“You’re so much bigger than your name, always remember that. All of us are a tale within a tale within a tale.” p13
And so begins the new life of Hans Whitby, formerly known as Lavender Wolfe, a young pickpurse left alone on the steps of a wharf and taken to become a galley boy on the pirate ship, The Good Marchioness. Unbeknown to Lavender she has a magical secret that can only be smelt by a giant ogress known as Big Agatha who finds abandoned children with special powers and brings them to her galley to assist in a dangerous voyage to ‘find treasure before the dawn of the seventh year or be turned to sand.' Unfortunately for Hans this time is approaching very quickly and she reluctantly becomes a key to the seemingly impossible quest for the spectral map that will lead them to The Marigold’s treasure.
Early in the first few challenging days at sea, Hans meets an array of assorted characters including the galley boys: Poppet, Colin, Peter, Thomas, King Samuel. Big Agatha is the one fierce constant in their lives but is Big Agatha the person she really seems to be? She herself has a terrible story and burden to bear. There is the frightening and unpredictable Captain Odyessia Pleasant, a fierce pirate with a bird's wing in place of an arm, a severed ear on the left side of her face along with a ragged scar, and the ghost-fetcher, The Little Duchess, who befriends Hans and they spend time together on the ship learning from each other.
Over the course of the journey Hans learns about the terrible curse, the ghostship The Lady Eloise and its devilish crew, loses some of the galley companions and is instrumental in the fight for survival. She also suffers great heartache when a friendship is lost. For Hans and the crew will the curse be broken if and when the treasure is found after a perilous journey? Will Hans ever be able to return to her life as Lavender Wolfe or is there something more instore for her?
This phenomenal read by award-winning author Karen Foxlee is rich in language and descriptive imagery so real that pictures form in the mind of the reader. It is an epic saga which will enthral those middle grade children who enjoy a swashbuckling adventure full of action, drama, a crew of misfits otherwise known as the Worshipful Company of Uncommon Seaman, ghost ship with ghost pirates, fateful curses, danger and endless magic.
A truly engaging and exciting read. Highly recommended.
This is the final book in the duology that began with The last Bloodcarver. The first book in the series was compelling and unique, and this book continues in the same awe-inspiring manner. Ven Kochin’s life has been saved by Nhika, but the heart-soothing sacrifice came at the expense of Nhika's own life. Now Kochin is left grieving and yet his past has given him the hope that his own heart-soothing and healing talents may enable a resurrection despite the logical impossibility of restoring life to a corpse. His hope for this future may involve his own sacrifices and he becomes tangled in war and power struggles as he researches and investigates how he might bring back to life the love that sparked his own salvation and rescue. Is this even possible and will his heart-soothing healing talents be stolen by those in power before he can help Nhika?
With the complexity of sci-fi fantasy witha touch of medicine, magic and romance, this book is far from mundane. Suspension of disbelief is compulsory, but there is also an intelligence to the weaving of the impossible that will appeal to YA fantasy lovers aged 16+. It has been some time since I finished book 1 in the series and it did take me a while to reconnect with the characters and the fantasy realm of this book. Consequently, I recommend that the duology be read together to assist in flow and toenable immersion in the depths of complexity of the characters and their struggles, but also the journey towards ‘peace, freedom and love’. This is not a book for the faint-hearted. Bodily resurrection is an uncommon trope in most fiction, but Vanessa Le has created an intelligent story for adept readers who love a complex fantasy that involves powers that are not necessarily magical, but restorative. Persistence, to move past the strangeness of the time setting (is it set in the recent past or in the future?) and the unknown place-setting of Theumas andYarong, is necessary but worth the journey. This is a sharply striking story and yet also sweetly romantic. Early chapters are written with some backward and forward chronology, and the author has thus prevented a wallowing in grief, and discomfort of the travel with a coffin, by foreshadowing a more hopeful future.
Themes Fantasy, Sci-fi, Romance, Resurrection, Love, War, Healing, Grief.
Carolyn Hull
Shibu's tail by Tess Thomas. Illus. by Kamwei Fong
Allen & Unwin, 2025. ISBN: 9781761182525. (Age:3+) Highly recommended.
A wonderful tale of a cat with the most demonstrative of tails, which twitches and shakes, grows and shrinks, curls and knots, reflecting the very strong emotions he has. When he is fearful, his tail provides a protective wall to hide behind, the hair on his tail stands on end when he is cross, the tail makes a heart shape when he feels loving, a question mark when he is confused. Sometimes when he is sick, his tail is bandaged, when he is tired the tail folds around him. But one day he notices that the other cats are watching him. They do not need to show their emotions in the way that he does, they keep their emotions in some order. Shibu does not like being the centre of attention, so he tries to control his emotions and his tail. He ignores the milk truck, but when he breaks his favourite toy, his anger grows and grows. He tries very hard to ignore the lightning and thunder but because he does not share his feelings, he becomes worried and scared. All of the emotions he feels build up, until one day they all crash out together, and Shibu realises that holding his emotions inside does not work.
A picture book about the importance of being yourself, of sharing what you feel with others, of not holding things inside, will find a place with readers. The humour behind the cat’s antics has huge appeal, the cat mirroring the things they sometimes feel but are unable to express. Children will be able to formulate their ideas paralleling the cat and his emotions, and share their feelings just like Shibu.
Tess Thomas lives in New Jersey, and loves fresh ideas, very evident in this book.
Kamwei Fong is a Malaysian artist who uses the most incredible of techniques to create his cat images. Lines of black ink build up the intricate coat of Shibu. A short clip of his technique can be seen here.
Themes Feelings, Emotions, Sharing, Humour.
Fran Knight
Going for pippies by Wilaaran Hunter Laurie. Illus. by Tori-Jay Mordey
A mob goes to the beach to collect pippies, just as their families have done for thousands of years. Uncles and sisters, cousins and nans and pops, mum and dad, all smiles to carry on the tradition and teach the younger ones the skills they have been taught. Dad drives the big white truck to the beach looking for a good spot. Once found everyone gets their bucket and stomps into the water. But not young Wilaaran, he does not like the water.
He watches as the rest of his mob dance in the water. What are you doing he yells at them. We are doing the pippy dance they yell back. Suddenly dad grins and holds up his catch, a group of pippies in his hands. Wilaaran fills his bucket with white, foaming water and puts the pippies in.
The whole mob follow suit, tossing pippies to be added to the bucket. Soon it is time to go back home to cook what they have found, while Nan and Wilaaran take the smaller ones back to the sea. He holds Nan’s hand as she walks with him to the water.
A gentle story of a family working together to pass on skills to the next generation, Going for pippies has a warmth that will make all readers smile. The mob consists of a range of relatives, all looking forward to the feast at the end of the day. While some do the pippie dance, others collect their catch while sitting on the beach, but Wilaaran is eventually taken by Nan to do an important job, overcoming his fear. This joyous representation of the family working together sings with positive relationships, a nurturing community, of using their environment with an eye to conservation. The warmth of the sun can be felt by all readers, stretching their legs out on the sand, doing the dance in the shallows.
This is a wonderful read aloud book, having lots of actions to do as the book is read. And some lucky people may be able to try the dance out for themselves when they next visit the sea.
The illustrations are warm and inviting, offering a look at an extended family sharing their skills, teaching the younger people things passed on for generations.
The great swathes of colour across the pages will make the readers feel the sun on their backs, the sand between their toes, and the effect their dance has upon the sea bed. Children will empathise with Wilaaran as he sits on the beach watching the others do their dance, and will cheer when Nan take this hand to lead him into the water. Readers will know that next time he will dance. The pictures on the end paper is just right, bringing all the themes together; intergenerational learning, respecting the environment, sharing, community and family. This is a lovely book, subtle, warm and joyous.
Becca has been the face of @BeccaBakes since she was tiny, baking with her mum and having fun. But now it's just her, and her aunty makes it much more stressful, and at fifteen, shouldn't life be a bit more fun, not so business focussed? But, it has paid the bills, the problem for her aunty is, Becca is losing followers - given that's she's not a cute toddler anymore, and instead a growing teen. So now her aunt is always looking for new collaborations and angles, trying to get back those numbers. Struggling with a lack of social life and finding no joy from this influencer life, Becca finds unexpected relief in an online poetry forum, where she makes a new friend. But then Becca is faced with a choice, pitting her new friend against supporting her family, and she's not sure where she'll end up.
This short fiction story by Kat Ost quickly encapsulates how much social media dictates our lives - whether you are in front of the camera or behind it, whether you are trying to win the likes or looking up to the lives of those who are influencing thousands around the world. A heartwarming description of the human condition, wanting to support your family, while wanting to be yourself, Ost has written an evenly paced short novel that readers will find engaging. Good for fans of Allayne L. Webster's Selfie.
Themes Contemporary, Social Media, Family & Relationships, Short Story.
Melanie Pages
Science under siege by Michael Mann and Peter Hotez
349p. Many of us vaguely appreciate that so much of our modern global, national and personal dissonance is beyond our control. But we can no longer be unwittingly complicit for want of connecting the dots. From fake news to anti-science and from social media influenced elections to outright invasions, we citizens are bamboozled, distracted or stupefied by not one, but several interconnected forces united only by driving self-interest.
Demeaned and criticized by fellow professionals in the service of political or financial interests, are two of the world’s leading scientists, Michael Mann and Peter Hotez. In Science Under Seige, they are fighting back by laying out historical and personal attacks in a plain speak manifesto for citizen enlightenment. The authors have ‘named and shamed’ the major players in the anti-science ecosystem and linked a litany of evidence, to the five most powerful groups who threaten our world - the 5 P's – Plutocrats, Petrostates, Professionals (fake or on the take), Propagandists and the Press.
“In some cases there is a blurring of these categories, such as what it means to be a pro versus a propagandist, or a plutocrat versus a propagandist – think Elon Musk. So it should come as no surprise that the same names and groups pop up in multiple chapters…”
By analysing historical events such as political conflicts, weapons and climate debates or the terrible mismanagement of the global Pandemic; we are confronted by the machinations of this insidious network. Mann and Hotez are not without hope, and they expound several ways we can individually and collectively defuse some of the disinformation that is causing so much turmoil while enriching the obscenely wealthy and their minions. Detailed Chapter notes and an Index, rouse readers to dethrone the propogandists by supporting science, democratic values and communicating constructively - not with hate. The authors counter our growing loss of faith in political leaders and scientists with a plea to reject only the attacks; on real science, on the inclusivity of our communities and on the very survival of our planet.
Whilst this is both popular science and political science aimed at adults, it is not only an urgent combative rallying call. It belongs in any school library or social science department collection or broader teacher reference collection if only to model that research by credentialed constructive experts must be our sanity saviour if not saving grace.
Themes Climate action, Disinformation, Anti-science, Politics, Public health.
Deborah Robins
A Little Bit Lola: Too small to be a giant by Kiah Thomas & Bec Kitson
For graduates of School of Monsters and fans of Billie B Brown and Princess in Black comes a dose of comedy in the shape of rainbow-haired, larger than life Lola. With an older brother and sister, Lola can't help but feel she is always too little for everything. Especially when it comes to the water slides; her dad says she is still too little. If she were a giant, Lola thinks, she WOULD be able to go to the water park. Giants stomp and eat trees so that's what she does- practises being a giant. She also tries to grow herself in the garden, and eats a ridiculous amount of food, including broccolini (which she hates). The story shows her range of emotions about the situation and having to deal with the reality of missing out on something fun but it also ends with her making her own fun with her family when they return.
There is a definite Charlie and Lola feel to this story, particularly Lola's conversations with her big brother Max as well as the writing style itself. Like the other Lola, she is imaginative, determined and fiercely independent. There are also hints of classics such as Amelia Bedelia and Pippi Longstocking. Mum asks her if she has finished her lunch and she confidently asserts that she has (she has indeed finished putting her lunch in the bin!). Large writing, coloured pictures on each page and simple vocab make this an attainable series for independent readers newly embarking on the chapter book journey. The illustrations are cartoony and lots of fun. This is the second in the A Little Bit of Lola series and there are more on the way.
Themes Humorous Stories, Families, Decodables, Early Chapter Book.
Nicole Nelson
The Lone Husky by Hannah Gold. Illus. by Levi Pinfold
UK author Hannah Gold continues to provide middle grade readers with fascinating stories involving adventure, danger, the effects of climate change and most importantly, the connectedness between humans and animals. I have had the pleasure of reading and reviewing The Last Bear, The Lost Whale, Finding Bear and Turtle Moon, with this latest release, The Lone Husky, being another highly engaging and empathetic narrative that reconnects April and Bear but also introduces Blaze, a Siberian husky.
April, her father Edmund and his girlfriend Maria are now living in Longyearbyen, the capital of Svalbard, a group of islands close to the North Pole. It is mid-November and the residents will soon be living through darkness in the polar season for the coming months. During this time polar bears roam the Arctic searching for food and for April, this is a time when she will be unable to connect with her beloved Bear.
After travelling out of Longyearbyen and seeing Bear for last time until the polar season is over, April returns to Hedda’s property and it is there she discovers that Hedda has a new husky that has experienced trauma in the past. Over time, April forms a strong bond with the husky whom she names Blaze, and they intuitively support each other during a dangerous and challenging sled race: The Polar Race.
Over the course of five days this race, which is not for the faint-hearted or underprepared, tests April in many ways but she finds her true self. She has trained hard for this but as the musher she has to singlehandedly race and care for her team of huskies over long hours and make decisions that will keep them all safe. In the final stages the race takes a sudden perilous turn but with April’s bravery and Bear’s unexpected assistance, her team and others make it home safely.
In the beginning pages of the book there is an explanation of the role of each team member with further relatable information in the final pages. Throughout the story the black and white illustrations by Levi Pinfold add valuable visual images for the reader to further connect with the characters and the environment.
Hannah Gold’s website Award Winning Author is worth visiting and the link to Hannah’s Husky Expedition would make a fabulous introduction to the story.
Simon & Schuster, 2025. ISBN: 9781398516403. (Age:15+) Highly recommended.
As a child of the foster system, Louisa, about to turn 18, has had a difficult life. She is grieving the death of her best friend, Fish, also a member of the foster system. Louisa’s most treasured possession has been a postcard featuring an image of the sea and a group of people whose identities and stories she has always pondered. When she visits an art exhibition, carrying spray cans in her backpack, one can only begin to imagine a potentially disastrous outcome. Escaping the clutches of a security guard, she meets a man who doesn’t give her up, but instead helps her evade capture. He describes her to his friend as being 'one of us'.
After being gifted with the painting that has been an integral part of her life, Louisa reluctantly embarks on a journey with Ted to discover the origins of the art work. While travelling across the country together, the origins of the painting, its subjects and artist are gradually revealed, the knowledge of their difficult backgrounds assisting Louisa to make connections with each of them. The trips she takes, both physically and emotionally, lead to her development and change as a human, providing her with a future that is not what she’d anticipated.
Just occasionally, there are books that I continue to ration as I read, never completing more than a few chapters in a single sitting. Backman has 'drawn' (pun intended, given the context of the story) the characters so beautifully, I wanted to spend as long as possible with each of them before reaching the last page. This title made me laugh and cry in equal measures, and had me wishing I could keep certain phrases or pieces of wisdom with me forever.
In my search for information about the author, I came across a video of Backman talking about creative anxiety and procrastination. His warmth and self-deprecating sense of humour had me in hysterics. I would highly recommend this book to anyone from teenagers on.
Themes Coming of age, Art, Friendship, Hope, Change, Domestic Violence.
Jo Schenkel
Sundays under the lemon tree by Julia Busuttil Nishimura. Illus. by Myo Yim
Scribble, 2025. ISBN: 9781761381485. (Age:3+)
On Sundays the family works together. Mum is in the kitchen frying onions, Dad in the garden tending the plants and Gran is podding the broad beans. They are getting ready to bake Gran’s apple cake. The ricotta cheese must be cooked in salt water and everyone gets to go to the beach to collect seawater. But our narrator is not yet ready to go by herself. Her sister tells her she is too small and her brothers tell her the stairs are too steep, the walk is too long and the buckets too heavy. But this Sunday as everyone else is busy getting things ready, her father asks her to come with him to the beach.
To get there, they walk through the park, then up a hill and down again, across a busy street, finally getting to the wild, windy beach. The crashing waves sound like thunder. They climb down the stairs, each of Dad’s steps matching four of hers. She finds the waves bigger than she expected, but keeps on trying. When they return to the house, her father tells her about cooking this cake when he was a child, and recalls his father and grandfather telling the same story. The tradition has been part of the fmaily for generations and today the whole family has a role to play.
The work in the kitchen goes on with the children having a part in adding ingredients and stirring the mixture. Eager eyes watch the cake rising in the oven, while outside the families gather under the lemon tree, and share stories. Grandma says she will teach her how to make orange spice biscuits next Sunday.
Wonderful bright, luminous illustrations reflect the sunny warmth of the family, working together to make the Sunday cake. Each page is filled with images of a close multigenerational family, full of humour and togetherness. I love the detail on each page, the kitchens implements, the people on the beach, the table under the lemon tree. The beach scene is a great contrast to the warmth and calmness in the kitchen, where mum is gathering the things she needs to cook.
At the end of the story Julia gives her recipe and instructions for making the apple, lemon and ricotta cake.
Maymoona’s Moon by Razeena Omar Gutta. Illus. by Zayneb Haleem
Hardie Grant Children's Publishing, 2024. ISBN: 9781761211898. (Age:4+) Highly recommended.
Eid, the Muslim celebration which marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting, has a special significance for Maymoona. She has always dreamed of being an astronaut, and for her the most exciting part of Eid is seeing the first sliver of the moon revealed, announcing for all the end of Ramadan. She has collected her compasses, has checked her cosmic goggles, and found the best vantage point from which to view the exposure of the smallest part of the moon.
She has decided to roost at the top of the garden’s tallest tree, and there, spurred on by her family, waits for the moment to occur. They cheer her on as she climbs the tree, and now there is a hush as the last rays of the sun disappear. The family is eager to start their feast.
But some clouds pass across the sky and when they too disappear, the moon is exposed, a crescent sliver of light for all to see. Eid Mubarak!
Razeena Omar Gutta is a South Asian Muslim born in Zimbabwe and now living in Australia. She loves telling stories, particularly ones in which Muslim families appear, giving her the opportunity to share their way of life with others. She had few books as a child, and wishes to see kids surrounded by books, telling lively, happy stories. And this book certainly meets those criteria.
Zayneb Haleem is a self-taught digital illustrator based in the UK. Her vibrant illustrations suit the joyful celebrations in this book, revealing strong family connections and celebrations. The images on each page reveal aspects of the family’s beliefs and younger readers will acknowledge these as they read the story.
Themes Islam, Eid, Ramadan, Humour, Moon.
Fran Knight
School of monsters: Bill and Ben love to sing by Sally Rippin. Illus. by Chris Kennett
There are over 20 titles in the School of Monsters series now and a staple on school library and home shelves around the world. Sally Rippin has nailed a series that intentionally engages children with the sounds of words and with written language. Designed to start as shared reading material, they encourage children to first predict the simple rhyming word at the end of each page before moving to an understanding of the way those sounds are represented with letters. The words are mostly decodable and as children develop their phonics knowledge they will be able to read more and more of the story themselves. There are also a scattering of words which are not decodable but frequently taught as red/heart/tricky/surprising/non-decodable words. Large bold writing with the last word of each page in a different colour makes these approachable for young children but they are also chapter-book like so will also appeal to older reluctant readers or those facing reading challenges.
Bill and Ben share a body (two heads, one body) and normally this is great as they like the same things, however, singing time is tricky. They both like to sing different things! Can they solve the problem? Yes they can...both of them can have a turn. As always, there are words to learn in the back, some learn to read tips and a how to draw Bill and Ben instructional.
Christmas Eve and things are happening in this house. The cat, Kitty McCatty is chasing a mouse, while the baubles on the Christmas tree are arguing, the Nutcracker trying to intervene. Using ’Twas the night before Christmas’ poem as a template the story unfolds in rhyme. This adds to the fun of the book as readers predict the rhyming words as they go.
Suddenly the lights flicker as the mouse runs up inside the tree, followed of course by Kitty McCatty. The baubles stop bickering as the mouse leaps from the tree, leaving the cat stuck at the top of the swaying tree.The whole crowd yells get rid of that cat, and a small voice offers help. The Gingerbread man has an idea. He outlines a plan to the Nutcracker and baubles and lights. They use the lengths of tinsel to make the tree stand up straight, one group pulling the tree one way, the others pulling it the other. When Santa comes down the chimney later in the night, he finds the tree almost straight with a kitten at the top instead of an angel.
This is a fun book, easy to read, wonderful as a read aloud, one that will encourage children to predict rhyming words and look for the original poem to compare the two.
Matt Shanks’ illustrations are bright and cheerful, full of colour and movement, encouraging readers to take in all the detail, watching the mayhem caused by the kitten chasing a mouse. All sorts of things cover each page, encouraging children to recognise those things which are customary necessities at Christmas in western homes. The tree with all its trimmings is delightful, especially the face at the top, and several branches used as limbs when it is trying to stop the cat. One page is turned to portrait as kids will turn the book to see the tree in all its beauty.
A fun book for one and all.
Themes Problem solving, Christmas, Christmas tree, Verse.
The new kid protagonist is always a winner but it's a pattern for teenager Denim Davies since losing his stable home – sold to pay for his late mother's medical treatment. The issues of caring for someone palliative, grief and financial hardship is just the start of Denim and Dad’s problems – both strong characters.
It’s hard for Denim to anticipate a friendly reception at Driftwood Heights - another seaside caravan park where it’s easier for Dad to find labouring jobs. Our hero may not be able to surf or live in a stable home but he has a cool hobby. Denim flips secondhand goods online for a profit. His prime motivation is to help his father, now a casual laborer, afford house rent to start to rebuild their lives. Dad loves his woodwork and locates the nearest Men’s Shed but it’s hardest for Denim running into yet another school bully.
When Mina strikes up a friendship with Denim at school, he wonders if this town is the turning point. Both are grieving as Mina is concerned for the declining health of her beloved grandmother who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. Denim is so focused on his dream to settle down that when he spies a valuable collectable watch in a garage sale, he doesn’t hesitate to accept a confused old lady’s asking price of $5. He’s all set for the best Flip ever but is it too good to be true?
Hooking reluctant readers has never been so easy with this not-so purpose written novella by Rebecca Fraser. The dialogue is realistic and with themes like family loss, school and bullying there are shades of crazy-good literature except like all titles in the Rhiza Shorts series, Flip comes in under 120 pages. Regardless, Flip grips the reader and changes them. The bonus is the plenitude of nailing a whole book in a couple of reading sessions. The print version has cream paper and widely spaced lines. With an interest age of 13+ and a reading age of just 10 years, the Rhiza Shorts titles are perfect for the reluctant reader.
Books are available in all standard formats for all preferences. Teachers Notes are available. 128p.
Themes Family loss, Grief, Alzheimer's, School life, Bullying, Easy read.
The Day the Bridge Fell, from the Rhiza Shorts series, is an historical novella centred on the worst construction accident in Australian history. The Westgate Bridge collapse of Oct 15, 1970 is still very close to home for many Melburnians.
In each epistolary chapter we follow Ray, a local 15yr old boy through the days before and weeks after the event. The family dynamics rapidly situates events in time with typical sibling rivalry as Ray’s seniority and bedtime privileges are challenged by his younger brother, Michael. Doug Johnston is lead rigger of his section of the bridge, and his neighbour, George Demetriou, works as an ironworker. As the tension builds towards the climax we understand the rhythm of a bridge worker’s family. Ray, like his mate Tom and all the working class families on their side of town, are fascinated with everything about the man-made wonder in their own back yard.
A high school student with a paper route, Ray is never too busy to visit the construction site daily whether he is on an errand for his mother or not. Overhearing a conversation between engineers about potential structural faults he worries before confiding in his father. Doug's reluctance to listen to rumours reinforces that anyone with neither information nor authority are virtually powerless – most of all children. Dad is not totally dismissive and has his own doubts but is wary of causing panic and asks his son not to spread rumours.
Ray’s maturity, resilience and integrity is established by his nagging premonition for his father and other bridge families they know (many of them migrant workers). These qualities are supercharged on the day of the accident. Bolting from school after the sound of collapse and sirens what he finds and how he resolves the scene of the disaster, comprises the second half of the novel.
Will Ray find his father and is his father’s mate George alive? Author, Coral Vass, uses Ray's community engagement to grasp that there wasn’t a family in the community who did not know someone who lost their life that day.
The novel format with uneven ratio of interest to reading age, along with cream paper and widely spaced lines, places the Rhiza Shorts as a teenage book series for reluctant readers. Teacher notes prepared by the publisher are available on the website for this title. 128p.
