Tania McCartney (text) and Andrew Joyner (illus.) Australian Kids Through the Years, NLA Publishing, 1 October 2015, 56pp., $24.99 (hbk) ISBN 9780642278593 This is a history book. It begins with the first children, who were indigenous, and lived here before European occupation. The full colour, full page illustrations are instructional and informative, with text as labels on the items that, for the first children, were centred round food, ceremony and craft. After that come the children of the early 1800s who mostly worked on farms, but like the indigenous children also sang songs and did some fishing. The children of…
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Janeen Brian (text), Anne Spudvilas (illus.), Where’s Jessie?, NLA Publishing, November 2015, 40pp., $24.95 (hbk), ISBN: 9780642278753 You can’t go wrong with a lost teddy bear. One minute Bertie the teddy bear was in Jessie’s arms, and the next … he was in a box. Jessie and her family were about to cross the Australian desert in the early decades of the twentieth century. They travelled on camels with Afghani camel men looking after them. Bertie wasn’t too happy about being stuck in a box so he eventually charmed his way out onto a camel rider’s lap. The family’s adventures in…
Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan and Deborah Biancotti, Zeroes, Allen & Unwin, October 2015, 485pp., $19.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781925266955 This is the first of a new series aimed at mid-teen readers of tense fantasy thrillers that have a touch of romance, or at least a willingness to explore relationship complications. The novel supposes that in the year 2000 some pretty incredible kids were born, and among them were a few who have super powers of an unusual kind. The truly interesting part of this novel is its exploration of the possibility that a super power could be a disempowering disability. Ethan…
Tom Hoyle, Survivor, Pan Macmillan Australia, 8 September 2015, 255pp., $14.99 (pbk) ISBN 9781447286752 This is a chilling Lord of the Flies style, survival of the fittest, action thriller. Eight English boys are taken by two Australian Team Leaders on an Aussie outback survival adventure camp, and only one of them survives. The creepy psychopathic violence and sex put his book firmly in the Young Adult category, although it was a thoroughly engaging read for this adult. Hoyle expertly uses sophisticated narrative techniques. Written in the first person by two narrators, the voices are strong and compelling and are interspersed with…
Susannah McFarlane (text), Dyani Stagg (illus.) Lights Out (EJ Spy School #8), Scholastic Australia, 1 June 2015, 48 pp, $7.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781921931994 Emma Jacks is Agent EJ10. She’s secretly training at the SHINE spy school. In Lights Out Emma needs to make her way through a maze as part of her night spy training… one problem … she’s scared of the dark. On this mission there are riddles, clues, gadgets and cute baby possums. Once again Emma saves the world from the evil plans of enemy agents- SHADOW. Susannah McFarlane has written a terrific story with unexpected twists and a…
Sally Morgan (text) Beth Norling (illus.) Cyclone Fever, Omnibus/Scholastic Australia, June 2015, 55 pp., $12.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781742991030 Cyclone Fever features an indigenous family living in Northern Australia during a cyclone alert. Cyclone Thelma is on the way. But why is Gran panicking? After all it’s only going to be a Category One cyclone… isn’t it? Gran’s intuitive connection to nature, her lovely relationship with grandson Danny and her kind community spirit make her the star of this story. Sally Morgan is one of Australia’s best known Aboriginal artists and writers. Her text is set out in six clear chapters…
Julie Mayhew, The Big Lie, Hot Key Books, September 2015, 368pp., $16.95 (pbk), ISBN: 9781471404702 Julie Mayhew’s The Big Lie is speculative fiction about a current day Britain in which the Nazis won World War II. Jessika, the teenage protagonist, is developing romantic feelings for her friend Clementine, who is questioning Nazi ideology. The novel follows Jessika’s unquestioning acceptance of her culture, through her questioning her sexuality and her decision about whether to support Clem’s rebellion. Mayhew has done a great deal of historical research, which she discusses in an informative afterword. She also includes an annotated bibliography of further reading…
Morris Gleitzman, Adults Only, Puffin/Penguin Australia, 28 August 2015, 192pp., $16.99 (pbk), ISBN: 9780143308768 Morris Gleitzman is a well-known award winning Australian children’s author with a talent for combining adventure and suspense with humour, a touch of sadness and a likeable protagonist, to produce an engaging story in a writing style which appeals to young readers. His outstanding book Adults Only, which was originally published in 2005, has been reprinted for the 2015 audience. Jake lives on an “adults only” holiday resort island with his parents who are the resort proprietors. His parents are constantly admonishing him to stay in his room and…
Michael Gerard Bauer (text), Joe Bauer (illus.), The Case of the Really, REALLY Magnetic Magnet (Secret Agent Derek ‘Danger’ Dale #3), Omnibus/Scholastic Australia, 1 July 2015, 128pp., $12.99 (pbk), ISBN: 9781742990675 Author of the popular Ishmael series and the award winning The Running Man, Michael Bauer has created a wonderful character in his bumbling hero Derek Dale. Spin off from the highly regarded Eric Vale series, secret agent Dale must defeat the evil doctor Evil MacEvilness before his invention of a giant magnet creates havoc, but can ‘Danger Dale’s’ disguise as one of MacEvil’s goons really fool him? This is not…
Guillermo del Toro and Daniel Kraus (text), Sean Murry (illus.), Trollhunters, Hot Key Books, 1 July 2015, 336pp., $19.95 (pbk), ISBN: 9781471405273 Jim Sturges Jr. has grown up with the shadow of his father’s grief at the mysterious childhood disappearance of his uncle Jack. Their house has become both a shrine to Jack and a symbol of his father’s neurosis; a fortification of bars and locks to keep them away, ‘the trolls’ his dad fears might come for him or his son. San Bernardino High school is no better. What can you expect if you and your best mate, Tub…