Black Dog Books 2013. ISBN: 9781922077585. Paperback, 289 pp. RRP:
$15.99
(Age 13+) Recommended. What a talented writer Carole Wilkinson is,
seemingly able to turn her creative hand to any genre. Not
many writers have the chance to publish their novels twice either!
This is exactly what Carole did with Stagefright - you will enjoy
the anecdote of how this came about at the end of this hugely funny
but also insightful book.
Velvet S. Pye is feeling very hard done by - with the sudden plunge
of the family fortunes from very comfortably off to pretty well
destitute, Velvet has lost everything she considers important. She's
lost her clarinet and her piano, there are no more luxury holidays,
her old friends have deserted her and worst of all she can no longer
attend St Theresa's Anglican Ladies College. Instead she is forced
to attend her local state high school Yarrabank High - which is not
only apparently full of feral students but has no music or dramatic
program of any description, all available funding being poured into
the school's sporting program. For a girl who despises sport,
landing in the middle of a school renowned for its sporting prowess,
headed up by a sports mad Principal Kislinski, there could be no
worse fate.
Bringing all her energy to finding a way to get out of sport, Velvet
finally convinces Mr Kislinski that she is completely and utterly
without any aptitude for any kind of physical activity and is off
the hook. Her delight with her success is short-lived however, when
she finds the alternative for the very few non-sporting students is
a Cultural Studies class, populated by a small but particularly
bizarre group of misfits the like of which she has never before
encountered, including jaded teacher Mr MacDonald.
No doubt motivated by his annoyance with this bunch of no-hopers, Mr
Kislinski charges the group with living up to the Cultural Studies
title and 'giving back to the school' by producing a performance for
the school's anniversary celebrations. With no budget, zero
motivation and apparently few skills, the Cultural Studies
group surprise themselves bonding into a supportive team of friends
with a modicum of various talents, in the process turning
Shakespeare's Richard the Third into a rock musical.
A continuing thread of hilarity runs through this novel and I found
myself laughing out loud on several occasions, but underlying the
humour is a strong message about what is most valuable in one's
life, not judging on appearances and tolerance. Carole
Wilkinson suggests it is possible that there will be another
Yarrabank High novel and I for one will look forward to encountering
the students and staff again.
Recommended for readers 13 +, it would work well as read
aloud for both boys and girls though I think boys might be put off
by the rather 'girly' looking cover.
Sue Warren
In too deep by Tom Avery
Frances Lincoln, 2013. ISBN 978 1 84780 389 4.
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. In Too Deep is the story of two brothers, Emmanuel and Prince, from the Democratic Republic of Congo. They are currently alone, living in foster care and in England. It is part 2 in the story and even though we don't know how they were separated from their family, the story gives hints and thoughts to help you understand.
Imagine the brother's surprise when their mother turns up with a new baby sister and no idea where their father is! Life changes quickly for Emmanuel and Prince as they move in with their mum and get to know her again. For Prince, there is one question he needs an answer to - where is their dad?
A heart-felt story of a young boy who tries to be happy but can't, of a father who will do anything for his family. I would highly recommend this to independent readers aged 12+ as it switches between what is happening in Tanzania (with the father), England (with the boys) and the past. The story is quite grown up and despite being set in England; it is still relevant to young Australian readers as they befriend refugees from across Africa. Some of the events in the story seem quite impossible but it is those moments that keep you wanting to read more.
Kylie Kempster
Song for a Scarlet Runner by Julie Hunt
Allen and Unwin, 2013. ISBN 9781743313589.
(Age 9-12) Julie Hunt, author of CBCA shortlisted Picture Book The
Coat has written about survival and loyalty, superstition and
the value of friendship set in a bleak and unwelcoming landscape. It
will take a mature 9-12 year old reader fond of the fantasy genre to
appreciate the whole story.
Nine year old Peat, red haired with one green and one brown eye
lives with her sister Maisie at the Overhang tending cows and making
cheese. They were banished to this lonely, desolate place 4 days
walk from the nearest village due to Peat's appearance.
When a travelling stranger brings disease to the village Peat is
blamed and just escapes the mob. Alone and knowing she cannot return
to the Overhang Peat travels towards the marshes at the opposite end
of the valley. She is accompanied in her adventures by an animal she
calls a 'sleek' which will scratch and steal her food one moment and
save her life the next.
In the marshes she is captured by Eadie one of the magical 'marsh
aunties' who takes Peat on as an apprentice and teaches her how to
tell stories particularly the one about the Siltman. Peat is taken
by the mysterious and Siltman and his hounds during a storytelling
at the Hub and needs to escape again with the help of the sleek, a
nine hundred year old boy and a ghost hound.
There is much to like about the characters especially the
independent and optimistic Peat and the sleek which is so human in
its reactions. Siltboy with his stilted speech and bravado and even
Eadie, despite her betrayal of Peat, elicits sympathy at the end.
The story moves along at a good pace with twists and turns a plenty
as Peat seems to move from one perilous situation to the next and
one hopes the sleek will turn up like the cavalry, just in time.
However it is the Siltman's kingdom across the Silver River, 'the
Ever' as Siltboy calls it' which keeps me thinking and poses the
most questions.
Sue Keane
The heiresses by Allison Rushby
Pan Macmillan, Sydney, 2013. ISBN 9781742613147.
(Age 16+) Recommended. Imagine an episode of Gossip Girls
set in roaring twenties London and you can imagine the world of this
novel: high society, parties, alcohol and young girls concerned
about money and beaus.
The central story concerns a set of triplets who were separated at
birth when their mother died. At age 17, their aunt brings them back
together in the hope of restoring her sister's legacy to her nieces.
But first there are several puzzles to solve and deals to be done.
For the girls are essentially battling for their share in a personal
fortune which could change their lives: for Thalia it could bring a
welcome escape from her dour 'family', for Ro it could enable her to
study at university, whilst Clio would be able to provide her ailing
mother with the care she so desperately needs. The key question is
whether the girls will work together in their new-found sisterhood
or whether their own personal desires will stand in their way.
Whilst London in the 1920s is captivatingly drawn and Allison Rushby
has assembled an engaging cast of characters, there is something
rather formulaic about this novel. Each of the girls seems to be a
particular type: the sharp-tongued, party-loving Thalia, the steady
and rational Ro and the kind-hearted Clio (who just happens to have
been raised by a vicar). Despite some twists and turns, there is
also a sense of predictability in the plotting: by novel's end all
has been explained, wrongs have been addressed (if not always
righted) and each of the girls is looking forward to a brighter
future. We even have a marriage in the closing pages.
There may be nothing particularly new in this novel but the story is
told in an engaging manner and there are sufficient romantic
entanglements to keep teenage girls captivated. This is an enjoyable
light read but with the heady mix of drugs, alcohol and sex that
seems to overtake the lives of these sisters, some school libraries
may prefer to promote this book to more mature readers.
Deborah Marshall
Poppy's angel by Rachel Billington
Frances Lincoln Children's, 2013. ISBN 9781847803627 Poppy's Angel is the sequel to Poppy's hero and
Poppy's life has once again suffered a major disruption. She is, as
her friend Jude says... almost an orphan, and with her dad still in
prison and her mum now in Poland, Poppy does feel more than a little
alone. She is staying with Jude until her mother returns and their
relationship has never been easy.
Poppy's other friends are also proving to be less than ideal
companions, especially Angel who turns up in her now deserted home,
bleeding all over the floor and refusing to go to the hospital. Will
remains loyal and steadfast but between his illness and his mother
it is sometimes impossible to get hold of him.
Divided into 2 parts, Part One focuses on Angel. He too is feeling
very lost and alone, with his father again missing, having taken
Angel's mobile and anything else that he thought might provide
'ready' cash, and his mother in hospital awaiting the birth of her
fourth child.
Billington pulls no punches in allowing the reader glimpses into
less than perfect lives. Angel has been taught to trust no-one, rely
on no-one; Snake, a gang leader, beats up little kids because he
gets beaten up at home; Eloise, Angel's aunt and now primary
caregiver, refuses to allow him to live at home, loses his four year
old sister and is hinted at being too free with her hands. Each
person seems to be trapped by his or her circumstances with no help
in sight as the police, or indeed anyone in authority, are the last
people anyone in Angel's world would contact.
Big Frank, Poppy's father is the focus of the second part of the
book. He is now in an open prison but seems once again determined to
ruin his chances of rejoining his family, at least on weekends, by
once again becoming involved in criminal activity. He knows it will
mean returning to prison, but will Frank says, make them ...
Rich. Rich. Rich. RICH! Refusing to acknowledge the danger, he is,
he tells Poppy, doing it all for her; something that she doesn't
want to hear.
However, despite the ever present undercurrent of violence and
danger, Poppy remains secure and largely unaffected by the events
occurring around her. She is safe for the moment, inhabiting the
wealthy world of Jude and Will. Billington also offers hope, at
least to the reader, with the introduction of Gus, an old man who
teaches 'bad boys' football and offers them a routine and common
sense advice and help. Maggie too, with six sons and ten grandsons,
is also a stable presence who knows everyone and everything that is
happening on Angel's estate and can occasionally provide advice and
assistance.
Billington offers late primary, early secondary readers a glimpse
into a world where safety and security are not givens. The book ends
happily: Angel's mother is home and he has a new brother while
Poppy's mother has returned from Poland and Big Frank maintains
loudly that he is a reformed sinner. Maggie and Gus also remain,
each exerting a benign yet reassuring presence. Yet, the reader is
left wondering, at least in Big Frank's case, whether problems can
really be resolved so easily.
Ros Lange
Clementine Rose series by Jacqueline Harvey
Random House, Australia 2013. Pbk, 128pp, RRP $A12.95. Clementine Rose and the perfect present. ISBN 9781742755458. Clementine Rose and the Pet Day disaster. ISBN 9781742755434.
Here are the next two adventures in this series about this
fun-loving five year-old designed for the newly independent reader
who is looking for a recognisable character and the support of short
chapters, an easy-to-read style with a splash of humour and cute
illustrations that add a richness to the story.
In Clementine Rose and the Pet Day disaster, Clementine is
very excited because she is about to start school. Her best friends
Sophie and Poppy are also starting, she has everything ready well
before time and she's really looking forward to being taught by
kind, loving Miss Critchley who is sure to teach her how to read on
the very first day. But things don't quite work out that way. Her
teacher is the stern, austere, Mrs Ethel Bottomley, making the
butterflies in Clementine's tummy feel like they were having a
boxing match, because Mrs Bottomley is very no-nonsense, telling
these new kindergarten students that 'It's time to shake off the
playful habits of youth and start some serious study.' There will be
time for fun, but it will be orderly fun. When Clementine refuses to
leave her mother and line up, Mrs Bottomley asks if she is going to
join them, 'Or is she having a bit of a sook?' NOT the best way to
encourage a loving relationship. Finally coaxed into class, to her
dismay the children are seated in alphabetical order and Clementine
is not with Sophie and Poppy, but next to the obnoxious Angus. Her
day is certainly not going as planned, she doesn't learn to read and
what's more she's expected to go back tomorrow! But not if she can
help it, and with a little help from Dr Everingham. It is only the
announcement of a Pet Day and the chance to show off her teacup pig
Lavender that entices her through the doors again but the title IS
'Pet Day disaster' so don't expect everything to flow smoothly.
In Clementine Rose and the perfect present there is much
excitement at Penberthy House for there is to be a wedding, an event
which will help pay some bills and perhaps some to go for the
much-needed new roof. But of course, nothing goes to plan and when
Aunt Violet is put in charge, then things are going to go downhill
even faster. And what do you do when you're five, your uncle is sick
and you want to give him a present but no one has time to take you
to the village shop, yet you're surrounded by piles of beautifully
wrapped presents?
Even though she is only five and the readers of this series will be
slightly older, there is still something very likeable about
Clementine that appeals anyway. Perhaps the reader sees herself as
the big sister, or maybe remember similar sorts of things that
happened to them - whatever it is, the first two in this series were
a hit with my younger readers and they are going to be thrilled when
I offer them a couple more, with the promise of even more to come.
Both books are also available as ebooks.
Barbara Braxton
Enoch the emu by Gordon Winch
Ill. by Doreen Gristwood. Scholastic Australia, 2013. ISBN
9781742838717.
(Age: 3+) Recommended. Humour. Australian animals. A reissue of a
perennial favourite, Enoch the emu was fist published in
1986, and appeared in paperback in 1990, and is now again available
to titillate a fresh generation of readers. The tale of Enoch and
his long suffering wife, Wilhelmina, is a delight, sure to please
young readers with a look into the state of marital bliss.
After a night out with the boys at the Emu Club, Enoch arrives home
to find his wife sitting impatiently on their nine eggs. She berates
him for not doing his share of the housework and particularly the
egg sitting, whereupon, she flounces off leaving him to do the work.
Just when he thinks she has returned she announces that she is off
on a holiday.
And so he sits, through the dusty heat and driving rain, fending off
a dingo with his fierce look, until one day the chicks arrive and
make it all worthwhile. The others at the Emu Club are most
impressed and decide that sitting on a clutch of eggs is just the
thing to do. And emus have done so ever since.
This a glorious book full of fun which will involve all the readers,
spurred on by the stunning illustrations. A fascinating topic for
discussion in the classroom, the book will elicit all sorts of
responses about who does what about the house and in the classroom,
about gender alignment and sharing of all types of work. And parents
will love returning to a favourite story from their childhood.
Fran Knight
The girl with no name: The incredible true story of a child raised by monkeys by Marina Chapman (with Vanessa Chapman & Lynne Barrett-Lee)
Pier 9, 2013. ISBN 9781743362259.
(Age 15+) Highly recommended. Marina Chapman has certainly had an
unusual upbringing. At the tender age of 4 (or thereabouts) she was
snatched from her village home and dumped deep in the jungle where
she was befriended by monkeys. Over the next 5 or 6 years in their
company, Marina learned how to forage for food and survive against
predators. She paints a colourful portrait of the sights, sounds and
smells of the jungle and how she grew to live according to its
rhythms. However, it is clear that life was not necessarily idyllic;
she had companionship but the monkeys were never her real 'family'.
So when she first sees a human woman, Marina is entranced.
Unfortunately, when she allows herself to be taken by a female
hunter, the poor child in her innocence has chosen badly and she
learns all too soon that humans are not necessarily as kind and
caring as her monkey family.
Whether it is working as a servant in a brothel, or surviving on the
streets of a nearby city, or later when she is enslaved by a
gangster family, it seems that Marina is often mistreated by those
in whom she puts her trust. What emerges from the pages of this book
is a clear and compelling story of resilience and fortitude. Life
often seems to deal Marina a bad hand but she shows remarkable
determination to survive against the odds.
Lynne Barrett-Lee has done a wonderful job of taking Marina's tales
to her daughter and weaving them into a coherent and compelling
story. She enables us to see how events unfolded through the eyes of
an often bewildered young girl, a girl who may not have had the
language to actually explain for herself what she was living
through. She allows Marina's strengths to shine through.
This is a story that will not be easily forgotten. Indeed, most
readers will be eagerly awaiting a sequel, to learn how this brave
young girl became a wife and mother.
Deborah Marshall
Megumi and the bear by Irma Gold
Ill. by Craig Phillips. Walker Books, 2013. ISBN 9781821977909.
(Age: 4+) Picture book. Friendship. As Megumi collects fir cones in
the forest at the bottom of her garden she meets a bear who asks her
to be his friend.
They do everything together, playing hide and seek, dancing,
snowboarding over a ramp, so much so that Magumi does not want to
let the bear go.
But when she goes down to the end of the garden again, he is not
there. She wishes on the falling star that he will come to her, but
it doesn't happen. None of the activities she is usually involved in
can take his place. Playing hide and seek with the other children
does not help, it only increases the weight in her heart. But she
keeps wishing, and her friend does return. A gentle story which looks
at differing styles of friendship, this may be a neat introduction to
class discussions about friendship, imaginary friends and wishing.
In beautiful soft watercolour, the illustrations shine on each page.
The trees shimmer in the snow, their browns and blues standing out
from the starkness of the white surrounding them.
Fran Knight
The beauty of murder by A. K. Benedict
Orion, 2013. ISBN 9781409144526
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Crime. University. When Dr. Stephen Killigan
takes up his appointment at Sepulchre College, Cambridge, his life
changes in some unexpected ways. Heavily tattooed Stephen doesn't
fit most people's image of a Cambridge don, which may affect the way
he's perceived.
After consuming a number of drinks with a friend and colleague
Stephen goes out for kebabs and discovers a masked body in a church
yard. He has to move off to get a signal for his mobile phone and
when he returns with the police the body is gone, as is any evidence
of any foul play. The police, in the form of Inspector Jane Horne,
are not well pleased.
The body of a young boy is found within the university with a
similar mask to one Killigan described on the church yard body. This
all leads to him being a suspect and his reputation in Sepulchre
College and in Cambridge becoming very dodgy. He ends up plunging
into the Cam letting the water take him, when he is rescued by
someone from a different time.
It is no mean feat to construct a time travel tale that is
believable, but Benedict does it superbly. Her historical knowledge
and interaction of her cast of characters allows the reader to be
carried away to wherever she wishes. It is through the travelling
that Stephen meets Jackamore Grass, discovers his relationships with
the present and the past and his addiction to murder. With the help
of Lana Carver, who works in the library and the wonderful Professor
Iris Burton, the eccentric elderly academic whose beliefs have led to
her gaining a rather dubious reputation, he is able to sort out fact
from fiction and convince Horne that he is not a lunatic.
Benedict has created a wonderful concoction, part fantasy, part
historical novel, part thriller and finally a murder mystery. Along
the way she has finely drawn and observed an intriguing group of
people, all interesting in their own right. A thoroughly enjoyable
read. Highly recommended for an adult audience and mature secondary
students.
Mark Knight
What's wrong with the wobbegong? by Phillip Gwynne
What's wrong with the wobbegong? by Phillip Gwynne
Ill. by Gregory Rogers. Little Hare, 2013. ISBN 9781921714962.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Seaside. Appearances. Gossip. As the
wobbegong lies on his towel on the beach, his manly chest puffed out
before him, he lathers sunscreen over his body, listens to his
radio, and very contentedly soaks up the sun. But his neighbours,
the humped whale, the seabird, the crab, octopus and clam are all
worried and cannot help but voice their concerns to each other.
There is something wrong with the wobbegong. He never seems to eat,
just lies palely on the sand without saying a word to anyone. But
just as they are all conjecture, he gets up and races to the sea,
proving that he can moved very quickly indeed. He is active and a
good colour, so the other beach creatures conclude that indeed there
is nothing wrong with the wobbegong until he suddenly gets a little
too close.
In boldly rhythmic lines, begging to be read aloud, the tale of the
sea animals unfolds. For the fist part of the tale, each page begins
with the question, 'What's wrong with the wobbegong?', while after
he rushes into the water, the concluding pages all begin with,
'There's nothing wrong with the wobbegong' making the tale neatly
symmetrical, adding spice to the children's perception of the clutch
of fish.
The astounding illustrations parallel the story with consummate
ease. The sea creatures are all distinct, each given a character
that is recognisable. The wobbegong is proud, and disinterested in
all that is going on around him; the seagull selling ice cream is
glowering and watchful; the humped whale a snoop and keen to
have some answers to her questions, gathering her brood around her;
while the little crab, ineffective but drawn to the wobbegong,
becomes his next meal.
The scene on the beach could be anywhere with any group: a mother
and her children, the lone swimmer, the small family groups, some in
the sea and some lying on their towels, many eating ice cream from
the lone ice cream seller; all watchful and questioning, keen to
have answers about the others on the beach. And all perfectly
replicated in the humorous illustrations.
For a funny tale of a scene on a beach, for a tale to introduce the
idea of not judging a book by its cover, or a moral tale of getting
just deserts, or of being careful of the unknown or of being wary of
strangers, the uses of this story are wide and various. But for me,
I laughed out loud on every page at both the text and drawings. Such
a treat.
Fran Knight
The windy farm by Doug McLeod
Ill. by Craig Smith. Working Title Press, 2013. ISBN 9781 921504 41
9.
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. Picture book. Environment.
Sustainability. Humour.
Perched on top of a hill, the rickety farmhouse bends and groans in
the tremendous wind as it flurries around the farm, taking all in
its path. So the pigs are flying through the air, the people are
hunched against the force of the wind, the tree is groaning under
its thrall. Even the title and names of the creators are being blown
across the bottom of the page.
Readers will love to open the book to see how the windy farm and all
of its occupants survive. And what a treat. Inventor Mum makes them
all iron shoes (from old railway iron?) to hold them on them down,
but in using their power tools, the electricity bill is beyond their
means and Grandpa has to sell his old pig, Big Betty. When the
windmill loses some of its blades, clever Mum again comes up with an
idea of using both the old blades and the wind. So wind power is
brought to the farm, using the very thing they have plenty of, and
soon they are overflowing with money, making money for the power
they are producing. But their relations down the road have not been
so lucky. In an apt comparison, this family relies upon their oil
well, but when it runs dry, they have nowhere to turn.
The story will have readers happily chuckling away at the antics of
the families, cheering when they can finally bring their pig back
home, and make money from their wind farm, able to give shelter to
their now impoverished relative.
The illustrations underline the merriment, as Craig Smith details
the family, the farm and its animals with obvious delight. From the
Presley haired neighbour to the frantic inventions of Mum, the
ailing house and the flying pigs, all is given a delicious slant
with his pencil and water colour illustrations which will bring
tears to the eyes of the readers as they howl with laughter, while
imbuing an environmental message along the way.
Fran Knight
The French Promise by Fiona McIntosh
Michael Joseph, ISBN 9781921518713
(Age: Senior secondary readers) The French Promise is a continuation
of The Lavender Keeper, which is set during World War 2, and
concerns Lisette, an English spy, Luc, a lavender grower and
Maquisade from Provence whose adopted family have been taken away by
the Nazis, and Kilian, a charismatic Nazi officer. This, the second
book in the series, begins in Auschwitz where Luc's sisters are living
their final days. The action then shifts to Eastbourne in England
where, post-war, Luc and Lisette are married with a small child.
Lisette is desperately trying to help Luc forget the torment of
losing his family and farm. She persuades him to migrate to Tasmania
which she estimates will have a climate conducive for lavender
growing. They establish themselves on a holding where by 1964 the
lavender flourishes. Now a family with two teenage children they all
seem to be facing a future as happy as their present. However,
unbeknownst to them, Kilian had a son, Max, who never knew his
father. Max's attempts to discover all that he can about his father
leads him to uncover information about Lisette, Luc and the Gestapo
officer von Schleigel whom his father loathed. A tragic swimming
accident and an unexpected contact with Max reawakens the pain of
the past. Luc decides that it is time to return to Europe to enforce
justice on von Schleigel who he has learnt was responsible for his
family's deaths. On the journey Jenny discovers the pleasures of
Paris and Luc falls in love again. He also becomes responsible for
two young men, Max and Robert, who as a child had helped him during
the war. Revenge proves to be more complex than Luc had anticipated,
but he achieves his aim without compromising his principles by the
end of the novel. The narrative moves at a reasonable pace and is
more engaging than the cliched style promises. The characters
are stereotypical and their actions predictable, but the research is
solid and the reader gets a clear sense of the ongoing trauma of war
for people and places for many decades. The novel is recommended for
senior readers.
Jenny Hamilton
Siege and storm by Leigh Bardugo
Grishna trilogy, book 2. Indigo, 2013.
(Age 13+) Recommended. Paranormal. Following on the success of Shadow
and bone (ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults 2013), comes the
second in the Grishna trilogy. Alina is settled in the
Little Palace and is trying to come to grips with the fact that she
is the Sun Summoner. Haunted by the Darkling, she is desperate to
fight the dark forces that are threatening the Ravka. She is also
desperate to close the distance that she can feel growing between
her and Mal.
I read both the first and second in the series back to back due to
the originality of the setting and the descriptions of powers of the
Grisha. I found the characters of Alina and Mal to be fascinating.
Alina's struggles with her power and her desire to look after her
country, her remorse at the deaths that she has caused all make for
a powerful story. A religious element, when she is hailed as Saint
Alina and worshipped by a growing number of devotees, provides an
intense strand that the reader knows will prove to be really
difficult. Her love for Mal is tested as the Darling and Nikolai
haunt her and as a reader I was longing for Mal to come into his
power as tracker and match Alina.
Readers who enjoy sweeping fantasy will enjoy the adventure, the
incredible inventions of the Grisha and the wonderful setting of
this series.
Pat Pledger
Riley and the Jumpy Kangaroo by Tania McCartney
Ill. by Kieron Pratt. Ford Street Publishing, 2013. ISBN
9781925000023.Hbk.
Riley is an aviator who likes to travel with his friends in his red
tin plane
and see the world and explore other cities and countries - usually
in search of
some pesky critter who likes to hide! Following his adventures in
Beijing, Hong
Kong, Sydney and Melbourne, this adventure takes him to Canberra in
time to
celebrate the 100th anniversary of our nation's capital. Starting
with being
startled by strange noises in the chamber of Parliament House, Riley
dashes
outside to discover a kangaroo popping and pinging all over those
famous lawns.
Jumping into his little red plane with his friends Panda, Dragon,
Lion, Koala
and Wombat, they follow the kangaroo on a journey around the famous
landmarks of
Canberra, coming to rest when she finally finds what she's lost.
It is the illustrations which give this book its charm -
cartoon-like graphics
superimposed on actual photos of the Canberra landscape which
tickled Miss 6's
fancy. As a native of Canberra the places were very familiar to her
and she
loved pointing them out and telling me stories about them. Her
favourite is
Questacon followed by the National Museum of Australia.
But this is not just a book for Canberra children. As the national
capital, the
city has a number of significant buildings such as Parliament House,
the
Australian War Memorial and the National Library of Australia, all
of which are
free to visitors, so as well as being a great souvenir of a visit,
it would also
be a great introduction particularly for groups planning to visit
here. A great
addition to all that is happening in Canberra in 2013
http://canberra100.com.au/
and worth a place on the shelves. Where would Riley and his friends
visit if
they came to your town?
Barbara Braxton
