Allen & Unwin, 2023. ISBN: 9781761180286. (Age:3+) Highly recommended.
Reading the author’s poignant story at the end of the book sets the tone for this wonderful tale of generations being together despite a gap in their ability to verbally communicate.
The child and her grandfather spend a lot of quiet time together. Not having a common language, they communicate thorough sound, smells and feelings, sight, touch and taste. They read to each other, knowing the other person can only understand a little of what is being read, they walk in the garden, watering the pots and flowers, looking at the bugs they find, wondering at the birds in the trees, splash through the waves, ride a bike, laugh and play, woof and howl like a dog, cook their favourite food and play on the beach.
All the wonderful times spent with grandparents is portrayed in this lovely warm book, showing the love that exists between children and their grandparents, even though there is no common language.
They communicate through the things they do together, watching each other, being together, sitting on Seeya’s shoulders or his knees, hugging him, burying him with sand, sometimes making a mess together, but always with the two together. It may be a quiet time but it is a time of love and companionship and this wonderful feeling shines thorough on each page.
Children will love reading this book, seeing time spent with a grandfather, comparing this with their own grandparents and the time spent with them: looking a the obstacles that may be in place keeping them apart, wondering how to overcome these impediments. Children will love seeing what the grandfather and his granddaughter do together, comparing it with their own activities, adding to the things they may be planning to do on the weekend.
The soft pencil illustrations adds a wonderful tone to the book, underscoring the place each person has in the heart of the other, reinforcing the place that they have in each other’s hearts, despite not being able to speak the same language.
There are ways to communicate without language being spoken and this could lead on to discussions about how we communicate without words.
Themes Language, Communication, ASLAN, Body language, Grandfathers, Granddaughters, Family.
Fran Knight
Big cat by Jess Racklyeft
Allen & Unwin, 2023. ISBN: 9781761066580. (Age:3+) Highly recommended.
This endearing parable about accepting change begs to be read aloud often as readers take Catherine to their hearts. A neat, tidy, meticulous seven year old, Catherine is an investigator. She wears her binoculars around her neck, keeps files in colour order, uses her compass to find her way around while humming to herself.
Clues are given in the newspaper cutouts on the pages, talking of an animal heading south. Catherine is alert, the idea like sherbet in her mind, she sleeps that night her curiosity rumbling. The next morning she is determined to hunt the Big Cat. She packs tins of tuna to act as a lure, and sandwiches for herself. She walks around Melbourne, looking for suitable places to leave her lures. Sitting on a park bench eating the last of her sandwiches, her hum falls silent as she spies the Big Cat. She thanks her for the tuna and together they set off to look at the wild places the Big Cat knows about. Catherine is a little unsure about the lawlessness of Big Cat, but her sneakers begin to get muddy, her hum is silent and the compass forgotten as they take roundabout routes to almost everywhere.
When Big Cat leaves she takes something of Catherine with her and while she will always be wild, Catherine has learnt that she can be a little wild as well, and with the Big Cat always in her heart she sleeps soundly.
This marvellous look at how change affects us was given impetus during the lockdown when Racklyeft like others in Melbourne, was restricted to their home and environs. Walking through her neighbourhood, Racklyeft became far more acquainted with the unfamiliar things that surrounded her, and these she brings to the reader with the magical endpapers and images presented as Catherine and Big Cat walk the streets. Keen eyes will spot parks and gardens, sculptures, buildings, laneways, streetscapes and fountains, while perusing the words presented in the endpapers will add another layer of interest to the reading.
The pencil and watercolour illustrations give an impression of Melbourne that is enticing and informative as the newly found friends walk the streets. And I love the detail: look out for the old maps of Melbourne, newspaper articles and cat book ends.
An interview with Racklyeft can be found here, while her website gives more information about her.
This second book of short stories by Adelaide author Stephen Orr contains short fiction loosely connected by their central character ‘the boy’. They range in style from poignant and heartbreaking to absurd and cruel. The majority have deeply troubled main characters, often the overwhelmed ‘boy’, struggling to understand the complicated world of the flawed adults around him, or the man he grows up to become.
The stories span a number of continents and decades. Several are set in WW2 Germany, with the boy suffering the fallout of his father’s nazi connections, and then again trying to comprehend the suffering of his mentally ill uncle. Orr has set others in outback Australia, or on the SA coast.
A number are contemporary; the stream-of-consciousness of an African youth stowaway in an aeroplane wheel-well, and a disgruntled ex-employee contemplating his plan to kidnap his boss’s son.
The majority of the stories involve either death, dementia or mental illness, murder, mass shootings, execution or suicide. In these terrible scenarios Orr casts fathers as sometimes abusive, sometimes caring or introspective, but always flawed, exerting influences that are carried on to subsequent generations, including the bewildered 'boy'.
Although the content of his stories is often deeply disturbing, Orr’s writing is beautifully lyrical, and his descriptions and dialogue are to be savoured and reread. He specialises in the slow reveal, with perfect examples of ‘show don’t tell’, leaving the reader to fill in the gaps and reflect. He portrays ordinary men and boys facing crises far bigger than themselves; not necessarily happy reads, but powerfully thought-provoking ones.
Twitch and his friends become embroiled in a mystery when the eggs from a Peregrine Falcon’s nest are stolen. Because of Twitch’s passion for birds he becomes a suspect in a crime that he was never likely to have committed. Twitch and his fellow Twitchers put on their detective ‘hats’ to solve the crime that defies their understanding. Why would anyone want to end the life of a new generation of rare birds? The local environment is also hosting a fishing competition that involves locals and visitors to the English countryside where Twitch lives. There are many suspects for the team to investigate and many twists and turns that need to be smoothed out before they can solve the mystery of the missing clutch of eggs. Another exciting adventure.
This is book three in the series by M G Leonard, a series beginning with Twitch and then Spark. Every book has a mystery and an investigation and woven within that is the wonderful world of the birding enthusiast in England and particularly the ‘fledgling’ fans … the young environmentalists. The excitement and intrigue have the feel of a Famous Five adventure combined with the environmental focus. Interestingly in this book, the world of the birdwatcher is at odds with the illegal actions of the egg collectors who must carry on their actions in subterfuge and with deceptive ploys. I have now read all three books in the series and every book is worth recommending and introducing young readers to the Twitching community. This is another series that readers aged 9-12 will enjoy for its detective story quality and for the young heroes and heroines who are the central characters, their daring and intelligence will impress readers who discover this series. But scattered through the story are moments of fun and silliness, and also insights into observational science.
Tansim Lark is a Hollower, a mortal with no magical talent. Instead of using magic to find missing treasure, she must use her intelligence and research skills to keep herself and her brother Cabell alive after their foster father disappeared with no trace. When she learns of a powerful ring relating to King Arthur she joins forces with her rival Emyrs in a desperate quest to be the first to find the treasure that could free Cabell from a deadly curse.
Bracken's narrative is fast paced and action filled as Tamsin and Emrys plunge into danger. Their journey leads them to the legendary land of Avalon and it is here that the author surprises with many twists and unexpected outcomes that will leave the reader breathless.
Tamsin is a valiant heroine who really cares for her brother. After being disappointed in past relationships, she is guarded and aloof, and reluctant to accept friendship, often appearing unlikeable and stubborn. The slow burning romance between her and Emrys will engage readers who enjoy an enemies to lovers trope and some twists here and at the conclusion of the story will ensure that the next in the series is picked up by fans.
Readers who enjoy stories with Arthurian legends may be disappointed in the lack of detail but fans of urban fantasy with strong characters are certain to enjoy Silver in the Bone.
Themes Fantasy, magic, Arthurian legends.
Pat Pledger
Something Broken, Something Fixed by Kathryn England, illus Davilyn Lynch
A seemingly simple tale of two children making something reveals a tale of siblings coming together after a disagreement, making amends, repairing fences, both wanting to fix the gap between them. A broken dinosaur on the front cover could be a clue to the broken relationship, as Amy dons her tool belt over her skirt and rummages around the house to find things to build something special for her brother, Finn.
She finds a wobbly chair and takes the seat, she finds some wheels and grabs them with glee, an old picture frame is just what she needs, a pram, a shoebox in mum’s wardrobe, all are gathered together to create the thing she has in her head.
Meanwhile Finn comes looking for his sister. He has finished his puzzle in his room, and calls out for her. He cannot find her but can see where she has been, so he dons his tool belt and repairs some of the things she has left behind.
When they finally catch up in the garden shed, she presents him with her contraption, a remote controlled flying boat-car. But using the remote control however does not work, so they try to work something out together.
A subtle story of siblings coming together to do something together, the title, Something broken not only refers to the broken things around the house but also their friendship. So fixing up is at the centre of this story as Amy tries to make something special for her brother and he repairs the things she leaves behind.
Kids will love looking at the range of broken things depicted on each page, comparing them with what gets broken at home, reprising stories of how things at home became broken, making up a story of how the objects on the pages become broken. The broken dinosaur on the front cover begs for a story and will prove a start off point for many imaginative tales.
Head of Zeus, 2022. ISBN: 9781804541807. (Age:Young Adult) Recommended.
Stone begins with great emotional impact. Through the voice of Sam, we learn that his soldier father has recently died in Afghanistan as a result of an explosion. Despite the imminent funeral Sam goes to a party to escape this grim reality and meets a girl called Oona, who he is instantly infatuated by. The funeral is realistic and heart wrenching as he becomes overwhelmed and needs to escape the people at the wake. He takes the dog for a walk and in the process finds a strange stone which has supernatural powers. The stone seems to give him unnatural strength and he has frightening visions from the past, wolves and owls appear and so does his father. Sam becomes very aggressive and he is goaded into violence by an old enemy. He is also jealous of his best friend Chad because Sam believes Chad will win over Oona. Oona has extensive knowledge about the occult and teaches Sam what she knows. The story builds to a climax at Samhain/Halloween when the local young people have an outdoor celebration.
Hawkins very successfully creates a flawed and sometimes unlikable character in Sam. He is jealous and violently reactionary in his grief. At the same time these are believable traits, especially when he feels so guilty about the way he ended his last conversation with his father. However, we also know that he loves his mother and sister and feels a strong need to care for them. Luckily his sister is a foil for his impulsivity and she has great emotional intelligence. The supernatural connections to this ancient rural part of England and mythology are likely to be intriguing for many young adult readers. Yet it is the complex human relationships which drive the story. The support he gets from the psychologist, Oona and a kind older man guide him to make more positive choices. The addition of Hawkins illustrations, Tarot card art and the lists of Sam’s memories about his father, add extra layers to this insightful novel.
When a parcel arrives for Penguin, all the animals are excited. Living where they do, they are icy cold and would love the parcel to contain something to keep them warm. The parcel is a present from Gorilla so readers will have a great deal of fun guessing what might be inside. Penguin guesses it may be a cosy scarf, but the parcel is too heavy to be a soft scarf. So could it be a hot water bottle, but this too is rejected as the parcel is too cold. Several guesses later, the parcel is ripped open by all the animals to reveal something quite unexpected.
And what Penguin does with his gift will keep him very warm.
A very cute story eliciting a guessing game from the readers, Parcel for Penguin will appeal to young readers for whom learning about other animals is very new. These animals, situated in the colder regions of the world will help young readers learn about places in their environment, as well as the traits of these animals adapted to living in hostile conditions. But they will love Penguin, especially the detailed illustrations of this little creature on the endpapers.
The guessing book behoves the question about just what is an appropriate present for a penguin or its friends? Living in such a cold climate and will lead on to much discussion about the animals’ adaptations. Much more complicated ideas about weather and climate could ensue.
Life in a Hollow is the perfect introduction for Early – Primary Years students to one aspect of the Australian bush that is perhaps not frequently discussed. From the smallest of creatures, the Longhorn beetles, which are often responsible for beginning a hollow, to the largest of the creatures, the Brushtail possum, this book takes the reader of a journey of discovery to the different inhabitants of a tree hollow and how they make it their home.
The appealing rhyming text beautifully describes each of the species of bush creatures who live in the hollow.
It didn’t take long for some three-toed skin To see the hole, and with barely a blink Head for the hollow, leaving their stone. Now the shimmering skinks call this hollow a home.
Each time a new species relocates to the hollow, it is widened to suit their size and they remain there for as long as necessary. Once empty a new creature moves in. The author, David Gullan, gives important information about tree hollows in the final pages and how we can help to protect trees that provide a source of shelter for these Australian creatures. Further details are given about the animals in the story and there is an accessible glossary for young readers. The vibrant full-page illustrations in bush colours by Suzanne Houghton show great detail and will engage the audience.
The first of a new series from Larrikin House promises lots of laughs as Dad’s plans predictably go awry. The front cover provokes laughter as kids pick up the book, seeing a snake hanging from the tree, lots of eyes peering out at the family, while the girl clutches a significantly placed first aid box. Imaginations will kick into gear as holidays with the family are recalled.
The book opens with the plan of the camping holiday on the endpaper, a few hills and lakes are to be explored as Dad makes his hopes known. His kids need nature, he assumes, but his daughter would prefer glamping. Rhyming pairs of lines follow the disasters that befall Dad on their rustic holiday. From pitching the tent on a mountain of ants to disturbing a bee hive, Dad’s back to nature trip is sure to come unstuck. When he falls into the swamp and comes back up with leeches on his ears, a rat taking a bite from his chin and a crab snapping at this skin, the laughs come thick and fast at poor Dad’s expense. Others would give up, pack up the gear and head for home but not this dad. He walks into a tree and is stunned, so begins walking in circles, taking his kids with him. Just when things could not get any worse, a savage boar butts Dad on his bum. Some of his wounds are becoming infected and when the fire is lit to cook, the fox runs off with the steak. And then a snake appears. What else could go wrong? Well his many bites are now blowing up his head. Asking for the calamine lotion to cool himself down he sees the fire escape from the campfire and burn down the tent. A night spent in the car sees a black spider crawl up Dad’s leg, but after all this the children suggest they stay another night!
A very funny rhyming text is wonderfully supported with funny illustrations that remind all readers of the dangers lurking outside when someone wants to go back to nature. A laugh on every page, the images of the kids and their dog and dad coping with a mountain of calamities underlines the impact of trying something new, despite things going wrong. A discussion could be had after the laughter has died down around change and trying different things, of being adaptable, of preparing for change.
Willa loves the Branagh (1993) film interpretation of Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado about Nothing’; the feelings the opening scenes of the movie stir up in her become the touchstone in her job as publishing editor of romance novels, and also in her relationships with men. A romance novel is not going to make it if it doesn’t inspire that excited response for her, and neither will a relationship.
This is not so much a modern adaptation of Much Ado about Nothing, though there is a similar shared plot-line, but is more a reflection of the values and relationships within the play. Willa herself recognises the overlap of stories, and wonders if she can realistically reach the same happy outcome. But she doesn’t know who her partner is. And she is very wary because she rebels against the usual expectations of marriage and babies. She just wants the true passion, The Feeling.
Dettmann’s novel moves along at a sparkling pace and is full of witty and very funny dialogue, especially coming from Willa. She is somebody who can always make people laugh, and people love her for it. But it becomes increasingly apparent that her jokes can sometimes be a barrier to better understanding and can even turn hurtful when she reacts too quickly without reflection.
‘Without further ado’ is a humorous reworking of Shakespeare’s play – it could be a rewarding exercise to read the two works alongside each other. But even without knowing too much about the play, there is a lot of fun to be had in reading this delightful rom-com, one that explores issues of love, marriage, parenting, morals, trust and self-assertion.
Themes Shakespeare, Much Ado about Nothing, Romance, Women’s roles, Humour.
Helen Eddy
Two Dogs by Ian Falconer
HarperCollins, 2022. ISBN: 9780008399863.
Two dogs, dachshunds Dignified, slightly imperious with aquiline noses and noble profiles. Indeed, they look like Roman emperors...
Everyone loved Augie and Perry when they were puppies and played with them all the time, but as the years passed and the children went to school and the adults were at work, the dogs were left to their own devices during the day. Most days they were fine but one day they found a way to get through the screen door and outside and soon they're diving into the swimming pool, digging an enormous hole in the lawn, and causing all kinds of chaos... But then they hear the family car pull up...
Many of our young readers will have got a pet for Christmas and while that's all well and good during this long summer break, just what will those pets get up to when school goes back? This is an hilarious story that will entertain young readers but plant seeds of doubt as to what might be really happening when they are not there.
Barbara Braxton
Mini & Milo: The teeny-tiny voice by Venita Dimos & Natashia Curtin
A story that leads readers to think about keeping themselves safe, defying the negative voice in their head which seeks to undermine and belittle. The book will find a willing audience as many children are more aware of their mental health, of needing to be positive and resilient, and this book is one which will encourage individual readers and a classroom or group to be positive.
Mini the elephant lives in a tiny house with a tiny bedroom and a tiny bed. Her best friend, Milo is practising to be a magician. Usually the voice in Mini’s head is supportive and encouraging, but now and again it goes the other way. Instead of saying ‘you can do it’ it says ‘everyone’s mean’ and ‘its not fair’.
The negative thoughts keep appearing, undermining everything she does. Try as she might, the voice is still there.
She tried various ways of getting the voice to keep quiet, all to no avail. But one day she has an idea. The teeny tiny voice in her head should follow her rules, just like Mini follows Mum’s rules. She and Milo write up a list of rules for the voice and tells it it must stick to them, reminding the voice of the rules whenever it strays. 'I’ve got this’ is the response that Mini uses whenever the voice begins its negative thoughts and together they follow the rules; kind words only, no whining, no telling me to do naughty stuff and no breaking the rules.
Children will love the ideas put forward in this humorous tale: that you can do something about the negative voice in your head, that you can be resilient and positive. The story encourages them to reject negative thoughts, to use positive and kind words only, to stop any whining and look to their friends for support.
Family dispute specialist, Venita Dimos has written a tale full of support for those living under a cloud, showing them a way to grapple that negative encumbrance and turn it into something positive.
Supported by very funny illustrations by Natashia Curtin, readers will love following Mini’s antics through the story as she tries to conquer the unkind thoughts in her head, succeeding when she plots a set of rules to guide the voice’s interruptions. I have never thought of an elephant being agile, but Curtin manages to show Mini in the most physical of activities, all of which seem most feasible. I loved following Mini through this story, seeing how she reacts to all that is imposed upon her until she takes stock and turns the voice around.
An amusing story of a fish trying to find its school has a hidden message of pollution and the despoiling of our seas as younger readers becoming increasingly aware of the damage that plastic is having on our oceans and those that call it home.
A little fish sees what he calls an odd fish. It is nothing like he has seen before and being helpful tries to help it find its way to its own school of fish. Together they travel through the seas, through the reef and out to the ocean, along the way seeing how plastic is destroying the environment. The seahorse has a straw attached to its tail, an octopus has its legs entangled in netting, a turtle is eating a plastic bag, and the number of plastic debris increases the further out from the shore they get. Finally they spy the place the odd fish belongs, with thousands of other plastic bottles and rubbish swirling around the ocean. Readers will see the huge mess of plastic that now inhabits our oceans, reefs, and shores. All children will be able to give stories of how they have found plastic rubbish as they walk along the beach and see the point of the book they have just read.
Stunning illustrations by James Jones underlines the impact of plastic upon our wildlife in the sea. Readers will love picking out the detail he includes in his pages, the different inhabitants, the increasing amount of rubbish, nets, the odd ship and so on. Information on the last two pages underline the story of the book, giving detail which will interest them further. A list of websites encourages further investigation, and I am sure they will notice the amount of litter on the beaches they visit, helping collect it to put it in a bin.
Themes Oceans, Seas, Fish, Pollution.
Fran Knight
Song in the city by Daniel Bernstrom. Illus. by Jenin Mohammed
This exuberant story full of the noises heard in a city will impel readers to stop and listen for themselves. Emmalene and her Grandmother walk through the city, the young blind girl listening to the cacophony of sounds around her. The yip yap of the dog, tap of her mobility stick, screech of brakes, sizzles from the street food stall. She runs for the bus telling her Grandmother about the pretty ditty she can hear. Grandma is unimpressed, telling her it's not a song but a commotion of sound coming from the traffic.
But Emmalene persists. Telling Grandma Jean of the drumming, humming, clap clap clapping, toot tooting sounds that she hears. But the singing and ringing are not music to Grandma’s ears. Emmmalene sits her down and she listens. She hears the crying cat, the buzzing of the mobile phone, the shrieking of a siren. Emmalene puts her hands over Grandma’s eyes and in the dark she hears the sounds the city makes beyond the wrecking and the sirens, above the peck pecking of the birds. She hears the clapping, the rollicky romping, bopping, tippety tapping that the city makes.
Emmalene is thrilled that Grandma Jean can hear what she hears, the two experience something together, a joyous reminder of the link between generations. This is a meditative work, encouraging people to take time and listen. Just sitting and breathing deeply will cause the other senses to come into play, hearing the sounds around you with more clarity. A wonderful exercise to do in the classroom.
Readers will love taking up the rhythm of the story, intrigued by the rhymes offered, and the array of onomatopoeic words which exude fun and excitement.
The bright illustrations present a disabled child in a positive light. She teaches her Grandmother to hear the things she can hear and impels readers to take more notice of what is around them. With her mobility stick and Grandma she is about to navigate the city she knows well. More about Jenin’s work can be found hereand more about Daniel and his aim to bring joy filled books to readers, can be found here.
Themes Africa, Village life, Families, Grandparents, Crops.
