Tag: fremantle press

Offbeat, by Marlane Ainsworth

‘So,’ I said, tying to get this footy business into my head once and for all, ‘Buttface roams all over the field, you kick all the goals. What does the rest of the team do?’
‘All sorts of things. Tackle, block, scream, smother, chase, hammer.’
I shuddered. ‘Sounds like Holst’s music about the planet Mars, the Bringer of War. I’ll play it for you next time you come.’

Tommo are Smelly are an unlikely pair to be best friends. Tommo loves classical music and plays the trumpet in the school band. Smelly (her real name is Simone Melling) loves football, and plays for the school team. One is neat and fastidious, the other is messy and rough. But they have been friends for a long time, and nothing can change that. Or can it?

The School Band has an opportunity to compete in a band competition in the city. The football team is invited to participate in a carnival. The problem is, the principal says the school only has enough funds for one trip. Which one will be chosen? With that drama out of the way, Smelly and Tommo, and their respective groups, have other challenges to overcome, including a mix ups ending the team busses to the wrong events.

Offbeat is a fun children’s novel which takes a humorous look at the cultural clash between sport and the arts, and at how friendships can survive often-competing interests. The use of a male and a female as the two central characters means the books is likely to appeal to both boy and girl readers, and kids will like that the girl is the footy player and the boy the neat-freak musician.

Suitable for readers aged 10-12.

Offbeat, by Marlane Ainsworth
Fremantle Arts Centre press, 2006

Hal Spacejock, by Simon Haynes

The groundcar tore across the field at full speed, leaving whirling eddies of pollen in its wake. The sun’s last rays threw the car’s shadow across the field, pointing directly at the billowing clouds of white smoke that enveloped the Black Gull.
Hal was hunched over the controls, eyes narrowed against the tearing wind. The car’s screaming engine hammered his ears and the wind howled through the open vehicle, threatening to tear him from his seat. Still Hal pushed harder on the stick, until the warm metal felt like it was bending in his grip.

Hal Spacejock is in quite a bit of trouble. He is the owner of an ageing spaceship which has seen much, much better days, he owes money all around the galaxy and the debt collectors are at his door. When he is offered a job shifting a load of robot parts, he knows it sounds dodgy, but he can’t afford to turn down the work.

Soon, Hal and his new shipmate, an aging robot called Clunk, are dodging a vast range of enemies – from the debt collector and his evil sidekick, to armed forces on manoeuvre, to a rival robot manufacturer who wants to steal his cargo. All are better equipped and smarter than Hal and Clunk, but through a mix of cunning, teamwork and plain good luck, they usually manage to stay one step ahead. But will it be enough to get the load delivered and Hal’s debts paid off?

Hal Spacejock is a funny science fiction parody. The image of a bumbling pilot with a robot sidekick is not new. Neither is that of the pilot playing chess and verbally jousting with his onboard computer, or the backdrop of an ageing spaceship with mounting bills. But that’s the point here – author Simon Haynes uses the familiar with comic effect and then makes the story his own. There is plenty of action, twists and turns aplenty and loads of laughs. Fans of the genre will find plenty to like here.

Funny stuff.

Hal Spacejock, by Simon Haynes
Fremantle Arts Centre Press, 2005

All That Glitters, by Ron Bunney

‘I’m told the journey is a long one and that good horse handlers are scarce. Confound it! I can’t look after them myself.’ He smiled at Martin. ‘Would you accept the job?’
Martin’s thoughts bolted. A trip to the goldfields. Once he found some gold he’d no longer have to knuckle his brow to anyone. This could be the opportunity he’d been waiting for.

Martin Graham knows a lot about horses. A stable hand at a Guildford inn, he jumps at the chance to join the travellers heading to the goldfields around Coolgardie. Whilst his job with the Honourable Cecil Thornton-Flatbury is destined for failure, Martin is determined to continue his journey. Along the way he joins forces with Beth Wilkes, a serving girl whose path he has crossed several times before. Their relationship is a stormy one – Beth trusts no man, including Martin. But when they come across other women needing help, Beth is all heart. Together Beth and Martin make a life on the Goldfields, and learn that finding gold isn’t the only life to be had there.

All that Glitters is a solid historical novel for readers aged 12 and over. Exploring an intriguing part of West Australian history, it does so through a plot which holds plenty of interest. Beth and Martin are likeable characters and their exploits will keep teen readers turning the pages.

Bunney has an obvious interest in Goldfields history, with the detail of the book showing depth to his research.

All That Glitters, by Ron Bunney
Fremantle Arts Centre Press, 2005

Horse Mad, by Dianne Wolfer

I’ve got a problem. For two years I’ve been a horse. Every morning I wake up, stretch my legs, roll onto my back and flick my mane. But that isn’t my problem.

When she wakes up on her eighth birthday, Alice discovers something terrible. She is no longer a horse. She can’t whinny or trot and she feels silly drinking out of a bucket. All her friends are horses, and if they discover Alice is no longer one of them, they may stop playing with her.

Alice tries everything to get her horsiness back, but when that fails she looks for other friends. She doesn’t want to be on of the Cool Girls or the Sporty Girls. She really misses her old friends. She might not want to be a horse, but she still likes the other members of the Pony Club.

Horse Mad is a cute, fun book. Author Dianne Wolfer gets across a message about friendship and belonging without being preachy or boring. Suitable for readers aged six to ten, horse mad or otherwise.

Horse Mad, by Dianne Wolfer
FACP, 2005

The Reef, by David Caddy

When Tom heads out for a sand boarding session, the last thing he expects is to be drawn into a huge mystery. But in the sand dunes, he meets two men, who have set up a makeshift camp and seem to be up to no good.

In the days that follow, Tom has to overcome his fears as he works with his new friend Ellie to piece together the mystery. Ellie’s father died last year in mysterious circumstances and now it seems there may be a link between that death and these strangers. Tom and Ellie have to tread carefully or they, too, could be in real danger.

The Reef is a thrilling story for children. It is fast-moving and packed with action and suspense, keeping the pages turning. Whilst so many children’s mysteries are humorous in tone, this one is serious, but not heavy-going, which will make it appealing to readers aged 10 and up, especially those looking for something a little different.

The Reef, by David Caddy
Fremantle Arts Centre Press, 2005

Daisy Street, by Diana Chase

With no daisies growing in its gardens, Daisy Street wasn’t living up to its name, so Grandpa and Grandma Jacobs decided to have a daisy planting day. Soon all the gardens, tubs and hanging baskets were full of daisies of all colours, but the best part was that the whole street now knew each other.

Daisy Street is a collection of stories about the people who live in Daisy Street. Each story is self contained, focussing on a different family. There are James and Emma who come to stay with Grandma and Grandpa Jacobs for the holidays and Danny, who is desperate to be different, as well as Anna who manages to lose a pot of Irish Stew.

These six stories are each different, but blend well together with gentle humour and plenty of warmth. Likely to appeal to children aged six to ten, these tales are suitable for newly independent readers as well as for reading aloud by parents or teachers.

Daisy Street, by Diana Chase
Fremantle Arts Centre Press, 2005

Dreamstone, by Helene Smith

I wish I had a friend, just one friend who would listen. I wish I could write a tory, just one story I could finish. I wish everything could be like it was last summer.

Last summer, Lucy had a wonderful time playing with her cousins and enjoying time with her parents. This summer, though, everything is different. Her parents have separated and now Lucy lives in New York with her mum. Home in Australia for a holiday with her dad, Lucy is sad. She wishes she had someone to talk to.

Sometimes, just sometimes, wishes do come true and, when Lucy makes her wish, something strange happens. A bright stone drops from the air and, when she looks after her, it hatches into a tiny being who has come to bring colour back to her life. Lucy has much to learn from Sharni, who gives her strength to face the changes in her life, but the hardest lesson of all might be in letting her friend go when the time comes.

Dreamstone is a charming junior novel from acclaimed South West writer, Helene Smith. The magical Sharni is a delight, with a special appeal in her language – her fingers are ‘touching ends’, and she calls people ‘earth-ones’. Lucy’s mouth is, to Sharni, a ‘word cave’. Young readers will love working out this language.

Another highlight of the book is the dleightful illustrative contribution of Geraldine Guinard. She combines the real world with the magical with ease, bringing a special ‘other-world’ feel to all the black and white illustrations which are full of detail.

This little offering will appeal to readers aged 7 to 10 and would be ideal for a child dealing with change.

Dreamstone, by Helene Smith
Fremantle Arts Centre Press, 2005

Rhubarb, by Craig Silvey

Eleanor Rigby lives in darkness. She is blind and, although she lives with her mother, this woman’s emotional state means Eleanor may as well be living alone. She spends her nights lost in nightmares and her days running from them.

Ewan McGregor is similarly damaged. He is agoraphobic, although he is more afraid of other people than of being outside, making early morning dashes to the shops for his supplies. He spends his days playing his cello to himself and thinking of ways to get rid of the two possums infesting his house.

The pair come into each other’s lives unexpectedly. Ewan takes his cello out onto the front veranda for the first time ever and Eleanor, walking past, stops to listen to him play. She is drawn both to the music and to Ewan, prehaps recognising a kindred spirit. Their friendship is neither instant or orthodox. Both have hang-ups and ghosts which stop them from trusting, from voicing their feelings and from giving too much. Eventually, though, some sort of connection is made.

It is no coincidence that Silvey’s main character has the same name as the Beatles’ song and readers may well find themselves singing the song as they read the book. Rhubarb is a book about lonely people – and not just Eleanor and Ewan. ALL the characters are ‘lonely people’ – Eleanor’s mother, who spends her days and nights in front of the television; Frank, who is one of the few people Eleanor makes conversation with regularly and who lives in denial of his wife’s death; even Bruno, the pseudo-Italian (he’s really Romanian) deli-owner and his long-suffering wife Althea. Perehaps Silvey is trying to tell us that we are all lonely people?

There is no doubt that Silvey is a talented first-time novelist with a mark to make on the literary world. His story is rich and multi-layered and speaks directly to the reader. He weaves symbolism into the fabric of the tale and his characters, though tragic, seem somehow real. At times, though, the story seems to get lost behind this cleverness, with the reader left groping for the plot, wondering whether the diversion is necessary or even fruitful. In the end, however, the reader is able to overlook this and focus on the skilful rendering of the tale of the two protagonists.

A resonant read.

Rhubarb, by Craig Silvey
Fremantle Arts Centre Press, 2004

Magwheel Madness, by Jon Doust & Ken Spillman

In their last adventure, the Serventy Kids had to work together to save the magpies that the local council was determined to eradicate. Now, the birds are safe, but the kids aren’t. Local hoons are out looking for fun and their idea of fun spells danger for the younger kids.

First, the year sixes are on a school excursion which is ruined when a speeding car runs them off the road. Then sometime rips up the school oval. The kids decide they’ve had enough. Someone needs to act before their school is ruined – or, worse still, someone is seriously injured.

What it takes to put a stop to the hoons is a team effort, a little detective work and some proactive thinking.

Magwheel Madness is an exciting sequel to Magpie Mischief and shows kids working together to change things that effect them. Looking at themes of responsibility, team work and honesty, the book’s main appeal is its humour and pace.

A good fun read.

Magwheel Madness, by Jon Doust and Ken Spillman
Fremantle Arts Centre Press, 2005

Tev on Home Turf, by Brendan Murray

It’s the summer holidays and Tev is determined to enjoy them. Becky seems pretty keen to make sure of that for him. She’s pretty keen on him – and she has her own car and, for a while at least, a place of her own. Tev’s got it made.

But, just when it all looks so easy, Tev gets a phone call from his Tongan girlfirend, Siale. She’s coming to visit him. Tev looks set to have two girls on his hands – or a big choice to make.

Tev on Home Turf is a sequel to the succesful Tev and is sure to be as well received. The previous title was set in Tonga, where Tev was in unfamiliar territory. This new title is set back home in Western Australia’s south, but sees Tev still on unfamiliar territory – this time emotional territory – as he navigates the highs and lows of relationships and also faces other new challenges.

Tev on Home Turf is fast paced and, while dealing with some serious issues such as cultural difference, does so without being preachy or predictable.

A good read.

Tev on Home Turf, by Brendan Murray
Fremantle Arts Centre Press, 2004