Little Hare, 2012. ISBN 978 1 921894 11 4.
(Ages 3+) Recommended. Picture book. Babies.In Ormerod's distinctive
style, this book is totally devoted to a family and its involvement
with the new baby in their midst. From the opening picture of Mum
breastfeeding her baby, snuggled up with the baby's older sister
alongside the pair in bed, reading, the pictures glow with family
togetherness and warmth. Each page has a different arrangement of
pictures showing a different thing to do with the baby, all
following a count from 1 to 101. Each page shows a different time of
the day from the early morning, to bathing the baby with Dad, to
dressing and playing, hanging out the washing with Mum, then an
afternoon nap. After this the family goes on a picnic, sees flowers
and animals, then another baby, then home for the evening activities
before a kiss goodnight and bed.
Both parents are heavily involved in caring for the baby, as it the
older child and the Grandmother. Each has a part to play in being
responsible for the baby and its care is in their hands.
The illustrations in soft muted colours adorn each page, telling the
story of the baby's first few months. The illustrations sweep across
the page in framed blocks, sometimes frameless, sometimes four or
more adorn the page sometimes fewer, but each page is a delight,
drawing the eye across the almost comic strip style of pictures,
making the reader laugh with recognition and feelings of tenderness.
In a classroom this book would be a wonderful part of any unit about
families and family life, about babies and the beginnings of talking
about the body, about the impact of a child upon a family. The style
of this particular book too, would make a wonderful model for
classes to take up when looking at a finishing activity for a unit
of work on families, using the numbering system to create a class
booklet emulating this style.
Fran Knight
This is not a drill by Beck McDowell
Hardie Grant Egmont, 2012. ISBN 9781742973845.
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Emery is finding it incredibly awkward
tutoring a group of grade-one children with her ex-boyfriend Jake.
But suddenly things get a whole lot worse when a boy's father bursts
into the classroom with a gun, demanding his son. The man - a
solider back home from Iraq - says he just wants to be with his son.
However, the teacher's resistance may have deadly consequences, and
the boy's father isn't afraid of opening fire on anyone, even in
front of the children.
Some novels take time to build up to the action, but This Is Not
A Drill is not one of those novels. Even by the end of the
first page, it's easy to see what kind of ride you're in for. And
what a ride. It's a wonderful feat by the author to keep a story
like this so fast-paced and exciting, considering the events of the
story only take place over a single day. The action scenes are
almost breathless in their urgency and it's a constantly
entertaining book. The most common problem with a great deal of
action novels and movies is a lack of character development, but
fortunately that's not the case here. Each person has their own
unique story to tell, and that happens without getting in the way of
the story too much. It's not a brilliant novel, but the real purpose
here is not to make a literary classic. Purely, it's to entertain,
and that it does splendidly.
A fast-paced, taut action thriller with some thought-provoking
themes.
I recommend this book.
Rebecca Adams (Student)
The moon shines out of the dark by Stephanie Dowrick
Ill. by Anne Spudvilas. Allen and Unwin, 2012. ISBN 978 1 74237 565
6.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Picture book. Art. Family. Harry is content.
His mother always tells him what the time is: time for bed, time to
wake up, or time for the bus. They have a close relationship and it
is she who fills the space beneath his bed to allay any monsters
that may get in and it is she who looks at the moon with Harry at
night, contemplating how long it would take to climb there. He
wonders when he will be able to get a ladder to climb and after
telling him that he must be 12 to do this, she assures him that she
will be there to hold it. But one day she goes away, and Harry
is bereft. There is no-one to tell him when to get up or catch the
bus or when to sleep. Dad works hard at his office, and sometimes
Kate next door comes to look after him when Dad is working. One
night watching the clouds in the night sky, watching the moon and
missing his mother, he hears footsteps on the stairs, and both
parents come in to see if he is still awake. Mum assures him that
she will listen to all his adventures tomorrow but first they look
at the moon together.
The succinct prose, the beautiful images created by Dowrick allied
to the sweep of water colour images created by Spudvilas is most
arresting. Together this pair of creators has produced a stunning
story of the relationship between a mother and her son, the boy
eager to share the things he thinks about and seek her reassurance
that he is safe. Both the prose and the illustrations create a
comforting, happy environment for Harry, at night looking at
the moon with Mum and when she is away, with Dad at his office. The
family created here is loving and solicitous, with Harry at its
core, a delightful child interested in what is happening around him,
but needing the comfort and security of being told when things are
to occur.
Fran Knight
Hudson Hates School by Ella Hudson
Frances Lincoln, 2012. ISBN: 9781847803757.
Although Hudson is a creative and talented child, he hates school .
. . particularly spelling tests. Thanks to the poor classroom
management skills practiced by Hudson's teacher and the teasing he
suffers at the hands of his classmates, school is a nightmare for
him, until he is introduced to Mr. Shapland. In the study room,
Hudson completes some very different tests which reveal he has
dyslexia. With support from a different teacher in a class of other
dyslexic children, Hudson's attitude to school and his work begins
to change.
This debut picture book, written by a teacher who is also a sufferer
of dyslexia, should provide children with some answers and
reassurance about the condition. Somehow, the pictures of two
different brains failed to fully provide sufficiently simple
information to young sufferers. Although the illustrations are
simplistic and quirky, they held little appeal to me. Despite the
necessity of such titles with which to introduce difficult topics to
young children, I felt disappointed by this book. Nonetheless, it
would still be another resource to draw upon when discussing
dyslexia with children in the classroom.
Jo Schenkel
Dinosaur rocks by Lachlan Creagh
Scholastic, 2012. ISBN 978 0 7344 1289 8.
(Age: 5+) Picture book. Dinosaurs. Arriving at his grandparents home
which has no TV, no internet and so nothing to do, Tim is told by
his grandfather to explore Dinosaur Rocks a group of old rocks
near the homestead. He sets out and is surprised to find a small
chick which when he jumps, takes him back to prehistoric times. Here
he meets an array of prehistoric Australian creatures and the book
shows boldly how these names are spelt, encouraging the readers to
sound them out for themselves.
Lots of adventures follow as Tim hitches a ride on his friend's back
and roams the Australian landscape 65 million years ago and sees for
himself the range of dinosaurs there were. When he wakes, he finds
himself back with his grandparents, looking at the fossils and
information grandfather has collected. The last page has the two
looking at the poster which can be found inserted in the book as
well as used as the end papers.
The boldly executed colourful drawings will remind readers of
computer games and images seen in games for Xbox and the like, which
is not a surprise as Creagh was once a producer of such imagery,
used here to good effect.
Fran Knight
Python by Christopher Cheng
Ill. Mark Jackson. Walker Books, 2012. Hbk., RRP $A29.95. ISBN
9781921529603.
'It is morning in the bush. Python stirs and sleeps out from her
sheltered, nocturnal resting place . . .' She is looking for
breakfast, but there are other important things to attend to, and in
this beautifully illustrated book we learn so much about this
magnificent creature in a way that immediately engages both the
young reader and the adult reading to them, as well as those who can
read for themselves. It truly meets the tag 'suitable for all ages'.
Chris Cheng is the MASTER of a genre I've dubbed 'faction' -
bringing real life to life through story. Even though the story only
took place in the author's imagination, it is so well-researched and
accurately portrayed that it could have happened, and, as we read,
we get both information and insight into these extraordinary
creatures. Television news likes to show images of the bulging belly
of pythons that have eaten quite large creatures, but who knew they
got inside because the python can unhinge its jaws to swallow them,
and then expand their bodies to digest them?
As well as the story, there are interesting facts on each page and
absolutely spectacular, detailed illustrations from Mark Jackson.
The whole becomes a fantastic package for learning about pythons
that is perfect for the younger reader - and as teacher librarians,
we all know the fascination snakes have for them. This book will not
stay on the shelves. You'll need two copies - one in the fiction
section and one in 597.96. And if you are recommending books for the
Christmas stocking through your newsletters, this one HAS to be on
it. Both parent and child will thank you.
If you're still not convinced, take a sneak peek at Walker
Books.
Barbara Braxton
The selfish giant by Oscar Wilde
Ill. by Ritva Voutila. Allen and Unwin, 2012. ISBN 978 1 74237 650
9.
(Age 8+) Highly recommended. Picture book. Fairy tale. Redemption.
Some books are simply a pleasure to pick up and hold, and this is
one. Beautifully bound, the cover illustration is redolent of the
northern European landscape, cold and dull, sun part hidden by the
shadowy clouds, the castle lacking any warmth. But one tree is
covered in blossom, standing out from the others which are bare in
the winter cold. And Voutila's illustrations capture the eye for the
rest of the book.
Oscar Wilde's fairy tales, published in 1888, contained five tales,
including The happy prince, the most well known of the
group. Each has a moral basis, and this one is no exception. Reading
it again, I was surprised at the Christian element as I had not
remembered that at all, but the story of a selfish man finally
giving over his garden to the children of the town is certainly one
of forgiveness and redemption.
The children gather each day in the giant's garden as it is full of
life. But the giant returns after a seven year absence, and puts a
no trespassing sign on his gate, forbidding all to enter. Cold sets
in and spring, summer and autumn never come to the garden again. The
giant is bereft, not understanding why the garden never changes,
until one day he helps a small boy with marks on his hand, climb a
tree. This encourages the other children to return and so the giant
is happy, offering his garden to all to visit. When he next sees the
small boy with the marks on his hands, he asks what they are. And
the boy replies they are the marks of love, and tells the giant he
will live with him in his garden in Paradise. And so the giant dies.
This lovely story will bring tears to the eyes of its readers, as
they absorb the selfishness of the man, and how this is repaid with
the cold until he relents and allows the children into his garden
and his life.
The beautiful illustrations are breathtaking, spreading across each
double page, bringing the art tradition and landscapes of northern
Europe into the classroom. The sepia tones hold the attention of all
who look inside the covers, the myriad of detail intriguing all who
read the story, the motifs repeated, insisting that the reader
thinks more closely about what is being represented. When the giant
relents, colour returns to the pages, and even in the cold of the
day he dies, there is life in the tree above him.
For classes looking at various fairy tales this is an exceptional
book to use, the text and illustrations dovetailing together. For
secondary classes this would be an entirely engrossing book to use
to allow older students to marvel at the link between text and
illustrations, or simply look at some fabulous illustrations and the
imagery presented.
Fran Knight
Black Spring by Alison Croggin
Walker Books, 2013. 283pp.
Recommended for 15+. The blurb on the back of Black Spring
describes it as 'an evocative reimagining of Wuthering Heights'
and indeed it is. In both books there is the outsider who has
travelled to an isolated area and who meets, and hears the story of,
the doomed lovesick protagonist who, as a young boy, was adopted
into a farming family. Here it is Damek who plays the Heathcliff
role and who shares a free, roaming childhood with Lina, the
daughter of the master. Like Cathy and Heathcliff, Lina and Damek
share a love of nature. Lina, passionate and willful, loves Damek
but when, like Heathcliff, he is ousted from his childhood home -
here by the foul Masko - and then disappears, she marries the
gentle, loving Tibor. Her story mirrors that of Cathy, except that
Lina is born a witch with violet eyes. When Damek returns a rich man
seeking revenge, the pregnant Lina is torn between her husband and
her lover. The story is told by Anna, adopting the role of Ellen in
Wuthering Heights, as the sensible, calm, rational, and loyal
Christian servant.
The difference between the two books is that this novel focuses on
the passionate and volatile relationship between Lina and Damek,
whilst Wuthering Heights devotes its second half to the
lives of the next generation. Black Spring also has wizards
and a vendetta which destroys many of the men-folk. This makes Black
Springs a gripping read, with short chapters and sense of
place, characters and time expertly realized. Alison Croggin
captures the inexplicable passion and madness of the lovers in the
same manner that Emily Bronte does. This is a sophisticated read
given its length, language and detail but, even so, the many readers
who go on to read Wuthering Heights may well find Black
Spring a more enjoyable experience.
Kevyna Gardner
On the farm by Roland Harvey
Allen and Unwin, 2012. ISBN 978 1 74175 882 5.
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Picture book. Agriculture. Humour. For those
who have enjoyed Roland Harvey's series of books about holiday
adventures around Australia: going to the beach, the bush, the city,
the top end and Western Australia, here is another to enjoy, as the
family goes to visit Uncle Kev on the train. All sorts of
experiences are to be had, many emulating the nursery rhyme, Old
MacDonald had a farm. For those new to the work of Roland
Harvey this is a treat, showcasing his style of presentation, the
array of little figures and drawings, pages filled with life and
movement, inventions, humour and things to search for.
Each double page opens to a different vista of the farm. One of my
favourite pages is that with the orchard, where Henry is sent to
spread the poo to fertilise the trees. Most of the page is covered
with the fruit trees and between the trees is drawn an array of
things to catch the attention of the readers. On the bottom left
hand side an old car is making its way to the trees with the owner
singing, 'I'm a fruit tree' which will be parodied by many of the
readers. Along the road are several other cars of indeterminate
vintage with extraordinary appendages. One child is flying a kite of
sorts, another is sending a letter by pigeon post, while further
into the trees people are picking fruit in various ways. In the
centre of the page is a small train pulling along several of the
family, while a tractor is pulled by a pig. And that's just for
starters. Each double page will hold a child's interest for quite a
while, as they look at each of the little pictures drawn and relate
it to the text on the left hand side. And I love his poem about the
shed.
Each of the family has work to do to get the place ready for the
festival, as well as cope with Kev's foray into the world of
romance.
Very funny, absorbing and informative, all readers will have such a
good time with this book as they pore over the minutiae of life
displayed on each page.
Fran Knight
A is Amazing! ed. by Wendy Cooling
Frances Lincoln, 2012. ISBN: 9781847802552.
Recommended for children of all ages. Subtitled Poems about
Feelings, this is a collection of poems to fit various
alphabetical categories of feelings, ranging from Amazing,
Argumentative, Bored and Careful to eXtraordinary, Young, Zestful
and fiZzy! The poets are equally as diverse, coming from Japan,
India, Africa, Australia, the UK and USA. Their styles and language
vary from the traditional verse and riddle to rhyming and
non-rhyming poetry and from formal language to that spoken with a
Jamaican lilt. From arguments to death, saris to sport and contrasts
in stepmothers this book has the lot. With illustrations by Piet
Grobler to match the style or origin of the poem or poet, this book
is one I am keen to take to school and introduce to the classes that
are studying poetry. In the classroom setting, I can imagine using
this book to simply engage children in poetry, a genre which, as a
child, I hated. Now, I see myself reading these works to children
and having them celebrate the use of language, the imagery and the
concepts included therein. With older children, there could be a
discussion of the setting, both time and place and the content of
the various works. A great collection of verse!
Jo Schenkel
Topsy-turvy world by Kirsty Murray
National Library of Australia, 2012. ISBN 978 0 642 27749 7.
(Ages: 10+) Recommended. Non fiction. Australian animals. Subtitled,
How
Australian animals puzzled early explorers, this attractively
produced
large non fiction book will amaze and intrigue readers as they look
inside its pages. Not only do they see pictures of animals drawn by
the
earliest explorers and their illustrators, but they have
descriptions
taken from their journals, ready for the reading market back in
Europe.
Europeans were fascinated by stories from unknown lands and read
journals and books about explorations and discoveries with fervour.
Each of the animals is given between four and six pages, the ones
that
caused the most controversy having the larger number of pages
allocated. Each section begins with a full page portrait, usually
done
by an artist who accompanied the expeditions. Following this is a
page
of information, then two or more pages giving more illustrations and
information, including a fact file and small map. The fifteen
animals included range from the expected kangaroo, thylacine and
platypus to the lesser known bandicoot, flying fox and sea dragon.
Several were of exceptional interest to me and a perusal of the
information given gives an idea of the sort of things included for
all
the other animals.
The pig-footed bandicoot was fist journalled by the explorer Thomas
Mitchell in 1836. He described this lovely little animal as
pig-footed, the size of a young wild rabbit and with a backward
facing
pouch. He asked local people for examples but was unable to add to
his
information. The drawings done by naturalists show a strange long
eared
creature the shape of a small pig with a snout, all rather at odds
with
the photo of the stuffed example found in a museum. But before
scientists could properly examine this new creature it had died out,
probably through the arrival of cattle. It used to frequent poor
land,
and so a common expression in the nineteenth century was the term,
bandicoot run, used to describe a strip of poor land.
I found each of the four pages devoted to this small animal,
enthralling, as I would expect many readers would, who like to
follow
up examples of Australian animals, and the way they were first seen
by
Europeans.
This book would be well used in classes looking at the early history
of
Australia, the history of European settlement, the story of the
animals, and particularly the extinction of several species covered
in
this book, the thylacine and the pig-footed bandicoot.
A detailed index, a glossary of the people who first noted and drew
these animals, along with glossary of terms and lists of where the
illustrations came from, complete this inviting book.
Fran Knight
Bush Bash by Sally Morgan and Ambelin Kwaymullina
Little Hare, 2012. hbk. ISBN 9781921714771.
Dingo is on a mission - but no one knows just what it is. He is
dashing through the country, intent on something, and ignores those
around him. So they decide to join him to see just what has got his
attention - two nosy numbats, three flying frogs, four burrowing
bilbies . . .
More than just a unique counting book, this colourful tale not only
tells a story but also introduces our youngest readers to some of
Australia's unique creatures - some well-known, some not-so. And all
the while, there is the speculation about just where is dingo going.
The answer is revealed and children will delight in it.
The illustrations are rich, detailed and bright - just what we
expect of Sally Morgan - but they are actually done by her daughter,
Ambelin Kwaymullina, who is obviously as talented as her mother.
Hidden within each are hidden objects - some made by Aboriginal
people, others animals that should have no place in our bush - and
as well as being guaranteed to engage the reader deeply in the
illustrations, they offer more talking points that can introduce our
littlies to the life of those who have been here forever and the
impact of those who have come since.
This is a very special book that works on so many levels it is a
must-have in your collection.
Barbara Braxton
Spark by Brigid Kemmerer
Elementals Book 2. Allen And Unwin, 2012. ISBN 13981743310748.
(Age: 14+) Recommended. In the second of the Elementals series,
Kemmerer continues with her gripping stories of four brothers whose
powers allow them power over the elements. Spark stars Gabriel, who
is trying to find ways to use his paranormal power and control fire.
When an arsonist starts to create havoc in the town all the evidence
points to Gabriel and even his brothers start to look at him in odd
ways. But he is not the one lighting the fires and he has to find
out who is. At the same time he is becoming fascinated with Layne
and worries about his growing relationship with her.
Kemmerer manages to blend some compelling realism with a paranormal
twist to make for a compelling story. The relationships between the
four brothers is beautifully described. I felt for Gabriel when he
began to feel increasingly isolated as his twin Nick becomes
involved with a girl that he doesn't like. The fact that his
brothers don't trust him is shattering for him and he turns to
Hunter for friendship.
Their forays into the night to the fires that have been lit are
thrilling. The descriptions of the fires and the actions of
the fire preventation personnel are really authentic and Gabriel's
heroism in entering dangerous buildings and using his power to
rescue victims is entralling. At the same time the realism of what
happens at school, his relationship with Nick and his growing
interest in Layne keep the reader in the real world and teens will
identify with the actions of the mean girls and what happens in the
school yard.
This is a series that has it all: action, romance, thrills and
angst, all against a background of the issues that teens face with
their families and at school.
Pat Pledger
Yellow Dress Day by Michelle Worthington
New Frontier, 2012. ISBN: 9781921928291.
Highly recommended for children aged 4-6. Ava owns dresses in every
colour of the rainbow and dresses each day to match her mood and the
weather. She wears red on days when the sun shines on cracked, dry
roads, pink when flowers open their petals toward the sun, purple
when the clouds abound, blue on snowy days and yellow on windy,
autumn days. When she awakes one 'whistling, whirly, windy day', she
looks for her yellow dress only to find it is not in her wardrobe.
Realising that she has worn it the previous day, she needs help in
finding something else to match the feeling in her heart. Will she
find just the right thing?
On face value, this is just a joyful celebration of seasons,
childhood and imagination. On reading the dedication page, one
discovers that the book is written for Ava Lardner, a child whom one
can only assume suffers from Rett syndrome. Consequently, 5% of the
profits from the book go to supporting the International Rett
Syndrome Foundation. The publisher's details provide only a snippet
of information regarding the illustrator Sophie Norsa but she is
certainly someone to watch out for. Apparently the illustrations for
this book were done following her Year 10 work experience with the
publisher and she is now studying for her HSC. Her free and
simplistic illustrations depict the joy of childhood and Ava's
emotions perfectly. The colours are vibrant and happy and complement
the descriptive text perfectly.
As well as being a delightful story to share with very young
children, I can imagine it being used with Junior Primary classes to
provide a starting point and model for descriptive writing lessons.
Jo Schenkel
The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver
Hodder and Stoughton, 2012. ISBN: 9781444723137.
When Liza wakes to find that her brother Patrick has 'changed', she
knows that the Spindlers, spider like creatures in whom only she and
her baby sitter, Anna, believe, have taken his soul. She is the only
one who may be able to save him. Armed with nothing but a broom, she
leaves her dysfunctional family and heads 'Below' to try and find
out what has happened to Patrick and bring him home. On her arrival
she meets with a quirky rat, clad in makeup, a wig and clothing
including a skirt made of newspaper and a paper hat. It is Mirabella
who offers to help her on her quest to find the Spindlers. During
their journey, they come across many other characters that cause
them grief and try to stop Liza from completing her task.
I found this to be a totally engaging story involving many new and
fantastic creatures and settings. The powers of each of the
creatures need to be overcome before Liza and Mirabella can continue
on their way. Together, the two manage to progress, despite the
odds. In this sense, it is a tale reminiscent of Rodda's Rowan of
Rin series and is a great example of the Hero's Journey. The two
could be used as paired texts by upper primary students to compare
and contrast the different journeys and strengths of the characters.
Oliver points out that one should not jump to conclusions about any
situation or character or base one's feelings on stereotypes. Liza
demonstrates a great deal of change throughout the tale as does
Mirabella. Bravery, loyalty, family, resourcefulness, friendship are
amongst the many positive themes of this book and I would not
hesitate in recommending the title to children aged 10 and above.
Jo Schenkel
