The strange fascinations of Noah Hypnotik by David Arnold
Random House, 2018. ISBN 9780451480477
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. Noah Oakman, is the classic anti-hero
if ever there was one. To avoid the labour of time-consuming
choices, he wears his own daily "uniform" - a t-shirt emblazoned
with the name,"Bowie". He spends much of the book making the most of
a back injury to avoid swimming training, which to his parents
equates to a college scholarship.
Being a concise history, the book begins by reconnecting with his
two best friends, twins Alan and Val, who drag him along to a party.
After meeting Circuit, who attempts to hypnotize him, things get
surreal and the central quest begins. Genuinely trying to find
explanations for the changes and coincidences he experiences over
the coming weeks, he doesn't know whether he is suffering from
paranoid delusions or is onto something revelatory. Allusions to The
Matrix foreshadow the answer.
Noah takes his readers on a comical and poignant mission to confront
his obsessions and coincidences and discover how they are related.
What happened to youtube's Fading Girl? Who is OMG (Old Man Goiter)?
Hypocritically, Noah resists watching the film, "Breakfast at
Tiffany's with his younger sister Penelope, who has her own
obsession with Audrey Hepburn.
Noah's complex frustrations reach fever pitch until Alan is
seriously injured and Noah gets a grip on reality. Paramount is
already busy turning Noah's adventure into a film as evidenced by
the official trailer.
"The Strange Fascinations of Noah Hypnotik" is compelling reading,
written by an edgy YA writer who knows how to keep us turning pages.
Deborah Robins
Minecraft: The Crash by Tracey Baptiste
Century, 2018. ISBN 9781780897776
(Age: Teens) Bianca (the main character) is never one to plan ahead:
she, like most people nowadays is 'act now deal with consciences
later,' but on top of that she's a bit of a scatterbrain so most of
the time it's 'act now have someone else deal with consequences'.
When Bianca and her best friend Lonnie are in a car accident that
Bianca might have caused she is incapacitated. After gaining full
consciousness, she is introduced to a VR version of Minecraft and
finds new friends and finding Lonnie in an apparently broken skin
while attempting an 'End dimension run'.
This book is the 2nd in a series, and the first one is a good read
as well. I will tell you that both books are not related apart from
being the first Minecraft series to be sponsored by Mojang and being
in the same series. They are part of a Mojang sponsored program to
get people of all ages reading.
The whole idea of the 'End dimension run' is Bianca trying to run
into her past, to before the car crash happened and it is also seen
through flashbacks that Bianca really depends on Lonnie to help her
with everything, plus that the car accident is a result of her being
a scatter brain. Bianca tries to slip into her past with Lonnie
(whose skin is glitching and has her stuck as a villager) but you
cannot run into your own past.
Bianca feels guilty about causing the crash and tries to complete
Lonnie's plan for the 'End run.' However, thanks to this new VR
version of Minecraft you can control your skin with your mind, but
it also means your deepest darkest insecurities will spawn mob's
most of which will try to kill you. Her guilt about causing the
crash and her obsession about completing the 'End-run' manifests
into an Enderman with a white scar which is the same as the other
car she crashed with. This Enderman will postpone the 'End run' and
attempts to stop the 'End run'.
One more thing, the ending is too obvious. I mean a good book hints
at a spoiler, but this book does it excessively. So much that ANYONE
can guess what it is. This is a HUGE spoiler and that is just not
okay!
Dante C. (Student, Year 7)
White rabbit red wolf by Tom Pollock
Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781406378177
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Themes: Twins, Mental illness, Bullying,
Genetic engineering, Spies, Murder Revenge, Deception. What starts
off as a book about a boy with extreme anxiety issues quickly
develops into a rollercoaster thriller. Peter Blankman must overcome
his terror and panic attacks to solve the near-fatal stabbing of his
mother and find his missing sister. He uses mathematics (his mild
super power), to suppress his anxiety and to solve the issues at
hand. Who wanted his mother dead? And why has his twin sister
disappeared leaving him on his own? There are murders, torture,
missing persons, spies and highly questionable genetic engineering
involved in this fast-paced story. Peter must unravel the past to
come to terms with what is happening in the present. There are
twists and turns and deceptions that shock and leave you questioning
what is real.
I enjoyed reading this book, it was a page turner, dark and
disturbing and left my pondering the life of the mentally ill and
our understanding and treatment of them.
I would recommend this for senior high school students (14+) who
enjoy a somewhat dark story.
Joyce Crawford
Stink: Hamlet and Cheese by Megan McDonald
Ill. by Peter H. Reynolds. Candlewick Press, 2018. ISBN 9780763691639
(Age: 8+) Themes: Humour, Shakespeare themes. Given the choice of
staying home with his sister Judy, or going to Shakespeare camp,
Stink takes the camp with his friend, Sophie of the Elves. She tells
him that it will not be anything like what he imagines, and seduces
him with tales of swordplay and cursing, enough to whet his appetite
for him to take on the role of a sprite. But his arch enemy, Riley
Rottenberger is being a Sprite, too, so things are about to happen
that not even Stink could have predicted.
All good fun with lots of puns and mock speeches, and lots of
information about Shakespeare and his plays to engage younger
readers.
This is the eleventh novel about Stink and his adventures all of
which are humorous, engaging and very readable.
Fran Knight
The boy at the back of the class by Onjali Q. Rauf
Orion, 2018. ISBN 9781510105010
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Themes: Friendship. Refugees.
Bullying. Resilience. Tolerance. This is a really enjoyable story
about 4 young friends at school who are intrigued by the mystery
surrounding the new boy in the chair at the back of the class. They
have many questions, but it is hard to find the answers; the boy
Ahmet goes into 'Seclusion' in break times, and after school he is
collected by a woman who doesn't seem to be his mother. He doesn't
even seem to speak English. He is unlike anyone they've had in class
before, a strange brave boy with the eyes of a lion. The friends
gradually discover that Ahmet is a refugee child from war-torn
Syria, and in his long trek across sea and land to find safety he
has lost all family.
Learning that Britain is about to close its gates to refugees from
Calais, the four children hatch plans to help Ahmet find his family
before it is too late for him ever to be reunited with any of them.
They come up with 'The Greatest Idea in the World'. But nothing ever
goes smoothly, there are school bullies to contend with, and a bid
to get help from the Queen leads to an amazing escapade which gets
the attention of all the newspapers.
The story is narrated by a nine year old, and because the author
does not give away whether it is a girl or boy speaking, each reader
will identify in a way that suits them. And although the underlying
subject matter is serious, the story has a lot of humour,
particularly in revealing the thoughts and ideas of the nine year old
friends. Drawings of their plans by illustrator Pippa Curnick add
another element of fun.
Author Onjali Q Rauf is the person behind the 'Making Herstory'
campaign for women's rights and prevention of abuse and slavery of
women. She is also involved in delivering emergency aid packages to
refugee families. The boy at the back of the class is her first
novel, and is a wonderful way to draw in the interest of a young
audience, helping them to understand issues that they can't help but
overhear in the news and in adult conversations. The story is a
great adventure, with themes of friendship, tolerance and
understanding towards others.
Helen Eddy
It looks like this by Rafi Mittlefehldt
Candlewick Press, 2018. ISBN 9781536200430
(Age: 15+) Recommended. The cover reflects LGTBQ+ themes in one
glance - rainbow silhouettes of two youths. Thankfully, neither the
title nor the writing defines the narrator and main character. Fifteen
year old Mike has a gentle temperament. He has three friends,
counting his sister, Toby, and two burgeoning geeks, Jared and
Ronald. He is not into sports until a basketball player at his new
school invites him to hang out. His father would like to see him on
a sports team, but he likes to draw. Interestingly, Mike is largely
responsible for the daily well-being of his younger sister and the
family dog, all of whom are less enthusiastic about church than
their devout parents.
Even though he likes going to church on Sundays about as much as his
unruly sister, Mike is resilient and grateful - he doesn't sweat the
small stuff, and is just trying to make it through adolescence in
the Bible belt, reasonably unscathed. He's an artist - observant of
details and mindful. There is a genuine naivety, at least on Mike's
part, about his burgeoning friendship with Sean Rossini, the jock,
whose parents are members of the same church as his own family.
Mittlefehldt draws out Mike's self-discovery so slowly that we could
mistake his debut novel to be autobiographical, but in the
acknowledgement to his family, we learn that the author was by
contrast, tremendously supported by his family.
So what does it look like for Mike and Sean? For one brief moment it
looks like the novel's opening sunrise, written by a boy in love for
the first time. But very quickly a dysfunctional bully named Victor,
uploads a film of the boys making out to YouTube and tips off both
dads. Not merely unsupportive, one father is physically abusive and
the other sends his son away to a Christian camp where "conversion
therapy" is considered a treatment for homosexuality. Thus for the
most part, it looks like: secrecy, cyberbullying, public shaming,
ostracism and inevitable tragedy. Whose choices were responsible?
Not the choice to love and be loved. Indeed, Mrs Pilsner, Ronald's
mother, assures Mike, "You did nothing wrong. Ever, in any of this..."
Readers will be drawn to Mike and his inner circle of friends, more
so than Sean whose character is not fully developed, making him
ostensibly a ghost from the beginning. Despite the modern format and
the omission of speech marks, the book will seem anachronistic to
those who are savvy about LGTBQ issues, but for those young adults
and parents living in peevish backwaters, It looks like this will
be serve as both a cautionary tale and a strong indictment of
Christian hypocrisy.
Deborah Robins
The magic spell by Linda Chapman
My secret unicorn series. Penguin, 2018. ISBN 9780241354223
(Age: 6-8) Themes: Horses. Pets. Fantasy. Linda Chapman's My secret
unicorn series has been republished for a new generation of girls
who love horses, unicorns and magic. These simple, easy to read
stories are great beginning chapter books with realistic pencil
sketches by Biz Hull. They capture the imagination and show that
special relationship between a young girl and her first pony.
When young Lauren Foster moves to Granger's farm in the Blue Ridge
Mountains she finally knows her dreams will come true. Her parents
have promised her a pony and she can barely wait to pick one out at
the horse and pony sale. He brother Max has his own ten-week old
bundle of energy, a Bernese mountain dog, now it is Lauren's turn.
She has a favourite story written especially for her when she was
three, "My Little Pony" all about a beautiful snow-white pony
looking for a perfect owner. Now she's nine it's time for a real
pony!
A scruffy, grey pony captures her heart at the sale, and with the
help of her Mum they purchase everything they need to look after
Twilight. A chance encounter at the local bookshop opens Lauren's
eyes to the fantasy world of unicorns and she starts to wonder if
her new pony is something extra-special.
Linda Chapman's quick-paced story, delightfully weaves the fantasy
world into Lauren's everyday life. My secret unicorn is just right
for young horse and unicorn enthusiasts.
Rhyllis Bignell
Unofficial Minecraft STEM lab for kids by John Miller and Chris Fornell Scott
Quarry Books, 2018. ISBN 9781631594830
Apparently, 74 million people play Minecraft each month, one of
those is Miss 12 who is now hooked on coding, and many of whom are
in schools where the game is being used in many scenarios as part of
the everyday learning experience. For some time, the teacher
librarian networks I belong to have been peppered with queries about
how it can best be used and so a book that specifically focuses on
its use in the science, technology, maths and engineering strands
will be of great value to teachers whose students are clamouring for
these sorts of experiences but whose personal knowledge and skills
of the game are not as developed as those of those they teach.
Beginning with a thorough explanation of what Minecraft is, how it
works, how it can be used and played and purchased so that parents
and teachers understand its value both in school and beyond - the
book's focus is 'to connect the Minecraft player(s) in their life
with STEM learning... to help bridge the gap between game-play
and engaging STEM concepts" - it moves on to six themed quests, each
of which presents four labs, which, in turn, have two parts - an
out-of-game activity that requires hands-on exploration and an
in-game building and crafting activity.
Quest 1: Pistons, Rails, and Redstone
Quest 2: Construction Zone
Quest 3: The Sky is Not Your Limit
Quest 4: Rocks, Minerals, and Gems
Quest 5: Cycles in Science
Quest 6: Engineering Challenge
In terms of the quality of content, Miss 12 would probably be a
better reviewer than I, but in her absence, this review
by a Minecraft expert suggests that it is "outstanding" and gives a
comprehensive tour of the contents and layout. The credentials of
the authors also convince me of its authority. However, as a
non-Minecraft person who wears a teacher's hat, it would seem to me
to be the perfect tool to not only capture an audience who prefer
gaming to reading but also to use its user-friendliness to explore
things not necessarily intellectually or physically in the teacher's
toolbox. Added to that is this
article which shows that onscreen adventures are leading
children to discover their origins in print.
I'm beginning to see what all the conversations have been about and
why there is such excitement about this game that demands so much
more of the student than pressing buttons or manipulating levers.
Barbara Braxton
Run, riot by Nikesh Shukla
Hachette, 2018. ISBN 9781444940688
(Age: Older teens and Young Adult) Recommended. An action-packed
thriller novel that slowly builds to a crescendo of events that
continually surprise the reader. "Run Riot" is a powerful novel for
Young Adult audiences who enjoy reading about the reluctant everyday
hero and who can relate to issues that affect many young people
living on the fringes of society. This is a novel that explores how
community is a valuable network which must be supported and defended
by all members. Young high school students MC Taran and her twin
brother Hari, no longer live their lives as an isolated family
because they feel a connection to the people they share Firestone
House with, they feel that they somehow belong and are part of
something.
Unfortunate circumstances have forced Taran, Hari and their parents
to move to the Housing Estate that is not in a desirable part of
town and which has a negative reputation. They would rather live
somewhere else. But, just as Taran was beginning to envisage a way
out of poverty with the hope of recording something worthwhile, and
Hari working towards University after school, tragedy happens and
it is happening to them, their new friends, romantic friends, family
and their community.
They and their 2 friends Jamal and Anna, are on the run from tough
bad guys, the police and other powerful entities. They run but in
doing so, they realise that they must stand up for themselves, each
other and the occupants of flats at Firestone House - their
community and neighbours. They must stand up to corporations who
want to redevelop their 'Home' in order to house wealthy people in
grand apartments and uncaringly destroy the lives of many people by
doing so. All of this happens in just 24 hours.
The big issues of police brutality, gentrification, young people
growing up, love and relationships and general helplessness of the
less fortunate in society, are brilliantly highlighted in tense and
adrenaline packed language and banter which resonates with young
people.
About the Author - Nikesh Shukla.
Nikesh is a writer, writing for a literary Journal "The Good
Journal", co-editor, writer of a short movie "Two Dosas", he has
worked for the BBC and he is currently writing as a columnist for
"Observer Magazine". Nikesh's writing has earned him recognition
and a Best Novella at the Sabotage Awards. Nikesh has made his first
attempt at writing for teenagers with this new novel "Run, Riot".
Maria Burford
Greta Zargo and the amoeba monsters from the middle of the Earth by A. F. Harrold
Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408881774
(Age: 8-12) Greta Zargo, an independent young girl who lives alone
in her inherited house, returns in this second book to save from the
world from further disaster. This time she has to contend with giant
amoeba she has unwittingly released from her own garden. They are
making their way around the village, Upper Lowerbridge, consuming a
variety of its inhabitants.
Meanwhile Greta has to discover the whereabouts of her missing Aunt
Tabitha, a great inventor, who is hosting TAFoNS, the Thirteenth
Annual Festival of new Stuff.
Visiting inventors to TAFoNS have some unusual innovations such as
cows who poo hamburgers (cow patties not cow pats), a new way of
detecting the colour orange and miniature ostriches.
An interesting inclusion in this book are the many notes written on
the side margins of the pages. These add extra quirky information to
the story.
A. F. Harrod is a poet and wordsmith and loves to play around with
names, my favourite being the "Hester Sometimes Conference Centre
and Immobile Library".
Maps at the beginning of the book show Greta's village of Upper
Lowerbridge, not to be confused with Lower Upperbridge.
Joe Todd-Stanton's illustrations are scattered throughout the novel
and add to the appeal of the book.
The first Greta Zargo book is entitled "Greta Zargo and the Death
Robots from Outer Space" and A. F. Harrold has also written the
"Fizzlestump" series.
This novel will appeal to children aged 8-12 who love quirky, silly
humour and a good laugh.
Jane Moore
Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
The Illuminae Files book 3. Allen and Unwin, 2018. ISBN
9781925266726
(Age: 15+) Recommended. Themes: Science Fiction; Warfare and
conflict; Sabotage and Resistance; Technology; Artificial
Intelligence; Space Travel. In this epic conclusion to the "Iluminae
Files" series, we are again launched at warp speed into the
phenomenal world of space conflict, where big business and humanity
grapple for survival in the most extreme of environments. The
fight-to-the-death battle rages between the forces to protect the
interests of the corporation that has most to gain and opposed to
them are the insurgents, the workers, teenagers and human faces that
are just keen to survive. Linked within this conflict is the
Artificial Intelligence voice and coding of AIDAN, whose
'personality' waxes and wanes between heroism, villainy and
friendship. Is there a moral aspect to his AI actions, or is he
programmed to act when no human could, and all in a world of complex
code . . . with more than a hint of personality?
This book is told through the files, reports and documents gleaned
from surveillance footage, text, messages, illustrations and
computer logs and files that were made at the time of the conflict -
all kept and compiled for posterity and for evidence of the 'good
and the bad' events leading up to the final moments. The variety of
text type formats to tell the story makes this a non-traditional
narrative, and consequently this is not for the faint-hearted. This
can be hard work at times, but the epic storyline and the incredible
efforts and intelligence of the teenage heroes will make this a
worthy escape for Sci-fi lovers. Even though I read the "Illuminae
Files" book 2 some time ago, it did take me some time to reconnect
all the intricacies of plot and characterisation that continue in
three books. This series might be best read as a 'binge-read' in
order to keep the complex threads in some order. YA readers will
love this series, and will probably want to devour all three books
in the series. The romantic interests of characters also make this
appealing for female readers too, as it is not just an action-war
story, set in space. The authors of this book have done an amazing
job at writing a compelling series in a very different style of
multi-format text communication.
[Note: An interesting technique of 'blacking out' all swearing in
the book gives at least some credence to those who do not want this
in YA fiction . . . but it is still patently clear what lies beneath
the 'black blanket'! But I must credit publishers or authors with at
least minimising the blatant impact of coarse and offensive
language. ]
Recommended for Sci-fi lovers aged 15+
Carolyn Hull
I got a chicken for my birthday by Laura Gehl
Carolrhoda Books, 2018. ISBN 9781512431308
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended. How would you like a chicken for your
birthday? It could be good - fresh eggs and a friend to talk to.
Maybe? Well not this chicken! Our young lady wanted tickets to the
amusement park but she was sent a chicken by her grandmother. She
tries to be excited and responsible. She feeds the chicken but the
chicken wants cotton candy. She gets excited about fresh eggs but
the chicken is too busy. Before she knows it, the chicken has stolen
her dog and her cat and has written a huge list of wants - nails,
wood, a horse, helmets, a bucket, a lamb, geese and milk. What is
this chicken up to? Could this chicken turn out to be the worst gift
ever?
"I Got a Chicken For My Birthday" is a hilarious and well
illustrated picture book. The funny looking chicken is a great
discussion point - is it like a real chicken, what is different
about it, what is the same about it, are all chickens the same . . .
. . Excellent for practising observation skills. Children can also
make predictions about what the chicken is up to and create their
own stories. The text is simple and easy to read, matching well with
the illustrations. It is highly recommended for readers (and their
carers) aged 5+ as well as independent readers aged 7+. You are
never too old for a funny picture book.
Kylie Kempster
Good night stories for rebel girls 2 by Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo
Timbuktu, 2018. ISBN 9780997895827
(Age: 5 - Adult) Highly recommended. Themes: Women. Read aloud. Like
Good
night stories for rebel girls 1, this volume has 100 stories
about women, some well known (Beyonce, Madonna) and many less well
known (Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche, Beatrice Vio). Each woman has a
double page spread, one side with information about how the woman
managed, some times overcoming great odds, to achieve their dreams.
60 different female artists have illustrated the book, and each
fabulous portrait of the woman described adds to the reader's
understanding of their personality.
The book is set out beautifully, each entry a joy to read, making it
a book that is sure to be a keeper in any family's library. It was
immediately grabbed when spotted in the bookshop by my 9 year old
granddaughter, who already had and loved the first book. It is a
book that responds to being read aloud as a bedtime story as the one
page entries are just right for a short bedtime story with the
story, the dates of birth and death, and the illustration providing
great entry points for discussion. The book equally responds to
having the reader pick out different inspiring women to read about
silently.
The book will inspire all readers with its tales of real women from
the past and the present, who have changed the world. It is sure to
appeal equally to boys as well as girls as the information is not
only informative but also written in a clear, interesting and easily
accessible manner. Adults will find it equally fascinating as they
read about women known and unknown to them (Agatha Christie, Sophia
Loren).
Pat Pledger
Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman
Arc of a Scythe book 2. Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781406379532
(Age: 15+) Recommended. Themes: Science fiction, Death,
Assassination, Artificial intelligence. In the sequel to the award
winning Scythe,
Rowan has gone rogue, turning himself into the assassin Scythe
Lucifer, taking down corrupt scythes, while Citra working with
Scythe Curie, wants to stop the corruption from inside. Meanwhile
the Thunderhead looks on, seemingly unwilling to halt the decline of
the Scythedom although working with Greyson Tolliver to protect
Citra from attacks. There is an increasing division among the new
and old order of scythes and all of humanity is threatened.
The story of Citra and Rowan unfolds in alternate chapters, with a
section at the beginning of each told in the words of the
Thunderhead, leaving the reader wondering in suspense whether this
all mighty intelligence will intervene to stop the problems that the
world is facing. The action moves along at a cracking pace, the
reader left breathless hoping that the main characters will survive
assassination attempts, imprisonment and isolation. At the same time
there is great character development, Citra begins to show her
intelligence, compassion and integrity as she prepares people for
gleaning, while Rowan continues as a merciless vigilante, still
believing in the Scythedom. The addition of Greyson Tolliver as a
conduit to the Thunderhead also adds to the plot line, which is
complex and thought provoking.
Big questions are examined in "Thunderhead": the perils of
immortality, the ethics of gleaning, and the power of artificial
intelligence, all wrapped up in stunning action. A mind blowing
cliff-hanger of a conclusion that is totally unexpected, will have
fans eagerly waiting for the next book in the series. Fans of Martha
Wells' "Murderbot" series and Jay Kristoff's "Lifel1k3"
will enjoy this book.
Pat Pledger
Kid Normal and the Rogue Heroes by Greg James and Chris Smith
Ill. by Erica Salcedo. Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408884553
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Theme: Adventure, Humour. A fast-paced
humorous adventure with likeable heroes and outrageous capers, this
is another cracking adventure for Murph and the Super Zeroes
battling a truly evil supervillain and one not so evil sidekick. I
am impressed with this sequel. It jumps straight into the action, as
the Super Zeroes thwart a jewel thief with ease. It keeps up the
pace with an exciting premise and twists and turns every few
chapters, moving the story forward. The Super Zeroes think they're
in for a quiet second year at the School, but the most dangerous
supervillain (or Rogue Hero) of them all has other ideas. No-one has
been able to go near Magpie in 30 years for fear of having their
power stolen, so when Magpie summons Kid Normal to his top-security
prison cell, The Alliance seizes the opportunity to glean new
information on his crimes. The visit seems unfruitful, and frankly,
a massive let-down, but Murph is convinced there must be more to
know. A nonsense poem and a bit of digging lead the gang on their
most important mission yet.
The book strikes a great balance between plot and Greg and James's
(authors) wonderful brand of humour. The jokes fit in very well and
add much needed lightness and fun. They have managed to continue to
narrate in their unique style.
A great story to read aloud to children. Character development is
another appealing element of "Kid Normal". Murphy and his friends
all mature significantly. They learn actions can have serious
consequences and build on their friendships formed in the debut
book. We also learn much more about the adults of the Kid Normal
Universe and their pasts as well. Even grumpy, shouty Mr. Flash gets
the chance to show he's not a totally unreasonable buffoon. This
makes the book rich and well rounded.
Overall, a fabulously fun story.
Donna Isgar
