Yvonne Mes (text), Sandra Eterovic, (illus.), Meet Sidney Nolan, Random House Australia, 1 Oct 2015, 32pp., $24.95 (hbk), ISBN: 9780857985897 The latest in the ‘Meet…’ series in which iconic Australian men and women are brought to life in an accessible fashion for younger readers, this book explores the life and work of artist Sidney Nolan and how he came to create his Ned Kelly series. Interesting anecdotes about the man and time in which he lives are skillfully woven into the narrative, providing the reader with the inspiration behind the images. Beautifully painted illustrations by Sandra Eterovic compliment this well…
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Pamela Rushby, Sing a Rebel Song, Omnibus/Scholastic Australia, 1 October 2015, 240pp., $16.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781742991344 It is 1891 and twelve year old Maggie McAllister and her family find themselves caught up in an event which is to shape Australian history and see the birth of the trade union movement. Set in Queensland during the Shearers’ Strike, rebel shearers challenge the reduction in working conditions and wages set by pastoralists. Shearers from other states descend on the sleepy township of Barcaldine in northern Queensland and the revolutionary, William Lane urges the shearers to stand firm. Starvation and the squatter’s influence…
Chris Priestley, Anything That Isn’t This, Hot Key Books, 1 Oct 2015, 480pp., $16.95 (pbk), ISBN:9781471404641 Set in a post war, post revolutionary time, 17 year old Frank Palp’s world is gray; ‘the gray’ has consumed everything around him but no one else seems to notice or care that the city in which they live is gray and dull…or do they? Frank and his family live in a grim little apartment in the Old Town. The Old New Town, across the bridge, is where those from the ‘Ministry’ live. Here the houses are finer, the streets cleaner: A dystopian…
Gill Arbuthnott (text), Marc Mones (illus.), A Beginner’s Guide to Life on Earth, Bloomsbury, 1 Nov 2015, 64pp., $17.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781472915733 This is an information book of biological logic, starting with cell structure and function, and moving from micro-organisms to plants to animals (at their most basic) before discussing great apes and humans. It’s heavily illustrated with humorous figures but does have the occasional photograph to enhance the text. Information is broken up into blocks under bolded headings. There’s a contents page, two random activities that don’t have a clear link to previous sections (growing broad beans in a florist’s block,…
Karl Kruszelnicki (text), Russell Jeffrey (illus.), Dr Karl’s Biggest Book of Science Stuff and Nonsense, Pan Macmillan, 27 Oct 2015, 291pp., $18.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781743537480 Dr Karl has produced an activity book based on four areas of scientific interest: dinosaurs, space, micro-organisms and amazing facts. There’s a big mix of activities for a range of primary school ages – colouring in to anagrams, solving mysteries to cracking codes, writing stories to taking photographs. This large format book in black and white is a volume varied enough to suit many tastes. There are answers to the puzzles at the back of…
Lauren James, The Next Together, Walker Books, 1 Nov 2015, 356pp., $16.95 (pbk), ISBN 9781406358056 Katherine and Matthew Gallagher are destined for each other. In fact, their attraction is so comfortable it’s as if they’ve been together forever. Which is sort of what’s happened. In 2039, the now-scientists piece together the remnants of the lives of the other Katherine and Matthew Gallaghers until they uncover the final mystery of why they have to keep meeting and falling in love, saving the world as they go, until their mission is complete. This book has been labelled ‘reincarnation romance’ as Katherine and Matthew meet, become romantically…
Fiona McDonald, Sophie Masson, and Beattie Alvarez (text), Lisa Stewart, Beattie Alvarez and David Allan (illus). Three Dragons for Christmas, Christmas Press, 6 Nov 2015, 32pp., $21.99 (hbk), ISBN: 9780992283896 This handsome production, with its green-scaled end-papers and gold lettering on the cover, contains three stories featuring dragons. Dragon Market, by Fiona McDonald has a fairy-tale plot where toy-makers Griselda and her daughter Aurelia do a good deed for someone in need and are rewarded with a magical gift which changes their fortune. The author has used a variety of illustrative media and styles to enhance her story. The Christmas Dragon by…
Aaron Blabey, I Need A Hug, Scholastic Australia, 1 Dec 2015, 24pp., $16.99 (hbk) ISBN: 9781743629093 Aaron Blabey has created yet another engaging if rather prickly character in this story of a little hedgehog who just wants a friendly cuddle. Effectively and simply told through a few rhyming sentences with a repetitive refrain, Blabey’s illustrations capture the emotions of his adorable little heroine as she meets a variety of rudely dismissive animals, until she encounters a most unlikely creature who is eager to make friends. With its brightly coloured pages and artfully simple text promoting the importance of friendship and affection, no…
Adam Wallace and Jack Wodhams (text), Tom Gittus (illus.), The Vanilla Slice Kid, Ford Street, 1 Oct 2015, 165pp., $14.95 (pbk), ISBN: 9871925272024 Twelve year old Archie is born with the amazing superpower of producing and shooting cupcakes from his hands, but his horrible, uncaring and greedy parents keep him at home to take advantage of his talents for their on-line cupcake business. Eventually, however, the ‘real’ world intrudes as Archie is briefly sent off to school, before being willingly drawn into a seemingly beneficial scheme to use his powers for good. While Archie does befriend a couple of other kids…
David Hartley and Scott Prince (text), David Hartley (illus.), The Search (Deadly D & Justice Jones #3), Magabala, Oct 2015, 192pp., $12.95 (pbk), ISBN: 9781925360011 As the third instalment of the Deadly D and Justice Jones series, The Search follows the lead of the previous books in style, format and storyline. Despite efforts to release himself, Deadly D is still cursed and continues to transform from normal school kid to hard-hitting Brisbane Bronco’s rugby league star when provoked. This time, however, the BIGTOP (Biological Investigation Group to Organise Prototypes) are after his DNA and will stop at nothing to acquire it,…