violet mackerel – Aussie Reviews

Violet Mackerel's Formal Occasion, by Anna Branford & Sarah Davis

“This is the best small thing we’ve ever found,” says Rose.
“By far,” agrees Violet.

When Violet Mackerel and her friend Rose find a beautiful locket buried in the dirt at the park, they are very excited, although they worry whether someone is missing the locket. Then, when Mum loses a basket of precious knitted toys on the train, they realise just how sad and worried somebody can be when they lose something. They hatch a plan to give Mum a lovely surprise – a formal occasion. In the meantime, Violet tries to cheer Mum up by writing stories about what might have happened to the missing toys.

The eighth in Violet Mackerel’s ongoing adventures, Violet Mackerel’s Formal Occasion is also a beautiful stand alone story. Violet is a likeable main character, who is caring, resourceful and funny, a combination sure to appeal to young readers. The gentleness of the series means they are just as perfect for sharing as they are for individual reading, and the soft, grey-scale illustrations are a beautiful complement.

With acts of kindness, friendship, and cupcakes, and in a delightful hardcover format, Violet Mackerel’s Formal Occasion is delightful.

Violet Mackerel’s Formal Occasion, by Anna Branford, illustrated by Sarah Davis
Walker Books, 2015
ISBN 9781925081091

Available from good bookstores and online.

Violet Mackerel’s Personal Space by Anna Branford ill Sarah Davis

Violet Mackerel is on a summer holiday at the beach with her sister, Nicola, her brother, Dylan, her mum and her mum’s boyfriend, Vincent. It is nearly the end of the holiday and Violet is wishing it was still the beginning.

At the beach house where they are staying there are bunk beds. Violet has been sleeping on the bottom bunk. She has tucked a sheet under the mattress of the top bunk and dangled it down, so it is a small personal space of her own.

Violet has had a lovely time with her family at the beach, but now it’s time to go home. As she packs up she discovers a left-behind shell, and develops a new theory. This one is about leaving something of yourself behind when you leave. But thoughts of leaving little things behind are forgotten when Mum and Vincent make an announcement. It’s a double-barrelled announcement, and although Violet is happy about the first part, the moving-house second part is going to take some time to get used to. Violet thinks things through at her own pace as the world around her begins to swirl with change.

Violet Mackerel’s Personal Space is a new instalment in a series about Violet. As with previous offerings, it’s a beautiful hardcover book, with Sarah Davis’s gentle illustrations. Each opening includes black & white illustrations designed to intersperse the text and give the reader the opportunity to pause. Endpapers feature shells set in th same orange as the spine. Young Violet is surrounded by a supportive family, but she is determined to work her own way through things. In this case, it’s the notion of personal space and that it’s a different notion for everyone. ‘Violet Mackerel’s Personal Space’ uses Violet’s perspective to examine the responses of all the family members to the changes they are encountering. Delightful. Recommended for mid-primary readers.

Violet Mackerel’s Personal Spaceby Anna Branford ill Sarah Davis
Walker Books 2012
ISBN: 9781921529207

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

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

Violet Mackerel's Remarkable Recovery, by Anna Branford

“I’ll give you some lozenges for now, to help with the prickles,” says Doctor Singh, ‘but I think it would be a good idea to have your tonsils taken out.”
Violet, however, does not think this is a good idea. She generally prefers not to have things taken out.

Violet Mackerel has a very sore throat – again – and so the Doctor has decided it’s time for a tonsillectomy. At first Violet is not impressed, but then she starts to wonder if the tonsillectomy will leave her with a better singing voice. She wants to have a really remarkable recovery.

In the waiting room at the hospital Violet meets a lovely old lady called Iris who is also going to have an operation. She promises to see Iris again after the operation but, back at home, she has no idea how to find Iris. It will take something pretty remarkable for Violet to find Iris again.

Violet Mackerel’s Remarkable Recovery is the second book featuring the delightful Violet Mackerel and her family and friends. Violet is an endearing character who reaches out to people around her with her unique blend of friendship, courage and humour as she faces life head on. The story is brought to life through the gorgeous black and white illustrative work of Sarah Davis, and, produced in hardcover, is an absolute treasure that any little girl will love.

Violet Mackerel’s Remarkable Recovery, by Anna Branford, illustrated by Sarah Davis
Walker Books, 2011
ISBN 9781921529184

This book can be purchased from any good bookstore, or online from Fishpond.

Violet Mackerel's Brilliant Plot, by Anna Branford

If what you want is something really, really important, and if the importance has been proven by your own personal theory, then ordinary plans are no good.
What you need is a plot. A brilliant plot.

When Violet Mackerel sees a blue china bird at the Saturday markets she realises that owning it is a very important idea, not just a silly wish. But the bird costs ten dollars and Violet doesn’t have ten dollars. What she needs, if the bird is to be hers, is a plot – a brilliant plot.

Violet Mackerel’s Brilliant Plot is a delightful chapter book offering which will be loved by little girls and by adult readers too. And what’s not to love? The hardcover format featuring a cheeky violet and pink spotty background, endpapers dancing with pigeons and buttons, and black and white illustrations on every spread combine with the heartwarming story of how Violet plots and plans her way to achieving her own goals – and helping others with theirs at the same time.

The first in a series, Violet Mackerel’s Brilliant Plot is, as its title suggests, brilliant.

Violet Mackerel’s Brilliant Plot, by Anna Branford, illustrated by Sarah Davis
Walker Books, 2010
ISBN 97819215291