Little baby books: Everyday illustrated by Mel Four
Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408873762
(Ages 0-2) Recommended. Board picture book. Mel Four has very
cleverly and simply brought to life 5 commonplace monosyllabic
nouns: car, sock, cup, duck and bear for the youngest readers
although a child up to the age of 2 would no doubt find it of
interest.
The main object of interest is depicted on the left hand side of the
page with its word clearly shown in lower case. Very shiny luminous
coloured paper is inserted into a black board background
highlighting the important parts and giving a different texture and
look to the rest of the page. This is quite a contrast to the usual
pastel colours of baby books. The right hand side of the page simply
outlines other objects a child might associate with the noun in
question. For instance we have 'cup' shown clearly on one side of
the page with an accompanying meal on the other. 'Sock' seems to
have fallen out of its really untidy chest of drawers with other
common articles of clothing spilling out all over. I really love the
'duck' page with little gold foil ducks happily standing out against
the black as they sail along in their bathtub.
Simple, but very attractive and effective.
Elizabeth Avery
After the fall by Dan Santat
Lothian Children's Books, ISBN 9780734418319
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Humpty Dumpty. Nursery rhyme.
Confidence. Children will simply love this sequel to a beloved
nursery rhyme, Humpty Dumpty. The fate of that famous egg is not
known but Santat plays with the story, giving a very funny sequel
after the fall. The subtitle, How Humpty Dumpty got back up
again, will alert readers to the tale they are about to read,
and without thinking they will readily recall the nursery rhyme and
be ready for anything. Humpty tells the reader what happens after
the fall. He declines to call it the Great Fall, preferring to use
the words a 'just an accident', but the results of his accident are
far reaching. He can no longer climb the wall to sit there watching
the birds, a once favourite past time, he cannot sleep on his bed as
it is the top bunk, he cannot climb the ladder to the higher shelves
in the supermarket even though his favourite cereal is at the top.
But he still loves watching the birds, although now from the ground.
When a paper plane flies past he decides to try making a paper plane
to soar with the birds. After many unsuccessful attempts he finally
makes a magnificent paper plane and is able to fly it with the birds
he so likes. But it flies over the wall. A decision must be made.
This is a wonderful look at what frightens us and how we can
overcome fear, developing confidence to do something we are unsure
of, taking a risk, stretching a boundary. Humpty is very frightened
of the wall after his accident, his fear reflected in the number of
things he can no longer do. With lashings of humour, Santat develops
his sequel to this well known rhyme, encouraging readers to think
about things which they may be worried about and what steps they
need to take to overcome their fear.
Santat's illustrations are wonderful, from the title page with its
playful font, to the little additions of aptly named breakfast
cereal, children's at the top and more mundane adult fodder at the
bottom, to the images of the city in the background, each adding an
intriguing level of interest for the astute reader. Each page is
very different, some taking a bird's eye perspective, some Humpty's,
while all entreat the reader to look again, to work out what they
are seeing, to think about Humpty and what he is doing to overcome
his fear, and then how it relates to them, soaring with him on the
last magnificent page.
Fran Knight
Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin
Ill. by Giovanni Rigano. Hodder Children's Books, 2017. ISBN
9781444934007
(Age: 11+) Recommended. Themes: Refugees; Conflict; Freedom;
Survival. The flight to freedom is not easy for many in our world.
This Graphic novel illustrated in colour, clearly shows the journey
of survival of Ebo, a school-aged child with a beautiful voice, who
leaves his home village where he lives with his drunken uncle, to
find his siblings - one of whom has made the long journey to Europe.
With time shifts indicating the passage of time, forward and back,
we see the incredible difficulty he faces. First, he struggles to
find his brother, and then he becomes an illegal boat traveller as
he travels through very uncertain waters to reach Europe. The entire
journey is fraught with difficulty and risk, and the young boy faces
death on many occasions. Throughout this book, the reader is able to
connect to the concept, highlighted in the quote at the beginning of
the book, that no human can be 'illegal'. Ebo is a survivor, but the
book highlights that the journey to freedom for many people who flee
poverty, war or other conflict is not always successful - and yet
they too are humans with the same desire to live well, and to live
in safety.
The style of presentation as a graphic novel will provide
opportunity for many younger readers to grapple with the serious
issues that the world faces in meeting the needs of people who have
no official documents to travel. This is an epic story of hope and
survival, but it is also a sad story. An additional short, black and
white graphic tale of a young woman's journey to England is included
at the end of Ebo's story. Illegal does not shy away from hard issues or circumstances -
people smugglers, violence, bandits, murderers, but the format of
the graphic novel does make it possible for a younger reader to
understand without too much detail given.
Carolyn Hull
Perfectly Norman by Tom Percival
Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408880975
"Norman had always been perfectly normal. That was until the day he
grew a pair of wings!
He had imagined growing taller or even growing a beard like his dad,
but not growing a pair of wings!
Norman is very surprised to have wings suddenly - and he has the
most fun ever trying them out high in the sky. But then he has to go
in for dinner. What will his parents think? What will everyone else
think? Norman feels the safest plan is to cover his wings with a big
coat.
But hiding the thing that makes you different can prove tricky and
upsetting." The coat became a burden, even an embarrassment and
Norman began to resent the wings until he realised it was the coat
making him unhappy, not the wings. After all, no-one else has wings,
so why him? Can he find the courage to discard the coat? What does
he discover when he does? In this poignant story about being
different, Percival has set the text against striking backgrounds of
various shades of grey depicting normal and dull while giving Norman
bright colour and light so that his feelings of being unique are
highlighted physically as well as emotionally. He has also chosen to
depict a diversity of characters, each unique in their own way and
each of whom accept Norman as normal, so really, what does "normal'
mean?
For a wonderful part of their lives, children don't see difference
and they just love who they are but then awareness starts to develop
and they start to see themselves with new and often unkind eyes.
They want nothing more than to be the same as their peers, to not
stand out, to be normal and anything that makes them unique, whether
it is skin colour, wearing spectacles, being an only child or
growing a set of wings, becomes a burden that they would rather not
carry. But the freedom when the coat is shed...
Accepting and celebrating who we are and what we are, especially
those things that make us special and unique is so important for our
mental health and at last, we are starting to understand that the
self-talk and messages we give ourselves as we interpret our
interactions and experiences as a child can have an incredible
impact on the well-being of our older selves. The more children can
encounter books like Perfectly Norman and discuss them so
they understand that there is no 'normal' or 'perfect' the healthier
they will be. It is our responsibility as teacher librarians,
teachers and other significant adults in their lives to make sure
they meet lots of Normans and not only grow to love their own wings
but to use them to fly!
Barbara Braxton
Tintinnabula by Margo Lanagan and Rovina Cai
Hardie Grant Egmont, 2017. ISBN 9781742975252
(Age: 10+) Recommended. In this picture book for older readers,
Margo Lanagan takes a young woman on a journey to Tintinabula in
times of stress and distress. In wild times and in wartime,
in times of fear and illness, I go
to Tintinnabula, where soft rains fall.
Tintinnabula is a story about moving from discomfort to peace,
from violence and uncertainty to a still, sure place.
It reminds us that our best friend in hard times
can often be ourselves. (Back cover)
The reader is carried along with the young woman in the story as she
flees the vision of monsters in a red background. She moves through
windswept trees, past ruins and devastated lands until she finally
reaches a quiet place where the grass is green and silver rains
fall. The term Tintinabula means small tinkling bells and the young
woman follows their sound to find that final good place that she
needs.
Rovina Cai has produced memorable illustrations which swirl and
twirl, brilliantly showing in reds the fear and need of the woman as
she tries to find a peaceful spot to rest from the violence that
surrounds her. This locale is depicted in greens and pale yellows,
and the end paper finally has a glow of brighter yellow, leaving the
reader with the notion that things can be brighter.
The idea that people in trouble can find a peaceful place within
themselves is one that will resonate with readers and will be a
comfort to those who are having problems, be they ones of mental
illness or of war and violence. The ideas are complex and the book
would be best suited to adults and teens or used by an adult with
upper primary children.
Pat Pledger
My magical life by Zach King
Puffin Books, 2017. ISBN 9780141387574
(Age: 9+) Highly recommended. My magical life is a new
series by author Zach King and he also just happens to be the star
of the book. Zach is 11 years old and comes from a magical family.
The opening pages of the book are like a photo album, showing
colourful, cartoon style pictures of the characters you will meet
throughout the story. Zach is in year 7 but is homeschooled. He has
the chance to attend public school when his parents realise he might
not have magic like the rest of his family. They hope a change of
scenery might help Zach find his special magic object and then his
magic.
When a magic trick at school brings Zach to the forefront of
popularity, his path crosses mean girl Tricia. Zach doesn't even
know how he did it but it is all over social media. Thankfully, Zach
makes quick friends with Aaron and together they try and use Zach's
magic to become more popular. When Zach discovers two caps that help
him channel his magic, hilarious moments and detentions occur. Can
Zach get back at Tricia and teach her a lesson? What does a locker
full of chocolate pudding and an alligator in the principal's office
got to do with it all? My magical life is an excellent mix of drama and comedy. It
is a novel with comic style images and readers will related to
Zach's issues and life at school. They will get a laugh out of
Zach's antics and the text will engage readers throughout the story.
Zach is a great role model for children - a bit naughty, a good son,
a good friend and all about being supportive to everyone. My
magical life is highly recommended for boys aged 9+ but will
be enjoyed by all readers.
Kylie Kempster
Undercover princess by Connie Glynn
Rosewood Chronicles book 1. Penguin, 2017. ISBN 9780141387567
(Age: 11-14) Themes: Fantasy. Boarding school. Princesses. Connie
Glynn's debut novel Undercover princess takes inspiration
from her love of Disney princesses and their stories. She shares
this on her popular Noodlerella vlog and YouTube channel. This
fantasy adventure story uses recognisable Young Adult literary
tropes, well-known character types and settings, typical plot
points and twists, and the prescient struggle of good and evil. Her
familiar settings include an elite boarding school with its secret
magical qualities and the old bakery where the orphan protagonist
lives with her uncaring stepmother. Of course, there is a defiant
princess from the magical kingdom of Maradova, who rebels against
her royal destiny allowing Lottie to fulfil her dream of being a
princess.
Lottie Pumpkin has studied incredibly hard to win a bursary to
prestigious Rosewood Hall in spite of her difficult home life.
Before her death, Lottie's mother has instilled in her a sense of
self worth, with the mantra "I will be kind, I will be brave, I
will be unstoppable." Meanwhile Princess Eleanor (Ellie) Wolfson of
Maradova, finally has been allowed to leave her own country and
attend the same school, in fact she is Lottie's roommate. Following
a huge mix-up, Lottie takes on her royal role allowing Ellie to
enjoy a normal life. There are the familiar highs and low of school
life, friendships, bullying, secret messages to solve, as well as a
quick trip to Maradova for Lottie to take on the role of portman, or
undercover princess.
The text ranges from simplistic to extremely expressive, while the
characters need more depth and back-story. Several scenes are
somewhat confronting and more suited to a teen audience. This novel
is the first in the Rosewood Chronicles series written for
young teen fans that enjoy the fantasy genre.
Rhyllis Bignell
Zombie's Birthday Apocalypse by Zack Zombie
Diary of a Minecraft Zombie book 9. Scholastic, 2017. ISBN
9781743818350
(Age: 7-9) Themes: Zombies, Friendship, Birthdays. The popular fan
fiction series continues with Zack Zombie's preparations for his
epic thirteenth birthday party. His birthday falls on Halloween
making it an extra special celebration. With his plans to host a
Larry Snotter party, Zombie realises that he needs to find a job to
finance his expensive costume. On Tuesday when he tries to find his
human friend Steve to discuss his party, he has disappeared. As he
checks out the nearby woods, Zack observes a strange occurrence
amongst the other villagers who are walking around with large
pumpkin heads.
With his neighbourhood preparing scary Halloween decorations in
their front yard, Zack helps Old Man Jenkins with his old Zombie
horse. Mr Jenkins' old bones keep falling apart and he offers him a
job grooming the horse. With a competition for the scariest costume
at school, talk of a Zombie Apocalypse, the mob villagers
disappearing and trying to organise his birthday party, Zack is
keeps busy. The final scenes of saving the mob of pumpkin head
villagers using the school oval sprinklers and Ursula the Witch's
potion prove exciting for Zack and his friends. Zombie's Birthday Apocalypse is a fun junior novel, packed
full of familiar characters, Minecraft images and the strange lives
of Zack, his family and friends. Humour, grossness, body jokes and
plenty of Minecraft activities are just right for the fans of this
popular series.
Rhyllis Bignell
Cinderella by Jane Ray
Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406377842
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Diorama, Theatre, Classic tale, Fairytale. A
three dimensional representation of the classic tale of Cinderella
is offered within the covers of this book in six pop up dioramas.
Each double page presents a scene from the fairy tale, with side
flaps giving the story, and the central offering a diorama of the
action presented in the text. In the first diorama, we hear of
Cinderella and her two lazy stepsisters. We see Cinderella sweeping
in the kitchen while her stepmother and stepsisters lounge about, in
an adjacent room preening, drinking tea and eating cake. They are
magnificently dressed, whereas Cinderella is dirty and disheveled.
The page is cut out so that the action stands out from the
background. Through the cut out foreground we can see into the
garden beyond.
Each double page is full of interest, and children will read the
text eagerly looking at the picture presented, searching out the
details of the story.
The book is subtitled, A Three-dimensional Fairy-tale Theatre,
and the side flaps are like curtains opening on the scene presented,
making the viewer's eyes focus on the opening of the stage curtain
and what is then revealed.
A different outing for the classic tale will be eagerly used by
young careful readers.
Fran Knight
The poesy ring: a love story by Bob Graham
Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406378276
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended. Themes: Love. Marriage. Artifacts.
Historical evidence. The journey of a poesy ring given to a beloved
in times long ago is full of significance as it is lost and then
found nearly two centuries later, meaning the same thing for the
couple today as it once did for the couple that lost it. A whole
story can be evoked from the opening pages watching a young Irish
woman gallop away from the sea, a tall ship disappearing into the
distance. It is 1830 and she has thrown the ring away. It falls to
the ground, spending time with the small animals and grasses that
grow around it. An acorn that falls nearby grows into a huge tree
before a deer finds the ring lodged in its hoof. The ring falls into
a meadow, and when the farmer tills his soil, a bird picks it up.
From there is falls into the sea only to be retrieved from a fishing
net and sold. By now it is 1967, and a couple busking in the New
York underground, take their earnings to a gold shop where they buy
the ring and walk home together in the snow.
The ring has come full circle, finding a finger on which it can sit
symbolising the love between two people.
This touching story of love, dedicated to Graham's partner of fifty
years, Carolyn, will endear itself to all readers, showcasing the
endurance and tenacity of love and its symbols. The inscription
inside the ring, Love never dies, resonates through the story as the
ring, buffeted by the passing seasons is eventually found in a shop
in New York, bringing a small tear to the eye of all who read it.
Graham's soft watercolour illustrations show time passing from tall
ships, then wartime destroyers and later a fishing trawler, while a
man turns the soil with his plough, reaping the crop with a scythe,
the images moving on to the escalator in the underground and the
shops in the streets of New York. This book lovingly shows the
passing of time and the enduring power of the little ring, lost and
now found, a circle of love for a new generation. Younger readers
will have a great time seeking the smaller pictures on each page,
reflecting the passing of time, while older readers will ponder the
timelessness of the gold ring and all that it implies. Graham
successfully inhabits his books with the small things of life, the
wonderful image of the ploughing man and his horses, the boots of
the fisherman, the tattoo on Sonny's hand, the children giving money
to the buskers. His books give a feeling of solidity, of family, of
community and continuity, and no more so than here, with the ring
coming full circle, to the hand of a woman in New York.
A wonderful interview of Bob Graham by Jason Steger of the Sydney
Morning Herald can be found here.
Fran Knight
On the free by Coert Voorhees
Carolrhoda Lab, 2017. ISBN 9781512429138
(Age: 15+) Themes: Survival. Disasters. Resilience. Santiago has
elected to undertake the Bear Canyon Wilderness Therapy Programme in
the Colorado mountains as a diversion from the juvenile justice
system. A small party supervised by two counsellors sets off on a
demanding trek designed to encourage the attendees to evaluate their
lives and take responsibility for the future. Santi's character is
brilliantly depicted. He's a good kid who has made a couple of poor
decisions which lead to serious consequences. I found myself nodding
at the entirely realistic portrayal of a lad lacking parental
guidance whose ethnicity and socio-economic background limit his
opportunities. When drug offences lead to criminal bad company and a
custodial sentence, I groaned, not just because Santi's choices were
so obviously flawed, but because this is daily reality for so many
young people.
It was also refreshing to see the Wilderness Programme presented as
a well-intentioned but slightly delusional attempt to help troubled
youths who treated it with some derision. This was partly due to
their adolescent cynicism and posturing but also because its
organisation and staffing were imperfect.
Victor is another trekker and is a thoroughly unpleasant character
who enjoys inflicting discomfort and humiliation on his fellows.
Again, the revelation of his past steers the reader to understand
and feel compassion for a young man whose future could have been so
much happier and more fulfilling.
The interaction and tension between Santi and Victor and other party
members is realistically portrayed and a natural disaster which
leads the pair to fight for life in the company of Amelia, one of
the camp counsellors is entirely plausible.
This is a good survival story which could have been brilliant. The
crafting of characters, setting and events in the context of
wilderness adventure created a fast-paced and satisfying read which
unfortunately lost its way a little after the disaster. The
inclusion of another aspect seemed contrived and unnecessary,
cluttering a story which was developing nicely on its own.
This is still a worthy read and I know it will appeal to those who
enjoy survival stories where individuals have to use skill and
resilience to overcome significant physical and mental challenges.
I'd suggest this suits readers 15+ and the text contains some
profanity which achieves a nice balance in presenting realistic
teenage dialogue which the readership will identify with, but which
is not particularly offensive or gratuitous.
Rob Welsh
Little Shaq: Star of the week by Shaquille O'Neal
Ill. by Theodore Taylor III. Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781619638822
(Age: 6+) "Little Shaq has always wanted his own kitten, but his
parents aren't sure he's responsible enough. When Little Shaq is
chosen as his class's Star of the Week, he knows that this is his
moment to shine, to prove to his parents that they can count on him.
Will Little Shaq be able to show he's ready for his very own pet?"
(Publisher)
Written by Shaquille O'Neale and illustrated in colour by Theodore
Taylor III, the Little Shaq story is sure to turn into a popular
series with young sports enthusiasts. This will fit nicely into the
'quick reads' section as it is set out like a chapter book and will
not take the reader long at all to complete. The relatively large
text with illustrations interspersed will act as a confidence
builder for children striving to read the 'chapter book'.
The book celebrates family, friends and community and the simple
language used is tailor-made to the target audience. Not only can
Shaquille play basketball, I think he has also hit the nail on the
head with this book. Suitable for students aged 6 and up.
Kathryn Schumacher
The untold story of Father Christmas by Alison and Mike Battle
Ill. by Lauren A. Mills. Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408892343
"In olden times, when magic still filled the air, there lived a
master toymaker and his wife . . ."
So begins this delightful retelling of the story of Father
Christmas, beautifully illustrated and set in a land of deep
forests, elves and magic.
The kindly toymaker and his wife discover that if you keep your
heart full of love and wonder, dreams really do come true . . . .
Who doesn't love a traditional story at Christmas time? A
beautifully illustrated and timeless story about how a toymaker and
his wife became Mother and Father Christmas for children all over
the world. The toy maker is a kind character, always seeing the best
in situations, except for one thing - they did not have their own
child. With similarities to The Elves and The Shoemaker, the
old couple set about making toys for the children in their village.
This is a truly beautifully written story that displays the true
meaning of Christmas and the act of giving. It would be fantastic to
talk to students about being selfless and what one can gain from
displaying this quality. I can see the children shouting out 'it's
Father Christmas' as I am reading the story as he is described as a
toy maker throughout the book and not referred to as this until the
very last page in the book. I am a sucker for a traditional story
using traditional colours in the illustrations and this did not
disappoint me. A welcome addition to the collection of Christmas
books.
Kathryn Schumacher
Roald Dahl's George's Marvellous Experiments by Barry Hutchinson
Ill. by Quentin Blake. Penguin Random House, 2017. ISBN
9780141375946
Once upon a time George Kranky decided it was time to get his
gruesome, grouchy grandma who had a mouth pinched in like a do's
bottom into a better mood by making her some special medicine. But
being neither doctor nor scientist, George just combines and cooks
things he has on hand - and the results are not as he expects.
Building on from this favourite Dahl tale of George's
Marvellous Medicine is this collection of science experiments
that might not have the results that George's concoctions had but
which will be equally spectacular, just as much fun and importantly,
they are all tested and safe (although some adult supervision might
be needed.) With chapter titles such as Marvellously Messy,
Excellent Eruptions and Vivacious Vehicles and full-colour
illustrations by Quentin Blake, this is a science book like no other
that is going to appeal to all those who like to explore
what-happens-if and spark an interest in things scientific in those
who are yet to discover the magic and fun. Experience has shown me
that kids are entranced by the 'magic" of chemistry and having seen
a result are keen to find out the how and the why so it's a superb
one to add to the teacher toolbox too.
And if you're not sure yourself and are not confident following the
easy-to-read instructions (which in themselves could serve as a
model), start with these: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgRksqzQtLY
Too cool for school. And put George's Marvellous Medicine at
the top of you class read-aloud list for 2018!
Barbara Braxton
Where's Wally? The totally terrific tin by Martin Handford
Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406374926
A wonderful collection for children from 6 years and up. This Where's
Wally? set contains the first 3 books and is beautifully
presented in a colourful tin, making it a fantastic present for any
young Where's Wally? fan. The three books are Where's
Wally?, Where's Wally now? and Where's Wally? The
fantastic journey.
Each book invites the reader to not only search the pages for Wally,
but also for many of his friends including Wanda, Odlaw and the
Wizard Whitebeard. This feature keeps Wally hunters amused for
longer and as it's recurrent in the 3 books enables them to build
character knowledge and maybe even create their own stories about
what they are doing. The back of the book also provides 'The Great
Where's Wally?' checklist giving extra objects and people to find.
I really like that each book has a theme, which carries throughout
the pages. Each theme can also lead to extra investigation, such as
letter writing from book 1 (Where's Wally?), going back in
time in book 2 (Where's Wally now?) and fictional/mythical
times from book 3 (Where's Wally? The fantastic journey).
Each of these keeps Wally hunters interested and searching for more.
The illustrations are wonderful and it is amazing what you can find
when delving deep into Martin Handford's drawings! I love the scenes
he creates within the pictures - be it two people arguing or small
children playing a game. Because you are scouring every inch of the
page you come across them often, and they do bring a smile to my
face.
Lauren Fountain
