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>.

Stories for 7 Year Olds, edited by Linsay Knight

What do seven year olds like to read about? Lots of things! And this book aimed at seven year old readers, covers lots of different subjects, in different forms. There is a story about a mother on a diet, one about surfing in an outback pool, another about a young emperor with a headache, and yet another about an author visiting a school. Whilst all are prose, one is interspersed with poetry and others use fairytale, mythology, first person narration and even the format of a school report, meaning there is plenty of variety.

The 11 stories are illustrated by Tom Jellett, giving a uniformity to the volume, and back of book biographies introduce each author who include some of the biggest names of Australian children’s literature, including Morris Gleitzman, Paul Jennings and Margaret Clark.

Suitable for newly independent readers to read on their own, the stories are also suitable for reading aloud.

Stories for Seven Year Olds

Stories for Seven Year Olds, edited by Linsay Knight, illustrated by Tom Jellett
Random House, 2012
ISBN 9781742756622

Available from good bookstores or online.

Love Notes, by Margaret Clark

I turned the pale pink envelope over, then I looked quickly around to check that people weren’t killing themselves laughing, that it wasn’t a big joke. No one was even looking in my direction. I gazed at the envelope. It wasn’t addressed to me or anyone else.
Should I open it or not?

When Laura finds a love note in her bag, she doesn’t know what to do. It is signed from a secret admirer, but she can’t even begin to guess who that might be. Laura’s mother is a Private Investigator, so Laura hopes she will help her figure out who it is from. But soon, Laura is on the trail herself and as more love letters appear in her classmates’ bags, she tries desperately to solve the mystery.

Love Notes is a fun mystery story suitable for ten to twelve year old readers. As Laura works to solve the case, she also deals with the complexities of playground politics, mixing with different groups of students – including the Populars (the ‘in’ girls), the Fringes (those who want to be ‘in’) and an absentee best friend who wants to keep Laura to herself. At the end of the story, several pages of tips for aspiring PIs are included, with a comforting level of caution about spying on strangers.

The hot pink cover will be attractive to its target audience, upper primary aged girls.

Love Notes

Love Notes, by Margaret Clark
Random House, 2007

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

S.N.A.G the Sensitive New-Age Gadiator, by Margaret Clark

Reviewed by Pauline Burgess

‘I don’t want to go to gladiator school,’ said Snag. ‘I hate violence. I hate fighting. And I faint at the sight of blood.’
‘Sorry,’ said the chief of gladiators, ‘you don’t have a choice.’

S.N.A.G. the sensitive new-age gladiator is captured and sent to gladiator school to learn to fight and how to be bloodthirsty. Unfortunately, the sight of blood makes Snag faint. When he’s learning to fight, Snag defeats his beastly opponent and now everyone thinks he is fierce. But can Snag win the biggest fight of his life against elephants, lions, tigers, bulls, dogs, chariots and maniacs?

Kids will love Snag because he’s sensitive and wants to play his fife or paint marigolds instead of learning the bloodthirsty sport of being a gladiator.

Margaret Clark once again writes a side-splitting story with a smattering of detail about Roman life and some funny modern day twists.

S.N.A.G the Sensitive New-Age Gladiator is from the popular series of Aussie Nibble books. This book is great for eight to twelve-year-old readers who love a funny story that will keep them entertained until the end.

S.N.A.G the Sensitive New-Age Gladiator, by Margaret Clark, Illustrated by Terry Denton
Puffin Books, 2001.