Bloomsbury, 2015. ISBN: 9781408853344
(Ages 2-6) This is a heart-warming, rhyming narrative with poetic
descriptive language. It uses a common premise in children's books-
a lonely character searching for a home-but is a particularly
pleasing version. We do not know where little Snow Bear has come
from, but he is wandering through the cold, snowy night alone
looking for a place to sleep. He finds some cosy places but other
animals are already living there and there is no room for him.
However, when he spots a warm, cosy farmhouse he discovers a little
girl who is lonely just like him and a place he can call home. The
illustrations perfectly capture the contrast between the white,
wintry world of loneliness and the warm, fiery, cosy world of home.
Descriptive language and imagery adds a poetic tone-'But ahead the
snow's waiting, unbroken and fine'. This would be a good title to
use when discussing concepts of home and feelings of belonging, as
well as for discussions around descriptive language. Equally, this
is a timeless and touching story perfect for just sharing and
enjoying.
Nicole Smith-Forrest
A family is like a cake by Shona Innes
Ill. by Irisz Agocs. A Big Hug Book. Five Mile Press, 2015.
ISBN 9781760066314
(Age: 5+) Families, Emotions. One in the series A Big Hug Book,
written by clinical psychologist, Shona Innes, the books create a
story around families portraying all the emotions we expect to see
in a family. The stories create a platform whereby younger readers
can discuss and talk about their emotions within their family or
school, through the emotions portrayed in the stories. Although
didactic, the stories do fill a niche in schools where something
quite explicit is needed to create the platform on which to discuss
such issues.
In A family is like a cake, the family is compared with a
cake, having different shapes and sizes, full of different
ingredients, needing mixing carefully, having rules, and so on. Each
time a new comparison is introduced it is expanded with a family in
mind, the illustrations adding to the text, drawing the readers'
eyes to the animals portrayed, reinforcing what has been said. And
sometimes the cake does not turn out as everyone wants and this too
is discussed towards the end of the book.
This would make a terrific introduction to a discussion or unit
about families, springboarding to the array of books about families
working, playing, laughing and being together.
Fran Knight
Captain Underpants and the Sensational Saga of Sir Stinks-A-Lot by Dav Pilkey
Captain Underpants bk 12. Scholastic, 2015. ISBN
9781760152611
(Age: 8+) Dav Pilkey's twelfth Captain Underpants book is
filled with all the grossness, wicked humour and funny situations
that the fans love.
George and Harold are back along with their clones Yesterday George
and Yesterday Harold and of course they up are up to their usual
antics. Two of them attend school while the other two hang out in
the tree house playing video games, and at first this seems ideal.
When the boys' evil gym teacher Mr. Meaner consumes a tiny chunk of
Zygo-Gogozizzle 24 and his brain becomes super-charged, things
rapidly change. He invents a secret formula made from several
chemicals and Clamato Juice that needs to be strained through dirty,
stinky gym socks. This creation becomes a mind-control spray that
turns students into obedient, perfect children who do as Mr. Meaner
and the other teachers command. When Yesterday George and Yesterday
Harold are called into the gym teacher's office and are sprayed with
the noxious cloudburst, their crazy behaviour changes dramatically.
George and Harold need a plan and develop disguises to protect them
from the evil spray. Dressed as adults, they command the students to
perform crazy stunts, filling the teachers' cars with cottage
cheese, watering inside houses and shaving off eyebrows. A trip to
the future in the time-travelling Robo-Squid suits finally foils Mr.
Meaner - Sir Stinks-A-Lot's - plans and all is back to normal for
the boys, well at least for a moment.
Dav Pilkey's inclusion of ADHD comments, twisted 60's song titles
for chapter headings and some political remarks seem to have been
included for an adult audience - parents reading this junior graphic
novel for younger fans. He even includes hints for the next
installment - time travelling as well as a Dog Man comic.
Rhyllis Bignell
Silence is goldfish by Annabel Pitcher
Indigo, 2015. ISBN 9781510100435
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Tess has just found out a secret - a
secret that hurts her deeply and turns her world upside down.
Nothing can be as it was before. She becomes mute, in a silent
rebellion as she reels from the hurt and shock. But a fish-shaped
torch that she clasps in her pocket becomes a voice for all her
hopes and fears as she struggles to navigate her changed world,
losing her dearest friend in the process, and unsure who she should
trust and who she should not.
Readers will readily identify with the themes of struggling to find
personal identity, broken friendships, and battles with school
bullies - particularly the nastiness of anonymous cyberbullying. The
conversations she has with the toy Mr Goldfish are a perfect foil
for the confusion in her mind - who is a friend, who is enemy, and
who can she really trust?
I read this book in one sitting, swept along with Tess in the stream
of consciousness technique that takes us inside her mind - it is a
natural and authentic voice that quickly draws in the reader and has
its moments of humour as well. The conclusion is a rewarding
affirmation of acceptance of self and others, and finding true and
lasting relationships. Silence is goldfish is Annabel Pitcher's third novel - her
two previous novels My sister lives on the mantelpiece and Ketchup
clouds are both award winners (Branford Boase award and
Waterstone's Children's Prize respectively) and this book clearly is
of the same calibre.
Helen Eddy
Christmas at Grandma's beach house by Claire Saxby
Ill. by Janine Dawson. Five Mile Press, 2015. ISBN 9781760065140
(Age: 5+) Warmly recommended. Christmas, Australia, Holidays, Beach.
This wholly likable story about Christmas in Australia will have
people singing along to the words as they parody The Twelve Days
of Christmas, the English Christmas song, using a familiar
Australian Christmas scenario. The family is going to Grandma's
house by the sea. One the first day it is 'my Grandma, my family and
me', but as the days roll along, more and more people are added. The
second day sees two uncle Bobs, the third day three friends, then
four beaming aunts on the fourth day. Each group added is gloriously
happy and sunny as they come to spend Christmas at the beach. The
illustrations show the range of things families do at the beach,
including everyone in their fun and frivolity. There are sandcastles
to be made, beach cricket to play, sunbathing, sitting about
reading, people watching, digging channels to fill with water and of
course swimming.
The charming illustrations capture all of the family filled activity
that being at the beach involves, babies playing together, surfing,
being swamped with sun burn cream, and so on. And Christmas at the
beach means having Christmas lunch on the sand and this is shown
with the Christmas paper napkins and plates and mince tarts and cake
being served. Many people will find memories tugged at the fun to be
had during those lazy endless days of summer holidays at the beach
and the younger readers will be filled with anticipation at what may
lie ahead in their Christmas holidays. This is a lovely addition of
the range of Christmas stories being released.
Fran Knight
The visions of Ichabod X by Gary Crew
Ill. by Paul O'Sullivan. Harbour Publishing House, 2015. ISBN
9781922134547
(Age: Mid primary) Recommended. Future, Endangered earth. 'Time To
every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the
heaven' (Ecclesiastes 3) is quoted in the steam punk illustrations
which accompany Gary Crew's text. Beautifully illustrated in
intriguingly detailed pencil drawings, the story of a worker at a
cemetery meeting the boy whose gravestone he notices, is full of
references to time with watches, time pieces and an hour glass often
taking the predominant position on the pages. Ichabod the boy gives
the caretaker three presents: a flying machine, a spy glass and an
open lock. Each is designed to give the man a glimpse into the
future.
Crew never makes things easy. His introduction of the caretaker
using Ichabod's gifts to see into the future is then left for the
reader to pursue. No easy answers here, no tying up of the story, no
development of character, but questions, and turning the page offers
more questions. Ichabod does not tell the caretaker what he sees as
he views the future, it is up to the reader to develop this vision
for themselves.
Hints are given along the way.
Crew talks of 'the time we have', 'the destruction mankind might
cause', while the illustrations reveal a world destroyed by human
interaction, tall buildings desolate and bereft of people, frayed
electrical cords, wasps trying to get at the boy, an oak tree taking
over the headstones. With more than a nod to early silent movies,
particularly sci fi, classics, Metropolis and A trip to the moon,
the illustrations bear close inspection. All is intriguing and
demands the reader to think about what they are seeing, to think
about the future path of the world, and where it is headed. A
religious overlay caught my attention with the church and its
headstones figuring on several pages, a worn, dog eared Bible shown,
the quote from Ecclesiastes given, then the church revealed at the
end crumbling and in ruins. The link to time is everywhere, no where
more so than the hourglass chewing the watches at the top to reduce
them to the cogs and wheels in the base. An intriguing read,
questioning the way mankind has gone with science, and asking his
readers to ponder their futures.
Fran Knight
The Fourteenth Summer of Angus Jack by Jen Storer
ABC Books, 2015. ISBN 9780733334436
(Age: 9+) Angus and his sister Martha live with their widowed father
in an Australian beach town. Their father is distant and the
children have a lot of time on their hands to investigate their
surroundings.
They are immediately inquisitive when an unusual second hand shop
opens nearby. It is their interaction with the curious owner Reafen
and another character called the 'Donut Lady' that starts their
exciting adventure with goblins, Vikings and an evil force.
The children become involved in the Old Realm, solve mysteries and
confront Wild Magick.
The rich descriptions, fascinating characters and exciting conflicts
add to the enjoyment of the story. Every piece of information, even
their mother's family background, has a purpose, which leads to a
satisfying conclusion.
Black and white illustrations, some whole page, are included in the
story.
A book trailer is available at this address.
This book will appeal to children who enjoy reading fantasy and
confident readers from the age of 9 years will relish this novel. I
recommend this story for primary aged children.
Jane Moore
Standing tall by David Harding with Izzy Folau
Izzy Folau series. Random House Australia, 2015. ISBN
9780857986672
(Age: 8+) Themes: Sportsmanship; Rugby Union; Teamwork;
Perseverance. It's the Junior State Championships for Rugby Union
representative teams, and the boys from The Valley representative
team, coached by Izzy Folau, are about to be tested in the biggest
contest of their lives so far. They carry with them hopes and
dreams, fears and courage, skill and uncertainty. Will they become
champions, or will they suffer defeat ?
This is a story about getting to the finals and finding strength,
and learning about yourself in the process. The story is
predominantly told through the eyes of two main characters: the
captain, Daniel and shy and resilient Sione. It is an exciting
story, that will be enjoyed by young male readers (aged 8+) who have
a sporting interest - even if they know nothing about Rugby Union.
Carolyn Hull
The croco dolly by Martin McKenna
Omnibus, 2015. ISBN 9781742990712
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended, Crocodiles, Pets, Problem solving,
Humour. When feisty Adelaide begins to cook a cake, she finds that
one of the eggs she cracks, opens up to reveal a baby crocodile.
They fall instantly in love with each other, but a problem exists:
she is not allowed to keep a pet. Thinking about how to camouflage
her new pet, she dresses him in her doll's clothes, complete with a
wig and long eyelashes. He looks terrific as she shows him to her
friends, although they can all see that this doll is unlike any
other they have seen. One problem exists for Adelaide: Ozzy the croc
keeps growing.
The fabulous illustrations reveal a delightful green crocodile that
has eyes only for Adelaide. Growing bigger as we turn each page, the
crocodile causes problems where ever they go. Each double page
reveals the crocodile upsetting the scene and with a high level of
humour in the detail, the patient Adelaide trying vainly to lessen
Ozzy's impact on the population. Finally the queue of complainers at
her door forces her to take measures that will ensure everyone is
happy as she works out the ideal spot for Ozzy to be.
The story of Adelaide making sure that Ozzy's skills are put to good
use is a delight and the digital illustrations certainly set the
scene adding a level of brilliance to the tale. The images of Ozzy
in the doll clothes are priceless and those of Adelaide trying
vainly to fit in with her friends and their dolls most amusing.
Readers will love Adelaide and her attempts a fitting in and will
applaud her problem solving skills at the end. A crocodile frocking
up! What fun. Fran Knight
The white mouse by Peter Gouldthorpe
Omnibus, 2015. ISBN 9781742990910
(Age: 9+) Recommended, World War Two, Heroism, Resistance, Nancy
Wake, France. The story of one of Australia's greatest heroes, Nancy
Wake is brought to life in this exceptional story book by
Gouldthorpe. Each double page illustrates the story of the Nazi
occupation of France during the Second World War, and along the side
of the page, usually written on notepaper, as Nancy was a
journalist, is her story. Each page fills in the tale of her life,
from moving away form Australia to work in Paris in 1934, to seeing
Nazi intimidation at first hand in Vienna in the same year and then
deciding to join the underground movement in France when war broke
out.
Gouldthorpe's illustrations take in a broad sweep of the occupation
of France. We see the increasing numbers of Nazi troops in French
streets, people being taken away for questioning, tanks moving about
the countryside, the Vichy Police force emulating the Nazis.
Everywhere is touched by the Nazis and their strict regimes, all is
conquered and overwhelmed, but a few brave people do things to
undermine their power. Nancy, now married, travels with her
businessman husband taking information, clothing, documents to those
in need. She helps many refugees and even a large number of British
soldiers to escape their prison. But she is captured and tortured,
escaping only when a colleague takes an extraordinary step. She
eventually escapes to Britain and trained as an SOE (Special
Operations Executive) then parachuted back to France to help the
Resistance. Dubbed the 'White Mouse' by the Nazis, she must use all
her powers to survive, even convincing the members of the Resistance
that she is who she says she is. Her daring bicycle trip to
Chateauroux is breathtaking and when the Germans pulled out of
France in 1944, she headed straight back to Marseilles to find that
her husband had died at the hands of the Gestapo.
Nancy Wake is revealed to a younger audience through this
enlightening book and visiting the War Memorial in Canberra, they
will be able to view her medals. Gouldthorpe's illustrations include
full page drawings of warfare, many backed by newspaper print from
the time, maps and postcards, adding to the impact on the reader of
her daring deeds during an horrific time. The endpapers with their
full spread of maps will help the readers pinpoint the places spoken
of in the text.
Fran Knight
My dead bunny by Sigi Cohen
Ill James Foley. Walker Books, 2015. ISBN 9781922179593
(Age: 7+) Recommended. Zombies, Horror, Verse tale, Humour. Brad the
bunny was fried last holidays when the rabbit's owner and his
friends played video games, while the pet rabbit played with the
electrical cord. They buried him in the backyard, but the boy was so
upset that he dug him up again putting him not back in the grave,
but on the rubbish heap. The video game, Zombie Terror 3, comes to
life as Brad the dead rabbit terrorises the household as a zombie.
This is a very funny take on zombies and horror video games, with
the verses using laugh out loud rhyming words are sure to tickle the
fancy of younger readers. Brad's disheveled appearance, googly pink
eyes and appalling stink cloud the pages, as shadows are used to
accentuate his position in the house. The children try to rid the
house of this pesky zombie without success, the sister being taken
away by white coated wardens to a hospital, and the whole family
moving out of the house. But Brad follows leaving them with no
choice, and children will be heartily amused at their solution, and
its repercussions. Wonderfully funny illustrations with mainly black
and white drawings, shadowing, images of cemeteries and gravestones,
surplus of worms and large eyes of the protagonists reinforce the
zombie motif.
Fran Knight
A Song For Ella Grey by David Almond
Hodder Children's Books 2014. ISBN: 9781444919547
(Age: Teens) A Song for Ella Grey attempts to incorporate
both visual and aural elements. Every action is easy to visualise
and the writing is completely accessible to young people.
The story takes place in the North of England during the final year
of schooling for Claire and her friends. Since winter, they have
been planning a trip to the beach in Northumberland. When Spring
break comes however, Ella, Claire's best friend, can't go and so the
group leave her behind. The trip is everything Claire wanted it to
be - a week of boisterousness, booze and boys. But without Claire it's
not the same. When a mysterious stranger appears (a musician and a
wanderer), Claire feels like she needs to share the experience with
Ella. She calls Ella and the mysterious man talks and serenades her.
They have an instant connection.
When term resumes Claire notices that Ella is more dreamy than ever.
She is fixated on Orpheus, despite never having met him, and
convinced that he is going to come for her. Unable to do anything to
prevent their meeting, Claire can only stand by as Orpheus comes to
sweep Ella away. But real life isn't so neat and before long,
disaster strikes, snatching poor Ella from their grasp. To prove his
love, Orpheus disappears, searching for a way into the underworld to
rescue her.
The novel incorporates some elements of Greek mythology as one of
the characters, Orpheus, is potentially the mythological Orpheus,
legendary musician and poet. He has the ability to charm all living
things, this is apparent in the novel through Bianca's infatuation.
Despite being a mythological element, there is no direct mention of
Orpheus as a mythological figure and so no prior knowledge is
necessary. Dealing with issues surrounding school, alcoholism,
stress and boyfriends, this is a novel that I would fully expect any
teenage girl to pick up and read.
Kayla Gaskell (age nineteen)
The Squid Slayer by Jack Heath
Scream bk 4. Scholastic, 2015. ISBN 9781760152116
(Age: 9-12) Axe Falls is a really terrifying place to live; there
are strange animals, mystifying shipwrecks, mysterious monsters and
frightening events happening. From the very first page, danger and
drama follow adventurous Sarah and her best friend Yvette who ignore
the warning signs and explore the deep caverns and tunnels in the
sea cliffs. Instead of a ghost sighting, they observe a man in a
hi-vis vest carrying explosives. Scared and worried they rush down
to the beach. A colossal squid has beached itself and Sarah is
unfortunately caught by a thrashing tentacle. A shot from the
Sheriff's gun is needed to free the young girl from its suckers.
Sarah's diving skills are tested when she explores the shipwreck
under the pier near her houseboat.
Every chapter is packed with drama: Sarah and Yvette's exploration
of the sunken ship with hundreds of empty cages, the confrontation
with a sea monster and the sinking of the houseboat.
Jack Heath's Scream series are fast-paced, action-packed
junior novels with short chapters suitable for readers who have high
interest levels and lower reading age. The dark graphic descriptions
make this a novel suited to 9+ readers. The the black edged pages
and borders, the tentacles reaching down from the net and scary
chapter headings, all set the atmosphere for this scary novel.
Rhyllis Bignell
Tashi and the Magic Carpet inspired by the Tashi series written by Anna and Barbara Fienberg
Based on the Popular Television Series. Flying Bark Productions;
Allen and Unwin, 2015. ISBN 9781925267013
(Age: 6+) Themes: Fantasy; Magic; Time travel; Puzzles. The original
Tashi book series by Anna and Barbara Fienberg has been transformed
into a television series, and this book is a glossy retelling of one
of the episodes involving Jack and his distant cousin Tashi. The
boys attend an auction conducted by Second Uncle (Tashi's distant
relative) and unwittingly buy a magic carpet. By accident his leads
them on another adventure as they travel backward and forward in
time and eventually rescue Second Uncle from an ill-advised venture.
This glossy publication also includes questions about the story,
puzzles, riddles and activities, so would make a good gift for a
young independent reader (aged 6+) who has also discovered the TV
series.
Carolyn Hull
Tashi and the Big Scoop inspired by the Tashi series written by Anna and Barbara Fienberg
Based on the Popular Television Series. Flying Bark Productions.
Allen and Unwin, 2015. ISBN 9781925267006
(Age: 6+) Themes: Fantasy; Newspapers; Puzzles. The original Tashi
book series by Anna and Barbara Fienberg has been transformed into a
television series, and this book is a glossy retelling of one of the
episodes involving Jack and his distant cousin Tashi. The boys
create a 'quiet' mode of presenting news using a printing press
rather than the disturbing and loud manner that Tiki Pu uses to
share news in the village. In their attempts to race to gather local
news they encounter an ogre and a giant and a mother 'Airmaid' eager
to rescue her egg.
This glossy publication also includes questions about the story,
puzzles, games and activities, so would make a good gift for a young
independent reader (aged 6+) who has also discovered the TV series.
Carolyn Hull
