Ill. by Lucia Masciullo. Puffin Books, 2014. Pearlie the spy by Gabrielle Wang. ISBN 9780143307969 Daisy in the mansion by Michelle Hamer. ISBN 9780143307655
(Age: Yr 3+) Our Australian girl is a series which features
'a girl like me in a time gone by' which tells each girl's story in
a mini-series of several books. The series itself aims 'to encourage
a new generation to discover our history and culture in all its
diversity, and to celebrate the independence of spirit that we
treasure as Australians'.
Joining Grace, Letty, Poppy, Rose, Nellie, Alice, Lina and Ruby who
have each featured in previous stories are Pearlie and Daisy and
soon, Marly.
Pearlie's story is set in Darwin in 1941 and the war is changing
Pearlie's life every day. Darwin is full of soldiers, there's a spy
on the loose, and people are turning against Pearlie's best friend,
Naoko, just because she's Japanese.
For Daisy it's 1930. She lives on a farm, where she loves riding her
horse, Jimmy, through the paddocks. Times are tough, and when her
father loses his job, Daisy and her little sister, Flora, are sent
to Melbourne to live with their aunt and uncle. Daisy must leave
behind everyone she loves for a city she's never seen, and even her
wildest daydreams can't prepare her for the new life that awaits
her.
Each book contains extra pages with information about the time in
which the girls lived, providing a deeper context for the setting.
Historical fiction is a great way to take students out of their
world into new ones and this series is proving a popular way of
doing that. I know many Yr 3+ students who eagerly await the next
installment. When I reviewed the early stories in the series a
couple of years ago I predicted it would be a hit and it has proved
to be so.
The website
provides a lot of information about the other characters who feature
in the series, as well as reviews, activities, author information
and extracts to entice.
Barbara Braxton
There will be lies by Nick Lake
Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781408856000
(Age 14+) Highly recommended. Thriller. Magic realism. Road trip.
Shelby Jane Cooper is almost 18. She lives at home with her mother
who has home-schooled her. Her days are highly organised by her
mother who is totally preoccupied with keeping her safe, away from
the world and especially men. When she is hit by a car and has to go
to hospital with a broken leg, secrets that her mother has been
keeping begin to unravel and they run away from the old life that
they had. Only her mother seems to know just what they are running
from and Shelby doesn't know what to believe. Her only friend seems
to be a coyote and she starts to slip in and out of her world, not
knowing what the truth is and what is a lie.
I found this to be a gripping thriller that I couldn't put down. The
character of Shelby was awesome and her first person narration as
she describes what happens kept me on the edge of my seat, even
though I knew that I couldn't rely on it. She is a clever girl whose
intelligence shines through her comments even when she is
exaggerating and touches of humour lighten the mood, especially her
cynicism about how her deafness is viewed. She freely admits that
she knows nothing about Native American folklore and the reader
knows that what she describes as she follows Coyote into an
alternative universe may not be what Native Americans believe. Her
alternate dream state provides a secondary story about killing the
mythical Crone and rescuing the weeping Child that is as gripping as
the road trip that she and her mother take to evade anyone
following.
Nick Lake is an award winning author of the Michael J Printz Award
2013 for In
darkness and his mastery of language is evident in
his world and character building. He is able to keep up the
riveting suspense by often leaving the reader on a cliffhanger at
the end of a chapter, which ensures that the next page is read just
to find out what is going to happen. He gives a brief introduction
to the book on YouTube.
Readers who enjoy thrillers will love this story and it could
provoke a lot of discussion in literature circles, in particular
about the use of Native American mythology by an author who has no
background in this area. (See a
review from Debbie Reese at the American Indians in Children's
Literature website, which is highly critical of this aspect.)
Pat Pledger
Diary of a... (series) by Shamini Flint
Ill. by Sally Heinrich. Allen & Unwin, 2015. Diary of a golf pro. ISBN 9781760111496 Diary of a basketball hero. ISBN 9781760111502
Recommended for 7-9 year olds. Shamini Flint's popular diary series
continues the story of sports-challenged Marcus Atkinson and his
optimistic father who is determined to find a sport suitable for his
son. In these two new adventures, basketball and golf are chosen with
of course, interesting and humorous results.
In Diary of a golf pro, Mr Atkinson kits Marcus out in check
golf trousers, baggy golf shirt and takes him and three classmates
Hulk, JT and James out for lessons. Marcus is a literal thinker, his
diary entries show his vivid imagination - tea instead of a golf
tee, hot chips not chip shots and Spot his dog has to help dig out
the holes Marcus fills in. Each golf lesson is a disaster. Marcus
makes sand angels in the bunker, hits himself with a rebound shot,
nothing seems to work out. At home Mum cheers him up and encourages
his cooking skills; the stuffed chicken with pumpkin puree is a
winner. After a difficult but surprising golf match Dad comes to the
realisation that this is not the sport for his son, maybe basketball
is the answer.
Of course in Diary of a basketball hero, Marcus is forced to
learn another sport; unfortunately he has to join a girls' team.
Dad's enthusiasm is no match for his son's ineptitude, even with all
the tips, practice and encouragement, the outcome of the final match
is a surprise. Sally Heinrich's cartoon sketches and speech bubbles
complement Shamini Flint's narrative.
These diary books are great for reluctant readers and sports
enthusiasts.
Rhyllis Bignell
The ever after of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen
Sphere, 2014. ISBN 9780751555318.
(Age: 18+) Sex scenes. The day that Ella has been waiting for has
arrived. Today she marries Micha, the love of her life. Everything
is perfect except for the unexpected package that brings back a
harsh reminder of Ella's awful past. How can Ella have a 'happily
ever after' if she has never even seen one? Micha will stand by Ella
no matter what is going through her mind and heart. He has been left
standing at the altar on his own once, will Ella make him go through
it again? Together they head back to their childhood home to help
Ella put her past behind her so she and Micha can move on with their
lives.
This is an extremely emotional read. Ella has so much that she
struggles with daily. She had to learn what love was and that was a
strong thing to read about. I was affected by the struggles Ella and
Micha had to deal with. The very first page hooked me and I could
not put it down, reading it in one sitting. A heartfelt read that
will bring tears to your eyes and fill your heart with hope for Ella
and Micha.
Cecilia Richards
Jamie Brown is NOT rich by Adam Wallace
Ford St, 2014. ISBN 9781925000368
(Age: 6-10) Humour. Kids who love humorous books of the ilk - Diary
of a wimpy kid, My life...(Tristan Bancks), Tom
Gates and so on - will love meeting Jamie Brown and his family
and friends.
Jamie and his family are poor - really poor - but his life is rich
in other ways. Living alongside equally impoverished families in the
old Grand Hotel on Hovel St, Jamie has quirky friends and loving
family to compensate for the lack of dollars.
Then one day the Brown's lives change dramatically when a distant
relative gives them a squillion dollars and the family is moved to a
huge mansion in Snootyville and Jamie is enrolled at a very posh
school. How will the Browns, and Jamie, cope with this unexpected
turnaround in their lives?
Examining themes such as bullying and being accepted, whether money
buys happiness and persistence, the book comedically charts the
progress of the Brown's rags-to-riches story. Interspersed with the
text which includes some very funky fonts are numerous, very
expressive, cartoon-style illustrations, which successfully break up
the story into very accessible chunks for readers who can be easily
daunted by loads of writing.
No doubt you have many readers already familiar with Adam's style
and this novel, which apparently was inspired by Happy Gilmore
(certainly one of my favourite movies!) will be sure to hit the
right spot for both boys and girls from around 8 upwards. You won't
go wrong adding this one to your shelves!
Find teaching
notes at Ford St Publishing.
Sue Warren
Alice in Wonderland
Disney Vintage Collection. Chirpy Bird, 2014. ISBN 9781742978215
(Age: K-4) One summer day, while daydreaming through a history
lesson, Alice spotted a fully dressed white rabbit hurrying past.
Curious, she followed him - down a rabbit hole and into an enchanted
world.
Wonderland was a peculiar place, filled with strange creatures and
nonsense. The Mad Hatter was busy celebrating his 'unbirthday', the
Cheshire Cat could appear and disappear at will, and the
temperamental Queen of Hearts would yell 'off with their heads' to
anyone who offended her - including poor Alice . . .
This is a retelling of the Lewis Carroll classic that is perfect for
younger readers. Whether read aloud or read alone, it is a wonderful
introduction that encapsulates the essence of Carroll's tale without
being overwhelming. In its special vintage livery of cloth spine,
gold foil and full colour illustrations in the traditional Disney
style, it is the final in this series which includes Bambi,
Cinderella, Peter Pan and Pinocchio. Each one
in the series is a great way to start children off on their journey
through the stories that have endured from generation to generation,
providing the foundation for understanding the originals when they
are ready.
Definitely worth having in your collection and suggesting to parents
and grandparents as a perfect gift.
Barbara Braxton
Monsters love underpants by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort
Simon & Schuster, 2014. ISBN 9781847385710
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. Now I'm not entirely sure exactly how
much you know about monsters, or indeed underpants, but I will be
you didn't know how completely inseparable these two are! Can't you
just hear the giggles now as you read aloud this newest of the
'Underpants' books?
From the rather wacky creators, Claire Freedman and Ben Cort, comes
this latest hilarious romp in the highly entertaining series that
has included Aliens and Dinosaurs.
Dazzlingly bright illustrations and an engaging rhyming text reveal
to the reader that perhaps that suspected rustling of a monster
under one's bed is because something hairy or spiky is actually
trying out YOUR snazziest pair! I think the best plan would be to
hide all the funky underwear away in its proper drawer because these
monsters are all too keen to flaunt the loudest and garish undies
they can lay their hands on - or bums in!
There are mountain monsters and sea monsters, space monsters and
swamp monsters and when they all get together for a monster rave at
the Saturday night disco, they jive and jitterbug with their
most flamboyant jocks. Of course, they have to scurry home because
after all, who could be afraid of a monster once you know they have
a peculiar pants penchant!
As I once did with a Year 1/2 class after reading another famous
underwear book (The Queen's knickers by Nicholas Allan) I do
think some colourfully created 'underpants' would make a super
display in a classroom or library! It was a great activity for
'patterning'.
Naturally, such a book is also a great starting point to dealing
with the imaginary fears some children may have - use the
'Riddikulus' spell and laugh those bogies away.
Highly recommended for sharing with little people from around 3 or 4
years upwards.
Sue Warren
The Vanishing Game by Kate Kae Myers
Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781619631274
(Age: 13+) Recommended. Mystery. Thriller. Horror. When 17 year old
Jocelyn receives a letter from Jason December, she is convinced that
her twin brother Jack has not died in a car accident, as she
previously thought, because he and their friend Noah are the only
people who know the meaning behind Jason December. She begins to
follow the clues in the letter, and these lead her back to Seal
House, the horrifying foster home where Jack, their friend Noah and
she spent time. She reunites with Noah, and the clues send them off
on a trip that uncovers what has happened to Jocelyn in her
childhood and what has happened to Jack in the company that employed
him and Noah.
The author has Jocelyn and Noah making a terrifying journey back to
their childhood where Jocelyn relives what had happened to Jack and
her when they arrived at Seal House. The owner had a nasty
initiation ceremony to the foster home where new children were
locked in the dark cellar without food or light for their first
night at the home, in order to terrify them and make sure that they
didn't give her any trouble. Elements of horror stories emerge, with
Jocelyn's arm displaying a huge bite mark from an attack while she
is in the cellar and the walls of the home and other buildings seem
to warp and move. The suspense is absolutely gripping with a hit man
chasing Jocelyn, blowing up the houses where she and Noah are
staying and demanding that she give him a list. Jocelyn also
encounters scary children who once lived at the home and their
actions are terrifying too.
Readers who really enjoy world puzzles and ciphers will have a lot
of fun working out the clues that arrive from Jason December, as
Jocelyn and Noah move from one place to another trying to find the
messages that have been left for them and working out if Jack is
still alive.
The low-key romance between Jocelyn and Noah is poignant as these
two geeks get to know each other after being apart for years.
Readers are sure to relate to Jocelyn and her plight with an abusive
mother and awful foster homes. However Jocelyn matures throughout
the story and readers will find solace in her observation that
problems 'are like pebbles on the shore. If you hold them close
to your eye, they seem gigantic. But if you put them where they
belong, you can have a better perspective on what they really
were'. pg.316
There is a massive twist at the end that will leave readers going
back over the story to see the clues that the author has given. It
makes sense of the mystery in the story but was totally unexpected
and it is this twist that made it such a good mystery for me.
Lovers of mysteries and thrillers are sure to enjoy The
vanishing game.
Pat Pledger
Jigsaw man by Elena Forbes
Text, 2015. ISBN 9781922182616
(Age: Mature readers) Elena Forbes' latest novel is the fourth in a
crime series with Detective Inspector Tartaglia and the Barnes
investigation team in London. The author won a Crime Writers'
Association award for an earlier title. In the previous books Sam
Donovan has been part of Mark Tartaglia's team, but following a
traumatic attack on them both Sam has left the police force. She is,
however, connected to the murdered woman whose death Tartaglia is
called to investigate. The victim is Sam's sister; she is found in a
hotel room strangled, and as Sam struggles to get information about
the death she becomes convinced that she knows who the killer is,
and that she, Sam, is his intended next victim. However, Tartaglia
is off this case and is not listening to her. He is dealing with
what proves to be a very bizarre series of murders in which the
incinerated bodies of victims are parts of several corpses
dismembered and sewn together again to look like one body. The two
plot lines run parallel, and are interspersed by the thoughts and
plans of a killer who is planning another murder but faces
harassment from an unexplained intruder. Which killer is not clear
until the suspenseful conclusion when Sam sets a trap and Tartaglia
closes in on his suspects, who include a much reviled businessman, a
thwarted chef and an ex-convict. The suspense builds as the reader
is never sure how the three plots are connected, or indeed if they
are. Forbes has a tight control of the narrative as she moves easily
from one perspective to another. The murders are gruesome but this
element is not dwelt upon as the interest is rather on the gathering
of evidence and the interplay of personalities. The characters are
believable enough, and the relationships between them are convincing
but the main interest lies in the unravelling of the plots. The
language is reasonably simple and the novel is recommended for
mature readers.
Jenny Hamilton
The Great Garden Mystery by Renee Treml
Random House Australia Children's, 2014. ISBN: 9780857984166
Highly recommended for young readers aged 5 and up. Just over a year
ago I had the distinct pleasure of reviewing Rene's second picture
book, Colour for Curlews. I absolutely loved it - and I love
this new one just as much.
There is great consternation in the garden. Someone is stealing the
beetroots - who could it be? The two curious curlews reappear and
assume the role of detectives and are enthusiastically 'helped' by
the speculations of the other animals who either find incriminating
clues such as square poos, a hole under the fence or tufts of fur or
use their knowledge of character traits to fling around accusations
so, as Fox is sneaky it could well be him. Following this maze
of clues leads to a final accusation against Roo - who bounds away
rather than stay to face this bush court (should that be kangaroo
court?). The garden is tidied up, new seeds planted and all seems
calm. That is, until nightfall when Wombat (in a reappearance from
the two earlier books) wakes up, and sets off for more free veggies
- especially beetroot!
This is a very amusing detective story for young readers and
certainly could lead to some interesting classroom discussions about
taking care when leaping to conclusions.
Once again I am very struck with Renee's illustrative techniques. In
this new book, the characters themselves are quite monochromatic but
the effect of them placed against coloured backgrounds in the double
page spreads is really striking. The lovely endpapers with a
trail of munched beetroots against the white space are similarly
attractive.
Another picture book which lends itself particularly well to
read-aloud sessions and no doubt much debate and discussion about
who the guilty party might be, as well as introducing some judicial
new vocabulary.
Visit Renee's website here
and find teaching notes here.
Sue Warren
The Starbound Trilogy: This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
Hyperion Books, 2014. ISBN 9781743319703
(Age: 16+) Highly recommended. The People of Avon are at war on a
still-terra-forming planet. They think that there are only two sides
to the war: military and rebel forces. How wrong they are . . .
Following the journey of military captain, Lee Chase and rebel
leader, Flynn Cormac, two of the most notorious names on Avon, this
second instalment fights to show that La Roux Industries was working
in secret throughout the galaxy. During their first meeting Captain
Chase and Cormac fight tooth and nail to gain the upper hand. Chase
is the superior fighter and famous for being a bloodthirsty killer,
while Cormac is simply fishing for information. He is well educated
for the Fianna and at first Chase thinks that he's an off worlder,
but her hopes are quashed when she is drugged and taken east to a
secret facility that Cormac had discovered. It wasn't military and
it wasn't Fianna. Confused and frightened, Cormac takes Chase to the
caves where the Fianna live, hoping to make a trade with the
military for information. He is desperately worried about his planet
and why it isn't progressing. After three generations of colonists
the planet is still unable to support life. But this mystery is too
mysterious for the Fianna, and for the military as well. The pair
become outlaws from their own homes and must forge ahead to discover
the truth and save their people from the Fury, a mind altering
illness which drives people to murder one another without
discrimination.
Unexpectedly, the second instalment introduces new main characters
into the trilogy while Tarver and Lilac La Roux keep a low profile,
hiding in some far corner of the galaxy, only to come out when most
needed.
Although I am no lover of science fiction I would highly recommend
this for young people over the age of sixteen who have an interest
in sci-fi and romance.
Kayla Gaskell, age eighteen.
Dragons at Crumbling Castle: and other stories by Terry Pratchett
Random House Australia, 2014. ISBN 9780857534378
Once upon a time, in the 1960s, there was a young cub reporter who
worked for the Bucks Free Press covering such scintillating
happenings as village fairs and other local events. Despite the
rigours of such journalism, Sir Terry Pratchett began writing short
stories for young readers which were also published in the
newspaper.
This rather unostentatious beginning was to lead to the magical,
fantastical world of Pratchett as we know it.
Sir Terry has trawled back over these stories from his youth and
selected some for this volume - mostly exactly as they were written
originally, with only a little tweaking here and there.
Of particular interest I think are Tales of the Carpet People
and Another Tale of the Carpet People which of course later
developed into Terry's first novel.
Dragons and wizards, a lake monster, an adventurous tortoise called
Hercules and pointy hats and magic spells a-plenty come together in
a humorous romp through the young Pratchett's imagination.
Whether you are a diehard fan or more selective of the many
offerings penned by this master storyteller or even if - surely not!
- you have never read a Terry Pratchett book, this is a terrific
anthology which would sit well on shelves from primary to lower
secondary or home.
' . . . that naive young lad on the motorbike and the grown-up me
with my black hat and beard are the same person - and all we both
ever wanted to do was write for people old enough to understand.
And to imagine . . . ' Terry Pratchett. Wiltshire 2014.
In a 2008 article
Sir Terry discusses his diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease.
Sue Warren
Noni the Pony goes to the beach by Alison Lester
Allen & Unwin, 2014. ISBN 9781743311141
(Age: Preschool - K) Noni the pony is back - this time in a fun romp
along the beach with her farm friends, the 'ladies-next-door' Coco
Cat and Dave Dog. Sliding down the dunes, splashing in the waves,
building sandcastles and just enjoying the sunshine. But there's
trouble when a whale catches Dave's attention and he swims too far
out. Will Noni be able to rescue him?
Written in rhyming text, this is a charming adventure story for
young readers who will be able to relate to the activities,
especially the part about going after tired after a very long day.
With summer approaching, perhaps even here early, this is the
perfect introduction to a unit about beach safety for little ones.
As Cat sleeps in the 'hammock' is she wearing sunscreen? Promote the
slip, slop, slap and wrap message. If you saw a whale, would you go
too far out? Who might rescue you? Introduce the message and meaning
of the red and yellow flags. Encourage the children to be the
spokespeople for beach safety in their families. Consider a display
with Noni the Pony offering pieces of advice. A search of the
internet will bring up colouring pages, video clips and activities
that will help the children understand the message. There are more teachers'
notes available.
Alison Lester is a master at making a simple story that on the
surface is just a delightful parent/child read-along carry a complex
message that a skilled teacher can turn into an investigation that
brings about lifelong learning.
Barbara Braxton
Silly Birds written and illustrated by Gregg Dreise
Magabala Books, 2014. ISBN: 9781922142993
(Ages: Lower primary) Highly recommended and perfect for
cross-cultural studies in the Australian Curriculum. Way back before
Once-upon-a-time time, there was the Dreamtime, and during this
period there was Maliyan.
So starts this gorgeous morality tale from Gregg Driess, a Kamilaroi
man, born and raised in St George, Queensland. Gregg was raised in a
family that loved sport, music and poetry and he is currently a
teacher on the beautiful Sunshine Coast.
Inspired by a story from his uncle about a cockatoo taught to speak
both English and Italian, and reflecting on the oft repeated saying
of his Elders that its 'hard to soar like an eagle when you are
surrounded by turkeys', Gregg has presented an amusing and
instructive tale.
Maliyan was a young eagle with a loving family - parents who were
proud of him and looked after him well. Through their teaching he
learned to listen carefully and how to see things a long away. They
didn't want him to be a wombah thigaraa [silly birds in the
Gamilaraay language of the Kamilaroi people].
As Maliyan grew older he was well respected - until he met Wagun.
Wagun was a real wombah thigaraa, always talking, usually about
himself, always running around without looking carefully and he
never listened. He was a real bragger. While the Elders frowned upon
Wagun, Maliyan thought he seemed fun. They began to sing together,
and making up silly dances to go with their silly songs. Things got
worse as other young birds joined Wagun and Maliyan and calamities
followed - eating too much food, so that it became scarcer and
scarcer, throwing their rubbish into the waterholes and polluting
the drinking water and just generally being silly.
Like all parents, Maliyan's mother and father were worried about
their son running around with the wrong crowd and when he realised
this he became sad. He went to the Elders to ask the Wise Ones their
advice. They told him 'It's hard to soar like an eagle when you are
surrounded by turkeys' and he began to understand. Remembering his
own power to see and hear things, and to look and listen, he passed
on this wisdom to younger birds who responded to his words. Once
again Maliyan was a proud eagle and before long the birds were all
working together to fix the problems and build for the future. All
except Wagun, that is. Because he took no notice, Wagun lost his
ability to fly, was selfish and kept trying to have fun instead of
helping. He grew lonely with no friends and all he could do was
scratch around on the ground looking for seeds and fallen berries.
'Now the eagles remind their children about the story of Maliyan.
Children are reminded to always look and listen before speaking.
To always respect Elders' knowledge and experience.
To only take what you need and never be too greedy.
And to always choose your friends wisely, because it is hard to soar
like an eagle when you are surrounded by turkeys.'
Wonderful book with absolutely sumptuous illustrations in a modern
Indigenous style - and stylish endpapers!
Click here
for teacher resources.
Sue Warren
Catalyst by S.J. Kincaid
Insignia series. Hot Key Books, 2014. ISBN 9781471400711
(Age: 10 +) Recommended. Catalyst is the thrilling
conclusion to the Insignia series which has seen 16 year
old, Tom Raines, reeling from the events of his year training to
join the Intrasolar Forces. He is now in the Pentagonal Spire
determined to keep out of trouble, but devotees of this series would
well predict that this is all but impossible for the headstrong Tom.
Like his colleagues and friends he has been fitted with a neural
processor which has enabled him to download a world of information
and his fingers, frozen off from his experiences in the Antarctic,
have been replaced. In his absence the world of Pentagonal Spire has
greatly changed. Marsh has been replaced by a more militaristic
General Mezilo who has set up a regime against which Tom would
naturally react. But the real changes are going to prove much more
drastic as Tom discovers Vengerov's plan to control the world by use
of insidious nanomachines implanted in everyone's brain. How to stop
this maniac becomes the prime focus of the story until it reaches
its exciting, fast moving climax.
Catalyst is not just a world of technology: simulations, avatars,
exosints, census devices and 'Austere Grade processors' it is also a
world of friendship, loyalty, romance and love. Kincaid creates her
characters with as much authenticity as she does her cyber
technology. Tom's friends are each unique in their personalities and
their relationships with each other could be played out in any
school campus. The book is not without humour when Tom's choice of
The Holocaust Museum followed by a hamburger for his first date
proves less than successful.
While this novel abounds with action and seemingly impossible acts
of bravery and stress on the human body it is not without its
humanitarian side. Tom questions whether 'we should all just kill
each other all the time' p 123. Throughout the tumultuous times
friends remain loyal and the reader is treated to numerous examples
of the power of friendship and love. In the end Tom also discovers
that revenge is not as sweet and clearly defined as he would have
first imagined. Catalyst has something for everyone.
Barb Rye
