Wall of Night series. Orbit Books, 2012. ISBN 9780356500577
(Age: Young adult/Adult) Highly recommended. Gathering of the
Lost is the second of Helen Lowe's four-book Wall of Night
fantasy series. Lowe loses none of her ability to weave her poetic
imagery into each page, as she links these first two narratives.
While retaining many familiar characters and introducing a host of
new figures, she manipulates the increasingly broad cast with ease.
Gathering of the Lost builds superbly on its predecessor The Heir of
Night.
Lowe skilfully takes her readers into Gray Lands and Wild Lands; and
speaks of the lands beyond the river and along the road to Ishnapur
and Jhaine... It has been five years since Malian, The Heir of Night
and her friend Kalan, were lost to the winter of Jaransor. Yet even
now, there remain those - perhaps friend, perhaps foe - who still
cannot believe Malian is dead...
Long ago The Earl of Night's minstrel, Haimyr the Golden, had
desired that Malian flee the Wall of Night. But now there is urgency
to find her. Believing the heralds Jehane Mor and Tarathan of Ar
have hidden Malian, Haimyr issues a summons for the Heralds to
return Malian to the Keep of Winds. The ever-astute Jehane Mor
senses a veiled threat however, and ponders why the minstrel should
now wish for Malian's return.
Soon there are more questions than answers. Much is happening - an
attack on the Guild, bloodshed during the Festival of Masks, and an
attack by the beast-men (were-hunters) for a start. Importantly, the
reader is introduced to Carick, a River scholar, who was unprepared
for bloodshed and warfare when he left the peaceable realms of Ar in
the Riverlands and became cartographer to the Duke of Emer. Then as
Jehane Mor invokes the dark sky during a wholesale attack by the
were-hunters, Carick stands with arms outstretched, listening to the
voice of the night-wind pleading him to hold with her, against the
might and power of the were-beasts.
While there are references to killing, Lowe's lyrical narrative
tempers the tone. As Lowe's cinematic composition unfolds, her
readers are treated to characters who are not always who they appear
to be, and Malian's whereabouts remain unclear. With inky creatures
here and mind-speak there, people morphing into beast-men, and
attempts to pursuade The Lost, it is easy to become absorbed in this
magical web of intrigue.
Like its predecessor, Gathering of the Lost is an
exceptionally well-crafted book, that builds seamlessly on its
predecessor. Highly recommended for young adult and adult readers of
fantasy.
Colleen Tuovinen
The Flywheel by Erin Gough
Hardie Grant Egmont, 2015. ISBN 9781742978178
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended.
'When life throws up in your lap, find yourself a distraction.'
This novel by an up and coming Australian author Erin Gough is a
well written and delightful story. The characters are cleverly
crafted to be truly believable. The action is well paced and the
complexities of the plot keep those pages turning.
This book is about relationships and the joy, heartbreak, misery and
contentment they generate. Delilah, a self-assured homosexual,
experiences young love, but suffers bullying at school. She is
fiercely loyal to her friends but must make a difficult decision
about the lengths to which she can take that loyalty.
'I can't believe I am sitting here. The chair is comfy, yes, but it
is the very chair I've been avoiding. It is the Comfy Chair of Doom.
Opposite me on her ergonomic swivel seat sits Mrs Croenberg.'
This is also the story of a relationship with school and a teacher
who just does not give up on Delilah. She is a teacher who helps
Delilah understand herself and provides an invitation back to
schooling.
'And in this moment I am happy. I don't what's around the corner but
it doesn't matter, because what I feel right now is enough.'
Very importantly, this is a story with a happy ending. The
complications are resolved and there is an optimistic air to life's
challenges. This book is highly recommended.
Linda Guthrie
Thelma the unicorn by Aaron Blabey
Scholastic, 2015. ISBN 9781743625804
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Cautionary tale, Fame, Self
perception, Image, Rhyming story. Thelma would love to be something
else. She looks longingly at the beautiful horse nearby and resolves
that she wants to be a unicorn. Her friend Oscar tells her that she
is beautiful as she is, but she resists. Finding a carrot she places
it on her head and quite by chance a truck spills its load of
sparkles and pink paint nearby. She has achieved the look she wants.
In rhyming stanzas Blabey sets out his tale of self image.
Having achieved fame, she basks in it for a while, receiving the
crowds' admiration and adoration. But she soon realises that there
is another side of fame; that fans see her as their property and can
invade her privacy whenever they wish. She becomes concerned at
their insistence and then their derision and returns to Oscar, a
wiser and much happier little horse.
This is an old story given such a new twist by Blabey that kids will
pick it up and read it with a great deal of pleasure. They will
instantly understand the theme being presented and relate it to
stories they know about celebrities and fans. Discussions in the
classroom could cover a wide range of stories concerning fame and
fandom, as well as self image and perception, and why people think
there is a better way of being. This could lead into many different
discussions about the media and its impact on our lives, but
particularly about how we feel about ourselves.
Blabey's illustrations are always fascinating, with swathes of
colour and light across each page, and expressive animals and humans
adorning the pages. It is fun to recognise situations students will
have seen in the media (Princess Di caught out in her exercise gear,
for example) and it will intrigue readers when they find little
things within the pictures that exemplify the theme.
Fran Knight
Samantha Wheeler: The road to publication
The path to getting a book published is long and arduous, but with
the help of the Queensland Writers' Centre and a development program
with Allen & Unwin, former science teacher, Samantha Wheeler was
on her way. Her Agricultural Science degree developed an already
strong focus on the environment and this is reflected in her two
novels, Smooch and Rosie (2013), Spud and Charli
(2014) and again is a theme within the book she is writing while
staying at the May Gibbs Children's Literature Trust studio at
Norwood. Samantha was awarded a May Gibbs Fellowship for 2015 and
used her creative time residency during the month of February.
With themes of koala rescue, losing the farm to developers, horses
and now the endangered cassowary, her work resonates with younger
readers who take these ideas to heart. Following the tradition of
Colin Thiele's wonderful adventure stories with a strong focus on
the environment, Samantha has found a niche for that hard to satisfy
middle primary reader.
Knowing she wanted to write, Samantha took a course at the
Queensland Writer's Centre, where she listened, wrote and discussed
her work. With a manuscript in hand she then attended a weekend
conference where she was able to sit down with a publisher, an agent
and an author to further refine her work and gain valuable advice.
This advice she took to heart and attended a development program
with Allen & Unwin. Samantha attended a workshop several years
later and found to her great satisfaction that the editor reading
her work noted that she had taken her advice and expressed an
interest in her work. Leonie Tye at University of Queensland Press
gave Samantha her start and Smooch and Rosie was published
in 2013.
At the same time, the annual book, One story, many Brisbanes
was published by the Brisbane City Council, containing one of her
stories. She had noticed the ad in the paper for short story writers
to submit and as the due date was only a few days away she set about
writing a tale to send in. Again, the Brisbane City Council arranged
for mentors to help refine and edit the stories submitted and her
story was accepted for the 2010 edition.
Following the success here, she had another story accepted for
publication at UQP, and both books have now had a second reprint.
Eager to please that hard to satisfy range of kids, she actively
listens to what they have to say and is able to pass this on to her
publisher.
The plight of the cassowary is her present preoccupation, as she
writes a tale about a boy whose father is less than useful as a dad.
The parallel with the cassowary makes for an interesting concept, as
this bird, like the emu is responsible for bringing up his chicks.
The cassowary's endangered status gives this story a strong
environmental focus. See the link
for information about this amazing bird.
Like many writers, Samantha is eager to gather resources, ideas and
thoughts but networking is of prime importance. While in Adelaide
she was the guest speaker at a May Gibbs Children's Literature Trust
function at the Burnside Public Library and took in the cafes of
Norwood Parade, and visited the cassowary at the Adelaide Zoo.
Born in England, her parents moved to Zimbabwe when she was young,
where she spent her early years having the freedom of always being
outside and enjoying the environment. She has also lived in
Hong Kong, Adelaide and Brisbane. Brisbane is now her home where she
lives with her husband and daughter, and she is involved with many
of the issues brought to the fore in her books.
To find out more about Samantha go to http://www.samanthawheeler.com.au/ http://www.uqp.uq.edu.au/Author.aspx/1706/Samantha%20Wheeler
Fran Knight
Spud and Charli by Samantha Wheeler
UQP, 2014. ISBN 9780702250187
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. Horses, Bats, Imagination,
Environment. When Charli goes for a week's riding camp, she is
thrilled. Now she can learn to ride from an expert, learn all about
horse management and perhaps in the future persuade her parents to
buy her a horse. When the girls are given their horses, the haughty
experienced Mikaela takes the palomino, and Charli is left with the
huge ex racehorse, Spud, but it does not take her long to bond with
this animal. The owner of the riding camp, Mrs Bacton, has some
strict instructions and Charli is an attentive listener, but soon
she becomes aware of a colony of bats living nearby. She knows all
about these animals, how they can infect horses with the Hendra
virus and how it can be passed on to humans. Her over excited
imagination takes to heart a conversation about shooting which she
half hears and she resolves to escape with Spud to avoid him being
shot as the virus takes effect. This leads to some distressing
events which see Charli about to be sent home in disgrace.
This is a neatly told story. Younger readers will love reading of
Charli's time at the camp, getting to know her horse and learning
how to look after him. Wheeler includes a great deal of information
without losing any of its potency and younger readers will feel they
know far more about horses and bats in finishing.
It is refreshing to see a story where the protagonist is less than
perfect and makes mistakes which she then needs to resolve by
herself. I love Charli and her quirky over imaginative personality
and sympathise with the way she deals with the obstacles Wheeler
puts in her way. Her resolution of these makes her a stronger girl
and will endear her to all readers who see something of themselves
in her.
Included are a number of pages outlining more information about
horses, bats and the virus, with websites where more information can
be found. Wheeler's environmental concerns form a solid base against
which this engaging story is told.
Fran Knight
Noggin by John Corey Whaley
Simon & Schuster, 2014. ISBN 9781471122897
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended.
'Listen - I was alive once and then I wasn't. Simple as that. Now
I'm alive again.'
The first lines for this novel set the scene for a very thought
provoking and very funny book.
Travis, suffering from a life threatening illness, is offered the
possibility of being frozen and brought back to life in the future.
The process is cranial hibernation and reanimation and involves
Travis' head being transplanted onto a donor body.
In a blink of an eye Travis awakes to find that five years have
passed and he is taller and more muscular than before. He also finds
his girlfriend is now engaged to someone else, his best friend is
still hiding his homosexuality and his parents are divorced.
This is so well written the reader is thoroughly engaged from start
to finish. Along with laugh out loud, and tears in the eyes, moments
there are some serious philosophical questions to be considered.
This book would be a good companion for the novel The Adoration
of Jenna Fox as they both consider identity and the ethical
and moral considerations of manipulating what it is to be human.
This book is highly recommended.
'And of course it wasn't okay. But that's what we have to do right?
We have to tell people it's okay even when we know it isn't.'
Linda Guthrie
Birrung the secret friend by Jackie French
Ill. by Mark Wilson. The Secret Histories series. Angus
& Robertson, 2015. ISBN 9780732299439
(Age: Primary) This is the first in a new series from Jackie French
called The Secret Histories. The stories will feature lesser
known identities of Australian history; lesser known because not
much was written about them at the time and sometimes from an
unfavourable perspective. Her first subject is Mr Richard Johnson,
clergyman to the new colony.
We met Mr Johnson in this author's previous Nanberry: Black
brother White. As chaplain to the first white settlement, he
was a man who practised what he preached. He had already taken in
Birrung, a young indigenous girl whose people had been wiped out by
a plague introduced by the new settlers. Johnson knows her as
Abaroo. She leads him to two orphans of the colony, Barney and
Elsie, barely surviving on their daily rations, who come under his
wing as well. They flourish with good care and healthy food from Mr
Johnson's equally flourishing vegetable gardens, spared the raids
that other gardens suffer because of the high regard for Mr Johnson
in the colony. Then the Second Fleet arrives, riddled with disease
and death amongst a starving cargo of convicts; and the promised
replenishments already appropriated by the corrupt crew. Times can
only become darker.
In the meantime, Barney and Elsie are learning more civilised
behaviour from Mrs Johnson and her convict housekeeper Sally.
Burring is also teaching Barney about the ways of the bush. The more
time he spends with her, the more jealous Elsie becomes. We never
hear why because Elsie doesn't speak; the reader is given to think
her elective mutism was caused by a traumatic past. When Birrung
finally leaves the protection of the Johnsons, Barney is warned not
to disclose his friendship with her; associations with the 'indians'
are frowned upon by the white people. Birrung must remain his secret
friend forever.
Within a historical framework featuring real and fictional
characters, French gives a realistic vision of life for the first
white settlers at Sydney Cove. This book would suit serial reading
or novel study in primary school units about this time in Australian
History, as an ideal replacement for the much more mature Nanberry.
Kerry Neary
The Ice Dragon by George R.R Martin
HarperCollins, 2014. ISBN 9780008118853
(Age: 7+) Recommended.
'The ice dragon breathed death into the world; death and quiet and
cold. But Adara was not afraid. She was a winter child, and the ice
dragon was her secret.'
For centuries the ice dragon has been a symbol of fear. It cannot be
stopped. It cannot be tamed by any man. But Adara is different. She
is a child of winter; born during the worst freeze to ever hit for
as long as anyone could remember. But then, on the year of her
seventh birthday, fiery dragons with soldiers on their backs attack
Adara's home. And the only way to save is everyone, is for the child
of winter and the dragon that loved her, to fight the dragons of
summer.
I would recommend this book to children of both genders. Aged 7 and
up. I would also recommend this book to people who prefer to read
shorter books as this novel mainly consists of pictures.
This book from the author of Game of Thrones is a novel,
that while fast moving, is in depth and is a must read for all Game
of Throne fans.
Jazmin Humphries (Student, Year 7)
The last ANZAC by Gordon Winch
Ill. by Harriet Bailey. New Frontier, 2015. ISBN 9781925059298
(Age: 5+) ANZAC, World War One, Remembrance. The true story of Alec
Campbell, the last ANZAC who died in 2002 is told through the eyes
of a young boy, James who visited him in 2001.
The details of Alec's life as a recruit are told in bare simple
prose, outlining the unadorned facts of his enlistment at sixteen
and the time training in Egypt before being sent to Anzac Cove. Each
section of his story as a young teen is interspersed with his
interview with James. The illustrator has vividly contrasted the
young man in his uniform carrying a rifle that seems to tower over
him, with the images of an old gentle man having a cup of tea with
his wife and James and his dad, dunking his biscuit in his tea. That
contrast reinforces the gap between our perception of what Anzac was
like for these men and their reality. That reality is revealed in
many of the images shown in this book, including the letters and
photographs included as the endpapers.
There have been so many books produced for this centenary year that
for some schools it will be difficult choosing which to buy. Each
book takes a different slant and shows things which others do not. I
was intrigued with the information about Alec as a water carrier,
with the scenes of the soldiers eating oranges, of Alec in hospital
and his arrival back home. Each image adds another layer of
knowledge about this war for younger readers, and as it is about a
real person, will add some resonance to those looking at this book.
Fran Knight
The greatest Gatsby: A visual book of grammar by Tohby Riddle
Penguin, 2015. ISBN 9780670078684
Highly recommended for readers, students and educators from 8 to 80!
Like electricity or the soul, grammar is invisible. But when present
among a group of words, language comes to life.
Tohby Riddle's new picture book is a visual feast, he uses colour,
collage, text, comedy and emotion to delve into the definitions of
grammar in our English language. The front cover entices the reader
with the title The greatest Gatsby (superlative adjective),
to the rail bridge where the singular word bird and picture travel
on a flat rail car followed by the plural S and bird-filled car.
Each concept is clearly and concisely defined with the Latin
derivation. The eight types of pronouns come alive when matched with
Tohby's drawing of a wooden chair - indefinite pronouns - dotted
outline, demonstrative pronouns - solid, dark inked lines and
interrogative - a simple line drawing of the chair on its side.
Adjectives follow using the chair motif again with the possessive
adjectives displaying a chair reserved!
Transport and locomotion are common themes, photos from the 1800's and
1900's provide wonderful backdrops for the grammatical explanations.
The creative use of loose letterpress type, his mother's typewriter,
stamps with innovative colours, and artistic placement of font
styles and sizes add to the enjoyment of exploring this informative
book.
Even those tricky matters - it's or its, well or good, was or were,
lie or lay are amusingly depicted. This visually delightful book is
a must have for English and Literacy educators, libraries and
classes. An excellent and insightful tool for studying the English
language.
Tohby's illustrations could be adapted as videos, imagine animated
pipes for conjunctions and connectives, or the cyclist and the
bridge explaining prepositions!
Rhyllis Bignell
The door that led to where by Sally Gardner
Hot Key Books, 2015. ISBN 9781471401114
(Age: 13+) Recommended. Time travel. Mystery. Murder. Family
relations. Even though AJ Flynn has failed all but English in his
GCSE exams, he has been lucky enough to get a job at a London law
firm, which is a mystery in itself. When he finds a key labelled
with his name and date of birth, he sets out to discover the
whereabouts of the door that it opens. He time travels to 1830, a
period of time that he has found fascinating because of his love of
Charles Dickens, and is enthralled to travel the cobbled streets of
Clerkenwell and Holborn, where life is cheap. His friends in modern
London are facing difficulties but they find that in 1830 their
lives have more meaning as they are treated as young men not as
adolescents with no purpose. AJ is also intrigued by a murder that
only he can solve and by the mystery of his father who disappeared
before he could get to know him
A clever use of time slip back to the 19th century provides a
contrast with the difficult life in modern London that AJ and his
friends have. Life in both times are vividly brought to life and the
contrast between the loneliness and isolation of life in an inner
city estate in London with drugs and unemployment and the smelly
streets of Dickensian London is well developed. One of the dilemmas
that AJ and his friends face is whether to stay in Victorian London
or to return to the 21st century.
The reader gets to know AJ really well, as he struggles with his
mother who he has dubbed the 'red reptile with the poison tongue'
and tries to help his friends who are in trouble. Gardner uses
contemporary dialogue with some strong language as she describes the
plight of the friends as they face death, drug lords and poverty. AJ
comes into his own when he travels back to 1830 and gradually
uncovers many mysteries involving murder, poison and madness.
The skilful narration and vivid prose with its contemporary issues,
a mystery, sound historical information and a touch of romance
create a very enjoyable read and the conclusion leaves an opening
for further adventures.
Pat Pledger
Yak and Gnu by Juliette McIver
Ill. by Cat Chapman. Walker Books, 2015. ISBN 9781922077684
(Age: 5+) Recommended. Rhyming story. Animals. Friendship. When best
friends, Yak and Gnu row their canoes down the river, they wonder
about who they will meet and what adventures they may have. They
assume that only they can row down the river and sing of their blue
and brown canoes as they row. They sing their refrain, Yippe ai Yak,
Woo hoo Gnu, There are no other beasts like me and you. But a goat
in a boat comes sailing by, upsetting their assumption that only
they can row down the river. And now their song must be changed a
little. Along comes a snail setting sail, and a calf on a raft, and
a flotilla of gorillas, and so on. It is fun to predict the nautical
word which may be used to rhyme with the animal, and even funnier to
see the illustrations by Cat Chapman which accompany the river
journeying group of beasts.
Clever rhymes, startling illustrations make this a wonderful read aloud and a book to ponder as the friends come to see that their
friendship is important.
Readers young and old will love the rhymes used in this tale, and
laugh at the amazing round up of animals all finding their way down
the river, much to Yak's distress. Gnu hastens to assure him that
they are still the best of friends and their song still applies.
This is a gentle story of friendship amidst the crowds, of remaining
true to a friend despite all the other attractions.
Fran Knight
Virgil and Owen by Paulette Bogan
Bloomsbury, 2015. ISBN 9781619633728
(Age: 3+) Recommended. Arctic and Antarctic animals. Friendship.
Virgil finds a lost polar bear and claims him for his own. He takes
him with him but is dismayed when the bear plays with the other
animals on the ice and snow covered land. He splashes with the
terns, slides with the seals, plays with the penguins, and each time
Virgil reminds him that he belongs to him. Owen stands his ground
and tells Virgil that he is called Owen, and turns to play with the
other animals. Virgil goes away disappointed until the whole group
comes to ask him to join them. He has found the meaning of
friendship and what it means to have friends.
In soft watercolours with lots of differing shades of blue, the
Antarctic is brought to life for the younger reader. They will be
able to spot the different animals that live in this cold region of
the earth and it might be worth pointing out to your readers that
polar bears are Arctic animals while penguins live in the Antarctic,
so Owen is well and truly lost.
The theme behind this story is one all children will instantly
recognise, of not smothering someone you like, of giving your friend
room to be themselves, of not taking up all their time. Teachers and
parents alike will be able to discuss this issue with the readers
alerting them in a funny way to the ways that friendship can occur
and the barriers to that developing relationship.
Fran Knight
The honest truth by Dan Gemeinhart
Chicken House, 2015. ISBN 9781910002131
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. The theme of children facing terminal
illness has been explored in other novels recently but this one
deserves consideration as a lovely story with realistic characters
and an authentic plot.
Sick of treatment, sick of relapses and sick of the pain and illness
caused by cancer, Mark is fed up and feels that it is time to die
after climbing Mount Rainier, a challenge which he and his late
Grandfather had dreamed of achieving. Such a story could easily
degenerate into a morbid and hopeless portrayal of a child's fear
and desperation or a traumatic examination of emotional torment felt
by family and friends contemplating loss. Not so in this novel. The
main character possesses wisdom, ingenuity and stoicism which
enables him to press on against adversity and the presence of his
brave and faithful little dog provides comic relief and the desire
to cheer.
The author has clearly not intended this tale to be a wallowing,
heart wrenching ordeal for the reader. There is a great deal of
emphasis placed upon goodness, shown in the devotion by parents, the
innocent, guaranteed love from his best friend, the unconditional
trust from his dog and the kindness shown by strangers, sometimes at
a cost. There is no shying away from the truth however and it is
made clear from the start that Mark believes he will die. It is
important to emphasise that there is no suggestion of suicide,
rather it is acknowledged that grave illness and severely dangerous
environmental factors make it likely that he will not return.
The clever methods used by the child to travel great distance and
his strategies to overcome problems are believable, as are the
reactions and behaviours by loved ones and authorities as they try
locate the young boy. I liked the style of alternate chapters
narrating Mark's exploits in the first person versus third person
descriptive passages explaining what is happening to Mark's parents
and his best friend Jessie, printed in a different font. Chapter
numbers are quirky with Mark's having whole numbers and the
alternate perspective chapters being assigned half numbers, a
statement which underlines that for Mark, it is about trying to slow
time down, to delay the inevitable and stretch his allotted days to
accomplish his dream.
The engaging characters and exciting plot makes this a great read
which avoids undue distress whilst dealing with a painful topic.
Rob Welsh
Frida and Bear by Anthony Browne and Hanne Abartholin
Walker Books, 2015. ISBN 9781406353990
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. Frida and Bear both love to draw, but
sometimes they have trouble thinking of a topic. So Frida draws a
shape for Bear who adds to it and turns it into puppy. Bear then
draws a shape and Frida uses her creativity to turn it into a big
fish. Together the two have great fun using their imaginations to
play the Shape Game which Anthony Browne introduced when he was the
UK Children's Laureate.
This is a delightful book that celebrates art and the power of the
imagination. Browne's prose is short and succinct and the print
would be suitable for the beginning reader. The introduction of
Browne's signature gorilla one page will enthral the reader who is a
fan of Browne's Willy books.
Any child (or adult) will have great fun looking at a shape and
turning it into something else. Using pieces of scrap paper or
objects found in the garden or at the sea as the initial shapes will
also motivate the creative mind to come up with some fabulous
pictures as Hanne Abartholin shows in her whimsical and memorable
illustrations. Children would really enjoy making their own shapes
or finding some in the world around and then sharing with a partner
to come up with some wonderful ideas.
The Shape Game is a really interesting, creative and fun way of
using the imagination and this book that illustrates how it works
would be invaluable to have in a library, classroom or home.
Pat Pledger
