Following on from the award winning 2018 junior fiction book Black Cockatoo, authors Carl Merrison and Hakea Hustler have written another engaging read where main character Mia is now attending boarding school in Perth. So far from her big-sky Country in the Kimberely, Mia is finding life in a city boarding school not for her. Bullied by a gang of girls with ring-leader Charlotte at the fore, homesick for her family and struggling with the unfamiliar routine of homework, Mia’s only salvation is her friendship with Naya and the strength she draws from her totem, Dirrarn (Black Cocaktoo). Both Mia and Naya are singled out cruelly for being different and both strive to support each other through the challenges. Mia accepts wise advice from an older ‘buddy’ at the school in an attempt to passively deal with the ever-escalating situation with bully Charlotte. However one day Charlotte goes too far and Mia retaliates with consequences for both girls. At the end of term Mia goes home for the holidays, reconnects with family and friends and realises she will need to make a choice about where her future lies.
This book is a short, accessible read with softly toned black and white illustrations of many objects relevant and meaningful to the story spread throughout. These gentle illustrations add visual interest for those readers who may struggle with large chunks of text on the page. Words from the Jaru, Noongar and Kriol languages plus Aboriginal English are included in the text with a glossary is at the end - although the meaning is often very clear in the story.
The story of Dirrarn offers all young readers a sensitively written insight into the challenges faced by First Nation children when taken out of Country and culture and placed in unfamiliar environments. This book is a wonderful opportunity to broaden non-First Nation peoples’ understanding of our oldest culture and would make an excellent class novel. Teacher's notes are available.
Themes First Nations, Boarding School, Bullies, Country, Family, Friends, Choices, City Life, Culture.
The armour of light is fifth in bestselling author Ken Follett's The Kingsbridge novels series which began with the internationally acclaimed The pillars of the earth. The individual books stand alone, are located in Kingsbridge and describe a sweep of time in the history of England.
In his own words, Ken Follett states that he writes books for entertainment - that he doesn't want readers to have to reread sentences. Nevertheless, his books (and The armour of light is no different), are detailed and thoroughly researched. The armour of light spans the historical period from 1792-1824. Beginning with the arrival of the Spinning Jenny and the resultant disruption for workers as the industrial landscape changed from manual to machine work, The armour of light narrative weaves around the politics of the time - The Combination Act, The Housewives' Revolt, press gangs, the World War of 1812-15, Napoleon's European designs, the Battle of Waterloo and finally the reconstruction from 1815-24. The depiction of the horror of poverty, the brutality of war and the injustice of the class system of the time is skilfully evoked. The drama, hardships and romance of this period comes alive as we see the impact in Kingsbridge and on the main characters.
Follett dedicates The armour of light to historians because they have done the groundwork from which he can weave a story and cast it with characters that we care about in order to bring the era alive. Through this, Follett hopes that current generations of readers will appreciate the horrors and hardships of different regimes and to recognise and reject emergence of similar movements. Therefore his books are not frivolous historical melodramas. The epigraph from Romans 13:12 may encapsulate the serious consideration behind The armour of light - that there are works of darkness and humans must put on an armour of light in order to combat darkness.
The armour of light is an epic saga. Generational change is seen through the lives of the main characters and their descendants. The class struggle is a pervasive element. Follett's sympathy is with the workers and through them, the reader experiences the passion, drama, ambition, love, requited and unrequited passion, sacrifice, resilience and hope along with the inverse. Readers will enjoy the references to the rise of Methodism, of the schools for impoverished children, of Luddism, of unions, workers' collectives, friendly societies - the movements that had their origins in a response to tyrannical government in the 18th Century.
Written by a master storyteller,The armour of light is a study in the resilience and collective intelligence and integrity of the human being in the face of tyrannical political regimes everywhere, presented in an unputdownable story.
Themes Late18th century English government, Industrialisation,Rise of unions and friendly societies, Revolution, Class struggle.
Wendy Jeffrey
My feet by Aimee Chan. Illus. by Leilamarie Stuart-Likouresis
Little Steps, 2023. ISBN: 9781922678157. (Age:5+) Recommended.
The setting for this thoughtful story with a strong message is on Country of First Nations people. The young boy tells the story of the how he uses his feet and how important they are. He is close to Aunty whom he follows everywhere and shares many adventures and special times. Aunty though has burnt her feet by walking barefoot and receives treatment at a local clinic. She is made to rest her feet which are now heavily bandaged, and the young boy worries they will not be able to do the things they used to do. Aunty tells him that once her feet heal, they will be able to walk places together. What they have both learnt is that feet need to be looked after and spend time every evening caring for them. Bold and colourful illustrations complement the text and at the end is information about how to take care of feet for someone with diabetes.
This book is part of The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Diabetes-related Foot Complications Program funded through the Indigenous Australians’ Health Programme (IAHP), a Commonwealth Government initiative.
Themes First Nations Country, First Nations People, Family, Feet, Health Care, Diabetes.
Kathryn Beilby
Dingley the dancing dinosaur by Karleigh Whyte. Illus. by Aleksandra Szmidt
Little Steps, 2023. ISBN: 9781922833709. (Age:5+) Highly recommended.
Dingley loves to dance, but his parents are encouraging him to be the next leader of their pack. And although Dingley loves to dance, he is clumsy and easily trips over his own feet. He feels that he has no groove.
Along comes Trixy the tap dancing triceratops. She offers him her Dad’s tap shoes, but try as he might, he cannot fit his feet into the smaller shoes. Dingley keeps on looking for a dancing partner. Boom, boom, boom he hears, as Benny the breakdancing brachiosaurus offers to teach Dingley some of his moves. This time, Dingley’s head is just too square to form the moves required. Cha cha cha, along comes Sally the salsa dancing stegosaurus and together they dance. That is until Dingley must swirl and in so doing his tail sweeps Sally through the air.
Dingley is distraught and goes off hy himself with tears in his eyes. Along comes Bella the brachyceratops just returning from ballet classes. He explains his problem to her and she gets to its heart telling him he does not need to dance with a parent to get his groove, he can do it all by himself. And so he perseveres until one day he is able to put on a show: he twirls and whirls, spins and swirls before all his friends and his parents, who conclude that he can be whatever he wants to be. Splashes of bold colour illuminate all the pages, ensuring younger readers will love all they see, and their eyes will take in the dinosaurs as well as the detail on each page. Each of the dinosaurs is different, encouraging young readers to see the differences between each of the five animals.
This story is a magical delight that resonates with power and intrigue! Filled with all the tricks that magic can provide, it also remarkably tells the story of the ‘Fairy Godmother’, aka Farrow, in the Cinderella tale in a completely different way. Imbued with a maturity and complexity that makes this more than just a retelling of the classic fairytale, it also stretches into a commentary on love, revenge and the nature of power and its propensity to distort and warp when selfish interests are in play.
Beginning as a tale of the role of royalty in the non-magical world in a fantasy queendom, it demonstrates that magic, as expressed by the characters in the Entente where Farrow has her place, has become a hated quality. The battle for survival of the magical Entente results in a complex and occasionally twisted and dangerous journey to overcome the power-hungry and bitter Queen Magrit. Farrow’s magical skills have let her down, and her magical sisters with their views of the Past, Present and Future weave a multi-faceted plan to overthrow the Queen. In doing so, they connect to Cinderella and the Prince, and Farrow also discovers that love and magic have a difficult connection. This is such a complex tale that it is very difficult to describe, but it is absolutely awesome! Teenagers and adults alike will fall in love with Danielle Paige’s wonderful wordsmithing. Lovers of dystopian worlds and fantasy romance will especially enjoy this book, but because of its complexity it is definitely for readers aged 14+ who love a little bit of challenge in their reading adventures.
Ask Aunty Seasons: An introduction to First Nations seasons by Aunty Munya Andrews and Charmaine Ledden-Lewis
Hardie Grant Explore, 2023. ISBN: 9781741178852. (Age:4+) Highly recommended.
Ask Aunty Seasons is a wonderful new release that beautifully tells the story of the seasons of Bardi Country in the Kimberley of Western Australia. Author Aunty Munya Andrews is an Aboriginal Elder who has a responsibility to teach others about her culture and Country. She also co-director of Evolve Communities where she runs cultural awareness training. This stunning book is the first in a series of books by Aunty Munya. The delightful front cover, the informative endpapers and the full page illustrations are striking. The use of traditional colours of land, sea and sky in soft tones adds a sense of gentleness to this engaging story of the seasons.
The traditional four seasons we are familiar with do not necessarily fit in many First Nations cultures. All over Australia, many First Nations people live and interact with seasons differently. In Bardi Country there are six seasons:
1. Mankal (pronounced Mung-al) wet season: January-February 2. Ngaladany (Ngala-dani) wet season ends: February-March 3. Irralboo (Irall-boo) big tides and mosquito season: April-May 4. Barrgan (Barr-gan) bush fruits and dugong season: May-August 5. Jalalay (Jala-lay) fat stingray season: September-October 6. Lalin (La-lin) married turtle season: November-January
As each season is introduced, the reader finds out what sets that season apart from others and its connection to Country. The language of the Bardi people is used throughout with a change of text colour and at the end Aunty Munya explains how to pronounce them and shares further information. There is also a list of two websites for useful information about Indigenous calendars and seasons as well author and illustrator acknowledgements.
This is a must-have book for all school and public libraries.
Themes Seasons, First Nations, Bardi Country, Connections.
Out of This World by Sonya Spreen Bates is a captivating science fiction novel that takes readers on an intergalactic journey with Hali and her family from the planet Hexa. This middle-grade novel captures the essence of a twelve-year-old girl's internal conflict as she grapples with her identity as a Luma, when the majority of her planet’s population is Daka, and she doesn’t know how to fit in.
Hali has always felt like a misfit at home. She is continually getting herself into trouble as she finds it very hard to control her emotions, and she also looks very physically different to all the Dakas. To make matters worse, she hates space travel because she gets extremely space sick, so a family holiday in the space cruiser is not something she is excited about.
As the family hurtle through space, Hali is struggling to control her space sickness and enjoy the trip. Her twin brother Zeb is super excited, and so is her Mum and Dad. But, when the space cruiser malfunctions her family’s planned holiday takes an unexpected turn, leading them to an uncharted planet – Earth, and everyone is in for some surprises.
Making contact with Jodie and Liam, space monitors who are fascinated by the extra-terrestrial visitors, the family must land and see if they can find parts to fix their space cruiser. However, they discover that space travel is no longer permitted on Earth, and Jodie and Liam are potentially at risk by breaking the law. When nosey neighbours discover them, things go from bad to worse. Can Hali and her family find peace and safety, or will the law turn against them?
Out of This World is a delightful read for those who enjoy science fiction, adventure and fun. Fast paced and full of adventure, the reader will develop strong character care factor for Hali and ride the waves of emotion and adventure. This novel is a captivating and thought-provoking exploration of identity, friendship and the boundless possibilities that lie beyond the stars.
Themes Themes: Futuristic, Extra-terrestrial, Space travel, Friendship, Adventure, Teamwork, Problem solving,.
With pop-ups, pull-outs, sliders, foldouts and detailed factual information The Sun and the Planets will provide hours of enjoyment for middle primary to early secondary school-aged children. Those readers who are fascinated by space will be intrigued by the interactive aspect of this book that will provide an important tool for further enhancing the understanding of our solar system.
The book begins with some interesting space-related questions and then takes the reader, who is dressed in a spacesuit, on a journey in a make- believe spaceship heading through various atmospheres into outer space. This is followed by a discussion about the Earth. There is information about the ISS (International Space Station) and then comprehensive facts about the sun, leading into day and night, the moon, stars, galaxies and the universe. Each topic that is introduced and discussed is accompanied by well-constructed interactive diagrams that, at times, may require an older person to manipulate and explain how it works.
The background colours used are predominantly black with white writing which adds a dramatic flair. Other bold colours are used throughout to highlight various images of the solar system. The pages discussing astronomy are particularly engaging. The information presented is both relevant and detailed with short interesting facts shared over various pages.
Themes Space, Sun, Stars, Solar System, Galaxy, Universe.
Kathryn Beilby
Space kids: Mars mission by Aleesah Darlison. Illus. by Nancy Bevington
Big Sky, 2023. ISBN: 9781923004047. (Age:7-12) Recommended.
This Sci-fi adventure for kids is set into the future when space investigation has reached another level – trying to find ways to populate and survive well in space. In the year 2088, Nash joins his father on Misty Space Station, but their stay is interrupted by a distress call from the colony of researchers on Mars who are facing extreme difficulties. 11-year-old Nash, plus the other two space kids, KC and Raj, join the small team that includes Nash’s father, all who will assist the Mars colonists, utilising advanced technology to enable transportation. The mission to assist does not go completely smoothly and lives are at risk in the hostile Martian environment.
This Sci-Fi space survival story for kids is exciting and literally ‘out-of-this-world’! Its science is simple for younger readers, but it does address some of the issues of space travel into the future. It also incorporates kid-focused drama in the complications of friendship, issues that are exacerbated by life in space while still being connected to normal life on earth. The children are also remarkably independent and resourceful. Comments are made about the wisdom of establishing a sustainable future for earth, especially in the light of the enormous difficulties of life on Mars. This is a relatively easy-to-read chapter book that could appeal to younger advanced readers with an interest in science, or for older readers up to the age of 12 that might not want to wade through dense text. Darlison is not ponderous about describing difficulties of life in space, and the survival threats and tension in the story are dealt with in a relatively swift manner that avoids alarming younger readers. The cover perhaps is a bit too cartoon-like to imply an older readership, but as the child characters are pre-teens, this would seem to be the target audience.
Themes Space travel, Sci-fi, Futuristic fiction, Mars, Friendship, Sustainability.
Jackie French AM, an acclaimed Australian author, was Australian Children' Laureate in 2014-15. As a teacher and Librarian, this writer has tended to recommend Jackie French for primary and middle school classroom teachers when they are selecting novels to enhance the teaching of history. French's historical fiction brings to life the periods of time that students learn about as they can immerse themselves, through the eyes of the protagonists, into different historical periods. Likewise when students come looking for a good read, this writer has tended to point out the Jackie French section in the library, as anything by French (who writes prolifically and across the genres) is bound to be good!
Secret sparrow is a thought-provoking book based on the undocumented work of young girls and women in WW1 as signallers in France. Such was the shame of the British army about its use of young women during WW1, that they destroyed all documents pertaining to such. As French is an historian, she unearthed references in poems, letters and information from an Irish historian with access to the archives of the Irish Postal Workers Union which had ignored the order to destroy all reference to the WW1 work of these women. Hence Secret sparrow is based on the truth and dedicated to "all the Jean McLains."
Positioning herself as third person narrator, French tells the story of Jean McLain's life with each chapter entitled with its own location and time setting. The story begins in 1978 in rural Burrangong, NSW, with a young boy called Arjun racing to outrun a flood. Jean McLain, our WW1 signaller, now an old lady, rescues Arjun and they endure a life-threatening night submerged in rising, freezing cold floodwaters. In order to sustain the will to survive, Jean tells her story - an excellent authorial contrivance. The following chapter flashes back to Jean's early life as a 16-year-old post-office assistant living in idyllic, rural Butterwood, England in 1917 and her recruitment as a signaller in France as a "21 year-old" to replace male signallers who had been killed. The narrative flashes back and forth from the night of survival in 1978 Burrangong to the trenches of 1917 Rouen and Cambrai and elsewhere/somewhere in France.
The bravery and loyalty of Jean and the soldiers in the trenches is depicted along with the horror of WW1 trench warfare. Woven into this story of adventure and heroism is a love story.
The gradual excavation of the crucial role that women signallers played on the front line in army signal units on the Western Front has been further developed by French in Secret sparrow. French describes in an author's note at the end of the book, the difficulty of finding any information about their work. Being described as "postal workers" the army did not have to give any compensation to these women for permanent incapacitations as a result of their war work. The fact that women did this dangerous work on the front was never made public and they received no commendations or pensions.
Secret Sparrow opens up to the reader the fact of female work on the Western front in WW1 and the crucial role of army communication in war time - both aspects which, as a focus of war documentaries and literature, have been overlooked. The unknown Frontline coder (a sub title) indicates the raison d'etre for Secret Sparrow.
An interesting and accessible read, Secret Sparrow opens up another previously unstudied perspective on WW1.
Themes WW1, Signallers in France, Women's war work, Loyalty.
Whether you're a long-time fan or discovering Ruby for the first time, this special edition is a must-have for any bookshelf. Promising a delightful escape into the enchanting world of Ruby Red Shoes, everyone will be captivated!
Ruby Red Shoes Goes to Paris by Kate Knapp is a delightful tale that has captured the hearts of readers for a decade, and now, in this special new edition celebrating its tenth anniversary, the charm of Ruby Red Shoes is still undeniable.
At the heart of this beloved book are the exquisite watercolour illustrations that adorn every page. Kate Knapp's artistic expertise brings Ruby's adventures to life with vibrant hues and intricate details. The visuals complement the narrative and elevate the overall reading experience, making it a visual delight for readers of all ages.
The story follows Ruby Red Shoes, a lovable hare with a fondness for her distinctive red shoes. Ruby embarks on a captivating journey to the enchanting city of Paris with her grandmother, Babushka Galushka. The narrative unfolds with a sense of wonder and excitement as Ruby explores the City of Lights with her cousin Felix, encountering its iconic landmarks and savouring its delectable foods.
Ruby records all her adventures along the way and even sends postcards home to her beloved pet chickens. Capturing the excitement of Paris through the eyes of an adventurous hare, readers will be envisaging their own travels and delighting in each of the five senses.
Ruby Red Shoes Goes to Paris is a celebration of curiosity, friendship, and the joy of exploration. Kate Knapp's storytelling is gentle and captivating, making it an ideal read for both children and adults. The book's enduring popularity over the past decade attests to its timeless appeal for the endearing magic of Ruby Red Shoes.
The fourth book in the Ratbags series continues to entertain young readers with humour, excitement and an action-packed adventure. The Ratbags are on their way to Scum Island for a holiday and before they arrive there they must take a long boat trip. Along the way they encounter seagulls, whales, seasickness and fight off sharks as well as listening to the constant “Are we there yet?”
The checking-in scenario is full of exhausting action and rat-filled enjoyment but finally the Ratbags settle in for the evening. They begin exploring the next day and fortunately the astute and alert Jigsaw is onto the problem of the Falcons, especially Fifi who also fancies Cracker the cat who has followed the Ratbags to the island. A battle for survival ensues, and who will succeed: rats, cats, or falcons?
Throughout the story, humour abounds and with the clever graphic illustrations, the reader is drawn into the mood of the story as well as through some clever tourist icons: the Grand Can-yon (made of cans), the Great Wall of China (teacups), the Empire Plate Building (plates), Bonehenge (bones) and Mount Ever-messed (a mountain of rubbish). In the final pages there is an introduction to the author and illustrator plus a step-by-step guide to drawing the calm and sensible Jigsaw.
Beasts of the Ancient World by Marchella Ward and Asia Orland
DK, 2023. ISBN: 9780241569078. (Age:7+)
The myths, legends and folklore of civilisations, generations and destinations are peppered with stories of brutal beasts and mysterious monsters, and, on the surface, this is a collection of those stories from around the globe. There are stories about fantastic creatures such as the Japanese baku, which had the power to devour nightmares, the wise Egyptian Sphinx, and the fearsome Minotaur who went head-to-head with Theseus in Greek mythology, and a map that shows just how widespread the stories are. Stories are collected under the headings of Our Worst Fears, Battles with Monsters, Kind Beasts and Harnessing the Power of Beasts, and accompanied by colourful illustrations that are not too scary.
But there is also an analysis of why people believe in these creatures, why they evolved and what they actually represent that can persuade the reader to read them through a different lens, seeing the similarities between the stories and the differences in how the beasts were vanquished - if indeed they were. The concept of a monster has been used over time to represent the unknown, dangers and even feelings, particularly fears, often serving as a warning. There is also the suggestion that rather than defeating the beasts that we could perhaps learn to live with them as we begin to understand the origins and purpose of the stories, because "things are never really as simple as brave human defeats monster."
Thus, while younger readers can learn the stories surrounding the monsters so often associated with mythology, more mature readers can start to analyse the back story - what circumstances might have promoted the invention of such a creature, how it might be similar to other stories and why the imagery persists today. Are today's generations very different to those who have gone before?
Stars and Smoke is a thrilling escapist read for anyone who likes fast paced stories about secret agents and pop stars. Winter Young is a global star, with hits all over the world. When the Panacea Group, a covert operation, approach him to infiltrate the inner circle of Eli Morrison, suspected of criminal activities, he knows that this might just give him something worthy to aim for outside of his stardom. Winter has been asked to perform at the birthday party of Morrison's daughter, Penelope, who is a big fan, and Panacea know that this will be the best way to infiltrate the group and gather information to convict him. Sydney Cossette, a young spy, is assigned to Winter as his bodyguard, and they team up to thwart Eli Morrison and his entourage.
The combination of background about the performances and hard work of a touring pop star and the machinations of a spy group make this a riveting read. There is excitement galore as Winter and Sydney attempt to find evidence about Morrison while many twists and turns will keep the reader glued to the page. Winter is charismatic and Sydney feisty and the simmering attraction between the two adds to the allure of the novel.
Fans of Bodyguard and Mission Impossible are sure to love this easy to read thriller that I could visualise being made into a film. I was thrilled to see that there will be a sequel, Icon and Inferno.
Pat Pledger
Britannica's encyclopedia infographica by Andrew Pettie & Conrad Quilty-Harper. Infographics by Valentian D'Efilippo
Britannica Books, 2023. ISBN: 9781913750459. (Age:All from 5+) Highly recommended.
The striking dark green cover with gold lettering and colourful images, will draw the eye to this very appealing encyclopedia. This highly visual book contains thousands of facts and figures about many things with the cleverly presented contents pages using the headings of Space; Land, Sea, Sky; Living Planet; Animals; Human Body; Human World. Also included in the final pages are Sources; Glossary; Scavenger Hunt Answers, Find Out More!; Index; Meet the Team.
In the beginning of the book, the reader is welcomed with the important fact: ‘that around 70 percent of the way our brain perceives the world is visual.’ Within the encyclopedia are 200 infographics and these infographics are a vital way to reveal information to encourage children and adults to remember. The writers have included a vital double page spread explaining how the infographics are organised to clearly present information.
All information is easily accessible and well-spaced; surrounded by infographics in the form of tables, pictures, charts, diagrams, scales, graphs and photographs that are clearly labelled. For example, on page 110 is a table showing the many different shapes of leaves plus the interesting fact that the edge of the leaf is called a margin and there are many different types of margins. On the following page is a table showing the nine very different vein patterns with the arrangement of the veins inside a leaf called venation. Both pages clearly display the information being shared.
Throughout the book are some astounding facts that will capture the interest of young readers. Did you know there are about 1,300,000,000,000,000 earthworms on Earth with the longest measuring 6.7m? Or that tongues have a similar structure to an elephant’s trunk and the arms of an octopus? A surprising fact is that LEGO minifigures overtook the world’s population in 2016 and is steadily growing. In fact there are over a billion more LEGO figures than humans on the Earth!
This colourful and beautifully presented book will be a wonderful asset to a home, school or public library.
