For the Harmony Day celebration at school this year, Billy is excited to bring one of his Tayta’s (grandmother) special treats. Tayta is happy to make kaak, a Lebanese biscuit with a very special ingredient. Billy watches as Tayta takes all sorts of strange ingredients from her pantry and wonders which one is the special one. He asks Tayta why she does not use a recipe is and this is her response:
My fingers know what the food should feel like. My eyes know what the food for should look like. My nose knows what it should smell like.
While Tayta is preparing the dough, Billy is searching high and low for the secret ingredient but he cannot find it. He helps roll out the dough and makes biscuits shaped firstly like little logs and then joined together to make rings. Tayta finally tells Billy what her secret ingredient is and he realises it is very special. When Billy is asked for the recipe at school he knows that he cannot share it as it will always be missing the secret ingredient.
This warm and engaging story is perfect for Harmony Day as it presents a delightful multicultural experience of both school and home. The watercolour illustrations gently reflect the text and children who have experienced baking with a grandparent will particularly find the images of Billy and Tayta in the kitchen very appealing. A wonderful story to read aloud on Harmony Day.
Brighton, 1950. Detective Inspector Edgar Stephens is investigating the murder of a young woman, who was cut in three. It is reminiscent of a magic trick called the Zig Zag Girl invented by Max Mephisto. Both Edgar and Max had worked together during the war as part of a unit called the Magic Men and when Max finds out that he knows the girl, he decides to help investigate the murder. Then there is another murder, based on another trick and it looks as if their time in the Magic Men unit may play a part.
Although a fan of Elly Griffiths books, especially the Ruth Galloway Investigation series, I was initially reluctant to read a book about magic tricks, but once started, Griffiths’ plotting, descriptions and great characters, had me hooked. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader fully engaged and the denouement was a surprise to me. I was fascinated by the way she brought in magic tricks and murder and the setting of Brighton was interesting, with her author’s note about her connection to her grandfather’s role in vaudeville enhancing the story. The story of the Magic Men unit and their effects to trick the enemy with illusions also added to the uniqueness of Griffiths’ story background.
While this edition was first published in 2015, it is still in print because any mystery by Elly Griffiths is worth reading!
A gloriously full colour graphic novel, Pablo and Splash visually strike us as Laurel & Hardy archetypes. Taller and slim, Pablo is clearly not the risk-taker. His pragmatism is offset by the rotund Splash, slowly freezing in their penguin colony in Antartica, and set on a tropical holiday from Pablo’s 'paradise of plenty'.
Dreaming of mocktails rather than their usual diet of krill, the text furnishes puns and playful word inventions involving their staple - krill. Holiday planning is stymied by the inevitable barriers of distance and transport. After deciding that the scientist population of Antartica hold the key, they amble in that general direction and are not disappointed. Like Alice’s slide down a rabbit hole, they come face-to-face with Dr Brain and her time/space machine, Timebender.
When Dr Brain’s back is turned, a glitch sends the penguins hurtling dangerously close to the sun before landing back in the Cretaceous period. Hungry and constantly in danger, the ‘Holiday’ is starting to lose its appeal – even for Splash.
Beautifully illustrated, the mixture of frame layouts from full page to five frames a page, depicts the friends inventing ways to fix Timebender at the very last second. Dr Brain is not cross and has more inventions to show them. The graphic design of words like ‘Holiday’ very cleverly supplies the tone of voice Splash uses, without needing to understand 'Penguish'. The duo return to see the penguin huddle unchanged and realize that you can only rely on yourself in the end. The stressful holiday soon necessitates a real holiday for Pablo, and we understand this is a formula for a series.
Engaging end pages reward with activities and fun facts about evolution, geography and animal behaviour. The dinosaur glossary informs us about the Quetzalcoatlus and other dinosaurs encountered at the Cretaceous holiday destination. Sheena Dempsey has debuted as an author/illustrator with a deceptively silly romp about time-travelling penguins. Not to be mistaken for a first chapter book, readers of all ages will be drawn in by Splash's optimism and Dempsey’s comic timing and warm, bright graphics.
Themes Graphic Novels, Adventure, Holidays, Penguins, Time travel, Antarctica.
Deborah Robins
Isaac Turner investigates: The clockwork conspiracy by Sam Sedgman
Diggory and his son Isaac Turner, climb the clock tower to make daylight saving adjustments and carry out maintenance. Thoughts of a looming parliamentary debate regarding the decimization of time into law, preoccupy the world’s leading horologist as he and Issaac work to adjust Big Ben. Neither are aware they are being watched by the forces of both good and evil.
Diggory instructs Isaac to wind the clockwork and ascends to make final adjustments – only to disappear. But from the roof of the Palace of Parliament where Solomon Bassala, the speaker of the House resides, his daughter Hattie is also watching. She saw Diggory kidnapped. Hattie is a burgeoning rooftopper and urban explorer and introduces Isaac to her extreme hobby of urbexing.
Isaac and Hattie team up to solve the mystery using codes and clues left by Diggory, starting with the broken face of his disgarded watch – 8 mins, 34 seconds, Feb 20. Learning that Diggory is a member of an international society of TimeKeepers, the stakes are much higher for mankind than the disappearance of one man. The pair decode each clue and on Feb 20, we meet the remaining international members of Diggory’s secret society - Penny, Amire, Luc, Naoko and Gloria.
Readers will be privy to Uncle Sol’s political world but also a sub-plot involving the Timekeepers, whose mission involves worldwide stability. Keeping step with Isaac and Hattie’s investigation is the relentless and increasingly frustrated Pascal, under pressure from a criminal 'mastermind' and a sinister conspiracy at the centre of government. Pascal has snatched many of the Timekeepers, including Diggory, but what he seeks is in Isaac’s possession and the duo’s quest becomes ever more dangerous. Can the children save lives and even time itself?
Whilst not as explicit as Lemony Snicket’s, Series of Unfortunate Events, the expository digressions, where characters instruct readers in horology, atomic clocks or the workings of parliament; are firmly factual and add another layer to what is an unapologetic rollicking adventure.
Sam Sedgman is the successful co-author of the multiple award-winning Adventures on Trains series but the new Isaac Turner Investigates series ignites with his first solo novel, The Clockwork Conspiracy.
Themes Adventure, Speculative, Mystery.
Deborah Robins
As bright as a rainbow: A book about gender and being yourself by Romy Ash and Blue Jaryn
Working Title Press, 2024. ISBN: 9781922033062. (Age:4+)
Just as the sea is not only one form of blue, or even just blue, so people are not just male or frame. The sea can be azure or pink, or can be yellow to green and not only blue. The three characters who walk, skip, and run across the pages, are non gender specific, and so raise the questions in younger readers about gender diversity. In a non threatening way the analogy to the sea is charming, allowing children to make a connection between the sea having a range of colours and the three characters in the book having a range of genders.
Subtitled A book about gender and being diverse, the book aims to introduce younger children to gender diversity. It does so without being overbearing, as some books trying hard to be educative and entertaining at the same time, so this book may be a book that kids will read together.
They will see the analogy between the gender diverse and the different hues in the sea, able to differentiate between those who see themselves simply as boys or girls, and those that do not call themselves one or the other and in so doing see that it matters not a jot who they are as long as they are themselves.
Bright illustration adorn the pages as the three children are shown sharing and being involved in a range of activities, all of which can be done by every child.
Themes Gender diversity, Equality, Inclusivity.
Fran Knight
System collapse by Martha Wells
Tor Books, 2023. ISBN: 9781250339362. (Age:Adult - Senior secondary) Recommended.
Another full-length novel in the Murderbot Diaries series and following directly on from the events in Network Effect, will thrill fans who have enjoyed the witty SecUnit who loves to watch entertainment channels and who solves murders. The Barish-Estranza Corporation has sent rescue ships to a planet in peril, but it looks as if the corporation means to enslave the colonists as a work force, regardless of their feelings. The humans from Preservation and ART’s crew want to protect the colony, but something is wrong with Murderbot who must figure it out before the Corporation takes over.
System Collapse continues this award-winning series in style, (Fugitive Telemetry won the 2020 Nebula Award), with Murderbot suffering from trauma from the events in Network effect. Wells describes mental health issues through the eyes of the SecUnit, who is experiencing flashbacks and emotions that often appear with the text reading ‘[redacted].’ There are lighter moments with Murderbot’s signature snarky comments, and the underhand operations of a major corporation are explored, raising ethical questions for the reader.
System Collapse is not a stand-alone read. Readers familiar with the series may want to reacquaint themselves with Network effect before reading this novel and those new to the series would be best to start with the first in the series, All systems red. A fabulous science fiction series!
After thoroughly enjoying The Agency for Scandal by Laura Wood, I decided to find and read some of her other books. Under a dancing star is another recommended book, combining romance and history as well as alluding to Much Ado About Nothing. It is 1930’s England and Bea is stifled by the expectations of her parents and the society that they move in. She is expected make a good marriage and be a dutiful spouse and daughter. However, Bea is fascinated by nature and prefers to study insects and plants. Then her parents decide to send her to Italy to stay with her uncle in the hope that she will settle down. When she arrives, she finds a fascinating new world with a group of young artists living in the villa, and when she is challenged to have a summer romance with handsome Ben, sparks begin to fly.
The novel is divided into five sections, each headed with a quote from Much Ado about Nothing, and the reader is gradually brought into the heady world of bohemian society and watch Bea emerge from the restrictions that have been placed on her in England. She is highly intelligent and the witty repartee between Ben and her is a delight to read. Wood describes her historical background with a light hand but it is sufficient to intrigue with the references to Mussolini, Fascist Italy and the conflict in Spain and make me want to learn more about this period of history. Her descriptions of life in an Italian villa and especially her references to the wonderful places in Florence like the Uffizi and the Natural History Museum will have readers wanting to visit Italy.
Under a dancing star will delight readers who enjoy romance and captivating main characters. It is very entertaining, and many readers like me, may want to continue reading other books by Wood or if looking for romance, try books by Eva Ibbotson like The secret countess (previously published as A countess below stairs).
In verse form the ingredients of how to make a friend are given. The book supports the positive things that friends do, aiming to inspire children to be the best friend they can be while recognising what a true friend does for them.
Their third collaboration after The Love that Grew and Nice and Slow, author Sarah Ayoub and illustrator Mimi Purnell use text in verse alongside illustrations to further stress the ideas of being a friend and what it involves. All the positive aspects of friendship are mentioned: giving and receiving, sharing, the importance of being there when we are needed, being inspirational, while the positive aspects of our society are shown in the illustrations: diversity, inclusivity and acceptance. It does not baulk at the truth because life is not always positive. A lot of issues are touched upon in the book through its text and illustrations, but the overall message of respect is most importantly promoted.
The illustrations reveal more than the text can offer in words, and children will see many of the aspects of friendship revealed in the images. Details will be spotted, role models copied and above all, the positive aspects of being a friend displayed for all to see.
Themes Friendship, Family, Acceptance, Diversity.
Fran Knight
Astronomy for curious kids by Giles Sparrow. Illus. by Nik Neves
For young readers who love all things space-related, this wonderful new release from CSIRO Publishing will certainly provide hours of engaging reading. The striking black cover complete with four glossy-coloured images plus smaller graphics will draw readers to this highly accessible and beautifully illustrated book full of diagrams, drawings, tables and snippets of information in ‘Out of Curiosity’ boxes. The contents page lists a Welcome to Astronomy plus six chapters with distinct headings and sub-headings, as well as a glossary and index.
The welcome page clearly states that some of the ‘big’ questions may be answered by this book but there is still so much that is unknown about astronomy and astronomers are forever learning and theorizing. The first chapter gives some valuable information for how to be an astronomer including three ‘Golden Rules’: wait for darkness, avoid light pollution and beware of ripples caused by weather. The second chapter gives an important insight into early stargazers with Australian First Peoples cultures recording comets and meteors as well as having theories about solar and lunar eclipses. This chapter also shares information about Copernicus and Galileo as well as other important astronomers including Henrietta Swan Leavitt who in 1908 discovered a special type of star with regular changes in brightness if the star is brighter. This meant that astronomers could better chart the distance of stars.
The vast and varied information found in this book will enthral budding astronomers. Detailed facts about planets, galaxies, dark matter, the Big Bang theory, explorers on the moon - the list is too long to mention. A fabulous resource for home, school or public library.
Themes Astronomy, Space, The Universe, Questions.
Kathryn Beilby
The perilous promotion of Trilby Moffat by Kate Temple
This is the sequel to The dangerous business of being Trilby Moffat. While not absolutely necessary, I do recommend starting with the first book before this one as there are a lot of characters and background that are hard to make sense of without that context.
Having said that, I have not read the first one, so launched into this book blind. It’s funny and clever and crazy and brilliant, with no 'talking down' to the reader. The pace is fast and the story is twisty, with the narrator voice (a thylacine named Benjamin) reading like a delightfully bonkers conversation that you never want to end.
In the first book, Dream Sickness struck the land. People were suddenly baking ancient cakes, speaking dead languages and then falling into endless sleep. While 12-yo Trilby’s mother was affected, Trilby inherited the treacherous job of Time Keeper and was tasked with reversing the sickness.
In book two Trilby is almost 13. The story starts with a cliffhanger and delves into uncovering more of the mystery of what is happening on the island outside of time, and in the world outside. Friendships and loyalties are tested, and we see whether Trilby proves worthy of her role.
This is magical realism at its absolute best for middle grade readers. A clever inclusion is the presence of crossword clues as chapter names (answers in the back for anyone who needs help!)
Sharon Shinn is one of my favourite authors of fantasy books, one whose books I reread when I need a feel-good story to lift my spirits. In Whispering Wood, she returns to the Elemental Blessings series with a new heroine, Valentina Serlast, the sister of Darien, who is to be crowned the king of Welce. She is hunti, loving the forest and wood, and is much happier living on her country estate, but Darien persuades her to come to the city for the coronation, and then to stay on for an extended visit. She becomes involved with the unpredictable Princess Corene and her vivacious friend Melissande and works to unravel their secrets. When Sebastian Ardelay her friend from childhood, turns up again, she is thrilled but worried as he engages in another of his nefarious and dangerous plans.
Whispering Wood is a coming-of-age story. Valentina is not always the most likeable of characters and must work to overcome her teen-like attitude to Darien, who she believes abandoned her when their mother died and when she needed him most. Sebastian is charismatic and heedless of danger. Shinn shows their growth and understanding of the importance of family and country in a very engaging way. The dangers that both face move the plot along with a stunning climax in the whispering wood that will stay in my memory.
Whispering Wood could be read as a stand-alone, but readers would gain a deeper knowledge of the characters and their motivations if they read the other books in the series, starting with Troubled waters. Readers may also enjoy books by Robin Mckinley and Juliet Marillier.
Kids love joke books. The appeal and demand are such that I can’t keep them on the shelves at my school library and so snapped up the chance to review this one and add it to the collection.
A joke book breaks reading into bite size chunks, with no expectation to sit down and read from start to finish. It makes reading more enticing for a reluctant or less confident reader, with the instant ‘reward’ of fun and a laugh. It provides a simple way for kids to interact with those around them - after all, no one sits and silently reads a joke book to themself, where's the fun in that?! And joke books challenge thinking and increase general knowledge and vocabulary – a reader often needs to put together different parts of a joke and/or visualise concepts to understand WHY it’s funny.
This particular joke book is for all the lovers of ‘dad jokes’. Lots of the jokes are tried and true, while others are new.
The blurb says 'jokes so silly, so bad, so annoying, your friends and family will never forgive you'. Don’t say you haven’t been warned! This book is a mix of laugh out loud and absolute groaners. It is broken into 15 chapters/categories, from school jokes, ridiculous riddles and animal jokes to Christmas, Halloween, Easter, knock-knock, toilet humour and sport jokes. For readers 7+ this will become a firm favourite.
Themes Humour.
Kylie Grant
Dear Unicorn by Josh Funk. Illus. by Charles Santoso
Viking, 2023. ISBN: 9780593206942. (Age:4+)
It is the beginning of the school year and Connie's art class is partnering up with pen pals. Both Connie and Nic's teachers encourage them to to ask their pen pals questions, to talk about their own lives, to be creative, share their likes and dislikes and to enjoy themselves. Even though Connie is a little reluctant to start with, soon both love exchanging letters despite the two of them seeming so very different. Connie takes her art seriously and thinks things like kittens are nothing more than a distraction, while Nic has a more whimsical approach to painting and knows the value of a good cupcake. Both are eagerly awaiting the end of year pen pal art festival where their two classes will finally meet, but what is the surprise that is in store for both of them?
Building on the original concept of Dear Dragon, the story has some clever wordplay (like Connie's surname summing up her pessimistic outlook) that leads to some misunderstandings that carry both the letter-writing and the story along, and young readers will immerse themselves in the fantasy particularly as, through the illustrations, they can see what Connie and Nic don't. What would it like to have a friend such as Nic? Can we be friends with those who seem to be so different from us (even if that is not as extreme as this relationship?)
As well as being useful for exploring the essential give-and-take nature of relationships, and how we can learn from those around us to seek common bonds despite being unique individuals, the book also opens up the almost-extinct concept of penpals, letter-writing and the anticipation of a letter in the mailbox. Perhaps it will be the spark for building some new connections between classes in this new school year.
Themes Letter writing, Unicorns, Friendship, Individuality.
Barbara Braxton
Sensational Australian animals by Stephanie Owen Reeder. Illus. by Cher Hart
Children learn about the five senses from a very early age. They understand that sight, sound, taste, smell and touch are an integral part of their daily life. For our Australian wildlife including sea creatures, insects, birds and all other animals, they too have senses - some which are extraordinary.
Sensational Australian Animals written by Stephanie Owen Reeder is a striking book full of information, images, questions, and sensational fact boxes. The information presented is easily accessible, written in sections with highlighted key words and surrounded by colourful illustrations. The Contents page clearly shows each of the five senses being discussed with four main headings underneath. There is a very detailed glossary in the final pages as well as a handy index to locate each animal.
Each of the five senses is introduced with a full page labelled diagram showing the particular sensory organ. In the sense of sight chapter there is some wonderful information about birds including the fact that the male Satin Bower Bird uses the colour blue to attract a mate. In his bower he has blue objects on display which he may pick up in his mouth and perform a noisy dance. In the sense of sound chapter, it is mentioned that the Emu creates sound by inflating a pouch in the windpipe of its neck. Their sounds can be heard up to two kilometres away. For the sense of smell there are many odorous facts including the Eastern Long-necked Turtle that suck up water through their bottoms to provide them with oxygen when underwater and they happily live in raw sewage. If you touch one, you may smell of rotting cabbage! The sense of taste gives some very interesting facts including the remarkable Rakali (native water rat) that knocks the cane toad on its back, uses its sharp front teeth like a scalpel to open up the stomach and scoops out the non-toxic heart and liver. Finally in the sense of touch chapter, the Pufferfish has enough deadly poison on its skin to kill up to 30 people so do not touch dead ones on the shore ever!
This engaging and beautifully illustrated book is a treasure trove of amazing facts that will delight and entertain both young and older readers. A fabulous resource for a home, school or public library. Teacher Notes are available.
Another novella starring Learned Penric and his Temple demon Desdemona will thrill fans of the series. When Otta, a six-year-old girl, becomes possessed by a brand-new demon Penric is called to the village that has taken her in. Unable to control the fire that she can call she has been cast into a well to keep everyone safe, and Penric must rescue her. His duty to his god means that he should cast out the demon, but Desdemona rejects this and the pair are cast into conflict. As usual, the pair’s quest is to help whenever they are called upon, but this time their difference in opinion is very painful. How will they resolve this problem and bring harmony back?
I found the background to Demon daughter very appealing. Scenes of domesticity are described and Penric’s love for his wife Nikys and daughter are very evident. The story is often told from the point of view of Otta who describes her tribulations in a matter-of-fact way, and Bujold manages to get inside the mind of a six-year-old with skill and empathy. Nikys plays a significant role in the novella; she is helpful, loving and clear sighted about what could happen to Otta and prepared for the upheaval that another child in the family could bring.
Although Demon daughter is short, it is multilayered and has a very satisfying conclusion. It is a powerful and memorable story and left me wishing I had another new book in this series to read immediately.
