Orion, 2013. ISBN 9781409128052.
(Age: 15+) Recommended. Ghosts. Gothic fiction. A strange story of
death, loss and tragedy follows the life of William Bellman, who as
a young boy killed a glossy black rook with a catapult. This action
has disastrous repercussions throughout his life. Seemingly well
established as an adult with a loved wife and children, he is faced
with devastating losses with the death of his friends and family. At
each funeral he sees a man in black and when he is left with only
one child, his beloved daughter, Dora, he strikes a strange bargain
with the mysterious Mr Black.
This is a beautifully written, suspenseful story that relies on a
subtle story line for its effect. There are no elaborate
descriptions of ghosts, rather the writer compels the reader to
imagine what is going to happen and the consequences that Bellman's
actions will take. This restrained approach is clever and haunting
and leaves a lasting impression and questions about the impact that
one small cruel action can make. Mr Black and the strange rooks are
seen only occasionally, and this builds up the suspense about what
might occur.
Along the way, the reader becomes immersed in the Victorian world of
Bellman, first at the mill where he makes fabric and later at the
store of Bellman and Black where every item needed for the proper
mourning of a loved one can be found. The funeral customs of
Victorian times and the idea of an emporium full of clothing, jet
jewellery and the use of black horse-drawn hearses are fascinating.
Readers who enjoyed Her fearful symmetry by Audrey
Niffenegger and Falling angels by Tracy Chevalier will enjoy
this eerie ghost story.
Pat Pledger
Penguin in love by Salina Yoon
Bloomsbury, 2013. ISBN 9781408851203.
(Age: 3+) Penguins. Love. Resilience. This is the third in the series about
a penguin, told with minimal but effective words, with big bold,
brightly coloured illustrations about his adventures. The first, Penguin
and Pinecone tells the tale of the two getting together, and
having a whale of a time until it is time for Pinecone to leave the
frozen north. The next, Penguin on vacation has the bird
setting off on holiday at Pinecone's place.
Now the third shows how Penguin falls in love, after finding a
knitted mitten in the snow. He asks questions about who might have
knitted the garment. Meanwhile his friend, Bootsy is knitting
cozies. Knitting keeps her lonely heart warm. Penguin knits mittens
and beak covers for the birds, while Bootsy is asked by the whale
for a sweater. This requires a huge amount of wool and when she
looks into her basket she finds it is all gone. And so is Penguin's
wool. Together they must find their wool.
Strands of wool line each page leading the two to each other and the
adventure that is love.
A tale designed to warm the cockles of any reader's heart, the style
of illustrations on each page will draw the eye to the large print
and plain font above the boldly coloured illustrations. Each page is
different making the reader work as they scan each page for details.
Read aloud it will be a treat for younger readers, and for those
able to read it themselves, will be full of interest and variety.
Fran Knight
The pocket money blues by Sally Rippin
Billie B Brown series. Hardie Grant Egmont, 2013. ISBN
9781742971421.
(Age: 5+) Recommended. Humour, Family relationships. With twenty of
these little books now published, with over a million of them being
sold, the stories of Billie are popular and infectious. Smart and
inventive, Billie wants to buy a Bunny Baby like all the other girls
in her class. Asking mum results in the same response,'wait until
Christmas'. Billie is unhappy. Her father suggests that she do some
jobs for money and so she begins sweeping the driveway. But her
friend from next door, Jack asks her to come and see what he has
made. She declines, saying that she must finish her chore to get
some money. Jack pitches in to help her, but later when he talks
about buying something they both want, they argue.
Billie goes to bed feeling mean but when Mum takes her to buy the
Bunny the next day, she has a change of heart.
As with the other Billie B Brown books, the seemingly simple story
line is easy to grasp. The concepts of friendship and sharing in
this one should be obvious to most readers, while the parallels to
the real world that the readers inhabit stand out. Most children
will be able to sympathise with Billie wanting something and being
told to wait for Christmas, and most will have had arguments with
their friends. The neat resolution will be easily digested by the
readership, and the ending is something they can all aspire to. No
wonder the Billie B Brown books are popular. They are also easy to
handle, have short easy to digest chapters, have some words given in
a different font, and illustrations giving a focus to the readers.
Fran Knight
Caroline Chisholm: The emigrant's friend by Tania McCartney
New Frontier Publishing, 2013. ISBN 9781921928482.
(Age 7+) Caroline Chisholm was a wife, mother, traveller, social
worker, activist, researcher, public speaker and advocate for
education. Her achievements were doubly remarkable in an era when
women often found it difficult to make a contribution outside the
home.
In the opening chapters, readers will learn about the childhood
experiences that shaped not only Caroline's motivation to help
others, but also her eagerness to travel beyond the confines of a
comfortable home in England. Then, as they follow the course of her
adult life, they can wonder at her ability to devise practical
solutions to a range of problems confronting emigrants. During 32
years of activism, Caroline organised accommodation and education
for young women, lobbied on behalf of settlers for land leases,
helped to reunite convicts with their families, set up a loan
society and arranged a system of shelter sheds for families
journeying to the goldfields. The author has created a well-rounded
character who experienced setbacks as well as successes, and whose
accomplishments owed much to the collaboration and support of her
husband Archibald. The inclusion of an Indigenous perspective on the
promotion of emigration and land sales, might have added more depth
to the story of the woman who was said by Henry Parkes to have
'peopled' Australia. Tania McCartney has told her story swiftly and
decisively in short, vivid sentences that bring an extraordinary
pioneer and her era to life. Pat Reynold's watercolour illustrations
provide small but effective snapshots of people and locations. In
keeping with the format of the Aussie Heroes series, the large,
clear font, chapter headings and timeline make this biography a
useful resource for the study of Australian history as well as a
fascinating story in its own right. Caroline Chisholm: The emigrant's friend takes its readers on
the life journey of an extraordinary woman, whose aim was to improve
the well-being of others and whose impact on colonial society
deserves to be recognised as central to our country's history.
Elizabeth Bor
Australia's greatest people and their achievements by Linsay Knight
Random House, 2013. ISBN 9780857980205.
(Age: 12+) Australian history. Biography. Recommended. It is always
intriguing when picking up a book such as this to see who is
included, and then ponder on why they are there, and then think
about who is not included. The flyer accompanying the book asked
that question 'Who do you think should be included in this book?'
and that is how I read it. The decisions made by Linsay Knight must
have been agonising.
The section on politics will be sure to create debate with a double
page devoted to Rudd, and only a page on such luminaries as Menzies
and Keating. Or
slip into the entertainment section and debate with friends on who
could have been included, or the Fine Arts to see who has been left
out. It is a fascinating and brief introduction to those who have
helped make Australia what she is today, those who have made some
sort of achievement in their field of endeavour, those who will be
remembered.
As a reference book, it is a starting point for younger students to
develop some idea of the person they are interested in or sent to
research. Each contribution has their name in full, followed by
their birth and death dates. A paragraph follows with information
about their early years, and then a paragraph about their
contribution to Australia. In the side margin is a list of their
honours and awards, and a photo is included. The double page on
Margaret Olley, for example, outlines her early life (1929-2011) and
then her devotion to still-life painting for which she is renowned.
A photo of one of her art works is included, and a list of her
awards is given. On the double page is also a small inclusion of
another famous Australian artist who died this year, Jeffrey Smart,
but researchers will have to go somewhere else to find more about
him.
This is a useful compendium to have in the library or classroom, as
a research tool to dip into or begin the search. It is nicely
presented, easy to use and has a colourful list of contents, and
very extensive index. The whole is divided into sections offering a
most useful tool to young students.
Fran Knight
The Wombles by Elisabeth Beresford
Bloomsbury, 2013. ISBN 9781408826485.
Highly recommended to all ages, with the text aimed at readers -
girls and boys - aged 8+. Who remembers The Wombles? I do. The
Wombles is a gorgeous book with an accompanying CD of stories and
would make a lovely Christmas gift. It is set out in chapters and
introduces the readers to the Wombles. Each chapter involves a
different Womble and tells of their adventures as they battle the
rubbish left behind by humans. It is one large story about the
Wombles and a great way for parents to share their childhood. It
would be a great read for the classroom - especially with its theme
of recycling - and would be good for using as a model for story
writing. Teachers could have their students writing their own Womble
story and creating their own Wombles.
Kylie Kempster
Unbreakable by Kami Garcia
Simon and Schuster, 2013. ISBN 9781471118531.
(Age: 14+) Paranormal. Thriller. Ghosts. Kennedy Waters is in
trouble. Her mother has been murdered and then twins Jared and Lukas
Lockhart break into her room and destroy a spirit that has been sent
to kill her. She discovers that her mother was part of an ancient
secret society, all five members of which were killed on the same
night. Five new family members must step up to fight the demon and
Kennedy is one of them.
The first in a new series, this action packed book will appeal to
readers who enjoy the paranormal and who like plenty of thrills and
a difficult romantic threesome. Teens will have no problems
imagining that Kennedy would go off with two boys she didn't know
and will enjoy the suspense and problem solving that faces her as
she and the other members of the Legion, the twins, Priest and
Alara, try to battle ghosts and the demon.
Character development is not the most important part of this book,
but as the first in the series, the reader knows that more will be
coming that will fill in the back stories of the main protagonists.
Kennedy is an interesting character who uses her photographic memory
to help solve where the weapon that could kill the demon is to be
found. Priest is also a memorable character.
The suspense and excitement of the book will be appealing to teens
who enjoy paranormal stories and the open ended conclusion will have
fans waiting for the next story.
Pat Pledger
Princess Betony and the Rule of Wishing by Pamela Freeman
Walker Books, 2013. ISBN 9781921720253.
(Age 8+) Highly recommended. Princess Betony and the Rule of Wishing
is another book in the series featuring Princess Betony as the main
character. It is a cute little hardcover story and would make a
lovely gift for girls - especially for those who like princesses.
Princess Betony wants a friend but her teacher is more concerned
with her acting like a princess. Luckily, Betony's mother
understands and gives Betony time off from her princess studies,
giving her the chance to meet Clover, the gardener's niece. They
spend the holidays gardening and when the wizard uses magic to help
the seeds grow, Clover decides she wants to be a witch. Clover
becomes obsessed with passing the test and making the right wish.
Will Betony lose her friend to magic or will Clover become the
greatest witch ever? Princess Betony and the Rule of Wishing is a
quick moving tale and is highly recommended to girls aged 8+.
Collect the series and enjoy the adventures of Princess Betony.
Kylie Kempster
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
Throne of glass bk 2. Bloomsbury, 2013. ISBN 9781408834947.
(Age: Teenage - Adult) Recommended. Celaena Sardothien is firmly
ensconced as the King's Assassin in this sequel to Throne of
Glass and she is as invincible as ever. Every deadly
assignment ends in success but whose severed heads are being thrown
at the King's feet? While Celaena's wealth and fame swells in the
service of a King she despises, she is secretly trying to discover
the source of the King of Adarlan's power. Her kindred spirit,
Princess Nehemia, helps her to decipher Wyrdmarks, riddles and
genealogies in order to explore the ancient Fae Queen's Tomb and the
catacombs under the castle for answers. The King's son and her
admirer, Dorian, has problems of his own, trying to conceal his
newfound magical powers, years after his tyrannical father has
supposedly eliminated magic from the realm.
When her closest male counterpart Chaol, the captain of the guard,
returns her love, Celeana's sexual awakening distracts her from
guarding the princess with dreadful consequences for the four
friends and the kingdom of Eyllwe.
Grief stricken, Celaena must re-assess her plans for freedom in
order to continue Nehema's legacy but not before Chaol discovers his
sweetheart's true identity when once again Celaena clashes with the
King's dark forces.
Fans of fantasy will continue to be awestruck by the clashes between
these fanciful ancient realms through the eyes of such a capable
heroine.
Deborah Robins
The Grace stories: 4 books in one by Sofie Laguna
Our Australian girl series. Penguin, 2013. ISBN
9780670077540.
(Age: 9+) Recommended. Australian history. Convicts. Following the
great success of the Our Australian girl series, in which
four books were published about the life of a girl in a specific
time in Australia's history, Penguin has now released the first of
the four books in one smart, hard back volume, complete with a
safety catch.
The story of Grace, a young girl forced to live as a mudlark in the
edges of the Thames River in London, becomes one of the convict
lasses sent to Australia in 1808 when she steals an apple to give to
a starving horse in the streets. The first of the four stories
follows her life aboard the convict ship, then we see her become
friendly with another girl, arriving in Sydney Town to be sent as a
servant to a household in the Blue Mountains, where she befriends
the wife of the farmer. Her adventure parallels those of many young
girls sent to live and work in Australia as convicts, and readers
will gain an insight to the privations of their lives in the early
years of this colony. The series is supported by an extensive website which
offers the readers and teachers a range of activities.
These books serve as a neat introduction to Australia's early
history and the publication of the books in a single volume will be
most attractive to the girls for whom these books speak volumes.
Grace is a level headed, hard working young girl, who takes the
opportunities offered her, despite the initial mistrust of the
farmer. But it is her determination that wins him over in the end
securing a place for herself within a family.
Fran Knight
The Octopuppy by Martin McKenna
Omnibus Books, 2013. ISBN 9781742990156.
This book is highly recommended for all ages. The Octopuppy is a
lovely story reminding us all about how important it is to love
someone for what or who they are and what they can do. Edgar wants a
puppy but received Jarvis the octopus instead. Edgar goes about
trying to teach Jarvis how to be a dog but Edgar is too smart. Why
play dead when you can dress up like a mummy and scare everyone!
Jarvis is just too smart. Edgar enters Jarvis in a dog competition
but things don't go well and Jarvis leaves. Edgar comes to realise
just how great Jarvis was. 'You don't know what you have got until
it is gone' is very true and a great lesson to be learned in this
story. How will Edgar prove he is a good friend and get Jarvis back?
This picture book has lovely illustrations that really tell the
story. The small amount of text only enhances the illustrations,
making this a great book to read to students/children, encourage
discussion and show how important illustrations can be.
Kylie Kempster
Spooked! by Susannah McFarlane
EJ12 Girl Hero bk 17. Lemonfizz Media, 2013. ISBN:
9781921931505.
Highly recommended for readers from 8-10 years of age. Themes:
Girls, Spies, Mysteries, Heroes, Detective Stories. Spooked is the seventeenth novel in this extremely popular
series featuring Special Agent Emma Jacks EJ12 and her Shine Stars
team. This exciting adventure takes place amongst the English
landscape with haunted castles, stolen treasure and scary night
missions for the girls. Emma Jacks and her friends Hannah and Isi
farewell their friend Elle and fellow Shine Academy spy who is off
to live in England with her family, however they soon met up on
again.
At the stroke of midnight in different castles all over England,
centuries-old precious coins have been stolen. The Shine Stars team
need all their specialised skills to foil the biggest SHADOW plot so
far. Emma is called upon to overcome her fears and confidently lead
her team in this frightening night mission.
Susannah McFarlane's EJ12 series books are keenly
anticipated and this novel once again delivers the fast-past spy
story the reader loves. Emma's resilience against the enemy and the
team's resolve to work out the ghostly problems make this an
exciting addition to the series.
Rhyllis Bignell
Blue Exorcist vol.1 by Kazue Kato
Shonen Jump Advanced Manga Edition. English adaptation by John
Werry. VIZ Media USA. ISBN 9781421540320. (First published as Ao No
Exorcist, 2009. Shueisha Inc. Tokyo).
(Age: Older teen) Rin and Yukio Fukimura, raised in a boys'
monastery by famous exorcist Shiro Fujimoto, are twins but they
couldn't be more different. Hot headed Rin is always in trouble
getting into fights while Yukio is studious and has entered the
prestigious True Cross Academy and is a trained exorcist. When Rin
starts to see demons it is revealed to him that he is the bastard
child of Satan, living between the mirror image realms of demons
(Gehenna) and humans (Assiah) and unlike Yukio, he has inherited
demonic powers. As he approaches adulthood he is increasingly sought
out by demons and when Satan kills Father Fujimoto who was trying to
protect him, Rin vows to control his demonic nature and defeat Satan
by becoming an exorcist himself.
As the first of many serialised chapters there is necessarily a lot
of character development but there are some great action scenes too.
Kato's drawings are dynamic and maintain interest throughout, she
also incorporates humour, preventing the story becoming too dark;
one of the demons seems to be made of pansies! This book, containing
chapters 1 and 2 will appeal to Manga fans of all ages. There are
links to additional material on the web and it has been made into an
Anime film. The rest of the series can be read online through
websites such as Manga Panda, Manga Fox or Manga Reader, though
searching using the original title 'Ao No' will yield more results.
Sue Speck
My merry Christmas by Rosie Smith
Ill. by Bruce Whatley. Scholastic, 2013. ISBN 9781742838014.
(Age: 3+) Recommended. Christmas, Family. In about 40 beautifully
chosen words, Rosie Smith presents the value of Christmas to us all.
The customs we all follow are there, from getting the tree, to
decorating it, making the cake, wrapping the presents, but the
main thing is that we are all together. All through the book is the
build up to the merry day where the family and friends come together
to celebrate their day. The first and last pages repeat the refrain
'When Christmas comes', reiterating the fact that that day is
repeated, and the same things happen, re-enforcing the value of
celebrating together.
Whatley's joyous illustrations underline the fact of family and
friends coming together, as the reindeer on the front cover invites
the reader to open the strikingly red coloured book. He is followed
by a woodpecker and mouse selecting a tree, while on the next page
we see the giraffe and small bird decorating it. There follows a
pair of animals on every page playing some part in the lead up to
Christmas, and on the second to last page they are all there,
together, celebrating.
This is a gloriously told story, one which will invite children to
share what their families do at Christmas, inviting children to look
and see what others do, giving
a list of customs which can be shared and discussed. The
illustrations will entreat and delight younger readers, as they
recognise the animal pictured, as well as the custom
presented.
Fran Knight
Redcap's Christmas by Susan Cason
Omnibus Books, 2013. ISBN 9781742990217.
(Age 10+) Redcap's Christmas is a cute tale about an elf and
his dream of working for Santa. Recap travels to the North Pole and
by chance (and by using his fixing skills) lands a job in Santa's
Workshop. Each chapter is a small adventure on its own, starring
Recap and his ability to make sure everything turns out right. When
the North Wind blows out the lights, Redcap solves the problem. When
it is time to choose a present for Santa, Redcap comes to the
rescue. When a troll tries to stop Recap and his friend, Recap
solves the problem. Recap's Christmas is an appealing hardcover story, perfect
for adults to read to children and good for independent readers aged
10+. It is a quick moving, easy to follow story and uses some
illustrations to tell the story. It is fun to see how Redcap will
save the day, proving that working hard is the best way to achieve
your goals.
Kylie Kempster
