Random House, 2012.
Eighteen year old Maria O'Neal became an unwilling member of the
Boston Family of vampires when she was 'turned' by Theo, the Master
of this family, in the Enclave of Massachusetts. It is now a
year since she was made and Moth, as she is now known, is finding
the transition from human to vampire difficult and frustrating in
many ways. When she was sixteen her mother died, leaving three
sisters and their father, who has taken to drinking to deal with his
grief. The girls feel abandoned and, of necessity, Moth has
left her family home but still maintains some contact with her
family, especially her younger sister Caitlin, to whom she
eventually tells the truth about what she has become.
The first person narration aligns the reader with Moth and her
difficulties in this situation not of her own making. The
story of her 'turning' intrudes into the present narrative with
Moth's memories, signalled by italics and prompted by things
happening in the present. In true vampire style, Moth will
always be eighteen and, as such, she has romantic involvements and
problems, not least with nineteen year old Jason Murdoch, a handsome
young man, whom she knew in her previous life and who is a vampire
hunter-in-training.
The murder of Rick, an old classmate of Moth's, brings Jason and
Moth together in an uneasy truce to solve the mystery of his and
other teenagers' disappearances. Rick has become a zombie, an
'Unmade', and Moth and Jason try to track the perpetrators.
This brings them into constant danger, from both humans and
vampires, with death and mayhem following them at every turn.
There is a definite attraction between the two and, after their
adventures and success, the story ends with Moth 'wondering what it
meant for the future' and the reader hoping for a sequel.
Despite this being another vampire story, the characters are
believable and we want them to succeed. This novel would be a
good follow-on from the Twilight series.
Linda Koopman
Fog a dox by Bruce Pascoe
Magabala Books, 2012. ISBN 978 1 921248 55 9
(Ages: 11+) Highly recommended. Animals. Wilderness. With the
gentle accumulation of story and setting, the tale of Albert's dogs,
and particularly the fox cub which he takes into this home, reads
like a fable. Albert is a timber getter, living alone in the bush,
felling tress, splitting logs, surviving the winter cold as best he
can. His part dingo bitch, Brim, has pups which many in the area
value, and each time she has a litter he has no problem in getting
each pup a good home. But when he brings home three fox cubs,
rescued from their den after their mother was probably taken by a
hawk, they are reared alongside the pups, the two females leaving
early to set up their own dens, the third, the male, staying on.
Albert calls this a dox, so that people in the area get used
to it being around, and not want to kill it. And one day the fox
repays the favour, going to the neighbour's house to fetch Dave when
Albert's arm is trapped in a log being split.
Through the story we hear of a young girl, Maria, dying of leukemia,
having to spend her days watching the Discovery Channel, getting
more and more interested and knowledgable about the animals she
sees. Eventually the two stories come together, the lonely men in
the wild with their dogs and a fox, and the young dying girl in the
hospital, desperate to be outside.
The setting is marvellous, the thickly timbered mountains region of
south eastern Australia immediately comes to mind, with the weather
closing in, the numbing cold of the winer days and nights, the
isolation of the other timber getters, within walking distance, but
rarely seeing each other, preferring to keep by their own hearths,
with their own dogs as company. These men rely on their dogs for
friendship, something to talk to, something to keep the small of
their back warm at night. Pascoe's seemingly simple writing style
invites the reader into the world he reveals, one with which he must
be very familiar, one he holds in his mind fondly. His Aboriginal
heritage comes through clearly in his understanding of the bush, and
his inclusion of some Aboriginal words adds another layer of
meaning to the story. A tale of friendship and trust, this story is
redolent of the Australian bush, of the hardship endured by people
who chose to work alone, of their coming together through adversity.
At 100 or so pages, the detail given is quite extraordinary and the
story itself, mesmerising.
Fran Knight
Dads, geeks and blue haired freaks by Ellie Phillips
Electric Monkey, 2012. ISBN 9781405258197.
(Age: Teenage) Recommended. Dads, geeks and blue Haired freaks
by Ellie Phillips is a quirky novel that will resonate with teens.
When first introduced to us Sadie Nathanson, Phillip's main
character, is looking for her identity in a hair colour named 'Blue
Haired Freaks', yet a birthday card from 'Dad' sets Sadie off on a
journey to unravel the mysteries of her birth. She goes looking for
a father and finds much more than she had bargained for in the
process. Sadie, from Hackney East London, is a sensitive yet
independent and intelligent 15 year old who must deal with the
contemporary issue of sperm donation. She is helped on her quest to
track down potential fathers known only as 254, 278 and 241, by her
resourceful, nerdish cousin Billy and his fellow rock band member
Tony Cruz. One of the strengths of this novel is Phillip's
sympathetic portrayal of Sadie's quest to make sense of not only her
birth but the standard conflicts teens face. Sadie is dealing with
the inevitable drifting apart between herself and ex-best friend
Shona Matthews and the subsequent bullying at school. To compound
this, Sadie is finding her mother clueless, less than supportive and
her Jewish Great Aunty Rita and Filipino Uncle Ze claustrophobic and
in typical teen fashion it is to the internet and chat rooms that
Sadie turns to for advice. Young adults will recognize the reliance
Sadie has on her virtual chat room friends for empathy and guidance.
Groovechick2 helps Sadie make sense of her troubled and confusing
life. Phillip's has crafted her main character's voice in a style
that mirrors the zaniness of Sadie herself. Sadie is an aspirational
hairdresser- we follow her moods and subversive tactics to find her
father through a variety of hairstyles and colours. Sadie's
judgements and reading of the people around her are based on hair
style and colour and while she competes with Shona for the
attentions of Tony, she must also compete with Aunt Lilah for the
right to cut her family's hair. Phillip's technique of including
texts, emails and chat room dialogue will find an audience in young
adults who are looking for a realistic novel with originality and
humour.
Leanne Bell
This is not my hat by Jon Klassen
Walker Books, 2012. ISBN 0 7636 5599 0.
(Ages 4+) Recommended. Picture book. Humour. A small fish appears.
He
is wearing a small jaunty hat on its head and is proudly telling the
reader that this is not his hat, he just stole it. He stole it from
a
much larger fish who was asleep, and the little fish hopes that he
remains asleep for a long time. The illustrations show a different
story, as the larger fish wakes and notices immediately that his hat
has gone. What fun for the listeners as they see the changing eyes
of
the larger fish, realising that his hat has gone. But read on. The
little fish heads for the seaweed where he thinks he will be safe.
Along the way he justifies to himself his theft of the hat, and
seeing
a lobster, tells him not to tell the larger fish where he is. The
next
page reveals the larger fish close by being given directions form
the
very same lobster. Into the weed he swims, and then comes out with
his
hat.
This is a delightful read a loud, where the audience will be able to
join in, warning the little fish about the larger fish, or telling
the
larger fish where the little fish is. They will be able to pick out
the
sea creatures shown in the illustrations, and talk about relative
size.
But of course the standout discussions will revolve around theft,
inviting students to contemplate what stealing is and how it affects
those who do it as well as those who have had something stolen. The
plight of the lobster will also be a theme for discussion in the
classroom. The illustrations are another source of interest and
discussion as the simplicity of the repeated prints of the two fish
is
able to give so much depth to the story through minor changes. The
readers will follow the eyes and the amount of air bubbles released,
giving an indication of how the fish are feeling.
Fran Knight
Greylands by Isobelle Carmody
Ford Street Publishing, 2012, 189 pgs., p/b. ISBN: 9781921665677.
Recommended for readers 12+. In 1997, Greylands won the
Aurealis Award Winner for Best Young Adult novel. This 2012
revised edition with a foreword from the author is a moving and
memorable story. The story is told from Jack's point of
view, and like Carmody's father who died tragically in a car
accident, Jack's mother also recently died in tragic
circumstances. When Jack looks into a mirror, he enters into
the greylands, which is a dreamlike world lacking in colour and
noise and has ferocious animals called wolvers that hunt Jack when
he crosses. What is this grey silent land that Jack discovers
on the other side of his mirror and why does Jack keep bumping into
Alice, a strange girl with a secret who tells Jack she belongs in
the greylands. It is Alice who also tells Jack it is the
wounded that seek refuge in the greylands. Jack soon realises
that he enters the greylands due to his state of grief and it is his
thoughts of his mother that moves him to the greylands. Will
Jack be able to deal with his fears and find answers to his
questions in order to escape the greylands before the terrifying
wolvers find him, or will he become trapped in the greylands forever
like Alice?
Carmody, who is also the best-selling author of the award winning
Obernewtyn chronicles has written a powerful story about a young boy
dealing with tragedy and emotions. I would recommend this book
to anyone who wants to learn the secret that Alice guards so
furtively?
Michelle Thomson
Stop! there's a snake in your suitcase by Adam Frost
Ill. by Mark Chambers. Bloomsbury, 2012. ISBN 9781 4088 2706 2.
(Ages: 8+) Early novel. Animals. The second in the series, Zoo
Story, this amiable tale introduces the readers to all sort of
information about snakes, how to care for them, what they eat, why
people like them and keep them as pets. Sophie and Tom Nightingale
are the children of parents who work in the London Zoo, and so have
access to all sorts of information and are also vitally interested
in all animals. When a scruffy looking man approaches on his barge
and tried to sell them some snakes, they are instantly alerted by
his appearance as well as the poor condition of the snakes. Grandpa
realises that they may be illegally imported snakes, and so they
ring the police.
Following the culprit along the river to the zoo, the children
notice the man throws out some pillowcases that move, and opening
one, get more than they bargained for.
This series offers pleasant stories which are more the vehicle for
telling lots of information about animals and the zoo, although the
facts are incorporated very neatly into the story. Sophie and Tom
are likable characters, living a life many animal lovers would love
to emulate, on a barge/houseboat moored near the London Zoo where
the parents work.
Fran Knight
Ella and Olivia series by Yvette Poshoglian
Ill. by Danielle McDonald. Scholastic, 2012.
(Ages: 6+) Friendship. For newly emerging readers wanting more
than a picture book, then this series will help them move into easy
chapter books before taking on something a little more imaginative.
The stories about two best friends, Ella and Olivia will not
stretch the imaginations of its readers. Simple stories, simply
told, without too much complication will make these an easy read for
new independent readers, wanting to achieve quick success. The new girl. ISBN 978 1 74283 499 3.
This story has the girls starting a new term at school. Within the class is a
new girl who appears not to like anything about her new school or
the people in her class. Ella decides to do something about this
situation and the girls all come to realise that they are all
friends and no one is trying to break up friendships. Ballet stars. ISBN 9781 74283 498 6.
The girls both love their ballet lessons, but when the teacher
decides that they will put on Cinderella as their term production,
the girls are mystified about who will take the lead role. A
solution is found for both girls to be a star.
Fran Knight
Baby Bilby's question by Sally Morgan and Adele Jaunn
Little Hare, 2012. hbk., RRP $A24.95 ISBN 9781921714856.
Remember when you asked your mum how much she loved you, she said,
'I'll
love you to the moon and back?' In this gorgeous book by Sally
Morgan
and
Adele Jaunn, Baby Bilby asks his dad the same question and the
response
is a
unique exploration of Australian fauna and the amazing feats they
might
perform. 'I will love you until a crow catches a falling star', is
just
an
example. Whether it's kangaroo kissing a koala or a platypus playing
with a
porpoise, the effect is the same - there is a feeling that this
little
baby
bilby will be loved forever, and there's a certain reassurance about
that.
This book works on so many levels - the story, the message, the
humour,
the
illustrations and the rhythm of the language make it a brilliant
read-aloud
while, at the same time it introduces the child to some of the
amazing
animals that are part of our landscape and culture. Slightly older
readers
might like to invent their own responses and draw these, while the
alliteration could provide an introduction to this grammatical
feature
for
those just a bit older again. But, above all, there's this warm,
snuggly,
secure feeling of being loved.
I will love this book until an echidna eats an eggplant!
Barbara Braxton
A medal for Leroy by Michael Morpurgo
Ill. by Michael Foreman. HarperCollins, 2012 ISBN 978 0 00 736358 2.
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Historical fiction. War. Racism. Leroy is
happy to visit his crotchety old aunt and her sister in Folkestone
mainly because of their dog, Jasper, which loves him with a passion
that is reciprocated. But Mum is wary of the two older women, Auntie
Pish makes snide remarks that hurt and since Leroy's Dad died in the
war, Mum has been struggling to bring up her son alone. On this
visit the day goes much the same as it has done for nine years, but
Leroy asks to see his father's medals, cared for lovingly by Aunty
Snowdrop, the nicer of the two women, the one who looks after the
medals, packed into the man's school pencil case and polished with
affection. Leroy realises when they all go to the beach to spread a
bunch of snowdrops, a ritual remembering his father, that Aunty Pish
is slower than usual, her breath is coming less easily and she lags
behind as they walk home. It comes as no surprise to the reader that
Leroy learns later that she has died. Her gift to him is his
father's photo, one always kept on the mantelpiece at Folkestone,
but when the glass cracks, hidden behind the photo he finds a diary
of sorts from his aunt.
This is a charming story of war and its effects on the next
generation. It is a story of what happens in the war, a time
of extraordinary situations and decisions, and the secrets that
remain hidden for years after. It is the story of one family and the
effect of the two world wars on it, of the changes which occurred
not only for men but for women, as Morpurgo makes astute comments in
passing about changes in attitudes towards women in war. Morpurgo
writes stunningly of animals, using the little dog as a link between
generations, and the historical facts upon which this story is based
give the tale an extra poignancy which is hard to resist.
Fran Knight
Hammering Iron by L.S. Lawrence
Omnibus Books, 2012. ISBN: 978-1-86291-971-6.
Recommended for 10 to 14 year olds. Hammering Iron is an
historical fiction novel that describes from a personal perspective
of a commoner how the Ancient world changed from the Bronze Age to
the Iron age. It follows the life of Paramon, a boy who went from
working a scribe for a mean Lord to joining the Ancient Greek Danaen
Army, going to war, becoming a slave and then eventually discovering
with his new master the secrets to creating a cheaper and stronger
metal than bronze. All these experiences transform Paramon from a
boy to blacksmith, adapting to all the problems that he encounters
as well as developing new friendships, some from past enemies. Hammering
Iron features many battles and fighting segments where the
feeling of stabbing a man with his new sword is described in detail.
The novel moves quickly enough to stay engaging and could possibly
spark an interest in this part of ancient history in readers aged 10
to 14 years old. Whilst Hammering Iron is historical
fiction, the battles, tribes and cities have existed and therefore
prompt further research by readers. The themes of growth and
development, overcoming obstacles and making the most out of
difficult situations are also positive.
Adam Fitzgerald
There was an old lady who swallowed a star by P. Crumble
Ill. by Louis Shea. Scholastic, 2012. ISBN 1 74285 330 9.
(Ages: 4+) Recommended. Picture book. Christmas. Using the familiar
refrain of, 'I know an old lady who swallowed a fly', this lively
and brightly illustrated tale has the old, grizzled lady swallowing
all the accoutrements of Christmas. She gobbles down a star, a
stocking, an elf, the Christmas lights on top of the house, the
reindeer and finally Santa Claus. Each thing she eats is sent down
to retrieve the other, until finally she bursts and all the things
tumble out. Children will delight in picking up the rhyme of
the tale, joining in when they can predict the next words, and
learning it so they can say it all the way through. It is infectious
and partly familiar and so will be enticing for them to do. Each
time she swallows a new thing the line, 'Now that's bizarre'
follows, giving another point of repetition for the children to
predict and learn. The plethora of Christmas imagery in the
background adds to the fun of using this in the classroom to
introduce the festivity, and at home where lots of fun can be had in
the family.
The bright illustrations will entice younger readers and this is one
in a series of 'I know an old lady', published by Scholastic.
Fran Knight
A pet isn't just for Christmas compiled by the RSPCA
Random House, 2012. ISBN 978 1 74275 714 8
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Picture book. Christmas. Published as a
stocking filler, this lovely little book will achieve its goal of
being a neat hand held book to give to all age groups to bring a
smile at Christmas. Nearly 50 beautiful photos of animals are paired
with a commentary which extols the virtues of looking after a pet
when it is given as a gift. In between the many images of dogs, pups,
cats and kittens there can be found a picture of a duck, a lizard,
several birds, fish, rabbits and the odd guinea pig. All the photos
are delightful, showing many of the animals in cute poses, often
with movement and sometimes with other animals.
The commentary shows the long term responsibility of owning a pet,
reiterating the closeness that an animal can bring to the family.
This is a timely book for many children who may be getting a pet for
Christmas and need to discuss with their parents exactly what is
involved.
Published by Random House in partnership with RSPCA, the royalties
from the sale of the book will go directly to the RSPCA to help with
their work. It is a salutary reminder that the incident of dumped
and abandoned pets rises dramatically after Christmas.
Fran Knight
Are trees alive? by Debbie S. Miller
Bloomsbury Publishing, 2012. ISBN 9781408173893.
(Age 5+) Recommended. Debbie S. Miller was inspired to consider the
question 'Are trees alive?' when it was put to her by her daughter
during a walk in the forest. The result is a book which invites
younger readers to question their assumptions about the environment.
The life cycle of a tree and the roles of its parts are explained in
simple but vivid language. Analogies with human life and the use of
trees as sources of food and shelter, underscore the message that
each tree is a living entity whose existence is intertwined with our
own. The picture book format and the inclusion of a guide to the
species of trees and animals pictured, ensure that the book's
credibility as non-fiction is not undermined.
The illustrations by Stacey Schuett strengthen the concepts
explained in the text. Each double page spread shows a richly
coloured scene from a different part of the world and illustrates,
in a sympathetic manner, how the people and animals there interact
with a particular tree. Although written by an American author, the
focus is global and multicultural. One of the trees presented is a
ribbon gum in Australia.
Parents and teachers can decide if this book is appropriate for
their audiences. Very young children may find the life affirming
text and illustrations appealing but the small font could be
challenging if they are independent readers. Older students can use
the book as an introduction to the subject but will need to turn to
more complex sources if they want to do further research. The
information about tree species at the end of the book appears to
have been written in very small font for adults. Are trees alive? has a place on bookshelves at home and in
primary school libraries. It will enrich both the book sharing
experience and the discussions which follow.
Elizabeth Bor
Can it be about me? by Cheryl Moskowitz
Ill. by Ros Asquith. Harper, 2012. ISBN 9781 84780 340 5.
(Ages 9+) Poetry, Humour. Moskowitz wanted to write poems about
being at school, and so asked her local primary school if she could
be a fly on the wall for a while to capture the essence of life at
school. The volume containing the 48 poems is the result of her
efforts when being as unobtrusive as possible at the school. But she
did cause interest and the first poem in the volume is based on one
boy's interest as he enquired 'can it be about me?' Many of the
poems presented grew out of Moskowitz's observations in the school
ground and class room, and present situations familiar to us all.
Themes such as being alone, bullying, how to make friends, what
games to play in the break, range alongside more detailed poems
about Egypt or a spelling test, or simply a poem of all the
abbreviations there are in a school. She also presents a brief
introduction to each poem, giving it a context and also explaining
the type of poem it may be, so giving teachers a model to use when
doing poetry in the classroom.
Fran Knight
The gift by Penny Matthews
Ill. by Martin McKenna. Scholastic, 2012. ISBN 1862916985.
(Ages: 3+) Highly recommended. Picture book. Christmas. The little
brown bear sits on the shelf in the shop, surrounded by toys which
offer so much more than he. Others sing and dance, clap their hands
or are festooned with colour, all designed to attract a buyer. But
all the plain brown bear has is a red ribbon tied around his neck.
When his companion the green crocodile and he watch the other toys
being sold, they lament that they are still left on the shelf. Bear
gives the crocodile his ribbon, and sure enough the crocodile is
sold. Bear falls behind the counter, and is overlooked yet again
until he is restored to his spot on the shelf, where a baby in a
pusher calls out 'bear', impelling its father to buy him for their
tree. At home, the baby calls out again and the bear is given the
best gift of all, a place in someone's heart.
This is one of those books where tissues are needed, the subtle text
accompanied by the beautiful soft illustrations will draw an
emotional response from all who read it and hear it read aloud.
Everyone has had the feeling of being left out, of being overlooked,
of feeling unloved, so the fate of the bear and the crocodile will
immediately elicit a response. Younger children will not only hear a
beautifully told text, they will be engaged in thinking about those
less fortunate than themselves, those left alone at Christmas, and
so begin to understand the wider issues that Christmas brings in our
community. Older children may begin to discuss the idea of gift
giving, and think about the way things are sold in shops, marketed
and displayed. But the basic story is one that can be read over and
over again, a beacon outshining most of the other books offered by
publishers at Christmas.
Fran Knight
