Month: October 2002

Eglantine, by Catherine Jinks

Allie and Bethan can’t wait to move into their new house – because they will finally have their own bedrooms. When Mum buys it, it is a bit of a dump, but by the time they move in it’s been repainted and renovated. Perfect.

But something strange is happening in Bethan’s bedroom. Mysterious writing is appearing on the walls, written by an unseen hand. Bethan refuses to stay in the room and, pretty soon, he and Allie are sharing again. Allie is not happy with this and is determined to solve the mystery.

It appears the writing is some kind of story, written by the ghost of a girl who used to live in the house, Eglantine Higgins. Was she murdered here? And why is she writing on the walls? Aggie and her family, along with various psychics, ghost experts and other new-age helpers, must resolve Eglantine’s problem, before she drives them from the house.

Eglantine is a superb ghost story which will especially appeal to girls aged 10 to 12, and even older. It combines mystery with humour and more serious themes. In particular, we see Allie becoming more in tune with herself as she gets to know Eglantine.

Catherine Jinks is an Australian author who has written over twenty books for children and young adults. She lives in the Blue Mountains with her husband and daughter.

Eglantine: A Ghost Story, by Catherine Jinks
Allen & Unwin, 2002

Planes, Trains and Elephants, by Brian Thacker

Brian Thacker loves to travel. His first big trip was at the age of six when he boarded a plane in England to come and live in Australia. Since then he has had many more adventures in many different countries. But sometimes, Thacker has dicovered, the journey can be a bigger adventure than the destination.

In Plains Trains and Elephants, Thacker shares the tales of some of his most memorable journeys. From riding a Vespa around the Greek island of Corfu, to doing a pub crawl on the London tube, and riding an elephant in Thailand, Thacker recounts his journeys with humour and perhaps just a slight degree of exaggeration.

Plains Trains and Elephants is a funny read and would make an ideal gift for the traveller (arm-chair or otherwise) on your Christmas gift list.

Brian Thacker was born in English and trained in advertising before spending many years travelling and working as a tour leader. His first book, Rule No. 5: No Sex on the Bus, also about his travel experiences, wss well recived. Thacker currently lives in Melbourne with his wife and daughter and works in advertising.

Planes Trains and Elephants, by Brian Thacker
Allen & Unwin, 2002

Storymaze 4 – the Golden Udder, by Terry Denton

Did you know that udders are creatures from a different dimension that float down to Earth and attach themselves to cows? When they shed their skins annually they create rubber gloves. You didn’t? Well, perhaps you should read The Golden Udder where you will learn these facts and plenty of other useless and unreliable tidbits of information.

The Golden Udder is the fourth in Terry Denton’s series and features Nico, Claudia and Mikey on a new adventure into parallel worlds and beyond the known universe. This time they find they ahve inadvertently stolen the Queen of Fresia’s Golden Udder and must get it back to her. The reader must steer them through the storymaze, past warped jokes and impossible storylines, to safety.

Kids will love the complete silliness of the Storymaze concept, filled with comic strip illustrations, jokes and general silliness.

The Golden Udder, by Terry Denton
Allen & Unwin, 2002

How to Teach Kids to Cook, by Gabriel Gate

Yes, having kids in the kitchen can be messy and time consuming, but it can also be fun and extremely beneficial. Teaching kids to cook not only teaches them important skills for independence, but also encourages creativity, an awareness of healthy eating, and allows time for family togetherness.

In How to Teach Kids to Cook, society chef and author of fourteen acclaimed cookbooks, Gabriel Gate, offers sound advice on how to introduce chidlren to the kitchen. There are over sixty yummy recipes for beginner cooks, as well as plenty of tips and hints for parents.

Beautifully presented with clear instructions and appealing photographs, this book is an essential addition to every young family’s kitchen>

How to Teach Kids to Cook, by Gabriel Gate
Allen & Unwin, 2002

Tim Fischer's Outback Heroes, by Peter Rees and Tim Fischer

As Australia’s traditional rural industries have either hit hard times or become increasingly mechanised and less labour-intensive, more and more towns have found themselves faced with dwindling populations and subsequent struggles for viability and survival. The gap between the city and the bush grows ever wider and those who wish to ensure the long-term future of their communities have had to work hard to meet the challenges they are faced with.

As a politician and head of the National Australia Party, Tim Fisher travelled widely throughout Australia’s rural areas. In the course of his work, he met many people and listened to many tales of hardship and of survival. In Outbck Heroes,he combines with journalist Peter Rees to share the stories of Australians who have succesfully faced the challenges of the changing nation, using initiative, hard work and determination to help themselves and to inject life into their communities.

From every state in Australia come stories of unique ways of survival and success. Whether it is making cheese in Tasmania, unique cosmetics and oils in Western Australia’s south, or transporting goods across the country, the individuals in this book all show that with positive thinking and the will to succeed, dreams can become reality.

An excellent read, especially relevant in the Year of the Outback, and at a time where much of Australia is suffering the effects of severe drought.

Tim Fischer’s Outback Heroes, by Peter Rees and Tim Fischer
Allen & Unwin, 2002

I am Jack, by Susanne Gervay

Jack has a problem. George Hamel, the school bully, has started calling him Bum-head. Soon, the whole school is calling him names, spitting at him, even hurting him physically. Jack can’t tell his mum because she has too many other things to worry about. He will have to work it out for himself.

I am Jack, by Susanne Gervay is a special story about bullying, and one child’s experiences of it. Gervay deals with a sensitive topic with insight and gentle humour, so that younger readers are being educated while they are being entertained, rather than being preached at. There are no quick-fixes or bandaids to fix Jack’s problem, but rather an awakening on the part of those around Jack as his family and his school work together to tackle the problem for Jack and for all other victims of bullying.

I am Jack should be compulsory reading for every parent, teacher and child aged 8 to 12. It is a truly wonderful book.

I am Jack, by Susanne Gervay
Angus and Robertson, 2000

What Every Woman Should Have, Herter Studio

Every woman should have…one old boyfriend you can imagine going back to, and one who reminds you how far you have come…

The text of this book is not new – it has been doing the rounds as an email for some time and can also be viewed on websites, in gift cards and so on. What makes this print version special is the accompanying photography, punctuating the text with humour, empathy and subtle wisdom.

What Every Woman Should Have is the manifesto for every woman, young or old, who lives life to the fullest. In book form, it is a wonderful gift for the woman you love, a female friend, a sister or even your mother.

What Every Woman Should Have, The Herter Studio
Allen & Unwin, 2002

Cosmo Cooper and the Lemons of Lockbarrel, by Alan Sunderland

The little town of Lockbarrel is the leading supplier of lemons. Everyone in town works at growing lemons. So, when the lemon crop is wiped out by a mysterious wind, there is widespread dismay. How will they eat? How will they buy all the things necessary for their survival?

The only solution is to send someone for help. When a name is pulled out from a hat, it turns out that this someone will be Cosmo Cooper. Not sure what he will do, Cosmos sets out in the village truck with $2.63 in his pocket. If he doesn’t succeed, the villagers will fail.

So why does Cosmo end up sneaking in to the Borrow Brother’s basement late one night with his new friend Professor Squillocks? Will this help solve Lockbarrel’s problem? Only time will tell.

Cosmo Cooper and the Lemons of Lockbarrel is delghtfully different story from author Alan Sunderland. Combining humour with adventure,cleverness, and plain silliness, it is almost as delicious as Lockbarrel’s lemonade.

Perfect for 8 to 10 year old readers.

Cosmo Cooper and the Lemons of Lockbarrel, by Alan Sunderland
Scholastic, 2002.

The Barrumbi Kids, by Leonie Norrington

Dale and Tomias are best friends. Dale’s grandfather was the first white man to setle here at Long Hole, where Tomias’s ancestors have lived since the dreaming. Their Mums grew up together too.

Now they’re in year seven, their last year at the community school. It’s supposed to be fun – but the arrival of Gordon and his father, Mr Armstrong, has changed things. Mr Armstrong manages the community and his new rules upset everyone. Gordon thinks HE owns the place.

The Barrumbi Kids is a delightful story about growing up in Australia’s remote communities. Dale and Tomias, and their friends, move between Aboriginal and white cultures – fishing, hunting, playing and going to school. They get into trouble and they learn about themselves, about each other and about the wider world.

Leonie Norrington spent much of her childhood on a remote community in Australia’s north, part of a large Irish-Catholic family. She later worked in journalism. This is her first novel for children.

Barrumbi Kids is a an exciting novel, suitable both for classroom and private reading.

The Barrumbi Kids, by Leonie Norrington
Scholastic, 2002

Kimberley Sun, by Di Morrissey

Lily Barton, recently retired and looking for a fresh challenge, is delighted to return to Broome, in the northwest of Australia. She has family links there, discovered only in her adult life, and loves the lifestyle of the town. Her thirty year old daughter, Sami, is not so thrilled. She is joining her mother in Broome for the first time, and has many reservations, not sure she wants to be drawn into this family she doesn’t know and this lifestyle so different to her own.

In Broome the two women will be drawn into adventures they could not have foreseen. Business opportunites arise, relationships blossom and unlikely friendships are formed. They also become entangled in the mystery of the murder of a German tourist.

Along the way to finding a new common ground, stories are told which reflect the multitude of cultures and backgrounds which converge in the town of Broome.

Kimberley Sun is the latest offering from popular Australian author Di Morrisey. Morrisey weaves the various stories into a rich carpet, providing a detailed sketch of the lifestyle and cultures of this part of Australia. Lovers of family sagas and Australian stories will find themselves enjoying this, Morrisey’s eleventh novel. Most readers will be able to overlook the occasional lapses in editing which can cause distraction in places.

An unforgettable adventure.

Kimberley Sun, by Lily Barton, recently retired and looking for a fresh challenge, is delighted to return to Broome, in the northwest of Australia. She has family links there, discovered only in her adult life, and loves the lifestyle of the town. Her thirty year old daughter, Sami, is not so thrilled. She is joining her mother in Broome for the first time, and has many reservations, not sure she wants to be drawn into this family she doesn’t know and this lifestyle so different to her own.

In Broome the two women will be drawn into adventures they could not have foreseen. Business opportunites arise, relationships blossom and unlikely friendships are formed. They also become entangled in the mystery of the murder of a German tourist.

Along the way to finding a new common ground, stories are told which reflect the multitude of cultures and backgrounds which converge in the town of Broome.

Kimberley Sun, is the latest offering from popular Australian author Di Morrisey. Morrisey weaves the various stories into a rich carpet, providing a detailed sketch of the lifestyle and cultures of this part of Australia. Lovers of family sagas and Australian stories will find themselves enjoying this, Morrisey’s eleventh novel. Most readers will be able to overlook the occasional lapses in editing which can cause distraction in places.

An unforgettable adventure.

Kimberley Sun, by Di Morrissey
MacMillan, 2002
MacMillan, 2002