Illus. by Rovina Cai. Hot Key Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781471404986.
(Ages: 15+) Highly recommended. Themes: Fantasy, Myth, Fairy
tale, Cautionary tale, Pineapples. In this new cautionary tale
reading like a fairy tale of old, Sally Gardner tells the tale of a
gardener in the employ of the Duke of Northumberland. The duke is
desperate to grow and raise a pineapple and employs the gardener to
take charge of the hothouse and the plant.
From page one we know that this hapless gardener is imprisoned and
read on to find out how and why he is thus ensconced.
Because he could not grow a pineapple, the duke demotes him to be
his wife's gardener, in charge of the flower garden, a position he
does not like. And a new person is employed to grow a pineapple. But
Mr Amicus arouses suspicion. Just what is in the birdcage he takes
into his house, and why is the hothouse filled with light at night?
And just how does he manage to grow a pineapple?
The gardener creeps to the hothouse at night and spies a naked
woman, surrounded by green feathers, imprisoned in the birdcage,
tapping all the while on its bars. Mr Amicus wears the same sort of
feather in his hat. He drunkenly returns and warns the gardener to
stay away from the hothouse and his wife. Shocked, the gardener
retreats, but one night after a summer storm a tree crashes onto the
hothouse and the birdcage is emptied. Later a tapping on his door
reveals the woman and they spend the night together, she offering
the gardener one wish in return for his kindness, but warns him to
choose wisely.
The next day Mr Amicus comes looking for her and chases the gardener
into the walled garden, where he uses his one wish unwisely and is
forever trapped.
This is a wonderfully engrossing tale, full of magic and humour, of
desire, greed, infatuation, ambition . . . all those tenets that sit
well in cautionary tales. Here the story warns us to be careful of
what we wish for, with the gardener finding himself trapped for life
behind a wall.
Stunning illustrations by Rovina Cai, a masters graduate from the
School of Visual Arts in New York, who now lives in Australia,
parallel the text, sweeping the eyes across every page, the turning
of which offers a new delight every time.
Fran Knight
A guinea pig nutcracker by Alex Goodwin
Photography by Phillip Beresford. Guinea Pig Classics
series. Bloomsbury, 2019. ISBN: 9781635574500.
(Age: 3-8) Recommended. Themes: The Nutcracker, Guinea pigs, Christmas, Classic
stories. This is part of the Guinea Pig Classics series, in
which Classic stories such as Pride and prejudice and A
Christmas carol are told using photographs of dressed-up and
staged guinea pigs. It's a curious concept but one that will
introduce a new generation of young children to some of the
best-loved and enduring stories of the modern world. It is
presented, fittingly, as a performance, starting with an audience
address: 'Dear members of the audience, please take your seats.
Tonight's performance of The Nutcracker is about to begin'. Italics
cleverly alert the reader to the musical accompaniment: 'The double
bass rumbles', 'Ting! Ting! Ting!' The text itself is short,
fast-paced and focused on the action. We are even told of the ballet
moves being performed, putting glorious images in the mind of
swift-footed guinea pigs(!): 'They perform effortless pirouettes,
their feet barely touching the ground.' After the story is a list of
the guinea pig performers and their photographs (as you would find
in a performance program) as well as a very short history of the
Nutcracker ballet.
The small format of the book suits the cuteness of the concept
perfectly and little animal lovers will adore the beautifully
dressed up guinea pigs in their crowns and top hats, not to mention
the land of sweets! This is a great introduction to the Nutcracker
story, especially for little ballet dancers or for reading before
seeing the play.
Nicole Nelson
The twelve days of Christmas with Roald Dahl: Festive things to make and do by Lauren Holowaty
Penguin, 2019. ISBN: 9780241428122.
(Age: 7+). Themes: Art, Craft, Recipes, Humour, Jokes, Games. On the First day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . .
One Matilda in the Library
Two Smelly Twits
Three Naughty Muggle-Wumps
Four Repulsant Snozzcumbers
Five Golden tickets
Six Cunning Foxes
Seven Gigantuous insects
Eight Crafty Crocodiles
Nine Spoonfuls of Medicine
Ten Chomping Tortoises
Eleven Foulsome Witches
Twelve Twistmas Tales
From the list of the contents headings above be prepared for a
humorous and entertaining addition to this year's Christmas books.
This is a clever publication of activities based upon many of Roald
Dahl's popular stories and will be an instant hit with his legion of
fans, both young and old. Scattered throughout the book are Roald
Dahl's thoughts on Christmas activities and ideas as well as a
passage he wrote about December from My year.
The book is able to be written and drawn in, as well as the
opportunity to colour pages and complete activities in the reader's
own way. There are recipes to follow, tricks to play and presents to
make. Some of the ideas include: A recipe for Chocolate and Brussel
Sprout Pie, Festive Frobscottle, Giant Peach Pinata, Grandma
Kranky's Guide to A Kranky Christmas, Witches Glove Wreath, Wormy
Spaghetti, Matilda's Clever Christmas Spinners, to name but a few! The twelve days of Christmas with Roald Dahl would be a great
stocking filler or an excellent gift for someone who has everything!
Kathryn Beilby
Harry Potter: Spells and charms: A movie scrapbook by Warner Brothers
Bloomsbury Publishing Australia, 2019. ISBN: 9781526613189.
(Age: 8+). Themes: Movies, Fantasy, Spells, Charms. Fans of Harry
Potter novels and movies will value this latest non-fiction book in
the ever popular phenomenon that is Harry Potter. It is written and
presented as a scrapbook and is full of photographs from the movies
- and from behind the scenes. There are also inserts and
illustrations capturing many of the key moments in the Harry Potter
series. It gives detailed information about different scenes and the
spells and chants used throughout the stories, such as the Duelling
Club Spells, Spells taught to Dumbledore's army and Unforgivable
Curses to name a few. On each page of the different spells there is
information regarding the intention of the spell, who used the
spells and in which book they were used. Readers are also able to
closely examine photographs of significant scenes and read further
information they may have missed when watching the movies or reading
the novels. The book provides stickers, posters and cards to keep
the Harry Potter fan entranced.
Every day a new generation of readers are discovering the world of
wizardry through Harry Potter. Harry Potter: Spells and charms:
A movie scrapbook would be a wonderful introduction for those
just beginning their Harry Potter journey and a welcome addition to
any home library.
Kathryn Beilby
The bookish life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman
Headline Review, 2019. ISBN: 9781472266217.
(Age: Adult) Recommended for readers who like quirky books with
allusions to novels. Nina Hill is a young woman who is happy with
her life. An only child with a mother who travels the world, she has
a job in a bookstore, is on a winning trivia team, likes to be alone
reading her books and has a cat named Phil. When the father that she
has never known dies leaving her with a complete family of half
brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews she has to contend with all
these strangers. Then Tom, the leader of a competing trivia team
starts to show interest and she finds she has to face a new world.
I expected a very light read and was rewarded with lots of laugh out loud
moments as Nina prepared her lists of what to do and tried to keep
her anxiety at bay, all with a great sense of humour. The
descriptions of the trivia competitions were a hoot and the
references to many books, including Harry Potter, were fun as well.
Adding real depth and interest to the book were the descriptions of
how she grew up with a Nanny looking after her as her mother roamed
the world taking photos and the way she handled having both a new
family and a boyfriend.
This was a feel good book with the added charm of a memorable
heroine who is resistant to change but finds ways of letting new
people into her life. Older teens would really enjoy it, but there
are references to alcohol and sex which might make it unsuitable for
younger teens.
Pat Pledger
Sulwe by Lupita Nyong'o
Illus. by Vashti Harrison. Puffin Books, 2019. ISBN: 9780241394328.
(Age: 9 - 12 years) Highly recommended. Sulwe was born the
colour of midnight. So begins the stunning picture book Sulwe
written by Academy Award winning Kenyan actress and producer Lupita
Nyong'o. The book describes the feelings of a young girl whose skin
is not the same colour as the other members of her family. She finds
it difficult to fit in at school and is taunted by others. Sulwe
compares herself to her fairer skinned and popular sister and
attempts to lighten her skin but to no avail. She eventually shares
her pain with her mother who supports her with love and
understanding and explains that her name means star which shows
brightness. When night falls, a shooting star takes Sulwe on a
journey and tells the story of two sisters, Night and Day who grew
apart. The star goes onto explain that both Night and Day need each
other and together they make the world as we know it. The story ends
with Sulwe realizing that she is unique and special and has her
place in the world.
The striking illustrations and use of colour by Vashti Harrison set
the mood and reflect the night and day, dark and light theme of the
story. Her images of Sulwe are quite beautiful and the portrayal of
the two mythical sisters, Night and Day, are stunning. Sulwe is a wonderful story that warrants a place in any
school library. It sends a powerful message to primary aged children
and will prompt plenty of class discussion about how we treat others
and how we feel about ourselves. It also shows us that with kindness
and support, we can begin to overcome our own feelings of low
self-esteem and that we are all bright and beautiful as we are.
Themes: Families, Self-esteem, Racism, Belonging, Acceptance, Myths,
Fantasy.
Kathryn Beilby
The Confession by Jessie Burton
Picador, 2019. ISBN: 9781509886159.
(Age: Adult-Adolescent)The Confession is a story of mystery,
love and loss, and of the roles that family and friendship play in
our lives. Essentially, this narrative delves into the ideal of
motherhood, family and love, but is also about the reality of life,
of self-absorption, fear, loneliness, rejection and mystery. The
choice of a puzzling lack of information within the narrative is
pertinent to the enigmatic events and choices that the characters
make, and reflects what Burton has constructed, in an absorbing and
completely captivating narrative.
In the narrative that begins in 1980, Elise falls in love with
Connie when they meet unexpectedly in the park in New York, and this
meeting changes Elise's life. The second narrative, interwoven and
connected to the first, and told in the first person, is the story
of Elise's daughter, beginning in 2017, of her quest to find her
mother who disappeared one day, leaving no trace, and who has never
been found. The notion of mystery pervades the text, as we are
similarly eager to discover the truth when we realize that we do not
know the details of the enigma of the lost mother either.
Structuring the story in two different eras, Burton begins in 1980
and interweaves the years subsequent to this period with the events
of 2017 and beyond.
Well-written, richly descriptive and tantalizing in its complexity,
and indeed in the description of the passing of the years, this
narrative is a powerful expression of the way in which human
interaction can be loving and supportive, while also suggesting that
life can also be ruled by an individual's choices that are hurtful,
self-absorbed or unexpectedly puzzling. Jessie Burton has written an
evocative story, one that is well-constructed, powerful and
interestingly complex. It is appropriate for both adult and
adolescent readers.
Elizabeth Bondar
Lottie Luna and the Bloom Garden by Vivian French
Illus. by Nathan Read. HarperCollins, 2019. ISBN: 9780008342982.
(Age: 7+). Highly recommended. Themes: Fantasy, Werewolves,
Friendship, Gardens. In this very enjoyable and easy read junior
fiction novel, the story begins in the crumbling Dracon Castle where
a werewolf family have recently moved to. Lottie Luna, her older
brother Boris and their parents have become the local royalty and
Lottie Luna is about to begin at a new school in the middle of term.
She decides to be ordinary and not tell her classmates she is a
princess. Lottie Luna has another secret though. She was born when
there was a full moon and lunar eclipse and has special powers. She
is able to run and swim very quickly, is very strong and has
astounding hearing. After rescuing Bernie, a werewolf cub, she is
unavoidably thrust into the limelight. Lottie Luna then discovers
her school Principal, Madame Grubeloff, was born on this special day
and also has the same special powers. The Principal encourages
Lottie Luna to use her special powers only when absolutely
necessary.
On the first day at her new school, Lottie Luna wins a competition
to design a school garden on a derelict plot of land behind the
school which may otherwise be sold for a toll road. Her garden is
called the Bloom Garden and the school students set about
landscaping and planting the flowers. Sadly it is destroyed two
nights in a row and Lottie Luna's suspicions fall on Aggie who is
not a kind classmate and who thought she would win the competition.
The new Deputy Principal and his sneaky son Bruno are unpleasant
characters who also come under suspicion. With the help of Lottie
Luna's new friends, Marjory and Wilf, the problem is solved and the
Bloom Garden eventually survives.
The black and white illustrations by Nathan Read complement the text
brilliantly and draw the reader in. They are both detailed and
entertaining and help to set the visual imagery throughout the
novel. Lottie Luna and the Bloom Garde is the first in a
series with the second titled Lottie Luna and the Twilight party.
Kathryn Beilby
Tim and Tigon by Tim Cope
Pan Macmillan, 2019. ISBN: 9781760554293.
(Age: 12+) Recommended. 'Adventurer Tim Cope had a childhood dream:
to travel the 10,000 kilometres from Mongolia to Hungary on
horseback - a journey undertaken by the legendary leader of the
Mongols, Genghis Khan. Tim made this epic journey - across the
windswept wilderness and wolf-infested plateaux of Mongolia and
Kazakhstan - with his dog Tigon'. (Publisher)
The YA version of the novel makes it easy to follow and digest for
younger readers even aged 12. This is a recommended novel with
heart. The pictures in the middle show the reality of the harsh
conditions that Tim and Tigon coped with and the traditions of the
people that they encountered.
Vincent Hermann
The fate of Fausto: a painted fable by Oliver Jeffers
HarperCollins Children's Books, 2019. ISBN: 9780008357917.
(All ages). Highly recommended. Themes: Greed, Wants and needs.
Fausto wants everything to bow in acknowledgement to him. He
believes that he owns everything and goes to a flower, a sheep, a
tree, a field, forest and a lake to force their submission to him.
He expects this, although the lake takes some time to see things his
way. Next the mountain holds his ground, making the man make his
fist, stomp his feet and generally put up a fight. The mountain
concedes.
Children and adults alike will see parallels all around them of
behaviour such as this.
But the man is still dissatisfied and takes to a boat upon the sea.
Away from the shore he tells the sea that the sea belongs to him.
The sea remains silent. He tells the sea again that he is its owner,
and this time the sea responds, telling him that Fausto does not
owns the sea. He is adamant that he does and says he will stamp his
feet, and climbs out of the boat onto the sea to do so. He
disappears.
None of the things that bowed to him cared. They carried on just as
before. Fausto's fate did not matter to them at all.
A wonderful modern fable about possessions and self image, readers
of all ages will thrill at the behaviour shown by Fausto in trying
to get his own way, seeing parallels in the nightly news or history
or people with whom they mix.
This story reveals all the elements of a fable, a short story in
which animals have human characteristics and ends with a moral, and
will be another discussion point with students. Comparing this tale
with Aesop's fables, for example will widen the student's literary
vocabulary and enable them to see other examples of modern fables.
Students could discuss why the author has chosen the name Fausto for
his anti hero, and absorb the wonderful story retold by Kurt
Vonnegut at the end of the book, seeing parallels between that story
and why Jeffers wrote his fable.
The startling illustrations done using a lithographic printmaking
technique, add to the dream like qualities of the story as many
pages are blank,some pages have a phrase and just a line of colour,
some pages are covered with colour but all expect the reader to
think about what is happening, to think about the man's expectations
of life and his dissatisfaction with what he has ending with his
sinking into the sea and oblivion.
The endpapers reflect books from years ago with their wonderful
marbling effect and intricate designs, which once more will attract
the readers to look again before the book is closed.
Fran Knight
Full disclosure by Camryn Garrett
Penguin, 2019. ISBN: 9780241367063.
(Age: 16+) Recommended. Themes: HIV, Sexuality, Gender, LGBQT+,
Prejudice. Simone is the adopted daughter of a gay couple she calls
Dad and Pops. The two men chose her, an HIV positive baby, as an act
of caring after seeing friends die from AIDS. Simone's condition is
managed with regular drug treatment, her viral load is almost
undetectable which means she is not a risk to anyone. But whilst she
is informed and responsible, she knows that the ignorance of people
around her can mean humiliation and rejection if anyone finds out -
that was the horrible experience at her last school. She is now
starting at a new school, with new friends, and has been selected as
director of the school play, but just when everything seems to be
going well, anonymous messages threaten her happiness once again.
Camryn Garrett wrote this book when she was only seventeen years
old, and it is a refreshingly candid account of teenage worries and
fears: anxiety about the first date, first sex, gender confusion,
sexual attraction, masturbation and even a first visit to a sex
shop! The voice is open and honest, and the values are positive
throughout. Her fathers are both caring involved parents, her
friends are loyal and supportive, she has an encouraging teacher,
and even the blackmailer is revealed to be a troubled person in need
of help rather than punishment. The book advocates for speaking up,
sharing worries and getting help. And ultimately Simone learns to
overcome her fears and to trust in the people who care for her.
Dealing openly with topics people generally don't like to talk
about, this story will reflect many teenage concerns, and also is
very enlightening and informative on the subject of human
immunodeficiency virus - readers will come away having enjoyed a
heartwarming story and be a little more knowledgeable as well.
Helen Eddy
The crayons' Christmas by Drew Daywalt
Illus. by Oliver Jeffers. HarperCollins, 2019. ISBN: 9780008180362.
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. Themes: Crayons, Christmas, Humour,
Pop up. This beautifully presented book, with flaps, letters,
envelopes, lift ups and pop outs will intrigue and delight younger
readers along with the older readers who helps them navigate the
pages.
Eager fingers will love searching through the intricacies of the
book's production. Buy two, even three! Kids will love it and shown
how to use it carefully, the book will last just as long as any
other popular book in the library or at home.
The humour of the The
day the crayons quit(2013), followed by The
day the crayons came home (2015) and Crayon's
book of numbers (2016) is spread throughout this
Christmas offering as the two, Red and Green crayon prepare for the
celebrations with Duncan.
Letters arrive at their home, but the contents are not for Duncan,
but various other crayons.
After being outdoors for a while in the snow they decide to get out
the Christmas decorations and hang them up, pulling out the box of
decorations that everyone has stored somewhere in their house.
Each routine of Christmas follows, putting up decorations, singing
carols, making a Santa in the snow, making biscuits and a drink to
leave for Santa, wrapping presents, receiving and sending cards and
letters, emails and gifts, until the night before Christmas arrives
and the Christmas play is over. All is in readiness. But Duncan
receives a map of the world showing a world tour by his friends and
hears that they won't be home for Christmas, so the crayons take the
day in hand, presenting a Christmas to remember.
A wonderful play on the idea of Christmas, this book revolves around
the routines of Christmas, the things done in western societies
heralding the day and its customs. Children will follow the routines
readily, recognising the ones done in their homes and seeing some of
those replicated in the shops and streets of their towns. Children
will love opening the envelopes and reading the messages, piecing
together the story as it unfolds, and enjoy hanging the decorations,
popping up the tree, taking out the clothing to put on the crayon.
Fran Knight
The lonely Christmas tree by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros
Bloomsbury, 2019. ISBN: 9781408892923.
Recommended. The lonely Christmas tree is a small picture
book, based loosely upon the classic Christmas poem 'Twas the
night before Christmas. This book also follows a poetic rhyme,
which allows the reader to fall into a nice rhythm quite quickly.
Each page of text only has 4-6 short lines and a beautiful
illustration on the opposing page.
The story follows a lonely little tree who found its self far away
from all the others who had already been cut and decorated.
Suddenly a jolly fellow came and chose the tree for a prime position
in the town, and when the bright star was placed on top all the
tree's woodland friends returned.
Of course we all know who this jolly fellow is, and although not
named in the book it is easy to tell, which brings a special element
to the book for those who believe.
I really liked this book, and think it would make a great addition
to the Christmas Eve festivities.
The illustrations are simple, yet extremely effective in showcasing
a winter theme. Each page has dark tones, movement within the snow,
and just the right amount of brightness to light up the town on
Christmas Eve.
My favourite page is the last one, where the scene is of St Nicholas
(readers might have to explain this name to young listeners), who is
lit up by the silver moon, the town is below and most importantly
the once lonely tree is taking pride of place looking out over the
town and snowy mountains. The silver additions add that extra
element that brings some extra Christmas feeling to the page.
Loved this one, the short rhyming story and the beautiful
illustrations. 4 out of 5.
Lauren Fountain
We're going on an elf chase by Martha Mumford
Illus. by Laura Hughes. Bloomsbury, 2019. ISBN: 9781526606303.
Recommended. We're going on an elf chase is a cute little
board book that encompasses a 'life the flap' on most pages.
It is the perfect size to read on the couch/bed with your little
ones but also great to pop into your bag for a day out (it has a
nice and sturdy cover so I think it will hold up well with lots of
use). The story follows 4 lovely little rabbits who are going on an
elf chase through the snow, where they come across winter animals
like penguins, birds, polar bears and even some festive reindeer!
As the reader lifts the flaps and find the elves, they can identify
the number they are up to (under each flap the numbers are written-
a great numeracy link!), and practice counting to 10.
The story also following a repetitive style with every second page
being the same text, allowing the reader to learn and join in with
the 'reading' of the book. My newly 5-year-old is just starting to
be interested in actual reading and this helped her begin to
identify words as she could predict what they were based on the
repetition of the book. I also liked how the author used some sounds
and noises associated with the animals they were creeping around.
This added interest and definitely increased engagement in the
story. We pretended to be reindeer who went cloppy, cloppy, clip and
birds who went chirpy, chirpy, cheep!
I really liked this book, as although it is a fairly simple story, I
was able to stretch that into the worlds of numeracy, literacy and
even some drama. Both my daughter and I enjoyed the illustrations
too, they are whimsical and free flowing and you can almost see the
freezing wind blowing across the landscape behind the rabbits!
I give We're going on an elf chase by Martha Mumford 4 out
5, a great Christmas book for children aged up to 6 years.
Lauren Fountain
Peppa's Christmas jumper day
Penguin, 2019. ISBN: 9780241371589.
Most parents of young children know the phenomenon that is Peppa
Pig, and probably can't help but sing the tune when it comes on the
TV! On top of the show, kids also have the ability to read about
Peppa and her friends!
This story is called Peppa's Christmas Jumper Day, and
follows the story of Peppa and her brother George who need Christmas
Jumpers for a special day at playgroup, but unfortunately theirs are
too small. It all ends with Daddy Pig coming to the rescue . . .
turning a normal jumper into a Christmas one with lots of baubles
and glitter.
Peppa Pig books follow the same predictable lines as the TV show,
and whilst reading it is easy to hear the characters' voices (if you
have had the privilege of hearing the shows over and over again!) in
your head. This will be comforting to young children who will feel
familiar with not only Peppa, her family and friends but also the
text.
The illustrations are exactly as they are seen on TV, bright
colourful and relatively simple.
I must admit that Peppa Pig was not one of my favourite TV or book
characters, however my daughter loved the show which meant that it
was a regular during quiet time at our house.
For children who love the Peppa Pig franchise, this Christmas
edition will be a fitting addition to their bookshelf. 3 out of 5
stars.
Lauren Fountain
