Atticus Van Tasticus: The treasure of treasures! by Andrew Daddo
Illus. by Stephen Michael King. Penguin Random House, 2020. ISBN:
9781760892869.
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Atticus Van Tasticus is back in the third
book in the popular series. This fast-paced and action packed story
continues the rollicking sea adventures of Atticus Van Tasticus and
his trusty and quirky Crew on the ship, The Grandnan.
Finally Atticus and the Crew have in their clutches the other
half of the Map of Half Maps and the story begins with Atticus
reading the Map of Half Maps put together by the lovable crew
member, Buttface. While trying to interpret the map the Crew become
distracted by trying to find a name for their new adventure. This is
a hilarious and often confusing discussion which sets the tone for
the latest crazy and exciting journey of The Grandnan and
the Crew. Along the quest to find the treasure of all treasures the
Captain and the Crew face a number of dangerous hurdles including
skeletons, ghosts and monsters. And just when the reader feels all
has been happily discovered, sorted and resolved another catastrophe
occurs which will lead into the next book.
The text will appeal to young readers who love pirate talk, crazy
humour and wild imaginative adventures. Talented illustrator Stephen
Michael King creates clever drawings to complement the text and
provide excellent visuals for the reader. This book would be an
enjoyable read aloud for younger readers and an amusing, laugh out
loud read for independent readers. Themes: Pirates, Adventure,
Humour, Treasure.
Kathryn Beilby
Where the dragons live by Serena Geddes
Aladdin (Simon and Schuster) 2020. ISBN: 9781481498760.
(Age: 3+) Recommended. Writer and illustrator, Serena Geddes gained
much of her training at Walt Disney Studios in Sydney working on
well known animated films. Illustrating other people's work led her
to try her hand at both sides of the creative process and Rosie
and Rasmus was published in 2019. This delightful story is
followed by a new publication, Where the dragons live, as
the character Rasmus goes off in search of other dragons for
company. Flying to the nearby island he comes across a clutch of
fire breathing, rock kicking dragons who deride him because he is
small and has tiny wings and doesn't like the things they like to
do. Forlornly, he sits and watches them, deciding to at least try
some of the things they do, but without much success.
But his friend Rosie has decided to sail to the island. Here she
finds a dejected Rasmus who explains that the other dragons do not
like him. She tells him that he is a dragon; he has all the things
the other dragons have, but he is different because he has heart.
Buoyed up by her words he decides to fly his kite and is gladdened
when one of the dragons asks to play with his kite with him. He
finds a friend without having to change but simply by being himself.
The soft watercolour illustrations evoke the love and support at the
heart of the friendship between Rosie and Rasmus. The ferocious
looks on the faces of the other dragons will win readers as they
sympathise with the lonely Rasmus, trying hard to fit in. Readers of
all ages will recognise the feeling of being left out, of not
fitting in, of being expected to change to fit the image that others
want, but will equally recognise that being yourself is the issue at
heart.
For more information about Geddes see her fascinating website.
Themes: Friendship, Confidence, Fitting in, Being yourself, Self
esteem, Mental health.
Fran Knight
The vanishing sky by L. Annette Binder
Bloomsbury, 2020. ISBN: 9781526616715.
(Age: Adolescent - Adult)This is an extraordinarily chilling story,
beautifully written and deftly constructed to expose the reality for
one particular family living in a country town in Germany, seemingly
towards the end of the Second World War. We learn how they
experienced the growing lack of food, and of the money to buy it,
Binder describing their response to the horror of the bombs that
were dropped intermittently in the early part of this story, this
terrifying situation becoming more frequent as the narrative
progresses.
Binder positions us to understand the emotions experienced by the
people, particularly the fear and the dwindling hope experienced by
one particular family - Etta, Josef, and their children, Max and
Georg. Josef suffers deeply from his emotional response to the
events, his fear preventing him doing much at all, and it falls to
Etta to work out how to provide them with food. While the boys are
taught some basic skills and then expected to work in a supporting
role for the army, we understand that while this is seemingly apt
for Georg, it is dreadfully overwhelming for Max.
Ultimately, the narrative plunges us into the darkness of 'ordinary'
life in Germany at that time, as we are made aware of the outcome of
the increasing number of bombing raids, the growing lack of food
supplies, the fear that they all experience, and the terror of the
bombs. Undoubtedly this was a terribly harsh and frightening time
for all the people of Europe, Binder suggesting that while they knew
something of the actual state of the war, their focus was definitely
on survival. This stunning new work would be appropriate for
adolescent and adult readers.
Elizabeth Bondar
The haunting of Alma Fielding, a true ghost story by Kate Summerscale
Bloomsbury, 2020. ISBN: 9781408895443.
(Age: Adult) Recommended. This account of the investigation into the
Alma Fielding poltergeist case of the late 1930's is not historical
fiction, it is a meticulous examination of the extensive records of
ghost hunter Nandor Fodor, which author Summerscale had the good
fortune to recover from the Society for Psychical Research archive
in Cambridge in 2017. She recreates the events of Fodor's
investigation, in the context of the time just before World War II,
where the public imagination was seized by stories of ghosts and
demonic possession along with seances seeking messages from lost
loved ones after the first war.
Nandor Fodor, a Jewish-Hungarian refugee, wanting to affirm his
reputation as a psychical researcher, became obsessed with the case
of Alma Fielding, sensationally reported in the newspapers as a
young housewife who with her husband, son and lodger, had become the
centre of a maelstrom of flying household objects, a smashing
wardrobe and other strange disturbances. Fodor, open to the idea of
spirits and mediums, yearned for proof of another realm, and wanted
to establish scientific evidence for the spiritual world. Many times
he was disappointed, with his research exposing hoaxes and
fraudulence, but with Alma Fielding he hoped to have at last found
the genuine thing.
The story moves through three sections, the ghost hunter, the ghost
hunt, and then the ghost herself, as Fodor moves from hauntings to
gradually develop a theory of psychological disturbance and buried
memories of loss and abuse.
In continually wanting to establish scientific evidence, in the
determination to remove any chance of artifice, with the tests of
Alma's truthfulness and searches of her body, Fodor finds himself
facing the same dilemma as the protagonist of The
wonder by Emma Donoghue (2016) - is he complicit in
contributing to the young woman's psychic disturbance? Is he also
causing her harm and compounding her distress?
However, unlike Donoghue's work of historical fiction, with
Summerscale's non-fiction approach, we are just presented with the
known facts, and are left to imagine the rest for ourselves. It is
an intriguing story nonetheless, of the ideas at the time of Freud's
notion of female hysteria, and would appeal to readers who like a
fact-based approach.
Themes: Poltergeists, Ghosts, Spiritualism, Mental trauma, Psyche.
Helen Eddy
Ruby and Graham by Lucy Barnard
New Frontier Publishing, 2020. ISBN: 9781921928758.
(Age: 4+) Ruby seems to be the life of the party. She loves to have
fun and all the animals in Acorn Wood love to have fun with her.
Graham on the other hand, loves to organise things, but finds one
day that the animals ignore him, wanting to be with Lucy.
Despondent, he tries to think of ways he can be more like Lucy. He
begins to dance, wear cool clothes, swing up high on the swing in
the tree, the fun pendulum swinging Graham's way. But now everyone
is having fun and partying in the wood, and chaos erupts. No one is
there to organise or clear up or simply be sensible. Lucy admits
that she wishes she was more like the old Graham, while Graham says
that he quite likes being more like Lucy. But this is a problem.
Together they decide that Lucy could learn to be more organised and
he retrieves his clipboard and they set to work. The whole group
cleans up the forest, and all is set for the two animals to see that
there is merit in both their abilities.
A neatly resolved story about finding your feet and using what
skills you have to the best advantage, neither animal is derided for
their difference, but each skill is seen as a positive skill to have
although the consequences of neglecting one skill can be dire for
the whole community. Both animals have a skill that can be shared to
advantage, and the sharing of the two skills means that all share in
the outcome. Teaching
notes are available.
A story that celebrates difference, and encourages children to work
together, joining their skills for a mutually agreeable outcome.
Themes; Difference, Sharing, Friendship.
Fran Knight
Shoo You Crocodile! by Katrina Germein and Tom Jellett
Little Book Press, 2020. ISBN: 9780648551041. 32pp., pbk.
The class of preschoolers are at the museum when suddenly they are
confronted by a large crocodile! With its crocodile teeth it is
intent on biting the children's feet. CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP. But instead
of running the children stand their ground and STOMP STOMP STOMP and
ROAR ROAR ROAR frightening it away. Or have they?
This is one of those books that our youngest readers are going to
love because there is no way they will just sit and listen to it.
They HAVE to join in with the sound effects, the louder the better
so the crocodile is sent back to where it came from. The brilliant
illustrations, the repetitive text, the concept of the story and its
ending are engaging enough but the urge to make this a full sensory
experience will be irresistible.
This is the sort of story I loved sharing with my little ones - our
aim was to be so loud that those around us would smile and know that
we were engrossed in the enjoyment of the story. Can there be a
better experience?
Barbara Braxton
That's Not My Wombat by Fiona Watt
Usborne, 2020. ISBN: 9781474980470. 10pp., board book.
The latest in this series
of over 150 charming board books for our very youngest readers that
encourage them to use their senses to discover the world around them
focuses on the wombat, such an iconic Australian creature. With
shiny claws, smooth paws, soft tummy and several other distinctive
features. little hands will enjoy exploring the textural elements
that are the hallmark of the series. Like its companion That's
not my koala, which highlights the koala, it teaches our
littlies to look more closely at the details that distinguish the
wombat from other marsupials. The repetitive text and clear pictures
encourage prediction, thus developing those early concepts about
print that are so essential while engaging them with the reading
experience in a way that only print books can.
Definitely one to add to the Christmas stocking or baby shower gift!
Barbara Braxton
The mission house by Carys Davies
Text Publishing, 2020. ISBN: 9781922330635.
(Age: Adult) Highly recommended. I enjoyed this book from the first
page; I loved how scenes in India were conjured with just a few deft
words, and the unusual characters drew me in. I found myself reading
more and more slowly because while I wanted to get to the heart of
the mystery, I was enjoying the story so much I didn't want to come
to the end. The writing style is sparse but with just the right
words dropped into a sentence to convey a place and a feeling. And
there is a gentle vein of humour that made me smile but still
empathise with the anxieties that torment the main character Hilary
Byrd.
Hilary Byrd is a man too much in his own mind, he has come to India
to find himself again following a prolonged period of depression,
possibly a nervous breakdown, in his past life as a librarian in the
UK. A chance encounter on the train escaping from the heat of the
plains to the coolness of the hill stations of south India leads him
to accept an invitation from the Padre to stay in the mission house
while the young missionary, Henry Page, is overseas. And it turns
out to be just what Byrd needs - cool, peaceful, undemanding, and
with a small circle of people that he can get to know gradually on
his own terms: the kindly Padre himself, the orphan Priscilla with
the limp and missing thumbs, and the auto driver Jamshed, uncle to
another orphaned young person, Ravi the hopeful Country and Western
singer complete with guitar and horse.
Byrd seems to have finally found a place where he feels like there
is some meaning to his life, some sense of fulfilment, and where he
feels comfortable as his friendships grow. But early on, the author
Carys Davies lets us know that something does go wrong, with just
the side mention of a police statement and witness recollections.
It's enough to alert us that Byrd may be deluded and there is some
kind of tragedy ahead.
I found this to be a really intriguing story of the fragility of
people's hopes and dreams, the unsaid words, the good intentions,
the mistakes and misunderstandings, set within the context of a
country with a history of oppression and simmering conflict. The
takeaway in the end? - probably the treasure of kindness and
friendship in unexpected places and the personal rewards in giving
to others. It is an unusual story of small lives impacted by larger
political events.
Themes: Anxiety, Depression, Loneliness, Post-colonial India,
Friendship, Relationships.
Helen Eddy
Meesha makes friends by Tom Percival
Big Bright Feelings. Bloomsbury, 2020. ISBN: 9781526612953.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Meesha a shy girl who loves making pictures
from scrap materials, numbers and sounds, cannot make friends. Other
children are loud and boisterous and do not like the things she
likes, so she avoids them. One day her parents go to a party taking
her along. She is worried but takes the friends she has made with
her. These friends, made from paper, cardboard, and scrap materials
are not loud or boisterous but sit in her carry bag just waiting for
her to take them out. At the party the other children are noisy and
chaotic, ignoring the little girl with the carry bag. Meesha
withdraws to a safe place under the stairs and takes out her friends
to play. A boy named Josh comes long and asks if he can play too.
She is unsure but allows him to play with her friends. He is
impressed with Meesha's handmade toys and makes some too, suggesting
that they show the others. Meesha is unsure, but it all works out
well in the end and she has a bevy of new friends all of whom try
out their new skills making the toys.
This charming tale of being yourself will appeal to younger readers
who can recognise their own fears and concerns through Meesha. They
will understand what it means to be alone in a group, to have no
friends, to feel unsure of yourself when in a new situation, of
being a little reticent when others offer friendship. All of these
concerns will have resonance with younger readers as they navigate
the world in which they live, where friendship is important to your
self esteem and being part of a group offers security. The fourth in
a series of books about anxious moments in a child's life, these
provide a great starting point for discussion amongst students at
home, in the classroom or library. The other three, Perfectly
Norman, Ruby's
worry and Ravi's
roar are part of a series called, Big Bright
Feelings, and support mental and emotional health issues
amongst children.
Themes; Emotional health, Mental health, Self esteem, Confidence.
Fran Knight
Tiny pieces of us by Vicky Pellegrino
Hachette, 2020. ISBN: 9781869713850.
(Age: Adult - Older adolescents) This most unusual narrative is
about the donation of body parts to those in need, captured in a
narrative that is riveting, heart-warming, and thought-provoking.
When her young son is killed in a traffic accident, Grace decides to
donate as many parts of his body as would be useful for those in
need. This decision will change her life.
Mourning her son's death, Grace feels very lonely. Spending time
alone pondering her life, she decides to create a new family by
asking all of the recipients of his body parts to meet her and thus,
potentially, to become linked, as it were, like a family. Most are
somewhat skeptical of such a connection but gradually see her
rationale and so decide to accept her offer to meet. This decision
is not suggested by the medical experts as appropriate, yet the
connection is surprisingly accepted and becomes something that
changes how they view their lives.
This narrative would be suitable for older adolescents and adults as
Pellegrino raises some interesting points that reflect aspects of
the modern world in terms of both medical and social issues.
Elizabeth Bondar
My shadow is pink by Scott Stuart
Larrikin House, 2020. ISBN: 9780648728757.
(Age: 4+) Designed to get kids talking about body image, self esteem
and being yourself, My shadow is pink offers the tale of one
boy, a child in a long line of men who are nothing like him. He
prefers pink; his shadow is pink, he prefers wearing dresses, he
loves dancing around, twirling and wearing sparkles. But he is told
by one and all that these are not meant for him, for he is a boy.
His big, hairy Dad tells him it is just a phase, and that he must do
what boys do. But when the first day at school comes along and he is
asked to bring along a dress up, he takes his dress. Dad is very
worried about how he will be received, and Dad's fears are realised
when the boy is laughed at and jeered.
But Dad comes into his bedroom where he is cowering under the bed
covers, angry and sad, and Dad is wearing a dress too. He explains
that although his shadow is blue, sometimes it lives in a disguise.
He tells his son of all the family who have lived with a shadow that
is different from the one expected; one uncle was an artist, one
loved dancing, one loved acting. One aunt's shadow liked other
girls, one preferred fiddling about with engines. Each was different
and did not conform to what was expected. Dad concludes that just
because his shadow prefers pink, does not mean that he should
conform to the images that others impose: he encourages him to stand
up and be himself, to wear his dress to school and Dad goes along
with him in his dress.
Themes: Self image, Confidence, Mental health, Emotional health,
Self esteem, Difference.
Fran Knight
Mini Rabbit must help by John Bond
HarperCollins, 2020. ISBN: 9780008264888. 32pp., hbk.
Mother Rabbit has written a very important letter to Granny Rabbit
and Mini Rabbit offers to take it to the post box. His mother agrees
he can do this but he has to be very careful and he also has to get
to the post box before five o'clock because that is the last
collection. So Mini Rabbit packs some cake, some slime and a stick
and sets off. What could possibly go wrong?
Not only is this a charming tale that will make young readers laugh
at all the mishaps Mini Rabbit has, but they will also have fun
predicting what might happen next. It is also excellent for mapping
the events of the story to help them understand sequencing and the
language of time.
A new series from a British creator that will become a favourite.
Barbara Braxton
Sherlock Bones and the Sea-Creature Feature by Renee Treml
Allen and Unwin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760525262.
Highly recommended for ages 7-12. This is the second entertaining
and educational graphic novel in the Sherlock Bones series
by author and illustrator Renee Treml.
Sherlock Bones is a tawny frogmouth skeleton who lives in a museum
with his two trusty sidekicks, Grace and Watts. Grace is a lively,
chocolate-obsessed raccoon while clever Watts manages to keep up and
share his great sense of humour despite technically being a
taxidermied parrot.
When the trio overhear rumours of a monster and a missing octopus in
the new Reef to Shore exhibit they embark on a fun mystery monster
hunt. Their hunt takes them through the museum while they tell
jokes, interact with displays, learn new words and facts, meet
interesting creatures and try to crack open a secret chocolate
device.
The mystery has a few twists along the way and comes to a satisfying
end. At 291 pages this is a considerable size novel, but manageable
chapters, a fast-paced story and plenty of full-page illustration
panels make it an easy page-turner.
This novel is ideal to share with younger readers who will
appreciate the obvious humour and engaging grayscale illustrations.
Older readers will enjoy looking for the extra small details in the
illustrations, including the scientific names and facts on various
labels and signs displayed throughout the museum.
Renee Treml has used her background in environmental science along
with her experience in children's writing to create a truly
enjoyable follow-up to her first graphic novel, Sherlock
Bones and the Natural History Mystery. Teacher's
tips are available.
Kylie Grant
One of us is next by Karen M. McManus
Penguin Books, 2020. ISBN: 9780241376928.
(Ages: 14+) Highly recommended. Author Karen M. McManus has done it
again - written a fabulous YA mystery novel that readers won't be
able to put down. One of us is next takes readers back to
Bayview High, the setting of her first book, One
of us is lying, with a different cast of characters.
Phoebe, Knox and Maeve are the key characters in this story, which
starts out detailing the notoriety of the case that took over the
school and the media the year before - the death of Simon Kelleher
(see One
of us is lying). These three characters are high school
students at the same high school where Simon died, and while he is
now gone, his 'legacy' has continued. Other students have vied for
the top position of gossip-monger, but after the school cracked down
on it, things settled down. That is, until now. The entire student
population of the school gets a message from 'Unknown', inviting
them to play 'Truth or Dare'. After the first student, Phoebe,
refuses to respond, her 'Truth' is revealed to the whole school. The
rest of the school learns to always take the dare.
Coming from each of these three main characters' points of view, the
narratives are interwoven so well that the story flows incredibly
smoothly. The suspense builds nicely, with plenty of drama,
intrigue, changing relationships and mystery. There is a lot of hype
around Karen McManus's books, and after having read this book, I
have to say it is well deserved. I highly recommend this book, along
with her other two One
of us is lying and Two
can keep a secret. Ideal for readers who enjoy
contemporary YA mystery and suspense novels, more suitable for older
readers.
Themes: Secrets and lies, Relationships, Social media, Mystery.
Mel Phillips
I believe I can by Grace Byers
Illus. by Keturah A. Bobo. Balzer & Bray, 2020. ISBN:
9780062667137.32pp., hbk.
One of the downsides of this new instantly-connected world with its
emphasis on social media is that there is a generation growing up
who are becoming dependent on external validation for everything
they do, who view their self-worth through the lens of the number of
likes and friends they have, and whose self-belief and
self-confidence as a person is very low. In this look-at-me world,
resilience seems to be in low reserves and what came naturally as
previous generations dealt with what we encountered, is now
explicitly taught.
In this companion to I
am enough, young children of all shapes, colours and
sizes are encouraged to be their best selves and to reach their
potential by believing that they can, without needing approval from
outside sources. They let the power of their
imaginations project them into the future and know that because they
are just who they are, they can achieve those dreams. They can be as
fierce as the lion's roar and as powerful as the dragon's flames,
and even though they might falter and make mistakes or not succeed
at what they try, they learn from those experiences to build on what
they tried and take another step forward.
It is aimed at our younger readers in the hope that they can build
their sense of identity and worthiness before they are old enough to
officially be on social media platforms (COPPA
restricts membership to 13+) and promote positive mental health, an
area that's of increasing concern amongst our youngest.
While the dark side of social media is now being recognised and
explored and talked about in mainstream media, this video shows
what can be achieved through the power of self-belief. Molly
suffered horrendous epileptic seizures from the age of 2 and in an
effort to save her life, had a third of her brain removed at 16.
Look
at her go!!!
A must-have and a must-promote in any mindfulness collection and
program.
Barbara Braxton
