The Break Up: It’s a Twin Thing

It’s a Twin Thing: The Break Up by Kristin Darell, illustrated by A.Yi (Penguin Random House Australia) PB RRP $14.99 ISBN 978-1-7613-535-98

Reviewed by Ann Harth (www.annharth.com )

Identical twins Abi and Brook do everything together. They play in the same rock band, dance at the same dance studio and share the same friends. Together they’re unstoppable.

The night before the first day of Grade Five, Abi and Brook’s parents break the news. For the first time in their lives, they will be in separate classes. Brook feels an unexpected and tiny thrill of excitement, while Abi is devastated.

Both girls find separation challenging in their own ways. Abi finds it difficult to watch Brook make new friends and feels her sister has moved on without her. Brook is trying to find her way as an individual, but misses her sister, who has suddenly become distant and unhappy.

Their ever-present ‘twin tingle’ that has connected them since birth has gone missing.

As the term continues, Brook dives into her role as the school talent show organiser, and Abi takes on a coveted role as a library monitor trainee. They both continue playing music with the Cherry Jammers, but Abi eventually discovers her own interests lie more with Tessa, the wildlife rescuer who lives nearby.

After plenty of heartache, misunderstandings, and learning to follow their own passions, Abi and Brook come to accept that, although they may look identical, they are not. Their individual strengths and interests help them navigate their lives, while they are always there to support each other.

The twin tingle returns.

From the very first page, Abi and Brook will captivate young readers. They take turns telling their stories from their unique perspectives, making it easy to relate to both girls' emotions and actions. Misunderstandings and hurt feelings are easy to understand.

Readers will be immersed in the emotional highs and lows, cheering for Abi and Brook as they learn to love each other while following their individual paths.

I highly recommend this book for middle-grade readers. It captures the angst and joys of school with sensitivity and authenticity. This series is sure to be a winner.

The Sugarcane Kids and the Mystery at Angel Bay

The Sugarcane Kids and the Mystery at Angel Bay by Charlie Archbold (Text Publishing) PB RRP $6.99 ISBN 978-1-9230-583-85

Reviewed by Ann Harth (www.annharth.com )

Charlie Archbold invites middle-grade readers to join Andy and the Sugarcane Kids as they solve The Mystery at Angel Bay where the rainforest meets the reef in Far North Queensland.

With the skate park’s croc fence under repair, Andy, Eli, Harvey and the twins have more time after school to ride to Angel Bay. Their friend Jerry, the giant groper, hangs out there under the boat ramp waiting for fishermen to discard their unwanted catch. But Jerry is not himself these days. Instead of gobbling down every fishy morsel that comes his way, he seems uninterested. Andy and the others hope Jerry’s lack of appetite isn’t connected to the dead sea creatures and misplaced shark eggs suddenly washing up along the pristine stretch of beach.

The environmental status of Angel Bay has always protected it from anything but recreational use. Without this status, it may be vulnerable to development, and Mayor Royce already has plans for a beachside tourist resort. The beached sea creatures could change everything and jeopardise Angel Bay’s protected status.

Something fishy is going on, and the Sugarcane Kids join forces and make a new friend. They climb cliffs overhanging crocodiles, mountain bike through bush trails, and snorkel the reef to unravel the mystery.

Mystery at Angel Bay is an absorbing and at times humorous adventure with plenty of twists to keep the reader guessing. The cast of characters make it even more enjoyable. Each of the Sugarcane kids is unique and likable with their own quirks and interests. The secondary characters add much to this book, and I found myself laughing aloud more than once.

Mystery at Angel Bay is written in first person through Andy’s viewpoint. His voice is convincing and natural and sprinkled with interesting facts about the rainforest and reefs of Far North Queensland.

I would highly recommend this book for a middle-grade audience. If this is a reader’s first leap into the Sugarcane Kids series, they will soon be back for more.

Highly Commended 2020 Buzz Words Short Story Prize

The Kingdom of Crunch

© Ann Harth (QLD)

“Greetings to the people of the Kingdom of Crunch,” King Crunch shouted. The radio speakers rattled.

Jacob turned down the volume. He bit into his banana.

Shmush.

Bananas were soft and squishy. But the best thing about a banana was the quiet sound they made.

Shmush.

“It has come to my attention,” the king bellowed, “that the most important law in the land has been broken.”

Jacob froze with his banana halfway to his mouth. 

The king continued. “I must remind you of the importance of living up to our name. The Kingdom of Crunch.”

Jacob flinched as the last word blasted from the speakers.

The king coughed and cleared his throat. “Only crunchy food is permitted within the walls of the kingdom. Popcorn, chips, carrots, apples, crackers – if it crunches, it is allowed. We have all worked hard to replace your smooth peanut butter with crunchy and your vanilla ice cream with butter brickle. We thought we had rid the land of soft fruits and cheeses.” The king took a deep breath. “But we haven’t! One person has disobeyed us. We know who you are, and we will be coming for you.”

Jacob leapt to his feet, his heart thudding.

Someone pounded on the door. “Open up!” a man’s voice called. “We’re taking you to the king.”

Jacob grabbed a sack by his back door and raced into the yard. Peaches and pears dangled from two small trees and a bunch of bananas slowly ripened. Jacob plucked pieces of fruit and tossed them into his bag. Maybe he could hide them.

“You! Stop right there!”

Jacob twirled around. Two soldiers stood in front of him. One grabbed his arm. The other yanked the bag from his hand.

 “The king wants to see you.” A soldier shoved him toward the road.

With a guard on either side, Jacob’s feet kicked up dust as he trudged toward the castle. As they approached, the huge doors cranked opened. They stepped into a crowd. Everyone was eating ­– chips, popcorn, carrots, apples.

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

Jacob covered his ears. He was led through another door where a small audience faced the throne at the front the room. A guard to his left chomped on a bag of chips. A woman in the front row bit into a carrot. A tall adviser beside the king munched on a crispy cracker.

A soldier dropped his bag of soft fruit at Jacob’s feet. “This is him, your majesty,” he shouted.

Jacob picked up his bag and held it to his chest. King Crunch always yelled and would show him no mercy. Jacob was sure of it.

‘Come forward,” the king roared. He coughed and touched his throat.

With wobbly knees, Jacob moved through a sea of crunches to stand before the king. He stopped.

The guard still chomped on a bag of chips. The woman bit off another piece of carrot. The adviser munched on his cracker as he stood beside the king.

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

The king cleared his throat. “What do you have in that bag?” he shouted over the din.

“It’s just fruit, sir,” Jacob said.

“Does it crunch?” The king bellowed, then coughed.

“No, your majesty,” Jacob said softly.

“What? Speak up!” the King’s shout dropped to a whisper. “I can’t hear ­­…” He swallowed. His eyes opened wide as he grabbed his throat. The king’s mouth was moving, but his whisper couldn’t be heard above the crunching.

“Your majesty! What’s wrong?” A soldier shouted.

The king pointed at Jacob.

Were they blaming him? Jacob gulped.

The guard still chomped. The woman still chewed. The adviser still munched.

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

Jacob held his bag close to his chest. The smell of peaches drifted into his nostrils. The king must have lost his voice because he always had to shout over the crunching.

Jacob had an idea.

Slowly, he reached into his bag and pulled out a peach. No one stopped him. He handed it to the guard. The guard stopped chomping as he held the soft fruit. He sniffed the skin and put down his chips.

Jacob turned to the woman crunching her carrot. He held out a pear. She looked at him and tucked the carrot into her back pocket. She took the pear.

Crunch. Crunch.

The tall adviser standing beside the king still munched his crispy cracker.

Jacob peeled a banana and stepped up to the adviser. The adviser handed Jacob his crackers and bit into the banana.

Shmush

The room was silent. The king reached up and pulled on Jacob’s elbow. He crooked his finger and Jacob leaned close.

“Please,” King Crunch whispered. “Before you go, may I have a banana?”

 

 

Bernice Takes a Plunge

Bernice Takes a Plunge by Ann Harth (Odyssey) ISBN 9781925652918 $14.95 RRP (PB)

Reviewed by Nean McKenzie

Bernice Peppercorn is a budding mystery writer and keen to be a real-life detective. She sees clues and crimes wherever she goes in her seaside town. Often, when her hunch turns out to be wrong, it gets her into trouble. But then there is an actual robbery of jewels from the mansion of local celebrity, Crystal Bell. Bernice befriends a mysterious man with a wooden leg down at the wharf and throws herself into solving the case.

Bernice is a character with oodles of energy, ideas and enthusiasm. Her best friend Maggie is home with chicken pox but that does not slow Bernice down. She goes from cooking cupcakes, to being annoyed by her brother Jake, to reporting crimes at the police station, to rowing boats out on the harbour, all while losing several hats. The story moves along at a cracking pace with plenty happening. And in the background Bernice finds time to write her story in Bushy Hollow.

While Bernice’s reasoning is often flawed, this leads her into some humorous situations. Like when she pretends to have a prosthetic leg to meet Ike, the one-legged fisherman. She uses a towel, some tape and a plunger and learns to walk (with a bit of falling over). When Bernice and Ike become friends, Bernice worries about how she’ll tell Ike she really has two legs. This acts as an amusing subplot as well as revealing something nice about Bernice’s character.

The later part of the story is quite exciting when Bernice and Ike get shipwrecked out on the local Thumb Tip island in the middle of a storm. Bernice must steer the boat and she and Ike climb up to a cave to safety. After this the mystery is solved quite quickly along with an unexpected revelation that Ike is actually Crystal Bell’s brother.

Bernice Takes a Plunge is an entertaining read. It has plenty of action to keep up the interest for younger middle-grade readers.

Bernice Takes a Plunge

Ann Harth’s latest children’s book is Bernice Takes a Plunge (Odyssey Books).

Bernice Peppercorn’s imagination fills her mind and her notebooks with adventure and intrigue. She sees crimes and mystery everywhere and races to the local police station daily to fulfil her civic duty.

When a real robbery is committed in town, Bernice dives into detective mode and stumbles across vital clues that could find the thieves. No one believes her except Ike, a one-legged fisherman who lives down at the wharf.

Max Booth: Tape Escape Book 1

Max Booth: Tape Escape by Cameron MacIntosh, illustrated by Dave Atze

(Big Sky Publishing) PB RRP $12.99

ISBN 978-1-925520-60-6

Reviewed by Ann Harth

Tape Escape is Book 1 of the Max Booth Future Sleuth series and introduces 11-year-old Max and Oscar, his robotic dog, in the year 2424. After escaping from the Home for Unclaimed Urchins, Max is constantly on the run from the Unclaimed Urchin Capture Squad. He and Oscar now live in a cosy box in a museum storeroom after being befriended by Jessie, the storeroom supervisor. Jessie often enlists Max to help her solve the mysteries surrounding some of the artefacts she must identify from the 20^th century.

In Tape Escape, Max is mystified when presented with a cassette tape from the 1980s. After sneaking into the library and conducting dangerous research, Max devises an ingenious technique of playing the tape and discovers that it contains recorded music from the legendary David Snowie. The tape is worth millions. When it’s stolen by an evil forensic musicologist, Max and Oscar must recover the tape and return it to Jessie and the museum.

Max’s world feels real from the very first page. Readers 8-10 will enjoy the blistering pace, the humour and also the clever, futuristic contraptions that are integrated into the action. The black and white drawings scattered throughout add visual cues that enhance the story and characters.

I highly recommend this book to young readers, as they will be taken on an enjoyable journey into the recent past as well as into the future. They don’t need to have lived in the 80s to enjoy the humour in this book, but it will touch some funny bones in parents and teachers as well. I will definitely look forward to Book 2: Selfie Search.

Cameron MacIntosh  has written more than 80 books for children and edited hundreds more for educational publishers. He has studied Psychology, Italian and Professional Writing. When he’s not wrapped up in the world of books, he sings and plays guitar in his Melbourne home.

Reviewer’s blurb:

Ann Harth is an author, ghostwriter, writing mentor and manuscript assessor. She loves to read and is committed to creating and helping to create children's literature that inspires, entertains and triggers a tiny twist in the mind.

www.awriters2020.com

www.annharth.com

The Pearl-shell Diver

The Pearl-shell Diver by Kay Crabbe (Allen & Unwin) PB RRP $16.99

ISBN 978-1-76029-047-4

Reviewed by Ann Harth (www.annharth.com )

The Pearl-shell Diver intrigued me from the first page. At dawn on a remote Torres Strait island in 1898 we meet 13-year-old Sario as he and his friend head out fishing in their canoe. They spot a white man’s pearl lugger in the distance, an increasingly common sight, and Sario is uneasy. This white man has his eye on Sario, who is young, strong and a skilled pearl-shell diver.

Many of Sario’s clan are growing old and weak and, with more and more luggers gathering the precious pearl-shells, the Island families are struggling to survive. When the white man returns, not Sario but his father is forced to leave his family and work on the pearl-lugger.

But then, Sario’s mother grows ill and it is up to him and his sister to take her to Thursday Island to find a doctor. Medicine is expensive and Sario has no choice but to find work as a pearl-shell diver on one of the boats. The conditions are appalling and the work dangerous with the constant threat of sharks, jealous crewmen and the crippling diver’s condition called the bends.

The situation unfolds as Sario finds the strength and courage to do what’s necessary to keep his family alive.

Readers, aged 9-13 years, will devour this fast-paced book, experiencing the excitement, frustration and thrill of danger as they follow Sario’s journey. The characters are three-dimensional and believable. Kay Crabbe has integrated the history of the Torres Strait Islands into her story and captured vivid sensory images that bring the area to life.

I would recommend The Pearl-shell Diver as a fast-paced, enjoyable story for children, but adults will enjoy it, too. It can also be used as a valuable and comprehensive history resource for classroom teachers.

Kay Crabbe lives in Far North Queensland. She began her writing career with feature articles for newspapers and magazines before moving into educational material for children. In researching and writing the historical novel, The Pearl-shell Diver, Kay took a journey back in time to the Torres Strait in the 1800s, across treacherous waters traversed by island canoes, pearling luggers and helmeted deep-sea divers. For more information about Kay and her writing, please visit www.kaycrabbe.com

That Car!

That Car! written by Cate Kennedy, illustrated by Carla Zapel (Allen and Unwin)

PB RRP $24.99

ISBN 978-1-74331-095-3

Reviewed by Ann Harth 

That Car! is a beautifully illustrated picture book that stimulates the imagination and illustrates the world of wonder that can be found in an old car.

When a family of five moves to a farm, the children find an ancient automobile in the barn that belonged to the old woman who lived there. Dad moves it out under a tree and the kids are free to play. The car becomes a magical vessel that carries them all over the world. They visit the Queen, climb Mount Everest and photograph rare and fascinating animals on an African safari.

Told through the eyes of one of the children, That Car! illustrates the unlimited imagination of young minds while highlighting the precious memories of an old woman. By the end of the book, the woman’s past and the children’s make-believe world are married and the car remains an integral part of the home.

In this age of technology, screens and passive play, That Car! is an important book. The story shows innovation on the part of the characters, while exposing a world of imagination that welcomes anyone who enters. Encouraging a fertile mind using nothing but an old car will invite young readers to explore their own worlds with an open mind and an eye for the fantastic.

That Car! is written in first person with age appropriate and simple language. The illustrations are fanciful and intricate and the reader will enjoy studying each picture for details that enrich the story. This book will appeal to children aged 3-7.

Cate Kennedy has won many awards for her adult fiction including, in 2010, the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards People’s Choice award for her novel The World Beneath. Her poetry and short stories have claimed much attention and she has also written a travel memoir titled Sing and Don’t Cry. That Car! Is Cate Kennedy’s first children’s book and I hope she writes many more.

Carla Zapel is well-known for illustrating Jasper and Abby and the Great Australia Day Kerfuffle written by Kevin Rudd and Rhys Muldoon. She is an illustrator and graphic designer currently residing in Brisbane but has also worked in Sydney, Canberra and London.

Ann Harth is a published children's author and writing tutor at Australian College of Journalism. She loves to read and is committed to creating children's literature that inspires, entertains and triggers a tiny twist in the mind. Her latest middle-grade novel, The Art of Magic, was released in 2012.

Jumping Fences

Jumping Fences by Karen Wood (Allen and Unwin)
PB RRP $15.99
ISBN 978-1-74331-639-9
Reviewed by Ann Harth

Pieces of the puzzle are missing.

Zoe wakes up in a hospital bed after falling from her horse and can’t remember what happened. She had been mustering cattle with her boyfriend and best friend but, since her fall, neither of them will answer her calls. Adding to her confusion is the sudden interest of Josh, a “super serial nerd” and definitely not Zoe’s type.

Zoe’s problems are compounded by the fact that her family’s farm is in jeopardy. Cattle are disappearing and the missing stock from the day of Zoe’s fall is the last straw. If they can’t recover their livestock and find the culprit, they will have to sell. Zoe’s recent actions are causing her father to lose faith in her and he is threatening to send her to live with her mother in town. The solid existence she took for granted is threatened.

As snippets of her memory return, Zoe is faced with some painful truths about friendship, family and her own priorities.

Jumping Fences is a spirited novel aimed at 13-16 year olds. Many will be able to identify with Zoe as she struggles to make decisions about what – and who – is important to her. Loyalty and honesty play a large part in this story and the strength and wisdom that Zoe eventually finds will go a long way toward empowering the reader. Her realistic character growth drives the story toward a satisfying ending.

The writing in this book is clear and concise, flowing smoothly as it moves between the current situation and Zoe’s recovering memories. Mystery and romance is woven throughout the book as well as some surprising twists that will keep the reader riveted until the end.

Karen Wood is the mother of two and author of the popular Diamond Spirit books. She is mad about horses but is also a qualified horticulturalist with a degree in Communications. When not aiming for the teenaged audience, Karen writes bushwalking and gardening articles for various magazines and newspapers. She has a menagerie of animals on her small acreage in New South Wales and spends her free time with her children and horses.

Ann Harth is a published children's author, freelance editor, ghostwriter and writing tutor at Australian College of Journalism. She loves to read and is committed to creating children's literature that inspires, entertains and triggers a tiny twist in the mind. Her latest middle-grade novel, The Art of Magic, is now available from Amazon and Barnes and Noble. 

The Four Seasons of Lucy McKenzie

The Four Seasons of Lucy McKenzie by Kirsty Murray (Allen and Unwin)
PB RRP $14.99
ISBN 978-1-74331-702-0
Reviewed by Ann Harth

When Lucy McKenzie’s sister is in an accident in France, Lucy is forced to stay with Aunt Big in a big, old, country house filled with mysteries. To make matters worse, Aunt Big doesn’t seem to be any more thrilled with the situation than Lucy.

Lucy is miserable, worried about her sister and missing her family, until one night she hears someone calling from downstairs. She follows the sound of the voice to the dining room where all four walls are covered in murals of the countryside. Each wall depicts one of the four seasons. The voice is coming from the springtime painting where a young girl waves and calls. Lucy steps through the wall and into the early 20th century. There she meets April, Tom and Jimmy Tiger who teach Lucy how to love and live in the country. Lucy finds a source of untapped courage inside of her and learns to appreciate the thrill of adventure as the four of them climb trees, ride horses and swim in the river.

Time goes more quickly for Lucy’s new friends in the past and, although she is only staying with Aunt Big for a few weeks, she is able to visit them once in each of their seasons. She helps them to conquer bushfires and floods and, through her knowledge of the family’s history, learns that she must pass on a warning to the people she has grown to love.

The Four Seasons of Lucy McKenzie is a riveting read filled with mystery and twists as well as the satisfaction of watching the relationship between Lucy and Aunt Big blossom and grow. Kirsty Murray’s attention to detail in this book encourages the reader to skip back and forth between decades with ease and believability. Although the clues were all there, I was kept guessing and enthralled until the very end.

I would highly recommend this book to 9-12 year olds. It will be particularly appealing to those with a vivid imagination and the love of adventure.

Award winning author, Kirsty Murray has written fourteen books for children and teenagers. Her first novel, Zarconi’s Magic Flying Fish won the Western Australian Premier’s Book Award in 2000. She lives with her husband, a puppeteer, in a house filled with books and puppets. Kirsty Murray offers writing workshops and can often be found wandering through a bookstore or library.

Ann Harth is a published children's author and writing tutor at Australian College of Journalism. She loves to read, write and is committed to creating children's literature that inspires, entertains and triggers a tiny twist in the mind. Her latest middle-grade novel, The Art of Magic, and her book for budding authors, Writing for Children – In the Beginning are available from Amazon. 

Mucked Up

Mucked Up by Danny Katz (Allen and Unwin)
PB RRP $15.99
ISBN 978-1-74237-925-8
Reviewed by Ann Harth

It’s the worst day ever. It’s year-12 muck-up day. Tom Zurbo-Goldblatt and the rest of the school are targets for the mad seniors who are armed with eggs, baked bean goop, tomato sauce and anything else that splats when hurled. Worst of all is the Weapon of Mass Spray-Destruction filled with fish sauce.

Tom sneak-walks (snawks) through his day trying to survive his stint on yard duty, an assignment for I.T. called Me in 30 Seconds and the imminent break-up of the Students Combined Underground Movement (S.C.U.M.).

S.C.U.M. headquarters is smelly with fish sauce and Tom, Jarell, Jack S, Ravo, and Brisley are barely speaking to each other. Jarell and Jack S have hooked up and are too busy holding hands and staring at each other to notice anyone else. Ravo is dripping with everything the year twelves have to offer and smells like fish. Brisley, aka Milkbottle, has changed overnight - from pale goth to cute stunner and has joined the Hagz – The Hot Asian Girls. SCUM seems doomed.

Throw a greased pig into the mix and you will have a pretty clear idea of Mucked Up.

From the first invented word until the final giggle, I was captivated. Tom became my new best friend and I could hear his voice as if he were sitting on my shoulder. Each and every unique character made me smile when seen through the eyes of Tom Zurbo-Goldblatt.

Danny Katz’s first novel for teenagers, S.C.U.M., was a great success and I predict that Mucked Up will follow the same path. It will appeal to kids aged 12-16, but I am well beyond that and my grin was punctuated with belly laughs through the entire book.

Canadian-born Danny Katz made a name for himself in stand-up comedy in 1990 and is a columnist for The Syndey Morning Herald and The Age. He has written many children’s books: Spit the Dummy, Dork Geek Jew and also the Little Lunch series. Danny Katz’s style for teenagers is magnetic and unmistakeable.

Ann Harth is a published children's author and writing tutor at Australian College of Journalism. She loves to read and is committed to creating children's literature that inspires, entertains and triggers a tiny twist in the mind. Her latest middle-grade novel, The Art of Magic, was released in 2012. 

Song for a Scarlet Runner

Song for a Scarlet Runner by Julie Hunt (Allen and Unwin)
PB RRP $15.99
ISBN 978-1-74331-358-9
Reviewed by Ann Harth (www.annharth.com )

Nine-year-old Peat and her sister, Marlie, live at the Overhang, a simple rock shelter they’ve made into a home. They care for a small herd of cattle and survive on their wits and the meagre supplies their aunt brings from the neighbouring settlement of Skerrick (a name as dismal and gritty as the place).

A stranger passes through one day and Peat gives him directions to Skerrick. She is unaware that he is carrying a deadly disease. When the townspeople become ill, Peat is blamed and chased from the only home she’s ever known.

Peat is alone and frightened. She travels aimlessly, only wishing to survive. Along the way, a small but strange creature joins her. The agile sleek keeps Peat on her toes as he bites and scratches but also supplies her with food. She cannot decide whether he is a friend or enemy, but has no choice but to follow him. He leads her deep into the marshes where she is trapped by Eadie, one of the Marsh Aunties. Peat’s leg is broken.

Eadie, a healer and storyteller, decides that Peat will be her apprentice. Peat wants her freedom, but her broken leg keeps her from fleeing. In the meantime, Eadie teaches her the power of words. Peat is a fast learner, intrigued by the magical influences the Marsh Auntie’s stories seem to have on real life.

Eadie has business in The Hub, a multi-storied metropolis a few days away. She bundles Peat into a boat and they set out on the river. The sleek travels with them at times but disappears without warning. His loyalty is still a puzzle. Peat’s leg grows stronger every day and, by the time they reach the Hub, she is healed and begins to plan her escape.

Soon after their arrival, Peat misses her only chance to run. This is a dangerous mistake as she quickly discovers that Eadie has a debt to pay and Peat’s life is the price.

Song for a Scarlet Runner is the story of a young girl’s search for truth, friendship and family. The characters are unique and memorable and Peat inspires great empathy. She is feisty, brave and intelligent. Once I opened this book, she rarely left my mind until I had finished. Peat’s character invites the reader to become totally immersed in her story.

The multiple twists and turns in Song for a Scarlet Runner will enthral any child over the age of 12. This fast-paced, emotive book will leave the reader smiling.

Julie Hunt lives in a mud brick house with a composting toilet on a farm in southern Tasmania. As a child she wanted to be a boy, a ballerina or a trumpet player. We are lucky – she became a writer instead. She attended a festival in Ireland which helped her to write Song for a Scarlet Runner. For more information on Julie Hunt, please visit: http://www.juliehunt.com.au.

Ann Harth is a published children's author and writing tutor at Australian College of Journalism. She loves to read and is committed to creating children's literature that inspires, entertains and triggers a tiny twist in the mind. Her latest middle-grade novel, The Art of Magic, is available from Amazon.

Shot, Boom, Score

Shot, Boom, Score by Justin Brown (Allen and Unwin)
PB RRP $14.99
ISBN 978-1-74331-368-8
Reviewed by Ann Harth (www.annharth.com )

Toby Gilligan-Flanagan wants a GameBox V3. His dad agrees to buy him one but there’s a catch: Toby has to score 20 wickets and 10 tries by the end of the season.

For many of Toby’s friends this may have seemed like an obstacle, but for Toby? No problem. He is a star bowler and feels he was born to kick a ball. Toby has sport in his blood. The new GameBox V3 is his!

But then the new kid arrives. Malcolm McGarvey has legs that look like they were stolen from a gorilla. He lives with his uncle and is allowed to stay up all night. He was attacked by a shark and has a squiggly scar on his neck to prove it. McGarvey is also good at sport but he doesn’t care much about winning; he only wants to stop Toby from scoring.

I was caught up in Toby’s world so completely that I ripped through Shot, Boom, Score at a blistering speed. Toby is very real. His decisions are not always the best, but they seem like a good idea at the time. I thoroughly enjoyed Toby’s journey as he learns to deal with McGarvey and strives to earn his GameBox V3. This is a great book for children aged 8-12. They will love Toby and his friends and even learn to appreciate McGarvey, much like Toby does.

Shot, Boom, Score is written in Toby’s viewpoint in the form of a ‘logbook’. It’s not a diary. Diaries smell like strawberries and have wimpy little locks. Toby’s struggles to gain his points, battle with McGarvey and stay out of trouble are recorded in this book, the kind of logbook a sea captain would use.

Justin Brown has written 25 books for adults and children. One of his most incredible experiences was, after writing about Toby for two years, he accidentally met him on a street in New Zealand.  The boy’s mannerisms and looks seemed vaguely familiar until it finally clicked. This was Toby Gilligan-Flanagan. Oddly enough, the boy’s name was Toby. For more on this story and to get to know Justin Brown a little better, please visit his website: http://www.justinbrownbooks.com/

Ann Harth is a published children's author, freelance editor and ghostwriter and writing tutor at Australian College of Journalism. She loves to read and is committed to creating children's literature that inspires, entertains and triggers a tiny twist in the mind. Her latest middle-grade novel, The Art of Magic, is now available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble. 

A Very Unusual Pursuit: City of Orphans

A Very Unusual Pursuit: City of Orphans by Catherine Jinks (Allen and Unwin)
PB RRP $14.99
ISBN 978-1-74331-306-0
Reviewed by Ann Harth (www.annharth.com )

Birdie is ten. She lives in London in the 1870s at a time when Bogles – child-eating monsters – are scattered throughout the city. They reside in wells, chimneys, sewers and any place that welcomes the dark and dastardly.

Alfred Bunce is a well-known bogler. He’s paid to hunt and kill bogles. Bunce has the magical sword and vast experience in his trade but he can’t do it alone. Without Birdie, his success would evaporate like the bogels he kills.

In exchange for lodging and food, Birdie works as an apprentice for Mr Bunce. Her job is to be the bogle bait. Standing with her back to the yawning darkness in places where children have disappeared, Birdie sings in her clear, sweet voice. She stands in a ring of salt crystals and watches the black opening through a mirror. The singing draws the bogles near but Birdie knows exactly when to leap from harm. At the same instant, Mr Bunce thrusts his sword through the bogle and the monster dissolves.

Birdie feels fulfilled in her work, thanking her good fortune every day that she has not yet landed in the workhouse. There, children are beaten and starved and made to work all hours of the day and night.

When Miss Eames, a real lady, enters the scene, she’s horrified by Birdie’s plight, and tries to find alternative methods for luring bogles from hiding. Birdie is furious. This meddling will only make her lose her job. If that happens, she’ll be tossed into the workhouse forever.

Creating a shaky alliance, Mr Bunce, Birdie and Miss Eames work together to uncover the mystery behind the disappearance of some of the missing children, a crime masterminded by someone even more evil than bogles.

In the first book of this series readers, 10 and older, will follow Birdie, Mr Bunce and Miss Eames through the perilous streets of 19th century London, begging for more when they turn the final page. A Very Unusual Pursuit: City of Orphans will have its audience riveted as they race through this fast-paced adventure.

I recommend this book for lovers of intrigue and adventure. The characters are strong and believable and the setting gives the reader a strong impression of the time and place in which the story is set.

Award-winning Catherine Jinks has written over 30 books for all ages. She was born in Brisbane but grew up in Papua New Guinea. She attended high school and university in Sydney and now resides with her husband and daughter in Leura NSW. Catherine Jinks has been writing since she was eight years old. Fingers crossed that she continues for a long, long time. For more information about Catherine Jinks, please visit www.catherinejinks.com

My Best friend and Other Enemies

My Best Friend and Other Enemies by Catherine Wilkins (Allen and Unwin)
PB RRP $14.99
ISBN 978-0-85763-095-7
Reviewed by Ann Harth


Jessica and Natalie have been best friends forever. Before they were in sixth grade, they made dens in the lounge room with sheets and ate Fizzy Wands all night. They even pretended they belonged to a pop band and wore matching rainbow t-shirts.

Best friends do these things. Well, they do until they start sixth grade and Amelia enters the scene.

Suddenly Natalie seems to spend more time with creepy Amelia than with her best friend. Jessica is hurt but not beaten. She lingers around the fringes of Natalie’s new life until she decides to strike out on her own.

In this funny and fast paced novel for children aged nine and over, Jessica makes new friends and focuses on her true talent, creating cartoons. Her artistic skills and wit help her to get noticed by tough Tanya. Tanya is always in trouble and Jessica is a little afraid of her, but Tanya seems to like her. She nicknames her “Toons” and plays the part of protector, boosting Jessica’s reputation with the rest of the school.

While Amelia muscles Jessica out of her best friendship with Natalie, Jessica teams up with a whole new group of friends and discovers that she can have just as much, if not more, fun with them.

A welcome twist at the end of the book brings about a satisfying conclusion which allows Jessica to retain her newly discovered individuality and her new friends as well as gain some notoriety as a cartoonist.

Catherine Wilkins captures the voice and thoughts of Jessica beautifully, making it seems as though the author still remembers the roller-coaster of Grade Six as though it were yesterday. Her writing is clear and appealing and her characters likeable. My Best Friend and Other Enemies is hilarious; it’s a book that’s hard to put down. I highly recommend it for ages nine and up.

Catherine Wilkins is a comedian and writer. She lives in London and, when she isn’t writing, performs stand-up comedy in the UK. She has had a wide variety of jobs in her past from insurance broker to pizza deliverer but her favourite is being a writer. For more information about Catherine Wilkins and her book, please visit http://catherinewilkins.co.uk.

Ann Harth is a published children's author and writing tutor at Australian College of Journalism. She loves to read, write and is committed to creating children's literature that inspires, entertains and triggers a tiny twist in the mind. Her latest middle-grade novel, The Art of Magic, and her book for budding authors, Writing for Children – In the Beginning are available from Amazon. 

The Moon Shines Out of the Dark

The Moon Shines Out of the Dark by Stephanie Dowrick, illustrated by Anne Spudvilas
(Allen and Unwin)
PB RRP $24.99
ISBN 978-1-74237-565-6
Reviewed by Ann Harth (www.annharth.com )

Harry loves the moon. He loves thinking about it and he loves looking at it. Once he asked his mum for a ladder long enough to reach the moon. “Will you hold the ladder steady while I climb?” he says. Mum promised.

Harry likes to know what’s going to happen. “It’s time to get up, Harry,” Mum says. “It’s time for the bus, Harry,” Mum says.

But Mum’s away. Harry goes to work with his dad and plays with his friends at school. It seems like Mum’s been away forever.

On this night, Harry’s room is dark. He hops from his bed and onto the cold floor. He and looks out the window. The moon hides behind thick clouds. Harry wishes he could pull them apart like curtains. The night is dark without the moon but as he watches, the clouds part and the moon shines out of the dark.

He hears footsteps and his bedroom door opens. Mum is hugging him and he is smiling. “It’s time to sleep now, Harry,” Mum says.

This book will appeal to children 4-8 and parents of all ages. Harry is a believable character and many children will be able to identify with his comfort in guidelines, his dreams of a ladder that reaches the moon and even his cold nose and feet as he stands in his dark bedroom.

The Moon Shines Out of the Dark is a gentle book about a little boy who misses his mum. The language is simple and clear and the combination of Stephanie Dowrick’s prose and Anne Spudvilas’ soothing and effective water colours will create a cocoon of warmth and safety around a child as he drops off to sleep. I highly recommend this book.

Bestselling author, Stephanie Dowrick is a spiritual activist and public speaker as well as an interfaith minister. Family and the quality of relationships are important to her and much of her writing illustrates this. She has written many books on spiritual and personal development. The Moon Shines Out of the Dark is the first picture book she has written for many years. For more information on Stephanie Dowrick, visit www.stephaniedowrick.com.

Anne Spudvilas’ illustrations bring an additional element of warmth and tenderness to this story. Anne Spudvilas is an award-winning illustrator for children’s picture books as well as a courtroom artist for the Melbourne media. The Race was awarded the Crichton Award for Illustration and CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) Honour Book. Jenny Angel was chosen as CBCA Picture Book of the Year and was also shortlisted for the NSW Premiers Award. For more information on Anne Spudvilas visit www.annespudvilas.com.

Ann Harth is a published children's author and writing tutor at Australian College of Journalism. She loves to read and is committed to creating children's literature that inspires, entertains and triggers a tiny twist in the mind. Her latest middle-grade novel, The Art of Magic, is available from Amazon.

Parvana’s Promise

Parvana's Promise by Deborah Ellis (Allen and Unwin)
PB RRP $15.99
ISBN 13-978-1-74331-298-8
Reviewed by Ann Harth

Fifteen-year-old Parvana, living in post-Taliban Afghanistan, is found alone in the remains of a bombed out school. American authorities seize her and treat her as a suspected terrorist. She is questioned, threatened and mistreated. During the ordeal, Parvana remains silent. She provides no information and never raises her voice to defend herself or explain her proximity to the destroyed school.

Told from the point of view of Parvana, we begin with her imprisonment and her stoic silence as she deals with the uncertainty of her future as a prisoner. Although she says not a word to her captors, her memories are portrayed in alternating chapters and take the reader on a vivid and emotional journey through the events leading up to the bombing of her beloved school.

Parvana, alongside family and friends, takes a leadership role in the battle against powerful forces opposed to Afghani girls’ right to an education. Her story illustrates one girls’ decision to turn her back on her own safety and comfort so she can fight for the good of her people.

Parvana’s Promise takes the reader on a journey through determination and courage as Parvana remembers her past and keeps her silence in the face of her fear.

The first two books in this trilogy, Parvana, a young girl’s efforts to make a life for herself in Afghanistan and Parvana's Journey, a quest to find her family, lead us to Parvana’s Promise which continues the story of Parvana’s struggle for survival and rights as a girl living in Afghanistan.

Many of Deborah Ellis’s award winning books are based on personal experiences and her own observations of women and children in countries steeped in military and social chaos. Her voice is clear, honest and paints a disturbing but courageous picture that is not often seen outside of these regions. For more information on Deborah Ellis, please visit www.deborahellis.com.

Ann Harth is a published children's author and writing tutor at Australian College of Journalism. She loves to read and is committed to creating children's literature that inspires, entertains and triggers a tiny twist in the mind. Her latest middle-grade novel, The Art of Magic, is now available from Amazon and Barnes and Noble. 

Between the Lines

 Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer (Allen and Unwin)
PB RRP $24.99
ISBN 978-1-74331-092-2
Reviewed by Ann Harth (www.annharth.com )

What happens when you close a book? Are the characters simply suspended in time, waiting for someone to open it again? You might think so, until you read Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and her daughter, Samantha van Leer.

Delilah is 15 – way too old for fairy tales. Everyone already thinks she’s weird because she’d rather read than hang out with the mall and lip gloss crowd. What would they think if they saw her reading a book for little kids?

But for some reason, Delilah simply can’t get enough of Between the Lines, a book she found in the school library. Prince Oliver, the reluctant hero, seems to reach out to her and she feels an inexplicable connection with him. One day, she’s shocked but certain that Oliver glances at her from the pages of the book.

Oliver lives in a fairy tale world that is not what it seems. As soon as the book is closed, the characters return to their “real” lives. Oliver avoids Seraphima, the beautiful but irritating princess, and hangs out with his best friend, Frump, the dog (who is secretly in love with Seraphima). If he isn’t tasting the Queen’s baked treats, Oliver is swimming with the pirates who are “actually quite nice fellows” as long as the book is closed. Even the Queen isn’t his real mother, but just a kind, elderly woman who plays the part. Oliver wants out. He’s tired of scrambling into position every time someone opens the book. He wants to discover what’s out there beyond the pale flat faces that peer down at him.

When Delilah and Oliver discover that they can actually talk to each other, they grow close and are determined to find a way to be together. Although they live in two different worlds, they devise a number of schemes to help Oliver escape from the confines of his fairy tale.

Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer have created an intriguing fantasy with a unique style. Between the Lines is written using three consecutive storylines which unfold over the course of the novel. Delilah and Oliver each have their own chapters so we can see what happens in their respective worlds as well as their overlapping experiences. The fairy tale is the third storyline and adds even more conflict as the reader can see the contradictory role Oliver has to play as the prince who’s afraid of dragons.

Between the Lines is engaging and filled with internal as well as external conflict. It will appeal to readers aged 11-15.

Jodi Picoult is the author of eighteen novels, four of which have been New York Times bestsellers. The idea for Between the Lines came from her teenage daughter Samantha van Leer. When Samantha isn’t writing she’s playing softball, dancing, performing and playing with her dogs. Mother and daughter worked together to create this absorbing book.

Ann Harth is a published children's author and writing tutor at Australian College of Journalism. She loves to read and is committed to creating children's literature that inspires, entertains and triggers a tiny twist in the mind. Her latest middle-grade novel, The Art of Magic, is now available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble. 

The Art of Magic

The Art Of Magicby Ann Harth (Solstice Publishing)
RRP PB $9.99, eBook $3.99 (Amazon.com)
Smashwords $3.99
All Romance eBooks $3.99
Bookstrand $3.99
Barnes and Noble $3.99
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

The Art of Magic is an intriguing story of a boy struggling to come to terms with the death of his father from illness. However, while there is a backdrop of grief and longing, the story is never overwhelmed by this. Rather, elements of history, timeslip, and friendship shine through.

Andrew lives in Momentary Point, a coastal town with  heritage that goes back to the earliest times of white settlement in Australia. He is a lonely boy. Following his father's death, Mum works many hours at her supermarket job to make ends meet.  He has withdrawn from his best friend Jack due to a perceived disloyalty; given up his painting; and is constantly threatened by the local bullies.

Andrew finds friendship and guidance assisting a local artist 'Mad' Max in his market stall. Max was once a local teacher who disappeared for thirteen years and has never revealed why. At the stall, he sells paintings, all of the same house though at different times of the year. There is a thread throughout of people asking why he only paints this house and Ann Harth does a good job of building the intrigue around this key aspect of the story.

All the characters are well drawn. Even absent Dad is a fully developed character and Dad's love of history woven through the story is integral to the resolution. Ann Harth pulls in all the threads beautifully for a very satisfying ending.  Andrew is able to help Max find his way back through time and this helps Andrew comes to term with the loss of his father. He is also able to reconnect with his friend Jack and to neutralise the bullies.

Ann Harth is the author of numerous fiction and non-fiction books for children and adults. She is a writing tutor, ghostwriter and manuscript assessor. For more information about Ann, her services and books go to www.annharth.com 

On Two Feet and Wings

 On Two Feet and Wings: One Boy's Amazing Story of Survival by Abbas Kazerooni (Allen and Unwin)
PB RRP $15.99
ISBN 978-1-74331-105-9
Reviewed by Ann Harth (www.annharth.com )

On Two Feet and Wings is the true story of a child’s struggle for survival during the Iran-Iraq war. Abbas is only nine years old when he flees Iran – alone.

Born into a wealthy and high-profile family, Abbas Kazerooni lives with Maman and Baba in Tehran. He and his parents are watched carefully by the rulers of Iran. When they reduce the army recruitment age to eight years old, it’s critical that Abbas escapes. Although Baba is not allowed to leave the country, he wants to send Abbas and Maman to Istanbul to keep them safe. All does not go as planned.

When they reach the airport, Maman is told that she is not allowed to leave Iran either. The choice is difficult but must be made swiftly. Abbas travels to Turkey alone or he goes to war. He lands in Istanbul, alone and terrified. He trusts no one and is suddenly faced with a constant struggle for survival. At nine years old, Abbas learns the lessons of a lifetime and meets many people; some can be trusted and others cannot. He discovers betrayal, trust, patience and great ingenuity within himself.

The writing in this book is superb, allowing the story to unfold effortlessly as the story progresses. Kazerooni’s use of sensory images invites readers to become so involved in Abbas’s life that they will feel as though they are wandering the streets of Istanbul beside him. This book will touch the hearts of young readers aged 12-14 as they follow Abbas on the most challenging journey of his life.

On Two Feet and Wings is Abbas Kazerooni’s first book. As well as an author, he is a lawyer, actor and producer. He attended the London Academy of Performing Arts and has worked in film, television and radio.

Ann Harth is a published children's author and writing tutor at Australian College of Journalism. She loves to read and is committed to creating children's literature that inspires, entertains and triggers a tiny twist in the mind. Her latest middle-grade novel, The Art of Magic, is now available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.