Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408872079
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Penguins. Antarctica. Arctic. Christmas.
Parenting. When father penguin and his egg are picked up by a huge
wind and deposited in the Arctic, life is very strange for the
penguin. Here he meets animals that don't exist in the south, trees
and ice and snow and a man in a red suit that gives him breakfast.
The penguin has been left by his mate as she goes off into the ocean
to fish. He is in a huddle with other male penguins, their eggs on
their feet, keeping them warm until they hatch. But the penguin is
hungry and goes to the edge of the huddle where the wind grabs him.
In the Arctic he meets a variety of creatures unknown in the south:
reindeer, foxes, whales and moose. But once finding the home of the
genial Special Air Navigation Transport Authority, he is able to
have a ride back home when this person delivers presents. Back home,
the chick and its father are greeted by mum who was looking out for
them.
A cold, wintry tale will win over hearts as the readers are
transported to the Arctic along with the father penguin. This is a
neat tale of fatherly love, of the way Emperor penguins raise their
chicks, of life in the coldest places on earth. In between the story
of the father and his egg, we see factual information given about
the penguins and the environment, and the reader is also shown the
difference between the ice-bound lands on the north and south poles.
This books is a blend of fact and fiction, making it a book that
will engender discussion about these places. The inclusion of the
most famous inhabitant of the north pole, Santa Claus, will further
endear the readers. Gliori's soft illustrations, a mixture of the
many varieties of her favourite colour, blue, with great expanses of
white reflecting the polar environments will keep younger readers
looking at each page to find details of the animals that live there.
I love the use of the world map to help younger readers work out
where the penguin lives. A lovely Christmas story to add to the
range available for younger readers.
Fran Knight
A Christmas Advent story by Hanna Tolson and Ivy Snow
Bloomsbury 2017. ISBN 9781408889787
(Age: 6+) Recommended. Lift the flap book, Christmas, Advent
calendar, Customs. A European custom of celebrating the twenty five
days preceding Christmas Day is to hang an Advent calendar in the
home for children to open each day. This handsomely produced book
replicates the calendar that may hang in the house and encourages
children to follow the days from December the first to December the
twenty fifth. Each day has a window to lift revealing a small item
usually found in the house.
Many traditional Advent calendars feature the manger scene but
others now reflect a theme, like sports or the home, film or the
environment. Wikipedia has a brief outline of the history of these
calendars in the Christian tradition and this can be found at Wikipedia.
In this book a roll call of customs and traditions can be found. The
children look at the array of Christmas cards, they go Christmas
shopping walking through the snow, help select a Christmas tree,
sing carols, help decorate the tree, wrap the presents using
Christmas wrapping paper, help make the Christmas pudding and
Christmas biscuits, while in the last few pages they talk about
Santa Claus and what he might bring them.
For children each day has a different window to open, fueling the
anticipation they feel leading up to Christmas. In a classroom this
could be put to good use, reinforcing the customs that Christmas has
engendered over the years, and could provide a talking point as to
where these customs originated and why we follow them.
Readers will enjoy following the children getting ready for
Christmas as well as the happy brightly coloured illustrations and
of course, opening each window.
Fran Knight
Facts! One for every day of the year by Tracey Turner
Ill. by Fatti Burke. Bloomsbury Childrens, 2017. ISBN 9781408884621
(Age: 7+) Recommended. This is a really interesting book that grabs
the reader's attention as soon as it is opened. Turner has come up
with a different fact for every day of the year. Some of them are
just amazing - when opening the book to 15 May, the reader discovers
that "in France, it's against the law to call a pig Napoleon" (pg.
45). Other entries are factual and fascinating - an example is the
notation for the 5 August when the reader learns that "Greenland
sharks live in cold Arctic waters and swim very slowly" and "can
live up to about 400 years!" Then there are the humorous entries
that will delight - for the 30th April, the reader discovers that
"Wombats produce cube-shaped poo" and on December 25, will learn how
to say 'Happy Christmas in 20 languages'.
The background to each page is coloured in bright tones, and
illustrations by Fatti Burke add to the interest of the factual
information. Some double spread pages have a large drawing like the
heart that illustrates the 29 June entry ("During your lifetime,
your heart will beat about 2.21 billion times, and you'll take
around 672 million breaths" pg. 55). Others are decorated with small
birds or insects, footprints or foliage.
This would make a great discussion starter in a classroom and would
appeal to those children who love weird and interesting facts.
Pat Pledger
The Mitford murders by Jessica Fellowes
Little, Brown, 2017. ISBN 9780751567168
(Age: 15+) Recommended. Mystery. Louisa Cannon has problems. It's
1919, and her oppressive uncle is proving to be dangerous. She
really wants to escape London and is happy when she secures a
position as a nurserymaid at Asthall Manor the home of the Mitford
family. Then Florence Nightingale Shore, goddaughter of her famous
namesake, is murdered on a train and Louisa becomes entangled with a
young railway policeman and Nancy Mitford as the trio try to solve
the murder.
To my surprise I discovered that this was a real murder, which has
never been solved. It was interesting to read a murder mystery
knowing that the culprit had never been found and wondering how the
author would present the case. Many people have put forward theories
and Fellowes' solution is one that the reader can believe in.
Setting much of the action in the Mitford home will give readers who
enjoyed The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate
by Nancy Mitford, a glimpse into the life of the upper classes in
the early 20th century. At the same time the reader gains an
in-depth knowledge of World War 1, the brave nurses who served
during the war and the life of the poor in London.
The narrative is slow but the historical background and characters
of the three main protagonists keep the reader's interest and ensure
that further research is done into the real murder.
Pat Pledger
Landscape with invisible hand by M. T. Anderson
Candlewick Press, 2017. ISBN 9780763699505
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. Wealth and power. Commerce. Art.
Invasion. Science fiction. When the vuvv hover above earth, telling
people that they have been watching since the 1940's, they promise
sharing their technologies which means freedom from disease and less
work.
But as with all invaders the promises are hollow. Humans lose their
jobs to the technology, food is prepared elsewhere and sold to
people whose farms are now derelict, so can no longer afford to buy
it, medicine is costly, healthcare a thing of the past and humans
must learn to communicate with the vuvv through translators attached
to their bodies. Not being part of the world of those who became
wealthy when the vuvv arrived, Adam and his family reflect the
growing desperation of humankind.
When dad loses his job he abandons them, mum keeps going in the hope
that she will find something to do, but with long sometimes
aggressive queues at every job opportunity, she begins to despair.
They sell their possessions eventually taking in another family
whose rent buys their food for a while.
Told in chapters which reflect paintings that Adam creates, Adam and
his girlfriend, Chloe, sell their intimate moments to the vuvv.
Saddled with recording equipment and translators, they learn the
idioms of the post WW2 America to give the vuvv what they want to
see. But this breaks down when Adam and Chloe part, Chloe pairing
with someone else to cash in from the vuvv and Adam left with
litigation.
Adam's unabashed look at the new world is startling. Through his
eyes we see the invasion of his society by another force and their
degradation through being seen as an indigenous culture whose mores
and traits, music, art and language are studied as a curiosity.
Anderson makes some pithy comments about how our society is
proceeding, with a huge divide developing between rich and poor, a
reliance on technology that is stultifying; factories, shopping
centres, suburbs and cities left derelict, a school system where
teachers are volunteers, while Adam has Merick's Disease, an
everpresent bowel and stomach condition which has come from drinking
unpurified water, a service the government no longer provides.
Submitting several of his landscapes to the vuvv for a competition,
Adam goes to the celebration in the sky gallery and finds that his
voice is lost in the crowd, he has become a non person, so he
decides to act.
This is a powerful look at our society. Set in New England, it could
be any western country, where technology is seen as the great
nirvana but means loss and dislocation for many, where government
decisions are made for the rich, where services are abandoned and
where the aim to be wealthy over rides all common sense. The
distance between - the space, is never going to be spanned, but Adam
and his family hope for a future where the invisible hand reclaims
what is lost.
This is one story that begs discussion and debate as it exposes the
nastiness in our society, one that has gone off the rails in its
adherence to commerce, technology and wealth.
It is fascinating that it was written probably several years ago to
be published in 2017, but could have been written about Trump's
America.
Fran Knight
A semi-definitive list of worst nightmares by Krystal Sutherland
Penguin, 2017. ISBN 9780143573913
(Age: 15+) Recommended. Themes: Fear and Anxiety; Resilience;
Cowardice and Bravery; Mental Illness: Suicide; Teen Romance; Family
Struggles. This is a book filled with gut-wrenching fear - for the
characters, not the reader. It is a book filled with oxymorons -
tragedy and comedy; cowardice and bravery; depression and hope;
obsession and a light touch. Krystal Sutherland has also managed to
braid into the harder parts of this book romance and understanding
of the very complex world of those who struggle to live well with
mental illness. And you won't want to put this book down because the
characters will charm you!
Esther Solar is the quirky, fear-riddled central character whose
family appear to be cursed with struggles that lead them down the
road of mental illness in a myriad of forms. Her family life could
only be described as twisted out of shape. Her twin brother is
severely challenged by the dark, her mother is afraid of bad luck
(which she seems to court by her gambling habit) and her father has
not left the basement for years; and Esther manages to keep going,
wearing bizarre outfits that are her way of disappearing (even
though everyone looks at her!). Her best friend, Hephzibah, is a
selective mute and together they have silently battled being the
odd-bods at school by sticking together. The only person from their
past who supported them, Jonah, dramatically reappears into the
action. He then proceeds to complicate Esther's existence in ways
that she could never expect, compelling her to confront the long
list of fears that hangs over her like an ever present storm cloud,
ready to drop an unexpected deluge of disaster. And through all of
the complexities of her life walks the visitor from her
Grandfather's tales - the visitor that no one ever wants: Death!
There are many laugh-out-loud moments in this book as Esther's
family's frailties are 'undressed and revealed' in their raw
humanity in the face of the deep darkness that accompanies them.
Despite this expose of severe mental illness, the care of a friend
and the expressions of love provide opportunities to see hope grow.
Not with an easy-fix, but as if the clouds part and small glimpses
of sunshine peek through. Jonah is an endearing and strong
character, who has his own tough issues to deal with - but is
absolutely a 'winner'. But don't expect everything in this book to
be completely believable!
The book contains some hints about how to seek help for those facing
their own battles with anxiety and mental illness.
NB: The personification of Death in this book could enable this book
to be used as a paired text with Markus Zuzak's 'The Book Thief' for
Senior English students.
Recommended: For mature readers aged 15+ (Readers who have enjoyed
John Green books will also enjoy this book). There is some swearing
included.
Carolyn Hull
Crazy about cats by Owen Davey
Flying Eye Books, 2017. ISBN 9781911171164
(Age: Primary school) Highly recommended. As the title suggests this
book gives you information about cats, mainly concentrating on the
wild cat species. Did you know there are 38 different types of cats
in the world? This book has large amounts of beautiful illustrations
and infographics surrounded by bite sized amounts of information.
The 34 chapters (which are double page spreads) include the
different cat species, hunting for food as well as weird and
wonderful facts. There are some fascinating references to cats and
mythology as well. Crazy About Cats has a perfect balance of information and
visuals for primary school aged children. The setting out of the
facts using infographics make the book both informative and easy to
read. I particularly like the diagram showing the comparison of
different cat sizes with a human.
The colour palette for this book is stunning, with the author/
illustrator using warm colours with muted greens. This makes the
book a visual treat. The illustrations themselves are slightly
stylised and are more like works of art. The end papers are just as
attractive as the rest of the book.
The author has also produced two other books in this series, using
alliteration for their titles as well. They are Mad About
Monkeys and Smart About Sharks.
This is a book you can go to for information but also read just for
the compelling way it has been created. A visual joy from the
beginning to the end.
I highly recommend this book for primary school students and suggest
it should be in every school library collection.
Jane Moore
DK Children's Encyclopedia
DK, 2017. ISBN 9780241283868
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. Encyclopedias. DK has produced another
excellent non fiction reference book, this time for younger children
who will really appreciate the excellent illustrations and
relatively easy to read text that DK Children's Encyclopedia
has to offer. There are over 250 topics in the book including
ancient civilisations, Astronomy, Climate change, Clocks, Galaxies,
Insects, Milky Way, Continents, Vikings, Weather and Zoos. The
Reference section contains lists of artists and writers, alphabets
and writing systems, scientists and mathematical information.
The book contains a table of contents with the topics organised in
alphabetical order. There are instructions on how to use the book
giving details about how the topics are colour coded into nine
different key subject areas, Art, People, History, Earth, Nature,
Science, Technology, Space and the Human Body. At the back there is
a comprehensive index as well as a glossary. The "Story of..." pages
are double-page spreads about interesting topics like colour,
storytelling, clothing, energy, water and inventions all of which
contain useful information for research and class work.
Each page deals with a different topic and is illustrated with
wonderful pictures that will help the child's understanding of the
topic. See also boxes will send the reader off to associated topics
giving the reader the opportunity to further their knowledge. The
information given is interesting and informative and is sure to keep
the inquiring child occupied for hours.
This would be an ideal gift for the young child. It is sturdy and
beautifully produced. It would also be an excellent reference book
in the library and classroom.
Pat Pledger
Prisoner of ice and snow by Ruth Lauren
Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781681191317
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Who would have thought one would set
out to be arrested? But that is exactly what Valor intends to do.
Tyur'ma is a prison for criminal children and no one has escaped
from this frozen facility in over 300 years. But Sasha, Valor's
sister finds herself sent there accused of a crime she did not
commit - or did she? When Valor is arrested, and sent to Tyur'ma,
she begins plotting an escape route from the inside. She used all
resources that she can find and outsmarted both the guards and other
nosey fellow prisoners. In order for the plan to be successful,
alliances must be formed between unlikely allies.
This is a fast-paced fantasy novel that hooked me in from the
beginning to end. Although it is a fiction book I did find myself
thinking at times that parts of it could have been true. Valor was a
strong leading protagonist who grew and rose to all the challenges
that were presented to her. Themes such as bravery, friendship,
perseverance and determination are running strongly throughout the
book. Interestingly all the main characters in the book are strong
female characters whether they be good or bad!
I would recommend this book for children over 10 years as some of
the action in the book can be a little confronting. I would strongly
recommend this book to be added to a library collection.
Kathryn Schumacher
First day at Skeleton school by Sam Lloyd
Bloomsbury 2017. ISBN 9781408868829
(Age: 5+) Recommended. Monsters, School, Rhyming story. At night
time Skeleton school opens its doors for the mini monsters, needing
tuition with their newly found skills. Welcomed by Mr Bones the
teacher, readers must cross over the moat into the ghostly castle
and attend morning assembly where the singing is other worldly. In
the library the witch flies up on her broom only to have the cat
fall to the ground after attempting a loop de loop. Next dance class
is a bit jangly with the skeletons all dancing together, while the
ghosts move up and down the staircase learning to float and at
lunchtime the zombies cook up a meal to be savoured.
In rhyming stanzas the story moves along, taking the reader through
a familiar scenario, a school, but with ghostly apparitions popping
out of all doors and windows, sitting in rows for assembly, drifting
down the stairs, working in the science laboratory or playing in the
garden.
Kids will love the range of things depicted, at assembly the whole
range is lined up in rows for eager readers to pick out. They will
laugh out loud at each page, littered with ghostly imaginings, a
three headed librarian, a dancing skeleton reading a book called Rattling
Rhymes, the beetle burgers being offered by the zombies,
Frankenstein's head being used as a ball at playtime.
Bright illustrations fill each page with a mine of things to delve
into, small drawings will catch the eyes of eager readers as they
learn of the range of monsters that exist in our imaginations and
literature. All good fun for Halloween.
Fran Knight
Scary hairy party by Claire Freedman
Ill. by Sue Hendra. Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408867174
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Halloween, Monsters, Party, Rhyming story. In
four line stanzas, the story unfolds of a group of animals invited
to Monster's house at 3 pm. They must all dress up to go to the
party, and go to Raymond's hair salon to make themselves perfect.
But here they run into problems, Raymond makes their hair look
fabulous, but accidents happen that mess up their hairstyles. Bella
the sheep looks lovely until Raymond uses so much hair spray that
her hair becomes very frizzy. Leo the lion is up next and his mane
is fabulous until Raymond unscrews a pot of gloop and it goes
everywhere, including over Leo's new hairdo. The others sit there
wondering what will happen, and sure enough Raymond mixes up the
dyes and the last three get technicolour hair. All is in chaos, but
when the group gets to the party a neat twist sees them fit in very
well.
Bright and breezy, colourful illustrations accompany this rhyming
story, with lots on each page to intrigue and delight younger
readers. They will have fun predicting the rhyming words and
noticing all the things used by a hairdresser. And with Halloween
coming along, a mildly scary story to share with younger readers.
Fran Knight
Snowdrift and other stories by Georgette Heyer
Sourcebooks Casablanca, 2017. ISBN 9781492650461
(Age: 13+) Recommended. Regency romance. Short stories. Originally
published as Pistols for two, Snowdrift and other
stories contains three brand new stories that previously
haven't been in a collection. These three stories, Pursuit,
Runaway match and Incident on the Bath Road, make a
delightful addition for readers who love the work of Georgette
Heyer.
All the stories felt very familiar to me and indeed many could be
described as precursors to the full length novels. I have been a fan
of the author since the very first time I read a book by her when I
was a teen. She is an author that I come back to repeatedly whenever
I need a feel-good read because her witty dialogue, sparkling
characters and charming atmosphere always lift my spirits.
In this collection, I was happy to be re-united with Pistols for
two as Heyer is so able to convey the jealousies and strong
friendship of the youths who had suddenly found that the annoying
little playmate from their childhood had grown into a beauty. Pursuit,
one of the new stories, also was a hit with me, as I enjoyed the
romance between the older couple, the Earl of Shane and Mary
Fairfax, the governess and have always had a soft spot for the young
woman who falls in love with a military man.
I particularly enjoyed the foreword by Heyer's official biographer,
Jennifer Kloester, as she describes the importance of the women's
magazines as places for authors to be published.
Heyer brings to life all the romance of a bygone era and her
wonderful characters will linger in the memory. She is truly the
queen of the Regency romance.
Pat Pledger
The snow angel by Lauren St John
Zephyr, 2017. ISBN 9781786695895
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Orphans. Poverty. Family. Miracles.
Friendship. Overcoming difficulty. Resilience. The snow angel;
is a wonderful, magical mix of African culture, sadness, dreams,
grief, resilience and the awful sobering realities of poverty and
homelessness - but despite this sad litany of ideas, it is filled
with bright moments of love and optimism. This is both a fantasy
tale with a light dusting of imagined mystery and a sobering expose
of the reality of modern Africa. The central character, Makena,
experiences the highs of living out her dreams within a loving
family and then the horrors that no child should ever have to
experience, after tragic circumstances swamp her life. Woven into
this tragedy is the vision of the 'snow angel' - a magical illusion
that appears and silently offers hope. Makena also meets an amazing
friend and a rescuer that are just what she needs. Even though there
are incredibly bleak and heart-breaking aspects to this story, it is
ultimately a story of hope for Makena. (But a mature reader will
also realise that there are many unnamed characters in the story
that will not experience this same hopeful ending.)
Lauren St John has written this book with understanding of the
Kenyan setting that comes from her own experience of life in Africa
as a child. She also peppers lightly the telling of this dramatic
tale with some profound quotes and pearls of wisdom, as well as a
glimpse of how those in poverty can retain joy in their lives,
despite the hardships they face. There are some chronology leaps as
the story unfolds that may confuse some young readers initially, but
the story is compelling and worth promoting.
Carolyn Hull
La la la by Kate DiCamillo
Ill. by Jaime Kim. Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406378009
(Age: 4+) Voice. Singing. Loneliness. The young girl on the front
cover loves to sing, but wants to share her singing with someone
else. She is hesitant, looking longingly at her front door, and
eventually moves through the door into the world outside. Here it is
golden and light filled, and she moves through this environment,
singing, trying to attract someone else. She goes back inside, but
the swirling leaves call her again and she moves outside into the
darker space. She sings again, to no avail, but sees the large white
circle of the moon shining. She tries to climb to the moon, singing
all the while, but still there is no one there.
Disappointed yet again, she retreats to her house, her small voice
singing the words to herself, but this time she hears them come back
to her as someone responds.
Author Kate DiCamillo is well known for her stories of children not
usually seen in children's books. Because of Winn-Dixie is a
superb story of one girl's school year as she is forced to go to an
integrated school after a law change. Raymie
Nightingale looks at a child for whom winning a
competition is the epitome. In these books, favourites of mine, I
can see hints of the child in La la la: all children are
hesitant, unsure of what to make of their situation, trying to find
a friend in a world that seems hostile.
In La la la, the world eventually becomes less hostile, and
she finds a friend.
Children will love filling in the story, adding words to this almost
wordless picture book, as they see the child striving to take charge
of her situation. Many will recognise themselves in this story, the
hesitation at meeting new people, the loneliness of not making an
effort to go outside, striving to be part of someone else's life, of
finding a friend. Kim's illustrations reflect her feelings of being
alone as a child, being hesitant and timid. The pictured girl is a
small figure on a large white page, emphasising her aloneness for
most of the story. A story of hope.
Fran Knight
I want to be in a scary story by Sean Taylor
Ill. by Jean Jullien. Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406363463
(Age: 3-7) Recommended. Little Monster wants to be in a scary story.
He asks the author to help him but as the story is constructed from
Little Monster's requests, he gets too scared and wants changes to
the plot.
Eventually the monster wants a funny story but the author has his
own fun by putting in a few surprises. In the end, the big
revelation for the reader is made by Little Monster himself.
This is an entertaining book and younger children love the stories
that seem to be written in front of them. Press
here by Herve Tullet and The
book with no pictures by B J Novak both have that
interactive feel and are hugely popular in my school library.
I think children will relate to monster's fear of being scared and
laugh at the tricks that are played on both the monster and the
narrator or reader.
The pictures are bold and brightly coloured and the font is coloured
purple when the (purple) monster speaks, making it easier for
children to understand who is talking. The monster is cute and looks
young and his facial expressions in the illustrations make it clear
when he is scared or anxious about what is coming up next.
I enjoyed this humorous picture book and I am sure younger children
will be delighted with it too.
I recommend this book for 3 to 7 year olds.
Jane Moore
