This has got a real Dr Seuss and Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats feel about it. It is really just a long poem about an assortment of eccentric family members. There are, among others, Uncle Marvello and Auntie Shazam who put on daring magic shows, Baby Cedric who crawls up trees, Aunt Lorna's five daughters who are gymnastically skilled and Uncle Ignatius and Auntie Diane who love to dress up. Quentin Blake's illustrations are, as usual, nuanced and humourous. Author and illustrator have worked together many times (The Hermit and the Bear, Up With Birds) and this shows in the wonderful synergy between the two mediums on the page. The rhyme is impeccable and oodles of fun ('Belinda and Hattie, our elderly aunts, Have crammed their whole house with extravagant plants. They polish the leaves and they chat to each bloom And they water the flowerpots that fill every room'). This is a wonderful read aloud full of humour, sure to be enjoyed by children of all ages.
Marra is the third born princess and has been sent to live in a convent, away from the machinations of the court. Her eldest sister has died at the hands of a Prince, and her second sister is now married to him and is being abused. Desperate to do something about this, she determined to kill the prince and rescue her sister. But she cannot do this alone, so she enlists the help of a grave witch, who gives her 3 impossible tasks to do before she has the tools to assassinate the prince.
The book opens with a dark scene of Marra completing the first task of building a dog out of bones, which cannibals have left behind. Her second task is equally as difficult, she must make a cloak of nettles and when she completes this, she has a third impossible task. However, she manages to do this, and the grave witch finds her the help of a hedge witch, a demon chicken and Fenris, a disgraced knight. The group set out on their quest, with many adventures on the way.
Kingfisher’s writing is humorous and snarky, with funny dialogue to lighten the dark moments. Each of the characters stand out vividly and the slow burning romance between Marra and Fenris is a delight. It was easy to empathise with Marra’s wish to kill the Prince as the abuse the two princesses have suffered becomes apparent. The political sacrifices that the Queen and princesses make to keep it safe are thought provoking and these ethical decisions enrich the story.
The world building is strong and easy to imagine but it is the group of five, each with unique skills and personalities, which linger in the memory.
In her latest novel Kawakami picks up on some of the themes of the earlier Heaven, that of misfits, alone, and bullied by the people around them. But this time, it is not teenagers. Fuyuko is in her thirties, a proofreader, living alone in Tokyo, without friends, her hours spent searching for errors in the texts sent by a publisher. But half way through the book, we learn about the traumatic experience that impacted her life as a school girl, leading her to start anew in Tokyo far from her hometown of Nagoya, and with no interest in friends or relationships.
Different examples of female roles are presented: the ambitious business manager, Kyoko, the free-loving independent woman, Hijiri, and the dissatisfied wife and mother, Noriko. Fuyuko has chosen a different life from any of them, but suddenly becoming aware of her reflection in a window as a ‘miserable woman’, she descends into alcoholism and the loneliness is overwhelming.
Into this world steps a kind stranger, a physicist, Mitsutsuka, a person who is willing to spend time with her, talking about the wonders of light and explaining complex scientific concepts. For the first time she is encouraged to actually engage with a book, and to listen to music. It is a tentative offer of friendship, reliability and safety, with him only ever reacting in response to her initiatives.
This is such an intriguing story, written from the viewpoint of a woman who is struggling, very alone, and not sure of what she thinks or how to act. But in the end, it is the values of friendship and acceptance that make a difference. Kawakami’s writing is beautiful and really takes you into the world of Fuyuko, her sensations and experiences. More than anything it evokes a need for kindness and compassion.
This is a novel for mature readers and would be relevant to discussions of consent.
Another push, pull and slide book from Lego City will bring lots of enjoyment to fans of Lego. This time the young reader goes on a safari to help the rangers look after all the animals. Right from the cover with its enticing yellow pull that moves the safari vehicle through the park, readers will be drawn in to see what is happening on the reserve. First of all the monkeys are fed bananas and a slide tab has them swinging around, while the reader is asked to count how many bananas they can find. Next the elephants are found a home and readers are asked what they are eating, while also being able to slide an elephant back and forth. Daddy Lion guards the cubs while prowling around and finally the ranger’s vehicle leaves the park before giving the reader a chance to find many different animals.
The narrative is short and easy to read aloud, giving listeners the chance to look carefully at the double page spreads for all the details that are illustrated. Not only will hand-eye coordination be helped, but young children will also learn all about a safari and the animals that live in a game park.
There are eight very thick pages that will stand handling from toddlers and ensure that the tabs will stay intact. This joins others in the Lego City series, Police Patrol, Fire Station and Building Site. It is sure to provide lots of fun for young children, giving them a chance to try and build some of the Lego themselves and use their imaginations.
Themes Safaris, Rescue work.
Pat Pledger
Mars awakens by H.M. Waugh
Allen & Unwin, 2022. ISBN: 9781760526979. (Age:11-16) Highly recommended.
This is a joy to read – a sci-fi drama for young teens with daring acts and thrilling adventure, all set on colonised Mars.
Dee and Aram are young ‘farmers’ on Mars - girls trying desperately to overcome the natural difficulties of their harsh environment and uncertain future to provide food and create a healthy place for their colony. Waiting for an Earthen support mission for too long has left them feeling that the whole community has been forgotten and that their personal future is fraught and tenuous. When a craft crashes near Dee’s far-flung field, her search finds others from a rival but unknown colony. Are the strangers, Holt (a rare ‘Y’ – male colonist) and Chayse, friend or foe? The complex environment then seems to press in on them all and adds an almost lethal threat to their progress. Will there be a future for all the colonists and can the opposing communities connect in a meaningful way?
This is a wonderful dramatic tale with scientific threads and potentially ‘alien’ threats, but also some lighter moments. The central characters are feisty, fun and adventurous teens and so the book will connect to ‘Earth-based’ readers with a preference for coming-of-age stories. It is also going to hit the mark for those who enjoy contemplating a future that might involve space travel and extra-terrestrial colonisation, as well as the environmental considerations for the future. Many leaps over reality concerns must be made, but the author has not burdened the reader with too many scientific explanations or details, so the book is almost a fantasy scenario as a consequence. The action and adventure required in the Martian environs is compelling and as this is the first book in a planned duology I will be keen to continue the series. Teacher's tips are available.
Shadowghast is a non-stop action mystery thriller and is the third in the Eerie-On-Sea mysteries. It pays to have read the previous stories, Malamander and Gargantis, to understand this tale about Herbie Lemon. Herbie is an orphan who works in The Grand Nautilus Hotel in the Lost and Found Department. His best friend Violet becomes very worried when Jenny, the proprietor of the Eerie Book Dispensary, goes missing. Violet is also very suspicious of a celebrity magician called Caliastra who arrives in town claiming to be Herbie’s aunt. This causes some friction between them because Herbie is desperate to discover what happened to his parents and is overlooking her flaws. Caliastra is taking over an important town event called the Ghastly Night which tells the legend of a terrible spirit called Shadowghast. The spirit will steal people’s shadows for evil ends. Who is the mastermind behind all the calamitous things which happen? Fortunately, Erwin, a talking cat, and Clermit, a clockwork gadget, help them out. Herbie and Violet are in the thick of it when friends turn foe and they are stuck in a labyrinth of pitch-black tunnels under the town. Has Sebastian Eels reappeared?
The plot is thick with events and there are many colourful characters to keep track of. It is more sinister than the previous two books in the series. Herbie and Violet are ideal heroes who seem to be the only children in town. They are curious, brave, and intelligent. The mime artists who work with Caliastra add a lot of humour. The tone is of a bygone world and full of tongue-in-cheek puns and nautical language. Thomas Taylor does a great job creating the seaside town of Eerie. His illustrations and map really enhance the quirky atmosphere. With 328 pages it is ideal for middle grade fans of fantasy who like a challenge. Shadowghast is followed by another in the series called Festergrimm. Watch the trailer, download an Activity Kit and the Discussion Guide.
Themes Mystery, Magic, Fantasy.
Jo Marshall
The little book of hopes by Elyse Shellie and Evie Barrow
New Frontier, 2022. ISBN: 9781922326478. (Age:2-5) Highly recommended.
The Little Book of Hopes is another glorious addition to that list of book gifts for new or expectant parents (with a similar feel to Alison Lester's Kissed By the Moon). It is a joyous celebration of what every parent hopes for their child, consisting of charming rhyming text surrounded by exquisite illustrations. This is primary school teacher Elyse Shellie's debut picture book and it is a beautiful love letter to little people all over the world. It focusses on kindness, resilience and empathy and Evie Barrow's (Horatio Squeak) illustrations showcase everyday moments in the lives of a culturally and physically diverse group of children. It begins 'I hope that you are caring, and I hope that you are kind. I hope you'll do great things both with your heart and mind.' And so it continues, wishing for honesty, inclusivity, curiosity, empathy, resilience, persistence and standing up for others. It ends 'I hope with all my heart you're happy being you'. The illustrations are beautifully detailed and illustrate these qualities in ways that are relatable and simple (sharing out strawberries, walking across a wobbly bridge, attempting to hula hoop, fixing something when it breaks) and will surely resonate with parents and young readers alike. This is an absolutely timeless and beautiful book that is deserving of a place on every young child's bookshelf. Teacher's notes are available.
In this latest Where’s Wally? release young children can join Wally as he goes behind the scenes at the movies. The activities begin with an introduction written in the traditional serve of popcorn container where the reader is encouraged to find the ‘Wally Spotter Award’ presented in the shape of an Oscar. Throughout the book there is the opportunity to find broken items, search for Wenda, detailed colouring in pages, work out who the close up is of, find tiny pictures in the reels of film, write your own movie clapper boards, match silhouettes to each scene with a friend, complete a wobbly word ladder, do a red carpet recall test, create your own cool characters, match the script to the scene, as well as over 100 hundred stickers to use. There is so much to do in this book it will keep children entertained for hours. It would be a perfect gift for ‘Where’s Wally?’ fans of all ages.
Amazing activists who are changing our world by Rebecca Schiller and Sophie Beer
Walker Books, 2022. ISBN: 9781406397024.
In the USA school students are walking out of school to protest the lack of gun control laws; in Australia, they walked out of school in 2021 to protest the lack of action on climate change... The names of Greta Thunberg, Malala Yousafzai, and other young activists are as well-known to them as those of their favourite singers and movie stars as the mantle of protest moves from its traditional university setting to the classroom.
But who are they inspired by? On whose shoulders do they stand?
Defining an activist as one who uses their knowledge, skills and energy to make the world a better place by protecting human rights, ending prejudice and inequality and protecting the planet from harmful human activities so all its creatures are safe, this book introduces young readers to 20 people who have made a significant contribution to changing the world - some names familiar, others not-so - including Sonita Alizdeh; Rachel Carson; Favio Chavez; Mahatma Gandhi; Jane Goodall; Helen Keller; Martin Luther King Jr; Nelson Mandela; Wangari Maathai; Aditya Mukarji; Emmeline Pankhurst; Autumn Peltier; Boyan Slat; Gareth Thomas; Harriet Tubman; William Wilberforce; Ai Weiwei Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah as well as both Yousafzai and Thunberg.
Each person has a double-page spread that includes an outline of what they have achieved, the core motivation for their actions, the particular powers that they employed, as well as a significant quote to inspire the readers to continue their work. There is also an activity suggested so that this can be done so the reader begins to realise that no one is too small to make a difference. For example, they are encouraged to build their public speaking powers so when they have something important to say they can speak out with confidence as Mahatma Gandhi did, or perhaps create something that will solve a problem as Boyan Slat did when he was confronted with an ocean of plastic rather than marine creatures on his first scuba diving trip.
Conservative, right-wing, middle-aged men in suits (and those who follow them) condemned those children who left their classrooms to protest - they should have stayed there to study and learn - yet it could be strongly argued that those same children were actually putting their learning into practice, determined to make the world a better place for themselves and others, because "there is more to life than increasing its speed" as Gandhi said. By introducing our students to those who have gone before, and those who are already forging a new path, through books such as this, Children Who Changed the World, and others, perhaps we can plant the seeds that will grow the future. Encourage each to "dream with their eyes open."
Barbara Braxton
Water by Catherine Barr and Christiane Engel
Otter-Berry, 2022. ISBN: 9781913074463.
Water is life! Freshwater bubbles, flows and floods with the most wonderful life on Earth - and all of us rely on it to stay alive. Yet, despite about 71 percent of the Earth's surface being water-covered, the oceans hold about 96.5 percent of all Earth's water, freshwater is becoming increasingly rare because of pollution and climate change. Although the recent rains and floods in eastern Australia might suggest otherwise, it is becoming more and more difficult for people and animals to find the clean freshwater they need to survive.
This book tells the story of freshwater around the world including the history of water, how the water cycle works, the different kinds of water and the amazing variety of wildlife that freshwater is home to. It investigates what happens to water because of climate change and global heating; the importance of clean water for health; the worldwide problem of water pollution and the devastating impact of water shortage on children's lives and education. Using a picture book presentation with accessible text and lively illustrations, this is designed to introduce younger readers to the need to be more thoughtful about their water use and perhaps instil lifelong habits early.
With its subtitle Protect Freshwater to Save Life on Earth, the reader is challenged to become more aware of this precious, essential resource and to take action, to use water wisely and protect freshwater to save our planet. Like so many things, thinking locally and acting personally can have a huge impact globally if we all collaborate and co-operate.
In many ways, this is a puzzling narrative. The world of one young woman in Holland is slowly revealed as her father and aunt prepare her for marriage, a marriage arranged by them with a man who demands a significant amount of money, that in fact this family do not have. Yet the marriage is deemed to be vital, and they must borrow funds to contribute to her marriage.
The world of 1705 is one that is rich with travel, music, drama and social expectations. As the family work towards a suitable marriage for Rebecca Bosman, she discovers that all is not what she would have expected in the social world into which she is plunged. In her discovery of her family secrets, and indeed their poverty, Thea is shocked, yet begins to understand the complexity of their lives and the challenges that they face. Her aunt, Nella, and her father have planned a way to address a marriage with a ‘good’ husband, and all seems to be going according to plan, until there is a discovery that shocks them.
Thea has to adjust to a situation that does not make sense, the trauma that she endures when the secret is revealed, having been kept hidden by her suitor, is one that leaves no room for recovery. Set in the distant past, we are drawn into the world where people’s actions, lives, and behaviour were so defined, with an expectation by the church that all would be done correctly and morally. Her final decision comes as a shock, when we witness her strength of character and determination to live a good life.
It is a companion to an earlier novel The miniaturist, written by Jessie Burton, and would clearly be historically fascinating for readers, as indeed it was for me. This would be suitable for adolescent readers, particularly those who would be intrigued by the social norms and expectations, particularly those imposed on women of that era.
Another of Kingfisher’s inventive fairy tale retellings, The seventh bride is a new take on the classic tale, Bluebeard. Rhea is the daughter of a miller and is not interested in love or marriage so when Lord Crevan proposes she is surprised. She does not like Lord Crevan but is pressured by her parents and aunt to accept his offer. She cannot turn him down because there may be awful consequences for the family and they could lose the mill and although everyone knows there is something disturbing about the lord, Rhea goes to his enchanted castle. There she finds six previous wives all imprisoned in horrible ways. She is determined not to marry him and when he gives her magical tasks to perform, she knows she must use everything at her disposal to escape the castle and help the other wives.
Fans of fairy tale retellings will love Rhea, her fierce determination and her compassion and will be intrigued by the clever ways she manages to perform the tasks that Lord Crevan gives her. There are some moments of real horror to keep the reader breathless and others of friendship between the wives that are very moving.
Kingfisher always writes original and engrossing stories and fans like me will not be disappointed in The seventh bride and may like to try her book The Wizard's guide to defensive baking or some of Shannon Hale's wonderful retellings of fairy tales like Goose girl and Book of a thousand days.
Ducks Overboard! A true story of plstic in our oceans by Markus Motum
Walker Books, 2022. ISBN: 9781529502831.
January, 1992, and far out in the Pacific Ocean in the middle of a ferocious storm, a shipping container slips silently off the deck of a cargo ship and gradually sinks to the bottom of the sea. Unlike many of these containers which sink and remain forever on the seabed, this one has been damaged by the storm and it it goes to its watery grave, it releases its cargo - thousands and thousands of plastic ducks, frogs, turtles and beavers - and they are left to travel the world's seas, taken by wind and current.
Based on true events, this innovative story tracks the journey of one of those 28 000 little ducks as it travels on ocean currents to meet sea life and discovers the rubbish from humans that endangers our oceans., highlighting the growing problem of plastic pollution. Trapped in the vast wasteland that is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the little duck thinks it is doomed but another storm frees it and it eventually washes up on a beach where someone is actually doing something to address the problem...
With 40% of plastic that is produced designed for single use only, and an estimated 8 000 000 tonnes of it finding its way into the oceans each year, some scientists are estimating that by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean. While recent, and upcoming bans on the sale of single-use plastic items will hopefully contribute to diminishing these statistics, stories like these that bring the problem into the lives of our students so they are aware of it from an early age are essential. As well as explaining how the oceans' currents enable these "plastic islands" to form, there are suggestions to enable individuals to make a difference such as recycling or organising a beach cleanup, but it might also spark discussions about what could be done at the class or school level, such as a toy swap or a Nude Food Week, especially if before-after comparisons are done as part of a maths challenge.
At the Pond by David Elliott and Amy Schimler-Safford
Candlewick Press, 2022. ISBN: 9781536205985.
The red-winged blackbird spreads his tail and sings his hello morning song; he has sung it since the bright and misty world began.
When the soft pink of the dawn sun starts peeking over the pond, a new day has begun for all the animals who live in it and around its watery edges. The friendly duck family, the mysterious water striders, and the busy beaver are a few of the many fascinating and familiar animals included in this glowing poetic tribute to the lively ecosystem of the pond.
Pairing poems with pictures, this is an introduction to the animals and plants that call the pond home, and while they may not all be those that young Australian readers are familiar with, it sets up the opportunity to investigate what a local pond might have and would look like. Do we even call them ponds? Or are they dams and billabongs?
This is another invitation to look more closely at the world around us, especially those parts we tend to take for granted, to extend vocabulary and writing skills to describe it in poetry or depict it in artworks, or if that isn't a strength, create a brief factual description using those included as a model.
Barbara Braxton
Beyond the end of the world by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
Allen & Unwin, 2022. ISBN: 9781760529581. (Age:14+) Highly recommended.
This sequel to The other side of the sky brings an end to Kaufman and Spooner’s fantasy duology in a most satisfying way. Continuing directly from the first book, the reader discovers Alciel, the city in the sky, where Nimh has been taken with Inshara. Nimh has lost her memory and Inshara is determined to wrest her power from her. Meanwhile North is determined to find a way to get back to his city in the clouds and rescue Nimh.
The story is told in two voices, that of Nimh and North, with brief passages from other characters scattered throughout the book. From Nimh we learn about the sky city, the Queen, the engineering, and way of life. From North the culture and clashes, power plays and the Fisher King are all described vividly. This dual narration ensures that the worlds of Alciel and Below, the beliefs and main characters, twists and plots all come alive as Nimh, and North try their best to understand what is going on and to save their worlds.
Kaufman and Spooner are talented story tellers who are masters of action driven plots and have a flair for writing believable scenarios that keep the reader glued to the page. The romance between Nimh and North is beautifully devised as well.
The authors have managed to blend what initially reads as a fantasy in with science fiction and it works really well to make a most satisfying conclusion. Readers who enjoy other books by these two authors are sure to enjoy this duology and may like to try books by Laini Taylor and Jay Kristoff.
