Bloomsbury, 2015. ISBN 9781408857007
(Age: 5+) Recommended. Stereotypes, Being yourself. A gloriously
energetic story deriding stereotyping of a young girl who knows she
is a girl and is proud of it, but demands to be different. The
phrase, 'I'm a girl!' appears every second double page as she rails
against people thinking her a boy because of what she wears or does.
Readers will love saying the phrase as it comes up, yelling it out
when the font size becomes more strident. Although she's supposed to
be nice, all sugar and spice, the illustrations show that she is
messy, active and out there. Readers will laugh out loud at the
illustrations showing her to be the opposite of what girls are
supposed to be. She's fast and brave and spontaneous, but when the
librarian offers her a nice boy's book about boats, she yells 'I'm a
girl!', or when she plays with the others and prefers a car to a
doll, and told again that girls like dolls, or boys like cars, then
the refrain screams out of the page, 'I'm a girl!'. A fun look at
stereotyping which readers will adore, the illustrations will
intrigue the readers as they follow the girl's adventures in trying
different things meant to be for boys, and when she finds a like
minded boy at the end, the theme is doubly cemented in the readers'
minds.
A book to read out loud, with children joining in, a book to be
discussed and read again in classrooms and at home.
Fran Knight
Sofia Martinez : My Family Adventure by Jacqueline Jules
Ill. by Kim Smith. Picture Window Books, 2015. ISBN: 9781479557905
(Ages: 5-7) For schools teaching Spanish as a second language, Sofia
Martinez and her family will be a great resource as the two
languages are seamlessly combined in the stories which focus on
family life in the Martinez house. The pink writing for the Spanish
may have some boys cringing but it also indicates they are special
and can be found in the glossary.
In the first episode Sofia decides that she and her sisters all look
alike. With school photos coming up she decides to make sure she
stands out in the crowd by borrowing her cousin's hair bow.
In the next episode Sofia decides to make a pinata for Abuela's
birthday. Unfortunately just as she and her cousins are preparing to
make the paste, Hector drops the bag of flour which lands on the
cat. In the chaos that follows, and after cleaning up the mess, it
takes some convincing for Tia Carmen to allow them to complete the
project.
An escaping class pet, a white mouse, causes Sofia to have some
anxious moments as she tries to recapture it before Albert finishes
his piano lesson.
The colourful illustrations, larger well-spaced font and of course
the pink Spanish words and phrases make the text easy to read. The
creativity and thoughtfulness Sofia displays as she interacts with
her extended family is engaging. Even if Spanish isn't a focus
language the exposure to it and the opportunity to predict what
Sofia might be saying is a valuable activity in itself for young
readers.
Sue Keane
The football's revolt by Jan Le Witt and George Him
Bloomsbury, 2015. ISBN 9781851778478
(Age: 7+) Highly recommended. Football. Soccer. Community. The
design duo, Jan de Witt and George Him arrived in London from Poland
in 1937, and here they wrote and illustrated this children's book,
while working for the Victoria and Albert Museum, and designing
posters and advertising material for Guinness and the Festival of
Britain. The Victoria and Albert Museum has recently republished a
number of books first appearing in the 1940's which testify to the
timeless appeal of good, well illustrated books.
In this, the football is sick of being pounded by the teams at
Kickford and Goalbridge, time honoured rivals. Every year it is the
same match: both towns vie for the win with each community filling
the stadium in support of their home team. After one particularly
vicious kick, the ball decides to stay in the air with hilarious
results. The communities try a variety of ways of bringing the ball
back to earth but with varying results until a solution is found by
the youngest members of the towns.
This lovely edition reveals the wonderful illustrations of the first
edition in 1939, with its reduced palette of colours, its stylised
representations of people and backgrounds, its very funny look at
the crowds of football fans. The footballers are shown in their
acrobatic glory while the fireman teeters on the end of the ladder
trying to retrieve the ball. The story and illustrations will cause
readers to laugh out loud at the antics of the townsfolk and the
football.
Others published by the V and A are included on the back cover, and
deserve a new outing as does this. The story is timeless, the
illustrations redolent of the times but still fresh and insightful.
This book is lovely to hold with its dust cover and heavier paper
inside the hardback edition, reprising the sorts of books that
children in the 1940's valued.
Fran Knight
Ten little dinosaurs by Mike Brownlow and Simon Rickerty
Orchard Books, 2015. ISBN 9781408334003
(Ages 2-5) Recommended. From the creators of Ten little pirates
comes this noisy rhyming story perfect for sharing with
dinosaur-loving young children. Following the classic countdown
formula - 'ten little dinosaurs, walking in a line. 'Stomp!' goes
Diplodocus. Now there are . . . nine' - the story follows the dinosaurs as
they set off to explore the world while mummy is sleeping.
Predictably, they run into all sorts of trouble, including hungry
meat-eating plants, bubbling springs and a charging triceratops. At
each turn, they lose another member of their travelling party. Sure
to please the young reader is the illustration of the dinosaurs
trying to dodge the poo piles of the Stegosaurus! It is a happy
conclusion when mum turns up to save the last little dinosaur and
all the others too. Bright and bold computer-generated graphics give
the book a video-game look and the happy dinosaurs, with their
varied colours and designs give opportunity for discussions and
activities around shape and pattern. The illustrations have oodles
of little details that will amuse and delight; there are little
creatures everywhere and multiple action points on each page.
Another focus is on sound, with noisy words enlarged and bolded.
Young children will love joining in to make the sounds; they can
roar, stomp, slurp, grrrrr, caaaaaark, splooosh, snap, swiiiiish,
and boom along with the reader. In addition to the obvious use for
developing number concept, there is so much here to explore -
fantastic for preschools and early childhood libraries and homes.
Nicole Smith-Forrest
Octonauts Creature Report by Grosset & Dunlap
Grosset & Dunlap, 2015. ISBN 9780448483542
(Ages 3-7) The popular Octonauts animated television
series follows a team of underwater adventurers who dive into the
ocean to explore marine creatures and save their environment. The
Octoauts Creature Report explores fifty different animals and
creatures, providing Octofacts, diet, habitat, features, scientific
names and a crew quote. Colourful stickers are provided in the
centre of the book that can be added to complete each creature
report.
Unusual marine animals are included, as well as the more familiar
ones. The pig-nosed fish from Hawaii the Humuhumunukunukuapua'a or
Humuhumus fish lives in the coral reefs, can swim backwards and has
eyes that move independently. There's creatures that live in the
depths of the oceans - like the blobfish whose diet is unknown and
the oarfish that can grow up to seventeen metres long. Take time to
discover all about the Snot Sea Cucumber, Wolf Eel, Cookie Cutter
Shark or the Vampire Squid! The images are screenshots of the
cartoon animals, one real photo would have made a positive addition
to each report.
This activity book is specifically designed for the young Octonaut
fan, who loves to learn simple, interesting facts about marine life.
Rhyllis Bignell
Paperweight by Meg Haston
Hot Key Books, 2015. ISBN 9781471404566
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. Eating disorders are not an easy
subject to tackle in the slightest. The psychology of them is far
more complicated than simply 'not eating', and it's a topic that's
rarely discussed seriously in teen novels.
As a beautiful and complex examination of eating disorders and the
people who suffer them, Meg Haston's Paperweight fills this
gap - and then some. The main character in Paperweight is a
seventeen-year-old girl called Stevie, who has just been sent to a
treatment centre for eating disorders 'in the middle of nowhere'
(well technically, New Mexico). However, she doesn't mean to stay
there for long - in twenty-seven days, in fact, she plans to
disappear forever. However, as Stevie starts developing connections
with the counsellors and fellow patients, she begins to reflect on
her past, and the choices that got her where she is. Paperweight is an ingenious novel that treats the complicated
topic of eating disorders in an intelligent, highly sensitive way,
and offers a fascinating glimpse into the complex worlds of anorexia
and bulimia. The author herself writes in an afterword that the
story was largely inspired by her own experiences with eating
disorders - both as a therapist and a survivor - and naturally this
lends a particular ring of truth to the novel. The characters are
developed in wonderful, subtle ways - particularly Stevie, whose
life is revealed in strategically placed flashbacks, and who stands
out as one of the most realistic teenage girls in recent fiction.
The simple and engaging writing style hooks readers from the first
page and barely lets up for almost three hundred pages. Paperweight is a brilliant, oftentimes heartbreaking novel
that brings new light to the complicated world of eating disorders
and the people who have them. Despite the heavy subject matter, it's
an enthralling read, and a very impressive debut from a talented new
author.
Rebecca Adams
The other side of the world by Stephanie Bishop
Hachette, 2015. ISBN 9780733633782
(Age: Adults) Highly recommended. Themes: Marriage; Identity; Sense
of Home, place and identity. What a beautifully rendered book,
crafted with great skill to reveal the intricacies of a relationship
and the struggles for those who feel they have lost themselves when
they lose a sense of place, or take on the role of parent and leave
behind their sense of self. This is a book for adult readers. It
explores the difficulties of maintaining a marriage as well as
self-expression in the 1960s. The author demonstrates incredible
skill - painting a picture with words that is both delightful and
achingly poignant.
The gentle reflections and struggles for the young woman in this
story are so gently shared that the story has great power in
communicating very potent emotions. The reader understands, but at
the same time is puzzled by the difficulties she faces as she
becomes a migrant to Australia, leaving behind her history and the
small things that form part of her certainties. As she struggles
with the emotional impact that this dislocation has introduced into
her life, she flounders in her relationship with her husband and
slowly they drift into uncertain waters.
To rediscover herself she eventually makes a very difficult
decision. All the way through the book we are able to feel her pain,
but also to wonder how she could inflict pain on her family. Her
relationship appears healthy, and yet it is still not enough. The
husband she hurts as her dissatisfaction grows is also a victim of
the loss of home and his pain and his gentleness and lack of anger
are revealed with amazing skill. Bishop's crafting of this book is
poetic and extremely potent in revealing emotional complexities.
Carolyn Hull
The silly book of weird and wacky words by Andy Seed
Ill. by Scott Garrett. Bloomsbury, 2015. ISBN 9781408853382
(Age: 8-12) Recommended. This is an amusing book that investigates
words, gibberish, jokes, riddles and more. Children are fascinated
by jokes and puns and The Silly Book of Weird and Wacky Words
has many examples.
The book starts with 'Juicy Jokes and Riddles' with wordplays such
as 'I didn't use to finish a sentence, but now I . . . '
'Bumper stickers' include 'Follow that car, Godzilla - and step on
it!' and 'Gravity gets me down'.
There are tongue twisters, spoonerisms, slang and wacky word games,
everything that you need to have fun with words.
The cover is bright and appealing and Scott Garrett's illustrations
complement the text. He uses a variety of fonts, drawings,
decorative backgrounds and borders to make the text look even more
appealing.
Andy Seed has written a collection of facts and jokes in The
Silly Book of Side-Splitting Stuff which won the 2015 Blue Peter Book
Award in England.
I recommend this book for primary school libraries and it will
appeal to 8 to 12 year olds and adults who are young at heart!
Jane Moore
The Serpent Papers by Jessica Cornwell
Quercus, 2015. ISBN 9781848666733
(Age: 16+) In 2003, three women are brutally murdered in Barcelona.
And then, a famous Catalan actress is found dead, sparking the
interest of the nation. But before the police can piece together the
baffling clues, the killer vanishes without a trace. Ten years
later, Anna Verco, book hunter extraordinaire, discovers ancient
letters that could help solve the case. However, she is focused on
something else: a mysterious, centuries-old text known only as the
Serpent Papers. But as the plot thickens and danger begins lurking
around every corner, will she able to solve the mystery in time?
The Serpent Papers is the first in the Nightingale trilogy,
and the debut novel by author Jessica Cornwell. As the granddaughter
of legendary crime writer John Le Carre, one might expect that this
novel treads in the same footsteps, but there is little in common
with Carre's literary classics to be found here - whether that is
good or bad can be left up to the reader.
There are many good things about The Serpent Papers - it has
an intriguing setting and some excellent world building through the
use of (presumably) fabricated poetry and old texts, which adds a
sense of realism that helps ground the more fantastical aspects of
the novel.
However, the main issue is that this book is often simply too
complicated for its own good. There are too many characters to keep
track of and occasionally it's hard to figure out exactly what's
happening, simply because the writing style can be quite vague. It
jumps around to different settings and time periods, and in the end
there are a few too many plot twists and subplots introduced, to the
point where it can be downright confusing. This is unfortunate as
the novel is frequently excellent, but gradually becomes a struggle
to get through.
Ultimately, The Serpent Papers is an impressive, yet
inconsistent debut from a promising new author. Readers beware,
however - it's not for the light-hearted (or the light reader).
Rebecca Adams (university student)
The royal wedding crashers by Clementine Beauvais
Ill. by Becka Moor. Bloomsbury, 2015. ISBN 9781408855447
(Age: 10-12) This novel follows the book The royal babysitters
and includes the characters Anna, Holly and Prince Pepino. In this
crazy, zany book the three children travel to Francia to help
prepare for a very unusual wedding, the wedding of the beautiful
Princess Violette.
They are sent on several secret errands by the wedding planner,
Mademoiselle Malypense to gather a wedding dress, cake and bouquet.
But all is not as it seems.
Why are they gathering wedding items from the strangest of places
and what are Mademoiselle Malypense's real intentions?
This book is crammed with cleverly made up names that are easily
deciphered such as Francia (France) or Britland (British, England).
My favourite is 'King Alaspooryorick of Daneland'. Throw in police
who ride around on rhinos and roosters pulling royal carriages and
you have an understanding of the bizarre aspects of this book.
Becka Moor's illustrations add to the fun and frivolity of the
story.
This a funny tale for 10 to 12 year old students, especially those
who enjoy books such as the Mr. Gum stories by Andy Stanton.
Jane Moore
Space Jackers: The lost sword by Huw Powell
Space Jackers bk 2. Bloomsbury, 2015. ISBN 9781408847589
(Age: 9-12) Recommended. Science Fiction. Space Adventure.
Pirates, Aliens. Huw Powell's second Space Jackers novel
sets young Jake Cutler and the crew of the Dark Horse, a
rusty old space freighter hurtling into deep space, battling space
pirates, asteroid showers whilst avoiding the Interstellar Navy.
Jake is the secret ruler of Altus and the navy is in desperate need
of the planet's fortune in crystals. His quest is to find the
missing sword and crown of Altus to prove he is the rightful ruler
and to prevent the crystals being stolen.
With Granny Leatherhead as captain and a ship in need of urgent
repair, they stop at the Shan-Ti monastery in the fourth solar
system. Callidus and Capio leave to find assistance from a retired
navy officer and Jake, Manik and Scargus hurriedly work on the
repairs. A galactic war is imminent as the navy gathers force and
seeks an alliance with the Gorks.
Papa Don leader of the space mafia is an indomitable enemy and
current owner of the Soerd of Altus. After a deadly game of Reus
Roulette, Granny, Jake and the crew are captured and held in prison.
Daring Kay, the Dark Wind's young space pirate captain
assists in their daring escape. As the Dark Horse leaves the
illegal spaceport, they are attacked by a Gork ship, and Jake's
laser cannon overheats and the rest of the crew save the day.
Huw Powell's fast-paced space novel is packed full of determined
pirates, greedy enemies and supportive friends. The lost sword
provides all the action, battle scenes, technology and sci-fi
settings that Huw Powell's fans love. Where will the final novel The
Pirate King take us, and how will Jake Culter save the day?
Rhyllis Bignell
Honor Girl a Graphic Memoir by Maggie Thrash
Candlewick Press, 2015. ISBN 9780763673826
(Age: Yr 8-Yr 10) Themes: Same-sex relationships, love, friendship,
loyalty, self-confidence, resilience, teenage girls. On the surface
this beautifully produced graphic account of the author at 15
experiencing first love at an all-girl Kentucky Christian summer
camp seems very American and irrelevant, including the Honor Girl
award of the title, not to mention the National Rifle Association's
sponsoring of the award for the best shooter. However the immediacy
of the graphics soon draws the reader in and the dialogue
perceptively immerses us in the universally recognisable lives of
these teens. The camp environment throws into stark relief themes of
petty jealousies, loyal friends, personal challenges, teasing,
keeping and losing reputations and of course obsessions with boys.
The camp is a hot bed of rumour and gossip so when Maggie finds
herself attracted to Erin, one of the older counsellors, who also
seems attracted, her life becomes fraught with anxiety. She finds it
difficult to confide in best friend Shannon but discovers unexpected
support from Bethany who guesses her secret. When the head
counsellor finds out Maggie is told not to speak to Erin and to go
back to doing what she was doing before.
'What was I doing before? . . . floating along? Maybe I was better
off that way because what's ironic is that being in love doesn't
actually make you happy. It makes it impossible to be happy. You're
carrying this desire now. Maybe if you knew where it came from you
could put it back. But you don't. ' p174.
Maggie Thrash is a staff writer for Rookie online magazine for
teens and this is her first book. She seems to reach her target
audience effortlessly and the watercolour drawings have a freshness
that epitomises the innocence and freedom of these girls at summer
camp. The text is clear and very legible, I sometimes found it hard
to distinguish between some minor characters but I am sure that the
year 8 to 10 girls it is written for won't have a problem.
Sue Speck
The truth according to us by Annie Barrows
Bantam, 2015. ISBN 9780857987945
(Age: Adult - Senior secondary) Highly recommended. Layla Beck, the
daughter of a US senator, is sent to the small town of Macedonia,
West Virginia as part of the Federal Writers' Project to author a
history of the town. It is 1938 and Layla is convinced that she will
be bored by small town life. Used to an idle life of luxury, Layla
stays in a house with the Romeyn family, and she is the spark that
brings to light many of the secrets that the Romeyn's harbour.
Meanwhile the curiosity of 12 year old Willa Romeyn about her
charismatic father, Felix and what his business entails, and her
thoughts about why her aunt Jottie remains unmarried, will also
transform the Romeyn's world.
Co-author of the very popular, The Guernsey Literary and Potato
Peel Pie Society, Annie Barrows does not disappoint in this
almost 500 page story that is very difficult to put down. Right from
the first chapter, the reader is drawn into the complex life of the
Romeyns and the life of Layla Beck who gradually discovers that she
does like researching and writing. The occasional use of letters
from Layla to her friends gives an intimate and often funny look
into the life of the townspeople and allows the reader to get to
know Layla as well.
Each of the central characters is deftly drawn with skilled detail
and even the minor townspeople come alive in this sweeping tale of
southern life. There are eccentrics and wonderful people all
portrayed with a deft hand. The reader is swept along by the lives
of the people in Macedonia, especially hoping that Layla will not be
taken in by the charm of Felix, all the time wondering just what he
does for a living, as Willa carefully follows him to try and find
out more about him. There is a mystery surrounding the burning of
the family mill and the death of Vause, whom Jottie had loved, and
this thread keeps the reader in suspense until the final chapters.
This is a funny, quirky book with endearing characters that would
allow for much discussion about the Depression, the real Federal
Writers' Project, the secrets that are kept in families and the
power of familial love.
Pat Pledger
My big fat zombie goldfish: Jurassic carp by Mo O'Hara
Macmillan Children's Books, 2015. ISBN 9781447263838
(Age: 9+) Highly recommended. I love that there are so many books to
encourage reluctant boys to read. My big fat zombie goldfish is
one of them. In this novel, readers will find two short stories
about Tom and his pet zombie fish, Frankie.
The first story sees Tom on an excursion to a medieval fair. The fun
part is they get to dress up. The not so fun part is Tom's older
brother - who is a bit evil - gets to dress up as royalty and boss
Tom around. Tom takes Frankie everywhere and he is at the fair too.
It seems this zombie fish has the ability to feel when evil is
around. Who is this knight called Night? And why do Frankie's eyes
glow in his presence?
In the second story, a fossilised fish is found under the school. Of
course, Frankie comes to school with Tom and his eyes start to glow.
Why are they glowing in the presence of the scientist studying the
fish discovery? My big fat zombie goldfish is a fun read and uses quick
moving, descriptive text and cartoon style images to engage readers.
Readers will wish for their own pet zombie fish as they follow Tom,
his best mate, Pradeep, and Frankie the zombie gold fish.
Kylie Kempster
Rafe's Aussie Adventure by James Patterson and Martin Chatterton
Random House, 2015. ISBN 9780857986016
(Age: Yr 4+) Rafe Katchadorian is back in another hilarious adventure
as he negotiates his way through middle school, those tricky years
when boys are more than children but not yet men. As well as dealing
with emerging independence, puberty, and the weird world of girls
there is still the trials and tribulations of school to get through.
And if you have been tagged a troublemaker, shipped off to the Rocky
Mountains for a total attitude realignment and threatened with a
host of dire consequences if you don't conform when you're accepted
back into your school, then you're Rafe Katchadorian or his twin!
This latest adventure has Rafe recounting his Australian saga, a
journey that begins when local Mayor Coogan returns from a trip to
Shark Bay, north of Sydney, to announce that Hills Valley Middle
School has twinned with Shark Bay and there is to be a three-week,
all-expenses-paid trip to Shark Bay for the winner of his art
contest. Having a talent for drawing and dreaming, Rafe wins the
contest and is on his way. But it's not a dream-driven holiday
soaking up sun, sand and surf Rafe encounters many obstacles that
he has to overcome, not the least of which is his own fear. Bullied
by the Coogan twins with whom he and his mum stay because they are
the mayor's nephews, Rafe seeks solace with Ellie and The Outsiders
who are a group of misfits with whom he feels he has more in common.
But being Rafe there are soon plans afoot that will either make him
a hero or forever living the label the adults have tagged him with.
As much as Rafe learns about Australia, he learns much more about
himself with a heart-warming finale that just might set him on his
life path.
Once again Patterson has nailed the characters, bringing out their
inner core that is hidden behind the tough facade and speaking
directly to his intended audience. They relate to Rafe, see
themselves in him, gain confidence that their insecurities are not
unique and keep coming back for more. Lavishly illustrated with a
mixture of quirky, funny and serious graphics there is not an
overwhelming amount of text so that 272 pages seems daunting. If
your Year 4+ boys haven't been introduced to Rafe yet, then it's
time they were.
Barbara Braxton
