omnibus books – Page 3 – Aussie Reviews

Paper Planes by Allayne L. Webster

I woke with a bad feeling. I didn’t know why I had a bad feeling – I just did.

The phone rang.

‘I’ll get it.’ Untangling limbs from blankets, my brother stumbled from our bedroom. I buried my head in my pillow.

Then he was at my side. ‘Niko, come quick.’

Maybe it was the look on his face that had me on my feet. Or maybe it was that strange feeling I had, growing stronger. I scoped Siki from the end of my bed. I’d have to tqke him for a walk soon. If he peed on Mama’s rug again, she’d be upset. She said I could have a dog only if I cleaned up after him.

I followed Jarko to the living room. He picked up the handset and stood, listening. I was wondering why he’d got me out of bed when he covered the mouthpiece and pointed. ‘Open the blinds. Go outside and look.’

I woke with a bad feeling. I didn’t know why I had a bad feeling – I just did.

The phone rang.

‘I’ll get it.’ Untangling limbs from blankets, my brother stumbled from our bedroom. I buried my head in my pillow.

Then he was at my side. ‘Niko, come quick.’

War is coming to Sarajevo and Niko and his family are warned to leave while they can. But Niko’s father is sure that the warring sides will soon see sense and all they have to do is keep life as normal as possible until things settle down. Niko, his parents, his brother Jarko and his sister Danijela are soon among only a few remaining occupants of their apartment building. But rather than settle, the war escalates. Others leave but Niko is reassured that the family of his friend, Nedim, are also staying. Food becomes scarce, the streets become dangerous and still the family stay. Niko’s brother and sister have been at university but although some classes continue, it’s not always safe to travel. It becomes more difficult to know who to trust and even Niko and Nedim quarrel. Escape seems the only option. But it’s not easy, and it’s not available to all.

Niko has been oblivious to the tensions that have led to the Balkans war. But no longer. War will not be ignored. Page by page, the reader travels with Niko as life in his home town changes and people flee. Others stay, but not all for good reasons. Niko’s family is a close one, but as with all families, there are differing opinions. War brings out the best in some people, the worst in others. Nothing in Niko’s life has prepared him for the world he now lives in. Family loyalties and friendships are tested as Niko and his family struggle to survive in a war that makes little sense to them, but which affects them anyway. Paper Planes is based on a true story, from the Balkans War that reaches all the way to Adelaide Australia. Recommended for upper primary readers.

Paper Planes

Paper Planes, Allayne L. Webster Omnibus Books 2014 ISBN:9781742990699

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s author and bookseller

www.clairesaxby.com

Figgy in The World, Tamsin Janu

I am the only person named Figgy in my village.

Probably the only Figgy in Ghana. Maybe the only one in Africa. And possibly, by the smallest chance, I might be the only person named Figgy in The World.

But that cannot be true. I don’t know much about The World. I don’t know much about the people in it either. But I do know that The World is big. Maybe there are millions of Figgys out there. Figgys who whine every day, ‘Everyone is called Figgy where I live! Figgy, Figgy, Figgy! Why can’t I have a non-Figgyish name?’

I don’t even know why my name is Figgy. My mama named me, but I cannot remember her. She left me on Grandma Ama’s doorstep eight years ago when I was a baby. Then she ran away, never to be seen again. There was a note wedged in the blanket I was wrapped in, with four words on it.

Her name is Figgy.

I am the only person named Figgy in my village.

Probably the only Figgy in Ghana. Maybe the only one in Africa. And possibly, by the smallest chance, I might be the only person named Figgy in The World.

Her name is Figgy.

Figgy is an eight-year old girl, living in a village in Ghana. Her Grandma Ama is sick, and the local doctor is not very useful. Figgy decides that she must travel to America to get the medicine that will make Grandma Ama better. So she sets off to America with her special goat Kwame. Along the way she wonders whether she will discover other Figgys, or whether she is the only Figgy in the world. But America is further than she could possibly have imagined and travelling there is frought with challenge. She meets good people and not-so-good people on her journey. Despite the challenges, she and Kwame travel on. She will help her Grandma Ama.

Figgy in the World is simply delightful. From the design of the front cover to the final page, the reader is introduced to an entrancing girl wrapped in both innocence and knowledge, determined to achieve her goal. She is on a quest. Figgy tells her story in first person and the reader can gauge where her knowledge and her innocence overlap and hold their breath as she gets herself into and out of trouble. She is assisted, and hindered, by Kwame and her new friend Nana. Figgy’s search for America and medicine is full of twists and turns, humour and friendship. Set in Ghana, this is a universal story about love and friendship, adventure and belonging. Highly recommended for mid-primary and beyond.

Figgy in the World, Tamsin Janu Omnibus Books 2014 ISBN: 9781742990453

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s author and bookseller

www.clairesaxby.com

4 Woolly Wombat Readers, by Kerry Argent

One Woolly Wombat sunning by the sea
Two cuddly koalas sipping gumnut tea….

One Woolly Wombat - First Reader

Since 1982 Aussie children have been learning to count with One Woolly Wombat. Now they can learn to read with him, too, in this cute new series of readers from Scholastic, suitable for school or home use.

Aimed at beginning readers, these four small format books each feature the woolly wombat, with his friend Bandicoot, and other friends, also recurring. The first in the series is a special edition of the classic One Woolly Wombat, with other titles being At the Beach, Hide and Seek and Best of Friends.

With the beautiful illustrations of Kerry Argent, and high-interest stories, coupled with text which is accessible and a format suitable for little hands to easily hold and turn pages, these are a treat for beginner readers, and will withstand repeated readings.

One Woolly Wombat
At the Beach
Hide and Seek
Best of Friends
All by Kerry Argent
Omnibus Books, 2014

Losing Reuben by Leonie Norrington ill Beth Norling

There are so many kids in Reuben’s family, his mum has to count them when they go out to make sure no one gets lost or left behind.

‘One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine,’ she says touching each one as they climb in the car.

Reuben’s big brothers and sisters duck and growl.

‘You are SO embarrassing, Mum,’ they say. ‘Everyone is looking at us.’

But Reuben loves his mum touching his head and counting. It makes him feel safe, because he knows she will never leave him behind.

There are so many kids in Reuben’s family, his mum has to count them when they go out to make sure no one gets lost or left behind.

‘One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine,’ she says touching each one as they climb in the car.

Reuben’s big brothers and sisters duck and growl.

‘You are SO embarrassing, Mum,’ they say. ‘Everyone is looking at us.’

But Reuben loves his mum touching his head and counting. It makes him feel safe, because he knows she will never leave him behind.

Reuben is part of a large family living in the north of Australia. Every Saturday they go fishing. This Saturday, they are going to One Mile Beach. Reuben loves to go, but he also does some worrying. He worries a bit about the waves, and the crabs and other things that might go wrong. As the outing progresses, Reuben, although sometimes scared, calls on all his inner resources so he can help where help is needed. With the help of his brothers and his father, he decides to be brave and to be strong, where this is required. Helping his father and his bigger brothers makes him feel different. He’s not quite sure how it feels and wanders off to think about it instead of taking a nap with his younger siblings. And that’s when the biggest test of his strength and bravery is needed. ‘Losing Reuben’ is illustrated throughout in colour. A header and footer shows Reuben cartwheeling across spreads, progressing as the story unfolds. Some words are picked out in larger or different fonts.

Losing Reuben is a new title in the ‘Mates’ series from Omnibus Books. This series offers uniquely Australian stories for newly independent readers. It introduces a way of life particular to the north of Australia and indigenous Australians. At the same time, it is a story common in many families. Reuben is a small (but not the smallest) member of a large family. In the past, he’s been one of the little kids, staying with his mother and older sisters as his father and older brothers embark on more adventurous aspects of their outings. But this time, he’s in transition to being one of the big kids. And that means facing his fears. These challenges are just a normal part of the day. Reuben, like many children, internalises some of these fears, but when required to, finds a way to overcome them. ‘Losing Reuben’ is a delightful story of the ups and downs of being part of a large family. Recommended for newly independent readers.

Losing Reuben, Leonie Norrington ill Beth Norling Omnibus Books 2013 ISBN: 9781742990224

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s author and bookseller

www.clairesaxby.com

Available from good bookstores or online.

Eric Vale Off the Rails, by Michael Gerard Bauer

I get to the door of the Principal’s office. It’s open. Principal Porter is behind his desk. Sitting in front of him are my mum, my dad and my little sister Katie. She’s the only one who seems happy to see me.

Eric Vale is in trouble. Really big trouble. As usual, it isn’t really his fault – his mate Chewie is convinced their relief teacher is an alien, and of course Eric has to help him prove it one way or another.

Eric Vale, Off the Rails is the third story featuring the likeable but always-in-trouble Eric Vale and won’t disappoint fans of the first two, or readers new to the series. The book is fast paced, action paced and complemented throughout by comic style illustrations, as well as instalments in Eric’s own stories, written in his journal throughout the book, and influenced by what is happening in his real life.

Perfect for reluctant readers, the series will appeal to early and middle primary aged readers.

scan0112

Eric Vale, Off the Rails, by Michael Gerard Bauer, illustrated by Joe Bauer
Omnibus Books, 2013
ISBN 9781862919945

Available from good bookstores or online.

The Jeweller of Rassylon by Peter Cooper

It didn’t look like the house of a demon. In fact, as Dillen stared through the bars of the main gate he thought it looked more like a noble’s residence, with fountains and manicured gardens and groves of trees over which curved roofs with gold-leaf cladding could just be seen. And if the sight within the walls was something to behold, the sight outside them was even more spectacular. The whole edifice had been built on a spur of the mountains, so that on one side there was nothing but a sheer drop leading to the endless plains below, and on the other lofty peaks crowned in dazzling snow. As Dillen gazed around he was nearly overcome with a sense of endless space, seeming to weigh down on him as heavily as the pack that hung from his shoulder.

Dillen and his companions, Koto and Tajni are on a quest to retrieve the blue jade. To this end, they are seeking the wisdom of the demon who lives in the mountains. Even if they are granted an audience, and this is not certain, they have to decipher his advice. If they are to retrieve the blue jade, they must beat others also chasing it. So begins a chase across the land, through mountains and valleys, through villages and forests, as they race against time. They must decide who to trust and who to avoid. The challenge is made more difficult as each of the three has their own secrets and this affects their ability to trust others. They are both helped and hindered by magical creatures and magical tricks.

The Jeweller of Rassylon is Book Three in ‘Tales of the Blue Jade’, but it can be enjoyed as a stand-alone novel. It is told in third person from the viewpoint of Dillen, and the reader shares the uncertainties and struggles of the main character as he races across the country in this high-stakes quest. The Jeweller of Rassylon is full of action and adventure and showcases the ability of young people to make tough decisions. There are themes of clanship and trust, loyalty and betrayal. The setting is mostly mountainous and it could be set anywhere and from China to Afganistan, borrowing mythology and landscape widely. Although there is a sense of this adventure being set many centuries ago, many of the issues encountered have resonance today. The inclusion of strong female characters in addition to the male leads broadens the appeal to all young readers. Recommended for upper primary readers.

The Jeweller of Rassylon Peter Cooper Omnibus Books 2013 ISBN: 9781862919440

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s author and bookseller

www.clairesaxby.com

Holiday of a Lifetime: Disaster Diary by Megan de Kantzow

31 October: Sydney, Australia. Halloween: the worst possible day to travel

3.03 pm

In thirty-two minutes we’re leaving. Supposedly.

I’ve already told Mum and Dad that this whole trip is a so-called Disaster Waiting to Happen, like other Anderson family holidays I could mention. For example, the time Dad made us go camping in the Warrumbungles and it rained the whole time, or the time we got stuck in holiday traffic for five hours on my birthday and I got a stinking McMuffin without even one measly candle for my so-called birthday cake.

Anyway, if Dad doesn’t get off the phone right now and Mum doesn’t get through her list of last-minute jobs, we’ll be last and then this holiday will be a disaster before it’s even started. Because planes don’t wait for you, you know.

I’d better tell them to hurry up.

31 October: Sydney, Australia. Halloween: the worst possible day to travel

3.03 pm

In thirty-two minutes we’re leaving. Supposedly.

I’d better tell them to hurry up.

Anna’s family are off on a trip to Europe, even though the funds had originally been earmarked for house extensions. A mistake on many levels as far as Anna is concerned. Having her own bedroom would have meant peace and no dancing for Anna, and a dance-zone bedroom for her sister Francine. But despite her dire warnings, off to Europe they go. Dad, Mum, Francine and little brother Timmy are all excited and unhearing of her warnings. Anna realises she’s the one who will have to be prepared for the inevitable disasters. She is helped in her quest to keep the family safe by a good-luck charm from Gran. This little seahorse will provide the luck, her backpack full of just-in-case supplies. There are disasters aplenty, some of which Anna is prepared for, others less so.

Holiday of a Lifetime: Disaster Diary is a contemporary tragi-comedy, full of high drama and humour, written in diary form. Anna is a worry wort and the reader is privy to her worst worries, her first person reportage via her diary entries. They also can read between the lines and interpret the responses of her family and others around her more clearly than she can. The dramas and excitements are almost slapstick in their intensity, and will have readers giggling and rolling their eyes. But there is redemption for Anna too, as she discovers that some things she can worry less about, and for others – well her preparation pays off. ‘Holiday of a Lifetime’ allows a peek into a family, showing their individual and collective growth, filtered through the eyes of an almost-adolescent. Recommended for upper-mid-primary readers.

Holiday of a Lifetime: Disaster Diary!, Megan de Kantzow Omnibus Books 2013 ISBN: 9781862919983

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

The Pirate Company: On the Trail of the Golden Toucan by Susan Cason

Tom Applecross paused at the bottom of the gangplank to the French vessel, Marie-Galante, moored at the dock at Port Pandora. The air in this part of the port city smelled of sweat and squashed bananas, of salt and freshly scrubbed wooden decks and a strange, bitter odour that Tom suspected was his own overwhelming sadness.

He turned to face his stepmother, Evlynne. He knew he had to ask her again, to plead with her one more time. He willed his bottom lip not ot quiver and took a long, slow breath.

‘Evlynne, please, please, let me stay,’ he said hoarsely. ‘I promise I won’t be any trouble. Don’t send me to Boston.’

Tom Applecross paused at the bottom of the gangplank to the French vessel, Marie-Galante, moored at the dock at Port Pandora. The air in this part of the port city smelled of sweat and squashed bananas, of salt and freshly scrubbed wooden decks and a strange, bitter odour that Tom suspected was his own overwhelming sadness.

He turned to face his stepmother, Evlynne. He knew he had to ask her again, to plead with her one more time. He willed his bottom lip not ot quiver and took a long, slow breath.

‘Evlynne, please, please, let me stay,’ he said hoarsely. ‘I promise I won’t be any trouble. Don’t send me to Boston.’

Tom’s father is missing, believed dead and his stepmother sends him away from his loved home in the Caribbean. She tells him he is very lucky to be going to stay with family in Boston, but he is not convinced that’s the whole story. She seems much too gleeful. Not long after they set sail, they are set upon by pirates and the Marie-Galante is scuttled. Can Tom’s life get any worse? He is set adrift in the Atlantic Ocean. He reaches shore and assesses his options. He can try to return to his home, live forever on an uninhabited island, or join the pirates. None of these options are looking very promising, particularly the last. The pirates have more superstitions than seems possible and somehow, Tom seems to be responsible for all their bad luck. At least in the short term, Tom must convince them he can be useful on a pirate ship. If he can’t, he may have to walk the plank. Chapter headings include definitions of pirate words or clues about the Pirate Code.

On the Trail of the Golden Toucan is an adventure set (mostly) on the ‘high seas’. The pirates are a ragged collection of rascals with a fierce instinct for survival. They have a pirate’s code to guide their behaviour but the code seems to be flexible in its interpretation. Poor Tom struggles to make sense of it, perhaps because most of it is based on superstition. But Tom has had the advantage of an education and is able to apply logic and clear thinking to ensuring his own survival. There are ratbags and rotters everywhere, and not just on the pirate ship. There are themes of integrity, honesty, community. But first and foremost, this is a rollicking yarn about a boy thrust into an alien world who must adapt to survive. Recommended for mid- to upper-primary readers.

The Pirate Company: On the Trail of the Golden Toucan, Susan Cason Omnibus Books 2013 ISBN: 9781742990026

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

Bush Holiday by Leonie Norrington ill Brenton E McKenna

Tillithia loves living in Palmerston Heights. She loves her school. She loves hanging out with Lily, her next door neighbour. But most of all she loves the school holidays.

Sometimes she goes with her mum and Lily to a market for breakfast, or they ride their bikes to the park. This morning Tillithia has a plan.

Tillithia loves living in Palmerston Heights. She loves her school. She loves hanging out with Lily, her next door neighbour. But most of all she loves the school holidays.

Sometimes she goes with her mum and Lily to a market for breakfast, or they ride their bikes to the park. This morning Tillithia has a plan.

Tillithia might have plans for this holiday day, but so does Mum. And Mum’s plan is not the same as Tillithia’s. Tillithia and Mum are off to Goose Camp with Auntie Doreen. Mum knows Auntie Doreen will help Tillithia to learn Aboriginal ways. Tillithia just remembers their last trip, when she got wet and dirty and ate mussels that tasted like snot. She’d much rather stay in town. But that’s not going to happen. Tillithia begins by sulking but is gradually won over by curiosity and the good humour of Mum and Auntie. Eventually, Mum’s teasing stops when Tillithia helps Auntie gather food for the old ladies. Now it is Tillithia’s turn to tease. Bush Holiday has coloured illustrations throughout and uses several text types to highlight different words.

The ‘Mates’ series from Omnibus has many titles. Each is full of humour and tells a tale that is particularly Australian. In Bush Holiday the reader travels to Northern Territory and is taken on a road trip holiday. It is a story of family, and learning and sharing. Tillithia experiences a different sort of education in the holidays, where knowledge of and respect for the land are taught in an active way. Bush Holiday gently reminds the reader that life is full of learning and that there are many teachers. The joyfulness of Mum and Auntie as they travel and teach their reluctant student is delightful and should resonate with readers young and not-so. And when Tallitha reflects on her unexpected bush holiday, it is the connection with the land and her greater family that she remembers most fondly. Recommended for newly confident readers.

Bush Holiday, Leonie Norrington ill Brenton E McKenna Omnibus Books 2013 ISBN:9781742990019

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

Dog On Log by Tania Ingram ill Kat Chadwick

Dog.

Frog.

Frog on dog.

Frog on log.

Frog on dog and dog on log.

Dog and frog near hog in bog.

Dog.

Frog.

Frog on dog.

Frog on log.

Frog on dog and dog on log.

Dog and frog near hog in bog.

Dog on Log begins in a very Dr Seuss way with very simple cumulative rhyming text while the illustrations provide details of just what’s going on. There’s a birthday party in-the-making. With very few words, the tension rises as the time of the party nears. When the birthday girl wakes in surprise, chaos ensues. Though it’s not quite the triumph Dog and his helpers have planned, all turns out well. Illustrations are pen and ink as well as digital media. They are mostly in gentle watercolours set in white space. Spreads extend to full page bleeds when the action is at its most intense. Endpapers suggest the woodland setting of the party, and feature the animal guests.

Everyone loves a party and all the animals are keen to help. Unfortunately they don’t all have the same idea about what constitutes help. Young readers will enjoy discovering what’s happening in the illustrations as they listen to the rhythms in the text. Younger animals find the waiting a challenge, and even the balloons have personality. All ends well though and readers learn that even if things don’t go quite to plan, it doesn’t mean that the attempt is a disaster. A humourous offering for pre- and early-schoolers.

Dog on Log, Tania Ingram ill Kat Chadwick Omnibus Books 2013 ISBN: 9781862919648

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author