Reviews

A really short history of nearly everything by Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson has an insatiable curiosity about how things began and all things Science related. He is well-known for his books on travel, the English language, science and other non-fiction topics. In A Really Short History of Nearly Everything the author has condensed his extensive research into a large, colourfully illustrated book which will appeal to those younger readers who love facts about all sorts of scientific fascinations. The single topic double page spreads have cartoon-style drawings with various facts highlighted and the information presented in a clear and easy to read and follow format. The detailed contents page has the myriad of topics covered listed under seven distinctive headings. Following this is a welcoming foreword by Bill Bryson where he gives the reader an overview of his questioning and searching and where this has lead him. All sorts of facts about atoms, dinosaurs, meteors, inventors and scientists, the age of Earth as well as our own body bacteria are some of the engrossing areas of interest. For those of us who have had to learn and memorise the Periodic Table there is some interesting background information given and an explanation of how the table was formed. At the end of the book there is an extensive index as well as picture credits.

This book would be a welcome and valuable addition to a classroom or home library.

Themes Science, History, Time, Space, Human Body, Our Earth.

Kathryn Beilby

Wolf Girl 4: The Traitor by Ahn Do

The Traitor is the fourth thrilling book in the Anh Do series about Gwen, her newest companion Rupert, a pack of dogs and an eagle who are searching for lost humans in this dystopian setting. The dogs are searching for their owners and the two children are on the trail of their parents. In this story the pack are attempting to follow the scent of Gwen's mother's scarf and heading into unknown territory. When the wolf Sunrise splits mysteriously from the pack after sniffing the scarf, Gwen is both devastated and disappointed as she strongly felt the pack was bound by trust. The pack then makes a decision to track Sunrise. It is up to Nosey to follow her trail and they are lead into a dangerous reptile park where gigantic lizards, Komodo Dragons, anacondas, rattlesnakes and iguanas do their best to trap the intruders. After a challenging battle and difficult escape the pack are led by Sunrise's scent to a heavily guarded mansion with satellite towers and guards, both human and animal. It is there they find Sunrise who has reunited with her family. Will Sunrise choose her family over her new pack? Will Gwen, Rupert and the pack escape from the dreaded Captain Stone? Will Gwen and Rupert find a new lead to tracking down their parents? Two of these questions will be answered but one will be revealed in further books.

The pack has a difficult journey ahead but Anh Do keeps the young reader on the knife-edge wanting to know more and see a resolution for all who are searching.

Lachlan Creagh's illustrations continue to support the text making this series an excellent read for those reluctant readers who enjoy visuals images to maintain their interest.

Kathryn Beilby

Old enough to save the planet by Loll Kirby. Illus. by Adelina Lirius

Old Enough to Save the Planet champions children and teenagers who are involved in climate change projects. What an uplifting and engaging book which shows that even simple activities such as turning school food waste into compost for the city makes a big difference. Twelve children from across the world have been chosen as ambassadors.

Felix from Germany began Plant for the Planet when he was nine, encouraging local school children to plant new trees when forests are cut down. When she was twelve, Adeline from Indonesia formed Friends of Nature after flooding impacted the native mango trees and caused problems with the natural environment. Shalise from Australia began a campaign to clean up beach pollution at the age of eleven.

Each double page spread is beautifully illustrated showing the environment where each ambassador began their campaigns. The text flows throughout the colourful pages, describing how the children began their actions and notes about the impact of climate change, human pollution, gas emissions, poaching and rainforest decimation occurs. Empowering statements written in bold are the titles for each changemaker, Hengde School in China - 'we're dedicated enough to save water.'

Old Enough to Save the Planet is an excellent resource for Environmental Education, in primary and lower secondary schools. Adeline Lirius uses natural tones and brings the different environments to life. Finally, there are action plans for ways for children and teens to begin their own campaigns and make their causes heard. Real photos and links to websites would have added the impetus for further research.

Rhyllis Bignell

Yorick and Bones by Jeremy Tankard and Hermione Tankard

This is an hilarious story about a skeleton who is roused from his death when a hot dog vendor collides with a witch causing a potion she's carrying to spill from her hands and seep into Yorick's grave. He awakens, surprised to find he has slept so long that he has lost his memory until a dog digs him up. All that Yorick wants is a sausage and someone to share it with but while he finds the sausage easily enough, finding a friend is a harder task.

Subtitled The lost graphic novel by William Shakespeare, this is a graphic novel for the upper end of the readership of this blog because the text has been written in Shakespeare's language and iambic pentameter rhythm, making it one for those independent enough to cope with that. At the same time, it may well capture older readers' imagination, particularly those familiar with Shakespeare's works as there are references that have been cleverly adapted throughout. Something different to offer those who declare that they have 'read everything'.

Barbara Braxton

Harry Potter:The broom collection by Jody Revenson

The Broom Collection and Other Artefacts from the Wizarding World is a beautifully presented companion to The Wand Collection in which all the magical wands used by each character in the ever-popular Harry Potter movies were profiled in a visually stunning book. This next book is just as appealing and discusses enchanted broomsticks, the characters who ride them and their creators. For example, Alastor ‘Mad-Eye’ Moody’s broom was designed by concept artist Adam Brockbank who was inspired by Moody's 'gun-slinger-style' coat and wanted an Easy Rider look for the broom. It has a seat plus legs forward to look like a motorcycle. Draco Malfoy rides a jet-black Nimbus 2001 with a straight handle and a snake-like tip. The foot pedals on this broom are similar to a bicycle.

The book begins with a Contents page and leads in with a brief introduction about brooms followed by a detailed chapter about Brooms in the Wizarding World where the reader is able to learn about the process for the construction and usage of the brooms throughout the books and movies. In each chapter individual brooms are described as well as other interesting facts about all aspects of Quidditch. There are also captivating facts about brooms assisting the main charades in escaping danger and information from behind the scenes from some of the cast and crew. Towards the end of the book are the blueprints for the brooms and a detailed and cleverly presented broom index.

The Broom Collection would make a wonderful addition to the library shelves of Harry Potter fans world-wide and a welcome addition for new readers to gain a rich understanding into the world of wizardry.

Themes Harry Potter, Wizards, Quidditch, Brooms.

Kathryn Beilby

Wild Symphony by Dan Brown. Illus. by Susan Batori

Before he wrote classics like The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown wrote music. It was a secret sanctuary for him bringing peace and calm and solace. And in this wonderful, interactive book he has combined those two gifts into a remarkable story for children that offers messages of affirmation and guidance. It is a place for them to seek that same peace and calm and solace.

Led by Maestro Mouse, the reader is taken on a journey of the animal kingdom and invited to learn something from each one that helps them deal with life. At the same time by using a QR code or going to the website, and downloading the app, they can tune into the music of the creatures. Along the way, Maestro Mouse has left surprises - a hiding buzzy bee, jumbled letters that spell out clues, and even a coded message to solve - making this a book that has many layers and which begs to be explored again and again.

Watch the videos for the whole experience, here and here.

Barbara Braxton

Love, Creekwood by Becky Albertalli

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, The Upside of Unrequited and Leah on the Offbeat took the YA world of fiction by storm with the focus on LGBT+ characters. This novella is definitely a must for fans of the Simonverse books and a satisfying conclusion to that series. A light enjoyable read for those who are unfamiliar with the other books although it could take a while to get the characters sorted as this short book is told entirely by emails. A bit like hacking a bunch of friends' accounts, we get a personal look at the relationships between the characters as they navigate the world after high school.

A more contemporary take on the concept of the epistolary book, this should resonate more strongly with the target audience (although this format is possibly already left behind by the preference for texts and social media). Using such a personal medium, there is an intimacy and immediacy with this book which enables the reader to follow the innermost thoughts and feelings of the characters. The physical side of the romances are discussed although there is nothing particularly in-depth or graphic, as we follow the friends' transition to college and adulthood, and the obstacles that this time of lives and distances involved place on their relationships. This novella may contrast well with other more established epistolary books.

Themes LGBT+, Transitions, Relationships.

Gaye Howe

The wizards of once: Never and forever by Cressida Cowell

Never and Forever is the final book in the Wizards of Once quartet but it can stand on its own and be read as a fully contained story. In fact, this story, complete in and of itself, could be a great introduction to the wonder of fantasy literature to the uninitiated.

The narration is warm, chatty, instructive, funny, exciting, and observant and it is only at the end that the narrator is revealed. You must not turn to the end because "anyone who has skipped to this epilogue before reading the rest of this story is a big cheat and should go right back to chapter one or I will get really quite shirty"(Page 374). All the way through, the reader is accompanied by this energetic narrator.

The journey that is embarked upon by our protagonists Xar and Wish in The Wizard of Once series, is full of adventure and magic. There are whimsical characters such as enchanted spoons, forks, keys and pins. There are magical creatures such as trolls, sprites, giants and “piskies”.  There are wizards, witches and warriors: good and evil.  The story draws from the past- King Arthur, Camelot, Macbeth and Lancelot and is like a crucible of celebration of all great stories. Like all great stories it encompasses love, forgiveness, desire, tenderness, courage and endurance.  Fundamentally the message is that it is a terrible thing to deny love. The consequences can ripple through the generations and lead to annihilation. The quest within the series is to retrieve the spell to undo love denied. What a powerful and enduring message!

The Wizards of Once series has been translated into 38 languages and has been signed by DreamWorks animation.   Cressida Cowell is currently the Waterstones Children’s Laureate (2019-2021). She is the author and illustrator of the best-selling How to Train Your Dragon books series and author of the Emily Brown picture books.

Highly recommended for Year 5 through Middle Years’ lovers of fantasy and  for those who haven’t yet enjoyed the fantasy genre.

Wendy Jeffrey

Again again by E. Lockhart

Mickey Double L, Jack and Oscar, are all potential love interests entering Adelaide's life through alternate scenarios as she spends her summer catching up on her academic requirements at Alabaster College. Whilst she is supposed to be designing a model stage set for a play she is studying, she is more interested in her part-time job - walking the dogs of her various college professors. The lives of B-Cake, Ella Bella, Rabbit and the The Great God Pan are both a salve and a source of drama.

We become absorbed in many possible dates with Jack and finally Oscar, after learning that her long-term boyfriend Mickey Double-L had split up with Adelaide, not believing their relationship could sustain a summer apart.
The reader assumes the bold font passages are the fantasies, but the edges blur towards the end of the book and we doubt choosing her trysts with Jack as reality when she suddenly seems to have had a history with Oscar from day one. A little confusing but the strategy creates interest and engagement.
Perhaps Adelaide is just as confused as Lockhart's readers due to the very real hot/cold long-distance relationship with her younger brother, Toby, an addict living with their mother in Baltimore for treatment; while Adelaide remains with her father Levi, at his academic post at Alabaster. This constant and parallel inner angst, which impacts upon Adelaide's work and relationships so greatly, is more suited to experienced readers.

One thing we've come to expect from Emily Lockhart, the bestselling author of We Were Liars, is experimental writing born of a doctorate in 19th Century Literature. Read more about her craft at: www.emilylockhart.com 

Themes Coming of Age, Family, Romance.

Deborah Robins

The girl and the stars by Mark Lawrence

The Girl and the Stars is the first book in a new Mark Lawrence series, Book of the Ice. Set in the same world as the Book of the Ancestor novels, this story takes place in the most isolated and inhospitable area of the lands known as Abeth.

When Yaz was born, her parents took her to see two oracles. The first oracle touched her and died. The second oracle prophesised greatness and torment. Yaz has always known she was different. She is not quite as strong as the others in her tribe and she can sense something in the earth, far below, that no one else knows is there. The problem is that for Yaz’s people, the Ictha, different is bad, different is dangerous and in the frozen and bleak landscape of remote Abeth, different will get you killed.

When Yaz’s brother Zeen is set on a path to mortal danger, she unthinkingly follows him. Her mission to rescue him, however, introduces her to a new and treacherous world. Yaz learns that her society and religion is built on the backs of an oppressed class of misfits like herself and it will be up to her to find a way out of the darkness.

Mark Lawrence fans will recognise some similarities to his previous stories: a cold and desolate world, a harsh society and a lone outcast who has no choice but to fight for the survival of herself and those she loves. Unlike Lawrence’s adult series however, The Girl and the Stars is solidly young adult, with the characters acting and behaving as inconsistently and frustratingly as teenagers do. A few other young adult fiction tropes, for example, the love triangle, have also found their way into the plot. Nevertheless, The Girl and the Stars is a captivating beginning to this new series. While the audience does not need to have read the Book of the Ancestor series, prior knowledge of some of the religious and socio-political hierarchies of Abeth makes for easier reading.

Themes Fantasy, Dystopia, Family, Community, Religion, Oppression, Conflict.

Rose Tabeni

The crayons' Christmas by Drew Daywalt

Peppa Pig: Peppa's Night Before Christmas

Penguin, 2020. ISBN: 9780241448625.
(Age: 2+) Recommended. Using the rhythm of Clement Moore's classic Night before Christmas, this story will delight Peppa Pig fans as they listen to the exploits of Peppa on Christmas Eve. Peppa couldn't sleep so she crept out of bed and listened carefully - could she hear Santa? Then George wakes up and when they hear a bang, it appears that Santa needs help with the lights on his sleigh. Peppa comes to the rescue by giving Santa a magical unicorn with a flashing horn, that was under the Christmas tree .
Bright colourful illustrations bring this story to life. Peppa and George are dressed in special red Christmas pyjamas, the Christmas tree is beautifully decorated and the white snowy landscape outside highlights the northern hemisphere's cold winter. The rhyming words lend themselves to be read aloud and as always Peppa is helpful and good at solving problems.
A happy, joyful book, Peppa's night before Christmas is one that little children will enjoy listening to in the lead-up to Christmas.
Pat Pledger

The paper bag princess by Robert Munsch

Illus. by Michael Martchenko. Scholastic, 2020. ISBN: 9781760974602.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. With the dragon retiring to his cave with the kidnapped Prince Ronald, he leaves in his wake a fire ravaged castle and a naked Princess Elizabeth. She determines to rescue her betrothed, donning a paper bag to cover he nakedness, using her resourcefulness to follow the dragon's tracks.
Stalwart and fierce, determined and unwavering, Princess Elizabeth is not put off by the dragon's slammed door nor his fiery breath.
She tricks him into showing off his considerable skills, thereby exhausting himself, enabling her to release Ronald. Readers will laugh out loud at the wily Princess Elizabeth and the overconfident dragon.
But the humour does not end there: a twist in the tale sees Ronald dismissing his lady love because of how she looks and Princess Elizabeth can skip off into the sunrise ready for adventures anew.
This lovely twist of a classic rescue from a dragon fairy tale will be eagerly welcomed by a new audience, a wonderful story first published forty years ago. My battered copy from the 80's sits on my shelves but now will have a handsome companion in this hard cover reissue.
The story is humorous and witty, reworking an old story but with a twist which will tickle the funny bones of all readers. Lots of thoughts and ideas will be sparked by this story: twisted fairy tales, the role of princesses and princes, image, clothing, appearance, while readers will question why people are expected to behave and dress in a particular way, and look at how this impacts on our behaviour.
In this edition, a note at the start by Chelsea Clinton, sets the scene of a family reading the story. She talks of the strengths revealed by the story, strengths children can emulate, defeating the dragons without losing their kindness and goodness.
This is followed by a short essay, 'Stand up to dragons' by Francesca Segal, an award winning British journalist and author, and the book is closed with an account of the book's beginnings by Ann Munsch with Robert Munsch.
(I was intrigued by the way the authorship was penned, so found more information from Wikipedia.)
Each of the three additions to this edition make interesting reading for the adult before they read the story out loud to the class, and older students will be intrigued by the beginnings of the book and how it came to be.
The wonderful illustrations will delight today's readers, marvelling at the way an illustrator can use small strokes of his pen and brush to give human qualities to the images of the characters. And I love the drawing of the nonchalant dragon, one leg crossed over the other, and the toadying Ronald, complete with tennis racquet admonishing his rescuer.
Lots of fun will be had with this reissue of the classic, The paper bag princess.
Themes: Image, Twisted fairy tale, Appearance, Dragons, Kidnapping, Rescue.
Fran Knight

Atlas of Record-Breaking Adventures by Emily Hawkins

Illus. by Lucy Letherland. Wide Eyed Editions 2020. ISBN: 9780711255630.
(Age: 7+) Highly recommended. Subtitled A collection of the BIGGEST, FASTEST, LONGEST, HOTTEST, TOUGHEST, TALLEST and MOST DEADLY things from around the world, this is a beautifully presented and cleverly illustrated non-fiction book and is another addition to the Atlas of Adventures series. Other titles in the series include Atlas of Miniature Adventures: A pocket-sized collection of small-scale wonders, Atlas of Dinosaur Adventures: Step Into a Prehistoric World and the Atlas of Ocean Adventures: A Collection of Natural Wonders, Marine Marvels and Undersea Antics from Across the Globe. This latest book by author Emily Hawkins provides readers with an amazing insight into record-breaking events, plants and animals, natural landscapes and human-made marvels. The book begins with a clearly labelled map of the continents with small images depicting some of the record-breaking features to be discussed further in the book. The Contents page uses each of the seven continents as headings with sub-headings underneath related to the record-breakers. Once the journey into the atlas begins, the reader is given a brief description of the continent and then a myriad of amazing facts that are unique to that particular area. Victoria Falls which borders both Zambia and Zimbabwe on the continent of Africa is the most enormous waterfall in the world. It is also known as Mosi-oa-Tunya which translates in to 'the smoke that thunders'. The spray from the waterfall can be seen up to 20 kilometres away. On the continent of Europe the largest collection of bones is found in France in the Catacombs of Paris which lie 20 metres below the city. The world's heaviest parrot, the kakapo, is found in New Zealand. It can weigh up to 4 kilograms and is also one of the world's longest living and noisiest birds. Termites, the greatest insect builders in the world, are found in Australia and their enormous mounds often up to 8 metres high are dotted throughout the Northern Territory. The reader can explore over 30 scenes and read many interesting and varied snapshots of information. At the end of the book is a detailed index as well as a 'Can you find?' page.
The detailed illustrations by Lucy Letherland add to the overall enjoyment and appeal of the book. This book is an excellent book for gifting and sharing with a child or as a discussion prompt for record-breaking phenomena. Themes: Record-breakers, Animals, Nature, Environment, Wonders of the world, Continents, Maps.
Kathryn Beilby

The twisted ones by T. Kingfisher

Titan Publishing, 2020. ISBN: 9781789093285.
(Age: Adult - Senior secondary) Recommended. Fans of the horror genre will be sure to enjoy this classic tale by T. Kingfisher (pseudonym for Hugo Award winner, Ursula Vernon) which has been recognised with following: Locus Award Nominee for Best Horror Novel 2020, Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Horror 2019 and Dragon Award for Best Horror Novel 2020. It tells the story of Melissa, known as Mouse, a young woman who with her dog, arrives at her deceased grandmother's house in rural North Carolina, to clean up. What she finds is a mess - her grandmother was a hoarder and skip after skip is filled with rubbish. But what is most disturbing is the Green Book written by her step-grandfather Cotgrave, describing terrifying twisted ones and stone figures. She initially believes that this is nonsense but after an encounter in the woods and some frightening figures in her yard, she begins to believe that something is after her.
Kingfisher maintains a narrative that keeps the reader gripped to the page until the startling conclusion. Written in the words of Mouse, the young woman, the suspense builds up as terrifying episode after episode are detailed; there are faces in the windows, her beloved dog goes missing and a strange overgrown path leads to a place where there are twisted statues and the holler people seem to cast a strange atmosphere over the area. Segments from her step-grandfather's journal are interspersed in the narration and add another dimension. In the author's note at the end, Kingfisher reveals that "the Green Book is the diary from Arthur Machen's found manuscript story, The white people." Published in 1904, readers may want to follow up by reading it at the Gutenberg site.
Some light touches are added as Mouse becomes friends with Foxy, who lives across the way, but even Foxy can be frightening as well. And Bongo the dog is a bonus, silly and loving.
I enjoyed the thrills and scares of The twisted ones and think that it would be an ideal choice for older readers leading up to Halloween.
Pat Pledger