Walker, 2012 (2002). ISBN 9781406345209.
(Ages: 12+) Recommended. Dystopian fiction. Future. About to be
released as a film, this republication of the award winning novel by
American author, M. T. Anderson, Feed will engage a new
generation of readers as they like me are amazed at the predictions
shown in a dystopian future written 10 years ago. Uncannily many of
these are now part and parcel of the Y Generation's lives. Feed,
is a word describing the constant marketing material pumped into
their brains through an implant inserted at birth. Some 'unlucky'
ones have this done later in life, and so Violet, who was home
schooled and has odd parents, is outside the usual thirst to be
connected 24 hours a day. It is she who when her implant begins to
fail, see things differently from the friendship group she has just
formed and as an outsider, pulls Titus along with her.
On the moon for an experience, the group is invaded by a virus which
makes their feeds malfunction. It is fascinating to see them all
cope without the feed, just as Generation Y today cannot cope
without their mobile phones and internet access. Anderson was
certainly right on target with his prophecies about the future, and
his darkly ironic story is most engaging. For an older spectator
like me, the images created along with the ideas of a whole society
simply being fed information, music, advertisements 24 hours a day
was alarming, but to many not so. Being 'tuned in' or wired, is
given a whole new level of meaning in this stunning book.
Not only advertisements and information, but a transference of texts
rather like emails is sent and received between the teenagers,
allowing them to chat to each other without a third person knowing.
It is incredibly unnerving, foretelling an appalling future. An
informative web site
gives further facts about the book and background information as
well as a discussion of its impact. The book won two major awards in
the US in 2003.
Fran Knight
The finger-eater by Dick King-Smith
Ill. by Arthur Robins. Walker Books, 2012. ISBN 978 1 4063 4186 7.
(Age: 7+) Recommended. Humour. 60 pages, large print, pages broken
up by funny drawings, a story split into easy to read chapters, make
this a great read for those beginning chapter books, as well as
those who want a quick and funny read. There seems too few of these,
so with Dick King-Smith as the author, people will eagerly pick it
up to read. First published in 1992, it is a welcome return of this
book, aimed at the early chapter book readers.
The troll, Ulf, is a finger eater. He traps unwary people along the
road with his bright and friendly approach, putting out his hand to
shake. This is most unusual for trolls, and so people are happy to
oblige, but then Ulf eats one of their fingers. Consequently, many
of the people in the village are missing their index finger of their
right hand, or in some case, the little finger. But Gudrun, living
with her family in their tent as they herd reindeer, will not be so
easy to trick. She has been warned by her parents with their seven
fingers, and so will not shake hands with the troll. When he asks
for some of the milk she is carrying to get her to have a hand free
for him to eat, she squirts it into his mouth, rather than release
one hand. When the reindeer shed their antlers, she has an idea, and
when the troll bites her finger, he is in for a nasty surprise.
This is a lovely story of one girl thinking about how to trick the
troll, but it is the background of the reindeer herders that sticks
in my mind. The illustrations will amuse and delight readers as they
read through this highly enticing story of one troll and his tricks
upon the unwary only to be outwitted himself.
Fran Knight
Kizzy Ann Stamps by Jeri Watts
Candlewick, 2012. ISBN 978 07636 5895 3.
(Age: 9+) Warmly recommended. Integration (USA History). Racism.
Dogs. It is Kizzy's first time in a white school after years in a
black school where all students sat together under the watchful eye
of one teacher, a woman beloved by her community. But it is 1963 and
integration is now law and Kizzy, worried about what may happen,
writes to her new teacher to introduce herself. Surprisingly her new
teacher writes back and through Kizzy's letters to her we see her
life and times laid out for us. For readers in 2013, Kizzy's is an
astonishing life, one richly detailed, but one confined by
segregation and racism. The hopes she and her teachers express for
the future are like beacons of light, ones readers think on as they
read this story. This is an astounding tale, engaging, often amusing
and a sobering story of one young girl, one which reveals life as it
was and impels us to question life as it was then for millions of
people.
But these are not Kizzy's concerns, she is more worried that the
awful scar running across her face will cause embarrassment and
teasing, she is worried that her outspoken nature will upset her new
teacher, she is concerned that the boy who bullied her before will
do so again - grass roots concerns set against a momentous time in
the history of the USA and its call for equality.
This story is worth searching for. I had initially put it aside but
reading it was a pleasure. The letter format makes it most
accessible, and readers will become embroiled in the life of Kizzy,
marvelling at her tenacity and loving her dog, as we read of the
inseparable pair. The dog becomes the impetus for some sort of
communication between the groups in her town and the reader is left
with the hope that this will have a wider reach.
Fran Knight
So much to tell you by John Marsden
Lothian, 2012. ISBN 9780734413291.
At Warrington boarding school, girls in the English class taught by
Mr. Lindell are invited to record their thoughts and feelings in a
journal. For Marina, this becomes a means to express her fear, pain
and memories and the narrative of the tale is developed through
these diary entries.
It is soon revealed that Marina does not speak and that she has shut
down from the world following a traumatic event, the details of
which are explained only gradually. The reader pieces together clues
to finally understand the specifics of Marina's lasting physical and
emotional injuries, however during the early stages of the novel, it
is easy and reasonable to accept that this teen simply does not
speak.
The characters of the girls who cohabit Marina's dormitory are
recognisable from life and she gains the reader's sympathy as she
copes with their foolish fun, emotional outbursts and juvenile
behaviour. Tentative gestures of friendship are offered however and
much of the novel is occupied with perceptive portrayal of the
breathtaking fear associated with trusting others and taking the
plunge in reaching out to them.
This 25 year anniversary edition includes the author's recollections
of the writing process in which he assumed this young girl's
character. Marsden's portrayal of this injured soul, struggling to
exist In a world where she is silent and sometimes even invisible is
honest and realistic, without wallowing in excessive emotion. I like
the relative simplicity of this novel because there is an
interesting story being told using a range of plausible characters
drawn with appropriate depth, yet peripheral details, events and
unnecessary description have been pared away.
This story features many instances of kindness extended by
individuals who expect nothing in return. This lends a sense of hope
and faith in the decency of everyday people which is lacking in some
contemporary teenage literature which is bleak and cynical.
Setting, style and language will not betray to modern readers that
this was written twenty five years ago and I believe that it will be
equally enjoyable and moving today as it was then.
Rob Welsh
Princess Betony and the Unicorn by Pamela Freeman
Walker, 2012. ISBN: 9781921720239.
When Princess Betony's mother disappears into the Dark Forest, a
place humans are forbidden to enter, she cannot obey the rules and
attempts to follow her mother, the dryad, to ensure that she returns
to her family. To add to the challenge, the Princess must first
catch a unicorn. Will she be successful in her quest?
Pamela Freeman has proven herself to be a competent and engaging
author, able to attract the attention of her younger readers and the
format of this delightful gift book, styled after Beatrix Potter's
original titles, is bound to delight. With the addition of some
simple illustrations by Tamsin Ainslie, this holds much appeal and
intrigues the reader with the promise of further stories to follow.
Having searched for the author online, I was quite taken by her
website on which she includes some of the beautiful illustrations
from Princess Betony, a book trailer and games and puzzles which are
bound to appeal to young girls as well. This clever aspect to the
marketing of books is bound to lead a few more readers to
investigate Freeman's books.
Jo Schenkel
Cold Days: The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
Orbit, 2012. ISBN 9780356500898.
Cold Days is another installment in the popular contemporary fantasy
series which comprise the Dresden Files. Set in Chicago, Harry
Dresden, the main character and narrator, pits his wits and talents
as a wizard and private eye against dark forces that conspire to
dominate the world. It's a complex society where fairies, ghouls,
vampires and other spirits co exist alongside humans but interests
often compete.
In this book, Harry has been forced into the service of Mab,
Queen of Air and Darkness and she sets him an almost impossible
mission: kill an immortal. Powerful forces are already working
against him, threatened by his new role as Winter Knight. Harry has
to find out why Mab seeks to destroy this target while constantly
dodging plots against his own life. His investigations reveal the
existence of a catastrophic threat and Harry must race against time
and his own dark impulses to avert tragedy. He is joined by an
assortment of friends and unlikely allies in this rollercoaster ride
against evil.
Harry Dresden has an established legion of fans and this book will
obviously delight them. The action is relentless and the stakes are
always high. Harry is portrayed as an Indiana Jones type character
in a contemporary Lord of the Rings setting. The book stands alone
but familiarity with the strange world he inhabits is enriched by an
awareness of the preceding books
Tina Cain
Kimono Code by Susannah McFarlane
EJ12 Girl Hero. Scholastic Australia, 2012. ISBN: 9781921931154
Emma Jacks, also known as Special Agent EJ12, battles with a fellow
SHINE agent, the mean girl, Nema, on a regular basis but especially
when they are taking part in karate classes. EJ fails to understand
why Nema is so cruel and yet never seems to be caught out by the
adults. When she receives her orders for her next mission, EJ needs
to focus on the job at hand and not her friends and classmates. She
soon finds herself in Japan, entrusted with the task of saving the
cherry blossoms from being destroyed by the members of the evil
agency, SHADOW.
With this being the 14th title in the series, it would appear that
young girls have embraced the EJ12 books as being accessible and
entertaining reads. These can perhaps be seen as the girls'
alternative to the Zac Power books which have won over many young
boys. Kimono Code contains some positive messages about the
environment and addresses the topic of bullying with its causes and
consequences in a thoughtful manner. Acceptance of oneself and
others, despite their insecurities is another theme which could be
teased out. This is another series which is rarely on the shelves in
school libraries so has obviously struck a chord with the younger
independent readers.
Jo Schenkel
The convent by Maureen McCarthy
Allen and Unwin, Sydney, 2012. ISBN 9781742375045.
(Age: 16+) Highly recommended. This is a delightfully engaging novel
about four women tied together by family and setting: the Abbotsford
Convent, Melbourne. The novel opens in contemporary times with
Peach, a 19 year old university student seeking a summer job at one
of the convent's cafes. She flags at the outset that this story will
be about the past, about the impact of the lives of three other
women on her own... but she doesn't yet know the missing link -
the convent itself.
And so the reader moves back and forth between Peach and the stories
of Sadie (whose child was taken from her in 1915), her daughter
Ellen (brought up in the convent in the 1920s) and Cecilia (a young
nun at the same convent in the sixties). It is not only the setting
that ties these women together, it is also religion and babies. And
their stories have a modern echo in Peach's own life, for her dear,
damaged friend Det, is pregnant - will she keep the baby or give it
up for adoption? And how will her plans impact on Peach, herself an
adopted child? As Det is an artist with a studio in the convent, the
ties of place and birth are even stronger.
This novel is written with warmth and intelligence. The characters
are very real, their personal struggles are sympathetically evoked
and so their lives are immediately engaging. With only one first
person narrator (Peach) the reader is able to learn more about her
back story than Peach herself, so our interest in the mystery of
this family saga is constantly being tweaked. On one level, this
story is about a young girl coming to terms with her history, her
identity and her sense of family; it is about the ties of friendship
and romance. But layered over this is the broader and richer story
of changing times, of opportunities for women, of the impact of
motherhood and religious conviction and love. It is a story with
warmth and heart and style; a winning combination from well-known
author, Maureen McCarthy.
Deborah Marshall
Again by Emily Gravett
Again by Emily Gravett
Macmillan Children's Books, 2012. ISBN 9780330544030.
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. Picture book. Reading. It's not
often you see a book that successfully appeals to both children and
adults alike, but this one does. A treat for all readers, especially
those long suffering parents and carers who read and reread a book
to their impatient charges, again and again. In this delightfully
illustrated book, baby dragon just adores his nightly read with his
mother. The story in his favorite book concerns a red dragon called
Cedric, just like him. The Cedric in the book never goes to bed, but
goes out at night tormenting trolls and grabbing princesses to make
into pies. An increasingly frustrated baby dragon wants the story
read to him again, and as he blusters about prodding his mother to
read the tale over, he becomes redder and redder, until finally his
anger gets a little too much. And the story being read to him
changes as well, as the Cedric in the story is changed by Mum to be
one that does go to sleep, a hint to her charge that rather falls on
deaf ears.
Beautiful touches appear on every page: the look on the baby
dragon's face, the snuggle blanket, the motifs on the blanket, the
increasingly tired mother as her image becomes more and more prone,
the increased demands of the baby; all are instantly recognisable by
the adult reading this book to the children, and parallel what
happens in their homes. The climax of the story will bring hoots of
laughter from the very willing audience, and the last few pages will
intrigue and delight all who read this tale.
Oh, and the endpapers are a treat as well - it's always an
extra surprise to see endpapers so well incorporated into the
story rather than be left blank.
Fran Knight
Hard nuts of history by Tracey Turner
Ill. by Jane Lennan. A and C Black, 2012. ISBN 9781408171882.
(Age: 9-12) Non fiction, Biography. Humour. Subtitled Who's who in
hard nut history, this attractively presented book outlines potted
histories of many famous and not so famous gutsy people, starting
with Blackbeard, and then trawling through the lives of such people
as Nelson, Boudica, Wu Zetian, Charlemagne, Attila the Hun, Abraham
Lincoln, and Scott of the Antarctic, along with a smattering of
women, Gracie O'Malley, Cleopatra and Mary Kingsley. A few nods to
non British people are included, as are a few indigenous people,
like Sitting Bull.
Each is given an outline of their life and times, with a ranking
about their toughness. Often a double page offers the person's
biography with more information about his times. For example,
Nelson's double page is followed by information about the British
Navy, while the pages about Ulysses S. Grant are followed by two
pages about the American Civil War.
The book relates to a website which can be accessed via the
Bloomsbury site (see page 7) which links to cards for downloading to
make a game of the book and its contents. At the end of the
book can be found a questionnaire asking how hard a nut you are, and
a timeline of the hard nuts in the book, with an excellent glossary
and comprehensive index. All designed to get kids involved in
learning about history through the people who have some notoriety,
the book makes history and its fact finding element fun and
involving, and uses the internet to further engage the modern
reader.
Fran Knight
Stories for 7 year olds ed. by Linsay Knight
Ill. by Tom Jellett. Random House, 2012. ISBN 9781742756622.
Stories for 8 year olds ed. by Linsay Knight. ISBN
9781742756808.
(Age: 7+) Recommended. Short stories. With authors like
Jacqueline Harvey, Phil Cummings, Deborah Abelah and Vashti Farrer
contributing stories to this series (and there are two more, one for
5 and one for 6 year olds), Random House can't go wrong. Short
stories are always sought after: a teacher wanting a five minute
filler before the bell, or wanting to model a story writing exercise
in the classroom, or parents wanting a short story to read before
bed, or a child wanting to read something within their operating
range, these books contain a wide range of stories designed to
please.
For 7 year olds, the range includes a very funny story by Phil
Cummings inspired by the pool in his home town where one of his
classmates decided it would be a good idea to take a surfboard.
Another by J. B. Thomas tells us why the crow's feathers are black,
another by Michael Pryor shows us a group of disappearing goats,
while another by Morris Gleitzman cleverly parallels a science
experiment to raise lots of laughs amongst the readership. Each is
distinctly different and funny, and the book includes information
about each of the authors at the end, as well as a page about when
the story was first published, revealing that some have been
published before and some are new. We are lucky that some of these
hidden gems have been given a second outing.
For 8 year olds, the range of authors include Paul Jennings, Andy
Griffiths and R. A. Spratt, with stories as strange and different as
they could possibly be. Both of these books will be a hit in the
school library.
Fran Knight
We love school illustrated by Lucie Billingsley
Hachette (Lothian) 2012. ISBN 9780734411570.
(Age: 4-6) Recommended. Picture book. School. Through a gaggle of
dogs, the story is told of the first day at school. The routines are
followed throughout the story, taking all young readers along with
it. For the very young the experience of school and its routines is
neatly outlined, allowing the child to assimilate all that happens
in this place. The dogs allow a distance and give a comforting
introduction to school procedures.
In rhyming couplets, the story develops as each animal prepares for
school, unsure of what to expect. Once at school, they play with
their own toys, paint some pictures, and then go out for a break,
relieving themselves together except for one dog. They go for a walk,
noticing all around them then take time out for lunch. Playtime ends
with water play, then the dogs all settle down to sleep until they
are picked up to go home with their art efforts for the day.
Each dog is given a different personality through the endearing
illustrations. They are shown doing a range of activities which
introduces the reader to the sorts of things to expect at school.
As a read aloud, or simply to look at by themselves, or as a
classroom share book, this book has possibilities in lessening the
anxieties of younger children hearing about school or about to start
school.
Fran Knight
The girl from Snowy River by Jackie French
Angus and Robertson, 2012. ISBN 9780732293109.
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Historical novel. In French's well known and
loved style of historical fiction, she makes us fully aware of her
love of the Australian bush, her adherence to early Australian bush
poetry and her unflagging affection for those early pioneers who
populated the bush beyond the cities. In the past she has used a
time slip technique to deposit her character into a situation in the
past where she must learn to survive. This one has a different sort
of time slip where a character from the period following World War
One, meets and talks with a Vietnam War veteran, his legs gone,
pondering his future on the well known rock near her home. Flinty is
the main carer in her family. Both parents have died, her brother is
killed in Europe, her boyfriend who went to war has returned a
broken man, her returned brother also finds it difficult to cope and
has gone droving, and she has a brother and sister to care for. She
cannot make sense of what is happening about her, just as Nicholas
who she meets on the rock, cannot make sense of where his future
lies. Both support the other, helping bring changes to their lives
which at first they could not see happening.
Flinty comes to rely on her evening talks to this taciturn man,
ensuring her siblings are in bed before she walks up the hill to
step into a different world. He knows where her future lies, and
hints about what may happen, always making sure he does not tell her
specifics but says she will suffer sorrow but will come through it
all. Readers will eagerly turn the pages as I did, after reading
these lines.
This is an engrossing read, full of information about the two
periods in which she has set her characters, redolent of the
attitudes of both time, exposing the wide impact war has had on both
of the main characters and all those about them. This heart warming
story ranges between melancholia, sorrow, elation and happiness, as
their stories unfold. And if it nudges slightly over the edges of
sentimentality, none of French's army of fans will mind in the
least.
Fran Knight
Spellbound: Tales of enchantment from ancient Ireland by Siobhan Parkinson and Olwyn Whelan
Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2012. ISBN 9781847801401
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Myths and legends. Irish myths. I haven't
often come across ancient Irish folk tales so this was most
interesting to read and so acquaint myself with those stories from
their past. Beautifully illustrated in that flat patchwork style of
illustrations peculiar to books of myths and fairy tales, full of
rich colour and often with borders, the book kept me reading until
the end.
The eight stories contain magic and mystery, telling of the ancient
times, and will intrigue readers. Some reveal a man who by his own
hand, destroys or upsets the love shown by a beautiful woman. In
Butterfly girl a young very beautiful girl called Etain, is buffeted
by those who both love and hate her. Beloved by a local lord she
marries him only to find he already has a wife, who takes serious
revenge upon the girl. From then on many things happen to her, but
eventually she and her husband are reunited as swans. It's an
amazing story of love (particularly the woman's) and retribution, of
overcoming evil, of finding your way in the end.
Another, The enchanted deer, has a young woman found in the forest
as a deer by day. She marries her rescuer only to be left alone for
too long, so returns to the forest where her husband later finds
their son. In Lord under wave, again, the man marries a woman who
initially appeared as an old ugly hag, only to find in the night she
changes to a beautiful young woman. They marry and all he has to do
to keep her is not remind her of her past. He does! She flees! And
then he spends time looking for her. Another odd mixture of love and
magic, around a man's ability to see only what he wants and not the
needs of his wife. The stories are all unusual and will make a great
treat for students wanting to hear different stories read aloud or
study as part of a different culture. For older readers, these may
form the basis of a study of folk tales and their presentation of
male and female roles. Each would be superb read aloud and set up a
neat platform for discussion.
Fran Knight
Poo! A history of the world from the bottom up! by Sarah Albee
Bloomsbury, 2012. ISBN 9781408171905.
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Non fiction. Excrement. Humour. A history of
how humans dispose of their waste material is given a very funny
airing in this mammoth tome. With 170 pages jam-packed full of
information rarely thought of, this book will fill in hours of
harmless fun for kids and parents alike. Fascinating titbits about
whether there were toilets in a pyramid or how a knight went to the
toilet, or how the sewers of London came to be built, invite readers
to linger on the pages and illustrations. Full of tales which will
be told and retold amongst their peers, younger readers will eat
this up.
The layout of the book is somewhat dreary, with blue and green
colours used with copious white background and black print, but the
information will warm the book to its target audience. The
toilet rolls that decorate each page too, leave the reader in no
doubt about the stance the author is taking, although I found the
repetition in the first few chapters, of how and why the stuff is
important along with reference to just a handful of pooers a little
unnecessary. But again, the target audience will dip in and out of
this book, gathering what information they want, discarding others
along the way. This will cause a sensation amongst those hardened
non readers, those for whom the Guiness Book of Records is the book
they cut their reading teeth on, and for whom the many list books
around now are snapped up. Others will come in when they can,
reading it over shoulders, hearing about it on the playground
grapevine, asking for it for Christmas. How ever it gets to them and
why they pick it up will be of no consequence once they read and are
drawn into the world of poo.
Fran Knight
