Translated by Nick Caistor and Faye Williams. Simon & Schuster, 2023. ISBN: 9781761104718. (Age:15+) Highly recommended.
Imagine the heartbreak of giving up your child to ensure their safety. In The night travellers this happens not once but twice, over separate generations. Ally Keller is the mother of a ‘mischling’ child – Lilith’s father is black, an African German, in the time of the Nazi idea of eugenics and Aryan purity, and so Lilith is at risk of sterilisation at the age of seven. The only way to ensure the child’s safety is to send her in the care of two Jewish fugitives aboard the St Louis, the ship sailing to Cuba. History repeats itself when Lilith, in turn, finds herself compelled to give up her daughter Nadine in the time of the Communist revolution, sending her as part of the Operation Pedro Pan, to the hoped for safety of a new life with a German family in New York.
Correa’s book was written at the time of children imprisoned in cages at the Mexico-United States border, and the ongoing refugee crisis in Australia. It most vividly depicts the fear of the ‘other’: the fear of someone of a different skin colour, a different faith, a different language, a different sexual orientation, and reveals how repeatedly parents have been forced into the horrendous decision of desperately sending their children somewhere else for their safety.
It is a heartrending story told across four generations, of families split up, and of friends finding themselves on different sides of the political divide. No one is ever really safe, for there are secrets buried within families, secrets where supposedly ‘good’ people are revealed in all their fallibilities. In the end, the book is a story of great bravery and a plea for empathy, forgiveness and kindness towards others.
Evie’s Mum writes the Astrological advice column in a women’s magazine. Evie’s stepdad is a stable, caring male figure in Evie’s life … and he is about to leave to work on a bridge-building project some distance from home. Is their family ever going to be the same again? At school Evie has one firm friend, and a teacher who is embarking on her favourite topic – anything and everything to do with stars, planets, space, the moon – Astronomy in general. Evie also is often targeted by one particular girl, Nicole, who has her own internal struggles. Whenever Evie’s eyes start their random twitch and flick patterns, Nicole seems to be right there ready to highlight the anomaly. What will Evie's future look like now her stepdad will not be around as much? Can looking at the stars or the moon help? And how can she stop her insides from rolling and squirming every time she thinks about it all?
This is an end-of-Primary school story that has an anxious lead character. Set within a school and family context there are small dramas that are potentially devastating for Evie, but at the same time there is much support and opportunity for her to grow despite the struggles. Friendship even becomes possible with the mean girl. The family circumstances for Evie are a little unusual, and her mother seems distant, even though it is her stepdad who is moving away. The topic of Space and Astronomy is almost a starring character in its own light, as the book weaves through many facts and interesting revelations from the class teacher as she shares her favourite subject. The contrast between Astronomy and astrology is only briefly touched on. With little hints that the author has reflected on her own personal story to tell this work of fiction, this story has a charming and believable heart as Evie orbits the universe trying to make sense of change and her place in it. Recommended for readers aged 9-12.
Annie’s shark, Seymour lives in the family pool. Usually he is quite happy and cheeky and flashing his imperious teeth but one day he announces that he is bored by the pool and wants to go to school with Annie. Annie tries to camouflage the beast, taking him along to school in her trundle wagon, and her classmates try to guess what she has brought along. Suddenly Seymour is uncovered, and everyone is pleased, except Miss Bright who retreats to standing on her chair. But Seymour is hungry and the smell of food takes him to the canteen where the staff shake like jelly while he fills his belly.
In rhyming pairs of lines, the story swings along, noting the mayhem being caused by the shark. But he is endearing and readers will love the images of Seymour doing very unshark like things. When Annie goes to get her wagon, he finds the sandpit and builds a lovely sandcastle, but filling the moat sees water filling the classroom instead. Children splash everywhere with Miss Bright trying to take control of the situation. In steps Principal Mac, and things go back to normal, with Seymour and Annie once more in the pool sipping their drinks, concluding that this is the best place to be and school was not such a good idea.
A wonderful read aloud, the rhyming story will win gales of laughter, while kids will enjoy predicting the rhyming words, offering some of their own suggestions. And along the way learn a little of where sharks really belong. But what fun to have one in the pool!
Fans of the New York Times bestselling Fable series will be thrilled to read the prequel Saint, which tells the story of Saint and Isolde, Fable’s parents. As a young boy Elias made a mistake in not trusting in old legends which resulted in the death of his father. Now he has grown into a young man who is devoted to the myths of the sea, giving him the reputation of a helmsman who can navigate the worst of the storms in the Narrows and earning him the name Saint. When he meets Isolde, a young dredger and gem sage who is trying to escape her powerful mother, his faith is tested as the pair grow closer together and sail the treacherous seas.
Alternating between the perspectives of Saint and Isolde, it is easy to become immersed in the world of the Narrows, in the danger of storms and the lure of gems, as well as the growing love between Saint and Isolde, and their joy in their young daughter Fable. Young brings thrilling action and adventure to the story, but also awareness of the strengths and flaws of Saint and Isolde and the crew that they sail with.
Saint can be read as a stand-alone, and readers are sure to find themselves going on the other books, Fable,Namesake and The last legacy, all set in the wonderful world that Young has imagined. Those who have already devoured the Fable series could find themselves rereading the books as I did and enjoying the insights into Fable’s life that Saint provides.
A new venture for Angie Thomas, her latest novel is an exciting fantasy adventure, the first in a new series aimed at a middle-grade audience. It is an amazing world of magic-wielding 'Remarkables' living among normal ‘Unremarkable’ human beings, but they are challenged to battle with all kinds of demons, ‘haints’ and monsters. Nic has been protected as much as possible by her ‘Remarkable’ father, but on her twelfth birthday, the day she expects to learn more about her special ‘Gift’, everything starts to fall apart, and she finds herself launched into a strange chaotic world, in a race to find the magical Msaidizi, the weapon they cannot allow to fall into the hands of the Destroyer.
In her ‘Author’s Note’ Thomas says she wanted to create a magical world for kids like her, children who escaped into books to ignore the gunshots in the neighbourhood. Nic is a black American girl, she knows racism, she knows not to wear a backpack in a grocery store (she’ll be suspected of shoplifting), she knows to stay calm and move slowly when accosted by police. But she is also a young girl who has to find her inner power, and stand strong to defend the people she loves.
Thomas’s characters speak the language of the Black ghettos, but as with her other novels, the dialogue is easy to follow and flows naturally, no matter who the reader is. Along the way, there are references to black American history: slavery and the underground railroad, and Emmett Till and the civil rights movement. The alternative world of the Remarkables, however, is a world free of racism, a world where black people are not dehumanised, a fantasy world, a world to dream about and to strive for.
Young readers will enjoy the adventures of Nic and her friends, and at the same time they may gain a better understanding of the world from the viewpoint of a black person, and a better appreciation of how to be a good friend to peers from minority groups. Fantasy is an excellent way to step into another’s shoes, and see the world from another perspective. And Thomas’s use of humour makes it all an easy fun read, that will have readers eagerly awaiting the next in the series.
Themes Fantasy, Adventure, Magic, Black Americans, Racism, Empowerment.
Helen Eddy
How to be a kid boss by Larry Hayes
Walker Books, 2023. ISBN: 9781529506631. (Age:6+)
Larry Hayes, the author of How to Survive Time Travel, How to Survive the Future and How to Survive Without Grownups has written another fun and interesting fact book for younger readers. How to be a Kid Boss has a total of 101 secrets and tips for children to outsmart the adults in their lives.
The contents page clearly lists all of the ‘How To…’ statements and the reader can either begin at the beginning or browse through to topics that are of interest. One of the chapters that children will love is ‘How to train your parents (like a performing seal)’ where there are clearly labelled step by step instructions: 1 Choose your goal 2 Choose your reward 3 Ignore them 4 Big Praise. Other chapters sure to be big hits are ‘How to make ice cream so healthy you can eat it for breakfast’, ‘How to scare a grown-up (cheat method)', ‘How to get out of school’, ‘How to stop a grown-up looking at their phone all the time’ and the final chapter 101 ‘How to be a kid millionaire.’
Each chapter is clearly labelled and begins with an ‘Everybody Knows’ segment, then the secret is divulged, this is either followed by further information, with all chapters ending with ‘Put it to the test’. There are fun facts, cheat codes and warnings highlighted throughout the book. The factual content shared is full of humour and the graphic style images cleverly separate and complement the text.
Themes Children, Secrets, Tricks, Facts, Science, General Knowledge.
Empathy is at the heart of this endearing picture book as a bear that is laughed at becomes the focus of people’s sympathy and support. George the big brown bear, lives in a summerhouse belonging to Clementine and her mother. His days are happy. Clementine has taught him to read and he fills in each day with chores around the house and reading books Clementine has borrowed form the library.
One day when he finishes a book, he decides to return it to the library and borrow another. Strolling down the suddenly empty street he notices the library is closed so tries to enquire at several nearby shops about the library’s opening hours. But they have suddenly closed as well. He strolls down to the market but people are no longer serving on their stalls. He inadvertently knocks some stalls over and gets himself caught up in the display racks. He hurtles through the air landing in a fountain and hears the people around him laughing. George realises they are laughing at him and tears fall from is face. Embarrassed and alone he is delighted to hear Emma’s voice as he climbs from the fountain, shedding even more tears. She admonishes the villagers standing and watching George and they try to rectify their actions, bringing him a towel and hanky to wipe himself dry while others come by to apologise for their rudeness. The book he wanted to return to the library also fell in the fountain and he apologetically returns it to the librarian, who gives him another in its place. He opens the book to read and the villagers all stand quietly listening until the finishes the book.
This charming tale of teasing and its consequences even for a big brown bear like George, will encourage readers to treat everyone around them with dignity, standing up for their friends and being loyal to those you hold dear. George is picked on needlessly and in crying shows that he has feelings like everyone else and these feelings should be respected.
This is a gentle story about people’s feelings and how easily these feelings can be upset, so encouraging readers to view everyone with respect.
Beautiful illustrations cover each page, the big eyes of the bear a focal point, especially when full of tears. I loved his eyes peering out from his embarrassed position in the fountain and the disappearing people in the village, while eagle eyes will take in the detail of the garden where he lives and the village square where he ventures.
Themes Bears, Self worth, Teasing, Humour.
Fran Knight
Ratbags: Naughty for good by Tim Harris and Shiloh Gordon
Ratbags – Naughty for good, written by one of Australia’s highly entertaining authors, Tim Harris and illustrators Shiloh Gordon, is a new series that will be undoubtedly be another success. Extremely engaging and fast paced, it has a unique storyline to keep the audience in suspense. This style of novel will be appealing to many, including those less motivated readers, as they follow the life of the most law-abiding young rat, Jigsaw.
Jigsaw loves rules and adores humans! He is very unlike all the other rats; they are all RATBAGS! Jigsaw’s life is all about doing the right thing, that is until he meets Onion and Ripple and he is reluctantly led astray. The smells of delicious, tempting aromas of pizza proves too much for him. Could this be his downfall to all that he has worked so hard to achieve?
Filled with fun, suspense and originality, this story will keep its audience captivated until the very end. Fun and light-hearted, this is an enjoyable read that will tantalise the reading tastebuds of even those reluctant readers. If you like a little adventure and enjoy a good laugh, you won’t be disappointed.
This fabulous short fiction novel has a high energy level, with an engaging storyline. Filled with loads of fun black and white cartoon pictures, speech text and action, and in a style mixed between a graphic novel and standard novel, this targets a wider audience and will appeal to many. Containing short chapters, large print and a really cool layout, this is a great story for all ages.
If you love a little bit of fun and adventure in a fast-past speed, then this novel will undoubtedly meet your entertainment level. Tim Harris is a master at his craft, and always knows how to keep his stories moving and engage his readers to the very end.
Themes Rights and Responsibilities, Problem solving, Teamwork, Humour.
This most astounding of stories takes place in the Indian Ocean as a loggerhead turtle finds her way back home. The loggerhead is considered vulnerable so when a Japanese fishing crew found a young, injured turtle in 1997 in the Indian Ocean, they named it Yoshi and took it to an aquarium in South Africa where they knew it would be helped to recover. Here she stayed (as an adult, her sex could be determined) for twenty years, but the staff knew she wanted to get home. They trained her to swim long distances and forage for herself in preparation for the day of release. With a tracking tag attached to her shell, she was released. Each time she came up for air, her tracker sent a message so the people in South Africa could track her movements. They cheered with her as she avoided the fishing grounds of the Indian Ocean, and wondered where she was going as she circled parts of the Atlantic Ocean, then trailed across the Indian Ocean, finally coming to the beach in Shark Bay off the west coast of Western Australia.
Her breathtaking journey is full of dangers as she avoids fishing lines, larger sea creatures, and heavy seas. The illustrations in this powerful book of one animal’s journey will stay with the reader, as her isolation in the vastness of the oceans is shown in glorious detail. We see other marine animals she encounters along the way, the crashing waves, the height and depth of the ocean she travels through, the night sky and the occasional presence of man.
I loved the artwork, the sand dunes and beaches on the end papers, the heavy seas, images of night, the closeups of Yoshi and her determined swim towards her goal.
At the end of the book are details about her trip, statistics that will astound any reader, and lots of information about loggerhead turtles. Another double page gives more information about sea turtles, and links to sites which will give more rescues.
A bibliography, and information about tracking rounds off a most informative and engrossing book.
Themes Loggerhead turtles, Indian Ocean, Tracking devices, Journeys, Deep sea fishing, Conservation.
Fran Knight
Wildlife compendium of the world by Tania McCartney
Hardie Grant Explore, 2023. ISBN: 9781741177473. (Age:7+) Highly recommended.
Author and illustrator Tania McCartney has produced another fascinating and beautifully illustrated publication. With the title Wildlife Compendium of the World, this book will take the reader on a journey across all continents and provide a snapshot of many of the wonderful habitats, biomes, ecosystems and environments that sustain the diverse wildlife that exists on Earth.
The striking cover with embossed letters set into a rich coppery-coloured circle surrounded by a variety of creatures, is followed by gorgeous end papers showcasing the star formations seen in the night sky. The contents page is clearly set out beginning with A Global Tour and ending with Animal Rights. This is followed by a concise double page glossary.
The information is divided into continents and the animals profiled range from the more familiar to those less well-known. Each animal is given its Latin name, type, diet, size, weight, conservation status, facts plus the collective noun or baby name. For example, a group of wildebeests is called a confusion and a baby ptarmigan is a cheeper. Did you know a Fire salamander is an acid squirter champ and the world’s most dangerous bird is the Southern Cassowary?
The text is easily accessible for middle primary students but will also appeal to older students and adults. The superb images are clearly labelled, and each has a curious fact highlighted beside it. This book is packed full of interesting information and will entertain young readers for hours. A very worthy addition to a home, school or public library.
Head of Zeus, 2023. ISBN: 9781804544600. (Age:16+) Recommended.
This is an amazing journey! I loved it and yet was baffled by its intensity. It is both a literary masterpiece and a tale of discovery. At heart it is a coming-of-age story set in the world of a Eurasian young girl, Sora, who has returned to live in Japan from Canada, and also an other-world story with ethereal qualities. Meshing science and investigation of time that has been disrupted by the violence of seismic activity, with the mysticism and mythology of ancient Japanese understanding, this story has a unique quality that cannot be compared to other contemporary YA literature. The cultural influence of life in Japan, lived with the repeated turmoil and uncertainty of a ‘rolling earth’ caused by the ‘Catfish’ that lives underneath their feet, are central ingredients in this charming but complex story of a teenager finding her feet when the world around her has been rocked to the core. Losing her mother and her certainty means that the shifts in time that she experiences have confusing qualities that are difficult to navigate. Where will she go, what is her future, and who is she now that her whole world has changed?
For students of Japanese and those who have more than a passing acquaintance with Japanese culture, this will be a book that resonates. For those of us that don’t, it is a wonderful entry into this non-Western culture with its own history, foods, myths, and stories. The investigation of time, memory and grief is also woven poetically through the story of the teen central character who is negotiating her understanding of loss as she faces her own decisions for her future and working out how she must connect with her father as he manages his own path of grief and the slip of time that they live in. The scientific scrutiny of time alterations is a steep contrast to the almost-magical experience for Sora. Because of this dystrophy and discomfort, this book may cause some confusion for some teen readers, but it will also inspire others because of the different ways we can experience the world, our own emotional responses to difficulty and loss, and also our view of time as an absolute. This is a book to get into the hands of mature readers aged 16+. It will stretch their understanding of the world and literary expectations in a powerful way. It is not for those who want a straightforward narrative.
Themes Japan, Time, Memories, Forgetting, Mythology, Earthquakes, Same-sex attraction.
Positioned over the road from a doggy day care centre, Lou is an important stop for all the dogs in the neighbourhood. They sniff and twirl, twist and lift, spraying their urine all over this little piece of street furniture. He is a toilet.
But he has always had the feeling deep inside himself that he is destined for better things, that he is full of greatness. In the meantime keen eyes will see another leg of the story being played out in the flat above the doggy day care centre and sure enough smoke billows from the building, and a fire appliance turns up. The fireman looks around for a place where his fire hose will fit and plugs it into Lou. He realises that the pipe underneath is a water pipe and the attached hose will spray water all over the fire, putting it out. The words for the connection of the hose are the same used for the dogs earlier in the day, and kids will laugh at the change of meaning.
A great read aloud, the story will evoke chortles of laughter from the readers and audience as Lou comes to see just how important he is. He is now a superhero, feted by all the dogs, the community and the fire officers.
A wonderful story, I loved the echoes of words and phrases, and the realisation that perhaps he is useful after all. Kids will love the little fire hydrant, and perhaps notice them in the street, but more importantly see that we all have something great to achieve.
When 12-year-old Nina is sent to live with Aunt Bee in London while her scientist parents travel to Antarctica for a year, she is determined to stay angry, withdrawn and uncommunicative. However, living with Aunt Bee on a converted barge on the River Thames turns out to be an experience which Nina could never have envisaged.
Aunt Bee is a passionate mudlarker who belongs to a group of Mud Puddlers who scour the Thames at low tide for hidden treasures. Nina is reluctantly drawn into the excitement of the search and slowly realises, with the help of Molly on the neighbouring barge, she has the ability to travel back in time when focused on an item she has found. Molly has warned Nina that she must not let go of the item and try not to engage with those she meets. Nina returns from her first three visits with relative ease although her experience at a Suffragettes march leaves her shaken.
After finding part of a World War 2 gas mask, Nina travels back to London and finds herself on a platform with children being evacuated to the country. Nina loses her gas mask in the rush and is pulled onto a train bound for an unknown destination. Here she meets the very sullen Tom who is determined to go back to his family. They both run away from their temporary homes and head back towards London. This is a long and difficult journey, but they do receive kindness and help along the way from well-meaning strangers. Nina knows it is imperative that she finds her gas mask to be able to return to the present, but the two children face terrible danger in trying to achieve this.
The Mud Puddlers is a wonderful fast-paced middle-grade read where past and present meet, where historical events are presented in an engaging and exciting story, and where a young girl learns to let go of her unhappiness. The inclusion of further information about the events covered in the story is a very welcome and thoughtful addition.
This well written and very entertaining story would make an excellent class novel.
As always, Nora Roberts, The Sunday Times bestselling author, delivers a thrilling romantic suspense novel that will keep readers glued to the page. Morgan Albright has finally begun to settle down and reach her goals of owning her own home and car after moving around the country as an Army brat. With the help of her friend Nina, she is paying off her mortgage, working two jobs to get ahead. Dating has not been important for her, but while working her bartending job, she meets Luke, an IT worker, and a tentative friendship begins. Then a catastrophe occurs and she is forced to leave town and live with her mother and grandmother, leaving her dreams behind.
Roberts always manages to give the reader a new experience with the research that is put into the backgrounds of her novels. In Identity, she explores what it is like for Morgan to have her identity stolen, her credit cards used, and loans taken out in her name. Not only is the perpetrator frightening, the information about loss of identity is chilling and will have readers checking out computers and passwords and locking passports away securely. Roberts often explores different jobs that women could do, and in Identity she describes the role of a bartender/manager, and readers are sure to find this interesting and informative.
In all of Roberts romantic suspense novels there is a clever mix of chills and romance. Gavin, a serial killer, is cold and frightening and stalks Morgan, the one who got away. Morgan begins to grow in physical strength and regain her confidence and gradually begins to believe that she could have a life with Miles, a dark and brooding but very caring hero.
When writing as Nora Roberts or J.D. Robb, the author invariably delivers a compulsive escapist read, and Identity will have readers sitting up late to finish it.
Tap! Tap! Tap! Dance! Dance! Dance! by Herve Tullet
Allen & Unwin, 2023. ISBN: 9781797221465. (Age:3+) Recommended.
Readers are invited into this exuberant book with lines of colour trailling across the pages, invited to use their hands to follow the lines, and dance with the shapes produced.
Kids will love following the colours, using their hands to explore, following the instructions in this handsomely produced over-sized book. We are asked to tap our fingers on the buttons, follow the lines around the outside of the page, press all the big dots, leap like a baby goat around the edge of another page. Each page offers a different direction, a wash of colour, movement and humour as our fingers itch to see what is next. Younger readers will love following the lines of colour with their hands, seeing where they are going, what different paths they will be taken. Sometimes they will find a rectangle to use as a leaping frame, asked to jump, nicely, from one corner to the other, sometimes they will find a set of stepping stones and be asked to lightly step on each like a butterfly, sometimes or skip across the page softly.
Many words are given to entreat readers to be involved, to try different ways of moving, to dance with the colours on the pages.
Some words will be unfamiliar, stretching their imaginations and vocabulary. I love the inclusion of spirals and curlicues, and not just any curlicues, but those that are acrobatic and elegant.
Big and small, fast and slow, round and round, accompany the exhortations to jump, be wild, be elegant, to freeze, be slow, dropping and leaping. Lots of different moves encourage little bodies to be active and involved with colour and text.
Kids will love the build up of movement from the slow and serious to the frenetic and wild, while teachers and parents will be just as enthused joining in with the younger readers.
Sometimes called the ‘prince of pre school books’ Herve Tillet is an award wining author with a comment on Youtube (in French with subtitles) about not being bored, and small page on wikipedia. A sturdy book to read aloud with groups and be borrowed by toe tapping individuals.
