Ishmael and the hoops of steel by Michael Gerard Bauer
Omnibus Books, 2011. ISBN 978 1 86291 917 4.
This is the third and final Ishmael story that takes place during
Ishmael's final years of schooling. Once again his friends Ignatius,
James Scobie, Bill and Razza are all back for their senior schooling
at St Daniel's College. The book is divided into Year 11 and Year 12
- semester one and semester two. With each semester containing
around 16 short chapters. This enables the story to clearly develop
and build over the course of a very typical final two years of
school. In year eleven there are the usual uniform violations,
assembly detentions and assignment deadlines. The trio continue
their debating - although not very successfully. They are all in the
same English class and have varying experiences with the study of
Shakespeare's Hamlet. Bill makes a profound confession. The boys
experience the highs and lows of school formals. As year twelve
begins the boys make a pact to make the most of their last year.
They aim to be Senior Debating Champions and win the College Cup for
Charlton House and Miss Tarango. With these goals in mind they
utilise their own talents and skills leaving no stone unturned to
achieve their goals and in doing so complete their schooling as well
rounded young men.
Ishmael and his friends are characters that are easy to relate to
and found in any school. Michael has made them appealing to the
reader by making them real and identifiable. The ability to triumph
over adversity is a valuable message in this story and one that
leaves the reader thinking long after they finish reading.
Tracy Glover
Blood Red Road by Moira Young
Marion Lloyd Books, 2011. ISBN 978 140 712425 4 Blood red road is a cross between a post-apocalyptic novel
and fantasy. Saba and her twin Lugh share a special bond. She is the
dark and he is the light. They live in a dying landscape with their
father and younger sister. Clearly something has happened as
technology has largely disappeared and there are remains of cities
and other technology scattered around in some ways reminiscent of
the Mad Max movies.
One day strangers appear and Lugh is taken, their father killed and
Saba is left with her younger sister Emmi and a determination to
rescue Lugh. Emmi and Saba have a strained relationship as Saba
feels she is of no use. As they set out on their rescue mission,
they meet people both good and bad. Saba suffers imprisonment as a
sort of fighter but never loses sight of her goal of rescuing Lugh.
She rescues Jack to whom she is attracted but is unsure whether she
can trust him.
I liked the way the main characters develop in the story. Saba
eventually comes to value Emmi and manages to become the dominant
one in her relationship with Lugh. For the fantasy readers there is
enough difference to make it different and an enjoyable read for
middle school people who will look forward to the sequel.
David Rayner
Passion: A Fallen Novel by Lauren Kate
Double Day, 2011.
(Age 14 +) Throughout time Luce and Daniel have found and loved each
other many times and then Luce has died. Luce travels through time
in this story in an attempt to find the key that will prevent her
death and ensure that she and Daniel can stay together. There are
angels and outcasts trying to catch Luce as she does this and a
description of the rift between God and Lucifer that causes many
angels to be cast out of heaven. The ending sets up the next
installment in the series, Rapture.
This is the third book in the Fallen series and has been written as
a prequel to everything that occurs in the Fallen and Torment books.
It covers 5000 plus years, has a new setting in each chapter, and
focuses mainly on the characters of Luce and Daniel and what has
happened in their past lives.
While some of the settings were interesting such as Moscow in 1941
and Tahiti in 1775, I found the plot confusing and not engaging. The
characters were not well developed for someone who had not read the
other books in the series and a lot of the writing is flat and plods
along. While some fans of the series will want to read it I think
they too may be disappointed with this installment.
Chris Lloyd
Doctor Monkey - An astonishing story of wheezes and sneezes by Felix Hayes and Hannah Broadway
Bloomsbury, 2011. ISBN 9781408806548.
Monkey and Robot are best friends and they live together in a big
house. One day, Robot's head aches, his nose runs and he just
want to lie down. But, instead of being sympathetic, Monkey
just says, 'Brilliant!' It gives him a great opportunity to be
a doctor. So he looks after Robot, doing all the things that
are good for helping get over colds. Robot soon feels better
and wants to get up, but Dr Monkey insists he stay in bed. But
when Robot finally falls asleep, something happens . . .
This is a cheery story about having a cold that will appeal to young
children and perhaps reinforce that what mum says about staying in
bed and sleeping being the best cure.
This is the first in a series about these two characters and there
are fun and games in the book and also at
the website
for the books.
Barbara Braxton
The Rainbow Necklace by Jacqueline Larsen
(Australian Girl Series 1). Wombat Books, 2011. ISBN 9781921633294.
In The Rainbow Necklace Matilda, Emily, Amy, Belle and
Jasmine discover a rainbow necklace which transports them back in
time to the outback where they discover an injured girl lying alone
on a track. In their commitment to get help for her, they learn a
lot about a time in history they knew nothing about and meet some of
the significant women in our past. It's an adventure story that will
appeal to girls who like a good yarn with a bit of substance to it.
This is the first in a series inspired by the Australian Girl dolls
created by Helen Schofield. While the story stands alone, it
is very closely aligned to the dolls and their personalities,
established on the website. 'The stories and dolls aim to encourage
imaginative Australian style play and help counter some of the
negative impact of popular culture on young children by providing
age appropriate dolls and stories and by reflecting back a positive
body image and values. The characters belong to contemporary
Australian society and like to do everything that real Australian
girls like to do.'
Children these days expect their stories to be enriched by other
media and this is a prime example of this, but this pairing allows
them to be actively involved through writing and competitons as well
as other club activities.
Barbara Braxton
Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta
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)
