Penguin, 2011. ISBN 9781409388098.
(Age 3-6) One of the series of Little Miss books, of which
there are
34, Little Miss Princess tells the story of a princess who was
kind and
good. She has people to do everything for her, from mowing the lawn to
making the bed. She tries to help people in need and when Mr Bump
broke his leg, she decides that she will help him herself instead of
sending around her staff to do the work. When she goes shopping for him
she doesn't know where to go to buy things and when she finally gets
what he needs she puts them away in the strangest places. And then she
cooks him tea with disastrous results!
This is a delightful little book that will bring a smile to the faces
of the children who read it. All the things that prove difficult for
the little princess are ones that children will know about. They will
know to go to the butcher to buy meat and to put it away in the
refrigerator. They would even know how to make the bed. This knowledge
will make them feel good as they follow the misadventures of the little
princess. Hargreaves concludes the tale with a funny punch line that is
very satisfying.
I am sure that a new generation of children will delight in the
adventures of Little Miss and long to collect them all.
Pat Pledger
Bindi wildlife adventures by various authors
(Age 8+) Some more of the Bindi Wildlife series to add to your
collections:
Book 13: Jail Break! by Jess Black
Publisher: Random House Australia,
2011. ISBN:
978-1-86471-830-0
Bindi, her brother Robert and mother Terri travel to Tasmania to take
part in a fundraising concert for the endangered Tasmania Devil. The
headlining celebrity unwittingly let loose a group of the animals
that were backstage waiting for Bindi to show them to the audience and
talk about the disease that is prolific among them. Can the
Devils be found before they injure themselves or get hopelessly lost?
Book 15: Bears Aware! by Jess
Black
Random House Australia, 2011. ISBN: 978-1-86471-832-4.
Bindi is visiting a friend, Katrina, and her Dad in Alaska. This
is her chance to see Kodiak bears in the wild but are hampered by
hunters. While the girls saved a bear from being shot by the
hunters, an earthquake happens. Does everyone survive the
earthquake, do the hunters have a change of heart and will the Kodiak
bears be safe?
Book 16: Rhino Safari by Ellie
Browne
Random House Australia, 2011. ISBN: 978-1-86471-833-1.
Bindi, Robert and mum Terri have the chance to help transport a rhino
from South Africa to a national park in Mozambique. But during
the operation, they realize they are not the only ones interested in
their unusual cargo. Dangerous poachers are lurking, waiting to
steal the rhino. Can Bindi and Robert save the rhino from pending
disaster?
Janet Cassidy
Reckoning by Kate Cary
Egmont, 2011. ISBN: 978-1-4052-5467-0.
(Age 14+) After escaping from the clutches of Quincey Harker, the heir
of count Dracula, Mary's life can't go back to the way it was before.
Mary fears to venture outside after dark due to the possibility of a
vampire lurking within shadows. Not even sleep can bring comfort to
Mary after losing her fiance to the dark side of life with horrible
nightmares awakening her each night. To add to her troubles, Mary's
father is suffering from a strange virus that is threatens to take his
life. Mary vows to her father that she will start to enjoy her
life and not let her fear take over her life anymore.
So when an invitation arrives for Mary to dine with the charming Xavier
Bathory, Mary must agree to his invitation to keep her father at rest.
Mary might be able to get over her fears until Quincey Harker arrives
back in town in search for her.
This novel is the second book in the Bloodline series that enjoys the
same easy flowing storyline as the first book in the series. Reckoning
plays high on the readers emotions through the ups and downs of the
plot. The plot is left open for another novel which I can't wait to get
my hands on. I would highly recommend this book to other people as I
wasn't able to get enough of it.
Lauren Pfeiffer (Student, Year 12)
Black painted fingernails by Steven Herrick
Allen and Unwin, 2011. ISBN 9781742374598.
(Age 15+) Highly recommended Steven Herrick's book, Black painted
fingernails, makes a positive impression from the moment you first
spy
it with the intriguing, well-designed cover. I expected a verse novel
but this offering is written in prose. Still, there is the same
economical use of words that we find in his verse novels. The writing
is beautifully crafted with strong descriptive language; it is
perceptive, emotive and the words linger.
The story focuses on two main characters, James and Sophie. Each short
chapter features a particular character - James, Sophie, James' mother
Angela or James' father Michael. James is heading west for a temporary
teaching position in the country leaving behind anxious parents, who
have coddled him as their only child. Sophie has left a broken home,
where she grew up with a loving father and two brothers in difficult
circumstances at times. They have disparate personalities and lives,
yet we come to like each of them as individuals and marvel at their
developing relationship.
There is a keen sense of place in terms of micro and macro settings
with specific geographical locations in Sydney and country NSW. Place
names like Rose Bay and Hillston (central west) will be familiar to
locals. And there are several 2011 touches to the story eg with
references to iPod, voicemail.
Essentially this is a road trip novel with an innovative structure and
a love story with a difference. The story moves along well and should
appeal to a wide range of readers. There are some sexual and drug
references. I would like to see the use of the conditional tense as
appropriate, but this probably won't worry the target age group. It is
suitable for senior secondary students Years 10 and up.
Margaret Strickland
Literature Live! Brings Books Alive
5 kids' book creators; 5 trailblazing mums taking books and
writing workshops to thousands of school children across Australia via
video conference.
These women are Literature Live!: Aleesah Darlison, Laurine Croasdale,
Nina Rycroft, Jeni Mawter and Susanne Gervay (OAM).
From Sydney to the outback, Literature Live! share their love of books,
writing and illustration with thousands of kids through the Dept of
Education's Connected Classrooms program.
Their workshops are delivered regularly to schools across Australia
using the latest video conferencing and interactive whiteboard (IWB)
technology. Parents and school communities can see the equipment they
fundraised for being put to good use.
As a special treat this August, Literature Live! are presenting their
Book Week Shows with all 5 book creators together. The shows will be
hosted by Western Plains ABC radio presenter Dugald Saunders and will
feature interviews, reviews, competitions and much, much more.
Highlights:
Aleesah Darlison talks about her picture books
Puggle's Problem and Warambi. Students learn about
Australian animals,
endangered species and how to protect the environment.
Susanne Gervay's I am Jack inspires kids to keep
their school safe by saying 'NO' to bullying.
Picture book illustrator, Nina Rycroft, draws live
with students, creating characters from her book Ballroom Bonanza.
Jeni Mawter shares her side-splitting, real life
stories behind her books.
Laurine Croasdale takes an everyday occurrence
and turns it into an Aussie CHOMP - watch out kids, this could happen
to you!
Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2011. ISBN: 978 1847801593.
Recommended for ages 4 and above. Living in the zoo, Batty feels he is
often ignored by the visitors, despite his best efforts to make himself
more interesting and appealing. As he visits the other animals, he
tries to become more like them. With each visit to a different
creature, he becomes more despondent and feels less as though he
belongs. Only at the very end of the story does he realise that he does
have one very important skill which he must learn to value more highly.
Author/illustrator, Dyer, provides few words in this simple story. Her
illustrations are cleverly matched to the text on each page. They add a
great deal of humour as they depict the various animals in their zoo
enclosures, each behaving in their own unique manner, with Batty
endeavouring to join in. Images of penguins scoring one another's
dives, the flea circus depicted with the gorillas and the lions lazing
in the sun with sunscreen and tanning lotion whilst reading '101 Ways
to Cook Zebra', make this book accessible to readers of different ages.
Perspective in the illustrations adds yet another dimension to the
story. On some pages, the pictures appear to be 'the right way up', yet
on others the bat seems to be humanised and standing erect with the
whole book needing to be rotated in order to read the text. Friendship
and appreciating our individual or unique strengths and differences are
key themes in this book which could be an asset to many classroom
units, even for students in middle primary classes.
Jo Schenkel
Small as an Elephant by Jennifer Richard Jacobson
Candlewick Press, 2011. ISBN 9780763641559.
(Ages 10+) Highly recommended. Jack loves elephants. They are his
favourite animals, but when he and his Mum are on their way to the
Seawall Camp Grounds and his Mum refuses to let him see Lydia, the
elephant in Maine, it causes an argument. The next morning he wakes up
to find he is all alone. His Mum had taken everything except him
and his stuff. Abandoned by his Mum and really far from home he
decides to wait, thinking that she'll have to come back in a few days
or he'll miss the first day back at school. He knows she is always
doing strange things but she always comes back and that is why he
waits. When she doesn't come back he decides to walk home and so he
starts the long walk home with nothing but a small toy elephant as
company.
This book was great. I just couldn't put it down, I really felt sorry
for him. Jack is definitely one brave kid at just eleven years old. He
didn't take the easy way out like most people would. This book brought
tears to my eyes at the end but it was still a great book.
Tahlia Kennewell (Sudent)
Ubby's underdogs: The legend of the silver Phoenix by Brenton E. McKenna
Magabala Books, 2011. ISBN 978 1921248313.
(Ages 9+) Recommended. Graphic novel. Broome in the 1940s is
recreated by this new author illustrator, as he teams the unlikely
combination of feisty Aboriginal girl, Ubby and her mates, Selimut and
Gabe, with a Chinese girl, Sai Fong, newly arrived from Shanghai. In
large swirling images, the action is as fast paced and absorbing as a
martial arts or ninja film, ensuring approval from many middle school
readers.
Sai Fing and her uncle, Poe, are taken to the House of Refuge, where
they will be accommodated until Poe can meet the pearling master. Sai
Fong is told to go and lie down, as she has a mysterious illness that
her uncle is keen to find a cure for. But when she goes to the women's
dormitories, she is bullied by the girls already there. Ubby and her
crew, passing by, step in. They take Sai Fong with them and bump into
several people who cause grief, ending with a challenge made. The
football game that ensues ends with Sai Fong kicking the winning goal,
and so ensuring the wrath of the loser, Pegleg, who must take off his
trousers and sing for the multitude.
A breathtaking story, full of the charm of ancient Chinese mythology,
the sights and sounds of Broome of the 1940's, and the amazing array of
different cultures which inhabited the town, the story of Ubby and her
underdogs is rivetting stuff, reflecting the strata that existed in the
town, the prejudices and dislikes brought from other countries and the
mix that made up the community.
The illustrations are in full of colour and reflect action and
movement, drawn with wonderful perspectives and characters, imagining
Broome of half a century ago with nostalgia and fondness. An
outstanding graphic novel which sets a new standard for Australian
writer/illustrators.
Fran Knight
Editor's note: There is a website
to support this book.
Pat Pledger
Wood angel by Erin Bow
Chicken House, 2011. ISBN 9781906427603.
(Age 13+) Recommended. I picked up this book because of its
beautiful cover, thinking that it probably was a fantasy about fairies,
and when it was recommended by Meg Rosoff on the cover, I knew that I
probably was in for a treat. Well it certainly is a treat, but it's not
about fairies. Plain Kate is a woodcarver. Left alone on the death of
her father, she lives in a bottom drawer of his market outlet, with
only the cat Taggle for company. She carves little charms that are
supposed to bring luck, and this brings her to the attention of the
villagers, who think she could be a witch. When times get hard, she
becomes scared for her life and turns to Linay, a white haired
stranger, who promises her safety and companionship in exchange for her
shadow. How will she be able to function and what does this mean
for the safety of the world?
This is a beautifully plotted story with Plain Kate at the heart of its
appeal. She is a feisty girl whose actions and dilemmas held me captive
for the whole of the book which I devoured in one sitting. I was awed
at her courage in leaving her village and taking up with the Roamers
and astounded at the way that she was able to deal with Linay, who had
gone mad over the death of his twin sister at the hands of the
witch-hunters. She didn't fit in with her village or with the Roamers,
but in typical, stoic fashion, made the best of her opportunities,
aided by the fabulous talking cat, Taggle, who is one of the best
characters that I have come across in my recent readings. His cheeky
asides always brought a grin to my face and relieved the darkness of
the circumstances facing Kate.
It was also a thought-provoking story, examining the alienation of
people who were thought to be different. The death of his sister so
haunts Linay that his desire for revenge grows enormously. He is a very
frightening character and his magic is quite sinister. Even the Roamers
have cast him out.
Erin Bow has twined magic and revenge into a wonderful story that reeks
of atmosphere. The loss and sorrow that Kate faces joins together with
hope and the steadfastness of friends and the conclusion is wonderful.
This is a book that will remain with me for a long time. I intend to
seek out other novels by this fabulous author.
Pat Pledger
The Japanese Ninja surprise created by Jeff Brown, written by Sarah Pennypacker
(Flat Stanley series). Little Hare Books, 2011.ISBN 9781
405252102.
(Ages 7+) Humour. The character of Flat Stanley so loved in the 1960's
is
back in his own shorter novels for younger readers. The original series
created by Jeff Brown was published continuously until the year of his
death, 2003. It has its own website, and a project aimed at getting
kids to write letters. There is even a Flat Stanley Day and he is one
of President Obama's favourite children's books and so receives a great
deal of publicity.
This book for newly arrived chapter book readers, has Stanley helping
his hero, the ninja movie star, Oda Noopu, after posting himself to
Japan to see him. On arrival, of course, all is not well with Oda and
the pair teams up to solve his problems. Initially Oda uses Stanley to
make an origami star, which displeases Stanley somewhat, but when Oda
is kidnapped it is the trail of origami stars which lead him to his
hero and Stanley saves the day. Stanley survives to return
home to his adoring family. Readers will learn much about Japanese
society from this charming small book, and will again be exposed to the
story of Flat Stanley, of which there are many more.
Fran Knight
Song of the Dove by Errol Broome
Ill. by Sonia Kretschmar. Walker, 2011. ISBN: 978 1921529245.
Bellini, the young music student, takes as his pupil the beautiful
Maddalena Fumaroli. As their lessons together continue, they develop a
deep bond and fall in love. Walking the cobbled streets of Naples, the
couple spy two doves which they agree are always together and remain so
for life. When Bellini asks for Maddalena's hand in marriage, her
horrified parents refuse and send the young man away. Meeting secretly,
Bellini promises that, when he has completed his tenth opera, he shall
return and they shall be together, 'dead or alive'. After being sent to
Milan, the couple continues to write regularly. Finally, Maddalena's
parents have a change of heart and agree to the marriage. Will they be
together in life?
A simply and concisely written story with perfectly matched
illustrations which add to the historic perspective of the tale, this
book is a biography, telling of love, persistence and, despite the
ending, resilience. If the book were to be used with a class, one could
discuss determination and the problem of labeling or pre-judging people
based on first appearances. Not a book which I believe will be eagerly
devoured by young children; it nonetheless has its place in a classroom
program.
Jo Schenkel
Prohibited Zone: a thriller in the desert by Alastair Sarre
Wakefield Press, Kent Town, South Australia, 2011. ISBN:
978-1-862545-943-2.
Highly recommended for 13 years plus. Alastair Sarre has penned an
outstanding debut novel with Prohibited
Zone. Sarre draws on his outback childhood in the outback town of
Leigh Creek and later living in the Adelaide Hills to describe scenery,
places and towns in detail based on reality.
The story is based around an actual happening, a break-out by many
refugees from the Woomera Detention centre in the Australian desert, in
2002. Amid the hysteria associated with the war on terror
and newspaper beat-up there are not only cops and secret police out on
the search but also redneck vigilantes with the additional incentive of
a $10,000 reward. The two main Afghanis sought are Amir Ali
Khan, who is deemed to know bin Laden, and his friend Saira Abdiani.
Ex AFL Crows star Steve West, now an outback mining engineer is the
narrator. Whilst heading to Adelaide for a week's holiday he comes
across several police roadblocks. Subsequently, while having a
beer at the Pimba roadhouse soft hearted Steve gets conned by activist
and Sydney-sider Kara Peake-Jones into helping transport Saira to
town. Kara is aiming to get Saira interviewed by 60 Minutes
about the atrocities of rape and other abuses that have been happening
in the detention centre. Steve's unwitting involvement has many ugly
consequences for him.
Alastair Sarre uses rich dialogue such as describing someone as 'a
lanky, stringy bit of gristle about 6 feet 3.' Country characters
are named Spud, Chook, and Baz. His opening line of: 'Dusk
was falling soft on a land as hard as old bones and I had the road and
the world and the whole damned universe to myself,' paints the outback
perfectly.
The author also uses his topic to educate the reader about different
cultures. When Steve questions why one would kill for religious
reasons, Kara states, 'When you're locked inside a religious paradigm,
the easiest thing in the world is to find a reason to hate everyone
outside the paradigm. Particularly when they own land and wealth you
think is yours and claim God for themselves.' ' Prohibited Zone is a fast moving political thriller that could
be a
senior text. Highly recommended for 13 year plus. Book club
questions are available
.
Kay Haarsma
The Warlock: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott
Doubleday, 2011, ISBN: 978 0 857530264.
Highly recommended for ages 11 and up. For the first time in their
lives, the twins of legend, Sophie and Josh Newman, have been
separated. Each has joined characters from different sides and with
different allegiances and continues to hone their magical powers.
Whilst Josh has gone to work with Dee and Virginia Dare, it seems he
has been transformed to accept their evil and selfish motivation.
Meanwhile, Sophie has continued to support the Flamels who have fought
against the Dark Elders to save the planet. Absolutes in terms of right
and wrong, good and evil seem difficult to grasp. Each of the children
has occasion to question not only the motives of those with whom they
have chosen to side, but also those of their missing sibling. Links
between the twins allow them, at times, to have insight into what is
happening in the life of the other. At the back of their minds are the
words of the prophecy which refers to twins 'with the auras of silver
and gold, a brother and sister with the power to either save the world
... or destroy it.' The end is fast approaching!
Scott has written a series which has the capacity to keep the reader on
the edge of one's seat. Each chapter has a different character or
setting as its focus and the action is fast moving and engrossing.
Allegiances change throughout the series and friendships and loyalties
continue to evolve. Little in this series seems predictable or
anticipated, the characters based on those from myth and legend,
blending in such a way as to seem almost natural, despite their
differences. This is a wonderful fantasy series for the more capable
readers of fantasy. Undoubtedly, I now join a horde of others who
eagerly await the final instalment due out in mid-2012!
Jo Schenkel
Chick 'n' Pug by Jennifer Sattler
Bloomsbury, 2011. ISBN: 978 1 4088 1373 7
Recommended for ages 4 and above. Chick, the adventure-reading member
of the coop, is desperate to break away from the humdrum existence of
the farm and experience adventure first hand. On his journey, he meets
a 'real-life Wonder Pug'. Pug reveals early on that, he is 'A Pug', but
one who shares few similarities with the hero of Chick's book. Whilst
he waits for the pug's adventurous nature to shine through, Chick
figures maybe he could help out when a cat enters their territory. Thus
is a hero born!
As stated in the blurb, 'This is a funny, heartwarming story of
misplaced hero worship - and the beginning of a wonderful friendship'.
Accompanied by painted illustrations which depict two totally endearing
characters, the text is sparse but implies far more. In a style similar
to that of Lynley Dodd, the illustrator has shown only the legs of the
human, thereby maintaining the focus on the animal characters, and
injecting humour as the uncomplaining, compliant pug is dressed by its
owner. This would not only make a delightful story to read to very
young children, but could be used with older children to discuss
friendship, respecting the differences of others and such personal
attributes as risk taking, curiosity, and the desire to try new things.
Jo Schenkel
Afterlife by Claudia Gray
HarperCollins, 2011. ISBN 9780732289706.
(Age 15+) Afterlife, the fabulous conclusion to the Evernight
series,
which
included Evernight, Stargazer and Hourglass,
finds
Bianca
facing life as a wraith, and her beloved Lucas changed into a vampire,
the last thing that he had ever wanted. They decide to go back to
Evernight Academy where they believe that Lucas may learn to overcome
his dreadful desire for blood from any living person that he
encounters. There they face Mrs Bethany, the headmistress of the
Academy, who is setting traps for unsuspecting wraiths and imprisoning
them for her own evil needs. Bianca and Lucas are faced with a new
challenge. Not only do they have to learn about living in the
Afterlife, they must stop Mrs Bethany's evil actions.
There are some exciting scenes as Bianca learns how wraiths operate and
the team of Balthazar, Ranulf, Patrice, Vic and Maxie plot to find the
wraith traps and uncover Mrs Bethany's wicked plot. Some heartrending
moments unfold for Lucas as he confronts the aggressive Black Cross and
the prejudice of his mother, while Bianca has to face her parents once
again. The threads of Balthazar and Charity's story are also gathered
together with some frightening moments as well.
I couldn't imagine how Claudia Gray could come up with a solution to
the dilemma that faces Bianca and Lucas. How could their love survive
one of them being a wraith and another a vampire, who is seriously
considering taking his own life because he can't face what he is?
However she manages to do just that in an exciting, unexpected and very
satisfying conclusion to what has been a very good series.
Pat Pledger
