Ill. by Louis Shea. Scholastic Australia, 2014. Dinosaur Danger by Sarah Fraser. ISBN 9781743623763. Midnight Mischief by Fiona Regan. ISBN 9781743623770.
This fun series of beginning chapter books are suited to readers
from 6 - 7 years. Identical seven-year old twins Tommy and Coop love
to play practical jokes on their family, friends and classmates. In
Dinosaur Danger their class is off to the museum with their
teacher Mr Crotchet, who loves button, string and knot displays. Of
course the twins have bought a Galloping Galoot noise maker from
Joking Jo's shop. Mum and Dad are both pranked before the boys are
dropped off at school. After a boring time at the museum, they slip
away from the class to explore the closed dinosaur exhibit. Test
riding the robotic dinosaurs and pranking their classmates is great
fun. Midnight Mischief written by Fiona Regan takes the twins off
on a weekend school camp. They are under strict instructions not to
play any pranks or they won't be allowed to watch their favourite
Jed Michael's skateboarding show. Cathy their friend helps with a
gross prank on the bus, Special Spew from the joke shop. After Bill
the bus driver hoses out the mess with his Barf Buster, it is a
soggy trip to camp. Whilst making all the beds as punishment the
twins plan a ghostly night visit.
Louis Shea's cartoons add to the fun of these stories.
Rhyllis Bignell
Wombat jumped over the Moon illustrated by Lachlan Creagh
Lothian Children's Books, 2014. ISBN 9780734415554.
(Age: Pre-school - Early years) This is the fourth book in Lachlan
Creagh's Wombat series.
Wombat has spent a fun filled day in the bush sharing a picnic with
his friends when, towards the end of the day, they decide to have a
completion to work which of them will get the last piece of cake to
eat. Wombat is concerned as he watches his friends successfully
perform clever tricks, as he has no idea what he can do to impress
them.
The story ends with wombat performing a trick that surprises his
friends and wins the competition. He then demonstrate his true
friendship by sharing the final piece of the cake with them all.
The simple and richly illustrated book finishes with an adaption of
a familiar nursery rhyme that will delight pre-school and early
years children.
Karen Mutton
Laika the Astronaut by Owen Davey
Allen & Unwin, 2014. ISBN 9781743318935.
(Age: K-3) On November 3, 1957, after the success of Sputnik 1 which
put the Russians at the head of the space race and sparked the
development of science and technology in a way not previously
experienced, Sputnik 2 was launched to coincide with the 40th
anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution. Aboard the craft was a
stray dog from the streets of Moscow who had been named Laika
(meaning Barker in English) whose sole purpose was to test the
viability of putting a living creature into space, test its ability
to survive weightlessness and thus pave the way for human
spaceflight. Laika the Astronaut is a gentle retelling of the start of
Laika's adventure. From being alone in the streets of Moscow,
wishing on the stars for a family to love her, to her rigorous
training and testing regime and finally blast off, it introduces the
reader to this embedded-in-history creature. But even though
everyone in the world knew Laika's name as she circled the Earth,
she felt more alone than ever.
Official records show that Laika actually died very soon into the
flight from heat exhaustion, but Owen Davey has provided a much
happier ending - one that he chooses to believe and one that will
appeal to the reader and perhaps spark some speculation about her
new life might have been like. 'This poor little pooch plucked at my
heartstrings, and I wanted to explore this idea of a soul living on
through your imagination.'
Davey has rejected the claims that the ending is sugar-coated and
that is has avoided the issue of death. He says, 'My intention was
to put a positive spin on how we remember our loved ones when
they're gone. The main theme of the book is about finding love and
finding a family, but the deeper undercurrent revolves around the
way we deal with loss.' You can read more of the background story here
and with this knowledge in mind it might also be appropriate to
begin introducing students to the notion of authors doing more than
just telling a story to entertain, that many of the stories they
enjoy have a deeper, more subtle meaning than appears on the surface
and both the writer and reader are the richer for exploring it. In
this case, the starting point could be questioning why Davey chose
to change history in this way.
With its stylised illustrations in very muted colours which reach
back to the style of the times, this is a wonderful picture book
that could be used to introduce younger children to the history of
space flight but which also has a place with older children who
might be considering the ethical treatment of animals - scientists
involved in the mission have even stated that they don't think they
learned enough from the mission to justify what they did - or even
the ramifications of the Mars 1
project which proposes to have humans inhabiting Mars by 2023 and
for which 28 Australians are still in the running. Does the means
ever justify the ends?
Barbara Braxton
The fairy who wouldn't fly by Pixie O'Harris
Retold by Bronwyn Davies. Ill. by Pixie O'Harris. NLA Publishing,
2014. ISBN 9780642278517.
(Age: 7+) Recommended. Fairies, Australian classics. The story of
the fairy-who-wouldn't-fly is retold in this attractively published
book from the National library of Australia for modern audiences.
Many grandmothers will read this to younger children, and new
parents will pick it up to marvel at the story written in 1945 by
this well known Australian author and illustrator. Classes will have
these stories revealed to them and those interested in classic
Australian literature will be thrilled to see it reprinted. The
illustrations have lost none of their immediacy. They are vivacious
and marvellous, reflecting the Australian bush and its fairies with
panache.
The fairy-who-wouldn't-fly is ejected from the woods by the fairy
queen who needs fairies that work, not one who lies around all day
in her leaf bed dreaming. She is sent to the Woodn't, where she
must learn to fly. Here she meets frog-who-wouldn't-hop and
kookaburra-who-wouldn't-laugh amongst others. When they find a lost
child, the animals all learn the skills they were born with in an
attempt to console the child and reunite him with his parents. All
works out well, and the fairy is renamed Fairy Fleet-Wing when she
is reunited with the other fairies.
National Library of Australia has republished this with a new cover
and has included many other illustrations from their collection.
This one has been rewritten to give it more of a slant towards
accepting challenges and difference, and flows along very well,
although it seems odd to rewrite these stories to reflect more
modern themes in children's books, so I will be intrigued about how
it is received.
Fran Knight
Imagine a city by Elise Hurst
Scholastic, 2014. ISBN 9781742990095.
(Age: 6+) Recommended.Picture book, City, Imagination. Using pen and
ink on paper along with a prodigious imagination Hurst gives her
readers a city like no other. A few words, arranged into several
short stanzas of poetry, say all that is needed. The illustrations
reflect the words and add an imaginative city around the woman and
the two children visiting the city from the country. Their trip on
the train flags the inventive nature of the book, as the next door
seat has a rabbit reading the newspaper. Readers will be excited
turning the page to find out what else will appear in her playful
drawings. And they will not be disappointed. Each page has a myriad
of detail to be absorbed, a bridge with a bear as its pylon, hotels
of fantastic proportions, an art gallery where the sculptures are
reading the paper while a statue of a girl looms into the sky,
people flying away pulled by their open umbrellas, fish and tigers
walking the streets, an Aladdin's cave of treasure at the museum, a
chess playing cat and so on. The pages will entreat and delight,
absorb and create thoughtfulness as each picture presented provokes
the mind.
I loved it and I'm sure younger readers will too, seeing what is one
each page and thinking about what it all means.
Fran Knight
The night run by Bali Rai
A & C Black, 2014. ISBN 9781472904362.
(Age: 11+) Recommended. Historical novel, India, Survival. Bali Rai
has distilled the events of April 1919 in Amritsar into a short
novel telling of one boy's struggles to release his innocent father
from prison. It is 1919, in Northern India where protests have been
occurring against the British Raj. Many have been taken away and
Arjan is aghast to see his father arrested at his market stall,
finding out that he would be sent by train to a place where he and
many others would be hanged as rebels.
He wakes during the night and sneaks out of his house to try and get
to the prison where his father is being held. It is a terrifying
journey. He must avoid the soldiers out to capture anyone evading
curfew; he is cornered by a pack of wild dogs; he is taken in by a
woman he does not know but who knows him; he is kidnapped by a man
who rules part of the back streets, holding children in semi-slavery
to do his bidding. Over the night we see many aspects of darker
India and all the while, feel the breath of the British Raj
breathing down Arjan's neck, while developing sympathy for those
trying to overthrow their regime.
The events which occurred a week after this novel is set, shocked
the world and heralded the demise of the British Raj.
In this shorter novel students will appreciate many of the forces
alive in India at the start of the twentieth century through this
exciting and well told story of one boy and his quest. This is one
in a new series called Flash Backs, historical novels
written specifically for younger readers, or those wanting a quick
read. Their website shows the large range
of these publications.
Fran Knight
Diary of a Super Swimmer by Shamini Flint
Allen & Unwin, 2014. ISBN: 9781743318843.
(Ages: 7 to 11) Highly recommended. Following on from the success of
five previous titles in the series, Shamini Flint brings Marcus
Atkinson back in Diary of a Super Swimmer. At nine years old, Marcus
hopes that his dad has finally run out of sports to make him try,
and that he'll finally be left alone to play his computer games. His
dad has other plans though, and is convinced that the only reason
Marcus hasn't been good at any of his previous sporting endeavours
is that they have been on land . . . So to Marcus' absolute horror,
it's off to the swimming pool, for a series of embarrassing but
hilarious adventures. Through his journey Marcus learns something
about himself, and about his sister Gemma, which adds a nice twist
to the ending.
As with all in the series, the easy-to read diary format and the
cleverly drawn cartoons will entice even the most reluctant reader
to pick these up again and again. The sports theme always resonates
with children, and whether they love sports or are more like Marcus
himself, they will find it easy to identify with the characters and
situations in this book. Not only will kids love reading about
Marcus' misadventures, they will also learn a lot about sport!
Donella Reed
Dark Emu: Black Seeds: agriculture or accident? by Bruce Pascoe
Magabala Books, 2014. ISBN 9781922142436.
(Age: Secondary - Adult) Experienced author, national award winner
and Bunurong man, Bruce Pascoe, provides us with a completely new
insight into Australian history in this easy-to-read non-fiction
book.
Pascoe refutes the long-held belief that the Aboriginal people were
simple hunter-gatherers and challenges that notion as a
convenient lie by colonisers intent on ignoring the original
Indigenous owners of this land. With evidence from original records
and early diaries Pascoe presents new evidence about food
production, construction of dwellings and clothing. Contrary to the
European colonists claim that the Aboriginal people did not farm
this land, Pascoe describes the sowing, growing of crops, irrigation
methods, food preservation and building undertaken by the First
Australians, outlining a society that was far from being subsistence
hunter-gatherers.
I found this book extremely interesting reading with much new
information about the historical background of the Aboriginal
people. Fascinating newly recognised facts about Aboriginal
architecture and settlements (often up to 1000 people), diverting of
watercourses and irrigation of crops, the use of fire as a tool for
the last 120 000 years are just some of the enlightening revelations
here. Some of this information is completely surprising e.g. the
cultural practices around graveyards.
Pascoe urges our authorities to begin to acknowledge the truth about
the Aboriginal society and culture at the time of the European
invasion and his history is supported by respected historians and
scholars. I think this book, which is very accessible, interesting
and often revealing, would be an excellent authoritative resource
for school libraries, particularly secondary ones. Suitable for
Sorry Day and for Reconciliation Week, this book is a worthy
addition to your curriculum and library collection.
Sue Warren
Max by Marc Martin
Penguin, 2014. ISBN 9780670077434.
Max and Bob are great mates. They live by the sea and during the
day, Max keeps Bob company in his fish and chip shop (Max loves both
fish and chips so it's a perfect partnership) and in the evening
they go fishing together.
How can that scenario make for a most enchanting story that kept 9
and 10 year-olds engaged for over an hour and wanting more?
Well, Max is a seagull, who's a little bit cheeky and a little bit
mischievous, and this is the story of a friendship that endures even
after Bob has to close his shop because of a lack of business. When
Max comes to the shop one morning, Bob has gone, and even though he
waits and waits and waits, his friend does not return. Without Bob
there is no attraction for Max and so he decides to leave - but as
he flies high over the city looking for another home he smells a
familiar smell . . .
Marc Martin won the 2013 Crichton Award for Australia's best new
illustrator and the illustrations for 'Max' add so much to its
message and its charm. Using a variety of techniques, vignettes and
full-page spreads, (the class laughed out loud at Max sitting on top
of the No Seagulls sign) they are rich and exquisite, providing so
many more layers to the story than just the text alone. For example,
while there is no written explanation for the downturn in business,
the picture of cranes soaring high above the funfair, the main
drawcard of the area, tells its own story and opened up a discussion
about the impact of tourism on local economies (particularly
pertinent where I live). Later, the reason for the dismantling for
the funfair is also evident and sparked a debate about 'you can't
stop progress'. What seems like a simple tale for a preschooler to
enjoy is so much more.
As well as an enthusiastic discussion that ranged from personal
stories of feeding seagulls hot chips, recalling other seagull
stories we've read such as The Lighthouse Keeper's Lunch and
Samantha Seagull's Sandals to the importance of the snow-oriented
industry on our region, to country versus city living, the students
also embraced the task of imagining what Max would have seen as he
flew over our town and then drawing a birds-eye view map of it.
Suddenly that concept made sense to them! What started as a story to
share because I loved it became a rich and rewarding experience for
all of us that went far beyond the focus and timeframe I'd
allocated. But when you're on a good thing . . .
Barbara Braxton
Prisoner of night and fog by Anne Blankman
Headline, 2014. ISBN 9781472207821.
In just a few hundred pages, Anne Blankman has truly unravelled a
unique story which is both compelling and sympathetic. With fresh
and original characters, she manages to revive a piece of history
with an engrossing original storyline intertwined with true events.
From the very beginning, Anne delivers a beautifully crafted
masterpiece and seduces readers to fall in love with every
character, good or bad. It's a coming of age story that's prominent
for its historic settings and disarming plotline which stimulates
the main character's growth.
The book takes place in Munich 1931, a few years prior to Hitler's
utmost height of power. The National Socialist Party holds Munich in
their tight hands and Hitler is hypnotizing his audiences with
patriotism. After the chilling event of her father's death,
seventeen year old Gretchen Muller dwells in the shadow of her Uncle
Dolf. Fallen victim to Hitler's patriotic deceit, she disarms the
lies of her father's death bit by bit and hunts for the truth. With
ploys and ferocity brandished at the ready, Gretchen joins forces
with quick-witted Jew reporter, Daniel Cohen much to the utter
dislike of her family.
As each chapter begins, Anne Blankman grants the reader lyrical
storylines entangled with disbelieving plot twists and world
building backgrounds. She presents us with a tale like no other and
charmingly bestows us with characters we love to hate or we just
simply adore.
An additional few pages of the Author's Note provides keen readers
with an insight to Anne Blankman's fictional and non-fictional
characters with bonus content on Gretchen's Munich. Teaching this
novel to a class will bestow them an alternative view on Munich in
1931 and those who allied themselves with Adolf Hitler. The book can
be well compared with The Book Thief written by Markus Zusak
as they both offer a young and unpredictable girl's view on this
exclusive part of history.
Samantha May (Student)
Mary's Australia: How Mary McKillop changed Australia by Pamela Freeman
Black Dog Books, 2014. ISBN 9781922077905.
(Age: 9+) The lifespan of Mary McKillop coincided with a period of
transformation in the Australian colonies. Pamela Freeman has asked
how Australia changed during that time and to what extent the
subject of her book contributed to that change.
The result is two narratives in one - the story of colonies that
united to form one nation, and the story of a woman with a passion
for teaching, who was determined to ensure that children from poor
families had access to education. Readers can follow Mary's life
story alongside the events of her era. The inclusive and
wide-ranging depiction of colonial society provides details of daily
life, as well as accounts of the social, political and economic
upheavals that helped to shape Mary's experiences. The author's
balanced and thoughtful approach to the writing of history ensures
that readers will learn much from her brief overviews of the issues
that emerged during Australia's development. Her focus on the lives
of children and the limited opportunities available to
underprivileged people, explains not only the social issues that
motivated a young governess to found a teaching order, but also the
significance of Mary McKillop's educational reforms.
Photographs, cartoons and illustrations on every page provide
further insights into colonial life. They are generously sized and
clearly captioned. The use of double columns and a small font are
common in history books but younger readers may find this format
challenging. Population statistics, an index and a limited glossary
are useful.
Mary's Australia will meet the needs of readers who want to know
only about Mary McKillop's life and achievements. However, Pamela
Freeman has succeeded in presenting her biography as part of a
larger canvas - the growth, discoveries, setbacks and social reforms
of an extraordinary era in Australian history.
Elizabeth Bor
I am Cow, Hear me Moo! by Jill Esbaum and Gus Gordon
Viking, 2014. ISBN: 9780670077106.
For early readers 4 years and up. I can practically guarantee that
every teacher has had, at some point, a Nadine in their class.
Nadine is very talented, very brave and very special cow - well, in
her own opinion which is, after all, the only one that really
counts.With some rollicking rhyming Nadine impresses her friends
with her daring tour through the scary woods. Friends being suitably
awed, they depart - night falls and Nadine is left on her own in a
spooky gloomy cave. Suddenly her bravado evaporates and she must
conquer her sudden lapse of over-confidence.
As always, Gus Gordon's illustrations are absolutely delightful and
make this picture book a must have. Young children will enjoy the
story and rhythm and no doubt will recognise the Nadine in their
midst.
Read Kids' Book Review's interview with Gus here.
This parable would be a very useful discussion starter for smaller
people - what is bravery? Is it important how others perceive us? Is
it important how we see ourselves? Having confidence is a wonderful
thing and there would be some small people who would truly benefit
from recognising that they have that confidence in themselves.
Sue Warren
Gigantosaurus by Jonny Duddle
Scholastic, 2014. ISBN 9781742761015.
(Age: 5+) Fantasy, Picture book, Humour. The intricate illustrations
will enthrall those readers who love books about dinosaurs and
fantastical inventions as the dinosaur parents warn their offspring
about the Gigantosurus.
They must be wary of this gigantic creature with sharp teeth and
sharp eyes, on the lookout for small creatures as a snack.
Bonehead tells his friends, Tiny, Bill and Fin to stay where they
are while he climbs an anthill to see if the huge dinosaur is
coming. Three times he calls out that it is coming, and his three
friends run and hide, and each time he tells them he is just testing
them. When the Gigantosuaurs does come he is caught unawares and is
almost eaten.
This is a retelling of The Boy who cried wolf in a different
guise and will entreat all those who read it. The information about
the various dinosaurs is given in the back of the book, along with
information about Gigantosaurus, which will intrigue dinosaur
followers. The luscious illustrations burst with life and mayhem and
humour, as many will stop to seek out the range of things in the
undergrowth.
Fran Knight
Diary of a Track and Field Titan by Shamini Flint
Allen & Unwin, 2014. ISBN: 9781743317297.
(Ages: 7 to 11) Highly recommended. Marcus Atkinson returns in
another instalment of the Diary of a . . . series. Marcus
knows the only things he is good at are maths and computer games,
but his dad is convinced that there is a sport out there for Marcus,
they just haven't found the right one yet. After trying soccer,
cricket, rugby and taekwondo, his dad wants him to try track and
field. Thinking this through, Marcus decides he has had a lot of
practice running away from bullies, and he is good at throwing
things (like rubbish and tantrums!), so maybe track and field won't
be so bad after all. The usual hilarity ensues, with familiar themes
and in-jokes sure to please fans of the series.
Shamini Flint uses the diary technique and numerous cartoon
illustrations to encourage reluctant readers to continue. The sports
theme always resonates with children, and whether they love sports
or are more like Marcus himself, they will find it easy to identify
with the characters and situations in this book. Not only will kids
love reading about Marcus' misadventures, they will also learn a lot
about sport! As with all the titles in the series, Diary of a
Track and Field Titan is a light and entertaining read.
Donella Reed
Every word by Ellie Marney
Every series, bk. 2. Allen & Unwin, 2014. ISBN 9781743316511.
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. Mystery. James Mycroft has gone to
London without saying a word to Rachel Watts, who worked with him to
solve the mystery of the murder in Every breath, the first
in the Every series. Rachel is not happy especially when she
finds out that James will be investigating a car accident, very
similar to the one in which his parents had died many years before.
She knows that he will need her support, so using her reward money,
she hops on a plane and flies to London, where the couple
immediately find themselves surrounded by danger as they investigate
the accident and the theft of a priceless copy of Shakespeare's
first folio.
Readers will enjoy the vivid descriptions of the trip to London, the
crime scenes and the grisly police procedures and will be holding
their breath during the intrepid Rachel's adventure with a gang
determined to find out where the folio has been stashed.
Told from the point of view of Rachel, the reader gets a really good
feeling for the type of person that she is, starting from the
opening scenes where she is starring as an intrepid roller skater,
to the caring girlfriend who knows that Mycroft will need her
support in London, facing the memories of the death of his parents.
She is brave and intelligent and together the pair use their
considerable brain power to work out the mystery. Their romance has
some steamy moments as well, but never overwhelms the mystery and
action.
Every word is certainly not a 'cosy' mystery but rather a chilling
thriller. There is violence and gore and the book is not for the
faint hearted. The plot in this book is brought to a satisfying
conclusion, and once the pair are back in Australia, the seeds for
the next book are planted so that the reader is eager to read the
final outcome.
Pat Pledger
