Lothian, 2013. ISBN 9780734414007. Violet vanishes ISBN 9780734413970. Rory rides ISBN 9780734413994. Ethan eats ISBN 9780734413987.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Early reader, Childhood. Designed and written
exclusively for the newly emerging reader, the bold colours, strong
covers and short chapter stories will have an instant appeal. With
about 650 words in each story, each story is divided into a
manageable three pages for each chapter, using illustrations and
colours to add to the attraction of each page. Ava adds shows Ava and her friend, Billy playing together one
day. They decide to set up a shop and in buying and selling the
things offered must make some money to use to shop, and so add up
the bills. In four chapters we have children playing together,
making something with which to play and resolving the problem of
Billy's misunderstanding.
In Ethan eats, he has the problem of loving food, and eating
everything which is put before him, except for peas. In four
chapters, the problem is resolved, but not before the family is
shown sitting together at a table to eat, and working together on
Ethan's problem. Violet vanishes shows Violet a young girl who loves magic
tricks, but when Mum takes her to see a real magician, it is Violet
who vanishes, rather than the pineapple held in the magician's hand.
Again, a neatly resolved story based around a family doing things
together. Rory rides shows Rory's Dad helping Rory to learn to ride a
bike. At first he must use trainer wheels, and these Dad attaches
to the bike. But when one wheel falls off, it is his cousin who
suggests a solution.
Each of the stories is based on identifiable situations, with
families working together to solve a problem, and written with words
which will add to the students' vocabulary.
Fran Knight
Every breath by Ellie Marney
Allen and Unwin, 2013. ISBN 9781743316429
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. Rachel Watts hates her life in the
city, where her family has moved from their country property because
of financial problems. She doesn't want to settle down and her only
friend is James Mycroft, the troubled teenager who lives close by.
He is a genius with a talent for forensic science, and when a
homeless man is murdered, the two become embroiled in a dangerous
hunt for the killer.
This is a mystery that will thrill readers as they follow the clues
and encounter some dangerous and unusual characters on the way.
There is also a thrilling episode in the zoo that won't be easily
forgotten. Marney does an excellent job of keeping up the suspense,
laying clues for the final exposure but keeping the reader in the
dark for the journey. The forensic science is fascinating and
Mycroft, whose name is a nod to Sherlock Holmes' brother, is a
brilliant detective. Paired with Rachel's practical nature and smart
insights, the two make a great job of working out the mystery.
The character development also adds depth to the story, Mycroft is a
damaged boy, whose parents have died in mysterious circumstances and
who lives with an aloof aunt. He doesn't fit in well at school and
plays outrageous pranks but is determined to find his friend's
killer. Rachel is grieving for the life that she had in the country
and hates the city and the long hours that all the members of her
family have to put to keep going financially. In addition to her
school work and part time job, she is in charge of the cooking and
housework for her family. Friendship between the two is more
important than the growing romance and the mystery is all important.
Some humour lightens the tough moments and there are caring and
interesting secondary characters.
A tense thriller, with a mystery that will tantalise, this is sure
to gain a following and readers will have another book with Rachel
and James to look forward to in the future.
Pat Pledger
More than this by Patrick Ness
Walker Books, 2013. ISBN 9781406331158.
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. How many of us in moments of
desperation or deep frustration have cried out these very words:
'There must be more to life than this . . . ' Seth wakes from his
own death to find himself in an apocalyptical world of solitary
desolation. Pursued by a mysterious robotic creature called The
Driver, he must piece together the circumstances of his death and
discover whether he is now part of an imaginary world or if there
really is more to life than this.
There are stories that keep us on the edge of our seat with a brutal
roller coaster of action. There are stories that unnerve us - when
we feel the author is unpicking our very soul, and there are stories
so unusual and inspired that they make us question what life is
really about. With an incredible cocktail of philosophy, fear and
phantasmagorical ingenuity Ness has accomplished all three. And he
makes it look so easy. This is a story that slides in like syrup and
kicks like a hot chilli. It is definitely the best book I have read
this year and will have massive appeal to fans of the Chaos Walking
trilogy.
It's hard to put an age suggestion on this novel. Mature fourteen
year olds may be able to handle it, but alongside themes of abuse,
murder and suicide the most unsettling idea is that we are currently
well on our way to creating the world that Ness has imagined. Or . .
. are we already there? You will have to read the book to understand
the significance of that question!
Claire Larson
Marina by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Trans. by Lucia Graves. Text, 2013. ISBN 9781922079152.
(Age: Secondary and older readers) Recommended. It is Barcelona, 1980,
and Oscar Drai, student at a Jesuit school, has reappeared after a
week's absence. Grieving for the loss of a loved one, he recollects
the story of his life for the last few months. It all started when
he felt himself drawn to a mysterious mansion where a beautiful
young girl, Marina, lives with her father. Marina explains that her
father, German, is still mourning the death of Marina's mother and
is now very ill himself. Oscar and Marina explore old Barcelona
together and begin to follow a mysterious figure clothed in black.
They are lead to another mansion where in the seemingly abandoned
greenhouse they find a photo album hidden amongst ghostly
puppet-like apparitions. When the album is destroyed by a being
characterized by the smell of putrescence and the symbol of a black
butterfly they realize that they are somehow entangled in a mystery
that is linked to the supernatural. Using the scraps of a photo they
track down a policeman and then a doctor who were involved in a case
of disappearance and mutilation many years before. The mystery seems
to be centred on the abandoned Opera House built by Mijail Kolvenik
for a singer who never performed there, his wife who was mutilated
on her wedding day. Pieces of the story come together, and the two
learn that Kolvenik, a brilliant but disturbed genius, was
attempting to replace human body parts with manufactured replicas
which would function more effectively and would mean that his wife's
beauty could be restored and death would no longer be inevitable. In
a quite complicated denouement Oscar and Marina have to face both
Kolvenik, ill and disfigured himself, and his wife in the old
theatre. Oscar saves the day, but then learns to understand
Kolvenik's grief when he learns that it is Marina and not her father
who is ill. This is an atmospheric story of echoes, the story of
German's wife being paralleled by the story of Kolvenik's wife and
then by Marina's destiny. Another theme is the significance of art
and frustrated genius in society. Old Barcelona is very
picturesquely imagined, and there are a number of dark scenes in the
usual atmospheric settings, in the sewers, in an open grave, and in
haunted mansions. The plot is complicated but the novel should
appeal to lovers of the macabre. It is suitable for secondary
students and older readers.
Jenny Hamilton
Don't Look Now series by Paul Jennings & Andrew Weldon
Allen & Unwin, 2013. Book 1: Falling for It , The Kangapoo
Key Ring. ISBN 9781743311233.
Book 2: A Magician Never Tells, Elephant Bones. ISBN
978174331140.
Recommended for readers from 7-11 years. Themes: Family Life,
Flight, School Life, Humour, Self-Perception, Friendship. Master
storytellers Paul Jennings and Andrew Weldon have successfully
collaborated on the Don't Look Now series. With two short amusing
stories in each book, Jennings once again shows his understanding of
the needs of his readers adding a dash of humour, quirky characters
and tricky situations. Paul Jennings commented in a recent interview
'there are no illustrations, the pictures tell the story in a very
strong way, and they take the story further.' Andrew Weldon
the cartoonist for The Age newspaper was specifically chosen by
Jennings to work in partnership on this series.
Jennings and Weldon present the readers with a really relatable
character Ricky an ordinary boy with a quirky imagination whose one
desire is to be famous. Ricky's secret talent is rather a hindrance
to his goal because he really can fly but only when no-one is
watching.
Each book begins with a fun labelled map of the setting. In Book 1
Falling for It Ricky is introduced and his special talent is
discovered, a gift shared with his father. The reader quickly
develops an understanding of his unusual character and his unique
thoughts as the stories are told from Ricky's point of view. We see
the strange twists of Ricky's mind as his class uses their
imaginations cloud watching (poor rabbit!) Whilst developing his
flying skills on the way to school land him in deep trouble down a
five-metre hole. Ricky's motives are good but the practicalities of
flying need some adjustment. In The Kangapoo Key Ring Ricky's
Grandad had died taking the secret of the rare black poppy he was
developing to his grave. Grandad's only legacy is a kangapoo key
ring. On his next flying adventure he loses the key ring, is forced
to fly naked covered in cow poo and ultimately lands in trouble with
his Mum.
In Book 2, Ricky discovers a gorgeous girl at the carwash.
Unfortunately he forgets to wind up the window resulting in a rather
wet car, leading to his being grounded. His magician skills need a
lot of practice and his flying does as well. Ricky redeems himself
at the school concert in a very special way. Buried Treasure
continues Ricky and his Dad's quest for fame, as they search for
elephant bones buried in their backyard. Siren songs from Samantha
his next door neighbour, more disastrous flying misadventures all
lead Ricky astray and result in broken bones.
Rhyllis Bignell
Fat Ferdie by Pamela Allen
Penguin, Australia, 2013. ISBN 9780670077168.
(Age: Pre-school and early reader) Fat Ferdie is a
captivating addition to Pamela Allen's long list of contributions to
children's literature. Whilst some may be concerned that Ferdie is
called fat, I am sure if we have survived Mr McGee and the
Biting Flea, Fat Ferdie will be as popular with
parents and youngsters alike.
Fat Ferdie is not the most handsome character Pamela Allen has
created. In fact he is a fearsome green monster with sharp fangs and
a taste for 'raw red meat'. . . any living creature will do. When he
has eaten all the available food he is forced to take to his boat
and find another island.
Desperate for food, he comes across three children who immediately
run away. Just when it looks like the youngest is about to become
Ferdie's dinner he is whisked up into a pear tree and safety by his
scared siblings. Ferdie is obviously not very happy about this turn
of events and is less pleased as the children use the pears as
missiles so in a fit of rage he shakes the tree. The children fall
out and run home whilst Ferdie is bombarded by pears. Still hungry
Ferdie tries a pear and lo and behold he is converted to a pear
eater.
The rhyming text matched with Allen's familiar illustrations which
give life, movement and drama to the story will ensure that Ferdie
becomes a favourite with the preschool and early reader.
Sue Keane
Sparkly shoes and picnic parties by Sophie Tilley
Amelie and Nanette series, bk 1. Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2013.
ISBN 9781408836620.
(Age: Low to mid primary) Juvenile Fiction. Pictorial Works. Author
and illustrator Sophie Tilley's love of fashion, beauty, crafts and
country-style living is immediately evident in the design of this
beautiful book. The hardback cover has a natural linen finish,
decorated with gorgeous sprays of flowers framing an image of main
characters Amelie and Nanette enjoying a picnic in the countryside.
The book is beautifully illustrated and I found myself quickly
transported to Amelie's and Nanette's favourite hideaway in the
meadow, a big tree overhanging a gentle stream. Surrounded by the
richness and jewels of a majestic natural world, it seems perfectly
fitting for Amelie and her best friend Nanette to be wearing dresses
threaded with ribbons and roses - and their prettiest shoes - to
celebrate a special Picnic Party. But the day does not go entirely
to plan when Amelie's very large and mischievous dog Pilou makes a
'surprise' visit.
The adventures of Amelie and Nanette in this charming new series
about friendship, fun, creative imagination and the beauty of nature
- will enchant young girls in the low to mid primary year levels.
Michelle Hunt
The Diviners by Libba Bray
Allen & Unwin, 2012. ISBN 9781742375229.
When this hefty volume was passed on to me for reading and
reviewing, I was immediately intimidated. Libba Bray's The
Diviners counts up over 500 pages, and surprisingly each page
builds on the last to create an exciting tale.
From the word 'go', The Diviners revels in descriptions of
1920s New York - its estates and their upper-crust owners, the
parties they host and their enigmatic, mysterious, brilliant guests,
many of whom form the novel's eclectic character ensemble.
At the heart of this wholly vaudevillian thriller is Evie O'Neill, a
country girl new to the glamorous New York City. At first, she is
caught up in the quirky, larger-than-life street atmosphere of NYC,
before dipping into the gaudy Prohibition-era world of nightclubs,
cinemas and other social attractions.
The clause of Evie's stay in New York is that her uncle has offered
her accommodation (in no less than his curious museum devoted to
eerie culture concerning the Occult - what could possibly happen
here?)
The shiny, glittery setting of the novel quickly becomes tense and
dangerous, as Evie's stay is shaken by creepy incidents of the
homicidal variety, which Evie becomes involved in investigating. The Diviners recalls Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden novels of
the mid-20th century, with their decidedly feminine but powerful
young heroines delving into mysterious crimes. The main difference
here is the theme of Occult which runs through The Diviners,
adding an element of darkness and making for a very exciting plot
device.
Unrelenting in its nostalgia and its compulsive, twisted
storytelling, The Diviners is one for late night thrills.
Just make sure you can sleep in the next day.
Henry Vaughan (Student)
Pretty Girl by J. C. Burke
Random House, 2013. ISBN 9781741663136.
Recommended for mature readers 14 and up. Sisterhood stories have
long been popular with girl readers, whether the formulaic
Babysitters Club books for younger girls or more complex offerings
such as Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants or Divine
Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood series for young adults. Pretty Girl slots well into this chick lit genre and while
you may well have thought the two latter series mentioned above had
some darker moments, this new novel by J. C. Burke takes a group of
best friends into far murkier places.
Four friends, Paige, Sarah, Jess and Tallulah, have been 'besties'
all the way through school and have now arrived at university where
they all live together on campus. In this new setting, they find
themselves divided as issues of wealth, partying, drugs, studying or
lack of it and more separate each according to their personalities
and circumstances. One thing links them together, albeit
unknowingly. A charming and good looking young man befriends each in
turn secretly with dire, and indeed, fatal results. Jess is dead,
Paige is recovering from a near-fatal accident in a mental
institution, Tallulah is out of control and Sarah is beset by doubts
and suspicions, as she struggles to keep up with wealthier friends,
her memories of Paige's accident, Jess's death and her own
longstanding relationship with Will. Enter Jonny - gorgeous,
exciting, sexy and psychopathic. As Sarah falls under Jonny's spell,
Paige's memory starts to return, piece by piece. Will Sarah be saved
from the terrifying control of Jonny's twisted mind in time?
As the readers, we are already putting together the clues about
Jonny well before the girls do and we are mesmerised by the
seemingly inevitable nightmare into which Sarah is being drawn.
Burke has drawn her characters with great clarity and we can
recognise each one's flaws and strengths. A terrific plot which
unravels with a steady pace heightens the tension and sense of
impending disaster perfectly.
Recommended for mature readers 14 and up - some pretty heavy duty
language, drug and sex references throughout.
Sue Warren
The only game in the galaxy by Paul Collins
The Maximus Black Files. Ford Street, 2013. ISBN 9781925000041.
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Science Fiction, Adventure. RIM, the
major spy agency in a galaxy where corrupt corporations rule, is at a crossroads. Their best and most sparkling recruit, Maximus
Black is drawing power into his own hands, killing as he goes. He
has taken care of his psychologist who tried to warn others of his
psychopathic tendencies, and is now after Anneke, a clever agent who
seems to allude him at all turns. In books one (Mole hunt)
and two (Dyson's drop) the two sparred constantly, and this
one has more of the same. Exciting, fast paced, it holds the reader's
attention as the two sharpen their wits against each other, Black
thinking he has rid himself of her forever, but then finding himself
indebted to her as she kills someone about to take him out. Cat and
mouse has nothing on the sequence of events here.
Set in an amazingly technological world, where people can change
their images with a drug, or use a different drug to take someone's
memory, the background is all heavy metal, a very nasty virus, shape
changing and weaponry. The thinking reader will be alert to the
chops and changes which occur with great rapidity as the two try to
outfox the other, but drugged Anneke is not quite sure of who she
can trust.
Anneke who also works for RIM, knows that there is a mole within the
company, and so is out to find that person and eliminate him. Her
resolute aim brings her closer to Black, and the reader who has read
the previous two in the series, will be kept gripped by the book,
reading to the end to find out what happens to these two major
players, especially after they both realise that there they are not
the masters of their own destinies.
Fran Knight
Interview with Paul Collins by Pat Pledger
Paul Collins has written over 150 books and 140 short stories. He is
best known for The Quentaris Chronicles (The Spell of
Undoing is Book 1 in the new series), which he co-edits with
Michael Pryor, The Jelindel Chronicles, The Earthborn
Wars and The World of Grrym trilogy in collaboration
with Danny Willis. Paul's latest book is The Only Game in the
Galaxy, book three in The Maximus Black Files. The Beckoning is
Paul's first adult novel.
He is also the publisher at Ford Street Publishing and runs a
speakers' agency called Creative
Net.
Paul has been short-listed for many awards and won the Aurealis,
William Atheling and the inaugural Peter McNamara awards. He
recently received the A Bertram Chandler Award for lifetime
achievement in Australian science fiction. He has had two Notable
Books in the Children's Book Council of Australia Awards.
He was a kick-boxer and has black belts in both ju jitsu and
taekwondo - this experience can be seen in The Jelindel
Chronicles and The Maximus Black Files.
1. I loved your action-packed series, The Maximus Black Files,
and enjoyed the third in the trilogy, The Only Game in the
Galaxy. What is the planning process for a trilogy like this?
Did you have the three books all planned out before you wrote them?
Trilogies and such work in different ways. Sometimes it's more the
publisher's decision. For example, when I put Dragonlinks,
book one of The Jelindel Chronicles quartet, to Penguin,
they would only commit to that book, not a series. Obviously I had
to leave one or two loose threads because I knew I needed somewhere
to go when writing book 2. Dragonlinks did well so Penguin
agreed to publish Dragonfang, but wouldn't commit to a third
book. And so it went. The Jelindel Chronicles went to book
4, Wardragon. The same went for The Earthborn Wars
that TOR (US) took. The first book, The Earthborn, went well
so they commissioned a sequel, The Skyborn. I then wrote a
third book, The Hiveborn. With The Maximus Black Files
I had a very loose outline for three books. I sent it around to
dozens of publishers but no one was interested. They didn't think
Maximus Black had any redeeming features. Well, he doesn't, really.
But that's why the series is rather unique. And oddly enough, his
total evilness hasn't deterred people from loving the series. Max is
a true anti-hero.
2. The Maximus Black Files books have appeal for both boys
and girls. How do you ensure that your writing will be enjoyed by
both sexes?
You need a strong male and female character. Max needed a foil and
someone who is every bit as good as him. Anneke Longshadow has her
own demons, but she's ultimately more good than bad. She's a homage
to my favourite fiction character, Modesty Blaise.
3. The beckoning, your adult horror novel, is a big
departure from your science fiction series for young adults. What
sort of research went into all the detail about cults and the
occult?
I wrote The Beckoning about 30 years ago. I used to write my
novels on a manual typewriter on the counter of various bookshops I
owned. Rather than research material and possibly misinterpret text,
I actually go to people who are specialists in their fields. So I
went to a Victoria Police detective for the police material, a
tarot/palm reader for the psychic stuff, a former cult member for
authenticity, etc. I think it's a more thorough approach to
research, and a damn sight quicker.
4. Why did you give The Beckoning to another publisher -
Damnation Books - rather than publishing it with Ford Street, your
publishing house?
Basically, Ford Street only publishes picture books through to young
adult literature. The Beckoning is of course for adults.
Besides, again, I had sent it to many publishers over the years. The
closest it came to being published was when it was long-listed for a
horror series Lothian published. But because manuscripts aren't
accepted, doesn't mean they're not publishable. It reached number 7
on Amazon's psychic thriller page, just six places behind Stephen
King's latest novel. It's been in the Top 100 of two Amazon lists
for a while now.
5. The Beckoning is getting great reviews on Amazon and as a
Kindle book. What impact has the sale of e-books had on publishing?
Obviously people who buy the ebook aren't likely to purchase the
paperback. Not unless they absolutely love the book and either want
it on their bookshelf or to give as a gift. And as a rule, I think
remuneration to the author is basically the same between ebook and
paperback. It can be because ebooks cost virtually nothing to
'publish' whereas paperbacks cost around $8000 once you factor in
printing, design, cover, advance, editing, etc. I see paperback
sales plummeting to such an extent it will no longer be viable to
publish them other than in POD.
6. You are both an author and a publisher. What is the difference
between working on your own manuscripts and looking at other
people's books? What are you looking for in the books that you
publish?
I never rely solely on my own judgement in publishing my own work
via Ford Street. Ford Street is an imprint of a larger publisher,
Hybrid. So it's Hybrid that actually takes a look at my books and
decides whether they're publishable or not. And I think this is
important. Authors often think their work is good, and that's a
problem. We don't see our own faults. That's where a good editor can
turn a so-so book into a good or great book. A small example of this
is when I tried selling The Glasshouse, it featured tomatoes
rather than pumpkins. An editor said, 'Tomatoes aren't 'sexy', but
pumpkins are'. So it was a simple change but an important one. Many
publishers rejected that book, but it sold 4000 copies to ASO, a
book club, and then another 1200 copies. So it had great sales, yet
publishers rejected it. I imagine there are thousands of good
manuscripts lying about the place right now that would be top
sellers were they given the chance. And it's these types of books
that I'm looking for with Ford Street. It doesn't matter to me that
MSS have been rejected by major publishers, because most of my own
books have been, only to go on and be successful books. I'm
publishing Andrew Plant's The Poppy in March 2014. Four
publishers rejected it before he sent it to me. Two book clubs have
just pre-ordered 2500 copies. I shook my head when Andrew told me he
was having trouble finding a publisher for it. It's simply a
brilliantly illustrated book and one that has 'success' written all
over it.
7. I am impressed with your editing. How long does it take to get a
book to publication?
To be fair, I don't do all the editing at Ford Street. I also employ
freelancers, some of the best editors in the industry. This is very
costly, but I think extremely important, as I've said. Editors can
lift manuscripts to their full potential. And I think if I have any
gift at all, it's in reading a manuscript and thinking, 'This could
be so much better if the author did . . .' There's no set time
between acceptance and publication. This can vary on how long a book
takes to edit. All going well, it can take around eight months. Of
course, the lead time with a small press is much shorter than that
of a larger publisher. I believe some publishers have their
schedules in place right up to 2015. So if an author sold a book to
them now, they wouldn't see it in print till late 2015 or even 2016.
8. As an author what advice would you give to beginner writers?
The best advice can be summed up in one word: persistence. As you'll
have gathered from this interview, many of my own books have been
rejected time and time again, only to be successful books when
finally published. It's not generally known that every major
publisher in Australia, including Penguin, rejected Dragonlinks.
I waited until the publisher at Penguin left and resubmitted the MS
to her replacement, who promptly accepted it. Dragonlinks is
my best selling book.
9. Where to now for Paul Collins?
I have a fantasy novel on submission with a publisher right now.
It's called Broken Magic. It can be either published as a
straight novel or over six months, chapter by chapter. I'm also
putting the final touches on my six Lucy Lee books for Macmillan's Legends
in their own Lunchbox series. There are six of the Lucy books. Other
authors in the series are James Roy, Meredith Costain, Bill Condon,
Tristan Bancks and Sherryl Clark.
10. Last but not least, what does Ford Street have in store for
2014?
I've contracted 11 books so far. These are: The Poppy by Andrew Plant; Chasing Shadows by Corinne
Fenton and Hannah Sommerville; The Cuckoo by Gary Crew and
Naomi Turvey; Jamie Brown Is Not Rich by Adam Wallace; Dead
Dog in the Still of the Night by Archie Fusillo; Butterfly
and Oscar by Tricia Oktober; Elephants Have Wings by
Susanne Gervay and Anna Pignataro; I Wish My Mother Were An
Octopus by Shona Keenan and Lee Burgemeestre; Celia and
Nonna by Victoria Thieberger and Kayleen West; Found You
by Mardi Davis and The Monster Who Ate Australia ((reprint)
by Michael Salmon. I think there might also be a sequel to Monster
School by DC Green.
The beckoning by Paul Collins
Damnation Books LLC, 2013. ISBN 9781629290348.
(Age: Adult - 16+) Recommended. Horror. Thriller. Cults.
Psychic powers. When Matt Brannigan's family is threatened and his
daughter Briony targeted by the Zarathrustan cult guru, Brother
Desmond, he has to take action. Briony is lured to the Zarathrustan
headquarters at Modewood, a mansion near Shipwreck Coast, named for
the high number of tragic deaths occurring in the area, and Matt
discovers that he has no power legally or with the police to get his
daughter to return home. With psychic Clarissa Pike he enters the
cult's headquarters in an attempt to rescue her and all hell breaks
loose.
In Brother Desmond, Collins has created a truly evil and frightening
villain, who wants to conquer the world. He has encountered Briony
when she was very young and is convinced that her psychic powers
will give him the power that he needs to achieve his goals. He
beckons her to Modewood, and although she is aware of his
intentions, finds it difficult to keep him at bay. The exploration
of cults and how individuals are manipulated by a charismatic
leader, brainwashing and drugs is enlightening and forms an alarming
background to the story. The story resonates because it is easy to
imagine how young teens could be lured into a cult and how difficult
it is to get them away.
Collins builds up the suspense with his descriptions of Modewood, a
gloomy gothic house and all the deaths that have happened on the
Shipwreck coast. Then it is the action and the truly terrifying
events that overtake Matt and Clarissa when they try to enter
Modewood that dominate the story. Brother Desmond attacks them with
their worst nightmares and each episode left me gasping for air as
the couple battle the devil in a surreal landscape.
Clever plotting, horrifying action, a dark gothic mansion and great
characters make this a very exciting read for those who like horror.
Pat Pledger
Code breaker by Sally Rippin
A Billie B Mystery. Ill. by Aki Fukuoka. Egmont, 2013. ISBN
9781742976525.
(Age: 8-10) Recommended. Secret Clubs. Mysteries. Friends. Sally
Rippin is an author who really understands and engages with her
reading audience. Her new mystery series follows Billie B Brown and
her friends Jack, Mika and Alex as they start up their Secret
Mystery Club and work to solve neighbourhood mysteries. These books
are written for fans that have enjoyed reading the Billie B
Brown beginning chapter books and the Hey Jack series
and are now looking for a more challenging read as they grow up. On
Sally's blogspot,
she comments that the books will be triple the length of the
existing Billie books with a much more complex writing style and
story structure for older readers. Code breaker begins with Billie and her friend Jack
receiving a mysterious coded letter. When the friends meet up at
recess the next day they are excited to have a case to solve. Jack's
letter is written in Japanese and Mika translates the haiku that
provides the hiding place for another clue. Billie's feelings are a
little hurt as each clue is written to challenge the strengths of
the other club members. In the background family life and school
life continues, however there is something secretive happening with
their parents as well. All is revealed in the end with an exciting
surprise for the club members.
Aki Fukuoka's graphic illustrations bring to life Billie and her
friends' characters, adding fun to Sally Rippin's novels. The font
size is still large with some use of bold text to emphasize
feelings. This series is a great extension for the Billie B
Brown fans and is recommended for students from 8-10 years of
age.
Aki's Art .
Sally Rippin's webpage.
Rhyllis Bignell
Clara Button and the wedding day surprise by Amy de la Haye
Ill. by Emily Sutton. Bloomsbury, in association with the Victoria
and Albert Museum, 2013. ISBN 9781851777006.
(Age: 7+) Warmly recommended. Picture book. Customs. Historical
fiction. The author's background as Professor of Dress History
shines through this sumptuously produced hard cover book about
wedding customs. Clara and her brother Ollie Button love doing
things. Clara has a room full of materials, boxes of scraps, sewing
implements and a basket of wool and bits that are very necessary to
a budding designer. Her brother Ollie has a complimentary room with
an array of boxes filled to overflowing with heels, and springs,
metal bits and pieces, all just ready to experiment with and make
inventions. Not an ipad or computer in sight!
When Mum receives an invitation to a wedding for the family, Clara
and Ollie are told to work out what they need to wear. Clara takes
all her clothes from her wardrobe to try on and decides on a dress,
but feels it needs some augmentation. She dreams of the wedding
dresses women wore in the past, while Ollie begins to make an
invention to take with them. The following day the family goes to
Portobello Road market and there see a wonderful haberdashery shop
where Clara buys what she needs to add to her outfit.
But that night, dyeing her hair to match her outfit, some dye falls
on her chosen dress, fortunately mum comes to the rescue.
When the family turns up to the wedding in all their finery, they
find it is a Hindu wedding, giving the author and illustrator the
chance to display a neat resolution to the tale, with a
multicultural flavour.
The illustrations add an historical level to the story, revealing
the breadth of the collection at the V&A.
Fran Knight
Stormbringers by Philippa Gregory
Simon and Schuster, 2013. ISBN 9780857077356.
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. Historical fiction. Romance.
Religion. In 1453, a stranger tells Luca Vero, a trainee priest,
that he has been chosen to search for indicators that the end of the
world is imminent. Along with his servant, Freize, and clerk,
Brother Peter, they travel across Europe, where they meet Isolde, a
Lady Abbess, who has left the abbey with her servant, Ishraq, to
regain her inheritance, stolen by her brother. Isolde and Luca are
attracted and all five begin to travel together, the two becoming
closer. So begins the first book Changeling in this series Order
of Darkness, introducing the main characters and their plans.
Stormbingers, the second in the series, takes them to Piccolo
in Italy where they are amazed at the large number of ragged and
weary children, and entering the town find that a charismatic leader
has told them of Jerusalem and the last days where the graves will
open. Luca must interview this young man to see if he can add
anything to his knowledge about the end of the world, his reason for
travelling. But he and Isolde are transfixed by the words he utters,
thinking that he is speaking to them about their lost parents, and
being together once again. The suspicious Freize doubts Johann and
questions his motives. But follow him they do, and when a tidal wave
occurs, sucking the water out of the harbour, Johann and his
followers think it is a sign from God to walk across the sea. When
the water returns most of the children are drowned along with many
from the village, so Isolde and Ishraq are branded stormbringers and
put on trial for their lives.
Gregory weaves a tale redolent of Medieval life, with its plethora
of suspicions and religious fervor, the crusades and hatred of Islam
behind the ill-fated children's crusade of the fifteenth century.
Although historians disagree about the possibility of the children's
crusade, Gregory's story rings true because of the mass of detail
which forms the formidable background, and the interplay between the
main characters will have readers following their story eagerly.
Fran Knight
