One Tree

One Tree by Christopher Cheng, illustrated by Bruce Whatley (Puffin Books) RRP $24.99 HB ISBN 9780143786733

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

It seems a long time since a book by Cheng has been published. Now comes his picture book which is set in China where Grandfather (probably Cheng’s) lives and works on a farm, a lifestyle he loves. Every week the old man walks with his family to the village market. But that was many years ago. Now, says the story, ‘Grandfather is old. He lives in my apartment’. Once the old man would tell stories to his family after dinner in their mountainside hut. Now ‘Grandfather is always silent’.

The narrator shops in a city market, sometimes taking Grandfather with him. But, unlike at his village market, no-one stops to talk. One day the child finds a plant growing between footpath cracks. He digs it up and plants it in a shallow bowl which he places on his balcony. The tree begins to grow and as it does Grandfather begins to talk – to the tree. Then he buys another tree for the child. And another. And more until the whole balcony is covered with trees.

The ‘forest’ on the balcony is the trigger for Grandfather to talk and for others to also start greening the city.

This story is not only uplifting but is about love and change and how important the natural environment is in our lives. Cheng tells it simply and effectively.

The coloured illustrations are a departure in technique for Whatley who is best known for his wombat books with Jackie French. In this book, each of his full-page illustrations are framed with a black border to enhance what looks like a linoprint with many intricate fine (and thicker) lines. This gives the appearance of much happening and one examines the multi-detailed illustrations which are filled with aspects of nature and of people.

This picture book should appeal to readers aged 7+ years and will surely used by teachers in promoting the idea of nature being important in our lives.

Freedom Swimmer

Freedom Swimmer by Wai Chim (Allen and Unwin)

PB RRP $16.99

ISBN 9781760113414

Reviewed by Daniela Andrews

‘It doesn’t matter where they’re from, all desperate men are the same’.

Two teenage boys. One a villager, one from the city. One a hardworking peasant, the other a Red Guard supporter of the Party.

Two boys.

One dream.

One incredible story.

In 1973, Wai Chim’s father bravely undertook the ‘freedom swim’ through patrolled, shark-infested waters from the Dapeng Peninsula, China, to Tung Ping Chau island, Hong Kong. This novel is based on his experiences and is not so much about the swim itself, but the journey and despair preceding it.

Wai Chim has woven a warm, delicate narrative around a turbulent part of Chinese history. In a poor village in Communist China, during Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution, orphaned Ming spends his days working hard in the fields. 

However, he is befriended by the likeable, amicable Li. Ming teaches him to swim, and Li helps Ming communicate with the girl he’s in love with, Fei. A fourth, focal character, Tian, deserves a mention. Readers will instantly warm to Tian’s brotherly protection of Ming throughout, along with his playful social confidence and witty jibes at political China. (I quite missed this likeable character through the middle part of the novel, though his presence would have been detrimental to the main story.)

Told in first-person, the writing smoothly shifts from the perspective of Ming and Li and is easy to follow. The author has used artistic license to cleverly translate the regional speech of the characters into modern-day expressions that readers can identify with.

The novel is gripping – not by pace, but by the constant sense of foreboding that shadows every chapter. When Li’s father is caught and punished for traitorous acts against the Party, Li is disgraced in the village. Ming’s loyalty doesn’t waver, and the boys begin to discuss their common dream as we discover what two desperate people are prepared to risk for freedom.

This uplifting story could be an enjoyable accompaniment to school studies of Chinese history, as well as a fantastic read all-round. The recommended age group for this book is 11–14 years, though adults are likely to enjoy it too.

Chook Chook: Saving The Farm

Chook Chook: Saving The Farm by Wai Chim (University of Queensland Press)

PB RRP $14.95

ISBN 9780 7022 5316 4

Reviewed by Jo Antareau

Mei and her delightful pets Little and Lo return for the third chapter of their adventurous life together. Although the story features characters from the two previous stories, this book can stand on its own.

As the family prepare for their Chinese New year celebrations, their joy is shattered by the news that village is threatened by plans to demolish it to build a freeway through it. This is the only life that Mei and her neighbours have known, the place their forebears have lived and worked for generations. They love and cherish their town even though the bureaucrats sneer at its backwardness.

Readers will cheer as Mei stands up to the truly nasty deputy director and tells him to leave them alone. But her courage seems to be for nothing. All around them, villagers are giving up, selling their properties and leaving.

Mei and her brothers hatch a plan to save their village by getting it registered with the National Preservation List of Traditional Villages – a process which involves demonstrating its cultural uniqueness. Will the chooks help – or hinder their attempts? 

Chim’s story weaves details of the daily life in China, such as the joy of Chinese New Year and the associated customs, and demonstrates that it is the little details, the things we take for granted, that define us and make our lives unique.

A fun read for younger children. I wonder if Chim plans a fourth instalment.

Dragonkeeper: Book Five - Shadow Sister

Dragonkeeper: Book Five - Shadow Sister by Carole Wilkinson (Walker Books)

HC RRP $ 24.95

ISBN 9781922179579

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

No longer a monk but retaining the precepts of his Buddhist beliefs, Tao is adapting to a different life style. He is now on the road with the dragon Kai, learning to be a dragonkeeper, and embarking on a yet unknown quest. The two fled the monastery just as the evil monk Fo Tu Deng was about to move into the abbot’s shoes. Tao still hasn’t identified with his qi – his spiritual energy that was passed onto him by his brother Wei just before his death.

There is a war raging inside Tao between his brain and heart. He battles one thing after another, always with the thought of saving lives, holding on to his strong sense of right and wrong. He has as much compassion for the dead spirits that find no peace and that haunt him relentlessly, as for the living beings that he seeks to help.

Tao knows he needs to let go of many things. Early on, he encounters a wild blue dragon with a violent history, that he later befriends and names Sunila. This new companion proves to be a valuable ally when he runs into Fo Tu Deng. He also meets up with Pema again. She has a secret life now; one which Tao becomes a part of and is again tested. He must enter into a physical and emotional battle to save her, and what he stands for. Here he exemplifies the choices he makes, and the outcomes they affect.

By the end of the book, Tao has found his qi and is transformed in many ways by his experiences. So is Kai. Having found purpose, meaning and direction together, they set out for the dragon haven.

This is definitely not the last book, as loose strings left hanging need to be tied up. Blending fantasy with fiction, this outstanding series is a continuous inspiring adventure, constructed with subtle philosophical and thought-provoking messages on accountability, strength, courage and compassion.

Chook Chook: Little and Lo in the City

Chook Chook: Little and Lo in the City by Wai Chim (University of Queensland Press)
PB RRP $14.95
ISBN 9780 7022 4975 4
Reviewed by Jo Antareau

Mei’s life has just changed, big time.  Her mother has remarried, she’s just gained one pesky brother and lost another much loved one to University, and her step-father has taken-over the farm. Feeling she’s no longer important to her mother, Mei simply packs her up her beloved chickens, Little and Lo, and sneaks off to the city.

Most kids would simply give-up on such a venture when the ticket-seller refuses to sell an unaccompanied child a ticket to the city, but Mei and her new-found friend, a lovable street-urchin named Cap, are made of tougher stuff.

On the way they have lots of adventures. The chooks help to catch a thief in the big city. But their luck runs out when they are discovered in brother Guo’s dormitory and the chooks appear destined for the chopping-block. However, the children apply a bit of quick thinking and tell a brilliant tall story that even Tom Sawyer would have envied, to save the day.

This book is about loyalty and friendship and an issue that affects many children – questioning their place in the world following their parent’s re-partnering. Although the story is upbeat, it is also interspersed with the darker underlying theme of unwanted children in a country as large as China. As this is aimed at younger readers, Cap’s future appears rosy at the end as he gains a mentor. Sadly many children are not so fortunate.

A lively adventure for children aged 7-8 and above. This book follows characters first introduced in Chook Chook – Mei’s Secret Pets, although it is not needed to enjoy this novel, as it certainly stands alone on its merits.

Chook Chook: Mei's Secret Pets

Chook Chook: Mei's Secret Pets by Wai Chim (University of Queensland Press)
PB RRP $14.95
ISBN 9780702249464
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton


Chooks and markets and one-eyed butchers. Love and loss. This chapter book for younger readers is certain to delight.

Mei lives in rural China on what must surely be the only farm without animals following the death of her father. However, when Mei discovers two fluffy chicks (and saves them from a snake) she vows to keep them. She hides the chicks and cares for them after school

Mei's brother shares her secret but the chooks are found by her mother and sold to the one-eyed butcher. Mei must now buy her chickens back. When efforts to earn money fail, Mei believes all is lost. However, it is through kindness that she is able to save them.

The subtle weaving through of the mother and family's story and of village life raises this book to the next level. While Ma may appear harsh at times, the reasons behind this are made apparent.

Mei is an absolutely delightful character and one that Australian children will easily connect with. This story is an easy introduction to another culture and shows that while each nation and culture has its own identity, there are so many basic similarities. Highly recommended.