Song of the River by Joy Cowley and Kimberly Andrews
Gecko Press, 2019. ISBN: 9781776572533. 32pp., hbk.
High in the mountains where he lives, Cam tells his grandfather that
he wishes he could see the sea and his grandfather promises to take
him there "one day."
But as winter turns to spring and the snows begin to melt, Cam
watches a trickle of water running through the pine trees, water
that splashed and sang in the voice of the snow,
"Come with me. Come with me. I will take you to the sea." And unable
to resist its song, Cam follows it and begins a journey that
broadens his horizons in so many ways.
The beautiful, lyrical words of one of New Zealand's premier authors
for children, Joy Cowley and the stunning, detailed, muted
illustrations of Kimberly Andrews which echo both the high country
of New Zealand and the Canada of her childhood come together in what
is indeed a song of the river. With a text that builds much like the
river itself, rises to a crescendo and then returns to its original
melody like a piece of music, this is indeed an aptly named story
both in content and style. It lends itself to all sorts of mapping
activities, more than just the physical journey of the trickle to
the sea. Even exploring why the author named it Song of the
River rather than Story of the River will open up the
beauty of the language and the build-up of the journey.
With a landscape very different from those of the illustrations, and
much of the country in one of the worst droughts ever, this is an
ideal book to begin an investigation of Australia's rivers and
compare their origins and uses to those of the river in the story. A
search of the NDLRN using Scootle will bring up a number of units of
work focusing on the Murray-Darling Basin such as A Sense of Place
(TLF ID R11374) (written by me for Year 3-4 but which could be
adapted for both age and situation) that could be the perfect
companions to maximise the impact of this book.
Barbara Braxton
Space on Earth by Dr Sheila Kanani
Alma Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781846884559. 1287pp., pbk.
The 50th anniversary of man stepping on the moon and the declaration
by President Trump that they will be back there by 2024 with NASA's
Project Artemis has again ignited the debate about the cost of space
exploration and whether the money could be better spent back here on
this planet.
So the publication of this new book from Dr Sheila Kanani, a British
astronomer with a particular interest in Saturn, is very timely
because it examines how the discoveries in space have been
translated back into everyday objects on Earth. It is full of
amazing facts about everyday innovations, from drills and
dustbusters to bike helmets, that have been inspired by space travel
and includes sections on the people who brought them to us,
Divided into three sections - technology, health and fashion - it
examines objects as diverse as baby blankets, artificial limbs and
skiwear, examining how their development is related to space
exploration as well as a short piece about the scientist who
imagineered the development.
Intriguing and offering much food for thought that could spark
further investigations.
Barbara Braxton
William Bee's wonderful world of trains, boats and planes by William Bee
Pavilion, 2019. ISBN: 9781843654155. 48pp., pbk.
"Once upon a time , the only way for people to get around was by
walking, or on the back of a horse, or in some sort of contraption
that was pulled by a horse. And then along came..."
Young readers who are fascinated by transport can join the lovable
William Bee as he and his dog and a collection of traffic cones
wander through the world and history of trains, boats and planes.
Part true and part imaginary, his adventures are based on actual
facts and these are woven into the narrative to make an engaging
story that educates and entertains. With its humour and bright
detailed illustrations, young readers have much to pore over and
discover and perhaps even be inspired to design their own craft.
This is one of a series of three - William Bee's Wonderful World
of Trucks and William Bee's Wonderful World Of Tractors
And Farm Machines that would sit very well within a unit on
transport and travel.
Barbara Braxton
The Flat Share by Beth O'Leary
Hachette, 2019. ISBN: 9781787474420.
(Age: 16+) Highly recommended. This book was a surprise. Initially
the story appeared to be a light read. The story begins with Tiffy
searching for a flat. She is a quirky editor for a publisher of DIY
and craft books. Tiffy accepts an offer to share a flat with Leon
Twomey, a palliative care nurse who works nights. Because of work
commitment's they will never be in the flat at the same time - and
share the one bed.
Beth's writing is impeccable as she artfully reveals the back
stories for Tiffy and Leon. Through posits and episodes of stalking
the reader begins to understand that Tiffy is recovering from
emotional abuse that includes gaslighting. The reader journeys with
Tiffy as she is supported by Leon and her friends to come to the
realisation that her sense of reality has been skewed by her
previous relationship. The supporting characters provide robust
clarifications of boundaries within relationships, cleverly
delivering a perceptive analysis of intimate relationships. This is
where the book moves from being a light romantic comedy to being an
insightful exploration of abuse and injustice presented from the
point of view of hope and compassion.
This funny and uplifting debut novel from Beth O'Leary is a must
read.
Linda Guthrie
The Gruffalo's Child by Julia Donaldson
Illus. by Axel Scheffler. 15th Anniversary Edition, Macmillan, ISBN:
9781509894475.
(Age: 2+) Highly recommended. Themes: Rhyming story, Mythical
animals. What a joy to read aloud to very young children and what a
fun picture book this is for older kids! The 15th anniversary
edition of the well-known picture book will be welcomed by all who
would like an updated version with a wonderful wrap-around play
scene that forms part of the cover, and press-0ut pictures to use as
the story is read.
It is easy to see why The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo's
child remain favourites. The easy to read, rhyming story flows
along beautifully when read aloud, and the illustrations are
delightful. The Gruffalo's child is a mini version of her father,
with tiny horns, and humorous little details like the snowman that
looks like a Gruffalo will bring a smile to the faces of readers. I
loved the risk taking little Gruffalo who is not too scared to go
exploring on her own out in the wild wood, trying to find the Big
Bad Mouse. The way the clever little mouse outwits the Gruffalo's
child making a large mouse is great and would lead to much
discussion about shadows.
As well as the wrap around play scene this edition contains some
activities, 'The Gruffalo's Child Song', a quiz and information
about putting on a play.
This is a keeper for me. It will make a wonderful gift and it would
likely become a favourite book in the classroom, with its strong
read aloud aspects and valuable activities.
Pat Pledger
Dog Man: For whom the ball rolls by Dav Pilkey
Dog Man, Book 7. Scholastic, 2019. ISBN: 9781338236590.
(Age: 7+) Highly recommended. Graphic novel. Themes: Humour,
Superheroes, Villains, Dogs, Cats, Fear. Another fabulous, funny
graphic novel featuring that favourite character, Dog Man, will
delight all the fans out there, as well as making new ones. What?
Behaviour modification for Dog Man! When Dog Man becomes obsessed
with chasing a ball, rather than chasing the bad guys, his friends
have to try and break his bad habits. Then he finds himself the
target of a supervillain. Meanwhile Petey's father arrives with
funny results.
With chapter headings like 'The old man and the seafood crackers',
'The very hangry raterpillar', 'A farewell to arms' and 'The Mud and
the stars', adults and kids will find themselves chuckling aloud as
they follow the adventures of this super crew. For readers new to
the series, there is an introduction to what has happened so far,
giving them the opportunity to dive straight into the book without
reading the previous volumes. Although, of course they will want to
go back and read each one! The pictures are just so funny and the
characters so loveable, that it is always difficult when the last
page arrives. However there are notes to peruse, lots of things to
learn to draw and a super page, 'Be a Supa Buddy #DoGood', for kids
to enjoy.
This is sure to be a firm favourite in every library and home.
Pat Pledger
The safest lies by Megan Miranda
Penguin, 2019. ISBN: 9780241344408.
(Age: 15+) Recommended. Themes: Mystery and suspense, Fear,
Kidnapping, Agoraphobia. Wow, another great page-turner from
Miranda, who is fabulous at writing exciting thrillers featuring
interesting heroines. Kelsey is a young woman who has been raised by
her mother to see danger everywhere. Her mother never leaves the
house and has a safe room, fully equipped for any emergency. When
Kelsey has a car accident and goes over a cliff, and her mother's
real name is printed in the news report of the accident, what
follows makes Kelsey wonder if her mother's paranoia about hiding
and keeping safe after her abduction and torture as a teenager is
real.
With a cliffhanger at the end of the first chapter and a graphic
and nail-biting description of the car accident and resulting rescue
attempted by volunteer firefighter Ryan, the reader is hooked into
the story and it is virtually impossible to put it down until all is
revealed at the end. The descriptions of all the measures that
Kelsey's mother takes to secure their home and provide for a
possible invasion are detailed and fascinating and provide the
background to the question about fear, and whether it can be handed
down in DNA or learnt by observation. However, Kelsey may be afraid,
but she is resourceful and when faced with danger and a missing
mother, manages to think through issues and plan what to do. Ryan,
the love interest, is also adept at handling emergencies and the
pair make good partners when things get tough.
This is definitely a read for anyone who enjoys suspense, likes a
strong heroine and enjoys a book that keeps the suspense alive.
Readers who enjoyed Two can
keep a secret by Karen McManus and Broken
things by Lauren Oliver are sure to want to pick up The safest
lies.
Pat Pledger
Little Mermaid: Ten minutes to bed by Rhiannon Fielding and Chris Chatterton
Ladybird Books, 2019. ISBN: 9780241372678.
(Age: 3-6) Ten minutes to bed is a beautiful series by
Rhiannon Fielding and Chris Chatterton, aimed at young children at
bedtime. Each book follows a similar progression where the
parent/family member counts down the minutes to bedtime while the
main character flits around doing lots of fun things before bed. The
books are all based on mythical type characters and are whimsical in
nature.
Each book has a map at the beginning (daytime) and end (night-time)
of the book showing 'The land of Nod' which young children can
engage with, finding the home of the book's character and also the
homes of the other two in the series (Little Unicorn and Little
Monster).
Splash the little mermaid lives in Golden Cove, deep down below the
waves. She is surrounded by merpeople and lots of merchildren. She
feels small compared to others and in order to feel bigger and
braver she decides to go on a bedtime adventure under a big wave and
into the ocean. She meets lots of very cute sea creatures, but also
a big shark! Luckily, she finds a friendly whale to help her get
back home to the castle and into bed.
The illustrations are bright and colourful, with swishes of rainbow
fishes and pretty pink and purple palaces. The cover has some pretty
pops of tactile sparkles, giving off shimmery colours in the light.
The characters all have facial expressions, giving extra meaning to
the story.
On top of the count down from 10 to bed, children can name the sea
creatures they see and create little side stories on each page. As
with the other stories in the series, we loved this one. The rhyming
nature of the story mixed with very cute illustrations makes it a
book that will stay by the bedside for quite some time!
Lauren Fountain
The Dutch house by Ann Patchett
Bloomsbury, 2019. ISBN: 9781526614964.
(Age: 16+) Highly recommended. Themes: Family, Love, Betrayal, Loss,
Revenge. This is a subtle, highly original story of loss and
betrayal told through the eyes of two children, Danny and his older
sister Maeve, whose lives have always centred around the exoticly
beautiful Dutch house and what it has meant to their family. Their
father, an astute real estate businessman, proudly brought his young
family to install them in its luxuriousness, not comprehending the
impact it would have on the young wife he coaxed away from the
devotion and servitude of a convent. The rift it causes in the
family leads to desertion by the person they love most.
Then along comes Andrea, a woman who has a way of getting what she
wants - and she wants the Dutch house. Danny reflects that 'I'll
always believe that Andrea's face fell for an instant when she
looked at Maeve and me' for the two children were not part of her
picture of the future. What follows is a story of betrayal,
obsession and vengeance; but also a story of devotion, the devotion
of a sister to a brother who cannot remember the love of his mother.
The thing I find most interesting about The Dutch house is
the depiction of the way that children, despite being alienated from
a parent, often develop exactly those same characteristics that
cause the distance between them, thus Danny becomes as aloof and
unaffectionate as his father, a lack of attachment that sees him
also separating from his wife in the end.
The stepmother figure is also not the stereotypical evil stepmother,
her evil is not of cruelty but of not caring, a lack of empathy. As
Danny is aware, the faults are not all one-sided.
One might wonder how this sad story of entangled lives might end -
and surprisingly the ending is a delight, a revelation of warmth and
compassion that suggests that with the turn of generations, people
might come to better understanding and love. This is a richly
rewarding story providing insight into family relationships, love
and loss. I highly recommend it to readers who like stories to
provide psychological depth and development of character, and lots
to think about afterwards.
Helen Eddy
The Never Game by Jeffery Deaver
Colter Shaw, book 1. HarperCollins, 2019. ISBN:
9780008341909.
(Age: 15+) Recommended for thriller lovers. Themes: Murder, Gaming.
Fans of Jeffery Deaver will be happy to start a new series starring
Colter Shaw, a reward seeker who has been brought up in a
survivalist family. Shaw is smart and an expert woodsman and is used
by distraught relatives to find missing persons for a reward. When
he is called to Silicon Valley to investigate the disappearance of a
young woman, he finds himself embroiled in the world of gamers, and
it seems as if a video game, The Whispering Man, is being
used to give clues to the whereabouts of the victims of a clever
manipulator.
Deaver is a master at writing the action plot and each chapter often
has a hook that compels the reader to quickly move to the next
exciting strand of the search for the people who have been
kidnapped. Colter finds himself in danger as well, and Deaver
cleverly gains the reader's sympathy for Colter and curiosity about
his survivalist family as he tracks down subtle clues and learns
about the video game industry in Silicon Valley.
The setting of Silicon Valley makes for interesting reading. The
problems that workers have in finding affordable housing, the big
tech companies and gaming exhibitions are all described vividly and
in detail and provide the reader with an in-depth insight into the
competitive gaming industry and the gamers who are consumed by the
games.
With some totally unexpected twists and turns and an exciting plot,
The never game is certain to appeal to fans of mystery and
suspense stories, who will want to read the next in the series to
learn more about Colter Shaw and the unsolved mystery in his
background.
Pat Pledger
Little monster : Ten minutes to bed by Rhiannon Fielding and Chris Chatterton
Ladybird Books, 2018. ISBN: 9780241348918.
(Age: 3-6) Recommended. Little monster : Ten minutes to bed
is a beautiful series by Rhiannon Fielding and Chris Chatterton,
aimed at young children at bedtime. Each book follows a similar
progression where the main characters parent/family member counts
down the minutes to bedtime while the main character flits around
doing lots of fun things before bed. The books are all based on
mythical type characters and are whimsical in nature.
Each book has a map at the beginning (daytime) and end (night-time)
of the book showing 'The land of Nod' which young children can
engage with, finding the home of the books character and also the
homes of the other two in the series (Little Mermaid and Little
Unicorn).
This book tells us of the antics of Belch, a cheeky little monster
who does not want to go to bed. She eats jelly, plays with toys and
then is joined by her monster friends for a quick play before she
has had enough and wants to go to bed. I like that this book helps
to make monsters seem funny, cheeky, a little cranky but also not
very scary!
This book would be good for children who may find the concept of
monsters scary, or a bit unnerving.
We loved the illustrations of Belch; she is a cheeky looking monster
with big eyes and rosy cheeks. The other monsters are a rather
amusing, helping to make them more funny than scary!
I give Ten minutes to bed : Little Monster 4/5, suitable for
young children up to age 6. It is one of a 3 book series, all of
which are equally as great!
Lauren Fountain
The bookworm by Debi Gliori
Bloomsbury, 2019. ISBN: 9781408893036.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Imagination, Dragons, Books,
Reading, Families, Cautionary tale. Max thinks he might like a pet.
Mum barely pauses from reading the newspaper to give a reason a pup
will not be welcome. Over the next few pages, Max thinks about a
different pet. Dad rejects a kitten, but Max persists, thinking of
reasons for having a penguin, shark or dragon. Dragons of course, do
not exist says his family, so that is out of the question. He thinks
about a goldfish but rejects them thinking they are boring, and the
same with flies, or wasps and birds. But when he finds a worm in the
garden, he is thrilled. It fits well in the aquarium, and Max
discovers that it likes reading. So each night the worm sits with
Max and reads alongside the boy. Things are working out well until
the worm begins to grow and do some mischievous things: chewing the
pillow and making some awful smells. Spikes appear along its back
and smoke pours out of the worm's head. The dragon flies off into
the night but comes back to read before bedtime, even though Dad
insists there is no such ting.
A very cute, enticing story will have many fans as Max trawls the
usual list of things he wants as a pet. Excuses are given, reasons
deduced, but still no pet appears. Only when Max finds a worm does
he have a pet that he likes.
But has he got the pet he wished for and what will happen when a
dragon appears in his bedroom? All good fun, underlying the family
tradition of reading before going to bed, and promoting reading as
an activity, this book will please the readers. Bright, bold
illustrations cover each page, with lots of detail to keep sharp
eyes amused.
I particularly like the endpapers showing the suburb in which Max
lives, with its street lights and neat gardens, with a few pets
appearing in other people's homes. And lots of dragon books for Max
to read, reiterating the idea of a bookworm, an idiom which will
tickle the funny bones of all readers.
Fran Knight
Come find me by Megan Miranda
Pisces Books, 2019. ISBN: 9780525578321.
(Age: 15+) Recommended for mystery lovers. Themes: Supernatural,
Missing persons, Murder, Grief. A compelling mix of mystery and what
appears to be the supernatural will keep readers engrossed as they
follow two teens who have suffered tragedy in their lives. Kennedy,
after a devastating family tragedy, keeps looking after a radio
telescope belonging to her brother Elliot and Nolan is determined to
find out what happened to his brother Liam who went missing from a
family function two year previously. When they both receive the same
strange signal, they make contact and begin to search for its
origin, both hoping that it will lead them to a resolution of the
catastrophes in their lives.
The reader is tantalised by the question of what has happened in
Kennedy's life to see her living with a very young uncle. Where is
the missing brother Elliot and her mother? Nolan's belief that his
brother Liam would not have just left a family picnic and
disappeared without trace also leaves questions about where he went
and what happened to him.
The story is told in alternative chapters by Kennedy and Nolan, each
believing in different reasons for the eerie signal. Kennedy thinks
that it may have come from outer space, as her brother Elliot was
obsessed with finding alien life, while Nolan believes it could be
the ghost of his brother Liam trying to tell him where he is. The
reader learns about the depth of their grief as Kennedy and her
young uncle Joe try to learn to live together, and Nolan navigates a
family home taken over by his parents' non-profit group that tries
to find missing children.
Miranda keeps the reader involved in the two mysteries as clues to
what happened are gradually revealed and the threads that link the
mysteries are drawn together in the final riveting conclusion.
Pat Pledger
Little unicorn: Ten minutes to bed by Rhiannon Fielding and Chris Chatterton
Ladybird Books, 2018. ISBN: 9780241348925.
(Age: 3-6) Little unicorn: Ten minutes to bed is a beautiful
series by Rhiannon Fielding and Chris Chatterton aimed at young
children at bedtime. Each book follows a similar progression where
the main characters parent/family member counts down the minutes to
bedtime while the main character flits around doing lots of fun
things before bed. The books are all based on mythical type
characters and are whimsical in nature.
Each book has a map at the beginning (daytime) and end (night-time)
of the book showing 'The land of Nod' which young children can
engage with, finding the home of the books character and also the
homes of the other two in the series (Little Mermaid and Little
Monster). Ten minutes to bed Little Unicorn follows a gorgeous little
naughty unicorn who isn't tired! She is a bit cheeky, and much
prefers to make trouble than go to bed. She dances, chases pixies,
and follows dragons until she suddenly becomes lost. Poor little
unicorn uses her magic to find a colourful rainbow and get herself
home to her mother.
The text follows an easy rhyme, where the young listener can guess
the last word and feel part of the reading experience, rather than
just being a listener.
The illustrations in this book are gorgeous! They are whimsical and
encompass some sparkles on the front cover! I would suggest that
this title in the series is aimed at little girls, due to the large
amount of pinks, purples and fairy tale creatures. My 5 year old
daughter is totally taken by this book, enjoying the count down of
minutes and following the naughty antics of Little Unicorn. It is
certainly a lovely little series for children aged 3-6 years.
Lauren Fountain
Inventor Lab : brilliant builds for super makers by Jack Challoner
Foreword by Dr Lucy Rogers. DK, 2019. ISBN: 9780241343517.
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Themes: Electronics; Inventions; Science -
Physics.Inventor Lab is a step-by-step instruction book detailing
how to connect electronic components to make some unsophisticated
electronic projects. There are introduction chapters that detail
safety information and descriptions of individual components. The
rest of the book uses clear pictorial descriptions with simple
instructions to create an array of projects, from the simple Coin
battery to some quite complex wired and powered constructions
including radios and an automatic night light. The skills required
are not particularly difficult, but would require perseverance and
interest to pursue (as well as appropriate equipment). So, this book
is for those who are keen tinkerers and willing to try to stretch
their skills in creating electronic items. The next generation of
electronics experts will enjoy this book. Invention implies novelty
rather than following prescribed instructions, but this may be the
book that leads to personal exploration and invention after learning
the basic skills.
The presentation of the book is in Dorling Kindersley's clear and
impressive style that will appeal for its simplicity. It is written
in a way that could be read or used by young readers aged 10+; the
projects seem to suit somewhat older readers.
Carolyn Hull
