January 2010 – Page 2 – Aussie Reviews

A History of Cricket, by Catherine Chambers

Millions of people across the globe play the game and watch it for hours, days or even weeks at a time. They sweat under an Australian December sun, or shiver through cool English summers. Sometimes players run themselves ragged until the sun turns red in the sky. At other times, they hang around the outfield with the starry hope that they will make a match-winning catch.
So what is about this sport that makes it so popular? Why do athletes suffer these agonies and endure these conditions? Well, there is only one answer. Cricket just hast to be the mightiest, most noble game. The pinnacle of all physical, mental and emotional tests.

A History of Cricket is just that. It searches for the origins of the game in Egypt, Germany and India as well in Britain. It finds no definitive answer but introduces many possibilities. Was the game we now know as cricket once called ‘kegeling’ or Gilli-danda? A History of Cricket moves from these speculations to more verifiable facts in Britain and her colonies. The growth of cricket as a national and international sport is not without its setbacks, whether they be urbanisation, or civil war. It is a story of passionate players and advocates, of rules and endless statistics, of tea and tradition. It’s also a story of a game that continues to change in response to changing times and tastes. Cricket can be played anywhere from the backyard to the grandest playing field. Equipment ranges from plastic bats and tennis balls to the finest willow bat, helmets and safety gear. It is team sport, although personalities add colour to the games.

Cricket has enough rules to confound all but the most dedicated follower. And the rules are constantly changing. There are different rules for each form of the game. But it continues to garner support, and excite passion around the world. A History of Cricket looks at some of the reasons why. It speculates on the origin then moves to firmer ground with the facts and figures that only cricket could amass. Game greats are introduced and controversies examined. The birth of women’s cricket is documented, rules are outlined, warm-ups suggested. Rules are discussed, and of course statistics. There is something here for every young cricket fan, and perhaps for the parent who wants to share the passion.

A History of Cricket, Catherine Chambers
Black Dog Books 2009
ISBN: 9781742030586

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author
www.clairesaxby.com

This book can be purchased online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

Come By Chance, by Madeline Winch

Bertha was alone.
She had walked and walked
and was far from anywhere.

Bertha, with her sensible shoes and walking stick, has walked many miles alone. She finds an abandoned house on a hill and makes it her home. She works hard for many days and her final touch is a sign Come By Chance that she affixes to the front door, so that all may know they are welcome. Then, she sits by the fire on a dark, stormy night. One by one, animals seek to join her in the still warmth of the house. Bertha has found company and they have found shelter. Together they see the winter out. When Spring comes, most of the animals depart. But Bertha, and the one remaining animal know that winter, and their friends, will return.

Come By Chance is a very simple and gentle text. Most openings have no more than one or two sentences. The illustrations are mostly full- or double-page except the vignettes where the transformation of the house takes place. Where the text describes the storm outside, the illustrations show the arrival one-by-one of frightened and bedraggled animals. Much of the action is shown in the illustrations and combines with the spare text to offer a gentle story of caring and companionship. Bertha is clearly capable of being alone, but enjoys the company that arrives by chance. Come By Chance was first published in 1988 and is here republished by Walker Books in their ‘classics’ series. Included are notes from Maurice Saxby and some early sketches for Bertha and other characters. Madeleine Winch shares her inspiration for and the development of the story. A delightful story recommended for young children and anyone who loves picture books.

Come By Chance, Madeleine Winch
Walker Books 2009
ISBN: 9781921150845

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author
www.clairesaxby.com

Come By Chance, by Madeline Winch

Bertha was alone.
She had walked and walked
and was far from anywhere.

Come By Chance, Madeleine Winch
Walker Books 2009
ISBN: 9781921150845

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author
www.clairesaxby.com

100 Ways to Happy children, by Dr Timothy J. Sharp

As parents we know that nothing is more important to us than the happiness of our children. But how can we confidently teach them to find happiness when it’s often such a struggle to find it in our own lives?

This easy to read and digest volume is aimed, as the subtitle says, at ‘busy parents’. And, let’s face it – every parent seems to be a busy parent. Clinical psychologist Dr Timothy Sharp presents 100 realistic, achievable suggestions for raising happy, confident and balanced children. From setting goals, to recognising strengths and encouraging learning, there is nothing unpalatable or unrealistic on offer here. Instead, what is on offer is straightforward advice and reminders.

Each of the 100 ‘ways’ is presented succinctly, with entries ranging from half a page to two pages, and broken into categories including ways to build character, ways to ensure wellbeing and ways to make learning fun.

Parents may like to read the entire book cover to cover, but could also dip into it randomly, or just read one entry per day, allowing time to digest and enact. A wonderful resource for every parent.

100 Ways to Happy Children: A Guide for Busy Parents, by Dr Timothy J. Sharp
Penguin, 2009

This book can be purchased online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

The Borgia Ring, by Michael White

Middleton crashed down on the table, his face connecting with a clutch of wine bottles and glasses, knocking them into laps and on to the floor. One of the women screamed and leapt up. The architect slid backwards, away from the table. As he fell, more blood and vomit gushed from his mouth.

Max Rainer dashed over to him. Middleton had stopped moving. One eye stared sightlessly at the ceiling; the other was a uniform scarlet. Rainer placed two fingers to his partner’s neck then turned to the others as they clustered around, a look of disbelief on his face.

When builders unearth a skeleton on a building site, they are shocked. But more shocking is the chain of events this ancient skeleton unleashes. First a security man is brutally murdered as he guards the site. Then others connected to the site are also killed, one at a time.

DCI Jack Pendragon is having a tense first week at his new posting. The pressure is on him to solve the murders and stop the serial killer from striking again. But the only clues to the murderer’s identity seem linked to the skeleton – a man who has been dead since the fifteenth century.

The Borgia Ring is an absorbing crime thriller set in contemporary London, with a parallel story set in France and London in the fifteenth century, allowing the reader an insight into the older mystery which those in the modern one cannot know. The modern killer draws his inspiration from the fifteenth-century Borgia family, renowned for their cruelty and depravity, giving a chilling depth to the series of crimes which Jack Pendragon must solve.

A compulsive read.

The Borgia Ring, by Michael White
Bantam, 2009

This book can be purchased online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

Anzac Heroes, edited by George Low

From the shores of Gallipoli, to the outback of Australia, to the muddied battle fields of France, the ANZAC legend spreads far and wide. This book is a collection of the best ANZAC stories from Commando magazine. For years the magazine has played host to many exciting stories from World War I and II, but rarely do they publish stories of the ANZACs, so this book exists to collect these stories of the Aussies and the Kiwis together in one volume. The stories are presented in comic form, with great black and white artwork telling the stories of the ANZACs in a way no written work alone could.

This collection is great for ages 10 and older, but anyone can enjoy these timeless stories of the ANZAC legend. The fact files between and during stories make this an informative and entertaining read. This is perfect for a long period of reading, with each of the twelve stories being completely self-sustained.

A thrilling collection.

Anzac Heroes: The Best 10 Anzac War Stories Ever!, by George Low (ed)
Crows Nest, 2009

This book can be purchased online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

Sharp Shooter, by Marianne Delacourt

I froze, not knowing which way to jump.
A shout from behind me urged me to run. It snapped my paralysis and I leaped back onto the pavement. I saw some things really clearly: scratches on the duco, a plastic spider swinging from the car’s rear-vision mirror, the mask and hoodie that hid the driver’s identity.
A split second before the car smashed up over the curb, I threw myself backwards off the retaining wall and into the river.
There was a loud thunk, followed by a roar of acceleration, and the car drove off, leaving me a quivering mess in the water.

Tara Sharp is unemployed and living in her parents’ garage. Her one gift -an ability for reading people – is always landing her in trouble, Until she meets Mr Hara, who teaches her to understand what people’s auras mean, and to more accurately read their motives and abilities. Now Tara is in business as an investigator, and things are looking up. For now.

On her first case, Tara finds herself caught up with some of Perth’s most colourful criminal personalities – and soon she is fighting for her life, desperate to solve the case before it kills her.

Sharp Shooter is the first story featuring Tara, a sassy twenty-something with a knack of landing herself in trouble. Filled with humour, this action packed thriller set in the suburbs of Perth, is billed as targeting fans of Janet Evanovich, and is a satisfying blend of action, mystery and laughs.

Sharp Shooter, by Marianne Delacourt
Allen & Unwin, 2009

This book can be purchased online at Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

Crocodile River, by Diana Lawrenson

Cranky escaped swiftly through the muddy water.
‘This river has too many crocodiles,’ she thought.
‘I need a place where there’s plenty of food for me.’

Even before she hatches from the egg, Cranky the crocodile’s life is a constant battle for survival. Predators steal unhatched eggs from the mother crocodile’s nest and, after the eggs have hatched, snatch baby crocodiles, too. Even as she grows, Cranky must avoid being trapped by human hunters, or eaten by bigger crocodiles. What Cranky really needs is a place of her own.

Crocodile River is a fictional story of one crocodile’s journey from egg to adulthood, but it is also the story of both the life cycle of a crocodile, and of the crocodile’s fight for survival.

With rich acrylic illustrations by Danny Snell, and end papers laden with lots of crocodile facts this beautiful picture book is both entertaining and educational. Delightful.

Crocodile River, by Diana Lawrenson and Danny Snell
Working Title, 2009

This book can be purchased online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

The Pony Patch Collection, by Bernadette Kelly

The most important thing is not to leave before your pony has learnt the day’s lesson. Today’s lesson was that I was in charge.

Norton is a pony with attitude. He likes eating and playing games, but he doesn’t like listening to his owner, Molly. Nonetheless, Molly loves Norton, and she thinks he’s the most perfect pony in the world.

Previously published as four separate junior fiction titles, The Pony Patch Collection is a four-in-one bindup with the same great humorous storylines, comic black and white illustrations and easy to read text. The pink cover with foil embellishments make for a pretty package, sure to delight young readers.

The Pony Patch Collection, by Bernadette Kelly
black dog, 2009

This book can be purchased online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

Hush, Hush! by Margaret Wild & Bridget Strevens-Marzo

Baby Hippo couldn’t fall asleep.
He rolled and wriggled.
He stood on his head. He waggled his legs.
He grunted and groaned. “Oh, ah, oh!”
“Hush, hush!” said his mum softly and sleepily.

Baby Hippo can’t sleep, so he goes for a walk. Wherever he goes through the jungle he hears mothers telling their babies to ‘hush, hush.’ Eventually, feeling tired, he trudges back home where – eventually – he manages to fall asleep beside his own mum.

Hush, Hush! is a delightful sequel, or companion, to Kiss, Kiss! by the same wonderful pairing of author Margaret Wild and illustrator Bridget Strevens-Marzo and has a similar patterning to the text, whilst being different enough to be able to enjoy both. Strevens-Marzo’s art, with the purples of the dusky sky and the deep greens and browns of the jungle, along with the jungle animals, is beautiful.

This would make an excellent bed time sharing story and is sure to be as well received as Kiss, Kiss! which has sold over 200, 000 copies worldwide.

Hush, Hush! by Margaret Wild & Bridget Strevens-Marzo
Little Hare, 2009

This book can be purchased online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.