The Keepers series. Allen and Unwin, 2011.
(Ages 10+) Recommended. Adventure. Fantasy. Six months have come and
gone since the country called Jewel was restored to a normal state,
with the Guardians defeated and the evil Fugleman overthrown and
cast out of the country. Goldie is safely living with her parents,
released from the House of Repentance, but still suffering the long
term effect of torture and imprisonment. When a request comes from
the Museum of Dunt offering her the position of Fifth Keeper, she is
thrilled, but with her parents in the state they are in, she cannot
accept.
Meanwhile when Goldie and Toadspit are investigating some missing
children, Bonnie and Toadspit are captured and taken by ship to
Spoke. With Goldie also hidden on the ship, adventures are about to
happen all over again. Finding other children to help them in this
Dickensian world proves to be difficult, but when they find
themselves in the midst of the Festival of Lies in the city,
everything is topsy turvey and they find that people cannot be
trusted. But back in Jewel, the evil Flugleman is beginning to worm
his way back into his sister's good graces, so everyone needs to
keep their heads clear for action.
Another fast paced fantasy thriller, City of Lies follows
Goldie as she tries to understand what is happening both in Jewel
and Spoke. Her dream job, that of being the Fifth Keeper is nearly
in her grasp, but her sorrow about her parent's imprisonment stops
her accepting it. But in Spoke she can see what is happening back
home and struggles to free the group to enable them to get home to
stop the Flugleman's machinations.
Fran Knight
Brother/Sister by Sean Olin
Brother/Sister by Sean Olin
Razorbill, 2011. ISBN 9780141338453.
(Ages: 15+) Teenagers Will and Asheley are siblings and best
friends bonded together by the violent and dysfunctional upbringing
they have endured. The story is told in hindsight in alternating
diary form by the two characters. We meet Will and Asheley on what
should have been a wonderful day for them both as they separately
win important sporting events. However from then on their lives spin
from one very violent situation to the next. Will becomes fixated on
protecting Asheley even when there are no real threats to her. Even
Asheley becomes afraid of him, playing along only with his decisions
because she's afraid for her life. The ending is unexpected but
believable.
The story is fast paced and gripping and I read it all in one
sitting. The bullying that Will endures at school is heartbreaking
to read and as a reader you can understand the warped view of the
world he develops. I strongly recommend that librarians and parents
read this book themselves before including it in a collection, as it
is a very dark and disturbing book. Recommended for senior students
who are fans of Scot Gardner's books and keen viewers of TV shows
such as CSI and Criminal Minds.
Chris Lloyd
Parrot carrot by Jol and Kate Temple
Ill. by Jon Foye. Allen and Unwin, 2011. ISBN 978 1 74257 686 8.
Picture book, Pre school. In a lovely soft covered padded book, each
double page has a pair of unlikely objects pictured with their
names, that rhyme. These are combined to make an unusual thing on
the next page. The cover illustration is the last double page with
the rhyming two things, a carrot and a parrot, then the page is
turned to see a picture of the combination of these two things. The
funny illustrations will bring gales of laughter, and the pair of
rhyming objects will encourage children to look further. Rhyme is
most important for the early reader to connect similarities about
words, and increase their word knowledge and understanding. This
book will be one of a group of books used in pre school groups to
encourage this.
Fran Knight
Death in the desert by Jim Eldridge
Egmont, 2011. ISBN 9781405251945
I would recommend this book for 12 to 18 year olds. The front cover
says it all. A dramatic photograph of a group of fully armed
soldiers in combat gear run through an explosive war zone. This book
is high action and deals with the war in Afghanistan.
Six Black Ops soldiers, Mitch, Two Moons, Gaz, Tug, Benny and Nelson
are on a secret mission and must help a peace negotiator travel
through Taliban controlled areas in Afghanistan. Danger surrounds
them, they are constantly at risk of death or injury and are
involved in combat on several occasions. This sense of constant
threat makes for a very suspenseful read and keeps the reader
wondering 'What will happen next?' or 'How will they get out of this
one?'.
Friendship and camaraderie are strong themes throughout the story
and all of the men look out for each other and will put themselves
in danger to save their mates.
The realities of war are apparent and the book does come with a
warning that it contains graphic scenes of warfare but Jim
Eldridge's writing style makes this book readable for young teens.
A secret file of all the Black Ops soldiers at the end of the
book is an interesting addition.
This book is the second in the Black Ops series, the first being Jungle
Kill.
Jane Moore
The Outcasts by John Flanagan
Brotherband: Book 1. Random House, 2011. ISBN: 978174664492.
(Ages 10+) Highly recommended. Sixteen year old Hal, with half
Skandian and half Araluen parentage, has never been quite accepted
by his fellow villagers. With his father having died on a raid when
Hal was only a baby, the boy and his mother befriend Thorn, a
drunkard who had lost a hand on a sea voyage many years before. They
give Thorn's life purpose and he becomes something of a surrogate
father to the boy, assisting him with his creative pursuits. Whilst
watching Stig, one of his peers, Hal rescues him when he falls into
the ocean, thus beginning a solid friendship. When Hal buys a partly
finished boat from his boss, he sets himself the task of completing
it with some modifications.
On reaching the age of sixteen, boys are sent off to do Brotherband
training. Here they are to learn 'tactics, weapon skills,
seamanship, ship handling and navigation.' They are broken into
groups in a manner similar to choosing teams for school sport . . .
someone is always unwanted and left until last. By default, he and
Stig are part of a smaller gang of boys, un-wanted by the popular
boys. When these misfits are announced to be members of the third
team, Hal is elected as 'skirl', the leader of the group. Thus
begins their battle to defeat the other Brotherbands with their
popular leaders in an effort to become the victors for the year.
Following a very similar formula to the successful Ranger's
Apprentice series, this title, with its different band of
characters and focus on the sea, works equally as well. There is a
certain amount of humour to balance the more serious themes of being
the 'underdog', acceptance of others, valuing diversity and team
work, loyalty, resilience and creative problem solving. The book
could be used as a comparative text alongside Emily Rodda's Rowan
of Rin or Sandy Fussell's Samurai Kids series. Each
title could be used to analyse the elements of the hero's journey.
Both Fussell and Flanagan include multiple characters with
disabilities, each of whom uses their skills in unexpected ways to
overcome the difficulties they face. The Outcasts is a
thoroughly enjoyable and engaging title.
Jo Schenkel
Stay with me by Paul Griffin
Text Publishing, 2011. ISBN 9781921758713.
(Age 15+) Highly recommended. This is a beautifully written,
emotional roller coaster of a love story that I could not put down.
Cece and Mack, the two main characters, both have difficult lives
with alcoholic parents and major personal challenges. Cece is a
gifted student who is a seemingly perfect match, raising each other
up, when neither have any self worth. When they fall in love they
think it will be forever. However Mack loses control and there are
tragic consequences.
All the characters are engaging and believable and the plot is
gritty but hopeful. At times I cried and laughed on the same
page. Cece and Mack are characters that will stay with me for a long
time and I will definitely be reading other Paul Griffen books, Ten
Mile River and The Orange Houses. These are also about
kids living on the fringes of society.
Highly recommended for senior students, it would be a useful
comparison text with other novels about redemption, love, loss, hope
and following your dreams.
Chris Lloyd
Ten bush babies by Susan Hall
Ill. by Naomi Zeuwer. National Library of Australia, 2011. ISBN
9780642277329.
(Age 2-5) Set to the classic rhyme, Ten little ducks went out
one day, Susan Hall delivers an Australian version of this
ever popular little song. But instead of little ducks going out and
about she has 10 Aussie bush babies like the echnida, the wombat,
the koala, dingo and so on going about their business. And rather
than a Mother Duck calling the children home, Mrs Roo rings her
bell.
Children who are familiar with this rhyme, and there will be many,
will adore the fact that Australian animals feature in this
version. It starts out with this rhyme which is printed on a
lift-up circle:
'10 bush babies went out one day,
Into the sun to jump and play.
Mrs Roo rang ding-ding-ding-ding . . . '
When the circular flap is lifted, the rhyme continues:
'But only 9 bush babies ran in.
Baby wombat went home for a nap.'
On the opposite side of the flap is information about wombats and
how long they sleep. This formula is carried on throughout the book,
giving children a wonderful opportunity not only to sing a familiar
tune, but to find out about animals as well. The left-hand page has
all ten animals and Mrs Roo in a red spotted apron, washed in a soft
water colour drawing. As an animal roams off, it goes from the main
picture and children will enjoy counting the animals and noting
which one has left.
Combining the opportunity to learn a new version of a well loved
song and the chance to practise counting backwards from 10 to 1, as
well as having sturdy flaps for eager fingers, this book should
prove to be popular with young children.
Pat Pledger
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Allen and Unwin, 2011. ISBN 9781742378206.
(Ages: 15+) Juliette is different, her entire life she has tried to
fit in and wished that she could get rid of this curse she has had
for as long as she can remember. She can't touch any other person
because it could kill them and she has killed once before, but she
didn't mean to it was an accident. Now she is locked away where she
can never harm any one. But the Reestablishment have plans for her,
plans that involve using her as a weapon, and after lifetime without
freedom Juliette has discovered a way to fight back and now she has
plans of her own. For the first time in her life her future looks
bright and she may just be able to spend it with the boy she thought
she lost. Shatter Me is amazing. The first sentence of this book just
pulled me in and I had to read it. I felt so sorry for Juliette; she
was lonely growing up because no one would go near her, they were
too afraid to touch her. I would highly recommend it. It has
romance, danger, a controlling society and barely a moment's rest
before it came to the next thing that made me want to keep reading.
I wish the book hadn't finished, but it did, I guess it's a good
thing that it's the beginning of a series that I can't wait to read.
Tahlia Kennewell (student)
Wonder Struck by Brian Selznick
Scholastic Press, 2011. ISBN 978 0 545 02789 2.
Suitable for upper primary to lower middle school and anyone with a love of illustration. Selznick has followed the successful format of his award winning The Invention of Hugo Cabret in this similarly hefty volume. The beautifully rendered pencil drawings occupy more than half the pages and feature the wonderful detailing and close-ups that characterised the previous book. The opening sequence of wolves getting ever closer sets the scene for Ben's story, told mainly in prose, located in a remote Minnesota settlement in the 1970s. He has never known his father and his mother recently died, leaving him to live with relatives. He chances on a small book about museums containing a dedication and a link to a New York bookshop which lead him to run away in search of his father. Interleaved with Ben's story is that of Rose, a deaf girl living in Hoboken in 1923. She loves the silent movies but is kept locked in her room for her own safety. Reflecting the way Rose's life lacks language, her story is told entirely in pictures until both narrative threads converge. While this book is as gorgeous to hold and lovely to behold as the previous book, the written narrative is a little disappointing, and the matter of the drawings not as instantly engaging. However, if the illustration of the 'Cabinets of Wonders' p.403 draws more lost souls to find themselves in the orderliness of museums the book will have done its job.
Sue Speck
T-Wreck-Asaurus by Kyle Mewburn
Ill. Donovan Bixley. Dinosaur Rescue Series. Scholastic, 2011. ISBN:
9781775430193.
What do you do when you are a caveman - or boy - with a brain
that is twice the size of anyone else's? This is the somewhat
perplexing problem of Arg, a cave boy with intelligence surrounded
by Neanderthals. He lives with his mum, dad, sister and pet
dinosaur Krrk-Krrk in a modest cave where he has his own room which
is full of his inventions.
When a scary T-Rex makes its way to Arg's village and threatens his
family and friends, it is up to him to use his superior intelligence
to save the day. When Arg solves the dinosaur's problem, he
discovers a secret place and another even bigger secret about the
dinosaur.
A book full of toilet humour and bodily secretions bound to appeal -
especially to early primary to middle primary boys who may be
reluctant readers. Illustrations compliment the text and
provide further interest and disgusting detail in some parts.
Zana Thiele
How To Be A Boy edited by Tony Bradman
Walker Books, 2011. ISBN 978-1-4063-2131-9.
(Age 13+) Recommended. Being a teenager is often a confusing and
complex stage of life when peer pressure, sexual awakening and
parental expectations become competing influences. Teenage girls
have an abundance of literature to inform them but young boys are
less well served with guidance about the transition into young
adulthood.Tony Bradman hopes this anthology of ten fictional short
stories will correct some of the negative stereotypes of teenage
males and offer a positive and balanced representation of the
contemporary issues that shape their lives.
Is it more important to be street smart than school wise? Is
life a choice between being a bully or being bullied? How do you
cope when your parent's marriage is falling apart or your Mum is
gay? How do you let a girl know that you like her? These are some of
the thought provoking themes sensitively written by established
authors of fiction for boys.
The stories are all short and easy to read and are ideal for
stimulating class discussion. The dilemmas confronting the
characters are very realistic. All these factors will entice
reluctant readers to engage with these stories. How To Be A Boy
is definitely a good read.
Tina Cain
Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson
Simon and Schuster, 2011.
Full of genres such as crime, thriller, mystery and paranormal all
wrapped up into one book and put into the young-adult fiction
category; words that fill your head and keep you wanting to know
what happens next is how I would describe this book. Lila has two
secrets to take to her grave, the first one is her ability and the
other is the love she feels for Alex, her brother's best friend.
Lila's mother was brutally murdered when she was only 12 years old.
Her father, filled with grief, dragged Lila with him all the way to
London. They left her brother to live with his best friend Alex in
the United States (for Lila this was not by choice). While away from
her brother and Alex, with whom she's been in love for as long as
she can remember, Lila discovers that she possesses a unique talent.
She is able to keep her ability secret until one day, in a dark
London alley, two teenagers try to mug her and she uses it to defend
herself. Not knowing what to do, Lila gets on the first plane to
California, where she hopes to find safety with her brother, and of
course, with Alex. But her brother and Alex aren't exactly normal 22
year olds. They are both US Marines, working for the highly-trained,
top-secret 'Unit.' As soon as their enemies find out that Lila is
Jack's sister, she finds herself in even more danger than before.
In my opinion Lila being obsessed with one boy through the whole
book didn't bother me as much as it usually would. Perhaps it was
because the whole thing was spiced up with so much well-written
action. Perhaps it was because Alex truly is her soul-mate. Perhaps
I don't even care about the reason. As a character, Lila is
instantly likeable. I wouldn't say that she's too bright, but she's
not annoyingly stupid either. I ended up caring about all the
characters. Even some I never expected to.
This is one of those stories where all the houses are nice, all the
characters are pretty, and true love really does conquer all, but it
also packs a few surprises and smartly written dialogues. I can only
hope there's a sequel that's just as good. Sarah got my full
attention on this book. She achieved full potential when it comes to
writing a book. Her message was loud and clear. I would recommend
this book to anyone and everyone; it's definitely on my top ten
favourite books of all time.
This book made an amazing impression to me, it was a little bit of
everything thrown into one book and I will not forget it in a hurry,
with loveable characters, amazing detail and a love that between two
people will last forever. I am definitely looking forward to a
sequel I want to know what happens next, wait - I don't just want to
know, I need to know.
Aleisha Leane (Student)
EJ12 Girl Hero - Christmas Crackdown by Susannah McFarlanne
Scholastic/Lemon Fizz Media, 2011. ISBN 978 1 92168 425 8. EJ12 Girl Hero - Christmas Crackdown is a story involving
girl power. A great short novel for girls aged 9+ who are
independent readers. The story also has great role models as the
main characters are 12 year old girls who are spies for the agency
SHINE. SHINE constantly comes up against the evil agency SHADOW and
this instalment is no different. There is no need to read others in
the series to understand the plot or characters and while it is a
predictable plot, there are twists along the way to keep the readers
guessing.
EJ12 is the code name for our main character, Emily Jacks. She is an
agent in SHINE and it is Christmas. As she and her family are
preparing for Christmas, EJ is sent on a mission to solve the
whereabouts of missing diamonds. Along the way she solves codes and
riddles (which even had me thinking), helps her friends and uses
amazing technology to spy and escape - imagine a charm bracelet that
gives you rope, cameras and disguises!
Will EJ and the other agents of SHINE outwit the evil Ms. Glass and
the SHADOW agency or will the diamonds be lost to them forever? More
importantly, will she get home for Christmas Eve dinner with her
family?
Kylie Kempster
Forever by Maggie Stiefvater
Scholastic, 2011.
Take a small, rural American town located near a forest, add a
teenage girl with loving but inattentive parents and a boy of
unknown background and you have the setting for another series in
the werewolf/shape-shifter genre.
Forever, the third and final book in Maggie Stiefvater's Wolves
of Mersey Falls series, concludes the story of Grace and Sam,
two teenagers who have been attacked by wolves and carry the
'disease' that turns them into wolves when winter's cold arrives.
The plot is driven by both action and drama, with occasional
surprises and emotional tension and with reflection by the
characters on themes such as the qualities that make us human, human
frailty, friendship, loyalty and love. By the third book the romance
between Grace and Sam becomes repetitive, but this is balanced by
the development of the relationship between bad-boy Cole and Isabel.
Stiefvater's writing has developed since writing the first book of
the series, Shiver. The prose is concise, poetic and
flowing. She nicely captures the intensity and purity of first
teenage love. Each chapter is written from a different character's
point of view, which can occasionally be confusing, but also
presents the author with the opportunity to consider the themes from
different and often unique perspectives. Forever is most definitely a continuation of the Wolves
of Mersey Falls Series and ideally read as one of a series.
Read on its own the storyline is quite confusing with many gaps and
unanswered questions. Forever is an engaging read for early to middle teens.
Kiera James
Between by Jessica Warman
Hardie Grant Egmont, 2011. ISBN 9781742970226
(Ages 14+) Elizabeth Valchar (Liz) is pretty, popular and perfect
she also has just about everything she could possibly want. But on
the morning of her eighteenth birthday everything changes, she wakes
up because of a constant thumping on the side of her families yacht,
that she had her birthday party on the night before. At first she
thinks it's just a fish stuck between the yacht and the dock, but
when she goes to free it what she finds is terrifying, because stuck
where she thought there would be a fish is her dead body! She is
desperate to find out what happened the night before at her birthday
party, to know how she died, but she has forgotten so much of her
life. Soon after she dies she is joined by Alex Berg who died the
year before, Alex was never one of the popular kids; to Liz and her
group he was no one. Together they try to uncover the mysteries of
what happened the night Liz died and who killed Alex. As she learns
more about the what happened leading up to the time of her death she
learns that no one least of all herself is innocent and everyone has
their secrets.
I would highly recommend this book, as it is absolutely amazing. I
started reading and couldn't put it down and when I did all I wanted
to do was pick it up and start reading it again. It is a ghost
story, a murder mystery and a love story mixed together, and with
the past and the present together throughout the book you learn more
of Liz's past as she does and see her and Alex become friends even
after how she treated him.
Tahlia Kennewell (Student)
