Penguin – Page 3 – Aussie Reviews

Pureheart, by Cassandra Golds

She was looking out her window when she saw him.
She had spent all her life looking out windows. But this was the first time she had ever looked out on someone who was already looking back at her.
He was too far away from her to be able to see his face clearly. Anyway, it was dark, and the mist obscured everything. And yet, the moment she caught sight of him, standing under the streetlight, she was seeing, not him, but a long vista of halls and doorways shooting out, as it were, behind him.
That was how she knew he was family.

Deirdre is alone in the world. Her grandmother has just died, and Deirdre is left watching over a block of fats, which have been condemned by the council. But when she sees a boy standing watching the building, she knows she must go to him. Soon, she realises that this is Gal, who she knew when she was 5, and again, briefly, when she was 12. They share some kind of history, but it’s something she doesn’t really understand. Together they must unravel the secret of their past, and of the old building.

Pureheart is a haunting tale of love, and secrets. Bringing fable and mystery together in a blend which is satisfyingly difficult to define, the result is intriguing and will appeal to teen and adult readers.

Exquisite.

Book Cover: Pureheart

Pureheart, by Cassandra Golds
Penguin, 2013
ISBN 9780143204275

Available from good bookstores or online.

The Andy Flegg Survival Guide, by Mark Pardoe

Let me start by saying that this sucks.
‘What sucks?’ I hear you say.
No, actually that’s stupid. I don’t hear you say that. How could I?
For a start I don’t even know who you are, so what would you be doing here talking to me in my bedroom?

Andy Flegg does not want to write in a journal. but if he wants his parents to buy him an XBox, he has to write in it every day until his birthday, which is 124 days away. He has no idea what he is going to write about, but he desperately wants that XBox, so he’s going to do it. Luckily (in an unlucky kind of way), life is about to send lots of curve balls Andy’s way, so he’ll have plenty to write about – as the book’s title The Andy Flegg Survival Guide to Losing Your Dog, Your Dad and Your Dignity in 138 Days suggests. The journal might even help him get through it all.

While the use of a journal of diary written by a reluctant protagonist is not new, but it is a format which works, allowing the reader direct insight into the character’s thoughts and feelings. Of course it also allows for plenty of humour in the form of an unreliable narrator and plenty of misunderstandings. Readers will enjoy Andy’s voice, and also empathise with the pain of the quite traumatic events he experiences, a pleasing blend.

The Andy Flegg Survival Guide is suitable for middle and upper primary readers.

Book Cover: The Andy Flegg Survival Guide to Losing your dog, your Dad and your dignity in 138 Days

The Andy Flegg Survival Guide to Losing Your Dog, Your Dad and Your Dignity in 138 Days, by Mark Pardoe
Puffin Books, 2013
ISBN 9780143306771

Available from good bookstores and online.

The First Third, by Will Kostakis

Life is made up of three parts: in THE FIRST THIRD you’re embarrassed by your family; in the second, you make a family of your own; and in the end, you just embarrass the family you’ve made.

Yiayia, Billy’s Grandmother, is ill, and she’s decided it’s time to fulfill her bucket list. But she’s stuck in hospital, so it’s up to Billy to do the things she’s asked. He has to fix his little brother – which would be easier of his brother would even speak to him. Then he needs to find his older brother a girlfriend in Sydney – which would be easier if that brother wasn’t gay and happy living in Brisbane. Lastly, he needs to find his mother a new husband – which would be easier if – well, no, it wouldn’t be easy. For whatever reason, it’s Billy’s job to glue his family back together and fulfil Yiayia’s wishes. The first third of his life has to end sometime, whether he likes it or not.

The First Third is a witty yet wise tale of a Greek-Australian family which has plenty of heartache, but is held together by Yiayia, in the last third of life intent on embarrassing everyone as much as she can while she feeds, cossets and loves. The story is a finely balanced blend of humour and heart which will have readers laughing, cheering and crying along with Billy and his family.

Excellent contemporary young adult fiction.

Book Cover: The First Third

The First Third, by Will Kostakis
Penguin, 2013
ISBN 9780143568179

Available from good bookstores or online.

Waratah House, by Ann Whitehead

‘It’s an omen,’ Marina said earnestly, and blushed when Sarah made a disgusted ‘tch tch’ sound. ‘My mumma believed in omens,’ she added apologetically. ‘She would have said this golden tunnel is leading us to a bright future.

When Marina arrives at Waratah House, a mansion in southern New South Wales, she hopes it will be the start of a new, better life. It is the first real home she’s ever lived in, having travelled with her parents for most of her young ife. Now, though, she is an orphan, with her parents dying on the trip to Australia, and the man who adopted her also dead. Here at Waratah House she finds a new family amongst the fellow servants. Everyone loves Marina – except her guardian, Sarah, who blames Marina for anything bad that befalls her.

Years later, Marina’s daughter, Emily, finds that she, too, is the victim of Sarah’s wrath. Sarah will stop at nothing to ensure Emily can’t find happiness. Will history repeat itself, or will Emily find a way to follow her dreams?

Set in colonial NSW, Waratah House is an absorbing historical novel exploring the lives of the servants at a country mansion, a fact which is bound to draw comparisons with Downton Abbey, though in this offering the lives of the family ‘upstairs’ is largely incidental to that of the servants, who are very much the focus.

There is a lot going on here, and possibly enough material for two separate books – one focussing on Marina, and the other on her daughter. This would also allow more exploration of other characters – whose lives are interesting, but sometimes touched on only long enough to arouse interest. That quibble aside, Waratah House is on the whole a satisfying read.

Waratah House, by Ann Whitehead
Penguin, 2012
ISBN 9781921518744

This book is available online from Fishpond.

The Reluctant Hallelujah, by Gabrielle Williams

Dodie has a lot on her plate. It’s the last week of school, and final exams are looming. So, when her parents don’t come home she takes a little while to figure out they’re missing

We lifted the square of carpet, and there it was. A solid iron trapdoor. With a lock. An ornate, old-fashioned lock that would fit an ornate, old-fashioned iron key perfectly. I’d seen enough NCIS to know that two missing parents and one locked trapdoor is a combination for great TV but not so great in real life.

Dodie has a lot on her plate. It’s the last week of school, and final exams are looming. So, when her parents don’t come home she takes a little while to figure out they’re missing. Then a boy from her class who she barely knows tells her to trust him, and from there things get more and more weird. Her parents, it turns out, have been hiding a massive secret – a secret that people are prepared to kill for. Soon Dodie finds herself on a road trip – driving an odd assortment of people, including one who’s dead, from Melbourne to Sydney. Chased by bad guys and the police, and never sure who they can trust, Dodie and her new friends get to know themselves, each other, and a lot about life.

The Reluctant Hallelujah takes quirky to a whole new level, with a twist, revealed in the basement early in the book, which will leave some readers uncomfortable and others laughing out loud. As the story continues there are romantic, bizarre and sad turns aplenty, keeping the reader guessing right to the end.

There’s much to like here, though a word of caution that there are some elements of the content which may prove controversial in some school settings – though it’s not possible to elaborate on these here without spoiling the plot. Those who are offended may be over thinking things a little, in a book which is, in the end, an absorbing read.

The Reluctant Hallelujah, by Gabrielle Williams
Penguin, 2012
ISBN 9780143566847

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

The Shiny Guys, by Doug MacLeod

A dark look at mental disorders and the journeys on which their victims can be forced to travel. Though there is a liberal sprinkling of humour, this is a confronting look at how fantasy and reality can merge, and the mental health system.

The inmates of Ward 44 come in all shapes and sizes. Some are old, some are young, but we are united in one respect. Our brains don’t work. Or rather, they do work, just not in a way society finds acceptable. We have mental problems, some more serious than others.

Colin Lapsley is fifteen years old, and trapped in Ward 44, a psychiatric ward. Colin doesn’t think he’s crazy, but he does know that he’s visited by the shiny guys, strange shapes that flitter on the edge of his vision. He’s pretty sure that the new girl in the ward, Anthea, can see them too. His other friend in the ward, Mango, can’t see the shiny guys, but he is tormented by bad dreams, and has an attachment disorder – a compulsive need to hold on to people.

When the shiny guys start to show themselves to Colin more fully, he realises they want him to face up to the terrible things he did. It was his fault, he’s sure, that his little sister disappeared, and now it’s up to him to fix things, under the direction of the shiny guys. But as the shiny guys get more insistent, Colin wonders if he’s going to be able to put everything right for himself and his family, as well as for Anthea and Mango.

The Shiny Guys is a dark look at mental disorders and the journeys on which their victims can be forced to travel. Though there is a liberal sprinkling of humour, this is a confronting look at how fantasy and reality can merge, and the mental health system. With the story set in 1985, MacLeod is careful to reassure readers that modern psychiatric wards are different than Ward 44, which is reassuring, yet the issues and illnesses faced by the characters are still very relevant. It’s also important to note that although some of the treatment methods used in the book (including electric shock therapy) are questionable, the staff of the ward are generally portrayed sympathetically as people doing the best they can with limited resources.

MacLeod is best known for his comedic offerings but, although The Shiny Guys has very serious subject matter, it is not a huge shift from his usual cleverness. In fact it is the use of humour which makes the story so palatable.

The Festival by the Sea, by June Loves

In four chaotic weeks Gina negotiates way through booking glitches, venue changes, author hissy-fits and brushes with the past, all the while wondering if she’s really ready to swap this new life for the bright city lights.

Adrian (former lover, now friend) had called in for coffee that morning. For the last year he’s been organising a writer’s festival in Shelly Beach. He’d convinced authors t come, raised funds through charity events, persuaded the local council to chip in, and advertised the festival far and wide. And now, with a month to go, he’s gone and got himself a job in the city. So guess who’s running the festival now? No choice in the matter. It’s a fait accompli.

A year and a half ago Gina Laurel came to Shelly Beach with her whole life in just two suitcases, her life in tatters after the breakup of her marriage and a big setback to her writing career. Since she’s moved here, she’s made friends, found a new lover and been adopted by a dog. She’s found new jobs, and built a life for herself. But maybe now she’s ready to move on. So when she’s offered a brilliant job back in the city she’s ready to take it. But first there’s just the small matter of the writers’ festival that has suddenly become her responsibility.

The Festival by the Sea is a comic romp through seaside living, literary festivals and mid life changes. A sequel to The Shelly Beach Writers’ Group, the story stands alone, with enough back story to ensure a new reader is not disadvantaged. Gina is a humorous and likable first person narrator, ably supported by a range of other characters from comic to tragic, with The Dog a curiously endearing one. Whilst partly a story about the festival, The Festival by the Sea is just as much a tale of self-discovery and friendship.

A clever story.

The Festival by the Sea, by June Loves
Penguin, 2012
ISBN 9780670076444

This book is available in good bookstores or online from Fishpond.

A Bear and a Tree, by Stephen Michael King

The unlikely trio – a big white bear, a little girl and a mouse – come together in a surprising way against the delightfully whimsical winter landscape of King’s imagination

It began to snow, and Bear knew it was time for his big sleep. But instead of saying goodbye, he lifted Ren and nestled her in his coat. Bear was as warm as a summer memory.

As Bear prepares for his winter sleep, he finds his friend Ren (a human girl) crying because her favourite tree has lost its leaves. Even though he should be settling down to sleep, Bear picks Ren up and takes her to marvel at the wonders of winter – falling snow, a gurgling reek, glistening icicles and bendy branches. They join with Mouse to watch the twinkling winter stars and spend the night counting them. But in the morning, Bear is tired – and Ren knows that he must sleep. Together the three friends trace back to the tree, where they leave souvenirs of their journey before Bear, finally, settles down to sleep for the winter.

A Bear and a Tree is a breathtaking celebration of winter – and of friendship. The unlikely trio – a big white bear, a little girl and a mouse – come together in a surprising way against the delightfully whimsical winter landscape of King’s imagination. Like all of his book’s, King’s illustrations are seemingly simple and yet say so much, with a dream-like quality which the soft blues and whites of the winter landscape abet beautifully.

This a book which is perfect for snuggling up to read, in much the same way as the characters themselves snuggle up. Excellent for bedtime reading, or for rainy-day reading, or for any=time reading, really.

A Bear and a Tree, by Stephen Michael King
Penguin, 2012
ISBN 9780670075829

This book is available in good bookstores, or online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

The Jewel Fish of Karnak, by Graeme Base

The Cat Pharaoh thought for a moment.
‘Well then, thieves, I have a task for you,’ she said. ‘In distant Karnak lies the Palace of the Crocodile Prince. Go there and bring back the golden Jewel Fish that the Crocodile took from me. If you do this, I will pardon you.”In Ancient Egypt Jackal and Iris are in trouble. They’ve been caught stealing from the town market. They beg the Pharaoh for mercy and she sets them a task: steal back her stolen Jewel Fish and she will pardon them. But the pair are warned: keep the fish dry, and do not steal anything else. Unfortunately, the pair do not follow instructions, and their greediness lands them in more trouble. Only the reader can help them by locating the Jewel Fish.

The Jewel Fish of Karnakis a sumptuous hard cover picture puzzle book from bestselling author/illustrator Graeme Base. With Bases’s signature illustrative style – lots of detail, quirky characters and rich colours – and a mystery to solve, there is lots to keep readers interested. At the end of the story the reader is invited to become involved by finding the clues to figure out where the missing Jewel Fish is. In the back cover of the book there is a Jewel Fish mechanisim used to solve the msytery and work out what the fish looks like, and the wrap around cover includes a fold out map filled with facts about Ancient Egypt.

Whilst younger children will findt the book visually appealing, it is school aged children who will be likely to be able to decipher the mystery. If unable, they will find clues online on a dedicated website.

Fabulous.

The Jewel Fish of Karnak, by Graeme Base
Penguin, 2011
ISBN 9780670074679

This book is available in good bookstores or online from Fishpond.

Come Down, Cat! by Sonya Hartnett & Lucia Masciullo

Nicholas was dismayed. ‘Cat!’ he cried.
‘Don’t you want to come down?
Do you want to stay on the roof all night?’
‘Marl,’ said the cat, hop-skip-jumping away.

Nicholas’ cat is on the roof and won’t come down. Night is coming, and Nicholas is worried. He climbs a rickety ladder to try to rescue the cat, but it runs away. In bed, Nicholas can’t sleep. He thinks of the strange things outside in the dark, creep is and crawlies and ghosts, and thinks the cat is very brave. But then he drifts to sleep, and it starts to rain. Poor cat is stranded on the roof getting wet, until he is woken by the cat’s cry and bravelu goes ot to rescue her. Finally, both fall asleep in bed, each thinking how brave the other has been.

Come Down, Cat! is a beautiful tale of friendship and bravery, exemplified by the boy Nicolas and his cat, the only two characters in the story. The text, from award winning author Sonya Hartnett is simple yet finely crafted. There is no excess. For example, there is no extraneous explanation as o how the cat got onto the roof, the story opening simply with: It was nearly night time, and the cat was still on the roof. Later, when Nicholas imagines the terrors of the night, the reader gets the feeling that perhaps it is Nicholas who is scared of the howls and whispers, and scritchy scratchy sounds.

The illustrations, by up and coming illustrator Lucia Masciullo, are whimsical acrylics. Nicolas’ two story house has turrets and chimneys and balconies which speak of mystery and adventure. Nicholas himself is sweet faced, but with tousled hair and little pointed nose that make him a delightful oddity. There are shadows and clouds and splotches of light, all giving light and dark and adding interest and general quirkiness.

Suitable for early childhood, but with appeal for primary aged readers too, Come Down, Cat! is, simply, beautiful.

Come Down, Cat!, by Sonya Hartnett, illustrated by Lucia Masciullo
Penguin, 2011
ISBN 9780670074754