Reviews

The pearl thief by Elizabeth Wein

Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781484717165
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Crime fiction. Scotland. Historical fiction. Prejudice. When Julia returns from Switzerland to help her family clear out her grandfather's estate before a school takes over the house, she arrives a few days early and goes for a walk in the valley, aware it will be for the last time. But she wakes three days later in hospital, hair shaved and a blinding headache, while the nursing staff treat her with contempt. She was found unconscious by a group of Travelers and the resultant newspaper headline and her scrappy clothes did not endear her to the hospital staff. Prejudice against the Travelers was well ingrained in the 1930's. But back at home, where she and her family are living in just a few rooms while they pack, she finds that her Grandfather's pearls are missing, the pearl price paid by the Travelers generations ago to use the land each year, along with those he found in the waterways on their estate. But when the curator sent from Oxford to catalogue the estate's trove, also vanishes, Julia begins to take a closer interest in the artefacts and the man's disappearance. With her memory of the circumstances when she was struck slowly returning, she puts herself in danger. She wants to find out what happened to her, and in trying to find more evidence in the water where she was when hit, finds a jar with the stolen pearls. She and her brother, Jamie, alone with the Traveler twins Euan and Ellen who rescued her, make a decision about what to do with the pearls. And again they are all in danger.
With a wonderful setting amongst the hills in Perthshire this page turning story with hints of the nineteenth century stories of Stevenson and Scott, as well as nods to Robbie Burns, the tale will appeal to mid secondary readers who relish crime stories. With elements of a cosy but full of rounded beguiling characters, a touch of romance and a style which will remind readers of Agatha Christie, Patricia Wentworth or Dorothy Sayers, this is
a prequel to the highly successful, Code name Verity, and Rose under fire. The pearl thief will delight readers with its setting, construction, characters and plot twists. Wein cleverly shows the changing attitudes to women through Julia and Ellen, and their changing circumstances reflect the changes in society as a whole, as the titled family moves from its ancestral home, and the Travelers find it difficult to find a place to camp.
Fran Knight

The Giant Jumperee by Julia Donaldson

Ill. by Helen Oxenbury. Penguin, 2017. ISBN 9780141363820
(Age: 3-6) Recommended. Something is hiding in poor Rabbit's burrow, scaring the forest animals. The creature hiding inside announces 'I'm the Giant Jumperee and I'm scary as can be!' Each of Rabbit's friends offers to help remove the intruder. When Cat slinks up to burrow ready to pounce, he is greeted by the creature's taunting remark - 'I'll squash you like a flea!' Bear offers to knock him down with his big paw however, he is told 'I'll sting you like a bee!' This mysterious animal certainly knows which buttons to press to scare each one away. Mummy Frog stands at the each of the burrow, arms akimbo, eyes wide open, determined to sort out the problem. She's not concerned and challenges the Giant Jumperee to appear on the count of three! Out jumps her Baby Frog, happy to have scared all the animals. Mummy Frog is not amused while Elephant, Rabbit, Bear and Cat lay back in the green grass, laughing at the trick played by the little frog.
Donaldson's uncomplicated story uses rhyme and repetition to delight the young audience. Oxenbury's colourful paintings are delightful; they show the range of emotions each animal feels as the Great Jumperee defeats them. This gentle story is just right for predicting the outcome and engaging a Preschool or kindergarten class.
Rhyllis Bignell

Zombie Swap by Zack Zombie

Diary of a Minecraft Zombie bk. 4. Scholastic, 2017. ISBN 9780986444166
(Age: 7+) This popular fan fiction series is presented as Zombie's diary and in this junior novel, he has swapped bodies with his friend Steve the Villager. This sets the scene for much awkwardness at school and home, for many new and difficult situations and of course, plenty of gross humour. Zombie discovers what it is like to be a human; there are problems with wearing clothes, using the SHA-WUR, what is SO-AP and how to use a TA-WOOL. Zombies normally do not spend a lot of time cleaning their bodies, they have holes in their faces and bodies and love to smell and be filthy.
Human school is a very scary place, Steve is a very popular guy and Zombie finds it hard to fit in, andn know what to do, what to say and how to act. His normal life is opposite. Steve has to live with the Zombies, Creepers, Skeletons and Slimes of Minecraft, and try to fit in as well. There are plenty of difficult situations for Zombie, luckily, Steve's friend Alex is there to guide him through the pitfalls. He even competes in the PVP Death Match Tournament with his new human friend Eli, and together they learn how to rely on each other and defeat the other team.
Zombie Swap is another humorous addition to the series, just right for Minecraft fans who enjoy reading about their favourite characters and their zany lives.
Rhyllis Bignell

Rose Ravensthorpe Investigates: Black Cats and Butlers by Janine Beacham

The dragon with a chocolate heart by Stephanie Burgis

Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408880319
(Age: 9-12) Highly recommended. The dragon with a chocolate heart is a wonderfully woven fantasy adventure that should come with a warning - needs to be read while drinking hot chocolate and sampling a large box of delicious chocolates! Stephanie Burgis combines the world of dragons, the forces of magic and brings a feisty hero to life. She sets her novel in traditional old world town - Drachenburg - where chocolate houses vie for royal favour.
Aventurine is a young dragon desperate to escape her boring family life. When she leaves her family caverns filled with golden treasure to search for her own dinner, the young dragon is tempted by a cup of sweet smelling hot cocoa from a mysterious food mage. In an instant, she changes from a colourful scaly dragon into a wingless human girl. Aventurine learns to adapt to her human body and sets off down the mountain into town. She meets scoundrels and townsfolk out for their own good and runs away from the first couple who just want an unpaid servant.
After some twists and turns, she meets young Silke who help her with suitable clothing and she finds a job as apprentice chocolatier at the Chocolate Heart. Her passion for chocolate and her love of finding the perfect flavours is beneficial for the business.
Burgis writes a rich and engaging fantasy narrative, filled with delicious sweet descriptions and cups of special hot chocolate to delight the royal family. Her setting amongst the delights and dramas of life in Drachenburg with all the behind-the-scenes details of the chocolate shop, the secret recipes, spicy touches, and the well-rounded characters add to the warmth of the story. How can the feisty young girl save the town from the attacking dragons who happen to be her own family?
The dragon with a chocolate heart explores the themes of acceptance, courage, resilience and making the right choices, a wonderful story for fantasy fans and just right for Middle Primary students.
Rhyllis Bignell

Maisy goes swimming by Lucy Cousins

Walker, 2017. ISBN 9781406374049.
(Ages: 3-5) Illustrator and author Lucy Cousins first created her Maisy Mouse character in 1990 and her picture books continue to be much loved family favourites to share with youngsters all over the world.
Walker Books have published the delightful interactive story of Maisy goes swimming as a 25th anniversary celebration. Now a new generation of toddlers can help Maisy get ready for swimming at the pool. The young mouse is dressed for winter in many layers of clothes and she needs to put on her bathing suit. First, her blue hat and scarf come off, next her big brown boots and red coat. Each spread show the ever-patient mouse waiting for our help, as we lift, slide and open the sturdy flaps. Next comes more colourful layers, grey cardigan, green trousers, until at last we pull down her orange bloomers! At last, it is time for Maisy's colourful striped swimsuit and she is ready for the pool.
Maisy goes swimming is an entertaining book to share with a young child, to prepare them for swimming lesson and to stimulate their engagement with picture books, developing their pre-reading and motor skills.
Rhyllis Bignell

Princess Cora and the crocodile by Laura Amy Schlitz

Ill. by Brian Floca. Candlewick Press, 2017. ISBN 9780763648220
(Age: 5-8) Recommended. Princesses and royalty. Independence. Identity. Fantasy. Childhood. Fairy tale. In a classic fairy tale style with a princess, talking animal and a little bit of implicit magic, combined with some grit from a frustrated princess comes this charming tale. Princess Cora begins life impressing her parents with her blue eyes and pink toes, but almost immediately they are concerned for her royal role and her life is bound up with responsibilities that are dull as dirty bathwater. Cora endures her princess 'training' for some time until her polite frustration leads to a letter to an unseen fairy godmother. The solution to her woes is a crocodile!! With a little bit of 'changing places' magic, Princess Cora discovers some freedom and the joys of childhood while the crocodile metes out some reptilian payback for Cora's royal training regimen. Ultimately there is some happiness for all, in the manner of all good fairy tales. Hidden beneath the charming fairy tale plot is a little bit of a 'moral' for the adults in a child's life - allow children to be children before 'training' them for their adult roles. And a child reader will see a compliant child who learns to speak up and explore her independence, while still showing respect.
The illustrations by Brian Floca (a Caldecott medallist) are delightful and complement the text sympathetically. This is a lovely transition text between a picture book and an early chapter book.
Recommended for aged 5-8 years, it would make a lovely shared read-aloud text for an adult and child.
Carolyn Hull

Maybe a fox by Kathi Appelt and Alison McGhee

Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406372892
(Age: Upper primary - lower secondary) Highly recommended. Even if this story had been written by one author, readers would marvel at the skill and craftsmanship of the writing. Instead it is a collaboration, all the more impressive for that because: a singular voice rings out across the book; there are no stylistic fluctuations along the way; and the narrative development is seamless. This is despite being a complicated story, with several threads weaving through. The central story is about Jules coming to terms with the tragic and pointless death of her sister; this is the second tragedy her family suffers and she and her Dad stay strong to support each other. Other stories intertwine with this: Sam, the school friend, hopeful for the return of the long-unseen catamount; his older brother, Elk, returned from Afghanistan, but mourning a best friend who didn't; the rambling yearling bear that brings out the local hunters; the dangers and mysteries of the Slip, where the river disappears into an underground cauldron for a while, and the legendary but unfound Grotto, both of which hold resolutions to these interlacing stories. But these resolutions don't come so simply and comfortably. Like weft across braiding threads the tale of Senna is thrown; Senna, the vixen of three kits born just as Sylvie disappears; Senna of a mythical fox world, a Kennen with connection to the human world. And her connection is Jules. The fabric shimmers and tightens as these stories intersect and move to a compelling conclusion that answers the question in the title. Because of the implied middle school readership of the book it is important to mention not a spoiler but an alert: perhaps this story goes one tragedy too far. The ending is traumatic, with an achingly-sad last chapter that is hard to bear. Other choices could have been made that would have been uplifting and hopeful and still been satisfying. With that one caution this extraordinary book is highly recommended for upper primary and lower secondary readers.
Kerry Neary

Wing Jones by Katherine Webber

Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406369090
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. Wing Jones is a confronting novel about the aftermath of a car accident caused by drink-driving. Focusing on the family of the person responsible, it gives insight on the difficulties faced not only by the perpetrator, but the family and friends of the perpetrator.
A world where you are a nobody and your big brother is a somebody is always going to be difficult to navigate, let alone having both Ghana and Chinese heritage in a school with a mostly white population. Wing Jones is unlucky enough to be all of above - an outsider to anything considered vaguely normal by her peers. As bad as that is it all gets worse when her brilliant brother comes crashing down from the pedestal she's placed him on and the police come to the door with grim expressions for the second time in her life.
As the news of Marcus' drunk driving spreads, the school is engulfed by grief. From hero to villain in one night, Marcus' sister and best friend, Aaron, bear the brunt of it alone. Marcus is trapped in the hospital and they don't know if he'll ever wake up to face the two charges of vehicular manslaughter to his name. Swamped by her older brother's guilt and encouraged by her spirit animals, Wing must learn a new way to cope before the weight of Marcus' guilt breaks her. She starts to run - an act she'd avoiding since childhood - and she's good. With Aaron's help and the slim glimmer of hope that her athletics will help Marcus, Wing joins the track team and shocks not only her classmates, but her mother and Grannies too.
Dealing with issues surrounding drink driving, bullying, and racism, this coming of age story is highly recommended to people thirteen and up.
Kayla Gaskell, university student

Stepping stones by Margriet Ruurs

Ill. by Nazar Ali Badr. UQP, 2017. ISBN 9780702259739
(Age: 5 - Adult) Recommended. Refugees, Syria, Arabic, Sculpture. A worthy addition to the range of books about refugees with which to engage children, Stepping stones, will delight younger readers with its parallel text in Arabic, its amazing illustrations and concise story, best read aloud. With others like Out (Angela George, 2016) Teacup (Rebecca Young, 2016), Suri's wall (Lucy Estela, 2016), Flight (Nadia Wheatley, 2015) and My two blankets (Irena Kobald, 2014), a class set of books about refugees would be the richer for their inclusion, allowing children to pick out and read several books, or work with a class using these books to reflect the story of refugees today.
Stepping stones is unique however in its depiction of the people fleeing their homes. The illustrator, Nizar Ali Badr, a sculptor, works from his home in Latakia in Syria, and the author, having seen one of his stone pictures on the internet was propelled into writing a story to match the image. It would be intriguing to present the images to a group of children to write their own story, they are so graphic and detailed, that I am sure they will understand the story without hesitation.
Canadian author Ruurs, presents the story of this family whose love holds them together, finally finding a place of refuge where they are welcomed. Canada stands like a beacon of humanity in our world today.
The parallel text in Arabic is beautiful, the calligraphy a standout and will intrigue children as they look at the wonderful script, wanting to know more. I can imagine classes using this book as part of a discussion about refugees, allowing children to read it for themselves and share it with others, along with the stories depicted above. I can imagine children trying out the stone images for themselves, or trying to write script in Arabic. All their efforts will bring them to a closer understanding of the issue of refugees through one child's story.
Fran Knight

Scarlet and Ivy: The lights under the lake by Sophie Cleverly

Harper Collins, 2017. ISBN 9780008218324
(Age; 9+) Highly recommended. The lights under the lake is another instalment in the Scarlet and Ivyseries and is just as much of an adventure and a mystery as the other books. The great thing about these books is that they are stand alone stories, hinting at events in previous books to keep the readers up to date with what is going on. Like the others, The lights under the lake will keep readers wondering who is behind the mysterious events.
Scarlet, Ivy, Ariadne and Rose all attend Rookwood School and have become close friends, protecting each other through everything. As part of a plan to relax and forget about the horrible events at the school, the principal has organised a school excursion to a lakeside hotel. It will be a chance for the girls to relax and learn about nature. Unfortunately, the nasty prefects are in charge, mysterious objects keep appearing in the hotel and someone is ransacking rooms. The nasty prefects keep targeting Rose. Scarlet, Ivy and Ariadne really don't know a lot about Rose and doubts start to set in. Will the girls be able to save Rose from the prefects and her past?
The lights under the lake is a mystery and an adventure with excellent role models for girls. Scarlet and Ivy are twins and always looking out each other. They will do anything for their friends and are always working at overcoming their fears. Ivy is the voice of reason while Scarlet acts before she thinks. The difference is, Scarlet's seemingly inappropriate behaviour is always in defence of someone she loves. Ariadne is intelligent and not afraid to show it.
The story is descriptive and the vocabulary is easy and exciting to read. Author, Sophie Cleverly, gives away just enough to keep the reader guessing and they won't solve the mystery straight away. Highly recommended for girls aged 9+.
Kylie Kempster

What will grow? by Jennifer Ward

Ill. by Susie Ghahremarni. Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781681190303
(Age: 3+) Recommended. Gardening. Natural world. Flora. Seeds. A book about seeds which allows children to understand that each seed has the promise of something else, is beautifully illustrated by Susie Ghehremani, showing in bright pared-back illustrations the habitat of each seed and the animal which will be found in its vicinity. In this way children can focus on the seeds, animal and habitat appropriate to the growing plant, adding to their knowledge of the world around them.
Each double page represents one seed and in rhyming couplet gives words that describe that seed or its habitat, and shows it and its plant. So the first page shows round peas, then a pea plant replete with seed pods showing clearly the peas inside. Over the page is a pair of rabbits and small thin shaped seeds in the ground, producing lettuce which the rabbits will adore. This page as with several others requires the reader to lift a flap to revel the grown plant. In this way the reader is introduced to a dandelion, tomato, oak tree, apple tree and pumpkin amongst other vegetables and fruits. The lift-the-flap will intrigue younger readers, especially when the flap opens different ways to adjust to the plant being presented. The last several pages shows what happens beneath the top soil, and the last double page gives an overview of the seeds presented in the book, while the last double page of all shows the seeds from germination to plant to seed, engaging the younger reader in the process of germination.
This would be a great introduction to a group of children about to embark on growing things for themselves or setting up a class garden.
Fran Knight

In the name of the family by Sarah Dunant

Little, Brown, 2017. ISBN 9781844087648
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. This is a blockbuster, a historical story of a world in moral disarray, ruled by enormously rich families, their actions morally bankrupt, driven as they are by lust for personal gain and power. In fact, lust in all its forms plays a large role in this story. We read about the sexual romps, the engorged appetites of the men and the women who pander to their every need. While the men pursue land, wealth and power, the women are there to entertain, as courtesans, and to bear children, as wives. They can, and do, influence the men, however. Yet, this world is depicted as very much a man's world.
It is a tale wonderfully told, in richly descriptive language. It is not a light-hearted tale about good families and courageous people. It is instead a powerful, dark, violent, manipulative and, at times, despicable story. Yet it is also a wonderful and richly satisfying book that makes the reader very happy to live in the modern world, where at least there are strategies and laws that may prevent some of the megalomaniacal actions that we read about in this history, or so we hope!
Sarah Dunant has a brilliant grasp of the period, her deep and broad research enabling her to reconstruct a world of the past, and to construct it in a strong literary piece that is extraordinarily detailed. The strength of the novel lies in the detailed retelling of the times and the historically rich narration of the lives of the main characters - the famous Borgias and Macchiavellis. When we use the descriptor, 'Macchiavelian', we speak as if we know what that means. Yet, after finishing this novel, we find that we may not have known very much of their lives, and now we see, through a modern mindset, a sense of the oppression of woman, the demands for sexual favour, the sometimes terrible deeds such as the slaughtering of women and children, families and small towns when deemed 'necessary', and we are exposed to truly evil characters. We discover that most of us would know little about these times and these families as we are drawn into an appalling world, one of lechery, devious actions, plotting, evil deeds, and dark secrets. Dunant makes sure that we know much more by the time we finish reading this most entertaining historical novel.
Liz Bondar

Jake Atlas and the Tomb of the Emerald Snake by Rob Lloyd Jones

Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406361445
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Jake Atlas is not your average 12 and a half year old. His parents are archaeology professors, his sister is a genius and he is constantly in trouble.
In Jake Atlas and the Tomb of the Emerald Snake, the Atlas family are on vacation in Egypt when Jake's parents go missing just hours after checking in to the hotel. Jake and his sister, Pan, are on their own. With Pan's intelligence and Jake's ability to get into trouble, the siblings soon find themselves in the middle of a huge adventure. They rob a museum, invade a tomb and nearly die as they try and save their parents. Imagine Jake and Pan's surprise when they discover their parents are just like Indiana Jones with the fighting skills of a ninja! Once upon a time, Mr and Mrs Atlas were treasure hunters and a mysterious group has now kidnapped them as they need their skills to find the Tomb of Osiris. With high tech gadgets and puzzle solving, Pan and Jake race against this mysterious group to find the tomb and save their parents.
Set in Egypt with pyramids and tombs as the backdrop, readers will learn about the mysteries of Egypt while enjoying the adventure of a lifetime. As they read Jake Atlas and the Tomb of the Emerald Snake, readers will be on the edge of their seats as Pan and Jake match wits with mercenaries and treasure hunters. The events are exciting and the vocabulary easy to read.
This novel is highly recommended to all readers aged 10+. It would also be a great read aloud novel for the year 7 classroom as they study ancient civilisations.
Kylie Kempster

What is poetry? by Michael Rosen

Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781844287635
(Age: 11+) Highly recommended. What is poetry? gives readers an insight into the messages and technical elements in poetry. In chapter 1, author, Michael Rosen, looks at the symbolism, the irony and the rhythm of poetry. He explains how poetry voices and captures moments. Each section has a poem and some guiding questions or comments to get readers thinking about each poem and its elements and messages. Year 6/7 teachers, in a primary setting, could use these poems in the class and follow Michael Rosen's comments and questions by handing the discussion over to the students. Young writers could also use this chapter to help them write better poems or to understand their writing better.
Chapter 2 covers all you can do with a poem. The tasks include reading poems, asking questions, looking for connections and using poems with an arts curriculum. Michael Rosen offers ideas and examples.
Chapter 3 looks at the thoughts Michael Rosen has when writing poetry. The poetry examples could be read by students, they can comment on possible feelings and then the class could discuss Rosen's thoughts as read by the teacher.
Chapters 4, 5 and 6 look at ways to start writing poems as well as the technical elements. Michael Rosen offers ideas that would help guide the teaching program.
This book could be used as part of an author study. Students could investigate Michael Rosen's poetry as well as other poets. It is highly recommended for young writers aged 11+ and for teachers to plan and prepare different poetry investigations.
Kylie Kempster