Science Factopia! by Rose Davidson. Illus. by Andy Smith
Britannica Books, 2024. ISBN: 9781804660256. (Age:7+) Highly recommended.
Science FACTtopia! is the sixth book in the FACTopia! series. This latest book follows the same format of the earlier books and this time allows the reader to follow the trail of 400 explosive STEM-tastic facts. These facts are all linked in some way and once again this latest handy-sized hardcover book is full of surprising and engaging information.
Filled with full colour striking graphic images, illustrations and photographs, the book begins with a contents page explaining how to use the connecting dots to each new and engaging topic. The first image presented in Science FACTtopia! is that of a young girl, Mary Anning, chipping away at the first ever discovery of a marine fossil, the Ichthyosaurus. This leads onto other discoveries including the interesting fact that palaeontologists will lick a rock if they are unsure if it is a fossil or rock. If their tongue sticks to it, it is a fossil.
Throughout the book, readers are encouraged to move away from the broken lines to turn to page numbers about other interconnected and related topics. At the end is a Sound Like a Scientist Quiz, a detailed index, plus information about the FACTtopians, as well as a sources page and picture credits.
This highly engaging series is a treasure trove of information that will excite readers of all ages. A wonderful factual book for home, school or public libraries.
Rhianna King’s debut novel opens with Beth’s voice telling how she always felt the odd one out in her family – but this is not the familiar trope of the artistic one stifled by a conservative family – but the complete opposite: Beth is the sane and sensible one in a family that is bohemian and unrestrained. She is the one that works hard and saves, whilst her sister Jarrah just trusts to her lucky stars. Beth’s feelings of frustration and resentment are so well described, they are sure to resonate with many readers.
Beth’s soulmate is her grandmother Elise, sharing a love of nature and environmental conservation. So when Beth does something uncharacteristic for her and buys a Lotto ticket, and actually wins a large sum of money, she wants to do something special for her grandmother. That becomes the challenge of tracing the whereabouts of Elise’s lost first love, from before her marriage to Beth’s grandfather. However that first relationship was complicated, and not acceptable in society at the time.
King’s novel lays bare old attitudes towards homosexuality, juxtaposing the secrecy and taboo nature of Elise and Gerry’s relationship in the past with the current day where Beth shares an office with Alannah, clearly of non-specified gender. It’s an interesting story that exposes past prejudices towards same-sex couples, perhaps providing a historical perspective that modern day LGQBTI+ readers might be hazy about.
Beth’s journey with her grandmother leads to a relaxing of her own attitudes to romance and fate, and helps her gain a better understanding and acceptance of her family. There may even be a romantic possibility for her as she spends more time with Gerry’s nephew Nick.
Both romantic threads are underwritten by themes of environmental conservation and female pioneers in nature science, with many references to the work of ornithological illustrator Elizabeth Gould, whose husband John produced ‘The Birds of Australia’. So while ‘Birds of a feather’ may be regarded as a feel-good story of love rediscovered, there are historical details that enrich the themes of female empowerment, trust and acceptance. That, combined with the gentle humour that pervades the novel, makes for a thoroughly enjoyable read.
Themes LGBQTI+, Romance, Acceptance, Women scientists, Humour.
Snowballs, written and illustrated by Matt Stanton is the thirteenth book in the Funny Kid series, and delivers a snowstorm of laughter and heart in this hilarious adventure. Readers will not be disappointed, as they are taken on a wild escapade in the snow-capped mountains, blending humour with valuable life lessons.
The story follows Max, aka the Funny Kid, on a winter getaway with his family and friends. He is fixated with finding happiness, which he believes is achieved through having money, and then when he falls madly in love with Kirby, a ski lift operator who is four years older than him, further chaos ensues.
Max is supposed to be looking after his friend Hugo, but when Hugo embarks on his own quest for happiness, their friendship pathways divide. Max is left fixating over money and pursuing his ‘true love’. Without Duck and Hugo to talk to, Max is left being assisted with the unlikely help of Abby. Will Max discover the true meaning of happiness and rectify his friendship, or will everything snowball out of control?
Snowballs is filled with awesome black and white cartoon illustrations; each perfectly complementing the story's zany tone. These illustrations add depth to the audience’s engagement level and enhance the comedic elements to immerse readers in Max's wacky world.
The presentation of the novel, with clear font and extra wide line spacing enables an easy read and should appeal to everyone, even those reluctant readers. This is a highly engaging, well planned layout and will hit the mark for anyone who loves lots of laugh out loud moments and a fast-paced storyline. Stanton strikes the perfect balance between humour and heart, creating a story that is as touching as it is hilarious.
Funny Kid is an awesome series that is filled with entertainment and regular side-splitting moments. Snowballs will have everyone laughing and enjoying another one of the Funny Kid's escapades!
Monsters do not always look ugly. In this amazing story the fragile relationship between humans and the monsters (who all look like humans) is revealed through a glimpse into a parallel timeline. Joan is a monster who is brought face to face with a human, Nick, who she was once romantically connected to in an alt-timeline, but then was required to ‘unmake’ to restore her own family. Their existence together in their current timeline is complicated because the gentle and gorgeous Nick has no memory of their previous connection, and Joan does not have a firm understanding of her own Monster family powers. As they slowly reinvent a close connection they are also required to work together to confront and quash a formidable power originating from a monster family. Both of them have family griefs that complicate their relationship, and it is hard for them to totally trust one another, but a future in a different timeline with the potential for awful possibilities must be avoided, even if their own connection suffers. Can they work together, forging connections with other monsters with varied powers, to fight against monster manipulations of the timelines and save humanity in the process?
I have stumbled into the Only a Monster series in Never a Hero, but would recommend finding book 1 before launching into Book 2! Despite that, Book 2, Never a Hero, stands alone in its own right and the premise of monsters vs humans in the shifting sands of time is explained with sufficient clarity to enable this book to be read on its own. The complexity of the fantasy time travel intricacies is so powerful in this story that it is an amazing journey backwards and forwards in time. The inter-relationships between competing monster families and the humans (who unwittingly power the time travel opportunities at the expense of portions of their life), are fraught with uncertainty and so there is automatic tension. But in addition to that, the amnesia of time travel has made a hero into a schoolboy, and removed attachments for Joan that were once very important to her. Was he ever a hero? Her confusion and uncertainty about her role and place in time helps us to feel the tensions of this unusual fantasy world. When the tensions ramp up, readers also feel the challenge of life in this unusual world where trust is a victim, and romantic connections can be lost so easily. What I loved about this book was the deft way that Vanessa Len was able to address all complexities in the time travel genre and mesh this with a monster vs humanity drama, incorporating a complex romantic relationship that was not guaranteed, and do this in a way that was not trite or offensive to readers’ intelligence. Although describing the plot framework in thus book initially made me feel foolish, I have to say that it is far more intelligent than it might seem. Another feature that adds significantly to the traversing of time is the attention to detail in ‘costume’ and social history descriptions woven into the story - evidence of Len’s intricate crafting of her story. This is a book for readers who revel in complex fantasies, and who enjoy the complications of time travel. It could be recommended to readers aged 16 - Adult, as long as the angst-laden, or on-again/off-again, potential for teenage romantic intimacy is not a deterrent.
Themes Time travel, Monsters, Revenge, Metaphysical powers, Romance, Trust, Fantasy.
Carolyn Hull
Racing Legends: Max Verstappen by Maurice Hamilton. Illus. by Cat Sims
Macmillan, 2024. (Age:7+) Highly recommended.
Racing Legends: Lewis Hamilton by Maurice Hamilton. Illus. by Cat Sims. ISBN 9781035035137
Young diehard fans of the Australian Formula One (F1) Grand Prix that takes place at Albert Park in Melbourne, Australia will enjoy these accessible reads about racing legends Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. Set out in a novel format with illustrations throughout, these books give plenty of facts and figures for racing fanatics.
Beginning with a coloured photograph of Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton on their respective covers, the books then have a detailed contents section beginning with an Introduction to Formula One sharing interesting facts about the race including the astonishing detail that the cars can race up to speeds of 320 kph, and that the drivers are incredibly special and brave.
The drivers are introduced in Chapter One, with further facts spread through the books, and both have amazing stories to tell. Lewis Hamilton is the only Black driver in the F1 series and the most successful driver ever with 103 wins. He has won seven World Championships and has been racing F1 since 2007. In 2020 Hamilton was knighted by Prince Charles and became Sir Lewis Hamilton. Max Verstappen is the youngest driver at 17 to have ever started in and to ever win a F1 Grand Prix. Both of his parents raced cars with his mum racing karts. Racing was in his blood!
Each of the racing legends have had a full and interesting life to date and these two new releases will provide plenty of engagement for young readers who are fans of F1. There are illustrations throughout with tables, diagrams, maps, comparison facts, highlighted key words, F1 terminology as well as the opportunity to learn about what goes on behind the scenes.
Coming soon are two more books in the series featuring Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris. These books are perfectly pitched at those often reluctant students who prefer fact over fiction with illustrations to break up text and are sport enthusiasts.
Themes Racing Cars, Drivers, Family, Competition, Biography.
Kathryn Beilby
The buffalemu by Paul de Guingand. Illus. by Nandina Vines
Little Steps, 2023. ISBN: 9781922833761. (Age:4-7)
Set in Oodnadatta, South Australia (there is a Welcome to Oodnadatta sign), the illustrations portray a dry, desolate outback with red dirt and lots of flies. These illustrations alongside a cast of Australian animals and Aussie lingo evokes a strong sense of place. The animals are worn, bandaided, scruffy and skinny. Catchphrases and slang abound (barking up the wrong gum tree, flown the coop, been around the block) that could be analysed further.
The band of old animal mates (Chewy the one-eyed red 'roo, Smokey the wombat, Johnno the crow, Roosta the three-legged dingo, Sad-Eyes the ancient goanna) have heard that their mate Aggie the emu is feeling upset. 'We'll go sort it out, with a chinwag, a yarn, have a chat. We'll head up the creek, hear out her deep thinking, and figure out where her head's at.' After a bit of an outback journey they reach Aggie, who is feeling a bit like she doesn't fit in. She wishes she had four strong legs instead of two spindly ones. 'I'd be Buffalemu!', she says. Her friends are no help so Aggie heads off on a walk, where she comes across the Australian Government logo and realises maybe she is suited to this place in her own special way. 'There's all sorts of creatures that live here and there and each of them great in their way'.
Themes Rhyming Stories, Australian Stories, Australian animals, Belonging.
Nicole Nelson
Charlie & the Hall of Mirrors by Dr Nickers. Illus. by Aaron Pocock
Little Steps, 2023. ISBN: 9781922833877. (Age:4-7)
Charlie is a cat who helps his human friend Gunter in a balloon shop each day. Today they are packing the van and delivering balloons to a fair. When they arrive, Gunter tells Charlie to wait right there but then a balloon starts to float away. 'He must save the day'. But the balloon is soon forgotten, there are too many wonderful sights and he is soon captivated by the tent of mirrors. 'There were big Charlies, wide Charlies, tall Charlies, short Charlies, upside down back to front Charlies but no proper, right Charlie'. Panicked, he begins to wonder if he will ever find his normal body again. The illustrations are quite dark in this scene, with lots of images of Charlie's scared face and then eventually Charlie smashes the mirrors. 'What had just happened? He had not one idea, but all the wrong Charlies no longer appeared'. Back to the van he quickly races, in time to get back before Gunter notices. 'Charlie, is that dirt on your feet?', Gunter exclaims. Of course Gunter knows Charlie has been off an adventure.
This is a fun story with a loose thread about risk-taking and feeling safe and unsafe. Smudgy, painted illustrations bring the story to life and Charlie is depicted as quite a cute lovable little guy with big blue eyes and a vibrant, curious nature.
Well-known children’s author Jane Godwin has again shown that not only does she write award-winning picture books but that she has a keen sense and understanding of what it takes to write another compelling and engaging YA novel. Following on from As Happy As Here, When Rain Turns to Snow and A Walk in the Dark, Look Me in the Eye is about three girls just beginning high school who are navigating life after COVID lockdowns and are dealing with an intense, complicated yet increasingly fractured friendship.
Bella and Connie have been trusted friends forever but when Connie’s older cousin Mish enrols in their new high school and is in the same Year 7 class as the two girls, their friendship is tested in ways that they would never have thought possible. Living on the outskirts of the city, with the suburban sprawl slowly heading their way, Bella and Connie live in happy, comfortable homes, with Bella’s mother about to have a baby with her partner Pete, and Connie’s stable family of four focused on seven-year-old June who was premature as a baby and has significant health issues. Mish, on the other hand, comes from what appears to be the ‘perfect’ wealthy family but struggles with her own self-worth and a hostile relationship with her fanatical and over-protective father.
Under constant surveillance Mish has no privacy or independence at all. Her father tracks her every move, monitors her conversations, is scathing with his words, with his treatment of Mish bordering on abuse. What else can Mish do but try to break away from his rigid set of rules in the only way she knows how, through lying, stealing, and denying her body of food. Mish drags Bella and Connie into her dangerous schemes with serious consequences and valuable life lessons for all three girls.
There are many important and relevant themes discussed in this story. The use of tracking apps, hidden devices for recording, coercive and manipulating behaviour, mental health, body image, plus the ever-increasing issue with vaping amongst high school students. Perhaps though, the more important and most complex theme is that of trust. Who do you trust? How do you know you can trust them? What happens when that trust is broken? Can trust be repaired?
A very thought-provoking and insightful read. Teacher's notes are available.
Shower Land: Break the Curse, written by Nat Amoore and accompanied by James Hart's awesome illustrations, is a highly entertaining and fun journey into the fantastical world of ten-year-old Felix. This imaginative tale follows Felix's unexpected adventure when a mundane morning routine catapults him into a land of unexpected dangers and endearing friendships.
Skilfully capturing the essence of childhood frustrations and family dynamics through Felix's exasperation with his dad and younger brother Olly's incessant jokes, Amoore takes the reader on a highly amusing adventure. When Felix finds himself experiencing the shower’s portal powers, transporting him into an unknown medieval life, his longing for home and family takes on a new perspective.
Felix is shocked when he finds himself in an open grassy field with soldiers wielding swords and farmers tossing pitchforks, but worse than that, when he looks down, he realises he is naked. Grabbing an abandoned shield to cover his modesty, he escapes to try to find some clothing. Locating medieval clothes on a backyard line, he has his first encounters with Noah, a mute boy, and his twin sister Elsie. While Noah is not that impressed to see his clothes being borrowed, he soon understands the predicament, and a firm friendship is formed. From cob crunching dragons to angry farmers and fortune tellers, can Felix navigate this realm safely and resolve tricky situations in order to return home, or will he be stuck in this time zone forever?
Shower Land: Break the Curse is more than just a tale of adventure; it's a celebration of humour, imagination, friendship, communication and the bonds that unite us. With its relatable protagonist and richly imagined world, this book is sure to captivate young readers and adults alike, leaving them eagerly awaiting Felix's next escapade.
Themes Humour, Medieval times, Friendship, Portals, Problem solving, Communication, Family.
Michelle O'Connell
Your brain is a lump of goo by Idan Ben-Barak and Christopher Nielsen
Allen & Unwin, 2024. ISBN: 9781761180156. (Age:4+) Highly recommended.
Telling us all about our brains is a riveting excursion behind the scenes look through the lump of goo about the size of a pineapple, sheltered by our skulls the epicentre of all that goes on in our bodies. Everything works as the hundreds of billions of cells connect with each other to make us feel joy, or fear, or help us walk or think. Everything we do is controlled by this lump of goo. It looks like jelly but we cannot touch it, it is sensitive, so treat is with care. We keep changing, by writing, drawing, singing and talking, thinking and imagining. Although all lumps of goo are similar we are all different, and see things differently.
This is a fun way of looking at the brain and all that is does for us. At the end of the book are two pages of facts about the brain which will intrigue younger readers especially after reading the book with its vibrant illustrations and basic information about the brain. Lots of facts are divulged about the brain, its size, shape, usage and need for care, but the book also tells us that sometimes we forget and that is fine, sometimes we make things up in our heads and it seems to come from nowhere, and sometimes we dream and that is fine too. There is still lots to know about the brain and what it does and this book will help younger readers along that path. The mixed media illustrations form a funny backdrop to the text, using a pineapple for comparison, making sure that the readers can visualise the complexities of what is being said.
Laura Wood has written a charming retelling of the classic Cinderella tale in A single thread of moonlight. Iris was the apple of her father’s eye until he remarried. Her new stepmother and two stepsisters are cold, and when her father died in mysterious circumstances, she fears for her life. She runs away to London where she is fortunate enough to be taken under the wing of a seamstress and the embroidery skills her mother taught her make her a valuable employee. Then handsome Nicholas Wynter comes into the shop one day and Iris is given the chance to have revenge on her stepmother. Posing as an heiress, she goes to her old country home to help Nicholas’ own plan of vengeance and at the same time try to reclaim her inheritance.
Wood manipulates the well-known story of Cinderella, with a feisty heroine who is courageous enough to run away from danger and then make a living for herself. The wicked stepmother is portrayed well as evil and conniving, but the reader will have some sympathy for a woman who must look after herself and her daughters in the late 19th century, when she cannot own her own property. And of course, Nicholas Wynter is a swoon-worthy hero and the romance between the pair sparkles.
This is another feel-good story from Wood with witty dialogue and wonderful background of a fashion house with gorgeous clothes and upper-class life in a country mansion. Readers may enjoy others by Wood like Under a dancing star,The agency for scandal and A season for scandal and would find it worthwhile chasing up Eva Ibbotson’s lovely romances.
Themes Romance, Women, Upper classes, Great Britain - 19th century.
Collision Course, the exciting twelfth instalment in R.A. Spratt's well-loved Friday Barnes series is here! Bringing another dose of clever sleuthing and high-stake adventures, the readers will not be disappointed.
Once again, the audience will find themselves immersed in the world of the courageous young detective, Friday Barnes. As the story quickly unfolds, Friday finds herself embroiled in a whirlwind of danger and intrigue when she is falsely accused of terrorism and faces imminent arrest by the Paris police. Friday must quickly decide what her next steps will be.
Luckily, she has her great allies, Melanie and Ian to help work out a plan. Friday discovers her mother has already been arrested in Switzerland, and together they must navigate a perilous path to clear her name and uncover the truth behind the sinister plot that threatens the Barnes’ family. But, how will she possibly get across the border undetected, help her mother and clear her own name? This will definitely need some ingenious strategies!
Friday Barnes, with her super sharp intellect and unflappable determination, once again proves herself to be a force to be reckoned with. Fearlessly tackling each new challenge that comes her way, alongside her loyal friends Melanie and Ian, Friday embarks on a thrilling journey.
Friday must navigate and manoeuvre her way amongst her very intriguing physicist family members, police and lawyers. However, with Ian’s sudden disappearance, can Friday focus on each twist and turn that is thrown at her, or will everything become too much?
Spratt, has again, masterfully weaved a web of suspense as Friday cleverly navigates each crime as it unfolds, and keep readers guessing until the very end. Collision Course is a must-read for fans of the Friday Barnes series and newcomers alike. With its gripping storyline, compelling characters, and expertly crafted suspense, this latest novel is sure to leave readers eagerly anticipating another one of Friday's adventures.
Another in the series of Play School books published by ABC Books in the Mindfully Me project, promotes a positive, friendly introduction to the next stage in the education of Maurice.
Told with the characters, Little Ted, Big Ted, Jemima, Humpty and Kiya listening to a talk by the representative from the big school, Mr Bao, he reveals some of the customs required when getting ready to go to the big school. There is talk about shoes, uniform and backpack, but when Maurice brings in a pile of equipment, he is gently told they are for camping, not school. Big Ted then shows him what things he needs to take in his backpack.
Maurice gets a funny feeling in his stomach but Big Ted helps him by telling him how to meet his new friends, introducing himself and telling them what he likes to do. When Big Ted drops Maurice off at school, he ha a funny feeling in his tummy as he prepares to leave.
The new class does a range of great things, including painting and reading, and when a bell sounds, Maurice is told that means a change of lesson. Outside he introduces himself to another new person and the two then build a castle in the sand pit. The day passes by very quickly and before he knows it, Big Ted is waiting for him at the door.
The Play School Mindfully Me series helps children and their carers tackle life's challenges together - big or small in a way that takes the reader on a journey with Maurice, in this case, through a situation they will all encounter, giving them guidelines about what to expect and how to react.
Themes Play school, Mindfully me (series), Preparation, School.
Fran Knight
The key to deceit by Ashley Weaver
Tor Books, 2023. ISBN: 9781250889935. (Age:15+) Recommended.
The key to deceit is second in the series featuring Electra McDonnell (Ellie) and follows A peculiar combination. It continues the story of a family once engaged in breaking open safes and theft and now engaged in working for the government. Ellie misses the adrenaline thrill she once had when unlocking a difficult code but is more than happy to serve her country. When Major Ramsey wants her to unlock a bracelet on the wrist of a woman found floating in the Thames she agrees and they become involved in uncovering a spy network working for the Germans.
Set in London just before the beginning of the Blitz in 1940, The key to deceit will delight readers who enjoy a suspenseful spy thriller with plenty of danger. Ellie is a feisty young woman who uses her skills to break the codes on locks and her intelligence to work out clues to the espionage ring. Major Ramsey is the strong silent type and there is a hint of romance with both the Major and Ellie’s friend Felix on the scene. A secondary mystery thread is Ellie’s search for evidence that her mother did not murder her father and she slowly gains some new insights into this as the novel progresses.
This can be read as a standalone but beginning with A peculiar combination will flesh out the characters for the reader. It is an easy-to-read book that should appeal to readers who like historical fiction combined with a spy thriller and murder mystery. I will be sure to pick up the next in this series, Playing it safe.
Themes Mystery, Espionage, World War 2, London.
Pat Pledger
Who am I? I'm a duckling by Liv Wan, illus.
Catch a Star, 2023. ISBN: 9781922326850. (Age:1+) Recommended.
One in a number of books in the Who am I? series published by New Frontier, the book about a duckling will have instant appeal to the very young, just learning to hold and open a book. Study board books are great introductions, and combined with am engrossing theme concerning a variety of animals, told simply and surrounded by wonderful bright illustrations, younger children will be enthralled.
In the duckling book, various traits are given about an animal, then the question ‘Who am I?’ is posed, answered by opening a flap to find the picture of the animal. In this book, children will see the difference between a cow, a horse, a duckling, pig, when on the last page the flap reveals a mirror, subtly including them in the carnival of animals. The background detail shows a little of the environment in which these animals live, and a few other animals are included, encouraging recognition by the reader. They will love this board book, sturdy and strong, brightly coloured and detailed, giving range to a host of learning about animals.
Themes Animals, Farm life, Recognition, Question and answers, Lift the flap, Board book.
