Me, Frida, and the secret of the Peacock Ring by Angela Cervantes
Scholastic Press, 2018. ISBN: 9781338159318. 220 pp.
(Age: 10+) I purchased this book with my young granddaughter in
mind. She has a love of the art of Frida Kahlo. Paloma is travelling
for the first time to Mexico City, the birthplace of her deceased
father. Her mother, who has been awarded a four week literary
fellowship here, wishes her daughter to experience some of the
cultural rewards this country offers. She will be able to learn some
Spanish and find out about Frida Kahlo, who was Paloma's father's
favourite artist; therefore, keeping alive those precious memories
of her father. While her mother attends the university, Paloma
attends school in Mexico and has the chance to explore the city art
galleries and La Casa Azul (the Blue House) where Frida lived in
Coyoacan. She meets Lizzie and Gael who want her to help them find a
valuable ring that once belonged to the artist herself.
Paloma sees herself as Lulu Pennywhistle, the mastermind of the spy
books she loves reading. An intriguing set of unexpected discoveries
take place, as the young ones try to solve the mystery of the lost
ring. The book has all the ingredients of a well-paced adventure; at
the same time it introduces the young reader to an important piece
of art history and, as her story progresses, Paloma comes to
understand the importance of friendship and how much both her
parents mean to her. This is an engaging and memorable story.
Julie Wells
Evernight by Ross Mackenzie
Andersen Press, 2020. ISBN: 9781783448319.
(Ages 10-12). Highly recommended. Evernight is an exciting,
fantasy adventure story that takes place in a world called the
Silver Kingdom. The main character, Larabelle Fox, is an orphan who
lives by finding treasure in the sewers under the city. This is
called being a Tosher and she becomes the subject of interest to
some evil characters when she finds a mysterious box containing a
clockwork bird. The bird seems to like Lara and only comes to life
when it is near her.
The book introduces each of the important characters by devoting the
first few chapters to stories about them. The plot links them
cleverly in the subsequent chapters and it develops into a very
intricate, fast-paced tale. We learn about some quite dark magic
such as the way the evil Mrs. Hester uses young souls to keep her
young body. The story is a little too sinister for reading to
younger children but Middle Primary students who like Harry Potter
will also enjoy this book.
Lara is a wonderful character who is very loyal and protective of
her friends. We meet Joe, who learned to be a Tosher from Lara, and
his grandmother who live in an attic. Double Eight is also an
interesting character who is a witch working for the Kingdom in a
group called the White Witches. These witches do whatever they are
told because their souls have been removed by the King's sorcerer,
Mrs. Hester. The conflict in which Lara finds herself involves the
release of the Evernight by Mrs. Hester, which threatens to engulf
the entire world in a deep darkness and brings with it some horrible
monsters called the Painted. Mrs. Hester hopes to use it to gain
control of the entire kingdom and defeat the Westerly Witches. Lara
must learn to harness her newfound magical power to stop it using
the Doomsday spell passed down from her mother.
A wonderful, exciting tale and the first in a series about Lara and
her friends. Themes: Magic, Sorcery, Good and evil, Orphans.
Gabrielle Anderson
PESTS by Emer Stamp
Hodder Children's Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781444949629.
(Ages 8-12). Highly recommended. Stix is a mouse who lives with his
grandma behind a washing machine in a Flat 3, Peewit Mansions, which
they share with a couple, their dog and their baby. The book is
written in first person by Stix and he introduces us to the space he
lives in, where he finds the food he and grandma eat and the 'Mans'
(humans) he shares it with - Schnookums, MyLove, Trevor (the dog)
and Boo-Boo. Grandma has very strict rules about what Stix needs to
do to stay hidden from the Mans because if they find any evidence of
the mice the humans may call 'Nuke-a-pest', not an ideal thing to
happen to a Pest.
Not long into the story a nasty Rat comes into their apartment and
causes havoc for Stix by leaving a mess after he raids the pantry in
Flat 3. Then disaster strikes as Grandma's plan to play dead goes
awfully wrong and she is flushed down the toilet. Stix is left alone
to fend for himself but a chance meeting with a friendly bat called
Batz, shows him that there are other Pests who live in the building
and joins them at a school for Pests. Here he learns about the
competition, called 'Pest of the Year', that could give him the
satisfaction of revenge on the nasty Rat that turned his world
upside down.
This is a welcome addition to the list of books that appeal to
reluctant readers. It has short chapters with not too much text on
each page and great pencil illustrations done by the author. The
publisher has used a linked-script type font which seems easier for
children to read. The cover has pictures that glow in the dark and
'Pests Only' written onto the side of the pages, all the gimmicks to
attract those readers who need extra encouragement to pick up a
book. There is even a cool website
that demands you pass the PEST test before you can enter!
Themes: Mice, Friendship.
Gabrielle Anderson
Top End girl by Miranda Tapsell
Hachette Australia, 2020. ISBN: 9780733642432.
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. If you saw the delightful rom-com
movie Top
End wedding you will enjoy this book. If you missed it
at the cinema, check it out on iTunes. It is a joyous upbeat story
of what happens when an Aboriginal girl takes her English fiance to
meet the family before getting married in her home country, the
glorious setting of the Northern Territory and the Tiwi Islands. Top
End girl is Miranda Tapsell's memoir about her life leading up
to the making of the film which she co-wrote and starred in.
Tapsell is a Larrakia and Tiwi girl; she grew up in Kakadu. A
natural performer, she was inspired by a school workshop with Aaron
Pedersen to pursue an acting career, and won a place at the National
Institute of Dramatic Art. It wasn't an easy time, in fact 'a
baptism of fire', overcoming insecurities and finding her voice. But
she made it, leading to a string of acclaimed dramatic performances,
including winning two Logie Awards. In her acceptance speech she
urged for more Aboriginal people on our screens in ways that
transcend race. It was this vision that led to the film project Top
End wedding, a fun and uplifting film highlighting the warmth
of Aboriginal families and the beauty of their country in the Top
End.
The book is written in a conversational style - you can hear her
voice and her laugh. It is easy to read, so any fan of this actor
will enjoy her story. However there is one chapter that stands out
as a serious statement, 'Making things change', where she writes
about the racism and sexism directed towards Aboriginal people and
Aboriginal women in particular, and argues for greater Aboriginal
representation in the film industry, and a wider recognition and
celebration of Aboriginal culture generally. The issues raised in
this chapter would make good classroom discussion topics.
Hopefully her film and book will be an inspiration to young black
actors and filmmakers, and a great promotion of Aboriginal people
and country, both in Australia and internationally.
Themes: Aboriginal actors, Aboriginal films, Romantic comedy, Self
empowerment, Self belief.
Helen Eddy
The StrangeWorlds Travel Agency by L.D. Lapinski
Orion Children's Books 2020. ISBN: 9781510105942.
(Ages: 8+). Highly recommended. Magnifying glasses, outlandish
suitcases and a dusty mysterious store begin this fantasy tale of
multi-universes and exciting travel. Twelve year old Flick Hudson is
moving to a different home in the country. It is in a new housing
estate close to the village of Little Wyverns. She is not happy.
Both her parents work shifts and she has to be responsible at times
for her baby brother Freddy as well as many of the household tasks.
Flick has a great desire to explore and travel the world and this
wish comes to fruition sooner than expected. While exploring the
local village Flick stumbles upon an old stone Victorian Arcade and
The StrangeWorlds Travel Agency. On entering the store she sees
suitcases of different shapes, hues and designs stacked against the
walls and meets eighteen year old Jonathan Mercator who is the
proprietor of the travel agency and head custodian of the suitcases.
While they do not warm to each other at first, Jonathan realizes
that Flick has special magical powers when she observes what are
known as schisms through broken glass. Flick is invited to join the
StrangeWorlds Society and Jonathan takes her on her first journey
into another world through a suitcase. They visit the Crystal Forest
where they see very different landscapes and creatures. This visit
for Flick is a relatively safe taste of things to come.
Central to the plot is Jonathan's missing father who has not
returned from another world visit for a number of months. With
Flick's help he must try to track him down although all is not what
it seems as Flick later learns. Visiting the City of Five Lights
puts both Jonathan, Flick and the whole other world in danger and
they must use all of their wits to out play the desperate Thieves.
Descriptive language and original imagery, a fast paced and action
packed plot maintains the reader's interest and engagement. For fans
of a fantasy series this will not be a stand-alone read. There are
questions still to be answered and a clever hint at situations still
to be resolved. A really appealing and refreshing new read. Teacher's
notes are available. Themes: Family, Magic, Travel, Fantasy
Worlds, Friendship, Mystery.
Kathryn Beilby
The sky is mine by Amy Beashel
Rock the Boat, 2020. ISBN: 9781786075550.
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. This is a powerful, raw and
confronting story of a young girl struggling to find her way,
assaulted and blackmailed by the school bully, ensnared by the
manipulations of her step-father, and witness to the humiliation and
abuse of her mother. This book cries out to be read - Beashel
captures the voice of Izzy so well, her pent up feelings, her
loneliness, and the fear, walking on eggshells around stepfather
Daniel, the Clooney look-alike, who won over her mother and then
gradually bent them both to his will. Izzy can still remember her
father, from early in her childhood, the man who was so pleased to
see her, calling her his 'sunshine'. The jar of broken yellow beads
is all she has to remember him by. Everything else has been
gradually stripped away. And even that precious jar becomes a weapon
that Daniel will use against her.
Beashel paints a very realistic picture of domestic violence and
child sexual abuse - how becoming a victim to one person leads to a
path of victimhood that is extremely difficult to escape. Whilst
Daniel is the perpetrator, Izzy is also alienated from her mother
because of the sense of betrayal, and her mother's failure to
protect. She carries a shame she is unable to reveal and share with
others, even her closest friend.
There is a positive ending, and it is thanks to the women who run
refuge homes for battered women and their children. With time and
space, Izzy is able to find her inner strength and look up to the
sky.
These are serious themes, but the writing is beautiful, and easily
pulls you into Izzy's world. I am sure that anyone who has
experienced any of these things will find strength from reading how
Izzy finds her way out. Others will gain a better understanding and
empathy for the survivors . . . and especially realise the
importance of being a good friend. At the end there is a list of UK
and US support services. It would have been good to include
Australian services as well. There is also a list of interesting
questions for discussion.
Themes: Domestic violence, Sexual abuse, Cyberbullying.
Helen Eddy
Slow Down: bring calm to a busy world with 50 nature stories by Rachel Williams and Freya Hartas
Walker Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781916180512. 128pp. (Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Calling all nature loving children! This is the book for you! It is a beautiful mixture of short stories about the wonderful things that happen in the great outdoors. Each 2 page spread explores an animal and something interesting they do. It could be snakes shedding their skin, a rainbow occurring, bees pollinating, weaver ants building a nest or a butterfly emerging from its cocoon. They are beautifully illustrated by Freya Hartas and this really makes the book. The colours are vibrant, yet sometimes soft and mellow-and all at the perfect level. Every page you turn brings not only new information but the most amazing illustrations of the animal in the spotlight. You can see their distinguishing features, their faces and often images of their habitat. My children are 5 and 9 and are both enthralled in this book. The text is written so that Miss 5 can understand, but with a few tricky words thrown in so in conjunction with the illustrations provided master 10 was able to extract the higher meaning. We also used some of the animal illustrations as inspiration for an drawing session! This book is the most beautiful glimpse into the awesome things that happen in nature and within the animal kingdom. Children from ages 4 years and up will really enjoy the information and the illustrations. 5 out of 5 - a book that should be in every library. Lauren Fountain
The map from here to there by Emery Lord
Bloomsbury, 2020. ISBN: 9781526606648.
(Age: 14+) Paige is in her last year of high school, the year to
make decisions about what she wants to do and where she wants to
study. She has a wonderful group of friends and a gorgeous new
boyfriend, Max, who is incredibly understanding and supportive of
whatever she decides. The problem is Paige is recovering from the
death of her former boyfriend in an accident and also the recent
loss of her beloved grandmother. And memories of the lead up to the
divorce of her parents still haunt her, despite the fact that they
seem to be getting along really well following the separation.
Although she has had counselling Paige still experiences anxiety
about any decision she has to make and always fears all the worse
possible case scenarios. Then there is another accident which sets
her back even more, and all the relationships she cares about start
to crumble.
Whilst Lord's novel builds a world of teenager friendships that most
young people might easily relate to, for the non-American reader
some of the language and situations could be quite unfamiliar and a
bit off-putting: words such as freshman, sophomore, senior;
the complicated process of applying and writing to universities;
baseball and cheerleading; homecoming balls etc. But if you can get
past that, the characters are warm and relatable, the twists of the
relationships are interesting, and the story of overcoming panic
attacks and insecurities may become another useful addition to the
genre of young adult fiction that deal with mental health issues,
with ultimately a positive message.
Themes: Anxiety, Panic attacks.
Helen Eddy
Machines in motion : The amazing history of transportation by Tom Jackson
Illus. by Chris Mould. Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2020. ISBN :
9781547603374. 64pp.
(Age : 8-12) This large format non-fiction book covers a vast range
of forms of transport ranging from ancient times to the present. It
groups the forms of transport into 13 main types and each of these
has a double page timeline along the bottom of the page with a
humorous illustrated maze of these dates and the inventor/invention
above it. This is followed by at least one double page of more
detailed information on each of the more outstanding developments.
For example the first topic is trains. The timeline page spans from
1500's German wagonways to 2004 Shanghai Maglev. The following
double page goes into greater detail about 9 major types of train
over time.
This book is suited to a child who is quite an enthusiastic browser
of facts about forms of transport and is willing to spend time
enjoying the detail and humour of Chris Mould's terrific black ink
illustrations. There is so much to enjoy that I wonder why they
didn't think to add a 'Where's Wally' element to the book. Chris
Mould is a prolific illustrator of many series of fantasy fiction
and non-fiction. In the past decade we have seen more esoteric books
for children which are well illustrated and are an antidote to the
plethora of information on the internet.
This non-glossy book is a good addition to this collection. Since it
does not have an index it seems the publishers aren't creating a
traditional reference book.
Jo Marshall
The Cobra Queen by Tara Moss
Pandora English, book 4. Echo, 2020. ISBN: 9781760686260.
298pp., paperback.
A fun and quirky urban fantasy, young adult romance with a little
bit of tame horror.
After a seven year wait Pandora English returns to our book shelves
in The Cobra Queen. The fourth book in the Pandora English
series by bestselling author Tara Moss.
I'm a big fan of Tara Moss', Makedde Vanderwall crime series
so when I got the chance to read The Cobra Queen I jumped to
it not knowing it is a supernatural series. I still enjoyed it and
am looking forward to reading the first three books in the series. The
Cobra Queen did remind me of the Twilight series. There was
love, family, ghosts, vampires and crossing species boundaries.
I loved reading about the history, myths and legends of Ancient
Egypt especially about the female pharaoh Hatshepsut. It brought
back lots of memories of when I studied Ancient Egypt. Pandora is
still grieving the loss of her parents and discovers more about what
happen to them in Egypt.
Pandora was an interesting character who was discovering her powers
living in a normal world. She finds out that she is the Seventh and
discovers what that means with evil around the corner trying to
invade New York. It all starts with an Ancient Egypt exhibition
Pandora is involved in at The Met.
While this is happening there is a Blue Moon approaching and Pandora
also manages to find love and build her relationships with her
spirit guide from the Civil War, Lieutenant Luke and Deus the
Sanguine and a few other characters.
If you like reading supernatural romances where powerful forces
threaten to up end the balance of life and death, then you need to
try The Cobra Queen.
Maria Komninos
The Eyes of Tamburah by Maria V. Snyder
Archives of the Invisible Sword, book 1. Harlequin, 2019.
ISBN: 9781489252807.
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. Fans of exotic worlds and brave
heroines will love The Eyes of Tamburah and long for the
next in the series. Shyla is an outcast with yellow hair, cursed for
being sun-kissed by the Sun Goddess. Brought up by monks she has
left the monastery and now lives in the underground city of Zirdai,
trying to make a living as a researcher who finds the location of
lost relics for treasure hunters and the archaeologists. She keeps
her head down and is shunned by everyone except Banqui, the Water
Prince's archaeologist. When he begs her to help him find the
legendary Eyes of Tamburah, which can give great power to the one
who wields them, she finds herself embroiled in chaos. Banqui is
imprisoned and Shyla is blamed for the theft of the jewels. With the
Water Prince and the Heliacal Priestess determined to have the Eyes
of Tamburah, Shyla tries to find them, with soldiers and deacons in
hot pursuit.
Snyder has written a fast moving adventure story set in a believable
world, where it is so hot that everyone must live underground and
where water is really valuable. The reader is taken from level to
level as Shyla searches for the Eyes and gains an insight into the
class system that exists, with those who can pay for it given access
to water and food, and a large group of people who live apart
stealing food and water. The opulence of the Water Prince's level
contrasts with that of the ones who live away from society, and the
level where prisoners are kept and tortured is grim indeed.
Shyla's role as a researcher is pivotal to the story. She is
intelligent and curious and determined to do the right thing, even
when it is most dangerous to herself. She won't leave Banqui to die
or those living on the edge of society to be tortured. Instead she
is prepared to make huge sacrifices for what she believes in.
Add a slow burning romance, a secret society, plenty of action and
suspense, twists and turns and you have a wonderful story that will
make the reader want to pick up other books by this talented author,
like The
glass trilogy.
Pat Pledger
The yellow bird sings by Jennifer Rosner
Picador, 2020. ISBN: 9781529032437. 294pp., paperback. (Age: Secondary). Historical fiction. Sniff, sniff (wipes tears away from eyes). What a captivating and emotional tale about the love between a mother and daughter with a wonderful connection to music and how far a mother would go to save her child. The yellow bird sings is a wonderfully written debut novel from Jennifer Rosner. Poland 1941, Roza and Shira manage to sneak away as Nazi soldiers are rounding up Jews in their home town. They find safety in a dirty old barn hiding in the hayloft. Here in the hayloft the aim for Roza is the wellbeing of Shira her 5-year-old daughter. She nurtures, educates and protects her as much as she can. Roza invents a story based on a little yellow bird to keep Shira occupied. Shira is a musical prodigy who hears entire passages in her head but she cannot make a sound while she is in hiding. This imaginary little yellow bird helps keeping her safe. The early chapters tell us the story of living in the barn with the help of the farmer Henryk and his wife Krystyna but there is a price to pay. Then due to dangers a decision is made and both Roza and Shira are separated and are at the mercy of unknown dangers. The yellow bird sings is an emotional historical fiction book based around true stories of Jewish children being hidden during WWII. We learn of some of the atrocities committed against Polish Jews and glimpses of the Resistance movements with not too much graphic details, so it's a bit safer for students to read. I loved reading The yellow bird sings and think it's a great addition to a library. If you enjoyed The boy in the striped pyjamas I'm pretty sure you would love this. Maria Komninos
Do you love bugs? by Matt Robertson
Bloomsbury, 2020. ISBN: 9781526609519.
(Age: 6+) I will say at the outset that this book will break some
poor entomologist's heart. The ease with which Robertson mixes bugs
(sucking insect) with beetles (insect), spiders (arachnid), snails
(gastropod) and worms (animal) is surprising, and an astute teacher
will use the opportunity to differentiate between these species as
the book is read.
That said, I enjoyed the humour in this offering, each double page
showing readers creatures with which many people have a 'don't touch'
relationship. So we are presented with ants, butterflies, moths,
spiders, stick insects, bees, worms, grasshoppers, snails and
dragonflies, all surrounded by a splatter of facts which will
intrigue younger readers.
The funny anthropomorphic illustrations will cause readers to laugh
out loud as they dip into the pages full of facts and hints about
the animal being observed.
The opening pages of this fun paperback gives a plea for children
not to be taken aback by these creatures, but to love them as they
have been around since the dinosaurs. Robertson also gives some
rules on engagement: do not bother bees, be respectful of the stick
insect, step over the snail, and so on, impelling children to look
more closely at the creatures in their gardens.
Two pages tell of moths and butterflies, telling the reader why the
butterfly is so colourful and how delicate its wings are. The next
page is about the moth and we are told why they come out at night
and how they get their moisture. All very interesting to the curious
minds of younger readers.
The information is interesting, but as the book is part way between
an information and a fun read, it will not be easy to use without a
contents page and index. Themes: Insects, Beetles, Arachnids, Garden
creatures.
Fran Knight
Elizabella and the Haunting of Lizard Lake Zoe Norton Lodge & Georgia Norton Lodge
Walker, 2020. ISBN: 9781760651855.
(Ages: 7-9) Recommended. Sisters TV presenter and comedian Zoe
Norton Lodge and graphic designer and illustrator, Georgia Norton
Lodge continue with the hijinks and humour of their Elizabella
series. What pranks can Elizabella and her friend Minnie pull off at
the annual Year 4 camp - food dye in the showerheads or in the
teacher's coffee machine? With Mr Gobblefrump Acting Principal of
Bilby Creek Primary School in charge, will there be any
opportunities for fun at all?
When Elizabella's frill neck lizard Lizzie overhears their campsite
is at Lizard Lake, he decides to stowaway in her bag. With high
hopes of meeting lizard friends, he can communicate and philosophise
with like-minded creatures. 'Don't worry, be happpy' is the camp
motto, and Agapantha/Christine, Star, Minnie and Mo are the happiest
counsellors ready to help the kids have the best time. Even Mr
G-Frump's swept up in happiness, his strict ways are set aside. The
Opportunity Course proves challenging, but the campers and even Mr
G-Frump prove themselves able to conquer their fears.
With ghostly hauntings, midnight lake escapades in a canyes not a
canoe and curious dreams, Elizabella and Minnie find themselves
solving mysteries and making a new friend. Lizzie's explorations add
to the fun; who knew camp lizards spoke Lizish and not English? With
plenty of delicious food cooked by Miss Goose, loads of fun
activities and time to uncover camp secrets, Elizabella's time at
camp is brimful of happiness.
Georgia Norton Lodge's fun illustrations capture the highlights,
from the happy mantras to Dougal the missing counsellor's
reappearance and Lizzie and Barney's foodie forays. Zoe Norton
Lodge's descriptive style, her love of unusual names and word twists
to promote happiness add to the appeal. Elizabella and the
Haunting of Lizard Lake is just right for readers who enjoy
quirky characters, humour in school and family stories.
Themes: Camping, Mysteries, Humour.
Rhyllis Bignell
Anna K by Jenny Lee
Penguin, 2020. ISBN: 9780241420218. 400pp.
(Age: Adult - Older adolescents) This is a story of rich adolescents
who attend wealthy schools, who like to party often and hard, using
drugs to enable an even wilder time and who like to stay out until
the early hours of the morning. Everything they wear is named for
its designer brand, as are their accessories and the cars that they
drive. They only shop in the most expensive stores in the city of
New York, and their social lives seem to be set in the best clubs,
where they drink, and use drugs freely, and party, often, until the
early hours of the morning.
While this story is about these young people's desire to party,
attending school is recognized as being very important in leading on
to their future and thus their careers. In this intense narrative we
are drawn into the frenetic lives of Anna, an exceptional young
woman who falls in love with "Count" Alexi Vronsky, learning about
their high level of competition, that is, to be the best, or to have
the best, in everything they do. Parents seem to figure in their
lives to a small degree, being busy making money themselves.
Money is at the heart of this novel, and its presence fuels both the
lifestyle, the choices, the futures, and, sadly indeed, the
disasters. While these party people face the challenge to do well
enough at school to enable them to go to the best colleges and
universities, one young man loses his way and his story is deeply
saddening. This aspect reminds the reader of the dramatic aspects of
the much-loved Russian epic tale that is reflected in Lee's book.
Overall, I found this to be a challenging novel. In that it is
intended as an evocation of Tolstoy's Russian epic, Anna
Karenina, we see how this novel serves as a reminder of some
of the pitfalls that young people face, especially in a community
where wealth creates a world of privilege. I would recommend this
book as suitable for both adults and older adolescents. Lee's
evocation of a past novel, one that was a powerful tome for its era,
recreates the disturbing reality of the modern world in her
depiction of one particular way of life.
Elizabeth Bondar
