THE LIBRARIAN’S GUIDE TO BOOKS FOR KIDS & TEENS
INSIDE 2018: The Big Picture Professional development Student writing competitions Literary anniversaries And more!
SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT Books for struggling +readers Detailed reviews on the latest FEB 2018
ISSN 2204-5708 fiction to help you choose WELCOME ABOUT THE PUBLISHER The Book Curator is published by Apt School Resources, an Australian business jointly owned by two families EDITORIAL who share a passion for books and a determination to provide outstanding service to our members. Welcome to the first issue of The Book Curator for 2018! I hope you’ve had a wonderful break We help schools all over the country by and are excited for the year ahead. providing them with access to helpful information, detailed reviews and the A few months ago one of our members latest fiction titles for their libraries. commented that an overview of professional development opportunities would be helpful, Our goal is to provide the resources librarians need to choose the best so we decided to take that a step further and books for their school library across a make this February issue the ‘plan your 2018’ wide range of genres, age groups and edition. We hope you will use it to schedule in the events that are formats. We provide a wide range of most important to you. services to help support our members so they can get the best return for their As well as an overview of key PD conferences, you’ll find a two time and their budget. page spread of major upcoming literary and historic anniversaries, details of movie adaptations of YA and children’s books coming to This magazine (previously called Review) and our service have the big screen (with a special ofer), plus an article on Australian developed based on what our members writing competitions your students can get involved in. We’ve also want. We invite your ideas, got a feature on the Kids’ Lit Quiz - an incredible international suggestions, feedback and constructive competition for teams of book-loving kids - including information criticism to help us provide solutions to the challenges you face as you work to on how your school can join in. build an outstanding library for your school community. We want libraries to be accessible for every child, so in our special supplement this month you’ll find reviews of more than 50 skinny In addition to library titles, we source reads for struggling and reluctant readers, those with dyslexia or and supply a wide range of interesting those with English as an additional language. and efective resources to help teachers, counsellors and chaplains Our goal is to help make 2018 your best year yet. If there’s work with and support their students. something you’d like us to help with, we genuinely want to hear We also help equip teachers and school your ideas. leaders with professional development resources. Here’s to a fabulous year ahead!
For more information about our services or to provide feedback please contact us.
Apt School Resources ROWENA BERESFORD Unit 3, 5 Currumbin Court Capalaba QLD 4157 AUSTRALIA
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The Book Curator ISSN 2204-5708 » For information on our trafc light ratings, please refer to page 14
Disclaimer: The reviews contained in this magazine are based on each individual reviewer’s opinion only. While we do our best to pick up every potential concern in fiction titles, we cannot guarantee that to be the case. Should you purchase a book based on our reviews and then discover an issue of serious concern to you that was not included in our review, please contact us.
2 | The Book Curator: February 2018 Contents
» ARTICLES & FEATURES 19 SAM'S SURFBOARD 30! TWENTY-FIVE MEMORIES OF SHOWDOWN VIGGO MACDUFF 3 IN THE SPOTLIGHT Allayne L. Webster & Kate Gordon Books-to-Movies 2018 Amanda S. Clarke 31! ESME'S WISH PLAN YOUR YEAR ! 20 THE PICKY PUFFIN: Elizabeth Foster 6 Professional Development ZOE'S RESCUE ZOO 32! AUSTRALIA'S GREAT WAR: 1918 Highlights 2018 Amelia Cobb Libby Gleeson 7 Kids’ Lit Quiz 2018 20! PATTY AND THE SHADOWS: GAME DAY! # 2 32! LOVE, HATE & OTHER FILTERS 8 Kids Writing Competitions Patty Mills Samira Ahmed 10 NOTABLE DATES: 21! INTERGALACTIC GAS: 33! GRAEVALE: THE MEDORAN The Year Ahead BAD GUYS EPISODE 5 CHRONICLES # 4 12 NEWS & VIEWS Aaron Blabey Lynette Noni 21! BARNEY AND THE SECRET 34! RAIN FALL » BOOK REVIEWS OF THE FRENCH SPIES Ella West Jackie French 15 LIONEL AND THE LION'S 35! INDIGO BLUE SHARE 22! THE WILD ROBOT Jessica Watson Lou Peacock Peter Brown 35! WOLF CHILDREN 15! YAY! IT’S LIBRARY DAY 23! VOYAGE TO AVALON: THE MICE Paul Dowswell OF THE ROUND TABLE # 2 Aleesah Darlison 36! THE START OF ME AND YOU Julie Leung 15! MACCA THE ALPACA Emery Lord ! Matt Cosgrove 23 THE BRILLIANT FALL OF 37! GEMINI GIANNA Z. 16! ROOM ON OUR ROCK Sonya Mukherjee Kate Messner Kate & Jol Temple 37 UNEARTHED 24! LIBBY IN THE MIDDLE 16! KATE AND THE THING Amie Kaufman Gwyneth Rees and Meagan Spooner Heidi Cooper Smith 25 I SWAPPED MY BROTHER 16 ERIK THE LONE WOLF 38! SCYTHE ON THE INTERNET Neal Shusterman Sarah Finan Jo Simmons ! 39! THE CRUEL PRINCE: 17 STORYBOOK STARS 25! THE RISE OF WOLVES Jim Dewar THE FOLK OF THE AIR # 1 Kerr Thomson Holly Black ! 17 PARMESAN THE 26! THE EXTRAORDINARY COLOURS RELUCTANT RACEHORSE OF AUDEN DARE Jacqui Halpin » IN EVERY ISSUE Zillah Bethell ! 41 USEFUL INFORMATION 17 CLOVER’S BIG IDEAS 27! THE EXTREMELY Georgie Donaghey INCONVENIENT ADVENTURES Great websites and apps, festivals and literary events, 18! THE FIVE MISFITS OF BRONTE METTLESTONE conferences and seminars Beatrice Alemagna Jaclyn Moriarty 42 INDEX 18! HARK IT'S ME, RUBY LEE! 28! HAVE SWORD, WILL TRAVEL This issue’s titles in alphabetical Lisa Shanahan Garth Nix & Sean Williams order 18! LIFE OF THE PARTY!: 29! DO YOU SPEAK CHOCOLATE? 43 UPCOMING TITLES THE SUSIE K FILES # 1 Cas Lester What’s on the horizon Shamini Flint 29! PAX 19! GAME CHANGER!: Sara Pennypacker THE SUSIE K FILES # 2 30! DOG Shamini Flint Andy Mulligan
bookcurator.com.au | 3 IN THE SPOTLIGHT
BOOKS-TO- MOVIES 2018 Explore the many movie adaptations of children and YA novels coming to the big screen in 2018 with this comprehensive guide.
Peter Rabbit find an Easter Egg which will 22nd March grant the winner his fortune. A comedic animated film about Breath the shenanigans that follow 3rd May Potter’s beloved characters when Based on the multi award- Peter Rabbit tries to sneak into a winning young adult novel by The ever-increasing volume of farmer’s vegetable garden. Shot Tim Winton, Breath is the book-to-movie adaptations in Sydney with homegrown talent directorial debut of our very own illustrates the film industries’ Margot Robbie, Sia and Rose Byrne. Simon Baker. Set in mid-70s incessant hunger for original A Wrinkle in Time coastal Australia, the film was source material to turn into great 29th March shot and cast locally. The story movies. follows two teenage boys whose Adapted from the novel of the unlikely friendship with a The trend of dystopian, futuristic same name by Madeleine mysterious old surfer pushes and science fiction novels being L'Engle, two siblings embark on them to make some precarious adapted into hit action-thrillers an adventure to find their decisions that will profoundly endures this year, and we will missing scientist father afer impact their lives. also see many of the YA market’s being sent into space by three most popular contemporary peculiar beings. Filmed next door The Darkest Minds fiction and romantic dramas in New Zealand and starring 13th September transitioning to the big screen. young Aussie talent Levi Miller. A disease has killed 98% of Worth a notable mention is Love, Simon America’s children and now the Breath, the local venture that 29th March surviving 2% have developed adapted Perth author Tim frightening superpowers they are A coming-of-age story that follows Winton’s contemporary fiction— unable to control. Adapted from a closeted gay protagonist who winner of the 2009 Miles Franklin the first book (of the same name) has fallen in love with an Literary Award—into an entirely in Alexandra Bracken’s young anonymous classmate online, Australian feature film crewed, adult trilogy, this film follows a based on Simon vs. the Homo produced, cast and filmed on group of kids as they escape Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertelli home soil. from an internment camp to and starring another Australian Movie adaptations drive demand pursue a life worth living. actress, Katherine Langford. for the books so it is a good time Robin Hood to cross-check your collection Ready Player One 20th September with the list on your February 29th March A Moorish commander and war- order form (with additional Directed by Steven Spielberg, hardened Crusader embark on a member savings on ofer when this adaption of Ernest Cline’s daring revolt against the corrupt you order by 28th Feb 2018). debut science fiction novel is set English crown in a gritty action- Please note that movie release in a virtual reality world called fuelled origin story of how the dates shown here are subject to OASIS. When the creator of this legend in The Merry Adventures change. world dies, he leaves behind a of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle challenge for all OASIS players to came to be.
4 | The Book Curator: February 2018 Mowgli Premiering at Sundance Film introduces him to girls and punk 18th October Festival, the cast features rock. Based on Peter Bognanni’s Australian Naomi Watts. novel by the same name. In a combined CG-animation and performance capture efort, this Every Day The House with live action adaption of Rudyard 23rd February (USA release) a Clock in its Walls Kipling’s The Jungle Book follows A is a teenager who wakes up 21st September (USA release) Mowgli’s childhood & upbringing; each morning in a diferent body Based on John Bellairs’ children’s a prequel to the tale we’re —in a diferent life—with no gothic horror novel, the film familiar with. Our own Cate warning as to where or who it follows a young orphan who Blanchett voices Kaa. will be. When A wakes up in must help his magical uncle find Fantastic Beasts: Justin’s body and meets his a clock that has the power to The Crimes of Grindelwald girlfriend Rhiannon, A realises bring about the end of the world. 15th November they want to be with her every *** day. Based on the bestselling The highly anticipated second young adult romance novel by Slated for 2018, but no release installment in a series which David Levithan, the film stars teen dates as yet. chronicles Newt Scamander’s Australian talent Angourie Rice. adventures in the wizarding All the Bright Places world, the rise of Grindelwald The War with Grandpa The screenplay for this story and the past of Albus 23rd February (USA release) about a teenage girl who learns to live from a boy who intends to Dumbledore. Director David This family comedy starring die has been penned by the Yates also directed the final four Robert De Niro is based on the novel’s author Jennifer Niven. Harry Potter films and Fantastic book by Robert Kimmel Smith Beasts and Where to Find Them. and follows a scheming boy who The Bell Jar The Grinch —afer being forced to share his Chronicling the spiral of mental 29th November bedroom—declares war on his illness, this film is based on the grandfather to win it back. In time for the holidays, Dr struggles of the young woman in Sylvia Plath’s famous story. Seuss’s well-known character Where’d You Go, Bernadette Director Kirsten Dunst has will be coming to cinemas and 11th May (USA release) announced the film will take on a plotting to ruin Christmas for the Adapted from the comedy novel dark comedic tone. village of Whoville in an by Maria Semple, 15-year-old Bee animated remake voiced by tracks down her agoraphobic Little Women Benedict Cumberbatch. mother afer she goes missing, A modern retelling of Louisa May Mortal Engines and discovers her troubled past Alcott’s classic novel following 26th December in the process. Bernadette Fox is the lives of four sisters detailing played by Cate Blanchett. their passage from childhood Based on the first novel in Philip into womanhood. Reeve’s futuristic quartet set in Midnight Sun steampunk London, the story is 23rd March (USA release) about cities roving around on This tale of love and loss is giant wheels, surviving on a based on Trish Cook’s romance 2019: desolate Earth by devouring novel about a 17-year-old girl smaller towns to replenish their with a rare disease that makes A Sneak Peak resources. exposure to sunlight deadly. She There are no Australian lives a confined existence until Mary Poppins Returns release dates for the following she meets a boy who opens up 1st January, 2019 films, however that may change her world afer nightfall. Being released in Australian cinemas New based on box ofce results in The House of Tomorrow the US. If not, look for them on Years Day, this is the 8th April (USA release) DVD or via streaming services. sequel to the 1964 film A sheltered teenager raised by and an adaptation of Mary Ophelia his eccentric grandmother Poppins Comes Back, the 22nd January (USA release) through the teachings of second book in P. L. A dramatic re-imagining of futuristic architect and inventor Travers’ children’s series. Shakespeare’s Hamlet as told R. Buckminster Fuller meets a from the perspective of Ophelia. heart-transplant patient who
bookcurator.com.au | 5 PD HIGHLIGHTS PD Highlights for 2018 With a focus on workshops and conferences relevant to library staf and literacy educators, here is a preview of 2018’s key events (at time of publication) so you can plan your development for the year.
VALA2018 Conference Share it Conference School Library Association of Libraries, Technology Resource Sharing Futures Victoria (SLAV) Conference and the Future Date: 10 – 11 May Real Libraries: Making it happen Date: 13 – 15 February Venue: Canberra ACT in primary schools Venue: Melbourne VIC More info: tinyurl.com/ycpttlr8 Date: 1 June More info: tinyurl.com/y7klek32 Venue: Melbourne VIC 15th Annual Hawker Brownlow More info: tinyurl.com/yayzhgqv Night of the Notables Thinking and Learning Date: 27 February Conference WASLA/AISWA Libraries Venue: Sydney NSW Date: 18 - 20 May School Library Conference More info: tinyurl.com/ycw65eao Venue: Melbourne VIC Date: 4 June More info: tinyurl.com/ydatyt4h Venue: Perth WA LDA Professional Development More info: slc.wa.edu.au Prevention of CBCA VIC 2018 Early Literacy Difculties State Conference American Library Association (ALA) Conference & Exhibition Date: 20 March Reimagine! New Ways With Venue: Regents Park NSW Literature Date: 21 – 26 June More info: tinyurl.com/ya4dxdo7 Date: 19 May Venue: New Orleans (USA) Venue: Geelong VIC More info: 2018.alaannual.org School Library Association of More info: vic.cbca.org.au/conference Victoria (SLAV) Conference AATE/ALEA National Conference Real Libraries vs Fake News Australian Literacy Educators’ The Art of English: Language, Association (ALEA) Workshop Literature, Literacy Date: 23 March Venue: Melbourne VIC What’s So Hard About Reading? Date: 8 – 11 July More info: tinyurl.com/yayzhgqv Date: Saturday 19 May Venue: Perth WA Venue: Sydney NSW englishliteracyconference.com.au CBCA NSW AAA Professional More info: tinyurl.com/ya6vxba3 Development Conference Asia-Pacific Library and Information Conference (APLIC) Anticipate! Appreciate! Applaud! SA Christian Schools Library Conference Roar, Leap, Dare Date: 27 March Venue: Sydney NSW Date: 25 May Date: 30 July – 2 August More info: tinyurl.com/y8bopccr Venue: Adelaide, SA Venue: Gold Coast QLD More info: TBA More info: tinyurl.com/yc7tc9w2 International Association of Christian Schools School Library Association of School Librarians (IASL) Library Conference Annual Conference Victoria (SLAV) Conference Date: 28 – 30 May Real Libraries: Collaborative Spaces Information, Innovation and Venue: Baulkham Hills NSW Impact of School Libraries Date: 17 August More info: tinyurl.com/j6oopab Date: 6 – 11 May Venue: Melbourne VIC Venue: Istanbul (TURKEY) More info: tinyurl.com/yayzhgqv More info: iasl2018.org
Continued on page 9
6 | The Book Curator: February 2018 KIDS’ LIT QUIZ 2018 Get Involved: Kids’ Lit Quiz 2018
Kids’ Lit Quiz is a fun and exciting Accommodation, most food and Brisbane Heat, QLD international competition that activities for the team and two Venue: Moreton Bay College (Girls) encourages students to to coaches for the week in Auckland Wednesday 21st March 2018 celebrate their love of reading. are included in the prize. 10am – 1pm (teams need to ‘The Sport of Reading’ started Schools can enter up to three arrive by 9.45am) over 25 years ago in New teams at a heat for an entry fee Zealand allowing children to of $100 per team (or $25 per Canberra Heat, ACT enjoy their knowledge of the child). Kids’ Lit Quiz is not-for- Venue: Radford College books they love in a team profit and is run by a small team Thursday 22nd March 2018 environment, just like sport. of volunteers. All entry fees go 6pm – 9pm (teams need to arrive The students form teams of four into the running of the quiz and by 5.45pm) and together using their subsidies for the teams that are combined knowledge and brain invited to travel to the next level Armidale Heat, NSW power answer questions about of the competition. Venue: New England Girls School Friday 23rd March 2018 all forms of children’s literature. Teams receive 50 pre-quiz There is no book list, and the questions when they enter to 12noon – 3pm (Teams need to questions relate to all aspects of help get them started and there arrive by 11:45) children's literature are covered are lots of sample questions on from fairy tales and nursery Orange Heat, NSW the web page at kidslitquiz.com Venue: Kinross Wolaroi School rhymes to popular and award to give you an idea of the style Monday 26th March 2018 winning books as well as authors of questions that are asked at and movie adaptations. the heats. 10am – 1pm, (teams need to arrive by 9.45am) Team members need to be aged Available Heats for 2018: between 10 years and 13 years. It Merrylands Heat, Sydney, NSW Parents and other supporters are is possible to have a younger Venue: Cerdon College child who is a voracious reader welcome to be part of the audience Tuesday 27th March 2018 BUT all team members must be at all the heats and the Final. 10am – 1pm, (teams need to under 14 years on the 1st July Newcastle Heat, NSW arrive by 9.45am) 2018. This is to ensure parity at Venue: Avondale School an International level. Friday 16th March 2018 Nth Sydney Heat, Sydney, NSW This year is Kids’ Lit Quiz’s 8th in Venue: Shore School, Nth Sydney 10am - 1pm, (teams need to Australia. Each year the winning arrive by 9.45) Wednesday 28th March 2018 team from each of the heats has 6pm - 9pm, (Teams need to Ipswich Heat, QLD the opportunity to take part in arrive by 5.45pm) the National Final, being held this Venue: Ipswich Girls Grammar year in Sydney on Friday 4th Monday 19th March 2018 For any questions or to access an entry form please contact May, 2018. Subsidies for travel to 10am – 1pm, (teams need to the final are provided. National Coordinator Nicole arrive by 9.45am) Deans by email at: The winner of the National Final Gold Coast Heat, QLD [email protected] has the opportunity to take part Venue: The Southport or enter online at: in the World Final, which will be Preparatory School (Lupus St) https://goo.gl/B9MAos held in Auckland in July 2018. The prize for the National Final will Tuesday 20th March 2018 Information specific to the heat include some subsidy towards 10am to 1pm (Teams need to you are entering will be sent out the cost of airfares. arrive by 9:45am) early Term 1 2018.
bookcurator.com.au | 7 WRITING COMPETITIONS Calling Next Generation Writers To inspire and encourage the categories, this competition is and dark subject matter, laced next generation of writers, appropriate for all Australian with warmth and humour, perhaps writing competitions present a secondary school students in conveying the many ways in great opportunity to practise Years 7 to 12. which God is at work in people’s their skills and exhibit their work lives. Students aged 17 and under More info: tinyurl.com/l6m8ndz to industry professionals. Whilst are eligible for the Youth Award the details of many are yet to be Greenleaf SPROUTS Kids and their submissions must not released, below is a snapshot of Writing Competition exceed 1,000 words. some of the Australian specific Deadline: 18 March More info: storiesoflife.net competitions for young writers Entry: $9.90 coming up in 2018. CYA Competition Prize: Within each category 1st Now is a great time to consider place is awarded $30, 2nd place Deadline: 4 April how your library team could is awarded $20 and 3 x Highly Entry: $14.10 work with other teaching staf to Commended Certificates are up Prize: Within each category, 1st promote these opportunities, for grabs. Open to children ages place is awarded $100, 2nd place enlist budding writers and 7 to 16, this competition has two is awarded $60, 3rd place is celebrate their entries. categories: Short Story (800 awarded $40 and all shortlisted words) and Poem (500 words). entries are read by at least one UNSW Bragg Student Prize publisher of children’s books. for Science Writing More info: tinyurl.com/ycn22vej Unpublished writers and Deadline: TBA,entries open Term 1 Youth Literary Award illustrators between the ages of Entry: FREE 8 to 18 are eligible to enter Deadline: 31 March This annual competition illustrations, picture books, Entry: $5.00 celebrates non-fiction essay chapter books, graphic novels or Prize: For both the short story writing and is open to Australian young adult fiction into the and poetry categories, 1st place students in Years 7 to 10. This Hatchlings category. Historically, is awarded $700, 2nd place is highly regarded award is an all Hatchlings entries have been awarded $200 and 3rd place is initiative of UNSW Press, UNSW presented to a professional awarded $100. The scope of work Science and Refraction Media. editor, and whilst CYA doesn’t accepted in this competition may Information on the 2018 guarantee this, it is an exciting contribute toward Australian competition has not been prospect for all students literature or have Australiana updated on their website yet, but considering entering. content, but this is not a further information is available prerequisite. Children up to the More info: tinyurl.com/ya3sgxb3 here: tinyurl.com/y7lnx23f. age of 18 are invited to submit Laura Literary Awards USQ Get Writing Prize original literary work such as short stories (2,000 words max) Deadline: 13 April Deadline: TBA (but entries open or poetry (100 lines max). Entry: FREE (underage entrants) 19 February) Prize: The winners within both Entry: FREE More info: tinyurl.com/y8y6sjer the prose and poetry categories Prize: Prizes include a Stories of Life Competition will receive the following awards: membership to Express Media, Young Adult $50, Junior $25 and mentoring from USQ staf and Deadline: TBA, entries open 1 Apr Junior Primary $15. students, writer’s toolboxes, QBD Entry: FREE (for Youth entrants) The Laura Literary Awards are vouchers and more. With Junior This competition invites comprised of the Flinders New Poetry, Junior Short Story, Senior interesting, lively and quirky Prose Awards and CJ Dennis Poetry and Senior Short Story stories that touch on both light
8 | The Book Curator: February 2018 Poetry Awards and sponsored by Flinders University Young School Library Association of The Flinders News and Rocky Playwrights Award Victoria (SLAV) Conference River ‘Riters. Deadline: 1 June Real Libraries: Reading the World More info: tinyurl.com/yaxyndny Entry: FREE Date: 23 November Prize: The winner will receive Venue: Melbourne VIC SAETA Young Writers Award $500 cash, a subscription to More info: tinyurl.com/yayzhgqv Deadline: 18 May South Australia’s State Theatre Company’s 2019 season and a Entry: FREE Other Professional Open to all South Australian script development session under students, categories are divided the guidance of a professional Development director and playwright mentor. by ages ranging from Reception The Australian School Library The Junior Award for this to Year 12. Students may submit Association (ASLA) will also be competition is open to high poetry or prose up to 1,000 providing high quality online school students serious about words in length, but all entries webinars throughout the year, writing for stage. must be written in the presence allowing you to update your skills of an adult or teacher. More info: tinyurl.com/y9burfya and knowledge in the comfort of your own home! More info: tinyurl.com/yanm3w58 The Heywire Competition ASLA is a NSW accredited Future Leaders Writing Prize Deadline: 16 September provider of QTC registered PD Deadline: 31 May Entry: FREE which means your participation Entry: FREE Prize: The winning story will air can contribute to the maintenance Prize: The award winner receives on ABC and its creator will be of your teacher accreditation. $1,000 cash and their work awarded an all-expenses trip to Planned webinar topics for 2018 published. Designed to recognise the Heywire summit in Canberra. include: Tips for TLs, Using social and reward young emerging This competition invites 16- to media in your library, Genrefying writing talents, this prize 22-year-old Australians living the collection, Awards/Incentives encourages Australian Year 11 outside the major cities (eligibility to read, Gamification, Copyright and 12 students to submit a is checkable online) to submit free resources, Cybersafety, piece of writing 800 to 1,000 stories about an aspect of their Copyright Law changes relevant to teacher librarians and more! words long. life. Works can be submitted in a range of formats, including text, For further information check out More info: tinyurl.com/ybstyptc video, photography or audio. the ASLA website at tinyurl.com/ Australian Christian More info: tinyurl.com/ltssn72 y8zk699h or refer to the ASLA Teen Writer Award newsletter. To join ASLA go to Deadline: 31 May www.asla.org.au/membership.aspx Entry: FREE Prize: The author of the best PD Highlights 2018 The Children’s Book Council of unpublished manuscript will win (continued from page 7) Australia (CBCA) branches also $1,000 cash. This competition hold a variety of diferent events, encourages submissions that Asian Festival of Children’s with the largest being held in NSW. The NSW events are listed explore, explain or incorporate Content (AFCC) Conference in this article, but to view events Christian themes and values. An Date: 5 – 9 September in other areas, please go to emphasis is placed on originality Venue: Singapore cbca.org.au/branches and select and the contribution of the More info: afcc.com.sg your relevant state or territory. content to the Australian Christian writing market. It is Celebrate Reading Please keep an eye on the ‘Useful Information’ page in the open to all Australians under the National Conference back of each issue of The Book age of 18 with proof of their Insights into Quality Australian Curator for more great events (in Christian community and Literature for Young Adults each issue, there is a list of suggests works fall within a word Date: 26 – 27 October events for the next calendar count of 3,000 to 5,000. Venue: Fremantle WA month). More info: tinyurl.com/y9l6wd4z More info: tinyurl.com/y76wgyre
bookcurator.com.au | 9 NOTABLE DATES
2018 NOTABLE DATES
200 years – Frankenstein 150 years – Last Convict Ship Library Lovers’ Day 1 January, 1818 9 January, 1868 14 February, 2018 Frankenstein (originally titled The Modern The final convict ship to arrive was the This initiative of the Australian Library Prometheus), by Mary Shelley was first Hougoumon, which unloaded 279 and Information Association (ALIA) published anonymously. The idea came prisoners in Fremantle, WA on this date invites libraries all over the country to to her whilst debating “the nature of in 1868. By the time penal transportation encourage library users and supporters the principle of life” when she was just ended, Australia’s population had grown to proclaim their love for libraries. 19-years-old. from 30,000 in 1821 to over 1 million. alia.org.au/libraryloversday tinyurl.com/yd7mtykr tinyurl.com/y9cnnmn7
50 years – Do Androids Dream 35 years – Possum Magic of Electric Sheep? 31 March, 1983 March, 1968 Beloved children’s book author Mem Philip K. Dick’s science fiction novel Do Fox became Australia’s best-selling Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? was writer in 1983 following the release of published in 1968 and later adapted her debut story Possum Magic, a into the 1982 film Blade Runner. A picture book starring Grandma Poss, sequel to the film was released in 2017. Hush and a little bit of bush magic. tinyurl.com/ycyr8f8g tinyurl.com/yaxhydwu
75 years – The Little Prince 75 years - The Gremlins 25 years – The Giver 6 April, 1943 April, 1943 26 April, 1993 Antione de Saint-Exupéry’s philosophical Roald Dahl’s The Gremlins was published Regarded as the original dystopian novella was published—originally in 75 years ago this month. It is ofen young adult fiction and the novel that French as Le Petit Prince—and tells the referred to as his first piece of catalysed the genre’s popularity, Lois tale of an adult meeting his inner child. children’s writing. The little creatures Lowry’s controversial book The Giver It has become a global phenomenon. loosely inspired Stephen Spielberg’s was published 25 years ago. It was thelittleprince.com 1984 movie Gremlins. adapted into a film in 2014. tinyurl.com/yblbve6p tinyurl.com/ydz3fgmx
National Simultaneous 150 years - Storytime Aboriginal Cricket Team 23 May, 2018 25 May, 1868 Held annually by ALIA, NSS invites The first Australian cricket team to tour libraries, schools and families to read England arrived in the UK on this date. the same book at the same time. This It consisted of 13 Aboriginal men. They year’s book is Hickory Dickory Dash by played a series of 47 matches, winning Tony Wilson and Laura Wood. 14, losing 14 and drawing 19. alia.org.au/nss tinyurl.com/yboxd45e
20 years – National Sorry Day 200 years CBCA Children’s Book Week 26 May, 1998 Birth of Emily Brontë 17 – 24 August, 2018 This year marks the 20th Sorry Day - an 30 July, 1818 This week long celebration is a great efort to make amends for the historical Emily Brontë is remembered for her one opportunity to encourage children to mistreatment of indigenous Australians. novel Wuthering Heights, an enduring develop and share their love of reading 2018 is also the 10 year anniversary of classic of English literature. She is the with other students. The theme for this Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s National sister of famous authors Charlotte year’s CBCA Children’s Book Week is Apology to the Stolen Generations on 13 Brontë and Anne Brontë. ‘Find Your Treasure’. February, 2008. tinyurl.com/y9gg79we tinyurl.com/ybsd68j2 tinyurl.com/ybhldkc9
10 | The Book Curator: February 2018 35 years – Possum Magic 31 March, 1983 Beloved children’s book author Mem Fox became Australia’sTHE best-selling YEAR AHEAD writer in 1983 following the release of her debut story Possum Magic, a picture book starring Grandma Poss, Hush250 andyears a little – Cookbit of bush Sets magic. Sail 175 years – Ada Lovelace 100 years – Raggedy Ann tinyurl.com/yaxhydwu26 August, 1768 September, 1843 10 September, 1918 Captain James Cook departed England Mathematician Ada Lovelace translated Johnny Gruelle published the first book on board the Endeavour 250 years ago. It and expanded Luigi Menabrea’s paper in over forty classic Raggedy Ann and 35was years during –this Possum trip that heMagic discovered on Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine Andy stories. Raggedy Ann was Australia, then referred to as Terra —the world’s first computer program— patented as a doll in 1915. Gruelle 31 March, 1983 Australis incognita—the unknown including an algorithm for calculating a initially created the character for his ill Belovedsouthern children’s land. book author Mem sequence of Bernoulli numbers. daughter, Marcella. Foxtinyurl.com/joexxws became Australia’s best-selling tinyurl.com/ycv6mk5f tinyurl.com/y7krrfda writer in 1983 following the release of her debut story Possum Magic, a picture book starring Grandma Poss, 150 years – Little Women 100 years – The Magic Pudding Hush and a little bit of bush magic. 30 September, 1868 October, 1918 tinyurl.com/yaxhydwu The first volume of Louisa May Alcott’s Written on a whim by artist and writer instantly successful children’s book Norman Lindsay, this classic tale 200 years – Frankenstein Little Women was published, with the features bad-tempered and ill- second volume being released the mannered Albert, a magic pudding who 1 January, 1818 following year. enjoys being eaten and always returns Frankenstein, or The Modern tinyurl.com/y73jxfbg to being complete. Prometheus, by Mary Shelley was first tinyurl.com/yd4whnh5 published anonymously. She conceptualised the idea when she was50 justyears 19 years – The old Pigman whilst debating 75 years – Thai-Burma Railway “the nature of the principle of life”. 12 October, 1968 17 October, 2018 tinyurl.com/yd7mtykr Afer winning the Pullitzer Prize for his This date marks the completion of the play ...Gamma Rays, a publisher Thai-Burma railway, built by Australian suggested Paul Zindel write a young prisoners of war. Many sufered terribel adult novel. The Pigman went on to injuries and/or died during the win numerous awards and continues construction. The excavation of Hellfire to be used as a class text. Pass was one of the most devastating. tinyurl.com/yaz58n7g tinyurl.com/y9lf4n2d
50 years – A Wizard of Earthsea Centenary of the Armistice: 250 years – Encyclopædia November, 1968 End of World War 1 Britannica A Wizard of Earthsea, the first in Ursula 11 November, 1918 6 December, 1768 K. Le Guin’s magical six-book fantasy It is 100 years this year since the The first instalment of the first edition series, was published in 1968. The Western Front fell silent. The Australian of Encyclopædia Britannica was author passed away on 22 January this War Memorial will be holding numerous published on this date in 1768. Its year. events over a 5 week period to Scottish founders finished their first 3- tinyurl.com/y9qf52ge commemorate the end of the Great War. volume set in 1771, which sold out. tinyurl.com/y85wmnjq tinyurl.com/yc3uekcc
175 years – A Christmas Carol 200 years – Silent Night 19 December, 1843 24 December, 1818 Charles Dickens’ popular novella The traditional Christmas song Silent starring Ebenezer Scrooge was the Night was first performed in the church most successful book of the 1843 of St. Nikolaus in Oberndorf, Austria on holiday season. Within a few short days this date. The original poem was (by Christmas Eve) it was completely authored by a Salzburg priest named sold out. Joseph Mohr. tinyurl.com/y7ahgjwz tinyurl.com/ybx7n5av
bookcurator.com.au | 11 NEWS & VIEWS
Library Lovers’ Day Farewell to an iLibrarian February 14th
For the last few years teacher-librarian Di Johnston has been a regular The Australian Library and contributor to The Book Curator as our first iLibrarian. We have really Information Association is appreciated her enthusiasm, her willingness to share her knowledge encouraging the country to make with other librarians and her passion to encourage kids to read and to libraries their valentines on Library love books. At the end of 2017 Di made the difcult decision to retire Lovers’ Day this 14 February—a from the The Book Curator team and we wish her all the best in this befitting date to celebrate the next phase of her life. books we love and the havens in We have some guest articles planned for the next few months which they reside. featuring our members sharing some of their library tips. If you have ALIA has compiled an extensive an idea for an article and would like to contribute, please email list of ideas for librarians who [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you! want to get their students and patrons involved in the event. Anyone who would like to pen a letter of appreciation to their Exhibit: World of the Book library on social media can share the love using the hashtag Celebrating the beauty, significance and influence of literature #libraryloversday. throughout the ages, the State Library of Victoria has introduced a new exhibition titled World of the Book. This engaging display delves Free Resources & Ideas: into the history of literature and its diversity between cultures. It alia.org.au/libraryloversday includes over 250 new items dating as far back as 2050 BC, and is organised into the following categories: Books and Ideas, Books and Imagination, Exploring the World, Art and Nature, and Artist and Books. Indie Book Awards The exhibition includes artifacts ranging from medieval manuscripts, sacred religious texts, atlases and maps, philosophy and science 2018 Shortlists books that changed the world and famous works from the literary Now in its’ 10th year, the Indie canon, right through to graphic novels and comics. Book Awards—which recognises World of the Book is free to attend and is running until 31 December and celebrates independent 2018, making this a perfect candidate for a school excursion. booksellers as the number one supporters of Australian authors Source: tinyurl.com/y9nvyjqq —has announced its 2018 shortlist. Titles in the Children’s shortlist are: Pig the Star by Aaron Blabey, Self Regulated Learning I’m Australia Too by Mem Fox, Polly and Buster: The Wayward New research from the Assessment Research Centre’s study Realising Witch and the Feelings Monster the Potential of Australia’s High Capacity Students—which analysed by Sally Rippin and Nevermoor: 3741 Victorian public school students in Grades 5 to 8—suggests a The Trials of Morrigan Crow by correlation between high performing students and self-regulated Jessica Townsend. learning (SRL). Young adult titles are: Beautiful The findings indicate that the top 25% of high academic achievers in Mess by Claire Christian, Take the areas of both mathematics and reading comprehension also Three Girls by Cath Crowley, presented a competency to regulate their own learning. Researchers Fiona Wood & Simmone Howell, have determined that SRL incites productive behaviour such as goal Untidy Towns by Kate O’Donnell setting and metacognition, which empowers students with the ability and Wilder Country by Mark Smith. to self-motivate, reflect and adapt during the learning process. The winners will be announced Susan-Marie Harding, the project leader for the study, suggests on 26 March. educators consider the worth of teaching students SRL strategies and View the shortlists in each skills to aid them in fulfilling better learning practices. category of the awards here: Source: tinyurl.com/ydg69ksb tinyurl.com/y83df86z
12 | The Book Curator: February 2018 Adelaide Festival HCAA 2018 Awards for Literature Shortlist
The 2018 shortlist has been released for one of our nation’s richest The Hans Christian Andersen and most prestigious literary awards. Thirty-seven Australian writers Award is presented every two are contesting for the biennial awards’ prize pool of $167,500, which is years to an author and illustrator divided across six national and five South Australian categories. who have made lasting contributions to children’s Shortlisted titles for the Children’s Literature Award are: Rockhopping literature. Their 2018 shortlist has by Trace Balla, Dragonfly Song by Wendy Orr, The Fall by Tristan just been released. Bancks, How to Bee by Bren MacDibble, Sister Heart by Sally Morgan and The Other Christy by Oliver Phommavanh. Shortlisted titles for the Amongst the five international Young Adult Fiction Award are: Ballad for a Mad Girl by Vikki Wakefield, finalists in the author category is First Person Shooter by Cameron Raynes, My Sister Rosa by Justine Joy Cowley, one of New Larbalestier, Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristof, One Zealand’s most prolific writers. Thousand Hills by James Roy and Noel Zihabamwe, and The Boundless The remaining four candidates Sublime by Lili Wilkinson. are Marie-Aude Murail (France), The overall winner will receive the Premier’s Award of $25,000. Farhad Hassanzadeh (Iran), Eiko Kadono (Japan) and Ulf Stark Full Shortlist: tinyurl.com/y7dojwgo (Sweden). The five finalists in the illustrator category are Pablo Bernasconi Safer Internet Day (Argentina), Linda Wolfsgruber (Austria), Xiong Liang (China), This year Safer Internet Day—which calls all internet users to work Iwona Chmielewska (Poland), toward developing an improved, more considerate cyber environment Igor Oleynikov (Russia) and and digital experience, particularly for the benefit of younger users— Albertine (Switzerland). falls on Tuesday, 6 February. The theme for 2018 is Create, connect and share respect: A better internet starts with you. To help spread The two winners will be awareness for the campaign, organisers have created the ofcial announced at the International hashtags #SID2018 and #SaferInternetDay. While the 6th of February Board on Books for Young may be too early in the year for some schools, it is worth setting People (IBBY) Press Conference another date for your school to focus on cyber safety and drawing on on 26 March. the resources provided. Source: tinyurl.com/yacchdw7 Source: saferinternetday.org Sydney Writers’ Aussie ALMA Nominees Festival Changes It was recently announced that The world’s largest international award for children and young adult the Sydney Writer’s Festival will literature has announced its nominated candidates for the 2018 Astrid be held a month earlier than Lindgren Memorial Award. Among the 235 contenders from 60 previous years due to a diferent countries are nine Australian authors and illustrators, as well temporary shif in venues. The as one Australian organisation: Randa Abdel-Fattah, Morris Gleitzman, festival’s new locations whilst Ursula Dubosarsky, Gus Gordon, Robert Ingpen, Margo Lanagan, Kirsty the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct gets Murray, Margaret Wild, Mem Fox and the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. redeveloped are Carriageworks for 2018 and the Seymour Centre The winner will be announced via live broadcast from a press for 2019. This year’s program will conference in Stockholm on 27 March, as well as at the Bologna be released on 15 March, with the Children’s Book Fair. Two Australian authors have previously won the festival running 30 April to 6 May. ALMA: Shaun Tan in 2011 and Sonya Hartnett in 2008. Source: tinyurl.com/yawwhv76 Source: tinyurl.com/ybyzeb79
bookcurator.com.au | 13 Ursula Le Guin Supporting Librarians: Digital Resources 1929 to 2018 Free Posters and more from the While—used wisely—the internet National Film and Science fiction/fantasy luminary is a wonderful resource, its Ursula Le Guin passed away on Sound Archive plethora of information has led the 22nd January, aged 88 years. some to believe that there is less The National Film and Sound Best known for her Earthsea need for qualified librarians. Archive (NFSA) provides a host of series, the author originally came incredible resources that can be That erroneous belief couldn’t be to fame with her 1969 novel, The used in the classroom and/or further from the truth. In this age Lef Hand of Darkness, for which library. of unlimited information the role she won both the Nebula and of librarians is more crucial than This treasure trove includes over Hugo awards. ever. 1000 audiovisual clips with Amongst a vast array of other teachers’ notes to an Australian Sarah McIntyre has created some awards, she went on to win an History timeline, biographies of fabulous, colourful posters additional four Hugo and Nebula extraordinary Australians, promoting the value of librarians. awards, as well as a National information on the Mabo legal Book award. You can download them free of case and its ramifications, charge (for non-commercial use) treasures from our National Her groundbreaking books dig from the following website: Heritage List, an Arts Portal, a deeper than the usual fare, selective history of Broadcast exploring issues such as gender tinyurl.com/y7mhxlr9 Media in Australia and much roles and other aspects of what more. it means to be human. tinyurl.com/y9bf8jg9
Understanding trafc light ratings Australian author’s new series hotly The trafc lights are a grading system to assist schools with contested conservative collection policies to easily identify which reviews they should read more closely. Afer a heated auction and eventual six-figure acquisition There are no concerns with the book. by Hardie Grant Egmont, There are very mild concerns which we consider Sydney-based bookseller and unlikely to be an issue for the age group, but you debut author Jeremy Lachlan should check them out just in case. has been contracted for a four book adventure series. Mild to medium concerns, whether this book is suitable will depend on your collection policy. Targeted at readers aged 11 and Medium to high concerns. These books may be up, the tentatively titled Jane unsuitable for most schools with conservative Doe chronicles has been collection policies. described as ‘Narnia meets Mad Max’ and follows one fierce and A high level of concerns which are likely to make brilliant girl whose epic this book unsuitable for the vast majority of schools adventure leads her into a with conservative collection policies. deadly labyrinth between worlds. When considering how to rate each book, we weigh up the level of The first title, Jane Doe and the concerns with the quality of the book and the benefits to be gained Cradle of All Worlds is due to be from it. More information about the ‘scales’ process has been published in August this year. provided in a previous article. For a copy, please contact [email protected]. Your feedback on the trafc light Source: tinyurl.com/yb2vtbxj rating system is very welcome.
14 | The Book Curator: February 2018 BOOK REVIEWS
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Lionel and the Yay! It’s Library Day Macca the Alpaca Lion's Share Author: Aleesah Darlison Author: Matt Cosgrove ISBN: 978-1925563238 ISBN: 978-1743816332 Author: Lou Peacock Published: 01/02/2018 Published: 01/02/2018 ISBN: 978-1788000925 Publisher: Wombat Books Publisher: Koala Books Published: 02/01/2018 Publisher: Nosy Crow » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION Words float around us, drawing Macca the alpaca is small, kind and » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION pictures in our minds. Every book a friendly. His days are easy and Lionel the lion does NOT like to share. kingdom with story treasure to find. carefree until he accidentally bumps Afer all, lions always get the lion's head-first into Harmer the llama. share. He buys all the best Oliver and Ivy love visiting the Harmer is big, unkind and never, instruments from the music shop, library with Dad. With stories and ever friendly... Can little Macca find all the smartest hats from the hat their imaginations guiding them, a way to teach Harmer a lesson shop and all the brightest balloons the children go on grand ocean he'll never forget? from the balloon stall. But at Chloe's adventures, visit fairy-tale lands, watch elephants dancing in birthday party Lionel goes too far » OUR REVIEW and eats ALL the cake. That's when tuxedos and fly across the sapphire Written in fun rhyming verse, this Lionel's friends decide that enough sky on a magic carpet. quirky tale follows an adorable is enough. Discover the joy and wonder of alpaca living a life of innocence ... books with Oliver and Ivy in Yay! until he is confronted by a bully. » OUR REVIEW It’s Library Day. Illustrated by Harmer the llama challenges There's a lovely play on words in children from across Australia, Yay! Macca the alpaca to a contest of this picture book which deals with It’s Library Day reminds us about strength. Macca may not be selfishness, manners and being kind. the importance of libraries and the anywhere as big or strong as Young Lionel thinks it's his birthright treasures they hold. Harmer, but he knows how to use to always take more. Afer all, he his brains and wins the day. should get the lion's share! » OUR REVIEW Harmer's magnanimous response However one selfish act too many A fantastic venture that has to defeat and Macca's kindness in sees him ostracised. He now has combined the efforts of the author return teaches readers a great plenty of stuf, but no friends. and her readers to bring about a message about being considerate, Realising the error of his ways, he book that is illustrated entirely by friendly and forgiving. grabs everything he has hoarded Australian children. Recommended age: 3 years + and heads of to find them. From The colourful, mismatched pictures now on he's got a new motto: a not only showcases the extent of lion shares. kids' creativity, but perfectly As well as a helpful message about encapsulate this story about the social skills this book ofers some wonderment that can be found great vocabulary, including inside of books and libraries. diferent musical instruments, Recommended age: 5 to 8 years counting, colours and shapes as well as some easy-to-relate-to emotions. Recommended age: 4 years +
bookcurator.com.au | 15 SO TITLE
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Room on our Rock Kate and the Thing Erik the Lone Wolf Author: Kate & Jol Temple Author: Heidi Cooper Smith Author: Sarah Finan ISBN: 978-1742764108 ISBN: 978-1925563290 ISBN: 978-1786030108 Published: 01/02/2018 Published: 01/03/2018 Published: 24/01/2018 Publisher: Scholastic Publisher: Wombat Books Publisher: Quarto Group UK
» PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION The most powerful allegory of Moving to a new place, or starting a Everybody knows that wolves live refugees to date. Cleverly written new school, can be overwhelming in packs. But one little wolf cub, Erik, and beautifully illustrated, this — more than anything you need a dreams of escaping the rough and picture book has one story that friend. Luckily for Kate, she has the tumble to become a lone wolf. can be read two diferent ways. Thing. Kate and the Thing is a story Heading for the great outdoors When read from front to back, the of courage and kindness, and the with nothing but a backpack, he seals believe there is definitely no need to belong. excitedly snifs the mountain air, room on their rock for others. But feeling free! » OUR REVIEW when the book is read from back But when he gets into trouble out to front, the seals welcome others An endearing story of friendship on the mountainside, will the pack to shelter on their rock. that sees a young girl overcome be there to protect him? A gorgeous her new school nerves with the This heartwarming story is the story about friendship and freedom help of a Thing that follows her perfect way to teach compassion from exciting debut, Sarah Finan. around ofering support, fun and a to children of all ages. sense of belonging. » OUR REVIEW » OUR REVIEW Eventually, the Thing coaxes Kate Sometimes rules can seem a little This allegorical tale of overwhelmed out of her shell and she no longer stifling, especially for an adventurous seals seeking refuge from the needs him ... but the new boy young wolf. With the pack constantly tumultuous sea delivers a powerful does. Or maybe he just needs a around, Erik finds it difcult to get and emotionally complex message friend, like Kate? any space or have any fun, so he about rejection and acceptance, Recommended age: 5 to 8 years decides the life of a lone wolf is for despair and hope, fear and him. encouragement. Initially he enjoys the freedom, but The cleverly-written verse allows when he ends up in an icy situation, for the book to be read from front- he's very happy when the wolf pack to-back or back-to-front, presenting comes to his aid. A great story with two diferent versions of the one fabulous illustrations and a salient story in accompaniment with lesson about healthy beautiful watercolour illustrations. interdependence. Recommended age: 4 years + Recommended age: 4 years +
16 | The Book Curator: February 2018 Storybook Stars Parmesan the Clover’s Big Ideas Author: Jim Dewar Reluctant Racehorse Author: Georgie Donaghey ISBN: 978-1743810194 ISBN: 978-0994626967 Author: Jacqui Halpin Published: 01/02/2018 Published: 01/10/2017 ISBN: 978-0994626929 Publisher: Koala Books Publisher: Other Published: 01/10/2017 » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION Publisher: Other » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION The party's on! Yippee! Let's cheer! Being the smallest in the paddock » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION Storybook stars are gathered here! isn’t easy. Clover is always being Parmesan, the racehorse, thinks They've lef their tales and lef their teased. When three naughty lambs he’s a dog. Instead of training with rhymes to meet and talk about old go too far, Clover and her big ideas other horses, he’s off with his doggy times! step in. Discover how Clover shows friends, playing doggy games. Will being little makes her more Can you guess who is arriving at he be ready to run like a racehorse determined and clever than they the storybook stars' annual picnic in the Spring Carnival? A humorous could ever imagine. party? Be sure to look carefully - light-hearted tale that celebrates one particularly hungry guest isn't the joy of being yourself and running » OUR REVIEW quite what they seem. your own race. Relaying the importance of kindness and self-acceptance, a little lamb » OUR REVIEW » OUR REVIEW named Clover confronts her bullies This interactive story will engage A silly, comedic story about a by extending a helping hoof and readers with its rhyming prompts racehorse who is adamant he was showing compassion when one of inviting them to guess who each born a dog. Parmesan's trainer, Joe, them is stuck in an awkward well-known character is as they is under a lot of pressure to make situation ... perhaps the mean trio make their debut at the picnic. Parmesan perform at the Spring shouldn't have aggravated the Carnival, but simply can't get the A fun idea that brings some of kids' intimidating bull in the paddock stubborn horse to race when he's favourite fairy tales together into next door by crossing his fence! one book, with Easter eggs hidden happy just playing fetch! Luckily, Clover knows that despite in each illustration and a surprising Accepting him for the way he is, Joe her size, she can be the bigger twist on the final page. finds a solution that allows Parmesan person. Her goodwill towards the Recommended age: 4 years + to embrace his quirkiness AND misunderstood bull allows her to compete in the Spring Carnival, prove the power of empathy to fulfilling his legacy as the ofspring herself, the three naughty lambs of two great racehorses. and readers. Recommended age: 3 to 7 years Recommended age: 4 to 8 years
bookcurator.com.au | 17 A fun look at strengths and how some excel at particular jobs. Very colourful and fun illustrations accompany an enjoyable and humorous story. Recommended age: 4 years +
The Five Misfits Hark It's Me, Author: Beatrice Alemagna Ruby Lee! SO ISBN: 978-1847806376 Author: Lisa Shanahan TITLE Published: 06/08/2015 ISBN: 978-0734416551 Publisher: Quarto Group UK Published: 25/07/2017 » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION Publisher: Hachette A quirky, allegorical picture book » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION from the multi award-winning Life of the Party!: Ruby Lee is a little girl with a very creator of A Lion in Paris. big imagination. Every week Ruby's The Susie K Files # 1 There were five of them altogether. teacher, Mrs Majestic-Jones, asks Author: Shamini Flint Five misfits. The five had never special people to do special jobs in ISBN: 978-1760296681 amounted to much in life, nor did her class. Ruby would do anything Published: 02/01/2018 they feel like doing anything. And then to be the messenger, as she's the Publisher: Allen & Unwin one day, from who knows where, best in her class at announcing. came an extraordinary fellow... But will her wild imagination get in » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION the way? A delightful story about When Mr Perfect comes to stay, Susie K likes science instead of an adorable and irrepressible the five misfits find themselves netball and has the class goldfish heroine from CBCA award-winning questioning what their purpose in for a best friend. But Susie's mum author Lisa Shanahan. life is. Can they teach him that not finds it hard to believe that she's fitting in is more fun than trying to happy that way. She's constantly » OUR REVIEW be perfect? trying to push Susie (with the best We all have our strong suits and of intentions, of course!) to be » OUR REVIEW although Ruby Lee longs to be something she's not. And the last Translated from the Italian I Cinque chosen as class messenger (and thing Susie wants is to disappoint Malfatti, the odd rhythm of the believes she would be excellent at it) her mum... prose beautifully compliments the in reality her strengths lie elsewhere. Susie's mum is thrilled to hear that quirky collage art illustrations and It's not that she can't be trusted, it's Susie is going to Clementine's poignant themes within the story. just that her very active imagination party ... except she hasn't been This unusual, amusing read follows creates interesting scenarios along invited yet. So even though Susie five dejected, catastrophic the way that distract her from her would much rather stay home to characters with no prospects or task! Forget about losing notes, Ruby read about endangered animals, self-esteem. When a haughty even manages to lose her best friend she uses all her problem-solving stranger arrives unannounced to (thankfully he turns up again). skills to become the life of the assure them of their worthlessness, However, when a bird flies into the party! the misfits are spurred into classroom, Ruby is the only one to In this fresh new series find out how discovering the talents behind their keep a cool head. Pulling a crust Susie's unconventional problem- peculiarities and quickly realise they from her pocket she stays very still solving skills + Mum's optimistically are perfectly happy being imperfect. until the pigeon gently alights on high expectations = hilarious results. Recommended age: 4 years + her arm and she can carry him from the room. As a consequence, » OUR REVIEW she is permanently appointed as In this new series for early readers, the Special Emergency Officer, which we follow the misadventures of makes her very happy. science geek Susie K. She likes
18 | The Book Curator: February 2018 nothing better than reading, playing Major themes: family, school, sports with her chemistry set and solving day, trying diferent sports, chess, problems. Her mum, on the other strategy, problem solving hand, wants her to be popular and Content notes: Not applicable. good at everything. Unfortunately science isn't high on her list. SO TITLE When she badgers Susie about being popular at school, Susie tells Recommended age: 6 to 10 years Suitable class novel: YES her she has been invited to a party. Good read rating: %%%% Her mum's delighted but Susie not Literary value rating: %%%% so much - now she has to wrangle an invite! Using her problem-solving Game Changer!: skills she succeeds and her The Susie K Files # 2 alternative party ideas are a big hit. Author: Shamini Flint This is a book which could be read ISBN: 978-1760296698 on two levels. For the target age Published: 02/01/2018 group it's about fitting in, peer Publisher: Allen & Unwin pressure, adapting and overcoming problems and being yourself. For » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION parents, could be a timely reminder Susie's mum is excited to hear that about the expectations placed on Susie is competing in Sports Day at their children. On balance, Susie school ... except Susie hasn't found manages to remain her own person a sport she's any good at. But even Sam's Surfboard and handle each situation in her though Susie would much rather stay own unique way. Showdown home and investigate deforestation, Major themes: family, school, peer she uses all her problem-solving Author: Allayne L. Webster & pressure, fitting in, overcoming skills to become a game changer! Amanda S. Clarke problems, being yourself ISBN: 978-1742991894 Content notes: This book is written » OUR REVIEW Published: 01/02/2018 very comically/tongue in cheek. As Now that Susie's mum thinks Susie Publisher: Omnibus part of the nonsense Susie reports is popular, she decides that Susie that her full name is Susanna should be a star athlete at the » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION Saathiavanni Kanagaratnam-Smith. upcoming school sports day. With Ten-year-old Sam Sumner is the Her mother (a Sri Lankan refugee) little alternative, Susie has to find best sportsman at Robe Primary 'consulted a Sri Lankan soothsayer the right sport for her. Eventually School. He loves Nippers surf club who consulted the stars and the she stumbles upon the perfect the best. That's until Finn Hester planets and told my mum that I sport which plays to her mental moves to town. Finn is good at had to be called Saathiavanni or strengths and doesn't require any everything and Sam isn't happy TERRIBLE THINGS would happen to physical abilities. about it. Likewise, Sam's mum feels me. What, pray tell, could be worse Though she's never played chess a bit intimidated by Finn's mum's THAN being called Saathiavanni?' before, she takes to it like a duck cooking - she used to be the best Refer to page 15. to water and soon the whole Sports cook in town! Day result hangs on whether she Finn joins Nippers, much to Sam's wins the final. A good reminder that displeasure. A special competition we all have diferent strengths and is announced: a chance to win a Recommended age: 6 to 10 years Suitable class novel: YES not being caught up on the opinions surfboard signed by Mick Fanning. Good read rating: %%%% of others. Sam has his heart set on it, but so %%%% Literary value rating: does Finn. There's good advice around strategy and problem solving, and Who will win the big race? Will Sam this installment also flows better and Finn remain sworn enemies? than the first book. There are lots And who is the best cook in town? of drawings with text in speech A story about rivalry and friendship. bubbles, comic book style, making this series helpful for reluctant as » OUR REVIEW well as early readers.
bookcurator.com.au | 19 Sam is the best swimmer in his educational, the novel explains a Nippers club. He’s used to being situation that can threaten our the best at school as well, until new wildlife and impact the environment. student Finn Hester comes along. It also shows young children how Finn seems better than Sam at to care for sick animals and save almost everything. Then he joins their lives in the event of a disaster. Nippers and beats Sam in the Major themes: loyalty, kindness to training heat. He even rivals him in animals, survival, displacement, a burping competition. man’s impact/destruction on the When the Nippers get an opportunity environment, friendship, love to win a surfboard signed by surfing The Picky Pufn: Content notes: Not applicable. legend Mick Fanning, the competition is on. As Sam gets to know Finn, he Zoe's Rescue Zoo gets a glimpse of the lonely kid Author: Amelia Cobb trying to impress the dad who’s Recommended age: 6 to 8 Years leaving him behind. Sam is torn ISBN: 978-0857639837 Suitable class novel: NO %%%% between feeling for Finn and his Published: 23/08/2017 Good read rating: Literary value rating: %%%% own desire to win. Then Sam Publisher: Nosy Crow sprains his ankle, which takes him » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION out of training practice. Pufns are Zoe's favourite ever The rivalry even extends to their animal, so when Poppy arrives at mothers, who are both incredible the Rescue Zoo, Zoe is very happy cake bakers. Sam’s mum is so to help her settle in. But Poppy is caught up in trying to cook the most very picky! She doesn't like her impressive food that she accidentally enclosure ... or her burrow ... or even leaves the oven on one night. her food! Can Zoe and Meep work The big day finally arrives and Sam’s out what is making Poppy the puffin ankle is improved enough that he so picky, and come up with a plan can race. Sam and Finn are head to make the little pufn feel happy to head until Sam hears screaming in her new home? Patty and the and turns to see Finn in danger in the water. He ignores the race and » OUR REVIEW Shadows: goes back to save Finn, which Zoe has been gifed with the ability Game Day! # 2 leaves their friend Ziggy to win the to talk to animals; but no one except surfboard. the animals knows her secret! In Author: Patty Mills Ultimately Sam realises that Nippers The Picky Puffin, Great Uncle Horace ISBN: 978-1760295110 is about saving lives, not about arrives home from Iceland with a Published: 26/07/2017 winning. He and Finn become friends, homeless baby pufn whose home Publisher: Allen & Unwin as do their mothers, who end up has been destroyed by an oil spill. opening a bakery together. An Zoe makes the baby pufn the » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION enjoyable, encouraging read for subject of her school project and There's a new team in town: the young sports fans. class excursion. Shadows. And sport-mad Patty Mills has something to prove ... Tyson is Major themes: Nippers, swimming, She names the puffin Piper and with Patty's arch-rival. And when he gives sport, competition, family situation, plenty of love Zoe and her pet lemur, Patty a hard time about his people, broken families, trying to impress a Meep, eventually re-settle it into a it really hurts. But it makes Patty parent, friendship, priorities new enclosure at the zoo. However, Piper the Pufn is still sad. Much to more determined than ever. Content notes: Not applicable. Zoe’s delight, Great Uncle Horace Playing for the Shadows, Patty and comes to the rescue, adopting a his friends have a chance to shine - group of pufns from a sea-life and show that Indigenous kids can rescue centre only a few miles Recommended age: 5 to 8 years do anything. Afer a huge Suitable class novel: NO from the Rescue Zoo. improvement, they make the grand %%%% Good read rating: final. And the result will come down Literary value rating: %%%% Piper the Pufn is delighted and happy at last with the addition of to the final seconds of the game. five new pufn friends. Partly
20 | The Book Curator: February 2018 » OUR REVIEW » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION In this new series of books Australian The bad news? The world is ending. Olympic basketballer and NBA star The good news? The Bad Guys are Patty Mills helps show how back to save it! Sure, they might have dedication, practice and hard work to borrow a rocket ... And there might SO are just as important to success as be something nasty in one of the TITLE raw talent. Though fictional, there's spacesuits ... And Mr Piranha might a definite biographical element. The have eaten too many bean burritos ... doubts, pressures and conflicts are But seriously, how BAD can it be? all something which budding athletes How bad?! SUPER BAD. It’s one small will relate to. step for the Sort-Of-International- League-Of-Good-Guys-Guys. Its Barney and the The books are well-written, fast- one giant leap for The Bad Guys. paced reads with plenty of action Secret of the on and of the court. Afer his first » OUR REVIEW season of basketball, Patty is invited French Spies Still copping a lot of negative press to join a new team of indigenous Author: Jackie French for their last efort, the Bad Guys and non-Australian players. ISBN: 978-1460751305 have to launch a space mission if His nemesis and previous teammate Published: 22/01/2018 they are to save the Earth and Tyson is giving him a hard time, Publisher: Harper Collins become the heroes they crave to picking on his height and denigrating be. Dr Marmalade is operating from his people. The tables are turned » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION the Moon but no-one believes them. when Patty enjoys a growth spurt The new title in the critically With the aid of Agent Fox they steal and beats Tyson's team in the acclaimed series that explores a rocket and blast off. Only one issue grand final. Australia's early Colonial secret arises; Piranha has developed a history. In 1798 orphaned Barney Major themes: basketball, school taste for burritos and in confined Bean now has a flourishing farm in work, friends, teamwork, pressure, spaces the results are hideous. the New South Wales colony and bullying, indigenous culture, practice However, when he finds himself in everything he ever dreamed of ... Content notes: Not applicable. Mr Wolf's space suit his gaseous except his childhood friend Elsie. eruptions save the day and bring But when Elsie falls ill and Barney an end to Dr Marmalade's zombie rushes to be by her side, he finally ray. While the Earth is saved, they learns the deadly secret she has Recommended age: 6 to 9 years discover that their nemesis is in Suitable class novel: NO been hiding. Who is this strange Good read rating: %%%%% fact an alien and so a new story and beautiful girl who will not speak? Literary value rating: %%%% begins. And could France ever attack the Another fun adventure in this zany isolated colony? graphic novel/early reader series. Written by award-winning author Major themes: space, rockets, Jackie French and superbly illustrated aliens, quest, bad guy heroes, saving by Mark Wilson, this fourth book in the planet, teamwork, mission The Secret Histories series explores extraordinary and untold stories from Content notes: Not applicable. Australia's past, including the female French botanist who could only work disguised as a man, French and
Recommended age: 7 to 10 years English spies, and wars between Suitable class novel: NO two empires that threatened even Good read rating: %%%% a far-of colony. Intergalactic Gas: Literary value rating: %%%% » OUR REVIEW Bad Guys Episode 5 A lot has changed in the 10 years Author: Aaron Blabey since Barney was a convict brat. ISBN: 978-1760279479 He’s now the owner of a fine Published: 01/05/2017 property with good quality breeding Publisher: Scholastic sheep and his own cottage.
bookcurator.com.au | 21 All he wants now is to marry Elsie, able to converse well with them, the orphan girl the Johnsons although they are suspicious of her. rescued when they rescued him. SO TITLE This changes when an unrelated But while he’s thinking about how accident takes the lives of a family to ask her, an urgent message of geese, leaving just one lone egg arrives. Elsie is desperately ill and who Roz determines to save. This the Johnsons are fearful it maybe act of 'motherly' instinct resonates typhus. Barney is to come at once. with the animals whose attitude When he gets to the Johnson’s, he towards her thaws very slightly. is told that Elsie is in the isolation Needing shelter for her 'baby' she hut at the hospital. Elsie is enlists the beavers to help build a seriously ill but that’s not why The Wild Robot sturdy lodge. Here she raises she’s there. The isolation is for a Author: Peter Brown Brightbill and even teaches him to far more serious reason – Elsie, ISBN: 978-1848127272 fly by observing how the other birds who has lived in silence for the Published: 24/01/2018 do it. Eventually he has to migrate past 10 years, has been speaking in Publisher: Bonnier with the other geese and Roz is French while unconscious and lef to face the winter alone. delirious. If anyone hears her, she » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION The season is particularly harsh and is in danger of being branded a When robot Roz opens her eyes for when she keeps finding dead birds, French spy. the first time, she discovers that she Roz realises she must do something. is alone on a remote, wild island. Barney is desperate to protect her, She lights a fire in her lodge and She has no idea how she got there but first he needs to know the invites the animals in (under a no- or what her purpose is - but she truth. When Elsie recovers she tells eating truce of course!). She then knows she needs to survive. Afer him her story. As it unfolds the builds more lodges around the battling a fierce storm and escaping reader will learn about the French island for the animals and teaches a vicious bear attack, she realises and their role in Australia’s past – them the beneficial use of fire. that her only hope for survival is to something that most will be Because of her actions many animals adapt to her surroundings and learn unaware of. are saved from the brutal winter. from the island's unwelcoming An enjoyable story that explores By the Spring, Roz has become animal inhabitants. gender roles, history and the almost legendary to the animals transformed life of two fictitious As Roz slowly befriends the animals, who now consider her a friend. orphans whose lives were the island starts to feel like home - Brightbill and the geese return, but transformed by the kindness of until, one day, her mysterious past soon trouble brews. A search for the Reverend Johnson and his wife. comes back to haunt her. From missing cargo ship and lost robots bestselling and award-winning This book could possibly be read as brings three recovery robots to the author and illustrator Peter Brown a standalone but greater enjoyment island. They have only one purpose comes a heartwarming and action- will be found in reading the previous and can't be reasoned with. packed novel about what happens books in the excellent Secret when nature and technology collide. With the selfless help of her animal Histories series, following Barney By turns funny, moving, surprising friends Roz manages to destroy all and Elsie’s story from the beginning. and dramatic, this is a novel that is three, but knowing that more will Major themes: convicts, as thought-provoking as it is come she decides to return on the Australian / French history, colonial enchanting. robots' aircraf to the factory that history, botany, expedition, new created her, hoping that she will life, gender roles, kindness, » OUR REVIEW find answers there to her many friendship, love, hope When a cargo ship sinks during a questions. Content notes: Not applicable. storm, Roz is the only of the 500 A truly unique, quirky and endearing robots on board who survives. tale, full of pathos and wit, while also Washed up in her crate on a remote provoking further questions and island, she's inadvertently activated deeper thinking. If the main character Recommended age: 12 years + by inquisitive otters. Having no other had been human or animal, rather Suitable class novel: YES Good read rating: %%%% reference point, her one instinct is than robot, the scenarios would Literary value rating: %%%% to survive. She learns quickly and have had a completely diferent camouflages herself in order to study meaning. By using a robot, the the native fauna better. Soon she author immediately changes a learns the animals' language and is
22 | The Book Curator: February 2018 familiar dynamic and invites us to treacherous voyage to find the sequence. The first book, A Tail of question life, love and friendship. mythical, healing island of Avalon. Camelot was reviewed in our Though outwardly simple, this is a But even as their journey takes September 2017 edition. beautifully woven story with each them over land and sea, back at Favourite quote: What is most act of kindness building on the last home, Calib's human friend Galahad important to a knight: bravery, until, in the end, all Roz's animal discovers that the true enemy may strength, or wisdom? ... This time friends would willingly give up their have already found a way inside the [Calib] had an answer: The most lives for her. Powerful, gripping and castle walls ... important quality in a knight is not easily forgotten, we highly kindness. (p344) recommend this book. » OUR REVIEW Major themes: Camelot, King Arthur, Major themes: robots, artificial Calib Christopher is a tawny mouse Arthurian legend, bravery, strength, intelligence, survival, kindness, competing in the Harvest Tournament wisdom, kindness, friendship, good nature, isolation, animal kingdom, as a graduating page. He and his versus evil, problem solving, friendship, instinct, motherly love, fellow pages must demonstrate the teamwork, betrayal, courage three essential qualities of a knight self sacrifice Content notes: As you would expect - bravery, strength and wisdom. His Content notes: Not applicable. in a book that draws on Arthurian testing is interrupted by the need legend, there are (mild) references to rescue a squirrel who's about to to magical objects (Excalibur and drown. The squirrel, a stranger other items) an evil witch (Morgan named Saffron, is ill and brings news Recommended age: 9 to 14 years le Fay) and foretelling the future Suitable class novel: YES of a terrible sickness amongst the (e.g. p81, 156, 275-6). An illness Good read rating: %%%%% villagers. Literary value rating: %%%%% strikes the castle which turns out Before she dies she makes Calib to be a curse related to a magical promise that he will find the mythical object. island of Avalon, in order to find a cure before it is too late. With the illness quickly spreading inside the castle walls - affecting both animals Recommended age: 9 to 14 years and their human counterparts - Suitable class novel: NO SO Good read rating: %%%%% TITLE Calib and his fellow pages set out Literary value rating: %%%%% on their quest. Their path is filled with friends and foes - and sometimes it is hard to tell the diference. Meanwhile Galahad (son of Lancelot) is Voyage to Avalon: searching Merlin's scrolls trying to find something that might help. He The Mice of the is not the only one looking - Round Table # 2 'Red' (aka Mordred) - a new addition to the castle is up to more than it SO Author: Julie Leung seems, and none of it good. TITLE ISBN: 978-1848126053 Published: 22/11/2017 With his uncle, King Arthur, in his Publisher: Bonnier sick bed, Red's plans to take over the castle on behalf of Morgan le The Brilliant » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION Fay will only be thwarted with the Fall of Gianna Z. help of Lady of the Lake (a snowy Young mouse Calib Christopher has white egret) and the courage of a Author: Kate Messner nearly completed his training to small, furry band of adventurers. It ISBN: 978-1681195476 become a squire to the Knights of soon becomes clear that while Published: 01/01/2018 the Round Table when news of a fighters are what the many think is Publisher: Bloomsbury deadly plague comes to the castle. needed, it is healers who will change Soon all of Camelot is showing signs the world... » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION of the illness, animals and humans In the mountains of rural Vermont, alike. Desperate to find a cure, Calib This is a fabulous read which can fall is a season of beauty and and his friend Cecily set of on a be enjoyed as a standalone tale, transformation ... but not for Gianna but is even better when read in
bookcurator.com.au | 23 Z. With less than one week to collect Meanwhile her grandmother is bear to leave her boyfriend behind. twenty-five leaves for a science undergoing medical tests, with Soon there are secrets everywhere. project, her spot at cross-country Alzheimer’s Disease a likely Perfect for readers of Cathy Cassidy, sectionals is in serious peril. Plus diagnosis. Yet the book finishes on a Jacqueline Wilson and Judy Blume, with a dad who runs a funeral parlor hopeful note as the family learns to Libby in the Middle is a story about out of the basement, a grandma adjust to her growing memory loss. family, friendship and discovering who keeps losing her teeth, and a This is an easy to read, well written where you fit into the world. rival trying to steal her spot on the story with a subtle message of the team, Gee just wishes life could leave importance of relationships over » OUR REVIEW her alone to finish her project. achievements. Middle child Libby is on the precipice But when Nonna disappears one Major themes: families, friendships, of puberty in this endearing book afernoon, suddenly some things relationships, school, aging, death, about sibling rivalry, belonging and seem more important than projects Alzheimer’s Disease family secrets. Largely influenced and races. Gianna Z. will have by her older sister Bella, who is Content notes: Not applicable. readers rooting for her-and maybe facing her own set of teenage even for science projects-from the problems with her boyfriend, Libby very first page of this funny and grapples with friendship issues and poignant novel about family, Recommended age: 10 to 13 years the gradual changes to her friendship, and being true to yourself. Suitable class novel: NO physical self. Winner of the E.B. White Read Good read rating: %%%%% %%%%% Libby in the Middle will resonate Aloud Award for Older Readers. Literary value rating: with readers who have relocated with their families to a completely » OUR REVIEW new setting and who have had to The main character of this school- deal with making new friends just based novel is Gianna Zales, ofen as Libby does in the book afer her called Gee, who loves art, sport move from town to the country. and even poetry, but not science. Instances of thef and lies feature However to be eligible to represent in the story and these are dealt the school in the cross country, her with through exposure and adequate science teacher has stipulated she SO consequences for wrong actions. must pass her latest science project, TITLE which is a problem because Gianna Long held family secrets involving hasn’t even started. The science Libby’s father are also an underlying project involves collecting 25 leaves action in the book and these receive from different trees, plus identifying Libby in the Middle resolutions that are meant to benefit the relationships between parent and documenting them. Fortunately Author: Gwyneth Rees and child. A genuinely lovable read, her good friend Zig, whose real ISBN: 978-1408852774 Libby in the Middle is a sound name is Rigby, is a science whiz, Published: 01/01/2018 experience for older primary readers. and eager to help. Publisher: Bloomsbury However, Gianna has more pressing Major themes: sibling rivalry, family problems. Her grandmother lives » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION secrets, belonging, family relocation with the family and has become Libby and her big sister Bella used Content notes: Bella steals money quite forgetful of late. Gianna’s Dad to be close, but lately it's felt like to support her boyfriend in secret runs his own funeral business and Bella is a closed book - she's (p110); Bella displays insolence and her mother is busy with the book sarcastic and mean and obsessed argues with her dad (p125-127); work, plus her other interests with her boyfriend. Then there's Bella lies to her parents to avoid serving on several committees. No six-year-old Grace, the baby of the serious consequences (p204-205). one seems to taking her Grandma’s family. Whenever Mum and Dad growing forgetfulness seriously. aren't at work, it's all about Grace. The story concludes with Gianna So where does Libby fit in? Recommended age: 11 to 13 years finishing her science project afer Things change suddenly when the Suitable class novel: YES many obstructions including a girls move to the tiny village where Good read rating: %%%%% %%%% sabotage attempt from a running their dad grew up as their bossy Literary value rating: rival, a hunt for her lost grandma Aunt Thecla has ofered to pay for and an interfering mother. them to go to a posh new school. Libby doesn't mind, but Bella can't
24 | The Book Curator: February 2018 siblingswap.com. However, Jonny's the island, not since they were expectations of a perfectly hunted to extinction, centuries matched brother are not realised, ago. He decides to investigate his as a range of bizarre replacements island home and accepts an continue to arrive. A weirder bunch ancient challenge: he who jumps you couldn't find, but even one the Bonnie Laddies Leap wins a who could be his twin somehow fortune. As the wolves rise from SO doesn't stack up against Ed. the darkness of history, and long- TITLE Eventually realising his mistake, buried secrets resurface, Innis's Jonny sets of with the aid of his adventure truly begins... pseudo brothers to release Ted » OUR REVIEW I Swapped My from the Sibling Swap warehouse. Brother on the When news breaks that Nin Island An entertaining, zany read with is slated as the site for 58 wind Internet Jonny eventually realising that only turbines that will impact Innis’ family truly knows you best, and beloved Barrens (the wild centre of Author: Jo Simmons that he may be better of with the the island), and ruin his best friend ISBN: 978-1408877753 brother/‘devil’ he knows! Kat’s quest to get it named an Published: 01/02/2018 Major themes: brothers, family, International Dark Sky Discovery Publisher: Bloomsbury friends, school, adventure, sibling Site, Innis knows he must do relationships, geeks, rescue something … if only he knew what. » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION There have been no wolves on Nin Everyone has dreamed of being able Content notes: One of the Island (Scotland) for 300 years, so to get rid of their brother or sister 'replacement' brothers sent by when he sees one in the Barrens, at one time or another but for Jonny, Sibling Swap is the 'ghost of Henry not even his Gramps believes him. the dream is about to become a VIII'. It's nonsense humour, nothing While trying to find out where the reality with SiblingSwap.com! What of concern. wolf came from, he stumbles across could be better than someone a private ‘wildlife sanctuary’ where awesome to replace Ted, Jonny's it quickly becomes clear he is very obnoxious older brother. But Recommended age: 8 to 12 years unwelcome. Then the boy he saw finding the perfect brother isn't Suitable class novel: NO at the sanctuary – Lachlan Geddes %%%% easy, as Jonny discovers when Good read rating: – turns up at school. Even worse, he Literary value rating: %%%% Sibling Swap sends him a line of is quickly making friends with Kat. increasingly bizarre replacements: While sneaking around the wildlife first a merboy, then a brother sanctuary, Innis found a carved raised by meerkats, and then the rock near a clef in the clif. A ghost of Henry the Eighth! What's teacher helps him research the coming next?! Suddenly old Ted story behind it. In 1788 Bonnie isn't looking so bad. But can Jonny Prince Charles escaped from the ever get him back? A hilarious tale Jacobites when a group of wolves of wish fulfilment gone wrong that (recognising the true King of every child will relate to. Scotland) let him pass and he was able to leap the clef in the rock » OUR REVIEW and get away. The Laird, who was There's an interesting premise to the last of his line, had fought this book, which is bound to appeal The Rise of Wolves alongside Charles in his youth. In to all those who have ever felt the his eccentric old age, he decided to Author: Kerr Thomson desire to change their sibling! create a challenge – whoever can ISBN: 978-1911077695 Brothers and sisters can be repeat Charles’ leap will be the Published: 01/02/2018 annoying, until you peel away the next Laird. It is also said that the Publisher: Chicken House veneer and discover where their wolves of Nin Island will know who true heart lies. That is the essence theLaird should be … of this amusing novel. Jonny is fed » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION up with his older brother Ted, who Innis Munro is walking home across If Innis gets named as Laird, he will always seems to be putting him the bleak wilderness of Nin Island control the common land on the down. A solution arises with the when he hears the chilling howl of island and can stop the wind advent of a new website a wolf. But there are no wolves on turbines from being built. He’d also
bookcurator.com.au | 25 have the money to ensure his who was looking for something of beloved Gramps – who is showing Jonah's. the increasing effects of Parkinsons Auden had heard that Jonah was – can stay on the island. working on something that could Innis carefully measures the gap cure Auden's condition - could this and it doesn’t seem that big, so he be it? loudly proclaims his intent on social Then Auden and Vivi make an media. Before long an extreme extraordinary discovery. Hidden sports challenge has tracked him away under the shed at the bottom down and he naively agrees to a of Jonah's garden is an enigmatic deal allowing them to broadcast his The Extraordinary and ingenious robot, who calls attempt. There’s just one problem himself Paragon. A talking, walking, … Innis has dyscalculia and his Colours of Auden human-like robot. Apparently built measurements are way of. He’d by Jonah - but why? The answer to back out but there’s no way the Dare this will take Auden and Vivi on a media is going to let him of the Author: Zillah Bethell thrilling journey of discovery as hook. ISBN: 978-1848126084 they seek to find out just what But there are wolves on Nin – the Published: 25/10/2017 exactly Paragon is - and what link last wild wolves in all of Scotland – Publisher: Piccadilly Press he has to Auden - and find that the a secret that has been closely held truth is bigger and more wonderful by the Geddes family for centuries. » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION than either of them could have And the wolves seem to recognise I am how I've always been. My name imagined. Innis in some way … is Auden Dare. I am eleven years old. » OUR REVIEW This is a wonderful story set on a Auden Dare has an unusual wild Scottish island with some perspective on life: he cannot see This is a heart warming story set in valuable exploration of balancing in colour. He's always had this rare an interesting future world which the need for sustainable energy with condition - and life is beginning to culminates in scarce resource other environmental protection get harder for Auden. problem solved and world peace. factors. The war for water that is raging Eleven-year-old Auden Dare and Major themes: Scotland, Inner across the world is getting a little his mum leave their London place Hebrides, wolves, legend, closer all the time. It hardly rains to move to Cambridge because his Jacobites, Bonnie Prince Charles, any more, anywhere. Everyone is uncle, scientist Dr Jonah Blood has friendship, Christian faith, family, thirsty all the time, and grubby, and died and lef them his cottage. He adventure, grandfather/grandchild exhausted. Auden has to learn to also lef Auden half a meteorite relationship, myths and legends, live without his father, who is away called Snowflake 843A. He lef the media exploitation, environmental fighting, and has had to move to a other half, Snowflake 843B, with a protection, sustainable energy. new town with his mother, and friend, Six Six, who lives at Trinity start a new school, where everyone College where he worked. Content notes: 1. Language: thinks he's a weirdo. But when he ‘bloody hell’ (p257), ‘oh God’ (p123, Auden who has achromatopsia, a meets Vivi Rookmini, a smiling girl 147, 153, 190, 210,220, 249). 2. Brief rare inability to see colour, meets bright with cleverness, his hopes reference to Gramps drinking Vivi Rookmini, his appointed School begin to lif. alcohol (p237-8) Buddy, at his new school. Vivi is Six It soon becomes clear to Auden, Six. Her mother is the college though, that there are some strange seamstress. Dr Bloom's cottage things afoot in his new hometown. and ofce have both been Recommended age: 9 to 13 years He and his mother have moved into vandalised. Obviously someone Suitable class novel: YES has been searching for something. Good read rating: %%%%% the old cottage of his recently-dead Literary value rating: %%%%% uncle Jonah Bloom - a scientist and The world is at war over water. It professor at the university. The has stopped raining. Water is tightly place is in disarray - and although controlled by the Water Allocation Auden's mother tells him it's Board. Auden's father is away because Jonah was a messy old fighting. Auden and Vivi discover a thing, Auden knows diferently. humanoid robot, Paragon who quotes Someone else did this - someone poetry hidden in an underground room. They also discovered a
26 | The Book Curator: February 2018 pram-like piece of equipment From the award-winning Jaclyn lacking a battery in the back of Moriarty comes a fantastic tale of Jonah's shed. Paragon has extensive high intrigue, grand adventure and knowledge and advanced skills but an abundance of aunts. no obvious purpose. Auden thinks Paragon might be part of his uncle's » OUR REVIEW eforts to help him see colour - the Ten-year-old Bronte lives with an Rainbow Project. Auden suspects aunt and her butler. Her parents his uncle's death was not from mysteriously disappeared on an natural causes. adventure when she was a baby. He learns from the school bully that The Extremely The story begins with the news his father is in prison for desertion. that Bronte’s parents are dead. The Water Allocation Board (WAB) Inconvenient This doesn’t overly upset Bronte as are looking for Paragon. Auden and she never knew her parents. Vivi visit a friend of Dr Bloom's, Dr Adventures of However with their deaths and the Milo Treble. He fixed a light on Bronte Mettlestone reading of their will, comes paragon. None of them realise this instructions that Bronte is to visit will alert the WAB to Paragon's Author: Jaclyn Moriarty her ten other aunts and deliver whereabouts. The WAB captures ISBN: 978-1760297176 particular gifs to each of them. So them. It's revealed Paragon was Published: 25/10/2017 begins Bronte’s extremely, meant to be a robot soldier. The Publisher: Allen & Unwin inconvenient adventures. WAB plans to dismantle and copy What follows is the amusing tales » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION him. of Bronte’s aunts and their families. Bronte Mettlestone's parents ran They escape. Paragon has Each aunt has a unique and unusual away to have adventures when she discovered Auden's father was occupation. Bronte unwittingly was a baby, leaving her to be raised imprisoned for stopping to rescue learns information about the by her Aunt Isabelle and the Butler. children from a burning car. He also Whispering Wars, spells, dragons, She's had a perfectly pleasant discovered his real purpose. He is pirates, elves and water sprites childhood of afernoon teas and the power source for the pram-like which becomes important in the riding lessons - and no adventures, gadget which is a rain machine. His final chapters. thank you very much. outer shell remains in the park, a In the climax of the book Bronte nesting place for birds. The rain But Bronte's parents have lef rescues her cousin, Billy who was machine is copied and supplied to extremely detailed (and bossy) taken captive by pirates. With her the world so the war is over. instructions for Bronte in their will. other cousins in tow, they are able Auden's dad is cleared of charges The instructions must be followed to defeat the menacing powers of and released from prison. Dr Treble to the letter, or disaster will befall the Whispering King and also invents a gadget which allows Bronte's home. She is to travel the rescue her parents, who weren’t Auden to hear colours. He's also kingdoms and empires, perfectly dead afer all. Something our courting Vivi's mum. alone, delivering special gifs to review had suspected, but a young her ten other aunts. There is a A very enjoyable, interesting story. reader probably wouldn’t. farmer aunt who owns an orange The well-written whimsical story Major themes: water shortage, orchard and a veterinarian aunt has a very satisfying appeal as so friendship, robots, science, who specialises in dragon care, a many seemingly unimportant achromatopsia pair of aunts who captain a cruise details in the early stages of the Content notes: Not applicable. ship together and a former rockstar book become important in the final aunt who is now the reigning resolution. While this is a long book monarch of a small kingdom. (500 pages), it moves at a good Now, armed with only her parents' Recommended age: 9 to 13 years pace with short chapters, and Suitable class novel: YES instructions, a chest full of strange comical illustrations. Good read rating: %%%% gifts and her own strong will, Bronte Major themes: families, Literary value rating: %%%% must journey forth to face dragons, friendships, adventure, fun, magic Chief Detectives and pirates - and the gathering suspicion that there Content notes: Language: might be something more to her 'bugger' x 1 (p158) extremely inconvenient quest than meets the eye...
bookcurator.com.au | 27 Recommended age: 8 to 12 years enchanted sword which identified Eleanor returns to Odo and they Suitable class novel: NO Good read rating: %%%%% itself as Hilderbrand Shining send messages to warn other Literary value rating: %%%%% Foebiter, knighted him and villagers. In the Old Forest they are designated Eleanor his squire. At rescued from a fire-eating bannoch the sword's insistence they set of by Wenneth, an elderly blind monk, to find what or who was blocking who lives in a nearby chapel. There the river. Eleanor finds a sister sword to The sword, Biter, trains Sir Odo in Biter made at the same forge. formal fighting techniques as they Eventually in the hills they find the follow a map showing the villages river has been walled. Sitting on by the river. They meet a traveller the dam wall is a mechanical who has heard rumours of Quenwulf dragon, blowing smoke and steam. the dragon causing the river The old man who keeps it going problems. Even Biter who has some tells them it was built by Captain gaps in his memory has heard of Vileheart aka Sir Saskia. The wall is Have Sword, this fearsome beast. He adds burnt and a wave of water pours 'Dragon slayer' to his titles. down the almost dry river bed taking the three downriver on a raft. Will Travel At the village of Anfyltarn they ride Author: Garth Nix & Sean Williams the people of an oppressive smithy, Sir Saskia and her troupe are ISBN: 978-1742374024 Master Fyrennian who used a magic defeated with the help of the Published: 25/10/2017 firestarter to make the special dragon Quenwulf who is woken by Publisher: Allen & Unwin knives for the Urthkin, short, demi- the fire and comes to dispense human who live underground. This judgment. She ofcially knights » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION earns them some armour. both Odo and Eleanor and they When Odo and Eleanor stumble They travel on doing good deeds head home to await their next upon an ancient sword in a river such as finding Young Jefrey at adventure. outside their village, something Scombylt and settling a dispute When their village is attacked by a very unexpected happens... the over chickens at Horadle. They meet bilewolf it looks like the next chapter sword starts to talk! Much to Odo's refugees fleeing from the North and may just have found them ... dismay he discovers that he's telling tales of great clouds of This is an action-packed adventure awoken a famous enchanted blade smoke and steam obviously from a with likable characters including a called Biter, and thus has instantly dragon. number of strong females as both become a knight. Eleanor would At Spedigan they hear about the goodies and baddies. love to become a knight - but she's magnificent and beautiful Sir Saskin, not the one with the sword. Major themes: adventure, quests, a knight from far-of lands camped knightly code, justice, friendship, Unearthing Biter is only the start of nearby and gathering supplies commitment their troubles; soon boy, girl and before heading north to slay the sword must depart on a noble quest dragon. Odo and Eleanor find the Content notes: Enchanted to save their kingdom from threats knight's entourage set up and swords, the dragon as a great and - in both human and dragon form. feasting under a big red tent on the terrible judge (p282-283) green at Hryding. Mannix, her squire, » OUR REVIEW takes them to Sir Saskia who challenges Sir Odo to a fight. This adventure has a fairy tale Recommended age: 9 to 12 years quality with knights on a quest, Odo is intimidated. Eleanor is Suitable class novel: NO enchanted swords and real and Good read rating: %%%%% awestruck. She wants to be like Sir Literary value rating: %%%%% fake dragons. It all started when Saskia. Odo is defeated. Eleanor Odo, the seventh of the miller's sneaks of with plans to join Sir children and Eleanor whose mother Saskia but she overhears a was a soldier knighted and killed in conversation that reveals the knight battle were fishing for eels. is a common thief who sends her The river running by the village of men to attack villages and then Lenburch had never been so low. comes in and pretends to drive That made it easy for Odo to spot them off. She then extracts homage the old sword in the mud. He cut his from the grateful people. finger on it and the blood woke the
28 | The Book Curator: February 2018 » OUR REVIEW Nadima’s extended family have Jaz Watson (grade 7) has some died in conflict. friend trouble, mainly because she doesn’t have any right now. But when Syrian refugee Nadima Recommended age: 9 to 13 years arrives at school, she has some Suitable class novel: NO hope of a new friend. There’s just Good read rating: %%%% %%%% one hitch - Nadima can’t speak a Literary value rating: word of English. Afer trying a few ways to communicate, including use of emoji language, Jaz has a brain Do You Speak wave and ofers Nadima some Chocolate? chocolate – a language that crosses all cultural barriers! Author: Cas Lester Nadima’s family owned a sweet ISBN: 978-1471405037 shop in Syria before escaping the Published: 25/10/2017 war and soon Jaz is introduced to Publisher: Bonnier the joys of Turkish Delight.
» PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION Jaz is quite entrepreneurial and is ofen coming up with business Jaz is outgoing, rebellious, gumptious ideas. At times her ideas lead to and a little bit bolshy - but it doesn't Pax trouble at school for not following stop her from finding it hard that the rules. That’s ofen the cause of Author: Sara Pennypacker she doesn't have a best friend at Jaz being lef out in the cold by her ISBN: 978-0008158286 school any more. Not since Lily went friendship group. Jaz’s business Published: 01/04/2016 of with Kara ... She's not one to ideas soon get Nadima into trouble Publisher: Harper Collins get down about things, though - and the two girls work together on and things start to look up when a well-intentioned school project » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION Nadima comes into their classroom. which backfires... Pax was only a kit when his family Before long the girls are firm friends, was killed and he was rescued by An enjoyable read with a good even though Nadima, recently 'his boy', Peter. Now the country is lesson in friendship, particularly arrived from Syria, can't speak much at war and when his father enlists, relevant to girls in the Grade 6-8 English. The path of true friendship Peter has no choice but to move in bracket. The author explores what doesn't run smooth, though ... Jaz, with his grandfather. Far worse it means to be a good friend, despite ever the entrepreneur, cooks up a than leaving home is the fact that our diferent backgrounds and how plan to sell Turkish Delight at he has to leave Pax behind. But to be get along with a person you school, with disastrous results. before Peter spends even one don’t particularly like, which can night under his grandfather's roof A drama project with Nadima about lead to appreciating new qualities he sneaks out into the night, family history proves impossible to in that person. manage. And Charity Challenge determined to find his beloved Major themes: friendship, ethnic/ Week puts the icing on the cake as friend. This is the story of Peter, Pax, cultural diferences, school-life, Jaz puts every foot wrong possible. and their journeys back to each refugees, fundraising, dyslexia, Can she find a way to put things other as war rampages throughout entrepreneurial ideas right, and restore the wonderful the country. A moving story of the and unique friendship that she has Content notes: 1. Jaz is dyslexic extraordinary friendship between a with Nadima? and has always struggled, leading boy and his fox, and their epic to a strong dislike of school and journey to be reunited. Beautifully In a story of friendship, family and teachers generally, plus a sarcastic illustrated by multi-award winner, entrepreneurial wizardry, Cas streak that is obvious throughout Jon Klassen. Lester defly navigates the trials the book. At times Jaz calls people and tribulations of girlhood, and ‘Dorkbrain’ and refers to teachers » OUR REVIEW examines with the lightest of as ‘stupid’ and ‘idiot’. 2. The text Pax is a well crafed story that touches and gentle humour the describes Nadima’s family’s allows resolution and healing to thorny and compelling issues of escape from Syria, complete with happen through a chain of carefully integration, belonging and identity. bombs, guns, screaming, crying constructed events. A fox hand- and buildings falling down. Many of reared by humans and a young
bookcurator.com.au | 29 boy are the focus of this story of an incongruously thoughtful fox friendship and separation. When will have readers thinking about both are forced apart through the the authenticities of friendships onset of war and the actions of the and relationships with persons of boy’s unfeeling father, most of the diference. story becomes about the insatiable In the animal world, the survival of need to reunite the boy Peter and the fittest is paramount and can be his pet fox Pax. seen in many forms in this book, Whilst Peter’s adventure to find especially where mere survival will Pax involves physical danger, it is be at the expense of the weakest also a journey of emotional healing. Dog creature. Dog is an original He is forced to deal with his grief concept and extremely touching over the sudden loss of his mother Author: Andy Mulligan as a troubled boy’s life, and his years earlier and his poor ISBN: 978-1782691716 family, are restored through his relationship with his angry father, Published: 22/11/2017 relationship with his beloved dog. which he does via an unusual Publisher: Faber Major themes: friendship, lies and friendship with Vola; a recluse of deception, rejection, diference, sorts. » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION bullying, blame and forgiveness, The book’s ever-present backdrop When Tom gets a puppy he calls family restoration of relationships, of impending war heightens the Spider, it changes both their lives. dog/human relationship Tom finally has a special friend all tension. The narrator alternates Content notes: Not applicable. between Peter and Pax, which of his own - which is just what he amongst other things helps the needs as he struggles with a reader gain an appreciation of the difcult new school and trouble at habits of foxes in the wild. home. And Spider has someone to Recommended age: 10 to 14 years love him. But the course of their Suitable class novel: YES Pax’s chapters provide readers love does not run entirely smoothly, Good read rating: %%%%% with various descriptions of a fox’s Literary value rating: %%%%% as they embark on a gruelling acute sense of smell and his journey of separation and reunion. uncanny ability to detect human emotions and of things that are Dog is a book about trust, standing unsafe. The personal restoration of up for yourself, and learning to traumatic pasts is the key feature love. By the award-winning Andy and theme of the novel and one Mulligan, author of the bestselling that leaves the reader with the Trash, it is a story that will delight realisation that with perseverance readers young and old. one can overcome any calamity. » OUR REVIEW SO Major themes: grief and loss, TITLE This is a charming book that gives healing and restoration, abuse/ a very fascinating perspective on anger by a father, friendship, PTSD, the life of certain animals. environmental/wildlife efects of war, foxes, friendship Predominantly written from the Twenty-Five point of view of a newly owned but Content notes: Not applicable Memories of previously unwanted dog called Spider, the book makes for a Viggo MacDuf dramatic plot that involves Spider’s Author: Kate Gordon interactions with a host of other Recommended age: 10 to 14 years ISBN: 978-1925652291 Suitable class novel: YES animals such as a cat, a fox, a %%%%% Published: 30/11/2017 Good read rating: house spider and even a flea. Literary value rating: %%%%% Publisher: Other The ways that each of these unique creatures thinks and behaves » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION complements their suitably quirky It’s Christmas Day, but Connie personalities. Andy Mulligan’s Chase isn’t eating turkey with representation of the deceitful and family and friends. She’s in her pompous nature of a suburban cat bedroom, alone, with an empty alongside an insensitive spider and advent calendar. Every door she
30 | The Book Curator: February 2018 opens is a memory of the boy she family, unhealthy relationships, Afer Esme is accidentally swept loved and lost, the most perfect manipulation into the enchanted world of Aeolia, boy there ever was.But Connie’s Content notes: 1. Language: shit x the truth begins to unfold. With her best friend, Jed – the best friend 4, motherfu ... (the word is lef newfound friends, Daniel and Lillian, she neglected for the year she was incomplete) x 2 (p153). 2.Viggo's Esme retraces her mother’s steps in love – has plans to help Connie treatment of Connie is probably in the glittering canal city of repair her broken heart. portrayed a little unrealistically in Esperance, untangling the threads Will Jed’s kooky form of therapy, just how manipulative he was but of Ariane’s double life. But the his epic quest for adventure, or his it gets the point across. He treats more Esme discovers about Ariane, ability to find the best takeaway her badly aferwards, by shunning the more she questions whether food in Bangarra be able to exorcise her and telling her she is pathetic she really knew her at all. Connie of her memories of the most when she apparently no longer » OUR REVIEW perfect man in the universe? Or, as becomes of use to him. 3. There is she relives every memory of Viggo no sexual content - only kissing. 4. Esme is a 15-year-old girl whose MacDuf, will she finally see he was Connie is given 2 birthday beers on father is getting remarried, much maybe not so perfect afer all? her 17th birthday party by her father. to her dismay. Her mother, Ariane, went missing » OUR REVIEW seven years ago. Esme is in denial, Connie Chase is an average teen does not like her new step-mother Recommended age: 13 years + geek, she knows all her pop culture Suitable class novel: NO to be and as soon as her father lingo, lives and breathes 90s music Good read rating: %%%%% goes on the honeymoon plans to and Doctor Who and met her best Literary value rating: %%%% do everything she can to try and friend Jed at her 5th grade Pokemon solve the mystery of her mother’s party. Connie isn't very sure of disappearance. herself and when Jed introduces While Esme is looking for clues, she her to his other best friend, Viggo falls through a portal to the parallel MacDuf, just before her 16th world of Esperance, the magical birthday, she falls hard. land her mother had told her so A year later, two days afer her much about. Everyone (including 17th birthday, Viggo dumps her. In Esme’s father) thought the stories order to process what happened, SO were the ravings of a mentally ill Connie breaks down their TITLE woman. Esme had never been sure relationship with 25 memories using what to think … until now. a 25 chocolate advent calendar and The first people she meets are then shares her experiences with Daniel and Lillian, two teens around Jed. Their friendship almost faded Esme's Wish the same age as her. They give her away during her year of ‘loving Author: Elizabeth Foster a proper introduction to the world Viggo’ as Viggo was all she could ISBN: 978-1925652246 of Esperance, a vividly depicted think about. Published: 30/11/2017 Venice-like fantasy land filled with Through humorous conversations, Publisher: Other wonder and dragons. Esme’s is Jed encourages the return of the determined to find her mother, and real Connie, who starts to realise » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION her friends are willing to help her, that somewhere during the past When 15-year-old Esme Silver but ultimately there is far more at year she lost herself. Viggo was a objects at her father’s wedding, her stake than she realizes – the fate master at manipulating her into protest is dismissed as the actions of Esperance itself may hang in the being the girl – and girlfriend - he of a stubborn, selfish teenager. balance … Everyone else has accepted the thought she should be. This is a very enjoyable, easy to read loss of Esme’s mother – so why A clean, enjoyable story that will fantasy suitable for middle fiction can’t she? But Esme is suspicious. remind teens that ‘love’ is not readers through to high school. It She is sure that others are covering always what it seems to be and that has valuable themes including up the real reason for her mother’s it is important to be valued and loyalty, love, determination and disappearance – that ‘lost at sea’ is loved just as you are. courage. A great book from a debut code for something more terrible, Australian author. Major themes: romance, toxic something she has a right to know. people, having to change to Major themes: friendship, family, conform, being yourself, friendship, devotion, protection, solving a
bookcurator.com.au | 31 mystery, relationships, teenagers them came Monash's tanks, those England when the armistice is understanding their value huge, new mobile machines. They announced, and when Ned realises Content notes: The majority of smothered the land they ran over; he will soon be going home he also the story is set in a parallel world flattening the crops and then any realises that he wants Doreen to with magical elements, dragons wire lef standing. With Russia out go with him … etc. There is a scene in Esperance of the war, the Germans have sent This is a very well written, evocative where Esme comes face to face all the troops to the Western Front. and engaging story of young with a ghostly painter (not scary) Almost defeated, a small group of Australian soldiers during the last and Daniel makes a joke about Australians fight to hold the enemy year of World War 1. It also having a friend who was a ghost back at Villers Brettonneux. Weary highlights the affection and respect (p118-120). Esme fights a wraith after years of fighting and deadlock, they had for Lieutenant General (Princess Anna the original keeper Ned and his mates know that the Monash (who became Sir John of the Pearl of Esperance, but she war will be lost if they can't turn Monash before the end of the war). succumbed to the lure of the pearl the tide. More and more, Ned's Major themes: World War I, and lost herself in the process). To thoughts turn to home, not knowing Villers-Bretonneux, friendship, save her mother’s life, Esme stabs if he will ever see his family, or his grief, loss, politics, recruitment, her with the knife the wraith was brother, again. conscription, courage, PTSD, going to use against her, setting injuries, loss of life, Monash Anna free. (chapter 32). There is no » OUR REVIEW Content notes: 1. Language: other violence and no language. It’s been over 18 months since Ned 'bastard' x 5, 'Christ' x 1 (p13), and his mates were recruited during 'bloody' x 7, 'shit' x 1. 2. Mild to the famous Coo-ee Recruitment moderate war-related graphic March. There were 26 of them when Recommended age: 13 years + violence. Suitable class novel: YES they lef Gilgandra, and 262 by the Good read rating: %%%% time they reached Martin Place in Literary value rating: %%%% Sydney, some 300 miles away. By
now many of those men have Recommended age: 13 years + fallen in battle. Suitable class novel: YES Good read rating: %%%% In between fighting the enemy, the Literary value rating: %%%% SO friends meet some Aussie nurses. TITLE Ned is particularly drawn to Doreen and they start corresponding. Their letters are interspersed throughout the text, as are those between Ned and his family back home. After all he’s seen and experienced, Ned is not the same boy he was when he signed up, but he’s still sure he could never be as brave as SO Australia's Great TITLE his mate Les or any of the other War: 1918 soldiers. Author: Libby Gleeson His brother Jim was crippled in an ISBN: 978-1743622513 accident when they were kids and Love, Hate & Published: 01/02/2018 Ned has considered himself a Other Filters Publisher: Omnibus coward ever since for not stopping the boy. However when Jim takes a Author: Samira Ahmed » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION direct hit it is Ned who risks his own ISBN: 978-1471407147 Published: 24/01/2018 The planes kept flying low above life to save him and he’s injured in Publisher: Bonnier them. They were dropping bombs the process. They are both sent to and the noise drowned out all other the hospital where Doreen and » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION sounds. Afer an hour the signal Evie are working, and afer surgery Maya Aziz dreams of being a film rang out and they surged forward Ned is soon shipped of to a maker in New York. Her family through the smoke. Thousands of rehabilitation hospital in England. have other ideas. They want her to men screaming and yelling, their Les, who has a shattered shoulder, be a dutiful daughter who wears line was kilometres wide. Behind later follows him. They are still in
32 | The Book Curator: February 2018 gold jewellery and high heels and Kamal Aziz actually had nothing to To save her newfound home, she trains to be a doctor. But jewellery do with it, he was only at the Federal must embark on a journey with her and heels are so uncomfortable ... Building to attend a citizenship friends to unite the races of Medora She's also caught between the guy ceremony. against the rising threat of rebel she SHOULD like and the guy she Maya navigates her complicated Prince Aven Dalmarta. From the DOES like. But she doesn't want to family life and even more humans of Tryllin, to the Jarnocks let Kareem down and things with complicated romantic life in this of the treetop city Maroo and the Phil would never work out anyway. coming of age story that explores Flips of the Undersea Islands, Alex Would they? Then a suicide bomber cultural diferences, the experience appeals to foreign leaders for help who shares her last name strikes of immigrant children and what in saving the whole of Medora. in a city hundreds of miles away happens when people jump to Because if the prince follows and everything changes ... conclusions. through on his promise to purge the land of mortals, everyone's » OUR REVIEW Major themes: Indian/American days are numbered. culture clash, immigrants children, This story explores the challenges Proving the most difcult to immigration, prejudice, parent/ faced by the children of immigrants convince, however, are the Shadow child clash, young love, impact of who ofen feel torn between their Walkers, a mysterious and dark- terrorist attack, bullying, friendship, new land and culture and their cloaked people with grey skin who asserting independence parents expectations. travel via shadows. They reside in Content notes: Language: f**k x 2 Maya Aziz is an Indian Muslim girl Graevale, a monochromatic city (p152, 163), Jesus x 1 (p222). in her last year at school. She has that is both day and night, stormy a passion for films – both watching and pleasant. In an efort to warn and making them – and views the them of the wars to come, Alex undergoes a dangerous testing world through the lens of her Recommended age: 14+ years camera. Her parents, both dentists, Suitable class novel: NO that risks not only her life, but also want her to attend a nearby Good read rating: %%%% all of those in Medora. Literary value rating: %%%% university and become a lawyer In the novel's climax, armies collide but Maya has applied to study film in Graevale as Aven mounts his at the New York University and attack on Alex and the city. Alex been accepted. She is reluctant to learns confronting truths about life, break this news to her parents. love, trust and sacrifice. This is the Then there is the boy situation. SO fourth book in the best-selling Maya's parents who aren't very TITLE Medoran Chronicles series. devout Muslims, are very keen on Kareem, a very suitable Indian » OUR REVIEW Muslim boy. However, Maya is in Alex Jennings has returned from love with Phil. the past where she learnt what has been causing changes in those Then a suicide bomber blows up around her. The rebel prince Aven the Federal Building in the nearby had turned evil and captured Meya town of Springfield. This is a Graevale: and ‘Claimed’ (taken over their will) suspected terrorist attack by Kamal most of the Meyarins, who are Aziz, an Egyptian Muslim. As they The Medoran immortal. Some escaped and are share the same last name, Maya Chronicles # 4 hiding in Draekora (islands in the and her parents are targeted in the sky above Meya) including Roka, backlash against Muslims. Author: Lynette Noni ISBN: 978-1921997945 the Meya prince now under a With the help of her aunt, Maya had Published: 01/02/2018 sleeping spell. persuaded her parents to let her Publisher: Bloomsbury study at NYU. Driven by fear afer Alex was able to unClaim Jordan, a friend who is in love with DC, the the attack, her parents withdraw » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION their permission. Maya is bullied at Medoran princess. With Bear, they In her third year at Akarnae school and runs away from home are all students at the Akarnae Academy for the gifed, Alexandra to give herself some thinking space. Academy. Jennings knows - now more than While in the past, Alex saw the Eventually the police discover a ever - that there is danger looming destruction and wars Aven plans white supremacist with a troubled over the school campus and beyond. to wreak on the Medora in the past is responsible for the attack.
bookcurator.com.au | 33 future. Alex tries to warn King police station, Annie feels obliged Auriliaus and Queen Osmoda, but to help hide his whereabouts from her news isn't taken seriously. the police. The Medoran rulers forbade Alex Then she meets Jack, a new boy in from approaching any other races town whose father is in charge of with warnings, but she knows she the investigation. must go anyway. Her friends at the SO TITLE Seventeen-year-old Jack rides the Academy help take her message rodeo circuit but has busted his to the diferent races, each having shoulder. Annie and Jack start a various adventures en route. secret romance. Through all this Alex has a slow- Rain Fall Helping Pete backfires when both burn romance with Kaiden James. Annie and Jack are caught up in his Author: Ella West When Alex returns to Draekar plan to take revenge on the bank ISBN: 978-1760296834 she's betrayed and is imprisoned robbers for killing his mate Ben. Published: 02/01/2018 by Aven, however Niyx helps her The robbers wanted to exploit his Publisher: Allen & Unwin escape. By then Aven has explosives expertise, gained in the marshalled his forces and attacked mines. » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION Graevale. Niyx dies protecting Alex. I'm not running late like I usually The three of them are captured by Although he's winning, Aven am. Maybe that's why I look in the the robbers and when Jack and withdraws, telling the nations river, maybe that's why I stop when Annie take an opportunity to around him that was only a taste I see it. A dark-coloured raincoat, escape, Annie is shot. of what is to come. Alex refuses to the arms spread wide, floating, With Pete and Jack’s help she is kill Aven before the people he has hood-first down the river. And then taken to Christchurch Hospital by Claimed are set free, otherwise it starts to rain. helicopter and ultimately the bad they will die with him. Fifteen-year-old Annie needs to get guys get their just deserts. Alex puts her trust in an ancient to her basketball match, but the A great tale of action and prophecy that talks about Day and police have cordoned of her road. adventure set against the current Night and Dark and Light. Alex Is her neighbour, who she grew up downturn in the coal mining thought this referred to Graevale with, still alive? What has he done industry. but Athora explains that Medora to have the police afer him? means Night and another unvisited Major themes: coal town, A murder investigation brings new land, Tia Auras translates as Day. unemployment, rain, young love, people to Annie's wild West Coast Alex and Kaiden set out for Tia horses, rodeo cowboys, crime town, including a dark-haired boy Auras. investigation, robbery gone wrong riding the most amazing horse she Content notes: 1. pissed of x 2, A good read of the fantasy series has ever seen. But Annie is wary of shit x 1. 2. ‘I [Pete] smoke a bit of genre involving a number of strangers, especially as her world weed’ (p191). 3. Non graphic people groups and a large cast of is beginning to crumble around violence, eg. Ben is killed by the characters. This is the fourth book her. in this enjoyable series. robbers and his body found In setting out to discover the truth floating in the river. Pete plans to Major themes: Light and Dark, Annie uncovers secrets that could kill them in return (but doesn’t). impending war, diferent races, rip the small community apart. The robbers shoot Annie as she warnings, perseverance, young tries to escape. love, friendship, dealing with » OUR REVIEW authority figures, skill-building It's raining as it always seems to Content notes: 1. Aven is able to be in Westport, a dying coal town take over the will of others and on New Zealand's West Coast. Recommended age: 12 to 15 years Suitable class novel: NO bond them to him. 2. ‘bugger’ x 1 With the much needed advent of Good read rating: %%%%% Literary value rating: %%%% (p26). clean energy comes the resultant loss of jobs for the mine workers and the subsequent social impact
Recommended age: 13 to 17 years unemployment brings. Suitable class novel: NO When 17-year-old Annie’s neighbour Good read rating: %%%% Literary value rating: %%%% Pete is accused of shooting up the
34 | The Book Curator: February 2018 gets more than she bargained for SO TITLE when his apprentice Sam ofers to help. Their friendship is developing SO TITLE nicely when Sam withdraws, leaving Alex confused. In the meantime, Alex has made a few friends at her new school and is paired with Sophie to work on a history project. They come across a very damaged, very old book and are able to piece together from its Indigo Blue remains the story of Eliza, a local Wolf Children Author: Jessica Watson school teacher from long ago. Author: Paul Dowswell ISBN: 978-0734418135 There are mentions of a romance ISBN: 978-1408858516 Published: 01/01/2018 between her a young man called Published: 01/11/2017 Publisher: Lothian Jack and a mystery surrounding Publisher: Bloomsbury what happened to her. » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION Alex notices similarities between » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION Alex feels like a fish out of water in Eliza’s purported romance and what It is July 1945, Hitler's Third Reich her new hometown - the sleepy had been her burgeoning friendship has fallen, and Berlin is in ruins. little lakeside village of Boreen Point with Sam. When Sam completely Living on the edge of survival in where she is reluctantly sent to live cuts her of she goes looking for the cellar of an abandoned with her slightly eccentric aunt for him on a nearby island. She sees hospital, Otto and his ragtag gang her final year of high school. None him dive into the water but he looks of kids have banded together in of Alex's classmates could care less different than the Sam she knows … the desperate, bombed-out city. about the new girl, so Alex couldn't The war may be over, but danger It turns out Sam is a merman, and care less about them ... or so she lurks in the shadows of the according to his culture he must tries to tell herself. wreckage as Otto and his friends not love a human. Alex sets out to find themselves caught between As a distraction from what is quickly prove that Eliza and Jack (the couple invading armies, ruthless rival shaping up to be a very lonely year, in the old book) were in the same gangs and a strange Nazi war Alex spends her savings on a predicament, but were able to criminal who stalks them ... rundown little yacht and throws marry and have children. Perhaps herself into restoring it. An ofer to there is hope for Alex and Sam » OUR REVIEW help a shy classmate with a history afer all … assignment leads to a curious Author Paul Dowswell writes with This is a very easy, enjoyable and discovery and the beginnings of a an impressive historical knowledge clean read for teens. While at its friendship, but it's Sam - the about the afermath of the heart this book is a romance, it sailmaker's apprentice - and his takeover of Berlin at the end of includes a lot of information about mysterious ways that really capture World War II. The main characters sailing, what it is like to be a new Alex's attention ... are a group of teenagers who are student in Year 12, the challenges very much on their own afer the of making new friends and living » OUR REVIEW loss of their parents during the with relatives. Alex has gone to live with her quirky invasion of their home. aunt while her father is working on Major themes: sailing, living with Their primary quest is survival as a cancer research team in America. relatives, new school, history, Year they face the constant threat of Alex's mother died of cancer when 12, mystery, romance, friendship, starvation and malnutrition in a she was only young. myths and legends, mermen war-ravaged city that’s depleted of basic human needs. Living in a Most 17-year-olds are interested in Content notes: Not applicable. highly volatile environment, the owning a car, but all Alex can think group still live in a dangerous war about is buying a boat. zone occupied by the Russian Red Alex eventually finds one that is Recommended age: 12 to 17 years Army and now the liberating forces within budget, albeit a bit knocked Suitable class novel: NO Good read rating: %%%% of the Americans and British of around and names it Indigo Blue. Literary value rating: %%%% whom they are yet to trust. She enlists help from the local sailmaker to help her fix it up. She
bookcurator.com.au | 35 Wolf Children is written subtly. is very upset to discover the ‘new Rather than describing macabre boyfriend’ is actually her father. events it is lef to the reader to Her Grammy encourages her to make obvious assumptions about step out and start living again. So the tragedy of what happened. Paige makes a list headed: How to Elements of fear and danger have Begin Again. 1. Parties/social been created to evoke an ominous events, 2. New group, 3. Date, 4. SO feeling that the teenagers could be Travel, 5. Swim. The story is about TITLE shot and killed at any given moment. that list and how it is accomplished. The Nazi ideology of the Hitler Paige manages a party. She sits Youth is a key feature of the book next to Max at school. His friend and gives readers a perspective of The Start of Ryan is someone Paige wouldn't the disillusionment to which its Me and You mind getting to know better. He's members ascribed. Moral dilemmas just been dropped by his long-time facing the group are deliberated as Author: Emery Lord girlfriend. they face life and death situations ISBN: 978-1408888377 constantly. Published: 01/11/2017 Their teacher encourages Paige to Publisher: Bloomsbury join the Quiz Bowl group which An enjoyable historical novel that competes with other schools in will give readers an appreciation of » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION quiz competitions. Max is in the the harrowing trials faced by Brimming with heartfelt same group. Paige is accepted into abandoned children who are just relationships and authentic high- a TV screen writing program in trying to survive. school dynamics The Start of Me New York. She is accepted into it. Major themes: Survival and and You proves that it 's never too Her interest in TV programs is a resourcefulness, Nazi ideology, late for second chances. strength on the quiz team. bullying/gangs, moral dilemmas. It's been a year since it happened The story rolls on with her friends' Content notes: Some instances of when Paige Hancock's first boyfriend romances and break-ups, bullying and verbal insults (name died in an accident. Afer shutting misunderstandings with Max and calling); insinuations of killings and out the world for two years, Paige the final realisation she loves him torture; references to bombs and is finally ready for a second chance coming on the day he leaves for weapons but nothing graphic. at high school. ... and she has a plan. Italy. There's her acceptance of her parents' relationship, her Grammy's First- Get her old crush, Ryan Chase, death, conquering her fear of to date her - the perfect way to swimming and getting to know convince everyone she 's back to Recommended age: 13 years + more about Aaron by celebrating Suitable class novel: YES normal. Next- Join a club - simple, %%%% his life with his friends. It's a busy Good read rating: it 's high school afer all. But when Literary value rating: %%%%% but sound read featuring the many Ryan 's sweet, nerdy cousin, Max, layers of relationships that make moves to town and recruits Paige up life. for the Quiz Bowl team (of all things!) her perfect plan is thrown Major themes: grief, fear, for a serious loop. Will Paige be friendship, new beginnings, family, Buy 15+ able to face her fears and finally young love, school life, change. copies of open herself up to the life she was Content notes: 1. playing spin the meant to live? bottle at party - nothing really passionate happens (p248-255). 2. any title » OUR REVIEW Language: shit x 2, pissed me of x The main character of this story is 1. 3. Ryan pursues Tessa who later and Paige, the ‘Girl whose Boyfriend enters a same sex relationship Drowned’. Her relationship with (only mentioned in emails). SAVE Aaron was in its early months when the tragedy occurred and as you’d 20% of expect, it impacted her significantly. Recommended age: 13 years + Her parents divorced afer years of Suitable class novel: NO RRP. tension and fighting. When her Good read rating: %%%% %%%%% mum starts seeing someone, Paige Literary value rating:
36 | The Book Curator: February 2018 they were known and didn't have Content notes: Language: shit x 1, to continually deal with comments pissed you of x 1, bitch x 2, Jesus x and stares of strangers. 3 (p209, 275, 292). Their mother poured her life into them through their early years,
wanting them to be as well as Recommended age: 13 years + possible and feeling uneasy about Suitable class novel: NO her decision not to separate them. Good read rating: %%%% Literary value rating: %%%% As the girls are looking at colleges, they realise the small local one Gemini where their parents teach restricts what each of them wants to do. Author: Sonya Mukherjee Hilary wants to study Art and ISBN: 978-1481456784 Clara's interest is in astronomy. Published: 01/10/2017 There is also the upcoming school Publisher: Simon & Schuster dance - one where girls issue the invitation. Clara is attracted to » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION Max, a new boy at the school while In this “thought-provoking and Hilary is drawn to Alek, a fellow engaging” (School Library Journal) artist who paints sadness. debut novel, Sonya Mukherjee Alek paints a picture of Hilary shares the story of sisters Clara separated from Clara with lots of Unearthed and Hailey, conjoined twins who blood. Clara overhears Max being Author: Amie Kaufman and are learning what it means to be called a pervert for liking her. Both Meagan Spooner truly extraordinary. these events cause friction. The ISBN: 978-1760292157 Seventeen-year-old conjoined twins, situation also causes the girls to Published: 22/11/2017 Clara and Hailey, have lived in the discuss separation surgery. Publisher: Allen & Unwin same small town their entire lives— Max begins to see Lindsey, one of no one stares at them anymore. a group of girls who embarrassed » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION But there are cracks in their quiet Hilary and Clara on the toilet when We are the last of our kind. We will existence and they’re slowly they were 11 years. She apologised not fade into the dark. We will tell becoming more apparent. Clara later. our story to the stars - we will be and Hailey are at a crossroads. Undying. Clara wants to stay close to home, The twins have more conflict with When Earth intercepts a message avoid all attention, and study the their mother as they want to move from a long-extinct alien race, it night sky. Hailey wants to travel away to attend college and date seems like the solution the planet the world, learn from great artists, boys. Clara, more reserved, moves has been waiting for. The Undying's and dance with mysterious boys. towards acceptance of their situation. Afer confrontation, they advanced technology has the As graduation approaches, each forgive Lindsay and her group and potential to undo massive twin must untangle her dreams realise their own resentment of environmental damage and turn from her sister’s, and figure out past slights makes them more at lives around, and Gaia, the Undying's what it means to be her own person. fault than those they see as their former home planet, is a treasure Told in alternating perspectives, enemies. This freedom and trove waiting to be uncovered. this unconventional coming-of-age growing confidence in who they For Jules Addison and his fellow tale shows how dreams can break are puts them in a better place to scholars, the discovery of an alien your heart—but the love between dance into their futures. culture ofers unprecedented sisters can mend it. A book about relationships and opportunity for study... as long as growing up, in particularly scavengers like Amelia Radclife » OUR REVIEW challenging circumstances. don't loot everything first. Seventeen-year-old conjoined twins Major themes: conjoined twins, Despite their opposing reasons for Clara and Hailey live with their growing up, letting go, decision- smuggling themselves onto the parents in the small town of Bear making, forgiveness, accepting alien planet's surface, they're both Pass. Her parents chose a small who you are. desperate to uncover the riches town so the girls could grown up hidden in the Undying temples. in a close-knit community where Beset by rival scavenger gangs,
bookcurator.com.au | 37 Jules and Amelia form a fragile to the thought processes of both alliance... but both are keeping characters adds depth to the story. secrets that make trust nearly The reader can understand where impossible. Mia or Jules are misjudging each other’s actions and motivations. As they race to decode the ancient SO messages lef by the alien race, Both of them have issues with TITLE Jules and Amelia must navigate the trust, which is tested many times traps and trials within the Undying because neither of them is always temple and stay one step ahead of telling the truth. the scavvers on their heels. They The actions become more intense came to Gaia certain that they had towards the end of the novel. far more to fear from their fellow Information they uncover makes it Scythe humans than the ancient beings clear that they must stop this Author: Neal Shusterman whose mysteries they're trying to spacecraf from launching. It does ISBN: 978-1406379242 unravel. But the more they learn launch but with a major surprise Published: 01/02/2018 about the Undying, the more Jules happening that leaves a real Publisher: Walker Books and Amelia start to feel like their clifanger ending to the story presence in the temple is part of a (ready for the sequel). » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION grand design - one that could spell The language of the novel includes A dark, gripping and witty thriller in the end of the human race... ideas based on mathematics, which the only thing humanity has linguistics as well as archaeology. control over is death. » OUR REVIEW These are necessary to solve the In a world where disease, war and This engaging science fiction novel puzzles set for them in the temple. crime have been eliminated, the depicts humans from Earth seeking The writing is engaging with clever only way to die is to be randomly advanced technology from a long- dialogue and the world building is killed ('gleaned') by professional extinct alien race on the planet Gaia, well crafed. A great read for ages scythes. Citra and Rowan are teens so they can use it to counteract the 12 and over. who have been selected to be environmental disaster that has Major themes: trust, archaeology, scythes' apprentices, and despite occurred on Earth. science fiction, environmental wanting nothing to do with the The countries of Earth have formed damage, maths, alliances, greed, vocation, they must learn the art an International Alliance to control puzzles, linguistics, humanity, of killing and understand the access to Gaia and retrieve the tech. adventure, technology, choices, necessity of what they do. Only one However, not everyone believes space travel, colonisation, climate of them will be chosen as a scythe's this will be a good thing. The two change, slavery, romance, apprentice and as Citra and Rowan main characters, Jules and Amelia scavengers, come up against a terrifyingly (Mia), independently arrange to be corrupt Scythedom, it becomes Content notes: 1. Language: shit x smuggled on board a spaceship, clear that the winning apprentice's 16, ‘fricking/freaking’ x 2, bloody x but both have very diferent first task will be to glean the loser. reasons for wanting to go to Gaia. 2, pissed x 1, screwed x 2. 2. Kissing (p198, 311). Jules and Mia meet soon afer » OUR REVIEW arriving on Gaia and although each In a world where disease has been has their own secret motives for defeated and people no longer die being there they connect and join Recommended age: 12 years + naturally, the scythes are seen as forces. The aliens have lef clues to Suitable class novel: NO the answer. They glean lives Good read rating: %%%% guide the characters to one of Literary value rating: %%%% methodically, for the betterment of their spacecrafts. There is, however, society, which cannot continue to a hidden message within the puzzle grow without a thinning out of where someone is warning them those already in existence, especially that there is danger ahead. The as it’s the norm to live for hundreds further they go into the temple the of years. more they discover that this Their ‘random’ choices are directed warning has merit. by accident and other statistics The story is told from the points of from the Age of Mortality and must view of both protagonists in be within accepted parameters to alternate chapters. Having access
38 | The Book Curator: February 2018 ensure the world is kept free from to Scythe Goddard, who sees his In the main, those massacres cultural and genetic bias. position as one to enjoy, to exploit, occur of the page so there is only The scythes are respected and also to build wealth and to kill at will. minor graphical descriptions. feared. But when Citra and Rowan Goddard wants Rowan to enjoy Goddard’s actions are juxtaposed come across Scythe Faraday – in the killing and does everything he starkly with the measured totally diferent circumstances – can to twist the boy into a man of approach of Scythe Curie, who neither reacts the way he expects. his own making. invites the loved ones of those He ofers both an apprenticeship, His scheme backfires when Rowan whose lives she gleans to her but there is only one position takes the ultimate action to wipe home, where she prepares them a available. Citra is horrified at the Goddard and his ilk from the earth. meal and encourages them to talk ‘opportunity’, but her parents have a of the one they have lost, to Meanwhile Citra has discovered different reaction. Scythes never process their anger and pain and that Faraday is alive. She is want for anything, and if she was come to a place of healing. determined to work with Scythe to become one, her family would Curie to restore integrity to the be immune from gleaning for as Scythedom. However the question long as she is alive. of whether Rowan can be trusted Recommended age: 15 years + Rowan doesn’t want to take lives, to work with them rather than Suitable class novel: YES Good read rating: %%%%% but he knows that he is more against them is one that won’t Literary value rating: %%%%% empathetic than many other people. easily be answered … There may be a higher role he can This incredibly thought provoking play than just that of a heartless story explores many issues of taker of life. morality and ethics and the bigger There is an order to being a scythe, questions behind our intrinsic and the last person who should be desire for a utopian society no a scythe is one who takes a life longer plagued by hunger, disease, lightly. It is an honourable role, that accidents or aggression. A brilliant requires adherence to the highest book for older readers. moral and ethical standards. At Major themes: science fiction, times people resist, so a scythe utopian society, morals, ethics, must also be able to fight. population control, empathy, The Scythedom is the only self- choices, artificial intelligence, The Cruel Prince: The governing body in the world. technology, conscience, quota Everything else is governed by the system, compassion, statistics, Folk of the Air # 1 Thunderhead (artificial intelligence). guilt, revenge, politics Author: Holly Black A conclave is held three times a year, Content notes: 1. Tyger Salazar ISBN: 978-1471407031 at which any disputes are resolved, hurls himself out the 39th story to Published: 02/01/2018 policies are reviewed, and there is thrill seek. Revival is compulsory Publisher: Bonnier a mourning for the lives taken. so his parents are continually Although power plays and politics having to pay the medical bills for » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION have disappeared from the rest of his speed healing (Chapter 2). 2. Of course I want to be like them. life, they are alive and well in the Language: bastards x 1 (p148). 3. They're beautiful as blades forged Scythedom. When a fellow scythe Very mild sexual innuendo (p217). 4. in some divine fire. They will live objects to Faraday’s double For his ‘initiation’ as Goddard’s forever. And Cardan is even more apprenticeship, a new rule is apprentice, his team turn of beautiful than the rest. I hate him implemented – the winner must Rowan’s pain blocking and healing more than all the others. I hate him glean the loser. To save them, nanites and beat him to a pulp so much that sometimes when I Faraday purportedly gleans himself, (p222-224). 5. Instead of carefully look at him, I can hardly breathe. with the intent of releasing them gleaning five lives per week to fulfil One terrible morning, Jude and her from their apprenticeship. their quota as other scythes do, sisters see their parents murdered Goddard’s scythes will basically But there is to be no release. in front of them. The terrifying massacre a large group of people Instead Citra is apprenticed to assassin abducts all three girls to in a single event, and then spend Scythe Curie, whose very much like the world of Faerie, where Jude is the rest of their time partying and Faraday in her respect for the role installed in the royal court but otherwise enjoying everything of scythe and for the lives taken. In mocked and tormented by the money and power can bring them. stark contrast, Rowan is apprenticed Faerie royalty for being mortal.
bookcurator.com.au | 39 As Jude grows older, she realises She discovers Cardan (King Eldred’s Content notes: 1. The magic is that she will need to take part in son) is forced to live with Balekin faerie magic ie glamouring which the dangerous deceptions of the who belittles and beats him. She changes things or bends other to fey to ever truly belong. But the begins a relationship with Locke your will and charms to protect stairway to power is fraught with not knowing Locke plans to marry against such magic. 2. Vivi rebels shadows and betrayal. And Taryn. against Madoc and regularly goes looming over all is the infuriating, Jude develops her skills as a spy. back to the human world where arrogant and charismatic Prince The other members of the Court of she has fallen in love with a human Cardan ... Shadows train her. She discovers girl, Heather (p58, 62). 3. Language: Dramatic and thrilling fantasy one of them played a part in the bitch x 2. 4. There is some sexual blends seamlessly with enthralling death of Locke's mother. Dain had tension between Jude and the storytelling to create a fully her killed as she was carrying charming and arrogant Cardan realised and seductive world, another possible heir to the which both hope to exploit. 5. brimful of magic and romance. throne. It's believed mother and There is alcohol at the faerie baby died but the baby was safely parties and one night Jude drinks » OUR REVIEW delivered by Oriana and is really too much. This is a story of the intrigue, Oak, who is now in line for the bloodshed and politics involved in crown. the abdication of an old king and On the day the old king stands Recommended age: 14 years + the crowning of a new one. It could Suitable class novel: NO down and Dain is to be crowned, %%%%% have happened in many places Good read rating: Balekin challenges for the throne. Literary value rating: %%%%% and times in history but this one Dain is killed as are most other takes place in the world of Faerie members of the royal family. and the main kingmaker is a mortal girl named Jude. Only someone in the royal bloodline Jude, her twin sister, Taryn and can crown the king. The only ones IMAGE ATTRIBUTIONS their older sister, Vivienne who is lef are Balekin, Cardan - and of PAGE 10 & 11 part Faerie, lived with their human course, Oak. parents in the human world until Jude schemes to make Oak the The Little Prince by Louisela25 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https:// they were discovered by Vivi's High King. Madoc is scheming to commons.wikimedia.org/w/ father, Madoc, general to the High do the same as he wants to rule as index.php?curid=64253947 King of Faerie. He kills their parents regent in Oak’s place. and takes the girls with him to NAIDOC week 2011 by DIBP Images Jude tricks everyone by having Oak www.Flickr.com/photos/diacimages/ Faerie. crown Cardan (who doesn't want 5910802053 Creative Commons license 2.0 Jude and Taryn are six years old. to be king) in the hope she can They grow up in the royal court control him. Her plan is to have Endeavour ship by Samuel Atkins (c. 1760-1810) - National Library of mocked and bullied by the Gentry him return the crown to Oak when Australia, nla.pic-an5921609, Public but are well cared for by Madoc he is older ... Domain, https:// and his wife, Oriana. There is a commons.wikimedia.org/w/ Based on Celtic folklore, this is a index.php?curid=7458795 younger brother, Oak. great read for those who enjoy a Jude and Taryn go to school with thrill-filled fantasy and characters Original illustration from A Christmas Carol by John Leech - Image taken the princes and princesses. Ten who don't need to follow the rules from A Christmas Carol in prose. years pass and Jude upsets the and limitations of the human Originally published/produced in youngest son of High King Eldred, world. It’s an excellent start to a London: Chapman & Hall, 1843. Held and digitised by the British Library, Cardan. He and his mates, Locke, new series, and would make a and uploaded to Flickr Commons. Nicasia and Valerian make her life brilliant movie. https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/ miserable. Major themes: power, Faerie index.php?curid=31452749 The Folk are cruel by nature. Jude world-building, deception, cruelty, World War I Armistice Day march in craves power so she will no longer leadership change, loyalty, family, Brisbane, 1918 Members of the Red be at their mercy. intrigue, alliances, Celtic folklore, Cross volunteers march along the fantasy, courage, resourcefulness tram lines as people watch on. Item Jude joins the spy network of Prince is held by John Oxley Library, State Dain. He's not the oldest brother Library of Queensland., Public (Balekin is) but he is favoured to be Domain, https:// commons.wikimedia.org/w/ the next king.
40 | The Book Curator: February 2018 USEFUL INFORMATION
Somerset Celebration of Reading Doctor Workshop Great websites Literature March 19, 2018 and apps 14 – 16 March, 2018 Adelaide, SA Gold Coast, QLD tinyurl.com/y8z54ppz Safer Internet Day tinyurl.com/o6v3tvq PETAA Literacy Teaching Advice and resources to keep Dromkeen Lit Fest Workshop kids safe online, as well as information on how to get 18 March, 2018 13 March, 2018 involved with SID 2018. Dromkeen, VIC Whalan, NSW dromkeen.com.au/litfest tinyurl.com/y9mu9pbt saferinternetday.org International Read To Me Day National Future Leaders Library Lovers’ Day Conference 19 March, 2018 Free resources and ideas to help Online Event 21 – 22 March, 2018 get your students involved in readtomeday.com Melbourne, VIC celebrating your library on 14 tinyurl.com/y8s3p8zd February. 15th Annual alia.org.au/libraryloversday Ipswich Poetry Feast World Literacy Summit 26 March, 2018 25 – 27 March, 2018 Kids’ Lit Quiz Australia Walloon, QLD Oxford, UK Get involved in this fantastic tinyurl.com/ybqvur46 worldliteracysummit.org international competition. kidslitquiz.com Swancon Mind Brain Education Conference 29 March – 2 April, 2018 National Film & Sound Archives Perth, WA 26 – 27 March, 2018 A wealth of learning resources swancon.com.au Brisbane, QLD are available for classroom use. tinyurl.com/y8kes5bh tinyurl.com/y9bf8jg9 Conferences Quote of the and seminars Festivals and Month Social Library Showcase literary events The unread story is 6 March, 2018 not a story; it is little Adelaide Festival Writers’ Week Melbourne, VIC tinyurl.com/yb32a5lj black marks on wood 3 – 8 March, 2018 Adelaide, SA SEA Learning Support pulp. The reader, reading tinyurl.com/y9kabzel Conference it, makes it live. Outspoken Literary Festival March 9 – 11, 2018 Yarra Junction, VIC 10 March, 2018 tinyurl.com/y8lxortq - Ursula K. Le Guin Maleny, QLD outspokenmaleny.com
Do you have a quote, website, conference or other news you’d like to share? Please email [email protected]
bookcurator.com.au | 41 INDEX
This issues titles in alphabetical order
Australia's Great War: 1918 Lionel and the Lion's Share The Rise of Wolves Libby Gleeson...... 32 Lou Peacock...... 15 Kerr Thomson...... 25 Barney and the Love, Hate & Other Filters The Start of Me and You Secret of the French Spies Samira Ahmed...... 32 Emery Lord...... 36 Jackie French...... 21 Macca the Alpaca The Wild Robot Clover’s Big Ideas Matt Cosgrove...... 15 Peter Brown...... 22 Georgie Donaghey...... 17 Parmesan the Twenty-Five Memories Do You Speak Chocolate? Reluctant Racehorse of Viggo MacDuf Cas Lester...... 29 Jacqui Halpin...... 17 Kate Gordon...... 30 Dog Patty and the Shadows: Unearthed Andy Mulligan...... 30 Game Day! # 2 Amie Kaufman Erik the Lone Wolf Patty Mills...... 20 and Meagan Spooner...... 37 Sarah Finan...... 16 Pax Voyage to Avalon: Esme's Wish Sara Pennypacker...... 29 The Mice of the Round Table # 2 Elizabeth Foster...... 31 Rain Fall Julie Leung...... 23 Game Changer!: Ella West...... 34 Wolf Children The Susie K Files # 2 Paul Dowswell...... 35 Room on our Rock Shamini Flint...... 19 Kate & Jol Temple...... 16 Yay! It’s Library Day Gemini Aleesah Darlison...... 15 Sam's Surfboard Showdown Sonya Mukherjee...... 37 Allayne L. Webster Graevale: and Amanda S. Clarke ...... 19 The Medoran Chronicles # 4 Scythe Lynette Noni...... 33 Neal Shusterman...... 38 Hark It's Me, Ruby Lee! Lisa Shanahan...... 18 Storybook Stars Jim Dewar...... 17 Have Sword, Will Travel Garth Nix & Sean Williams...... 28 The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z. Kate Messner...... 23 I Swapped My Brother on the Internet The Cruel Prince: Jo Simmons...... 25 The Folk of the Air # 1 Indigo Blue Holly Black...... 39 Jessica Watson...... 35 The Extraordinary Colours of Auden Dare Intergalactic Gas: Bad Guys Episode 5 Zillah Bethell...... 26 Aaron Blabey...... 21 The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone Kate and the Thing Jaclyn Moriarty...... 27 Heidi Cooper Smith...... 18 The Five Misfits Libby in the Middle Beatrice Alemagna...... 18 Gwyneth Rees...... 24 The Picky Pufn: Life of the Party!: Zoe's Rescue Zoo The Susie K Files # 1 Amelia Cobb...... 20 Shamini Flint...... 18
42 | The Book Curator: February 2018 What’s on the horizon
bookcurator.com.au | 43 Is your library accessible for ALL readers?
HIGH interest stories LOW reading levels
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FEBRUARY 2018 SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT