Reviews

Fabish: The horse that braved a bushfire by Neridah McMullin

Ill. by Andrew McLean. Allen and Unwin, 2016. ISBN 9781925266863
(Age: 5+) Recommended. Bravery. Horses. Bushfires. Farm life. Fabish, once a fine racehorse known for his bravery, is put out to pasture. Here he is in charge of the yearlings, helping them understand what is expected of them, training them to obey instructions. But one day they smell smoke. It has been an extremely unpleasant summer, everything is hot, the old iron roof crackles and the hot wind blowing from the hills smells of smoke. The yearlings smell it first and become unsettled. The owner has no choice but to let them out of their yard, while he spends the night trying to save his stables, keeping the other animals calm and safe. Fabish and the yearlings are on their own.
The illustrations reflect the overwhelming nature of bushfire, with its flames licking the roof of the stable, the roaring of the fire, the constant embers falling to the ground, the smoke and heat all around them as the man fights the fire all through the night. Emerging in the morning, he finds everything is burnt and scorched, little left of his buildings, tack house, fences and trees. The earth is baked hard, embers still fill the sky, the smoke tears at his throat. He drives off in anticipation of seeing worse but in nearing his house, sees Fabish leading the seven yearlings towards him. He has done his job of protecting the young horses and somehow they have all survived.
Based on a true story, the trainer, Alan Evett had to let the horses loose, presuming he would never see them again on that terrible Black Saturday in 2009 when a firestorm rivaling the devastation of an atomic bomb, hit Victoria.
This book not only gives readers an overwhelming feeling of being in the bushfire but alerts them to the bravery of some animals in dire circumstances. As with several other books about bushfire, this will encourage discussion in the classroom of the incidence of fire in Australia, how it happens and how people can minimise its effects.
Fran Knight

The great dragon bake off by Nicola O'Byrne

Bloomsbury, 2016. ISBN 9781408839560
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Dragons. Cooking. Friendship. Humour. When Flamie Oliver is supposed to be practising his fire breathing dragon skills to graduate, he'd prefer to be cooking. He just loves pastry - all sorts of pastry, puff, rough, sweet or salty, he doesn't care. He justs loves to cook and tries his hand at all sorts of cakes and desserts and even a wedding cake. When the final day comes to graduate from the Ferocious Dragon Academy, he fails but is given one final test to prove his worth. He must kidnap a princess and eat her. He can do the first part of the task, without a hitch but eating her creates another problem as he cannot find a recipe which involves a princess. The two sit down together to nut out a solution to Flamie's problem.
A lovely story about working through a solution to a problem, and in so doing, finding a friend, told against the well known background of the bake off competitions which children will know well from television, the use of the familiar names will raise laughs as the dragon cooks his way through the book. The illustrations showing this lovable dragon with his sly looks at the princess in deciding how to eat her, or the looks of utter contentment when cooking and eating his cakes, or the animal with his chef's hat apron and back pack, are wonderful and will entreat readers to look more closely at the detail on each page. Children will gleefully recognise the various bits of cake and pastry illustrated as well as having fun working out the names of the cooks the dragons parody.
Fran Knight

Macavity's not there by T. S. Eliot

Ill. by Arthur Robins. Faber and Faber, 2016. ISBN 9780571328635
In 1939, T.S. Eliot wrote his iconic Old Possum's book of practical cats which became the foundation for Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical 'Cats'. Within that collection, is a poem which begins
Macavity's a mystery cat: he's called the Hidden Paw.
For he's the master criminal who can defy the Law.
He's the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the Flying Squad's despair:
For when they reach the scene of crime - Macavity's not there!
It goes on.
Macavity's a ginger cat, he's very tall and thin;
You would know him if you saw him, for his eyes are sunken in
Drawing on those two lines as the starting point and the constant refrain of the original of 'Macavity's not there' , Arthur Robins has again relied on the poem to create a wonderful lift-the-flap book encouraging young children to investigate just where this elusive cat might be. Is he in the bedroom? The bathroom? Perhaps the kitchen? Maybe the rabbit hutch? Ahhh, there he is! Why didn't we think of there in the first place?
Using very distinctive illustrations, Robins brings Macavity to life just as he did in his 2014 version of the original poem by T.S. Eliot. But as well as engaging the young listener is the fun of discovering Macavity's whereabouts, enticing them to suggest other places to look before turning the page, it's a wonderful opportunity to explore language associated with cats - perhaps based on their observations of their own. Are they always sweet, playful fluffy kittens or can they be mischievous, cunning, aloof, even fierce? Using the cover picture, which words would they use to describe Macavity? Can you take a photo of a cat they know and surround it with vocabulary? Can you do a comparison chart between their cat, Macavity and other cats in literature?
Building their language and broadening their concepts about cats will be a great bridge to sharing the Robins' version of the original and then travelling on to his Mr Mistofolees and Skimbleshanks so they can savour the beauty of the rhyme and rhythm of Eliot's creations, marvel at his ability to tell a story and paint a picture in so few words and maybe even enjoy a performance of Cats. At the very least, they will be introduced to some superb poetry that may linger with them throughout their lives, as it has with me!
Barbara Braxton

When friendship followed me home by Paul Griffin

Text Publishing, 2016. ISBN 9781925355499
(Age: 11+) Highly recommended. Friendship. Dogs. Cancer. Editor's Choice in the New York Times. A heart wrenching but uplifting story, When friendship followed me home, is the tale of Ben Coffin, a 12 year old who is in foster care. All seems fine, he has adopted a scruffy little dog, called Flip and enjoys reading sci-fi at the library. When Ben meets Halley, the librarian's daughter, he believes he has a friend, but his foster mother Tess, dies and Ben finds himself once again trying to cope. He goes to live with Jeanie, Tess's sister, but her partner Leo has anger management issues and he faces loss and isolation.
Ben is a beautifully realised and remarkable character. As his friendship with Halley develops he is the strong one who is optimistic and caring as she deals with her cancer. Together they begin to write a story called The magic box, and Halley refuses to tell him what is in it (what a wonderful surprise that will be for the reader!) His resilience, his compassion and his humility make this a stand out story. Then of course there is the little dog Flip who has lots of tricks that endear him as a therapy dog when he works with Ben and Halley helping children to learn to read.
Halley's parents are also beautifully portrayed and the relationship that Ben gradually builds up with them is heart-warming. Halley's father is a magician and when Ben begins to work with him, he starts to have confidence in himself and begins to feel at home in the family.
Although I shed many tears throughout When friendship followed me home, the kindness of Ben and Halley's family, and of Tess, his foster mother shone through reminding the reader that helpfulness and friendship are all important even though there is abandonment, domestic violence and poverty in the world.
This is a feel good book that won't easily be forgotten. It would make an outstanding read aloud, class text or literature circle novel. Teacher's notes are available.
Pat Pledger

My Lovely Colouring Book

Bloomsbury Activity Books, 2016. ISBN 9781408879306
(Age: 7+) Recommended as a gift. With the craze for colouring in books still happening, this beautifully produced book is sure to be a winner.
There are flowers, fish, animals of all kinds, fruit and vegetables, all beautifully designed to catch the interest of someone who would like to relax and be creative with colour. The separate illustrations of two fabulous owls caught my eye as I was flicking through the book. On the left hand side of the page it is coloured in and on the right hand side is the same image for the user to colour in as the imagination demands or perhaps for a younger user, to copy. Each of the many illustrations has wonderful shapes and patterns, some in colour to stimulate interest and some in black and white to whet the artistic bent of the user.
This would make a lovely gift for anyone who is interested in colouring in and is sure to prove to be both stimulating and relaxing.
Pat Pledger

Hillary, a biography of Hillary Rodham Clinton by Karen Blumenthal

Bloomsbury, 2016. ISBN 9781408873922
(Age: 16+) Recommended. 'The challenge is to practise politics as the art of making what appears to be impossible, possible' - Hillary is quoted on the front cover. This biography by Karen Blumenthal traces Hillary's life story and reveals an amazingly determined and assured woman who always rose to the challenge no matter the obstacle. In fact opposition only made her more determined to find a way to prevail.
Early experiences provide insight into her strength of character. As a student of law she championed children's rights; her first scholarly article 'Children under the law' was published in the Harvard Educational Review'. Yet one of her first assignments as a legal aid lawyer was the defence of a factory worker accused of child rape, not a task she wanted to take on. Nevertheless she put enormous energy into giving him the best defence possible, bringing the case to a plea bargain. In any job assigned to her, Hillary immediately set to work and gave it her utmost. Early on, Bill Clinton once said of her 'this is a woman whose future is limitless. She could be anything she decides to be'.
What she decided to do though, was support him. She was Bill Clinton's strongest campaigner and strongest support. And it seems like their partnership was the perfect marriage of skills, his charm and sociability combined with her strategy and hard work ethic, a combination that saw Bill rise to Governor of Arkansas and then President of the United States.
The two of them also made a conscious decision, to provide a constant and close family relationship with their daughter Chelsea. Even at the hardest times, in coming to terms with Bill's infidelity, they were united not only in their combined goals, but their love for their daughter. There is a very poignant photograph after the Lewinsky revelations, a back view of them walking away together, Chelsea between them, holding both their hands. They do all appear to have come through that time, still linked by love and respect.
It is interesting to ponder what Hillary may have achieved if she hadn't chosen Bill and followed her own career. But the message of the book seems to be that each of them benefited from the partnership, it was their winning team combination that got them both as far as it did. Hillary's star has continued to rise - as Obama's Secretary of State, and now her tilt at the Presidency itself. No matter the outcome, it is clear she is an amazingly driven person, and it is fascinating to read how her life path has evolved. The book provides an inspiring story for young women of today, to stay strong, never give up, and believe in yourself and what you want to do.
Helen Eddy

Secret princesses: The magic necklace by Rosie Banks

Orchard Books, 2016. ISBN 9781408336083
(Age: 6-9) Young novel. Princesses. Friendship. A series that concentrated on magical princesses and the power of friendship is sure to have a following. Best friends Charlotte and Mia are very upset when Charlotte's family decide to move away, but when they are given magic necklaces, they discover that they can see each other whenever they want, and have adventures at the same time. When they are taken to Wishing Star Palace they meet their friend Alice, who is a pop star and also one of the princesses. She explains that the secret princesses make wishes come true for girls and at the same time help the Wishing Star Palace from being destroyed.
There is much to appeal to young readers with this book. The plot of keeping in touch with your best friend using a magic necklace is entertaining and the themes of aiding others and being good friends is also alluring. Charlotte and Mia's task is to help out Olivia who is desperate to make new friends but her party is being spoilt by the evil Princess Poison who is determined that they won't succeed. They have to use their ingenuity to foil her evil plans.
There is an extra commercial aspect to this book - Monsoon Children, a UK based clothing company, is part of the campaign and children are urged to get the same princess outfits that Charlotte and Mia wear as well as a Best Friends necklace designed by Monsoon.
Pat Pledger

Ollie's Odyssey by William Joyce

Moonbot Books, 2016. ISBN 9781442473553
(Age: 7+) Recommended. Ollie's Odyssey is a cinematic narrative, an epic 'a-venture' that explores the power of friendship, courage and determination, the forces of good and evil and even love and loss. This is a multi-layered story centred on the world of favourite toys. On the crisp white pages, told from either Billy's or Ollie's point of view, we engage with their special friendship with special words - Yum for food to the simple pleasures of being a toddler and a young boy with a creative imagination. The love of a favourite toy holds a special bond. When Billy is born with a heart murmur, his mother lovingly sews him a stuffed toy, a soft rabbit teddy named Ollie. Inside she stitches a tinkling bell heart from her favourite childhood wooden doll Nina.
Interwoven into the plot, on darker pages, marked with foxing the antagonist appears - Zozo a chipped and battered clown toy abandoned long ago by an amusement stand owner. Years ago, this toy loved a wooden dancing doll with a bell heart. After Nina was won by a little girl and taken from him, Zozo's wanted other children to suffer by stealing their favourite toys and hiding them underground in the derelict tunnels. The clown mastermind has created mechanical henchmen the Creeps who assist him with his wicked plans. Torn and dirty, the favourites are imprisoned and forced to watch as he builds a new Nina, all she needs is a bell heart. Joyce's scary painted illustrations display Zozo's dark personality and his evil character.
After Ollie is stolen, Billy's strength of character and courage shines through, with the aid of a band of misfits - the Junkyard Gang, he plans and carries out a rescue mission. This is a unique story, for a special audience of readers who still enjoy the magic of toys, who will appreciate William Joyce's imaginative characters and delight in the Billy and Ollie's adventures.
Rhyllis Bignell

The Tale of Gwyn by Cynthia Voigt

Tales of the Kingdom bk 1. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2015. ISBN 9781481421805
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. Fantasy. This reprint of Jackaroo with a new title and cover is a boon for readers who enjoy fantasy, especially one with a heroine in the vein of Robin Hood. Written in beautiful language by award winning author, Voigt, the tale of a kingdom ravaged by poverty is spell binding. There is little hope for the common people who are starving and burdened by taxes and wars until a masked outlaw called Jackaroo comes at night to leave money and assistance for the helpless. Gwyn the daughter of the innkeeper doesn't believe in fairy tales, but when she finds a mask, cloak and sword in an abandoned cottage, she finds herself searching for answers.
Gwyn is a fabulous character. She is practical and loyal, brave and daring. Although the bones of the story lie in the tale of a masked person giving to the poor, under Voigt's magical writing, the story becomes much more than that. It is a vivid depiction of a medieval type of society, with kings, earls, manors and common people, and a beautiful rendition of a young woman's coming of age. The secondary characters are fully realised and Burl the young servant at the inn is a wonderful person, stalwart, calm and helpful.
Originally I read this as Jackaroo when it was first published. I loved it then and it has stood up very well to the test of time. An outstanding book by an outstanding author.
Pat Pledger

The Tale of Birle by Cynthia Voigt

The tale of Oriel by Cynthia Voigt

Tales of the Kingdom bk 3. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2015. ISBN 9781481403245
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. Originally published as The Wings of a Falcon, the third in the Tales of the Kingdom series is a searing, heart wrenching, horrifying and wonderful story by a masterful storyteller. The boy is given no name by the Damall, the master of the small island where he trains boys who have been abandoned or enslaved. Together with Griff, his ever loyal companion, the boy manages to escape this cruel and evil place, taking the name Oriel as he leaves. Together they face many dangers travelling through unknown lands until they settle as journeymen to a saltweller. This is a happy time for three years, but the Wolfers, a barbarian tribe, destroy the farm and take them prisoner. On the run for a year, they face terrible privation, but eventually reach the farm of Beryl, who is a descendant of the main characters in The tale of Gywn and The tale of Birle. Here the three plot for Oriel to win the hand of Merlis, the heiress to the Earl of Sutherland.
This is a book that has many dark components - the treatment of the boys by the Damall is horrifying, there are whippings, betrayals and attempted murder. The harshness of the Wolfers is also appalling. However threaded through this story of survival come major themes, one of which is loyalty. Griff is almost a secondary character, but with his knowledge of what is right and wrong and his sense of justice, he gives Oriel the understanding of how to act, while Oriel shows him how to be strong and lead. Beryl faces heartbreak but she teaches them about love and sacrifice. Throughout there is a theme of women's rights - why shouldn't Merlis be given the right to choose her own husband and how do women left pregnant and single manage to look after the baby.
This is an intelligent and confronting book that could be read as a stand-alone. Certainly the series would be well worth having in any library and will appeal to readers who enjoy books by Ursula Le Guin and Robin McKinley.
Pat Pledger

Julius Zebra: Bundle with the Britons by Gary Northfield

Julius Zebra series. Walker Books, 2016. ISBN 9781406354935
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Champion gladiator Julius Zebra returns in another crazy outing with his zany friends. Life for the People's Champion should be exciting; everybody loves the zebra, he's even asked for hoof print autographs in the muddy streets of Rome. Emperor Hadrian has promised Julius freedom after his last fight at the Colosseum, unfortunately, they are not going on holidays, and they have one more task to complete. Julius is excited about the upcoming holibobs, while Felix is keen to add to his extensive rock collection and Rufus the giraffe is ready for a relaxing fishing holiday. They must travel on a stinky sailing ship all the way to Britannia and fight another tournament.
Septimus is a hard taskmaster on board and the animals are forced to scrub the decks daily and sleep in hammocks inside the stinky hold. An attempt to dress in chainmail and escape the confines of the ship leads to an hilariously incident that requires the rescue of the crocodile, warthog, giraffe, lion and antelope
Life in Roman Britain proves fraught with danger, the smelly streets of Londinium treacherous and their holiday home a hovel near the small amphitheatre.
Each of the animals are quirky characters who are drawn together in difficult circumstances, unaware that their opponents are mean fighting machines.
Gary Northfield's hilarious cartoons highlight Julius's and his friends' struggles with life in an unknown land, as they prepare to face new combatants in the arena. The animals' irreverent dialogue is sharp, witty and sarcastic. This is another laugh out loud story, with plenty of jokes, gags and puns. These stories combine facts about Ancient Rome life with humorous scenes and silly animal antics.
Recommended for readers from 8+
Rhyllis Bignell

The truth according to Arthur: A funny book about fibbing by Tim Hopgood

Ill. by David Tazzyman. Bloomsbury, 2016. ISBN 9781408864982
(Ages: 4 - 7) Recommended. Honesty. The Truth is personified and given the physical form of a grey blob in this story, which means that what Arthur does to The Truth can be concretely illustrated. This is a clever visual way to talk to children about lying and truth, as we see Arthur bend, stretch, cover up, disguise, hide and ignore The Truth. Unsurprisingly, no matter what Arthur does, The Truth just keeps following him around, so he faces The Truth, and tells his mum 'I did it'. Arthur and The Truth are then illustrated sitting side by side, best of friends again.
The truth, told in a matter of fact manner, is that Arthur rode his big brother's bike without permission, lost control of it, and damaged the bike and his mum's car. These are issues that will resonate with young children: using something that isn't yours, accidentally damaging something, and not being brave enough to face the truth straight away for fear of the repercussions. Parents and teachers are often telling children that the consequences of not telling the truth are worse than owning up to what you have done, and this is emphasised here. When Arthur tells his mum the truth she is not happy about the damage but is pleased that he has told the truth. The visual aspects of the story are fantastic. Even the stories that Arthur invents to explain the damage are given a visual presence, providing levity and humour.
This will be a useful resource for classrooms and parents for discussing and emphasising the importance of being best friends with The Truth!
Nicole Nelson

Anders and the volcano by Gregory Mackay

Allen and Unwin, 2016. ISBN 9781760290030
(Ages: 7+) Graphic Novel. Anders and his trusty flying beetle Skip return from their first adventure in Anders and the comet to engage in another imaginative story while on a camping holiday near an extinct volcano. He travels with friends Bernie and Eden and his family during the school holidays, meeting up with Veronica who also has a flying beetle. Anders and new girl Veronica enjoy some flying time together before meeting up at the same camp site destination. Bernie and Eden soon find pet beetles as well, but Bernie's is a reluctant flier, showing a preference for swimming. This becomes problematic later when the friends find themselves in a tricky situation with limited time to react.
Anders is a positive role model of how to support, interact and build friendships. His actions and the words he uses with others show a maturity beyond his years. It is refreshing to see his unconditional acceptance of the choices his friends make, for instance when Bernie supports his new beetle Lump when the others go flying. Anders is inclusive of others and encourages new friendships with the people he meets on his holiday travels.
The black and white graphic novel incorporates explicit learning moments on the nature of volcanoes during the story as well as in a short appendix about how volcanoes form. The story is broken up into chapters and presents an easy read for younger readers who are just beginning the journey into graphic novels.
Annette Mesecke

Tom Gates: Super good skills (Almost) by Liz Pichon

Tom Gates series. Scholastic, 2016. ISBN 9781760152659
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Liz Pichon's award winning Tom Gates series returns for the tenth hilarious instalment. Tom's uniquely irreverent style shown in both words and cartoons captures the dramas of the last day of school and the highs and lows of the family holiday adventure. Doodling is Tom's way of expressing his feelings and making light of the world around him.
School life for Tom revolves mostly around his friends with the occasional interruption of class time. At break time for Tom and his friends the most important discussion focuses on what kind of Alien Snacks need to be served at DOGZOMBIES band practice. There is also a chance for the reader to create an alternative snack as well, plenty of room for doodling - sausage and sock flavour or salt and onion shells. Mr Fullerman their class teacher hands out plenty of unfinished work that needs completing over the holiday break. Of course, Tom's mind starts creating the most unusual excuses for not completing the assignment. On the last day of school it's casual clothes day and Tom creatively transforms his and Derek's sports t-shirts into colourful band shirts. A prize of a massive pad of sticky notes gives Tom some wonderful opportunities to prank Marcus and his sister.
The family holiday to the Pine Tree Riviera is fraught with rainy weather, leaky accommodation, Tom's limited wardrobe and problems with older sister Delia and her best friend Avril. Poor Tom is forced to wear a garbage bag raincoat because Mum forgot to pack enough clothes.
Tom Gates Super Good Skills (Almost) is filled with puzzles, doodles, drawing tips and creative opportunities. Liz Pichon understands her reading audience: they enjoy the balance of an easy to read story with plenty of chances to add their own drawings. Her fans love to follow Tom's hilarious life - there is always something happening, even school lunches can be exciting!
Rhyllis Bignell