November 2012 – Page 2 – Aussie Reviews

Did My Mother Do That? by Sharon Holt & Brian Lovelock

If you were a new chick, your mother would have fluffed up her feathers and sat on you to keep you safe. Your mother didn’t do that.

Holly’s mum has to go out, and Holly isn’t keen. But Dad offers to tell Holly a story, about the night she was born. As Holly and Dad snuggle up, getting ready for bed, Holly asks about where she came from and what happened when she was born. Dad starts by telling her, in response to her questions, about the things her mum didn’t do – hatching her from an egg, carrying her about in a pouch, or even feeding her mice for dinner, before telling Holly what her mother did do, carrying her in her tummy and then crying tears of joy when she was born.

Did My Mother Do That? is a gentle story of the bond between mother and child which manages to also be a lovely demonstration of the paternal relationship, too. with Dad being the one who spends the time with Holly when Mum has to go out.

A lovely bedtime – or any time – story, illustrated with lovely mixed media illustrations using a combination of acrylic, watercolour and pencil. The animals hop, swim and wander across the pages, as they enter Holly and Dad’s imaginations, so that the animals and the humans share the spreads in a way which will intrigue young readers.

Lovely.

Did My Mother Do That?, by Sharon Holt & Brian Lovelock
Walker Books, 2012
ISBN 978192172060

Avaialble from good bookstores or online from Fishpond.

Chook Chook: Mei’s Secret Pets by Wai Chim

Pip!

I was lying on my back in the garden, hidden among the colourful wildflowers, staring up at the big silver sky. It was a lazy spring afternoon and the clouds were drifting lazily through the air.

Pip!

Sitting up quickly, I strained my ears to listen again.

Pip!

I was lying on my back in the garden, hidden among the colourful wildflowers, staring up at the big silver sky. It was a lazy spring afternoon and the clouds were drifting lazily through the air.

Pip!

Sitting up quickly, I strained my ears to listen again.

Nothing.

I went to lie back down.

Pip!

Mei’s father has died and the family is mourning on their farm in rural China. Mei’s father kept animals but since his death, her ma refuses to have any animals at all. So when Mei finds two little chickens she knows she can’t tell her ma. She looks after them secretly, feeding and playing with them. But secrets are difficult to keep and her ma discovers them. She sells Mei’s beloved pets to the one-eyed butcher at the market. That should be an end to it, but of course, it is not.

When Mei’s father died, each member of the family grieves separately and differently. Mei’s adoption of the two chickens is her way of bringing her father close again. ‘Chook Chook: Mei’s Secret Pets’ is a lovely story about wanting and caring for pets. It’s also about loss and learning to live again through the eyes of a young girl. It paints a gentle portrait of rural China at a time of change and celebrates the characters who habituate markets. Readers are able to gain in insider’s view of a small community. Recommended for mid-primary readers.

Chook Chook: Mei’s Secret Pets, Wai Chim UQP 2012 ISBN: 9780702249464

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

Other Brother by Simon French

We’re brothers, we are.

That’s what he had said. Suddenly, his arm was around my shoulder as we kneeled together on my bedroom floor, surrounded by most of my toys. He had looked up at my mum as she held her camera to take the photo, and that’s exactly what came out of his mouth when the camera flash went off. In the photo, he was smiling, although his eyes didn’t seem to. In the photo, my mouth was open and I looked a little surprised.

We’re brothers, we are.

In truth, I remembered being angry. This boy, who I didn’t know, had snuck away from everybody else in our backyard and found my bedroom. He had found all my toys as well, and by the time I discovered him, nearly everything I liked and played with was spread across my bedroom.

Kieran is in his last year at primary school and things are going okay for him until his cousin, Bon, arrives. Bon is about Kieran’s age, but that seems like all they have in common. And now Bon is going to Kieran’s school, he’s ruining everything. Kieran wishes Bon would just go away. But at home, everyone thinks he’s great. Even his little sister. Even Nan. Nothing is the same. Everyone else thinks Kieran should be looking out for Bon, even the Julia, the other new kid at school. But Kieran is more inclined to listen to Mason and Lucas, the cool kids at school. They, like him, see Bon as unusual and the only attention they’re going to give him is their scorn.

In Other Brother Simon French offers another gritty and realistic story about families and relationships, about a boy on the brink of high school and puberty discovering a more complex world. Kieran’s behaviour appears perfectly rational and reasonable as he objects to the forced relationship with his odd-seeming cousin. Only gradually does Kieran emerge from his bubble of self to begin to see what’s going on around him. It’s not a quick or easy transition, but Kieran works through the challenges before him and is then able to appreciate and help others around him. Walker Books have just rereleased Other Brother, ‘Cannily Cannily’ and ‘Change the Locks’. All were published earlier and well received by readers, and recognised by the CBCA Awards. It’s fabulous to see all three books back in print. They have lost nothing of their impact and can now be enjoyed by new readers. Recommended for upper-primary readers.

Other Brother, Simon French
Walker Books Australia 2012
ISBN: 9781921720833

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

Holier Than Thou by Laura Buzo

There’s a point on Jindarra street where you crest the hill and suddenly the city skyline appears on the horizon. Even on hazy days you can see the figures of the buildings, straight and tall, taking more than is their due. Far from the quiet desperation of Elizabethtown. Not so quiet at times.

When I crest that hill I always think of Lara and Daniel, high up in Governor Phillip Tower, seated in the offices of their respective firms. Then I draw a line south across the city, passing Tim’s office near Central Station, down to Abigail at St George Hospital. I extend the line west, pausing to glance down toward Canberra where I think Liam and his girlfriend are still living, and then link them all back to me in Elizabethtown – Befftown – where Nick and I are hurtling alone Jindarra Street in the work car.

Holly is a social worker in inner Sydney. She is teamed with Nick, a nurse and together they make visits to sick and addicted people in the community. Holly works in community health where funds are always being squeezed and burnout is high. So it’s good that she has a loving partner and good friends to give her balance in her life. Even if some of her friends have sold their souls to work for the corporate dollar. Holly is carrying her own troubles so deep that she hardly recognises what it is that’s so unsettling her. Slowly, her past bubbles to the surface, robbing her of happiness and sleep, pulling her backwards.

The title, Holier Than Thou, is a play on Holly’s name, and the name her colleague Nick uses. It’s a reference to her passion to help others and her fiercely-held ideologies. She most wants to help those who have no resources, financial or emotional to help themselves. She wants to fix the world. Since she was a child, that’s what she’s wanted. Holly tells her own story, gradually revealing snippets of her past that may not be finished with. In particular, she focuses on a boy who was a friend but who now seems lost to her and to their other friends. She’s sure she can fix the pass. There are themes of love and loss, friendship and lust. A great read set in contemporary Sydney.

Holier Than Thou, Laura Buzo
Allen& Unwin 2012
ISBN: 9781741759983

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

Everything Left Unsaid, by Jessica Davidson

I wait for him, the cold seeping through my clothes, until it finally dawns on me that he’s not coming back. And I wonder why he chose her instead of me? Why he went looking for her when I was right there.

Tai has been Juliet’s best friend since kindergarten, and they are both sure nothing will ever change that. But now, in their final year of highschool, they are realising that their feelings for each other might be something more than friendship. The magic of falling in love is sweet, and they dream of their future together. But those dreams are shattered when Tai goes to the doctor for a recurring headache – and learns that he has an incurable brain tumour. Suddenly their time together seems all too short.

There is no pretending that this is going to be a happy ever after book. The blurb makes it clear that not everything you wish for can come true. But whilst it is a truly sad story, it is told with a mix of wit, honesty and poignancy that makes it a pelasure to read, in spite of the heart wrenching nature of the subject matter and, inevitably, the ending.

Davidson deals with a tough topic senistively and realistically, using the dual perspectives of the young couple. She also doesn’t forget their friends and, importantly, their families, adding to the sense of authenticity. The use of the first person narrative takes the reader on an intimate journey.

Not an easy topic, but a rich, rewardng read.

Everything Left Unsaid, by Jessica Davidson
Pan, 2012
ISBN 9780330424950

Available from good bookstores or online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

The Reunion, by Joanne Fedler

Helen and I have different parenting styles. Hers is the ‘let them get on with it’ kind. Mine is the type where I’m always graduating from one worry (like SIDS, choking on small objects and drowning in shallow water) to another (crossing roads, going unaccompanied into public toilets and getting rides with friends’ boyfriends who’ve only just got their license). Which, if you think about it, says more about the society we live in – that rapists and appalling drivers coexist with my children – than it does about me.

Jo, Helen, Ereka and CJ have been friends since they joined a mothers’ group, but now their kids are teens and almost-teens their lives are very different. It’s been a while since they last had a weekend away together, but it’s finally come together, and, along with some new friends, they’re heading out a luxurious country house for some quality time together – eating, drinking and, importantly talking.But will their friendship survive the weekend unscathed?

The Reunion is a sequel to the 2006 title Secret Mother’s Business, and includes several of the same characters, along with some new ones. In the first book the mothers dealt with issues common to young families. Now, they are raising teens and pre-teens, and facing issues of nearing middle age. Readers who connected with the first book are likely to similarly connect with the second, being likely that they have faced this new group of situations, too. The characters are as likeable as they are varied, and it isn’t hard to connect with them.

Whilst Fedler takes the time to explain that the work is mostly a work of fiction, it was inspired by a weekend away with friends, and many of the situations and conversations used are based on real experiences.As a result, it is easy to relate to the women of The Reunion.

The Reunion, by Joanne Fedler
Allen & Unwin, 2012
ISBN 9781742375595

Available from good bookstores or online from Fishpond.

Come on Everybody, Time to Play, by Nigel Gray & Bob Graham

Sunday morning.
No school today.
Where is everybody?
It’s time to play.

It’s Sunday morning, which means no school – so why is the narrator of this story the only one up? That’s not really a problem, because she’ll soon have them all moving – cats and kittens, dogs and puppies, little brothers, and even Mum and Dad, will soon be awake and part of her games.

This is a lovely family story of waking up and spending time together. Told in catchy rhyming text which encourages prediction by even very young readers, and also supports guessing of what is under the flaps on some of the spreads. Sturdy card stock and a toddler friendly size ensure this will withstand frequent loving (and reading!).

First published in 2008, and newly released.

Come on Everybody, Time to Play!, by Nigel Gray & Bob Graham
Walker Books, 2012
ISBN 9781921529528

Available in good bookstores and online.

Waiting at the Gate, by Robyn Caughlan with Jason K Foster

Every day, I’d watch to see if Mum was coming to get me like she’d promised. I’d counted out the fourteen days, and then some, but still no cars. I stopped counting and began to wonder when Mum, if ever, was going to come for me.
Waiting at the gate became a vigil.

When Robyn’s mother sends her for a holiday with a childless couple, she tells her it will only be for two weeks. but the two weeks pass, and then two more, and soon Robyn comes to realise that no matter how long she waits at the gate, her mother won’t appear. But the couple who have taken her in, the Reids, love her like a daughter, and work hard to win her trust and repair the damage which her father’s abuse has done.

It is’t easy for Robyn to cope with this traumatic past, and her separation from her large family, and in her young adult life, she finds herself in more difficult situations: married at seventeen, trapped in abusive relationships, and uncertain of her own worth. But when she discovers her artistic abilities she begins to turn her life around.

Waiting at the Gate is a powerfully moving memoir from successful artist and renowned international fashion designer, Robyn Caughlan. Caughlan shares her story with heartbreaking honesty, taking the reader on a troubled journey through experiences no child, or woman, should have to cope with, through to wonderful moments of triumph.

Not an easy story, but an important one, and, ultimately, uplifting.

Waiting at the Gate, by Robyn Caughlan with Jason K Foster
Magabala Press, 2012
ISBN 9781921248528

Available from good bookstores or online from Fishpond.

The Race for the Chinese Zodiac, by Gabrielle Wang, illustrated by Sally Rippin & Regine Abos

The Jade Emperor has decided to hold a great race. teh first twelve animals to cross the river will each have a year named after them. the animals are excited – but tehre are thirteen animals competing, so one will miss out. each animal must use their unique skills – or their wiliness – to get themself across the river.

The Race for the Chinese Zodiac is a gorgeous version of a classic Chinese legend, which is both entertaining and educational. Wang’s text captures both the excitement of the race and the character of the thirteen animals, and the illustrations are exquisite. A combination of brush and ink, linocut and digital media creates a satisfying whole with rich oranges and golds prominent. The design and layout makes this a real visual treasure.

First released in 2010, and newly released in paperback, The Race for the Chinese Zodiac is suitable for both private reading and classroom use.

The Race for the Chinese Zodiac, by Gabrielle Wang, illustrated by Sally Rippin & Regine Abos
Black Dog, 2012
ISBN 9781742032092

Available from good bookstores or online.

The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf, by Ambelin Kwaymullina

There will come a day when a thousand illegals descend on your detention centres. Boomers will breach the walls. Skychangers will send lightning to strike you all down from above, and Rumblers will open the earth to swallow you up from below…And when that day comes, Justin Connor, think of me.

Ashala Wolf is in trouble. She has been captured by the Chief Administrator, Neville Rose, who has a frightening machine designed to interrogate illegals like Ashala. And, in spite of her special skills, Ashala doesn’t know if she’ll be able to withstand the interrogation, designed to unlock the secrets of her mind. Guarding her every move is Justin Connor, an enforcer who isn’t just her guard, but also the very person who betrayed her, by infiltrating the Tribe and learning her secrets. Ashala isn’t sure the Tribe can survive this betrayal.

But all is not as it seems, and as her interrogation goes on, and Ashala’s life hangs in the balance more than once, she starts to question just who her enemies – and her friends – really are.

The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf is the first is a stunning new series, The Tribe, from first time novelist Ambelin Kwaymullina. Set in a post-apocalyptic future where man’s actions have lead to a total restructuring of the world and an awareness of the damage man’s actions does to the Balance of nature, the story sets those who are different because of special powers which connect them to the earth’s forces against the bulk of people who do not. Those who have such powers, Illegals, are not considered Citizens and so must live in captivity, or live outside society. Ashala, whose ability is Sleepwalking – an ability to live and manipulate her dreams – has gathered together other young people with abilities into the Tribe, whose goal is to survive, but also to bring about change.

The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf is a strong start to the series. Kwaymullina has written and illustrated picture books and shorter books for younger readers, and her first foray into a longer form is outstanding.

The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf, by Ambelin Kwaymullina
Walker Books, 2012
ISBN 9781921720086

Available from good bookstores or online.