Tag: lothian

The Forgotten Prince, by Paul Collins

Reviewed by Jess Whiting

Crocodile Sal had her work cut out for her. Her prac exam, Deceit and Daring 101, was proving to be more difficult then she could ever have imagined. It had seemed so straightforward when she was given the paper. Get a legitimate job and stay in it for at least three months. During this time, steal something really valuable and use it in a successful, diabolical crime.

Crocodile Sal is an apprentice thief. She has been trying hard to pass her latest exam and prove herself to the thieves Guild. But when Sal stumbles across Waldo Pritlock, an actor, she finds herself putting her skills to the ultimate test.

Waldo claims to be the true Prince Timaris of Hadran. Sal embarks on a difficult journey to find out the truth behind the mystery of the Forgotten Prince.

The Forgotten Prince is an exciting novel for fantasy lovers ages 10 and up. Another story based in the world of Quentaris, filled with adventure, mystery and great characters. Not the most descriptive book, but it makes up for it with an irresistible story line.

A thrilling plot

The Forgotten Prince, by Paul Collins
Lothian, 2006

Chemical Leak! by Gillian M. Wadds

The only way I could get back on top of the container was to edge around the front of the drums and that meant getting quite close to the guard and the dog. Neither of them moved as I crept sideways past them, hardly daring to look where I was going. As soon as I reached the pipes I turned and scrambled up.
’And don’t come back!’ he yelled as I reached the top. ‘Tell her, Prince.’

Zena loves science and wants to prove to her science teacher and the rest of the class that she is a good researcher. So when she discovers a strange chemical leaking into the water at the beach, she decides to base her science project on it. First she needs to discover where the leak is coming from, and then she’ll figure out how to fix it.

But Zena soon finds that solving this problem may not be as easy as it seems. First she is caught by a security guard when she enters the yard where the leak is coming from. Then her father finds out how dangerous the leak is and tells her to stay away. Zena is sure there is a bigger problem here, but doesn’t realise that her life could be at risk if she persists with her investigations.

Chemical Leak! is an exciting read for young teens. As well as the mystery of the chemical leak, there is also exploration of family relations, ethnicity and racism, and friendship. Zena is a Lebanese Australian learning about the challenges of growing up and her motivation in pursuing the mystery is to prove to her classmates that she is clever.

Suitable for 10 to 14 year old readers.

Chemical Leak! by Gillian M. Wadds
Lothian, 2006

Mr Dumby's Duck, by Colin Thiele

Mr Dumby lived on a little farm in the valley. Everyone said he lived there on his own but that wasn’t true. He lived with a duck.

Mr Dumby and his duck, who he has named, very simply, Duck, enjoy their quiet lifestyle on the farm. Mr Dumby grows vegetables and Duck digs for worms, and each enjoys the other’s company. But Duck’s peace is shattered when two boys discover her swimming in the creek and try to catch her. Although she is rescued by the neighbour’s dog, Duck is alarmed when the boys come to Mr Dumby’s door the following week. She tries to warn Mr Dumby that there is trouble around.

Mr Dumby’s Duck is a delightful new story from esteemed children’s author, Colin Thiele. It is a simple tale of friendship, told in Thiele’s uncomplicated style and, like so many Thiele stories, will appeal to readers of any age, though its length (64pp) and the use of plenty of illustrations make it especially suited for younger children.

Beautiful.

Mr Dumby’s Duck, by Colin Thiele
Lothian, 2006

Pirates of Quentaris, by Sherryl Clark

Kiall wanted to race to the Halls of Justice and demand they let his father go. Didn’t they know who he was? He was the famous Paolo Tigran, the rift adventurer who’d made his fortune by finding a sapphire mine and bringing back the finest gems that Quentaris had ever seen. And now he was one of the most astute merchants in the city, with a fleet of his own ships. Or he had been, until a series of misfortunes had decimated the fleet.

When their father is thrown into jail by his creditors, Kiall and Maya are determined to find a way to pay his debts and have him freed. But the family fortune is gone, lost in a series of unexplained mishaps, and nobody is willing to help them. Kiall wants to go into the Rift caves to search for treasure, and, unable to afford a guide, he sneaks aboard a pirate ship. Together with Maya, who has followed him aboard, he is destined for adventures far beyond anything he could have imagined.

Pirates of Quentaris is a gripping fantasy novel for readers aged ten and up, set in the fantasy world of Quentaris, the setting for a series of stand-alone novels each written by a different Australian author. Here Sherryl Clark weaves a frightening but compelling tale which keeps the reader guessing and turning pages. Kiall and Maya find themselves enslaved by a crew of pirates who cruise the desert on a ship with massive wheels, murdering and plundering wherever they can. The children must use their wits, coupled with a little luck, to escape, but not before some scary events including a beheading and an attack by a sabre tooth cat.

A gripping read.

Pirates of Quentaris, by Sherryl Clark
Lothian, 2006

Nog The Nag Bird, by Gordon Reece

Nog hated being a nag bird. He hated his big yellow beak and stupid little wings, but most of all he hated his enormous orange feet.
Nog wanted to be like the tweetzie birds, tall and slim and beautiful.

When Nog finds a beautiful pink shell on the beach, it reminds him of the tweetzie birds’ beaks, and it gives him an idea. With the shell, a red dress, some big leaves and two long branches, Nog reincarnates himself as a tweetzie bird. But, when a squonky cat comes visiting, Nag finds out that it’s hard to run when you have stilts for legs. It doesn’t take him long to realise that his big ugly feet are very useful for outrunning the squonky cat. Perhaps it isn’t so bad being a nag bird, after all.

Nog the Nag Bird is a fun picture book with an important message – that everyone has something to be proud of. The message, though, is a subtle one – young children will just enjoy the absurdity of the bird trying to change who he is by dressing up. Author/illustrator Gordon Reese has created delightful characters – the nag birds are endearingly silly, the tweetzie birds have beautiful wings but appear suitably vain and the squonky cat is scary, but not too scary. There are plenty of bold oranges throughout the illustrations, making them bright and appealing, and the text is simple.

Great for reading aloud.

Nog The Nag Bird, by Gordon Reece
Lothian, 2006

The Friends of Apple Street, by Anna Pignataro

Near Rippling Lake is Apple Street. That’s where the six friends Pug, Queenie, Lucy, Mango, Bella and Eliza live.

The sun is shining in Apple Street and we see each of the six friends alone, doing the things that each likes to do. But when it starts to rain, the six come together to play and splash in the puddles, before all going to Lucy’s house for tea and cupcakes.

The Friends of Apple Street is a vibrant picture book for very young children, full of cute animal characters and with a simple tale of friendship. Adult readers might like to see the story as an allegory about how friends come together during rainy times, but kids will just enjoy seeing the friends playing in puddles and having a tea party.

Pignataro uses a combination of watercolour and collage to create bright illustrations which have plenty in them to appeal to young viewers. Older children might enjoy the fact that Pignataro has created simple characters which a child could draw for him/herself, with reasonable success.

The Friends of Apple Street is a lovely book.

The Friends of Apple Street, written and illustrated by Anna Pignataro
Lothian, 2006

Antarctic Dad, by Hazel Edwards and Kevin Burgemeestre

‘Where’s your dad?’ ask the kids at my new school.
‘He’s gone to work in Antarctica,’ I say.
They don’t believe me, at first. But then I show them the photos.

Having a absentee father is never easy – but when Dad is off working in Antarctica, this presents its own set of problems. The dad in this story makes sure he’s still involved in his son’s daily life by exchanging emails and photographs and by sharing the adventures of Roo, the soft toy which has accompanied him to Antarctica. At home, his son misses his dad, but enjoys sharing his new-found knowledge of Antarctica, and his dad’s adventures, with the class.

Antarctic Dad is a fictional story which deals with issues of separation, but also provides information about Antarctic life and the animals and landscape of Antarctica. It is enjoyable as a simple story, but also has educational benefits for home and classroom use.

Author Hazel Edwards has been to Antarctica, and draws on her experiences to give this story authenticity. Illustrator Kevin Burgemeestre brings the story to life with watercolour illustrations filled with plenty of detail to be discovered by the viewer.

An excellent book.

Antarctic Dad, by Hazel Edwards and Kevin Burgemeestre
Lothian, 2006

Angels of Kokoda, by David Mulligan

Thank you David Mulligan. Thank you for writing a book that taught me so much about the atrocities of war alongside the power of mateship. I am ashamed to admit that, before I read Angels of Kokoda, I knew very little about Australia’s plight in Papua New Guinea. I knew nothing of the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels. Sure I’d heard of the Kokoda trail, friends of friends had backpacked there but after reading Mulligan’s book I now feel that I have been there, really been there.

Angels of Kokoda is told through the eyes of twelve year old Derek, the son of missionaries. It is about human frailty, human strength and human survival. It is about respect. Derek’s respect for his friend Morso and his native culture, and Derek’s increasing respect for his often prejudiced yet committed father.

Angels of Kokoda is about self respect, about being the best that you can be, about never giving up. It is an inspirational tale, a moving tale, a tale that should be told to all our children. And I can only be thankful that it has now been told to me.

Angels of Kokoda, by David Mulligan
Lothian Books, 2006

Mustara, by Roseanne Hawke and Robert Ingpen

Every day Mustara and Taj look out onto a sea of yellow-red dust and stones. The sand rolls and shifts. Taj’s father says it is like the waves of the ocean and the Spinifex bushes are little boats blown about by the wind.

Taj’s father is an Afghan cameleer who trains camels to be used by explorers and for transporting supplies from Port Augusta to central Australia. When the explorer Mr Giles arrives, Taj hopes desperately that his favourite camel, Mustara will be chosen. But Mustara is too small and Taj and his friend Emmeline, the station owner’s daughter, try to feed him up so he will grow.

When Taj and Emmeline ride into the desert on Mustafa, they are caught in a sandstorm. Mustafa provides shelter for the pair, then brings them safely home, proving that, although he is small, he is ready to join the expedition.

Mustara is a beautiful story bringing to life part of Australia’s history which children may not be familiar with. It is brought to life by the stunning watercolour illustrations by Robert Ingpen, who captures both the starkness and the beauty of the Australian desert.

Breathtaking.

Mustara, by Roseanne Hawke & Robert Ingpen
Lothian, 2006

If the Shoe Fits, by Krista Bell

Cassie loves dancing. She goes to dance classes three times a week. The problem is, she doesn’t like dancing in front of people – in fact the thought of people watching her terrifies her. She wishes she could be like Jake, the most confident boy in the dance class.

When the dance school has an open day, Cassie tries desperately to stay home. How can she overcome her fear of performing? But when she arrives at the school, she discovers she’s not the only one who is worried – Jake has fears of his own. Together the pair conquer their fears and learn that they make a wonderful team.

If the Shoe Fits is a cute little read with a big message about self-confidence, expectations and friendship. Part of Lothian’s Start Ups series aimed at readers new to chapter books (junior novels), there is a high ratio of illustration to text and bite-sized chapters which make the book accessible to readers as young as six or seven.

Lovely.

If the Shoe Fits, by Krista Bell
Lothian, 2006