The Amazing Maurice written by Terry Pratchett, the great British author, is highly humorous and entertaining. A republished version of the original title The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, this publication has been reimaged to celebrate the upcoming film.
Maurice is a cunning and clever cat, who is not your usual moggy. Working with a young boy and an army of rats, they set out to trick towns, Pied Piper Style, and become rich. After previously ingesting magical substance from the rubbish pile, the rats now have the ability to talk and show a higher level of intelligence, emotion and thought. Maurice, after unknowingly eating one of these rats, developed the powers too…..But now he has stronger standards and only eats things that don’t use dialogue!
Together they are a strong force! Ingeniously they plan their misdemeanours to rid each town of their supposed rat plague. However, there is some distrust amongst the gang, and the next town they target is not like the previous ones. This one is not going to go to plan at all!
Upon entering the town, they soon meet the mayor’s daughter, a young girl named Malicia. She loves telling tales and doesn’t really fit in with the rest of the town. As they begin to complete their resourceful operation, things don’t feel right. But, when unable to abort the mission, what will Maurice and the raucous rats do as they encounter the worst of the worst?
Highly entertaining and funny… Filled with ingenuity, anarchy and misadventures. This satirical story will instantly conjure a little movie reel in the audience’s head, through the strong visual text, even before you see the actual film!
As a bonus, this printed copy has some sneak peeks with special coloured film stills of scenes from the upcoming movie. Also, at the back it includes exerts from the Director’s screenplay, all adding to the novel’s 'coolness'.
Themes Ingenuity, Problem solving, Friendship, Adventure, Humour, Teamwork, Folktale..
Michelle O'Connell
The Smidgens crash-land by David O'Connell. Illus. by Seb Burnett
Bloomsbury, 2022. ISBN: 9781526640567. (Age:8-12)
This is number two in the Smidgens series, which imagines a world of tiny people living secretly within the human world (reminiscent of The Borrowers). This instalment leads on directly from the first book so it is quite important to read The Smidgens before embarking on The Smidgens Crash Land. Similiarly, this book ends on a cliffhanger, so the whole series seems to be one long saga rather than separate stories. There are definite hints of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings here as well: the Smidgens love food and live in cosy underground burrows; there are magical items that evil beings are on the hunt for; there is someone who is acting out of character as if there are being made to act against their will; and there are several Smidgen clans (The Hive, The Roost and The Burrow) who have complex historical relationships, including war.
In this part of the story, Gafferty Sprout, a keen adventurer and risk-taker, wants to go searching for The Burrow Smidgens and make sure that the rest of the magical Mirror of Trokanis is safe from Claudia, the human who is a thief-for-hire and on the hunt for it. But through watching someone else's errors Gafferty learns the dangers of renegade action rather than working as a team to solve problems. She also discovers that there is always more to a story than is immediately obvious. This is a fast-paced adventure story with some relatable family and friendship issues that will be perfect for those who have read and enjoyed the first couple of Harry Potter or Nevermoor books and are looking for another complex adventure story set within a hidden, magical world. Readers will also love taking the perspective of the small Smidgens and imagining the human world as it looks to a teeny, tiny person. There is some great humour within the bemusement of the Smidgens at the ways of the big people and the things they have and use.
Diary of a wimpy kid: diper overlode by Jeff Kinney
Penguin, 2022. ISBN: 9780143778417. (Age:7+)
Roderick and his band, Loaded Diper, are going to make it - they are going to be the next big thing - and Greg will be right there to ride their coat tails and enjoy the perks of knowing someone famous. Of course, Loaded Diper have to actually make it first. And this requires money (and talent, but let's not talk about that). So when the band realises to get money they need to play gigs, they get Greg to be their roadie, and so he gets to see everything from the inside - the ideas, the creativity, the fighting... will the band make it big? Will they be the legends they think they are?
The 17th installment in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series brings a story where Greg is not the primary focus, Roderick and his band are - Greg has his part and even seems to be growing up, with more consideration for others in his life than the earlier books in the series. Still his unique point of view is present and the book includes plenty of humour, so fans of the series will be keen to get their hands on the latest Kinney book as soon as they can. Lots of lessons are interwoven in with the quips and silliness, with plenty of illustrations to assist the story, making it a light read for children.
Themes Humour; Comedy; Music; Bands; Siblings; Fame; Fortune; Life Goals.
Melanie Pages
The Isabelle stories: Izzy and Belle by Jane Godwin and Robin Cowcher
The Isabelle Stories is a treasure of a novel with four stories about six-year-old Isabelle and her growing friendship with a new year one student called Isobel (Izzy). Isabelle strives so hard to earn Star of the Week, only to see other class members receive it. It doesn’t seem fair. Isabelle just lives with her Dad and they occasionally need to babysit her baby cousin. On a shopping trip for her seventh birthday party, Izzy’s big sisters kindly come to her rescue. Isabelle wrongly believes Izzy has stolen her prize pen and has to admit she was wrong. Finally, Isabelle’s friends and the community create an outdoor house and have a celebration.
These stories are heart-warming observations of real-life situations. Families with diverse structures, school life and friendship issues are very relatable. Readers will identify with Isabelle’s yearning to get Star of the Week. Godwin creates believable characters and captures Isabelle’s point of view so well – a slight puzzlement and timidity with the world, which subtly changes as Isabelle becomes more confident. Isabelle is a thinker and has a great moral compass. Mr. Riled is the perfect older generation deputy principal, who doesn’t know student names and calls them Sonny or Miss. Once again Jane Godwin proves her mastery of writing for young people of all ages. The Isabelle Stories is ideal for newly independent readers, akin to Billie B Brown books. Illustrations by Robin Cowcher effectively compliment the story and help display Isabelle’s talent for picture writing.
Chris Ferrie, Associate Professor at the University of Technology Sydney with a love of quantum physics, has become well-known for his Science baby board books and he has now branched out into the early years of schooling. His book Do You Know Rocket Science? is a Level 1 Brainy Science reader for those beginning readers who are starting to become more independent.
The scientific learning behind this book is rocket science – lift and thrust. It is explained with simple vocabulary and diagrams with clearly drawn arrows to explain air movement. The second part of the book explains how a rocket is lifted up into the sky and moves forward by a force called thrust. Once again the diagrams are very important for understanding.
The text in this early reader is short and accessible with brightly coloured pages, perfect for this age group.
Themes Science, Scientific Theory, Qantum Physics, Rockets, Non-fiction, Early Reader.
Kathryn Beilby
The month that makes the year by Inda Ahmad Zahri
Allen & Unwin, 2023. ISBN: 9781761068423.
This month is different from the others. It starts with the sighting of a new crescent moon. 'Slow down, be kind to yourself and think good thoughts.' This month, we learn to do big things by changing one little thing at a time.
For Deenie, the youngest member of a Muslim family, it is her first time to fast during Ramadan. She wonders how she will survive without food or water until sunset but although she faces some challenges, by the end of the month, she learns that there is a lot more to Ramadan than giving up food and water.
This year, 2023, Ramadan is expected to begin on Wednesday 22 March, following the sighting of the moon over Mecca and last 30 days ending on Friday 21 April, with the celebratory days of Eid al-Fitr starting on Saturday 22 April or Sunday 23 April. While fasting is not compulsory for children, it is seen by many as a rite of passage as they come to learn 'patience, gratitude, self-control, mindfulness and a sense of solidarity with everyone on the planet' as well as 'strengthening [their] faith on [their] bond with Allah' and thus there will be many in our school communities who are going through this period of denial and for whom, as teachers, we must make allowances, not the least of which is ensuring other students have some idea of this important time in the lives of their classmates.
Told in the first person by a Muslim who has practised the tradition since being a child, its narrative format makes this a personal story that connects to both those of the faith, and those outside it. Other Muslim children will enjoy seeing themselves in a book that acknowledges their beliefs while showing that it is a struggle to go without and there will be times that they, too, might falter but that there is much that can be gained by distracting their thoughts from hunger and thirst. Sharing it with all our students will also raise awareness with non-Muslim children helping them to understand not just why their friends might be unable to participate as they normally do, but also the deeper reasons. As well as the enlightening introduction, there is also a glossary to help students understand not only the meaning of some of the terms but also their deeper implications.
From the first year of school, the Australian Curriculum has outcomes explicitly supporting 'students to recognise the emotions, abilities, needs and concerns of others [and to] develop their understanding about how respecting the perspectives, emotional states and needs of others is essential to social interactions' and this is an ideal book to meet that goal. It might even be an opportunity for all to share their own religious beliefs, customs and traditions so that they can provide a foundation for investigation throughout the year as they occur.
The Blinky Bill stories will be familiar to many of the older generation of readers. Dorrie is an ingeniously written and strikingly illustrated picture book by Tania McCartney that will reintroduce Dorothy Wall to a new generation of readers.
The story of Dorothy, or Dorrie as she was known, begins in New Zealand in 1894. Dorrie had an idyllic childhood where she was free to dance, sing, play the piano and create with paint, metal, fabric, paper, and a little bit of stardust. In 1914 Dorrie moved to Australia where she worked as a book cover designer and freelance artist. It was here that she began to write about a mischievous koala she named Blinky Bill.
Tania McCartney has created a beautiful tribute to Dorothy Wall who found her circumstances later in life very challenging. Dorrie is full of gorgeous and engaging illustrations with the text cleverly spread throughout the pages. At the end of the book there is more information about Dorothy Wall which may encourage readers to research further and seek out the Blinky Bill books.
This is a very special book and one to be treasured.
A drowning accident sees eleven-year-old Jake caught in a strange afterlife inhabited by animals waiting to be reunited with their former owners or Givers. He gradually befriends the huge and stoic Ursus, a dog that has been cruelly treated by humans, but who takes on the role of Jake’s guide and guardian.
Jake embarks on a quest, to find out what has happened to the dogs that have gone missing, and to save the animals from the cruel junk men, the Malbinocks or Bad-watchers who torture and kill at night. It is a quest that sees him recognise the roles that humans assume in relation to animals, the Givers, the Riders, the Keepers, and the Makers, and in the process, comes to understand how much humans misuse and ill-treat the creatures that are dependent on them.
Jake has to learn how to overcome his fears, restrain his anger, and give and accept kindness, lessons that he learns from his little group of companions, Ursus, Blue the horse, the little dog Gordon, and Azrak the rat, all admirable characters.
In his journey, Jake moves from one ordeal to another, learning kindness, compassion, trust, courage, and bravery. At the same time he is haunted by a recurring dream of a sad woman, waiting somewhere. Only when he has fulfilled his quest can he break through to find his place in the world again.
A place to run free is a story that would engage young adult readers who enjoy fantasy, but particularly readers who are dog lovers and pet owners as LaReaux’s depiction of each of the animal companions is so lifelike and captivating. They each have their own personality and quirks that just make you smile in recognition.
Themes Quest, Coming of age, Courage, Dogs, Abuse of animals, Fantasy.
Helen Eddy
Growing green: A first book of gardening by Daniela Sosa illus.
The beautiful embossed cover of Growing Green will be a drawcard for young children. The bright colours of all items garden related plus a number of busy, happy children will guarantee a growing audience.
The contents page has sixteen chapters beginning with a ‘Getting Started’ page with tips on what basic items will be needed to start gardening, followed by fifteen different fruit and vegetables to be grown. These include strawberries grown in Wellington boots, tomatoes, Dwarf French beans, new potatoes, carrots, sweetcorn, pumpkins, avocado pits, radishes, cress heads, tin can herb garden, salad leaves, nasturtiums and finally sunflowers.
Each fruit or vegetable has a double page spread with an introduction to the plant, a ‘You will need’ segment with illustrations plus a ‘How to Grow’ section with step-by-step instructions and clear images. On each page there is also a season, time and environment table. On some of the pages there is a ‘Did you know?’ bubble with further information about the fruit or vegetable.
The glorious illustrations throughout this book plus the vibrant final endpapers will appeal to children and engage them in the task at hand. With support from a trusted adult this book may provide hours of enjoyment. Teachers may find this a useful text when teaching procedure as it is clearly set out and easy to follow.
In Plume: festival seeker, Plume excitedly sets up a calendar of world festivals and invites all his penguin friends to join him on a festival tour of the world on the Albatross Express. Even after offering chocolate as an enticement, no one wants to join him, so he heads off on his own with Ava the albatross.
Their first stop is Scotland to celebrate the Up Helly Aa, where a Viking boat called a galley is set on fire. This celebrates the end of the Christmas season. Plume returns home to have a fire festival with his friends but fire and ice do not mix! A month later Plume flies into Brazil to celibrate the Rio Carnival where Portuguese culture is celebrated with colour, music and spectacular costumes. He tries to do the same in Antarctica, but it just does not work. Next Plume is off to India to celebrate Holi. The spreading of colour is everywhere but once again, it just does not appeal to his penguin friends in Antarctica.
Throughout the rest of the year, Plume travels to Guatemala to celebrate Easter, Algeria to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, South Korea to celebrate the Boryeong Mud Festival, in Spain, La Tomatina, in Costa Rica, the Day Of Masquerade, and Diwali in Fiji. Finally, it is Christmas Eve in Antarctica and Plume tempts his friends with all sorts of Christmas treats. When he wakes up, Plume discovers his penguin friends have a wonderful surprise in store for him.
As with the other earlier books in the series, these beautifully illustrated and engaging stories full of diverse cultural snapshots are a must have for all home, school and public libraries.
Themes Penguins, World Festivals, Culture, Diversity.
Australian pop artist Isaiah Firebrace is a proud Yorta Yorta and Gunditjmara man who grew up on the banks of the Murray River. His first picture book, Come Together: Things Every Aussie Kid Should Know about the First Peoples is a wonderful introduction and reflection of First Nations People and their Culture. Perfect for both children and adults.
The book begins with an explanation of Welcome to Country and Acknowledgment of Country. This is followed by information about Ceremonies and their important connection for the author. Fascinating topics are discussed throughout the book and include Oldest Continuing Culture, First Inventions which highlights Ngarrindjeri man David Unaipon, Caring for Country, The Dreaming, Creation Stories, Songlines, Elders, Clans and Languages, Totems, Flags, Seasons, Astronomy, Food, Music and Dance, Yidaki (didgeridoo), Dot Painting, Art, Marngrook which inspired AFL, Significant Annual Events such as National Reconciliation Week and Naidoc Week, and The Stolen Generations.
The bold and vibrant illustrations in earthy tones are by self-taught illustrator Jaelyn Biumaiwai of Mununjali and Fijian ancestry. They are simply stunning and reflect the uniqueness of this very significant publication. There is so much to learn and understand about First Nations People and the strong message in this book is that we can Come Together in harmony. It is imperative that this book is shared amongst all children and the caring adults in their lives. A must for all school, community and public libraries.
Themes First Nations People and Culture, Living in Harmony.
Kathryn Beilby
The sinister booksellers of Bath by Garth Nix
Allen & Unwin, 2023. ISBN: 9781761180002. (Age:14+) Highly recommended.
I am a fan of The left-handed booksellers of London and was thrilled to be given the sequel, starring Susan Arkshaw an art student with a magical heritage, the left-handed bookseller Merlin and his right-handed sister, Vivien. When they uncover a sorcerous map, Merlin vanishes, and Susan and Vivien must attempt to rescue him, battling statues that come to life and a serial killer, the Lady of Stone, who is determined to murder unsuspecting people.
This time Nix has moved from London and set his story in Bath, where Sulis Minerva rules the ancient hot spring. Readers who have enjoyed stories set in the Regency period in Bath will readily recognise the ancient buildings and parks. The mythical place that Merlin finds himself marooned in, is fascinating too, with its living statues made of Portland Stone, maze and old manor. Against this vivid setting, Susan, who had decided that she wanted to pursue her art, finds that she must leave her aspirations for a normal life and use her knowledge of art and magical powers to locate Merlin. There is also the mystery of all the disappearances of so many people over the centuries and the question of what the Lady of Stone intends for the inhabitants of Bath.
Susan and Merlin’s romance slows down in The Sinister Booksellers of Bath as Susan is afraid that she will be dragged into the supernatural life of her father who is due to rise in the New Year. She also fears that the booksellers may pull her into dangerous alternative worlds like the one which has captured Merlin. However their attraction for each other doesn’t fade, and Susan knows that she must rescue Merlin, regardless of the consequences for her aims to be normal. And the action and danger that she, Merlin and Vivien face will keep the reader rivetted to the page.
Garth Nix’s world building and characterisation are so good that readers are certain to want to read anything else that he has written, in particular The Old Kingdom series starting with Sabriel. Fans may also like books by Neil Gaiman, Diana Wynne Jones and Jaclyn Moriarty. A teaching resource is available.
Themes Fantasy, Bath, Magic, Monsters, Booksellers and bookselling.
Pat Pledger
No words by Maryam Master
Pan Macmillan Australia, 2022. ISBN: 9781760983529. (Age:9-12) Highly recommended.
This is a funny heart-warming story about friendship and acceptance of diversity. It centres around two young girls and the new boy in school, Aria, or Mute Boy, as he is teased by the others. Hero, named by her father after a Shakespearean character, and Jaz, her highly enthusiastic best friend, try to protect Aria from the school bully Rufus. The chapters fly by as Hero recounts embarrassing family situations and school mishaps. But gradually we also build up a picture of Aria, a refugee from Iran, as interweaving chapters tell of his family’s escape from persecution.
Much of the humour comes from scenes involving Hero’s father who seems to have bi-polar disorder. It is when he is UP with determination and drive that he inspires the trio of friends to overcome their fears and take on a challenge that will free Aria from his silence.
Maryam Master, an Iranian Australian, has written an uplifting story that has many funny moments, but also manages to deal with serious issues of bullying, refugees, and mental health, in a way that is easy to read and understand. The chapters are short and the print is broken up with different text highlights; a format that is sure to appeal to young readers. As a whole it makes for a fun and rewarding read with really positive messages about overcoming fear and finding inner strength.
A lively colourful look at a neighbourhood and all of its inhabitants will catch the eye of early readers as they peruse the detailed illustrations and listen to the spare text. A neighbourhood is a community of different people, and when new children move in the local children take them around the streets to show them what is there but also to tell them that everyone is welcome. The refrain, ‘we are all neighbours here’ appears every few pages, marking the end of a stanza of rhyming lines which tell the newcomers about the community in which they now live.
Words like meet and greet, work together, smile and laugh, belong, sharing and so on set the tone of a cooperative community in which everyone shares. A diverse community is shown with a range of ethnic backgrounds depicted, making up a community where support and kindness, sharing and love is apparent as everyone is welcome.
This gloriously positive book shines with possibilities as children appreciate the sentiments shown. They will look at their own neighbourhoods alive with the thought of being inclusive and welcoming, friendly and sharing. They will look again at what their community offers them and new comers, assess how welcoming they are when new people join them, and think about ways they can encourage everyone to feel part of their neighbourhood.
An engaging positive model of good neighbourly behaviour will be part of any school’s promotion of inclusivity and community.
Lively illustrations promote those places within a community which are shared places, encouraging people to join in: libraries, schools, playgrounds, cafes, community centres, all figure prominently.
And there are pop up cars, lots of balloons and street music to enjoy.
This book follows on from two others, All are welcome, and Big feelings, which promote similar themes of positivity.
It's up to us: A children's Terra Carta for nature, people & planet by Christopher Lloyd
What on Earth Books, 2022. ISBN: 9781913750558. (Age:6 - Adult) Highly recommended.
This beautiful non-fiction release for children is… 'based on the Terra Carta – a road map that was created by HRH The Prince of Wales and his Sustainable Markets Initiative to put Nature, People and Planet at the heart of global value creation.' The forward by HRH The Prince of Wales talks about children being connected to Nature and he hopes that this book will inspire them to discover, celebrate, support and care for our Planet.
The book is divided into four sections: Nature, People, Planet and Terra Carta and has been stunningly illustrated in vibrant colour by 33 artists from around the world. From Australia is well known Aboriginal artist and environmentalist Blak Douglas. His double page spread is striking in concept and reflects the statement on the page about the use of carbon dioxide and the threat to the environment by changing weather conditions. Throughout the first three chapters the emphasis is on how the decisions and actions of humans have brought about great changes in our natural world and the consequences that are being felt now and will continue to be felt if positive change does not happen. The fourth chapter, Terra Carta, shows the reader that we can bring Nature back into balance and highlights a number of 'WE WILL' statements with the final page sharing the declaration: 'We Can do this. We Must do this. And we have to do it Now. Because…… IT’S UP TO US!'
The final pages of the book contain further details about the Terra Carta, a brief bio about each of the 33 artists, information about The Prince’s Foundation as well as a Glossary, a statement about Carbon Footprint and a mention of the Fibonacci spiral that occurs in Nature.
This wonderful resource for all schools and public libraries is a perfect book to share with children in the upcoming Harmony Week March 21-27, 2022.
