Month: June 2013

Missing, by Gabrielle Lord

I looked out the window from my desk, trying to stop my mind from worrying. It was getting late and the house was breathlessly still. I was the only one awake, wasting my time trying to study. As if the strange message wasn’t enough to take my mind off my already overdue physics assignment, almost a week had gone by since anyone had last seen Ryan and I was finding it hard to concentrate.

Cal has received a strange message, indicating he has 90 days. But 90 days for what? He is sick of riddles. But his identical twin, Ryan, seems to be missing, and when Cal is asked to go undercover to investigate an island retreat for troubled teens, he realises it may also be an opportunity to find Ryan. Soon he is in once again in the thick of heart stopping adventures as he races the clock.

Missing is the first in a new trilogy, Black Ops featuring Cal Ormond and his friends from the Conspiracy 365 series. For mystery and adventure loving tweens, the book offers a fast paced adventure, with plenty of action and twists and turns. Spanning a month in time, the book takes Cal from home, to secondment to an covert surveillance group, and on to the island where he switches places with Ryan to try to unearth what is happening to missing teenagers – and what this might mean for the world beyond the island. The cliffhanger ending will leave them eager for the next instalment.

A knowledge of the earlier books is an advantage but readers new to the series will find plenty to engage them.

Missing (Conspiracy 365 Black Ops)

Missing , by Gabrielle Lord
Scholastic, 2013
ISBN 781742835181

Available from good bookstores or online.

Raven Lucas 3: Chinese Whispers by Christine Harris

 

A bullet smashes through the glass wall and splinters a hole in the desk above me. Death, in the shape of a small piece of metal, is looking for me.

I curl my arms protectively around my head.

The carpet is rough against my cheek.

Another bullet shatters glass.

Then, suddenly, unexpectedly, the noise stops.

It could be a trick. That gunman could still be out there. I imagine him squinting through a rifle sight, finger ready to pull the trigger.

Who is he?

I’m nobody. Just a fourteen-year-old girl who likes running and photography and who thinks Justin Bieber sounds like a girl.

Cold air blows in through the smashed glass wall of the office.

Twenty-one storeys is a long way off the ground. The fall doesn’t actually kill you. It’s the speed of the stop.

<a href=”http://www.fishpond.com.au/product_info.php?ref=271&id=9781862919297&affiliate_banner_id=1″ target=”_blank”>Chinese Whispers</a> is the third and apparently final instalment of the Raven Lucas trilogy. In this instalment, Raven and her friends go to Malaysia to fill in for her father at the opening of a new resort complex. They are also in search of clues about the disappearance of Raven’s father. Raven hardly has time, or the emotional space, to appreciate the environment or culture. She’s trying to find her father. She is convinced he is alive and not guilty of any of the crimes he’s suspected to have committed. Her challenge is to decide just who she can trust and who, close to her, is dangerous. She also has to escape the watchful eye of Rita, her chaperone. There are shadows, night-time visitors and adventures at sea before Raven can think about returning home.

Exotic settings, shadowy characters, twists and turns – <a href=”http://www.fishpond.com.au/product_info.php?ref=271&id=9781862919297&affiliate_banner_id=1″ target=”_blank”>Chinese Whispers</a> is an action-packed thriller. Raven Lucas is a feisty character motivated by a deep belief in her father and a determination to discover what’s happened to him. She has to consider that she might not like what she finds – both in terms of what he’s been doing and whether or not he is still alive. She is resourceful, observant and quick-thinking. She is fortunate to be independently wealthy and therefore able to follow leads internationally. Her friends display disparate talents, and are resolute in their support of Raven, even when they’re not sure what’s she’s doing. Readers must make their own judgements about who to trust, just as Raven does. Fabulous to see a crime thriller trilogy amongst all the fantasy and spec fiction. Recommended for lower secondary readers.

Chinese Whispers (Raven Lucas)

Raven Lucas 3: <a href=”http://www.fishpond.com.au/product_info.php?ref=271&id=9781862919297&affiliate_banner_id=1″ target=”_blank”>Chinese Whispers</a> Christine Harris Scholastic 2013 ISBN: 9781862919297

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

 

Available from good bookstores or <a href=”http://www.fishpond.com.au/product_info.php?ref=271&id=9781862919297&affiliate_banner_id=1″ target=”_blank”>online</a>.

Isla Lu, Where Are You? By Catriona Hoy ill Annie White

Isla Lu, where are you!

Isla Lu and Mum are playing a game of Hide’n’Seek. Mum makes her way around the house and even into the garden, finding many things, but not Isla Lu. Other family members appear and ‘help’ in the search. Thus they join with the reader in knowing something that Mum apparently doesn’t. The growing family cavalcade explore the indoors and the out-of-doors in their wish to be part of the finding of little Isla Lu. The sparse and rhymic text sits in pencil and water colour illustrations that are at once descriptive and gentle. Colours are pastel and range from pale backgrounds to more intense shades for the depictions of Isla Lu, Mum and other characters.

‘One, Two, Three,

Run away and hide!

‘Four, Five, Six,

Make sure I can’t hear you.

‘Seven, Eight, Nine,

Nearly there.

‘Nine and a half,

Nine and three quarters … Ten!

‘Here I come, ready or not.

Isla Lu, where are you!

Isla Lu and Mum are playing a game of Hide’n’Seek. Mum makes her way around the house and even into the garden, finding many things, but not Isla Lu. Other family members appear and ‘help’ in the search. Thus they join with the reader in knowing something that Mum apparently doesn’t. The growing family cavalcade explore the indoors and the out-of-doors in their wish to be part of the finding of little Isla Lu. The sparse and rhythmic text sits in pencil and water colour illustrations that are at once descriptive and gentle. Colours are pastel and range from pale backgrounds to more intense shades for the depictions of Isla Lu, Mum and other characters.

Hide’n’Seek is a perennial favourite of small children and is depicted here beautifully. With only a few well-chosen words, the text brings the reader/child right into the story, into the world of a young child, where the child is ‘tricking’ the parent. Mum finds many things, but not that which she seeks, as she loudly proclaims. Each spread increases the tension and the number of people who are in on the secret (even poor Jamie now out of the shower!) The Illustrations are full-spread but also use white space to allow the reader to bring their own interpretations. This is a delightful story for pre-schoolers which will be read as often as the game should be played.

 

IslaLu Cov medium paint

Isla Lu, Where are You? Catriona Hoy ill Annie White
Windy Hollow Books 2012
ISBN:9781922081063

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

Gamers’ Rebellion by George Ivanoff

In this third and final of the Gamers trilogy, Tark and Zyra who have lived all their lives inside a complex computer game, have escaped. Real life, they’re hoping will be calmer and less frenetic than their life in the game. But they discover as much drama and as many secrets in the real world. Yet again, they’ve been separated, and are pawns of the battles of others. They both need to again work out who to trust and how to find each other. And instead of being just in one world, their battles are fought across various game world environments and the real world. They are helped and hindered by brilliant scientists, rebels, clones and others as their goal of freedom is widened to include myriad others.

 

The game was over! Or so they thought.

With hands tightly clasped, Tark and Zyra watched as all they had ever known melted away.

And then they were moving through greyness. It was like swimming through treacle. Up ahead, two intense points of white light called to them.

The greyness swirled around them, tugging and pulling.

Their fingers slipped and their hands parted. They were whisked away from each other and towards the light – towards the unknown.

In this third and final of the Gamers trilogy, Tark and Zyra who have lived all their lives inside a complex computer game, have escaped. Real life, they’re hoping will be calmer and less frenetic than their life in the game. But they discover as much drama and as many secrets in the real world. Yet again, they’ve been separated, and are pawns of the battles of others. They both need to again work out who to trust and how to find each other. And instead of being just in one world, their battles are fought across various game world environments and the real world. They are helped and hindered by brilliant scientists, rebels, clones and others as their goal of freedom is widened to include myriad others.

The action zips between worlds with jet-propelled speed, tension rising with each world-crossing. Tark and Zyra are not just fighting for their own destiny, they are learning that they exist in a greater world where there are injustices that cannot be ignored. They are awakening beyond themselves and their digital world to assume their roles as leaders. There are plenty of gadgets and technology to please science fiction readers set in a powerful and engaging narrative. There are plenty of topics to generate classroom discussion eg ethics, moral responsibility, even the notion of what constitutes ‘life’ and ‘living’. But readers will come to Gamers’ Rebellion having enjoyed the first two instalments of the trilogy. Gamers’ Rebellion could stand on its own, but why miss all the fun and adventure of ‘Gamers’ Quest’ and ‘Gamers’ Challenge’? Recommended for secondary readers.

Gamers' Rebellion

Gamers’ Rebellion, George Ivanoff Ford St Publishing 2013 ISBN: 9781921665974

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

Available from good bookstores or online.

Silver the Silly Sorcerer by Candice Lemon-Scott ill Janet Wolf

Silver is not a very skilled sorcerer, in fact very little of his magic works out as he planned. In a family of skilled magic-makers, this makes him feel even worse. His younger sister, Star, is already ahead of him at Spell School. And if he doesn’t pass his Eggs (basic spell) test this time, his father has threatened to send him off to be a circus magician – the ultimate indignity for a boy who wants to be like his hero, Merlin. Silver does fail his Eggs, and he with his snake Slither are duly dispatched to work at the circus. Despite – in fact because of – his magic-going-wrong talents, he becomes very successful and revives the fortunes of the ailing circus. But though he craved success, Silver is not entirely happy with how he’s achieved it. And there’s still the matter of the failed Eggs test … Colour illustrations are dispersed throughout the story.

Silver searched until he found a big area of muddy muck. There must be a toad in here somewhere, he thought as he oozed his way into the mudflat. He wished that he’d worn waterproof pants and gumboots. But seeing as he was wearing a long cloak instead – as all sorcerers do – he felt himself getting heavier and heavier as his cloak got muddier and muddier. Before he knew it, he was stuck.

He wiggled this way. He wiggled that way. But every time he moved he just seemed to get more and more bogged down in the mud. It began to get dark as the sun set over the mudflats. Silver started to panic.

He was going to be stuck forever. But then he remembered. He was a sorcerer. All he needed to do was make a spell.

Silver is not a very skilled sorcerer, in fact very little of his magic works out as he planned. In a family of skilled magic-makers, this makes him feel even worse. His younger sister, Star, is already ahead of him at Spell School. And if he doesn’t pass his Eggs (basic spell) test this time, his father has threatened to send him off to be a circus magician – the ultimate indignity for a boy who wants to be like his hero, Merlin. Silver does fail his Eggs, and he with his snake Slither are duly dispatched to work at the circus. Despite – in fact because of – his magic-going-wrong talents, he becomes very successful and revives the fortunes of the ailing circus. But though he craved success, Silver is not entirely happy with how he’s achieved it. And there’s still the matter of the failed Eggs test … Colour illustrations are dispersed throughout the story.

Some families have high expectations for their children, and Silver’s family fits into that. Silver’s parents are both skilled, and even his younger sister is better at magic than he is. He tries to be like them, but somehow it doesn’t work. Lemon-Scott uses humour to suggest that each of us must find our own path to success, even if it diverges from that of our family. Left to his own devices, Silver does find skills to make him famous, before acknowledging that there are other things in life beyond fame. Like being with family. Being yourself, whatever that may mean. Silver the Silly Sorcerer is a new offering in the Little Rockets series from New Frontier Publishing. Recommended for newly confident readers.

Silver, the Silly Sorcerer

Silver, the Silly Sorcerer, Candice Lemon-Scott ill Janet Wolf
New Frontier Publishing 2013
ISBN: 9781921928499

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

Available from good bookstores or online.

Alice and the Airy Fairy by Margaret Clark, ill Emma Stuart

Alice’s family are hosting Mum’s cousin Mary, who Dad describes as being an ‘airy fairy’. Alice is keen to discover if Mary is a real fairy. Her school friend, Zoe, is not convinced, but Alice thinks there are sufficient clues not to give up hope. Mary is certainly surrounded by mystery. She is also warm, friendly and a little bit sad. Day by day Alice learns a bit more about Mary, although sometimes what she learns makes her even more mysterious. Colour illustrations are scattered throughout.

My Mum has a cousin called Mary.

We don’t see her very often. She moves from town to town. In fact, we don’t hear from her much.

One day Mary phoned to tell Mum that she had problems, and asked if she could stay with us for a while until she was problem-free.

‘Of course,’ said Mum.

Dad pulled a face. ‘Mary’s such an airy fairy,’ he said. ‘I hope she doesn’t stay too long.’

‘Airy fairy? Is Cousin Mary a real fairy?’ I asked.

Alice’s family are hosting Mum’s cousin Mary, who Dad describes as being an ‘airy fairy’. Alice is keen to discover if Mary is a real fairy. Her school friend, Zoe, is not convinced, but Alice thinks there are sufficient clues not to give up hope. Mary is certainly surrounded by mystery. She is also warm, friendly and a little bit sad. Day by day Alice learns a bit more about Mary, although sometimes what she learns makes her even more mysterious. Colour illustrations are scattered throughout.

Children often misinterpret things their parents say, taking them literally. And when Mary is as different to their family as a fairy would be, it is easy to see why Alice is sure Mary must be a real fairy. Truth blurs with magic sometimes, and Alice’s investigations allow her to learn about Mary in a way that maintains some of the illusion of magic. Ultimately, Alice helps Mary to find a magical/practical solution to her dilemma. This is a new offering in the Little Rockets series from New Frontier Publishing, and is for newly confident readers. Titles feature short chapters and illustrations. They are accessible texts for readers traversing the plain between reality and magic. Recommended for lower primary readers.

Alice and the Airy Fairy

<a href=”http://www.fishpond.com.au/product_info.php?ref=271&id=9781921928451&affiliate_banner_id=1″ target=”_blank”>Alice and the Airy Fairy</a>, Margaret Clark ill Emma Stuart

New Frontier Publishing 2013

ISBN: 9781921928451

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

 

Available from good bookstores or <a href=”http://www.fishpond.com.au/product_info.php?ref=271&id=9781921928451&affiliate_banner_id=1″ target=”_blank”>online</a>.

Meet My Book: The Littlest Bushranger, by Alison Reynolds

Another wonderful visitor. I am delighted to welcome Allison Reynolds to the blog today, here to tell us about her newest book. Welcome Alison.

1.    Give us the details – title, publisher, illustrator, release date.

Littlest Bushranger [Board book]
The Littlest Bushranger

Author: Alison Reynolds

Illustrator: Heath McKenzie

Release date: June 1 2013

The Five Mile Press

2.    Why did you write the book?

The publisher commissioned me to write a picture book about a bushranger.

Somehow, Jack and Hector’s story emerged.

3.    How long from idea to publication?

About 14 months.

4.    What was the hardest thing about writing it?

It was difficult to think of how to have a bushranger book suitable for very young children.

5.    Coolest thing about your book?

I feel very lucky to have Heath McKenzie as the illustrator. I love how he captures the essence of the words, and transforms it into something amazing.

I couldn’t wait to see how he would interpret the outlaw/monster in The Littlest Bushranger

Also, I really like how he sneaked in an illustration of Hector the dog on every page.

6.    Something you learnt through writing the book?

I realised how much I use my own childhood in my writing. My backyard was my entire world, and I loved recapturing that feeling in this book.

7.    What did you do celebrate the release?

Booked myself a holiday, which will be known as The Littlest Bushranger  holiday.

8.    And how will you promote the book?

I’m having a blog tour to celebrate The Littlest Bushranger . We’re saddling up for it on Tuesday, 11th June. I’ve managed to get some excellent prizes,

including a piece of Heath McKenzie’s fabulous artwork. I’m also having a few signings.

9.    What are you working on next?

I have a YA that wants to be revisited.

10.    Where we can find out more about you and your book?

Visit www.alisonreynolds.com.au

I would love to see you there.

Thank you for inviting me onto the Aussiereviews blog, Sally!

You’re welcome Alison. It’s lovely having you here.

May Reads

I knew I was having a busy month in May – but it was only when I sat down to post my list of reads for the months just ended that I realised just how busy it must have been –  because I managed to finish only 10 books in May. I did finish lots of journal articles which I don’t really have allowance fr in my book tally, but even including those, my reading was certainly a little neglected in May, owing largely to football injuries (not mine, my kids), the release of new book, and day job commitments. Still the ten I did read  were  goodies. So here’s the list with, as usual, links to those I reviewed.

Shallow Breath Sara Foster Bantam Adult
Definitely No Ducks Meg McKinlay Walker Books Children’s
Our War Brian Lews Penguin Adult NF
Coonardoo Katharine Susannah Prichard A & R Adult
Seadog Claire Saxby Random House Picture Book
The Amazing Spencer Gray Deb Fitzpatrick Fremantle Press Children’s
The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith Thomas Keneally A & R Adult
Stagefright  Carole Wilkinson Black Dog Young Adult
Ferret on the Loose Heather Gallagher New Frontier Children’s
Once Upon a Slime Andy Griffiths Pan Children’s