Australian Timelines (series) by Scott Brodie and others
Trocadero Publishing 2012. pbk. RRP $24.95 each.
With the national history curriculum in place in some states, and
imminent in others, it is great to welcome a new series of print
resources that will support its implementation. Written by a variety
of authors, there are currently seven titles in the series . . . The Constitution: The document that created a nation (ISBN
9780864271075) Immigration since 1788: The making of modern Australia (ISBN
9780864271037) Exploration and Settlement in Colonial Australia (ISBN
9780864271099) The Governors 1788-1855 and how they influenced Modern Australia
(ISBN9780864271013) Gold: The precious metal that brought instant wealth and
long-term prosperity ISBN (9780864271198) Prime Ministers and their Governments (ISBN 9780864271061) The Commonwealth of Australia: Evolving into a nation (ISBN
9780864271167)
Two of these, Immigration since 1788 and The Governors
1788-1855 are also available as pdf ebooks for $29.95.
Of course, your first question will be, 'What do these resources
have that all the others in my library do not?' and the answer is
that they are designed for the lower secondary market so they have
much more information than other series I've seen. Rather than just
being a chronological series of Australia's development, each topic
spans its Australian timeline. Gold isn't just confined to the
Victorian goldrush era: The Commonwealth of Australia
includes the structure of the Commonwealth as well as its evolution
coming forward to Kevin Rudd's apology to the indigenous peoples; Prime
Ministers includes these Gillard years; Immigration
begins with the convicts and continues through to the current issues
with asylum seekers.
Even though there is a lot more text packed into the pages, it is
well-balanced with images and the layout makes for easy reading.
Each title is indexed and each has been thoroughly researched.
The series is marketed as being for Years 7-9, but I believe it also
has a place in the primary library for those more able students who
need something a little more meatier to explore, particularly as the
focus of the history curriculum for that age is Australia as a
Nation. If you are looking for new resources for a well-resourced
topic, then this series is it. More details are available
and publisher/author Scott Brodie is visiting Melbourne in mid May.
Contact INTBooks for
details.
Barbara Braxton
Fated by Sarah Alderson
Simon and Schuster UK, 2012. ISBN 9780857074348.
(Ages 14+) Evie is seventeen and has just found out that she is the
last in a long line of hunters and is in the centre of a war that
has be going on for the last thousand years. She never knew her
parents and can't wait to leave Riverview, California but all her
plans are changed when she is attacked by a group of unhumans. Lucas
Grey is half shadow warrior and half human. He is a member of the
Brotherhood, a group of unhumans tasked with killing every last
hunter on earth, but form the first time he sees Evie he will stop
at nothing to protect her. Being half human give Lucas an advantage
when it comes to being around hunters because they can't sense him
as easily, and so he was able to get close to Evie. He was supposed
to get her to trust him, so that he could kill her. At first he
didn't know why he was protecting her by stopping the others from
killing her but he knew he had to protect her. Even if it meant
losing his life.
This book was amazing and I really hope it's part of a series. It
was funny in parts and the characters were like real people. This
book is in third person but from Evie and Lucas' points of view so
it was easy to see how Lucas and Evie felt and although it wasn't as
easy to tell how the other characters felt you could still see how
they felt. I would highly recommend this book, as it is interesting,
a great book and kept my eyes glued to the page till the end.
Tahlia Kennewell (Student)
A day to remember by Jackie French
Ill. by Mark Wilson. HarperCollins, 2012. ISBN 9780 7322 9360 4.
(All ages) Warmly recommended. War. Picture book. In showing
us the history of Anzac Day, Jackie French is also promoting a plea
for peace as the Australian Defence Forces concentrate more on
keeping the peace in countries, both near neighbours and those far
away. From the first Anzac Day, April 25, 1915, when thousands of
Australian and New Zealand troops were landed at Gallipoli in a vain
attempt to reach Constantinople, the day has been recognised as a
day to remember the valiant deeds of those brave few. Over the
years, Anzac Day has come to include all the men and women of all
the forces, and Jackie French gives us a deft potted history of just
how that day has developed. Through spare prose she tells us of the
few who gathered around the Cenotaph in Sydney in 1927,
leading to a few more the following year, building up to a Dawn
Service and a march. For some years the tradition faltered, as
attitudes to our involvement in war changed, but a resurgence of
interest and in particular, a rethinking of the sacrifice made by
these people, has served to reinvigorate the day's observance.
Today many make a pilgrimage to Gallipoli, many thousands make the
day a special day in their family's year, and many more watch the
march on television.
Mark Wilson has effectively used photographs and illustrations from
the past to render his impressions of our involvement in war for the
younger reader. Letters, newspaper accounts, old photographs,
pictures, medals and the occasional sprig of rosemary along with the
odd poppy, are drawn with pen and ink, and acrylic paint to produce
the sweeping illustrations of war and its aftermath. Each page
is markedly different as time flows on, the placement of the script,
the pictures, and scope of what we are seeing, all give a resonance
to the subject at hand, and impel the reader to look more closely at
the images presented An astute teacher or librarian would invite the
art teacher to discuss with the students the varying styles of work
Mark Wilson presents, and ponder the reasons for his using such
markedly different techniques.
I always marvel at the depth of research undertaken by Jackie French
in her historical books, and this is another which underlines her
considerable skill. I love the snippets of information she includes,
giving the sometimes known information something extra to ponder and
discuss.
Fran Knight
The emperor's new clothes horse by Tony Wilson
Ill. by Sue deGenero, Scholastic, 2012. ISBN 9781742830452.
(Ages: 5+) Warmly recommended. Picture book. A whimsical take of the
old cautionary tale, The Emperor's new clothes, this
wonderful picture book offers an entertainingly funny book to read
aloud to a class or child. The enticing layout with the words in a
column on each side of the page with a large illustration across the
double page spread, makes it child friendly as they turn each page
knowing where to look.
The story has an emperor with everything but wanting desperately to
win the one last cup to adorn his shelves. Searchers are sent out to
find a horse which will win this cup for him, and the horse that
arrives is not what is expected. But beauty is in the eye of the
beholder, and as with the Emperor's new clothes, no-one has the
courage to tell him what it really is.
Great fun, with delightful illustrations, this book will be a hit
with younger students and could well be compared with the original
tale. Each page has different things to seek out for the quick eyed
reader, and there is fun to be had for the adult following the
money.
Fran Knight
Forget Me Not: The Story of One Family's Voyage on the Titanic by Sue Lawson
Black Dog Books. ISBN: 9781742032108
(Ages: 14+) Recommended. This is a well plotted novel
that builds slowly to its inevitable climax focusing on two
fictional siblings, Thomas and Eve. Lawson surrounds them with a
mixture of other made-up and real people, all serving an important
purpose when the Titanic hits the iceberg. They are authentic
teens (daring and disobedient) and siblings (moody towards each
other, yet fiercely loyal), and their adventures capture the mood
and atmosphere of the unsinkable ship well.
There are a multitude of fascinating details, due to Thomas and his
new friend, Hugh's fondness for exploring beyond their social
status. Not only do they explore first-class (the gymnasium and the
Grand Staircase), but they also slip down to the Orlop deck where
the boiler rooms are. Lawson brings the vessel alive, and even
though there is a bitter sweetness to the constant reference to the
'unsinkable ship', there was also frustration at everyone's
arrogance and unshakeable faith in the design and build.
There are a few familiar contrivances here: A strict mother hiding
unbearable pain; the generous father over compensating for his
wife's inability to show warmth to her children; Helpful stewards
who turn a blind eye to the reckless behaviour, and the almost
psychic feelings of impending doom felt by Eve, all but ridiculed by
the adults. But in the end, these don't detract from the narrative,
which is engaging and meaningful.
A timely book, given the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the
Titanic, and a useful way to engage teenagers with this historical
event. Themes include family, women's place in society, societal
expectations, and historical studies.
Trisha Buckley
Stolen away by Alyxandra Harvey
Bloomsbury, 2012. ISBN 978 1 4088 1132 0.
Highly recommended. You would never expect a gorgeous guy carrying a
sword to kneel at your feet while cooling off with your friends.
Eloise Hart never expected that it would happen to her, kind of
hoped it wouldn't. She isn't impressed by this guy like everyone
else in the car park. Worse, he claims he has come to protect her
from the Faery king, Lord Strahan. Eloise is abducted from her home
and is used as a lure to capture her aunt Antonia, the king's wife.
Eloise's friends, Jo and Devin must help her save both Faery and the
mortal world from the chaos Lord Strahan causes.
I loved the transition Eloise makes from the quiet and shy girl to
strong-minded and wilful. The detail in which Alyxandra writes is
wonderful; I was hanging on every word. Each chapter had some
new secret that would help Eloise and her friends throughout the
book. Looking at the cover and the title I had imaged something so
different to what it was and it was a nice surprise, I enjoyed every
page. It's a good book for those who like some mystery and fantasy
with their life.
Cecilia Richards (Student)
Grace beside me by Sue McPherson
Magabala Books, 2012. ISBN 9781921248498
(Age: 15 +) Highly recommended. This is the first novel from Sue
McPherson, winner of the inaugural 'black and write!' Indigenous
Writing Fellowship. The narrator is Fuzzy, a young girl with
indigenous heritage, who is living with her grandparents in a small
Australian country town. Fuzzy tells us that she and her
grandparents 'all love stories' and that she is 'a guardian of
stories'. In fact, this book reads less like a traditional novel
with a beginning, a middle and an end and more like a series of
vignettes. It is as if the reader is sitting down over a cuppa while
Fuzzy regales us with stories about the life and characters of her
country community.
Some of these characters are larger than life (like her neighbour,
Yar, who has a penchant for gardening in his purple tutu), some of
them are funny (like Father John who always seems to be in a spin)
and some of them are decidedly sleazy (like Mr Ridgeway). The sense
of storytelling is particularly evident in Fuzzy's use of a
straightforward and chatty style which is frequently peppered with
old fashioned Aussie slang: 'two bob's worth', 'we're buggered', 'I
reckon' and 'bloody oath'.
Interestingly, despite the teenaged narrator, the focus of the story
is less about teenagers and more about family; in particular,
Fuzzy's Nan, a woman with strong views and a forthright approach to
life. It is Nan's saying 'with Grace beside me' that provides the
title of the novel and a common core to the stories, as Fuzzy learns
how this refrain not only provides solace when faced with life's
rough patches, it can also provide her with a way forward.
Fuzzy claims that 'stories link us to our mob' and Sue McPherson's
book demonstrates this beautifully. It provides a glimpse into the
stories of both a community and a nation, with special mention of
Anzac Day and Sorry Day. However, what emerges most strongly of all
in this book is the importance of family to Fuzzy's mob and the
power of story.
Deborah Marshall
The hum of concrete by Anna Solding
Midnight Sun, 2012. ISBN 9780987226501.
This is a most intriguing novel, covering so many issues of the
modern world that it leaves one reeling after the surprisingly
personal ending. In a series of short anecdotes, that
weave in and out of different lives, Solding takes us into the homes
and minds of a range of characters whose lives converge in
unexpected ways.
Solding's setting is Malmo, in modern Sweden, yet the speech of the
characters rings with Australian vernacular, 'see ya' making me feel
quite at home with certain characters. Her link to an
Australian lover for one of the women, who is quite happy with her
profession and life until she forms an unexpected relationship with
this man, ties back to this country and seems to happily match the
speech patterns.
Covering a wide range of families and situations, Solding places us
in the homes of new migrants from Africa, revealing the shock of
public semi-nudity for Muslims almost as an affront, yet she has the
characters work through this as one of the settling-in acceptances
necessary to live in this new cold land. Friendships formed,
lovers found, gay relationships happily normalised - all are woven
seamlessly into this perceptive construction of a current
multi-cultural world where we are learning to understand the myriad
ways of being human.
Told in many different voices, and in different ways, this story is
ultimately a satisfying reading experience that offers hope for a
more tolerant world and the challenge to meet others where they are,
rather than remaining smugly satisfied with our own lot in life.
Elizabeth Bondar
Maisy goes on a sleepover by Lucy Cousins
Walker, 2012. ISBN 9781406337457.
(Age: 3-5) Another book in the delightful Maisy series, this
time Maisy goes and stays overnight with her friend Tallulah. There
she meets Tallulah's new friend Ella and they have lots of fun
together, playing music, dancing and singing and eating a delicious
supper. Finally after going to the bathroom one by one they snuggle
down and talk and laugh until they finally go to sleep.
Cousins has written another story that will prepare children for
what is often a very eventful occurrence in their lives. Staying
away from home can be quite an experience, but Cousins shows how
much fun can be had on a sleepover. The way she describes Maisy
packing and what happens on the sleepover could also give lots of
hints about how to prepare for one or even give one.
A deft hand with giving subtle messages, Cousins' introduction of a
new friend for Tallulah and Maisy's acceptance of her without
feeling jealous could provide young children with a model for making
new friends. Maisy is happy knowing that she is still Tallulah's
friend and can see all the advantages that Ella can bring to the
trio.
As always, the bright colours, amusing figures outlined in black and
clothes with interesting patterns are memorable and will delight
children who already love this series.
Pat Pledger
Twelve Minutes to Midnight by Christopher Edge
Nosy Crow, 2012. ISBN 978 0 85753 050 6.
(Age: 10-14) Highly recommended. The mystery begins in 'Bedlam', an
insane asylum where at precisely twelves minutes to midnight the
sleeping patients suddenly arise from their beds and in a catatonic
state start to write furiously with whatever they can find, on any
surface. When they awake the next morning they cannot remember
anything of the experience.
The heroine of the story is 13 year old Penelope Treadwell, the
editor and main writer of the tantalizing and sinister Penny
Dreadful. As the time and setting of the novel is Victorian England,
feisty Penny must disguise her role in the magazine by hiring an
actor to play her non de plume, Montgomery Flinch. She accompanies
him as his 'niece'. This gives Penny the opportunity to scrutinize
the Bedlam mystery by assisting 'Montgomery Flinch' in his
investigations, although brave and inquisitive Penny certainly
struggles with the hired Flinch's cowardly behaviour. Penny has more
support and help from her young friend Alfie.
This story keeps you on the edge of your seat. The mystery at the
insane asylum, the mysterious and beautiful Lady Cambridge and her
obsession with spiders, the inclusion of the most famous writers of
Victorian times and Penny's natural inquisitiveness add to the
drama. Clever twists and turns are used by the author to keep you
turning the pages. The content of the mysterious writings is a big
surprise.
The black, white and red cover is appealing and the forthcoming
second novel echoes the same design features, so it is visually easy
to tell it is a sequel.
I highly recommend this book to children aged 10 to 14 who like
mystery, excitement and some gripping scary moments in their novels.
Jane Moore
End of the Night Girl by Amy Matthews
Wakefield Press in 2011. ISBN 978 1862549449.
(Age: Older Adolescents - adults) Highly recommended. Amy Matthews'
brilliant novel, End of the Night Girl, is the story of
Molly, who works as a waitress, disaffected and lost, interlaced
with confrontational language and action. Highly descriptive,
Molly's observations draw us into her world and her dawning
understanding of what life can be, if we let ourselves imagine the
possibilities.
Tearing a scrap of paper from a library book, Molly begins to create
a story of the life of a woman named in a list of Holocaust victims.
Gienia, a Polish Jew, becomes the focus for Molly, and it is through
imagining a story for the young woman that Molly finds an expression
for her horror of the persecution of the innocent during the Second
World War, and is herself redeemed in the writing. Amy Matthews has
grounded the story so deeply in the grossness of life in both
worlds, but then shocks us in the story of Gienia's struggling to
survive the atrocities of the concentration camps, her descriptions
harrowing and horrifying, giving us an insight into how much human
beings will sacrifice of their humanity to just stay alive.
Matthews' astute observations of the gritty nature of modern life,
in her compassionate portrayal of a young woman slowly realising
what she values, and finding a way to live a good life, are enhanced
by her protagonist's grasp of the nature of story-telling. It is
actually through the interweaving of the two stories that we gain an
insight into Matthews' suggestion that it is how stories shape
themselves that we understand their meaning. Finally, it is in
Molly's construction of a story for Gienia that she reclaims control
of her own life.
This wonderfully challenging and brilliant novel is not for young
readers, but older adolescents would certainly resonate with this
world and the harsh language that saves characters from expressing
what they really feel - or mean. I loved this book and would highly
recommend it.
Elizabeth Bondar
Red by Libby Gleeson
Allen and Unwin, 2012 ISBN 9781741758535
(Ages: 10+) Recommended. After a cyclone has devastated the shores
of Sydney, Red wakes to find herself being watched over by a boy
called Peri. They shift uneasily together, finding food, clothing
and shelter over the first few nights. But Red has no memory of who
she is or where she is from, and they carefully piece together some
recognition for her after they find her photo in the library at a
deserted school.
The images of Sydney, almost demolished by a cyclone, with people
wandering aimlessly, looking for family and friends, crowd in on the
reader. TV footage of similarly destroyed communities Christchurch,
Indonesia, Northern Queensland, and the devastation of the Victorian
bushfires are readily brought to mind as these pages are read. As a
consequence, readers will immediately start to think about how they
would survive in the aftermath of such an event, and will follow
Red's story with heightened awareness.
Red eventually opens the locket around her neck, finding a memory
stick within. The impact of the images shocks her as she sees a man
she believes to be her father telling her to trust no one and get
the USB to a Royal Commission at present meeting in Melbourne. So
begins a struggle to survive and get to Melbourne, all the
while avoiding the police and other inquisitive travelers. Red
finds everyone suspicious, even her friends, and it is up to her to
get the information to the judge. A heart popping thriller of a
story, Red will excite middle school readers.
Fran Knight
Moo Hoo by Candace Ryan
Ill. by Mike Lowery. Bloomsbury, 2012. ISBN 9781408825228.
(Ages: 3-6) Recommended. Cow and Owl are best of friends and do
everything together. They play music, mend their toys and have lots
of fun saying Boo at Halloween. When Roo comes along wanting to be
friends they don't include him in their games, but they soon realise
that their pastimes could be enlivened by a third friend and go off
to find him.
Ryan and Lowery have combined to make an unusual and delightful
picture book. Collaborators on Ribbit
Rabbit, 2011, they come together again in a clever and
memorable rhyming book. Cow and Owl are identified with the words
Moo and Hoo and it is amazing how many rhymes can be made with words
sounding like 'oo'. It is also a warm book about friendship. As a
reader my heart fell when Roo went off feeling blue after Moo and
Hoo ignored him , and soared when they finally found him, with a big
'Woo hoo!'
Lowery's illustrations at first glance look flat with pastel
backgrounds, but as the characters became more familiar his ability
to draw emotions with one or two strokes is very evident. As a
reader I delighted in the little subtle touches of humour like the
cowbell around Moo's neck and Moo and Hoo's obsession with super
heroes.
This would be a great book to read aloud and one that young children
will easily be able to memorise and begin reading for themselves. It
will also be a good opportunity for parents and teachers to point
out that capital letters can be used entirely for the text in a
picture book as has occurred in this one, and then compare it with
another book that uses upper and lower case.
Pat Pledger
Change the locks by Simon French
Walker Books, 2012. ISBN 9781921720758.
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Eleven year old Steven lives a precarious
life in a rural town with his mother and baby brother. Money is
tight and now that their car has been stolen, his mother is
especially distracted. In fact, his mother hasn't had much time for
anything or anybody since Darryl left. Steven is glad that Darryl
has gone but also worries that he might come back. It seems that
Steven always has something to worry about.
Disturbing memories from early childhood keep intruding into
Steven's consciousness. His mother refuses to talk about the past
other than to say that they lived in the city. Steven thinks she is
hiding something, but why? A chance discovery provides some clues
but there are still more questions than answers. He wants to talk to
his mum but how can he do this without adding to her worries?
Steven is a very sensitive boy. He looks after his little brother
when his mother seems incapable of doing so. He envies the home life
of his friend Patrick and his warm and accepting parents. He likes
living where he does but is fearful of the school bully and running
into the undesirable friends of Darryl.
This book is a sensitive insight into the mind of a young boy reared
in challenging and unsettling circumstances. Written by award
winning author, Simon French, it was first published in 1991
however, its relevance remains constant. It has great potential to
facilitate awareness of broader social issues such as teenage
pregnancy and homelessness. Read aloud, it could be a great stimulus
for class discussion.
Tina Cain
A matter of magic by Patricia C. Wrede
Tom Doherty Associates Book, 2010. ISBN 9780765326324.
(Age 12+) Recommended. This volume contains two of Patricia C.
Wrede's books, Mairelon the Magician and The Magician's
Ward. Set in Regency England, they are full of mystery and
suspense, and will appeal to readers who enjoyed Ruby in the
smoke by Philip Pullman and stories by Georgette Heyer.
Kim is a young girl alone on the streets, masquerading as a boy to
protect herself from predators. She breaks into Mairelon the
magician's tent to steal an orb that is supposed to be magic and
when discovered, finds that her whole life is changed. She becomes
Mairelon's apprentice and begins a series of adventures following a
trail of thieves and murderers, while she struggles to learn how to
read and to behave like a lady. The second story continues her story
with an emphasis on her maintaining her style and integrity while
giving the appearance of a lady.
Wrede's combination of fantasy and comedy make for an entertaining
read. Her use of thieves' cant like 'nabbing culls' and bad grammar
like 'aint' add humour to the predicaments that Kim gets herself
into as she learns how she can operate in a different world to the
stews that she was born into. Kim is a feisty girl who doesn't
compromise her values even when faced with the opportunity to have
an easy married life with a rich man.
I really enjoyed these two stories. They were fun and easy to read
and I will certainly be finding more of Patricia C. Wrede's book to
read.
Pat Pledger
