The Christmas break is just about to begin, and twelve year old Alice-Miranda has invited her close friends from boarding school to Highton Hall for a pre-Christmas celebration. The children are varying ages of teens with Alice-Miranda the youngest but seemingly the wisest and most compassionate. Also included at the last minute is Caprice, the ‘mean’ girl, who has been forced to remain at school for the holidays. This will test the boundaries of friendship for Millie, but things fortunately have a way of working themselves out.
The children staying at Highton Hall enjoy a privileged lead up to Christmas with exciting activities organised, cooking Christmas treats, playing in the snow and enjoying Christmas shopping. There are events to attend in the village and an invitation to a grand party. However not all is as it seems, with Alice-Miranda’s family business under a cloud with missing Christmas stock, a young girl persuaded to take part in theft, the disappearance of missing Christmas decorations and a long-time mystery to be solved. Alice-Miranda, Millie and their friends are instrumental in helping solve the mysteries and Christmas Day is a day of celebration.
This is the 21st book in the series and continues to be enjoyed by loyal readers. It is a bonus for readers that Jacqueline Harvey includes a list of characters at the end of the book as there are so many included in the story. The character of Alice-Miranda is that of a thoughtful and caring person who is very aware of her fortunate life but always considers others.
Peekaboo Santa by Camilla Reid. Illus. by Ingela P. Arrhenius
Nosy Crow, 2023. ISBN: 9781839946783. (Age:0+)
Anyone who has played peekaboo with a young child can still hear the squeals of delight as the hidden is revealed, and so this interactive board book with all sorts of things to discover is going to be greeted with great anticipation.
Start by focusing their thoughts on the season and the sorts of things that might be mentioned - a critical early reading behaviour that develops the ability to predict text - and then use the support of the rhyming structure to narrow their choices. There are multiple sliders for young fingers to manipulate and a surprise ending that will have them giggling for ages.
An ideal way to build anticipation, context and the joy of reading a book that they can return to again and again, because even if they know the secrets it is the power of being independent that is such a drawcard.
Themes Santa Claus.
Barbara Braxton
Bunnies in a sleigh by Philip Ardagh. Illus. by Ben Mantle
Walker Books, 2023. ISBN: 9781529507126. (Age:3+)
Christmas Eve and suddenly Santa's elves are feeling very unwell because someone has given them sugary candy canes and they have scoffed the lot! How will Santa finish those last-minute chores and deliver the toys? But it's OK. The Bunnies have arrived, and this time, instead of taking over the bus or the boat, they take over the sleigh, giving Santa delivery ride he will never forget.
Rhyming text and bright, detailed pictures create to the pace and excitement of this hilarious story of mad bunnies helping Santa, and young children will enjoy the chaos and mayhem as it unfolds. It is likely to be one they will want to revisit again and again, if only to absorb all that is in the illustrations - in fact, they can start by trying to spot the culprit responsible for the elves being sick!
Something whimsical to add to the hype of the season.
Themes Christmas.
Barbara Braxton
Santa's new reindeer by Caroline Crowe. Illus. by Jess Pauwels
Faber, 2023. ISBN: 9780571375134. (Age:0+)
One week to go 'till Christmas Day, The final touches underway, A ribbon here, a flourish there, And presents piled up everywhere.
Santa smiled. 'What could go wrong?'
It didn't take long for him to find out. Suddenly, there is a crash and a bang and Rudolph tumbles through the workroom roof after one of his flying tricks goes disastrously wrong!
And if that's not bad enough, he has injured himself so now he can't pull the sleigh! And, on top of that, no one else has any flying reindeer to spare and using just seven will mean the journey won't be completed in time! What will they use instead? The other reindeer make all sorts of suggestions, but each creature has an issue that makes them unsuitable, proving that only reindeer can pull the sleigh with its precious cargo. But then Lizzie, the elves' Head Inventor offers a solution.
For those familiar with the hijinks of Santa's New Beard and Santa's New Sleigh, this is another rollicking story that offers young readers an insight into the behind-the-scenes workings of that special place at the North Pole. It's a hive of activity all year round and they will have fun exploring all the details in the illustrations as well as suggesting solutions for Santa's dilemma.
Every year there is a whole new wave of children who begin to appreciate the fun and excitement of Christmas, and their joy is palpable so to feed it with original and entertaining stories of the time is a privilege. This series is definitely one to bring out during your Christmas Countdown.
What a delightful, magical tale for Christmas lovers! Noah has had a disappointing Christmas, and normally he loves everything Christmassy, all the trappings and traditions are special for him. This year it is so disappointing that the family has not even decorated the tree yet, and it is already Christmas Eve! But the wish for something to disrupt the disappointment heralds the ‘arrival’ of the magical Christmas gnome that originally belonged to the very unwell Gran whose illness has made Christmas so difficult. The gnome manages to magically transform the last-minute Christmas preparations while Noah’s parents are at the hospital visiting Gran. Disastrously, the magic seems to always get out of control and Noah wonders if his wish for a less-disappointing Christmas has spiralled into disaster. With delightful action with Christmas decorating chaos, gingerbread armies, reindeer antics, and snowball fights – with a snowman leading the onslaught, there is fun at every turn.
This is an easy-to-read early chapter book that will delight young readers. The mayhem at Christmas has a gentle homage to Home Alone the much-loved Christmas movie (but without the bad guys). The magical gnome is a little bit naughty, or perhaps inept, and the resulting chaos is just impish fun with Christmas decorations on top! This would be a great book to read pre-Christmas but could be enjoyed throughout the year because it is just delightful. It is totally impossible, but fantastically enjoyable. Readers aged 5-7 will love it, but if it is read aloud by an older loved one all would enjoy its light-hearted silliness.
Themes Christmas, Magic.
Carolyn Hull
The boy who slept through Christmas by Matt Lucas
Farshore, 2023. ISBN: 9780008519926. (Age:8+)
Leo LOVES Christmas.
And this Christmas needs to be absolutely perfect, because it's the first one without Mum. Only it all keeps going wrong!
The fairylights are in a tangle The Christmas cards aren't finished The tree isn't decorated And the Christmas cakes have all been destroyed!
Soon Leo decides he's had enough - he makes a heartfelt wish that it would all GO AWAY. But, then when he wakes up on what SHOULD be Christmas Day - it's gone!! All of Christmas! But Leo isn't going to let it escape that easily . . . So Leo sets out on a mission to undo his wish and get Christmas back.
With a premise that will sadly resonate with some of our students and who just wish they could sleep through this festive family time, this is a story that might provide a little relief in those long days where every emotion and activity is tinged with the sense of loss.
Written for independent readers who enjoy funny stories by actor and comedian Matt Lucas, this is unique in that there are QR codes to scan so the reader can listen to the songs included as the story progresses. (For those without the technology, all the lyrics are included at the end of the book.) It is also liberally illustrated so the thickness of the book shouldn't daunt young readers,
Definitely a story of being careful about what you wish for but one that might add some joy to a tricky time. A video is available.
Themes Christmas.
Barbara Braxton
Pink Santa by Tanya Hennessy. Illus. by Ben Whitehouse
Albert Street Books, 2023. ISBN: 9781761180392. (Age:3+) Recommended.
In rhyming stanzas the text takes us into Santa’s workshop the night before Christmas. All is seemingly ready for take off: the gifts are wrapped and the cookies baked, but Santa remembers that he has not washed his suit since last Christmas. It is still in the hamper. Rudolph throws it into the washing machine along with his red socks and when he comes to retrieve them, he finds that Santa’s suit is now a very bright pink. The elves suggest painting it red, or covering it with red tinsel, while Mrs Claus says it is time to think.
While they all try to think of a solution, Santa comes into the room. They all shrink from telling him but he is not fazed at all, instead saying that this year he will be a Pink Santa, after all pink is for girls and boys, elves and toys, Rudolph and tree. So pink is for Christmas and off they go taking the presents to all the nice girls and boys, Santa resplendent in his pink suit, while everything else has been turned pink as well. Readers will love looking at all the trappings of Christmas, presents, the tree, elves, a sleigh, reindeers, tinsel, lights and so on, all decked out in pink, a change from dreary red and green.
The vibrant illustrations match the mood of the story as it unfolds, showing the mistake made by Rudolph and how Santa uses it to make a better Christmas for all the eager recipients of the presents.
The rhyming lines call out for prediction as younger readers will offer suggestions about the last word of each line, and follow the reindeer as they cavort across the pages. Lots of detail will enthral them, and recognising the things we all hold dear at Christmas will reinforce the day for younger readers, as well as introduce a celebration to those new to the idea of Christmas.
Apart from Christmas readers will be aware of the pink explosion as the Barbie film has everything pink, and will be the order of the day for many children to go and see and talk about at length. A pink Santa is well timed.
This is book seven in a series featuring DCI Karen Pirie and her investigative team, however it can be read as a standalone. As we have come to expect from Val McDermid, this is a book that will not leave your hands until it is finished.
We meet Karen in 2020 and COVID-19 has begun to bite. Without dwelling on the trauma unleashed by the pandemic, Val McDermid paints a clear and compelling picture of the challenges and opportunities for policing at that time, along with the personal impact of staying in your bubble.
DCI Pirie and her team (DS Daisy Mortimer and DC Jason Murray) are drawn in to the quest to determine whether an incomplete manuscript is the recipe for the perfect murder and the resolution to the mysterious disappearance of a young woman. The worlds of authors and the people who will pay to hear them talk about their books are laid bare and scrutinised.
The depth of this book is executed with finesse through the inclusion of complex backstories that divulge the personal relationships of the team. Karen is struggling with a romantic relationship that is revealing itself to be coercive. Karen also takes action on behalf of a Syrian refugee, Rafiq. Will this have unforeseen outcomes? Jason has a complicated family life and his mother has contracted COVID-19. How will this affect his standing in the police force? Daisy is embarking on a new romance at the beginning of lockdown. Can an online romance last the distance?
Val McDermid is a master at writing crime that is loaded with twists, turns and misdirection. In this book we also see the nods to other crime writers and the writer's tricks that can be played. Can you guess who the authors are?
This book is impossible to put down and will have you thinking about what it takes to commit the perfect crime and just how far people will go to have what they want.
“You have the right to be here”. Surely these are the most warming, most comforting words of all. Neil Gaiman’s poem What you need to be warm, brings together many heart-felt descriptions of warmth, of being protected from cold, curled up snug under bedcovers or with pets, enjoying a warm cup of tea with a friend, warm breath on a frosty window, of being with family, safe together in a beloved home. But for many people, right now, home is a memory far away, with family members displaced, people changing states, stumbling across deserts or braving the seas. All of these ideas are gathered together in Gaiman’s deceptively simple but stunningly beautiful picture book dedicated to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.
The book is a poem created from the responses of thousands of people invited on social media to contribute their memories of being warm, both memories of warmth away from cold, and memories of the warmth of being safe with family and friends. The warmth of kindness and safety is the most powerful of all, offering love, healing and protection; to be welcomed and told “You have the right to be here”.
The words on each double-page spread are illustrated by different artists, with notes at the end about how each was inspired to put an image to the phrases that resonated for them. The styles vary but they are united by the common colour scheme of white, grey and black, ignited by a flame of orange bringing warmth, simple but powerful in the feelings it evokes.
This is a treasure of a book. It could be read with young children, prompting their own ideas about warmth and safety, and fostering the concept of caring for others. It could equally make a special gift for an adult at Christmas time. Funds raised from the book go to supporting UNHCR’s work in providing life-saving support to displaced people across the world.
Themes Refugees, Safety, Welcome, Empathy.
Helen Eddy
In search of the Goonoobee by Pat Clarke. Illus. by Graeme Compton
Little Steps, 2022. ISBN: 9781922833686. (Age:8+) Recommended.
In search of the Goonoobee is a warm and comforting story told in the third person narrative form. Pat Clarke is an Australian writer who has written many books for adults and for children. In search of the Goonoobee is a gentle, magical tale about two children who leave Queensland to live on their grandparents' farming property in the Goonoo Forest near Dubbo, N.S.W.
Artist Graeme Compton's soft, muted and fanciful illustrations accompany the storyline delightfully.
In search of the Goonoobee is reminiscent of stories of this reader's childhood. Enid Blyton's The enchanted wood (1939) comes to mind as does Ethel Pedley's Dot and the kangaroo (1899); Blyton because of the magic/ Pedley because of the evocation of the Australian bush. Peg Maltby's Peg's fairybook(also written in 1899) may have been an unconscious influence on Clarke's writing.
It is refreshing to read a freshly published (2023) children's book which is not bent on dragging young readers into the world of worrying contemporary issues or identity agendas. With In search of the Goonoobee, the child hears an almost grandmotherly voice telling of the magical adventures that two children have in the Australian bush with magical and real Australian creatures and fairies. In the depths of the bush, the children find a fairy ring and because they are children they enter a world into which adults can't venture. There are brief references to prior Aboriginal and gypsy presence on the land and a sense of longevity - of a long history going back through time. The love of the land and its creatures is clear and the belief that the land and its creatures are just waiting for children to come back is heart warming. The intergenerational and deep abiding family connection and love is demonstrated in the relationships between the family members. This book is not unsettling or disturbing in any way. It is for children to enjoy.
In search of the Goonoobee is all about love for the Australian bush and gentle, sensible family relationships combined with a touch of magic and whimsy. A lovely book which would make bedtime or armchair shared reading (especially for grandparents and children) a special pleasure.
Themes Fairies, Family, Australian rural life.
Wendy Jeffrey
Willa and Woof: Double the drama by Jacqueline Harvey
Double the Drama is the sixth book in a series for middle primary readers about a very likable 8-year-old girl called Willa, her best friend Tae, and her large, albino wolf hound, Woof.
Willa Jane Tate is very excited because she has the part of a grey nurse shark in the school production. Mark, the drama teacher at the high school, wrote the play about a whale that needs rescuing from a net. Mark is Willa’s best friend's dad, and he has also written a part in the play for Willa’s dog Woof. Willa is surprised that Rory, the new boy in Year 4 has the main part, but he has acting experience in an ad and, although Willa thinks he is annoying, everyone else seems to see him as smart and funny. The worst part is that Rory has somehow convinced Tae (her best friend) to hang around with him instead of playing soccer with Willa at lunchtime. The conflict between Willa, Tae, and Rory grows and forms quite a large part of this story. The book shows how this affects Willa and how Tae works out that Rory is not the friend he seems to be when he lets everyone down before the performance. This book has some characters that were included because a family purchased an auction item to support Dymocks Children’s Charities great debate. A new family moves in across the road, including a boy with Down syndrome. They make a lovely appearance and put an extra layer into the story for Willa and her family as they get to know Hudson and help the family when he wanders away from home.
The tenth book in the Kensy and Max series is full of danger, excitement and complicated detective work. For Kensy, Max and trusted young agents Autumn and Curtis, there is a race against time to find all of their missing family. Within the highly organised inner circle of Pharos, there is a traitor who will stop at nothing to take away power from matriarch Cordelia and the rest of the Spencer family.
When all of the trusted adults in the family are kidnapped in quite devious ways, it is up to the young children left behind to outwit one of their own. When mysterious scarab beetles start appearing and testing the loyalties of once-trusted agents, rumours abound over a possible coup. Who could be behind this shocking development? Kensy and Max use all of their growing understanding of how Pharos operates, their knowledge of the complex technical side and their expertise in problem-solving to find their family members before it is too late. There are plenty of clues, both real and diversionary, to keep them engaged in their quest and without Curtis and Autumn to back them up with advice and quick thinking, there may not have been such a quick resolution.
This book has all the complexities of the others in the series including a vast range of characters thoughtfully explained in the beginning, along with maps of Millbank and Alexandria plus the appreciation of how big the Pharos operation is and the codes used. Fans of Kensy and Max will enjoy this latest and perhaps last book and realise how far the twins have grown in their skills and their ability to handle any danger.
Themes Missing Family, Kidnappings, Problem Solving, Danger, Friendship, Spies.
Kathryn Beilby
The Queen's apprenticeship by Tracy Ryan
Transit Lounge, 2023. ISBN: 9781923023031. (Age:Adult - Young adult)
A cast list is a helpful start along with a contents page with some dates showing how the two threads of this historical novel are interleaved between 1500 and 1535. We meet Jehane, the daughter of a journeyman printer who was killed in a fire. When her mother remarries, through no fault of her own, she is compromised by her stepbrother and cast out. To survive on her own she disguises herself as a boy and as Josse, sets out to find her father’s family. The second thread, based on historical writings, is that of Marguerite de Navarre, whose ambitious mother Louise of Savoy, is determined to see her son, Marguerite's brother, François take his place as heir to the French throne. It is a story of power and ruthless ambition as the nobility jostle (and joust) for influence while living a life of luxury far removed from the common people’s struggle. Jehane’s fictional story is more relatable, following her adventures and encounters across France. Marguerite’s is more episodic, following actual historical events with a lot of detail. All this is viewed through a modern, feminist lens, asserting men’s power over women who are always victims or complicit. I would have appreciated a historical precis and a map at the start for a historical and geographical perspective.
This is the first in a series of three novels based on the Queens of Navarre and will appeal to lovers of women’s historical fiction.
What is lost when knowledge is withheld, is a cornerstone question which permeates Pip William's new book, The bookbinder of Jericho.
Set during World War One, the lives of twins Peggy and Maude are changed in ways they could never have predicted. Clever, outspoken Peggy has watched out for her sister since their mother died when they were seventeen. Peggy often recalls her mother’s words which help her see Maude without criticism, helping her understand the world she inhabits.
The twins work in an Oxford University bindery, in a team of girls who bind together the pages into a new book, a laborious procession of folding pages accurately, tapping them together, stitching, then sending them on to be covered by the men. Peggy looks wistfully at the books she puts together, always on the alert for a rejected copy, taking it home to store in the narrow boat, to be read then added to the collection started by her mother.
Into their world comes a group of Belgian refugees, then wounded soldiers, each group requiring the girls and the readers to question their beliefs about the war.
Peggy joins a volunteer group who read and write letters for the hospitalised soldiers. She learns to love one soldier, his face blown apart, as she guides him out from his self imposed solitude and despair. One of the refugees, Lot becomes close to Maude, noting her differences, paralleling her own dead son. The story is framed by major events during the war as we hear of the Gallipoli campaign, the Somme, the Belgian towns where families were slaughtered, Etaples and Armistice, peace and going home. These events impact the Jones family as they hear of the front through letters from mother’s friend, Tilda, joining as a VAD but becoming more useful in the field surgeries’ tent where she sees things she cannot unsee. Other people around the Jones family come and go, some of the men who joined up not returning, those who do come back, shattered by their experiences. They wait for letters, each eagerly read and shared, each adding another aspect of the war both at the front and at home.
All the while, Peggy develops a strong friendship with Gwen, who pushes her to think about getting an education, but Peggy is hesitant, feeling she must look after Maude.
Peggy is a town girl, working for her living, Gwen a gown, studying at the university, and between the two we see the great divide in society, not only between women and men but between the classes.
The relationship between Peggy and Bastian comes to a head, forcing Peggy to make decisions about her future.
She has failed in her attempt to join Summerville as an undergraduate and feels defeated. The readers wondering whether she would rally to try again.
The writing of this book is wonderful, making it an easy read seamlessly incorporating new information about bookbinding, encouraging the reader to take another look at the book they are holding, sensing the enormous changes that technology has wrought.
Nods to her previous book The dictionary of lost words are given through the characters of Esme and Gareth and the City of Oxford and the town and gown divide is clearly represented in the new characters. The fight for women’s suffrage roams behind the scenes, and Peggy’s attempts to be admitted to university exemplifies the fight that society is undertaking.
A short interview with Pip Williams can be found here.And this is followed by a clip of Pip showing the ways the bindery worked.
Themes Social class, World War One, Oxford, Printing, Book binding, Amputation, Spanish flu, Women's suffrage.
Fran Knight
Montgomery Bonbon: Death at the lighthouse by Alasdair Beckett-King. Illus. by Claire Powell
This is a quirky, twisted tale involving a lighthouse, far from believable characters, onions, an ice-cream van and a fake moustache! Something is decidedly ‘odd’ on Odde Island when Bonnie arrives with her grandfather for a holiday. She didn’t think her alter-ego, Private Investigator Montgomery Bonbon, should need to make an appearance on her holiday, but murder most foul and onions have created a foul-smelling scenario that drags the erstwhile sleuth back into action. Bonnie must hide her real identity while solving a series of crimes. Her intelligence and problem-solving skills are again far greater than those of the adult characters, but it is the silly factor that wins out in this Primary years story.
This is book 2 in Montgomery Bonbon’s whodunnit sagas, but it could easily be read alone. It is light-hearted and spoof-like in character, so despite the serious crimes it is easily consumable by Primary years readers. They will love the twisted wisdom of the Odde Island adults and the trouble that Bonnie and her alias have in maintaining control of their identity (and the fake moustache). The scattered illustrations throughout the book by Claire Powell have a Quentin Blake-like caricature quality and broadcasts that this is obviously a book to be read for fun! Young readers aged 8-11 will enjoy this romp in the world of whimsy and sleuthing.
