Illus. by Charlotte Pepper. DK, Penguin Random House, 2019. ISBN:
9780241355442.
Recommended for library collections for younger Primary students.
Themes: Animals, Environment. In this book the globe and all
continents are traversed, revealing the animals that reside in
various environmental regions in the world from the Arctic Tundra to
Antarctica. With small paragraphs to describe behaviour or
adaptations that enable survival, this is a book that provides an
overview only, with little benefit for inquiry learning or research
for younger students.
The illustrations by Charlotte Pepper combine collage and
photographic representations to realistically represent the
environment and array of animals that can be seen in the different
habitats.
Carolyn Hull
Blood in the water by Jack Flynn
Macmillan, 2019. ISBN: 9781447298281.
(Age: 15+) Recommended. 'Homeland Security agent, Kit Steel, is
committed to avenge terrorism. And she's after the blood of her
nemesis, one of world's most ruthless and dangerous criminals,
Vincente Carpio. He has the blood of her husband and young son on
his hands, and Kit is unwavering in her determination to see him
kept behind bars forever. . . Harbour Union chief, Cormack
McConnell, has lived his life close to the wire above and below the
law, and he controls everything that happens on Boston's waterfront.
Someone wants him out of the way, fast.' (Publisher)
The easy to follow storyline and highly readable text make this
action packed story very enjoyable. It brings up terrorism and
criminal behaviour.
This is recommended for older YA from 15 onwards and is most
suitable for those who like thrillers as there are many twists and
turns.
Vincent Hermann
The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan by Sherry Thomas
Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760876685.
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. An engrossing retelling of the
ancient ballad of Mulan will have fans of historical stories and
martial arts with a dash of romance, grabbing this story as soon as
it comes their way. It is China, 484 A.D. Mulan has trained to win a
duel against her family's enemy, but when the Rouran invaders come
into the north each family has to send one soldier to fight. Mulan's
brother is too young and her father paralyzed, so disguised as a
man, she sets out to join the army. Then she meets up with a young
princeling with secrets, and together they cross the Great Wall of
China, trying to find a traitor who is betraying their army.
Thomas is an author who previously has written award winning adult
historical and romance novels, including two featuring a skilled
Chinese heroine with a martial arts background, so she is eminently
suited to writing this novel. Her descriptions of life in the
Chinese court, the buildings and the upper class provide an in-depth
background to the feud between the two families. The life of a
soldier too, with all its trials, is vividly described and the
readers will find themselves holding their breath as Mulan and Kai
try to find where the enemy is camping and identify who is the
traitor. Lots of twists and turns, deception, friendship and loyalty
make this a great read.
It was interesting to find that the story is based on the real Ballad
of Mulan, translated here.
Thomas has also provided an interesting Author's note and Notes on
language and historical miscellany. Teacher's
tips are available from the publisher's website.
Anyone who enjoys a grand adventure with lots of action, great
characters and splendid setting will love this story. Fans of
Kristin Cashore, Robin Lafevers and Rachel Hartman will be happy to
find another author who writes about a young woman who loves her
family but is strong enough to break the stereotypes of her society.
Pat Pledger
The scholar by Dervla McTiernan
HarperCollins, 2019. ISBN: 9781460754221.
(Age: Secondary-adult) Highly recommended. Themes: Crime, Ireland,
University, Corruption. When Cormac Reilly and his girlfriend, Dr
Emma Sweeney move to Galway they are hoping to put the past behind
them and build their relationship, at the same time establishing
their careers. But Reilly has a past and the new police department
keep him tethered to cold cases until Emma comes across a body on
her way into her lab one night at Galway University campus. She
rings him and as he has made his concerns about his relegation to
cold cases an issue, is given this case. But her involvement becomes
more deeply entrenched causing him anguish and putting him in the
spotlight of the police tribunal.
The identification of the body is simply the first of their
problems, and mistakes are made from the start. Cormac finds a web
of intrigue beginning with the relationship between the dead girl,
Della Lambert, an exceptional student who dropped out after the
first semester, and Carline Darcy, the granddaughter of the
laboratory's benefactor, John Darcy. A missing laptop may hold the
clues to what exactly is going on, but first Cormac must combat the
mine field of pressure from above, pressure from the tribunal, and
legal representatives from the pharmaceutical company which feels it
owns Carline and Della's work.
Meanwhile, a disgruntled member of his team, is spreading rumours
abut Emma causing people to look more closely at her involvement,
and before Cormac can sort this out, her credentials are questioned
and her involvement scrutinised. Cormac is taken off the case
because of the conflict of interest and investigated, not before
putting Emma offside with his questioning. Her past puts her in the
frame, and it takes another of Cormac's team, Fisher, to unravel
what is going on, despite the risk he is taking on Cormac's behalf.
An exciting crime story, the involvement of big pharma companies and
the lengths they will go to protect their discoveries is paramount
to the crimes committed, leading the investigators down paths that
question the integrity of the laboratory work at undertaken at the
university.
Large amounts of money are involved and where there is money, lies
power and influence, so Cormac and his team must tread with utmost
care. The location of this fine series makes for a fascinating
backdrop as the isolation has a part to play, as well as the
problematic relationship between north and south.
The first novel featuring Cormac, The ruin was very well
received and offers an introduction to his character, along with a
gripping story of neglect, so is a good read to have under your belt
before the third appears in 2020.
Fran Knight
Lie with me by Philippe Besson
Penguin, 2019. ISBN: 9780241987094.
(Age:16+) Highly recommended. Philippe Besson is a French author and
this novel (originally in French) is translated by Molly Ringwald.
This book is a compelling read and impossible to put down. Told in
three sections the narrator speaks of his first love. Philippe and
Thomas are 17 and at school in a very small village in France. Their
love is secret and passionate. The vulnerability of Philippe and
Thomas is poignant as they both live the lie of appearing
heterosexual while their love for each other occupies their hearts
and minds.
Social class is also explored. Philippe is the son of the headmaster
of the school and Thomas the son of migrant labourers. Thomas is
aware from the beginning that Philippe will leave the village, and
him, to make his way in the world.
As an adult Philippe meets a young man who resembles his first love.
The young man is the son of Thomas. From this point in the novel we
hear how this first love has shaped the lives of Thomas and
Philippe. While they did not stay together - they were always in
each other's lives. The reader discovers the outcomes of secrecy and
self-deception, combined with the oppressive prejudice and
discrimination they faced, as both poignant and thought provoking.
Although this novel is short it is a powerful story beautifully
told.
Linda Guthrie
More by Matt Preston
Pan Macmillan, 2019. ISBN: 9781760781828.
(Age: Adult) This may just be the book for anyone who is trying to
add more vegetable into the daily diet. Subtitled More Recipes
with More Veg for More Joy, Matt Preston presents a huge
variety of recipes (over 100) that feature vegetables with a variety
of flavours and colours. The Contents page includes the headings:
Salads, barbeque, Pasta, noodles and rice, Bakes, Tray bakes,
Braised and Fried and Meat appendix for the meat lovers who can't
bear to not have meat but want to add more veggies to their meals.
There is a handy Index and an extended index. Each recipe is
illustrated with a full page colour photo of the dish, making the
book not only very attractive to the eye, but helpful for the final
presentation of the dish. The list of ingredients is easy to follow
as are the instructions.
There are plenty of recipes here to make the taste buds water. If
you like rich and creamy, 'The Decadent brie, leek and almond honey
pie' recipe would make an excellent entree served with sourdough
bread and red grapes, not to mention the 'Decadent vego souffles
with creamed leek, cheddar and jalapeno'.
I couldn't resist trying out the delicious 'Zucchini slice version
5.0' which adds asparagus and dill in a variation of the old popular
recipe. 'The creamiest coddle egg' looked amazing, and the 'Dadaist
sausage rolls for Barry Humphries' contain no sausage meat but a
delicious combination of zucchini, nuts and panko breadcrumbs
amongst other ingredients and would make for a great conversation
starter at lunch. Recipes for 'Singapore noodles' and 'Vegan
Bolognese' will also give an alternative for family favourites. More would make a very useful addition to a family's
collection of recipes and is sure to extend the use of vegetables in
daily meals.
Pat Pledger
Mum's jumper by Jayde Perkin
Book Island, 2019. ISBN: 9781911496137.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Grief, Loss, Death. Loss and death
are never too far from many children's lives and so a book helping
children accept the death of a loved one will have a place in a
classroom or home, where quiet time reading a book together can help
children understand, in a small way, what has occurred.
In this the young girl visits Mum in hospital, and later when her
Mother dies, the routine of the death process is shown. People come
and go, expressing sorrow, crying, saying a range of things which
sound like platitudes, they offer support, flowers are given, but
the girl finds it hard. She cannot concentrate at school, she feels
like a large black cloud is hanging overhead, and despite all her
friends around her she feels angry and alone.
When she and Dad go through Mum's things she finds a jumper, a
favourite and puts it on. She wears it for a long time, and when Dad
washes it, he tells her that grief is like that jumper, she will
grow into it, the jumper will get smaller.
And it does, the girl eventually packing the jumper into the drawer.
She knows it is there, but no longer needs to wear it everyday.
In wonderfully evocative illustrations, the story of acceptance
unfolds. The book was written with the support of the Let's Talk about Loss,
and the Cruse Bereavement
Care Centre in Bristol and more information can be found at
these sites.
Fran Knight
Messy, wonderful us by Catherine Isaac
Simon and Schuster, 2019. ISBN: 9781471178054.
(Age: 17+) Recommended. Catherine Isaac provides a heart-warming
read that reminds us that life is short.
Allie, the narrator, is a scientist working on a cure for cystic
fibrosis and her life is ordered. When Allie unexpectedly comes upon
information that calls into question the family ties she relies on
to keep her life in order, Allie takes a trip to Italy to find
answers. She is accompanied by her best friend Ed who has secrets of
his own. He has recently separated from his wife Julia, and she
phones Allie each day searching for answers for the sudden
separation.
The reader is encapsulated in the world that is Northern Italy as
Allie peals away the layers that surround Ed and unpacks her untold
family history. We gradually discover two stories that are often
left untold - domestic violence and unplanned pregnancies. The
characters are well drawn so the reader can see the characters
clearly, and empathise, as they wrestle with their dilemmas. The
reader is drawn in to the life histories that have delivered Ed and
Allie to their current circumstance and is left feeling invested in
the developing outcome.
This is a story about love. Catherine Isaac deftly describes the
love that can bind and the love that can destroy. The author
skilfully leads the reader to see that life and love are messy. This
messiness can be wonderful.
Linda Guthrie
Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell
Macmillan Children's Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781509896899. 356p. bkp.
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. What happens to the heroes when
they've won the war? They should be on top of the world, right? In
Rowell's sequel to Carry On, living happily ever after
hasn't quite happened. If Hogwarts was in an alternative, slightly
edgy, world it might be the school that Simon, Baz and Penny
graduated from but time has moved on and things have changed. The
Mage has been destroyed and the friends are living a 'normal'
university student life. Simon has no power (but a nifty pair of
dragon wings and a tail) and Baz is despairing about their
relationship. Penny wants to shake things up with a road trip across
the American West with a visit to her boyfriend on the way. However,
best-laid plans go awry and then the friends are faced with having
to save the world yet again, while coming to terms with who they are
and where they're heading.
In this engaging story we might be immersed in a world of magic and
vampires but Rowell's characters face the same intensely personal
challenges of friendship, love, direction and change that we mere
humans deal with. Themes include self-esteem, self-evaluation, gay
and straight relationships, diversity, and of course, what life
looks like when the major goal has been achieved. A great follow-up
for fans of Carry On and Fangirl.
Gaye Howe
Brain-fizzing facts by Dr Emily Grossman
Illus. by Alice Bowsher. Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2019. ISBN:
9781408899175.
(Age: 5-12 years) Highly recommended. On her website Emily Grossman says 'My
aim is to show people just how exciting science is, and to make it
more accessible by explaining complex concepts in a fun and engaging
way.' Her book, Brian-fizzing facts, meets this aim
extremely well, answering those questions many children ask but that
adults do not know how to answer, e.g., could thinking make you
stronger; which animal has the strongest bite; why does dog urine
glow under UV light; and everything you probably never wanted to
know about farting but that most kids would love to discover. Her
question and answer format is written in very accessible language
and is interesting to read and easy to understand. Every page of
this book has interesting and fun facts complemented by the amusing
illustrations of Alice Bowsher. The format of cartoon-type drawings
in greyscale invites the reader to browse the questions and
multiple-choice answers that pepper the book. One example I enjoyed
gives possible answers to the question Where would you find the
strongest muscle in your body? a. Your heart, b. your jaw, c. your
calf or d. your bottom. Complete answers to each of these
possibilities fill the following five pages with a multitude of
facts in a way that draws the reader into the text.
This book would be a great addition to personal as well as classroom
libraries. It is a useful reference tool and a good book to pick up
and browse at any time.
Jan Barwick
Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire
Wayward Children book 3. St Martin's Press, 2018. ISBN:
9780765393586. 176p.
(Age: 15+) Recommended for fantasy lovers. Anyone who loves baking
and the idea of a world called Confection and made of sweets, will
delight in this whimsical and unique story. Rini comes from the land
of Confection to Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children searching
for her mother Sumi, and is appalled to find that she died years
before she was conceived. Reality doesn't get in the way and with
Cora, Kade and Nadya she goes on a quest to find her mother.
The first two books in the series, Every
heart a doorway and Down
among the sticks and bones, were very dark but McGuire strikes
a lighter tone in Beneath the sugar sky, as perhaps could be
expected with the land of Confection being a star in the story.
McGuire also explores how Cora feels about the way people treat her
for being fat and makes some pertinent and telling comments about
that.
At 176 pages, this was a quick but complex read. It is advertised as
a stand alone and can be read as such, but familiarity with some of
the characters and the Home for Wayward Children would enhance the
enjoyment of the story. With a raft of award nominations (Hugo Award
Nominee for Best Novella (2019), World Fantasy Award Nominee for
Best Novella (2019), Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Fantasy
(2018)), it is one to pick up, with two more in the series to
follow, In an Absent Dream (2019) and Come Tumbling Down
(2020).
Fans will have a feast reading about the strange and unusual worlds
that McGuire creates.
Pat Pledger
A single thread by Tracy Chevalier
HarperCollins, 2019. ISBN: 9780008153823.
(Age: Senior secondary - Adult) Highly recommended. It is 1932 and
Violet Speedwell, whose fiance and brother were killed in the Great
War, has become a 'surplus woman', doomed to be a spinster because
of the demise of a generation of young men. In an effort to become
independent she leaves her family home and goes to Winchester where
she joins a society of broderers who are embroidering kneelers and
cushions for Winchester Cathedral. It is here that she makes friends
and begins to make a new life.
I am a great fan of Tracy Chevalier's stories and her wonderful
ability to describe the lives of women, while giving a snapshot of
the history of the time. In A single thread, Chevalier
weaves the story of how the fictional Violet becomes independent,
twining it with the real life of Louisa Pesel, who was asked to
design the cushions and runners that can still be seen in the
Cathedral today. The group of broderers becomes Violet's mainstay,
fending off loneliness with the friendship of Gilda and Dorothy and
the calm helpfulness of Louisa Pesel.
I loved the descriptions of the embroidery and was fascinated to
learn of the fylfots that were a border on the vestments of the
effigy of 14th century Bishop Wodeloke, and how the Nazis took the
fylfot symbol as their own swastika. Chevalier writes about Louisa
Pesel and embroidery on the author's
website.
The details of the art of bell ringing were so graphic that a reader
could almost hear the bells pealing. And it was the understated way
that Chevalier describes how women were treated in the 1930's that
is most poignant and memorable, as she tells of the struggle
of Violet to find love and make a family of her own and of Gilda and
Dorothy's love for each other. Family life and the loss of a child
and the devastation it leaves behind are also described in a very
moving way.
A quote from Geraldine Brooks on the back cover sums it up:
'Chevalier is a master at foregrounding the small, dramatic stories
of overlooked people from the past.' An interview with Chevalier is
available on the NPR
website.
This is a gentle and engrossing novel that nevertheless touches on
complex themes, that of women's sexuality, the plight of the
unmarried mother and the importance and difficulties of family life.
It is one too that celebrates the beauty of Winchester Cathedral's
embroidered cushions and runners and the talent of the women artists
who designed and made them.
Pat Pledger
Supernova by Marissa Meyer
Renegades series. Pan Macmillan, 2019. ISBN: 9781760787394.
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. Supernova is the long-awaited
conclusion of the Renegades series. Set in a world where
prodigies are rife and the war between good and evil is continuing
to rage; Supernova follows the problematic romance between
an anarchist and a renegade as they try and negotiate a way peaceful
way forward and out of the wars of the past.
Having stolen Ace Anarchy's helmet from the Renegades in the
previous novel, Nightmare's Renegade disguise as Insomnia is growing
increasingly precarious. Unsure how much longer she has as her
good-girl alias, Nova dreads the moment when Adrian will see her for
who she truly is - a villain. Her time with the Renegades is
starting to make her question her own beliefs. Previously a staunch
Anarchist, Nova starts to question if Anarchy is really the solution
to the problems in Galton City.
Adrian's little brother was badly injured during the break-in at
Renegade headquarters and despite his innovative tattoos Adrian
can't let his Dad know he's been to see Max without revealing his
identity as The Sentential. Switching between identities, Adrian is
struggling to keep his secret but knows better than to reveal
himself as the vigilante super-hero. Having idolised the Renegades
his entire life, Adrian finds himself questioning if they are the
great force of good they present themselves as. Supernova is the perfect combination of superheroes and
star-crossed lovers. An enjoyable novel, I would highly recommend to
lovers of superheroes and dystopian novels. Inevitable dealing with
questions of right and wrong, Marissa Meyer presents arguments for
and against the need for order and leads the reader towards the need
for peaceful non-violent solutions.
Kayla Gaskell
Sorcery of thorns by Margaret Rogerson
Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781534445383.
(Age: 14+) Recommended. An exciting book that will tantalise book
lovers! Elisabeth has grown up in a Great Library where magical
grimoires are chained and book lice scuttle along the skirting
boards. If provoked they can turn into monsters creating
devastation. Elisabeth is desperate to become a warden but after
facing down one of the grimoires, she is accused of treason and sent
to the capital to face justice. Nathaniel a young sorcerer escorts
her there and together they begin to realise that much is at stake
for the country. Accompanied by Nathaniel's demon, Silas, they
battle to save the Great Libraries and their nation as well.
Elisabeth is a feisty young woman who has a clear sense of right and
wrong and she doesn't shirk her duty to the Libraries and her
country even when it is very difficult and dangerous. There are many
thrilling battles, when armed with her sword Demonslayer, she fights
off grimoires and other enemies. Heart stopping episodes draw the
reader in as she tries to prove her innocence and control her
powers.
The slow burning romance between Nathaniel and Elisabeth is a
subplot in this sweeping fantasy but will satisfy readers who will
be interested in the themes of loyalty, how perceptions can change
and the difficulties of being true to oneself.
Witty and often hilarious dialogue is a standout feature of the book
and the contrast between Nathaniel's sly asides and Elisabeth's
serious nature is beautifully written.
There is much to like about Sorcery of thorns, not least the
descriptions of all the magical books and the Great Libraries. I
will certainly pick up other books by Margaret Rogerson.
Pat Pledger
The turn of the key by Ruth Ware
Vintage Publishing, 2019. ISBN: 9781787300446.
(Age: 16+) Recommended. Wow! What a compulsive read this was. From
the first page the reader was drawn into the life of Rowan Caine,
writing to her lawyer from prison. She had been a nanny in a
luxurious house in the Scottish Highlands and thought she had the
perfect job, but instead finds herself in prison accused of
murdering one of the children in her care. Her letters reveal
gradually reveal her life as a nanny as she tries to describe to her
lawyer just what happened to bring about the death of a child.
Rowan is an unreliable narrator and the reader is left trying to
unravel all of the events that had happened. Who was making the
weird sounds that had frightened away so many of the previous
nannies? What was the significance of the Poison Garden? Why wasn't
the death recorded by the smart house that kept everything on
constant surveillance? Who was Jack Grant the quiet handyman?
Needless to say, all these twists and turns kept me glued to the
last page, and the conclusion is one that will have readers
discussing it in fine detail. This was a compelling thriller,
written by an author whose books I will be picking up from now on.
Pat Pledger
