardship, bankruptcy,
injury and even death often outweighed any benefit.
Some however were successful and George's son Henry showed great
courage, endurance and vision in his measured risk taking,
undertaking ventures including droving, pastoralism, the hotel
trade, horse racing and property acquisition. Henry is shown to have
been a larger than life character and his exploits are amazing, and
whilst not belittling them in any way, I could not help reflecting
that so much could be achieved more easily in a time where little
regulation existed.
Nevertheless, Henry was truly resourceful and tenacious, surviving
where others didn't and prospering well enough in good times to
survive the floods, droughts, economic depressions, shearers'
strikes and ridiculously common property fires.
Adrian Mitchell places members from generations of the Colless
family against the backdrop of our early history. He cleverly ties
the activities of the family to the geography and well known
characters appearing in the important events of our nation's story.
Rob Welsh
The lost sapphire by Belinda Murrell
Random House, 2016. ISBN 9781925324112
Highly recommended. This is a charming historical mystery,
connecting a young contemporary girl, Marli, with her forbears and
their life in the 1920s. Marli lives with her mother in Brisbane,
but needs to stay with her father in Melbourne for a period while
her mother works overseas. During her time in Melbourne she
discovers her family's intriguing past that is linked to an amazing
rundown mansion on the banks of the Yarra, a discovery that causes
her to discard the angst she felt at having to relocate.
Murrell links the history by moving between the two time eras,
unveiling the past and giving meaning to Marli's investigation of
her family history through her Great-grandmother Violet's story.
This uncovers the history of the privileged and the poor in the
1920s, the post-war period still coming to grips with the loss of
many young men, the growth of industrialisation, and the beginning
of a change in the role of women and in their expectations. This
unveiling is captivating, and there is also a revealing of the
Russian emigres who made their way to Australia after the Russian
Revolution. Love and relationships, marriage and family
expectations, fashion, work, health and leisure are revealed in the
historical context of the 1920s. A glimpse into industrial
relationships and prejudice in this historical era are also
enlightening.
I can highly recommend this to young readers who love historical
fiction (older family members will enjoy this too!).
Carolyn Hull
Captain Pug the dog who sailed the seas by Laura James
Ill. by Eglantine Ceulmanns. Bloomsbury, 2016. ISBN 9781408866368
(Age: 5-7) Recommended. A bright, bold beginning chapter book just
right for the young reader who loves animals, Captain Pug the
dog who sailed the seas introduces a jam-tart loving, sailor
suit wearing pug dog owned by Lady Miranda. He prefers a life of
luxury and his favourite breakfast tarts cooked and delivered by
Wendy the maid. Lady Miranda has two footmen as well who carry her
and her pampered pooch everywhere in a sedan chair. She has an
extensive wardrobe with matching outfits for her pampered pet. For
her birthday outing, Miranda's day involves a trip to the lake and a
ride on the pedallo boats, however pug is afraid of the water.
Dressed up in a smart sailor suit and a blue captain's hat, Pug is a
rather reluctant participant in the outing. While Lady Miranda and
the footmen dive into the lake to rescue some children, Pug follows
his nose and slips inside an abandoned picnic hamper, this leads to
a big adventure for the little dog, first aboard the tourist bus,
then on a racing scull and even on an ocean liner. Meanwhile poor
Lady Miranda and her footman are frantically looking for her little
lost dog.
Pug's antics are funny and engaging and Eglantine Ceulmanns'
whimsical cartoons certainly bring these characters to life. The
stylish use of bold orange and blue duotone illustrations, make this
chapter book visually appealing. Captain Pug the dog who sailed
the seas is just right to build a young reader's confidence or
as a story to be shared as a class or bedtime story. What mischief
can Pug and lady Miranda discover next in CowboyPug?
Recommended for 5-7 year olds
Rhyllis Bignell
The double axe by Philip Womack
Blood and fire Bk 1. Alma Books, 2016. ISBN 9781846883903
(Age: 11+) Minotaur. Greek mythology. Fantasy. Mythical
creatures. Crete - History. Princes and princesses. Philip Womack's
The double axe is an adaptation of the famous Greek legend of
the Minotaur. His thirteen-year-old protagonist Prince Stephan is
caught up in the evil conspiracy that threatens to kill the royal
household of Crete. The author's choice to rework the narrative and
change the hero is an interesting plot device. Instead of Prince
Theseus of Athens defeating the Minotaur and escaping the labyrinth
utilising Princess Ariadne's trail of thread, now we explore the
coming of age story from Stephan the Prince regent's point of view
as the royal family is exposed to the evil forces that surround
them. For lovers of the original myth this can be disconcerting.
Womack's narrative shows a depth of understanding about the daily
life in the palace, the structure of the royal household, the food
and feasts, weapons and hunting and relationships between the
masters and servants. The rituals of the priestesses, the reliance
on the Mother Goddess, the importance of religious customs, even the
sacrifices of six teenagers is told grippingly and brings an insight
into the evil machinations of mad priestess Myrrah. The sinister
forces at play demand much of Prince Stephan and his older sister,
Princess Ari. The way these characters rely upon each is pivotal to
the plot, each has complementary strengths the other needs to battle
the evil forces.
This is a dark tale more suited to an older reader who enjoys
historical fiction.
Rhyllis Bignell
Marvin and Marigold: the big sneeze by Mark Carthew
Ill. by Simon Prescott. New Frontier Publishing, 2016. ISBN
9781925059656
(Age: 4+) Sneezing. Hygiene. When Marigold builds her house next
door to Marvin, she builds it with wool, felt and bricks, strong
enough to withstand any weather. But she did not count on Marvin.
One day her house begins to crumble as the rumble of the noise next
door intrudes upon her peace. Marvin is allergic to cheese and when
he smells it his nose begins to twitch and he sneezes very loudly.
So Marigold decides to find a way to cure his sneezes. A problem is
to be solved.
Told in rhyming lines, the story is easy to read and children will
love predicting the next line as the first is read. The mice are
cutely drawn and children will love picking out the many details on
each page.
The story will lead a class into discussions of sneezing and why it
happens, of the etiquette surrounding sneezing and what to do about
sneezing. A health lesson could be initiated using this book.
Fran Knight
The special ones by Em Bailey
Hardy Grant Egmont, 2016. ISBN 9781742976280
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended, Thriller, Cults, Imprisonment,
Kidnapping, Religious fanaticism, Power. Esther is confined by the
verandahs of her house, not allowed to step into the yard outside.
That is Harry's space, a place where he tends the crops, chops the
wood, kills the animals for meat. The younger Special, Felicity is
allowed to go with him to collect the eggs. But when another girl is
kidnapped to become the new Lucille, the fourth in their household,
then cracks begin to appear. Esther can barely remember her life
before, but knows there is no escape from the life she now leads.
They are subjected to verification nights when they are measured by
the photograph on the wall to see if they all still fit the image
the man wants. They have nights where they confess to sins and then
are punished, every nights they go into a room with a bank of
computers to chat online with their followers. And above all is
their book of behaviour, the codes by which they must live.
A seriously creepy read, the isolated farmhouse where they live is
basic in the extreme. They are watched and monitored at all times,
Esther and Lucille make all their clothes, they live off all that
Harry and Felicity can produce. Esther bakes and salts and puts food
away in the larder.
Narrated by Esther, she is very protective of the younger Felicity
and tries hard to keep her within the image the man wants, but the
new Lucille creates problems for her. One day Harry is told that he
is to be renewed. He must leave, to be replaced by a new Harry but
Esther fears he will be killed.
After reading, Shift, I expected this to be a different
read, and was certainly not disappointed. The cult which confines
the four is all powerful, dictating every aspect of their spartan
lives. The first half is narrated by Esther, but once she is sent
out to be renewed, the narration is split between her and the man
who controls them allowing us into his crazy mind.
This is an unnerving thriller, revealing the nature of a psychopath
who believes the voices he hears in his head and is persuasive
enough to get Esther to follow him in the first place. Now that she
is out and pursued by the media, she is a problem he must deal with.
But she thinks the others sent for renewal must be alive and so
keeps looking for them despite her family's inability to understand,
the police avoiding her and the media derision. She is a strong
character with whom readers will identify, eagerly following her
journey to the gripping end.
Fran Knight
Fizz and the handbag dognapper by Lesley Gibbes
Ill. by Stephen Michael King. A police dog adventure series. Allen
and Unwin, 2016. ISBN 9781760112899
(Age: 7+) Highly recommended. Dogs. Police. Fizz the police dog is
back with another adventure - this time he has to go undercover to
find out who is kidnapping the hand bag dogs. This time it is even
more urgent for him to be successful because his sister Crystal has
been taken. Posing as a dog model at the launch of The Shrill Alarm
Collar device, Fizz has to use all his skills and team work to find
out who is doing the kidnapping.
This is an exciting story that is just perfect for the beginning
reader. Fizz is a most appealing character and the whole idea of
handbag dogs and tracking collars is one that is sure to appeal to
dog lovers, while the mystery will certainly appeal to any child who
loves being a detective.
A fabulous series, these books will have much appeal, with their
short chapters, humourous illustrations and wonderful characters.
Pat Pledger
Introducing Teddy: A story about being yourself by Jessica Walton
Ill. by Dougal MacPherson. Bloomsbury, 2016. ISBN 9781681192116
(Ages: 4-7) Recommended. Acceptance, Friendship, Gender,
Transgender. This is a warm and simple story that deals with the
sensitive social issue of gender identification and gender
non-conformance. It cleverly uses a teddy as the character whose
self-identity doesn't fit with his assigned sex, rather than a
person, making it more approachable. However, it importantly uses
people as the other characters, who show appropriate ways of
responding to the teddy and his feelings and needs. Thomas the teddy
and Errol play together every day, but Thomas is hiding a secret and
is worried that if Errol knows, he won't want to be his friend
anymore. When Errol assures Thomas he will always be his friend,
Thomas bravely tells him that he has always felt like a girl teddy,
not a boy teddy. Errol replies, 'I don't care if you're a girl teddy
or a boy teddy! What matters is that you are my friend'. The book
also has other subtle examples of children not conforming to
traditional gender stereotypes (behaviour, play, appearance). The
story implicitly emphasises, by example, that gender doesn't define
who we are and that changing our name or appearance doesn't change
who we are or what we like to do. It is not preachy, but encourages
being easy-going and open about who we are.
This is written at an appropriate level for its target audience and
will be indispensable for use with children who have transgender or
gender non-conforming friends, classmates or family members, but
also for reminding children that gender is just a label and
reinforcing that there is not one way of being a girl or a boy. It
might even be effective in getting a positive message across to
parents about responding to their own child's self-identity. It is
also a great springboard for classroom discussions around being a
supportive, unconditional friend.
Nicole Nelson
Two tales of brothers from Ancient Mesopotamia retold by John Heffernan
Ill. by Kate Durack. Christmas Press, 2016. ISBN 9780994234049
(Age: 7+) Warmly recommended. Gilgamesh, Ancient legends, Bravery,
Brotherhood, Gods, Middle East. When Gilgamesh became king of Uruk,
he quickly forgot himself and became a despot who had no feelings
for his subjects. They were now his slaves, to do his bidding. The
people appealed to the gods who created an equal to Gilgamesh, a
wild man who they left in the forest. Gilgamesh was horrified and
sent for him but he would not come to the city, so he sent a woman
to deceive him and bring him in. Once there the two had an almighty
battle until the gods let the light play upon Enkidu until Gilgamesh
realised that this man was truly his brother.
This the first of the two stories about Gilgamesh and Enkidu retold
by Heffernan for a young audience. These stories are not well known
and deserve a wider audience, offering as they do a group of myths
and legends to rival those we usually see rewritten with a softer
edge. These two stories tell of rivalry and bitterness, of
forgiveness and love, of bravery and allegiance. The second story
tells of Gilgamesh and Enkidu going out of the city to destroy a
huge monster. This marvellous story full of blood and gore will
appeal to primary people.
The illustrations are bright and vivacious, reflecting the images
found in the temples and carvings left in the Middle East by
civilisations of long ago. Durack uses a variety of layouts to
reflect the story, sometimes whole pages of pictures, sometimes a
comic style page, but always intriguing and worthy of closer
inspection. They will introduce the reader to a different culture
that those usually seen from Egypt and Greece.
Christmas Press books are available online.
Fran Knight
Josephine wants to dance by Jackie French
Ill. by Bruce Whatley. Angus & Robertson, 2016. ISBN
9781460752524
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. Dancing, Kangaroos, Achievement. A
tenth anniversary issue of this delightful story, a CBCA Notable
Book in 2007, is very welcome indeed. With Whatley's wonderful
illustrations, full of colour and movement, French's spare text
tells us all we need to know.
Josephine loves to dance, but everyone tells her that kangaroos do
not dance: they hop or they jump. But Josephine, undeterred, sneaks
into town where she finds a ballet company in rehearsal. She
watches, copying each of their moves, practicing all alone through
the night. Even curtseying at the end of her performance. Whatley's
illustrations of Josephine rehearsing her steps are wonderful, the
animal so well drawn kids will reach out their hands to touch her
coat.
When the impossible happens and the lead dancer sprains her ankle,
Josephine is the first to leap through the window and offer her
services. Dressed in her pink tutu with ballet slippers (Wow!) on
her feet she is ready for the evening performance. But even then her
friends, Joey and Wombat are still exhorting her to come back to
where she belongs.
She is a sensation, leaping across the stage with moves never seen
before, and she receives a bouquet of quite delicious roses as she
curtsies. So successful is she that the audience joins in, even Joey
and Wombat.
This is an encouraging story of being different, of striving to do
what you want to do, despite what others think. Josephine wants to
dance and try something out of the ordinary despite her friends
trying to keep her at home. She longs to dance and through her
perseverance achieves a milestone in her life. It is a wonderful
story of achievement to be shared with younger children, encouraging
discussion about trying your best, of living your dream, of being
different. Whatley's illustrations are priceless. I love Josephine
trying to be inconspicuous behind a tree, and the wombat with his
tutu, and the boab tree and the shocked face of the costume
designer. Kids and teacher swill love it all over again, and the
sparkly front cover will attract the readers before the teacher gets
the book ready for reading out loud.
Fran Knight
The Tale of Elske by Cynthia Voigt
Tales of the Kingdom. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2015. ISBN
9781481421904
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. Fantasy. Mythopoeic Fantasy Award
Nominee for Children's Literature (2000). I was thrilled to pick up
a book by Newbery Medalist Cynthia Voigt that I had missed when it
was first published as Elske. Although part of a series, the
book with a new cover and title can be read as a stand-alone and it
has become a favourite for me that is sure to be reread in the
future.
Elske is a wonderfully brave young woman whose grandmother has
sacrificed herself so that she won't be put to death by the Wolfers.
Fate brings her to work as a handmaiden to Princess Beriel, a proud
and independent young woman who knows her own mind and steadfastly
stands up for her rights. Here her loyalty and honesty shine through
as Beriel battles to regain her throne.
Voigt has created a fantasy world that seems real, the slight
romance at the end of the book will appeal to readers who enjoy love
between independent characters, and many like me will want to read
the others in the series, The tale of Gwyn (previously
published as Jackaroo), The Tale of Oriel
(previously Wings of a Falcon) and The tale of Birle
(previously On fortune's wheel).
Pat Pledger
