Illus. by Matteo Pincelli. Usborne Graphic Legends. Usborne, 2019.
ISBN: 9781474938112. 104pp., pbk.
In 1844 Alexandre Dumas gave the world his story of Les Trois
Mousquetaires and now 175 years on it is again being made available
to young readers in graphic novel format so they, too, can share the
adventures of young d'Artagnan after he leaves home to travel
to Paris, to join the Musketeers
of the Guard. Although d'Artagnan is not able to join this
elite corps immediately, he befriends the three most formidable
musketeers of the age - Athos, Porthos and Aramis, 'the three
inseparables,' as these are called - and gets involved in their
adventures. Set in the France of 1626 when there was fierce rivalry
between the republicans and the monarchists, and bound by the famous
cry of 'All for one and one for all.'
Graphic novels have proven to be an invaluable way of introducing
young readers to the classic stories of old and this is no
exception, and with the current thirst for high action, high
adventure with superheroes, this is the perfect way to lead
children's reading on to something just as exciting while opening up
a new world of literature. To help with understanding the
context because it is set in the real world but a different time,
there are pages at the back that set the scene and Usborne have
their usual Quicklinks page to help the reader explore even further.
A must for independent readers seeking to expand their horizons, as
well as an addition to a unit comparing superheroes past, present
and future!!
Barbara Braxton
Fated by Teri Terry
Orchard Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781408350669. 460 pages, paperback.
(Age: Teenagers+) Recommended. Fated is an exciting origin story to
the Slated series. It tells of the chaos that started when
the borders closed around the UK and the forceful control the
government imposed, the start of rebellion from both those who wish
harm to others and those who just want peace, and lastly the
consequences of the actions made by all. The story follows Sam, the
daughter of the deputy prime minister, and Ava a scholarship student
who goes to school with Sam. Both are thrown into a flurry of events
when the government starts to lay blame on the youth, imposing rules
and restrictions that only apply to them.
This story is truly a gripping read and the perfect choice to help
you decide if you want to read the Slated series. Sam's
character is very intriguing as she is still figuring out what she
wants to do with her life, she knows what she likes but doesn't have
the motivation to pursue it. Though thankfully with the help of Ava,
she slowly comes to find something to believe in and that provokes
her to take action. Ava is different from Sam as she is very driven
in her studies, and knows that sometimes it's best to keep her head
down and focus. Both girls are discovering themselves and with all
the chaos that unfolds around them, it isn't easy.
Overall, this is a wonderful and enticing story that has definitely
gotten me interested in the story enough to want to read the
trilogy. I would recommend it to teenagers and up.
Kayla Raphael
The beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri
Zaffre, 2019. ISBN: 9781785768934.
(Age: Senior secondary - Adult) Highly recommended. Lefteri tells
the story of a Syrian couple, Nuri and Afra, traumatised by the
destruction of their home and the death of their young son Sami,
setting out on a path with other refugees to seek safety in another
country offering some kind of hope of a normal life. Afra has been
struck blind by the same bomb that killed their 5 year old son. She
is dependent on Nuri to dress her, care for her, and find some kind
of livelihood. Yet as we read on, we gradually come to realise that
Nuri himself is a broken man, haunted by images and memories that
will not let him rest.
The two of them cling to the hope of reuniting with another Syrian
couple, close friends, Mustafa and Dahab, joint partners in their
former bee-keeping venture in Syria, who have now found safety in
the UK. Their dream is to care for bees together again in England.
Bees are an amazing community that works together for the benefit of
all.
Lefteri interweaves stories and experiences of other desperate
refugees, people who shared their stories with her whilst working as
a volunteer at a refugee centre in Athens. That experience stayed
with her of people who had been through the most horrific of
circumstances in their journey towards survival and renewal. As she
says The beekeeper of Aleppo is 'about profound loss, but it
is also about love and finding light'. It is to be hoped that her
book will provide some greater understanding of the global refugee
problem and the need for all people to open their hearts to caring
about fellow human beings, who from no fault of their own are in
desperate need of refuge and support.
Helen Eddy
Sea-ing is believing by Steven Butler
Illus. by Steven Lenton. Nothing to See Here Hotel. Simon
and Schuster, 2019. ISBN: 9781471178733.
(Age 9+)Recommended. Themes: Fantasy, Ghosts, Hotels, Secrets,
Strange fantasy creatures. The Nothing to See Here Hotel is more
than unusual - it is positively disorderly and rambunctious! And if
you thought rambunctious was an unusual word, 'you ain't seen
nothing yet'! Steven Butler has created a spirited (in more ways
than one) and rollicking fantasy tale with strange creatures and
more created words than you can throw a ghost at! In the third book
of the series involving the 'hidden' Hotel that caters for magical
creatures of all variabilities and quirks (some bad and some good),
the return of their feted ancestor Abe as a ghostly apparition
presents all sorts of interesting questions. He also reveals the
grand Ballroom which has been magically missing and presents all
sorts of astounding possibilities and there is an amazing ride to
get there. The drama unfolds when things are uncovered that suggest
that all is not what it seems.
The quirkiness of this book and the array of weird and wonderful
creatures will be enjoyable for young readers . . . it is a literary
roller-coaster with exploding and fantastical creatures dropping
from all angles to impact the passage of the story. The explosion of
created words (reminiscent of the BFG's classic vocabulary) is also
immensely entertaining in an explodiferous and confusaplonking way!
Illustrations by Steven Lenton help to reveal what the imagination
cannot quite fathom.
Carolyn Hull
Roald Dahl's ABC illustrated by Quentin Blake
Penguin Books, 2019. ISBN: 9780241370308.
(Age: 1-5) Recommended. Board book. Quentin Blake's marvellous
illustrations are on display in this alphabet book which will be
fabulous for young children. The famous enormous crocodile from
Roald Dahl's book is featured, bringing lots of humour and
excitement to the book.
'A is for . . . Anteater
B is for . . . Books
C is for . . . Crocodile
D is for . . . Delicious!' (Publisher)
Each page has the upper case letter as well as the lower case letter
in bold print that would be easy for little fingers to trace and to
gradually remember. The background against which each letter is
situated is done in bold colours so that the letter stands out well
and this will make it easy for children to gradually learn to
recognise them. The board book is very sturdy, and should hold up to
a lot of use from young children.
Of course the drawings are wonderful. As well as the fun with the
snapping crocodile, children will delight in the 'F is for fox',
that has the fox chasing a terrified chicken, and the 'U is for
upside down' is hilarious. Not to mention the 'V is for vegetables'
that has an elderly man spitting out a cucumber and will have
children and adults in stitches. The 'X is for xenopus (A particular
sort of frog' is also cute and children will love to try and say the
new word out loud. The familiar illustrations have come from Roald
Dahl's books and will be recognised by adults and will be a pleasant
introduction to the books when the young child grows is old enough
to read them.
This is a lively ABC book that should prove to be a keeper.
Pat Pledger
Now what? a Math tale by Tobie H Harris
Illus. by Chris Chatterton. Candlewick Press, 2019. ISBN:
9780763678289.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Maths, STEM, Problem solving. Puppy
is full of energy but also likes to snooze. He has a pile of
differently shaped blocks and for his snooze, looks at one which is
a rectangle with one long side. Is this the one he needs for a bed,
he ponders. Problem solving skills will be at the fore of every
reader's mind as they turn each page. The enticing little dog picks
up the blocks, wondering how to put them together and how to
use each to its best potential. Each block is described, some
rectangles, some squares and some triangles, while each individual
block is described with its angles and sides mentioned, teaching a
young reader about the difference between the shapes he or she sees.
Wanting a bed, the puppy tries out each of the shapes and decides
why the ones he has tried are not the shape of size he needs. He
eventually begins to combine the shapes into a larger shape that
will prove to be useful. By this time, readers will be calling out
which shapes to use, seeing the configuration that is needed to make
a bed.
Lots of fun will be had reading this book, playing with shapes on
the floor to replicate what the puppy is doing on the pages, and
having all the readers try out the sequence for themselves.
The bold illustrations have the wooden shapes as the main focus,
unhindered by background colour or distraction, making the clear
focus of the book the shapes the puppy is playing with. The playful
dog helps the readers work out exactly what the dog is doing and so
enable the readers to join in and try for themselves.
Fran Knight
Kat Wolfe takes the case by Lauren St John
Illus. by Daniel Deamo. Macmillan, 2019, ISBN: 9781509874217.
(Age: 10-14) Highly recommended. Themes: Mysteries, Detectives,
Palaeontology, Pets, Conservation. When a landslide on the cliffs
above Bluebell Bay reveals a rare fossilized 'dragon' dinosaur and
uncovers a human skeleton, it is time for detectives Kat Wolfe and
her best friend Harper Lamb to investigate. Who was responsible for
the death of an amateur fossil-collector?
The town soon becomes overrun with reporters, scientists, fossil
hunters and attracts famous actors. Harper's palaeontologist father
immediately begins to lead the team in the preservation of the
dinosaur, whilst others are out to steal the skeleton for its
special medicinal qualities.
Kat's pet sitting service Paws and Claws provides opportunities for
her to listen, observe and gather information as she walks dogs and
cares for Mr B the python. Horses, dogs, her pet Tiny an F1 Savannah
cat, a stolen lynx and the python play important roles in the
discovery of an evil plot hatched by a dangerous group of people. A
weekend spent with Kate's grandfather, the British Minister of
Defence at his stately home also provides insight into the Bluebell
Bay mysteries. Kat's high-level computing skills (hacking) proves
crucial as well. Added to the danger of the investigation, the
animal catcher is determined to catch Tiny who loves to disappear at
night.
Author Lauren St John excels with this multi-layered, tense plot,
filled with fascinating characters and an array of pets. She
promotes a vegan lifestyle, explores the dynamics of family
relationships and delves into the illegal trade in exotic animal
products and the extinction of wild animal species. Her descriptive
narrative and detailed settings, her ability to lay the groundwork
and draw the threads together into a thrilling conclusion, make this
an engaging novel. Daniel Deamo's sketches, includes ninjas fighting
on a rooftop and a python curled in a driver's seat, combine with
the catchy chapter headings focus the reader's attention and build
the drama.
'Kat Wolfe takes the case' an excellent novel for readers from 10 to
14 years, opening conversations about conservation and environmental
issues.
Rhyllis Bignell
The Bad Guys Episode 9: The big bad wolf by Aaron Blabey
Bad Guys. Scholastic, 2019. ISBN: 9781742993737.
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. Themes: Humour, Adventure,
Superheroes. Another wacky, hilarious episode of the bad guys is
sure to be a favourite with all the fans of this series. This time
Mr Wolf has been blown up into an enormous size, and he is
determined to go about destroying things. The rest of the Bad Guys
find themselves with problems to solve. How will they get Mr Wolf
back to his normal size and temperament and how will they stop the
alien invasion? Together with the International League of Heroes,
they all have to do some quick thinking and act in dangerous ways in
order to save the world, using their new superpowers.
Fans will have no problem jumping right into the funny story, while
people new to the series will still be able to follow the story and
characters, but will certainly want to go back and read the previous
episodes. There are some over the top incidents that will have
readers laughing out loud. I loved how Mr Snake got into Mr Wolf's
ear and using his superpower, tries to whisper him back to his
normal self. Of course, this proves exceptionally difficult, and it
is only when he reverts to his normal bossy self and tells Mr Wolf
off, that things begin to change.
A boon for reluctant readers and children who have difficulty
reading longer books, The big bad wolf is another winner for
Blabey.
Pat Pledger
The Red Scrolls of Magic by Cassandra Clare and Wesley Chu
The Eldest Curses book 1. Simon and Schuster, 2019. ISBN:
9781471162145. paperback, 350pgs.
(Age: 14+) This was my first taste of Cassandra Clare's fantasy
world of the Shadowhunters. I tend to see a copy in the hands of my
students frequently so really wanted to try this book.
The Shadowhunter Chronicles is a young-adult fantasy
franchise by American author Cassandra Clare. The series is so
popular with young adults that there are now companion books,
graphic novels, manga, film, and TV series adaptations. Each of the
books, as my students say, follow the supernatural conflict between
the Shadowhunters, a group of powerful human-angel hybrids, and
Downworlders, a society of mythological beings, and their battle
against demons. The Red Sea Scrolls of Magic is the first of a new series
after the Mortal War. It is co-written with Wesley Chu. This story
follows the High Warlock Magnus Bane and his new boyfriend Alec
Lightwood who is a Shadowhunter.
I found the book very easy to read and follow and wanted to know
more about the characters. The Red Sea Scrolls was a love
story between two people who should not be together due to who they
were. Magnus and Alec decide to take a relaxing romantic vacation
together through Europe. Vacation, I think not. Magnus' past catches
up and he is accused of putting a cult together called the Crimson
Hand. Magnus and Alec are on the hunt to find the real leader of
this cult and along the way they encounter vampires, werewolves,
demons and many other people and creatures.
It is action packed, full of love and great twists and turns, while
the reader also learns more about the past of both characters which
was very interesting. I actually did enjoy reading this LGBT,
fantasy love story book and can see why young adults love the
series.
The ending did leave me thinking, 'Will Magnus tell Alec the massive
secret of who his father really is'? Will have to read the next book
in the series to find out.
Maria Komninos
The ghosts of Mars by Ian Napier
Pegagus Publishers, 2019. ISBN: 9781784654528.
(Age: 13+) Recommended. Themes: STEM, Space travel, Mars, Science
fiction. When David arrives in San Francisco after his father moves
from Australia to take up a post at Silicon Valley, he links up with
a friend he met while at a NASA camp during the previous summer
break, Sierra. She and David are space fanatics, so for David to
come from Australia to the camp was impressive. That they hooked up
made their time at the camp even better. But now in San Francisco,
their interest is rewarded, when the heads of department at NASA
come to call.
It seems a door has been found on Mars, an actual door, and it must
be investigated. But NASA is ten years away from suspended animation
for long distance space travel, and an imperative has been added to
the mission to Mars; a meteor is headed its way. The only successful
suspended animation trials have been conducted on children, so David
and Sierra are asked to volunteer.
The premise on which this science fiction tale is based is luminous
- it is so believable, made more so by the writing which oozes with
an infusion of background knowledge. Napier's career in space makes
his setting more than credible: the words, descriptions and
scientific language are easily digested, the position the two are in
seems like something that could happen, the voyage they take seems
almost possible. Readers will love moving about in this engrossing
science fiction story aimed at teens.
The city the teens find on Mars rivals many of the CGI inspired
cities of recent films and the written word brings them to life.
With nods to 2001, a space odyssey, The terminator
and Star trek amongst others along with a splash of The
chariots of the gods (Erich von Daniken) thrown in to stir the
pot, this is a rich read of science fiction and I hope a second
outing for David and Sierra is in the air.
Fran Knight
Catwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J. Maas
Penguin Books, 2018. ISBN: 9780141386898.
(Ages 16+) Recommended. An action-packed and engaging novel based on
the DC comics super heroine of Catwoman. One of the four books in
the DC icons series in which popular Young Adult authors write
origin stories focusing on the teenage years of DC comics heroes.
Caring for her terminally ill sister, Selina Kyle will stop at
nothing to keep her safe. Battling dangerous enemies in the boxing
ring night after night to pay for her medical bills is just the
beginning. When she is finally cornered by the police, with nowhere
to go and the threat of her sister being thrown into a dingy foster
home that wouldn't care for her medical needs, Selina is offered a
deal she can't refuse. Her sister safe in a suitable, upper-class
foster home, Selina is brutally trained as an assassin. Two years
later, she returns to Gotham City as Holly Vanderhees, a wealthy and
mysterious socialite, by day and Catwoman by night. Joining forces
with Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, the group wreak havoc across the
city and spark the attention of Batwing, who is proving himself as
the protector of Gotham while Batman is away on a vital mission.
While her expertise helps her thrive as Catwoman, as Holly, Selina
finds herself clueless when it comes to her wealthy, handsome
neighbour, Luke Fox, who she discovers may just have some hidden
depths to himself as well; for in Gotham, no one is really as they
seem. However, Selina's desperate game of cat and mouse is only
exacerbated when a dangerous threat from her past looms in the
background; threatening her ability to pull off her most important
heist yet. While the novel is action-packed, and has vibrant and
complex characters, the descriptive language of Maas can be
difficult to follow. Knowledge of the DC Universe is useful and
presumed by the author, with little explained throughout the book.
Exciting and representative of important issues such as LGBTIQ+
relationships and mental health, Maas launches the reader into the
dangerous and fascinating world of Gotham City and brings them along
a journey they won't easily forget.
Daniella Chiarolli
Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
Dread Nation book 1. Titan Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781789092219.
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Themes: Horror, Zombies, Alternative
history, Racism. What a roller coaster of a ride - thrilling action
and a complex story that looks at racism and slavery makes this an
engrossing historical adventure about an alternative America. Jane
McKeene is just about to graduate from Miss Preston's School of
Combat in Baltimore, a place where Negro girls are trained to fight
the undead. When families begin to go missing from the area, she and
her colleague, Katherine, are caught up in a deadly conspiracy that
sees her in a deadly struggle not only against the zombies but
against a group of Survivalists who view her and her companions as
fodder for the undead.
I picked this up as it kept appearing on literary awards for young
adult books in the fantasy and science fiction genres (Hugo Award
Nominee (2019), Nebula Award Nominee (Andre Norton Award) (2018),
Locus Award nominee (2019), and Goodreads Choice Award Nominee
(2018)), and I was not disappointed. Ireland's very skilful
narration brings the characters to life while maintaining a very
fast pace. Jane is a feisty and intelligent girl who has outstanding
leadership skills which she uses often while fighting the Shamblers.
But she also has some flaws - she is impetuous and often says things
that get her into trouble. Katherine is her opposite, determined to
remain ladylike in all situations. When trouble strikes them both,
they manage to put aside their differences to fight the evil around
them.
Fans of the zombie genre will want to read this, while fans of
historical fiction will become engrossed in a story that has its
combat school system based on the real Native American boarding
schools, as the author's note explains. And readers who like a good
action story, well written with likeable characters, and which also
explores slavery and racism, will find this difficult to put down
and will be impatient for the sequel that is to come. The complexity
of its themes could also make it a literature circle text, promoting
lively discussion.
Pat Pledger
You're crushing it: Positivity for living your REAL life by Lex Croucher
Bloomsbury, 2019. ISBN: 9781408892473.
(Age:15+) Recommended. Lex Croucher is an English vlogger whose
videos cover a range of topics including feminism and animal rights.
She uses her influence to advocate for empowering women and girls.
In this book Lex makes use of her extensive experience with
technology and social media to explore the nexus with real life for
teenagers. Immediately relevant to young people are topics such as:
family and friends and creating that team of supporters;
relationships (familial, platonic, romantic, jealousy), body
confidence (acceptance, self-care) and mental health (dealing with
negativity, goals and asking for help). The writing avoids
preachiness and provides a healthy insight into the pitfalls and
pleasures of living in or through an online world. There is hope in
this book. Lex reminds us all that the offshoots from the path we
had mapped out can become the new map. These offshoots can lead to
opportunities that were not dreamed of and yet are just right for
you.
As a common sense guide to being comfortable in your own skin this
book excels. The formatting, anecdotes and the humour will appeal to
the teenage reader but it is the hope and positive examples of ways
a young person might engage with real life that make this book an
unexpected joy to read.
Linda Guthrie
Jaclyn Hyde by Annabeth Bondor-Stone and Connor White
HarperCollins, 2019. ISBN: 9780062954626.
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Themes: Science; Perfectionism; Jekyll and
Hyde; Mystery; Personality. Jaclyn Hyde is a girl whose desire in
all of life is to be as perfect as she can be. Mostly she is quite
successful at being perfect, but as is the way with some
high-achievers, she always dreams of more success. The discovery of
a science recipe for a Perfection Potion in the rather scary
abandoned Enfield Manor leads to a series of transforming moments.
With more than a passing nod to the Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde story,
Jaclyn Hyde transforms into her 'bad' alter-ego, Jackie. Jaclyn's
best friends, Paige and Fatima, work alongside her in trying to
resolve the disaster that is unleashed at school by the
Jaclyn-Jackie confusion.
This is a wonderful, funny story with some endearing, subtle (and
sometimes more obvious) humour and some explosive moments! Set
within a USA Middle School context in fictional Fog Island, there
are moments of insight into psychological issues for the young
characters, but mostly this is just a fun reconstruction of the
Jekyll and Hyde story. A performance of a school musical has some
positively ridiculous moments involving a Moose costume! Male and
female readers will enjoy the hilarious journey.
Carolyn Hull
Anna of Kleve, Queen of Secrets by Alison Weir
Six Tudor Queens. Hachette, 2019. ISBN: 9781472227737.
(Age: Adult - Adolescent) This compelling work vividly recreates the
rule of the iconic King Henry VIII. Anna is forced by her brother,
Wilhelm, ruler of the duchy of Kleve, to marry the English King
Henry, in order to align their countries. Henry had liked her
portrait and finds that he likes her, but cannot make love to her to
produce the important extra heir to the English throne. In this new
historical novel, part of her series Six Tudor Queens,
Alison Weir has vividly recreated Anna's story from the surviving
historical documents. This was a time when alliances were being made
by those who supported the growing Protestant movement, a time of
great upheaval in Europe where Catholicism had been dominant for so
many years.
Weir's narrative is richly detailed and deeply thought-provoking.
She raises the issue of planned alliances, with the 'right' marriage
considered as useful in healing rifts and cementing support among
the many countries of that world. Yet we are aware of the fear of
those who are involved in withholding truth and of those who do not
do what Henry wants, that they may be jailed, beheaded or hanged for
their perceived crime. Anna's secrets make her fear for her life.
While Henry cannot understand his inability to love Anna as he had
planned, her intelligence gives her an advantage that is outside the
realm of her questionable sexual attraction. When Henry decides that
she is a good friend to him as a dear 'sister', her fear begins to
lessen, although the secret that she keeps from him is never far
from her mind, as is her fear that the truths that she conceals will
be her undoing.
This is a compelling story, one that is indeed hard to put down.
Written for those who love history, particularly when the writer
recreates the world of the text so brilliantly, this novel is
powerful, its characters and issues staying in the mind long after
the book is finished. It is appropriate for adolescent and adult
reading, particularly for readers who enjoy the vivid recreation of
the life and times of such an iconic king as Henry Tudor.
Elizabeth Bondar
