Cafe La Femme Bk 1. Deadlines, 2013. ISBN 9780987216298
(Age: 15+) Recommended. Crime. Food. Tabitha Darling runs a trendy
cafe and is always searching for the perfect dessert. She is sick of
all the policemen who frequent her cafe and when a musician is found
dead in the flat upstairs she tries to keep out of the
investigation. But as a series of strange crimes by the Trapper
occurs across Hobart, she begins to think that perhaps they are
aimed at her. With Stewart, a cute Scottish blogger along for the
news, she starts to investigate, much to the annoyance of Bishop the
policeman she has known for ages.
This is a laugh out loud mystery in the vein of the Stephanie
Plum stories by Janet Evanovich. The dialogue is snappy, the
characters are well developed and the backdrop of Hobart is
fabulous. There is plenty of suspense, with a few very scary moments
and lots of yummy food including recipes for trifle, all of which
will keep any mystery lover reading to finish the book quickly.
I will certainly snap up the next book in the series.
Pat Pledger
Samurai vs Ninja series by Nick Falk and Tony Flowers
Random House Australia, 2015. The battle for the golden egg. ISBN 9780857986054 The race for the shogun's treasure. ISBN 9780857986368
(Age: Yr 2+) The publisher's blurb for this series says, 'In the Edo
Period of Japan, two teams fight for supremacy - the serious samurai
and the scheming ninjas. To determine who is the best, a deadly
contest is held. The prize is the Golden Egg, the most magnificent
treasure in all of Japan. But when the ninjas cheat, the samurai
will stop at nothing to get revenge. Tighten your topknot and
sharpen your sword - the Samurai vs Ninja battle is about to begin!'
And so begins another action-packed series from this talented
pairing of Nick Falk and Tony Flowers who brought us both Saurus
Street and Billy is a dragon.
This series is set 300 years ago when the serious Samurai with their
smooth, straight kamishimo and tight topknots lived in a castle on
the tip of the Mountain of the Tiger's Claw and the silly Ninja with
their ripped and wrinkled shinobi shozoku and looped and loose obi
lived in a castle at the tip of the neighbouring Mountain of the
Dragon's Claw. Because the Samurai practise the ancient art of Nodo
no Kingyo (the Way of the Thirsty Goldfish) and the Ninja, the
ancient art of Mink-u-i-Buta (the Way of the Ugly Pig) the scene is
set for conflict - and it is not long before it begins. The Samurai
challenge the Ninja to a contest - and through crazy characters with
even crazier ideas the reader is taken on an hilarious but
suspenseful adventure. Despite the traditional honour and fairness
normally associated with these protagonists, the reader sees a
totally different side of them that provide many LOL moments!
Capitalising on the craze for things Japanese as manga-type stories
permeate through to our youngest readers, this is an energetic,
fast-moving series that will capture the imaginations of younger
readers who are ready for independent reading but still need the
support of short text and illustrations which are integral to that
text. Falk and Flowers seem to feed off each other in a symbiotic
relationship that knows exactly what their audience wants and how to
give it to them and offer stories that are going to maintain that
zest for reading as the transition from instructional reader to free
choice is made. With chapters finishing at just the right time and
the book finishing on a cliff-hanger that sets up the next episode,
the books make perfect read-alouds which will have their listeners
demanding more and scurrying to the library looking for the next in
the series. And they won't have long to wait because Day of the
dreadful undead and Curse of the Oni will be released on 1 July. In
my school where we have many Japanese students and Japanese is
taught across the school, I can see this series being the hit it
deserves to be!
Barbara Braxton
If you find this by Matthew Baker
Hot Key Books, 2015. ISBN 9781471404528
(Age: 9-11) Grief and loss. Treasure hunts. Bullying.
School life. Family life. Grandparents. Prodigies. Nicholas is an
eleven year old maths and music prodigy, his inner dialogue is
written with musical notations to describe the sounds around him and
he's obsessed with prime numbers. He is socially isolated and takes
solace in talking to the tree where his parents buried his brother
who died prematurely. He believes the tree is his brother embodied
in a new form and he treasures the pine needles and cones.
Nicholas's life is a difficult one, school is problematic, social
situations awkward and he is being bullied. When his grandfather
appears after 30 years in prison, full of tales about buried treasure
hidden in an old derelict house, Nicholas is soon caught up in an
adventure. Unfortunately, Grandpa Rose is beginning to suffer from
dementia and it is difficult for him to remember just where he hid
the heirlooms in the ghost house.
This is a uniquely written story, every time anyone
talks a musical notation is added as a subscript. The narrative is
told using different perspectives, Grandpa Rose's journal entries
and Nicholas' inner dialogue and observations. The level of bullying
is quite intense and the inclusion of a seance, bartering with the
local witch and helping with a breakout from the nursing home makes
this a novel for older readers.
Rhyllis Bignell
Finding Monkey Moon by Elizabeth Pulford
Finding Monkey Moon by Elizabeth Pulford
Ill. by Kate Wilkinson. Walker Books, 2015. ISBN 9781921720734
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Toys, Loss, Determination, Hope.
Michael's favourite toy, Monkey Moon, is missing. He never goes to
bed without his toy, and determines to look until he finds it. A
search of the house proves fruitless, so Michael sets off to the
park. He and Dad don their jackets and hats and go off into the
crisp cold night with a torch. The illustrations depict a wintry
night, complete with frost covered trees, a hooting owl, sleeping
ducks and cold clear darkness. The light of the torch illuminates
their way and makes the reader look more closely at the things the
torch shows. As they walk to the park, each page finishes with
Michael's voice assuring Monkey Moon that they will find him. Once
in the park they search the playground, the Wendy house, the trees
and finally find the toy in the undergrowth. Michael hugs his toy to
himself and the three walk back home contentedly.
This is a charming story of one boy's determination to find his toy,
and the support given by Dad as they go off into the cold night.
Michael reassures his toy that they are on their way, and hugs him
to himself when he is found. The scenes replicate what might happen
if a child is lost and could be a good starting point for discussion
about staying close to Mum or Dad.
The beautiful illustrations reflect the coldness of the night, with
the beam of the torch shining through the trees and around the park,
the soft acrylic paintings drawing in the readers' eyes to look more
closely at what is represented on each page. The shadows draw more
closely over the boy in the park, but the next page where he finds
Monkey Moon, a little colour appears in the frosty cold night.
Determination and hope has won out.
Fran Knight
Since you've been gone by Morgan Matson
Since you've been gone by Morgan Matson
Simon and Schuster, 2015. ISBN 9781471122668
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Adolescent. Coming of age. Friendship. Emily
is looking forward to a summer hanging out with her friend Sloane
but Sloane just disappears, leaving no trace of where she has gone
or what has happened to her. A to-do list for Emily is all that is
left behind; a list with 13 things for Emily to do, including
kissing a stranger and going skinny dipping. Emily is left with no
one to hang out with - all her social activities had been with
Sloane, who was outgoing and fun. She decides to take her courage in
her hands and starts doing some of the things on the list, like pick
an apple at the Orchard, the local party spot, and it is here that
Frank, the school leader, makes her acquaintance. From then on
things look up for Emily.
This narrative flows along beautifully, the writing making it very
easy to become involved with Emily, who gradually sees how much she
has relied on Sloane and how she has to make an effort to do things
by herself and to make new friends. By asking for Mona (on her to-do
list) she gets a summer job and meets Dawn, a girl who works at a
nearby pizza place and they become friendly. Frank asks her to help
him with his running and together they begin to become friends,
becoming easy with each other, talking about music, and comparing
playlists. With his mate Collins' help, he starts to help Emily
check things off her list. As Emily checks off more from her list,
she realises that Sloane was helping her to overcome some of her
deepest fears and helping her to be a braver person.
Much of the appeal of the book is the exploration of friendship
between the outgoing Sloane and the quieter Emily. Sloane drags
Emily along with her shopping and even arranges for her to go out
with Gideon and the two do everything together. It is such a shock
for Emily to find that Sloane has left without a word and Emily is
the one who ultimately has to teach Sloane about the nature of
friendship. Emily gradually changes without the influence of Sloane;
she makes new friends and is able to stand on her own two feet.
This doesn't contain any topics that couldn't be given to younger
teens - even the skinny dipping is covered with towels - but it does
explore the nature of friendship very well, the effect that one 's
best friend having a boyfriend or girlfriend can have on a
relationship and also the confining nature of totally relying on
just one best friend. The blossoming friendship between Emily and
Frank will satisfy those who enjoy a romance as well.
This has been nominated for YALSA
Teens Top picks 2015 and that it should prove popular in a
library.
Pat Pledger
Hard Nuts of History: Wars and Battles by Tracey Turner
A & C Black, 2015. ISBN 9781472910943
(Age: Middle -Upper primary) Recommended. What did Mary Seacole and
Florence Nightingale have in common?
The Boston Tea Party! What was it and what could a tea party
possibly have to do with a war?
Which French military commander was banished to an island . . .
twice, and why?
Pompey, Xerxes the Great, Trotsky and Siegfried Sassoon? Interesting
names, but were they rampaging generals, the enemy or risk-taking
spies? One was a poet as well! Hard nuts, all of them! And what
about American Indians?
History! One imagines cumbersome, dusty volumes, smelling musty and
old, with thick yellowed pages, but Tracy Turner has written a
glossy, almost pocket-sized, fascinating little book that explains
history in a light, breezy and highly engaging style, with witty
images. Many of the momentous moments in history that defined
nations and shaped populaces are condensed into this book. Courage,
cunning, survival skills and the ruthlessness of these indisputably
brave individuals (whose sensibility is at times questionable), is
measured on 'HARDOMETERS', and each is given a Hard Nut rating, out
of 10!
Fifty-three pages of pithy but absorbing descriptions of both men
and women who led their armies into battle, fighting for what they
believed in, surviving . . . or not, makes for a thoroughly
compelling read for even the most reluctant student of history.
So you already KNOW all about wars and battles?
If you read this book and take the quiz at the back, you'll find out
how much you REALLY know, and learn a lot of fascinating stuff on
the journey. It has a Timeline, and a Glossary to explain what all
those complex words mean.
I recommend Wars and Battles to children in the middle and upper
primary school years, whose interest in history and the world around
them is still developing.
J. Kerr-Smith
Watch This Space: Out to Launch by Colin Thompson
Random House Australia, 2015. ISBN 9781742756202
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Out To Launch is the first in
a new series which will foreseeably be every bit as popular as
Colin's previous bestsellers. With his very recognisable acerbic wit
and uncanny ability to pinpoint the most laughable and ridiculous
aspects of popular culture, Colin's newest comic offering puts the
spotlight on reality TV shows with superb results.
Billionaire entrepreneur Radius Limpfast is the most successful
creator of reality tv shows in history but is never content to rest,
always seeking more spectacular attention on his programs. Then one
night, after a particularly creative bacon curry, Radius dreams up
the ultimate reality show.
He intends to send an ordinary family to the moon to live in a huge
glass dome where they will be watched by the entire world. Sounds
incredible doesn't it? Amazing even!! What a concept it is for the
ultimate in reality television and all planned to the last detail.
Nothing could possibly go wrong.
Except for choosing a family that is not really the 'ideal' for the
project (The Contrasts: Stark, Laura, Primrose, Jack and Crumley the
dog) with the throw in of a 'fake' granny, Apricot. And except for
cutting corners on costs for essentials like a reliable rocket
transport and a suitably protective glass dome dwelling. And except
for underestimating the skills of 14 year old girls and elderly
ladies. And more! Boys and girls from around 10 up, plus those of us
who relish Colin's very particular sense of humour will be very
excited about this new series. The second instalment In the Pink
is already in the works and who knows how many more to come?
Highly recommended for readers from Middle Primary to Lower
Secondary.
Sue Warren
The Spy Catchers of Maple Hill by Megan Frazer Blakemore
Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781619633506
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Themes: Friendship; Mystery; Adventure;
Communism - fiction. Hazel Kaplansky lives during the period
post-WWII in the United States when the fear of communism could
divide communities, with lies, rumour and innuendo used as weapons
that could harm relationships and reputations. Hazel is a
self-proclaimed, relentlessly focused spy-catcher who uses small
hints, clues and fabrication to create a portfolio of evidence
against potential spies. She is influenced by the Trixie Belden
model of solving mysteries. She is also on the idiosyncratic end of
the personality scale - her initial poor self-awareness and her
attempts to impress with her higher order thinking create a humorous
and peculiar view of life. Her parents run a Cemetery, with
particular emphasis on the horticultural enhancements to the
grounds. The combination of her natural curiosity and her lack of
friends creates an environment where things get out of hand. She is
the target of the mean girls at school and finds the new boy, Samuel
(who joins her in their sights), as a worthy companion in her
attempts to find hidden secrets that extend into the past. Samuel's
own story is full of them! Hazel's misadventures eventually lead her
to greater awareness of the complexities of life. There are many
wonderfully humourous scenes in this book - her relegation to the
triangle in school music lessons, and her relationships with her
parents and other adults are often quite quirky.
I can recommend this book for readers aged 8+, but I suspect the
references to Communism as a threat will go over the heads of
younger readers in Australia. They should still enjoy Hazel's
misguided view of her circumstances, and her attempts at solving
problems.
Carolyn Hull
Mr Huff by Anna Walker
Penguin Viking, 2015. ISBN 9780670078042
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Depression, Mental illness, Childhood
fears, Bad hair days. Poor old Bill just can't seem to get rid of
the cloud that hangs over his day. Right from the start things go
wrong. He loses a sock, his cereal is soggy, he spills the milk as
he trips over his bag. The day just gets worse. He is late for
school and someone seems to be sitting in his place. The cloud which
follows him seems to get bigger and he tries to talk to someone
about it but the words simply cannot come out. He tries to ignore it
but that does not work. He tries to be brave to get rid of it but
that doesn't work. But when he takes Mr Huff by the hand and they go
home, walking through puddles, smiling at the other children,
watching the friendly dog in the street Bill accepts Mr Huff and the
next day he wakes to a cloudy day but with the promise of sunshine.
This is a wonderful story, seemingly a simple tale of Bill accepting
the cloud which sometimes hangs over him, the tale expands to a
story about the highs and lows of life, the depression we sometimes
feel when things do not go our way, the clouds and sunshine which
make up all of our days. What a treat for young children to read,
seeing themselves in each of the pages, sometimes happy, sometimes
sad, learning that this is a condition of life. The glowering
menacing Mr Huff looms larger as the story progresses, but changes
once tears fall from his face. He is no longer the thing to be
voided, rejected or hidden, but an integral part of the boy and his
day.
The watercolour and pen illustrations suit the story, with their
emphasis on home and the everyday things around the child. The
street scenes are full of the ordinary things of life, things we
take for granted but are there to support us when blue. A delightful
story full of moments which are easily recognised by a reader of any
age, and may initiate much discussion in the classroom and at home.
Fran Knight
Bomber by Paul Dowswell
Bloomsbury, 2015 ISBN 978 1 4088 5849 3
(Age: Upper Primary and Lower Secondary) Well recommended. A
realistic and grim account of a US crew flying a B-17 bomber to
England to support the RAF and then the perilous flights to bomb
strategic places in Germany in 1943. Told from Harry Friedman's
perspective, the reader is enveloped in the everyday detail, from
the devestating explosion of a retuning bomber when all the aviators
died on landing, to the intricate detail the mechanics went to keep
the bombers flying. The unseen horrors of night flying over Germany
for the crew of the Macey May, the bail out over occupied Holland on
a training run, the first successful sortie followed by a heart
stopping final flight gives the reader a taste of the real horror of
war and of being brought back to England by the French Resistance.
The descriptions of the crew and their reactions bring a touch of
normality to this gripping and believable story, loosely based on
places the author knows.
The pace moves swiftly along with story line and has clear, well
spaced text.
There is a clear double page explaining the positions, names and
aeroplane details of the crew of the Boeing Flying Fortress B-17 G.
There are 3 pages called 'Fact Behind the Fiction' where the author
is interviewed.
Sue Nosworthy
Yes! No. (Maybe . . . ) by Liz Pichon
Tom Gates bk 8. Scholastic, 2015. ISBN: 9781760153663
(Age: 8-12) Highly recommended. Themes: Family Life; Friendships;
School life; Humour. This is another wonderful excerpt from the life
and drawings of Tom Gates. The comical illustrations partner well
with the text to reveal Tom's character and his relationships to all
around him. Tom is in year 5 and has to cope with school (not always
as well has his teacher would like,) an annoying older sister,
friendships, band practice, the 'Fossils' (grandparents) and their
peculiarities and Parents! In this episode in Tom's life he needs to
participate in school Business Day while dealing with an array of
substitute teachers during an outbreak of 'the coughing bug'; help
his family de-clutter and get rid of their 'junk' at a Boot Sale;
recover a valuable item inadvertently included in the 'junk' and
remember to honour his Mother's birthday.
The quirky illustrations and Tom's unique view of life will appeal
to all young readers in the 8-12 age bracket. This will be another
of Liz Pichon's books that is in high demand in library collections.
Carolyn Hull
88 Lime Street - The Way In by Denise Kirby
Omnibus Books, 2015. ISBN 9781742991009
(Age: 11-14) Ellen and her family have left their old life behind to
move into a new house in a new town, and that means making new
friends. When they first see their new house it seems to Ellen
something isn't quite right, besides the fact it is such an old
house, it's a maze of rooms and doors or lack of. There are two
towers; one the children love to explore, the other they can't seem
to find the door.
One afternoon exploring Ellen and her brother, Ben, find what looks
like the plans to the house. Ellen can quite clearly see the secret
door to the tower but Ben and no one else can. Then strange things
start to happen, messages appear; there are threatening emails and a
fountain in an overgrown garden fills up with water.
Is the house haunted? Is it trying to tell Ellen something? The
other kids at school seem to think so and have fun bullying Ellen
about it. But she won't give up trying to solve the riddle of the
mysteries of 88 Lime Street. Time is of the essence!
I found 88 Lime Street quite easy to read and shouldn't be a
problem for senior primary school students to become fully engrossed
in. Denise Kirby has developed the characters well and the reader
will have no problem feeling sympathy for Ellen as she has trouble
settling into her new settings and dealing with the school bullies.
I was quite surprised with how much I did enjoy this book, and the
characters within it.
Jody Holmes
Lara of Newtown by Chris McKimmie
Allen & Unwin, 2015. ISBN 9781760112325
Author and Illustrator Chris McKimmie has created another quirky
book in his unique style. This is a story of a cat that, after being
abandoned by its original owner, discovers new homes encountering
some difficulties en route. The story is not appealing in
complication or resolution nor is it particularly strong in any
other narrative features and would not be endearing to a young child
(even if they do like cats!).
The illustration style, with drawings by very young relatives and
other young participants which are collaged with McKimmie's own
drawings in a similar naive style are not particularly appealing in
colour or style. The book is relatively dark in colour tones and it
relies on its uniqueness of style rather than its strength in
illustration. I am not sure that it would actually appeal to the
younger reader except as an example of how their own drawings could
be used to illustrate a story.
Carolyn Hull
Kerenza by Rosanne Hawke
A New Australian series. Scholastic, 2015. ISBN 9781742990606
(Age: 11+) Highly recommended. Historical novel, Early settlement,
Migration, South Australia. When her father knows that the mine will
soon be closed he decides to join his brother in the Mallee in South
Australia to set up a farm. It is a great opportunity to have their
own land and raise crops to sell in this newly opened area of South
Australia. But there is scrub to be cleared before any planting can
occur, and Rosanne Hawke shows just how determined these immigrants
were in carving out a niche for themselves in their new home.
But it is also the tale of Kerenza. She has left her beloved Gran,
sister and friend in Cornwall, to move with her family, and in the
Mallee there is so much work to be done. While the men clear the
land with axes and a horse, she must wash, iron, make bread, look
after her siblings, clean the oven in their tent house. Her mother
is increasingly tired and Kerenza is called in to help more often,
and when she falls over must go to the city to recuperate and wait
for her baby to be born.
Meanwhile Kerenza and her siblings are learning to get along with
their cousins, sometimes difficulties arise but when Kerenza finds a
friend on the nearby property, things begin to look up. Her
interaction with an Aboriginal girl who lives rough with her father,
a swaggie, means that the way is laid for these families to help
each other times of need.
I loved this story of our early Cornish pioneers and read it in one
sitting, eager to see where Rosanne Hawke would take the reader,
knowing that she handles the tale of migration with such certitude
that every reader will learn something new and be amazed. I had no
idea about how to dig a well, or how these people cleared the land,
nor did I realise how they lived until the family had time to build
a dwelling. The richness of the background often made me stop and
think or reach for the iPad.
This is one of a new series from Scholastic, A New Australian,
and will add to the range of books revealing how Australia is a land
of immigrants to a younger generation.
Fran Knight
One True Thing by Nicole Hayes
Random House Australia, 2015. ISBN: 9780857986887
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. With this second novel, Nicole Hayes
has absolutely confirmed her talent as a quality writer for young
adults. We are all too aware of the intense scrutiny under which our
politicians are placed - and often, rightly so - and the
accompanying media feeding frenzy which generally accompanies this,
but how often do we give thought to the effect of all this on a
public figure's family or children?
Hayes has taken this idea and crafted a stunning story revolving
around Frankie (Francesca) Mulvaney-Webb, daughter of the Victorian
Premier, Rowena, who has stepped up into that position and is now
running for election to confirm her post.
Amid considerable antipathy from some quarters about having a female
state leader, Rowena is subjected to a vilifying media campaign over
her connection with an unknown young man. Woven into this fabric:
Frankie's new friend (potential boyfriend) who is a dedicated
amateur photographer, who has unwittingly provided the 'evidence' of
this questionable relationship, her young brother and father who,
like the rest of the family struggle to cope with the glaring
spotlight and open 'slur' tactics, her rather eccentric Irish
grandmother who appears to be keeping secrets, Frankie's indie band
and her relationships with her best friends, all of which combine to
impact on Frankie and her life in ways which would have many of us
running for cover.
Despite her life seemingly going completely pear-shaped, Frankie
demonstrates strength of character which is both admirable and
inspirational. Strong female characters abound in this novel which
makes it a must-read for young women as they also navigate their way
to sometimes fraught teenage years.
For those looking for novels which also deal with gay issues, this
is a worthy addition to your 'Rainbow' collection as Frankie also
deals with the developing gay relationship between her two best
friends. Her difficulties in adapting to being a 'third wheel' would
easily apply to many other circumstances and her struggle to bring
herself to an acceptance with grace and warmth is a pattern for
similar situations.
Lending itself well to philosophical debates such as: when does the
political become personal, when is a secret not ours to share, how
does a family demonstrate its unity in the face of overwhelmingly
opposition, loyalty, love and commitment to a cause, there will be
much to unravel in discussions arising from the reading.
An amazing book which demands to be consumed immediately, I know I
for one will follow Hayes' writing career with great interest.
Highly recommended for readers, particularly girls, from around 13
upwards.
Teaching notes are available on the publisher's website.
Sue Warren
