Text Publishing, 2012. ISBN 9781921922916.
(Age: Mature secondary - adult) Highly recommended. Appearing on
best-books-of-the-year lists, the new publication of Patrick White's
Happy Valley brings it back into print after a seventy year
hiatus. White was apparently concerned about charges of racism and
so limited its availability during his lifetime. It is a significant
work, not just because it is White's first novel; and it could form
a fascinating partnership with White's final, unfinished novel, The
Hanging Garden (Random House) for senior English study. Both
novels exude verdant symbolism as an atmospheric meter of emotion
and incident. Both novels validate the feelings and insights of
children and feature a friendship between a vulnerable boy and girl.
In Happy Valley, school-girl Margaret Quong is the enigmatic
daughter of an Anglo-Chinese father and Australian mother. Set in
the early 1930s, a tired, small-town racism exists, but hostility is
also easily turned onto anyone who destabilises the currents of the
ironically named Happy Valley. Newcomer, farm overseer, Clem Hagan,
emits a dangerous, hard sexuality. White skilfully introduces him
and then turns his focus onto a range of other town inhabitants.
Even though the lives of the other characters are gripping, we know
that Hagan's character is waiting on the edge, changing the dynamics
and likely to precipitate a tragedy.
Two of the featured families, the Hallidays and the Moriartys, seem
to be dissimilar; apart from teacher, Ernest Moriarty's asthma and
Hilda Halliday's consumptive cough but their spouses' affairs with
others make them incongruously alike. It is the children, Margaret
and Rodney Halliday, who recognise truth first. The adults must
later choose their own futures.
Patrick White's writing is laden with experimental devices. He
judiciously (some may disagree) uses stream-of-consciousness,
repetitions, unconventional word order in sentences and perfectly
formed and injected images. The writing techniques alone deserve
study and critique.
Joy Lawn
Clementine Rose and the Pet Day Disaster by Jacqueline Harvey
Series: Clementine Rose. Random House Australia, 2013. ISBN:
9781742755434. 160 pages.
Recommended for 6-8 year olds. This is the second book in Jacqueline
Harvey's series about Clementine Rose a five year old orphan who was
delivered in the back of a mini-van, in a basket of dinner rolls.
She now lives in warm loving home filled with colourful characters:
her mother Lady Clarissa Appleby, Digby Pertwhistle the butler (more
like a loving uncle), Lavender her teacup pig and Pharaoh, Aunt
Violet's Sphinx cat.
With such high hopes for her first day of school at Ellery Prep,
Clementine Rose wakes up at four o'clock, gets dressed and makes her
own breakfast. She knows she'll learn how to read, tell the time and
do numbers by the end of this day!
Of course things don't quite turn out as she expected. To Clementine
Rose's chagrin, her kindergarten teacher is Mrs. Ethel Bottomley, a
martinet with high standards, strong views on discipline and class
management. The teacher's grandson Angus Archibald is placed next to
Clementine and continually bullies her during lessons.
The novel culminates with all the dramas of Pet Day. Forgotten
clothes for the teacup pig, helping Aunt Violet with her runaway cat
provide opportunities for Clementine Rose to show her strength of
character.
This book is recommended for confident readers from ages 6-8 years
of age, who enjoy school and family stories. Jacqueline Harvey is
also the author of the Alice-Miranda series that also
follows a female protagonist and her boarding school adventures. J.
Yi's black and white line drawings enhance the reader's enjoyment of
the novel.
Rhyllis Bignell
A week in winter by Maeve Binchy
Orion Publishing Group, 2012. ISBN 978 1 4091 1400 0. 361
pages
Highly recommended. Stone house has been turned into a Hotel and I
can just see it now set high on the cliffs on the west coast of
Ireland, overlooking the windswept Atlantic ocean with its big
dining room where the guests enjoy wonderful home cooked meals and
huge log fires to keep them all warm and cosy.
Each chapter reveals a little about the guests who spend a week in
winter at Stone house. The characters are very real we read that
Henry and Nicola are burdened with a terrible secret, while cheerful
nurse Winnie finds herself on the holiday from hell. John has
arrived on an impulse after he missed a flight at Shannon; eccentric
Freda claims to be a psychic - and a part-time hairdresser. Then
there's Nora, a silent watchful older woman who seems ready to
disapprove at any moment.
Sadly I read that A Week in Winter is Maeve's last novel,
completed days before she died in July 2012. Her husband, Gordon
Snell, agreed that publication should go ahead in the hope that all
her readers will enjoy seeing her weave her magic once again. We
have lost a wonderful story-teller, but her books will always be
with us.
I found this feel good novel a very easy read and certainly enjoyed
the characters. Maeve has such a wonderful way with words whereby
one can visualise the characters and the beautiful scenery. Highly
recommended: no wonder it is the number one bestseller.
Gabriela Weber
Infamous by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Chronicles of Nick Book 3. Atom Books, 2012. ISBN:
978-1-907411-55-7.
(Age: 13+) Recommended. Fantasy/Paranormal. The Chronicles of
Nick series has developed a legion of fans since the
publication of the first volume Infinity in 2010. Nick Gautier and
the Dark-Hunters take readers on another journey into the world of
the Netherworld and dark evil creatures. To all outward appearances,
Nick is a fairly average teenager with a group of friends who hang
out together. But Nick has discovered that he is the Malachai, a
demon of immense power - in fact, the most powerful being of all
such creatures, of whom only one can exist at any time - born to be
the instrument of great evil but conflicted by the human side of his
nature. His father, the unremittingly evil elder Malachai, is
somehow still alive and relentlessly plotting to kill him. His
mother is completely unaware of the demonic nature of either her son
or his father, believing the father to be mentally unstable and
always alert to any signs that Nick may be also affected. His
closest friends are, in fact, his protectors - themselves ancient
creatures from the Netherworld with their own powers and abilities,
all cloaked in the guise of ordinary teenagers.
The dichotomy of Nick's nature means that either he will be the
ultimate downfall of the world or the greatest hero in history but
before he reaches that point he must battle both new and old
enemies, risking his own life before he has even attained his full
strength of Malachai powers.
Kenyon has a real flair for conveying drama and excitement in Nick's
dilemma and neatly juxtaposes this with wit and humour. Readers
easily relate to the authenticity of Nick and his friends in both
their regular and demonic aspects. While the abundance of characters
can make reading a little tricky for readers new to the series, the
story itself loses none of its impetus through this.
Sue Warren
Infinity Ring : A mutiny in time by James Dashner
Scholastic, 2012. ISBN 9780545386968.
Recommended. Mutiny in time is book one in this new series from
Scholastic. In keeping with the previous series, The 39 clues, the
book is linked to a website and game available across all devices,
engaging young readers in a multi-media experience with a history
focus. Dashner is the creator of the overall concept and writer of
the first episode. Future episodes in this series will feature a
range of other authors.
Dak Smyth and his best friend Sera Froste live in a time when the
earth is on the brink of a global catastrophe. Natural disasters,
blackouts and food shortages are all too common, whilst the SQ, the
all powerful rulers have the people believing that all will be fine.
To cheer Sera up, Dak allows her to go into his parent's lab, through
all 197 locks, and they discover the Infinity Ring, a time travel
device, his parents have been secretly working on. Whilst Dak has an
overwhelming interest in history, Sera is more interested in quantum
physics and solves the last puzzle to make the ring work.
After some testing where Dak's parents are lost on their return to
the present from being caught as spies in the American Revolution,
Dak and Sera are introduced to the Hystorians. This group is
dedicated to fixing the The Great Breaks in History. That is where
history has gone wrong through time allowing the SQ to rule the
world.
Thus begins the adventure as Dak, Sera and Riq a language expert,
are sent on their first mission involving Christopher Columbus and a
mutiny led by the Amancio brothers.
A rollicking adventure with plenty of tension, both between the main
characters, and as the plot to overthrow Columbus comes to a
conclusion, this will appeal to the more adventurous children with
the added benefit of investigating some significant events in
history, with other titles to come.
Sue Keane
Red Fox by Sandy Fussell
Samurai Kids. Walker Books, 2012. ISBN 9781922077509.
While en route to India on board the Sea Dragon, the ship belonging
to Yuri's uncle, disaster befalls the group and Niya wakes to find
himself alone on a deserted beach. Even the voice of his Sensei,
with whom he can usually communicate in his head, has ceased to
exist for the boy. For the first time ever, his disability seems to
be a major hurdle for Yuri and the weight of loneliness threatens to
crush his spirit. Soon, however, he is re-united with Chen, a mixed
blessing for the two as they realise that their friends may not have
survived. Thus begins their trek to find out what fate has befallen
the rest of their group.
Having now read each of the books in the series, I share an
understanding of the strengths and hopes of the various characters
and can only guess where the final instalment will take them. This
book seemed to be somehow slower or filled with less adventure than
some of the previous titles. I can only wonder now if it is
Fussell's way of preparing us for the breaking up of the group and
the sad demise of their much loved Sensei? Themes of independence,
the celebration of our unique talents and differences and the care
and concern for our friends would seem to be the main continuing
themes which make the series stand out.
Jo Schenkel
The Hunters by John Flanagan
Brotherband Book 3. Random House, 2012. ISBN 9781742750620.
Highly recommended for ages 10+. Continuing in his role as skirl,
Hal has to lead the crew of the Heron in their quest to find the
pirate, Zavac, and his ship the Raven. The aim of Hal's crew is to
retrieve the Andomal and return it to the Oberjarl, thereby
restoring its own good name. In doing so, they face many obstacles
as not only are they travelling way behind the pirate, he creates
multiple diversions and problems to slow their progress en route.
Not everyone they meet proves to be trustworthy but, again, some
useful alliances are formed.
As with the Ranger's Apprentice books, Flanagan has found an eager
group of readers, keen to devour as many adventures as he can
create. This initial trilogy needs to be read sequentially to enable
the reader to develop an understanding of the strengths and
weaknesses of each of the characters and the aspects which make them
humorous and likeable in their own ways. Flanagan again uses similar
themes throughout the series. Friendship, loyalty, persistence, team
work, individuality and the acceptance of the skills and interests
of others as well as pre-conceived notions about them are all themes
which are considered in this book. The concept of one of the boys
knitting had me falling about laughing (as did his crew mates) until
Flanagan revealed the purpose for the inclusion of this hobby. These
breaks with traditional stereotypes add to the enjoyment of the
story and lighten the tension throughout. I continue to look forward
to each new book Flanagan releases.
Jo Schenkel
Eddie Pipper by Janeen Brian
New Frontier, 2012. ISBN 9781921928215.
(Age: 7+) The somewhat forgetful Eddie Pipper loves penguins and is
desperate to own a real one. Unfortunately, he has not yet been able
to demonstrate that he is capable of taking care of his sister or to
organise himself with bus tickets and the like. Because his parents
feel he is incapable of caring for an animal of any kind, he
endeavours to make his own papier-mache version of a penguin. Even
then, his task is not without its problems. Taking it to school for
pet day could also be filled with its own set of issues... how
will it be received by his class mates?
Released as part of the Little Rockets series for children aged
seven and up, this title is a gentle and easy read. With much
emphasis on penguins and Eddie's love of them, there is enough
information about the animals to keep younger readers interested.
With the introduction of the dog, readers can only guess at the
ending and hope that Eddie will realise his dream of having a pet.
This is aimed at newly independent readers and, with the double
spaced text and coloured illustrations interspersed throughout,
would seem to cater well for the target audience.
If this were to be used as a class read aloud with younger children,
it could perhaps highlight themes such as personal
responsibility, organisation and pet care.
Jo Schenkel
Digger to the rescue by Mandy Archer
Ill. by Martha Lightfoot. Busy Wheels series. Scholastic, 2013. ISBN
9781742835099.
Tractor saves the day. Busy Wheels series. Scholastic, 2013. ISBN
9781742835129.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Picture book. Machinery. There are four books
in the series, Busy Wheels, which show machinery on a building site
involved in situations where the driver uses the machinery to rescue
or save someone or something in trouble. Each book uses simple
sentences, with new words that apply to the building site and the
machines in bold print, allowing a reader to mull over the word, its
spelling, its look, it meaning and pronunciation. The illustrations
are outlined in black, with bold primary colours featuring the
machinery and the users. At the end of each book, several pages take
a closer look at the piece of machinery used in that story, allowing
the reader again to become more closely acquainted with the machine
and its parts, both pictorially and with the words used to describe
it.
In Digger to the rescue, the foreman and the builders and their
machinery are building an adventure playground, and the first half
of the book outlines what the workers are doing, in preparing the
playground. But a kitten is stuck in the tree, so work stops while
the digger and its bucket is used to rescue the animal.
In Tractor saves the day, a similar scenario is given. The tractor
is shown doing the work on a farm, and when a tree falls down across
the road, it is the tractor and the farmer who haul the tree out of
the way. Both books are easy to read, will teach the reader about a
piece of machinery they may not know about, and tie it together
within a very simple story.
Fran Knight
Fairy wings by E.D. Baker
Bloomsbury, 2012. ISBN 9781408831946.
This is not a fairy story for the younger brigade! Recommended by
the publishers for the 9-11 age group, it certainly is not for
sensitive souls as it features goblins and other strange and
frightening creatures as well as fairies.
Loosely based on the aftermath of Shakespeare's Midsummer's Night
Dream, we meet Tamisin ordinary school student with an
extraordinary desire to dance in the moonlight, pointed ears and
spreckles (shiny freckles) and the ability to see goblins. When she
sprouts fairy wings she finds out she is adopted.
Meanwhile Jak who has just enrolled at school invites her to a
Halloween party at his place. Jack unbeknown to Tamisin is a
halfling, half human and half cat goblin, and we discover he has
been sent to the human world to convince Tamisin to come with him
through the Gate to the land of the fey. Jak has had a hard time
growing up with his uncle Targin and vicious cousin Nihlo but is
prepared to help the family.
Of course things don't go as planned, and attempted murder,
kidnapping and a war ensues as Jak and Tamisin try to understand
what is happening. Tamisin meets her mother Tatiana, Queen of the
Fairies, and discovers her true history, saves Jak and intervenes at
last between Tatiana and Targin with the help of her new friend Lou
the Lamia a huge and scary snake-like creature.
Romance blossoms between Jak and Tamisin who return to the human
world but the story continues as the first chapter of the next book
Fairy Lies reveals at the conclusion of the book.
This book is definitely designed to fill the gap between the junior
fairy stories and the older vampire stories and requires some
concentration as all the characters are brought into play and the
various goblins are described.
Sue Keane
Nanny Piggins: The daring rescue by R.A. Spratt
Random House Australia, 2012. ISBN 9781742754970.
Recommended for its humour and subversive behaviour. Nanny Piggins
fans will welcome this, the 7th book in the series featuring the
World's Greatest Flying Pig in more outrageous adventures. The title
refers to the daring rescue of her employer, Mr Green, in true Nanny
Piggins style, with panache, humour and a liberal supply of
delicious cakes.
As with all books in the series each chapter is a story and each
story is a stand-alone story, which as Rachel Spratt suggests is
great if the dog eats the first few chapters. It also makes the
books highly accessible to younger independent readers who may find
a whole novel challenging and what better way to end a school day
than another dose of mayhem with Nanny and her young charges.
Nanny Piggins is always at hand to help. She secures
employment at a radio station for Percy, the World's Greatest
Talking Parrot, has Boris the dancing bear, who lives in the back
shed, teach Mr Green to tap dance in order to secure a promotion and
is a super secretary for Mr Green when the efficiency experts are
bought in to audit the office. Of course as with all Nanny Piggins
adventures, results are not necessarily as expected and often
outrageous, but always accompanied by chocolate, cake and icecream
and interspersed with episodes of 'The Young and the Irritable'.
Now, I'm afraid, it is time to take some of Nanny Piggins advice, so
off I go to make a chocolate cake and practice some 'transencakeal
meditation'!
Sue Keane
Hot blooded by N. Holder and D. Viguie
Random House, 2012. ISBN 9780857530721
(Age 13+) Paranormal Romance. Hot blooded, the sequel to
Unleashed, is the second volume in the Wolf Springs Chronicles. In
Volume one, Katelyn was bitten, and upon the full-moon... well
you know how it goes... lots of howling and hunting. The central
problem that begins Hot blooded, is Cordelia's banishment from the
werewolf clan for failing to report Katelyn's bite. The two girls
had been searching for a silver mine, guarded by the legendary Hell
Hound in the midst of a spate of fatal wild animal attacks in the
area.
For the most part, Katelyn seems to be to distracted from finding a
solution, considering she is the cause. Daily, Katelyn's new
werewolf urges draw her to Justin, who has been commanded by the
pack leader to train her in the ways of werewolves. Her desires are
only just reined in by her human side which remains truly smitten by
Trick, her human boyfriend. It is no wonder Katelyn has little time
to address Cordelia's intermittent pleas for rescue from a rival
pack, where she sought sanctuary.
With more dismembered tourists turning up and the Werewolves
vouching for each other, it seems there really is a Hell Hound.
Katelyn's nightmares recur and somehow hold the key but in this tome
there is more than one dropped thread, hopefully to be picked up in
later chronicles. There's certainly a lot of jealousy from the
'born' werewolves when Lee Fenner, the omnipotent pack leader,
realises Kat's exceptionality - her immunity to silver. After Fenner
refuses to forgive Cordelia, a violent feud threatens to decimate
the pack and a cliffhanger ending ensures that we'll have to read
volume three for a final body count.
Deborah Robins
The third door by Emily Rodda
Omnibus, 2012. ISBN 9781862919143.
Highly recommended for ages 10+. This third and final adventure in
the trilogy, The three doors, begins with Rye, Sonia, Dirk and
Sholto having destroyed the skimmers at the Harbour. Believed to be
spies, the four have rescued some prisoners from the Nanny's Pride
Farm, and are now heading back to Weld. With the gifts of the
Fellan, the magic creatures who live in the forest, Rye's magic bag
continues to help the group as they progress in their quest to
remove the threats to their home. Despite facing many problems on
their way, they fight to overcome amnesia and upsets from other
quarters and the team continues its journey to put things to rights
and end the reign of terror in Weld.
Although this title could be read as a stand-alone, I would
certainly encourage readers to begin the series with The golden door
and read sequentially, to enable them to fully appreciate the
changes and development of each of the characters and their roles
within the story. As a fantasy quest, the themes of friendship,
trust, loyalty, personal development, magic, science and history are
all explored. The tale of the brothers is somewhat echoed in the
words of the book with which Rye has been entrusted. Only at the end
of their journey are secrets revealed and things returned to rights.
Rodda continues to write prolifically in the fantasy genre and her
following likewise grows with the release of each new book. These
are great adventures which entertain and engage readers of varied
ages.
Jo Schenkel
Little elephants by Graeme Base
Puffin, 2012, ISBN 9780670076475.
(Age: 4-7) Recommended. Kindness. Farm life. Life is tough on the
wheat farm. Jim's mother tells him that he can't keep a pet mouse
because it might encourage other mice to come and the farm is always
being threatened by plagues, not just of mice but of weevils and
locusts. Jim understands and let Pipsqueak go far from the
farmhouse. When Jim sees a stranger picking some wheat, he tells him
he is welcome to have it. Later when he finds a strange looking
trumpet on the gate post, and blows it, he hears a trumpeting sound
and lo and behold under his bed that night is a herd of little
elephants.
It is rare to see a traditional fairy tale telling in an Australian
setting. Usually the good fairy (or in this case the good swagman),
is set solidly in a European world and it is one that I was familiar
with. Initially, (and as a farmer's daughter), I found it difficult
to visualise the happy ending but on reflection I began to
appreciate the risk that Base has taken putting a fairy tale ending
in a bleak Australian setting. With his wonderful illustrations,
Base brings to life what it is like to live on a farm. The worry
that the farmer, Jim's mother, carries constantly with her is
illustrated through her worried face and bent head and readers will
be able to emphasise with the hardships that farmers face with
plagues of insects and mice. Jim is depicted as an optimistic child
who is kind to strangers and wants to really help his mother.
The world that Jim discovers under his bed is a rich, imaginative
one. The little elephants are lots of fun, riding in Jim's truck and
cars and having a wild time out in the yard. The exuberance of the
fight between the locusts and the small elephants is exhilarating.
The dark illustrations beg to be viewed again and again to see the
detail of the elephants faces, the expressions on the faces of the
people and tiny details like a soldier's picture on the mantelpiece
that gives a clue to who Jim's father is.
Farmer's children will wish that an act of kindness could save a
wheat crop! All children will have a better understanding of life on
a farm and will rejoice in the flights of imagination that Base so
beautifully brings to life.
Pat Pledger
Greek myths: stories of sun, stone and sea by Sally Pomme Clayton
Ill. by Jane Ray. Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2012. ISBN 978 1
84780 227 9.
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Greek myths. Another beautiful retelling of
ten Greek myths enhanced with luminous illustrations, will be
eagerly picked up by all who see the book, wanting to read something
new, read aloud some favourite stories or reacquaint themselves with
stories known from their childhood. Whatever the reason this book
will have broad appeal.
The ten stories include the Creation story, the story of Pandora,
Athena and Poseidon, Perseus and Medusa, Pan and Midas, Pegasus,
Atalanta, Orpheus and Eurydice, Apollo and Midas, Arachne and
Athena. Each is given a fresh retelling, and several have some
difference in the detail which makes them more intriguing. Pandora
for example, does not have a box, but a pottery jar, given her by
the gods with the order that it not be opened.
Most of the stories are most familiar, and even though people may
think they know nothing of Greek myths, some recollection will occur
when reading these, be it a whole story, a snippet, or a name.
Everyone has heard of Medusa and her crown of snakes, but not all
will know of Perseus' method of destroying her or of what he did
with the head afterwards. The vibrant illustrations reflect the
style often used with books of myths and fairy tales, employing a
flat almost embroidered look to the pictures, often edged with
borders and not allowing perspective to get in the way of a good
picture. Children will love seeking out what is mentioned in the
text, and scour the map and glossary, as I did for further
information. A further list of books will not escape people's
attention as they seek more myths to read.
This wonderful retelling held me intrigued for the whole book, and
will no doubt be one that will grace children's shelves, as well as
that of the local and school libraries.
Fran Knight
