January 2016 – Page 4 – Aussie Reviews

Ella Diaries: Dreams Come True by Meredith Costain ill Danielle McDonald

Wednesday, after school

Dear Diary,

I can’t believe it. It can’t possibly be true.

But it IS!

Cassi Valentine – the best most excellent pop star in the WHOLE WILD WORLD – is coming here. To my town.

Maybe even to MY SCHOOL!!!

ZOW-EE!

I heart Cassi Valentine SOOO MUCH!

Wednesday, after school

Dear Diary,

I can’t believe it. It can’t possibly be true.

But it IS!

Cassi Valentine – the best most excellent pop star in the WHOLE WILD WORLD – is coming here. To my town.

Maybe even to MY SCHOOL!!!

ZOW-EE!

I heart Cassi Valentine SOOO MUCH!

Ella is back in a new adventure told through her diary. In ‘Dreams’ Come True’ Ella is excited to hear that her music idol is coming to town and that if they can win a competition, Cassi might perform at their school. She has a last-minute brilliant idea and then discovers she has to work with her enemy, Peach Parker. Everything goes wrong and it begins to look like not only will winning be impossible but that Ella will have alienated all her friends. Dreams Come True is written in a handwriting font complete with larger, coloured, all-caps words. Each opening includes doodle-type illustrations in black and red.

‘Ella Diaries’ is a new series from Scholastic, an Australian pitch at the market for ‘Dork Diaries’. Ella is a passionate and energetic main character and she is surrounded by a supportive family and teachers. She is stubborn and loyal and just a tad sure she’s generally right. About most things. In Dreams Come True she is excited that maybe her favourite singer might visit, but very challenged by having to work with Peach. The action is fast-paced and although filtered through Ella’s own words, the dynamics are visible to the reader. There is an intensity of emotion that many parents and teachers will recognise and young readers will empathise with. Recommended for newly independent readers who like a mixture of text and illustration.

Ella Diaries: Dreams Come True , Meredith Costain Danielle McDonald
Scholastic 2015 ISBN: 9781760153045

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s author and bookseller

www.clairesaxby.com

Ella Diaries: I Heart Pets by Meredith Costain ill Danielle McDonald

Friday, after school

Dear Diary,

You know how some days are better than others? Well, today was one of those days. It was an exceptionally excellent, outstanding, superb, very, very GOOD day.

Friday, after school

Dear Diary,

You know how some days are better than others? Well, today was one of those days. It was an exceptionally excellent, outstanding, superb, very, very GOOD day.

Ella is excited when Careers Day introduces her and her classmates to people who work with animals. She’s sure she’s found her calling in life. After all, she loves animals. She and her friend Zoe establish a pet-care business and wait for the millions to roll in. But surprisingly, it takes longer than she expects, and there are hurdles she didn’t imagine. Not least, their first job is much less active than they imagine. Written in diary format, there are images on every opening. Text is in a handwriting font, and some words are picked out in colour (green). Cover is decorated with doodles and collage.

Ella Diaries is a new series from Scholastic featuring Ella, her friends, her family and her arch-rival, Peach Parker and cronies. Ella is dramatic and passionate, but her drama and passion are genuine and relatable. Each story in this series is fully rounded and believable, with realistic twists and turns. Ideal for newly-independent readers transitioning to full novels. Recommended for mid-primary readers.

Ella Diaries: I Heart Pets, Meredith Costain ill Danielle McDonald

Scholastic ISBN: 9781760153038

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s author and bookseller

www.clairesaxby.com

Splosh for the Billabong by Ros Moriarty ill Balarinji

Splosh

for the billabong at shady bend of river

Splosh

for the billabong at shady bend of river

Splosh for the Billabong begins at a shady bend of the river during a northern Australian day. There are animals and plants to observe in and around the billabong, and when the rain comes and goes, there is mud to squelch in, mud to draw pictures with. The text is simple, with strong verbs and stylised colourful images. The text is repeated on a final opening, in English and in Yanyuwa, a local Aboriginal language.

Splosh for the Billabong is a perfect read-aloud text that could then be acted out. Children will be acting out the sounds, before making their own mud and creating their own images of the billabong. Animals and plants of the billabong environment are introduced, simply and effectively, as is the concept of image-making to tell stories. ‘Splosh for the Billabong’ offers young Aboriginal children a chance to see their own world reflected in story, and all children the opportunity to ‘visit’ a billabong. Recommended for pre- and early-schoolers.
Splosh for the Billabong, Rose Moriarty, Balarinji

Allen & Unwin, 2015 ISBN: 9781760112127

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s author and bookseller

www.clairesaxby.com

Summer Rain by Ros Moriarty ill Balarinji

First…the land wakes in morning light.

First…the land wakes in morning light.

Ros Moriarty and Balarinji present a northern Australian summer’s day. Summer Rain begins with dawn, and ends after the sun is gone. A summer rain shower increases the steaminess, and animals appear to crawl, stretch and swim. Illustrations are stylised and brightly coloured. In the final story opening, dancers appear to enjoy the cooler evening. In the final opening, the text is written in English and in Yanyuwa language. Verbs appear in a larger coloured font.

Summer Rain is a gloriously coloured dance of a story, sure to be acted out in kindergartens and early primary classrooms. It provides an introduction to the climate in the north of Australia and to some of the plants and animals who live there, both on the land and in the sea. Young readers will recognise the animals and plants. Summer Rain is a delight, sure to be a hit with local readers who recognise their own world, and other readers everywhere. Recommended for pre-schoolers and early years students.

Summer Rain, Ros Moriarty, Balarinji
Allen & Unwin 2015 ISBN: 9781760112110

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s author and bookseller

www.clairesaxby.com

Messy Jellyfish by Ruth Galloway

Best friends Seahorse and Jellyfish loved their home in the cosiest corner of the rockpool.

Every day Seahorse swept the sand smooth, untangled the seaweed and re-arranged his shells neatly on the shelf.

Best friends Seahorse and Jellyfish loved their home in the cosiest corner of the rockpool.

Every day Seahorse swept the sand smooth, untangled the seaweed and re-arranged his shells neatly on the shelf.

Jellyfish lives with Seahorse in a rockpool. Jellyfish is bright and bubbly but not very tidy. Seahorse is neat and tidy and doesn’t like surprises. When Jellyfish organises a party without warning Seahorse, it all becomes too much. Seahorse leaves. The party gets more exuberant and their home becomes a lot messier. But when the party is over and everyone has gone home, Jellyfish realises that she’s lonely without her friend. She also realises how hard Seahorse has worked to keep things tidy. Over in another corner of the rockpool, Seahorse realises that she misses the bubbly personality of her friend and perhaps he should relax. The friends are reunited and learn the value of compromise. Illustrations are full page, bright and colourful. Big eyes and clear expression allow access to young readers.

Messy Jellyfish’ features two friends who are the ‘odd couple’ of the sea. Each has positive characteristics but their differing priorities set the pair at odds. Their dramatic solution initially seems to work initially but both soon realise that despite their differences they want to continue to be friends. A bright and light story about the value of compromise, cooperation and friendship. Recommended for pre- and early-schoolers.

Messy Jellyfish, Ruth Galloway
Scholastic 2015 ISBN: 9781742761091

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s author and bookseller

www.clairesaxby.com

River Riddle by Jim Dewar ill Anil Tortop

Once upon a summer’s day,

a boy called Jack is on his way

to market on the river bank

with a sheep called Dolly

and a fox called Frank.

Once upon a summer’s day,

a boy called Jack is on his way

to market on the river bank

with a sheep called Dolly

and a fox called Frank.

River Riddle presents the well-known river crossing conundrum as a picture book. Jack is travelling to market with a bag of hay, a sheep and a fox. The market is on the far side of the river, and the only boat available is too small to take everything/one. If he leaves the sheep and the hay together or the fox and the sheep, the consequences will be dire. Jack is clever though and devises a solution. The story is told in rhyme and asks questions of the reader. Illustrations show Jack’s imaginings in thought bubbles as he plans how he will get everyone across to market. Illustrations are digital and full of colour and fun.

This is an age old puzzle and quite tricky, particularly in the age of NOW, when everything seems to be available so quickly and readily. Jack thinks about his problem, and draws out potential solutions with a stick in the soil. Readers can try to work it out themselves, with the clues provided. Younger children will enjoy the rhythm and rhyme and the expressions on the faces of the animals as they are thwarted. Great fun, recommended for pre- and up to mid-primary puzzlers.

River Riddle, Jim Dewar ill Anil Tortop

Scholastic 2015 ISBN: 9781760150518

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s author and bookseller

www.clairesaxby.com

At My Door, by Deb Fitzpatrick

Deliveries do not come late on a school night. They don’t come in a normal car, that then speeds away. And they don’t cry.

When Poppy hears the doorbell late at night, she wonders what is happening. Then she hears crying, and worried voices. It seems the family has had a late night delivery – but it isn’t a parcel or a letter. It’s a baby. Suddenly the family’s peaceful, ordered life is turned upside down. Where has the baby come from, and why has it been left on their doorstep?

At My Door is an entertaining story about families and familial stress. The issue of the abandoned baby contrasts with the stable life of the traditional family which Poppy is part of of – Mum and Dad, an older brother and Poppy herself. Along with the msyetry of the baby, and the practicalities of helping her, Poppy becomes aware of the difficulties other families face, as will readers.

This is gentle exploration of some potentially weighty issues, a mix which will draw readers in to the story as well as opening up lots of discussion.

At My Door, by Deb Fitzpatrick
Fremantle Press, 2015
ISBN 9781925162707

The Cat With the Coloured Tail, by Gillian Mears

Mr Hooper’s cat was not like any ordinary cat. For a start, his face was the shape of a heart. Most amazing of all, and unlike any other cat in the world, Mr Hooper’s cat had a tail that could change colour.

Mr Hooper and his cat are an amazing pair. For a start, Mr Hooper has an icecream van which looks like a full moon, and dispenses ice creams – or “Moon-creams” – in any flavour imaginable. When The Cat With the Coloured Tail finds someone who is unhappy or in need of help, the colour of his tail changes and tells Mr Hooper just what flavour ice cream is needed.

Their relationship, too, is special. They travel together, revelling in each other’s company, singing and searching for heart-shapes in the world around them. But when the cat’s tail starts to turn black and he senses that something terrible is going to happen, things look grim. The heart of the world is suffering, and it may take all of the cat’s strength to fix it.

The Cat with the Coloured Tail is a moving, whimsical fable about the power of hope and of love. Readers of all ages will love the mysterious, joyful cat and his kindly companion, and the joy they bring each other and those they meet. Their adventure, which becomes a quest to save the heart of the world, is in turns frightening, sad, and uplifting.

In hardcover format with gently coloured pencil illustrations, the beautiful design of the book perfectly complements the story it contains.

The Cat with the Coloured Tail, by Gillian Mears, illustrated by Dinalie Dabarera
Walker Books, 2015
ISBN 9781922077400

Sian: A New Australian by D. Luckett

I was always unlucky. Unlucky thirteenth child, I was. Unlucky for my mam. She died. I didn’t know anything about it but there’s bad luck for you. I always knew it, even when I was little.

There had to be someone to take up the bad luck going around, didn’t there? My da was a lucky man, they said. A pitface fell on him, and he never walked straight again but that was lucky because five other men died in that accident and he got a pension from the union. As well as that, the company gave him free rent on the house in Caradog Street for the rest of his life. Everyone said it was very good of the company to do that. They didn’t have to, you know.

I was always unlucky. Unlucky thirteenth child, I was. Unlucky for my mam. She died. I didn’t know anything about it but there’s bad luck for you. I always knew it, even when I was little.

Sian is the youngest of a large Welsh family living in a small mining town where everyone is involved in coal mining in some way. The only ‘mother’ she’s known is her older sister Olive. Sian, her dad and all her siblings crowd into a small house and do what they can to survive. She is always in trouble and always riling Dad up, no matter how she tries not to. She even manages to interrupt as Ellis is asking Dad for permission to marry Olive. After a beating, Olive makes a decision that will change not only her life, but that of Sian too. The story shifts to Australia as Olive, Ellis and Sian travel by ship to seek a better life. Sian begins her Australian life in Sydney but soon moves to the fledgling town of Darwin. Both towns are very different to home.

‘Sian: A New Australian’ is part of a series from Scholastic exploring the lives of new Australians. Previous titles include ‘Kerenza’ and ‘Bridget’. Sian’s story is set in 1910. She is a bright and resourceful protagonist, even when it seems that her ‘luck’ continues to set the world against her. She adapts to the changes in her life with curiosity, positivity and hard work. Although she has little involvement in early decisions that affect her life, she is thoughtful and brave when the time comes when she must make decisions for herself. This, as with other titles in the series, offers young readers insights into Australian history through the eyes of characters of their own age. Recommended for mid-primary readers.

Sian: A New Australian, D. Luckett
Scholastic Australia 2015 ISBN: 9781742990392

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s author and bookseller

www.clairesaxby.com

Mister Cassowary by Samantha Wheeler

I’d never been to Grandad Barney’s farm, even when he was alive. He’d grown bananas in the middle of woop woop, at a place in north Queensland.

‘Look, Dad! That sign says Mission Beach. We’re nearly there!’

We’d been driving for two days, travelling nearly 1,600 kilometres from Brisbane, and it felt like we were almost at the tip of Australia. I thought Dad would be happy we were getting close, but his face was growing darker with every passing kilometre.

I’d never been to Grandad Barney’s farm, even when he was alive. He’d grown bananas in the middle of woop woop, at a place in north Queensland.

‘Look, Dad! That sign says Mission Beach. We’re nearly there!’

Flynn and his dad travel to Flynn’s grandfather’s banana farm to prepare it for sale. Flynn has never met his grandfather, never been to his farm. No one will tell him why. Mum, left behind in Brisbane, asks Flynn to go easy on Dad. Flynn’s dad seems to get angrier every day, and no matter how many times Flynn asks, he won’t say why. This is cassowary country and their trip begins with a close encounter with a very tall cassowary. Flynn meets Abby, whose grandfather runs the local cassowary shelter. Day by day, he learns more about these endangered giant birds, his grandfather, and his father. But nothing comes easily. It’s hot and steamy and Flynn is about to explode with frustration.

Book Cover: Mister Cassowary Mister Cassowary is a junior novel set in tropical north Queensland. The title refers to the name of a particularly large cassowary that is legendary around Mission Beach. Flynn struggles to reconnect with his father, who works away at a mine and only comes home now and then. Travelling to the home where his father grew up seems to make things worse, rather than better. Dad is taciturn and full of rules that Flynn doesn’t understand. He doesn’t want Flynn to explore and he won’t tell him why. No matter what Flynn does, it seems to be wrong. But gradually, with the help (and hindrance) of Abby and her grandfather, and despite Dad’s silence, Flynn begins to fill in the spaces in his family history. ‘Mr Cassowary’ explores notions of family and conservation. Recommended for mid-primary readers.

Mister Cassowary, Samantha Wheeler
UQP 2015 ISBN: 9780702253881

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s author and bookseller