The loneliest girl in the universe by Lauren James
Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406375473
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Themes: Space Travel; Trust; Science
Fiction; Loneliness. Imagine you are the only person in your
universe (apart from someone who is only contactable via email and
even then your responses may be separated in time by months or
years) . . . imagine the loneliness!
In this incredibly interesting Science Fiction book, the central
character, Romy, is a survivor on a Space exploration vessel which
is on its way to establish EarthII. Her story is further complicated
because she has never even set foot on Earth, as she was born in the
spacecraft The Infinity to her astronaut parents who were
commanding the interplanetary vessel which was stocked and prepared
for an extraordinary amount of years of travel away from Earth. The
craft was populated by many people and waiting embryos, all in
suspended torpor ready for something new - a brave new world. Romy
has been raised to be independent and resourceful and well-versed in
all things scientific and technical. Disastrous circumstances have
left her alone, living with her own grief, but in a position of
great responsibility. Into this lonely existence, filled only with
technical tasks, learning how to solve intensely difficult
Mathematics and Physics problems, watching film files and writing
her own fan-fic (fiction from fans that creates storylines into her
favourite Film fiction) is an interruption of the romantic kind.
Another spacecraft is on the way to connect with The Infinity.
Initially just a voice in a text, but eventually a meeting as the
newer vessel travels at greater speed to make contact with Romy's
own travelling spacecraft. The complications of a possible human
encounter raise all sorts of teenage dilemmas as Romy's imagination
takes hold. Will this meeting in space be all that she wants it to
be? Is there something not quite right about what she is about to
encounter?
Lauren James has a background in STEM subjects and this is a perfect
book to recommend to those who love Science Fiction and a sprinkling
of science related information in a science-rich context and
setting. (A genuine STEAM book, with the addition of the Arts!)
Understanding the relative shrinking of time between the two
converging vessels is important in understanding the loneliness of
Romy which is expressed through her email conversations. With a
mixture of the Sci-fi, romance and thriller genre for teens, this is
a wonderful book to recommend. It certainly causes the reader to
think about what space travel might be like, and what it might mean
for the future, and it places scientific knowledge into fiction in a
really positive way.
Carolyn Hull
Insidious intent by Val McDermid
Little Brown, 2017. ISBN 9781408709320
(Age: senior secondary to adult) Highly recommended. Crime thriller,
Forensic science, Murder. When a young woman's body is found in a
burnt out car in a remote part of Northern England, DCI Carol Jordan
and psychological profiler, Tony Hill, are part of the team, now
called the ReMIT, short for Regional Major Incident Team, called in
to handle major cases in the north. Carol heads this new team, but
is treading on wary ground, having been party to a cover up of her
drink driving charge the year before, and only now admitting to
being an alcoholic, receiving help from Tony to remain sober.
The murdered girl has only recently teamed up with a man she met at
a friend's wedding, and the team has difficulty adding any new
information as to who this man might be. Floundering, it is only
when a second woman is found in identical circumstances, that some
members of the team uncover some small but significant clues.
McDermid's knowledge of police procedure and forensic investigation
makes for marvelous and informed reading.
Meanwhile, Tony and Carol rub against each other in the same way
that McDermid has presented in the previous nine Tony Hill/Carol
Jordan novels. An edgy relationship that borders on the fraught,
both members of the pair can be infuriating in their addiction to
their work. Tony has little empathy with the living and often
underestimates the effect some of his words will have, while Carol's
blunt approach often leaves her with enemies. One of these, Sam, was
not picked to be in her new team and harbours grudges, so much so,
that he hitches his star to an investigative reporter, out for
Carol's blood. Meanwhile, Paula and Erica, having taken on the son
of a friend who was killed, Torin, find that parenting is much more
difficult than they expected it to be.
A taught multi layered thriller of a read, the ease with which some
women can be picked up is staggering and in the face of such an
orgnaised killer, they have little chance of seeing through the
facade he presents.
But what do you do when the killer is known, and the evidence not
clear enough to have him arrested? In her heightened state, Carol is
under extreme pressure and how she reacts to that pressure makes for
a fascinating read.
Fran Knight
That's my book! and other stories by Salina Yoon
Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781619638914
(Age:5-7) Recommended. Three short stories in one feature Big Duck,
quiet and clever Little Duck, and friendly and gentle Porcupine,
making this a very good book for the reader who is just
transitioning from picture books to chapter books. Readers familiar
with other books by Salina Yoon (especially those books featuring
Penguin, Penguin
and Pinecone, Penguin's
big adventure etc.) will welcome a longer book that has the
same brightly coloured pages and funny characters as their
favourites.
There are three disparate stories in this book, the first That's
my book, is very funny as it describes the boredom of
Porcupine, and Big Duck while Little Duck is happily engrossed in a
book and is surrounded by lots of other books that he can read if he
gets bored. Big Duck and Porcupine borrow some books but find lots
of different ways to use them - a stage for singing, playing book
dominoes, and for improving posture - but finally open one up and
discover the joy of reading.
In Let's have a talent show Big Duck shows off her many
talents but Porcupine is not successful until he makes a big and
beautiful stage for Big Duck, showing that he does have a wonderful
talent. Dress-like-a-pirate Day is the funniest of the three stories
and will have children laughing out loud as Big Duck thinks that
Little Duck's eye patch covers an injury and Little Duck's only
replies to her questions is 'Arrr!'
There are many humorous happenings in this book, some
misunderstandings and wishes, but the three friends manage to work
out everything and have lots of fun.
Pat Pledger
Nothing tastes as good by Claire Hennessy
Hot Key Books, 2016. ISBN 9781471405747
(Age: 15+) Mental illness. Death and grief. Anorexia and eating
disorders. Abuse. Teen romance. Secrets. Food plays a very powerful
role in this book; it is the beginning and end of the conflict. For
Annabel, the narrator of this YA book, food (or the lack of it) led
to her death. She is now in the afterlife and has been appointed as
a 'post-life' guide (not unlike a guardian angel but without any
spiritual or godly role). Annabel's role is to be the one to change
the life of Julia - to rescue her, to guide her. But will her own
issues impact her new charge. Will Annabel ever be able to connect
again with her own family, now lost forever? At first glance Julia
does not seem to need help. She is a gorgeous, mature, positive and
motivated student with a passion for the school newspaper and a
future journalism career... but something is going wrong with her
relationship with food, with her body and in her relationships with
others. Annabel can barely believe that this is the person that
needs her help! The potential love interest in Julia's life is quite
gorgeous (and perhaps too good to be true) and although he is not
actually a Knight-in-Shining-Armour for Julia, his role does give
this serious book a romantic flavour.
On one level this is a journey into the psychology of trauma, and
the impact that this can have on our choices, but it is also an insight
into eating disorders and the terrible tragedy that this expression
of illness can be. Through a fairly normal teen coming-of-age plot,
with parties, school concerns, and relationship beginnings and
endings, Claire Hennessy has overlaid the internal dialogues,
secrets and tensions of Julia, and has given us a powerful insight
into the thinking of Annabel, the anorexic. As a consequence there
is almost a risk that it is too real, and too confronting, and
perhaps even dangerous for some vulnerable teenagers. Hearing the
internal dialogue of the teens in connection to food issues, and
counselling provided by adults and professional helpers is a
reminder that Mental Health issues are not easy to deal with.
Hennessy writes with a deft touch and insight into teen behaviour
and thinking.
Although a very well-written YA Fiction novel, its content should be
taken into account before recommending it, particularly if
body-image issues are a risk.
Carolyn Hull
All the way home by Deb Gliori
Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408872079
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Penguins. Antarctica. Arctic. Christmas.
Parenting. When father penguin and his egg are picked up by a huge
wind and deposited in the Arctic, life is very strange for the
penguin. Here he meets animals that don't exist in the south, trees
and ice and snow and a man in a red suit that gives him breakfast.
The penguin has been left by his mate as she goes off into the ocean
to fish. He is in a huddle with other male penguins, their eggs on
their feet, keeping them warm until they hatch. But the penguin is
hungry and goes to the edge of the huddle where the wind grabs him.
In the Arctic he meets a variety of creatures unknown in the south:
reindeer, foxes, whales and moose. But once finding the home of the
genial Special Air Navigation Transport Authority, he is able to
have a ride back home when this person delivers presents. Back home,
the chick and its father are greeted by mum who was looking out for
them.
A cold, wintry tale will win over hearts as the readers are
transported to the Arctic along with the father penguin. This is a
neat tale of fatherly love, of the way Emperor penguins raise their
chicks, of life in the coldest places on earth. In between the story
of the father and his egg, we see factual information given about
the penguins and the environment, and the reader is also shown the
difference between the ice-bound lands on the north and south poles.
This books is a blend of fact and fiction, making it a book that
will engender discussion about these places. The inclusion of the
most famous inhabitant of the north pole, Santa Claus, will further
endear the readers. Gliori's soft illustrations, a mixture of the
many varieties of her favourite colour, blue, with great expanses of
white reflecting the polar environments will keep younger readers
looking at each page to find details of the animals that live there.
I love the use of the world map to help younger readers work out
where the penguin lives. A lovely Christmas story to add to the
range available for younger readers.
Fran Knight
A Christmas Advent story by Hanna Tolson and Ivy Snow
Bloomsbury 2017. ISBN 9781408889787
(Age: 6+) Recommended. Lift the flap book, Christmas, Advent
calendar, Customs. A European custom of celebrating the twenty five
days preceding Christmas Day is to hang an Advent calendar in the
home for children to open each day. This handsomely produced book
replicates the calendar that may hang in the house and encourages
children to follow the days from December the first to December the
twenty fifth. Each day has a window to lift revealing a small item
usually found in the house.
Many traditional Advent calendars feature the manger scene but
others now reflect a theme, like sports or the home, film or the
environment. Wikipedia has a brief outline of the history of these
calendars in the Christian tradition and this can be found at Wikipedia.
In this book a roll call of customs and traditions can be found. The
children look at the array of Christmas cards, they go Christmas
shopping walking through the snow, help select a Christmas tree,
sing carols, help decorate the tree, wrap the presents using
Christmas wrapping paper, help make the Christmas pudding and
Christmas biscuits, while in the last few pages they talk about
Santa Claus and what he might bring them.
For children each day has a different window to open, fueling the
anticipation they feel leading up to Christmas. In a classroom this
could be put to good use, reinforcing the customs that Christmas has
engendered over the years, and could provide a talking point as to
where these customs originated and why we follow them.
Readers will enjoy following the children getting ready for
Christmas as well as the happy brightly coloured illustrations and
of course, opening each window.
Fran Knight
Facts! One for every day of the year by Tracey Turner
Ill. by Fatti Burke. Bloomsbury Childrens, 2017. ISBN 9781408884621
(Age: 7+) Recommended. This is a really interesting book that grabs
the reader's attention as soon as it is opened. Turner has come up
with a different fact for every day of the year. Some of them are
just amazing - when opening the book to 15 May, the reader discovers
that "in France, it's against the law to call a pig Napoleon" (pg.
45). Other entries are factual and fascinating - an example is the
notation for the 5 August when the reader learns that "Greenland
sharks live in cold Arctic waters and swim very slowly" and "can
live up to about 400 years!" Then there are the humorous entries
that will delight - for the 30th April, the reader discovers that
"Wombats produce cube-shaped poo" and on December 25, will learn how
to say 'Happy Christmas in 20 languages'.
The background to each page is coloured in bright tones, and
illustrations by Fatti Burke add to the interest of the factual
information. Some double spread pages have a large drawing like the
heart that illustrates the 29 June entry ("During your lifetime,
your heart will beat about 2.21 billion times, and you'll take
around 672 million breaths" pg. 55). Others are decorated with small
birds or insects, footprints or foliage.
This would make a great discussion starter in a classroom and would
appeal to those children who love weird and interesting facts.
Pat Pledger
The Mitford murders by Jessica Fellowes
Little, Brown, 2017. ISBN 9780751567168
(Age: 15+) Recommended. Mystery. Louisa Cannon has problems. It's
1919, and her oppressive uncle is proving to be dangerous. She
really wants to escape London and is happy when she secures a
position as a nurserymaid at Asthall Manor the home of the Mitford
family. Then Florence Nightingale Shore, goddaughter of her famous
namesake, is murdered on a train and Louisa becomes entangled with a
young railway policeman and Nancy Mitford as the trio try to solve
the murder.
To my surprise I discovered that this was a real murder, which has
never been solved. It was interesting to read a murder mystery
knowing that the culprit had never been found and wondering how the
author would present the case. Many people have put forward theories
and Fellowes' solution is one that the reader can believe in.
Setting much of the action in the Mitford home will give readers who
enjoyed The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate
by Nancy Mitford, a glimpse into the life of the upper classes in
the early 20th century. At the same time the reader gains an
in-depth knowledge of World War 1, the brave nurses who served
during the war and the life of the poor in London.
The narrative is slow but the historical background and characters
of the three main protagonists keep the reader's interest and ensure
that further research is done into the real murder.
Pat Pledger
Landscape with invisible hand by M. T. Anderson
Candlewick Press, 2017. ISBN 9780763699505
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. Wealth and power. Commerce. Art.
Invasion. Science fiction. When the vuvv hover above earth, telling
people that they have been watching since the 1940's, they promise
sharing their technologies which means freedom from disease and less
work.
But as with all invaders the promises are hollow. Humans lose their
jobs to the technology, food is prepared elsewhere and sold to
people whose farms are now derelict, so can no longer afford to buy
it, medicine is costly, healthcare a thing of the past and humans
must learn to communicate with the vuvv through translators attached
to their bodies. Not being part of the world of those who became
wealthy when the vuvv arrived, Adam and his family reflect the
growing desperation of humankind.
When dad loses his job he abandons them, mum keeps going in the hope
that she will find something to do, but with long sometimes
aggressive queues at every job opportunity, she begins to despair.
They sell their possessions eventually taking in another family
whose rent buys their food for a while.
Told in chapters which reflect paintings that Adam creates, Adam and
his girlfriend, Chloe, sell their intimate moments to the vuvv.
Saddled with recording equipment and translators, they learn the
idioms of the post WW2 America to give the vuvv what they want to
see. But this breaks down when Adam and Chloe part, Chloe pairing
with someone else to cash in from the vuvv and Adam left with
litigation.
Adam's unabashed look at the new world is startling. Through his
eyes we see the invasion of his society by another force and their
degradation through being seen as an indigenous culture whose mores
and traits, music, art and language are studied as a curiosity.
Anderson makes some pithy comments about how our society is
proceeding, with a huge divide developing between rich and poor, a
reliance on technology that is stultifying; factories, shopping
centres, suburbs and cities left derelict, a school system where
teachers are volunteers, while Adam has Merick's Disease, an
everpresent bowel and stomach condition which has come from drinking
unpurified water, a service the government no longer provides.
Submitting several of his landscapes to the vuvv for a competition,
Adam goes to the celebration in the sky gallery and finds that his
voice is lost in the crowd, he has become a non person, so he
decides to act.
This is a powerful look at our society. Set in New England, it could
be any western country, where technology is seen as the great
nirvana but means loss and dislocation for many, where government
decisions are made for the rich, where services are abandoned and
where the aim to be wealthy over rides all common sense. The
distance between - the space, is never going to be spanned, but Adam
and his family hope for a future where the invisible hand reclaims
what is lost.
This is one story that begs discussion and debate as it exposes the
nastiness in our society, one that has gone off the rails in its
adherence to commerce, technology and wealth.
It is fascinating that it was written probably several years ago to
be published in 2017, but could have been written about Trump's
America.
Fran Knight
A semi-definitive list of worst nightmares by Krystal Sutherland
Penguin, 2017. ISBN 9780143573913
(Age: 15+) Recommended. Themes: Fear and Anxiety; Resilience;
Cowardice and Bravery; Mental Illness: Suicide; Teen Romance; Family
Struggles. This is a book filled with gut-wrenching fear - for the
characters, not the reader. It is a book filled with oxymorons -
tragedy and comedy; cowardice and bravery; depression and hope;
obsession and a light touch. Krystal Sutherland has also managed to
braid into the harder parts of this book romance and understanding
of the very complex world of those who struggle to live well with
mental illness. And you won't want to put this book down because the
characters will charm you!
Esther Solar is the quirky, fear-riddled central character whose
family appear to be cursed with struggles that lead them down the
road of mental illness in a myriad of forms. Her family life could
only be described as twisted out of shape. Her twin brother is
severely challenged by the dark, her mother is afraid of bad luck
(which she seems to court by her gambling habit) and her father has
not left the basement for years; and Esther manages to keep going,
wearing bizarre outfits that are her way of disappearing (even
though everyone looks at her!). Her best friend, Hephzibah, is a
selective mute and together they have silently battled being the
odd-bods at school by sticking together. The only person from their
past who supported them, Jonah, dramatically reappears into the
action. He then proceeds to complicate Esther's existence in ways
that she could never expect, compelling her to confront the long
list of fears that hangs over her like an ever present storm cloud,
ready to drop an unexpected deluge of disaster. And through all of
the complexities of her life walks the visitor from her
Grandfather's tales - the visitor that no one ever wants: Death!
There are many laugh-out-loud moments in this book as Esther's
family's frailties are 'undressed and revealed' in their raw
humanity in the face of the deep darkness that accompanies them.
Despite this expose of severe mental illness, the care of a friend
and the expressions of love provide opportunities to see hope grow.
Not with an easy-fix, but as if the clouds part and small glimpses
of sunshine peek through. Jonah is an endearing and strong
character, who has his own tough issues to deal with - but is
absolutely a 'winner'. But don't expect everything in this book to
be completely believable!
The book contains some hints about how to seek help for those facing
their own battles with anxiety and mental illness.
NB: The personification of Death in this book could enable this book
to be used as a paired text with Markus Zuzak's 'The Book Thief' for
Senior English students.
Recommended: For mature readers aged 15+ (Readers who have enjoyed
John Green books will also enjoy this book). There is some swearing
included.
Carolyn Hull
Crazy about cats by Owen Davey
Flying Eye Books, 2017. ISBN 9781911171164
(Age: Primary school) Highly recommended. As the title suggests this
book gives you information about cats, mainly concentrating on the
wild cat species. Did you know there are 38 different types of cats
in the world? This book has large amounts of beautiful illustrations
and infographics surrounded by bite sized amounts of information.
The 34 chapters (which are double page spreads) include the
different cat species, hunting for food as well as weird and
wonderful facts. There are some fascinating references to cats and
mythology as well. Crazy About Cats has a perfect balance of information and
visuals for primary school aged children. The setting out of the
facts using infographics make the book both informative and easy to
read. I particularly like the diagram showing the comparison of
different cat sizes with a human.
The colour palette for this book is stunning, with the author/
illustrator using warm colours with muted greens. This makes the
book a visual treat. The illustrations themselves are slightly
stylised and are more like works of art. The end papers are just as
attractive as the rest of the book.
The author has also produced two other books in this series, using
alliteration for their titles as well. They are Mad About
Monkeys and Smart About Sharks.
This is a book you can go to for information but also read just for
the compelling way it has been created. A visual joy from the
beginning to the end.
I highly recommend this book for primary school students and suggest
it should be in every school library collection.
Jane Moore
DK Children's Encyclopedia
DK, 2017. ISBN 9780241283868
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. Encyclopedias. DK has produced another
excellent non fiction reference book, this time for younger children
who will really appreciate the excellent illustrations and
relatively easy to read text that DK Children's Encyclopedia
has to offer. There are over 250 topics in the book including
ancient civilisations, Astronomy, Climate change, Clocks, Galaxies,
Insects, Milky Way, Continents, Vikings, Weather and Zoos. The
Reference section contains lists of artists and writers, alphabets
and writing systems, scientists and mathematical information.
The book contains a table of contents with the topics organised in
alphabetical order. There are instructions on how to use the book
giving details about how the topics are colour coded into nine
different key subject areas, Art, People, History, Earth, Nature,
Science, Technology, Space and the Human Body. At the back there is
a comprehensive index as well as a glossary. The "Story of..." pages
are double-page spreads about interesting topics like colour,
storytelling, clothing, energy, water and inventions all of which
contain useful information for research and class work.
Each page deals with a different topic and is illustrated with
wonderful pictures that will help the child's understanding of the
topic. See also boxes will send the reader off to associated topics
giving the reader the opportunity to further their knowledge. The
information given is interesting and informative and is sure to keep
the inquiring child occupied for hours.
This would be an ideal gift for the young child. It is sturdy and
beautifully produced. It would also be an excellent reference book
in the library and classroom.
Pat Pledger
Prisoner of ice and snow by Ruth Lauren
Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781681191317
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Who would have thought one would set
out to be arrested? But that is exactly what Valor intends to do.
Tyur'ma is a prison for criminal children and no one has escaped
from this frozen facility in over 300 years. But Sasha, Valor's
sister finds herself sent there accused of a crime she did not
commit - or did she? When Valor is arrested, and sent to Tyur'ma,
she begins plotting an escape route from the inside. She used all
resources that she can find and outsmarted both the guards and other
nosey fellow prisoners. In order for the plan to be successful,
alliances must be formed between unlikely allies.
This is a fast-paced fantasy novel that hooked me in from the
beginning to end. Although it is a fiction book I did find myself
thinking at times that parts of it could have been true. Valor was a
strong leading protagonist who grew and rose to all the challenges
that were presented to her. Themes such as bravery, friendship,
perseverance and determination are running strongly throughout the
book. Interestingly all the main characters in the book are strong
female characters whether they be good or bad!
I would recommend this book for children over 10 years as some of
the action in the book can be a little confronting. I would strongly
recommend this book to be added to a library collection.
Kathryn Schumacher
First day at Skeleton school by Sam Lloyd
Bloomsbury 2017. ISBN 9781408868829
(Age: 5+) Recommended. Monsters, School, Rhyming story. At night
time Skeleton school opens its doors for the mini monsters, needing
tuition with their newly found skills. Welcomed by Mr Bones the
teacher, readers must cross over the moat into the ghostly castle
and attend morning assembly where the singing is other worldly. In
the library the witch flies up on her broom only to have the cat
fall to the ground after attempting a loop de loop. Next dance class
is a bit jangly with the skeletons all dancing together, while the
ghosts move up and down the staircase learning to float and at
lunchtime the zombies cook up a meal to be savoured.
In rhyming stanzas the story moves along, taking the reader through
a familiar scenario, a school, but with ghostly apparitions popping
out of all doors and windows, sitting in rows for assembly, drifting
down the stairs, working in the science laboratory or playing in the
garden.
Kids will love the range of things depicted, at assembly the whole
range is lined up in rows for eager readers to pick out. They will
laugh out loud at each page, littered with ghostly imaginings, a
three headed librarian, a dancing skeleton reading a book called Rattling
Rhymes, the beetle burgers being offered by the zombies,
Frankenstein's head being used as a ball at playtime.
Bright illustrations fill each page with a mine of things to delve
into, small drawings will catch the eyes of eager readers as they
learn of the range of monsters that exist in our imaginations and
literature. All good fun for Halloween.
Fran Knight
Scary hairy party by Claire Freedman
Ill. by Sue Hendra. Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408867174
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Halloween, Monsters, Party, Rhyming story. In
four line stanzas, the story unfolds of a group of animals invited
to Monster's house at 3 pm. They must all dress up to go to the
party, and go to Raymond's hair salon to make themselves perfect.
But here they run into problems, Raymond makes their hair look
fabulous, but accidents happen that mess up their hairstyles. Bella
the sheep looks lovely until Raymond uses so much hair spray that
her hair becomes very frizzy. Leo the lion is up next and his mane
is fabulous until Raymond unscrews a pot of gloop and it goes
everywhere, including over Leo's new hairdo. The others sit there
wondering what will happen, and sure enough Raymond mixes up the
dyes and the last three get technicolour hair. All is in chaos, but
when the group gets to the party a neat twist sees them fit in very
well.
Bright and breezy, colourful illustrations accompany this rhyming
story, with lots on each page to intrigue and delight younger
readers. They will have fun predicting the rhyming words and
noticing all the things used by a hairdresser. And with Halloween
coming along, a mildly scary story to share with younger readers.
Fran Knight
