Reviews

The girl and the stars by Mark Lawrence

The Girl and the Stars is the first book in a new Mark Lawrence series, Book of the Ice. Set in the same world as the Book of the Ancestor novels, this story takes place in the most isolated and inhospitable area of the lands known as Abeth.

When Yaz was born, her parents took her to see two oracles. The first oracle touched her and died. The second oracle prophesised greatness and torment. Yaz has always known she was different. She is not quite as strong as the others in her tribe and she can sense something in the earth, far below, that no one else knows is there. The problem is that for Yaz’s people, the Ictha, different is bad, different is dangerous and in the frozen and bleak landscape of remote Abeth, different will get you killed.

When Yaz’s brother Zeen is set on a path to mortal danger, she unthinkingly follows him. Her mission to rescue him, however, introduces her to a new and treacherous world. Yaz learns that her society and religion is built on the backs of an oppressed class of misfits like herself and it will be up to her to find a way out of the darkness.

Mark Lawrence fans will recognise some similarities to his previous stories: a cold and desolate world, a harsh society and a lone outcast who has no choice but to fight for the survival of herself and those she loves. Unlike Lawrence’s adult series however, The Girl and the Stars is solidly young adult, with the characters acting and behaving as inconsistently and frustratingly as teenagers do. A few other young adult fiction tropes, for example, the love triangle, have also found their way into the plot. Nevertheless, The Girl and the Stars is a captivating beginning to this new series. While the audience does not need to have read the Book of the Ancestor series, prior knowledge of some of the religious and socio-political hierarchies of Abeth makes for easier reading.

Themes Fantasy, Dystopia, Family, Community, Religion, Oppression, Conflict.

Rose Tabeni

The crayons' Christmas by Drew Daywalt

Peppa Pig: Peppa's Night Before Christmas

Penguin, 2020. ISBN: 9780241448625.
(Age: 2+) Recommended. Using the rhythm of Clement Moore's classic Night before Christmas, this story will delight Peppa Pig fans as they listen to the exploits of Peppa on Christmas Eve. Peppa couldn't sleep so she crept out of bed and listened carefully - could she hear Santa? Then George wakes up and when they hear a bang, it appears that Santa needs help with the lights on his sleigh. Peppa comes to the rescue by giving Santa a magical unicorn with a flashing horn, that was under the Christmas tree .
Bright colourful illustrations bring this story to life. Peppa and George are dressed in special red Christmas pyjamas, the Christmas tree is beautifully decorated and the white snowy landscape outside highlights the northern hemisphere's cold winter. The rhyming words lend themselves to be read aloud and as always Peppa is helpful and good at solving problems.
A happy, joyful book, Peppa's night before Christmas is one that little children will enjoy listening to in the lead-up to Christmas.
Pat Pledger

The paper bag princess by Robert Munsch

Illus. by Michael Martchenko. Scholastic, 2020. ISBN: 9781760974602.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. With the dragon retiring to his cave with the kidnapped Prince Ronald, he leaves in his wake a fire ravaged castle and a naked Princess Elizabeth. She determines to rescue her betrothed, donning a paper bag to cover he nakedness, using her resourcefulness to follow the dragon's tracks.
Stalwart and fierce, determined and unwavering, Princess Elizabeth is not put off by the dragon's slammed door nor his fiery breath.
She tricks him into showing off his considerable skills, thereby exhausting himself, enabling her to release Ronald. Readers will laugh out loud at the wily Princess Elizabeth and the overconfident dragon.
But the humour does not end there: a twist in the tale sees Ronald dismissing his lady love because of how she looks and Princess Elizabeth can skip off into the sunrise ready for adventures anew.
This lovely twist of a classic rescue from a dragon fairy tale will be eagerly welcomed by a new audience, a wonderful story first published forty years ago. My battered copy from the 80's sits on my shelves but now will have a handsome companion in this hard cover reissue.
The story is humorous and witty, reworking an old story but with a twist which will tickle the funny bones of all readers. Lots of thoughts and ideas will be sparked by this story: twisted fairy tales, the role of princesses and princes, image, clothing, appearance, while readers will question why people are expected to behave and dress in a particular way, and look at how this impacts on our behaviour.
In this edition, a note at the start by Chelsea Clinton, sets the scene of a family reading the story. She talks of the strengths revealed by the story, strengths children can emulate, defeating the dragons without losing their kindness and goodness.
This is followed by a short essay, 'Stand up to dragons' by Francesca Segal, an award winning British journalist and author, and the book is closed with an account of the book's beginnings by Ann Munsch with Robert Munsch.
(I was intrigued by the way the authorship was penned, so found more information from Wikipedia.)
Each of the three additions to this edition make interesting reading for the adult before they read the story out loud to the class, and older students will be intrigued by the beginnings of the book and how it came to be.
The wonderful illustrations will delight today's readers, marvelling at the way an illustrator can use small strokes of his pen and brush to give human qualities to the images of the characters. And I love the drawing of the nonchalant dragon, one leg crossed over the other, and the toadying Ronald, complete with tennis racquet admonishing his rescuer.
Lots of fun will be had with this reissue of the classic, The paper bag princess.
Themes: Image, Twisted fairy tale, Appearance, Dragons, Kidnapping, Rescue.
Fran Knight

Atlas of Record-Breaking Adventures by Emily Hawkins

Illus. by Lucy Letherland. Wide Eyed Editions 2020. ISBN: 9780711255630.
(Age: 7+) Highly recommended. Subtitled A collection of the BIGGEST, FASTEST, LONGEST, HOTTEST, TOUGHEST, TALLEST and MOST DEADLY things from around the world, this is a beautifully presented and cleverly illustrated non-fiction book and is another addition to the Atlas of Adventures series. Other titles in the series include Atlas of Miniature Adventures: A pocket-sized collection of small-scale wonders, Atlas of Dinosaur Adventures: Step Into a Prehistoric World and the Atlas of Ocean Adventures: A Collection of Natural Wonders, Marine Marvels and Undersea Antics from Across the Globe. This latest book by author Emily Hawkins provides readers with an amazing insight into record-breaking events, plants and animals, natural landscapes and human-made marvels. The book begins with a clearly labelled map of the continents with small images depicting some of the record-breaking features to be discussed further in the book. The Contents page uses each of the seven continents as headings with sub-headings underneath related to the record-breakers. Once the journey into the atlas begins, the reader is given a brief description of the continent and then a myriad of amazing facts that are unique to that particular area. Victoria Falls which borders both Zambia and Zimbabwe on the continent of Africa is the most enormous waterfall in the world. It is also known as Mosi-oa-Tunya which translates in to 'the smoke that thunders'. The spray from the waterfall can be seen up to 20 kilometres away. On the continent of Europe the largest collection of bones is found in France in the Catacombs of Paris which lie 20 metres below the city. The world's heaviest parrot, the kakapo, is found in New Zealand. It can weigh up to 4 kilograms and is also one of the world's longest living and noisiest birds. Termites, the greatest insect builders in the world, are found in Australia and their enormous mounds often up to 8 metres high are dotted throughout the Northern Territory. The reader can explore over 30 scenes and read many interesting and varied snapshots of information. At the end of the book is a detailed index as well as a 'Can you find?' page.
The detailed illustrations by Lucy Letherland add to the overall enjoyment and appeal of the book. This book is an excellent book for gifting and sharing with a child or as a discussion prompt for record-breaking phenomena. Themes: Record-breakers, Animals, Nature, Environment, Wonders of the world, Continents, Maps.
Kathryn Beilby

The twisted ones by T. Kingfisher

Titan Publishing, 2020. ISBN: 9781789093285.
(Age: Adult - Senior secondary) Recommended. Fans of the horror genre will be sure to enjoy this classic tale by T. Kingfisher (pseudonym for Hugo Award winner, Ursula Vernon) which has been recognised with following: Locus Award Nominee for Best Horror Novel 2020, Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Horror 2019 and Dragon Award for Best Horror Novel 2020. It tells the story of Melissa, known as Mouse, a young woman who with her dog, arrives at her deceased grandmother's house in rural North Carolina, to clean up. What she finds is a mess - her grandmother was a hoarder and skip after skip is filled with rubbish. But what is most disturbing is the Green Book written by her step-grandfather Cotgrave, describing terrifying twisted ones and stone figures. She initially believes that this is nonsense but after an encounter in the woods and some frightening figures in her yard, she begins to believe that something is after her.
Kingfisher maintains a narrative that keeps the reader gripped to the page until the startling conclusion. Written in the words of Mouse, the young woman, the suspense builds up as terrifying episode after episode are detailed; there are faces in the windows, her beloved dog goes missing and a strange overgrown path leads to a place where there are twisted statues and the holler people seem to cast a strange atmosphere over the area. Segments from her step-grandfather's journal are interspersed in the narration and add another dimension. In the author's note at the end, Kingfisher reveals that "the Green Book is the diary from Arthur Machen's found manuscript story, The white people." Published in 1904, readers may want to follow up by reading it at the Gutenberg site.
Some light touches are added as Mouse becomes friends with Foxy, who lives across the way, but even Foxy can be frightening as well. And Bongo the dog is a bonus, silly and loving.
I enjoyed the thrills and scares of The twisted ones and think that it would be an ideal choice for older readers leading up to Halloween.
Pat Pledger

One day I'll remember this by Helen Garner

Text Publishing, 2020. ISBN: 9781922330277.
(Age: Adult) Recommended. These are Garner's personal diaries from 1987-1995, published together in a hard cover book. They are snippets of poetic descriptions, humorous incidents, dreams and thoughts, and accounts of interactions wth V, her love, the esteemed but married author. For people who are intrigued by the art of writing, Garner lays it bare, the gathering of ideas, thoughts and impressions, that weave together somehow, in contrast to the planned layout of V's approach to writing.
Then there is her record of the male female interaction that makes up a relationship. I found myself thinking 'No, don't submit to him', because that is how it so frequently turns out - the silencing of thoughts, the catering to his wishes, his needs; but in reality that is what happens so often in a relationship. Women do become the nurturer and carer, they do silence their criticisms, and assume the guilt. I had to read out one passage to my partner - where V takes down from the wall a drawing by one of Garner's friends, because it was the perfect place to put V's newly acquired piece of art, and then he wonders why she seems sad. The scene ends with him tearing down his picture and storming out of the flat. (My partner didn't think it was funny.)
But on the other hand, as Garner realises, there is no perfect man, no perfect partner. She has a man she loves to spend hours with, talking about writing and art. And she has many other friends, male and female, who provide thoughts, sustenance and insightful support.
These memoirs make up a different kind of story - it is like reading bits of poetry - but the pieces do combine to provide a picture of a person's life, the joys and torments of writing, and the ups and downs of a relationship that many could identify with.
Themes: Writers and writing, Art, Life, Male female relationships.
Helen Eddy

Forever fairies by Karen Dunsmore

Illus. by Grace Chen. Little Steps Publishing, 2020. ISBN: 9781925839678.
Forever fairies is a delightful and magical tale of twins Luke and Leandra who live with their grandparents. They love to explore the garden, studying the natural environment and share an interest in the world of fairies.
To their surprise when exploring in the garden, they discover a baby fairy with curled wings among the leafy branches. They make the decision to secretly care for her and try to reunite her with her family. Magical things began to happen as the twins learn just what the fairy needs to survive. Along the way the twins also find clues to the mysterious disappearance of their grandfather. Has he been caught up in the fairy magic?
Filled with fairy wisdom and lore, the author has created a fun magical story, focusing on the twins caring relationship with Little Fairy. The colourful illustrations add a sense of whimsy to this charming book.
Rhyllis Bignell

Ghost wall by Sarah Moss

Granta, 2019. ISBN: 9781783784462.
(Age: Adult-Senior Secondary) Recommended. A slender volume of 149 pages, Ghost wall kept me rivetted to the page, breathless as I followed the story of Silvie, a young girl who has joined an anthropology course, re-enacting life in early Britain. The group comprising of Silvie, her obsessive father and meek mother, a professor and three students, build a primitive camp and hunt and forage for food in the surrounding forests. Silvie's father is obsessed with the life in the Iron Age and is drawn to stories of sacrifices found in the bog.
The first chapter detailing the sacrifice of a young girl is gripping as Moss details the rituals that are carried out. In sparse but vivid language, the author shows the reader the terror of the girl as she is prepared for sacrifice. The next chapters are told in the wry and intelligent words of Silvie, as she watches the students who have backgrounds and aspirations far from hers. She is particularly drawn to Molly, an independent and caring girl, who shows her a different way of life to the one that her father has dictated. As the days progress, it is evident that Silvie's father is abusive and violent and this culminates in a scene where his lack of care is horrific.
Packed into this book are themes of nationalism and harking back to what is perceived as better times, reminiscent of Brexit. As well, the horror of domestic violence and its victims and the power of feminism is finely drawn.
Readers who have been haunted by the story 'Singing my sister down' in Singing my sister down and other stories by Margo Lanagan will be just as gripped by this memorable story.
Pat Pledger

When We Say Black Lives Matter by Maxine Beneba Clarke

Hachette, 2020. ISBN: 9780734420428.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Author illustrator, Beneba Clarke uses her considerable talents and background to increase student understanding and awareness of the phrase they will have heard a lot lately. 'Black Lives Matter' is a mantra repeated on every news platform, making it one of the phrases that has defined the last decade. Used after the shooting death of black teen, Trayvon Martin in February 2012, people could not help but be caught up in the world wide response to the acquittal of his killer, penning the phrase to make people aware that black lives were being thrown away. Adults reading this picture book will be only too aware of the background to the phrase, and will be able to support younger children as they learn what the phrase means and how it came to be used.
Beneba Clarke shows a supportive family, being strong and positive with their offspring, making sure that 'Black Lives Matter' is a phrase with meaning. A pregnant woman gives way to a young couple and their baby, and as each page is turned, the child grows to maturity, the verse on each page telling us how their lives matter.
As part of the family's daily life we see police lined up against a peaceful demonstration, the police outline of a body on the road, people crying, running figures escaping police brutality. Each image recalls incidents where the authorities have scorned those whose lives they have sworn to protect, while in the background we can see images of the posters carried in the demonstrations.
The stunning illustrations with bold black outlines on textured paper, the images filled with pastel, bring a dark and foreboding quality to the pages, as the words point out the adversities suffered by black people. But the family endures, reminding their offspring that 'Black Lives Matter', offering hope for a future where Black Lives do indeed Matter, impelling us all to be part of that future.
Themes: Racism, Police brutality, Unlawful death, Black Lives Matter, Demonstrations.
Fran Knight

Terry Denton's Really Truly Amazing Guide to Everything by Terry Denton

Penguin Random House, 2020. ISBN: 9781760898922. 260pp.
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. This non-fiction book is a delightful treasure trove of scientific facts and the truth about how the world works. Ranging from the beginning of the universe through to explanations of evolution, human anatomy, the animal and plant world, physics, time, inventions and even Einstein's Theory of Relativity. The book is well organised into 8 chapters, (bar the last one) and each is broken down into subheadings with manageable bite-sized pieces of information. Yet it also connects the information throughout the book. Some of the information is really funny and silly and acts to keep the reader amused and on their toes, such as the checklist of human body parts and the Fact Box that says, "The average human body contains enough bones to make an entire skeleton." Or the pages on the domestication of animals and how horses were a useful form of transportation for humans, but owls and bees weren't, are complemented with laugh out loud cartoons.
Terry Denton has drawn many really helpful diagrams to support the facts. There are also oodles of humorous cartoons, involving horse and bird, monkeys and giant spiders. Denton likes to make himself and his characters the butt of many jokes. This all serves to lighten the tone and make this nicely sized, hardbound book all the more appealing. The choice of font, illustrations and page design also help make the information easy to read. It is the sort of book that can be read from end to end but also dipped into or revisited to get the facts straight. Explanations of scientific principles and systems are useful no matter what your age. Denton's Guide is an important antidote to ignorance and does an important thing by explaining the fundamentals of science in a thorough but entertaining way.
Jo Marshall

I'm ready for my birthday by Jedda Robaard

Penguin Random House Australia, 2020. ISBN: 9781760895969.
(Ages: 2-4) Recommended. This is one of the latest in a beautiful series of board books illustrated by Australian artist Jedda Robaard. Featuring cute Australian animals the I'm Ready series talks children through exciting milestones and events (previous publications include I'm Ready for Easter and I'm Ready for the New Baby).  These are fantastic toddler books that bridge the gap between first concept books and longer narrative books. They also look and feel distinctly Australian and their relevance to the lives of the target audience make them engaging and meaningful. They are perfect for reading to young children in the lead up to specific events but will also be enjoyed year round as they cover subjects that young children just love!
I'm Ready for my Birthday follows a little penguin preparing for its third birthday. Told in first person we hear the excitement of the penguin ('I can't wait!') as well as other emotions ('I feel lucky', 'I feel a bit shy with everyone looking at me', 'I wonder what's going to happen'). All the parts of a birthday at this age are simply covered: birthday parties, decorations, party food (fairy bread), social conventions (friends and family saying happy birthday and thanking guests for birthday presents), birthday cakes, singing happy birthday and blowing out candles. This is a great primer for children who might be a bit anxious or unsure about what birthday parties entail (both their own and attending others) and for reinforcing positive social interactions. It also helps children find the language they need to talk about their own feelings. Themes: Birthdays, Board book.
Nicole Nelson

Crow eaters by Ben Stubbs

NewSouth Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781742236315.
(Ages: secondary/adult) Moving to a house in the Adelaide Hills, Ben Stubbs is intrigued to find shards of old bricks while digging in his backyard leading him to think about things under foot, the things others have left behind,  and he decides to see South Australia, his adopted home, from a different perspective.
You don't need to travel far to find a story, and with this in mind he sets off, wanting to talk and listen, and he comes across a range of stories about people as diverse as Chinese miners coming in via Robe to walk to Victoria, Aboriginal elders across the state, Afghan cameleers brought in with their animals to open the outback, grey nomads caravanning in convoys, searching for the 'real Australia', cave divers in the south east - each group reflecting a different way of life in South Australia, dismissed by outsiders as simply a place of festivals and beaches.
Fourteen chapters are filled with his adventures as he drives to Marree and Mount Gambier, Coober Pedy,  Wilpena Pound, Ceduna, Port Lincoln, Parachilna and Robe, and many in between, talking to strangers, gathering information, interviewing locals - experiencing things others do not see as they drive by. I found the references to the grey nomad convoys fascinating: it is amazing how so many people searching for something they think is out there, sell up and buy a rig, travelling around the backroads of this country (200,000 according to Stubbs). At Marree, the home of many of the Afghan cameleers who came to South Australia in the mid nineteenth century, Stubbs attends the camel cup, hoping to hear more of this early migrant group acknowledged by the organisers. He learns far more sitting around a camp fire with the descendants of these people, making an annual pilgrimage to the place their predecessors called home.
This absorbing chapter is followed by one that strikes fear into the hearts of any beach goer: sharks. The story of Rodney Fox is outlined then Stubbs ventures out to meet a great white in the seas off Port Lincoln. A chapter I read very quickly, although sharks reappear when he interviews a scallop diver, Paul, with a hairy story to relate. (And as if to further unnerve beach goers, a 5.3m shark was tagged and measured off Port Lincoln last weekend, 12 Dec 2020)
Many of the stories will intrigue those who underestimate South Australia. The stories he relates, the people he meets and travels with give a broader view of this state than other books reveal. We may have heard about icons like John Flynn, Rodney Fox, Reg Spriggs for example, but it is the conversations with people Stubbs meets along the way that are irresistible.
Theme: South Australia, Travel, Exploration, Afghan cameleers, Coober Pedy, Sharks.
Fran Knight

The Ickabog by J.K Rowling

Hachette Children's Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781510202252.
Highly recommended. The Ickabog is a special book. Without a doubt, the master storyteller knows just how to captivate young (and not so young) readers. This book was instantly well received by classes in our school library. They enjoyed the wonderful word play, the evocative imagery, the description and of course the plot. Rowling has fun with nomenclature, for example: Daisie Dovetail, Bert Beamish, Lord Goodfellow and Lord Spittleworth.
The Ickabog is set in the wonderful land of Cornucopia which is full of bounty and happiness. However, from the start, there is just a hint that something bad is pending. The King is not very smart, his advisers are worrying and to the north lie the Marshlands and the Ickabog . . .
It is refreshing to find a rollicking, good, old fashioned fairy tale adventure amongst our current diet of children's books which often deal with difficult topics. However, this story is not all lightness and froth. It does become dark, in the manner of olden day fairy tales. The golden kingdom of Cornucopia is almost destroyed by an evil regime that begins with sycophantic flattery and proceeds to a level where lies, pretensions, cover-ups, spies, informers, nasty, chilly, horrible things happen. The weak king struggles between vanity, cowardice and honesty. Somehow Rowling manages to know when to stop the nastiness, just in time, just enough to be scarily, horribly suspenseful. She strikes a fine balance and that is a supreme art. The young heroes and the good people show fortitude against all odds and the Ickabog turns out to be a delight.
The reader recognizes the comforts of a well-known formula - a serialised bed time story. There are 64 short chapters and there are echoes of well-known fairy tales including The Emperor's New Clothes, Beauty and the Beast and Snow White.
Full colour illustrations from 34 winners of the Ickabog Illustration Competition from the UK, Australia, Ireland, India and New Zealand add something very special to this book. For young readers to see the work of children their own age interpreting text through art and then having it published in a book written by J.K.Rowling is inspiring.
Wendy Jeffrey

Snow ghost by Tony Mitton

Illus. by Diana Mayo. Bloomsbury, 2020.ISBN: 9781408876633.
(Ages: 4-8) Wintery, ethereal illustrations accompany this magical tale of hope and belonging. An enticing front cover filled with sparkling snow is followed by equally enthralling illustrations throughout. A dull colour palate is offset with pops of bright colour and the crispy white of the snowy landscape. The endpapers are also stunning and the delight on the children's faces is palpable.
The story is rhythmic and tells a dreamy story of a snow ghost 'searching for somewhere to settle - but where?' Strong visual imagery gives the reader a real sense of the darkness and loneliness of the winter landscape ('dense, tangled wood', 'where the chilly winds blow and endlessly murmur'). Snow Ghost drifts over town and wood, searching for a place that will be welcoming until she finally finds a small country farm. 'Could this be the place to find safety and calm?' A boy and girl wearing bright clothes are playing and laughing outside in the snow and Snow Ghost knows that this is the 'place she at last could call home'.
This is a gentle story perfect for bedtime sharing. It is worth noting that this is a follow up to Tony Mitton's previous publication Snow Bear (illustrated by Alison Brown), following an almost identical formula and themes.
Themes: Belonging, Rhyming story.
Nicole Nelson