Claire Saxby – Page 82 – Aussie Reviews

My Life & Other Catastrophes, by Rowena Mohr

Tuesday 19 April 4.30 pm
Okay, let me get one thing straight. This is not going to turn into Bridget Jones’s Diary. I don’t know what I’m supposed to be writing in this stupid thing but I can tell you right now you’re not going to get any personal stuff. Mrs Parisi – she’s my English teacher – said that this is simply supposed to be an exercise in self-expression and even though we have to hand these diaries in at the end of the year, no one is actually going to read them. Like I’m going to fall for that one!

Erin is fifteen, starting Year 10 and trying to cope with a life that seems to be spiralling out of control. She has to write a diary all year and it becomes her confidant when she is sure no one else is listening. Her best friend is becoming distant; her father is unemployed and boring; her mother is dating the ‘creepazoid’, Erin’s PE teacher. Even her little brother Ben seems to be having a better life. Erin tries to be helpful, telling her mother her boyfriend is a creep, explaining life to her friend, and even advising her singing coach Brendan on what to do with his psycho mother. But no one is listening. Erin is on her own, determined to save her world.

My Life and Other Catastrophes is told in first person through Erin’s diary. Erin is feisty and opinionated and sure she’s right. About everything. Her world gradually unravels and the reader begins to understand some of the reasons for her sometimes irrational outbursts. Erin is struggling with the divorce of her parents, confused about her changing friendship, clueless about boys. She wraps her perceptions tight around her and will brook no other explanations. Every relationship is suspect, every motivation is suspect, no one is on her side. Erin’s diary is exquisite agony, the reader aware of her skewed observations, but laughing at her words. Themes include friendship, relationships, honesty, mental health. There’s also a healthy indication that keeping secrets is not always healthy. Recommended for lower- to mid-secondary readers.

My Life and Other Catastrophes, by Rowena Mohr
Allen & Unwin 2008
ISBN: 9781741752861

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

Always Mackenzie, by Kate Constable

‘We’re doomed.’ Bec dumped her bags beneath the grimy window of the converted shearers shed. ‘We’re all going to die.’
‘Doomed to death?’ said Iris. ‘That’s got to be a tautology.’
‘We won’t die,’ said Georgia. ‘You never know, it might even be fun.’
I said, ‘Can I have the top bunk?’
So what did that say about me?
On the flimsy evidence available, it might seem that I was a practical, confident, brisk kind of person who’d rather get one with things than stand around arguing.
Wrong, wrong, wrong and wrong again, which shows how inaccurate first impressions can be.

Always Mackenzie begins on the first day of a term-long camp at Heathersett River, the country campus of a private school. Year Ten will spend a term there. Within the first page the reader is introduced to Jem and her three close friends. Camp is supposed to break down the barriers between ‘cliques’ and provide opportunities for all the girls to learn more about themselves and each other. And to some extent it workes. Jem (nerd) and Mackenzie (golden) get to know each other. Georgia (Jem’s friend) and Rosie (Mackenzie’s friend) also become friends. The term ends and they return to regular school. Both new and old friendships are tested. Jem has always been one of the ‘good’ students, managing to swim her way through secondary school avoiding any undue attention. But she can’t stand by when her friend is being bullied. A firm believer in truth and justice, she is stunned at the response to her honesty.

Jem is a reader, a diligent student, a quite achiever. Her life has been ordered, buffered by three friends she met when she began Year Seven. The worst thing about school camp is that she is not allowed to take any books. A pact with Mackenzie to ‘remain enemies’ in the face of saccharine-sweet pretend friendships transforms into a friendship that continues when they return to school. But what was easy to sustain at Heathersett River is much more difficult back at school. Always Mackenzie is a novel about the nature of friendships, the danger of secrets and the complex masks that seldom protect.

This is title 4 in the new Girlfriend series from Allen & Unwin. Although there are common elements to the packaging of this series, each cover is distinctive and engaging, enticing mid-teens into substantial stories. Recommended for 13-16 year olds.

Always Mackenzie, by Kate Constable
Allen & Unwin 2008
ISBN: 9781741752939

This book is available online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

Children's Magazine Review: Tibbidy

Tibbidy is a glossy new 32 page magazine for young children. It includes stories, puzzles and many other activities. In this first, beach-themed, edition there are four stories, two by Jackie Hosking, one by Janette Brazel and the fourth by George Ivanoff. Two are in verse, one is set in a graphic format (we used to call them comics), and the fourth is in a more traditional narrative format. Illustrations for stories and activities are by various illustrators (in a variety of styles) but all are bright and colourful. Activities suggested can be completed with items found in or around most homes. Tibbidycontains no advertising. It also links to a website where there are sample story pages and some activities.

Tibbidy is a lovely looking magazine. It feels good to hold. The magazine is of sturdy paper and a size perfect for being read alone or for sharing with a older reader. From the bright-coloured ‘pick-me-up’ cover to the build-your-own rock pool activity inside the back cover, producer Kirsty Gautheron has put together a wonderful package. The stories are engaging, the illustrations full of extra tit-bits for the reader (or pre-reader) to find. There are a wide range of imaginative activities with something to appeal to every taste. The magazine is to be produced quarterly and is available from selected retailers (although I couldn’t find details of these), or online at www.tibbidy.com.au (order the print edition or download the printable edition).

Tibbidy, produced by Kirsty Gautheron
2008 ISBN: 9771835001005

Who's Laughing? by David Bedford

Hippo is trying to sleep but every time he tries, someone starts laughing. On each opening, Hippo asks ‘Who’s laughing?’ On the opposing page an animal laughs their special laugh, while partially hiding behind down-opening flaps. There are clues on each page as to who’s causing the laughter. Bright colour jungle images lead Hippo high and low in search of answers. Hippo’s friend, a little blue bird, accompanies him on his search. Eventually Hippo and the little blue bird fall prey to the laugh-maker too. The story ends with everyone laughing together.

This is the paperback version of Who’s Laughing? with the original released in 2006. The bright yellow cover and image of Hippo laughing is sure to attract the youngest of children. The blue bird is here too on the front cover and gives the reader an extra something to follow through the pages. The format is mid-sized and the paper sturdy, perfect for little hands to flip and flip their way through. Recommended for 2-4 year olds.

Who’s Laughing? by David Bedford ill Leonie Worthington
Little Hare paperback 2007
ISBN: 9781921272110

This book is available online at Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

The Boot Thief, by John Heffernan

‘What’s going on?’
Lucy and Jack looked up from the breakfast table. Their father was standing in the sunroom door, scratching his head.
On his left foot he wore a gumboot.
On his right foot was a riding boot.
The kids smiled at each other.
‘It’s that boot thief again!’ he growled.

A boot thief is stealing boots from the verandah of the farmhouse. Not every boot, just one of each pair. Lucy and Jack think it’s funny to see their father wearing odd boots. But then their boots begin to disappear as well. And one of their mother’s boots is gone as well. Suddenly it’s not so funny. It’s time for some serious detective work. Everyone at school wants to help. Could it be the hens? Could it be the sheep? Lucy and Jack piece together the evidence and discover just who is stealing the boots. But what do you do when the thief has a good reason for the thefts? Lucy and Jack work out a solution that keeps everyone happy, safe and warm.

the boot thief is a new title in Lothian’s Giggler series. There are short chapters with illustrations on every opening, perfect for the reader making the transition from fully illustrated texts. Stephen Axelsen’s illustrations build on the gentle humour underpinning this realistic mystery. There are funny illustrations demonstrating what the thief might do with the stolen boots. While the adults get cross, the children set about finding an answer to the mystery. The action is pacy, the solution perfect. Recommended for newly-independent readers.

the boot thief, John Heffernan, ill Stephen Axelsen Lothian 2007
ISBN: 9780734410009

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

Laugh Even Louder!

Red monster: That cute girl over there just rolled her eyes at me!
Blue Monster: Well you’d better roll them back, she probably needs them.

A multicoloured target on the front cover of Laugh Even Louder includes as its bull’s eye a laughing child. Open the front cover and you’ll hear a child’s laughter. The first page is covered with the word ‘giggle’. There is no prize for guessing the intent of this title! This is a book full of jokes, some short, others longer. Contributions come from a wide variety of well-known Australians including Adam Hills, Ann James and Kostya Tszyu, and also from children all around the country. This is the second collection of jokes published to benefit Camp Quality, an organisation which supports children with cancer and their families. The first was Laugh Out Loud.

Laugh Even Louder includes jokes for all ages, from simple ‘knock-knocks’ to longer and more complex anecdotes. There is some theme grouping, and some grouping of contributors eg four well-known cricketers tell their jokes on the same opening, but mostly the jokes are a mixture, catering to a variety of tastes. The final page of Laugh Even Louder invites reader to enter their jokes on line for the chance of publication and to win great prizes. Travis Nixon’s winning joke for this collection is on page 19. There can never be too much laughter in the world, and when the book has the added benefit of helping those who perhaps most need to find something to laugh about, there is added reason to recommend it. Recommended for anyone who could use a laugh.

Laugh Even Louder, various authors, illustrator Bob Seal
Scholastic 2007
ISBN: 9781741690224

Purinina – A Devil’s Tale, by Christina Booth

At the bottom of the world, on the edge of an island, through a deep valley lined with pines that point to the sky…

Purinina: A Devil’s Tale is the story of the life cycle of Purinina, a Tasmanian Devil. It begins and ends with a new life. In between, Christina Booth follows Purinina as she grows from infancy to maturity. When her mother fails to return from a hunting trip, Purinina and her brothers must learn to make their own way in a changing, shrinking and often hostile environment.

Tasmanian Devils have not always had good press. In some ways they are seen as the unsociable cousin of Australia’s cuter and cuddlier marsupials. But as all mothers love their offspring, no matter their appearance or behaviour, so the author shares her love of the devil. With gentle words and warm colours, Christina Booth brings us close to Purinina and her family.

There is very little colour on the striking front cover of Purinina: A Devil’s Tale. Only Purinina’s tail and paw-prints are there, but they tell the reader that this is not a story of a horned demon. Perhaps Purinina’s markings also hint that this is not an altogether happy story. But the internal spreads are filled with colour: celebrating the vibrancy of life. When Purinina’s mother fails to return after a night’s hunting, the spreads return to almost black and white. But life goes on and colour returns to the pages although the sadness of loss is not forgotten. Throughout the story, text colour changes, reinforcing particular words. Christina Booth tells a simple, cycle-of-life tale, with warmth and love. The illustrations are simply beautiful. The text is accompanied by notes about the life and habitat of this often misunderstood Australian animal. Blue-hued endpapers show the night countryside. Recommended for 4-7 year olds and anyone wanting to learn more about the Tasmanian Devil.

Purinina: A Devil’s Tale, Christina Booth
Lothian 2007
ISBN:9780734409942

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

Harry Highpants, by Tony Wilson

eople in our town wear their pants at different heights.

People in town have always worn their pants at different heights. Some wear them low, some a little high and in Harry Highpants’ case, very high. But it’s not been a problem until Roy Bland decides to stand for council. He wants to see everyone wearing their pants the same way, the so-called ‘normal’ way. As the campaign progresses, the town is divided over the pants issue. Some feel that pants should be worn as the wearer feels comfortable, others are determined that everyone should be the same. Wading into this battle comes Harry Highpants, speaking for the freedom to wear pants as he wishes.

In Harry Highpants, Tom Jellett uses bright colours and humour to illustrate an important message about diversity and the challenges faced by any who would be different. The Roy Blands of this world will always find plenty of support in the push for uniformity. Hopefully, there will also be those who question and resist. The children of this town may have found Harry Highpants to be a figure of fun, his difference setting him apart, but they recognise, support and defend his right to wear his pants just how he chooses. Full colour pages, uncrowded images and an informal font allow the characters to shine as they recognise injustice and join the fight to reject Bland’s plans. The bright cover and images are attractive. Tony Wilson combines with Tom Jellett and together they tackle a serious subject with a light touch. They have produced a colourful, fun text, recommended for 3-7 year olds.

Harry Highpants, Tony Wilson, ill Tom Jellett
Omnibus Books 2007
ISBN: 9781862916036

Dad and Me, by Sarah Bryden-Brown

Dad had always wanted a family, and in the end he had a few. His first marriage in 1952 produced a daughter, Camilla, and a son, John. In 1962, after divorcing his first wife, Margaret, he married my mum and they had my sister, Jeni, in 1964. Four years later I was born. After they divorced in 1971, there was Lisa, a beautiful Hungarian waitress Dad had met when she was working in a fancy hotel bar, and who was married to him for ten years. and for a short period – three years, between 1982 and 1985 – there was just Dad and me.

Sarah Bryden-Brown recounts her life with her father from her childhood through adolescence to adulthood. Their relationship follows a rocky path through John Bryden-Brown’s three marriages and career challenges. For three years, the two lived together in dysfunctional almost-harmony. Then he decides, for reasons mostly unknown to Sarah, to move from Sydney to Queensland to start over. Following his death, Sarah is bequeathed her father’s large wooden chest, which holds ‘most of his secrets’. It is three years before she is ready to open the chest and examine the man who was her father. In doing so, she comes to a better understanding of John Bryden-Brown as a father and as a man.

We only get one go at childhood. It should be a time of love, laughter and learning. But it isn’t always like that. For many, childhood is a bewildering place, and only in hindsight do some of the reasons become evident. In Dad and Me the reader is invited into the revisiting of an imperfect childhood. There is love, but is it enough? Sarah Bryden-Brown doesn’t gloss over the difficulties of her early life, but in her examination of the contents of her father’s chest she is able to bring some balance to her understanding of her father. This is an intensely personal and sometimes difficult story, but its candour and clarity offer opportunities for others who seek understanding.

Dad and Me, by Sarah Bryden-Brown
Harper Collins Publishers 2007
ISBN: 9780732285296

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

Cairo Jim and the Astragals of Angkor, by Geoffrey McSkimming

The whole train of events was set into motion because of seven marshmallows.
Seven raspberry-flavoured marshmallows, to be exact. Seven raspberry-flavoured marshmallows that were shaped like miniature walruses, to be even more exact. Seven raspberry-flavoured marshmallows shaped like miniature walruses that had been made by the Poshoglian Sweets, Confectionery and Custard Company, Incorporated, if you want to know the minute details.

The Old Relics Society in Cairo has a large underground vault. In it are many treasures, some secret, some almost forgotten by those who put them there. It is here that Cairo Jim discovers six of the seven legendary Astragals of Angkor. Surprised that they truly exist, Cairo Jim is astounded and dismayed that they are in the vaults rather than in the Cambodian temple where they belong. Why is there a trail of plaster dust leading away from the carvings? Further investigations reveal that there is more mystery surrounding the carvings. They also discover they are not the only ones keen to discover the whereabouts of the seventh carving. Cairo Jim is ably assisted in his adventure by Doris, a talking Macaw and Brenda the wonder camel as they race to prevent the unthinkable happening.

Cairo Jim and the Astragals of Angkor: A Tale of Extraordinary Entanglement is the eighteenth adventure for Cairo Jim, as discovered and chronicled by Geoffrey McSkimming. Jim’s passion is archaeology, but his life is filled with mystery and adventure. ‘Cairo Jim and the Astragals of Angkor’ also features Cairo Jim’s other passion – poetry – although some of the other characters seem to wish it didn’t. The point of view is omniscient and allows the reader rich insight into the thoughts of all characters. McSkimming draws the reader into a world full of adventure and excitement. There is a traditional baddy, Neptune Flannelbottom Bone intent on achieving his newest nefarious aims, no matter the consequences. Bone is assisted by his own animal companion, a flea-ridden, unlikeable raven, Desdemona. Cairo Jim’s connections are wide-ranging and his adventures take him all around the world, as he races to stop Bone. A rich, funny adventure, it is sure to appeal to mid-primary to early secondary aged readers.

Cairo Jim and the Astragals of Angkor: A Tale of Extraordinary Entanglement, Geoffrey McSkimming
Hachette Children’s Books 2007
ISBN: 9780733616617