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
Sandy feet by Nicky Buick
University of Queensland Press, 2014. ISBN 9780702253157
(Age: 14+) On an extended holiday along the coast of Northern
Queensland, 16 year old Hunter struggles to get along with his
family in the close confines of car travel and tent camping. His
greatest irritation is Brad, a man who is awkward in his desire to
connect with Hunter as a stepfather, yet unfortunately the harder he
tries, the more the boy rejects him.
There is constant tension within the group, and even everyday
sibling teasing between Hunter and his sister (who has Down
Syndrome) and the difficulty of caring for a young baby whilst
camping threaten to cause heated exchanges within the family. The
children's mother is a troubled soul, barely holding things together
after a suicide attempt and details of a harrowing event involving
the previous husband / father are revealed.
The story seems drawn out, however there is much to appreciate in
the depiction of the characters and their thoughts and feelings are
presented so well that readers will identify and understand them
completely. Hunter's amorous feelings towards a beautiful girl whom
he befriends on the journey are perceptive and authentic, as is his
sense of loss and confusion caused by the absence of his father.
Past trauma has created a situation which is so complex that it is
difficult for Hunters' parents to manage and the pressure leads to a
toxic atmosphere which sometimes appears hopeless. Lack of honest
communication and consideration for the needs of others perpetuate
the painful interactions. A life threatening emergency which befalls
a family member frightens everyone, prompting some unpleasant
portioning of blame, however the crisis management demands support
and cooperation which otherwise would not have occurred.
The suffering of Hunter, his mother, his father and his stepfather
is eased in the story's conclusion, and I liked that the
believability was maintained in the sense that the reader is not
insulted with a 'they all lived happily ever after' conclusion. A
positive and hopeful outcome is presented whilst the difficulties of
everyday life are acknowledged and accommodated. I like this style
and the book will have relevance for adolescent readers 14+ and may
give some comfort to teens who find it difficult to cope with the
behaviours of separated parents and new partners.
Rob Welsh
My rhino plays the xylophone by Graham Denton
Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781472904560
(Age: 5+) Recommended. Poetry, Rhymes, Read aloud. What a treat! I
can imagine kids of all ages laughing hysterically at these poems.
Older kids will groan at the puns and pretend they are not amused,
but everyone, including adults will get quite a kick from the range
of funny poems in this slim book. I could not resist reading them
out loud to anyone who would listen, and in emergencies, read them
out very loud to myself and the dog.
The title poem has rhyming stanzas of eight lines, every line saying
what instrument each of the animals in his house plays, ending with
the refrain 'if you're a fan of music, you'll just love it at my
house'
Nearly eighty poems are presented in this book, each of which will
evoke a snigger, a titer or a belly laugh. Many are longer poems
with several four or eight line stanzas, some are much shorter:
Said a duck when buying lipstick, . . .
as she took it to the till:
'I have neither cash nor credit
Please just put it on my bill'
There are a number of limericks to change the pace somewhat,
I can never get down from my camel.
I keep constantly coming unstuck.
And its cleat to me I'm
merely wasting my time -
you can only get down from a duck!
All in all a wonderful collection of poems to read aloud, read to
yourself, play around with, or use as models to encourage budding
poets to try their hand. Subtitled, Poems to make you giggle,
the book certainly achieves that.
Fran Knight
Counterfeit Love by Julie Fison
Hardie Grant Egmont, 2014. ISBN 9781742977386
Recommended for ages 13+ (senior school) The ambitious Lucy Yang has
arrived in Hong Kong in hopes of making it as a TV news anchor
before she's 21. She has no time for boys, especially when it comes
to relationships and love. So when she is given a mysterious package
not meant for her, Lucy is determined to get to the bottom of the
mystery despite the unknown dangers ahead. When she catches the eye
of Byron, a seemingly perfect and ticks- all-the-boxes type of guy,
Lucy may be willing to ignore the warning signs that keep popping up
whenever he's around. Lucy is juggling a thrilling mystery and a
not-so-open guy all at once but the question is, will she ruin her
chances at becoming a TV news anchor or will she get what she's
always wanted?
Julie Fison's light-hearted Counterfeit Love sets aside the
normality of Hong Kong and delivers a whole new dark and dangerous
side of the majestic city. With jewelled criminals and bizarre
safari-suit men, the author grants us entry into a re-imagined Hong
Kong. Although the concept of the novel was creative at best, the
feeling of wanting more was left desired. As I, like many others, am
a die-hard romantic, I anticipated the dialogue between Lucy and
Byron that screamed romance but unfortunately, it was more sexual
desire than love.
Even though it was not my cup of tea, the book provided a new spin
on the up-market Hong Kong which I did enjoy. Although I favor the
fantasy genre over chick lit, this story has opened my eyes to
another dimension of book genres that at first I wouldn't have
looked at. Novels that are similar in genre include We Were
Liars by E. Lockhart and The Rapunzel Dilemma written
by Jennifer Kloester.
Samantha May (Student)
Festive in Death by J.D. Robb
In Death bk 39. Piatkus, 2014. ISBN 9780349403670
(Age: Adult) Crime. In the 39th book featuring Eve Dallas, J.D. Robb
once again comes up with an entertaining murder mystery. This time
Eve is not just dealing with the death of an unlikeable personal
trainer, Trey Ziegler, who manipulates women, but also with the
Christmas season, which she dreads.
When I read that it was the 39th book in the In Death
series, I was rather amazed that Robb could keep coming up with
different scenarios which still kept me guessing about who committed
the murder. I was also rather amazed that the characters had not
begun to get boring. However once again the author has managed to
keep the suspense going as Eve and her offsider Peabody delve into
the motivations of the people who might have committed murder, with
plenty of red herrings to bamboozle the reader.
The addition of Christmas preparations is a happy touch. Eve has
little time for Christmas, but even she manages to buy Christmas
presents for her friends and make it to gorgeous Roarke's big party,
with some laughs for the reader as she pushes her way through the
festivities.
A light entertaining murder mystery written with Robb's deft touch,
this is a good read for the holiday season.
Pat Pledger
Stuff Happens: Jack by Tony Wilson
Penguin, 2014. ISBN: 9780143308225
Having forgotten to keep a ball on the oval to play with at recess
time, Jack invents the game 'You Play, You Pay'. Despite the fact
the school rules have banned games involving tackling; it somehow
creeps into the rules for Jack's new game. When Fadi tackles Jack,
he accidentally breaks his friend's arm! Knowing they had disobeyed
the rules, the boys fabricate a story explaining how the accident
has occurred. This in turn leads to severe punishment for Fadi and
Jack being unable to try out for the Vipers soccer team. Gradually,
guilt overcomes Jack and he decides to tell the truth about what has
happened. Will the punishment be greater or will matters somehow be
resolved to suit everyone?
Based on every day events, easily recognisable to most children,
presented in a large, double spaced type face, this story should
prove to be accessible to most boys from about year four and above.
Containing vocabulary that is simple and written in everyday
language used by kids, even less capable students may be engaged by
this book. Written in the first person in Jack's voice and with
themes of school, friends, truth versus lies, loyalty and soccer, it
would probably hold more appeal to boys than girls.
Jo Schenkel
The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl by Melissa Keil
Hardie Grant Egmont, 2014. ISBN 9781742978307
(Age 13+) Highly recommended. Alba lives in Eden Valley. She and her
friends have finished high school and the future stretches in front
of them. Alba loves working in the bakery but she also loves drawing
comics. She doesn't know what she wants to do - stay and work in the
bakery or go to Uni. Grady, her best friend forever, is urging her
to make up her mind, but things are not so simple. Then Doomsday
people start to arrive in Eden Valley believing that it is the place
where the only survivors will be and her life is even more chaotic.
Worse still, she can't get her comic book character right. The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl is a classic
coming of age story, told in wry and amusing language by Alba, a
girl on the cusp of adulthood. Now that school is over, Alba is
faced with change, change that she is not sure about. Her best
friend Grady knows where he is headed, training to be a lawyer, and
believes that Alba should go to Design School. However working in
the bakery does seem like a safe and comfortable alternative to Alba
who is not sure that her portfolio was good enough to get in. The
group of friends that she has had throughout her schooling all know
what they want, and their stories fill out the background of the
small town, beset by strangers believing that the end of the world
is near. When Daniel, a friend from the past, who is now in a TV
show, comes to the Valley, Alba is not sure about her love life
either and has to work that out too.
A fabulous cover is sure to entice the reader in. It shows the
quirky comic book character of Cinnamon Girl and unlike many covers
is true to the personality of the character. Each chapter is headed
with a running figure of Cinnamon Girl and this adds to the fun of
the story.
This is an exceptionally engrossing, well told story of a clever
teen girl and her group of friends working out what they want from
life, friendship and love.
Pat Pledger
Olive Marshmallow by Kate Saunders
The Five Mile Press, 2014. ISBN 9781760061265
(Age: Preschool) Recommended. Siblings, Babies, Family. When Archie
notices his mum getting bigger and the predominance of frilly pink
things coming into the house, he wonders what is happening. Mum
shows him a scan, although the has no idea of what it is, and tells
him he will get a baby sister. He is unsure. Mum goes away for a
sleepover and returns with a pink frilly thing that looks to Archie
like a marshmallow, and that is what she is called, Olive
Marshmallow.
This is a cute tale of Archie's acceptance of his baby sister with a
spin at the end when the two realise they will soon be three. When
Olive gives her brother a present, he begins to share his things
with her, and soon comes to realise that two can have fun together,
even if she does not speak yet. The stages of her development are
shown subtly, as Archie comes to spend more time with her, seeing he
is now the big brother, the elder child. At the end we see that this
will happen all over again.
Saunders' illustrations are in a naive style using blocks of colour
within bold outlines, giving the impression that a child has done
the drawings. Some very cute touches are included, such as the
blackboard at the start with the basic family outlined on it, and
the page in which Archie has put on Olive's wings and veil or the
increasing mix of both children's toys. Lots of things to watch out
for will engage younger readers, and those with a sibling will
understand the initial anxious moments while those about to have a
sibling come into the family will be appeased. This is a book to add
to the repertoire of adults and teachers using stories to encourage
discussion about something children may be concerned about.
Fran Knight
Intruder by Christine Bongers
Woolshed Press, 2014. ISBN: 9780857983763.
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended.
'I don't walk past the house next door. I wish the woman who lives
in it was dead. Which makes it hard . . . because she was the one
who came running when I screamed.'
Kat Jones hates her next-door neighbor, Edie, with a passion. Kat
hasn't talked to her for years as she believes Edie betrayed her
dying mother.
Kat is fine staying home by herself every night, even though she's
only 14, but when an intruder in her room wakes her up in the middle
of the night, Kat must choose between staying with the 'witch' next
door, or adopt an ugly guard dog. Even though Kat is terrified of
dogs, she would rather own one than have to trust Edie.
Then Kat meets Al at the dog park and she finally has a friend to
trust. Not only that, she also finds him rather cute.
But the intruder isn't done yet and Kat realizes she needs Edie's
help and she also realizes that not everything is, as it seems . . .
I think this book by Christine Bongers is a great read for teenagers
as it talks about subjects that you can easily relate to, such as,
family issues, young love and the consequences of a simple
misunderstanding.
Jazmin Humphries (Student Year 7)
Plenty by Ananda Braxton-Smith
Black Dog Books, 2014. ISBN 9781742032429.
(Ages: 7-12) Recommended. This is an uplifting story which brings
into focus the feelings of dislocation, homelessness and home
sickness from the perspective of a child moving house within
Australia and marrying it to the experience of refugees who have
moved to Australia from across the world.
Maddy is angry, very angry. Angry enough to feel like running away
as she already feels homeless. Her parents have announced that they
are moving from Melbourne, and the world Maddy has always known, her
sanctuary, to the country, a place called Plenty, where they will be
closer to Nana, who is getting older, and where there are trees.
Maddy is determined not to forget her old home and does not settle
easily into her new home and takes time to warm to her Nana. At
school she is seated next to Grace Welk, a refugee from the South
Sudan whose family are grateful to have escaped the camps in Kenya.
Maddy and Grace are partnered on the class project, choosing to
investigate the indigenous orchids which Nana has introduced Maddy
to.
Maddy is still home sick for her old home and friends and
tensions rise as her parents refuse to return to Melbourne. Her
friendship with Grace blossoms as does her relationship with her
Nana. It is only after rescuing Nana from the creek that Maddy
learns of Nana's developing dementia and that her mother's family
came to Australia as refugees, from Cyprus after the war.
Refugees come in all forms and whether as Maddy they have moved a
short distance or as Grace and Nana a world away. There is sadness
loss and home sickness to overcome. Maddy like the others finds
sanctuary in her new home.
Sue Keane
Messenger of Fear by Michael Grant
Electric Monkey, 2014. ISBN 9781405276221.
(Ages:13+) Highly Recommended. Fantasy, Paranormal, Thriller. Mara
awakes in a field of dead grass and is surrounded by yellow mist.
She has no recollection or memory of where she is or if she is even
alive. A church temple is nearby and she is drawn to it. Inside
awaits the corpse of teenager, Samantha Early. Mara is then
introduced to a young, pale man wearing a black coat. He explains
that Samantha had in fact taken her own life. He is the Messenger Of
Fear. The Messenger then shows Mara the events leading up to the
untimely death of the recently departed Samantha and the causes of
it. His goal is to serve justice by punishing those who have been
bad and does this by offering to play a game; if you win you shall
go unpunished if you lose you will be punished by suffering your
worst fear imaginable. Mara is informed that she is in fact the new
apprentice of the messenger; she must learn his methods by
witnessing three cases of punishments.
Michael Grant's latest book is a fantastically crafted tale, where
the reader is left feeling as though they can share the fears of the
protagonist, Mara; it is as if it is your own memory slowly being
recollected. Grant utilises all five senses and makes for a
wonderful experience by starting the story leaving the reader
wondering who Mara is and where she is. The mysteriousness of the
Messenger himself will keep the reader guessing throughout the
entire narrative and each piece of information revealed throughout
the text seems like a triumphant victory of shock and awe.
This story tackles some serious social issues that affect
individuals every day, including cyber bullying, homophobia, sexual
harassment and teen suicide. Grant has successfully demonstrated the
seriousness and severity of these issues without constantly
preaching the dangers to the point of annoyance. Adjectives are used
to create crystal clear images, which are bittersweet due to the
horrors that Mara and the Messenger spectate. The way the Messenger
reveals information on minor characters influences the reader's
opinions and can make them loath an individual entirely but then
they sympathise and come to realise the individuals are in fact
victims.
Overall, Messenger of Fear is a sensational story and is
almost impossible to put down. From firsthand experience I can tell
you that many times I found myself reading this till the crack of
dawn.
Corey Joyce (Student)
The Rescue Ark by Susan Hall
Ill. by Naomi Zouwer. National Library Publishing, 2014. ISBN:
9780642278104
Highly recommended for readers from 4-7 and for Early Years classes.
Susan Hall's rhyming story introduces the concepts of endangered and
vulnerable Australian animals and their need to be rescued from the
destruction of their own habitats. In this picture book, she has
adapted the popular song The Animals Went in Two by Two to explore
and explain the environmental challenges faced by these animals. The
children's decision to build a Rescue Ark highlights that even the
youngest can join the fight to save the wildlife and their habitats.
As the ark circumnavigates Australia, animals from each state and
territory find sanctuary on the ship. The Australian Sea Lion, Pygmy
Bluetongue Lizard, Tasmanian Devil, Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat,
Numbat and Native Bee are some of the species rescued. Instead of
escaping from a Biblical flood, they remain afloat until the Aussie
kids call out to say 'we've cleaned up your land, it's safe, ok.'
The full colour illustrations showcase the endangered fauna in the
foreground while a stylised ark floats inside a circular background
border. Naomi Zouwer's choice of complimentary background colours
add depth and dimension.
The inclusion of comprehensive information and photographs and
paintings from the NLA's collection are useful teaching tools and
allow for further research into the plight of endangered animals in
Australia.
Rhyllis Bignell
Defector by Susanne Winnacker
Hodder Children's Books, 2014. ISBN: 9781444916188
(Age: Teen) As a Variant, Tessa is able to absorb DNA of anyone she
comes into contact with and is able to mimic their appearance. She
is trained to use her power as an agent of the Forces with
Extraordinary Abilities, a secret branch of the FBI. Finally
accepting her life as a Variant after her first mission, Tessa is
happy with the way her life is. She and Alec are finally a couple,
her power is going well and she has finally found a home with the
FEA. Everyone around Tessa is keeping the truth from her, including
Alec. When Tessa is summoned for her second mission her life is
taking a turn for the worst. Her best friend Holly is kidnapped and
Tessa knows that they were after her. Why is everyone she loves
keeping secrets from her? Who are after her? And why do they want
her? Running away from the people she trusted, Tessa sets out, with
the help of Devon, to uncover the truth and find her friend. Defector is the follow-up to Imposter. A slow start
but after a few chapters the pages really started to flow and I was
hooked. Tessa seems to go through so many problems, it is hard to
believe that she can still stay positive and be so determined! Tessa
is full of fire and I love that, it made the novel so much more
interesting. I was captivated and really wanted to know how Tessa
would face each challenge that came her way. When I first picked up
the book, I was confused at the cover - why were their several faces
on it? Was each face a different protagonist that has an important
part in the novel? The cover definitely ties into the novel and that
feels important as it allows the reader to become interested the
novel.
Cecilia Richards.
Christmas in Australia by John Williamson
Penguin, 2014. ISBN 9780670077724.
(Age: 4 to adult) Humour, Christmas.I am surprised that a CD is not
included in this book, as I really felt that I needed to hear the
song sung to give me an idea of the scan and rhyme. So I went onto
Youtube, and there
it is. Listening to this made it all clear! and I would heartily
recommend it being used to establish how the ballad sounds.
Discussion could then start about how ballads and singing is
different from poetry on the page in a book.
But apart from that the story of Christmas in Australia is given a
wide range as the groups come together at their favourite camping
ground. Grandparents, aunts and uncles and lots of kids, all pull
together to have a decorated tree, and a fabulous lunch on Christmas
Day. Santa comes in a ute for the kids, the women cook a meal fit
for kings, and the families play cricket. All the while someone is
trying to take a photo of the group, an activity which continues to
come unstuck while one or the other person is off doing something
else. Readers will love recognising bits of their Christmas Days, or
recognsiing the 'traditional' Christmas Day in Australia, or just
joining in the fun portrayed on the pages.
Mitch Vane's cartoon style illustrations add to the fun of the
ballad, and readers will love searching out the variety of things he
includes as well as the things going on behind the scenes. A treat
for using at Christmas, or when looking at poetry and ballads, or
looking at the variety of illustrative styles used in picture books.
Fran Knight
