Category Archives: Book Review

Nov1

The Giver by Lois Lowry

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IMG_2459The Giver by Lois Lowry, paperback novel, 224 pages, first published by Houghton Mifflin in 1993, this edition published by HarperCollins Children’s Books in 2008.

Jonas lives in the perfect world of the community, where everything is orderly and precise, the rules are strict, and nothing ever changes. There is no inequity or inequality within the community, no diversity, no poverty, no war, no grief, even the family units are assigned by the Elders, nothing is left to chance. It is a community that has been so regulated and controlled that the people cannot imagine any other life could exist or has ever existed.

Upon becoming twelve, the children of the community are assigned their adult roles, in which they will train and then work for the rest of their lives, but Jonas’ assignment is different, he is selected to be the Receiver of Memory, a highly honoured and rare profession that only one member of the community performs. It is a destiny for one with bravery, intelligence and strength, and the “Capacity to See Beyond”. As Jonas embarks upon his training to become the next Receiver, he learns terrible and wonderful things about the world, and the past, that can hardly be believed. It brings him joy and pain and love, emotions that he has not previously experienced. Knowing the truth may prove too much for Jonas to bear.

One of my favourite book genres is dystopian and apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic novels, so I can hardly imagine how such a wonderful book slipped under my radar until now! From the first chapter, I was caught up in the world of the community and in Jonas’ life. I devoured The Giver, experiencing Jonas’ emotions as the life he has always known is exposed as lies, and feeling sorrow, anger and pain with him and for him. The removal of each person’s ability to choose their destiny and life felt like a personal sleight and betrayal, and I became a bit teary when I realised what baby Gabe’s fate would be. Needless to say, I really became immersed within this story, always a sign of a very good book.

I felt that the story ended somewhat abruptly, and unsatisfactorily. I think that was only because I wanted to know more about Jonas’ and Gabe’s lives and what was happening within the community. I wanted to know what happened to Jonas’ family and his friends, but the answers I sought were left to the reader to envisage. I know that this is a common way to end a novel, but sometimes I just really want a concrete finish. However, this tiny disappointment was short-lived, and is the way I often feel when I’ve just finished an excellent book. What can I say, I’m greedy and always want more from my favourite books and authors! It certainly has not dissuaded me from recommending that The Giver be read by everyone, especially those keen on tales of dystopia, and I will definitely be reading his one again.

The Giver is suitable for high school students, and more mature upper primary school students, but adults will also enjoy this book. I have been told there is a movie of The Giver now, but the book is always better, so if you plan to see the film, make sure you read the book first, it is well worth it!

Oct31

Sleep Tight, Ginger Kitten by Adèle Geras and Catherine Walters

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IMG_2447Sleep Tight, Ginger Kitten by Adèle Geras and illustrated by Catherine Walters, paperback picture book, first published by Little Tiger Press in 2001, this edition published by Ice Water Press in 2001.

The sleepy little ginger kitten is looking for a place to nap. He gets disturbed in the bathroom, and on the bed, the box is too small and the shoes too lumpy, will he ever find a cozy and comfy place to sleep?

This picture book is suitable for preschool and lower primary school children, and is just perfect for kitten and cat lovers. The ginger kitten is extremely cute, and the book is beautifully illustrated throughout. I can remember my cats acting just like this when they were only kittens. Kittens are beautiful and funny creatures, and this story reflects their behaviour well. It reminds me of how lovely it is to have a sleepy kitten curled up on my lap purring. Sleep Tight, Ginger Kitten has been a favourite for both my kitten loving daughters from about three years old.

Oct29

The Great Reindeer Rebellion by Lisa Trumbauer and Jannie Ho

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IMG_2445The Great Reindeer Rebellion by Lisa Trumbauer and illustrated by Jannie Ho, hardback picture book, first published by Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. in 2009, this edition published by Koala Books in 2010.

The reindeer have demands, so they decide to go on strike. They will not pull Santa’s sleigh until their conditions change. There’s only days until Christmas, and Santa needs someone to pull his sleigh, so he advertises for a sleigh team. He tries out cats and dogs, kangaroos and flamingos, will he find the right helpers in time to deliver all the presents?

This is probably our favourite Christmas book. It gets read all year round, with more frequent readings leading up to Christmas. My kids think it is hilarious. The illustrations are just as funny as the rhyming text, and I really enjoy reading this with my kids. I love the sleigh team trials, and the reasons that each animal isn’t up to par.

The Great Reindeer Rebellion is a fantastic Christmas book for preschool and primary school aged children. Be prepared to read this one again and again!

Oct29

The Barrumbi Kids by Leonie Norrington

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IMG_2443The Barrumbi Kids by Leonie Norrington, paperback novel, 196 pages, first published by Omnibus Books in 2002, this edition published by Omnibus Books in 2014.

Dale and Tomias are best friends living in a remote village in the Northern Territory of Australia. Long Hole and surrounds is Tomias’ ancestral land, and Dale’s ancestors were the first white family to settle in the area. They are part of the land, as the land is part of them, though they are still learning to use and respect it, and all the creatures within it. The boys attend the only school in town, along with their siblings and cousins. The boys spend their last year of schooling in Long Hole learning about themselves, their cultures,  overcoming the school bully and getting into plenty of scrapes along the way.

The Barrumbi Kids is a story of friendship and cultural interaction between aborigines and white people. It is also an insightful view of remote communities, and the people that live there. The realities of bush fires and crocodiles, snakes and floods, rural schooling and harsh weather conditions is a constant theme through the story, which also explores the theme of growing up in, what is, for many, a very different environment to their own.

The speech of the characters and the construction of their sentences has been written to imitate the actual language of the area. I found the small glossary of Mayali language and commonly used words at the back of the book useful, though most of it was explained within the story itself. This use of language definitely gave the story a more authentic and unique feel.

An interesting and different read, The Barrumbi Kids is well written, and suitable for middle to upper primary school children and older. The story was funny at times, especially when the kids explored the chook shed, though also slightly scary when Lizzie was being chased by a crocodile, a highlight of the daily dangers faced by the kids in remote Australia. I liked the relationships between the characters, especially that between Tomias and Dale, who are so different, yet so similar. The elders were portrayed well, and I quite liked old Caroleena. I could picture Mrs Armstrong’s sour face so clearly, and her fit of terror over the snake. That had me laughing too.

I’m happy for my second grader to read this book. I expect plenty of questions as she reads it, since the lives of the children in the story are quite different to her experiences. It is good to read something outside our own little sense of the world, I think reading The Barrumbi Kids will encourage her to want to know more about the outback of Australia and about the first settlers to this beautiful land.

 

* The Barrumbi Kids was an honours books for the 2003 Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year in the Younger Readers category.

Sep25

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

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IMG_1710The Maze Runner by James Dashner, paperback novel, 371 pages, first published by Delacorte Press in 2010, this edition published by The Chicken House in 2011.

All that Thomas can remember is his first name. There are brief images from his past life, but no details, no faces, no context. He quickly discovers he is not the only boy to enter the Glade with his memories curiously removed. The Glade is situated in the middle of a vast and complicated stone maze, trapping the boys there, with no idea who sent them and why, or how to escape. The Maze crawls with horrible and deadly creatures, called grievers, by night, and sometimes during the day, preying on the boys, making it even harder to find the solution. They can’t give up though, there must be a way to escape their imprisonment, a way to make it home, even if they can’t remember where or what home is anymore. Things in the Glade have been the same day in, day out for two years, but after Thomas arrives, things begin to change. Is Thomas the cause or is he there to help them? Even Thomas doesn’t have an answer to that yet, but he will give it his all to find out.

James Dashner has created a whole new and terrifying world in The Maze Runner. It is an excellent read most suitable for upper primary and high school students, though adults are sure to enjoy it as well. I found it to be an exciting page-turner that I stayed up late to finish reading, something I don’t do much any more with three young children, but I just couldn’t put it down until I discovered what became of Thomas and the Gladers.

The world of the Gladers developed around me as I read, with the different parts of the Glade becoming clear, and the characters so life-like. The characters were easily envisioned, with Chuck’s constant chatter, Alby’s temper,  Newt’s determination, and Minho’s hope. Thomas is a little different to the other boys, but very likeable, I really wanted him to find the truth and be the one that lead the boys to victory. Theresa, the only girl in the story is a bit of an enigma, but I thought her roughness and pluck were perfectly suited to her role in the story. A wonderful cast of characters, in a truly well told tale of adventure, mystery, danger and excitement.

I bought this book thinking it was a stand-alone novel, so I was very excited to discover that it is just the first book in a series! I will be getting my hands on the sequel as soon as possible 🙂

 

 

Sep25

Clementine Rose and the Perfect Present by Jacqueline Harvey

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IMG_1702Clementine Rose and the Perfect Present by Jacqueline Harvey, paperback novel, 147 pages, published by Random House Australia in 2013.

A huge wedding is scheduled to occur at Penberthy House, and it is all hands on deck to make it successful. Unfortunately Uncle Digby becomes ill and is taken to the hospital, accompanied by Lady Clarissa, leaving Aunt Violet in charge of the guests. Clementine Rose does her best to help Aunt Violet, but the grumpy old woman seems to find it impossible to be pleasant! Amidst the growing chaos and excitement at Penberthy House, Clemmie is feeling sad and upset because she hasn’t received an invitation to Angus’ birthday party, and she seems to be the only one in the class left out. She tries to convince herself she doesn’t want to go anyway, but deep down she knows it’s simply not true. Is it a mistake, or is Angus really that mean? And will the wedding be a success even with Aunt Violet at the helm?

Clementine Rose and the Perfect Present is the third installment of the very popular Clementine Rose series. These books are suitable for lower to middle primary age children. I am reading them to my preschooler, and she just loves them, she adores Clemmie and wishes she had a tea-cup pig just like Lavender. My preschooler often tells me that she is glad her teacher is not like Mrs Bottomley, Clemmie’s kindergarten teacher. I can scarcely think of a character less suitable for teaching five year olds than Mrs Bottomley! She is so well written that my preschooler scowls every time she is mean to Clemmie, as though she were witnessing these events in her own classroom. My favourite character is definitely Aunt Violet. She can be so obnoxious and rude, yet there is a gentle side that occasionally flashes through her outer veneer of haughtiness. She reminds me of a few old ladies I’ve met! Of course, Clemmie is a weakness for Aunt Violet, and how could she not be? So wonderfully sweet and innocent, and always trying her best, Clementine Rose is an excellent role model for children.

Clementine Rose and the Perfect Present is funny and well written with a scattering of black and white illustrations throughout. The storyline is interesting, yet not too complicated, perfect for the intended audience. My preschooler laughed so hard over Uncle Orville’s antics surrounding the wedding, especially when he hopped into Aunt Violet’s bed accidentally, thinking it was his own. And she was quite relieved that Uncle Digby was going to be okay, and that Angus is becoming nicer all the time.

I am enjoying reading the Clementine Rose books with my preschooler, I love hearing her laugh, and ask for more. She is so excited to read Clemmie, she barely lets me take a breath between books! If you haven’t tried Clementine Rose yet, what are you waiting for?

Sep23

The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers

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IMG_1698The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers, paperback picture book, published by HarperCollins Children’s Books in 2013.

Duncan’s crayons are not happy. Each of them have written him a letter explaining their grievances, and asking him to change the way he uses them. Until then, the crayons are on strike.

A wonderful book for preschool and primary school aged children, The Day the Crayons Quit, is both funny and reflective of the usage of crayons in a child’s pencil case. Each of the crayon’s letters are written with that crayon in a child-like handwriting, which suits the story perfectly. And the letters are just so funny. The crayon illustrations are brilliant, I think I’ve seen a few ‘white cat in the snow’ pictures done by my own children! I particularly love the purple dragon and wizard.

Both my preschooler and second grader love this book. It appeals to their sense of art and colour, as well as making them laugh. I like to share this story with my kids, because I love it too 🙂 I also think my kids would secretly like their own crayons to send them some letters as well!

Sep23

Dinosaur Poo! by Diane and Christyan Fox

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IMG_1695Dinosaur Poo! by Diane and Christyan Fox, hardback picture book, published by Words & Pictures in 2014.

Dinosaurs poo all over the place, but which dinosaur has the largest (and probably smelliest) poo around? Velociraptor and Pteradacyl set out to find the biggest dinosaur poo, behind rocks, in the river and even up a tree!

Dinosaur Poo! is sure to be a hit with young and old alike. This hilarious romp through the prehistoric landscape had us laughing and giggling as we lifted the flaps to see the big smelly piles of dinosaur poo. And the ending had my kids in stitches. They wanted to read it over and over! The clear, colourful illustrations combined with funny rhyming text and lift-the-flap sections, make this an awesome book for children in preschool and lower primary school.

My kids are both obsessed with toilet humour at the moment, and they both love dinosaurs, so the combination of poo and dinosaurs was sure to be a hit in our house. I borrowed this book from the library first, but we enjoyed it so much I am going to purchase it so that we can read it any time we feel like a good laugh!

 

 

Sep14

I Wanna Be a Pretty Princess by Heath McKenzie

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IMG_1565I Wanna Be a Pretty Princess by Heath McKenzie, hardback picture book, published by Scholastic Australia in 2014.

Wanting to become a pretty princess is a dream of many young girls, but what does it really take to be one? Dresses, hair, dancing… Here are the rules for being a pretty princess.

A Princess shows the young girl what it takes to be a pretty princess, which isn’t really much fun, there’s hard work too. Some things are uncomfortable and boring, she can’t even eat all the yummy food at the tea party, and she certainly can’t just be herself.

My preschooler likes to dress up as a pretty princess a lot, so when she saw this book she was very excited. She loves it. It is very funny, and the illustrations are fantastic. The expressions of the girl are particularly well drawn, and the boy prince that comes to court her is amusing. I like that the girl discovers that being a princess isn’t all glamour and fun as they are often portrayed, there are sacrifices as well. She finds that it is far better to be herself and do the things she actually likes to do, this is a good message for our girls and boys (though I’m not sure many boys aspire to become princesses!). Pretending to be a princess, without all of the pressures and obligations of a real princess, is much more fun!

This is a nice book for preschool and lower primary school children. It probably appeals more to girls, though I won’t hesitate to read it to my son as well.

Sep13

Where is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox and Judy Horacek

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IMG_1566Where is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox and illustrated by Judy Horacek, hardback picture book, published by Penguin Books (Australia) in 2004.

There are blue sheep and star sheep, up sheep and car sheep, but where is the green sheep? Find out as you turn the pages, discovering many different sheep along the way.

A brilliant early childhood book, Where is the Green Sheep? is perfect for every child. We discovered it by chance at the library when my first child was a toddler. We borrowed it so often over the following months we finally went out and bought our own copy. It has been read many many times, to the point where the kids could repeat it verbatim without even opening the book. Despite this, I never tire of reading this book to my kids, it really brings them (and me) so much joy. Where is the Green Sheep? is a wonderful book to share with toddlers and preschoolers, and older children will also enjoy the lyrical text and cute pictures.

It is a fun rhyming search through the flock to find the elusive green sheep. The story and illustrations are simple, yet extremely engaging for young children. The text is large and easy to read. The language is suitable for children just learning to read as well. We like to read Where is the Green Sheep? aloud, building up the rhythm of the text, and the kids always join in for “But where is the green sheep?”. The sheep are very distinctive, and the kids enjoy discovering what type of sheep are on each page, as if they have never read it before.

No children’s library would be really complete without this magnificent picture book from one of Australia’s favourite authors, Mem Fox. Now don’t be a slow sheep, go out and find the green sheep! (from all good book sellers).

 

* Where is the Green Sheep? was the winner for the 2004 Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year in the Early Childhood category.