Readers looking for an engrossing romance will not be disappointed in this young adult novel by the author of the adult novel The Atlas Six writing under the pseudonym of Olivie Blake.
After doing a very last-minute project Bel’s science teacher believes that she is capable of being part of the robotics club at the school. Bel joins reluctantly. Before her parent’s breakup she had been coasting along at her old school, but her mother is working very hard to keep her in a private school, where she is expected to do more. Mateo Luna (Teo for short) is the leader of the robotics club, and Bel finds herself becoming intrigued with the problem solving involved in building a robot and the high achieving Teo.
Follmuth’s narrative flows along so smoothly with such relatable characters that it is hard to put down the book as the growing romance between Bel and Teo progresses. Equally fascinating is the background of robotics and engineering which will appeal even to readers with no STEM background. The theme of the problems that young women have in working in an engineering background and the subtle putdowns and low expectation is handled deftly. The author in her acknowledgements writes that the book is ‘for the girls that we are, and the ones that we were’ and the women we will be.’ Young women who are interested in STEM will feel validated while reading this but have so much fun along the way following Bel and Teo’s growth and understanding of themselves and others.
Well written, enjoyable, and thought provoking, this is one for all readers who enjoy YA literature with heart.
Themes Romance, STEM, Coming of age, Robotics, Engineering, Teamwork.
Sara Acton’s beautiful soft illustrations rendered with pencil, ink and watercolour, beckon from the cover, captivating readers who would like to snuggle into the jumper along with Jack. The warmth of the cover continues as the story unfolds. Jack’s jumper is so big it can be used as a tent, or a hat, a hug and if you fall over it is a soft blanket to fall on. The jumper once belonged to Jack’s tall brother Paul. They were very close and did lots together, but since Paul has gone away, Jack uses the extra long sleeve as a periscope to chart his return, the regular postcards are read and reread. While having a bath, the cat begins to pull away part of the jumper, unravelling it as it is dragged from the bathroom. Jack is left with a pile of knitting wool. A noise at the door reveals the returning Paul, and Jack is ecstatic.
Jack hopes that Paul will spend time with him as before, but instead Paul takes himself off to his room and busies himself with something that does not include Jack.
The surprise ending will delight and win hearts as Paul does something extraordinary for his young brother.
The relationship between the two boys is wonderfully presented: practising magic tricks, cooking together, playing with hula hoops and training the dog. When Paul goes away, Jack is bereft, waiting at the window in case he comes back, enveloped in the large blue jumper, a memory of their life together.
Each lovely illustration shows Jack and the blue jumper, its warmth and comfort obvious to all readers. They will understand Jack’s feeling for the garment, probably recalling something they held as dear. Acton has the ability in a few deft strokes of her pen to create a moment in time, one which is important to the protagonists and one which we all recognise. And I love the endpapers, detailing postcard moments in their life together. And my heart went out to Jack who excited at Paul’s return, sits outside his brother’s door with his magician outfit waiting for him to play with him. The images of the little boy patiently waiting for is brother are so evocative, they took my breath away.
Anyone who has a young child or grandchild or is working in a childcare centre is sure to love this first dictionary. Children will be captivated right from the first page with the cute little owl introducing the book with the following rhyme:
All the words you need to know Will help you as you learn and grow. From ant and ball and yak and zoo, Here's a word book JUST FOR YOU!
From then on, the owl guides the reader through each of the letters of the alphabet: the illustrations being humorous and easy for a toddler to enjoy. Some letters have a double page spread like C for Cat, coat, car and cup with additional captions like 'My coat has stripes', and 'Careful! Don’t crash' for the car. This adds an extra dimension of telling a story about the car. Other pages have activities like the word fish where the reader can count how many fish are in the pond. Some pages give a clue to what letter comes next, like the J page 'jump jump jump. I know who else can jump' leading to K for kangaroo. The cute illustrations of all the animals and people featuring big eyes and grinning faces also will bring smiles to the faces of readers and listeners.
This is an exceptional alphabet book that will challenge young children’s imaginations and give them a very enjoyable understanding of all the letters of the alphabet.
Themes Alphabet, Humour.
Pat Pledger
D &D Dungeon Academy: No Humans Allowed by Madeleine Roux
This is book one of an engaging new middle grade series by American author Madeleine Roux. To date Roux's published D&D titles include this book as well as a novel featuring the same characters (Dungeons & Dragons: a goblin problem) under the pen name Diane Walker. The next book is due for release late 2022.
This story embraces and handles diversity in such an inclusive way that I almost don't want to mention it. Yes the protagonist is a black girl, and yes she lives with her two mothers. Yes too to the presence of non-binary characters with they/them pronouns. All of this is just matter of fact.
11-year-old loner Zellidora 'Zelli' Stormclash lives in an academy for monsters and other creatures. She goes about her daily life disguised as a minotaur but has a secret known only to herself and her mothers - she is human. One day she hears of trouble outside the academy walls and sees a startling picture. The picture is of human adventurer Allidora Steelstrike who could be Zelli's twin and seems linked to the trouble. Zelli realises this is her chance to get some answers about her place in the world.
Along for the ride are a trio of other misfit creatures from the academy. There's Hugo (a vegan owlbear) and Snabla (a siblilant kobold) along with a subpar shapeshifter named Bauble.
Their adventure reveals unexpected strengths in all the characters, and some lovely themes of friendship, loyalty and bravery. In the end an expected 'boss fight' leads to Zelli getting the answers she is seeking. She has a hard choice to make and the right decision, of course, is to follow her heart.
This story moves at a very fast pace with minimal explanation or world building which leads to high interest for low effort. It will appeal to readers who are already familiar with Dungeons & Dragons, as well as those with no prior knowledge. It is highly illustrated with orange/sepia-toned cartoonish images throughout to support the text and keep readers engaged.
This is an intensely powerful story with great heart. It almost brought me to tears as we look inside the emotional struggles of the two main characters who are dealing with big issues. It is a dramatic story and yet a hopeful story. Tom is wrapped in quiet and debilitating fear that has bound him and has made his life miserable. He has every reason to be impacted by his family history, but it does not change the tension of his life. Tom is then thrust into the maelstrom of a new family context and dynamic when his mother starts dating Zofia’s father. Zofia is a tightly wound spring of exuberance, noise and activity – and she is incredibly intense. They are polar opposites, but are forced together in an uncomfortable new family arrangement, formed because of the love between their parents and the impending arrival of a new baby. Neither Tom or Zofia are ready to deal with all the changes; fear washes over them in different ways. Tom is battling his giant-sized fears and struggles with the dark, and Zofia is just angry all the time. And it seems that the baby will not have an easy entry into their beachside world.
Because this book deals with emotional trauma and anxiety and mental health issues it needs to be read by slightly older readers than the age of the characters themselves. It is told through the voices of the two main characters and readers have the opportunity to empathise with each of them as they struggle. The new baby’s tenuous hold on life draws the family together, but not without some intense moments of struggle. Because of the psychological insight into fear and its manifestations this is a book for readers with a mature outlook. There is hope though and fear does not overwhelm them ultimately.
Allen & Unwin, 2022. ISBN: 9781761065644. (Age:8+) Highly recommended.
Middle-grade readers of Anh Do’s Wolf Girl series will not be disappointed in the seventh book, Crash Course. In fact, they may be thrilled that the four main characters from The Mythix, also written by Ahn Do, make a welcome appearance in this action-packed story.
This adventure begins with Gwen and the pack driving the fast-moving train after releasing the trapped animals. They are heading to the town of Tunny where Gwen’s parents may be held. It is while they are on the train that another pulls alongside, and Gwen sees her long-lost sister Kate who has been captured. They manage to chat, but Kate’s train moves ahead, and Gwen decides she will rescue her sister. Unfortunately the check point is manned by soldiers and Gwen makes the bold decision to smash through the barrier. They manage to escape during the mayhem and find an abandoned warehouse where they rest for the night. The next morning Gwen notices the town appears to be a central meeting place for wealthy people to purchase exotic animals. Gwen decides she and the pack can move around freely but the wolf Sunrise draws the attention of the evil Evans from the Kingdom Guard. What follows is a chase, a dangerous battle, and a frantic search for Sunrise. It also leads to the pack entering the Northern Kingdom, being taken to the castle of The Collector, and once again being captured. Fortunately for Gwen The Mythix characters attack the guards and Gwen and the pack manage to free themselves - but at a cost. Tiny is badly injured and Gwen is forced to make a heart-breaking decision. Will she and Tiny be reunited with the rest of the pack? Will they be able to make it back to their country of Riverland?
This is an exciting and fast-moving read that will appeal to fans of the series. Illustrations by Lachlan Creagh continue to support and enhance the text. The bonus sealed section at the end continues the story of Gwen and Amber. Book Eight will be published soon.
Allen & Unwin, 2022. ISBN: 9781761065675. (Age:6-10) Recommended.
Pow Pow Pig and his Z Team consisting of Pow Pow, Danielle Duck, Chelsea Chicken and Barry the Goat are back in the third book in the humorous Pow Pow Pig series. This time they find themselves time travelling back to 1630 and bobbing around on the high seas dressed in pirate attire. They are rescued by a super friendly circus troupe of performing animals who travel the world presenting their very entertaining show. The Z Team sleep below deck that night and wake to find a ship bearing down on them. On board are The Purring Pirates who are the nastiest cats ever with lots of tricks up their sleeves including shooting hooks out of canons and hurling stinky flaming pots onto the deck. The cats jump on board and demand the treasure. The Z Team show their amazing fighting skills to get rid of the cats and the ship is able to sail away. But they are not safe yet, so the Z Team learn how to sail a ship and they escape their pursuers. However, they are now lost, the sail is torn, the ship is taking in water and one of the circus troupe is not what they appear to be. There is betrayal and the animals end up being held captive by The Purring Pirates. The captured crew are turned into slaves and must build a giant statue of a fish tail. How will they escape these evil cats? Will the Z Team come up with a daring plan?
The abundance of great illustrations on each page by Peter Cheong combined with generously spaced changing text in size and boldness, will continue to make this series appealing to a range of readers from newly independent to those who enjoy visual images.
Themes Adventure, Humour, Animals, Time Travel, Sea, Pirates, Treasure.
Kathryn Beilby
The world's worst pets by David Walliams. Illus. by Adam Stower
Everyone, both young and old, has laughed along with David Walliam’s hilarious World’s Worst series about children, parents and teachers. Well here is another, The World’s Worst Pets, and it certainly won’t disappoint! This new novel is jam packed with 10 outrageously funny, action packed short stories with both mischief and mayhem about, you guessed it…PETS! But should we just say that these stories are not about any average old pet!
Each chapter will introduce you to different animals that will have you gasping for breath at their unashamedly outrageous behaviour. Pet owners will be doing a double take on their precious pets in the future, after reading a few of these twisted tales. Who would imagine these cute creatures could actually be so wicked and wilful? This latest book is, without a shadow of a doubt, another horrendously horrid sensation for readers to love. And if you are unfamiliar with David Walliams other books, then you are certainly missing out on some fun, laughter and should take the time to read them all! They are certainly a must read for anyone with a good sense of humour that loves a great laugh!
From a furping fish, that will eat you out of house and home, to a bad talking budgie, that will steal all your prize possessions…. nothing is off limits! Walliams again capture his audience with the most outrageous and extreme scenarios! The colourful and creative illustrations by Adam Stower are next level. Bringing further engagement to the story with labelled diagrams, bright colours and comical characters, every reader will be enthralled by these captivating caricatures.
Walliam’s has again woven his magic to produce another fast paced and highly entertaining book to complement his previous work. The layout of the book makes for a fun, exciting and highly appealing read for all ages. If you love animals and enjoy a good laugh, and have often wondered what pets really could get up to, well this story is not to be missed!
Miss Mary-Kate Martin's guide to monsters by Karen Foxlee
Allen & Unwin, 2022. ISBN: 9781760526627. (Age:10+) Recommended.
The title Miss Mary-Kate Martin's Guide to Monsters - The Wrath of the Woolington Wrym suggests the tone for this whimsical new book written by versatile Australian author Karen Foxlee. Devotees of the moving multi-award winning 2018 Lenny's book of everything, set in a small apartment in suburban Ohio and the powerful emotive and atmospheric Dragonskin of 2021, set in the vast, harsh Australian outback country will be amazed at Foxlee's Miss Mary-Kate Martin's Guide to Monsters- The Wrath of the Woolington Wrym being set in a quintessential old English village called Woolington Well (map provided). As always Foxlee's setting performs powerfully and provides a very visual and almost visceral backdrop to the storyline.
There is a wrym(not a worm) and it is rumoured to be eating children in the village of Woolington Well. Our anxious and possibly obsessive and slightly compulsive protagonist Mary Kate accompanies her mother Professor Martin, an archaeologist who was asked by the Wrym Watch Society to investigate the village green area for evidence of artefacts pointing to the existence of a wrym. Lord Woolington of Woolington Hall is keen to build a large shopping centre on top of the village green; the heavy earthworks have begun. Since then frightening noises, earth tremors and sightings have occurred; a trail of brown slime has been left through the town and a wall has been broken by something very large. Old English mythology and legend clash with modern progress. The right for creatures to exist in their own habitats against the onslaught of human development is at the heart of the story.
Into this steps our heroine, Mary Kate. She follows a breadcrumb trail of clues, finds a new friend and in her quest to save the mythical beast, learns to believe in herself and face all sorts of fearful situations.
In the acknowledgements, Foxlee notes that..."there are many wonderful wrym legends in the British Isles"... and various towns that are associated with them. She adapted aspects of these tales to write this story.
Miss Mary-Kate Martin's Guide to Monsters - The Wrath of the Woolington Wrym is a delightful, beautifully written story with a plucky, determined, very likeable and slightly quirky little female detective at its centre. The good news is that Mary Kate's legendary adventures will continue in The trouble with the two-headed Hydra. Once readers have discovered Miss Mary-Kate Martin, they will be asking for more. Teacher's tips are available.
Themes Friendship, Courage, English myths, Detective work.
Wendy Jeffrey
Floof by Heidi McKinnon
Albert Street Books, 2022. ISBN: 9781761180088. (Age:3+) Highly recommended.
Instantly recognisable, the behaviour of the cat, Floof in this book will endear readers as they laugh out loud at his antics. The pared down image on the cover entices the reader to open and read of Floof’s exhausting day.
Pondering over just why he is called Floof, and thinking about the variations of that word, little brains will tick over, as they ponder the images on each page alongside the sparse text. The beautifully succinct text, ‘Floof meows, Floof eats’ for example, tells the reader about Floof and his place in the family where every need is catered for without question.
His day is filled with activity: reading, gardening, playing the guitar, playing with friends, and each one of these activities is belied by the illustrations. Younger readers will love the contrast between word and image, laughing at the various poses he makes during the day. He climbs into a carry bag, lolls over the computer, meets his friends, sees off the dog next door, then meows for his tea which miraculously appears.
Once evening comes long we see a different cat. Now he is active and doing the sorts of thing cats are known for: stealing the dog’s tennis ball and causing havoc with the vase of flowers and the toilet roll, until all tired out, he retires to bed.
A wonderfully humorous look at a big fluffy cat Floof will be a favourite amongst younger readers recognising the cat they have at home, or a neighbour’s cat and the mischief it get involved in. But of course, his main occupation is sleeping, and that is well depicted in the funny illustrations. I love the image of Floof reading: that is, sleeping on a tall pile of books, or amongst his friends, a bevy of mice that other cats would decimate.
Beautiful illustrations by Heidi McKinnon cover each page, so real that kids will reach out their hands to stroke the fluffy fur. More about Heidi can be found here. And her opening page has a pile of characters from her other books (There’s no such thing, and I just ate my friend for example) blinking at the reader. Kids will love the site as soon as they open it.
Nura and the Immortal Palace, written by M.T. Khan is a thought-provoking story, set in a fictional Pakistani town of Meerabagh. With a sense of truth and desolation of child labour, dangerous mining and families struggling to survive, this novel is layered with many confronting quandaries that will challenge most reader. Creatively woven with Muslim culture and traditions, along with the mysterious mythical world of jinn, this story is sure to keep you captivated until the very end.
Imagine being a twelve-year-old girl; dirty, starving and having to work each day clambering underground and then being paid pittance for your hard effort. This is the life that Nura faces each day, together with her lifelong friend Faisal.
Nura mines every day, hoping to find significant amounts of mica, to provide for her family. Her father died while working in the mines when she was seven, her mother works daily in a sweatshop and her three younger siblings stay home, hopeful to go to school when they are older. Yet, Nura has never been to school. She works tirelessly, looking to provide hope and happiness for her family and constantly dreaming of finding the Demon’s Tongue - a legendary treasure buried deep in the mines, and one she believes will give her enough riches to finally break her family’s cycle of poverty.
But when a tragic mining accident occurs, and Faisal is lost in the rubble, Nura seeks to find him. However, when she digs too deep and enters into the magical world of jinn, what will be the outcome? Will the legendary jinn’s trickery be too dangerous to overcome, and what other truths will Nura discover along the way?
Khan has written a story layered with life inequalities and society’s imbalances, while cleverly entwined within the magical world of fantasy. Join Nura on an intriguing adventure, and appreciate how she encapsulates strength and determination, while discovering some of life's truths.
Themes Muslim culture and traditions, Child labour, Fantasy, Friendship, Family, Responsibilities, Mining mica.
After her moms move from California to a small town in Alabama Chloe Green is trying to navigate her way though her last year at Willowgrove Christian Academy, determined to be the valedictorian. Her biggest opponent is Shara Wheeler, the school’s golden girl and daughter of the principal. Then Shara disappears a month before graduation, after she kisses Chloe. Desperate to find Shara, Chloe hunts down clues to her disappearance, discovering on the way that Shara has also kissed her boyfriend, football jock Smith, and the bad boy next door, Rory. She leaves behind little pink notes for all three to find in unlikely places with clues to where she is hiding. As the trio start to follow the cryptic leads, Chloe begins to discover that she does not know everyone as well as she thought.
The book begins with a note to the reader that to include ‘the good parts and the bad, the funny and painful’ of being a teen from the South or from a Southern Baptist or Evangelical Christian background, there are ‘elements of religious trauma and homophobia.’ However, the mystery of Shara’s disappearance will intrigue the reader and Chloe’s snarky point of view is a joy to read. It is fun to follow the trio trying to work out what Shara means, getting to know her better on the way. There are break-ins, crawls through air vents and teen parties, all keeping the reader glued to the page.
But the strength of this story lies not just in the humour of the dialogue and the mystery but in the strong characterisation of Chloe, Smith, and Rory, as well as a supporting cast of teens, all fleshed out and believable. The friendship that grows between the unlikely trio, the understanding that Chloe’s best friend Georgia shows and the relationships that grow around the theatre group feature strongly and feel real.
This romantic/comedy/mystery is a coming-of-age story that teens are sure to enjoy. Mystery lovers of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murderby Holly Jackson and Inheritance games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes could enjoy this as well, while older readers might enjoy House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune.
Themes Coming of age, LGBTQI people, Romance, Friendship, Missing persons.
Another welcome addition to the excellent Nature Storybooks by Walker Books, this non fiction text is complimented by a fictional story, all alongside stunning illustrations. While a story of a Tasmanian Devil develops as the mother goes off to search of food to enable her body to produce milk for her young, we see the pair exploring their environment, becoming more acquainted with what is there, becoming more adventurous and comfortable with their surroundings. So we see them looking out of the burrow in which they live, a former wombat burrow, borrowed by the Devil’s mother to have her pups, seeing other animals around, but running back inside. Mum comes back and the pair drinks their fill, then she is off again to forage.
At each page the story line is added to by a non fiction text lower on the page and in a different font. Within this text we find facts: Devils can eat up to 40% of their body weight in one day! Or that pups can be left behind at four months while their mother forages. We find out how big they are, what they eat, where they live. Did you know they once roamed Australia?
At the end of the book is a short outline of the Tasmanian devil, a concise index to the facts in the book, alongside information about the author and illustrator.
Readers of fiction and non fiction will love this book, full of facts but also laying down a story, one which helps readers understand the Devil and its habitat.
The illustrations show us the wide expanse of Tasmanian bushland where the Devil lives; Hamilton includes other animals in that vegetation, and allows readers to see the different vegetation in a Devil’s environment.
Liz, Thelma and Pat are three retired teachers who meet for coffee at the Thirsk Garden Centre café. One day an ex-colleague, Topsy, is there with her daughter, and they catch up with her. The following week they are appalled to hear that she has died. They are all convinced that there is something wrong about her death and decide to investigate.
Fans of the cosy mystery genre are likely to really enjoy A spoonful of murder. The author cleverly reveals the lives and abilities of the three sleuths as the novel progresses and the main characters and minor characters are all really well described. There are many humorous asides that relieve the tension surrounding the murder. Red herrings abound and there are multiple suspects, but the conclusion is very satisfying.
The author also explores the effects of dementia and how crooks can prey on the elderly, adding an extra dimension to the story.
This was an entertaining read and I will be sure to pick up any future books by J.M. Hall.
Winner of the 2020 Edgar Award for Best Novel, The Stranger Diaries is a departure for Elly Griffiths author of the Ruth Galloway series. Clare Cassidy is an English teacher specialising in Gothic fiction. She is particularly interested in the writer R.M. Holland and when a colleague is found murdered with a quote from The stranger, Holland’s book, she finds herself embroiled in the mystery surrounding the murder. Detective Sergeant Harbinder Kaur is investigating the case and Clare’s teenage daughter Georgie is also involved.
Griffiths cleverly combines the trope of having a book central to the mystery and the everyday lives of the main characters. Clare is divorced and writes in a diary and when she finds the words "Hallo, Clare. You don’t know me" written in it, begins to realise that she might be a target of the murderer. Harbinder Kaur is a fascinating character, and it will be interesting to see if Griffiths continues with her in future books.
The setting of a high school, a locked study at the top of an old mansion, and the workings of a school combine to make a fascinating read. The plot draws the reader in and the addition of mysteries surrounding the book The stranger add an extra dimension to the story.
I am a fan of the Ruth Galloway series, and I am sure to read future books by the author. Readers who enjoyed The magpie murders by Anthony Horowitz may enjoy this.
