The brief introduction to Earth Matters talks about how over the past 50 years maximum temperatures have been creeping higher and there have been record droughts, floods and bushfires. This is a sobering thought for most adults and young people with this new release carefully explaining the history of how and why this has happened. There is an initial explanation of the difference between climate and weather which leads onto Earth's atmosphere and to global warming and greenhouse gases. Fossil fuels, renewable and non-renewable energy, extreme weather and waste are clearly discussed in an easy-to-understand and follow manner. The book cleverly offers a plan to enable students to see how they can help change the destructive path Earth is heading down as well as giving very do-able options for making better choices in the future.
This is beautifully presented book with a striking cover and end papers. The simple pastel illustrations used throughout book complement the text perfectly and give the reader images to focus on. There is a Contents page as well as a detailed Glossary and Index. This book is a very interesting and informative read and would be a welcome addition to any school or public library.
Themes Climate Change, Planet Earth, Choices.
Kathryn Beilby
Zoom ocean adventure by Susan Hayes. Illus. by Sam Rennocks
What on Earth Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781999967994. (Age:1-5) Recommended.
Like Zoom Space adventure, the reader is taken off into an exciting world, this time the ocean, where brightly coloured marine life will be enthralling for a young reader. Noah is a young boy who dons his wetsuit, fins and snorkel and dives down deep to see some amazing creatures, like an octopus, butterfly fish and of course a Great White shark. Each page has a myriad of sea creatures to look at and some are labelled which will be a boon for beginning readers as well as an adult who may be reading this aloud. The cut-out on the page will give a glimpse of what will be on the next double page spread and children will enjoy guessing what it might be.
The illustrations are very cute and there will be 'oohs' and 'ahhs' as a page is turned and the razor sharp teeth of the hungry shark emerges. Noah escapes to his submarine and the reader is taken down into the dark water to find out what lives down there. Lots of creatures like the vampire squid and comb jelly are highlighted against a black background and then the reader spots a pirate ship and finally is taken into Antarctic waters. A pop -up of a humpback whale’s water spout shows Noah getting a ride home.
Readers will learn lots about the ocean while having fun with the idea of using your imagination to go on adventures. The strength of the board book ensures that it will last the use of little fingers and is likely to become favourite.
Ten lively lorikeets by Grace Nolan. Illus. by Nancy Bevington
Big Sky Publishing, 2021. ISBN: 9781922265630. (Age:4+) Recommended.
10 Lively Lorikeets is another book in a delightful series of rhyming picture books showcasing early mathematical concepts for younger readers. In this book the young reader is introduced to basic subtraction. Each double page shows beautifully illustrated lorikeets flying away to join other Australian birds. The birds included in the book are magpies, cockatoos, rosellas, kookaburras, galahs, emu chicks, wattlebirds, fairy wrens and lyrebirds.
The clever rhyming text is both simple and appealing e.g. Ten lively lorikeets chatting in a line. One chased a kookaburra then there were . . .
On each page is an easy subtraction equation presented in a horizontal format. At the end of the book are fun learning activities including counting backwards from ten to zero, an explanation of minus and take away plus some subtraction sums for the reader to try on their own.
For teachers or parents this will be a lovely book to share with young children who are just beginning their mathematical journey. The other titles in the series are 10 Naughty Numbats and 10 Bush Babies.
Themes Mathematics, Counting, Simple Subtraction, Australian Birds, Rhyme.
Kathryn Beilby
The vanishing at the very small castle by Jackie French
The Vanishing at the Very Small Castle is the second historical read in the Butter O'Bryan Mysteries.
Butter O’Bryan lives with his father and his very eccentric and entertaining Aunts: Peculiar, Cake and Elephant. Also living at the Very Small Castle are Gil, Olive and Tish, children who have lost their parents and whom Butter befriended in the first story, The Ghost of Howlers Beach. The setting of this story is once again the secluded Howlers Beach and the very impressive castle where the main characters live. For most of this story Butter's father and Gil are absent seeking treatment for Gil's polio. The remaining children are under the care of the Aunts and become involved in movie making and mystery. A disappearing leading lady, a giant of a man known as the Monster, circus acts, deception, numerous shared meals and a wartime romance all provide an entertaining and exciting read. The disappearance of Delilah Devine and the pointing of a finger of suspicion at the Monster leaves Butter, the Aunts and the Police all questioning the reality of what is really going on. Young Tish is unwavering in her support of the Monster and in the end Butter will solve the disappearance and truth will prevail.
In the Author Notes Jackie French has provided detailed information about historical aspects of the time as well as well-known and famous Australian recipes such as the pavlova and Victorian Sponge. This book would be an excellent read aloud for classes studying early Australian history.
Themes Australia, Great Depression, Film making, Adventure, Mystery, Families, Friendships, History.
Kathryn Beilby
The Wizard of Oz by Russell Hunter and L. Frank Baum. Illus. by Simona Bursi
Usborne, 2020. ISBN: 9781474968850. (Age:7+)
The classic story of Dorothy, the Tinman, the Scarecrow the Cowardly Lion, the Munchkins and the Wicked Witch of the West has been beautifully reinterpreted in this colourful graphic novel, perfect for younger readers who have not yet made the journey from Kansas to the Emerald City and just in time to be a focus for the 2021 Book Week theme of Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds.
Declared by the US Library of Congress as "America's greatest and best-loved homegrown fairytale", this is a story that all children should be familiar with given the references from it that appear in life today, and so to have it in graphic novel format which makes it accessible to newly independent readers and a whole new generation of children is a bonus. The full plot of the story is summarised here, and it could be wise to have the unabridged classic version available for those who are enticed to read that as well.
For lovers of Greek mythology and romance, this story has it all. It takes you into the woman's perspective of the time of Gods and heroes and is a feminist retelling of the ancient story of Ariadne, Theseus and the Minotaur. Ariadne is the Princess of Crete, and the Minotaur is her brother, half man half bull, the cruel result of a curse on their mother Pasiphae, punished by the gods for the greed and deceit of her husband King Minos. And that, as Ariadne is well aware, is the way of things - women continually pay the price for the faults and crimes of men.
Minos makes use of the Minotaur to instil terror throughout the lands, demanding sacrifice of seven Athenian youths and seven maidens each year to feed the monster. When Theseus arrives among the sacrificial group, Ariadne is so attracted to him, she resolves to help him slay the monster, her brother, and escape the puzzle of the labyrinth.
But the happy ending eludes Ariadne, for Theseus is as flawed as other men, and even the charming god Dionysus who comes to her aid seems to be not entirely trustworthy. Whilst humans are treated as playthings by the gods, and subject to their whims, women have it worse, powerless against both men and gods. But Ariadne is determined to assert her own power.
Whilst this story can be read and thoroughly enjoyed as an immersive fantasy, it also has relevance to current issues of the imbalance of power between men and women, and would make a good discussion starter about male female relationships and modern day politics.
Themes Greek mythology, Women, Power, Deception.
Helen Eddy
Dandy & Dazza by Mike Dumbleton. Illus. by Brett Curzon
New Frontier, 2021. ISBN: 9781913639150. (Age:3+) Highly recommended.
The names of the two dogs say it all: Dandy is a dandy, has only the best food, wears clothes to the park, wins trophies and is often found sleeping on the lounge, while Dazza is a mess of a dog: loud and boisterous, naughty, dirty and inquisitive. The two dogs could not be more different. The opening pages reflect these differences. On one side of the page is Dandy: refined, only eating the best food, obedient and well trained and coming to the park for a wait and see, meeting Dazza: a rough and tumble sort of dog, dashing about, going onto the places that say ‘keep off’, with a host of flies buzzing around his head.
Dumbleton inspires with his choice of words describing the two animals, and I can imagine children not only rolling the words around their mouths, repeating them as they hear them, trying them out, working out what they mean, but also acting them out, being the dogs - Dazza straining at the leash, bouncing and pouncing, while more sedate Dandy sits and watches, until the two come together, having the best rough and tumble time in the park.
They squirt and sprinkle on every post and tree they find, ignoring the sign which asks that only well behaved dogs are welcome in this park, they simply go crazy.
This wonderful tale, full of vim and vigour, will be a treat to read aloud, with children joining in, imagining that they are the dogs, learning that even though they are very different, they are the best of friends.
The vibrant illustrations match the mood of the book, with an excited Dazza shaking muddy dirt all over the place, while quieter Dandy simply watches, until he becomes part of the mayhem Dazza causes. Both animals are shown in such a way that their personalities are immediately apparent. Dandy sitting up so straight, a smell under his nose, whereas Dazza is rummaging through an overload bin, having the time of his life. The detail on every page adds another level of humour, and I love the buzzing endpapers and so will the kids.
This is a wonderfully inviting treatise on difference and coming together, friendship and best of all - fun.
Themes Friendship, Difference, Dogs, Behaviour.
Fran Knight
The little pirate Queen by Sally Anne Garland
New Frontier, 2021. ISBN: 9781913639143. (Age:5+) Recommended.
Lucy is on an adventure searching for Far Away Island. She has a small, rickety raft which she patches up over and over again. The other children sailing have much better sea crafts than her and she wishes she had something better. One day a huge wave crashes over the children and Lucy is the only one who stays afloat. She rescues the others and teaches them how to mend the sails and row the raft. On their journey she fills their heads with stories of pirates and treasure. Just as they are feeling like they will never find Far Away Island, they discover wreckage from other boats so together they create a new and stronger great big pirate ship. Land is finally in site and the rescued children head ashore for their own adventures leaving Lucy sailing the seas.
This is an enjoyable read that taps vividly into a child’s imagination. The illustrations are beautifully drawn and perfectly complement the text.
The daring princess by Susanna Davidson. Illus. by Alessandra Santelli
Usborne Publishing, 2021. ISBN: 9781474969796.
his is a re-telling of the Grimm fairytale, 'The Iron Stove', in which a princess frees a prince from an iron stove, after he was trapped there by a wicked witch. But no sooner has she freed him, than the witch appears and snatches the prince away. Now the princess must climb a glass mountain, cross a lake and a field of swirling spikes to save him.
When the collectors of traditional tales started writing them to preserve them, they focused on those which reflected the ideas and ideals of the time, so we have stories like Snow White and Sleeping Beauty in which the princesses were patient and polite, and there was a strong message that encouraged children to do the right thing or else. Those stories featuring feisty, girls able to fight their own battles were ignored, but as times change new collectors are searching for and recovering other stories. Many of these have been included in Forgotten Fairy Tales of Brave and Brilliant Girls and now Usborne is releasing a new series of single stories especially written for the newly independent reader. Featuring short chapters, larger font and plenty of illustrations, they are ideal for supporting a fairytale focus enabling young readers to be able to access something different that supports their needs.
The sequel to The sky so heavy, this time featuring Lucy as the main protagonist, was very difficult to put down. Lucy, Fin and Max are trying to recover from the devastating events of the nuclear winter in Sydney, as they drive toward Wattlewood, the sanctuary that their teacher had told them about. When they arrive, they find that it is like a compound, heavily guarded, and each person must prove their worth in order to stay. Lucy has doubts about how it is organised, and she is unsure that they are safe there.
Told in the first person by Lucy, the reader is drawn deep into her fears about life at Wattlewood, where one of the leaders, Jaxon, is controlling and into power. He does not appreciate a young woman like Lucy who speaks her mind, and Lucy is not happy with the stereotyped role that she is given, in the laundry and in the kitchen. However, Fin fits in as a guard and Jaxon manages to pull Max out of the depression that he had slipped into after the trauma of their stay in Sydney. Lucy also delves back into her past and her relationship with her sister, Bit, and the reader will empathise with the reason that Bit had anorexia and why Lucy is wary of men and of forming the relationship that Fin craves.
Although there is action and suspense as Lucy learns to hunt and the compound is shut down because of threats from the outside, themes of power, feminism and compassion are the dominant threads of this story. Zorn keeps the reader enthralled as Lucy weaves her way through the pitfalls of maintaining her own self confidence under a concerted effort by Jaxon to belittle her as he does Esther. Readers will be able to identify the means that violent men use to dominate women and will identify with Lucy as her sense of justice and compassion and her belief that outsiders should be helped, wars with the powerful Jaxon.
Although this is sequel, it can be read as a standalone and readers will want to pick up The sky so heavy if they have not read it. It would make a topical class novel or literature circle text. Teacher's notes are available, and you can listen to Claire Zorn talk about the book here.
The second in the series Tales from the Bush Mob, is aimed squarely at kids between 5 and 10 with emerging literacy skills, and importantly use First Nation stories to garner resilience and strength.
The emu who ran through the sky tells the tale of Lofty, a young emu mad about winning the race that is held each Sunday by the mob, celebrating afterwards with a feast. But Lofty in his eagerness trips over his big feet and causes others to fall. The kookaburras keep laughing, as do some of the other emus and when Lofty asks them to race with him for practice, they walk away. He must practise by himself.
He tries to harness the wind to help, but the wind buffets him and seeing an eagle fall to the ground after being hit by lightning, Emu goes to help. Eagle becomes his friend and wants to help him win the race, and suggests that he learn to fly. They seek the help of several other animals, the reader learning a little of that animals' attributes as they try and help Emu.
Eventually, the Bush Mob comes to the rescue with an ingenious paragliding kite that helps him soar over the others.
Emu's resolve, his strength and perseverance win through, and with the help of his friends, wins the day.
Helen Milroy is a Pilyku woman from the Pilbara region of Western Australia. She presents us with a rich cultural story based on strong environmental themes, promoting courage, perseverance and friendship.
Strong earthy colours dominate the book, reflecting the colours of the outback, stark against the endless blue of the sky. Aboriginal motifs are used to strengthen the images and the animals are presented with looks that speak louder than words. I love the endpapers depicting a map of the area, all told through the places where animals reside.
Themes Aboriginal themes, Emus, The Bush Mob (series), Australian animals, Perseverance, Resilience.
The Smidgens is written by London author and illustrator David O'Connell. The madcap action is perfectly accompanied by the quirky illustrations of Seb Burnett.
The Smidgens is bound to become the first of a much loved series of magical adventures to be enjoyed by children. This book allows children to enter into the world of little people, of fantastical adventures, of characters who are full of wit and quick thinking. It is a world where there are baddies and ghosts; there are magical powers for good and bad. Human beings live above and the Smidgens venture into the human world.
The Smidgen family in this story live with a sense of loss, of a dark past. They are the only survivors - just one little family of which Gafferty Sprout is the oldest daughter and chief protagonist of the story. No bigger than 10cm high, Gafferty lives by the Smidgen's rules: stay hidden and observe, don't do anything flipping stupid, be ready to run and run fast and if in doubt make it up. Gafferty is lonely and would love to meet other Smidgens her own age if they still exist. She discovers an old book and this not only sets her on the trail of finding others like her but also leads her into dangerous action packed adventure where she needs all the skills, magic and help from others that she can get.
In its whimsicalness and depiction of loving family life and funny little creatures The Smidgens is a little like The Moomintrolls by Swedish author Tove Jansson. It is also reminiscent of the Mrs Pepperpot series by Norwegian author Alf Proyson which was about the adventures of a little woman no bigger than a pepperpot. The Borrowers by Mary Norton is a classic series featuring little people; The Smidgens is funnier.
There is somehow an importance for children to experience reading about the adventures of little imaginary fantastic folk. Wondering about what it would be like for a whole family to dine on a potato chip and still have left overs and all the other things experienced by the Smidgens opens up the world of imagination and enhances the ability to see the world from a different perspective.
The Smidgens will bring a lot of gentle pleasure and laughs into the lives of young readers.
This book is impossible to put down. Real events inspired this story. The island of Eilean Mor in the Outer Hebrides has a lighthouse. In December 1900 three keepers disappeared from the island. The mystery remains unsolved and has inspired film and poetry.
Emma Stonex sets The Lamplighters in Cornwall in 1972. Three lighthouse keepers have vanished. The entrance door is locked from the inside, beds are made and the clocks have stopped at 8:45.
In 1992 an author seeks to investigate and resolve the mystery and this provides an opportunity for the women left behind to confront their fears, and reveal what has been kept hidden for twenty years.
The writing is riveting and suspenseful as the author moves seamlessly between 1972 and 1992. In 1972 we in turn hear the voices of principal keeper Arthur Black, Bill Walker and Vincent Bourne. Their characters are exposed through sensitive, deft writing that is compelling and engrosses the reader. The moods of the sea, the rhythms of life in a lighthouse and the realities of isolation entwine to heighten the the mystery of the disappearance of the three. The reader is invited to speculate the cause of their disappearance: something supernatural; madness; murder; criminal activity; misadventure.
In 1992 we find Helen, Jenny and Michelle. Each, guarding their secrets, has severed ties with the others at a time when you might think they would be bound together. The author skilfully builds tension as the very different personalities reveal the betrayals, grievances, guilt and suspicion that have haunted their past twenty years.
The author has crafted a stunning debut novel that captivates and haunts the reader.
Do Something for Someone Else is another beautifully presented and topical book by Loll Kirby. Her first book Old Enough to Save the Planet presented twelve activists providing solutions to the effects of climate change. In her latest book the author introduces us to another twelve children from around the world who focus on another type of activism: spreading kindness in everyday activities. Kesz who had been living on the streets in the Philippines from a young age was given the opportunity to improve his circumstances. He then set up an organisation called Championing Community Children to support other children living on the streets. Havana from the USA began fundraising from a young age to provide books for black children that contained black characters. She is also passionate about girls and education. Winter from Australia discovered at the age of nine that children in some countries did not have clean drinking water. He began to raise funds to support these children and set up a fundraising programme Surf to School where students can wear surf clothes to school and donate to this campaign. Each activist and their cause is presented on a double page spread and the highly detailed illustrations are interspersed with interesting facts. At the end of the book are ideas about helping do something for someone else as well as ten things you can do to make a difference to someone else. The website addresses of all of the mentioned activists are included and would be a great starting point for further research.
There is nothing that Couch Potato likes more that slouching on the couch. In fact it spends all its free time in the exact spot on its comfy cosy couch, and really, there is no reason to move. With a range of gadgets - even one that fetches its snacks - and a wall of shimmering screens in front of it, it can control its entire life all the time with a few taps and a couple of clicks.
Life is perfect until there is a power outage! Suddenly everything goes dark and Couch Potato is forced to open the curtains to let some light in where it sees the outdoors for the first time in a long time and it is tempted outside.
This is a new addition to Jory John's collection of modern cautionary tales for young readers joining The Good Egg, The Bad Seed and The Cool Bean. Encouraging those who prefer to live their lives vicariously through the screen to get outside and enjoy the sunshine, fresh air and being actively involved with friends, it opens up investigations into a healthy lifestyle and the need for balance.
