Dorothy’s Memory Book

by Kathleen Warren and Mitch Vane

ABC Books. Young Reader, Australian. Hardcover. Rrp $12.95.

Dorothy’s Memory Book is a story of every young child’s favourite dinosaur, Dorothy the Dinosaur.

Dorothy and her friend, Wags the Dog, after having a cup of Rosy Tea, enjoy looking at and reading Dorothy’s memory book. The book is packed with stories and pictures of fun times Dorothy and Wags have shared.

Dorothy’s Memory Book is filled with all your favourite characters from the brand new Dorothy the Dinosaur television series. It’s bound to become a treasured possession for any young fan.

Mac Slater, COOL HUNTER, Book 1 – The Rules of Cool

by Tristan Bancks

Random House. Australian, Young Adult, Junior. Paperback rrp $16.95

So you think you are cool? What is cool? And who decides anyway? These are questions I have asked many, many times. But to ask them means only one thing – I’m not cool!

Mac Slater doesn’t think he is cool either. In fact he is definitely uncool! But when Tony and Speed, the creators of Cool Hunters, approach him he starts to think he may be wrong. But how can Mac be cool? He lives in an old bus in a hippie commune on the outskirts of a popular surfing town in Australia. His mother sells fire twirling sticks at the local market and his father is an inventor and activist.

But Mac and his best friend Paul like inventing stuff. Like the light bulb that lights for an hour with just a few minutes pedalling a bike. Their latest invention, the flying bike, is what is going to make them famous.

When Mac is asked by Tony and Speed to compete against Cat DeVrees, the most popular and cool girl in town to see who will be the next Cool Hunter, of course Mac says no. He isn’t cool. But if he wins he gets a trip to New York. And Mac has always wanted to go to New York. What has he got to lose?

This is a great young adult read and one that most kids will enjoy, whether they be cool, uncool, geeks, revolutionaries or something completely different. Great website too.

http://www.macslater.com.au/

The Little Lunch Games

by Danny Katz. Illustrated by Mitch Vane

black dog books. Australian, Young Reader, Junior. Softcover rrp $16.99

Tamara Noodle was just about the fastest kid in the whole school. She could even catch all the boys in a game of kiss-chasey, but she especially liked to catch Battie.
One day Tamara arrives at school after watching the Olympics on television and decides to hold her own school Olympic Games. - because one day she will win a gold medal at the Olympics… because she can beat anyone at ANYTHING.

Tamara Noodle and her friends do all sorts of sports such as fencing, gymnastics, equestrian and steeplechase.

Battie doesn’t compete, sitting as far away as possible, when he hears Tamara yell Hey Battie, I bet I can beat you in the steeplechase! Battie is worried as he thought she wanted to people-chase and that means chasing him and kissing him. No way was Battie going to get a smooch from Tamara Noodle.

There are over six books in the Little Lunch series and they have sold more than 35,000 copies. The Little Lunch Games is another fun book and timely for young children to read with the Olympic Games happening.