Jackie French can tell a story with incredible flair! In this tale there is time travel for school girl, Ming, who unexpectedly is given this capacity when she meets the mysterious Herstory. Herstory reminds Ming that History may have been told of the achievements of men and in the voice of men, but that did not really mean that women and girls did not make a difference. Ming gets the chance to travel into the life of Florence, embodying her as a Eurasian girl living in hardship in rural circumstances with limited rights prior to Federation. Her life mirrors Ming’s life only in their shared mixed heritage, but otherwise Ming is profoundly aware that Florence is powerless and her future is bleak. Can Ming make a difference and point Florence into a different pathway and change the world? Florence/Ming get the opportunity to move beyond rural life and meet an Aunt who is active in the Suffragette movement and keen for Australia to become a truly federated country and an identity in its own right. Florence/Ming also give opportunity to a poor orphan who might also change the world, or at least have her own world changed.
This is a powerful tale, with its insights into the stories of women from the past. But in Jackie French’s inimitable style there is humour woven through the insights. Discussions of clothing expectations, social mores and survival threats and problems for people in poverty are revealed alongside the power struggles, race issues, gender issues and expectations of the time before Federation. But always there is lightness and hope and Florence/Ming do want to make a difference. The book ends with a return to the classroom, but Herstory sends Ming (and now her brother Tuan) off for another journey back in time. Another book is coming! I can’t wait!
Themes Women’s rights, Time travel, Suffragettes, Racism, Power, Pre-Federation history, Women's place in history.
Carolyn Hull
Zarifa: A woman's battle in a man's world by Zarifa Ghafari and Hannah Smith
There have been a number of recent biographies/ autobiographies of inspiring women leaders; I’m thinking of Becoming by Michelle Obama (2021), Know your place by Golriz Ghahraman (2020), Jacinda Ardern by Madeleine Chapman (2020), The last girl by Nadia Murad (2017), Hillary by Karen Blumenthal (2016). The latest is Zarifa, Zarifa Ghafari’s account of her struggles against the brutally oppressive patriarchal system in Afghanistan. She was born in 1994 in the time of her country’s civil war, and raised during the Taliban’s first regime, and yet she became a radio broadcaster and the first female mayor of Wardak province, west of Kabul, fearlessly confronting male prejudice and determined to stamp out the corrupt practices of the past.
It was not without cost. There were numerous attempts on her life, and one incident left her horrifically scarred on her hands and her feet following an explosive fire in her home. But the worst was the murder of her father. Finally with the withdrawal of American troops, and the takeover by the Taliban, Zarifa and members of her family joined the throngs of people desperately clamouring at the gates to the airport. But once her family was safely housed in Germany, Zarifa felt compelled to return to her country to continue her work to help empower women and children suffering in poverty.
It is the story of a very brave and determined woman; she learnt icy detachment, and the ability to control her anger, to put her arguments forcibly, with an appearance of confidence and entitlement. Many times she challenged the thinking of men used to infantilising and disregarding women. She encourages other women to ‘take courage, and push back the boundaries, little by little’. She says that she knows ‘we will win, eventually, because women can no longer be ignored in Afghanistan… I will keep reminding women that they have a voice, and can raise it.’
Zarifa Ghafari received the 2022 International Women’s Right Award at the United Nations Geneva Summit, among other awards and accolades. But, movingly, she remembers the whisper of an Afghani worker at Kabul airport ‘So many of us are proud of you’.
Themes Afghanistan, Taliban, Women, Human rights, Activism.
Author and illustrator Phillip Marsden has written a second book following on from the success of Boss Ladies of Sport. This brightly illustrated and informative non-fiction book is once again presented in a picture book style with each page presenting a short paragraph about the female scientist, a graphic-style illustration, and a personal quote from the scientist.
Scientists from all fields of Science are discussed including Dr Merritt Moore from the USA who is a quantum physicist, Dr Catherine Green and Professor Sarah Gilbert are British vaccinologists and Norwegian Dr May-Britt Moser who is neuroscientist. Professor Veena Sahajwalia is an inventor and materials scientist from India now living in Australia and is passionate about recycling. Also residing in Australia, is British-born Professor Michelle Simmons who was Australian of the Year in 2018 and believes that ‘Women think differently and that diversity is invaluable’. Both these scientists join well known Australian scientists, Professor Emma Johnston, a marine biologist, Professor Fiona Wood, a world-famous plastic surgeon, Professor Elizabeth Blackburn who partnered with Dr Carol Greider to win a Nobel Peace Prize and Australia’s Chief Scientist, Dr Cathy Foley who advises the government on all thing’s science related. In the author’s words… 'this makes her the Boss Lady of Science for the whole country.'
The appeal of this book is the diversity amongst the scientists who are from all over the world. They have excelled in their chosen fields and offer young readers an insight into what it might be possible to accomplish. In the words of Kirsten Banks, an Indigenous Australian astrophysicist, 'I want to show everyone that you can achieve your dream no matter what!'
Votes for Women! written and illustrated by Mark Wilson, is a wonderful factual introduction for primary-school aged students to the difficulties faced by women to gain the right to vote. The Suffragette movement was gaining momentum in South Australia and in the story, three strong and dedicated women worked tirelessly, along with others, for the benefit of other women in South Australia. Rose Birks, Treasurer of the Women’s Suffrage League in South Australia along with her stepdaughter Nellie and Mary Lee, Secretary of the League, may be unfamiliar to readers both young and old but gave their all for the cause.
The story begins with a brief introduction to Nellie born in 1869, a young girl whose mother had passed away, and her stepmother Rose. Rose was a determined and forthright woman who freely spoke about women’s rights and safety. Nellie enjoyed listening to these conversations and began to join Rose at the meetings and provide support. In 1888, the Women’s Suffrage League was formed with Mary lee as its Secretary and Rose as its Treasurer. South Australia was in the midst of difficult times with widespread poverty and unemployment. Conditions for women were particularly hard. Public meetings, letters to newspapers and magazines, discussions with politicians and 10,000 signatures on a petition were all involved in the gaining of the vote. The vote, and the suffrage movement, were not without their opponents and public meetings were often marred by violence.
However, in 1894, on December 18, South Australian women were given the right to vote. South Australia the first state in Australia to give women this right, and it was also the first in the world to give women the right to stand for election to parliament.
Votes for Women! is an important book to be shared in all school and public libraries with striking paintings inspired by the French and Australian impressionist painters, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Claude Monet, Fred McCubbin and Arthur Streeton. A wonderful read. Teacher's notes are available.
Themes History, Voting, Women’s Rights, South Australia.
Kathryn Beilby
Instructions for a teenage Armageddon by Rosie Day
Wren & Rook, 2021. ISBN: 9781526364319. (Age:13+)
Rosie Day is an actor, director and writer. She is only in her twenties and as a child actor has appeared in numerous well known British films and TV series. In lockdown she began writing a one girl play with the same title and it had a good season. It was suggested that she could run a podcast empowering teenage girls but then this idea turned into a book.
The work is a call to arms, as the title suggests, with Rosie Day introducing the subject, before including letters, comments, observations and advice from a large number of contributors, including doctors, psychologists, actors and activists. Lively illustrations in graphic comic style add to the appeal of course. Each of the 5 sections, addressing a range of topics from mental health, friendships, relationships, families, consent and boundaries, is rounded off with 10 Top Tips which relate, for example, to mental health and stress. Lists of online resources and references are included at end of the book; keeping in mind though, that this is an English publication and the contributors largely unknown to us. The subject is universal however and the book timely, as our attention is so often drawn to student well-being, the impact of social media and the dramatic rise in teenage sexual assault and suicide. It is a book which recognises the challenges for teenage girls and acknowledges the confusion and difficulties of these years, but it is full of good advice and reassurances; a book all about protecting mental health.
Best of all, it is appealing, interesting, positive and modern - a far cry from the usual self-help book. It is a book to inspire, a book for girls to read and realise their potential to bring about change. The writer says that she would love to write a version for boys with male contributors; her work with a teenage mental health charity could make this work too.
Themes Mental health.
Julie Wells
Grandma's guide to happiness by Andrew Daddo and Stephen Michael King
Daddo’s text is full of surprises. Many lines have an internal rhyme which sings, some lines are totally unexpected while other lines are unforgettable, and every line calls out to be read aloud, again and again. The line, 'How happy is swinging from a tree in the sun?' for example, had me doing just that, recalling times spent as a child simply swinging, and the link to happiness is the point of the story. It is not necessary to have things, objects, devices, toys etc to make you happy. Happiness is in the simplest of things: walking through a puddle, making mud pies, stripping off and getting muddy, taking tea in a fairy garden, spending time with Grandma. All of these things require no great effort, experience or expense, they are there for us all to share and be involved with.
Finger painting, flying a kite, swimming in the pool, making a daisy chain, running into the wind, making your cheeks blow in and out. All of these things are done with Grandma, making happy feel like drinking hot chocolate - feeling warm from the inside.
This is a wonderful revelation of spending time with Grandma, doing the little things that she would have done as a a child, before they were put aside by modern technology. With a concentration on being outside, the things which make her happy are unchanging, things that can be done by anyone, using the environment and imagination. As a showcase of what can be done with small children, this is a treat, as spending time is at the base of everything being done, and who has more time to spare than Grandma.
King’s illustrations are evocative of the place a Grandma has in a child’s life: someone who spends time with the child, being outdoors with them, showing the possibilities that imagination can evoke, doing things that the parents may not do themselves, all the time giving their undivided attention to the child. There is a little taste of doing the forbidden in the puddle sequence as Grandma looks around to encourage her grandchild.
I love the detail and humour that King captures in his work: the fairy garden is endlessly fascinating, the outside kitchen, Grandma’s swimming costume, the long scarf, the footwear (so many different pairs), the dog and the teddy bear popping in and out of unexpected places, and the birds, from a clutch of chooks to the endless parrots. All create a complimentary adjunct to the story, and eager fingers will trace the story on each page while listening to the words said aloud.
King also presents the unexpected: Grandma is the one being pushed on the swing, Grandma is the leader splashing through puddles, Grandma is on one of those darned scooters. And Grandma loves water: readers will be amazed at the number of times Grandma is playing with water. And everyone will be happy after reading this book, the audience aglow with smiles of recognition and an urge to try out some of the activities for themselves.
A wonderfully vibrant homage to all mums is given in this engaging, brightly illustrated picture book. The front cover with two animal hugging sets the tone for the read, full to the brim with love, humour, family and care. It is an acknowledgement of all the different mums in the world and the relationship with their offspring.
Lots of different animals are shown, with mum being a hide and seek mum, ferreting out the last lost piece of Lego, or an applauding mum supporting her budding musicians, a mum who never lets you down, a snuggly mum and a fussy mum. Each mum is pictured with their offspring, acting out the text, causing recognition and laughter from the readers. Children will recognise their mum’s work on each page, while adult readers will laugh at recognising themselves.
Mums repair things and share things, drive busses, have bubble baths, and double up when needed to turn the skipping rope. All of these things are humorously illustrated and the text has a rhyme that is infectious. Children will love turning the pages to see the illustration on the next page and laugh at the image shown, while predicting what the lines may say. All in all, the best mum is the one at home, giving the best of hugs and being your very own.
A warm enticing story which will appeal to the very young, reiterating the place that mums have in their hearts, and emphasising the love that is shared.
You can find out about Farshore books by going here.
Themes Love, Mothers, Humour.
Fran Knight
Fed to red birds by Rijn Collins
Simon & Schuster, 2023. ISBN: 9781760856847. (Age:16+) Highly recommended.
A story from Iceland, with snow, fairytales, stuffed creatures, and unusual characters, Rijn Collins’ debut novel creates a strange but fascinating world that draws you in. Elva has come from Australia to Iceland, the home of her mother, the mother that disappeared when she was 7 years old. She has found a job with 60 year-old Grace, working in her shop ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’, a trove of ancient and bizarre treasures. Elva’s own apartment is home to a bat, snake, mice, even a hare, preserved by taxidermy, an art that she is learning at her kitchen table. In addition, Elva has OCD, obsessively counting and checking things around her. There is also a door, beneath the table, that leads to a space packed with books, all the same book, the macabre fairytales written by her beloved grandfather Afi.
Although Elva suffers anxieties, she has a caring group of friends that includes Grace, and also Tolli, a former boyfriend. They both look out for her and accept her ‘unpredictablity’. So when she is drawn to a handsome tattooed Frenchman, they are supportive but cautious in their encouragement.
The central mystery is the hidden store of books – why is that particular book such a source of fascination and dread? And what is it that really happened to Elva’s mother? Only Afi has the answers, and he has had a stroke, conscious but confined to hospital in the north of Iceland.
Collins’ debut novel is enchanting and mysterious; the characters are so interesting, and despite their oddities, very believable. It is a magical mystery of a story, and creates empathy for people who are different, dealing with their own challenges, both psychological and social. The cold and stillness of the environment further emphasize the sense of isolation, but the little group of friends that gather together is warm and very caring.
Fed to red birds has some themes in common with The art of taxidermy by Sharon Kernot (2018). Both see taxidermy as a way of ‘preserving the dead, or rather, bringing that back to life’. Both portray outsiders having to come to terms with grief and loss sustained in childhood.
Matthew is nearly 13- years-old, is connected to the environment, and a good friend to Ash, the girl from school who helps him avoid attention from the school bully. At home there are struggles. His Mum is trying hard to protect her son from the consequences of having a father in jail, and to make his life more than a struggle … but homelessness beckons. When the chance to relocate to an old family shack on the coast occurs, Matt is split from Ash and thrust into a lonely place that is far removed from his former life. A friendship with Old Bill connects him to the environment in ways he had never dreamed and opens his eyes to traditional ideas of sustainability, while also giving him a chance to grow from childhood to maturity. But he also sees pain in the old man’s relationships in the small community. When Matt’s Dad re-enters his life and his new existence, his own pains are enflamed and the way forward seems like a battlefield. Will Bill’s wisdom be able to be shared or has Matt’s Dad thrown a grenade into what was once a place of peace and growth for Matt?
This is a story that shines in many ways, but it is not without shadows. There are thorny moments in this book, but it is also a book of hope and redemption. However, this is not a trite story, and the toxic masculinity and poor choices that are displayed are confronting. Matthew does eventually demonstrate bravery and maturity that is able to show his father what being a man means. There are other wonderful aspects to the story – the gentle Aboriginal connection to land and place; the mother who sacrifices much and believes and hopes for her family’s future; the friendships that enable truths to be shared; and the ebb and flow and the power of the ocean, and the life and freedom of land and sea birds, all set within a small Australian community with quirks and at times its own struggles. This book was compared by the publisher to Jasper Jones and Storm Boy for its multiple arcs and potential resonance with readers. It has a gentleness, even amidst hostility, and a redemptive and forgiving tone that takes it away from the horrors of family violence and dysfunction. A first kiss even sneaks its way into the coming-of-age story. (My teaching background does make me ponder about the absence of schooling demands for Matt after his move to the coast… but young readers probably will not notice. They will assume a potential perpetual holiday existence!)
It is November 1970 and Judi and her best friend Stace are watching a group of boys play basketball in their driveway. While Stace is enthusiastically cheerleading, Judi is just waiting for a chance to pass the ball. Later, at the stadium, Judi is avidly watching the game, when Stace says ‘someday that’ll be us out there!' she means the official cheerleading team but Jude imagines herself on the court. Five years later the girls are on the senior cheerleading team but, for the first time the Wilkins Regional High School is going to have a girls’ basketball team. Judi joins the team with seven other girls and they start to practise at the nearby elementary school as the boys’ teams have priority in their gym. The girls go from strength to strength in spite of having to provide everything themselves and strong friendships develop but Stace finds it hard to forgive Judi for leaving cheerleading.
There is plenty of basketball action in the clear, modern cartoon images as the players prove themselves worthy of an audience and support from the authorities. There is an interesting summary at the end of the book outlining how in 1970 girls made up only 7% of United States high school athletes. Legislation passed in Congress in 1972 prohibited schools from discriminating based on sex, starting the process so that by 1976 that figure had grown to 29%, Jude and her friends, inspired by real-life 1976 Warsaw High School girls basketball team, were part of that change. Girls’ sport still has a long way to go to reach equality with men but this fast paced, engaging story might inspire others to fight for what they believe in and be their own personal best whether that be basketballer or cheerleader.
The Fix-it Princess written by South Australian children’s author Janeen Brian, is a fun and engaging fantasy novel for younger readers. Take an assertive and creative young princess, a Castle-by-the-Woods, a singing dragon with a slightly embarrassing secret plus an old farting horse named Wildfire, and you have all the ingredients for a great read.
Princess Shona is the beloved daughter of Mum-Queen and Dad-King who have gone missing after taking off in one of Princess Shona’s inventions, the Wing-Thing. She is becoming increasingly worried about their absence and she and Wildfire survive initially on oats and eggs laid by the hens. As each day passes Princess Shona continues to try to problem-solve her situation and fix all the things that are not quite right but she realises she must start searching for her parents. She eventually finds help unexpectedly close to home and her quest begins.
This delightful book is full of energy with a bubbly, bouncing main character who will keep the reader wondering what on earth she will do next. The story is full of rich descriptive language as well as whimsical drawings which allow the reader a perfect glimpse into world of Princess Shona. This book would be a wonderful shared read-aloud in a classroom or at home.
Themes Fantasy, Princesses, Dragons, Family, Quests, Problem solving, Resilience, Perseverance.
Kathryn Beilby
Grannysaurus by David Walliams. Illus. by Adam Stower
Walliams has put together the very essence of a child’s relationship with his Grandmother, wrapped in love and dinosaurs, with this hilarious look at what happens at night when the grandson goes to bed.
At a sleepover, Spike begs to stay up a little later, but Gran will not hear of it.
She sends him off with a dinosaur growl and he dashes upstairs to get into his pyjamas and his bed. But he hears some strange nosies and sees a dinosaur shape on the wall, so he creeps back downstairs to find a dinosaur party in full swing.
Williams uses every dinosaur word, real and imagined, in this rollickingly funny tale of every child’s favourite animal, the dinosaur. At the dino-disco downstairs he finds Grannysaurus at the dance; after all she is a spino-saurus and Spike joins the fun, dancing with a brontosaurus, while getting groove with a gigantosaurus. All the fun of learning more of these animals will thrill young readers as they recognise the names, saying them to themselves with pleasure, while laughing heartily at the ones Walliams conjures into his story.
But when Gran spots Spike, she orders him back to bed. He refuses to go and a pursuit ensues, but each room he enters he spies another dinosaur so he finally goes back to the living room, where they all tell him to go to bed. Refusing, Gran tells him of the imminent arrival of Rex whose stomp can be heard coming closer. Rex who is too big to fit into the house, also orders Spike to bed but instead the boy jumps onto Rex’s head and slides down his back to his tail. Rex swings his tail a little hard and Spike circles the moon, finally returning to his bed where he falls asleep, determined to always go to bed early in case he becomes involved in another Dino-disco.
He has leant a lesson about bedtime and doing what he is told, although reluctantly. Kids will laugh uproariously at the images of the dinosaurs in the rooms Spike enters, adding to the laughter already reverberating around as they see Spike disobeying his Gran.
Bright, colourful illustrations fill each page, giving readers the mammoth task of looking at all the detail and recognising some of the attributes of each animal pictured, laughing at the antics of each, spotting the additions to their costumes donned for the party. I love Rex with his bow tie and cane, Gran’s hoop earrings and pearl necklace, the plesiosaurus in the bath with a shower cap, while Spike’s stuffed toys and his cat are looking a little overwhelmed by all the activity. A lovely funny book begging to be read aloud and shared with other classes and friends, Gran’s irreverence and Spike’s refusal to go to bed will warm the hearts of all.
This is a collection of 9 short love stories, all told in third person with characters all aged 18 years or older (in one story the characters are in their late 40’s). All the stories are about finding/maintaining/growing a connection with someone romantically, sometimes in the most unlikely place, ie while camping outside of a movie theatre. One story has LGBTQIA+ characters and a few have some fantasy elements. The characters are strong, the dialogue is interesting and often witty, and overall the tone is light and sweet, however a few stories are tinged with sadness and heartbreak. There are references to drinking and sex but no graphic descriptions. It’s easy to read but I believe the themes and ages of the characters make it inappropriate/uninteresting for those under 14. The author has used some characters from their previous books so if you were a fan of their other works you would probably enjoy learning more about their backstories/future adventures.
Themes Love, Relationships, Identity, Coming of Age, LGBTQI+, Fantasy.
Jade Goudie-Hall
Family of liars by E. Lockhart
Allen & Unwin, 2022. ISBN: 9781761067310. (Age:Young Adult) Recommended.
It is hard to convey how much of a hit E. Lockhart’s young adult psychological mystery, We Were Liars, was when it was published in 2014. The novel received widespread critical acclaim and spent thirteen weeks in the New York Times Bestseller List top ten for young adult novels. Critics and readers alike praised the book for its meticulous plotting, atmospheric tone and complex characters. Considering the ending, it may have seemed like it would be impossible for Lockhart to craft another story featuring the Sinclair family. She has succeeded however with Family of Liars, a prequel that predates the events of We Were Liars by almost three decades.
We meet the Sinclair girls again as teenagers in 1987. It is summer and the whole family has, as usual, decamped to their private island near Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. The novel is told through the eyes of Carrie, the oldest Sinclair daughter, and tells the story of a family frozen with unspoken grief after the death of the youngest, Rosemary, the summer before. Carrie and her sisters, their parents, uncle and cousins, go through the motions like it is any normal vacation. But trouble is brewing. Three teenage boys unexpectedly arrive on the island and disturb the already fragile and fraught situation.
What follows is another ethereal and dreamlike narrative where the reader is not quite sure who is lying, what they are lying about and why. While not as spectacular as We Were Liars, Family of Liars is a worthy prequel. It is moving story of grief and the complexities of families, no matter how privileged they may seem. Be warned however that the novels must be read in publication order as Family of Liars contains multiple spoilers.
EK Books, 2023. ISBN: 9781922539441. (Age:3+) Recommended.
When Ruby gets a new pair of roller skates for her birthday she is overjoyed. She has never owned a pair before, and they are red, her favourite colour. She sleeps with them that night ready for the new day tomorrow.
Dad offers to help her learn how to use them, but she insists that learning how to use them would be easy peasy. Before she gets out of bed she slips them onto her feet, but finds herself sailing across the bedroom floor into the wall. Dad offers again, and again she calls out, no, its easy peasy and heads out to the garden. But here it happens again and she ends up in a flower bed. Dad calls out again, and no she calls back, its easy peasy and tries again. But this time she falls onto her bottom and throws the skates into the cupboard. Dad again offers to help, but this time she tells him it is too hard. The next day she retrieves her skates from the cupboard and asks her dad to help her learn how to use them. A lesson has been learn.
But more lessons follow as dad teaches her how to use her skates, holding her hand as they set together until one day she is able to let go his hand and skate by herself.
An unabashed teaching tool, this story tells children to try and try again and then ask for help, help they know will be eagerly given. Teacher's notes are available.
The relationship between father and daughter is wonderful to read about as he offers help without being overwhelming, allowing her to come to the conclusion of needing help by herself. The illustrations follow the storyline perfectly, showing a considerate father giving his daughter time to try something by herself and then sees her able to ask for help.
EK Books can be found here. They publish ‘Books with heart on issues that matter’.
Themes Roller skating, Fathers and daughters, Life skills, Tenacity, Sayings.
