Ill. by Lee Wildish. Hachette, 2014. ISBN
9781444918410.
Mattie Butterfield reports on the chaotic life of her tight knit
family chronicling their lives and adding to her extensive Worry
List. The family home is bursting at the seams but is moving the
best option?
With the arrival of baby Will the Butterfield family now number
eight and that's not counting Jellicoe the dog and constant visitors
Grandma, Grandpa and Uncle Vesuvius. Everyone is packed in. Mattie
discovers during a maths class on division that while some families
have one person to seven rooms her family has less than one room per
person. No wonder they are crowded.
The fortunes of the family change however when the lottery ticket
Uncle Vez bought Mum for her birthday proves to be a winner. When
Mum and Dad start looking for a new house Mattie has more worries to
add to her list, but the biggest one is 'I don't want to move
schools', when it appears they will move to a larger house a long
way away.
Solving their overcrowding problem and the moving schools issue has
Mum wishing she had never won the lottery but a solution is just
next door.
Written in the first person we have Mattie's view of the family
which brims with warmth and love.
Sue Keane
My Grumpy Day illustrated by Felicity Gardner
Lothian Children's Books, 2014. ISBN 9780734415448.
(Ages 2 - 10) Recommended. 'Some mornings, Max wakes up happy. Some
mornings, Max wakes up hungry. But this morning, Max woke up
grumpy.' My Grumpy Day follows a young gorilla called Max as
he contends with his day's adventures. Unfortunately on this day,
Max wakes up with a horribly negative attitude and finds nothing
enjoyable at all.
This lovely book follows a day in the life of Max the gorilla as he
experiences a day that we have all been through, when our frame of
mind seems to not change from the moment we get out on the wrong
side of the bed. While My Grumpy Day makes us smile and at
times giggle out loud it also manages to convey a very sweet
message. In the end the comfort and love of the people we hold
closest to our hearts can be all that we need on those confusing
days. My Grumpy Day is a beautiful picture book with simple and
easy to understand text. It's a fun read for all and a message that
can be repeated on days that follow in our own lives.
Steve Whitehead
Butter by Erin Lange
Bloomsbury, 2012. ISBN 9781599907802.
(Age: 14+) 'The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for
good men to do nothing.' Edmund Burke
Scottsdale High seems a pretty average high school with the usual
groups of teens including those who are popular and those who are
not. 'Butter' is a 16 year old boy who is clever and funny, plays
saxophone like a professional Blues musician (Charlie Parker is his
idol) and drives a BMW, a not uncommon car choice in his
neighbourhood, even for teens. You might think Butter would have no
problem fitting in with his peers except for just one small, or not
so small, detail. Butter weighs in at over 400 pounds. His obesity
is not a focus for active bullying by schoolmates, rather it has the
effect of making him almost invisible. He is completely and utterly
ignored by all and sundry. Everyone calls him Butter, no one knows
his real name or anything about him (to find out why he has that
nickname is to realise that dark deeds are possible when people
stand by and do ' nothing').
Butter retreats into his own world of his saxophone and the Internet
where he is presently engaged in a cyber-flirtation with his dream
girl Anna. At home he cocoons himself in his room where these two
joys sustain him in his loneliness. Butter's situation is not helped
by his parents, of whom Lange paints a fairly critical picture - a
helicopter mother whose solution to everything is food and a
financially successful father who is revolted by his son's
condition.
Butter's isolation and depression grow exponentially despite
well-meaning efforts from his favourite teacher, the Professor, who
endeavours to focus on Butter's exceptional musical ability and
persistently aims to engage Butter in the band group; his friend
Tucker, from FabFit (summer fat camps), also attempts to bolster
Butter's frail ego without avail.
With the realisation that the Internet provides not only anonymity
for those who crave it but can also invite an audience, Butter
decides to put himself into a macabre limelight by setting up his
own website and vowing to eat himself to death on New Year's Eve. In
a ghastly parody of social popularity, Butter finds himself the
centre of attention from new 'friends' and on his way to being a
dubious kind of 'hero' amongst the 'Barbies and meat-headed Kens' of
Scottsdale High. However, the closer the date with death comes, the
more Butter is forced to analyse his thinking, his decisions and his
life - or death - style.
Providing the reader with an intense scrutiny of bullying from
another angle and the oft-times detrimental implications of social
media fame, Butter is a darkly humorous but confronting must-read
for young adults and adults alike,.
Trailer and study guide available via the author's website.
Sue Warren
New City by Deborah Abela
Random House, 2014. ISBN 9781742758558.
(Ages: 9-12) Recommended. Beginning with a Diary entry by Griff
giving a synopsis of the first book, Grimsdon,is an
interesting way of setting the scene for New City which follows the
fortunes of the Grimsdon survivors as they leave their flooded home
for the safety of New City. From the extreme effects of global
warming to a city governed by strict rules who can they trust?
Isabella, Griffin, Xavier, the twins Raff and Bea, Fly and the only
adult Jeremiah are sad to be leaving Grimsdon where they have lived
independently since the floods, but are looking forward to all that
they have missed; electricity, movies, icecream, shops and
chocolate. The children are keen to all stay together as a family
when they arrive, but New City seems to be grey and forbidding with
no one in the streets and the welcoming party is not very friendly.
Corporal Smith is in charge of the children and the Major General is
in charge of the city which operates under martial law with its
citizens are under camera observation from everywhere including
spider bots, winged soldiers and all seeing eagles, in the guise of
keeping them safe. When Isabella meets Vijay and hears about the
children's camps she is determined to visit and find out the truth
about the refugees.
The children are on a collision course with the all powerful and
threatening Major General as they discover more about inequalities
and harsh treatment meted out to some of the citizens and
misinformation being spread by the media.
Reading along I was reminded of The Hunger Games with the
oppression of the population, the inequalities and central control,
as well as the children in detention debate with the children's
camps being an extreme example.
'What kind of government locks up innocent children?' asks Isabella
towards the end.
Weaving sections of Oliver Twist, read nightly by
Griffin, through the story adds to the poignancy of the children's
plight.
Vijay's determination that Ghandi's peaceful protest will win the
day is in contrast to the violence and military might of the Major
General giving another issue to investigate. Together both Grimsdon
and New City could be used to address the issues of
sustainability and ethical understanding favoured in the Australian
Curriculum.
Sue Keane
Benji the Buccaneer by Craig Cormick
Little Rockets series. New Frontier Publishing, 2014. ISBN
9781925059052.
(Age: 7+) Everyone is fascinated by pirates and so is our main
character, Benji. While waiting for the school bus, Benji is given
the chance to take a different bus, a bus with a variety of
characters and the chance to be a pirate for a day. Using ideas from
books on the bus, Benji becomes captain and the bus becomes the
pirate ship. Benji is a Buccaneer is a fantasy story where the
impossible seems to come true. It is part of the Little Rockets
reading series and is aimed at readers aged 7+.
The adventure begins as a cannon ball is fired but does Benji have
the experience to save his crew? When they find a treasure map where
X marks the spot, does it really mark the spot to fid lost treasure?
Is Benji really cut out to be a pirate captain or should he just
stick to using is imagination?
I would recommend it to independent readers who are moving from
regular classroom readers to short novels. The story is quick moving
so will appeal to younger readers but it would also be good for
parents to read out loud with their child.
Kylie Kempster
The legend series by Marie Lu
Penguin, 2013. Prodigy. ISBN 9780141344096. Champion. ISBN 9780141351964.
(Age: Teens) Prodigy is a well thought out sequel to Marie Lu's
original dystopian tale Legend. With the introduction of new
characters and plotlines, it continues the storyline without
diverting into too many tangents, which some sequels tend to
do. Once more Day and June tell their story chapter by chapter
as in the first book, continuing their rocky relationship, fraught
with all the tension which makes the novel excellent for teen
readers. Whilst occasionally the pace slows, the final chapter
leaves the reader longing for more.
Marie Lu's inventiveness steps up a notch in her final book of the
dystopian Legend trilogy, Champion. Champion satisfyingly
completes the trilogy that started with Legend, followed by Prodigy,
rounding out her characters and plot storylines in a way that is not
expected. The introduction of the Antarctic allies and their
technology adds to plot, and the pace that began in Legend does not
slow down. As the final book in a series, it does not
disappoint and will leave teen readers very happy.
Linda Hunter
Florentine and Pig and the Spooky Forest Adventure by Eva Katzler and Jess Mikhail
Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781408824399.
(Age 3+) Florentine and Pig were sound asleep on a quiet, still dark night
when suddenly they are woken by the most ghostly noise. Is it the
sound of the Growling, Prowling Bog Mog? Together they decide to
venture outdoors to find it so it will never frighten them again. So
equipped with their cosiest sleeping bags, biggest binoculars,
brightest torch, warmest hat and their camping cooking stove they
set off on their adventure.
'They walked and talked, and trudged and tramped. They hopped and
hurdled through dry and damp. They splished and splashed through
streams and brooks. They peeked through crannies, and peeped through
nooks. They searched down and up and in between. But the Growling,
Prowling, Bog Mog was nowhere to be seen . . .'
This is a great read-aloud story for younger children, with just the
right amount of suspense to keep them intrigued but not frightened.
The language is perfect for exploring and exploiting the sounds,
rhythms and nuances of our speech, and the use of a variety of fonts
really encourages the use of expression and animation. As well as
appealing pictures, there are ideas for making simple, essential
Growling, Prowling, Bog Mog-seeking tools, and who hasn't made a
tent from a bedsheet? Florentine and Pig take only healthy snacks
with them and the recipes for these are included. Who could resist
'roasty-toasty campfire kebobbles', which are vegetable-based
kebabs? And how yummy does a 'drink-in-your-sleeping-bag honey milk
maltie' based on milk and Maltesers sound?
This is the first in this series about Florentine and Pig that I've
shared with Miss 3 and Miss 8 and both of them really enjoyed it,
especially the cooking part. Now they are waiting till summer so
they can have their own nighttime outdoor adventure - with thick
snow nearby, it's a little too cold to venture outside after dark
now. In the meantime, they're having fun exploring the website.
Barbara Braxton
There's a lion in my cornflakes by Michelle Robinson
Ill. by Jim Field. Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781408845608.
(Age: 4+) Recommended, Animals, Humour, Competitions, Family. Seeing
a competition on the cornflake packet inspires Eric and Dan to
collect the 100 tokens to win a lion. They use all their pocket
money to buy the packets from the supermarket ripping off the tokens
and sending them in as requested. They wait and wait. Other people
in the neighbourhood receive their lions but they do not. One day a
grizzly bear is delivered to their house, but mum is not impressed.
Neither is their neighbour whose garden is destroyed by the bear.
The boys write to the company complaining that they have not
received a lion, and get instead a crocodile. The animal takes over
the bathroom, disallowing any of the family to use it while he is
there. The boys complain again and this time they get a gorilla
which stamps on top of their car, pushing in its roof. A year's
supply of cornflakes is delivered, making the boys even more
unhappy, until they realise just how cool it is to arrive at school
with their bear and crocodile and gorilla, unlike the rest of their
class who only have a lion. And these animals do have their uses
after all.
A very funny story about competition on several levels, the tale of
the two boys will immediately engage readers and the illustrations
will have them happily looking for the array of things represented
behind the story. I doubt they will look at their cornflakes in the
same way again.
Fran Knight
Awe of Mercury by Elon Dann
Hot Key Books, 2014. ISBN 9781471401190.
(Ages: 14+ ) Highly Recommended. Survival. Friendship. Gruesome.
Deceit. The Spiral is an underground, circular prison that rotates
each prisoner one cell to their left each day. This will continue
until the prisoner has reached the last cell where they will receive
their last meal. Mo is a 17 year-old boy who is imprisoned in the
Spiral along with his cellmate, Nonstop. Mo is being held for
escaping an institution along with his friends, Harete and Moth.
Unbeknownst to them this also caused a civil war throughout the
Fatherland. The Kernel is the name of Mo's subconscious that has now
taken a mind of its own, offering advice and even sometimes
controlling him. The only method of communication they have is the
Cellphone; this is where prisoners bang out a sequence of coded
words onto pipes, which will then travel to any other cell in the
spiral. Rumours of Moth ruling the Fatherland begin to circulate,
causing much mental as well as physical annoyance to Mo making him
feel betrayed and vowing revenge on Moth. An anagram message reveals
someone he deeply cares about is trying to help him; this causing Mo
and Nonstop to pull off an escape worthy of Houdini himself. Whilst
they were escaping they also befriended a terminally ill prisoner
called Mystrica. Beginning their journey into the woods, a nearby
military drone firing a laser at Mo causes him to go blind. Now Mo
and his friends must find a place to take refuge.
The relationships that develop between the protagonist and the minor
characters in the book as they help each other to adapt to
lives as escapees in a war-torn country are enjoyable to watch
progress and see how one can help another grow. This is especially
evident between Mo and Nonstop who at first could not even bear to
be in the same cell as each other, but eventually grow closer than
brothers. The use of a multi-layered narrative allows the book to be
read as poetic enhancing of the experience and makes you ponder a wide
variety of subject matter including war, redemption, corruption and
even our very existence. Nonstop's comparison between Justice and
Cheese sums up their rights being revoked 'It comes in wheels, it's
often full of wholes, sometimes it's mouldy, and by the time we get
to see any it's been cut very, very thinly. Oh and the stuff they
have abroad is usually better than ours.' An emotionally powerful
story with excellent characters and refreshingly witty dialogue.
Corey Joyce (Student)
One rule for Jack by Sally Morgan and Ezekiel Kwaymullina
Ill. by Craig Smith. Omnibus, 2014. ISBN 9781742990330.
(Age: 7+) Recommended. Aboriginal themes. Family life. When Jack
wants to slide out of jobs to do around the home, he has one rule,
'do it badly'. When showering in the morning, he turns on the tap,
wets his hair, then walks out with a towel around his waist. He
thinks that he has tricked his Mum into believing he has had a
shower.
On Saturday, he wants to go to Thommo's house, but Mum gets him to
do a chore first. Sweeping the leaves from the verandah is easy when
you break the boom handle, but then Mum gives him the dustpan and
brush. The reader will start to get an inkling that perhaps Mum is
not being fooled as easily as Jack thinks. Again Mum asks him to mop
the floor, but instead he puts the mop head into the toilet. When he
must later unblock the toilet, the lesson is driven home.
Gran comes over with cakes and joins the fun of making him aware of
doing things correctly. Then when Dad comes home, he gives his son
the smelliest job yet and he wangles a way around it, just like
other times, but this time, his Dad and uncle have him cornered.
With wonderful illustrations by Craig Smith, the story of Jack
getting his just deserts is very funny, and will intrigue readers.
Fran Knight
An English boy in New York by T.S Easton
Hot Key Books 2014. ISBN 9781471401497.
(Age: 13+) While this is the sequel to Boys
don't knit there are sufficient explanatory references
dotted throughout the story to keep the new reader up to speed.
Having won Knit Fair UK Simon has been invited to New York to attend
Knit Fair USA. Hence begins a lightweight romp through the Big Apple
with the knitter himself, his parents, and mad mate 'innit' Gez who
catches up with his American 'gangster' cousin Keith.
Throughout the visit Simon is constantly teetering on the precipice
of some form of trouble. Starting with losing his suitcase then
being chased by 'the homeless guy', accidentally stabbing someone
with a crochet hook and rescuing his mate from a sleazy
neighbourhood.
After having rashly announced in a radio interview that he is a
faster knitter than a machine the focus for the plot turns into 'man
(or in this case boy) versus machine', the match up for which
becomes the climax of the story.
The story is sprinkled with lively characters. Much to Simon's
embarrassment his risque parents constantly converse in double
entendres and don't mind the odd game of rude scrabble. Gez is a
constant source of concern with his propensity for seeking, and
finding, trouble. While Simon is concerned about the fidelity of his
girlfriend, Megan, still home in England he is not immune to the
attractiveness of Brandi, his agent, with the the gleaming white
teeth or even the attentive Melanee, head of a rival knitting
association.
Throughout the story Easton makes references to the iconic features
of this famous city: hot dogs, baseball, the flat iron building, the
subway, Madison Square Garden and of course every tourist's concern -
how much to tip? At a different level he explores the question of
big business versus cottage industry.
In the end, Simon realises there is 'no place like home' but the
reader suspects he will miss his philly cheese steaks.
A humorous, light-hearted story with appeal to those who can
suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride.
Barb Rye
Alice-Miranda in Japan by Jacqueline Harvey
Random House, 2014. ISBN 9781742757599.
'Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones attends boarding
school at Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young
Ladies. A truly positive heroine, she is funny, kind, optimistic and
able to solve just about any problem.'
Alice-Miranda's latest adventure takes her to Japan, together with
all her family and friends. The family cook, Dolly Oliver has been
invited by the Japanese Ministry for Invention and Innovation to
speak at an international conference about her 'Just Add Water'
foods and within days, everyone is on the
Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones' private jet to Tokyo. Intertwined
with Alice-Miranda's story is that of Kiko, a young Japanese runaway
which takes the story to places that make it intriguing and
page-turning as well as showing a behind-the-scenes look at Japanese
life.
Fans of Alice-Miranda will enjoy this 9th book about her; newcomers
may need to use the Cast of Characters at the back to get an
understanding of who's who because of the complexity of the names
and the relationships. The glossary of Japanese words is also a
bonus, although many can be worked out within the context of the
story so the reading is not interrupted.
For those readers who cannot wait for there to be another
Alice-Miranda adventure - there are at least three more to come -
there are now websites to feed their enjoyment http://jacquelineharvey.com.au/
and http://alice-miranda.blogspot.com.au/
with blogs, trailers and activities.
Barbara Braxton
Analogue men: a novel by Nick Earls
Vintage Australia, 2014. ISBN 9781864711523
Recommended for anyone with a sense of humour.'Do you ever feel like
you might have just one more chance to get on top of your life and
make things happen?'
Andrew Van Fleet has been a long-distance husband, father and son
for some years as he flitted from one location to another
trouble-shooting for his huge company (BDK) - turning around
corporate disasters, salvaging failing business empires and
moderating company debt levels - sort of like a corporate Superman
really. As he nudges his 50th birthday, he realises it's time
to relinquish the demands of his position and reconnect with his
home and family by taking a step down to manage BDK's Brisbane radio
station and restore it to its former glory.
After all he has the right pedigree, his dad having been one of
Brisbane's top radio announcers in times past and growing up
surrounded by music and records. Dad, Casey, now resides in the
family home's granny flat following bowel surgery and his wife's
death, along with a rather unattractive bulldog named Winston.
Andrew's wife Robyn, all medical efficiency epitomised, is pleased
to have her husband home - if only because he's the one who can make
the best coffee in the coffee machine. Their twins Abi and Jack are
routinely self-obsessed with the usual teen pursuits and pretty much
distant from a father who hasn't been around much.
Andrew faces not only the challenge of becoming the radio station's
general manager, with no real knowledge of the industry, but finds
he is surrounded by the digital age which seems to have passed him
by. Wife, kids and even father, not to mention all and sundry at the
radio station seem to be permanently glued to their iPads and other
devices. Andrew on the other hand is so technologically dyslexic
that he can't even manage his new mobile phone.
His other nemesis is trying to tame the radio station's leading star
- a fading middle-aged announcer, Brian Brightman, who styles
himself as the epitome of 'shock rock jock' and is openly scathing
of both Andrew's arrival and moral issues in general.
Within this framework Nick Earls takes the reader on a hilarious
road trip through Andrew's journey to establish himself into his
'new normal' as he fumbles his way through family relationships,
becoming the bad new boss of radio and finding his own place as the
dreaded 50 looms nearer.
One cannot help becoming engaged with Andrew as he struggles with
his return to suburbia and 'real life'. His awkwardness with almost
any situation is endearing and resonant. All who have raised
teenagers recognise the anxieties he has around his children, all
who have found that after a length of time - and distance - intimate
relationships blur around the edges and all who have aging parents
who need both support and understanding will immediately identify
with Andrew's dilemmas. His difficulties in establishing some kind
of order at the radio station as the new boss will also be familiar
to any who have stepped into a new workplace and been at a complete
and utter loss.
As always, with any Nick Earls book, I snorted with laughter
throughout. In fact, finishing the last couple of chapters yesterday
at my hairdresser's, I had to show the book and do a 'book talk' to
everyone because I was so openly shaking with giggles.
If you are like me, a Nick Earls devotee, do yourself a favour and
put this on your 'to read' list without delay.
Sue Warren
Rivertime by Trace Balla
Allen & Unwin, 2014. ISBN 9781743316337
Highly recommended for around Year 3 upwards. Every now and then a
book comes along and you just look at it amazed. This apparent
picture book is really a graphic novel that recounts an
extraordinary trip along the Glenelg River undertaken by a small boy
and his Uncle Egg, as they observe the birdlife, people, country and
all of nature.
From the magnificent end papers detailing the wildlife encountered
to the beautiful illustrations (ink and colour pencils I believe) to
the beautiful flow of action and pictures which echo the river's
meandering, this is just sumptuous.
Meeting many interesting people along their trip, Clancy and Uncle
Egg find out more about the traditional owners of the lands through
which they pass and encounter quirky characters. There is such a
richness in this book and while beautiful in itself, lends itself
perfectly to so many teaching points including maths, time,
environmental issues and ecosystems, mapping, natural wildlife,
Indigenous culture, literacy and more. The illustrations and format
would be terrific springboards to storyboarding, art activities,
illustrated journals and scientific diaries.
It is impossible to do this justice in a review - I strongly
encourage you to add this title to your Primary level collection.
Download a free pocket sized birdwatching
guide or teaching
notes from the Allen & Unwin site.
Sue Warren
1914 by Sophie Masson
Australia's Great War series. Scholastic, 2014. ISBN
9781743622476.
Sophie Masson is to be congratulated for writing about Australians
in the Great War without feeling an obligation to open with
Gallipoli in 1915. She introduces brothers Louis and Thomas Julian
who are French on their father's side and Australian on their
mother's, and places them in 1914 Sarajevo where Mr Julian is posted
as a diplomat. Significantly, moving in diplomatic circles, the boys
have firm friendships with an English boy, a Russian brother and
sister, a Serbian boy and an Austrian boy. These relationships
prompt a deeper consideration of later events.
The Julian brothers yearn for careers as journalists and the visit
of the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand affords them the
opportunity to write for publication via a newspaper friend of their
father's. The boys witness the assassination of the Archduke by the
Serbian Gavrilo Princip and submit a photograph with an article
which are printed in papers hungry for news. The complex
geo-political history prior to this event and the subsequent
invasions by Austria and Germany which lead to war are explained by
the author using narrative and dialogue.
When France is threatened, Thomas enlists, to the great sorrow of
his mother, and he cautions Louis, still underage, to resist the
temptation to follow him as this would be too great for her to bear.
Other factors come to prevent Louis' enlistment, yet he finds his
own place in the conflict as a war correspondent. This enables him
freedom and mobility to witness and report various battles and is a
clever device used by the author to present a much broader view than
could be gained by an ordinary soldier.
Historical fiction is a great teacher and Masson works hard to
explain the military tactics and chronology of battles taking place
in Belgium and France. The monstrous scale of destruction and the
unrelenting misery for civilians and soldiers enduring the new
trench warfare is admirably depicted. This story teaches that
courage and service to one's country and fellow citizens do not have
to be demonstrated through warlike activity. Readers will think
deeply about the real and perceived pressures which influenced young
men to serve when most of them had no concept of the unspeakable
ways they could be killed, wounded or mentally traumatised.
Rob Welsh
