The Marsh Road Mysteries.Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408876060
(Age: 9+) Highly recommended. In Dogs and Doctors readers
meet a group of children who are rather good at solving mysteries.
Sylvie has to stay in hospital and on her first night Barry, the
therapeutic dog, is kidnapped. The group of friends are on the job
the very next day. They interview people, steal CCTV images and lead
the security guards to the laundry. Barry has been here but a chase
through the parking lot enables the escape of the dog napper.
Meanwhile, a piece of valuable art work, on loan to the hospital,
has gone missing. Are the two crimes connected? Was Barry a decoy
dog? Is Barry safe? Will the friends beat the police and solve the
crimes? The group of friends undertake some rule breaking to get to
the truth but they do contact their police connection when danger is
imminent. Dogs and Doctors is part of The Marsh Road Mysteries
series but it is a stand-alone story. It is great to see loyalty
amongst friends as well as accepting friends for all their faults.
The story is an excellent read for girls and boys, especially if
they love an adventure where they can't pick the culprits. Dogs and
Doctors is descriptive and exciting. The text is easy to read and
would make a great model for students creating their own mysteries
when writing. It is highly recommended for readers aged 9+.
Kylie Kempster
Superstar Tapir by Polly Faber and Clara Vulliamy
Mango and Bambang, book 4. Walker Books, 2016. ISBN
9781406361490
(Age: 7-10) Highly recommended. Superstar Tapir is the
fourth book in this delightful series starring Mango and the tapir
Bambang. It is divided into four separate stories, each quite unique
and interesting. In Snow day, Bambang is intrigued about the idea of snow and
wonders just what it, is, and even though there is no snow around,
Mango comes up with lots of different ideas about what snow looks
like and feels like. Their adventures culminate in a ride in
George's wagon, pretending to be a snow sled and when they stand
under a blossom tree they pretend that it is now and they and make a
snow angel out of the blossoms. A night at the fair sees Mango's father finally leaving his
study to take them off to the fair. After he wins them toys at the
hoopla stall, Mango and Bambang go to see the Egyptian treasures
where they are accosted by their old enemy Cynthia Prickle-Posset.
What adventures!
Their friend, Rocket the dog faces some trials in Rocket to the
moon, when he is convinced that he has found a space ship to
take him away. Mango and Bambang have to use all their ingenuity to
find him when he disappears.
In A tiny tapir's tears, Guntur the tiny tapir reappears as
a star in Minty Verbena's latest movie. Mango and Bambang are
invited to the opening and here they have to rescue him when he
begins to fall from a collapsing chandelier.
All the stories are a pleasure to read and the black and orange
illustrations add to the interest and humour.
Pat Pledger
Everything, everything by Nicola Yoon
Ill. by David Yoon. Random House Children's Books, 2017. ISBN
9780552576482
(Age: 13+) Themes of romance, family relationships, illness. This is
Nicola Yoon's debut novel; a touching romance between two young
people wanting to experience love but it could be the death of one
of them.
Bubble girl, Madeline Whittier is allergic to the outside world. She
has not left the house since her father and brother died in an
accident when Maddy was a child and now, at 17 years old, she yearns
for a relationship that is different to those she has with her
mother, her nurse and her tutor. This desire is a closeness that may
only be achieved with Olly, the boy moving in next door, the boy
with eyes the colour of the Atlantic Ocean.
Madeline's story unfolds with drawings, diary entries, lists,
charts, and personal narratives. The illustrations, which were drawn
by Nicola Yoon's husband, David, added an unusual and personal touch
to the telling of Madeline's story. I particularly enjoyed
Madeline's Spiral on page 233; it is an illustrative elegy to
Madeline's dreams. And on pages 237-8 we come to a halt along with
Maddy's heart with black pages and few words. This type of visual
emphasis on emotion turns a book into a more physical reading
experience which students will enjoy examining.
I did find that the story had two drawbacks. Although the characters
and relationships were being developed expertly before my eyes, the
most important character to the plot, Madeline's mother, was sadly a
missing substance. I know that Madeline was loved by her mother but
the way Nicola Yoon continuously described the same mother daughter
activities and Madeleine's love and desire to save her mother any
more pain was tedious to read about. The second drawback was Maddy's
calm resignation to her life. If a teen was actually in this
predicament would there be more teen angst, more tension, than
portrayed by the fictional character of Madeline? This could be a
position for debate amongst students.
For a debut novel it is very exciting that Everything,
Everything is being turned into a movie and I hope it can do
Nicola Yoon's work justice.
Sharon Smith
The whole thing together by Ann Brashares
Penguin Random House, 2017. ISBN 9780141386300
(Age:12+) Recommended. The novel The whole thing together,
written by Ann Brashares describes the realisation that people
saving and caring for something or someone can be brought together
by a sudden disaster. The whole thing together makes you
rethink your family and friends because the author uses a family
reunion to bring the story to life. A messy divorce years before,
resulted in shared custody of Ray and Sasha's siblings. As the
youngest of their respective families and unrelated, both Ray and
Sasha find themselves sharing their half-siblings and holiday home
bedroom - but not each other. A chance meeting sparks romance and
you can imagine the result when all members of the extended families
are finally brought together in the one place.
This story, set in New York, is easy to relate to, although for me
it was hard to connect with the characters. This is because the
author switches the perspective of the characters before the reader
can connect with them.
Overall the novel was simple but enjoyable and those who read it
will find comfort doing so. I recommend this book mainly to those
who are looking for an easy read with a little twist - a wonderful,
open and loving story targeting readers between 12-18 years of age.
Cara F. (Student)
The naughty naughty baddies by Mark Sperring and David Tazzyman
Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017. ISBN 9781408849736
(Ages: 2 - 6) Highly recommended. Picture Book. A highly improbable
and amusing tale whereby 4 baddies hatch a 'dastardly' plot to steal
the spots of the Queen's little dog amongst other minor naughtiness
like the sticking out of tongues and the blowing of raspberries.
What greater fun is there to be had than to see oneself as a 'baddy'
creeping around with your friends in a quest to make as much
mischief as possible? And to put oneself in a position of power over
someone as powerful as the Queen herself is definitely irresistible
to the average 4 or 5 year old!
There are a number of powerful words used in the text that would
bear discussion with the young reader, 'dastardly' and 'fiendish'
being great additions to anyone's vocab. Delightful, 'diabolically
dreadful' and 'dastardly' alliteration is used throughout, and that
wonderful repetition of the 'naughty, naughty baddies' is sure draw
in the young reader when read aloud.
Creeping is at the forefront of the baddies' skills with 'sneaking'
coming in at close second. My three year old granddaughter is quite
convinced that her creeping skills are vastly superior to any
adult's ability to spot her little body wending its way slowly along
the lounge room curtains. If you creep well enough you can get away
with anything and steal the spots off the Queen's doggy, indeed the
4 baddies do. What happens as a result of this improbable crime
needs to read to be believed.
The ending was a little up in the air for me - not a particularly
satisfactory resolution with the tables turned on our most powerful
leaders. It may leave the little reader wondering exactly what
happened.
Elizabeth Avery
Nanette's baguette by Mo Willems
Walker Books, 2016. ISBN 9781406376210
(Age: 2 - 6) Recommended. Picture Book. It's all in the rhyme! Just
exactly how many words can one get to rhyme with baguette?? You will
quickly find out on reading Mo Willems' latest picture book.
Cleverly illustrated with photographs of his own purpose made paper
and cardboard constructions, Nanette, the little French frog is sent
to the bakery by her mother on a quest for a baguette; indeed, to
'get the baguette'. She can't resist the wonderful smell, however,
and wonders how on earth she will give her mother the bad news on
arriving home. The delightful ending will put a smile on the dial of
every small reader; just no one can resist the smell of warm
baguette.
This is definitely a book to be read aloud, the whole fun of it
being in the rhyme. Whilst the plot is one all young children will
relate to, it isn't particularly deep and meaningful; just crazy
fun. My three year old granddaughter likes a little more of a plot
than this book developed but nevertheless enjoyed thinking about how
many words could be rhymed with baguette very much warmed to the
thought of eating one.
Elizabeth Avery
The city bleeds gold by Lucy Saxon
Tellus series book 3. Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408847732
(Age: 11+) Recommended. An initial impression was one of
disappointment, starting with the all too convenient map of the
Tellus archipelago. Learning that the protagonist Noah has an alter
ego, Daniel, who is pretty much the Spider-Man of this fantasy
realm, didn't help matters - but to be fair, this is Volume 3 and
the world of Tellus has already been well described in Volumes 1 and
2: Take Back the Skies and The Almost King. The City Bleeds Gold gains momentum with Daniel's nocturnal
forays into the lower city to protect his fiance, Princess Crysta.
Crysta is the future Queen of Erova, the largest territory of
Tellus. In her parents' absence, it is her job to organize the
annual festival to ensure the favour of the Goddess and the
sustainability of the kingdom. Noah, a commoner and mask-maker like
his father, is not exactly the most popular choice of future consort
according to just about everyone but Crysta. With both Damian, head
of security, and the younger princess Rosa, in tow, they focus on
protecting Crysta and the supremacy of Erova from an assortment of
threats. Daniel (Noah in disguise) has both the ability and the
motivation to be spying on potential enemies but is unacknowledged
due to his secret identity.
A measure of romance means that the main characters are developed
well. A young author of 21, Saxon expertly builds suspense as Daniel
uses the roof tops to spy on and stymie the bad guys. When Daniel's
intelligence gathering finally plays out, the novel becomes a heady
page-turner in the milieu of the high fantasy and appropriately
named, Tellus series.
Deborah Robins
Wimmera by Mark Brandi
Hachette, 2017. ISBN 9780733638459
(Age: 16+) Recommended. The prologue to this story starts the
mystery off - two young boys, after idling away time yabbying
unsuccessfully in a country dam, explore into the bush further, and
make an intriguing discovery. The story then moves to some years
earlier and it is a different set of boys passing their summer
holidays together - Ben and Fab are good mates, they enjoy each
other's company, and the banter between them is easy and natural.
But Fab doesn't have an easy life, he is picked on by the bullies at
school taunting him for being a wog, and at home things are even
worse when his father loses his temper and starts beating him up.
Ben tries to protect Fab, standing beside him when he needs help in
the schoolyard and even trying to take the blame for a cricket
accident to deflect the wrath from Fab's father. The friendship and
trust between them is real, the conversations are natural, and they
fit easily together.
It sounds like one of many engaging stories of adolescent boys
growing up in the Australian country. However this story goes to a
darker place very quickly. There is a shocking young suicide next
door, a sign that all is not as it seems. And when the grieving
family moves out of that house, the new resident with the smart car
becomes an object of curiosity for the boys - who is he? Is he a
secret agent? The new neighbour, Ronnie, a tall muscular man, seems
to take an interest in Ben, offering him the opportunity to make
some money with odd jobs. He is friendly, he offers to help Ben,
shares secrets with him, and builds up a gradual intimacy. But it is
not the friendship of mates like Fab, it feels strange and Ben
doesn't know how to handle it.
The way that Ronnie charms Ben's parents and gains their trust, and
the description of the gradual grooming of Ben, provide insight into
how a paedophile might work, revealing the very real quandary that a
young unsuspecting teenager might find themselves in. What can Ben
do about it, what will happen next? Can Fab help?
This book carried me along very quickly and I read it in almost one
sitting captured by the tension of wanting to know how the boys
handle the menace and what happens next. It is a dark story, but
there are no ugly graphic details, the danger is merely suggested.
We don't have to know the details to solve the mystery. The
denouement makes sense; the descriptions of the relationships have
an authenticity that makes one feel that if it is not a true story,
it is coloured by real events, and is worth reading to gain an
insight to how such things might happen. It left me pondering things
afterwards - questions such as what makes a friendship, what is the
dividing line between genuine closeness and closeness that is
manipulative and exploitative? How do you know when to trust and
when not to? Maybe it is just luck, and we could all use Fab's lucky
rabbit's foot.
This won the 2016 UK Crime Writers' Association Debut Dagger.
Helen Eddy
Editor's note: This is also available as an audiobook through
Audible and iTunes.
The Blizzard Challenge by Bear Grylls
Bear Grylls Adventures. Bear Grylls, Bonnier Publishing
Company, 2017. ISBN 9781786960122
(Age: 7-11) Bear Grylls is a well known adventurer and survival
expert. He's had several TV programs and has written books for both
adults and children. His Mission Survival books were
targeted to older primary school students but this series Bear
Grylls Adventures will appeal and be accessible to a younger
reader.
The theme in The Blizzard Challenge is survival and being
the best person you can. Physical struggle and adversity against
nature teach lessons about both persistence and self belief. The
first message on Bear's website is 'Life is an adventure. Live it'.
This is something that Olly learns in this first book.
Olly is reluctantly on a camping trip and he lets down his friends
during the activities. He doesn't want to put up the tent, build a
den or be part of the team. While wandering in the woods he is given
a compass by another child whom mysteriously comments, 'I think you
need this'. This compass has a strange fifth direction which takes
Olly straight to Bear Grylls on a high mountain range. Bear teaches
Olly how to survive in sub zero temperatures and hazardous
situations such as walking on a cracking frozen lake and enduring a
blizzard.
Olly returns from his adventure having learnt important lessons
about the environment and himself. He passes the compass onto the
next adventurer who features in Desert Challenge book 2 of
this series. There are 4 books available in this 12 book series.
Emma McCann is the illustrator and her drawings feature throughout
the book. Colour is used only on the cover.
Bear Grylls appeals to children and this series will interest to 7
to 11 year olds. Jane Moore
Hamish and the gravity burp by Danny Wallace
Simon and Schuster, 2017. ISBN 9781471147128
(Age: 7+) The bright cover and illustrations covering the paper
edges promises humour and fun, and they certainly deliver this for
young children!
The story surrounds Hamish Ellerby, who begins by finding his family
stuck to the roof through the strange happenings that is a 'gravity
burp'. The whole town of Starkley is affected and obviously causes
lots of questions and a then big town meeting.
It becomes up to Hamish and his friends (who are all in a gang
called the PDF - Pause Defence Force) to save their town once again.
After some research I found that this book is part of a well
established series, where Hamish and the PDF try to save Starkely
(and the world) from Alien invasion. This made sense as although
Danny Wallace gives information to the reader to allow this to be an
interesting stand alone book, I feel that reading this series in
order would be very beneficial to getting to know the long list of
characters.
The story is consistently funny, with toilet/gross humour throughout
keeping even the most reluctant reader or listener entertained.
My favourite character of the bunch was Madame Cous Cous (who
couldn't love that name!) and her sweet shop. She is always doing
something amusing like nailing down all the sweets in the shop, and
through the wonderful illustrations I was able to form a great
visual image to compliment the story.
This book would suit readers who love Roald Dahl and David Walliams,
as it is clever, humorous and filled with little tidbits (like the
flick-a-book illustrations!!) to delight every reader.
Suitable for readers or listeners from 7+
Lauren Fountain
Zombie goes to camp by Zack Zombie
Diary of a Minecraft zombie book 6. Koala Books, 2017. ISBN
9781743818329
(Age: 5+) Zombie goes to camp tells the follow-on tale of
Zack Zombie and his friends going to camp. Zack is 12 years old and
completely terrified of going to Creepaway Camp; luckily his friend
Creepy is coming along too!
Like the previous books, Book 6 is written in a daily diary style
and uses language that children as young as 5 (and anyone who loves
Minecraft) will understand.
The story moves through Zack's time at camp, with the first part of
camp being filled with his concern that the camp counsellors are
really brain eating humans who especially enjoy mob kids and that
the food served in the cafeteria would spring to life as the camp
food monster and eat them!
The kids at camp also participate in lots of stereotypical summer
camp activities that many children will be able to find a link with
and gain an understanding of the situations (except the potential
brain eating counsellors) Zack and his friends are in.
Thankfully Zack and his friends survive the terror that is Creepaway
Camp and come through both alive and with a whole heap of new
friends.
The ending leads the reader nicely onto the next book and the next
adventure for Zack Zombie, keeping them interested and keen to read
again.
This book, and this series, is perfect for young Minecraft lovers
from age 5 and also parents/teachers who listen to children talk
about this phenomenon and aren't sure who or what they are talking
about!
Lauren Fountain
The adventures of Miss Petitfour by Anne Michaels
Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408868058
(Age: 9+) Highly recommended. The adventures of Miss Petitfour
is a collection of short stories describing the adventures of a
lovely lady and her cats - cats who like arts and crafts and a lady
whose favourite mode of transport is a tablecloth that flies.
Miss Petitfour has a collection of tablecloths that fly. It just
depends on where she wants to go as to which cloth she chooses! Miss
Petitfour is a whimsical character who, along with her 16 cats,
loves adventures. One of her favourite things to do is to fly to her
favourite bookshop in the village for tea and a chat with the owner.
In the first story, readers are introduced to Miss Petitfour and her
cats. The cats go on all the adventures by inking their tails around
each other and trailing behind Miss Petitfour like the tail of a
kite. This story is also the first adventure. The marmalade jar is
empty and a daring flight to the store occurs. it is a bit windy and
one of the cats gets stuck on a pole.
The stories are descriptive, whimsical and gorgeous. Every now and
then, a new word is introduced as part of the story. From
'perambulator' to 'gesticulation', the narrator speaks to the
readers. This book is highly recommended for readers aged 9+
(including grownups). It is a lovely and innocent collection of
stories.
Kylie Kempster
Winnie the Pooh: The Great Heffalump Hunt by Giles Andreae
Egmont, 2017. ISBN 9781405278300 Piglet trotted happily beside his best friend Pooh.
Talking about nothing much as best friends often do.
When suddenly Pooh stopped and said, "I've got a Grand Idea".
"I'm going to catch a Heffalump. I've heard they live around
here."
Giles Andreae of Giraffes Can't
Dance fame has taken this wonderful and well-known adventure
of A. A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh and reinterpreted into a
delightful rhyme and pictorial experience. More than 90 years on
from the first publication of the adventures of Christopher Robin,
Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet and Tigger inspired by a real-life
bear Milne's stories are as enchanting and popular as ever so
to have this one in a picture book version for our youngest readers
is a treat indeed.
As well as providing a taste of the delights of what is in the
original collection, it celebrates friendship, bravery and the
imagination, even providing the basis for an inquiry project for
beginners. Just what is a Heffalump, what does it look like, and
what would be the best way to catch it? Each child could create
their own version, design a suitable trap and bait and maybe even
start to consider whether catching wild creatures is ever a good
idea. Those a little older might even start to investigate the role
of zoos and how they've changed, particularly given Winnie's
origins.
Even though this is an adaptation of a classic, in its new form
there are so many layers to explore that it is perfect as a
standalone, and another generation will learn to love this lovable
bear and his endearing friends.
Barbara Braxton
Town Mouse, Country Mouse by Richard Jones
Ill. by Libby Walden. Caterpillar, 2017. ISBN 9781848575462
Living in a bustling town is exhausting for a little mouse and she
dreams of a quiet place in the country. So she writes to her country
cousin to see if she can visit for a while, swapping homes so they
each have a holiday.. Country Mouse is very excited because he has
always wanted to be "a mouse about town." But things are not quite
as wonderful as they expect and neither is sorry when their holiday
is over and it's time to go HOME.
This traditional fable from Aesop has been retold in rhyme, bringing
its powerful message of what it means to be home and to belong to a
new generation. Cleverly illustrated with a gentle palette and
strategic cutouts it's a story that has endured over time because of
its timeless message of "the grass always seems greener" . Little
ones can have fun imagining what it might be like to live the life
of their hero or in another place, but then also reflect on the
things they would miss if they were really able to make the swap.
A classic.
Barbara Braxton
Finding Gobi by Dion Leonard
Harper Collins, 2017. ISBN 9780008244521
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Finding Gobi is a gorgeous true story
of loyalty, friendship and the lengths people go for their pets.
Dion Leonard, an Englishman, is competing in the gruelling Gobi
Desert marathon when he meets a homeless dog. There is an instant
connection and Dion names her Gobi. Gobi becomes his running partner
during the race but after the race is over, Dion must head back to
England. Gobi, however, is unforgettable and Dion and his wife
commit to bringing Gobi to England. This is no easy feat but thanks
to crowd funding, local Chinese people and the media, Dion and his
wife proceed to bring Gobi home. Gobi is an easy to read story told from the perspective of
Dion and Gobi. The story explains the steps Dion has to take in a
very child-friendly manner and we see how much Gobi loves Dion from
her comments. Readers will fall in love with Gobi and will be
cheering for her every step of the way. The story takes place in
China, making it a good class novel for Year 6. Students can map the
journey, create reports on the Gobi Desert while investigating
different perspectives. This book is highly recommended for readers
aged 10+ and adults will enjoy it as well.
Kylie Kempster
