Ill. by Vivian Schwarz. Walker Books, 2013.
(Age: all) Warmly recommended. Picture book. Bullying. Democracy.
Rules. It amazes me when authors, supported by illustrators with an
awareness so suited to the tale, write a story about major themes
within our society, but told at a level that is able to be
understood by the youngest of readers. So it is with this one.
Cheese belongs to you except when a hairier, scarier, bigger rat
comes along. And so it goes all through the tale, each page showing
a different rat which gains power over the preceding rat for some
reason. At the end of the book, when the biggest, scariest, dirtiest
rat comes along, all the rats then fight for the cheese with
interesting results.
Readers will immediately see the logic of the big and powerful rats
taking over the cheese, equating it with what they see in the
schoolyard, or in society, or government or world affairs. And to
have this rise of power then erupt into war is even more obvious, as
most television news will tell them. But readers do not have to be
au fait with world affairs, this premise can be seen all around them
and will be a basis for discussion in all classrooms. And readers
will love looking at the range of rats shown on each page, the
scared, bullying and bullied, large and small, the cowering, the
brave, the sneering, all have faces that can be marveled at, as the
readers will look at them again and again with delight.
Fran Knight
Sneaky art: Crafty surprises to hide in plain sight by Martha Jocelyn
Candlewick, 2013. ISBN: 9780763656485.
Recommended for 8-10 years of age.Themes: Art - construction,
Recycling in Art, Handicrafts. Sneaky Art projects made from
recycled materials readily available at home or school can add a fun
and surprising element to public spaces. Yarn-bombing where crafters
add knitting and crocheting projects to cityscapes continues to be a
successful artistic endeavour. This quirky handicrafts manual gives
the budding artist a step-by-step guide to creating exciting
short-term, easily removable artworks. They are meant only for fun
and enjoyment as the introductory reminder advises to be careful
with other people's property.
'Don't make anyone mad, make them laugh,' Martha Jocelyn states.
Each project has a full-page colour photo with a clearly defined
list of materials needed, instructions for making, how to sneak and
where to place the finished work. For children or students this
needs some adult input and guidance. Adding a fractured face made
with cut out eyes, nose and mouth and a speech bubble to a parking
metre needs consideration. It would be fine to add sneaky art around
the home.
Simple craft like Seeing Red, where red wool or pipe cleaners are
wrapped around 'anywhere that needs brightening,' could be adopted
for Harmony Day where students could add touches of orange to the
school fences or buildings. 'Post a Poem,' using sticky notes, or
'Library Shouts', using cut out words and letters are great ideas
for literacy lessons.
This unusual art book is recommended for children over 8 years of
age. It is suitable for class craft lessons.
Rhyllis Bignell
New Guinea moon by Kate Constable
Allen and Unwin, Sydney, 2013. ISBN 9781743315033.
(Age 13+) Highly recommended. There is a very good reason that Kate
Constable was the winner of the CBCA Young Reader award last year:
she is a wonderful storyteller. In her latest novel she has crafted
a delightful story about a young girl who is finding her way in
life, in a country which is also finding its way: both are seeking
independence.
Julie is quite literally facing a new chapter in her life. Having
been at odds with her mother for some time, is it any wonder that
she has been shipped off to spend the summer holidays with her
father? However, Julie hasn't seen or heard from her dad since she
was 3 years old and he lives in a different country: New Guinea. So
Julie is thrown into a new cultural experience on many levels!
This novel explores Julie's situation with credibility, sensitivity
and warmth. For Julie is both appalled and fascinated by 1970's New
Guinea. She falls in love with the scenery, which is evocatively
described by Kate Constable, and she warms to the shy locals.
However, Julie finds some of the sights and smells a tad
overwhelming and she is dismayed by some of the attitudes displayed
by her father's expat friends.
Julie is a credible, warm and intelligent girl. She is sensitive to
the nuances of relationships and aware of cultural differences but,
realistically, this doesn't mean that she always knows how to deal
with difficult situations without causing offence. However, by
novel's end, Julie has a clearer path forward: a clearer sense of
herself and her relationship with this strange new land.
This is a thoroughly engaging novel; it may be set in an era which
is unfamiliar to modern Aussie teens but the political context will
not detract from the story's popularity. Indeed, it is explored in
such a sensitive and even-handed way that it is more likely to
engage readers.
Deborah Marshall
Jake's cooking craze by Ken Spillman
Ill. by Chris Nixon. Fremantle Press, 2013. ISBN 978 192208910 6.
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Junior novel. Cooking. Spurred on by the
cooking television series for younger chefs, Junior Cooks, Jake is
amused when his friends and those about him fall into the trap of
talking about nothing else. He studiously ignores the conversations
about the program, but when his teacher brings it up in class as a
topic of discussion, he knows he cannot hold out. He watches the
show and is soon asking his Gran for help with recipes, while
finding new things to cook for tea.
This all comes to a head when his teacher announces a cooking
competition to be held between the local schools. Jake is so wound
up in the whole idea that he volunteers and then tries to find a
different recipe that he could use which would be a prize winner. In
the garden, he spies some snails, and so hits upon the idea of
cooking snails as his dish. The hilarious illustrations follow
Jake's path to what he thinks is a winning idea, and the same
illustrations show quite clearly what the judges all think about his
smart recipe.
A funny read of about 40 pages, with easy to follow print, short
easily digested chapters, a flowing plot line all broken up with
wonderfully evocative illustrations, this is one of a series about
Jake and his exploits. This one taps into the hysteria caused by the
overabundance of cooking shows currently presented on television,
and students will giggle with recognition.
Fran Knight
Seababy : a little otter returns home by Ellen Levine
Ill. by Jon Van Zyle. Bloomsbury, 2013. ISBN 978 0 8027 9808 4.
(Age: 5+) Recommended. Picture book. Animals. Family. A charming
tale of a lost sea otter, separated from his mother when the seas
become rough, but taken by humans to a rescue haven, where he is
nursed back to health and then put into a larger pool with an older
female otter who teaches him how to fend for himself. The survival
skills necessary for this baby otter are shown clearly from the
skills taught by his mother, to the care taken by the humans and
then the skills taught by the surrogate mother. Each shows readers
very distinctly how an otter survives and the sorts of things they
need to keep themselves alive and safe.
The otters must learn how to dive to find food on the bottom of the
sea, bringing up clams to open by smacking their shells on rocks
placed on their stomachs. And at night he must pull together some
seaweed to create a bed on which to lie in the rolling sea.
The happily descriptive illustrations show contented otter lazing
around on their seaweed beds, and also the skills taught them by the
older otters. A reader can be in o doubt about how these little
animals survive whilst at the end of the book, a page of information
is given detailing the work of the Californian Monterey Bay
Aquarium, along with further references and websites for students to
pursue their research. This book is a happy mix of story and
information.
Fran Knight
Let's build a playground by Michael J. Rosen
Photographs Ellen Kelson & Jennifer Cecil. Harper Collins, 2013.
ISBN: 9780763655327. Hardcover. 32 p.
Reading Age: 8-10. Themes: Outdoor Recreation, Planning &
Design, Measurement, Playgrounds - Design and Construction.
This is a bright, colourful photo journal that chronicles the
design, planning and construction of a fantastic playground in
Andrews Academy Indianapolis. Kaboom! Consultants, a US national
non-profit organisation joined with the students, parents and
community in their journey to build a creative play space.
Michael J. Rosen's questioning free-verse comments on each stage of
development. At the beginning the wildly imaginative ideas of the
students include 'a hot tub a tower, a roller coaster that turns
into a rocket'. These are developed into a purple triple slide,
climbing walls and much more. The choice of colour scheme needs a
vote for consensus - the perkiest green for spring.
Each stage of the procedure is documented through verse, supported
by photos that show the active engagement of the teachers and
students. The children's voice, enthusiasm and engagement is heard -
'we cooked up a project of our own; we painted dozens of stepping
stones.' Factual text boxes add interest using child-friendly terms
- the playground equipment weighed as much as 126 students!
This factual account is a great classroom resource: for procedural
writing; mapping; technology design; model-making; Maths -
measurement; Poetry lessons using Michael J. Rosen's free verse
style and his other poetry books including The hound dog's haiku
(2011).
Rhyllis Bignell
Blood prophecy by Alyxandra Harvey
Drake Chronicles. Bloomsbury, 2013. ISBN: 9781408836699. Blood Prophecy by Alyxandra Harvey is another beautifully
written and the last instalment to the Drake Chronicles.
Solange Drake, the youngest of the unusual Drake family is
prophesised to be queen of the un-dead but this is not something
Solange had ever wanted. Plagued by strange visions of another life
and another time Solange loses control of her actions and this
affects herself, the rest of the noble Drake family and the whole of
the vampire world.
This novel is written from Solange's point of view as well as her
bestfriend Lucy Hamilton and her vampire hunter friend, Hunter. The
fact that the author has written in these three different character
perspectives gives the reader the opportunity to see different
aspects within the one story. Solange gives the reader a sight into
the vampire world and the Drake family life, Lucy gives a human
perspective upon the events in the novel. Lucy has grown up with the
Drakes but attends the vampire hunter school Helios-Ra with the
skilled and highly academic Hunter. Hunter gives a view of the novel
from a Helios-Ra hunting student perspective with greater knowledge
on the hunters and their traditions.
The recommended age for this novel in my opinion would be a teenage
audience due to the supernatural themes and violence. Even though
this is the last book in the Drake series there are also novellas
and smaller instalments for the chronicles but in my opinion this is
a fantastic way to finish a fantastic series.
Sarah Filkin (Student)
Our first class camp by Miss Kelly and her year 2/3/4
Camp of St Joseph's Gladstone, 2013. Available from Meg's Bookshop,
Port Pirie or St Joseph's, Gladstone.
(Age 4+) Warmly recommended. Picture book. Journeys. Camping.
School. Many many classes resolve to make a book reflecting their
experiences, but few actually have a finished product, certainly not
as beautifully presented as this one. It will not be readily
available, but is worth pointing out that it may appear on their
website, or your library may be able to purchase one to have as an
example of what a class can achieve.
This little class boarded their bus at their school at Gladstone,
headed for the River Murray. They stayed along the river, visiting
Monash Playground, waking early to beat the sun, talking with the
Ranger about local flora and fauna, and generally having a first
class time.
The group collected together photos and drawings of their trip, and
with the help of Margie Arnold of Meg's Bookshop in Port Pirie, were
able to put together a book of rhyming sentences showcasing their
experiences. All of the photos show children enjoying themselves,
playing together and having a great time. The illustrations range
from the simple page of faces to the more adventurous winged bus,
which I love, and the drawing of the playground and its maze, as
well as children rolling down a hill.
The whole is bright, inviting and reflects the three strands of this
little school in South Australia's mid north: faith, friendship and
families. Reading it I couldn't help but think of ways it could be
used in classrooms: talking about journeys, school camps, being away
from parents, living together and so on. This is a wonderful model
of what to do once a camp is completed, using the children's
experiences to develop an end point that will be remembered, shared
and treasured.
Fran Knight
Big Brother by Susannah MacFarlane
EJ12 Girl Hero. Scholastic Australia, 2012. ISBN 9781921931161.
(Age 8+) Highly recommended. I love all the EJ12 books. I think they
are well written. This book is no different. In the other EJ12 books
some of details in the beginning are the same but in this book the
details have been changed. I love how the SHINE HQ is relocated.
Nothing like that has happened in the previous books and I think
this is a good change. I like how the retired horse agents are kept
busy, so they don't just stand in the paddock all day. One of few
negative things I would say is I wish the books were longer because
I find the book finishes just as you're getting hooked! I like how
new SHINE agents have been introduced in this book, because you can
get a bit bored with the same agents. I also like how Emma Jacks
faces her fears - this sends a good message to readers. I love how
there is a wide range of wildlife from horses to dogs to kangaroos.
It's cool that they have a bit of trickery in it, so it keeps the
book interesting. All of the ideas that evil agency SHADOW come up
with keep you on the edge of your seat. I like how Emma finds a way
to deal with her brother in the end. And I love how good conquers
all - although at first, the characters are scared to do something
that makes them feel uncomfortable. It's a great book and I am sure
you will enjoy it!
Lauren H. (Student)
Unravel me by Tahereh Mafi
Allen and Unwin, 2013. ISBN 9781743310939. Unravel Me, the sequel to Tahereh Mafi's novel, Shatter
Me, focuses again on the central character Juliette and her
untold power to harm those people she touches. Although she has
escaped the clutches of The Reestablishment and their attempts to
use her as a weapon, finding refuge instead at Omega Point, the
headquarters of the rebel resistance, Juliette's problems are only
just beginning. She thought she had found Adam, the love of her life
and the only person who has seemed immune from her lethal touch, but
now it appears that he too can be harmed by her power. And war with
the Reestablishment is brewing . . .
Stylistically, the novel is written to resemble a
stream-of-consciousness form of the main character's thoughts,
including strike-through phrases. Sometimes this requires more
intense concentration to follow, however it also successfully
captures Juliette's insecurities and her sense of alienation from
the people around her and their poorly veiled attempts to hide their
fear of her power. The intensity of the physical connection between
Juliette and Adam is described quite evocatively, using sometimes
unusual, but powerful figurative language to capture the strength of
their emotions.
While Unravel Me combines the features of the dystopian and
romance genres, it is clearly a Young Adult novel, exploring the
search for identity and purpose that drives the independence of the
teenage experience. In some ways, Juliette is still a child,
searching for love and acceptance, but she is also coming to terms
with herself, her power and her role in a hostile, often
exploitative world, not so different from our own.
Kate Hall
The sleepwalkers by Viviane Schwarz
Walker, 2013. ISBN: 9781406323597. 93 pp. Ill.
(Ages: 9-13) Graphic novel. Do you have a bad dream that will not go
away? Are you afraid to sleep at night? Write us a letter, put it
under your pillow . . . and we will come and save you! That gives a
fairly accurate overview of the plot of this adventure story which
uses sarcasm and left-of-centre humour combined with imagination and
detailed illustrations to draw the reader into this parallel world.
The old sleepwalkers have reached the time where they need to return
to the waking world but before they go they must raise three new
sleepwalkers to replace them. Who would save children from their
nightmares otherwise? Ergo three new sleepwalkers are raised and
must learn the ropes before the old sleepwalkers continue on their
journey. The characters have distinct and unique personalities
captured through humourous dialogue and detailed illustrations. They
are faced with difficult missions to save children from their
nightmares and battle dreams of complete darkness, a sunken world,
animals made of hair and the classic dream of being naked in public.
They must work together and capitalise on the skills of each other
to ensure they can rescue the child and get back to the safe house
for a cup of tea.
A somewhat complicated storyline and some hard-to-follow dialogue
make this graphic novel suitable for a slightly older age range.
This is far from a fast-paced action adventure novel and is more
about the depth of the characters, their uniqueness and how they
work together to conquer the dreams they land in even when they are
afraid themselves. The inclusion of a banana milkshake recipe (to
get you through the tough times) is a nice addition, especially the
advice that instructs 'don't use milk of animals you don't know'.
Beautiful graphics and full colour make this a nice addition to
offer the growing crowd of graphic novel fans.
Nicole Smith-Forrest
Brodie by Joy Crowley
Ill. by Chris Mousdale. Walker Books, 2013 (2001) ISBN 978
(Age: 5+) Recommended. Picture book. Cancer. Walker Books
Australia has continued republishing classic Australian and New
Zealand picture books. Amongst those being republished are some I
have not seen before, so it is pleasure reading those which
have won awards in the past, especially those I have missed. For
more information about these, the inside back cover shows some which
have been republished. Brodie by award winning New Zealand author, Joy Cowley introduces
the reader to a young boy who is ill. Brodie's friend in his class
speaks about his friend, the affable, talkative Brodie, who makes
the class laugh with his jokes, who draws continually and talks of
being a helicopter pilot. But hinted in the subtle text we know that
he is ill. When he is in hospital the class visits and several give
him presents. His teacher, Mrs Patawai gives him her grandfather's
Spitfire helmet from World War One, while his friend gives him a big
drawing book and some felt pens.
One day Mrs Patawai must tell the class that Brodie died the evening
before, and grief follows. Each child expresses their grief
differently, and each asks their teacher about what happens next.
This a masterful tale, beautifully told, giving a wide variety of
expressions of grief, death and what happens after death. No easy
answers are given but a child reading this book will be made aware
that there are as many answers as there are questions, and that
people have their own ideas about the big questions of life.
The wonderful illustrations, showcase a variety of techniques and
ideas, giving the reader another layer of story to read as they
delve into the book. Cut outs, letters, boxes of tears, pencil
drawings and water colour, crayon and splatter all used with great
effect, made me turn each page with care in case I missed something.
Readers will absorb the illustrations, seeing them reflect what is
happening in the tale.
This book won the New Zealand Post Children's Picture Book Award in
2002 and the Best First Book Award,as well as being a 2002
Storylines Notable Picture book.
Fran Knight
The false prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Ascendance trilogy, bk 1. Scholastic, 2012. ISBN 9780545284134.
Hardback
(Age: 11+) Recommended. Fantasy. Conner, a nobleman of the kingdom
of Carthya, recruits four orphans and trains them to impersonate the
king's long lost son. He intends to choose the best one to take on
the role of prince and ultimately king. One of the boys, Sage, is
defiant and fights against Conner, but realises that his life is on
a knife edge, as Conner is ruthless and merciless. Sage must be
chosen as the boy to impersonate the prince or he will die. As
Conner trains the boys, Sage find that he is in a fight against
treachery and must use all his cunning and skills to stay alive.
This was a very exciting read that I found I couldn't put down. The
plot was thrilling, the characters were well rounded, there was
plenty of action and clever writing brought the book to life. What I
most liked about the book was the character of Sage, who is clever
and whose witty comments lighten the most serious of situations. He
is quick witted and devious and his actions had me laughing at
times, and at other times I felt breathless at his audacity and risk
taking.
This was a most entertaining read and I look forward to reading the
next two in the trilogy. It will appeal to both boys and girls who
are sure to enjoy putting together the clues that are subtly placed
in the story and who will find the action and characters very
engaging.
Pat Pledger
Definitely no ducks by Meg McKinlay
Ill. by Leila Rudge. Walker Books, 2013. ISBN: 9781921977855.
109 pp.
(Ages: 7-9) Recommended. After the very successful Duck for a day
Meg McKinlay has followed up with this delightfully charming follow
on story. The fact that this is written by an Australian author may
make it relatable for young Australian readers however the story is
not a quintessential Aussie one. In fact it presents one of those
whimsical schools that only seem to exist in literature for young
readers where teachers always have big frizzy hair and principals
are slightly goofy. Even if the school is less than realistic it is
a comforting environment to be sheltered in and makes the book
light-hearted and appealing. There are many themes mixed into the
story that make it a worthwhile read. First of all is Noah who,
while he struggles with expressing his ideas and explaining things,
is able to stand up and find his voice when he really needs to.
Another nice theme is that of working together when everything is
going wrong and of helping one another, even if it means losing
something yourself. Alongside this is also the idea of justice and
how to deal with something you feel is unfair.
Max the duck is in big trouble. The very important school
assembly is just around the corner and somebody has destroyed the
class Antarctica display. Everybody knows it is Max's fault. But is
it really? Abby and Noah are determined to find the truth before
they lose Max and their teacher. Beautiful black and white
illustrations add to the story and the funny chapter headings such
as 'The duck is not practical' are great. There is an underlying
storyline here about animal rights and pet care which could also be
explored further. While this is a shorter chapter book it will
better suit a slighter older independent reader rather than a
beginning reader. With the myriad of issues brought up by the story
this would be great as a read-aloud or class novel.
Nicole Smith-Forrest
Fizzlebert Stump and the bearded boy by A.F. Harrold
Fizzlebert Stump series bk 2, Bloomsbury, 2013. ISBN:
9781408835210. 267 pp.
(Ages: 9-12) A. F. Harrold is an English poet and his love of words
shows in this well-written novel with a fantastic flow. Told in
first person narration by a non-present character the story is
centred on young Fizzlebert Stump and his life with a travelling
circus in Britain. The age-old charm and eccentricity associated
with travelling circuses is captured and mixed in with a great dose
of wit and unpredictability. The acts that travel with the circus
really are one big strange family made complete by Fish the sea lion
who despite his spangly waistcoat doesn't actually do anything in
the circus. In fact he spends his whole time eating and being
disappointed that what he has eaten is not fish.
Fizz lives in the circus with his clown mother and his strong man
father and takes pride in his own act which he performs with the
circus' resident lion. Life is simply fantastic. It even looks like
Fizz has got a friend his own age when the bearded Barboozul family
join the circus with a young son named Wynstan. But then things
start going wrong. His mother loses her nose and as I'm sure
everyone knows a clown is not a real clown without her nose. The
bunny in Dr Surprise's magic act has come down with a terrible case
of diarrhoea. Even Fizz's own act has been compromised. Not to
mention the British Board of Circuses inspector is due at the circus
to decide on its fate. Will the circus be closed down? Will Fizz
have to live in a brick house with the same view from the window
every day and eat boring cabbage and fish fingers for dinner?
This is a charming story with vivid imagery and creative twists and
turns. I really enjoyed the way the author was talking directly to
the reader as if I was sitting in a real-life storytelling session
with A.F. Harrold. This may be reflecting his performing
personality. At times the narrative is directed obviously at the
reader such as 'This particular boy's called Fizzlebert. It's a
silly name, I know' while at others it is included through additions
or bracketed after thoughts such as ('Nobody knows why tiptoeing
people hold their hands up like little paws, but it always seems to
work better that way'). This is a book which celebrates
story-telling as an art. A very fun setting with characters that
burst with possibility for future humourous adventures. I have no
doubt we will see more of Fizzlebert in the future.
Nicole Smith-Forrest