UWA Publishing, 2024. ISBN: 9781760802851. (Age:14+) Recommended.
In the humid and heat-soaked climate of Darwin city life we get a glimpse into the life of a family of two, still coming to grips with the death of one. Grief lays like a cloud over every aspect of Emma’s life, and her father too is struggling, but hiding his pain under the pressures of his work as an ED doctor and his role as a single parent. Friendship connections help Emma and her father, but being a teenager means that there are many layers to life – school demands, dreams and hopes for the future, relationship possibilities. Into this familiar plotline lands the bombshell of the diagnosis for Emma of her autism. Pieces that had made no sense, become clear, but things are not easier. Emma must navigate the grief she feels and the struggles of her mental meltdowns that can arise without a lot of warning. She also is targeted as a future Institute of Sport talent and must weave a heavy training schedule into all the other demands of her life. And yet, even when things seem complex, Elliot seems to see past her diagnosis and is attracted to her in a gentle and understanding way. Will this high school relationship survive despite Emma’s grief-state, trauma, injury, illness? What lies ahead for them all?
This is a nuanced high school-based story, with profound insights into the difficulties of negotiating grief and autism. Emma’s autism could be described as high-functioning, but the description of the short-circuitry that impacts her functioning would be helpful for anyone who goes to school with someone diagnosed with autism. The complexities of grief are also explored in compassionate ways. The overall impact of this book is a tender understanding of these issues, with the overlying complexities of the teenage years. Friendship and romance must also negotiate the random barriers and hurdles of conflict and misunderstanding. I enjoyed this gentle story told through the perspective of Emma herself, and the impact of the Darwin setting with the pervasive heat is also refreshingly different. Anyone who has visited Darwin will recognise the localities referenced, but it is good to have a book set in the Top End. Recommended for readers aged 14+.
Themes Grief, Autism, Family life, Darwin, Romance, Same-sex attraction.
Carolyn Hull
When the lights went out by Lian Tanner and Jonathan Bentley
Allen & Unwin, 2024. ISBN: 9781761180019. (Age:3+) Highly recommended.
A wonderfully affirming book about community and family, this story shows what happens in one street when the lights go out. At first the child is scared, but Mama and Dad make a game, an adventure in the dark as Dad lights a match and the family finds its way upstairs to get some candles. Coming downstairs, the explorers hear music. It is their neighbour Mrs Martinez playing her guitar. The family gets rugged up and walks outside to find other neighbours have joined them, and they smile and laugh and sing. Mrs Martinez plays sad songs and brave songs and ones that make them tap their feet and sway in the cold night air. The community dances with Mr Harada, and just when the night is almost over and they are all yawning, the lights come back on. They go back to their own homes, with the small child wrapped up in bed, hoping it happens again.
A gentle story about neighbourhoods, of people coming together, is told in this understated tale. The people react to the light going out by sharing their resources, coming out of their houses to greet their neighbours. They commune together on this cold dark night, reassuring the young and strengthening the ties in their street.
Bentley’s illustrations are wonderful, creating a street where people know each other, their little single-fronted cottages showing an inner-city suburb containing a diverse range of people. The candle on the front cover lights the way for the family as the dark falls around them, soothing the fears of the child on Dad’s back. Outside, the cold bites the reader just as it does the families singing together.
The pencil and watercolour images will stay in the readers’ mind long after the last page is read. And they will turn back to feel again the warmth in the dark street as the people all come together. The usual inhabitants of the night, foxes and owls, keep watch on the intruders in their domain, and can be seen taking back their territory once the families return home.
There are so many touches that say family and warmth and togetherness: the crocheted quilt cover on the child’s bed, the scarves and coats worn by those who come into the street, the smiles on the faces of the children, the warmth radiating from the candles, the almost sad faces when the light comes back on, the warmth of the light shining through the windows of the houses. All of these underscores the feelings the community radiates.
Shirin and Amir and the dragon smoke by Liz Drummond and Jemima Shafei-Ongu. Illus. by Magie Khameneh
Little Steps, 2024. ISBN: 9781922833525. (Age:4+) Highly recommended.
As a result of the 2019-20 'Black Summer' bushfires, many diverse communities were unaware of the danger posed by the smoke haze drifting across city areas. Researchers from the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health (NCEPH) at the Australian National University (ANU), worked collaboratively with the Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies to devise ways to inform families about how to stay safe during these challenging times.
In the story Shirin and Amir and the Dragon Smoke, two young friends, forced indoors by the smoke, creatively play how they stayed safe inside. By pretending the smoke was from a dragon, they bravely fight the dragon by rolling up towels to seal off gaps, wear face masks and stay inside their playhouse. Amir also keeps his asthma inhaler close by. Once the smoke hazard has passed by, the children see the neighbourhood returning to normal.
This engaging read with brightly coloured full page illustrations is an important book to be shared with all. It has been translated by the Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies into Persian, Arabic and Turkish and will hopefully reach many communities. It is a valuable resource for school and public libraries.
This quote from co-author Jemima Shafei-Ongu, perfectly sums up the reasons behind this important publication:
'Picture books can be a wonderful conduit between parents' and childrens' experiences, can introduce and hold space for difficult conversations; and when bilingual texts are shared, can expand a child's experience of language and culture beyond the page.'
Gumbaynggirr artist, writer and designer Melissa Greenwood has added a fifth book to her beautiful series for younger readers. The gorgeous cover in a soft palette of greens and apricots on a black background draw the eye to this lyrical and gentle narrative.
Aunty and child wake to the day and go on a walk through the bush at the base of the juluum (mountain). They pay their respects to Country around them as they walk and notice changes and movement – the fresh green growth on the jaliigirrin (trees), the bindarray (river)rises and falls, the creatures who live at the base of the juluum and the animals that live in the bush. As they ascend the juluum they see smoke signals to the meeting place at the tip and prepare for a corroboree. Aunty shares stories of creation and how juluum watches over them.
The colourful full page illustrations throughout provide a stunning visual backdrop for the words. Giinagay Juluum is a delightful book to read aloud and has an important dual language aspect with a complete Gumbaynggirr translation included in the final pages.
Themes First Nation’s Stories, Country, Mountains, Family, Respect, Dual Language.
Kathryn Beilby
Kevin saves the show by Jacqueline Harvey. Illus. by Kate Isobel Scott
In verse, each pair of rhyming lines will intrigue readers as they hear more about the wonderful Kevin, the curious sheep, and predict the rhyming words as they turn each page. Readers will love reading again about Kevin, introduced two years ago in Kevin the sheep. Ever adventurous, Kevin tries things which other sheep find most concerning. At the local show, Kevin sets up a song competition. For a dollar admission the prospective competitors will use karaoke to display their talents. Kevin in his purple phase, welcomes the range of competitors who turn up. Wanda the bantam is followed by Polly the pig and Gary the goat who precedes the four sheep, Shaun, Shauna, Sheryl and Shane.
The last sheep performs, making the audience gasp at his spine-tingling singing. Kevin then gives out all the commendations and then the runner up. But when the winner is announced, no one is surprised. But eagerly picking up his cup, he trips over a cord and his sheep suit falls off his back.
Everyone is in uproar; a wolf has come into the fray and the scrum which follows causes Kevin to grab the microphone and ask for quiet so the wolf can speak.
What he says will have readers laughing hilariously as the wolf garners sympathy from the sheep with his tale of rejection.
Kevin in his purple phase invites the readers to open this book. His genial face on the front cover is reciprocated as the story evolves. Funny images appear on each page, designed to entrance younger readers, who will seek out the various sheep mentioned in the tale. I love the image of the four sheep working together for their act, the many sheep attempts at winning the cup, and the wolf’s tears as he begs for help. A wolf in sheep’s clothing indeed.
Themes Sheep, Karaoke, Competition, Wolves.
Fran Knight
Kung Fu Roo: Enter the Roo by Anh Do. Graphic art by Jeremy Ley
Allen & Unwin, 2024. ISBN: 9781761069918. (Age:7+) Highly recommended.
Kung Fu Roo - Enter the Roo is a lively and colourful graphic novel that takes readers on an unexpected adventure; blending martial arts, humour, and a touch of the supernatural. Anh Do’s story follows three friends - Kai, Charley and Harry - who are on a train heading to a highly anticipated Kung Fu competition, when things take a strange and dangerous turn.
The plot kicks off with robbers taking over the train, aiming to steal passengers' valuables. As if that’s not enough, a meteor strikes, releasing a mysterious purple goo that changes everything. Kai wakes up in a hospital and discovers he’s not feeling quite right. Thinking it is just a side effect from the accident, he is really thrown when he begins having cravings for lettuce and, even more bizarrely, discovering he can understand kangaroo conversations! When he talks with his friends, they come to the realisation that the goo from the meteor must have merged them with some animals that were on the train too. They then realise that they have all developed some unusual new powers.
As they grapple with their newfound abilities, Kai, Charley, and Harry decide they need superhero names. But before they can work these out, they hear that the train robbers have escaped and are causing chaos. The trio realise they’ve been thrust into the role of unexpected heroes. With their animal powers in tow, they set out to stop the villains and save the day.
While the story takes some time to gather momentum, it builds to an action-packed, thrilling conclusion that leaves readers eagerly awaiting the next instalment. Anh Do’s knack for blending humour with exciting plot twists keeps the narrative engaging. Jeremy Ley’s vibrant illustrations add to the novel's captivation, bringing the animal-human hybrid heroes and their adventures to life with expressive, colourful artwork.
Kung Fu Roo is perfect for young readers who enjoy action, humour and twisting tales. It combines a fun plot with themes of friendship, courage and teamwork, making it an entertaining and exciting read.
Themes Heroes, Teamwork, Action, Supernatural, Friendship, Problem solving, Animals.
Into the labyrinth, the first in the Mage Errant series, had Hugh and his friends surviving a deadly labyrinth, while Jewel of the Endless Erg moves into a new setting, that of a vast desert known as the Endless Erg. Their teacher Alustin wants them to train them there improving their magical skills and finally take them to a meeting in a powerful city, Theras Tel, ruled by Indris Stormbreaker, a dragon. But what was supposed to be a quiet summer turns into a whirlwind of dragons, monsters, sandstorms and conspiracy.
Bierce cleverly builds up a new world for readers to appreciate. It is easy to imagine the desert dunes of the Endless Erg and the deadly sandstorms that plague any who dare to be in that environment. Hugh and his companions learn to hone their skills there, and when pirates attack, Hugh uses his ability to help the ship to escape from danger. The city of Theras Tel is vividly described with its huge court for the Queen, her courtiers and young dragons.
The magic system that Bierce portrays is fascinating. In Jewel of the Endless Erg he presents a unique look at dragons and their magic and the magic that Alustin wields in a huge battle is amazing.
The four apprentices begin to learn more about their magical skills and the background of each other. Hugh is still reticent and quiet but his growing ability to control his magic helps him become more confident, even daring to hope for romance.
Danger, betrayal and battles make for a very exciting action-packed plot with a cliff-hanger ending that will have readers wanting to read to the next in the series, A traitor in Skyhold. Readers who enjoy books about dragons may like to read the Harper Hall of Pern trilogy by Anne McCaffrey, which begins with Dragonsong.
Amy Wheeler is on an island off California, owned by novelist Rosie D’Antonio, the world’s second best crime thriller writer.
Amy is a high class bodyguard, hired by the rich and famous when threatened. And this client has fallen foul of a Russian oligarch, Vasily Karpan, who wants her dead. There is only one other person on the island, the chef, an ex Navy Seal, Kevin. But he has been offered more money than Amy’s boss, Jeff Nolan, and as Amy fights to the death with Kevin, Rosie joins in, excited at being part of the action. Kevin is dispatched and the women board a boat back to the mainland, but it takes in a lot of water in the shark infested sea. Three influencers, clients of Jeff, have been murdered and each time, Amy has been within calling distance. And with her blood found at the scene, she feels threatened. With Rosie in tow, her father in law, Steve is the only person she trusts.
Exiting, fast paced ad incredibly intriguing, this laugh out loud thriller will grab all readers as they are taken into the modern world of celebrities, Russian oligarchs, influencers, ChatGPT, money laundering and murder brokers.
Amy is in daily contact with Steve a policeman settling into retirement through the local quiz night, watching local cats, talking to his dead wife, Debbie, with some local sleuthing on the side. A desperate call from Amy sees him flying to USA, something he never thought he would do. Landing at a small airport to be greeted by an impassive border security guard, Carlos Moss, is priceless. You can almost hear Osmond chuckling, thinking up the most improbable of sequences, coincidences and conversations for his characters.
And the humour keeps flowing.
Followed by someone hired to kill her, Amy, Rosie and now Steve must think one step ahead of the killer. They land in St Lucia, then Dublin all the while Amy putting clues together to get to the heart of Francois Loubet, someone who uses ChatGPT to hide his identity, and is determined to kill her. Steve has a friend interview the owner of the Vivid Viral Media Agency and finds this company of one person is a front to hire people who think they are influencers to do a job which seems to gets them killed. One of these influencers it still alive, serving a ten year sentence in a Dubai jail, so Amy asks her husband, Adam, there for a diamond conference to interview her to get some answers. But she is already dead. So, back to basics.
Characters flash across the page like fireworks, each having a part in the whole, and each delightfully different. I listened to this book via Audible, wonderfully read by Nicola Walker (Spooks, Unforgotten and Annika) And would heartily recommend it.
Marie Lu has followed Stars and Smoke with a thrilling sequel showcasing superstar Winter Young and secret agent Sydney Cossette. It has been a year since the pair were on a secret mission in London, but Winter knows that he cannot turn down another assignment from Panacea especially with Sydney acting as his bodyguard. The pair are sent to Singapore to extract another agent, Sydney’s ex known as the Arsonist, who is in danger. And Winter brings along an old girlfriend too, so expect fireworks!
Icon and Inferno starts off slowly with an emphasis on relationships. Someone is writing a book revealing Winter’s life and secrets. Who in the family would do that and has Gavi Ginsburg, his old flame, leaked information? Jealousy simmers when Winter finds out that the Arsonist is Sydney’s ex-boyfriend and Sydney is not very happy about Winter and Gavi.
The story is an engrossing balance of romance and suspense, which will grip readers who enjoy both genres. Sydney’s loyalty to Panacea and the good of her country is admirable, and it is easy to relate to the problems that Winter faces as a world celebrity. They make a wonderful team.
The action really ramps up with car chases, bullets flying and sinister figures attempting an assassination when Winter and Sydney start on their mission in Singapore. And so does the slow-burning romance between the pair.
This is an admirable second book in the series with deep development of the characters of Sydney and Winter. And the fabulous action will keep readers glued to the page. I hope to see the duo again in the future.
Walliams' first venture into mystery writing is a rip-roaring adventure, cleverly weaving outrageous humour with the suspense of a classic whodunit. Super Sleuth is set in the opulent year of 1929 aboard the majestic ship, the Masquerade and will have its audience captivated until the very end.
This story introduces readers to Dily, an orphaned girl with an insatiable passion for detective stories. Forced to live with an aunt as cruel as any fairy tale villain, Dily’s only solace is her sharp minded and loyal dog named Watson. Together, they form an unconventional detective duo, inspired by the tales Dily loves to read.
When the Masquerade becomes the setting for a chilling crime spree, Dily’s world of imaginary sleuthing turns alarmingly real. With one murder quickly spiralling into multiple ones, the stakes rise, and Dily and Watson find themselves not just solving the case but also dodging danger at every turn. Can Dily and Watson solve the mystery, or will they become the next victim to end up in the mortuary.
The narrative is packed with Walliams' trademark wit, turning even the grimmest scenarios into moments of humour and charm. Adam Stower's illustrations add a dynamic visual layer to the story; bursting with energy and personality. His labelled 'exhibit' diagrams of crime scenes and characters enhance the immersive experience, making readers feel like they are right alongside Dily and Watson in their detective pursuits.
For fans of mystery, humour, and adventure, Super Sleuth is a tantalisingly good read. The story balances suspense and comedy, creating a captivating page-turner for young readers and mystery enthusiasts alike. Dily’s resilience and quick thinking, combined with Watson’s clever antics, make them a memorable team. Whether they’re racing to uncover clues or escaping near disasters, Dily and Watson prove that true detectives come in all shapes and sizes. Walliams’ debut in the mystery genre is a triumph, ensuring readers are left guessing - and laughing - until the very last page.
Themes Detective crime, Humour, Mystery, Problem solving, Fun.
Michelle O'Connell
Detective Beans and the case of the missing hat by Li Chen
Penguin, 2024. ISBN: 9781761049477. (Age:7+)
Everyone knows that detectives are not the real deal unless they have a hat, and so it is for Cat Town's Detective Beans who has misplaced his. His investigations take him all over the town as he meets and interviews different quirky residents, follows the clues and tries to solve the mystery - all before he has to be home in time for dinner with his mum.
For independent readers who like graphic novels, this is the first in a new series that introduces them to the detective/crime genre with a mystery to solve, twists and turns in the plot, a trusty sidekick and dodgy characters, and the need to sift the real from the not-so real and put it together to reach a logical conclusion as the suspense and intrigue builds - all within a story with a setting and theme suitable for younger readers.
By putting their own detective's hat on and engaging with the clues and puzzles, perhaps they will solve the mystery before Detective Beans does! Or perhaps it will lead them into seeking other stories in this genre or maybe even beginning to recognise and understand the concept of genre itself and that each as its own particular themes, structures and devices that carry the tory along in a fairly predictable way.
Themes Detectives.
Barbara Braxton
How to build a home by George Clarke. Illus. by Robert Sae-Heng
Farshore, 2024. ISBN: 9780008587895. Recommended.
At a time when some of our students are living in less-than-ideal conditions and the term "housing crisis" seems to be mentioned incessantly, houses and homes are receiving more attention than usual. And it's not just the lifestyle programs with their innovative construction techniques and fancy interior design that are featuring - it's the provision of one of the basic needs of human beings - shelter. And because it is a basic human requirement there are homes all around the world, each different from each other is shape, size, construction and materials, yet all providing for that same purpose.
In this new addition to the Little Experts series, architect George Clarke examines the who, what, and how of construction of a home in this modern time providing an introductory insight into the processes involved from design to the build to the completed product, demonstrating why it is a more complex task than it appears and why there is no magic wand to the problem of not enough for everyone. But there is hope as forward-thinkers explore new materials like the fibre from mushrooms or the seed pods of the cacao tree and even consider new technologies that might automatically adjust the room temperature by measuring body heat.
As well as the basic explanation of home building, readers are invited to "think like an architect" and redesign their own bedrooms, offering all sorts of scope to plan and design model homes using anything from old shoeboxes to Lego or letting the imagination go wild with dreams that may become reality. Why not have a toilet that analyses the products it collects for potential illnesses? Or a window that changes the 'view' to whatever will calm and relax the viewer at the time? In the past, and even now for some, the size of the home was a status symbol that announced the owner's level of prosperity to the world and the power they wielded - in the past some countries introduced chimney and window taxes as revenue raisers - and today fewer and fewer young people envisage owning their own homes because of the cost. Perhaps, after reading this, our young people will consider the purpose of the home and there will be a shift in thinking to value more environmentally friendly dwellings that just do their job of providing shelter and something more than a tent in winter won't just be a pipedream.
This is another in this excellent series which looks at the ordinary and discovers the extraordinary.
An inviting board book which contains lots of rhyming fun for the very young, this will be one of those books that is sought out by the reader. Each page folds out to make a three-page spread. On the left-hand side are two words, ‘Birthday balloons’ for example. The picture on the facing page shows a number of balloons tied to a gate to tell people where the birthday party is. When that flap is opened, the rhyming word is given, in this case, 'Rhyming baboons', and a picture is given of the baboons tied to the gate.
Kids will laugh out land, not only at the pun on the words, but also the illustration. Younger readers will begin to predict the rhyming words as the pages are read, imagining the illustrations that may be used. They will love folding out the pages for themselves.
Bright, colourful illustrations can be found on every second page and the bold use of primary colours makes each page memorable.
The tenets of all birthday parties are all shown; wrapping paper, balloons, pass the parcel, musical chairs, party pies, fairy bread, party pies, fizzy drinks, donuts with sprinkles, blowing the candles out and making a wish. Kids will love the roll call of things to expect at a birthday party and be thrilled when recognising things they have done at a party.
Pesenti, a Sydney based architect, author/ illustrator has also published Rhyme cordial and Rhyme hunger.
Themes Verse, Rhyming words, Party time, Birthdays, Humour.
Charley Gumnut, the koala lives in Scribbly Gum Forest with his friends, and on one of those do nothing days, they all just looked at what was around them. Happily picked some wildflowers and they all made flower crowns and daisy chains. They looked at the clouds to see what shapes they could see. They decided they were hungry so Charles the cockatoo, flew off to collect some food. Just as they were about to eat, they felt big plops of rain and quickly made a shelter with the picnic rug so they could eat their picnic underneath. As they ate they shared the things they loved, Barney outlined them all, concluding the best of all things was having friends.
Children will adore the group of friends, Barney the koala, Happily the kangaroo, Charles the cockatoo, Edith the echidna, Wilfred the budgie and Robert the wombat, all well known Australian animals that younger children will easily recognise. Produced in a compact landscape book, the size and feel of the book invites children to open it. Inside are the wonderful characters, set amongst the Australian bush, prompting younger readers to recognise both the flora and fauna before them. This lovely book impels children to take part in the story making daisy chains and flower crowns, having a picnic and having to sit beneath the rug when it rains. Each activity pursued by the animals is one that younger children could emulate, increasing the fun behind reading the tale.
A gentle tale of friendship and the very ordinary things that friends do, it will find a place on bookshelves as children pick it to read.
Softly detailed illustrations will catch their eyes as they read, noticing the detail in both the text and the image, searching for all the flora they can spy, prompted by the wonderful colour filled endpapers.
Themes Friendship, Australian animals, Australian wildflowers, Environment, Activities.
Fran Knight
Brown Bears by Dr Nick Crumpton. Illus. by Colleen Larmour
Spring has arrived in Alaska, and a brown bear is waking up. She was alone when she fell asleep at the start of winter; now she is climbing out of her den with two cubs. Follow them as they discover how to survive in the wilderness, from climbing trees to catching salmon, as their mother teaches the cubs how to be bears. There is a saying about not getting between a mother and her cubs, and the confrontation between a male and the mother demonstrates this, showing that a mother's protection of her offspring extends into the animal world as well as the human. The perfect choice for Mother's Day as young readers can reflect on the other parallels between human and animal mothers!
While this story is set in Alaska, zoologist-author Nick Crumpton explains that because this species is not fussy about its diet, they are able to live in many countries, although exclusively in the northern hemisphere, opening opportunities to explore the differences in climate, seasons, habitats and inhabitants of those regions compared to Australia.
This is another in the brilliant Nature Storybooks series that personalises the stories of particular creatures by focusing on one member of the species while providing more general facts separate to the narrative. It is a successful technique that engages young readers because it brings the information into the child's realm rather than being a series of disconnected facts and figures, and thus provides a solid bridge between fiction and non fiction.
