Illus. by Alice Bowsher. Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2019. ISBN:
9781408899175.
(Age: 5-12 years) Highly recommended. On her website Emily Grossman says 'My
aim is to show people just how exciting science is, and to make it
more accessible by explaining complex concepts in a fun and engaging
way.' Her book, Brian-fizzing facts, meets this aim
extremely well, answering those questions many children ask but that
adults do not know how to answer, e.g., could thinking make you
stronger; which animal has the strongest bite; why does dog urine
glow under UV light; and everything you probably never wanted to
know about farting but that most kids would love to discover. Her
question and answer format is written in very accessible language
and is interesting to read and easy to understand. Every page of
this book has interesting and fun facts complemented by the amusing
illustrations of Alice Bowsher. The format of cartoon-type drawings
in greyscale invites the reader to browse the questions and
multiple-choice answers that pepper the book. One example I enjoyed
gives possible answers to the question Where would you find the
strongest muscle in your body? a. Your heart, b. your jaw, c. your
calf or d. your bottom. Complete answers to each of these
possibilities fill the following five pages with a multitude of
facts in a way that draws the reader into the text.
This book would be a great addition to personal as well as classroom
libraries. It is a useful reference tool and a good book to pick up
and browse at any time.
Jan Barwick
Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire
Wayward Children book 3. St Martin's Press, 2018. ISBN:
9780765393586. 176p.
(Age: 15+) Recommended for fantasy lovers. Anyone who loves baking
and the idea of a world called Confection and made of sweets, will
delight in this whimsical and unique story. Rini comes from the land
of Confection to Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children searching
for her mother Sumi, and is appalled to find that she died years
before she was conceived. Reality doesn't get in the way and with
Cora, Kade and Nadya she goes on a quest to find her mother.
The first two books in the series, Every
heart a doorway and Down
among the sticks and bones, were very dark but McGuire strikes
a lighter tone in Beneath the sugar sky, as perhaps could be
expected with the land of Confection being a star in the story.
McGuire also explores how Cora feels about the way people treat her
for being fat and makes some pertinent and telling comments about
that.
At 176 pages, this was a quick but complex read. It is advertised as
a stand alone and can be read as such, but familiarity with some of
the characters and the Home for Wayward Children would enhance the
enjoyment of the story. With a raft of award nominations (Hugo Award
Nominee for Best Novella (2019), World Fantasy Award Nominee for
Best Novella (2019), Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Fantasy
(2018)), it is one to pick up, with two more in the series to
follow, In an Absent Dream (2019) and Come Tumbling Down
(2020).
Fans will have a feast reading about the strange and unusual worlds
that McGuire creates.
Pat Pledger
A single thread by Tracy Chevalier
HarperCollins, 2019. ISBN: 9780008153823.
(Age: Senior secondary - Adult) Highly recommended. It is 1932 and
Violet Speedwell, whose fiance and brother were killed in the Great
War, has become a 'surplus woman', doomed to be a spinster because
of the demise of a generation of young men. In an effort to become
independent she leaves her family home and goes to Winchester where
she joins a society of broderers who are embroidering kneelers and
cushions for Winchester Cathedral. It is here that she makes friends
and begins to make a new life.
I am a great fan of Tracy Chevalier's stories and her wonderful
ability to describe the lives of women, while giving a snapshot of
the history of the time. In A single thread, Chevalier
weaves the story of how the fictional Violet becomes independent,
twining it with the real life of Louisa Pesel, who was asked to
design the cushions and runners that can still be seen in the
Cathedral today. The group of broderers becomes Violet's mainstay,
fending off loneliness with the friendship of Gilda and Dorothy and
the calm helpfulness of Louisa Pesel.
I loved the descriptions of the embroidery and was fascinated to
learn of the fylfots that were a border on the vestments of the
effigy of 14th century Bishop Wodeloke, and how the Nazis took the
fylfot symbol as their own swastika. Chevalier writes about Louisa
Pesel and embroidery on the author's
website.
The details of the art of bell ringing were so graphic that a reader
could almost hear the bells pealing. And it was the understated way
that Chevalier describes how women were treated in the 1930's that
is most poignant and memorable, as she tells of the struggle
of Violet to find love and make a family of her own and of Gilda and
Dorothy's love for each other. Family life and the loss of a child
and the devastation it leaves behind are also described in a very
moving way.
A quote from Geraldine Brooks on the back cover sums it up:
'Chevalier is a master at foregrounding the small, dramatic stories
of overlooked people from the past.' An interview with Chevalier is
available on the NPR
website.
This is a gentle and engrossing novel that nevertheless touches on
complex themes, that of women's sexuality, the plight of the
unmarried mother and the importance and difficulties of family life.
It is one too that celebrates the beauty of Winchester Cathedral's
embroidered cushions and runners and the talent of the women artists
who designed and made them.
Pat Pledger
Supernova by Marissa Meyer
Renegades series. Pan Macmillan, 2019. ISBN: 9781760787394.
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. Supernova is the long-awaited
conclusion of the Renegades series. Set in a world where
prodigies are rife and the war between good and evil is continuing
to rage; Supernova follows the problematic romance between
an anarchist and a renegade as they try and negotiate a way peaceful
way forward and out of the wars of the past.
Having stolen Ace Anarchy's helmet from the Renegades in the
previous novel, Nightmare's Renegade disguise as Insomnia is growing
increasingly precarious. Unsure how much longer she has as her
good-girl alias, Nova dreads the moment when Adrian will see her for
who she truly is - a villain. Her time with the Renegades is
starting to make her question her own beliefs. Previously a staunch
Anarchist, Nova starts to question if Anarchy is really the solution
to the problems in Galton City.
Adrian's little brother was badly injured during the break-in at
Renegade headquarters and despite his innovative tattoos Adrian
can't let his Dad know he's been to see Max without revealing his
identity as The Sentential. Switching between identities, Adrian is
struggling to keep his secret but knows better than to reveal
himself as the vigilante super-hero. Having idolised the Renegades
his entire life, Adrian finds himself questioning if they are the
great force of good they present themselves as. Supernova is the perfect combination of superheroes and
star-crossed lovers. An enjoyable novel, I would highly recommend to
lovers of superheroes and dystopian novels. Inevitable dealing with
questions of right and wrong, Marissa Meyer presents arguments for
and against the need for order and leads the reader towards the need
for peaceful non-violent solutions.
Kayla Gaskell
Sorcery of thorns by Margaret Rogerson
Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781534445383.
(Age: 14+) Recommended. An exciting book that will tantalise book
lovers! Elisabeth has grown up in a Great Library where magical
grimoires are chained and book lice scuttle along the skirting
boards. If provoked they can turn into monsters creating
devastation. Elisabeth is desperate to become a warden but after
facing down one of the grimoires, she is accused of treason and sent
to the capital to face justice. Nathaniel a young sorcerer escorts
her there and together they begin to realise that much is at stake
for the country. Accompanied by Nathaniel's demon, Silas, they
battle to save the Great Libraries and their nation as well.
Elisabeth is a feisty young woman who has a clear sense of right and
wrong and she doesn't shirk her duty to the Libraries and her
country even when it is very difficult and dangerous. There are many
thrilling battles, when armed with her sword Demonslayer, she fights
off grimoires and other enemies. Heart stopping episodes draw the
reader in as she tries to prove her innocence and control her
powers.
The slow burning romance between Nathaniel and Elisabeth is a
subplot in this sweeping fantasy but will satisfy readers who will
be interested in the themes of loyalty, how perceptions can change
and the difficulties of being true to oneself.
Witty and often hilarious dialogue is a standout feature of the book
and the contrast between Nathaniel's sly asides and Elisabeth's
serious nature is beautifully written.
There is much to like about Sorcery of thorns, not least the
descriptions of all the magical books and the Great Libraries. I
will certainly pick up other books by Margaret Rogerson.
Pat Pledger
The turn of the key by Ruth Ware
Vintage Publishing, 2019. ISBN: 9781787300446.
(Age: 16+) Recommended. Wow! What a compulsive read this was. From
the first page the reader was drawn into the life of Rowan Caine,
writing to her lawyer from prison. She had been a nanny in a
luxurious house in the Scottish Highlands and thought she had the
perfect job, but instead finds herself in prison accused of
murdering one of the children in her care. Her letters reveal
gradually reveal her life as a nanny as she tries to describe to her
lawyer just what happened to bring about the death of a child.
Rowan is an unreliable narrator and the reader is left trying to
unravel all of the events that had happened. Who was making the
weird sounds that had frightened away so many of the previous
nannies? What was the significance of the Poison Garden? Why wasn't
the death recorded by the smart house that kept everything on
constant surveillance? Who was Jack Grant the quiet handyman?
Needless to say, all these twists and turns kept me glued to the
last page, and the conclusion is one that will have readers
discussing it in fine detail. This was a compelling thriller,
written by an author whose books I will be picking up from now on.
Pat Pledger
The wind in the wall by Sally Gardner
Illus. by Rovina Cai. Hot Key Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781471404986.
(Ages: 15+) Highly recommended. Themes: Fantasy, Myth, Fairy
tale, Cautionary tale, Pineapples. In this new cautionary tale
reading like a fairy tale of old, Sally Gardner tells the tale of a
gardener in the employ of the Duke of Northumberland. The duke is
desperate to grow and raise a pineapple and employs the gardener to
take charge of the hothouse and the plant.
From page one we know that this hapless gardener is imprisoned and
read on to find out how and why he is thus ensconced.
Because he could not grow a pineapple, the duke demotes him to be
his wife's gardener, in charge of the flower garden, a position he
does not like. And a new person is employed to grow a pineapple. But
Mr Amicus arouses suspicion. Just what is in the birdcage he takes
into his house, and why is the hothouse filled with light at night?
And just how does he manage to grow a pineapple?
The gardener creeps to the hothouse at night and spies a naked
woman, surrounded by green feathers, imprisoned in the birdcage,
tapping all the while on its bars. Mr Amicus wears the same sort of
feather in his hat. He drunkenly returns and warns the gardener to
stay away from the hothouse and his wife. Shocked, the gardener
retreats, but one night after a summer storm a tree crashes onto the
hothouse and the birdcage is emptied. Later a tapping on his door
reveals the woman and they spend the night together, she offering
the gardener one wish in return for his kindness, but warns him to
choose wisely.
The next day Mr Amicus comes looking for her and chases the gardener
into the walled garden, where he uses his one wish unwisely and is
forever trapped.
This is a wonderfully engrossing tale, full of magic and humour, of
desire, greed, infatuation, ambition . . . all those tenets that sit
well in cautionary tales. Here the story warns us to be careful of
what we wish for, with the gardener finding himself trapped for life
behind a wall.
Stunning illustrations by Rovina Cai, a masters graduate from the
School of Visual Arts in New York, who now lives in Australia,
parallel the text, sweeping the eyes across every page, the turning
of which offers a new delight every time.
Fran Knight
A guinea pig nutcracker by Alex Goodwin
Photography by Phillip Beresford. Guinea Pig Classics
series. Bloomsbury, 2019. ISBN: 9781635574500.
(Age: 3-8) Recommended. Themes: The Nutcracker, Guinea pigs, Christmas, Classic
stories. This is part of the Guinea Pig Classics series, in
which Classic stories such as Pride and prejudice and A
Christmas carol are told using photographs of dressed-up and
staged guinea pigs. It's a curious concept but one that will
introduce a new generation of young children to some of the
best-loved and enduring stories of the modern world. It is
presented, fittingly, as a performance, starting with an audience
address: 'Dear members of the audience, please take your seats.
Tonight's performance of The Nutcracker is about to begin'. Italics
cleverly alert the reader to the musical accompaniment: 'The double
bass rumbles', 'Ting! Ting! Ting!' The text itself is short,
fast-paced and focused on the action. We are even told of the ballet
moves being performed, putting glorious images in the mind of
swift-footed guinea pigs(!): 'They perform effortless pirouettes,
their feet barely touching the ground.' After the story is a list of
the guinea pig performers and their photographs (as you would find
in a performance program) as well as a very short history of the
Nutcracker ballet.
The small format of the book suits the cuteness of the concept
perfectly and little animal lovers will adore the beautifully
dressed up guinea pigs in their crowns and top hats, not to mention
the land of sweets! This is a great introduction to the Nutcracker
story, especially for little ballet dancers or for reading before
seeing the play.
Nicole Nelson
The twelve days of Christmas with Roald Dahl: Festive things to make and do by Lauren Holowaty
Penguin, 2019. ISBN: 9780241428122.
(Age: 7+). Themes: Art, Craft, Recipes, Humour, Jokes, Games. On the First day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . .
One Matilda in the Library
Two Smelly Twits
Three Naughty Muggle-Wumps
Four Repulsant Snozzcumbers
Five Golden tickets
Six Cunning Foxes
Seven Gigantuous insects
Eight Crafty Crocodiles
Nine Spoonfuls of Medicine
Ten Chomping Tortoises
Eleven Foulsome Witches
Twelve Twistmas Tales
From the list of the contents headings above be prepared for a
humorous and entertaining addition to this year's Christmas books.
This is a clever publication of activities based upon many of Roald
Dahl's popular stories and will be an instant hit with his legion of
fans, both young and old. Scattered throughout the book are Roald
Dahl's thoughts on Christmas activities and ideas as well as a
passage he wrote about December from My year.
The book is able to be written and drawn in, as well as the
opportunity to colour pages and complete activities in the reader's
own way. There are recipes to follow, tricks to play and presents to
make. Some of the ideas include: A recipe for Chocolate and Brussel
Sprout Pie, Festive Frobscottle, Giant Peach Pinata, Grandma
Kranky's Guide to A Kranky Christmas, Witches Glove Wreath, Wormy
Spaghetti, Matilda's Clever Christmas Spinners, to name but a few! The twelve days of Christmas with Roald Dahl would be a great
stocking filler or an excellent gift for someone who has everything!
Kathryn Beilby
Harry Potter: Spells and charms: A movie scrapbook by Warner Brothers
Bloomsbury Publishing Australia, 2019. ISBN: 9781526613189.
(Age: 8+). Themes: Movies, Fantasy, Spells, Charms. Fans of Harry
Potter novels and movies will value this latest non-fiction book in
the ever popular phenomenon that is Harry Potter. It is written and
presented as a scrapbook and is full of photographs from the movies
- and from behind the scenes. There are also inserts and
illustrations capturing many of the key moments in the Harry Potter
series. It gives detailed information about different scenes and the
spells and chants used throughout the stories, such as the Duelling
Club Spells, Spells taught to Dumbledore's army and Unforgivable
Curses to name a few. On each page of the different spells there is
information regarding the intention of the spell, who used the
spells and in which book they were used. Readers are also able to
closely examine photographs of significant scenes and read further
information they may have missed when watching the movies or reading
the novels. The book provides stickers, posters and cards to keep
the Harry Potter fan entranced.
Every day a new generation of readers are discovering the world of
wizardry through Harry Potter. Harry Potter: Spells and charms:
A movie scrapbook would be a wonderful introduction for those
just beginning their Harry Potter journey and a welcome addition to
any home library.
Kathryn Beilby
The bookish life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman
Headline Review, 2019. ISBN: 9781472266217.
(Age: Adult) Recommended for readers who like quirky books with
allusions to novels. Nina Hill is a young woman who is happy with
her life. An only child with a mother who travels the world, she has
a job in a bookstore, is on a winning trivia team, likes to be alone
reading her books and has a cat named Phil. When the father that she
has never known dies leaving her with a complete family of half
brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews she has to contend with all
these strangers. Then Tom, the leader of a competing trivia team
starts to show interest and she finds she has to face a new world.
I expected a very light read and was rewarded with lots of laugh out loud
moments as Nina prepared her lists of what to do and tried to keep
her anxiety at bay, all with a great sense of humour. The
descriptions of the trivia competitions were a hoot and the
references to many books, including Harry Potter, were fun as well.
Adding real depth and interest to the book were the descriptions of
how she grew up with a Nanny looking after her as her mother roamed
the world taking photos and the way she handled having both a new
family and a boyfriend.
This was a feel good book with the added charm of a memorable
heroine who is resistant to change but finds ways of letting new
people into her life. Older teens would really enjoy it, but there
are references to alcohol and sex which might make it unsuitable for
younger teens.
Pat Pledger
Sulwe by Lupita Nyong'o
Illus. by Vashti Harrison. Puffin Books, 2019. ISBN: 9780241394328.
(Age: 9 - 12 years) Highly recommended. Sulwe was born the
colour of midnight. So begins the stunning picture book Sulwe
written by Academy Award winning Kenyan actress and producer Lupita
Nyong'o. The book describes the feelings of a young girl whose skin
is not the same colour as the other members of her family. She finds
it difficult to fit in at school and is taunted by others. Sulwe
compares herself to her fairer skinned and popular sister and
attempts to lighten her skin but to no avail. She eventually shares
her pain with her mother who supports her with love and
understanding and explains that her name means star which shows
brightness. When night falls, a shooting star takes Sulwe on a
journey and tells the story of two sisters, Night and Day who grew
apart. The star goes onto explain that both Night and Day need each
other and together they make the world as we know it. The story ends
with Sulwe realizing that she is unique and special and has her
place in the world.
The striking illustrations and use of colour by Vashti Harrison set
the mood and reflect the night and day, dark and light theme of the
story. Her images of Sulwe are quite beautiful and the portrayal of
the two mythical sisters, Night and Day, are stunning. Sulwe is a wonderful story that warrants a place in any
school library. It sends a powerful message to primary aged children
and will prompt plenty of class discussion about how we treat others
and how we feel about ourselves. It also shows us that with kindness
and support, we can begin to overcome our own feelings of low
self-esteem and that we are all bright and beautiful as we are.
Themes: Families, Self-esteem, Racism, Belonging, Acceptance, Myths,
Fantasy.
Kathryn Beilby
The Confession by Jessie Burton
Picador, 2019. ISBN: 9781509886159.
(Age: Adult-Adolescent)The Confession is a story of mystery,
love and loss, and of the roles that family and friendship play in
our lives. Essentially, this narrative delves into the ideal of
motherhood, family and love, but is also about the reality of life,
of self-absorption, fear, loneliness, rejection and mystery. The
choice of a puzzling lack of information within the narrative is
pertinent to the enigmatic events and choices that the characters
make, and reflects what Burton has constructed, in an absorbing and
completely captivating narrative.
In the narrative that begins in 1980, Elise falls in love with
Connie when they meet unexpectedly in the park in New York, and this
meeting changes Elise's life. The second narrative, interwoven and
connected to the first, and told in the first person, is the story
of Elise's daughter, beginning in 2017, of her quest to find her
mother who disappeared one day, leaving no trace, and who has never
been found. The notion of mystery pervades the text, as we are
similarly eager to discover the truth when we realize that we do not
know the details of the enigma of the lost mother either.
Structuring the story in two different eras, Burton begins in 1980
and interweaves the years subsequent to this period with the events
of 2017 and beyond.
Well-written, richly descriptive and tantalizing in its complexity,
and indeed in the description of the passing of the years, this
narrative is a powerful expression of the way in which human
interaction can be loving and supportive, while also suggesting that
life can also be ruled by an individual's choices that are hurtful,
self-absorbed or unexpectedly puzzling. Jessie Burton has written an
evocative story, one that is well-constructed, powerful and
interestingly complex. It is appropriate for both adult and
adolescent readers.
Elizabeth Bondar
Lottie Luna and the Bloom Garden by Vivian French
Illus. by Nathan Read. HarperCollins, 2019. ISBN: 9780008342982.
(Age: 7+). Highly recommended. Themes: Fantasy, Werewolves,
Friendship, Gardens. In this very enjoyable and easy read junior
fiction novel, the story begins in the crumbling Dracon Castle where
a werewolf family have recently moved to. Lottie Luna, her older
brother Boris and their parents have become the local royalty and
Lottie Luna is about to begin at a new school in the middle of term.
She decides to be ordinary and not tell her classmates she is a
princess. Lottie Luna has another secret though. She was born when
there was a full moon and lunar eclipse and has special powers. She
is able to run and swim very quickly, is very strong and has
astounding hearing. After rescuing Bernie, a werewolf cub, she is
unavoidably thrust into the limelight. Lottie Luna then discovers
her school Principal, Madame Grubeloff, was born on this special day
and also has the same special powers. The Principal encourages
Lottie Luna to use her special powers only when absolutely
necessary.
On the first day at her new school, Lottie Luna wins a competition
to design a school garden on a derelict plot of land behind the
school which may otherwise be sold for a toll road. Her garden is
called the Bloom Garden and the school students set about
landscaping and planting the flowers. Sadly it is destroyed two
nights in a row and Lottie Luna's suspicions fall on Aggie who is
not a kind classmate and who thought she would win the competition.
The new Deputy Principal and his sneaky son Bruno are unpleasant
characters who also come under suspicion. With the help of Lottie
Luna's new friends, Marjory and Wilf, the problem is solved and the
Bloom Garden eventually survives.
The black and white illustrations by Nathan Read complement the text
brilliantly and draw the reader in. They are both detailed and
entertaining and help to set the visual imagery throughout the
novel. Lottie Luna and the Bloom Garde is the first in a
series with the second titled Lottie Luna and the Twilight party.
Kathryn Beilby
Tim and Tigon by Tim Cope
Pan Macmillan, 2019. ISBN: 9781760554293.
(Age: 12+) Recommended. 'Adventurer Tim Cope had a childhood dream:
to travel the 10,000 kilometres from Mongolia to Hungary on
horseback - a journey undertaken by the legendary leader of the
Mongols, Genghis Khan. Tim made this epic journey - across the
windswept wilderness and wolf-infested plateaux of Mongolia and
Kazakhstan - with his dog Tigon'. (Publisher)
The YA version of the novel makes it easy to follow and digest for
younger readers even aged 12. This is a recommended novel with
heart. The pictures in the middle show the reality of the harsh
conditions that Tim and Tigon coped with and the traditions of the
people that they encountered.
Vincent Hermann
