Nosy Crow, 2020. ISBN: 9781788003476.
(Ages: 9+) TrooFriend by Kirsty Applebaum is a
thought-provoking look at Androids and the concept of Artificial
Intelligence (AI). The AI topic is sensitively handled and while at
times the situation for Sarah becomes unsafe, her ever-developing
relationship with her Android Ivy is key to the story. Sarah is
given a TrooFriend 560 Mark IV Android as her parents are too busy
and her best friend has moved away. The Android is marketed as the
best kind of friend for a child: I do not Bully I do not Harm I do not Lie I do not Covet or Steal or Envy I am your perfect friend Your one TrooFriend
Sarah would rather have had a dog and does not take to the Android
at first. Eventually she turns Ivy on for more and more hours per
day and discovers Ivy can do amazing things like tidy her room and
play games. Sarah decides to take Ivy to school for Bring Your Tech
To School Day even though there are media reports and demonstrations
that all is not right with this particular model of Android. The
school visit is a disaster for Sarah as Ivy makes inappropriate
comments and Sarah's friendship issues are exacerbated. The negative
media attention surrounding this Android batch reaches fever pitch
as another child is injured. Meanwhile Sarah has realised that Ivy
has developed human feelings and is responding in ways unusual for
an Android. Her parents are influenced by the media reports and want
to return Ivy to the factory where the Androids will be destroyed.
Sarah decides to take Ivy and run away but a dangerous situation
develops. Eventually Sarah's enduring friendship with Ivy enables
Ivy to be safely hidden away.
There are a number of social and family issues shared throughout the
story that will be familiar to readers, i.e. fitting in, impressing
the popular girl and feeling alone. This would be a fascinating read
aloud to a middle grade class as it offers a different view of
friendship and the resulting discussion would be both interesting
and beneficial. Themes: Family, School, Relationships, Feelings,
Friendships, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Technology, STEM.
Kathryn Beilby
Star Wars: Use the force! Discover what it takes to be a Jedi by Christian Blauvelt
Illus. by Dan Crisp and Jon Hall. DK, 2020. ISBN: 9780241409183.
(Age: 7-10) Recommended. From the very moment I had this book in my
hand I knew that my 9 year old son would love it! The cover is
bright blue with a vibrant yellow, has a variety of font types and
images of popular Star Wars characters. Upon opening and
reading the book my thoughts were justified. Written as a
non-fiction book (with contents page, glossary, and index) each page
is filled with Star Wars based information, images from the
films but also funny drawings, interesting fonts and contrasting
colours. The language used is a casual, conversational tone and
includes anecdotes from the movies (which was an added bonus for me
as I will admit that I am not a huge Star Wars fan . . . )
I thought this book was well written for the 7-10 years group,
however both younger and older readers can appreciate different
parts of it. This text would also be brilliant for a reluctant
reader who is a Star Wars fan (like my 9 year old), as the
images and drawn illustrations add a really engaging factor to this
book. It would also be a great introduction to the non-fiction
aspects of texts.
My 9 year old son wrote this about the book "It was a good book. I
liked that it had facts. I really liked the pictures; some were
drawn and some were photos. If I was going to change anything, I
would make it have more colours. I think kids aged 7 and up would
like this-especially if they are Star Wars fans!"
Lauren Fountain
Elephant me by Giles Andreae
Illus. by Guy Parker-Rees. Hachette, 2020. ISBN: 9781408356524.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. When Elephant Mighty sits on his throne, he
asks all the young elephants to come forward and show what they can
do. In this way the younger elephants are given their name,
reflecting their talent. Enthusiastically they all line up,
proudly demonstrating their abilities, eagerly waiting for their
name to be given by the great king.
One pulls a tree out of the ground and gets the name, Elephant
Strong, another trumpets so loudly he is given the name, Elephant
Noisy, and at the end of the day when all the elephants have their
names, only one small elephant is left. He is unsure of what talents
he has, and tries to show some tricks to the crowd, but they laugh,
and Elephant Mighty calls him Elephant Nothing At All.
Told in four line stanzas, the story builds up to the point where
the little elephant is derided by the others, the audience now will
have realised that the tale is about bullying and how easily
people's self esteem is undermined.
Nunn-Nunn moves away and lives near a waterhole with a bunch of
other animals. One day the warthog asks him why he is there and when
he explains, the other animals are aghast, after all he is friendly,
and kind and true. They remind him that he is unique, for in all the
world, there is only one of him.
So they all descend on Elephant Mighty and state their case, that
each elephant is unique. This brings Elephant Mighty to tears,
because his name has meant that there are things he would like to do
but cannot.
So everyone decides that they should be able to do what they want to
do, not be hamstrung by names and expectations, neatly encouraging
readers to think about their own talents and self image, especially
in relation to the expectations of those around them.
An empowering tale told by the creators of the award winning, Giraffes
can't dance (2019).
Themes: Humour, Elephants, Africa, Self image, Isolation, Talents,
Self esteem, Empowerment.
Fran Knight
Orla and the Serpent's Curse by C.J. Haslam
Walker Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781406388480. 300pp.
(Age: 11+) Recommended. Twelve year old Orla and her family head off
on a much needed holiday to Cornwall. The believable banter on the
car trip reveals her older brother Richard is vain and only
concerned there won't be any WiFi at their destination, her younger
brother Tom is annoying and her mother is exhausted. We also soon
become privy to the humorous thoughts of Dave, their pet Jack
Russell. The family have been invited to stay in a cottage, which
Orla is told once belonged to a witch. Orla is keen to get out and
explore this coastal environment but observes that the area is
weirdly bereft of virtually all animals. She discovers an ancient
necklace that has extraordinary powers and is keenly sought after by
modern day witches (or pellers). Her nightmares become real events
which involve an incident that occurred two hundred years ago
between a witch and pirate. Orla is descended from this witch and
has the power to prevent a pending disaster but she needs to enlist
the help of her brothers, a new friend and Dave. They must also keep
their mother from knowing what they are doing. It becomes a race to
beat an evil peller, who is seemingly a sweet old lady, and stop the
necklace from creating global mayhem.
You need to keep your wits about you in this action packed fantasy.
There's a lot to keep track of with time travel, potions and spells,
shipwrecks, a bit of Cornish folklore and many grim deaths. Although
there are serious moments the author off-sets this with many
colourful characters and humour. The entertaining conversation keeps
you interested. Orla is smart and brave, as is Dave the dog! It will
suit a confident reader around 11 years plus, who will hopefully
enjoy this tale of witchcraft with a healthy dose of scepticism. It
is original in the way it combines so many fantasy elements but in a
modern world.
Jo Marshall
Peppa Pig : Peppa at the Aquarium
Penguin Random House Children's UK, 2020. ISBN: 9780241411797.
(Ages: 2-4) Peppa's goldfish is looking sad so Peppa and her family
head off to the aquarium to try and find her a friend. They see
jellyfish, a big blue fish and some seahorses, but nothing that
seems like a good friend for Goldie. But when they get to the cafe,
Peppa spots something behind the cupcakes. 'Who's that . . . , Miss
Rabbit?' 'It's Ginger, my goldfish'. The perfect friend for
Goldie!
Little ones will delight in lifting the flaps to find the aquarium
animals and seeing their beloved Peppa on the pages of this new
book. There are quite a few other titles in this Lift-the-Flap
series now, including Up and Down, At the Zoo and Night
Creatures. They are short and sure to engage little Peppa Pig
fans, both during independent and shared reading. Themes; Peppa Pig,
Aquariums, Sea creatures, Lift-the-flap book, Board book.
Nicole Nelson
The power of positive pranking by Nat Amoore
Penguin, 2020. ISBN: 9780143796381.
(Ages: 9+). Highly recommended. The power of positive pranking
by Nat Amoore is a powerful and uplifting middle grade read. Three
environmentally aware and pro-active children with wisdom and
creative problem solving beyond their years keep the reader highly
entertained and engaged in the eventful storyline. Casey, Zeke and
Cookie are the only members of the Green Peas tribe which practices
environmental activism through positive pranking. They have their
own manifesto of twenty-six rules which are each identified as the
chapter headings. The first chapter begins with a school assembly
and a series of hidden alarm clocks set to go off at intervals with
the final alarm going off under the Principal's chair. Needless to
say pandemonium sets in and the grand finale prank is a banner
dropping from the ceiling stating: WAKE UP! DINOSAURS THOUGHT THEY
HAD TIME TOO. SAVE OUR PLANET NOW. The three children are never
suspected and have made a positive thought-provoking statement which
begins some classroom discussion although the Principal is
definitely not happy. Each of the three members bring different
skills to the action group: Casey is the ideas person who organises
and plans everything, Zeke is the tech guy who considers himself a Ninja
and Cookie is super creative and arty. All three children come from
very different and diverse backgrounds: Zeke from a large blended
family, Cookie has two dads and Casey lives with her father and
grandfather who are both deaf. Casey's mother passed away when she
was young and shared throughout the book are Trixie's recipe cards
with meaningful thoughts for Casey written on them. When Mayor
Lupphol visits the school, the Green Peas once again make a stand
which is broadcast over the Internet and through Casey's
Grandfather's lip reading skills, the tribe learns that the crooked
Mayor has a major and sinister plan in place. With support from
other students and adults the plan is foiled in a cunning and
collaborative effort.
The author has cleverly connected her first novel Secrets
of a schoolyard millionaire to the story by three of her
characters Tess, Toby and Kathy joining the Green Peas. The
power of positive pranking encourages children to see that
they can make a difference in climate change and environmental
issues. This novel would be a wonderful read aloud to be shared in
the classroom as there are so many important learning points and
issues to be discussed. Themes: Family, School, Relationships,
Disability, Diversity, Activism, Grief, Humour, Environmental
issues, Sustainability.
Kathryn Beilby
Let's go on a tractor by Rosalyn Albert
Illus. by Natalia Moore. Let's go series. New Frontier,
2020. ISBN: 9781912858262. 20pp. board book. Let's go on a tractor is a short rhyming board book aimed at
toddlers. It has a simple rhyme to follow and bright illustrations
that will capture the eye of any young reader. The book is full of
concepts related to a farm such as the tractor, animals (and their
noises), growing crops, hay, getting muddy and then getting clean!
This would be a great book for both children who know about farms as
they would no doubt delight in finding and naming all the things
they know about but also introducing a wide array of things to a
much younger child.
This book is just one from the Let's Go! series which
features a rocket, ferry and train. These books also feature the
same six characters which adds another element of connection for the
reader.
These board books are also nice and sturdy so would easily stand up
to the often rough handling they can get from a toddler.
It could also tolerate a gentle wipe over if needed.
Overall a good book for a toddler's collection, with nice pictures
and both interesting and relevant concepts.
Lauren Fountain
The theory of hummingbirds by Michelle Kadarusman
University of Queensland Press, 2020. ISBN: 9780702262920.
(Age: 8-12) Highly recommended. "Love who you are and love what you
do" is a quote from Alba, the main character in this book, that sums
up what the author is trying to say with this story. It was written
from the personal experiences of the author having the same
condition as a child. Alba has always felt different and very
self-conscious because of her Club foot (named Cleo) as well as the
fact that she has never been able to run. She is best friends with
Levi, who also cannot run because of his severe asthma. They hang
around in the library together most lunchtimes and are both obsessed
with hummingbirds. The book is dotted with wonderful facts about
them, one of which is that hummingbirds never walk because their
feet are too small; they perch or fly.
Levi and Alba both have big ideas. Alba is certain that when her
final cast comes off, she will finally be able to run. So, Alba
decides she wants to run in the next cross-country event instead of
being the timekeeper. Levi (a Steve Hawking fan) is investigating
the idea that the School Librarian has stumbled into a wormhole in
her office when she mysteriously disappears each lunch time. The big
ideas cause friction between the two friends and they need to
reassess their attitudes to realize what they are missing by being
stubborn.
A wonderful story that has many other story threads that are wound
around the central theme, including her relationship with her single
mother, Alba's inability to recognize that Miranda Grey (the best
runner in the school) wants to be her friend and the interactions
with the wonderful doctor who is treating Alba's club foot. Themes:
Friendship, Disability.
Gabrielle Anderson
The Goodbye Man by Jeffery Deaver
Colter Shaw book 2. HarperCollins, 2020. ISBN: 9780008382339.
(Age: Adult - Senior secondary) Recommended for fans of the author.
The second in this series about hero Colter Shaw is sure to give
fans of the thriller/adventure genre a satisfying read. After
chasing two young men accused of hate crimes, Colter follows a
series of clues that brings him to the Foundation, an organisation
that apparently helps those who are bereaved and where the young men
seem to have been heading. Colter has his doubts about the
charismatic leader and whether it is in fact a cult and decides to
investigate what is happening there.
Colter is an unusual hero; he chases criminals and investigates
missing person cases as a reward seeker. He is enigmatic and has
excellent connections and back-up when he wants help or background
research done. His family background is one of being taught to
survive in all types of conditions, and this training proves very
valuable as he prowls around the grounds of the Foundation.
Deaver keeps up the suspense as Colter goes undercover into the
Foundation, leaving readers on the edge of their seats wondering if
he will be exposed and what will happen to him. There are many
twists and some very unexpected surprises as he gradually unearths
the secrets that are being hidden at the compound. At the same time
Colter is trying to unravel the secret that his father had left many
years before, this time getting closer to the meaning of the message
that might have deadly consequences for him.
Although it could be read as a stand-alone, readers will understand
and relate to the inscrutable Colter Shaw if they have read the
first in the series, The
Never Game, and the cliff-hanger ending of The
Goodbye Man will ensure that readers pick up the next in the
series, wanting to see where Colter's quest to uncover his father's
secrets might lead him.
Pat Pledger
Clementine and Rudy by Siobhan Curham
Walker Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781406390230.
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. This is a joyous uplifting story of
two girls, from different walks of life, finding a shared passion
for art and poetry, in an unlikely collaboration that sustains them
through family difficulties and into an optimistic future.
Alternating chapters lead us into the lives of Rudy, stealthy street
artist by night and vegan cafe worker by day, and Clementine, dance
student and budding poet, admirer of Emily Dickinson. When
Clementine sees Rudy's artwork on a wall she is inspired to write a
poem that she posts on Instagram; Rudy in turn is inspired by
Clementine to create further artscapes.
Each of the girls is dealing with stepfather issues, but this is not
a book about abuse, but one of finding one's dreams and pursuing
them. Rudy and Clementine come from different backgrounds, but their
common interest sustains them, and not even their shared interest in
young musician friend Tyler comes between them. They know that their
friendship and their art are the most important things.
It is so enjoyable to read a book with such positive messages about
friendship, and following one's dreams. Themes: Street art, Poetry,
Friendship, Collaboration.
Helen Eddy
Little Disasters by Sarah Vaughan
Simon & Schuster 2020. ISBN: 9781471194900.
The excerpt from Silvia Plath's poem "Morning Song" introduces us to
the world of a new mother, the stresses of which are emphatically
described in the prologue; the detached narrator observing the
mother wish her inconsolable child "to be silent always" p4. The
story revolves around a group of women who met at a 2007 antenatal
class, from the point of view of Liz, a senior registrar in
paediatrics at a London hospital, and Jess, the stay at home wife of
a hedge funds manager. The timeline flits between significant dates,
reaching back to when the women met but starting at January 19th
2018 when Jess turns up at the hospital with baby Betsey who has a
fractured skull. As the injury does not match the explanation Jess
gives as to how it happened, Liz alerts the senior consultant who in
turn decides Social Services need to be alerted. The resulting
inquiry challenges the women's friendship and Liz's professional
judgement and involves their wider circle of mothers making
judgements about each other.
Other aspects of the women's lives emerge as the truth of the matter
is pursued including how they were mothered, earlier relationships
and the tension between stay at home mothers and those who work. At
times the timeline was hard to follow and the complication of the
Charlotte character at the end was unnecessary but this is a book
for young women who seem to thrive on judging other women and their
life choices. I found it difficult to accept the failure of those
around Jess to recognise her need for psychological support, maybe
readers will be made more alert. Lovers of women's fiction and
domestic drama will enjoy this book.
Sue Speck
Bluey : All About Bluey by Bluey
Penguin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760898304.
(Age: Preschool -5) Recommended. A large board book shaped just like
the very popular TV character, All about Bluey is sure to be
a hit with young children who love the award winning TV series.
Bluey is a 6 year old blue heeler who lives with her mum, a red
heeler, and dad, a blue heeler, and little sister Bingo, a red
heeler.
Bluey's antics and family have made her a beloved character and All
about Bluey will give children the chance to enjoy her
imagination and games between the pages of a book, rather than on
the screen. This makes it a perfect book for bedtime stories, or for
a newly independent reader to read things that they will be
instantly familiar with.
Right from the first page when Bluey says she has an idea, her
imagination is portrayed as she makes up games with Bingo and her
friends. Readers will recognise how difficult it can be to make the
rules for games and will identify with Bluey's classroom where
everyone has different skills and likes to make up different games.
Bluey also has lots of silly fun at home with her father, and the
illustrations are very enjoyable as the pair wrestle and dance
together. Bright colours, beautiful backgrounds and warm expressions
on the faces of the family members make this a lovely book to have
in the home or classroom.
Pat Pledger
The Little Engine that could by Watty Piper
Illus. by Dan Santat. Penguin Random House, 2020. ISBN:
9780593094396.
(Ages: 3-7) A classic children's tale first published in 1930,
The Little Engine that could shows the power of kindness and
determination. This 90th anniversary edition has a heartfelt
introduction by Dolly Parton and vibrant illustrations by Dan
Santat, complete with wide open spaces, sunlit fields and blue
skies. The text is completely unchanged from the original so is a
little outdated (the train is still carrying jackknives and glass
bottles of creamy milk for the boys and girls) but this simply adds
to the magic and timelessness of the story as a whole.
For those unfamiliar with the story, a happy little train is taking
toys and good things to eat to the little boys and girls on the
other side of the mountain. So when the red engine breaks down
suddenly, the toys and dolls attempt to get passing engines to help
them across the mountain. The shiny new passenger engine thinks
itself far too superior to pull the likes of the little train, the
strong freight engine thinks itself far too important and the dingy,
rusty old engine is simply too tired to even try. 'I can not. I can
not. I can not' he chugs as he rumbles off. But the little blue
engine who comes by thinks of the desperate toys and dolls who need
her help and of the good little boys and girls waiting for their
toys and good food. 'I think. I can. I think I can. I think I can',
she says as she tugs and pulls the train over the mountain. The toys
are ecstatic and the little blue engine is proud of herself and her
self-belief.
There is a reason this is a classic and it stands up amazingly to
the test of time. Its simple message is still as relevant as it was
90 years ago: the world needs us to do our very best and being kind
and understanding is just as important as ever. The story shows that
the act of one humble being can have great effect on many, a message
that we want to convey to all our young people who have the
potential to change the world for the better. Themes: Trains,
Determination, Self-belief.
Nicole Nelson
Mabel and the mountain by Kim Hillyard
Ladybird, 2020. ISBN: 9780241407929.
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. Subtitled, A story about believing
in yourself, the wide eyed creature in a smart knitted hat
invites the reader to look further inside, if only to know what this
creature is. We find out soon enough as her route is tracked over
the intervening pages before the story starts, further intriguing
the reader. Mabel is a fly, and Mabel has some very big plans. Her
list of things to do fills a page: climb a mountain, host a dinner
party and make friends with a shark. Readers' imaginations will soar
with Mabel, wondering how a little fly can achieve such momentous
things. When she announces her plans to her friends, they all say
lots of negative things: no, stay at home, flies do not climb,
ridiculous and it can't be done. These derisive comments do not
deter Mabel. She finds a mountain to climb and climbs, passing other
climbers with all the right gear, seeing animals that threaten,
wondering if she has the courage to go on. But a voice tells her to
keep going and she does, arriving at the top of the mountain,
thrilled at what she sees. Returning she finds things have changed:
her friends are no longer derisive, but making plans of their own,
asking her what her next plan is.
And children reading this lovely positive picture book will do just
that: dream about their own big plans and, like Mabel, start straight
away. Like me, readers will look closely at the detail on each page:
the funny fly faces, the things they are dressed in and what they
are holding, the way each fly is made different with what seems like
a few strokes of the pen. A wonderfully positive read, sure to
encourage readers to believe in themselves. Themes: Mountains, Self
awareness, Challenges, Adventure.
Fran Knight
The switch by Beth O'Leary
Quercus 2020. ISBN: 9781787475007.
(Age: Adult) Leena has a job she loves, lives in a trendy flat in
Shoreditch, London, which she shares with flatmates Martha, Yaz and
Fitz. But since the death from cancer of her sister, Carla, she has
been having panic attacks and making mistakes at work. She feels
horror and shame when her boss insists she take two months leave.
Leena is close to her 79 year old grandmother Eileen who lives in
Hamleigh-in-Harkdale. When Leena visits her she finds a list of
unattached men in the small village; Eileen is looking for a new
relationship since husband Wade left her. Leena suggests an online
dating service but there are not many local entries for the older
age group. London offers many more and from this is born the idea of
swapping places while Leena is on leave. Eileen agrees, partly for a
bit of fun but also to break down the barriers between Leena and her
mum Marian, who lives nearby. She has also been struggling to cope
since Carla's death and mother and daughter have barely spoken. So
as Eileen embraces London life Leena sets out to fill her place in
everything from Neighbourhood Watch meetings, dog walking, visiting
Marian and organising the local May festival.
As we follow the narrative, alternating between the point of view of
overachiever Leena and pragmatic Eileen the value of a change of
perspective becomes apparent. The characters are funny and engaging
and the comedy lightens the messages about caring for one another,
the importance of family, acknowledging grief and of course finding
love. A light read for women.
Sue Speck
