UQP – Page 6 – Aussie Reviews

Touch Me, by James Moloney

‘When can I hold you then?’ he whispered. ‘I want to. I…’ He was going to say I love you – but what did that mean?

Rugby is the only thing that matters to Xavier. He’s in year 12 and wants desperately to make the school’s first fifteen side, and play with his mates to win the premiership for the first time in twenty years. His world starts to change, though, when he meets Nuala Magee. He’s never met a girl anything like her. She dresses like a boy, acting out a role which incenses boys and amuses other girls. She’s hard to get to know, but Xavier is determined to do just that.

Touch Me is a gripping read about rugby, first love and growing up. Xavier is a likeable main character, and the reader also sees important scenes from Nuala’s perspective, so that an understanding of both characters and the difficulties of their relationship is developed. A third important character is Xavier’s new friend, Alex, who is recovering from leukaemia and has had to face his mortality.

First published in 2000 by UQP, it has been republished by UQP along with others of James Moloney’s works, a wonderful opportunity to discover or rediscover his works, for individual readers, collectors and for libraries.

A wonderful, thought-provoking read.

Touch me, by James Moloney
UQP, 200, 2007Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

Crossfire, by James Moloney

Luke could almost count the pig’s strides as it closed in…His father lay frantic in the dust, scarcely able to raise his head…The pig would kill him.

Luke doesn’t live with his dad, but he still idolises him. Dad is a hunter, a hard man who knows everything about guns. When Luke is suspended from school for hiding a gun in his locker, Luke’s mum is horrified, but Luke thinks she’s over reacting. He needed the gun to practise his shooting in the bush after school.

When Mum is unexpectedly hospitalised, Luke finds himself unexpectedly able to accompany his father on a pig-shooting expedition. He’s the only kid with a group of men – men who will, it seems, shoot at anything that moves. Luke starts to see the other side of shooting and killing. And when the expedition turns dangerous, he wonders whether all this is worth the thrill of the chase.

First published in 1992, a CBCA Notable Book in 1993, Crossfire has been reprinted along with other works by James Moloney, so that they can be enjoyed by a new group of teens. The story remains authentic fifteen years after first publication, with the high action text and timeless conflicts not being outdated.

This is an exciting and thought-provoking read, especially suitable for teenage boys.

Crossfire, by James Moloney
UQP, 1992, 2007

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

Tangara, by Nan Chauncy

The fun and laughter left Merrina’s face: she sprang lightly to the ferns and came to Lexie. Squatting before her on the ground she patted her shoe and looked steadfastly at her face as she said softly, ‘I’ll always know when you want me, Weetah – always.’
The way she said it made Lexie want to cry. After a little pause she blurted out, ‘I’ve got to go home soon. You won’t come and play with me then, Merrina?’
‘You must come here.’

First published in 1960 and winner of the CBCA Children’s Book of the Year, 1961, Tangara is now back in print under UQP’s Children’s Classics imprints.

As well as being regarded a classic, the book is important because it was the first novel to explore the treatment of the Aboriginal people in Tasmania from the Aboriginal perspective.

In Tangara young Lexie finds a shell necklace which belonged to her great-great Aunt Rita. This is the start of an adventure similar to the ones her aunt had. Lexie meets Merrina, an Aboriginal girl living in Black’s Gully, and the two form an unlikely bond. But Lexie will have to be strong to endure the nightmare that is about to confront her.

This is an absorbing read which is well deserving of the title ‘classic’. It is wonderful to see it back in print.

Tangara, by Nan Chauncy
This edition UQP 1997

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

The House on River Terrace, by James Moloney

Ben doesn’t even know that his family owns Gwendolan House, an empty building on River Terrace. But his father, conservative politician Rob Fielding, is making a documentary about his family’s story, and wants to use the old family home as a backdrop. Ben starts to uncover the old stories of the house and of his family.

At the same time he develops an unlikely friendship with Jess, a street kid who is squatting in the house next door to Gwendolan House. Ben’s father wants the squatters out and frowns on the growing friendship, but Ben decides some things are more important than following his father’s rules.

The House on River Terrace is realistic fiction set in Brisbane, and deals with contemporary issues such as the plight of street kids, as well as more timeless issues such as family loyalty and father/son relationships. Ben Fielding is a boy nearing manhood who must learn to stand up for his beliefs and make his own decisions, as well as to be aware of the impact of his actions.

First published in 1995 and subsequently shortlisted for the Children’s Book of the Year Awards, it has been re-released by UQP, and remains both topical and an absorbing read.

The House on River Terrace, by James Moloney
UQP, first published 1995, this edition 2007

This book can be purchased online at Fishpond. Buying through this link helps to support Aussiereviews.

The Butterfly Man, by Heather Rose

In Tasmania, Scotsman Henry Kennedy has been diagnosed with incurable cancer. He has just months to live. It is time to put his affairs in order – but Henry has a secret past, a past filled with events so terrible he cannot put them to rights. As his brain is affected by tumours, he struggles to keep his past and his present separate.

The Butterfly Man is a fictional story which uses a real murder mystery as a base. The true story is that of Lord Lucan, who went missing after allegedly murdering his children’s nanny in 1974. The novel explores a fictional life for Lucan after his disappearance, including time in Africa, a change of identity and a new life in Tasmania. However, the author does not attempt to solve the mystery of Lucan’s disappearance, instead using it to explore themes including secrets and their consequences.

The story is told in the first person voice of Henry/Lucan, with the stories of his last months, his time in Africa and the events of his marriage and the nanny’s death intertwined, so that readers are allowed to make assumptions and connections which are, at times, proved wrong. As we learn about Henry, we also learn about the life story of his partner, Lili, who has secrets of her own. Other characters also offer depth and interest – with Lili’s grandson, Charlie, and Henry’s friend Jimmy all proving intriguing.

First released in 2005, The Butterfly Man has been re-released. It is an absorbing read.

The Butterfly Man, by Heather Rose
UQP 2005, 2007

The River Sai, by Rebecca Edwards

Fifty winters, ninety winters, one hundred and thirty winters passed, while the stone monks sat and prayed in the snow, waiting for the women who never came. And then a mountain witch came. A yamamba, with ice in her bones and witch-fire crackling in her hair. A cruel yamamba, who ate the strong young men that villagers sent to conquer her, who led stray pilgrims to their deaths on lonely cliffsides, who hated children more than anything in the world.

Twelve year-old Harumi is unhappy when her mother and grandmother decide to leave Tokyo to reopen a family shop in a cold hill town. The shop is full of dusty boxes and cabinets and everywhere she turns, are fragile old things. She discovers a ‘shishi’, an ancient lion-dog and her adventure begins. Harumi is transported to another time. She meets an odd old woman and an enormous bear, who it seems have a mission for her. Thousands of child souls are stuck between this world and the next, being tortured by a demon Harumi’s quest is complex and physically demanding. She encounters dream-eating baku, stone jizo, witches hags and all manner of strange creatures before her journey ends.

The River Sai is a Japanese ghost story, set thousands of years ago. Harumi travels from the ‘now’ world to a very different time. There she is asked by a large bear to undertake a quest at the River Sai which separates the living from the dead. A witch has trapped children’s souls on the bank of the river. Harumi encounters extreme evil but also unexpected friendships as she seeks a way to free the souls. This is an exciting hero quest with a young girl as reluctant heroine. Although the Japanese mythology may be less familiar to readers than perhaps Greek or Roman equivalents, there are plenty of familiar archetypes here. There is a lovely richness to the word images, enhanced by the authors own illustrations throughout. Recommended for upper primary readers.

The River Sai, by Rebecca Edwards
UQP 2007

ISBN: 9780702236112

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

Skyfall, by Anthony Eaton

For most of his life, Larinan Mann has struggled to fit in. He has been born against the rules of his society into a world where difference is to be scorned, even feared. His father is the head of an important government agency, and Larinan is expected to follow him into this career. But Larinan doesn’t care about genetic research. The problem is, he doesn’t know what it is he does care about.

When Lari’s only friend, Kes, takes him on an adventure into a part of the city they are not authorised to visit, he discovers the terror of the murky underworld, and unexpectedly finds himself owing someone there an unspecified favour. On the same day, his father and brother make a discovery which could change Larinan’s life – and that of the whole city – forever.

Skyfall is the second title in the outstanding Darklands Trilogy. Set in the distant future, it explores a world which has attempted to adapt to climate change and the challenges of an uninhabitable Earth by building massive sky cities, where people live in domes attached to massive towers sheltered from the sun’s rays, and living in an insulated world. This world, though, is now under threat of collapse, and the young characters who represent the possibility of a continued survival must face challenges which are seemingly insurmountable.

This is young adult fantasy which is challenging and absorbing. The world is alien enough to intrigue, but familiar enough for readers to connect with. The action is fast paced and the characters both diverse and believable.

Recommended for readers aged 13 to adult.

Skyfall , by Anthony Eaton
UQP, 2007

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

Problem Child, by James Roy

‘There was another reason that we thought this would be a good idea. You might have noticed that Triffin is very shy. Painfully shy.’
I’d noticed this of course, so I just nodded.
‘You see Max, you’re very different. You’re a very confident young man, and I was hoping that you could help him find himself.’
If he goes and lsoes himself, there’s not a lot I can do, I thought. But what I actually said was, ‘What do you mean, exactly?’

Max Quigley isn’t a bully. He just notices the inadequacies of others and points them out to them. A lot. One of the people he likes to point such things out to is Triffin Nordstrom, a nerd who loves fat books and Lego. But when Max and his friend Jarrod shut Triffin in a fire escape on a school excursion, they go too far. Triffin is left behind and Max is in a whole lot of trouble.

Grounded with no pocket money and forced to apologise, Max thinks the worst is over, but when Triffin and his mother visit, he knows there’s more to come. Triffin is going to help Max with his maths. In return, Max is going to spend time with Triffin on weekends, getting to know him. He can’t think of anything worse; neither can Triffin. But, as their forced togetherness progresses, the pair find they actually do have things in common.

Problem Child is a hilarious book which deals with childhood bullying. This isn’t a new subject for a kids’ book – but author James Roy offers a different perspective on the topic, by writing from the first person point of view of the bully, Max. Readers get to see Max’s take on his actions. This isn’t to say we are invited to sympathise with Max – but we do empathise with him, as he becomes increasingly aware of the consequences of his actions. He doesn’t become an angel, but his character does develop and become more likeable in the course of the story.

This is not just a funny read – it is also an important one, for kids and for teachers and parents.

Problem Child, by James Roy
UQP, 2007

The Tuckshop Kid, by Pat Flynn

Except for a few minutes at the start of lunch, I don’t have many friends. I used to be best mates with Craig Withers until a new kid started calling him water buffalo. I told Craig to either ignore it or beat the hell out of the new kid, but for some reason it got to Withers – who’s the second fattest kid in the school, behind yours truly. After that, Withers didn’t want to be my mate anymore. In fact, he started teasing me more than anyone. And his new best friend? The new kid. When you’re like me you learn something pretty quick. Life doesn’t sense too much make.

Mrs O’Neill, the school principal, says that every child has a special talent. She’s right. Some kids are good at sport, others at doing back flips and others at poetry. But Matt’s special talent is tuckshop. He can tell you exactly what you can get with your lunch money, and even offer tips to getting the best value for your money, including which line to queue in.

Matt is pretty popular at the start of lunchtime – but that’s the only time. The rest of the time he’s the fat kid, and he’s getting picked on. But that’s not his only worry – his poor diet is starting to affect his health. The doctor says he has to change his ways. But eating differently and getting exercise are pretty challenging things when you’re the tuckshop kid.

The Tuckshop Kid is a humorous tale with a very serious message about nutrition, bullying and self-image. Matt is a feisty, likeable character with insecurities which are believable, though sad. Child readers will relate to the school scenario and the range of characters there, including students who will seem very familiar – every school has the wise-mouthed bully , the grumpy tuckshop lady or the sporty kid who just adores phys ed lessons. Author Pat Flynn uses this familiarity to tell a story which could be that of many children in Australia.

Suitable for children aged 8 to 12, and ideal for school libraries and classrooms.

The Tuckshop kid, by Pat Flynn
UQP, 2006

Star of the Show, by Nette Hilton

Whether Serena could draw an angel or not wasn’t going to make a scrap of difference. If Serena decided she wanted to be one, we could all be sure she was going to get chosen. It mightn’t make her the star of the show though. I drew a big star on top of my angel. I rubbed it for luck, but it didn’t make me feel a whole lot better.

Serena Sweetmay is the girl who everybody loves. She’s always chosen to do jobs in the classroom, always answers every question correctly, and when it’s time for the annual school play, she’s always the star of the show. Aimee Appleshore has had to put up with being in the same class at Serena all her life – and she’s sick of it. She wants a turn at being star of the show.

Star of the Show is a funny but touching novel for younger readers, which deals with a situation most primary aged girls would be able to relate to – that of the girl who’s got it all, and has the ability to make life miserable for ‘normal’ girls. Aimee, of curse, is special in her own way – she is bright and funny, and has a caring nature. In the end, this nature shows through and sees her triumph in an unexpected way.

Nette Hilton ha s knack of getting inside her character’s heads and developing a voice which is real and endearing. Star of the Show is a touching read.

Star of the Show, by Nette Hilton
UQP, 2006