Zoe and Beans series. Macmillan Children's Books, 2012. ISBN 9780
330 54405 4.
(Age: 6+) Christmas. Zoe has a Christmas wish for a doll in a box,
called Kyle Kurtz. She would really love this doll and so makes up
her mind to go to the North Pole to put her Christmas wish list on
the pole itself for Santa to receive. So they do. Along the way she
and Beans meet a baby polar bear and it tags along with them. They
eat their jam sandwiches, and have a few scrapes in getting out of
the water and ice. When they finally arrive, it is almost
Christmas Eve and so they wonder where Santa has been and what he
has left them.
Beautiful illustrations hold the reader's attention as the two from
the series survive in the hostile Northern Arctic. The book has a
page which opens out making it even more interesting to younger
readers. A definite read aloud, this will intrigue and delight
younger listeners as they see the trio survive the adventures that
befall them. The book will open up all sorts of discussions for
families and classes, Christmas, wish lists, the North Pole, polar
bears and how people survive in such a hostile place.
Fran Knight
One very tired wombat by Renee Treml
Random House, 2012. hbk., RRP $A$19.95. ISBN 9781742755786. Ebook
9781742749013.
'1 very tired wombat, settles down to sleep.The morning is
calm and silent; wombat doesn't hear a peep.'Until. .
. 2 curious curlews, 3 furtive frogmouths, and a host of other birds
come by and disturb the peace. Until there is one feather too
many . . .
Written and illustrated by an artist with an amazing eye for detail
and the ability to be accurate yet quirky at the same time, the
unique illustrations are what set this book apart from others about
creatures trying to sleep; from others about wombats; and from
others that have a counting pattern embedded in them. The
illustrations are 'created using a scratchboards covered in white
clay. The shape of each animal is then blocked out in black ink and,
when this is dry, Renee uses a craft knife to scratch in features
such as faces, fur and feathers'. It's very much the grown-up
version of scratching illustrations into a coloured card covered in
thick, black wax crayon.
The result is a unique picture book that works on every level,
including offering tidbits of information about all the native birds
featured in the story. Something different for your new year's
book display.
Barbara Braxton
Terratoratan by Mac Park
Boy vs beast. Battle of the mega-mutants. Scholastic/Pop and Fizz,
2012. ISBN 9781921931185.
(Ages: 7-9) Another in the Boy vs Beast series finds Kai Masters,
now a Border Captain having to fight mega-mutants in Beastium.
A prologue at the front of Terratoratan summarises the setting and
characters for a reader new to the series, which is aimed at young
boys, just beginning to read. Kai Masters is an intriguing hero and
here he has to assemble a team to fight the mega-mutants and find
ways to save the earth.
It is sure to appeal to its audience. It has large print,
illustrations that boys are certain to like, lots of gadgets,
science testing pest poo, pests making clones and other equalling
entertaining objects to draw the reader in.
Pat Pledger
The Voyage of the Unquiet Ice by Andrew McGahan
Ship Kings, 2. Allen and Unwin, 2012. ISBN 9781742378220.
(Recommended for 13+) We meet our hero Dow Amber at a dizzying
height on the mast of the battleship Chloe as he undertakes
seamanship tests in this second of the Ship Kings series. In The
Coming of the Whirlpool Dow left New Island to follow his dream of
seafaring in the age of sail. Now the alighting of an Ice Albatross
on the crossbars of the mast foreshadows good or bad luck. Dow's
confrontation with an ocean maelstrom had gained him respect and
Captain Vincente has taken him on board the Chloe to meet the Sea
Lord, Ibanez, on the huge floating city, the Twelfth Kingdom. From
here, Ibanez rules the other 11 kingdoms on Great Island. But
trouble is brewing as his son, Nadal, has departed 5 years hence to
discover the riddle of the North Pole and the Ice Wall but has not
returned, and the question of who will succeed Ibanez is pressing.
It is up to the Chloe to discover if Nadal is still alive.
They survive bitter cold to discover the secret of the Ice Wall and
the shifting chasm to the North Pole. They discover what had
happened to some of the earlier explorers and manage to return
almost home before disaster strikes. Dow is facing death on trumped
up charges but fate intervenes, and we leave him facing his next
battle in The War of the Four Isles. Will he reconnect with the
scarred scapegoat, Nell and will his rival, Diego, defeat him?
These swashbuckling books are unpredictable, imaginative and
beautifully written. There are adventures, battles, cannons,
violence, death, mystery, romance, betrayal and cataclysms. The
detail and pace may deter the younger readers but these books reward
those who persevere and adults will enjoy them as well. This is Boys
Own Stuff which girls, too, will love; I can see them as a movie or
TV series.
Kevyna Gardner
Vinni versus Bluebottle by Gerry Bobsien and Shane Von Westernhagen
Walker Books, 2012. ISBN 9781921720413
(Ages: 6-9) Recommended for newly independent readers. Vinni
is down at the beach trying to keep cool. When he spots a bluebottle
things begin to go wrong. He is thrown into a weird world where he
meets creatures from the sea and has to battle the giant Bluebottle
all the while trying to escape back to the beach.
Peopled with believable characters and a great dog, Vinni versus
Bluebottle evokes all the feelings of hot summer days, life at
the beach and the joy of exploring rock pools and cooling off in the
water. Vinni as portrayed in the memorable illustrations by Shane
Von Westernhagen is a solid young boy who is adventurous and
courageous. Cracker his faithful dog is intelligent and brave.
Readers will learn much about ocean life, bluebottles and rock
pools, but it is the adventure under the water that will appeal to
them. They will have fun imagining what it would be like to be
shrunk to a tiny size and to be the prey of a giant bluebottle.
Thrills abound as Vinni tries his best to work out a way to get back
to shore, making an underwater escape vehicle and chatting with
fish.
This is an exciting story that boys will really like but will also
appeal to girls.
Pat Pledger
Burning Blue by Paul Griffin
Text Publishing, 2012. ISBN 1922079146.
(Age: 15+) Burning Blue is a relatable, thrill and mystery themed
novel that is set in the first person of a young adult boy called
Jay Nazarro. Jay is a very intelligent computer hacker who is set
upon solving the mystery of Nicole Castro. Nicole was the victim of
a horrible acid attack that caused half of the most popular girl in
school's face to be burned and because of her high status this
creates a lot of suspects. Jay takes it upon himself to solve the
increasingly difficult mystery as two more girls get entwined in the
solving of the problem: Cherry, a local Starbucks waitress, and
Angela, a punk emo that Jay had encountered in the past.
With Jay's odd and twisted past and his mysterious dad he finds it
comforting to confide in Nicole who also needs a friend and
confidant.
This novel contains characters that are so easy to relate to that
when you put the book down you feel like you know them personally.
The writing technique is easy to understand and the way that Paul
Griffin has written his novel keeps the reader wanting to turn each
page and find out and solve the mystery. This novel is targeted at
an older audience; young adults and late teens would be well suited
to understand themes in this novel.
Sarah Filkin (Student)
Om Shanti, Babe by Helen Limon
Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2012. ISBN 9781847803573
(Age: 11 - 14) Highly recommended. This is a delightful novel on
many levels as a light touch of humour embellishes a story about
family, friendship and the environment. Whilst it is a deserved
winner of the 2011 Frances Lincoln Diverse Voices award, it is not a
didactic book for the many strands of the story are woven together
quite skilfully and with an entertaining flavour.
Cassia is lonely and unhappy and feels the world is against her. She
has lost her best friend before flying out to India and it appears
she is also about to lose her Mum to a new boyfriend. Whilst Cassia
thought that Bollywood had taught her all she needed to know about
India she soon learns that the reality of India is quite different.
One of Helen Limon's talents is that she allows the reader to both
laugh at Cassia but also to sympathise with her, as Cassia realises
that she has been so self-absorbed that she has not seen the world
for what it is, she has only seen her version of it.
It is delightful to read a novel for young teens where parents are
not conveniently absent, but rather are front and centre. Cassia
finds that both her parents and their friends can provide her with
support and guidance as she struggles to make sense of her world. As
the story unfolds, it is also telling that both Cassia and her new
friend, Priyanka, learn that mother-daughter relationships can cause
angst regardless of where you are born!
Frequent references to the Rumer Godden novel The Peacock Spring
add an extra layer to this witty and entertaining novel and
emphasise the substance beneath the surface. The candle factory
thread of the story may stretch the credibility a tad, but given the
intended readership, it adds a sense of adventure which seems
appropriate.
All in all, this is a charming novel.
Deborah Marshall
Skylark by Meagan Spooner
Random House, 2012. ISBN: 9780552565561.
Recommended for older readers, aged 15 and over. The teen fantasy
novel Skylark, written by Meagan Spooner, starts in the
deceptively well-ordered and apparently peaceful post-apocalyptic
world of the only remaining city on earth, a city surrounded by the
legendary Wall, the protective barrier created to stop the reputedly
dangerous horrors of the world beyond. Life for 16 year old Lark
Ainsley is far from ordinary, however; while most children dutifully
attend school and learn their lessons, awaiting their selection for
assignment to a particular occupation on Harvest Day, usually before
their twelfth birthdays, Lark is sneaking into the school through
the sewers to look at the Harvest Day names' list and wondering why
she hasn't been harvested yet. As she has been taught, like all the
other children, to fear the magical power of the Resource, she must
elude the copper mechanical pixies which can sense any use of the
Resource and capture those individuals guilty for Adjustment. But it
is on the day when she knows for sure that her name is not the
Harvest Day list, that her brother Caesar, a Regulator, arrives at
their parents' flat to announce that she has been selected for
harvesting on this Harvest Day list after all.
So begins Lark's journey into the Institute of Magic and Philosophy,
and her discovery that the reason why no-one ever explains exactly
what happens during a harvesting, except for the delectable,
enormous feast which follows it, is because their memories have been
altered by the Institute in their quest for continued power: an
unbelievably terrible truth about what harvesting really means. It
is what Lark learns in the Institute which shows her that her only
possible escape is through the Wall into the world beyond.
For experienced readers familiar with the dystopian fiction of some
of the great writers in English literature - H.G. Wells' The
Time Machine, Aldous Huxley's Brave New World and
George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four or fans of The
Matrix film series - Spooner's new novel resonates with all
the distrust of any society, institution or organisation of people
which hides the true nature of their actions beneath a heavy cloak
of secrecy and polite social veneer. However, within the darkness of
a society which does not protect its children, but deliberately and
calculatingly steers them toward a hidden torture and a life of
unthinking compliance with what actually constitutes evil, the
character of Lark is a bright light, shining with the determination
that can only be born of great endurance through a terrible ordeal.
Although her escape is forced upon her under otherwise unthinkable
circumstances, her journey through the Wall takes her into a world
that is peopled with individuals who are far more human than the
monsters in her home-city: the very individuals who will help her in
her fight against the Institute and all it stands for.
Kate Hall
The Death Catchers by Jennifer Anne Kogler
Bloomsbury, 2012. ISBN: 9780802727978.
(Ages: 12+)4 stars. What a book! The Death Catchers is a
thrilling and captivating book about a girl named Lizzy Mortimer who
finds out that she has the power to save innocent lives and
intercept unnecessary deaths. With the help of her formidable
grandmother Bizzy they save three lives, including the life of Drake
Westfall, the last decedent of. . . Not telling! You'll
have to find out for yourself!!!
I really think you should read this book and I would like to
congratulate Jennifer Anne Kogler for her ability to make even the
hair on the back of my neck prickle with horror.
Lilly S. (Student)
Mary MacKillop: Australia's first saint by Gabiann Marin
New Frontier Publishing, 2012. ISBN 9781921928192.
(Age: 7+) In 1866, Mary MacKillop and Father Woods opened a school
in Penola. At the time, their determination to provide an education
for all children, regardless of family income, was remarkable. The
first colonial governments to introduce free, compulsory schooling
did so six years later and the last followed suit in
1893.
The life of the founder of the Josephite movement is told in Mary
MacKillop: Australia's first saint. Gabiann Marin has revealed how
Mary MacKillop's attitudes were shaped by her family and experiences
and how her practical, if sometimes unconventional, thinking enabled
her to create a new religious order and establish schools and other
institutions in Australia and New Zealand. Mary MacKillops' eventful
life and her dedication to both religion and education, make her a
challenging subject for a brief biography. The author has succeeded
in charting the development of both aspects of this dynamic
educator's life and achievements, as well as conveying her ability
to inspire others and her resolve when facing criticism from some
church and government
authorities.
The text is written in short sentences, with minimum elaboration,
and a moderately large font. Chapter headings, as well as a timeline
at the end of the book, guide readers through the stages of Mary
McKillop's life. The hand-painted illustrations by Angela Grzegrolka
are sympathetic and in keeping with the publishing style of other
titles in the Aussie heroes series. Readers unfamiliar with
Catholicism may be unclear about the meaning of some of the terms
used, while the use of words now considered to be inappropriate when
used in relation to Indigenous people, mars an otherwise readable
and informative
story.
Gabiann Marin's conclusion that Mary MacKillop's legacy is
significant to all Australians is certainly justified by the life
story of a woman whose initiative, conviction and commitment to
equity, helped to promote the belief that education is a right not a
privilege.
Elizabeth Bor
This is me: The autobiography by Ian Thorpe
Simon and Schuster, 2012. ISBN 978 1 4711 0122 9.
Highly recommended. This story gives a unique insight into the world
of competitive swimming at the very highest level. As the
story unfolds we can follow Ian in his return to competitive
swimming after his early retirement. We see the incredible
amount of hard work and dedication involved in sport at the highest
level. Sacrifices are made and the wonder is not why he
retired so early, but how he lasted so long.
The chapters follow the time in the lead up to the Olympic trials
and the attempt to gain a place in the team. I especially
liked the way he describes his relationship with the water and how
that can tell him what he needs to do with his stroke and how elite
swimmers can become quite territorial about their water.
Interwoven is the story of a remarkable young man who had fame
thrust upon him and had to endure an intrusive press whilst going
through everything that any teenager has to go through whilst
fighting off depression which at that stage had not been diagnosed.
What emerges is a complex young man who has achieved much, his
charitable work and empathy with indigenous Australians is just one
example. You cannot help but think that he is entitled to be
left alone to get on with his swimming and other works and that
there is still much to come.
David Rayner
One gorilla: A counting book by Anthony Browne
Walker Books, 2012. ISBN 9781406325799. (Age: Pre-School - 6) Highly recommended. Picture book. Diversity. Former Children's Laureate and author of timeless classics like Willy the wimp and Gorilla, Anthony Browne has once again come up with a stunning book that children will love. Starting off with one gorilla, two orang-utangs and three chimpanzees, Browne counts on through the primate family finishing his counting with 10 lemurs. But that is not enough for him. He extends this beautiful book with the words: 'All Primates. All one family. All my family...' which are illustrated with a self-portrait and in a stunning conclusion, with the words, 'And yours', he has drawn a huge range of faces, of many colours and cultural diversity. Readers new to Browne's work are in for a treat and those who are familiar with Browne's artistic talent will revel in the beautiful portrayal of expressions on the primates' faces. No two have similar facial expressions, some look happy, some are old and wrinkled, some shy but all are done in exquisite detail, with attention given in particular to whiskers, which I personally found fascinating! But this is more than just a counting book. Children and adults will have a wonderful time looking at each page and comparing the difference in the animals' faces. There is much to discuss about the primate family and about similarities and differences in each family group, especially our own. My grand daughter, aged 3, loves Anthony Browne so much that she informed me on Skype that she didn't have some of Anthony Browne's books. In the back of one of her books were the cover illustrations of Anthony Browne's books and she showed me which ones she was missing. I am the Book Grandma, so of course I purchased them for her. I can't wait for her to see this very special book. In the classroom, astute teachers could have a lot of fun looking at Browne's wonderful pictures and extending children's thoughts about the diversity of the people who live in the world. Pat Pledger
1001 Aussie crack-ups from Camp Quality
Scholastic Australia, 2012. ISBN9781742833194.
(Age: Primary) Recommended for children who like jokes. There are
100's of jokes contained in this volume. They have come from
Australian children, celebrities and the public and would
keep entertained even those children who like to tell jokes over and
over again. Perhaps they would give some variety to the long
suffering adult who has to listen to the same joke repeatedly.
Here is a sample of one of the jokes and it will give you an idea of
the fun that will be had with this book:
Where did the Aussie general keep his armies? In his sleevies
(Sebastian Terry, 100 Things charity campaigner).
A Contents page organises the book into different topics. Examples
are: It's an emergency (Which Australian reptile is always
sick? A crookodile.); Goody geography (Which country has the
most microbes? Germ-any.)
The purchase of this book will support kids with cancer. Camp
Quality is the children's family cancer charity that 'believes in
building optimism and resilience in the lives of children and
families.' This includes a belief that laughter is the best
medicine. Children also have the opportunity to send in a joke to
Camp Quality and it could be published in the next year's joke book.
This would be an ideal gift for children with a sense of humour and
the source of many chortles in a library.
Pat Pledger
I can jump puddles by Alan Marshall
Penguin/Viking, 2012 (c1955). ISBN: 9780670076840.
Highly recommended. Alan Marshall's partially autobiographical novel
I Can Jump Puddles is a wonderful tale of hardship and hope in the
Australian outback; this is an emotional story guaranteed to move
the reader. This novel provides the reader with a highly detailed
picture of what it was like growing up in early twentieth century
Australia. Set in the first person Alan recounts the suffering he
endured and the doubtless commitment he showed when trying to be
like the other boys.
Alan is the unfortunate sufferer of Infantile Paralysis, an
incurable ailment which can cause various degrees of paralysis;
however he is lucky enough that the paralysis is contained to his
legs. Legs which he is told will never allow him to run races or
break in horses like his father. A boy of the bush, Alan doesn't
allow his condition to hold him back and he persists in walking and
swimming and riding. He refuses to give up on his dreams and shows
extraordinary strength of character in this superb novel about never
giving up hope.
I would highly recommend this novel for people of all ages as it is
a perfect representation of true events and of rural living at the
time. While I cannot say that Alan Marshall's writing is
unparalleled I cannot stress enough how satisfying and life
affirming a read this is.
Kayla Gaskell (Student, Year 11)
I made lattes for a love god by Wendy Harmer
Allen and Unwin, Sydney, 2012. ISBN 9781742379913
(Age 14+) This is the second YA novel by Wendy Harmer and again
follows the ups and downs in the life of teenager, Elly Pickering.
So it is a sequel of sorts and continues the humorous tone of I
Lost my Mobile at the Mall.
However, Harmer's first novel cleverly shone a spotlight on the use
and abuse of social media by the teens in her novel. This added a
unique touch to a story which was essentially about friendship woes
and broken hearts. Although I Made Lattes for a Love God
focuses on the cult of celebrity, this in itself is less original
and the plot unfolds in a rather predictable pattern: Elly and her
sister must learn some humiliating lessons about friendship and
loyalty before the world is restored to normality. Furthermore, the
drama queen lurking in Elly was well balanced in the earlier novel
by her sharp intelligence. Unfortunately, in Harmer's new novel
there is far too much drama queen. Indeed, how two such intelligent
girls as Elly (English award winner) and her sister Tilly (Chemistry
whizz) could be so lacking in smarts when it comes to Jake Blake,
teen mega-star and mega-celeb, may push the bounds of credibility
even as readers chuckle in bemusement.
Elly's parents are well-drawn, in fact this novel could well be an
ode to mothers, for it is Mrs Pickering who is able to steady the
ship both professionally and personally, thus saving some
characters' careers and her own daughters' further embarrassment.
And Grandma's words of wisdom again help Elly to resolve some of the
conflicts in her life, especially when it comes to handling secrets.
Harmer handles dialogue well and knows how to write a funny line.
So, for teen girls looking for a light read, this novel is sure to
please, especially if it is their first taste of Wendy Harmer and
Elly Pickering. However, lovers of I Lost my Mobile at the Mall
may feel a little let down by this continuation of Elly's life as
bright, savvy Elly can only be seen in the last few pages.
Deborah Marshall
