The Marsh Road Mysteries bk 3. Bloomsbury, 2016. ISBN
9781408852736
(Age: 9+) Recommended. Themes: Mystery; Adventure; Industrial
espionage. The Marsh Road Mysteries revolve around a group
of English friends who seem to keep finding mysteries that need
their combined talents to help solve the problems that adults are
incapable of unravelling. In this adventure, Flora and Sylvie, who
are twins with very different personality traits, attempt to rescue
their father from disaster when his business becomes the target of
intellectual theft and industrial espionage. The consequences will
be catastrophic for his business prospects and he is at risk of
losing everything. The twin's parents are separated and the girl's
father has a new girlfriend who has not yet won Sylvie's affection.
She too becomes embroiled in the mystery. Is she the thief? The
twins' other friends assist them to outwit the bumbling Personal
Investigator that has been hired by the business, and together they
use their talents to piece the puzzle together.
This is a crime mystery for young readers and will satisfy the needs
of those young readers who like mystery and intrigue. The child
characters use their talents and brain power, and young readers will
enjoy the way they problem solve (and bend the rules) to enable them
to pursue their investigations. Caldecott manages to write in such a
way that a young reader will not feel patronised. Perfect for a
school library collection, it can be recommended to young capable
readers and older readers who like an intriguing tale.
Carolyn Hull
Get in trouble by Kelly Link
Text, 2015. ISBN 9781922182630
(Age: 16+) Recommended. Short stories. 'Be bold, be bold. But not
too bold - lest that your heart's blood should run cold.'
This book is an Indies Choice Book of the Year Finalist for 2016.
You will need to be bold to encounter the nine short stories
included here for the reader to enjoy. The writing is captivating
and the stories are weird, engrossing, surprising and at times
alarming or disturbing.
These stories encompass a range of characters that include: a young
girl, a middle-aged movie star, a spoiled birthday girl, astronauts,
evil twins, bootleggers, The Wizard of Oz and superheroes.
Some of the stories require the reader to really slow down and
collect all the clues in the writing for there to be real
understanding and appreciation of the intricacies in the telling.
The stories unfold in a dreamlike stream of consciousness where the
connections seem logical in that space and time but, at the end of
the story, the reader marvels at the creativity and imagination that
created the journey to an unexpected destination. The Summer People is a compelling first story in this
collection. It has teenage Fran caring for the 'summer people'.
These people are holiday makers that visit for the summer. There are
also 'summer people' to look after and they are always at home. This
story is a cautionary tale of the dangers of making agreements with
fairies.
While these are short stories, they are for sophisticated readers
able to suspend belief and enjoy the ride.
Linda Guthrie
My family is a zoo by K A Gerard
Ill. by Emma Dodd. Bloomsbury, 2016. ISBN 9781408869406
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Humour. Zoos. Families. Birth. Verse. The
family is going on a journey. Dad's elephant is packed into the car,
after all he has had him since he was three, then the story teller's
big brown bear, sister's whale, and big brother's dinosaur. Each
person gets into the car with their animal, and the reader will read
the story told in a four line stanza telling of the new arrival in
the car. By now the readers will be intrigued about just how these
people and their animals are fitting into the car, and the humorous
illustrations by Emma Dodd, show the car getting very full. A
seemingly few simple strokes of her pen give priceless expressions
on each of the family members as well as the animals, as they stop
again for uncle and his penguin, the cousin and her kangaroo, aunt
and her monkey. Adding a dog and his pet as well as a pair of polar
bears means the car is absolutely stuffed full. There is truly not
enough room for a pin. But the surprise ending means room will have
to be found for the extra passengers.
Young readers will love reading this out loud, looking at the bright
breezy illustrations, working out just where everyone will fit in
the station wagon, and be amazed at the surprise at the end.
Discussion will follow about zoos and the animals that are there,
why the family owns all these animals, if indeed they are real
animals, and where to go to from here with their extra luggage.
A great way to talk about happy involved families, owning a pet and
the responsibilities involved, and the introduction of a new sibling
or two to an already full family.
Fran Knight
Pugly bakes a cake by Pamela Butchart
Ill. by Gemma Correll. Nosy Crow, 2016. ISBN 9780857635990
(Age: Yr 1 - Yr 4) I guess we all know that pugs are pretty cute
(and pretty fashionable) right now. If I hadn't got a toy poodle
myself I probably would have got a pug - although my eccentric
teaching colleague who had a wardrobe of outfits for hers and
attended all the 'pug parties' in Brisbane at one time did kind of
put me off a little.
Moving right along, newly independent readers are going to love this
book. It's a HOOT! Last night I read this aloud straight through to
The Divine Miss M who is having a sleepover and she thought it was
great! She was able to predict and infer as I read which was pretty
impressive as well.
Pugly and his rival Clem (Clementine) the cat are rivals for the
undivided attention of their owner Maddy who is eight years old.
Being a pug (no offence to pug owners), Pugly is not the sharpest
knife in the drawer and Clem can very easily put it over him.
Especially as Pugly's only ally is Clive the fish - and Pugly
doesn't speak or understand fish-bubble. Inspired Pugly decides he
is going to the first dog to ever bake a cake and thus win paws down
'The Great British Bake Off', be on TV and meet the Queen (as you do
when you're famous). This plan will seal his status as Maddy's
favourite pet he is sure. However, with Clem 'advising' him chaos
reigns in the kitchen and elsewhere, as Pugly heeds all Clem's
ideas, goes mental at the Evil Squirrel outside on the fence and
more.
This is a laugh a minute book and not only proved a terrific read
aloud (took about half an hour or so) but perfect for those readers
beginning their individual reading journeys. Lots of capitalised
words and extra large fonts give them the opportunity to incorporate
tone and expression into reading as well. Get onto this one - it
will be a great favourite with Year 1 to around Year 4 for sure!
Sue Warren
The Trap by Melanie Raabe
Trans. by Imogen Taylor. Text, 2016. ISBN 9781925240870
(Age: Secondary+) Melanie Raabe is a young German writer of
screenplays, scripts and blogs. This, her first novel, is a thriller
for which the film rights have already been secured. The main
character, Linda, is a successful author who has lived in seclusion
since the murder of her sister Anna. Linda found her sister's body
and details of the scene are unforgettable, the sight of her
sister's bleeding body, the sound of the Beatle's song 'Love me do'
repeating incessantly on the CD player and most significantly, the
glimpse she has of the killer fleeing from the room. The police at
the time were sceptical at best and disbelieving at worse about her
evidence. Unable to face the world she writes and remembers and is
alienated from even her parents, until she sees again the face of
the murderer on television. He is a well-respected journalist and
Linda recoils from approaching the police. She feels they would be
unlikely to believe her, and an interrogation would alert him to
suspicion. She decides to find proof herself.
She writes a book, a thriller, in which the victim and the murder
parallel her sister's murder. She undergoes desensitisation training
to help her face her fears. She consults an expert on interrogation
techniques. She wires her house with cameras and recording systems.
She invites the news outlet that employs her suspect, Lenzen, to
send him to interview her. She chooses a day when her staff are not
at work and has a caterer provide food. The interview begins; Lenzen
is an attractive and clever man, who she senses is aware of her
suspicions. She gains the upper hand, she thinks, after a number of
mind games and tries to force a confession by pointing a gun at him.
However, she thinks she can hear the Beatles song 'Love me do'
repeating and becomes confused. Is she going mad? Lenzen protests
his innocence and takes the gun. He persuades her that she was the
killer herself, and that was what the police had always suspected.
Linda remembers childhood antagonisms and interprets her parents'
cool behaviour as being based on suspicion. She has always been a
story teller; has she invented her sighting of the murderer to
provide herself with a cover? Lenzen seems to be off the hook until
Linda has a chance meeting which causes her to again reassess, and
to take further risky action which leads to a resolution and a
life-affirming renewal.
The novel is tightly and simply written with believable characters,
though slightly drawn, and a suspenseful and unpredictable plot.
Though a thriller the story concerns the psychological reactions to
events rather than the violence of events and so has more depth than
many crime novels. It is suitable for secondary readers.
Jenny Hamilton
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Six of Crows bk 1. Henry Holt, 2015. ISBN 9781627792127
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Fantasy. Heists. Goodreads Choice
Award Nominee for Young Adult Fantasy and Science Fiction (2015),
YALSA's Best Books for Young Adults (2016). Kaz Brekker has been
offered the chance to pull off the heist of a life time and he
gathers around him five dangerous specialists, most from the Dregs,
thieves of Kerch's underworld. There is Inej the Wraith, who can
silently scale walls, Nina the girl who has betrayed her friend
Matthias and is desperate to get him out of gaol, Jesper the gambler
who cannot resist wagers and the rich runaway Wylan who hates his
father. Led by Kaz, a superb thief and strategist, they are aiming
to invade the Ice Palace in a seemingly impossible quest.
For those who enjoyed the Grisha series, Six of crows
is the first book in another series set this time in Ketterdam,
which is in a fantasy land similar to the Netherlands. Bardugo's
world building is immaculate - her vivid descriptions make it easy
to smell and see the slums, the canals the docks and the cold lands
that the six traverse.
Then there is her outstanding character building. Each of the six
main characters, who tell their own stories in separate chapters,
have distinct voices and often heart-rending tales about their
backgrounds that gradually emerge as the story unfolds. They are all
compelling people with separate skills and together they must begin
to trust each other and form an effective team to get the job done.
There are subtle hints of romance, but this is not what stands out,
rather the complexity of the personalities and their pasts is what
holds the reader's interest.
Fans of Leigh Bardugo will really enjoy this, but readers new to
this author and indeed, the fantasy genre, will find a fascinating
world, irresistible action and feisty characters to entertain them.
Pat Pledger
Secret Tree Fort by Brianne Farley
Walker Books, 2016. ISBN 9781406367232
(Age: 5+) Recommended for a library collection. Themes: Sisters;
Imagination; Reconciliation. Two sisters need to go outside. One, a
book-loving reader, settles under a tree with her book. The other
wants her sister to play with her. The ignored sister creates an
imaginary Secret Fort to entice her sister to join her and play. The
developing imagined detail is peculiar and grows with features as
her imagination explores the ways to connect with her sister.
However an argument bubbles to the surface. Eventually there
is a compromise to explore Fort-building together and this draws the
two sisters into a closer connection. This reconciliation after
conflict makes this a useful book to discuss differences and solving
problems. The illustrations are simple in style, but there is
sufficient detail to engage a younger reader.
Although the book incorporates colourful detail, the tonal quality
is somewhat muted.
Carolyn Hull
At the edge of the orchard by Tracy Chevalier
HarperCollins, 2016. ISBN 9780008135294
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. Pioneer life in the US. Farmers.
Apple growing. Family life. It is 1838. Deep in the Black Swamp of
Ohio, James and Sadie Goodenough try to scrabble out a living,
cutting down trees and attempting to grow the 50 apple trees that
they need to claim their holding. James loves the apples, especially
the sweet apple brought from his home in Connecticut, but Sadie is
addicted to the applejack they make. Robert one of their sons, loves
the apples too and watches out for his overworked sister, Martha.
When disaster strikes, Robert leaves the farm and roams across the
country, working on ranches and trying his hand at gold mining in
California. When he meets William Lobb, a naturalist who collects
seeds, he begins to work for him, but when his past catches up with
him, he has to decide whether he will continue on his solitary way
or make a home.
This a stunning book, meticulously researched, and the background of
apple growing and the appearance of the folk hero Johnny Appleseed
is fascinating. Pioneer life is described in all its brutality, the
loneliness, isolation, back breaking work, infant mortality and
alcohol addiction running counter with the family dramas as James
and Sadie battle it out about whether the apple trees should be
'eaters' or 'spitters' to make applejack. The hardships that the
family face are overwhelming and it is easy to imagine Sadie giving
into the enticement of applejack.
Chevalier uses the different voices of her characters to tell the
story. The reader learns about James' affection for the apples, his
jealousy of Johnny Appleseed and his trust in two of his children,
Robert and Martha. Sadie's narrative is less educated and more
strident, and it is easy to see the lonely, difficult woman in her
words. When Robert strikes out alone, it is his yearly letters to
his family that bring alive his character and his narratives are so
striking giving the reader information about the settlement of the
US, the gold rushes and the fever that overtook the miners, and the
hardship that women faced. The descriptions of the redwood and giant
sequoia groves, the efforts of William Lobb to collect saplings and
seeds to send back to England and the growing effect of tourism are
rivetting. Martha's letters are heart rending and really make a huge
impact about the reality of frontier life for young girls and women.
Notes are at the back of the book about the research Chevalier
carried out and add to the reader's knowledge of some of the real
life characters, Johnny Appleseed, William Lobb and others.
This book was a joy to read - the prose was vivid, the history
fascinating and the family dynamics engrossing.
Pat Pledger
Milo: A moving story by Tohby Riddle
Allen and Unwin, 2016. ISBN 9781760111632
(Age: 6+) Recommended. Friendship. Forgiveness. Tohby Riddle has
created a visually interesting tale of friendship with quirky
twists. The central character, Milo, is a dog with a couple of
friends (with odd names!) A simple falling-out of friendship and an
unusual storm event puts Milo into a position of danger. He
eventually is able to return to offer an apology.
The illustrations within Riddle's book are muted in tone, but full
of detail so are worth inspecting more closely. Young children may
not instantly warm to the style, but an adult could spend some time
pointing out the eccentric detail. I think this book could create
discussion. The New York setting and references plus illustrations
of other famous locales may lead to an exploration beyond the plot
for older readers (or the adults who read it to the younger
generation).
Carolyn Hull
Pig the winner by Aaron Blabey
Scholastic, 2016. ISBN 9781760154288
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Cheating, Winning, Good sportsmanship.
Pig the pug loves to win. But he will do anything to come first, as
Trevor finds out. If he doesn't win by putting his foot out to trip
Trevor in a race, then he throws a tantrum so fierce that Trevor
gives in telling him he has won. The long suffering Trevor can only
look on as Pig goes to great lengths to overcome his partner, but
one fateful day, Pig suggests that they see who can eat their food
the fastest. Trevor decides that this is not for him and declines
the invitation to compete, but this does not faze Pig. He wolfs down
all the food he can find, his treats, his biscuits, his bowl of dog
food, but incredibly in his haste, he finds that he has eaten his
bowl.
Good old Trevor knows just what to do, grabbing the dog form behind
and giving him a squeeze to force the bowl out. In doing so the bowl
ricochets off the ceiling and pushes Pig into the rubbish bin. A
much embarrassed Pig then becomes a much nicer dog to be with and
plays with Trevor much more fairly, well, most of the time.
This delightful picture book, told in rhyming stanzas will be a hit
with younger children who will predict what words will come next
when it is read to them, enjoy sharing stanzas with their friends
when reading together or discuss the implications of cheating when
talking about sports. With so much press devoted to the scandals
involving today's sportsmen and women, this is a timely book to
introduce the theme with younger children at a level they can
understand and laugh about. Blabey's illustrations are always
delightful, and this book furthers the adventures of Pig the pug,
and Pig the fibber, all subtly teaching some home truths to the
readers.
Fran Knight
Big Nate blasts off by Lincoln Peirce
Harper Collins, 2016. ISBN 9780008135331
(Age: 8-13) Recommended. Themes: Bullying; Cartooning; Friendship;
Growing up; School drama; Humour. This is a book that Diary of a
Wimpy Kid devotees will also love. Big Nate is an ordinary kid
who deals with a dad who makes dreadful lunches, a fellow classmate
that intends harm, a connection with a girl that is hinting at
romance and the normal ups and downs of school life with his
friends. He shares his life with style - cartooning style! He has a
quirky view of the world that he translates into wonderfully
entertaining caricatures and cartoon strips. The big event of the
book is an Ultimate Frisbee tournament against a rival school that
needs to overcome the romance dilemmas, the bullying and detentions
in order to overturn a 37 year losing streak!
This is not the first book with Big Nate, so look for other titles
in the series, and it can be recommended for a school library
collection (even though teachers are the target of many of Nate's
jokes!) The book will not stay long on the shelves in the Library.
Recommended as a fun book for reluctant readers aged 8-13; but all
younger readers will enjoy the humour and the cartoons.
Carolyn Hull
Wonderment in death by J. D. Robb
In death bk 41.5. e-book. Piatkus, 2016. ISBN 9780751554106
(Age: Adult) Recommended. Mystery. Thriller. Novella. New York,
2061. When Darlene Fitzwilliams kills her brother and then jumps
from a tall building, it could be taken for a murder/suicide but Eve
Dallas' friends insist that Darlene would never have murdered her
brother. When Eve discovers that Darlene has been visiting psychics
and someone with a penchant for Lewis Carroll's Alice in
Wonderland has been messing with Darlene's mind, the hunt is
on for the motive and the murderer.
This is a quick read, in novella form, so there is not much
character development, but readers who are familar with Eve, Roarke,
Peabody and colleagues won't mind that as they will know and
understand very well how the main characters operate.
The plot and action however is exciting and different. Robb manages
to keep the reader in suspense for the duration of the novella, and
the references to Alice in Wonderland add a certain
whimsical touch to the plot. Eve and Peabody find clues to the type
of people that Darlene had been visiting in the months before her
death and quickly make sense of the crazy man whom she's been
visiting.
This is certainly one for fans of the series - fast paced and
engrossing - it is a very entertaining read.
Pat Pledger
Stanley by Colin Thompson
ABC Books, 2016. ISBN 9780733332852
(Age: 4+) Warmly recommended. Dogs. Prejudice. Family. Readers will
recognise their own dog from the start of this very funny tale of
not judging a book by its cover, or in this case, a dog by its
appearance. Stanley is not a star turn as dogs go, he is built as if
from old weathered bricks, but loves four things: his owner, Gerald,
his food, his bed and his red ball. Gerald takes him to the park
where he can run after his ball, but one day it is taken by another
dog, a small fluffy dog that will not let it go.
The next day, a man, his daughter and their dog appear on the
doorstep offering back the now battered red ball with a new ball as
its replacement. Coming in for a cup of tea and biscuits, friendship
blossoms between Gerald's mother and the man, and even Gerald and
his daughter, and surprisingly Stanley and the small fluffy dog.
Each dreams that night of who they have met and after many visits
and many cups of tea and biscuits, the house becomes a home for all
of them, a new family.
This is a delightful story of finding love again, of creating a home
after a period of loneliness. Small hints are given about Gerald and
his mother; there is no Dad, Mum is alone, Gerald has no brothers
and sisters. And the man and his daughter standing on their doorstep
with their dog, seems just the answer they are looking for as
relationships develop over tea and biscuits.
Thompson's illustrations are admirable, with the cheeky looks on
Stanley's face to the little hidden motifs within each picture, the
pages will attract all readers to think about what they are seeing
as they read the text. I particularly loved the thumbnail sketch of
Gerald with his paper thin frame and deep eyes, his inability to
look the girl in the eyes, reflected in the book he is reading. I
laughed out loud at many things but this took my breath away as it
described so many boys who find relationships difficult. They will
recognise themselves and see that things will get better.
Fran Knight
Book of lies by Teri Terry
Orchard, 2016. ISBN 9781408334287
(Age: 15+) Witchcraft. Truth and Lies. Supernatural/Horror.
Although the reviewers quoted on the endpapers about Terry's
writing, provide hints that this might be a dystopian narrative, it
is probably more a dark journey into the world of the supernatural.
If this was made into a film it would be scary! Terry writes in such
a way that the gentle journey into fear happens slowly, and the
ordinary although sad beginning slowly twists the reader into the
tangled web of lies. Just as a web-captured insect does not envisage
the ultimate end, the reader too is drawn into an ultimately
difficult conclusion.
The well-written and compelling story begins with the death of a
mother in horrific circumstances, and the discovery by her estranged
daughters Quinn and Piper, that they are identical twins, separated
deliberately to save them from the family secret that haunts them.
The reason for their separation is the essence of the story, and
what draws them together. But it is also what makes this a chilling
and unsettling journey into a family that has been separated by lies
and by the sinister magic of their ancestors. The core of identity
for the twins, and their ability to deceive others around them adds
to the tension of the tale, told through the individual voices of
the girls. A shared love interest adds a layer of complication as
does the setting for part of the narrative in the foreboding wild of
the Dartmoor moors. But ultimately this is a story where evil and
lies invade a family to create a sense of dread.
Recommendation only for those aged 15+ who can cope with the torment
and tension of the supernatural horror story. Well-written and
difficult to put down (even for someone who does not like this
genre!)
Carolyn Hull
Horton and the kwuggerbug and more lost stories by Dr Seuss (aka Theodor Seuss Geisel)
Harper Collins, 2016. ISBN 9780008131272
Dr Seuss. Rhyme. Originally published in magazines in 1950's
this collection of lesser known Dr Seuss stories will be enjoyed by
his fans. They contain the usual whimsy and fun, with simple rhyming
patterns, and his created words. Dr Seuss manages to hide some more
serious ideas underneath the nonsense, for those prepared to look.
This is definitely worth adding to a Seuss collection. Horton
appears and is tricked by a pesky bug; a school child explains the
reason for his late arrival at school; a policeman on the beat saves
the community from disaster and the Grinch proves that he is a
little sneaky, but a good salesman.
Carolyn Hull
