Woven into this story of lost dreams, lost love and shattered memories is the story of an aging woman, Elle, whose life is now waiting for the end. In the tangle of the final mosaic of memories is the story of her family background, her romance with Gabriel, the ‘arranged’ marriage with Simon (a man with his own forbidden loves) and the life they shared while Simon was searching for an underwater blue ‘gem’, that sparkled elusively off their island off the South-eastern coast of the USA. This is a sad tale filled with melancholy and there is no sold ground because memories slip and slide and are spun in the maelstrom of the blue-wash of depression and dementia.
This is an adult tale that has a confounding quality because of the telling through the voice of the central character battling with depressive dementia. With no straightforward chronology there is a montage-quality with small clips of varying pieces of history floating through the seasons of the latter days of Elle’s life. Her inability to recognise her family and her current circumstances at times creates timeslips and journeys into the past. This then weaves with past electrotherapy treatments to create a psychological and broken storyline. Although there is a lyrical and symbolic quality to the writing that is beautiful, the story itself is sad and requires some maturity.
'The first time the witch asked Marynka to bring her a heart, she was twelve years old.' As the servant 'Midday' to the Red witch, Marynka must do as commanded, competing against 'Midnight', servant to the Black witch. Retrieving, among other things, the hearts of princes for their mistresses to consume, their rivalry grows despite never meeting. Marynka has the companionship of Beata, 'Morning', the servant to the White witch. Until the day they are all sent to retrieve the same heart - a pure heart, the prince of Lechija's heart. Through their mission, the rivals meet, and each has their own reasons for wanting to succeed over the other. Attraction grows though, while their rivalry escalates. As their ambition turns into a magical contest, their attempts on the prince's life draw the attention of the city. With so much at stake, their rivalry could cost them everything.
Set to the tune of a unique dark Polish folktale, this fantasy novel is fast paced, an easy page turner. Told from the perspective's of the two servants, both who are strong female main characters, the story moves smoothly and quickly. With an undercurrent of a female-female romance, filled with friendships and fraught relationships, this is a great read. The banter between the main characters is enjoyable, while the developing relationships feel natural. Essentially a villain versus villain romance, where readers are rooting for the pair to find a way to overcome their circumstances. With a touch of horror throughout the novel with the use of dark magic, The Midnight Girls is a true dark fantasy.
Themes Fantasy, Magic, Monsters, Enemies, War, LGBTQIA+, Power, Feminism, Romance.
Melanie Pages
Killer content by Kiley Roache
Penguin, 2021. ISBN: 9780593427491. (Age:15+) Recommended for lovers of crime drama.
The world of young US social media megastars and influencers, utilising Tik-tok and Instagram to create a name, image and wealth is the setting for this youth-centric drama. Step aside Kardashians! The six teenagers who are at the centre of the drama are all highly successful as creators of content for Tik-tok and other media platforms. Their huge number of followers makes them valuable marketing tools used by organisations willing to pay big dollars for product placement in their online videos. In this vacuous world of wealth, image and partying there is competition to be the most watched. Amongst the six teens (four girls and two guys) who are part of an influencer cooperative-collection living together in a spectacular mansion, there is also romance and rivalry. When their persistent and prolific posting is disrupted by a murder, they are all under suspicion.
The prologue to this story immediately tells us that one of the teens is arrested, but the rest of the story reveals the perspectives of all the characters before and after the murder. Slowly suspects are revealed, and pieces of evidence disclosed, but always the mystery and tension are being tightened before the big reveal. The police in the story do not live in the Insta-world and their inability to understand the language and behaviour of influencer culture comes across as amusing. There is a subtle critique of some of the Tik-tok and social media culture, but it is also implied that it is a powerful youth force. This story feels like it could be inspiration for a TV teen drama and will be enjoyed in the YA world because the social media world is their second home. It is a compelling story and will be enjoyed by readers aged 15+.
Themes Murder mystery, Social media, Influencers, Wealth, Image, LGBTIQ.
Carolyn Hull
Jacqueline : a soldier's daughter by Pierre-Jacques Ober and Jules Ober
Ford St, 2021. ISBN: 9781925804911. (Age:5+) Highly recommended.
This story is based on the author’s mother’s memoir telling her experiences during WW2 from when she was age 7. Told through miniatures, beautifully crafted, lit and photographed, we have a child’s eye view of events as they unfold. They laugh about school gas mask drill, looking like “little pigs”, then her father rides off to war but brings her a puppy when on leave. Jacqueline is delighted as she longs for a sister and is lonely. As the Germans invade France the changes are terrifyingly quick, with no words to describe them. There are many casualties but when her puppy is one of them Jacqueline grieves. They discover her father is held prisoner in Troyes and her mother bravely rides a bike 300km with Jacqueline to rescue him. At times it is hard to know who to trust; they are helped by German soldiers and have to be wary of French informers, Jacqueline is scared and confused but she is also resilient. The story follows the family from France to Algiers and on to Germany as her father takes on various military roles. Jacqueline, her mother and father survive the war and there is an unexpected happy ending supported by photographs at the end of the book of Jacqueline and her best friend Hildegard celebrating 75 years of friendship.
This book uses the same format as The Good Son, exquisitely modelled dioramas with individually created figures given emotional impact by their poses, lighting or the point of view. Colour is used effectively, for example in contrasting sunny, undamaged Algiers with the grey devastation of post war Germany. Text is minimal and matter of fact, in keeping with this being a child’s story, the dioramas fill in the detail. The French version of the book has won a 2021 prize for best photography book for young people. There are teacher resources on the publisher’s website and more information about the [Photo]graphic novels on the Little Soldier Stories website. Less confronting than The Good Son, children of any age would find Jacqueline engaging. A must for any middle school study of this period of history and graphic design or film study students would find it interesting.
The sign on the highway leading out of Mill Haven says “Leaving so soon? If you lived here you’d be home now!” It is near an encampment of homeless people society seems to have abandoned. Mill Haven is home to 16 year old Emory who is injured in a car crash on her way home from a party. The driver Luther Leonard is also injured but in the back seat her brother, Joey passed out on heroin smothers Candy Montclair who is dead. With his drug habit revealed, Joey is packed off to a rehabilitation centre by their efficient, lawyer mother and their father throws himself even more into his job as an ER doctor while beautiful, confident older sister Maddie, home from college, spends time with Emmy. Joey has never fitted in with the parents’ expectations and Emmy has taken emotionally exhausting responsibility for covering up for him while being ‘the good one’. She blames herself for keeping his drug habit secret, allowing it to become out of control. Joey’s drug dependence can be traced back to overuse of prescription painkillers so Emmy’s parents discourage her use of them to manage the pain in her knee. On top of this, when Joey comes back from rehab she is expected to supervise him. Worried and in pain her only comfort is her secret intimacy with popular Gage, from next door. “Standing so close to him feels electrical, bolts of heat and light that erase the pain in my knee, my thoughts of Joey” p. 64.
Author’s notes tell us the book is based on the American classic “Our Town” and a desire to write about the current opioid epidemic, this is a lot to ask from a first person narrative but Emmy’s protective love for her brother stands out as she navigates life and all its complications. Fans of Glasgow’s Girl in Pieces will love this book. Sexual exploration, death and drug abuse make it suitable for upper middle to young adult readers.
Princess Isolde of Lara is fierce, independent and fine being unmarried at 26 years old. Preferring to ride, fight and protect her people, she is not concerned with pretty dresses and being a lady. While she thought she might marry one day, she had begun to view her future as queen as a solo affair, requiring no king. That is, until her father surrenders to the Blood King. Somehow she becomes engaged to the Blood King, Adrian, the most feared vampire in their world, who is slowly conquering all the nations of Cordova through vicious battles, with his army of undead. But maybe her getting close to Adrian will be beneficial, perhaps she'll succeed in ending his reign. That is, until she realises that her intense attraction to him leaves little room for assassination attempts. And there's something going on in the Cordova, something sinister...
Definitely a book for older readers, this paranormal fantasy is full of action, sex, swearing and high strung emotion. This fantasy world has been well created by Scarlett St. Clair, full of paranormal monsters and idyllic fantasy scenery. The first of a new series, Adrian x Isolde, the author has created an interesting thread that will be continued throughout the series - the right amount of intrigue to get readers hooked. Fantastically paced, the story has the right ebb and flow for readers to be able to pick up where they left off easily. As graphic sex scenes occur frequently through the book, along with regular swearing, the book should be in senior fiction, or restricted to older readers. Ideal for fans of Sarah J Maas' series Court of Thorns and Roses.
Themes Paranormal, Vampires, Fantasy, Enemies to Lovers, War, Kings and Queens, Revenge.
Olive is excited when her fifth grade teacher announces an end of year talent show but is soon disappointed when the rest of the class form groups and don’t need her. Olive has lots of friends and is popular but it seems she is no-one’s best friend and doesn’t “click” with any group. At home, normally bubbly Olive is sad and withdrawn and her mother tries to help, but it is her eccentric Aunt Molly who, with the help of some old videos, helps her realise that finding her own voice and believing in herself is more important than just fitting in. Ultimately Olive’s talent for being a friend to many allows her to imagine a role for herself and gives her the confidence to carry it out.
Author illustrator Kayla Miller’s fun and relatable story is told using bold lines and bright colours with a cast of diverse characters and few words. The stand out quality of the illustrations is in the range of nuanced emotions expressed, especially when the groups are working together, both in body language and facial expressions, something that could be discussed in a class setting. There are three other books in this series and extended material is available on the author’s web page.
Themes Friendship, Family, Cliques.
Sue Speck
Serendipity : Ten romantic tropes, transformed by Marissa Meyer ed.
Text Publishing, 2022. ISBN: 9781922458315. (Age:14+) Recommended.
A fan of Marissa Meyer’s stories (Gilded, Cinder, and Scarlett) I picked up this anthology when I saw that she was the editor and was intrigued by the idea of ten romantic tropes. Then I saw the names of some very well known YA authors including Sandhya Menon, Julie Murphy and Elizabeth Eulberg as well as some new to me authors to explore and I was hooked.
Serendipity is a diverse collection of stories, told by a diverse set of authors, with something for everyone. I went to Marissa Meyer’s story 'Shooting stars', with the trope of ‘One bed’ first, and enjoyed the story of Misty and Roman and their awkward coming together. I loved 'The surprise match' by Sandhya Menon with its trope of The Matchmaker, as the humour and easy style was very enjoyable. Elise Bryant was a new author to me, but one I will follow up as 'Zora in the spotlight' was a delight to read, with descriptions so vivid that I can still picture of a flash mob in a school gym. I was also captivated with the descriptions of stunts in cheerleading in 'Liberty' by Anna-Marie McLemore, with its Makeover trope.
The stories will leave readers satisfied that they have learnt something about the tropes in Romance writing. All the stories were feel-good, with happy endings and all were easy to read. They got me out of a reading slump and left me smiling! What more could a reader want?
Themes Romance, Diversity.
Pat Pledger
Where's George's dinosaur: A Lift The Flap Book by Peppa Pig
George loves dinosaurs and little children who also love dinosaurs will happily read along as George, Peppa Pig and the family all try to find George’s missing dinosaur toy. This engaging book has enormous appeal, not only because of its familiar characters from the television show, but because of the bright foil cover, the lift the flaps and the hard-wearing thick board pages.
When George cannot find Mr Dinosaur anywhere, everyone goes to look for him. They look behind the flap in the den, but it is only a helmet, then Mummy Pig asks where they have been that day. They all troop off to the Zoo, the train, and the castle, lifting flaps on the way. But Mr Dinosaur is nowhere to be found. George is distraught and starts to cry but when it is time for bed, Mummy Pig pulls back the covers and there he is!
Children and adults will recognise the familiarity of losing a beloved toy and how upsetting it can be. Toddlers will be reassured that lost toys can be found and will feel happy that George finally has his dinosaur, helped by a loving family and friends along the way.
They will love spotting the tiny details in the pictures that look like dinosaurs and then seeing what is revealed behind the flaps and roaring out “Dine-saw. Grrr!” with George as they search. The bright colours of the illustrations and the familiar places shown in the illustrations are also very appealing.
This is another book in the Peppa Pig series that would happily become a part of a toddler’s little library.
Themes Board book, Dinosaurs.
Pat Pledger
Sideways stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar
Bizarrely, the Wayside school was incorrectly built, and instead of being a 30-classroom single-storey school, it is a 30-storey school with a single class on each floor. This book is a tribute to the craziness of school, and the weirdness of school children and is filled with 30 stories (apart from the absent 19th story to match the absent 19th storey). Louis Sachar has a wacky sense of humour that borders on ridiculous… actually it is totally in the land of ridiculous. The 30 stories that inhabit the Wayside School poke fun at teachers and students and sometimes have twists in the tail… or is that tale!
For young readers this book will tickle their funny bones and cause giggles to erupt at odd times. It would also be a fun book to share as a read-aloud in class or with an adult at bed-time. Just don’t expect that every story makes logical sense or that it is filled with wisdom. In fact, it is more likely you will find quirky eccentricity and folly on every page.
Themes Humour, School.
Carolyn Hull
The King of Koraha by Maria V. Snyder
Archives of the Invisible Sword bk 3. HQ Young Adult, 2021. ISBN: 9781489252845. (Age:14+) Highly recommended.
After her adventures in The city of Zirdai, Shyla Sun-Kissed wants to travel the kingdom and see all the wonders in this desert world. However, the King of Koraha has summoned her to his capital, and she must obey. When she meets the King, she and Rendor are given a challenging task – find the person who stole all the tax money out of a vault that is seemingly impossible to break into. She must succeed in this or the whole kingdom is at risk of being hijacked by a mysterious army that wields a weapon that takes over the minds of the people it contacts. Shyla will need every bit of her intelligence, use of the eyes of Tamburah and the help of her loyal friends in the Invisible Sword to overcome this danger.
The King of Koraha is a very satisfying conclusion to this trilogy. Snyder is adept at writing action packed, character driven books that are easy to read with unique plots and wonderful worldbuilding. She expands her world this time, taking Shyla and Rendor across the desert country to another city. The King has magical powers over water but desperately needs the help of Shyla who faces danger and deception in her quest to find who is manipulating the mysterious army that threatens the King. Shyla has developed as a strong character, able to lead The Invisible Sword, and her romance with Rendor has also really developed.
Fans of fantasy will love this series, with all the twists and turns that the books take, the surprise of unexpected traitors and the action-packed rides across the desert and in the strange cities. It was hard to leave Shyla and her Invisible Sword, and I look forward to other books by this talented author.
Themes Fantasy, Good and evil, Kings, Courage, Deserts.
Pat Pledger
The city of Zirdai by Maria V. Snyder
Archives of the Invisible Sword: Book 2. HQ Young Adult, 2021. ISBN: 9781489252821. (Age:13+) Highly recommended.
Following on from the first book in the series, The eyes of Tamburah, Shyla faces huge challenges as the Invisible Sword begins to try and free the people in the city of Zirdai. Shyla is faced with many problems as she begins to learn of the challenges of being a leader, facing division in the group and trying to gain the trust of its members. With the evil Water Prince and grasping Heliacal Priestess both determined to gain the powers of the eyes of Tamburah, Shyla and her group must devise a plan to save the city of Zirdai.
Fans of the first book, as I was, will be thrilled with the second in the series. The hot, dry world that Snyder has described comes alive in this book and the many levels of the city are vividly described. Shyla grows from an isolated researcher to a tenacious leader and the growing romance between her and Rendor will satisfy those readers who like some romance with their fantasy. Members of the Invisible Sword, especially Jayden, Gurice and Mojag are great supporting characters, while the action will keep readers turning the pages to see what is going to happen next.
The intrigue, treasure hunting, betrayal, heartbreak and a cliff hanger ending all make for a great story, leaving the reader wanting to immediately read the next in the series.
Foreword by Angelina Jolie. As an ambassador for Amnesty International, Angelina Jolie became angry that we have basic rights espoused by international charters and conventions but both adults and children still have to advocate and fight for those rights no matter where they live. Children are particularly voiceless and disenfranchised.
Designed for children under 18, the sub-title “how to claim your rights” is a claim that is not borne out. Whilst “Know your rights” uses many examples of extraordinary individuals protesting for their rights, it can’t possibly cover every country or jurisdiction, or analyse separate legal challenges – in short, how exactly the downtrodden can secure the thing that is denied to them.
Part one covers the history of human rights whereas Part 2 lists common breaches of the 1959 UN Declaration of the rights of the child – from lack of basic Identity/Birth Certificate, to personal Bodily integrity, Education, Freedom of Thought and the basic right to Play. Part 3 contains checklists for skills like improving your speeches or participating in protest marches etc. Part 4 is a resource list of organizations who can provide information/support and is prefaced by glossary of terms.
Rights mean little if they can’t be enforced. General actions taken by individuals and those who helped each child claim their rights are outlined, but these serve mainly as inspiration. Readers might need more help to access legal aid, find a lawyer, or drill down to practicalities etc.
Dujuan Hoosan is an indigenous boy who travelled to the UN to lobby for the age of legal responsibility to be raised to 14, in order to help youth in his community in the Northern Territory of Australia.
Moses Akatugba was on death row after being coerced into confessing to a crime he didn’t commit. While he coached the prison football team, the actions of Amnesty International led to 800,000 letters of support for his release.
At only 16, Heidy Quah volunteered in a refugee school and her idea to set up her own NGO to help refugees meant that 35 schools for refugees in Malaysia and Myanmar were established as places of basic education, safety and healthcare.
By the end, Know your Rights is a broad primer for burgeoning advocates who of course will need to master skills and networking to attempt to claim their rights.
Greta Thunberg should have the last word, “This is the perfect book for young people who care about the world and want to make a difference.”
Themes Children's Rights, Human Rights, Human Rights Mentoring and Advocacy, Respect for Persons.
Koffi is a 16 year old girl who is living a life of servitude with her mother, caring for monstrous creatures in the Night Zoo. Ekon is a young warrior desperate to join the ranks of the Sons of the Six. When Koffi unleashes a magical power she didn’t know she possessed one night and there is a fire at the Zoo, she and Ekon both face the Shetani a murderous beast that has been terrorising the city for years. A disgraced Ekon has let down the warriors by not arresting Koffi and is no longer given the chance to become an elite warrior. Meanwhile Koffi must earn enough to keep her mother and herself from lifelong slavery at the Zoo and she joins forces with Ekon to capture the Shetani. Each have a different agenda, Koffi to capture the Shetani for the greedy Zoo owner, Ekon to kill it and regain his place in the elite warrior class.
Beasts of prey will have instant appeal for readers who enjoy stories about magical beasts and young characters who are brave and determined, while acknowledging their weaknesses. The world building is very engaging. It is easy to image a Zoo full of strange creatures, tended by poor people who are barely making a living. The Shetani is strange and alluring and the mythic feel of the story is very appealing. In the Author’s note at the end of the book she details the influence that the continent of Africa had on the mythical animals and legends contained in the book.
Filled with magic and mythical beings, this will appeal to readers who enjoyed The gilded ones by Namina Forna, Raybearer by Jordan Ifueka andSeraphina by Rachel Hartman. Teacher's notes are available from the publisher as well as an introductory video.
Themes Magic, Monsters, Jungles, Hunting, Good and evil, Fantasy.
Pat Pledger
Eric Carle's Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star and other nursery rhymes by Eric Carle
Any book that features the very hungry caterpillar is sure to be a hit with young children, and Eric Carle's Twinkle, twinkle, little star is no exception. This is a sturdy board book that will withstand many readings and lifting of the flaps by its young audience.
Turning to the first double page spread, the young child will find the Twinkle, twinkle, little star rhyme in bold print with the hungry caterpillar perched on a leaf. The other page is gorgeously illustrated with a deep blue sky, stars scattered around and insects on a leaf. Then there is the lift the flap that reveals the words How I wonder what you are! The next double page spread reveals the song Old MacDonald had a farm and there is a red barn with a cow hiding behind the flap and the words Old MacDonald had a farm, EIEIO repeated on it. Other familiar nursery rhymes include Hickory, dickory, dock, Itsy bitsy spider and The wheels on the bus go round and round.
This is definitely a book for any young fan of the very hungry caterpillar as they will love finding the caterpillar on each set of illustrations, and it is a lovely introduction to very popular nursery rhymes and songs. My little grandson loved the book and has enjoyed singing the songs as he goes for a walk in his pusher.
