What is the best way to avoid being eaten by a shark? Is the Earth really flat? How to translate Parent speak, How to pass a creative writing test, and How to avoid being abducted by aliens are the five chapters of this nonfiction book by John Larkin. The important questions and mysteries of life are presented as a narrative woven with facts in this amusing book. Each chapter presents the facts and figures of each topic with handy hints, advice and trivia, all combined with some full page black and white, comic style illustrations and smaller sketches across the page.
Larkin also uses examples from his childhood to bring to life the chapter about Parent speak and uses examples from his writing life which will interest many young aspiring writers. The language used is more suited to more advanced readers, as is the style of the book which is more like a wordy novel than many of the more recent nonfiction offerings that contain more illustration and fact bubbles/boxes to engage reluctant readers. The page about Idioms at the back of the book will be a valuable discussion starter for many classrooms. I felt the chapter about creative writing seemed an odd inclusion, especially in the middle section of the book. It will be useful as a tool to teach some creative writing in classrooms and give children a helpful guide to story writing, but could well have formed the basis for a book all on its own.
Themes General knowledge, Sharks, Unexplained phenomena, Aliens.
Gabrielle Anderson
Where's Wally? The great games speed search by Martin Handford
Where’s Wally? The Great Games Speed Search is the second book in the new competitive format for the legion of fans of Where’s Wally. This hardcover book with strong cardboard pages conveniently folds flat so that two competitors facing each other have equal chance to find Wally in the fastest time. There is also the opportunity to play solo.
The first competitive double page is a competition to find either Wally or Wenda and their friends. Both scenes look the same at first glance but subtle differences begin to appear. The second competition has the player also finding dragon silhouettes as well as the usual crew. The next two double pages have incredibly busy drawings, one of which are sketches and the other, an underwater scene. All of the 11 activities presented are both clever and complex but have the odd clue and hint thrown in. This latest book will keep obsessed Where’s Wally fans entertained for hours.
Kathryn Beilby
Pearly and Pig and the Island of Secrets by Sue Whiting
Pearly and Pig and the Island of Secrets, written by Sue Whiting, is the latest instalment in the Pearly and Pig series. This is a delightful junior fiction novel that will captivate young readers with its exciting plot and endearing characters.
In this third book of the series, we join Pearly and her trusty companion, Pig, on another thrilling adventure as they embark on a quest to become true 'adventurologists'. Set on the mysterious, uninhabited Mammut Island, just off the coast of Iceland, Pearly finds herself winched down from a helicopter by her mum and grandma with only five days' worth of supplies to complete a series of tasks independently. However, what begins as a seemingly straightforward mission quickly takes a suspenseful turn when Pearly discovers the presence of unknown individuals on the island, and she is unsure of their intentions.
Pearly is desperate to prove to her family that she is brave and up to the challenges set and she really doesn’t want to alert her family about anything. She sets about trying to complete her adventure tasks but find it very unsettling with all the other things going on at the island. Even the puffins seem concerned.
Adamant that she can complete all these tasks and give this new challenge the best shot ever, Pearly and Pig help each other work through their worries. They have the most beautiful bond and can even communicate with each other in pig language.
A highly engaging and enchanting novel that moves at a brisk pace, readers will be eagerly flipping through the pages to uncover the mysteries and adventures. This story will appeal to anyone who enjoys adventure, mystery and prehistoric life, while intertwined with valuable lessons about courage, friendship, and the importance of perseverance in the face of adversity. With its engaging storyline and lovable characters, this book is sure to captivate young readers and leave them eagerly seeking other books in the series.
Maya’s Dance is ultimately two stories running parallel; the major story being the incredible journey of survival for Maya Schulze and the minor story being about Kate Young, a journalist living with her own heartache who listens to Maya’s story in 1995 and shares it with others.
Author Helen Signy was inspired by the story of Lucie Pollak-Langford, who survived horrific conditions as a Jewish slave worker in a Nazi-run Polish labour camp in Sawin. Much of this story has been written from testimonies, interviews and the self-published memoir of Lucie before her passing in Sydney 2021.
Maya, a Jewish girl from Prague in the Czech Republic, loved to dance and this was her whole life until she was 17 when her family was cruelly transported to Poland. While they were not sent to a death camp, their time at Sawin was really about being worked to death building irrigation channels for the Nazi regime. Five hundred Jewish people were marched into the camp in 1942 and one year later only 38 remained. During that time, the prisoners were starved, beaten and forced to live and work under inhumane conditions.
For Maya, now suffering from bouts of dementia, retelling Kate her story opens up so many memories, mainly full of despair but also of joy when a young Polish engineer enters Maya’s life. Maya chooses to dance in a camp concert, and it is there that Jan Novak sets his eyes and heart on her. Jan becomes central to Maya’s survival and engineers her escape to safety. In 1995, Maya firmly believes Jan is still alive and in telling her story and with Kate’s help, she hopes to find him.
This fictitious story, with its many twists and turns especially towards the end of the story, will leave the reader in awe of Maya’s instincts for survival, her resilience and the joy she now finds in the everyday. The growing friendship that develops between Kate and Maya is a lifeline for both characters and fills a void that they may not have realised they needed.
Maya’s Dance is a highly engaging read that also comes with an important Author’s Note that provides further background information for the story.
Break, created by author-illustrator Kayla Miller, is the sixth book in the very popular graphic novel series, Click. Once again, Miller cleverly delves into relevant social issues and delicately navigates the complexities of family dynamics, divorce and forgiveness; through the eyes of its main character, Olive.
Olive is set to spend her upcoming school holiday at her father's new apartment, and she is dreading it. The story unfolds with comic style pastel illustrations that capture both the tender moments and the emotional turmoil Olive experiences. While all her other friends seem excited about their holiday plans, Olive struggles to find joy amidst her feelings of hurt and resentment. Her brother Goober is super excited and has activities planned for the whole time, yet Olive is really conflicted with her feelings. So, rather than embracing the opportunity to reunite with her father, Olive withdraws and finds comfort in her phone, using it as a distraction to avoid confronting her emotions.
As Olive's holiday progresses, however, she begins to feel the weight of her loneliness and the strain of her unresolved feelings. Can Olive turn things around, or will her efforts be too little too late?
Through authentic and relatable storytelling, Miller explores Olive's journey of self-discovery as she learns to navigate the complexities of her family situation and confront her own emotions.
Break is more than just a graphic novel; it's a heartfelt exploration of the social issues faced by children growing up in divorced families. Through Olive's experiences, readers are reminded of the importance of communication, empathy and forgiveness in overcoming difficult relationships and finding healing.
With its beautiful illustrations and compelling narrative, Break is a must-read for readers of all ages. Miller's ability to tackle sensitive topics with grace and sensitivity makes this graphic novel a powerful and impactful addition to any library.
Beginning briefly in 1860, this book introduces Ruby Road in South Brisbane just as it is colonised with European-style housing. The majority of this book though follows the McIntyre family 40 years later as they establish a small business in Ruby Road. Most of the book though follows their six daughters, and particularly the feisty Dorothy, as she navigates life in 1900 in a rule-oriented and patriarchal society. Dorothy is not inclined to love the rule-based authority of school and would much prefer to climb trees and pursue her love of story-writing, and maybe even an acting career. She dislikes the more feminine pursuits of needlecraft, cooking and mastering penmanship with neatness and so wins the ire of her strict teacher. Dorothy has pluck! She is not a conventional girl from the 1900s, she also does not understand why girls and women do not seem to have the same opportunities as men and so is very supportive of her mother’s suffragist leanings. Her friendship with George (who has Chinese heritage) introduces her to the racist attitudes of the time, attitudes that she cannot understand. Dorothy and George together write and produce a dramatic work that might change the minds of locals to the rights of women. But time slowly ticks by, and societal change is still a long way from Dorothy’s dreams for the future.
This is a delightful step into history at a time that is so removed from 2024. Children will recognise aspects of history that are foreign to them and will be surprised by attitudes that seem so unfair. In some ways this book is like My Place by Nadia Wheatley in unveiling change in one location and a little like the Our Australian Girl series in introducing readers to different periods of history. I am assuming that this may be the first book in a series – it deserves to follow Ruby Street through time. This is a book to enjoy for readers aged 8-11. Although some younger readers will not appreciate the massive social and cultural changes that have occurred since the early 1900s, this book will hopefully give them small insights. Even recreation and play has undergone significant change over the years and young readers may recognise that although school was strict and chores may have been an expectation, there may have been some freedoms that would surprise some contemporary readers. The short historical notes at the end of the book highlight some specific features that the author has used in Dorothy’s story. Note: there is a hint of intrigue in the part played by a dog, who no one else seems to acknowledge. Ghost or authorial magic?
Themes Australian history – 1900s, Family, Writing, Acting, Suffrage movement – Australia, Racism.
Carolyn Hull
Computer technology for curious kids by Chris Oxlade
Computer Technology for Curious Kids is a highly accessible factual text that discusses all things computer science related. This well organised book has a contents page that begins with Welcome to the World of Computer Science and is followed by six chapters divide into different sections.
Chapter 1: The History of Computing is a fascinating read with an important fact that the abacus invented 3000 years ago is the oldest known calculating device. It then goes on to provide a detailed written timeline of the development of computers to what is used today.
Chapter 2: Hardware and Software is more complex and examines the components that make up computers as well as looking at hardware, software, operating systems and how the computer actually works in storing and processing data as binary numbers.
Chapter 3: Data and Apps builds on what was discussed in Chapter 2 with more information given about how the data that is inputted is stored as binary numbers. This data includes text, photos, drawings, video and sound.
Chapter 4: Programming is all about programmers and how they write programs using coding. The number of excellent diagrams used throughout this chapter provide a visual explanation of what may be complex learning.
Chapter 5: Computer Communications looks closely at how data goes from place to place and connects with other computers. It investigates wired and wireless networks and presents a detailed discussion about the Internet, how it works and the World Wide Web. This chapter importantly shares information about network dangers and online safety.
Chapter 6: Computers Everywhere reminds readers that computers are not just a laptop or desktop but are all around us. Items such as sensor lights, smart speakers, barcode scanners and some children’s toys are all managed by computer systems. The development of the ever evolving and expanding creation of robots shows how far computer science has progressed over the years.
The colourful illustrations, tables and diagrams are important to the text and help to further understand and clarify the information. A glossary and index are in the final pages. Computer Technology for Curious Kids is the perfect ‘go-to’ book for those children and adults wanting to learn more about computer technology or consolidate their knowledge.
The Big Cheese has hauled himself out of obscurity as a little whey. He has become impressive. His presence fills the room, his confidence makes heads turn and causes jaws to drop. And he will tell you all about it. His life is full of ‘me’ words, that is until he meets Wedge.
Wedge is the opposite of Big Cheese; he is quiet and introspective, while Big Cheese is loud and bold, so he took little notice of this newcomer, until the time came for the town’s Cheese-Cathlon. Needless to say Big Cheese had won this important competition many times and he had the trophies to show off.
But on the day, Wedge is there to compete, and compete he does, winning all the competitions usually won by Big Cheese. At the end of the day, Big Cheese has a melt down. All the different emotions rage over his face: anger, disappointment, jealousy and so on. Until he notices Wedge. He is not basking in the limelight as Big Cheese would have done. He is looking humble.
So begins a journey for big Cheese in learning that winning is not everything, that there is a life outside winning and losing, and by losing he will learn lots about himself and others. Participation is the goal, not winning.
Wonderful illustrations spread across each page, showing the different moods of Big Cheese as he finds his way from always winning to finding out that being involved is just as good. The emotions shown in Big Cheese’s face are priceless and all done with a small change of detail, but offering an emotion we can all identify with. Think about making a piece of cheese look happy or sad!
Kids will see Big Cheese for what he is and them realise the lesson he learns is just as valid for them all.
Themes Winning and losing, Humility, Ego, Brashness, Friendship.
Ria lives in poverty on a windswept coastline with her seafaring father, her invalid sister Felecie and a half-sister Aberdeen. The livelihood of the populace is somehow besieged by a fleet of pirates under the command of the infamous “Heartless King”. When the bodies of her father’s crew begin to wash ashore, the girls fear the worst. One night, her badly injured father is carried home by the villagers. He intends only to say goodbye before returning to the pirates without the daughter he promised them.
Younger by two years than Felecie, the daughter known to 'The Heartless King', the pirates are unaware of Ria’s existence. While her father sleeps, Ria decides to take her sister’s place and sacrifice herself to save her family. Stepping onto Father’s ship, it magically sets sail to rendezvous with the Blood Rose (pirate ship) and Ria is taken captive.
Over many days, Ria discovers her tragic family history. She and Felecie are actually princesses and after her mother’s death, her father hid them safely in poverty in the countryside. The Heartless King erstwhile, had a feud with Bane, a mutineer and would-be king. He intends to use Estelle’s daughter, to lure Bane out and dispose of him.
The cursed but youthful king is always cloaked – unseen, he evokes fear and mystery. But his swordsmanship is fearsome, and a terrified Ria witnesses him dispatch dozens of men mercilessly in a short bloody battle. On the upside, his magical ship supplies the crew with sumptuous food and a well-stocked library - where Ria reads contentedly when not actively piecing together her family history.
Ria’s heightened sense of social justice means she is driven to provoke the King daily at dinner. His given name is Sebastien. If not for her hostage value and youthful naivety, her criticisms of Sebastien's inhumanity would end in animosity rather than a simmering romantic tension.
The re-telling of the ‘beauty and the cursed beast’ fairytale aboard a pirate ship is refreshing – and rich evocative descriptions help the reader make it to the turning point where enmity and cathartic chemistry collide. Sarah Street is an engaging chronicler of the Golden Age of pirates in the fictitious pages of A Curse of Salt. This fresh pirate adventure is richly layered with magical realism - aye, a page turner.
Aggie Flea STEALS the SHOW written by Tania Ingram, is the second entertaining younger novel in the Aggie Flea series. The first book Aggie Flea is NOT a LIAR, recognisable by its bright pink cover, has just been announced as a 2024 CBCA Notable book for the Younger Reader category. For those who have not yet met 10 year old Aggie Flea, be prepared for a roller coaster ride of bubbly bouncy energy with plenty of misunderstandings. Aggie has a BIG imagination and she is constantly throwing herself into situations with the best of intentions but oblivious to what may go wrong.
The second book, this time with a cover in purple tones, is all about the school play. Aggie desperately wants the role of Web Legs, the superhero spider from Mars in the play titled Lucas and the (farting) Pineapple from Space. She decides to change into her spider legs costume at school to impress her teacher Mrs Fossy but Aggie has forgotten that Mrs Fossy is petrified of spiders and causes her to collapse. Aggie is asked to go home for the remainder of the school day and is collected by her Aunt Pip who is minding her and her older brother 13 year old Jack while their mum is away. But it turns out Aunt Pip and the headmaster Mr Strong have a past which is highly embarrassing for Aggie.
Aggie’s audition goes well and she is chosen for the part of Web Legs over her nasty nemesis Zara Miller. The class spend time preparing for the play with Aggie learning her lines and best friend Kumi designing the enormous farting pineapple. Aggie has a hilarious costume hiccup which leads to a very upsetting moment for Kumi but Aggie realises she has done the wrong thing and tries to make amends. In the end the play is a success after the new ‘love’ interest of her brother Jack helps out Aggie with an even better costume.
Readers will be treated to lots of laughs from the situations Aggie gets herself into but are also left wondering what could possibly happen next. Within the story are graphic novel inserts about Princess Zombie of whom Aggie is a great fan and whose own life at times mirrors that of her idol. The use of illustrations throughout and the highlighting of different words allow this story to be accessible to a range of different reading styles. This is an enjoyable series for younger readers and it will be exciting to read the next instalment of Aggie Flea.
Themes School Play, Family, Friends, Drama, Catastrophes, Humour.
Kathryn Beilby
Aggie Flea is not a liar! by Tania Ingram. Illus. by A. Yi
This is the first Aggie Flea book and has just been included in the 2024 CBCA Book of the Year Notables list in the Younger Readers category.
Aggie is 10 years old and has a big imagination and great sense of humour. In the first person, we ride along as she navigates life, dealing good naturedly with everyday issues like divorced parents, trouble at school, and an annoying older brother.
Suddenly two interesting things happen at once - at home, Aggie gets a mysterious new neighbour, and at school, her class is challenged to write a feature article for the paper. Aggie has already decided her new neighbour is a vampire so now she just has to prove it, interview him and write the best article for the paper - easy!
There are so many great aspects to this novel: it is funny from the very first page; contains bursts of extra craziness such as an outrageous fake Scottish accent, and a sparkly mouse poo incident; and it showcases a lovely friendship with bestie Kumi, including taking ownership and making up when things go wrong.
Then there are the fabulous stylistic choices that keep interest high: the bright neon pink accents, varied font types and sizes, fun illustrations throughout, and best of all, the interspersed graphic novel snippets that come from Aggie's favourite 'Princess Zombie' books.
This would be a fantastic read-aloud or read-alongside for younger children, and a fun new series for independent readers.
This superb picture book will be a treat to read and share with young readers. The striking green cover has immediate appeal and the gorgeous endpapers showcase brightly coloured beetles - complete with interesting facts - from all over the world.
On each double page there is a rhyming verse for numbers one to ten:
Five rainbow stag beetles
zooming through the sky,
with a flash and a glint,
they sparkle as they fly.
Every verse is accompanied by a stunning full page illustration with delightful detail and colourful design. One very clever inclusion on each page are the various creatures nibbling the same number of holes in the chosen number.
This is a fabulous book, full of rhyme and striking illustrations. A wonderful addition to a home, school or public library.
Themes Beetles, Counting, Rhyme.
Kathryn Beilby
Who am I? I'm a tiger by Liv Wan, illus.
Catch a Star, 2024. ISBN: 9781922326874. (Age:1+) Recommended.
One in a number of books in the Who am I? series published by New Frontier, the book about a tiger 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 tiger book, various traits are given about an animal, then a question ‘who am I?’ posed, answered by opening a flap to find the picture of the animal. In this way, children will see the difference between an elephant, frog, tiger, and parrot until the last page when the flap reveals a mirror. And very subtly includes 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, prodding recognition by the reader. They will love the board book, sturdy and strong, brightly coloured and detailed, giving range to a host of learning about animals.
Themes Questions and answers, Animals, Lift the flap, Board book.
Fran Knight
Unholy terrors by Lyndall Clipstone
Penguin, 2023. ISBN: 9781761341625. (Age:16+)
The Wardens defend The Hallowed Lands from their enclave behind the border wall. Barracks, watchtower, armoury, infirmary, gothic chapel and the immediate moorlands are their workplace. Everline Blackthorn and her Warden besties Lux and Briar, have sworn vows to their commander Fenn to protect their homeland from the monsters. The Vesperine are wolf-like creatures constructed by the dark magic of their god, Nyx Severin. They live beyond the enclave decorated with their bones, over the misty moorlandss and across a river, in their own macabre territory - The Thousandfold.
The wardens are trained to deter and slay the vesperine with magic of their own. All except Fenn’s youngest daughter Everline who doesn’t possess the magic to reanimate the barriers which vesperines cannot cross. But Everline distinguishes herself with her fighting skills and by skilled construction of the wardens' bone armour. With the magic protecting the Hallowed Lands fading, the threat escalates. Vesperines appear who are more human than before, and Everline needs to go to The Thousandfold, where her mother died, to find answers.
In this dark romance Everline is drawn to Ravel, the son of Nyx Severin. He too is torn between his need for parental approval and his desire for Everline. Everline has baggage too. As Commander Fenn’s bastard daughter, she strives for his respect because her own mother betrayed humankind by abandoning her post causing historic massacres throughout the Hallowed lands. Which side or generation will triumph?
Clipstone has an extraordinary gift for evocatively describing her otherworldly scenes, but characterisation lacks breadth since none of the minor vesperines, wardens or citizens are so much as named, but exist as film extras do - perhaps that is because this is a standalone book rather than a series? Blood and bone shards are the key to all magic power whether Warden or Vesperine yet unbelievably this savagery is balanced by fiercely kept vows on both sides.
Unholy terrors written by internationally recognized Australian gothic story weaver, Lyndall Clipston, is a solid and innovative Gothic Fantasy Romance. The blood letting and bone constructions so pervading it is rapidly normalized and the concern for this school librarian is the self-harm and violence tinged eroticism between the central characters. We know YA gothic romance fans in secondary schools but Unholy Terrors might be better housed in Senior Reads or with Staff reading material.
Themes Gothic romance, Dark magic, Fantasy.
Deborah Robins
Busy Betty & the circus surprise by Reese Witherspoon. Illus. by Xindi Yan
Reese Witherspoon and Xindi Yan have come up with a memorable story in the second of the Busy Betty picture books. This time Busy Betty decides to throw her mother a surprise birthday party and with her friend Mae, produce the idea of a circus party. What fun!
Busy Betty really lives up to her name! Right from the first page where she introduces herself (Hi! Hell! Howdy! I’m Betty!) the reader knows that she is a very active little girl, always asking questions which will delight with their humour. Her ideas for the circus surprise are fabulous and her enthusiasm shines through. The illustrations by Xindi Yan add to the zaniness of the story and I particularly love the expressions on the face of Frank the dog who barely tolerates being dressed as a clown and a lion. One of the pleasures of the book for me was to find the images of Frank dotted throughout: the looks of disgust on his face are priceless.
The humour and illustrations make Busy Betty & the circus surprise a great read aloud for younger children. Older children might like to try their hand at reading it independently as the big black font and illustrations complementing the text are sure to appeal to children who enjoy extending their imaginations.
