Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781526612052. Board book.
(Age: 3-5) Recommended. Themes: Halloween, Counting. Young children
will love this counting book with its funny illustrations and will
be happy to count along when it is read. Two little children go
trick-or-treating, finding all sorts of amazing things as they go
along, including 'one hairy, scary wolf, howling at the moon.
Aroooo!' and 'nine snazzy witch's cats, looking for some fun' until
they find 'Ten giant bags of treats. Let's eat them! Yum, yum yum'.
This is a variation on Howard's I
went trick-or-treating and its sturdy board structure
makes it perfect for younger children. The illustrations are very
humorous and not at all scary, as all the characters have happy
smiling faces. I loved the cute expressions on the faces of the
three green, friendly, smiley ghosts, complete with little hats and
even a bowtie, and the four dancing skeletons are a hoot. The brother
and sister decked out in their Halloween costumes are a treat to
follow as they have lots of fun encountering monster boogie kings,
smiley ghosts, silly skeletons, wizard's owls, creepy spiders, warty
toads, spook-wooky bats, witch's cats and giant bags of treats. The
multitude of amusing details beg for a closer look at the
illustrations and could result in children not only counting the
figures but examining the expressions on the children's faces and
what all the characters are doing on each page.
The rhymes and humour in 1, 2, Boo! make this a wonderful
book to share and great to read aloud. It is sure to become a firm
favourite to read before Halloween.
Pat Pledger
Outwalkers by Fiona Shaw
David Fickling Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781788450010. 422p.
(Age: 11+) Recommended. Themes: Dystopian fiction, Survival, Dogs.
Opening with a daring escape from a horrible school for children, Outwalkers
finds Jake, a 12 year old boy, on the run from the authorities. Set
in a dystopian England, where everyone is microchipped and there is
a threat of catching a killer virus, Jake sets out to find his dog
Jet and a home. Then he encounters the Outwalkers, a gang of young
people who are also on the run from the government system, and
together they go on a massive adventure, travelling from one end of
England to another in their quest to get to Scotland and freedom.
This was a gripping read with a setting in a future England that to
an adult felt eerily real and plausible as the government
microchipped their citizens and watched them non-stop, controlling
their actions and imprisoning children in so called Academies that
were like detention centres.
Jake is the central character in the story and his love for his dog
Jet is a highlight of the story and adds a touch of poignancy as he
tries his best to struggle through the nightmare of his world and
work out who to trust. The portrayal of Swift carefully carrying her
sick sister Cass, and the picture of the motherly Martha, the strong
Poacher, twitchy Davie and young cook Ollie, all make this gang come
alive and the reader is invested in the survival of all of them.
Each contributes a special skill to help the gang move from safe
house to safe house and forage enough food to eat.
Children will read it as a gripping adventure and survival story
with its motley crew of young people vividly drawn. Readers
will also identify with the loyalty and determination that the gang
needs to keep going on their dangerous quest for freedom.
A small window for a possible sequel at the end left me hoping for
another novel from Shaw.
Pat Pledger
Slay by Britney Morris
Hachette, 2019. ISBN: 9781444951721.
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Themes: Computer games, Virtual reality,
Black power, Cyberbullying. Teenage college student, Kiera has
created her own original computer game, 'Slay', built around
black heroes and familiar concepts in black American culture. Her
idea was to create a safe place for black gamers to play together
without having to deal with the racist stereotypes and the bullying
too frequently encountered in other computer games. And she finds
success, with more and more people joining in around the world. But
suddenly things start to go wrong, when a student is murdered and
the motivation seems to be an argument over Slay coins.
Keira, as developer, feels targeted by news reports that label the
game as racist against whites, and then to make things worse, an
online troll seems intent on bringing her down.
Although the context and jargon may be initially off-putting to
non-American readers, the novel soon draws you in, and readers will
find themselves swept up in the tension of the story, as Keira
juggles both real life relationships and the threat in the
cyberworld.
The novel deals sympathetically with LGBTIQ+ relationships and
recognises that the online world has the potential to be a safe
place for some people to explore their identity. It also recognises
that gamers may not only be young students, but may include people
from all strata of society - video games may increasingly be a
source of relaxation and social interaction, an escape from real
life pressures.
And as far countering cyberbullying goes, the main message seems to
be to stand strong, and to call them out. When Keira makes a stand,
she finds she has many more supporters than she realised, both
online and in the real world.
With many themes in common with On
the come up by Angie Thomas this book will appeal to
readers interested in exciting stories dealing with black power,
virtual worlds and overcoming injustice.
Helen Eddy
Elbow Grease vs. Motozilla by John Cena
Illus. by Howard McWilliam. Penguin, 2019. ISBN: 9781524773533.
(Age: 3-10) Brightly coloured illustrations draw the reader into
this picture book depicting five monster truck brothers competing in
a demolition derby against Motozilla, 'that gnarly monster who turns
trucks into crunch sandwiches'. He is pretty scary. The book will be
a useful tool to generate conversation about a variety of emotions
and relationship skills.
Definitely one to read aloud, as the language in the book varies
from quite simple to very complex words and information. The book
uses both conventional text and speech balloons to convey its overt
message of the value of cooperation, encouragement and hard work.
The book will appeal to 3 to 10 year olds, particularly those who
enjoy a story with conflict, trucks and a dose of competitiveness.
Jan Barwick
Elbow Grease by John Cena
Illus. by Howard McWilliam. Penguin Random House, 2019. ISBN:
9781760894658.
(Age: 3-8) Board Book. Themes: Monster Trucks, Persistence,
Determination. This is the board book edition of the same title
published in 2018. The series features five monster truck brothers:
Flash is all about speed, Pinball is intelligent and strategic, Tank
is big and tough and Crash is courageous. The littlest, an electric
truck named Elbow Grease, doesn't have any of these obvious
characteristics but he remains optimistic and cheery because he has
gumption and never, ever gives up. Their mechanic is a young woman,
a welcome departure from the usual image of car sports being a
male-only zone. When Elbow Grease shares his dream of one day being
a monster truck star his brothers laugh and jeer: 'You're too slow';
'You're too small'; 'Your technique and experience are insufficient
. . . ' Determined to prove them wrong Elbow Grease zooms off to the
Grand Prix by himself. He is 'bashed and smashed and even caught on
fire a little bit, but still - HE KEPT ON GOING!' The other trucks
then realise that they can only learn new skills if they stick at
it: 'a little Elbow Grease goes a long way!'
There are many speech bubbles showing the dialogue of the trucks,
which highlight their individual personalities, but these are
disjointed from the main text and make the pages very busy. Apart
from one page the story can be read and understood very well without
them so they seem a completely unnecessary addition, especially in
this board book format aimed at younger children. In addition, some
people may be uncomfortable with how Elbow Grease calls the other
trucks 'jalopies', a word which many children may be unfamiliar
with, but is clearly meant as an insult. Additionally, it is hard to
preach not to stereotype and to broaden your skills when you have
stereotyped your characters by name, appearance and behaviour. There
is a nice message about persistence though and young kids who like
monster trucks will love the illustrations and the action.
Nicole Nelson
Guinness World Records 2020
Guinness World Records Ltd., 2019. ISBN: 9781912286812.
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. Themes: Records. Once again the
Guinness World Records team has brought together a fabulous
collection of fascinating, weird and wonderful records with
something for everyone. In 11 chapters, including Sports, arts and
Media, Planet Earth, Animals, Robots, Tech and engineering, the book
explores different records in many locations.
Dipping in (as one does) I was immediately taken by a photo of the
youngest player, male or female, to score a double century in
international cricket - 17 year old NZ player, Amelia Kerr. Then
after a quick glance at the back cover which had lots of subjects
listed, thought I would have a look at Fortnite, which my grandson
loves. A perusal of the index, brought me to two pages of
information that is sure to engage any aficionados of the game.
Leaving that, I skipped back to the Table of Contents and decided to
have a look at Planet Earth which was divided into geographical
regions and perusing Oceania discovered a gorgeous photo of The
Great Barrier Reef (longest reef) and one of the Daintree Rainforest
(oldest tropical rainforest). Then flicking through, a photo of the
farthest arrow shot using the feet caught my attention (Brittany
Walsh, 12,31m).
As always, the Guinness World Records 2020 is beautifully presented,
with outstanding photography and interesting and well-presented
information about a huge range of records. It is a book that has a
contents page and index to easily find information, but also begs
the reader just to flick through and enjoy the experience of
discovering new and interesting things that have made it into the
records.
It is a must have for a school library and would make a great gift
for any family to share.
Pat Pledger
Africa, amazing Africa: Country by country by Atinuke
Illus. by Mouni Feddag. Walker Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781406376586.
(Age: All) Highly recommended. Themes: Africa, Geography, Climate,
Animals. Every page is full of colour and fascinating information in
this highly readable account of the 55 or so states in the continent
of Africa. Divided into four sections, following the points of the
compass, each section deals with the countries within its area. So,
Southern Africa for example lists the states of Angola, Botswana,
Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland,
Zambia and Zimbabwe. A page is devoted to each country and an
introductory paragraph outlines the main features of the place which
might include geography, climate, main cities, features, history,
customs and industry. This is accompanied by vibrant illustrations
and several facts at the bottom of the page. Each page is enticing
in what it reveals about that country, the information given is
absorbing, capturing the imagination of the reader.
I read it from cover to cover, it is so well written it lends itself
to that use, while in a classroom, its usefulness is enhanced by a
sound index and references to websites for further information. I
was struck with the positive thrust of the book. The information
about Africa is future focussed, each country is presented as a
vibrant community working together to overcome problems of the past.
The illustrations present a colourful, intoxicatingly positive aura,
full of life, colour and movement to encourage every reader to see
this extraordinary continent with fresh eyes.
The book's introduction outlines some of the things about Africa which
make Africa amazing and unique: the first humans walked there, there
are 55 states, but this is variable, there is a huge range of
temperatures, climates and landscapes as well as animals and
religions, languages and governments. Impossible to put into one
book, the facts given will whet the appetites of the students with a
desire to know more about the world they live in.
Fran Knight
Akin by Emma Donoghue
Picador, 2019. ISBN: 9781529019971.
(Age: Adolescent - Adult) Recommended. This beautifully written
narrative takes us into the world of Noah Selvagio, an older man
faced with a challenge that is unexpected. His decision to agree to
guardianship of his young great-nephew, Michael, a boy who has no
other living relatives, brings him a joy that we see him realise
only in the last lines of the narrative. Noah had lost his wife and
Michael's parents had struggled with drug use, poverty, and lost
their battle to live. Vibrant, entertaining and beautifully written,
this novel plunges us into the lives of two people, of vastly
different ages and experience, forced together at a difficult time
for both of them.
Yet while this young boy is tough, he resents being handed over to
an old man whom he doesn't know. Noah's struggle to adapt to such a
radical change in his own lifestyle evokes our empathy, given that
he is about to turn 80, and booked to return to the country of his
birth for the first time. He has only a photograph and a few ideas
about his mother's life, and is eager to find a sense of how she
managed, as a young Jewish woman, to escape from France during the
Second World War.
In the quirky inclusion of his late wife's words of wisdom, we read
of Noah imagining her commenting on his actions or telling him what
to do whenever he has a decision to make. When Noah realises, with
her 'help', that it is not sensible to admit to 'aches and pains' to
young people as they would 'write you off', she tells him, he is
convinced that he must be acknowledged as a capable and competent
carer for this street-smart but needy child.
This wonderfully uplifting, rewarding novel is appropriate for both
adolescent and adult readers. Emma Donoghue focuses on both the
challenges and the humorous aspects of aging, the tough outer
persona of youth, and the capacity for human beings to build
resilience, even to developing a loving friendship, even in the most
unlikely and unexpected ways. It is suitable for adult and older
adolescent reading and is a delightfully wry comment on the chance
of an unexpected event radically altering our lives.
Elizabeth Bondar
In the forest by Nancy Bevington
ISBN: 9781925594348.
(Age: 0-3) Board Book. Themes: Forests. This is one in a new series
for babies called Can you find? (others are Under the ocean,
At the beach, On the farm). Nancy's previous titles
have included the ZenTails and Mad Dog the chef
series. In this book, each page says 'In the forest there are . . .'
and then shows and names three things found in the forest (trees,
leaves, rabbits, toadstools, butterflies, foxes, waterfalls,
badgers, etc.) New Frontier publishes in the UK as well, hence the
English references. The illustrations are large and the animals are
happy and fun but quite realistically drawn. Each page has a
contrasting background colour. The last page says 'Can you find all
the things in the forest?' and shows all of the illustrations
included within the previous pages. These are simple but impressive
early vocabulary books that encourage parent-child interaction and
positive book experiences for babies.
Nicole Nelson
On the farm by Nancy Bevington
Can you find? series. New Frontier Publishing, 2019. ISBN:
9781925594362.
(Age: 0-3) Board Book. Themes: Farms. This is one in a new series
for babies called Can you find? (others are Under the ocean,
In the forest, At the beach). Nancy's previous titles
have included the ZenTails and Mad Dog the chef
series. In this book, each page says 'On the farm there is . . . '
and then shows and names three things found on the farm (cows, a
pitchfork, hay, a farmhouse, a scarecrow, a wheelbarrow, a mower
etc. The illustrations are large, happy and fun but quite
realistically drawn. Each page has a contrasting background colour.
The last page says 'Can you find all the things on the farm?' and
shows all of the illustrations included within the previous pages.
These are simple but impressive early vocabulary books that
encourage parent-child interaction and positive book experiences for
babies.
Nicole Nelson
Invisible boys by Holden Sheppard
Fremantle Press; 2019. ISBN: 9781925815566. 344p; p/b. (Age: 15+) Recommended. Charlie, Zeke and Hammer each struggle to come to grips with their homosexuality in a small, conservative town. Invisible boys is a highly character-driven story, so it's only natural that the characters in the novel are well crafted. Characters are strongly introduced with relatable or familiar elements but ascend beyond stereotypes as the plot progresses into their hidden depths. As the synopsis likely suggests, the novel has a direct, central theme about the struggles of homosexuality in intolerant circumstances. It's not pleasant to read about, but it's an important perspective on privilege. The plot progresses in chunks as each character faces their own different struggles, but they're carefully woven together to keep the pace flowing. The novel is set in the modern day, in the real town of Geraldton, characterised strongly as small, highly religious, and as a result, intolerant. It's a familiar feeling for anyone who's lived in small towns before where everyone knows everyone and everything. The book follows the perspective of each major character, interspersed with grave letters to keep things compelling and tense. The pacing of which characters take focus when, is impeccable, and a continuous tone of dread permeates the entire novel, causing the reader to sympathise with the characters' awful plights. Teacher's notes are available. Vincent Hermann
Minor Mage by T. Kingfisher
Argyll Productions, 2019. ISBN: 9781614505006. 174p.
(Age: 13-Adult) Recommended. Themes: Magic, Drought, Coming of age.
Oliver is a minor mage with the ability of being able to cast only a
few spells, including the ability of tying shoelaces together and a
pushme pullme spell. He is clever with herbs and helpful in his
village, but when his mother is away, the villagers insist that he
goes on a quest to bring rain to the drought stricken area. On the
way he faces much danger, including being imprisoned by a strange
couple, encountering a ghost and nasty bandits in a dark forest and
meeting the eerie cloud herders who could bring rain.
Ursula Vernon writes as T. Kingfisher for adults and this novella
has caused some controversy as her editor didn't feel it was for
children. It does contain some gory bits - a mage who makes harps
out of the bones and hair of humans who have been murdered, ghuls
who chase Oliver trying to eat him, some vicious and violent fights
and a theme of adults acting in bad ways when under the influence of
a crowd. However Oliver is still only 12 years old and sounds like a
child and his familiar the armadillo is an endearing character.
Kingfisher gives the reader lots to think about, especially the
nature of crowd behaviour and how a clever and influential liar can
influence how people act.
The brevity of Minor Mage, the witty dialogue and intriguing
situations that Oliver and his familiar find themselves in made this
an engrossing, quick read. I think it would be suitable for teens
who don't mind some gory details and adults who enjoy T.
Kingfisher's clever narrative and original ideas will find it a
treat.
Pat Pledger
Step sister by Jennifer Donnelly
Hot Key Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781471407970.
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. Themes: Fairy tale retelling,
Stepsisters, Bullying, Redemption, Feminism. I'm very fond of the
retelling of fairy tales and this one kept me reading to finish it
in a couple of sittings. Award winning author Donnelly takes the
reader on an engrossing tour examining what happens to Cinderella's
step family after she leaves to marry the prince. Isabelle, one of
the ugly stepsisters, had cut off her toes in an effort to win the
hand of the prince and now finds it difficult to walk, while the
whole family has been shunned by the villagers who taunt them for
what they did to Cinderella. Meanwhile the Fates have mapped out a
path for Isabelle, one that Chance their rival is determine to
change. Tanaquill, the fairy queen also becomes involved in
Isabelle's life and offers her the chance to find the three missing
pieces of her heart, granting her one wish and hereon her life begin
to change. Isabelle believes that being pretty is the most important
thing that she could wish for and begins a journey to find her
heart, on the way learning that her strengths of bravery and
fearlessness are ones worth having.
Donnelly confronts society's view of what a young woman should be
like as Isabelle meets danger, and with daring and cunning overcome
much adversity. Her descriptions of how Isabelle was ridiculed for
her 'ugly' appearance and her fierce fighting ability and Tavi, her
sister, for her intelligence and scholarly interests will resonate
with readers who will relish the girls' gradual transformation from
a pair trying to be beautiful and fit a mould into doing what they
do best, even if it is not what their mother or many men judge fit
for young women.
Although a fairly lengthy book, (469 pages), short chapters and
snappy dialogue make this an easy to read story and the reader will
quickly identify with Isabelle as she struggles with how she has
behaved with Ella, her sorrow about losing Felix and her horse Nero
and her triumphant coming of age.
Pat Pledger
A different land by Paul Jennings
Illus. by Geoff Kelly. Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760528720.
128 pg.
(Age: 9+) Highly recommended. Themes: Resilience, Migration,
Courage, Loneliness, Humour. Standing on the platform watching a
steam train pull away but with no one there to meet them, Mum (Pat),
her son Christopher and Anton, the boy from the boat are concerned
that they have come all this way for nothing. Applying for any job
she could meant getting out of the migrant camp and this one could
not have been more isolated. 1500 miles and greeted by a grizzled
man expecting to pick up another man to help in his hotel,
dumbfounded that Pat is a woman and with two young boys in tow. But
with no where else to go, they are bundled into his truck and in
paths cut into the forest, drive to his hotel, a run down, dirt
floored, building smelling of barbecue and with little in the way of
the comforts they were hoping for.
In telling this story, Jennings is recalling the concerns of all
migrants, as they come to a new land, full of hopes that may be
dashed, fear lurking beneath the surface, but resilient enough to
see their decision through. Pat is determined to make their move
work, and bolsters up the two boys when confronted with things like
the camp stretchers, snakes, wild boar and long drop toilets.
Jennings has included many things which will make his audience laugh
out loud, but a loving family and a welcoming lot of isolated people
ready to accept a new family in their midst gives the story an
emotional edge. Readers will recognise courage and resilience in the
dreams of the new migrants, reflecting the feelings Jennings and his
family had when arriving in Australia as 'ten pound poms'.
A companion piece to the two 'different' stories, A different
dog and A different boy, themes unite the stories and
the last of the three will draw a wide, appreciative audience,
loving the life and death adventure Christopher finds himself part
of and equally delighted by the black and white illustrations
accompanying the text setting the scene for the readers. Scroll down
the page for teacher's
tips from the publisher.
Fran Knight
Return of the Temujai by John Flanagan
Brotherband, book 8. Random House, 2019. ISBN: 9780143785941.
(Age: 11+) Highly recommended. Themes: Action; Adventure; Conflict;
Teamwork. John Flanagan writes with an amazing flair for tension and
action-adventure stories for young adults who have grown up on
video-game conflict. In this, his 24th book since the original
successful Ranger's Apprentice series began and the 8th book
of the side-shoot Brotherband series, there is action
aplenty with risks taken and plans and strategies employed to defeat
the advancing Temujai - the war-hungry nation of horse-riding
archers. The Brotherband, usually sea-faring but also well-trained
land-based fighters, are required to assess the defences of their
Skandian countrymen. After an attack in a mountain strong-hold, and
then in what seems to be an impossible up-river and against-the-odds
sortie, the small band of misfit 'brothers' led by their youthful
leader, Hal, are required to change the course of the threatening
Temujai. The multi-faceted nature of their combat skills makes them
a formidable defence team, but they are a quirky bunch of
individuals!
This book is action from beginning to end, and yet there is warmth
in the relationships between the ship-based Brotherband (which
includes one female warrior) that tempers the adrenaline and
ferocity of the conflict. This gentle warmth, trust and
companionship makes this (or any book in the series) a book to
recommend for male and female readers. The pace and tension of the
story, with the intelligence of strategy as the characters are
required to overcome adversity and fight to survive, will be loved
by many readers.
Carolyn Hull
