The Lost Loot of Lima

The Lost Loot of Lima by Melissa Wray (Wombat Books), RRP $14.99 Middle Grade ISBN 9-781761-111600

Reviewed by Susan Hancy

The Lost Loot of Lima for lower middle grade readers is a fun read covering themes of losing a grandparent, 19th century piracy and tales from the history of Queenscliff, Victoria. The title and cover get us excited to read about a search for buried treasure, but this is a pirate tale with a twist and a racing heartrate at the end is guaranteed.

Ben is going to his Nan’s to stay for a few days but he’s apprehensive. It will be his first time visiting since his Pa passed away and he’s scared he might encounter Pa’s ghost in the house. He misses Pa, but Nan has a surprise in store. She’s set a treasure hunt for him, just like Pa used to do, and it includes a bona fide treasure map. The map has been passed down through the generations of Ben’s family and originally came from South America. But the most exciting part? Ben learns that his ancestor was the infamous pirate, Benito Bonito!

Creepy noises from the cellar at night, awkward visits from Pa’s best mate Doug, an ancient gold coin and an unexpected turn of events have Ben and Nan scrambling over the boulders by the sea, running for their lives while we, the readers, turn the pages for more.

My 8-year-old son’s verdict of The Lost Loot of Lima: “the story was slow to start, but once Ben learnt that he was the descendant of a pirate, it became really good, and I wanted to read it every night.”

Runaway: Book 2 of Flight

Runaway: Book 2 of FLIGHT trilogy By Dawn Meredith

First paragraph:

High on a jagged mountain ridge scattered with snow, a great black dragon crouched, holding a torn brog carcass under his enormous, clawed feet. Called Ballickh Ry in his own tongue, ‘The Black Dragon King,’ had once been a mighty figure. Now, after emerging some months ago from a long hibernation, he was still bony and weak, yet he must soon begin a perilous journey north to discover his distant kin, if they had survived. In the arctic cathedrals of Shagrath, the White Kingdom, perhaps the ice dragons still breathed fire in their frozen dens. Perhaps the Shagrath Mathedden, the ancient creatures of the White Sea, swam and fed as if time had not passed at all. He had tried to find them once before and failed. As he gazed down over the land of Avendor far below, his heart was heavy. This was to be his last hope to revive his lost species. If only he could convince her to help him. Three months ago, her kind had warred with each other over the ownership of this land, killing and maiming. Their petty squabbles bored him. He did not want to get involved. He had only one purpose now. But would she respond to his calls?

Website: www.dawnmeredithauthor.blogspot.com

Luna’s World: Friendship Fail

Luna’s World: Friendship Fail by Hayley Gannon. Illustrated by Michelle Conn. Affirm Press 2025. Paperback Junior Fiction graphic novel 139 pages. RRP $14.99. ISBN 9781922992772

Reviewed by Debra Williams

Luna Merrian is 10 years old, and her mind is always racing. Her mum suggests that she and Luna take up dog-walking. Luna has wanted her own dog, but they are unable to afford one, so she sees it as the next best thing, with five dogs to walk regularly.

Mum suggests that Luna should return to keeping her neglected diary as a way of keeping her focus and preparing for the week ahead. Luna decides that the diary will be a way to show others everything that is going on in her world.

She loves her role at school as a Monday Little Librarian monitor and has a great affiliation with the teacher, librarian Ms Sunny. Luna shares the monitor duty with her school rival, Jade Jones. Initially, they are not close friends, but the relationship begins to develop. As it does, Luna is happy. But when Luna spies a birthday party invitation from Jade to another girl, she is put out by the fact that she hasn't been invited and overreacts. Her feelings are beginning to get out of hand, but she discovers a couple of things about Jade, which brings everything into perspective, including the fact that Jade is dyslexic.

Luna doesn’t cope well when a substitute teacher takes her class, and she has a meltdown. However, Luna is kind and considerate to other kids who do not seem to fit in with their peers. After realising that making and keeping friends is hard, she has a brilliant idea to start a friendship club called ‘Bookworm Buddies’, and the first meeting is a great success.

This book encompasses themes of friendship, teamwork, dealing with big feelings and staying focussed. There are also diary entries that explain how the library system works, along with various terms that are defined for the reader to understand, as well as some quick tips. Some terms may be beyond the understanding of younger readers, such as ‘the elephant in the room’ mentioned on page 111, and need to be explained.

The suggested readership age from the publisher is 6-9 years.

Danger Road

Danger Road by A.L. Tait. Scholastic 2025. MG paperback 266 pages. RRP $17.99. ISBN 9781761646270.

Reviewed by Debra Williams.

Alex Hawkins is thirteen; his brother Leo is fifteen months older. In their hometown, everybody knows each other or is related. The two brothers are opposites: Leo is the all-round sports star, whilst Alex is the arty type. Both boys excel in their different fields, but the two brothers constantly bicker with each other, and Mum is fed up with it.

Their mother, a local librarian, is following with deep interest a local podcast. Twenty-five years earlier, 17-year-old popular footballer Corey Armstrong was left to die by a hit-and-run driver on Danger Road. Corey’s mysterious death is now the subject of the podcast, and the series is drawing to an end. The case is still unsolved, and the podcast has not come any closer to finding out the truth.

The boys’ mother issues them with a unifying challenge to work together and try to find out exactly what happened on that fatal night to Corey. As they delve into Corey’s world, with the assistance of Alex’s close friend Harriet (Harry), they uncover much more than they could ever have imagined. Everyone is talking about Corey, but the question remains as to whether anyone really knew him deep down.

Old secrets are brought to the fore, and the boys realise that somebody in town must know something about that night. It also means that someone they know could possibly be the killer. There is a lot at stake, including their own futures, if they revive too much of the past, and the solution to the cold case could possibly prove to be fatal.

The author has woven a fast-paced, tight, attention-gripping tale, involving several families, friends and acquaintances. Of course, there is an unexpected twist toward the end, keeping the reader tuned as to what the final outcome will be.  

Set as an upper middle-grade novel, it is also suitable for the tweenage readership of 13-15 years.

Squid Squad: Nothing to Sea Here

Squid Squad: Nothing to Sea Here by Aoife Dooley (Scholastic) RRP: $18.99 ISBN 9781761721069

Reviewed by Rebecca Fung

Meet the Squid Squad: there's Ollie, a vampire squid, Zing a sea bunny, Barney, their pet anemone, and their other friends who each have a cool ability and make up the cool, heroic squid squad. Well, sort of heroic -- maybe more friendly and hilarious.

This is a graphic novel with fantastically funny, bright illustrations that will draw children in and keep them giggling. The story introduces our Squid Squad, and we learn some interesting and fun facts about sea creatures. I love when a story weaves in learning in an entertaining way. For instance, did you know that vampire squids are a real kind of squid (but maybe not like the vampires that you read about in other stories)? Or that sea slugs release toxins? Or that sea anemones live a very long time? You'll have to read the book to find out how long and learn more amazing sea facts!

The book combines four stories in one and it's not a conventional superhero adventure story. This isn't about fighting huge mega sea monsters and rescuing mermaids in distress. There are some main antagonists - a sea slug, a sea snail, a shark and a flounder. The stories are comic ones about hairdo competitions, parties, burping issues and magical toilets. The sea friends quarrel but find creative answers to their problems, which often involves riding a mysterious snaky unicorn. It's crazy fun.

The sea world Dooley has created involves lots of creative sea references - there is no need to ponder too deeply the exact science of it all but just to have fun with it. A cinema or 'seanema', a bakery, a diner full of delicious sea snacks where the squad can hang out, shell phones. The book is about good friends working together and having adventures and it's a delight in such an imaginative setting. Why in the crusty barnacle would you want to hang out anywhere else?

Where Shall We Travel Today?

Where Shall We Travel Today? by Kristen Martin, illustrated by Nicky Johnson (MidnightSun Publishing 2025) HB RRP $29.99 ISBN 9781922858542

Reviewed by Sylvia Forbes

I love a book that celebrates the power of the imagination. And this gorgeous picture book delivers in bucketloads - both textually and visually.

It's the Summer holidays and there is a sense of eagerness and anticipation in the air as seven young neighbourhood friends gather to play. I get a feeling that this is a regular thing for these kids - and I can’t help but imagine them rushing to finish their breakfast so that they can get out the door to join their friends and let the adventures begin.

 Kristen Martin's spotless rhyming text with its consistent rhythm is a dream to read out loud. Her lyrical language evokes excitement and enthusiasm as these kids’ imaginations (and feet) run wild and free. And, as the reader, it is easy to suspend reality and go happily on the journey with them as they travel around the world and still manage to make it home in time for bed.

Nicky Johnson's whimsical and expressive illustrations work in equal measure with the text. Bringing a carefree, emotive quality which not only complements - but supports the text perfectly.

From the very start we are introduced to a neighbourhood that feels familiar, comforting and safe. The kids are dressed in their favourite play clothes and there is an overarching feeling that this a close-knit community. The gentle colour palette and warm sun-lit tones she uses gives an essentially Australian look and feel - It's almost as if she stepped outside on a mid-summer’s day, grabbed a large gulp of sunshine then breathed it out into her paint pots. 

The end papers, with their soft twilight tones of lilacs and pinks and faint dusting of distant stars, and the children seen in semi silhouette gazing out into the vast skyscape, represents so perfectly the imagination - which also has no bounds.

And it would be remiss of me not to add, how much I appreciate the harmony that exists between this bunch of kids -- as seen on their constantly beaming faces -- and in the ways they relate to and support one another. It would be quite reasonable to have at least one fractious child within a group of seven, but there is not a cross face or meanspirited moment to be found amongst them - and I think this is a lovely creative choice - one that enriches the overall heartwarming nature of this book.

We clamber up Mount Everest, up walls of rock and snow ...

Then stand on top of all the world and wave to Mum below.

I adore here how the children -- so deeply invested in the imaginal world they have created - still include mum at her washing line. It represents so accurately the way kids’ imaginations work - where both worlds exist at the same time. This blurring of lines between what is real and what is imagined, continues throughout. You see where the kids are in their imaginations -- swinging like monkeys in the Amazon Jungle -- and sailing beneath Niagara Falls (this double page spread with the cascading water is sensational).

Then you see where they really are - and what it is around them that is stimulating their imaginations - swinging on monkey bars - and piled on a billy cart being pulled through sprinklers.

Imagination is one of our greatest resources - It's like having our own special superpower -- we can dream, wonder, create and invent with it. And it doesn't matter what we look like, or where we live, or what clothes we wear -- the ability to imagine is available to all of us.

Where Shall we Travel Today? is a delightful and gentle story that highlights the effortless joy that is experienced during imaginative creative play. It is also a feel-good tale that is full of heart and camaraderie amongst a diverse group of friends.

This is a beautiful and uplifting book that will keep young imaginations active and inspired.

Highly recommended for children aged 3+ years.

 

 

 

 

 

The Lies We Tell Ourselves

The Lies We Tell Ourselves by Maura Pierlot (Big Ideas Press) PB RRP $22.99

ISBN 9780645099836

Reviewed by Kylie Buckley

Harley is struggling with the recent death of her nan as well as her parent’s deteriorating marriage. Despite this, she is looking forward to starting Year 10 and, even though her best friend did not contact her over the school break, she is optimistic about the year ahead. Harley sets her intentions for the year: get a job, get a boyfriend, get a life.

 

When Harley establishes a friendship with Carter, the hot new guy at school, she cannot help but imagine a future with him as her boyfriend. However, her critical inner voice tells her she needs to lose weight and reinvent herself. Harley’s hopes are high. But, why is her manifesting failing? Why are her friendships crumbling? Why is everything going wrong?

 

The Lies We Tell Ourselves is a young adult novel about staying true to yourself and the futile nature of seeking approval from others. This coming-of-age narrative is written in the first person by 15-year-old Harley and gives off 2004, American teen comedy film, Mean Girl vibes. Its themes include body image, toxic friendships, first love, belonging, family dynamics and grief. The Lies We Tell Ourselves is recommended for an audience aged 13 years and older.