The team at the Reading Stack would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your valued support and comments over the years and we hope that you have found some great reviews that have led you to buying some great books for yourselves or friends and family.
We will continue to keep up those reviews in 2010 but in the meantime, please have a wonderful and safe Christmas and a great new year.
Hope you get some quality reading time in...
The Team at The Reading
24 December 2009
19 December 2009
Ronnie: The Biography
by Ronnie Wood
St Martin’s Griffin (Pan Macmillan). Adult Non-Fiction, Biographical. Paperback rrp $24.95
Guest Reviewer – Ian Brown
This is Ron Wood’s story in his own words. It begins with his childhood in a close knit family where both of his older brothers were artists and musicians.
From the late sixties to the mid-seventies the Faces were a major success. After the band split, Wood joined the Rolling Stones. He also is an accomplished artist who with his sons, owns a London art gallery called Scream. Wood trained at the Ealing Art College and has paintings featured at London’s Drury Lane Theatre. Liberty & Co has produced a clothing line using fabrics printed with his designs.
In his biography, Wood is very frank about his personal life - his battle with the bottle and various other drugs, the women in his life and his two marriages. The list of musicians he has worked with, or who have played on his solo projects, includes just about every major artist from the last 40 years; Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Pete Townsend and David Bowie, to name a few.
This is a fascinating book. Ronnie Wood is a great story teller and as someone with such a long history at the forefront of the music world, he has a lot of stories to tell.
http://www.ronniewood.com/
St Martin’s Griffin (Pan Macmillan). Adult Non-Fiction, Biographical. Paperback rrp $24.95
Guest Reviewer – Ian Brown
This is Ron Wood’s story in his own words. It begins with his childhood in a close knit family where both of his older brothers were artists and musicians.
Ronnie: The Biography documents his career from the early sixties, in various bands, to the late sixties where he joined up with Rod Stewart and the Small Faces. After Steve Marriott left, the band changed its name to the Faces.
From the late sixties to the mid-seventies the Faces were a major success. After the band split, Wood joined the Rolling Stones. He also is an accomplished artist who with his sons, owns a London art gallery called Scream. Wood trained at the Ealing Art College and has paintings featured at London’s Drury Lane Theatre. Liberty & Co has produced a clothing line using fabrics printed with his designs.
In his biography, Wood is very frank about his personal life - his battle with the bottle and various other drugs, the women in his life and his two marriages. The list of musicians he has worked with, or who have played on his solo projects, includes just about every major artist from the last 40 years; Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Pete Townsend and David Bowie, to name a few.
This is a fascinating book. Ronnie Wood is a great story teller and as someone with such a long history at the forefront of the music world, he has a lot of stories to tell.
http://www.ronniewood.com/
18 December 2009
Snowy’s Christmas
by Sally Murphy, Illustrated by David Murphy
Random House. Australian, Picture book. Hardcover rrp $19.95
This is a truly Australian Christmas tale although many of the traditional story elements are still firmly in place. Santa and his reindeers have an important role but the star of this book is Snowy the kangaroo.
Snowy is the wrong colour. He is white, not red like the other roos. And he doesn’t hop properly. Snowy bounces short and high, instead of long and low.
It’s not easy being different. But one day another albino kangaroo appears. He’s big and strong, and he wants Snowy to come with him on an urgent mission. Snowy bounds off on an adventure that leads him to Santa Claus, who is looking for a little extra help pulling the sleigh. What Santa really needs is one more high-jumping white kangaroo. A roo just like Snowy.
Young children will love David Murphy’s illustrations of Snowy and Santa’s other white kangaroo helpers. They will have fun pointing out the Australian birds and animals on every page. Each has been given a special Christmas touch. My favourite was the echidna with a star pinned into his quills. Or maybe the koala, dozing beside his Christmas stocking.
Recently, I read this story to a group of preschool children. Or to be correct, I should say I read it six times. I had a pile of books with me but it was the story of Snowy they wanted to hear over and over again. So if you are looking for a picture book Christmas present I can guarantee this one will be a successful choice.
http://sallymurphy.net/
http://www.davidcmurphy.id.au/
Random House. Australian, Picture book. Hardcover rrp $19.95
This is a truly Australian Christmas tale although many of the traditional story elements are still firmly in place. Santa and his reindeers have an important role but the star of this book is Snowy the kangaroo.
Snowy is the wrong colour. He is white, not red like the other roos. And he doesn’t hop properly. Snowy bounces short and high, instead of long and low.Young children will love David Murphy’s illustrations of Snowy and Santa’s other white kangaroo helpers. They will have fun pointing out the Australian birds and animals on every page. Each has been given a special Christmas touch. My favourite was the echidna with a star pinned into his quills. Or maybe the koala, dozing beside his Christmas stocking.
Recently, I read this story to a group of preschool children. Or to be correct, I should say I read it six times. I had a pile of books with me but it was the story of Snowy they wanted to hear over and over again. So if you are looking for a picture book Christmas present I can guarantee this one will be a successful choice.
http://sallymurphy.net/
http://www.davidcmurphy.id.au/
The Story of Danny Dunn
by Bryce Courtenay
Penguin. Australian, History, Adult Other. Hardback rrp $49.95
Danny Dunn was born in 1920 on the shirt tails of the great depression. His parents run a pub in Balmain and Danny is the local boy who might just get out of the slum and go places. By the time he is eighteen he has everything - good looks, brains, a beautiful and intelligent girlfriend, Helen, and the possibility he might play football for Australia or go to the Olympics representing water polo.
Then World War 2 comes.
Life for Danny changes dramatically when he is captured at the Fall of Singapore and becomes a prisoner of war working on the Burma Railway. He must constantly fight for his mates’ welfare and his own life. When the war ends Danny returns to Balmain a very different man, both physically and mentally.
The love of his life, Helen, is still waiting and Danny begins to reshape himself. With twin daughters, Sam and Gabby, the Dunn family is complete. But Danny’s demons are always near the surface.
To date I haven’t been a big fan of Bryce Courtenay but the 600 plus pages of The Story of Danny Dunn was something that I could not put down. Three generations through three wars, dramas, ambitions, politics, religion, racism, love. This is a story that will keep you turning the pages long after you want to shut your eyes and go to sleep.
If you have trouble buying a present for a parent, grandparent or great grandparent (or in my case father-in-law), this is perfect. The story contains so much wonderful graphic detail that sometimes I had to remind myself I was reading a fictional story and not a biography. Brilliant!
http://www.brycecourtenay.com/
Penguin. Australian, History, Adult Other. Hardback rrp $49.95
Danny Dunn was born in 1920 on the shirt tails of the great depression. His parents run a pub in Balmain and Danny is the local boy who might just get out of the slum and go places. By the time he is eighteen he has everything - good looks, brains, a beautiful and intelligent girlfriend, Helen, and the possibility he might play football for Australia or go to the Olympics representing water polo. Then World War 2 comes.
Danny’s mother comes from hard working Irish stock and wants to see her son get a University degree. The first in the family. Danny is torn between fighting for his country and finishing his degree to ensure his mother’s dream is fulfilled. To keep his mother happy Danny agrees to finish his degree. But with only a few months left, Danny follows his heart and signs up.
Life for Danny changes dramatically when he is captured at the Fall of Singapore and becomes a prisoner of war working on the Burma Railway. He must constantly fight for his mates’ welfare and his own life. When the war ends Danny returns to Balmain a very different man, both physically and mentally.
The love of his life, Helen, is still waiting and Danny begins to reshape himself. With twin daughters, Sam and Gabby, the Dunn family is complete. But Danny’s demons are always near the surface.
To date I haven’t been a big fan of Bryce Courtenay but the 600 plus pages of The Story of Danny Dunn was something that I could not put down. Three generations through three wars, dramas, ambitions, politics, religion, racism, love. This is a story that will keep you turning the pages long after you want to shut your eyes and go to sleep.
If you have trouble buying a present for a parent, grandparent or great grandparent (or in my case father-in-law), this is perfect. The story contains so much wonderful graphic detail that sometimes I had to remind myself I was reading a fictional story and not a biography. Brilliant!
http://www.brycecourtenay.com/
17 December 2009
Billy Thorpe’s Time on Earth
by Jason Walker
Allen & Unwin. Australian, Biographical, Adult Non-Fiction. Paperback rrp $35.00
Guest Reviewer – Ian Brown
For Australian music fans, this biography of Billy Thorpe is a very timely look at his life in view of his unexpected death at the age of 60 two years ago. Billy’s career spanned an amazing five decades and Billy Thorpe’s Time on Earth covers almost the entire history of Australian rock music.
Billy’s career continues to soar during the seventies and the famous Sunbury rock festivals. The biography discusses his controversial decision to live in the USA for 20 years and follows his return to Australia and involvement in the Long Way to the Top series of concerts.
This is an excellent book, not just for fans of Billy Thorpe, but for anyone with an interest in the history of Australian music. It gives insight into Thorpe’s private life and the role of the people who were involved in his career, which was a who’s who in the Australian music industry at the time.
Allen & Unwin. Australian, Biographical, Adult Non-Fiction. Paperback rrp $35.00
Guest Reviewer – Ian Brown
For Australian music fans, this biography of Billy Thorpe is a very timely look at his life in view of his unexpected death at the age of 60 two years ago. Billy’s career spanned an amazing five decades and Billy Thorpe’s Time on Earth covers almost the entire history of Australian rock music.
The book documents his life and career from his early days as a ten-year-old singing and playing guitar at local school and church dances in Brisbane to his move to Sydney’s Kings Cross in the early sixties where he formed the initial Aztecs. It then progresses through to the late sixties in Melbourne and the second and most popular line-up of the Aztecs which featured Lobby Lloyd for a while, and was claimed to be the loudest band in the country.
Billy’s career continues to soar during the seventies and the famous Sunbury rock festivals. The biography discusses his controversial decision to live in the USA for 20 years and follows his return to Australia and involvement in the Long Way to the Top series of concerts.
This is an excellent book, not just for fans of Billy Thorpe, but for anyone with an interest in the history of Australian music. It gives insight into Thorpe’s private life and the role of the people who were involved in his career, which was a who’s who in the Australian music industry at the time.
16 December 2009
I lost my mobile at the mall
by Wendy Harmer
Random House. Australian, Junior, Young Adult. Paperback rrp $17.95
What happens when a teenage girl loses her lifeline to her friends, family and everything she cares about? Fifteen-year-old Elly Pickering finds out when she loses her favourite yellow handbag somewhere at the mall. Inside is her boyfriend’s friendship ring, a new belt, money and her life – also known as her mobile! Elly is devastated. How can life go on without her phone? How will her friends, family and most importantly her boyfriend contact her? Her social life will certainly die.
Elly ends up losing more than her social life. She also loses perspective and common sense. She foolishly believes things that are happening around her are a direct result of her losing her phone. Why does her wonderful boyfriend, Will, lie to her and why are there a number of incriminating photos of him and another girl posted all over the internet? Why does Jai, her best friend’s boyfriend, post humiliating photos of Elly on the internet? What can she do?
Elly’s only other source of social attachment, her computer, is subsequently stolen. Elly is now without a mobile, has no landline at home (her parents thought mobiles were easier) and no computer and internet. What’s a girl to do? With help from her grandmother, Elly reverts to the old fashioned way, using pen and ink.
Soon Elly realises that maybe things aren’t as bad as they seem and that communicating without technology is more personal and romantic. “I wonder if things go missing for a reason. As if by their absence, they might be trying to tell you something. To make you see life in a new way.”
I lost my mobile at the mall is a clever and funny look at one teenager’s dilemma. But there are a number of universal truths in the story. Why do the teens of today HAVE to have a mobile? What is wrong with sending a letter or speaking face-to-face with someone? Have our social standards changed for better or worse? As Elly discovers, life doesn’t stop if you have no credit or you are out of range and good things can come out of a seemingly hopeless situation.
http://www.mobileatthemall.com.au/
Random House Australia is also offering teens an exciting new way to extend the book experience via a dedicated website designed especially to be viewed on mobile phones, in an Australian publishing industry first, readers can access this site via scanning the QR code published on the back cover of the book. This allows potential readers while browsing in a bookstore to enter competitions, watch a video from Wendy, access social networking sites and read what others thought of the book – all before buying a copy.
Random House. Australian, Junior, Young Adult. Paperback rrp $17.95
What happens when a teenage girl loses her lifeline to her friends, family and everything she cares about? Fifteen-year-old Elly Pickering finds out when she loses her favourite yellow handbag somewhere at the mall. Inside is her boyfriend’s friendship ring, a new belt, money and her life – also known as her mobile! Elly is devastated. How can life go on without her phone? How will her friends, family and most importantly her boyfriend contact her? Her social life will certainly die.
Elly ends up losing more than her social life. She also loses perspective and common sense. She foolishly believes things that are happening around her are a direct result of her losing her phone. Why does her wonderful boyfriend, Will, lie to her and why are there a number of incriminating photos of him and another girl posted all over the internet? Why does Jai, her best friend’s boyfriend, post humiliating photos of Elly on the internet? What can she do?Elly’s only other source of social attachment, her computer, is subsequently stolen. Elly is now without a mobile, has no landline at home (her parents thought mobiles were easier) and no computer and internet. What’s a girl to do? With help from her grandmother, Elly reverts to the old fashioned way, using pen and ink.
Soon Elly realises that maybe things aren’t as bad as they seem and that communicating without technology is more personal and romantic. “I wonder if things go missing for a reason. As if by their absence, they might be trying to tell you something. To make you see life in a new way.”
I lost my mobile at the mall is a clever and funny look at one teenager’s dilemma. But there are a number of universal truths in the story. Why do the teens of today HAVE to have a mobile? What is wrong with sending a letter or speaking face-to-face with someone? Have our social standards changed for better or worse? As Elly discovers, life doesn’t stop if you have no credit or you are out of range and good things can come out of a seemingly hopeless situation.
http://www.mobileatthemall.com.au/
Random House Australia is also offering teens an exciting new way to extend the book experience via a dedicated website designed especially to be viewed on mobile phones, in an Australian publishing industry first, readers can access this site via scanning the QR code published on the back cover of the book. This allows potential readers while browsing in a bookstore to enter competitions, watch a video from Wendy, access social networking sites and read what others thought of the book – all before buying a copy.
15 December 2009
Never Mind the Bullocks
Here’s the Science
by Dr Karl Kruszelnicki
Harper Collins. Australian, Adult Non-Fiction. Paperback rrp $27.99
I hadn’t opened this book before Sunday morning when I was sitting watching Rage on television and heard a familiar tune. I looked up from my breakfast to see Dr Karl on the television singing (sort-of) to the tune of God Save The Queen by the Sex Pistols. Only he had changed the words to tie in with promoting the book sitting on my bedside table.
I think that any trivia junkie or expert needs to read Dr Karl and he has 27 other books in case the necessary answers aren’t in Never Mind the Bullocks. Certain facts are very useful if you are a sports nut or you can’t get your ear away from your mobile phone. And everyone may think twice about buying that new four-wheel drive. Oh and I am so glad I never spent a lot of money in the 80’s buying Royal Jelly to make my skin look younger… according to Dr Karl, my wrinkles would still be the same.
http://www.drkarl.com/
by Dr Karl Kruszelnicki
Harper Collins. Australian, Adult Non-Fiction. Paperback rrp $27.99
I hadn’t opened this book before Sunday morning when I was sitting watching Rage on television and heard a familiar tune. I looked up from my breakfast to see Dr Karl on the television singing (sort-of) to the tune of God Save The Queen by the Sex Pistols. Only he had changed the words to tie in with promoting the book sitting on my bedside table.
I opened the book later that day to see what the fuss was. Never Mind the Bullocks is about science. But not just boring facts and numbers. Kruszelnicki has selected topics that are very current. Some interesting myths are dispelled including one that I should have got right at a recent trivia competition - NASA didn’t invent Velcro!
http://www.drkarl.com/
14 December 2009
How Do I Love Thee?
Stories to stir the heart
Edited by Valerie Parv
Allen & Unwin. Australian, Romance, Adult Other. Paperback rrp $27.99
Let me make one thing clear – this is a book for EVERYONE. Women and men! Men: give this to your love for Christmas. They will think you are romantic and appreciate your thoughtfulness. Women: give this to your love for Christmas. They will look surprised, maybe open the book up, glimpse a page here and there, start to read to please you, and suddenly they will be half way through the book.
I don’t mind the odd love story and I like the idea of short stories bound into one book. How Do I Love Thee? is the perfect combination. You can read a story (or more) in one sitting and not have to wait for days or weeks to reach the finale. I laughed uproariously (Killer Smile by Anita Bell), shivered with fear (Night of the Superheroes by Judy Neumann), and cried with anguish (A Much-Needed Wife by Anna Jacobs).This book is a collection of stories from 12 different writers, each sharing their personal view of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s sonnet How Do I Love Thee. The authors were asked to choose a few words from the sonnet and base a story on them. All 12 stories were magnificent. Funny, sad, modern, historical and even science fiction. Something for everyone.
A brilliant book with some fascinating and thought-provoking ideas. If you don’t have someone to buy this for Christmas, do yourself a favour and buy it for yourself!
13 December 2009
Brigands M.C.
Book 11 of the CHERUB series
by Robert Muchamore
Hachette Childrens. Junior, Crime. Hardback rrp $34.95
There will be no need to tell CHERUB fans how exciting the CHERUB series is.
Dante’s life is brighter but his small childish lies make him a witness that no-one believes. Justice is not done and the Führer walks free.
More than four years later Dante may just get the opportunity to put things right.
The CHERUB series is aimed at junior to young adults but I am a big fan of this popular series and Muchamore keeps me eager to read the next book. Book 12 Shadow Wave will be out late 2010 and I, for one, will be looking forward to it.
The Recruit and Class A was reviewed in Issue 16 and The General was reviewed in Issue 12 of The Reading Stack.
http://www.muchamore.com/
http://www.cherubcampus.com/
http://www.hendersonboys.com/
by Robert Muchamore
Hachette Childrens. Junior, Crime. Hardback rrp $34.95
There will be no need to tell CHERUB fans how exciting the CHERUB series is.
Dante Scott is eight when he witnesses his parents and his older brother and sister brutally killed by the Führer, murderous leader of the Brigands biker gang. He and his baby sister, Holly, only just escape. But Dante is old enough to know that his life is now a game of cat and mouse while the Führer and the Brigands try to find him before he can testify.
After numerous foster homes, Dante thinks he is safe. But the Führer never gives up and the Brigands have chapters all over the world. Dante will never be able to stop looking over his shoulder for danger. Then Dante and Holly end up in the one place no-one will find them. In fact no-one other than other CHERUB agents knows about it. CHERUB campus.
Dante’s life is brighter but his small childish lies make him a witness that no-one believes. Justice is not done and the Führer walks free.
More than four years later Dante may just get the opportunity to put things right.
The CHERUB series is aimed at junior to young adults but I am a big fan of this popular series and Muchamore keeps me eager to read the next book. Book 12 Shadow Wave will be out late 2010 and I, for one, will be looking forward to it.
The Recruit and Class A was reviewed in Issue 16 and The General was reviewed in Issue 12 of The Reading Stack.
http://www.muchamore.com/
http://www.cherubcampus.com/
http://www.hendersonboys.com/
12 December 2009
Delilah’s Dream
by Ian Trevaskis and illustrated by Janine Dawson
New Frontier Publishing. Australian, Junior. Hardback rrp $24.95
Delilah is a young hen with dreams - of flying in outer space, soaring over the farmyard, and soaring among the stars. When she told her sisters, Priscilla and Esmeralda, they laughed at her.
But Delilah never gave up her dreams.
Then, one evening, a sinister shadow slunk in through the fence. Delilah knew she had to do something. But what?
How could one young hen overcome such a powerful and frightening threat?
Delilah’s Dream is a story of imagination and beliefs. It shows that through perseverance you can follow your dreams and instincts to lead a long and happy life.
http://www.iantrevaskis.com.au/
http://www.janinedawson.com.au/
11 December 2009
Clem Always Could
by Sarah Watt
Lothian Children’s Books. Australian, Picture, Young Reader. Paperback rrp $16.99
Clem is a child who can do anything and doesn’t need to be taught. Like most young children – he’s an expert at everything! But unfortunately for Clem, when he is taken to the local swimming pool to learn to swim, it is a different matter. For the first time in his short life he is afraid and he doesn’t want anyone to know that he can’t do something!
Clem’s mum gently reminds him of all the wonderful things that he can do and how he had to learn them. But Clem disagrees.
Clem shook his head. ‘I always could.’
Sarah Watt’s brilliant watercolour illustrations are simple but striking. They cleverly show the changes in Clem’s view of the world. In the beginning the pool is spread over two pages - big, scary and dark with evil lurking at the bottom. The swimmers are only small, lost in the enormous expanse of water. But as Clem grows braver, Watt’s images reflect Clem’s new outlook. The pool shrinks until it is an oasis of pale blue and white, perfectly in proportion with the children splashing about there.
Clem Always Could is a wonderfully illustrated book following a young child’s personal growth as he builds the confidence to overcome his fears. When the swimming class jumped in I had to blink and rub my glasses because I thought I saw the water smudging them!
Lothian Children’s Books. Australian, Picture, Young Reader. Paperback rrp $16.99
Clem’s mum gently reminds him of all the wonderful things that he can do and how he had to learn them. But Clem disagrees.
Clem shook his head. ‘I always could.’
Sarah Watt’s brilliant watercolour illustrations are simple but striking. They cleverly show the changes in Clem’s view of the world. In the beginning the pool is spread over two pages - big, scary and dark with evil lurking at the bottom. The swimmers are only small, lost in the enormous expanse of water. But as Clem grows braver, Watt’s images reflect Clem’s new outlook. The pool shrinks until it is an oasis of pale blue and white, perfectly in proportion with the children splashing about there.
Clem Always Could is a wonderfully illustrated book following a young child’s personal growth as he builds the confidence to overcome his fears. When the swimming class jumped in I had to blink and rub my glasses because I thought I saw the water smudging them!
10 December 2009
The Death of Bunny Munro
by Nick Cave
Text Publishing. Australian, Adult Other. Paperback rrp $32.95
Take one look at the front cover of The Death of Bunny Munro and you will know what this book is about. Sex. And how sexual addiction can consume and ruin many lives.
The Death of Bunny Munro is dark, compelling and a sad story. A lot like the main character himself. Bunny Monro, who prides himself on his impeccable image and attractiveness to women, is also a tired and dirty man.
Bunny Munro knows that he will die. He doesn’t know when but after his wife commits suicide and he is left in charge of their nine-year-old son, Bunny Jnr, he knows with certainty that his time is not long. His dead wife keeps telling him so.
A travelling salesman, his is a fast life of women’s cosmetics and seedy affairs. Forced to now take his son on the road, Bunny finds that the world wants to teach him a lesson. His dead wife haunting him is just the tip of the iceberg.
Between alcohol, drugs, sexual perversity and addiction, and maybe a little insanity, Bunny Munro tries to save himself but can’t. The man was born a predator and will die unchanged. And when it is all over, are the sins of the father visited on the son?
This is a very dark and disturbing tale that explores many themes, sexual addiction, sin and redemption. Somehow Cave manages to convince the reader to care about this vile, evil man. You will either love or hate this book. There is no in-between.
http://www.nick-cave.com/
Text Publishing. Australian, Adult Other. Paperback rrp $32.95
The Death of Bunny Munro is dark, compelling and a sad story. A lot like the main character himself. Bunny Monro, who prides himself on his impeccable image and attractiveness to women, is also a tired and dirty man.
Bunny Munro knows that he will die. He doesn’t know when but after his wife commits suicide and he is left in charge of their nine-year-old son, Bunny Jnr, he knows with certainty that his time is not long. His dead wife keeps telling him so.
A travelling salesman, his is a fast life of women’s cosmetics and seedy affairs. Forced to now take his son on the road, Bunny finds that the world wants to teach him a lesson. His dead wife haunting him is just the tip of the iceberg.
Between alcohol, drugs, sexual perversity and addiction, and maybe a little insanity, Bunny Munro tries to save himself but can’t. The man was born a predator and will die unchanged. And when it is all over, are the sins of the father visited on the son?
This is a very dark and disturbing tale that explores many themes, sexual addiction, sin and redemption. Somehow Cave manages to convince the reader to care about this vile, evil man. You will either love or hate this book. There is no in-between.
http://www.nick-cave.com/
09 December 2009
Heart’s Blood
by Juliet Marillier
Pan Macmillan. Australian, Romance, History, Mystery, Fantasy. Paperback rrp $32.99
A few months after her father’s death, Caitrin, daughter of Berach, is fleeing from the family home in Market Cross. Her mother died years before and her sister has married a wandering minstrel and left to be with her new husband. Distant kin have moved in and they torment Caitrin, depleting her strength with fists and words. Anything is better than staying in her home.
Caitrin travels as far away as possible to the strange fortress of Whistling Tor and its even stranger chieftain, Anluan. Despite villagers warning of the disappearances of local folk, the ghostly beings that surround the forests of the Tor and the odd assortment of staff who serve Whistling Tor, Caitrin accepts a position for the summer to translate and scribe the unusual books that are Anluan’s history.
While getting back her self esteem and letting her body heal from the wounds of her kin, Caitrin realises that Whistling Tor and its occupants are not as they seem. What is the Host and who controls it? Is Caitrin the only one who can save the lost souls of the Host? And what is the dark and powerful force that tries to stop Caitrin and Anluan from finding the answers?
This is a tale that has been referred to as the re-telling of the classic tale Beauty and the Beast - it contains the same elements and characters but is more dark and oppressive. At the same time it is still a wonderful story of sorcery, deception, curses, challenges, ghosts and love. I didn’t want it to end.
Juliet Marillier’s Heir to Sevenwaters was reviewed by the Reading Stack in Issue 15.
http://www.julietmarillier.com/
Pan Macmillan. Australian, Romance, History, Mystery, Fantasy. Paperback rrp $32.99
Caitrin travels as far away as possible to the strange fortress of Whistling Tor and its even stranger chieftain, Anluan. Despite villagers warning of the disappearances of local folk, the ghostly beings that surround the forests of the Tor and the odd assortment of staff who serve Whistling Tor, Caitrin accepts a position for the summer to translate and scribe the unusual books that are Anluan’s history.
While getting back her self esteem and letting her body heal from the wounds of her kin, Caitrin realises that Whistling Tor and its occupants are not as they seem. What is the Host and who controls it? Is Caitrin the only one who can save the lost souls of the Host? And what is the dark and powerful force that tries to stop Caitrin and Anluan from finding the answers?
This is a tale that has been referred to as the re-telling of the classic tale Beauty and the Beast - it contains the same elements and characters but is more dark and oppressive. At the same time it is still a wonderful story of sorcery, deception, curses, challenges, ghosts and love. I didn’t want it to end.
Juliet Marillier’s Heir to Sevenwaters was reviewed by the Reading Stack in Issue 15.
http://www.julietmarillier.com/
08 December 2009
Christmas Carols from the Kennel
by Santa Paws
red dog books. Australian, Adult Non-Fiction, Children’s Non-Fiction, Adult Other. Hardback rrp $14.99
Here is a cute book for dog lovers everywhere. Twenty-two of the most popular Christmas carols have been selected for a canine makeover in this unique 16x19cm hardback book. The best thing about Christmas Carols from the Kennel is on every page there are photos of dogs all dressed up for Christmas and the big fat man!
From Daschunds to Labradors, Poodles to Pugs, these dogs will tail-wag you in. And if you have forgotten what was given on the Twelve Days of Christmas you will find the answers are all here.
red dog books. Australian, Adult Non-Fiction, Children’s Non-Fiction, Adult Other. Hardback rrp $14.99
From Daschunds to Labradors, Poodles to Pugs, these dogs will tail-wag you in. And if you have forgotten what was given on the Twelve Days of Christmas you will find the answers are all here.
07 December 2009
Where the streets had a name
by Randa Abdel-Fattah
Pan Macmillan. Australian, Young Adult. Paperback rrp $16.99
Hayaat is a 13-year-old girl living on the West Bank of Israel. Her life isn’t easy. Curfews force residents to stay indoors for days at a time and Hayaat lives in a small two-bedroom home with her parents, siblings and grandmother. She shares a bed with two siblings and the room with her grandmother. Her best friend, Samy is an orphaned boy who is always getting Hayaat and himself into trouble. Her other best friend is dead. Every time Hayaat looks into the mirror her scarred face reminds her of her friend’s death, and her own lucky escape.
Pan Macmillan. Australian, Young Adult. Paperback rrp $16.99
Hayaat is a 13-year-old girl living on the West Bank of Israel. Her life isn’t easy. Curfews force residents to stay indoors for days at a time and Hayaat lives in a small two-bedroom home with her parents, siblings and grandmother. She shares a bed with two siblings and the room with her grandmother. Her best friend, Samy is an orphaned boy who is always getting Hayaat and himself into trouble. Her other best friend is dead. Every time Hayaat looks into the mirror her scarred face reminds her of her friend’s death, and her own lucky escape.
But Hayaat is also on a mission. Her grandmother is sick and just once, before she dies, would like to be able to touch the soil of her ancestral home in Jerusalem. Hayaat wants to go to her grandmother’s home and return with the soil. It’s a simple journey of only a few kilometres but navigating through check points, curfews, permits and a large impenetrable wall, makes it an impossible task.
Hayaat doesn’t even know what the names of the streets are because the wall has been built down the middle of the roads. She imagines that the street names are on the other side. Can two 13-year-old children attempt the impossible and come back safe and sound, or will they just disappear forever?
Where the streets had a name should be read by every teenager to see how different life can be in other parts of the world. Though her storytelling, with humour and simplicity, Abdel-Fattah encourages the reader to think about the universal problem of race and religion.
Where the streets had a name won the 2009 Golden Inky teenage choice award. http://www.insideadog.com.au/inkys/
06 December 2009
The Slightly Skewed Life of Toby Chrysler
by Paul Collins
Celapene Press. Australian, Junior Fiction. Paperback rrp $14.95
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis
Toby (nicknamed Milo) and his only friend Fluke are highly individual boys whose perception of the world differs to that of other people, and are seen as strange, even stupid. Their areas of knowledge are unusual and impressive, but they struggle when translating life and adult talk. Fluke’s entertaining and ‘creative’ way of using the English language is an itch that is constantly scratched and this impresses Milo, who sees Fluke as the smartest person he knows.
Milo’s mum has been gone for a month. She left with the postman, and his dad hasn’t been coping well with the loss added to all the things he’s unable to do. Influenced by a TV program on psychic detectives, Milo decides to visit the bed-bound, former psychic, Mrs Appleby next door, to get some insight into where his mother might be. He takes his mum’s single red shoe with him to help spark the reading.
But his regular run of bad luck escalates when Mrs Appleby dies after the reading and Milo is apprehended by police for having caused her death. Finding his mother before he’s charged becomes an obsession with him. He feels he has a good chance with some map coordinates that Mrs Appleby gave him before her last gasp that should lead him to her whereabouts.
Things become more complicated when he discovers Ginger’s dad is also missing and that he is the postman. Outrageous schemes are churned over and over in Ginger and Milo’s mind; schemes that will force his mum and her dad to come home. For being outrageous seems logical to an innocent mind, and at these times, being different can give a person an edge.
Collins has the gift of great insight when creating children’s characters. This is an interesting, humorous, and highly entertaining story about being different and surviving family break-up in which dialogue and characters prove to be everything. The book is aimed at age 8+.
http://www.paulcollins.com.au/
Celapene Press. Australian, Junior Fiction. Paperback rrp $14.95
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis
Toby (nicknamed Milo) and his only friend Fluke are highly individual boys whose perception of the world differs to that of other people, and are seen as strange, even stupid. Their areas of knowledge are unusual and impressive, but they struggle when translating life and adult talk. Fluke’s entertaining and ‘creative’ way of using the English language is an itch that is constantly scratched and this impresses Milo, who sees Fluke as the smartest person he knows.But his regular run of bad luck escalates when Mrs Appleby dies after the reading and Milo is apprehended by police for having caused her death. Finding his mother before he’s charged becomes an obsession with him. He feels he has a good chance with some map coordinates that Mrs Appleby gave him before her last gasp that should lead him to her whereabouts.
Things become more complicated when he discovers Ginger’s dad is also missing and that he is the postman. Outrageous schemes are churned over and over in Ginger and Milo’s mind; schemes that will force his mum and her dad to come home. For being outrageous seems logical to an innocent mind, and at these times, being different can give a person an edge.
Collins has the gift of great insight when creating children’s characters. This is an interesting, humorous, and highly entertaining story about being different and surviving family break-up in which dialogue and characters prove to be everything. The book is aimed at age 8+.
http://www.paulcollins.com.au/
05 December 2009
Yellow Star
by Jennifer Roy
Walker Books. History, Junior, Young Adult. Paperback rrp $14.95
Guest Reviewer Jo Burnell
I have a weak stomach. Even though I want to hear about war and those who survive, I rarely persist when the story gets too dark. Yellow Star gathered dust on my ‘to read’ pile for many months before I picked it up.
To my delight, I was riveted. Jennifer Roy achieves what few others have managed. Simple words, clear images and page-flipping suspense in a frightening world where hope rose and fell at the trigger of a gun.
Over the course of World War II, 270,000 people were forcibly settled in Lodz, Poland. At the end of the war, 800 survivors walked through the cut wire fence that had been their prison. Twelve of these survivors were children. One was ten-year-old Syvvia Perlmutter, Jennifer Roy’s aunt.
Jennifer’s short lines of prose evoke strong images. I am with the Perlmutters as they struggle to survive. The vegetable patch fails and flour is scarce. I sip weak coffee and thin vegetable broth. My mind becomes foggy from lack of food.
Gut feelings guide Syvvia’s father not to accept Nazi invitations to ride on trains. People disappear without a trace and there are several close escapes. Yet in the midst of all the fear, hope remains. Syvvia’s ability to entertain herself when her friends are gone brings normality to a desperate situation and her innocent comments trigger laughter when joy seems lost.
However, it is Syvvia’s role in the last days that come as the greatest surprise. My mind still boggles at the nature of the final rescue. For one tiny moment in history, the yellow star was a key to survival.
By crafting the content of her aunt’s memories, Jennifer Roy has resurrected a child’s perspective that ages over the years. This unique voice strips away what I call literary ‘fluff’. What is left is heart-stopping simplicity. Yellow Star is a timeless treasure.
http://www.jenniferroy.com/
Walker Books. History, Junior, Young Adult. Paperback rrp $14.95
Guest Reviewer Jo Burnell
I have a weak stomach. Even though I want to hear about war and those who survive, I rarely persist when the story gets too dark. Yellow Star gathered dust on my ‘to read’ pile for many months before I picked it up. Over the course of World War II, 270,000 people were forcibly settled in Lodz, Poland. At the end of the war, 800 survivors walked through the cut wire fence that had been their prison. Twelve of these survivors were children. One was ten-year-old Syvvia Perlmutter, Jennifer Roy’s aunt.
Jennifer’s short lines of prose evoke strong images. I am with the Perlmutters as they struggle to survive. The vegetable patch fails and flour is scarce. I sip weak coffee and thin vegetable broth. My mind becomes foggy from lack of food.
Gut feelings guide Syvvia’s father not to accept Nazi invitations to ride on trains. People disappear without a trace and there are several close escapes. Yet in the midst of all the fear, hope remains. Syvvia’s ability to entertain herself when her friends are gone brings normality to a desperate situation and her innocent comments trigger laughter when joy seems lost.
However, it is Syvvia’s role in the last days that come as the greatest surprise. My mind still boggles at the nature of the final rescue. For one tiny moment in history, the yellow star was a key to survival.
By crafting the content of her aunt’s memories, Jennifer Roy has resurrected a child’s perspective that ages over the years. This unique voice strips away what I call literary ‘fluff’. What is left is heart-stopping simplicity. Yellow Star is a timeless treasure.
http://www.jenniferroy.com/
04 December 2009
Auschwitz/Hiroshima
by Clive A Lawton
These companion titles, Auschwitz and Hiroshima, are books telling the stories of two of the world’s greatest horrors with images and text suitable for primary school children. Educating our children about the past may help the leaders of the future.
A must have on the shelf for any primary school library.
Franklin Watts. Adult Non-Fiction, Children’s Non-Fiction. Paperback rrp $26.99
These companion titles, Auschwitz and Hiroshima, are books telling the stories of two of the world’s greatest horrors with images and text suitable for primary school children. Educating our children about the past may help the leaders of the future.
Both books contain straight-forward facts, presented without moral judgment as to right or wrong. With maps, original photos and personal accounts, these books expose children to some of the darkest moments of history in a manner that will educate and encourage them to evaluate what happened. They are an excellent educational resource demonstrating the awful consequences of two world-changing political decisions.
A must have on the shelf for any primary school library.
03 December 2009
The Lost Art of Sleep
by Michael McGirr
Picador. Australian, Adult Non-Fiction. Paperback rrp $32.99
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis
McGirr is the author of the brilliantly entertaining, Things You Get for Free. His writing is never only about the theme he has chosen. It encompasses all the nooks and crannies of the subject, engaging the reader with his humorous and entertaining narrative style, which speaks of life and the many encounters along the roads travelled. Since the birth of their first child Benny, followed by twins soon after, McGirr and wife Jenny have searched for that lost treasure, sleep. The subject of sleep, or the lack of it, is the thread that binds all the chapters together in this exceptional book.
Woven into the many stories and reflections, are factors connected to sleep such as beds and other places of rest, sleeplessness, sleep apnoea, narcolepsy, the drugs prescribed, and documented stories about these points. There are quirky stories of where and how people slept or what kept them awake (like the story of coffee), and the famous people that lived and functioned with very little sleep either by choice or the lack of options.
These cover the story of Colin Sullivan, a leader in the field of sleep medicine and his discovery of the breathing masks that saved thousands of lives. He also delves into history and the life and writings of the ancient philosophers for examples; into Shakespeare’s work and sleeping arrangements right up to uncovering the bed he willed to Anne Hathaway; the sleep habits of Thomas Edison, Charles Dickens, John Milton, Mark Twain, R.L. Stevenson and Winston Churchill, amongst others. Added is the fascinating story of Florence Nightingale who took to her bed after the Crimean War and stayed there for fifty-four years, dying at ninety.
Each chapter is a magic box that is filled with entertainment, surprise, and the unexpected. At times moving and compassionate, and at other times filled with humour and laughter, it is always brilliant, clear and precise. A gifted writer, McGirr was a former Jesuit priest who left that calling in 2000, and answered the writing call which has benefited the world.
Picador. Australian, Adult Non-Fiction. Paperback rrp $32.99
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis
Woven into the many stories and reflections, are factors connected to sleep such as beds and other places of rest, sleeplessness, sleep apnoea, narcolepsy, the drugs prescribed, and documented stories about these points. There are quirky stories of where and how people slept or what kept them awake (like the story of coffee), and the famous people that lived and functioned with very little sleep either by choice or the lack of options.
These cover the story of Colin Sullivan, a leader in the field of sleep medicine and his discovery of the breathing masks that saved thousands of lives. He also delves into history and the life and writings of the ancient philosophers for examples; into Shakespeare’s work and sleeping arrangements right up to uncovering the bed he willed to Anne Hathaway; the sleep habits of Thomas Edison, Charles Dickens, John Milton, Mark Twain, R.L. Stevenson and Winston Churchill, amongst others. Added is the fascinating story of Florence Nightingale who took to her bed after the Crimean War and stayed there for fifty-four years, dying at ninety.
Each chapter is a magic box that is filled with entertainment, surprise, and the unexpected. At times moving and compassionate, and at other times filled with humour and laughter, it is always brilliant, clear and precise. A gifted writer, McGirr was a former Jesuit priest who left that calling in 2000, and answered the writing call which has benefited the world.
02 December 2009
The Australian Book of Lists
by Steve Barnett
Penguin. Australian, Adult Non-Fiction, Adult Other. Paperback rrp $24.95
A great reference book to pull out and solve arguments, assist if you are heading out for a night of trivia or learn something you can quote at the next office party.
Penguin. Australian, Adult Non-Fiction, Adult Other. Paperback rrp $24.95
Guest Reviewer – Ian Brown
The Australian Book of Lists is an excellent choice for trivia lovers or anyone who wants to know a few interesting facts about Australia. Some are well known; others more obscure.
Lists include famous television deaths, unusual festivals (from Tuna tossing to Silo kicking), top 20 grocery brands (Coca-Cola is not number 1) and even the final resting place of 12 famous Australians.
A great reference book to pull out and solve arguments, assist if you are heading out for a night of trivia or learn something you can quote at the next office party.
01 December 2009
Monkey Fist
Samurai Kids: Book 4
by Sandy Fussell. Illustrated by Rhian Nest James
Walker Books. Australian, Junior, Young Adult. Paperback RRP $14.95
Guest Reviewer Jo Burnell
Venturing into the pages of Monkey Fist was like catching up with old friends, with one exception. The Samurai Kids have grown since we last met. Although there is no hint of added height, each has matured.
Niya, the narrator has a classic stubborn streak that seems more entrenched. Yoshi, Niya’s blood brother has a secret and Niya can’t stand it. Kyoko disappears and the Samurai Kids aim to rescue her, but everything moves too slowly for the impatient Niya.
Much is the same in this fourth book, yet nothing is repeated. We are called to look beyond what the eyes can see, but the dimension we enter is more abstract. Can you trust a friend when all the evidence suggests he is betraying you? Is there ever a time when it is better not to know everything? Friendships are stretched thin.
Themes of trust, appearance and disguises develop further in Monkey Fist. Can you recognise evil when it is wrapped in wealth and authority? Is it ever wise to obey without questioning? How can people with bad intentions be given great power and influence? It is all about façade.
Although Monkey Fist is an easy read, the layers of hidden meaning shimmer with invitation. Looking beyond what is seen is a risky business, especially if the imagination distracts and confuses. While the storyline is as action-packed as ever, the dangers are greater. Lives are at stake. Hearts may be irreversibly broken. Humour continues to thread through the pages, but the laughter elicited is more subdued. Double truths hover like a shadow.
With the turning of each page, little flames of enlightenment flicker. As always, nothing is lost if the reader doesn’t fully understand the lessons within. However, insight into the complexities of relationships will grow if the sharp-witted messages are heard.
http://www.samuraikids.com.au/
http://www.sandyfussell.com/
by Sandy Fussell. Illustrated by Rhian Nest James
Walker Books. Australian, Junior, Young Adult. Paperback RRP $14.95
Guest Reviewer Jo Burnell
Niya, the narrator has a classic stubborn streak that seems more entrenched. Yoshi, Niya’s blood brother has a secret and Niya can’t stand it. Kyoko disappears and the Samurai Kids aim to rescue her, but everything moves too slowly for the impatient Niya.
Much is the same in this fourth book, yet nothing is repeated. We are called to look beyond what the eyes can see, but the dimension we enter is more abstract. Can you trust a friend when all the evidence suggests he is betraying you? Is there ever a time when it is better not to know everything? Friendships are stretched thin.
Themes of trust, appearance and disguises develop further in Monkey Fist. Can you recognise evil when it is wrapped in wealth and authority? Is it ever wise to obey without questioning? How can people with bad intentions be given great power and influence? It is all about façade.
Although Monkey Fist is an easy read, the layers of hidden meaning shimmer with invitation. Looking beyond what is seen is a risky business, especially if the imagination distracts and confuses. While the storyline is as action-packed as ever, the dangers are greater. Lives are at stake. Hearts may be irreversibly broken. Humour continues to thread through the pages, but the laughter elicited is more subdued. Double truths hover like a shadow.
With the turning of each page, little flames of enlightenment flicker. As always, nothing is lost if the reader doesn’t fully understand the lessons within. However, insight into the complexities of relationships will grow if the sharp-witted messages are heard.
http://www.samuraikids.com.au/
http://www.sandyfussell.com/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)