Month: October 2012

The Ghost at the Point, by Charlotte Calder

If Gah noticed that she was quieter than usual during the meal, he did’t say anything. One thing was for sure, she thought, absently chewing. Half-light or not, roos didn’t wear pants and a shirt, and have big eyes staring out from under a tangled mass of dark curls.
It was a boy she’d seen vanishing around that stringybark. A boy about her own age.

Before she died, Dorrie’s Aunt Gertrude was sure there was a ghost that haunted the family home, but Dorrie didn’t believe her. But then she catches sight of a boy lurking under the stringybarks at night, and then strange things start happening around the house. Her grandfather, Gah, says there is no such thing as ghosts, but now Dorrie isn’t so sure. She is going to get to the bottom of what’s happening, even if she has to catch the ghost herself.

The Ghost at the Point is absorbing historical fiction, set in 1931 on an island on Australia’s south coast. Although seemingly a ghost story in the early chapters, it becomes a blend of mystery and action, as Dorrie and her two new friends are unwittingly drawn into a hunt for treasure.

Dorrie is a brave girl whose times and lifestyle will intrigue young readers. She rides to school, barefoot, on the back of a Clydesdale, and lives in a house with no electricity. Her friend Alonso is shipwrecked on the island and hides in the dunes near her house in a shelter made of corrugated iron. Their friendship is formed in spite of speaking different languages, and they come to rely on each other for survival.

The Ghost at the Point

An action-packed read, suitable for upper primary aged readers.
The Ghost at the Point, by Charlotte Calder
Walker Books, 2012
ISBN 9781921977732

This book can be purchased online from Fishpond or from good bookstores.

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

Waratah House, by Ann Whitehead
Penguin, 2012
ISBN 9781921518744

This book is available online from Fishpond.

Two Mates by Melanie Prewett ill Maggie Prewett

My name is Jack and I live in Broome, a small town in the Kimberley in the far north of Western Australia.
I have a good mate called Raf and we’ve lived in Broom since we were babies.
Raff and I have been mates for a long time.

My name is Jack and I live in Broome, a small town in the Kimberley in the far north of Western Australia.

I have a good mate called Raf and we’ve lived in Broom since we were babies.

Raff and I have been mates for a long time.

Mates Jack and Raf spend much of their time together. They have adventures by themselves and with various family members, trying everything that is on offer, from fishing to hunting, from quad-bike riding to listening to buskers at the market. They swim, search for crabs, collect tadpoles and frogs. <a href=”http://www.fishpond.com.au/product_info.php?ref=271&id=9781921248450&affiliate_banner_id=1″ target=”_blank”>Two Mates</a> is presented as a fiction picture book but is the illustrated true story of these two boys. Each spread has a main image occupying half the spread, and another vignette accompanying the text. There are photos of the real boys and their families at the end of the story.

Jack narrates this story about his friendship with Raf. As he describes their friendship and the things they do, he is also describing life in and around Broome. It’s a rich and full life in an amazing environment that many readers will be unfamiliar with. These boys explore their worlds with an enthusiasm that infectious. Their backgrounds are different, but each embraces the world of the other. <a href=”http://www.fishpond.com.au/product_info.php?ref=271&id=9781921248450&affiliate_banner_id=1″ target=”_blank”>Two Mates</a> is written by Jack’s mother and illustrated by his grandmother. This is a wonderful celebration of life, and reminds us all that life is good. Recommended for junior- to middle-primary readers.

Two Mates

<a href=”http://www.fishpond.com.au/product_info.php?ref=271&id=9781921248450&affiliate_banner_id=1″ target=”_blank”>Two Mates</a>, Melanie Prewett ill Maggie Prewett Magabala Books 2012 ISBN: 9781921248450

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

A Distant Land, by Alison Booth

Jim’s mouth is so dry he can hardly swallow. As he struggles into a sitting position, he sees on the lip of the hollow three pairs of feet. Three pairs of feet wearing sandals fashioned from rubber tyres and inner tubes.
Slowly he raises his eyes and sees three rifle barrels. Holding the rifles are three soldiers. They are not the allies. they are not the Cambodians either. These young men are wearing the belted green uniforms of the North Vietnamese Army.
Casually lifting his gun, the tallest soldier directs it at Jim.

Zidra Vincent and Jim Cadwallader have been friends since childhood, but each secretly wonders if their relationship could be something more. But when Jim returns from Cambodia on a short visit, the opportunity to say what they’re feeling doesn’t arise. When he’s summoned back to Cambodia where he’s a war correspondent, Jim promises to write.

In Sydney Zidra follows an story which could be the making of her journalistic career, and waits to hear from Jim. But it is at work that she sees a headline which may change everything: a headline telling of a missing journalist killed in Cambodia. As she realises it is too late to tell Jim how she feels, her world collapses.

A Distant Land is a moving story of love set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and also highlighting the personal and legal struggles of the Aboriginal rights movement in the 1970s. The history is important to the plot and enlightening for the reader, but doesn’t overshadow the story.

A Distant Land is a conclusion to the Jingera trilogy, but stands alone (I hadn’t read the first two books, though am now tempted to seek them out).

A Distant Land

A Distant Land by Alison Booth
Bantam, 2012

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

Ella and Olivia: Cupcake Catastrophe, and Ella and Olivia: Best Friend Showdown by Yvette Poshoglian ill Danielle McDonald

Ella and Olivia are sisters.
Ella is seven years old.
Olivia is five-and-a-half years old. They live with their mum and dad and little brother Max.
Ella is busy baking. She is wearing an apron and holding a wooden spoon.
A packet of flour is open.

Ella and Olivia are sisters.

Ella is seven years old.

Olivia is five-and-a-half years old. They live with their mum and dad and little brother Max.

Ella is busy baking. She is wearing an apron and holding a wooden spoon.

A packet of flour is open.

Ella and Olivia are making cakes for Dad’s birthday. They want these cupcakes to be a delicious surprise for Dad when they have his birthday afternoon tea celebration. They gather all the ingredients, Olivia acting as assistant to the older Ella. Then there’s the mixing, the dividing of the mixture into patty papers, cooking, cooling then icing. Each step has the girls working together with Mum’s help as necessary. Finally it’s time to get ready, time for afternoon tea. Perfect.

Best friends Ella and Zoe like the same things and often play at each other’s houses. Zoe thinks Olivia is cute, and Ella loves Zoe’s cat. And they are both very excited when their teacher announces a chocolate drive to raise money and there’s to be a reward for the student who sells the most. Ella and Zoe usually like to do everything together, but they both also want to sell the most chocolates. The competition threatens to undermine their friendship. But unexpected help arrives to set them back on track.

 

Ella and Olivia is a new series from Scholastic for new readers. They are perfect for newly confident readers making the transition from fully-illustrated texts.  The text is large and sentences and chapters short. There are black and white illustrations on each opening and a decorative border to each page. These are realistic stories with age-appropriate dilemmas. Like other early reader options, they are likely to be shared among some young girls, and collected by others. Recommended for early primary readers.

Cupcake catastrophe (Ella and Olivia)

Ella and Olivia: Cupcake Catastrophe by Yvette Poshoglian ill Danielle McDonald Scholastic Australia 2012 ISBN: 9781742833545

Best Friend Showdown (Ella and Olivia)

Ella and Olivia: Best Friend Showdown by Yvette Poshoglian ill Danielle McDonald Scholastic Australia 2012 ISBN: 9781742833552

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

The Down-Under 12 Days of Christmas by Michael Salmon

On the third day of Christmas my true love sent to me,
three wet galahs,
two snakes on skis,
and a kookaburra in a gum tree.

On the third day of Christmas my true love sent to me,

three wet galahs,

two snakes on skis,

and a kookaburra in a gum tree.

Christmas has arrived Down-under, and everything has an Aussie flavour. Instead of gold rings and lords, there are five kangaroos and it’s lizards who are doing the leaping. And mighty hot work it is too. Can you trust the crocodiles who look like they are sleeping? Each opening has a new day of Christmas and then vignettes of the previous days. Final pages postcard Santa’s movements across the festive season, and include a black line master colouring sheet. Along the bottom of each opening, characters prepare for Christmas Day. Illustrations are alight with Michael Salmon’s distinctive humour and absurdity.

Christmas in Australia is a different experience to Christmas in the northern hemisphere, but we are steeped in the traditions, music and icons of a cold celebration. Salmon’s The Down-under 12 Days of Christmas takes a known song and makes it uniquely Australian. The images are full of Australian animals pursuing Australian summer activities (except of course those skiing snakes … ). There is plenty of fun and humour to engage young children. Recommended for junior primary readers.

The Down-under 12 Days of Christmas, Michael Salmon Ford St Publishing 2012 ISBN: 9781921665592

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

My Father’s Islands by Christobel Mattingley

‘Hello! Call me Claesgen.

Do you like islands? Do you wish you could discover a treasure island? What kind of treasure would you like to find? Gold? Silver? Rubies? Sapphires?

My father is very good at discovering islands. Big ones as well as small ones. He has seen more islands than a fish has scales. What is your father good at?

‘Hello! Call me Claesgen.

Do you like islands? Do you wish you could discover a treasure island? What kind of treasure would you like to find? Gold? Silver? Rubies? Sapphires?

My father is very good at discovering islands. Big ones as well as small ones. He has seen more islands than a fish has scales. What is your father good at?

Do you have breakfast with your father? Every day? I wish I did. Does he come home every night? I wish mine did. Do you eat dinner with him?

My mother says I ask too many questions. Do people say that to you too?

Claesgen is the daughter of Dutch explorer Abel Tasman. Abel Tasman was employed by the Dutch East Indies Company, based in what we now know as Indonesia. He was away at sea for many months at a time. His family moved to Indonesia to be closer to him, but he could away at sea for almost a year, so they didn’t see him very often. But when he did return, he was full of stories. Some of these stories were detailed in his ship’s log/diary, but others were just for Claesgen and her mother. Claesgen tells her story and that of her father from her perspective. She also speaks directly to the reader, supposing a reader of her age, from 1642-4. The text is interspersed with paintings, maps, and writings taken from Tasman’s own records.

It’s hard to know where to place My Father’s Islands. It’s written for mid- to upper primary reader, but has resonance for a much wider age-group. Claesgen’s curiosity and unending questions intersperse her retelling of an adventure that is unimaginable to most of us. It is a part of history that many Australians are under- or unaware of. Readers will engage on different levels. Some will relate to the notion of fathers who are not always home. Others will respond to the details of life at sea, and/or to the interactions that Tasman and his crew have with inhabitants of the lands they visit and map. ‘My Father’s Islands’ is a fascinating insight into another time and way of life. Recommended for mid- upper primary and anyone wanting to learn more about Australia.

My Father's Islands: Abel Tasman's Heroic Voyages

My Father’s Islands: Abel Tasman’s Heroic Voyages, Christobel Mattingley NLA Publishing 2012 ISBN: 9780642277367

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

Vulpi by Kate Gordon

‘How should I begin?’ I asked.

Tessa found me sitting alone by the smouldering coals of our dying campfire. I held a pen in my right hand. On my knee was the journal she’d given me after the fight at Cascade Falls school. After she came back to us.

She thought it might help me to have somewhere to put my thoughts but it had been weeks now and the pages were a desert. I just didn’t know where to start.

‘How should I begin?’ I asked.

Tessa found me sitting alone by the smouldering coals of our dying campfire. I held a pen in my right hand. On my knee was the journal she’d given me after the fight at Cascade Falls school. After she came back to us.

She thought it might help me to have somewhere to put my thoughts but it had been weeks now and the pages were a desert. I just didn’t know where to start.

Tessa sat down, fixing me with those eyes that seemed much too old for her young face. Were too old. She tilted her head to one side. ‘Are you still having trouble Cat?’

I nodded.

‘I suppose … Just begin with your name. Or even with one word. That is how everything starts, isn’t it? With one tiny, tentative step into the forest.’

Vulpi continues the paranormal tale begun in ‘Thyla’ and is again set in contemporary Tasmania. Cat is a shapeshifter, a Thyla. She thought she knew who she was, but the more she discovers about herself and her new world, the more she realises there is to know. Now she is living in the wild, with all the safety and danger that entails. Time is a luxury she, and others like her, can ill afford. Evil is ever-present, and Diemen attacks are escalating, both in frequency and viciousness. Tessa with her friends and allies have powers beyond their human selves, but so do their enemies. Everyone will need to work together and be on their guard if they – and others – are to survive. There is so much to do, so much to learn. Her mentor, Tessa, suggests she capture her thoughts on the page, to try to make sense of it all, but there may be no time even for that.

Vulpiis a page-turner, a swirling mass of intrigue, trust and betrayal. Cat, new to life as a Thyla, is insightful, impatient, brave and overwhelmed. And that’s just in one chapter. For most teenagers, the transition from child to adult is full of swings back and forth. Add shapeshifting and ‘rites of passage’ become something altogether more challenging. There are plenty of themes wrapped up in this adventure, doing what fiction does best: showing how others live and how they adapt, succeed and fail in their journey through life. ‘Vulpi’ explores good and evil and the overlap between them. But most of all, Vulpi is a ripping yarn. Look out for the next instalment. Recommended for mid-secondary readers.

Vulpi

Vulpi, Kate Gordon Random House 2012 ISBN: 9781742752365

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

Marngrook – The Long-ago story of Aussie Rules by Titta Secombe ill Grace Fielding

In the bush, at the foot of the Grampians, lived people from the Djab-Wurrung and Jardwadjali clans.

This was their traditional country and they had lived in the area for thousands of years.

In the bush, at the foot of the Grampians, lived people from the Djab-Wurrung and Jardwadjali clans.

This was their traditional country and they had lived in the area for thousands of years.

A father is hunting when he sees a possum. Not only will the family have dinner, but Wawi will make a ball for his son to play with. He uses the skin, some kangaroo sinew and some emu feathers. And so the first football, shaped like an emu egg, is made. Wawi’s son loves to play with the ball, so much so that one day he wanders too far from camp and cannot find his way home. The bush at night is filled with unfamiliar sounds and shapes, just as his mother had warned him. Illustrations mix traditional Aboriginal painting styles with more representational images.

Marngrook is a traditional tale about the ball that went on to be used in developing Australian Rules football. It shares not only the invention of the ball, but something of the traditional life of a particular family group. There are references to other traditional stories, hunting tools, cooking methods and family roles. The reader can follows the main narrative thread and absorb so many other details, almost incidentally. Recommended for junior- to mid-primary readers.

Marngrook: The Long-ago Story of Aussie Rules

Marngrook: The Long-ago Story of Aussie Rules, Titta Secombe ill Grace Fielding Magabala Books 2012 ISBN: 9781921248443

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com