Allen and Unwin, 2016. ISBN 9781760290474
(Age: 11+) Highly recommended. Australian history. Federation. Pearl
diving. Race relations. White Australia Policy. Sario lives
and works on a remote island in the Torres Strait. He dives for
pearl shell and sea cucumber, to sell at the markets so he and his
family can get an income. Unscrupulous lugger captains note his
ability and promise him more money if he goes with them to learn to
dive with a helmet. At first he refuses but the old men of his clan
push him to earn more money for the community, and when his mother,
once a diver, now with breathing problems, becomes worse and must be
moved to Thursday Island for treatment, he has no choice.
But the promises come to nothing. He is subjected to racism by the
white bosses and Japanese divers, his money taken from him on any
pretext, and made to work harder than he has ever worked before. He
misses his family, is bullied by a young Japanese diver, and
witnesses his friend lose his life to a shark, after the boss made
the boy stay underwater despite the threat of danger.
But along the way he learns a lot about the industry he works for,
and hears from others about the rules concerning pearl fishing, an
industry soon under threat, and about Federation, the amalgamation
of the states into the Commonwealth of Australia, soon to take
place. Readers will love reading about Sario and his life, and
adventures, but also learn about bullying and racism, the White
Australia Policy, Federation and the Torres Strait Islands, a
setting rarely seen in children's books.
Fran Knight
Anna Liza and the happy practice by Eoin Colfer
Ill. by Matt Robertson. Little gems series. Barrington
Stoke, 2016. ISBN 9781781125595
Anna Liza Madigan's mum is a psychiatrist - sye-kye-a-trist. She
talks to people who are very lonely or very upset until they are
better. Anna Liza thinks this is so important that even though her
mum tells her only grown-ups can be psychiatrists, she sets up her
own office in her mum's waiting room and wearing her stethoscope and
white coat from her 'Nurse Nancy on Duty' set, she does the rounds
of the waiting room every afternoon after school. She gets those
waiting water or a magazine, sometimes even cheering them up with
her version of 'Don't worry, Be happy'. But one day she meets Edward
who is seven point five years old, doesn't like sauce on his burgers
and is the saddest child she has ever seen. Even her 17 best
knock-knock jokes can't make him raise a smile. Determined to get to
the root of the problem, Anna Liza digs deeper and discovers that
Edward's sadness is because is his dad is sad because his mum has left
them.
So Nancy devises a plan to make Edward's dad's life go somewhere and
make him happy again. But will it be successful? Racing through like
a sequence from a cartoon, complete with illustrations that leave
much to the imagination, Anna Liza's plan can only end badly. Or
does it?
This is another title from the Little gems series that is
deliberately formatted to cater for readers with dyslexia but
regardless, it is just a rollicking good story written by the author
of the Artemis fowl series who knows what it takes to
entertain young readers. Despite its physical length, it is not a
long read and is full of humour and fun with a delightful twist at
the end that invites the reader to continue the story in their head.
And, of course, the whole thing invites a Knock-Knock Jokes Fest.
Funny, different, entertaining - I know Miss 9 will love this one.
Barbara Braxton
The Yearbook Committee by Sarah Ayoub
Harper Collins, 2016. ISBN 9780732296858
(Ages: 14+) Recommended. Five teenagers, five different lives and
one final year. The Loner, the School Captain, the Popular Girl, the
Newcomer and the MP's Daughter. Thrust together against their will
they need to work together to become their yearbook committee. Can
each student get past their problems and be able to work together
and make the year their own.
Each character deals with their own issues making the whole book
cover a wide range of different real life issues, from depression,
diversity, bullying and friendship. I absolutely loved that a group
of different people, with very different upbringings, were thrust
together and made to work together despite their differences. Ayoub
shows the pressure and emotions that young people experience while
growing up and they deal or cope with it all. Even with the heavy
themes Ayoub managed to still keep the writing light and enjoyable. The Yearbook Committee is one crazy emotional ride, I got so
wrapped up in the story and ended finishing it quickly. I just loved
how easy it was to transition between the five characters; it was
flawless reading each different character.
Cecilia Richards
Out for the count by Anne Fine
Ill. by Vicki Gausden. Barrington Stoke, 2016. ISBN 9781781125076
(Age: Emerging readers) Like many children, Hugo would really like a
pet - in his case, a gerbil. He raises the issue again with his dad
just as he is finishing the repainting of Hugo's room. Even though
his father acknowledges that Hugo would probably look after it very
well, he is not a fan of keeping things in cages and so the answer
continues to be 'no'. However, there may be a compromise. Hugo works
out that the gerbil would only be in the cage for seven hours during
the time he is at school, so his father suggests that Hugo
experiences that by staying alone in his now empty room for the same
time.
Hugo accepts the challenge and at midday with just the newspaper
already spread on the floor, a snack, three chosen toys (a ghost
puppet, a bucket of bricks and a monkey on a stick) and his watch, he
enters the room to stay alone for seven hours. And even though he
also has what gerbils don't - an imagination - the time creeps by so
slowly it seems like it stands still. Will Hugo last the seven
hours?
This is an entertaining short story for emerging readers written
some time ago but repackaged for the Little gems series which is
deliberately designed to support students with dyslexia. The font is
'dyslexia-friendly' helping those who confuse letter shapes to see
them more clearly and spaced to minimise confusion; the pages are
tinted and the paper thicker so illustrations are not 'shadowed' on
previous pages; the stories short but engaging; and the book is just
right for small hands to hold and read alone. Plots are linear and
the language and its structure less complex than in other stories
for a similar age group. 'This process was developed by dyslexia and
speech and language experts in response to research and feedback
from thousands of readers on hundreds of Barrington
Stoke manuscripts over the years.'
Dyslexic or not, Out for the count is entertaining, witty
and wise and will spark lots of conversations about people's need to
confine animals to cages and the 'rightness' of this.
Barbara Braxton
Dreaming the enemy by David Metzenthen
Allen and Unwin, 2016. ISBN 9781760112257
In what appears to be based on the Battle of Coral which took place
during the Vietnam War, Johnny Shoebridge, a conscripted Australian
infantryman endures unspeakable terror defending a 'Firebase' of
artillery and mortars. The Firebases enabled significant targets
such as supply routes to be shelled and also offered support to
infantry if powerful enemy forces were contacted.
When hordes of North Vietnamese soldiers and Vietcong guerrillas
attack a newly positioned and inadequately prepared Firebase on the
first night after it was set up, Johnny and his mates Barry and Lex
must fight desperately in their infantry units which were placed to
defend the guns.
I liked this story for many reasons, not least because the
reader is transported to a place where the gut wrenching fear is
almost palpable and the crescendo of explosions and screams is
overwhelming. Most important however, is the fact that this is
achieved without any glorification of war.
The story is told in a series of flashbacks in civilian life when
Johnny is trying to adjust to being an ordinary person after
returning from military service. The flashbacks not only recount the
experiences of Johnny and his mates but he also displays an acute
awareness of the service and suffering of the enemy in his dreams
about a wounded and traumatised soldier 'Khan'.
In trying to connect with people, Johnny has no control over the
memories and dreams which flood his waking moments, to a point where
at times he loses track of what is real. The theme of mateship is
omni-present in Australian war literature and the concept of
soldiers having a far greater fear of letting their mates down than
dying themselves is clearly very real. Metzenthen has created an
authentic story which I feel would meet with approval from those who
served, on the grounds that the detail is accurate, the humour is
realistic and there is a profound respect for the soldiers from both
sides which is unwavering even when pointing to the insanity of the
war itself.
The author emphasises that what the Australian, New Zealand and
American service men endured was so immense and significant that it
was literally life changing, often permanently and all too often
being terribly destructive in terms of physical and psychological
injury. Without insulting these individuals in any way however, the
author questions this terrible suffering against the outcome of the
war. Metzenthen also reveals the war and post-conflict experience of
the North Vietnamese people, who saw only that their country was
invaded. The unequal nature of warfare between lightly armed
guerrillas and the almost unbelievable might of Western firepower is
considered with great sensitivity. The reader is left with the sense
that after all the civilian and military deaths, all the injuries
and the unspeakable destruction and poisoning of the environment,
the outcome was pretty much the same as it would have been if the
war had not been waged.
Rob Welsh
Big hug books by Shona Innes
Ill. by Irisz Agocs. Five Mile Press, 2016. Worries are like clouds. ISBN 9781760400729 You are like you. ISBN 9781760400712
(Age: 4+) Mental health. Depression. Identity. Two more in the
series, Big hug books gives us a book about worrying and one
about identity. As with the others in the series, they aim to give
teachers and parents a starting point of discussion with a class or
children at home. Simply told, they are all obvious in their themes,
and clear about their aim. A page of information about how to use
the books appears at the end of each story. Worries are like clouds tells the reader that many days are
happy, filled with laughter and are carefree, while others are dark
and gloomy and sometimes they would prefer to stay in bed with the
bedclothes over their head. The gentle text tells the reader that
this is normal, that everyone has good and bad days, happy and sad
days, bright sunny days and days with clouds. It goes on to tell the
reader that there are ways to overcome these gloomy days and then a
number of pages are devoted to outlining strategies to deal with a
cloudy day. These would make a great discussion point in the
classroom. You are like you takes the same approach as the others in the
series, with half of the pages devoted to positive images of what
make you, you. Then a number of pages give the negatives sides of
life, people may annoy you, you may feel out of sorts, and so on,
and the author then gives strategies to overcome the negatives.
Again this provides a starter for discussion amongst children, in
the classroom or at home with a simple direct text and accompanying
illustrations.
Fran Knight
I went to the supermarket by Paul Howard
Bloomsbury, 2016. ISBN 9781408844700
(Ages: 3-6) This book is based on the popular memory game of the
same name (I went to the supermarket and I bought... ) and shows
a young boy and girl competing to remember everything they add to
the shopping list. However, they don't buy chocolate, chips and
chicken at the supermarket... they buy dancing aliens,
fire-breathing dragons and fearsome Granny pirates. As happens in
the real-life game, someone forgets an item and the game comes to an
end (in this case with a mountain of jelly going SPLAT!).
The sparkly, fantastical cover featuring a boy with underpants on
his head pushing a flamingo and a dragon in a shopping trolley will
draw children in. The larger-than-life, crazy illustrations inside,
packed with characters, colour and interesting and varied fonts,
will keep them engaged. This will stimulate the imagination of young
children, many of whom will love reading along and trying to
remember everything on the shopping list. It might even become a
favourite game for them to play themselves.
Nicole Nelson
Baxter's book by Hrefna Bragadottir
Nosy Crow, 2016. ISBN 9780857635211
(Age: Preschool - Yr 2) Baxter adores books. Books about scary
wolves, brave lions, cuddly bears, cute little rabbits. He loves
stories so much his greatest wish is to be in a one too. As he comes
out of the bookstore laden with new purchases he spots a sign for an
audition to be in a storybook. This is his dream come true! He is SO
excited but when he joins the very long line of characters waiting
to show their talents, he realises all have been in storybooks
before - except him. But he is convinced of his talents - he can
sing, dance, act and do gymnastics - so goes forth undaunted onto
the stage as the first performer. Imagine his disappointment when
the judges dismiss him because they just don't know what he is. He's
not a scary wolf, a brave lion, a cuddly bear, a cute rabbit or even
a hungry crocodile and when he tries to be like them, he fails. Why
is being himself not enough?
This debut picture book from Icelandic author Hrefna Bragadottir is
quite charming with its lovable main character (who is a totally
original concept) who is prepared to follow his dream but finds
himself not accepted because he's different and doesn't fit the
stereotype of a storybook character. As a story in itself, with soft
pastel pictures that take the edge off his rejection, it is a
stand-alone but there is greater depth here than just a single read
because it raises all sorts of questions about stereotypes - are
wolves always scary and rabbits always cute? - as well as being true
to oneself, tolerating difference and all those other relationship
issues young children encounter when they step into the bigger world
of preschool or big school for the first time. Venturing into the
unknown always raises some questions of self-doubt and when things
don't go as anticipated there can be all sorts of ramifications. The
heart-warming ending to the story will bring reassurance and
recognition and Baxter will never be an oddity again! Young readers
will delight in identifying the characters they know like the three
little pigs, but there's also scope to investigate other stories
that feature the creatures - perhaps make lists and displays to
inspire wider reading - and compare and contrast each character with
the stereotype. Character analysis in preschool!!! For those a
little older it could lead to discussions about preconceptions and
misconceptions we have about people and start to break down some of
the barriers that are already in place even at this age. Baxter's book is a perfect example of children learning about life
through literature and why we need to keep sharing such wonderful
stories.
Barbara Braxton
Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo
Candlewick Press, 2016. ISBN 9780763681173
(Age: 9-12) Recommended. Family breakdown. Friendship. Meaning of
life. Loss. Kate DiCamillo is renowned as a two-time Newbery
Medallist, as author of the Tale of Desperaux and Flora
and Ulysses. In this, her latest book, she uses the
inspiration of her own childhood memories to tell the enigmatic tale
of Raymie Clarke who believes that if she wins the 'Little Miss
Central Florida Tire competition' she might be able to entice her
father back home (he has left town with a dental hygienist and is
currently out of her life completely). With childish logic, she
needs to add baton twirling and good deeds to her 'resume' for her
competition entry, and meets two other girls who are also entangled
in pursuit or sabotage of the Little Miss Central Florida Tire
title. The challenges of friendship, and understanding the world
around her and the wisdom of adults come to the fore as she grapples
with life, loss and the big questions of existence. Keeping life's
batons twirling can be very difficult. There are some curious adults
within her circle of contacts, and her new friends are also
extremely unique.
This is a quirky tale that highlights that children can sometimes
feel that they need to solve the problems of their world or are
unaware of the consequences of their choices; problems that from an
adult or psychological perspective should never be borne by a child.
It is a simply written tale, and the naivete of the children and
their responses to poverty, marriage breakdowns, death and their own
difficult circumstances are dealt with in a gently humorous way that
makes the story entertaining and accessible for a young reader.
Carolyn Hull
Hugless Douglas and the great cake bake by David Melling
Hugless Douglas series. Hodder, 2016. ISBN 9781444919882
(Age: 5+) Recommended. Cooking. Humour. The series of Hugless
Dougless books has created a large fan base, and this, the
fifth in the stories about the bear, will be well received. Douglas
is big warm and friendly, staring out at the reader as he involves
himself in one adventure after another, adventures which all readers
will recognise.
With a nod to the many cooking shows on our small screen, this time
Douglas follows the trail of honey to find a group of sheep
collecting the ingredients they need to make honey cakes. The black
faced sheep don his apron for him, and pass down all the food they
have collected, as he offers to be involved as well. The process for
making the cakes is followed in the story and the mixture eventually
made, with admonishments about not eating the mixture before it is
cooked.
But as the group stands in line with their plates waiting for the
cakes to be taken from the oven, a food fight beaks out and Douglas
is so involved that he misses the cakes. When he realises what has
happened they have all been eaten. Still hungry he must eat the
rejects, the carrot and nuts, but finds them to his liking, even
though they are not topped with honey.
This is an easily absorbed story of cooking cakes, of the process
involved, of the etiquette of cooking and eating what has been
cooked, of waiting your turn, and of the idea that vegetables and
nuts can be as good as cake.
Fun filled illustrations will drag the readers' eyes along the
pages, following the antics of the black faced sheep and Douglas.
Fran Knight
The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge
Macmillan, 2015. ISBN 9781447264101
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. Mystery. Lies. Truth. Fantasy. Costa
Book Award for Children's Book (2015), Carnegie Medal Nominee
(2016), Costa Book of the Year (2015), YA Book Prize Nominee (2016).
When Faith's father is found dead at the bottom of a cliff, she is
determined to find out what has happened to him. Her mother and
uncle drag his body into the orchard, and Faith refuses to believe
that he has committed suicide. She reads his journals and finds
references to the Lie Tree that he has hidden in a cave, a tree that
feeds off lies and reveals hidden truths when lies are fed to it.
She begins to spread lies across the island and the truth begins to
appear.
Dark and demanding, this is not a book that can be read in one
sitting. Rather, it is one to savour over a period of time, think
about and return to when ideas have begun to meld into
understanding. Perhaps one of the most interesting themes of the
book is its well-researched background about Victorian science and
the gathering of fossils, the role of women in Victorian times and
Victorian funeral customs, including taking photos of the dead. The
reader is drawn into the lives of Faith and her mother, both
constrained by attitudes to women of the time. Faith desperately
wants to study natural science and to be recognised by her father,
but that is not something that is acceptable for girls living in
that time, while her mother is forced to act as the helpless lady,
needing a man's protection, to get any stability for her family. The
final chapter is a wonderful summary of the difficulties that Faith
will face, but the effect that her efforts could have on 'some later
girl'.
The idea of a Lie Tree is a compelling one, and the reader is
dragged along into the consequences and nastiness that result from
the lies that Faith feeds the tree in her efforts to find who has
murdered her father. She not only lies, but attempts to
scientifically and rationally analyse the physical and dream
evidence that she finds in order to work out the mystery. She is
helped along by Clay, whose photography skills not only let the
reader know about funeral customs, but also help to uncover the
truth.
Hardinge has an original voice and mature and intelligent readers
will find much to savour in The lie tree.
Pat Pledger
Max by Sarah Cohen-Scali
Text, 2016. ISBN 9781922182852
(Age: 16+) Recommended. This book, first published in France, has
won awards in Europe. It is well researched and covers a period in
history marked with cruelty and evil.
Max is a product of the 'Lebensborn' (Fountains of Youth) program.
This program was designed to produce perfect blonde, blue-eyed
members of the Aryan race to regenerate the Reich. His story spans
the years 1936 to 1945 and begins with Max in utero.
Max brings to life the ideals, thoughts and motivations of the
Hitler Youth. He explains the atrocities and evil practices with a
complacency and coldness that is at once confronting, brutal and
illuminating.
At regular intervals the author calls to the attention of the reader
the age of the narrator (foetus, 3 months old, or one year old).
This at times interferes with the flow of the reading, jarring the
reader, as the writing is infused with well researched historical
information and adult perspectives.
The book is confronting as it portrays the complacency of some
caught up in the holocaust, their moral choices and the battle waged
by good over evil. The themes of friendship and identity are
explored through the unlikely relationship that develops between Max
and Lukas (a Polish boy). There is an adult insight into the moral
dilemmas faced by everyday people as they grappled with a situation
that was tumbling out of their control. There is a poignant section
at the end of the book where Max is oblivious to an opportunity for
love and redemption that will have adults reaching for the tissues.
Linda Guthrie
A Lottie Lipton adventure: The scroll of Alexandria by Dan Metcalf
Bloomsbury, 2016. ISBN 9781472911872
(Age: 7+) Highly recommended. If you are looking for a new series to
engage newly independent readers, you need look no further!
Imagine living in a museum full of rare and wonderful objects.
Lottie Lipton, nine years old, lives in the British Museum with her
Great Uncle Bert and absolutely adores the Great Library with its
vast collection of rare and valuable books. Rapacious Sir Trevelyan
Taylor, the new Head Curator of the museum, has other views and sees
the disposal of the books as a prime money raiser, claiming that
books have no place in a museum and no regard for the Royal
Appointment that placed them there by King George - which came with
unbreakable instructions that the collection must not be split.
But if Lottie and Great Uncle Bert can find the last remaining
scroll of the ancient library of Alexandria, which would definitely
constitute a museum artefact then the nasty Sir Trev's plot will be
well and truly foiled.
Young readers will love helping Lottie with her puzzle and decoding
secret messages as this determined girl follows the clues to find
the missing scroll. Her fellow investigators, Great Uncle Bert and
Reg the caretaker are fun characters adding humour to the story. A
glossary of more difficult words is included at the end of the book
along with a couple of additional brainteasers to solve.
Look for at least three more titles forthcoming in this terrific
interactive series. Highly recommended for readers from around 7
years up.
Sue Warren
Hello, goodbye and everything in between by Jennifer E. Smith
Headline 2016. ISBN 9781472235565
(Age: 12+) Recommended. If, like me, you have often struggled to
find a romance for tweens without graphic or inappropriate content,
this is one to put on your list.
From the author of The statistical probability of love at first
sight and The geography of you and me this is the
thoroughly enjoyable story of Clare and Aidan and a list. These two
seniors have been an item for the final years of high school and
along with their best friends, Stella and Scotty, are about to
embark on the thrilling but anxiety-making adventure of college.
The conflict lies in the fact that these two are bound for colleges
on opposite sides of the country and their last night is one of very
mixed emotions. Clare has made a list (that's something she is very
good at) and the pair re-visit their favourite haunts, the scenes of
firsts, catch up with their friends and toss the problem of whether
to break up or not, back and forth. The very thought of being apart
after their two years of being virtually inseparable is completely
distressing for both and they postulate on whether it might be less
painful to break up rather than let the relationship die away from
long distance constraints.
Along with their own personal dilemma the night holds many other
complications as tensions run high while they hang out with each
other and others. Of all the events that impact on the pair probably
the most confounding is that Stella and Scotty who have sniped at
each other incessantly since kindergarten have suddenly become a
couple. And it is this that influences their respective thoughts as
much as anything else.
All in all this is a really engaging novel with very likeable
characters for which the reader can really care. One cannot help but
wish them the happiest of endings as they are such funny and
endearing people. Recommended for your romantically inclined readers
from around 12 years up.
Sue Warren
I just couldn't wait to meet you by Kate Ritchie
Ill. by Hannah Sommerville. Random House Australia, 2016. ISBN
9780857989703
(Ages: 3-7) Family. Babies. Love. Kate Ritchie, of 'Home and away'
fame, began work on this as a letter to her infant daughter. It
talks directly to the reader, reminiscing on what it was like
waiting for her baby to be born ('Would you grow up big and strong?
What would be your favourite toy?') before reflecting on life with
her baby ('and although you challenge me, I know we will be okay').
The sex of the baby, through the use of neutral colours and careful
wording, is unidentified. This means that all young children will be
able to relate to the baby in the story.
The text rhymes and flows quite well. The verse only occasionally
seems clunky - particularly the last page ('I am so lucky that I met
you. I just couldn't wait to meet you!'), or not reflective of how a
parent actually speaks to a child ('Each day my glad heart sings').
Otherwise, it is tender, reassuring and well phrased ('So
I'll be here to watch you grow, and guide you on your way').
Hannah Sommerville has done a wonderful job illustrating this with
warm, earthy tones and rounded, comforting lines that add to the
welcoming, caring feel of the story. The front endpapers have
illustrations of things that might be stuck in a baby scrapbook:
ultrasound photos, lists of names, baby shower invitations and belly
photographs and the back endpapers show artefacts and photographs of
the new baby's milestones: first smile, footprint, lock of hair,
first painting, etc. These will provide talking points for parents
and children as they discuss these things within their own family
context (What would I have been called if I was a boy/girl? When did
I first smile?). It might even prompt the pulling out of their baby
book or photo album.
This book, to be shared between parents and children, could be used
to reinforce how special and loved a child is, particularly if a new
sibling has or is joining the family. It will also be reassuring and
touching for new parents and seems to be written as much for them as
for children.
Nicole Nelson
