New Younger Reader Sequels… Walker Violet Mackerel N7 Violet Mackerel’s Helpful Suggestion Anna Branford/Sarah Davis ($19.95) Scholastic Weirdo 2 Even Weirder! Anh Do ($14.99 pbk); Ava Anne Appleton #3 Catching a Wave Wendy Harmer ($9.99 pbk); Back but greatly enhanced with lots of coloured illustrations and other extras Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot Dav Pilkey/Dan Santat ($10.99 pbk) Allen & Unwin #2 Phyllis Wong and the Return of the Conjuror Geoffrey McSkimming ($14.99 pbk); #3 Rescue on Nim’s Island Wendy Orr/Geoff Kelly ($14.99 pbk) UQP #3 & final? Chook Chook Saving the Farm Wai Chim ($14.95 pbk) Random House Billy…
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ALEXANDER, Goldie Neptunia Five Senses, 2013 123pp $14.95 pbk ISBN 9781741308716 Cassie Georgiana Odysseus is a swimmer. Her ambition is to swim in the Olympic Games, but when her mother and father split up, she and her brother must stay with an elderly couple in the small town of Ithica, which has no swimming pool. When she finds a magical box, its owner, Ms Laertes, tells her what she must do to save the oceans from global warming. Using the magic charm, Cassie completes the task, overcomes all obstacles, and life opens up for her. Family breakdown, global warming, the…
WHITESIDE, Stephen (text) Lauren Merrick (illus.) The Billy That Died With Its Boots On Walker, 2014 154pp $19.95 pbk ISBN 9781922077431 SCIS 1657953 This is a book for every primary school classroom – a wonderful resource for introducing children to well constructed and entertaining Australian poetry. The anthology is divided into fifteen themes covering topics from dinosaurs to football to national heroes, all written with gentle humour and charm. Banjo Paterson and C.J. Dennis have been Stephen Whiteside’s inspiration and their influence is evident as his poems bounce along happily with flawless rhyme and rhythm while offering quirky and insightful…
SCHULTZ, Rebecca Drake the Dragonboy Jojo Pub, 2014 130pp $19.99 pbk ISBN 9780987497093 SCIS 1645289 Drake hero-worships his clever father, who has invented a protective force-field to shield people against attack from the dreaded Quintas. Drake is one of the Dragonfolk who have evolved from original dragons to become quite insignificant two-legged, fluffy-haired and short-winged creatures. When his father is kidnapped, Drake and friends set out across dangerous wasteland to rescue him. Many previously hidden truths about the wider world and its inhabitants are revealed, and the question is raised – is Drake’s father really a hero? Mid-to -upper primary…
O’HELY, Eileen (text) Heath McKenzie (illus.) Mission One: The Catier Emerald Walker (Kitten Kaboodle), 2014 142pp A$19.95 NZ$21.99 ISBN 9781921529931 This book is such fun. Filled with endless word play, puns, jokes and highly improbable scenarios it’s a winner with the young reader and not just for the on the edge excitement. Illustrations are spot on and delightfully engaging. Ten simple chapters and an exciting conclusion will leave the reader ready for the sequel. Highly Recommended. reviewed by Chris Dayman
LAGERCRANTZ, Rose (text) Eva Erickson (illus.) My Heart is Laughing Gecko Press, 2014 120pp NZ$19.99 ISBN 9781877579516 SCIS 1646661 This is a delightfully illustrated chapter book whereby image and narrative subtly blend to create a moving portrait of the life of young 6-7 year old girl negotiating the complexities of school friendships. It is more about nuances than high drama, evident in the artist’s soft grey palette, sketching, and cross-hatching. Dani is a happy youngster, comfortable in her own skin, but when her best friend Ella leaves, Dani has to try and blend in with the class and make new…
IVANOFF, George The Treasure of Dead Man’s Cove 137pp ISBN 9780857983831 SCIS 1648523; Mayhem at Magic School 154pp ISBN 9780857983848 SCIS 1661891 Random House (You Choose), 2014 $14.95 pbk+e This series is a direct descendent from the very popular ‘Choose you own’ adventure series of the eighties, but with a darker edge. With The Treasure of Dead Man’s Cove you are on a sea-side holiday with your family when you find an old map, said to be that of One-eyed William, the worst pirate of them all. Is it real or a hoax? There’s only one way to find out…
HAWKE, Roseanne Kelsey and the Quest of the Porcelain Doll UQP, 2014 153pp $14.95 pbk ISBN 9780702253317 SCIS 1661279 Kelsey and her family are in Pakistan and homesickness is partly overcome by Skype conversations with her Nan who recognises the feeling of alienation that her granddaughter is experiencing. And so begins the story of Amy Jo recounted to Kelsey and finally a reality as Nanna sends the doll in traditional dress. This moving story of tolerance, learning and patience is an ideal beginning for a greater understanding of other cultures. Recommended. reviewed by Chris Dayman
ENGLE, Margarita Silver People: a tale from the Panama Canal UQP, 2014 215pp $16.95 pbk ISBN 9780702253294 SCIS 1654117 Margarita Engle is a Cuban American author, poet and journalist who has also been a botanist and professor at California State Polytechnic University. She was the first Latino author awarded a Newbery Honor book award, for The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba’s Struggle for Freedom. Latin American issues are very dear to her and Silver People is the latest to focus on a little-known area of history. It is now a century since the Panama Canal was opened. Very few people…
DiCAMILLO, Kate & Alison McGhee (text) Tony Fucile (illus.) Bink & Gollie: Two for One Walker, 2013 81pp $14.99 pbk ISBN 9781406344967 SCIS 1606320 This book was first published in 2012, and this edition in 2013. It’s the second Bink and Gollie book, but it can stand alone – it will make sense to the reader who hasn’t read the first book. In this story, the girls go to the state fair, and sample the many delights open to them there. The text is absolutely minimal, but each word is perfectly chosen. It is funny and charming. The illustrations are…