The Midnight Mercenary bk 3. Hardie Grant Egmont, 2015. ISBN
9781760120306
(Ages 8+) Science Fiction. The Gateway is a hotel with a
difference as the family who purchase it discover in the first of
the series. Written by a trio of writers this is the third book to
explore the interaction between The Gateway's human
inhabitants and the intergalactic travellers who pass through the
hotel.
A raging storm and a power failure make for a dramatic opening to
this episode and an opportunity for Charlie to create mischief. The
arrival of Tom announcing the imminent arrival of twenty children
from the alien world creates some turmoil but not as much as his
information that another unannounced visitor had arrived, the feared
Krskn and that he had already captured Scott, the father, who was
endeavouring to fix the fuses. Krskn is contracted to capture one of
the alien children but is keen to take back and sell a variety of
subjects including Mum, Charlie and Grawk Amelia's pet.
The arrival of two groups of Scouts, one group human and the other
aliens in disguise, the anticipation of a Keeper arriving to protect
the alien children from Krskn, and the continuously disappearing
adults, creates suspense reminiscent of a horror movie especially as
the action all takes place in the dark or semi-dark.
It is up to Charlie and Amelia to save the day and for the family to
reassure both the human and alien visitors when the new day dawns.
Having not read the previous books in the series it was easy to
catch up with the characters and their relationships as the story
continued.
Sue Keane
The savage shore by Graham Seal
Allen & Unwin, 2015. ISBN 9781760111076
(Age: secondary to adult) Highly recommended. History, Early
exploration of Australia, Spice trade. The role of the VOC (Dutch
East Indies Company) in mapping Australia in the seventeenth century
is vividly brought to life in this highly readable book about the
exploration of Australia. Finding a sea route to the Spice Islands
(East Indies, today's Indonesia) meant huge profits could be made by
this Amsterdam company in bringing spices back to Europe. But they
wanted more: to keep profits up, they needed more resources and more
markets, (doesn't that sound familiar!) and so mariners were told to
watch out for possibilities when they landed on unknown shores. This
resolve coincided with a new faster route being discovered by
Brouwer in 1611. He travelled east from Cape Town, instead of
hugging the African coast, using the Roaring Forties to travel
across the Indian Ocean and turning north to Batavia when the
distance appeared right. Without any accurate means of telling where
they were on the ocean (the discovery of longitude was still a
hundred years away) many ships hit the Western Australian coast,
some disastrously, but took their charts with them to head office
when rescued. So pieces of the Australian coastline were uncovered
and mapped throughout this century but kept close by VOC hesitant to
allow others this information lest they cash in the lucrative trade
that may transpire. Names like Batavia and Tasman spring readily to
mind when thinking about this early exploration, and Seal gives a
full account of both these stories, but includes others less known.
In the eighteenth century, the fortunes of the VOC were in decline
and a more scientific appraisal of the Southland was undertaken by
both the French and British. Stories of Cook, Baudin and Flinders
stand out as they mapped and explored possibilities of the new
country.
I loved reading this history giving a fascinating account of the
attempts to discover the Southland, the activities by the VOC and
the many stories of survival by seamen. Half remembered stories are
fleshed out as the cartographers pieced together the coastline, and
secondary students and adults alike will find this book adds to
their knowledge of our early history. A number of recently published
books add to the interest given by this book, Batavia (Peter
Fitzsimmons, Heinemann, 2011) gives an impressive account of that
chilling chapter in Australia's history as does My father's
islands (Christobel Mattingley, NLA, 2012) giving a fictional
account of Abel Tasman and his importance to Australia's exploration
for younger readers.
I did rankle somewhat at the myth that school children are taught
that Cook discovered Australia, knowing that the texts I read and
used certainly belie this. But a good story always needs a little
spice and this book certainly gives the reader that.
Stories of being marooned on this uninviting land, of murder and
betrayal, of incredible courage and fortitude, of Aboriginal stories
about contact held my attention. A comprehensive index, glossary and
bibliography serve the book and its readers well.
This is a substantial addition to any school, class or home library.
And a marvellous companion to the recent exhibition at the Art
Gallery of South Australia: Treasure Ships, art in the age of
spices.
Fran Knight
Leo da Vinci vs the Ice Cream Domination League by Michael Pryor
Ill. by Jules Faber. Random House, 2015. ISBN 9780857988379
Even though he is just 10 years old, Leo da Vinci is an inventor,
artist, genius and founder of Fixit International Inc. dedicated to
saving the world from super villains in cahoots with his friend Mina
and sidekicks Isaac the robot and Ragnar the talking pig. No matter
where or when, he is always sketching new inventions from the most
ordinary objects and collecting the most amazing array of everyday
stuff in his top-secret shed where he put his theories into
practice. So when the Ice Cream Domination League move in,
determined to control all the ice cream in the world for themselves
by stealing ice cream trucks and blowing up factories, Leo has a new
problem to solve and a new enemy to face.
This is a new series aimed at younger independent readers who are
looking for a lovable hero written by an author who admits that it
is "a very silly book." " Leo da Vinci vs the Ice-Cream
Domination League is a very silly book - and it was a lot of
fun to write. I've always liked the idea of the young inventor,
working away to create amazing contraptions. And I've always liked
the idea of young inventors saving the world. Oh, and I've always
liked the idea of talking pigs, too. Throw all these things in
together, add some extra silliness, and you have the start of Leo da
Vinci's adventures." Yet for all the 'silliness' of the plot,
nevertheless this is a well-written story as Pryor is a master
storyteller for adults and young adults having been nominated
several times for an Aurealis Award for science fiction, fantasy and
horror writers. Larger font, shorter chapters and clever
illustrations will draw in readers who will then look forward to the
next in the series Leo da Vinci vs the Furniture Overlord to
be published early in 2016.
Barbara Braxton
Frankie and Finn by Klay and Mark Lamprell
Ill. by Lucinda Gifford. Lothian, 2015. ISBN 9780734416186
(Ages: 4-7) Frankie and his family have just moved into a new house.
It looks dark and scary. Finn the fish does not really like his home
in the pond. It is dark and scary. When Frankie reaches his hand
into the murky pond for his ball, Finn thinks the five-head monster
with no eyes or mouth is going to squish him and his family.
However, when the water clears and Frankie and Finn meet, both of
their lives become brighter.
The story highlights how even though the unknown might look dark and
scary, a closer look can prove you wrong. It has potential for
discussing change, and how things that look different are not always
so terrible. The best feature of this book is how the story tells
the perspective of both Frankie and Finn and highlights the
similarities between the two families. The illustrations are also
great in portraying the perspective of Finn the fish's family from
under the water.
Nicole Nelson
The mice and the shoemaker by Gabriel Evans
Five Mile Press, 2015. ISBN 9781760064273
(Ages: 4-8) This is a reimagined version of the classic Christmas
tale The elves and the shoemaker and promotes the joy of giving
rather than receiving. This is a nostalgic book - it is clearly set
in the 'olden days' with clothing and house furnishings all
reminiscent of a bygone era. Even the language is old-fashioned and
English (As the snow fell outside they huddled around a blazing
fire, sang Christmas carols, ate roasted rosehips and drank mulled
mulberry juice). The tale, though retold, retains its English
heritage with a wintry Christmas setting. The illustrations
themselves are dull and grainy. All these things contribute to
making the book look and feel 'old'. While some children may get
lost within the long narrative or be dissatisfied with the
illustrations (they are a very different style to most modern
picture books), many will adore the magic, enchanted nature of the
tale. The illustrations are wonderfully detailed and there are
magnificent pop-ups and flaps that children will delight in. The
story itself follows the mouse family, the Whiskers, as they move
out of their flooded house and in with their Grandpa, beneath the
floorboards of a shoemaker's store. To repay the shoemaker's
kindness the family create the finest shoes in the land for the
elderly man and his wife to sell. In return, the shoemaker and his
wife make the mice new clothes and shoes. This is a heart-warming
tale about rediscovering the meaning of Christmas gifts; it seems a
timely reminder for a generation of children who see Christmas
primarily as a time for receiving. Overall, this is a heart-warming
tale that will not suit every child, but will be cherished by many.
Nicole Nelson
Duck, duck, goose! ill. by Michaela Blassnig
Lothian, 2015. ISBN 9780734416315
(Ages: 3-6) Very simple text is combined with vibrant, action-packed
illustrations in this story inspired by the children's game duck,
duck, goose. As two ducks venture further out into the river they
encounter an incredible cast of characters, from frogs doing kung-fu
to a ghost shooting boo and a hippo getting a shampoo. The repeated
rhyme continues through the whole book, with the last word or phrase
changing each time, 'Duck, duck, boo! Duck, duck, pirate crew. Duck,
duck, shampoo.' The group grows bigger and bigger with each page,
and the book ends with them all looking at the reader, 'Duck, duck,
you!'.
In this simple, but humourous picture book, young children will
enjoy the strange characters the ducks meet along the way and will
be able to join in with the repetitive, predictive text.
Nicole Nelson
Way Down Dark by J P Smythe
Hodder & Stoughton, 2015. ISBN: 9781444796322
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. The blurb to this first book in a
trilogy boasts 'This is a hell where no one can hide'.
This dystopian novel really does take you way down dark. It really
is hell. Chan, the narrator, was born on Australia. She is
seventeen, strong, clever and courageous. The world of Australia is
cutthroat and savage. Australia is a ship that has left Earth and
inhabitants are waiting to arrive on a new safe planet. The leaving
of Australia happened many generations ago and society has split
into the Pale Women, the Bells, Shopkeepers and the Lows. Families
are terrorised by the Lows and life is only possible for those who
can stand up for themselves.
This book has many strong female characters who are well respected
and portray the strong maternal theme that runs through this book.
Agatha looms large in this book and she is integral to the character
of Chan. Importantly in this novel there is little attention given
to the looks of the female characters and this give greater depth to
the story.
Many of the characters are violent and the chaotic scenes in the
book are described so well it is easy to imagine being there.
'There's One Truth on Australia. You Fight or You Die'
This fast paced novel has a twist near the end that leaves the
reader reaching for that second book. Where is it?
Linda Guthrie
Billie's wild jungle adventure by Sally Rippin
Ill. by Alisa Coburn. Billie's Super Dooper Adventures
series. Hardie Grant Egmont, 2015. ISBN 9781760124441
(Age: 4-6) Highly recommended. Themes: Friendship, Imagination,
Kindergarten, Jungle Animals. Sally Rippin's new series takes her
fun-loving character Billie B Brown and explores her younger years.
In this picture book Billie can't wait to go to Kinder, find her
friend Jack and engage in some imaginative play. Jack and Billie
swing happily on the tyre hung in the mulberry tree. They soon
pretend they are deep in the jungle with pink-and-purple pythons
hiding in the jungle-juice trees. They are having so much fun, until
Billie accidentally picks up a python. The young jungle explorer has
a brilliant idea and she is freed from the python's grip. With a
ride on the back of a friendly tiger, they return just in time for a
fruit snack.
Alisa Coburn's illustrations are reminiscent of those from The
Little Golden Books; there's so much activity and interest to engage
the young reader and class. The softly coloured pages in pastel
greens and pinks show the inquisitive children drawn with monkey
bodies and little ears enjoying the jungle setting.
With PACA - Play as a Creative Activity and the Nature Play's focus
in preschools and kindergartens, Billie's Wild Jungle Adventure
encourages imagination, creativity, risk taking, discovery and
exploration in a safe setting.
Rhyllis Bignell
Kizmet and the Case of the Tassie Tiger by Frank Woodley
Puffin Books, 2015. ISBN 9780143308546
(Age: Yr 2-4) "The creature's breathing was wet and crackly as it
crept through the dark. The goat was standing very still. Actually,
it was asleep. The creature's black shape leapt across the face of
the full moon, crashing into the goat and digging its teeth into the
victim's woolly shoulder. The force sent them both tumbling and
bouncing down the grassy hill, splashing into the dam below. The
shock of the cold water confused the predator and its jaws
slackened, releasing its prey. A hoof kicked frantically, leading a
painful blow on the monster's nose. The desperate goat, struggling
to escape, became bogged in the sticky mud at the edge of the dam.
The terrible creature rose onto its hind legs, its fangs dripping
with spit."
So begins a new adventure and a new series for younger readers
featuring Kizmet Papanicillo, her father Detective Spencer and
Gretchen, a feisty currawong and the narrator of the story. Having
just returned from solving a mystery in Scotland, they are
immediately off to Tasmania where a mysterious creature is attacking
and killing livestock. Could it be a Tasmanian Tiger, long thought
to be extinct but rumoured to still exist in parts of the southern
wilderness? Naturally, the team from IMPACT - International
Mysteries, Puzzles and Crimes Taskforce - are called in but it is
soon clear that even though her dad is officially the detective, it
is Kizmet who is the chief crime-solver. From the moment he crash
tackles a "Tasmanian Tiger", a dressed-up model promoting a soft
drink, her dad proves to be more of a hindrance than a help. Working
with an array of interesting characters including the lisping Dr
Cecil Simpson, Kizmet needs to solve this mystery and her quick
thinking and clever deductions expose the truth. Tasmania is not to
become a tourist destination for those looking for this mysterious
creature after all.
Younger readers who like a good meaty mystery with well-drawn
characters and just the right amount of suspense will be drawn to
this new series written by well-known comedian Frank Woodley. The
prologue written in white text on a dark page sets the tone and the
short chapters, quirky illustrations that break up the text, fast
pace and humour will appeal to both boys and girls in the Year 2-4
audience and they will enjoy pitting their wits alongside Kizmet
trying to solve the clues before she does. Finishing as it began
with Kizmet already packing for the next case, Kizmet and the
Case of the Smashed Violin is also now available.
Barbara Braxton
Lasseter's Gold by Warren Brown
Hachette, 2015. ISBN 9780733631603
Like most Australians, I had heard of the legend of Lasseter's reef
of gold, discovered in the late 1890's but never located again. What
I wasn't aware of was the amazing expedition undertaken in 1930 in
an attempt to rediscover what was believed to be a vast deposit
worth countless millions of pounds. This is the story cleverly told
by the well-known cartoonist Warren Brown.
Harold Lasseter claimed to have made this spectacular find by
accident, having become hopelessly lost whilst trying to cross the
Continent from Cairns to Kalgoorlie on horseback. Having lost his
horses, and near death, he discovered the reef somewhere near the
border of Western Australia and the Northern Territory in Central
Australia. He stated that he took samples before staggering
deliriously through the desert for days, finally being miraculously
rescued by an Afghan camel driver.
In 1930 he approached the Australian Workers Union with a proposal
to put together an expedition to find the reef. The subsequent gold
fever and greedy scheming he stirred up created a wild commitment to
his plan, based upon this outrageous tale, which seems incredible
with the benefit of hindsight. Brown explains the various
machinations which came together to fund and assemble a grossly
unprepared and laughably disorganised expedition into some of the
harshest terrain on earth - all based on fervent hope rather than a
bushman's experience and common sense.
The author provides all the background to the gold legend, however
the real story in this book is the expedition itself as the
characters involved and their wild exploits are truly remarkable.
The reader is captivated by descriptions of a group of men (some of
whom intensely dislike each other), working together to force a
heavy truck through murderously difficult mulga scrub and almost
impassable and impossible sand dunes. The presence of aircraft, used
for the first time in Australian geological surveying, gives another
dimension. Like many thunderingly good stories, there is much
mystery and speculation about what motivated some very strange
characters to act in the duplicitous and irregular ways that they
did whilst risking death over and over in the arid wilderness.
There are so many complexities to this tale that it could have
become difficult to understand, yet the style and structure of the
narrative is such that everything is explained in a manner which is
meaningful and connected whilst the book reads like an exciting
thriller. The many photographs of the events are amazing to see.
I really like that this author has dedicated so much time to
researching and writing about this incredible expedition and the
legend which started it all, yet he avoids claiming to have solved
the riddle or having written the definitive version of events as
many would have done in his place. Instead, the details are
presented and some bewildering options are discussed, yet the legend
is treated with a kind of respect that recognises that the exact
truth will probably be never known and the reader is left with a
definite sense of wonder that maybe there is some minute chance that
the reef really did exist
This book will circulate like mad in public libraries, however I
sadly believe that school students would fail to appreciate what
they are missing in this marvellous story.
Rob Welsh
The boy with two lives by Abbas Kazerooni
Allen & Unwin, 2015. ISBN 9781743314838
(Ages: 13+) Fictionalised memoir. Ten-year-old Abbas arrives in
England to start a new life having escaped from conscription into
the Iranian army, and immediately after arriving in England Abbas is
sent to boarding school by his guardian, Mehdi. Abbas struggles to
overcome the language barrier and cultural differences, even
commenting about an event at one point that 'In Iran this would
never have happened, nor would it have been acceptable.' However,
time passes and Abbas thrives, learning English quickly and
gradually being accepted by his peers. His hard work and diligence
win the approval of the kindly Mr and Mrs Griffiths, the principals
of the school, who are sympathetic to Abbas.
But while Abbas is enjoying his new life in England, he worries
about his family; especially his mother who is trying to gain a visa
to enter England. Infrequent phone calls to his mother are the only
connection Abbas has, and he clings desperately to hearing his
mother's voice. And just when everything seemed to be going well for
Abbas, he becomes homeless - living out the titular 'two lives' -
one as the school boy at an elite public school, and the other as a
poor, homeless child who spends his days working for a meagre wage
just to survive.
Told in first person narrative, Kazerooni's memoir seizes our hands
and drags us along. The book is about perseverance and sacrifice,
but most of all - optimism. We experience the misery and the
suffering along with Abbas, - but also share in his good times too;
all give the reader an insight into his strength of character.
While Abbas possesses great optimism, the book itself can be quite
depressing. I found that during the reading, the agony of his
experiences was just too much. Because it is a memoir the fact that
it really happened makes it even more depressing. Despite that, this
book illustrates the plight of refugees, and it is a gripping
account of how much some people are willing to sacrifice to have a
better life.
Thomas B.
Sweet boy, dear wife by Heather Rossiter
Wakefield Press, 2015. ISBN 9781743053782. (Age: 16+) Non-fiction. What an
amazing woman! Jane Dieulafoy cut her hair short and dressed as a
man, and set off with her husband Marcel to explore the mysterious
lands of Persia, riding a horse and carrying a shotgun for
protection against bandits and other dangers, including lions! She
learnt and spoke Farsi fluently, outwitted canniving despots,
suffered numerous attacks of malaria and fever, endured thirst,
hunger, fleas and headlice, and survived to explore the ruins of
ancient times, uncovering beautiful artefacts beneath rubble and
dirt. Archaeology and photography were among her many talents, as
well as wits and determination, for there were times when Marcel,
seriously ill, had to depend on her to protect and guide them to
safe refuge.
Could such a woman have really existed in the late 1880s?
Unbelievable as it might seem, this is not fiction. Author Heather
Rossiter draws on meticulous research to piece together the story of
their adventures, drawing on Jane's own diaries and the writings of
others from the period. The result is a thorough documentation of
Jane's life culminating with the award of Chevalier de la Legion
d'honneur by the President of the French Republic. The Lion and
Archer friezes retrieved from Persia and displayed in the Louvre
Museum are the treasures that she brought back.
Rossiter includes many of Jane's black and white photographs of men
and women she encountered, from palaces, from harems and lowly
villages. These are supplemented by the author's own colour
photographs of the temples and ruins the couple explored. The story
of Jane and Marcel is supplemented by rich historical detail of the
times of Darius, Alexander the Great, Xerxes and other rulers in
Ancient Persia, and creators of the marvels that Jane and Marcel
documented for their audience at home in France.
The book is an interesting combination of biography, history, and
travel. So much so, I've now added Iran to my travel wish list.
Helen Eddy
Star Wars: The adventures of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight by Tony DiTerlizzi and Ralph McQuarrie
Egmont, 2015. ISBN 9781405275835
This is the story of Luke Skywalker's journey from farm boy on
Tatooine to Jedi Knight, told in the words of award-winning author
Tony DiTerlizzi and matched with the remarkable paintings of Ralph
McQuarrie, the concept artist behind the series that has captivated
generations since its first release in May, 1977.
There are those so much more able than I to review this new book
from this iconic series, many of whom are in or near their 40s and
are still devoted fans of the series that was an integral part of
their childhood lives and remains a cultural phenomenon still sought
after by the young students I teach today. So I will just use the
words of the foreword by the author.
"It may be difficult to imagine, but there was a time when Star Wars
was not a part of our popular culture. Long before the toys, books
and lunch boxes, and even before the first feature film flickered on
a movie screen, Star Wars existed in the imagination of only one
man: George Lucas. Working from Lucas's various screenplay drafts
and through a creative collaboration with the writer-director,
visionary artist Ralph McQuarrie realised a universe filled with
unlikely heroes, sinister villains and otherworldly vistas.
Rendered in his muted palette and streamlined style, McQuarrie's
gouache concept paintings depict what are now some of the most
iconic moments in the original Star Wars trilogy. Though Star Wars
is a major film franchise, its genesis was told with words and
pictures, so it is with great pride that I return this epic battle
of good versus evil to its original form."
I could get myself massive brownie points with certain family and
friends if I were to pass this book on to them, but given the
voracity for this series amongst my young clients, I know it will be
a surefire hit on the library's shelves instead.
Barbara Braxton
The pointless leopard by Colas Gutman and Delphine Perret
Pushkin Press, 2014. ISBN 9781782690405
Leonard's parents are determined to have him appreciate the beauty
and the benefits of the country. But Leonard thinks it is ugly,
green and boring. While his parents like to spend their weekends
drinking tea in front of an open fire listening to the silence,
Leonard would much prefer to be walking on the pavement, jumping on
benches, going to the cinema and chasing pigeons. But being a little
boy, he has to go with his parents who like to take long walks. On
one of these walks, Leonard meets a talking sheep. And a cow, and a
hen and their conversations prompt Leonard to consider just what a
child is. But they're not impressed and so they take him to meet
Wolf. "We're bringing you a city kid! Bon appetit!" they call. But
when even the wolf rejects him, Leonard is very sad. Perhaps he is
pointless after all.
Translated from the original French story L'enfant this is a
humorous short tale that is told with charm and lightly illustrated
with line drawings that capture the expressions perfectly. It's a
story like no other and perfect for newly-independent readers who
want something a little different.
Barbara Braxton
Dinosaur Disco by Deborah Kelly
Random House Australia Children's, 2015. ISBN 9780857981363
(Age: 3-8) Highly recommended. Really we can never get enough of
dinosaurs! Boys or girls, fiction or nonfiction, surely they must be
one of the most eternally popular choices for kids' books.
In our house this is most definitely true and we loved the crazy
dinos shaking their booties and the boards on the disco floor. Lots
of rhythm and rhyme and onomatopoeia abound as the dinosaurs salsa,
moonwalk and even crump it up. With so many different types of
dinosaurs strutting their stuff the floor starts to really rumble
but the very ground shakes with the arrival of a gate crashing
T-Rex! Let's hope he isn't looking for supper!
The text also cleverly integrates some of those rather pesky long
dinosaur names and luckily there is also a pronunciation guide for
those of us who are not as able as five year olds to get our tongues
around them. To follow up the story some strange but true facts are
also included making this book not only fun but educational.
Daron Parton's illustrations of the decoratively dressed dinosaurs
lend even more quirkiness to the story.
This is bound to be a favourite with many young readers.
Highly recommended for boys and girls aged around 3 to 8 years.
Sue Warren
