A Lottie Lipton Adventure : The Secrets of the Stone by Dan Metcalf
A & C Black, 2015. ISBN 9781472911841
(Age: 7-10) Recommended. Lottie is a brave, young would-be detective
who happens to live in the British Museum with her Uncle Bert, the
Curator of Egyptology.
Lottie has a strong sense of adventure, which comes in handy when
there is a late night break in at the museum. Clues are discovered
and Lottie, her uncle and the museum caretaker Reg, begin a night
time chase through London for information to solve the whereabouts
of Neptune's missing trident. Of course, they are not the only ones
interested in the outcome as a famous thief is on the trail as well.
This is a fun story that gives the reader chances to solve the
riddles before Lottie does on the following page.
There are lots of connections to history, starting with the Rosetta
Stone and ending with the Elgin Marbles. Children who love history
will enjoy these links and may be inquisitive enough to find out
more information.
The novel is about 75 pages long, with many black and white
illustrations. Young, confident readers will enjoy this book and
will have appeal to 7-10 year old students. I recommend this book
and will include both titles (the other Lottie Lipton title is The Curse of the Cairo Cat) in our primary school library.
Jane Moore
Dino-Daddy by Mark Sperring
Ill. by Sam Lloyd. Bloomsbury, 2015. ISBN 9781408849705
If you're looking for a rollicking good read that is lots of fun and
has wonderful illustrations, then Dino-Daddy should be high
on the list. The third in a series which includes Dino-Mummy
and Dino-Baby, Dino-Daddy is the perfect daddy
making mischief and making fun. As well as the energetic pictures,
the rhyming structure of the texts moves this along at a fast clip
that will make everyone wish for a dino-daddy. Perfect for very
young readers and those with a fascination for dinosaurs it should
be a surefire hit and a great read as part of Father's Day
celebrations.
Barbara Braxton
The fire sermon by Francesca Haig
Harper Collins, 2015. ISBN 9780007563067
(Age: 13+) In a post-apocalyptic world set hundreds of years in the
future, all births are twins, one an Omega always with a deformity,
limbless or worse, and an Alpha, a normal desirable twin. When one
twin dies the other will also die no matter the distance or
lifestyle they are leading at the time. The story starts with twins
Cassandra the Omega and Zach the Alpha. Normally separated at birth
Cassandra has hidden her ability to see into the future, creating
the two twin as outcastes by others because they can't tell who the
Alpha twin is. When they finally are split from each other Cassandra
is sent to live with other Omegas while Zach decides to work for the
Council where he starts his climb up the corporate ladder. Cassandra
is kidnapped and locked into a cell where she is interrogated on how
strong her skills really are. She finally escapes the cell only to
find a room full of tanks with Omegas suspended in a liquid. One of
the tanks holds a boy who makes eye contact with her. She rescues
Kip by breaking the tank and together they escape for a mysterious
island where Omegas are treated not like outcastes and Alphas are
desperate to find them. The power to change the world lies in both
Cass and Zach's hands but if they are not careful both will die in
the struggle for power.
Francesca Haig has built a bleak and troubled world based on fear
and prejudice. Her characters feel fear, insecurity and are not born
equipped to wage war, but when push comes to shove, and the heart is
involved heroes rise, take risks and learn to believe in the
possibility of a better world for everyone. The story is fast paced
and quite easy to follow along with. If the reader likes The
Hunger Games and The Maze Runner they will enjoy this
first book of the series.
Jody Holmes
The good girls by Sara Shepard
Hot Key Books, 2015. ISBN 9781471404320
(Age: 16+) Themes: Murder-mystery genre; Relationships; Trust;
Teen-age drama; Bullying. A coterie of 'perfect girls', while in a
Film Studies class in a Washington suburban High School, create a
list of a number of people who they believe deserve to die. When
these same people begin to be killed in exactly the circumstances
described in the 'wish list' the 'good girls' are thrust into a
psychological thriller and become afraid that they are responsible.
Trust and relationships are stretched and tortured as more of their
complex lives and affiliations are revealed to the world. With
interesting twists and boyfriend/girlfriend and other teenage issues
coming to the fore, this book feels like a novelisation of a Teenage
Chick-flick Murder-Drama or Soap Opera. The family lives of the main
characters cover an array of 21st Century dramas - loss of a
sibling, loss of a parent; same sex parents, step-parent dilemmas,
parent in jail, hoarding; and amongst the teenagers and their
classmates - suicide, bullying, sexual exploitation, psychological
abuse, competitiveness, under-age drinking and partying are also
part of the dramatic background within the narrative. When these are
listed, it becomes obvious that perhaps the author has tried too
hard to weave all of these personal trials into the one
murder-mystery. The solution to the mystery is worth waiting for!
Not great literature and not unreservedly recommended, but it will
be read by the television generation (Sara Shepard is the author of
Pretty Little Liars) and those who like the Teen
'Chick-flick-style' Murder-mystery genre - Aged 16+ .
Carolyn Hull
The marriage of opposites by Alice Hoffman
Scribner, 2015. ISBN 9781471112102
(Age: Adult/young adult) Recommended. Alice Hoffman is a highly
successful author with more than thirty works in her manifest. In The
Marriage of Opposites Hoffman paints her perspective on the
family life of Rachel Pomie and her son Camille Pissarro. Camille
Pissarro helped introduce the world to Impressionist painting and is
widely viewed, along with Claude Monet and others, as one of the
shapers of Impressionism.
Hoffman's impression of Pissarro's family focuses attention on
Pissaro's mother - her rebellious childhood, her forbidden love, two
marriages, and her life on the Island of St Thomas. However through
Hoffman's study of Rachel, the reader begins to understand the man
Camille, his journey, and what led him to become the great painter
widely recognised today as the Father of Impressionism.
Rachel Pomie began her life on the island of St Thomas. Her
grandparents had fled to the New World from France during the
Inquisition. Finally in 1754 after the King of Denmark passed an
edict allowing Jews to do business with non-Jews, Rachel's parents
arrived on the colourful Island of St Thomas, Island of Turtles. It
was here that Rachel grew up and where she married Camille's father,
Frederic. Rachel and her best friend Jestine, the daughter of her
mother's maid, roamed the jungles on the island, dreamed dreams and
watched for turtles and pelicans. Yet Rachel always longed for
Paris, the city of her ancestors. A city she had not experienced . .
. a city that seemed to elude her.
Hoffman's attention to detail is both astounding and captivating.
For readers who like to lose themselves inside the poetry of
storytelling, this novel is a must. Her prose is flecked with
folklore and colour - from the vibrant environment of St Thomas, to
the neutrals of the Paris winters. Throughout, there is the intrigue
of family secrets kept dark, rebellion against beliefs and rules
held by a small Jewish island community, and the overwhelming desire
to travel abroad. This novel is a must for adults who enjoy a
lyrical narrative and their fiction spiced with historical elements.
Colleen Tuovinen
Birdy by Jess Vallance
Hot Key Books, 2015. ISBN 9781471404665
(Ages: 14+) Some strong language. 'Frances Bird has been a loner for
so long that she's given up on ever finding real friendship. But
then she's asked to show a new girl around school, and she begins to
think her luck could finally be changing. Eccentric, talkative and
just a little bit posh, Alberta is not at all how Frances imagined a
best friend could be. But the two girls click immediately, and it's
not long before they are inseparable. Frances could not be happier.
As the weeks go on, Frances finds out more about her new best friend
- her past, her secrets, her plans for the future - and she starts
to examine their friendship more closely, is it, perhaps, just too
good to be true?' (Publisher)
An interesting read. The protagonist is very snarky and sarcastic,
much like many teens today, appealing to the audience greatly.
Vallance shows true friendship with all the tension and problems
that take place in school. Throughout the whole of the novel the
suspense made me want to keep reading and not put it down just so I
could know why Frances Bird had to write it down. A great read for
anyone that loves a bit of dark, moodiness and a creep factor in
their life.
Cecilia Richards
The Rapunzel dilemma by Jennifer Kloester
Penguin Books, 2014. ISBN 9780143571087
(Ages: 12+) Modern interpretations of familiar fairy tales can be
fascinating to read. I recall those of Robin McKinley and Gail
Carson Levine - cleverly told with a touch of something magical,
which stays with the reader long after the story has been read.
Jennifer Kloester's modern day version of Rapunzel (a
companion novel to The Cinderella Moment) lacks the skilled
approach, which brings the fairy tale to the fore. Rich girl, Lily,
longs to join the London Drama Academy, and when successful for a
trial period, meets fellow students who do not believe that she has
been granted a place entirely due to her talents. Ronan Carver, a
talented but mysterious art student, seems to understand her. They
begin meeting in the old tower room, which was previously providing
a haven for her. Now her world is split between her drama studies
and her love for Ronan, and real life is very different from being
on stage. The author is said to have been inspired by the stories of
Georgette Heyer - but I can't help thinking that the influence of
other historical romances has made this novel rather light and
silly, relying heavily on teenage angst and envy. The Rapunzel
Dilemma is readable and gives some insight to life in a
competitive world for aspiring youngsters but it lacks a strong and
contemporary storyline.
Julie Wells
Harvey Drew and the Junk Skunks by Cas Lester
Hot Key Books, 2015. ISBN 9781471403347
(Age: 9+) Highly recommended. In the first few chapters of Harvey
Drew and the Junk Skunks, there is an explosion of toxic
slime, a hatching alien egg and the ship's cook/doctor announces
they are all going to die! Just another crazy day on this
intergalactic garbage collection ship called The Toxic Spew.
It is captained by 11 year old Earthling, Harvey Drew. No food means
time to panic as this motley crew start to feel the hunger and pain
of no food. Their plan is to head for a space store called Waitless.
On arrival at Waitless, the superstore, things don't seem quite
right. It looks like the store has been abandoned and in quite a
hurry! What is going on? Harvey Drew and the Junk Skunks is aimed at boys aged 9+ but
anyone who loves a giggle will enjoy reading this book. The text is
quick moving and full of gross stuff, making it appealing to
children. The use of nonsense words - such as spaghettification
which occurs when you travel through a black hole and other space
themed objects and events - will engage readers and encourage them
to keep reading. It is easy to read, the characters are hilarious
and the accompanying cartoon style images add to the hilarity.
Kylie Kempster
Three moments of an explosion. Stories by China Mieville
Macmillan, 2015. ISBN 9780230770188
(Ages:15 +) Obviously well known for his forays into speculative
fiction, China Mieville has written a fascinating and challenging
collection of short stories, beginning with the brief and startling
tale, which gives the collection its title. Each story entices the
reader to explore and deliberate but never to assume. He plays with
ideas, indeed teases the reader on a number of levels - things are
just not what they seem. With speculation, there is theorising, and
the revelation of abstract ideas. This collection of stories is
thought provoking and interesting but, at the same time, perplexing
and confronting. For these reasons the stories are limited in their
appeal to a young audience, probably attracting those already
converted to the genre. Some tales are so strange that their meaning
evades. The language is amazing; descriptions are stark and
observant even though the ideas testify to something strange and
elusive. Polynia and Sacken are two tales which stay
with me - low lying icebergs floating above London, and a lake which
has taken life without mercy. Extraordinary!
Julie Wells
The School of Art - Learn how to make great art with 40 simple lessons by Teal Triggs
Ill. by Daniel Frost. Wide Eyed Editions, 2015. ISBN: 9781847807007
(Ages: 9-14) Highly recommended. You are invited to attend the
School of Art, welcomed by five professors who will teach you in
their creative classrooms. Attending Art School allows you, the
student to use your creative energy, harness your imagination,
experiment, take risks, build a portfolio and finally display your
work. Many art forms are explored, ceramics, sculpture, graphic and
sound design, to designing everyday objects.
The Professor of Ideas glides through the corridors with her
beautiful pearls of wisdom necklace offering informative
information. The clouds in her classroom contain hundreds of
inspirational ideas. There's the Professors of Form, Senses, Making
and the Professor of the Planet who helps make people's life better
using art and design. To guide the student, the art journal is
divided into terms, Lines, two and three dimensional shapes,
surfaces, tones, shading and adding texture are some of the early
lessons. In Term 2, the principles of design are taught, included
here are the concepts of composition, perspective and perception.
Students are encouraged to think visually and tell a story in
pictures in Term 3, leading up to the final exhibition.
Author Teal Triggs is Associate Dean in the School of Communication
at the Royal College of Art, London. Her writing style incorporates
information presented in a narrative format, each lesson has
personal encouragements, presented in an easy to understand manner -
a dialogue between professors and includes suggestion for activities
and research. Illustrator Daniel Frost is a graduate of the Royal
College of Art, and his vibrant graphic style, creative design,
layout and composition, make this an outstanding art book for a
budding designer or artist. This would be an excellent teaching
tool, with its easy to share concepts at the start of an art lesson.
Highly recommended for 9+
Rhyllis Bignell
Trick-Stars series by Karen Wood
Allen & Allen, 2015.
Triple Magic. ISBN 9781743319055
Summer Spell. ISBN 9781743319062
Second Chance. ISBN 9781743319079
Saving Destiny. ISBN 9781743319086
Chasing Dreams. 9781743319109
Princess of the Sands. ISBN 9781743319093
(Age: Yr 2- 4) Identical triplets Ruby, Lexie and Kit Trickett dream
of leaving Windara Farm performing spectacular tricks on their
beautiful gypsy cob horses. It's a dream that's a far cry from the
vegetable-growing district around Kulnara where the girls live on
their grandfather's farm. But their horses Tinker, Kismet and
Featherfoot are workhorses and Grampy is not a wealthy man. However
things change when Ruby climbs into the loft to look for some old
horse rugs to keep the horses clean and discovers a mysterious
trunk. Its lid is painted blue with gold stars and a silver moon and
there is a hand-painted picture of a horse with two riders standing
on its back - very much like her dream. And written on the lid is
"Gallius and Levinia Trickett", her grandparents.
Ruby doesn't know it but this discovery unleashes family histories
and secrets that become the impetus for this new series written for
newly independent readers from about 7-10. Mix dreams, sadness, and
intrigue with horses, acrobatics, magic and characters that appeal
and there is a formula for a series that will appeal to girls who
love reading and horses. There are six in the collection (Chasing
Dreams and Princess of the Sands are published this month) each
building on the previous episode. I predict they will be warmly
welcomed and eagerly read as young ladies put themselves in the
saddle alongside Ruby, Lexie and Kit and share the dream with them.
Barbara Braxton
Daddy's Sandwich by Pip Jones and Laura Hughes
Faber & Faber, 2015. ISBN 9780571311828
(Age: Preschool - Yr 2) What do you put on a sandwich for daddy if
you are going to make one with absolutely everything he loves? Well
you start with a slice of white bread that is crusty on the outside,
a little bit of butter, some cheese that's a tiny bit stinky and
some tomato - with the green bit pulled off. And then you let your
imagination go wild and add biscuits dunked in tea, his slippers,
his uncrinkled newspaper, his phone, and, and, and, finally a great
big squirt of ketchup. And to finish it off, you top it with the
thing that he loves most of all!
This is an hilarious story that will have young readers gasping with
delight as Daddy's sandwich gets more and more outrageous! And they
will be clamouring to tell you what they would put in a sandwich for
their daddy. The big, bright, bold illustrations underscore the
magnificence of this sandwich and its construction and capture the
mood perfectly. Making a sandwich is a fantastic way to introduce
young children to the concepts of instructions and sequencing and
there is much scope for encouraging the children to talk about what
they would put in their sandwich for their daddy and then creating a
pictorial version of it - perhaps scouring magazines for the perfect
illustrations.
But it's also just a great read-aloud to share as Father's Day draws
near.
Barbara Braxton
I want my Daddy! by Tracey Corderoy
Ill. by Alison Edgson. Little Tiger Press, 2015. ISBN 9781848690493
Sometimes when you have a really bad day, like the days when you're
a knight and your castle falls down, you just need your daddy. And
when your daddy is a knight too and has a special pot of castle glue
it's even better. Or when you fall off your valiant steed and hurt
yourself, daddies are the best. Or there is something on the end of
your fishing line and you are sure it's a monster.
This is a charming story for the very young about that special
relationship that they have with their daddies that is heart-warming
and reaffirming. Soft but bright illustrations exude love and the
bond between Arthur and his daddy comes alive. A great read-aloud to
recommend to families for special times between father and child or
just for reflecting on the love between them.
Barbara Braxton
Girls Uninterrupted: Steps for Building Stronger Girls in a Challenging World by Tanith Carey
Allen & Unwin, Imprint: Icon Books, 2015. ISBN 9781848318205
Highly recommended. Tanith
Carey
has had a long successful career as a journalist working with a wide
variety of some of the world's leading newspapers and journals. She
is also a highly successful author of books particularly several
related to parenting, the latest of which is Girls Uninterrupted.
Her work in this area has attracted high praise including
endorsement by the likes of Steve Biddulph and her books translated
into 12 languages to date.
As I am now working in an all girls' college, I am seeing firsthand
many of the issues which parents of teen girls face today so this
book could not be timelier. It will certainly be one I will promote
with our college community and parents.
Why are girls self-harming and suffering eating disorders in record
numbers?
Why do girls feel they have to 'little miss perfects' who are never
allowed to fail?
Why are girls turning against each other on social media?
What should we tell girls about how to deal with the challenges of
everyday sexism and violent misogynistic pornography?
How can parents, teachers and grandparents inoculate girls so they
can push back against the barrage of unhealthy messages bombarding
them about what it means to be female?
Formatted in easy 'chunked' steps the book offers practical advice,
anecdotes and real help with the increasing pressure of raising
happy healthy girls into strong positive women.
This was firstly a series of articles in the New York Times and the
resulting publication into a widely praised book is testimony to its
usefulness.
As a grandmother now raising a ten year old granddaughter it will
also be a 'go to' book for me as I help this little one become a
Mighty Girl <http://www.amightygirl.com/>
over the next few years. Highly recommended for anyone who is in the
challenging role of bringing up 21st century girls.
Sue Warren
Peas in a Pod by Tania McCartney
Ill. by Tina Snerling. EK Books, 2015. 9781921966712
When Pippa, Pia, Poppy, Polly and Peg were born they looked exactly
the same. And they did everything the same. And at the same time.
Even toilet training! But as time marched on, as it inevitably does,
the girls started to change, as they inevitably would. They like
different things and do different things at different times. The
changes become challenging. And their parents can't cope so they
step in and put everything right. For a while everything is the same
again until as time marches on, as it inevitably does, the girls
start to change again, as they inevitably would. And this time they
are old enough to take control - just little things at first but
eventually.
This is a superb book that looks at growing up and how there is an
inner us that demands to be different even if we are one of
identical quins! And that that little point of difference is what
makes us unique and needs to be explored, exploited and celebrated.
Charming, quirky illustrations that are so appealing emphasise the
humour which make this so much more than a mundane story about
growing and changing. While the adult reading the story to the child
will empathise with the parents in the story, the child will just
love it and delight in trying to trace each girl's journey.
This is a wonderful way to talk to students about not only finding
their inner self, but having the courage to stay true to it. While
we often focus on looking for the similarities of people while we
ignore their physical differences, this takes that to the next level
by looking beyond the similarities to the deeper differences. It's
about individualisation rather than generalisation.
Loved it.
Barbara Braxton
