Heap House written and illustrated by Edward Carey
Iremonger trilogy, book 1. Hot Key Books, 2014. ISBN: 9781471401572
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. All those escaped objects were
rushing pell-mell in the same direction. They were skittering,
thumping, crashing along the cellar walls, all speeding the same
way. All hurrying to the same meeting. To the Gathering itself. But
some of them did not make it, some of them tumbling forward suddenly
grew larger, changed shape. A kettle skittering along, rolling,
rolling, stopped being a kettle at each turn grew bigger and greyer
and became all of a sudden an old woman in a filthy floral print
dress, thick legs, she sat there upon the ground and screamed and
screamed.
Clod Is an Iremonger. He lives in Heap House, a mixture of other
houses, buildings, castles and mysteries all squashed together.
The Iremongers are a cruel and hard family in charge of the heaps.
But Clod is different. He can hear objects talking. All they ever
say is a name. Clod's bath plug says 'James Henry Hayward'; Cousin
Tummis' tap squeaks 'Hilary Evelyn Ward-Jackson' and something in
the attic angrily shouts 'Robert Burrington'.
Then Lucy Pennant arrives at Heap House. The Iremongers start
growing restless. The objects whispering is getting louder, more
gatherings are occurring and the objects are starting to change . . . and
move.
Something is about to be revealed that could rip Clod's world apart
and threaten the safety of everything he's ever known.
I would recommend this novel to male children 13 and over, as some
scenes are quite gruesome and descriptive. This novel's storyline is
original and the way Edward Carey describes and illustrates the
novel is splendid.
Jazmin H. (Student, Year 7)
The Perfectionists by Sara Shepard
Hot Key Books, 2014. ISBN: 9781471404344
(Age: Older teens) High school senior Nolan Hotchkiss is one of
those lucky kids - handsome, rich and a self-centered bully who
walks all over the other students. No one can touch him and no one
wants to try . . . Until now. Five girls - Ava, Caitlin, Mackenzie,
Julie and Parker - they all have a good reason to want to end
Nolan's reign of terror. They scheme and create the perfect murder -
hypothetically, of course. It was only supposed to stop him, until
Nolan ends up dead the same way that the girls had planned. Except
that they didn't commit murder. They have to find the real killer;
otherwise their perfect lives will come crashing down around them.
The first novel in the series. The Perfectionists is much
like her sister series, The Pretty Little Liars. This novel
is great for those who love a crime that seems unsolvable. It is an
addictive read, one that cannot be put down. A page-turner full of
suspense, mystery and murder. A great read for the older teens.
Cecilia Richards
The Ellie McDoodle Diaries: Have pen, will travel by Ruth McNally Barshaw
Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781408855973
(Age: 7-12 years) Recommended. At last, a series in the vein of Tom
Gates and Eric Vale, with a female protagonist Ellie McDougal, or
McDoodle as her friends call her because of her love of drawing.
Ellie's parents have left town for a family funeral and left Ellie,
and her baby brother Ben-Ben, with her Uncle, Aunt and cousins much
to Ellie's disgust. Not only is she unhappy at being dumped with
people she considers pains, they are off camping but not in tents as
Ellie is used to, but cramped in a cabin.
From the nightmare car trip, which sounds like any trip featuring
five children one of whom is determined not to like anything, to
greeting her parents a week later, Ellie documents the highs and
more particularly the lows of the trip. The variable weather, her
aunt's strict rules, annoying cousin Eric and his constant teasing,
and her not so pleasant observations of the family.
When Eric discovers her diary, reads and draws in it Ellie is
distraught, especially as Aunt Mug has read it as well. Ellie
discovers there is more to learn about Aunt Mug, and that it is time
to apologise to Eric and find a way to enjoy the final three days.
The text is easy to read as much of the writing is in the form of
captions to the many sketches and comic strips which populate the
pages.
The addition of an interview with the author and tips on how to keep
a sketch journal, how to sketch and hints for drawing comics, like
'First: write the words. Last: draw voice balloons around the words'
are designed to encourage readers to embark on their own journal
writing. The following books in the series recording events such as
being the new kid at school will resonate with many readers.
Sue Keane
Penguin and Pumpkin by Salina Yoon
Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781408858370
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Penguins, Animals, Friendship, Seasons. For
an introduction to the seasons, particularly autumn, this book is a
treat, as Penguin, seen in three other books by Yoon, Penguin
and Pinecone, Penguin on holiday and Penguin in
love, grapples with the idea of autumn. It is autumn, but
living on the ice means it is just the same as ay other time -
white. Penguin is curious to see what autumn is really like. He asks
some friends to come with him on his adventure to find out about
autumn but has to tell his baby brother, Pumpkin, that he must stay
home.
The penguins all collect a pumpkin to take home and a box of autumn
leaves. When they arrive home, Pumpkin has had his own adventures
imagining what autumn is like, and Penguin and his friends use the
leaves to make it snow autumn.
The idea of autumn is shown throughout the story as the penguins
make their way to a place of green with trees, leaves and pumpkins.
The colours have changed from the colours known by the penguins, and
the readers will be able to see the colours and changes made by
autumn. For an introduction to the seasons, or a story about
siblings or friendship or making your own fun, this book with its
bold outlined colour filled pages has a place in the classroom.
Fran Knight
Emilie and the Hollow World by Martha Wells
Emilie, bk 1. Strange Chemistry, 2013. ISBN 9781908844484
(Age: 11-14) This is Martha Wells' first book for the young adult
audience but it could equally be enjoyed by upper primary readers.
Emilie is a 16 year old girl who runs away from an intolerable
situation in her uncle's home. She hopes to stow away and reach her
cousin's school, but she ends up on the wrong ship and a fantastic
adventure that takes her to the Hollow World begins. Taken under the
wing of Lady Marlende, Emily joins the crew in a strange voyage
through aether currents to try and rescue Lord Marlende who has been
marooned in a strange land.
Martha Wells is a master at describing alien worlds and peopling
them with characters that are very believable. Even though Rani and
the people from the ship look incredibly different to Emily's people
they share common characteristics. They are brave and intelligent
and don't give up when their friends are in danger and don't want to
bring war to the Nomads. Emilie grows as a character when she is
given the opportunity to show her intelligence and courage. She is a
quick witted, direct young woman and as a reader I felt compelled to
follow her story to the end. Lady Marlende and Rani are also worthy
heroines using their brains and physical ability to aid in the
rescue of their crew members.
Peopled with alien type creatures and a fearsome underwater world, Emilie
and the Hollow World is adventure of the highest order. Older
readers once exposed to the writing of Martha Wells will be sure to
want to explore the books that she has written for adults, as these
are also full of adventure, diversity of race and a touch of
romance.
Pat Pledger
Literature to Support the Geography Curriculum by Fran Knight and Pat Pledger
Pledger
Consulting, 2014. ISBN: 9781876678418
(Teacher reference) Highly recommended. Following the same layout as
their previous Australian Curriculum publications, the authors
provide annotated lists of titles for the various year levels from
Foundation to Year Ten. They use the headings which exist in the
Geography curriculum for each of the age groups and supply useful
lists of resources which match each theme or strand. Many of the
titles listed have been recommended highly by the various ReadPlus
reviewers and the annotations give one a great overview as to the
content of each book. As stated, not every title listed will suit
the age level or context of different classrooms so would still need
to be assessed by the class teacher or librarian before use.
Nonetheless, as a starting point, this document will join the other
publications as a major time saver for teachers planning their
overviews for Geography. Generally, the books listed are fairly
recent publications, less than ten years of age and therefore
accessible in most libraries. Where there are teachers' notes that
exist for the books, this is indicated in the annotations. Although
it is simple enough to Google the titles, I would like to have seen
the format of each book included after each title eg picture book,
junior novel etc.
This is another 'must have' title for every school library and will
prove to be a major asset, supporting any time poor teacher or
librarian.
Jo Schenkel
The Graveyard Book volume 2 by Neil Gaiman
Graphic adaptation by P. Craig Russell. Ill. by David Lafuente, P.
Craig Russell, Scott Hampton, Kevin Nowlan, Galen Showman.
Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781408859001
(Age:Upper primary+) Volume 2 of the graphic version of The
Graveyard Bookfollows on from the first, again showcasing the
work of a different illustrator for each chapter. The central
character, Bod has grown up within the safety and confines of the
graveyard away from the sinister 'Jack' who murdered his family. Now
as he grows older he questions his restricted life and ventures
outside to try and live like a normal human being. Not surprisingly
he finds it difficult to fit in and the first chapter, illustrated
by David Lafuente, vividly involves us in Bod's intervention in the
actions of a pair of school bullies. The powerful graphics enhance
the action and make the supernatural sequences stand out. The change
of style in the next two chapters to a more realistic form of
illustration, adjusts our perspective and the story settles down to
resolve the mystery of the killer 'Jack' and tie up the loose ends
of the story.
Like the first volume, this will be welcomed by fans of graphic
novels, Gaiman and The Graveyard Book but it also is
engaging enough to stand alone and find a wide readership from upper
primary onwards.
Sue Speck
The story of World War One by Richard Brassey
Orion Children's Books, 2014. ISBN 9781444010855
The Centenary of World War One beginning this year has given rise to
a plethora of books remembering a variety of events and battles.
This offering aims to give a simple overview explaining this complex
piece of history.
Richard Brassey's overview begins with the assassination of Archduke
Franz Ferdinand and the domino effect that led to the involvement of
the six European empires and their associated colonies. He also
mentions some of the side events including Australia's raids on
German Pacific colonies and Japan's annexing of German colonies in
China and the Pacific.
Some attention is given to the role of women in the war and on the
home front as well as the development of weapons and war machines
which were significant at the time. The reasons the United States
entered the fray late in the war and the fall out from the defeat of
the Russians are briefly explained as well as reasons for the
beginning of the Second World War only twenty one years later.
Younger readers will gain much from the illustrations especially the
inclusion of simple maps and the representation of the trench
system, as well as the captions which add interesting factual
detail.
As the centenary of significant events rolls on over the next four
years, this book will continue to offer a basic understanding of
events and some of the significant players, as well as the changes
in medicine and society which were amongst the results of the
conflict.
Sue Keane
Spirit Animals: Fire and Ice by Shannon Hale
Scholastic, 2014. ISBN 9781743620014
(Age: 7-12) Recommended. Fire and Ice is the fourth book in
the Spirit Animal series following the adventures of four
chosen youngsters their Greencloak guide, Tarik, in their quest to
obtain the talismans of the Great beasts and save the kingdom of
Erdas from the evil Conquerors.
The opening chapter introduces Gerathon, the Cobra, one of the great
beasts. The descriptive writing is captivating, but since it has no
relevance to this particular part of the story, I assume it is a
forecast of things to come.
We find our heroes travelling to the icy wastes of Arctica in search
of Suka the Great Polar Bear and as always they seem to be just in
front of the enemy, Shane, and his army of Conquerors. The
relationship between the characters is developing as they are
becoming more dependent on each other for survival.
There is a surprise for Rollan in store when they meet up with the
Conquerors and he discovers his mother, who abandoned him to the
streets as a child, is one of their members. Whilst he is torn
between joining her or loyalty to his new friends, he departs with
Tarik and the group on an arduous and life threatening journey
through the snow to find the famed Ice Palace and Suka.
Having found Suka frozen in the Ice Palace, they finally claim the
talisman they were after and journey back to Eura, glad to see the
end of Arctica and its frozen land, only to be met by the Conquerors
on the wharf. Another fierce and bloody battle ensues, which I am
sure is part of the attraction of these stories, in which good seems
to triumph again, but at a cost to friends and family.
Followers of the series will be keen to read the next book to see if
there is betrayal in the air, however some will be finding there is
a predictable pattern in the story lines.
Sue Keane
Edith Cowan: A quiet woman of note by Hazel Edwards
Ill. by Angela Grzegrzolka. New Frontier, 2014. ISBN
9781925059021
Edith Cowan's face graces one side of the fifty dollar note but most
would not be aware of her past and the reforms she was able to
introduce. Known as the first woman elected to any Australian
Parliament, she served the disadvantaged, especially women and
children in Perth for many years prior to her election.
Edith, born in 1861, enjoyed a happy childhood at Glengarry, a
station out of Geralton, until her mother became ill and died when
Edith was seven years old. Not long after, the family was broken up
when their father could not cope. Edith and her older sister Blanche
were sent to boarding school in Perth and her younger brothers sent
to live with relatives. Edith's future interest in social reform for
women was cemented when her father, an increasingly violent man, was
found guilty of murdering his second wife and subsequently hanged.
Edith married James Cowan, a court registrar, who through his work
saw many disadvantaged families and encouraged Edith to visit and
help the poor and needy. She continued her social work whilst
raising five of her own children, serving the community as a
magistrate on the Children's Court, receiving an OBE for her
contributions to the Red Cross during WW1 and later entering
parliament, all the time championing social reform for women and
children at a time when they had few of the rights we enjoy today.
Whilst I found the text to be quite repetitive at times, Hazel
Edwards has obviously been keen to impress the reader with the
significance of Edith's achievements overcoming a socially and
personally damaging childhood through education and commitment.
Sue Keane
Pathfinder by Angie Sage
A Todhunter Moon adventure. Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN
9781408858158
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. Angie Sage's highly anticipated
Pathfinder delivers an exciting twist on the popular fantasy genre.
The novel's storyline is both crazily unique and compelling as the
author guides the reader through a tale embracing the themes of
personal strength and friendship. Each individual character brought
something special to the novel and no two were similar. The idea of
multiple points of views throughout the book gifted the reader with
a window into the individual's life which provided a sense of
'knowing' the character. I would have loved to read more about the
antagonist of the book who appeared to be a fun character and
hopefully, the sequel, if there will be one, will provide us insight
into the character's uncanny mind.
The tale begins with an ancient but equally powerful Pathfinder
ceremony which is being led by Dan Moon, the father of Alice
TodHunter Moon, the heroine in the novel. Two months later, Alice
has lost her father, who never returned from his fishing trip and
resides in her childhood home with her not-so-beloved Aunt Mitza.
Her loyal and budding friend, Oskar Sarn has also felt an incredible
loss as his twin sister; Ferdie had been kidnapped and hadn't been
found since. Alice lives a quiet but dreary life until she departs
her childhood home in an effort to escape creatures that are intent
on ending her life. With Oskar by her side, Alice leaves her beloved
Pathfinder village behind, intent on rescuing Ferdie but what she
doesn't know is that she will enter a magical world that was kept
from her until now. With new powers and her true self blossoming by
the minute, Alice must do what she can to protect her friends and
succeed in ridding her world of darkness.
The conclusion of this book leaves certain parts of the story at a
cliffhanger and leaves you wondering whatever will happen next.
Books that are comparable to this novel include Christopher
Paolini's Inheritance Cycle series and Michael Scott's Secrets of
the Immortal Nicholas Flammel series.
Samantha May (Yr 10 Student)
The Name at the End of the Ladder by Elena De Roo
Walker Books, 2014. ISBN 9781922244475
(Age: 9+) Highly recommended for readers from 9-12 years. Win
the game to choose your name and free the players who remain. Twelve
year old September's life is about to drastically change as she is
caught up in the evil schemes of Madame Alcina and her alternate
reality game Names and Ladders.
Elena de Roo's innovative novel The Name at the End of the
Ladder transports the reader to a new world - Name Bank City,
where twelve year olds undergo a rite of passage when they receive a
new name chosen by the Name Counsellors. This new title affects
their personality and behaviours. When September attends her first
appointment, she is drawn into the ominous game with puzzles, locked
rooms and long lost children calling for her help. She meets August
who is searching for his missing brother and together they attempt
to strategically throw the dice and win the mysterious game. Every
roll leads them further into danger. Both of them need to draw on
their puzzle solving and game playing abilities to beat the evil,
master manipulator Madame Alcina and her assistants.
With her first new name Melissa her life is taken over by bee-like
behaviours with hard to manage consequences. When she returns for
her second appointment the golden name Aurelia brings about dire
outcomes, golden hair shards, gold eyelashes and a heart that
becomes heavy with gold.
This novel is refreshingly original, introducing a new universe,
where friends must work together to fight against evil forces.
Rhyllis Bignell
Little Red Riding Hood by Charles Perrault, retold by Margrete Lamond
Ill. by Anna Pignataro. Little Hare Books, 2014. ISBN 9781921894879
(Age: 4+) Fairy Tales, Little Red Riding Hood. As the heading, 'Once
upon a timeless tale' is above the title on the front cover, I
hope there are more of these in the pipeline. The unusual
illustrations and lively retelling of this well known story, will
enthrall a new generation of readers.
Many people will know the outline of the tale of a young girl taking
a basket to her grandmother in the forest and of the wolf stalking
her as she goes. But the detail given by this author enlarges the
character of the heroine, so proud of her cape that she wears it all
day long. The wolf engages the young girl in conversation as she
walks through the forest completely unaware of the danger she is in.
The final scenes with the wolf eating both Gran and the girl then
lying in a snoring stupour will make the readers laugh at the silly
wolf, laying himself open to retribution by the passing woodsman.
All ends happily except for the wolf as the stones put into the
belly replacing the two he has eaten, pull him over the edge of the
well and he drowns. A fitting end to the scurrilous wolf.
Children will love to read of the wolf and his sticky end, and enjoy
looking at the detailed drawings adding to the tale. Pignataro has
drawn several pages in a quilt like fashion, echoing Grandmother's
bed quilt, and the image of Red Riding Hood too is fascinating, with
her bright red cheeks and long plaits. I love the image of the
nonchalant wolf almost leaning up against the tree in his efforts to
deceive the girl in the forest.
The edition echoes an older style of publishing and will appeal to
younger readers with its half binding, small size and hard cover.
Fran Knight
Hello from Nowhere by Raewyn Caisley and Karen Blair
Viking/Penguin, 2014. ISBN 9780670075003
(Age: K-3) Far out in the middle of nowhere, the back of beyond,
even beyond the black stump lives Eve - and she thinks it is the
best place in the world to live. Even though it is so desolate and
distant, she's never lonely because there are all sorts of creatures
who keep her company and she meets plenty of people who come into
the family's roadhouse. And even when there is no one there it
doesn't matter because she has time and space to run or lie down and
just look at the sky and feel the magic of nature all around her.
But there is one person she really wants to see-her Nan. Can she
persuade her to come for a visit?
This is a joyful book that celebrates how much pleasure there can be
in the simplest of lives and the starkest of surroundings. Eve can't
rely on screen-based connections and organised activities for her
entertainment - she has to rely on herself. And for me, this is the
power of the story. Every time school holidays roll around parents
hear the 'I'm bored' refrain and are bombarded with advertisements
about ways to amuse and entertain. But there is a whisper that is
growing louder that kids need to be bored if they are to develop
their imaginations, their resilience and their ability to relax and
do nothing. Not every minute of every day has to be crammed with
something. Hello from Nowhere is the perfect starting point for
getting younger readers (and older) to consider this and stop and
think about their surroundings. What is there already in their
environment waiting to be discovered? If, like Eve, they moved from
city to country, would they have the wherewithal to discover the
delights of such a different situation? In the US particularly,
schools celebrate Screen-free
Week (it used to be Turn Off TV Week) so if this were also a
major focus here, what would the children do to entertain
themselves?
There are many challenges that could be set . . .
Be like Eve and write to someone persuading them to visit by
identifying all the things you could do together, none of which is
to involve organised entertainment but each of which is to tempt the
person by being something they probably wouldn't experience where
they are.
Give students a budget of $50 and have them investigate and devise a
timetable of entertainment for the next school holidays which
includes a limit on the amount of screen-time. Publish the
suggestions in your school's newsletter for parents to consider.
Have students investigate how their peers entertain themselves, then
analyse the data and publish the findings.
Investigate ways of adding extra-curricular activities to what the
school offers - perhaps creating a frog-friendly garden or starting
an interest-based group - and discovering how these might be
actually put in place.
Karen Blair's illustrations also depict the isolation and beauty of
Eve's circumstances - when was the last time you shared a waterhole
with camels? - and that leads on to a whole new field of
investigation about looking at landscapes and examining and creating
artworks that depict their diversity.
The best picture books are a synergy of text and illustrations and
have many layers which allow them to be shared again and again and
again, with something new to be discovered each time. This is one of
those.
Barbara Braxton
Stuff Happens: Ned by Andrew Daddo
Penguin, 2014. ISBN: 9780143308096
When Ned is late for his first day in year 5, he feels that he is
going to be off to a bad start, despite mum telling him that 'no-one
gets in trouble on the first day of school'. Discovering that his
teacher for the year is to be Ms Lucas, the 'dragon lady' he
remembers negatively from year 2, he makes some poor choices, plays
class clown and manages to end up in trouble after all. Thanks to
his two older siblings being remembered by the principal and his
teachers as total angels, Ned seems to feel that he can never live
up to their status. He continues to break the rules to get the
attention of his peers. Following meetings with his parents and the
principal, things begin to change. Will the changes be for the
better or not?
As with other books in the series, this title highlights the
differences between right and wrong, sibling rivalry, rules,
teachers and students and learning how to make correct decisions.
The familiar settings of home and school add to the accessibility of
the plot and, despite the strong positive messages contained
therein, the story is not totally didactic. This would be a good
read aloud and starting point at the beginning of the school year,
for middle primary classes, when setting class rules or guidelines
and discussing the concepts of strong and weak choices.
Jo Schenkel
