Kitty Magic : Frost and Snowdrop the stray kittens by Ella Moonheart
Kitty Magic book 5. Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408887684
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. Frost and Snowdrop the Stray
Kittens is a magical story about friendship, helping others
and cats. Kitty is a young girl with the ability to turn into a cat.
She is a cat guardian who helps the cats in her village. At the Cat
Council meeting, a beautiful cat named Emerald asks some questions
about stray cats which get Kitty thinking. When Kitty sees Emerald
carrying cat food in the park, she sets out to investigate. Kitty
discovers Emerald has been caring for two stray kittens that have
lost their owner. All of the village cats come together to help find
the missing owner. Finding a tall lady with pink hair proves to be
tricky. Can the cats help the kittens? Winter is nearly here. Will
they run out of time? Frost and Snowdrop the Stray Kittens is an easy to read novel
with wonderful role models for girls. Kitty is helpful and goes out
of her way to help others. Emerald is brave and looks out for
others. The cats are a great team who pull together in a crisis. The
story moves quickly, making it engaging for readers and the
vocabulary is descriptive. Readers will visualise the cats meeting
together, talking together and scaring away a scary fox. This book
is also part of a series and readers will enjoy reading about all of
the adventures. They can read the books in any order as there is
enough back-story to help readers know what is going on. It is
highly recommended for readers aged 8+.
Kylie Kempster
Butterfly Wishes : The wishing wings by Jennifer Castle
Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781681193717
(Age: 7+) Recommended. The Wishing Wings is the first
instalment in a new series. The lead character is Addie, a young
girl. Moving to a new house and a new town can be scary but Addie is
brave. She is brave enough to chase her beloved dog, Pepper, into
the woods when he escapes. Unknowing to her, Addie was being watched
by a butterfly princess. Sky Dancer and her butterfly kingdom need
help and Sky Dancer has chosen Addie to help her. A magical
enchantment has caused problems with the newly born butterflies.
When born, the new butterflies need to grant a wish for a human
child to help the butterfly get its colours. The enchantment has
made the new butterflies scared and unable to grant a wish. Who
would place such a terrible enchantment? Can Addie and her sister
help save the butterfly kingdom? The Wishing Wings is a lovely story promoting bravery and
helping others. The girls are strong minded and ready for an
adventure despite big changes in their lives. Sky Dancer is will to
fight for her home and her family. They are wonderful role models
for young girls. The story is easy to read and moves quickly, making
it an engaging read. Readers will want to find out what happens next
as well as see what other adventures Addie and Sky Dancer get into. The Wishing Wings is recommended for readers aged 7+.
Kylie Kempster
Not-So-Lucky Lefty by Megan McDonald
Judy Moody and Friends series. Candlewick Press, 2018. ISBN
9780763696054
(Age: 7+) Highly recommended. Not-So-Lucky Lefty is part of the Judy
Moody and Friends series. It is Left Hander's Day and Judy is
feeling a bit left out - she is a righty. Her dad and her brother,
Stink, are lefties and they are off to the pretzel factory to
celebrate. Judy is trying her best to use her left hand for
everything but it is harder than it looks. However, Judy is invited
to the pretzel factory as long as she promises to use her left hand
all day. The factory is great despite Judy getting sauce all over
her shirt. The family wins tickets to play mini golf thanks to their
very gluey pretzel invention - Judy was in charge of using the glue
with her left hand. Being a lefty is tricky, especially when you are
really right-handed. Will Judy be able to play mini golf
left-handed? Not-So-Lucky Lefty is a lovely story for emerging independent
readers. It is about persistence when trying something new as well
as accepting your own strengths. It is a first novel when moving on
from readers and the bright coloured and sometimes funny pictures
help tell the story, making it appropriate for all readers moving
into first novels. The vocabulary is descriptive and easy to read
for confident readers and the small amounts of text on each page
will build reading confidence as well. It is highly recommended for
readers aged 7+.
Kylie Kempster
Misfit - One size does not fit all by Charli Howard
Penguin Books, 2018. ISBN 9780241328828
(Age: YA and older) A highly readable memoir style book -
almost reads like fiction and hard to put down.
The book details the journey of British girl, Charli's feelings of
abnormality beginning at age 8 through primary school, boarding
school, university and a modelling career.
This includes obsessive compulsive disorder, anorexia, bulimia,
among other mental disorders - all the while keeping the behaviours
'hidden' in Charli's attempts not to be seen as a 'misfit' by her
peers and family.
Social media and model industry expectations, and a sense of not
belonging and wanting to be loved are explored as causes of her
behaviours.
There is only one chapter on Charli finally admitting she needed
help and getting rehabilitation and finding 'happiness'. More on the
recovery process would have been useful in putting perspective on
the memoir and the difficulty of recovering from such major
disorders.
The use of capital letter abbreviations which older adults may not
understand was annoying.
The author on the Dear Reader first page section warns young people
not to read the book if they are susceptible to suggestion or
triggers for depression, OCD, anorexia, etc. I agree and would only
recommend the book for young adults and older.
The modelling industry in particular should read books like this to
be made more aware of (and accept responsibility for) how young
girls' lives are being harmed mentally and physically by the actions
and standards advocated.
Ann Griffin
Shoe dog by Phil Knight
Young reader edition. Simon and Schuster, 2018. ISBN 9781471170119
A memoir of the origins of Nike by its founder Phil Knight (an MBA
graduate and Accountant), it is written in a highly engaging manner.
I was expecting a 'dry' account of the creation of a successful
business but this is a warm, at times humorous, account of his life,
loves, friends, hopes, travels, setbacks as well as successes.
At a time in the early sixties when running was not popular and
running/sports shoes were not generally worn outside track events,
Knight's consuming interest in competitive running and his
admiration for his coach spark the idea for a running shoe.
The memoir details Knight's life from travelling the world post
university and importantly to Japan for a meeting with a Japanese
sport shoe manufacturer to gain the right to exclusively sell its
Tiger sports shoe in the USA. Providing constant feedback and
suggestions to improve the shoe led to its popularity with runners.
Forming a partnership with his coach and taking risks and working
longing hours initially from his bedroom at home, eventually lead to
success.
The memoir would be good case study for Business Studies students as
it covers the cultural differences impacting business dealings as
well as the financial risks and workload associated with
implementing an idea into a successful product.
The Epilogue is a final letter to the reader of this Young Reader
edition. One does not need to be a 'shoe dog' (person passionately
devoted to shoes) to enjoy the book.
Ann Griffin
I'm a duck by Eve Bunting
Ill. by Will Hillenbrand. Candlewick Press, 2018. ISBN 9780763680329
(Age: 4+) Themes: Fear, Overcoming fear. In simple rhyming lines,
Bunting tells the tale of a duck, which when an egg, rolls into the
pond. Mother duck rescues her errant egg, but when it hatches, the
resulting duckling is afraid to go into the water.
The story of how the duck overcomes its fears takes up the rest of
the story, as other pond animals support the duckling in its
attempts to take the plunge, giving a range of different advice.
The owl, the frog, and its siblings all offer suggestions, but in
the end it is the duckling which does something about its concerns.
In simple rhyme, useful for introducing younger children to the idea
of rhyme, and soft pastel like illustrations, the story the readers
will have no difficulty understanding the message of the story and
be able to share stories of their own fears and how they overcame
them.
Fran Knight
The taste of blue light by Lydia Ruffles
Hachette, 2017. ISBN 9781444936742
(Age: Senior secondary, Adult) The title, and the enigmatic opening
words, of Lydia Ruffles' stunning modern-world masterpiece plunge us
into a disturbed young woman's life. The protagonist states that she
'is determined to 'find the old Lux' and 'sew' herself into that
person she used to be. The closing words of this narrative are apt.
Lux cannot understand why her life, at the elite Artists' boarding
school in the verdant countryside of England, is causing her such
angst. Even though she is medicated to help keep this new sensation
of absolute terror at bay, she can still hardly sleep and life seems
too hard to endure. Yet everyone, including her parents, who live
far away in Hong Kong, continues to support her, even through her
sometimes outrageous moods and actions. This situation is deeply
puzzling for the reader.
Drugs, sex, anxiety and sleeplessness take their toll as her skewed
brain responds to the world by translating everything into colour
- in the physical senses, in food, emotions and in her interactions
with others. Colour defines her world so dramatically, enabling her
to just keep going. Terror, violent and inexplicable, stops her
sleeping. Anxiety rules every moment of every day yet she is
supported so gently by everyone, by kindness and understanding. In a
masterful literary stroke, we discover that only Lux and the reader
are 'in the dark' about her situation. We are drawn into her
gradually dawning memories of her experience, emotionally and with a
powerful, shared angst.
Sitting firmly in the modern world that has experienced violent
attacks and murders, in a country that is desperate to retain its
culture of decency, kindness and non-violence, Ruffles' revelation
of the assault on peace alert us to her challenge. She seeks to
remind us that we must work to preserve our world, to survive
violence and terror, and infers that this will only be achieved
through kindness, goodness, acceptance of others, in all their
differences, and love. This powerful modern novel is suitable for
older high school students and adults.
Elizabeth Bondar
The Curse in the Candlelight by Sophie Cleverly
Scarlet and Ivy book 5. HarperCollins, 2018. ISBN
9780008218300
(Age: 9-12) Recommended. Themes: Mystery, Boarding Schools, Twins,
Bullying. Fourteen year old identical twins Scarlet and Ivy return
for a new year at Rookwood School leaving their distant father and
evil stepmother behind. Eager to catch up with their friend Ariadne
and take Miss Finch's ballet classes, the twins are happy to be
back. As the school assembles for the first day's instructions, a
dark-haired new student Ebony McCloud makes a grand entrance into
the school hall. She has a mysterious presence about her, defiantly
flouting the school rules and soon draws younger students into her
group.
Sophie Cleverley layers this mystery plot with curious clues along
the way; characters have hidden agendas and a presence of evil
directs the actions. She balances this junior novel with familiar
lessons, favourite teachers and every day activities. When Ariadne's
archenemy Muriel Witherspoon joins Rookwood Academy she appears to
have changed her bullying ways however Scarlet and Ivy are not
convinced about her motives. When the celebrations on All Hallows
Eve go terribly wrong, the twins work together to save Ariadne and
expose the real prankster. Told from the sisters' alternate points
of view, Scarlet and Ivy's new term proves to be filled with
mystery, magic, secret escapades and growing friendships. The Curse in the Candlelight is the fifth novel in this
exciting series. Each novel reveals more about the main characters
and their friends' home lives. The mysteries and different ways the
twins work together to solve them make these novels just right for
readers from 9-12 years.
Rhyllis Bignell
Landscape with invisible hand by M. T. Anderson
Candlewick, 2017. ISBN 9780763699505
(Age: Middle secondary - Adult) This small novel captures perhaps
some of the less-voiced anxieties about what exists in deep space
that might threaten us. Not the simple man-in-the-moon idea, but
something deeper and far more catastrophic for earth. Anderson
places us in a recognizable world except for the fact of our unseen
and obviously unrecognizable 'overlords' being from 'other' places,
not human and not just machines, but intelligent, demanding and
frightening "Vuvvs" that demand obedience, recognition and
submission.
In this novel the characters are placed in a world from which they
can instantaneously visit other planets or modules that hover in
space. Earth appears to be somewhat ragged, down-at-heel and much
lesser than we might think of ourselves. Poor, abandoned by their
father and husband, the families of Adam and his girlfriend, Chloe,
struggle to survive financially and fear what might happen if they
fail all together.
This is a book without a sense of great hope or change, yet it deals
with human beings struggling to survive mentally and physically in a
world that appears to be disadvantaged by its being an underling of
a greater spatial world empire, and by its down-at heel state. Human
beings are lesser and the characters try to reach the standards of
behaviour and work expected by the 'others', the overlords. Human
characteristics valuable and appropriate to us seem lesser, and the
characters in this short novel are good people and offer us some
hope, but not a lot, in this imagined world.
This is a strong and brave modern novel that addresses the idea of
our perhaps not being alone, nor being in fact superior, or
protected by any higher beings, living on the edge and in tension,
on this planet in the universe that we inhabit. It is coldly
challenging, blunt and suitable for middle secondary to higher
secondary, and adult, reading.
Elizabeth Bondar
Parvana a graphic novel by Deborah Ellis, adapted from the film by Norah Twomey
Allen and Unwin, 2018. ISBN 9781760631970
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Graphic novel. Themes: Afghanistan,
Refugees, Taliban, Extremism, Survival. From the highly acclaimed
and awarded novel, Parvana, comes this pared down version
presented in a graphic novel format, destined to entrance another
generation of readers who will seek out the original stories once
they have finished the graphic version.
Every page is replete with the horror of living under religious
extremism; the rules imposed upon the population of Kabul in which
Parvana and her family live are part of the fabric of the story and
its illustrations. In dark, threatening browns, reds and blacks, the
ever present threat of arbitrary rule is made real. Parvana's father
has lost his job as a teacher, now selling his skills in the market,
there to be questioned by an ex pupil, scathing of education and
learning. He is questioned too about Parvana, a girl, being allowed
outside or having part of her face exposed, but when he is taken to
prison, the family loses all contact with the outside world. As
women are not allowed in the street alone, Parvana dresses as a boy
to earn money to support her family.
The appalling regime and its impact are seen on every page as
Parvana tries to earn money to help her father get out of prison.
The usual rule of law has broken down, allowing men to use their
power to further impose their wills upon women. Small touches of
humanity shine through the gloom, as Parvana finds a school friend
doing the same as she, when she reads the letters of illiterate
people willing to pay money to find out about their families, and
where someone helps Parvana in her search for her father.
But in the end although Parvana finds her father and her family have
escaped the brutal man who would use them, the future is bleak.
Readers will ponder long after this is read about how they would
survive, and about how all those children still under the rule of
these fanatics are faring. A film made of the Parvana books,
called The Breadwinner received an Academy Award nomination
for Best Animated Feature in 2018, and it is on this film that this
graphic novel is based.
Fran Knight
Bird builds a nest by Martin Jenkins
Ill. by Richard Jones. Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781406355130
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Birds, Building, Forces, STEM.
The seemingly simple tale of a bird building its nest is given a
wider emphasis as the author and illustrator explain forces through
pushing and pulling, and how we use forces to move things.
The bird rises with the sun and goes to look for a worm to eat. The
first one she finds it very large and despite all her effort at
pulling it from its hole, she is unable to move it. In smaller type
the rule of physics is given, that the stronger something is, the
more force it can apply. The bird sets out to find another smaller
worm and is successful. Bird then sets out to find some twigs to
build her nest.
The one she chooses is too big and a law of physics is again given:
that the more something weighs, the more force is needed to lift it.
She finds some smaller twigs and fashions her nest, pushing the
twigs together. Another law of physics is given: when you push
something you are applying a force away from you. In dropping one of
her twigs, the author then is able to tell the reader about gravity,
and then when the nest is complete she is able to lay her eggs.
Children reading this book will come to understand the laws of
forces through the simple act of a bird building its nest,
illustrated in sepia tones rendered in blocks of colour reminiscent
of collage and block print techniques. The illustrations add a level
of humour as the readers eyes follow the antics of the bird in going
about her business. At the end of the book is a small index, with
questions to ponder about the forces explained in the book.
A wonderful introduction to discussions about the forces we use
everyday.
Fran Knight
The perfect girlfriend by Karen Hamilton
Wildfire, 2018. ISBN 9781472244260
(Age: Adult) Highly recommended. The story opens with a death, the
accidental drowning death of a four year old child when his 10 year
old sister's attention is distracted... or was it accidental? As
we are led inside the mind of Elizabeth / Lily / Juliette we come to
understand that this is a cold and dangerous person, and maybe it
even started when she was a child. She becomes a person completely
obsessed with the man she sees as her only love, the man who is
supposed to marry her and make everything perfect. Juliette has a
plan, and she is going to stick to it, and the ultimate goal is
Nate, and the perfect wedding, the perfect marriage, the perfect
family. She will stop at nothing, she sneaks into people's homes,
she takes photographs, she steals things, she leaves traces behind,
she follows and stalks... She is another Amy from 'Gone Girl' or Alex
from 'Fatal Attraction' - she is ruthless in her obsession, and she
will get what she wants. At the same time she is hurt, a neglected
child, a bullied victim, a rejected girlfriend. Hamilton tries to
round out her character and explain how she came to be what she is.
There is a kind of fascination in reading about a character that
knows no boundaries, who breaks rules, and goes further than anybody
else ever would - someone who is so delusional that she can't see
how that by her very actions, she is never going to attain the trust
of the friends she wants. At the same time we have insight into her
mind, and we understand her thoughts, her justifications, her desire
for revenge. That makes her a bit more human, and a bit less of a
stereotype.
That sense of the dangerous person, the brooding feeling that things
are going to get worse and horrible things are going to happen,
doesn't let up, and we know that there is eventually going to be
another victim. Although the pace falters at times, The perfect
girlfriend is a great thriller that holds you to the end.
Helen Eddy
Goodly and Grave in a deadly case of murder by Justine Windsor
Goodly and Grave series. HarperCollins, 2018. ISBN
9780008183561
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Themes: Humour, Magic, Murder, Grave
robbers. The second in this series of adventure books, Goodly
and Grave, is about Lucy's attempts to prove herself. She and
Lord Grave, initially investigate a series of thefts of bodies from
the local cemetery, but it turns out that the thief is stealing
soil, and they hang out one night at the cemetery ready to catch the
thief. But things do not turn out well, and that night the household
is woken by a loud crash and screams. On investigation it appears
someone has tried to steal the strange book they found at the
cemetery and has hit Lord Grave over the head.
Part of an organisation called Magicians Against the Abuse of Magic
(MAAM) it falls upon our duo, Goodly and Grave to capture the thief,
but when it turns into a murder, their skills are put on high alert.
Goodly works in Lord Grave's employment as a boot boy, but is
secretly being trained by him to better use her incredible magical
powers.
The first in the series: Goodly and Grave, in a bad case of
kidnap, had Lucy using her card skills to advantage, while the
second sees her cement her place in Grave Hall as Lord Grave refines
her considerable skills.
At once funny and delightfully scary, packed with greatly detailed
illustrations by Becka Moor, this second in the series of books is a
wonder to read, with lots of odd characters: Bathsheba, Lord Grave's
companion is a jaguar from his extensive wild life park, the
housekeeper, Mrs Carthew is a man with a huge beard which he plaits
at night, Smell, the cat is able to sniff out potents easily, and so
on. All fascinating, intriguing and inviting.
I found this book delicious, filled with humour and nods to a range
of scary stories including grave robbing, vampires, Dracula, image
changes, time travel, and a golem.
Fran Knight
Kensy and Max: Breaking news by Jacqueline Harvey
Penguin Random House, 2018. ISBN 9780143780656
(Age: 8-12) Highly recommended. Themes: Mystery. Adventure.
Detectives. Family life. Spies. Brothers and sisters. Kensy and
Max: Breaking news is a meticulously built mystery story, a
wonderful introduction to a cast of new and intriguing characters,
relatable protagonists, mysterious settings and fast-paced
adventures. Popular children's author Jacqueline Harvey draws the
reader in, sharing her creative insights into the development of
Kensy and Max's characters. She shares her inspiration for her
background setting of the Morpeth Arms pub with its secret
underground spaces situated opposite the London headquarters of MI6.
Eleven year old twins Kensy and Max enjoy a nomadic lifestyle
travelling the world with their parents, who work in the ski fields
and medical clinics. Changes occur when their parents disappear on
an African holiday and the twins are driven across Europe to the
relative safety of a huge ancestral home in North Yorkshire. Feisty
Kensy and more measured Max explore Dame Spencer's vast home and
gardens uncovering secret rooms, quirky characters, hidden cameras
and treasures from their past. Fitz their constant companion, tutor
and manny, travels to London to investigate their parent's
whereabouts leaving Kensy and Max in the safe hands of Song the
quirky butler.
With Fitz planning to leave for Africa to search for the missing
parents, the twins move to Dame Spencer's townhouse with Song and
are placed in the Central London Free School. On their first day,
eccentric headmaster Mr MacGregor challenges Max to a computer
generated race around London where the young boy's brilliant memory
and map reading skills prove advantageous. Kensy and Max settle in
to school life, curiously observing mysterious activities and
disappearances of their friends, secret meetings and their
miraculous escape from a gallery.
Kensy and Max keep a special secret, a communication received from
their parents via a message on Max's watch. Kensy and Max: Breaking news is a suspenseful, intriguing and
finely crafted story perfect for readers who enjoy action-packed spy
stories. Jacqueline Harvey's initial novel introduces exciting
characters, mysterious settings and family secrets waiting to be
uncovered. Here the author teases us with little clues, snippets of
information, curious conversations with people instrumental in their
future plans, and this builds an air of excitement and promise for
future stories. Her writing style is bright and lively, alliterative
and lyrically descriptive, and the protagonists are perfect foils,
each with a unique set of skills and traits that complement the
other. The author peoples her narrative with colourful characters,
even the settings are imbued with special secretive qualities.
For Middle Primary English students, this narrative provides
excellent examples of character development, plot tension, genre
writing and presenting realistic settings.
Rhyllis Bignell
The true colour of forever by Carrie Firestone
Hodder Children's Books, 2017. ISBN 9781444929676
(Age: 14yrs+) This book ensnared me! Not by its cover, which is very
impressive, and not by the blurb on the back, which is rather lame,
but from the opening passage found in the prologue: "A few minutes
before the incident, I noticed a tuft of dune grass stuck to a
discarded strawberry crate... I was twelve hours into downsizing
my life and just beginning to become more aware of my surroundings."
For me, this laid the foundation for the entire story. This is a
book about looking directly in front of you and seeing the obvious
things you can do which will cause a flow effect that improves the
wellbeing of others.
Embedded into the story is the importance of solid friendships which
are developed over a lifetime, yet finding that these friendships
ebb and flow as we all grow up to find our place in society. Sadie
is a year younger than her friends and struggling to reconcile
herself to her new loner status when the end of their school career
looms closer. The depth of these friendships is demonstrated by the
wonderfully creative care packages Sadie makes for her friends. They
demonstrate key moments she had shared with each person, embodying
the impact of each unique friendship perfectly.
The careful blending of the secondary characters adds fine details
to the life and events that continue in the background of Sadie's
story, old friends, new friends, family and passing strangers. We
meet Izzy, struggling with addiction, Gordie, trying to affirm his
sexuality, and Sadie's two unique grandmothers.
Carrie Firestone not only skilfully approaches the topic of teen
friendship but topics of assault, cyberbullying, peer pressure,
discrimination, self-esteem and stress by creating a realistic voice
in Sadie's character. Many teens will feel comfortable reading The
true colour of forever and considering all of these topics in
relation to their own life.
After reading this book try Saints and misfits by S. K. Ali
and The lake effect by Erin McCahan.
Sharon Smith
