Pan Macmillan, 2020. ISBN: 9781509876945.
(Age: Adult - late adolescent) Stunning in its impact, this is one
of the most disturbing books that I have read. It takes us into a
world of familial abuse that is shattering for the family members
and devastating in terms of their capacity to face life. Attempting
to live 'normal' lives, when a young person has experienced daily
bullying, beating, punishment and violence, mostly by the father, is
a tremendously difficult task. Even more difficult is to experience
such a life when the abuser and bully is a parent. We are positioned
to grasp the horror for the children as their father's actions and
words cut like a knife, crumbling any sense of loving family that
they may have managed to hold on to. The creation of a hell-on-earth
for children cannot possibly enable them to mature normally, nor
does it allow them to be 'normal' adults, and this is indeed the
scenario for a particular family in this novel.
When the father goes too far in his criticism, supported by the
mother, in a particularly dreadful episode of his violence, the
daughters are banished to the cold, dark shed for the night. Along
with his disgusting and shocking accusations, one sister finds that
she can no longer bear any more of his violence, and she kills both
the mother and father, stabbing them with a pair of scissors. In a
magnificent gesture that will haunt her life, the other sister
confesses to the murder and at that point the lives of both sisters
collapse. Years later, a television producer seeks to revive this
story and, having traced the sisters, the team move in on the story,
compelling a reaction. When we read about what their father did and
how the girls were treated, the only word for our response could be
absolute horror.
Well-written and gripping, this story emotionally draws us in to the
psyche of the sisters and the woman who befriends the innocent
sister, in an interesting reflection of the anger and violence that
is indeed part of the modern world, not only in the terrible actions
of the father, but also in the notion of a 'story' that is
discovered and used to make a 'winner' for the news media out of the
dreadful experience of others. This novel is disturbing, as Fiona
Cummins has constructed the narrative so that it reveals the reality
that some people experience. It is a gripping tale, mixing the years
across the connecting narratives, gradually including some of the
more horrendous experiences and actions, threaded throughout the
narrative. This brilliantly written novel would not be appropriate
for a younger child or early adolescent; indeed, I would recommend
it only for an adult or late adolescent reader.
Elizabeth Bondar
Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen
Simon & Schuster UK, 2020. ISBN: 9781471192852.
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended for older readers, this coming of age
contemporary romance is a delight to read. With strained family
relationships, potential first love and new friendships, Loveboat,
Taipei is a great read. Everett, Ever, Wong is living with a
hidden dream. She dreams of dancing, not going into medicine as her
parents plan for her future. It's her final year of school and she's
got one last dance performance at the end of term, but her parents
shock her with the news that they've enrolled her in an educational
camp in their home country of Taiwan. Lacking the courage to fight
her strict parents on their decision, Ever is off to Taiwan for
Chinese Summer School, fearing the worst. She is pleasantly
surprised to find it more of a party than a prison - called
'Loveboat' by the students. She learns to embrace her new found
freedom, but will she find herself and her voice?
The story of an American born child of immigrant parents is not
necessarily new, however this book deals with the complexities of
relationships that children in this situation find themselves living
with - parents who sacrifice everything for their children to have a
better life, friends from different cultural backgrounds who can't
understand the mentality that family expectations are everything,
and the people who always have your back, no matter what. As Ever
grows more daring through the book, finding her courage, I found
myself expecting her to have the most amazing summer with her new
friends, and found myself caring for her - despite her occasional
bad choices . . . Fans of romance and coming of age stories will
enjoy this book, as will readers who enjoy stories with cultural
settings.
Themes: Coming of age, Parent/child relationships, Culture, Romantic
relationships
Melanie Phillips
Blood moon by Lucy Cuthew
Walker Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781406393446.
(Age: Yr 9 +) Recommended. This is not for the faint hearted, but is
well worth the read. Frankie and her friends are going about their
days, planning their futures, talking about their crushes, flirting
with boys and enjoying life. Until besties Frankie and Harriet have
a falling out over Harriet's poor decision making skills, leading to
issues at school, in the wider school community and their circle of
friends. Then Frankie has a very intimate moment with Benjamin, her
first of any intimate moments, and she gets her period. Awkward. But
both Frankie and Benjamin agree it's all good. Only blood. Whatever.
Until the entire school finds out. And a horrid meme featuring
Frankie goes viral. Frankie finds herself lost, alone and enduring
online shaming to a volatile level. Who can she trust? What can she
do? Is she disgusting, like everyone is saying?
My reaction to this book? Wow. Lives up to the hype. I really felt
for Frankie, the ups and downs of her experiences, her changing
friendships, her confusion over her romantic interest and the abyss
of online bullying. I flew through the book in under a day, partly
due to the unusual structure (the book is presented in an almost
'text message' format), though I flew through it mostly due to the
gripping story. It is full of current pop culture references as well
as issues in society - particularly around girls. A focus on
astronomy throughout the book as a passion for Frankie and Harriet
is well laid out and fits in to the story perfectly. Hashtags are
incorporated throughout the story to emphasize thoughts and
feelings, while the chapters are extremely short. I've not read a
book like it. It is a powerful story, which should be read by all
genders, more suited to older readers. I give it four out of five
stars. Book
Club notes are available. Themes: Relationships, Periods,
Bullying/Trolls, Shame, Feminism, Bravery.
Melanie Phillips
Big city atlas by Maggie Li
Pavilion, 2020. ISBN: 9781843654599. 64pp., pbk.
During this pandemic the world seems to have shrunk as nightly news
bulletins bring the tales of heartache from the world's major cities
into our lounge rooms. Even though we can no longer visit the cities
that are becoming household names even to our younger readers, we
can join Penguin on this adventure as he journeys around the world
getting involved in the activities they have to offer.
Cities visited include San Francisco, Mexico City, Chicago, Toronto,
New York, Washington DC, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Dublin,
London, Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin, Moscow, Rome, Madrid, Cairo,
Istanbul, Cape Town, Dubai, Mumbai, Beijing, Seoul, Tokyo, Hong
Kong, Singapore, Sydney and Auckland and the reader is invited to
spot Penguin on the pages. With the information provided in speech
bubble chunks, this is an engaging book that will interest and
intrigue all budding young jetsetters - who may actually be able to
travel by the time they grow up!
Barbara Braxton
The sloth and the dinglewot by Nicole Prust
Illus. by Amanda Enright. New Frontier Publishing, 2020. ISBN:
9781925594966.
(Ages: 3-7) Recommended. Rich, vibrant illustrations by Amanda
Enright complement this slow, rhythmic story about a brave sloth who
dares to go adventuring. The sloths are reminiscent of the sloth in
Margaret Wild's The
sloth who came to staybut the setting in this book is
vastly different to the sparse suburbia portrayed there. The jungle
scenes in the book are layered and textural, filled with plants,
flowers and animals. The night scenes are especially beautiful, as
elements seem to glow and the bright colours really pop off the
page. The illustrations are similar in style to Leonard
doesn't dance(illustrated by Judy Watson) and the
story carries similar themes to Once
upon a small rhinoceros by Meg McKinlay. The slow pace
of the longish text sits well with the context of this slow sloth
story, also allowing time to take in the magical illustrations on
each page.
It's sunrise in the jungle and the sloths are still snuggling
happily in their beds ('Some grumbled and groaned in their little
brown hut, Some peeked at the sun and then closed their eyes shut').
But Samuel the sloth has had enough rest; he's ready for something
more. 'He yearned for adventure, he yearned to explore, The sloths
found him strange because he wanted more'. Venturing to the top of
the tree, Samuel meets a strange bird: 'I'm the Dinglewot Jinglewot
Dingledum Dee, If you want an adventure then please come with me!'
Samuel is a little worried at first but with a little encouragement
from the Dinglewot and some bravery he decides to give it a shot.
And so begins his adventure, flying through the air, dancing with
baboons, listening to the bat brass band and eating pineapple
fritters in dinglewot world.
This is a sweet and fun story about venturing outside of your
comfort zone and the rewards that can come from being brave enough
to try something new: more adventures, great friendships and
happiness. Teacher's
notes are available. Themes: Adventure, Bravery, Rhyming
story.
Nicole Nelson
A dance with Fate by Juliet Marillier
Warrior Bards book 2. Macmillan Australia, 2020. ISBN:
9781760784225.
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Following the Aurealis Award
shortlisted novel, The
harp of kings, once again the reader will be drawn into
an ancient Celtic world, where Liobhan and Dau are determined to win
a place on Swan Island's elite force. In their final bout, Dau
accidentally knocks his head and loses his sight. Not knowing the
awful treatment that Dau had received at the hands of his family,
the leaders of Swan Island contact Oakhill. His family blame Liobhan
for the accident and she agrees to go back with him and spend a year
as a bond servant, but things are difficult there. Both Dau
and Liobhan are treated badly and dark secrets abound. Meanwhile
Brocc is trying to fit in the Otherworld with Eirne, fighting the
Crow Folk and struggling to understand why they behave as they do.
The story is told in the voices of Liobhan, Dau and Brocc, each
chapter giving their points of view of what is happening. Oakhill is
a dangerous place for both Dau and Liobhan. Seanan, Dau's older
brother, has virtually taken over running the estate, as their
father is ill, and the servants must tread very warily, obeying his
often-cruel commands. Memories of the awful treatment that Dau and
his dog received at the hands of his brothers plague him and he
struggles with despair, but Liobhan is resolute and caring,
determined to help him behave like the Swan Island fighter that he
has been trained to be even though he is blind. The steps that bring
them to an understanding of what is happening at Oakhill and the
resolution that brings Liobhan, Dau and Brocc back together is
exciting and satisfying, and will leave the reader wishing that the
next instalment in the series was available to read immediately.
Themes of abuse, both human and animal, torture, redemption,
misunderstanding between husband and wife and the growing
relationship between Liobhan and Dau are key elements of A dance
with fate. Readers will enjoy reading how Dau and Liobhan both
grow in strength and maturity, and how Brocc's compassionate and
inquiring nature may lead to identifying why the Crow folk act as
they do.
This series is beautifully written and sure to please any fan of
fantasy.
Pat Pledger
Peppa Pig: I Love You, Daddy Pig
Peppa Pig. Ladybird, 2019. ISBN: 9780241371572. 32pp.
(Ages: 2 - 6) Recommended for lovers of Peppa Pig. Fans of
the TV series are in for a treat as Peppa and George have lots of
fun with Daddy Pig. Daddy Pig makes everything into an exciting
adventure for the young pigs. When they go to the supermarket, he
rolls the tins down his arm and into the trolley and fills it right
up to the top. Lunch with Granny and Grandpa Pig turns into a Pirate
lunch and Miss Rabbit takes them off in her helicopter to Daddy's
work. There they sit in a big truck pouring concrete all over the
playground and then they go off to the fair and fill in holes. What
a fun day for everyone.
This is a lovely book to read aloud. Not many daddies could fly
their children to work in a helicopter! Children will enjoy
discussing what jobs their fathers do and contrasting them with the
day out that Peppa and George had with their daddy.
As always with the Peppa Pig books, the bright colours and
beautiful expressions on the faces of the pigs will keep readers
involved, and toddlers will love the blue sparkly cover. Emerging
readers will be happy to try and read about the familiar characters
in the book, and the text, supported by the drawings, will aid their
endeavours.
Full of enjoyment and illustrations of love, this will be a perfect
book to read aloud on Father's Day.
Pat Pledger
Baby touch. Hello, Daddy!: a touch-and-feel playbook illus. by Lemon Ribbon Studio
Ladybird Books, 2020. ISBN: 9780241422328.
(Age: 0-3) New fathers will love reading this Baby Touch
book to their little child. And any baby will love the
touch-and-feel aspects of the books, feeling the soft nose of the
horse, the black stripes on the tiger, the soft white fur of the dog
and textured pink material of daddy elephant. The bright colours are
very attractive and will hold the baby's attention, their simple
shapes and design engaging.
A lot of fun can be had when reading the book, with the adult making
the appropriate noise that goes with each baby animal and its daddy.
There will be lots of neighing with daddy horse, roaring with daddy
tiger, woofing with daddy dog, and tooting with daddy elephant. But
the page that the baby will most love is the last page with its
wonderful mirror with the words, Baby, look. Here you are!
Others in the series are Baby
touch: Opposites and my little grandson's
favourite, Baby
touch: Night-night.
Pat Pledger
The ballad of songbirds and snakes by Suzanne Collins
Scholastic Press 2020. ISBN: 9781743836811.
(Young Adult/Adult). Recommended. Fans of The Hunger Games,
rejoice! Suzanne Collins is back. A decade after the last book in
the original trilogy was published, Collins has finally released a
prequel novel. Set decades before the events of The Hunger Games,
The ballad of songbirds and snakes takes us back to a Panem
that is feverishly preparing for the tenth annual Hunger Games.
Centering on eighteen year old Coriolanus Snow - yes, THAT Snow - we
see this eventual master villain in a new light. Snow is a member of
a once mighty but now fallen family. His only chance to redeem his
house and make a name for himself is to mentor the winning tribute
in this year's Hunger Games. He is therefore appalled when he is
assigned the tribute from District 12, a district that never
produces winners. But the tribute is Lucy Gray Baird, a girl with a
beautiful voice who has captured the attention of the Capitol. Snow
begins to see a way forward working with Lucy but what he does not
expect is for stronger feelings to develop.
While this novel is never going to produce the same levels of
adoration that are still associated with The Hunger Games
trilogy, it is nevertheless an interesting take on a much-maligned
and much-hated character. The book acts as a villain 'origin story'
of sorts and gives readers much greater insight into the background
of Snow. There is perhaps a little too much internal dialogue and
focus on Snow's feelings about what is occurring around him. Fans of
the original series may also find the pacing and tone different from
Collins' previous works. However The ballad of songbirds and
snakes is a worthwhile and engaging read with a very explosive
ending. Themes: Dystopias, Violence, Inequality, Romance, Identity.
Rose Tabeni
Wonder Woman Tempest Tossed by Laurie Halse Anderson
Illus. by Leila Del Duca. DC Comics 2020. ISBN: 9781401286453.
(Age: Upper primary+) Recommended. Lovers of DC Comics' creation Wonder
Woman will recognise the birth story of Princess Diana of
Themyscira on that mythical island populated by Amazons, but in this
story she is celebrating her 16th 'born day' like any other gawky
teenager, hoping she will shed childhood weakness to join the
warrior women of her island. Her gifts include the magical lasso,
bracelets and tiara which will contain Wonder Woman's signature
power but just as the celebrations begin the warrior women are
called to repel mortals who are washing up on the island's shore.
Diana ignores warnings and leaps to their aid, rescuing those in the
sea and returning them to their boats. But her island has
disappeared and she is left to join the refugees in their boats and
experience first-hand their plight when they reach land, as they are
processed and interned in a camp. Her aptitude with languages means
she is able to be of great assistance to the people which attracts
the attention of United Nations inspectors who organise for her to
go to America and study to help refugees. There Diana has to learn
that not all societies are like hers, that there are homeless
people, poverty and injustice in America. She also learns about
being an American teenager, about 'facepox' 'moonbleeding' mood
swings and friendships as well as enjoying parcour and polka. When
she learns about child trafficking she draws on her 'heart strength'
and we see her tap into her superpowers to fight evil.
The graphics are strong and accessible, using varied and interesting
framing and point of view. Important moments occupy double page
spreads and insets and border art keep it lively. Diana is tall,
energetic and relatable as a teenager with clear speech bubbles and
thoughts in blue. The dedication is to refugees and asylum seekers
and the title echoes the inscription on the Statue of Liberty
welcoming exiles. There are resources at the end of the book for
those in need of support. Recommended for upper primary and middle
school lovers of superheroes who may learn something about poverty
and refugee issues.
Themes: Superheroes, Refugees, Justice.
Sue Speck
Roald Dahl: Words by Roald Dahl
Illus. by Quentin Blake, Penguin Random House, 2020. ISBN: 9780241440001.
(Age: 0-4) Highly recommended. Another sturdy board book will bring
joy to both faces of very young children and their parents as they
explore the world of words as illustrated by the wonderful Quentin
Blake, at the same time being introduced to some of the characters
that they will encounter when they begin to read the Roald Dahl
stories.
This is a very colourful, durable board book, which has the addition
of substantial lift the flaps that should stand up to rugged use by
young children. Right from the first page, where children will hear
the instructions, "Up, up and away!" they will have fun finding the
pictures of the words that are read, and then counting the balloons
that are soaring on the page. The engaging crocodile, so familiar to
many adults, is on the next page, and there is a lift-the-flap for
children to uncover a fabulous elephant. The book continues in this
manner, with several pictures and words, fun exclamations and
exciting lift-the-flaps, sure to engage any young child, while they
learn new words and skills.
This is a perfect gift for a young child whose vocabulary will
increase in a very fun way, and all will love the exhortation at the
end, "Never stop reading".
Pat Pledger
Burn by Patrick Ness
Walker Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781406375503.
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. It is 1956, the Cold War is at its
height, and Sarah Dewhurst's father has decided to hire a dragon to
help him work the farm. Sarah and her father are grieving over the
death of Sarah's mother and are finding it difficult to cope and the
arrival of a blue dragon doesn't help matters. Kazimir, the blue
dragon, saves Sarah and her friend Jason Inagawa from a racist
policeman, and then tells Sarah that she is part of a prophecy and
will be instrumental in saving the world. Meanwhile Malcolm, a young
man who is part of a dragon-worshiping cult, is travelling to
assassinate Sarah believing that he will be the one to save the
world.
Ness cleverly combines details of a universe where dragons co-exist
with humans, but where there are alternative universes, where fear
of the Soviet Union using a satellite to spy on the United States
might escalate into a nuclear war, and where racial harassment is
almost a daily event for Sarah and Jason, who are just trying to
survive from day to day. Then he adds a LBGTQIA relationship into
the mix, making Burn a memorable story, both as fantasy and as
historical fiction.
The twisty plot and the surprising creation of an alternative
universe make for exciting reading, as it is impossible for the
reader to predict what is coming next. Scenes of the devastation
that the fierce dragon has wrought across the countryside are vivid.
There are many characters, all deftly fleshed out by Ness. Malcolm's
relationship with Nelson is handled sensitively and the FBI agents,
especially Woolf, are quite fascinating characters. Readers too,
will find the comparison of the actions of the different people in
alternative universes an engrossing plot device from a master in
narrative prose.
Themes of racial discrimination, historical insights into the Cold
War and Japanese internment camps, tension between dragons and
people and gay relationships all make for a fabulous story. Anyone
who loves dragons will be interested in this one and might like to
read on with The
story of Owen: Dragon slayer of Trondheim by E. K.
Johnston.
Pat Pledger
All the science you need to know by age 7 by Katie Daynes
Illus. by Stefano Tognetti. Usborne, 2020. ISBN: 9781474968966.
80pp., hbk.
Little people always have lots of questions about the world around
them - it's how they find out how it works. Often the answers to
those questions lie in quite profound science and relate to topics
like plants, animals, materials, time, weather, forces and energy,
all of which are gathered together with others in this single volume
that provides the basic answers beginning with the premise that a
scientist is one 'who studies the world around us' and therefore
anyone can be one using their powers of observation and some simple
tools.
Author Katie Daynes is a specialist in answering questions
about science for young people and so you can be assured that the
information in the book is pitched at just the right level and
offered in a format that is accessible and appealing. As well as the
colour-coded sections there are also a glossary and an index, both
supporting early information literacy skills as students learn to
navigate nonfiction texts efficiently and effectively. And, as is
common with publications from Usborne, there are curated quicklinks
which provide further information to support
further questions.
This is an ideal text to capitalise on children's natural curiosity,
demystify what science is and open up a whole new world at the same
time. Perhaps an interest piqued today will be the knowledge that
defeats a pandemic tomorrow.
Barbara Braxton
Mermaid School: The clamshell show by Lucy Courtenay
Illus. by Sheena Dempsey. Andersen Press, 2020. ISBN: 9781783448388.
(Ages: 6-9) Recommended. The clamshell show is the second
book in a series of three so far by Lucy Courtenay and is perfect
for those younger children who have a higher reading ability. The
series started with the book Mermaid School which introduces
the main character, Marnie Blue, a girl trying to fit into a new
school and make friends. This second book in the series focusses on
a large-scale school musical production in which Marnie and her
friend Orla vie for the lead role of Queen Marietta. However, there
is a new girl called Gilly who gets the part. Gilly tries to make
friends with Marnie to meet her famous Aunt Christabel Blue and her
friends are suspicious of her motivation. She and her brother seem
more focused on themselves and their rise to stardom than really
putting any effort into the performance for her school. Her actions
put the performance in jeopardy along with the appearance of a human
at the concert venue, leaving Marnie and her friends to pick up the
pieces and save the day. Underlying this storyline is more about
Marnie's famous aunt who is also a singer and her mystery love
interest that has sparked Marnie's curiosity.
The books in this series incorporate aspects of school life that
will be familiar to children but in the unique underwater setting of
the Mermaid world. Aspects of life as a mermaid are well
incorporated including lovely details of the food being eaten and
the beautiful flowing clothing and unique pets in Mermaid Lagoon.
The illustrations that are scattered throughout the book provide
some lovely details of the characters and life in Mermaid Lagoon.
The map at the beginning of each book also adds interest for young
readers to make Mermaid Lagoon come to life for them in these
stories. Themes: Mermaids, Marine animals, Friendship.
Gabrielle Anderson
That's not my narwhal by Fiona Watt
Usborne, 2020. ISBN: 9781474972109. 10pp., board book.
A little board book in this popular series that encourages children
to explore both language through its repetitive text and their sense
of touch through its textured patches actually has the potential to
appeal to a much wider audience as students get ready to enjoy the
2020 Book Week theme of 'Curious Creatures, Wild Minds'.
This almost mythical creature, which actually lives in the cold
waters of Greenland, Canada, and Russia, is rapidly becoming the
'creature-du-jour' with young readers looking for something more
exotic than the unicorn which has become a bit ho-hum. So even
though this book in this popular series explores why none of the
five narwhals depicted is the reader's narwhal, the question that
begs to be answered is, 'What IS a narwhal?', a question that could
spark an interesting investigation and perhaps lead to a
presentation entitled This is My Narwhal satisfying the Critical and
Creative Thinking outcomes of the Inquiry strand, as they pose
questions to identify, explore and organise information and ideas.
I love discovering books written for littlies that have application
across the ages and this is surely one of them, and a most timely
release.
Barbara Braxton
