The little old man who looked up at the moon by Pamela Allen
Penguin, 2012. ISBN 9780 670 07581 2.
Picture book, Life journeys. The little old man looks up at the moon
one night after dinner and seeing the vastness of the night sky,
thinks about the big life issues, where do we come from, why are we
here amongst others. He is very puzzled by his part in the universe,
and his loving wife sets off to find some answers for him. She meets
a rooster, a pig, a cow and a duck along the way and each has an
answer for her question which will cause much merriment amongst the
listeners, but also reveal that they are as much in the dark as the
rest of us. Returning home, she relates these answers to her
husband. He has one more question but who am I, and she can answer
this one for him.
This is a tender little story about the companionship between a
husband and wife, asking the big questions of life, but realising
all that matters is the two of them in their own home together. The
wife who sets out to find the answers for him, cannot do so, but can
give him the best answer to the biggest question of all, so
reassuring him. Pamela Allen's drawings will enchant the reader as
they travel with the wife on her journey of discovery, and happily
join in with the animal noises along the way.
Fran Knight
Lia's guide to winning the lottery by Keren David
Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2011. ISBN 9781847801913
(Ages: 14+) When 16 year old Lia wins the lottery all she wants to
do is leave school and get her own house as soon as possible but her
family have other plans. They practically spend her money for her,
but she doesn't want to be mean so she goes along with it. Lia never
would have won the lottery if Jack, one of her best friends, hadn't
brought her the ticket for her 16th birthday. Jack's mum hates that
Lia won and believes that Jack deserves half of the money but Jack
just wants a motorbike and when Lia gets him one his mum is furious.
She says Lia tried to bribe her son with a death machine. Lia's
other best friend Shazia can't let Lia buy anything or pay for
anything for her because the money Lia uses is from the lottery
and gambling is against her religion. Then there's Raf. Lia
has liked him for ages but he never seemed to like her back then
when she wins the lottery he suddenly likes her. Shaz tells Lia he
only likes her money but Lia doesn't believe her.
Just after winning Lia's mum kicked her out of the house not knowing
about what had just happened. At first Lia didn't want them to find
out that she had won the lottery but she told them anyway and her
family were all very excited. They had heaps of plans for Lia's
money, they would get a new bigger house, go on a holiday, renovate
the bakery and Natasha, Lia's younger sister, would get singing
lessons. However Lia had different plans and didn't like that they
were spending her money.
It was fun watching how Lia coped with having so much money all of a
sudden and the little problems that appeared because of it. Also I
enjoyed reading this book and although it was a bit slow at times I
couldn't put it down.
Tahlia Kennewell (Student)
A day to remember: the story of ANZAC Day by Jackie French and Mark Wilson
Angus and Robertson, 2012.
Highly recommended. April 25, 1915 is a date imprinted on the
Australian psyche. In fact, some say, that despite the political
calendar of January 1, 1901, this was the day that Australia became
a nation.
Much has been written for students to help them understand the
events and the significance of this day, and in a way, this book
honours that because after providing an outline of those events on
that Turkish beach, author Jackie French and illustrator Mark Wilson
trace the commemoration of that day from its shaky, tentative
beginnings of parades in Australia, New Zealand and London in 1916
to the huge crowds that now gather annually to honour those who have
served their country in this way.At intervals throughout Australia's
history, French and Wilson pause on April 25 and examine what was
happening on that day. We learn about the vast difference between
the excitement and anticipation when the troops left in 1914, and
their return in 1919; the touching story behind the advent of the
Dawn Service and how men only were allowed to attend in case the
women's crying disturbed the silence; the desperation of many
veterans left jobless as drought and the Depression hit; and then
Australia is plunged into war again.
Throughout the book, tribute is paid to all those in the conflicts
that Australians have been involved in as well as their peacekeeping
roles. There is the sad reminder that after the Vietnam War which
had so divided the nation's young, so few marched and watched that
perhaps 'no one would march at all.' But awareness was growing
behind the scenes through teachers teaching Australia's history and
the recognition of the sacrifices of Australia's young people
through iconic songs like Eric Bogle's And the Band Played
Waltzing Matilda and Redgum's Only 19. In 1985 the
Turkish government officially recognised the name Anzac Cove and in
1990 the first dawn service was held there, attended by those few
veterans of the original conflict who were still left to honour.
Being at Anzac Cove for the Dawn Service has become a pilgrimage for
many; an item on the bucket list for others. Ceremonies are held
wherever Anzacs have served and suffered and wherever their
sacrifice can be acknowledged. Who can imagine what the centenary in
2015 will be like? In my opinion, this is Jackie French and Mark
Wilson at their best. As the granddaughter of a Gallipoli survivor
and the daughter of an ordinary New Zealand soldier who spent his
war as a POW in Germany after being captured on Crete, the words and
illustrations of this beautiful, haunting book touch me in a way I
find hard to describe. Jackie grew up, as I did, 'with the battered
and weary of world war two around me, men still scarred in body and
mind by Japanese prison camps or the Burma railway, women who had
survived concentration camps' and 'saw boys of my own generation
march away as conscripts, while I marched in anti war
demonstrations' and yet we know so little about where Australians
have served or how often they have.
The story of 100 years of history is a difficult one to tell, and
even more so in a picture book, yet it is encapsulated perfectly in
this partnership. On the one hand, the text could not live without
the pictures and vice versa; yet on the other, both media are so
perfect within themselves that they stand alone. Jackie and Mark
give their own interpretations in teachers
notes. I can do no better than that, but if you only have the
money for five books this year, this HAS to be one of them.
Lest we forget.
Barbara Braxton
Twelve minutes to midnight by Christopher Edge
Noisy Crow, 2012. ISBN 0 85763 050 6.
(Ages: 11+) Recommended. Horror. When Penny Tredwell hires the
actor, Montgomery Maples to tell the stories of her creation,
Montgomery Flinch at a public meeting, she embroils them all in
something which at first is beyond comprehension. A letter form the
director of the Bethlehem Hospital, or Bedlam, as it came to be
known, draws Penny and Monty to its doors, to listen to an
incredible story, one which the doctor hopes the great Montgomery
Flinch can solve. But he does not know that the storyteller Flinch
is in reality Penny, and it is she who writes the stories for The
Penny Dreadful, a magazine taking its readers by the throat
with its stories beyond imagination.
So begins an incredible journey in which Penny gets to meet the
Spider Lady of Kensington, and bitten by one of her spiders, then
poisoned with spider venom sourced from Africa, Penny is taken back
to Bedlam, there to have the dreams which are driving many of its
unmates to insanity, far worse than the illness they first were
incarcerated for, and in some cases, death. And like the others, she
scribbles down predictions about the future, a future the Spider
Lady wants to know about.
A thrilling adventure story, with references to Sherlock Holmes,
this is the first in a series which will entertain and delight its
readers. The setting is fabulously displayed, London in 1899 clearly
brought to life as Penny and her friend, Alfie, try to uncover the
Spider lady's secrets. before the turn of the next millenium.
Fran Knight
A Boy Called M.O.U.S.E. by Penny Dolan
Bloomsbury,
2011. ISBN 9781408801376.
(Ages: 12+) Highly recommended. Young Mouse is born into a
wealthy and privileged family in Victorian England. But when he is
two years old his botanist parents are listed as missing at sea, and
Mouse is left living with his uncaring Grandfather and his Uncle
Scrope who is seriously in debt. Only Mouse stands between Scrope
and the family fortune. Hanny, his loving nurse, knows that Mouse is
in danger, and spirits him away to live with her in the countryside
for 'reasons of his health'. This idyllic childhood doesn't last
long as the malevolent Mr Button, to whom Scrope owes a fortune,
sets in motion a plan to get rid of Mouse. The young boy is sent to
Murkstone Hall, an unspeakably horrible boarding school that Mouse
must escape if he has any hope of survival. So begins the remarkable
journey, dogged by the tenacious Button, that will change his life.
From the table of contents, list of dramatic personae and opening
illustrations, this book promised something delightful. And it
delivers. The story is beautifully paced, with just the right amount
of terror, despair and hardship, leavened with love, compassion and
friendship.
The Victorian era and its characters and landscapes are brought to
detailed life. From the chilly grand mansion that was Mouse's home
to the idyllic rural life that comprise Mouse's earliest memories
and on to the grim boarding school that would have done Dickens
proud. The lovingly described London and especially the Albion
theatre with its cast of eccentric personalities is a wonderful
accomplishment.
The ending is beautifully done - not necessarily 'They Lived Happily
Ever After', but a more thoughtful musing on the Mouse that has
grown and been forever changed by his experiences and friendships.
This is the type of book I would have devoured as a young reader,
and which many years later I still find fascinating. It is quite
astonishing how a good author can transport you to another place
where you really feel a part of the events; you find yourself
holding your breath in the nail biting moments, or feeling the
delight of a warm fire and a good meal after a long and dangerous
journey. This is timeless storytelling.
Alicia Papp
Steve Jobs : the man who thought different by Karen Blumenthal
Bloomsbury, 2012. ISBN 978 1 4088 3206 6.
This is an unauthorized unofficial biography of Steve Jobs widely
known as one of the creators of Apple.
Karen Blumenthal chronicles Steve Jobs' life from the time he was
adopted at birth until his untimely death from cancer in 2011.
It is an amazing story of a man capable of revolutionizing the way
we communicate, listen to music and watch movies. However,
there is another side to the story, the perfectionist capable of
screaming at friends and employees and failing to give due credit.
The author does a good job of drawing together the many strands of
an extraordinary life. She shows the highs and the lows, the
good and the bad. What emerges is an easy to read story about
one person who has shaped much of what we see in technology in the
21st century.The book would appeal not just to those
interested in technology but also to those who like stories of
achievement. All together an accessible look at an
extraordinary life.
David Rayner
Mummy's kisses by Paula Clark
Ill. by Lisa Stewart. Scholastic, 2012. ISBN 9781 74283 322 0.
Picture book. Mother's Day. A very sweet look at mothers and their
babies ready for talking about Mother's Day in the classroom, is
offered here. Baby echidna wonders off exploring and trying new
things, all the while with mother echidna in the background
watching, and being there when things go awry. She is supportive and
gives the baby echidna kisses each time it appears back at her feet,
learning about things in its environment.
The soft gouache illustrations reflect the colours of the Australian
environment and I particularly loved the depiction of the quills of
the echidna, the feathers of the duck and the scaly skin of the
lizard, amongst others, through collage. Another sweet book to read
on Mother's Day to reflect on what mothers do, and have in the
classroom any time for children to pick up and read the rhyming
lines for themselves.
Fran Knight
Promise by Tony Cavanaugh
Hachette Australia, 2012. ISBN 9780 7336 2647 4
(Adult only) Crime fiction. Tony Cavanaugh has put us in the
head set of two people in this novel. One is a very successful
detective now retired from the Victorian Police and the other a
psychopathic sexual predator and serial killer.
They both wish to escape from the confines of society and live their
own lives. Both have chosen the Sunshine Coast because it gives them
the anonymity they crave. Both are able to justify what they do
though both are flawed. It is up to the reader to decide which, if
either, has any justification for their actions.
Cavanaugh describes the actions in Promise in graphic detail,
which will make this book a turn off for many, indeed it should be
an adult read; the violence both implied and described, sexual,
physical and emotional, is extreme. More subtle is the use of
emotions, lies and manipulation that the ex-detective Darian
Richards uses to get his way. He risks the lives of a number of his
friends and colleagues to achieve his end, which is that of a
vigilante.
A book recommended for adult readers with a strong stomach.
Mark Knight
The Hanging Garden by Patrick White
Knopf Australia, 2012. ISBN 9781742752655.
Highly recommended. The Hanging Garden is a hitherto unpublished
work by the deceased Nobel Prize winner Patrick White. White had
instructed his literary executor to destroy all letters and
unpublished work on his death, but this was not done and on the
urging of David Marr, White's biographer, this work has finally been
published. It is a fragment of what seems to have been intended to
be a longer work, but is quite complete and satisfying in itself,
and very enjoyable. The story's central characters are two children,
'reffoes' as they call themselves, sent to live in Sydney while
World War II is being fought in Europe. The relationship they form
with each other is informed by their previous lives in which they
have each lost a parent, seen death and been excluded from their
homes. Gilbert has come from England, Eirene from Greece. Such
experiences are unimaginable for the Australians who care for them,
and whose chief aim seems to be making the children Australian, thus
ensuring health and happiness. The children quickly learn to hide
their individuality and their histories, except from each other. For
Eirene Gilbert is a source of knowledge and comfort; she divines his
need to assume protective colouring in the form of rough speech and
behaviour, and his wish to experience more than the everyday. Eirene
is exotic to Gilbert; she has seen volcano, a man squashed by a
tank, she speaks Greek and seems to have religion. Together they
explore the garden on the cliff overhanging the harbour and develop
a kind of intimacy, against the backdrop of an Australia that is
almost one-dimensional and very easy to caricature. When their
guardian, too fond of a tipple, dies they are separated. The story
follows Eirene as she survives life with her aunt, six cousins,
named Bruce, Keith, Bob, Lex, Col and Wal, and their licentious
father, while Gil disappears off to a privileged school in
Vaucluse. White's prose is assured with many astute and
amusing observations about adult vanities and hypocrisies. The
language is rich in metaphor, Bob and Lex, for example, being
described as 'freckled, pig-rooting brumbies' in their classroom
behaviour, and very engaging. The children are masterful creations,
and the reader leaves them with regret when the fragment concludes
with the end of the European war. This is a highly recommended work.
Jenny Hamilton
Poo at the zoo by Sarah Eason
Ill. by Kirsten Collier. Bloomsbury Books, 2012. ISBN 978 1 4081
7189 9.
(Ages 4-7) Recommended. Picture book. This fabulous book produced in
conjunction with the London Zoo with some of the proceeds going to
this establishment, will be a hit amongst its audience, whether they
be 4-7 as described by the publisher, or 4-70. It is a laugh out
loud, sharing sort of book, with a whole host of fascinating bits of
information sure to grab everyone's attention.
From facts about a lion's poo which is very smelly, and designed to
keep other animals at bay, to a hippo which swishes its poo away
with its tail, or an anteater which does its in a stream to avoid
the horrific smell and the dainty poo of a giraffe, about the size
of an alive but lots of it, these facts are told in a humorous and
stimulating way with delightful drawings to acquaint the reader with
the animal in question. Each page has several paragraphs of facts
about the animal, a 'did you know' insert as well as a circle
containing an interesting but often very strange fact.
All told with good humour and panache, the 12 animals represented
here are augmented with a glossary, index and two pages of
facts, as well as a page about the London Zoo.
This is a fabulous book for kids, not only in the library, but on
classroom shelves and at home. What a treat. I do hope they put out
another volume. I laughed out loud at one of the facts at the end of
the book: In Australia, people use tiger poo to scare roaming deer
away from gardens! Really!
Fran Knight
This is not forgiveness by Celia Rees
Bloomsbury, 2012. ISBN 978 1 4088 1769 8.
(Ages: 14+) Terrorism.In three separate voices, the
story is told of one girl's plot to use the two boys of a family for
her own ends. One boy is young Jamie, besotted with Caro, a girl who
was friendly with his sister, Martha, but has always appeared out of
his reach. The other, his older brother, Rob, lately returned form
tours of duty in Afghanistan, where a roadside bomb almost severed
his leg, ending his army career. Back in Britain, suffering from
post traumatic shock, unable to work, he seeks out his former
comrades, gets drunk, uses drugs and dreams of weapons. Caro sees in
him the perfect candidate for her plan.
As each chapter progresses we see the scheming Caro use Jamie to get
information about Rob, sleeping with him, then kicking him out of
her bed, only to drive to Rob's to further her plan. She feeds both
just enough information to entangle them, and shows Rob her
stepfather's gun and ammunition storage.
After being involved in political demonstrations her values have
become those of the Red Army Faction, the group that gained
notoriety in the 1970's through the Baader Meinhof Group, which used
terrorism and killings as their way to overthrow governments.
We see Caro entwine Rob and Jamie along with the reader as this
thrilling tale hurtles along to an unexpected conclusion.
Terrorism from within is an absorbing topic, and linked with post
traumatic shock and the history of terrorist groups around the
world, this book helps to show the readers that it is a much wider
and far more complex problem than has been imagined.
Fran Knight
Siddhartha and the swan by Andrew Fusek Peters
Ill. by Miss Swanne. Bloomsbury Books, 2012. ISBN 9781 4081 3947 9.
(Ages: 6+) Indian Folk Tales. Another in the series, Stories from
World Religions, this tale of Siddharth and the swan has
similarities to other tales about swans in other cultures. The
swan is shot by an arrow and nursed back to health by the prince.
His cousin who shot the swan claims it as his prize but an old man
says no, the swan is still alive and so must be allowed to live. It
is nursed by Siddhartha and eventually flies off over the mountains
watched by Siddhartha and his cousin, now in agreement with his
cousin's wishes. Years after, Siddhartha grows up to be the Buddha
and teaches all people to be kind and thoughtful towards all living
creatures. This is a story for our time, not only telling a rounded
tale of being kind to animals, but also acquainting students with
some of the philosophies of Buddhism.
Fran Knight
Stolen away by Alyxandra Harvey
Bloomsbury, 2012. ISBN 9781408811320.
(Age: 14+) Paranormal. Eloise Hart is amazed when a gorgeous
looking boy carrying a sword kneels at her feet in a car park,
embarrassing her in front of her friends. To make matters worse, she
begins to see fairies everywhere and they can see her. The glamour
protecting her has worn off. When she is threatened by Lord Strahan,
King of Faery, she needs all her wits about her and her friends Jo
and Devin, to save both the Faery world and the earthly world from
chaos.
Harvey has a deft hand when building up her fantasy worlds. Lord
Strahan refuses to give up his crown, causing confusion and disorder
in the Faery kingdom. His court and the unusual punishments handed
out to those who question him are vividly described and very
memorable.
The suspense about who are Eloise's allies and who are enemies is
kept up until the end. Eloise isn't sure that the warrior Lucas is
her protector, and Jo is drawn to Eldric, Strachan's dark and
mysterious son, who may be planning to betray them all. There is
also a leavening of humour, which adds to the interest.
Told in alternating chapters by Eloise and Jo, the reader gains a
clear picture of the different characters. Jo's love interest with
Eldric has enough angst to keep those who enjoy a dash of romance in
their books interested in how it will turn out. It was good not to
be faced with the inevitable love triangle that many paranormal
authors seem to favour.
I found this to be a light, entertaining read. I didn't enjoy it as
much as I have enjoyed the Drake chronicles by the same author, but
it is an easy escapist paranormal read that girls would be sure to
enjoy.
Pat Pledger
The light between oceans by M. L Stedman
Vintage Books, 2012. ISBN 9781742755700.
Tom Sherbourne is a young, decorated soldier just returned from the
horrors of the Western Front of World War 1, horrified by the things
he has seen and done, and guilty because he has survived relatively
whole when so many have not. He seeks refuge by becoming a
lighthouse keeper on some of Australia's most remote lighthouses,
which, in those days were not automated as they are now. In a tiny
town in remote south-western Australia, he meets and marries the
love of his life and they live a cocooned life on a tiny island 100
miles offshore, their days only interrupted by the
once-every-three-months visit of the supply boat. Until one day, a
boat washes ashore carrying a dead man and a crying infant and a
choice is made that changes and shapes their lives forever.
Although I don't usually review adult books, this is the most
intriguing read I've had for a long time and I think it has a place
on the shelves of secondary libraries for a lot of reasons. Apart
from the insight it gives us into the mindset of young soldiers who
went to war full of high hopes and adventure but, in reality saw and
did what no person should see and do and were then eventually
returned Australia and just expected 'to get on with it', it is a
story of moral and ethical dilemmas which would provide engaging
discussion and debate that would have every student having to
examine their core values and beliefs. As the cover quote says,
'This is a story of right and wrong, and sometimes they look the
same.' Every character has a solid place in this story and the
question of 'What would you have done if you were them?' could be
put for each one. And because of the quality of the writing,
students will learn that there are seldom black-and-white answers to
these sorts of big questions - there are many shades of grey to be
considered and every action has a reaction, intended or not.
Beyond that, there are discussion
questions available (and there are advertisements and links on
that page that could become a teachable moment about cyber-safety)
that could also form the basis of some broader in-depth discussions
such as 'Are right and wrong absolutes, or do they change depending
on your point of view? If they are not fixed points, how do you
decide what's right and what's wrong, and what happens when your
values differ from your neighbour's?' and 'The continent of
Australia hasn't moved since 1926, but are we, as a nation closer to
the centre of things - more 'stitched into the world's fabric'?
Discuss isolation then and now, and its effect on the nation's
psyche.' I would also add, 'Although on the surface, Tom and
Isobel's isolation was physical, it is possible to be isolated while
surrounded by people?' which might lead to discussion and
acknowledgement of mental health issues, not only as they relate to
Tom and Isobel in the mainland but also to the students themselves.
For me, this book is a keeper - which is the highest praise I can
offer.
Barbara Braxton
Stones for my father by Trilby Kent
Alma Books, 2012. ISBN 9781846881749.
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Stones for my father takes place
during the Anglo-Boer War (October 1899-May 1902), in South Africa.
The war was fought between the British and the Boer people of South
Africa (otherwise known as Afrikaners). During this war, the British
destroyed many of the homes of Boer families, and the homeless
people would then be relocated to concentration camps.
The protagonist is Corlie Roux, a young Boer girl with no father and
two brothers. Corlie's mother loves her sons as much as she dislikes
Corlie, and when they are sent to the concentration camp at
Kroonstad, they all struggle to survive. Corlie will have to depend
on a faraway soldier from Canada and inner strength she never knew
she had . . . Stones for my father is an interesting glimpse into the world
of the Anglo-Boer War, and the people who were involved in it. It's
a neat slice of history that may be little known to some people, but
this book is a perfect starting place. It covers all the facts in an
easy-to-read, but still well written way. The characters are
realistic and the world of the South African wilderness is
beautifully described.
Some authors struggle with having a particular 'voice' when writing
historic novels like this, as they find it difficult to write
convincingly in the manner, style or setting of that time. But
fortunately in this case, the cultures, lives and voices of the Boer
people are very believable. Stones for my father is an excellent historic novel set
during the Anglo-Boer War that is sure to delight history fans and
entertain others.
I recommend this book.
Rebecca Adams
