Ill. by Jonathan Bentley. Little Hare Books, 2016. ISBN
9781760124229
High above a bright yellow kite soars in the bright blue sky and as
it dips and dives, flits and flies with its tail feathers flying it
catches the eye of Daisy. Intrigued she follows its string to see
who is flying such a magnificent thing. Up the hill, down the hill
and across the field she finds William in a big house on the edge of
town. As she watches longingly through the fence, he invites her in
and teaches her how to fly it. But then she does the unthinkable -
she runs away with the kite all the way back to her house. Knowing
she has done the wrong thing she hides it and doesn't fly it - but
where is the joy in a kite sitting on top of a wardrobe instead of
soaring through the sky? At last she cannot stand it and she just
has to fly the kite - but William sees her and just walks away.
Again the kite is placed on the top of the wardrobe but the next
day, Daisy takes it down again . . .
Sometimes little people are just so tempted by someone else's things
that they just have to take them, even though, like Daisy, they know
it is wrong to do so. And with Christmas coming on and lots of
children having lots of things to show off, there are going to be a
lot of children fighting temptation. Thus this is a timely story
about wanting, needing, guilt and honesty which has a heart-warming
ending that lends itself to all sorts of discussions in the home and
in the classroom.
The visual contrast, both physically and metaphorically, of the
bright yellow kite against the deep blue sky, juxtaposes Daisy and
William's positions and Jonathan Bentley's illustrations add much to
the text with their movement and colour. This is a charming story
about friendship and forgiveness and the dilemma of whether a thing
is more important than a friend.
Barbara Braxton
Fizzlebert Stump and the great supermarket showdown by A. F. Harrold
Fizzlebert Stump series, bk. 6. Ill. by Sarah Horne.
Bloomsbury, 2016. ISBN 9781408869451
(Age: 7+) A.F. Harrold's Fizzlebert Stump comical stories
come packed with quirky individuals, farcical situations, general
silliness and mad mayhem. We begin with Chapter 4; luckily, the
narrator consistently interrupts with stacks of irrelevant and
irreverent background information! Fizzlebert Stump formerly lived
in a travelling circus with his clown mother and strongman father.
Now Fizzlebert or Fizz to his friends is a strong twelve-year-old
boy currently working as a bag boy for tyrannical Mr. Pinkbottle's
superstore. Fortunately, the tale returns to Chapter 1 and all is
explained - the Ringmaster has sold the circus and all of the circus
performers under contract are given new jobs in the store. Fizz
overhears Mr. P's diabolical plans to blackmail the Ringmaster and
disband the circus.
Fizz's life becomes a game of cat and mouse, locked up in the cold
room, forced to deliver bags of shopping, an interlude in a library,
listening in on conversations and being forced to wear a gorilla
suit and clean the floors with a small brush and pan.
Providentially, Fizz has loyal friends, Kevin who switches places
with him and Alice who is a strongperson for Neil Coward's Famous
'Cicrus'. What a fun ending, even the police join the performers to
put on a show.
Sarah Horne's black and white cartoons enliven the pandemonium,
there is Madame Plume de Matant's flatulent explosion at the cheese
counter, Alice's burglar under Mr. Pinkbottle's desk and Fizz's
reunion with Fish the sea lion. Fizzlebert Stump and the great
supermarket showdown is the grand finale to this comical
series, just right for young readers who enjoy slapstick humour.
Rhyllis Bignell
Fridays with the wizards by Jessica Day George
Castle Glower series, bk 4. Bloomsbury, 2016. ISBN
9781408858417
(Age: 9+) Recommended. Fantasy. Adventure. Castle life,
Mythical creatures. Jessica Day George's Castle Glower
fantasy series continues in Fridays with the wizards.
Twelve-year-old Celie's life is growing up; her pre-adolescent
feelings and attitudes are changing and so is the magical world
surrounding her. This novel is centred on the family's return to the
castle, the betrothal of her older sister Lulah to Prince Lilith and
the escape of the evil wizard Arkwright. The royal family realises
that Arkwright has made plans dangerous to their country and deadly
to them. Celie's skills as a mapmaker and discoverer of secret rooms
and special artefacts are of much benefit. Two dozen exquisite
griffins now inhabit the palace, each one bonded to their owner.
Celie adores her pet Rufus who accompanies her on her daring
adventures to find the escaped wizard, through the ever-changing
rooms and secret castle passageways.
Amidst the endless fittings for wedding clothes, the joy of watching
new griffins hatch, the building of a ship in the sheep meadow,
Celie's experiences some angst and self-doubt. Her decisions at
times seem selfish which cause problems for her family especially
elder brother, Wizard Bran. Fridays with the wizards is a slower-paced narrative, with
less of the surprising fantasy elements included in Jessica Day
George's previous junior novels. Growing up, family loyalty and
taking responsibility for your own actions are key messages here.
Promises of a new magic kingdom with unicorns and a royal wedding
will excite fans of this series.
Rhyllis Bignell
The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer
Hachette, 2016. ISBN 9780751568233
(Age: Adult) Recommended for fans of thriller and romantic suspense.
Using different names, an ex-agent, skilled with chemicals and
interrogation, is hiding from killers desperate to put her away. Her
boss and friend has already died in a laboratory fire and she has
just managed to escape. She is exhausted from hiding and when her
former handler asks her to help them with a terrorist who threatens
to murder thousands of people, she decides that she must do this in
order to stop them chasing her. However she discovers to her horror
that nothing is what it seems.
Although there are many novels with an agent on the run from rogue
handlers and a meeting of soul mates, Meyer has created an
interesting and unique setting in The chemist. Her agent is
a very frightening heroine who is exceptionally intelligent and very
clever with poisons and traps. As the novel progresses the reader
also finds out she is exceptionally gifted at many nasty things to
do with chemicals and there are a few rather horrific scenes.
However her romance with Daniel Beach, the man who is accused of
being a terrorist, is rather sweet and will appeal to readers who
like a love affair. Daniel is almost too good to be true, a talented
teacher, helping out when needed and coaching sports. There is some
funny and spirited dialogue in the latter sections of the book that
lifts the story and adds a dimension to the characters.
I found the story quite engrossing and had trouble putting it down.
There are multiple twists and turns, some unexpected developments,
and some very appealing dogs! This is a great holiday read and is
sure to be popular with its targeted audience.
Pat Pledger
Turbo twenty-three by Janet Evanovich
Stephanie Plum bk 23. Hachette Australia, 2016. ISBN
9781472201706
(Age: Adult) Strong language and sexual content. Another one for
anyone who is a fan of Stephanie Plum and her very funny friends.
Stephanie is again trying to pick up a bond evader, who is trying to
hijack a freezer van loaded with Bogart ice-cream. He crashes the
van and a frozen body covered in chocolate and pecans is discovered
in the back. Ranger asks her to go undercover at the Bogart factory
and try and discover just what is going on. From then on there are
all the hilarious hijinks that one would expect to happen in this
series.
Probably one of the reasons people continue to read the books is to
find out whether Stephanie finally ends up with Joe Morelli or
whether the temptation of the dark, mysterious and very sexy Ranger
will prove too much for Stephanie. As always, Evanovich is clever
enough to keep the reader engrossed enough to continue to the end to
see what happens in the romance department.
The murder mystery is also lots of fun as Stephanie grapples with
some hilarious and sometimes very dangerous moments as she helps to
uncover the strange murder. Turbo twenty-three is pure holiday reading, with a lot of
familiar humour, a new plot and some scary moments.
Pat Pledger
Sting by Sandra Brown
Hachette, 2016. ISBN 9781444791518
(Age: Adult) Recommended for readers of romantic suspense. Author of
many bestselling novels, Sandra Brown brings her signature thrills
and sexual tension to Sting. When Jordie Bennet sees Shaw
Kinnard across a crowded disreputable bar, sparks fly but little
does she know that Shaw has been paid to kill her. But Shaw has
decided that he would prefer the $30 million dollars that her
brother has stolen and abducts her instead. But he is not the only
one after the $30 million, her brother's callous boss and the FBI
are on the trail as well and Jordie and Shaw find themselves
fighting for their lives, even though they aren't sure of each
other's motivations.
The reader is taken along on a thrilling ride in the swamps of the
Bayou as Brown ramps up the action all the while having the reader
pondering the questions of whether Jordie is an innocent bystander
or in league with her crooked brother and whether Shaw is the
totally ruthless assassin that he appears to be. The tension between
Jordie and Shaw is mesmerising and the action is terrific. There are
many twists and turns and a complex plot to keep the reader
engrossed to the end.
This is a page turner of a novel, a perfect holiday read and
certainly one for readers who enjoy romance mixed with thrills.
Pat Pledger
Doodles by Daley Pearson and Francis Stanton
Allen and Unwin, 2016. ISBN 9781760295448
(Age: 7+) Recommended. Doodles. Based on the ABC television show Doodles,
the Doodles activity book is a humorous book, filled with
special drawings that should appeal to children who like to draw and
doodle. What makes it unique and is wonderfully motivating, is that
the person doing the drawings can send them directly to the series
itself (www.doodles.com.au) and the drawing could be made into its
own movie.
The book starts out with instructions on how to use it and is then
divided into sections: Monsters, Aliens and space, Robots and
technology, Magic and fantasy, Dinosaurs, Superheroes, and Make your
own movie. This wide range of topics will have appeal to a wide
audience, and the instructions 'Remember, there are no good or bad
drawings with Doodles', are a further incentive to have a go. As
well as the opportunity to draw lots of different things there are a
variety of other activities like 'Find a word' and crosswords for
the older child. A trailer
is available on the publisher's website.
The emphasis of the book is on fun and laughter and it is sure to be
popular with the target audience. This would be a great book to give
as a gift and would keep kids occupied for many hours during
holidays.
Pat Pledger
The woman on the stairs by Bernhard Schlink
Hachette, 2016. ISBN 9781474604994
(Age: 15+) Bernhard Schlink's novel, written in 2016 and in
translation from German, is a sleekly woven tale of one woman,
Irene, the gloriously beautiful and enigmatic Irene, whose portrait
was painted by the artist, Schwind, as she stood still on a
staircase, for the husband, businessman Gundlach, and subsequently
stolen by Irene herself, with the help of the besotted lawyer, for
whom, Irene claimed, she was the 'damsel in distress'.
Many years late all three men come together to Gundlach's house to a
frail Irene, living in a ramshackle shack at the bottom of a hill, a
farm on the New South Wales coast, accessible more easily by boat
from Sydney. This is where Irene had been living for many years,
having chosen to live away from the old Europe in the freshness and
freedom of Australia.
The lover, as narrator, having finally traced Irene, was determined
to find out what had happened, why she had abandoned him in their
youth, and why the painting, apparently kept by her for many years,
had been donated anonymously to the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
This entire novel is dream-like, captivatingly strange, yet calmly
rational at times, in a sense reflecting the woman herself. Setting
his background tale in a Europe of the last century, Schlink
literally catapults us into the modern world, and an Australian one
at that, the narrator flying in a helicopter to the Australian
countryside, depicted in such stark contrast to the mannered nature
of old Europe, admittedly historically an unsettled political world.
Dreamlike, musing on the meaning of relationships, art, time and
love, Schlink captivates the reader, taking us into the rational
mind of the story-teller who seeks to unravel the mystery of the
woman's disappearance and the reasons for her action, that was bound
to summon the three men.
Absolutely engrossing, this novel forces us to consider love,
loyalty, art, relationships, friendship and ultimately, the meaning
of life. As life slips away, the dying Irene faces the unknown,
helped by the gentle kindness of the would-be lover of the past. The
ideas, the words, the passion, all stay with the reader for days,
Schlink capturing so many of the puzzles about why and how we live
our lives, musing on different relationships, and on the deeply
moving nature of art, on what life means, on love and on loyalty.
Liz Bondar
Taking a punt by Peter Endersbee
Wakefield Press, 2016. ISBN 9781743054093
(Age: Adult) Peter Endersbee, a photographer and former football
star, was confronted with the shock diagnosis of serious prostate
cancer at the age of 59. He describes how he came to the decision to
go ahead with the surgery which, whilst life-saving, would
potentially leave him incontinent and impotent. I must confess that
in the early parts of the book I, like some of his family and
friends, found myself wishing he would just toughen up and get over
the fear about lost erections - after all he had his life, as well
as a loving supportive partner. But with further reading I came to
understand that as with any loss, there is a rollercoaster of
emotions, and most particularly grief and anxiety over loss of
identity. Endersbee is in fact very brave in revealing his struggle,
putting it into words that can be shared with others undergoing the
same trauma, breaking the silence about secret men's business. This
incredibly honest book would be helpful to anyone facing a similar
situation, and also helpful to family and friends trying to
understand and be supportive.
Helen Eddy
Wombat divine by Mem Fox
Ill. by Kerry Argent. Omnibus, 2016. ISBN 9781742991221
For as long as he could remember, Wombat wanted to be in the
Nativity play at Christmas. Now, at last he was old enough and so he
hurried off to the auditions. But getting a part was not easy. He
was too heavy to be the Archangel Gabriel. He was too big to be Mary
and too short to be a king. Perhaps he could be
Joseph. But that didn't work either and neither did being the
innkeeper or one of the shepherds. Soon there were no parts
left and Wombat didn't have any of them. Then, suddenly, Bilby
has an idea... Wombat divine is one of Australia's most-loved Christmas stories
written by one of Australia's most-loved authors for little
people. Mem Fox's words always have a magic about them and
this story is no different. As you read it to yourself, you
can hear yourself reading it aloud - the true indicator of a master
writer at work. Superb illustrations by Kerry Argent capture
the action perfectly with just a touch of humour so that we can
empathise with Wombat but you just know something will work itself
out.
This is such an iconic Australian story that every child should know
it as an integral part of their growing up.
Barbara Braxton
The baker's dozen by Aaron Shepard
Ill. by Wendy Edelson. Shepard Publications, 2010. ISBN
9780938497486
Van Amsterdam the baker was well known for his honesty as well as
for his fine Saint Nicholas cookies, which were made of gingerbread
and iced just as people imagine St Nicholas to look like. When he
made the cookies he weighed his ingredients meticulously and always
gave his customers exactly what they paid for - not more, and not
less. They were very happy and Van Amsterdam was very successful.
But one day a mysterious old woman in a black shawl came into the
shop and demanded that Van Amsterdam give her thirteen biscuits
because that was how many were in a 'baker's dozen'. Van Amsterdam
refused so the old woman left without her cookies but as she left
she told Van Amsterdam 'Fall again, mount again, learn how to count
again.'
From that day, business went downhill and Van Amsterdam was left
almost penniless and with no customers. Then one night he is visited
by St Nicholas in a dream and he learns a lesson about being
generous.
This is a retelling of an old tale that goes back into history with
the first recorded version being noted in 1896. Accompanied by
exquisite illustrations it brings yet another legend associated with
Christmas to life and underscores the need to be unselfish at this
time. It includes a recipe for St Nicholas cookies and a Readers
Theatre script.
Something a little different.
Barbara Braxton
The night Santa got lost: How NORAD Saved Christmas by Michael Keane
Ill. by Michael Garland. Regency Kids, 2015. ISBN 9781621573982
'On a day long ago began NORAD's tradition-
Tracking Santa's red sleigh on his once-a-year mission.
Using radar and satellites - fighter jets too!
Reporting on Santa, wherever he flew'.
But one Christmas Eve a blizzard rolls in and so Santa leaves the
North Pole early much to the dismay of NORAD who weren't prepared
for the unscheduled start. And as the green blip disappears off the
radar screen and there is no sign of Santa or his reindeer, panic
ensues. A four star general and the Commander-in-Chief order the
fighter jets into the air and every last piece of technology the US
Air Force has is set to searching for Santa.
Eventually he is found buried deep in a snow drift but now it is too
late to get all the presents to the children in the traditional way
of reindeer and sleigh, so once again the bigwigs put their heads
together and come up with a most audacious plan that involves NATO
and other US allies, battleships, cruisers, submarines, helicopters,
C-17s, trucks and tanks and every other sort of transport available
to the military. And for those places where 'The children love
Santa, but the leaders say no', there are Special Ops, Navy SEALS
and tough Army Rangers.
Will their mission succeed? Will they get to all the children of the
world in time?
Dedicated to the children whose parents 'allow us to live in a world
where we have the freedom to believe in Santa Claus' this is a very
different story for Christmas, one that acknowledges those who serve
by showing them in a less-than-traditional setting. NORAD (North
American Aerospace Defence Command) is a joint United States and
Canadian military organisation and for over 60 years it has tracked
Santa's flight each December 24. Children can watch where he is by
going to the website or downloading an app so they know when they
have to get into bed after their tour of the local Christmas lights
as more than 1500 people trace his every movement through 47 radar
installations in Northern Canada and Alaska, alerting them to when
Santa actually leaves the North Pole, and satellites at about 22,000
miles above the Earth with infrared sensors, which see the heat
coming off of Rudolph's nose. In addition, there are high-speed digital
SantaCams set up around the world to catch a glimpse of him passing
by the different cities.
Written in the vein of The night before Christmas this is
one that even older children will enjoy. While predominantly
American and with several pages of explanations at the end,
nevertheless it will resonate particularly with children whose
family members are in the services.
A trailer
is available.
Barbara Braxton
The twelve underwater days of Christmas by Kim Michelle Toft
Silkim Books, 2007. ISBN 9780975839041 hbk, ISBN 9780975839034 pbk.
Take the traditional Christmas song, add the most magnificent
creatures of the world's oceans, include important information about
those creatures and immerse the whole in the beautiful painted silk
artworks of Kim Michelle Toft and you have, quite simply, my most
favourite Christmas book ever!
Toft has used the words of 'The twelve days of Christmas' not
only to introduce readers to the dwellers of the deep, but has also
built on the traditional concept of gift-giving at this time to
emphasise what a precious present these creatures are - one that we
may not enjoy for much longer if we don't start to value it now.
'All of the magnificent creatures in this book rely on the ocean for
their survival and many were once found in abundance. This is no
longer true. Modern technology, huge increases in the world's
population and lack of management have resulted in some serious
problems. These problems include over fishing, pollution from poorly
treated sewage, effluents from oil spills, litter and global warming
which is contributing to the destruction of coral reefs all around
the world. It is up to nations, governments and the will of the
people to work together to help conserve these incredible gifts from
nature.'
Thus, as well as being a stunning visual feast, there is a serious
message that can be emphasised, enabling this book to sit well
within any sustainability curriculum. Even though students might not
be able to replicate the artworks which are hand drawn with gold
gutta on white silk then painted with brushes using silk dyes, the
concept itself might inspire a class project of those things in the
local region that might disappear if no action to preserve them is
taken.
At the end of the book is an amazing poster containing all the
creatures mentioned, and some versions have a CD
of Toft's lyrics sung by Lisa Hunt. What a wonderful song to add to
the Christmas repertoire.
Toft always writes and illustrates about her passion - the
preservation of ocean life - and you can see all her publications online.
She is one who must have a place on your library's shelves - school
or home.
Barbara Braxton
The legend of the Christmas cookie by Dandi Daley Mackall
Ill. by Richard Cowdrey. ZonderKidz, 2015. ISBN 9780310747673
It is the Great Depression and Jack is missing his father who has
gone West to work, desperately - even more so now that he knows he
won't be home for Christmas. As he walks into the kitchen on
Christmas Eve, he smells sweet bread and licorice but there haven't
been cookies in the cookie jar for over a year. But tonight his
mother has decided to make traditional Christmas cookies for the
needy at church, although Jack would rather have them for himself.
The wooden cookie boards with their Nativity moulds are brought out
and as she bakes, his mother tells him the story of Christ's birth
through the shapes, just as was done in medieval times when people
were too poor to go to school to read.
Next day, they take the cookies to church, but to Jack's delight his
mother has saved him the angel one that he liked so much. But just
as he is about to take a bit, there is a knock on the door...
In the Scwaben region of Southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland
these cookie moulds - or springerle moulds - were used to press into
biscuit dough and this story is built on that. While not necessarily
a regular custom in Australian homes, it is common in the US and it
is yet another tale associated with the traditions of Christmas that
is worth exploring and discussing the virtue of selflessness and
giving rather than receiving. It does have a strong Christian bent
although the message of helping others in need is universal
regardless of beliefs. The back flap includes a recipe for Christmas
cookies and while the wooden moulds may be hard to obtain, there are
enough Christmas shapes available to start a new family tradition.
A trailer
is available.
Barbara Braxton
There is something weird in Santa's beard by Chrissie Krebs
Random House Australia, 2016. ISBN 9780143780861
'Santa has a sweet tooth,
he loves bits of cake
He's glad to sample any treat
that Mrs Claus will bake.'
So it's no wonder that he gobbles up all the sweet treats that are
left for him as he makes his way around the homes on that special
night of the year. Biscuits, fruit mince pies, soft drink, crisps,
candy canes, bubble gum - he enjoys them all. But when he finally
gets home he is so tired that he goes to sleep without having a bath
or brushing his teeth, and because it has been such an exhausting
journey he sleeps for days and weeks and months! And when he finally
does wake up there is a nasty strange beast growing in his beard -
one that defies all Santa's methods for getting rid of it until the
reindeer have an idea...
This is a funny, clever story-in-rhyme that will appeal to children
who like the fact that gross and dirty things can shock adults and
make them shudder as their imaginations run wild. And if it can
happen to Santa because he is too tired/lazy/not interested in
having a wash then...
Barbara Braxton
