new frontier – Page 3 – Aussie Reviews

Molly's Memory Jar, by Norma Spaulding & Jacqui Grantford

Daddy had an idea: ‘Molly, let’s make a memory jar for Lucy.’
Molly had never heard of a memory jar, but she liked the idea of making something for Lucy.

When her beloved golden retriever dog, Lucy, dies, Molly is deeply sad. But her wise, loving father, helps her to remember the happy times with Lucy as a way of coping with her grief. He suggests a memory jar, a jar which Molly fills with coloured glass balls, each representing a precious memory. Now, when she feels sad, she can use the balls to remember the good times.

This is a lovely gentle story, with the feeling of hope and healing the text creates echoes by the gradual infusion of colour into the illustrations which begin in black and white and gradually have more and more colours so that at the end they are in full colour.

Perfect both for a child who might be grieving, and as an introduction to the concept of death and grief, as well as just a lovely story of hope.

Molly’s Memory Jar, by Norma Spaulding & Jacqui Grantford
New Frontier, 2010
ISBN 9781921042355

This book can be purchased online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

Last Tree in the City, by Peter Carnavas

Edward lives in a dull colourless city, of ‘concrete and cars’. But Edward has a secret place he and his little duck can visit to forget about the city. It’s a magic place for him and he visits every day. Then one day the tree is gone. Now there is nothing to relieve the dullness of the city landscape, nothing to bring colour to his world. Despite his distress, Edward sets out on his bike. He finds a little bit of tree and a way to keep it always with him. In doing so, he finds a way to share his special world with the rest of the city. Illustrations are watercolour and ink. Front endpapers show a drink cup and straw. In the end endpapers, the straw is sprouting its own little plant.

Edward is a solitary child and Last Tree in the City gives no indication of his family situation. But many children spend time in their own wake-dream worlds, regardless of their family. Edward is initially devastated by the loss of his safe place, his tree. But in resolute fashion, he sets out anyway, destination unplanned. His discovery of some remnant of his tree brings him hope and he ponders where he should plant it. In the end, he plants it in his bike, so the tree will always be with him. He ventures afield with his tree, and discovers a whole world within the city where people are doing the same thing. Have they all rescued bits from his tree? Or are they all nurturing their own little havens? And can they share it with each other? Plenty of room for discussion. Recommended for young primary readers.

Last Tree in the City, Peter Carnavas
New Frontier 2010
ISBN: 9781921042218

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author
www.clairesaxby.com
This book can be purchased online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

Dame Nellie Melba. by Gabiann Marin

Six-year-old Nellie crouched up in the tree branches, peering down at her father as he approached the dam. She knew she would be in trouble if he found her sitting in the old gum tree, sopping wet, so she decided the best thing was to stay very quiet until he passed.
Suddenly, her father looked up into the tree, straight at Nellie. She shrank back against the smooth bark, but she knew it was too late, she’d been spotted. At that moment, she heard the humming, a favourite song of hers that her mother used to sing when she was a baby. After a moment of listening, Nellie realised the humming sounds were coming from her!

When Nellie was a child, in the 1860s, singing in public was not considered a ladylike thing to do. But Nellie was determined, from an early age, that singing would be her life. Not long after she finished school, her mother and young sister died. Nellie, her father and a sister moved to Queensland where strong-minded Nellie married an Englishman. Nellie tried to put aside the notion of singing but found it impossible. She sang in Melbourne and achieved some success. But before long she found Melbourne too small for her ambitions and sailed for Europe. There she achieved the success she’d dreamed off and returned to Australia a star.

It’s often difficult to comprehend that famous people were once just like all the rest of us, doing normal things, dreaming big dreams. Dame Nellie Melba, international singing star, was once a small child hiding in a tree to avoid getting into trouble. With a good voice and a great deal of determination, she showed that it is possible to make dreams come true. Dame Nellie Melbasets out to tell Nellie’s story, from her origins, through sadness and wrong-turnings to her world-wide triumphs. It makes Nellie real, and her story meaningful and accessible to children today. Aussie Heroes Dame Nellie Melba is the first in a new ‘Aussie Heroes’ series from New Frontier Publishing. Recommended for upper primary readers.

Dame Nellie Melba, Gabiann Marin, Rae Dale
New Frontier Publishing 2010
ISBN: 9781921042645

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author
www.clairesaxby.com
This book can be purchased online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, by Tom Skinner & Annie White

Rizwan is apprentice to the sorcerer owner of ‘Wizard Car and Camel Wash’. His job is to do the tidying and other menial tasks, while the sorcerer gets to cast spells and make dirty cars and camels sparkle. When Isabella, daughter to the Mayor comes in to have her car washed, Rizwan is envious. Next day, left to wash the Mayor’s race camels, he decides to cast a little spell of his own. Flush with his success, he tries another spell on the Mayor’s car. Of course this time, things do not go smoothly. In fact they go very bubbly, very bubbly indeed. Illustrations are bright and colourful with multi-hued bubbles floating throughout and in the endpapers. Included is an audio CD with the story read by Antonia Kidman and featuring the music ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice’.

The Sorcerers Apprentice is the third title in the Music Box series from New Frontier Publishing. Goethe’s original poem inspired Paul Dukas’ piece of music of the same name. Tom Skinner moves the action to a magical car and camel wash, but the story is the same. An inexperienced sorcerer’s apprentice decides he can complete his chores more quickly with the use of magic. Rizwan also thinks he can attract the attention of a pretty girl. The story and the piece of music are included with the book, and give small children a chance to experience the magic that is music. Recommended for early primary readers.

The Sorcerers Apprentice Tom Skinner Annie White
New Frontier Publishing 2010
ISBN: 9781921042096

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author
www.clairesaxby.com
This book can be purchased online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

Tatiara, by Jo Oliver

Tatiara is a beautiful swimmer.
Sometimes she looks at me as if to say, ‘Why can’t you come in too?’

Tatiara is a seal who comes to live in a Tasmanian bay when she is injured. There she befriends the narrator, a girl who also has an injury and wears a back brace which prevents her from swimming free with Tatiara. Their friendship gives each strength as they heal.

This is a gentle picture book with illustrations combining etchings with a watercolour wash. In places it seems a historical tale, with the illustrations of the brace and the wharf suggesting the story is set in the past, but the time period is hard to place, with clothing and city settings suggesting a more contemporary time. Regardless, the gentle tale of a bond between a girl and a seal, is touching.

Tatiara, by Jo Oliver
New Frontier Publishing, 2010
ISBN 9781921042225

This book can be purchased online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

Delilah's Dream, by Ian Trevaskis & Janine Dawson

Delilah sat alone in the henhouse and laid a creamy-smooth egg, and dreamed.
She dreamed of a life beyond the farmyard gate; a life full of wild and wonderful adventures.
When she told her sisters of her dreams, they cackled and laughed. Hannibal shook his comb and told her not to be silly, that she was just an ordinary, everyday farmyard hen.

Delilah isn’t like the other hens. She dreams of doing big things – but nothing bigger than one day flying. The other chickens scoff at her dreams, but Delilah is undeterred. Then, when a fox visits the farmyard late one night, it is Delilah, and her adventurous spirit, that saves the day.

Delilah’s Dream is a gorgeous picture book story about following dreams, self-belief and friendship. With gentle text by Ian Trevaskis, and watercolour and ink illustrations by Janine Dawson, Delilah and her friends come to life with humour and a mild message.

Very cute.

Delilah’s Dream, by Ian Trevaskis and Janine Dawson
New Frontier, 2009

This book can be purchased online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

Sarah's Heavy Heart, by Peter Carnavas

Sarah knew the heavy heart would always be hers to carry.
She wished it wasn’t so heavy.

Sarah has a heavy heart, so heavy that doing everyday things like sleeping or going to school is really difficult. But one day she meets a boy whose heart is too light, and Sarah comes up with a solution that will help both of them live better lives.

Sarah’s Heavy Heart is a touching tale of friendship and love, told with minimal text and whimsical illustrations. Sarah’s heart dwarfs her in every illustration, but by the end of the story moving it has become easier thanks to her teamwork with her new friend. His light heart, which floats like a balloon, is likewise helped by being tethered to Sarah’s heavy one. the message, though, is not purely whimsical – text and illustration together give a simple yet important message about the magic of friendship.

Gorgeous.

Sarah’s Heavy Heart, by Peter Carnavas
New Frontier, 2009

This book can be purchased from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

The Know it All, by Peter Whitfield

‘Are you coming to lessons today Furball?’ Bruno asked as he hurried past.
‘No Dummo,’ said Furball, ‘I’m too clever to go to lessons.’

Furball, the cat, is sure that she knows it all. There’s no need for her to go to lessons with all the other Zen animals. She’d much prefer to just sit on a rock, soaking up the warmth and being superior. She’s quite unpleasant too, not content to just be superior, but feeling the need to make sure others know it. She knows it all. There’s a lesson she missed out on though, and by the end of the story, Furball knows something new. Illustrations focus on animals stepping into Furball’s world before hurrying on. The final few spreads take the reader to where the other animals have been working, before the final illustration shows Furball after her ‘lesson’. The final openings take a look at the origin of the Zen philosophy and revisit the lesson illustrated here. End papers, front and back covers and all text pages, carry the symbol of the Zen Tails.

Zen Tails The Know It All is one of a series of tales designed to illuminate a message. The text is simple, the message clear. There are consequences for behaviours. If you think you know it all, there is a lesson coming to you to demonstrate that you don’t. Humility and a preparedness to learn may help you to progress through life. Readers can interpret the hints in each illustration which build to the conclusion, with the consequences for know-it-all Furball. Recommended for lower- to mid-primary readers.

Zen Tails The Know It All, Peter Whitfield ill Nancy Bevington
New Frontier Publishing 2009
ISBN: 9781921042331

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author
www.clairesaxby.com

This book can be purchased online at Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, by Sue Whiting

There are no finer candymakers in the land than Marcus and Mary. They boil and toil making all sorts of delectable delights. But when the greedy king tastes one of their sugarplums and orders fifty jars be made by sun-up, Marcus is sure they will be in trouble. There is no way they can fill the order in time. They work late into the night, but cannot fill the order. To their surprise, in the morning there are fifty jars waiting on the bench for them to deliver to the king.

When this pattern is repeated, Marcus and Mary discover they are being helped by a sugar plum fairy – and when trouble really strikes it is the sugar plum fairy who again helps them out. Mary decides it is time that she and Marcus do something to repay the fairy – and this is exactly what they do.

This absolutely gorgeous picture book is a treat as sweet as the lollies which adorn its pages. The story is delightfully reminiscent of the tale of the Elves and the Shoemaker and the illustrations are filled with colour and quirky characters. As if the story and illustrations weren’t enough, the book is accompanied by a CD featuring the story read by Antonia Kidman and a recording of Tchaikovsky’s music which is the source of inspiration for the story.

Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy is part of New frontier Publishing’s innovative Music Box series which aims to introduce children to pieces of classical music in an innovative way. Little girls will love it, and music teachers will also find the book a useful classroom tool.

Sheer delight.

Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, by Sue Whiting and Sarah Davis (ill)
New Frontier Publishing, 2009

Do You Know Millie, by Gordon Winch

Reviewed by Kathryn Duncan

Change is difficult for everyone, so when you are a small child moving away from your friends, it is normal to be sad. In Do you know Millie?, Sarah is moving to the big city and is told by her friend, Rosa, that Millie also lives in the big city and will be Sarah’s friend. The only problem is, that nobody seems to know Millie.

Do you know Millie? is a story about friendship and finding that some things are closer than you think. The story flows smoothly as we follow Sarah in search of Millie and the basic concept of asking people if they know her indicates the size of the world we live in. Despite this, Sarah does not easily give up her search.

There is disappointment for Sarah, but the book ends on a positive note as she finds a new friend in her neighbour.

You feel Sarah’s emotions in Alan Robinson’s illustrations and the double page spreads are bright and have a positive feel to them. Do you know Millie? is Robinson’s first picture book and his work complements Winch’s simple, yet heartfelt text. Sarah’s teddy and little white dog join her in each illustration as her constant companions, and friends.

This is another enjoyable story from New Frontier and once again they have produced a publication worthy of sitting on our bookshelves.

Do you know Millie? Winch, Gordon (text) and Robinson, Alan (illus)
New Frontier, 2008
HB rrp $24.95