Star Wars: Use the force! Discover what it takes to be a Jedi by Christian Blauvelt
Illus. by Dan Crisp and Jon Hall. DK, 2020. ISBN: 9780241409183.
(Age: 7-10) Recommended. From the very moment I had this book in my
hand I knew that my 9 year old son would love it! The cover is
bright blue with a vibrant yellow, has a variety of font types and
images of popular Star Wars characters. Upon opening and
reading the book my thoughts were justified. Written as a
non-fiction book (with contents page, glossary, and index) each page
is filled with Star Wars based information, images from the
films but also funny drawings, interesting fonts and contrasting
colours. The language used is a casual, conversational tone and
includes anecdotes from the movies (which was an added bonus for me
as I will admit that I am not a huge Star Wars fan . . . )
I thought this book was well written for the 7-10 years group,
however both younger and older readers can appreciate different
parts of it. This text would also be brilliant for a reluctant
reader who is a Star Wars fan (like my 9 year old), as the
images and drawn illustrations add a really engaging factor to this
book. It would also be a great introduction to the non-fiction
aspects of texts.
My 9 year old son wrote this about the book "It was a good book. I
liked that it had facts. I really liked the pictures; some were
drawn and some were photos. If I was going to change anything, I
would make it have more colours. I think kids aged 7 and up would
like this-especially if they are Star Wars fans!"
Lauren Fountain
Her perilous mansion by Sean Williams
Allen & Unwin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760877361.
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Almanac, an orphan named for his
prodigious memory is asked to go to a manor house to be second
butler. At a loss understanding what is going on when no one greets
him, he meets Etta, the youngest of twelve daughters, come to work
as a chambermaid in the same house. Neither has any idea of how they
came to be there, why they are there or what is expected of them.
Convinced the house is under a spell, Etta thinks she will be able
to put things right if only she can find the library. A phone call
from Dr Mithilty sends them upstairs and eventually they find her in
the attic room, but leave without any of their questions answered.
While preparing their meal, the ingredients having mysteriously
appeared, what they think are rats in the chimney introduces himself
as Ugo, and further introduces the woman who lives in the pipes,
Olive. Etta comes to believe that all the people they have met, or
rather not met, must be ghosts and she struggles to find the spell
to undo this enchantment, while Almanac spends his days clearing out
the cellars, often grumbling to himself about Etta.
This is a wonderful read, full of twists and red herrings, humour
and laughs: voices up the chimney, people buried under bedclothes,
figures only partly seen, a seemingly endless stockpile of rubbish
needing clearing in the cellar, while the more they look the more
rooms and wings they find in the sprawling manor house. The two
children keep on trying to work out what is going on, each
suspicious of the other as the reader is scooped up at a brisk pace
for an amazingly mysterious journey.
Striving to escape, the children find they are prisoners, but Etta
manages to climb over the gate, Almanac grumbling that she has
deserted him. But he hears her in the house and tracks her down to
the tiny scullery, where she has been incarcerated with the rest of
the ghosts. It is up to Almanac to set them all free.
Highly original, the detailed descriptions give an authentic
backdrop to the story, while each of the characters, even Ugo in the
chimney, has a strongly identifiable and individual voice. A fabulous
read.
Themes: Fantasy, Orphans, Magic, Adventure.
Fran Knight
Elephant me by Giles Andreae
Illus. by Guy Parker-Rees. Hachette, 2020. ISBN: 9781408356524.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. When Elephant Mighty sits on his throne, he
asks all the young elephants to come forward and show what they can
do. In this way the younger elephants are given their name,
reflecting their talent. Enthusiastically they all line up,
proudly demonstrating their abilities, eagerly waiting for their
name to be given by the great king.
One pulls a tree out of the ground and gets the name, Elephant
Strong, another trumpets so loudly he is given the name, Elephant
Noisy, and at the end of the day when all the elephants have their
names, only one small elephant is left. He is unsure of what talents
he has, and tries to show some tricks to the crowd, but they laugh,
and Elephant Mighty calls him Elephant Nothing At All.
Told in four line stanzas, the story builds up to the point where
the little elephant is derided by the others, the audience now will
have realised that the tale is about bullying and how easily
people's self esteem is undermined.
Nunn-Nunn moves away and lives near a waterhole with a bunch of
other animals. One day the warthog asks him why he is there and when
he explains, the other animals are aghast, after all he is friendly,
and kind and true. They remind him that he is unique, for in all the
world, there is only one of him.
So they all descend on Elephant Mighty and state their case, that
each elephant is unique. This brings Elephant Mighty to tears,
because his name has meant that there are things he would like to do
but cannot.
So everyone decides that they should be able to do what they want to
do, not be hamstrung by names and expectations, neatly encouraging
readers to think about their own talents and self image, especially
in relation to the expectations of those around them.
An empowering tale told by the creators of the award winning, Giraffes
can't dance (2019).
Themes: Humour, Elephants, Africa, Self image, Isolation, Talents,
Self esteem, Empowerment.
Fran Knight
The Schoolmaster's Daughter by Jackie French
Angus & Robertson, 2020. ISBN: 9781460757710.
(Ages: 12+). Highly recommended. Author Jackie French has cleverly
used relevant facts from her own family history in the writing of The
Schoolmaster's Daughter. The story is set in 1901 where
changes were happening in White Australia's young history. Hannah
and her family have arrived at Port Harris ready for her father to
take up his post of Headmaster. Sadly their arrival was marred by
their ship being stuck on a sandbar for a number of days. After
escaping to the beach the ship sinks with all of their possessions
and the women and two children are left alone while the men search
for help. They are rescued by Jamie, a young teenager of mixed race,
who takes them home to his white mother Mrs Zebediah who feeds and
comforts the women. Jamie and his mother are ostracised by the
community but play a significant and pivotal role in Hannah's story.
Hannah has finished her primary schooling but her father does not
allow her to continue her education nor will he educate Jamie.
Hannah's disfigured but her outspoken suffragette and financially
independent mother has other ideas and secretly educates Hannah and
Jamie at the Zebediah farm. In 1901 this is scandalous and if
discovered would mean social isolation for Hannah's family and
terrible danger for Jamie and his mother. The local plantation owner
employs Pacific Islander people to work in his cane fields in
brutally shocking conditions akin to what we know of slavery in the
United States. The Schoolmaster's Daughter has so many important historical
facts for consideration: the conditions married women endured, lack
of education for girls after primary school, the White Australia
Policy as well as the mistreatment of the cane workers, all
interwoven in a compelling and absorbing story. The historical facts
Jackie French weaves into her stories allows the reader to gain
valuable insight into Australia's complex and turbulent growth as a
nation. Themes: Family Life, Australian History, Relationships,
1900's, Women's Issues, Cane Plantations, Slavery, Racism.
Kathryn Beilby
Orla and the Serpent's Curse by C.J. Haslam
Walker Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781406388480. 300pp.
(Age: 11+) Recommended. Twelve year old Orla and her family head off
on a much needed holiday to Cornwall. The believable banter on the
car trip reveals her older brother Richard is vain and only
concerned there won't be any WiFi at their destination, her younger
brother Tom is annoying and her mother is exhausted. We also soon
become privy to the humorous thoughts of Dave, their pet Jack
Russell. The family have been invited to stay in a cottage, which
Orla is told once belonged to a witch. Orla is keen to get out and
explore this coastal environment but observes that the area is
weirdly bereft of virtually all animals. She discovers an ancient
necklace that has extraordinary powers and is keenly sought after by
modern day witches (or pellers). Her nightmares become real events
which involve an incident that occurred two hundred years ago
between a witch and pirate. Orla is descended from this witch and
has the power to prevent a pending disaster but she needs to enlist
the help of her brothers, a new friend and Dave. They must also keep
their mother from knowing what they are doing. It becomes a race to
beat an evil peller, who is seemingly a sweet old lady, and stop the
necklace from creating global mayhem.
You need to keep your wits about you in this action packed fantasy.
There's a lot to keep track of with time travel, potions and spells,
shipwrecks, a bit of Cornish folklore and many grim deaths. Although
there are serious moments the author off-sets this with many
colourful characters and humour. The entertaining conversation keeps
you interested. Orla is smart and brave, as is Dave the dog! It will
suit a confident reader around 11 years plus, who will hopefully
enjoy this tale of witchcraft with a healthy dose of scepticism. It
is original in the way it combines so many fantasy elements but in a
modern world.
Jo Marshall
Peppa Pig : Peppa at the Aquarium
Penguin Random House Children's UK, 2020. ISBN: 9780241411797.
(Ages: 2-4) Peppa's goldfish is looking sad so Peppa and her family
head off to the aquarium to try and find her a friend. They see
jellyfish, a big blue fish and some seahorses, but nothing that
seems like a good friend for Goldie. But when they get to the cafe,
Peppa spots something behind the cupcakes. 'Who's that . . . , Miss
Rabbit?' 'It's Ginger, my goldfish'. The perfect friend for
Goldie!
Little ones will delight in lifting the flaps to find the aquarium
animals and seeing their beloved Peppa on the pages of this new
book. There are quite a few other titles in this Lift-the-Flap
series now, including Up and Down, At the Zoo and Night
Creatures. They are short and sure to engage little Peppa Pig
fans, both during independent and shared reading. Themes; Peppa Pig,
Aquariums, Sea creatures, Lift-the-flap book, Board book.
Nicole Nelson
The power of positive pranking by Nat Amoore
Penguin, 2020. ISBN: 9780143796381.
(Ages: 9+). Highly recommended. The power of positive pranking
by Nat Amoore is a powerful and uplifting middle grade read. Three
environmentally aware and pro-active children with wisdom and
creative problem solving beyond their years keep the reader highly
entertained and engaged in the eventful storyline. Casey, Zeke and
Cookie are the only members of the Green Peas tribe which practices
environmental activism through positive pranking. They have their
own manifesto of twenty-six rules which are each identified as the
chapter headings. The first chapter begins with a school assembly
and a series of hidden alarm clocks set to go off at intervals with
the final alarm going off under the Principal's chair. Needless to
say pandemonium sets in and the grand finale prank is a banner
dropping from the ceiling stating: WAKE UP! DINOSAURS THOUGHT THEY
HAD TIME TOO. SAVE OUR PLANET NOW. The three children are never
suspected and have made a positive thought-provoking statement which
begins some classroom discussion although the Principal is
definitely not happy. Each of the three members bring different
skills to the action group: Casey is the ideas person who organises
and plans everything, Zeke is the tech guy who considers himself a Ninja
and Cookie is super creative and arty. All three children come from
very different and diverse backgrounds: Zeke from a large blended
family, Cookie has two dads and Casey lives with her father and
grandfather who are both deaf. Casey's mother passed away when she
was young and shared throughout the book are Trixie's recipe cards
with meaningful thoughts for Casey written on them. When Mayor
Lupphol visits the school, the Green Peas once again make a stand
which is broadcast over the Internet and through Casey's
Grandfather's lip reading skills, the tribe learns that the crooked
Mayor has a major and sinister plan in place. With support from
other students and adults the plan is foiled in a cunning and
collaborative effort.
The author has cleverly connected her first novel Secrets
of a schoolyard millionaire to the story by three of her
characters Tess, Toby and Kathy joining the Green Peas. The
power of positive pranking encourages children to see that
they can make a difference in climate change and environmental
issues. This novel would be a wonderful read aloud to be shared in
the classroom as there are so many important learning points and
issues to be discussed. Themes: Family, School, Relationships,
Disability, Diversity, Activism, Grief, Humour, Environmental
issues, Sustainability.
Kathryn Beilby
The dark tide by Alicia Jasinska
Penguin Random House Australia, 2020. ISBN: 9781760894726.
(Age: Young Adult) The dark tide is librarian-turned-author
Alicia Jasinska's literary debut. The Sydney-based writer has
delivered an atmospheric young adult novel for those interested in
strong female characters, dark magic and complicated romances. Set
on the windswept and waterlogged island of Caldella, the story
centres on two damaged girls. Lina is a dancer battling a
career-ending injury who continuously puts herself in danger trying
to protect the men in her life. Eva, the Witch Queen of Caldella, is
grieving the death of her older sister and seeking revenge on the
man she believes is responsible.
Every St Walpurga's Eve, the Witch Queen must kidnap a young
islander. She has a month to fall in love with him before she must
sacrifice him to save Caldella from the ever encroaching tide
threatening to submerge the island. This year, Eva spirits away
Thomas, Lina's budding love interest. Ridden with guilt over her
belief that she is responsible for the kidnapping, Lina travels to
the witch's palace to offer herself as sacrifice in Thomas' place.
Determined to return to Thomas and her family, Lina is certain that
she can find a way to escape within the month. However, neither she
nor Eva is expecting their feelings of hostility and anger to grow
into something else. The dark tide is a story of finding love in unexpected
places and learning to let go of prejudices. It is a confident and
well written debut by a young Australian author and bodes well for a
promising career for Jasinska. Themes: Witches, Magic, Curses,
Family, Friendship, Love, Mythical creatures.
Rose Tabeni
Let's go on a tractor by Rosalyn Albert
Illus. by Natalia Moore. Let's go series. New Frontier,
2020. ISBN: 9781912858262. 20pp. board book. Let's go on a tractor is a short rhyming board book aimed at
toddlers. It has a simple rhyme to follow and bright illustrations
that will capture the eye of any young reader. The book is full of
concepts related to a farm such as the tractor, animals (and their
noises), growing crops, hay, getting muddy and then getting clean!
This would be a great book for both children who know about farms as
they would no doubt delight in finding and naming all the things
they know about but also introducing a wide array of things to a
much younger child.
This book is just one from the Let's Go! series which
features a rocket, ferry and train. These books also feature the
same six characters which adds another element of connection for the
reader.
These board books are also nice and sturdy so would easily stand up
to the often rough handling they can get from a toddler.
It could also tolerate a gentle wipe over if needed.
Overall a good book for a toddler's collection, with nice pictures
and both interesting and relevant concepts.
Lauren Fountain
The theory of hummingbirds by Michelle Kadarusman
University of Queensland Press, 2020. ISBN: 9780702262920.
(Age: 8-12) Highly recommended. "Love who you are and love what you
do" is a quote from Alba, the main character in this book, that sums
up what the author is trying to say with this story. It was written
from the personal experiences of the author having the same
condition as a child. Alba has always felt different and very
self-conscious because of her Club foot (named Cleo) as well as the
fact that she has never been able to run. She is best friends with
Levi, who also cannot run because of his severe asthma. They hang
around in the library together most lunchtimes and are both obsessed
with hummingbirds. The book is dotted with wonderful facts about
them, one of which is that hummingbirds never walk because their
feet are too small; they perch or fly.
Levi and Alba both have big ideas. Alba is certain that when her
final cast comes off, she will finally be able to run. So, Alba
decides she wants to run in the next cross-country event instead of
being the timekeeper. Levi (a Steve Hawking fan) is investigating
the idea that the School Librarian has stumbled into a wormhole in
her office when she mysteriously disappears each lunch time. The big
ideas cause friction between the two friends and they need to
reassess their attitudes to realize what they are missing by being
stubborn.
A wonderful story that has many other story threads that are wound
around the central theme, including her relationship with her single
mother, Alba's inability to recognize that Miranda Grey (the best
runner in the school) wants to be her friend and the interactions
with the wonderful doctor who is treating Alba's club foot. Themes:
Friendship, Disability.
Gabrielle Anderson
The Goodbye Man by Jeffery Deaver
Colter Shaw book 2. HarperCollins, 2020. ISBN: 9780008382339.
(Age: Adult - Senior secondary) Recommended for fans of the author.
The second in this series about hero Colter Shaw is sure to give
fans of the thriller/adventure genre a satisfying read. After
chasing two young men accused of hate crimes, Colter follows a
series of clues that brings him to the Foundation, an organisation
that apparently helps those who are bereaved and where the young men
seem to have been heading. Colter has his doubts about the
charismatic leader and whether it is in fact a cult and decides to
investigate what is happening there.
Colter is an unusual hero; he chases criminals and investigates
missing person cases as a reward seeker. He is enigmatic and has
excellent connections and back-up when he wants help or background
research done. His family background is one of being taught to
survive in all types of conditions, and this training proves very
valuable as he prowls around the grounds of the Foundation.
Deaver keeps up the suspense as Colter goes undercover into the
Foundation, leaving readers on the edge of their seats wondering if
he will be exposed and what will happen to him. There are many
twists and some very unexpected surprises as he gradually unearths
the secrets that are being hidden at the compound. At the same time
Colter is trying to unravel the secret that his father had left many
years before, this time getting closer to the meaning of the message
that might have deadly consequences for him.
Although it could be read as a stand-alone, readers will understand
and relate to the inscrutable Colter Shaw if they have read the
first in the series, The
Never Game, and the cliff-hanger ending of The
Goodbye Man will ensure that readers pick up the next in the
series, wanting to see where Colter's quest to uncover his father's
secrets might lead him.
Pat Pledger
A family guide to waste free living by Lauren & Oberon Carter
Pan Macmillan Australia, 2019. ISBN: 9781760783051.
The family at the heart of this book live in Tasmania and are part
of the Zero Waste movement, encouraging people to adopt the waste
hierarchy "Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Rot, and Recycle. Many of us feel
good about the amount of waste we put in our recycling bins but that
waste collection uses a lot of fuel and resources and the ABC
programme "War on Waste" has demonstrated that the material
collected is not adequately recycled. By being mindful of what we
bring into our lives it is possible to dramatically limit what we
throw away. The authors suggest a starting point is to audit your
waste, tipping out your bins and recording what you have thrown out
in one week. By having a family conference to discuss the findings
it is possible to involve the children. Much of the book is taken up
with practical suggestions for waste free food, packaging, household
products, celebrations and taking the challenge for change to your
community. The section on children and babies looks at alternatives
to disposable nappies and wipes and to children's parties without
throwaway items. The pet food recipes shine a light on the source of
much of the packaging waste in households with pets. This family
approach to changing consumer habits is beautifully produced
featuring images of many reusable items that can be sourced from the
Zero Waste website. Sometimes the missionary zeal of the authors
comes across as selling a lifestyle, embracing permaculture and
organic food not just waste reduction. There is one page of
references to support many assertions through the text. I was
interested in the reference to toxoplasmosis on page 207 and found
the information was based on a 2010 article in Scientific American
entitled "Cat disease threatens endangered monk seals." p314. I was
also disappointed in the section exhorting men to step up to waste
free living, citing the stereotype "Boys are often raised to be
'tough' and indifferent to nurturing and domestic activities, while
girls are more often encouraged to cook and clean through their play
and in domestic life" p 302. Overall I would recommend the guide to
those seeking ways to make changes in their lives. Being about an
Australian family makes it relevant and the book's good design makes
the information readily accessible.
Sue Speck
Clementine and Rudy by Siobhan Curham
Walker Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781406390230.
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. This is a joyous uplifting story of
two girls, from different walks of life, finding a shared passion
for art and poetry, in an unlikely collaboration that sustains them
through family difficulties and into an optimistic future.
Alternating chapters lead us into the lives of Rudy, stealthy street
artist by night and vegan cafe worker by day, and Clementine, dance
student and budding poet, admirer of Emily Dickinson. When
Clementine sees Rudy's artwork on a wall she is inspired to write a
poem that she posts on Instagram; Rudy in turn is inspired by
Clementine to create further artscapes.
Each of the girls is dealing with stepfather issues, but this is not
a book about abuse, but one of finding one's dreams and pursuing
them. Rudy and Clementine come from different backgrounds, but their
common interest sustains them, and not even their shared interest in
young musician friend Tyler comes between them. They know that their
friendship and their art are the most important things.
It is so enjoyable to read a book with such positive messages about
friendship, and following one's dreams. Themes: Street art, Poetry,
Friendship, Collaboration.
Helen Eddy
Henry Turnip by Chloe Jasmine Harris
Walker Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781760651114.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Henry just loves routine. He has seven
pairs of blue striped overalls waiting to be worn; he eats the same
breakfast each day, reads about the ocean and watches television
shows about the sea and its creatures. He finds his classroom too
noisy, his classmates too loud, and he hates the mess they all
leave. He never joins in when they play in the playground,
preferring to read by himself.
But one day, adventurous Reuben Moon arrives and does all the things
that Henry does not do: hanging from the branch, shouting, running
and jumping, and he asks Henry to join him. Henry tries things he
has never tried before and finds it to his liking. He tries the
slippery slide, flying and jumping in puddles. He is able to share
the things he likes with Reuben, and together they go on adventures
and read stories. Henry now has a range of coloured overalls, and
reads about space and animals other than those that live in the sea.
He doesn't even worry if things get a little noisy or perhaps a bit
messy, and he loves sharing his days with Reuben, his friend.
The detailed watercolour illustrations are packed with interest and
variety, sure to attract the reader as they follow Henry's story of
gaining a friend. In doing this, Henry's life is enriched with other
experiences: he is able to accommodate other people's interests and
behaviours, he can modify his own behaviour and accept that not
everyone is the same. Friendship widens children's perspectives, it
allows them to see what other people do within the safety of their
classroom or friendship group. Henry's life is enriched through
friendship and even though he finds some things difficult, he is
able to cope and adapt.
This charming story will enable children to laugh at Henry and his
routines but smile with him as he widens his experiences of life
after gaining a friend. Themes: Animals, Humour, Read a loud,
Friendship, School, Play.
Fran Knight
Little Disasters by Sarah Vaughan
Simon & Schuster 2020. ISBN: 9781471194900.
The excerpt from Silvia Plath's poem "Morning Song" introduces us to
the world of a new mother, the stresses of which are emphatically
described in the prologue; the detached narrator observing the
mother wish her inconsolable child "to be silent always" p4. The
story revolves around a group of women who met at a 2007 antenatal
class, from the point of view of Liz, a senior registrar in
paediatrics at a London hospital, and Jess, the stay at home wife of
a hedge funds manager. The timeline flits between significant dates,
reaching back to when the women met but starting at January 19th
2018 when Jess turns up at the hospital with baby Betsey who has a
fractured skull. As the injury does not match the explanation Jess
gives as to how it happened, Liz alerts the senior consultant who in
turn decides Social Services need to be alerted. The resulting
inquiry challenges the women's friendship and Liz's professional
judgement and involves their wider circle of mothers making
judgements about each other.
Other aspects of the women's lives emerge as the truth of the matter
is pursued including how they were mothered, earlier relationships
and the tension between stay at home mothers and those who work. At
times the timeline was hard to follow and the complication of the
Charlotte character at the end was unnecessary but this is a book
for young women who seem to thrive on judging other women and their
life choices. I found it difficult to accept the failure of those
around Jess to recognise her need for psychological support, maybe
readers will be made more alert. Lovers of women's fiction and
domestic drama will enjoy this book.
Sue Speck
