Penguin 2017. ISBN 9780141379272
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. When the plague breaks out and all
hell breaks loose Cat thinks she is safe enough living with her
father, a genius gene-hacker, and his assistant, Dex. But everything
changes when Cartaxus, the organisation responsible for messing up
her father's Influenza X cure, comes to take them both away. Cat
knows that it is important she remains hidden, otherwise Cartaxus
might use her against them. Little does she know, that is not the
only reason. When Lachlan dies, he sends a blackout agent to Cat to
protect her along with the message that she holds the cure for the
dreaded virus, Hydra, which has been turning people into mindless
zombies and forcing the Wrath down on those who have continued to
live above-ground. With the arrival of Cole, Cat is soon to learn
she is much more important then simply being Lachlan Agatta's
daughter or the Skies best hacker. She is the cure and the only hope
for the survival of the human race. But can she stay out of
Cartaxus' hands long enough to spread the cure and redeem her
father's legacy?
Emily Suvada's This mortal coil is a thrilling young
action fiction which will glue you to your seat. Having completely exceeded
my expectations I would highly recommend this for people aged twelve
and up. A dazzling novel about gene hacking, this apocalyptic
techno-dystopia hits all of the tropes, while keeping the love
interests understated, allowing Cat's strong female character to
shine.
Kayla Gaskell, 21
Learning to swear in America by Katie Kennedy
Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2016. ISBN 9781619639119
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Minor sexual references. Katie
Kennedy's gripping first novel brings the reader a suspenseful,
compelling yet touching story. Learning to Swear in America
follows the trials of Yuri Strelnikov, a 17-year-old Russian
physicist prodigy who must put his skills to the test to save the
world from a potentially planet-destroying asteroid. Despite being
respected as an expert in his theory of antimatter back in Russia,
Yuri finds himself fighting to be heard in NASA's Jet Propulsion
Lab, often undermined due to his age. Just as the pressure Yuri is
carrying on his shoulders begins to take its toll, he meets Dovie
Collum, his perfect antithesis. Artistic, caring and poetic, Dovie
provides the scientific and systematic Yuri with a different way of
seeing the world, and acts as his motivation to save it. Yuri's
arrogance and intellect, which may be difficult for some readers to
connect with, is well-balanced by Dovie's humour and compassion,
allowing a wide range of readers to find a relatable element in
either of their personalities. Touching on sci-fi, action, adventure
and romance, Kennedy's debut novel finds the reader holding their
breath as they devour page after page of nail-biting action. The
reader will be unable to peel their eyes away from the book,
determined to discover how and if Yuri will be able to save the
world, accompanied by expertly crafted characters that draw the
reader further into the world of the novel. This is a novel that
will not only touch your heart, but will stay with you long after
you turn the last page.
Daniella Chiarolli (university student)
Provenance by Ann Leckie
Orbit Books, 2017. ISBN 9780356506968
(Age: Adult) Highly recommended. Themes: Science fiction, Coming of
age, Power, Sibling rivalry, Theft, Alien culture. Ingray, in a
desperate bid to outwit her brother and impress her mother the
Netano, frees a thief from Compassionate Removal, a prison planet
from which nobody has ever returned. She returns home to her planet
where she finds things are unsettled and when she is the first on
the scene of a murder in a public park, danger escalates.
This is a stand-alone novel set in the Imperial Radch universe,
where her award winning Ancillary Justice was based, but it
is not necessary to have read any of the other novels that the
author has written. The background of the space station, the alien
Geck, the strange customs of collecting artefacts and the family
dynamics are all vividly described, but it is the character and
action of Ingray that grabs the reader's attention and keeps it
focused on the story. At first glance Ingray seems to be rather an
ineffectual young woman, a bit prone to losing her hair pins and
crying, but as Captain Tic comments, give her 10 minutes to fall
apart and then she will come up with an outlandish but workable
solution to any problem that is facing her. The problems include
getting a thief off an inaccessible planet, solving a murder, being
diplomatic with an important Geck ambassador and rescuing her mother
and orphan children when they are held captive by an invading army.
The family dynamics are fully fleshed out, with Ingray desperate to
gain her foster mother's attention, while putting her brother Danach
in his place. As the story progresses so does Ingray's growth in
understanding of what she wants for herself and what is the best
position for her in the family. A fascinating side plot is the
reverence that artefacts hold for members of the planet, and the
fact that they could be fraudulent but still important in the eyes
of the populace. Provenance introduced me to the author, winner of the Hugo,
Nebula, Arthur C. Clarke and Locus Awards, and I will definitely be
picking up her first three books,
Pat Pledger
Saving Marty by Paul Griffin
Text Publishing, 2017. ISBN 9781925498868
(Age: 10-12) Themes: Friendship, Family Life, Pets, Music. Saving Marty is an honest story of family life, love, friendship and
sacrifice. Eleven year old Lorenzo Ventura has a difficult life,
physically he's over six feet tall and 250 pounds and his life with
his mother and grandfather on a failing peach orchard is a constant
struggle to survive. Renzo's soldier father is deceased, all that is
left are his letters to his son, his guitar and his Bronze Star.
Music is an important part of Renzo's life; he enjoys playing the
guitar with his best friend songwriter and singer Paloma Lee.
When Renzo returns home after school to find his mother has sold
Reggie and her piglets to the butcher, he is saddened but that's
just part of life. In the barn he discovers their dog Bella has had
her puppies in the pigpen and hidden in the straw is a fuzzy piglet,
the runt of the litter. Marty (named for his dad) becomes Renzo's
special project, saving him from Mum's desire to sell him off,
feeding him up and stopping the rapidly growing pig from destroying
property.
For a school project on their personal heroes, Renzo delves into his
father's life and death, discovering conflicting and confronting
details. Paloma's songs and poignant lyrics provide a contrast to
the vicissitudes of Renzo's life. As the months pass, and Paloma
leaves for music camp, Marty becomes the one constant friend in
Renzo's life.
Paul Griffin's Saving Marty champions the underdog, the boy
who doesn't fit in, and friends, family and music bring the light
and shade to this story. His characters are realistically portrayed,
even Marty the pig who grows to 350 pounds is a loveable friend with
his dog-like antics. This is a realistic portrayal of the effects of
war and to the struggles of everyday life.
Rhyllis Bignell
Hugo makes a change by Scott Emmons
Ill. by Mauro Gatti. Flying Eye Books, 2017. ISBN 9781911171218
(Age: 3-5) Themes: Diet and Nutrition, Vampires. Hugo the vampire is
a carnivore, he's 'crazy for red, juicy meat!' After dark, he prowls
through town looking for a meal. He' a hungry young creature with
only one thing on his mind, gobbling up 'hot dogs, a roast and a
ham, a T-bone or two and a big leg of lamb.' Hugo Makes a Change
is an entertaining rhyming story all about nutrition and eating a
balanced diet. Emmons and Gatti have created a lively tale with
bright, bold digital images.
Hugo discovers his meat only diet leaves him bloated, slow, and
lacking any energy. He comes to the realisation that he needs to
change his food choices. Instead of visiting steakhouses and diners,
he drops into a vegetable garden where he sees new foods with
wrinkly leaves, red lumpy blobs and long green mystery objects.
Hanging upside down on an apple tree he tastes a small juicy fruit
and discovers a new taste sensation. One big white fang pierces the
skin and Hugo's life changes. Back to the vegetable garden he walks,
sharing a delicious picnic with his friendly black cat. His kitchen
bench is filled with a variety of fresh produce and he plans
delicious meals using meat, fruit and vegetables. Hugo's energy
levels rise as he enjoys raisins on a moonlight ride and has healthy
snacks watching television.
Emmons' simple poetry is engaging and this story provides teachable
moments and opportunities for discussion about healthy food choices.
Toddlers and preschoolers will enjoy the graphic pictures, vibrant
backgrounds and identifying the foods mentioned in the rhymes.
Rhyllis Bignell
The Doldrums and the Helmsley Curse by Nicholas Gannon
Greenwillow, 2017. ISBN 9780062320971
(Age: 9-12) Themes: Good and Evil, Adventure stories, Friendship.
Nicholas Gannon's beautifully crafted sequel The Doldrums and
the Helmsley Curse brings Archer's infamous explorer
grandparents' home after a lengthy and mysterious disappearance.
Their return causes much controversy in Rosewood with the Chronicle
newspaper printing false accusations about them orchestrating their
iceberg shipwreck and supposedly cursing the city with Arctic
weather. With the help of his close friends, Oliver and Adelaide,
Archer sets out to find out the truth because family loyalty and
honour are worth fighting for.
Grandma and Grandpa Helmsley are summoned to a grand banquet and to
give an account of their actions to the members of the Society.
Archie, Oliver and Adelaide use their time to explore the rooms in
the huge building, uncovering more secret plots and learning of the
Society's President Herbert Birthwhistle's plans to destroy the
Helmsley's reputations. While Oliver's father continues to print the
truth in The Doldrums Press, townsfolk aren't convinced and set out
to banish the explorers.
The three friends learn to rely on each other as the creatively plan
to unravel the mystery, outwit unscrupulous villains and narrowly
escape from some dangerous situations. Visits to the delicious
Duttonlick's Sweetshop, creating special chocolates with behaviour
altering Doxical Powder makes for a funny party scene. Adelaide's
wooden leg does little to hinder her full engagement with the
activities and the addition of a new friend Kana further assists
their plans. As the blizzard worsens and Christmas approaches,
Archer's determination to help his grandparents heightens the
excitement. Their derring-do capers include the use of a ham-radio,
a crazy ride in a three-wheeled van and the judicious use of a
dumbwaiter.
Nick Gannon's architectural drawings, stylised colour illustrations,
black and white spot sketches add definition to the literary text. The
Doldrums and the Helmsley Curse presents a new world, brimming
with charm, relatable characters, with plenty of action and
intrigue, perfect for confident readers.
Rhyllis Bignell
A jigsaw of fire and stars by Yaba Badoe
Head of Zeus, 2017. ISBN 9781786697981
(Age: 13+) Themes: Magical Realism, African folklore, Human
trafficking, Resilience. A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars is a
fast-paced present tense narrative told from fourteen year old Sante
Williams' point of view. As a baby she was tucked in a
treasure-filled sea chest and thrown overboard from a sinking
African refugee boat. Sante was rescued by a ragtag bunch of adults
who live on the edge of society performing as Mama Rose's circus
troupe. Together with Cobra the snake handler, her closest friend
and Cat the knife thrower, these children grow up within the
confines of a unique close-knit family environment. Sante's
companion Priss the golden eagle is her constant friend, a powerful
protector in troubled situations. Sante is a mind-whisperer too, she
conjures up dreams and memories of the past when she plays on her
bamboo flute.
When Sante's musical performance is observed by two mysterious
characters, Grey Eyes and the African, her life begins to unravel.
They seek the treasure from the sea chest and employ unscrupulous
measures to capture Sante, her friends and the goods. The rescue of
a troubled teenager Scarlett from drowning, soon adds a much darker
element to Sante's perilous situation. She is running from a drug
and human trafficking ring and Sante, Cat and Cobra join forces to
help her. Sante's headstrong ways lead them into many precarious
situations, narrow escapes, fleeing across Spanish rooftops,
stealing motor scooters as she calls on her spirit guides and eagle
Priss for assistance.
Badoe's lyrical novel draws imagery with powerful alliterative
descriptions, unusual dream sequences and intuitive scenes. Sante's
world is peopled with flawed characters out for their own gain, even
those close to her have different agendas. The author takes the
young adolescent reader into some topical issues - sexual
exploitation, human trafficking, the near-suicide of one character
and the killing of refugees by sinking their boats. The main
character has a distinct voice, driven by the desire to learn about
her heritage. A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars is an unusual story
alternating between action that rushes chaotically and dream
sequences that conjure up sensory memories of her past African life.
Rhyllis Bignell
Timeless : Diego and the rangers of the Vastlantic by Armand Baltazar
Harper Collins, 2017. ISBN 9780008258955
(Age: 10-14) Highly recommended. What would the world look like if
the past, present and future collided together? Timeless : Diego
and the Rangers of the Vastlantic describes that world in
words and approximately 150 beautifully executed illustrations.
Diego Ribera lives in a merged world, created during the
catastrophic Time Collision. At the beginning of the novel, Diego's
parents who have come from two different time periods, are
celebrating his thirteenth birthday. His father Santiago, a gifted
engineer, gives Diego his present, a gravity board which allows him
to fly a skateboard type device. More importantly, Diego also learns
of another gift, a special inherited skill that allows him to
develop the same amazing talents of his father.
Santiago, New Chicago's top engineer, is abducted by the evil
Aeternum and his followers, who are trying to alter the Time
Collision's world. It is up to Diego, his teenage friends and a
small band of pirates to try to rescue his father and other
prisoners.
This novel is an epic accomplishment for Armand Baltazar, a former
art director for Disney and Pixar. The intensely coloured plates
show a world where dinosaurs walk alongside robots and steam punk,
fantastical machines exist beside WWII planes.
Illustrations imitate a movie and students who have enjoyed this
same cinematic style in Brian Selznick's, The invention of Hugo
Cabret will appreciate this colourful version.
This is obviously the first book in a series as the final pages
reveal a surprise that will encourage the reader to continue with
this fantasy/science fiction world.
I highly recommend this novel for students from middle primary
school to early high school years.
Jane Moore
I went to see Santa by Paul Howard
Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408844724
It's a classic scenario of little ones and their need to be just
that bit better than their friend. So when the little girl announces
that she went to see Santa and got a pair of Christmas glasses, her
friend says well he not only got Christmas glasses but also an
amazing magic set!
And so it goes on and on, getting more and more fabulous until the
most unexpected end!
Young children love stories like this where they can not only join
in but also help the ageing, forgetful adult remember all the things
in the list. If you share this with more than one, prepare for a
rollicking, raucous time that will bring joy and delight and an
affirmation that stories and books and reading are FUN!
Barbara Braxton
Snow penguin by Tony Mitton
Ill. by Alison Brown. Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408862957
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Penguins, Antarctica, Adventure,
Exploration. In the Antarctic, one little penguin decides to explore
his surrounds. He leaves the warmth of his family, and looks
outward, standing on a piece of ice which cracks and floats away
from the land. On his little piece of ice he sees the most wondrous
things: a blue whale which thrashes its large tail nearby, its baby
calf at its side, a school of orca swim by, an elephant seal waking
from its nap, a seal and its pup.
Told in rhyming lines, the words are easily remembered by young
people willing and eager to say the story out loud, while predicting
the rhyming word at the end of each sentence.
It is when the baby penguin sees the seal and its pup that he begins
to think about his own family and wonders how to get back to them.
Thankfully his piece of ice knocks into the ice near the pack of
penguins and he is able to be reunited with his family.
Younger children will love reading of the little penguin and its
adventures on the ice, reading along with the teacher or parent,
predicting the words that rhyme, learning about the animals and
their environment in the Antarctic. The illustrations add to the
enjoyment of the read, covering every page with the cold blues and
whites of the Antarctic environment.
Fran Knight
What's going on down there?: A boy's guide to growing up by Karen Gravelle
Ill. by Robert Leighton. Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781681193618
Recommended. Themes: Sex; Growth and Development. This is a very
simply written, down-to-earth explanation of the growth and
development that occurs during puberty, focusing on the
circumstances for boys. It does also include brief discussions of
the changes that girls will experience in puberty. It includes small
humourous illustrations to make the reader comfortable with the
emotionally charged revelations of all the changes that a young
man's body will experience. With simple explanations of puberty,
sex, contraception, sexually transmitted diseases, what constitutes
sexual harassment, making babies and 'normal', this book gives
accessible information that is mostly helpful for a younger reader.
This would also be a good reference for those who want to be ready
for discussing these issues with a young boy in the pre-puberty or
beginning puberty phase. Teachers and parents should probably
pre-read this book before handing it over, to be sure they are ready
for questions and to enable an open discussion about 'What is going
on down there!' Some minor references to moral decision-making with
regard to sexual choices is included, but the purpose of the book is
primarily to discuss physical changes and to explain sex to a young
reader.
Carolyn Hull
Toto: The dog-gone amazing story of the Wizard of Oz by Michael Morpurgo
Ill. by Emma Chichester Clark. Harper Collins Children's books,
2017. ISBN 9780008134600
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended. Themes: Fantasy tale; Home; Kindness;
Resilience. Michael Morpurgo has added his wonderful skills to
retell the story of Dorothy and Toto and the Wizard of Oz. Told from
the perspective of Toto, who tells the tale of the journey to the
Land of Oz to the young and weakest puppy (who might need its own
message of kindness, courage and goodness); this is a beautiful
rendering of the traditional tale. Dorothy's friendship with
Scarecrow, Tinman and the cowardly Lion is retold in a warm and
powerful way, highlighting the value of friendship and self-belief
against the odds. The potentially scary moments in the story are
always forewarned by the narrator Toto, with comforting comments to
remind the reader that all will turn out well in the end. The
strength of the story is always in the honourable and good and kind
way that Dorothy responds, her resilience in the face of difficulty
and in her mantra that "home is home . . . and home is best" even
when uncertainties cross her path. And of course Scarecrow, the
Tinman and Lion also learn valuable lessons too.
Illustrations by Emma Chichester Clark are naive and warm and
intriguing, and will appeal to young readers. This is certainly a
book that would make a wonderful read-aloud for a parent to a child
and the lessons that could be shared would enrich their
relationship. The mastery of Morpurgo's writing skill is that the
book would be loved by both adult and child, and I am sure, read
more than once. I was also impressed with the way that the wicked
witches had minimal 'fright-power' for a young reader (no scary
dreams likely after reading!)
Carolyn Hull
I want to be in a scary story by Sean Taylor
Ill. by Jean Jullien. Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406363463
Ages: 3 - 7) Highly recommended. Picture Book. Little Monster is the
cute, purple coloured cartoon character of this tale. The text
spoken by LM is in matching purple. He clearly loves stories and
announces to the narrator that he would like to be in one himself
(herself?) Nowhere is Little Monster's gender identified but seems
male for whatever reason I can't quite put my finger on which
probably reflects on my upbringing. Certainly though, any little
girl monster reading the story is in no way excluded.
The story he would like to be in needs to be scary so he says. The
narrator, having a sound understanding of little one's psyche better
than he does, suggests maybe a funny story would be a more suitable
idea. The very bold and brave LM however, disagrees and insists on
"scary". The story begins to unfold with the setting of spooky
houses and forests and suggestions by the narrator to populate it
with witches and ghosts. As each page turns, the little reader can
see LM's consternation unfolding at the thought of personally
encountering these challenges and LM saves face by announcing that
he would definitely prefer to be the one to do the scaring. Even
that obviously has its less than acceptable challenges and so LM
takes the narrative direction into his own hands. He creates the
wonderful compromise of a funny, scary story that suits his
specifications down to the ground. He, of course, enjoyed it so
much, he would like to be in another story again tomorrow.
I enjoyed reading this book and I'm pretty sure my 4 year old
granddaughter is going to enjoy exploring "scary's" acceptable
boundaries with me as we read it.
Elizabeth Avery
The last girl by Nadia Murad and Jenna Krajeski
Virago, 2017. ISBN 9780349009759
(Age: Senior secondary - Adult) Highly recommended. The Yazidi
people are a religious minority group living primarily in a northern
province of Iraq. Because they worship a fallen angel, Melek Taus,
the peacock angel, they have been branded devil worshippers by the
Islamic State of Iraq and Syris (ISIS) who have selected verses of
the Qur'an to justify treating the Yazidi as property not humans.
Thus Yazidi may be traded as slaves or killed without any qualm of
conscience.
Nadia Murad, a Yazidi, born and raised in the small village of
Kocho, Iraq, has documented how ISIS lay siege to their village,
killed the men and elderly women, took the young men for
brainwashing as soldiers and suicide bombers, and forced the girls
and young women into sexual slavery. Nadia was sold and traded on
the slave market by ISIS extremists, and repeatedly subjected to
torture and rape. She survived and eventually escaped, bravely
assisted by a Kurdish Muslim family, and she lives on to reveal to
the world the genocide of the Yazidi undertaken by ISIS, and to
fight for the survivors of human trafficking. She is the 2016
recipient of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, along with
friend Lamiya Aji Bashar who was seriously disfigured by a landmine
in her bid for freedom. The last girl is Nadia's story, beginning with the humble
Yazidi village life, of extended family and close community, where
her simple girlish dreams were to become a hairstylist or
beautician. Then in 2014, her village was encircled by ISIS and the
people massacred, the girls taken away on buses to Mosul to ISIS
headquarters to become sex slaves. Some committed suicide, some like
Nadia eventually escaped, others continue to suffer somewhere in
Iraq or have been trafficked to Syria.
If you think this all sounds too horrible to read, Murad spares us
the graphic details. Her way of coping at the worst times was to
shut down her mind, and she does the same in the book, she shuts
down on the details, and just tells us the events. It is
nevertheless a very moving story, one that needs to be heard.
As Amal Clooney says in the foreward to the book, amazingly Nadia
Murad's spirit has not been broken, and she continues to campaign
for justice. 'She has become the voice of every Yazidi who is a
victim of genocide, every woman who has been abused, every refugee
who has been left behind'.
Students studying modern slavery or the refugee crisis could gain
insight from reading this book. Other readers could gain a better
understanding of how ISIS is an extremist group that is a threat to
all people, Muslims and Westerners alike.
Helen Eddy
The Creakers by Tom Fletcher
Penguin, 2017. ISBN 9780141388762
(Age: 10+) Recommended. "What silently waits in the shadows at
night? What's under your bed, keeping just out of sight? Do you ever
hear strange, creaking noises at night? Ever wonder what makes those
noises? Lucy Dungston always did. Until, one morning, Lucy discovers
that all the grown-ups have disappeared - as if into thin air. Chaos
descends as the children in Lucy's town run riot. It's mayhem. It's
madness. To most kids, it's amazing! But Lucy wants to find out the
truth. Lucy lost her dad not long ago, and she's determined not to
lose her mum too. She's going to get her back - and nothing is going
to stop her...
...except maybe the Creakers." (Publisher)
Tom Fletcher is certainly a talented author. He has managed to
capture his audience once again as in The Christmassaurus.
It will certainly be a big hit with the girls with the lead
character being a short haired heroine who is kind, smart and brave!
Lucy is an inspiring role model who stands up for what she believes
in and feels quite comfortable making friends with children that are
usually outcasts. It is interesting to find the hidden message of
the importance and usefulness of recycling and sustainability with
waste products. The book will ignite the imagination in all and
engage even the most reluctant reader. With snippets of unbelievable
magic and laugh out loud moments, Fletcher's book has mastered the
art of describing things in a funny way. I can see children aged ten
and up (as there are a few scary bits) enjoying this read - a must
have for the library collection. It would also make a great read
aloud with some adult humour sprinkled throughout.
Kathryn Schumacher
