A House of Night Novel: Hidden by P.C. & Kristin Cast
Atom, 2012. ISBN: 9781907411120.
Written in first person in alternating view points this tenth
instalment in popular paranormal romance series A House of Night
is packed with all the drama that comes with being a teenager and
more! Confusing without background, this novel is written as you
would speak and centres less on the supernatural then on the teenage
drama. Vampyres, witches, seers and goddesses incite the events and
fans of the paranormal romance genre may enjoy this novel.
Continuing on from where its predecessor left off (Destined)
the book encompasses the days following the loss of Zoey's mother
and the exposure of Neferet's dark nature. Zoey and her group are in
mourning after the death of their sword master Dragon Lankford to
the vessel of The White Bull. The school is in upheaval as both
staff and students come to terms with the betrayal of their High
Priestess Neferet, who sacrificed Dragon's cat in order to command
the death of a son of immortal, Kalona. Breaking with the Tulsa
House of Night Neferet seeks the help of humans to reap havoc on her
vampyre counterparts, however she doesn't count on, high priestess
Zoey's continual interference. All the while, cracked vessel,
created by darkness, Aurox (who Zoey suspects may host the soul of
her beloved Heath) begins to fight his dark beginnings and rebel
against the White Bull. Betrayal, death, darkness and in spite of it
all hope, the novel demonstrates the importance of unity, friendship
and trust in a fanciful interpretation of our world.
Kayla Gaskell (Student)
Yoko's diary ed. by Paul Ham
ABC Books,2013. ISBN 9780733331176.
(Age: Suitable for Middle School students aged 10-15 years) Highly
recommended particularly for students of History and Japanese.
Yoko's diary was first published in Japan in 1996, but this is the
first English translation. Yoko wrote her diary each day from
6.4.1945 to 5.8.1945 - a period of 4 months - from her commencement
in Year 7 at the prestigious 'Kenjo' high school in Hiroshima. Yoko
relates the detail of her days in 2 sections - 'School' and 'Home' -
with lots of detail about domestic arrangements and the education
system.
Yoko tells us at what time she wakes and at what time she goes to
bed. She tells us if/what she studies and what chores she does. She
details everyday life in Hiroshima in the last days of World War
II.We experience Yoko's ups and downs, her joys and frustrations,
her commitment to hard work, her compassion for the Japanese troops,
her loyalty to family, school and country, her rare opportunities
for play with friends, her long days travelling to and from school
and visiting family members and her attempts at growing food. We can
see how readily she, her family and teachers accepted the Japanese
war propaganda. Japan's war efforts were in dire straits, but Yoko
believed that victory was not far away. Yoko diary finishes on
5.8.1945, the day on which the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.
She died later that day from the effects of the bombing.
Yoko's diary is edited by Australian author Paul Ham and he has
added numerous information pages eg shrine maidens, rationing,
religion in Japan in the 1940s. It has been beautifully designed.
Many pages are adorned with cherry blossom decorative scrolls. There
are black and white photos, maps and Yoko's family tree. In addition
there are recent contributions by Yoko's older brother, Kohji, her
niece, Miki,her nephew, Yo, her sister-in-law, Kazuko, her school
friend, Kazuko, and Hatsue, who attended Yoko as she died apart from
her family in a relief centre. The details of Yoko's injuries and
last hours are heart-breaking, but sensitively handled.
Margaret Strickland
Hate is such a strong word by Sarah Ayoub
Harper Collins, 2013. ISBN: 9780732296841.
(Age: Secondary) Sarah Ayoub has created an engaging plot line that
speaks to relevant issues in the lives of Australian
Teenagers. This was a quick read, which I didn't want to put
down.
Written in the first person, seventeen year old Sophie takes us
through her final year of high school as a Lebanese-Australian,
living in a predominantly Lebanese district of Sydney. Like many
teenagers, Sophie struggles with fitting in at school, dealing with
an over-protective father at home, reconciling her two cultures and
trying to find her place in the world.
Ayoub covers a lot of ground in this debut novel. Racial Tension,
bullying, family, relationships and identity are just a few of the
themes that she explores, and she does so in a manner that quickly
draws the reader to empathise with the well-constructed female
protagonist.
The novel presents a vivid picture of what it is to live as the
child of a migrant family within a cultural minority in Australia.
While I cannot personally vouch for the accuracy of this depiction,
I believe it is a novel that will open the eyes of the average
Australian teenager to the broad diversity that resides within our
country.
While the language is not challenging, and this novel should be a
fairly easy read for most high school students, the themes are
particularly relevant to more senior students who are making the
transition into the adult world.
This is a coming of age novel, with a good dose of social commentary
and a hint of chick-lit. Hate is Such a Strong Word could be studied in conjunction
with other text such as My Big Fat Greek Wedding, or Looking
for Alabrandi, though I would recommend it more as a wider
reading novel than a class shared text.
Sarah Rose
How to make small things with Violet Mackerel by Anna Branford
Ill. by Sarah Davis. Photographer Cath Muscat. Walker Books, 2013.
(Age: 6-10) Highly recommended for crafters from 6-10 years. Themes:
handicraft, collections, sewing, gifts, recycling, up-cycling. This
absolutely gorgeous craft book is a companion volume to the
wonderful Violet Mackerel novels. Violet loves collecting small and
appealing things and in this how to book the reader can engage with
some exciting craft projects. This book is beautifully laid out with
three chapters - Small things to Wear, Small things to Use and Small
things to Give. There are four projects within each section suitable
for children from six years of age with supervision and for
independent crafters.
These activities are introduced by Violet and connect with her
family, friends and her stories. Each project contains a list of all
the things needed and has clear easy to read step by step
instructions accompanied by a photograph or illustration. To add
interest, Violet suggests additional ideas in the Thinking Outside
the Square section, turning the beautiful bird hair-slide into a
brooch, changing the look with different materials or making
different animals.
Some of the projects involve recycling old socks or t-shirts into
wrist warmers and tubular scarves then adding personalised
embellishments. There are beautiful crowns made with small buttons
and charms to give to friends, small felt pouches for treasures,
shining sun rings and handmade gift tags to make.
Sarah Davis' emotive pencil sketches of Violet are cut and placed
attractively on a variety of soft pastel backgrounds. They are
complemented by Cath Muscat's full page colour photos and smaller
images that show the project steps. This is a visually engaging book
that would make a wonderful present.
Rhyllis Bignell
Ella Bella Ballerina and the Nutcracker by James Mayhew
Ella Bella ballerina series. Orchard Books, 2012. ISBN
9781408314081.
(Age: 4-6) Ella Bella is really excited about the surprise party
that her ballet teacher, Madame Rosa has prepared for the class.
There is a large Christmas tree on the stage beside Madame Rosas
special music box and when Ella Bella opens it up it begins to play
music. She is transported into the wonderful world of The
Nutcracker ballet, where she meets Clara and the little wooden
nutcracker. Together they battle the evil Mouse King and when he is
vanquished, the spell binding the nutcracker is broken and he turns
into a handsome prince who takes them to a magic forest. They all
dance to the music of The Nutcracker ballet, and in the
Marzipan Palace the Sugar Plum Fairy claps her hands and they are
surrounded by sweets.
This is a delightful imaginative story that will thrill little girls
who are learning to dance or who would like to learn how to do
ballet. The story of the The Nutcracker is told beautifully
and the illustrations complement the story and will help young
readers work out what is happening. They are light and airy and I
particularly liked the Sugar Plum Fairy with her gorgeous wings and
pink and white dress.
On the back page is an explanation of the origins of The
Nutcracker ballet, and the music that was written by
Tchaikovsky for Russia's famous Imperial Ballet.
This is a book that will have young readers and adults clamouring to
hear The Nutcracker music and if they are very lucky, being
taken to see a production of the ballet.
Pat Pledger
First animal encyclopedia by Anita Gameri
Bloomsbury, 2013. ISBN 9781408842522.
(Age: 5+) Recommended. Animals. Non fiction. An attractively bound
large hard back book presents information about a range of animals
sure to whet the appetites of younger readers. The opening double
page explains what is meant by some specific terms. It explains how
scientists have divided all animals into specific groups such as
reptiles, birds and mammals, each group having something in common.
It then explains how these are further divided into vertebrates and
invertebrates with a reference to warm and cool blooded animals. All
is done succinctly and uses magnificent photographic illustrations
to make the point. After that chapters on each double page
give explanations of various animal groups, large and small,
mammals, animals at the poles and so on, then it concentrates on
various attributes, like surviving or regions where the animals
live. It seems an unusual mix of topics, but I am sure that younger
readers will love to dip in and out of this handsomely illustrated
book, as I did, letting the page fall open, and gobbling up what is
presented. A sound index will help children learn the significance
of using that tool to gain more information, and the large glossary
expands on the knowledge given in the text. A box on the last page
contains references to other books and websites, adding to its
usefulness in the classroom.
Fran Knight
Nellie Melba by Allan Drummond
Aussie Notables series. Green Barrow Publishing, 2013. ISBN
9781876460471.
(Age: 10+) Dame Nellie Melba's success transcended the
confines of the world of opera. Like Dame Joan Sutherland, her name
was known to most Australians regardless of their musical tastes
because they recognised that despite her international fame, she
always identified with her country of birth.
Allan Drummond has used a tongue-in-cheek style to tell the story of
how Helen Mitchell became the phenomenon Nellie Melba. This is a
demanding subject for young readers, many of whom may not be aware
of opera as a performing art, and few of whom will have seen a live
performance. The author has overcome this by beginning with a
reference to the Sydney Opera House, a familiar landmark, and then
broadening his scope to the great opera houses of the world in which
Melba sang. The influence of the singer's parents, details of her
childhood, her difficult personal life as an adult and remarkable
career are all explained, as are the plots of some of the operas in
which she appeared. Chatty asides, references to modern popular
culture and cartoons scattered throughout the text, may appeal to
those readers who also enjoy the Horrible Histories. The use of
cultural stereotypes as a source of humour might now be regarded as
dated. The final chapter about Melba's death and legacy are written
with sensitivity and skill. Nellie Melba is a title in the Aussie Notables series, which
provides brief biographies of the high achievers depicted on our
currency. Allan Drummond's decision to tell their stories will help
younger children to understand the gifts and determination of
Australians whose contribution is so 'notable' that their faces have
been chosen to become part of our daily lives.
Elizabeth Bor
I love you book by Libby Hathorn
Ill. by Heath McKenzie. IP Kids, 2011. ISBN 9781921479892. Ebook
ISBN 9781921479908.
The inspiration for this book could have been the sonnet by
Elizabeth Barrett Browning which begins 'How do I love thee? Let me
count the ways' because it is an ode to the pleasures and delights
of the book - its sights, sounds, smells and the remarkable places
it encourages our imagination to visit and the amazing creatures we
meet when we get there.
'I love you book,
When they read you through and through
Onceuponatime
Undiesontheline
Or by myself
I read out loud
If there're only just we two!
From the 'rustle-bustle' of the pages to the 'dots and commas,
question marks Performing every page' to the 'happily-ever-afters,
packed-to-the-rafters', this is an enthusiastic, energetic romp that
reaffirms the joy that reading provides and why books are here to
stay because they are the perfect format. On each page, illustrator
Heath McKenzie has created fantastic artworks (hand-drawn using a
digital tablet) which match the energy of the text and help us
recall some of the most magic moments in our reading lives. And even
if we haven't yet met the centipede being rude or visited those
lands at the top of the tree, it inspires us to find those books so
we can.
Ms Hathorn says the inspiration for the book comes from an item she
saw at a school assembly when three mothers of the students
performed a 'book drama' called I Love You Book in honour of
their children's excitement about learning to read and she
immediately jotted down some ideas for this book. I wonder if those
mothers know how far their performance has reached, particularly if
we ask our students to express why they love books, not just as an
exploration of the senses but also as a way of having them recommend
books to others. Which books make you 'dreamy and sometimes quiet
and slow', and which books make you want to 'go, get up and go!'?
Similarly, how do those 'short-long words' make the story move, and
what role do those dots and commas have?
If you're planning to start the year off with a focus on reading and
books and the pleasures the children are going to be in for as the
year with you progresses, this is a must-have.
Barbara Braxton
Stay where you are and then leave by John Boyne
Random House, 2013. ISBN 9780857532947.
Set in London on the eve of the First World War, the close, loving
family comprising five year old Alfie, his mother Margie and father
Georgie is warmly presented in the introduction to this story. These
are simple people with limited expectations and aspirations, yet
they work hard and care deeply for one another.
Working for the dairy, Georgie drives a horse drawn cart from house
to house delivering milk and Alfie's greatest dream is to join him
on his rounds. The occasion of his fifth birthday should be one of
celebration, yet apart from Granny Summerfield , aged neighbour
Bill, best friend Kalena and her father, all guests cancel at the
last minute due to the declaration of war with Germany. Alfie is
disappointed but his life falls apart when his father enlists in the
army a few days later.
Complex notions of service to Crown and country versus conscientious
objection, responsibility to family in the face of societal
expectations and living with accusations of cowardice are elements
which are explored and depicted by the author. Detention of
potential enemies also features.
The naivety of Alfie's perspective on this calamitous event
involving international politics and armed conflict helps mirror the
simplistic attitudes of young men who eagerly joined the fray.
Living in an era of industrial exploitation, it seems absurd that so
many rushed to join the ranks of those who would serve the needs of
politicians, incapable military leaders and capitalists who profited
shamelessly from the carnage. This novel helps us to reconsider
modern points of view developed with the luxury of hindsight ,
comfortable living standards and security from war. As Alfie was
powerless under the control of benevolent parents, soldiers who
enlisted and those later conscripted to take play a part in this
previously unimagined horror were equally without capacity to alter
destiny.
Alfie's and Georgie's relationship is particularly poignant because
Georgie has explained that he became the 'man of the house' at an
early age when his father was killed in a mining accident. Both
understand that the loss of a breadwinner means unending financial
hardship and misery for a family.
Four years later, Georgie's letters have become fewer and those
which do arrive are nonsensical before they stop completely. Alfie's
mother perpetuates the myth that he is serving on a secret operation
yet Alfie, a boy with shrewd intelligence beyond his years seeks
truth. An unnecessarily contrived coincidence whilst working as a
shoe shine boy provides Alfie with the information he needs to
discover what has really happened to his father and he encounters a
reality which is rarely the subject of adolescent fiction.
Rob Welsh
Jellybean goes to School by Margaret Roc and Laura Hughes
Random House Australia. Tamarind Imprint, 2013. ISBN 9781848530751.
(Age: 3-5) Highly recommended. Like many other little people around
this time of the year, Beena (known to her family as Jellybean) is
so excited about starting school and has been looking forward
tremendously to learning to read and write, and finding out about
the world and its wonders.
When the great day arrives, she is up early and dressed in her new
uniform and shiny new shoes - ready for anything. That is until she
actually walks through the school gate with her mum, when she is
assailed by sudden trepidation. Maybe school isn't such a good idea,
Jellybean worries.
With reassurance from Mum and gentle encouragement from her kind
teacher Miss Benson, Jellybean and her new friend Alex both discover
during their first day that school can be a marvellous place.
The delightful illustrations in this book are particularly enhanced
by a lively choice of colours. The double page spreads with
Jellybean's imaginative thoughts partnered with the activity of the
moment are simply gorgeous and will make any little person enthused
about the possibilities for themselves. I particularly like
the diversity of children shown in the playground and classroom,
with Jellybean herself clearly not 'Anglo'.
Whether you have Kinder kids of your own, preschoolers anticipating
'big school' or as a read-on-the-first-day choice to assuage any
anxieties, this is a terrifically appealing book.
Perfect for Miss Four and definitely going on her bookshelf, this is
highly recommended for your littlies from 3-5 years.
Sue Warren
Everything we ever saw by Roland Harvey
Allen & Unwin, 2013. ISBN 9781743313671.
(Age: 7+) Recommended. Australia, Travel, Geography. Subtitled, From
the beach to the bush and more, this smaller sized, hardcover
book is a reissue of the last six Harvey books; At the beach,
In the bush, In the city, To the top end, All
the way to W.A., and On the farm. Each book wittily
shows aspects of life in Australia. In the first book, the family
packs their caravan and sets off to the beach, going on to explore
the bush, then continue their family holiday to the top-end, then WA
and finally come back to help Uncle Kev on his farm.
All the while the family has a range of very funny adventures, told
in Harvey's style of small drawings, littering the pages with a
myriad of things to find, hunt out and recognise. Each page is a
delight to open, full of life and colour, wit and humour, as Harvey
gently lampoons some Australian customs, myths and legends. Readers
will laugh out loud at the family's antics, particularly when Uncle
Kev goes missing, and enjoy the trip around Australia using the map
on the end papers. Harvey's watercolours fill the pages with
recognisable Australian features, and readers will be able to pin
point these on the map.
In the smaller edition, the little pictures will draw the eyes of
younger readers, happily picking out some of the little characters,
people, animals and places on each page, sometimes rivalling a Where's
Wally picture book.
Fran Knight
Puppy Playtime 1, 2, 3 by Celeste Walters
Ill. by Adele Jaunn. Little Hare, 2013. ISBN 9781742977164.
Billy the Bitzer heads to the park to look for his bone that he has
hidden.But suddenly he finds himself in the company of a lot
of other dogs and he gets itchy and twitchy in case someone finds it
first.One is a beagle racing and chasing, 2 is a bulldog
romping and stomping. . . and each time Billy the Bitzer gets
more and more concerned.
Written in rhyme and repetitive text which exploits the rhythm and
patterns of our language, this is a beautifully illustrated story of
ten puppies on a mission - until Billy the Bitzer starts grunting
and growling and one little puppy runs home to her mum, then hooting
and howling, sending another one off and then another. Miss 2 loved
being Bill the Bitzer shaking and quaking, yapping and snapping and
joining in the refrain.
As well as the perennial appeal of puppies, this book is perfect for
helping the very young child develop numeracy skills. A step on from
the more traditional counting book, it is an introduction to
addition as each puppy joins the search for the bone, and then
subtraction as each goes home, warned off by the indomitable Billy
the Bitzer.This book appeals on so many levels, it deserves
its place on your shelves.
Barbara Braxton
Riley and the jumpy kangaroo by Tania McCartney
Ill. by Kieron Pratt. Ford St Publishing, 2013. ISBN 9781925000023
(hardback). ISBN 978192500030 (Paperback).
Highly recommended for young readers from 5 to 10. There were two
excellent reasons I was keen to review this latest Riley book.
Firstly, after two very happy years living and teaching in Canberra,
I knew I would relish the chance to share one of my favourite places
with my littlies. Secondly, I remember an absolutely fantastical fun
day hosting Tania McCartney in my library at Red Hill School and
watching the children fascinated with her presentation and her
stories about Riley - and the grand finale of launching dozens of
red paper planes across the library space. An exciting follow
up to this story was one little Prep boy writing and illustrating
his own Riley story which we gleefully scanned and sent to Tania,
who was thrilled.
Tania has created a loyal and enthusiastic fan base among younger
readers who simply eat up Riley's adventures (and I am convinced
imagine themselves flying in a little red bi-plane to their own next
destination).
This newest adventure coincides with Canberra's centenary and gives
readers a glimpse of many iconic images from our nation's capital. I
loved being able to show Miss Small the places I had seen so often
during my Canberra sojourn, when she had been here in Brisbane
wondering all the time about the strange place I described in
letters and phone calls. She now has a much clearer idea of a
city she has never seen. And she thoroughly enjoyed trying to
figure out just what that jumpy kangaroo was looking for!
Tania's books are such a marvellous blend of fiction and non-fiction
- like a whimsical travelogue for young ones - and children love to
identify with places they know or have seen on TV or in
movies. The Riley books are cleverly illustrated by combining
photographic images of each city with Kieron Pratt's quirky
cartoon-style additions. The resulting contrast is always
sensational.
I am certainly hoping that Brisbane might be next on Tania's list!
Sue Warren
The Kensington Reptilarium by N.J. Gemmell
Random House, 2013. ISBN 97808577980502.
(Ages 9+) Recommended. The story is set just after the conclusion of
World War II. Four Aussie, outback children, The Caddy Kids, are
going about their lives, albeit unusual ones, surviving and awaiting
the return of their Father from service. They seem a pretty hardy
bunch and when they are notified that their Father is actually
missing (by a stranger who is also there to transport them to
England), the adventure deepens. However after entrusting their
chaperone to see them safely placed with their long lost relative
overseas, their long lost relative isn't all that keen for the
children to actually stay with him. Uncle Basti happens to prefer
the company of, and is also the keeper of, deadly creatures. Well
this is juicy!
It's very hard not to feel a tinge of anxiety for The Caddy's plight
but for readers of a similar age, I'm sure Kick and company will
evoke a comradarie that takes them along for the ride. Resilience
and maturity are themes within the book, and the children often
demonstrate more adult behaviour than the adults do. The title
itself will generate interest for many readers, both boys and girls,
and it's interesting to note that The Kensington Reptilarium did
actually exist at this time. The writing style is slightly
reminiscent of Enid Blyton's Famous 5, or perhaps this is
simply due to the time the story is set in.
Cathy Nias
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
Text, 2013. ISBN 9781922079770.
(Age: Adult-Senior Secondary) Recommended. Love. Asperger's
Syndrome. Don Tillman is a genetics professor who doesn't fit the
mould. He never gets past the first date and has few friends. In his
quest to find the perfect woman, he writes a 16 page questionnaire,
specifying among other things, that his prospective wife should be a
non-smoker, non-vegetarian, punctual and intelligent. Then he meets
Rosie, a barmaid who drinks, smokes and is always late. He puts
aside The Wife Project to help her find her biological father, in
what he dubs as the Father Project.
This is a book that once it is started, is exceptionally difficult
to put down. Simsion's writing is humorous and clever and often had
me laughing out loud at the antics that Don got up to in The Wife
Project, and his life as a professor at the university. Tillman
introduces us to the notion that Don has Asperger's when he gives a
talk, Genetic Precursors to Autism Spectrum, to a group of parents
and children. 'Fault! Asperger's isn't a fault. It's a variant. It's
potentially a major advantage. Asperger's syndrome is associated
with organisation, focus, innovative thinking and rational
detachment.' Pg. 11.
However it is the story of the growing relationship between Rosie
and Don that is the focus of the narrative and what kept me reading
avidly to the end. The stumbles that Don makes in his relationships
are often hilarious, but Simsion sweeps the reader along, ensuring
constant empathy with Don as he describes situations that anyone
could get into: needing a jacket for a swanky restaurant, misreading
ethical situations and longing for love and friendship. Rosie is
smart and beautiful, but she too has problems with her stepfather
and longs to know who her biological father is. The theme of
monogamy is prominent too, with Gene, Don's only friend, in an open
marriage and not aware of the effect that his actions have on his
family and other people.
Toss in some interesting information about genetics, a road trip
from Melbourne to Moree and a flight to New York, fabulous
characters and lots of humour and the mix makes this book a winner,
certainly a keeper to hand around to friends.
Pat Pledger
