Hachette, 2014. ISBN 9780751552898
(Age: 16+) Recommended. Mystery and suspense. Crime. Why did Audie
Palmer escape from prison a day before he was due to be released? In
prison for an armed robbery where four people died and $7 million
disappeared, Audie is a man hunted for his knowledge of the
whereabouts of the money and for the murders of the people at the
robbery. His prison inmate friend, Moss doesn't know why he left
after serving all but one day of his 10 year sentence and FBI
Special Agent Desiree Furness, as well as the local sheriff are hot
on his trail. But Audie is not after the money, he is trying to save
a life.
Robotham has come up with an intriguing premise that impels the
reader into the life and motives of Audie, an intelligent, seemingly
non-violent man who has survived the horror of prison, attacks from
other prisoners and numerous visits from men on the outside, who
want to know what has happened to the money. Audie is also seen
through the eyes of his friend, Moss, another prisoner, and Moss
too, cannot fathom out why Audie has decided to leave a day early.
On the run, Audie relives some of his past, and the reader finds out
about the effect that the actions of his brother Carl have had on
his life and begins to empathise with him. Other characters too, are
well fleshed out: Moss who is on his trail under the orders of
unknown men, and the diminutive FBI agent, Desiree Furness, who
struggles to overcome bias because of her size and gender, bur who
is determined to find out the truth.
Robotham is a master at writing a thrilling plot that keeps the
reader wondering what will come next and why the action is
occurring. The suspense is constant, there are plenty of red
herrings to confuse, and enough clues to tantalise, all making Life
or death a really good psychological thriller.
Pat Pledger
Anders and the comet by Gregory Mackay
Allen and Unwin, 2015. ISBN 9781760111151
Highly recommended for readers from 7-9. Author and illustrator
Gregory Mackay's first graphic novel celebrates friendship,
adventure and creativity.
Anders and his classmates are surprised when their teacher gives
them a homework assignment for the school break. They have to write
a report on their holiday activities. Anders, his cousin Eden and
new mate Bernie enjoy family outings, visiting the zoo and a
carnival, exploring the local park, playing video games and play and
craft activities. They have fun making bows and arrows, building a
box cubby, imagining they are in far off lands and adventures with
the Green Grabber. They find a fantastic new pet Skip a glow bug
that can perform some amazing tricks. Anders and the comet is the first in a series of junior
novels by Gregory Mackay; the young reader can take inspiration from
the three friends and use their imagination to create their own
adventures with everyday objects. Why not try making a comic book, a
cubby house or a gyrocopter?
Rhyllis Bignell
The Tinklers three: The perfect pet by M.C. Badger
Hardie Grant Egmont, 2014. ISBN 9781742976273
Meet The Tinklers - three children, Marcus, Mila and Turtle, who
live by themselves in a high-rise apartment while their parents
travel as circus performers - their father is a tightrope walker,
and their mother rides a white horse. Marcus is eight, is
level-headed and wants to be an inventor. Mila is ten, loves ice
cream and can't wait to join the circus. Turtle is three, believes
she is a turtle and wants to be a shark when she grows up. All three
believe they do not need an adult to look after them and have
developed a strategy of standing next to a likely adult should
someone start looking for their parents.
In this adventure, the 4th in the series, they have decided to get a
pet. Mila, who likes to make up rules, says they have fulfilled the
requirements of being good, eating extra icecream every day and
standing on one leg when brushing their teeth. So the time has come.
But agreeing on just which sort of pet to get becomes an issue until
Mila's eyes light on something most unusual. As she says when she
sees all the other usual offerings, 'These pets are OK for other
people but we are the Tinklers and we need something different.'
She persuades the others and the petshop owner and so off they go.
But things don't work out quite as planned and the pet has to be set
free. How will their desire for a pet that is perfect be solved?
This is a new series by Ms Badger which starts with A very good
idea, The coolest pool and An excellent invention
written for the newly independent reader who is ready for novels but
still needs the support of short chapters, a larger font and
imaginative illustrations. The concept of a family free to do as
they choose without parental constraints or responsibilities (like
who pays for their apartment) will appeal to young readers and they
will love its quirkiness and humour as their imaginations take them
to a similar situation.
If you are looking for a new series to introduce students to, this
could be it.
Barbara Braxton<
My first Elmer collection David McKee
Random House, 2014. ISBN 9781783441792
(Age: Preschool - K) Highly recommended. 'Four Elmer board books in
one handy package! Elmer's colours, Elmer's day,
Elmer's friends, and Elmer's weather shrinkwrapped in
an attractive card wrapper to make a gorgeous gift for a young baby
and an essential addition to every playgroup and nurseryschool's
bookshelves.'
Fact: Everyone loves elephants.
Fact: Everyone loves Elmer.
Well, that's how it works in our family and I have to say, that I
have not shared Elmer with any Lower School humans who have not had
a similar response!
And now, in the 25th anniversary year of Elmer stories, here is the
dinkiest, cutest little series/set to gift to miniscule people in
your circle. As we know, reading starts with the smallest of
children if it is to be a lifelong habit and this perfectly sweet
collection of four Elmer board books is a super way to start your
favourite little one off such a journey.
Each little board book is sturdy, well designed - and particularly
important - the exactly right size for small dimpled hands to clasp
onto and wave around excitedly. As one might expect, vibrant colours
abound and accompanied by simple text to which tinies will relate
well, I cannot recommend these highly enough.
As well as the joys of the stories and colourful illustrations,
simple concepts abound. For example, in Elmer's friends the
reader is introduced to those friends with comments such as 'Hello
Snake. You're longer than anybody'.
While these might not suit everyone's school library - those with
early childhood centres or who accommodate younger siblings might
differ - they are certainly a gorgeous gift for the small people in
your life.
Read about the evolution of Elmer and the always wonderful Sparklebox
has heaps of resources.
Sue Warren
Our Australian girl (series)
Ill. by Lucia Masciullo. Puffin Books, 2014. Pearlie the spy by Gabrielle Wang. ISBN 9780143307969 Daisy in the mansion by Michelle Hamer. ISBN 9780143307655
(Age: Yr 3+) Our Australian girl is a series which features
'a girl like me in a time gone by' which tells each girl's story in
a mini-series of several books. The series itself aims 'to encourage
a new generation to discover our history and culture in all its
diversity, and to celebrate the independence of spirit that we
treasure as Australians'.
Joining Grace, Letty, Poppy, Rose, Nellie, Alice, Lina and Ruby who
have each featured in previous stories are Pearlie and Daisy and
soon, Marly.
Pearlie's story is set in Darwin in 1941 and the war is changing
Pearlie's life every day. Darwin is full of soldiers, there's a spy
on the loose, and people are turning against Pearlie's best friend,
Naoko, just because she's Japanese.
For Daisy it's 1930. She lives on a farm, where she loves riding her
horse, Jimmy, through the paddocks. Times are tough, and when her
father loses his job, Daisy and her little sister, Flora, are sent
to Melbourne to live with their aunt and uncle. Daisy must leave
behind everyone she loves for a city she's never seen, and even her
wildest daydreams can't prepare her for the new life that awaits
her.
Each book contains extra pages with information about the time in
which the girls lived, providing a deeper context for the setting.
Historical fiction is a great way to take students out of their
world into new ones and this series is proving a popular way of
doing that. I know many Yr 3+ students who eagerly await the next
installment. When I reviewed the early stories in the series a
couple of years ago I predicted it would be a hit and it has proved
to be so.
The website
provides a lot of information about the other characters who feature
in the series, as well as reviews, activities, author information
and extracts to entice.
Barbara Braxton
There will be lies by Nick Lake
Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781408856000
(Age 14+) Highly recommended. Thriller. Magic realism. Road trip.
Shelby Jane Cooper is almost 18. She lives at home with her mother
who has home-schooled her. Her days are highly organised by her
mother who is totally preoccupied with keeping her safe, away from
the world and especially men. When she is hit by a car and has to go
to hospital with a broken leg, secrets that her mother has been
keeping begin to unravel and they run away from the old life that
they had. Only her mother seems to know just what they are running
from and Shelby doesn't know what to believe. Her only friend seems
to be a coyote and she starts to slip in and out of her world, not
knowing what the truth is and what is a lie.
I found this to be a gripping thriller that I couldn't put down. The
character of Shelby was awesome and her first person narration as
she describes what happens kept me on the edge of my seat, even
though I knew that I couldn't rely on it. She is a clever girl whose
intelligence shines through her comments even when she is
exaggerating and touches of humour lighten the mood, especially her
cynicism about how her deafness is viewed. She freely admits that
she knows nothing about Native American folklore and the reader
knows that what she describes as she follows Coyote into an
alternative universe may not be what Native Americans believe. Her
alternate dream state provides a secondary story about killing the
mythical Crone and rescuing the weeping Child that is as gripping as
the road trip that she and her mother take to evade anyone
following.
Nick Lake is an award winning author of the Michael J Printz Award
2013 for In
darkness and his mastery of language is evident in
his world and character building. He is able to keep up the
riveting suspense by often leaving the reader on a cliffhanger at
the end of a chapter, which ensures that the next page is read just
to find out what is going to happen. He gives a brief introduction
to the book on YouTube.
Readers who enjoy thrillers will love this story and it could
provoke a lot of discussion in literature circles, in particular
about the use of Native American mythology by an author who has no
background in this area. (See a
review from Debbie Reese at the American Indians in Children's
Literature website, which is highly critical of this aspect.)
Pat Pledger
Diary of a... (series) by Shamini Flint
Ill. by Sally Heinrich. Allen & Unwin, 2015. Diary of a golf pro. ISBN 9781760111496 Diary of a basketball hero. ISBN 9781760111502
Recommended for 7-9 year olds. Shamini Flint's popular diary series
continues the story of sports-challenged Marcus Atkinson and his
optimistic father who is determined to find a sport suitable for his
son. In these two new adventures, basketball and golf are chosen with
of course, interesting and humorous results.
In Diary of a golf pro, Mr Atkinson kits Marcus out in check
golf trousers, baggy golf shirt and takes him and three classmates
Hulk, JT and James out for lessons. Marcus is a literal thinker, his
diary entries show his vivid imagination - tea instead of a golf
tee, hot chips not chip shots and Spot his dog has to help dig out
the holes Marcus fills in. Each golf lesson is a disaster. Marcus
makes sand angels in the bunker, hits himself with a rebound shot,
nothing seems to work out. At home Mum cheers him up and encourages
his cooking skills; the stuffed chicken with pumpkin puree is a
winner. After a difficult but surprising golf match Dad comes to the
realisation that this is not the sport for his son, maybe basketball
is the answer.
Of course in Diary of a basketball hero, Marcus is forced to
learn another sport; unfortunately he has to join a girls' team.
Dad's enthusiasm is no match for his son's ineptitude, even with all
the tips, practice and encouragement, the outcome of the final match
is a surprise. Sally Heinrich's cartoon sketches and speech bubbles
complement Shamini Flint's narrative.
These diary books are great for reluctant readers and sports
enthusiasts.
Rhyllis Bignell
The ever after of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen
Sphere, 2014. ISBN 9780751555318.
(Age: 18+) Sex scenes. The day that Ella has been waiting for has
arrived. Today she marries Micha, the love of her life. Everything
is perfect except for the unexpected package that brings back a
harsh reminder of Ella's awful past. How can Ella have a 'happily
ever after' if she has never even seen one? Micha will stand by Ella
no matter what is going through her mind and heart. He has been left
standing at the altar on his own once, will Ella make him go through
it again? Together they head back to their childhood home to help
Ella put her past behind her so she and Micha can move on with their
lives.
This is an extremely emotional read. Ella has so much that she
struggles with daily. She had to learn what love was and that was a
strong thing to read about. I was affected by the struggles Ella and
Micha had to deal with. The very first page hooked me and I could
not put it down, reading it in one sitting. A heartfelt read that
will bring tears to your eyes and fill your heart with hope for Ella
and Micha.
Cecilia Richards
Jamie Brown is NOT rich by Adam Wallace
Ford St, 2014. ISBN 9781925000368
(Age: 6-10) Humour. Kids who love humorous books of the ilk - Diary
of a wimpy kid, My life...(Tristan Bancks), Tom
Gates and so on - will love meeting Jamie Brown and his family
and friends.
Jamie and his family are poor - really poor - but his life is rich
in other ways. Living alongside equally impoverished families in the
old Grand Hotel on Hovel St, Jamie has quirky friends and loving
family to compensate for the lack of dollars.
Then one day the Brown's lives change dramatically when a distant
relative gives them a squillion dollars and the family is moved to a
huge mansion in Snootyville and Jamie is enrolled at a very posh
school. How will the Browns, and Jamie, cope with this unexpected
turnaround in their lives?
Examining themes such as bullying and being accepted, whether money
buys happiness and persistence, the book comedically charts the
progress of the Brown's rags-to-riches story. Interspersed with the
text which includes some very funky fonts are numerous, very
expressive, cartoon-style illustrations, which successfully break up
the story into very accessible chunks for readers who can be easily
daunted by loads of writing.
No doubt you have many readers already familiar with Adam's style
and this novel, which apparently was inspired by Happy Gilmore
(certainly one of my favourite movies!) will be sure to hit the
right spot for both boys and girls from around 8 upwards. You won't
go wrong adding this one to your shelves!
Find teaching
notes at Ford St Publishing.
Sue Warren
Alice in Wonderland
Disney Vintage Collection. Chirpy Bird, 2014. ISBN 9781742978215
(Age: K-4) One summer day, while daydreaming through a history
lesson, Alice spotted a fully dressed white rabbit hurrying past.
Curious, she followed him - down a rabbit hole and into an enchanted
world.
Wonderland was a peculiar place, filled with strange creatures and
nonsense. The Mad Hatter was busy celebrating his 'unbirthday', the
Cheshire Cat could appear and disappear at will, and the
temperamental Queen of Hearts would yell 'off with their heads' to
anyone who offended her - including poor Alice . . .
This is a retelling of the Lewis Carroll classic that is perfect for
younger readers. Whether read aloud or read alone, it is a wonderful
introduction that encapsulates the essence of Carroll's tale without
being overwhelming. In its special vintage livery of cloth spine,
gold foil and full colour illustrations in the traditional Disney
style, it is the final in this series which includes Bambi,
Cinderella, Peter Pan and Pinocchio. Each one
in the series is a great way to start children off on their journey
through the stories that have endured from generation to generation,
providing the foundation for understanding the originals when they
are ready.
Definitely worth having in your collection and suggesting to parents
and grandparents as a perfect gift.
Barbara Braxton
Monsters love underpants by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort
Simon & Schuster, 2014. ISBN 9781847385710
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. Now I'm not entirely sure exactly how
much you know about monsters, or indeed underpants, but I will be
you didn't know how completely inseparable these two are! Can't you
just hear the giggles now as you read aloud this newest of the
'Underpants' books?
From the rather wacky creators, Claire Freedman and Ben Cort, comes
this latest hilarious romp in the highly entertaining series that
has included Aliens and Dinosaurs.
Dazzlingly bright illustrations and an engaging rhyming text reveal
to the reader that perhaps that suspected rustling of a monster
under one's bed is because something hairy or spiky is actually
trying out YOUR snazziest pair! I think the best plan would be to
hide all the funky underwear away in its proper drawer because these
monsters are all too keen to flaunt the loudest and garish undies
they can lay their hands on - or bums in!
There are mountain monsters and sea monsters, space monsters and
swamp monsters and when they all get together for a monster rave at
the Saturday night disco, they jive and jitterbug with their
most flamboyant jocks. Of course, they have to scurry home because
after all, who could be afraid of a monster once you know they have
a peculiar pants penchant!
As I once did with a Year 1/2 class after reading another famous
underwear book (The Queen's knickers by Nicholas Allan) I do
think some colourfully created 'underpants' would make a super
display in a classroom or library! It was a great activity for
'patterning'.
Naturally, such a book is also a great starting point to dealing
with the imaginary fears some children may have - use the
'Riddikulus' spell and laugh those bogies away.
Highly recommended for sharing with little people from around 3 or 4
years upwards.
Sue Warren
The Vanishing Game by Kate Kae Myers
Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781619631274
(Age: 13+) Recommended. Mystery. Thriller. Horror. When 17 year old
Jocelyn receives a letter from Jason December, she is convinced that
her twin brother Jack has not died in a car accident, as she
previously thought, because he and their friend Noah are the only
people who know the meaning behind Jason December. She begins to
follow the clues in the letter, and these lead her back to Seal
House, the horrifying foster home where Jack, their friend Noah and
she spent time. She reunites with Noah, and the clues send them off
on a trip that uncovers what has happened to Jocelyn in her
childhood and what has happened to Jack in the company that employed
him and Noah.
The author has Jocelyn and Noah making a terrifying journey back to
their childhood where Jocelyn relives what had happened to Jack and
her when they arrived at Seal House. The owner had a nasty
initiation ceremony to the foster home where new children were
locked in the dark cellar without food or light for their first
night at the home, in order to terrify them and make sure that they
didn't give her any trouble. Elements of horror stories emerge, with
Jocelyn's arm displaying a huge bite mark from an attack while she
is in the cellar and the walls of the home and other buildings seem
to warp and move. The suspense is absolutely gripping with a hit man
chasing Jocelyn, blowing up the houses where she and Noah are
staying and demanding that she give him a list. Jocelyn also
encounters scary children who once lived at the home and their
actions are terrifying too.
Readers who really enjoy world puzzles and ciphers will have a lot
of fun working out the clues that arrive from Jason December, as
Jocelyn and Noah move from one place to another trying to find the
messages that have been left for them and working out if Jack is
still alive.
The low-key romance between Jocelyn and Noah is poignant as these
two geeks get to know each other after being apart for years.
Readers are sure to relate to Jocelyn and her plight with an abusive
mother and awful foster homes. However Jocelyn matures throughout
the story and readers will find solace in her observation that
problems 'are like pebbles on the shore. If you hold them close
to your eye, they seem gigantic. But if you put them where they
belong, you can have a better perspective on what they really
were'. pg.316
There is a massive twist at the end that will leave readers going
back over the story to see the clues that the author has given. It
makes sense of the mystery in the story but was totally unexpected
and it is this twist that made it such a good mystery for me.
Lovers of mysteries and thrillers are sure to enjoy The
vanishing game.
Pat Pledger
Jigsaw man by Elena Forbes
Text, 2015. ISBN 9781922182616
(Age: Mature readers) Elena Forbes' latest novel is the fourth in a
crime series with Detective Inspector Tartaglia and the Barnes
investigation team in London. The author won a Crime Writers'
Association award for an earlier title. In the previous books Sam
Donovan has been part of Mark Tartaglia's team, but following a
traumatic attack on them both Sam has left the police force. She is,
however, connected to the murdered woman whose death Tartaglia is
called to investigate. The victim is Sam's sister; she is found in a
hotel room strangled, and as Sam struggles to get information about
the death she becomes convinced that she knows who the killer is,
and that she, Sam, is his intended next victim. However, Tartaglia
is off this case and is not listening to her. He is dealing with
what proves to be a very bizarre series of murders in which the
incinerated bodies of victims are parts of several corpses
dismembered and sewn together again to look like one body. The two
plot lines run parallel, and are interspersed by the thoughts and
plans of a killer who is planning another murder but faces
harassment from an unexplained intruder. Which killer is not clear
until the suspenseful conclusion when Sam sets a trap and Tartaglia
closes in on his suspects, who include a much reviled businessman, a
thwarted chef and an ex-convict. The suspense builds as the reader
is never sure how the three plots are connected, or indeed if they
are. Forbes has a tight control of the narrative as she moves easily
from one perspective to another. The murders are gruesome but this
element is not dwelt upon as the interest is rather on the gathering
of evidence and the interplay of personalities. The characters are
believable enough, and the relationships between them are convincing
but the main interest lies in the unravelling of the plots. The
language is reasonably simple and the novel is recommended for
mature readers.
Jenny Hamilton
The Great Garden Mystery by Renee Treml
Random House Australia Children's, 2014. ISBN: 9780857984166
Highly recommended for young readers aged 5 and up. Just over a year
ago I had the distinct pleasure of reviewing Rene's second picture
book, Colour for Curlews. I absolutely loved it - and I love
this new one just as much.
There is great consternation in the garden. Someone is stealing the
beetroots - who could it be? The two curious curlews reappear and
assume the role of detectives and are enthusiastically 'helped' by
the speculations of the other animals who either find incriminating
clues such as square poos, a hole under the fence or tufts of fur or
use their knowledge of character traits to fling around accusations
so, as Fox is sneaky it could well be him. Following this maze
of clues leads to a final accusation against Roo - who bounds away
rather than stay to face this bush court (should that be kangaroo
court?). The garden is tidied up, new seeds planted and all seems
calm. That is, until nightfall when Wombat (in a reappearance from
the two earlier books) wakes up, and sets off for more free veggies
- especially beetroot!
This is a very amusing detective story for young readers and
certainly could lead to some interesting classroom discussions about
taking care when leaping to conclusions.
Once again I am very struck with Renee's illustrative techniques. In
this new book, the characters themselves are quite monochromatic but
the effect of them placed against coloured backgrounds in the double
page spreads is really striking. The lovely endpapers with a
trail of munched beetroots against the white space are similarly
attractive.
Another picture book which lends itself particularly well to
read-aloud sessions and no doubt much debate and discussion about
who the guilty party might be, as well as introducing some judicial
new vocabulary.
Visit Renee's website here
and find teaching notes here.
Sue Warren
The Starbound Trilogy: This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
Hyperion Books, 2014. ISBN 9781743319703
(Age: 16+) Highly recommended. The People of Avon are at war on a
still-terra-forming planet. They think that there are only two sides
to the war: military and rebel forces. How wrong they are . . .
Following the journey of military captain, Lee Chase and rebel
leader, Flynn Cormac, two of the most notorious names on Avon, this
second instalment fights to show that La Roux Industries was working
in secret throughout the galaxy. During their first meeting Captain
Chase and Cormac fight tooth and nail to gain the upper hand. Chase
is the superior fighter and famous for being a bloodthirsty killer,
while Cormac is simply fishing for information. He is well educated
for the Fianna and at first Chase thinks that he's an off worlder,
but her hopes are quashed when she is drugged and taken east to a
secret facility that Cormac had discovered. It wasn't military and
it wasn't Fianna. Confused and frightened, Cormac takes Chase to the
caves where the Fianna live, hoping to make a trade with the
military for information. He is desperately worried about his planet
and why it isn't progressing. After three generations of colonists
the planet is still unable to support life. But this mystery is too
mysterious for the Fianna, and for the military as well. The pair
become outlaws from their own homes and must forge ahead to discover
the truth and save their people from the Fury, a mind altering
illness which drives people to murder one another without
discrimination.
Unexpectedly, the second instalment introduces new main characters
into the trilogy while Tarver and Lilac La Roux keep a low profile,
hiding in some far corner of the galaxy, only to come out when most
needed.
Although I am no lover of science fiction I would highly recommend
this for young people over the age of sixteen who have an interest
in sci-fi and romance.
Kayla Gaskell, age eighteen.
