Millie Mak the Mender is the second book in this gentle and delightful series about Millie Mak, a shy and reserved child who has a gift for sewing. In the first story we learn more about Millie’s mum who works in an Aged Care Home. One day Millie visits the home and finds it challenging dealing with the different needs of the elderly people in the home. She continues to return to the home and begins to relax, show more understanding and feel comfortable being with the residents. Millie decides to make them each an amazing hat out of recycled materials and they are an instant hit. She asks her friends Rita and Veesa to help create more and they do a wonderful job.
Meanwhile Millie’s unpleasant classmate Geri copies the idea for the hats for the aged care home with an unsuccessful campaign that results in another classmate, Shanelle, standing up for Millie. Millie and Shanelle form an uneasy friendship. However Shanelle is dealing with her own troubles and the Millie, Rita and Veesa help her and her family out. The four girls end up calling themselves and their sewing group, the Fru-Gals.
The second story deals with the recognition Millie and her friends receive for their recycled sewing but it does not quite go according to plan. Millie makes her younger sister a play outfit that is noticed at a wedding by a fashion blogger who takes photos and wants to learn more about Millie and what she does. Rita and Veesa are keen for Millie to explore the opportunity offered by the blogger but Millie is reluctant. When this leads to an appearance on a television show for all four Fru-Gals, it does not end as expected with friendships between the girls in trouble. Will Millie be able to mend things this time?
These stories have an important message about reusing items and creating new and different things. The important role both sets of grandparents play in Millie’s life and how she adapts to different cultural expectations is not always easy but Millie strives to make it work. At the end of each story are detailed instructions for making items from the story. Illustrations throughout add an extra layer to the narrative.
The retelling of this familiar story is based on the 2008 CBCA Notable Picture Book Purinina: A Devil’s Tale written and illustrated by Christina Booth. Set on the island of Tasmania, this enchanting story tells of the life of Purinina and her family. From birth, through her growing years and to her adult life, the beautifully written prose shares the natural life cycle and the dangers faced by the endangered Tasmanian devil.
Born in a deep dark cave nestled in a valley, pink-skinned Purinina and her brothers, safe and warm in their mother’s pouch, suckle milk and begin to grow. Gradually black and white fur covers their bodies and they find their way out of the pouch into the cave environment. Purinina learns to growl, snarl, snort and scream. She still eats food her mother finds and plays and tussles with her bothers. Sadly, one night her mother does not return with food and in the morning when the young ones find her, she is still. The devils must learn to fend for themselves but not before they realise there is a new danger they must face in the arrival of humans. Life does go on for Purinina and she too becomes a mother.
The striking full-page illustrations vary between light and warm colours to a dark and almost menacing colour palette. The use of movement and descriptive words, bold letters and the careful placement of phrases add to the overall engagement and flow of the story. In the final pages the Devilish Details section is a valuable addition as is the glossary. This is wonderful story to share with children and to learn new interesting facts about this much-maligned Australian animal. Teacher's notes are available.
Themes Tasmanian devils, Endangered species, Habitat, Tasmania, Australia, Life Cycles, Survival, Human Danger.
Kathryn Beilby
My dog Bruiser swallowed a scooter by Karen McKinley. Illus. by Francesca Quatraro
Little Steps, 2024. ISBN: 9781922833280. (Age:3+)
Children will laugh out loud as Bruiser chomps on some very odd things around Grandpa’s farm. The children are there on a holiday and when playing in the vegetable patch Bruiser pounces on the scooter and swallows it down.
The audience will all swallow in unison at the thought of such a large metallic object going down their throats. Daisy and her brother try an ingenious array of things to make him give up the scooter.
Told in bouncy rhyming stanzas, the verse rolls along, easy enough for younger readers to latch on to the rhyming schemes and remember some of the lines quickly. They will enjoy predicting the rhyming words and offer some of their own.
But the story of how to rid Bruiser of the scooter keeps going, causing the readers to laugh out loud. Huge illustrations cover each set of double pages, giving a sweeping view of the farm and its rolling hills where the children are staying.
They try rolling Bruiser down the hill to dislodge the scooter to no avail. But when they arrive at the bottom of the hill, the dog next door jumps through the stone wall, scaring them all, causing the scooter to dislodge from Bruiser’s throat. So, all is well on grandpa’s farm, except Bruiser is now chewing on a comb.
Next day the children go home, watching Bruiser dig up an old smelly gum boot.
A funny look at staying at grandpa’s farm will agree with the readers as they work out what to do about Bruiser. The story reinforces strong family values and relationships, the fun of having a dog within the family and the role of grandparents within the family.
The illustrations carry the story forwards and will intrigue young children as they show lots of detail about life on a farm.
Themes Grandparents, Farm life, Family, Dogs.
Fran Knight
Brain is (not) always right by Scott Stuart
Scholastic, 2023. ISBN: 9781761204685. (Age:3+)
Heart loves chocolate and playing hide and seek and fashion, whereas Brain loves lists and broccoli but especially he loves being right. When the two are together, Heart would love to do lots of things, but Brain always vetoes his choices. One day Heart sees something he really wants and does not ask Brain about it. Brain rails and rails against his choice, and Heart hardly has the heart to answer. But every time they pass the music studio, Heart feels sad and his heart is rent, and their home is silent. Their lives become less and less. One day when Brain passes the music studio, he stops and asks what would happen if they failed, would people laugh at them, and what would happen if they made a mistake. Brain is scared, but Heart encourages him to try it out. They go inside and play, Brain is not good, but Heart becomes better and better, his heart coming back together.
Together the two ask each other what they would like to do, and now they do things together aware of each other’s wants. And they each have a voice in their relationship.
A lovely tale of overcoming divisions between friends, the story shows that friends should give and take, and listen to each other’s opinions.
Lovely bright illustrations splash across each page, with the heart and brain shown in their forms with little stick arms and legs, giving a seemingly simpler vision of the main protagonists. Emotions are carried through the upturn of a lip or eyebrow, eyes closed or wide open. Children will be in no doubt about how each is thinking, and happily give their opinions about what each should do.
The endpapers show the beginning of the tale with blank music sheets, and by the end it is filled with music which is a lovely parallel for the story of two coming together, listening to each other’s opinions.
Marley and her friends are on the doorstep of independence and College life, but first they have to survive the last days of High School. As Seniors there are lots of end of school year events and activities, but there are also lots of unauthorised pranks. A wealthy young student, Rhett, has ‘inherited’ his family’s entitled attitude and sets dares and tasks for his classmates to complete. He is virtually blackmailing them to complete the dare, or he will release the dirt he has accumulated on them. An accident leads to Marley’s friendship group feeling compelled to lie and hide truth, because they are afraid of the consequences. The web of lies leads to fractures in their relationships and twisted complexities as they attempt to escape being found out. Can Marley survive the last days before school ends or will truth catch up with them?
This is a USA High School drama with twists and turns. The moral choices that are made are distressing and lack wisdom, but the twisted nature of some of the characters reveals that evil hides just below the surface. This is a story that teens will enjoy reading, because the tension keeps building. Every character seems to fall apart slowly and there are relatable examples of regrettable decisions made that have long term consequences. The twist for one of the characters is unexpected and readers will be surprised. I am not sure that everything in the story is believable, but this example of the thriller genre has all the features of a book that will be peer-to-peer recommended. Recommended for readers aged 14+, who love thrillers and teen realistic fiction.
Themes Thriller, Murder, Conspiracy, USA - school, Friendship, Trust.
Carolyn Hull
Fabulous frogs by Katrina Germein. Illus. by Suzanne Houghton
Children’s non-fiction picture book duo, author Katrina Germein and illustrator Suzanne Houghton who wrote the delightful book Wonderful Wasps, have once again combined to present another engaging factual book, Fabulous Frogs. Written in skilfully constructed rhyme, this book will captivate and amaze readers as they learn all about a variety of Australian frogs. With a striking front cover displaying some rather appealing frogs, readers will be immediately drawn to this book. The detailed endpapers showcase 18 different frogs, numbered and named, in various colours, shapes and sizes, that are featured throughout this entertaining book.
Cleverly commencing with two questions, Do you have a favourite, fabulous frog? A fine fascinating, Australian frog? provides a perfect learning moment for children to share what they already know about frogs. These questions are followed by many remarkable and unique facts about Australian frogs. For example, frogs eat frogs that are smaller in size, or that the male Pouched frog has pouches on his legs where the tadpoles turn into frogs. The glorious full colour illustrations accompanying the text provide added impact and the ability for the readers to visualise and differentiate between each frog.
Fabulous Frogs also raises important environmental issues that children will be able to understand and appreciate:
Frogs need fresh water to drink through their skin. So, make sure your rubbish goes into a bin. Litter that falls into gutters and drains flows into waterways after the rains. Avoid using chemicals out in your yard. They hurt froggy skin, which makes breathing too hard.
Educators in the early and middle grade years are often looking for accessible texts to teach their students research and report writing skills. Fabulous Frogs would be an excellent resource to support these concepts as there is the opportunity to find key words, learn about life cycles, descriptions, habitats, predators and diet. There are further fascinating facts in the final pages, an extensive glossary and a valuable guide to creating a frog-friendly garden.
The Dark Wives is the 11th addition to the familiar Book and TV Vera Stanhope series. As always Ann Cleeves’ wonderful writing had me compulsively reading to the end - and not guessing who dunnit! A young man’s body is found outside Rosebank, a home for troubled teens. Josh has been working at the home and didn’t show up the previous night. A fourteen-year-old girl, Chloe Spence, has also disappeared from the home. Chloe’s parents have died and she has refused to live with her grandparents and Vera knows she must find her. Is she connected to the murder? With Joe and new team member Rosie Bell, Vera is soon involved following clues to Chloe’s where-abouts. When another body is found near the Three Dark Wives monument in the Northumberland countryside and it is connected to Josh’s murder and Chloe’s disappearance, dark secrets begin to emerge and Vera and her team are in a race to uncover the identity of the murderer.
This is a well plotted mystery and shows Vera in a new light. She is grieving and is trying to be more sensitive to the needs of her team. She has a new DC, Rosie who is a city girl but is keen to get on the right side of Vera, who does keep her thoughts about the case from her team. This frustrating for Joe and Rosie, but Vera’s experience and intuition comes to the fore with a surprising conclusion to the book that I didn’t see coming. It was good to see the quiet Charlie play a pivotal role in the expose of the villain. The background of how children end up in care homes, the lack of funding for social workers and private industry trying to make a profit adds another dimension to the story.
I really enjoy the Vera Stanhope books and look forward to more books in the series. They are easy to read, have in-depth backgrounds and familiar characters, a wonderful combination for lovers of mysteries.
Themes Murder, Children's homes.
Pat Pledger
All you took from me by Lisa Kenway
Transit Lounge, 2024. ISBN: 9781923023123. (Age:Adult - Young adult)
When Dr Clare Carpenter wakes up from a coma in hospital where she works, she can’t remember what happened, but she can sense the menace of a big man with a backpack in the corridor approaching her room. She manages to alert the staff but the man is gone and they don’t believe her. It seems she has been in a serious car accident a month ago that killed her husband, Ray, and that she has a brain injury resulting in retrograde amnesia. When two detectives come to interview her about the single vehicle crash in the Blue Mountains, they question her about why her husband was wearing chain mail at the time of the crash and about his membership of the Megin Medieval Fight Club. Unable to help them, due to her memory loss, Clare is nevertheless sure there is something they are not telling her. She needs to find out what really happened and why there is someone after her. Isolated from her Jehovah’s Witness family and with few friends, Clare is determined to get back to her work as an anesthetist and to do this she must convince a psychologist that she is fit to practice. She must also deal with the mounting threats from someone about something she can’t remember. When hypnotism starts to reveal some uncomfortable memories, Clare decides on a course of action using anasthetic drugs to access her memories and then to track down those who can confirm what happened. The author is a writer and anesthetist and uses her professional knowledge to lend authenticity to the experiments the main character does to retrieve her memories. What I found truly terrifying in this thriller was that the protagonist was able to experiment on patients undergoing surgery under her care and that a staff member with mental health issues could still have free access to drugs and threaten staff at her workplace. It is hard to like such a reckless and self-centered character and ultimately I didn’t care who did what and why.
Themes Psychological thriller, Memory.
Sue Speck
Runt by Craig Silvey. Illus. by Sara Acton
Allen & Unwin, 2022. ISBN: 9781761067846. (Age:8+) Highly recommended.
Runt is a small brown haired dog of mixed ancestry who one day finds his forever owner, an unusual young girl called Annie. She sits by herself at lunchtime at her small school in Upson Downs, and beings to feed the stray dog. Runt has lived for a year or so, stealing food where he can, hounded by the local policemen. Annie and Runt bond totally with each other and he is taken in by her family. Annie finds that Runt obeys her every command, and is good at herding the small flock of sheep her family still owns, especially after they stray onto the well grassed farm next door, the owner ever vigilant in using the law to undermine the family.
The local big wig, Earl Robert-Barron lives in a mansion above the town, and has dammed the water supply, resulting in terrible water shortages, made even more devastating with a three year drought. This has precipitated the town’s decline, with many moving out and the once prosperous farms now dustbowls.
Her wonderful family, parents Brian and Susie, Doris (Grandma) and Max (brother), is struggling to survive, so when Annie gets the chance to enter Runt in the local show’s dog competition, she takes $20 from her mother’s takings at her cake stall, and enters. But one major problem still exists, Runt will not perform in front of an audience, he only has eyes for Annie. So the judge clears the arena and Runt wins, Fergus Fink coming second. Annie goes on to triumph at the Australia wide championships, winning an entry into Krumpets, the world championship held in London. This has a first prize of half a million dollars, which will pay off the farm’s overdraft on the overdraft. They are all keen for Annie to go, but it means her dog needs to perform with people watching. The family tries all sorts of unusual dog whisperers, but the last resort is to see the recluse, Bernadette Box, and she offers Annie some sage advice while the family works together to find a solution.
Annie is a memorable character, wearing her grandfather’s tool belt filled with useful bits and pieces which she loves to use to mend things that need fixing.
All sorts of obstacles lie in the way of the family getting to London, but everyone pitches in, Brian selling his amazing grafted rose, Max performing a dangerous stunt, Doris setting up a kissing booth and Susie selling pies. And again, obstacles are put in their way in London, but all turns out well in the end.
From the bestselling author of Jasper Jones and Honeybee, Runt won 2023 CBCA Book of the Year for Younger Readers.
'You don't have to carry the weight of the world in your tool belt.'
Runt is a heart-warming and very funny tale which exemplifies kindness and friendship, while hurdles, hoops, and see-saws are put in place to serve as impediments to the dog’s competitions, as well as the family’s survival.
I listened to the story after borrowing it from Libraries SA, using LIBBY.
An interview with Craig Silvey can be found here. And a film of the book will be on screens in 2024.
Themes Family, Drought, Small towns, Farms, Dogs, Competition, London.
Fran Knight
My dad thinks he's a scream by Katrina Germein. Illus. by Tom Jellett
Katrina Germein and Tom Jellett have once again provided another humorous and entertaining book to add the ever-growing ‘My dad..’ collection. This series is very popular in school libraries with children who love ‘Dad jokes’, with this latest edition all about Halloween and Dad’s attempt to be funny.
As the family prepare for trick or treating, Dad, dressed as a ghost, has already started on the jokes. To his wife who is a mummy, he says '…you look rotten. Perhaps you should sit in the living room?' To the narrator, his son, he says, 'You used to be small but now…you gruesome?' The jokes are flying fast and furiously on this Halloween evening. As the family walk past the cemetery, dad comes out with some very amusing puns:
'Look!...The dead centre of town. People are dying just to get in. They are so dead-icated! It’s a great place for stories, so many plots.'
Throughout this engaging book, the jokes dad comes up with will keep young readers guessing. They are witty and clever and his son, who has probably heard more jokes than he needs to, repeatedly says 'My dad thinks he’s a scream.'
This close family has a great time out together on Halloween and the bold and bright illustrations add so much to the enjoyment of the text. The colourful images on the endpapers will delight children with many sweet favourites such as lolly teeth, chocolate freckles and lolly snakes appearing amongst them.
A perfect book for families to share with Father’s Day and Halloween coming up.
It's all love: Reflections for your heart & soul by Jenna Ortega
Penguin, 2021. ISBN: 9780593174562. (Age:12+)
It's All Love is full of personal stories from the author, Jenna Ortega (TV shows include Wednesday, You and Stuck in the Middle), covering a range of things such as embracing confidence, talking about self-worth, taking chances, working under pressing, dealing with stress and anxiety, even being diagnosed with depression. Jenna covers many topics and encourages readers to focus on the positive, to rely on others and to trust themselves.
Aimed at teens, this non-fiction book full of extremely positive views, starts with a reflection from Jenna Ortega to the readers of the book, as a connection that even those in Jenna's position (now in many TV shows and movies, getting recognised and career taking off), can feel lonely or not believe in themselves. She expresses that she has written the book honestly, which does come across throughout the book, which is very simply written, brief, honest, positive. Jenna is also very encouraging to her readers, and upfront about how grateful she is for all she has, and discusses her faith openly. Some readers will not be expecting this, fans of her work will likely be aware of her journey. Great for fans of Jenna Ortega, and for those who are looking for more positivity in their life.
Val McDermid’s latest novel starring DCI Karen Pirie, an Edgar Award Nominee for Sue Grafton Memorial Award (2024), is set in the lonely streets of Edinburgh during lockdown. Karen is soon on the trail of a new cold case. An employee at the National Library has come across some unusual documents in the archive of a deceased crime author and believes that there might be something to investigate. And this proves to be the case – two novelists face each other across a chessboard, challenging each other about performing the perfect crime. As Karen and her team delve deeper into the novelist’s past, lies and revenge rear their ugly heads. Could the novelist’s last documents relate to the unsolved murder of a young student?
The eerie quiet of Edinburgh during lockdown provides a perfect background to Karen’s pursuit of the truth. She describes the difficulties with only being allowed an hour’s exercise a day while trying to investigate, and what it means to have Daisy her colleague as a flatmate. The plight of an asylum seeker is also interwoven in the story.
McDermid’s expert plotting has a story within a story – the one that the novelist was writing at the time of his death, and the events that are happening in the present. There are many twists and turns, but with determination and skill, Karen pursues the truth.
This was the 7th book in the Inspector Karen Pirie series. I had not picked up any others but found that the expert background given by McDermid made it easy to pick up as a stand-alone. I will be looking out for others by this clever author.
When I saw that In the Blink of An Eye had won the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2024 and 2024 CWA ILP John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger and read the blurb about artificial intelligence aiding police work, I thought it sounded original and current. I was not disappointed – the book is a compulsive read and very difficult to put down. Recently bereaved police detective Kat Frank is given a cold case featuring the disappearance of a young university student. She is chosen to lead a pilot program researching the use of artificial intelligence, and partners with AIDE Lock, AIDE meaning ‘Artificially Intelligent Detective Entity.’ She and her bosses are very sceptical about the use of Artificial Intelligence, and trust in old fashioned experience and knowledge to solve cases, but Kat soon finds that Lock’s ability to analyse data in seconds can be helpful, and when her colleagues don’t trust her instincts, it is Lock who stands by her as the cold case become live and personal.
This is a wonderful police procedure that showcases the way clever humans work a case. Kat is very experienced and has previously solved a major case. She uses her ability to read body language, her sense of smell and knowledge of human motivations to hone her investigation. Meanwhile AIDE Lock can produce predictions of probability within seconds, and analyse phone data and CCTV images in a flash, work that would take humans days to conclude. Along side the descriptions of police procedure, the background of the main characters adds a depth to the story, making it easy to relate to them. Kat’s husband has recently died from cancer, her son Cam is recovering from depression and her offsiders all have personal problems to contend with.
A fast-paced thriller that gripped me to the end, I liked the combination of Kat with her experience and Lock with its emotionless analysis so much that I immediately obtained the next in the series, Leave no trace.
Text Publishing, 2024. ISBN: 9781922790712. (Age:9-11) Recommended.
Penny Lowry is in Grade 5 and is sometimes troubled by anxious thoughts. When her class gets given an opportunity to visit New York, she manages to swallow most of her fears to experience the Big Apple. But first she has to deal with a friendship dilemma with her former friend Violet, who has been made her trip buddy. Learning how to work together with her classmates and overcome her own uncertainties reveals that Penny is learning strategies that reveal a potential for leadership and for helping others.
This is a charming story, told through ‘letters’ to Penny’s pet dog, and illustrated with short graphic-novel style comic strips. With pre-teen issues and solutions for friendship and anxiety concerns, this is a light but warm story. It has occasional funny moments, but it is mostly a gentle child-friendly story set on a school trip in a recognisable USA location. This is Book 4 in the series, and it is good to meet a central character who must overcome her personal issues in psychologically healthy ways.
Recommended for readers aged 9-11.
Themes Anxiety, New York, Friendship.
Carolyn Hull
Our dreaming by Kirli Saunders. Illus. by Dub Leffler
Two echidnas are walking together, the older one telling the younger one stories as they go. They keep their Dreaming alive in their mother tongue, by talking with each other, sharing stories of the land and what it means.
Through the story, Language is used which provokes the children to think about what the word may mean by its context, and which can be checked using the glossary at the end.
Our Dreaming tells us about creation, sacred sites, how the spirits guide, it reminds people where they belong. Timeless, it is kept alive when the Dreaming is shared with others, yarning.Their environment and animals are known to the people, and stories about them are incorporated into their story. When the environment and living creatures are protected it helps us all. Sharing is a big part of the Dreaming, a word which incorporates the past, present and future. Dreaming incorporates the past with stepping stones which point the way forward.
The illustrations are superb, Dub Leffler’s style will engage the readers, as they follow the echidnas on their journey which takes them through forested area, desert, past a lyre bird’s nest, over a log where they watch dragonflies, past a bottlebrush bush with a honeyeater sipping the nectar. All are part of the environment which is held dear, not only now but into the future.
A reading by Kirti Saunders can be accessed here. This lovely reading of the story speaks the Language words used in the text, showing children how to say these words. Land, culture and the lore are all part of the Dreaming, and we must work and walk together to ensure that all is protected for those who come after us.
The unusual font may put off less capable readers and so extra help may need to be given.
Themes Environment, Dreaming, Aboriginal stories, Echidnas, Australian animals.
