by Kevin Crossley-HollandHachette Childrens Books. Junior, Young Adult. Hardcover rrp $28.99
Waterslain Angels is the story of two children in the 1950’s from the tiny village of Waterslain in Norfolk, England. Annie
is 10, her father had a stroke a few years back and her life is bounded by the village. Sandy is 11, just arrived from America where his father was recently killed. His mother has returned to her home town. The two children have little in common except… Annie’s dad and Sandy’s mum have a big secret.
When the beautiful carved wing of an angel is discovered, the town is excited by the discovery. Annie and Sandy are determined to discover the rest of the angel and its 13 missing companions. All 14 angels were supposedly destroyed hundreds of years before in Cromwell’s time but the local tales are that they were safely hidden.
When the wing is discovered there are many whose thoughts think of the profit they would make with such a find, while others think that the angels should be returned to their rightful place, hanging in the local church on the 14 pegs attached to the ceiling.
Annie and Sandy find looking for angels isn’t as easy or safe as it should be – danger lurks in underground tunnels and they are attacked by a swarm of bees. Is there someone who doesn’t want the angels found? Would they harm two children?
Waterslain Angels has all the elements of a classic adventure. Any child that likes action with a lot of mystery and some serious puzzle solving will enjoy it. I can easily imagine a tiny English village church with missing items and lots of people trying to solve the riddle. I can’t help but wonder if it is based on truth?www.kevincrossley-holland.com
Australian Reptiles & Frogsby Leonard Cronin
Allen & Unwin. Adult Non fiction, Australian. Paperback rrp $35.00
This is the fifth book in the Cronin Key Guide series and follows the same successful format. Author Leonard Cronin, a former English biologist, is now an established authority on the reptiles and frogs of his adopted country. The text is simple to read and understand for the lay person and enthusiast alike. References are easy to locate 
and the line drawings are clear and readily identifiable.
The book deals with lizards, frogs, snakes, crocodiles and turtles, focusing on the most commonly found species and carefully including a cross-section from different families. For each species examined there is a distribution map, a coloured drawing, description and notes on behaviour, habitat, development and diet.
Of particular interest to me was the information about the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List threat status of each animal, showing their degree of risk. As Cronin points out, Australia has 38 threatened reptile species and 47 threatened amphibians. This appalling statistic is only exceeded by six Latin American countries. A valuable message for us all.
So who is this book for? My family definitely but then not everyone lives in a house with lizards, frogs and snakes – inside and outside. It also is a valuable reference for bushwalkers, reptile enthusiasts, nature lovers, pet owners and every parent who has to answer the question: What’s that?
Recommended for the home and school library bookshelf.
Fairy Dancing & Magic Fairy Spellsby Jen WattsABC Books. Australian, Junior, Young Reader. Hardback rrp $14.95 each
Here are two large A4 hardcover books that will delight little fairies everywhere. The Fairies is a popular TV series with a number of DVDs and books available. There are even Fairies shops located around Australia. 
Fairy Dancing shows fairies and would-be fairies how to dance, from slow and gentle to fast and boppy. It tells you about warming up and doing all those lovely fairy steps including Demi Plié and the Fairy Curtsey Goodbye. With helpful photos of Harmony and Rhapsody and their two little friends, Lucy and Momo, every fairy follower will love to practice these steps over and over again.
Magic Fairy Spells gives you lots of wonderful fairy spells. From Magic Special Day Spell to Fairy Friends Forever Spell. There is a Giggle Pot Magic Fairy Spell and the one I like the best, Bedtime Spell. Children will have fun learning these simple rhyming and magical verses and, with best intentions, create a fun and happy place.
www.thefairies.com
by Maria Quinn
Harper Collins. Australian, Science Fiction, Crime, Mystery. Paperback rrp $24.99
On the back cover of the The Gene Thieves it says science fiction. But don’t let that discourage you if yo
u don’t like the genre. Here is a story that is set in Sydney sometime in the future – but it could just as likely be tomorrow. Hybrid cars, tall buildings powered by hydrogen converted from sky-farm and conjugal contracts, not marriages are all futuristic but don’t sound too far removed from today.
Peter Tebrett, Dancer to his friends, is a lawyer who is approached by brilliant scientist, Piggy Brown, to help him with the contracts to allow him to have a child using embryos and sperm of his choosing. When he was a young boy, Piggy Brown was given his name by local bullies, because of his pale skin, thick white-blonde lashes and short nose with wide nostrils.
One of the bullies was Dancer. But Piggy doesn’t remember this, or if he does, he has chosen to ignore it.
Dancer feels obligated to help. Piggy, thanks to his discovery of the blue-eyed gene, is very rich. Rich to the point where he will never need to look at the price of anything again. But what he truly wants is to have the child he feels he should have been. A normal child with no defects – perfect.
The Nest is the official centre for surrogates and was created by Dancer’s recently deceased mother. Her business partner is now ready to retire but before she does she recommends to Dancer and Piggy a surrogate who will carry Piggy’s child without asking too many questions. Angela, the surrogate, is artificially impregnated and with her existing child Molly, moves into Piggy’s large home and his life.
For the first time, Piggy experiences the bond of love and trust through Angela’s young daughter. As a child, Molly only sees Piggy for the gentle and loving man that he is. She is not bothered by his physical deformities. When Dancer withholds new information about Angela, he hopes to protect Piggy but for the consequences could place Piggy’s unborn child in grave danger.
When the scientific community learns that Piggy is close to finishing his latest discovery, there is even more at stake. What has Piggy discovered that people will kill for? Will Angela, the unborn child and Molly be safe?
Genetics, science and love are major elements in the drama and mystery of The Gene Thieves. The future is out there and, after reading this book, I believe scientists have a lot to answer for. The ramifications of current trends in scientific research are examined and held to account in this book. It is a great story too.
by Laura LeeIllustrations by Meredith HamiltonABC Books. C
hildren’s Non-Fiction. Hardback with CD rrp $24.95
As a child I went to the Barbara Cuckson’s Ballet Class held in the canteen of the 3M factory at St Marys every Saturday morning - to study my plies, pirouettes and positions. When my mother took me to the Opera House to watch all the ballerinas dancing to the most beautiful storytelling music, I imagined where the world of ballet would take me. Unfortunately my two left feet never helped me get very far!
A Child’s Introduction to Ballet is a book ballet-loving young girls (like I once was!) will cherish. It is also a book which will have a strong appeal to adults remembering their childhood dancing classes.
The information packed into this book may take a while to read, in between your stretching and pointes. But you can travel seamlessly from page to page anywhere you like. Each double page is a story on its own with wonderful illustrations or photos to accompany them. There are snippets of interesting information throughout the book. Did you know that a ballerina named Marie Talioni was so popular that after her last performance a chef cooked her ballet slipper and her most devoted admirers ate it?
The most popular dances are included along with information about famous ballerinas and the history of dance and you can learn some ballet steps. And to help you along you can listen to the appropriate piece of music from the CD to match the particular dance you are reading about.
A wonderful gift for young ballerinas to introduce them to the world of ballet. A wonderful gift to the “older” ballerinas who just want to know more, or close their eyes and remember how it felt when they dreamed of being the next Margot Fonteyn.
The Princess of Pushkar
by Judith A. Simpson
black dog books. Australian, Young Adult. Paperback rrp $16.99
I had to wait in the car for over an hour for one of my children’s many commitments and started to read In The Shadow Of The Palace. It was the quickest hour of my life and I couldn’t wait to get home, eat dinner, tuck myself into bed and finish the book. In fact within two hours the book was read and I was begging for more!
Set in 13th century India it is the tale of three princesses who are kidnapped by Queen Kriti so they can marry her dying son. The story is mainly about Rani, the middle sister who is 13 years of age. When the princesses are kidnapped they believe their father and Rani’s twin brother, Ranjit, will come and rescue them.
Rani tries to encourage her other sisters to escape but they believe, and hope that they will soon be rescued. In the end Rani escapes with the help of a dark slave girl and her brother, who is an officer in the army. Rani soon learns that she is more than a pampered princess and she may be the answer to saving herself and her sisters.
As Rani’s eyes open to the real world around her, she changes from an indulgent, spoilt princess to a caring and intelligent heroine.
Simpson has brought to life India - the conditions and way of life in palaces and servants quarters. Unfortunately, the story abruptly ends with one of the sisters, after being rescued only to be carried off again by kidnappers. Book two better come out fast – I have another free hour coming up soon in which I would like to be carried off into the ancient times of an Indian princess.
Although the target audience is young adult, any reader who loves a story about someone overcoming their adversities to triumph with just a hint of a romance and a lot of danger will love this.
by David Almond
Hodder Children’s Books. Junior, Young Adult. Hardback rrp $29.99
Liam is a 14 year old boy who lives in Northumberland. Every summer, he and his friend, Max, roam the countryside pretending to find treasure, fighting battles and discovering new things.
Then one summer’s day, Liam and Max meet a jackdaw (similar to a blackbird) who appears to be asking them to follow him. Liam and Max go through the village and out into the fields, down by the river to an old derelict farm house. Inside the boys find a baby wrapped in a blanket with a note pinned to it, along with a jar full of new and old coins and notes.
Not only is finding a baby girl in an abandoned farm house unusual (to say the least!) but the note also seems strange “PLESE LOOK AFTER HER RITE. THIS IS A CHILDE OF GOD.” Liam takes the baby back to his home where the authorities sort out what to do with her.
The summer is one that Liam will never forget. Max wants to hang around girls more, Liam’s own parents seem troubled by the events, and the people that Liam encounters, all because of one little baby, will change his life, maybe for ever.
Jackdaw Summer was a wonderful read with a truly interesting tale. It could be true or it might be just make believe. Either way it will set your mind to thinking about your own friendships, family, and what happens to others.
David Almond has won the Whitbread Children’s Book Award, the Carnegie Medal, the Smarties Silver Award, the Smarties Gold Award and has been shortlisted for the Costa Children’s Book Award for his books Skellig, Wilderness, The Fire-eaters, and Clay. Not surprisingly, Jackdaw Summer is a thought provoking and enjoyable read.
of Aurelie Bonhoffen
by Deb AbelaRandom House Australia, Junior fiction, Australian. Paperback rrp $14.95.
Aurelie Bonhoffen is unlike any of the other kids at school; unlike any other kid you’ve ever known. She lives with her extended family - grandmother, uncles and parents – at an amusement park, Bonhoffen’s Seaside Pier. Everything about her life is remarkable, even before her discovery of the family secret.
She sleeps in a room above the ghost train and sometimes doubles as the back end of a cow. Aurelie spends a lot of time with her unusual uncles, Rolo and Rindolf, strange companions for a girl about to turn twelve. She doesn’t fit in at school and has no friends there. But that doesn’t worry her. Aurelie is strong, independent and capable of standing up to the playground bullies.
After Aurelie’s birthday, her world starts to change. The changes are both good and bad. First she learns the secret and it’s not an easy one to live with. She then makes a friend at school, the mayor’s son. She manages to antagonize the Principal more than ever before. But worst of all, her home is under threat. The mysterious Mr Cook wants to buy the pier and redevelop it.
Aurelie’s father says no but Mr Cook doesn’t accept that answer. With the Mayor’s help, he has ways and means of making things happen. Awful things. After the Mayor’s attempts to sabotage the amusement park fail, he turns his attention to his son’s new friend, Aurelie. With the family in danger of losing her, they finally agree to sell.
But Aurelie hasn’t given up. She has her new friends to support her fight. And then, there’s the remarkable secret.
Fans of the Max Remy series will not be disappointed. Here they will find fun, adventure and a little magic. Or is it just sleight of hand? This is a wonderful book and Abela herself is the real magician.
Visit Deb’s website to enter the Aurelie Bonhoffen competition http://deborahabela.com/Aurelie_1.html and win a signed copy of the book. Visit Blazingtrailers.com/show.php?title=197 to view the book trailer.
One Goat’s Story of Her Travels with Captain Cookby Jackie French
Harper Collins Australia Pty Ltd. Australian, Juvenile Faction – Fiction based on Fact. Paperback rrp $14.99
Guest Reviewer Jo Burnell
History can be boring, but when a goat and a 12-year-old boy take turns giving their point of view, everything changes. Goat acts as if she owns the ship, knocking strangers flying and head-butting unwelcome advances. Isaac, the youngest hand on deck knows he’s on the lowest rung of the ship’s working ladder. Between these two characters, almost three years of ocean adventures come to life. Jackie French is a fine storyteller and she doesn’t let us down on this journey.
Goat often tries to kick over the milk bucket, but she never succeeds. Maggot-ridden biscuits wriggle on tin plates and I’ll never forget the unique way sailors wipe their bums.
Strange lands reveal even stranger people in various states of undress. White men are not perfect on this journey. All have their weaknesses. Even the great captain makes mistakes.
I don’t remember anything this real when I studied history at school many years ago. There is time for raucous laughter and heartfelt tears. The stomach clenches in anticipation along the east coast of New Holland. I hold my breath with the crew as they work desperately to avoid running aground. I’m confused when a fist-sized hole is enough to end a mighty ship and all its crew. The solution that saves them is beyond weird.
Jackie’s ‘Faction’ (fiction based on fact) creates a delectable stew of information. The quirky viewpoint makes many details memorable. I might never have thought twice about officers at sea enjoying roast kid, but when Goat fights to protect her young and smells their blood not long after, the situation is unforgettable. In the same way, a sailor’s diet of hard sea biscuit and mouldy cheese was nothing unusual, but it seems striking in comparison with Officers’ plum pudding. Knowledge that officers continue to dine well even when their crew starve remains with me long after the book is finished.
If you want to bring a past world to life for young readers, there can be no better place to start than Jackie French’s Goat Who Sailed the World. http://www.jackiefrench.com/
A comprehensive guide to your talents, challenges, personality and potential
by Michele Finey
Allen & Unwin. Adult Non-Fiction, Australian. Paperback rrp $22.95
I love to dabble a little bit with reading my stars, not that I ever truly believe any of it. Most of the books I have read are filled with what I call ‘mumbo jumbo’ and I have to work out at what time I was born, where the moon was and if the sun was in Jupiter etc, etc, etc. I got a bit fed up with this a few years ago and in fact don’t bother reading my stars in the local newspaper anymore.
Then a friend gave me Secrets of the Zodiac. It laid on my bedside table for a while. Could I be bothered to read more hocus pocus? What did I have to lose? So with very little expectation I opened the book. I went straight to my star sign. Now I’m not going to spoil it for any of you out there who are Aries like me but… I read. Then I read some more. Then I flicked over to my husband’s sign, and my children’s. Very, very interesting!
This is a wonderful book, even for the non-believers. It is incisive and not only does it tell you about yourself (we all know about ourselves deep down anyway), but it points you in a positive direction, highlighting some traits which aren’t the best, and how to turn them around for your own benefit.
A lot of what is suggested comes naturally to most of us with age but I found it beneficial when I recognised the description of my children’s talents, or lack of, and was provided with common sense advice on how to gently manipulate them to become a better person.
Secrets of the Zodiac is not just an astrology guide but a self help manual that everyone will find something useful inside. It is a book that I know I will often refer back to. It still sits on my bedside table but instead of growing dusty from lack of use it is becoming dog-eared and well read.
by Robert G Barrett
Harper Collins Publishers. Adult Other, Australian. Paperback rrp $29.99
High Noon in Nimbin is a funny, quirky read that did a very unexpected and clever about turn in the last thirty or so pages. The action level rose right off the Richter scale as the pace became almost frantic. Great fun!
There is a hitman killing Fabio, a waxhead wedding that turns into a fight between two countries, a nightclub where you aren’t allowed to dance, an old man attacking a drug dealer in Nimbin, a drink fuelled punch-up and a massacre of a few men over some gold! And this will come as no surprise to his existing fans, Les Norton is right amongst it all!
If you are a fan then High Noon in Nimbin this will satisfy your thirst. If you are a newcomer to Les Norton and Robert G Barrett then hang on for the read-and-ride of your life. This is no long slow drink! And if Australians are really like this then I think I better leave now!
by S A Jones
Allen & Unwin. Paperback rrp $27.95. Australian. Romance. 
Red Dress Walking starts at the end. The perfect place to start when the ending is not your typical love story finale. The funny thing is I had to keep re-reading the ending to remember what had ultimately happened. So the ending entices you into the story by ensuring that you read the rest of the book to find out you got to the end. I loved this!
Will and Emily are a couple in a long-term, committed relationship. They live together and their world revolves around each other, their jobs and their close circle of friends.
Will wants to take the next step forward but he doesn’t know how. Emily isn’t the kind of girl that would be impressed with the “down on one knee with a ring and flowers” approach. Will wants to express his feelings with the kind of “WoW” that Emily deserves.
While shopping with his platonic but absolutely stunning best friend Katya, Will espies a stunning, sexy red dress. Katya helps Will choose the right size for Emily and he pays the very expensive price, sure he has found the perfect gift.
Once Emily opens the box and sees the dress, for reasons incomprehensible to Will, everything changes - with Emily, with their relationship, with their friends and their lives. Will doesn’t know how to react to the changes in Emily. Emily’s friends don’t see the subtle differences until it is too late. And Emily is too afraid to tell anyone what has happened.
Throughout the book are references to great writers, books and characters who play a unique and unusual role in Emily’s life.
Red Dress Walking is a wonderful novel about the relationships between men and women, break-ups and breakdowns, friendships and taking sides when the crunch finally comes. A brilliant book and a great read.
by Marie-Haude Azur
Allen & Unwin. Non-fiction. Hardback rrp $45.00
There is something wonderfully romantic about lighthouses – they conjure up a sense of history, of souls lost at sea and the eerie beauty of a beam of light threading its way through the fog. Not to mention my secret desire to holiday in one. Lighthouses of the World is divided into the continents of the world. Each lighthouse selected is showcased with a breathtaking photograph (no exaggeration necessary) and accompanied by a brief overview of the location, building light and sometimes, history. Most lighthouses have an anecdote to tell – some tragic and some just a little creepy. In the Flannan Islands three lighthouse keepers just disappeared! No bodies ever found. The lighthouses span an amazing range of architecture and colour – a surprising number were bright red. Their keepers were often unusual or eccentric. Lawrence of Arabia once applied to be a lighthouse keeper.
I found two favourites. On a rocky outcrop in the Adriatic Sea, the Porer Lighthouse (Croatia) is available for rent. I wish. And at Muckle Flugga in the Shetland Archipelago (Scotland) I found the lighthouse by Robert Louis Stevenson’s father and uncle. How many adventure stories were imagined there? This is a book where truly ‘a picture is worth a thousand words.’ A magical addition to any coffee table or library. The author recommends a visit to the Lighthouse Directory www.unc.edu/~rowlett/lighthouse. And so do I.
by Joy Cowley and Gavin BishopThe Text Publishing Company. Junior. Paperback rrp $19.95
I picked up Snake and Lizard expecting an animal fable. What I found was so much more - a wonderful story of two creatures, Snake and Lizard, who become friends.
Each chapter is a short story in itself and along with some very funny and quirky sentiments, there is a message everyone should hear. Two complete opposites learn to overcome their differences for the sake of their friendship. Humankind should take a leaf out of this book and put it into practise!
This is a wonderful book and although it is for children, I have to admit as an adult it will be a favourite of mine to read again and again.
The illustrations by Gavin Bishop are strikingly simple and colourful. They provide a detailed visual insight into the feelings of Snake and Lizard. Just look at the cover and you’ll see what I mean!
In 2008 Snake and Lizard won one of New Zealand’s biggest children’s literary prizes, the NZ Post Junior Book of the Year. After you read it you will see why.
by Andrew Nicoll
Harper Collins Publishers. Adult, Romance. Paperback rrp $27.99.
For almost twenty years, Tibo Krovic has been the Mayor of the town of Dot in a forgotten part of the Baltic. Tibo is referred to by one and all as the good and honest Mayor. But Tibo doesn’t think he is good. Espe
cially when his thoughts turn to his secretary, the beautiful Mrs Agathe Stopak.
Tibo cannot have Agathe – she is already married. But Agathe is lonely and unhappy in her crumbling marriage and looks at Tibo as a suitable companion. After Agathe loses her lunchbox in the town’s fountain, Tibo saves the box and finally gets the nerve to ask Agathe out to lunch. Their lunches become the highlight of both their days. But lunch isn’t enough.
When Agathe can’t wait any longer for Tibo to declare his feelings, she gives her pent up emotions of love to another. Tibo is too late.
Can Tibo outgrow his love for Agathe? Can Agathe see that her new relationship is shallow, temporary and will spiral downwards into places she may never escape from? Can she finally realise that Tibo is the man she should be with? And after all that has happened, can Tibo still be called the good Mayor?
The Good Mayor is a story of love, loss, betrayal, magic, ghosts, beliefs, food, art - all taking place at a slow pace, much too slow for Agathe but perfect for Tibo. A wonderful story, funny in places, with plenty of detail to ensure the reader feels they are part of Tibo and Agathe’s journey to find themselves and each other.
The Story of a Boy Soldier
Written and illustrated by Mark WilsonHache
tte Australia. Australian, History, Junior, Picture. Hardback rrp $24.99.Here is a book that is written for a young audience about a very unsettling time in Australian’s history. With wonderful pencil drawings and water colours it is a story that is poignant, fascinating and true. The brilliant artwork, often cleverly replaces the words.
My Mother’s Eyes is the story of fifteen year-old, William, who in 1914 is swept up with the stories of the war and slips out the back door with an old suitcase to enlist. He lies about his age and is readily accepted. Using extracts of his letters to home, the story describes what he goes through until he reaches Fromelles in France.
My Mother’s Eyes was based on true stories of the 23 teenage soldiers, one of whom was only 14 years of age, who fought with the Australian army in World War 1. This book is a wonderful tribute to all the men who served. Having had a grandfather that fought in the same area at the same time, I will use this book as the means to help my young children understand just a little of what happened.
Every school library needs a copy of this book and all Australian children (and adults) need to read it (at least once). To me, it is the perfect explanation and representation of the meaning of Anzac Day.
A picture book for all to read, discuss and learn from.
www.mymotherseyes.com.au
by PD Martin
Pan Macmillan Australia. Australian, Crime, Mystery. Paperback rrp $32.99
Here’s a
book that kept my heart pumping a lot faster than it should. Brilliant, action packed and engrossing to the end. And not a drop of blood spilt! Well maybe a little.
The Killing Hands is a murder mystery that FBI profiler Sophie Anderson must solve. Anderson is an Australian working for the FBI in America who loves her job and loves her kung-fu.
When a Korean victim is found with his throat ripped apart, Anderson is called in to profile the killer. What Anderson uncovers is a man who used his bare hands with only one or two well placed punches/jabs to kill the victim. The killer is no ordinary killer. The victim is no ordinary victim.
The victim, Jun Saito, is the son of the first Korean born Yakuza godfather and he has been missing for the past 15 years, presumed dead. The killer is an expert in Kung Fu’s ten killer hands techniques and a highly paid Chinese hit-man. Why would a Chinese hit-man come after this Korean man? Why would Saito come out of hiding after fifteen years only to be killed in America, a country that he has never visited before? And who hired the hit-man and why? This is a plot full of questions.
The Killing Hands is the fourth Sophie Anderson thriller. I haven’t read the first three but I am now seeking them out. I’ll just have to give my heart time to calm down and return to a steady beat.
A wonderful book that all CSI fans out there will love. I did!
by Tristan Banks
Random House. Australian, Young Adult, Junior. Paperback rrp $16.95
Mac Slater is an Australian teenager who has been sent to New York City with his best friend, Paul, by the creators of Coolhunters, Tony and Speed. Coolhunters is a popular website where kids like Mac and Paul, post the latest thing in “cool”. Their “coolness” is judged by the number of hits they get.
Mac, Paul and Mac’s dad arrive in NY where everything starts to go wrong from the moment their foot touches American soil. Tony and Speed are nowhere to be found and they don’t answer their phones. Mac has no other contacts and no money. His father has very little cash and doesn’t own a credit card. After 24 hours in the city, with lots happening … and not all good … they finally meet up with Tony and Speed and are given their assignment.
Mac and Paul have less than a week to compete in cool-hunting with other kids from around the globe.The prize – an assignment in Shanghai in a few months’ time.
When Mac and Paul meet Melody, who has some really cool skates, as well as, a computer/phone glove, they think they have hit the jackpot.
Melody takes them to The Hive – an abandoned old boatshed where a lot of innovative kids are creating a range of cutting edge inventions that anyone would truly love to get their hands on. After visiting The Hive, Mac wants to upload one of the inventions onto the Coolhunters website. He knows it would win hands down but Mac has promised Melody that he will not tell a soul about the Perpetual Motion machine. And the last thing Mac wants to do is cross Melody or more importantly, the instigator of The Hive, Joe Gatt.
Trouble seems to follow Mac from page one to the moment he leaves the shores of America. Does he win? What is really cool? Will there be a third book?
This was a great read. Fast paced and perfect for teenagers everywhere. There is a real life really cool website, www.macslater.com.au, where there are heaps of extras and the opportunity to win a Nintendo DS – but you have to read the book first!
Tristan Bancks first book Mac Slater, Cool Hunter - The Rules of Cool was reviewed in Issue 11.
by Alyssa Brugman
Random 
House Australia. Australian, Young Adult. Paperback rrp $19.95.
Girl Next Door is the MUST read for 2009. With the world in economic crises, children and young adults might think that it isn’t important to them. But after reading this book they may well think again. In our “throwaway” society Girl Next Door will hit a nerve with some readers, encouraging them to re-think their WANT lists.
Jenna-Belle’s life has been turned upside down. Her mother got a promotion with lots more money. Then her father thought he could start his own business so her parents borrowed heavily. They moved into a mansion house, with Jenna-Belle and her brother enrolled in expensive private schools. Then everything went wrong. Workers’ compensation insurance, indemnity insurance, superannuation, income tax, GST and the business not going anywhere.
Her mother finds out she is pregnant. Jenna-Belle’s father disappears.
Now Jenna-Belle has problems. Her mother rarely cooks so Jenna-Belle eats a lot of two-minute noodles and canned soup. She buys her clothes from second hand stores – that can be kind of cool except it isn’t when you buy second hand school shoes to wear to the really posh school you go to.
And Jenna-Belle doesn’t know where her father is any more. Her mother said he has ‘gone to the country’. Jenna-Belle’s thoughts run wild with where her father actually is. Dead, in hospital, prison.
Her mother is now renting out the spare rooms in their large mansion. The new lodger, Bryce Cole, introduces Jenna-Belle to another side of life. A life she never knew existed. And when the family finally gets evicted from their home Bryce is there to save the day. Or so it seems. Is he really helping or just dragging the family to somewhere even worse.
Jenna-Belle, her mother and brother learn possessions are worth nothing but family is everything. From rich kid to pauper – Jenna-Belle grows up very quickly and starts to appreciate what she has.
This is a story with a believable dimension of truth and realism. The hard economic kind. This could be a good warning to some and a wake up call to others. It’s a great reminder to appreciate what your family does for you. Well written, funny and very topical. Grab it while you can still afford to!
www.alyssabrugman.com.au
by Antoinette Portis
Harper Collins. Picture, Young Reader. Hardback rrp $19.99
What is a stick if it’s not a stick? Ask a child for the answer or ask Antoinette Portis!
Not a Stick allows a child’s imagination run riot. On one page is a plain pen and ink drawing of a pig holding a stick - Hey, be careful with that stick. Then turn the page to find the pig still holding the stick but imagination has taken hold … It’s not a stick.
The funny thing about this book is that it wasn’t just the child’s imagination that was filling in the answer. I too, and my teenage children, were having fun guessing what the stick would turn out to be. My young five-year-old, however, knew exactly what it was and didn’t need any prompting.
The book is hardback, “wrapped” up in wooden paper with simple black and blue drawings. A child will have loads of fun as the stick is transformed into a paintbrush, a fishing rod, a horse and more.
Sometimes the simplest things are best and Antoinette Portis has demonstrated this brilliantly. Not a Stick follows on from Not a Box which we reviewed in Issue 4. These books are brilliant, and not just for young readers. Let your imagination go!
by Hazel Edwards. Illustrated by Mini Goss.
CD Narrated by Antonia Kidman New Frontier Publishing. Australian, Picture. Hardback with CD rrp $27.95
This new series from New Frontier Publishing, The Music Box Series, is an excellent way to introduce young children to classical music. Flight of the Bumblebee is the first book in the series and is written by Hazel Edwards and illustrated by Mini Goss.
Bumble is a clumsy bee who can’t fly properly. He can’t even target a flower to get the nectar. With the help of a kind Drone, Bumble soon discovers that if he uses music as his flight plan and flies in tune, he can visit the flowers instead of bumbling past them altogether.
Edwards has written an entertaining and humorous story that keeps excellent time with the music. It’s not hard to picture Bumble buzzing and zipping around, missing the flowers. Especially when the background music is Rimsky Korsakov’s famous Flight of the Bumblebee.
The beautiful and zany illustrations, combined with the musical backdrop, will have young readers dancing and buzzing around the room.
This is a very clever concept that will become popular amongst little bees and blossoming music buffs everywhere.
www.hazeledwards.com
ABC Publishing. Australian, Picture. Board books rrp $14.95
by Gillian Shield. Illustrated by Sebastien BraunHachette Children’s Books. Picture Book. Softcover rrp $16.99
The first page is guaranteed to grab any reader’s attention - a picture of the most cuddleable teddy bear ever. And anyone who says there is no such word as cuddleable, hasn’t seen this picture.
In the pages that follow, there are lots of bears, big and small. The young reader learns the answer to many important questions. What do bears like to do? What do they like to eat? What do they need when they are not well? And perhaps most important of all – what do bears need at bedtime?
Every bear loves
A big bear hug,
Soft and cosy,
Warm and snug.
Gillian Shield’s text humanises teddy bears in a way young readers already know well. Teddy bears are good friends. Someone to share everything with.
Sebastien Braun’s illustrations are endearing and young readers will search for the bear which looks most like there own. I love the purple-blue wash picture of all the bears in bed asleep. And I want to take home that cuddleable teddy bear from the very first page.
On the inside of the back cover is a mirror especially for the reader and their favourite bear. They too become part of this wonderful book.
by Michael Wagner
Penguin Group Australia. Junior, Australian. Paperback rrp $14.95
Wet and Wild is the fourth book following the adventures of the Undys – dad Phil and narrator Josh – with more books to follow. It is excellent reading for newly independent readers with short easy to follow chapters. At the end of each chapter is a reward challenge – a fun quiz about the story so far!
One of the wonderful things about the Undys is the way the young reader is introduced to the complexities of different sorts of families. Phil Undy is a single dad and Amy is his girlfriend. Josh’s mum died some time ago. Aunty Faber is a constant companion on many family outings. In Wet and Wild we meet Daniel, also a single dad, recently emigrated from Sudan. His daughter Summer is Josh’s good friend. Like a sister. And Aunty Faber likes Daniel a lot so perhaps one day Josh and Summer will be cousins!
The Undys along with Amy, Aunty Faber, Daniel and Summer, go camping. It’s also the first time Amy has come along for a family holiday. They play four games and each of these games is a chapter and a discreet story in itself – paddleboat races, treasure hunt, greasy pole battle and beach volleyball. The stories are sure to appeal equally to boys and girls. Especially when it is adults against the kids.
Australian illustrator Gus Gordon has further added to the zany adventures of the Undys with often a humorous black and white drawing. If you want to look at wonderful drawings go straight to the chapter on the volleyball game to catch the team in confusion, Daniel’s arm waving, ball-spiking antics and the team celebrating.
I know one young reader who had heaps of fun colouring them in. The Undys is his favourite book of the moment. He loves the story and the artwork. Perfect for kids 6 – 10 and if they can’t read it themselves, then this is a great one for a parent to read aloud.
www.michaelwagner.com.au
by Lynne Jonell Art by Jonathan BeanRandom House Australia. Young Adult, Junior. Paperback Rrp $16.95
Reviewed by Dianne Bates
‘Rodent-friendly’
is a term used to describe this sequel to Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat. In fact there are a lot of rats in these stories, though the main character is an ordinary girl, Emmy Addison, from a wealthy family. The books’ appeal is to children eight years and older who like the magical idea of shrinking people: I remember how enchanted I was with this concept when I read Mary Norton’s The Borrowers.
Emmy moves to and from the world of rats, being able to communicate with the little animals that she has come to love as a result of meeting (in the first book) Raston Rat, her class’s fourth-grade pet which has unusual powers. In the first book Emmy’s friends Ratty and Joe managed to get rid of an obnoxious nanny. In this sequel, five girls have gone missing, and thus it is that Emmy once again gets swept up with her friend Joe on an adventure that is quite out of the ordinary.
Despite the fact that the beginning of Emmy and the Home for Troubled Girls needs almost a chapter to set the scene – basically explaining the first book and the role of the rats in Emmy’s life – this book is a rollicking good read. It has warmth and is fast-paced, charged with humour and inventive situations.
One of the features of the book is a series of black and white illustrations set in an attic where a rat, as you flick the pages, leaps up to a piece of rope and manages to gain access to an interesting shelf of goodies.
As a child I would have loved this book (despite its quite old-fashioned brown and blue cover): as an adult I recommend it.
www.lynnejonell.com
Editor’s Note: Jonell’s first book, Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat, was reviewed in Issue 10 of thereadingstack.
Ultimate Edition
by Robert Muchamore
Hachette Children’s Books. Young Adult, Junior. Hardback rrp $29.99
For all those CHERUB fans out there this is the perfect gift. For others, who have only read one CHERUB book, then this is also the perfect present. The first two books in the serie
s are beautifully bound together in this hard cover edition with an extra story and a detailed map of the CHERUB campus. This is a must have for all CHERUB fans – new or old.
In The Recruit we meet James, a troublesome boy who loses his mother and is separated from his sister, Lauren. He is recruited by CHERUB, a top-secret organisation whose agents are all between the ages of ten and seventeen. But first James must prove that he is capable of becoming an agent. James finds that maybe being an agent isn’t as easy or as desirable as he thinks. But when Lauren is recruited and he has become close to a number of others, he decides maybe it is better to be a CHERUB.
In Class A James and some of his friends must infiltrate and befriend the children of Keith Moore, one of Europe’s most powerful cocaine dealers. What James finds is that being so close to the drugs is a danger in itself. Maybe CHERUB should not have sent children on this mission.
I admit I am a big fan of the CHERUB books having now read The Recruit (Book 1), Class A (Book 2) and The General (Book 10 which was reviewed in Issue 12). The next problem for me is to find the time to read books 3-9 with Book 11 – Brigands M.C. soon to be published! And there’s certain to be more as the popularity of this bestselling series continues to grow.
http://www.cherubcampus.com/
by Ellie RoyceABC Books. Young Adult, Australian. Paperback rrp $14.95
My twelve year old daughter who hates fashion (her idea of going out clothes is jeans, t-shirt and sandshoes) and I (who was a
lways a trendsetter as a teenager) reviewed this together. Funny how books on the face of it can seem right for some (me) but then, much to my bitter disappointment, the book’s rightful reader is found (my daughter). This is a book teenage girls will easily relate to. Sigh!
The two main characters Mimi and Aphra have a book they write in and then pass to the other after each class. Messages are shared, stories written, suggestions and gossip recorded. It is all in the Letterbook. A clever way of communicating without getting into too much trouble – better than passing notes.
Then there is the competition. A magazine wants to come to a school to do makeovers and a fashion shoot. And there is the school social to organise. Lucky the girls have their letterbook. So much to do in so little time.
Just as everything is starting to fall into place at school, things start unravelling at home.
My daughter opted out on the review (no parent will be surprised!) and would only give me brief descriptions of the book but she did give the best acknowledgement for a book – she read it and liked it. When a tomboy girl likes a fashion book then that’s high recommendation for the story indeed.
Royce delivers a masterstroke in writing Passion for Fashion as Mimi and Aphra’s letterbook. The reader hooks directly into the thoughts of the two girls – all that is happening is happening within the pages of the Letterbook itself. Great!
http://www.ellieroyce.com/
The Legendary Journey of Burke & Wills
by Sarah Murgatroyd
Text Publishing. Children's Non-Fiction, Young Adult, History, Australia. Paperback rrp $22.
Guest Reviewer - Anastasia Gonis
The Burke and Wills expedition is one of the most controversial expeditions in Australian history. The confusing choice of Robert O’Hara Burke as the leader has led to much debate. This extremely well-researched book (backed up with evidence throughout) points to his inexperience, non-existent leadership skills, complete disorganisation and lack of direction, which appear to be the reasons for the confusion that reigned throughout the expedition party. This adds to more questioning and scrutiny. So does the decision-making of the Exploration Committee, for their apathy and procrastination for the sake of saving money, cost many men their lives.
The book’s main asset is the personal focus on each member of this famous expedition, including the peripheral individuals that were involved in their lives. We get clear pictures of their backgrounds, family situations, talents and dreams, fears, strengths and weaknesses. We travel with the expedition, viewing the incredible stamina and determination of the men against the incredible odds of disease, lack of food and unbearable climatic conditions. At the end we are forced to acknowledge the indelible legacy that Sarah Murgatroyd has left for us.
Sarah Murgatroyd was born, and studied in England. She came to Australia in 1993 and was a current affairs reporter for the BBC. For her highly acclaimed book, The Dig Tree, she retraced the footsteps of Burke and Wills. But her writer’s life was cut short when she died of cancer in early 2002, some weeks after The Dig Tree was published. This is a Young Adult edition of that title with a rich Bibliography and Timeline for easy reference.
by Sophie McKenzieSimon & Schuster Australia. Young Adult, Crime, Mystery, Science Fiction. Paperback rrp $18.95
Here is a story of two English 15-year-olds who seem to have typical teenage lives. When Theo discovers his father ma
y still be alive, his actions catapult both himself and Rachel on a life-and-death race around England and America. This is a plotline so “out there” that one day it could become non-fiction.
Theo’s life is a little unusual. Although his mother struggles to afford the basics, he goes to an exclusive private school and he has a bodyguard, Roy, with him at all times - 24/7. Theo isn’t allowed to go to the movies or to friends’ places without Roy. He doesn’t even have a mobile phone.
Rachel’s life is very normal. She is a bit chubby, not popular and her parents are a lot older than most. Her mother constantly reminds Rachel of how beautiful, smart and talented her sister, Rebecca was. But Rachel doesn’t want to know because Rebecca died before Rachel was born and every day the number of times her mother compares her to Rebecca is the number of times Rachel is reminded of how fat, ugly, dumb and stupid she is!
Theo constantly tries to give Roy the slip and Rachel constantly tries to forget about Rebecca. Through searching the internet Theo locates a man who may know where his supposedly dead father is. The man is Rachel’s father. When Theo locates Rachel and then meets her father, strange and dangerous things start to happen. Theo and Rachel are attacked by men from RAGE (the Righteous Army against Genetic Engineering). The next thing Theo and Rachel are on the run – a race to escape the men from RAGE and to save their own lives. All the questions and answers seem to lead back to Theo’s father. But where is he? And how will they find him?
What Theo and Rachel discover is so startling that neither can believe it. And what happens to their lives will change forever their beliefs in the present, the future AND the past!
Blood Ties is a fast-paced, big-screen story. Even though it is recommended for 12+, any adult who likes a great psychological thriller will enjoy it. The issue of human cloning is a very real scientific occurrence and it has been used in this book to further the debate – good or evil. Brilliant! The only question now is when is the movie coming out?
http://www.sophiemckenzie.net/
by James RoyWoolshed Press. Australian, Young Adult. Paperback rrp $18.95 It has been nearly a year since Harry’s younger brother Joel died from Cystic Fibrosis. Harry’s mum refuses to pack up Joel’s bedroom as though she is still clinging to his life. Dad is preoccupied all the time. Eve
n Harry is seeing the world differently although everything is the same – except that Joel is not there.
When the family go to spend a few days at Uncle Frank’s in the country to help celebrate his fourth wedding, Harry finds he must face his demons while helping the family with theirs.
Harry feels that he is to blame for his brother’s death. Sure Joel was dying, but did Harry speed things along? And if Uncle Frank really was one of the heroic tunnel rats in the Vietnam War, why doesn’t he talk about it? Even more important, when a young local boy gets washed down a tunnel why doesn’t he help? Where does the truth start and where do the lies end?
As the back blurb says “Sometimes, when you’re surrounded by truths that might be lies, and lies that might just be true, you discover you’re just … Hunting Elephants.”
This is a wonderful story of what happens when people have to confront death, lies and the assumptions others make. James Roy is the winner of the NSW Premier’s Literary Award for his novel Town. I can see why. A great book for young adult boys and girls whether they just want to hunt elephants – or search for the truth.
www.jamesroy.com.au
by Marcia WilliamsWalker Books. Junior. Hardback rrp $29.95
Guest Reviewer - Jo Burnell
In 1938 Flossie Albright’s mother dies of pneumonia soon after giving birth to a baby boy. In 1939 her father is forced to join the British Army. Nine-year-old Flossie is left behind to look after the baby and Great Uncle C. She tries to be brave. Her only refuge is her beloved diary, where she shares her deepest feelings.
My Secret War Diary is a treasure trove of colour, humour and insight into life during the Second World War. Photographs and computer-scanned images of everyday items complement Flossie’s cartoons and artwork. Hands can’t resist searching for secret flaps that lift or unfold. Page borders contain comments that deepen understanding about life for a child in the British countryside at this time. A simple phrase conjures up smells, sights and sounds: ‘Uncle C has banned all poos, because he can’t dig the icy ground to bury ‘em.’
Amid the anguish of not knowing if her dad is alive or dead, Flossie leaves notes for the orchard fairies, asking them to keep a special eye on her dad, and they reply. Over the years we watch Baby Tommy grow from a helpless infant into a mischief-maker, and learn how food rationing affects every day life. Nature is a source of hope as each season follows the last without fail and plants bear fruit despite the bombs. Endless opportunities to compare life as it was with today’s world stimulate curious minds.
Marcia Williams’ research into every detail is meticulous, but it is Flossie’s nine-year old perspective that brings this story to life. While jam-packed with facts, Flossie’s diary is not a textbook. Even though pictures are everywhere, My Secret War Diary is not just a picture book. Flossie is a fictional character (or is she?), but this book is based on historical fact. I’ve never had so much fun learning history before.
My Secret War Diary will be treasured by readers of every age.
www.marciawilliams.com.uk
by Jay Asher Razor Bill/The Penguin Group. Young Adult. Hardback rrp $19.95 
Guest Reviewer - Jo BurnellClay receives a shoebox in the post and his worst nightmare begins. Inside are seven audiotapes made by Hannah Baker, but she died two weeks before. She sent the tapes to explain why she committed suicide. There are strict instructions that every tape must be listened to, then passed on to the next person implicated in her story. If anyone doesn’t comply, a copy of the tapes will be released to the public and some very dark secrets will be exposed.
This should be a depressing read. Instead, Hannah’s voice alternates with Clay’s thoughts to create a lively interaction between two vibrant characters. Hannah only reveals what she chooses. Clay remembers many of the situations that Hannah describes and fills the gaps with his own uniquely adolescent male perspective. I
caught myself laughing aloud (snorting, actually) more than once when I least expected. It was difficult to believe that Hannah was dead. I expected her to jump out from behind a door at any time and shout, ‘Gotcha!’
Hannah’s story is compelling, the suspense perfectly timed. Just when I thought I couldn’t stand not knowing something anymore, the waiting was over. Some of the truths revealed are hard to take, as are the decisions Hannah makes, but she answers my questions. TH1RTEEN R3ASONS WHY explores how our actions always have consequences, whether we are aware of them or not. We watch those consequences reverberate through Clay’s community.
I walk away from TH1RTEEN R3ASONS WHY somehow liberated. The crossroads where Hannah makes those life-ending choices are sign-posted. Maybe she could have chosen differently, but she didn’t. Perhaps people could have recognised the tell-tale danger signs and saved her, but they didn’t. At least I can understand the steps that led down Hannah’s chosen path.
www.thirteenreasonswhy.com
by Ally Carter
Hachette Livre Australia. Mystery, Young Adult. Paperback rrp $16.99
Cross my heart and hope to spy is the second book in The Gallagher Girls series. These series is great reading for any girl who doesn’t want too much “romance” and “fashion”. Just a sprinkling of both can be found to add a little spice to
the plot.
The main character, Cammie Morgan, is a teenage girl who attends the Gallagher Academy, a school for female spies. Outsiders only know the Gallagher Academy as a very private girl school. Cammie’s mother is the principal and they live on campus. In fact, all the girls live on campus.
It is a new semester at the school and Cammie and her friends have found their way around school has been hampered. There are secrets happening within and for a school that specialises in spies, it is going to be very hard for these secrets to be kept.
Cammie finds her mother is not acting normally and she soon discovers the codename Blackthorne. What is Blackthorne? What does it have to do with the school? She discovers her mother hiding a photo of a youthful Cammie’s dad beside another boy wearing a t-shirt with the words Blackthorne.
Then the school becomes host to some interesting guests. And these guests are just what the girls don’t need! Cammie is blamed for a major security breach, she and her friends are determined to prove that Cammie is innocent.
This is an excellent book for teenage girls. Book 1, I’d tell you I love you but then I’d have to kill you was reviewed in Issue 11. Myself and my 12 year old daughter have both become fans of the series. We are now both looking forward to book 3 Don’t Judge a Girl by her Cover.
www.allycarter.com
by Cathy GlassHarper Collins Publishers. Biographical, Adult Non-Fiction. Paperback rrp $32.99
It takes a special person to foster a child. And it takes a very special person to foster a teenage child. Someone like Cathy Glass. 
Over 25 years ago, Cathy and her husband, John, decided that they could spare a bit of love for a child in need. Both Cathy and John had no children and decided to become foster parents.
Cathy and John wanted to foster young children – babies. But their first foster child was a 15 year-old boy, Jack. The three of them got on well. Jack attended school and was waiting until his biological father could find accommodation for both of them. Soon Cathy found out she was pregnant. After several months Jack finally left to live with his father. And then Adrian, Cathy and John’s son, was born.
When Adrian was four months old they received a call asking if they would take another child in – 13 year-old Dawn. It was urgent and Cathy thought, after the positive experience they had with Jack, that it wouldn’t be a great strain on their home life. Besides Dawn would be at school most of the time…
And so Cathy, John and Adrian accepted Dawn into their home. Dawn always seemed polite and well mannered and did as she was told. But then strange things started to happen. Things took a dangerous turn, not only for Dawn, but also Adrian, Cathy and John.
Cut is the real-life account of a lovely young girl whose forgotten past turned her into a self-harming, wild child. With very little help from social services and little experience of children’s behaviours, Cathy and John tried hard to help Dawn. The Glass’ were never told of Dawn’s background and didn’t know where to turn. It was only after her second suicide attempt in their care that Cathy and John learned the true story and Dawn finally got the help she desperately needed.
What happened to Dawn could have, and probably still does happen, to many children. Hopefully in today’s times there are people who can read the early warning signs and stop the hurt before it gets too far. And there are books like Glass’ to continue raising awareness in the broader community.
Cathy has been a foster carer for more than twenty years and writes under a pseudonym.
www.cathyglass.co.uk
is 10, her father had a stroke a few years back and her life is bounded by the village. Sandy is 11, just arrived from America where his father was recently killed. His mother has returned to her home town. The two children have little in common except… Annie’s dad and Sandy’s mum have a big secret.
