Ill. by Danielle McDonald. Ella Diaries bk 1. Scholastic
Australia, 2015. ISBN 9781743628638
Highly recommended for girls from 7-9 years. Ella's Christmas gift
of a new diary causes some initial problems. How do you start a
diary? What do you record? Absolutely everything! Who can read it?
Only Ella of course. She is apprehensive about starting school, who
will be her Grade 5 teacher and will she be separated from her
friends?Tuesday's entry is filled with the highs and lows, Zoe her
best friend doesn't show up and mean girl Peach Parker has to sit in
the seat right next to Ella. Unfortunately, Miss Weiss their teacher
pairs up Peach and Ella to work on a project together. Peach, Prinny
and Jade take every opportunity to harass Ella in class and out in
the yard.
The first weeks in Grade 5 are full of ups and downs, Peach and her
friends show their true colours as they harass other students,
interrupt learning and bully their classmates. These girls involve
many of their classmates in an embarrassing game of Dare. Ella and
Zoe find themselves playing ball by themselves. When Ella stands up
to Peach and Jade, refusing to play a trick on classmate Cordelia,
the bullying stops.
The bold use of red in both the sketches and text makes the story
pop. Different text styles, placement of words, use of expressive
punctuation and poems are exciting features used to engage the
reader. Meredith Costain's Ella Diaries explore the real
issues girls face at school and home. Ella is definitely not a wimpy
kid, she's resourceful, caring and real.
Rhyllis Bignell
A curry for Murray by Kate Hunter
Ill. by Lucia Masciullo. UQP, 2015. ISBN 9780702253546
(Age: 5+) Recommended. Community, Food, Cooking, Neighbours. When next door neighbour, Murray announces that his wife has gone into hospital, Molly decides she will cook a curry for him. When he tells a neighbour about the lovely curry, Mrs Gregg with her bad cold asked Molly for a meal, and she cooks her some eggs. Next Sam Moloney comes with a tooth ache wanting some soft food, so Molly cooks him spinach macaroni. On it goes through the streets and wider community, until a prince rolls in with his helicopter, and Molly makes him savoury mince. Each plate of food rhymes with the person requesting the food, and several lines are repeated, making this a wonderful treat for readers. Not only do they learn about rhyme, but also repeated text, prediction and food names.
And the illustrations add to the fun. Each double page sets the scene of the person asking for food and the reason, while the next page shows the food that Molly cooks, with a picture of the ingredients and equipment needed to make up that dish. Masciullo wanted her paintings to look like the images in a food magazine, so spent a lot of time making them look appetising, and she succeeds. Children will want to cook the food shown and with the ingredients shown this will be an easy task at home or in the classroom. Masciullo's naive style gives the readers lots to look at one each page and the food shown will endear them even more to this charming story about neighbours, community and sharing.
Hunter developed this story when her neighbour's wife went into hospital and her daughter suggested making a 'curry for Murray'. From there she developed the idea with her family having fun making up the rhymes with various dishes, something which could be done in class as an extension after reading this book. Masciullo has also illustrated two of my favourite picture books, Sonya Hartnett's The boy and the toy, and Come down, cat.
Fran Knight
Jimmy's war : 1915 : do you dare? by Sherryl Clark
Do You Dare? series. Puffin, 2015. ISBN 9780143308027
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Themes: World War 1; Family Life;
School life; Australia 1915 - social life and conditions. This
historical fiction novel is based in the Melbourne suburb of
Yarraville during 1915. Life is tough for Jimmy's family, his father
died in a factory accident, his older brother Arthur is away at war
and his mother is ill. Life is tough, there's hardly enough money
for rent or food. When Jimmy loses his after school job delivering
groceries for old Mr. Brown, he's forced into making some tough
decisions - to run errands for the local bookie or find work at the
local railway goods yard. He's hounded by the local sergeant's
warning about his playing truant.
Things become serious for Jimmy, when his mother falls ill and he
needs to find a way of making money. The household changes when
Arthur a former football hero, returns home after being injured in
the fighting. Luckily they have helpful neighbours to support them.
Sheryll Clark's well-researched novel provides an insight into the
harsh realities of inner-city life, clothing, housing, food,
school-life, the difficulties faced by returning soldiers and their
families in 1915. This series places strong boy characters into the
reality of the social life and conditions faced during historically
significant times. Jimmy's War is a valuable addition to the
collection.
Rhyllis Bignell
Wild Wood by Posie Graeme-Evans
Atria Books, 2015. ISBN 9781476743615
(Age: 15 - Adult) Recommended for readers who enjoy time slip
stories. When Jesse Marley discovers that she is adopted she is
determined to go to the United Kingdom to find the place where she
was born and uncover the secrets surrounding her birth. In London in
the month before Prince Charles and Diana's wedding she is hit by a
motor bike and taken to hospital. Unable to speak she begins to draw
a castle she has never seen, a man in armour and faces of people she
doesn't know. Her neurologist Rory Brandon is intrigued as he
recognises the castle and together they travel to Hundredfield, a
mediaeval stronghold which had been held by the Norman Dieudonne
family.
The author juggles Jesse's struggles to find out what is happening
to her in 1981 with the story of Bayard Dieudonne, a medieval knight
in 1321. On his return to Hundredfield after fighting on the
Scottish borders, he discovers that his brother Godefroi has married
and is now ruling the land harshly, the people are homeless and
starving and his brother doesn't seem to care. The historical
background is vividly drawn and the period of the Middle Ages comes
to life as the reader is drawn into descriptions of the Lady of the
Forest who is supposed to appear when she is most needed and the
conflict between the Catholic faith of the Normans and the pagan
beliefs that many of the people from the countryside still have.
Bayard's story is a gripping one, written in the first person and in
the style of the language of the 14th century, and it is this that
really kept my interest alive, as I read on avidly to find out what
the connection was between Bayard, Jesse, Hundredfield and The Lady
of the Forest.
Readers who like historical fiction and the idea of the medieval
world impacting on the modern world will enjoy the descriptions of
the castle and its chapel, the harsh life of the peasants and
soldiers, the piety and superstition on the monks and the conflict
between Norman and Briton. The struggle that is required to keep
Hundredfield in the 20th century and the effort that Jesse has to
make to find out about her roots is also immersing. The author
brings Jesse's story and Bayard's to a satisfying conclusion while
managing to keep up the suspense about the connection between the
two.
I certainly will not hesitate to pick up other books by Posie
Graeme-Evans.
Pat Pledger
Macbeth a graphic novel adapted and illustrated by Gareth Hinds
Based on the play by William Shakespeare. Candlewick Press 2015.
ISBN 9780763678029
Any new publication which helps students engage with Shakespeare is
welcome, and this well- constructed and attractive graphic novel,
rather than simply condensing the story and adding pictures,
carefully preserves the essential aspects of the play. Sensitive to
the power of the language, speeches have been carefully abridged and
the removal of line breaks, scene and act breaks, whilst preserving
the Shakespearian language, lend fluency to the text. Legibility is
good with not too much text on the page while black text boxes are
used to indicate dark forces at work and asides. The graphic
elements are engaging, the characters are consistent and evolve;
Macbeth starts out strong and attractive and ends up haggard and a
bit mad. Macduff starts out as the thoughtful comrade, and at the
end when he kills Macbeth he is the epitome of a hardened warrior.
The images of him when he learns of the murder of his wife and
children reflect the heartbreak of his emotional journey. The whole
is supported by dramatic use of colour, atmospheric settings and
carefully researched, dramatic battle scenes. At the front of book
is a helpful map of England and Scotland and a useful illustrated
guide to the characters. At the back are historical notes, notes on
the text and page by page notes in a conversational tone outlining
Hinds' decision making frame by frame. Many of our Stage 1 students
struggle through Macbeth each year and this edition will be useful
in enhancing understanding and enjoyment of the play. For visual
learners it could form a useful bridge between movie versions of the
play and the written word.
Sue Speck
Here comes a kiss by Stacey McCleary and David Cornish
Little Hare, 2015. ISBN 9781760121228
(Age: Pre-school - Yr 1) Here comes a kiss revolves around a
little girl and her younger brother as they go about their day,
giving kisses to one another and the little boy's toy. A delightful
and tender tale of sibling love and kisses, this story is written in
verse and accessible to the very youngest of children, due to the
sparse, gentle text and the accompanying simple coloured
illustrations. Cornish has used watercolours in his art works so the
colours are bright and cheerful but in no way overwhelm the story.
Each page is presented on a cream background, instead of stark
white, and the baby's stuffed toy dog makes an appearance on every
page bar the front cover. As well as the heart pictured on the chest
of the toy, hearts are liberally scattered across the backgrounds of
every page too.
This title could be used in a Kindergarten or Reception class when
introducing rhyming words or looking at family relationships. It
could also be an introduction to the names of different parts of the
body. At home, I can well imagine parents acting out the story with
their young children at bed time as it is quite a delightful tale.
Jo Schenkel
Ballet backflip by Meredith Costain
Ill. by Danielle McDonald. Ella Diaries series. Scholastic
Australia, 2015. ISBN 9781743628645
Recommended for readers from 7-9 years. Ella's diary contains her
quirky, innermost thoughts, her observations, poems, feelings - both
sad and happy, all accompanied by small action cartoons drawn in
purple and black. Ella is very expressive and informative, she loves
using dot points and lots of punctuation! She attends La Madame Fry
Ecole de Ballet - ballet school - every Wednesday afternoon and
Saturday morning with her best friend Zoe. Madame Fry announces a
special ballet concert set in an enchanted wood, the junior class is
baby bunnies. Unfortunately, there's only one special role the Fairy
Queen for the senior girls, the rest of the group is rocks, trees
and mushrooms. Dante the only boy dancer is the Fairy King. Ella
practices and practices plies and pirouettes in her bedroom, often
interrupted by her younger sister Olivia and her friend Matilda.
At school annoying Peach and her friends are impressing their
classmates with awesome flips, somersaults and moves they have
learnt at Twisters, a new gymnastics club. When Zoe decides to leave
ballet lessons and join the gymnastics club.
Meredith Costain's Ella Diaries are amusing to read, she
really understands the highs and lows a young girl experiences at
home, at school and in choosing the right sport or activity. The use
of different font styles, sizes and colours combined with different
styles of poetry and use of difficult words and made-up ones like
'exhausterating' make this an appealing junior novel.
Rhyllis Bignell
We're all Australians now by A B (Banjo) Paterson
Ill. by Mark Wilson. Angus & Robertson, 2015. ISBN 9780732296476
(Age: 8+) Recommended. World War One. ANZAC. Poetry. In his poetic
style, Banjo Paterson sent an open letter to the troops as they
fought in the war in Europe. Angus & Robertson have published
this beautifully illustrated book, setting the poem against Mark
Wilson's pictures of the war they faced. Banjo was well known in
Australia and many people learnt his poems by rote and could recite
them at will. He was revered as a poet who captured the Australian
core.
Each stanza of the poem extolling the virtues of a united Australia,
is illustrated with aspects of the war they fought and complimented
with images of people back home. So we have an image of the men
fighting their way up the Turkish hills on Gallipoli's coast, with
an image of a poster imploring recently graduated nurses to join up,
and a woman watching down on them all, while a man sits on his horse
under the Australian sun. Each image represents an aspect of war and
home, encouraging younger readers to ponder the lives led by these
people. I was struck particularly with the image of men advancing
across an open piece of land, contrasting with the women doing their
work back home, pulling along the coal trucks. And the nod to Walter
Withers, an Australian painter at the time, is wonderful, contrasting
the quiet life back home with the men packed and going off to war.
Each page is filled with things to look at and ponder, to wonder and
respond.
With the vast numbers of books about World War One published at the
moment, it is a change to see something written at the time, a poem
which underlined the feeling that Gallipoli made Australia,
Australia, that it overcame the state loyalties and divisions and
made people think of the reason for Federation only fifteen years
before. The Anzac heroism gave Australians a reason to be proud.
References to poppies, Gallipoli, Simpson and his donkey, Alec
Campbell, nurses, women back home, HMAS Sydney and wattle, amongst
others, will attract eager readers to look at the images shown and
reason why they are included.
Fran Knight
Meet Marly by Alice Pung
Our Australian girl. 1983. Ill. by Lucia Masciullo. Puffin,
2015
Recommended for readers from 8-10 years. The Our Australian girl
series celebrates the lives of young girls in historically
significant times past. Author Alice Pung draws from her own family
experiences to create the story of Marly, a young Vietnamese refugee
living in Sunshine, Melbourne, in 1983. One quarter of all the
refugees who fled the aftermath of the Vietnam War were Chinese,
many arrived by boat and had to assimilate into a totally foreign
environment.
Ten-year-old Marly's life has finally settled down at home and
school, at lunchtime she plays with friends Jessica and Kylie.
At home, Mum works sewing shirts with her friends in the back shed
and Dad is a factory worker. Marly's life changes when her Uncle
Beng, Aunty Tam and cousins Tuyet and DaWei, Vietnamese refugees
who fled to Hong Kong, arrive to live at her house. She is very
resentful, about their living in half of the lounge room, giving up
her old toys and having to take her cousins to school. Marly is
named for Marlon one of the The Jackson 5 so she plays a trick on
her girl cousin twelve-year-old Tuyet and renames her Jermaine
whilst eight year old DaWei becomes Jackie.
Marly tries to teach her cousins the Australian ways but finds it is
not easy. Friendships, family loyalties and cultural differences are
explored, as Marly is forced to learn some life lessons and truths
about her attitude. This story with the music, toys, television
shows and refugees' lifestyles, is positioned in an historically
accurate setting of the early 1980's.
Another great start to a new Our Australian girls series.
Rhyllis Bignel
The umbrella by Ingrid and Dieter Schubert
Book Island, 2015. ISBN 9780994109859
(Age: Preschool) Recommended. Wordless picture book. World view.
One blustery day the little dog finds a bright red umbrella in the
garden. It whisks him off into the sky, above the swirling leaves
and swaying trees, over his little house receding into the distance.
He flies over the clouds, looking down upon the African plains with
its herd of elephants, countless flamingo and hippos in the river,
then finds he is surrounded by a group of crocodiles, before being
whisked off into the air again, where he spies camels and desert
dwellers. Then he is floating upon the sea, using his umbrella as a
boat, and afterwards views life beneath the waves, and finds himself
in a waterspout from a passing whale. Off to an island with huge
turtles, then across a continent with majestic rainforests and
clutches of human inhabitants, until he reaches the colder climes
where he sees polar bears, penguins and seals.
With only the pictures to guide the readers, they will find
themselves transported around the world, flying from one continent
to another, recognising some of the animals and the habitats they
enjoy. Many readers will take delight in recognising the images and
want to talk about the pictures and what they mean for them, while
others will ask questions and absorb the information given. It will
be fun to look closely at the images with a group of children, using
clues to locate the continent the animals are on, perhaps using a
world map to chart the dog's journey.
For introducing geographical terms: river, ocean, mountains and so
on, this book will be an immeasurable help as it even includes
climactic conditions: storm, cyclone, wind and rain. Truly, each
picture tells a thousand stories.
Fran Knight
Prince of Afghanistan by Louis Nowra
Allen & Unwin, 2015. ISBN 9781743314821
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. War, Afghanistan, Animals, Survival.
When dog handler, Casey, is killed in the escape after the rescue of
three kidnapped doctors in Taliban held Afghanistan, Mark is the
only survivor of the attack and is left with Casey's injured dog,
Prince. The first helicopter was able to get away with the rescued
people, but his helicopter is hit by a rocket and the drones would
have beamed back that explosion, leaving people to conclude there
were no survivors. Mark and the now deaf Prince are on their
own.
So begins an adventure like no other, heart in the mouth, gut
wrenching and action packed, the reader sees Afghanistan through the
eyes of an injured soldier trying desperately to get back to safety
through villages which may or may not be helpful. All the while he
must learn about the dog, try to remember some of the things Casey
told him about his training and work out how he can make his
instructions known to the dog.
As their relationship deepens, Mark moves through this amazing
environment, which like that in Nowra's Into the Forest, is
ever present, enveloping and at times overwhelming. Five days
trekking across mountains and plains, usually at night to avoid
being seen, jostling with goats on a high track, avoiding a pair of
Taliban on a motorbike, seeing women at the waterhole, finding water
when they can, eating raw goat, all make this place incredibly real
to the reader. Nowra does not stint in talking about the opium trade
or use of marijuana both by Mark as a young man and by the troops in
the war zone. The dependence of the village people on growing the
opium poppy is shown with sympathy, as this terrible landscape has
seen countless generations of invaders across its borders.
Based on much research into Australia's role in Afghanistan, this
story is highly suited for readers in middle secondary who crave
something more. And at a time when Australia is commemorating its
involvement in World War One, it is salutary to perhaps contemplate
Mark's father's words, Only the dead have seen the end of war
(Plato).
Fran Knight
The Chimes by Anna Smaill
Sceptre: Hodder & Stoughton, 2015. ISBN: 9781444794533
(Age: 15+) Music. Dystopian fiction. In one word: unusual.
This is a book like no other, or at least any that I've read. Highly
experimental (and ironic) The Chimes is set in a futuristic world
where society has done away with visual knowledge and replaced it
with aural. This is a difficult concept to grasp and so I would only
recommend it to readers of experimental fiction or those familiar
with musical terms and concepts.
Music is the way of things and the written word has long since been
forbidden. The story follows Simon, recently orphaned and alone in
London, as he struggles to remember what his mother told him. He has
only the memories that he can carry, but will that be enough to see
him through? Seemingly by accident Simon is drawn to the Strand,
chasing a mysterious silence which he later learns is the Lady.
There he meets Lucien, a blind boy and the leader of a pact. With
nothing left to do Simon joins him in order to harvest the
mysterious mettle. He quickly proves himself as an excellent runner.
He has a gift for finding the Lady's song and also, it seems, for
keeping memory. Challenged at every turn by Lucien, Simon's
connection with the other boy grows, putting him in a danger he can
hardly fathom. With Chimes tugging away his memories will Simon have
the power to resist long enough to help Lucien?
Without knowledge of musical terms and concepts this book is utterly
confusing, almost as if it contains a whole other language.
Deliberate use of close words such as mettle/ metal and
blasphony/blasphemy, makes the world both familiar and unfamiliar at
the same time which only adds to the readers confusion.
Kayla Gaskell
Skin by Ilka Tampke
Text, 2015. ISBN 9781922182333
Recommended for 14+. Ilka Tampke's first novel is set in Celtic
Britain from 28 AD to 44 AD. The novel is part historical and part
fantasy, and deals with the lives of the Celtic tribes living in the
east of Britain before and during the Roman invasion. The main
character, named Ailia, is a foundling and so does not have a family
group or 'skin', as it is called. Even though loved by her adoptive
mother and possessing many abilities, she cannot fully participate
in the rituals and teachings of the tribe. She is not educated and
will only ever be a servant. However, at the time of coming of age,
when the mid-summer fire ritual is held, she is chosen by the
ambitious warrior Ruther, and after love-making, begins to learn of
the Roman cities and way of life that he, as an emissary to Rome,
has experienced. Far from being impressed, as he is, she is
horrified at the possibility of their sacrilegious way of life
coming to her country. Her determination that resistance is
essential is reinforced when it becomes clear that she has been
chosen by the Mothers, the powers who control life, to be trained in
their knowledge despite her having no skin. She is given a sword
that becomes a pathway to the 'other world' of the Mothers and is a
symbol of power. Her clanspeople recognize her as the one they have
been waiting for, the Kendra, the most powerful Druid who they
believe will have the power to save them from the fast approaching
Roman armies. Ailia directs them to fight, despite her misgivings
and despite Ruther having brokered a deal which, he hopes, will save
many lives. The Romans attack, and Ailia sees that the consequence
of her order is the destruction of her village. Too late, she learns
of her skin, but reinforced by this knowledge and by her experience
she flees to join other resisting clans. The novel is well
researched; the details of everyday life and rituals are vividly and
seemingly realistically described, and are convincingly brutal at
times. The narrative moves quickly, despite some confusing
supernatural strands involving the Mothers and a lover stranded in
the 'other world'. The conclusion is historically accurate, as the
Romans did of course triumph in this part of Britain. The novel is
recommended for young adult readers.
Jenny Hamilton
Are You Seeing Me? by Darren Groth
Woolshed Press, 2014. ISBN 9780857984739
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended.
'Perry has a brain condition that can cause him to feel anxious or
upset in different places and circumstances. He has trouble with
people - mixing with them and communicating with them - and
sometimes results in inappropriate behaviours. I appreciate your
understanding and patience.'
This book is highly recommended. It is a heartrending and joyful
journey with the twins, Justine and Perry. They have lived with
their father since their mother ran away from home when they were
very young. Their father has just lost the battle with cancer and
Justine has become the sole carer for her brother Perry.
Justine has completed negotiations for Perry to move into
assisted-living accommodation and they set off on a fabulous trip of
a lifetime. In their own ways they are very dependent on each other
and treat each other with tender love and kindness. Although Justine
has the responsibility and leads the way, Perry has a special kind
of wisdom that brings a tear and a smile.
Things will get shaken up again, broken into pieces, and we will
need to put it all back together the best way we can. And we will,
because although we can't rely on a stable, predictable Earth in the
years to come, we can rely on each other.
The relationships explored in this novel speak powerfully of love
and forgiveness.
Linda Guthrie
The Well by Catherine Chanter
Text, 2015. ISBN 9781922182685
(Age: Adult) Set in an England that has been stricken by drought
this first novel by Catherine Chanter looks at the effects of
deprivation and cultism on a family seeking a change of life. The
novel begins with the main character Ruth on house arrest at her
property called The Well. Through interactions with her guards and
working through her memories Ruth tries to find the murderer of her
small grandchild. Many years earlier Ruth, pregnant, marries Mark
who despite wanting to be a farmer becomes a lawyer to support the
family. The child, Angie, grows into a troubled adult and, after a
wrongful accusation, they all need to leave the city. They find a
property, The Well, that seems to have everything they want. It is
beautiful, allows Mark to farm and above all, has a plentiful water
supply, so plentiful in fact that those suffering from the drought
begin to suspect witchcraft. The bounty of The Well attracts
scientists, officialdom and religious fanatics including a group of
nuns called the Sisters led by the charismatic Amelia. Amelia draws
Ruth into her power and promotes The Well online as a place for
female power. As her relationship with Mark deteriorates Ruth
becomes more dependent on Amelia and the rituals of the cult. Ruth's
daughter, Angie, leaves to find work but her small boy Lucien stays
with Ruth. Amelia becomes jealous and tries to persuade Ruth that
The Well is for females only. Lucien is found drowned and Ruth is
heart-broken. Suspicion falls on Mark, Ruth and Amelia but all are
cleared. As one of the leaders of the cult Ruth is sent back to live
in isolation while both Mark and Amelia have disappeared. Ruth
struggles with the fear that she herself may have drowned Lucien but
ultimately the mystery is solved. Farm life is vividly realized and
the beauty of the natural world is poetically captured. The
characters are believable, particularly the small boy and his
mother, and Ruth's struggle towards the truth is both intense and
painful. The consequences of drought ring true and the coming of the
rain, along with knowledge, is cathartic. The action does not always
move quickly but does engage the reader and has some power. The
novel is suitable for confident adult readers.
Jenny Hamilton
