On the night of the shooting star by Amy Hest and Jenni Desmond
Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406377330
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Friendship. Borders. In this fable for
modern times, Dog and Bunny live next to each other. They carry on
their own lives, doing what each does: Dog loves to knit and sits in
the garden knitting and listening to his radio, while Bunny nibbles
all day in the long grass on her side of the fence.
The beautiful illustrations show us the two lives, living next door
but not interacting at any time. Each wonders what the other is
doing but no one speaks. Each wonders why the other has no friend,
but does nothing about it. Until one night a shooting start passes
overhead. It is gone in an instant, but as each animal retires to
their own houses, they think about what they have seen.
They resolve to do something, and Dog takes a plate of biscuits to
the fence, while Bunny brings out cocoa.
Once the ice is broken, the two become inseparable friends, spending
each day with each other doing the things they love to do and doing
them together.
Readers will understand the message of the book immediately. It is a
situation they will all know well, finding new friends, meeting new
people, being reticent to make the first move. All sorts of
discussion will emanate after reading this book, and children will
eagerly scan the pages for detail about the lives of Dog and Bunny
shown in the witty illustrations. And of course, talk about shooting
stars, and how they occur and when they can be seen. Wikipedia has a
concise definition
of a falling or shooting star, and there are some photos of them on
the internet.
Fran Knight
Toto: the dog-gone amazing story of the Wizard of Oz by Michael Morpurgo
Ill. by Emma Chichester Clark. Harper Collins, 2017. ISBN
9780008134594
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. When I had my sixth birthday my older
sister gave me an illustrated copy of The Wizard of Oz and I
immediately fell in love with the story. This poor book (which I
still have) was re-read many times and is now looking a little
shabby but is still treasured deeply.
How absolutely marvellous to have one of our greatest modern
storytellers bring a fresh new take on this now 'antique' tale -
first published in 1900 by L. Frank Baum. Michael Morpgurgo has
conceived a wondrous version which re-tells the story from the point
of view of Toto, Dorothy's courageous little dog.
Now an old Papa dog, Toto delights in telling the young pups stories
and of course the favourite is the story of his and Dorothy's
adventures in the Land of Oz. Most of the pups get bored with the
endless reminiscences but not the youngest who laps them up
especially the Oz story no matter how many times he hears them.
Toto's voice is completely as one might imagine from a little Kansas
country dog and this re-tell keeps closely to the original story
which is especially satisfying. Morpgurgo also keeps closely to the
language style of the original while still making it accessible to
modern readers.
Colourful and contemporary styled illustrations give this book a
really attractive and vibrant look which will thoroughly engage
young readers for what might be their first introduction to the Oz
stories. They will definitely love the 'emerald' foiled highlights
on the cover!
Much as I love my original even after so many years this was simply
a joy to read - as indeed are all Morpurgo books!
Highly recommended for readers from around 8 years upwards!
Sue Warren
City of saints and thieves by Natalie C. Anderson
Oneworld Publications, 2017. ISBN 9781786072290
(Age: 14+ ) Highly recommended. This novel grabs your attention from
the very first page and races along at an intense pace. Christina, a
young refugee from Congo, commonly known as Tiny Girl, is living a
life of danger as a thief in Sangui City, Kenya. We learn her rules
of survival: don't exist, trust no-one, don't have friends, have a
plan etc. Her plan is: Dirt. Money. Blood. She wants to get the dirt
on Mr Greyhill and his secret gold and arms deals with corrupt
militia, pass the information on to the Goonda gang for their
blackmail extortion racket, and then take the ultimate revenge on
Greyhill himself, in retribution for his murder of her mother. With
his death she will finally be free to take care of her sister Kiki,
in hiding in a convent school.
Tiny sticks to her rules, she is highly skilled, fearless and
dangerous; but not everything goes to her plan. She finds that at
moments of desperation, she has to count on help from people she had
not allowed herself to consider as friends, the gifted tech-savvy
Boy-Boy, and her childhood playmate, Michael, Greyhill's son. Can
she allow herself to trust them, and count on them when all their
lives are in danger?
The characters, whilst larger than life, are still believable:
Tina's grief for her mother, her struggle to find her roots and what
that means for her identity, finding her own values, these are all
things that young readers may readily identify with. The themes of
refugees, social justice, modern day conflict and corruption are
also very relevant.
The story is an incredibly exciting and tense thriller; I could
easily envisage it as an action movie, with each suspenseful moment
holding the audience on the edge of their seats. But it is also
draws on real-life persecution stories that the author heard
firsthand in her work with refugees in Kenya, as well as from
documentation from Human Rights Watch and the UN Security Council. A
Q&A
with Natalie C. Anderson tells about her experiences and how they
shaped the book.
Helen Eddy
Dog Man: a tale of two kitties by Dav Pilkey
Dog Man book 3. Scholastic, 2017. ISBN 9780545935210
(Age: 7+) Recommended. Humour, Graphic novel, Crime. The third
in this series of graphic novels about Dog Man solving crimes is
sure to be scooped up by those who love Pilkey and his work (Captain
Underpants), those who look out for graphic novels and those
who just love to laugh out loud.
The first in the series, simply called Dog Man shows the
beginnings of this hybrid creature, when Greg the police dog and his
human companion are injured and must undergo surgery. But coming out
of the anesthetic reveals Dog Man, the body of a human and the head
of Greg the dog. With the smelling ability of the dog, Dog Man is
able to sniff out crimes and solve them.
In this tale, Dog Man is on the trail of the lost kitten, Li'l
Petey, and this is told in graphic format over ten easy chapters
alluding to some of Charles Dickens work. At the end of the story
several different ending are given for those who want to keep
reading, and Pilkey follows this with instructions on how to draw
cartoon animals.
Dog Man is still learning a few tricks of the trade and causes the
Chief of Police no end of grief as he chews up the furniture. So Dog
Man is on slippery ground and must prove his worth. Littered with
outrageous puns on anything doggie and catty, and drawing on
Dickens' A Tale to Two Cities, the story will case hilarity
amongst the target audience, and have older readers who know A
Tale of Two Cities, marvelling at the parallels.
Fran Knight
Here I stand : stories that speak for freedom by Amnesty International
Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406373646
(Age: 15+) In an eclectic collection of themes, forms and style,
Amnesty presents short stories which invite us to walk in the shoes
of those who suffer various injustices.
Whilst confronting, not all of the stories deal with the grimmest of
subjects yet those which consider molestation, sex trafficking and
suicide as a consequence of relentless bullying make this suitable
for a 15+ readership.
Other situations are equally moving. An overworked public defender
seeks the best legal outcome for a black youth entangled in gang
culture. A young girl is tormented by the fact that her former best
friend, with whom she shared a mutual devotion, now shows contempt
and disgust for her sexual orientation. In a tale with a similar
theme, a black youth is incredulous that his former best friend
shows vile hatred towards him because of his skin colour. The very
real situation of a child being embarrassed by having to interpret
for her mother in delicate conversations with doctors and school
teachers is the subject in another story.
A sliding doors moment is considered in the life a young migrant who
is groomed to become a suicide bomber but also has the option to
pursue the path of education and enlightenment towards a fulfilling
life.
The brutality and futility of state sanctioned execution in a U.S.
prison prompts a lawyer to ruminate on meaningful ways to manage
'redemption'. He imagines a remote island with a futuristic penal
facility which protects wider society but enables prisoners to
engage in environmentally productive work which generates income as
compensation to victims of crime.
Industrial pollution destroys a river system in a developing country
and completely devastates the communities which live upon its banks.
No longer able to fish, these people starve in an unequal battle
against a powerful international corporation with no concern for
those who suffer from their negligence.
A recurring element in these stories is bullying which appears in
various ways and on a range of levels. The trauma and pain caused is
clearly evident but what I liked about this book is that the
intention is to provoke thought and introspection. Despite the dark
and harsh realities of many situations, these stories largely focus
on the possibility for change and the creation of a safer, more just
world.
Rob Welsh
Tell it to the moon by Siobhan Curham
Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406366150
(Age: 14+) Friendships. Identity. This book focuses on one year in
the lives of Sky, Rose, Maali and Amber - the Moonlight Dreamers.
The Dreamers are a group of teenage friends whose friendship (and
dreams) propel this book through a series of dramas that reveal
their growing identity explorations. Sky is a poet who is also
learning how to cope with the life and schooling change that has
been forced upon her; Rose is coming to grips with her sexuality and
her dysfunctional family; Maali is coming to grips with losing her
love interest and seeks guidance from her Hindu goddess statue, but
something more serious is on the horizon; Amber is the
unusually-dressed daughter of two gay dads and would really like to
know the identity of her surrogate mother in order to know herself,
but instead needs to rely on Oscar Wilde's influence through his
scattered quotes and writing. They are all struggling to work out
who they are, and what lies ahead in their lives.
Everything about this book seems a touch too dramatic and perhaps
tries too hard to address many issues, and the power of the
friendship group is perhaps too strong to be realistic when read
from an adult perspective. The consequence is that there is a naive
superficiality about the treatment of quite serious issues that
could be handled with more gravitas. Peer friendship is esteemed
above all other authority. There are some redeeming aspects, but
this almost reads like a Baby-sitters Club or Pony Club
book for older teenagers, with a dose of romance and some serious
family concerns thrown in for good measure. Life does not always
turn out as they expect or dream, but their friendship remains a
source of strength in a sentimental way.
Carolyn Hull
The teenage guide to friends by Nicola Morgan
Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406369779
(Age: 12-15) Recommended. Subjects: Friendship, Teenage life,
Cyber-bullying, Family relationships. Nicola Morgan is an
internationally recognised author of teenage health and wellbeing
books including Blame My Brain: The Amazing Teenage Brain
Revealed and The Teenage Guide to Stress. In The
Teenage Guide to Friends, she explores the topic of
friendships, looking at making friends, establishing healthy
relationships and online experiences. Sections on personality types,
family position and being empathetic are written in a practical,
relatable format. Morgan emphasizes the value of having a trusted
adult to share with, to provide support and guidance.
This book is divided into four sections: What are Friends; Making
and Managing Friendships; Empathy and Behaviour and Personality. She
explores the thousands of years of human evolution, the development
of the human brain and 'the ability to think rationally and use self
control.' Each section includes an introduction, questions and
responses, signs to look out for and things to think about. Online
friendships, cyber-bullying, the influences of social media are
discussed with guidelines for handling online cruelty, looking ahead
to choices made as a teenager and the consequences for adulthood.
Negative and positive behaviours, personality traits, keeping
friendships strong, dealing with 'frenemies' are important topics
for teenagers to understand.
Teenagers and preteens can use the comprehensive index and explore
just the section that interests them, their area of concern or
issues that they are dealing with. This reference book is a useful
tool for classroom and home teachers, as well as health
professionals. Quizzes and a resource section are included as well.
Rhyllis Bignell
Words collide by Chris Colfer
The Land of Stories, book 6. Little Brown, 2017. ISBN
9780316355896
(Age: Year 3+) 'The statues are alive! How is this possible?'
The policewoman clicked the radio on her shoulder.
'Officer Sanchez to Dispatch,' she said, 'The library is under
attack. I repeat, the library is under attack! We need all available
units to join us immediately!'
'Copy, Officer Sanchez,' a voice responded over the radio. 'All
available units have been notified. Are you able to identify who or
what is behind the attack?'
Still in disbelief, the policewoman hesitated to respond.
'It's magic,' she said breathlessly. 'The library is being attacked
by magic!'
Will it or won't it? This is the question on the lips of fans of The
Land of Stories. Throughout this final book, Colfer drops some
not so discreet hints that will leave one wondering is this really
the last of the worlds. Readers will not be disappointed with the
strange situations, difficult life lessons and cosmic dramas. Throw
in evil and good characters becoming involved from various worlds
battling through many of New York City's landmarks to top it off. It
is pleasing to see Colfer bring all his fairy tale worlds from
throughout the series to a satisfying close, with all plot lines
from previous books converging in the finale. Book 6 sees many
characters return for one last hooray - the flip side being they are
reduced to cameo appearances albeit memorable.
The book needs to be read after the five others have been completed
for sense to be made. There is the odd bit of violence and the
occasional 'swear word' (crap, bastards, butt). Has a door or two
been left open for another story?
We have students in Year 3 and up reading this series.
Kathryn Schumacher
Back to Scare School by Zack Zombie
Diary of a Minecraft Zombie book 8. Scholastic, 2017. ISBN
9781743818343
(Age: 7-9) The popular fan fiction series is presented as Zombie's
diary and in this junior novel, he has finished 7th grade and is
uncertain about being an eighth grader. The week before school
starts is challenging and of course, he is nervous and super
anxious. With Dad's Zombie Credit Card he shops up a storm choosing
a large number of fashionable items, unfortunately his father forgot
to mention the $30 limit. When the School Schedule arrives, Zombie
is in the Advanced Scare Class 201, now he can scare Minecraft
miners instead of villagers.
Each step of the way in preparation of the new school year proves
daunting, which elective to pick, Zombie Pig Farming or Modding
class. Even choosing school supplies is problematic, Mum says no to
the 100-pocket backpack, perfect for storing dried booger snacks, no
Voice Changing megaphone, just the basics for Zombie. Steve his
human friend gives him some great advice and his parents promise him
a ScareStation 465 if he receives all B grades.
School life proves to be challenging as Zombie recounts his daily
experiences in his journal with missed buses, shrinking uniforms,
and volunteer orientation and modding lessons. Humour, grossness,
body humour and plenty of Minecraft activities are just right for
the fans of this popular series.
Rhyllis Bignell
The great rabbit chase by Freya Blackwood
Scholastic, 2017. ISBN 9781743811641
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Rabbits, Animals, Neighbours. When mum
goes shopping for gumboots and comes home with a large furry rabbit,
there can be only one name for him. The rabbit is clever at chewing
and scratching, but what he does best is escape. One day when he
escapes, mum is in the shower, and Norman is at the front door ready
to play, but Gumboot's owner has only one thing on her mind: to find
her rabbit.
There follows a very funny tale of a journey to seek and find the
rabbit and take him back home. We follow the trail as the trio
crosses the road, seeing John daydreaming with his stop sign and car
owners beeping their horns. As they follow the rabbit, others join
their escapade, a man in his business suit, a neighbour on her
walking frame, the stop sign man, a woman and her screaming baby in
its pram. Down the streets they go, until they come to a park, where
they all lie down for a rest, mum still in her towel from the
shower.
Children will have great fun looking at the array of people on their
road trip, wandering the streets and then the park looking for
Gumboot. Freya Blackwood cleverly includes small touches revealing
the personalities of the people involved. I love the business man
taking his shoes and socks off, and the two older people sitting
down for a chat under the tree.
Blackwood's pen, pencil and watercolour illustrations are just
wonderful, the cut out perspective of the rabbit's tunnel, and that
of the house and the maps on the endpapers, will encourage students
to look at the neighbourhood from a different angle. Their journey
is circular, with people who have joined the hunt going back to
their own places on the way home. This delightful story will be a
tremendous read aloud as the children follow the path taken by all
participants. A wonderful journey that all readers will enjoy.
Fran Knight
Madeline Finn and the Library Dog by Lisa Papp
Old Barn Books, 2017. ISBN 9781910646328
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended. Dogs, Therapy dogs, Reading,
Libraries. Madeline Finn does not like to read. She refuses to read
magazines, books and menus. And she especially hates reading out
loud. When she tries the others in her class snigger. They get stars
from the teacher for their reading, she gets a sticker which tells
her to keep trying. She is despondent. She really wants a star. One
day at the library, Mrs Dimple, the librarian takes her to meet
Bonnie, a dog who loves to hear people read. In a room with many
dogs listening to children read, Madeline finds that the dog does
not giggle when she makes a mistake, and puts its paws onto her lap
when she tries to read a word she does not understand. They learn to
get there together and with Bonnie's help she keeps going.
After a few weeks the teacher asks Madeline to read again and this
time she imagines that she is reading to Bonnie and after a hesitant
start, reads to the end of the page, receiving her star. She takes
it to the library to give to Bonnie and finds out why Bonnie was
missing last week at the library.
This charming story of finding your feet, of developing the strength
to do something that is difficult will thrill all readers. Bonnie
the library dog gives Madeline the confidence to carry on, her
simply being there overcomes Madeline's fears about reading.
The soft illustrations depict the dog and child beautifully,
supporting those children in the same predicament.
Part of the proceeds of the sale of this book goes to Pets as
Therapy, an organisation in the United Kingdom that supports
read2dogs. Go to http://www.petsastherapy.org
for more information.
Fran Knight
The Princess in Black and the mysterious playdate by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale
Ill. by LeUyen Pham. The Princess in Black book 5.
Candlewick Press, 2017. ISBN 9780763688264
(Age: 5-8) Highly recommended. My favourite princess is back and
this time she is having a playdate with Princess Sneezewort.
Unbeknowns to her a monster has followed her from the goats' field
and is terrorising the children who have pets in the park near
Princess Sneezewort's palace. When Princess Magnolia hears of the
threat she quickly dons her Princess in Black attire and goes to the
rescue. Princess Sneezewort follows the directions for becoming ' a
monster battling hero' and dressing herself in a disguise of
blankets, becomes the Princess in Blankets, and goes to the pets'
rescue as well.
Filled with funny moments and humorous illustrations, this episode
shows that with a bit of help, anyone could be a hero. The
friendship portrayed between the two princess, both as their
ordinary selves and then as heroes, is heart warming. The two
friends have such fun playing dress-up slam and karaoke jam and
playhouse romp and snack-time stomp. When they vanquish the monster
it is time for a victory dance with the Goat Avenger and they slap
hands, they wiggle bums and say 'Callooo!'
This series of books come highly recommended. The characters are
well developed and most likeable and will appeal to a wide range of
children. The delightful drawings complement the warmth and charm of
the story, which is also action packed for readers who enjoy
adventure. Readers will have lots of fun searching for the monster
who is very adept at hiding.
I look forward to further exploits of the Princess in Black and her
trusty friends.
Pat Pledger
There is no dragon in this story by Lou Carter
Ill. by Deborah Allwright. Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408864906
(Ages: 4-7) Recommended. Fairy Tales. This is Lou Carter's first
picture book and her background in teaching has evidently helped her
create this engaging and clever story. Similarly to Nick Bland's The
Wrong Book, the reader is addressed directly, making them feel
a part of the story. 'This was supposed to be a story about a dragon
who captured a princess . . .' but Dragon has gone off in a huff ('I
will not capture any icky, frilly princesses today', he says) and
gone searching for a story where he gets to be the hero for once. He
traipses around fairy tale land, pleading with well-known characters
to be the hero in their stories. He offers to save the Gingerbread
Man from that Fox and to save the Second Little Pig from that Big
Bad Wolf. -No, no no, that's not how it goes. There is NO DRAGON in
this story- is the refrain. A fantastic picture map shows him being
turned away repeatedly, by Goldilocks, Hansel and Gretel, and Little
Red Riding Hood. NO! they all say. He is just trying his luck with
Jack when his bad timing sees him become part of the story, altering
its path and throwing fairy tale land into chaos. What everyone
really needs now is a dragon to be the hero! Can he summon up the
courage?
Young children will love identifying all the familiar fairy tale
characters depicted within the story. It may even encourage them to
revisit them or seek out those unfamiliar to them. The book could be
used to inspire creativity in storytelling as it shows how
introducing an unexpected character or event can change a story's
trajectory and how it isn't always necessary to follow a traditional
story pathway. It could even be used to discuss stereotypes and how
we can break free of them, both within the stories we tell and
within our own existence. Dragon is a fantastic character who is
easy to empathise with; he wears his heart on his sleeve, is full of
exuberance and determination, and is just a little crazy. The
illustrations are fantastic, particularly the dark pages showing the
fairy tale characters stumbling around and making a mess of their
stories. A great read aloud, especially for fairy tale fans.
Nicole Nelson
A friend in the dark by Pascal Ruter
Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406372601
(Age: 12+) The novel A Friend in the Dark is a sweet story that
makes its readers evaluate their prior knowledge of blindness and
becoming blind. Written in a way that makes you wonder about the
universe and all that is around you, A Friend in the Dark is
captivating and thoughtful. The story revolves around Victor who
lives with his dad (an antiques trader), and is a failure when it
comes to school and being social. He is good friends with a boy
called Haisam, and while Haisam (the Honourable) is a genius (who
plays chess every day with his father, and is believed to be all
powerful and all-knowing according to Victor), Victor, himself, does
what he can to scrape by and not cause trouble. This all changed one
day when a classmate starts to take notice of Victor, and he
suddenly (and as a surprise to everyone) gets a decent mark at
something he has no clue about, particularly, maths. Where did this
knowledge come from? Why is his classmate Marie taking much more
notice of him that she usually does? Maybe there's something deeper
going on here than a classmate taking pity on a peer who is dismal
in the academic setting . . .
The book A Friend in the Dark is written in a soft way that allows
readers to understand the mind and thoughts of Victor. The style of
writing, perspective, and themes in this book are like the preferred
writing style of John Green and his young adult novels; true love,
mystery, and a strong first-person perspective. This novel would be
well suited for teens and young adults (12+) because of the
character development, concepts, and themes. This book gave a
different light to some concepts and developments that others may
find relatable in life; whether it's school, social life, family
life, or even medical issues, this book is warm and easy to read
with its relaxed and characteristic narration style. A Friend in the
Dark is definitely a friend for those who love to get lost in a
fictional world.
Sarah Filkin
Secret Ninja Force by Julia March
DK Readers. Lego, 2017. Level 2. ISBN 9780241285534
(Age: 6+) Recommended. In Secret Ninja Force the reader will
find out about the ninja heroes of the Lego Ninjago movie. The
personalities of the six friends are explored as well as Master Wu
who gives them excellent advice about being ninjas. Their strengths
are details and weapons explained, all with bright illustrations
that aid the narrative.
Level 2 has been designed for the child who is beginning to read and
introduces characters that will be very familiar to fans of the Lego
Ninjago movie. It is ideal to read aloud for the child who is
fascinated by the movie, but also is an ideal book for the newly
emerging reader to tackle, because of the popularity of the subject
matter.
Containing 48 pages, a table of contents, a quiz and an index as
well as a note to parents, Secret Ninja Force will have
instant appeal for children and was quickly grabbed by my six year
old grandson.
Pat Pledger
