November 2012 – Page 3 – Aussie Reviews

The Mother's Group, by Fiona Higgins

All those things no one ever tells you about motherhood. It’s like secret mothers’ business. Lots of my friends had babies before me, but not one of them ever told me it would this hard…It’s like a code of silence.

Six very different women are brought together by one thing – they are all new mothers. Each comes from a different background and has a different experience of birth and the early months of a first child, but they meet through a mother’s group and determine to meet regularly and support each other through this new stage of their lives.

Over the course of the year the six become friends, but they also fight and disagree. Their circumstances are so different – from bringing up a child alone, to having a new baby plus a step child to care for, to struggling to adapt to a new culture. But what they have in common is their first child, and the tumultuous experience of the first year of motherhood.

The Mothers’ Group is a book which anyone who has ever navigated the highs and lows of motherhood will connect with. The varied cast means most readers will either see themselves in one or more of the characters, or will at least recognise someone they know. But it’s not just about sleepless nights and nappy changing – characters are faced with a range of big issues alongside the seemingly small ones (though anyone who has ever navigated the sleepless nights knows it is not a small issue).

The Mothers’ Group is a moving, heart-wrenching read.

The Mothers’ Group, by Fiona Higgins
Allen & Unwin, 2012
ISBN 9781742379869

Available from good bookstores and online.

Hey Baby, by Corinne Fenton

Hey Baby!
Never doubt just how special you are.

What a delightful first picture book this is. Speaking directly to a new born baby, this love letter reminds the child that there is nobody quite like him/her in simple text which will withstand multiple re readings and is short enough that even a wriggler will be able to last through its entirety.

The text is supported by beautiful baby animal photographs which will captivate young viewers and also delight adult readers. There are kittens, elephants, zebras, monkeys, even fish and, in the final to photos, a baby.

Whilst the title and the term ‘newborn’ baby in the text suggest the key target audience is newborns, older children will also enjoy the message of uniqueness and unconditional love, and the lively photo illustrations will also delight them.

Hey Baby! would make a perfect gift for a baby shower or newborn.

Hey Baby! by Corinne Fenton
Black DOg, 2012
ISBN 9781742032498

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

The Greedy Crocodile, by Sally Morgan

When Shontu the crocodile finally hatched from his egg, his mother thought he was the sweetest of all her little crocs hatched that day. But she soon changed her mind when he sank his sharp little teeth into her tail and began chewing. Imagine being so greedy that you;d take a bite out of your own mother!

Shontu the crocodile is so greedy that even the other crocodiles don’t trust him. Everyone lives in fear of him, but it is only Granny Wongon who can think of a way to stop him. ‘The Greedy Crocodile’ is just one of ten intriguing tales in the collection of the same name. other stories tell of a girl who can’t stop shouting, a boy who nearly wishes his life away and a Good Spirit who tries to outwit a grumpy frog.

The stories are not traditional tales, but draw on author Sally Morgan’s love of such tales, and of Australian landscapes and animals. Some are influenced, she says in the preface, by her own childhood, whilst others have been suggested by family members. Each story is accompanied by one or more colourful illustrations, adding interest.

An excellent companion to Morgan’s earleir collection, The Flying Emu, The Greedy Crocodile will appeal to primary aged readers and could be used in the classroom.

The Greedy Crocodile, by Sally Morgan
Walker Books, 2012
ISBN 9781921720659

Available from good bookstores or online.

The Boomerang Bride, by Fiona Lowe

“Why didn’t he meet your plane?”
Her moment of spunk faded and an aura of fragility hovered around her making her seem smaller than her five feet four inches. “Because, like I said, I’m a surprise.” She plucked at the folds of satin. “You know, the girl jumping out of the cake, only I’m the bride jumping in holding the cake.”
He tried to keep his disbelief out of his voice just in case he’d missed a vital piece of information. “You’re arriving unannounced to get married?”
She shrugged. “It seemed like a good idea last week when I was at home in Narranbool.”

Matilda Geoffrey has been swept off her feet. Her Nana told her she would have a romantic adventure, and this is it. Meeting Barry online, falling in love, then dashing across the world to surprise him by arriving unannounced in her wedding dress, is everything she’s ever dreamed of. But there’s one problem. When she arrives in Hobin she finds herself alone on Main Street, in front of an abandoned building. Not only is there no sign of Barry – it turns out that no one has ever heard of him. Could it be that she’s been conned?

Marc Olsen has never met anyone like Matilda – especially given that when he meets her she’s dressed in an antique wedding gown, clutching a wedding cake and staring at an abandoned shopfront. He’s got bigger things to worry about than another man’s abandoned bride, but somehow circumstances keep throwing them together.

The Boomerang Bride is a warm hearted tale featuring an Australian/American romance which makes lotsof false starts. Matilda has been jilted by a con man, and also has issues with her distant parents and the loss of her much-loved Nana. Marc, too, has lost someone – his father, whose early death left Marc the mainstay of his grieving family. Now he is supporting his sister through a cancer battle, and he has no time for romance, and no intention of ever risking the kind of loss he saw his mother experience. Before they can find love with each other, they must get over their past hurts and their individual misconceptions.

Readers will enjoy following their individual journeys in a tale that combines humour, pathos and, of course, romance.

The Boomerang Bride, by Fiona Lowe
Mira (Harlequin), 2012
ISBN 978192179556

Available from good bookstores or online.

Have a go, Henry! by Kate Willson, ill Marjory Gardner

Henry feels like he’s not much good at anything. Perhaps there’s only room in a family for one person to excel. And in Henry’s family that’s Suzy.

Stuffing my fingers in my ears, I tried to shut out the noisy crowd. I shuffled my left foot away from the woman next to me. If she jumped up and squashed my foot once more I was going to … Well, let’s just say she’d be TOTALLY sorry.

Uh oh. The crowd’s going nuts again. Even though I had poked my fingers so far into my ears they were almost touching, I could still hear the cheerleaders.

Henry feels like he’s not much good at anything. Perhaps there’s only room in a family for one person to excel at sport. And in Henry’s family that’s Suzy. Suzy is good at everything. He’s pleased that Suzy does so well, but just once it would be nice if his parents were cheering for him the way they cheer for Suzy. Only Grandma Lulu can make him feel better, but she’s somewhere in Europe having a lovely time. Henry determines to have a go, to try and find what he’s good at. He tries sport after sport, but although he does some good things, they’re always at the wrong time, or in the wrong way and all his efforts end in disaster. Surely there’s something he can excel at? Black and white illustrations are scattered throughout.

Some children quickly master whatever sport they tackle, and others take longer to find their place to shine. Henry seems to be the latter. But, as his loved grandmother might have said, ‘Your turn will come’ and of course, it does. Not necessarily in quite the way he anticipates, but he has his moment in the sun. Each chapter begins with a thought from Grandma Lulu, even when she’s not there, reminding Henry and the reader that everyone has talents, and eventually everyone will have a chance to shine. They also provide encouragement when Henry is feeling like there is no point in trying anymore. Recommended for lower- to middle-primary readers.

Have a Go Henry Kate Willson, ill Marjory Gardner
Celepene Press 2012 ISBN: 9780980699463

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

Mort: The 10,000-Year-Old Boy, Martin Chatterton

Mort has lived on remote and inhospitable-looking Unk Island for a long time. A VERY long time.

Unk Island is not a place that gets many visitors. Shaped like a broken coffin, it squats at the very back end of nowhere, and is said by those who have seen it to be the ugliest lump of land to be found in all the seven seas. On days like today, cloud-hung and rain-lashed, it was about as welcoming as a bucket of rotten fish guts.

Yet, vile as the island might appear, six nautical miles away a ship was heading in its direction through the slab-like waves of an ink-black sea.

Mort has lived on remote and inhospitable looking Unk Island for a long time. A very long time. He and his family age more slowly than the general population. His parents are away, his sister Agnetha has her own diversions and he’s experimenting with the assistance of a few clones: Leonardo da Vinci, Robert Oppenheimer, HG Wells and others. So it’s actually an advantage that no one visits. Mort notices the arrival of Patricia Molyneux and her assistant Nigel Spalding, and although he has no idea why they’re here, on this day he has more reasons than usual to avoid visitors. Start the clock ticking, because Mort’s day is just beginning and he’s got plans. Big plans. Plans that do not include playing host to unknown visitors who want who-knows-what.

‘Mort: The 10,000-Year-Old Boy’ is a hoot. From the pet who grew too big, to the warlord who does Mort’s bidding, to the machinations of the trio in his laboratory, this remote island has more secrets than a busload of spies. Where children might collect toys, Mort collects historical figures, but only those he can manipulate to play his wild games. ‘Mort’ is the first in a new series from Martin Chatterton and is sure to have readers chuckling and cheering at each twist and new development. Just as Mort, viewpoint character has the power to see what others on the island are up to, the reader is ahead of Mort in knowing what’s going on around them. But Mort has been around a long time, and his powers of adaptation are very well-developed. Recommended for middle-primary readers and anyone who wants to know what Sir David Attenborough does between shows.

Mort: The 10,000-Year-Old Boy, Martin Chatterton Random House Australia 2012 ISBN: 9781742753157

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

Available from good bookstores or online.

These are My Hands/These are my Feet by Judy Horacek

Two books in one, in a beautiful package.

Two books in one. Read ‘These are My Hands’, then flip to read ‘These are My Feet’. Each is an exploration of what feet/hands do and what can be done with them. The language is gentle and spare, the illustrations colourful, childlike and full of movement.

This small square hardback is the sophisticated cousin of the board book, small enough and for little hands, with sturdy pages that will withstand repeated exploration. Perfect for sharing with preschool age children.

These are My Hands / These are My Feet, Judy Horacek NLA Publishing 2012 ISBN: 9780642277480

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

Available from good bookstores or online

In The Beech Forest, Gary Crew ill Den Scheer

A boy – a professed ordinary boy – ventures into the forest. His computer gaming experience suggests that in forests monsters lurk. But he continues, finding a path that may or may not be his.

He was an ordinary boy, nothing special, and he went into the forest alone. He had no particular purpose other than to look, as adventurers do, or to slay imaginary monsters, as children do, so he held his head high, and gripped his toy sword, in case.

But as withered leaves shifted, and grey shadows lengthened, he hesitated remembering his computer games, the fearful quests he encountered there, the dreadful heroes, the beasts unconquered, and he wondered if such wild fantasies might threaten here.

A boy, a professed ordinary boy, ventures into the forest. His computer gaming experience suggests that in forests monsters lurk. But he continues, finding a path that may or may not be his. Deeper and deeper he ventures, and the further he goes, the less he is disturbed by noises of other forest-dwellers. Finally there is only darkness. He continues, despite a discomforting heightened awareness of the landscape around him. Potential threats occur to him, but when he spins, nothing is there. Illustrations reveal monsters in the shadows. Then, the boy begins to feel the pulse of the forest itself, the earth. And the unknown becomes known and he is strengthened. Illustrations, set in earthy surrounds, transition from black and white, with later images including an increasing level of red, the colour of excitement and danger.

In the Beech Forest is a story about facing fear and overcoming it, a rites of passage journey. But it is also about the contrast between the constructed world of the computer quest games and the real courage that it takes to encounter the non-game world with all its challenges. The boy is partly prepared for this journey by his knowledge of quest and monsters, but discovers much more about himself and his world when he engages directly with it. In the Beech Forest is aimed at older readers, and provides many themes for discussion. Text is mounted in frames on the left of each opening, image on the left, giving the feel of traditional tales. Recommended for secondary readers.

In the Beech Forest, Gary Crew ill Den Scheer
Ford St 2012 ISBN: 9781921665578

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

Available from good bookstores or online from Fishpond

Raven Lucas 1: Missing by Christine Harris

Raven’s heart jumped. She felt her face flame. Her eyes were glued to the felt hat and black coat worn by a man walking in the opposite direction. the footpath was crowded and Raven, standing still, was jostled in the seething flow of people rushing for trains or buses and the warmth of their homes.

Someone’s bag knocked her leg, snapping her out of her shocked paralysis. She stood on tip-toe, dodging left then right.

A hand grabbed her arm.

‘Raven Lucas 1: Missing ’ opens as Raven thinks she sees her father. Her father who just days ago vanished without a trace, without explanation. Her fragile mother is griefstricken, her father’s partner is too helpful, and her little brother is too young to be much help. There seem to be no clues, and plenty of rumours. Raven will not believe her father is dead, or that he’s done anything wrong. The more she investigates, the more confused she becomes. She discovers that she didn’t know her father as well as she thought she did. And she also realises that it may not be as easy as she thinks to know who to trust.

‘Raven Lucas 1: Missing ’ is the first instalment in a new mystery series from Christine Harris. Raven is a feisty, inquisitive, questioning main character. She’s also in pain, yearning for her loved father. Her world is spinning and nothing she once was sure of can now be relied on. Until now, she’s been secure in the wealth and support of her family and friends. But she now realises just how fragile that security has been, and how little she knows about her own family. She is far from helpless or hopeless, however, and determines to discover for herself just what’s going on. This is a fast-paced, action adventure with short chapters and mysteries around every corner. Recommended for upper-primary and lower-secondary readers.

Raven Lucas 1: Missing , Christine Harris

Omnibus Books 2012 ISBN: 9781862919341

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

Avaialable from good bookstores or online .

Ghost Club: The New Kid by Deborah Abela

‘There he is!’

Angeline sprang over the chesterfield lounge and raced down the murky corridor with Edgar close behind.

Their boots pounded on the floorboards. Their long, hooded coats flapped behind them as they ran through multicoloured beams of moonlight pouring in through stained-glass windows. Just ahead, a loud, deep moaning burst into the night – followed by an ancient Chinese vase.

Twins, Angeline and Edgar, are more than just the only child members of the Ghost Club, they are also very skilled ghost-catchers. When there’s a haunting report, they don their coats, hitch their backpacks and set off to solve ghostly mysteries. It’s a job they’re born to, one they enjoy immensely and are very good at. Enter Dylan, grandson of Grandmaster Fleischmann. He’s just joined Ghost Club and Angeline and Edgar look forward to helping Dylan settle in and learn the ways of ghost-catching. But Dylan isn’t quite convinced that ghost-catching is the job for him. Then they get a call from the castle. There’s been a sighting of a ghost, and he doesn’t seem friendly.

The New Kid is the first title in a new series from Deborah Abela for mid-primary readers. Twins Angeline and Edgar are part of an extended, loving family. They have nosy neighbours, variable cooking skills and secrets. They live in a normal street, and are perfectly normal. Except that they are also ghost-catchers. In this first instalment of a series, the reader meets a broad range of characters both dead and alive. Dylan is swept along in the ghost-catching excitement, wondering if he’ll ever adjust to this new world. Angeline is the leader, seemingly invincible, yet like the ghosts they encounter, she has secrets. Edgar speaks a fluent ghost-catcher language which can seem quite foreign to outsiders. They may seem different to outsiders, but this family and their Ghost Club are as cohesive as any community. And there are gadgets galore! Recommended for mid-primary readers.

Ghost Club: The New Kid , Deborah Abela
Random House Australia 2012 ISBN: 9781742750804

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

Avaialble from good bookstores or online .