Reviews

Moonlight and ashes by Sophie Masson

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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