Resist: A Story of D-Day

Resist: A Story of D-Day by Alan Gratz (Scholastic) RRP: $12.99 ISBN 9781761649172

Reviewed by Rebecca Fung

Alan Gratz has written many stories for younger readers with war as a theme, including the novel Allies. Resist: A Story of D-Day is a short, bonus book that expands on the character Samira Zidane, who was introduced in Allies; however, the book can also be enjoyed as a standalone adventure.

Samira lives in Nazi-occupied France in World War II. She and her mother are spies. When Samira's mother goes missing, Samira tries to rescue her with a dog, Cyrano, as her companion. During her rescue attempt, she discovers an interesting secret about the Allies' strategies in the war.

This short book plunges us immediately into the action. The pace doesn't let up; there's no wasting words or diversion into unnecessary subplots. Gratz keeps the language and story on point, which suits this thrilling adventure.

I don't know how historically accurate the description of strategies and behaviours by both the Allies and Nazis are, but they make for a compelling read. A younger audience would undoubtedly be fascinated by details such as the scenes involving the paratroopers in the war. Samira's role as a spy makes her a character who takes initiative. She demonstrates strength, self-sufficiency, and quick thinking, and she is a fantastic character for a children's story. As she searches for her mother, children will relate to her feeling of anxiety and admire her courage and resourcefulness.

The story is careful not to be too explicitly violent and to ensure the "good guys" are portrayed as having a strong ethical framework without being overly preachy.

With a brief book of this kind, Gratz cannot provide much information about World War II generally. Some knowledge is taken for granted. However, the snapshot it gives of a girl acting bravely in the war would appeal to many children.

Moreover, the doggy companion, Cyrano, assisting along the way, adds to the story's charm.

This is a quick historical adventure that won't bore readers.

On the Edge of Everything

 

On the Edge of Everything by Miranda Luby (Text Publishing) PB ISBN: 9781923059306

Reviewed by Robyn Gillies

Lucy is still grief-stricken from the tragic loss of her older brother, whom she adored and who ‘got’ her. It’s now eleven months after her brother’s death, and her parents are trying desperately to get her out of her room and back to living an everyday life. But Lucy isn’t like them, pretending everything is OK when it’s not.

The story starts with an endangered bird that flies into her bedroom window one evening. Lucy sees it as a sign. When it survives the night, she takes it to a local wildlife sanctuary the following day, where she meets Ben, one of the workers. The sanctuary is looking for summer staff, and Lucy decides to apply. For the first time since her brother’s death, she sees the slightest glimmer of a possible meaningful summer, which is then whisked away when she takes a risk that backfires in more ways than one.

Lucy’s grief is tangible and perceptively portrayed. The most seemingly banal events trigger deep dives into intense sorrow, but how can others understand her when she doesn’t understand herself? However, this is also a story about growing up, friendship, new experiences, and competing and conflicting emotions—how can you feel so happy when you feel so sad? The impacts of urban development on the delicate balance of nature are also woven seamlessly throughout.

The reader is drawn into Lucy’s world, darting seamlessly into and out of her internal and external domains. We travel with her on a rollercoaster of emotions as she tries to make sense of her life, of her very existence, and as she learns how random acts can have long-term consequences. But her journey ultimately takes her to a place of possibility.

Lucy’s character is complex and sensitive, and the story is multi-layered and well-paced. The simple but beautiful language creates authentic individuals in a believable, sensory time and place.

This deep, thoughtful, reflective story gives considered and compassionate insight into how a teenager may experience loss. It is a sincere story that anyone who has lost a young person should read.

 

 

My Mum is a Magician

My Mum is a Magician by Damon Young, illustrated by Peter Carnavas  (University of Queensland Press, 2018) HB RRP $24.95 ISBN 978 0 7022 5994 4

Reviewed by Sylvia Forbes

Some mums gulp green tea, with bitter barley blends.

But my mum is a magician ... her cup of coffee never ends.

This is a spellbinding picture book celebrating Mums everywhere. In My Mum is a Magician, you'll meet all kinds of Mums - each of them as wonderfully diverse as the next!  Pilot mums, superhero mums, chorus line mums and sword swinging mums. But nothing (it seems) tops magician mums!

Damon Young has created a highly entertaining, energetic and frivolous text using rhyme and alliteration. The rhythmic pacing is engaging and makes it a pleasure to read out loud.

Peter Carnavas's excellent illustrations cleverly add another layer of wit and vibrancy to the text. (Like the kid being sprung by magician mum with his hand in the cookie jar ... and the chorus line mum with a prosthetic leg!) While the various animals on every page are adorable, they add tiny narratives.

Some mums light lamps that hang low on weeping willows.

Some mums stick stars that sparkle over soft pillows.

After all the boisterousness and excitement of My Mum is a Magician, I love how the mood shifts and everything quietens down over its four final page turns. Here, the text and illustrations work seamlessly to create a soothing dreamscape where mums and their children are seen tucked closely together and the light becomes softly subdued in gentle sunset tones ... then, as the book comes to a restful close, the magician mum has the final say.

'Every day' mums may not be represented in this book (the lunch makers, the missing sock finders, and the mess cleaners). But when you think about it, alongside all the tireless, often thankless little things they do for us, they are our superheroes who will stop at nothing to nurture, protect and keep us safe. Even swing swords if necessary! They are extraordinary, and they show up for us every single day, regardless of how they might be feeling. So all mums are magicians in my eyes!

This award-winning author/illustrator duo has delightfully created My Mum is a Magician, a timeless celebration of mums and caregivers everywhere. The book is a joy to read and suitable for preschoolers.   

 

 

My Incredible Extra Ordinary Chickens

My Incredible Extra Ordinary Chickens by Emily Julia Naudi (Loose Parts Press) HB RRP $19.99 ISBN: 9781763807112

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera

A child has five brilliant chickens with distinct personalities. The clever chooks eat kitchen scraps, chatter to one another, and fertilise the garden. They also count to five, create artistic eggs, and love listening to music. When the child is sad, the funny flock soon turns her frown upside down.

Emily Julia Naudi’s lyrical and uplifting text introduces kids three and older to the wonderful world of chickens, from the ‘speckle-laced mischief-maker’ to the ‘lavender dazzler’. Alongside important themes of embracing individuality, adopting sustainable practices and caring for mental health, Emily includes fascinating facts about our feathered friends.

Fresh colours flutter over Emily’s watercolour illustrations, adding a light and lively layer to the pages. There is also an adorable touch of whimsy, especially when one hen balances a ball on her beak, and another wears a paint-splashed apron. Each of the five chickens is a unique character in her own right, and youngsters will enjoy following their favourites as they strut across the spreads.

Children will quickly fall in love with the quirky birds in My Incredible Extra Ordinary Chickens and may even want to construct a coop of their own. Wouldn’t that be egg-citing?

I am NOT an OWL!

I am NOT an OWL! by Rhonda Ooi, illustrated by Mel Corrigan (Woodslane Press) HB RRP $24.99 ISBN: 9781922800916

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera

Alexander knows a lot about nocturnal animals, and the most important thing is that they sleep during the day when he is awake. So when his mum wants him to go to bed while the sun is still shining, Alexander tells her it’s a ‘silly idea’ because he is ‘NOT an owl’. He busies himself similarly to his favourite nocturnal animals: swooping like an owl to locate his mum’s lost necklace, hanging upside down like a flying fox, and crashing through obstacles like a wombat. Soon, the tired boy snuggles up next to his mum and falls asleep.

Rhonda Ooi’s engaging book blends narrative fiction and factual notes to take readers aged four to eight on a fascinating journey into the night-time world. Along the way, youngsters will discover the movement, bed and food of Australia’s most famous nocturnal creatures, from the owl and the possum to the Tasmanian devil. At the end of the book, there is a page brimming with information for kids keen to learn more.

Mel Corrigan’s bright illustrations are delightfully dynamic. Colourful curves and flowing lines mimic the natural motion of the birds and animals discussed in the text, drawing eager young eyes across the spreads. Realistic portrayals of the fauna will satisfy readers’ curiosity about the creatures' appearance.

Learning about nocturnal animals has never been more fun! I am NOT an OWL! is a clever and captivating introduction to the subject for nature-loving children, and it’s sure to become a firm favourite in no time.

We Won’t All Survive by Kate Alice Marshall (Affirm Press) PB RRP $22.99 ISBN 9781923293977

From the bestselling author of I Am Still Alive comes a new nail-biter: part survival story, part murder mystery, and all thriller—perfect for Karen McManus and Holly Jackson fans!

Two years ago, Mercy Grey was hailed as a hero for saving lives during a mall shooting. She still carries souvenirs from that incident: the fragment of a bullet lodged in her back, a mountain of medical debt, and guilt for ignoring her sister’s warnings that the sweet boy next door was anything but.

When billionaire-turned-TV-host Damien Dare recruits Mercy to compete on his new survivalist reality show, she can’t turn down a chance at the whopping cash prize that could send her sister to college—but when she and the other contestants arrive at the off-grid location, something isn’t right. The set is empty. The gates close without warning, trapping them inside. Then one of them turns up dead. What appeared at first to be a tragic accident quickly transforms as more contestants start dying. With time and resources running low, surviving this show takes on a new meaning.

Bin Chicken Goes for Gold

Bin Chicken Goes for Gold by Kate and Jol Temple, illustrated by Ronojoy Ghosh (Scholastic) HB RRP $19.99 ISBN: 9781760268275

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera 

Ibis follows a bus full of kids to a sports ground, where an athletics carnival is about to start. She sees her cousins, and is almost struck by a shot put. Then she flies off to a sandpit, where a long jumper nearly lands on her. Finally, she crashes into a heap after bouncing off the high-jump mattress. Tasty goodies at the canteen soon draw her attention, and Ibis runs away with a boy’s baguette. The race is on – Ibis passes the bread baton to her cousins to avoid the boy’s outstretched hand. Team Ibis wins the contest, but the prize isn’t a medal – it’s ‘sharing a meal with new friends and old’.

Fans of Kate and Jol Temple’s Bin Chicken series will love this action-packed book with humour. Rhyming couplets spring easily off the tongue, while a cheeky little mouse tosses up some pun-tastic comments that deserve a place on the wordplay podium. Although the book is aimed at three- to seven-year-olds who might not have had much experience with traditional sports days, the slapstick in the scenes will keep them laughing from spread to spread.

Ronojoy Ghosh’s bright illustrations reflect the fun of the text, while the subtle use of vectors keeps the pace going at full pelt from page to page. Small eyes will enjoy seeking out all of the amusing details, from Ibis’s tuna-can hat to the mouse riding on a discus like it’s a flying saucer, and later firing a joke starting pistol.

A feathery frolic from beginning to end, Bin Chicken Goes for Gold is sure to be read again and again. There are no prizes for guessing what youngsters will yell each time: ‘Ibis, Ibis, Ibis! Oi, Oi, Oi!’