Reviews

Miniwings - Firestorm's musical muck-up by Sally Sutton

Scholastic New Zealand Limited, 2018. ISBN 9781775434863
(Age: 7+) Imagine having six gorgeous little winged toy horses that come to life when the adults aren't looking! Firestorm is the hero - or chief troublemaker - in this fourth book in the series.
Clara and Sophia are preparing for their performance in the school orchestra, but those sneaky little Miniwings stow away in their instrument cases. Surely, they won't press the fire alarm . . .
This is a delightful series by Sally Sutton that is a must read for fans of the Ella Diaries and Go Girl. Each Miniwings has its own adventure. It will appeal to girls who are challenging themselves with reading chapter books. The storyline is simple and easy to follow, allowing even the reluctant reader to be successful tracking the text and being able to understand the plot. The print is relatively large and the gorgeous illustrations throughout the book will be a hit with the girliest of girls. This book would be suitable for readers aged 7 and up.
Kathryn Schumacher

Best buds under frogs by Leslie Patricelli

Candlewick Press, 2018. ISBN 9780763651046
(Age: 10+)Recommended. "For Lily, it's the worst first day of school ever. Who would want to be friends with the new girl, whose debut act is to throw up on the playground (on somebody's shoes!)? Fortunately, quirky Darby comes to the rescue. Darby likes frogs and candy and oddball stuff, and soon she and Lily have formed their own club - the Rizzlerunk Club. But before you can say "BFF," Darby's former best friend, mean-spirited Jill - who had moved to London - returns unexpectedly. Can Lily and Darby's friendship survive the British invasion? Peppered with charming illustrations and hilarious mishaps involving "conjoined" frogs, accidentally shaved eyebrows, and school pranks gone awry, this engaging tale of fourth-grade life will have readers wishing they could join the Rizzlerunk Club for real." (Publisher)
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I found it to be a fantastic account of the challenges that children face, particularly when moving to a new school. This is Patricelli's first novel and it is sure to be a winner. The book would be suitable for students 10 years and up - although the text is relatively large and there are gorgeous little illustrations throughout the story, the book does contain some themes towards the end of the book that are suitable for the older age. It touches on themes such as choices, peer pressure, friendship and differences. It touches on exclusion of others and has some powerful lessons for those that may be experiencing the same issues. All in all, a heart-warming tale.
Kathryn Schumacher

Count with little fish by Lucy Cousins

Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781406374193
(Age: 2+) Highly recommended. Board book. This is a colorful counting book that has both the numerals and the number word and a little rhyme to go with each number.
This is a fun counting book from 1 to 10.
The bright colors engage the reader and the slightly tactile pictures of the fish make it fun to find them on the page.
The numerals are nice and big to be able to trace over with small fingers.
I highly recommend this book for 2+
Karen Colliver

The outcast by Taran Matharu

Summoner series: the prequel. Hachette, 2018. ISBN 9781444939095
Recommended. The outcast instantly had me hooked, taking me through parallels between Fletcher and Arcturus virtually from the beginning. It explained and fleshed out most of what fans of the Summoner series already knew, while throwing in exciting twists and turns. The foreshadowing for the rest of the series was perfectly paced. The events didn't seem forced and made sense in the story. As a prequel, it is intriguing to see the character development it brings to the series, and makes you want to read the whole series again with the new information in mind, with new eyes. I wouldn't mind doing exactly that.
The Summoner series is reminiscent of the Ranger's Apprentice series, of which I am a fan. In fact, I enjoy almost all fantasy novels, with some notable failures. Anyway, as an avid fantasy fan, and a lover of dragons, I appreciate the way the demons are described, the unique way they act. They don't feel like mere pets, but exotic demon companions. The rarer demons that I've never heard of have prompted me to research more exotic demons, and I've found many that are a great fit with my own story writing. The outcast brought its own unique touch to the fantasy genre, with etching, summoning levels and infusion.
Overall, it's a fantastic read. I would recommend it to all fantasy, video game and general novel lovers.
Rachel Bauer (Year 11 student)

Goat's coat by Tom Percival

Ill. by Christine Pym. Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408881019
(Age: 3-6) Themes: Goats. Coats. Helpfulness. 'Let me tell you the tale of Alfonzo the goat, who was terribly proud of his lovely new coat.'
Tom Percival's charming rhyming story begins with a rather proud goat Alfonzo, admiring his handsome coat with glass buttons. He enjoys the comments of others as they admire his new piece of clothing and skips and prances out of town. This little goat has a caring heart as he meets different creatures who need his help, he's willing to assist them. With a little creativity the homeless frog family sail away in a blue boat made from his coat cuffs.
A trembling pale cat with a sore tail, is also helped. Alonzo's uses the hem of his not so beautiful coat to comfort and bandage the wounded animal. After clip-clopping through the woods whistling a happy tune, Alonzo then helps rescue a little chick. As the weather turns to snow, the young goat solves more problems with parts of his coat, until there only a few threads left. Lost in a blizzard, he's forced to shelter under a boulder, until all his new friends arrive to assist him.
Tom Percival's delightful story celebrates the generosity of spirit, the joy of sharing and thinking of others before yourself. Christine Pym's whimsical watercolour, gouache and pencil illustrations bring the characters to life. Her delightful forest scenes combine natural shadings of green and brown backdrops with bold brushstroke leaves. Preschoolers will enjoy watching Alonzo's bold yellow and green check coat disappear and become repurposed. Goat's coat is just right to share with a young audience and they will enjoy discussing Alonzo's creative problem solving and commenting on his helpful character.
Rhyllis Bignell

The Goose Road by Rowena House

Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781406371673
(Age: 12 and up) Highly recommended. "France 1916. Angelique Lacroix is haymaking when the postman delivers the news: her father is dead, killed on a distant battlefield. She makes herself a promise: the farm will remain exactly the same until her beloved older brother comes home from the Front. "I think of it like a magical spell. If I can stop time, if nothing ever changes, then maybe he won't change either." But a storm ruins the harvest, her mother falls ill and then the requisition appears... In a last-ditch attempt to save the farm from bankruptcy, Angelique embarks on a journey across France with her brother's flock of magnificent Toulouse geese." Publisher
It does not take a lot to convince me to read any novel about World War 1 and this was no exception. I found it really hard to put down. House did a fantastic job in developing Angelique and I found myself turning each page hoping only the best for her. As she begins to unravel more and more secrets about her abusive father, the girl is torn between hatred for him and a sense of guilt that he did not survive the war. Set in France in 1916, fourteen year old Angelique takes it upon herself to save the family farm for the long awaited return of her brother who is serving in the army.
The reader is drawn into the atrocities of war and the guilt felt by so many who were not actually away fighting, as well as the hardships and hunger faced by so many and the different roles that people had to take on. Disaster after disaster strikes including the requisition of animals, gossip, unpaid gambling debts and the breakdown of her mother all contribute to a difficult journey experienced by Angelique. Themes such as hardship, anger, determination, resilience and friendship are discovered throughout the story. A must have to add to the library collection.
Kathryn Schumacher

Not if I save you first by Ally Carter

Scholastic, 2018. ISBN 9781742765945
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Themes: Thriller. Kidnapping. Conspiracies. Alaska. Survival. Maddie and Logan were inseparable until a kidnapping attempt was made on Logan's mother and Maddie's father foiled the attempt. He was the bodyguard of Logan's father, the President of the United States, and after the rescue, Maddie was whisked off to the wilds of Alaska, and didn't hear from Logan again. Life was tough for Maddie in Alaska; she lived in a very isolated spot, was homeschooled and didn't have any friends. What made it worse was that Logan her best friend didn't answer her letters so when he turned up with two security guards to live with her father and her, she wasn't too happy. Then Logan is kidnapped and Maddie has to use all the skills she has learnt in the wild to try and rescue him.
A very exciting stand-alone novel, Not if I save you first will appeal to boys and girls alike as Maddie and Logan face the harshness of the wilderness and the fear of what the kidnappers will do. Through a series of letters to Logan, some never sent, the reader is taken on Maddie's learning journey about Alaska, her loneliness and the growth of strength and toughness that the isolation has taught her. All these skills will be of great assistance as she tracks Logan and his kidnapper. Meanwhile Logan uses his photographic memory and intelligence as they try not to lose themselves in the harsh cold conditions.
Action packed, this is a roller coaster of a story and readers will find it very difficult to put down. Fans of Ally Carter's other series, The Gallagher girls, Heist Society and Embassy Row will not be disappointed and readers new to her books are in for a treat.
Pat Pledger

Dude by Aaron Reynolds

Ill. by Dan Santat. Hachette, 2018. ISBN 9780734418784
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Sharks, Friendship, Surfing, Humour, Cautionary tale. To all those intending to read this hilarious book out loud, you will need to practice saying 'dude' in a variety of different ways with different intonations, expressions and meanings. From the first 'dude' where platypus and his friend the beaver, meet on the beach, run to the water's edge with their surf boards held up over their heads and paddle out into the ocean, to the last 'dude' where the two have now befriended a shark and the trio is sitting on the beach in their board shorts, eating their ice creams and staring contentedly out into the ocean, laughter will explode with each rendering of the word.
The two friends initially encounter the shark with trepidation, the 'dude' at first said very quietly with a question at the end of the word, while over the page, the word takes up the double page as the pair hightails it for shore. But things happen to make them less fearful of the predator, and all ends happily as the three become friends, surfing the waves together.
This very funny look at friendship is set against the surfing world which may not be known to many younger readers. Santat's wonderful illustrations bring this world to the reader, with its ice cream shack on the beach, wave types, the array of very different board shorts, along with very different participants and boards. And a few subtle hints occur in the illustrations making the reader aware of some of the shortcomings of being near the sea. This is a wonderfully funny tale, all centered incredibly on one word, with plenty to look at to wonder at, to learn and enjoy, and many people will be reading and rereading this story to a range of listeners who will try it out for themselves, keeping their friends happily engaged.
Fran Knight

Julian is a mermaid by Jessica Love

Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781406380637
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Mermaids, Grandmothers, Imagination, Diversity, Individuality. Julian is mesmerised as he returns home on the tube with his grandmother. Several women are dressed in the most spectacular of costumes, brightly coloured, adorned with jewellry and head dresses, they make an indelible impression on the boy. He dreams of running home, taking off his clothes and diving into the ocean with a tail just like them. And once home, he ferrets around in his apartment for things to dress himself just like the women he saw on the train - the mermaids. He uses the pot plant fronds for his head dress, nabs the flowers from the bowl to put in his hair and the curtains from the windows to make a tail, and when his gran comes out of her bath she gives him a string of costume jewellry for his necklace. The pair then enter the street and make their way to find others just as flamboyantly dressed, making their way to the sea.
A dazzling tribute to all those individuals not afraid to show their difference, who reflect diversity as well as those who support them, this book sings with the exuberance of youth and being an individual.
Colourful, fun filled and light hearted, the cheery liveliness of the two main characters permeates the book as they join the mermaids at the seaside dressed in their finery. The illustrations are amazing, brown sepia tones fill the background against which the luminous colours tell the story of Julian with humourous light heartedness. And the end papers are divine and will entrance all readers.
Jessica Love is a Californian artist and this is her first venture as author illustrator. Classroom ideas are available here.
Fran Knight

Be Cool Be Nice

Templar Publishing, 2018. ISBN 9781787410961
(Age: Teenager/Young Adult) Recommended. I have to be honest when I first saw this book, I thought it was just another activity book but how wrong was I! After doing some googling, I was amazed with the background of this book and the meaning behind it. This is a must read for all boys and girls who have experienced the following:

• Dealt with drama
• Have experienced bullying
• Have experienced selfie addiction
• Have experienced Chronic Bad Attitude Syndrome (CBAS)
• Have goals

Kit meets Covington: Ride by Bobbi JG Weiss

Candlewick Press, 2017. ISBN 9780763698355
(Age: 10-14) "When American teen Kit Bridges moves to England to attend an elite equestrian boarding school, neither she nor her new home will ever be quite the same.
Trying to move on from her mother's death and afraid of riding after a bad fall, plucky fourteen-year-old Kit Bridges doesn't quite know what to expect when her father takes a position at The Covington Academy, a prestigious boarding school in England. Things are looking up when Kit meets her cool, possibly secretly royal new roommate, Anya, and the boys of Covington, like Will, with their charming accents. But she hadn't anticipated such a strict headmistress as Lady Covington. Or the expectation that every student be a rider. Or the wild horse that she seems to have a strange and special bond with. While navigating new friendships, romances, and an alarmingly austere new environment, Kit needs to figure out whether she's ready to get back in the saddle. And at the end of the day, it's hard to tell who will be more changed by her arrival - The Covington Academy or Kit herself." (Publisher)
My sister was always the one who read Trixie Beldon and then my daughter later read The Saddle Club. I can see this book entertaining the next generation of horsey readers. It is based on a Nickelodeon TV show so some readers may be familiar with it. I did love the photos of the characters from the TV show and I did find myself flicking to check them out every now and then. It has an entertaining storyline and I love the old worldly insight into traditional English boarding schools of course with the added bonus of the odd drama thrown in. There are the typical characters of mean girl, popular girl, new girl on the block, popular boy etc etc. By the end of the book you do feel like they are your own friends. It is simple to read and I would recommend it for children aged 10 and up purely for the fact it does touch on young love in a very innocent way. A welcome addition to the horse collection in the library.
Kathryn Schumacher

The wonder of us by Kim Culbertson

Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781406377170
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended . Friendship on the brink, after spending a school year in different countries? Struggling with your parent's divorce in a little country town while your best friend since kindergarten is swanning around Europe? How do two best friends reconnect when distance would otherwise have them drifting apart? First, Riya invites Abby to Europe, arranging an epic tour through six countries to show Abby, the history nerd, as many sights of interest as they can squeeze in. Not entirely altruistic, Riya intends to tell Abby at the last stop, that she's not coming back to California to graduate and attend college with her.
An overbearing chaperone, Riya's cousin Neel, is the catalyst for most of the misadventures in the story. Neel isn't letting the girls out of his sight but they have other ideas. The early tension is mostly between the two cousins. Neel has relationship problems of his own as Riya and Abby spend much of their time squabbling and making up amidst a wonderfully cosmopolitan backdrop.
This travelogue across Europe, hops predictably between historical locations metaphorically linked to the seven wonders of the ancient world. Kim Culbertson and her research assistants, have styled these cities appealingly into the section divisions of the novel. The theme of shared childhoods being a foundation for a lifelong friendship despite geographical separation is built incrementally by changing narrators in alternating chapters. Fittingly, the girls have contrasting personalities and interests - Riya enrols in a drama course and Abby plans a future based on her passion for history. The light romance thread is suitable for tweens but Culbertson's craft accentuates the key message - that two friends can grow up to follow different destinies without necessarily growing apart. The last 'wonder' might be that the author discusses all manner of relationship break-ups without leaving the 'Clean Literature' category.
Deborah Robins

Crash! Boom! a maths tale by Robie H. Harris

Ill. by Chris Chatterton. Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781406380514
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. Themes: Maths. Building. Experimentation. Perseverance. STEM. Resilience. Elephant wants to build something as tall as he. He experiments, calculates, builds and when his efforts fall to the floor, he cries but he tries again. Surrounded by a number of different shaped building blocks, he tries them out, adding one to the other. Younger readers will love to call out which is the next block Elephant should pick up and delight at the shape he is building. They will offer suggestions, make deductions and encourage him to try again as the book is read, noting the numbers and shapes that are offered on each page.
He tries again until his building is finished, and this time he is the one who makes it fall down. After that he uses all the shapes on the floor around him to make a final shape.
The bucket of blocks is used over and over to make different shapes, encouraging the readers to make up their own, so have some ready.
The clear pictures are a treat, Elephant is always energetic, the pictures flowing from one page to the next, showing movement as Elephant attempts his tasks. His disappointment when his first building tumbles will be recognised by all readers, each of them having to cope with small disappointments as they try new things, but like Elephant will try again.
This is a lovely introduction to the ideas of trying things out, of experimenting, of overcoming disappointment and trying again, and is well suited to any classroom or home library where open minds are encouraged.
Fran Knight

Honor code by Kiersi Burkhart

Lerner Publishing Group, 2018. ISBN 9781512429961
(Age: 14+) Sam is excited to be enrolled into Edwards Academy, a prestigious boarding school, as she believes it will be a positive move towards achieving her dream of getting into Harvard Law School. The Academy is everything Sam has not had before, a true sense of belonging amongst high achievers who respect each other and 'look out' for each other according to 'The Honor Code' of Edwards Academy. This Honor Code was written by students for students and it is something they all respect and abide by.
Everything seems to be going well for Sam, she had a great roommate called Gracie and Sam is certain they will be best friends forever; she had joined several clubs and she is slowly starting to feel that she really belongs here. One of the clubs Sam has joined is Art club where the most popular senior boy Scully poses for the budding artists to sketch. To her delight, Sam is paired with Scully for the upcoming school Mixer (dance) and the girls start planning for the much-anticipated event.
The story takes a turn from this point of the story and Sam questions the values and authenticity of the Honor Code and all that Edward's Academy stands for.
This book explores the dark depths of institutions and those who are coveted in these societies vs those who are not. There are power struggles between the popular and the not, the rich and the poor, the fake and the real and highlights the lengths we go to have a voice.
Themes in this book are: school relationships, friendships, values, justice and social status. This story would appeal most to girls who like reading about friendships and struggles faced in a school setting and going after what means the most to you... at all costs.
Gerri Mills

Down among the sticks and bones by Seanan McGuire

Wayward Children book 2. Tor, 2017. ISBN 9780765392039
(Age: Senior secondary - Adult) Recommended. Alex Awards for the 10 best adult books 2018. Themes: Horror, Fantasy, Fairy tales, Diversity, Gender stereotypes. Fans of Seanan Mcguire's books will have encountered twin sisters Jack and Jill in the first book in the Wayward Children series, "Every heart a doorway".  "Down Among the Sticks and Bones" tells the story of what happened to them before they were sent to Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children.
This not a story for the faint hearted or for younger teens. It is dark and compelling and the atmosphere is chilling. Jacqueline is the perfect child, who is dressed like a little doll and is always quiet and respectful. Jillian is the opposite - outgoing and risk taking and their father's favourite. The twins don't trust their parents and when they turn twelve they find a staircase that leads them into another land, the mysterious land of the Moors where vampires and werewolves roam and a mad scientist does his experiments.
It is here that Jack finds out what she really wants to be and that she doesn't have to fit into a gender stereotype. She studies with the mad scientist, and falls in love. Jill is left in the castle and becomes increasingly frustrated and angry. To tell more would spoil this beautifully crafted but terrifying story, but it is sufficient to say that there are heart breaking incidents, betrayal, and terrible choices to make.
Pat Pledger