Penguin Viking, 2011, ISBN 978 0670 07608 6.
(Age: Upper secondary) Highly recommended. Froi of the Exiles is set
three years after the events of Finnikin of the Rock. The
curse has been lifted from Lumatere, but these are still dangerous
times. The surrounding countries, sensing weakness, are set to
either invade, or manipulate the situation to benefit themselves.
The Queen Isaboe and her King, Finnikin, the heroes of the previous
book, are caught up in endless political and economic wrangling.
Isaboe has not forgotten or forgiven the role that Charyn, the
neighbouring country, had to play in the tragedy that took place in
Lumatere. To this end, the now eighteen year old Froi, who
accompanied them on their previous travels, has been sent into
Charyn on a mission that seems relatively straight forward - but
events get in the way. Another curse, as fully dark and
heartbreaking as the one that afflicted Lumatere for ten years, has
bound Charyn for even longer. The key to breaking the curse lies
with a half-mad princess, estranged twins with a terrible secret and
a prophecy. Despite his orders, Froi becomes unwittingly embroiled
in the unfolding situation.
This is a wonderful adventure fantasy that has contemporary echoes
with its themes of religious intolerance, political infighting, the
civilian casualties of war and displaced refugees caught between
hopelessness, tyranny, and an uncertain future. All the characters
are damaged, flawed or have dark, dreadful pasts, but in spite of
all the hardships, betrayals and mistrust, do they still have the
capacity to hope or to love?
This book is a page turner, that even with its complexity and
multiple storylines, never seems to get tangled up or confused.
There is a real sense of place, and the language and names of the
characters ring true. There are twists and turns and surprising
revelations that had me hooked.
Because of some of the complex themes including war crimes, genocide
and rape I would recommend this book for upper secondary readers,
but despite the darkness and cruelty, at the heart of this book
there is a fine thread of humour, as well as the hope of redemption
and love. A deeply satisfying and compelling read.
Alicia Papp
Blink and Caution by Tim Wynne-Jones
Walker Books, 2011. ISBN 978-0-7636-3983-9.
(Age 15+) Recommended. A sense of fate or destiny underscores this
story about two teenagers living on the streets of Toronto,
Canada. The need to escape a dysfunctional family has left
Blink homeless while Caution has fled her family to battle personal
demons in the wake of a family tragedy. Street life has led to
Caution's involvement with some unsavoury characters from the drug
scene and now a violent criminal, with a score to settle, is in hot
pursuit. Meanwhile, Blink has his own problems. In a luxury
hotel for some petty thieving he becomes entangled in a corporate
mystery as the only witness to the kidnapping of a wealthy business
man. As fate would have it, the lives of Blink and Caution
become intersected as they are forced to pool their wits to find a
way out of their respective dilemmas and reaffirm their own self
worth in the process.
This fast paced book is part thriller, part love story combining
elements of mystery, suspense and dare devil action with the
blossoming romance between Blink and Caution. The well developed
characters give a credible portrayal of street life, the social
obstacles and emotional problems that some teenagers sadly
experience. It is ultimately a positive story because the
protagonists find the courage to change their own lives despite the
issues confronting them.
The author is a well established, award winning writer of young
adult fiction and this book is further evidence of his talent. The
social and personal circumstances of the teenage characters and
their behaviours are thought provoking and lend themselves to class
discussion.
Tina Cain
Lola and the boy next door by Stephanie Perkins
Penguin, 2011. 338p. ISBN 978-0-14-356626-7.
(Age 14+)Recommended. Romance. More than two years ago, Lola, an
aspiring costume designer, had a huge crush on Cricket Bell, the boy
next door. She was certain that it was love. However Cricket hurt
her badly and she believes that she is finally over her first love,
especially as the Bells had moved away and she no longer has
constant memories of how well they seemed to fit together. She now
has a boyfriend, Max, an older man who plays in a band. But does he
see the real Lola underneath the sparkle and costumes? Everything
seems perfect until Cricket and his twin sister Calliope return home
next door and Lola is faced with her feelings. She discovers that
true love doesn't come easily as she navigates her way through
parental disapproval, shyness, fear of hurting friends' feelings and
indecision about who is right for her.
Perkins has written a vivid, enthralling romance with characters
that feel really authentic. Lola wants to be a designer and she
loves to wear outrageous clothes and lots of sparkles. But under
Lola's costumes is a girl who loves her gay parents, wants to do
the right thing for them and is a devoted friend. Cricket seems
almost too good to be true. He seems to be the ideal boyfriend
material, understanding, helpful, normal and liked by Lola's
parents. He is a clever inventor and is just beginning to emerge
from being in the shadow of his often manipulative, talented twin
sister, who is aiming to skate at the Olympics. Readers, who loved
Perkin's previous novel, Anna and the French kiss, as I did,
will be happy to find that Etienne and Anna have minor roles. The
portrayal of the caring parenting that two gay men, Nathan, Lola's
real uncle and his partner Andy, give Lola is heart warming.
The story has such a genuine feel to it. How many girls have had a
crush on the boy next door and manage situations when they
'accidentally' stumble into them as they leave their home, spy on
them and daydream about them. They will have no problem identifying
with Lola as she struggles to come to terms with her feelings for
Cricket and for rocker Max. It is obvious, even without reading the
comments in the acknowledgments, that Perkins believes in true love
and soul mates and this rings true throughout the story.
This book is a keeper for me. I love romances and this is such a
tender portrayal of first love and all its heartbreak, angst and
deep feelings that it is one I will revisit and one that girls are
sure to enjoy.
Pat Pledger
Angel's Fury by Bryony Pearce
Egmont, 2011. ISBN 9781405251538
(15+) Nightmares are an ordeal everyone has endured but the heroine
of Angel's Fury, Cassie Farrier, has suffered with this
recurring night time terror for as long as she can remember.
Tormented sleep is making her a physical wreck and when she goes on
a school trip to Germany and discovers places from her nightmares
really do exist, she begins to question her sanity. Cassie is
admitted to a clinic specialising in the treatment of patients who
claim past life experiences. She is desperate for relief but the
clinic does not bring the respite she is longing for. Instead Cassie
finds herself plunged into a supernatural world dominated by
historical acts of evil and a fallen Angel bent on destroying
mankind.
The story is enriched by the inclusion of several complex characters
and romantic tension between Cassie and another clinic patient named
Seth. The main focus however, remains firmly on themes of struggle
between good and evil, self preservation and altruism, personal
weakness and acts of courage. This is obviously a well researched
book with a sophisticated plot. The Fallen Angel is based on an
interpretation of a legend from the Jewish Torah and the historical
events in the book are authentic.
Appealing to both sexes, this debut novel with its complex plot is
probably better enjoyed by the experienced reader. It is fast moving
and hard to put down after the first chapter. Paranormal stories for
young adults are commonplace but this combination of fantasy and
fact sets the book apart in a class of its own.
Tina Cain
The Truth About Verity Sparks by Susan Green
Walker Books, 2011. ISBN 9781921720277
(Age: 11-14) Verity Sparks has itchy fingers or teleagtivism, the
power to find missing items by thought. It is this gift that changes
Verity's life. From a mysterious past and without any current
supportive family, Verity a poor young milliner becomes involved in
the Confidential Inquiry Agency and helps solve their cases. The
kind hearted Plushes, who own the agency become her friends and
protectors and it is the mystery of Verity's own past that becomes
their focus. Strangely her story seems to be entwined with theirs.
There is a strong sense of danger and suspense throughout the novel
as Verity is stalked and threatened. This is especially apparent
when Verity is alone and pursued through the seedier streets of 19th
century London at night.
This book is a real page turner as there are so many unanswered
questions about Verity herself and the variety of characters good
and bad that surround her.
The paranormal is a strong focus with Verity's teleagtivism, the
discussion of the special powers of a seventh daughter of a seventh
daughter and revealing seances.
I do hope I will see more of Verity Sparks as this feisty young
heroine is a fascinating character and I feel there are many more
questions yet to be answered.
A great read for upper primary and lower secondary, though the book
jacket suggests this book is for a younger audience.
Jane Moore
Princess and Fairy: Fairytale Parade by Anna Pignataro
Scholastic, 2011. ISBN: 978 1 74169 788 9.
Princess and Fairy, two delightful rabbits, are celebrating
Storybook Week with banners, books and dress-ups, when an envelope
containing an invitation appears before them. After writing a list
of all of the things they will need, they board an enchanted bus
which takes them to numerous Fairy Tale settings. They visit Bunny
Sea World, Pixie Hood Forest, Wonderland Mead, Bunny Beanstalk,
Cinderbell Ball and finally the Fairytale Parade at the Library
Tree. When they discover that the Wolf has eaten the book, they try
to create the best story possible to share with the crowd.
It would seem that there are five other titles and an activity book
in this series. I suspect that each would appeal to the young female
readers who love fairies, dressing up and all things 'cute and
cuddly'. With the added attraction of finding all of the items
mentioned in the rabbits' list, the delightful pastel coloured
illustrations, a smattering of glitter and rhyming text, this title
would keep the girls engaged for extended periods. Anna Pignataro's
style of illustration differs depending on the content of the story
and the author with whom she is working but these match her tale
perfectly.
Jo Schenkel
The Midnight Palace by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Text Publishing, 2011. ISBN 978 1 921656 94 1.
Set in Calcutta in 1916, this dark tale of horror and mystery
commences with an English army officer striving to deliver newborn
twins Ben and Sheere to safety whilst pursued by a demonic
individual having seemingly limitless power.
The story's complex chronology is conveyed by character
recollections and narrative regression. The essence of the story is
that the brother is raised in an orphanage and forms the secret
Chowbar Society with six fellow orphans whilst the sister lives an
itinerant existence with her grandmother and has no home or friends.
The Chowbar Society members meet in an abandoned warehouse which
they name 'The Midnight Palace' and have pledged lifelong dedication
to one another, promising support and loyalty in all circumstances.
At the age of sixteen, the orphans must leave to find their own way
in life and it is at this time that the twins become aware of each
other and learn from their grandmother the convoluted tale of their
dead father - a brilliant engineer and his evil, murdering nemesis
Jawahl.
Jawahl seeks to wreak his vengeance and supernatural apparitions
portend impending danger. The Chowbar Society responds by pooling
their areas of expertise in a bid to resolve the mystery of an
enormous, technologically advanced railway station which was built
by the twins' father but was destroyed by fire, killing hundreds of
orphans. Investigation, research and an awkward retraction of
earlier testimony by Granny provide an understanding of their
desperate situation with a significant twist to the mystery.
The twins, with the assistance of their friends must not only
survive Jawahl's amazing dark powers but soon realise that they are
destined to confront him.
Supernatural intervention and mechanized terror feature strongly and
the reader is expected to accept a lot on an almost magical basis,
meaning that no attempt is made to explain events scientifically.
The concept of a group of young people courageously accepting the
duty to challenge evil is not new and there are many disjointed
elements within this story. Readers who appreciate horror themes
however will enjoy this book for its wildly imaginative scenes and
events causing blood curdling terror.
Rob Welsh
E is for echidna; My Australian word book by Bronwyn Bancroft
Little Hare, 2011. ISBN 9781921714610.
(Age 1+) Recommended. Board book. A companion volume to W is for
wombat; E is for echidna is a beautiful alphabet book that vividly
brings to life many Australian animals, birds and objects. The type
of object is wide ranging, going from apple to crocodile, dragonfly,
honeycomb, net and zigzag.
Bronwyn Bancroft's illustrations are outstanding. She is an award
winning artist and rightly so. Each superb illustration is glowing
with intense colours, done with beautiful dot paintings. Each has a
solid background in very bright colours of greens, reds, blues and
yellows. The black outlines make the pictures stand out as well.
They are so beautiful that it made me wish that I had one of the
pictures hanging on my wall. The words for each of the drawings is
written in bold black lower case letters at the bottom of each page.
This is a wonderful introduction for the very young to the world of
Australian words, illustrated by a wonderful artist.
Pat Pledger
Charlie Burr and the great shed invasion by Sally Morgan, Ambelin, Blaze and Ezekiel Kwaymullina
Little Hare Books, 2011. ISBN 978 1 921714 05 4.
(Age 9+) Charlie Burr is the story of Charlie and his mate
Johnno. They try to find a lost cat, a lost snake and in
between figure out how to get back the stuff in Charlie's
Dad's shed. A great Aussie story centred around the backyard
shed. Charlie's Dad is away and he has been left in charge of the
shed key. Unfortunately, his Mum gets hold of the key and makes
Charlie and Johnno clean it out, just in time for hard waste pick up
and so his Mum can have room for her collection of stuff! Charlie
plans to put all of his Dad's stuff back when his Mum goes inside
but his Dad's mates turn up and take the collection of stuff for
themselves. The boys try and collect interesting pieces from other
people's yards but others have beaten them to it. They do find a
pram and concoct a plan to make a go-cart as a way to raise money to
help his Dad but then his Mum's cat goes missing.
The boys start feeling guiltier when his Grandpa's pet python goes
missing and they wonder if it has eaten the cat! So, the boys
are busier than ever and now they have a report to write for school,
a cyclone is headed their way and they have been offered a reward to
find Mr. King's missing dog! All of this just because Charlie didn't
look after the shed key! Where is that cat? What is the snake up to?
Will they get the reward and be able to replace the stuff in Dad's
shed?
Charlie Burr is a fun story for boys who are independent readers
aged 9+ and they will get a laugh out of Charlie's plans and
mistakes - like eating his sister's face mask and getting tangled up
with a snake.
Kylie Kempster
Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer
Atom, 2011. ISBN: 978-1-907410-30-7.
(Age: 14+) 'You're an alpha, a leader. That's what we need. It's
what we've always needed.' When Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of
her sworn enemies: The searchers, she is certain her days are
numbered. But then the searchers make her an astonishing offer: the
chance to destroy her former masters and save her pack - and the boy
- she left behind. But is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And
will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her
own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and
how many trials true love can survive. Wolfsbane is the second novel in the Nightshade series.
Nightshade is the first in the series and Bloodrose is soon to
follow Wolfsbane.
The main character Calla faces many different problems including
being in the hands of her sworn enemies, falling for the wrong boy,
losing her pack and everything Calla has worked hard for starts to
slip away. Will she be able to get it all back? Or will it all slip
away forever?
I love this book because it is told from Calla's perspective and the
way that the author has created the novel makes me feel as if I am
in the book and part of Calla's life. I also like this book because
of the family, romance, humour and adventure themes in the novel. I
would love to read the other two novels in this series. Wolfsbane keeps you guessing but it is a beautifully crafted
and compelling novel and I would recommend it to older readers who
like the fantasy genre.
Emily Madden (Student, Yr 9)
Deception by Lee Nichols
A Haunting Emma novel. Bloomsbury, 2011. ISBN 9781408819609.
(Age 14+) Recommended as an easy light read. Ghost. Paranormal. Emma
Vaile's parents go missing while they are away on a business trip
and she is left to fend for herself in their eerie old house in New
York. Worried not only by her parents' disappearance, she is
frightened when she glimpses strange things out of the corner
of her eyes. When the cops arrive at the party that her friend
Natalie has persuaded her to have, she is taken into custody as she
has no parental supervision. Then Bennett Stern, gorgeous best
friend of her brother, arrives posing as her guardian, and takes her
to New England. She makes a new start at a private school, but
strange things are happening in the old museum where she lives. Can
she really see and talk to ghosts? Why does she have uncanny
memories of places she has never been to?
Nichols has used the popular formula of removing her heroine from
her parents and putting her into an exclusive school. This time,
however, the heroine is not living in a boarding school, instead she
is living in a museum that is inhabited by ghosts, which Emma
believes only she can see. These ghost characters, who talk to Emma,
make the narrative very interesting as the author takes the reader
into a bygone era where there were chefs, maids and chimney sweeps,
not to mention a ghost from her past who teaches her how to fence
with a sword. Neos, the evil being who is determined to kill Emma,
who learns that she is a ghostkeeper, brings plenty of shudders to
the tale, acting in a terrifying way in a particularly nasty finale.
Emma is obsessed with Bennett Stern, but the romance seems to be
rather rocky, with Bennett ignoring her for most of the book.
However she consoles herself with the most popular boy in the
school, Coby, even though she knows her heart belongs to Bennett. No
doubt there will be further developments in future books.
The reader is left with enough questions to ensure that the next
book is read. What has happened to Emma's parents and brother? ? Can
she depend on Bennett? How many people will die because of her
involvement with Neos? There is a trailer for Betrayal, the second
book in the series, to entice readers.
This is an entertaining, light read that is a page turner and is
sure to please teens who like ghost stories, romance and the
paranormal.
Pat Pledger
Naughty Nina by Juliet Mickelburgh
Ill. by Anna Laura Cantone. Bloomsbury, 2011. ISBN: 978 1 4088
003903.
(Age: 3-6) Nina is tired of being told that she is nice all the time
and one day she decides that she is going to be naughty. Instead of
being helpful, polite and good at school, she throws tantrums, is
rude when she visits her aunt and jumps on her desk and is
disruptive in the playground. However, being naughty all the time
proves to be just as boring as being nice, so Nina decides to just
be herself.
I found that the word 'nice' got a bit boring as it was repeated
often, so as a reader I can certainly feel why Nina got so sick of
being called nice.Still, as a read aloud it would work well
with the rhyme, rhythm and alliteration making the story enjoyable.
The lesson that it is best to be yourself is quite subtle and could
raise questions in a classroom discussion, as well as the more
obvious themes of ways to be nice and naughty.
The unique thing about this book is its unusual illustrations. Nina
is the strangest little girl with the oddest nose, which young
children are sure to love. The subdued brown, rose and pale
green tones give it almost an old fashioned air and Cantone's
humorous asides, like Nina dusting the nose of a large moose head
hanging on the wall, will add greatly to the enjoyment of the book.
At the back is a simple board game, which is easy enough for young
children to play with, under the supervision of an adult.
Pat Pledger
Liberator by Richard Harland
Allen and Unwin, 2011. ISBN 9781742373423.
(Ages 10+) It has been three months since the liberation and the
Worldshaker is now called Liberator. But every thing has gone wrong,
the Filthies no longer trust the Upper Decks people, now know as
Swanks. It's all because of the saboteur, and he has struck again,
but this time he killed a filthy. Any trust the majority of Filthies
had for the Swanks has gone, Riff and Col's dream of an age of
harmony and co-operation between Filthies and Swanks has become
almost hopeless since the saboteur first struck and Riff has almost
completely been ignoring Col. As if that wasn't enough problems, the
Liberator is now running out of coal and when they go to get more
they make a fatal mistake. The mistake cost them the chance to get
more coal without fighting. Now the race is on, to get as much coal
as they need and get out, before the other juggernauts get there.
Although this is a good book it wasn't as good as the first and I
personally didn't like it very much. It had parts where I wanted to
throw it across the room and parts where I had to know what happened
next. In a way reading this book was like being on a roller-coaster
that couldn't decide if it wanted you to love it or hate it.
Tahlia Kennewell (Student)
Grown-ups make you grumpy by Carrie Western
Ill. by Nick Schon. Pearson Picture books. Pearson, 2011. ISBN 978 1
4425 4806 0. 16p
9Junior primary) This is a delightful and interesting way to
introduce silly sayings that have a double meaning! The simple
text is accompanied by clear, large illustrations which explain the
meaning if the reader is in doubt. For example Grandma tells Jack to
put on a jumper or he'll catch a chill. Jack wondered how fast
a chill could run and could he catch it! The delights of the
English language in all its nuances, is well on display here. When
Mrs Brown visits, Mum says she'll put the kettle on. Jack
thinks about Mum with a kettle on her head. 'Just like a silly
hat' p6. Although written for junior primary readers, the book
would be a very useful introduction to written language for older
students. Well recommended.
Sue Nosworthy
Northwood by Brian Falkner
Walker Books, 2011. ISBN 978-1-921529-80-1
(Suitable for 8 to 10 year olds). Cecilia Undergarment, an unusual
name, lives in an unusual house. Her father sells balloons and their
balloon shaped home is 'suspended' in the air. Cecilia can
communicate with animals (unusual ) and while talking to her
neighbour's neglected dog Rocky, decides to rescue him. It is
this decision that results in Rocky and Cecilia floating in her
detached balloon bedroom into the dark and dangerous forests of
Northwood, where no one ever returns.
While being pursued by the notorious, ferocious black lions in the
forest, Cecilia and Rocky discover a community of fellow lost
travellers who have been living together in an abandoned castle.
This community is ruled by the despot, King Harry.
Brave and resourceful Cecilia sets about discovering the mysteries
and stories of the lost castle, King Harry's background and a way
home for everyone.
The author often talks directly to the reader, challenging the truth
of this fantasy story.
The ending resolves many of the forest's mysteries but I would
have liked a bit more information about the outcomes for the other
lost inhabitants.
Jane Moore
