Puffin, 2012. ISBN 978-0-14-330689-4.
(Age: 10+) Sam Lee was an ordinary boy . . . until he discovered his
super powers and joins Vanguard Prime the super hero team. As the
newbie he must learn play his part and is given special protective
clothing and a name 'Goldrush' to make him identifiable as a
superhero.
He is the youngest member and must learn how to react to dangerous
situations and to control his special powers.
He is put to the test earlier that expected when evil powerful
prisoners escape and have to be captured.
This is a high action novel with lots of fighting and good versus
evil confrontations. This might especially appeal to children 10+
who enjoy computer games.
The author, Steven Lochran has made two music videos to accompany
his book. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGrorS6sd0g http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuTUUDiMjl4
Jane Moore
Hedgehog's magic tricks by Ruth Paul
Walker Books, 2012. ISBN 978 1 921977 68 8
(Ages 3+) Picture book. Magic. Hedgehog practises his magic tricks
on
his friends, the rabbit, mouse, and the duckling. His attempts to
make
these animals disappear seems destined to end in failure as each is
still there when the cloth is removed.
In bold large print, the simple tale is told over the pages of
pastel
coloured illustrations showing the animals int heir environment. The
book is easy to hold and will intrigue younger readers trying books
out
for themselves.
The idea of magic and trickery, of abracadabra, the customs of
magicians, with their top hats, cane and stage props could all be
discussed using this book as an opener.
Fran Knight
Horrible Harriet's inheritance by Leigh Hobbs
Allen and Unwin, 2012. ISBN 9781741149852.
148 Pages
Ages: 7-11 Recommended. Horrible Harriet is back in all her
narcissistic glory and this time in a novel written in her very own
words. Her self-absorbed thoughts are met by the reader with
jaw-dropping horror and laughter at the ridiculousness of it all.
The scene for the story is set with a word of warning by H.H's lowly
assistant Leigh Hobbs and an introduction by Miss Horrible Harriet
herself complete with a sample of her insightful poetry.
School holidays has arrived and Horrible Harriet is busy working on
a brilliant poem in her tower room when she is rudely interrupted by
Fred the postman nervously knocking at the front door. Harriet is
not hugely surprised to discover in a letter addressed to 'Her Royal
Highness Miss Horrible Harriet' that she may well be a long lost
member of the royal family. The only catch is that in order to claim
her inheritance (including a stately home on the coast) she needs to
fill in the missing names of her royal ancestors on her family tree.
Thinking the obvious place to start looking for clues would be her
photo album Harriet recounts her happy childhood in words and
pictures with hilarity provided through the disparate illustrations
and captions. Finding no success in this venture Harriet recalls a
similarly humorous class trip to the museum in which she felt very
at home with the royals who strangely enough all resembled her. If
this is not proof enough the next day a chest arrives filled with
yet more evidence.
So Horrible Harriet sets about proving her obvious royalty to the
Palace, preparing the school for her unfortunate departure (the
teachers in the cellar were working on her holiday homework and
needed to be fed after all) and journeys to her stately home on the
coast. Leigh Hobbs is a master at making each and every page
deliciously inviting to the eye with each page filled with
illustrations, interesting fonts and textures and a writing style
which can't help but put a smile on a readers face. The section of
the book which details Harriet's ideas of what her royal life will
be like is hilarious in its self-importance as is her annotations of
the photos of her royal ancestors. Mr Chicken fans will be delighted
that he also makes a cameo performance.
Nicole Smith-Forrest
Geronimo Stilton saves the Olympics by Geronimo Stilton
Geronimo Stilton Graphic Novel series, no. 10. Papercutz, 2012. 50
pages. ISBN 9781597073196.
(Ages: 7-10) The Pirate Cats have travelled back in time to compete
in the first modern Olympics, back in 1894 in Athens. I's up to
Geronimo and his team to prevent the Cats from winning the prizes
and changing the outcome of the first modern games. But what
Geronimo and his friends don't know is that the Pirate Cats have
taken back to 1894 modern gadgets that will make it near impossible
for them to be defeated in the Olympic events. How can they possibly
stop them without changing the course of history?
The historical notes peppered throughout the graphic novel are a
bonus and the subject and concept of the text will appeal to young
children of both genders. Regular readers will recognise the
characters from other Geronimo Stilton books however the series does
not need to be read in order and the characters and the roles they
play are easy enough to pick up through reading a single book alone.
The humour of the characters, especially as it plays on their
identities as mice and cats gives the book an added dimension which
will be familiar to fans of the series. The illustrations in their
coloured form are aesthetically pleasing and the text is easy to
read and not too complex. This is a classic good versus bad comic
with themes which appeal to younger readers and characters who have
clearly defined traits and qualities which make it somewhat humorous
and overall fun to read. Children who struggle with large blocks of
text or enjoy visual reading will appreciate the sparse text and
colourful pages.
Nicole Smith-Forrest
Malice by Gabrielle Lord
Conspiracy 365 (series). Scholastic, 2012. ISBN 9781 74283 362 8.
(Ages 10+) Recommended. Biggles and Famous Five, eat your hearts
out, here is an adventure series which will draw even the most
reluctant reader in, with all the panache of a 1950's cinematic
thriller, enticing kids to boo and hiss at the villains and cheer
when the heroes inevitably outsmart their captors. I loved this
book, which continues the series onspiracy 365, full of well drawn
but cliched bad eggs and noble country folk willing to help our
heroes.
When Winter goes with her friends, Cal and Ryan to the house she has
inherited, they find local people singularly unhelpful, but the post
she received giving the cryptic information that she had 30 days
before the Drowner came, impels them into action. Searching reveals
an entrance to the caves below, the scene of a shipwreck nearby and
possibly holding the treasure from the ship. But others are after
the same treasure. So becomes a game of cat and mouse as the bad
eggs try to scare the trio out of the house with easily seen through
attempts and then use much stronger force and the threat of death to
get their way.
A heart stopping episode at the end of the book will have all
readers, like me, wondering how they will escape alive and I even
thought for a mad minute that Lord was going to include a death.
Relief was longed for as the teens escaped their captors and were
able to restore the next door farm to its original condition.
A great series of books, Revenge and Malice continue the Conspiracy
365 series, and these will be followed with a new trilogy called New
Black Ops in 2013.
Fran Knight
The Ghost at the Point by Charlotte Calder
Walker Books, 2012. ISBN 978-1-921977-73-2.
(Age: Upper primary) Highly recommended. Dorrie lives with her
beloved
grandfather, known as Gah. Everything is going well until Gah falls
from a ladder and is hospitalized. Dorrie decides she doesn't want
to
stay with other relatives or friends and through some story telling
manages to stay alone in their semi isolated home near the sea.
This story is set in the 1930's so modern telephones or any outside
contact is non-existent.
Plucky 12 year old Dorrie manages to look after the farm and the
animals but she can't help thinking about the ghost stories she has
heard earlier and some unusual things have been occurring around the
house to keep her on edge.
The 'ghost' turns out to be a young shipwreck survivor who becomes
important in helping Dorrie with less spectral problems, the
suspicious
Mr. and Mrs. Crickle who are supposedly researching local history.
Add some buried treasure and an exciting ending with lots of twists
and
you have a great read.
The plot, the believable characters and the depression years in
which
it was set captivated me. A great piece of writing and I would
highly
recommend this book to upper primary students.
Jane Moore
Crusher by Niall Leonard
Doubleday, 2012. ISBN 9780 857 53209 1.
(Ages: 14+) Crime fiction. Coming home from his brain dead job at a
take away chicken joint in London, Finn finds his house is quiet and
the curtains pulled across.Feeling uneasy he finds his father's body
slumped over the table, blood damp across his bashed in head.
Calling in the police means he is the main suspect, and he takes it
into his head to investigate the murder himself. There follows an
easy to read crime fiction thriller, following his steps to uncover
the murderer.
His father, really a stepfather, was an out of work actor, and
wanted to write a novel about London's underworld. His need to
investigate characters as fully as he could may have meant that he
had got too close to McGovern, the underworld boss, so that is the
first place Finn starts to look. In an impulsive move, Finn gets
inside the man's house and from there the reader's nerves will
tingle as Finn tries to avoid McGovern and the policemen who are
convinced he is their murderer. A number of characters seem to want
to help Finn but he is wary, feeling that they possibly know more
than they are letting on.
This is such an easy read, jumping so easily from one event to
another without much subtlety, that young readers will be entranced.
Cliched situations and characters abound, but are most acceptable in
this easily digested story. For younger secondary readers, it will
introduce the reader to the genre, one becoming more prevalent in
the young adult market, and for those more used to this genre, this
will be a few hours of easy escapism as Finn strolls around
situations others would not dare enter.
Leonard's background as a screenwriter comes thorough as many
episodes are very filmic, the settings minutely detailed and the
characters easy to recognise, with a little sex thrown into the mix.
Fran Knight
Goblins by Philip Reeve
Scholastic, 2012. ISBN 978-1-407115-27-6
Highly recommended for 10+ years. Skarper is different from all the
other fighting, squabbling goblins at Clovenstone. He is a thinker.
It
is thinking too much that results in him being catapulted from
Blackspike Tower. This is when Skarper's life changes drastically,
he
escapes death and becomes involved with a variety of different
characters both mythical and human. From his first encounter with
Henwyn the cheese wright (who naively wishes to save princesses and
fight monsters) to confrontations with trolls, cloud maidens and
some
very dodgy sorcerers, Skarper constantly moves from one incident to
another.
All the characters and storylines become entwined together in the
final
exciting chapters. Everything has been leading to the discovery of
the
mysterious Lych Lord's rightful heir to the Dark Tower.
This is a skillful combination of fantasy and humour, a story that
constantly delights. Quirky characters, witty one-liners and comic
situations make this book a winner. It appeals from the fluorescent
green front cover to the last page.
I have discovered that the Laika Animation Studios are making a 3 D
stop motion animation telling Skarper's story. It is due to be
released
in 2013. I hope it does justice to the book.
Jane Moore
Christmas is coming by Susannah McFarlane
Ill. by Lachlan Creagh. Little Mates (series). Scholastic, 2012.
ISBN 9781 74283 168 8.
(Ages: 3+) Australian animals, Christmas. Another in the
Little Mates series, this one has all the animals getting ready for
Christmas. Each double page shows and tells of the animals as they
prepare the traditional things ready for the big day. With a stress
on the letter c, each page offers two animals, a wombat and galah,
called Connor and Chloe, as they write their cards and send them off
to places such as Collangatta, the next page writing their letters
to Santa Claus. Following this is cooking Christmas cakes and
chocolate crackles, while collecting a Christmas tree from the
co-op. Al in all, this is a wonderfully evocative presentation of
the plans families make for Christmas, and could be well used in the
classroom as a discussion starter for how members of the class
celebrate this day.
With lively illustrations, the animals themselves add to the fun of
the preparations, finally eating too much and then playing cricket.
With a stress on one letter and the words often beginning with that
letter, one of the the teaching uses of this series is very clear.
Fran Knight
Send Simon Savage: Return of the Black Death by Stephen Measday
Little Hare, 2012. ISBN 978-1-921541-91-9.
A great science fiction story for upper primary and lower secondary
students. Recommended. Simon Savage returns to deal with an outbreak
of the Black Plague in a second exciting time travel novel. Someone
is importing the disease from the 14th century and it is up to Simon
to help discover who's spreading the plague and why.
Simon Savage is one of the few Temponauts, young time travellers,
who can confront a sinister plot that could kill millions.
Adding to the excitement is the continuation of Simon's struggles to
unravel the mystery of his family's disappearance to another time
(see the review for book 1 Send
Simon Savage) and the overarching fear that maybe his
father is somehow involved in the Black Death crisis.
The Black Death is a horrific topic in itself and the morbid
combination of a gruesome disease, rats and time travel is an
exciting and compelling read. The unsolved mysteries of his own
family keep Simon and the reader questioning his father's motives.
Jane Moore
Dork Diaries: Dear Dork by Rachel Renee Russell
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
