Little Hare, 2012. pbk., 32pp. RRP $A19.95. ISBN 9781921894114.
The excitement leading up to and surrounding the birth of a new baby
sister or brother is almost immeasurable. But what happens
when the baby is finally there and Big Sister (or Big Brother)
discovers that really, this baby isn't much fun because all it does
is eat, sleep, cry and fill its nappy? The whole event can become a
bit of an anti-climax! In this gorgeous book, Jan Ormerod
literally offers 101 things that can be done with Baby, each one of
which is a simple but loving act. But for all that this
special person is loved and lovable, the nicest time is when Baby
has gone down for the night and you get your parents back again, all
to yourself.
In cartoon-like frames, we follow Big Sister through the day with
all the things she does, things that often go unnoticed but are all
part of having a new baby in the house and help her be the BEST big
sister. Even the most mundane can become a new game. As well as
being an 'instruction guide' for Big Sister, this book also helps
parents see how they can involve the older child in Baby's care and
the final page is a salutary reminder that they have two children.
With two new babies in the families of Miss 8, Mr 6 and Miss 6, the
events of this book are very familiar and helped us not only to
remember to acknowledge and thank them for all that they did to ease
their little sisters into their lives, but also to remember to make
time for them too.
Ever since I first saw Jan Ormerod's Sunshine, I have loved
her work - and this one is no exception.
Barbara Braxton
Terry Denton's bumper book of holiday stuff to do! by Terry Denton
Penguin, 2012. ISBN 9780 14 330665 8.
(Age: 7+) Recommended. Non fiction. Activities. Published just
in time for the looming school holidays, this is a good little
(well, large!) stocking filler that will use up the tedium of long
drives to the relatives, days spent at the beach with nothing to do,
and those idle hours when all seems grey. Looking rather like a book
of black line masters, I was at first put off, but going inside, I
was drawn by the plethora of things to do, pages to fill in, things
to find, colours to render, drawings to be made . . . all calling
not on repetition and copying of what is there, but imagination and
observation. Terry Denton's funny drawings cover most of the pages,
and to my eyes, are full of interest because of the size presented.
The tiny drawings which are offered in other books are difficult to
see and so diminish the joke.
So we have pages devoted to school break up, Christmas, beach
holiday, city holiday, camping and so on, all the things which make
up a typical Australian Christmas holiday season. Each chapter, and
yes, they are in chapters, delineated with a contents page, gives
things to do associated with that time. So in Camping, for example,
the opening double page spread is a Where's Wally style of
presentation, with a plethora of people, tents and activities to be
identified and sorted. Turning the page is a checklist of things to
spot on your way to the campsite, followed by a page where the
reader must list all the things that begin with that letter. After
that several pages are devoted to exhorting the camper to fill in
some drawings of their own, while the following pages are devoted to
food and its companion, ants. Several more pages ask the reader to
fill in a star map, and things they see in the dark. All in all, a
series of pages which ask the reader to observe while being
entertained and illuminated.
Denton warns the reader that they will need pens, ideas, sense and
time, and the canny parent will welcome this book and make sure one
is in the car along with the requisites.
Fran Knight
The fire chronicle by John Stephens
Doubleday, 2012. ISBN 978 0 8575 3087 5.
Highly recommended. The fire chronicle is the second book in The
Books of Beginning series which started with The emerald
atlas. Kate, Michael and Emma have seemingly been abandoned by
their parents although it is for their own protection. As The
fire chronicle opens the children are in the Edgar Allan Poe Home
for Hopeless and Incorrigible Orphans waiting for news of Dr Pym who
helps them on their quest to reunite the Books of Beginning and
prevent a great evil returning to the world. Kate is soon
taken by a Screecher and trapped in nineteenth century New York, so
it is up to Michael and Emma with the help of Dr Pym to try and find
the second book.
As the book progresses we learn more about the prophecy involving
the children and why their parents had to leave them as well as
their nemesis the Dirc Magnus.
I loved The emerald atlas and it was a great pleasure to continue
the story. All of the characters are well developed and the
story combines all its diverse elements into a satisfying
whole. Like all good fantasy stories it can be read on a
number of levels but will especially reward the reader prepared to
put in a little effort. I can't wait for the next installment,
highly recommended.
David Rayner
Let's count kisses illustrated by Karen Hull
Lothian, Hachette Press, 2012. ISBN 978 0 7344 1270.
Recommended. This is a beautiful book, which highlights the many
wonderful species
of Australian butterfly. Supported by a website, the story
counts kisses for many
Australian animals, such as koala, wallaby, galah, kookaburra,
echidna,
wombat, platypus, dingo, crocodile and barn
owl, and gently prepares the listener for a cosy bedtime.
As the story moves along, there are flaps to lift, butterflies to
count, and animals so richly drawn that you could reach into the
page
and give them a big cuddle. The cadence of the
story is light, lulling the listener into a calm and sleepy state,
winding down for bed. Karen Hull's illustrations (done in pencil)
are
amazing and vibrant,
and they caring along the rhyme of the story beautifully, adding
richness to the text that would be sorely lacking
were they not there. The butterflies are a highlight, with an amount
of
detail rarely seen in picture books of
this ilk. The illustrator based the butterfly illustrations on the
photography of Geoff Walker, and the result is
very lifelike.
Prime for not just bed time, but for increasing the all important
early
numeracy and one to one correspondence skills, this book is
recommended
for both home and early years
libraries.
Freya Lucas
Beginner's Guide to Revenge by Marianne Musgrove
Random House, 2012. ISBN: 9781742750866.
(Age: 10+) Recommended. South Australian author Marianne Musgrove,
best known for the junior novels The Worry Tree and Lucy
the Lie Detector, has created two engaging and insightful
protagonists in Romola and Sebastian. The Beginner's Guide to
Revenge is a light hearted, humorous and insightful story
which will capture the attention of readers ages 10-13.
Firstly, there are two things you should know about Romola, she has
a bombastic and fiery spirit, and she is ferociously proud of her
father, a serving soldier. Also, Romola has had a lot of practice in
starting new schools, but not always making friends. It just never
gets any easier! But this time around Romola has a plan. She will
unleash New and Improved Romola and everyone at her school will see
just how exciting, funny and pleasant she is. Unfortunately, just
when Romola sees her plan working, she is given the opportunity to
honour her father on ANZAC Day but a snide and insensitive remark
from a 'friend' causes Romola's blood to boil, and she is then
confronted with a dilemma; will she allow Old Romola to retaliate or
ignore the remark and continue to play her 'new and improved' role.
Sebastian has a conundrum of his own; he is desperate to reunite his
family before his mother makes the biggest mistake and marries a
'square bear' named Marshall. It is opportunistic that Romola and
Sebastian find an ally in each other, however through their scheming
and plotting both discover much more about themselves, and find that
the merciless and passionate quest for sweet revenge is not what
they hoped for.
It is clear from the outset of the novel that Romola and Sebastian
feel they exist at the fringes of their communities. They struggle
to 'fit in' at home and in school and so seek methods to retain
control over their worlds. Musgrave sensitively underscores the
concept of 'revenge' with exploration of being different, handling
change, isolation, and bullying. I enjoyed Musgrove's prose, she
invites readers into the characters psyche by using carefully
constructed inner monologues and representing the intricate process
of rationalisation. Readers will identify with Romola and
Sebastian's moral dilemma, but also their sense of justice.
Ultimately, this is a precious coming of age story about friendship
and family, and the bonds which unite these elements to make us the
people we are. Readers will feel empathy for the wonderfully flawed
Romola and Sebastian, yet also laugh out loud when they are caught
up in the sticky mess of revenge!
Marni Trevena
The Odyssey retold by Gillian Cross
Ill. by Neil Packer. Walker Books, 2012. ISBN 9781406303674.
(Age: 9+) Recommended. Greek myths. Reading a new edition of The
Odyssey is like meeting an old friend. The stories are the
same, although the rendering of them slightly different, the
illustrations new and unusual, but at its heart it is familiar and
evokes comfort. So the tale of Odysseus trying to return home after
ten long years at war with Troy, is full of the stories of Cyclops
and Circe, the Sirens, Penelope rejecting her unwanted suitors,
Poseidon's winds, Calypso and more, while at its heart it tells of
man's battle against the whim of the Gods and his own frailties.
If Odysseus had not taunted Cyclops after escaping his island,
perhaps his father Poseidon, would not have called the winds to cast
the boat upon the seas, perhaps if Odysseus' men had not been
suspicious and opened the bag of winds then nine years of sailing
the seas would not have been wasted, perhaps if they had not upset
the Gods, then the men on his boat would have been able to sail
safely home. Reading these again, I was struck again by the frailty
of men, the fragility of their existence, their dependence on
cunning and guile to get them through, the strength of character
usually shown by Odysseus, and that of his wife Penelope, in
rejecting the suitors crowding at her door. And this retelling flows
beautifully.
In illustrating these beautiful old stories, Packer has used a
variety of techniques, rendering the pictures accompanying the tales
with a mixture of collage, line drawings, sometimes emulating the
Greek vases and their drawings, shadow pictures and outlines, or
using black with great effect. Whatever technique is used the
illustrations give details which reflect the story well. I love the
illustrations giving a family tree, outlining the Gods and their
relationships with each other as they appear on the scene, and the
map showing the seas traversed by Odysseus and his men, as well as
the illustrations on the front and back of the slip cover on this
impressively produced hard cover book. The thicker pages are durable
and strong, allowing for lots of little and big hands to open and
read, for teachers to read aloud, for people to borrow and read at
home, marvelling at the sepia tones presented on each page.
reminding us all over again that this is an old story, one passed
down through the ages, told and read over millenia, and here
tantalisingly re-offered.
Fran Knight
Dark Star by Lara Morgan
The Rosie Black Chronicles, Book 3. Walker Books, 2012 ISBN
9781921529412.
(Age: 11+) Sci-fi/Fantasy. Adventure. Recommended. With foresight,
Rosie allows herself to be taken by the 40 year old man to the city
of Newpath a place where operatives are trained. All eyes are on her
as they mistrust her motivation and are alert to any mistake she may
make, exposing herself as a spy. The opening paragraphs clearly show
the reader what has happened in the previous two chronicles of Rosie
Black and this stunning book will entreat them to stay till the end.
For this is an adventure, although superficially like many others
with strong willed young female heroes, is dissimilar with its
science fiction themes.
But power struggles are going on and implicate even the most benign
of managers, as Rosie finds that it is the manager of the powerful
Helios company that really rules and it is he and his cronies who
have let the deadly MalX virus spread, controlling the population.
Into the mix, Pip is brought. It is his blood they are after as it
seems to have an inbuilt immunity to MalX and so could prove
invaluable to the company that owns it. But the other volunteers in
the research establishment are dying, and Pip really seeks to find
Rosie to explain things to her, as they left on bad terms.
So the story develops as the survival of the two is tantamount.
But things within Helios are not running smoothly. Rebellion is
brewing and so a powerful denouement is to be reached. A great third
book within this series, it should keep readers hooked up to the
last pages. Parallels to modern problems abound if the reader cares
to make comparisons. A good website
introducing the series is available.
Fran Knight
Below deck on the sunken wreck illustrated by Mandy Foot
Lothian, 2012. ISBN 9780 7344 1282 9
(Age: 4+) Marine life, Rhyming tale. One of a series produced by
Lothian, all illustrated in Mandy Foot's distinctive style, this is
a rhyming tale of a what has happened beneath the waves. Others in
the series, The wheels on the bus, All set for the big wet, and so
on can be found on Mandy's website.
Each is bold, distinctive and uses humour well to get across its
message.
Two children dive on the wreck of the old sailing ship lodged firmly
on the bottom of the ocean floor. In diving around the wreck they
come across many identifiable objects, an octopus, shark, schools of
fish, dolphins, starfish and so on, as well as clutter from the
wreck, a wheel, treasure chest, spyglass, lamps, and a fishing net.
Small children will have some fun recognising the range of animals
drawn, of locating them all, and finding the sea horse which appears
on all the pages. The tale can be read aloud before using the book
as a search for clues about what happened to the ship and ponder
about what it might be called.
Fran Knight
Clementine Rose and the surprise visitor by Jacqueline Harvey
Random House, Australia 2012. pbk., 128pp., RRP $A12.95.
And so begins the first in a new series of books by Jacqueline
Harvey, who is also the author of the Alice-Miranda series.
Clementine Rose is just five years old, and gets into all sorts of
situations that young girls can relate to and which make her lovable
and fun. She has a pet teacup pig called Lavender, and between them,
they bring new life to both Penberthy House and Lady Clarissa. But
when scary Aunt Violet comes to stay with her mysterious black bag,
things take an awkward turn . . .
This is a book for the newly-independent reader who is looking for a
recognisable character and the support of short chapters, an
easy-to-read style with a splash of humour and cute illustrations
that add a richness to the story. Many young girls will see
themselves in the story, either as Clementine Rose or a close
friend. While this is the first in the series, others are in the
pipeline and it's delightful to find an author who is prepared to
let their little girl heroines be little girls, not 5-going-on-15.
You can recommend this to parents for their daughters' Christmas
stockings with confidence. There's a book trailer at http://jacquelineharvey.com.au/
(scroll down) and no doubt she will have her own website in time.
Barbara Braxton
Getting over Garrett Delaney by Abby McDonald
Candlewick Press, 2012. ISBN 9780763655075.
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Seventeen year old Sadie has been in love
with her best friend Garrett Delaney ever since he came into her
life. Together they read Proust, go to art movies and listen to 80's
indie rock. However he is oblivious to her obsession and when he
falls in love with another girl at a summer literary retreat, Sadie
decides it is time for her to have a total detox of Garrett Delaney.
With the help of a 12 step plan, her new job and friends at the
cafe, including a good looking chef, Josh, Sadie embarks on a life
getting over Garrett.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I followed Sadie in all her
ups and downs as she came to realise that she couldn't keep waiting
forever for Garrett to notice her. I applauded as she came to grips
with her feelings, cried with her through her bad moments and
enjoyed reading about the friendships she made as she worked as a
barista. It is a coming of age story too, as Sadie realises
that she has to make her own life without Garrett and when doing
this finds out just what she wants in her friends and job. She sorts
through her books and finds that she wants to keep some of the
literature that she and Garrett both read, but other books she
discards. She tries different movies and music finding that she
enjoys new things that once she and Garrett made fun of. Most
importantly, she discovers the joy of making new friends.
The themes of friendship and self-perception and moving on are
handled with humour and sympathy by the author. Teenage girls will
empathise with Sadie as many will have had an unrequited crush or
know someone who obsesses over a boy who doesn't notice them at all.
Readers who enjoyed Lola and the boy next door by Stephanie
Perkins and books by Sarah Dessen should enjoy reading about the
tribulations and fun that Sadie has while learning about herself and
growing up.
Pat Pledger
There's a monster under my bed who farts by Tim Miller and Matt Stanton
ABC Books, 2012. ISBN 978 0 7333 3125 1.
(Age: 6+) Picture book. Body parts. Humour. The monster
in this house farts at the most inappropriate times. He farts
under the bed, he makes enormous smells in the toilet, his belly
rumbles so badly that he blocks out the television, in the car,
everyone is overcome, in the supermarket, people avoid the family
because of the smells emanating from one of its members. The monster
is able to fill the balloons for the birthday party, but when a fart
blows out the candles on the cake, he is evicted. And so on it goes,
the young boy complaining about the monster who farts better than
his Dad, or who farts under the kitchen bench or in the bath, but we
must turn to the last page to work out just who this monster is.
The wide eyed characters in this funny story will grab the attention
of the book's readers, laughing along as they begin to realise just
who the monster is, recognising situations at home and sometimes in
the classroom. The bold illustrations reflect the story well.
Readers will laugh at the faces made by all concerned and the
contrasting style of illustration with the images set against a one
colour background will entreat the readers, inviting them to look
more closely at the images of the boy and his family.
This book would be a wonderful adjunct to lessons about body parts
and their uses, as well as a cautionary tale to discuss when the
obvious happens either at home or in the classroom.
Fran Knight
Marty's Nut-Free Party by Katrina Roe
Wombat Books, 2012. ISBN: 9781921633362.
Recommended for children aged 3 and above. Party animal, Marty the
Monkey, loved nothing more than going to parties. At each he'd
arrive early and leave late. His favourite treat at every party was
the big bowl of nuts that always seemed to be present. Unfortunately
for Marty, whenever he ate peanuts, he would get sick . . . so sick,
in fact that he ended up in hospital. When the Doctor told him he
was allergic to peanuts, Marty thought the Doctor was just being
mean. Despite his promises to his mum, when Marty went to Emma's
party he decided his mum would never find out if he ate just one
peanut. Of course, the naughty little monkey again woke up to find
himself in hospital. After being banned from attending any more
parties and missing several, Marty finally convinced his mum to let
him go to Gemma's birthday party. Although he did the right things
and ate the food his mum had packed for him, he ate a piece of cake.
Even the trace of nuts Marty must have eaten saw him again return to
hospital. When his mother finally throws Marty his very own nut-free
birthday party, his friends decide that there really is no party
without Marty and all of their parties in future could be nut-free
to ensure that he can attend.
Although I found this book to be somewhat didactic, perhaps for
young children it would appear to be less so. The illustrations are
bright, stylised and simple and certainly give the story a lot of
appeal. Certainly, it revolves around an important issue and, with
so many children in schools suffering from various allergies, would
be an asset to any classroom or library. Teachers would undoubtedly
be grateful for such a simple tale to use as a starting point for
discussion with Junior Primary classes and it should fit into a
health program with ease.
Jo Schenkel
The emu that laid the golden egg by Yvonne Morrison
Ill. by Heath McKenzie. Little Hare, 2012. hbk., RRP $A24.95. ISBN
9781921894008.
'A long time ago, amid hills dry and brown
A flock of wild emus moved into town
They were hoping to find something wholesome to eat
So they set up their base at the end of Main Street . . .'
Because of the drought, these emus weren't fussy so they tried
everything that looked like food, even cans of soft drink carelessly
thrown away. But Emma decided she wanted a big, fat juicy, black
beetle and when it escaped her snapping beak she set off on its tail
and trail. The beetle escapes but Emma found something else instead
. . . some kernels of corn in a creek.
'It was strange-looking corn, oddly heavy and bright
And before long her stomach no longer felt right'.
The rest of this hilarious story is about what happens to Emma,
creating a uniquely Australian version of Aesop's classic The Goose
that laid the Golden Egg. Poor Emma! She falls victim to Nasty Ned
and Pongo Pete who decide rather than stealing a golden egg from the
nest every day, it would be much easier to kidnap the bird. And to
use that time-honoured cliche, you'll have to read the story to find
out what happens. But it is a tale that has to be told. Miss 6 and I
loved it!!
Yvonne Morrison and Heath McKenzie have teamed up previously to
write other Australian parodies of legendary tales such as The
Cocky who Cried Dingo, and Town Possum, Outback Possum
and their magic and chemistry just keep getting better. This is my
favourite so far. I love the use of the word 'flummoxed' and the
other superb vocabulary that has been woven into the rhyme - just
fabulous for extending young minds, and their own writing. How much
richer and engaging is 'The pair hoisted Emma on top of their nag'
than 'They lifted Emma onto their horse'? Perfect picture books are
those where the text and illustrations enhance each other into a
seamless whole, and the Morrison-McKenzie combo achieves this
brilliantly.
On the surface, it is just a rollicking good yarn but there are so
many themes that could be explored such as the impact of drought on
our native creatures; littering and unexpected consequences (and
this could be compared with sea creatures swallowing plastic or the
bears scavenging rubbish bins in Canada); greed and honesty - the
list goes on. Even though its primary audience is younger children,
this is definitely a picture book for older students as well as they
can compare the original to the parody and all the literary avenues
that that opens up. But, better still, have the students put their
Nasty Ned and Pongo Pete hats on to devise a plan to kidnap an emu!
Think of the creative and imaginative thinking such a task would
produce.
This books fits into the Australian National Curriculum on so many
levels, it's a must-have. (And for those of you with little people,
it would be just perfect for the toe of the Christmas stocking!)
Barbara Braxton
Good night sleep tight by Mem Fox
Ill. by Judy Horaeck. Scholastic Australia 2012. ISBN: 978174283579.
(Age 3-6) Recommended. Another wonderful offering from the creative hive that is Mem Fox and Judy Horaeck, very much in the illustrative style of Where is the Green Sheep?.
According to Fox, this book is a reproduction of something she produced in 1988, based on some information she had heard, that children who come to school knowing 6 Nursery Rhymes are usually in the top reading group by age 8 - so she wrote a book weaving in 7, factoring in one extra, for good luck.
The book features two young ones, Bonnie and Ben, and their male babysitter, Skinny Doug. This was so refreshing to see, all too often, aside from the token 'Dads are AWESOME' style books, much of the picture book world of young children is animals, children and mothers. Having a male care giver was a refreshing change - especially to the young test audience I read this with, who very much enjoys having male carers, both at home and in out of school hours care.
The structure of the book is simple - Skinny Doug spouts a series of rhymes at bedtime for Bonnie and Ben, who greet each offering with 'We love it! We love it!' 'How does it go? Will you say it again?', to which Skinny Doug responds 'Some other time - but I'll tell you another I heard from my mother.'
This is a book which is ideal for those aged 3 - 6, and would be a valuable addition to any home or school library.
Freya Lucas
Flying Kites: Friendly Street Poets 36 edited by Judy Dally and Louise McKenna
Wakefield Press, 2012. ISBN 9781743051009.
Having just finished this collection of poems I have become acutely
aware of one thing; I should read more poetry. Our 'modern'
lifestyle seems to mean that we have far too many competing demands
and far too little time. My reading time is divided roughly into
three equal parts; Adult Fiction, Young Adult Fiction and Adult
Non-Fiction. Where is the time for poetry you ask? I do read the odd
collection of a trusted favourite but nowhere near enough.
This 36th anthology from the Friendly Street Collective reminds me
why people write poetry and why we should read it. I can't pretend
to have loved every poem in the collection but the standard was
uniformly good and there were some seriously fine poems that I
re-read more than once. The beauty of any anthology is that you have
lots of styles and subject matter to choose from and here is no
exception. Standout poems for me were John Pfitzner's Pointless,
Sharon Kernot's Dear Publisher, and both efforts from Mike
Hopkins, The Adelaide Taxi Driver's Prayer and my personal
favourite, Last of the Cat Poems.
Stephen Bull
