Reviews

The girl of fire and thorns by Rae Carson

Greenwillow, 2012. ISBN 978-0062026507
The crown of embers by Rae Carson. Gollancz, 2012. 978-0575099197.
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. The girl of fire and thorns was awarded 2012 ALA Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults and the Andre Norton Award Nominee for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy (2011). The second in the series The crown of embers is equally as good. This is quality fantasy with an inspiring heroine, adventure, romance and angst, all of which are sure to appeal to teens.
Although Elisa has the Godstone, a symbol of the Chosen one, she feels inadequate. Things change when she is betrothed to marry a king from a neighbouring kingdom. She is overweight and has used food as her solace, but when she arrives at the kingdom of her husband Alejandro she discovers that she has the strength to become a worthy person. Kidnapped by revolutionaries, she shows determination and strength to survive a long trip across the desert, only to find her enemies very close by and very dangerous. In the second book The crown of embers, Elisa, now queen, has to find her way through court intrigues and the desire of her advisors to marry her advantageously.
Although the action is compelling and the adventure gripping, it is the coming of age of Elisa that kept me reading avidly. She is such a courageous heroine, who doesn't appreciate her own good qualities, but who meets the demands of every dangerous happening, be it her own kidnapping or her capture by an evil sorcerer. The characters surrounding her are brave and intelligent too. The romance in both books is compelling but not overwhelming.
I loved these two books for their complexity, wonderful characters and many thought provoking layers. Readers who enjoyed Melina Marchetta's Lumatere chronicles or Juliet Marillier's Seven Waters series will be delighted with this series.
Pat Pledger

The Mechanomancers by H. J. Harper

Bureau of Mysteries 2. Random House Australia Children's, 2013. ISBN: 9781742756486. 320 pages.RRP: $15.95.
(Age: 8-11) H. J. Harper takes readers on another rollicking romp with the wacky characters from the Bureau of Mysteries as they battle ancient nefarious spirits to save Little Obscurity. Joining forces with Sir Periwinkle Tinkerton and his strange silent assistant Lexica Quill, level-headed George Feather, former chimney sweep, solves yet another baffling mystery to win the gratitude and admiration of his fellow Obscuritians. Once again, George is not-so-ably helped in his endeavours by his 'superior' colleague, Imp Spektor, and far more, efficiently by his support team, Hobb and Tempora. Befriended by a giant rat, almost exterminated by rampant plants and recruiting seemingly fearsome air pirates are just a few of the new adventures to befall George, all handled with a terrific pace and hilarious asides.
Harper employs some delightful word play particularly with puns, which could prove a& useful springboard for teachers. Student readers will delight in the codes and cryptograms incorporated into the text as well as Nahum Ziersch's illustrations of the various characters.
This is a really fun interactive read that would be particularly enjoyed by boys of about 8-11 years.
Sue Warren

Think big by Elizabeth Garton Scanlon and Vanessa Brantley Newton

How to keep a boy from kissing you by Tara Eglington

HarperCollins Australia, 2013.
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. I really hope this book finds its way into teenagers' hands. It's the right blend of humour and drama, friendship and family, with a great dollop of romance. The narrator Aurora Skye is a loud and brash 16 year old. She has a flair for the dramatic, is intent on becoming a bestselling author, and has already started a book - it's all about helping girls to find their true prince.
Aurora's four best friends are all distinct personalities, flaws and all, and she knows each of them very well. It would be easy to say Aurora should mind her own business, but it is clear her intentions are always noble and she actually does know best. At times, as she runs herself ragged trying to keep her friends' relationships on track, I wanted to shake her and tell her to slow down and think of herself, but it takes a long time before she does.
Aurora's own love life leaves a lot to be desired, but as with everything that happens to her, she does not get depressed, or give up. She keeps an optimistic attitude and keeps putting herself out there. At times, this is a bit wince-worthy since she often gets into embarrassing situations. But they are also extremely funny situations, and she's such a good sport. Her narrative voice is both snarky and clever, and it ensures the plot keeps moving - more than that - it keeps twisting and turning which nicely reflects the use of Shakespeare's play, Much Ado About Nothing as the school production.
Of course, there are many deceptions, miscommunications, secret admirers, big displays of affection and confrontations, and lots of laughing. In particular, I snorted constantly through the scenes with Miss Deforest's interpretative dance classes. Aurora's derisive comments and actions are hysterically depicted.
It might seem like a light and frothy tale, however, there is more. As the story progresses, and Aurora's family life emerges, we slowly see the truth, and if her final break down and acceptance is depicted in a slightly melodramatic way, I went with it because here is a girl who has never successfully dealt with her unsympathetic mother, and if she behaves like a 12 year old, well, I forgave her.
The boys are also well developed, especially Hayden, who as the potential love interest is caring, honest, and big hearted. We can see his attempts to protect and support Aurora, although she is completely oblivious. He is the perfect (yes, alright, and predictable) boy-next-door. His banter with Aurora is witty and charged with sparks. I loved their interactions.
This is a great book probably predominately targeted at teenage girls. But if you know of boys who like books such as Doug Macleod's Siggy and Amber, or John Green's An Abundance of Katherines, let them try this. Themes include family separation, romance, friendship, and identity. Highly recommended. Great to see a new voice in Australian YA.
Trisha Buckley

Boot and Shoe by Marla Frazee

Simon and Schuster, 2012. ISBN 978 0 85707 825 1.
(Age: 5+) Warmly recommended. Picture book. Relationships. Two puppies, born in the same litter, live in the same house. They do everything together, eat form the same bowl, pee in the same tree and sleep together on the same cushion, but each day they chose to stay at a different place outside the house. One choses to sleep on a chair on the front porch while the other a chair on the back porch. And they were perfectly satisfied, until one day a mischievous squirrel decided to make trouble. It antagonised the pair of dogs until they retaliated, chasing the animal around the house until it left. But then Boot could not find Shoe and Shoe could not find Boot. For many pages the two dogs search for each other and young children will squeal with directions for the dogs to follow. Hoots of 'there he is' and 'just around the corner' will be heard from young readers and listeners as they watch the two friends trying to connect once again.
The beautiful line illustrations render the personalities of the dogs to a whisker. Their antics in finding each other are just stunning as the drawings of their dejected and lonely faces peer out of the pages. The coloured background diminishes as they become more forlorn at losing their sibling, and brightens, returning once again to the colour of old,underlining their happy reunion. Themes of friendship, loss, companionship and reunion are obvious but the idea that friends do not need to spend all their days together could be a talking point with children as well.
Fran Knight

Thea Stilton and the Mystery on the Orient Express by Thea Stilton

Scholastic, 2013.
Recommended for 7-9 year olds. Themes: Mystery, adventure, friendship. Adventure loving Thea (Tia) Stilton, Geronimo's feisty sister, narrates this new mystery adventure set on board the famous Orient Express train. She enlists the help of five special female students from Mouseford Academy. Nicky, Colette, Pamela, Violet and Paulina who bring their intelligent mouselet strengths together to help return a precious wedding dress The Veil of Light stolen years ago from an Istanbul museum.
A great cast of Very Important Rodents, celebrity mice and a few shady characters also embark on the train journey across Europe. From heiress Peggy Ratfeller to famous painter Pablo Picamouse, the cast of characters add tension and drama to the tale as a work of art goes missing as well. The fast-paced story is filled with twists and turns, the reader is even asked to stop and think with directed clue and question boxes and asked to observe the clues hidden in the pictures.
Interspersed between the storyline are informative, factual pages on the real Orient Express Train, the Roaring Twenties and Holograms. Once again to excite and engage the reader, there are a great mix of font styles and sizes to emphasize words and phrases. The colourful cartoon style illustrations cast of rodent characters based on real life characters -combine to make this another great addition to the Thea and Geronimo Stilton series. This is definitely the most popular series in our school getting our reluctant readers excited about reading.
Rhyllis Bignell

Viridian by Susan Gates

Bloomsbury, 2012.
(Age: 10+) In the future, a virus is turning people into human/plant hybrids called Verdans. But this isn't a problem, because the Verdans are calm and peaceful creatures. Soon enough, everyone wants to become a Verdan. The only humans left are Immunes like Jay and others who dislike the Verdan race. But then the Cultivars rise, who are bred from the most dangerous plants on the planet and are aggressive warlords. Their leader is Jay's blood brother, a ruthless Cultivar called Viridian. And he won't stop until he's wiped out humanity.
Viridian is a short, action packed, adventurous read, probably aimed at younger readers. The story is futuristic, with a sci-fi feel, and the writing style is easy to read without being too simplistic. It pulls readers in with the intriguing story and it holds their interest with multiple exciting action scenes. It's a very original idea, and very interesting, and the characters are written in a way so they are easy to relate to. The ending is well set up, as while clearly setting it up for a sequel, it ties up loose ends also.
Viridian is a short, fast, enjoyable read with an intriguing storyline and action-packed sequences. It would probably be best for younger readers.
Rebecca Adams (Student)

Nuddy Ned by Kes Gray and Garry Parsons

Bloomsbury, 2013. ISBN 978 1 4088 3659 0
(Age: 5+) Picture book. Nudity. Humour. When Ned has a bath he is overcome with the steam and decides that he will not get dressed but run about in the nude. His parents chase him through the pages of this highly entertaining book, imploring him to get some clothes on. He runs through the garden, along the street, startling those waiting for their bus, into the park, then the precinct, the pizza shop, the bus and finally the field. By the time he reaches the field both his parents are covered with mud and so decide that they too do not need clothes either.
Told in verse, the story is simply fun. Lift up flaps reveal pieces of Ned's anatomy covered by things unexpected, and the fun of his movements will make kids laugh along with the rhymes.
For a great deal of fun, for classes wanting an introduction to the theme of bodies and clothes, for parents wanting a fun story about bodies, this book is a useful addition to the school or home bookshelf. The illustrations add to the humour in the book with readers recognising things in their own homes and streets with laughter and glee.
Fran Knight

The lost tail by Patricia Bernard

Ill. by Tricia Oktober. Ford St., 2013. ISBN 978 1 921445 56 8.
(age: 5+) Recommended. Picture book. Papua New Guinea. Celebration. How absolutely wonderful to see a book about our closest neighbour, Papua New Guinea. When researching for teacher notes for Kate Constable's new book, New Guinea Moon, I was surprised to realise how few books about this country are available to our students. So this is a very welcome book indeed.
A group of children, the Bundi Boys is to preform their snake dance at the Goroka Show. They must leave their village for a five day trek across the mountains, passing the many dangers that may appear, carrying their snake to get to the show on time where they will join all the other participants from across the country. At the show the boys settle to sleep after looking at the huge array of tribesmen and women from different parts of Papua New Guinea with their endless variety of head dresses, paint and feathers.
Little Nara is to carry the tail, a job he must take very seriously, but when he wakes in the morning, he has lost his tail, so must set out to find it.
A seemingly simple tale of the group getting to Goroka to present their snake dance, the story showcases the range of different groups that live in Papua New Guinea. Marvellously illustrated by Oktober, the colours are fantastic, revealing the spectacular use of feathers, teeth, straw, moss and shells, amongst a myriad of other things to decorate the dancers.
The wonderful snake winds its way through the book, holding the story and the illustrations together, and kids will love working out how the boys may have made it. They will also be intrigued with the range of people displayed in the story and spy the various things in the jungles' trees, and the background at Goroka. In any hands this book will introduce readers to the amazing country to our north.
Fran Knight

The No.1 car spotter and the car thieves by Atinuke

Walker Books, 2012. ISBN 978 1 4063 2080 0.
(Age: 7+) Highly recommended. Chapter book. Nigeria. Crime. Humour permeates this story as No.1 sits high in the palm oil tree spotting the expensive cars approaching his mother's chop-house. Spotting a car he yells to his mother who in turn fires up the kitchen making wonderful smells to stop the drivers in their tracks. It works well until the day that cars begin to be stolen from under all their noses. No.1 is at a loss, as is his family, especially when some of their customers blame them and refuse to stop there anymore.
But No.1's brain is turning over, he knows the Police Chief is working hard on the case, because it is happening all over the country, and he wants to help find the crooks. But each idea he has turns sour and he is disconsolate. But when their very good customer, the Prof, invites No.1 to drive with him to the city in his Firebird, the car is stolen with No.1 still inside. His love of cars is paramount in saving the day.
This splendid story is the third in a series about No.1, written by Atinuke, born in Nigeria and now living in Wales. The stories present a totally different lifestyle than the one known to our readers, and will open their eyes to the lives of children in Africa, particularly Nigeria. The humour underlying the whole story will easily draw the readers in, and the information about No.1's family is simply intoxicating. The background is tantalisising, a taste of somewhere quite unknown to most of us, and will add to our knowledge of the wider world in which we live.
Fran Knight

The International Kissing Club by Ivy Adams

Walker, 2012.
Age: 13+) Recommended. Piper, Cassidy, Mei and Izzy are best friends living in the tiny town of Paris, Texas. When Piper is the victim of an embarrassing prank that goes viral online, all she wants to do is get out, and so she has an idea that the girls should all go on the school's international exchange program. Piper visits the real Paris, Cassidy goes to Australia, Mei explores China, and Izzy stays in Texas. To keep in touch while they're away, they start a group on Facebook called The International Kissing Club, where they anonymously update on all the guys they're meeting. And that's where the real fun begins.
The International Kissing Club is not a very serious book, but it is certainly fun to read. The narrative switches between the four viewpoints of the different girls, which helps to keep it interesting and fresh. In reality, the author Ivy Adams is a pseudonym and the book was actually written by three best friends, which is good because they are able to give each character a unique voice. This book would be great for teenage girls because of the constant references to social networks, fashion and friendship (not to mention the abundance of hot guys). It's quite a funny book at times as well. If there is one criticism about this book, it would be that there are almost too many hot guys, because virtually every boy these girls see is 'jaw-dropping' or 'stunning'. That's a minor flaw in an otherwise very enjoyable read though.
The International Kissing Club is a light-hearted, fun read that brings to mind classic friendship novels like Sisterhood Of The Travelling Pants.
I recommend this book.
Rebecca Adams (Student)

Trust no one by Linda Sue Park

The 39 Clues. Scholastic, 2012. ISBN 9780545298438.
(Age 12+) Highly recommended. The 39 Clues: Trust No One is book 5 in the series involving 13 year old Dan and his older sister Amy. Dan and Amy's family were kidnapped by a group called The Vespers. To get them back, Dan and Amy are sent instructions to steal things from around the world. This series is highly recommended to avid, independent readers aged at least 12 years or older. The language used is descriptive and exciting but a wide range of vocabulary and a good understanding will be needed to read some parts.
I would also recommend reading the series from the beginning rather than just picking up this book only. Within the first 20 pages, events from previous books are mentioned and having this prior knowledge will help with understanding - especially when it comes to getting to know the characters better. Reading the series from the beginning would have given me a better sense of who the characters are and why The Vespers have kidnapped members of the Cahill family in the first place.
This book has Amy, Dan and their friends in New York. The instructions have them after an ancient document but meanwhile one of their other friends has discovered the mole in their organisation is actually a close friend of them all. Will this friend end up hurting them? What are their reasons for this friend switching sides? Will the Cahill's be able to flush out this mole before another family member is killed?
Kylie Kempster

How to save a life by Sara Zarr

Usborne, 2012. ISBN 9781409546757.
(Age: 14+) Recommended. ALA Teens' Top Ten Nominee (2012), YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults (Top Ten) (2012).  Jill MacSweeney is appalled when her mother decides to adopt a baby. She believes that it is to fill the void left by the death of her father. Jill has isolated herself from her mother, friends and boyfriend Dylan, leaving only her work at the bookstore, Margins, as any consolation. Mandy Kalinowski is 19, pregnant and knows what it is like to be unwanted. She is determined that her child will have a better life and thinks that will happen in the MacSweeney household. But really Mandy is the one who needs a parent to care for her. Both Jill and Mandy have difficult lessons to learn in this wonderful book that explores relationships and feelings very well.
Sara Zarr is an award winning author and her expertise glows in the way that she manages to write the voices of two completely different young girls. Jill and Mandy tell their experiences in the first person in alternate chapters,  taking the reader into their confidence and exposing their personalities, inadequacies and strengths. I became totally involved with each of the girls, who had such different needs. Jill is so angry and isolated, missing her father so much that she cannot see the love that surrounds her. Mandy has been abused and has never experienced love or care from a parent. Zarr takes both characters on a journey of self discovery and manages to conclude the trip in a wholly satisfying way. This is a feel good story that explores difficult issues in a very sensitive way.
This is the first book that I have read by Sara Zarr, but I certainly will be putting her on my list of favourite authors to read in the future.
Pat Pledger

Wonder by R. J. Palacio

A very unusual pursuit by Catherine Jinks