LOWE, Kirrily (text) Henry Smith (illus.) Peace Wombat (The Invisible Tree #3), 2014 unpaged $18.99 ISBN 9781925139143 SCIS 1678115 A young girl is caught in a storm at sea when a prince called Peace appears, walking on the water, and joins her in the boat. While anguished souls crowded in another boat are fearful, Peace sleeps. On waking, Peace shares his message to not be afraid as he is always near, and that God’s love will provide shelter. Peace is part of a series based on the Fruits of the Spirit. Written in rhyme, this text is rich in metaphor and…
Author: Admin
KENNETT, David Forest of Bones Omnibus, 2014 266pp $19.99 pbk ISBN 9781862919884 SCIS 1673473 This graphic novel is set during the reign of Augustus, in the last decade B.C.E., at the time when the Roman empire ruled over 50-60 million people across most of Europe, North Africa, and Britain. The novel features wars against wild Germanic tribes as the Roman armies pushed north and outwards, to the Rhine, followed by civilians who settled the land and built townships. Where the Germanic tribes see trees, the Romans see only posts and beams. So the Romans stripped the forests for building timber,…
TELLEGEN, Toon (text) Marc Boutavant (illus.) The Day No One was Angry Gecko Press, 2014 82pp NZ$27.99 pbk ISBN 9781927271605 SCIS 1688668 The didactic has very much been part of children’s literature over time and, though more recently it has not been popular with critics in terms of Western culture, nevertheless texts still often have explicit messages for children. This illustrated compendium of animal stories is playful with this issue of didacticism given the animal fables/stories have been the frame for teaching moral ideas since almost time began! Here children are encouraged to overtly think about the issue of anger. …
ROSSELL, Judith Withering-By-Sea: A Stella Montgomery Intrigue ABC, 2014 259pp $19.99 ISBN 9780733333002 SCIS 1688798 Who doesn’t love a story about a 19th Century orphan of secret past and mysterious parentage? This latest novel from Rossell doesn’t disappoint. Stella Montgomery is eleven years old and lives with her three aunts, moving from hotel to resort spa as the aunts try to improve their failing health. Currently they are living in the Hotel Majestic in Withering-By-Sea. It’s there that Stella becomes entangled in adventure and intrigue, and a little bit of magic… This is a beautifully produced book – hardback, thick…
HORSFIED, Alan (text) Jan D’Silva (illus.) The Green Ambulance Caper JoJo Pub, 2014 48pp $12.99 pbk ISBN 9780987588029 SCIS 1674114 The Green Ambulance Caper puts a new twist on emergency services. Bindi and Dusty Thorn have a green ambulance that they use to rescue harmed and neglected plants. They rush their ‘patients’ to their hothouse where they nurse them back to health using all kinds of methods including drips and seed beds. Tiffany witnesses a plant rescue and then tags along with Bindi and Dusty, learning about plants along the way. Her admiration for their dedication grows further when she…
FOXLEE, Karen Ophelia and the Marvellous Boy Hot Key Books, 2014 228pp $14.95 ISBN 9781471403361 SCIS 1646965 The Marvellous Boy is fading away; after all, he is 303 years old. The protectorate of wizards sent the boy on a mission a long, long time ago, but to complete his task, he needs the help of the One Other. Enter the seemingly not-so-brave, bespectacled and asthmatic eleven-year-old Ophelia. Karen Foxlee’s suspenseful tale is told through the alternating voices of the boy and Ophelia. The story moves back and forth in time, slowly revealing the way in which the boy’s past connects…
ELSE, Barbara The Volume of Possible Endings: a tale of Fontania Gecko Press, 2014 336pp NZ$24.99 pbk ISBN 9781927271377 SCIS 1675216 Dorrity is the quirky protagonist of Else’s latest tale of Fontania. Along with Metalboy she saves the Kingdom from the malevolent Count Bale and learns not to fear multiple endings. An enjoyable mix of story and reflection about the effect of choice and uncertain outcomes on a twelve year old girl. The fantasy is lightly built but comes from a consistently imagined world with likeable supporting characters. Wacky humour adds to the pleasure of reading. The conceit of an automaton…
COSTAIN, Meredith (text) Danielle McDonald (illus.) Double Dare You (Ella Diaries #1) Scholastic, 2015 128pp $6.99 pbk ISBN 9781743628638 Part of a developing series that take the reader into Ella’s head through her diary entries the story begins with her first day back at school after the long summer holidays. It is time for year 5 and she can’t wait to be back with her best friend Zoe. But a problem arises, Zoe is not there and Ella has to sit next to the girl she dislikes most in the whole school. Readers go with her on her journey of highs…
BROADBENT, Adele Trouble in Time Scholastic 2014 260pp NZ$19.50 pbk ISBN 9781775432265 SCIS 1678039 At its best, this book is reminiscent of de Goldi’s The 10pm Question and the picaresque adventures set in New Zealand by Jack Lasenby. A sympathetically drawn protagonist finds himself able to go back to the youth of his grandfather. Unfortunately his nemesis discovers how to time travel too and the book explores the way the ‘future’ can affect the ‘past’ and vice versa. Lightly done, and not over-ambitious in realisation despite the big topic, are two reasons why the book succeeds. reviewed by Anna Smith
BOUND, Samantha-Ellen (text) J. Yi (illus.) And All That Jazz (Silver Shoes #1) Random House, 2015 132pp $14.99 pbk ISBN 9780857982827 SCIS 1695113 This book is one of a developing series about the Silver Shoes Ballet School. In it, there is no doubt that Ellie, the main character loves to dance, but she is also ambitious, highly competitive and sometimes thoughtless in the ways in which she treats other. She attends the Silver Shoes Ballet School, where she works hard to pursue her dream of becoming a famous dancer. The problem is there are also other dancers who are also talented…