The great Australian Spelling Bee workbook for spellers in Middle Primary
Macquarie Dictionary Publishers, 2016. ISBN 9781925479485
(Age: 8 - 10) Recommended. The extremely popular Network Ten reality
show 'The Great Australian Spelling Bee' generated a large following
and raised the profile of Spelling and Literacy in Australia.
Remarkable young students with a great depth of knowledge about the
origin and definition of an unbelievable array of quirky, obscure
and Australian words proved their amazing ability. Network Ten and
Macquarie Dictionary Publishers have released this workbook for
spellers in the Middle Primary years.
The spelling bee image buzzes across the pages, introducing a
variety of enjoyable activities including finding a word, shrinking
words, 'what am I' definitions and synonym staircase.
This workbook starts with all about me which asks the child to enter
their favourite book, languages spoken and favourite word. The
activities are straightforward, easy to complete and each begins
with a clear set of instructions. A great holiday activity book,
there's something there to challenge the young spellers of
Australia.
Rhyllis Bignell
Grug and his first Easter by Ted Prior
Simon and Schuster, 2016. ISBN 9781925368246
(Ages: 4 - 6) Easter. This is not a traditional Easter story, but it
isn't one just about Easter eggs either. It is somewhere in the
middle, but with quirkiness unique to the Grug series.
However, there are some strange elements. Cara the snake's first
line is 'Soon be Easter, you might get an Easter egg'. This
ungrammatical sentence structure (is it because she is a ssssnake?)
does not fit with the rest of the story. In addition, when Grug asks
Cara about Easter, she explains that 'Easter is the time someone
special went away forever' and that people give eggs to celebrate
being born again. While the book avoids involving itself too deeply
in the religious traditions of Easter, it is inevitable that young
children are going to ask 'Who went away?' The story itself sees an
Easter bilby leave a small basket of eggs beside Grug's bed, most of
which he thoughtfully hides in the forest for his bush friends to
find, providing a nice message about giving rather than receiving.
He also creates a collage out of the egg wrapping paper, which might
give children inspiration for similar creative pursuits. It becomes
a little strange again at the end as he dreams about being born
again and having long legs and big ears; but when he wakes he is
just the same. This is a bit of a hodgepodge of a story that tries
to include multiple aspects of Easter, but it might leave children
asking more questions than you care to, or know how to, answer.
Nicole Nelson
Forgetting Foster by Dianne Touchell
Allen & Unwin, 2016 ISBN 9781760110796
(Age: 11+) Highly recommended. Alzheimer's disease. Families. When
Foster's father begins to forget things, the family jokes about it,
but soon, little notes appear on the cupboard reminding him of
things he needs to do, and some of the customary routines within the
house change. Foster is told little but realises that his father
needs more attention than before. And when he loses his job and Mum
has to take on more shifts, then things change considerably. Dad
runs away from home when Foster is caring for him. Miss Watson from
next door comes to sit them, and both Foster and his Dad have no
liking for her. When she strikes Dad, she is sent away but Mum still
has to deal with him, admitting that sometimes she feels like
hitting him herself. The disease is ever present in Foster's life,
his aunt Linda is often there, despite the two women not liking each
other. Things escalate until Mum is forced to ask for help. She has
tried to cope alone but now she must admit that his dementia is
beyond her. The strangely comic scene when the two social welfare
officers come had me laughing out loud, but the effect of their
visit means that mum now has some respite.
Readers will sympathise with the whole situation seeing Fossie
trying to understand his father's decline and his mother's
situation. She is coping from day to day, not wanting to look at
things in the long term, hoping that things will improve. She
declines offers of help, wanting to care for her husband herself,
but pushes Fossie away in the process.
This book is an amazing look at a disease which many more children
will see as the population ages, and for some reason, younger people
are being afflicted. Not only is it a most readable story, but gives
readers a raft of recognisable events, symptoms and words associated
with the disease to learn. Fossie learns that his father is no
longer the man he was and needs to learn how to adapt.
Fossie's attempts to make sense of his world parallels those of his
father as he goes from forgetting, needing a locked front door and
then violence in a short period of time. Touchell recreates this
family so sympathetically that we are drawn into the world wondering
how we would react, how we would cope. This is a masterful story,
beautifully told.
Fran Knight
On the river by Roland Harvey
Allen & Unwin, 2016. ISBN 9781760112455
(Age: All) Highly recommended. River Murray. Conservation. Humour.
Each year as the snow melts in the Snowy Mountains of eastern
Australia, small tributaries join other small streams, bubbling
together down the mountains until joining to become the Murray
River. Roland Harvey and his pelican friend traverse the river from
its source to the sea in South Australia, and along the way inform
the readers about the flora and fauna, man's uses of the river, the
craft which sail on her, the people and towns which live on the
banks, the industries, irrigation, locks and weirs. Sometimes the
view is beneath the water, sometimes we are shown the river from the
bank, sometimes a bird's eye view is given, but whatever perspective
is shown, the pages are filled with information.
I love the double page spread showing the bottom of the river: a
quiet wetland, where fish swim undisturbed, a Murray Cod hides in a
tree root, some birds dart for a feed while a fisherman sets up on
the bank and a small canoe winds its way between the trees. Along
the bottom of the page some of the things you might find on the page
are given with their names, urging the reader to find them. Over the
page is the spectacular Echuca Wharf, built to still be used at
times of flood, and we see more examples of human activity on the
river, with paddleboats, canoes, power boats, tinnies and houseboats
cluttering the pages. The endpapers give a view of the river from
its source to the sea, and invite readers to read every word as they
follow its journey.
Small hints are given along the way of the river's overuse, of its
degradation, particularly in the pages about the Darling River
joining the Murray. And some text is devoted to the Aboriginal use
of the river, its history and some less well known stories. All of
this is told alongside Harvey's very recognisable drawings,
particularly the people as they go about their lives along the
river, inviting all eyes to peer into the world presented, and
marvel at how the river and its flora and fauna has survived. The
book is a marvelous addition to the range of books promoting the
conservation of this river inviting everyone to be more aware of its
important place in our world.
Fran Knight
Fizz and the show dog jewel thief by Lesley Gibbes
Ill. by Stephen Michael King. Fizz series bk 3. Allen and
Unwin, 2016. ISBN 9781760112882
(Age: 7+) Highly recommended. Dogs. Thieves. Police. Fun and games
abound with Fizz the police dog in the third book in this very funny
and appealing series starring Fizz, the very cute little furball and
his friends. This time there is a jewel thief at the Dog Show who is
after the winning prize, a sparkling tiara. Fizz goes undercover as
a show dog, styled exquisitely with curls and bows and with a show
name, Angel, to impress the judges. He has to follow a number of
clues before he is able to work out just who the thief is and how
the tiara is hidden away before it is moved off the premises of the
show.
Fizz is a most appealing little character - he is brave and clever
and loyal to his friends and is happy to stand up to the bully
Amadeus, whose snappy dialogue provides much of the humour in the
book. The mystery is subtle enough to draw in the inquisitive reader
who likes to follow clues but there are some surprises on the way!
A lot of fun can also be had from King's illustrations of the Dog
Show, and the different breeds are depicted all beautifully styled
in bows and jewellery. The reader will immediately sense that King
just loves to draw different dogs in different disguises and
costumes.
This is a wonderful series that will appeal to emerging readers,
with its short chapters, intriguing plots and engaging characters.
Pat Pledger
Barnaby and the lost treasure of Bunnyville by Robert Vescio
Ill. by Cheri Hughes. Big Sky Publishing, 2016. ISBN 9781925275643
(Age: 4+) Rabbits. Environment. Barnaby had collected many seeds
from his travels and wanted to grow a lush vegetable garden, but the
mayor had decreed that no one was to grow anything in the village.
So Barnaby decided to do what rabbits do, dig. Surprisingly a few
days later the mayor found an old treasure map showing that there
was something to be found in the earth near the village. Soon all
the rabbits were out digging, giving Barnaby all the holes he needed
to plant his seeds.
Rain the next day ensured that the seeds sprouted and within a few
seasons, Barnaby was eating yummy fresh apples and taking the spare
to the market. Here the mayor remarked on the wonderful fruit and
Barnaby told him that this was the lost treasure of Bunnyville.
This could be used as an introduction to talking about fruit and
vegetables, or where these things come from, encouraging a school
group to set up their own garden.
Fran Knight
Somebody stop Ivy Pocket by Caleb Krisp
Ill. by John Kelly. Bloomsbury, 2016. ISBN 9781408858677
(Age: 9+) Recommended. Caleb Krisp's quirky heroine returns in Somebody
stop Ivy Pocket. She is now the adopted daughter of Ezra and
Mother Snagsby, owners of a thriving business that offer generous
discounts for pre-measured coffins. Ivy's role is to read a
suitable, sombre funereal poem for the nearly departed and leave
her parents to complete the transactions. Ivy is still guilty over
the loss of her friend Rebecca and is helped by mysterious
librarian, Miss Carnage, in her quest to find her whereabouts. Ivy
must also protect the Clock Diamond from the evil Miss Always, who
seems to be skulking around every corner!
Ivy's conversations are filled with irony, sarcasm and witticisms;
she marches through her difficult life with aplomb. Being locked in
her room is not a challenge, just the start of another adventure.
She meets problems head on and always seeks to find the truth, even
searching for the Snagsby's long lost daughter Adelaide. When the
beautiful heiress Estelle asks Ivy to investigate the mystery behind
her brother's death, of course she accepts the challenge.
Here is another fast-paced plot, filled with spies and villains, set
against the backdrop of Victorian England, with dusty drawingrooms,
solitary graveyards and a workhouse where Ivy is locked up. Magic
and mystery abound, fate and fortune follow the brave heroine. This
second book draws closely upon the threads of the first book Anyone
but Ivy Pocket; they must be read in order. This narrative takes a
little longer to engage with and is suited to a more confident
reader who is happy to be drawn into the multi-layered plot.
John Kelly's fun black and white cartoons add a depth and insight
into the difficult situations and quirky characters that Ivy Pocket
faces.
Rhyllis Bignell
The square root of summer by Harriet Reuter Hapgood
Macmillan 2016. ISBN 9781509808281
(Age: Adolescent) Grief. Love. Quantum physics. Time travel. Family.
Gottie's mother died when she was born and she lives with her German
Dad and older brother, uni student Ned, in a small seaside village in
Norfolk. Her charismatic grandfather, Grey, had been the one to hold
the family together until his sudden death and 17 year old Gottie
has found it difficult to adjust, becoming withdrawn and isolated.
'...ever since the day Grey died, talking exposes me. As though
I'm the opposite of invisible but everyone can see right through me'
For Grottie maths and physics offer answers to fundamental
questions she has about the world and she starts to research
spacetime, black holes, and wormholes for a pre-university essay
suggested by her teacher. Trying to figure out quantum physics
combined with a wish to wind back time to before her grandfather
died starts to have some disconcerting effects. In revisiting last
summer she gradually puts together a new perspective on the events,
including falling in love and having sex with her brother's best
friend Jason who rejected her when she needed him most after Grey's
death. Working through her memories, reconnecting with her friend
Sof and the reappearance of her childhood best friend Thomas who has
been living in Canada, helps her to properly grieve, to fall in love
again and to grow closer to her family. The narrative weaves
together past events and alternate realities which can be confusing
but Gottie's relationship with the other characters builds
continuity and ultimately it all seems to fall into place
organically resolving a complex story of grief, growth and love.
Essentially a first love romance, it will appeal to adolescent girls
looking for a bit more complexity. Marisha Pessl's Special
topics in calamity physics has similar appeal.
Sue Speck
Who's next? Guess who? by Anton Poitier
Ill. by Sophia Touliatou. The Five Mile Press, 2016. ISBN
9781760403133
(Ages: 3-5) Recommended. This is another search and guess book
similar to the previous Five Mile Press publication Who's had a
poo? However, this one has softer, more detailed
illustrations, and is more pleasurable and appealing than the other
offering. The structure of the book is a little I went walking,
with a new animal joining the group on each page; however, on each
page one of the animals also leaves the group. The reader is told
who joins the group each time ('A silly seal came next, with a
scaredy-spider') but is only given clues (you can see a portion of
the animal at the side of the page) about who has left and who will
come next. Each page prompts, 'Who left? Guess who came next?' So,
in this way, the group grows until a crocodile comes along. Who
left? Everyone did! As with Who's had a poo?, all the
animals are also labelled and pictured on the final endpapers, so
children can name them. This is a simple, but effective interactive
book for parents and children to share. It encourages conversation
and careful observation, and will test the memory and concentration
of parents as well as children!
Nicole Nelson
Coffin Road by Peter May
Quercus, 2016. ISBN 9781784293093
(Age: Senior secondary to adult) Highly recommended. Crime fiction,
Scotland, Bees. Washed ashore on the island of Harris, a man has no
idea of who he is or why he is where he is. He can recall being in
the sea and knows that he has a head wound, but beyond that,
nothing. He struggles up the beach and heads towards a cluster of
houses, and realises that one is his. Here he searches the place for
some clue of his identity and finds nothing. A woman who comes into
his house and later into his bed, obviously knows him intimately and
when they follow the dog the next day up the hills from his house,
they stumble over a group of beehives. He finds small pieces of
information grabbing his attention but none is able to create a
proper memory of who he is and why he is there.
When a body is discovered on the island off shore, an island he has
been seen at, DS Gunn takes him in for questioning, but he stalls,
not willing to say that he has no memory. Meanwhile in Edinburgh, a
young girl works out that her father, believed to have suicided two
years ago, is alive and sets out to search for him. She knows that
his research student is near Harris and thinks she may be able to
find her father through him. Along the way she meets her father's
old friend who tells her about the research that her father was
involved with before his 'suicide'. He and several others were
researching the effect of neonicotinoids used in crop sprays upon
the bee populations around the world, linking their decline to the
effect of these sprays on their memories. Without remembering where
to find pollen, the bees die, which means that the pollination of
our major food sources will not occur and so we will die.
This research is being undermined by the global spray manufacturers
and so several men, after losing their positions in laboratories
funded by these companies, have decided to do the research in
secret.
Karen in searching for her father stumbles into the secret research
and so the strands come together, of Karen looking for her father,
of the secret research, of the death on the island.
DS Gunn is a wonderful ploy to the amnesiac, asking questions,
liking the man but aware that he could be a killer, giving him the
opportunity to work things out. The exciting last chapter where all
the threads come together on a bleak night off Harris, is
mesmerising as May's description of the weather and the surrounds
grabs attention. His presenting of the theme of the suppression of
data by big companies is mind boggling, and a short trawl using
Google will add to the readers' knowledge.
Fran Knight
This hungry dragon by Heath McKenzie
Scholastic, 2016. ISBN 9781760151508
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Dragons, Food. This hungry dragon simply does
not know when to stop. First he eats the little owl in the tree,
then the fox, on to the pig and then the bear. Each time he gorges
on another meal, the animal he eats is bigger than the last.
Children will laugh out loud seeing the dragon get bigger as the
book progresses, the lovely rhyming stanzas prompting them to
predict what the rhyming word will be. And the colourful
illustrations work beautifully, reflecting the cheeky very hungry
dragon. His large frame fills the cover inviting readers to open the
book to see why he is so huge.
When he becomes the size of a house and feels a little unwell, he
determines to call in the doctor whose x-ray of the dragon's stomach
is most revealing. Children will laugh out loud at all the other
things dragon has eaten and wonder how the doctor will escape with
the other animals inside dragon's stomach. But the doctor comes up
with a cunning plan and they are expelled, the dragon learning a
lesson he will not forget.
This is a delightful tale, well told in rhyming couplets and
beautifully illustrated leading to much discussion about eating.
Fran Knight
Play School: The Useful Book illustrated by Jedda Robaard
ABC Books, 2016. ISBN 9780733334016
(Ages: 3-6) It is 50 years since Play School first went to air and
37 years since the first edition of The Useful Book. Times
may have changed, but Play School is still a program beloved by
children and parents around the country and The Useful Book
is just as relevant: filled with ideas for play using common
household items. The book is aimed at parents of preschool children,
but some older children will also enjoy flicking through and picking
out craft and cooking activities. This book will appeal to parents
who struggle to think of creative activities to do with their
children and don't know many songs or nursery rhymes, as well as
those just looking for fresh ideas for a rainy day. The book has
pictures, but they are in black and white, so will not appeal
greatly to young children. There are some activities suitable for
children from one year of age, but most suit three and four year
olds, who will enjoy flicking through with a parent, singing and
finding creative play ideas. The text itself talks directly to
parents and gives ideas about what things children may be able to do
independently. Although it sometimes mentions the educational
aspects of the activities, it mainly focuses on children's
enjoyment, which is refreshing. Perfect for big and little Play
School fans.
Nicole Nelson
This is where the world ends by Amy Zhang
HarperCollins, 2016. ISBN 9780062417879
(Age: 14+) This is where the world ends by Amy Zhang is a
vibrant and brilliant novel full to the brim with relatable emotions
and situations. Although the novel has some more sombre themes to
it, there are many aspects of this book that speak to teens and how
they are coping with everyday life and any tragedy within their
lives. It is a story about Janie and Micah and their nearly opposite
personalities. They are best friends and have been since they were
children, even as they grew up and apart, they still had a strong
connection to each other.
The story is not set in the traditional linear fashion of novels,
but rather, each character tells the sad story from their own stance
in the timeline, all to unravel the truth of what really happened
one deep dark night (just like in the setting of one of Janie's
fairytales) and the outcome of such a sad event. The story line of
the novel follows both Janie and Micah in their everyday experiences
separate to each other at school and at home and includes their
inner-monologues and thoughts about themselves and each other. Amy
Zhang has included another way of telling the thrilling and powerful
story by including excerpts from The Journal of Janie Vivian. These
pages include drawings and designs relevant to the character and
display another means of character expression throughout the novel.
This book would be better suited to readers 14+ due to sexual and
violent themes found within the story. This is where the world ends is a strong and fierce novel
that captivates readers, relates to readers and gives them another
perspective on life through the collective eyes of Janie and Micah,
two very strong and memorable characters.
Sarah Filkin
Steve goes to carnival by Joshua Button
Ill. by Robyn Wells. Magabala Books, 2016. ISBN 9781925360219
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Gorillas, Zoos, Rio de Janeiro, Jazz,
Friendship. An array of animals lives in the zoo in Rio de Janeiro.
The jaguars pace in their den, the elephant stretches out his trunk
for an ice cream, the howler moneys do what they are known for, the
sloths sway gently, the anteater eats its dinner and the lion licks
his lips. But the gorilla called Steve simply waits for the keeper,
Antonio to appear. They are the best of friends, and share a love of
jazz. Antonio often sits with Steve in the evening listening to the
radio. One night Steve misses Antonio and lifts the latch of his
cage to search for him. Outside the zoo he finds a wide-brimmed hat,
the perfect disguise. He catches the yellow tram into the city and
sees and hears the sights and sounds of Carnival. Hearing some
familiar music he enters the Blue Jaguar Jazz Club and spies Antonio
playing his saxophone. They greet each other fondly and Steve takes
the hand of a dancer and sways to the music. But his hat falls from
his head revealing who he is. Without missing a beat the beautiful
dancer picks up his hat and places it on his head and they resume
dancing, twisting and turning into the night.
What a wonderful story, rich in meaning, giving information about
Rio through the writing in a splendidly subtle way, and reflecting a
contemporary illustrative technique which grabs the attention of the
readers.
Younger readers will thrill to the images of Carnival in Rio,
reflecting on the city that is shortly to host the Olympic Games.
Portuguese words dot the text and pictures, introducing the reader
to the words they may well hear during the Games. Some of these
words appear in a short glossary at the end, and readers will have a
great deal of fun after reading this story finding other words and
working out their meanings, particularly those reflecting Brazil's
food and festivities.
This is an enchanting story, impressive in its detail of life in
Rio, allowing readers to assimilate information about Rio and its
lifestyle without feeling they are reading a text. The background of
head dresses, trams, favelas, people and buildings all form part of
the vividly drawn streetscapes for readers to linger over. The
vibrant pictures will easily grab their imaginations as the
illustrations stretch and sway, move and meander across the pages.
Joshua Button is a descendant of the Walmajari people of the
Kimberley, and lives in Broome. His first picture book, Joshua
and the two crabs was released with acclaim in 2008, and he
worked with Robyn Wells on this book starting at her kitchen table
in 2006. And I hope he has more work in progress.
Fran Knight
The mystery of the clockwork sparrow by Katherine Woodfine
The mystery of the clockwork sparrow bk. 1. Egmont, 2015.
ISBN 9781405276177
(Age: 11-14) Recommended. Mystery. Thriller. Fabulous for fans of
mysteries and adventure this sparkling story set in the beautiful
rooms of a gorgeous new department store will tantalise with its
plucky heroines, brave young boys and evil villains. Sophie and Lil
both work in Sinclair's which is going to open with a grand fanfare
and a wonderful collection of jewellery and artifacts, including a
clockwork sparrow that plays tunes at random. When it is stolen,
suspicion falls on Sophie and with her friends Lil, Billy and Joe,
she sets out to find who has stolen it.
This is a ripping adventure story, with some breathtaking moments
as the four friends face the most dastardly villains in London. The
setting of the Edwardian store Sinclair's, with its clothing
departments and restaurants, courtyards and basements, provides a
grand background for the youthful sleuths to track down clues and
face enormous danger.
This is a fun and compelling read, and is sure to please readers who
want some excitement and adventure in their reading or those who
enjoyed Murder
most unladylike by Robin Stevens. It is
followed by The mystery of the jewelled moth, and I am sure
our intrepid detectives will once again face the danger of the
criminal underbelly of London.
Pat Pledger
