Royal rabbits of London by Santa Montefiore and Simon Sebag Montefiore
Ill. by Kate Hindley. Simon and Schuster, 2016. ISBN 9781471157868
(Age: 7+) Highly recommended. The Royal Rabbits of London is
a richly rewarding adventure story for newly confident chapter book
readers to enjoy. Shylo Tawny-Tail lives with his family in a deep
burrow in the countryside. As the runt of the litter he suffers
teasing and bullying from his three older brothers and sisters; they
constantly make fun of his eye-patch and play tricks on him. Shylo's
only escape is the secret meetings with his friend, Horatio an old
grizzled rabbit who lives at the edge of the forest. He shares
stories of the Royal Rabbits of London; a secret society of agent
rabbits living under Buckingham Palace, whose job is to protect the
Royal Family. Horatio is a true friend, who encourages his young
friend praising his fearlessness and courage for traversing the
dangerous forest and visiting the scarred old rabbit, banished from
his former home and family.
One morning, when Shylo hides in a fallen oak tree to escape from
his bully brother Maximilian, he overhears three evil rats plotting
to embarrass the Queen. The Ratzi's purpose in life is to hunt the
Royal Family down, take, and publish embarrassing photos of them.
Suddenly Shylo has a mission, a purpose for his life, and old
Horatio instructs him to travel to London and warn the protectors of
the queen, the mysterious and hidden Royal Rabbits. Their skills are
needed to foil the Ratzi's plan and make them aware of the impending
plot.
Horatio sends young Shylo off to London with clear instructions and
this encouragement. 'Life is an adventure. Anything in the world is
possible - by will and by luck, with a moist carrot, a wet nose and
a slice of mad courage!' The pace picks up when Shylo encounters the
frenetic pace of life in London, with growling dogs and busy
traffic; he leaves the safety of the farmer's cart loaded with
spring cabbages and sets out to find the Weeping Willow entrance to
a secret tunnel. The London Royal Rabbits are elegant and their
personalities unique, their world is rich in structure and
tradition, their warrens stylish and their lives quite a contrast to
Shylo's world.
The difficult journey under Buckingham Palace, the dramatic scenes
fighting with the Ratzis, and the escape from the Pack of the
Queen's dogs, is fraught with danger and some scenes are graphically
told. Shylo is a hero; he overcomes his fears, grows in
self-confidence with his physical limitations and is even
instrumental in a family reunion.
From the gold embossed jacket to the beautifully meticulous
illustrations and the rabbit paw prints that hop across the page
corners, this is a quality children's story. Kate Hindley's detailed
line drawings are intricate and emotive, they show Shylo's
vulnerability, Horatio's kindness, Belle de Paw's elegant style and
the frenetic action in the Royal Kennel.
Santa and Simon Montefiore's descriptive story is perfect for a
class novel for years 2-4, as an English text to discuss character
depiction and development and the well-paced narrative arc. In
Health and Wellbeing, this is an excellent forum to discuss the
implications of bullying and to encourage building healthy
self-esteem with an 'I can do it' attitude.
Rhyllis Bignell
Last Descendants by Matthew J. Kirby
An Assassin's Creed series. Scholastic, 2016. ISBN
9781743811788
(Age: 12+) 15 year old Owen's life has not been the same since his
father was imprisoned for a murder Owen is sure he didn't commit and
then died in prison. His mum has to work long hours and they live
with his grandparents who take every opportunity to disparage his
father and pry into his life in case he is turning out like him.
Owen has drifted away from his best friend Javier but he seeks him
out for support in his quest to clear his father's name. Monroe, an
IT worker at his school has offered Owen the chance to try the
Animus simulation developed by Abstergo Corporation which takes
samples of your DNA and allows you to access genetic memories,
entering into the lives of your ancestors. Owen asks Javier to go
with him for support but finds out that the simulation can't help
his quest as his father's DNA can only be expressed in him up to the
time he was born. They both go ahead with a joint simulation anyway
and find themselves as a conquistador and a Tlaxcaltec warrior. When
they meet with Cortez and feel him wield a powerful influence on
them Monroe abruptly ends the simulation and anxiously hurries them
away. It turns out that the powerful influence came from an object
of power that the secret societies, the Templars, who believe that
powerful people can impose order on chaos, and the Brotherhood of
Assassins, who believe in preserving the free will of the people but
who demand absolute loyalty and obedience in their members, have
been searching for and that Owen and Javier are now being hunted
down for their genetic memories. In a bid to find the object first
Monroe whisks them away to a warehouse where they meet a group of
kids their age who all have either Templar of Assassin in their DNA.
They enter into a group simulation which takes place during the 1863
New York Draft Riots to find Cortez's dagger, a powerful Piece
of Eden which they believe was taken to the Aztec Club
headquarters in the Astor Hotel.
As a phenomenally successful video game Assassin's Creed has
spawned books, games, and the recently released movie. This new book
joins eight previous successful series and is sure to find an avid
readership in the middle school age group. As a new reader I found
enough fundamental information to follow the story though there were
too many characters to really engage with them. No doubt they will
come into play in subsequent books in this series. It was good to
see some powerful female figures but this is still essentially a
book for boys.
Sue Speck
Little People, Big dreams series
Frances Lincoln, 2016. Amelia Earhart by Isabel Sanchez Vegara. Ill. by Maria
Diamantes. ISBN 9781847808851 Maya Angelou by Lisbeth Kaiser. Ill. by Leire Salaberria.
ISBN 9781847808905
(Age: 5-8) Highly recommended. Frances Lincoln Children's Books have
published a new series Little People, Big Dreams, which
celebrates the lives of exceptional women activists, designers,
scientists, artists and authors. These simple biographies suited to
preschool and junior primary classes, are centred on a little girl
with a dream and their life journey, the struggles, hardships and
sheer determination needed to attain their goals. Each story
concludes with timeline, photographs, biographical information,
websites to visit and additional books to read.
Amelia Earheart's dream was to fly like a bird, and in her young
imagination she sees her arms stretch like wings ready to take
flight. In her early twenties, her dreams become a reality and she
learns to fly, soon she is crossing the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean
in her tiny plane. She is an inspiration to other women and
encourages them to dream big as well. Her final flight when her
plane disappears is carefully worded for the young audience. Maria
Diamantes' colourful graphic illustrations use space, light and
shade, simple backgrounds and layering to complement the narrative.
Take time to engage with each spread, especially the Atlantic Ocean
with the mid-turquoise sea, huge whale shadow and small red bi-plane
flying bravely above.
Maya Angelou's complex and confronting life story is carefully and
succinctly written. She experienced a traumatic incident as a young
girl and became mute for five years. Maya grew up in Missouri where
she faced the extreme difficulties of racial prejudice. With the
encouragement of a family friend, Maya learned to love reading and
began her writing journey. As an adult, she became a singer, an
actor, civil rights campaigner and a famous author and poet. Leire
Salaberria's illustrations support the story; she celebrates the
triumphs of Maya's life, her classroom, the graduation, her overseas
travels and many careers.
This series supports the social justice curriculum and Health
education, linking to personal wellbeing in the kindergarten and the
early years of schooling. In English and History lessons, students
can write their own biographies, discuss their plans for the future,
and engage in additional research as well.
Rhyllis Bignell
Shield by Rachael Craw
Walker Books Australia, 2016, ISBN 9781922179647
(Age: Secondary) Recommended. Science fiction. Future. Dystopian
fiction. 'Love, freedom and future, in a final attempt to right the
wrongs of the Affinity Project and save her family' (New Zealand
author, Rachael Craw's elevator pitch for Shield says it
all) as the third volume in the Spark trilogy continues the
story of Evie (Evangeline Everton) who begins to develop powers
beyond her imagination. She finds that she is part of a genetic
experiment called the Affinity Project, where a synthetic gene has
been implanted to produce the perfect soldier, but she rebels. In
the second book, Stray, the Affinity Project wants to take
Evie back to control her, forcing her to do the work she had been
genetically manipulated to do, even if innocent people must die.
Evie is forced to take sides in a struggle with the Affinity Project
which ends with her being held in a psych ward, and the third, Shield,
has Evie sent back to the Affinity Project for retraining. Here she
is resented after what happened in book two, and is forced to take
sides once again to survive. But she has secrets and after
Counsellor Knox takes a blood sample she knows it will not be long
before he works out what she is. Knox is wrestling for power within
the Affinity Project, using Evie as a tool to undermine those who
would bring him down. She eventually finds a group trying to
initiate change but she is forced to make some decisions in the face
of fierce opposition.
The series is a heart stopping sci-fi thriller. Set in a complex
dystopian society with a little romance and sympathetic characters,
this fast paced tale will appeal to many teens.
Fran Knight
The awesome book of rap, rhyme and putrid poetry by Andy Jones
Ill. by Jules Faber. ABC Books, 2016. ISBN 9780733335662
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Entertainer and author Andy Jones understands
exactly the kind of things that children love to read and gross body
humour rates highly. Burps, pus, dancing in your underpants, vomit
and so much more are included here in rhyming format. Jones has
rewritten nursery rhymes in rap style, presented a range of poetic
pests and included epic poems about singing belly buttons and Ziggy
Snotball Smell Detective.
In Andy's 'Limerick Tricks', there is the unicorn named Kevin and an
unfortunate incident with Devon meat, the Pus Bus and the troubles
of the pimply dimpled boy. In 'Punk Porkers A Pigtacular Tale' Jones
transforms the familiar story of 'The Three Little Pigs'. Here the
porkers are reinvented as a punk rock band, hamsome Brad is the
leader, Priscilla P from the Pigsy Chix and Hogzilla plays the
guitar.
'The moral of the story goes,
Dreams sometimes do come true,
And big bad wolves rarely get the better,
Of the likes of me and you.'
How to create different forms of poetry is discussed at the end of The
awesome book of rap, rhyme and putrid poetry. Different rap
styles, freestyle, lyrical and rapid fire as well as how to write an
irregular ode and epic poetry. In the 'Pooetry' Toolbox, essential
language terms are explained in easy to understand terms, including
alliteration and metaphor. Middle Primary classes will enjoy Jones'
special brand of humour and are encouraged to create their own poems
utilising tips from the toolbox.
Rhyllis Bignell
A most magical girl by Karen Foxlee
Picccadilly Press, 2016. ISBN 9781848125742
(Age: 10+) Magic. Good vs evil. Friendship.
Heroism. Annabel Grey is an ordinary but vibrant girl living in
London during the era when young ladies were raised to decorate and
adorn and needed to learn the refinements of a delicate life with
appropriate manners. Her mother has removed Annabel from her genteel
life and deposited her with her rather elderly and unusual Great
Aunts - who also happen to own a magic shop and practice magical
skills. Annabel is a reluctant participant in the Magic Arts, but
she soon learns that although her mother had turned her back on the
magical world, now Annabel is needed to save London from the
overbearing influence of the Dark Magic wielded by the ironically
rather awful Mr Angel. This unexpected role as the good and innocent
rescuer of the aging witch and magic community (and all of London as
well) from the oppression of Mr Angel, takes Annabel into Under
London, the world that exists in parallel to the streets she knows.
With an unenthusiastic assistant in Kitty, she also meets Trolls and
Dragons as she attempts to rescue the White Wand that will protect
the order of life in London.
This story has parallels to the Harry Potter saga in that the hero
(heroine) of the story is good, brave and reluctant, and relies on
the help of trusty friends to overcome evil influences. In
comparison it is considerably shorter; but it does involve entry
into the magical world with creatures and magical talents and a very
dark and malevolent opposition. This dark and oppressive adversary
has his story and evil plans scattered through Annabel's narrative,
and the reader recognises the growing threat. Because it is shorter,
it may be more accessible to young readers and with a female lead
character it may be appreciated by readers looking for a strong
female heroine. The magic and witch world is obviously a fantasy
adventure, and there are some small moments of humour hidden amongst
the drama.
Carolyn Hull
Remind me how this ends by Gabrielle Tozer
Harper Collins, 2017. ISBN 9781460751688
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Relationships. Grief.
Decision-making.
Milo has finished school, but doesn't know where his life is headed.
His long-term girlfriend has moved away to study and she now has a
whole new life and a circle of 'friends' that do not include him.
His parents are persistently on his back to encourage him to make a
decision about the direction in his life... to overcome the lack
of direction in his life. And into this turmoil of uncertainty about
what the future will bring comes Layla. Layla is returning to the
small town of her childhood, where she was well known and had grown
up until her life was torn apart by the loss of her mother in a
dreadful accident. Still grieving, and struggling in a
relationship that is complicated by her tangled past, she blows back
into town and reconnects with Milo, her neighbour and friend from
childhood. Her vibrancy and spark ignites Milo in directions that he
was not expecting and gives them both a human anchor to hold onto as
they are buffeted by choices and decision-making.
Rich in the psychology of young relationships and the difficulties
of grieving well, and also in the angst and uncertainty of laying
the pathway to adulthood, this is a book that will appeal to young
readers. The text conversations between the main characters are
refreshing, with the humour laced with feistiness and the spark of
personality that is endearing. What seems an inevitable road in
their friendship has its own twists and turns, and you will wonder
along the way about how this will end... will there be tears, or
is this the start of something new? Gabrielle Tozer writes well for
older teens, and although her characters reflect teenage 'types',
they have their own unique ways of relating and interacting and
responding to their world. Set in a regional town, the weight of
expectations and the circumstances for teens who need to make big
decisions at a young age impact upon the direction of the
characters. This book demonstrates that many decisions can be
difficult and Tozer avoids giving neat and trite solutions to the
complexities that teens face.
Carolyn Hull
The soldier's curse by Meg and Tom Keneally
Monsarrat series. Vintage Books, 2016. ISBN 9780857989369
The Monsarrat series begins with an absolutely mesmerising
story of a trusted convict at Port Macquarie in the north of New
South Wales. It is 1825, and Monsarrat, a convict with a legal
background who does the secretarial work for the commandant, Major
Shelborne, realises that his wife's health is worse than the surgeon
thinks. A trusted convict, Monsarrat spends many mornings drinking
tea in the Government House kitchen with the cook, Mrs Mulrooney and
it is she who tends to Mrs Shelborne, trying different ways of
tempting the ailing woman to eat. Through Monsarrat's descriptions
of these events, we see the misery of the penal settlement, the
destitute convicts serving out their time on hard rations, strict
punishments and little chance of surviving, let alone getting the
prized ticket of leave at the end of their sentences.
The writers, Meg and Tom Keneally insinuate so much historical
detail into the story that the reader will feel they know the place
and its inhabitants intimately.
A cruel second in command, Captain Diamond relishes the absence of
Major Shelborne, sneaking around the little settlement looking for
breaches of rules, then using these infringements for his own ends.
His cruelty is demonstrated when one convict, Dory attempts an
escape. On being recaptured he is given one hundred lashes, Diamond
taking over from Private Slattery to deliver more that the allocated
number, leaving the wretch lying on his stomach in hospital with a
skinless back, soon to die.
But it is after Mrs Shelborne's death, seemingly from being slowly
poisoned, that Diamond's vindictive nature comes to the fore,
accusing Mrs Mulrooney and by implication, Monsarrat of her death,
his arguments overwhelming the grief stricken husband.
Monsarrat must tread carefully if he is to prove their innocence.
Marvelous historical detail, believable characters, a setting that
at times is beyond belief and a style of storytelling that takes the
reader back to literature of the nineteenth century, combine to make
this one of the best historical novels I have read. The Kenneallys
touch on a whole range of themes significant to life in convict
Australia: treatment of indigenous people, women in colonial
society, struggle between rich and poor, education, isolation, our
convict beginnings and so on, raising many issues which will be
thought about long after this book has been read.
Fran Knight
A snicker of magic by Natalie Lloyd
Scholastic, 2015. ISBN 9780545552738
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Natalie Lloyd's warm-hearted debut novel
celebrates the mystical and magical, families and friendships, the
interconnectedness of village life, the impact of past decisions and
the importance of making things right. She weaves a multitude of
quirky characters into an Appalachian folk tale, like a ballad
handed down over generations. There is a celebration of
super-abilities not disability, a message of philanthropy, of
building character and learning to be resilient.
'And I like words; I collect them. I like poems, songs, stories...
everything. But words never sound right when I try to string them
together and say them out loud. They're just for me to keep. I've
always seen words. I see them as clearly as I see you.'
Sixth grader Felicity Pickle is a word-collector, a 'logophile'. As
she travels across the country with her Mama, younger sister Frannie
Jo and her dog Biscuit, she captures and records 'spindiddly' words
in her blue notebook. Thousands of words swirl around Felicity
filled with love, loss, pain and happiness, and she is able to
express herself in written, not spoken words. When her mother's
restless spirit is finally drawn back to her childhood home magical
Midnight Gulch, Tennessee, Felicity comes to understand her family's
own snicker of magic.
Felicity's friendship with Jonah Pickett, whose life is not bound by
his wheelchair, leads her to uncover the truth behind the curse of
the Threadbare brothers and how their story has impacted the town
over many years. Magical icecream, the power of invisibility,
dancing shadows, duelling music, disappearing hot air balloons,
there is an abundance of imagery conjured up in Natalie Lloyd's
whimsical prose.
A snicker of magic is a special story to challenge the lover
of magical realism. Felicity's motivational quotes encourage the
reader to see the value of words, poetry and creative writing.
Rhyllis Bignell
Made you up by Francesca Zappia
Greenwillow Books, 2015. ISBN 9780062670328
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Mental illness (Schizophrenia). High school.
Friendship. Relationships. YA books can deal with tough issues, Made
you up addresses the difficult world of schizophrenia. In this
book Alex deals with the struggle of working out what is real, and
what can't be trusted. Is everything in her life a true
representation, or is it the result of a hallucination storm that
glides into her reality creating a slippery slope of uncertainty?
You can't help but like Alex as she battles to control her delusions
and her reality, and her relationships with her new classmates after
being forced to change schools. Into this new uncertainty, changing
schools is always difficult, come friends Tucker and Miles, two
young men who are incredibly accepting as Alex negotiates her mental
illness roller coaster. As readers we are given Alex's view of the
world and understanding her struggles to keep everything in place
creates empathy for those who have to live with a mental illness.
The complexities of school life, romance, family dynamics, dealing
with psychological support and medication weave in and out of this
dramatic tale, and Zappia has also knitted in other mental illness
manifestations among the narrative. This just adds to the drama!
Zappia has written a great book to add to the YA library of books
dealing with Big Issues. The mental illness aspects are also
represented through the conversations with the Magic 8-ball
scattered amongst the chapters, and although this sounds eccentric,
it helps us understand Alex's distress as she deals with life in all
its manifestations. The author has cleverly created tension leading
to the final chapters, and because it is Alex's world we inhabit,
there is work for the reader in making sense of the action. I was
even led to research signs and symptoms of schizophrenia to make
sure that I understood what was happening. The winners in this book
though are the friends who accept Alex, despite her illness and the
wonderful sense of normality that pervades even the most difficult
of her symptoms.
Carolyn Hull
The Ogglies: A dragon party for Firebottom by Erhard Dietl
Starfish Bay Publishing 2016. ISBN 9781760360016
(Ages 7-10) Recommended. Join the Ogglies of Smelliville as they
organize a birthday party to cheer up their pet dragon, Firebottom.
Written and illustrated by Erhard Dietl, The Ogglies: A dragon
party for Firebottom is one of three in the series following a
very interesting family. With gruesome but hilarious descriptive
language, The Ogglies series are sure to have boys hooked.
In addition to words such as slimy sludge and cheesefeet, Dietl's
illustrations are bright and detailed with whacky things to find on
every page.
In addition, The Ogglies may be used as a tool for visual
arts, allowing readers to create their own Ogglie character and
describe its unique features similar to what can be seen on the
opening page.
This beautifully illustrated picture book is filled with quirky
characters including a special sing-along birthday song, sure to
keep children giggling for hours.
Keely Coard
Applesauce weather by Helen Frost
Candlewick Press, 2016. ISBN 9780763675769
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Applesauce Weather is a
beautifully illustrated story told through poetry. Faith and Peter
know Uncle Arthur will arrive when the first apple falls and the
first two poems introduce this brother and sister duo. The poems are
a stark contrast between the younger sister - who eagerly awaits the
uncle's arrival - and the older brother who now doubts the magic of
a far away uncle even knowing when the first apple will fall. Uncle
Arthur is mourning the loss of his beloved wife and memories of her
are reflected in each poem. Each poem is a small story; building up
to Faith worrying Uncle Arthur has no more stories to Faith finally
seeing the signs of her fun loving uncle again. The poems are simply
named according to the person's perspective - Faith, Peter, Uncle
Arthur. It is beautiful and melodic storytelling, creating a sense
of togetherness while also allowing our characters to be
independent. The vocabulary is as simple as it is descriptive,
explaining the love story between Arthur and his wife, Peter's
feelings for his first crush and Faith's joy at spending time with
Uncle Arthur. This book is highly recommended for readers aged 10+.
It would be a great read aloud in the classroom as students
investigate different points of view and would also be good to help
build character profiles.
Kylie Kempster
Growing together by Taro Gomi
Phaidon Press 2016. ISBN 9780714871264
(Age: 2-5) Recommended. Written by internationally bestselling
author, Taro Gomi, Growing Together is a four book box set designed
to share. Neatly backed in a sturdy display box, readers will find
four small books titled Growing, Imagining, Sharing
and Exploring all of which are nicely connected.
Throughout all four books, pictures reflect Taro Gomi's and Phaidon
Press's Japanese culture. Additionally, the stories include short
simple sentences, ideal for a young and growing family. Growing
Together is strongly family oriented and features real-life
scenarios.
Overall, the Growing Together set is about childhood and
families in all its honesty, unexpectedness and charm.
Keely Coard
Diary of a Minecraft zombie series by Zack Zombie
Scholastic, 2016. A scare of a dare. ISBN 9781943330140 Bullies and buddies. ISBN 9781943330140
(Age: 7-9) Another fan fiction series recorded in the ever-popular
diary style format made famous by Jeff Kinney's Wimpy kid.
These books are simplistic, easy to read without a depth of plot and
character development, junior chapter books for the gaming
enthusiast. Twelve-year-old Zack a Minecraft zombie has penned A
scare of a dare. He loves scaring people in the village, using
lessons taught at Scare School. Zack experiences a range of
unfortunate incidents, and on Thursday he stays home from school
after losing a body part - his legs. Passing notes in class, the
problems of zombie kissing - no lips, and camping at Swamp Biome are
events recorded in Zack's diary. This book includes pixelated
characters and scenes from the Minecraft game.
Bullies and buddies is the second junior novel in the Diary
of a Minecraft zombie series. At a disastrous party at Steve's
place, Jack Zombie and his friends Skelee, Creepy and Slimey are
attacked by the villagers. Steve is sorry for his friends' injuries
so he lends Zack a special video game all about plants and zombies.
Zack invites his schoolmates and friends over for a special evening
of game playing and cake. Twentyfive kids are truly horrified as
plants eat zombies, are run over by lawnmowers or blown to pieces.
Zack's home life is interesting: he wants to be infested by lice
like his annoying little brother, his basement is filled with spare
zombie parts and pimples are an important facial feature. At school,
Mutant the bully is threatening the other kids: he teams up with
Mike Magna and targets Zack at dodgeball. How to stand up to bullies
is a common theme in this story; Zack searches for the answers from
his parents and teacher. The journey for Zack involves mutant
rabbits, a visit to the Nuclear Waste Plant where his parents work
and wise advice from Old Mr Jenkins. Jack Zombie learns to resolve
his issues and gain a new friend. This second story has more
narrative, the characters have developed and there is a message
included.
The Diary of a Minecraft zombie series is suited to an
emergent reader, a Minecraft fan who enjoys stories written about
the familiar gaming characters.
Rhyllis Bignell
Piggy by Trevor Lai
Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781681190655
(Age: 6+) Recommended. Friendship. Reading. Loneliness. A little pig
called Piggy simply loves to read. He reads day and night in his
library, and his favourite book is about two friends. But one day he
realises that he is down to his last book. He takes a toy from his
storeroom to play with but notices a cat on the swing reading a
book. Just what he needs - a friend. He decides that he will need to
attract her attention and does various rather spectacular things to
do so, but to no avail, she is still reading. He then decides that
the best way is to offer her one of his books, and this, after
getting over a little hiccup, proves to be successful.
This charming tale of friendship will have broad appeal to younger
readers. They will love the things Piggy does to get Kate's
attention, and the resolution will ensure that friendship for them
includes reading. The illustrations of Piggy are entrancing, and the
large glasses and the small hiccup with Kate's vision will endear
readers for whom sight is less than perfect. And this may encourage
discussion about sight and vision, large print books and glasses in
the classroom.
Fran Knight
