Georgette Heyer is one of my favourite authors, one I turn to when I need a feel-good book. The unknown Ajax is a delight to read, having wit, romance, humour and drama as well as an unforgettable male lead. Major Hugo Darracott is the heir to Darracott Place, which is presided over by the tyrannical Lord Darracott. Hugo is unknown to the family; his father married out of his class to a weaver’s daughter and they expect him to uncouth and poorly educated. When he arrives at Darracott Place, he is not welcomed, and possessing a wicked sense of humour, decides to play the country bumpkin, exaggerating his Yorkshire accent and pretending to be simple. His grandfather has decided that he should marry Althea who is pressed into trying to make Hugo into a gentleman, while bitterly resisting the idea of marriage. Gradually members of the family come to realise that there is more to Hugo than the façade that he has presented, and it is his skill and intelligence that brings the family out of the danger of disgrace in a perilous and funny final climax.
It is easy to see why Georgette Heyer’s books are still in publication and why there is a long waiting list to borrow them at the library. Hugo is an absolute delight, his sly humour and remarks lighten the problems of the dysfunctional Darracott family, while all the characters, nobility and servants are well rounded characters. Heyer adds in mystery and danger with smugglers importing goods from France and the local constabulary trying to find who is the ringleader.
Heyer writes with wit and compassion and The Unknown Ajax is sure to appeal to readers who like historical romances with a dash of adventure. Fans of Bridgerton may even be enticed to try her outstanding novels.
‘The untold story of Herbert Kenny, the man who discovered Belsen’ is the factual story of an energetic young man who joined up to fight in WWII determined to do what was needed and get the job done. He knew the job was tough, he saw soldiers maimed or killed in huge numbers. But battle-hardened as he became, nothing prepared him for the day he led a British battalion through the gates of Belsen concentration camp. The horrors he encountered there left him scarred for life. It is hard even to read about the suffering and degradation of the prisoners who were little more than the ‘living dead’ surrounded by rotting corpses and filth.
Hodkinson’s well researched account reveals the impact on a soldier who was so shocked by what he encountered, the experience was smothered and never revealed to family members, but not without consequences for his mental health and his relationships, something we would now recognise as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
It is an account of an unimaginable descent into hell, something that just defies comprehension as to how human beings could treat their fellow men in such a way. Attempts to explain the Nazi attitude towards those they saw as sub-human just collapse before the undeniable feeling that it was just innately wrong.
The last chapter of the book is titled ‘If all good people unite and speak out’. It is a plea that all forms of discrimination and persecution be challenged, so that the past does not repeat itself, a plea for people to learn to live together in peace.
Themes Non-fiction, Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, World War II, PTSD, Trauma.
It's the last day at the construction site and Cranky the crane is feeling cranky. And he doesn't want to talk about it. His friends Zippy, Wheezy, and Dump Chuck try to cheer him up. But you know what doesn't help when you're feeling cranky. A lot of talking. Or people telling you to cheer up.
So what will help?
This book for young readers helps them understand and validate some of those big feelings that sometimes swamp them but which they can't articulate yet, particularly those that seem to have negative connotations as though they are unnatural. Being good friends, Zippy, Wheezy and Dump Chuck don't like seeing their friend unhappy and try to change his mood, but when Cranky is happy, do they try to turn that emotion around? It can be confusing for a little one and they soon learn that it's apparently not OK to be angry or sad or whatever when, in fact, it is. Such feelings are real, natural and valid and they will recognise them in Cranky and through talking with the adult they are sharing the book with, maybe be able to learn words to express their feelings and the reasons for them, as well as strategies to deal with them.
By using construction vehicles in this anthropomorphic manner, the author has enabled the young reader to examine and talk about emotions at arm's length as well as start to realise the impact of their emotions on others around them and why friends want to help, even though they just want to be cranky for a while longer.
There are any number of books in this vein available to our younger readers but given the levels of anxiety and depression that seem to be enveloping this age group, particularly as parents' anxieties have an impact on them, it is a message that they cannot hear too many times, especially our boys who may believe that "real men" are bulletproof and not subject to such feelings. Emotions are real, natural and valid and it's normal to have them and healthy to express them, even if you're a cranky crane on a construction site.
Themes Emotions.
Barbara Braxton
Bravepaw and the heartstone of Alluria by L.M. Wilkinson
Albert Street Books, 2024. ISBN: 9781761180552. (Age:7+) Highly recommended.
Bravepaw and the heartstone of Alluria is a delightfully fast-paced adventure written by L.M. Wilkinson and illustrated by Lavanya Naidu. The story revolves around Titch, the smallest mouse in the village, who is highly determined with a heart full of dreams, and her loyal friend Huckleberry. They live on the peaceful plateau of Alluria, situated above the dangerous forest.
Titch is obsessed with the legendary Bravepaw; a mouse warrior who once saved Alluria from destruction. The tiny, strong-willed mouse spends her spare time visualising herself as Bravepaw and practising her special warrior moves. However, her mother disapproves of this behaviour and constantly reminds Titch that Alluria is now safe, and such skills are quite unnecessary.
But when Titch and Huckleberry come across a wounded warrior on the plateau’s edge, they realise things are not as safe as they used to be. The warrior is under attack by curseworms - mysterious, menacing creatures spreading chaos. Titch uses the warrior’s crystal staff, and they are all amazed and a little confused by her power of it as this has previously only ever been controlled by the legendary Braveheart.
With staff in hand, Titch and Huckleberry embark on a treacherous mission into the forest. As they navigate obstacles and face impending dangers, Titch must learn to believe in herself and use the staff’s powers to save their beautiful homeland. Can Titch, with Huckleberry’s support, believe in her powers and be like the hero she has always admired, or will the task be too overwhelming?
Wilkinson weaves a magical tale filled with suspense and adventure; making a perfect read for those who enjoy stories of magical-fantasy, adventure and friendship. With Naidu’s enchanting illustrations adding depth to the narrative and perfectly complementing the adventurous storyline, Bravepaw is a visually captivating, heart-warming, and thrilling tale that will engage many.
Titch’s determination and courage, along with Huckleberry’s true friendship create an inspiring story for children learning to believe in themselves and they will be left awaiting the next instalment to discover more about Titch and Huckleberry’s escapades.
Themes Fantasy, Magic, Danger, Bravery, Friendship, Adventure, Problem solving.
Michelle O'Connell
The Bookshop Detectives: Dead girl gone by Gareth Ward and Louise Ward
Drop the ‘e’ out of Gareth and add it to Louise (the authors’ first names) and you have the two lead characters Garth and Eloise, former UK coppers, now bookshop owners turned detectives. The Bookshop Detectives is a collaboration between the husband and wife authors, each taking a turn to write a chapter, drawing on their experience running a bookshop in little Havelock North, New Zealand.
It’s a fun story with a bunch of quirky characters and a twisty plot. A mysterious package delivered to the Sherlock Tomes bookshop ignites Garth’s and Eloise’s detective instincts, and the two find themselves drawn into investigating a decades-old missing schoolgirl case. It soon becomes apparent that other individuals are keen to leave the case unresolved and forgotten.
A challenge for the two bookshop owners is the surprising request to host a fabulously renowned author’s book launch in their little shop, and each chapter is a countdown to the eventful day; at the same time as their attention keeps being distracted by new clues in their investigation. And it really is a puzzle, little pieces gradually added to the picture, never sure just where they fit or what they mean. The whole book has a light-hearted and playful tone, which will keep you guessing until the end.
For book lovers there are lots of little book title and author references, which will make you smile; it’s just so much fun recognising them. And the humour is very comedic, easy to imagine as quirky television series. This book will most definitely have a captivated readership waiting for a follow-up, because it just has to be the beginning of a cosy detective series.
Themes Bookshop, Books and reading, Detectives, Missing person, Humour.
In the words of author Helen Edwards, her second middle-grade novel 'Legend of the Lighthouse Moon is a work of magical historical fiction…set in a real time and place…containing elements of true history and fantasy.' The interweaving of fact and fiction allows this engaging and unique story to hold the attention of the reader from start to finish. The powerfully descriptive imagery of people, places and events transports you back to the 1970’s where Kangaroo Island, off the coast of South Australia, is the perfect backdrop for a fascinating story about family, tragic loss, secrets, haunting legends, sea lions and selkies. Added to this, we learn about Mona’s type 1 diabetes diagnosis. This is a gentle and thoughtful introduction to diabetes for those with little knowledge or understanding and the reader experiences Mona’s daily struggles and frustrations with her condition.
Now living on Kangaroo Island at Cape Willoughby, Mona and her younger brother Albert are cared for by their maternal grandparents after a terrible tragedy befell the family. Five long years have passed and Mona is still angry and hurt by the fact that her father is missing after trying to save her mother from the fire. Helping her grandparents keep the lighthouse functioning as well as cater for tourists, allows Mona and Albert an amazing amount of freedom to explore and connect with their surroundings. During a time spent wandering on her own, Mona befriends a young sea lion pup. This friendship leads to an incredible journey of discovery about Mona’s parents and about Mona herself. Secrets and legends are unravelled and the broken family begins to heal.
The research behind this story is astonishing and references to the past are enthralling. Those adult readers who remember the 70’s will be reminded of some great iconic moments. Younger readers will love the sense of adventure, mystery and danger that Mona and Albert face. The clever use of lyrical verse spread throughout the narrative adds another dimension to the storytelling and the addition of comparisons of people to local bird life provides an extra layer of interest and a hook for further research and discussion.
This wondrous story will be a welcome addition to all libraries and would make a fabulous class novel for middle primary readers.
It’s the star’s best time of the year, Christmas Eve, when it will shine as brightly as it can. It watches over the families doing things together as Australian families do. As each page is turned, we see children around Australia involved in the customs we all hold dear at this time of the year. The children on the farm have set up some storage bales of hay with fairy lights, children play cricket at the beach with their families, all kitted out in Christmas hats ready for a picnic. In the town’s main street, shops have fairy lights and banners, trees have lights festooned in the branches, people are buying their last-minute presents, children sing for passersby. At school, children make wrapping paper, at home, they bake Christmas biscuits, to wrap for presents, some presents are given to those who do not have one, and all the while the star twinkles overhead.
When the day is over, and all are in bed, the star watches, as it has done for generations. It shines brightly now for the passing reindeer and sleigh, as children dream of what tomorrow may being.
The illustrations show an array of Christmas customs and experiences. Bells, stars, presents, a Christmas tree, wrapping paper, Christmas lights, Christmas stockings, Christmas bon bons and so on, encouraging readers to share those things their family does at Christmas.
This is a happy verse story about the night sky in Australia at Christmas time which encourages children to predict rhyming words and say the lines along with the reader.
Themes Christmas, Family, Stars, Verse.
Fran Knight
Dexter lost his Boo-Woo by Shane Hegarty. Illus. by Ben Mantle
It's a scary sounding beast! It has fiery eyes and floppy ears, and twenty pointy teeth!
Soon the whole town is on the hunt for the Boo-Woo... police officers, firefighters and so many more join in the search, each getting more and more concerned as Dexter describes the Boo-Woo. They are very relieved when they find it, but have they?
At first glance, this is a story written in fast-paced rhyme for very young children about finding something precious that has been lost and the emotions that that engenders, but it has the potential to be so much more because as the locals join the search, Dexter adds more and more information building up the picture of what his Boo-Woo looks like. So much like The Dudgeon is Coming, young students can build group or individual pictures adding features as they are revealed, particularly if the first reading of the story is read aloud without showing the illustrator's interpretation of the words (wrap the cover in brown paper) so the listeners really have to engage with the text as each new detail is revealed.
It not only provides an excellent opportunity to focus on description and descriptors which will enrich their own writing, but also on perception because each drawing will be different and none will be the same as that of Ben Mantle. You can talk about how our experiences shape our mind's eye, and perhaps even introduce the classic poem, The Blind Men and the Elephant by John Godfrey Saxe. Extend the experience by having them draw the king in The King's Breakfast by A. A. Milne, Dahl's BFG as he walks down the street blowing dreams through the windows, or even Gandalf's first meeting with Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit. Each has a description that lends itself to be interpreted in a graphic and because each of us interprets what we see and hear differently can lead to discussions about perception, what is truth and how it is shaped by our beliefs, values and even our role in an incident.
But to be able to hang such a series of lessons on a story, you first need an engaging story that appeals to its audience on the surface, and Dexter and his Boo-Woo is certainly that, with the ending lending itself to even more possibilities!
This is an unsettling story centred on the life of a circus performer whose physical peculiarities (perhaps based on a real genetic condition) have made her to be a show highlight in her family’s circus. At a time in the history of USA’s desire for entertainment and titillation, the circus run by Arturo Fortuna, ringmaster extraordinaire, was like fireworks in a dark sky. His family, and the adopted family of clowns, roustabouts, performers, dancers and curiosities, would travel the country seeking new ways to delight or shock their audiences. But it is a competitive business, and they must always be seeking new ways to capture an audience. In this environment we follow Avita, the young girl whose ugliness and physical strangeness has made her draw an audience. Gently evocative and distressing, we follow the pain and the triumph of her place in the spotlight.
This story is hard to read because it is emotionally sharp and uncomfortable. The family relationships are tarred with greasepaint and dysfunction, and they struggle to be seen in healthy ways. The idea that adults could use their own children as ‘bait’ to attract a crowd of paying customers in ways that would almost be considered abusive, is distressing, but surprisingly we sometimes can still see their love behind the tent flaps. But this is set in 1870s circus life and The Greatest Showman reminded us that this was a precursor to our contemporary entertainment industry, and the ‘This is Me’ identity theme resounds in this story too. Avita both honours and struggles with her distorted, shocking, bird-like appearance. She also respects and yet struggles with her relationship with her father, the flamboyant ringmaster and circus director. I don’t know if I love this story; it certainly is confronting in its content, and yet there is something compelling about Avita. Written with the different perspectives of other family members, we get glimpses of the dysfunction of the family from different angles, but as with every travelling circus, their spotlight moves on quickly. This is hard to recommend, but it is darkly compelling. 15+
Themes Circus, Family relationships, Normal and abnormal, Entertainment, Identity, LGBTIQ.
Carolyn Hull
Some families change by Jess Galatola and Jenni Barrand
EK Books, 2024. ISBN: 9781922539670. (Age:4+)
Families do change, some become larger, while others become smaller, some have several children, some may have only one, some have an aunty come to stay while a parent is at work, sometimes a grandparent may die, sometimes other adults join the family.
A whole range of different families is touched upon, making this book almost a list of every sort of family a child may come across.
For children who may not have thought of the families they live in or that their friends are part of, this is a handy book to read and discuss. For those for whom change is occurring at the time, this book could be a good prop for them to realise that although families may change, the adults still love them.
There are families with two dads or two mums, families with lots of cousins, or aunts and uncles, grandparents and friends, families where one parent may not live with them, or there may be two houses, but whatever family the child is in, someone still tucks them into bed at night and cuddles and hugs them. Some parents may split up for reasons not known to the child, but it is important that the child does not feel responsible.
Even though the family changes, the important part of that family, the child is still loved.
Illustrations showcase the text as the book is read, showing the different make-ups of families. Families are multi-faceted, sometimes loud, some quiet, some only two people, others with a large number of people, some with two adults, some with one, sometimes the adults are the same sex, sometime some parent does not live there, sometimes their arrival home is a time of great excitement. But whatever size or shape the family is, the child at its heart is just that, a loved, valued and cared for member.
Hasib Hourani’s five chapter free-form poem is an anguished plea for recognition of the suffering of the people of Palestine, with recurring images of rocks, confining boxes, suffocation, oil-slicked migratory birds, and surveillance.
Rocks are the rubble of destruction, they are also the most basic weapon, rocks slung against an enemy, even a date stone spat from the mouth. Instructions to create a paper box seem simple, harmless, until the box becomes fingers over nostrils, palm over mouth, lungs not moving; or the box becomes a refrigerated cell made of cement with no windows for air.
The most disturbing section is that on the torture methods employed by the state of Israel: sensory deprivation and psychological pressures, the sloped child-sized chair forcing shackled detainees into prolonged cramped positions, forms of torture that leave less physical evidence of abuse.
There are many images of birds: the cattle egret in the dumpster, the macaw that lick clay to salve the toxins in their bodies, the migratory pfeilstorch with the African arrow through its neck. The images are stark, confronting, and the words are arranged in fragments, sometimes blacked out as if in redaction. Censorship and surveillance are undercurrents.
Hourani advocates for boycotts, divestments and sanctions (BDS), demanding Israel’s compliance with international law as a bare minimum, but also dreaming of unified Palestinian lands one day where the only bullet is a bullet train.
The writing is sparse and compelling, mental images shock and confront, words resonate and linger after reading. I liked his play with the idea of the Arabic ‘i’ suffix to indicate ethnic or cultural group, e.g. Pakistani, Israeli. He considers ‘Empti’, a land without people, a lie, a concept that has further ramifications for Australian readers. There are many ideas to explore within the deceptively simple words. This is a book you can read as a hard-hitting poem in one sitting, but then return to and read again to explore the many complexities you may have missed first time around.
For senior secondary students, Hourani's poem would make an excellent English text to consider alongside studies of Israel and Palestine in History.
Kai Masters is a Border Guard, keeping Earth safe by battling beasts. The water beast is a huge speedy serpent-like creature and Kai will need underwater equipment to fight it. He chooses the Torpedo Cross Bow as his weapon, hoping that it will kill toxic jellyfish and take on a wave attack.
Boy Vs Beast: Water Beast will appeal to newly independent readers especially boys. The print is large, each book has 8 chapters and many pages are illustrated, with the final battle drawn in a four-page comic. There is an introduction at the beginning which sets the scene for the adventure that Kai Masters will undergo. And what an adventure he has! There are plenty of thrills, spills, and action galore to engage the attention of the intended audience as Kai battles the mutant beast.
The Boy vs Beast series is a good introduction to first chapter novels and Water beast is sure to appeal to its intended audience.
Themes Science fiction, Monsters.
Pat Pledger
Love like chocolate by Tracy Banghart. Illus. by Alina Chau
As a family welcomes an adopted little girl to their home, her brother takes it upon himself to teach his new sister their traditions. For good days and bad, for birthdays, holidays, and everything in between, their family always celebrates with chocolate. They make super chewy chocolate chip cookies in the spring, very-berry chocolate-cherry mousse in the summer, chocolate banana pancakes in the fall, and warm chocolate sauce in the winter. But the boy soon realizes that his sister might have favourite treats of her own, and that if they work together, they can create new traditions and memories together.
The author's note at the back says that this book was, in part, inspired by her family's experiences in welcoming a child from Thailand into their family, and so this is a story that will allow adoptees to see themselves in a story, but I believe its broader appeal will be because of the subject matter because one of the truisms of this world is that chocolate makes everything better.
And just as the children share and make recipes, it provides an opportunity to be the centrepiece of a display that encourages children from throughout the school to share their special chocolate recipes (focusing on procedural texts), perhaps even sparking new friendships, as well as investigating all other things chocolate. Often the most unexpected storybooks can lead to all sorts of discoveries and this has the potential to do that.
Themes Adoption, Chocolate, Celebrations.
Barbara Braxton
Girl falling by Hayley Scrivenor
Pan Macmillan, 2024. ISBN: 9781760987206. (Age:16+) Highly recommended.
‘Why would my best friend want to destroy my life?’ This is the opening line of Scrivenor’s mystery thriller about a toxic friendship between two teenagers, Finn and Daphne, both with secrets to hide. While Finn believes that Daphne’s friendship has helped her move on from guilt over her younger sister’s death, it becomes apparent that Daphne is a psychopathic personality who will always use what she knows to wilfully manipulate others. This is most obvious when Finn eventually meets Magda, the love of her life. When Magda raises doubts about Daphne’s motives, the dynamics between the three of them is bound to explode.
From the screaming moment in an abseiling adventure when a flailing body hurtles, no longer attached, down a ravine, Scrivenor has the reader hooked into a psychological drama that has more than one twist. The account flips from present to past and back again repeatedly, gradually building a picture of complex characters whose lives have become entwined through trauma.
This is a fascinating and engaging thriller that holds that reader until the end. Although the final twist may come as a surprise to some, I found a re-reading led to a better appreciation of Scrivenor’s depiction of a co-dependent relationship, and the ending absolutely makes sense. This is a masterful psychological thriller that explores friendships, secrets, and manipulative control.
Picador, 2024. ISBN: 9781761561825. (Age:Adult - Young adult) Recommended.
In this very personal memoir, Markus Zusak takes us on a journey with his family as they invite a succession of tough personalities into their home. Starting with two cats and progressing to two, pound dogs, Reuben a 'big bad brindle' followed by Archie, 'pretty boy assassin (Reuben’s hitman)'. The third dog of the title, Frosty, ADHD on legs, comes later. It seems the family have a knack for choosing difficult pets; the cats, a warrior and a rat eating urinator, are followed by Reuben, a forty-kilo formidable mongrel who once knocked Markus out cold. Then came Archer, a beautiful golden street dog with a name out of one of Zusak’s books, something that was surely good luck; what better criteria for choosing a pet! The two dogs were wild and troublesome but loved. As the family grew and moved, so the dogs became just part of the chaos of family life, challenging but oh so rewarding. In telling the story, Zusak gives us a peek into the writing process, the nuts and bolts of wordsmithing. Foreshadowing and anticipation, wonderful descriptions and robust dialogue, building drama and then giving the dogs dialogue for comic effect; a generous invitation from the author to step inside the writing process.
This is an intimate family memoir through the lens of dog ownership, the tone is light, candid and self-deprecatory but the genuine relationships shine through as we are taken on an emotional rollercoaster. The book is beautifully produced with striking cover and chapter illustrations by Daniel New. There is a centre section with photos of the family with the animals that have given them so much life and caused them so much trouble. A must for lovers of Zusak’s writing and all pet owners.
