Alex Rider Book 9. Walker Books, 2011. ISBN 9781406333879.
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Alex Rider is a teenage superspy. But he
hates it. Alex just wants to live like a normal teenager, but whenever
that chance appears, MI6 seems to have a mission for him. But this
time, Alex and Jack Starbright (his friend, and the woman who had cared
for him since his parents died) are adamant that MI6 would never be a
part of their lives again. But a snipershooting at his school wounded
his friend and almost kills Alex, and all is changed. Everyone is
convinced that his old enemy, Scorpia, is out for revenge. MI6 recently
discovered evidence that Scorpia might be planning to hold some
children for ransom at an international school in Cairo and because
some of these children's parents could pay millions of dollars in
ransom they decide to send Alex there. The old security man was killed,
and replaced at the same time as Alex.
This is an excellent end to an excellent series, and I recommend that
you make sure you have read all the books before this one. You can pick
this one up easily, but it does help, as you might not know what
Scorpia is if you have not read the previous series. I enjoyed this
book, and I highly recommend this book, and the entire series.
Gareth Peer
Bindi Wildlife Adventures: Snow Monkey Mischief by Ellie Browne
Random House Australia, 2011. ISBN 978 1 864718317.
In Bindi Wildlife Adventures : Snow Monkey Mischief, readers
will learn
some interesting facts about the Japanese snow monkeys while trying to
solve a mystery. It is aimed at girls aged 8-10 years old and using a
well-known celebrity, like Bindi Irwin, as a character probably won't
entice boys to read this!
The main character is Bindi, who has travelled to Japan with her Mum
and brother to help her friend's mum photograph and observe the snow
monkeys. Snow Monkey Mischief is a short novel and is book 14 in this
series.
Readers will not need to read others in the series to understand what
is going on.
Author, Ellie Browne (no, not Bindi Irwin as I first thought), uses
easy
to read language which is full of descriptions to help the reader
imagine the scenery and events. I like how she has Bindi comparing
Japan to Australia and how this story will help the reader learn about
threats against these monkeys as Bindi and her friend find some snow
monkeys who don't look very healthy and set out to find out why.
Kylie Kempster
Fade out by Rachel Caine
The Morganville Vampires, Book Seven. Penguin, 2011. ISBN 9781921880032. Fade Out by Rachel Caine is a fascinating novel on how Claire
Danvers
copes with her studies on campus and how she works for a crazy, unique
vampire called Myrnin who loves to wear fanged bunny slippers and feed
his pet spider, Bob. He is a mad scientist and he is always coming up
with new ideas. Claire also has to put up with one of Myrnin's
creations, Ada, a deranged computer generated copy of a long dead
vampire who thinks Claire is competition for Myrnin's love. In
short term, his first love is science or Bob the spider. Claire has
more things to worry about when she almost freezes to death. She
has a bracelet that allows her to feel and know what's wrong with
Amelie, the leader of the town. It's kind of like a telephone but you
don't orally communicate. They find Amelie trying to commit suicide,
(which is hard for a vampire) and rescue her. Suddenly a strange young
emo girl arrives in Morganville and befriends Claire's bestfriend Eve
and they commit to a local play. Young pushy Kim shoves her video
camera in all of the vampires' and humans' faces, causing a dislike for
her, when Kim misses a rehearsal, Claire and Eve know something
is up and around Morganville you're either late or lunch.
The character communication in this book is brilliant and the body
language is so easy to read, also the characters were all unique and
easy to relate to. This is my favourite vampire series and I think I'll
be reading it again. Fade out is a brilliant book and I can't
wait to
read the rest of the series.
Sarah Filkin (Student)
DC Super Heroes series - Batman
Raintree, 2011.
(Age 8+) Doctor of Fear by Matthew Manning, Raintree, 2011. ISBN 978 1
40622 541
9
An exciting adventure with Batman and Batgirl stumbling into an
out-of-the-ordinary incident. During a fire drill at a city
department store, customers find themselves locked in. They
escape by breaking one of store windows, but who locked the
doors? Batgirl sees to the other escape doors while Batman is on
the hunt for the culprit finally catching up with him. But it's
not the person he thought it would be. Meanwhile another
fear-giving incident happens in Wayne Tower itself. A different
culprit is apprehended and is interrogated. Thorough
investigation by Batman and Batgirl discover a common event in these
people's lives - they all visited the same dentist who happens to be
'The Scarecrow'. Does The Scarecrow manage to install fear in all
of Gotham's citizens or will Batman and Batgirl destroy his evil plans?
The Maker of Monsters by Eric Fein, Raintree, 2011. ISBN 978 1
40622
543 3.
Monsters are on the rampage in Gotham City, frightening the citizens
and fearing for their lives. Batman and Robin come to the rescue
and endeavor to find out where these monsters are coming from. The
Dynamic Duo manages to capture one of these monsters and are able
to observe it in a hospital. When the monster changes back into a
human being Batman begins to investigate the situation. Their
discoveries lead them to the mad scientist. Batman decides to
volunteer as a guinea pig disguised as Bruce Wayne and ends up a
monster himself. Will Batman ever be able to return as
himself? Will Robin be able to rescue Batman before any real
damage occurs? What will happen to the Dynamic Duo?
Mad Hatter's Movie Madness by Donald Lemke, Raintree, 2011. ISBN
978 1
40622 544 0.
Bruce Wayne and Tim Drake (aka Batman and Robin) attend a film premiere
where 3D glasses are required. Bruce accidently steps on a pair
belonging to a little girl and he offers his pair to her and he ends up
watching the movie without 3D glasses. Tim is addicted to his 3D
glasses and refuses to take them off. Meanwhile the Mad Hatter is
about to launch his evil plan! Everyone who attended the movie
were still wearing their 3D glasses. They were with the Mad
Hatter! Was the Mad Hatter able to hypnotise the movie patrons to
do his bidding? Discovering that Tim was not in his room when
morning came, Bruce Wayne donned his alter-ego and as Batman began to
unravel the mystery. Will Batman find the solution to the
increased crime happening in Gotham City? Will Batman be able to
save Tim and the other citizens of Gotham from the evil clutches of the
Mad Hatter?
Catwoman's Halloween Feist by Eric Fein, Raintree, 2011. ISBN
978 1
40622 542 6.
Barbara Gordon and Tim Drake attend a friend's Halloween party dressed
up in their alter egos, Batgirl and Robin. None of the guests are
wise to their disguises. The friend's father is the host of the
party and also collects historical objects. One such object is
the black cat diamond. This disappears when the lights go out and
Batgirl and Robin suspect it's the work of Catwoman! They are
proved right and set about catching her without Batman's help. Will
they be successful? And will they be discovered as the real
Batgirl and Robin?
Janet Cassidy
The snake and the boy by Azmen Sebastian
Magabala Books, 2011.
(Ages 5+) Warmly recommended. Picture book. The summer heat of the
northern Western Australia is reproduced both in the stunningly
colourful images as well as the text as the boy, one among many, plays
on the swing in the playground at school. Down the bark of the old
paperbark tree a green tree snake makes its way to the ground and
slithers across the yard to the place where the boy is playing. He bites
into his apple, and slides away, leaving the boy to wonder about who
ate his apple, but unbeknownst to him, he narrowly missed an encounter
with a snake.
Written and illustrated by 12 year old Azmen, a boy from Broome, this
is a delight. The spare words tell the reader a lot about life in
Broome and the kids in the playground, underlining their day to day
activities but with the added menace of the snake. Colourful swirling
images complete this lovely book.
Fran Knight
The cat that disappeared by Lori Mortensen
Ill. by and Remy Simard. My
1st Graphic Novel series. Raintree, 2011. ISBN: 978 1406225518.
Recommended for ages 6 and above. When Ava wakes one morning, feeling
bored, she calls her friends to
help her organise a pet show. Each of her friends brings their pet and,
together, the children prepare for the show. Just as they are ready to
begin, however, they discover that Ava's cat, Oatmeal, has disappeared.
Frantically they search, yet still the cat is nowhere to be found.
Eventually, they decide to become detectives. Will this help them to
find the cat?
As an introduction to graphic novels, this series seems to provide a
good starting point. The vocabulary is simple, the number of words per
page limited and illustrations are closely linked to the text. The
concepts of friendship, team work, imagination and ingenuity are
positive and the story revolves around daily events and non-threatening
subject matter. As stated in a blurb about the 'My 1st Graphic Novel'
series, 'Each story uses familiar topics, repeating patterns, and core
vocabulary words appropriate for a beginning reader.' This book seems
to have it all; author and illustrator information, a glossary,
discussion questions and writing prompts, along with instructions on
how to read a graphic novel. The story line holds much appeal and the
vivid colours and stylised illustrations are bound to inspire young
children to try and create their own comic strips.
Jo Schenkel
Editor's note:
Other titles in the series include: Clues in the attic by Cari Meister. Ill. by Remy Simard,
Raintree,
2011. ISBN 9781406225525. The missing monster card by Lori Mortensen. Ill. by Remy Simard.
Raintree, 2011. ISBN 9781406225532. Morning mystery by Christianne C. Jones. Ill. by Remy Simard.
Raintree,
2011. ISBN 9781406225549.
Pat Pledger
Swerve by Phillip Gwynne
Penguin Books, 2009. ISBN: 978 0 14 3009337.
(Ages: 15+) The latest book by prominent Australian author Phillip
Gwynn is Swerve.
This book centres around an wealthy teenager from Sydney who, instead
of
preparing for an important cello audition, decides to take a road
journey to Uluru from Sydney with his dying and recently reunited
grandfather in a 1969 Holden HT Monaro. Along their journey Hugh and
his Poppy move through a series of adventures as they navigate their
way 'to the rock' with back packers, hitch hikers, drug dealers and the
various unsavoury characters found in remote country towns of
Australia. The drive begins as one long driving lesson for Hugh having
just recently received his Learner's permit but becomes so much more of
a lesson about the types of people outside his private school life in
urban Sydney.
With Swerve, Phillip Gywnne has stayed clear of some of the
cultural
insensitivities associated with his first novels Deadly Unna?
(1999)
and Nukkin Ya (2000) to produce a well written and very
engaging story
based a very simple plot. As Hugh and his Poppy travel, they unravel
their similar interests in many things including all things motor cars,
as Hugh describes his ambition not to go in the foot-steps set out by
his
education and family expectations but to become a mechanic.
In this respect, despite the fact that Poppy doesn't actually have a
licence, Hugh learns much wisdom from his Poppy, not just how to drive.
Swerve sets a fast pace which is enhanced by the constant
reminder via text-messages and phone calls from home that Hugh really
needs to get back to Sydney for his rehearsal in a week's time. Swerve is recommended for readers 15 or older and contains some
course
language, violence and many illegal activities.
Adam Fitzgerald
The comet box by Adrian Stirling
Penguin, 2011. ISBN 9780143206101.
Teenaged readers will have little knowledge of 1986 when Halley's
Comet
captured the imagination of Australians. Adrian Stirling transports
all
of his readers however, when describing simple suburban life for an
average working-class family living in Geelong.
Narrating from a fourteen year old boy's perspective, the character
Andrew conveys a clear sense of wholesome security when describing
his
simple, predictable and essentially boring life. When Andrew's older
sister Amelia leaves home without trace, his family undergoes
massive
upheaval and distress as they express shock, anger and fear.
Whilst pivotal to the story, this is merely one traumatic family
event
experienced within the community and for Andrew it is significant
because it causes him to question the behaviour and motivation of
adults. Readers might question Andrew's naivety when viewed against
contemporary adolescents. I don't believe it is mere wistfulness
however which causes me to remember a time where demands on children
were fewer and they were somehow more protected from the harsher
aspects of life.
Andrew senses that his parents are not being open with him regarding
Amelia's disappearance and in a relatively short time, he discovers
that other families are hiding similar unpalatable secrets. When
Amelia
is discovered by Queensland Police and returned, Andrew's home life
becomes even more disrupted and yet he is still kept ignorant of the
full details by those involved.
The central tale is expanded by vignettes involving friends,
neighbours
and an arrogant, dominating grandfather which collectively
contribute
to Andrew's emotional development. The lives and experiences
described
reflect everyday human flaws and the reader is left feeling sorry
for a
'good kid' who discovers unpleasant aspects of life without the
benefit
of guidance by parents who are otherwise preoccupied.
Halley's Comet places the story in recent history yet also marks the
passage of time in overall human experience, coming predictably
every
seventy five years.
What is initially presented as an event which stirs the dreams of
both
children and adults gradually loses importance in the lives of the
struggling characters. This is very real, yet it was symbolic to me
that human dramas count for nothing as the comet navigates the
wildly
complex celestial time piece and that no matter how bad things are,
the
sun really will come up in the morning.
Rob Welsh
Dragonborn by Toby Forward
The Flaxfield Quartet, Volume 1. Walker Books, 2011. ISBN
9781406320435.
Recommended for upper primary lower secondary. 'Sam is only halfway
through his wizard's apprenticeship when his master, Flaxfield, dies
unexpectedly. Soon powerful wizards arrive at Flaxfield's
cottage
and Sam, in fear and confusion, runs away from the only home he has
ever known. But there is no running from destiny; there is
evil
magic abroad. An old danger is growing in strength and power
and
Sam and his beloved dragon Starback will have a crucial part to play
in
events to come.'
Not being a fantasy fan, I approached this book with interest for
the
students I thought would like it. I found myself halfway
through
drawn into the plot and wanting to know more. For the first half of
the
book, I had a hard time coming to grips with the more unusual
characters and creatures and how they affected the environment and
the
main characters. I feel that part of this may have been due to
my
lack of previous fantasy exposure.
Being part of a quartet, this book is really just the beginning of
Sam's new life and adventures to come. The characters are
interesting and at the end of this book you know that there is still
more to discover and you want to know more about them. Sam
discovers a lot about himself and his powers in many accidental
circumstances. The other wizards trained by Flaxfield also
learn
about Sam and themselves along the way. There is a dark force,
that still remains somewhat a mystery; however the reader is aware
of
the power and evil intentions if she gets her way and that Sam hold
the
key.
There are different worlds, new imaginary creatures and beloved
dragons. Starback, Sam's dragon, is a fabulously playful and loyal
character, and even though he does not feature as much as I may have
first thought in this book, I know he is a crucial part of the story
and I imagine he will be a large part of the next books in the
series.
Overall for those who like a fantasy style story, I think this has
plenty of elements to keep the reader interested.
Zana Thiele
Bookaboo: Puppies in the pound by Lucy Goodman
Walker Books, 2010. ISBN 9781406327021.
Bookaboo receives an e-mail to tell him that his old home (The
Little Puppy Pound) is about to close. Not content to see his old
home go, the drum playing rocker dog and his friends head to the
pound to hold a concert. When a guard at the pound does not
know who they are and locks them away, is all lost?
This is a very simple story that would appeal to fans of Bookaboo.
Lovely bright illustrations and bold text appeal to younger readers.
The little book inside was a lovely surprise and appealed to me, as
well as my 5 year old. I enjoyed the few corny lines and the
modern approaches, such as e-mail being included in the storyline.
Zana Thiele
Editor's note: Fun activity books and gift Bookaboo books are also
available: Bookaboo: Colour and Do by Lucy Goodman, Walker Books, ISBN
9781406327038, is a 'fantastic colouring and puzzle fun from the
world-famous rock drumming puppy, Bookaboo'.
Bookaboo: Pop-Up Pup Idol by Lucy Goodman, Walker Books,
ISBN 9781406327236, is 'an exciting pop-up giftbook for all Bookaboo
fans featuring the Bookaboo theme song.' Bookaboo: Stickers, Drums and Rock and Roll by Lucy
Goodman,Walker Books, ISBN 9781406327045. 'Join the world-famous
rockstar drumming puppy in this fantastic book packed with brilliant
stickers and rocktastic activities.'
Pat Pledger
Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne
Retold by Davis Worth Miller and Katherine McLean Brevard. Ill. by
Greg Rebis. Raintree, 2011. ISBN 978 1406225006. Series: Graphic
Revolve
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain retold by M.C. Hall. Ill.
by Daniel Strickland. Raintree, 2011. ISBN 978 1406224993.
This series of graphic novels revisit classic stories in a 72 page
colourful graphic style using a variety of authors to retell the
stories and a range of different artists for the images. This will
inevitably lead to differences in style but the similarities in
presentation might encourage readers to explore the works of a range
of authors and become familiar with the essence of some well known
stories. Journey to the Centre of the Earth is well told,
the small number of characters and dramatic settings making it ideal
for the graphic format. Tom Sawyer is less successful, the
story seems quite disjointed and the characters rather strange.
However there is some background information at the end of the story
which mentions Mark Twain's character of Injun Joe being a negative
stereotype. As well as background to the story and authors, the
books also feature a short glossary, discussion questions and
writing prompts. Journey to the Centre of the Earth includes
two pages of information about the formation of the Earth's centre.
There are another 16 titles in the series so most tastes are catered
for. They would find a place in any upper primary or middle school
library and some could be useful readers for ESL students.
Sue Speck
Beyond Evie by Rebecca Burton
HarperCollins, 2011. ISBN 978 0732291525.
(Ages 14+) Highly recommended. In a reminiscence, Charlotte tells us of
her first love, Evie, and in so doing reveals her own background,
fears, contradictions and failings. The deliberately slow pace of the
story builds on small episodes and events in their lives, the
cumulative effect allowing the reader to know these two girls
intimately. From the start the reader knows that something has
happened, and the suspense builds as the story progresses, some
chapters ending with an enigmatic statement which belies what has been
said before. We know we are in for a treat, and settle down to enjoy it.
Evie comes to work at the bakery where Charlotte works. She is
startlingly different, her clothes, the way she works, her attitudes,
all confront Charlotte and her narrow world of home and school. But
when she brazenly asks about Charlotte's father, the girl is taken
aback. People do not go that far. They stop asking questions when told
he is dead. But not Evie. She wants the details, and probes Charlotte
until she has revealed all, telling her more than she has told anyone,
even her mum or sister, Amy, or mum's boyfriend, Brian.
Dad's depression, resulting in his death is a constant worry to
Charlotte as she looks for signs of it in her own life. She questions
decisions she makes, words she utters, thoughts and motives, especially
after her mother comments how like her father she is. She is desperate
not to take after him.
One day, Charlotte meets Evie and her friend, Seb at the lighthouse
point, a remote place on the southern coast. Here, surprisingly, Evie
kisses Charlotte, and their friendship begins to change. The budding
relationship, like all new loves, is tentative, thrilling and full of
longing. Evie and Charlotte spend a wonderful week during the school
holidays, culminating in one night together, but then it is over,
Charlotte betrayed in a most cruel way.
The setting along the coast that Burton knows well, is stunningly
brought to life as we meander around the scrub with the characters she
has created. The beach side, the bakery, the lighthouse point, the
suburbs that cling to the protected native scrub area with its birds
and wildlife, the houses and shacks where Charlotte and her friends and
family live, infuse the story. The reader knows well the littleness of
the beach side suburb where nothing happens and people must travel
outside for work and pleasure. The lives played out against such a
backdrop are all the more real. The betrayal of Evie could have pushed
Charlotte to despair, but she uses her love of the area to keep her
mind focussed on life beyond Evie.
A beautifully told story of first love, of betrayal and ultimately,
survival, Beyond Evie will have wide appeal to thoughtful
secondary
girls. An absorbing second novel by the author of the well received,
Leaving Jetty Road.
Fran Knight
Camp Croc by Trudie Trewin
Walker Books, 2011. ISBN 978 1921720031. Camp Croc is a short novel with quick moving, short chapters. It is
aimed at 8-11 year old boys but I am sure girls will enjoy it too. I
know it made me giggle!
Our main character is Nick (nickname Daks) and in the first few pages
he is already up to mischievous antics. They are for a good cause
though as he doesn't want his best friend to miss the bus to camp. Daks
and his classmates are off to Camp Trib - the camp everyone at his
school looks forward to.
The novel is peppered with comical (and serious) 'Daks Facts' and Camp
Croc will appeal to most kids as Daks and his friends end up in all
kinds of funny moments even before the end of chapter 2. The
adventure really begins when Daks and his mates stumble across wildlife
smugglers. Can kids outsmart adults? What about the crocodiles? Camp Croc will have you giggling in sections, cheering on the
boys and
booing the bad guys. It is an entertaining story that can teach kids
about some of the problems facing our animals and how they can make a
difference too.
Kylie Kempster
The Fiend and the Forge by Henry H. Neff
Random House Australia, 2010. ISBN 978-1-74166-268-9. The Fiend and the Forge is the third book in The Tapestry
series, which
follows teenager Max McDaniels on his travels through the new world.
Here the world is now ruled by demons and Max has to confront them all,
without and within. Sometimes when all is quiet, Max blames himself for
this change in the world, some others do as well, seeing as it was Max
who handed the Book of Thoth, a mystical book that can create and
destroy anything in this world, over to the Demon Lord Astaroth.
With his home of Rowan Academy restored to its former glory after
Astaroth's Army invaded, Max decided to take a stand and do something
right against the darkness around him. Sailing head-first into the
enemy's territory Max must go it alone, with one of his friends shipped
off to the Demon's Land and David Menlo, Rowan's resident Sorcerer,
Max's best friend and his oath's objective, recovering from their
adventures in the Sidh. Before he can face the demons, Max must fight
the monsters within and without
To enjoy The Fiend and the Forge to its fullest, you must first
read
Henry H. Neff's first two books, The Hound of Rowan and The
Second
Siege. It is a book that will make you laugh and cry, smirk and be
frustrated, but that is what makes a good book, is it not? People who
would enjoy The Fiend and the Forge to the maximum would be
middle
aged teen boys, but girls who don't mind a bit of blood and gore would
also enjoy it. I sing high phrases to that group of people and to get
reading fast.
Zoe Pfeiffer (Student, aged 14)
Enormouse by Rebecca Gerlings
Egmont, 2011. ISBN 9781405248327.
Cue the circus music. 'Roll up for the world's most extraordinary
animal circus! Featuring leaping
lions, gymnastic giraffes, sensational squirrels and a teeny tiny
kitten with an
enormouse idea! '
Long, long ago and very high up, there lived a kitten, who, despite
being tiny,
had very big ideas. One day he finds himself falling out of that
high-up window
and down, down, down, into a circus caravan. And so begins his
life in the
circus. But he didn't quite fit into the squirrels' act and that
made him sad.
But then, he had an idea which grew and grew and grew until it was
enormouse - and filled the circus seats every night.
But to find out what that idea was, you'll need to read the book!
Barbara Braxton
