Illus. by James Foley. Walker Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781760651503.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. With intricate digital illustrations
to pour over, kids will laugh uproariously as the story unfolds,
leading the audience to think about what Lena actually is. Her
strange behaviour, playing pranks on other kids at school, ranges
from the innocuous putting gum on someones' hair to scaring someone
half to death, putting worms down someone's back to letting loose a
bag of snakes in the classroom. Each prank causes distress to those
against whom it is perpetrated, and they decide it is high time they
did something about Lena. Several of her classmates dress in spooky
costume and go to Lena's house, but their moans and wails attract
the attention of a giant hyena from inside the house. It chases them
to a convenience store where they attempt to hide and are surprised
when Lena suddenly appears. By now readers will have made a link
between the rhyming words Lena and hyena and laugh out loud as the
story comes to a conclusion.
Told in rhyming stanzas, kids will get a second layer of fun in
predicting the rhyming word in each couplet, while the illustrations
aptly support the fun of the tale, and evoke another level of
interest and involvement. Kids will watch out for hints of
Halloween, and love the endpapers with their differing views of Lena
changing from a young girl in the first instance to a hyena in a
girl's dress at the end. I love the scattering of bones, the
headstones, the recognisable school rooms and excursions and the use
of shadows to create feelings of unease.
I loved the array of plants in the school grounds, the posters on
the classroom walls, the looks on the kids' faces. The detail is
engrossing and adds to the fun of reading this enticing book.
A fitting second book from the Perth based team which created My
dead bunny (2015). A book trailer is available.
Themes: Halloween, Horror, School, Pranks.
Fran Knight
The Windsor diaries 1940-45 by Alathea Fitzalan Howard
Hodder & Stoughton, 2020. ISBN: 9781529328097.
The author of the diaries (edited by her niece-in-law Isabella
Naylor-Leyland to whom they were bequeathed) was born in 1923 to an
aristocratic Catholic British family. She would have been the next
Duke of Norfolk had she been a male.
Alathea recorded her life in diary entries from January 1939 until
she died in January 2001, but only the 1940 to 1945 war years when
she lived with her grandfather in a grand house near the Princesses
Elizabeth and Margaret at Windsor are covered in the book.
Given her social status, mention of famous people of the time are
frequent. What stood out to me was Alathea's obsession with becoming
and remaining part of the 'royal circle' to the extent of acting and
dressing younger than her years to be closer in age to the
princesses.
As appropriate to her age at the time, the entries are often of a
shallow nature - what she and others wore and ate, visited,
liked/hated, marriage, etc. Some entries indicated a very troubled
(self harming) teenager, with an ambivalent relationship to her
parents.
The war and its effects are only incidentally touched upon. The
references to food, clothes, parties, etc are not indicative of
great war time hardships. Having to undertake mandatory war work
appears to be resented as an intrusion on Alathea's social life.
The diary entries reflect the class distinctions and prejudices of
the time and Alathea's main preoccupation besides continuing the
friendship of the royals is love and marriage to a suitable
aristocratic man (but not a 'second son'). She does appear to have
insight that the aristocratic way of life with servants, leisure,
etc is a thing of the past - which she greatly regrets.
Not a gripping book, but useful as an insight into the effect of
WWII on a small segment of upper class British people. The diaries
could be used as a primary source by History students to compare
WWII experiences of upper and other class teenagers. For those
interested in the British royal family, there are some insights into
the daily life of the royal family during the time spent at Windsor
during WWII.
Ann Griffin
Norton and the Bear by Gabriel Evans
Berbay Publishing, 2020. ISBN: 9780648785132.
(Ages: 3-8) Highly recommended. Intricate, delicate illustrations
accompany this story about individualist Norton (a poodle living in
what has the feel of a French village). He finds a jumper that is
very different to what everyone else is wearing and he is really
happy about his uniqueness. That is until a bear sees him and
decides he needs one too! He adds a scarf to his outfit but soon
enough he runs into the bear again. 'That scarf is the perfect
accessory for this jumper. I must get one'. And he does. The bear is
ecstatic that they are so similar, but Norton is appalled. He runs
and hides and tries again and again to feel unique, with a hat and
then socks and then a flower in his hat. But no matter what he does
the bear is there and is copying him. Finally he cracks; 'Stop
copying me!', he shouts. When the roles are reversed and Norton sees
the bear sporting a new addition to his outfit Norton realises that
wearing the same clothes doesn't really matter as he and Bear are
both very different anyway and perhaps the bear just wants to be his
friend?
All primary-aged children, most of whom love to copy others but
despise being copied themselves, will identify with this story. The
humour will grab children as they will see their own overreactions
within Norton's despair at Bear and his copying. This is a simple,
meaningful and visually stunning book that reminds us all that what
we look like on the outside doesn't matter nearly so much as what we
are like on the inside. It also provides a fun way to talk about why
imitation is so annoying and why people copy others (for children it
is generally because they want to be friends or want to be more
socially accepted). It's a useful reminder to be more tolerant of
others and to let go of the small things that bother us and be more
empathetic. Themes: Individuality, Belonging.
Nicole Nelson
Catvinkle and the missing tulips by Elliot Perlman
Ill. by Laura Stitzel. Puffin Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781760894382.
(Age: 9-11) Recommended. This is the second book in the Catvinkle
series, following The
adventures of Catvinkle published in 2018 as Elliot Perlman's
first children's novel. Although the characters are mostly the same,
and there is some reference to what has happened previously, there
is no need to have read the first book as this story can stand
alone.
Catvinkle is a fluffy white cat who lives with her dalmatian friend
Ula and their human. In this book they are called on to help two
sheep accused of nibbling on Amsterdam's famous tulips.
The story is quite complex and involves assistance from a curious
range of animals as well as travel to another country. The central
question of what happened to the tulips keeps the reader guessing
till the very end.
Throughout the story there are explicit lessons about empathy,
fairness, inclusion, looking after the environment, telling the
truth and doing whatever you can to stand up and speak up for others
who are less fortunate.
There is a timely reminder, too, about stopping to think whether
information can be trusted, especially if you hear something bad
about someone. It covers the questions you should ask yourself to
verify information and one of the animals clarifies "So just because
someone says or even tweets something, doesn't mean it's true?" This
is an excellent message for students to absorb before they reach the
age where they really start engaging with social media.
Students who enjoy books with morals or messages will love this one.
The black and white illustrations by Melburnian Laura Stitzel are
very sweet and do a great job of adding to this story.
Themes: Animals, Friendship, Fairness, Empathy, Environment.
Kylie Gran
Colin Cockroach goes to Caloundra by Chris McKimmie
Ford St Publishing, 2020. ISBN: 9781925804553.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. When Colin decides to follow the smell coming from upstairs, he embarks on a wonderful holiday north of Brisbane, unwittingly hitching a ride with the family which has left because of the cockroach infestation. They leave a cockroach bomb in the house to rid it of the pests and take a holiday while the fumigant does its job. But Colin is in one of their paper bags along with an assortment of necessaries for a holiday: suncream, chocolate, paper towels and chips.
He goes north past the Glasshouse Mountains and the big pineapple. He spies a koala and a budgie and when he gets to Caloundra he dons his flippers and snorkel to wander along the beach. Then he rides a wave or two before being spotted, and everyone runs away, even the shark. That evening sees him at the disco where he dances the night away with Kylie the crab. All the facets of a good holiday: sun, surf, things to see, good food and a romantic interlude!
When the time comes for him to return to his family, he finds they are not where he left them and he fears the roach bomb has done its work, but rest easily, there is a happy ending.
McKimmie's way of seeing the humble cockroach is most endearing; through his eyes we see an insect like those we spy on the kitchen floor, but readers will now take a second look as they trip across to the toilet late at night. Not only does McKimmie impel a second look at this insect, but he also showcases a tourist's view of Queensland from Brisbane to Caloundra, inviting readers to have a look for themselves.
His entertaining illustrations reflect a sophisticated naivety, using a seemingly childlike technique which invites readers to look more closely at how they are produced. They will see a range of skills using collage, gouache, pencils and watercolour amongst the many forms of illustration used to produce the spindly Colin and the plethora of detail on each page.
Witty, laugh out loud, ingenious, Colin Cockroach goes to Caloundra is a story begging to be read over and over again, poring over the intricate drawings, children making an effort to replicate what they see.
And I am sure they will want to read more of the adventures of Colin Cockroach.
Themes: Cockroaches, Insects, Adventure, Queensland.
Fran Knight
Show me the money by Sue Lawson and Karen Tayleur
Wild Dog, 2020. ISBN: 9781742035895.
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Show me the money is a contemporary
non-fiction publication which gives the reader a detailed look at
Australia's money. The Contents page clearly sets out the topics for
an easy search for the required information. The book begins with
the history of money in Australia and then moves onto our coins, and
banknotes. Each note is clearly explained with a large coloured
image and information links to all the different details.
The key figures on each note are explained with a timeline of
important dates and an interesting biography. There are fast facts
at the end, a conclusion and a comprehensive timeline showing Before
Colonisation to 2020 Next generation of notes. The book also
contains a glossary, an index and a list of pictures and images used
throughout the book.
This informative book would be a valuable resource in any school and
public library. Teacher's
notes are available. Themes: Australian money, Banknotes,
Coins, History.
Kathryn Beilby
A clock of stars: The shadow moth by Francesca Gibbons
Illus.by Chris Riddell. HarperCollins, 2020. ISBN: 9780008355036.
(Young Adult / Children). Highly recommended. A brilliant new fantasy
author has been found in Francesca Gibbons. Her debut novel A
clock of stars: The shadow moth, aimed at older children and
younger teens, is a fun and easy read. The story centres on sisters
Imogen and Marie who follow a moth through a hidden doorway in a
tree and end up in another world. Like Alice and her rabbit, Imogen
and Marie find fun, adventure and peril in this alternate universe.
In this world ruled by an evil king where conflict bubbles beneath
the surface, the sisters meet lonely Prince Milo who agrees to help
them find their way home if they will be his friends and help him
restore peace to the realm.
What a coup for Gibbons to have secured Chris Riddell as her
illustrator. A prolific and well-loved children's illustrator and
author himself, Riddell's work has appeared in many books, including
those by Neil Gaiman and J.K. Rowling. His signature style is
apparent upon opening the book, immediately drawing the reader into
Gibbons' fantasy world.
Although pitched at a juvenile audience, adults and older teens will
also find themselves enthralled by the world-building, magic and
wonderful illustrations. A little bit Alice in Wonderland, a
little bit Narnia and very much its own, A clock of stars
is highly recommended. Themes: Magic, Magical creatures, Royalty,
Sisters, Family, Friendship, Animals.
Rose Tabeni
Aussie Kids: Meet Matilda at the festival by Jacqueline de Rose-Ahern
Illus. by Tania McCartney. Puffin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760894511.
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. Eight stories in the Aussie Kids
series, each set in one of the states and territories of Australia,
will appeal to those who have just achieved competency at reading
chapter books. Each of these books is short, with brief chapters,
well set out for early readers, highly illustrated and published in
a clear well spaced font. The stories are evocative of life in each
of the settings, and this one, set in Canberra, conjures up the
lifestyle with its embassies and variety of people from around the
world.
Matilda's father works for the government and so she has access to
people from the embassies. Her close friend is Hansuke from the
Japanese Embassy and she knows his house with its screens and quiet
gardens as well as he knows hers, with its kangaroos in the park
nearby.
A festival to celebrate the Emperor's birthday is held at the
embassy and Matilda and her family join in each year. Mum and
Matilda wear their kimonos and Matilda has a special goodbye present
for Hansuke, as his family moves back home, a scrapbook of all their
adventures in Canberra.
As they turn the pages of the scrapbook, Matilda finds it hard to
keep back her tears, but Hansuke has a surprise for her when a new
ambassador from Ireland comes with a daughter her age. She knows
Hansuke well and has heard about Matilda, so they are instant
friends.
The clear easy to read text gives the reader a feeling for life in
Canberra, and Japanese words appear in the text, giving an
authenticity to the story. I can imagine classes wanting to try out
origami or the Japanese food mentioned in passing, and certainly the
story gives them a tourist's view of what there is to see in the
nation's capital.
Themes: Japan, Canberra, Friendship, Festivals, Aussie Kids
(series).
Fran Knight
Combat Wombat to the rescue by Gina Newton
Illus. by Tiffanee Daley. Ford Street Publishing, 2020. ISBN:
9781925804577.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Combat Wombat to the rescue is a
beautifully illustrated picture book about Australian animals
trapped in a bushfire. They are led to safety by Combat Wombat
Wildlife Warrior who has discovered he has a super-sensitive nose,
ears and paws. Along their journey to safety they overcome obstacles
including outwitting sneaky Dingo Bingo, to finally arrive on
Billabong Island where they can relax and play.
This is a perfect read aloud for younger students and has all the
elements children love - danger, excitement and a hero to save the
day! However the story could also be used as a lead-in to a unit of
work on Bushfires for all primary aged students. Ford Street
Publishing has developed a comprehensive Teacher
resources pack to supplement the book. The topics covered
include:
1. Habitat is home
2. Fire in the bush
3. Aboriginal peoples and fire
4. To the rescue!
As well as curriculum links to HASS, English and Science for
Foundation to Year 3, the resources also look at sustainability and
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures. There
are printable worksheets at the end of the pack.
The stunning illustrations by Tiffanee Daley perfectly complement
the simple text. She has created a series of behind the scenes
videos showing how she completes her drawings from the storyboard
concept, found on her YouTube
channel.
Themes: Wombats, Bushfires, Australian bush, Australian animals.
Kathryn Beilby
The secret garden: the story of the movie by Frances Hodgson Burnett and Linda Chapman
HarperCollins, 2020. ISBN: 9780008340070. 224pp., pbk.
First published in 1911, The secret garden is the story of
Mary, a sickly, neglected, unloved and unwanted 10-year-old girl
whose care has been mostly left to the servants who care for her
English family in colonial India. After her parents die in a cholera
epidemic, she is sent back to England into the care of her unknown
uncle Archibald Craven at his isolated mansion Misselthwaite Manor
on the Yorkshire Moors. At first, Mary is rude and obnoxious,
disliking everything about her new circumstances but eventually she
warms to Martha Sowerby who tells her about her aunt, the late
Lilias Craven and how she would spend hours in a private walled
garden growing roses. After his wife died in an accident in the
garden, Mr Craven locked the garden and buried the key. Mary becomes
interested in finding the secret garden herself and once she
discovers the key, her life begins to change.
This version is based on the screenplay of the 2020 movie which
has finally been released and which many students will have seen.
Telling the core of the original story it evokes a magical world
that encourages self-discovery and change and perhaps an interest in
reading the original. A stunning way to introduce a new generation
to a classic. Watch the official trailer
on YouTube.
Barbara Braxton
Harrow Lake by Kat Ellis
Penguin, 2020. ISBN: 9780241397046.
(Age: 15+) Recommended. Ideal for Halloween, this thriller/horror
story is one that will keep readers glued to the page as they follow
the trials of Lola Nox, the daughter of a horror filmmaker. With her
father is founded with multiple stab wounds, she is sent off to stay
with the grandmother that she has never met. The rural town of
Harrow Lake was the setting for Nolan Nox's most famous horror film
and the place where her mother was brought up. The town has used
this setting as a tourist attraction and each year there are
unexplained disappearances which are never solved. Some bizarre
occurrences, a strange puppet like creature called Mister Jitters,
legends about cannibalism and weird tapping noises set the scene for
some very scary moments as Lola tries to find out what happened to
her mother Lorelei who abandoned her as a young child.
The pace is fast, and the book is hard to put down, indeed it is one
that many readers will want to finish in one or two sittings,
holding their breathes as they read. There are some truly memorable
scenes like a dead tree that has hundreds of teeth hanging from it,
and a frightening group of caves, housing a derelict church.
Lola is not a person who the reader will readily identify with in
the beginning but as the story unfolds, the reader will get to know
what her life has been like with a totally controlling father and
will begin to sympathise with her. It is hard to tell the truth from
what could be her wild imaginination. Is her friend Mary Ann really
appearing to her? What is the meaning of the secrets that are
written on bits of paper and hidden and why did Lorelei collect
strange bug like creatures? Is someone stalking her? Can she trust
Carter the young man who has befriended her? What is her grandmother
hiding and where has Lorelei disappeared to?
Fans of thrillers and horror stories will find Harrow Lake
difficult to put down and will have fun working out the truth in
Lola's unreliable narrative and enjoy the horror tropes of a scary
town with strange people, stalkers, dark woods and horrifying
puppets.
Pat Pledger
Piper picks the perfect pet by Caroline Tuohey
Illus. by Nicole Johnston. Ford St Publishing, 2020. ISBN:
9781925804591.
(Ages: 3+) Highly recommended. Starting the book with the lines, My Dad says I can chose a pet But I'm not sure what pet to get
will fire the imaginations of all readers as they choose a pet along
with the narrator.
And with every good verse story, the lines entice readers to predict
the rhyming word as the pages are turned.
The choices are numerous, from a bouncy dog or a flouncy dog, a
puddly dog or a jumpy dog, a perhaps a tabbly or Persian cat, a
donkey, an axolotl, a horse or ferret. Every different sort of pet
is illustrated and questioned over its suitability, until finally at
a pet show at school, the narrator's choice is revealed.
A fun read, supported by delightfully comic illustrations, the verse
tale will entreat and captivate readers, many of whom will have had
the same dilemma, what pet to chose, and those that have not had to
make this choice will be equally charmed, thinking about
possibilities to come.
Johnston's pencil and watercolour illustrations reveal a playful
family life, fill of animals and a supportive school which has a pet
show to encourage and involve students. The antics of each of the
animals portrayed reveals a subtle humour as they are shown in
various guises. A poodle taking its place along the chaise lounge, a
large dog taking up the whole chair, a Manx cat playing with the
mouse, a donkey refusing to budge, while a goat takes its master up
the hill. Children will laugh out loud at the antics of each animal
as the pages are turned, wondering which one to choose for
themselves and for the narrator. And there is a prize for every pet.
Teacher's
notes are available.
Themes: Animals, Pets, Humour, Choices, Alliteration.
Fran Knight
Chickensaurus by James Foley
S.Tinker Inc. series. Fremantle Press, 2020. ISBN:
9781925815788.
(Age: Primary) Recommended. Chickensaurus is the fourth book in the
S.Tinker Inc. series that follows the tales of Sally Tinker
and her gang as they invent a plethora of wondrous things (including
robots, giant dung beetles and tiny submarines to investigate her
brothers insides!) with this story surrounding her arch enemy
turning chickens into monstrous dinosaurs.
Sally and her crew are forced to flee into the maze to try and
escape the crazy trifeathertops and the pteroducktyl, however they
eventually end up in the basement where all sorts of unexpected
things happen . . .
This graphic novel was written with middle primary aged children in
mind, and was perfect for my year 4, 10 year old. He thought it was
a great book, and especially loved the illustrations and the idea of
morphing a chicken and a dinosaur. He felt that lots of kids he went
to school with would like the book, and wanted to tell the school
librarian to look into this title and the other three in the series.
I also thought it was a good, easy enough read that would suit the
middle primary bracket, but I think it would be most beneficial to
readers who may struggle with short novels, or younger students who
want a challenge. I enjoyed the flow of the stories conversation and
found myself easily giving characters accents and voices. I think
that James Foley has done a really good job in drawing in a wide
variety of readers at different engagement and skill levels. The
illustrations really help the story too, with the characters showing
emotions and the Chickensaurus being quite amusing.
After finishing the book I wanted to check out the other 3 in the
series as I enjoyed the characters, story and the illustrations so
much!
Overall I think James Foley is a very good writer, and one that
deserves to be on my children's book shelf. He has written a number
of other books, plus some short stories which we will definitely be
looking into. 4 out of 5 for Chickensaurus. Teacher's
notes are available.
Lauren Fountain
What Zola did on Wednesday by Melina Marchetta
Illus. by Deb Hudson. Puffin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760895174.
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. What Zola did on Wednesday is
the third story in the humorous and entertaining Zola
series. Zola lives with her Mum and Nonna Rosa and is very busy with
the garden project after school on Monday and playing with her
neighbours and Nonna's knitting grandmothers on Tuesday. In this new
story Zola hears something going on in Leo's yard and climbs a tree
to investigate. Leo's mother Justine is a police officer and has
brought home Vesper the police dog for a visit. Justine tells Zola
all about the work a police dog does and when Sophia's turtle goes
missing Zola comes up with an idea. The idea does not quite go as
expected and the neighbours all support Zola and her friends and
keep them safe. Justine talks to the children about being careful
and visits Zola's school for her news talk. Justine also organises
dog training on Wednesdays after school and Zola and her friends are
kept busy.
The multi-cultural community aspect of this series shows the
diversity of the Australian culture and how we can all interact
positively with others in our daily lives. At the end of the story
the author shares tips for training your pet dog to sit. This book
would be a lovely read-aloud for a classroom teacher or parent and
an excellent read for a young child moving onto independent reading.
Themes: Friends, Neighbours, Diversity, School, Dogs, Safety.
Kathryn Beilby
Watch over me by Nina LaCour
Text Publishing, 2020. ISBN: 9781922330604.
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. After being in the foster system
since her mother abandoned her, 18-year-old Mila is looking forward
to her job, teaching a young, home-schooled child on a farm. She is
desperate for a home, a place where she can belong and hopes to find
it with Terry and Julia, who own the farm and with the other people
there, particularly Billy and Liz and her small charge, Lee. What
she does not know when she accepts the job is that something strange
is going on there and that it will bring back all the bad memories
of her past.
An eerie combination of ghosts and ordinary life on a farm, LaCour
manages to keep the suspense alive as Mila's story gradually
unfolds. What are the ghostly figures that danced at night and why
did everyone except for Lee and her wear gold bracelets and
pendants? And what happened to the girl who used to teach Lee? Where
has she gone? The story has a gothic feel and I almost felt that I
was reading a novel set in the 1800's, until there would be a
reference to driving to a market with flowers or using a phone.
In lyrical prose the author describes bit by bit the memories of the
trauma that Mila had undergone when young, and the struggle that she
is having with them resurfacing. Lee has also suffered trauma and
Mila tries her best to help him, even as he sees ghosts too.
This is a disturbing read, with undertones of domestic violence,
abandonment, guilt and grief, all part of Mila's struggle to accept
her past and find a new home. Add a mix of ghosts, fear and mystery,
and Watch over me will grip the reader until its powerful
conclusion. Teacher's
notes are available from the publisher.
Pat Pledger
