The Secret is Out

The Secret is Out (Trudie Cooper Super Foodie Series) by Carolyn Eldridge-Alfonzetti, illustrated by Julia Weston, (Brolly Books) ISBN 9781922418005 RRP $14.99

Reviewed by Claire Stuckey

Trudie loves cooking; in fact, she started at a very early age. However, Trudie and her parents have kept her super talent for cooking and developing recipes a secret. At age ten her skills are amazing, but she is not so fabulous at maths or art or other sporting endeavours. After a P&C meeting at their house, Trudie is upset to learn the next morning that the school library must shut. This means losing not only all the fabulous books, cookbooks as well, and Miss Best the librarian. While watching her favourite TV show Super Chef, Trudie decides she will ask the host Aggie Weir for help. Trudie and her parents are overwhelmed by the response, but this opportunity will mean Trudie’s secret will be out.

This nice colourful reader has good production quality and looks appealing to those children caught up in the popularity of cooking shows. The story is well written and concentrates wholly on the central character. Both the letter to Aggie Weir and the recipes provides different text types and expanded vocabulary which assists children reading this style of chapter book.  My only issue was that the story seemed to end abruptly. Given an opportunity to publish her cookbook – how, when and would the library be repaired? Trudie’s secret was out but only to Aggie and the publisher at this point. Perhaps the author intended this to segue to the next book in the series?

Recommended for age 7 years plus.

Rocky the Cocky

Rocky the Cocky by Carolyn Eldridge-Alfonzetti, illustrated by Marion Duke (Wild Eye Press) PB RRP $15.90

ISBN 9780648161172

Reviewed by Kylie Buckley

Rocky the Cocky is a rhyming picture book about a headstrong and fearless cockatoo who likes to perform wild and reckless stunts. Rocky, the daredevil cockatoo, sports a punk style multi-coloured crest and wears a denim vest and sneakers. He likes to ride a skateboard and carry out dangerous aeronautic tricks, despite the warnings of well-meaning friends and family.

The unique pictures are bright and bold and compiled using a myriad of mediums. The characters, created using oil paints, are depicted alongside collage, line drawings and monochrome photographs. The page designs are also diverse, combining colourful dancing text of various sizes with full colour backgrounds or comic strip style layouts, many reminiscent of Pop Art. The book’s cover and endpapers include Rocky’s stylised tag in graffiti art.

Rocky the Cocky is an engaging and action-packed tale suitable for children aged 5+ years old.

Rainforest Feasts

Rainforest Feasts by Carolyn Eldridge-Alfonzetti, illustrated by Heather Charlton (Wild Eyed Press) PB RRP $15.50 ISBN 9780648161127

Reviewed by Nikki M Heath

What do the critters of the rainforest get up to when they wake up at night? Feed their hungry bellies, of course! This colourful book of rhyming verse explores the eating habits of a variety of rainforest creatures.

The book comprises a series of vignettes rather than a narrative plot. The unusual selection of animals and insects Eldridge-Alfonzetti has featured, including crayfish, native rats and glow worms, distinguishes the book from comparable titles.

The watercolour illustrations are bright and colourful while still conveying a sense of the night-time forest setting. Each spread shows the featured rainforest creature and its prey, often in the act of capturing or eating the meal. Some critters are rendered with a greater sense of character and likeness than others, and not all are perfectly consistent throughout. Nevertheless, young children will enjoy the double-page spreads.

The final spreads will particularly enthrall young audiences, with a challenge to find all the featured creatures in both a daytime and night time setting. This book would form an engaging yet relaxing part of any young child’s bedtime routine and is particularly suited to 3 to 8 year olds. With its large, bold illustrations and many springboards for discussion, it would also fit well into a junior primary classroom.