Empress Dowager Cixi: the concubine who launched modern China by Jung Chang
Jonathan Cape, 2013, ISBN 9780224087445.
(Age: 15+) Non fiction. After one hundred years and access to
China's archives, this revised and highly favourable biography of
Empress Dowager Cixi, attempts to alter existing perceptions of the
Manchu ruler of China. Jung Chang's scholarship brings to life the
story of a young sixteen year old concubine who was chosen as one of
the Emperor's numerous partners. When he died in 1861, their five
year old son succeeded to the throne. Cixi plotted a takeover
against the regents appointed by her husband and made herself the
real ruler of China, till she died in 1908. She made mistakes such
as supporting the Boxer Rebellion and was ruthless at times eg. she
committed a number of murders. According to the author, and contrary
to her existing reputation, she always acted with courage and
stateswoman like sincerity. During the time of her control Cixi
fostered the modern development of China, encouraged press freedom
and abolished feudal traditions such as foot-binding and death by a
thousand cuts. Her accomplishments are worth considering when set
against the forces she had to deal with including an entrenched
bureaucracy, invasion by foreign powers, court intrigue, and
rebellions.
Students of modern Chinese history will find this book to be a
useful introduction to the period. It covers the opening of
seaports, the Taiping and Boxer Rebellions, the rising Japanese
influence in the region and the period immediately before the birth
of the Chinese Republic.The biography is accompanied by a large
number of fascinating photographs and vivid descriptions of life
inside Beijing's Forbidden City and the Summer Palace.
Paul Pledger
The Royal Ranger by John Flanagan
Ranger's Apprentice series. Random House, 2013. ISBN 9781864718195
(Ages: 8+). Highly recommended. Mediaeval fiction. The stunning
climax to a well-loved series, The Royal Ranger will have
you frozen to your seat from start to finish. A thrilling read, the
least expected becomes reality and the most likely goes up in smoke.
After Will's life is rocked by a horrible tragedy, he becomes
obsessed with bringing those responsible to justice. As such, he is
in danger of being revoked from the Ranger Corps. It is Will's
mentor Halt who suggests the solution; Will must take an apprentice.
But Halt's candidate breaks all the rules and goes against all
tradition. The Royal Ranger takes you back to the beginning with a new
student and a new adventure, along with a lot of the old humour
mixed in. This book is extremely well written and I highly recommend
it.
Jos Alcorn (Student)
Thunderbirds: The Comic Collection: A Gerry Anderson Production
Hardie Grant Egmont, 2013. ISBN 9781405268363.
'5 - 4 - 3 - 2- 1! Thunderbirds are GO!' It was a most
distinctive voice and a most distinctive introduction to a half-hour
of puppetry and special effects (known then as 'supermarionation')
as we watched Jeff Tracy, head of International Rescue - established
on a secret island in the South Pacific - and his five sons, Scott,
Virgil, Gordon, Alan and John, rescue people from incredible
situations using their futuristic specially-designed vehicles that
could cope with any situation on land, sea, air or space. Ably
assisted, when necessary, by Lady Penelope Creighton and the
chauffeur of her amphibious pink Rolls Royce, each week viewers were
treated to an adventure of life in 2065 where, just as in 1965, good
eventually triumphed over evil but with a G rating.
Now, in this glossy, full-colour, high-quality book, fans are
treated to more than 20 comic-strip adventures featuring the
original artwork from the series. The adventures are
interspersed with cutaway diagrams of the buildings and vehicles,
each labelled to show their unique components and special
capabilities, which will intrigue and perhaps inspire those with a
technical mind. Perhaps this book should be displayed with a large
box of Lego or Meccano on hand!
With the big-screen revival of many retro comic books heroes, and
the popularity of these, this book is an opportunity to engage and
enthuse another generation just in time for the release of Thunderbirds
Are Go, a remake of the series being broadcast in 2015, 50
years after the original. It will also create an opportunity for the
young and the little-bit-older to have conversations as they ask
questions and share memories. As well as the book, there is also a
separate pack of 100 postcards.
Barbara Braxton
Alice-Miranda shines bright by Jacqueline Harvey
Random House, 2013. ISBN 9781742752907.
Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones is the heroine of
another cracker series from Jacqueline Harvey, who seems to know
just what it is that primary girls like to read about. She's a
boarder at Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young
Ladies and, in the tradition of all good boarding school stories,
there are friends to be made, mysteries to be solved, adventures to
be had and people to sort out. In this latest episode, the trend
continues. Alice-Miranda and her friends are now in Year 6 and
preparing for the big move to high school but there's a problem.
Jacinta is really out of sorts, and Reginald Parker disappears. Both
are tasks for Alice-Miranda to investigate. And that doesn't include
keeping the secret of what they've discovered in the woodlands near
the school!
This series began in 2010 with Alice-Miranda at School and
since then these have been Alice-Miranda on Holiday, Alice-Miranda
at Sea; Alice-Miranda Takes the Lead; Alice-Miranda
Shows the Way; Alice-Miranda in New York, and earlier
this year, Alice-Miranda in Paris. Each one is an engaging
read that has been eagerly awaited by some young ladies I know who
would dearly love to live the life! Won't they be thrilled to know
that hot on the heels of Alice-Miranda Shines Bright is the
Alice-Miranda Diary, a beautifully illustrated tome in which
they can not only record their daily doings and secret thoughts, but
there is a host of other things to do like quizzes and puzzles,
recipes to follow and even filling out the application form to enrol
in the Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young
Ladies. This is one to be adding to your list of recommendations for
Christmas gifts which parents value so much.
With her own blog
and soon to have her own website this is a young lady your young
ladies will delight in meeting.
Barbara Braxton
You don't even know by Sue Lawson
Black Dog Books, 2013. ISBN 9781922179715.
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. Alex Hudson is an ordinary, teenage
boy who likes playing water polo and has a part-time job. He's doing
okay at school. But then an awful accident happens, his world is
ripped apart, and he must slowly put the pieces of his life back
together. Waking up in hospital with a broken arm, broken ribs and a
fractured skull, he can't remember what happened to him. But with
the help of Paul, a kind psychologist, and Mackie, a fellow patient,
he can slowly face up to what happened. You Don't Even Know is a rare, powerful novel. With so many
teenage books circling around either paranormal romance or
futuristic action, it is very refreshing to read such an honest,
realistic novel. You Don't Even Know is a character-based drama, with nearly
all the conflict resulting from problems within relationships,
rather than outside forces. Fortunately, all the characters are very
well developed, realistic and unique, although not all of them are
likeable. Although it takes a little while to get going, You
Don't Even Know soon moves into a fast, engaging pace that
will have the reader feverishly turning the pages.
A sad, poignant teenage drama with strong, diverse characters, You
Don't Even Know weaves together a powerful, thoughtful story
that will stay with you long after you've turned the final page.
I highly recommend this book.
Rebecca Adams (Student)
Jane, the fox and me by Fanny Britt and Isabelle Arsenault
Walker, 2013. ISBN: 9781406353044.
Highly recommended for ages 10+. Helene's life is sheer hell! For no
apparent reason, her 'friends' suddenly begin to ostracise her,
plaster her name and rude messages over the walls of the toilet
cubicle and spread gossip and negativity about her throughout the
school. With their rudeness, particularly about her weight, Helene
begins to doubt herself and any self-esteem she may once have had
disappears. Her only escape from their cruelty is to disappear into
the world of her favourite book, Jane Eyre. When the entire
class is treated to an outdoor camp, especially for them, it seems
that her worst nightmare is about to begin as she is left with the
other students who fit the group of outcasts. Afraid she is about to
be teased and harassed again, Helene is about to take flight, when
she realises that it is not other students who have come to seek her
out but a fox which has instead appeared. The connection between the
two is sadly severed as another child emerges from the tent and
scares the fox away. Shortly thereafter, Geraldine, a newcomer, is
banished to the outcasts' tent and befriends Helene. Immediately,
the story changes and the way is paved for a happy ending.
As one who has always loved picture books but not been a particular
fan of graphic novels or books, I felt this beautifully spanned the
genres and I eagerly devoured the story. Beginning with dull grey
colours, reflecting the mood of the protagonist, throughout the bulk
of Helene's story, there is the sudden addition of red tones to the
images as Jane's tale is outlined. Immediately the focus returns to
Helene's life, so too the colours revert to the dreary greys. As the
story progresses, the illustrations of Jane's world have greens
added and later shades of blue. At no stage is Helene's world imbued
with colour until such time as she meets the fox. This is
short-lived, thanks to the arrival of Suzanne Lipsky, warning her of
the dangers of fraternising with such a creature. As her friendship
with Geraldine grows, so too does Helene's self-esteem and the
colour begins to seep into the real life component of the story.
As a text about growth, self-development and bullying, this would be
great to share with middle to upper primary classes. There are many
aspects of the book to use as a focus. From the use of colour to the
variation in fonts and italic style handwritten text to the layout
of the various pages, this title has much to offer all students.
Jo Schenkel
Spider sandwiches by Claire Freedman
Ill. by Sue Hendra. Bloomsbury, 2013. ISBN 9781408839157.
(Age: 4+) Picture book. Spiders. Humour. Verse. Reading this book
aloud to a group of young people will cause gales of laughter and
fun as the monster takes delight in having the most obnoxious things
for his lunch. His yucky mucky food includes a slug milkshake, toe
nail scramble eggs, grasshopper smoothie and much more. Each turn of
the page will have cries of yuck and horror as they imagine the
slurpy mess that evolves from the ingredients given. Not to be fazed
by his diet, the monster uses the internet to send out for more
stuff, even outer space is a tabletop of delights. On a picnic he
has smelly fisheye cheese, back at home he ingests some cockroach
curry. But teatime is his favourite, spider sandwich.
The illustrations are a treat. Bold bright colours cover the pages,
showing the green monster at his worst, eating something very nasty
indeed. Small creatures about to be eaten cover each double page as
the monster gleefully puts evil things into his moth. The page where
he is in his kitchen trying a new recipe that involves noodles, eels
and bats' ears is a treat, and the following page with his monster
friends shying away form his food at their picnic, shows that he is
alone in his selection of food.
A fun filled read, sure to draw cries of dismay from the readers and
listeners, the last page sums up everyone's idea of their favourite
and not so favourite food. Kids will love to try work out a recipe
which emulates what the monster eats, but using ingredients more
pleasing to the palate.
Fran Knight
Welcome home by Christina Booth
Ford Street, 2013. ISBN 9781925000092.
(Age: 3-6+) Once upon a time, although not that long ago, whaling
along Australia's shores was a thriving industry and vital to the
livelihoods and life of the communities at its centre. Whaling is
again becoming a thriving industry along Australia's shores, but
it's the marvelling at these awesome creatures, not the killing of
them that is its focus. How far we have come in just a handful of
generations.
In this beautifully, gently illustrated book by Christina Booth a
young boy hears the call of the whale 'echoing off the mountain like
a whisper while the moon danced on the waves'. Neither his parents
nor his grandparents could hear it - it was a sound for his ears
only. And each day he hears her call and learns something new about
the treacherous path her ancestors followed and the murderous intent
his ancestors had. Can there be a reconciliation between humans and
these magnificent creatures? Will she feel safe enough to show
herself as he waits under the night sky? Will a whispered 'Sorry'
give her courage?
The tone of this book is set in the dedication on the title page -
'We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from
our children.' (Chief Seattle) And it is one of the most sensitive,
beautifully told stories that I've had the pleasure to read for a
long time.
Although the setting is not identified, the story was inspired by
the birth, in August 2010, of a southern right calf in the Derwent
River, Hobart - the first in 190 years! While those who witnessed
this and the gradual return of the southern right (so-called because
they were the 'right' whale to hunt) to the Derwent and whisper,
'They are back', this story explores 'Where did they go?' Known in
the 19th century as a whale nursery, whalers hunted the southern
right almost to extinction but since 1935, when they became the
first species to be declared protected in either Australia or New
Zealand, the whales are slowly returning knowing that once again,
there is safe haven where only their photographs are taken, not
their lives.
Is the whale in the story, sighted in July 2013, the same one who
had the courage to give birth back in 2010? Only time will tell. But
for all those children who ask, 'Where did they go?', not just about
the southern rights but also all the other species that migrate
northwards and still inspire a sense of awe and wonder, this is a
perfect introduction to a past that is an integral part of
Australia's history and the foundation for an opportunity to build a
more glorious future. Fitting into the cross-curriculum priority of
sustainability perfectly, there is such scope for not only looking
at what happened and why, but also the changing perspectives of
humans towards their environment over time and what can be done and
achieved, as well as giving background to the questions and
arguments that arise when the Japanese begin their annual whale
hunt, or even looking at how science, particularly that emanating
from World War II, has produced viable alternatives. Riches indeed
to capture the passions of all. Welcome Home is one of my top five books for teaching
children about treading lightly on this earth - it is not ours to
destroy.
Barbara Braxton
Welcome to my country by Laklak Burarrwanga and family
Allen and Unwin, 2013. ISBN 9781743313961. Highly recommended for upper primary to adult. This is a beautifully
illustrated personal account of a Yolngu family living in north-East
Arnhem land. From the moment you start to read this book, you are
warmly welcomed into their country. You are introduced to many words
of the Yolngu languages, as they describe their land, their seasons,
their family and their relationships.
The book covers many interesting topics such as counting and
sharing, astronomy and space, bush foods and natural farming. What
impressed me the most was the conversational style of writing, as
though they were talking directly to you.
Gisela Grunwald
Editor's note: Another longer review is available
.
Teacher's notes are available here.
The last girl by Michael Adams
Allen & Unwin, 2013. ISBN 9781743316368.
(Age: 15 +) Highly recommended. Most YA dystopian novels (like The
Hunger Games and the Divergent trilogy) focus on the
social change which arises when rigid political systems are
established after some cataclysmic event has altered the world. By
contrast, Michael Adams' gripping novel focuses on the cataclysmic
moment itself.
At first Adam's world seems all too familiar: a world obsessed with
connectivity, via hardware (iPads, smart phones and the like) and
social media networking sites. When teenager, Danby Armstrong,
decides to take a week's break from all her gadgetry and networking,
her friends are puzzled. Yet perhaps this is why, when 'the snap'
happens, Danby appears to be immune. Or perhaps it is the effect of
the drugs she is on, the result of an 'episode' just a few days
earlier when Danby's consciousness seemed to 'snap' so that she
could hear other people's thoughts.
Only days later, Danby suddenly witnesses a nationwide 'snap':
Danby's dad can now hear her step-mum's betraying thoughts about her
affair, her neighbours can tune in to her dad's violent response. It
seems that in every house across Sydney folk can hear bad thoughts
in other people's heads, triggering scenes of vengeance and chaos.
With the world apparently in meltdown, Danby's mission is simply to
rescue her young step-brother and get them both to her mum in the
Blue Mountains. But worse is yet to come, for another snap-like
event results in almost every living soul losing consciousness,
including her brother. Can these people be revived? This is when the
novel truly takes an intriguing turn by posing two possible
solutions to this weird scenario. On the one hand, we have Danby and
Nathan, a young med student, trying to help others help themselves.
On the other hand, we have Jack, who is far more selective in whom
he thinks should be revived. If both approaches are imperfect, which
way should Danby turn?
This is a dark, brutal and compelling novel with a credible and
likeable heroine. The violence would suggest an older audience of
readers who will have plenty to ponder about the true meaning of
connectivity, leadership and humanity.
Deborah Marshall
Banjo and Ruby Red by Libby Gleeson and Freya Blackwood
Little Hare, 2013. ISBN 9781921541087.
Is there anything better than chooks in books? I've been building
units of work around that theme for years and I've just discovered
the BEST one to add to my collection.
Old Banjo is a chook dog. He sleeps in the sun with one eye on his
charges as they peck and scratch and discover goodies that only
chooks delight in. And each evening, when he gets the signal,
Banjo barks and the chooks come from everywhere, scampering and
scurrying to be safe on their roosts from the night creatures.
All except Ruby Red. From her perch on top of the woodheap,
she defies Banjo with an arrogance and aloofness that just o-o-z-e-s
from the illustrations. Ruffling her feathers and stretching
her neck to stare at the sky, she shows Banjo who's top of the
pecking order!
It's a game they play every day until one day, there is no Ruby Red
on top of the woodheap. Banjo is baffled and searches and
searches until he finds her, lying still, feathers flat, eyes
closed.
This is a remarkable story of a relationship between a dog and a
chook that might seem difficult to believe, if I hadn't seen it with
my dog Ebony and our chooks, Steggles and Ingham.
Because they were here before she was, she's grown up with them and
thinks she is one of them. Being the same height, they often
eyeball each other and see who gives in first, and all three run to
the gate when they hear the sound of a familiar motor. Ebony
runs at them full tilt, either dodging at the very last minute or
leaping over them. The chooks just stand there, unfazed,
knowing that a quick peck will bring her into line. They are the
triumvirate ruling this household daring any other creatures to set
foot into their domain. There's been more than one night when Ebony,
who is well named, has been locked in the chookhouse in the dark! So
it's no wonder I love it, and Miss 7 and Miss 2 begged me to give it
to them after we barked and squawked our way through it together.
The award-winning combination of Libby Gleeson and Freya Blackwood
would be reason enough to buy this book - neither needs any
introduction as the creators of the best of literature for young
readers - but its subject has made it a personal favourite. Miss 7
and Miss 2 might just have to love it while they are here . . .
Barbara Braxton
Graveyard Watch by S. Carey (Beth Chambers)
Eerie series. Puffin, 2013. ISBN: 9780143307501.
(Age: Year 7+) Zak awakens, following an accident, in a creepy house
he fails to recognise, with 'parents' he calls feels uncomfortable
calling mum and dad, unable to recall any of the events which had
previously occurred in his life. After being reassured by his
dad that his memory would ultimately return, Zak is not allowed
outside so goes off to explore the house where he is met by a locked
door and the sense of a ghostly presence. His questions begin to
mount as does the sense that something is not right. Will he be able
to figure out the truth of his situation?
This series is one which is cleverly set out for the reluctant or
struggling reader, especially males. With each title being a slim
novel of around 60 pages, containing the first chapter of another
title in the series as teaser, a flip style cartoon picture on
the top right of each page, double spaced and easily accessible,
they seem to be based on the perfect formula for upper primary and
secondary students. The stylised and disturbing cover illustrations
help to set the scene and grab the reader's attention. I believe the
series certainly has a place on the shelves of the school library to
cater for the readers identified earlier. At the same time, I am
aware that certain titles could prove contentious with parents and
other staff, as they are probably better suited to secondary readers
due to the content therein. Personally, I have catalogued this
series in our year 7 only section to avoid challenges from other
stakeholders in the library.
Jo Schenkel
This is not a test by Courtney Summers
St Martins Griffin, 2012. ISBN 9780312656744.
(Age: 15+) Recommended. End of world. Zombies. Dystopian fiction.
Suicide.
YALSA Awards for Best Fiction for Young Adults (2013), an ALA/YALSA
Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers (2013). Six teenagers have
taken refuge in Cortege High School as the world around them is
taken over by the dead. One bite will kill and turn a person and
everywhere there is chaos. Sloane is one of the group, but
psychologically and physically damaged by an abusive father, she
finds it difficult to see a reason for living, especially as her
sister Lucy had abandoned her six months before. As the days crawl
by and the undead pound on the doors, the dynamics of the group take
over and Sloane has to decide whether she wants to survive or not.
This is not your usual action packed zombie book. Even though there
are plenty of exciting encounters with zombies, it is the thoughts
and behaviour of Sloane that dominate the book. Summers vividly
describes the pain and emptiness of Sloane's isolation and
helplessness.
She is a damaged girl who constantly thinks of ending her life. Her
father has physically and mentally abused her and her sister Lucy,
on whom she relied utterly, left her alone to cope with her father.
While the rest of the group struggle desperately to survive, Sloane
looks on and feels that this might be her opportunity to end it all.
A lot of the tension in the novel stems from six very different
teenagers trying to understand the enormity of what is happening and
what they will need to do to survive. They are faced with life and
death decisions, trying to decide when it is ethical to kill someone
or to deny them access to a safe building. The other group members
are all vividly brought to life as the crisis situation brings out
both the best and the worst in their characters. Thrust together,
there are leadership struggles between Cary and Trace, partnerships
are made and broken and while Rhys is constantly helpful to Sloane,
he makes her examine her actions in light of what happens to other
people.
This is an exhausting but thought provoking book that is sure to win
fans of the horror genre and will also appeal to reluctant readers.
Pat Pledger
Parachute by Danny Parker and Matt Ottley
Little Hare, 2013. ISBN 9781921894206.
Every morning Toby puts on his parachute. It's the one thing that
helps him get through his day. It helps him get out of bed in the
morning, navigating that long climb from the top bunk. It helps him
get off the breakfast bar stool, and the bathroom stool after he's
brushed his teeth. Wherever he goes, that parachute gives him
strength and courage. Until he lends it to his cat Henry when Henry
gets stuck up a tree and Toby finds himself way up high without it.
This is a sensitive, beautifully illustrated story of a little boy
who takes the first steps from anxiety to independence. It offers
reassurance for those who are straddling the chasm, wanting the
security of the known on one side yet also seeking the adventure of
the unknown on the other. It would have a great place in a
discussion with parents or their children about making the leap to
big school, perhaps encouraging them to think in advance of
strategies that will help them face a situation if it arises, as
well as helping the more confident think about how they deal with
such things and the sorts of encouragement they can offer if a
friend is struggling. Help them know how to fill their friend's
bucket of confidence rather than dipping into it.
This would be a perfect purchase to offer Foundation teachers as a
read-aloud. (Make sure you take the cover off and share it with them
first - great thinking-starter!) Just magical.
Barbara Braxton
An accidental soldier by John Charalambous
UQP, 2013. ISBN 9780702250118.
(Age: 13+) In the spring of 1918, Harry Lambert is working as a
military baker behind the lines in France. He is tired of watching
his friends die around him. After learning he is to be sent to the
front, he makes a decision that will change his life forever. Harry
runs away to the countryside, finding refuge with a French woman
named Colombe who speaks no English. The two form an unlikely bond,
falling in love while waiting out the remainder of the war. An Accidental Soldier (originally released in 2006 as Silent
Parts) is first and foremost a tale of love and hope. Yes, it
is mostly set during the First World War, but the presence of the
war exists mostly for the mere setting of France, and as a catalyst
in bringing Harry and Colombe together. This is not a war novel that
focuses on the close friendships between men fighting on the front
line, nor on the gruesome reality of the battlefield, but on the
tender and unlikely love between two people from very different
parts of the world. Harry Lambert is a quiet, shy man, weary of the
blood and gore of the war, whereas Colombe is a strong, older French
woman living on her own in the countryside and trying to cope with
the death of her son. Their relationship is unlikely, but not
unrealistic.
The writing is gentle-paced, yet captivating. The characters are
well developed and very interesting, and Harry in particular is
excellent. However, this novel truly succeeds because it doesn't
focus on the bloodshed or cruelty of the war, but on a delicate,
unexpected love. An Accidental Soldier is an evocative, touching portrayal of
unlikely love during the cruel days of war.
Rebecca Adams (Student)
