Simon and Schuster, 2012. ISBN: 9780857079367.
Nikki Maxwell leads an interesting life. Her father is a pest
exterminator, she has a pesky little sister who manages to rule the
roost at home and Nikki is easily embarrassed by her family. Her
diary
is the place in which she documents how she feels about her life,
friends, boys, school and the world in general. Following a sleep
over
prank in which she and her friends target mean girl, Mackenzie, the
girls discover that their enemy plans to get her own back on them
via
the school newspaper. This leads Nikki to apply for a place on the
editorial team. When she gains the job of agony aunt, she also
attracts
a huge following and achieves massive popularity, albeit under her
nom
de plume. In addition, things start to change between Nikki and
Brandon
causing Mackenzie to become more troublesome and manipulative.
This title, although not at all literary, will most likely appeal to
girls who don't love reading. It is simple to devour thanks to its
numerous illustrations and enormous font. It contains the message
that
mean girls don't always win but it is instead the down trodden who
can
triumph. There is also a message of sorts about lies. Whilst Nikki
lies
to Brandon, it is finally revealed that he has been aware of the
truth
all along and that he is, in fact, quite accepting of the 'real'
Nikki,
thereby encouraging truthful encounters in the future. The suggested
age range of 9+ would seem to be reasonable given the simplicity of
the
language yet the apparent boy/girl angst seems to demand a slightly
older audience.
Jo Schenkel
Saving orangutans by Dr Carla Litchfield
Black Dog Books, 2012. ISBN 9781742031460.
(Ages 7+) Recommended. Non fiction. Endangered species. Another in
the fine series, Rare Earth, this book by acclaimed conservation
psychologist at ZooSA, Dr Carla Litchfield, will involve, delight and
inform all of its readers. Starting on the first page, the family
tree outlines just where they stand in the family of mammals, and
their closeness to humans, sharing 97% of our DNA. Each double page
has several beautiful large photographs of these majestic animals,
along with a paragraph of so of information.
The information is most interesting, based on Dr Litchfield's
observations and study, and are fascinating to read and digest.
Sometimes several sentences are written in bold print, to underline
the importance of that piece of information. For a reader wanting to
find out information about the mammal this is a valuable first
book. It is hampered however by not having a contents page, which
may restrict some younger students in their research, but an astute
teacher, parent or teacher librarian will be able to point out the
value of this book as a tool for research, using the index, as well
as a book to read simply out of interest. The last four pages show
the reader just how they can help and explains the significance of
the recycled paper logo often seen in books.
The usefulness of the book is increased by a series of web addresses
for further research, a glossary as well as several paragraphs
containing more information. One in the series which also includes
Saving pandas, Saving tigers and Saving Tasmanian Devils, the books
fill a niche supplying succinct and fascinating information to the
younger reader.
Fran Knight
Love notes from Vinegar House by Karen Tayleur
Black Dog Books, 2012. ISBN 1742032192.
(Age: 11-14) Recommended. Freya is forced to spend her
holidays with her grandmother at Vinegar House when her parents have
to go overseas to visit her ill Nana. In one way it's not too bad
because there have been rumours about her on Facebook and she is
happy to get away from computers. However her cousin, Rumer, whom
she doesn't get on with, is there as well. Rumer is one of those
people who always seem to get what she wants and she wants Luke
Hart, the only boy that Freya has ever wanted.
When Freya arrives at Vinegar House she finds that things are even
more strange than usual. She spots a light coming from the attic
window at night, the attic that is always locked. When she finally
goes into the attic, she spies a shadow in the corner of the mirror
that stands in the corner. Mysterious love notes are pushed under
Rumer's door, addressed to R and signed L, and Freya is convinced
that she will never have a chance with Luke.
Tayleur's approach to the Gothic house, the ghostly light and the
romance is quite subtle and thoughtful. There are slight nods to
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, with weird housekeeper, a desolate
beach and old family secrets. Freya, whose voice is often funny and
poignant, describes the love triangle, often coming up with the
clever thing to say when it is too late. She comes alive as a smart
teen who can see her own failings and prejudices and who ultimately
does the right thing for all the people in her family. She knows
that she runs away from trouble, instead of facing it and gradually
gets the courage to face her fears.
This is not a ghost story that will make you quake with fear. Rather
it is a story that is based on the psychological insights that the
reader gains about the characters. Freya states that she doesn't
believe in ghosts, but the reader is left wondering who filled the
bath late at night and shone a light to beckon people in danger
home. And just what did happen to Rumer's mother so long ago and why
was no one prepared to talk about it?
I enjoyed this story, which on first reading seemed quite simple but
on reflection would open up many more avenues on a second read. I
think thoughtful readers would find a lot to enjoy in it.
Pat Pledger
The testament of Jessie Lamb by Jane Rogers
Canongate, 2012. ISBN 0857864181.
(Ages: 12+) Recommended. Dystopian. Just when you think no other
interpretation of our bleak future is possible, then along comes
this riveting story of a young girl, involved in the fringes of
several protest groups, wanting to do something about the women
dying, anything to save the world, to stop its descent into
nothingness. Women are dying of MDS (Maternal Death Syndrome) once
they get pregnant. It has happened suddenly, a girl at school has
become pregnant and several days later the school is having a
memorial service, Jessie's aunt dies, women are told not to get
pregnant, everyone has a birth control implant, and abortion
services are made readily available.
The story begins in a locked house, Jessie is handcuffed and secured
to the bed by her father while he tries to talk her out of her
decision. By degrees she reveals what has happened, both to society
at large and to herself as she tries to get her head around the
disease and its beginnings. Several of her friends say it's the
scientists' fault, they have simply gone too far, and so protest
against science; others blame the airports and besiege them; others
target the laboratories where animals are being used in experiments.
Some women aggressively target scientists and their use of women, as
the root of all problems.
But Jessie is unconvinced, and so internally digests all that is
going on around her. When societies try to have children born in a
way that keeps the foetus alive, but still kills the mother, Jessie
is excited as her scientist father explains. She feels that there is
something she can do. All her friends are involved in protests, but
she feels impelled to become pregnant and carry the child to term,
as she dies. She will die to bring a child into the world. She is
convinced that she is doing the only thing possible, that she is
sacrificing herself for the good of her society. When her father's
laboratory announces that they will use the frozen embryos stored
around the world in IVF laboratories, and calls for volunteers to
house them, Jessie volunteers.
Her testament to her unborn child seeks to explain just why she has
done this, and in doing so the reader can in part feel the reasons
behind some people's impulse to join causes which may result in
their deaths. Symbolism abounds: Jessie's name, the significance of
the lamb, a virgin (almost) birth, the woman being the vehicle for
one to come, and so on, all have cadence in the stories of heroes.
The theme of martyrdom is also too strong to ignore, and many
discussions will ensue in classrooms studying this book.
Fran Knight
Sword girl series by Frances Watts
Ill. by Gregory Rogers. Allen and Unwin, 2012.
(Age: 6-9) Recommended. Medieval fiction.
Two more chapter books for newly independent readers in this
highly
engaging series about Tommy, (short for Thomasina) who has become
the Keeper of the Swords at Flamant Castle. She is a very likeable
character, caring, clever and a problem solver.
Set in medieval times, there is plenty of incidental information
for
the young reader about life in a castle, the work of the Smith who
makes the swords and armour and the food that people ate,
including
eels. Cures, like using pigeon droppings to help cure a cold will
delight the young reader. Aided by the rambunctious illustrations
by
Gregory Rogers, the story is a treat for newly emerging readers,
full of life and interest of the times. The books are also laced
with humour, especially around the crocodiddle who lives in the
moat, but there is a serious side as well. Add the talking cat,
Lil,
and old swords that also talk, adventure and action and you have a
winning series for newly independent readers, both boys and girls
to
enjoy.
Pat Pledger
Tournament trouble ISBN 1742379893, sees Tommy having to take the
place of the injured squire in a castle tournament. But Tommy has
never been on a horse, let alone joust in a tournament. The siege scare ISBN 1742379907. With the knights away at the
tournament at Castle Roses, the enemy comes to Flamant Castle, and
surrounds it, laying a siege. But Tommy is there to save the day.
A fascinating series of now four books in this series will engage
younger readers with lots of information, laced with humour.
(The first two, The secret of the swords and The poison plot are
just as engaging, and students will watch out for the next in the
series.)
Fran Knight
Looking for Rex by Jan Ormerod
Ill. by Carol Thompson. Little Hare, 2012. ISBN 1921541482.
(Ages 5+) Highly recommended. Picture book. Animals. An absolutely
delightful story of getting a pet for Grandpa, this tale will trip
the hearts of those who read it and take in the glorious
illustrations. Grandpa's wife has died and the family is worried
that he is lonely, so the children decide that a dog would be a good
companion. The first few pages show him sitting alone in his house,
filling his time with TV, gardening, looking at the birds and just
sitting. The illustrations fill the pages with bright cheery
pictures of his family and the lonely old man sitting, lying or
walking by himself.
He initially rejects the idea, but as time goes on the idea of Rex
looms large, as he sees many dogs in his neighbourhood, in the
street, when he is out walking. All sorts of dogs are looked at and
rejected by both Grandpa and the family, and a plethora of animals
skip and jump across the pages in this endearing book.
He goes away to his caravan for the weekend, thinking about how
dangerous a dog may be for a frail old man, and wondering what would
happen to it when he becomes too old to care for it. In deciding
that Rex is not for him, he cycles to his family's house to find
that they have solved all of his questions and concerns.
A wonderful story of love and family, of loss and companionship, of
the place of animals in one's life, of loneliness and grief, this
will be read over and over again by young readers, parents and
teachers to gain a wider understanding of youth and age, and just to
appreciate a good story well told and beautifully illustrated.
Fran Knight
The lion's share by Matthew McElligott
A and C Black, 2012. ISBN 1408173883.
(Ages 4+) Highly recommended. Maths themes. Picture book.
When the lion, the king of the beasts, invites his friends to
dinner, the ant is rather concerned, as she has never been invited
before. After a sumptuous dinner where the animals all behave rather
badly (except for the ant), the lion brings out a large cake to eat.
Elephant takes half then pushes the rest on to the hippo, who takes
half of what is left, then pushes the rest on to the gorilla who
takes half of what is left, and so on. Each animal takes half of
what is left on the plate when it gets to him. At the end of the
line is the ant and when the cake comes to her she tries to cut what
is left in half, but succeeds in only making crumbs. She is
berated by the other animals for being greedy, so she apologises to
the lion, saying she will bake him a special cake and bring it along
the next day.
The other animals, not wanting to be outdone, promise cake to the
lion, each doubling what they offer in turn. By the time the offer
gets to the elephant, doubling each time, the elephant must bake 256
cakes.
Each of the animals is depicted in almost sepia tones, the cutting
up of the cake adding colour to the pages. The endpapers give a more
mathematical look at the cutting of the cake, something which could
be emulated in the classroom. Children will delight in the figures
of each of the animals, and ponder the fun of the subtitle, 'a tale
of halving cake and eating it too'.
This is an extremely funny look at fractions and sharing of numbers
through the cutting up of a cake, then the doubling and redoubling
of the number one. Apart from being a funny read with absolutely
delightful illustrations, the story would be a great introduction to
the idea of fractions and numbers.
Fran Knight
Archie by Domenica More Gordon
Bloomsbury, 2012. ISBN 978 1 4088 2862 5.
(Ages 4+) Recommended. Picture book. Pets. Warm in his
overcoat,
Archie notices his trusty pet dog, naked in the wintry day while out
walking. He rings and receives a sewing machine and then some
material
in the post, making his pet dog an overcoat as well, for when they
go
walking. On their first day out, both wearing their warm overcoats,
they meet a woman and her dog. She expresses a liking for Archie's
dog's coat, and he makes one for her dog. Later of course, all the
pet
owners want one for their dog, and Archie becomes a small business
man.
Later still, his new friend requests a dress for herself, and Archie
finds a mannequin to fit the new dress around to make the clothes.
This
leads to all the other dog owners requesting Archie make them
clothes
for them, and finally someone quite famous hears about Archie and
requests a coat for her corgi.
This is a beautiful story of friendship, of meeting new people, of
pet
ownership and the relationship between pets and their owners. The
book
gently promotes good relations between pet owners, of responsible
dog
ownership. The illustrations are just wonderful, gently amusing,
pleasurable to look at and read about. The few words added include
woof, gasp and ring, giving some background noise to this mainly
wordless book, encouraging young readers to repeat these words
aloud.
Fran Knight
Eve and Adam by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate
Egmont, 2012. ISBN 9781405264341.
(Age: 13+) After Evening has a horrific accident, she is taken into
intensive care in the research facility called Spiker Biopharm, run
by her mother, Terra Spiker. There she meets the mysterious Solo, a
young employee who was partially raised by her mother. To prevent
boredom, her mother gives her a task: test out a new piece of
software that creates a virtual person. Evening becomes increasingly
fascinated with creating her own man, but everything is not as it
seems . . .
Michael Grant (writer of the excellent Gone series) has a knack for
writing stories that really manage to connect with the teenage
audience. Eve and Adam is no different. It's easy to see the appeal,
from the thriller and romance elements of the plot, to the
fast-paced writing and modern style. The book is divided about
evenly between Eve's side of the story and Solo's side of the story,
enabling a good level of change to keep the story moving fluidly,
rather than having the whole novel simply revolving around one
person. It helps to keep the pace going. Having two authors co-write
this novel - Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate - was a
good idea as well. When it's from the perspective of another
character, it helps show the differences and gives each of them a
singular 'voice', so none of the characters sound exactly like the
same person. The plot is interesting, to say the least, and very
original. It's simply a very good, although not brilliant, young
adult novel.
Fast-paced, clever and original, this is a solid, interesting read
Rebecca Adams (Student)
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Ill. by Chris Riddell. Bloomsbury, 2012, 208 pgs., p/b. ISBN
9781408832400.
Recommended for readers 10+. This book is a special 10th Anniversary
edition of Neil Gaiman's modern classic with an introduction by the
author and spine-chilling illustrations by Chris Riddell, adding to
the
spookiness of the story. The lure of a locked door is too much
for Coraline, the bored young girl at the centre of this spooky
tale. Coraline and her parents have just moved into a new flat
in
the South of England and there is something strange about Coraline's
new home. After moving in, Coraline discovers an old door and
asks her mother where the door leads to. Her mother unlocks
the
door to show her it goes nowhere, opening up to a brick wall.
One
day when her mother pops out to the shops and Coraline is bored and
alone, she opens the door to find the brick wall gone so she
enters. She finds herself in what appears to be her own home,
same carpet, same wallpaper and looking at two people who look like
her
mother and father, except their skin is white as paper and they have
black-button eyes. These two people who look like her parents
want Coraline to stay forever.
I really enjoyed the main character, Coraline, because she is
curious,
intelligent and brave and uses her smarts to save herself and
others.
This is a well written short and easy to read story. It is
full
of adventure, twists and surprises. I would recommend
this
book to 10+ as there are some scary parts.
'Sometimes a door is closed for a very good reason'.
Michelle Thomson
Hal Junior: The missing case by Simon Haynes
Bowman Press, 2012. ISBN 978-1-877034-25-1.
(Age: Middle to upper primary) Hal Junior returns in another space
adventure. This time he has to
entertain a visiting VIP's daughter while her father negotiates the
future of Space Station Oberon.
As usual, Hal finds himself in trouble while trying to impress Alex.
Alex has promised to look after her father's briefcase, which holds
important documents pertaining to the space station's future, but
unfortunately this finds its way into the rubbish. Hal and
Alex
become involved with the space station recycling centre and an
aggressive robot that hates to part with his recycling property.
This science fiction story is aimed at middle to upper primary
school
students. As I have stated before Hal Junior books do not have
attractive jackets and I feel that this will influence their appeal
to
children.
Jane Moore
The games: The extraordinary history of the modern Olympics by Carole Wilkinson
Black Dog Books, 2012. ISBN 9781 742032 22 1
(Ages 10+) Recommended. Non fiction. Olympic games. History.
Nine fascinating and informative chapters give the reader a potted
history of the Olympic Games, and introduction breezily outlining
the beginning of the modern games. Each chapter looks at three
Olympics in turn, with an introductory fact file showing the number
of participating countries, the number of male and female athletes
involved, the number of sports played and the medal tally. The
chapter goes on to target the most interesting occurrences during
the games in that particular year, outline fascinating events and
characters and target athletes who have made a difference.
Wilkinson's always lucid style of writing invites the reader to read
for the sake of reading about the Olympics, rather than use this as
a research tool, but either is appropriate. The detailed index makes
this a good research tool for the library and classroom, and the
open chatty style makes it most accessible to any reader.
At each Olympics, events from the past are alluded to by the
journalists searching for something new and interesting to say or
write, the storming of the Jewish athletes at the Munich Games,
Jessie Owens' achievements at the Berlin Games, the breathing
problems at the Mexico City Games, all these are given an airing in
this book, making it a formidable companion read for all those
people fascinated by the games themselves, the athletes in
particular and just lovers of all sport.
And for those groups of boys who frequent the library at lunchtimes
or keep their heads stuck in the Guinness Books of Records,
this is another book from which to gain things to add to their pile
of interesting facts.
Fran Knight
The sugarbag by Nola Turner-Jensen
Ill. by Dub Leffler. Magabala Books, 2012. ISBN 9781921248474
(Ages 4+) Recommended. Picture book. Aboriginal themes. Environment.
Jimmy and Max are out in the bush when a native bee passes by. Jimmy
catches the stingless bee and takes a little bit of stuffing from
Max's toy, attaching it to the back of the bee. He tells Max that
his grandfather has told him about doing this so that they can
follow the bee and find sugarbag or ngarruu or honey. Max thinks
that finding sugarbag is a great idea, and imagines all the sweets
that he will be able to eat. But when the bee goes into a hollow
log, and Jimmy finds some large sticks to pry the log open, many
angry bees erupt from the log. Max hides but Jimmy perseveres,
eventually finding his reward, sweet honey. This is not quite what
Max imagined, but one finger full of the honey convinces him that
this is sugarbag. The boys eat some of what they have found, then
Jimmy puts some on a flat stick and wraps it in bark to take it back
to his grandfather.
This is a lovely story based around bush tucker found by Aboriginal
people over Australia. Called sugarbag by the European settlers, it
is called ngarruu by the Widajuri people of northern New South
Wales, and the words of the book point to more than the simple story
of the boys collecting honey. There are under-stories of older
people passing on information and skills, the theme of sharing, of
bush tucker, of family and obligation. And in a country where
obesity is a growing issue, the idea of what sort of sweets are good
for you is another area of discussion which this book promotes.
Books from Magabala are always multi-layered, teaching more that
just story, giving layers of meaning and story to chew upon.
The illustrations are muted and soft, with colours reflecting the
sorts of sweets Max is imagining he will find in the bush. The two
boys are entertainingly drawn, making the eye follow their antics
across the page. The design of the book is noteworthy as the words
move across the page, emulating the trail of the bee and stressing
some of the questions Max has for Jimmy.
Fran Knight
Bubbay, a Christmas adventure by Josie Wowolla Boyle
Ill. by Fern Martins. Magabala Books, 2012. ISBN 1921248726.
(Ages 5+) Recommended. Picture book. Christmas. This is one of the
loveliest Christmas stories I have read. The story is redolent of
the warmth of families and giving of yourself. Aboriginal and
European cultures and stories sit alongside each other in the tale
of a boy out tending his goats. Bubbay is alone and his wish is for
being in a home for Christmas. To this end he wishes upon the stars
on high for a Christmas tree to put presents underneath ready to
give at Christmas. The stars hear him and send down a tree which
needs five things attached for his wish to be realised. He scours
the desert for the five things, a stone, an egg, a seed, a feather
and a shell to decorate his tree. He does this eagerly, with the
help of old Gubarlee, finding that the shell is the hardest thing to
find. The conclusion of the story brings all the themes together,
the Aboriginal boy alone in the desert, Christmas Eve, the need for
family, sharing and helping. The blending of Aboriginal and European
stories is wonderful and will endear the tale to all of its readers.
The illustrations however, make the book difficult to read aloud to
a class, as the pastels blend into each other when viewed further
away. It is a shame, as the book would be well used as a read aloud,
but clever teachers will be able to get around this using technology
I am sure. The background to the naive illustrations sometimes
detracts as well, but readers will love reading about the boy and
his quest, and look for the things mentioned in the text in the
vibrant and colourful illustrations.
Fran Knight
Bushland lullaby by Sally Odgers
Ill. by Lisa Stewart. Scholastic, 2012. ISBN 174283177X.
(Ages 1+) Picture book. Bedtime reading. A gentle story told in
rhyming lines within stanzas, this book is presented to be read by a
parent or sibling at bed time, easing the younger child into sleep.
Each page gives us four poetic lines telling of an Australian animal
settling down to sleep with its parents. In gentle balladic stanzas,
the story is told of the animals and their night time snuggling to
rest after a busy day. Children will love to hear of these animals,
warm in the knowledge that they too are about to go to bed to sleep,
comforted by their parent's closeness. The gentle rhymes are easy to
emulate, encouraging the listener to predict the word that comes
next, possibly offering alternatives to the one given on the page.
The descriptions offered too, underscore the environment and
habitat. The illustrations, using Japanese paper collage techniques
are soft and gentle, paralleling the story being told. They are more
useful for a one to one reading, as they tend to fade on viewing
from a distance, becoming indistinct.
Fran Knight
