Simon and Schuster, 2015. ISBN 9781471143564
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Samantha Kemi has a bright future as a great
natural alchemist, as generations of Kemi's have done so before her.
If only she could further her skills instead of staying behind to
help out with her families slowly dwindling potion shop. An
opportunity arises when she is summoned by the royal family to take
her place in the Wilde hunt, a national wide hunt held to help find
a cure for the princess who has been poisoned by her own love
potion. Also in the hunt are her family's rivals, the father and son
team of Zol and Zain Aster, who own the synthetic potion company
ZoroAster Megapharma Company. Samantha must travel through wild
terrain with the family's ingredient finder, Kirsty. Together they
must race together to beat the other competitors to gather all the
ingredients, mix the potion and save the princess before it's too
late. The potion diaries is a magical modern fairy tale adventure
story. Amy Alward has also written under the name Amy McCulloch. She
has beautifully crafted easy relatable characters that are
bewitching and enchanting. The story is fast paced and simple to
follow the two main story lines. The potion diaries will be a hit for senior primary students
and above who loved the Harry Potter series or even Divergent.
I loved reading this book and could not put it down, it left me
reading 'just one more chapter'. I can't wait to read book 2 coming
out in July 2016.
Jody Holmes
Jackaby by William Ritter
Algonquin, 2014. ISBN 9781616202535
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended, Crime, Detection, Supernatural,
Historical novel. When seventeen year old Abigail Rook lands at the
port of New Fiddleham in New England in 1892, she must look for
lodgings and then work to support herself. Work comes first as she
falls into the wake of one R F Jackaby, a detective who does not
dismiss the supernatural in his musings. She answers his
advertisement for an assistant, and she goes with him to investigate
the mysterious and bloody death of a man at a boarding house. But he
includes many things in his investigations, laughed at by the police
detective, Marlowe and his assistant, Crane, who like Inspector
Lestrade in some of the Sherlock Holmes stories, provide a play it
by the rules foil to Jackaby's sleuthing. A second even more bloody
death sees the pair imprisoned by Marlowe, and while incarcerated
they hear the banshee's cries, just as the two men did before their
deaths the previous nights.
This is a wonderful read, set brilliantly in the New England area of
the USA at the end of the nineteenth century, evoking the delightful
Jackaby with his Sherlock Holmes style of investigation, looking
closely at clues unseen by others, but with a does of other worldly
things reminiscent of fantasy stories. At his house is a duck, the
unfortunate Douglas, his previous assistant, and a ghost, the
wonderful Jenny who keeps Abigail informed. The house is an eclectic
clutter of things, deliciously described, enticing the reader to
look into every corner of each of the rooms. But beware those who
stare at the frog, because this initiates a smell which causes the
whole house to be evacuated.
I read this with relish, laughing at the black humour, revelling in
the blood and possibilities of other worldly creatures, admiring the
wonderful characters and marvelling at the setting. And I am pleased
to see that Jackaby has a sequel, Beastly bones.
With a chapter ending, 'Across town Mr Henderson - the man who had
head the banshee's silent scream spent the evening dying. To be more
accurate, he spent a brief portion of the evening dying, and the
rest of it being dead,' who could resist the call to read on.
Fran Knight
Poppy in the field by Mary Hooper
Bloomsbury, 2015. ISBN 9781408827635
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. World War One. Historical fiction.
Nursing. Historical fiction at its best, Hooper continues the story
of Poppy, a parlour maid from a grand house who joins the VAD's at
the outbreak of World War One. This group of volunteers were able to
rely on money sent from home, but Poppy is supported by a former
teacher, wanting her to break free from her humble origins. In the
first book, Poppy serves at a hospital in Southampton, dealing with
soldiers ferried across the channel from France. She sees the end
result of war, the pain and suffering it causes, the death and
carnage of trench warfare. But rejected by someone she thought loved
her, she volunteers to go to France to serve in the frontline
hospitals. She is sent to a small coastal town where she deals with
soldiers sent on from the hospitals at the fronts. Here she must
deal with soldiers who have received initial help, surgery,
bandaging, assessment, and now are in the second line of aid. She
meets men with limbs amputated, those who feel life is at an end,
those who can't wait to get back home and those who lie to avoid
their girlfriends and families knowing the truth.
She joins a pair of American nurses who try to capture any moment of
fun they can, and several times take out a car to go on a picnic or
simply drive. She meets again Dr Michael from Netley and is drawn to
him. But the strict moral code of Edwardian times still imposed in
time of war sees Poppy almost sent home.
A wonderful story of a young woman learning that she can do things
beyond those set by custom and society as she plays an important
role in the hospitals abroad. Her hospital is an old casino in
Boulogne and here she proves her metal. She meets other women who
have come to be of service, none more so than the two women who set
up a surgery near the front line in Belgium to treat soldiers for
minor complaints to allow the doctors to get on with the war wounds,
and the two American nurses wanting to do their bit.
Based on much research, this story is easy to read and engaging,
giving a well grounded look at how the immediate aftermath of
fighting was dealt with. And the romantic involvements running
through the story add an extra piquancy which readers will enjoy.
Fran Knight
Phyllis Wong and the waking of the wizard by Geoffrey McSkimming
Allen & Unwin, 2015. ISBN 9781760113384
(Age: 9+) Phyllis Wong is a sixteen year old girl who lives with her
father and a small dog, Daisy. Her life to an outsider seems normal
bordering on mundane. Only her best friends, Clement, and Chief
Inspector Barry Inglis know that she really is a great magician and
has just started time travel, or time hop. With help from her
Grandfather, great magician, Wallace Wong, they both transit across
centuries to find history's greatest magician of all time.
However, as they journey through the ages, they are being followed
by another traveller. He appears to be two steps in front of them but
why? Phyllis Wong and the waking of the wizard is aimed at
pre-adolescent readers, which is why I found it difficult to enjoy,
however in saying that the characters are genial and a younger
reader would find them easy to relate to. The chapters flow well
together and it is simple to keep track of the story. Readers will
appreciate the book more if they have read the previous two books in
the series (Phyllis Wong and the return of the conjuror and Phyllis
Wong and the forgotten secrets of Mr Okyto), but Geoffrey
McSkimming made it easier by making footnotes regarding previous
books.
For young fans of the Harry Potter series, they are sure to
enjoy this magical, mystery book.
Jody Holmes
Ten tricky dinosaurs by Amanda Tarlau and Karen Mounsey-Smith
Scholastic Press, 2015. ISBN 9781742761336
(Age: Preschool - 8) Recommended. These ten, quirky dinosaurs are
vivid and vibrant, and not VERY fearsome at all.
Excitement bubbles in this enchanting rhyming book. The little
dinosaurs are all so high-spirited and energetic as they climb,
swing, slide and do magic tricks.
As Mum calls 'dinner time', the tenth worn-out little dinosaur goes
home.
I recommend this brilliantly illustrated book for children from
about 8 years old, down to the very young.
J Smith
An armadillo in Paris by Julie Kraulis
Tundra Books, 2014. ISBN 9781770495265
Arlo the armadillo from Brazil is always up for an adventure, a
love he inherited from his grandfather Augustus who wrote a series
of journals about his favourite destinations so that one day Arlo
could see them for himself. On this, his first adventure, Arlo is
off to Paris to explore its art, history and life and the mysterious
La Dame de Fer, the Iron Lady, whom he might get to meet if he
follows his grandfather's instructions.
Written in two strands; the first the journal entry of Augustus, and
the second the narrator's description of what he sees and does; the
reader is taken on a journey through the iconic sights of Paris
beginning with the mad traffic circle whirling around the base of
the Arc de Triomphe, eating flaky croissants at a traditional French
cafe and on to meeting the Iron Lady. Who could she be? Throughout
the journal entries, Augustus provides information and clues about
this enigmatic figure until finally she is revealed.
Beautifully illustrated with a delicate palette this is an
intriguing book which straddles the faction-fiction and fact-genre
perfectly, entertaining and educating at the same time. It will
introduce a fascinating city to new travellers and bring back
memories for those who have had the pleasure of visiting. The inside
of the dust cover is an imaginative use of what is usually blank
space and there are snippets of extra information about the Iron
Lady at the end. It has broad appeal, there is the cuteness of an
armadillo having an adventure and solving the mystery of the Iron
Lady for the younger readers, while there is an introduction to Paris
and its culture for the more advanced reader. So much more
interesting than some of the strictly factual books we ask our
students to learn from.
Barbara Braxton
Charlie plays ball by Ree Drummond
Ill. by Diane deGroat. HarperCollins, 2015. ISBN 9780062297525 (Age:
Preschool - Yr 2) Charlie is a hard-working ranch dog. There is
always so much to do on the ranch - riding, roping, feeding, fixing,
and making sure pesky critters stay away from the homestead. But
there's fun too, especially when it's time to play ball. His
favourite is football, or is it soccer? Or basketball? Or something
else?
This is a cheerful story that will appeal to all those who have
dogs, or who would like one, and the ending will provide a laugh.
Even though it is American it emphasises the fun dogs can offer as
well as how they contribute so much to our lives in a practical way.
Recently there was a news story about Molly, a little dog who
accompanies twins to an ACT school because her super-sensitive nose
can detect when their ketones change and they are in need of
insulin, and this story about Charlie (who is real) could be a
kick-starter to how dogs help us in everyday life. The children will
be familiar with the work of guide dogs but there are all sorts of
assistance dogs whose work is often unknown. Perhaps it is time to
celebrate all that these fun, four-legged furry creatures do for us.
Getting to know Charlie with his floppy ears, droopy eyes and short
legs would be a great start.
Barbara Braxton
To Hold the Bridge by Garth Nix
Allen & Unwin, 2015. ISBN 9781743316559
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. Short stories. Fantasy. Science
fiction. This is an intriguing collection of short stories that will
be sure to beguile fans of Garth Nix, of whom I am one. It is a
mixture of fantasy, science fiction, horror, vampires and even has a
murder mystery to solve. The stories are gathered under the
following headings: Creatures of Darkness and Light, Standing up to
be Counted, Check your faint heart at the door, A wink and a nod and
Under other skies.
The highlight of the collection is the first in the book and a
novella from the Old Kingdom, To hold the bridge, and will
be eagerly read by people who love the Abhorsen series. The young
protagonist, Morghan, has been left a share certificate in the
Bridge Company and desperately wants to work as a guard. He is a
diffident young man, easy to like and when danger threatens, he has
to overcome his fears and defend the bridge from invaders. I really
enjoyed this and it is one that I will return to, to reread about
loyalty, courage and overcoming odds. Vampire weather is Nix's nod to the obsession with vampires
in some young adult fiction and it is frightening and very thought
provoking. Amos belongs to a closeted community that won't allow
modern medicine including vaccinations against vampire bites, and
the only freedom that he is allowed, is to go to the road to collect
the mail. One day he meets a young girl there and even though he is
not supposed to talk to any women or girls, she strikes up a
conversation with him. I cannot put in any more information without
adding spoilers - this is one that must be read to fully enjoy the
surprises and dilemmas that Nix provides. Another one with vampires
at its core is Infestation, equally poignant and heart
stopping.
This is a great collection to read from cover to cover and the
twists in the stories make them very memorable. It also would be a
good book to have to dip into for moments when a reader wants
something short, interesting, and unique to read or to read aloud in
a class.
Pat Pledger
Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen
Penguin, 2015. ISBN: 9780141361734
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. Adolescent. Coming of age. Change.
Sydney has always felt second best in her family, her brother Peyton
always the star. But Peyton has become increasingly reckless and
finally after badly injuring a teen in a drink driving accident, is
sent to prison. His mother refuses to believe that he is guilty at
all and no one in her family seems to be worried about the victim of
the accident. Then she meets Leyla and her brother Mac and finds a
haven in the warmth of the Chatham family.
The story flows along beautifully as Sydney has to come to terms
with the dynamics in her family and the social impact of having a
brother in jail. She leaves the expensive private school and goes to
the local high school to avoid the whispers that follow her around.
At home things are difficult. It is hard for the reader to fathom
how Sydney's mother can overlook her and concentrate all her
energies and affection on Peyton and how her father can withdraw
from facing the problems, and Sydney's slow recognition of her own
worth holds the story together. The warmth of Leyla and Mac and the
group that befriends her at her new school help her self-esteem grow
and she is able to take a step back from being in her brother's
shadow and begin to value herself and her own beliefs.
The growing feelings between Mac and Sydney are gently described,
and Mac is a great character, caring and supportive. It was also
interesting to read about a boy who has been overweight and who has
managed to regain a healthy lifestyle. The Chatham family has its
own problems but the kind-heartedness of its members and the
attentive care they give Mrs Chatham who has multiple sclerosis is
heart-warming.
I am a fan of Sarah Dessen's books. I love her characters, the way
they manage to overcome adversity and learn to value themselves. I
read this in a couple of sittings and it is sure to appeal to
readers who enjoy stories about families and change.
Pat Pledger
The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale
Ill. by LeUyen Pham. The Princess in Black bk 1. Candlewick Press,
2014. ISBN 9780763678883
(Age: 5-8) Recommended. Fantasy. Princesses. Humour. Princess
Magnolia has an alter ego. Everyone believes that she is the perfect
princess, dressed in lovely pink gowns, but when danger threatens
the goats she dons her black outfit and goes to rescue them from the
big blue monster. But will Duchess Wigtower, the nosiest person in
the kingdom, work out her secret?
This is the perfect book for young readers just moving from picture
books to chapter books. The text is relatively short but what makes
it so good is the alliteration - 'You seems so prim and perfect'
says the Duchess to Princess Magnolia - and the humour, which comes
alive in the illustrations. I laughed out loud as I read about
Princess Magnolia's exploits and the expressions on the faces of all
the characters, even the goats, are priceless.
Although it would be great for everyone to realise that even if
girls are dressed in pink and appear to be very proper, they can
also be daring and cunning, the narrative, humour and illustrations
make it a standout read.
Pat Pledger
I wanna be a great big dinosaur! by Heath McKenzie
Scholastic Press, 2015. ISBN 9781743626009
Small boys like to dress up as dinosaurs, GREAT big DINOSAURS!
One small boy has found a dinosaur to show him how he must learn to
roar, stomp and EAT to be a GREAT big DINOSAUR.
Then the dinosaur learns that there is a lot more to EAT than just
meat! And a lot more to being a boy. There's reading and playing
soccer AND playing video games.
Maybe, the dinosaur decides, it would be more fun to be a little
boy!
This book will appeal to all small boys . . . and even girls.
J. Smith
Cuckoo Song by Frances Hardinge
Pan Macmillan, 2014. ISBN 9780330519731
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. Horror. Historical fantasy. Carnegie
Medal in Literature Shortlist (2015), British Science Fiction
Association Award Nominee for Best Novel (2014), James Herbert Award
Nominee (2015). When Triss wakes up after she falls into the Grimmer
there is something terribly wrong. She can't remember things and
hoping to find answers in her diary she finds that the pages have
been torn out. Her little sister Pen is terrified of her and she is
so hungry that she is prepared to eat anything, even the doll whose
glass eyes swivel around to look at her. She leaves a trail of
leaves behind her and her tears are like spider webs. She soon
discovers that things are even more terrible than she could have
imagined and she finds herself on a quest for the truth in the
frightening Underbelly of the city, where the evil Architect rules.
This is a very scary and utterly unique horror story set in the
period just after World War 1. Hardinge brings alive the 1920's when
jazz music was considered fast, and returned soldiers were not
themselves. Triss' family have been mourning the death of Sebastian,
killed on the battlefields and the family dynamics are really
detailed. Pen's feelings of jealousy for her sister, the games that
Triss' mother plays to keep Triss close to her and the
self-satisfaction of Piers, Triss' father, all highlight the need
for the family members to find a place for themselves. Although the
reader knows that Triss is not herself; that she has been taken over
by Not-Triss, the changeling is such a complex and caring character
that her search for the truth, her courage and compassion and
longing to stay alive keep momentum of the story going.
And then there the action as Not-Triss jumps from roof-top to
roof-top in pursuit of the Architect, the thrill of the jazz music
and the cakes in the tea-shop, the scare of the giant scissors and a
pervading sense of eeriness and the result is one thrilling read.
This is highly recommended for people who enjoy a story that is
multifaceted and intricate but which also frightens while tugging at
the heartstrings. Readers who liked Neil Gaiman's Coraline
or who like fairy tales retold will enjoy this.
Pat Pledger
Bomb by Sarah Mussi
Hodder Children's Books, 2015. ISBN: 9781444917864
(Age: 14+) I'm Genesis Wainwright. I'm a sixth-form student. I come
from Somerset. My mum is the best mum in the world. I play the
guitar (badly). My best friend is Holly. I'm searching for answers
to the Meaning of Life. I believe in True Love. AND I'M IN LOVE WITH
NAZ. I want to be a performance poet. And I'm crazy about
motorbikes.
Genesis is trying to get over her romance with Naz. She goes on a
blind date and wakes up strapped to a bomb with an earpiece glued in
her ear. This story (told by Genesis) describes a world where an
extremist group is gaining influence across the globe and is using
unwilling participants to wreak havoc, including mass destruction.
The story is full of action (car chases, helicopter surveillance,
motor bike chases and police snipers) and is running to a time
limit. The bomb is set to detonate later that day, so the action
runs at break neck speed keeping the reader involved and turning the
pages.
The quotations appearing regularly throughout the writing (for
example, 'Life is a string: you just don't know how long it is.')
give the reader some sense of the character of Naz, and why Genesis
cares for him.
The premise of the book, and the accompanying Book
Trailer could initiate interesting discussions related to
current response to the rise of extremists in society.
Linda Guthrie
I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson<br>
Walker Books, 2015. ISBN: 9781406326499
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. Noah and Jude are twins, like two
halves living separate roles in the same life.
(PORTRAIT, SELF-PORTRAIT: Twins: Noah Looking in a Mirror, Jude out
of It)
At the age of 13 their passion for art is travelling in
different directions and the stage is set for misunderstandings,
jealousies and guilt to carve a ravine between the twins and disrupt
their relationships with family and self.
'Every time Grandma S. read Jude's and my palms, she'd tell us that
we have enough jealousy in our lines to ruin our lives ten times
over.'
Their perspectives develop in separate storylines, each told by a
twin. The secrets seep out, in writing that is both poetic and
entrancing, to reveal anguish about sexuality and betrayals that
affect all characters in this book.
(SELF-PORTRAIT: The Boy Hiding Inside the Boy Hiding Inside the Boy)
This is a story about love. The crushing, profoundly moving, and
sometimes destructive power of love between adults, family and
siblings in this story emanates from one man.
'He was the kind of man who walks into a room and all the walls fall
down.'
This book is difficult to put down. Each chapter pulls the reader
on, eager to understand the complexity of the characters and enjoy
the language that evokes tears and laughter.
Linda Guthrie.
Editor's note; This book won Michael L. Printz Award 2015, and was
on YALSA 2015 Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults
Off the page by Samantha Van Leer and Jodi Picoult<br>
Allen & Unwin, 2015. ISBN 9781743439982
What if the fairy-tale ending was only the beginning? 16 year old
girl, Delilah and fairy-tale Prince Oliver have finally got the
chance to be together. This would be fine if Oliver didn't happen to
be a character from a fairy tale book. The only way he could live in
Delilah's world is if he changed places with a regular person. After
outsider, Edgar agrees to switch places with Oliver, all think they
have finally had their dreams come true.
The real test comes when the new school year starts, Delilah fears
that Oliver won't fit into school life, but Oliver is an instant hit
and is amazed how wonderful high school life really is.
The characters from Oliver's book seem to be fitting in with the new
plot lines that Edgar has written, or so it seems. But slowly
someone or something doesn't like the changes and wants things to go
back to normal. This is when the magical world and real world
collide.
This young fiction, is easy to follow when talking about both
worlds. The characters are loveable and easy to relate to. Off
the page isn't the normal style of Jodi Picoult, however a
reader with a good imagination could quite easily love this new
style of Picoult teaming up with her daughter. If you love Meg
Cabolt or Sara Dressen this enchanted love story will keep you
entertained.
Jody Holmes
