Wolves, boys and other things that might kill me by Kristen Chandler
Speak, 2011. ISBN 9780142418833.
(Age 13+) Recommended. K. J. lives near the Yellowstone
National Park where her father is a fishing and wildlife guide. She
is a loner who spends her time helping him out in his shop and in
the wilderness. Over the summer she has turned into a more
noticeable version of herself and when she meets Virgil, the new boy
at school, things begin to change. While researching an article on
the controversial wolves who live in the park, she starts to see her
home in a new light.
There are people who love the wolves, like Virgil's mother, who is
researching their behaviour, and people who hate them, like the
ranchers who lose their cattle from their raids. Tension runs high
in the small community and K.J. unwittingly adds to it with her
newspaper article. Chandler adds a dash of mystery to her story with
the advent of someone who is an arsonist and who peppers Virgil with
shot during a parade.
K.J. is an engaging heroine. An orphan, she tries to live up to her
father's high expectations of her and her ability in the wild. This
father-daughter relationship is central to the book and K.J's love
for and problems with her father add a dimension that is not often
found in novels for teens. The budding romance between K.J. and
Virgil is deftly dealt with, as are the relationships between other
characters in the book.
A thought provoking novel that will appeal to anyone who is
interested in conservation, this issue-based book is a very good
read. Readers will gain solid information about the behaviour of
wolves and the reasons for the controversy about their return to
Yellowstone National Park in a well rounded, well written way.
Pat Pledger
Melody burning by Whitley Strieber
Allen and Unwin, 2012. ISBN 9781742379135.
(Age 13+) Thriller. In the crawl spaces and niches of a large Los
Angeles building lives a boy named Beresford. When very young he
witnessed a horrible death and has hidden ever since, making the
chutes his home. When rock star Melody comes to live in the hotel he
falls in love in her, even though he is not sure what love is.
Melody has been too busy to fall in love, with her mother pushing
her to become famous. In the hotel also lives a dangerous
pyromaniac, who urged on by an evil man, is making plans that will
affect the futures of Beresford and Melody.
This is a very fast paced thriller that held my attention for the
whole book, which I finished in one sitting. The suspense of what
would happen with the pyromaniac and also what would happen with the
growing relationship between Melody and Beresford, kept me glued to
my seat.
I was intrigued with the idea of a feral boy who never went out into
the sun and who watched over the occupants of the building.
Beresford's story is told in the third person and a strong,
intelligent but emotionally and educationally deprived teen emerges
as events unfold. Equally fascinating are the descriptions of life
as an emerging pop star, told by Melody in the first person. The
angst over song writing, the fans, her pushy mother and the
paparazzi are brought to life and the reader gains a sympathetic
view of her feelings through the songs that she writes.
This is recommended as a light, exciting read for teens. Whitley
Shrieber is a horror writer who has previously written for adults.
Pat Pledger
Stork by Wendy Delsol
Candlewick, 2010. ISBN 9780763648442.
(Age: 12+) 16 year old Katla Leblanc has moved from Los Angeles to
the wilds of Minnesota with her mother after her parents got
divorced. Fashion is all important to her, but being trendy brings
stares from the locals and horrors of horrors, she finds that she is
a Stork, a member of an ancient group of women who decide which
mothers are worthy of babies. Then there is Wade, who she had a bad
date with before school starts, and Jack the editor of the school
newspaper, who thinks she should know him and seems to hate her. As
Kat learns more about her powers and the near fatal experience she
had as a young child, she must face up to what she really is.
Drawing on Norse mythology, Delsol has created a different
background for her story. I was intrigued by the idea of a group of
Storks making decisions about which mother would be the best for a
potential infant. It was interesting to see Kat taking on her role
as Stork and deciding that she had to make mature decisions, and not
just ones that could give her revenge on a popular girl or help out
her friend. Jack too has a background that is steeped in Norse
mythology. He doesn't feel the cold and strange things happen around
him. The school is producing The Snow Queen by Hans Christian
Andersen and references to this story also add depth.
Delsol scatters humourous one liners throughout the book, which kept
a smile on my face. Kat is mad about fashion, and teens who enjoy
clothes will enjoy the many references, often funny, to clothes.
They will also have fun with the makeovers.
This was a quick easy read with Kat's dilemmas and witty repartee
keeping my interest for the whole book. Girls who like romance, high
school angst and paranormal events should appreciate the unusual
Norse folklore background. There is a sequel, Frost.
Pat Pledger
Bambert's Book of Missing Stories by Reinhardt Jung
Translated by Anthea Bell. Ill. by Emma Chichester Clark. Egmont,
2008. ISBN HB 9 7814 0523 640 9.
I highly recommend this book for 10 year olds to adults. A must
read.
Who is Bambert and how are his stories missing? The title itself
made me curious, the book captured me instantly and I read the
entire collection of stories in one sitting.
Bambert is a recluse and lives above a grocer's shop in his own self
contained world. He is very short and finds it painful to walk, even
with the aid of a stick. He feels he would be pitied or mocked in
public so the only person he sees is Mr Bloom the grocer downstairs,
who provides him with all of his requirements.
Bambert's talent is writing stories which he records in his 'Book of
Wishes'. Bambert realises his stories need to be set free and one
night he releases each of the 11 stories on its own small hot air
balloon to be found and then returned to him by the finder, telling
him where they had been discovered. The 11th story is blank and he
hopes it will return written.
Each story is revealed on its return (from a variety of countries)
and what a diverse and amazing collection they are. They include the
sad and beautiful To the Eye of the Sea about a whale who
returns after many years to find his young rescuer, to the more
horrific and heart rendering tale of the escape of Jewish children
from Nazi soldiers in The Glass Rafts.
Even though the book is in a larger picture book format, these
poignant, emotional and at time disturbing stories are not for the
young child. I would love to read this book out loud to a year 5-7
class, as each story leaves the reader with so many thoughts,
feelings and even questions.
Emma Chichester Clark's illustrations fit perfectly with the text
and the book has been beautifully translated from the original
German by Anthea Bell.
What happens with the last unwritten story? I will leave you to find
that out, but be prepared for a heart-wrencher and a surprise about
the stories' actual journeys. The love and friendship that has been
secretly bestowed on Bambert will bring a tear to the eye.
Jane Moore
Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
Walker Books, 2016. (Ages 15+). Recommended. This is the second of three books in the Infernal Devices series, which is a prequel to the hugely popular Mortal Instruments. Set in Victorian London, it follows the journey of Tessa, a 16 year old American orphan, who discovers that she is not what she always thought she was - human. She is rescued by the initially suspicious and guarded Shadowhunters, who then help and support her in her search to discover her origins, and the role she is destined to play in the evil designs of the Magister. This is an evocative story set in the atmospheric, murky and class ridden world of Victorian England. Shadowhunters battle rogue vampires and Downworlders, fight to keep the fragile peace and uphold the Accords, all unbeknownst to the human population. They are desperate to uncover the malevolent plans of Mortmain, also known as the Magister, who is creating an army of clockwork soldiers and machines in his mission to overthrow the Shadowhunters and conquer the world. I liked this book much more than the first in this series, Clockwork Angel. Tessa has grown as a character and is more accepting of her strange past and uncertain future. She is losing the constraints of her strict and austere upbringing and is proving to be brave and resourceful. Something I really enjoyed about this book is the author's evident love of literature and poetry. The main characters are passionate about books and reading, and literary references are woven into the narrative. The discussions on favourite books and authors such as Charles Dickens, may encourage some readers to seek them out. There is also quite a lot of humour, wit and very funny one liners which helps to allay the often dark and sometimes tragic tone. As well as the ubiquitous love triangle, there is also murder, masquerade balls, mechanical assassins, secrets, betrayals, curses, carriage rides, corsets, and a whole cast of supernatural characters. Cassandra Clare's books have been a real favourite with teenage girls, and this book will be no exception. The third book, Clockwork Princess, will not be out until the end of this year, so we will wait with bated breath to find out how this enjoyable series ends. Alicia Papp
Library Lily by Gillian Shields
Ill. by Francesca Chessa. Gullane, 2011. ISBN 978 1 86233 830 2.
(Ages: 5+) Picture book. Lily always has her head stuck in a book:
she reads while eating breakfast, she reads while cleaning her
teeth, she has a book when supposedly sleeping, in fact she has one
with her all the time, so much so that everyone calls her Library
Lily. But Mum thinks there may be more to life than a book
(Gadzooks!) and takes her to the park, where she reads all the signs
and after that has little to do, until Milly comes along. Milly does
not like to read, is adventurous and playful, and questions Lily's
constant reading. Milly takes Lily on one of her adventures and Lily
finds that she has fun doing that but then introduces Milly to her
books, and the pair sees that they can both have fun in both fields.
The bright, bold eye catching illustrations show Lily and Milly
doing the things they love.
A neatly resolved story about two friends finding a common ground,
sharing what each loves with the other and so coming together each
sharing their passion with the other, will have a measure of
interest and support in classes where topics are under discussion
such as sharing, reading and friendship. But its main relevance will
be in classes and libraries in 2012, the National Year of Reading,
where reading is being celebrated around Australia, promoted in all
libraries, encouraging young and old to read. This book is one of
several published this year proudly supporting reading as a past
time.
Fran Knight
Legend by Marie Lu
Razorbill, 2011. ISBN 9780141339412.
(Ages 14 +) Recommended. This dystopian novel is set in Los Angeles
in a time of conflict, plagues and extreme inequity. The story is
told from two perspectives, one of Day, a Robin Hood like teenager
who is trying to ensure the safety of his family, and June who is
part of the ruling elite. Of the two it is Day that I particularly
warmed to and I found his chapters more engaging and believable. For
someone who is meant to be a genius June takes a long time to
realise what is really happening in the Republic and this became
quite frustrating.
It is written in present tense which adds to the fast pace of the
story and makes it hard to put down. There is romance between the
two main characters and this developing relationship is well handled
by the author. The setting of the Republic is intriguing and
frightening to imagine, particularly the sections dealing with the
frequent plagues. Legend is obviously the first in a series
as there are unresolved threads at the end of this book. A good book
to put in the hands of middle school boys who have enjoyed the Pittacus
Lore books.
Chris Lloyd
Crossed by Ally Condie
Razor Bill, Penguin, 2011. ISBN: 9780141333069.
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. 'The Society chooses everything. The
books you read. The music you listen to. The person you love. Yet
for Cassia the rules have changed. Ky has been taken and she will
sacrifice everything to find him. And when Cassia discovers Ky has
escaped to the wild frontiers beyond the society, there is hope. But
on the edge of society nothing is as it seems . . . A rebellion is
rising. And a tangled web of lies and double-crosses could destroy
everything.' Product description.
When I got this book I literally ran around the house jumping and
screaming. The sequel to Matched, Ally Condie has taken the
story to new levels with a few new characters and more in depth
views of the settings. I can honestly say that I will be internet
stalking her for the rest of my life. Ally is my new favourite
author. I sincerely hope she continues her writing career and I
cannot wait until her third book comes out.
Taylor Oxenham (student)
Cold hands, warm heart by Jill Wolfson
Walker, 2012. ISBN 9781406325416.
(Age: 12+) Dani is a 15 year old who has had more doctor's
appointments and hospital visits than she cares to remember. She was
born with her heart on the wrong side of her body and is waiting for
an organ donor. 14 year old Amanda is a top gymnast in perfect
health who suffers an accident at a meet. Their lives are about to
become entwined.
This is a moving story about the heartbreak and joy of giving and
receiving organ transplants. It opens with the story of Amanda, told
from the viewpoint of her brother Tyler, who tells the reader about
the heartbreak that a family goes through when making a decision
about whether or not to allow a loved one's organ to be donated. It
also tells the story of Dani, who is waiting for a heart transplant
and how the donation of a heart entirely changes her and her
mother's lives. Secondary characters like Milo, with whom Dani
begins a tentative relationship while in hospital and the
irrepressible little girl Wendy who is also waiting for a
transplant, flesh out the story and the impact of organ donations.
I read this story quickly as it kept my attention the whole time.
However there were moments when I felt that Wolfson was really
writing it to illustrate the importance of becoming an organ donor
and that her main aim wasn't to tell Tyler and Dani's story, but
rather to convince the reader to do the right thing. (I'm sure that
after teens have read this story they will be determined to become
organ donors). However the information about the process of organ
transplants, the impact that they can have on both the donor's
family and the recipient's family, was fascinating and Milo's
insights into death were thought provoking. It was easy to identify
with Tyler's family and their reluctance to meet the people that the
organs were donated to, while at the same time experiencing the joy
and hope that filled the people who received the donations.
Often heart wrenching, this story that has tackled a difficult
subject with clarity and empathy, will remain with me.
Pat Pledger
How Do You Feel? by Anthony Browne
Walker Books, 2012. ISBN 9781406338515. (Age 2-5) Highly recommended. How do you feel? Do you feel happy or sad? Curious or surprised? Bored or lonely? Using his signature young chimp, Anthony Browne explores a myriad of emotions in this book for young children. The emotions portrayed in this book will be easily identified by the very young. What small person hasn't felt happy or sad, angry and guilty? Parents or teachers reading this book aloud could lead a discussion into what sorts of emotions that the young child has and what things provoke these emotions. The illustrations are as always a joy to look at. Browne had captured perfectly the facial expression and body language that demonstrates each emotion. I especially liked the contrast between the tightrope walker and the shy concert presenter and laughed out loud at the little chimp being silly. A beautiful, simple book, this one is sure to become a classic. Pat Pledger
Look, a book! by Libby Gleeson and Freya Blackwood
Little Hare, 2011 ISBN 978 1 921541 80 3.
(Ages 4+) Picture book. An older woman returning from a foraging or
shopping trip, drops a
book as she enters her house yard, surrounded by a ramshackle fence.
Two children pick up the book and scrambling up onto the old
outhouse
building, are transported by the words, flying over the rooftops on
their piece of galvansied iron. They return the book to the older
woman and reading it with her, are transported again, flying on an
old plastic drink bottle, over the houses and the rubbish left
around.
The illustrations will sweep the reader up into the imaginative
flight taken by the author, flying over the cityscape, watching a
landscape at once surreal yet containing the things the children
have
seen in the woman's yard. With the blurb, You never know where a
book
can
take you, this is a book to share with small and large groups, as
imagination takes hold encouraging the readers to talk about books
they have read and the places they have gone with books.
The whole book has a times past feel to it, the illustrations show
an older woman living in a house which seems as it if has stepped
out
of the Depression era, and this is underlined by the outhouse and
stick washing line. Yet other things bring the story into the
present. The rubbish contains things children of today would
recognise, the shopping trolley, custard container and plastic chair
the woman sits on to read to the children, all tell of a modern age.
Appropriately 2012 is the National year of Reading in Australia,
designed to promote reading and books throughout the country and
this
along with several other books, will be read and reread as teachers
promote reading with their classes.
Fran Knight
Battle fatigue by Mark Kurlansky
Bloomsbury, 2011. ISBN 9781408826911.
For Joel Bloom, a boy growing up in 1960s America, war is familiar
and an accepted fact of life. Parents, relatives, neighbours and
teachers have served in World War Two and some have been
significantly affected. Whilst some are reticent to divulge details,
others share tales and experiences, many of which appeal to
impressionable children. This prompts Joel and his friends to
re-enact vague battles influenced by patriotism and a juvenile grasp
of history, as a popular playtime ritual.
As Joel meanders through his childhood which is affected by an
appreciation of the more recent Korean War and direct experience of
the Cuban Missile Crisis, his perspective matures and he
demonstrates a philosophical intuition which is amusing and thought
provoking. The introduction of an enjoyment (which evolves into
obsession) with baseball is a refreshing and realistic aside which
tempers the sad but accurate depiction of children who believed that
they were destined to die in a nuclear holocaust.
Joel sees military service as an inevitable path in life and in this
he is no different to the veterans in his community or the
traumatised older boys who have survived tours in Vietnam.
Experiences at secondary school and college prompt him to question
the broader issues of international conflict and the fundamentals of
killing on a personal and human level. Joel's position gains clarity
and urgency as his draft eligibility approaches and the reader is
taken on the disconcerting, confused journey which so many young men
must have faced as they rationalised their responsibilities, fears
and preferences in a bid to arrive at the least worst outcome.
Military service in Vietnam versus safety in the Army Reserves or
exile in Canada or conscientious objection or failing the induction
test on fabricated medical grounds or ensuring rejection in more
humiliating ways - these were the limited options available to young
men whose long term plans for sporting prowess, study, careers and
relationships were all altered by the expectation that they
undertake mandatory military service. Through Joel, the reader gains
some understanding of the significant impact that the Vietnam war
had young men, even before the issue of death or disfigurement is
considered. Younger readers who are not familiar with the era will
readily transpose modern conflict and draw their own conclusions
about compulsory military service and what forms of courage exist.
Rob Welsh
Knight Night by Owen Davey
Templar, 2011. ISBN: 9781848772182.
A simplistic and sparsely worded recount of a boy's preparations for
bed, this book holds much more for its readers. Despite the
minimalistic text simply telling of the mundane night time routine,
the illustrations open up a new and wonderful world of imagination.
Limited to muted autumnal tones of beige, orange, burgundy and grey
blue, the stylised illustrations tell a whole new tale. From the die
cut cover, the story begins with a yawning young knight who, on the
end papers, is revealed as a pyjama clad boy wearing a colander on
his head. Throughout the book, an everyday phrase or event on each
page is accompanied by an imaginative picture of the knight's
activities in his place.
This would prove to be a wonderful bedtime read for a very young
child. It also promotes positive behaviours as the child willingly
puts himself to bed without needing assistance at bath-time or
whilst tidying his things away. As I read this title, I was reminded
of Rod Clement's Just Another Ordinary Day. With Clement's
book, I like to read the story to a class without showing them the
illustrations. Their reaction is normally that the story is somewhat
tedious or boring. The second reading, with the pictures, shows
children how text and illustrations are often paired together with
both components being vital to the story. I am sure that this title
will work in much the same way, encouraging students to develop
their visual literacy as well as simply providing them with an
enjoyable story.
Jo Schenkel
The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor
(Also Seeing Redd and Arch Enemy). (Ages: 14+) This series of 3 books turns the original premise of Alice in Wonderland on its head. In the first of the trilogy we are introduced to the 'real' Wonderland, the brutal world of Princess Alyss Heart. Alyss is the heir to the throne and when her mother and father are viciously murdered by her Aunt Redd she is transported to the world of Victorian England. Here she is adopted by the Liddell family and meets up with Lewis Carroll. When she confides her story to him he instead betrays her by writing and publishing his own very sanitised version. Meanwhile back in Wonderland allies of the Princess are rallying for her return and the general population are suffering at the hands of the new Queen and her armies. When Alyss's bodyguard, Hatter Madigan, a very violent version of the original hatter, finally tracks her down in our world they return to Wonderland to try and reclaim her throne. They join reworked versions of the original characters. So for example the white rabbit has become an albino tutor, the Cheshire cat a truly terrifying assassin and the card soldiers act like flying razors. I found the story confusing at first and the violence quite overwhelming at times. This is not a series for the faint hearted. However it is an unusual and powerful read and lovers of fantasy and traditional tales may persevere and read the whole series. Chris Lloyd
I love you book by Libby Hathorn and Heath McKenzie
IP Books, 2011 ISBN 978 1 9214798 9 2
(Ages 4+) Picture book. A book promoting the same sentiments as
Look, a BOOK! (Libby Gleeson and Freya Blackwood) but in an entirely
different way, I love you book, has short stanzas on each
page extolling the virtues of reading a book. So we see Dad reading
to the children, or the children being flown away on a cloud of
imagination, or talking about the words contained in a book and the
dizzying heights a book can take you. The picture book talks about
books good enough to eat, the smell and feel of books, the love of
stories read in the past and those still to come and those read over
and over again.
Each page is overwhelmingly colourful and energetic, as the children
roll about in bed, or take to the stage, or go under the sea, or
jump across piles of books. Enthusiasm for and a love of books is
revealed on each page, and all readers will find things to look at
and recognise amidst the scattering of people, animals and places.
Appropriately 2012 is the National year of Reading in Australia,
designed to promote reading and books throughout the country and
this along with several other books, will be read and reread as
teachers promote reading with their classes.
Fran Knight
