Illus. by Tamsin Ainslie. Walker Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781760650421.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Each section of this charming book
begins, 'Audrey found Lion', and goes on to tell us what Lion has
with him, prompting Audrey to ask the same question about what Lion
has: a balloon, a cake, a hat, and so on. And each question leads to
information about the Lion. It is not his birthday but it is soon he
says and he likes Tuesdays and coconut, and orange and yellow, while
Audrey adds purple. Audrey adds other things she likes as well, and
they celebrate the things they like together.
But one day Lion is not celebrating anything: he tells Audrey this
is just an ordinary day. So she goes away to find things that are
ordinary but have made their days extraordinary. She makes bunting
and cuts up paper to fill a jar with colour; she makes them hats,
and brings out her musical instruments. Lion comes along to see what
she is doing and they play together, making the day anything but
ordinary, the two working together to make it joyous.
The pen and watercolour illustrations sparkle depicting the
friendship between the two characters as they play together,
discussing the things they both like. One might like yellow, and one
purple, but both colours are included in their play. One likes
Tuesdays and the other adds Thursdays, and they both like coconut
and cake.
Pages are filled with the detail of the play area, and younger
readers will love spotting things they like to play with, and
recognise things they could make easily to brighten someone's day.
A book which encourages playing together, but also to alert children
that sometimes their friends might not be as happy as they usually
are, and give them a remedy to help them have a happier day. I love
the sparse text, brimming with subtle overtones, encouraging
children to be more aware of how their friends are feeling. Themes:
Depression, Sharing, Friendship, Mental health, Well being, Baking.
Teacher's
notes are available.
Fran Knight
Monstrous devices by Damien Love
Rock the Boat, 2020. ISBN: 9781786077523. 338pp.
(Age: 10-14) Recommended. There is mystery and plenty of action in
this story with 12 year old Alex as the central character. He lives
with his mother in London, is regularly bullied by fellow student
Kenzie and life isn't particularly remarkable until the arrival of a
package from his Grandfather in Europe. It contains an old tin
wind-up robot, which Alex suspects has special powers over him. His
Grandfather returns as a group of villains turn up who are desperate
to get their hands on the tin robot, which Alex keeps in his care.
All manner of robots, including flying ones and human size robots
called life-sizers pursue and attack Alex and his Grandfather. Their
search for help takes them to France and then Poland. The toy robot
is revealed to be valuable and it has a connection to Golem, a clay
creature which has been lying dormant and will be unleashed for evil
purposes by the villains. Alex has to learn to trust his Grandfather
no matter that he doesn't tell Alex the whole story. Alex believes
two of the villains are his relatives, which is never resolved and
potentially provides a segue into a second book in the series. Monstrous devices is nail-biting escapism and with such
visual action you can imagine it as a film. There is a hint of the
old world of toy shops and Dickensian characters. The
Grandfather carries a Gladstone bag and uses his cane like a
weapon. He says things like "old boy" when talking to Alex. It will
appeal to readers of the Artemis Fowl or Alex Rider
series with a similar smart, young male hero, bad guys and its
gadgetry. Its main theme is good versus evil but Alex must
confront his own internal demons and his Grandfather is also no
angel. There is some consideration of robots and AI being used for
evil purposes, which is of course a contemporary dilemma. This is a
fairly long read which will suit a more confident reader.
Jo Marshall
Peter hops aboard by Katie Woolley
Illus. by Eleanor Taylor. Puffin, 2020. ISBN: 9780241410813. Board
book.
(Age: 0-5) Recommended. Based on Beatrix Potter's iconic characters
and illustrations, the young child will happily follow Peter Rabbit
and his family as they have a lovely picnic by the pond. Peter
decides to build a raft and his family wants to help. Flopsy is good
at plaiting reeds, Mopsy could find a stick for the mast, and
Cotton-Tail could puff into the sail to push the boat along. However
Peter decided that he could make his own raft without any
assistance. Unfortunately it was flawed and began to sink. Indeed he
needed to be rescued out of the water by Mr Jeremy Fisher, and
discovered that his friends' expertise to make a raft that would not
sink was essential. He just needed to ask for help.
Eleanor Taylor's illustrations reflect Potter's beautiful originals
and make this book a lovely one to look at and examine. The rabbit
family are done in gorgeous pastels and the young child will enjoy
following the efforts of the rabbits to build a raft. On the way
they will learn that sometimes it is best to use everyone's
expertise to get a job done, and that it is always OK to ask for
help.
Pat Pledger
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
Bloomsbury, 2019. ISBN: 9781408883358.
(Age: Young Adult/Adult) Highly recommended. Fans of Samantha
Shannon's The
Bone Season series will be both delighted and surprised
at her latest offering; fantasy epic The Priory of the Orange
Tree. A stark departure from the supernatural dystopia of her
previous series, Priory is a confident and ambitious entry
into the rarefied world of high fantasy. The book alternates between
multiple characters: Ead, lady-in-waiting to the powerful Queen
Sabran, charged to secretly protect the royal from increasing
danger; Tane, an orphan who has trained from birth to ride dragons
and defend her people; Loth, a privileged noble sent to a dangerous
land to achieve an impossible task; Dr Niclays Roos, a disgraced
alchemist banished to the ends of the earth, who finds himself
caught up in the political machinations of entire nations. Tying all
these compelling characters together is the whisper that after one
thousand years of peace and prosperity an ancient and dangerous race
of dragons, led by the Nameless One, is about to reawaken from its
forced slumber. Priory is a story of East vs West, good vs evil, religion vs
history and deceit vs truth. In this respect, it fits in comfortably
with the well-established tropes of high fantasy. However, Priory
is also a story for contemporary times. It is an epic with a
feminist and queer twist. Characters are of diverse backgrounds and
religions and relationships are varied and complex. While mythical
creatures and perilous journeys abound, Priory is also a
product of its time, in an era when writing cannot help but be
influenced by the world it was created in. This book is highly
recommended for both established fantasy fans and those seeking an
entry into a genre that might have previously seemed distant or
irrelevant to modern life. Themes: Feminism, War, Religion, Love,
Friendship, Dragons, Mythical Creatures.
Rose Tabeni
Please See Us by Caitlin Mullen
Simon and Schuster, 2020. ISBN: 9781982152581.
(Age: Senior secondary/adult) Highly recommended. Lily returns to
Atlantic City, where she grew up, after her relationship and her job
in New York finished. Atlantic City seems to reflect her condition,
she has lost confidence in her self and is drinking too much, while
her home town is slowly shutting down. The casinos are closing and
the hotels and beach front along the board walk are looking shabby.
The populace seem aimless and shell shocked, while the number of
homeless is ever growing.
Lily does find work in an up market spa as a receptionist but finds
the work unrewarding, and her work place is struggling to survive in
a city with few rich clientele. She does find two people she can
relate with, Emily who works with her at the spa and a young girl
Clara Voyant a psychic who works on the boardwalk.
The reader also hears from the Jane Does who lie in the marshy area
behind the run down seedy Sunset Motel. All have come to Atlantic
City seeking some sort of dream or escape. But all are quickly
disappointed and turn to the only option which is open to young
girls with no connections and little money. There is only one person
who does notice them and he is a serial killer.
Clara has read the tarot cards with some of them or with family who
have come to search for them and she begins to catch glimpses of
their lives as well as fractured flashes of their deaths. These
visions are sudden and increase in frequency and often leave her
vulnerable and frightened. She and Lily try to help Peaches a young
prostitute who has decided to get out of town and return home. Clara
has become increasingly disturbed by her visions and believes
Peaches is in danger, but she seems to have disappeared - neither
can find her in her usual haunts. Lily's coworker also seems to have
gone missing. Emily has given no insight into her life outside the
spa, and her dreams of college and further education require far
more money then she can earn at the spa.
Both Clara and Lily's lives are endangered as they find themselves
embroiled in the seedy underworld of Atlantic City. It is only by a
hair's breadth that Lily doesn't become yet another victim to be
left in the marsh behind the Sunset Motel.
This is Caitlin Mullen's debut novel, which is disturbing yet
satisfying at the same time. There is great sympathy for the two
main characters Lily and Clara who have been used and abused by
those they loved and relied upon. The setting of Atlantic City is
also a marvellous feature of the novel, its faded glory, peeling
veneer of the casinos and once swanky hotels now closed or providing
packages for much less well heeled small town Americans. A
disturbing insight into the underbelly of the USA and a pause for
thought for those who live in the shadows. Themes: Crime fiction,
Atlantic City (USA), Casinos, Serial killers.
A page turner.
Mark Knight
The Bad Guys Episode 11: Dawn of the Underlord by Aaron Blabey
Scholastic, 2020. ISBN: 9781760668662.
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. Aaron Blabey brings his superb
illustrations back in the 11th episode featuring the Bad Guys. It is
time to party but Mr Snake decides to lock himself away and ignore
his friends. When a voice instructs him to open a doorway and gain
untold power he can't resist and what results is mayhem and evil.
Fans of the series will adore this episode and those new to it are
given enough context to read it as a stand-alone. The illustrations
are fantastic and so witty and humorous. I loved the party scene
where there are enormous splashes and skateboarding. The expressions
on all the characters are fabulous and the use if bold black print
in different sizes is wonderful for creating the scenes of evil as
Mr Snake unleashes evil on the world. As always there are puns
galore and I especially liked the description of the steps that were
taken as a celebrity - make your own record label and fashion label,
own a basketball team, cooking show and fragrance and become a music
producer. And then there is that ending that is such a cliff-hanger,
leaving readers desperately waiting for episode 12!
This series is sure to attract readers of all ages and won't stay on
the shelves in any library for very long.
Pat Pledger
The Pear Affair by Judith Eagle
Illus. by Kim Geyer. Faber & Faber. 2020. ISBN: 9780571346851.
288pp
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. What a beautifully written mystery for
young readers, who will delight in the sights and smells of Paris as
Penelope Magnificent tries to find Perrine, nicknamed Pear, the au
pair that her parents had sent away. Pear had promised to take her
away from her awful parents but her letters had stopped six months
ago and Nell is determined to find her. When her parents take her to
Paris, she befriends a young bellboy, Xav, at her posh hotel and
with a group of friends explores the Paris catacombs and tries to
uncover what has happened to Pear.
Readers are very fortunate - they have the joy of following not just
one mystery but two in this adventurous romp through Paris. Not only
does Nell have trouble finding Pear, but all the bakeries in Paris
are suffering from a strange spore called the Thing which makes
their bread and cakes go mouldy. How is this happening and why are
the Pain-tastique bakeries not suffering from the same trouble?
Eagle's characters are well developed and believable. Nell is such a
determined girl and the characters of the children and adults she
meets are beautifully created. And what horrors her parents are -
readers will shudder at their uncaring ways and really want the
beloved Pear to be found.
Readers who enjoy action and adventure will enjoy the thrills of the
chase as Nell's group works out what is happening. There are lots of
heart-stopping moments, especially when Nell is crawling around in
the dark in the Paris catacombs and when she is captured and held
prisoner. A believable happy ending will also satisfy readers and
the black and white illustrations by Kim Geyer bring the Paris of
bakeries, fashion and underground homes to life.
Those who enjoyed this may like to read Rooftoppers
by Katherine Rundell. Themes include betrayal, friendship, greed and
mapping.
Pat Pledger
The very hungry caterpillar's hide and seek by Eric Carle
Puffin, 2020. ISBN: 9780241425657. Board book.
(Age: 0+) Highly recommended. Lovers of The very hungry
caterpillar are in for a real treat with this latest offering
showing what lives in the forest and finally where the little
caterpillar hides. As always the illustrations are exquisite; bright
colours pop out from the pages and all the animals in the forest are
beautifully depicted, each having their own personality, and are so
happy and active.
Starting with bees the large sturdy lift-the-flap show a bright
yellow hive: Who is in the forest where it's bright and sunny? Busy, buzzing bees making tasty honey!
Other scenes show little green frogs leaping, and a large brown duck
looking for food, wild birds soaring in the sky, fluffy mice
underground and a fox prowling in the woods.
All the flaps are very well made and will stay the distance for
little fingers that will want to lift them again and again. The
young child will have fun searching for the very hungry caterpillar
on different pages, and the lovely verse is ideal for adults to read
aloud and enjoy.
There is much in this book to delight over - animals to name, little
creatures to find and time to discuss animal habitats and as the
cover states, a finger trail for little fingers to follow.
This is a book that is sure to be a favourite and one to keep for
the next generation.
Pat Pledger
Little disasters by Sarah Vaughan
Simon and Schuster, 2020. ISBN: 9781471194900
(Ages: Senior secondary/Adult) Recommended. Sarah Vaughan's latest
book deals with issues which are familiar to anyone who has been or
is a parent. It is only a matter of degree as to the effects
parenting has on the family. A group of friends who met at antenatal
classes seem on the surface to be successful, financially and
socially, but all harbour secrets and their veneer of contentment
hides self doubt to varying extents.
Jess and Liz's contact has lessened recently. Liz has a demanding
job as a paediatrician in a London NHS hospital, her shifts and
rosters mean she has little time for her friends and at times even
for her own young family. While Jess is a stay-at-home mother who
has recently given birth to her third child, she seems to all who
know her to be the perfect mother. Her home is always ordered. When
she entertains all is considered, thoughtful and beautifully
presented. She is a wonderful mother, successfully dealing with her
second child Frankie who is demanding and hyperactive.
However Jess is not coping - she is finding her baby Betsey
difficult. She finds herself caught up in a regime of cleaning,
sterilising, tidying and ensuring her home is a safe place. All at
the expense of emotional support not only of Betsey but her other
children. Her husband Ed has always left the child rearing to her
and spends much of his time at work and lately has avoided coming
home to where he increasingly feels an outsider.
Alarm bells ring when Betsey is admitted to hospital and Liz is on
duty. Betsey has a fractured skull and protocols demand police and
social services are called. Suspicions are roused and Liz finds
herself in a precarious position. She cannot believe that her friend
would ever harm her baby, but also feels Jess is not telling the
whole truth about the circumstances of her baby's injury.
The incident triggers Liz's own childhood memories of her mother, a
distant cold figure struggling with two children while running a
cafe. The treatment of her brother's serious burn injury has always
been cause for distress. These thoughts come into focus when her
mother's health begins to fail and she confides a long held secret
to her.
The truth about Betsey's injury eventually comes out. There are
guilty feelings by those close to Jess, who were unable to see she
was not coping. Even after Betsey's hospitalisation it takes some
time before it is recognised that Jess is in need of mental health
support. Little disasters highlights the need for support for
parenting. There are always doubts when trying to deal with children
and how unprepared we are to cope with childrearing. Especially when
expectations around children and their development are
highlighted in the media. Many parents may be worried that they are
perceived as failures or inadequate in comparison to their peers.
This story highlights the difference between reality and perception
and makes a plea for greater understanding for all parents. Themes:
Crime fiction, Parenting, Friendship.
Mark Knight
What stars are made of by Sarah Allen
Puffin Books, 2020. ISBN: 9780241427965.
(Ages: 10+) Highly recommended. Twelve year old Libby Munroe has
Turner Syndrome. She is missing a chromosome, her heart is three
times too big for her body and she copes with other physical and
neurological conditions that become evident throughout the story.
Added to this Libby has incredible resilience and stamina, a
brilliant brain and a love of all things Science related. Her
parents are her greatest supporters as well as her older married
sister Nonny who lives in another state but returns home when her
husband is retrenched. Nonny is pregnant and this becomes a worrying
time for Libby. She comes up with a plan to support her sister and
keep the baby safe. Libby excels in her school work and when the
opportunity arises to take part in a national Smithsonian Women in
STEM contest Libby utilises this to firstly study her favourite
female scientist Cecilia Payne and secondly to help Nonny's family.
This is not an easy path chosen by Libby and along the way she
builds a relationship with her American History teacher Ms Trepky,
and more importantly finds friendship with the new girl Talia who is
subjected to bullying and like Libby struggles to be accepted. This
is Libby's first real experience of friendship and both girls
support each other through difficult times.
There are some challenging events in the story and the clever use of
short chapters to convey the seriousness of one such event gives the
reader a distinct indication of the possible heartbreak to come. The
author Sarah Allen has Turner Syndrome and the details that she
shares naturally with the reader leads to a growing understanding of
the complexities of the condition.
Libby is an endearing and honest character whose telling of the
story will engage the reader to the very end. The story is cleverly
told in the first person narrative and the reader will feel Libby's
heartfelt attempts at friendships, her disappointments and
struggles, and her deep love and concern for her family. Themes:
Family, Turner Syndrome, Medical Conditions, Friendship, School
Bullying, STEM.
Kathryn Beilby
World of the Five Gods: Penric & Desdemona series by Lois McMaster Bujold
Penric's Travels. Baen, 2020. ISBN: 9781982124571. Penric's Progress. Baen Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781982124298. The Physicians of Vilnoc. Spectrum Literary Agency, 2020.
ASIN B088D695MK.
(Age 15+) Highly recommended. I am a fan of any work by Lois
McMaster Bujold who writes with wit, warmth and always has a unique
world. In this series of novellas the reader follows the adventures
of young Lord Penric who when stopping to help at an accident of a
Temple divine, is overtaken by the five demons that reside within
her. These strange powers change the course of his life. He finds
himself studying to become a Divine and a scholar and is called upon
to solve mysteries and problems in his world with the aid of his
demon Desdemona.
First published as e-books, the first three novellas have been
published in hardback as Penric's Travels, and include the
Hugo nominations Penric's Demon and Penric and the
Shaman. The next three have been published in Penric's
Progress, and the latest two, The orphans of Raspray
and The Physicians of Vilnoc as e-books. The Physicians
of Vilnoc has Penric called to solve the reason that an
epidemic has struck the army fort of Vilnoc, and with the help of
dedicated colleagues, he must root out the origins of the deadly
plague. Readers who are familiar with the series can read this
comfortably in difficult times, as Penric although facing severe
trials, is usually triumphant.
All the novellas feature Penric and Desdemona and their witty
interactions often bring a smile to the face as they face adversity
and adventure. They are easy to read, well written novellas and for
readers who like a hard copy the collections will be a boon. The
novellas are set in the world of the Hugo winning fantasy series, Chalion,
and readers may want to pursue The curse of Chalion and Paladin
of souls.
Pat Pledger
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
Puffin, 2020. ISBN: 9780241387177. 277 pp.
(Age: 10+) Many readers will remember the popularity of the 12 year
old genius, Artemis Fowl, introduced in the first book of eight
fantasy novels, who wants to capture one of the Fairy People and
hold her to ransom in order to restore his family's fortune. This is
not an easy task - Artemis' skills (ingenuity, confidence and
courage, plus a gift for decoding Fairy messages) will be enlisted
on all levels. This makes for an exciting, face-paced and often
humorous read and, obviously, for all new readers (which there will
be), there are the joys ahead of reading the seven books which
followed the original. This is a special edition of the first story
issued in 2001, coinciding with the imminent release of the film, Artemis
Fowl (Disney), produced and directed by Kenneth Branagh. It
contains a new author's note, a letter from the Branagh and photos
from the film. Artemis Fowl is set to appeal to a new
generation of readers, the older ones of us included.
Julie Wells
The Night Country by Melissa Albert
Penguin Random House UK, 2020. ISBN: 9780241370285.
(Age: Young Adult/Adult). Recommended. The Night Country,
sequel to Melissa Albert's 2018 debut The
Hazel Wood, is a dark and twisted tale of murder,
friendship and the search for belonging. Part fairy tale, part urban
fantasy, part horror, this book is recommended for older teens and
adults. The Night Country continues the story of Alice Proserpine,
the former fairy tale character or 'Story' after her escape from the
realm known as the Hinterland. Alice enrols in high school, gets a
job at a bookstore and tries to put the past behind her as she
navigates life as a teen in New York City. Her attempt at normalcy
soon derails however when former Hinterland residents begin to
gruesomely die and Alice becomes the chief suspect. Forced back into
a world that she tried to forget, Alice begins a desperate search to
find a murderer, save her friends and prove her innocence. The Night Country is also the story of Ellery Finch, Alice's
former classmate and love interest. While Alice fled, Finch remained
behind in the Hinterland; trapped in a world that is disintegrating
around him. Desperate to return to both New York and Alice, Finch
embarks on his own perilous journey of understanding as he tries to
find his way home. The narrative alternates between Alice and
Finch's viewpoints, weaving their story lines together and
culminating in a clever climax and conclusion. The Night Country is a unique but very enjoyable young adult
novel. Albert's macabre take on the fairy tale genre may be
unsettling for some younger readers but, ultimately, The Night
Country is a bloody and brilliant conclusion to Alice and
Finch's story. Themes: Fairy Tales, Death, Identity, Love,
Friendship, New York City.
Rose Tabeni
First, we make the beast beautiful by Sarah Wilson
MacMillan, 2017. ISBN: 9781743535868.
(Age: Adult) A book for the times, perhaps, a reprint of Sarah
Wilson's book about anxiety has now been published. Over-researched
and wordy, the book is a mix of un-referenced research snippets,
therapy ideas and confessional anecdotes. It rattles along at the
pace of a hyper-anxious mind. Wilson makes her references available
on her website but there
is no numbering of notes and the curious reader just has page
numbers and the lead-in words of a sentence to try to find relevant
sources. Yet as a self-help book it seems to have resonated with
many if one can go by the comments collected in the preface and
online. There are so many ideas, it is almost inevitable that there
will be something worth taking away, so anxiety sufferers will
probably recognise some shared experiences and find suggestions for
ways to live with their anxiety. On the last page there is a list of
professional sources of help.
Themes: Anxiety, Obsessive compulsive disorder, Mental illness.
Helen Eddy
The list of things that will not change by Rebecca Stead
Text Publishing, 2020. ISBN: 9781922268679.
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Rebecca Stead is a favourite author
of mine, and she always writes with warmth and compassion about
difficult topics. In this book she looks at the effects that divorce
can have on a child and the notion of what makes a family. Bea keeps
a list of things that will not change after her parents have
divorced. Most important, both will still love her and she is happy
when Dad decides to marry his boyfriend Jesse. She is thrilled at
the idea of having a sister, even though Jesse's daughter Sonia,
lives far away. She writes a series of letters to her, but Sonia
finds it more difficult to fit into Bea's new family.
Bea's visits to a counsellor and the insights she gains there about
her past actions and how she can manage her fears will resonate with
middle grade readers, while appreciating the love that both parents
give Bea. Stead does not paper over the difficulties of children who
belong to families that are not the norm, but the love that the
adults give Bea shines through the story and the support that she
receives from them and her friends is heart-warming. Children who
belong to families with two dads, or two mums, will be strengthened
by this insightful portrayal of family love and children who belong
to traditional families will gain an understanding of family love
and the importance of friends helping each other.
It is a story that demonstrates tolerance, resilience and empathy
and would make a wonderful literature circle novel, as would others
by Stead, including the award winning When
you reach me, Liar
and spy, Goodbye
stranger and Bob. Teacher's
notes are available.
Pat Pledger
