My name is Lizzie Flynn: A story of The Rajah quilt by Claire Saxby
Ill. by Lizzy Newcomb. Black Dog, 2015. ISBN 9781922179913
(Age: Primary and Secondary) Highly recommended. Picture book.
Historical. Convicts. Resilience. Quilts. Based on the true story of
a quilt made by convict women on board The Rajah, bound for
Australia. Young Lizzie Flynn, sentenced for seven years
transportation to Van Diemen's Land for stealing a shawl, arrives on
the ship, The Rajah with nothing and knows that she will never
return to England. She meets Molly another young convict who takes
her under her wing. On board The Rajah, the female convicts
are each given a bag, containing a bible, fabric and needle and
thread. This has been supplied by the Ladies of the Convict Ship
Committee, who when discovering that the convict women and girls had
nothing to occupy themselves with on the long sea voyage thought
that it would be helpful for them to have something useful to do.
Lizzie has a good eye for colour but doesn't know how to sew and
Molly teaches her.
This book is a fascinating look at transportation and convict life
aboard a ship. The story is told in Lizzie's words and the horror of
the trip comes to life as the reader follows the dangerous voyage.
With Saxby's descriptive and emotional prose and Lizzy Newcomb's
illustrations, it is easy to see the convict women and girls' lives
in the hold, how vulnerable girls have to endure bullying, all the
while facing storms and the deadly threat of disease. Lizzie says 'I
do not want to pass from this world as if I had never been here',
and continues to stitch the quilt for Molly as well as herself.
There is a gorgeous photo of the quilt, now housed in the National
Gallery of Australia in Canberra, at the back as well as the
inscription on it and information about what happened to it.
According to an article
found on Trove the quilts that the convict women made would have a
ready sale and would help to provide them with much needed funds
when they arrived in Australia.
I have returned to this picture book a number of times. It is a
fascinating story in itself, and the scope for learning about
convict life, the dangerous voyage to Australia and the work of
Elizabeth Fry and other women make it ideal for using in Australian
history lessons.
Pat Pledger
Life or death by Michael Robotham
Sphere, 2015. ISBN 9780751552898
(Age: Upper secondary to adult) Highly recommended. Crime fiction.
USA. Capital punishment. Corruption. Robotham will please his wide
audience yet again with this tightly plotted, explosively written
novel as Audie Palmer, a ten year prisoner in a hell hole in Texas
decides to escape the day before his release. His journey drags us
through the events of his life bringing us up to the day he escapes
and the reasons behind it. Along the way, another prisoner, a lifer
who befriended Palmer in jail, is released by a powerful group of
men to find Palmer and hand him over. The corruption is palpable,
Moss must not only watch his own back and find Palmer, but also work
out why Palmer is so necessary to these people's plans and how he
can keep them both alive. The botched theft of seven million
dollars, eleven years before, left Palmer in a life and death coma,
but pulling through he admitted the crime and was sent to jail. But
this money was never recovered, so many people are after it. And of
course, as with all good crime stories, the hero is a hero, not the
villain he is portrayed and we know that he is not what he appears.
All is tied up with his family and a stepson he vowed to care for,
now adopted by the very sheriff who arrested Palmer in the first
place. Layers of coincidence pile on each other as links between
powerful law officers and state politicians crowd into the story,
making the reader assess, try out then throw aside theory after
theory about what is actually happening. It is a rivetting read, one
that carried me along its whole length to the nail biting
conclusion.
The setting is part of the story with small isolated pockets of
civilisation and the sad people he met a necessary part of Palmer's
life on the run, while the corruption within the police force and
their methods of law enforcement made me shudder. I was involved
from page one.
Fran Knight
The Evertree by Marie Lu
Spirit animals bk 7. Scholastic Australia, 2015. ISBN
9781743620045
Finally, the last in the Spirit animals series where the fate of
Erdas will be revealed, not to mention that of the amazing four
young protagonists who have endured so much since they discovered
their spirit animals were the famous Fallen Ones. As the series ends
there is an even stronger message that the survival of our world
depends on a balance between man, the animals and the environment.
The Greencloaks have gathered their allies for a final battle as
Conor is beset by visions of a final confrontation with Kovo and the
Conquerors. The outcome is uncertain and there is fear that their
spirit animals may not survive this battle. Melin is still
imprisoned by the power of Gerathon whilst still hoping that her
friends will succeed in their quest.
On their way to stop Shane setting Kovo free, they travel through
the dry devastated and desolate lands of Stetriol, all the time
battling the strange weather and armies of Conquerors. They are also
hoping also to find Tellun the Elk, last of the Great Beasts who has
yet to surrender his talisman, and enlist his help.
Too late to stop Kovo escaping, they head to The Evertree, the
legendary place where all life began, for a last stand against the
power hungry Kovo and his allies Gerathon and Halawir. With all the
great beasts present and willing to save Erdas at all costs it is up
to Tellun and the children to succeed in their final battle.
As with the other books in the series there is hardship, bloody
battles, death and destruction interspersed with moments of
tenderness and beauty as the power of friendship helps overcome even
the darkness of the Bile. The final act of forgiveness in letting
Shane escape is not without its reward with a spinoff three part
novella series by Nick Eliopulos in e-book form available, telling
his side of the story.
Sue Keane
You choose (series) by George Ivanoff
Random House Australia Children's, 2015. Night of the creepy carnival. Bk 5. ISBN 9780857986696 Alien invaders from beyond the stars. Bk 6. ISBN
9780857986719
(Age: 9+) Highly recommended. When I received my first copies of
books from this series I road tested them on my grandson who is
somewhat of a reluctant reader. In fact, he was staying at my place,
picked them up and didn't put them down until he'd finished each. To
me that's a pretty fair indication of how they will be received in
your library. These latest two have gone to another young man who
might enjoy them and I await his response eagerly. I know I'm pretty
hopeless - I couldn't get past 3 choices until I was exterminated so
I hope he does better!
George has cleverly taken all the great aspects of gaming and
transformed them into book form where readers can challenge
themselves to achieve the end goal. While primarily aimed at Middle
Primary to Upper Primary these can be enjoyed by readers of all ages
and certainly, if you have readers who struggle these would be a
superb choice as the level of engagement and the appeal of the
subject matter are perfect. Readers will persist with their reading
quite naturally as they attempt to navigate their way through all
the pitfalls of each story.
Clowns are considered very sinister in our family so the Night
of the creepy carnival is well named and I didn't like being
caught out by them at all! Aliens are marginally less scary but
still enough to appeal to those readers who like a good safe fright.
I remember so well how my own girls used to love the 'choose your
own adventure' format (especially The famous five series!) and
think the timing of bringing this style of fast paced interactive
reading back to the attention of a new readership is perfect.
Highly recommended for readers aged around 9 and up. Do you have
what it takes?
Sue Warren
The toy fairy by Stephanie Thatcher
Starfish Bay Publishing, 2015. ISBN 9780994100733
(Age: Preschool-6) Recommended. Compassion. Selfishness. A
young boy who does not tidy his room before he goes to bed is warned
that the toy fairy will take them away. The worldly-wise young man
is sceptical about this explanation, believing his father to be
complicit in the disappearance. Eventually (after toys do indeed
disappear), the young lad sees the toy fairy in person and is
himself 'stolen' by the toy fairy. After rediscovering his missing
toys, he is then relocated with his missing pirate ship to a home of
a classmate who is living with no toys. The experience awakens
compassion in the boy.
This book is beautifully illustrated and the discussion
possibilities of addressing selfishness and caring for others could
make this a good book to include in Values Education. It is suited
to Preschool or Junior Primary children.
Carolyn Hull
Teacup by Rebecca Young
Ill. by Matt Ottley. Scholastic, 2015. ISBN 9781743623848
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Journeys, Friendship, Sea, Refugees. One day
the boy sets out in his boat. He must leave and takes a teacup of
soil with him to remind him of home. He sails across the ocean,
through storms and calm seas, times when it is blackly dark, or when
the sky is full of cloud. He sees animals in the water below him.
The albatross reminds him of flying a kite, the whales' songs remind
him of his mother calling him for tea. He is searching for land.
During his voyage his teacup of soil sprouts an apple tree which
gives him food, shade, rest and a vantage point. Finally he finds
land and is able to plant his tree, and wait for the girl to arrive
with her eggcup and pear tree.
The illustrations for this story are superb, Ottley's depiction of
the sea in all of its moods, scary and charming at the same time.
The stormy days feel cold and threatening, the calmer days give
solace and comfort. Most of the time the child in the boat feels
safe as will the readers of this story, wanting to know why he is
there and where he is going. All sorts of ideas will spring to mind,
especially with Ottley's addition of things in the background of the
pages: a range of animals and toys, both fanciful and real, the huge
tree with a boat stuck in its branches, the girl finding her way to
the island as well. Each image suggests answers to the puzzling
story and readers will love to muse on what is happening.
A story of new beginnings, of hope for the future, of friendship, of
adversity will appeal to those adventurous children ready to broaden
their imaginations and think about ideas.
Fran Knight
Because you'll never meet me by Leah Thomas
Bloomsbury, 2015. ISBN: 9781408862629
(Age: 11+) Recommended for able readers. Themes: Disabilities;
Coming of age; Genetic experimentation; Science fiction; Friendship;
Bullying; Loneliness. In this well-written debut novel by Leah
Thomas, the two central characters write to one another to overcome
the isolation of their lives that are debilitated by unusual
physical conditions. Ollie lives a virtual electricity-free
existence with his mother, isolated from the community around him
because of his 'allergy' to all things electrical (we discover
later, that his condition influences him negatively, but that he
impacts electrical devices too). He is quirky and honest, and makes
an effort to be positive in all things; his life has always been in
this non-electric bubble - no phones, television, internet, so
effectively he is living a virtual-Amish lifestyle. Initially there
is only one visitor - a medico-scientist who links him to another
teen living in Germany, to whom he connects honestly via letters.
The German teen, Moritz, was born with no eyes and yet is able to
'see' using echo-location, he also has a Pacemaker to overcome his
cardio-myopathy. His angst and distress with his life is expressed
honestly and with some pathos as he deals with a school bully and
his social isolation. Ollie and Moritz will never meet . . . the
electricity from the pace-maker would be mutually destructive and
their differing perspectives of life are impacted by their culture
and experience, so initially the 'friendship' appears to be
completely one-sided.
When Ollie is visited by a local girl, Liz, whose friendship changes
him, he shares the impact of her life and 'spark' into his life with
Moritz. Tragedies happen for both boys, but eventually the history
of some 'experimentation' that has created their unusual physical
expressions becomes the focus of the book as Moritz reveals the
drama of their shared history.
The circumstances of this book are not realistic, but the characters
express real emotional responses to difficult circumstances, and
their normal teenage concerns will connect with a young adult
readership. Readers who enjoy John Green fiction will enjoy this
book. It has light-hearted moments, and pathos, and although the
circumstances are not real, it is easy to identify with the two
lonely and isolated teens and empathise with their pain, but also to
see that there is some hope for their future.
Carolyn Hull
The cloudspotter by Tom McLaughlin
Bloomsbury, 2015. ISBN 9781408854969
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Clouds, Imagination, Daydreams, Friendship.
Franklin is a cloudspotter. He spends the day with his binoculars
and backpack spotting all the clouds in the sky. He imagines them to
be all sorts of things and then imagines himself to be part of them,
in them, on them or driving them. One day a scruffy dog begins to
hang around Franklin. Franklin has no friends and decides that he
does not need any so when the dog stays around more often, becoming
part of his daydreams, he does something about it. He makes a hot
air balloon and puts the dog into the basket and sees him off.
But he soon realises that he misses the dog, the dog had become his
friend. Fortunately the air balloon snags on a tree and the two are
reunited. They can now watch the clouds together and have adventures
together.
This is a lovely story of friendship, of not seeing a friend nearby
until it is almost too late, of doing things together.
I loved the soft illustrations, conjuring up the feel and look of
various clouds in the sky, drawing them to suggest the images the
child sees in them.
As a lovely tale of friendship or as an introduction to a group of
lessons about clouds and their formation, or lessons outside looking
at clouds this book will prove to be most helpful.
Fran Knight
Dragonfall Mountain by Paul Collins and Sean McMullen
The Warlock's Child bk 2. Ford Street, 2015. ISBN
9781925000931
(Ages: 10+) Fantasy. Following on immediately from the first in the
series and beginning in the middle of a battle, it is wise to have
read the first book which introduced the main characters, including
the dragon, with suggestions of unknown forces at play, magic and
traitors yet to be discovered.
Dantar, the son of Dravinian Battle Warlock Calbaras is heading to
shore having been flung from his sinking ship. He is captured by the
Savarian sailors and set to work cleaning the prison castle
believing his status as an officer will keep him safe.
Dantar's sister Velza, having also escaped as the Dravinian fleet is
destroyed by the Savarians with a little help from the marauding
dragon, is determined to rally the survivors and continue their
mission to destroy the port.
The death of the dragon Dravaud, Calabaras alive and well and
seemingly welcome in the Savarian castle, and the reappearance of
Marko who assists Dantar to escape via the sewers, add to the action
and intrigue. The confrontation between more dragons and the King
leaves the reader anxious for the next instalment to find out who
'the creatures of forbidden magic' are dangling from the dragon's
claws, and what is really going on in this word of power, treachery
and magic.
Once again there are more questions than answers but the easy to
read, fast paced text keeps the reader interested as alternate
chapters follow the fortunes of Dantar and Velza telling the story
from their different situations and viewpoints.
Sue Keane
Escape from Wolfhaven Castle by Kate Forsyth
The impossible quest series. Scholastic, 2015. ISBN 9781743624067
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Historical, Fantasy, Bravery. This
highly detailed novel, the first in a series of five, introduces
four characters quickly: Tom, the pot boy in the kitchen of the
castle, the squire, Sebastian, Eleanor, daughter of the lord, and
Quinn the witch's apprentice. When their castle is infiltrated by
bog-men, the four flee before they too are captured or killed. This
unlikely crew must work together to survive, even of Elanor has been
brought up on books of courtly manners befitting her station, and
the knight in waiting israther too aware of his station in life,
while Quinn has not yet got all her powers, their rubbing together
makes great reading as they must overcome some great impasses.
Brimming with medieval setting of knights and battles, rush floors
and castles, the story is easily read, moves along very quickly and
grabs at the readers' throats as the four must overcome some very
odd difficulties.
The Grand Teller at Wolfhaven gives them all a gift which can be
used in emergencies and as they leave their birth place, they find
that these gifts are not the stuff of folk lore but actually help
them.
With Tom's dog, Fergus making up the five, they learn their way
around each other, showing bravery against all odds and learning
above all to survive. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look
forward to the next in the series.
Fran Knight
The Burning Sea by Paul Collins and Sean McMullen
The Warlock's Child bk 1. Ford Street, 2015. ISBN
9781925000924
(Ages 10-14) Fantasy. This is the first of new fantasy series
written in collaboration by two well known writers who are adept at
building a fantasy world where dragons and magic are commonplace.
Students will recognise the cover art by Marc McBride from the Deltora
Quest covers and accompanied books.
Lazily circling above an invasion fleet of Dravinian ships, Drvaud
the dragon is aware of a hint of something dragon-like on board one
of the ships. For Dantar life as a cabin boy is not easy, especially
as the son of the Emperor's Battle Warlock, bought up in the royal
palace. His older sister Velza is a very competent officer who is
keen to prove herself in the male dominated world of the navy.
As the fleet draws closer to Savaria there appears to be someone
prepared to sabotage the success of the invasion as Dantar overhears
talk of traitors and a fire is lit in the oil store. When the fog
bank that they had been sailing behind disperses, their element of
surprise is lost. With their secret weapon, the Deathlight which
employs mirrors and the sun's rays to set fire to the sails, the
Savarians attack.
Survival seems impossible for Dantar, who cannot swim, as he is
flung into the ocean but the timely arrival of Velza and a piece of
drift wood, fill him with hope as he heads towards shore.
The scene is set for the next book in the six part series with more
questions raised than answers given. This is a good example for
getting readers to predict what will happen next, and with a short
time frame between each book's release, there will be a ready
audience for book two.
Sue Keane
Skink No Surrender by Carl Hiaasen
Orion Children's Books, 2014. ISBN 9781780622194
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Themes: Internet dangers; Environmental
issues; Adventure. A young teen meets an unusual environmental
warrior while waiting on the beach for his cousin who is due to go
away to boarding school. This girl does not show up and eventually
it is revealed that she has run away with someone she met on the
internet. The environmental warrior who lives as a virtual hermit,
but who is also a returned soldier and former governor and is also
apparently 'dead', decides to help Richard find his cousin. They
embark on an amazingly risky search through the alligator populated
swamps and rivers of Florida.
This is an exciting rescue and although it stretches believability
on many occasions, is still an engaging adventure story. Hiaasen
introduces environmental themes that are linked loosely through the
story, with references to a presumed extinct woodpecker and the
protection of loggerhead turtles laying their eggs on the beach.
Carolyn Hull
Operation Code-Cracker by John Townsend
Black Cats Series. Bloomsbury, 2015. ISBN 9781472906816
(Age: 8-10) Recommended. Themes: Codes, Spies, Mystery, Adventure.
The Black Cats series written by popular British authors
targets the newly confident and high interest-low reading age
audience. The chapters are shorter, some illustrations are included
and the novels are structured to build reading confidence.
John Townsend's Operation Code-Cracker is filled with spies,
action, adventure, clues, codes and car-chases. Max is staying with
his father in his old run-down house in London. When his football
disappears into the neighbour's yard, Max is caught up in a spy
network. The creepy man Max calls The Child Catcher has been
watching the father and son, knows all their routines and recruits
the ten year old boy to help in a situation of national security.
The reader is drawn into the action with codes and puzzles to solve,
Max's special skills help to save the situation. Max enlists his
Gran's help they hop in her pink Morris Minor convertible, and race
across London to save Miya who has been kidnapped. A surprising
ending brings this story to a thrilling conclusion.
Rhyllis Bignell
A Wonderlandiful World by Shannon Hale
Ever After High Series. Hachette, 2015. ISBN 9780349131870
(Age: 9-12) Shannon Hale's Ever After High trilogy comes to an
exciting conclusion in A Wonderlandiful World. This
fairytale world is filled with aptly named, colourful characters,
overflowing with fairy puns and unique language. With embellished
borders and flowery phrases, themes of good and evil, magic and
mayhem, this is definitely a story the fans will enjoy.
This story shifts the focus to the Wonderland characters, Maddie
Hatter, Lizzie Hearts, Kitty Cheshire and Cedar Wood who is
Pinocchio's daughter. There is a mysterious force overpowering Ever
After High and everything is badly affected. The evil Jabberwocky
has been released from prison and is determined to destroy Ever
After. As the Ever After students magically change into objects -
Apple White's face turns rosy red and a branch sprouts out of the
top of her head, the Wonderland characters become real - Cedar's
body transforms from wooden to human. Other students change into
animals, the furniture comes alive and the school grounds fade to
black and white. There are mad chases, unexpected events and even
the Narrator has problems continuing the story. Maddie is forced to
become the narrator and her friends are caught up in the evil magic,
as this fast-paced and crazy adventure comes to a surprising end.
For fairy tale fans from 9-12.
Rhyllis Bignell
Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle<br>
Walker Books, 2015. ISBN: 9781406361537
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. The warmth and humour of the main
character, Nate, make this book a really great read that will appeal
to all ages.
Nate, has big aspirations, but is trapped in a small town. His best
friend, Libby helps him plan an escape to Broadway where he hopes to
make his dreams come true by winning a role in a musical version of
ET. This story waltzes you along with the adorable Nate and
surreptitiously feeds the back story of love, relationships, family,
forgiveness and hope.
The story gently and thoughtfully touches on the small town response
to a young man who wants to sing on Broadway.
'My sexuality, by the way, is off-topic and unrelated. I am
undecided. I am a freshman at the College of Sexuality and I have
undecided my major, and frankly don't want to declare anything other
than "Hey jerks, I'm thirteen, leave me alone. Macaroni and cheese
is still my favorite food - how would I know who I want to hook up
with?"
The reader can't help smiling and laughing and completely relating
to the main character, Nate, as he bravely negotiates New York City
and the cut throat world of Broadway auditions, ably supported by
Libby, Freckles and Heidi.
Linda Guthrie
