The True Tale of the Monster Billy Dean Telt by Hisself by David Almond
Puffin Books, 2011. ISBN 9780670921096. 255 pages.
Senior Fiction. This is the story of Billy Dean brought into the
world
on a day of death and destruction and kept in a room for 13 years,
protected from the world outside by his nurturing mother. He is
visited occasionally by Wilfred, his violently unpredictable father,
who wishes to teach Billy how to read and write. Bringing to the boy
his own confused interpretation of the world outside, this learning
process for Billy is demanding and throws his tiny world into
disarray,
though he tries to please his father as best he can. When Wilfred
disappears, after almost killing his son, Billy's mother brings him
out
of the room and, with the help of two neighbours, he is introduced
to
the
world outside. Billy Dean is considered an angel child, a mystical,
Christ-like figure who has the power to help and heal. He is preyed
upon for this reason, as this world is full of sickness and
suffering
and looks to someone for salvation.
This immediate world is a monstrous place and it takes time for
Billy
to realise this.
We are reading Billy's story; the book that he is learning to write
as
he pieces his life together.
This is an extraordinary tale, multi-layered and suspenseful, with
unforgettable characters. David Almond explores what can happen
to an innocent boy, when dramatic events take hold of a community,
engulfing it in devastation and violence.
The title has been marketed as Almond's first adult novel but the
publishers obviously intend the book to be read by children as
well. Reading this book takes time and considerable
concentration, as it is written in phonetic prose.
With its post-apocalyptic theme, there is much to discuss for
senior
students. Comparisons can be drawn with the novel, Room by
Emma
Donoghue.
Julie Wells
The Jewel Fish of Karnak by Graeme Base
Penguin, 2011.
(Ages: 5-11) Reminiscent of The Legend of the Golden Snail
this newest Graeme Base book takes us on a visually stunning journey
through Ancient Egypt where Jackal and Ibis are taught an important
lesson about theft and greed. While pleasant the plot takes backseat
in this book (as they often do when Graeme Base is involved) to the
striking illustrations and the 'mystery' that needs to be solved. To
solve the mystery one must work out the true appearance of the
precious Jewel Fish. Heading to Graeme Base's website will inform
you whether you have solved the mystery and reward you with a
printable Jewel Fish template. I was quite disconcerted when I began
reading this book as I was never very successful at cracking Graeme
Base's codes but I didn't have much trouble with this one at all
(are they getting easier or am I getting smarter?!) The dust cover
has some added value in that it contains some interesting factual
information about Ancient Egyptian life and tells us more about some
of the more obscure words used in the story such as 'coracle' (an
Egyptian boat made from papyrus reeds). Overall, the illustrations
are spectacular and I had a surprising amount of fun going online to
see if I had cracked the code (there are also hints available if you
are struggling) but the story is ultimately unremarkable. But can
you say no to Graeme Base?!
Nicole Smith-Forrest
Learn with Maisy by Lucy Cousins
Walker Books, 2011.
(Ages 2-5) Recommended. A fun, bright, lift-the-flaps book, Learn
with Maisy explores colour, weather, number, size, movement,
touch, days of the week, sound, pattern and more and there are
cheeping yellow chicks around every corner! On first glance the
format is the same as your usual first concepts book but this Maisy
book really reaches above and beyond that. The interaction
encouraged between adult and child is beyond counting and letter
sounds with discussion prompting questions such as 'who is spotty?'
and 'what kind of weather do you like?' It differs in a dramatic way
from other concept books of this type in that it doesn't just ask us
to count or name but encourages involvement and engagement. The
reader is asked for example, 'Can you make these noisy noises?'
(lawnmower- bruummm, trumpet- tooty-tooty-toot) and 'Can you jump
like a kangaroo?' Children are also encouraged to engage in more
complex thinking such as being presented with 2D un-textured
pictures of things such as a porcupine, an egg, an icy-pole and a
cat and being asked, 'what do these feel like?' Also explored are
comparisons and opposites in ways that support children in making
these connections rather than just being informed, such as when they
are asked 'who has a big tail?' which encourages them to explore
various animals and their attributes. This is a fantastic book to
share with children who are curious and eager to share their
developing knowledge of the world. Learn with Maisy is a
refreshing concept book that doesn't underestimate children and
breaks free of that same predictable format. It is clear to see that
a lot of thought about how children develop conceptual
understandings has gone into this book. Most of all it is fun and
bright and children will love it!
Nicole Smith-Forrest
If kisses were colours by Janet Lawler
Ill. by Alison Jay. (Board Book Edition). Templar Publishing, 2011.
(Ages: 0-5 ) This is a delightful board book filled with charming
metaphors for a parent's kisses and enhanced by Alison Jay's unique
illustrations. This may be a familiar title as it is a board book
edition of the 2003 publication which Janet Lawler describes as a
'mother's love poem'. For those unfamiliar with it the text is
rhythmic and lyrical, each page beginning 'If kisses were . . .' and
entwined with whimsical imagery such as 'If kisses were acorns, a
forest would grow of beautiful oak trees in row after row'.Kisses
are also likened to comets, pebbles and sparkling snowflakes of
silver and white. If Kisses Were Colours is one of those
heart-warming books that is as much for the parent reading the story
as for the child although I have no doubt the colours and the
magical illustrations along with the poetic prose would hold the
attention of any child. The pictures themselves are warming and
comforting, much like receiving a big cuddle or snuggling up in bed
on a rainy day. This is an absolute gem of a book for sharing with a
young child plus one that they would be happy to sit and thumb
through themselves for the pleasure of the pictures alone.
Nicole Smith-Forrest
The Mary Quinn Mysteries by Y.S. Lee
Walker Books, 2011. A Spy in the House. ISBN 9781763652890. The Body in the
Tower.
ISBN
9781406315981. The Traitor in the Tunnel. ISBN
9781406315974.
(Age 13 +) Highly recommended. Set in Victorian London these
mysteries feature the intriguing and entertaining character of
orphaned
Mary Quinn. Rescued from prison at the age of twelve and placed in a
children's home, she is recruited at age 17 to work undercover in a
secretive women's detective agency. The books vividly recreate
the historical times and in particular illustrate well the inequity
in
living standards between both rich and poor and men and women in
those
times.
All three books feature the charming character of James Easton as a
love interest and the storylines are all well plotted with twists
and
turns to sustain interest. My favourite story, The Body in the
Tower,
authentically describes the building of Big Ben as the final
addition
to the British Houses of Parliament. These books will be a very
welcome
addition to school libraries for readers of historical fiction and
the
detective genre. Teenage girls will identify strongly with the
courageous and ingenious Mary.
Chris Lloyd
Wicked warriors and evil emperors by Alison Lloyd
Ill. by Terry Denton. Puffin Books, 2010. ISBN 978 0 14 330434 0.
(Ages 10+) Warmly recommended. Humour. History. The inventive
drawings
of Terry Denton litter each page and tell
the story of the fight for Ancient China, between an array of
amazing
emperors and warriors each intent on building his strength and
defeating all comers in the bloodiest of ways. For readers,
especially boys this is an instant winner, as weapons abound, armour
is put on, heads chopped off, and rightful places achieved. From the
first emperor, a young boy of 12, who had an impressive Prime
Minister, Lord Shang, to the last emperor, the Qin province remained
in power. This province took control after the period of the
warring states and kept it for many years, before the Han
Dynasty took over in 202 BC.
Lloyd gives some very funny and bloodthirsty stories in this potted
history of China, and with Denton's drawings adding to the humour
kids will
read the book form beginning to end. Pages are interspersed with
information about the weaponry used by the armies, other pages give
easily absorbed outline maps and drawings of the soldiers, while
chapters are divided up with lists and columns containing
information
given in an interestingly diverse way. All designed to hook the
reader, the whole achieves this with ease. Some of the stories
will
have kids recalling and repeating them to their friends, while I am
sure this book will be passed around the classroom for others to
read.
A quiz on the last few pages will ensure the fun is continued, and a
time line and list of the powerful ends this most entertaining book.
Fran Knight
Froi of the exiles by Melina Marchetta
Book Two of the Lumatere Chronicles. Penguin, 2011. ISBN:
978-0-670-07608-6.
After reading the first two books of the Lumatere Chronicles I have
discovered that the chronicles are much more than just books, both Finnikin
of the Rock and Froi of the Exiles are epic fantasies
of the kind that are rarely seen today. Both have, I believe, the
genius of something similar to The lord of the Rings and Harry
Potter. The only books I've read by Melina Marchetta have left
me with a hunger for more. Froi of the Exiles follows three years after its predecessor
in the kingdom of Lumatere of Skuldenor. The curse of Lumatere has
been lifted and trade is just beginning between Lumatere and its
neighbours. But all is not well. The Mont valley suffers an
'infestation' of sorts; Charynite's have come to beg sanctuary from
their own. They bring with them wild talk of plague, curses and
plots to kill a king. In order for peace to return to the Valley
Froi is dispatched on a mysterious mission to Charyn; but what he
finds there amidst the anarchy will leave him questioning his home,
his heart and even his way of life.
This richly woven tale is guaranteed to keep the reader on the edge
of their seat and while some concepts may be frightening and
confusing to readers younger then fourteen I would easily recommend
this novel to anyone with a thirst for fantasy. I have to add that I
thoroughly enjoyed every page of both books of Lumatere and I'm sure
we will soon be hearing of awards won by Froi of the Exiles.
The next instalment is expected in October this year, entitled Quintana
of Charyn.
Kayla Gaskell, (Student, 15)
Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
Pop-up ed. Ill. by Anita Jeram. Walker 2011. ISBN 9781406327977.
(Age 2-5) Highly recommended. A pop-up edition of a well loved
picture book, Guess How Much I Love You is sure to please young
readers. It features two hares, one very small, Little Nutbrown Hare
and one very large, Big Nutbrown Hare. Little Nutbrown Hare is going
to bed and wants to get the attention of Big Nutbrown Hare so he
pulls his ears and asks, 'Guess how much I love you?' Little
Nutbrown Hare throws out his arms, reaches as high as he can go,
goes upside down to his toes, hops high, but each time Big Nutbrown
Hare can go further and higher.
This is an endearing book that beautifully demonstrates the love
between father and son and ends in a perfect confirmation of just
how much the father loves his little son. Anita Jeram's
illustrations in soft washes of browns, greens and blues are
beautiful. The pop-up sections and flaps of the book are fabulous,
but I would advise that parent or teacher carefully supervises the
wheels as little fingers could easily pull them apart.
This is a book that will become part of a cherished collection for
my grandchildren.
Pat Pledger
Relics of the dead by Ariana Franklin
Bantam Books, 2009. ISBN 978 0553820324.
(Age: Senior school) Highly recommended. Crime, Medieval.1176 and
bones have been discovered at the Abbey at Glastonbury, one is small
in stature, the other larger, like a warrior. In a country in
turmoil, with the Welsh trying to hold back Henry 11 of England, the
idea that these bones are those of the Once and Future King, Arthur
and his wife Guineverre, is enough to give strength to the Welsh
cause. Henry 11 wants them identified preferably not as those of the
king, Arthur and Guineverre, but the monks, in desperate straits,
want a reason for people to make pilgrimage to their abbey,
desperately short of funds. Into this maelstrom of conflicting
interests, Henry 11 sends Adeliar Agular, his 'mistress of the art
of death', to find out exactly whose bones they are. She in turn is
angry that he has once again been able to circumvent her own wishes
and send her on this perilous mission, one in which she is yet again
exposed to the whims of the men in her life.
A fascinating story follows, firmly entrenched in its setting of the
medieval township and abbey, with wholly credible characters moving
around each other, often belligerently, sometimes with love and
understanding, but always capturing the readers' interest and
eagerness for the story to unfold.
Adelia is a wonderful character, a trained doctor in a time where
few had scant knowledge, and women not at all, she must move about
England with her trusted servant, Mansur, a Moor, to whom in public
she defers, taking on the role as his translator to defray knowledge
of her abilities. Added to this problem, she has a daughter, and the
father of this child, Adelia's former lover, is now the Bishop of St
Albans, who regularly intrudes on her life.
This the third in the series of books about Adelia, is a book to
savour and keep to reread. Its setting is masterful, the attitudes
and lifestyle of the times impeccably revealed, and the crime to be
unravelled, complex and involving. Ariana Franklin, the British
author, Diana Noonan, died in 2011. Her marvellous creation, Adelia
has lived through four books, Mistress of the art of death
(2007), The death maze (2008), Relics of the dead
(2009) and a fourth, A murderous procession (2010).
Fran Knight
Knuffle Bunny free by Mo Willems
Walker, 2011. ISBN 9781406336498.
(Age 2-5) Recommended. Trixie and her family are off to Holland to
visit her grandparents. They have a wonderful trip on the plane, and
it is not until the next day that Trixie realises that Knuffle Bunny
has been left on the plane. When her father rings the airport, he
discovers that the plane is on its way to China.
Pictures of Trixie, Knuffle Bunny and her family are superimposed on
black and white photos from around the world and this makes for a
wonderful opportunity for children to explore both the real world
and use their imagination. I was captivated with the portrayal of
the trip, the taxi ride to the airport, going through security, the
waiting around and finally the plane trip itself. For parents who
are planning going on a holiday by plane this would make a perfect
book to familiarise young children with what to expect and also to
help them to remember to get all their toys from the plane's seat
pocket. The photos also give a great background to the Netherlands
and the centre page foldout shows all the wonderful places around
the world that Knuffle Bunny could be visiting.
The story itself is a wonderful example of family love and a young
girl beginning to grow up a little and realising that she may have
to part with beloved toys. I loved the ending and so will people who
are reading this story to young children.
Pat Pledger
Pegasus by Robin McKinley
Puffin Books, 2011. ISBN 9780141338095.
(Ages 10+) For thousands of years the humans and pegasi have leaved
peacefully in the beautiful green country past the wild lands. Their
only means of real communication is through pegasi shamans and human
magicians and that's the first thing either species learns about the
other. So when Sylvi is bound to her pegasus, Ebon, on her twelfth
birthday it is a big surprise when they can understand each other.
Within a few weeks they become best friends, but some people do not
like that they can understand each other and believe it's dangerous.
As
their bond becomes more powerful it does become dangerous and their
friendship could threaten to destroy the peace and safety of their
two
worlds.
I enjoyed this book heaps. I would recommend this book because not
only
is it a good book, it also had an amazing friendship in it, Sylvi
and
Ebon, that would just about be impossible to break.
Tahlia Kennewell (Student)
Daughter of smoke and bone by Laini Taylor
Hodder and Stoughton, 2011. ISBN 9781444722635.
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. Karou keeps two lives in balance. On
one hand she is an art student in Prague, on the other she travels
around the world collecting teeth from endangered animals and
criminals for Brimstone, a monster who is family to her. She was
raised half in Elsewhere and half in the normal world. When the
doors to Elsewhere begin to close, Karou is forced to choose between
the human world and the strange and dangerous place behind the
doors.
Taylor has created a fabulous world for this highly original
fantasy. The beautiful city of Prague is brought to life, with its
intimate coffee shops and narrow alleyways. Then there is Elsewhere,
a frightening but compelling world, where Brimstone concocts strange
beings and the land is being torn apart by war.
Karou's normal life as an art student is vividly described. She has
blue hair and is immersed in the art scene in Prague, drawing
unusual fantasy creatures that no one guesses are her family. She is
strong and independent, careful of her friends, but hiding secrets.
When Brimstone sends a message via the almost crow, she drops
everything to do his bidding. The reason that Karou collects teeth
is a wonderful device used by Taylor and kept me guessing until all
was revealed. Other twists and turns were introduced as well that
kept the suspense of the story quite enthralling.
For those who like romance with their paranormal fantasy, Akiva, an
angel who loves Karou, will be a satisfying partner as the tragic
events that surround him provide Karou with clues to her real
identity.
Taylor has created a rich world world that will ensure that readers
eagerly await the next book in the series. The ending, which is a
cliff-hanger, is also sure to both frustrate readers who longed for
a satisfying conclusion and entice people into reading the sequel.
Pat Pledger
Going Underground by Susan Vaught
Bloomsbury, 2011.
(Ages: 15+) Highly recommended. This novel opens with the main
character, 17 year old Del, digging a grave and pondering his life
in
the 'deadzone' a place 'without life, without feeling, without air'.
He
has no prospects, despite still being at school and a good student,
is
not permitted to apply to college and the only job he can get is
working for an alcoholic cemetery caretaker.
What could this boy, who was bright, funny and friendly, a child
that
any parent would be proud to call their own, have done that was so
dreadful as to ruin his whole life? His story is told in a series of
flashbacks to the time three years ago, when his world was turned
upside down. The account is cleverly accompanied by Del's own
musical
soundtrack, that reflects his thoughts and feelings. When the
circumstances are slowly and painfully revealed it comes as a
surprise
and a shock, but not for the reasons you think.
Del falls for the beautiful Livia, seeing her when she visits her
sister's grave. She is sweet and lovely with her own tragic
background,
and he faces the dilemma of having to tell her his secret without
losing her. The matter is further complicated by the Goth girl
Cherie
who has taken a shine to Del, despite knowing his past, and cannot
take
the increasingly strident hints that he is not interested.
The characters are appealing, quirky and well rounded, even Fred the
foul mouthed and cheeky African gray parrot who is Del's
constant
companion. It is especially pleasant to see that the majority of
adults
are thoughtful, compassionate and kind, not the cliched villains
or clueless stereotypes that feature in so much YA fiction. There
are
of course exceptions to the rule in the cynical and hypocritical DA
who
appallingly uses the situation to further his own career.
This is an engaging and rather lovely novel, that deals with the
topical themes of teenage sexuality and sexting as well as
friendship,
love and loss with sympathy and understanding.
Alicia Papp
Assault by Brian Falkner
Recon Team Angel, Book 1. Walker Books, 2011. ISBN 9781921720543.
(Ages 14 +) Recommended. When the story begins it is 2030 and most
of the world has been taken over by an alien race called
Bzadians. We are introduced to a highly trained multinational
group of teenagers who are part of an elite fighting squad, Recon
Team Angel. They have learned the Bzadian language, how to operate
their weapons and have been disguised through surgery and skin dying
to resemble the enemy. This team of six is dropped into the centre
of Australia to break into the Bzadian top secret facility under
Uluru and destroy it.
One of the six teenage soldiers is a traitor and solving this
mystery is an important element of the story. The main character of
Ryan Chisnall is well developed and the bravery and inventiveness of
his team leads to some exciting battle scenes. The teenage fighters
are forced to make some thought provoking ethical decisions and
these would be interesting to explore with readers in a class or
individual discussion. For example, how many lives can be classed as
just collateral damage?
This book is the first of a planned sci fi series documenting the
war to defeat the Bzadians. It is recommended for boys who love
adventure and war novels.
Chris Lloyd
Stink and the ultimate thumb-wrestling smackdown by Megan McDonald
Ill. By Peter H. Reynolds. Walker Books, 2011. ISBN 9781406334586.
(Ages 6-11) Recommended. In the 6th title of the Stink Moody books,
Stink is excited about receiving his school report, and looks
forward
to seeing a long list of O's for Oustanding Achievement. He is
horrified though, to see a U for Unsatisfactory beside Physical
Education. Stink has never enjoyed sports, as he thinks he is so
small
he'd get hurt too easily, but now it looks like he'll have to find a
sport to play if he wants to regain his status as the perfect
student.
After ruling out bike-riding, skateboarding, golf and badminton,
Stink
discovers the best sport of them all - Thumb Wrestling! He makes a
costume for his thumb and dubs it Shark Hammersmash, but even such
an
awe-inspiring name cannot help him win. Deciding that perhaps he's
not
cut out for the world of thumb wars after all, Stink finally decides
to
try Karate, and finds he is very good at it. The confidence he gains
from achieving his yellow belt might even give him the boost he
needs
to defeat T.Rex Wasabi, the school's thumb-wrestling champion.
There's a lovely message in this book, that while nobody is good at
everything, everyone is good at something. Students already familiar
with the characters of Stink and his sister Judy will enjoy seeing
Judy
feel quite proud of her brother for a change, and those new to the
series will find themselves wanting to read more.
Donella Reed
