The Moon Gate is an enchanting love story and an enthralling mystery, spanning over 6 decades from WWII to the early 2000’s, set in three evocatively described settings – London, Tasmania and Ireland. A sweeping historical mystery where rich imagery and dynamic characters converge to create a story that’s leaves you wanting to read just one more chapter...
The story begins at the outbreak of WWII, with London teenager Grace, along with Rose, her chaperone, sent to the safety of Tasmania to live with her uncle and aunt in the formidable home, Towerhurst. Grace is timid, lacking in self-belief, brought slowly out of her shell by a blossoming love for Daniel, only for him to be called to war. Unbeknownst at the time, Daniel leaves behind a secret, indelibly linking him to Grace, and one that sends ripples throughout generations to come.
Seamlessly interwoven throughout are two other timelines. It’s 1975 and newlyweds, Willow and Ben, for reasons unknown to them, inherit Towerhurst from an anonymous benefactor. Seeking to discover its previous owners, they begin to unravel a mystery and the secret it holds. In 2004 their daughter, Libby remembers Towerhurst from her childhood and its mysterious presence, when she travels London to continue her father’s search for answers, with unexpected twists and turns.
The Moon Gate is a beautifully written historical fiction. Amanda Geard has an ability to craft characters that linger in the imagination long after the story has ended and creates a rich tapestry of people and places that she weaves together with intrigue that will leave you wanting more.
Themes History, War, Mystery, Family, Relationships.
Then we were encouraged to eat a rainbow every day...
So it seems only logical that now we can indulge in an entire alphabet of food in this beautifully illustrated new release from graphic artist Alice Oehr, a follow up to her successful first book, Off to Market. a CBCA Notable and the Winner of the 2023 ABIAs Small Publishers' Children's Book of the Year.
A is for artichokes and long spears of asparagus. It's for bright, creamy avocados and salty little anchovies ...
While these sorts of books appear, on the surface, to be for very young readers learning new vocabulary as they pick out those foods they recognise, they have a much wider value as we try to encourage little ones to learn to make healthy choices from the get-go. Students can have fun classifying the various foods into those familiar food groups; they can tick off those they have tried and those they are yet to try; they can suggest foods they know that start with a particular letter but which haven't been included on the page; those from other countries can contribute foods they are familiar with which we might not know; they can seek out recipes and ways to cook and prepare the foods they are unfamiliar with; they can carry out research and data collection of favourite foods; they might even venture into the history of food, the concept of food miles, traditional foods for traditional celebrations - the list is endless.
This is the first book I've reviewed for this company and if this is the calibre, then we are in for some good stuff. I'm just glad I did the review after my healthy chicken and salad meal!
Themes Food, Health.
Barbara Braxton
Einstein: The case of the fishy detective by Iona Rangeley. Illus. by David Tazzyman
Younger, independent readers first met Einstein the penguin in Einstein the penguin, his first adventure in London, when after a visit to the zoo he turns up at the home of six-year-old Arthur and nine-year-old Imogen Stewart and their parents let him stay a while. But a fairy penguin from Sydney really has no place in London 'where the days end early and forget to start on time' and so he is off home to Australia.
Imogen and Arthur miss him terribly and even though they still have regular video contact, it just isn't the same. In an unusual twist, Imogen teams up with the disgraced Detective Bill Hunter who has now set up an agency for animals to appear in advertisements, to bring Einstein and his friend Isaac back to London. But can he be trusted? Especially when Einstein is kidnapped? The siblings learn a lot about their own relationship when they once again pull on their detective hats to discover what has happened to Einstein and who did it.
This is a worthy sequel to the original, introducing younger readers to the mystery/crime genre that may spark their interest in others in a similar vein. Generally, children search for topic, author and series so this might be an opportunity to demonstrate that there are stories that follow a certain pattern, have similar types of plot development, themes and conclusions and if they enjoyed this one, then genre is a way to broaden their reading horizons while they wait for any sequels.
This engaging new release tells the story of two best friends Bea Rose and Grace La Mottée and the dangerous turn their carefree lives undertook when German soldiers occupied the island of Jersey from 1940 until the end of World War Two.
Grace, gentle and dreamy, is the only librarian left on the island and has hidden books banned by the Germans and which are at constant risk of discovery. Grace has also been instrumental in starting up a Book Club where villagers can meet and discuss books, as well as connect with others. Bea works in the Post Office and is wilful, headstrong and betrothed to Grace’s brother Jimmy. When Bea suffers a terrible loss, she channels her hate of the Germans into hiding letters but more importantly she and other postal workers uncover letters from their fellow countrymen and women denouncing their neighbours. Bea uses her role as a post office delivery person to warn those in danger and persuades Grace to help her while she delivers books to homes. Both girls come under the scrutiny of Gestapo officer, Heinz Carl Wolfe (The Wolf) who stalks them until tragedy strikes. Grace then makes a momentous decision which changes her and Bea’s life, and the lives of the people closest to them.
Throughout this book, the passion and joy Grace has for her library, the books and her patrons is at the fore. She provides a safe haven for the people of Jersey as well as ensuring books make it into the right hands. Grace also meets Red, a downed American pilot hiding from the Germans. Their story plays out over the course of the novel and brings with it a sense of hope. Bea’s story is deeply connected to Grace’s and her determination to do as much as she can to thwart and outwit the German Army, while placing herself and her family in terrible danger, leads to some difficult and dangerous situations.
The dreadful abuse and deprivation inflicted by the Germans on the island of Jersey, completely cut off from the rest of the world, is well-researched and sensitively presented by author Kate Thompson. At the end of the book, she provides detailed background information about true events that took place on Jersey and shares snippets of stories from people who survived the vicious occupation.
It was enlightening to read at the beginning of each chapter about one banned book. Chapter 19 tells of banned books by author Alfred Kerr who was forced into exile in Great Britain. His daughter is author Judith Kerr who wrote The Tiger Who Came to Tea and When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit based on her escape from Nazi Germany.
The Wartime Book Club is a wonderful read for those who love books and war genre as well as those who work in libraries. Many will appreciate the references to well-known books throughout and the vital role libraries and books play in times of great despair.
Themes Jersey, World War Two Occupation, Nazis, Loss, Suffering, Cruelty, Libraries, Books, Book Club, Hope, Friendship, Resistance.
Kathryn Beilby
Questions and answers about refugees by Katie Daynes. Illus. by Oksana Dkachkovska
Usborne, 2023. ISBN: 9781803709987. (Age:7+)
Who are refugees? Why do people become refugees? Can anyone become a refugee? What do 'asylum seeker', 'migrant' and 'internally displaced person' mean?
These are some of the questions asked and answered in this new release Q&A from Usborne, the masters of making the complex simple. With its lift-the-flap format, all the big questions like 'Why do wars start?' are explained in short, easy-to-understand paragraphs so that students can have a basic understanding of what some of their classmates may have faced in a previous life and time. And with current and potential conflicts creating an even greater problem than previously, there are many who will be seeking answers.
Written with advice from the Refugee Council and drawing on conversations with refugees and aid workers from around the world, the questions cover all stages of a refugee's journey, from fleeing danger and embarking on hazardous journeys, to seeking asylum and struggling to find a new place to call home. The language and scenes have been carefully considered to be appropriate for younger children, providing an extremely useful educational tool for families and schools. And for those wanting to know more, there are the usual Quicklinks to carefully selected and vetted online resources.
Andromache Between Worlds by Gabriel Bergmoser takes readers on a thrilling journey through parallel universes filled with adventure, action, and suspense. The novel follows protagonist, Andromache, who comes from a family of heroes yet is struggling to find her own identity. Her life takes a very dramatic turn when she learns that her father, whom she believed to be dead, is actually alive but trapped in another world after being accidently sucked into a portal.
Joined by her newfound companions Tobias and Rylee, Andromache embarks on a daring quest to rescue her father. Armed with a locksmith device capable of traversing between dimensions, the trio explores a multitude of worlds, each more fantastical than the last. From encountering dinosaurs to navigating futuristic landscapes and facing off against pirates, the group encounters a myriad of challenges that test their courage and resilience. Can Andromache and her friends successfully navigate numerous worlds to find her father, or will the domains prove too challenging?
Bergmoser's storytelling captivates from the outset; weaving a narrative rich in detail and imagination. The dynamic between the characters is engaging, with Andromache's journey of self-discovery and family bonds at the forefront. Filled with vivid descriptions, each world is brought to life and readers are immersed in a series of settings that ignite the imagination. From prehistoric landscape to mind blowing futuristic cities, each diverse world brings intrigue to the narrative.
Andromache Between Worlds is a thrilling adventure that moves at a brisk pace and is filled with plenty of twists and turns to keep readers eagerly turning the pages. Jam-packed with adventure, fantasy and mystery it also carries themes of friendship, loyalty, and the power of self-discovery. As Andromache and her companions navigate the perils of parallel universes, they learn valuable lessons about resilience, determination, and the importance of forging their own destinies. Readers will certainly enjoy the ride!
Themes Portals, History, Friendship, Adventure, Teamwork, Problem solving, Family.
Michelle O'Connell
Meet the dinosaurs by Caryl Hart. Illus. by Bethan Woollvin
A young girl and her companion travel through the past ages from Jurassic to Cretaceous showcasing several dinosaurs from these eras. Starting with the Jurassic, we see a number of large animals, including Diplodocus, Brontosaurus, Stegosaurus, and Allosaurus before heading into the Cretaceous period. Each page has rhyming verses about the animal encouraging readers to predict the rhyming word and read along with the reader. Each page also shows characteristics of the animal in question, what it may look like, its size and its traits, including what it eats, how it survives and its interaction with other animals. Readers will be enthralled, seeing the animals on each page, the book covering ten different dinosaurs over nearly 200 million years until extinction 60 million years ago. Each double page shows the animal and the environment in which it lives. Children will be intrigued at the range of environments shown.
I loved the book, as it shows the usual range but also shows that there were some that flew and survived in the sea. Hints about dinosaurs are given, allowing children to ask questions and think about questions like why did they die out, or how they lived for so long, or what are the skeletons seen in many museums.
Bright colourful illustrations cover each page, showing the girl and her companion in a jeep, rather like the film, Jurassic Park, but without the scary bits. I loved the time line given at the end of the book, reinstating the facts learnt in the book, and showing a simple overview easily decipherable by eager young readers.
Pan Macmillan, 2024. ISBN: 9781529095364. (Age:Adult, Young adult)
The six initiates of the Alexandrian Society, whose sentient library archive is closed to outsiders, have grown into their magical powers but still seem to be rudderless, angst ridden and craving for a different world. Options include opening a portal to the multiverse or other even more destructive scenarios, though Reina, with the help of Callum, has decided to try and influence current world political outcomes piece by piece in the hope of empowering those with a more sustainable vision. It is becoming increasingly clear that the six were chosen by caretaker Atlas Blakely to be tools in his destructive aim of remaking the world, something the Forum is aware of so they are all being hunted by asassins who want to prevent the six carrying out Atlas’ plan and at the same time gain unlimited access to the archives. But like the other books, this is fundamentally about the six and their relationships. Opening bios are helpful in reacquainting the reader with the key points from the previous two books. Libby is back, completing the duo with Nico ‘without you I am push with no pull” p266, the intensity of their friendship is complex and well written, as are the shifting alliances of the other characters. I was glad of the “Interlude” on p 226 explaining “Atlas Blakely’s rise to power” as I had rather lost sight of him, but I was less happy with the scenarios towards the end, seeming to avoid difficult plot decisions. Much better than the previous Atlas Paradox, The Atlas Complex is more able to maintain a forward momentum and offers an insight into our anxieties about the state of the world and where it is heading. Olivie Blake’s acknowledgements at the end are well worth close reading and would make a good discussion starter with senior students.
Themes Fantasy, Magic, Relationships, Power.
Sue Speck
The Atlas paradox by Olivie Blake
Tor, 2022. ISBN: 9781529095319. (Age:Adult)
Following on from The Atlas Six, the five remaining candidates with extraordinary magical powers are into their second year at the Alexandrian Library Archives, the repository of arcane reference material denied to all but initiates. There is a “Persons of Interest” introduction to the characters at the beginning of the book and the narrative is awkward at first, re-establishing the world where those with magical powers can see and alter the world and the people in it depending on a raft of talents like empathy, telepathy, naturism and physics. Now the candidates must choose an area of study but first must undergo an initiation ritual where they take turns projecting about one of the others in the group, a gruelling experience which leaves some wondering if the Archives is somehow sentient, feeding off the emotional energy they generate. There are unresolved tensions about the fact that they all accepted the requirement of the Alexandrian Society that they kill one of their number, had decided as a group that it should be Callum, failed to make that happen and instead Libby Rhodes is missing. But essentially we spend a lot of time inside the characters’ heads, pondering big life questions and intensely felt relationships. After proving that it is possible to open a wormhole using magic, and to travel backwards through time once armed with the information from the archives, the question now is whether it would be possible to open pathways to parallel universes. This seems to require a lot of scientific theorizing which did not add to the strengths of the book. In spite of their magical powers these are emotionally dependent, traumatized young adults trying to find their place in this or another version of the world where the possibilities might seem to be endless but it seems to come back to feelings of self-worth. If I hadn’t read the first part of this trilogy I don’t think I would have stuck with this sequel, the characters did not develop, Callum reduced to drinking, Tristan consumed with angst, Nico childlike, Parisa influencing and Reina aligning with the gods. I missed the presence of Libby in the house and developments in the plot but the style is so original I stuck with it for those unpredictable moments of insight.
Themes Fantasy, Magic, Relationships, Power.
Sue Speck
The serpent & the wings of night by Carissa Broadbent
Pan Macmillan, 2023. ISBN: 9781035040940. (Age:18+, Adult) Recommended only for mature fantasy lovers.
In the realms of a world under the authority of the Goddess Nyaxia and under the rule of the Vampire Vincent, lives a human girl - Oraya, his adopted daughter. Her survival is vexed because the scent of her blood causes every vampire in Vincent’s realm to salivate in hunger and to crave an attack on this powerless but protected ‘innocent’. Vincent though has prepared her almost lovingly and yet ruthlessly for an epic contest, honing her attack skills, so that she might conquer in the contest, even though all assume she will fail. Within this goddess-sanctioned fight to the death she meets the formidable adversary Raihn from an opposing Vampire house. Although they are destined to kill one another in the contest, they find connection and mutual respect, and attraction. But if death finds either of them … it is likely to be because they have abandoned their personal ambitions and histories for the sake of the other. Will love be enough, can they defy the route to death, and can Oraya abandon her adopted father’s interests for the sake of a vampire from another house?
This book is an epic fantasy saga with vampires and violence and a contest that rivals The Hunger Games for an intense and brutal ‘fight-to-the-death’ competition in an attempt to seize power. This will delight lovers of complex fantasy, provided they can get past the bloodthirsty savagery of the vampires and all in the realm, and the inherent ‘political’ fights between the ruling houses of vampires. Humans are reduced to food status, virtual ‘farmed’ animals to provide nourishment from time to time. But note, there is also an erotic element to the romance element in the story that means that this is definitely an adult novel, and aspects of the relationship go beyond sensual angst to sexual expression … so not for those under 18. This is not Twilight. But there are also moments of tragedy and emotional torment for those who are powerless that make for intriguing reflection for readers. I must admit I have never really been a vampire fan, but the epic nature of this first book of a series will certainly appeal to mature fantasy addicts. This book can stand alone, but there is a world to be explored that will follow in future books in the series, so I am sure there will be many who lose themselves in the epic and complex world.
Themes Vampires, Power and powerlessness, Contest, Fantasy, Magic, Love, Romance.
An array of different coloured chickens will enthuse younger readers as they look over each exciting, colourful page full of things to find. In so doing they will come across the words and image for a variety of things, like egg, zig zag, spots, stars and stripes, as they try to find the egg owned by the particular chook.
Rhyming lines will be easily read by the adult or older child as the audience will eagerly predict the rhyming words and get into the rhythm of the lines. Of course stopping at each page is a given as pairs of excited eyes and fingers devour each page to look for the eggs.
The eggs are depicted on the first endpaper, and on the last are the chickens with their distinctive emblems.
The book opens with a picture of the chickens all roosting in one tree. They are the same but different and the reader is asked to note the differences. Each morning the rooster crows and the chickens all come down from the tree to scratch and scratch. They then look for their eggs, the reader being asked to spot the eggs that have the same pattern as one of the chickens. They can be found anywhere: under the tree, in a shoe or in the haystack. The whole purpose becomes clear when the eggs are sat upon, eventually hatching to become fluffy yellow chicks. Each has a distinctive emblem which the readers are asked to match the chicks with the hens.
This colourful interactive story leads children to see the similarities and differences between the animals, leading to the last page, ‘just the same as you and me’.
Simon & Schuster, 2023. ISBN: 9781761421112. (Age:Adult)
Following a college party hook-up and a series of miscommunications, 20-year-olds Aurora and Russ are embarrassed to meet again as camp counsellors at Honey Acres summer camp. Here they will spend 10 weeks together over their summer break with plenty of time to get to the point where they have to decide if they will obey the ‘no staff fraternising’ rule.
The story is told from both Russ and Aurora’s points of view, who are both dogged by their less-than-perfect relationships with their families, particularly their fathers. This is a reoccurring (if over-worked) theme, and informs their personalities and need for constant reassurances, and limited ability to trust others.
Russ, embarrassed about his father’s gambling addiction, tries to remain inconspicuous. He comes across as shy and insecure and is a stickler for the rules. Aurora, in contrast, has a history of acting out to try to gain her father’s attention and is used to the paparazzi. She regularly describes herself as ‘needing to be needed’, but has vowed to ‘work on herself’ while out of the limelight at summer camp.
Although they do border on the extreme, and Aurora is not a strong female role-model, Russ and Aurora’s personalities and issues would be relatable to many readers. Their desire to help solve each other’s problems and heal their emotional hurts are enviable examples of a successful relationship. However, much of the plot and minor characters seem superfluous and add little to the overall story.
Wildfire is the second of three books that follow different college friends at Maple Hills. The first, Icebreaker, follows Stassi and Nate, and in the third, Daydream, Henry shines. These are stand-alone titles, but the interwoven stories give extra insights as supporting characters in one book become the main protagonists in another.
Grace self-describes as a 'fluffy comfort book' author, and the Wildfire cover suggests cute, light romance. However, given the main characters’ ages, numerous sex scenes (even though the sex is safe and consensual) and associated language, Wildfire is explicit enough to be an adult-only read.
Chris Smith is a master of the quirky! In this slightly eccentric and magical tale there is an ex-princess (aka Clarity Jones) who desperately desires a life beyond castle walls (and also desires pockets) and has sought out mysterious magical items and an opportunity to create her own magical detective agency. Working alongside her are a large monster (a snow gnoblin - and yes, that is how you spell it!) and a semi-retired assassin named Nissassa, and eventually a new apprentice - the poor orphaned boy, nick-named Mutt. Together they solve a plot that leads them back inside castle walls, using magical skills and the power of the impossible, and their impressive logic skills to unravel some strange mysteries and reveal their worth.
Written with a liberal dose of humour and eccentricity this is just fun from beginning to end. Telling the narrative in nibbles and bites, and with sideways excursions to describe background history or details about magical creatures, this is a rambling and entertaining narrative to appeal to younger readers who love humour with a bit of mystery.In some places the author takes opportunity to speak directly to the reader to explain little oddities and farcical moments. Chris Smith is the author of the Kid Normalseries, so those who have been entertained by his previous funny stories will be delighted with a new offering.I loved the light-hearted mayhem and frivolous antics of all the characters and would happily recommend this to readers aged 8-12.
Allen & Unwin, 2024. ISBN: 9781991006646. (Age:12-17) Very highly recommended.
Set in the New Zealand countryside, a self-reliant family of women deeply connected to the natural world, has drawn rumours of witchcraft for three generations. Ella‘s mother, Morag, runs a Horse Trekking experience business on their property, which borders a vast lake. The lake took both Morag’s father and her husband.
But the simmering fear in the town is brought to a head the day after the school bully is cursed by Ella for taunting the sisters on the way home from school. Josh doesn’t come home that day and the townsfolk search for him in vain for several days. Josh’s mother suspects his victims have harmed him, though Morag, Ella and Fiona all help search for him - if only because they identify with sudden loss.
Meanwhile the Horse Trekking is their livelihood and the whole family are involved. Mishaps and strange happenings increase. Ella’s horse Magpie can only be ridden by her and she suspects was sired by a oft glimpsed Black Stallion. Magpie is particularly troubled by the appearance of a powerful Stallion and more than once defends her mistress.
A little too obvious is the coincidental appearance of a smarmy Scottish boy, Gus, who starts showing up at the stables every time there’s trouble. But readers must be first to connect the two strangers, because all the characters are glamoured or ‘brainwashed’ by the malevolent Kelpie who has slipped through time and space to seek out his love interest who fled Scotland as a girl. Morag is the last to work it out, not wanting to believe her own husband met with foul play. If Grizzly hadn’t been terminally ill and confined to the house, she might have been the first to sense the presence of the Kelpie, Aonghas Donn. Indeed, she alone can stop him from harming her family and her community.
Grizzly’s Gaelic glossary includes words like; Undersong (sounds of a landscape) or Grumma (a mist mirage) and make compelling chapter titles melding English, Moari and Gaelic cultures and myths into a suspenseful mystery. Indeed New Zealand has historically been home to many Scottish expatriots. The myth of the Kelpie may have been created to keep young children away from dangerous bodies of water in the old country, but this lyrical and masterfully gripping narrative is moreso a cautionary tale of a scorned and otherworldly suitor. Readers will find it not only an allegory for domestic violence but for bullying, environmental damage, sexism, and in general our intolerance and fear of those of different heritage or appearance.
The author Rachel King is also a human rights activist who championed the release of exiled Kurdish writer Behrouz Boochani from Manus Island. Her books have been translated into several different languages.
Early on in this Gothic fantasy world, we discover that 18 year-old Verity has a special gift; she can see and converse with ghosts, not necessarily distinguishing them from real flesh and blood. This sets the scene for a story where the reader holds back a little from investing fully in Verity’s account of her experiences, never quite sure whether what she is describing can be completely trusted. It makes for an intriguing twist-turning mystery.
Wanting to free herself from her older sister’s over-protective hold on her, Verity flees her home at Highmoor to pursue a position as portrait painter to a distinguished Bloem family; her subject the handsome wheelchair-bound Alexander, heir to the estate. But perhaps not everything is as it seems. Alex’s father, Gerard, seems obsessed with his genetic manipulation of plants, including plant poisons, while Alex’s mother Dauphine, though welcoming Verity, is the absolute mistress of polite decorum that might mask a dangerous will of her own. The mansion is full of mysterious dark passages, the night is pierced by shrieking cries, shadowy figures pass in the hallways, and there even seems to be another figure very much sharing a likeness to Alex, but free of his chair.
I could not put this book down, not because of the usual author’s artifice of short chapters with cliff-hanging endings, but because the whole premise was so intriguing: I was drawn to the mystery of determining what was real and what was not. The pace quickens towards the end, as the danger mounts, and Verity starts to work out who the evil actors really are. No spoilers, but the spine-chilling ending is absolutely brilliant! I loved it! I can highly recommend this book for readers of Gothic fantasy, and look forward to reading anything else Craig goes on to write.
