Colter Shaw, book 1. HarperCollins, 2019. ISBN:
9780008341909.
(Age: 15+) Recommended for thriller lovers. Themes: Murder, Gaming.
Fans of Jeffery Deaver will be happy to start a new series starring
Colter Shaw, a reward seeker who has been brought up in a
survivalist family. Shaw is smart and an expert woodsman and is used
by distraught relatives to find missing persons for a reward. When
he is called to Silicon Valley to investigate the disappearance of a
young woman, he finds himself embroiled in the world of gamers, and
it seems as if a video game, The Whispering Man, is being
used to give clues to the whereabouts of the victims of a clever
manipulator.
Deaver is a master at writing the action plot and each chapter often
has a hook that compels the reader to quickly move to the next
exciting strand of the search for the people who have been
kidnapped. Colter finds himself in danger as well, and Deaver
cleverly gains the reader's sympathy for Colter and curiosity about
his survivalist family as he tracks down subtle clues and learns
about the video game industry in Silicon Valley.
The setting of Silicon Valley makes for interesting reading. The
problems that workers have in finding affordable housing, the big
tech companies and gaming exhibitions are all described vividly and
in detail and provide the reader with an in-depth insight into the
competitive gaming industry and the gamers who are consumed by the
games.
With some totally unexpected twists and turns and an exciting plot,
The never game is certain to appeal to fans of mystery and
suspense stories, who will want to read the next in the series to
learn more about Colter Shaw and the unsolved mystery in his
background.
Pat Pledger
Little monster : Ten minutes to bed by Rhiannon Fielding and Chris Chatterton
Ladybird Books, 2018. ISBN: 9780241348918.
(Age: 3-6) Recommended. Little monster : Ten minutes to bed
is a beautiful series by Rhiannon Fielding and Chris Chatterton,
aimed at young children at bedtime. Each book follows a similar
progression where the main characters parent/family member counts
down the minutes to bedtime while the main character flits around
doing lots of fun things before bed. The books are all based on
mythical type characters and are whimsical in nature.
Each book has a map at the beginning (daytime) and end (night-time)
of the book showing 'The land of Nod' which young children can
engage with, finding the home of the books character and also the
homes of the other two in the series (Little Mermaid and Little
Unicorn).
This book tells us of the antics of Belch, a cheeky little monster
who does not want to go to bed. She eats jelly, plays with toys and
then is joined by her monster friends for a quick play before she
has had enough and wants to go to bed. I like that this book helps
to make monsters seem funny, cheeky, a little cranky but also not
very scary!
This book would be good for children who may find the concept of
monsters scary, or a bit unnerving.
We loved the illustrations of Belch; she is a cheeky looking monster
with big eyes and rosy cheeks. The other monsters are a rather
amusing, helping to make them more funny than scary!
I give Ten minutes to bed : Little Monster 4/5, suitable for
young children up to age 6. It is one of a 3 book series, all of
which are equally as great!
Lauren Fountain
The bookworm by Debi Gliori
Bloomsbury, 2019. ISBN: 9781408893036.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Imagination, Dragons, Books,
Reading, Families, Cautionary tale. Max thinks he might like a pet.
Mum barely pauses from reading the newspaper to give a reason a pup
will not be welcome. Over the next few pages, Max thinks about a
different pet. Dad rejects a kitten, but Max persists, thinking of
reasons for having a penguin, shark or dragon. Dragons of course, do
not exist says his family, so that is out of the question. He thinks
about a goldfish but rejects them thinking they are boring, and the
same with flies, or wasps and birds. But when he finds a worm in the
garden, he is thrilled. It fits well in the aquarium, and Max
discovers that it likes reading. So each night the worm sits with
Max and reads alongside the boy. Things are working out well until
the worm begins to grow and do some mischievous things: chewing the
pillow and making some awful smells. Spikes appear along its back
and smoke pours out of the worm's head. The dragon flies off into
the night but comes back to read before bedtime, even though Dad
insists there is no such ting.
A very cute, enticing story will have many fans as Max trawls the
usual list of things he wants as a pet. Excuses are given, reasons
deduced, but still no pet appears. Only when Max finds a worm does
he have a pet that he likes.
But has he got the pet he wished for and what will happen when a
dragon appears in his bedroom? All good fun, underlying the family
tradition of reading before going to bed, and promoting reading as
an activity, this book will please the readers. Bright, bold
illustrations cover each page, with lots of detail to keep sharp
eyes amused.
I particularly like the endpapers showing the suburb in which Max
lives, with its street lights and neat gardens, with a few pets
appearing in other people's homes. And lots of dragon books for Max
to read, reiterating the idea of a bookworm, an idiom which will
tickle the funny bones of all readers.
Fran Knight
Come find me by Megan Miranda
Pisces Books, 2019. ISBN: 9780525578321.
(Age: 15+) Recommended for mystery lovers. Themes: Supernatural,
Missing persons, Murder, Grief. A compelling mix of mystery and what
appears to be the supernatural will keep readers engrossed as they
follow two teens who have suffered tragedy in their lives. Kennedy,
after a devastating family tragedy, keeps looking after a radio
telescope belonging to her brother Elliot and Nolan is determined to
find out what happened to his brother Liam who went missing from a
family function two year previously. When they both receive the same
strange signal, they make contact and begin to search for its
origin, both hoping that it will lead them to a resolution of the
catastrophes in their lives.
The reader is tantalised by the question of what has happened in
Kennedy's life to see her living with a very young uncle. Where is
the missing brother Elliot and her mother? Nolan's belief that his
brother Liam would not have just left a family picnic and
disappeared without trace also leaves questions about where he went
and what happened to him.
The story is told in alternative chapters by Kennedy and Nolan, each
believing in different reasons for the eerie signal. Kennedy thinks
that it may have come from outer space, as her brother Elliot was
obsessed with finding alien life, while Nolan believes it could be
the ghost of his brother Liam trying to tell him where he is. The
reader learns about the depth of their grief as Kennedy and her
young uncle Joe try to learn to live together, and Nolan navigates a
family home taken over by his parents' non-profit group that tries
to find missing children.
Miranda keeps the reader involved in the two mysteries as clues to
what happened are gradually revealed and the threads that link the
mysteries are drawn together in the final riveting conclusion.
Pat Pledger
Little unicorn: Ten minutes to bed by Rhiannon Fielding and Chris Chatterton
Ladybird Books, 2018. ISBN: 9780241348925.
(Age: 3-6) Little unicorn: Ten minutes to bed is a beautiful
series by Rhiannon Fielding and Chris Chatterton aimed at young
children at bedtime. Each book follows a similar progression where
the main characters parent/family member counts down the minutes to
bedtime while the main character flits around doing lots of fun
things before bed. The books are all based on mythical type
characters and are whimsical in nature.
Each book has a map at the beginning (daytime) and end (night-time)
of the book showing 'The land of Nod' which young children can
engage with, finding the home of the books character and also the
homes of the other two in the series (Little Mermaid and Little
Monster). Ten minutes to bed Little Unicorn follows a gorgeous little
naughty unicorn who isn't tired! She is a bit cheeky, and much
prefers to make trouble than go to bed. She dances, chases pixies,
and follows dragons until she suddenly becomes lost. Poor little
unicorn uses her magic to find a colourful rainbow and get herself
home to her mother.
The text follows an easy rhyme, where the young listener can guess
the last word and feel part of the reading experience, rather than
just being a listener.
The illustrations in this book are gorgeous! They are whimsical and
encompass some sparkles on the front cover! I would suggest that
this title in the series is aimed at little girls, due to the large
amount of pinks, purples and fairy tale creatures. My 5 year old
daughter is totally taken by this book, enjoying the count down of
minutes and following the naughty antics of Little Unicorn. It is
certainly a lovely little series for children aged 3-6 years.
Lauren Fountain
Inventor Lab : brilliant builds for super makers by Jack Challoner
Foreword by Dr Lucy Rogers. DK, 2019. ISBN: 9780241343517.
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Themes: Electronics; Inventions; Science -
Physics.Inventor Lab is a step-by-step instruction book detailing
how to connect electronic components to make some unsophisticated
electronic projects. There are introduction chapters that detail
safety information and descriptions of individual components. The
rest of the book uses clear pictorial descriptions with simple
instructions to create an array of projects, from the simple Coin
battery to some quite complex wired and powered constructions
including radios and an automatic night light. The skills required
are not particularly difficult, but would require perseverance and
interest to pursue (as well as appropriate equipment). So, this book
is for those who are keen tinkerers and willing to try to stretch
their skills in creating electronic items. The next generation of
electronics experts will enjoy this book. Invention implies novelty
rather than following prescribed instructions, but this may be the
book that leads to personal exploration and invention after learning
the basic skills.
The presentation of the book is in Dorling Kindersley's clear and
impressive style that will appeal for its simplicity. It is written
in a way that could be read or used by young readers aged 10+; the
projects seem to suit somewhat older readers.
Carolyn Hull
Ravi's roar by Tom Percival
Bloomsbury, 2019. ISBN: 9781408892183.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Temper tantrums, Family, Size,
Emotions. Ravi is the youngest in his family. When the family goes
to the park, the others are able to run and jump and play with the
equipment, but Ravi is too short to reach the things he wants to
try. He is not only the youngest of the four siblings, but also the
smallest. He can not reach the monkey bars, or walk across the logs
that are too widely spaced for his small legs, and he definitely can
not go on the big slide. But the last straw occurs when he goes to
get an ice cream and finds there are none left.
He becomes very cross, so cross that his face becomes hotter and
redder, a tail appears behind him, his hands develop claws and his
face becomes striped, and he can roar like a tiger. His tiger
attributes are very handy, stomping around the park scaring people
from the seat he wants, or getting an ice cream of his own to eat.
But sitting by himself he realises that no one wants to play with
him, and he needs to think about what to do next.
All children will recognise the emotional turmoil and eventual
temper tantrum put on by Ravi. Most will have succumbed themselves
or seen others lose their tempers at home, in the classroom or in
the playground. This book shows them that it is not unusual, and
gives a very satisfying resolution to the problem. Ravi loses his
temper, but he realises that there are consequences and a way of
controlling that temper for the betterment of his family. And with a
neat twist, the author shows that there are some situations where a
small show of fierceness is appropriate.
A wonderful fluorescent green cover will attract readers to this
book, the pages inside showing a close and loving family dealing
with the problem of Ravi's temper.
The illustrations promote the close ties of the family, Dad engaged
and helpful, the family unit doing things together. Readers will
love picking out the things they can do in the local park, recognise
the different people that use the park, and emulate the children's
activities there.
Fran Knight
Nobody's victim : fighting psychos, stalkers, pervs and trolls by Carrie Goldberg
Virago Press, 2019. ISBN: 9780349010533. 295p
(Age: Adult-16+) Non-Fiction. Themes: Cybercrime, Privacy Laws. Nobody's
Victim is to be applauded for the detailed explanation and
examples of privacy and sexual cybercrimes from stalking and revenge
porn to sextortion and framing someone for terrorist acts, and
everything in between. Holistically, the author Carrie Goldberg is a
beacon for anyone in any situation who has felt isolated - a
friendless, powerless, maligned or misunderstood victim because
persuasive, convincing sociopaths are not what they seem and our
laws are inadequate to stop them.
Carrie Goldberg founded a victims' rights law firm to combat the way
vindictive lovers, con men and sociopaths hide behind the lack of
internet and social media regulation. Rather than a treatise,
Goldberg uses a conversational style, peppered with cybercrime
jargon unfamiliar to most, to track the growth of her legal advocacy
beginning with her own personal victimization.
Goldberg candidly narrates her own date rape and another personal
ordeal where her 'ex-boyfriend' threatened her, had her arrested on
false charges, and sent nude photos without her consent to her
friends and family. Her clients include: a Grindr user whose
ex-boyfriend invited an incessant stream of strangers to have
intercourse with him at home and at work; a girl manipulated into
filming pornography; a school girl sexually assaulted by a classmate
who was suspended for reporting it amongst others. To compliment
these cautionary tales Carrie Goldberg cites judicial rulings and
legislation, some of which led to the law making revenge porn
illegal, earlier this year. Her extensive footnotes and her wide
array of clients demonstrate that there is something universally
amiss. Finally, we come to understand the knowledge, diligence and
persistence required to meet a niche or rather neglected legal
services demand and establish a successful business.
One of the biggest hurdles discussed is section 230 of the
Communications Decency Act, which protects online providers from the
content uploaded by users. It shielded companies like OK Cupid and
Grindr from criminals destroying her life and the lives of so many
of her clients. However, there are so many other nuances and
barriers cleverly overcome by Goldberg's growing legal organization
and network of change agents, explained here. Finally the #MeToo
movement begins to balance the scales in the victim's favour.
Whilst details are confronting, she discusses the social attitudes
that work in favour of the criminal against innocent victims. The
jargon, breadth of human relationships and sex crimes are all likely
too confronting for secondary school collections - certainly not
teenagers under 16 years of age. On the other hand, children much
younger are amongst the victims described. Nobody's Victim could be a useful and compelling resource for
those teaching Cyber Safety, Legal Studies, Philosophy in Action,
Life Skills etc. Goldberg's Acknowledgements, Footnotes and Index
will be invaluable when selecting appropriate case studies for class
discussion.
Deborah Robins
Peppa Pig: George's train ride
Ladybird, 2019. ISBN: 9780241375891.
Board book. Themes: Trains, Transport. Peppa Pig's family returns in
this book, taking a train journey for Daddy Pig's work. George loves
to ride the train and has lots of questions for his family. On the
way the reader will find out all the details of being on a train
that has a sleeper compartment. The story starts off with a picture
of the train on the railway tracks and then the family is seen
sitting in the carriage. They explore the cabin and after Daddy Pig
presses a button, four bunk beds appear, and then the bathroom is
found through a secret door. What fun when Daddy Pig presses a
button and the water from the shower falls down on his head! Then
the family put on pyjamas and go to bed. In the morning they have
breakfast and when they arrive Daddy Pig has to check some concrete
on the station platform.
The book is illustrated in the bright colours that the reader will
associate with the Peppa Pig series and each picture shows
the Pig family happy and helpful and just loving their train
journey. The narrative is fairly dense for a board book, so it is
one that would be read to a young child by an adult. What makes this
board book stand out is of course, the six sturdy wheels that make
the book appear like a train and make it into a toy as well.
Children will love to wheel this around and the heavy cardboard
construction should be able to withstand some heavy use.
A fun novelty book/toy, George's train ride is sure to
appeal to all the fans of Peppa Pig.
Pat Pledger
Peppa Pig: Australian fun by Ladybird
A Touch-and-Feel playbook. Ladybird, 2019. ISBN:
9780241402412, Boardbook. 10p.
(Age: 0-3) Fans of Peppa Pig will welcome another board book, this
time looking at how things feel. Peppa loves exploring Australia and
finds the touch of the sand to be rough and scratchy, the waves big
and bumpy, the koala fluffy and soft, the boomerang smooth and
bendy, and the pink dress happy and bright. Each thing that is
touched is put on a separate page with the narrative on the page
beside it. The materials that are touched are sturdy and should last
for the touch of little fingers many times.
The Pig family and Mr Kangaroo and Kylie Kangaroo are all painted in
very vivid colours with a bright background for each page. Peppa and
Kylie are outfitted in floral hats and cover-up swim wear when they
are at the beach and everyone wears a hat throughout the book as
they go exploring. The illustrations are amusing - especially the
koala with the big word Snuffle printed above his funny little face
and soft nose that children will love to touch.
This will be a happy read aloud, with words like 'Woohoo!' as Peppa
rides a wave, and 'Woo! Woo' Woo' Woo' as she throws a boomerang,
encouraging the young child to join in. This is a fun book for the
very young and pre-school child.
Pat Pledger
The Harp of Kings by Juliet Marillier
Warrior Bards book 1. Pan Macmillan Australia, 2019. ISBN:
9781760783297.
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Themes: Fantasy, Coming of age,
Music. I am always thrilled when a new book comes from Juliet
Marillier. The harp of kings is a wonderful fantasy set in
the same world as her Blackthorn
and Grim novels, and incidentally letting the reader
know what happened to them after the conclusion of that series. Told
in three voices, that of sister Liobhan and brother Brocc, musicians
and warriors and Dau a young warrior, the story opens with their
training on Swan Island, each hoping to be chosen as one of the this
elite fighting group. The three are selected to go on a mission to
retrieve the Harp of Kings, which has gone missing. It is an ancient
instrument that is always played when a new king is crowned and it
is feared that the kingdom will be thrown into chaos if it is not at
the coronation ceremony.
Liobhan is a tall, strong spirited young woman who is determined to
become the best warrior in her group. Brocc, too, is a strong
warrior but also totally immersed in his music, always making up new
songs that play constantly in his head. Dau is a handsome young man
who harbours secrets about his past, which he longs to leave behind
him. All three have an important part to play in deciding who to
trust and how to act in a spirit of wisdom and justice as their
quest grows more dangerous.
Faced with the difficult choice of following their mission and
allowing the unsuitable Crown Prince to become king or doing the right
thing by the kingdom, all three will have to examine their hearts
and heed the needs of both fae and human as they attempt to retrieve
the harp.
I raced through this book and finished it in a couple of sessions,
as the action and suspense about what will happen to the three main
characters was gripping. A second re-read, at a more leisurely pace,
gave me the opportunity to see the flaws and growth of the team, the
perils that they faced and also gave me time to think about the
qualities that a good person would demonstrate as a leader.
I also managed a re-read of the Blackthorn and Grim series,
so I had a most satisfying dose of high fantasy set in ancient
Ireland. Marillier's books will appeal to readers who enjoy books by
Sharon Shinn, Robin McKinley and Robin Hobb.
Pat Pledger
Who's afraid of the quite nice wolf? by Kitty Black
Illus. by Laura Wood. New Frontier Press. ISBN: 9781925594706.
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended. Themes: Wolves, Fairy tale, Fractured
fairy tale, Appearance. With the bad wolves living up to the
reputation of big bad wolves lolling against the wall, our tea
drinking hero just doesn't add up. All the fun of a fractured fairy
tale is here as our quite nice wolf trains the sheep to stand up for
themselves in the face of the wolf pack.
Our hero, Wilfred loves tending his garden and having afternoon tea
with the sheep and chickens, much to the dismay of the wolves that
howl in the background. The wolves try and teach Wilfred how to be a
big bad wolf, but it just doesn't work, especially when he tells
them that he is a vegetarian.
They tell him that they are to attack the flock of sheep the next
night and he is to be with them. He considers how to avoid this
hideous task, and in waking Mildred tells her his plan. When the
wolves attack the flock they are frightened off by the skills the
newly trained sheep exhibit and get into their car and go away.
This is a wonderful laugh out loud read. Children will guffaw at the
images of the big bad wolf, the group's dress contrasting mightily
with Wilfred's neat slacks and braces, bow tie and buttoned up
shirt. He picks flowers, uses a watering can, tends his garden,
makes cakes for morning tea, reads books and wears lovely spotted
pyjamas.
Children will have fun seeing the contrast between the big bad wolf
image promoted in some fairy tales, and the image within this story,
leading to a discussion of the term parody and looking at other
fractured fairy tales.
Fran Knight
Undying by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
Unearthed book 2. Allen and Unwin, 2018. ISBN: 9781760292164.
(Age: 13+) Recommended. Themes: Science fiction, Adventure,
Diversity. Fans who were left breathless by the non-stop action in Unearthed
will be delighted to pick up where Mia and Jules off and continue
with their adventures. Helped by a short summary at the beginning of
the book the reader is reminded of what happened in Unearthed and
will plunge into the story, following the pair as they attempt to
get back to earth to warn authorities of the danger that the
Unearthed pose to humanity.
With the hijacking of a spaceship, imprisonment by authorities, a
wild chase across Spain to Prague, a deadly virus attacking whole
cities and Mia and Jules racing for their lives, the reader is in
for a thrilling ride in Undying. There is also some new character
development that makes for a more thoughtful understanding of the
Unearthed. Twists and turns and unexpected plot developments keep
the reader engaged with both the action and the characters and the
authors manage to bring this duology to a satisfying conclusion.
Fans who get tired of long series, but are reluctant to leave much
admired characters, will be happy with the pace and plots in this
series and look forward to anything else these talented authors
write.
Pat Pledger
Dr Seuss's Horse Museum by Dr. Seuss, illus. by Andrew Joyner
Puffin, 2019. ISBN: 9780241425725.
(Age: All) Highly recommended. Themes: Art history. With the words,
'A canter through art history' on the front cover the reader is well
aware of the topic of the book and will discover what art is and how
artists have represented horses though the ages. The book is based
on a manuscript and notes by Dr Seuss that was recently uncovered,
and Andrew Joyner has brought together iconic figures from Dr
Seuss's book as well as his own engaging illustrations.
A definition of what is art is given right at the beginning and the
young reader is told to look at some of the different ways that
artists have represented horses in their work. They are instructed
to Look it over
Think it over.
Talk it over.
From then on the book explores work from prehistoric times, and
ancient Chinese culture and many, many artists like Picasso, Manet,
Magritte, Pollock and names that aren't as familiar, Katsushika
Hokusai, Marino Marini, and Rosa Bonheur. As the children look at
the paintings they also learn about the kind of art they represent,
like Realism, Impressionism, and Surrealism. There is plenty of
humour in the illustrations to keep the young reader engaged and
older readers who have an interest in art will be fascinated by this
easy to understand tour through art history, instantly recognising
some of the more famous horse paintings and being intrigued by
others.
The back of the book contains images of the works and information
about the artists, with the time period that the artist was alive.
Notes from the publisher discuss Dr. Seuss' lifetime interest in art
and Andrew Joyner's approach to illustrating the book. Teacher's
notes are available to download.
This would be an excellent addition to any library and would make a
fabulous gift for any child who is interested in art.
Pat Pledger
The long call by Ann Cleeves
Two Rivers book 1. PanMacmillan, 2019. ISBN: 9781509889570.
(Age: Adult - Senior secondary) Recommended. Themes: Mystery and
suspense, Detectives, Down syndrome. Fans of the Vera and Shetland
series are in for a real treat with Cleeves' new series starring
Detective Matthew Ven a quiet introspective man who is leading a
team in North Devon. When a man with an albatross tattooed on his
neck is found dead on the beach, Ven finds himself uncovering
secrets from his past and present. Then a young woman with Down
syndrome disappears and Ven has more than one mystery to solve.
Cleeves builds up a slow, comprehensive picture of Matthew Ven, his
background as a child in The Brethren, a strict evangelical
community, his subsequent denial of that community and his gradual
coming to terms with himself. The beaches and dunes, small villages
and The Woodyard, a place for disabled and mentally impaired people,
are all described meticulously and the reader gets to know the area
very well. The long call is a character driven novel. Not only does the
reader get to know Matthew, but Jonathon his partner. The two
detectives who are Matthew's off-siders, Jen and Ross, each have
strengths and weaknesses as detectives and as people and their
background stories are fleshed out as well. The women, Lucy,
Christine and Rosa, all who have Down syndrome, are portrayed
sympathetically and in depth and play an important role in the
story.
Cleeves wraps everything up neatly; the reader is able to reflect
back on the clues that she cleverly put into her narrative, but
which are easily overlooked. A very satisfying beginning to a
series, which will be sure to have many followers in the future.
Pat Pledger
