The Pirate Company: On the Trail of the Golden Toucan by Susan Cason
Scholastic Australia, 2013. ISBN: 9781742990026. RRP:
$14.99 288p.
(Age: 9-11) Highly recommended. Themes: Pirates;
Adventure; Voyages and Travels. Tom Applecross's life is one of
misadventure, his father Josiah Applecross a famous explorer has
failed to return from his latest expedition. His avaricious
stepmother Evlynne casts him aside and he has to leave Port Pandora
to live with his Great-Aunt Audrey in Boston. Aboard the
Marie-Gallante his life undergoes a radical change. Fearsome pirates
swarm the ship flourishing an armoury of bayonets and pistols,
frightening the passengers and crew with their blood-curdling cries.
They ransack the ship and steal personal possessions, supplies and
the pink pearls.
Later that night Tom is swept overboard in a storm and is washed
ashore on a deserted island. By coincidence this is where the
pirates come ashore to replenish their buried treasure chest. Tom is
captured by Carrot and Mortlock who is meaner than a tubful of
piranhas, and they row him to their ship The Thimblerig. There he
awaits his fate at the hands of Captain Shearwater. Along the way
Captain Shearwater's niece Rosie assists Tom is his myriad of
adventures.
Each chapter is full of rich sensory descriptions, these
sights, sounds, smells, tastes and feelings of the pirates' life at
sea and their life ashore. Susan Cason has beautifully captured the
dramas and dilemmas, the twists and turns of Tom's journey to become
accepted as one of the pirate crew. The pirates' life is a sanitised
one, skimming over their darker pleasures, taverns, women and
mayhem.This is a wonderful fast-paced read; it would make a great
class novel for Years 4-6.
This novel is highly recommended for 9-11 year old confident
readers. Scholastic
teaching notes are available.
Rhyllis Bignell
The last elephant by Justin D'Ath
Puffin Books, 2013. ISBN 978 0 14 330726 6
(Age: 9+) Highly recommended. Dystopian. Animals. When Colt and his
mother, a veterinarian, go to the Lost World Circus to see an
elephant, the last elephant in the world, they must take action when
the animal is bitten by the dreaded ghost-rat, the reason for all
animals in the world dying. Colt has been bitten before and
survived, so has a special immunity and knows just what these
creatures can do. His empathy with the elephant sees his mother and
he follow the elephant when it is taken away by the Rat Cops, a
government organisation ostensibly there to help the elephant, but
everyone knows a trip with that particular crowd is a death
sentence.
An exciting start to a new series, D'Ath has developed a scenario
which is becoming all too clear as we read of endangered animals in
the wild being counted in their hundreds, or of the number of
animals being wiped out each day. The characters of Colt and his
friend, Birdy as well as his mother, are well drawn and sit well as
the focus of this highly dramatic and involving adventure series
with a message. Book Two and Three, The singing ape, and Secret
superhero are just released, and there are more in the
pipeline. So watch out for this exciting, environmentally conscious
series.
Fran Knight
Fabulous fishes by Susan Stockdale
Working Title Press, 2013. ISBN 978 1 921504 55 6
(Age: 3+) Warmly recommended. Picture book. Fish. Rhyming text.
First published in the USA by author illustrator, Stockdale, in
2008, this brightly coloured and informative book will have an
instant appeal to Australian students. With its 3 pages at the end
giving detail about each of the in the text, the verses within will
delight the younger reader. For parents and teachers reading with
the children, the detail offered at the end will enhance the
experience and make the children more aware of the variety of fish
found around the world.
Each page shows a different variety of fish with a refrain about the
fish passing by. A wide variety of fish is shown, from round fish,
spotted fish, fish that have their own light source and fish with
tails that curl around the seaweed. Each is shown in detail with
astute children recognising the backgrounds in which these
particular fish live.
The spiny fish on the cover is shown within its reef and colourful
seaweed environment and the detail at the end of the book describes
this fish as a Lionfish, which has sharp, venomous spines. When
threatened it tuns its back to its enemies using the spines as a
defense. Children will be delighted with this information and learn
that it is found in the western Pacific, the Atlantic and Indian
Oceans.
The illustrations and information give about the spiny fish reflects
the detail given to all the fish included in this lovely most useful
book.
Fran Knight
Spellcaster by Claudia Gray
Harper Collins, 2013. ISBN: 978-0-7322-9615-5.
'It is better to have loved than lost than to have never loved at
all.'
While 'the adventures of a teenage witch' is not original it is
shown in a new light as this sinister novel presents a new way of
looking at witchcraft by using stones to focus magic and feelings
and memories as the ingredients. Not your typical coming of age
novel Spellcaster deals with the importance of loving despite
tragedy and loss.
Motherless and teacher-less Nadia has no choice but to follow her
family to Captive's Sound, repelled by a magical barrier and
fighting to keep her secret from her family Nadia is pulled from the
wreck by a mysterious young man by the name of Mateo. Something
isn't right with the town it is eerie and full of something dark and
malignant, sink holes are appearing, large enough to swallow up cars
and her secret soon comes out. Nadia is a witch. But she isn't the
only one. Recognising the work of a witch aligned with 'The One
Beneath' she must work together with her new friends in order to
save the town from the evil consuming it and in doing so free Mateo
from his family curse.
For me, this novel was tedious to read, rather like paranormal
romances but always remember that different people have different
preferences and I would recommend it to others who have liked
Claudia Gray's previous novels such as The Evernight series as well
as fans of paranormal romance. I would say that the recommended
audience is twelve and up but please be aware that this book does
have elements which some young people may find disturbing.
Kayla Gaskell (Student, age seventeen)
The Tae'anaryn by Joe Ireland
Wombat Books, 2013. ISBN 9781921632327.
Recommended: Middle / Upper Primary. The Tae'anaryn is a
fantasy novel with a very strong philosophical bias. The questions
it asks the reader to ponder are universal: What is the purpose of
my life? How do I respond to and treat others? The characters in the
story offer examples which can be reflected on as an individual or
discussed in a more formal setting.
Kialeesa is a Tae'aranyn, child who is half human half demon. Her
parents own a tavern in the countryside of the kingdom of Lenmer'el
where Kialeesa is forced by her demanding mother to workday and
night in the kitchens, along with her almost adopted brother Kiel.
Her father spends most of his time drunk but loves and protects his
daughter as best as he can.
When Kialeesa is summoned to attend the Kings College she sees it as
an opportunity to change her life, and to learn to read. She meets
the kindly King, despite court protocol, who reminds her that her
lowly upbringing is no barrier to success and reaffirms his belief
that she is destined to do great things for great good.
Despite the different races and status of students attending the
college, Kialeesa finds it extremely difficult to make friends and
is feared by many of the adults due to her appearance and the
reputation of the Tae'anaryn. Through her deeds and actions she
becomes friends with a-would-be wizard, a prayerful warrior, a dryad
enchantress and an untrained half troll, who become a formidable
team in school challenges.
Kialeesa has to draw on all her knowledge and strength to face the
King's assassin though the threat of war continues to hangs over the
kingdom and many questions are left to be answered in the books to
follow.
The quotations at the beginning of each chapter reflect the content
and major discussion point which is reinforced in the Points to
Ponder section in the Appendix making this an ideal novel for study
at an upper primary level.
Sue Keane
Words and pictures: A multimodal approach to picture books by Helen de Silva Joyce and John Gaudin
Phoenix Education, 2011. ISBN 9781921586231.
Recommended as a Teacher Resource. As the current curriculum
documents refer to using and creating multimodal texts this book
offers an invaluable introduction to and analysis of the most basic,
common and accessible of this text type, The Picture Book.
Aimed at informing teachers, the book leads us through the
development of Picture books from a historical perspective looking
at the earliest forms of Picture books to the modern texts. The
texts referred to are then used throughout the following chapters as
examples as the authors explore picture books as narratives
explaining terminology and introducing a framework to analyse
illustrations and explore how words and pictures work together to
tell the story.
The final chapter provides an analysis of three picture books using
the framework provided, focussing on narrative theory and the
grammar of design linking the words and images and introducing
literary genres to children. The suggested classroom activities are
supplemented by possible answers to support teachers new to the
concepts being covered.
Extensive references both written and web based provide
opportunities for further investigation and reflection whilst the
list of picture books used is comprehensive and include many
commonly available in most primary school libraries.
With the current emphasis on multimodal texts being used in all
subject areas, using this book will help develop an awareness of how
the picture book has employed words and pictures to tell a story and
manipulate the reader's response, teachers and students will be
better placed to analyse the design of web pages, advertisement and
other multimodal texts.
Sue Keane
To brave the seas by David McRobbie
Allen and Unwin, 2013. ISBN 9781743313077
(Age: 11+) Highly recommended. Novel. Merchant Navy. World War Two.
When his mother dies, and his father decides to leave for work in
Glasgow, Adam is at a loss, but buoyed by stories of the Merchant
Navy, he joins up, appearing at the nearby Liverpool Docks, ready
for work. But it is 1940, and German submarines are plying the sea
routes between England and North America, and Adam's first ship is
part of a convoy headed west. Battling seasickness and getting used
to his new role on board, as Peggy, the lowest of the jobs, taking
meals across a cold wet deck to the mess, fetching and carrying hot
cups of tea, everything is new to him. But he survives, partly
through the kindness of the other sailors who help him, teaching him
the way of the ship and the new set of words to learn, and his own
tenacity.
This most unusual background will entice readers to hear of the war
from quite a different perspective. McRobbie's Merchant Navy
background comes to the fore as we learn incidentally about what the
ships did during the war, evading Uboats to get supplies to England.
Adam is a likeable young man who holds the reader's attention to the
end.
Crossing the Atlantic, they are torpedoed and scuttle onto the
lifeboats to try and survive. When all luck has run out they are
rescued when a passing ship, abandoned by its crew, becomes their
new home. They take control and steer it to a port, only to be
chastised for blocking the sea way. Later they are in harbour in
neutral Portugal, when the captain decides that they will do
something about the German submarine moored nearby.
An adventure story which gives a great deal of information about the
Merchant Navy and the men who sailed during the war, this book will
readily find a place in the reading list of schools, libraries and
students, wanting something a little different from the huge range
of books about war on offer at the moment. At the end of the book,
McRobbie includes a list of all the words Adam must learn, and
devotes several pages to the facts of the Merchant Navy and its role
in wartime history.
Fran Knight
Between the lives by Jessica Shirvington
Harper Collins, 2013. ISBN 9780732296261
(Age 17 +) Highly recommended. Urban Fantasy. Paranormal. Romance.
The familiar panic rises within Sabine's chest. At the stroke of
midnight - for as long as she can remember - Sabine shifts between
two worlds. Her physicality, name and memory follow her - but
nothing else.
Shirvington's thought-provoking story of a young woman on the cusp
of adulthood, struggling to find her identity in two very different
worlds, is narrated by the main character Sabine. In Roxbury,
Boston, life is far from perfect. Sabine's parents are struggling
business-owners who have little time for her and her younger sister
Maddie. In the thick, city air of Roxbury, Sabine has attitude -
choosing alternative friends, street-wise dress and an indifferent
attitude towards her future. She is smart - earning a partial
scholarship to Boston University. But when her father is around,
Sabine can sense the disappointment she's still a long shot from
living up to his expectations. In Wellesley, Massachusetts -
Sabine's other world - life is picture-perfect. She's a popular, A-
grade student bound for university, surrounded by a beautiful home,
manicured lawns, loving family - albeit two annoying older brothers
- and loyal friends. And then there's Dex - her gorgeous, athletic
boyfriend. What more could she want? But for as long as she can
remember, Sabine had yearned to live one life - in the world of her
choice. She begins a series of dangerous experiments to draw her
closer to her dreams, but when her secrets are uncovered - Sabine's
situation becomes desperate. She is more determined to reach her
goals - but a chance meeting with the handsome and challenging Ethan
changes everything. Suddenly Roxbury offers a glimmer of hope - a
boy who makes her feel like she has never felt before.
This is Shirvington's first stand-alone novel since the release of
her internationally-acclaimed urban-fantasy Embrace series.
Her writing is clever and captivating, taking the reader on the
enthralling and fast-paced journey with Sabine from one world to the
next. Sabine's relationship with Ethan is wonderfully developed and
emotionally riveting. A core theme which runs through her previous
novels, 'destiny is never certain' - also appears in this book.
Shirvington has been quoted as saying her writing is drawn from life
experiences, particularly the confusion felt moving from youth into
adulthood. Between the Lives tells one such story
beautifully - the search for true identity, love and a place in the
world.
Michelle Hunt
Meet Mary MacKillop by Sally Murphy
Meet series. Ill. by Sonia Martinez. Random House, 2013. ISBN
9781742757216.
(Age: 8+) Picture book. Saints. Education. Australian History. Non
Fiction. The Meet series, from Random House promises to
introduce younger readers to significant people within Australia's
history, thus satisfying several parts of the national curriculum
which promotes understanding of our shared past and the role of
groups and individuals within it.
The first in the series, Meet Ned Kelly, written by Janeen
Brian and illustrated by Matt Adams looked at the image of Ned Kelly
within Australian history, showcasing some of the more significant
ties within his short life.
So it is with Mary MacKillop. Born in 1842 in Melbourne, from poor
circumstances herself, she devoted her life to teaching children no
matter what background they had, starting her first school in
Penola, South Australia, and beginning a new order of nuns, the
Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart, which today is very
much involved in education.
Sally Murphy has written in simple language about the early years of
Mary MacKillop when she and her sisters were invited by Father Woods
to start a school at Penola. The young reader will discover how an
old stable was converted into a school and how anyone, no matter how
poor, was welcome at the school. They will learn how Mary decided to
move on and found other schools once the first school in Penola
became successful.
A useful timeline at the back of the book gives the interested
reader brief information about the struggles that Mary had with the
Church's hierarchy about control of the growing order of Josephites.
A thoughtful reader or teacher may be able to give children some
notion of the strength and tenacity that Mary must have possessed to
continue with her dedication to provide education for the poor in
face of such opposition.
Rather sentimental illustrations portray in tones of brown what the
early school and countryside were like but failed for me to give a
real picture of the poverty that Mary faced or the strength of
character that she displayed.
Pat Pledger
Seadog by Claire Saxby and Tom Jellett
Random House Australia, 2013. Hbk ISBN 9781742756509 $A19.95, ebook
ISBN 9781742756523
'Our dog is not a work dog, a round-'em-bring-'em-home dog. Our dog
is a SEADOG. A run-and-scatter-gulls dog.' So begins this most
delightful little story about a most unusual dog that is not like
any other dog in any way, except for one thing. With language that
just drips off the tongue in delightful phrases, this is a great
story for the very young that just begs to be read aloud, joined in
with and acted out. Everyone who has ever had a dog will relate to
it, and the humour in the text and illustrations will resonate with
every dog lover.
You can hear yourself reading it aloud and see the children engaging
with you.
And just in case you're wondering, my dog is not a
round-'em-bring-'em-home dog either. Nor is she a Seadog. She's a
sook dog, a chased-by-the-chooks dog, but, just like Seadog, there
is one thing that she shares in common with all the other dogs in
this story.
Loved it!
Barbara Braxton
The mimosa tree by Antonella Preto
Fremantle Press, 2013. ISBN 9781922089199.
Highly recommended. The mimosa tree by Antonella Preto is a
good book and extremely relatable. It focuses on Mira, an
Australian-Italian girl who has just finished school and has no idea
what she wants to do with her life. She is worried about the Cold
War - and is anticipating nuclear warfare whilst trying to make her
way through university. And at the same time, doing what her family
wants her to.
I found Mira easy to relate to, as a Year 12 student who is not sure
what to do with their life after school. Mira struggles with things
that are entirely realistic. There were some situations which I
could not completely relate to - specifically those to do with
drugs. But apart from that, it was easy to envisage this story about
life.
I would recommend this novel to people who enjoy historical novels
which are relevant today, as well as teen girls who are looking for
a book that could be applicable to them. I would also recommend it
to anyone who has read - and enjoyed reading - Looking for
Alibrandi, by Melina Marchetta, as it has many of the same
themes.
While parts of the book are slightly sad, it is a realistic and
touching look into the life and hardships of a 17 year old girl.
Jasmine Wiese (student)
Gracie and Josh by Susanne Gervay
Ill. by Serena Geddes. Ford Street Publishing, 2013. Hbk, 32 pp RRP
$A26.95. ISBN 9781921665844. Pbk. RRP $A16.95. ISBN 9781921665851.
Josh is making a movie, the first on his journey to being a famous
movie director. His sister, Gracie, is the star - dressed up as a
spider with lovely black squishy sausage legs and singing Incy Wincy
Spider with gusto and love, especially love. This is a good week for
Josh and it's celebrated with things like going to school... because
that is a celebration for Josh. The following week he's on the
downhill slide to his next bout of chemotherapy. That striped beanie
is not just an artistic affectation. Gracie urges him to be
resilient, 'Look, Josh, the spider fell down six times. But the
spider didn't give up. You just have to try, try and try again.' The
story follows Josh to hospital and the events there are touched with
such a gentle brush that it uplifts the spirit. It is a story which
shows both the joys of being a kid as well as their vulnerability
and confusion when confronted with tough stuff, and how the special
relationship between siblings is so critical. As much as Gracie is
there for Josh, he is there for Gracie.
Full disclosure - I have to be one of Susanne Gervay's greatest
fans, but I'm not going to recuse myself from reviewing her books. I
love the way she tackles topics that are not the mainstream for
children's literature, but ARE mainstream in the lives of many
children. I am blessed - so far none of the precious little people
in my life have been touched by serious illness or injury, but so
many families have and so many of the children in our care would
relate so well to Gracie. To go to the bookshop or the school
library and find a book that deals so beautifully and sensitively
with what is your everyday life has to bring some comfort. 'Wow,
someone sees the way my family is as normal and important enough to
write a book for me... maybe I'm not so alone after all. Maybe now
my friends will understand.' There needs to be no other
justification for having this book in your collection than that, and
the fact that it is perfectly pitched, masterfully written and
delicately illustrated in the softest lines and colours just adds to
its beauty. The partnership between Susanne and Serena is inspired.
This story has been endorsed by Variety, an organisation
dedicated to making the lives of sick children better - no doubt
many of us have reason to be grateful for their work. Make sure this
book is part of your collection. Teaching notes are available from Ford
St - and they are great conversation starters for the
classmates of a student like Josh, or even for a parent needing
guidance in talking to their healthy children. Correlating them to
the ANC is a bonus.
Barbara Braxton
Soonchild by Russell Hoban
Ill. by Alexis Deacon, Walker Books 2012. ISBN: 9781406329919.
Recommended. (Age 14+) Myths. Legends. Pregnancy. Shamanism.
Regeneration. Renewal. Soonchild is a mythical, fantasy
novel written for a young adult to adult audience. This novel is set
somewhere north of the Arctic Circle and is underpinned with Inuit
mythology and legends.
The protagonist Sixteen-Face John is a shaman, an angakoq who is
consulted by villagers seeking the best hunting grounds or spells
for falling in love. He comes from a long line of shamans who have
taught him their skills. He lives in the cold north 'where the night
wind blows and the voices of the lonesome dead wail'.
No Problem, his wife, is in the ninth month of her pregnancy and has
called their baby Soonchild. She is concerned when the baby refuses
to leave her womb.
Soonchild can't hear the 'World Songs' a unique kind of music needed
for the world's existence and for her delivery. Sixteen-Face John is
a fearful man who when confronted with his daughter's problem has to
embark on a journey to find the World Songs. In his dream he enters
the spirit world coming face-to-face with demons and animal spirits
including Nanuk the giant polar bear, Old Man Raven and Ukpika the
owl-woman.
Alexis Deacon's dark pencil illustrations add a frightening eerie
dimension. The ghost wolves surrounding John, the four demons and
the blackened pages with the raven in flight further the depth and
understanding to Hoban's story. Birth, regeneration and a search for
the meaning of life are the novel's central themes.
Rhyllis Bignell
Ferret on the loose by Heather Gallagher
Ill. by Benjamin Johnston. Little Rockets series. New
Frontier Publishing, 2013. ISBN 9781921928420. 80pp. RRP $12.95
(Ages: 7-8 years) Lucy's pet ferret Flash is in training for the
Fastest Fearless Ferret Race. He needs a little encouragement to
complete the race and Lucy tempts him with Yumdiddly chocolates. The
other members of the club include Elisha who proves to be a bully to
Lucy. Mr Olfart the founder of the Ferret Club is having problems
with his old ferret Sadie; he is quite mean-spirited. One week
before the race all the competitors and their owners are worried
about their chances of winning. Just a few days before the race
Flash disappears and Lucy and her family begin a frantic search for
him. All is resolved at the Ferret Race and the thief gets his
come-uppance. Ferret on the Loose is one of the Little Rockets
series of junior novels. Ben Johnson's illustrations add colour to
the short story.
Rhyllis Bignell
Ghostheart by Ananda Braxton-Smith
Secrets of Carrick, 3. Black Dog Books, 2013. ISBN 9781743032184.
(Age 13+) Highly recommended. Mally is always frightened, afraid to
move from the edge of the shore, afraid to make friends. But there
is change in Carrick and Mally may have to change too especially as
the bully Dolyn Craig has appeared and seems to want something from
her.
Braxton-Smith has once again written a beautiful lyrical story that
defies being put into a category. It could be said to be historical,
as it is set in a firm medieval setting and words from the language
of the Isle of Mann appear regularly, but equally there are
overtones of fantasy and magic realism. These combine to make
Ghostheart a challenging, complex book to read, and one that will
linger in my subconscious for a long time.
Mally is a very frightened girl. Ever since her best friend Dodi
Caillet disappeared she has been too scared to go near the sea even
when she is with all her brothers and sisters. Her only friends are
Lovelypig, who had been the runt of the litter, and a strange girl,
Breesh Dunna, who haunts a sea cave and who encourages Mally
to look into the scaaney pool to see visions. Her kind heart is
revealed as she helps to look after an old man, Shenn Cooley, taking
him meals and listening to his stories.
Initially the reader is convinced that Dolyn Craig is a just a bully
but Braxton-Smith deftly weaves in his story, revealing how the
Father at the monastery was responsible for putting the seeds of
violence in his mind. Together Mally and Dolyn learn about
themselves and each other and begin to accept what they are and what
has shaped their actions.
This is a beautifully written story that would be ideal to give to
readers who want something stimulating, that will get them thinking
about the big ideas of war, conflict, fear and family. It is not
necessary to have read the other two books in the Secrets of Carrick
series, although they would give some insight into the background of
the island. Teacher's
notes are available at the publisher's website.
Pat Pledger
