Ill. by Yvonne Van Vliet. Clan Destine Press, 2010. ISBN:
9780980790016. Dougal's Diary is just that, a diary covering the first year
of life of the black and white cat Dougal. Yes, in collaboration
with David Greagg, Dougal has shared the ups and downs of his life
from his earliest memories as a new born enjoying life with his
siblings, to the end of his first year secure in his new home and in
the love of his humans.
After the trauma of being separated from his cat family and waiting
in a cage to be chosen, Dougal finds he is sharing a home with his
adopted sister Shadow, whose early life as an alley cat has
conditioned her to steal food whenever she can, and Belladonna the
incumbent matriarch who takes some winning over, as well as Man
(David Greagg) and Woman.
Dougal is a peace loving diplomat and a hero as he negotiates the
delicate path between protecting his girls and fitting into the
neighbourhood complete with cats, dogs, wattlebirds and other
humans.
Dougal has much to learn about the human world as he learns about
the various appliances and equipment in the house and garden. From
cars to computers Dougal's point of view is that they are all boxes
with the ability to take humans away or to frustrate them. For the
reader it is a lesson in perception and point of view as are the
lessons from Belladonna regarding cat etiquette and techniques for
training humans.
This is definitely a book for cat lovers with, I would think, a
limited audience in the primary years, however as an example of
diary writing and point of view I found Dougal's impressions of the
world around him entertaining.
Sue Keane
Editor's note: There is a second in the series, When we were
kittens. Clan Destine Press, 2102. ISBN: 9780987271716.
Let's go, Baby-O by Janet and Andrew McLean
Allen and Unwin, 2011. ISBN 9781743317655.
(Age: 3-5) Recommended. Board book. A toddler and his young
companion have great fun, playing, 'Let's go, Baby-O', whirling and
twirling, up and down. In between energetic dances, they stop and
look out the window and what do they see? The little boy
concentrates on the birds in a tree and what they are doing, but the
reader can see so much else going on outside: children building a
cubbyhouse, a dog being washed, people gardening and a cat climbing
a tree.
The young child will have such fun playing the 'Let's go Baby-O'
games, learning about bouncing and pouncing, jumping, bumping and
thumping as well as flipping, flopping and hopping. They also clap
and flap, twist, twirl and whirl. In between this frenetic dancing,
come the quiet moments when both the little boy and the reader can
look out the window and have a chance to check what is happening
outside. The language of this story is exuberant and young children
will learn lots of new words as well as long to be up and dancing as
the story is read to them.
I love the illustrations as well. There are little details like the
toys that the little boy brings one by one to the windowsill to
observe what is going on, until there is a long line of them looking
out as well. The activity in the garden is amazing and the reader or
child who is listening to the story will be amazed at the fact that
the little boy is concentrating on the birds when there is so much
else going on. The illustrations are in soft pastels, and the antics
of the cat and dog add a depth of humour to the garden scene.
This is a very special book that will teach language as well as
giving children the opportunity to have lots of fun with the story.
Pat Pledger
Path of beasts by Lian Tanner
The Keepers series, bk. 3. pkb. Allen and Unwin, 2013. ISBN
9781743311660.
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Fantasy. Adventure. When Goldie, Toadspit
and Bonnie sneak back into the city of Jewel they are unaware of
just who is ruling their community. They are shocked to see
mercenaries patrolling the streets and when a street-rig is pulled
up, the occupants questioned by the soldiers. Two of the Blessed
Guardians get out telling the men to throw some rubbish into the
canal. But they demur, questioning their authority and it is only
when the Protector also alights, that the children realise just what
danger they and their families are in. The Protector, once a revered
person in Jewel, has been replaced by the dreaded Fugleman, and when
they rescue the package thrown into the water, find it is his
sister, the beloved Protector whose position has been usurped.
So begins third in this exciting and page turning trilogy about the
amazing Museum of Dunt, a place where all the evils of the world are
kept, but plundered by the Fugleman for his own dark needs.
The children know most of what the Museum holds, and are appalled
that the Fugleman may release forces he cannot control. Goldie, now
the holder of powers that she must keep leashed, is in a quandary of
who to tell and how to use her new power. But even she does not know
the inner secret path of the Museum, the path of Beasts, and it is
this path she must tread.
The background to this wonderful fantasy adventure is all
engrossing, the cities beautifully described and the Museum a place
to wonder at. For those who want to look more deeply, parallels to
modern political and social institutions are there to be found and
ponder, as evil is about to be released.
I simply ate up the first in this trilogy, slowly meandered through
the second, but the third held me gripped all the way through.
Fran Knight
A cautionary tail by Erica Harrison
Puffin, 2013. ISBN 9780670077458.
Picture book for older readers. Written in rhyming verse by Erica
Harrison and illustrated with images from the animated short film
starring Cate Blanchett, David Wenham and Barry Otto, this picture
books for older children has been described as a 'dark, funny fable
for children and adults alike,' (from the website ). A little
girl has been born with a lump on her backside, which grows into a
long tail. Initially the tail was very useful. She could use it to
show her moods, swing from trees and to make a tightrope for
acrobats and the other children thought that it was fun. As she grew
older her classmates said 'We can't hang out with freaks all day!'
and 'started hooking up instead/And doing stuff behind the shed.'
This made her very depressed until eventually her parents took her
to the doctor who removed it. However all her moods and emotions
disappeared and she was left feeling nothing. The moral of the tale
is that it is difficult to choose between conformity and
self-expression. You may regret the things that you discard, 'But
don't get lost in grey regret.'
This is a book that is rewarding after reading it a few times and
debating it with others. The theme of individuality and how
difficult it is to be different as you grow older will resonate with
teens. The effect of peer pressure and ridicule is beautifully
portrayed and could lead to some thought provoking discussions in a
literature circle or in the classroom.
The illustrations are of the animated characters from the film, set
with striking colourful backgrounds in colours that reflect the mood
of the young girl and with hand-made miniature sets. The image of
the wide-eyed young girl is memorable and is sure to appeal to a
younger audience.
In addition to the book and the film, there is also a website and an
interactive book app for the iPad and iPad mini.
Pat Pledger.
The house of memories by Benjamin Hulme-Cross
Dark Hunter series. A & C Black, 2013. ISBN
9781408180518.
Highly recommended for boys aged 10+. Dark Hunter - The House of
Memories is the first book in this new series about ghosts,
monsters and demons. Readers step straight into the story on the
first page where they meet Mr. Blood, Edgar and Mary. Mr. Blood
leaves the children at the old house where they meet a scary old
woman who seems to know a lot about them. What does she want? Will
Edgar and Mary finally learn things about their past? Will they come
out alive?
At 55 pages long with half pages of text, Dark Hunter is a
quick moving story with a spooky climax sure to make anyone squeal
but it is over quickly - this could be good for those more reluctant
readers but disappointing for book lovers who just want more! Highly
recommended for boys aged 10+, especially if they like to be
spooked!
Kylie Kempster
The Quirks : Welcome to Normal by Erin Soderberg
Bloomsbury, 2013. ISBN 9781408841716.
(Age: 8-12) Recommended. The Quirks are a refreshingly 'quirky'
family. In 'The Addams family' tradition with a bit of the Freek
Street series appeal, without the colourful illustrations, I found
myself chuckling out loud as I read, as will the targeted 8-12
audience.
The Quirk family have just moved in to a perfectly ordinary looking
house in Normal Michigan, however this is not your usual family.
Grandpa, Quilliam Quirk has the ability to rewind time, which can
come in handy when things go wrong. Grandmother is a tiny fairy.
Mother, Bree, is able to control minds, Penelope has an over active
imagination and her thoughts become real. Finnegan, the smallest
Quirk has become invisible and only Molly can see him. Molly,
Penelope's twin, has no obvious quirks, and desperately wants to fit
in, to be normal, to be invited to sleepovers and to settle in one
place.
Having to start at a new school is always a drama but more so for
Penelope and Molly. Penelope's overactive imagination causes havoc
the more stressed she becomes. Bringing the animal stickers on the
desks to life is just the beginning, though handling the class bully
was more satisfying. Molly spends her time either calming Penelope
or distracting her classmates to give Penelope a chance to get her
thoughts under control.
Molly becomes more stressed as Finn discovers that chewing gum makes
him visible and consequently he has to go to school. There he
decides being visible is no fun and rebels by occasionally becoming
invisible and playing tricks. When his pranks get out of hand Molly
is sure they will be forced to move on. Saving the Normal Day
celebrations is their only hope. As Molly learns to appreciate her
quirky family, the reader is left wondering how normal is Normal.
The design of the book beginning with a warning, Contents page on
the side, Chapter titles at different angles and page numbers in
balloons wandering up and down the margins and the occasional
illustrations add to the enjoyment. The Epilogue is a scene
reminiscent of the nosy neighbour in Bewitched heralding the next
complication in the Quirks' efforts to settle in Normal.
Sue Keane
Let the games begin by Niccolo Armaniti
Text, 2013. ISBN 9781921758461.
(Age: Senior secondary) This latest novel by Nicolo Armaniti, the
author of the best-selling I'm not scared, is a satirical
expose of the cult of celebrity in contemporary Italy. The author
establishes two plot lines that come together in a Rabelaisian party
in Rome. Saverio Moneta leads the Wilde Beasts of Avalon, a punk
cult that has haemorrhaged members to the point of extinction. In
his every-day life he works in a furniture store and is married to
the boss's daughter, a frightening woman who treats him with
contempt. The other plot line features Fabrizio Ciba, well-known
writer, television personality, womanizer and cad. Fabrizio affects
a nonchalant attitude to fame, but in fact is insecure about his
ability and fears being a nonentity above all else. The two plot
lines come together at a party given by a Campagnese millionaire,
Salvatore Chiatti, at his villa in the garden of the Villa Ada.
Chiatti's money has ostensibly been made from real estate, but he
has been in gaol for tax evasion and cattle stealing. He is
determined to impress the celebrities of Rome. His party is to last
for two days. He has provided an excess of gourmet food and alcohol
of all kinds. He has also stocked the park with wild animals and
intends to organize the guests into hunting groups for foxes, lions
or tigers. Unbeknownst to him, living in the catacombs under his
grounds are a group of Russian athletes who are refugees from the
Olympic Games held in Rome in 1960. By now they are rather odd
looking as a result of spending their time underground by day and
emerging only at night to scavenge for food. Saverio and his Wilde
Beasts, all four of them, are at the party as waiters, but Saverio
plans to execute a rock star and then commit suicide, an act that
will ensure his notoriety. Fabrizio is present to make a speech, but
also to collect material for a scorching exposee of the bad taste of
all present. The stars arrive, the women all big-breasted,
big-haired, paper thin but camera hungry, and the men greedily
determined to have everything on offer. Armaniti now treats his
characters with the ruthlessness that they exhibit. The hunts go
awry on a large scale; the elephants panic; the crocodiles discover
that they too are hungry; the Russians, fearing that the USSR has
finally come to seize them, kidnap as many guests as they can;
characters die in horrible ways, particularly when Rome's water
system malfunctions and the catacombs are flooded. Fabrizio acts
true to type and manages to place his own survival above all others,
and scrambles back to life as he has always lead it. However,
Saverio sees the foolishness of his plans and is absolved by saving
the few innocents at the party. The novel does become quite
compulsive reading, despite its range of unappealing characters and
bizarre action. However, it is a challenging reading experience and
is only for older readers.
Jenny Hamilton
My Dad and me by Tania Cox and Lorette Broekstra
Allen & Unwin, 2013. ISBN 9781743316238. My Dad and me is a lovely story for parents to read to their
children. The bright pictures are detailed and great for engaging
children in discussion about what is going on. It is also a great
way for children to develop new vocabulary. The rhyming text is
catchy and I can imagine changing it into a song and singing along
with the child. Parents and children could create their own rhyming
sentences about things they do together. In the class, lower primary
teachers could use this book as a lead up to Father's Day and older
children could use it as a model to write their own 'Dad' poem.
Kylie Kempster
Fortunately, the milk... by Neil Gaiman
Ill. by Chris Riddell. Bloomsbury, 2013. ISBN 9781408841761.
(Age: 7+) Highly recommended. The award winning duo of Gaiman and
Riddell are back with a funny book that will be gobbled up by fans.
When mum goes away on a business trip Dad's left in charge of the
two children. Her last instruction to Dad is 'Don't forget the
milk', but unfortunately that's just what he does and there is no
milk for the children's cereal or for his tea. When he returns from
a lengthy sojourn to buy the milk he comes up with a wild tale of
why it has taken him so very long to get back home.
This is a very humorous story that features a time-travelling
dinosaur, Professor Steg, Priscilla Queen of the Pirates, Splod the
god of people with short, funny names, sparkly ponies and wumpires.
Dad romps from one wild adventure to another, with his two children
making the occasional interjection. As you can imagine a combination
like this makes for a very funny story and Riddell's illustrations
add to the general hilarity. The father bears some resemblance to
Neil Gaiman himself and other characters especially 'Pale and
interesting Edvard' and 'Tvilight Tina' take on book and movie
characters which will delight adults and older readers. Younger
readers or those who listen to it will also have lots of fun, trying
to imagine just what Dad will come up with next.
This would make a great read aloud for younger children and will be
a keeper for all those of us who are avid fans of Gaiman and
Riddell.
Pat Pledger
Alice-Miranda 2014 diary by Jacqueline Harvey
Random House, 2013. ISBN 9780857980526
Pretty in pink, Alice-Miranda's 2014 diary is a marvellous Christmas
or birthday gift for a young fan. It is the most positively perfect
diary you'll ever need!
The diary is brimming with opportunities to fill in sections
on About Me, My Faves, add photos to My Family, and think about
being grateful. Being a friend is an important quality of
Alice-Miranda's and there are guidelines on being a good friend.
After the address book and birthday reminders a fabulous recipe
section is included. Picnics, lunches and weekend meals are an
important part of Alice-Miranda and her friends' life. Nana Jones's
Marble Cake and Alice-Miranda's favourite Devil's Food Cake are two
of the scrumptious recipes included.
A trivia quiz and 'Who said what' section provide opportunities to
test the fan's knowledge, there's even a quiz to find out which
Alice-Miranda character you are like. Before the diary starts
there's so much to read and record; an extensive academy enrolment
form for the WDA, a find-a-word puzzle, a page to record books to
read and places to visit. This is a real treasure trove. The diary
pages with a one week spread are sprinkled with fun designs, book
characters, quotations and some affirmations.
A wonderful present for Alice-Miranda fans from eight years of age.
Rhyllis Bignell
What do werewolves do when it's not Halloween by Heath McKenzie
Scholastic, 2013. ISBN 9781742838793
(Age: 6+) Picture book. Halloween. Werewolves. Humour. November the
first is not a day to be looked forward to by all the ghosts, ghouls
and monsters that had a field day the night before. They must
now find something else to do for the next twelve months, and this
funny book with its entertaining illustrations, will keep the
audience amused until the end.
In waiting for the next Halloween, the skeletons do nothing at all,
prefering to keep quite still, the mummies renew their bandages, the
witches gather around the cauldron making new spells, the vampires
take out their teeth and have a well earned sleep. Each monster has
a double page spread dedicated to its year long activities, pages
that will entreat the younger reader with its rhyming sentences, fun
illustrations and text. A huge range of monsters is given throughout
the book, enabling children to discuss the range of monsters,
talk about their appearance at Halloween and perhaps other books
where they appear. For Australian readers, the book will answer some
questions about Halloween, a celebration from USA which appears to be
gaining more credibility here.
And the little twist at the end will appeal, as readers look at
faces just like theirs staring back at them.
Fran Knight
Stay well soon by Penny Tangey
UQP, 2013. ISBN 9780702249945.
(Age: 11+) Warmly recommended. Cancer. Friendships. Hospital. Stevie
would love to have a horse, but her family cannot afford one,
especially now that Dad Ben has gone interstate for work, leaving
Stevie and her mother to cope with her brother, Ryan, who is
becoming increasingly ill. At first Ryan seems to take a lot of time
off school, but when mum takes him to the doctor, she is angered by
the lack of attention he receives. Finally she takes him to
emergency where the lad is transferred to Melbourne to undergo a
series of tests. So begins the round of hospital visits, with mum
and Stevie driving to Melbourne, Stevie angry that she cannot stay
at home. She thinks he is faking it, so finds the visits boring,
until she meets Lara, also confined to the hospital, because she has
cancer.
It is difficult to like Stevie at the start, she is selfish and
unconcerned about her brother, but as the story progresses,
she becomes a fascinating character. Her problems with her peers at
school are well presented, and the growing relationship with Lara
brings Stevie's attention to her brother's illness. It is only when
Dad Ben returns, that she admits to him her fear of dying, after
finding out that Lara is near death.
All readers will be swept along with Stevie's developing awareness
of illness and death as she at first ignores all attempts to apprise
her of the reason for Rhys' growing ill health. Attempts by friends
and mothers of friends, mum and her friend, Ben, along with the
hospital therapist, failed to make her aware, but her friend Lara,
tells her bluntly that she has not long to live. This galavanises
Stevie into action, she asks the girl to be her friend at her
grade five class Grandparents and Friends Day, after going
with her to meet her horse, Finnegan.
A story of acceptance of death and dying, humour abounds in the
relationships Stevie has with her peers. The details of school life
with all of its ups and downs between the children, along with the
teacher, who inadvertently is a source of much glee, are finely
described. The background of mum's friends and her own relationship
with Ben, are very real, not overstated, but there when Stevie needs
them to be. This is a wholly satisfying novel about cancer and its
effects on one young girl.
Fran Knight
The Royal Ranger by John Flanagan
Ranger's Apprentice bk 12. Random House Australia, 2013. ISBN
9781864718195
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended for all readers and would-be Ranger
apprentices. When this arrived for review I could not help but
wonder - is it really almost a decade since I first 'met' Will and
Halt in The Ruins of Gorlan (Bk 1 Ranger's Apprentice). Nine
years after that first book was published, John Flanagan's epic
adventure series has sold over one million copies in Australia, over
eighty million more world-wide across 30 countries, been shortlisted
for awards nationally and internationally and, above all, hooked
thousands of kids into reading.
With each subsequent instalment the legion of fans has grown and
each new publication hailed with exuberant excitement and, certainly
in my own libraries - countdowns until the day when each devotee
could get their hands on a copy! Will and Halt, Horace, Evanlyn,
Gilan, Alyss and others have become as real people to readers and
many a young boy has dreamed of becoming a member of the Ranger's
Corps.
So now we come to the final chapter, and with this last adventure
with the Ranger's brotherhood, young girl readers will be as fired
up as their male peers to become a Ranger because for the very first
time in the history of the Corps - along comes a girl apprentice!
Princess Cassandra (Evanlyn) and Horace the Oak-Leaf Knight are
having that wonderful experience of so many parents - a teenage
daughter going out of control. Rebellious, self-centred, indulged
and wilful, Princess Madelyn, Maddie, has pushed her royal
parents to their limit. At the same time, Cassandra and Horace,
along with Halt and Gilan, are terribly concerned about Will's state
of mind after the murder of his beloved Alyss. Halt has the perfect
solution for the beleaguered parents as well as a plan to bring Will
back from the depths of his grief and obsession for revenge. He
proposes that Will should take on his goddaughter Maddie as an
apprentice. Not without its hitches, the plan is successful on both
counts (perhaps a little too successful according to Cassandra!)
and with his usual witty humour, gripping adventures and engaging
characters Flanagan takes his readers on one last thrilling
adventure when the master and apprentice Rangers embark upon their
first joint mission uncovering a dark and dangerous crime
conspiracy.
No need to urge to buy this one - I know it will be on everyone's
list and quickly off everyone's shelves! I can't help but feel a
little sad the series is at end but I am sure that John Flanagan
will continue to provide his loyal following with more spirited
adventures and worthy heroes.
Sue Warren
It wasn't me by Belinda Jeffrey
UQP, 2013. ISBN 9780702249877.
(Age: 4+) Warmly recommended. Humour. Childhood. Picture book. The
title is the refrain heard throughout the house as poor old Finnegan
is accused of the destruction which occurs. From the oversudsing of
the bath, to the graffiti on the fence, Finnegan is called to take
the blame. A clever reader will see the monsters hiding in the
wallpaper, and react with Finnegan as he takes to the air.
The winning combination of drawings and text will draw in the
readers as they search for what is actually causing the mayhem in
the house, watching each page for clues as to Finnegan's innocence,
scanning all the illustrations for situations where Finnegan takes
the blame, with rounded owl-like eyes. But when he is taken up into
the air tied to an air balloon, landing in an eagle's nest, the
opposite occurs, he is calling for his mum, calling, calling, until
he finally lands back home, when a twist reveals just what has
happened to Finnegan.
Readers will revel in Finnegan's adventures with his monsters as
they do things for which he is blamed, and then take him away.
Readers will recognise the nod to the call often heard at home,
where a child is blamed for something which has happened and it
might not necessarily be him. And they will love reading it out
loud, adding stresses to the few words, to add meaning to the sparse
prose, as well as being highly entertained by searching the
illustrations.
Fran Knight
Amina by J. L. Powers
Through my eyes series. Allen & Unwin, 2013. ISBN
9781743312490.
(Age: 11+) Warmly recommended. Children in war, Somali. As the tale
of Amina unfolds, we become aware of her background as she and her
family eke out a living in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. The
country has been torn into two pieces by terrorism and war, brought
about by the right wing Islamist group, al-Shabaab. Amina's father
is an artist, but one who draws ire from the ruling party, because
he dares to portray the living form, and depicts some political
comment about the situation in this home city.
We are made aware of the instability of their situation when one day
soldiers burst into their house demanding to see their father.
Amina's pregnant mother sends the girl to the mosque to fetch her
father, packing necessities into a bag, but the soldiers return,
taking him away. The problem comes to the surface, whether to flee
or wait and see if he returns. The next day Anima and her brother
are sent to search for information about their father's whereabouts,
but the brother is kidnapped, leaving Anima and her mother and
ailing grandmother alone and without help.
The image of a family growing up in Somalia is wonderfully shown,
their customs and way of life presented naturally as the background,
their fear of the militant Islamists ever present. Children will
eagerly follow Amina's journey as she tries to make sense of her
world, one which is far removed from the safe world we inhabit. A teacher's
guide is available.
Fran Knight
