Illus. by Mar Ferrero. Usborne, 2020. ISBN: 9781474968386. 32pp.,
hbk.
It can be fun to spend time by yourself, You can play whatever you
want and you don't have to share your toys or your snacks . . .
But what every one of us has learned over the isolation of the last
few months is that friends are critical and a crucial part of our
mental well-being. As schools gradually return to full-time
face-to-face teaching, some little ones may have been at home for so
long that they have forgotten what it is like to work and play with
others and how to be a friend, so this beautifully designed book
will be the perfect platform for getting things back on an even
keel. Each double page spread focuses on an issue such as what are
friends, why we need them, what makes a good friend, who can be
friends and so on, offering lots of scope for sharing personal
stories and contributing to discussions in a way they haven't done
for some time. There are also pages devoted to how friendships grow
and change, how they can be destroyed and how they can be mended so
that the children realise that there will be ups and downs and part
of growing up is knowing what to do and doing it, developing
tolerance, understanding, forgiveness and resilience.
The final pages include a "friendship puzzle" offering the reader a
few scenarios for which they have to select the most appropriate
behaviour, and two pages of information for new parents about their
children's friendships, skills and strategies to help them develop
and some reassuring words about imaginary friends and dealing with
conflict - the most important being to give the child time to try to
sort it out. That perspective alone tells me that this author knows
her stuff and her advice is sound.
Barbara Braxton
Gargantis by Thomas Taylor
The Legends of Eerie-on-Sea series. Walker Books, 2020. ISBN:
9781406386295. 352pp.
(Age: 11+) Highly recommended. Herbie Lemon is a Lost and Founder in
the Grand Nautilus Hotel, where the overbearing manager is called Mr
Mollusc and the owner is called Lady Kraken. The weather in the town
of Eerie-on-Sea is going quite pear shaped as a mysterious man, who
Herbie dubs Deep Hood, books into the hotel. Herbie enlists his
friend Violet Parma to investigate a clockwork hermit crab and a
mysterious bottle with undeciphered writing on it, washed up along
with local beachcomber Mrs Fossil. All the fisherfolk and Deep Hood
are intent on getting their hands on the bottle and some are willing
to use violent means to get it from Herbie and Violet. A strange
light called a Sprightening is released from the bottle and the
children learn that a sea monster called Gargantis is responsible
for creating havoc. In fact old rhymes have forewarned them of these
events. Herbie is terrified of the sea but needs to help restore
order along with Violet. They venture out into treacherous waters on
a boat called the Jornty Spark and face the their enemies and the
Vortiss.
A lot of scary things happen in this fantastic tale but the humour
and over the top characters and events, stop it from ever being too
menacing. Since the story is told in the first person, from Herbie's
point of view, we also get his funny observations and experience the
perilous moments. Violet and Herbie make terrific protagonists,
Violet is brave and a risk taker while Herbie is more thoughtful and
cautious. Thomas Taylor successfully conjures up an original
adventure with a touch of whimsy which would work well as a read
aloud. Taylor's illustrations and maps are great additions to the
book. This is the second in The Legends of Eerie-on-Sea
series, however you don't need to have read
Malamander in order to understand the story. A book
club guide and a storytelling
challenge are available.
Jo Marshall
Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth
Hodder & Stoughton 2020. ISBN: 9781529330243.
(Young Adult/Adult). Recommended. Chosen Ones is the first
in a new series by bestselling Divergent
and Carve the Mark author, Veronica Roth. Unlike her
extremely popular dystopian young adult series, Chosen Ones
is aimed at an adult audience, likely to capitalise on teen Divergent
fans who are now adult readers.
The book tells the story of five friends, the "Chosen Ones" who, as
teenagers, defeated the magic, otherworldly figure known as the
"Dark One", halting his reign of terror and destruction. Plucked
from their families by a secretive government agency, the five lived
and trained together to fulfil a prophecy that predicted that they
were the only ones able to destroy the Dark One. Ten years later,
the world is celebrating a decade of peace, viewed very differently
by each of the Chosen Ones - Sloane, Matt, Esther, Albie and Ines.
It is during this celebration that the unthinkable happens - one of
the Chosen Ones dies. Suddenly and viciously, the other four are
thrown back into the chaos of a decade ago, realising that the Dark
One was never really defeated after all.
Too often in young adult fiction do we see the heroes defeat their
enemies and assume that they are able to live happily and
trauma-free ever after. Chosen Ones sets out to prove that
this is not the case. The five friends are all damaged in their own
ways and have spent ten years using different methods - drugs,
social media, therapy and busy schedules - to try and cope. The book
is an interesting and clever subversion of many of the tropes common
to recent and popular young adult fiction. While still suitable for
older teen audiences, it is an adult offering that will be appealing
to many of Roth's long time readers. Themes: Friendship,
Relationships, Trauma, Death, Magic.
Rose Tabeni
Black Summer by M. W. Craven
Washington Poe. Little, Brown, 2019. ISBN: 9781472127495.
(Age: Adult - Senior secondary) Recommended for readers who enjoy
the mystery genre. Jared Keaton, Michelin Star chef, is in jail for
the murder of his daughter Elizabeth. Detective Sergeant Washington
Poe was largely instrumental in his conviction, although Elizabeth's
body was never found. Then Poe finds himself in danger of losing his
job and worse when a young woman claiming to be Elizabeth turns up
after claiming to have been held captive for the last six years.Her
blood tests match that of Elizabeth, and Poe with the help of the
brilliant Tilly Bradshaw, must work out how someone can be both dead
and alive at the same time.
This was an intriguing mystery with the problem of blood at its
heart. Craven had obviously researched the science of this
intensively and this scientific evidence made the plot quite
different to any I had read before. There were many twists and
turns, quite a few heart stopping moments for Poe and some clever
research by Tilly, as Poe followed many clues in his attempt to
prove that the girl claiming to be Elizabeth could not be her, even
though her blood matched that of Jared Keaton's daughter.
The background of cold and stormy Cumbria, what happens in a master
chef's kitchen, where truffles can be found, and old war bunkers all
make for an absorbing mystery.
Craven won the CWA Gold Dagger Award 2019 for The Puppet Show which
I will be sure to pick up now that I have met Poe and Bradshaw. Black
summer can be read as a stand-alone as the characters and
setting are described vividly.
Pat Pledger
Lottie Luna and the Twilight Party by Vivian French
Illus. by Nathan Reed. HarperCollins, 2020. ISBN: 9780008343019.
144pp., pbk.
This is the second in this series for newly independent readers
about Lottie Luna who is a werewolf and follows Lottie
Luna and the Bloom Garden. While she's super-fast,
super-strong and has X-ray vision. she doesn't really like to use
her skills. She just wants to be like everyone else. But when it's
her friend Marjory's birthday, Lottie sees a way she can use her
special powers to get her the biggest surprise ever.
Characters having alter egos with special powers continue to be
popular with readers and this new series for newly independent
readers will satisfy those who like this genre. Richly illustrated
with monochrome cartoon-like illustrations to support the text,
young girls will see themselves in Lottie - on the surface being
just regular little girls, but with a heroine not too far below the
surface.
Barbara Braxton
Steerswoman series by Rosemary Kirstein
Amazon Digital Services The Steerswoman. ISBN: 9780991354689 The Outskirter's secret. ISBN: 9780991354658 The lost Steersman. ISBN: 9780991354665 The language of power. ISBN: 9780991354672
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. Intrigued by the following quote by
Jo Walton, Hugo and Nebula Awards winner, I picked up the first in
the Steerswoman series and was hooked:
"If you like science, and if you like watching someone work out
mysteries, and if you like detailed weird alien worlds and human
cultures, if really good prose appeals . . . you're really in luck."
I then went on to read the next three books in the series and really
wish that there were more.
Rowan is a Steerswoman. If she is asked a question, she must speak
the truth and if she asks a question, the truth must be given to
her. As a Steerswoman, she travels around the world, observing,
questioning and recording what she discovers, making maps and always
on the quest for more information and more knowledge, which she
shares with all. When she finds some little blue jewels that seem to
be made of a magical material, she is determined to find out their
origin. The wizards are the only ones who have knowledge of magic,
and her determination to uncover the secrets of the jewels leads her
into danger from them. With every wizard in the land determined to
find her, Rowan, accompanied by Bel, a warrior from the Outskirts,
meets many dangers as she gradually uncovers the truth.
Readers will meet many fascinating characters as she travels around
the land. Bel is surprising - not only is she a wonderful fighter
but is a poet as well. William is a young teen who can blow up
buildings with his magic and longs to know more. The leaders of the
Outskirters are fascinating as is their nomadic way of life, and
Rowan's liaison with Fletcher is beguiling and her dealings with the
lost steersman are heartbreaking.
The countryside is described in detail and readers will enjoy
travelling with Rowan as she navigates dangerous seas, lives with
nomadic people and then in towns in the Inner Lands. But it is the
melding of science (Magic) and the mystery of the little blue jewels
that will keep the reader glued to every page of these four volumes.
There are hints along the way about the Guidestars that hang in the
skies and help travellers navigate and the material that William
uses to blow up structures. The language of power brings
many answers but leaves room for more books to come.
This is a series to give to any reader who enjoys a combination of
science fiction and fantasy, dealing with big questions of science
and knowledge, truth and humanity. It is a must read for young women
and men and would encourage many to look at STEM subjects with a
different and inquisitive eye.
Pat Pledger
Diary of a young naturalist by Dara McAnulty
Text, 2020. ISBN: 9781922330000.
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. A book about an adolescent's love of
the natural environment of Ireland, the birds, insects, animals, the
hum of life; how relevant would that be to readers in other parts of
the UK, and in the case of this reviewer, on the other side of the
world, in Australia? I must admit I was pleasantly surprised, I was
drawn in from the first page; the descriptive language is so
beautiful, and the feelings that are expressed will resonate with
anyone who longs for a better connection with the natural world, and
a better response to climate change. Was McAnulty really once
described by an unsympathetic teacher as incapable of "complet[ing]
a comprehension, never mind string a paragraph together"? This book
is beautifully written and is a testament to the intelligence and
perseverance of the author, the power of understanding and
encouraging parents, and of the love that unites and enriches this
particular family of five, all of whom, apart from the conservation
scientist father, are described as autistic.
McAnulty's diary records the changes of seasons and the plants and
wildlife he revels in discovering in the natural patches of country
around his home. At the same time he provides insight into the
anxieties that wrack him in his interactions with other people and
the fears of bullying that persist from his past school experience.
We learn of the challenges of going to new places, and the people
noises that overwhelm him. Nature is his passion; it is the plants
and birds and insects that enthral him and bring him peace. But
sadly so much of the natural world is threatened by human
development. And so McAnulty has become an activist speaking out to
save the environment that is so precious to him. He is the youngest
ever recipient of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Medal, among other awards, in recognition of his contributions to
conservation. His book will provide inspiration to other activists
to speak up on issues of climate breakdown, biodiversity loss and
the persecution of birds of prey. Read a Q&A
with McAnulty on the Booktopia site. Teaching
notes are also available from Text Publishing.
Themes: Nature, Conservation, Autism, Activism.
Helen Eddy
Giraffes can't dance by Giles Andreae
Illus. by Guy Parker-Rees. Big book edition. Hachette, 2011. ISBN:
9781846164446.
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. Beginning readers will love the reprint of
the big book version of this wonderful, timeless story that has been
in print for 20 years. The beautiful verse by Andreae will be very
appealing read aloud to young children and the rhythm will make it
easy to remember the words and read along with the teacher. The fact
that many children may have heard it at home, as it is so popular,
will add to the appeal and the familiarity will be enjoyed by them.
Those new to the story will love it.
The pictures are very appealing, and the humour of the warthogs'
waltz, the chimps' cha-cha, and the lions' tango will be enjoyed by
all. Of course, the important message about finding your own way of
doing things is also an important one.
Gerard the giraffe really wants to dance, but his body with its long
neck and skinny legs, makes it hard to find his rhythm and the other
jungle animals laugh at his attempts. Despondent, he leaves the
gathering but a wise cricket tells him
" . . . sometimes when you're different You just need a different song."
And when Gerard finds that song he is able to do the most beautiful
dance in his own way. Children will love the warthogs' waltz, the
chimps' cha-cha, and the lions' tango, but most of all they will
love Gerard's dance, and his final words, "We can all dance, he said, When we find music that we love."
This is a lovely, feel good book, perfect for beginning readers.
Themes: Dancing, Giraffes, Verse story.
Pat Pledger
Alex Rider: Nightshade by Anthony Horowitz
Walker Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781406395877.
(Age: 10-16). Highly recommended. This book is number 13 in the
series from Horowitz and does not disappoint his fans with another
action-packed, exciting story involving Alex Rider, the teenage spy.
Alex has officially retired from his duties with MI6 Special
Operations and is looking forward to a normal life at school. A
series of events involving a new terrorist organisition called
Nightshade that uses children to perform their acts of violence
convinces Alex to assist for one last time. Having caught Frederick
Grey, one of the Nightshade children, MI6 special operations decides
they need to send Alex into the prison where he is being held to get
close to him and find out more about Nightshade. He is impersonating
a former prisoner called Julius Grief who had plastic surgery to
look just like Alex in the past. His handler Mrs. Jones has a
personal interest in this project as her children were kidnapped to
be part of Nightshade and Alex is tasked with trying to bring them
home too.
Time is of the essence for Alex as MI6 knows Nightshade is planning
a major terrorist attack on London within 3 weeks. Now, going into
the highly secure prison is one thing as he has contacts there that
can help him, but then Alex and Frederick escape Alex is taken back
to Nightshade headquarters in Greece. Here things start to unravel
for Alex as the attack draws nearer and the Nightshade controllers
realize who he really is.
The book is certainly a great addition to this exciting series and
fans of Alex Rider will love this story as it presents the
real-world issue of terrorism and the horrifying idea that children
are used to perform violent tasks in this way. The end of the story
lets us know that this will not be the last of the books involving
Nightshade. Themes: Espionage, Intelligence agencies, Terrorism,
Adolescents.
Gabrielle Anderson
In the city by Holly James
Illus. by Hannah Tolson. Bloomsbury, 2020. ISBN: 9781526616241.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Introducing young children to the delights of
an urban environment will be enhanced using this vibrant, detailed
and fascinating book.
As the city wakes, Oscar and Lucy set off, complete with backpacks,
camera and a map. Each double page begins in the same way as they
get on the train to go into the city, or have a picnic or look at
the skyscrapers. "Let's visit the museum", for example, shows the
children exploring this cavernous place looking at the art on the
walls, the statues, the plants, the mobile and the dinosaur bones,
while the book offers questions along the bottom of the page, asking
the readers to look at something in particular. On this page the
reader is asked to count the number of artefacts spotted, a new word
being introduced.
Each double page explores the range of things to be found in that
area of a city, and children will be delighted looking at the detail
on each page, sharing with others what they have seen or would like
to see, exploring the range of city offerings together, perhaps even
planning their own trip.
My favourite page, "Let's cruise on the river", shows a small boat
cruising down river, passing a range of other craft, highlighting
the bridges, waterfront, walkways and buildings nearby. A question
directs readers to look at the other things gliding along the water,
while several words in larger font reiterate the words that are
possibly new to the reader.
The family goes shopping and takes a train and bus ride, eventually
heading for home and bed. A double page after the children have gone
to bed, has images of a number of things and asks the readers if
they were spotted, so ensuring the readers will go back and read the
story again. And I can imagine the list of things noted and pointed
out will far exceed the 22 listed at the end of the book.
Themes: Travel, Cities, Urban environment.
Fran Knight
Be plastic clever by Amy and Ella Meek
Dorling Kindersley, 2020. ISBN: 9780241447079.
(Age: 8-12) Recommended. Amy and Ella Meek have been activists in
the area of plastic since becoming aware of the large amounts of
plastic in their local area in the United Kingdom. They started a
group called "Kids against Plastic" with the goal of ridding the UK
of single use plastic bottles. They have been inspired by several
other like-minded people who believe young people can strive for
change to help combat the growing issue of plastic pollution.
The book is set up like a nonfiction book into chapters that cover
everything young people need to know about plastic and what we can
do to reduce, re-use and recycle it. It has a good glossary and a
very useful index for research. In between each chapter there is a
short bio of someone the girls admire - their heroes. Famous
environmentalists such as Mahatma Gandhi and Sir David Attenborough
are followed by more contemporary heroes like Greta Thunberg, Grace
Hopper and Maddie Moate.
The girls themselves have set a goal to collect 100,000 pieces of
plastic in their local area and are well on the way to their goal.
They set out in this book what kinds of plastic there are and how
they are impacting wildlife around the world. They also discuss what
is being done in different parts of Europe about recycling these
materials and what individuals can do in their everyday life to
reduce the amount of plastic they use.
Easy to read and interesting content will make it popular for anyone
wanting more information for young people on this topic. The book is
a great resource, but it focuses on the United Kingdom and Europe
and therefore lacks the links and information about what is being
done in Australia and other countries around the world. Themes:
Plastic, Recycling, Environmental impact, Activism.
Gabrielle Anderson
TrooFriend by Kirsty Applebaum
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
