Ill. by Ann James. Little Hare Books, 2015. ISBN 9781760123956
(Age: Baby) Recommended. Board book, Animals, Family. That's the way
I love you is the refrain used at the end of every three phrases,
telling of the love and companionship shared between a small child
and her dog. They do many things together, play games, run around,
share food, dress up, jump, share secrets, cuddle up and read, then
fall asleep, secure in the knowledge that each is there for the
other. The list of activities they share builds up through the day,
waking and putting on the dog's lead, playing, then having lunch,
the afternoon bath and then bedtime. The sequences will remind the
reader of their own routines during the day. Themes of sharing, of
fun and play, are all surrounded by the love the two companions have
for each other and all readers will share that feeling as the book
is read to them by a loving parent or friend.
Ann James' illustrations are beautiful, adding to the spare words,
giving a deeper level of meaning to the text. Her joyous child's
face parallels that of the lovely dog, with the exuberant activities
slowing down towards the end of the book as they fall asleep.
Movement is masterfully depicted with a few lines and brushes of
colour, adding to the mesmerising effect of the story. I love the
whole book, and I am sure all kids who hear the story, handle the
board book, and look at the pictures will too.
Fran Knight
The two of us by Andy Jones
Simon and Schuster, 2015. ISBN 9781471142444
(Age: Adult) Sex scenes and drug references. The two of us
is a story of one year told exclusively through the eyes of William
Fisher. At the beginning Fisher, as he likes to called, meets Ivy
and so begins a nineteen day passionate affair which results in
Ivy's pregnancy. The two settle down to face the ensuing nine
months, passion being replaced by aching backs, morning sickness and
all the other accoutrements of gestation. While Ivy is the one to be
enduring these, Fisher, as he so insistently tells the reader, tries
to be understanding: a supportive modern man.
The details of 'their' pregnancy are graphically explained and only
occasionally interrupted by Fisher's shallow descriptions of his
work as a film director primarily making advertisements for such
scintillating products as toilet paper and cheese. His weekly visits
to his friends El and Phil add some distraction and Jones does
elicit some sympathy for these characters as El is dying from
Huntington's disease and the degenerative effects are described
vividly although not without a touch of black humour.
While Ivy is naturally central to this story the reader gains very
little insight into her character. What we do see is merely what
Fisher tells us as a reflection of his own feelings toward her. We
have little opportunity to develop our own thoughts and opinions.
While the concept of a novel such as this has some merit, it fails
to deliver to any great depth and would have appeal to a limited
audience.
Barb Rye
Minton Goes! by Anna Fienberg
Ill. by Kim Gamble. Allen & Unwin, 2014
(Age: 4-7) Highly recommended. Minton Goes includes seven
adventure-filled stories in one big book, from Hector the
Hottest Boy who ever lived to all of Minton the spotty
salamander's escapades. Hector and Minton live on a tropical island.
They enjoy mangoes and pineapples and each other's company. Hector
longs for a real friend, someone to talk to and hug, however, he's
too hot to touch. Minton rides on his big toe because salamanders
can dance through fire. After a tropical storm, they are blown out
to sea and begin a new life in a Viking village. Hector's warmth is
used in lots of creative ways.
Minton leaves Hector behind and goes off on his own adventures. He
loves anything that moves, boats, trucks, cars and submarines. With
his less adventurous friend Turtle they explore the world, making
model vehicles out of everyday objects. The plans for construction
are included at the end of each story. The themes of these stories
celebrate friendship, creativeness and resourcefulness.
This is a wonderful story collection from Anna Fienberg and Kim
Gamble's creators of the Tashi series. There is a seamless,
complimentary collaboration between the story and the illustrations.
It's time to introduce Hector and Minton to a new generation of
young readers.
Rhyllis Bignell
Lennie the legend: Solo to Sydney by pony by Stephanie Owen Reeder
National Library of Australia, 2015. ISBN 9780642278654
(Age: 9+) Recommended. Lennie the legend is based on the story of
Lennie Gwyther, who rode his pony Ginger Mick from the family farm
in Victoria to Sydney to attend the opening ceremony of the Sydney
Harbour Bridge in 1932. His journey was reported in the newspapers
of the day, and like the bridge he went to see, helped to lift the
spirits of Australians during the Great Depression.
Stephanie Owen Reeder has developed an effective strategy for
focusing on a personal journey while immersing readers in the daily
life of a bygone era. Lennie's story, told in strong, well-paced
prose and convincing dialogue, relates how he coped with bushfire
and flood, was helped by relatives and strangers alike, and
encountered characters as diverse as swagmen and the Prime Minister.
Each stage of the journey ends with an explanation of one aspect of
social conditions at the time - farming life, the consequences of
the Great War, mass unemployment and the optimism engendered by
nation-building projects such as the construction of Canberra and
the bridge. An epilogue traces the course of Lennie's life until his
death in 1992. These passages facilitate an understanding of the
significance of Lennie's achievement while allowing the narrative
itself to flow uninterrupted by intrusive explanations of its
historical context. The text has been complemented with photographs,
maps and posters, which the designers have presented in the style of
an old-fashioned photograph album. A bibliography, glossary, picture
credits, index and author's notes are evidence of thorough research.
The inclusion of some invented names, dialogue and events is
explained as being due both to necessity, when information is
unavailable, and to a desire to heighten the impact of the story.
Part history and part historical fiction, Lenny the legend brings to
life an inspirational episode from Australia's past and provides an
insight into the values and resilience of a generation that survived
against the odds.
Elizabeth Bor
Extra weird! by Anh Do
Ill. by Jules Faber. Weirdo 3. Scholastic, 2014. ISBN
9781743627051
(Age: 8-10) Recommended. Anh Do's wickedly humorous Weir Do returns
in this laugh out loud graphic novel. Weir's family members are
rather unique characters, Mum's so cheap she tells her children the
icecream truck only plays music when he's run out of icecream!
Granddad and Dad love hanging like monkeys on the bars, younger
brother Roger eats anything: old gum on shoes and worms in the
backyard.
Mum's competition wins are unusual, there's the camel's saddle and
the anchor waiting for a ship, but it is Dad's dance entry in the
Talent Quest that is hilarious. The prize is a year's supply of dog
food - of course the Do's don't have a pet dog. Jules Faber's
cartoons showcase Dad's quirky moves, there's the worm dance, the
horsey, the shopping trolley, changing light bulbs and the snake.
Granddad even shares his itchy bottom squirrel steps.
Boy jokes about boogers and farts with gross pictures that add to the fun
of reading Ahn Do's junior novel. Soccer fans will love Weir's
attempts to gain much-needed skills before the tryouts and his first
game. Dad's dance moves come in handy for goalie Weir!
Another funny addition to the Weirdo series, great for reluctant
readers and fans of the diary style novel.
Rhyllis Bignell
The adventures of Stunt Boy and his amazing wonder dog Blindfold by Lollie Barr
Pan Macmillan, 2014. ISBN 9781742613673
(Age: 9+) Recommended. Adventure. Circus. Bike stunts. When Stunt
Boy's dad, Fred Stoke comes off his bike during a routine display
for the Stoked Stunt Circus, owned by the family, Stunt Boy is
suspicious. The circus manager, Ginger Styles takes over but when
Stunt Boy sees her talking to his father's rival, Chesterley, he
decides to investigate further. With dad in hospital in a coma, he
must work alone. But he has two companions, Benny his best friend,
and his dog, Blindfold. They decide to raid the other circus and
getting themselves caught, end up locked in cage next to the lion
cage. Here they are able to see some of the goings on in this circus
where animals are treated poorly, but when the Police turn up, it is
Stunt Boy and Benny who get into trouble.
The boys find that their circus is on the edge of bankruptcy and are
able to persuade a famous rider to ride for them for free. All seems
well but Stunt Boy's uncles turn up, bent on selling the circus now
that their brother is incapacitated, and so Stunt Boy's problems
deepen.
This is a funny story of circuses and adventure where two young boys
and their dog are able to save the family business, learning a lot
about human nature along the way. They expose some illegal
activities in the rival circus and of course save the day at their
own. A warm story for upper primary boys.
Fran Knight
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
Orion Books, 2015. ISBN 9781409151173
(Age: 15+) Highly Recommended. This is a world divided by blood -
Red or Silver. The poverty-stricken Reds are commoners, slaves,
living in the shadow of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like
powers. Mare Barrow, 17-year-old Red girl from the Stilts, her life
is already set for her. She is going to be sent to war. Mare finds
herself working at the Silver palace; in the midst of those she
hates the most. Quickly, she discovers that, despite her red blood,
she possesses a rare and deadly power of her own. One that threatens
to destroy Silver control. Power is a dangerous game, and Mare must
learn to play.
This is a thrilling and breath-taking fantasy set in a dystopian
world; an amazing read that had me hooked with the first chapter and
I could not put the novel down, finishing it in one sitting. There
was at no point in the novel that I felt lost or confused.
Victoria Aveyard created a storyline that was perfect and
outstandingly captivating. Mare has had to grow up fast and had to
re-learn a new way of living without losing herself in the process.
This is one that I definitely recommend.
Cecilia Richards
Square Eyes words and music by Craig Smith
Ill. by Scott Tulloch. Scholastic New Zealand, 2014. ISBN:
9781775432692
(Age: 3-6) Recommended. Listen to the enclosed CD for another
exciting song by Craig Smith, much-loved creator of The Wonky
Donkey and Willbee the Bumblebee. Sing along to Square
Eyes as Panda and his friends sit on the couch all day and
watch television. A beanie-wearing bee warns his friends not to let
the day waste away. After some initial difficulties the turtle,
lemur, owl and panda are encouraged to try dancing, play games and
read at the library. Book surfing, swimming in the ool - no 'p'
please, climbing trees and baking cookies are great suggestions.
Panda is not quite convinced, every time the chorus is sung, of
course, he's back on the couch watching another show. Craig Smith
suggests hiking in the hills, doing chores or learning an
instrument, at the end of a busy day, the four friends are back on
the couch napping.
Scott Tulloch's bold paintings complement the lyrics, Panda's tv
snack is bamboo in a popcorn box! He imaginatively uses the white
spaces as the characters zoom in from different directions on bikes,
scooters, surfboards and books.
Another entertaining song and story picture book from Craig Smith.
Rhyllis Bignell
Silver Shoes series by Samantha-Ellen Bound
Random House Australia, 2015
Book 1: And All That Jazz. ISBN 9780857982827
Book 2: Hit the Streets. ISBN 9780857982841
(Age: 8-10 years) Recommended for dance enthusiasts. Junior Novel.
Samantha-Ellen Bound's new four novel series introduces Miss
Caroline's Silver Shoes Dance Studio and four girls who love
different dance styles. The author is a skilled dancer and
choreographer who has drawn from her own experiences to create this
world of tap, ballet, rap, ballroom and jazz.
In And All That Jazz, ten year old Eleanor Irvin's whole
world revolves around dance classes and her best friend Paige. She
is very competitive and desperate to be part of the elite troupe
chosen to perform at the Jazz Groove Dance Competition. She has a
few problems to overcome, auditions are a struggle and she's sure
her number one enemy Jasmine is out to ruin her chances. Ellie
becomes even more upset when a new student Ashley from a rival dance
company begins jazz lessons too. From specific jazz moves to the
nitty gritty of dance classes, this junior novel captures the world
of dance for young enthusiasts. Hit the Streets focuses on Ashley who has settled into
lessons at the studio and now made friends with Ellie, Riley and
Paige. Silver Shoes Dance Studio offers free trial lessons in
different dance styles and Ash is keen to try Hip Hop. At home she
loves to listen to hip hop tunes and watch her sister Bridget's
boyfriend Brimax dance with his crew. She loves her first class and
the teacher Jay, who encourages her to find her own beat. Ash's
dance clothes and shoes are old and worn and her family is unable to
afford new ones so she finds work cleaning up the costumes and props
room at the studio for discount passes to lessons. This second story
delivers all the dance moves, as well as showing how one girl's
determination and creativity help solve her clothing dilemma.
Rhyllis Bignell
Summer of monsters by Tony Thompson
Black Dog Books, 2014. ISBN 9781742032252
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended, Frankenstein, Horror, Fictionalised
biography. In 1792, Mary Wollstonecraft wrote a seminal feminist
book, A vindication of the rights of women, but died five
years later after her daughter was born. The girl, named for her
mother, had an erratic upbringing. Her father took her daily to
visit her mother's grave and eventually succumbed to the attentions
of a woman who he married, a woman Mary despised. At the time great
interest was shown in medical things, Mary and her father once
attended an experiment where Dr Aldini used electric currents to try
and bring them back to life a recently hanged man. Dinner
conversations with learned men were commonplace at their home, and
Mary sat and listened, but the new woman in the household clashed
constantly with Mary. She was sent off to Dundee to stay with
friends.
Coming back to London when she was sixteen, she met the poet,
Shelley and eloped with him to Europe along with her step sister,
Clare. Here they lived a nomadic life, shocking conventional
attitudes, attracting ridicule and even abuse. Mary Shelley as she
became went on to write the most famous horror story of all time, Frankenstein.
This fictionalised biography of Mary and her companions is
enthralling. The background of the time is captivating, giving the
reader a sound basis to look at their lives within the context of
the early years of the nineteenth century. Conventions were put
aside by Shelley and others in his circle, a circle which included
the poet Byron, and in 1816 in Geneva, they were challenged to write
a ghost story by Dr John Polidoris, another member of the group,
later to write the first modern vampire novel. Mary wrote the
beginnings of her novel, Frankenstein, bringing together all
the sights and discussions she had seen and been involved in during
her life, writing a book that has been rewritten, republished,
filmed and parodied ever since. Thompson's book is utterly
fascinating and brings to life the strange characters that made up
the group around Byron and Shelley, poets who died within eight
years of that summer in Geneva.
Fran Knight
A is for Australia by Frane Lessac
Walker Books, 2015. ISBN 9781922179760
(Age: 7+) Australia, Iconic places, Cities, Rural landscapes.
Frane's naive style of painting is used again in this new offering
from Walker Books. Subtitled, A factastic tour, it gives
younger readers a taste of some well known places in Australia,
giving information accompanied by maps and pictures in an A-Z
format. It is easy to point out some obvious omissions, but
selecting just 26 of the places that are representative of Australia
would be very difficult, and makes an interesting exercise with
children to work out what they would include.
Accuracy has taken second place to impression as a quick overview is
all that is offered for younger readers. The selection includes the
Nullarbor, Bondi Beach, Kakadu, Uluru, as well as lesser known
physical features, Wave Rock, Rottness Island, Coober Pedy and so
on. The range is tantalisingly thought provoking. Just what would I
include? And why this and not that? Again an interesting class
activity.
Each selection in the main covers a double page with lots of odd
little bits of information given placed around the picture. So on
Coober Pedy, for example, the subtitle tells us that this is the
largest opal mining town in the world, then the pictures represent
the open cut method of extracting the opal, and the home beneath the
surface. Information is given about opals, why people live
underground, when golf is played and who the traditional owners are.
Some less well known places will be new to readers, Qui Qui, a sheep
station in Queensland, Exmouth and Yallingup in Western Australia,
for example. The book covers much of Australia and although the map
under A is a bit dismissive of South Australia, it does serve the
needs of the book, but I would imagine a teacher will have a map of
Australia somewhere at hand to use with the class. For younger
readers this will be a treat of information and pictures to ponder.
Fran Knight
Funny families by Dr Mark Norman
Black Dog Books, 2015. ISBN 9781922179975
(Age: 6-10) Highly recommended. Animals, Families, Non fiction. In a
series of books about animals, Dr Norman of Museum Victoria promotes
their oddity in the books, Funny bums, Funny faces
and Funny homes. The fourth in the series, Funny
families, promises to be just as informative, including a
large dose of humour to engage younger readers. The front cover with
its family of meerkats bunched together will intrigue readers to go
further. The photographs sourced from a wide range of places, all
acknowledged inside the front cover, support the spare text, as Dr
Norman outlines the odd lives led by some animals.
Each double page offers a different perspective on several groups of
animals, how many offspring the animal has, to who looks after the
offspring, to learning about their environment, and finally leaving
home.
The book takes the reader on the cycle of birth to independence, all
with wonderfully informative photographs and a text which is pared
back to give basic facts about that animal.
Several pages are my favourites. I love the pages entitled Difficult
kids, with its images of an echidna, the spikes designed for
protection, but being born spineless which helps with the rearing,
and on the facing page is a shark and its offspring with information
I had not come across before.
At the end of this lovely production is a short glossary, an easy to
use index, and a double page with further information about some of
the animals represented. All in all an informative easy to read book
for primary people.
Fran Knight
Smek for President by Adam Rex
Bloomsbury, 2015. ISBN 9781408855461
(Age: 9+) Adam Rex's The True Meaning of Smekday was an outstanding
success, a unique alien adventure that has become a Dreamworks
animated movie. This much waited for sequel Smek for President sends
Tip and J. Lo off on a very funny intergalactic adventure to New
Boovworld. The Boov have settled on one of Saturn's moons after
being banished from Earth. The Boov blame J. Lo for interfering with
their takeover of Earth, so J. Lo and Tip take Slushious, a modified
Chevy spaceship into outer space to make amends with the Boov.
Of course, things go awry, leading to many adventures, daring
escapes and much hilarity. J. Lo is named Public Enemy Number
One by Captain Smek who determines he will win the Boovs' first-ever
presidential election if the little purple alien is captured. Along
with the aid of a flying billboard named Bill, they travel through
garbage chutes, are chased by spaceships, fight evil baddies and
play an exciting game of Stickfish. There are underlying themes of
acceptance, love and friendship.
Adam Rex's hilarious cartoons provide the reader with more
laughs and insight into this unique world. To fully understand this
extraterrestrial encounter, the alien language and alien races and
characters The True Meaning of Smekday is a must-read before
engaging with this second science-fiction novel.
Rhyllis Bignell
The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson
Text Publishing, 2014. ISBN 9782922182227
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Post traumatic stress disorder,
Returned soldiers, Homelessness, Alcohol and drugs. I read this book
in late 2013, and the more I think about it the more I see it as a
class set for middle secondary, as it brings in many issues relevant
to teens today. Seventeen year old Hayley is not your usual school
kid, she often truants for no reason, and is surly and often
uncooperative. So when she is sent to the student counsellor after
seven detentions, she is forced to agree to see her for a session.
The counsellor makes Hayley sit up and take notice with two pieces
of information, one that her father has not been at work for months
and the second that her stepmother has been in touch with the
school.
She rushes off to find her father, and talks Finn into driving her.
She finds the man at their home, his mother's house where they have
finally settled after many years of wandering, trying to avoid her
stepmother and the authorities.
She finds a broken man, one suffering from delusions and anxiety,
taking to alcohol and drugs to ease the pain of his life, unable to
hold down a job. Hayley watches out for him like a mother hen, but
she needs to start to look out for herself.
We find that her father's experiences in war have left him suffering
depression, anxiety and paranoia. He is unable to settle to things,
sleeps badly, waking from nightmares for which alcohol is the only
antidote. Both he and Hayley have rebuffed all attempts to help them
and run away from Grace Hayley's stepmother. Some of his old army
buddies call by and stay the weekend reminiscing about old times,
but he has a psychotic episode and kicks them out.
The two characters are beautifully drawn; the one suffering from
post traumatic stress, descending into paranoia and seclusion, while
she does all she can to protect him. He sees Hayley as a young girl
still, one needing a protective father who controls her moves. The
author shows this vividly when the man takes a swipe at the even
tempered Finn who has driven Hayley home. But Hayley too suffers
trauma. She cannot see the past clearly, and we see the events
through her eyes, and her recollection is muddy.
A crisis occurs in which both father and daughter see no way out but
suicide: he goes to the cliff near the town, she has some pills that
Grace has given her for sleeping. Both people are at the end of
their tether, and readers will read on to see how the pair survives
their ordeal.
This great read includes a number of topical themes; post traumatic
stress disorder, truanting, homeless, effects of war, the role of
step parents, the role of a school, and so on. With a class these
themes would engender some great discussions, including the
structure of a novel when the narrator is telling her version of the
truth which does not entirely connect with reality and so is
unreliable.
Fran Knight
Rain dance by Karen Wood
Allen & Unwin, 2014. ISBN 9781743316405
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Rural Australia, Romance. After losing their
own farm, Holly's dad finds three months work at a station west of
Gunnedah. She thinks it is the end of the earth, and her mood is not
lightened after meeting Kaydon, the son of the owner, back from his
private school for the holidays. His mother has used his photo to
advertise the coming Easter ball with the proceeds going to the
local drought relief. Our two main characters clash from the start,
but readers will know that they will eventually find some common
ground. The author has captured rural life in Australia well,
bringing to the attention of mainly city readers, the problems faced
by their rural counterparts. Talk of drought and fire, of losing
farms to bankruptcy, coal seam gas exploration and carbon subsidies,
sit alongside hints about how gay men cope in rural Australia, or
how people learning new agricultural methods are received when
taking these ideas back to the farms.
Kaydon's father has taken a partner, so offsetting the imminent
losses due to drought, but the younger people are suspicious of this
man who knows nothing about rural life and certainly nothing about
farming. Their suspicions are confirmed when they find that he has
links to the coal seam gas exploration company. The book gives an
easily absorbed look at rural Australia and how kids like these cope
with a different environment. It is a page turner, and follows the
success of Jumping fences (2012).
Fran Knight
