Ria lives in poverty on a windswept coastline with her seafaring father, her invalid sister Felecie and a half-sister Aberdeen. The livelihood of the populace is somehow besieged by a fleet of pirates under the command of the infamous “Heartless King”. When the bodies of her father’s crew begin to wash ashore, the girls fear the worst. One night, her badly injured father is carried home by the villagers. He intends only to say goodbye before returning to the pirates without the daughter he promised them.
Younger by two years than Felecie, the daughter known to 'The Heartless King', the pirates are unaware of Ria’s existence. While her father sleeps, Ria decides to take her sister’s place and sacrifice herself to save her family. Stepping onto Father’s ship, it magically sets sail to rendezvous with the Blood Rose (pirate ship) and Ria is taken captive.
Over many days, Ria discovers her tragic family history. She and Felecie are actually princesses and after her mother’s death, her father hid them safely in poverty in the countryside. The Heartless King erstwhile, had a feud with Bane, a mutineer and would-be king. He intends to use Estelle’s daughter, to lure Bane out and dispose of him.
The cursed but youthful king is always cloaked – unseen, he evokes fear and mystery. But his swordsmanship is fearsome, and a terrified Ria witnesses him dispatch dozens of men mercilessly in a short bloody battle. On the upside, his magical ship supplies the crew with sumptuous food and a well-stocked library - where Ria reads contentedly when not actively piecing together her family history.
Ria’s heightened sense of social justice means she is driven to provoke the King daily at dinner. His given name is Sebastien. If not for her hostage value and youthful naivety, her criticisms of Sebastien's inhumanity would end in animosity rather than a simmering romantic tension.
The re-telling of the ‘beauty and the cursed beast’ fairytale aboard a pirate ship is refreshing – and rich evocative descriptions help the reader make it to the turning point where enmity and cathartic chemistry collide. Sarah Street is an engaging chronicler of the Golden Age of pirates in the fictitious pages of A Curse of Salt. This fresh pirate adventure is richly layered with magical realism - aye, a page turner.
Aggie Flea STEALS the SHOW written by Tania Ingram, is the second entertaining younger novel in the Aggie Flea series. The first book Aggie Flea is NOT a LIAR, recognisable by its bright pink cover, has just been announced as a 2024 CBCA Notable book for the Younger Reader category. For those who have not yet met 10 year old Aggie Flea, be prepared for a roller coaster ride of bubbly bouncy energy with plenty of misunderstandings. Aggie has a BIG imagination and she is constantly throwing herself into situations with the best of intentions but oblivious to what may go wrong.
The second book, this time with a cover in purple tones, is all about the school play. Aggie desperately wants the role of Web Legs, the superhero spider from Mars in the play titled Lucas and the (farting) Pineapple from Space. She decides to change into her spider legs costume at school to impress her teacher Mrs Fossy but Aggie has forgotten that Mrs Fossy is petrified of spiders and causes her to collapse. Aggie is asked to go home for the remainder of the school day and is collected by her Aunt Pip who is minding her and her older brother 13 year old Jack while their mum is away. But it turns out Aunt Pip and the headmaster Mr Strong have a past which is highly embarrassing for Aggie.
Aggie’s audition goes well and she is chosen for the part of Web Legs over her nasty nemesis Zara Miller. The class spend time preparing for the play with Aggie learning her lines and best friend Kumi designing the enormous farting pineapple. Aggie has a hilarious costume hiccup which leads to a very upsetting moment for Kumi but Aggie realises she has done the wrong thing and tries to make amends. In the end the play is a success after the new ‘love’ interest of her brother Jack helps out Aggie with an even better costume.
Readers will be treated to lots of laughs from the situations Aggie gets herself into but are also left wondering what could possibly happen next. Within the story are graphic novel inserts about Princess Zombie of whom Aggie is a great fan and whose own life at times mirrors that of her idol. The use of illustrations throughout and the highlighting of different words allow this story to be accessible to a range of different reading styles. This is an enjoyable series for younger readers and it will be exciting to read the next instalment of Aggie Flea.
Themes School Play, Family, Friends, Drama, Catastrophes, Humour.
Kathryn Beilby
Aggie Flea is not a liar! by Tania Ingram. Illus. by A. Yi
This is the first Aggie Flea book and has just been included in the 2024 CBCA Book of the Year Notables list in the Younger Readers category.
Aggie is 10 years old and has a big imagination and great sense of humour. In the first person, we ride along as she navigates life, dealing good naturedly with everyday issues like divorced parents, trouble at school, and an annoying older brother.
Suddenly two interesting things happen at once - at home, Aggie gets a mysterious new neighbour, and at school, her class is challenged to write a feature article for the paper. Aggie has already decided her new neighbour is a vampire so now she just has to prove it, interview him and write the best article for the paper - easy!
There are so many great aspects to this novel: it is funny from the very first page; contains bursts of extra craziness such as an outrageous fake Scottish accent, and a sparkly mouse poo incident; and it showcases a lovely friendship with bestie Kumi, including taking ownership and making up when things go wrong.
Then there are the fabulous stylistic choices that keep interest high: the bright neon pink accents, varied font types and sizes, fun illustrations throughout, and best of all, the interspersed graphic novel snippets that come from Aggie's favourite 'Princess Zombie' books.
This would be a fantastic read-aloud or read-alongside for younger children, and a fun new series for independent readers.
This superb picture book will be a treat to read and share with young readers. The striking green cover has immediate appeal and the gorgeous endpapers showcase brightly coloured beetles - complete with interesting facts - from all over the world.
On each double page there is a rhyming verse for numbers one to ten:
Five rainbow stag beetles
zooming through the sky,
with a flash and a glint,
they sparkle as they fly.
Every verse is accompanied by a stunning full page illustration with delightful detail and colourful design. One very clever inclusion on each page are the various creatures nibbling the same number of holes in the chosen number.
This is a fabulous book, full of rhyme and striking illustrations. A wonderful addition to a home, school or public library.
Themes Beetles, Counting, Rhyme.
Kathryn Beilby
Who am I? I'm a tiger by Liv Wan, illus.
Catch a Star, 2024. ISBN: 9781922326874. (Age:1+) Recommended.
One in a number of books in the Who am I? series published by New Frontier, the book about a tiger will have instant appeal to the very young, just learning to hold and open a book. Study board books are great introductions, and combined with am engrossing theme concerning a variety of animals, told simply and surrounded by wonderful bright illustrations, younger children will be enthralled.
In the tiger book, various traits are given about an animal, then a question ‘who am I?’ posed, answered by opening a flap to find the picture of the animal. In this way, children will see the difference between an elephant, frog, tiger, and parrot until the last page when the flap reveals a mirror. And very subtly includes them in the carnival of animals. The background detail shows a little of the environment in which these animals live, and a few other animals are included, prodding recognition by the reader. They will love the board book, sturdy and strong, brightly coloured and detailed, giving range to a host of learning about animals.
Themes Questions and answers, Animals, Lift the flap, Board book.
Fran Knight
Unholy terrors by Lyndall Clipstone
Penguin, 2023. ISBN: 9781761341625. (Age:16+)
The Wardens defend The Hallowed Lands from their enclave behind the border wall. Barracks, watchtower, armoury, infirmary, gothic chapel and the immediate moorlands are their workplace. Everline Blackthorn and her Warden besties Lux and Briar, have sworn vows to their commander Fenn to protect their homeland from the monsters. The Vesperine are wolf-like creatures constructed by the dark magic of their god, Nyx Severin. They live beyond the enclave decorated with their bones, over the misty moorlandss and across a river, in their own macabre territory - The Thousandfold.
The wardens are trained to deter and slay the vesperine with magic of their own. All except Fenn’s youngest daughter Everline who doesn’t possess the magic to reanimate the barriers which vesperines cannot cross. But Everline distinguishes herself with her fighting skills and by skilled construction of the wardens' bone armour. With the magic protecting the Hallowed Lands fading, the threat escalates. Vesperines appear who are more human than before, and Everline needs to go to The Thousandfold, where her mother died, to find answers.
In this dark romance Everline is drawn to Ravel, the son of Nyx Severin. He too is torn between his need for parental approval and his desire for Everline. Everline has baggage too. As Commander Fenn’s bastard daughter, she strives for his respect because her own mother betrayed humankind by abandoning her post causing historic massacres throughout the Hallowed lands. Which side or generation will triumph?
Clipstone has an extraordinary gift for evocatively describing her otherworldly scenes, but characterisation lacks breadth since none of the minor vesperines, wardens or citizens are so much as named, but exist as film extras do - perhaps that is because this is a standalone book rather than a series? Blood and bone shards are the key to all magic power whether Warden or Vesperine yet unbelievably this savagery is balanced by fiercely kept vows on both sides.
Unholy terrors written by internationally recognized Australian gothic story weaver, Lyndall Clipston, is a solid and innovative Gothic Fantasy Romance. The blood letting and bone constructions so pervading it is rapidly normalized and the concern for this school librarian is the self-harm and violence tinged eroticism between the central characters. We know YA gothic romance fans in secondary schools but Unholy Terrors might be better housed in Senior Reads or with Staff reading material.
Themes Gothic romance, Dark magic, Fantasy.
Deborah Robins
Busy Betty & the circus surprise by Reese Witherspoon. Illus. by Xindi Yan
Reese Witherspoon and Xindi Yan have come up with a memorable story in the second of the Busy Betty picture books. This time Busy Betty decides to throw her mother a surprise birthday party and with her friend Mae, produce the idea of a circus party. What fun!
Busy Betty really lives up to her name! Right from the first page where she introduces herself (Hi! Hell! Howdy! I’m Betty!) the reader knows that she is a very active little girl, always asking questions which will delight with their humour. Her ideas for the circus surprise are fabulous and her enthusiasm shines through. The illustrations by Xindi Yan add to the zaniness of the story and I particularly love the expressions on the face of Frank the dog who barely tolerates being dressed as a clown and a lion. One of the pleasures of the book for me was to find the images of Frank dotted throughout: the looks of disgust on his face are priceless.
The humour and illustrations make Busy Betty & the circus surprise a great read aloud for younger children. Older children might like to try their hand at reading it independently as the big black font and illustrations complementing the text are sure to appeal to children who enjoy extending their imaginations.
Rebel bicycle club is the second book in the Knights and Bikes series which inspired the PlayStation game of the same name. There is a third book called Wheels of legend also featuring best friends, Nessa and Demelza and their sidekick goose, Honkers.
Nessa and Demelza are not sure what to think when a severed head appears on their caravan roof during a storm, until they recognise it as one of the knights that they met at Penfurzy Castle, Sir Calenick. Unfortunately, he is stuck as a severed head unless he can return some lost treasures he stole when he was a knight.He asks the girls to go on a quest with him so the curse can be lifted, and he can rejoin his body and move on to the next life.To do this the girls must enter a world of ancient myth and legend and face ghosts and monsters.But Conan the bully is on their case and this time he causes more havoc when his dog Barkly attacks and nearly kills Honkers the goose.Knowing that the water consumed from the chalice they need to find for Sir Calnick will heal Honkers they race to find it and be back in time to save the goose.Fast paced and entertaining, this book will keep even the most reluctant reader engrossed in a story that reveals that true friendship is one of the most valuable things a person can possess.
Feather is the fourth adventure in the series about a group of bird loving friends who use their problem-solving skills to unravel mysteries and solve crimes. The previous books – Twitch, Spark, and Clutch introduced the main characters, but I think each book can be read as a standalone.
As the title suggests, a black feather is found at the scene of their latest crime.Ava is on a school trip to a museum when a large number of rare Bird of Paradise skins are stolen from a special room in the museum. When the police won’t listen to her theories about the case she turns to her friends, the Twitchers, to help solve the crime and return the feathers before they are sold to designers or collectors on the black market.Ava meets a young girl nearby and it seems the girl and her pet Raven are somehow involved, but Ava is not sure how and must tread carefully as the nasty gang of criminals the girl is connected to will put the Twitchers in more danger than they first realise.
The story is a fast-paced page turner with great details that show how the group work together to piece together the clues they find, work as a team to solve the mysteries to bring the criminals to justice.The characters in the Twitchers - Ava, Tara, Twitch, Jack, Terry, Ozura and Tippi are passionate about the natural environment and birds, and all are incredibly kind-hearted and empathetic to the people they encounter in their search for the truth. It is the perfect ending to a fantastic adventure series for children 9 and older.
Emma Phineas Wilkey is a girl who was born at the fair in the shadow of the Ferris wheel which earns Emma the name “Ferris.” Her Grandmother, Charisse, was there to catch Emma in what she describes as a Love Story and claims that every good story is a love story. This is a recurring theme of this wonderfully constructed story in true DiCamillo style, where family and community interactions provide a basis for a book that will become a favourite read aloud in many middle primary classrooms.
Ferris has a variety of strange situations to deal with. Firstly, her little sister, who wants to become an outlaw, causes havoc wherever they go. Then she is recruited by her uncle to act as go-between for him and her aunt, thereby getting a strange new hairdo for her trouble. Meanwhile, much to her mother’s annoyance, her uncle is holed up in the family basement, painting the history of the world after separating from the aunt. Then her grandmother starts to see a ghost in the house, and enlists Ferris’ help to do something special to bring back the ghost’s long dead husband.
Boomer the dog features as one of the many interesting characters in this book, along with Ferris’ best friend, Billy Jackson, who lost his mother when he was born and plays the same song on the piano over and over, and their teacher, Mrs Mielk, whose vocabulary lessons still resonate with both Billy and Ferris and who is bereft after losing her husband recently. (The book features some excellent vocabulary which will provide extra discussion points throughout the read.) And of course, Charisse whose imminent death is the fact uppermost in Ferris’ mind. A satisfying ending will leave readers joyful and sad at the same time with much to think about and discuss about life and family.
Themes Siblings, Grief, Family Life.
Gabrielle Anderson
Orlando's Garden by Stephanie Paulsen and Valery Vell
Little Steps, 2023. ISBN: 9781922358585.
Orlando lives in a light, bright apartment that has a large balcony where he plays with his trucks and diggers most days, in amongst the plants that his parents have planted in pots and containers.. But mostly he loves going on walks with his parents and discovering all the different plants they see on the way. He is fascinated by their diversity - their colours, shapes, sizes and textures - so when he plants a bean seed in his sandpit and it sprouts, it is just the beginning of a whole new world of discovery for him.
Including some beginner-gardener activities, this is a story designed to inspire young readers to take an interest in growing things and perhaps even grow their own. Even if they only have a balcony, there are many things that can be grown in pots - all they need are the right conditions and someone who cares enough to nurture them.
The rise in school kitchen gardens and the support available for them including how they are integral to the sustainability and environmental strands of the curriculum shows that there are many children who are interested in growing things, particularly if they can eat the produce when it is ready, and Orlando's story is not only an inspiration to get started but also shows that even those living in flats and apartments can join in the fun. (In fact, he probably grows more there than we can here on acres of thin mountain soil exposed to all weathers.)
Orlando's garden could be one to kickstart some initial planning, particularly using the initial guide from NSW Department of Education.
Themes Gardens.
Barbara Braxton
Outlaw girls by Emily Gale & Nova Weetman
Text Publishing, 2024. ISBN: 9781922790231. (Age:10+) Recommended.
Outlaw Girls is the second co-authored novel by Emily Gale and Nova Weetman. In this historical fiction time-slip read, Kate from 1878 and Ruby from 2022, form a close bond of friendship and loyalty that lasts for a number of years. Both Kate and Ruby are talented horsewomen who live in Victoria’s High Country but come from very different circumstances.
The story begins with risk-taking teenager Ruby embarking on a shoplifting lark with her friends. This leads to a more serious act of theft and the consequences for Ruby are very telling. Sent to live with her uncle and aunt on a property for the school holidays, Ruby is denied access to her friends. Here she is expected to help out but often escapes chores by going riding. It is when she is out riding that she meets Kate. Ruby offers to help Kate and after some misunderstandings and confusion, finally accepts that Kate is from another era. Through a mysterious portal both girls travel back to 1878, where Ruby meets Kate’s family and realises that Kate is a Kelly, younger sister to Ned and Dan. Ruby learns about the hardships faced by the Kelly family in 1878 and becomes heavily involved in the lives of the family and their notorious bushranger brothers.
Throughout this novel, the two girls are constantly thinking on their feet to avoid being exposed as being from different times. They face terrible danger in the 1870’s but support each other through some tricky situations. Ruby forms a bond with Kate’s family and along the way learns some valuable life lessons.
This is a compelling read where modern-day teenage angst and privilege meets poverty and injustice in colonial Australia. The story of the Kelly Gang is legendary in Australian History but the two authors have ingeniously told the story of the Kelly women and how they supported their brothers and kept the family together. Teacher's notes are available.
Themes Historical Fiction, Timeslip, Ned Kelly & Kelly Gang, Friendship, Loyalty, Police, Crimes, Family, Hardship, Horse riding, Colonial Australia.
Kathryn Beilby
Birdy by Sharon Kernot
Text Publishing, 2024. ISBN: 9781922790606. (Age:Young adult) Highly recommended.
As with many verse novels, I was able to read Birdy in a couple of hours, and was invested enough in the slow reveal to do so in one sitting. However the beautifully expressive but sparse prose really warrants rereading to appreciate the skill with which Kernot has created the stories of main characters Maddy and Alice.
15 year-old Maddy and her family have moved to an isolated farmhouse following a traumatic unnamed ‘Incident’ that has left her a selective mute. Initially preferring to be alone to read and write poetry like Emily Dickinson, here she slowly heals and finds her voice. Under the caring and watchful eye of her nerdy younger brother and following her psychologist’s suggestions for exposure therapy, she learns to trust again. She embarks on a tentative friendship with the vivacious Levi who can ‘talk for two or more’. She also enjoys visiting the reclusive Alice, who is waiting in vain for her daughter Birdy to return, 45 years after she vanished without a trace.
When Maddy finds Birdy’s diary she learns of Birdy’s father’s death after working at Maralinga, and allusions to an assault that unsettlingly parallels Maddy’s. This information helps her to put her own issues in perspective. However, her healing is interrupted when Levi snaps a selfie with Maddy who is terrified that it will reignite the social media storm that she is trying to put behind her. Maddy has to deal with the emotions that resurface, and the fear that she has lost an important friendship.
Birdy is filled with positive examples of people supporting each other through their words and kind deeds, and touches on some of the different ways of dealing with anxiety. It also addresses the harm that social media can do, and the strength of character required to counter this. The serious issues that shape Maddy and Alice’s lives (implied sexual assault and anxiety, hoarding and depression) are dealt with sensitively and eventually resolved.
With references to locations in the mid-north of South Australia, and the mystery of Birdy’s disappearance to be solved, Birdy is highly recommended for teens, for both its honest, heart-wrenching content and lyrical free-verse style.
It is such a joy to read a book for very young children that you know will bring smiles and laughter. Where is Cheeky Monster? written by talented and versatile South Australian children’s author Mike Lucas and gloriously illustrated by Heidi McKinnon is an engaging rhyming story with a very surprising treat at the end.
The luminous pastel front cover with two large eyes and the catchy question “Where is Cheeky Monster?” will immediately appeal to young readers. The word monster conjures up all sorts of thoughts and images, and the eclectic array of monsters included in the book are sure to please. Each page showcases a different brightly coloured monster having fun, showing their feelings, or just going about their day:
Busy Monster’s always working. Sleepy Monster dreams all day. Super Monster saves the city. Scaredy Monster runs away.
Spread throughout the book, and to cleverly involve the listening audience, are questions such as:
So many monsters we can see. But where can Cheeky Monster be? Monsters, monsters here and there. But where is Cheeky Monster? Where?
This delightful book with its vibrant and striking illustrations will be a popular read and a wonderful addition to a home, kindy or school library. A perfect gift for a new baby, toddler or the cheeky monster in your life!
Themes Monsters, Rhyme.
Kathryn Beilby
Footprint by Phil Cummings and Sally Soweol Han
Allen & Unwin, 2024. ISBN: 9781761180323. (Age:4+) Highly recommended.
We are reminded from the title of the footprint we all leave on our planet, and this idea is woven through Phil Cummings’ magical words, and displayed for all to see in the softly engaging illustrations by Sally Soweol Han.
Cummings invites the readers to walk out into the morning, breathing in the freshness of the open air, hearing the whisper of the waterfall, watched by wildlife which sometimes cannot be seen. He suggests they should rest awhile, taking a few moments to look around and think about what they are seeing. And breathe it in. Sometimes the way ahead is rocky and difficult but they will find a path to the top. Once reached they will be able to see over the space beneath them, taking in the deserts and mountains, valleys and the patchwork of country. Their journey keeps on as they float on the melting ice and the rising sea. They may be be shrouded by a mists blocking their way. There may be shadows, the future may seem dark, sometimes treacherous, sometimes slow.
Cummings gently leads the reader to the richness of their futures. The journey they will take will be full of wonder and awe. It will be diverse, and while it may include some sadness, the reader is encouraged to always be hopeful, to tread carefully, planting that seed along the way.
Korean/Australian illustrator and artist, Sally Soweol Han has created a journey of discovery, paralleling Cummings’ thoughtful words. The pastel and pencil images show a range of environments, full of life and wonder, impelling the reader to seek out things in the background, to breathe in the atmosphere created by the words and the pencils. The child’s journey is sometimes hard, climbing high mountains, sometimes worrying as the ice melts and sea rises, sometimes with impure air as in the startling page of the factories, but always leading to somewhere warm and comforting, green and open spaced, where the child can breathe.
Cummings shows a future in which they have a place, one where they can plant seeds of hope, protecting the natural world and ensuring their footprints will not leave scars. Teacher's notes are available.
