From the team that created the very popular early readers Little Ash series comes a new series that is sure to engage young middle grade readers. The first book in the Ash Barty Tennis Camp Diaries has the title Double Disasters and is full of fun, worries, diary writing, talent quests, outdoor activities and lots of tennis.
Ten year old Ash is at her first ever tennis camp for two weeks. She is feeling nervous but finding out her roommate is Zia, an opponent from tennis competitions, helps her to feel at home. Ash and Zia make friends straight away with Richie, Nat and Ollie and Ollie is even chosen to be Ash’s doubles partner. They do not particularly gel well as doubles partners at first but work hard to make progress on how they play.
Each day, Ash writes in her secret diary about many of the things she has done and said, and how she learns something new each day. She has difficulty with a boy called Max but out on the water without one of their oars she and Max sort out their issues. Zia and Ash perform a dance at the Talent Contest and unfortunately Ash is involved in a rather abrupt ending to the contest.
This engaging and entertaining read is perfect for readers who love sport, tennis, going on camp, making new friends and having fun. Written in a similar format to other popular diary-style books, it has illustrations throughout as well as highlighted key words and phrases. Ash Barty Tennis Camp Diaries #2: Superstar is coming soon.
An Nebula Award Nominee for Middle Grade and Young Adult Literature (2023), and Lodestar Award Nominee (2024), Liberty’s daughter is a fascinating foray into a near future where separatists escaping the taxes and rules of the US have set up seasteads - old cruise ships and platforms to make a country. Beck Garrison lives on Min, short for New Minerva, a seastead in the Pacific Ocean She is a finder - she finds articles that people want and when she is hired to find a missing woman, an indentured worker, she uncovers things that she did not expect. Her father, a powerful man on the archipelago, is not happy with these discoveries which lead her into danger.
Liberty's Daughter is divided into seven parts and appears to be based on a series of short stories, some previously published. The parts hang together to form a coherent whole and make it easy to read. Beck is an intrepid young woman, who is very skilful at finding things. What she uncovers about the worlds of the seasteaders is shocking. There is a biotech world, a sin city and bond workers are chained to desks performing highly dangerous work. The world that Kritzer describes is well fleshed out and it was easy to picture the different places, especially those built up on cruise ships.
A coming-of-age story, Beck faces the task of freeing bond slaves that have been tricked into signing contracts. She becomes an advisor for a reality TV show based on the seastead and connects with illegal workers' fights organisers as well as facing a pandemic that threatens everyone lives. With a dysfunctional family setting and some difficult choices for Beck, Liberty's daughter is a thought provoking and intense read.
Well-known award-winning Australian author Emily Rodda has been writing for 40 years. Her debut novel Something Special was written in 1984 and was a CBCA Book of the Year in the Younger Reader Awards category in 1985. To celebrate the 40-year anniversary, HarperCollins Publishers have re-released this short novel for a new generation of readers.
The story is centred on the school fete and Sam and her mother Lizzie are involved in organising the second hand clothing stall. There are bags of clothes spread throughout the house with Sam’s younger baby brother Toby causing some mischief. When the clothes are finally tidied and packed away in boxes ready for the fete, Sam falls asleep in the large chair. When she awakes she finds that some of ‘The Special’ items are being worn by their previous owners. Sam is bewildered by how this could have happened and interesting conversations take place between Sam and the visitors. When it begins to get out of hand, Sam wakes up screaming and is soothed by her mother. All is as it was in the room. Was Sam dreaming? At the fete, the second hand clothing stall does very well, with those items known as ‘The Special’ all going to the right fit person. But there is one particular customer who has a connection to Sam and Sam is left wondering if it really was just a dream.
This is an engaging story with a touch of fantasy and magic but was written 40 years ago and some of the references to children’s discipline may not be what would happen now. Teacher's notes are available.
Themes School Fete, Second hand Clothes, Dreaming, Fantasy.
Kathryn Beilby
Milly's mind: a peek inside autism by Colin and Milly Armstrong. Illus. by Jo McGivern
Little Steps, 2024. ISBN: 9781922833167. (Age:8-12+) Highly recommended.
Milly’s Mind: a peek inside autism, is a refreshing and engaging explanation of how a child with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) sees their world. Written by Milly and her dad Colin in clever, carefully constructed rhyme, the reader is taken on a journey that explores how Milly lives with ASC on a day-to-day basis. She explains how her brain responds to things, how sometime her words do not come out how others would like, how she reacts to situations, and how she struggles socially at times.
ASC is a natural variation in how the brain grows It affects how I think, learn and, I suppose, It probably explains why I have no filter. And why sometimes I seem a little off-kilter
Milly is an energetic and vibrant child with a winning personality who has wonderful support and understanding from family and health professionals but more importantly provides those in her life with immense joy. Milly also has a vital message to share with others to enable them to show kindness and acceptance of those with ASC. As all children struggle with emotions, often those are heightened for those with ASC. As Milly says:
When something goes wrong, or I make a mistake, I get gripped by emotions I cannot shake. The wave of feelings can build up in me quickly, I get lost in the anger rolling in thickly.
Those who are quick to judge children who may not always ‘fit society’s norms’ are just being themselves on their own journey and deserve our respect and understanding.
Milly’s Mind is an essential book to share with both children and adults and has a place in all libraries.
Thank you Milly for being so open and honest. You are incredible and have an amazing story to tell. Visit Milly’s website for further information.
Our planet is a colourful place...white ice caps, green trees, blue oceans and skies, brown soil . . . and more! And each crayon is delighted to share their part in keeping it colourful, especially Beige who pops up constantly to highlight his contribution, like a little toddler desperate not to be overlooked.
This is a funny addition to this series for young readers, as they are encouraged to look at the world around them and its colours and begin to develop an appreciation for their environment and their responsibility towards it. It opens up opportunities for some elementary data collection as natural elements and objects are classified according to colour as well as art appreciation as they discover the myriads of tints, tones and shades of the hues of the colour wheel represented in Nature.
As well as being lovable characters in themselves, the Crayons always have adventures and experiences that can lead to greater learning, and this one is just as promising as all the others in the series.
The wrong hands sees the return of Detective Declan Miller following his first appearance in the Sunday Times bestseller The last dance. The wrong hands is London based detective crime writer Mark Billingham's twenty-third crime novel. Billingham is well known, for the Detective Inspector Tom Thorne series (two of which were made into a hit TV series on Sky 1) and another series broadcast on BBC1 based on the novels In the dark and Time of death. Billingham has twice won the Theakston's Old Peculiar Award for Crime Novel of the Year and has also won a Sherlock Award for the Best Detective (Tom Thorne) created by a British writer. Detective Declan Miller is a new and different central character. The crime writing remains in good hands. Be prepared - one of the greatest aspects of this book is the play on words. The twists, turns, false trails and false assumptions of the plot lead the reader on a merry ride. The clues are made available to the reader but concentration is needed or they will be missed. (This reader missed them).
Detective Declan Miller is a larger-than- life character. He is described by the omniscient authorial voice as having a 'butterfly mind'...'easily distracted'.This is irritating for both his colleagues and the crims but it points to an unusually active mind - capable of making connections that others don't see. And of course this is exactly what makes him the unashamedly, not-so-humble best detective. Probably, one could think that he is 'on the spectrum' because of his single-minded crashing path through social situations. He is abrasive, rude, says what he thinks and is inclined to operate solo with scant regard for his offsider and/or any of his colleagues. He has a big mouth and unpredictable responses and the reader learns to wait in trepidation for whatever he will say or do next.The storyline is drenched in dry and hilarious English idiomatic dialogue that is liberally sprinkled with swearing and rough banter - the language of the police and criminal underworld in Blackpool. Miller is the funniest of all.. 'you dozy donk', 'Bloody Nora'. There are many laugh out loud scenarios and conversations. If you open this book at any page the wit is there. However Miller has a softer side. Real friends in his ballroom dancing group understand him. He regularly describes his ongoing casework to them. This parallel retelling is a clever authorial strategy as it aids reader understanding of the multiple characters and strands. Crucially, Miller's detective wife has been recently murdered, and though he is officially banned from the case, he cannot help himself from intervening, using his trademark unconventional and unsanctioned methods.
Blackpool is an English coastal town which has its fair share of low-skilled, disaffected people. Billingham's descriptions of the overcrowding, the sleazy guesthouses, the homeless druggies, the down-market dance halls, the late night drinking and the criminal network are drawn from real life. Blackpool, which in The wrong hands, follows rival criminal kingpins morphing from operating sleazy burger joints to drugs and paid killers, has in real life a crime rate that is 155% compared to the national crime rate so this detective/ crime novel is set in the perfect location.
A briefcase figures large in this story. In the briefcase is a pair of severed hands - proof of a contract killing. A host of characters enter the plot: local shonky business owners, criminal gang leaders and their disenchanted wives, a hitman, petty thieves, homeless druggies, a psychotic welder, various police officers and detectives and more. The briefcase is wanted and people are killed in the collateral damage caused by the search. Stakeouts are arranged and fail until the startling finale.
The crimes are significant and on-going. A killer must be caught. Miller is memorable - a fully drawn character complete with flaws. Despite his idiosyncrasies he has greater powers of observation and a superior mind compared to the police with their unsuccessful, possibly past-caring investigation of his wife's death. The clues are there; the red herrings are there. Both the reader and the investigators trip up and follow false trails but the ride and the denouement are worth it. The action is so visually evocative that it is no wonder that Billingham's books are of great interest to screenwriters. Until Detective Declan Miller launches onto the screen though, he will inhabit your mind for a while.
Felix and Grandma have always lived oceans apart - until the day Grandma arrives in the city from Vietnam. Felix is so excited to meet Grandma and spend time with her. But it's tricky when he speaks no Vietnamese and she speaks no English. They get by with both showing each other special things like Felix's pet iguana Pete and Grandma showing him how to care for the garden but one day, when Felix and Grandma are visiting a big festival, Grandma gets lost and doesn't know how to ask for help. It is then that Felix decides to teach her English, and by working together and teaching each other, they bond closely as they learn to share words as well, culminating in their shared love of pizza.
With end papers that have flashcard translations of common words, (and Grandma's recipe for pizza), this is another story like I Hear a Buho and Giovanni that allows us to share and celebrate the languages spoken by our students as they take the opportunity to teach us the common words for the things that unite us regardless of our heritage. Having bilingual books in our collections and actively promoting them is a way that we can build bridges and open doorways for those who are not native English speakers by showing them that we value what they can bring to the teaching and learning experience.
For many newcomers to this country not speaking the common language can be a very isolating experience, compounding the difficulties of what must have already been a difficult decision, but if we can reach out to families through stories - perhaps even inviting them into the library to share the stories of their childhood in their own language to encourage those of the same background to hear them and learn about them - we show the parents, particularly the mothers, that we care and that their child will not be lost. And, in return, we all gain so much!!!
This sweeping look at twentieth century Russia is seen though the eyes of Count Rostov, a member of the aristocracy, sent to trial and relegated to house arrest at the Metropole Hotel in Moscow. He stays there under pain of death and finds in the hotel, a kaleidoscope of fascinating characters, intrigues and tensions to keep himself amused. The reader is taken from Czarist Russia, through the Revolutions of 1905 and 1917, to World War One, and then the aftermath of upheaval to the time of Stalin and the chilly relations with the West.
Relegated to a room ten feet square in the attic of the hotel, Rostov carves out a life for himself, which he finds surprising. All of his needs are met, and he is early bewitched by a young girl, Nina the daughter of an official resident in the hotel, leaving the girl to fend for herself. She has a pass key to all the doors, and they explore together, Rostov learning that those who work behind the scenes are worth the trouble of getting to know. When Nina’s father is moved on, Nina leaves and Rostov helps in the restaurant, eventually becoming head waiter. Surprisingly Nina reappears with her young child, giving her to Rostov to keep until she returns. Her husband has been sent to Siberia, and it is where she is headed to support him. Rostov knows they are unlikely to return, such is the fate of many who are sent that way.
Through Sofia, Rostov learns more of the world, and it is against this background that the reader is made aware of Stalinist Russia and the Cold War. As Head Waiter, he meets many different people, from those who work for the American embassy, to journalists and members on the ruling elite in Moscow. He is staggered at the maturity shown by Sofia, and becomes aware that she loved music and is learning the piano. Her skill matures and she is chosen to perform in Paris.
Count Rostov makes plans for them both to escape the confines of Russia.
I loved this book, particularly the machinations behind the scenes. Rostov is there when petty bureaucrats make wholesale decisions that can ruin people’s lives, and is there to watch the jostling for position when Stalin dies, the main players eating dinner at the restaurant. The running of the hotel once in the safe hands of an experienced manager, is now taken over by a man absorbed by protocols and time management, with every thing accounted for. He makes sweeping decisions about the running of the hotel, the restaurant, the bars and the rooms, and as he hoovers up misdemeanours of the staff, they are all in his thrall.
A most rewarding book, one which allows the reader to laugh at the pettiness of bureaucracy while being made aware of the life and death struggles behind the facade.
Themes Russia, USSR, Stalin, Cold War, World War One, Russian Revolution, Humour.
Fran Knight
Unreal. Can you tell fact from fake? by Kate Simpson and Leila Rudge
Allen & Unwin, 2024. ISBN: 9781761180347. (Age:8-12) Highly recommended.
Unreal! Can you tell fact from fiction? is an absorbing oversized hardcover book that will immediately hook young readers from the very first pages. The introduction advises them that some mythical displays have ended up in the Natural History area and help is needed to sort them out. This then leads into a page discussing real or unreal, and sorting fact from fiction with five important questions asked:
Who is providing me with this information? Do they have evidence for their claims? Why are they telling me this? How recent is the information? Do other sources agree?
Following this is a contents page beginning with a chapter called ‘Into the Deep’ with the final chapter called ‘It Was THIS Big!’ Each chapter discusses a number of creatures and the reader can try to guess from the information which of those are real and which one is unreal. It is not always obvious but the answers are provided on the following pages with further fascinating facts. From Australia there is mention of the drop bear, a predatory marsupial that can drop on unsuspecting tourists. Real or unreal? There is also a delightful story about the spaghetti tree broadcast on BBC television April 1, 1957, which may have tricked some of the viewers! In the final pages is a thank you for helping to sort out the creatures plus a handy index. There might also be one last creature: werewolves - unreal…Right?
Throughout this book are all sorts of wondrous creatures that will captivate and engage readers. Complemented by striking illustrations in soft pastel tones that are cleverly presented amongst the well-spaced and accessible information, this special book is a must-have for all libraries.
In a not-so-futuristic time, the Earth has flooded and the waters continue to rise. The only signs of humankind are the waterlogged structures they left behind. Peeking out from the deluge are the remnants of a zoo, home to rare and endangered animals like elephants, giraffes, tigers, pandas and rhinoceroses, who have hung on and clung on despite everything. Tender-hearted NOA is a huge construction robot who has found a new mission as the caretaker of the zoo's beleaguered inhabitants, and despite towering above them, they trust him. Bracing for the next storm, NOA builds an ark from the wreckage around him and together they go in search of new land, only to almost perish as that anticipated storm hits while they are at sea. But then something miraculous arrives, and NOA not only discovers sanctuary for those he has saved, but something even more profound...
Described by the publisher as a 'luminous sci-fi parable for our changing world', the only words in this masterpiece are a quote from primatologist and anthropologist Dr Jane Goodall,
Only if we understand, can we care. Only if we care, will we help. Only if we help, shall all be saved.
But within the illustrations is a powerful story that is a parallel to the biblical story and which offers so many riches to explore, particularly by those who are so well aware of the need to protect and preserve the environment and the prospect of the impact of climate change. So while younger readers may interpret this as a futuristic retelling of Noah and his ark, more sophisticated readers will bring all their own existing knowledge and experiences to tell their own tale as they examine the details embedded in the illustrations creating a unique, very personal story unimpeded by the text of another. And while it may seem to be a story of gloom and doom that could be depressing, there is a twist that references the other biblical story of the Garden of Eden that offers hope that perhaps not all is lost in the post-apocalyptic world...
Reviews of this amazing work abound and each suggests a new aspect, element or interpretation that could be explored including discovering Becker's other work, The Tree and the River, which is a 'time-lapse portrait of humankind - and our impact on the natural world', making both of these core texts for older readers who, having asked what-if now want to consider what-next. So while most are touting it as suitable for ages 4-7, to me this is one for older readers who have an understanding of the current environmental uncertainty and who can bring that, as well as their knowledge of the biblical stories and the universal human need for hope to the table so they can really appreciate the beauty and value of Becker's work.
My dad is the best! by Nic McPickle and Tommy Doyle
Albert Street Books, 2024. ISBN: 9781761180507. (Age:3+) Recommended.
A very warm look at children and their dads, as the text strolls through some antics that Dads get up to. From appalling Dad jokes, to farts which are blamed on the dog, singing those awful old songs, or thinking he used to be a radical, hip sort of person, fathers can’t all be the same or can they be?
Koala poses this question and then looks at other animals to see how what Dads do in their families.
From fathers making sure a load on the trailer would be going nowhere, to having to spend a boring rainy day with Dad, to cleaning up his room and being told it is beast on ground, to suggesting a stubbed toe needs amputation, Dads say the most obvious things, telling it as a joke.
Father Lion reminds his offspring that he was not born in a tent, or you can make decisions when you pay rent, or warning them to be careful watching so much TV their eyes will be square. Lots of inspiring pieces of advice are given by the Dads, which many kids will laugh at with recognition.
But halfway through the book, the tone changes, and all the things that Dads do are described and applauded. Dad makes lunch, washes socks, reads stories, skips stones in the lake. He is the one who packs the car so well, cries when his son has tried his best. In rhyming lines the attributes of Dads are given a wide range, and when the narrator asks his Mum how to write a card for Dad, putting down all the good things that Dads do, it becomes a momentous task, which can all be wrapped up in one line: there’s no such thing as too much Dad!
A lovely book complete with excellent illustrations, showing a range of animals doing Dad antics, will draw lots of laughs from readers. Each page has a text which will initiate laughter, and the images it is set against are bright and funny and full of witty details.
Each family of animals is shown within the house with human clothes and behaviours. So the kangaroo having a shave on the front cover introduces the reader to the style of humour they can expect, all wrapped up in a story detailing the importance of fathers, and encourages children to look again at what their fathers do, and thank them, especially with Father’s Day coming within a few months. The endpapers give a range of Dad jokes which will see them being used at home.
Set in 1989, at the time of the fall of the Berlin wall, Susanna is an aspiring Australian violin student, winner of a scholarship to study in Berlin with Stefan Heinemeyer, a renowned musician 17 years her senior whom she admires immensely and secretly desires. There is a complication, there is a historical connection between the two of them: she is the granddaughter of Mirla a Jewish woman who died in the Buchenwald concentration camp, and he is the grandson of a Nazi officer stationed at that same camp. But perhaps their love can overcome the past, just as the Berlin wall is being dismantled, and two different worlds are reconciled.
However while Susanna is strong and determined in achieving what she wants, there is also an element of insecurity that means as a young person she does not know how to handle the meanness of a demanding landlady or the maliciousness of a rejected boyfriend. That combination of naïve passion and scared avoidance makes Susanna a very human and relatable person. And disaster follows.
Davidow’s book is structured like a musical composition: first movement, second movement, third movement and coda. They are different phases in Susanna’s life. The coda brings completeness, acceptance and understanding. There is not the usual predictable ‘happy every after’ romantic ending but a resolution of differences and an amazing sense of understanding and forgiveness that comes with stepping outside of oneself and realising another person’s point of view. Davidow has created a beautiful story that will be appreciated by many readers.
Themes Romance, Love, Music, Violinists, Trauma, Forgiveness, Berlin Wall.
How do you deal with the mysterious disappearance of a child? Your son, your brother. Who is there one minute and gone the next. How do you live through each day without thinking what if? Without reliving past moments imprinted on your brain.
For Wren, the disappearance of her brother Finch, just 11 months younger than herself, is something that she may never recover from. It is three years since he disappeared on a family outing to the local Coal Mines and there has been no word, no sighting, nothing. Alongside Finch’s disappearance was also, on the same day at the same place, the disappearance of Ava, a young child from a wealthy family. Where did they go? Were they taken? What really happened? Ava’s family have the wealth to keep the media interest and coverage going, whereas Finch’s disappearance appears as almost an afterthought in the news. Wren and her parents cope in the only way they know how and the three are just getting through each day.
For Wren, Finch was larger than life. Full of energy, a love of adventure, a desire to express himself, always on the go. Happy to be with his sister, to wear her clothes, to have her paint his nails, he was the extra bright light in the family. Wren was the quieter sibling who loved to see the world through photographs, who read, who felt dimmed by Finch’s presence. But with Finch now missing, Wren struggles to exist. She is entirely lessened and racked by guilt by what happened on the day he vanished. Wren talks to Finch on a daily basis and feels his presence always but continually wonders if she is mad.
When Wren begins high school, she and new girl Freddie buddy up and form a friendship based on fragile common interests but also unshared secrets. They notice another isolated student who appears and then disappears, and their interest is roused enough to investigate further. This leads to a startling connection between the three girls.
Award-winning author Kate Gordon tells an incredible story through both prose in the form of short sentences and clever verse. This novel will tug at your heart strings and leave you longing for closure. The ending may not be what you are expecting but the incredible use of language to explore the characters, their emotions and their struggles make this story a compelling read.
In her ninetieth year and the author of over fifty books, comes this appealing new story about Mr McGee, one of the most recognisable characters in Australian children’s literature.
Mr McGee is getting out of bed, getting ready to play. He pulls on his trousers, and socks and his shoes. And lastly his hat. Just as he finishes breakfast, a strong wind blows up. It blows and blows. Mr McGee and all his belongings are spinning in the air. When it suddenly stops, everything falls back to earth, the cat falling on the hat. Mr McGee falls through the tree, along with his bed and his chairs and table. But where is his hat? He searches high and he searches low, he asks the cow and peers into the trees, and even the haystack. He looks everywhere. Disheartened he goes to bed without playing for that day.
He takes off his clothes and looks over to the cat as it gets up from its bed. And there is the hat! Everyone gets to bed, the cat on the end of the bed, while Mr McGee wears his hat.
Another endearing book from Pamela Allen, this will be one that children ask for it to be read over and over. They will love predicting the rhyming word at the end of each pair of lines, and join in themselves when the book becomes well known.
They will laugh along with others as Mr McGee gets out of bed his rotund self pulling on his pants and shoes.And again when he is flying through the air, along with the other things from his bedroom. Each of these pages flows from one page to the next, the movement involving the children as they sway with the wind. The search for the hat takes up all of his play time, and when Mr McGee finally gets to bed, the hat suddenly appears from under the cat.
Children will love this tale of the hat, enjoying the symmetry of the story, watching the antics of the cat and Mr McGee, looking at the detail on each page, the things around Mr McGee on his little farm. I loved looking over and over at the images of the tumbling cat. It is a beautiful image. And I loved the peeks at Mr McGee’s ample body,and the restfulness of the last page, when all is quiet and the mystery solved.
Dragon Towers by Pip Bird. Illus. by David O'Connell
Farshore, 2024. ISBN: 9780008641863. (Age:5+)
Ten-year-old Theo LOVES dragons. In fact, he is obsessed by them and he knows every dragon type, has every dragon book there is and has even made his own Dragon Rider jacket. So when he gets his letter inviting him to dragon school it's a dream come true.
At Dragon Towers every child is paired with their very own dragon best friend, and every dragon has their own special magic power, from fire-breathing to going invisible and even making slime. Theo can't wait to find out what type of dragon he has. But when he meets his dragon Wanda she doesn't seem to have any powers at all.
A recent query about books about dragons for a young reader obsessed with dragons revealed that this is a much sought-after topic, particularly among boys in middle primary who are perhaps imagining themselves as the hero that Theo dreams of being at the beginning of the story before he is rudely awakened by his mother. Complete with all the fantastic creatures that one would expect to encounter as well as the adventures and quests as the young students aspire to be First Riders like the famous Ada and Faust, this is one for those transitioning to longer novels but still needing some of the supports of stepping stones.
With the next episode, The Ghostly Surprise, not due until late September this could be one to give to your dragon fanatics to decide whether it is a series worth collecting for the library. As well as feeding their interest, they will have a reason for reading.
