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
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
