Cesare Aldo is sent to the Convent to investigate a story that a man had been seen scaling the walls. Sceptical, Aldo meets the Abbess who denies such a thing has happened taking him on a tour of the buildings. While doing this he spots a day school girl and recognises her as his niece, Isabella, the daughter of his estranged sister.
His investigations uncover undertones of intrigue at the convent and when a body is found, things become even more complex. Aldo has to tread a careful line between his employers at the criminal court and the very powerful reaches of the Church. He stays after the body is discovered, to investigate the murder, and talks his niece into staying at the now enclosed convent to keep her eyes open to what may be happening. He is told to leave.
Meanwhile Stroochi has gone to his home town with his new wife to visit his mother. While there he catches sight of a familiar silver buckle, and realises it is the one worn by the missing corrupt officer, Cerchi. Exhuming the body left after being in the water for some months, limbs torn by the recent floods, Strocchi notices nicks on two ribs which point to his death as murder. The investigations of both Strocchi and Aldo are sure to intersect as Aldo gets himself onto the Visitation sent by the church to investigate the convent. Aldo deduces what may have happened to the deceased, and at odds with the head of the investigating committee he wheedles his way into staying at the convent using Isabella as an excuse, and deliberately makes himself a target to the poisoner.
Bishop packs a load of information about Medici Florence into his books. The sights, sounds and smells of the city sweep before the reader as each page is turned and chapter read.
The second in the successful series about Cesare Aldo, an officer of the criminal court in Florence in the mid sixteenth century, where the Medici family rules, the books are full of wonderful back stories, telling readers what life was like for rich and poor alike in tis well known period of Italy’ s history.
This book won the 2023 CWA Historical Dagger for the Scottish author, and was shortlisted for several other awards.
Themes Crime, Florence, Medici Italy, Women in the sixteenth century, Convent life, Roman Catholic Church, Power.
Fran Knight
The Paper Museum by Kate S. Simpson
Union Square Kids, 2023. ISBN: 9781454949855. (Age:9-14) Recommended.
Lydia’s family are responsible for the protection and curation of items from the ‘past’ associated with paper. The world has changed, and everyone utilises technology rather than relying on writing, books and printed materials. In combination with their curatorial responsibilities at the Paper Museum, they also have a magical connection to an unusual essence that empowers their community and restores it to equilibrium. Lydia has had her own equilibrium unsettled when her parents disappeared and it seems that the supportive curator, Uncle Lem, has also gone missing. Another Uncle has been tasked with her care, but he is far from caring. The Mayor seems intent on taking over the Museum, and without her parents and Uncle Lem to support her, Lydia must use all her ingenuity to solve the mystery of their absence and prevent the Museum from being closed or acquired. Firstly, she must restore a friendship, find out who she can trust, and find the magical book that seems to hold the answer to where her parents have gone.
This is a quite charming journey into a magical zone, and the esteem placed on the written and published word is part of the magic. With a quite compelling mystery to be solved, and intriguing characters living at a time when conventions and expectations have altered, there is a captivating reading adventure ahead for young readers. Written for children (recommended for 9-14 year-olds), there is much for them to enjoy, some moments of humour as well as unsettling scenarios in a world tinged with magical influences. The central character Lydia must be resourceful and an independent thinker, and her problem-solving strategies are part of the delight of this book.
Lenny is born aboard a boat, with waves lapping its sides. From the first welcoming day he has many adventures living on the boat. In the harbour, they are tossed this way and that, as he grows he learns of the environment he is in. He sees dolphins and lizards, fish and birds. Mom dives for fish to eat and Dad collects things from the beach. They give a lift to a girl wanting to save the planet, and all see the amount of rubbish from their boat. They call in at the Azores Islands, and he learns to ride a bike, and makes friends of kids on other boats. Together they get to go to day care, but he is always eager to get back on the boat where he is first mate and helps his parents as they sail across the oceans.
When baby Darwin arrives, Lenny knows just what to do, as he can remember when things were a little scary living at sea, but with his help he will be able to acclimatise just as Lenny did.
Illustrations reveal life at sea, as many of the images are on the boat. Readers will see many of the animals that Lenny sees, and be aware of what they do when they land and stay a while.
Readers will love looking at the things Lenny does, the adventure he has, and the things he learns.
Themes Friendship, Life at sea, Oceans, Pollution, Family, Adventure.
Fran Knight
Cosmic Wonder: Halley's Comet and Humankind by Ashley Benham-Yazdani
Over 4.6 billion years ago, about the same time the rest of our solar system was created, a comet was born - one that now visits this planet on its long orbit around the planets and the sun and beyond, only once is a person's lifetime. Unlike many others that are comparatively short-lived because they lose ice and debris each time they pass a star, this one has survived and for those lucky enough to be alive in 2061 it will light up our skies once again.
Named after the Edward Halley, the astronomer and mathematician who calculated that the comets that had been seen in the skies in 1531, 1607, and 1682 were one and the same and accurately predicted that it would return in 1758, Halley's Comet has been orbiting since time immemorial, the last time being in 1986. During that time it has seen so many changes on this planet as humans developed and with their curiosity and creativity have transformed it.
Essentially then, this is a history of Earth seen from the comet's perspective as it makes its regular sweeps told in simple, almost lyrical, language and depicted in stunning artworks. Tracing the changes (which are summarised in the final pages) it tells the story of the planet's development from a time when nothing and no one saw it light up the night sky to that of a lone teacher fascinated by it perched like Humpty Dumpty on a wall in her garden in 1986. (I have no idea why scaling a 2 metre wall would give me a better view but there I was...)
As well as giving the reader a unique perspective on history, showing us just how small we are and how short our time here is, this is one not only to explore the other bodies in the universe but also to consider what the comet might see when it returns in 2061, provoking all sorts of textual and artistic responses. What would they like it to see? They might even consider what their contribution to those changes might be.
Innovative and visually outstanding, this is such a different way to view the world that it will capture not only those budding astronomers but also those who dream and wonder and imagine... Another reason to have a rich and vibrant non fiction collection.
Salt River Road opens with a chapter titled 'Ngank' which we later come to understand is the Noongar word for mother, or sun, and 'nganka' is thumb, mother of your hand. For the Tetley family the sun is gone, their mother has died at Christmas after a slow debilitating illness. The father, Eddie, and the five siblings Steve, Joe, Frank, Rose and Alby are falling apart, overcome with grief. Told alternately by 16 year old Rose and her one year older brother Frank, the prose sometimes becomes free form poetry, an emotional expression of their sorrow and anger.
With their father losing interest in everything, the family silently collapses and the farm threatens to go into ruin. Frank goes off the rails. Always the wilder funny one, he now shuts himself off and rapidly descends into drinking and delinquency. Rose struggles to hold things together but eventually the strain finds her blubbering by the side of a road. When the concerned driver of a car pulls up, she meets the kindly Noongar Elders, Patsy and Herb.
There is a secret in the Tetley family and it involves their past relationship with Patsy and Herb. Before embarking on a story that includes Aboriginal characters, Molly Schmidt consulted extensively with Goreng and Menang Noongar Elders of Western Australia. She wanted to avoid ‘misrepresentation, cultural appropriation, stereotyping and tokenism’. That meant talking and listening, and sharing stories over cups of tea. In her book, Schmidt includes episodes revealing Noongar people and culture, but it is never as the teller of their stories, rather it is about the learning and appreciation that Rose gains as she spends more time with ‘Aunty’ and ‘Uncle’.
This is an outstanding piece of Australian literature, both as an exploration of adolescent grief and depression, and as a highly respectful journey towards reconciliation where old grievances are worked out and people come together as a renewed community. Salt River Road was the well-deserving recipient of the 2022 City of Fremantle Hungerford Award. It is highly recommended, and would be suitable for a class text. Book Club notes are available.
Four very successful books about the crayons have come before this the latest showing the crayons in situations our readers will recognise. Here the crayons are about to return to school after the long summer break. Blue and Beige farewell the beach where they have spent their holidays. They remove their sunglasses, lose their ice cream and say goodbye to the sand hills. The night before school a most important decision must be made: what to wear. Going to school means seeing old friends, commenting on how they have changed. They also make new friends, and of course, the students are all very busy. They learn new things. Purple crayon loves maths, Black crayon loves to write, White crayon loves to read, Yellow and Orange love science, and they all love art, particularly when they make a mess.
A delightful look at the advantages of going back to school will have instant appeal as readers can see themselves in the action of the crayons. Readers will love seeing the different things that happen at school, and appreciate the humour of the crayons doing things that they do. Jeffers’ crayons are wonderful, each crayon reflecting human traits as they go through the day at school. I love Brown crayon holding his own crayon, the dropped ice cream on the beach, the beautiful roll of sellotape and the sharpener on Yellow crayon’s head. All readers will love seeking out the small details which conspire to draw many smiles. Text and illustrations conspire to making this a book of laughs, particularly for children about to return to school.
More about Drew and his books can be found here. And there are several readings of the book on Youtube.
Themes Crayons, School, Art, Humour.
Fran Knight
Happy gut healthy gut by Justine Moore
Little Steps, 2023. ISBN: 9781922833600. (Age:5+) Recommended.
Understanding the gut and how it processes food is not an easy topic to explain to children. Becoming tiny and travelling through the human body in a minute spaceship is a creative way to explain what is happening inside us. This newly released book, Happy Gut Healthy Gut, provides an entertaining look and introduction to a complex process.
In a world where highly processed foods are causing health issues for both adults and children, it is important to listen to our bodies and rethink our daily diet. For young children though, salty and sugary foods are a constant part of what they eat and this book clearly explains what happens when foods like these are processed in the body and how they can affect us.
Three children travel with their mum inside their dad’s gut find out about various parts of the digestive system as well as meeting bacteria, both good and bad, and finding out what role the bacteria play. The children learn how some foods can cause a lack of energy, mood changes, rashes, tummy aches and sore joints. They also learn about the different healthy foods that are good for their bodies. At the end of the book are eight easy to follow Gut Health Tips.
This book is a simple, yet important read to look at the Digestive System with a strong message for children and the adults in their lives to eat healthy foods.
Themes Gut, Food, Digestive System, Health Care, Journey, Imagination.
Kathryn Beilby
Stacey Casey and the cheeky outlaw #Book 2 by Michael C. Madden
Big Sky, 2022. ISBN: 9781922615848. (Age:8-12) Highly recommended.
Michael C. Madden's sequel to The Lost City (Book #1 in the Stacey Casey trilogy), begins with another jump through time to the Middle Cretacsious period.
Dad, Stacey and Oliver travel nearly 100 million years into the past, only to encounter dangerous prehistoric fauna within a few minutes. It is here they meet Australotitan Cooperensis. In their hurry to escape an angry Lightening Claw (a carnivore resembling a T-Rex), they don’t realize one of the giant herbivore babies, whom they later dub, ‘Cooper’ is in the garage. Pronounced Oss-trah-low-tie-tan coo-per-ennsiss (Australotitan Cooperensis), the real Cooper's fossilized bones were discovered outside of Eromanga, in south west Queensland only this century. It took over a decade, but this species is thought to be one of the biggest dinosaurs that ever lived. Read more: https://enhm.com.au/museum/dinosaurs/cooper/
Now in possession of a fast-growing baby dinosaur, Mr Casey needs to return to 1880 Australia in order to locate the technology to be able to return Cooper back to his own time. Before leaving, Cooper escapes from the garage. Dad, Stacey and Oliver have no choice but to bring Amelia into the Time Travelling fold, in return for her silence.
As the title suggests and Nancy Bevington’s illustrations confirm, Mr Casey’s Time Machine invention takes Stacey, Oliver and nerdy school chum Amelia to colonial Australia, where they encounter a likeable Ned Kelly, who comes to their aid on more than one occasion.
A mysterious impasse ends the story on a cliff-hanger because Stacey’s nemesis (another time traveller) trips them up when they attempt to return to the present. Will they ever see their good friend again? It’s hard to imagine how – but it won’t be long before Book #3,The House That Time Remembers.
If you’re looking for a middle school novel brimming with myriad History, English and Science curriculum areas, this is the one. Michael C. Madden weaves a huge number of themes together in a crisp new way too. There’s none of the confusion as in many mystery stories - some of the stronger themes are: time travel, Australian historical narratives, palaeontology, family and friendship. Listen to Michael’s own book teaser.
The Teachers notes outline the themes and all curriculum areas. For stimulating discussion questions for each chapter simply download the notes here. (184p)
Themes Time travel, Australian historical narratives, Palaeontology, Family and friendship.
This is a light-hearted read for the holidays, one of those familiar ‘enemies to lovers’ stories. It opens with a Christmas card that Izzy sends handsome Brazilian hunk Lucas, bravely declaring her feelings for him. Unfortunately there is not the response she hopes for, and instead she catches him kissing her flatmate under the mistletoe. It doesn’t take the reader long to realise that there has been some kind of misunderstanding – did he actually get the Christmas card? What follows is a year of fuming tension between the two of them forced to share the reception desk at the Forest Manor Hotel.
Although Izzy and Lucas behave like they can barely tolerate each other, it soon becomes clear that there is a lot of suppressed lust, even the possibility of love, if they could just find a way to communicate better. The reader knows that inevitably romance will win, and they will eventually fall into each other’s arms. In between there is a hotel to save from financial ruin, competition in the form of another suitor for Izzy, and some lost rings to reunite with their past owners. The ‘Ring Thing’ provides some diversion uncovering stories of love, deceit and revenge, but the pace is very slow, and it takes a lot of bickering and rivalry between Izzy and Lucas before they can overcome their differences.
I think you need to be a dedicated rom-com reader to enjoy this one.
Ruby's repair cafe by Michelle Worthington. Illus. by Zoe Bennett
New Frontier, 2023. ISBN: 9781922326805. (Age:4+) Highly recommended.
Ruby loves to repair things, just like her whole family. Her shop consists of a myriad of things to help with her repairs. She can fix things that do not go, repair dresses that have ripped, make toasters pop again, and gives a clock new life after finding it in the rubbish bin. She simply loves to fix things. But one day, Mr Bigg opens a department store next door. It is big and shiny and soon Ruby’s customers desert her to buy things at the new shop. These things do not need a repair shop. Ruby and her family no longer have any customers and have to pack up the shop and close it. But that night the strongest wind blows and blews. It blows the rubbish from the rubbish dump all over the town. This rubbish has been left by the townsfolk after they bought new things from Mr Bigg. In the past, Ruby would have repaired these for them.
The next day, the townsfolk see rubbish and trees littered all over the town and the roof of the shiny new department story has gone. Ruby sees a distraught Mr Bigg, and goes to him, suggesting they work together to repair the town.
Wonderful illustrations cover each page, the cheery faces of the family going about their work embellishing each image. The detail too is full of interest, things dot the pages showing the efforts they go to to repair the goods brought to them. Zoe Bennett uses watercolour and gouache combined with digital techniques to produce lively informative illustrations which children will scan with eager, inquisitive eyes. Teacher's notes are available.
Themes Recycling, Rubbish, Togetherness.
Fran Knight
Ready, set, big school by Jan Stradling and Jedda Robaard
Maurice is about to start big school and he is feeling both excited and nervous at the same time. He listens to Mr Bao tell him and his friends all about what to expect. After their chat with Mr Bao the characters all go home to prepare and practise for the big day. They try on uniforms, pack their bags and even make a check list. Maurice shares his worried feelings about being unable to make friends and Big Ted sensibly role plays a conversation with him.
When the first day of school arrives, Maurice confidently goes into his classroom and this time Big Ted is left with strong feelings of worry. It all works out to be a great day and Maurice is able to use his conversation with Big Ted about finding a friend with Jemina.
This book will be a valuable resource for those children who will be staring school. It addresses many questions and feelings young children may have, and the delightful clear illustrations with familiar characters from ABC Playschool may help ease any anxiety.
Themes First Day at School, ABC Play School characters, Friendship, Feelings.
Kathryn Beilby
Evolution by Sarah Darwin and Eva Maria Sadowski
What on Earth Books, 2023. ISBN: 9781912920532. (Age:8+)
Since human life emerged on this planet, people have speculated on how it all began with many communities developing creation stories to explain what they didn't know or understand - stories that still guide life today in some places. But in the mid 1800s, two scientists - Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace - independently developed a theory known as evolution by natural selection, and in this easily accessible, beautifully illustrated book, the great-great-granddaughter of Charles Darwin explains the theory - what it is and how it works.
Feature spreads explain the important things that you need to know, a timeline plots the history of life on Earth., maps and charts show the Tree of Life, and extensive back matter includes a glossary, and index, a bibliography and the whole is backed by both the Natural History Museum in London and the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin making it a model of authoritative presentation. As well as what has gone before, there are also sections on how humans have changed their own worlds, how evolution continues to influence adaptation and survival and a suggestion as to what the future holds, as long as we are willing to learn from the past.
As well as being an excellent introduction to the history of life on this planet spanning 4.5 billion years, this is also an important addition to both the environment and sustainability curriculum and collection because "The better we understand evolution, the better we can protect the planet".
The armour of light is fifth in bestselling author Ken Follett's The Kingsbridge novels series which began with the internationally acclaimed The pillars of the earth. The individual books stand alone, are located in Kingsbridge and describe a sweep of time in the history of England.
In his own words, Ken Follett states that he writes books for entertainment - that he doesn't want readers to have to reread sentences. Nevertheless, his books (and The armour of light is no different), are detailed and thoroughly researched. The armour of light spans the historical period from 1792-1824. Beginning with the arrival of the Spinning Jenny and the resultant disruption for workers as the industrial landscape changed from manual to machine work, The armour of light narrative weaves around the politics of the time - The Combination Act, The Housewives' Revolt, press gangs, the World War of 1812-15, Napoleon's European designs, the Battle of Waterloo and finally the reconstruction from 1815-24. The depiction of the horror of poverty, the brutality of war and the injustice of the class system of the time is skilfully evoked. The drama, hardships and romance of this period comes alive as we see the impact in Kingsbridge and on the main characters.
Follett dedicates The armour of light to historians because they have done the groundwork from which he can weave a story and cast it with characters that we care about in order to bring the era alive. Through this, Follett hopes that current generations of readers will appreciate the horrors and hardships of different regimes and to recognise and reject emergence of similar movements. Therefore his books are not frivolous historical melodramas. The epigraph from Romans 13:12 may encapsulate the serious consideration behind The armour of light - that there are works of darkness and humans must put on an armour of light in order to combat darkness.
The armour of light is an epic saga. Generational change is seen through the lives of the main characters and their descendants. The class struggle is a pervasive element. Follett's sympathy is with the workers and through them, the reader experiences the passion, drama, ambition, love, requited and unrequited passion, sacrifice, resilience and hope along with the inverse. Readers will enjoy the references to the rise of Methodism, of the schools for impoverished children, of Luddism, of unions, workers' collectives, friendly societies - the movements that had their origins in a response to tyrannical government in the 18th Century.
Written by a master storyteller,The armour of light is a study in the resilience and collective intelligence and integrity of the human being in the face of tyrannical political regimes everywhere, presented in an unputdownable story.
Themes Late18th century English government, Industrialisation,Rise of unions and friendly societies, Revolution, Class struggle.
Wendy Jeffrey
My feet by Aimee Chan. Illus. by Leilamarie Stuart-Likouresis
Little Steps, 2023. ISBN: 9781922678157. (Age:5+) Recommended.
The setting for this thoughtful story with a strong message is on Country of First Nations people. The young boy tells the story of the how he uses his feet and how important they are. He is close to Aunty whom he follows everywhere and shares many adventures and special times. Aunty though has burnt her feet by walking barefoot and receives treatment at a local clinic. She is made to rest her feet which are now heavily bandaged, and the young boy worries they will not be able to do the things they used to do. Aunty tells him that once her feet heal, they will be able to walk places together. What they have both learnt is that feet need to be looked after and spend time every evening caring for them. Bold and colourful illustrations complement the text and at the end is information about how to take care of feet for someone with diabetes.
This book is part of The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Diabetes-related Foot Complications Program funded through the Indigenous Australians’ Health Programme (IAHP), a Commonwealth Government initiative.
Themes First Nations Country, First Nations People, Family, Feet, Health Care, Diabetes.
Kathryn Beilby
Dingley the dancing dinosaur by Karleigh Whyte. Illus. by Aleksandra Szmidt
Little Steps, 2023. ISBN: 9781922833709. (Age:5+) Highly recommended.
Dingley loves to dance, but his parents are encouraging him to be the next leader of their pack. And although Dingley loves to dance, he is clumsy and easily trips over his own feet. He feels that he has no groove.
Along comes Trixy the tap dancing triceratops. She offers him her Dad’s tap shoes, but try as he might, he cannot fit his feet into the smaller shoes. Dingley keeps on looking for a dancing partner. Boom, boom, boom he hears, as Benny the breakdancing brachiosaurus offers to teach Dingley some of his moves. This time, Dingley’s head is just too square to form the moves required. Cha cha cha, along comes Sally the salsa dancing stegosaurus and together they dance. That is until Dingley must swirl and in so doing his tail sweeps Sally through the air.
Dingley is distraught and goes off hy himself with tears in his eyes. Along comes Bella the brachyceratops just returning from ballet classes. He explains his problem to her and she gets to its heart telling him he does not need to dance with a parent to get his groove, he can do it all by himself. And so he perseveres until one day he is able to put on a show: he twirls and whirls, spins and swirls before all his friends and his parents, who conclude that he can be whatever he wants to be. Splashes of bold colour illuminate all the pages, ensuring younger readers will love all they see, and their eyes will take in the dinosaurs as well as the detail on each page. Each of the dinosaurs is different, encouraging young readers to see the differences between each of the five animals.
