Rory Sparkes and the Elephant in the Room, by Hugh Bonneville, is a lively novel bursting with heart, humour and just the right amount of chaos. Set in England, this fast-paced story follows Rory Sparkes, a boy with big emotions, bold dreams and an unwavering desire to run away and join the circus. Life at home isn’t always easy - his older sister knows exactly how to annoy him, maths isn’t his favourite subject and Rory’s fiery temper and wild ideas can often land him in trouble. Yet beneath it all, Rory has a genuinely good heart that readers will be drawn to.
When Evie, a girl from the circus, arrives at Rory’s school with her elephant, the ordinary rhythms of normal life are thrown completely off balance. What follows is a whirlwind of misunderstandings, mishaps and mayhem that escalate quickly - and often hilariously.
The story moves at speed, hopping between a wide cast of characters. While this quick-paced, character-rich structure can feel busy at first, patient readers will certainly be rewarded as each character’s role becomes clear. The story is cleverly woven together, as humour and heart are intertwined with the reinforcement of connection and understanding.
Bonneville’s writing style is packed with pizazz and punch and draws similarity to the work of David Walliams. The comedy is bold and accessible, but beneath the laughter lies a thoughtful exploration of kindness, teamwork, forgiveness and self-belief. Rory’s journey shows that life doesn’t come from having all the answers, but from learning to understand and appreciate others - and yourself.
Rory Sparkes and the Elephant in the Room would make an excellent read-aloud for a middle primary classroom. The exciting storyline, colourful characters and rapid pace invite dramatic reading opportunities, with shared laughter and thought-provoking discussion points. An adventurous story with heartfelt sincerity that is ultimately uplifting; this novel would make a rewarding read that delivers both entertainment and meaningful life lessons.
Humour and heart - this story has a bit of everything.
“I’m not too sure about ghosts”, Mum said, “but I do believe that places can hold the stories of those who have been there before.” p215
A Light on the Rocks is a middle grade novel set in two different centuries that delves into a true event that took place in South Australia in 1859. The passenger steamer SS Admella travelling from Adelaide to Melbourne strikes a reef near Cape Banks off the coast of Carpenter Rocks located near Mount Gambier. Many passengers did not survive but in this story 14 year old Daisy, her younger sister and parents were all rescued. Daisy is a particularly likeable character, passionate about botany but suffers from insecurities especially about the journey her family is taking. Through the terrible hardships experienced on the shipwrecked boat, Daisy proves to have the fortitude to survive the ordeal.
One hundred years later in 1959, Max and his sister Rosemary are preparing to stay at the Cape Jaffa Lighthouse with their dad who is one of the lighthouse keepers. Max is a sensitive boy in tune with nature and animals who is often the target of bullies at school. Max struggles to read and is taunted relentlessly for this. Being at the lighthouse is a place of tranquillity and a safe haven for Max and it is there that he first connects with the ghostly images of Juniper, a racehorse that drowned in 1859 and a young deckhand who also lost his life. After an accident that leaves his father hurt, Max has to trust in his ability to keep the lighthouse functioning and with support from Rosemary and the ghosts from the past, Max learns to believe in himself. The main characters in this narrative are children who exhibit all the attributes of their age, often with some of their own quirky and individual traits but who show extreme courage under pressure.
Author Helen Edwards has once again used her incredible skill in meticulous research to provide young primary school age readers with an absorbing adventure where fact and fiction are cleverly woven through the pages. The story of the SS Admella and the Lighthouse at Cape Jaffa is one that may not be familiar to adult readers either but is certainly worthy of further research. The use of short paragraphs, personal thoughts in italics add to the readability of the text especially for those children who struggle with large chunks of text.
A thoroughly engaging read that would make an excellent class novel for Year 4/5 students.
Here, Bear and everywhere by Damian Balassone. Illus. by Jess Racklyeft
Little Book Press, 2025. ISBN: 9781923141261. (Age:0-5) Recommended.
Here, Bear and Everywhere is a delightful humorous board book that will be a welcome addition to libraries for our littlest learners. Written in simple rhyming text using words that rhyme with ‘bear’ including such bears as Underwear bear, Scare Bear, It’s-not-fair bear, Square bear, Mare bear, this book will be enjoyed as a shared text between an older reader and young child. The engaging and colourful illustrations are in trademark Jess Racklyeft style with each individual bear showing an expressive face in a variety of different scenarios. There is an opportunity for talking about rhyming and different spellings of the ‘air’ sound as well as looking at the feelings expressed on many of the bears’ faces.
Themes Board Book, Bears, Humour, Rhyme.
Kathryn Beilby
A particularly nasty case by Adam Kay
Hachette, 2025. ISBN: 9781398704411. (Age:Adult)
With A particularly nasty case, comedian Adam Kay launches into a riotous opening rich in smart repartee and ludicrous situations. It’s a full-on assault, setting the tone for the book. First of all, Eitan Rose is in a phone box trying, and failing, to report a double murder, and then with a switch back in time we read about his foray into Purgatory, a gay nightclub come orgy, where he ends up half naked performing CPR on a passed-out participant. This is his life. He is actually a doctor, good at his job, but clearly struggling with chaotic thinking and erratic impulses. It is this behaviour that makes his friends and colleagues question his mental health, and doubt his whole murder investigation. Only his new boyfriend Cole seems to be on his side.
Part Two switches to Coles’ viewpoint, and the writing is completely different, more straightforward and sensible. It is only then that the reader realises that until this point they have been inhabiting the perspective of someone with bipolar disorder and a drug addiction. But while Eitan may be manic, it doesn’t necessarily follow that the murders are a wild figment of his overworked imagination. And just how reliable is Cole anyway, the side-kick that always seems to let him down?
Adam Kay’s book obviously sets out to be a laugh a minute. But it also has a serious side; the stigma attached to mental health; how once a person has mental health issues on their work record, all their subsequent behaviour is viewed within that framework and their professionalism is undermined. Despite his personal failings, Eitan shines as an empathetic doctor who relates well to his patients. But working within the National Health System, he constantly battles to have his concerns taken seriously.
If you are a reader that can handle the often crude dialogue, Kay’s combination of crazy humour and murder mystery could make for enjoyable holiday reading.
Lawyer Simon Latch is a small-time lawyer in a small USA town who struggles to hold his life together. Gambling debts and a marriage that is on the rocks are consuming him and his work life is far from satisfying. When an elderly widow enters his office to redraft her will because she believes her previous will has issues, Simon becomes embroiled in a situation where the opportunity to consider her ‘hidden wealth’ puts him into territory where his own greed creates problems. The widow could be the answer to his wealth problems but there is something unsettling about her secrecy about her investments. Simon’s own secrecy puts him into danger when the woman dies in unusual circumstances and Simon finds himself in legal hot water. Is he guilty of a crime or has he been falsely accused?
John Grisham is the master of the legal crime drama genre, and this story will appeal to readers of his other books in this genre. There is a central character who you want to like but struggle to trust, and a victim who may be more than a sweet old lady trying to keep her money from scheming hands. The legal scenario is engaging with its courtroom drama and legal personalities, and the mystery continues almost to the last chapter. Readers aged 16 - adult will enjoy the ‘did he or didn’t he’ mystery to the very end. Grisham’s books make for great holiday reading and are intriguing without being too difficult to understand. Note: The USA legal system may not entirely match our own and the presence of FBI investigations crossing over police jurisdictions may not be easy for younger readers to comprehend… but blissful legal ignorance will not stop readers from enjoying the twists and turns of this drama.
Themes Legal mystery, Murder, Guilt and innocence, Greed, Wills, Lawyers.
Carolyn Hull
Lucky thing by Tom Baragwanath
Text Publishing, 2025. ISBN: 9781922790804. (Age:16+) Highly recommended.
With the character of Lorraine Henry, Baragwanath has created a different kind of detective. Living in small town Masterton, New Zealand, she’s Pakeha (European descent), with family connections in the Maori community. She’s 65 with a dodgy hip, working as a filing clerk in the local police station, but her knowledge of historical files and her alignment with the ‘that other lot’ means that her contribution to crime investigations has become a recognised asset.
Lorraine first made her impact in Baragwanath’s debut novel Paper cage (2023) about missing children, and there are many references to that case in this follow-up story. Not having read the first book, I did feel I was missing historical nuances. This second book is not a true stand-alone, so I would recommend reading Paper cage first; I’m sure it would make for a richer experience. There are all the hallmarks in this second novel that Baragwanath’s brand of crime novel is a rich treasure to enjoy for his insights into characters and motivations, not the twisty thriller for sake of the puzzle, but a thorough exploration of characters and situations, a social commentary on paternalism and discrimination that continues today.
This is not a novel of dramatic action, though it deals with the serious case of a girl found beaten and dumped in the bush after a teenage party, ‘lucky’ to have been discovered before becoming a fatal statistic. Lorraine’s style of investigation means listening and observing quietly, watching for those fleeting facial expressions, and following her instincts in her interactions. It means being patient, creating silent gaps in the conversation for the suspect to unwittingly fill before they realise what they’ve done. Many times Lorraine has to subtly restrain her over-eager police offsider, to let people unconsciously reveal their concerns. It’s a community full of secrets; Lorraine knows the background to some of them, and her approach is to carefully bring the relevant things to light, and to let some sleeping dogs lie.
In the end the crimes are solved, perpetrators are inevitably brought to justice, but the reader knows that there are still secrets not revealed. It makes for the possibility of another Lorraine Henry story, another intelligent slow-burning detective novel that will keep the reader enthralled until its conclusion.
Set within the USA southern states of Louisiana and Texas and the alligator-infested swamplands of the Deep South, brilliant but socially awkward local detective Sam Speedman is resolutely on the path of justice. His autism-spectrum personality gifts him the most intense and thorough investigation style and although the FBI may have rejected his application as an agent, he can still uncover even the smallest piece of evidence. But the case to uncover the details of a missing-person case from many years before is unexpectedly thrust back into his spotlight. It leaves him in the thick of historical investigations involving missing women, prostitutes, plantation owners with wealth and excessive influence, and contemporary evil that lies underneath an esteemed Confederate ideology that is alive despite the passing of time. One small dead infant sets off a dangerous pursuit of truth in perilous circumstances. Sam’s own life is at great risk, can he solve the mystery without becoming another victim?
This is a Matthew Reilly action story masquerading as a detective tale. It combines a critique of the awfulness of slavery, and the politics and wealth that enabled it to continue well past the Civil War period, and a fast-paced investigation of crime in a dangerous environment. Everything from alligators to gun fights, car chases, jail visits and risky swamp-boat trips to ‘the end of the world’ are included in this action adventure for a central character who is not your standard hero-type. His attention to detail sets him apart as a detective and his attempts to improve his social skills adds a quirkiness and humour to the seriousness of his work. This is a book for mature readers aged 16 - Adult. There are some confronting scenes, attitudes, language and violence, but the central character is honest and profoundly on the path of justice. Matthew Reilly has created another compelling story that grips you from the first page.
Themes Murder, detectives, slavery, USA - Civil War - consequences, discrimination, corruption, racism.
Carolyn Hull
A song for the king by Katrina Nannestad & Freya Blackwood
When I saw the names of these two wonderful writers, Katrina Nannestad and Freya Blackwood, on the joyful cover of A song for the king, I knew I would read a wonderful story that was likely to win awards. This is a retelling of the traditional nativity story told from the viewpoint of three animals who have a song in their hearts. Netta, a little donkey, loves to loudly sing Joy! Joy! Joy! Esther is a sheep who bleats Love! Love! Love! And Uzi the camel likes to rumble Peace! Peace! Peace! The three unite, their songs reverberating in towns and meadows. They believe they are brilliant but the townspeople’s opinion is different and they are sent to market, the songs in their hearts silenced. Netta’s new home is with Joseph and Mary, and she is the one to carry Mary to Bethlehem, where they stay in a stable. Her voice slips out, Joy! Joy! Joy! when a baby boy is born. A sheep bleats Love! Love! Love! when the shepherds come to see the children, and the wise men’s camel joins in, Peace! Peace! Peace! The trio are united in their song.
This is a heart-warming story that will gladden the hearts of those who read it or listen to it. I loved how the narrative vividly described what was happening with the animals and how enthusiastic they are about singing and how despondent they are when they are taken to market. Blackwood’s soft water colour illustrations complement the text. The three baby animals are the focus of the story and I loved their expressions, the enjoyment they had in singing and working together. The illustrations also brought the countryside, the people and the markets to life, while adding depth with tiny details like chickens flying and a gorgeous little cat curled up on the stable.
The message of the words joy, love and peace is an important one not only for the festive season but also for troubled times.
A song for the king is a stunning example of how two creative people can collaborate to share this message, while producing a wonderful read aloud, feel-good story with delightful illustrations. Highly recommended.
Fans of the very popular This is a ball will welcome another very funny book from the award-winning duo, Beck and Matt Stanton. Designed for the festive season, the cover of This Is an Elf will immediately draw readers in with its bold red background and a picture of a reindeer. What? Where is the elf? Turning to the book, the instructions tell the readers to make sure they are both on the same page with questions, 'Is this Santa’s hat? Is this a Christmas star? And what’s this?' The young child will see Santa’s hat, but what is a candy stick doing next to a star and yes, there is a Christmas angel. From then on, the fun begins. On one page the text reads: 'This is a Christmas tree', and on the opposite page is an illustration of a candle. The next page has the text 'This is a Christmas tree that wrapped in Christmas lights', and the illustration is of tinsel wrapped around the candle. The book proceeds in this contradictory way featuring a reindeer as an elf, Santa’s bag full of presents as a Christmas cracker, finally culminating in a surprise.
Children are likely to become immersed in the humour of the book, contradicting the adult who is reading aloud, and having lots of fun proving that the adult is completely wrong with the story that is being read. I loved the illustrations, particularly thar of the reindeer, with its simple outline and wonderful expressions. Vivid, green, red and yellow background colours make the white print stand out and give the book a happy, Christmas feeling.
This a wonderful book which will bring smiles to the faces of both children and adults, who will have enjoy challenging each other over the text and illustrations. It is likely to prove a favourite for the festive season.
It's two days before Christmas Eve, the night Papa Red visits, and the young elephants are very excited. They choose a tree to decorate and prepare the presents for Papa Red to collect during the night to take to those who need them. But this year Elmer has a special treat in store for the young elephants, if they can keep quiet and out of sight...
How well I remember shouting "BOO" and startling my 1989 Kindy class as I shared the new release about a patchwork elephant with its brightly coloured cover and intriguing story. And how many times I have done that since with that original story and all its sequels since then. I've written units of work that have explored everything from the elephants of Africa and Asia to the craft of patchwork, have a row of soft-toy Elmers looking over my shoulder and may even have crafted an Elmer-inspired storybook cushion or two. Such is the popularity of this character that he has his own website, his own range of merchandise, even his own dedicated day and there would be few who don't recognise him instantly, and now, a new generation can share in his adventures with this newly released board book version.
With its important message about being generous towards others that don't have as much as we do, Elmer explains, "this is the season for giving." this is a gift that keeps on giving to our little ones as they discover and delight in not only sharing all Elmer's other adventures but also the magic of books and the joy of reading.
The front cover introduces us to the main character in this story, one very cross cat who does not like Christmas: his eyes glare out at the reader, the ears are flat, the whiskers making a cross over his face.
Cat likes to feel comfortable and safe, but one time he does not feel happy with life is Christmas. He does not like the decorations, he hates the silly presents, the sticky food, the noisy visitors who come to stay, especially when they move into his special places. He tries to tell his family, but they don’t take any notice, just shove him out into the cold wet snow after he pulls down the Christmas tree.
He yowls at the moon from a high branch in the tree, and the clouds part. He loves looking at the moon and the stars, and is happy with the world, but as the clouds move together again, it begins to rain, leaving him wet and bedraggled. He walks past the leftover presents, the remains of the feast, the baubles and bunting, to go back inside. He jumps onto a lap and is wonderfully received. The girl asks him where he has been. It is not Christmas without Cat, she says, offering him his present. Christmas has changed, and he loves his new favourite place, getting the attention he wanted.
A charming story of a turnaround as Cat hates Christmas, but when he is included in the gift giving, his attitude changes.
Kids will love reading about the trappings of Christmas, seeing what Cat’s house looks like at this time of the year, comparing it with their own. The illustrations are wonderful, giving a clear idea of how Cat feels with the simple change in his eyes, whiskers or ears, adding lots of laughs to the reading of this story. I loved the dachshund with his snowman outfit, the favourite green chair being taken over by the dog, and the places where Cat causes minor disasters, and over all the wonderful surly looking Cat, daring us to open his book.
A great read aloud, the story is a marvellous look at Christmas from the animals’ point of view.
Every reader will love the adventures of Parisian mouse, Claris, busy in the kitchen making a variety of sweets for the coming celebrations. In a book full of the sounds, sights and customs of Christmas, the little mouse makes loads of sugary sweets and teeny cakes, wrapping them all in bright paper. With almost every page drawn within sight of the Eiffel Tower, readers will love the repeated image, adding to their knowledge of the wider world. Bright, sumptuous illustrations fill every page, using the colours associated with Christmas to great effect. Claris’ bright red dress, the red curtains, red cakes, ribbon and wrapping paper, all combine to give a wonderful image of Christmas and its trappings, promoting the idea to younger readers.
Claris bakes her cakes and wraps them, filling her basket with gifts. She walks thorough the snow outside, looking for people to give her gifts to. She gives them to a busker, singing carols to the passers by, then finds a group of cats taking time out on a bridge over the Seine, and with only a few left, she hears the chimes telling her it is midnight. She must get home to Monsieur and finds a guard dog on his way home. He gives her a lift and she asks him to join her for Christmas. So the three have a happy Christmas and many other people have benefitted form her generosity.
Wrapped within this story are the values of gift giving, sharing and friendship. Claris makes things to give away, taking home someone who would have been alone on this day. The book supports the idea of Christmas being a time for sharing and seeing that everyone has someone to be with.
Another book to add to the Christmas collection in a library, Mrs Claus celebrates all the work that Mrs Claus does to ensure that everything goes smoothly for Santa Claus as he takes out his sleigh and delivers presents.
The North Pole has a secret to each Christmas Eve's success. She's strong and smart and magic ... and she wears a bright red dress!
Travis Price’s memorable illustrations immediately bring Mrs Claus to life. She is drawn as a bright charming woman, with red lipstick and long hair, big eyes and eyelashes and small spectacles, always with a smile on her face. The jobs that she does are very important. She pins up a list on the wall to ensure that none are forgotten. They include make a naughty and nice list, clean & service the sleigh, make toys and other chores. Once Mrs Claus and elves and cute little mice think of all the cool toys to make, Mrs Claus starts her lessons in her elf school. Then she teaches the elves how to fly the sleigh, reads the letters to the North Pole and wraps all the presents. And finally, Santa and the elves prepare a special surprise for Mrs Claus on Christmas Day.
The narrative flows smoothly and would be good to read aloud while the illustrations complement the story, adding minute details like the tiny mice that children will delight in finding. The book is 'For the special people who make every Christmas magical. Especially our Mums!’ and children will be able to think about the work that their mothers and grandmothers might do to make Christmas a wonderful time.
This book could be a good contrast to the traditional Christmas stories featuring Santa Claus, giving children a glimpse of a vibrant, clever, organised and cheerful Mrs Claus. Teacher notes are available.
Themes Christmas, North Pole, Mrs Claus.
Pat Pledger
Santa Post by Emma Yarlett
Walker Books, 2023. ISBN: 9781529512076. (Age:3+)
Just five sleeps to go before Santa had to load his sleigh and make that once-a-year trip that brings so much delight to little people. But then down his chimney comes a late letter from Amy asking for a ????? Unfortunately, the most important words have been burnt out by the fire's embers and Santa has no idea what Amy has requested. Never before has he not delivered what a child wants and so he calls on his friends - Head Elf Elfalfa, Mr Polar Bear and the Chief Reindeer - to help but nothing they deliver quite fills the bill. What is Santa to do?
Reminiscent of the format of The Jolly Christmas Postman, this is an intriguing book with its flaps and letters to and from Santa - although they are firmly attached to the book as lift-the-flap pages - and young readers will have fun not only trying to work out what Amy might have asked for, but also investigating how Head Elf Elfalfa, Mr Polar Bear and the Chief Reindeer responded. How would they feel if they were Amy and received their suggestions on Christmas morning? If they were Santa, how would they solve the problem? And what might it be that Santa finally delivered?
Written in a variety of fonts that may be difficult for its intended audience to read independently, this is one to be shared between adult and child, perhaps as they snuggle down for the night.
This is one of the Post Bag series from this creator which includes Dragon Post,Monster Post, and the latest, Unicorn Postwhich were inspired by a childhood memory of her husband and which have all the elements that encourage young readers to want to read and revisit books in print. There is nothing quite like physically lifting a flap to discover what's hiding underneath. In this interview, she even challenges budding writers to create their own story.... "One morning, you find a magical creature on your doorstep that needs a new home. Write a letter to its new owner, telling them all about it, what it likes and doesn't like, and how they can become friends with their new magical pet."
Even though email and texts seem to be the most common way of communicating these days, nevertheless the magic of the traditional letter to Santa never seems to fade and using the examples in this book, there is much that can be used to teach children about structure and content of that format as they write their own letters to send. (Hopefully, their letters won't perplex Santa like Amy's did.)
Christmas Eve and things are happening in this house. The cat, Kitty McCatty is chasing a mouse, while the baubles on the Christmas tree are arguing, the Nutcracker trying to intervene. Using ’Twas the night before Christmas’ poem as a template the story unfolds in rhyme. This adds to the fun of the book as readers predict the rhyming words as they go.
Suddenly the lights flicker as the mouse runs up inside the tree, followed of course by Kitty McCatty. The baubles stop bickering as the mouse leaps from the tree, leaving the cat stuck at the top of the swaying tree.The whole crowd yells get rid of that cat, and a small voice offers help. The Gingerbread man has an idea. He outlines a plan to the Nutcracker and baubles and lights. They use the lengths of tinsel to make the tree stand up straight, one group pulling the tree one way, the others pulling it the other. When Santa comes down the chimney later in the night, he finds the tree almost straight with a kitten at the top instead of an angel.
This is a fun book, easy to read, wonderful as a read aloud, one that will encourage children to predict rhyming words and look for the original poem to compare the two.
Matt Shanks’ illustrations are bright and cheerful, full of colour and movement, encouraging readers to take in all the detail, watching the mayhem caused by the kitten chasing a mouse. All sorts of things cover each page, encouraging children to recognise those things which are customary necessities at Christmas in western homes. The tree with all its trimmings is delightful, especially the face at the top, and several branches used as limbs when it is trying to stop the cat. One page is turned to portrait as kids will turn the book to see the tree in all its beauty.
A fun book for one and all.
Themes Problem solving, Christmas, Christmas tree, Verse.
