Pop & Fizz Media, 2014. Water mutant. ISBN 9781921931710 (Previously published as Aquaterros)
Air mutant. ISBN 9781921931697 (Previously published as
Flamatoraq) Storm mutant. ISBN 9781921931703 (Previously published as Stormasaurix)
(Age: 6-9) With brand new covers and new titles these 3 books in the
Boys Vs beast series will appeal to newly independent readers
especially boys. The print is large, each book has 8 chapters and
the final battle scene is vividly described in a 4 page comic style
scenario. Each book can be read independently, with an introduction
at the beginning which sets the scene for the adventure that Kai
Masters will undergo. And what adventures he has! There are plenty
of thrills and spills and action galore to engage the attention of
the intended audience as Kai battles the mutant beasts. A website for the series
allows the young reader to make their own beast.
Pat Pledger
Meet the ANZACs by Claire Saxby
Ill. by Max Berry. Meet series. Random House, 2014. ISBN
9780857981943. ebk ISBN 9780857981943
Most of our students know the story of what happened at what is now
Anzac Cove on April 25, 1915 and the days that followed. But
how did the Australian and New Zealand troops get there?
Surely they didn't just sign up, get on a ship and arrive in the
Dardanelles. In this new book, Claire Saxby explains what
happened between the outbreak of war and that fateful day. In
simple, straightforward text accompanied by appealing, muted
illustrations which evoke the moods of the time, the reader learns
of the growing fervour of patriotism as men rush to sign on for what
was seen to be a great adventure, a way to see the world, or simply
rescue a family from poverty. But instead of leaving immediately,
'training camps for soldiers popped up like mushrooms after rain'
and eagerness turned to impatience as time went on and the feeling
that the war would be over before they got there grew. And
impatience turned to frustration as instead of going directly to the
front line, they went to Egypt for yet more training and waiting.
Until the wait was finally over and they embarked for an unknown
destination . . . but 'war was like nothing they could have
imagined.' Frustration becomes fear, and on that note, Saxby
leaves the story to be told in other books and formats.
This is the 5th book in this series and it's my favourite, probably
because it reminds us of where the NZ in ANZAC comes from. It
tells the story not often told before and shows how the camaraderie
between the two nations that continues today began. Rather than a
narrow narration of the facts, it provides an insight into these men
with a clever juxtaposition of facts and then speech so there is a
sense that these are real people, not faceless, anonymous
participants.
With the centenary of ANZAC Day just over a year away, it is an
ideal starting point for beginning to learn about this key element
in our history and the inclusion of a timeline of the war itself
puts the events in context. A must-have for your collection
about this topic.
Barbara Braxton
Racing the Moon by Michelle Morgan
Allen & Unwin, 2014. ISBN 9781743316351.
It is the year that Donald Bradman scored 334 runs against England
in the third Test; the year that Par Lap won the Melbourne Cup; the
year that each end of the Sydney Harbour Bridge met and the year
that Australia was thrown further and further into the Depression
after the collapse of Wall Street and the world's economic woes were
widespread. Growing up in those times was hard, pleasures were few
and struggles persistent.
But nevertheless, 12-year-old Joe Riley still thinks the world is
his oyster. Living in Glebe in Sydney, he's got a couple of thriving
businesses going with his mate that make him enough pocket money to
get by, while his father makes his living a step in front of the law
as a bookie. Even though his father gets drunk and bashes Joe's
mother, and is quick to take off his belt and deliver corporal
punishment whenever he thinks Joe has stepped over the line, that's
an accepted way of life in these times and while he steps in to save
his mum, Joe takes the rest of it in his stride. It is what it is
and it's no different for his mates.
But one night, Joe's father drops a bombshell - instead of going to
the local high school, Joe will go to boarding school at St
Bartholomew's on the other side of the harbour. Clearly his form of
discipline hasn't prevented Joe from getting into trouble - trouble
that comes too close to home for his father's liking. Alone,
friendless and in trouble with prefects and brothers for the
slightest indiscretion, St Barts turns out to be the epitome of the
tough, brutal, unforgiving Catholic boys' school that have been the
subject of news headlines and government inquiries lately, and
includes Brother Felix who takes a greater interest in Joe than he
should. Protecting himself, Joe lashes out and finds himself on the
train to The Farm - an isolated reformatory school with no escape
options. And it is here that Joe discovers joy through hard work and
responsibility, and an inner strength that he didn't know he had.
While this is her first novel, Michelle Morgan, a teacher librarian
from the NSW Southern Highlands, is an experienced writer having had
four of her plays produced and performed. The story of Joe is the
result of the stories her uncle told her about growing up in
suburban Sydney in the 30s and if you looked up 'larrikin' in a
dictionary you might see the definition as 'Joe Riley'. He's that
rough-and-tumble, knockabout, free-spirited lad that we think of in
those times - old enough to be independent but not yet an adult of
14 and expected to work to support the family. This story is a great
insight into life in those times, great background for the history
focus for Year 6. Certainly a great vehicle for comparing and
contrasting childhood then and now. I loved the uplifting and
reaffirming way that Joe rises above challenges to triumph - his
burning of the hated St Barts uniform is a mirror of what I did on
my last day of school. Joe, indeed, races the moon both literally
and figuratively.
This story is skilfully written, the pace is swift and it kept me so
engaged I finished it in two sittings. As I was reading it,
particularly the section about St Barts, I kept asking myself if
this would be suitable for a primary school audience, because
although it is not explicit, there is a clear allusion to Brother
Felix's intentions and I wondered if parents might feel confronted
if their child asked them about this. But I've decided that I'm
reading it from an adult perspective, one that has more information
than that of a child, and so maybe it won't be such an issue. I
believe it is essential that such things should not be neglected
especially as they are an integral part of the story, but you need
to be aware that it could cause questions to be asked. If I were
still in my primary library, it would be on the shelf with a Senior
Fiction sticker on it (probably more to protect me than the
student).
Nevertheless, this is an auspicious start to what could be a lengthy
career as a writer for the YA market and I look forward to reading
more of Michelle's work. Her website is here. Notes
for teachers by Fran Knight are here.
Barbara Braxton
The Bush Book Club by Margaret Wild
Ill. by Ben Wood. Omnibus, 2014. ISBN 9781742990149.
(Age: 3+) Recommended. Books and reading. Australian animals.
All the animals belonged to the Bush Book Club. They loved to read
and would meet in their club house tree and discuss and swap books.
But Bilby didn't like to read. He couldn't sit still long enough to
get through a book and why read when he could do handstands and skip
and hop? What will it take to get Bilby to read a book?
Margaret Wild has written a delightful book about the joy of reading
using rhyming verse and the dexterous use of alliteration. The
animal characters are brought alive with subtle humour that children
will love: Echnida reads in bed, with 'platters of ants and buttered
bread', while 'Crocodile loved stories that made him cry. He
sniffled and snuffled, sobbed and sighed.' The energetic little
Bilby when locked in the club room, finds ways to use up all the
books building a tower, a fort, a great wall, and three houses.
Eventually he is bored and decides to open the pages of The
terrifying adventures of big brave Bilby and discovers that words
and stories can be exciting too.
Ben Wood's illustrations are lots of fun. On his website
he describes the process of how he locates the headquarters of the
Bush Book Club in a gumtree on an island in the middle of the river.
The club house is filled with books and comfortable armchairs and
sofas and even better, the animals can climb out and sit on the
tree's limbs and read. Young readers will enjoy the happy
expressions on the animals' faces and love the illustrations of
Bilby as he discovers a book that keeps him spellbound.
With a beautifully written story that could become a read aloud
favourite and soft, humorous illustrations, this book is a keeper.
Pat Pledger
Rock War by Robert Muchamore
Hodder Children's Books, 2014. ISBN: 9781444914535.
(Age: 14+) Themes: Peer relationships, Overcoming difficulties,
Dysfunctional families, Adolescence, Crime, Non-Conformity. The book
clearly displays a label that states, 'Not suitable for Younger
Readers.'Jay, Summer and Dylan are three young students who
live with unusual, but completely different family circumstances,
and yet they share a path into a Rock Music destination. In
Muchamore's latest series, the gritty and complex backgrounds of the
band members of three hard-rock bands creates an interesting
backdrop as they enter a Rock band competition for young teens. The
Prologue opens with the suggestion of future success, a teaser that
opens up the possibility of the world of stardom. The narrative
begins with a competition that reveals Jay as a central figure in
the plot, and then the author weaves in the other main characters in
succeeding chapters.
The setting of this book places the main characters from urban inner
city or Estate underclass of England (If you have ever watched The
Bill, you will recognise the environs), or from a contrasting
private school privilege and will appeal to Teens who appreciate
life lived on the edge. The issues that Muchamore includes within
the lives of the band members, their school friends and their
families include peer dilemmas , bullying, jealousy, crime, ADHD and
its impacts, cutting, being a teen carer, dysfunctional family
composition, sexual abuse, teen sexual behaviour and the chaotic
consequences of poor choices. These characters are not from 'neat'
family backgrounds, and they do not experience easy routes to
success, but some of them still do homework after school. Music,
though, is a powerful vehicle to express their angst and to
experience some control in their lives. Muchamore includes some
earthy language on occasions to communicate the culture and voices
of the teens, and their attitudes to authority.
Despite the youthful 'hard-rock' culture, there is evidence of care
and concern for family members and the main characters are likeable
and believable. This will be a series that appeals to those whose
music preferences are far from the Pop or Classical world. Both male
and female readers will find it appealing, but it is not for the
very young. The book clearly displays a label that states, 'Not
suitable for Younger Readers.' Do NOT disregard this label. Because
of the issues that the author raises, this book is for older readers
(at least 14+), even though some of the characters within the Rock
Bands are quite young. Characters make choices within the book that
are far from exemplary, and some crime details are confronting.
Note, as this is the first in the series, there is obvious
development of the competition between the bands still to come. This
is not a text that would warrant Class study.
Carolyn Hull
Keeper of the Phoenix by Aleesah Darlison
Ill. by Nicole Onslow. Ash Rover Book 1. Walker Books, 2014. ISBN
9781922179029.
(Age: 7-10) Highly recommended. Themes: Adventure, Fantasy, Quest.
All the elements of a fantasy-quest junior novel - mythical
creatures, magic and mayhem, an evil wizard and friends on a mission
to save their village, engage the reader in Aleesah Davidson's new
action-packed adventure series.
When young Ash Rover falls asleep minding his cows, a mysterious
warm rock hits him on the head. He leaves the cows and rushes home
to tell his unimpressed mother, she admonishes him and throws the
strange object out. Of course the rock turns out to be a phoenix egg
and when it hatches Ash becomes the keeper, protector and food
supplier for the hungry bird. All the men of the village have left
to fight the enemy at the border and Lady Belgrave rules the
village. When she summons Ash and his friends Rhyll and Taine to the
manor to show her the magical bird, things change dramatically.
With the village trapped under the evil wizard Zadoc's spell, the
three adventurers, Ash's faithful dog trip and Gwaam the talking
phoenix need to confront their fears, work together and break the
wizard's spell within seven days. Ash knows he has to do the right
thing even though he's not always clever or brave. Rhyll is a great
foil for Ash, feisty and opinionated.
Along the way they confront a fierce mother dragon, colourful
unicorns, fairies, trogs, need to find food and shelter and confront
the evil wizard Zadoc.
This is an exciting new novel with two more Ash Rover books to come.
This would be a great class read aloud as an introduction to
narrative, fantasy and character development.
Highly recommended for readers from 7-10. Classroom ideas are available.
Rhyllis Bignell
Don't Worry be Happy! or Else! by Francoize Boucher
A & C Black, 2014. ISBN: 9781472904713.
(Ages: 8-99!) Subjects: Happiness, Emotional Health, Cartooning.
Francoize Boucher is a Parisienne author and fashion designer who
shares her creativity and passion for happiness in her new book
Don't Worry be Happy! or Else! She has a unique style of
presentation with page after page of neon illustrations,
encouragements and sayings, quirky cartoon characters and spaces for
personal drawings and reflections. This is definitely not a novel,
just a book filled with positivity, suitable to pick up and read
straight through or just dip into when you need encouragement.
Boucher asks 'Why should you feel so happy?' She answers because you
are 100% human of course! The humorous comparisons between the sad
lives of lions, worms, goldfish, pigs even objects like palm trees
and the joys of happiness experienced by people adds humour to the
book. Imagine a worm who can't share in the pleasures of pocket
money, future career opportunities even mobile phone ownership! Her
fun advice and fresh view on life makes this a joy to read. Humour
and happiness are interlinked.
The cartoon illustrations are creative, with multiple speech
bubbles, bold use of neon highlights and shading, different font
styles and sizes to catch your attention. The style is reminiscent
of Liz Pichon's Tom Gates books. This would make a great
present for a birthday or special occasion or for someone who needs
encouragement.
Rhyllis Bignell
Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith
Hardie Grant Egmont, 2014. ISBN: 9781742978802.
Recommended for readers 16 years +. Themes: Friends, Sexuality,
Family relationships, Science fiction. Grasshopper Jungle tells the
story of three teenage friends in the small American town of Ealing,
Iowa. Austin Szerba is the story's narrator and much of the book
focuses on his complicated relationships with his girlfriend, Shann
Collins, and his best friend Robby Brees.
Ealing, the town in which the book is set, is in decline with its
major employer, McKeon Industries, having closed down. A significant
part of the story takes place in the Ealing Mall where only four
small businesses remain open. The Mall is built on a field where
Austin and Robby used to ride their BMX bikes and was known to them
as Grasshopper Jungle.
Aside from the teenagers' relationships the other significant aspect
of the plot involves the world being taken over by giant praying
mantises! We learn that McKeon Industries started life manufacturing
fertilizer but at some point ventured into genetic engineering and
accepted a contract from the United States government to produce a
race of 'unstoppable soldiers'. A series of events on a normal day
in Ealing results in an old sample of 'Contained MI Plague Strain
412E' being released and Ealing, Iowa, becomes ground zero for the
end of the world as we know it.
Austin keeps a detailed diary and sees it as his duty to record
history for future generations. Andrew Smith frequently introduces
seemingly insignificant facts from the history of the book's
characters which, when put together, give the story a 'six degrees
of separation' quality. The book is full of clever observations
about human nature and the inclination for history to repeat itself.
The cover of this book is very visually appealing to a teenage
audience however the amount of content related to Austin's sexual
relationships with both Shann and Robby result in it being suitable
for older teen readers only.
Nicki Paterson
My Haunted House by Angie Sage
Araminta Spook Book 1. Bloomsbury, 2014 (2006). ISBN 9781408838655.
(Age 7+) Themes: Ghosts, Magic, Witches. Originally published in
2006, this Bloomsbury reprint introduces Araminta Spook to a new
generation of young readers. She lives with her Aunt Tabby and Uncle
Drac in a huge, creepy house. Her parents are away hunting vampires
and they've left Araminta in the care of her unusual relatives.
Araminta spends her days searching for ghosts, getting up to
mischief and finding herself in trouble. Time is running out for
Araminta to find an elusive spirit because her Aunt Tabby is fed up
with the troublesome boiler so she's putting the house on the
market.
Araminta's determination is evident as she scares away real estate
agents and changes the for sale sign to This Haunted House is NOT
for sale. Unfortunately she can't sway her Aunt from finding new
owners who aren't scared of ghosts!
This is a fun chapter book where Annie Sage's humorous writing is
complemented by Jimmy Pickering's dark black and white sketches.
Rhyllis Bignell
The Poppy by Andrew Plant
Ford St, 2014. ISBN 9781925000313 HB. ISBN 9781925000320 PB.
Highly recommended for all readers 9+ . Another stunning new picture
book for everyone's Anzac Day collection, particularly suitable for
younger readers 9+ but also eminently suitable to use with older
students as an exploration of this particular aspect of the First
World War. Many will already know of the history of Villers
Bretonneux, a village in Northern France, where Anzacs achieved the
impossible and saved the village from complete annihilation by the
German invaders. Not without a great cost, the Anzacs suffered huge
casualties in their successful action. You will find much rich
historical material around this significant piece of history,
including a documentary which I recall watching in recent years, now
available on YouTube
in episodes.
Through over 70 beautiful colour paintings and a simple but moving
text, Andrew Plant has retold the story, focussing on the part
played by Victorian schoolchildren who helped rebuild the village
school after the war. This single act of compassionate action has
resonated through time as the Victoria School continues to be a
focal point of Villers Bretonneux, for both locals and for those
making a pilgrimage. In the 'pay it forward' style, the village
children responded in kind when the devastating Ash Wednesday
totally destroyed Strathewen Primary School in 2009.
The individual illustrations boxed in a black background tell much
of the story, making this a highly effective visual text. Andrew
Plant has handled this piece of history with a gentle finesse,
creating a non-fiction text that will speak volumes to all readers.
As the centenary commemorations of the First World War and the
Anzacs begin, this book will prove an invaluable addition to any
collection and is a fitting tribute to those who not only sacrificed
their lives, but those who did whatever they could to help Villers
Bretonneux recover from the tragedies.
This one is a must for your 2014 collection.
Sue Warren
Wayfarer by Lili St. Crow
Tales of beauty and madness bk 2. Razorbill, 2014. ISBN
9781921880209.
(Age 14+) Highly recommended. Fairy tales retold. Survival. Abuse.
With the death of her father, Ellen Sinder, a powerful Charmer, has
been left with her violent stepmother, Laurissa. She is forced to
use her magic to profit her stepmother who is becoming increasingly
abusive. Ellie believes that she has a plan to escape her situation
and is saving every credit that she can. When a train arrives
bringing with it her new stepsister and Avery Fletcher, a golden
boy, things begin to unravel for her.
This is a dark and frightening take on the traditional Cinderella
story. Although Ellie has two close friends, Ruby and Cami, she
doesn't believe that they can help her against her terrifying
stepmother. She becomes increasingly isolated as Laurissa plots to
entice Avery into her clutches and makes her work even harder at
casting spells. When she finally leaves the house, she takes refuge
with an old woman who is friendly and warm, leaving her friends
behind. But as time goes on, Ellie discovers that danger lurks in
every corner.
This is not a feel-good retelling of the fairy tale. Instead it is
an exploration of how a strong and talented girl can become isolated
by abuse and violence, so much so that she doesn't believe that
anyone can help her or that she has the right to expect help. As a
reader I kept asking myself why she didn't tell someone what was
happening but Ellie believes that her stepmother will not only harm
her but those around her.
Lili St Crow doesn't pull any punches with her theme. Powerful
characterisation and descriptive writing make this a compulsive
read. I particularly liked the character of Avery, who appeared to
have every advantage, good looks, a loving family and talent, but
who was caring enough to do the right thing for Ellie. The world of
magic, of twisted minotaurs, fey creatures and spells provides a
believable and unique background to the story as it did for the
first in the series, Nameless.
Pat Pledger
The bushranger's boys : 1841 : do you dare? by A. Lloyd
Puffin, 2014. ISBN: 9780143307563.
In 1841, Jem is taken from his home, a slab hut on the sheep run
tended by his father, by the cruel and arrogant station owner,
Captain Ross. Jem's wages will help his father buy the sheep run but
the Captain's word, as Jem quickly learns, is worth little. While
travelling back to the Station, Jem and Ross have their first
encounter with bushranger William Westwood, who has no more love for
the landed gentry and their overseers than Jem, son of a former
convict, has himself.
Life at bustling Ross Vale Station is unfamiliar to Jem, but he
quickly establishes new friends: a rescued puppy, Alfie the cook's
son, whose head is full of heroes and valorous deeds, and Tommy, an
Aboriginal boy whose people, displaced from the land by the arrival
of the squatters, camp along the creek. Alfie tells Jem that Tommy's
people are hungry. The wallabies have gone along with the grass that
is eaten by the stock, and the creek is too churned up by the hooves
of the cattle for fish to breed in it.
When William Westwood saves the pup from drowning in the river where
he has been thrown on the orders of Captain Ross, the boys, in their
gratitude, decide to allow him to hide out in their mountain 'fort'.
Westwood tells them boys something of his life-story and, perhaps
noticing the early signs of a bad case of hero-worship, urges them
not to go the way of the outlaw. Nonetheless, the only way the boys
can obtain food for the bushranger is by stealing. This presents a
moral dilemma: they might be caught and flogged, but if they are not
caught then Alfie's mother, the local Aborigines or other innocent
parties might be accused of the crime. Fear, the desire to stand by
a mate in need, and notions of honesty flash in turn through Jem's
thoughts: mateship wins the day, (or rather, the night.) The Bushranger's Boys is an easily readable book with enough
action to keep young readers entertained while at the same thing
learning a little of Australia's squatter settlement and the lives
of the men and women who first cleared and farmed the land between
Canberra and the Blue Mountains. The relationship between the two
white boys and Tommy is not fleshed out and is perhaps unlikely.
However, Tommy does allow an opportunity for some classroom research
into the lives of the Ngarigo and the other first people of the
Monaro district. Suitable resources for this purpose include
Josephine Flood's booklet Moth Hunters of the ACT, and an
ABC radio
piece about an Aboriginal shield tree in the Eden region.
Francine Smith
Bloomsbury Discovery series
Space ill. by Andy Rowland. ISBN 9781408194621. My body ill. by Joelle Dreidemy. ISBN 9781408194638.
(Age: 5+) Recommended, Space, Body, Flap book, Non Fiction. Two new
books from Bloomsbury in the Discovery series will find a ready
audience amongst younger children, be they in a kindergarten, junior
primary school or at home. Lift the flap books are so inviting that
readers will not be able to keep their hands of these books. Just as
well they are sturdily made, with a strong hardcover and thick,
almost cardboard pages, and even the flaps have been given an inner
strength to make the book last much longer than many books of this
ilk.
Inside information is presented in small bites while time lines,
chronologies and lists abound, to invite and entreat the reader. At
the end of each book is a page of facts and a glossary. An easily
read contents page at the start directs readers to a chapter which
they may be searching for.
All in all these are a sound pair of books about subjects children
are interested in and give a basic knowledge which will whet their
appetites. Space begins with a time line, starting at 14 billion years
ago and winding through all the significant space events until now.
This is followed by 'How space works' with a flow chart giving the
life of a star, then the Solar System is outlined in spectacular
colour while the following double page on Our Home Planet. Next
comes 'Exploring Space 'with a range of space vehicles, and a
fascinating double page on Living in space. A last double page
showing the night sky for norther hemisphere livers completes this
valuable book. My Body begins with a time line starting at 4.5 billion years
ago and going through all the sequences until man first walked on
the earth about 3 million years ago, to now. Over the page is an
outline of a boy showing all the body parts and lift up flaps about
each section, then over the page presents information about bones,
joints and muscles, followed by the digestive system, the senses,
the brain and lastly breathing. Again a valuable book which could be
well used in the classroom or at home, teaching young children the
fundamentals of our body and how it works.
Fran Knight
Little Meerkat by Aleesah Darlison
Ill. by Shannon Melville. Wombat Books, 2014. ISBN 9781921632822.
(Age: Pre-school - 6) Recommended. Little Meerkat did not like
cuddles. In fact he thought that he was a heroic hunter and should
be out hunting with the older animals, slinking through the grass
and evading capture. Of course he is safe when his large extended
family is there to protect him when he makes his dangerous and
adventurous forays outside the burrow.
Darlison has chosen the meerkat, such a cute animal that people are
fascinated with, to show the reader the dangers of being too
adventurous. Young readers will be able to identify with Little
Meerkat as he pursues his craving for independence, and will be able
to come up with occasions in their own lives when they are too young
or inexperienced to be able to do what their older siblings or the
adults in their lives can do.
Shannon Melville's illustrations are wonderful, and really extend
the appeal of the picture book. The pictures of the wide-eyed,
cute meerkats, the little puffs of dust as the meerkats race to
rescue Little Meerkat, and the enormous feathers of the eagle as it
tries to pounce on Little Meerkat are very attractive and are sure
to gain the attention of the reader.
This is a humorous story that parents and teachers could use to show
that some things can be dangerous. Most of all it is a fun story to
read.
Pat Pledger
The Race by Susannah McFarlane
Ill. by Dyani Stagg. E J Spy School series. Scholastic
Australia, 2014. ISBN 9781921931536.
(Age: 5-7) The EJ 12 series has been popular with girls
seeking a heroine in the centre of the action, especially with her
spy gadgets and international adventures. The new series E J Spy
School is an off shoot of this series, much like the Zac
Power: Spy Camp has the Zac Power: Test Drive series
to complement it.
Designed to appeal to the 5-7 year olds E J Spy school
introduces a young Emma Jacks during her training days. As EJ10 she
is learning to be a spy, enjoying the thrill of arriving at SHINE,
the spy agency, via the last cubicle in the girl's toilet and
bursting to share with her friends but keeping her activities
secret. The Race has EJ proving her fitness and bravery as she
completes the obstacle training course in a race against the clock.
We share her anxiety on the rope bridge and her confidence on the
plank as she recognises she has completed the same activity at gym.
Her dilemma as time runs short is whether she can rescue a duckling
and still finish the course in the allotted time.
The easy to read text interspersed with drawings which focus
generally on showing EJ's emotions or effort, make the book another
in the growing list of chapter books suitable for young independent
readers.
Sue Keane
