Penguin, 2020. ISBN: 9780241448625.
(Age: 2+) Recommended. Using the rhythm of Clement Moore's classic Night
before Christmas, this story will delight Peppa Pig fans
as they listen to the exploits of Peppa on Christmas Eve. Peppa
couldn't sleep so she crept out of bed and listened carefully -
could she hear Santa? Then George wakes up and when they hear a
bang, it appears that Santa needs help with the lights on his
sleigh. Peppa comes to the rescue by giving Santa a magical unicorn
with a flashing horn, that was under the Christmas tree .
Bright colourful illustrations bring this story to life. Peppa and
George are dressed in special red Christmas pyjamas, the Christmas
tree is beautifully decorated and the white snowy landscape outside
highlights the northern hemisphere's cold winter. The rhyming words
lend themselves to be read aloud and as always Peppa is helpful and
good at solving problems.
A happy, joyful book, Peppa's night before Christmas is one
that little children will enjoy listening to in the lead-up to
Christmas.
Pat Pledger
The paper bag princess by Robert Munsch
Illus. by Michael Martchenko. Scholastic, 2020. ISBN: 9781760974602.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. With the dragon retiring to his cave
with the kidnapped Prince Ronald, he leaves in his wake a fire
ravaged castle and a naked Princess Elizabeth. She determines to
rescue her betrothed, donning a paper bag to cover he nakedness,
using her resourcefulness to follow the dragon's tracks.
Stalwart and fierce, determined and unwavering, Princess Elizabeth
is not put off by the dragon's slammed door nor his fiery breath.
She tricks him into showing off his considerable skills, thereby
exhausting himself, enabling her to release Ronald. Readers will
laugh out loud at the wily Princess Elizabeth and the overconfident
dragon.
But the humour does not end there: a twist in the tale sees Ronald
dismissing his lady love because of how she looks and Princess
Elizabeth can skip off into the sunrise ready for adventures anew.
This lovely twist of a classic rescue from a dragon fairy tale will
be eagerly welcomed by a new audience, a wonderful story first
published forty years ago. My battered copy from the 80's sits on my
shelves but now will have a handsome companion in this hard cover
reissue.
The story is humorous and witty, reworking an old story but with a
twist which will tickle the funny bones of all readers. Lots of
thoughts and ideas will be sparked by this story: twisted fairy
tales, the role of princesses and princes, image, clothing,
appearance, while readers will question why people are expected to
behave and dress in a particular way, and look at how this impacts
on our behaviour.
In this edition, a note at the start by Chelsea Clinton, sets the
scene of a family reading the story. She talks of the strengths
revealed by the story, strengths children can emulate, defeating the
dragons without losing their kindness and goodness.
This is followed by a short essay, 'Stand up to dragons' by
Francesca Segal, an award winning British journalist and author, and
the book is closed with an account of the book's beginnings by Ann
Munsch with Robert Munsch.
(I was intrigued by the way the authorship was penned, so found more
information from Wikipedia.)
Each of the three additions to this edition make interesting reading
for the adult before they read the story out loud to the class, and
older students will be intrigued by the beginnings of the book and
how it came to be.
The wonderful illustrations will delight today's readers, marvelling
at the way an illustrator can use small strokes of his pen and brush
to give human qualities to the images of the characters. And I love
the drawing of the nonchalant dragon, one leg crossed over the
other, and the toadying Ronald, complete with tennis racquet
admonishing his rescuer.
Lots of fun will be had with this reissue of the classic, The
paper bag princess.
Themes: Image, Twisted fairy tale, Appearance, Dragons, Kidnapping,
Rescue.
Fran Knight
Atlas of Record-Breaking Adventures by Emily Hawkins
Illus. by Lucy Letherland. Wide Eyed Editions 2020. ISBN:
9780711255630.
(Age: 7+) Highly recommended. Subtitled A collection of the
BIGGEST, FASTEST, LONGEST, HOTTEST, TOUGHEST, TALLEST and MOST
DEADLY things from around the world, this is a beautifully
presented and cleverly illustrated non-fiction book and is another
addition to the Atlas of Adventures series. Other titles in
the series include Atlas of Miniature Adventures: A pocket-sized
collection of small-scale wonders, Atlas of Dinosaur
Adventures: Step Into a Prehistoric World and the Atlas of
Ocean Adventures: A Collection of Natural Wonders, Marine Marvels
and Undersea Antics from Across the Globe. This latest book by
author Emily Hawkins provides readers with an amazing insight into
record-breaking events, plants and animals, natural landscapes and
human-made marvels. The book begins with a clearly labelled map of
the continents with small images depicting some of the
record-breaking features to be discussed further in the book. The
Contents page uses each of the seven continents as headings with
sub-headings underneath related to the record-breakers. Once the
journey into the atlas begins, the reader is given a brief
description of the continent and then a myriad of amazing facts that
are unique to that particular area. Victoria Falls which borders
both Zambia and Zimbabwe on the continent of Africa is the most
enormous waterfall in the world. It is also known as Mosi-oa-Tunya
which translates in to 'the smoke that thunders'. The spray from the
waterfall can be seen up to 20 kilometres away. On the continent of
Europe the largest collection of bones is found in France in the
Catacombs of Paris which lie 20 metres below the city. The world's
heaviest parrot, the kakapo, is found in New Zealand. It can weigh
up to 4 kilograms and is also one of the world's longest living and
noisiest birds. Termites, the greatest insect builders in the world,
are found in Australia and their enormous mounds often up to 8
metres high are dotted throughout the Northern Territory. The reader
can explore over 30 scenes and read many interesting and varied
snapshots of information. At the end of the book is a detailed index
as well as a 'Can you find?' page.
The detailed illustrations by Lucy Letherland add to the overall
enjoyment and appeal of the book. This book is an excellent book for
gifting and sharing with a child or as a discussion prompt for
record-breaking phenomena. Themes: Record-breakers, Animals, Nature,
Environment, Wonders of the world, Continents, Maps.
Kathryn Beilby
The twisted ones by T. Kingfisher
Titan Publishing, 2020. ISBN: 9781789093285.
(Age: Adult - Senior secondary) Recommended. Fans of the horror
genre will be sure to enjoy this classic tale by T. Kingfisher
(pseudonym for Hugo Award winner, Ursula Vernon) which has been
recognised with following: Locus Award Nominee for Best Horror Novel
2020, Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Horror 2019 and Dragon
Award for Best Horror Novel 2020. It tells the story of Melissa,
known as Mouse, a young woman who with her dog, arrives at her
deceased grandmother's house in rural North Carolina, to clean up.
What she finds is a mess - her grandmother was a hoarder and skip
after skip is filled with rubbish. But what is most disturbing is
the Green Book written by her step-grandfather Cotgrave, describing
terrifying twisted ones and stone figures. She initially believes
that this is nonsense but after an encounter in the woods and some
frightening figures in her yard, she begins to believe that
something is after her.
Kingfisher maintains a narrative that keeps the reader gripped to
the page until the startling conclusion. Written in the words of
Mouse, the young woman, the suspense builds up as terrifying episode
after episode are detailed; there are faces in the windows, her
beloved dog goes missing and a strange overgrown path leads to a
place where there are twisted statues and the holler people seem to
cast a strange atmosphere over the area. Segments from her
step-grandfather's journal are interspersed in the narration and add
another dimension. In the author's note at the end, Kingfisher
reveals that "the Green Book is the diary from Arthur Machen's found
manuscript story, The white people." Published in 1904,
readers may want to follow up by reading it at the Gutenberg
site.
Some light touches are added as Mouse becomes friends with Foxy, who
lives across the way, but even Foxy can be frightening as well. And
Bongo the dog is a bonus, silly and loving.
I enjoyed the thrills and scares of The twisted ones and
think that it would be an ideal choice for older readers leading up
to Halloween.
Pat Pledger
Ghost wall by Sarah Moss
Granta, 2019. ISBN: 9781783784462.
(Age: Adult-Senior Secondary) Recommended. A slender volume of 149
pages, Ghost wall kept me rivetted to the page, breathless
as I followed the story of Silvie, a young girl who has joined an
anthropology course, re-enacting life in early Britain. The group
comprising of Silvie, her obsessive father and meek mother, a
professor and three students, build a primitive camp and hunt and
forage for food in the surrounding forests. Silvie's father is
obsessed with the life in the Iron Age and is drawn to stories of
sacrifices found in the bog.
The first chapter detailing the sacrifice of a young girl is
gripping as Moss details the rituals that are carried out. In sparse
but vivid language, the author shows the reader the terror of the
girl as she is prepared for sacrifice. The next chapters are told in
the wry and intelligent words of Silvie, as she watches the students
who have backgrounds and aspirations far from hers. She is
particularly drawn to Molly, an independent and caring girl, who
shows her a different way of life to the one that her father has
dictated. As the days progress, it is evident that Silvie's father
is abusive and violent and this culminates in a scene where his lack
of care is horrific.
Packed into this book are themes of nationalism and harking back to
what is perceived as better times, reminiscent of Brexit. As well,
the horror of domestic violence and its victims and the power of
feminism is finely drawn.
Readers who have been haunted by the story 'Singing my sister down'
in Singing
my sister down and other storiesby Margo
Lanaganwill be just as gripped by this memorable story.
Pat Pledger
When We Say Black Lives Matter by Maxine Beneba Clarke
Hachette, 2020. ISBN: 9780734420428.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Author illustrator, Beneba Clarke uses
her considerable talents and background to increase student
understanding and awareness of the phrase they will have heard a lot
lately. 'Black Lives Matter' is a mantra repeated on every news
platform, making it one of the phrases that has defined the last
decade. Used after the shooting death of black teen, Trayvon Martin
in February 2012, people could not help but be caught up in the
world wide response to the acquittal of his killer, penning the
phrase to make people aware that black lives were being thrown
away. Adults reading this picture book will be only too aware
of the background to the phrase, and will be able to support younger
children as they learn what the phrase means and how it came to be
used.
Beneba Clarke shows a supportive family, being strong and positive
with their offspring, making sure that 'Black Lives Matter' is a
phrase with meaning. A pregnant woman gives way to a young couple
and their baby, and as each page is turned, the child grows to
maturity, the verse on each page telling us how their lives matter.
As part of the family's daily life we see police lined up against a
peaceful demonstration, the police outline of a body on the road,
people crying, running figures escaping police brutality. Each image
recalls incidents where the authorities have scorned those whose
lives they have sworn to protect, while in the background we can see
images of the posters carried in the demonstrations.
The stunning illustrations with bold black outlines on textured
paper, the images filled with pastel, bring a dark and foreboding
quality to the pages, as the words point out the adversities
suffered by black people. But the family endures, reminding their
offspring that 'Black Lives Matter', offering hope for a future
where Black Lives do indeed Matter, impelling us all to be part of
that future.
Themes: Racism, Police brutality, Unlawful death, Black
Lives Matter, Demonstrations.
Fran Knight
The Ickabog by J.K Rowling
Hachette Children's Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781510202252.
Highly recommended. The Ickabog is a special book. Without a
doubt, the master storyteller knows just how to captivate young (and
not so young) readers. This book was instantly well received by
classes in our school library. They enjoyed the wonderful word play,
the evocative imagery, the description and of course the plot.
Rowling has fun with nomenclature, for example: Daisie Dovetail,
Bert Beamish, Lord Goodfellow and Lord Spittleworth. The Ickabog is set in the wonderful land of Cornucopia which is full
of bounty and happiness. However, from the start, there is just a
hint that something bad is pending. The King is not very smart, his
advisers are worrying and to the north lie the Marshlands and the
Ickabog . . .
It is refreshing to find a rollicking, good, old fashioned fairy
tale adventure amongst our current diet of children's books which
often deal with difficult topics. However, this story is not all
lightness and froth. It does become dark, in the manner of olden day
fairy tales. The golden kingdom of Cornucopia is almost destroyed by
an evil regime that begins with sycophantic flattery and proceeds to
a level where lies, pretensions, cover-ups, spies, informers, nasty,
chilly, horrible things happen. The weak king struggles between
vanity, cowardice and honesty. Somehow Rowling manages to know when
to stop the nastiness, just in time, just enough to be scarily,
horribly suspenseful. She strikes a fine balance and that is a
supreme art. The young heroes and the good people show fortitude
against all odds and the Ickabog turns out to be a delight.
The reader recognizes the comforts of a well-known formula - a
serialised bed time story. There are 64 short chapters and there are
echoes of well-known fairy tales including The Emperor's New
Clothes, Beauty and the Beast and Snow White.
Full colour illustrations from 34 winners of the Ickabog
Illustration Competition from the UK, Australia, Ireland, India and
New Zealand add something very special to this book. For young
readers to see the work of children their own age interpreting text
through art and then having it published in a book written by
J.K.Rowling is inspiring.
Wendy Jeffrey
Snow ghost by Tony Mitton
Illus. by Diana Mayo. Bloomsbury, 2020.ISBN: 9781408876633.
(Ages: 4-8) Wintery, ethereal illustrations accompany this magical
tale of hope and belonging. An enticing front cover filled with
sparkling snow is followed by equally enthralling illustrations
throughout. A dull colour palate is offset with pops of bright
colour and the crispy white of the snowy landscape. The endpapers
are also stunning and the delight on the children's faces is
palpable.
The story is rhythmic and tells a dreamy story of a snow ghost
'searching for somewhere to settle - but where?' Strong visual
imagery gives the reader a real sense of the darkness and loneliness
of the winter landscape ('dense, tangled wood', 'where the chilly
winds blow and endlessly murmur'). Snow Ghost drifts over town and
wood, searching for a place that will be welcoming until she finally
finds a small country farm. 'Could this be the place to find safety
and calm?' A boy and girl wearing bright clothes are playing and
laughing outside in the snow and Snow Ghost knows that this is the
'place she at last could call home'.
This is a gentle story perfect for bedtime sharing. It is worth
noting that this is a follow up to Tony Mitton's previous
publication Snow
Bear (illustrated by Alison Brown), following an almost
identical formula and themes. Themes: Belonging, Rhyming story.
Nicole Nelson
A girl made of air by Nydia Hetherington
Quercus, 2020. ISBN: 9781529408881. 376pp.
(Age: 16+) The phenomenon of the circus has mesmerised authors and
readers alike.
With a chequered history, but always an intriguing one, the lives of
circus people have made great subjects for storytelling - Angela
Carter's Nights at the Circus, Erin Morgenstern's The
Night Circus, Sara Gruen's Water
for Elephants, Roald Dahl's Matilda,
to name a few. This debut novel by Nydia Hetherington brings the
circus to life with all its magic, passion, and dangers. The
nameless narrator, thrown into the circus spotlight, soon becomes a
great tight-rope walker; in the course of her story, she reveals the
glory days and the heartaches of the circus life, weaving folklore
and fantasy as the reader follows her path to celebrity. Woven
through her tale is the search for a lost child - 'I should really
be writing about the child, about how I lost her and why I must find
her, even after all these years. It's why I am writing all this
down.'
The author brings her acting and theatre experiences to her writing
- she established her own theatre company in Paris - and this
successfully engages the reader in a world now lost and largely
forgotten. The writing is fresh; I enjoyed its novel approach the
subject.
Julie Wells
Sword in the Stars by Amy Rose Capetta & Cori McCarthy
Rock the Boat, 2020. ISBN: 9781786077011.
(Age: 16+) Recommended. Although I have come to this sequel without
having read Book 1 of the duology Once & Future, it is
possible to pick up the threads of the story reasonably quickly.
However, time-slipping back from future disasters and space-enabled
power dramas, back into the world of Arthur and Merlin has its
complications, especially as now Arthur is a woman (Ari), who is in
a relationship with Gwen. Merlin has left behind his love interest
from the future, and his magic must be used wisely to right some
wrongs, but he is desperate to return to Val (also known as
Percival). Time travel though must not unwrite the story and disturb
the future too much, but it must give them the opportunity to
return, restore and repair the rifts and despair that magic has
woven into the future. The main characters, from Arthur to his
Knights and his mage, are on the queer spectrum and so their return
to the Middle Ages instantly creates social distress and conflict as
they confront Binary gender expression and sexism from the Middle
Ages, and yet they are all ready to fight for what they think is
important and to remedy the magical cracks that have appeared in the
future they have come from. There is excitement, magic, sword fights
and adventure galore as Ari and Gwen confront Arthur and Old Merlin,
and with young Merlin's help try to make a difference within the
Myth of Arthur and his Knights.
This story is very different. Time travel would automatically make
complications appear, but in combination with magic and a well-known
myth set in a real period of history, the authors have skilfully
made a captivating tale. The variations of gender, transgender or
gender expression and gender pronouns do sometimes create some
confusion for the reader, especially as characters may have more
than one name as they transition from the future to the past or may
have chosen a particular non-binary gender expression. I did
sometimes need to re-read sentences to work out which character was
referenced based on the gender pronoun used. (Ari was referred to as
'she' but was deemed to be a future representation of Arthur. This
confusion may be a representation of the world of LGBTIQ and perhaps
is only a problem for those of us who have a more binary
background.) The story is exciting and twisted in plot, chronology
and magical interpretations and teens who enjoy speculative fiction,
mythology and gender-queer relationships will get a kick from this
updated re-make of Arthurian legend.
Recommended for readers aged 16+ (Not recommended for younger
readers.) Themes: LGBTIQ; Mythology - King Arthur and Merlin; Time
travel; Magic; Learning from mistakes; Queer Romance.
Carolyn Hull
Roxy & Jones: The great fairytale cover-up by Angela Woolfe
Walker Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781406391374. 254pp.
(Age: 8 -12) Numerous children's authors have been playing with
traditional fairy tales for years. The original stories evoke such
amazing characters and places - no wonder they keep emerging in
films, plays and books. Libraries produce lists of fractured fairy
tales for the avid reader of these all too familiar tales. We all
remember The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka
and Lane Smith. Recently my 8 year-old granddaughter has been
enthralled by the Whatever After series by Sarah Mylnowski.
This clever book Roxy & Jones brings together numerous
fairy tales as the 2 heroines battle a false memory enchantment.
There is plenty happening in this rather complicated but very
enjoyable story. The dialogue is slick and clever - just right for
those young readers with minds for mix-ups, knowledge of
fairy-tales, and good senses of humour. They will love it!
Julie Wells
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
Bloomsbury, 2020. ISBN: 9781526615251. 214pp.
(Age: 8 - 12) Bloomsbury has republished this delightful story,
originally written in 1975. With beautiful cover illustrations
and chapter headings created by Melissa Castrillon, this edition is
one to treasure. The story of Winner Foster, who is kidnapped
by the Tuck family, learns in time of the family's secret of
immortality, once its members have drunk from a spring in the wood.
It is a classic tale, not lengthy, and simply told, and it has
endured through past decades, thoughtfully revealing great wisdom
about life and death. Natalie Babbitt was awarded the
inaugural E. B. White Award for achievement in children's
literature. Tuck Everlasting has been adapted into two
feature films and a Broadway musical.
A must read for all generations.
Julie Wells
All the young men: How one woman risked it all to care for the dying by Ruth Coker Burks and Kevin Carr O'Leary
Hachette, 2020. ISBN: 9781409189114.
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Ruth describes this book as a memoir
of love, AIDS and chosen family in the American South. The reader
will find this book is about genuine human kindness and selfless
compassion.
Ruth's life takes an unexpected turn one day when visiting her
friend, Bonnie, who is in hospital for cancer treatment. Observing
nursing staff reluctant to care for a patient calling for help, Ruth
takes action to support a young man as he takes his last breath.
This happened in Hot Springs when the AIDS epidemic had heightened
fears and homophobia in the general public. Misinformation about
ways the disease was contracted marginalised sufferers, and those
who supported them.
The reader comes to understand more about Ruth, her daughter Allison
and her ex-husband. Ruth has a complex history that forged an
enduring resilience and positivity that drove Ruth to create
innovative ways to assist and protect AIDS sufferers. As news of her
special qualities spread, the numbers she supported swelled to being
in the hundreds.
Ruth describes herself as a regular person, however the depth of her
compassion and her capacity to create connections/relationships in
order to advocate for the young men sets her apart from a regular
person. Because of that, this book is difficult to put down and the
reader is moved to tears and/or anger as Ruth describes the
behaviours of families, medical professionals, religious leaders and
community members along with the ways the public health system
failed to take the epidemic seriously. Ruth's selfless love for
others, combined with a persistence and willingness to take
calculated risks meant the world to the young men abandoned by
everyone else and that makes this is an important book for today.
Ruth continues to advocate for the LGBTQ community and decided to
write this memoir following the sharing of an unauthorised film about her work.
Themes: Relationships (family, friends), Homophobia, AIDS, Religion,
Ethics (medical).
Linda Guthrie
Christmas wishes by Enid Blyton
Hachette, 2020. ISBN: 9781444957198. pbk., 316pp.
After a year like no other, when things that have been taken for
granted for decades have suddenly become novelties, Christmas is
coming again - almost the one certainty - and people are returning
to the old classic rituals and routines in a way unseen for many
years. It is as though the security of the past is bringing comfort
in this uncertain present and so it seems logical that we should
also turn to the stories that have endured and given such joy in
previous times.
If any writer of previous generations has survived that test of time
it is Enid Blyton and in this collection of 30 Christmas tales taken
from her series and short story collections of yesteryear, young
readers will be taken back to a time when there was just the written
word, the imagination and the magic. Even those who are not as
old as me and who don't recall Blyton being an integral part of
their reading history will revel in the sheer innocence and joy of
these simple stories. From a dog who discovers the joy of Christmas
to Santa Claus who gets himself out of a muddle with a little help
from his friends, these stories celebrate shared times, festivities
and wonder. Even if there is no opportunity to organise a full-blown
Christmas Countdown, sharing just one story a day as a family
or a class will bring back that sense of calm and normality in a
world that seems to have gone mad.
This is a collection that holds so many memories for me that I'm
passing it on to Miss 14 and Miss 9, knowing they will enjoy
them regardless of their ages and that they are likely to hang on to
it for that distant day of their own families. Thanks Hachette for
adding to the nostalgia.
Barbara Braxton
The strays of Paris by Jane Smiley
Pan Macmillan, 2020. ISBN: 9781529052985.
(Age: Middle school/secondary/adult) Highly recommended. A group of
animals lives on scraps and their wits around the Eiffel Tower in
Paris. The horse, Paras is left in her stall after a race, and when
no one comes to take her home, nudges open her gate and walks out.
Following her nose she comes to a broad expanse of wonderful sweet
grass, close by a very tall tower. Here, a dog called Frida
befriends her, and a raven, Raoul, tags along, followed by two
ducks, Syd and Nancy. The gardener chooses to ignore them, as animal
issues are not his concern, people at the markets give the dog
scraps and are amazed when she gives them money in return. The raven
pontificates about the essence of freedom, the ducks squabble about
responsibility, the rat is worried about finding a mate, and the
horse just loves the fresh juicy grass and a place to roll around.
They are watched by an eight year old boy, Etienne, who lives with
his 97 year old blind great grandmother, and one day he takes the
horse home.
A beautifully written story of friendship, the tale enfolds all
readers with its humour and charm, allowing us to believe that this
could really happen.
Etienne keeps the stabling of the horse in their house a secret,
although several shop keepers nearby become aware that something is
not quite as it should be. The baker is sure she is hallucinating to
see a horse in the city streets, and gives her oats and bran, the
butcher provides scraps of meat for the dog, while the greengrocer
is good for carrots, apples and greens, and the gardener happy to
collect the horse poo for the garden. Each separately provides for
the animals as well as Etienne who shops each day for his great
grandmother, but each does not think beyond themselves, only coming
together after the old woman dies, to discuss what happened.
This beguiling story of love and friendship, tugs at the idea of
responsibility. But all comes to a wonderful denouement, more than
any reader could have hoped for, as each delicate strand is woven
together to make a satisfying conclusion. The Parisian background is
an absolute delight, and the characters, both human and animal whose
lives we follow are astonishing in their grasp of their place in the
world.
Themes: Animals, Paris, Humour, Homeless, Love, Loneliness, Freedom,
Friendship.
Fran Knight
