In Jinxed! The Curious Curse of Cora Bell, the first in this series, we met eleven-year-old Cora Bell who is a foundling with no memory prior to her life with the elderly Dot and her cat Scratch. They live in a room hidden behind a wall in the crowded, industrial city of Urt, where everyone looks out for themselves, and their survival is dependent on scavenging and trading such as rare and exotic things - apple seeds, silver forks, shoe polish amidst fierce competition. Life takes a terrifying turn for Cora when she finds a few words scribbled on a piece of paper. She takes it home and says the words aloud. Suddenly, two plump, hairy fairies named Tick and Tock crash land in her path to warn her that she is in terrible danger. Cora has unknowingly summoned a sinister creature known as a Jinx. Jinxes eat magical beings and once they have a scent, they never forget it. Cora is thrown headfirst into a world filled with magic, necromancers, shape-shifters, enchantresses, fairies, nightwalkers, witches and giants as her home is destroyed, her family goes missing and she's pursued by the menacing and powerful Jinx.
The second episode, Havoc! The Untold Magic of Cora Bell continued the story and now this is the final in the series. Cora is racing against time. With her beloved guardian, Dot, badly injured, she must face fearsome werewolves, gross beetle worms and a vengeful warlock in order to save her. But as questions about her long-lost parents arise, Cora and her fairy friends begin a search for the one person who might hold all the answers. The one person who disappeared the same night Cora's parents did ...
Will Cora finally discover the truth about her family? Or will the evil syphon return to finish what he started, and destroy Cora once and for all?
Miss 10, a capable reader (although not as avid as her older sister) loves this series because she sees herself as Cora with hidden magical powers and she becomes fully immersed in the story. It was one of the first of these more 'grown up' novels she tackled alone and while she will be thrilled to have the final in her hands, she will also be sad to know it's the end of something that has carried her through the tricky, long days of lockdown boredom. Nevertheless, it has really helped her develop her independent reading skills as she became so engrossed in it and she is ready for more. IMO, that a story is endorsed so whole-heartedly by its intended audience is the best review and so this is a series that has a place in any library collection.
Themes Fairies, Magic, Dreams, Witches, Orphans.
Barbara Braxton
The warrior in my wardrobe by Simon Farnaby. Illus. by Claire Powell
‘Magic should have brought joy to their life, instead it had brought trouble and strife.’
This is the second Misadventures of Merdyn the Wild story, following The wizard in my shed published October 2020.
Author Simon Farnaby is a writer and actor who is well-known to anyone who has seen Horrible Histories on TV – he plays Death in the ‘Stupid Deaths’ segment as well as multiple other historical characters. In his first book series he very cleverly manages to educate and impart moral lessons while being thoroughly entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny.
The new instalment starts a year after the events of book one and, for those who haven’t read the first book, contains enough context to easily understand what has happened and who is who.
This fast-paced tale centres on Rose and Kris, siblings who are descendants of wizard Merdyn. Unfortunately, discovering they have magical W-blood has increased the stakes of their sibling rivalry. But suddenly they must go back in time to 521 AD and work together to face Merdyn’s enemies. Along for the ride are Rose’s talking guinea pig, Bubbles (hilariously obsessed with poo), a boy-king called Arthur (who has a fantastic sword) and young Vandal, Vanhessa (who is trying to figure out right from wrong).
The fictional story with twists and turns is liberally supplemented with factual footnotes explaining Olde English terminology as well as customs. It is easy to imagine the Horrible Histories rat popping up at the bottom of the page to deliver these facts!
The morals of the story are neatly woven in without being preachy. Themes of love, family relationships and learning from your elders are explored, while discussion about women’s place in society and what makes a person ‘good’ vs being a ‘baddie’ are also included.
The presentation of this book is very appealing to young readers - a bright neon-orange cover, bold fonts for magic spell wording, rhyming summaries at the end of each chapter, and detailed cartoony illustrations throughout. I absolutely loved this book and, with a to-be-continued feel at the end, am excited to see what the W-bloods might do next!
The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams Bianco. Illus. by Helene Magisson
New Frontier, 2021. ISBN: 9781925059502. (Age:3+) Recommended.
This classic story, first published in 1922, has once more been re-printed, this time featuring the gentle water colours of Helene Magisson to delight a new generation of readers and their parents, who will recall their own beloved toys.
The velveteen rabbit arrives in the nursery as a Christmas present but languishes in the toy cupboard where he made to feel 'very insignificant and commonplace' by other modern and mechanised toys and only befriended by the Skin Horse, a shabby, old, well loved and wiser toy. It is the Skin Horse who tells him about the nursery magic which happens when a toy is very much loved and becomes real in the eyes of the child who loves him.
It is only when Nana, who ruled the nursery, is too busy to find the Boy's favourite toy that the rabbit becomes his bedtime companion and favourite toy enjoying days playing in the garden and nights snuggled together in bed. It is only then that the Boy declares to Nana, 'He isn't a toy. He's REAL!' that the rabbit understands the magic of love. But, later that summer when he meets some real rabbits, he realises that he isn't really real.
When the Boy becomes ill with Scarlet Fever, the rabbit is his constant companion until he is well. On the advice of the Doctor the shabby old rabbit is taken away to be burnt for harbouring germs. It is only then that a miracle occurs and the nursery fairy transforms the rabbit into a live rabbit.
A time honoured story of love is beautifully illustrated with a cool blue/green palette which contrasts with the soft brown spotted rabbit. The toys in the nursery are not the modern variety as would be seen in the Toy Story movies but it would be great to compare the two stories both from a toy variety perspective but also from the emotions expressed by the toys being discarded.
Sue Keane
LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts at Christmas by Elizabeth Dowsett
Dorling Kindersley, 2021. ISBN: 9780241469392.
Next year, 2022, celebrates the 25th anniversary of the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and I can still remember receiving a copy and thinking, "Who will read a book with that title." At the time, I was a member of the UK School Libraries Network and suddenly the chatter started, led by someone who generally annoyed me, but this time I was so grateful I read what he had to say! It started a love affair with arguably the most enduring characters to have emerged in recent literature which has included many hours spent reading a genre I'm not in love with, and many dollars on the original merchandise - all of which my grandchildren would like left to them in my will!
So to have new things coming out all these years later is wonderful. In this book, we are introduced to Harry's first Christmas at Hogwarts, exploring and sharing his excitement at what is effectively his first real Christmas ever. Illustrated with figurines and models made from Lego and including a Harry Potter figurine to use, we get to know the main characters and share their Christmas with them. While it is not a building guide, there are lots of opportunities to be inspired by things to make to build new or re-create familiar scenes and objects.
This is the 16th book in the bestselling Wimpy Kid series, which chronicles the humorous musings of middle-grader Greg. This one is obviously perfect for existing Wimpy Kid fans but particularly for any kid who's ever been a terrible player on a terrible sports team. Greg already knows he's hopeless at sport and his previous experiences with team sport have convinced him that he's just there to make the other players look good. But despite everything, he isn't ready to give up on sports just yet. When he somehow ends up on a basketball team filled with all the kids who weren't picked for the real basketball team he finds himself somehow still the worst of the worst. Is there any hope for a win? The funny twist that comes right at the end is out of left field and will leave readers chuckling.
The humour in this comes from the naivety of Greg and his attempts to make sense of the madness of the world around him. His outings to the gym and a football game with his father are comical, as are his mum's attempts to teach him about misleading food labels and advertising. As with some of the other books in the series there are some references to physical violence and verbal insults so best suited to a slightly older audience than many other illustrated chapter books. There are, however, some positive messages about extreme perseverance and teamwork. Overall, Big Shot is relatable, fun and super readable: another fantastic addition to the Wimpy Kid series.
Themes Team Sports, Basketball, Humourous Stories.
Gustavo is a ghost. He is good at doing all sorts of paranormal things, like walking through walls, making objects fly and glowing in the dark. And he loves playing beautiful music on his violin. But Gustavo also has a problem. He is SHY. Which means some things are harder for him to do, like getting in a line to buy eye-scream or talking to the other monsters. But Gustavo longs to be a part of something, he longs to be seen. More than anything, he wants to make a friend. So, plucking up all his courage, he sends a very special letter: "Dear Monsters, I would like to invite you to my violin concert at the Day of the Dead party."
But will anybody come?
This is a most delightful, award-winning story that will resonate with so many who find their shyness crippling, to the point that it really impacts their life and stifles their dreams. Based on the creator's own childhood, it offers hope to those who would really like to make a friend by encouraging them to discover their strengths and passions, play to them and share them. Even for those who are not as shy as Gustavo, a lack of confidence in who we are can prevent us from making the most of the situations that present themselves, and this has been quite noticeable after months of having to be at home without the physical contact of our friends. So sharing Gustavo's story, considering the worst that might happen in a situation and then suggesting strategies that could be used if it does can be a starting point to taking that first step. If Gustavo can find a way, our children can.
One to share with all our students as the social season really starts to take off, and even if it's making the first move to make a new friend in the caravan park at the beach, it will open up new horizons.
The mosque as both a place and the way of life it represents plays such a significant role in the lives of so many of our students that this book that explores how it is used by families, friends and communities for worship, learning, eating, helping each other and playing will be welcomed by many. For not only does it reflect the lives of so many - and we know the power of reading about ourselves in books - but it also demystifies the building and what happens within for those who are unfamiliar.
Based on the author's visits to many mosques around the world, it shows both similarities and differences and how through these there is unification overall. Illustrated by the artist behind The Proudest Blue the reader is taken inside a place that radiates peace and love and the simple commentary of what happens explains much.
An important addition to the collection of any library that serves the followers of this faith, as well as others as we try to break down the walls by offering insight and understanding.
Themes Mosques, Muslims, Islam, Spirituality.
Barbara Braxton
I wish I had a wookiee and other poems for our galaxy by Ian Doescher
Young fans of Star Wars will love this newly published book of poems. It is cleverly written and explores all aspects of this much-loved movie phenomena related to everyday life. The poems are all about children who interact with numerous characters, objects and settings. For example, the following poem is titled ‘Star Barber’:
In the Star Wars galaxy, When a barber cuts your hair, Does she use a razor with A little lightsaber in there?
Some of the poems encourage children to be or do their best like the one called ‘Role Model’ where young Sophie wants to be like Mon Mothma and knows she will have to work hard at it. The poem named ‘The Fetts’ has a message about good and evil and mentions that Jango and Boba may not be all that bad and ‘sometimes they must have just been a kid and his dad.’ Another poem with a thoughtful message is the lovely, ‘A Galaxy of Families’ where the final verse says:
All families don’t look the same. What types can you think of? The galaxy has many kinds- Their common theme is love.
The illustrations by Tim Budgeon are beautifully drawn in tones of black and grey with a single pop of colour. This book would make a perfect Christmas gift for Star Wars obsessed children and is a brilliantly creative way of encouraging younger readers to read poetry.
Wow! This is a book that is hard to put down! When Ivy, Mateo and Cal meet in the high school car park one morning they decide that it is a perfect day to skip school. Although they were no longer friends, they had had 'The Best Day Ever' when they had left a boring excursion when they were in middle school, and all had reasons to want another best day ever. On their way downtown they spot Boney Mahoney who is also truanting and almost witness his murder in an empty apartment building. The day turns out to be a disaster. They must evade the police, a witness claims to have seen a blond woman leaving the apartment, wild speculations that it is Ivy come from classmates and all three have secrets to hide. Why was Boney killed and who is the murderer?
McManus is an excellent writer of mysteries and thrillers. The pacing is fast and keeps the reader on the edge of the seat as one twist follows another. Fans of her previous books, One of us is lying,Two can keep a secret,One of us is next and Cousins will be queuing up to read this compulsive thriller. I could not put it down and read it in a couple of sittings.
But it is not just the plot that makes this a compulsive read. The characters are well drawn and easy to relate to. The story is told in the alternate voices of Ivy, Mateo and Cal and their background difficulties become evident through the narrative. All three have problems. Ivy is a high achiever who is very jealous of her talented brother. Mateo is working three jobs to help pay for his mother’s medical expenses while Cal is facing the results of a disastrous relationship. They are all keeping secrets from each other, all of which could lead them into danger.
Readers who enjoy this may want to watch the 1986 classic movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Other books that will appeal are The Inheritance games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes and A good girl’s guide to murder by Holly Jackson.
Themes Murder, Jealousy, Poverty, Relationships.
Pat Pledger
The last kids on Earth and the Doomsday race by Max Brallier. Illus. by Douglas Holgate
Full disclosure: I was delaying reading this book as it is book seven of a series I had not seen or heard of before. Then my 12-year-old son spotted it in my review pile and excitedly told me about the fantastic cartoon Netflix series, before promptly stealing the book.
I stole it back from his bedside table and was immediately hooked. Yes, there are some things that, without any background story, don’t completely make sense to start with, but the characters are engaging and funny, and the story and relationships unfold neatly so that more information and context are revealed along the way.
13-year-old Jack Sullivan is living in a world populated with monsters and zombies. He and three friends (Quint, June and Dirk) are a monster-fighting gang, each with special skills and powers to aid in the cause. Jack can control zombies, so his zombie squad of Alfred, Lefty and Glurm are also along for the ride. The gang are having a short break after a victory at the end of the previous book, where they survived a skeleton army and escaped with an unusual slime-producing creature they’ve named Drooler. They are planning to find Thrull (the main monster antagonist) and save the world.
This book starts with a massive centipede-type monster hoovering up the gang during their break and depositing them into a mega shopping mall which is already inside of it. The mall is packed full of peaceful monsters who are ruled by The Grand Protector. It turns out Jack’s gang have met The Grand Protector before, and they are suspicious of his motives to protect and watch over all these monsters.
Jack’s gang work well, supporting each other and solving problems together. They are almost like siblings, teasing and joking one minute then ferociously defending one another the next. And the defence is absolutely necessary, with several long fight scenes described in detail - I can easily imagine the TV cartoon!
This is a highly illustrated novel where the detailed grayscale pictures are an integral part of the story. A very entertaining and humorous read.
Ryan Watson is a young girl approaching summer holidays before beginning Year 5. Her family are loving and warm and they are waiting on the arrival of a new sister. Ryan is both delighted and impatient for the changes that will follow the arrival of the new baby. While she waits and her mother rests, she must cope with changed holiday routines and overcoming fears related to the church camp that she is now old enough attend. Ryan is a delight - thoughtful and responsible and keen to make her parents proud. Her family are hardworking, salt-of-the-earth folk and this is just an insight into a moment of time that impacts them all – but seen through the eyes of the young Ryan.
The delight of this book is the gentle understanding of a family that are church-attenders, of a different cultural heritage and whose work circumstances are different (Ryan’s father is a shift-worker). These differences help readers to recognise diversity and realise that not everyone in the world is the same. The fears and friendship concerns for Ryan will connect with young readers. No issue in the book is big, but for a young child these are the things that they encounter – struggles with an older brother, missing time with a parent, wanting to be a ‘best friend’, overcoming fears, and with a touch of humour, Ryan’s desire to be helpful means that she also over-consumes pickles! Young readers (aged 8-11) who desire an uncomplicated story will enjoy this book.
Themes Family, New child, Love, Friendships, Church life.
Ivan Lucic is called out to Finnigans Gap, a small opal mining town deep in the outback, where a crucified man has been found in a mine. Joined by Nell Buchanan a young detective, the pair investigate this bizarre murder, coming up against an array of eccentric characters, including two billionaire mining magnates and a cult of religious fanatics. While trying to find the killer, the pair are faced with an internal investigation which has finished the career of Montefore, Lucic’s mentor in the Police Force and which threatens to end their careers as well.
Treasure & Dirt is a compulsive read. The setting of the opal town, Finnigans Gap, really makes the story. It is fascinating to read about the mines and miners, the ratters who stole from the mines in the dead of night and the dry, harsh country. The power that rich people wield and the game playing about the share market also provides a rich background to the murder.
Clever descriptive writing makes the characters come alive. It is easy to imagine the two billionaires striding to their private planes, and the cult leader is suitably villainous. Lucic has his problems, and Nell emerges as a character that I would like to see featured in another book by Hammer.
As secrets about the past merge with the mystery of the crucified miner, Lucic and Buchanan need all their intelligence and ingenuity to solve the case and avoid the danger that surrounds them.
This is a nail-biting mystery, with in-depth characterisation and a wonderful setting and will please fans of Australian noir.
Themes Mystery and suspense, Opal mining, Detectives, Power, Corruption.
The intriguingly tactile dust cover showing a couple of ghosts peering out from the two letter o’s in the title, invites all readers to look further. Through the opaque cover they will just be able to see an old fashioned three storied house, complete with bell tower and ghost, set amidst a grassy field. Tantalised and excited, they are keen to open the pages, albeit cautiously.
Inside a young girl takes us on a tour of her house, where she is sure a ghost exists.
Readers will scream with laughter as they spot the ghosts lurking in the rooms the girl invites us to see. She cannot find any apparitions, but once the opaque paper is drawn across the page, the readers will see what she cannot. Ghosts in the chandelier, a ghost on the stairs, ghosts under the table, sitting at the library desk, their ghostly forms apparent when the inserted page covers the illustration. I can imagine lots of voices calling out, ’there he is’, wanting the girl to look in the right place for her ghosts. Readers will be highly entertained as the story takes them through the house searching every room for the ghosts.
The illustrations, reminiscent of many ghostly cartoons, shows small creatures with eyes burning thorough a sheet, or is that a dust cover? hovering above the ground all through the book and again in the wonderful endpapers.
The girl asks questions, and readers will offer many explanations and pieces of information from their experiences. She knows there is a ghost in the house, but questions whether they can be easily seen, or if they have chains and haunt the halls. She has checked the chimney and the wardrobes, peered into the attic and under the beds. She understands that they are hard to see. Perhaps they can only be seen at night, she asks, but in the end while walking past a vaguely familiar portrait, readers may jump to their own conclusions about where the ghost is hiding.
A wonderful read which screams out for sharing and reading aloud, the book encourages readers to discuss all they know about ghosts, giving them a platform to talk about things they believe but cannot see, whether they believe in ghosts, and whether to keep on looking for something that does not wish to be found. New York based author/illustrator, Jeffers brings up these intriguing questions in his entertaining YouTube clip and you can also hear Jeffers reading his book here.
Themes Ghosts, Humour.
Fran Knight
Egg marks the spot by Amy Timberlake. Illus. by Jon Klassen
Allen & Unwin, 2021. ISBN: 9781407199405. (Age:8-11)
What a bizarre story! Badger is a rock-collecting whiz-badger, who is determined to collect a rock for each letter of the alphabet. Skunk is a quirky garrulous chef with an unusual friendship with rats and now chickens. The friendship between Badger and Skunk is close but not always warm. Sometimes friendship is like that, but maybe it is because Skunk has the potential to be malodorous. Badger’s cousin has stolen his ‘A’ agate, and this is Badger’s achilles heel and a source of great consternation. When there is the opportunity to find another rock source – amber, which is fossilised resin, it comes with an unusual egg inserted in the prehistoric stone. The two friends, with the addition of a fluffy chicken, are able to rescue the prehistoric hatchling from within the amber.
I cannot say this is a story with the clarity needed for younger readers. Timberlake peppers the narrative with onomatopoeic ‘blurts’ for animal and setting sounds and conversation, and sometimes there is dialogue that just seems confusing. The unusual personalities of Skunk and Badger add some comedic moments, but sometimes their idiosyncrasies are more likely to be understood by an adult rather than a child. I struggled to the end of this tale, and even the ‘scruffy’ naive illustrations by Klassen did not lift the story for me. For those readers aged 8-11 who love eccentric characters, animals personified with human traits far removed from their animal selves, and the oddities of excessive onomatopoeia and a weird plot-line… this may appeal, but don’t expect a child to be delighted by this story.
The illicit love between impoverished Irish immigrant, Henry, and black slave woman, Sarah, in pre-Civil War Virginia, is at the heart of this novel, which, whilst being over 350 pages long, rushes along with short chapters interleaving their stories. It is hard to put down, the writing is so good and the characters so real; in fact they are based on the author’s own great-great grandparents’ experiences plus a great deal of research into the slave era in America.
It is an enthralling and tender story, and in itself would be satisfying enough for most readers, but Huf takes it to another level by also including the voice of Maple, the illegitimate black daughter of a slave owner forced into servitude to her half-sister and torn from the only family she knows. It is her bitterness and her powerlessness that really drives home the reality of the life of the slave, with no say, no power over her own destiny, subject to the whims and desires of her masters, knowing that any wrong step could end in a whipping.
Sarah and Maple’s master prides himself on being a Christian, a kind and just man to his slaves. But it is kindness on his own terms. His brand of Christianity does not tolerate any kind of intimate relationship between the righteous whites and the blacks deemed their inferiors. He makes all the decisions on who the slaves may mix with, who they may marry, where they shall live and the work they are allotted. Sarah declares that ‘slave suffering is a different thing. When somebody owns you, there ain’t nothing they can’t do to you.’
The tension builds as Sarah and Henry take greater and greater risks to be together. It is a thoroughly immersive reading experience. Lovers of historical fiction and romance will certainly enjoy this novel.
Themes Slavery, Romance, Black women, Freedom, Racism.
