Head of Zeus, 2021. ISBN: 9781801107716. (Age:Adult - Senior secondary) Recommended.
The first in a series, The DS Cross Mysteries, introduces the reader to DS George Cross, who is investigating the murder of a homeless man who has been strangled. Cross’s investigations lead him to look at a cold case, the murder of the homeless man’s wife many years before. He is convinced the two are linked and with his special set of skills, his obsession with detail, logic and patterns sets about to prove that the man initially charged for murder was innocent and that the police made some fundamental errors. This does not make him popular but his record of solving cases ensures that his boss Carson, leaves him to investigate the cases.
Cross is on the spectrum with poor social skills, and this makes it difficult for his colleagues to relate to him. DS Josie Ottey has been assigned to him and now knows his way of proceeding with an investigation, and tries to help Alice Mackenzie, a recruit who is given menial tasks by Cross. His background is gradually revealed. He experienced bullying in the Police Force particularly while under the supervision of a retired Superintendent who Cross is convinced did not examine every avenue at the time, but this does not deter him from pursuing the case.
This a strong police procedural with an interesting detective showing the reader how important even minor details can be. The mystery of the two murders was gripping and there were enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing about who the murderer could be – a surprise for me!
I enjoyed The dentist and intend to read more in the series. People who liked the TV dramas Professor T and MacDonald and Dodds, are likely to want to read this well written book.
Themes Murder, Detectives, Dentists.
Pat Pledger
Ultra Violet: Down to business by Cristy Burne and Rebel Challenger
Scientist and journalist Cristy Burne works hard to provide young children with engaging, meaningful stories, often throwing in a science twist. Her other books include the Takeshita Demons series and Into the Blue. Ultra Violet is a graphic novel aimed at the reluctant reader crowd but also anyone over 7 who still finds toilet humour amusing. The first page sets this precedent really, as we are introduced to Violet, second name Butt. Violet is a scientist who works for Butt Laboratories, the only problem being that she frequently takes her experiments too far...
Varied text, humurous dialogue and oblivious parents make for a riotous and fun read. Violet is pampered with everything she wants but her parents are largely absent or glued to a screen, ignorant of her dangerous scientific escapades and close shaves with death. Her favourite things are her cheese-eating, talking hermit crab Leo and her best friend Izzy Kelly, believer of aliens, UFOs and conspiracy theories. Trying to solve the problem of the broken toilet on the day of the school bean-eating contest is definitely a job for these three, the self-named Butt Squad. An alien interloper, fun facts, great puns, an invention called a Butt Sucker and an unplanned sewer adventure make this a rollicking read.
Cleverly separated into Chapters named Intro, Methodology, Results, Discussion and Conclusion and lots of science vocabulary make this a sciency book without it feeling like you're learning anything at all. Although if you're not a plumber, you might learn about fatbergs for the first time! This is very clever and the illustrations are fabulously full of life.
Thankfully, there's a reference to a book number two, so we can have more ridiculous science adventures with Violet, Leo and Izzy soon.
We do not welcome our ten-year-old overlord by Garth Nix
Allen & Unwin, 2024. ISBN: 9781761180491. (Age:10+) Highly recommended.
I am a fan of Garth Nix’s writing and couldn’t wait to read his latest middle school book with the intriguing title We Do Not Welcome Our Ten-Year-Old Overlord. Set in Canberra in 1975, Kim, his younger sister Eila, Bennie and her younger sister Madir are on a bicycle ride to the lake. Suddenly the world goes dark for a second and they spot an orb amongst weeds in the water. Kim takes it out and it unsuccessfully tries to take over his mind, and he warns the others to stay away from it. But Eila, a know-all prodigy, grabs it, names it Aster and is happy for her to come into her mind. Kim is convinced that it is dangerous, but Eila disguises it as a basketball and takes it out at night, where they experiment on ants, thousands of which die the next day. They also reduce an injured kangaroo to pulp. Eila is convinced that she is doing good when she manipulates her parents, living an alternative lifestyle on an Experimental Farm, persuading them to buy a colour television. Bennie and Madir’s neglectful parents suddenly become caring and Mrs Benison’s pain is stopped. But what will Aster do next? Why is she going out alone at night? Are Kim’s fears justified?
Kim has always been in the shadow of his younger sister, Eila, who speaks many different languages and is very smart. Eila is stubborn and believes that she is always right and their parents usually take her side in any argument. However Kim knows that he has common sense and that the orb’s attempt to take over his mind was not a good thing. He is determined to save Eila from manipulating more people and he may have to save the world as well. There is danger to face and complex decisions to make as Kim and his friends battle Aster’s influence.
Nix brings in some of his own background to the novel. The group love to play Dungeons and Dragons, as Nix did in his teenage years; many families do not have colour TVs, and children were free to cycle miles without parental supervision.
The theme of a 10-year-old becoming an overlord is fascinating, raising questions about the maturity of children to make decisions. The possible outcomes of such decisions will leave readers thinking long after they finish the book. Older readers may want to move onto Nix’s Abhorsen series, starting with Sabriel.
Themes Aliens, Canberra, Science fiction.
Pat Pledger
Helping Little Star by Blaze Kwaymullina and Sally Morgan
Walker Books, 2024. ISBN: 9781760658700. (Age:3+)
Moon warned Little Star not to go near the edge of the Night Sky but Little Star didn't listen. Down he fell, right into a creek! Now how is he going to get back into the sky again? Luckily, Python, Dingo and Kangaroo are there to help but neither can do it on their own.
This is a wonderful story for our youngest readers who are probably already aware of what can happen if you don't listen to the wiser, more experienced grown-ups around them as they begin to push the boundaries to explore the wider world around them. But it is also one of working together to solve a problem as Mother Kangaroo comes up with a solution that involves the help of Python and Dingo.
Well-known Aboriginal writer and illustrator Sally Morgan, a Palyku woman from the eastern Pilbara region of Western Australia, has teamed up with her son to create this story, and indeed, it is the vibrant illustrations in her iconic style that bring it to life, deserving its reprint after 11 years since its first publication. Littlies will enjoy this, perhaps even going outside to see it they can spot Little Star in the night sky, while parents can use it as a reminder if their little one goes too close to the edge.
The ‘glass girl’ is Bella, a 15 year-old struggling to cope with her parents’ bitter separation, continually swapping houses between them, dealing with her younger sister’s neediness, feeling invisible at school, mourning the recent death of her beloved grandmother, and devastated by the break-up with her boyfriend Dylan. The only relief is that which comes with the Sprodka, vodka mixed in a bottle of Sprite, vodka scored from a person willing to take the money and buy it for the hooded teenager waiting outside.
Scoring grog is a group thing that she and her friends do after school. But for Bella, it becomes the release that she can’t do without. After all, adults use alcohol to wind down after a tough day at work, why not kids? Without ever acknowledging it, Bella descends deeper and deeper into addiction until the day her mother finds her, unconscious with a smashed face from falling drunk onto the doorstep, after being dumped there after a party gone wrong.
The narration is Bella’s internal voice, her thoughts and fears, her self-justifications and anxieties. It is a very convincing account of the lived world of a teenage alcoholic. In the author’s note, Glasgow describes how as a teenager she ‘really, really, really, really liked drinking’. And there are many kids that do. She draws on real cases as we enter the world of rehabilitation with Bella. Recovery is not easy, things don’t all magically get better, happy ever after. It is a very tough path, and there are frequent relapses. Glasgow presents it all.
The glass girl is a very powerful exploration of many teenage issues: all kinds of addiction, peer pressure, cyberbullying, anxiety and loneliness. Glasgow’s writing style draws the reader in, and we live through Bella’s experience. This is an important book for young people which helps to create empathy both for those with addictions and those who need to step up and be the real friend that is needed, one who is prepared to call things out. It would make a worthwhile addition to the school library.
Allen & Unwin, 2024. ISBN: 9781760526061. (Age:8-Adult) Highly recommended.
Into the Ice: Reflections on Antarctica is a glorious coffee table-style book that will appeal to readers both young and old. The striking photographs and stunning illustrations will provide endless hours of engagement and enable younger readers who may not yet be ready to read the text to pour over the pages and images, thereby gaining a wonderful snapshot of this mysterious and magical land of big seas, ice, snow and the natural environment.
Author Alison Lester and illustrator Coral Tulloch share their memories of journeys to this southern continent with both candour and reflective thoughts. They have interspersed their own narratives with quotes and stories from the past, and discussions in the present. There are historical facts, journal entries, quirky titbits of information, diagrams, tables, illustrations and maps, plus superb photographs of varying aspects of Antarctica.
The book begins with the story of the trip in 2006 where they experienced a storm at sea. The reader can feel the anxiety and the fear but also the trust they have that the crew and the ship will keep them safe. The first sightings of an iceberg leave them in wonder of the majestic size and … 'heralding the entrance to an old, ancient world, seen new.' Through their eyes, there is so much newness to see, read and learn. Along with the weather, the landscapes and the history, the creators share their impressions and heartfelt emotions.
Into the Ice would make a beautiful gift to be treasured and browsed through time and time again. The text is highly accessible and it is a story waiting to be read and devoured. In the final pages are detailed lists of sources, images and acknowledgments. I cannot recommend this fabulous book highly enough. A fascinating read.
Mackenzie and her friends are in the supermarket ready to compete in the Supermarket Lottery for Macca’s 12th birthday. This is a competition to see who can find certain food items and get back to the checkout first. Vying to be the winner are Ryder, Otto, Sofia, Edwin and Smiley. The winner will receive two packets of chocolate biscuits and the loser has to eat a bag of spinach. Even Macca is playing and she is thwarted by her school principal casually perusing the ice cream section. Macca is agitated and wishing she would hurry up. Of course, Macca is last but is grateful to be celebrating her birthday with her friends. Hamish and Sage join the group at the park and more birthday games are played. The first game is called Dizzy Penalties and involves a lot of spinning and trying to kick a goal. This is followed by more games, party food and a sleepover. A huge birthday celebration.
As Ryder and Macca tied in the birthday games, there is talk of one more game to finally find the winner. A football game is organised and both Ryder and Macca need to select their teams. But Ryder is on to it early and Macca is not happy. She is also in charge of organising her class fundraising idea for the school leaving gift at graduation which she has not yet done. Unexpectedly in a History lesson, Macca learns about a charter for miners’ rights and decides to create one for the upcoming soccer match much to Ryder’s annoyance. Will they be able to sort this out amicably? Or does it have far-reaching effects on the school and community? Will Macca be able to organise a fundraising event in time?
Game Play provides readers with soccer terms and plays, visual clues for readers who prefer less writing on the page and important lessons about friendship, competition and teamwork. It is an engaging fast-paced story that will be enjoyed by middle grade readers.
The Animal Action Squad is a top secret organisation of superheroes dedicated to fighting crime, and Supersquirrel is one of its operatives. With her undercover occupation as a taxi driver, and her superpowers including being able to fly extremely quickly, x-ray vision and superhearing, she has to outwit the fiendish criminal mastermind Dr Drizzle and his sidekick Rocky who have stolen a top secret formula meaning danger if it gets in the wrong hands.
But she can't do it alone - she needs the reader's help, and this is what sets this remarkable little book aside from so many. Part stepping-stone novel, part graphic novel, it is packed full of puzzles and clues that the reader needs to solve, making it as interactive as a print text can be. Being directly involved as a character means the reader has to engage with the story, the text and its illustrations rather than a skim-read-what's next book. It can be read alone or shared as participants stop to consider what they have learned from a particular excerpt and how it fits into the overall scheme of things, encouraging deeper thinking, reflection and synthesising information. Although it doesn't require making decisions to determine the path of the story, it could lead to an interest in the choose-your-own-adventure genre.
This is the first in this series that I predict will become a must-have as it reaches out to newly independent readers, including those who are beginning to think that reading doesn't really hold much for them. So much more fun than pressing or tapping buttons just to accumulate a high score. A book trailer is available.
Themes Puzzles, Super heroes.
Barbara Braxton
Love requires chocolate by Ravynn K. Stringfield
Electric Postcard, 2024. ISBN: 9780593571545. (Age:14+) Recommended.
Love requires chocolate is American writer and professor Ravynn K. Stringfield's debut novel. It is written from the first person viewpoint of Whitney Curry as she arrives and spends a semester boarding at a posh Parisian lycée situated near the Sorbonne in le Quartier Latin, a short walk from the Seine. Whitney is determined to launch an artistic career by writing and performing a ..."fantastic one-woman senior thesis show...I've got to make a name for myself. The legendary Whitney Curry." She's a list maker and has a bucket list for Paris. The reader is taken on a trip through the real Paris as opposed to the tourist list that Whitney has prepared, guided by her handsome french soccer star tutor Thierry Morgan. Initially reluctant and grumpy, Thierry gradually changes and lovers of romance will not be disappointed. Progress in that department is not smooth. Will Whitney and Thierry's growing relationship just remain a Parisian romance that stays in Paris and lasts but a semester..?
Neatly, the story is bookended by, at the start, Monsieur Polignac (her escort from the airport to the Lycee International Des Arts a Paris) when he tells Whitney that the magic of Paris must be discovered by wandering-not through lists, guidebooks and websites and at the end when she realises that Monsieur Polignac..." was right all along. The only way to do Paris is not by list, but by love."
The reader cannot help but feel for Whitney as she stumbles well meaningly but clumsily through homesickness, schoolwork and friendships whilst struggling to master the french language. She grapples with the production of her play (which aims to honour the life of black American Josephine Baker- music hall artist, philanthropist and French resistance worker) and working through her Parisian bucket list along with the emotional rollercoaster of a first romance. Love of chocolate is an important ingredient of this novel.
Fresh, funny, and sweet, Love requires chocolate is a very enjoyable and recommended read for young people who like romance novels. Love requires chocolate navigates young people's emotions, aspirations and interests (especially mid- twentieth century theatre and soccer) through the eyes of Whitney-a feisty, black- American girl in Paris.
Themes Paris, Drama, Student life, Romance, Friendship, Coming of age, "The universal black girl struggle".
Wendy Jeffrey
My encyclopedia of very important dinosaurs by Dorling Kindersley
2024. ISBN: 9780241656549. (Age:5+) Recommended.
If there is one thing every teacher librarian knows about collection development, it is that you cannot have too many items in your 567.9 section - that's the section where you will find little and a-bit-bigger ones, gathered as they pore over the stories and information of those fascinating creatures that ruled this planet until 65,000,000 years ago.
So this publication from the non fiction experts will be a welcome addition as it is written especially for those who are almost independent readers but still need lots of illustrations and accessible text.
It includes everything from an in-depth exploration of the triassic, jurassic, and cretaceous periods and how fossils are made, to detailed profiles of popular dinosaurs such as Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, and Stegosaurus, to more unfamiliar species such as Microraptor, Guanlong, and Spinosaurus.
For decades DK have had the best reputation for delivering quality non fiction for young readers and this is no exception. Pitched perfectly for its intended audience, it will satisfy the curiosity of those with a passing interest, while leading others on to more complex texts.
This fourth and final book in The House at the Edge of Magic series sees Nine and her unique assortment of friends journeying to the moral realm in search of a stargold locket. Hidden in the Nest of a Thousand Treasures and guarded by Nine's old foe, Pockets, the locket holds the key to shaking a tricky witch off their tail. But even if they can get the locket back, will they be able to find a way to unlock its power?
Wonderful characters and their sense of belonging within this strange makeshift family unit make this series beloved by many. Flabberghast the wizard provides some dry humour, Eric the troll is short on words but loyal and caring and Cas is a pessimistic gargoyle who only recently joined the crew. Flabberghast's sister and his two aunts are the other main protagonists in this final installment, but not all welcome ones, as they have their own reasons for wanting to find the locket.
This is definitely a series that needs to be read in order, with lots of characters from previous books popping in and out and loose ends being tied up. Fans of Nevermoor, Harry Potter and similar magical realism series are obvious targets. Additionally, these are heavy on teamwork and relationships and light on sinister magic or tragedy, so for those children who might find some fantasy books too heavy, this series is a good starting point.
In this fantasy world, redolent of early 20th century Russia, two sisters, Sera and Galena, have gods grafted inside their bodies, caging a demonic power that they can draw on in moments of danger. It is part of a plan by their now-dead mother Irina, to create two living weapons in the revolution against the cruel queen Isidora and the Imperial elite who all have god-like powers. However the experiment is not entirely successful, as both girls struggle with their internal dragons. For Sera, it is particularly difficult as her god hates her, and will only respond to her call if she cuts herself and draws blood.
There is a lot of backstory to this novel which is only revealed casually in snippets as the novel progresses, to such an extent that reading it I wondered if I had missed something, and thought this must be a sequel. But no, it is the first of a planned duology. My advice is to thoroughly read the inside cover flap to get a good summary of significant background events. For example, we find out that Sera at one time had a husband; it is only when Vitaly appears in the plot that we learn of their past relationship. It seems that May is more interested in the conflicts and relationships within the fantasy world rather than providing context and character development.
The characters use various Slavic sounding diminutives when addressing each other and there are terms from an imagined language, with a short glossary at the end. At the same time they often use modern day expletives which sound jarring and out of place. The writing style is frequently melodramatic and rushed. Perhaps it is the use of strong language and occasional steamy sex scenes that have led publishers to describe this as a book for adults rather than YA but there is a definite YA flavour to the writing and the plot.
For romance-fantasy readers there may be aspects that will keep them reading this book: the central concept of drawing on caged internal gods is interesting, and there are also two romances to follow, the antagonistic love-hate relationship between Sera and Vitaly, and the Sapphic attraction between Galena and Princess Vasilisa, daughter of the enemy queen.
There is a dramatic, though predictable ending, and the novel can stand on its own, but still offers possibilities for a sequel. Readers will know when they finish it whether they want to continue with the next in the duology.
Allen & Unwin, 2024. ISBN: 9781760877033. (Age:9-14) Highly recommended.
In a very powerful way this book enables us to experience the awful disaster of flooding as we walk alongside Max and his family during the Brisbane flood of 2022. Max lives on a street where everyone gets along well. They share the big and small joys of life, and Max has even spent a year being home-schooled alongside his near-neighbour, Bianca. He is now at a new High School and enjoys sport and riding his bike, and occasionally hanging out with Bianca, who is a bit of an environmental junior-warrior. When the weather events of late 2021 and early 2022 send a combination weather-bomb to South-east Queensland, dams are already full, creeks can’t take any more water, and yet the heavens have opened and dumped an enormous volume of water in their environment. Flooding is the only consequence for Brisbane suburbs on the floodplains. Max tells us what this is like, through his eyes. He also rescues a young boy that he has recently befriended, and we feel the impact of rising mud and displacement for his community.
This series is so powerful in giving an empathetic view of disasters and how they affect real people. This story is fiction, yet it is based on the real experiences of people from the time. (Max’s mother is a News Helicopter pilot, and her experiences during this huge weather event give an insight into this work role, particularly during a horrific weather event.) I was impressed with the way Prue Mason built the tension in this story as the water rose and was gripped by the real-life dilemmas for each character in the face of an unstoppable weather event. Every character was engaging and the cross-cultural customs for Max’s Eurasian family added another interesting insight. This is a book to recommend to readers aged 9-14 who enjoy real-life adventures. Teacher's notes are available.
Prim and Pree by Sue Neudegg. Illus. by Aaron Pocock
Little Steps, 2024. ISBN: 9781922833433. (Age:5-8)
This is a tale of two very different towns named Prim and Pree. Prim is a grim, stern, predictable town, full of people who dream only of expensive things. They dream of a Biff-Boff, an expensive and rare machine that does nothing at all. The mayor of Prim believes the world is completely flat. In comparison, Pree is a place of colour and cheer, full of singing and music. The mayor of Pree knows the world is beautifully round. When she cannot persuade the mayor of Prim to come and explore the world around them, she uses her magic on him. 'I must see these places!', he cries. They stroll through varied lands of wonder and delight until they get back to Prim, where he leads the people of Prim out of their dark, narrow place and into the round and amazing world.
This story carries a lovely message of opening our hearts and minds to the world around us and finding joy in diversity.
Themes Rhyming story, Adventure.
Nicole Nelson
Curious creatures talking together by Zoë Armstrong and Anja Sušanj
Flying Eye Books, 2024. ISBN: 9781838740351.
Communicating and connecting with others is a critical part of human behaviour and essential for their well-being, whether it be through the spoken word, body language or other means like sounding a siren or wearing a school uniform. But the animal world is just as 'talkative' whether it be through sound, movement, colour or smell and in this book , the third in this series, young readers are introduced to some of the ways animals communicate and why and how they do it.
There are spiders that dance, whales that sing and lemurs that communicate with seriously smelly stink fights! Australia has its own entries including the tiny peacock spider that displays a colourful fan as part of its mating routine, and the satin bowerbird with its propensity for all things blue (and the focus of the 2024 National Simultaneous Storytime).
Throughout, there is a link to how the animals' behaviour is similar to that of humans, such as the wearing of bright clothes to attract attention much as the peacock spider does, and there is an underlying message of trying to understand what they are 'saying' so we become more empathetic and protective of them.
Absolutely fascinating, particularly for those who are interested in the animal kingdom already, and worth seeking out the others in the series.
