HarperCollins, 2017. ISBN 9780008257026
(Age: 11+) Highly recommended. After a devastating earthquake hits
Evie's hometown of Parnassus on New Zealand's South Island, the
entire town and herself are forced to evacuate. During the initial
earthquake, Evie's mum is injured and one of the first to be rescued
by helicopter. Evie was meant to be on the ride with her mother, but
refuses to leave her beloved pony, Gus, her dog, Jock, and her cat
Moxy behind. She is determined to find another way before people
realise Evie did not go with her mother. Instead she flees with her
tribe of animals in a race against time across difficult terrain to
reach the port of Kaikoura. Locals are being evacuated to the port
where they will be transported to safety.
No one could have ever imagined the difficulties Evie would
encounter. With aftershocks constantly shaking, Evie will have to
overcome her OCD and draw on her bravery, strength, and resilience
to bring her and her animals to safety.
Having never been one to read a 'horsey' book I was absolutely
enthralled from start to finish. It is a fast-paced book about a
girl's determination to do anything to save her beloved animals -
even putting her own life at risk. An emotional journey sees Evie
refuse to give up even when faced with impossible odds.
Evie is 12 years old and suffers from OCD. This has a huge impact on
her life and her ability to cope with events. There are countless
themes that are portrayed in the book including resilience, bravery,
family, community spirit, death and determination. I think the
audience need to be at least 11 years old as the themes can be quite
strong and the readers need to have a degree of maturity to fully
understand them.
This book would be a hit with girls in particular, but not
necessarily just ones that enjoy a horse story. A must have for the
library collection.
Kathryn Schumacher
Curiosity: the story of a Mars Rover by Markus Motum
Walker Studio, 2017. ISBN 9781406374681
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. Mars. Spacecraft. NASA. Exploration.
STEM. This beautifully presented book gave me all the information I
needed to know about Curiosity, the Rover which landed on
Mars in 2012 to explore that planet's surface. The unadorned text
introduces the reader to the space program designed to find out more
about Mars, our closest planet, and tell us why this mission is being
carried out. In sepia tones throughout the book, the illustrations
reveal the intricacies of Curiosity's make-up, the cameras,
wheels, laboratory equipment, battery and communication technology.
The size of a small car, the machine has a lot of work to do once on
Mars, photographing and sending back images of the landscape, taking
up pieces of the surface with its arms and testing the material to
send back the results.
The expectation that this machine would uncover some of the
information that scientists want to know about Mars spurs them on.
Mars, the red planet is the closest in make-up to our planet Earth,
and so scientists hope to discover what it is made up of and why it
is now seemingly desolate. The launch of the rocket taking 'Curiosity'
to Mars is described in detail, showing the various parts of the
rocket as it takes off, leaving behind boosters so that the final
piece to get to Mars lands safely. The speeds at which it hurtles
through space are mind boggling, and then the slowness of the
machine as it traverses across Mars just as intriguing. Curiosity
must first take photos of itself to send back to earth so that
scientists can gauge whether it was damaged as it landed on Mars.
I found this an altogether intriguing and fascinating book: loved
the diagrams, the information about why we need to go to Mars, the
statistics, the maps of the planets, the people back on Earth, NASA.
A great introduction to the exploration of space and why it occurs
will delight and educate younger readers, as well as older ones.
Fran Knight
A dog with nice ears by Lauren Child
Hachette, 2017. ISBN 9781408346136
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended. Dogs. Pets. Family. Lola wants a dog,
but her parents are adamant that she will not have one. This very
familiar scene, played out in many homes, is given an uproaringly
funny outing in this new book by Lauren Child, featuring her loved
characters, Charlie and Lola. Sometimes Lola pretends to be a dog,
lying in a basket on the floor, sometimes she pretends her big
brother is a dog and pats him while he is on the ground. She uses
the age old excuse of her best friend having a dog, but all to no
avail. Meanwhile the siblings discuss what sort of dog Lola wants
and what attributes a dog has that would make it so very welcome.
They talk about swishy tails, and barking and whether dogs need
glasses, sniffing dogs, wriggly dogs and dogs with fleas. Lola's dad
says he will take her to the pet shop on Saturday and she is
convinced that she is going to get a dog, and even has a name ready
for him.
All through the two discuss what a dog needs, what a dog does in the
family, how dogs behave and how people behave towards them, giving
information to the reader, as well as bringing up points of
discussion for a class or group or at home.
Child's zany illustrations follow the story, giving life to the two
and showing a range of dogs and their behaviour for the reader to
better understand the responsibilities involved in owning a dog or
pet. The background on many pages gives the idea of collage which
readers may like to emulate in their art classes, while the design
of each page offers a different look, inviting readers to take a
closer look at how the page is put together, and the differing fonts
used to emphasise what the pair are saying adds interest and variety
to the story. This will be eagerly sought after in the library.
Fran Knight
Even fairies fart by Jennifer Stinson
Ill. by Rebecca Ashdown. HarperCollins, 2017. ISBN 9780062436238
(Age: 2-5) Even fairies fart by Jennifer Stinson is a
gorgeous picture book that will make children laugh out loud and
also assist in beginning conversations about making mistakes.
The book follows a fairly easy rhyme, which engages both the
listener and the reader. My 3 year old daughter particularly loved
this book and after only reading it to her twice she is able to
predict the ending rhyme and join in with 'reading'. The pictures
are whimsical and feature many characters from familiar nursery
rhymes such as princesses, giants and of course fairies.
I really liked how this picture book made small mistakes such as
dropping food, toileting accidents or getting cranky normal and that
no matter who you are (or what character you play in a story), you
do them too and that they are not something to worry about. Plus the
inclusion of the word 'fart' is generally a winner in my household!
This story would be great to use with children from 2.5 to 5 years
old as this is the often the age when they are striving for
independence, learning many new things but also making some mistakes
along the way. It could be incorporated into a nursery rhyme theme
to extend the characters and their place in literature.
An easy read that will appeal to all those young (and not so young)
children who think farts are funny!
Lauren Fountain
The ugly five by Julia Donaldson
Ill. by Axel Scheffler. Scholastic, 2017. ISBN 9781407174198 The ugly five is a book about five of what are considered
Africa's least attractive animals - the wilderbeest, warthog,
spotted hyena, lappet-faced vulture and the marabou stork. Scattered
throughout the book are also a number of animals children will be
familiar with. Donaldson creates a touching storyline where the
group of savannah's 'ugly' creatures face rejection from their
fellow animals, yet realise that their own children think they are
the most wonderful animals and parents in the world.
The takeaway message of it does not matter what is on the outside,
the inside is what is important, will resonate with children and will
make a welcome addition to a social skills program. Discussions
could centre around what the students consider to be beautiful. Do
we all think the same things are beautiful?
Julia Donaldson has done it again and the accompanying illustrations
by Axel Scheffler will create plenty of discussion. Audiences will
be kept entertained with the memorable rhyming passages throughout
the book.
Kathryn Schumacher
The loneliest girl in the universe by Lauren James
Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406375473
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Themes: Space Travel; Trust; Science
Fiction; Loneliness. Imagine you are the only person in your
universe (apart from someone who is only contactable via email and
even then your responses may be separated in time by months or
years) . . . imagine the loneliness!
In this incredibly interesting Science Fiction book, the central
character, Romy, is a survivor on a Space exploration vessel which
is on its way to establish EarthII. Her story is further complicated
because she has never even set foot on Earth, as she was born in the
spacecraft The Infinity to her astronaut parents who were
commanding the interplanetary vessel which was stocked and prepared
for an extraordinary amount of years of travel away from Earth. The
craft was populated by many people and waiting embryos, all in
suspended torpor ready for something new - a brave new world. Romy
has been raised to be independent and resourceful and well-versed in
all things scientific and technical. Disastrous circumstances have
left her alone, living with her own grief, but in a position of
great responsibility. Into this lonely existence, filled only with
technical tasks, learning how to solve intensely difficult
Mathematics and Physics problems, watching film files and writing
her own fan-fic (fiction from fans that creates storylines into her
favourite Film fiction) is an interruption of the romantic kind.
Another spacecraft is on the way to connect with The Infinity.
Initially just a voice in a text, but eventually a meeting as the
newer vessel travels at greater speed to make contact with Romy's
own travelling spacecraft. The complications of a possible human
encounter raise all sorts of teenage dilemmas as Romy's imagination
takes hold. Will this meeting in space be all that she wants it to
be? Is there something not quite right about what she is about to
encounter?
Lauren James has a background in STEM subjects and this is a perfect
book to recommend to those who love Science Fiction and a sprinkling
of science related information in a science-rich context and
setting. (A genuine STEAM book, with the addition of the Arts!)
Understanding the relative shrinking of time between the two
converging vessels is important in understanding the loneliness of
Romy which is expressed through her email conversations. With a
mixture of the Sci-fi, romance and thriller genre for teens, this is
a wonderful book to recommend. It certainly causes the reader to
think about what space travel might be like, and what it might mean
for the future, and it places scientific knowledge into fiction in a
really positive way.
Carolyn Hull
Insidious intent by Val McDermid
Little Brown, 2017. ISBN 9781408709320
(Age: senior secondary to adult) Highly recommended. Crime thriller,
Forensic science, Murder. When a young woman's body is found in a
burnt out car in a remote part of Northern England, DCI Carol Jordan
and psychological profiler, Tony Hill, are part of the team, now
called the ReMIT, short for Regional Major Incident Team, called in
to handle major cases in the north. Carol heads this new team, but
is treading on wary ground, having been party to a cover up of her
drink driving charge the year before, and only now admitting to
being an alcoholic, receiving help from Tony to remain sober.
The murdered girl has only recently teamed up with a man she met at
a friend's wedding, and the team has difficulty adding any new
information as to who this man might be. Floundering, it is only
when a second woman is found in identical circumstances, that some
members of the team uncover some small but significant clues.
McDermid's knowledge of police procedure and forensic investigation
makes for marvelous and informed reading.
Meanwhile, Tony and Carol rub against each other in the same way
that McDermid has presented in the previous nine Tony Hill/Carol
Jordan novels. An edgy relationship that borders on the fraught,
both members of the pair can be infuriating in their addiction to
their work. Tony has little empathy with the living and often
underestimates the effect some of his words will have, while Carol's
blunt approach often leaves her with enemies. One of these, Sam, was
not picked to be in her new team and harbours grudges, so much so,
that he hitches his star to an investigative reporter, out for
Carol's blood. Meanwhile, Paula and Erica, having taken on the son
of a friend who was killed, Torin, find that parenting is much more
difficult than they expected it to be.
A taught multi layered thriller of a read, the ease with which some
women can be picked up is staggering and in the face of such an
orgnaised killer, they have little chance of seeing through the
facade he presents.
But what do you do when the killer is known, and the evidence not
clear enough to have him arrested? In her heightened state, Carol is
under extreme pressure and how she reacts to that pressure makes for
a fascinating read.
Fran Knight
That's my book! and other stories by Salina Yoon
Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781619638914
(Age:5-7) Recommended. Three short stories in one feature Big Duck,
quiet and clever Little Duck, and friendly and gentle Porcupine,
making this a very good book for the reader who is just
transitioning from picture books to chapter books. Readers familiar
with other books by Salina Yoon (especially those books featuring
Penguin, Penguin
and Pinecone, Penguin's
big adventure etc.) will welcome a longer book that has the
same brightly coloured pages and funny characters as their
favourites.
There are three disparate stories in this book, the first That's
my book, is very funny as it describes the boredom of
Porcupine, and Big Duck while Little Duck is happily engrossed in a
book and is surrounded by lots of other books that he can read if he
gets bored. Big Duck and Porcupine borrow some books but find lots
of different ways to use them - a stage for singing, playing book
dominoes, and for improving posture - but finally open one up and
discover the joy of reading.
In Let's have a talent show Big Duck shows off her many
talents but Porcupine is not successful until he makes a big and
beautiful stage for Big Duck, showing that he does have a wonderful
talent. Dress-like-a-pirate Day is the funniest of the three stories
and will have children laughing out loud as Big Duck thinks that
Little Duck's eye patch covers an injury and Little Duck's only
replies to her questions is 'Arrr!'
There are many humorous happenings in this book, some
misunderstandings and wishes, but the three friends manage to work
out everything and have lots of fun.
Pat Pledger
Nothing tastes as good by Claire Hennessy
Hot Key Books, 2016. ISBN 9781471405747
(Age: 15+) Mental illness. Death and grief. Anorexia and eating
disorders. Abuse. Teen romance. Secrets. Food plays a very powerful
role in this book; it is the beginning and end of the conflict. For
Annabel, the narrator of this YA book, food (or the lack of it) led
to her death. She is now in the afterlife and has been appointed as
a 'post-life' guide (not unlike a guardian angel but without any
spiritual or godly role). Annabel's role is to be the one to change
the life of Julia - to rescue her, to guide her. But will her own
issues impact her new charge. Will Annabel ever be able to connect
again with her own family, now lost forever? At first glance Julia
does not seem to need help. She is a gorgeous, mature, positive and
motivated student with a passion for the school newspaper and a
future journalism career... but something is going wrong with her
relationship with food, with her body and in her relationships with
others. Annabel can barely believe that this is the person that
needs her help! The potential love interest in Julia's life is quite
gorgeous (and perhaps too good to be true) and although he is not
actually a Knight-in-Shining-Armour for Julia, his role does give
this serious book a romantic flavour.
On one level this is a journey into the psychology of trauma, and
the impact that this can have on our choices, but it is also an insight
into eating disorders and the terrible tragedy that this expression
of illness can be. Through a fairly normal teen coming-of-age plot,
with parties, school concerns, and relationship beginnings and
endings, Claire Hennessy has overlaid the internal dialogues,
secrets and tensions of Julia, and has given us a powerful insight
into the thinking of Annabel, the anorexic. As a consequence there
is almost a risk that it is too real, and too confronting, and
perhaps even dangerous for some vulnerable teenagers. Hearing the
internal dialogue of the teens in connection to food issues, and
counselling provided by adults and professional helpers is a
reminder that Mental Health issues are not easy to deal with.
Hennessy writes with a deft touch and insight into teen behaviour
and thinking.
Although a very well-written YA Fiction novel, its content should be
taken into account before recommending it, particularly if
body-image issues are a risk.
Carolyn Hull
All the way home by Deb Gliori
Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408872079
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Penguins. Antarctica. Arctic. Christmas.
Parenting. When father penguin and his egg are picked up by a huge
wind and deposited in the Arctic, life is very strange for the
penguin. Here he meets animals that don't exist in the south, trees
and ice and snow and a man in a red suit that gives him breakfast.
The penguin has been left by his mate as she goes off into the ocean
to fish. He is in a huddle with other male penguins, their eggs on
their feet, keeping them warm until they hatch. But the penguin is
hungry and goes to the edge of the huddle where the wind grabs him.
In the Arctic he meets a variety of creatures unknown in the south:
reindeer, foxes, whales and moose. But once finding the home of the
genial Special Air Navigation Transport Authority, he is able to
have a ride back home when this person delivers presents. Back home,
the chick and its father are greeted by mum who was looking out for
them.
A cold, wintry tale will win over hearts as the readers are
transported to the Arctic along with the father penguin. This is a
neat tale of fatherly love, of the way Emperor penguins raise their
chicks, of life in the coldest places on earth. In between the story
of the father and his egg, we see factual information given about
the penguins and the environment, and the reader is also shown the
difference between the ice-bound lands on the north and south poles.
This books is a blend of fact and fiction, making it a book that
will engender discussion about these places. The inclusion of the
most famous inhabitant of the north pole, Santa Claus, will further
endear the readers. Gliori's soft illustrations, a mixture of the
many varieties of her favourite colour, blue, with great expanses of
white reflecting the polar environments will keep younger readers
looking at each page to find details of the animals that live there.
I love the use of the world map to help younger readers work out
where the penguin lives. A lovely Christmas story to add to the
range available for younger readers.
Fran Knight
A Christmas Advent story by Hanna Tolson and Ivy Snow
Bloomsbury 2017. ISBN 9781408889787
(Age: 6+) Recommended. Lift the flap book, Christmas, Advent
calendar, Customs. A European custom of celebrating the twenty five
days preceding Christmas Day is to hang an Advent calendar in the
home for children to open each day. This handsomely produced book
replicates the calendar that may hang in the house and encourages
children to follow the days from December the first to December the
twenty fifth. Each day has a window to lift revealing a small item
usually found in the house.
Many traditional Advent calendars feature the manger scene but
others now reflect a theme, like sports or the home, film or the
environment. Wikipedia has a brief outline of the history of these
calendars in the Christian tradition and this can be found at Wikipedia.
In this book a roll call of customs and traditions can be found. The
children look at the array of Christmas cards, they go Christmas
shopping walking through the snow, help select a Christmas tree,
sing carols, help decorate the tree, wrap the presents using
Christmas wrapping paper, help make the Christmas pudding and
Christmas biscuits, while in the last few pages they talk about
Santa Claus and what he might bring them.
For children each day has a different window to open, fueling the
anticipation they feel leading up to Christmas. In a classroom this
could be put to good use, reinforcing the customs that Christmas has
engendered over the years, and could provide a talking point as to
where these customs originated and why we follow them.
Readers will enjoy following the children getting ready for
Christmas as well as the happy brightly coloured illustrations and
of course, opening each window.
Fran Knight
Facts! One for every day of the year by Tracey Turner
Ill. by Fatti Burke. Bloomsbury Childrens, 2017. ISBN 9781408884621
(Age: 7+) Recommended. This is a really interesting book that grabs
the reader's attention as soon as it is opened. Turner has come up
with a different fact for every day of the year. Some of them are
just amazing - when opening the book to 15 May, the reader discovers
that "in France, it's against the law to call a pig Napoleon" (pg.
45). Other entries are factual and fascinating - an example is the
notation for the 5 August when the reader learns that "Greenland
sharks live in cold Arctic waters and swim very slowly" and "can
live up to about 400 years!" Then there are the humorous entries
that will delight - for the 30th April, the reader discovers that
"Wombats produce cube-shaped poo" and on December 25, will learn how
to say 'Happy Christmas in 20 languages'.
The background to each page is coloured in bright tones, and
illustrations by Fatti Burke add to the interest of the factual
information. Some double spread pages have a large drawing like the
heart that illustrates the 29 June entry ("During your lifetime,
your heart will beat about 2.21 billion times, and you'll take
around 672 million breaths" pg. 55). Others are decorated with small
birds or insects, footprints or foliage.
This would make a great discussion starter in a classroom and would
appeal to those children who love weird and interesting facts.
Pat Pledger
The Mitford murders by Jessica Fellowes
Little, Brown, 2017. ISBN 9780751567168
(Age: 15+) Recommended. Mystery. Louisa Cannon has problems. It's
1919, and her oppressive uncle is proving to be dangerous. She
really wants to escape London and is happy when she secures a
position as a nurserymaid at Asthall Manor the home of the Mitford
family. Then Florence Nightingale Shore, goddaughter of her famous
namesake, is murdered on a train and Louisa becomes entangled with a
young railway policeman and Nancy Mitford as the trio try to solve
the murder.
To my surprise I discovered that this was a real murder, which has
never been solved. It was interesting to read a murder mystery
knowing that the culprit had never been found and wondering how the
author would present the case. Many people have put forward theories
and Fellowes' solution is one that the reader can believe in.
Setting much of the action in the Mitford home will give readers who
enjoyed The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate
by Nancy Mitford, a glimpse into the life of the upper classes in
the early 20th century. At the same time the reader gains an
in-depth knowledge of World War 1, the brave nurses who served
during the war and the life of the poor in London.
The narrative is slow but the historical background and characters
of the three main protagonists keep the reader's interest and ensure
that further research is done into the real murder.
Pat Pledger
Landscape with invisible hand by M. T. Anderson
Candlewick Press, 2017. ISBN 9780763699505
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. Wealth and power. Commerce. Art.
Invasion. Science fiction. When the vuvv hover above earth, telling
people that they have been watching since the 1940's, they promise
sharing their technologies which means freedom from disease and less
work.
But as with all invaders the promises are hollow. Humans lose their
jobs to the technology, food is prepared elsewhere and sold to
people whose farms are now derelict, so can no longer afford to buy
it, medicine is costly, healthcare a thing of the past and humans
must learn to communicate with the vuvv through translators attached
to their bodies. Not being part of the world of those who became
wealthy when the vuvv arrived, Adam and his family reflect the
growing desperation of humankind.
When dad loses his job he abandons them, mum keeps going in the hope
that she will find something to do, but with long sometimes
aggressive queues at every job opportunity, she begins to despair.
They sell their possessions eventually taking in another family
whose rent buys their food for a while.
Told in chapters which reflect paintings that Adam creates, Adam and
his girlfriend, Chloe, sell their intimate moments to the vuvv.
Saddled with recording equipment and translators, they learn the
idioms of the post WW2 America to give the vuvv what they want to
see. But this breaks down when Adam and Chloe part, Chloe pairing
with someone else to cash in from the vuvv and Adam left with
litigation.
Adam's unabashed look at the new world is startling. Through his
eyes we see the invasion of his society by another force and their
degradation through being seen as an indigenous culture whose mores
and traits, music, art and language are studied as a curiosity.
Anderson makes some pithy comments about how our society is
proceeding, with a huge divide developing between rich and poor, a
reliance on technology that is stultifying; factories, shopping
centres, suburbs and cities left derelict, a school system where
teachers are volunteers, while Adam has Merick's Disease, an
everpresent bowel and stomach condition which has come from drinking
unpurified water, a service the government no longer provides.
Submitting several of his landscapes to the vuvv for a competition,
Adam goes to the celebration in the sky gallery and finds that his
voice is lost in the crowd, he has become a non person, so he
decides to act.
This is a powerful look at our society. Set in New England, it could
be any western country, where technology is seen as the great
nirvana but means loss and dislocation for many, where government
decisions are made for the rich, where services are abandoned and
where the aim to be wealthy over rides all common sense. The
distance between - the space, is never going to be spanned, but Adam
and his family hope for a future where the invisible hand reclaims
what is lost.
This is one story that begs discussion and debate as it exposes the
nastiness in our society, one that has gone off the rails in its
adherence to commerce, technology and wealth.
It is fascinating that it was written probably several years ago to
be published in 2017, but could have been written about Trump's
America.
Fran Knight
A semi-definitive list of worst nightmares by Krystal Sutherland
Penguin, 2017. ISBN 9780143573913
(Age: 15+) Recommended. Themes: Fear and Anxiety; Resilience;
Cowardice and Bravery; Mental Illness: Suicide; Teen Romance; Family
Struggles. This is a book filled with gut-wrenching fear - for the
characters, not the reader. It is a book filled with oxymorons -
tragedy and comedy; cowardice and bravery; depression and hope;
obsession and a light touch. Krystal Sutherland has also managed to
braid into the harder parts of this book romance and understanding
of the very complex world of those who struggle to live well with
mental illness. And you won't want to put this book down because the
characters will charm you!
Esther Solar is the quirky, fear-riddled central character whose
family appear to be cursed with struggles that lead them down the
road of mental illness in a myriad of forms. Her family life could
only be described as twisted out of shape. Her twin brother is
severely challenged by the dark, her mother is afraid of bad luck
(which she seems to court by her gambling habit) and her father has
not left the basement for years; and Esther manages to keep going,
wearing bizarre outfits that are her way of disappearing (even
though everyone looks at her!). Her best friend, Hephzibah, is a
selective mute and together they have silently battled being the
odd-bods at school by sticking together. The only person from their
past who supported them, Jonah, dramatically reappears into the
action. He then proceeds to complicate Esther's existence in ways
that she could never expect, compelling her to confront the long
list of fears that hangs over her like an ever present storm cloud,
ready to drop an unexpected deluge of disaster. And through all of
the complexities of her life walks the visitor from her
Grandfather's tales - the visitor that no one ever wants: Death!
There are many laugh-out-loud moments in this book as Esther's
family's frailties are 'undressed and revealed' in their raw
humanity in the face of the deep darkness that accompanies them.
Despite this expose of severe mental illness, the care of a friend
and the expressions of love provide opportunities to see hope grow.
Not with an easy-fix, but as if the clouds part and small glimpses
of sunshine peek through. Jonah is an endearing and strong
character, who has his own tough issues to deal with - but is
absolutely a 'winner'. But don't expect everything in this book to
be completely believable!
The book contains some hints about how to seek help for those facing
their own battles with anxiety and mental illness.
NB: The personification of Death in this book could enable this book
to be used as a paired text with Markus Zuzak's 'The Book Thief' for
Senior English students.
Recommended: For mature readers aged 15+ (Readers who have enjoyed
John Green books will also enjoy this book). There is some swearing
included.
Carolyn Hull
