Reviews

Cheese belongs to you! by Alexis Deacon

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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