Random House Australia, 2012. ISBN 9781642753799.
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. Pushed into acting as a serving girl
by her step-mother, taunted by her step sisters, Selena is
determined to keep her promise to her mother, not to leave her
father, a weak man who won't stand up to his second wife. Told by
her dying mother that she is a Moon Sister, whose magic has been
banned in the country, Selena finds that a magic hazel twig leads
her into dangerous adventures with a handsome friend of the prince,
a werewolf and young Mancer boy.
The retelling of fairy tales is a favourite genre of mine and I
found that this beautiful version of the old Cinderella tale was
very difficult to put down. Selena is a strong heroine who doesn't
wait for a fairy godmother to wave her magic wand. Instead she uses
her own magic and determination to find a dress for the ball where
she meets the handsome Prince (whose actions are not as handsome as
his face) and his friend Max. Through her skill and determination
she sets out to rescue herself and her friends when they are thrown
into the Mancer's dungeons. She must use her magic and her intellect
to help the kingdom and save the Emperor when an evil plot that a
section of the Mancers, who control all magic in the kingdom, is
uncovered. Masson's vivid description of the Moon Sister magic and
the idea of a hazel twig as a magical tool are quite compelling.
Young girls in particular will love the story of a young woman who
is prepared to leave the man she loves in order to fulfil her
destiny and who is always compassionate and caring for the people
around her.
A compelling story with plot twists and a feisty heroine, Moonlight
and ashes will appeal to readers who like adventure, romance
and an action packed plot.
Pat Pledger
Confessions of an angry girl by Louise Rozett
HarperTeen, 2012. ISBN: 9780373210480. Due Out August 28
2012.
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. This debut novel takes very familiar,
predictable tropes and turns them into a very appealing and well
constructed novel for young adults. The first person present tense
style narrated by Rose is intensely sharp and extremely humorous.
That isn't to say it's all light and frothy. We discover very early
that Rose's father died recently, and her first year at high school
is already marred by grief and loneliness. Her older brother has
moved away to college, and her mother is absent in mind and body,
working and grieving. Her best friend Tracey is obsessed with
keeping her boyfriend happy (possibly by sex), and Robert, who she
has known since year three, is determined to develop a relationship
despite Rose's obvious disinterest.
It's not surprising then to see anger building up in Rose. Very
little goes her way: She doesn't make the cross country squad, the
boy she has feelings for, Jamie, is older and sends mixed messages.
When Rose's friend Tracey is picked as a cheerleader, her
willingness to engage in ill-advised initiations infuriates Rose.
What I liked best about Confessions of an Angry Girl is the
way Rose deals with all of these incidents. Sure, a couple of times
she explodes and it's intense and dramatic, but mostly she makes
decisions that are brave and honorable. Everything here feels real
and honest. Even the ending, which is left up-in-the-air (mostly
because there's a sequel), shows that happy-ever-afters don't happen
easily, or indeed often.
Running through all of the teen drama is the underlying issue of
Rose's father's death. Each of her family suffers from guilt and
unresolved grief, and her way to come to terms with losing him is
poignant and offers her closure. The novel is well paced, with the
right balance of dark and light moments.
Trish Buckley
Emily Eyefinger and the secret from the sea by Duncan Ball
Ill. by Craig Smith. Angus and Robertson, 2012. ISBN 9780732293154.
(Ages: 7+) Recommended. Picture book. Adventure. Emily Eyefinger,
the hero of 12 previous books is again in the right place at the
right time to help solve problems. The first story in this volume of
6, has Emily and her family in Paris. At Notre Dame Cathedral, the
family looks at the many things the church has to offer, and Emily
is particularly taken by the gargoyles, perched high up on the roof.
With her eyefinger she peers around the gargoyle to its face, and
spies a small bag in the statue's mouth. Retrieving it she find a
several jewels, similar to the ones missing from the treasury below.
The Police take the family away, explaining that the jewels have
been stolen and no one can work out who stole them. Emily has an
idea! and dressed as a gargoyle, she waits up on the top of the
church until the robbers come to pick up their loot. A cute story,
readers will learn about Paris, gargoyles and the way French people
are often portrayed.
The second story has Emily solving the problem of film actress,
Wendy Wu, acting in a film called Greenhouse when her problem
appears. And in the third story, she disguises herself as a baby
elephant to catch a gang of ghosts, while the fourth sees Emily
making a meal out of a master criminal, and the last one returns to
the title and the secret of the sea.
All stories are quite short, involving and smart as they put Emily's
talent to good use, and with Craig Smith's illustrations, much
laughter will ensue. Readers who have read the other 12 books
will take delight that number eleven has appeared and for those new
to the series, then this one will begin their quest for the others
on the library shelves. The blurb that came with the book for review
gave information about the story of Emily being made into a stage
play which will be performed in Sydney before routing
nationally in 2013.
Fran Knight
Disharmony: The Telling by Leah Giarratano
Book One. Penguin Books Australia. ISBN: 978014356568.
(Ages: 14+) Recommended. A juvenile detention centre in Australia, a
camp in Romania and a castle in Geneva. Gypsies, ninjas, elves,
witches and kings. A psychopath, an empath and a genius. Such a
combination possesses the promise of a magnificent story, and Leah
Giarratano's new novel Disharmony: The Telling does not
disappoint!
Luke Black and Samantha White live on opposite sides of the planet.
Luke is a troubled adolescent who literally lacks the ability to
feel emotions and is an inmate in a juvenile detention centre in
Sydney, Australia. In contrast, Sam is living in a gypsy camp in
Romania, fortune telling and reading cards to make money. She has
the uncanny ability of being able to tell exactly what everyone is
feeling. These seemingly unrelated teens have nothing in common
except for the fact that they are orphans . . . and that they are part of
a prophecy which sees them restoring harmony and order to the entire
world! Disharmony's unique and compelling plot ties together the
completely different lives of two teenagers destined for greatness,
expertly capturing the essence of action, suspense and magic, all in
a modern setting. Trouble lurks around every corner for Luke and
Sam, and with the fate of the entire world at stake, their
relentless enemies with stop at nothing to steal them. The
action-packed storyline and gripping ending will leave you bursting
with anticipation for the sequel!
The personalities and lives of each of the protagonists in Disharmony
are explored in such great depth, engendering the reader to feel as
though they really know Luke and Samantha, thus making their stories
seem so much more real. The detailed 'setting of the scene' at the
beginning of the novel verges on the brink of being too slow,
however the constant shadow of danger and the complex plot keeps the
reader engaged.
I found Disharmony to be an original and thrilling novel,
which had me rapt from the very first chapter!
Lucymarie Silvestri (Student)
Today I will fly! An Elephant and Piggie Book by Mo Willems
Walker Books ISBN: 9781 4063 3848 5.
A recommended read for grades Reception - Two. Mo Willems, beloved
author of wonderous texts such as Don't Let the Pigeon drive the
bus! and Knuffle Bunny, is throwing his hat into the
early reader ring, with a series of books starring Gerald (the
elephant) and Piggie (who is, you guessed it, the pig).
These are simple texts, designed for the early reader, with clear
and uncluttered pages, and words in speech bubbles and bold print.
The sparseness of the pages makes the book quite a good jumping off
point for young readers to focus on the graphological aspects of
reading, without having to compete with overly busy illustrations. Today I Will Fly is the fourth in the series of Gerald and
Piggie. In this story, Piggie is determined to fly, and she will
hear no different. Piggie tries lots of different ways to fly, and
is very open to asking for help, which she receives from various
quarters. She is tenacious, and eventually she achieves something
close to her goal.
Gerald, having been playing the role of Doubting Thomas throughout,
is of course ultimately happy to share in her success and delight,
which in turn inspires him to give flying a shot too!
Small readers will enjoy the simple and unpretentious friendship
that these two unlikely pals share. It's honest and simple, much
like Willem's literary style.
Freya Lucas
This Dark Endeavour : The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein by Kenneth Oppel
David Fickling Books, 2012. ISBN 9781849920896.
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. Frankenstein is arguably one of the
most iconic and enduring of fictional characters, created by Mary
Shelley in the early 19th century. It is reckoned by many to be the
first true science fiction story and both retold and parodied in
countless formats and generating a slew of subsequent 'horror'
stories.
Kenneth Oppel breathes new life into Shelley's creation by offering
us insight into Victor Frankenstein's youth. The son of a well
regarded and affluent Genovese family and an identical twin,
Victor's character is both likeable and somehow repellent.
Oppel takes the original Shelley characters and shows us clearly how
each has import into the formation of Victor's passion (and eventual
despair). Cleverly inserting other names relevant to the
original text, Oppel reveals close knowledge of Shelley's work and
its genesis. His characters are excellently drawn with substantial
depth and become very real to the reader.
Frankenstein's family appears on the surface to be, in a sense,
perfect but from the outset the reader begins to see the
undercurrents of past dark misdeeds and contemporary
conflicting standards. Oppel clearly demonstrates throughout
the book the duality of human nature - the constant struggle for
some between good and evil. The reader debates continually the
philosophy of dark deeds performed with right intention and vice
versa.
Every bit as much the Gothic page turner that the original was in
the 19th century, this book held a compelling fascination, albeit
sinister at times, for this reader. The mix of high drama,
mysterious alchemy, a love triangle, villains and heroes keep the
action flowing at a great pace. Highly recommended for readers from
12 upwards particularly those with an affinity for the genre.
Sue Warren (Teacher-Librarian, Qld)
Sarah Thornhill by Kate Grenville
Text, 2011, ISBN 9781921758515
(Ages: 13 - Adult) Highly recommended. Sarah Thornhill is a currency
lass, one of the first generation of white settlers born in
Australia, with an ex-convict father, William Thornhill, the main
character in Secret River. The novel shows her growing from
an impetuous child, secure in her family and home on the Hawkesbury,
to a young woman who has to accept and live with the consequences of
a brutal event in her father's life on the Hawkesbury. As a child
Sarah becomes aware of secrets, a fourth brother who has rejected
their father, their father's attempts to help a scarred aboriginal
man, her step-mother's contempt for Sarah's friend Jack Langland.
Sarah, or Dolly as she is called by her family, has always loved
Jack and is determined to marry him when he can buy a farm. Will is
drowned in New Zealand while sealing and at his father's insistence
Jack brings his daughter, a Maori child, back to the Hawkesbury to
be raised by the Thornhills. The child, newly named Rachel, clings
to Jack but Jack is partly Aboriginal and leaves when Ma intervenes
and reveals the secret from William Thornhill's past. Sarah
compromises and find happiness in a marriage to a settler from west
of the ranges. This is disturbed when Rachel dies, pregnant at
thirteen and Pa suffers a stroke. Sarah now learns the truth about
his involvement in a massacre of aboriginal people. In an attempt to
expiate her guilt Sarah travels to New Zealand to explain Rachel's
death to her Maori family. Sarah learns to understand the danger of
cultural preconceptions and the shallowness of her own new culture,
in comparison with the depth of Maori traditions.
Grenville attempts to capture the voice of the illiterate Sarah, but
is not as successful in this as she is in describing landscape and
relationships. Characters and places are acutely observed and
imaginatively captured, and the plot moves quickly. The novel is a
love story but is also about the journey of a young woman towards
understanding the nature of family, the importance of the natural
world and her struggle with the question and guilt that faces all
new settlers in Australia. Who possesses this country? What should
be done for the first peoples?
This book does stand alone, despite being a continuation of William
Thornhill's story, and is highly recommended.
Jenny Hamilton
Becoming Kirsty-Lee by Zenda Vecchio
Ginninderra Press, 2012. ISBN 978 1 74027 735 8.
(Age: Teens) Recommended. Becoming Kirsty-Lee is a poignant
novella by Zenda Vecchio, which explores what it's like for the main
character to survive the fallout caused by divorce. Thirteen year
old 'Kit' comes home from school one summer's day and discovers that
her father has left her family, because he has been having an affair
with a younger woman who is now pregnant.
As the second child and once her father's favourite, Kit takes this
betrayal to heart, especially the fact that he walked out as if he
was going off to a normal day of work, but never came home. She
decides that 'If you love someone, you give them parts of yourself
and that's dangerous. If they go away, they take part of you with
them.' On this basis, she withdraws into herself, believing that she
is 'the wrong type of girl', not like the beautiful, tall girls with
big eyes and whispery voices who all the boys are attracted to. She
resents her sister, Rose, and her cousins, Emma and Belinda, who she
believes have made themselves into clones of this 'right type', and
finds solace only with Ash, the young man whose face was terribly
scared in a car accident. In an effort to ignore her feelings of
grief and betrayal, she remakes herself from Kit into Kirsty-Lee,
discarding the pet nickname her father always called her and all the
memories associated with him.
Gradually, she comes to realise, through her conflict with others,
that people deal with their grief in different ways: some more
quickly, while others struggle for much longer to accept the changes
forced upon them by life. It is in these moments of connection -
with her mother, with Ash - that she discovers she is not the only
person who struggles with letting go and forgiveness, and that life
is about learning who you are within yourself, not just in relation
to the other people in your life or who have left. In that, she
finds a measure of hope to sustain her.
Simply written, in a journalistic style, Vecchio captures all the
restraint of Kirsty-Lee's reserved personality and deeply felt
hurts. The scenes are evocatively described, with sensitive insights
into human nature and the process of grieving the loss of something
precious. This book will touch all those who have experienced their
own grief and many will find it hard not to shed a tear at this
girl's story.
Kate Hall
Going to Mecca by Na'ima B. Robert
Ill. by Valentina Cavallini.Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2012.
ISBN 1 84780 153 1.
(Ages: 6+) Recommended. Picture book. Religion. Told in sparse,
unadorned prose with short sentences, the tale of a family making
the journey of a lifetime, that of travelling to Mecca to fulfill
the duties of their religion, is fascinating. For those knowing
little of the religion of Islam, this is an informally instructive
story, mentioning all the customs which are part of the Haj.
And the illustrations constructed with a mix of media including
collage, display the customs admirably, following and paralleling
the storyline making it immediately accessible to those for whom
this is new, while reminding those of the faith about the customs
they follow.
The first thing the father must do is divest himself of his clothes,
and wear the white sheets making him the same as everyone else.
Everyone then calls to God to acknowledge that they are there with
the call, 'Here I am, O my Lord, here I am'. They all gaze at the
Black Stone, sent down from Heaven, then move around the Ka'bah in a
great sea of people. While there they stand on the As-Saraa thinking
about Hajar and her search for her son, and walk with her across the
sands looking for water. The pilgrims then travel to Mina where they
sleep for the night before going to Mount Ararat. Back at Mina
they find seven pebbles to throw at the Jamarat. Back at Mecca the
men shave their heads and the family then returns home, satisfied
that they have fulfilled one of the five pillars of the Islamic
faith. Each of the rituals relates to the story of Ibrahim (Abraham)
the Prophet and his family, and these are explained at the end of
the book. Each ritual reminds the participants about facets of
their religion and duties to their family.
The book is a fascinating look at the ritual we often hear about but
for many of us, know very little, and would be a useful addition to
any library.
Fran Knight
Katie and the Leprechaun by Kathryn England
Ill. by Emma Stuart.New Frontier Publishing, 2012. ISBN
9781921928239.
Recommended for the 7+ reader. Part of the Little Rockets Series,
designed especially for the emerging independent reader. The text is
interspersed by colourful illustrations and each chapter is marked
by a colourful number accompanied by a charmingly cheeky leprechaun
encouraging readers to read the on.
The day for Katie O'Reilly begins like any other, missing the bus
and forced to walk to school. It is when she falls over a tree root
as she cuts through the park and meets Patrick Fitzpatrick,
leprechaun, that the day changes for Katie.
Paddy is bored. As a Leith broghan, or leprechaun he makes one shoe
at a time but has become tired of making the same old shoes and is
looking for a new design. After some persuading Katie agrees to take
him to a shoe shop to find something to inspire him and of course
finds he is invisible to everyone else.
With Paddy assuring Katie he played an important role in the Elves
and the Shoemaker story, Katie helps him find a brand new design and
sends him happily on his way.
A charming tale which takes a modern tilt at the old magic of elves
and leprechauns and an Irish heritage which will appeal to the
younger reader already familiar with fairy magic.
Sue Keane
Under a silver moon by Anne Fine
Walker Books, 2012. ISBN 9781406319248.
Haroun is the son of a Sultan. From the moment of his birth he
enjoys a life of luxury and privilege. Fine ladies dress him,
prepare his food and watch over him continuously. He is carried
around in a royal bier and spends his time reading while sitting on
the royal throne. It might seem like a perfect existence but Haroun
will soon learn that too much of a good thing can be very bad.
Akil was born at the same time as Haroun and lives in the palace
grounds. His mother is a kitchen servant and his father is the head
gardener. When Haroun visits the garden one day he is delighted to
find someone his own age. The two boys become firm friends and spend
each day playing outside. However the time comes when Haroun must
learn how to be a proper prince and he can no longer visit his
friend. Unfortunately Haroun becomes mysteriously ill and not
wanting see his dear friend suffer, Akil decides to help him find
the key to good health.
This is a delightful story with a moral tale that younger readers
will enjoy. On most pages charming illustrations intersperse the
text which will help younger readers maintain interest. It is the
kind of short story that teachers may like to read out loud. The
children are likely to have fun guessing about the nature of
Haroun's sickness and the secret of his cure.
Tina Cain
Violet Mackerel's personal space by Anna Branford
Ill. by Sarah Davis. Walker Books Australia, 2012. ISBN
9781921529207.
Highly recommended. Violet Mackerel continues to delight as she
develops new theories and works her way through the latest good and
not so good news.
Violet develops the 'Theory of Leaving Behind Small Things' as the
family and Vincent pack up to leave their summer holiday beach
house. This theory ensures that by leaving something small behind
you also leave a tiny part of yourself and change a place forever.
On returning home dinner is accompanied by pink lemonade 'in proper
wine glasses' and the announcement that Mum and Vincent have decided
to get married. This is good news for all but Dylan who is then even
more distressed by the not so good news that they will have to move
to a larger house.
Violet works through her excitement as they prepare for a garden
wedding, her anxiety about leaving and her worry about Dylan, who
refuses to have anything to do with the wedding or house hunting and
moves out into the back garden in Dad's old leaky tent.
Violet talks to Dylan early on the morning of the wedding and
introduces him to her new theory which helps Dylan reconcile his
desires to be with the family but not leave the comfort of the only
home he has known.
Written in the present tense we experience the emotions and gentle
philosophy of the ever thoughtful Violet. The ink and pencil
drawings interspersed throughout the book enhance the story. The
pictures of Dylan especially will help the younger readers
understand his emotional state as he grapples with the huge changes
to his family and personal space.
I highly recommend this book, especially for younger readers of
chapter books, though it could be a support for older readers who
are struggling with moving house.
Sue Keane
Big yellow digger by Julia Jarman and Adrian Reynolds
Orchard Books, 2012. ISBN 9781408309032.
(Age: 3-6) Recommended. Ben and Bella are off to Australia in their
big yellow digger. The digger jiggles and judders its way as it digs
and is joined by Moose, Zebra, Rhinoceros, Mole and lots of other
animals. What an adventure they have, digging a huge tunnel all the
way to Australia and on the way unearthing a huge dinosaur,
returning Little Roo to his mother, splashing in the waves and
having a barbecue on the beach.
This is a delightful story. It is a joy to see a brother and
sister playing happily together and everyone having such a lot of
fun. The happiness of using their imagination and making up a
wonderful game just glows from Ben and Bella's faces and their
enthusiasm and gaiety is sure to rub off on the young child who
listens to the story or the one who is just beginning to read.
Sounds like 'Brum brum! Judder, judder, jigger' and internal
and line end rhyming make this story a winner to read aloud. The
rhythm will make it easy to remember and it is one that I believe
will become a favourite bedtime story.
Reynolds' illustrations, done in vibrant bold colours, deep greens,
blues and oranges, stand out and complement the text so that
beginning readers can make sense using contextual clues. The simple
black outlines of the big yellow digger make it a focal point for
the page and the facial expressions of the children and the animals
are lots of fun. An astute reader who looks at detail will know
where the animals came from and everyone will delight in the way the
children use their imagination.
Pat Pledger
Jasmine Nights by Julia Gregson
Orion Books, 2012. ISBN 9781409108108. Jasmine Nights is an entertaining love story for younger and older
adults. It is told in the highly personal realm of a young woman
whose voice, she is determined, will enable her to leave her small
Welsh town to find fame. Singing to entertain the soldiers,
Saba takes the eye of one soldier, Dom, who, while convalescing in a
burns hospital in Sussex, is caught up in the spell of her beauty
and her singing, and it is their story that Gregson tells.
Ironically, having paid for years of voice-coaching and her entry to
singing contests, Saba's family shun the world of professional
entertainment for which she seemed destined, and finally also shun
their daughter. Discovering the war-time troop entertainment
unit, when she runs away to London, she finds herself in the exotic
cities of Egypt and Turkey. There she encounters more than
just singing for soldiers, as she is exposed to the subtly
threatening party set of Alexandria, and Istanbul, where fabulously
wealthy promoters and seedy spies introduce her to the mixed world
of Eastern singing and of European entertainment - a dangerous world
where her beauty, naivety, and talents lead to an involvement in
espionage.
Nostalgic and personal, Gregson's luscious tale tends to stay on the
fringes of the war but takes us into worlds which might never again
be as romantically uncomplicated as they were then. The love
story is believable, excitingly fraught with hazards, and
appropriately, ends well.
Elizabeth Bondar
Mud, Sweat and Tears: Junior Edition by Bear Grylls
Random House, 2012. ISBN: 9780552566391.
Being a fan of writing about climbing, mountaineering and survival I
started this autobiography with high hopes. Make no mistake; I
enjoyed large parts of Gryll's book. He doesn't linger too long on
childhood events; describes with clarity and insight his experience
of successfully being 'selected' for the elite British Army SAS and
his against-all-odds summiting of Mount Everest a mere two years
after breaking his back in a skydiving accident.
The 'Boys' Own' stories and his enthusiasm for life are infectious;
he is Chief Scout after all but it is his use of the language that
causes me concern as an adult reader. Teenage Fans of Man vs.
Wild will no doubt forgive Bear his over reliance on cliche in
the service of a good yarn. I know legions of boys that will lap
this up (see what I did there Bear?)
Stephen Bull
