Although initially daunted by the prospect of reading 643 pages, once I started reading, I was drawn into this engrossing, exciting fantasy that cleverly combines a Raven narrator, a lonely scholar, court intrigue, a murder, a thrilling competition and a slow burning romance. Having read a mystery written by Antonia Hodgson, The devil in the Marshalsea, I knew that the writing and plot would be outstanding and I was not disappointed.
It is hard to decide on one aspect of the novel that I most enjoyed; the themes are all so well developed and interesting. The world building was wonderful. The kingdom of Orrun with its king, Bersun the Brusque and the machinations of the court surrounding his successor are brilliantly depicted. Having sacred animals, Raven, Fox, Tiger, Ox, Bear, Monkey and Hound and the Dragon proxy as the inspiration for the contenders for the trials to become leader, is a unique way for the reader to learn about them as they reveal the traits that the sacred animal has given them. The trials involved thinking and problem solving as well as fighting and I held my breath as each contestant fought to win. And of course the characters are wonderful. Neema Kraa the Raven Scholar is lonely, ambitious and very clever. Thrust into the trials as an unwilling contestant she must use all her ingenuity and intelligence to stay alive, at the same time as she has been tasked by King Bersun to find the killer of one of the contestants, a young woman who had once made her life a misery. Fighting for the throne is Cain, once Neema’s best friend but now allied to the Monkey clan, and Neema is unsure whether she can trust him. As she begins to unravel the mystery that surrounds the murder, she uncovers secrets hidden for years that bring her into great danger.
Hodson cleverly breathes new life into tropes that are familiar to fantasy readers – a lonely young woman, slow burning romance, fierce competition, unexpected twists – and leaves the reader longing for more. This is outstanding fantasy. Readers ofFourth wing by Rebecca Yarros are likely to enjoy The Raven Scholar. It is highly recommended.
I loved Stiefvater’s standalone novel The Scorpio Races as well as the Raven Boysseries and eagerly picked up The listeners her adult novel, which was so engrossing that I could not put it down, reading it in a couple of sittings.
January 1942. June Hudson is the General Manager of the Avallon Hotel & Spa, owned by the rich Gilfoyles. It has always been the height of luxury for its influential and powerful patrons. Set in the wilds of West Virginia, the sweetwater that runs from the mountains eases away the pain and troubles of its high society clientele. Then June is told that all its guests will have to leave and instead it will host three hundred diplomats and Nazi sympathisers, supervised by the FBI as part of the war effort. Many of June’s staff have friends and relatives already serving in the armed forces and she has the massive job of juggling their feelings while trying to keep her unwelcome guests happy. FBI Agent Tucker Minnick is there to listen to the diplomats’ secrets, but with an Appalachian past, he understands the threat of the sweetwater that flows beneath the hotel.
I loved the magic realism in The listeners. The sweetwater can harm as well as heal and must be kept happy for the guests at the hotel to be content and the sacrifice that June makes to keep everything on an even keel is gripping. Tucker understands the power of water, showing June the flow from his village, and recognises her true nature and what she is undertaking.
In the author’s notes Stiefvater discusses her historical sources relating that luxury hotels were taken over to house diplomats following the attack on Pearl Harbour. The description of the running of the luxurious hotel and the amount of work that is involved in providing for unwanted was fascinating and gave a depth to the novel. However it was the complexity of the characters that stood out for me. I gradually grew to know the inmates of the hotel very well. June is unusual, a woman managing a hotel, still retaining her Appalachian accent and Tucker has secrets from his past and ones from his career as an FBI agent. The heartrending plight of Hannelore, the little girl who does not speak and could face danger if deported to Nazi Germany with her parents is a thread that I followed eagerly, as well as that of Sandy Gilfoyle, also silent in a wheelchair.
There are twists and turns, surprises and romance making this a memorable and unique story. It is highly recommended.
Themes Love, Lies, Secrets, Betrayal, World War 2, Hotels, Magic realism.
Pat Pledger
Celeste Express: The war of the wurms by Alexander Slater
Penguin Random House, 2025. ISBN: 9780241670583. (Age:6+) Highly Recommended.
Wyrm holes, evil Wizard, a tyrannical nine-year-old and stardust bunnies. What more could a young reader ask for?
In the kingdom of Galaxandria, Princess Celeste Starwing is in big, big trouble.
As punishment for her ongoing tyrannical behaviour, she is sent to the dusty intergalactic post office. A place that hasn’t been functional for a very long time as evidenced by the piles of undelivered letters.
It is here that she meets Podge, the only other employee of the post office since the postmaster disappeared and his Nana stopped working there. It is also here that Celeste discovers piles and piles of undelivered mail and as she begins the mammoth task of delivering the letters the consequence of letter delivery shapes the adventure within the story.
In a quest to prove to her father that she deserves to come home she is determined to make the post office popular again, unfortunately she is nine years old, and her actions are not always unselfish or without serious consequences. Along the way she makes a friend or two, saves her kingdom, uncovers mysteries, and delivers a letter or two in her quest to be allowed back into the castle that is her home.
This is a brilliant book that I couldn’t put down. The story is simple yet engaging and the illustrations throughout the story make this a delightful read. I would definitely recommend this book to any child who is looking for a realistic fantasy with adventure and giggles asking the way. This is a great introduction to chapter books as the chapters are short and the illustrations help the story.
A perfect class read aloud although students might not like having to take a break in the middle of the action-packed chapters. I can see this being an extremely popular book in any school library. I was very excited to see that Celeste’s next adventure is coming soon!!
Themes Fantasy, Friendship, Other worlds, Adventure, Good vs. evil.
Biologist Martin Wikelski shares his circuitous journey underlying the Icarus project - nearly 50 years of trial and error to support an unfolding vision he terms, the Internet of Animals. Along with the digital revolution, Wikelski drew inspiration from the 'internet of things'.
“Animals are so diverse that they all have different feelings, senses and social skills both as species and as individuals. The sum of their knowledge is superior to the sum of any knowledge we will ever gather from human-made systems.”
Proof for interesting theories such as the idea that animals domesticatedof Humans, include encounters with an arctic fox and a white stork. His experiences are global given the information he was first seeking from migrating birds who know no borders, but includes domesticated species such as earthquake detecting cows in central Italy and rice rats on the Galapagos. Martin’s fascination with animal behaviour, sprinkled through numerous stories of his fieldwork and determinations that animals needed to be seen and heard by upscaling data collection, motivate he and his colleagues to overcome insurmountable communication and technical struggles.
Martin’s family phylogeny (the web of ancestors) and ontogeny (academic development) including his formal and informal education, are foundational to a unique vision to track animal behavior to reveal their perceptions and collaborations with nature for myriad reasons; including a shared sustainability of our planetary ecosystem and species. The Icarus project too needed to be continually modified in a period of rapidly developing technology and geo-political shifts - facing multiple challenges and set backs and peppered with just enough tantalizing insights and successes to keep the dream alive. Partners included several long term colleagues and institutions such as German space startup SpaceTech, the ever dependable Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Inradios communication engineers and Roscosmos the Russian Space Agency.Suspense mounts when on the verge of largescale surveillance of earth’s wildlife geo-political events such as the pandemic and the war in Ukraine cause delays.
The importance of reaching his goal meant staying open to new tech and partners over time. His perserverence means we can anticipate real-time exponential surveiling of earth's co-inhabitants, understanding their messages and acknowledging an interspecies partnership may help preserve or reverse the harm of the Anthropocene era. Al user friendly index and several colour plates increase the joy of sharing the extraordinary background to an even more extraordinary future purpose.
Big ideas certainly for all conservationists and animal lovers at heart.
Bravepaw and the Clawstone of Rotwood Mire by L.M. Wilkinson. Illus. by Lavanya Naidu
Allen & Unwin, 2025. ISBN: 9781761180569. (Age:6+) Highly Recommended.
In the second Bravestone book, Titch, Huckleberry and Dollop are lost in a never-ending swamp. It is wet, cold and miserable and that isn’t even the worst of it! Faced with swamp monsters, a brave warrior squirrel who has been banished from her village by a group of brainwashed squirrels and a grumpy turtle, the trio must work together to survive, help the squirrels and continue on their journey to find out if Titch really is Bravestone or if it is all a huge mistake. As they are faced with each new and unexpected challenge, Titch will learn that there is a more to the Bravestone prophecy than she had previously heard and they will meet Briar, a warrior squirrel who helps the trio continue on their quest to save Alluria.
The second book in the Bravestone series is just as wonderful as the first with the addition of a couple of new characters, some of who are good, some not so good and some who are downright mean! The characters are well written and ensure the reader knows who is good, bad or beguiled!! The illustrations help the story and are wonderful additions to the text, guiding the reader in their journey to Alluria, if the fearless trio can find their way out of the swamp.
Titch and her friends have just the right amount of bravado vs. caution and their adventures are bound to be favourites in the classroom or library. These books are written for emerging readers but will be loved by any young reader as they combine adventure, fantasy, good vs. evil and friendship.
The Bravestone series is definitely one that could be read aloud or independently.
Themes Fantasy, Adventure, Good vs Evil, Friendship, Quests.
Neville's story begins well before the beginning of the book. It starts back in Frank's Red Hat, when, being a risk-taker, he agreed to wear the beautiful red hat that Frank had made. But as soon as he put it on, he was swallowed by a killer whale!
Now, Avery continues the tale because while everyone assumed that landing in the whale's throat was the end of Neville, in fact there was a further tale to tell. Because as well as being a risk-taker, Neville was brave and bold and figuring that he hadn't yet been eaten, he was determined to escape. Not helped by the pessimism of Reg - a seal also awaiting its fate in the whale's maw - he, nevertheless, is persistent in his efforts to get out of there. There's no wiggly teeth to dislodge and wriggle through, and the whale's blowhole is not only out of reach, but not even in the same part of its body.
So - does Neville succumb to what seems the inevitable, particularly as the whale starts to make eating-like movements, or is there a happy ending?
Avery is a master of offering original, whimsical, offbeat stories and this is no exception. Perhaps with some slight overtones of the biblical tale about Jonah, the reader finds themselves hoping that Neville's plans will work and that the joyless Reg who is happy to play cards while he awaits his fate will be proven wrong.
Given that Frank's Red Hat was not only shortlisted for the 2023 CBCA Picture Book of the Year but won the of Shadow Judges Picture Book of the Year this is a companion title that has to be in the collection, particularly as the ending suggests that there is yet more to come..
Themes Penguins, Killer whales, Individuality.
Barbara Braxton
Nightweaver by R.M. Gray
Penguin Random House, 2025. ISBN: 9780241735060. (Age:16+YA) Recommended.
A product of R. M. Gray's active imagination, Nightweaver's action, plot and setting leaps from the pirates' ocean world (which has previously been claimed for the safety of pirates and humanity) to gothic Bludgrave Manor in the Tamed Lands (which have been claimed by the sinister Nightweavers) on the shore of Ink Haven. Our heroine, seventeen- year-old pirate Aster Oberon, has been living a pirate life safe from the Nightweavers who are mystical beings with elemental powers who rule the land. There is an epic battle at sea and the Oberon family are defeated and forced to live on land with the Nightweavers who generously offer employment on their estate. Nothing and noone is as they appear it seems... There is elemental, brutal and supernatural violence of vampire-like monsters, the untamed powers of nightweavers, the violence of villagers and medieval type princes and the ordinary, cut-throat violence of pirates. The Nightweavers have been cursed in the past and the monsters who are on the hunt are so much worse than them. In stark relief to the violence are delightful mythical pixies and unicorns who inhabit an arborial area of the manor and the love between the pirate family members. There are references to a supreme being and much reference to symbolism which is important to the plot.
Although the setting is hundreds of years in the past (medieval aspects), Nightweaver somehow suggests a dystopian future - a world that has been plunged into chaos. Humanity are reduced to slavery to the new order of cruel beings.
The love interest is well-written. There is a sweet and powerful budding, forbidden romance between the determined female main character, Aster and Will, the morally grey male main character. It's a "dancing with the enemy" situation which is morally repugnant to Aster but strangely accepted by her proud, tightly-knit pirate family. Character development is slow burning and well written making the reader turn those pages.
Nightweaver is an absorbing and demanding read- an amalgam of characteristics of Pirates of the Caribbean, The book of Revelations, Star Wars, many books of contemporary fantasy and even the book of Esther. Aster is, like Esther, quite the archetypical brave and courageous woman who never gives up, has a special, yet-to-be-developed power and uses her pivotal role within a royal court to save her people. R.M Gray concludes her acknowledgements with a reference to Esther 4:14.
Dark and violent- sometimes almost to excess, Nightweaver is full of brutality and political intrigue. The reader is drawn close to Aster, as the story develops from her perspective. She suffers through many devastating twists and heartbreaks which test what she has wholeheartedly believed in all her life. Her belief in family, herself and the world as she knows it are severely rocked.
R.M Gray has allowed her characters to emerge partially and incrementally in Nightweaver in such a manner that the reader will really want to know what is in store for them; for Aster and Will of course - but what about Henry... a "dark horse" and Margaret... etc. The sequel to Nightweaver will probably be full of more dangerous and upsetting twists and painful betrayals, keeping readers on their toes.
Karma is three cats by Bella Montgomery. Illus. by Carolina Marando
Allen & Unwin, 2025. ISBN: 9781761181955. (Age:3+)
Life according to Taylor Swift’s kitty best friends, the subtitle on the front cover, exposes what this book is about. For Taylor Swift fans, this book is a must, and for cat owners, there are many incidents which will evoke recognition and laughter.
The cats introduce themselves: Benjamin Button, Olivia Benson, and Meredith Grey, the hardest working cats in show business. Intrigued? Turning the page the animals reveal just what they do to bolster and encourage Taylor Swift’s talent. Meredith walks across the piano, making noises which are incorporated into the music, while Benjamin and Olivia purr on her lap, being the muse which impels her to work. They go along to the photo shoots, advise on her personal appearance and accompany her on her tours. At her shows it is the trio of cats that do their stretching exercise, encouraging her to do hers before she appears on the stage, and of course help her wind down after the show.
Sometimes she is feeling low and it is the cats who help her shake it off. They help her with the many letters she must write to the fans.
But the best of all jobs is to keep her happy, and bring joy into her life.
A cute story about Taylor Swift’s cats and how important they are to her life, will endear Swift fans enormously. Others will come to the book via their interest in the person or their love of cats. The book shows how the cats work in her life, even being taken on tours.
Lovingly illustrated by Carolina Marando, the cats are easily identified, and their antics recognised by eager readers. A great deal of Taylor Swift’s life is also shown: the friendship bracelets, her clothes, hair style and make up for example.
Themes Taylor Swift, Musicians, Cats, Friendship.
Fran Knight
Protecting the planet: Ice journey of the polar bear by Martin Jenkins and Lou Baker-Smith
High in the Arctic regions, it snowed last night - the first fall of the season and more is on its way. As the days get shorter, and the nights longer, for this polar bear, this is a sign it's time to make a den, a safe place to sleep through the harsh winter and to give birth to her cubs. But she has a long journey to make to find the right spot to make her safe haven, and eat enough to sustain her for the months ahead as she sleeps through the wild weather.
But the Arctic is changing; familiar landscapes are melting. What kind of world will her cubs grow up in?
The plight of polar bears as the Arctic ice shrinks as climate change takes hold is becoming more well-known, and readers will feel for the mother bear who only wants a safe future for her babies. The narrative is in accessible, direct text telling the mother's story without a lot of extra detail but these are included in the dramatic illustrations which portray a harsh world, where surely only the strongest can survive - but with less and less of what they need, what is the future for the cubs?
Part of the Protecting the Planet series which includes Emperor of the Ice and The Season of the Giraffes, its narrative non fiction format which focuses on a particular animal rather than the species will appeal to younger readers, while those who are independent readers may want to extend their knowledge through Hannah Gold's The Last Bear and Finding Bear.
As yet, there are only three in this series although with so many creatures who could be candidates there is scope for many more, but as each includes notes about what climate change is and how even small changes in what we do can make a difference, it is a valuable series to add to the collection as we try to protect and preserve the planet.
Themes Polar bears.
Barbara Braxton
You can't pat a fish by Ruth Paul
Walker Books, 2025. ISBN: 9781760656973. (Age:3+)
"I asked for a pet, but what did I get?"
The little girl's parents have agreed to let her have a pet, but when it comes to all the choices in the pet shop, they decide that a fish in a bowl is the best choice. Clearly the little girl is disappointed because while you can play with a puppy, cuddle a cat, snuggle a rabbit and pat a pet rat, no matter how much you wish, you can't pat a fish.
There are so many things you can do with any of the other creatures that she could have had, but instead she has a boring fish. Until...
This is a charming rhyming story for young readers that will resonate with any of them who have wished for a pet and all the reasons why. But while it is also a cautionary tale about being careful what you wish for, it's also a reminder of looking for the silver linings and being optimistic, because suddenly the little girl sees the positives of having a fish and where her imagination takes her.
Little ones will enjoy sharing their own stories about their pets, perhaps do some early graphing activities and enjoy the rhyme and rhythm as it carries the story along. Definitely one to share with the preschool group I read to weekly.
Themes Pets.
Barbara Braxton
We're looking for the perfect hug by Martha Mumford
We're looking for the perfect hug. Come and join the fun!
Once again, the bunnies are off on another adventure - this time they are on a mission to find the perfect hug. But who gives it? The prickly hedgehog? The woolly lamb? The snappy crab? Or the fluffy chick? Surely it can't be wily Mr Fox!
As with the others in the series, this is a joyous romp for our youngest readers through the countryside with lots to discover in the colourful, detailed illustrations and hidden under the flaps so cleverly disguised. As they join in the repetitive phrases that take them through the fields to the vegetable patch, across the lake to the farm and even to the seaside, there are lots of opportunities to help them build their vocabulary about the sorts of things they might expect to find at each location so even if it is unfamiliar to them, they are building a mind-picture for the next story they encounter with that setting. For example, while they are trying to predict where there might be a hug in the Giorgio's Fruit and Vege Patch, they could not only identify the vegetables they know (giving them a sense of empowerment) but learn words like "shed", "wheelbarrow" and "hedgehog". Sharp eyes might even see the beanstalk which could lead on to the story about Jack's adventure, while others might notice the colour of the leaves in the wheelbarrow and not only be able to identify the season, but perhaps explore why they are no longer green. Such wonderful opportunities for conversations and explorations - there might even be an opening to talk about who and why and when we hug, and sadly, how sometimes it might not be what we want or from someone we like.
Reading the pictures is such an essential early reading behaviour to enable the child to more precisely predict the text, that there is so much more to this series than just the interactivity of lifting the flaps. Add to that, familiar characters doing everyday things that the child will relate to and this is a winning series for our youngest readers.
Author of the bestselling Prison Healer series and the fantasy Medoran chronicles Lynette Noni has turned her writing skills to pen an exciting adventure/romance set in the rugged Blue Mountains in New South Wales. Zander Rune, Hollywood’s bad boy, desperately wants a key role but needs to clean up his reputation before the director will employ him. His agent and mentor Gabe suggests a publicity stunt to show him in a new light – a trip to the wilds with survivalist Rykon Hawke and his biggest fan chosen from a competition. Charlie Hart hates Zander’s reputation as a drunken driver but cannot let her scheming best friend Ember down when Ember wins the competition. Ember is not well enough to go on a survivalist trip so Charlie finds herself pretending to be Zander’s greatest fan. How will she survive four days in the wilderness with someone she despises?
The thrilling Prologue is sure to grip the attention of any reader who will be compelled to read on immediately to find out what has happened to the person being plunged down a giant waterfall. From then on, the story is told in alternate chapters by Charlie and Zander as they face all the dangers of the wild. I was swept along on their adventures as they sky-dive out of a helicopter, rappel down cliffs, wriggle through narrow tunnels, avoid poisonous snakes and cross a ravine on a disintegrating wooden bridge. As they navigate danger, Charlie begins to get to know Zander and learns more about herself and her dreams and Zander finds himself confiding in her, letting her know about many of his fears.
Although the ending is rushed with some unresolved issues, readers are sure to enjoy the drama, romance and escapism of Wandering Wild, dedicated to those who “Dare to dream again” and eagerly await the next book by Noni. In the meantime readers who enjoy the theme of survival in the wild might like to read Be not far from me by Mindy McGinnis, The lovely and the lost by Jennifer Lynn Barnes and Nowhere on earth by Nick Lake.
Themes Survival, Celebrities, Reality TV, Romance, Blue Mountains (N.S.W.).
Pat Pledger
The EE in the deep blue sea by Judith Barker. Illus. by Janie Frith
The curious sound, 'EE', pops up in a lot of different places: reef and sea, beach, she and fishy. Each sound is that of the 'EE', but is written quite differently. So a story of the deep blue sea, offers children a funny tale with an emphasis on the sound that 'EE' makes but not necessarily written as it sounds.
A family walks along the pier to the boat will taken them to the island in the deep blue sea. Here they walk along the shore, watching the seagulls there, rising in that salty air. They see a hungry squid is looking for a feed while the hermit crab retreats swiftly into its shell.
All along the way they see many many things which promote the use of the 'EE' sound and its written forms. Children will love offering different examples and playing with the sound.
The vibrant illustrations reveal many animals that live in the sea, or are dependent on it for life. Readers will love spotting all the animals, comparing their lists with others.
Others in the series, include, The O in the snow, The OO in Uluru, The AA in the rainforest and The I in the island. The OO in Uluru was awarded first prize by the Speech Pathology Australia organisation in 2019.
all we lost was everything is the second novel by Sloan Harlow whose debut novel Everything we never said was a New York Times bestseller. all we lost was everything is narrated across alternate chapters from the first person point of view of River Santos and then of Logan Evans. Bi-racial River Santos has lost everything in a house fire. Her father died in the fire and her mother is missing. A couple of million dollars has been donated anonymously to a Gofundme campaign but she has not spent the money, choosing to live in a small apartment with Tita Anna, who seems to be one of the few stable and grounded characters in her life. River has just had her heart broken by her first boyfriend Noah and she subsequently meets Logan - a very "hot" boy who has just turned up at her workplace. Important to her is Tawny Mc Gill who has arrived recently at her school..."My best friend in the whole world..."
The setting of all we lost was everything adds flavour to the story. River lives in Scottsdale Arizona - a desert city east of Phoenix. The desertscape of hills, rockfaces and cacti provide an escape for River's mother where she can hike the trails. River's family are from the poor side of town. Life has been a struggle financially. The physical environment is barren and bleak; the house is broken down and beset with scorpions but there is "the unfurling tapestry" of the Sonoran Desert and the Saguaras... "towering cacti, their arms thrown to the sky, some bowing, some bending, all magnificent." The setting moves from the cemetery, to Gertie's diner and to interiors of homes and a short trip to Canyon Rock City (possibly Black Canyon City)
River has definite ideas about her parents but all is not as it seems and most of her beliefs are shattered. The novel moves from a bleak time in her life through more shocks and disappointments as she takes an active role in finding out the truth about her family. Sorting out who to trust, growing and giving oneself space to make wise decisions are further themes that are addressed as River matures.
all we lost was everything tackles the themes of identity, of grief, of romance and trust, of resilence and fresh starts. It is a quick read and presents a variety of intense emotions in succession. Sex is implied not graphic. It is recommended that only older teens read this book. The main characters, Logan and River are very likeable, relatable and multidimensional, displaying a wide range of emotions and motivations and personal growth across the book. The twist at the end is quite shocking. Older teens and fans of BookTok 's Laura Nowlin, If he had been with me etc. and Kathleen Glasgow, Girl in pieces etc...would enjoy this book.
Trigger: Young adult (steamy romance elements)
Themes YA romance, Thriller, Trust, Secrets, Revenge, Resilience.
Are there any more endearing characters for our youngest readers that Big Nutbrown Hare and Little Nutbrown Hare, from the classic Guess How Much I Love You?
In this new story from the same team, Little Nutbrown Hare goes exploring on his own looking for a new friend to play with. When he comes across his reflection and then his shadow, he is not fooled and continues till he comes to Cloudy Mountain where a little white hare is waiting. They have a lovely time together until they play hide-and-seek and there is a misunderstanding. Both hide and wait for the other to seek until it is time to go home for tea. Will Little Nutbrown Hare find his friend again?
In board book format, perfect for little hands, this is a charming story about being curious, making new friends and playing together that will delight our youngest readers.
