Dragons at Crumbling Castle: and other stories by Terry Pratchett
Random House Australia, 2014. ISBN 9780857534378
Once upon a time, in the 1960s, there was a young cub reporter who
worked for the Bucks Free Press covering such scintillating
happenings as village fairs and other local events. Despite the
rigours of such journalism, Sir Terry Pratchett began writing short
stories for young readers which were also published in the
newspaper.
This rather unostentatious beginning was to lead to the magical,
fantastical world of Pratchett as we know it.
Sir Terry has trawled back over these stories from his youth and
selected some for this volume - mostly exactly as they were written
originally, with only a little tweaking here and there.
Of particular interest I think are Tales of the Carpet People
and Another Tale of the Carpet People which of course later
developed into Terry's first novel.
Dragons and wizards, a lake monster, an adventurous tortoise called
Hercules and pointy hats and magic spells a-plenty come together in
a humorous romp through the young Pratchett's imagination.
Whether you are a diehard fan or more selective of the many
offerings penned by this master storyteller or even if - surely not!
- you have never read a Terry Pratchett book, this is a terrific
anthology which would sit well on shelves from primary to lower
secondary or home.
' . . . that naive young lad on the motorbike and the grown-up me
with my black hat and beard are the same person - and all we both
ever wanted to do was write for people old enough to understand.
And to imagine . . . ' Terry Pratchett. Wiltshire 2014.
In a 2008 article
Sir Terry discusses his diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease.
Sue Warren
Noni the Pony goes to the beach by Alison Lester
Allen & Unwin, 2014. ISBN 9781743311141
(Age: Preschool - K) Noni the pony is back - this time in a fun romp
along the beach with her farm friends, the 'ladies-next-door' Coco
Cat and Dave Dog. Sliding down the dunes, splashing in the waves,
building sandcastles and just enjoying the sunshine. But there's
trouble when a whale catches Dave's attention and he swims too far
out. Will Noni be able to rescue him?
Written in rhyming text, this is a charming adventure story for
young readers who will be able to relate to the activities,
especially the part about going after tired after a very long day.
With summer approaching, perhaps even here early, this is the
perfect introduction to a unit about beach safety for little ones.
As Cat sleeps in the 'hammock' is she wearing sunscreen? Promote the
slip, slop, slap and wrap message. If you saw a whale, would you go
too far out? Who might rescue you? Introduce the message and meaning
of the red and yellow flags. Encourage the children to be the
spokespeople for beach safety in their families. Consider a display
with Noni the Pony offering pieces of advice. A search of the
internet will bring up colouring pages, video clips and activities
that will help the children understand the message. There are more teachers'
notes available.
Alison Lester is a master at making a simple story that on the
surface is just a delightful parent/child read-along carry a complex
message that a skilled teacher can turn into an investigation that
brings about lifelong learning.
Barbara Braxton
Silly Birds written and illustrated by Gregg Dreise
Magabala Books, 2014. ISBN: 9781922142993
(Ages: Lower primary) Highly recommended and perfect for
cross-cultural studies in the Australian Curriculum. Way back before
Once-upon-a-time time, there was the Dreamtime, and during this
period there was Maliyan.
So starts this gorgeous morality tale from Gregg Driess, a Kamilaroi
man, born and raised in St George, Queensland. Gregg was raised in a
family that loved sport, music and poetry and he is currently a
teacher on the beautiful Sunshine Coast.
Inspired by a story from his uncle about a cockatoo taught to speak
both English and Italian, and reflecting on the oft repeated saying
of his Elders that its 'hard to soar like an eagle when you are
surrounded by turkeys', Gregg has presented an amusing and
instructive tale.
Maliyan was a young eagle with a loving family - parents who were
proud of him and looked after him well. Through their teaching he
learned to listen carefully and how to see things a long away. They
didn't want him to be a wombah thigaraa [silly birds in the
Gamilaraay language of the Kamilaroi people].
As Maliyan grew older he was well respected - until he met Wagun.
Wagun was a real wombah thigaraa, always talking, usually about
himself, always running around without looking carefully and he
never listened. He was a real bragger. While the Elders frowned upon
Wagun, Maliyan thought he seemed fun. They began to sing together,
and making up silly dances to go with their silly songs. Things got
worse as other young birds joined Wagun and Maliyan and calamities
followed - eating too much food, so that it became scarcer and
scarcer, throwing their rubbish into the waterholes and polluting
the drinking water and just generally being silly.
Like all parents, Maliyan's mother and father were worried about
their son running around with the wrong crowd and when he realised
this he became sad. He went to the Elders to ask the Wise Ones their
advice. They told him 'It's hard to soar like an eagle when you are
surrounded by turkeys' and he began to understand. Remembering his
own power to see and hear things, and to look and listen, he passed
on this wisdom to younger birds who responded to his words. Once
again Maliyan was a proud eagle and before long the birds were all
working together to fix the problems and build for the future. All
except Wagun, that is. Because he took no notice, Wagun lost his
ability to fly, was selfish and kept trying to have fun instead of
helping. He grew lonely with no friends and all he could do was
scratch around on the ground looking for seeds and fallen berries.
'Now the eagles remind their children about the story of Maliyan.
Children are reminded to always look and listen before speaking.
To always respect Elders' knowledge and experience.
To only take what you need and never be too greedy.
And to always choose your friends wisely, because it is hard to soar
like an eagle when you are surrounded by turkeys.'
Wonderful book with absolutely sumptuous illustrations in a modern
Indigenous style - and stylish endpapers!
Click here
for teacher resources.
Sue Warren
Catalyst by S.J. Kincaid
Insignia series. Hot Key Books, 2014. ISBN 9781471400711
(Age: 10 +) Recommended. Catalyst is the thrilling
conclusion to the Insignia series which has seen 16 year
old, Tom Raines, reeling from the events of his year training to
join the Intrasolar Forces. He is now in the Pentagonal Spire
determined to keep out of trouble, but devotees of this series would
well predict that this is all but impossible for the headstrong Tom.
Like his colleagues and friends he has been fitted with a neural
processor which has enabled him to download a world of information
and his fingers, frozen off from his experiences in the Antarctic,
have been replaced. In his absence the world of Pentagonal Spire has
greatly changed. Marsh has been replaced by a more militaristic
General Mezilo who has set up a regime against which Tom would
naturally react. But the real changes are going to prove much more
drastic as Tom discovers Vengerov's plan to control the world by use
of insidious nanomachines implanted in everyone's brain. How to stop
this maniac becomes the prime focus of the story until it reaches
its exciting, fast moving climax.
Catalyst is not just a world of technology: simulations, avatars,
exosints, census devices and 'Austere Grade processors' it is also a
world of friendship, loyalty, romance and love. Kincaid creates her
characters with as much authenticity as she does her cyber
technology. Tom's friends are each unique in their personalities and
their relationships with each other could be played out in any
school campus. The book is not without humour when Tom's choice of
The Holocaust Museum followed by a hamburger for his first date
proves less than successful.
While this novel abounds with action and seemingly impossible acts
of bravery and stress on the human body it is not without its
humanitarian side. Tom questions whether 'we should all just kill
each other all the time' p 123. Throughout the tumultuous times
friends remain loyal and the reader is treated to numerous examples
of the power of friendship and love. In the end Tom also discovers
that revenge is not as sweet and clearly defined as he would have
first imagined. Catalyst has something for everyone.
Barb Rye
Spirit Animals: Against the Tide by Tui T. Sutherland
Scholastic, 2014. ISBN 9781743620021
This is book five of the Spirit Animals series and, as there
are only a few books left, the plot thickens as the 'mole' is
revealed and we gain some sense of the deadly, ambitious Gerathon
and meet Kovo the giant gorilla, fellow conspirator in the conquest
of Erdas.
The four heroes and Tarik, The Greencloak, are sailing towards the
Hundred Isles to find Mulop the octopus, the only one of the great
beasts to be keen to meet with our heroes as indicated by Conor's
dreams. There is suspicion and distrust amongst the youngsters as
they contemplate who the traitor amongst them could be. However the
appearance of the Conqueror's fleet and giant sharks, which attack
the whales towing the boat just as the islands come into view,
forces them to focus on survival assisted by Kalani, Queen of the
Hundred Isles, and her aquatic friends.
To meet Mulop they need to overcome some major obstacles, both
mental and physical, evade the Conquerors, and find the reclusive
octopus. No mean feat for a group of children with or without their
guide and mentor, Tarik. The revelation of exactly who the traitor
is and why they have been aligned with the enemy will come as a
surprise to fans of the series as will the events that follow.
The setting in such an island paradise and the gentleness and good
will of Kalani and her people, the quirky wise man Tangaroa and his
orang-utan not to mention the refreshingly gentle, questioning and
helpful Mulop, give some respite from the always aggressive enemy
and their animals. They also bring a bit of light into what is
becoming an increasingly dark story that could deter some readers
from continuing to follow the series.
I look forward to the final two books as I am starting to view all
animals with suspicion these days and am especially wary at the
beach, after Conor's experience with a random malevolent seagull.
Sue Keane
We love you Hugless Douglas! by David Melling
Hugless Douglas series. Hodder, 2015 (c2013) ISBN 9781444920772
(Age: 3-5), Warmly recommended. Board book, Friendship. A lovely
book to hold and share, this one tells of the further adventures of
Hugless Douglas as he searches for a best friend. Everyone around
seems to have one close friend, and he seems to struggle to find one
for himself.
The lumbering bear is always on hand to help others: he helps
Flossie the sheep down from the tree, he joins Cow and her friend
for a smoothie, looking under the table for Flossie's last friend.
He is bombarded with flying bunnies as they play on the trampoline,
and is directed to the Baa Baa bush to search for Flossie's
friend. When Flossie and her friend are reunited and wander
off together, he is bereft and wonders why he hasn't got a friend,
but a surprise is waiting for him.
This will be a hit with the targeted audience, full of incidents
which underline the things friends do together (reprised on the last
double page spread) stressing the impact of friendship on their
daily lives. With Douglas not having a friend, children will
sympathise and offer suggestions, marveling at the positive
conclusion of the story. The illustrations reflect some funny
incidents as Douglas helps others in his clumsy way and the whole is
a lovely read aloud. First published in 2103 it is now republished
as a board book.
Fran Knight
Starry nights by Daisy Whitney
Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781619634367
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Julien loves spending his free time at the
art museum, looking intently at all of the art pieces created by the
great impressionists. However one night a peach falls out of a
Cezanne and Degas Ballerinas dance and rolls across the floor.
Julien knows that he is not hallucinating. The art works in the
museum are reacting to a curse placed upon them; this same curse
trapped a beautiful young muse, who goes by the name of Clio. She
has been kept in a painting for over a century in a private home and
she has not seen anyone in that century until she is moved to the
museum. Julien begins to fall in love with her and soon
realises that he is the only one who has the power to free her from
the curse. Although soon after he realises he has this ability, the
other paintings in the museum begin to bleed and are disappearing
forever. Julien must save Clio before her painting too, is lost
forever. Starry Nights is set in modern day Paris, and centres around
a teenage boy, Julien, who is an artist whose talent is only limited
to certain things. He loves all forms of art including music,
paintings and also sculptures using different kinds of mediums. His
mother runs a Parisian art gallery, where he conducts tours of the
gallery for people visiting. This gallery is also the place where he
first notices the paintings coming alive and where he first meets
the lovely Clio.
The main themes that were present throughout the book were romance,
mystery, and fantasy. The novel was written in first person, and
from the point of view of Julien. I enjoyed that Daisy Whitney wrote
this novel in first person, but from the perspective of Julien. I
would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys art, mystery or
fantasy.
Emily Madden
The Kaboom Kid: The big switch by David Warner
Simon & Schuster, 2014. ISBN 9781925030785
(Age 5-12) Highly recommended. Put simply, if you have a young boy
who is an emerging reader and loves cricket (or actually just thinks
cricket is OK) then this is a book that should definitely be on your
list. The Kaboom Kid is a book full of hilarious moments, realistic
friendship issues for a child and tonnes of cricket. First the
reader will meet Davey (Warner), the star of our story, the cricket
team and Davey's dog Max, a ball catching and silly mid-on expert.
The journey then begins at the start of the new school year when
young Davey finds out that he and his group of friends have Mr Mudge
as their Year 6 teacher. Mr Mudge despises cricket and goes out of
his way to rid the school of cricket and anything cricket related.
The teacher isn't Davey's only problem as the school bully Mo
Clouter also hates cricket.
How are Davey and his team mates going to get the practice they need
done with so much against them and detention punishments being
handed out for the simplest indiscretions? The boys must come up
with a plan fast if they are to beat their biggest rivals and keep
their place on the cricket club ladder. The Kaboom Kid reminds me of the Specky Magee series
of Australian Rules books for kids although slightly more comical. A
young reader will love Davey Warner's daily rollercoaster ride of
antics that is written with an easy to read language, larger font
and short chapters. A reader will need to be armed with a deep
knowledge of cricket language or quickly investigate their meanings.
Sayings like bowl it down leg, middle order crumble, tail wagging
and square leg may bamboozle the uneducated cricket mind.
With the amount of students in Australia that play cricket aged from
5 to 12 this book is an absolute must for any library collection and
young sporting stars book shelf.
Steve Whitehead
The Kaboom Kid: Playing up by David Warner with J.S. Black
Simon & Schuster, 2014. ISBN 9781925030808
(Age: 9+) Highly recommended. Great selections of books are being
written for sport-minded boys and The Kaboom Kid: Playing up is
another one to add to that selection. These books take the action of
a sport, a popular player, add a storyline and a few images and
create an engaging novel for those reluctant readers who would
rather be outside playing. Australian cricketer, David Warner, adds
his name and experience to this story and the main character is
little 'Davey Warner'. He is 11 years old and is a cricket crazy kid
who just wants to play cricket. I'm pretty sure every teacher has a
similar student, the one who talks nothing but cricket (or football
or soccer). This book is for them.
Davey has just lost his lucky bat, Kaboom, after using it in class.
It has been confiscated by his grumpy teacher. Davey can't play
cricket without his lucky bat and there are local cricket selectors
coming to observe him play. Plan? Get Kaboom back no matter the
consequences! Will Davey get his bat back in time or should he
listen to his older brother's endless and annoying advice and start
getting used to different bats? The Kaboom Kid is a quick moving novel with easy to read,
descriptive text. It is full of cricket lingo and is highly
recommended for boys aged 9+.
Kylie Kempster
My Hiroshima by Junko Morimoto
Lothian, 2014 (c1987). ISBN 9780734416025
(Ages: all) Highly recommended. War. Hiroshima. World War Two.
Nuclear bombs. Survival. Cancer. Death. First published in 1987,
this book received worldwide acclaim, and is used extensively in
classrooms where Peace is under discussion. A tale of the impact of
war upon families, particularly children, this memoir is as potent
today as it was when first published. Junko's recollections of that
day, August 6, 1945, are told with few words, the images revealing
the horror of the attack and its aftermath, its results causing
death for decades to come. Drawings that reprise the subtlety and
intimacy of Japanese watercolours, line drawings reflecting aspects
of families' lives, images emulating photographs span the pages
highlighting the effect on the city's children. No bomb had ever
been dropped like this one, no devastation was as overwhelming, no
city so completely laid bare. And all this is reflected here.
The central images of the bomb falling from the plane overhead, so
far removed it can barely be seen, divide the book into two parts.
The first shows the gentle activities of the families, going about
their daily lives, unaware of the danger above. The bomb falls,
turning them upside down, leaving people shocked beyond belief,
their skin falling from them in sheets, children searching for dead
parents, people whose bodies are still burning hours and days after.
The images after the falling of this bomb are heart-wrenching, and
will initiate much discussion in classes where this book is
presented.
At a time where war is being commemorated over the world with
anniversaries of the beginning of World War One, the travesty of
Gallipoli and seventy years since the dropping of the bomb on
Hiroshima, this is a timely reprint, one which will take centre
stage in class discussions and units of work, reminding children
that those who are most affected by war are people like them, the
innocents, the children, those who have taken no part in it at all.
This is a book to be cherished and revisited time and time again as
our world still tumbles into war, sweeping all in its path.
Junko says in her afterword, 'It is our responsibility to teach our
children to respect human life and value nature,' and this is
reflected in every word and image in this timely republishing.
Fran Knight
Wanted! Ralfy Rabbit, book burglar by Emily MacKenzie
Bloomsbury, 2015. ISBN 9781408843130
(Age: 4+) Warmly recommended. Books. Libraries. Crime. When Arthur
notices that some of his favourite books are missing from his
bookshelves, he decides to do a little sleuthing. He loves his
books, his bookshelves are groaning under the weight of his
favourite fairy tales and picture books, but sometimes he finds a
half eaten carrot on the emptying shelves. He sits up one night,
torch in hand, Teddy for company and when he hears a noise shines
the torch and sees the thief. It is a rabbit. The Police are no help
at all, and Arthur is sure he can hear laughter down the telephone
line. But one night, Ralfy burrows into the wrong house in his
search for books, that of PC Puddle, the laughing policeman and so
is caught. A clever test reveals which rabbit is the culprit and a
clever twist sees both avid readers happy.
This is a charming homage to books and reading, to reading being a
pastime of many children, and the role of libraries in our lives.
Along the way it reveals the role of police officers, and shows some
of the methods sleuths use in their detective work. Children will be
intrigued with the variety of things Arthur uses to catch his thief
and the methods he uses.
The illustrations are very cute, with books to be found on every
page, reinforcing the theme of the story. The lists of favourite
books parodying famous book titles will cause a ripple of
recognition with the adult reader, adding to the humour as the story
is read aloud. Younger children will be introduced to titles of
classic books which they will come across in their reading lives or
maybe one the adults will read them aloud to them.
Fran Knight
The Corduroy books by Don Freeman
Corduroy. Penguin, 2014 c1968. ISBN 9780140501735 A Pocket for Corduroy. 1978. ISBN 9780140503524
Voted in the Top 100 Books for Children in the National Education
Association 2007 online poll, and again in Top 100 Picture Book poll
2012, School Library Journal, and still not only in print but
becoming available in various formats, Corduroy was
initially rejected by Freeman's publishers, Viking Press. What a
loss it would have been had they not reviewed their decision at
their second opportunity. Freeman's story of the endearing teddy who
wants a home and the little girl Lisa, who sees in him a special
friend, has remained a constant favourite for children around the
world for almost forty years.
Corduroy is a little bear on a shelf in a department store and longs
to go home with someone special. When Lisa and her mother come in to
do some shopping, Lisa desperately wants to be that someone special
but her mother (as mothers do) says she has already spent enough
money and that besides, Corduroy is missing a button from his
overalls. Corduroy is very sad and spends the night roaming the
department store searching for a button, having some minor
adventures and finally being thwarted by the security guard.
Undeterred by her mother's negative response, Lisa goes home and
carefully counts out the money in her piggy bank and triumphantly
returns to the store the following day to buy her little bear.
Taking him home to his new room and his very own bed, Lisa sews a
button onto Corduroy's overalls and cements the beginning of their
friendship and hugs.
As a passionate arctophile
(a condition inherited from my Father Bear) this was always one of
my favourite titles to share with small people. In my Year 1 classes
years ago, our introduction to information report genre writing was
centred around literary offerings about bears and this title and its
followup were always warmly received. Later in the library, I have
continued to use this whenever doing a compare-and-contrast current
picture books with classic ones. The story has never had a negative
response from my audience. The story was successfully made into a film version
by Weston Woods in their valuable series - do spend a few moments to
relive the magic by following the link.
You may also enjoy these comments by Don Freeman about The
Story About Corduroy. I am personally very excited to see that
the Puffin Storytime book and CD series include both the titles and
they are already on their way to my shelves.
Sue Warren
Max the Brave by Ed Vere
Penguin Australia, 2014. ISBN 9780723286691
Coming hard on the heels of Small and I cooing over a very small,
very playful black kitten at the pet shop on Saturday, we shared
this absolutely gorgeous book from Ed Vere.
'This is Max.
Max is a fearless kitten.
Max is a brave kitten.
Max is a kitten who chases mice.
But what does a mouse look like?'
Max is the sweetest tiny black kitten with loads of personality. Off
he goes to discover Mouse because after all how can he bravely hunt
an animal if he doesn't know what it looks like?
Children will just love Max's quest as he comes across the various
animals trying to discover Mouse.
I was not familiar with Ed Vere's work until seeing this book but
just adore his illustrative style and will certainly be looking out
for more. This one is a keeper as we are very much 'kitten' folk!
Big and small people alike will enjoy this clip of Ed
demonstrating how to draw one of his popular characters.
Sue Warren
Outlaw Pete by Bruce Springsteen
Ill. by Frank Caruso. Simon & Schuster, 2014. ISBN 9781501103858
(Age: 12+) Picture book for older readers. USA Wild West. Cowboys.
Springsteen's Outlaw Pete is an amalgam of the stories he
heard and loved as a young boy. Cowboys and Indians, the Wild West,
the story of Brave Cowboy Bill his mother used to read to him, the
spaghetti westerns he watched, are infused with the stories from
Native Americans and filtered through Springsteen's considerable
abilities to produce this picture book for older readers.
Cowboy Pete is a tragic figure, sometimes poignant, but always
brave. His past looms over him but he is determined to put it behind
him, burying the fact of his outlaw deeds: robbing banks,
terrorising communities and killing those in his way. He rides as
far west as he can, marrying a Navaho woman and settling down with
their daughter. But his past catches up to him when a bounty hunter
arrives. Before he dies, the hunter tells Pete that he can never
outrun his past, and so Pete moves on, never to be seen again, his
daughter calling for him through her days.
This is a mesmerising story, reminding readers of all the tales they
have heard of outlaws who are desperate to redeem themselves. Pete
is an example of someone searching for sanity after a wild youth,
but unable to disentangle himself from the life he has led. It is a
salutary tale, a cautionary tale of past sins catching up, of regret
and the need for absolution.
The illustrations are blazingly different and just as mesmerising,
causing the readers to stop and look closely at what is before them.
The different techniques used, line drawing, crayon, water colour,
wash, oil, daubs of thick colour and pages of one colour, all add to
the interest in this book, as each page uncovers a surprise, forcing
the reader to think about the story and the juxtaposition of the
media used by the illustrator.
The refrain, I'm Outlaw Pete is scrawled across the pages as
he throws away his youth, but as the story continues, the refrain
changes subtly, reflecting his need for redemption and forgiveness.
This is certainly well worth looking past the cover to find the
layers of meaning inside.
To hear Springsteen's song, go to Youtube.
Fran Knight
The sleeper and the spindle by Neil Gaiman
Ill. by Chris Riddell. Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781408859643
(Ages: All) Highly recommended. Fairy tales. Adventure. Magic. A
highly inventive and throughly enjoyable repositioning of two well
known fairy tales is the basis for this offering from Gaiman and
Riddell. It will hook readers from the start, as they recognise
hints of various stories, following the different trails taken by
the characters, some of whom are known and easy to spot while others
take a little more liberty with the original stories. But all is
fascinating, tantalising and highly readable as the Queen leaves her
bridegroom on the eve of her wedding to free the neighbouring
country from the sleeping plague which has descended. Along with
three dwarves who have asked for her help, they shoulder the
mountains, cross the moat and brave the thorny rose bushes
encircling the castle. Once inside the princess's room, things take
unexpected leaps as Gaiman turns the stories inside out. This is a
captivating read, one sure to add a loyal band of followers to
Gaiman's books, and encourage readings of other versions of fairy
stories to compare it with. No teacher encouraging the reading of
fairy tales should be without this book as it shines a new light on
those stories half remembered, giving several a more modern tweak
and adding different layers of meaning and interest along the way.
The story, enhanced with an array of lustrous illustrations showing
all sorts of gargoyle-like creatures, along with the very alluring
Queen and Princess, will enthrall the readers. Panels of
illustrations line some pages while others cover a double page,
framed with designs sure to draw in the many pairs of eyes already
rivetted to the tale. The juxtaposition of both story and
illustrations is mesmerising and I defy anyone not to take away a
need to reread some more of Grimm's fairy tales.
Fran Knight
