Ill. by Eric Velasquez. Walker Books, 2014. ISBN 9780802723079.
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. Picture book, Refugees, Water,
Friendship. Alemitu and her mother walk for miles every day to
collect water to drink. The sun beats down upon their backs,
reminding the reader of just how pitiless some places can be. This
is Ethiopia, and her mother tells her that water is the most
precious thing on earth, and shows her the water hole where they get
their water, deep and bottomless. Alemitu looks deeply into the
water hole and wonders what is on the other side.
One day her mother leaves her with some people and later a woman
comes to take her with her to America where she will be her
daughter. Here she learns to live quite differently, turning on a
tap to get fresh clean water whenever she wants, but she always
remembers where she is from, and imagines her mother at the other
end of the water she sees in a huge puddle after a rainstorm in her
new home. They are connected by water.
This is a tender story about links between people, about the world's
need for water, about the poverty of life in Ethiopia where a mother
gives up her child for the chance of a better life for the child.
The bold illustrations depict the two communities clearly, sweeping
across the pages, linking the two together with a butterfly, with
wings the colour of her first home. Alemitu's scarf forms a link
across pages and the child's face stares at us, the people with
water that comes form a tap. The author conceived the idea for this
book when she saw her adopted child drinking from a puddle in her
new home. Weblinks are given for readers to find out more
information about water and Ethiopia.
Fran Knight
Crossing by Catherine Norton
Scholastic, 2014. ISBN 9781742990286.
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Dystopian, Dictatorship, Freedom. With
overtures of the wall that separated East and West Germany until
1989, this tale of Cara, growing up in the shadow of a wall and the
dictatorial nature of the grim society in which she lives is most
engaging. We learn early that she has done something which has
affected another family in her apartment house, and is beginning to
regret her actions. The Suspicious Act reported meant that Leon's
mother was taken away for re-education. In this sort of society any
comment or joke is viewed with suspicion, but Cara learns that not
all Suspicious Acts are designed to undermine the society.
When Leon's sister, Ava takes the children to her secret place they
have fun as she teaches them to fire a bow and arrow, Cara little
understanding just how important this skill will be.
A tantalising tale, the author gives only little snippets of facts
away as we follow Cara's daily routine, queuing for food, using the
dozens of eggs left by their absent parents, looking after her
younger sister. Leon and his father live upstairs an it is to them
she goes when she has problems, finally asking their forgiveness
when their mother is taken away. But it takes her a long time to
realise the impact of her reporting this Suspicious Act, so immersed
is she in the dogma of the government.
This is a good read, not very long, but loaded with a pile of
ethical and moral questions which any reader will be impelled to
ponder.
That Marco's family welcomes her in despite what she has done is
stunning, just as is the selfless deed Marco does at the end
of the book.
Fran Knight
Poppy cat by Sara Acton
Scholastic, 2014. ISBN 9781743620168.
(Age: 4-6) Recommended, Cats, Family. Sara Acton's distinctive
illustrative style beckons the reader from the first lovely
endpapaer showing the cat, Poppy Cat, coming through the cat door.
The spin on the words copy cat reveals itself from the first page as
we see the young girl doing things which her cat copies. The girl
walks through the house with a feather on a string, followed by the
cat, then she dresses herself with the cat crawling under the mats
on the floor. She goes to breakfast spilling milk over the table,
emulated by the cat splashing milk from her bowl on the floor.
Her antics are followed through the day but when she walks through
the paint and puts blue paw prints across the floor, it is time to
be by herself under the couch, while at the end of the day, she is
loved, the girl and her cat curling up together on the couch.
The warmth shown between the child and her cat parallel that of the
whole family, where the child is loved and valued, despite what she
has done. The warm soft watercolour illustrations suit the story
admirably, giving expression to the story of the young girl and her
cat. The simple line drawings are filled with muted colour sometimes
done in splotches which carry the image being presented. I love the
image o the cat trying to catch the raindrops as they fall down the
window, the cat stretching up and the drops slithering down, and the
last endpaper with the cat stalking off leaving its blue par prints
across the white expanse is simply beguiling.
Fran Knight
You Choose... Mayhem at Magic School by George Ivanoff
Random House Australia, 2014. ISBN 9780857983848.
Recommended 7-12 year olds. For youngsters who want to read,
or to be seen to read a novel length book, this genre is a godsend.
The You Choose format enables the reader to sample as many endings
or as few as they like without needing the stamina to complete the
book. Making a choice between two options on an average of every
second page means the least committed reader will enjoy the fast
pace of this story of mayhem and magic.
When a ball freezes in front of your nose you know something strange
is going on. Choosing between ignoring the whole thing, or racing
home to tell your parents, begins a roller coaster ride that leads
to Magic school or a therapist, fame and fortune or meeting long
lost great aunt Agnes.
The situations you can find yourself in vary from meeting the
strange fringe boy to ending your days as a toad in a specimen jar
in the science lab; joining the Enchanted Espionage Division as a
spy or an encounter with the school bully; meeting students Reggie,
Dougie and Hermione, despite magic school having no connection to
Hogwarts, and creating a Random Spell that can destroy the world.
With sixteen separate endings the reader is spoilt for choice as
they make their decisions and soon find out the consequences. This
series is bound to be popular with modern students used to an
interactive environment with the beauty of being able to change the
outcome if you come to an abrupt end.
Sue Keane
Happy pants: Why is Mummy so sad? by Heather Gallagher
Ill. by Liz McGrath. Wombat Books, 2014. ISBN 9781921632938.
Using a picture book to explain difficult subjects for children is
not new. Happy pants is a welcome addition to this group as the
author addresses the issue of Perinatal or Post Natal Depression
from a child's point of view.
The story, told in simple language and colourful pictures, begins
with the young boy recounting the things he enjoys when Mum wears
her happy pants from building sand castles to lots of cuddles.
Everything changes when Mum arrives home from hospital with baby
Darcy. She stays in bed and the happy pants remain in the wardrobe.
As Dad looks after the baby he tries to comfort the boy who is
missing his mother.
'Only babies sleep all day, don't they Daddy?'
'Not always,' he says.
Eventually the youngster sneaks into the wardrobe and takes the
happy pants to his cubby and inadvertently rips them. His despair is
evident.
I don't even get into trouble
Can you put a bandaid on a broken heart?
Finally Grandma comes and the youngsters have fun cooking and
playing while Mum and Dad visit the doctor. Grandma mends the happy
pants and Mum returns but on the slow road to recovery.
An explanation of Perinatal Depression and contact information for
support services in Australia is provided at the end of the book.
Sue Keane
Love is the new Black by Chrissie Keighery
Hardy Grant Egmont, 2014. ISBN 9781742973562.
(Age: 15+) If you are looking for realism, depth of thought and
emotion and well-developed three dimensional characters Love is the
new Black is NOT for you. It is a light weight narrative romance
that, at best, might satisfy some readers' fairy tale fantasies.
Piper Bancroft is an eighteen year old girl, who having failed to
gain entrance into her creative writing course at university is sent
to Melbourne to live with her (fairy?) godmother who has secured her
a job on the well-known fashion magazine, Aspire. Hence begins a
narrative of predictable and stereotypical structure. She meets the
'evil' Vivian, her boss, whose treatment of her subordinates is
reminiscent of Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada.
She rapidly establishes friendships with some of her workmates and
Kara Kingston, a top fashion model with a secret. Add Prince
Charming, the acting CEO, to the mix and the tale becomes
predictable in the extreme.
Keighery liberally peppers the story with reference to fashion names
such as Jimmy Choos, Marc Jacobs, and Alexander McQueen as well as
providing detailed descriptions of the glamorous outfits. That the
novel is set in the modern age is clearly established with
references to Snapchat, Skype, Twitter trolls and internet dating.
As would be expected in a novel such as this, there are sexual and
drug references. Love is the new Black would have little appeal to readers of
serious fiction.
Barbara Rye
The Bear said please by Jacque Duffy
Wombat Books, 2014, ISBN 9781921632945.
Bear is hungry for his favourite food, HONEY. He goes to the forest
to find some, but makes the bees very cross. Bear is no match for a
hive of angry bees.
He soon realises that, if he is polite and uses his manners more, he
will have a far better chance of getting what he wants, pleasantly.
A delightful story, with equally delightful illustrations, for
younger children.
Joan Smith
Bleakboy and Hunter stand out in the rain by Steven Herrick
UQP, 2014. ISBN 9780702250163.
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Bullying. Environment. Family life.
Feel good book. Humour. Jesse is a boy who has some problems fitting
into his new school. He has one good friend, Kate who entices him
into helping her on her quest to Save the Whales. He has one enemy,
the school bully, Hunter, who continually calls him names and gives
him a hard time.
The story is told in alternative chapters, first in Jesse's voice
telling of his trials, and then in the third person narrative,
relating the very different life that Hunter has, giving the reader
a really good experience of travelling in each of the character's
shoes. Laced throughout with humour, the reader is taken on a joyous
ride as Jesse talks to a poster representing Jesus, whom Jesse calls
Trevor so as not to annoy his agnostic parents. Jesse's home life is
very loving, even though his parents and sister often embarrass him.
Hunter on the other hand is going through some problems as his
father has left and gone to New Zealand with another woman, and both
he and his mother have to face his desertion. At home Hunter is a
very different and loving boy, in comparison to the face that he
presents at school, and it is not until both he and Jesse are
standing out in the rain that they come to an understanding.
This is a feel good book that leaves the reader feeling uplifted.
Even though the problems are huge: bullying, marriage breakdown, and
the fate of the whales, the characters are big hearted and people
help each out. Hunter's meeting with Senior Citizen Les helps him
and Kate's work with the Save the Whale campaign bring a different
perspective to the story. The themes of helping each other and the
environment stand out.
This would make an excellent Literature Circle book or Read aloud
for upper primary students and comes highly recommended for any
library collection.
Pat Pledger
A walk in Paris by Salvatore Rubbino
Walker Books, 2014. ISBN 9781406341522.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Paris, Cities, Grandparents, Travel. A
grandfather and his granddaughter spend a day walking through the
main attractions of Paris, giving information about each place where
they stop, and adding a few French words to the reader's vocabulary
as they go.
At the day's end all readers will have a greater understanding of
where the places of interest are in Paris, the City of Light, as
well as some understanding of French culture.
Each double page is a delight, with colour filled drawings of the
older man and his young charge, looking at the sights, sounds and
colour of this magical city.
The endpapers have a map of Paris enabling the reader to follow
their trail around the Seine, the city's river. The first endpaper
is a map with their intended trail marked on it, while the last
endpaper has a small index, drawings of their Bistro bill, tickets
to some of the places they have seen, some euros and cakes.
One double page which interested me was the view from inside a
bistro, and the text explains what a bistro is and why it is
specifically French, then the images shows the girl and her grandpa
sitting at a table while smaller images are redolent of some aspects
of French culture. There is a dog in the bistro, a wall menu has the
Plats du Jour, there is a range of people eating and drinking in the
bistro, while through the window can be seen the Boulangerie.
On another double page is a view of the well known Paris streets,
with their four stories, balconies and shops on the street level.
The text again explains why the Parisian streets all look like this,
and shows the difference between the small medieval streets and the
newer boulevards. And towards the end of the book is a fold out
picture of the Eiffel Tower, which will delight younger readers.
This is a charming book, not only for classrooms where French is
taught, but also for anyone interested in this beautiful city,
learning of the culture, language and sights as they tour with the
young girl and her grandfather. A companion book, A walk in New
York was published in 2012.
Fran Knight
Shahnameh: The Persian book of kings retold by Elizabeth Laird
Ill. by Shirin Adl. Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2014. ISBN
9781847804976.
Recommended. The story told in this sumptuously illustrated book is that of
Rustam the king's champion and his trials as a warrior. The back
stories of his parents and his birth are vividly retold by Laird, a
specialist in Middle Eastern stories and a children's fiction writer
whose stories are often set in those countries. His father, Zal was
born with a shock of white hair, and, convinced that he is a devil,
his father abandons him in the desert. Here he is picked up by an
eagle who takes him to her nest, giving him the blood and meat of
the captured animals she feeds her own young. A marvelous beginning
to a great story. All heroes have unusual beginnings and Zol is no
exception. He marries a beautiful woman from a neighbouring country
and their first child is also born in exceptional circumstances. His
wife is in great pain and the baby will not emerge, so he sends for
his foster mother and she advices him to cut her belly. So Rustam is
born. As a young boy his strength is something to marvel at and he
has the promise of being great, but must endure some trials of his
courage and abilities.
The story as with all myths and legends, show him in a range of
situations, slaying the enraged elephant, taming an untamable
stallion to be his own horse, marrying the most beautiful of women,
to become the king's champion warrior. We follow his life as he
succeeds with his seven trials, and then marries and has his own
son, Sohrab.
The illustrations reflect those on manuscripts found of the stories
(see Wikipedia)
and are a colourful adjunct to the story, making this a book to
treasure.
Fran Knight
Don't kiss girls : and other silly stories by Pat Flynn
University of Queensland Press, 2014. ISBN 9780702253300.
Recommended for 9-14 year olds. Pat Flynn has used his knowledge and
observations of young people and the school environment, gained as a
teacher, to advantage in this story. The characters would be
genuinely recognisable in any year 8 population.
Tony Ross is dead! Fortunately he had the good sense to record
stories about his life before he died and an angel called Angel
passed the voice recorder on to the random stranger he met on the
bus one day. Thus we are introduced to the hilarious stories of the
life of thirteen year old Tony.
On reflection, Tony realises that whatever he attempts usually ends
in trouble. His ambition to be as good as his best mate, and biggest
rival, Kane leads him into all sorts of escapades from cheating at
cricket to auditioning for a role in the school musical. Winning the
lead role, despite not being able to sing requires some ingenuity,
but the thought of kissing Ashleigh as part of the performance
drives him on.
As Tony relates his experiences we learn how not to approach work
experience and that acting as a golf caddy is a serious business.
The on again, off again nature of his relationship with Ashleigh,
his money making schemes and sibling rivalry all lead to trouble.
With typical schoolboy enthusiasm and unwavering self belief Tony
manages to find a way out of each predicament. That is until his
last night when kissing Ashleigh was not such a good idea.
The lists which intersperse the stories like Funniest Things
Teachers have Yelled at Me and Favourite Excuses for
Forgetting My homework add to the enjoyment of the text which
can be read like a series of short stories, though the imperative to
find out how Tony dies keeps the reader focussed.
I look forward to meeting Tony in his next incarnation, assuming
that Angel, the angel, is right.
Sue Keane
Crawf's Kick it to Nick : The Cursed Cup by Shane Crawford and Adrian Beck
Penguin, 2014. ISBN: 9780143307846.
(Ages: 7-9) AFL Football, School Life, Friendship, Fantasy. Shane
Crawford AFL football star and Adrian Beck TV producer for the The
Footy Show have teamed up to write an eight book series with
an AFL theme - Kick it to Nick. They have used their
expertise and understanding to write junior novels based on this
sport with mixed teams of feisty girls and fun boy characters. These
will appeal to younger readers from 7-9 years.
It's the first footy game on the new oval and Nick and his under-11
team, the Cobar Creek Crocs, are desperate to win the golden cup.
The oval has been built over an old mine with disastrous
consequences. When the trophy cup is taken from the cabinet it
changes into a terrifying metal monster, hungry to wipe out
everything around it. Nick the team captain is the only one who can
stop the destruction.
With great references to team participation, AFL superstars and a
dash of mystery, this series is one that will appeal to young footy
fans.
Rhyllis Bignell
Billy Slater presents: Try time by Patrick Loughlin
Ill. by Nahum Ziersch. Random House, 2014. ISBN 9780857982469.
Chapter book. This is a great series to tempt your rugby
league fans into reading as well as playing. It focuses on the West
Hill Ravens, a local team just starting their new season and
comprising kids from all backgrounds, demonstrating that this is a
game for all. In the team, Josh Brown has the potential to be a star
player - he has the speed and the skills of a winger, but he is also
cursed with nerves. Every time he steps on the field the butterflies
in his tummy take over and when he fails to score an easy try in
that first match, he thinks of giving it away altogether. He feels
he has let his team down, himself down, and most critically, his
grandfather who is football mad and screams encouragement from the
sideline each time.
But then, NRL legend Billy Slater turns up at training one day - can
he help Josh overcome those nerves? Written with action-packed
descriptions of games, good advice and a likeable lad who many will
empathise with this is a book worth promoting. In the introduction,
Slater emphasises that while playing well is important, it's more
about being part of a team, feeling you belong, having fun and
enjoying what you're doing because that's when you're at you're
best. But, at the same time, understanding that there are times when
things won't go your way and you have to have what it takes to work
through that. It's about being resilient, forgiving yourself and
digging deep to keep going. A strong message indeed from someone who
is a hero for so many. And apart from that there are several pages
of tips that the reader can think about to improve their own game. Try Time focuses on Junior Taafuli, nicknamed Cannonball the
biggest player in the West Hill Ravens, who thinks he is only valued
for his size. Again Slater steps in to help him learn a life lesson.
While the content alone of these books is likely to make them
appealing to younger readers, it is the endorsement by Billy Slater
that sets them apart from others of a similar theme, giving them a
strength because they show reluctant readers that their heroes do
read and write; that reading is a cool, in thing to do and it's
possible to combine football and reading. Perhaps we should ask the
publishers for a poster of Billy reading this title to reinforce
that message!
Barbara Braxton
Banana kick by Patrick Loughlin
Random House, 2014. ISBN 9780857982667.
(Age: 9+) Rugby. Banana Kick has a great theme - be happy with who
you are and don't try to change for other people. Our main
character is Junior, a 10 year old Samoan boy who is built to play
rugby (referred to as footy in the book). He is a member of West
Hill Ravens and is teased by other teams for being so big. Junior
can play rugby though and his skills have really improved his team's
scores. When other players as well as the crowd start commenting
more, Junior stops playing as well. It makes him feel sad and
different. Is Junior's big family enough to make him feel good about
himself or does Junior need more help?
Junior's team is mentored by Billy Slater - he plays for Queensland
and Melbourne Storm in real life - and involving him in the story is
a great touch to creating a story that will be enjoyed by reluctant
readers. Banana Kick is quick moving, full of rugby and great for
boys aged 9+. They will enjoy the descriptive rugby games.
Kylie Kempster
A breath of frost by Alyxandra Harvey
Lovegrove legacy, bk 1. Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781408836354.
(Age 13+) Emma had a dainty life, parties, suitors and money. But even though
her life as a young lady seemed picture perfect, Emma's mother
remained mentally unstable and in care and Emma's father was
isolated and business orientated. Emma and her two closes friends
and cousins expect nothing unusual to happen at a ball they attend.
Regardless of their expectations, at the end of the night there was
a fire, a sudden icy change in weather and a dead body. With Emma
being dragged to the bodies of young debutante girls, all suspicion
is placed upon her as the enforcers of magic remember in fear
inspired awe the memory of her now incapacitated mother. A huge and
possibly dangerous mystery arises concerning Emma and her cousin's
past. What had her mother done to render her this way? Why does Emma
continue to find the bodies of young ladies? Why does the weather
change and become extreme when Emma's feelings ripple? All through
these complications and seemingly endless questions, Emma still
manages to find herself with Cormac, is this an old rivalry or a
newly budding romance? A Breath of Frost written by Alyxandra Harvey evokes the themes of
mystery, drama, suspense and romance. An altered past is what we
receive when the reader delves into the more magical side of Regency
London. This novel is best suited for older readers due to the
stylish and descriptive language used by the author. A first in a
trilogy, the next two are sure to be just as elegantly written and
attention grabbing.
Sarah Filkin (Student)
