Kick with my left foot by Paul Seden and Karen Briggs
Allen & Unwin, 2014. ISBN 978174331344.
'I pull the sock on my left foot
I pull the sock on my right foot
I lace up the boot on my left foot
I lace up the boot on my right foot . . .
It's time for footy!'
This is a charming story of a little boy who loves his footy and can
do everything well with his right and left hands, except for when it
comes to kicking. When the tries to kick with his right foot, the
results are less than great. But kicking with his left foot is a
totally different matter! In a place where footy is an integral part
of life, being able to kick well is an important skill and there is
great excitement when his left foot kicking is the clincher.
Accompanied by illustrations that depict the emotions of both the
boy and his dog perfectly, this story really appealed to the younger
readers in my family who are struggling with left and right, as well
as with throwing and kicking. In fact, Miss 3 and a half immediately
went outside and practised with both feet to see which one worked
best for her. Many times the results were those shown in the
pictures but with practice she began to improve, and now has also
sorted out that left/right confusion.
The book is one of the Emerging Indigenous Picture Book Mentoring
Project a partnership between the Little Big Book Club and Allen
& Unwin in which six previously unpublished Indigenous writers
and illustrators will have their work showcased in four picture
books during 2014. Each creator has been partnered with a renowned
mentor in children's publishing including Nadia Wheatley, Ken
Searle, Nick Bland, Ann James, Bronwyn Bancroft, Boori Monty Pryor
and Ali Cobby Eckermann to share ideas, techniques and inspiration
for their first published work. The project has been funded by the
federal government through the Australia Council and it means that
not only will our cohort of children's writers be enriched but our
students will have access to authentic texts that will work towards
the understanding and harmony between our cultures that is at the
heart of so many of the Australian Curriculum outcomes. Even though
it is written for an early childhood audience, there is a lot that
offers scope for comparing and contrasting lifestyles and landscapes
that would enable younger students to continue the development of
their critical thinking skills. Even determining which code of
football is being played requires observation and justification!
Barbara Braxton
Alice-Miranda at camp by Jacqueline Harvey
Random House Australia Children's Books, 2014. ISBN 9781742757612
Recommended. This is the tenth in the incredibly successful
Alice-Miranda series. This is my first time reading an Alice-Miranda
and I have enjoyed the experience. Jacqueline Harvey places her
characters and series in the timeless void inhabited by
Milly-Molly-Mandy, The naughtiest girl in the school and the Chalet
stories. These are comfort reads of the highest order.
In this adventure Alice-Miranda and her friends go on a hastily
arranged school camp organised at the orders of Queen Georgiana, as
it turns out the camp is right next door to Alice-Miranda's father's
home. This has since become a retirement home for workers from the
estate.
Of course mystery and mayhem of a most enjoyable type occurs. The
author's visits to schools obviously correspond to 'research' and I
found myself chuckling at the way she portrays the teachers in the
book. I also admired the way that Jacqueline Harvey weaves in
aspects of previous adventures so that a new reader such as myself
can follow the back story.
I was taken by the sub-plot of the new girl Caprice and the subtlety
of her bullying of Millie. The issues this raises of trust with the
teachers and Alice-Miranda provide interesting moral lessons for the
young readership.
This is a lovely written book for younger readers, with lots of fun
and humour to be enjoyed. Well plotted, with acute portrayals and
characterisation, I can see why this is a very successful series.
Rest assured that the novice reader can pick up this title and have
no difficulty at all becoming immersed in the world of
Alice-Miranda, and will immediately seek to track down the entire
series and join the eager crew of young readers anxiously awaiting
the next instalment.
I will leave the last word to my Primary TL colleague Kim who says
'Alice-Miranda is a great role model for girls - a strong and
independent child with a beautiful heart'.
Michael Jongen
The Summer of Kicks by Dave Hackett
University of Queensland Press, 2014. ISBN 9780702253362
Recommended for readers aged 13+. Themes: Relationships; Family;
Friendship; Teen coming-of age. With a central character with a
burdensome name - 'Starrphyre', this book relates the love and
pain-strewn path of this teenage boy as he juggles new love and old
passion disastrously. Helped and hindered by his family and friends
- his mother, an on-air Radio sex and relationship therapist; her
former partner - a one-hit-wonder 80's band member; his sister, who
is dating the ultimate loser boyfriend; his Gran - who attempts to
predict the future; and his friendship group which is
stereotypically full of outcasts. The misadventures for Starrphyre
include starting a band with his friends in order to persuade girls
to see them as above-ordinary. Unfortunately Starrphyre and his
friends have little more than a disputed playlist. There is
certainly no great musical talent amongst their number, and a chance
meeting with a potential guitarist lands Starrphyre with a part-time
job in a record store selling old-time vinyls and an accidental
girl-friend. Accidents continue to litter his path, and kissing and
poor choices send him on the relationship roller-coaster. This is
not an unfamiliar plot, and is very definitely told from the point
of view of a young male suffering the early doubts of his role in
romance.
The author of this book will be well known to young TV viewers
because of numerous roles on children's television as a presenter
and cartoonist.
This is mostly an inoffensive tale (even with his Mother's unusual
occupation sometimes providing advice) and provides some amusing
moments.
Carolyn Hull
Snail and Turtle are friends by Stephen Michael King
Scholastic, 2014. ISBN: 9781743620236
Despite their differences, snail and turtle are friends who do
almost everything together. From their shared activities including
walking, running, hiding and being quiet together, they nonetheless
enjoy different foods, parts of the day and creative styles.
Although they prefer to go about things in different ways, they
accept one another's choices and enjoy one another's company without
question and, at the end of the day retreat to their shells, side by
side, to sleep. Theirs is an almost perfect friendship, lived in
harmony and based on mutual trust and respect.
Stephen Michael King's illustrations utilise his easily identifiable
cartoon like style with the colour palette containing predominantly
earthy shades of the garden plants and water. On the cover and
throughout the book is a shiny 'trail' showing where the snail has
travelled. Having already shared the book with a number of classes,
the children love following the path and tracing the trail with
their fingers.
This is a joyous and gentle story, simply showing the importance of
people who don't have to be exactly like us to be true friends.
Junior primary teachers will find this title to be a useful
discussion starter about friendship and individual differences.
Jo Schenkel
Princesses are not just pretty by Kate Lum
Ill. by Sue Hellard. Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781408824252
(Ages 3-5) Recommended. Princess Allie, Princess Mellie and Princess
Libby love dressing in beautiful gowns, having their hair done in
lavish styles, and being generally very pretty. The trouble is, each
thinks they are the prettiest, so it is decided they must have a
beauty contest to find out who really is the prettiest princess.
Luckily at this point the book takes a change in direction, as none
of the characters seemed very likeable. Suddenly, though, each
princess is faced with a problem which involves them putting another
person's needs before their own, and each steps up valiantly.
This book would provide a great starting point for many discussions
about stereotypes, selflessness and appearances. The illustrations
are colourful and comical, making it an enjoyable book for reading
aloud to young children. There are two other titles in the
Princesses series.
Donella Reed.
We were liars by E. Lockhart
Allen & Unwin, 2014. ISBN 9781760111069.
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. Wealth and power. Greed.
Psychological injury. Truth and lies. Poignantly powerful and full
of suspense, this book takes the reader through the distress of a
major psychological incident to uncover the truth and lies at its
heart. The central characters are born to wealth and privilege in
USA, living in wealthy Boston and spending indolent summers on the
family island near Martha's Vineyard. The greed and self-focus that
hides underneath the impeccable outer veneer of lies, gives a view
to the world of aspirational perfection which is, in fact, far from
perfect. The reader is introduced to this world through the eyes of
the psychologically damaged teenager, Cadence, who is struggling to
remember her past. Her story and the unveiling of her 15th summer
lost in the fog of amnesia, is woven with fairy-tale and literature
stories of comparison. This weaving creates a beautiful association,
leaving the reader aware of the dark and light of the narrative in
the completed tapestry of We were liars. As is the case with
all good suspense stories, the ending should only be known by those
who are prepared to get to know the whole story and read the book.
This would make an excellent film script.
I can highly recommend this book for mature readers. It is
beautifully written, with a coming of age undertone, and also a
moral tale with an unstated but implicit criticism of the
consequences of great wealth within a family. I especially enjoyed
the simplicity of sentence structure at the end of many chapters.
This writing style choice is intelligent and perfect in revealing
inside the mind of the central character.
[There is a small section within the book with swearing that may
make this difficult for more conservative school libraries, but for
readers 15+, this language choice is not surprising in context.]
Carolyn Hull
Billy is a dragon: Shadow shifter by Nick Falk and Tony Flowers
Random House, 2014. ISBN 9780857983152.
(Age: 9+) Highly recommended. Billy is a dragon: Shadow shifter is
the second book in the series and picks up where the first book
finished. Our main character, 10 year old Billy, is able to turn
into a dragon. His sister was kidnapped by werewolves in the first
book and Billy and his friends are searching for her.
Billy faces all the same issues as other children - cranky teachers,
bullies, teachers who are really werewolves and werewolf knights!
(Well maybe not quite the same problems as others!) His parents
believe his sister has run away and they don't know whether to be
concerned or happy (they aren't your typical parents) but despite
this, Billy is worried about telling them he is a dragon. Billy
believes he can find his sister on his own, he is a dragon after
all, but is he too inexperienced? Can he battle the werewolf knights
and win? Will he find his sister? Billy is a dragon: Shadow shifter is full of action, comedy and
adventure. It is highly recommended for boys aged 9 and older. There are
black and white images scattered throughout the novel making it an
appealing read. The text is descriptive and quick moving and the use
of different-sized fonts for adjectives and keywords emphasises what
is going on.
Kylie Kempster
Mummy goes to work by Kes Gray
Ill. David Milgrim. Hachette Children's Books, 2014. ISBN
978144921410.
(Age: 3-6) Recommended. Families. Mothers. When his mother goes to
work, the narrator of this story tells us the sort of things mummy
thinks about doing with him while she is at work. These range from
being tickled, to roller skating, to cuddling and playing games.
Each is outlined on a page with bold, bright illustrations of the
curly headed boy and his dog. The reader has a little sympathy with
the child listing the things she wants to do with him, until the
last part of the book shows that she does do these things with him
when she gets home each night.
A neatly told story, first published in 2006 as My mum goes to
work, this will have broad appeal in homes and classrooms.
Readers will love to hear it read aloud, and marvel at the way the
story turns on its head, making for a funny ending. They will love
to read it themselves, thinking about how they know they are loved
at home and what they do with their parents. They will enjoy the
depiction of the lad and his dog, the focus on each page until Mum
returns, and it could open a discussion in classrooms where the talk
is about what the students' parents do with their days.
Fran Knight
Newts, lutes and bandicoots by Mark Carthew and Mike Spoor
IP Kidz, 2009. ISBN 9781921479335. ebk ISBN 9781921869792.
(Ages: 6-10)
'In a gourmet cafe by the Bay of Biscay.
The seafood buffet was well on its way
When a curried satay
Caught fire on a tray
And flambeed the moustache of a waiter named Ray!'
This is the first rhyme in this unusual book which focuses on the
multitude of ways that a particular sound can be spelt in English.
It is accompanied by a riddle - 'This creature crawls beneath the
bay, Searching for rocks and sand each day' - and hidden amongst the
rich full-page illustration is the answer to that riddle. But as the
students search they will also discover a host of other items that
have that 'ay' sound even though their spelling might be different.
In this instance they could find archway, bay, beret, birthday,
bray, buffet and more than 20 others! Each page features a different
sound combination and takes the explorer on a journey through their
imagination as they examine a trolls' lair, a magician's cave, a
circus, a castle, ski slopes and the outback.
Given the popularity of books like Where's Wally that have
even the most reluctant readers poring over pages to spot the hidden
items, this book is a winner on many levels because it teaches as
the children search and encourages them to think and discuss and
focus on the inconsistencies of our language. Also hidden on each
page is a tiny newt or bandicoot playing a lute enabling even those
not yet ready for the spelling aspect to participate.
Once the basics of letter/sound recognition have been mastered, the
most commonly used skill in determining the correct spelling of a
word is whether it looks right, and so developing visual perception
and discrimination are critical skills. So combining the elements of
rhythm, rhyme and riddle and accompanying them with complex,
colourful and quirky pictures makes this a great book that will
provide for hours of entertainment and learning. And then there is
the next one, Witches,
britches, itches and twitches.
Barbara Braxton
Lisa absolutely loves art by Sophie Norsa
New Frontier Publishing, 2014. ISBN 9781925059045.
(Ages: 3-6) Lisa and her cat, Picasso, are sitting at a cafe outside
the art gallery, when Picasso suddenly runs into the gallery and
disappears. Lisa searches through the paintings of the gallery,
discovering famous artists while searching for her cat.
This is the first book written and illustrated by young artist
Sophie Norsa. While the illustrations are very clever and introduce
the reader to several important paintings and artists, the story
itself is really just there to show off the art. The text feels too
contrived and obvious. My 6 year old was also bothered by the fact
that Lisa is smiling in most of the pictures, but if her beloved cat
was missing she should be worried. At the back of the book we get to
see the original paintings, but unfortunately they are not in the
same order they appear in the book, making it harder for children to
discover which belongs on which page.
Donella Reed
Meet... Douglas Mawson by Mike Dumbelton
Ill. by Snip Green. Random House Australia Children's, 2014. ISBN
9780857981950.
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. What a fabulous series this has proven
and many of you will be familiar with the titles so far such as The
Anzacs, Ned Kelly and Mary MacKillop.
Again focusing on a truly outstanding Australian, Mike Dumbelton
recounts the story of Douglas Mawon's ill-starred Antarctica
expedition with simplistic elegance. Mawson led the first Australian
expedition to the Antarctic surviving many dangerous challenges, the
cruel fate of his comrades and bravely survived against extreme
odds. In 2013 'The Australian' listed the Top 50 Australians and Sir
Douglas Mawson, honoured by his inclusion on our currency and
lending his name to suburbs and streets around the country, was
ranked at Number Eight 'for his brilliant brain as a scientist [and
for] making one of the most courageous solo journeys by any
Australian adventurer'.
However, as with all outstanding picture books, it is not just the
author's well crafted text but the astonishing illustrations which
bring this book into what surely must be a strong award contender.
Snip Green uses his considerable background in graphic art to give
the reader a powerful impression of the isolation, barrenness and
stark reality of the Antarctic landscape. By using tones of
blue/grey/white combined with uncompromising geometric patterns
Green more than ably conveys the frightening stillness of this
frozen continent. The placement of the text in framed white panels
in the amazing double page spreads allow the reader's eye to focus
on the illustration while giving the caption-like information.
Though all the 'Meet...' series has been a worthy inclusion for any
library, I think this one is undoubtedly my favourite so far given
this wonderful collaboration of text and illustration.
Highly recommended for readers aged around 8 and up - a must-have
for your library in my opinion.
Sample the book at Random
House or visit Mike
Dumbleton's webpage or see more of Snip Green's
work online.
Sue Warren
The last king of Angkor Wat by Graeme Base
Viking/Penguin, 2014. ISBN 9780670077151.
Amongst the ruins of Angkor Wat, the 'City of Temples' built
hundreds of years ago by the Khmer people in the north of what is
now Cambodia, Tiger, Gibbon, Water Buffalo and Gecko look at the
ancient stone carvings and muse on what it would like to have been a
king.
Tiger believes he would have been a fine king because he is strong
but Gibbon declares he would have been better because he would have
ruled with compassion and kindness. Water Buffalo says he
would have never given up, no matter what, while tiny Gecko
proclaims he would have been a fearless warrior. And so an
argument about who would have made the best king ensues. Their
talk is interrupted by Elephant. 'It takes many qualities to
be a good king', he says. 'Strength, compassion, resilience
and courage.' He then challenges them to find out if they are
worthy by going to the temple at the top of the hill. And so
begins a race during which each creature encounters Snake and other
obstacles, dealing with them accordingly, not realising what their
decisions and actions are saying about them as potential
rulers. When they reach the temple at the top of the hill
Elephant is waiting, but rather than giving the title to the
victor, he forces them to examine their journey and learn from
it. Who will be crowned king? Will any of them make the grade?
Set against a backdrop of opulent, evocative scenes detailed in the
way that we associate with Graeme Base's illustrations, this is a
tale with a message about humility that would be a perfect adjunct
to a values-based program. Often, Base embeds either a textual or
visual puzzle into his books but this time, the puzzle is in the
meaning of the words. But even with the story told and retold
and understood, the young reader will be drawn again and again to
the elaborate, exquisite illustrations searching for the riches within,
perhaps discovering the butterfly who also makes the journey or the
author's signature. Such is Base's reputation, his fans have learned
to look for more than meets the eye.
Another magnificent masterpiece.
Barbara Braxton
I want my mummy by Tracey Corderoy
Ill. by Alison Edgson. Little Tiger Press, 2014. ISBN 9781848955387
(Age: Preschool) It is a big day in Arthur's life. Today he is
going to spend the day with his grandmother, the first time he has
been parted from his mummy. But rather than being excited, he
is very apprehensive. Even his favourite dragon onesie and his
toy dragon Huffity don't give him quite the courage he needs.
When Mummy finally says goodbye, he feels very lost and no matter
what Granny offers, he is not interested. Even though he plays along
for a little while, as soon as the doorbell rings he races off to
see if it is his mummy. But Granny, being a true granny, comes
up with a game that makes him forget his woes until...
This is a lovely picture book that explores a common issue that preschoolers face, and it's perfect for a parent to share with their
child before they leave them for the first time. The bright
pictures are very eye-catching and so beautifully drawn that you can
just feel the softness of Arthur and his onesie, Grandma and
Huffity. Who knew that a tea-towel and a feather duster could be so
formidable???
When I was school-based, the preschool was part of 'big school' and
each week the children would come for storytime, to browse and then
later bring their parents in to borrow from the special collection I
had for them that would encourage them to read aloud and begin their
child's reading journey. This title would have made a charming
addition to that collection.
Barbara Braxton
The big book of Old Tom by Leigh Hobbs
Allen and Unwin, 2014. ISBN 9781743318447.
(Age: 7+) Highly recommended. Who doesn't love the TV series 'Old Tom'? The big book of Old
Tom is 5 stories combined into one huge novel-sized book. It uses
black and white drawings and minimal text to tell each story,
helping engage readers in the stories of a spoiled cat called Old
Tom. It is highly recommended for all readers due to the large
amount of images but would be especially appealing to girls and boys
aged 7+. As a teacher, I am always looking for novels to engage
reluctant readers as well as those who struggle to read. This book
will make struggling readers look like they are reading like their
peers.
In book 1, we find out how Old Tom came to live with his owner
Angela. We see how he is not a typical cat and is usually in the
middle of the trouble, not looking on from the fence! The other
stories continue to tell us about Old Tom and his mischievous
adventures - the drawings helping create the comical side of the TV
series.
Kylie Kempster
I have a dog (an inconvenient dog) by Charlotte Lance
Allen & Unwin, 2014. ISBN 9781743317815.
(Age: Preschool) 'When I wake up my dog is inconvenient.
When I'm getting dressed, my dog is inconvenient.
And when I'm making tunnels, my dog is really inconvenient...'
But there are some times when the dog is not inconvenient and
sometimes when there is no other source of comfort, particularly as
the day draws to a close and dinner is disgusting, television is
scary and it's time to snuggle down to dream.
This is a quintessential picture book where neither text nor
pictures can make sense without the other. As we follow the
child through the day, the text is minimal but the pictures tell the
story so well, creating lots of laugh-out-loud moments as scenes
familiar to anyone with a dog, particularly a young one, are played
out with a detail that means there is no need for additional
words. This would be a great bedtime read-aloud where parent
and child could share it together, talking about their own
experiences. (My dog is inconvenient when it's bedtime and I
want the pillow but she is very convenient when we need to put the
chooks away at night!)
But as well as its entertainment value, it also has an educational
one particularly for the early reader because it encourages them to
search the pictures for clues, interpret and explain them so the
story make sense and forms a whole... Putting on my reading
teacher's hat of days gone by, I can picture myself using this
delightful book with some of my little characters who were
struggling with sorting out this reading thing. As well as the
value with the text/illustration relationship and having them talk
and draw about their own dogs, it would also help them understand
that they CAN read 'real' books just like their friends, overcoming
the negative thoughts they impose on themselves about never
succeeding. Imagine the thrill of being able to take it home
and really read it so your listener listens, not to mention having
mastered a roll-off-the-tongue word like 'inconvenient'!
One to promote to your early childhood teachers as well as your
parent body.
Barbara Braxton
