Based on the real story of Anita Hemmings – the first Afro-American student to graduate from the prestigious Vassar College, this is an insight into the class, gender and race history of education and the American college system of the late 19th century. The irony of the story is that Anita was able to enrol at this college because she could pass for white, and needed to keep her mixed-race background a secret, because they did not accept ‘coloured’ students. Into this world of privilege and wealth, Anita is initially just an incredibly able and focused student, excelling in Greek, Latin and other languages; she is also admired for her incredible beauty and quiet decorum, and she can also sing. She becomes a well-respected College participant… and her family background remains a mystery. In her final year she rooms with an extremely wealthy and exuberant girl, full of personality and verve. She comes from the New York elite and Anita’s life gains a spark of charismatic possibility by being near her. But still she must keep her humble origins from the attention of all, as attitudes are steeped in racism, and if they knew that she was ‘coloured’, even though she looked ‘white’, her academic dreams would crumble. The guilt of casting off her own black history and passing as a white woman to make her own dreams possible is part of the conflict of her life. ‘Passing’ has a different connotation in this educational setting.
This story is soon to be the basis for a major film, and it is confronting as it deals with the power and seduction of money, the historical awfulness of racism towards the Afro-American community, and the poverty of educational opportunities that followed. All the way through the book there is a tension that Anita will be ‘found out’, and that her innocent and hard-working family will suffer too. The friendships that are forged in the strange land of College life and the educational headiness of the elite world that they move in, with its social connections with Yale and Harvard, and potential romance links, are all intriguing and fraught. Can Anita thrive in this environment or will her life of lies tumble around her? What will happen for all these educated women at the turn of the century, will they just become wives and mothers and lose their dreams for the future? The final chapter reveals Anita’s daughter beginning her own journey at Vassar College. Has anything changed in a generation at the start of the 20th century? This book is worthy of recommendation and I will look forward to the movie’s interpretation of this part of US history.
Note: The Author has fictionalised some of the history, basing the scaffold of the story on the real history of Anita Love (nee Hemmings).
Themes Afro-American history, Race relations, USA – 19th Century, Education, Class, Gender opportunities – History, College education – History, New York, Racism.
A little green thing is in the mouth of a bird flying to a warmer climate. The little green thing drops from the bird’s mouth onto the back of a bear. The little green thing is cold and tries to make the bear understand that it would like to stay in its warmth until it has grown enough to move on at its own volition. Over the season it looks after the bear in return for his warmth: he frightens away a beee, fans the bear when it is hot, guards him when he sleeps. Over the months a friendship develops and when it is time for the little green thing to depart, becoming a big green tree somewhere else, the two part as friends, the tree forever held in the bear’s heart.
A wonderful story of the meaning of friendship, of being together even though you are apart, of the depth of feeling between two friends, this book will appeal to children who like to think more deeply about the vicissitudes of life and all that it offers.
Shortlisted for the 2021 World Illustration Award, this story will appeal to thoughtful and design-conscious picture book buyers. The illustrations are magical, drawing the eye across pages of colour, little suspecting at first what the eye is seeing. Cunningly, the bear is revealed, and we view the spectacle of long dark nights and bright days roll around the pages. Using a small range of colour heightens the intensity of the background, the sweep of browns giving the clue to a long semi dark night, and I loved the image of the trees, saplings still, inhabiting the green hills all around. The small sapling is forever in the bear’s heart, even after the little green thing has moved onto its place in the world.
Cat & Cat adventures: The quest for snacks by Susie Yi
HarperCollins, 2022. ISBN: 9780063083806.
One day when their human leaves for work, Squash and Ginny find themselves in the most unfortunate predicament: without snacks. With a little help from a magical portal, the two cats embark on a quest to find ingredients for a potion that will produce unlimited goodies.
At first, their mission doesn't seem so tough. It takes them on a boat race across Mewmaid Ocean and a hot air balloon ride over Mount Lava. But when the cats reach the Enchanted Rain Forest to gather enchanted rainwater, the last item on their list, their mission runs dry. . . It turns out it hasn't rained in the Enchanted Rain Forest in weeks!
Can Squash and Ginny get to the bottom of what's causing this dry spell and secure the final ingredient they need Or have Squash and Ginny taken their last bite . . . for good?
Ever since comics, and their more sophisticated cousins, graphic novels, have been readily available there has been debate about their validity as reading material, particularly in schools. Despite their popularity with students, there is controversy over whether they are 'real reading' and so to offer a story in graphic novel format that is clearly aimed at young readers may spark discussion, if not debate. While I, as teacher, reviewer, parent and grandparent, have no qualms about the format being one who believes that anything that includes text is available to read, the dichotomy is whether those who have the skills to bring all that is necessary to reading this story, will be engaged by a plot most suited for young readers. Obviously, there are those who are very young who will be able to manage it, but to me, there is a disconnect between the target audience of the narrative and those with the wherewithal to get the most out of it. So while there is clearly a demand for graphic novels, could the story have been presented in a different format and thus reach more readers?
Readers of all ages will laugh uproariously at the dogs in their various disguises, trying to sneak into human confines where no dogs are allowed. From the inviting front cover with a group of dogs making up a handsome looking fellow to the back cover with its heavily moustachioed dog sitting eating a sausage, children will love this tale. Starting with 'Dogs come in all kinds of shapes and disguises, but when no one’s looking they put on disguises’, children will love being involved with the rhyming text, predicting the rhyming word at the end of each refrain. They will laugh at the antics of the dogs trying to look human and laugh with glee at the disguises used. Each word rhymes with a breed of dog, another level of interest and fascination for younger and older readers. Young readers’ favourite will be the two pages about Barney the beagle who cleverly disguises himself as a tree to enable him to get closer to the barbecue in order to steal some meat. But he forgets that other dogs also like trees and the look on his face is just priceless as he gets very wet feet.
The illustrations by John Bond are cleverly entwined with the text, giving another level of humour to an already funny story. Children will love looking at the detail of each dog’s disguise, working out how they could get themselves into those clothes, and working out some disguises for themselves. Dress up is always a favourite time with kids and this story parallels those times at home and at school. Kids will love looking at the expressions on each of the dogs’ faces, working out what they feel and may be thinking, supporting emotional intelligence.
While we can't hug by Eoin McLaughlin Polly Dunbar
Allen & Unwin, 2020. ISBN: 9780571369133.
Hedgehog and Tortoise are the best of friends. They met when each was trying to find someone to give them a hug but now this nasty disease has hit the world, they are not allowed to hug each other any more. And that makes them sad. But then Wise Owl shows them that there are many ways to show your love even if you can't actually touch each other.
This is the sequel to The Hug, and is equally as heart-warming. Even though it was published a year or so ago it is a timely then as it was then with similar social distancing still being in place, although the pandemic is not mentioned because there are many reasons why friends might be separated and unable to hug each other. And while Hedgehog and Tortoise offer a number of suggestions for connections, no doubt the children can offer more and can have fun doing so, putting them into practice so they can catch up with many different unseen people. Remember when people put teddies in their windows so little ones could see them on their daily walk? If not then, why not now? It all goes to telling each other we are seen and loved and thus, protecting and promoting our mental health.
Barbara Braxton
The hug by Eoin McLaughlin Polly Dunbar
Faber Child, 2020. ISBN: 9780571348756.
Hedgehog was feeling sad. As sad as a hedgehog can feel. So sad only one thing could help...
But no matter who he asked, everyone found something more important to do rather than hug this creature with all his prickly prickles.
Meanwhile, coming from the other end of the book...
Tortoise was feeling sad. As sad as a tortoise can feel. So sad only one thing could help...
But no matter who he asked, everyone found something more important to do rather than hug this creature with all his hard shell.
Will they ever find someone to give them the hug they need?
As heartwarming as Guess How Much I Love You, this is a story that shows that no matter how hard or prickly we may seem, everyone needs a hug now and then and an elbow bump, a pretend high-five or a stand-off cuddle just won't cut it! One for the little ones in your life.
Caleb Quinn escapes capture when his mother is taken by three tough and suspicious people, then follows his mum's secret instructions to get to his school, where he needs to find Professor Clay. Unable to find her, he instead searches for his best friend Zen in the dorms, but is unable to find her either. With the aid of Beetlebat, one of Zen's more advanced robots, and the aid of Flex, Caleb's own creation, similar to a smartphone but with much more capacity, Caleb finds his way to Zen. There, Professor Clay informs them that both their families have been taken, and they are targeted by the same people. She gives them a mission of finding out what happened, and hastily inducts them into the Mobius Programme, the rumoured elite of the school. They become Swift and Hawk, and they are following any lead they can to find their families.
Swift and Hawk: Cyberspies is the start of a new teen spy series by Logan Macx. Following the two teenagers who are technologically advanced, readers who are familiar with new technology and technology advancements will find the story easy to follow. Others might struggle with terminology, but still find the novel an enjoyable read. Great for fans of the Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz, this series has more of a gender balance with Zen being present as the rational, clever and skilled fighter of the pair, bringing some strong girl vibes. A slightly older version of Kensy and Max by Jacqueline Harvey, which fans could move to upon completion of that series.
Allen & Unwin, 2022. ISBN: 9781760528270. (Age:13+) Highly recommended.
In his conclusion to the Imposters series Westerfeld brings together Frey and Tally Youngblood from the Uglies series. Frey has spent her life as a stand-in for her sister, facing attacks from assassins, while Tally’s reputation as a rebel leader is well known. Frey is finally free to make her own choices about the family in which she was raised and her sister Rafia who killed the love of her life. Meanwhile Tally has allowed her image to grow while keeping out of the limelight but when an AI threatens to take over the world, they join forces.
The action is breathtaking as the Youngbloods, who are expert riders of their hoverboards, skim over the earth. They face risk after risk as they try and contain the danger that confronts them, and readers are in for a thrilling ride. There are challenging twists and turns, and readers will need to have read the previous books in the series for a full picture of the setting and characters.
People who have not read the Uglies series will want to immediately find those books, as Tally Youngblood is a character that you want to know, while those who are familiar with the series will be thrilled to see how she has developed as a leader. Leadership and ethical behaviour are major themes in the story and both Shay and then Frey are the ones who put the brakes onto their leaders’ behaviour.
This was a fitting end to the Imposters series and an exciting blend of that and the Uglies series. A great read for fans of dystopian adventure stories.
Allen & Unwin, 2022. ISBN: 9781760630799. (Age:14+) Highly recommended.
In an interview with #LoveOzYA Astrid Scholte describes League of liars as ‘a crime fantasy mashup, and it's set in a world where magic can be lured from any shadow to alter time.’ Readers are in for a suspenseful time as Cayder Broduck becomes an apprentice under a public defender in a country that is riddled with magic. He is not prepared for the three young criminals that he is supposed to help defend. One is supposed to be the instigator of the deaths of a whole community, and two other teens have been accused of murder. All three are incarcerated in Vardean, the deadly prison where the most notorious prisoners are kept by the Regency. All have been involved in the illegal use of a strange magic centring around shadows that appear from a tear in the veil in another dimension.
The story is told in alternating short chapters from four points of view, that of Cayder, his sister Leta, Jey and Princess Elenora. Each has a distinct voice, and the reader is drawn to their different characters and plights. Then their stories begin to overlap and as Cayder gets to know more about their cases, he is confronted with disparities and similarities in the evidence that has been collected. Leta has described a giant winged creature, beautifully illustrated in the book, and this description tallies with others that have been discounted. Princess Elenora believes that her brother just disappeared and that she has been unjustly accused of his murder, while Jey is prepared to confess to the murder of his father.
There are twists and turns as the reader tries to work out what is happening, with many surprises on the way. Suspense builds up to a wonderful and unexpected climax when all is revealed, leaving the reading satisfied with the love, courage, and determination that the four teenagers have demonstrated.
Readers who enjoy a thrilling crime fantasy with some enticing illustrations, or who liked Scholte’s previous two books, Four dead queens and The vanishing deep, are in for a treat. Teacher's notes, A Special Message to Teachers and Librarians from the Author and a book trailer are all available from the publisher.
Themes Trials, Magic, Fantasy, Crime.
Pat Pledger
Kangaroo Beach: Sandy's surf school
Macmillan, 2022. ISBN: 9781760989309. (Age:3+)
Kangaroo Beach: Sandy’s Surf School is the fourth book in the Kangaroo Beach series. The stories are based on a children’s television show where the Australian animals are cadet lifeguards. This colourful board book with ‘lift the flaps’ tells the story of cadets Gemma, Pounce, Neville and Frizzy who in this story are learning to surf with Sandy the kangaroo instructor. Before the excited cadets can race into the water there are several skill and safety steps they need to go through. The first one is choosing the right board, followed by practising on the sand. After that they are ready to hit the waves. Poor old Neville does not find surfing in the water easy so his friends decide to help him by practising in the sand dunes. Unfortunately Neville does not excel at sand surfing either but he does comes up with a clever but sneaky solution to his water surfing problem. During the Kangaroo Beach Surfing Carnival, Neville comes unstuck again but manages to safely make it back to shore and even win a medallion.
Those children who are familiar with the TV series may find this book version appealing.
Themes Australian animals, Beach life, Lifeguards, Surfing, Friendship, Water Safety.
The Burning Swift completes the thrilling adventure/fantasy series The Shadow Skye Trilogy. Joseph Elliott has maintained the pace, the savagery and the windswept, unsettling backdrop that accompanies the adventures of the characters who readers of the first two books will see finally completing the terrible challenges that have faced them.
Set in mythical ancient Scotland (Scotia) and the Isle of Skye, the action flows down to England (Ingland) and back in this third novel. Agatha, Jaime and Sigrid's lives are fraught with harrowing danger as they face seemingly unstoppable foes including starving, cannibalistic women of Ingland, death rats, medieval armoury including catapults and crossbows with poisoned spears, cauldrons of burning sand poured from castle battlements and imprisonment in the dankest of prisons. King Edmund of Ingland is assassinated but is immediately replaced by the evil Kong Grimr and the army heading to overtake the north is immense and all powerful. Unlikely allies as they are, Agatha, Sigrid and Jaime have to unite to protect their clan and they receive unexpected support from strange places.
Readers of the first two books in the series, already familiar with our trio of heroes, know the intimate thoughts, distinctive voices and resultant actions of Agatha, Jaime and Sigrid as the first person narrative alternates chapter by chapter between them. Through this literary technique the reader has access to the clear and open thinking of Agatha, the fearless, daring of Sigrid and the troubled bravery of Jaime as they unite the northern people of Scotia as war from the south comes to the island of Skye.
Ancient and forbidden black magic is invoked. A terrible final battle occurs. There is death, savagery, betrayal, heroism and love. There are reunions. Throughout it all, Elliot maintains these three very special heroes; three very rounded characters. Each character has flaws and each character grows. Agatha, arguably the favourite, is a new kind of character to be represented in literature. She has Down Syndrome. As Aisha Bushby, author of a pocketful of Stars states, "Forget Gryffindor, Dauntless and House Stark...I want to be a Hawk."
The Burning Swift is a beautiful book. Although dark and grisly and at times brutal, the whole trilogy is full of great hope and portrays, through its unforgettable characters, the qualities of human goodness, loyalty and bravery that people can demonstrate even in the most dire situations. This trilogy is recommended as an inspiring read for Middle School age readers.
Themes Ancient mythical Scotland, Dark magic, Clan loyalty, Battle.
Wendy Jeffrey
Trains trains trains! by Donna David and Nina Pirhonen
Pan Macmillan, 2022. ISBN: 9781529069792. (Age:2+) Recommended.
Any young child who is interested in machines or methods of transport will be drawn to the eye-catching blue foil cover of Trains trains trains! with its colourful train full of cute little cartoon figures. There are five trains to find on each double page spread, the illustrations matching the text. This has an internal rhyme which lends itself to being read aloud. Young children will ask for this book to be read to them again and again and will soon be able to chant along with the narrative, while emerging readers will enjoy having a go at reading for themselves or to younger siblings.
Short trains Long trains Something's gone wrong trains!
Steam trains Dream Trains, Listen to them puff.
It is a lot of fun to see all the different types of the 50 trains featured, from very fast modern trains to old steam trains, freight trains and even ‘chugging thought the cold trains’. At the back is an extra fold out page with all the trains grouped together and children are asked to choose their favourite.
The illustrations are very bright and cheerful and the facial expressions on the drivers and passengers are appealing, sure to charm the young child. There is also a Did you spot …? section where children are asked if they saw one of the tiny details in the pictures and the answers are given using the numbers with which the trains are labelled. Plus, there are tips for parents and carers when reading together.
Trains trains trains! is an amusing and informative book that will be welcomed by pre-school children.
Feelings can be complex and often misunderstood by young children who need guidance when dealing with a myriad of emotions and situations in their daily lives. We Feel Happy is a colourful new release that will resonate with younger readers. The use of brightly animated animal characters provides added visual appeal which readers will enjoy. The feelings covered in this book include happy, shy, calm, scared, sad, excited, grumpy, curious, sorry and excited. Each feeling is discussed on a boldly coloured busy double page spread with a number of white conversation bubbles as well as black text to highlight key messages, individual thoughts, questions and responses. The page about grumpy feelings stands out from the other feelings’ pages as it is divided into individual boxes to highlight each reason behind these feelings and a possible solution. At the beginning of the book is a brief introduction asking How are you Feeling? and at end of the book is information for parents and caregivers on how to talk about feelings with young children written by early years specialist, Dr Helen Lewis.
This practical and easy to read book is perfect for sharing with younger children. Early Years teachers in childcare settings, preschool and junior primary classrooms may find this a very useful resource to have on hand when dealing with situations that can arise on a daily basis.
Themes Feelings, Young Children, Animals.
Kathryn Beilby
Return to Factopia! by Kate Hale. Illus. by Andy Smith
Britannica Books, 2022. ISBN: 9781913750398. (Age:7+) Highly recommended.
Return to FACTopia! is the second title in the FACTopia! series. This cleverly illustrated and very appealing compendium of facts will entertain those readers who love learning new snippets of information to share with their friends and family. Over 400 hundred facts are discussed and connected in often quite unexpected ways. The introduction welcomes the reader back to FACTopia and begins with astronauts playing golf on the moon which connects to astronauts growing taller in space which connects to a super tall snowperson who had trees for arms which then connects to information about trees and so it goes on. The reader is able to follow the dotted lines to work their way through the book. However, those readers who wish to deviate and be adventurous can follow broken lines to different page numbers to still related topics. There is a Table of Contents at the beginning of the book which contains the topics investigated but also has ‘Fact Frenzy’ sections where the reader can follow a double page spread of segmented information all interconnected by arrowed boxes. There is a detailed index at the end plus information about the FACTtopians as well as a sources page and picture credits.
One of the highlights of this book is the bold, glossy presentation and the mixed media use of photos and graphics. A second highlight is the fact that the author has limited the amount of information on each page which allows it to be readable and hold the interest of the young or reluctant reader.
A perfect gift for a fact-loving child and a welcome addition to a class or school library.
Themes Facts, Knowledge.
Kathryn Beilby
The Becoming by Nora Roberts
The Dragon Heart Legacy, book 2. Piatkus, 2021. ISBN: 9780349426402. (Age:16+)
The becoming is the second book in The Dragon Heart Legacy by best-selling author Nora Roberts and this time the reader sees Breen return to Talamh. She is accompanied by her good friend Marco, who is amazed at the magical world that he finds there. Breen grows in her powers and becomes much more confident in herself and what she believes. She continues to be trained as a warrior by Keegan and their romance simmers along slowly. Marco also fits in well and even finds a partner who appreciates his qualities.
As the middle book in the trilogy, Roberts builds up the suspense, leaving the reader to wonder if all the preparations for war with the evil god Odran will be adequate. There is a heartbreaking betrayal and some suspenseful moments. With dragons and their riders, faeries and mermaids, readers of easy fantasy will be pleased. Fans of relationships will enjoy the friendship between Marco and Breen and the love her grandmother displays so well. And the cute dog Bollock is an extra bonus for dog lovers!
Roberts has the knack of worldbuilding and describing characters in such a way that the reader is pulled into the story. Her narrative flows easily and will please her many fans. It is best to begin with the first in the series, The awakening.
