Wingdom

Wingdom by Dianne Ellis (Brolga Publishing) is 48 pages long and ideal for children up to 11 years. 

At age 11, Flynn's strong beliefs in saving all creatures, including the smallest insects, often make him a target for ridicule. He befriends Jack, a new classmate who shares a love for winged creatures and who was bequeathed a tiny pair of wings from a dying moth. These wings allow Jack access into a magical kingdom called Wingdom.
Jack invites Flynn to travel with him to Wingdom where they share a wondrous time flying and making new friends until some hideous giant spiders appear and entrap them.

With great effort, they escape but only with the help of two brave dragonflies who send farting fireballs to the spiders.

Wingdom is a special place where adventures happen and lasting friendships are formed.

In this book, author Dianne Ellis showcases the importance of friendship, caring for others and believing in yourself.

Wingdom by Dianne Ellis

Wingdom by Dianne Ellis (Brolga Publishing)

At age 11, Flynn's strong beliefs in saving all creatures, including the smallest insects, often make him a target for ridicule. He befriends Jack, a new classmate who shares a love for winged creatures and who was bequeathed a tiny pair of wings from a dying moth. These wings allow Jack access into a magical kingdom called Wingdom.

Jack invites Flynn to travel with him to Wingdom where they share a wondrous time flying and making new friends until some hideous giant spiders appear and entrap them.
With great effort, they escape but only with the help of two brave dragonflies who send farting fireballs to the spiders.

Wingdom is a special place where adventures happen, and lasting friendships are formed.

Not Just a Piece of cake: Being an Author

 Not Just a Piece of cake: Being an Author by Hazel Edwards (Brolga Publishing) PB RRP $19.99

ISBN 9781922 175809

Reviewed by Susanne Gervay

The hippopotamus may be eating cake, but you’ll have a feast reading Hazel Edwards’ memoir on ‘Being An Author.’  From country girl who read before she went to school courtesy of her very Baptist grandma who also terrified young Hazel with bloodthirsty missionary serials to fifty-five year old Hazel the Antarctic explorer stranded in ice on the supply ship ‘Polar Bird’, this Memoir is strangely addictive.

Hazel Edwards was born a story teller. An only child, she grew up in rural Victoria where her parents ran the seven-day-a-week general store. Life became difficult when her father fell ill and they had to keep moving, finding themselves in new general stores and towns. Hazel went to four secondary high schools alone and when her parents could not afford for her to continue at school, she started work at the State Bank. Hazel opposed the bank policy which only sponsored the study fees of male employees because ‘Females will just get married.’ She left the State Bank to study primary school teaching.  

However, Hazel knew she was a writer and refused to follow the conventions for girls and ‘marry the farmer … and (do) teaching or nursing.’ She did eventually marry and have two wonderful children who became part of her writing life as she juggled family with her profession. She was a primary school teacher for a while. Her love of teaching found a permanent place in her career through  teaching writing students, mentoring her women writers (the Hazelnuts) and acting as a mentor to many authors.

For this inveterate explorer, endlessly inquisitive, deeply interested in people, life was not just a piece of cake. ‘Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity.’ It is also the willingness to go into brave new areas. Who could imagine that the endearing imaginative picture book There’s a Hippopotamus on Our Roof Eating Cake conceived in 1978 inspired by her children, would become an international best seller?

This memoir reveals Hazel to be a trail-blazer going into areas ‘where angels fear to tread’. Her F2M young adult novel with Ryan Kennedy who underwent gender change from female to male is a leading book in this new wave of young adult literature. Her adult books include Difficult Personalities in collaboration with psychologist Helen McGrath that gives insights into psychopathic behaviours; Non-Boring Family History which continues to be a staple guide in writing family histories; Cycling Solo; Ireland to Istanbul in collaboration with Hazel’s son Trevelyan who actually rode from Ireland to Istanbul.  

Hazel’s current project, an illustrated children’s book Hijabi Girl written in collaboration with librarian Ozge, gives Islamic children a place to be acknowledged.

This memoir is also an author's life on the road. She’s ‘been everywhere, man (or more appropriately woman)’ from a Nepali Montessori School in Kathmandu reading hippo; Nanjing School for the Blind; the mining settlement of Mt Newman in the heart of the East Pilbara. There have been times of exhaustion and exhilaration adventuring on the road as an author speaking at schools, literary festivals, libraries and community events for all ages.  Everything that can goes wrong did go wrong from Hippo the huge stuffed hippopotamus splitting at the seams; to losing her voice; to a helicopter crash in the Antarctic. But then everything that can go right did go right from a standing ovation at St Kilda Film Festival premiere of the Pocket Bonfire film version of Hazel’s Hippo eating that cake; being in Paris and seeing Hippo displayed in the Australian Bookshop; to Alice the Country Women’s Association ‘best cook’ making Hazel 24 profiteroles in Condobolin in exchange for writing ideas.

It is heart-warming to read the fan mail Hazel receives from children and adults. Writing is more than a book. It is a full life that includes working with Auslan, Australian Sign Language and Braille, being a National Reading Ambassador and supporting literacy in a myriad of ways.

Hazel also translates her experiences into practical writing advice. How to embellish and retell stories, maintaining integrity in what you write, writer’s block, developing characters, getting ideas, how to develop them and a host of invaluable insights into the writing process.

Not just a piece of cake: Being An Author is a delightful insight into the life of a much-loved author. It inspires those who wish to begin the author’s journey and those on the journey. It’s also a book with a special quirkiness that once you have finished reading it, you want to drop in again and again. Highly recommended.

Susanne Gervay is a reviewer and children’s author www.sgervay.com

Knowing Joey Field

Knowing Joey Field by Pauline Luke (Brolga Publishing available through Pan Macmillan)

PB RRP $16.99

ISBN 9781922175403

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

With a superbly constructed storyline and characters that stand out like beacons in a dark night, Knowing Joey Field is a stunning book on youth, bulling and friendships.

Being the new kids at school should’ve been something that siblings Stephie and Matt were used to. They’d moved around enough. But here they were again, trying to fit in and make new friends with all the same old problems, but now in Moody Bay.

Stephie is befriended by Rose, the sister of the school bully Damian Connor. Matt hooks up with Joey, who is held in awe by many due to his psychic powers and the mysterious something more of himself that he keeps locked away.

Damian is a calculating, manipulative rich boy whose followers do his bidding to stay out of his attack radar. A con artist extraordinaire, his character depicts the evil side of bullies and their bullying tactics. I felt the victim’s fear and their submission to him, and was there in every scene throughout the book.

Pauline Luke has built a powerful story about bullying and its harmful and often tragic outcomes on people’s lives. This confronting theme is perfectly woven into a background of family life, conflicting friendships, tales of sunken treasure, and a series of mysterious break-ins.

Pauline Luke received a twelve months residency at Billilla in Brighton, Melbourne, to complete this book. She has also been the recipient of a May Gibbs and Varuna residency.

The Vanilla Assassin

The Vanilla Assassin by AN Boswell (Brolga Publishing)

PB RRP $24.99

ISBN 978-192159614-8

Reviewed by Kathryn Duncan

Set during the 30 Years War, The Vanilla Assassin is an engrossing read about a young boy, Gustave, gifted, or cursed, with the ability to change his appearance to that of another person.  In a time where witches are burned at the stake, doppelganger’s, as Gustave’s type are called, are feared throughout the community.

Guided by his father, Artur, Gustave works using his shape changing ability and The Vanilla Assassin leads us through Gustave’s preparation for his next, but for him unknown, job.  Befriended by the Jesuit Priest by whom he is employed, Gustave is accepted into Dresden’s elite music school lead by composer Heinrich Schutz, a person that Gustave soon comes to respect.

Gustave’s character development throughout the novel is that from young boy to adult. He is challenged in more ways that he could expect, firstly dealing with the absence of his father who has always controlled what jobs Gustave does, the development of trust in Father Friedrich, his growing affection for Schutz and the blossoming of romance with fellow student, Sophie.  Gustave’s feelings for each relationship is challenged and the final realisation of what his “job” involves has him questioning his role.  It also raises the question of what is the value of love - for a child, a parent, a mentor, a teacher and a friend.

The Vanilla Assassin is a great story that touches on the religion and politics of the era, but is not overwhelmed by it. The story is essentially the journey of a young boy to manhood.  It flows beautifully, is well written and keeps you reading so those elements of the story that are hinted at or anticipated can be revealed - and always revealed at the right moment - just when you think you want to glimpse ahead.

The reader develops what can only be called affection for Gustave, and compassion for the position he has found himself in. The Vanilla Assassin certainly left this reviewer searching for time to sit down and read it. If you do not think of historical fiction as a genre that you would normally consider, I would highly recommend obtaining a copy of The Vanilla Assassin, finding a nice quiet spot where you can read it uninterrupted and enjoying it.  And best of all, it has a small twist at the end.  Highly recommended for older readers.