This fourth and final book in The House at the Edge of Magic series sees Nine and her unique assortment of friends journeying to the moral realm in search of a stargold locket. Hidden in the Nest of a Thousand Treasures and guarded by Nine's old foe, Pockets, the locket holds the key to shaking a tricky witch off their tail. But even if they can get the locket back, will they be able to find a way to unlock its power?
Wonderful characters and their sense of belonging within this strange makeshift family unit make this series beloved by many. Flabberghast the wizard provides some dry humour, Eric the troll is short on words but loyal and caring and Cas is a pessimistic gargoyle who only recently joined the crew. Flabberghast's sister and his two aunts are the other main protagonists in this final installment, but not all welcome ones, as they have their own reasons for wanting to find the locket.
This is definitely a series that needs to be read in order, with lots of characters from previous books popping in and out and loose ends being tied up. Fans of Nevermoor, Harry Potter and similar magical realism series are obvious targets. Additionally, these are heavy on teamwork and relationships and light on sinister magic or tragedy, so for those children who might find some fantasy books too heavy, this series is a good starting point.
In this fantasy world, redolent of early 20th century Russia, two sisters, Sera and Galena, have gods grafted inside their bodies, caging a demonic power that they can draw on in moments of danger. It is part of a plan by their now-dead mother Irina, to create two living weapons in the revolution against the cruel queen Isidora and the Imperial elite who all have god-like powers. However the experiment is not entirely successful, as both girls struggle with their internal dragons. For Sera, it is particularly difficult as her god hates her, and will only respond to her call if she cuts herself and draws blood.
There is a lot of backstory to this novel which is only revealed casually in snippets as the novel progresses, to such an extent that reading it I wondered if I had missed something, and thought this must be a sequel. But no, it is the first of a planned duology. My advice is to thoroughly read the inside cover flap to get a good summary of significant background events. For example, we find out that Sera at one time had a husband; it is only when Vitaly appears in the plot that we learn of their past relationship. It seems that May is more interested in the conflicts and relationships within the fantasy world rather than providing context and character development.
The characters use various Slavic sounding diminutives when addressing each other and there are terms from an imagined language, with a short glossary at the end. At the same time they often use modern day expletives which sound jarring and out of place. The writing style is frequently melodramatic and rushed. Perhaps it is the use of strong language and occasional steamy sex scenes that have led publishers to describe this as a book for adults rather than YA but there is a definite YA flavour to the writing and the plot.
For romance-fantasy readers there may be aspects that will keep them reading this book: the central concept of drawing on caged internal gods is interesting, and there are also two romances to follow, the antagonistic love-hate relationship between Sera and Vitaly, and the Sapphic attraction between Galena and Princess Vasilisa, daughter of the enemy queen.
There is a dramatic, though predictable ending, and the novel can stand on its own, but still offers possibilities for a sequel. Readers will know when they finish it whether they want to continue with the next in the duology.
Allen & Unwin, 2024. ISBN: 9781760877033. (Age:9-14) Highly recommended.
In a very powerful way this book enables us to experience the awful disaster of flooding as we walk alongside Max and his family during the Brisbane flood of 2022. Max lives on a street where everyone gets along well. They share the big and small joys of life, and Max has even spent a year being home-schooled alongside his near-neighbour, Bianca. He is now at a new High School and enjoys sport and riding his bike, and occasionally hanging out with Bianca, who is a bit of an environmental junior-warrior. When the weather events of late 2021 and early 2022 send a combination weather-bomb to South-east Queensland, dams are already full, creeks can’t take any more water, and yet the heavens have opened and dumped an enormous volume of water in their environment. Flooding is the only consequence for Brisbane suburbs on the floodplains. Max tells us what this is like, through his eyes. He also rescues a young boy that he has recently befriended, and we feel the impact of rising mud and displacement for his community.
This series is so powerful in giving an empathetic view of disasters and how they affect real people. This story is fiction, yet it is based on the real experiences of people from the time. (Max’s mother is a News Helicopter pilot, and her experiences during this huge weather event give an insight into this work role, particularly during a horrific weather event.) I was impressed with the way Prue Mason built the tension in this story as the water rose and was gripped by the real-life dilemmas for each character in the face of an unstoppable weather event. Every character was engaging and the cross-cultural customs for Max’s Eurasian family added another interesting insight. This is a book to recommend to readers aged 9-14 who enjoy real-life adventures. Teacher's notes are available.
Prim and Pree by Sue Neudegg. Illus. by Aaron Pocock
Little Steps, 2024. ISBN: 9781922833433. (Age:5-8)
This is a tale of two very different towns named Prim and Pree. Prim is a grim, stern, predictable town, full of people who dream only of expensive things. They dream of a Biff-Boff, an expensive and rare machine that does nothing at all. The mayor of Prim believes the world is completely flat. In comparison, Pree is a place of colour and cheer, full of singing and music. The mayor of Pree knows the world is beautifully round. When she cannot persuade the mayor of Prim to come and explore the world around them, she uses her magic on him. 'I must see these places!', he cries. They stroll through varied lands of wonder and delight until they get back to Prim, where he leads the people of Prim out of their dark, narrow place and into the round and amazing world.
This story carries a lovely message of opening our hearts and minds to the world around us and finding joy in diversity.
Themes Rhyming story, Adventure.
Nicole Nelson
Curious creatures talking together by Zoë Armstrong and Anja Sušanj
Flying Eye Books, 2024. ISBN: 9781838740351.
Communicating and connecting with others is a critical part of human behaviour and essential for their well-being, whether it be through the spoken word, body language or other means like sounding a siren or wearing a school uniform. But the animal world is just as 'talkative' whether it be through sound, movement, colour or smell and in this book , the third in this series, young readers are introduced to some of the ways animals communicate and why and how they do it.
There are spiders that dance, whales that sing and lemurs that communicate with seriously smelly stink fights! Australia has its own entries including the tiny peacock spider that displays a colourful fan as part of its mating routine, and the satin bowerbird with its propensity for all things blue (and the focus of the 2024 National Simultaneous Storytime).
Throughout, there is a link to how the animals' behaviour is similar to that of humans, such as the wearing of bright clothes to attract attention much as the peacock spider does, and there is an underlying message of trying to understand what they are 'saying' so we become more empathetic and protective of them.
Absolutely fascinating, particularly for those who are interested in the animal kingdom already, and worth seeking out the others in the series.
The Night Ends with Fire is a dark retelling of the Ancient Chinese folk story of Mulan, a young woman who disguises herself as a man, enlists in the army and finds great glory. Gone is the clumsy, naïve, and loveable heroine of the Disney imagining however, and in her place is Meilin, angry, troubled, and desperate to make a name for herself in a world of men.
Traumatised by her opium addicted father and haunted by her mentally ill mother’s death, Meilin reaches her breaking point when her father decides she must marry so he can clear his debts with her dowry. While the original Mulan is driven by filial piety, choosing to sacrifice herself for her aged and sickly father in the imperial draft, Meilin decides that the front line of a battle between war lords is preferable to her violent household and impending marriage.
Disguised as Ren, Meilin joins a squadron of other young conscripts. At first scorned for her small stature and lack of training, Meilin soon catches the eye of the battalion commander, the royal prince Sky. But as the two grow closer it becomes harder for Meilin to maintain her physical charade. Not only that, ever since she left home, Meilin has begun to hear voices. Is she going mad like her mother or is there something more deadly at work?
The Night Ends with Fire is a story characterised by strength – strong writing, strong world building and strong characters. Meilin is a well-developed and multi-layered figure whose emotional journey adds depth to the novel. Fans of emotional and character-driven stories will find The Night Ends with Fire particularly enjoyable. It is necessary to warn however that the novel contains some scenes and acts of violence and brutality. As such, it is best suited for an audience of sixteen years old and above.
Themes Fantasy, Romance, Adventure, War, Ancient China, Mythology, Magic.
Rose Tabeni
Buried deep and other stories by Naomi Novik
Del Ray, 2024. ISBN: 9781529916225. (Age:14+) Highly recommended.
Buried Deep and Other Stories is a wonderful collection of 13 stories by Novik, the author the Temeraire series, the Scholomance series, Uprootedand Spinning silver. Many of the stories are set in the worlds of her longer novels, and readers will enjoy visiting the halls of the Scholomance series once again, enter the fairytale worlds of Uprooted and Spinning silver and find new worlds set in history and mythology.
The complexity of her narratives compelled me to keep reading, moving onto the next story in the collection, even though I had initially thought I would only read the ones in the worlds that I had enjoyed. Even though I had not read the Temeraire series I found myself flying on a dragon with Antony in ancient Roman times and then became engrossed by Captain Elizabeth Bennett and her dragon in 'Dragons and Decorum'. I was deeply engaged in the fairy tale settings of 'Spinning silver' and 'Blessings' and had my heart strings wrung by the soldiers in the World War 1 trenches in 'Lord Dunsany’s teapot'. However three stories stood out for me. I loved 'After hours' set in the Scholomance, following the footsteps of Beata and Maceo as they crept out after the curfew to get supplies, danger stalking them all the way. 'Buried deep', the story of Adriadne and the labyrinth left me feeling unsettled, knowing that I would have to revisit the legend and the story again. 'The long way round', with its wonderful sea captain Tessa, sailing an unknown route in a boat made by her brother and finding an unoccupied land with strange architecture, gave me a taste for Novik’s next series, which I am now eagerly awaiting.
The thirteen stories in this collection will be a feast for fans of Novik’s work and a must read for lovers of fantasy.
Themes Short stories, Fantasy.
Pat Pledger
George the wizard by Tony Armstrong. Illus. by Emma Sjaan Beukers
George the wizard is alone on top of the mountain. He tends his gardens, zooms around on his flying cloud, and plays with the animals. At night he uses his magic to draw him a wonderfully hot bath with bubbles. He realises that the one thing missing is friends. But he thinks, if he tried to find some friends, they might laugh at him.
Unbeknownst to George, a girl in the nearby village called Harriet could hear that he was lonely, so sets off to help him find friends. She tells him who she is and what her mission is but, to avoid doing what she suggests, he tells her: I have to charge my flying cloud, and I have to feed the animals. Harriet presses and takes him back to her village. He is enchanted especially when he sees the dragon. But Harriet tells him that the dragon means they are under attack. George sees the damage the Dragon is causing, and uses his magic to help the village survive the onslaught.
After the dragon has gone, Harriet introduces George to her friends. They are at first surprised, and George’s heart does a flip, anticipating rejection. But this does not eventuate. They are all thrilled to have a Wizard in their midst, and tell him how cool he is. His tummy does a flip but this time it is a happy flip as he invites his new friends to come to the mountain and meet his animals.
A deceptively simple story of making new friends has loads of layers as it touches on rejection, fear of the unknown, hiding away, feelings of inadequacy and so on. Discussing the story, kids will bring up times they have felt alone, or not good enough, or shy and the responses by other kids and adults will be to talk about the times they are happy, or feel befriended, or feel they are sharing their lives with others.
Bright bold illustrations cover each page, giving a clear indication of the life George is leading by himself, the wizardry he uses to save the village, and the contentment they all feel at the end, he with new friends, they with someone with a special skill which wil help them out.
Tony Armstrong is no stranger to kids who follow football and sports’ reports, and Emma Sjaam Buekers, with Ngemba/Ngiyampaa, Dutch and Irish heritage, brings lots of different styles and ideas to her work.
Another book by the same pair is Maggie the Dragon to be published in 2025, with the theme of following your dream.
Themes Wizards, Dragons, Friendship, Humour.
Fran Knight
The cheeky toddler alphabet by Davina Bell. Illus. by Jennifer Falkner
Pairs of lines are devoted to each page as rhyming words are used to depict each letter of the alphabet. Some words are predictable, but others surprise as the pages are turned. Smaller children will love all the words and predict the rhyming word, encouraged to say them out loud, practising the new words and the ways they are used. Starting with A and showing a child belly surfing on her mother’s legs, it introduces the exuberant child as she dances, runs, plays, giggles, and draws her way through the book. Alliteration is front and forward as J is for joyfully jumping in puddles, and N is for night-night and nursery rhymes, P is for pasta and please, then picnics with peaches and plums in a pie, as well as a poke in the eye. Some very surprising things are attached to each letter and will give children the idea of adding their own words and talking about the things they love.
Each page reflects not only the letter and a group of words, but reinforces the value of a warm, loving family surrounding the child. Even if the child is doing something the parents do not like, the warmth of the family is still apparent. The vibrant illustrations cover every page, drawing the readers’ eyes into the page, checking out the detail, looking at how the families live and what is in their houses. The family is shown in a variety of situations: having a meal together where the young girl tries out some new words (W) she has heard, mum absolutely tired out watching her child throw tantrums (T) and then having a lovely time together jumping in puddles with their umbrellas (U).
All good fun, the illustrations and text will result in laughter from the reader and the audience as they laugh at the family shown, recognising situations which have occurred in their own family.
‘You should be the main character in your own life . . . ‘ but it’s not that way for Frankie; things always seem to happen to her, without her having any say. From the early days of her sheltered village life in Ireland, one thing leads to another: her parents are taken from her, her upbringing is ruled by cold relatives, an arranged marriage ends disastrously, career and friendships end abruptly, happiness seems ever short-lived. Now as an old lady, the whole saga is related in instalments to her young gay carer Damien. Damien, however, seems fascinated as each episode opens up different phases of her life, from the rectory in 1950’s Ireland, to lesbian parties in 1960’s London, then the art scene of 1970’s New York and the 1980’s AIDS epidemic. Frankie herself is straight, she has two marriages, first to clergyman Alan then to the artist Joe, but the world around her is full of young men and women experimenting with different lifestyles.
Not having read anything by Graham Norton previously, and only knowing him from his entertaining chat shows, I was surprised by his choice of naïve female main character, a woman who lives on the edges of life for the most part. However Norton’s quick wit and humour makes its appearance with the character of Norah or Nor, a flamboyant personality, who is also a steadfast friend to Frankie, frequently coming to her rescue. Their lifelong friendship is at the heart of the novel.
Norton writes that his book might be regarded as historical fiction as it required research on his part, for his depiction of past eras, the world of artists and actors, and particularly the AIDS epidemic, something that has a very moving description in the latter parts of the novel: the pain, the fear, and the heart-breaking loss of young lives. Frankie lives through it all, and while she may be regarded as a passive figure, she nevertheless espouses a kindness and acceptance of others, ‘she had done some good’, and that is remembered after she dies.
Norton has written an interesting book. It is a ‘feel-good’ heart-warming story, but also a detailed reminder of the struggle of gender-diverse people to find a place within a prejudiced, morally hypocritical world. The values it espouses are of love, kindness and compassion.
Themes Love, Friendship, LGBQTI+, Gender roles, Tolerance, Life story, AIDS.
Helen Eddy
The Wild Beastie: A Tale from the Isle of Begg by Helen Kellock
Walker Books, 2024. ISBN: 9781529512915. (Age:4+)
"Far off the coast of Scotland, in a forgotten part of the sea, there is a secret island... home to many strange and wonderful creatures. Its name is the Isle of Begg."
One of those strange creatures was Bumple, but although she was strange she was not wild. In fact, she was frightened of the wild creatures and preferred to spend her days playing in her safe spot by the stream. Even her mother couldn't get her to venture further.
And then one day, with a great splash, one of those creatures landed in the water right in front of her. Even though it was strange, it seemed friendly enough, introducing itself as Little Mop. But when Bumple let Little Mop play with her special toy Peedie, Little Mop was not careful and Peedie floated off downstream.
What was Bumple to do? Stay in her safe place or try to rescue Peedie? Can she find the courage to go beyond her comfort zone?
This is a charming story to share with young readers, particularly those who are a little timid about stepping beyond the boundaries of what they know. With its subtle palette and soft lines, neither Bumple, Little Mop or the landscape they travel through poses any threat to the young child so both the book and its story are safe, even if the characters are needing their brave. There are those who will be more cautious like Bumple rather than carefree like Little Mop and so this is one to help them navigate uncertainty, take risks especially if it means someone else's safety, open their minds to new adventures knowing that they will find their way back to a place of safety and certainty, helping them understand that, at times, we all face feeling lost and unsure, and have to make decisions and have faith that we will be okay.
Perhaps, after sharing it, there can be a conversation about something the little one would like to do and then preparing a plan for them to achieve it. Who knows - like Bumple they might discover a little bit of wildness can be a LOT of fun!
Wow! This is an epic thriller that grabs your attention and will not let go. Maria is the first to be linked to the grand palatial mansion in the British Virgin Islands. Her instructions are to wait for the owners to arrive, but in reality she is being played. Nina also becomes linked to this dream-worthy home when she inherits the home after the death of her father. But she never knew of its existence and now also fears that in some way she has fallen into the clutches of a macabre plot. The home itself becomes a twisted prison, or complex escape room for the women and they must exercise all their powers of resilience and fortitude to overcome the challenges placed in their path. Can they survive, or will they be quarry for stronger predators?
This is a cleverly crafted thriller, set in a glorious, but intricate setting that has the power to shift the characters from normality to a strange and perverse unknown. For readers, this unknown world adds to the tension, and tension is what this book has in spades! The isolation adds to the drama and mystique and ultimately to the power of the novel. The story is mostly told from the perspective of Maria and Nina and much of the drama builds because their interwoven stories add uncertainty about the timeline and the complexity behind their experience. There is obviously evil or illicit intent woven into the story, but the reader and the characters are kept in the dark for much of the story. This mystery and the tension make this an adult story that will linger long after the book is finished. Highly recommended for those who love thrillers and crime dramas. This story would make an exceptional plot for a movie. You would be on the edge of your seat for the entire session.
Hot on the tail of Rise of Invisdog, No 1 in the O.D.D. Squad series, Puffin has published a second hilarious superhero adventure in 2024. Justice City is under siege again in this hybrid early chapter book/graphic novel. This time, a villain by the name of The Incredible Slowman is comically and quickly apprehended. The fast result meant something is wrong and the O.D.D. Squad are not at all surprised that Kaiju (giant monsters) run rampant busting up the city that same night. From within their ranks, key members of the O.D.D. Squad sleepwalk and transform into Kaiju. But when Graham the jellyfish is kidnapped, Detective Octopus, (of course wearing her Roboctopus suit for surviving on dry land) also disappears.
Humans (Mayor Flurt, Timothy Jenkins, Arnab, SeoYeon and Paul) try to assist the ODD Squad after it becomes clear that Aunty Enchanty a powerful sorceress, is planning to destroy Justice City by enchanting villians at Jaggedy Island Jail with her dainty wand. The action heats up as increasing numbers of Kaiju cause havoc but this time they resemble: a spiky covered dinosaur , a fire-breathing bat and a multi-eyed lava monster.
The cast page that prefaces this mystery reintroduces readers to Quack Attack, Detective Octopus and Invisdog. Quack Attack, the first superhero on earth uses his sonic quack to send criminals flying. Detective octopus has nine brains and is the smartest deductive thinker ever. Invisidog can walk through walls and fly.
The jokes flow – when coerced into deciphering hieroglyphics to highten the sorceress' powers, they manage to trick Aunty into enchanting herself to experience continuous farting fits. But can the gang ultimately overwhelm the villain and protect their city from further destruction?
Vincent Batignole‘s cartoon panels are bright and full colour to help readers transition to chapter books. Elsewhere big fonts and bold illustrations will appeal to fans of Dog Man. TV news updates keep the action moving and segue to more toilet humour when returning audiences to their regular viewing of shows like “The World’s Itchiest Bumhole” or “How Smelly is your Bum?”
The book ends with acknowledgements and a long section about the ‘story of Stewart’s book’ which is a pleasant explanation of the journey of any work of fiction from concept to distribution. Highly recommended for maximum engagement and endorphin inducing silliness.
Text Publishing, 2023. ISBN: 9781922790408. (Age:9+) Highly recommended.
American author Sara Shepard has had huge success in the young adult market with both Pretty Little Liars and The Lying Game book series having been turned into television shows. The Penny Draws series is Shepard's first foray into the middle grade space, with this book being second in the series. Although it would be ideal to read the series in order, it would be absolutely fine to read this one as a stand alone novel as it contains enough context to understand what has already occurred.
Penny Lowry is in fifth grade and, although she suffers from anxiety, she thinks life is under control at the moment. Her Feelings Teacher (counsellor) has suggested she keep a journal, and Penny does this in the form of writing letters/diary entries to her dog, Cosmo. Most pages of her journal are about half words and half little comic strips - the comic strips don't just illustrate the story, they are an integral part of the story.
From being under control, suddenly there is a lot going on for Penny - moving house, twin siblings on the way, a class play that everyone must be part of, weird behaviour of her little brother, strange noises in her new house, figuring out how to bring together friends from two different parts of her life, and keeping a list of Worst Things to Possibly Happen to Me (no. 25 is 'waking up and realizing I'm a squirrel').
Penny learns strategies for managing her anxiety and is very brave in giving things a go and coping with change. Her friends, family and teachers are a wonderful, warm network who all offer support in their own unique ways.
The comic strips and humour throughout this book make it very appealing for young readers who will take on the messages about never knowing what's really going on in someone else's head, it being okay if things don't always go to plan, and rolling with the changes and being brave.
Fans of Wimpy Kid will love this format as well as the main character who is funny, warm and relatable.
Ella and Olivia: Country School by Yvette Poshoglian Ill. by Danielle McDonald
Scholastic, 2024. ISBN: 9781761292651. (Age:6+)
Designed for those young girls newly arrived at reading chapter books by themselves, these stories about two best friends, Ella and Olivia, will not stretch the imaginations of its readers. Simple stories, simply told, without too much complication will make these an easy read for newly independent readers, wanting to achieve quick success.
?In this the latest in a series of 36 books, Ella and Olivia go on an excursion to a country school. This school is lucky enough to have a number of farm animals, and the girls have the opportunity to feed the chickens, marvel at the horses in their paddock, collect the eggs and pat the lambs.
They have a lovely time, but are concerned when, the lamb goes missing. The gate to his enclosure is open, so the girls follow the trail, finding him in a basket of wool ready for knitting.
Attractively packaged, with clear, simple line drawings, these books (and yes, there are more to come) will have an instant audience in junior primary classes. At the end of the book is a list of all 36 titles, with the prod to collect them all!
