Lady Venessa Blake returns to her holiday home on Mustique to organise the birthday celebrations for her goddaughter Lily. She has received a phone call from her which unsettles her, Lily is not her usual self. The island which has always been tranquil and private is giving a different vibe. Perhaps it is because many of the villas are empty, their owners having returned to their other lives, or perhaps it is the threat of the looming Tropical Storm Cristabal.
The island's only police officer DS Solomon Nile’s usual quiet life is jolted by the disappearance of the Heiress Amanda Fortini. The islanders can offer no helpful insights, but Lady Vee as she is known by her intimates on the island soon offers her help and local knowledge to solve the mystery.
The peace of the island is certainly shattered when the Fontini luxury residence is torched and is destroyed. Then the body of the main suspect is washed ashore. He has most definitely been murdered. Pieces of dead coral are being left with strange symbols carved into them. Lily’s work on regenerating the coral reef seems to be a major factor. But who could be trying to sabotage such a beneficial scheme?
DS Nile is suspicious of a large yacht anchored off shore, but oddly he has been warned off boarding or searching it by his superiors. Things come to a head as Cristobal nears the coast and Lady Vee, Lily and Nile count themselves lucky to have survived.
Anne Glenconner is old school: an aristocrat who loves to name drop, and of course Mustique gives many opportunities for Princess Margaret’s name to be slotted into the narrative. Of all her characters, DS Solomon Nile, is the one who resonates most with this reader. Lady Vee has the utmost confidence in her own abilities and in her position as “lady of the manor”.
A good read when lying on the beach or killing time in the airport lounge.
Based on the Bluey episode of the same name, this is a humorous look at how the boring things in life are often important for ensuring a fun time. It's a hot summer's day at the Heeler household and the kids don't want to brush their teeth. 'Boring things are important too', says Mum. As Bluey fans will know, Dad can be a bit of a big kid sometimes. He bursts in with the pool noodles and the water guns and declares a trip to Uncle Stripe's pool. 'Don't forget the swim stuff', calls Mum. But everyone is already out the door. A comedic sequence follows, wherein Dad, Bluey and Bingo realise they are missing all the boring but important things that make a pool outing enjoyable: thongs, sunscreen, rashies, hats, floaties...and snacks. Luckily Mum arrives just in time, with all the stuff they left behind. A fun family outing ensues. 'So boring things are important sometimes then?' asks Mum. 'Yes!' agrees Bluey.
This accompanying title will be much loved by children already familiar with the accompanying episode. Parent knowledge of the episode will also aid in making it a successful read-aloud, allowing them to use the intonation and distinctive vocal style of the characters. There is a beautiful message here about families working together and of appreciating the different qualities that each person brings to the group. It's also a handy line of reasoning for parents to use too: boring things are important too! - remember when Bluey and Bingo went to the pool without all the things?!
Themes Family, Swimming pools.
Nicole Nelson
Growing up disabled in Australia by Carly Findlay ed.
Black Inc., 2021. ISBN: 9781760641436. (Age:14+) Highly recommended.
The thing that comes through most strongly in this collection of personal stories is each writer’s pride in who they are. Being disabled is not a failing to be normal, it is another variety in the amazing array of life. It is ableism that makes mainstream society see people with a disability as something different, something less. There are many difficult struggles recounted in this volume, but each of the writers asserts their right to be themself. That strength of spirit, that message, holds something for everyone, regardless of ability or disability, regardless of life experience.
I must admit when I first picked up this book I was a little daunted that there were so many stories drawn together in this collection. There are 46 altogether, selected from over 360 submissions. But as I started to read one account after another, I just wanted to read more. There are so many interesting people, so many interesting lives, that I didn’t want to put the book down.
My understanding of disability has been expanded. Reading about conditions that one might not usually associate with the label ‘disabled’, has exposed how inconsiderate our society is, how much everything is tailored to such a narrow idea of diversity.
The book provides insight into the ‘social model of disability’ in contrast to the medical model of disability where disability is seen to be a problem that needs to be fixed. The social model seeks to change society to recognise that people with disability have an equal right to be fully participating citizens. You can read more about the social model of disability on the website of People with Disability Australia.
The voices in this volume assert their right to be appreciated for who they are at the moment, their uncorrected selves; stories of amazing people with something to offer to everyone.
Themes Disability, Ableism, Identity.
Helen Eddy
Moonlight mums by Laura Stitzel
Penguin Random House Australia, 2021. ISBN: 9781760895792. (Age:3+)
When this little girl goes to bed, Dad tucks her in under the blankets, reminding her that her mother will be in soon to give her a kiss goodnight. Mum is working away form home, and is very busy but will always make time to give that final kiss goodnight.
The verses found on each page remind the readers of the routine at night time and the hugs received before drifting off to sleep. Each refrain repeats words preparing the child for sleep, showing other animals that wait for their mothers to return. The soft illustrations surround the reader with warmth and love as the offspring: human, animal or bird is enfolded within a mother’s arms. I love the image of the mother coming home to her child, shown at work, then the feet coming down the path, reaching the front door, then the door to the bedroom, and then kissing the child goodnight. These images are reflected by the bird flying back to her nest or the wombat going down into the hole where her baby is sleeping: each animal is radiating a mother’s love.
The lines are simple enough for a child to predict the rhyming word and perhaps learn some of the lines to read along with the adult as they hear the book.
This will be a comforting book to read as a child goes to bed, reading aloud as the child falls asleep.
Themes Sleep, Family, Verse.
Fran Knight
Rise of the Mythix: Flight of the griffin by Anh Do
Allen & Unwin, 2021. ISBN: 9781760876418. (Age:9-13) Highly recommended.
Flight of the Griffin by Anh Do is the third book in the exciting and page-turning Rise of the Mythix Series. Central to this story is the arrival of Jimmy the Griffin. He has been hiding his special skills and biding his time as one of the golden–haired Elite in order to free his parents from the evil William James otherwise known as the Collector. He ensures the release of Kelly the unicorn, Minh the Minotaur and Stanley Solomon who are imprisoned in the Collector’s castle. Unfortunately all does not go according to plan due to Minh's uncontrollable rage. Minh and Stanley are separated from Kelly and Jimmy and ultimately Minh is turned into a painting. His canvas is eventually taken by the others after a fierce battle and the four begin a long trek to the source of Kelly’s power, Mount Atticus. On the way Kelly learns she has healing powers and finds that the plateau at the top of the mountain holds special memories for her. She is able to bring Minh back to his original self but the Mythix is still in danger. They are continuously under attack from the KG and it takes all their powers to finally fight them off. Just when they thought they would have a breathing space from the malicious Collector, their very presence in the town of Greenfall brings terrible danger to the townspeople. They are forced to present themselves to William James but just when they think they will be able to outwit him, he unleashes a terrifying beast. What will happen next? Book four will hopefully be out soon.
Once again Anh Do cleverly maintains his readers' interest with the right mix of action, suspense and triumph over evil.He understands the need for his characters to be young humans in their responses as well as develop their friendships throughout the course of the book. The graphic illustrations by Chris Wahl provide a visual link to the text and will strongly appeal to middle-grade readers
Themes : Fantasy, Myths, Legends, Dystopia, Adventure, Power, Good vs Evil, Friendships, Prophecies.
Sisters Cam and Sophie are visiting their cousins who take them to a very rainy rainforest in the hope of seeing a platypus. The small troop of children set off without adult supervision and the rain becomes torrential and the normally calm river is raging.
There is a sense of foreboding early in the story as cousin Jack tries to reach a swimming platypus, in dangerous situation with an unknown foreign object tightly fixed to its neck. Of course, Jack’s bravado in reaching the distressed animal quickly turns into desperation as he slips on the eroding muddy riverbank, falls into the wild river and is swept away. While Liv, another cousin runs for help, both Sophie and Cam also find themselves carried away by the river and the adventure begins.
This is a rollicking ride for both the main characters and the reader. It is action after action as the three children have to deal with being lost in a muddy, wet, leech ridden rainforest. The individual personalities of the children become evident as they try to problem solve their way back to safety.
This is a small 100-page novel that crams in a lot of story. I was captured by the children’s tale from the beginning to the end of the book. The dedication page infers that this story is based on the true experience of three children.
This is the third in a series of high adventure stories, the others being The Lighthouse and Off the Track. Teacher's notes are available.
I can highly recommend this novel to students aged 6 to 10 years. This book would be a great read aloud too.
Allen & Unwin, 2021. ISBN: 9781760526047. (Age:4+) Highly recommended.
Superb images of icebergs fill the pages as Saxby tells readers about the iceberg and the animals that live on or near it, all the while a ship somewhere in the distance shows the continuing presence of humans and this encourages readers to think about their affect on this once pristine environment.
With a mix of collage, digital illustration along with watercolour, pen and ink, Racklyeft instills each page with the vastness of the landscape: its cold permeating the reader as each page is turned. The ice blues and luminous whites dominate the pages, but eager eyes will pick out minor details, dwarfed by the size of the iceberg. And they will all be stunned at the fold out pages showing the huge expanse of this environment.
As the iceberg shears from the glacier after the light display in the sky, the sea birds know it is the Antarctic summer and make their way south. A range of birds is mentioned: terns and cormorants, while humpback whales and squid hunt for krill, and the birds dive for the squid. The iceberg keeps wandering with the current, the wind and sun affecting its upper reaches, currents lapping at its base, until by autumn it is smaller, becoming a floe, a place for seals to lie on, a place for krill to hide out the coming winter months below the surface. Each stage of the iceberg's life is mentioned, illuminating the life cycle of this mountain of ice, reduced to just a floe by winter's end. Now spring, an iceberg calves and settles into the sea, the cycle starts again.
The lyrical prose directs readers' attention to the colours of this environment: the animals that live there, the events which herald changes for the animals, the movement in wind, tide and storm, the slow melting of the ice berg over the twelve months. Sentences in Saxby's spare prose will initiate more discussion as ideas are planted: what has ash to do with the iceberg, what is the ship doing there, and children will stretch out their arms to see how wide the cormorant spreads its wings, and ponder the information given on the last page about this amazing environment, reminding us all of our responsibility in protecting this place.
This stunning visual treat begs to be read and reread, discussed and talked over, while many will want to research further.
Themes Icebergs, Arctic and Antarctica, Environment, Man's impact on the environment, Animals.
Sunny Dae (and yes, that is his name!) is the ultimate bullied nerd. He impresses no one, is Asian-American in a wealthy Californian suburb and is comfortable only with the two other game-play nerds that similarly are tagged as losers within their school environment. Sunny’s older brother, Gray Dae (!) has left home to pursue his rock star career in nearby Hollywood; his parents are 24/7 work and screen focused and Sunny is…. just average and ordinary. When a female family friend, Cirrus, enters Sunny’s arena he fakes his identity by borrowing his brother’s clothes and career interests to impress her and attempts to become the cool ‘Rock-star’ kid that he thinks she might like. The lie grows and his faithful friends are pulled into the whirlpool he has created and must form a Rock band and perform. Lies are seldom easy to maintain forever, but Sunny really wants to continue being Cirrus’ boyfriend… but will she forgive the lie?
This joyful journey into teen romance is written with a refreshing voice and with insights into the world of teens engaged in Cos-play and gaming and their attempts to find their people. The crossover to the world of music and life in an American highschool adds some quirky elements. But David Yoon’s writing is not cliched or lame, rather it is clever and insightful while still being joyously cynical. This is a young person’s story, but it is clever and invigorating and quirkily fun. All readers will love Sunny and his friends.
Themes Coming-of-age, Romance, Nerds and Bullies, Truth and lies.
This novel is a sequel to Preservation, over 32 years on, Sydney born Eliza Grayling, a mature spinster, looks after her blind, alcoholic, grieving and reclusive father, the former Lieutenant Joshua Grayling. She knows that his behaviour is influenced by an old enemy from the past.
Through the influence of the former lascar, Srinivas, Joshua is offered the chance for a reckoning with his nemesis. Unable to dissuade her father Eliza is forced to join him as his carer and eyes, on their chartered boat the Moonbird. A voyage ensues into Bass Strait and the Furneaux Islands in search of a missing ship, its cargo, and the elusive Mr Figge.
A saga of incidents unveils as the additional party consisting of a pair of convict brothers, a doctor studying marine life, and the cross-dressing master, sails from one island to the next in search of the missing ship. On the way they meet strangers who are sealers and their 'tyereelore' wives and George Robinson’s men who are attempting to round up the indigenous people.
The dangers of venturing into the islands give an atmosphere of foreboding, mixed with wonderful descriptions of the dangerous marine environment, birds and rugged islands. Jock Serong’s writing evokes the landscape in vivid detail and his characters are well drawn, especially Eliza who narrates the story in the first person. As historical fiction the reader perceives the period depicted in the book as an accurate reflection of the lives of the island inhabitants. I felt the plot was a little too contrived at times but readers who stay the course will be rewarded with the outcome.
Clouds by Angie and Alli Simpson. Illus. by Lucy Fleming
Aladdin, 2021. ISBN: 9781534439535. (Age:6+)
Clouds is a thoughtfully written rhyming story about the treasured memories of growing up and the bond between a mother and daughter over a period of time. Making shapes and dreams out of clouds has long been a past-time for children and adults all over the world. This book expands on that and tells of a mother remembering and sharing her daughter’s journey as she walks along a beach.
The illustrations by Lucy Fleming are quite striking in their own right and complement the text beautifully.
Clouds was inspired by Australian singer Cody Simpson’s lullaby. He is the son and brother of the authors, Angie and Ali Simpson. At the end of the book is personal information of how the story evolved.
Themes Clouds, Imagination, Mother/Daughter Relationships, Life Journey, Dreams.
Kathryn Beilby
White throat by Sarah Thornton
Clementine Jones bk. 2. Text Publishing, 2020. ISBN: 9781922330031. (Age:Adult) Recommended for crime lovers.
First seen in Lapse, Clementine Jones is back, this time hiding out in Queensland’s Great Sandy Straits, while house-sitting for a friend. Her Aunt Helen, who organises a campaign to protect an endangered turtle, lives nearby and has recruited her to help with legalities. When Helen’s body is found at the bottom of a quarry and is pronounced a suicide, Clem is convinced that it is murder and is determined to find the killer. She uses her connections with the Wildlife Association to try and find clues to the many suspects. There is the mining company that wants to open a port and will destroy the turtles’ habitat, the local mayor who supports and retirees who will gain some monetary security. All had some vested interest in having the mining company win, but who is ruthless enough to kill Helen for gain?
The themes of environmental protection versus corporate greed are current and timely and provide an engrossing background to this fast-paced thriller. The beautiful Queensland coast, threatened by mining and housing development as well as the loss of the little turtle's habitat, are described vividly. Clem too has a personal struggle about deciding to return to the rat-race of being a corporate lawyer or going back to the small country town where she coached a winning football team.
Clem uses all her skills as an ex-corporate lawyer to delve into the motives of the people she interviews, each suspect described vividly and when things get tough, she is relieved to have Torrens, ex-con and friend, to help her out. Add in two wonderful dogs who are heroes, and the book is a winner.
The action in the last third of the book is breath-taking and had me on the edge of the seat, and I look forward to more of Clem’s adventures.
Themes Endangered species, Murder, Greed.
Pat Pledger
Hugo's Runaway Legs by Alys Jackson and Leigh Brown
With rhyming language that just begs to be read aloud, this amusing picture book is sure to be a hit with young children.
Hugo Holt woke up one day to find his legs had run away. Without the slightest sigh or fuss they hopped aboard a local bus.
Hugo is determined to recover his runaway legs and tries out different legs to see if they are fast enough to catch up with the bus. He tried a toad’s legs and children will laugh out loud at the pictures of him hopping and leaping. Then he tries out a deer’s legs, hippo’s legs, penguin’s feet, brown bear’s legs, cheetah’s legs and giraffe’s legs none of which can catch the bus. Each set of feet is accompanied by hilarious illustrations by Leigh Brown that complement the text and very small children will have lots of fun guessing what animal owns the legs before the verse is read out to them.
The refrain is sure to be one that children will want to sing out as well.
' This,' he wailed, ' is pure disaster. These legs are fast but the ... bus ... is ... faster! ’
They will be relieved when Hugo finally uses a horse’s legs to catch the bus and discover that Hugo’s legs have run away because they were not used enough. The final stanza will have children in fits of giggles, while they learn about appropriate amounts of exercise and sitting:
And so his legs agreed to stay and Hugo plays and plays ... all day! In fact he never thinks of sitting and that is why his ... bum is quitting!
The humour, easy flow of language and illustration on the front cover will ensure that this is a favourite with young children.
Themes Legs, Exercise.
Pat Pledger
The left-handed booksellers of London by Garth Nix
Allen & Unwin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760631246. (Age:14+) Highly recommended.
It is 1983 and Susan Arkshaw is on a quest to find her father. She travels to London, hoping that crime boss Frank Thringley can help her, but Merlin kills him with a silver hatpin before she can get any answers. With creatures from the Old World after her, she joins up with Merlin and his sister Vivien, who are looking for the murderer of their mother and must overcome incredible odds to keep the modern world safe.
Nix’s wonderful imagination takes the reader into a world where there are left-handed booksellers who fight evil, Merlin being one of them, and right-handed booksellers like Vivien who are intellectuals and solve problems. Anyone who has travelled to London and visited the big bookstores there will recognise the authenticity of their description and enjoy the idea of left-handed booksellers. The combination of the world in 1983 and the fantasy world of legends is handled deftly, and I had no problem with suspending belief as I followed the amazing adventures of Susan and her book-selling friends.
The main characters are fully fleshed out. Susan is a determined, brave and thoughtful young woman, while Merlin is enormously attractive, whether dressed as a young man or woman. Vivien is clever while the villains in the story are dastardly.
The Left-Handed Booksellers of London was even better on a second read and will go on my shelf of feel-good reads to be turned to when I need an outstanding action-packed story, beautifully written and with memorable characters. Fans of A corner of white by Jaclyn Moriarty and Diana Wynne Jones would enjoy this. Teacher’s notes are available from the publisher.
In Basra province, Iraq, in 1978, two young girls vow friendship, cutting their thumbs and combining their blood; sisters forever. Huda is the common village girl and Rania is the privileged daughter of the sheik. Then time leaps forward to Baghdad 2002 and we learn that something has come between the two friends, they have become distanced and distrustful. The country is Iraq during the time of Saddam Hussein, a time of oppression and brutality at the hands of the mukhabarat or secret police.
Then a third woman enters their lives, accompanying her husband’s posting as deputy ambassador. Ally is a friendly but naive Australian seeking to unravel the secrets of her American mother’s life in Iraq many years ago. Huda, winning a highly prized position as secretary in the Australian embassy, is coerced into becoming an informant for the mukhabarat, befriending the Australian woman, and reporting on her movements.
At the heart of the novel is the question of friendship. Can there truly be friendship between people of different wealth, different life experiences, different responsibilities and expectations? Huda and Rania are trapped in a world of fear and oppression. The foreigner, Ally, can step out of it at any time. Their lives intersect, there are secrets and betrayals, but can there also be an authentic connection despite their world situations?
In her author’s note, Wilkinson tells us that the novel was inspired by her experience living in Baghdad under Saddam Hussein, with one of her closet Iraqi friends a secret police informant reporting her every move. That puzzle of their relationship, vacillating between warm friendship and doubting distrust underscores the novel, and is a question that many travellers may confront at some time as they navigate worlds with vast discrepancies in wealth and freedoms.
The other question this novel raises is the issue of cultural ownership – who has the right to tell which stories? Having spent many years travelling the world, Wilkinson argues for the commonality at the heart of our lives. However the question arises, would Huda or Rania assert a claim to a more authentic voice, if they were the writers? Can Wilkinson really know what their lives were like, the pull of history and religion, the fear and betrayals? These are all issues worth exploring. Discussion questions at the end of the book could be helpful conversation starters.
When apricots bloom is a powerful story, of brave people forced to make difficult decisions in order to protect their loved ones, forced into deceptions but trying to still maintain core values of friendship, love and loyalty. And the reader will also discover the many beauties of Iraq, the art, legendary cities, sights and smells, and the apricot blossoms.
‘Sensational’ is how William Yang has described Frayne’s landscapes, and there is no better word. They are truly sensational. But anyone who has perused Frayne’s collection of portraits Theatre of life, would not expect any less. The same gaze that caught the light and shade and expressions of a face, is now turned to the landscapes of South Australia, presented in this beautiful volume, each turn of the page presenting a pair of images that compare and contrast shapes, colours and mood.
Truly exquisite are the variations of light; landscapes disappearing into a mist, brilliant colours cast by a setting sun, shadows in clouds and fields, and also urban landscapes with lines and planes that at times recall the still scenes of Jeffrey Smart. (Master of stillness (2018) was also published by Wakefield Press.)
There is humour too in some of the titles: ‘Land of Milk and Honey’, ‘Land of Potatoes and Dorpers’, ‘Formalism Cows’, and the satirical ‘Corona Nightscape’ and ‘Rush Hour, Corona Time’. Some are magical: ‘Hey Mr Sandman, Bring me a Dream’ and ‘Pram, as in a Dream’, the latter recalling for me French director Alain Resnais’ strange situating of figures in geometric frameworks. But Frayne’s work is not posed in that way, rather it is the amazing capture of a moment when everything just works together.
Hours could be spent contemplating these scenes; the book is a treasure that will reward revisiting many times over. And for the curious, or the visitor to this state, there is also an index by region at the end.
