Spring has arrived in Alaska, and a brown bear is waking up. She was alone when she fell asleep at the start of winter; now she is climbing out of her den with two cubs. Follow them as they discover how to survive in the wilderness, from climbing trees to catching salmon, as their mother teaches the cubs how to be bears. There is a saying about not getting between a mother and her cubs, and the confrontation between a male and the mother demonstrates this, showing that a mother's protection of her offspring extends into the animal world as well as the human. The perfect choice for Mother's Day as young readers can reflect on the other parallels between human and animal mothers!
While this story is set in Alaska, zoologist-author Nick Crumpton explains that because this species is not fussy about its diet, they are able to live in many countries, although exclusively in the northern hemisphere, opening opportunities to explore the differences in climate, seasons, habitats and inhabitants of those regions compared to Australia.
This is another in the brilliant Nature Storybooks series that personalises the stories of particular creatures by focusing on one member of the species while providing more general facts separate to the narrative. It is a successful technique that engages young readers because it brings the information into the child's realm rather than being a series of disconnected facts and figures, and thus provides a solid bridge between fiction and non fiction.
Themes Bears.
Barbara Braxton
Landovel by Emily Rodda
Allen & Unwin, 2024. ISBN: 9781761069758. (Age:8-12) Recommended.
This fantasy quest comes in a lavishly illustrated sealed box containing three books, The Poison Taster, The Secret Keeper and The Truth Teller; all have a map showing the twin isles of True Landovel and Free Landovel, divided by the Channel of the Comet. A natural disaster 75 years ago divided what was once a single island and since that time each has followed a different course, Free pursuing development at any cost, its inhabitants enjoying a good standard of living while polluting the environment, while True is ruled by a seemingly immortal King who shuns development and machines, condemning the populace to rural poverty and fear of the King’s soldiers. The story follows Derry, who remembers nothing of his past, taken with other children by a slave trader and imprisoned on Cram’s Rock, a fortress where he becomes Cram’s poison taster and reader. One of the books Derry loves is Legends of the El, the supernatural beings who secretly go amongst the people and are immortal, renewed at a legendary island ringed with gold. When a desperate woman appears at the rock pursued by two sinister figures she entrusts Derry with a book with the plea 'tell no one'. Book two follows Derry as he and other children are rescued from the rock and taken to a safe site at Free Landovel. Derry keeps the book secret as they are cared for and prepared for their new lives. It seems he and companions Straw, Cat and little Num, who only speaks through a doll head called Say, have been chosen to go to True Landovel, making their way through the countryside on a secret mission to make contact with a missing agent called Hant. The third volume sees Derry as the King’s truth teller, as Derry finds all is not as it seems in the castle at Scarlet City and the fractures between the companions threaten their survival.
Moving seamlessly between volumes the story maintains a fast pace with rich descriptions along with plenty of action and adventure. The characters learn to develop their individual strengths and identities after lives defined by betrayal and suffering. Thrust together they find it difficult to trust but they courageously take on each challenge relying on their own moral compass where their decisions are conflicted. The individual books would not easily stand alone but as a set young readers will be delighted to be able to launch into the next book nestling in the lovely box just waiting to be read. Fans of the Deltora Quest books will welcome another story from this accomplished author.
Howzat Pat: Dare to bowl by Pat Cummins and Dave Hartley. Illus. by Serena Geddes
HarperCollins, 2024. ISBN: 9781460764688. (Age:8+ (but perfect for any independent reader)) Highly recommended.
Dare to Bowl is the first book in a new series by Pat Cummins. Howzat Pat! is brilliant and will become a fast favourite with readers of sports fiction but also readers who want a book on friendships and moving house.
Pat Cummins and the rest of his family are moving away from the city and into the Blue Mountains in New South Wales, the town is a small one, so the arrival of a family of 7 is cause for celebration and interest. On his first day at his new school, he is welcomed by the 'cool' kids who show him a shortcut to the school through a bat filled tunnel.
Pat is also welcomed by Prav who is not in the cool group but seems to be a nice person and interested in cricket, which is Pat’s favourite game. What follows is a beautifully crafted story about friendships and the decision to be cool or nice as it seems that you can’t be both. Pat also meets Beth, a state cricket representative who lives in the 'spookiest house' on the route to school.
The book basically introduces the characters who will continue in the series and shares how the friendship between the three main characters develops.
This is a great book with illustrations that support the story but also add to some of the more comedic moments. The illustrations also help to show what the author is discussing without the need for long sentences which definitely helps the story to move at a good pace. I can’t wait for the next one as I know this series will become a firm favourite in any library. Independent readers who like the sports or relationship genre will enjoy these, however, I can also see it being a great read aloud as the writing flows and the story is enjoyable for all ages.
Themes Sports, Cricket, Friendship, Moving house.
Mhairi Alcorn
My family and other suspects by Kate Emery
Allen & Unwin, 2024. ISBN: 9781760529215. (Age:14+) Highly recommended.
Wow! Another great mystery from an Australian author, My family and other suspects ticks all the boxes for a compulsive read for fans of murder mysteries. There is a twisty mystery to solve, all members of the dysfunctional family have motives, and there is suspense galore.
Ruth is not happy about visiting the family farm and her step-grandmother, GG. She would prefer to be with her friends, but she is isolated, with no internet or phone. She loves Agatha Christie novels and finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery when GG is found dead in suspicious circumstances. With Dylan as her off-sider, she follows clues about the people who would like to see GG dead and ends up suspecting everyone in the family.
Emery builds up the tension as Ruth begins to uncover family secrets. Her family is large with some strange characters belonging to it, so her list is long and the reader will have to read to the end to find out what is going on. What happened to the long-lost son? Did GG change her will? Why was her father thinking about selling his house and guitar? Ruth delves into these and more secrets, always commenting on what is happening in her snarky and very humorous narrative.
This is a compulsive and funny book with great characters, action and motives. I couldn’t put down and read it in a couple of sittings. Readers who enjoyed Eleanor Jones is not a murderer by Amy Doak and The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow & Liz Lawson are sure to want to pick up My family and other suspects, or they may like to try Emery’s The not so chosen one.
Themes Murder, Family.
Pat Pledger
How to draw a dragon by Kate Talbot
Albert Street Books, 2024. ISBN: 9781761180606. (Age:3+) Highly recommended.
Starting with the premise that everyone knows what a dragon looks like, Kate Talbot takes people's imaginations seriously and with a great load of humour shows us drawings of what they might look like.
The image on the first page shows an animal with scaly skin, a long face with wing like things comingout of its ears. So is this a dragon, well, turn the page. Over the page the animal is standing up and has a long green face. But is this a dragon? Well, turn the page. Here is the same animal with our attention drawn to its back where a pair of wings hover. The question appears again, asking if this is dragon, because it looks more like a dinosaur. But it can’t fly. Over the page again the reader is introduced to fire. Everyone knows that dragons breathe fire and this makes them very scary. But this dragon is friendly, so how do these two ideas intersect?
By now readers will be adding their own ideas of what a dragon looks like, laughing at the images presented as the definition of a dragon is revised over and over.
From an underwater dragon, trying hard to breathe fire, but having difficulty, to a fireman trying to put out fires despite breathing fire itself, to the conclusion that really there’s no such thing as a dragon. And yet!On one page, the dragon is underwater and looks a little like a leafy sea dragon. And there is the Komodo dragon. But the image has no head, so the reader is asked to draw one in. Several attempts are shown, and the reader’s imagination soars, giving the dragon a jet pack, and a mermaid tail, and a pirate’s hat, and a sword. A magnificent dragon soars overhead and breathes fire on the children beneath it. And that is scary. And as it lands they all toast marshmallows.
This very funny look at the idea of a dragon, an animal seen in lots of books from picture books for three year olds to heavy tomes for adult readers, will set imaginations glowing, as the readers bring their own ideas to the fore.
Wonderful illustrations underline the humour in the text. The dragon sits on each page like a tailor’s dummy, having bits added as the text unfolds. Sometimes its eyes tell a story of patience as various bits are added or taken away. But all the time, it is a friendly dragon and its skills are used to advantage at the end of the book.
I can see lots of kids at home or in the classroom, trying out drawing a dragon for themselves, sharing ideas, searching for books in the library which show dragons. And a quick search will gather many dragon books which will add to the fun of drawing their own version.
Themes Dragons, Drawing, Imagination.
Fran Knight
Ethel the penguin by Ursula Dubosarsky and Christopher Nielsen
Allen & Unwin, 2024. ISBN: 9781761180880. (Age:3+) Highly recommended.
An exuberant read aloud story of excitable Ethel, the class penguin will titillate fancies in every classroom. She is not allowed to sit next to the other students as her lawless behaviour will distract them from their work.
But Ethel is her best friend, hatched in the south but now living next door in an iceberg semi-detached.
The thought processes of all readers will be ignited as they think of all the fun that can be had with a friend living in an iceberg next door, going to school with you.
Four lined rhyming stanzas are on each page, carrying the tale along, lovely words highlighted in larger font and different colours, making the whole task easily accomplished by those new to reading. And of course laughing at the ingenious thymes, and predicting the rhyming words will also initiate lots of fun.
But what happens when Ethel decides to run away from home? And even worse, to find a Ferris Wheel. The family and Ethel’s parents trace her down to the local amusement park with a Ferris Wheel, and there she is, in her own little cab near the top of the Ferris Wheel. Ethel’s dad falls to the ground in a faint, while Ethel’s mum is overcome by tears.
Ethel is overcome by guilt, how could she be so bad? she asks. She decides to fly down to comfort her parents and gets her wings ready to fly, but as she jumps off the Ferris Wheel she remembers that penguins do not fly. Whoops. Smashing to the ground, her parents rush to her side as she promises not to be so silly again. But the reader knows that Ethel will not be down for long.
A wonderful story to read again and again, Ethel’s behaviour will remind readers that no matter what they do, parents will support them, but they must be sensible of the results of lawless behaviour.
Lots of laugh out loud humour, kids will love reading this book over and over, laughing at Ethel’s antics, and taken in with the hilarious rhymes that round of each stanza.
The illustrations are wonderful, lots of life, movement and colour, with Ethel’s eyes and eyebrows giving the nod to how she sees herself. The images of the families next door to each other will create mirth, as will the circus detail given in the last few pages. The endpapers show Ethel communing with a handful of seagulls, latching on to her and teaching her how to fly. Another Ethel book in the offing perhaps.
Kat Finn is struggling, hiding her vampire life from her friends, paying the high price of Hema, the blood substitute that vampires live on after the Peril caused feeding off humans to be deadly, when she wins a fully paid scholarship and everything she needs paid for by an anonymous benefactor, allowing her to go to the exclusive vampire only high school Harcote. It's her dream, it will set her up for life (seeing as a Youngblood she'll have a very long one), then she gets tricked into a room swap - putting her with her ex-best friend, who betrayed her years ago.
Taylor Sanger has very little to care about, she's the school's out-and-proud lesbian who seems to be the 'tester' for many girls, but they never come back for anything serious, money is no issue at home and she doesn't care what the rest of the school thinks about her, though she is not looking forward to her allocated roommate for the year - until she walks into her room and sees Kath-er-ine Finn, her ex-best friend who suddenly vanished years ago.
Add all this together along with a death on campus, Youngbloods acting badly and a conspiracy underpinning all of Vampiredom, and Kat and Taylor may have to set their differences aside and join together to investigate what is going on at Harcote, and what is potentially happening between them...
Laurens brings new life to an age old fascination with vampires - by creating vampires who give birth to children who grow up the same as mortal children, but sometime after a pandemic essentially, so feeding off humans wasn't an option. In this version, vampires survive by drinking Hema, and humans might have a disease that kills the vampire or might not - why risk it. As with all good stories, there are traditionalist vs modernist - those that want the old ways to continue and those that want the new way to prevail. There are villains and heroes. There are bullies and victims. It's a high school. There are insecurities, learning, teachers, cliques and all the things you would expect (including instagram), but it's all done really well. Told in dual perspective, swapping between Kat and Taylor, the story is well rounded and evenly paced. Perfect for fans of vampires and fans of similar books such as Six Times We Almost Kissed (And One Time We Did) by Tess Sharpe.
Olive Chen believes she is the most magnificent and brilliant artist in the whole wide world, and certainly, for one so young, her paintings are full of movement and colour. Her parents are also artists - serious artists - who live in prim and pristine monochromatic world while they paint prim, proper, and perfect shapes. They know Olive has the talent to follow in their footsteps. But Olive likes to smear, splatter, splash, and even lick. Painting squares and triangles is not her style and no matter how hard they and her teacher try, Olive cannot paint a shape, much to their disappointment and disapproval. But Olive's classmates love her riotous splashes of colour and she decides to teach them her technique. With a brush in each hand, Olive cascades through town with her friends in tow, painting what she wants to, what she feels - until she reaches her parents' pristine art museum.
The story of parents trying to mould their children in their own image, expecting them to be mini-mes, with the same likes and dislikes is a common one and so this story which celebrates individuality and creativity is probably as much for the adult who shares it as it is for the little one who hears it. Despite being a common trope in children's literature, Olive's ability to ignore the wishes of the adults in her life and be true to herself regardless, is one that many children would like to have - rather than being torn between who they are and who they are expected to be.
Older readers might like to draw comparisons between the endpages - the front being the monochromatic linear images of the town representing the rather dull version of ourselves that we might be if conformity and obedience to expectation become the driving force or the vibrant freeform version of the back images if we let our true selves shine through, identifying the details, differences in and demeanour of the various characters before and after Olive and her friends have swept through. They could also examine and track how line and colour are used throughout to depict the characters and their moods making them as integral to the story as the words themselves.
Quality picture books deliver more and more each time they are read, and this is one of those.
Themes Individuality, Creativity.
Barbara Braxton
Tardigrades: Nature’s toughest survivors by Anne Morgan. Illus. by Jennifer Falkner
It is always a great pleasure to read and learn new and incredible facts about our world. Having no knowledge at all of tardigrades (pronounced TAR-dee-grades), I was truly fascinated to read about these miniscule creatures that can live anywhere in the world and survive extreme temperatures and environments that no other creatures are able to do. A tardigrade is up to about 1 millimetre in length and has a snout, eight tiny legs with claws and a body that ‘looks like a caterpillar in a sleeping bag.’ Tardigrades also have a head and a brain and four body sections. Interestingly there are over 1300 tardigrade species. To see these tiny creatures scientists have had to use a microscope and magnify it up to 100 times. Young readers will enjoy hearing about the eating habits of the tardigrades as they do not have teeth but two sharp sword-shaped stylets that they push out of their mouths to spear their food and then slurp the juices from the cells of other microorganisms they are dining on!
This book provides some interesting and important facts in the final pages followed by a detailed glossary. The colourful front cover and endpapers are striking and throughout the book, the pages are filled with glorious images that complement the well-spaced out and highly accessible text. Scientists are continuing to study tardigrades to learn more about how they survive in remote places, recover from harm and their ability to use suspended animation so I am sure we will be hearing more about these amazing creatures.
School's out for the summer and Pearl Li is planning to spend the time hanging out with her best friends, Cindy and Priya, and going to her favourite boba café to visit the wise Auntie Cha who Pearl believes is the only adult who understands her and her need to create her traditional Taiwanese amigurumi dolls. Both her parents and big sister are immersed in the world of technology, computing and coding and at a recent science fair her mother openly scoffed at her model while praising one made by rival Kendall on a 3D printer. Pearl fells like an outsider in her own family, and all she really wants is for her mother, particularly, to understand and value physical things made by hand as much as she values those made by machines and mechanics.
So when Pearl discovers that Boba Time is facing closure because Auntie Cha doesn't have the money to fix its fridge, she decides she will raise the money by selling her dolls. But the business world can be a tricky place for a 12-year-old to navigate especially when you have to lie about your age and keep things secret and even with the best intentions, secrecy can have all sorts of unforeseen consequences including risking your relationships with those you love most.
This is an original story that has all sorts of real-life twists and turns that will make the reader think about their own family dynamics and friendships. With characters of Taiwanese, Chinese, Indian and American descent each bringing their personal perspectives to the narrative and each of them having that perspective challenged as events unfold, it has a depth and complexity that can be appreciated at the adult level but is also an absorbing read for younger independent readers who not only enjoy a good story but also understand the simple joy of creating something from virtually nothing, and the joy that the something can give to others. Whether it's considering how we might unwittingly leave someone feeling isolated because they don't have the same language or experiences that we take for granted, or discovering that our classmates have talents we have not discovered, or navigating the tricky path of being a tweenager, this book has something for so many. Maybe it's even time to plan a Kids' Creativity Fair of your own! Here is a milk tea recipe, and Amigurumi Basics for Beginners.
Themes Friendship, Family, Creativity.
Barbara Braxton
The heart of the world by Amie Kaufman
Allen & Unwin, 2024. ISBN: 9781761067389. (Age:13+) Highly recommended.
Fans of The Isles of the Gods will be thrilled to see the sequel The heart of the world and discover what has happened after the exciting conclusion to the first book. Leander is now the Messenger of the goddess Barrica and is filled with her magic. It could easily consume him, but Selly can draw the magic away and keep him alive. Meanwhile, Macean, the God of Risk, is awakening and Laskia is his Messenger, using her sister Ruby to stay alive. Selly and Leander return to the palace and face the arduous task of trying to prevent war. They are ably helped by Keegan who uses all his scholarly skills to find a solution, and Kiki who aids Selly to manoeuvre through the political machinations of the royal court.
The Heart of the World is told in the voices of the different protagonists (Selly, Leander, Keegan, Jude and Laskia), which means that the reader becomes involved in their fears and hopes while often being left on a cliff-hanger at the end of their chapter which ensures that the reader continues with the story. Kaufman keeps the reader glued to the page as everyone wants a war. Preventing this seems an overwhelming task for Selly and Keegan, who must keep their wits about them and produce peaceful solutions before the countryside is devastated.
The romance between Selly and Leander is slow-burning and beautifully handled, while Jude’s feelings for Tom will tug at the reader’s emotions. The complex interactions of the characters and the way they had to make sacrifices for the good of their world gives a richness to the narrative, making it difficult to leave their world.
I will always pick up books written by Amie Kaufman and look forward to more in the future. Older readers who enjoy books featuring gods may like to try books in the World of the five gods by Lois McMaster Bujold and Threads that bind by Kika Hatzopoulou.
Themes Princes, Magic, Gods and goddesses, Sailing.
Pat Pledger
Our world full of wonder by Jevita Nilson. Illus. by Jess Racklyeft
Our World Full of Wonder is a glorious picture book that celebrates some of the magnificent natural wonders of our world. Each double-page spread showcases a range of natural landscapes including snowcapped mountains, volcanic cliffs, ancient trees, mysterious caves, thundering waterfalls and glowing tides at night.
The book begins and ends with two young astronauts floating in space looking down at Earth. The question is asked ‘Shall we go explore?’ And explore they do. They visit twelve places all over the world and see some amazing sights. The beautifully written lyrical text by Jevita Nilson is perfectly complemented by Jess Racklyeft’s stunning full-page illustrations that bring the written words to life:
There is a place where ocean creatures roam a multicoloured maze, where giant rays glide through gleaming waters, and turtles paddle past wavering coral.
Each natural wonder visited is a real place on Earth and includes the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the Cave of the Crystals in Mexico and the Valley of Flowers in India. The author has thoughtfully shared a comprehensive list with further information of the twelve natural wonders along with a map of the world with the sights clearly numbered. A glossary is also provided.
This is a highly engaging and picturesque book that offers children the opportunity to learn about and visit places in the world that may be unfamiliar to them.
To stir with love by Kate Mildenhall and Jess Racklyeft
Simon & Schuster, 2024. ISBN: 9781761426391. (Age:4+) Highly recommended.
A loving, heartwarming story of a day at Grandma’s, a day spent cooking together and so preserving generations of women’s work, is combined with the idea of change, as Grandma shows signs of memory loss, and her granddaughter sees herself as having family memories passed on to her. Stirring with love is a homage to older generations keeping memories alive and passing them on to younger generations.
The granddaughter goes to Grandma’s house, something she regularly does. Grandma might not be skilled at the computer or sending emails, but the girl can help her with those. Grandma has a host of recipes passed on to her by her grandmother and grandmothers before, keeping aspects of their culture alive. She loves getting all her old implements out to make the cake, one she makes for her neighbours and her family. They get the ingredients together, but Grandma stops and has a little lapse of memory. But the girl is there to support her. They combine the ingredients in the bowl and stir three times before putting it into the oven. They drink a whole pot of tea in the garden waiting for the cake to cook. When it does, it is left to cool and then iced. All the while, Grandma is passing on not only the recipes, but hints about how to put the cake together, hints that are passed on from one person to another, usually spread by word of mouth, rather than written within the recipe.
The refrain, My little and Grandma’s old hand, wrinkled and sure, is used several times in the story, again underlining the link between generations.
The wonderful watercolour illustrations sweep across every page, showing a Grandma’s garden with fruit trees, vegetable garden, and lots of different colours. Jess paints her garden with style, allowing readers to check out the many details included. I had a lovely time looking at the various older pieces of equipment used in Grandma’s kitchen: a whisk, flour sifter, hand beater, aprons, oven mitts, milk jug, tea pot etc., and was struck by the pictures on the wall, and the wonderful endpapers, which will entice young eyes to see how much they can see that reminds them of their Grandma’s house. Each of these will show readers how things have changed, and reinforce the idea of ageing and change, of generations, of support between generations.
Walk the Plank, the third novel in the Shower Land series, written by Australian author Nat Amoore and cleverly illustrated by James Hart will once again entertain and enthral young readers. Filled with humour, mayhem and adventure this book is another winner to compliment the series.
After two stints of crazy teleporting or 'shower-porting' already, Felix is feeling more confident to approach the daily task of cleaning himself. He has just experienced an awesome weekend with his family; surfing, enjoying the amazing weather and even picking up a furry friend from the local pound. Felix is actually feeling excited about his next shower journey, and this time he intends to talk to the mystery girl he always sees when he is there.
After having a yoghurt and grabbing a supply of muesli bars, Felix layers himself in clothing for any type of weather and adventure he could possibly envisage. Packing a backpack so large he can barely carry it; Felix is fully prepared. So, what could possibly go wrong this time?!?!
Amoore weaves a plot that is engaging and full of twists; keeping young readers on the edge of their seats. The easy-to-read font and well-organized layout make the book very 'reader friendly' and engaging. The fast-paced narrative maintains excitement and suspense throughout, and leaves you wondering how this could possibly end.
Walk the Plank is both humorous and entertaining. With wit and frivolity, the audience continues to be entertained and Hart's cool black and white illustrations compliment the storyline perfectly. Ammore has created another fantastic addition to the Shower Land series, but I would suggest reading them in order of succession. So, if you haven’t read Break the Curse and Feel the Freeze, do yourself a favour and check them out first. Readers will not be disappointed, if they love fun, adventure and a little bit of silliness!
Themes Humour, Time travel, Pirates, Friendship, Portals, Problem solving, Communication, Family.
Michelle O'Connell
Liar's test by Ambelin Kwaymullina
Text Publishing, 2024. ISBN: 9781922790873. (Age:13+) Highly recommended.
Liar’s test looks to be the first in a new series by Palyku woman Ambelin Kwaymullina, author of the dystopian The Tribe series: The interrogation of Ashala Wolf (2012) and The Disappearance of Ember Crow (2013). The new series, The Silverleaf Chronicles, is more mythology/fantasy than dystopian and may draw in a new cohort of readers.
Bell is descendent of the Treesingers, a people connected to the trees and the natural world, a people overruled by the arrival of the Risen, ‘enlightened’ followers of foreign gods, suppressing the original inhabitants and setting up a structured class system of knights at the top, traders, crafters then workers, with Treesingers without any status at all. This is where readers may draw parallels with colonial history and the oppression of Aboriginal people, but the world that Kwaymullina creates is not one for easy comparisons, and veers into a completely fantastical world of magic and ordeals, a new voice in the speculative fiction genre.
Bell becomes one of seven girls to undertake the Queen’s Test, a quest that includes a Treesinger for the first time, each girl vying in challenges to determine the next ruler of the Risen Kingdom. Bell has to hide her inner thoughts and emotions, maintaining a deception, in order to succeed. In the process she learns more about herself and her ancestors, and has to step up as a leader.
The world-building is rapid and complex, and sometimes it feels like one just has to trust that it will come together eventually. There are many amazing adventures, changing identities and multiple realms of experience. It is a complex and changing world, that fantasy readers will probably revel in. Note that this is Book 1, so for readers who enjoy this book, there will be more to look forward to.
