Runaway: Book Two of the Flight Series

Runaway: Book Two of the Flight Series by Dawn Meredith (Self Published), RRP $31.08 Young Adult ISBN 9-798303-573949

Reviewed by Susan Hancy

Think the warring factions in Lord of the Rings battling it out for supremacy – these were the images that came to mind reading the fantasy novel Runaway, the second instalment in Dawn Meredith’s Flight trilogy.

Runaway is set in Avendor post the uprising from the Dragonkind, the original inhabitants of Avendor, against the oppression by the Meers. The heroine from that war – the subject of book one in the trilogy – is Sye: a small, lithe Dragonkind girl who was able to stop that war through her power to call on the sun – a power that came as a complete surprise and which still bewilders her.

Dragonkind and Meer are now living alongside each other as part of the Mingling, overseen by a new Queen, Gathena. Gathena is of Dragonkind, but her estranged husband is a Meer and she has a genuine vision that the two races can live in harmony. That’s not a vision shared by all the citizens and it’s a vision deplored by a cunning Meer girl, Rizer Shard. Rizer is plotting to overthrow Gathena by weaselling her way into Gathena’s inner circle through her feigned displays of charm and flattery.

On the other hand, Gathena and Sye have formed a close and genuine bond, with Gathena becoming Sye’s foster mother after the death of Sye’s mother in book one. Sye’s mother was driven crazy by a long-standing and uncontrollable voice in her head – a voice which has now transferred into Sye’s mind. But Sye isn’t going crazy. The voice is real and belongs to the black dragon, Ballickh Ry – the last of his kind. Sye and Ballickh Ry are able to communicate with each other through their thoughts, and Ballickh Rye is ordering Sye on a mission.

Sye refuses to take orders from the black dragon, but there is something compelling her to undertake the long and arduous trip to the frozen north with him. There they encounter Alythed, the old and weakened queen of the ice dragons. Alythed has just birthed an egglet, fathered by one of the two other remaining dragons of her species, Gryfick and Frith. Sye discovers the motive for their mission is for Ballickh Ry to mate with Alythed, but Alythed won’t have a bar of the disgusting black species diluting her bloodline. Defeated, Ballickh Ry flies off, leaving Sye stranded without a means of returning to Avendor. But through Sye’s touch of her egglet, Alythed discovers Sye’s special bond with Ballickh Ry and her own unborn child. This sways Alythed’s earlier position and she gifts her egglet to Sye’s protection with her blessing for Ballickh Ry to mate with her daughter after she hatches and matures.

Gryfick and Frith fly Sye back to Avendor, but there she encounters a new uprising being led by Rizer Shard. Rizer has built an underground army and is in control of an ancient weapon that will prove fatal to the dragons. What ensues is an almighty battle, a revelation for Sye as to the true purpose of her sun powers and plenty of scope for a plotline for book three.

I can’t imagine the time and attention to detail that has gone into crafting this novel and the trilogy as a whole. The story contains a plethora of characters and subplots, and each chapter is told from a different character’s point of view. I did need to revisit chapters between readings to check who had done what to whom, but at the same time this style of storytelling gave me insight into the various motivations that were on the go and had me turning the pages to see how Rizer’s conspiracy and Sye’s journey would transpire.

Runaway: Book 2 of Flight

Runaway: Book 2 of FLIGHT trilogy By Dawn Meredith

First paragraph:

High on a jagged mountain ridge scattered with snow, a great black dragon crouched, holding a torn brog carcass under his enormous, clawed feet. Called Ballickh Ry in his own tongue, ‘The Black Dragon King,’ had once been a mighty figure. Now, after emerging some months ago from a long hibernation, he was still bony and weak, yet he must soon begin a perilous journey north to discover his distant kin, if they had survived. In the arctic cathedrals of Shagrath, the White Kingdom, perhaps the ice dragons still breathed fire in their frozen dens. Perhaps the Shagrath Mathedden, the ancient creatures of the White Sea, swam and fed as if time had not passed at all. He had tried to find them once before and failed. As he gazed down over the land of Avendor far below, his heart was heavy. This was to be his last hope to revive his lost species. If only he could convince her to help him. Three months ago, her kind had warred with each other over the ownership of this land, killing and maiming. Their petty squabbles bored him. He did not want to get involved. He had only one purpose now. But would she respond to his calls?

Website: www.dawnmeredithauthor.blogspot.com

Secrets of the Water Meadow

 

Secrets of the Water Meadow by Dawn Meredith

All her life Freya has been told that the havfruer of the deep, green fjord are dark angels who lure children into the water and drown them. But Freya is certain that if she sings a havfrue to the shore, they can be friends. To her surprise and joy, it works! Family secrets come to the surface too, making all the adults upset. Freya’s sister Lisbet suddenly becomes angry and depressed holding in a secret of her own. And so Freya seeks comfort and advice from Lorelei, her havfrue friend, that no one else has seen. When someone she loves falls into the cold waters and is in danger of drowning, can Freya really trust this mysterious, oddly beautiful creature to help? Or will Lorelei choose the darker side of her nature?

Set against the magnificent backdrop of Strandafjord, in Norway, Secrets of the Water Meadow is an evocative, rich world where the senses are tingled and love is deep as the fjord itself. No matter what conflict simmers in the Askvold family, the ties are strong and the patience to persist in healing wins out.

Book available from 40 South Publishing and also online - https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Water-Meadow-Dawn-Meredith/dp/0645983543

Secrets of the Water Meadow

Secrets of the Water Meadow by Dawn Meredith

All her life Freya has been told that the havfruer of the deep, green fjord are dark angels who lure children into the water and drown them. But Freya is certain that if she sings a havfrue to the shore, they can be friends. To her surprise and joy, it works! Family secrets come to the surface too, making all the adults upset. Freya’s sister Lisbet suddenly becomes angry and depressed holding in a secret of her own. And so Freya seeks comfort and advice from Lorelei, her havfrue friend, that no one else has seen. When someone she loves falls into the cold waters and is in danger of drowning, can Freya really trust this mysterious, oddly beautiful creature to help? Or will Lorelei choose the darker side of her nature?
Set against the magnificent backdrop of Strandafjord, in Norway, Secrets of the Water Meadow is an evocative, rich world where the senses are tingled, and love is deep as the fjord itself. No matter what conflict simmers in the Askvold family, the ties are strong and the patience to persist in healing wins out. 

Book available from 40 South Publishing and also online - https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Water-Meadow-Dawn-Meredith/dp/0645983543 

Dolphin Wave by Dawn Meredith

 An illustration by Australian Dawn Meredith

 

The Whispering Stone

The Whispering Stone by Dawn Meredith (self-published) PB RRP $28.22 ISBN: 9788385900909

                                                           

Reviewed by Kellie Nissen

What if you found out, at the age of 16, that you were adopted … and that you had a twin? And what if you missed meeting your twin by a week but could suddenly hear his voice in your head? And what if you then discovered that your birth family was touched by an ancient curse … and that you are the only one who can break it?

Meet Harry.

Harry is a self-confessed computer nerd who prefers the company of online gamers and most definitely cannot talk to girls, opposite to his outgoing and adventurous best mate David.

Part fantasy, part coming-of-age, The Whispering Stone had me hooked from the first chapter and cheering for Harry as he first steps out of his comfort zone to accompany David on a holiday to his hometown and then finds himself embarking on this quest to lift the curse.

Dawn Meredith has created a relatable cast of teens – each with their own quirks, issues, and strengths – and supporting adults who, in many ways, are just as messed up and in need of Harry’s help. Every reader will resonate with at least one of these real and believable characters.

The strong plot with its multiple storylines kept me turning the pages to the end, which was somewhat predictable but satisfying, nonetheless. The serious themes of guilt, grief and loss are bolstered by the injections of dry humour that only teens can muster, while still being dealt with in an appropriate tone.

With the main characters in their mid-teens, this YA novel could be seen as best suited for the younger end of the YA readership; however, readers (and teachers) should be aware of the mentions of suicide and self-mutilation when considering this novel. Dawn Meredith flags these topics in her promotions for The Whispering Stone and deals with them as necessary, and in a very sensitive manner.  

 

 

With Dawn Meredith, children’s, and YA author

I trained as a High School Art/English Teacher but retrained and worked for twenty-eight years in Special Education/children’s counselling. My first two books were commissioned by Cambridge Uni Press for the Livewire Real Lives series and published in 2000. Since then I have had fourteen books published, with a new one coming out soon with Forty South.

In my twenty odd years as a published author I have worked with many publishers, big and small, Australian and International. I’ve written for the award winning Pearson Blueprints series, Blake Education’s Red Hot Writing Ideas and others. I’ve had a crack at most things – fiction and non-fiction, even poetry! Wherever an opportunity presented itself I’ve taken it, stretching my skills and experience. I am now part of a local writing group who are producing anthologies every two years.

Why do I write?

An important book I spent five years writing was a biography of WWII veteran Jim Haynes, who lived in my neighbourhood. I self-published it, just so I could put a copy into his hands before he died. We had a lovely big book launch and members of his family, some estranged from him for years, came up to me and thanked me for this extraordinary gift to them, because he never talked about his life. 

I write because stories clang around in my head, demanding to be let out. They all have a message, something important I want to convey and I am unashamedly moralistic. Being a teacher, I feel it’s imperative we guide young minds with wisdom, experience and sensitivity. I’ve covered topics as diverse as friendship, bullying, trans-humanism, a family of spies, high fantasy, disability, mental health, urban science fiction, the value of family affection, caring for pets, nerds vs divas and sibling hauntings. It’s all brilliant fun.

Self-publishing and traditional publishing

I have self-published about half of my books and gained valuable experience working with book designers, one in particular, (in Greece!) through the Fiverr website. It’s inexpensive and he is brilliant at interpreting my vision for the cover. My latest book was The Whispering Stone, published in March 2023 through Amazon. It’s stunning! Normally it takes a few revisions, but with this one he got it perfect first go. It’s so thrilling to see your characters come to life on the cover!

My aim is to have it look professional, eye catching and of excellent quality. With other books published with traditional publishers I’ve been sometimes fortunate to have some input into the illustrations and cover design. With the Don Bradman book, it was out of print but still very popular with libraries (the ELR and PLR scheme) so I decided to republish when the rights were returned to me.

My most popular book is 12 Annoying Monsters, which I published through Moshpit but also myself through Amazon, as I retain the rights. It sells all over the world, ten years after it first came out. With my background in Special Ed and children’s counseling I wrote it for my clients, but it quickly became in demand more widely.

So far my titles are:

Sir Donald Bradman

Tony Lockett

The Wobbly Wombat

Fat Abby – Feline Investigator

The Anything Shop

Friend in a Shell

12 Annoying Monsters – Self Talk for Kids with Anxiety

Sir Donald Bradman (republished with Moshpit)

PHANTOM Spies

Letters From the Dead

The Boy Who Went to War

Rebel – book 1 of the Flight trilogy

Elkwood

The Whispering Stone

Secrets of the Water Meadow (released in 2023 hopefully!)

Letters From the Dead won the SCBWI Writers Conference Award in 2016 and I was given mentorship with Scholastic USA’s Andrea Davis Pinkney. The very first thing she told me to do was rewrite the manuscript in first person POV! It took me six weeks. By then we both realised it was more of an adult book.

I began The Whispering Stone in 2006 and had a lot of input from people such as Mark MacLeod and Peter Bishop. A couple of years ago I sent it to Sally Odgers and after following her detailed analysis it was finally ready.

 

Writing is fabulous, but I am interested in so many things, especially Art. I have come full circle, back to drawing. Some of my work is in a local exhibition. Since moving to Tassie in 2018 to live on a farm I have written three novels, so I’m never bored! There’s always plenty to inspire me. 

http://dawnmeredithauthor.blogspot.com/p/dawn-merediths-published-books-for.html

 

Rebel by Dawn Meredith

Dawn Meredith’s YA fantasy novel, Rebel, Book 1 of the Flight series is out! Pre-orders are now available from the publisher, www.shootingstar.pub

Rebel was begun 11 years ago and almost published twice before. Now it’s finally being born into the world! 

A young rebel is called upon to lead... with a broken wing and absolutely no idea what he is doing. A wounded flying hero struggling to accept his destiny, a shy girl of dark, mysterious secrets unaware of the power within her and a lonely youth out to prove himself worthy of his warrior father. A race with dragon DNA suffers under malevolent overlords, dreaming of a hero to set them free. But what they get is a handsome young joker more interested in breaking the rules than breaking free his people.

Dawn Meredith website

Dawn Meredith Amazon Profile
Dawn Meredith published books for kids

Letters from the Dead

Letters from the Dead by Dawn Meredith (Dingbat Publishing) PB RRP $18.50
ISBN 9781977720702

Reviewed by Kylie Buckley

Delia Fox is a nineteen year old university student who discovers she has a unique gift. During a horrific accident at the café where she works, she learns that she can read the last memories of the recently departed just by touching them.

Unfortunately for Delia this gift is a double-edged sword. It makes her feel empowered and she considers it ‘a privilege to be the recipient of a soul’s last memories’. However, most people are infuriated that she interferes with the dead. One of the very few people who appreciate Delia’s special gift is a police inspector, Jonah Rainbird, who seeks her assistance to solve complex cases. Delia happily begins working with Jonah but encounters more resistance than she bargained for. Her family, her boyfriend, Jonah’s colleagues and others, show their disapproval in a variety of hurtful and disturbing ways. Yet despite the negativity from most people in her life, Delia feels it is her duty to fight for the dead and let them be heard. But at what cost?

The story is written in the first person, told through Delia’s eyes. As Delia loved getting lost in Shakespeare’s sonnets, each chapter opens with a Shakespeare quote for readers to contemplate. This 400+ page fictional novel is targeted towards adults who love drama and suspense. It has themes of death, crime, corruption, revenge and love. Letters from the Dead is a page-turner definitely worth a read!

Phantom Spies

Phantom Spies by Dawn Meredith, illustrated by Jae Tanaka (Shining Press) PB RRP $9.50   ISBN – 13: 978-1530305506  ISBN – 101530305500

Reviewed by Wendy Haynes

Meet Oliver and his family the Snatchers. The Snatchers aren’t your ordinary family their cat burglars. By night they infiltrate mansions and steal anything of value. Oliver’s job is to use his computer skills to cut the alarms. He is always nervous and worried that one day they will get caught and end up in gaol. His sister Vera is light on her feet and does acrobatics to get passed the infra-red security beams, while their mum plans the mission, and dad is expert at cracking safes.

This chapter book would appeal to 7-9 year olds, and, with varying sentence length, is action-packed, told in the third person, and deals with making decisions, and knowing right from wrong. Oliver’s best friend is the family Robot Roger: he is the only one he can really confide in about his concerns for his family, and he can’t tell his friends at school. He pleads with his family to stop but no one will listen.

After being caught on their last job they are offered work for a secret government agency PHANTOM, as spies. But, at the government headquarters, Roger is taken from Oliver, and reclaimed as a counter terrorism cyborg. The government has plans for the Snatcher family and prepares them for their first mission. Meanwhile the sinister Professor Withers has secretly altered Roger with his new program. When Roger returns to the family, he is not the same: he is no longer friendly toward Oliver or the rest of the family and is unpredictable.

This book is a page turner and will leave the reading wanting more.

See you when I see you

See you when I see you by Rose Lagercrantz, Illustrated by Eva Eriksson

(Gecko Press) PB RRP $15.99   ISBN 9781776571307

Reviewed by Dawn Meredith

Rose Lagercrantz is a popular Swedish author of books for children as well as adults. She has received many of the top Swedish literary awards, including the August Prize and the Astrid Lindgren Prize. Eva Eriksson is one of the world’s great illustrators. She has been nominated for the Hans Christian Anderson and other international awards.

See you when I see you is a beautifully illustrated chapter book for children aged 5 to 7.  The quality of the physical book is stunning with a heavy, semi-Matt cover and a good thick presentation which gives this age group the feel of a novella. The large print makes it easy to read and allows for a plethora of illustrations on almost every page. Erickson’s black-and-white sketches are full of emotion, action and character. She brings the characters to life, showing how they relate to each other with eye contact and facial expressions. It is obvious from the affectionate detail of these illustrations that Eriksson was in love with this story. The sheer joy on the faces of children on page 74 – 75 bear testament to this.

Set in Sweden, the story provides a unique snapshot into the life of Swedish children, showing the style of their particular houses and streets as well as indigenous animals such as moose. The names of the children are highly accessible to English-speaking speaking readers – Ella, Dani, Vicki, Mickey but with Swedish place names such as Solna and Skansen adding interest.

The central friendship between Ella and Dani (Daniela) is beautifully told, through the ups and downs, mistakes and misunderstandings and the affection and commitment they have to each other.

The teacher didn’t seem to be angry any more.

“And I thought you were making things up!” was all she said. “There’s still a lot for an old fox to learn.”

“Fox?” Dani looked at her.

“So they say,” answered the teacher.

Dani nodded.

It wasn’t always clear what people meant. But one thing was clear: Ella wasn’t happy. Ella was sad. And Dani was sad too.

Themes of loss and misunderstanding run like a thread through this story, adding a sense of desperation when Ella moves away and Dani’s mother dies. Dani misunderstands her father’s intentions when he falls in love again after losing his wife. Dani’s father misunderstands her friendship with Ella when Dani refuses to have a close relationship with any other children in her class. He doesn’t seem to realise his newfound love is a source of pain for his daughter. Ella’s class teacher misunderstands her need to reconnect with her old friend. Ella herself misunderstands when she realises the treasure the two girls buried is gone not knowing Dani has collected it. She is convinced the friendship is “in jeopardy.”

What is lovely about this story is the natural and very open way it shows conflict in a family in periods of stress. With the death of her mother Dani struggles to cope with the children in her class teasing her and her father’s newfound love. Her friend Ella moving away was the last straw, so finding Ella again on a class trip to the zoo and re-establishing that connection is extremely important to her sense of happiness and well-being. Eventually the adults in her life figure this out too.

Everyone wants a best friend. Everyone has high expectations of that friendship. But sometimes life interferes with what we want and perhaps that is the overall message of this book - when things fall apart there will be someone in your life who understands and is there for you, but you must communicate and trust them with your heart.

The only criticism I have of this book is the complexity of some of the vocabulary used in the text, perhaps due to it being a translation from Swedish. Some of the words are above a seven-year-old’s reading vocabulary, such as knowingly, hurried, meringue, quietened, hesitated. Therefore I would put the independent reading age of this book higher, 8 years+. It would still be a lovely book to read to a young child from age 6 years and up.

Bruno - Some of the More Interesting Days in My Life So Far

Bruno - Some of the More Interesting Days in My Life So Far by Katarina Valckx, illustrated by Nicolas Hubesch (Gecko Press) PB $19.99 ISBN 9781776571253

Reviewed by Dawn Meredith

The cover of this graphic novel to suit readers aged 5 to 9 years is very appealing with its simple cartoon style architecture and a small black cat, Bruno, as the main character. In some ways the content of this book is rather adult in its sentiment. To me it feels like the sort of story a parent would tell a child at the end of a trying day.

All the characters in this story are animals, with Bruno’s best friend being a horse called Ringo, his other friend Gloria being a shop keeping cow, Georgette the turtledove and his nemesis “the Dreadful Gerard” who is a grey wolf.

Six different days are examined in this book, the first being: A peculiar day, followed by, A rainy day, A day when the power went out, A stupid day (that ends pretty well), A much less interesting day and An almost perfect day.

Bruno is a rather compassionate little fellow who rescues smaller animals from a dire fate such as a tiny fish being forced to drink milk and nearly dying because it’s kept out of water. Bruno defends his little canary friend Tweety from an intimidating crow by letting out his ‘inner lion’ and roaring ferociously.

When Bruno’s friend Gloria calls him over to help her with a tiny problem – a canary flying around inside the shop he assesses the situation immediately:

“At Gloria’s, I saw the canary right away. He was all crestfallen.”

Hilariously, Tweety speaks but mixes up his words. Bruno is the only one who seems to understand him.

 “Caramel for the bridges,” Tweety said.

“You see? He talks nonsense.”

“Would you like to come on a picnic, Tweety?” I asked.

“Motorcoach,” Tweety replied, with a faint smile.

These stories are powerful in their simplicity with themes of friendship, compassion and awareness of differences. It reads more like an allegory or parable rather than a true story. Bruno has a matter-of-fact way of stating reality as he intuitively deals with the elements of his day, such as a car full of wild boars making a nuisance of themselves, or the situation where he had to let out his inner lion. After misunderstanding a situation with a raccoon and a crate of carrots, Bruno realises he can’t save everyone and always do the right thing.

“So much for helping the poor. I didn’t become a hero after all. At least, not that day. But I’d done my best and that’s not bad. (Ringo told me that to cheer me up.) Georgette suggested we go and get ice cream. The last item on my list! It’s not as easy as it seems to have a perfect day, but good ice cream helps a lot. Yum.”

In many ways Bruno represents the best in all of us, the inner coach who spurs us on to be optimistic about life and to do our best despite failures. I think this book is suitable not only for children but perhaps for adults too. There’s a really nice message here – an acceptance of what life throws at you and encouragement to hold onto simple faith in the goodness of things.

“That day, the power went out on my street. At night, so as not to be in the dark, I lit candles. It was very pretty. Since they don’t happen very often, I really like days when the power goes out.”

The Lost Kitten

The Lost Kitten by Lee, illustrated by Komako Sakai (Gecko Press) HB RRP $16.99 ISBN 9781877579554

Reviewed by Dawn Meredith

I have to say out of the three books released by Gecko Press this one is my favourite, simply because the illustrations are so stunningly beautiful. Komako Sakai uses a palette knife on board, with layering of simple opaque, pastel colours contrasted with charcoal greys and sparse Matisse-like black outlining, but the most stunning thing of all is the rendering of cats and kittens. This artist has an amazing ability to, with a few strokes, show the angular lines of a cat’s body as well as the softness of fur.

The story follows a little girl named Hina, who finds a skinny, scruffy kitten on the doorstep one day, behind which sits a mother cat and two other kittens. The understanding is that the mother cat is asking them to take care of her baby. At first Hina is unappreciative of the tiny cat saying “if we’re going to have a kitten I’d rather get a cute one from the pet shop.”

Her mother gently shows her how to care for the kitten, cleaning it with a soft wet towel, wiping the goo out from its eyes. Hina softens towards the creature and is drawn into the spell of wonder at its tiny life.

Hina stroked the kitten as gently as if she were touching butterfly wings. The kitten seemed to like it. Hina slipped her hand under its tummy and lifted. It was so soft and light. When she held the kitten, its tummy moved in and out and it purred deep in its throat. “Even though it’s so tiny,” Hina said, “it’s alive.”

As Hina learns to understand the kitten and its instinctive ways such as lapping up milk with its tongue and hiding under cupboards she also learns how to care for it, providing a bed and a collar with a bell and thinking up names for it.

But as her mum leaves the house to go and get food for the kitten Hina realises it has disappeared and she panics. It reminds her of a time when she was lost while shopping with her mother. The fear she felt on that day she now ascribes to how the kitten must feel, for she is sure that it is lost too.  Hina searches for the kitten and promises to be its friend. She persists, realising how much it means to her. As she puts on her coat to go searching outside she finds it at the bottom of the cupboard curled up with a sweater. The cat is thus named Sleepy and so begins the friendship.

The gentleness of the story, translated beautifully from Japanese, is very touching. Somehow the artist manages to convey the harshness of life as a wildcat with the softness of the kitten’s fur and the progressive softening of Hina’s heart. It’s a beautiful book and in hardcover edition is a comforting heirloom. Suitable for ages 2 to 5 years.

That’s Not a Hippopotamus

That’s Not a Hippopotamus by Juliet Maclver and illustrated by Sara Davis

(Gecko Press) HB RRP $29.99 ISBN 9781927271964

Reviewed by Dawn Meredith

For ages 3 to 5 years, That’s not a hippopotamus is a brilliantly illustrated and very clever picture book. Davis’ characterisations of the children, and in particular the teacher, are genius.

When a class of very young children go on an excursion to Don’s Safari zoo they are intent on finding a hippopotamus which eludes them for most of the day. Ranger Don leads them on a ridiculously funny adventure as they fly across the pages kicking up dust, laughing, screeching with fear or delight and having a wonderful time in search of the hippo. During their adventure they manage to come across Ibex, giraffe, zebra, elephant, warthog, boa constrictor, a selection of reptiles, a hilarious collection of birds hiding in a forest scene and a walrus until eventually the hippo sneaks up behind and dressed as a tourist.

Davis’ colourful illustrations on white background are perfect and the children’s facial expressions and individual little characters are a delight. The harried spinster-like teacher survives being strangled by a boa constrictor and rubbed up against by a friendly warthog.

Maclver’s rhyme flows beautifully providing just enough hints for Davis to explore a variety of animals. I particularly like the background stories on each page.

“A missing hippopotamus!

Need a hippo–spotter, Miss?

Good thing we’re here, the greatest band

of hippo–hunters in the land.

I see him, Miss! He’s very quick!

I’ll chase him with my pointy stick!”

Maclver and Davis are an exceptional combination. I’m sure this story will be read over and over and delight the reader and listener every time.

The Boy Who Went to War: Jim Haynes’ true WWII

The Boy Who Went to War: Jim Haynes’ true WWII by Dawn Meredith (Amazon Books)

PB RRP $21.00

ISBN 9781517707729

Reviewed by Ashling Kwok

The Boy Who Went to War is the story of Jim Haynes, a 91-year old war veteran who has lived an amazing life. Jim was working as a 13-year old butcher’s apprentice in Nottingham when WWII began. He was desperate to join the Royal Navy but it wasn’t until he turned 16 that his parents agreed to let him go.

As a teenager, Jim witnessed extraordinary acts of cruelty, bravery and compassion. He saw ships blown up, picked up survivors of the Tonsberg Tarifa just as they ran out of water, saw a WRN (Women's Royal Navy) buried at sea, saw King Farouk's bombed palace in Alexandria and so much more.

At 19 Jim joined Special Forces fighting Japanese marines in the jungles of Malaya. Towards the end of the war his job was to transport emaciated men, women and children from Japanese prison camps to safety.

In 1945 when the war ended, Jim was only 20 when he made another life changing decision. He decided to start a new life in Australia, leaving behind his entire family and sweetheart Olga in England forever.

As a result of what he witnessed as a young man, Jim has struggled with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) throughout his adult life. But Jim just picks himself up and keeps going every single day.

Dawn Meredith spent five years interviewing Jim, collecting photos and writing his story. The result is a wonderful book that is well written, informative and enjoyable to read. The captioned photos add interest and help keep the reader engaged.

Although Dawn wrote this book specifically for children, to show them what life was like during the war, it is perfect for all age groups. It is a fantastic book that readers will find hard to put down.

Shadow Runners

  Shadow Runners by Daniel Blythe, cover design by Steve Wells (Chicken House) 

PB RRP $16.99

ISBN 1906427801

Reviewed by Dawn Meredith

Shadow Runners is immediately appealing. The cover design shows a young woman’s face, shrouded in fiery light and the silhouettes of five teenagers standing on a hilltop below, backlit by purple skies and lightning. The blurb tells of Miranda, the new kid in town, who is drawn towards a group of social fringe dwellers who seem to know and understand the weird things she begins to experience in this normally uneventful town she dubs ‘Dullsville’.

Miranda, her mother and baby brother have moved here from London after the death of her TV presenter father. There’s a lot to get used to. Miranda is supposedly only twelve years old, but I found her character to be closer to sixteen, based upon her language, maturity and interactions with other characters. Also the cover shows a girl of about that age, which probably threw me off. But, that is a minor thing. Shadow Runners keeps you turning the pages, long into the wee hours, just to find out how Miranda is coping with the strange challenges thrust upon her whilst trying to come to terms with her beloved father’s death.

There’s a bunch of misfit kids at school who seem to know a lot about Miranda. They’re not perturbed by the bizarre dreams she keeps having, the mournful tunes in her head and the terrifying visual representations which start to haunt her daylight hours too. Her only friend is the dark, tortured orphan, Jade, who has lots of secrets of her own. Does that mean she can’t be trusted? It turns out Miranda’s mother, a therapist and healer, has passed down extraordinary abilities to her daughter, which Miranda’s rebellious nature refuses to acknowledge as being real and rational.

A teacher from school, Miss Bellini, is the only adult Miranda can turn to. And she’s the leader of this group of cosmic super sleuths, who battle against the forces of darkness threatening to engulf this modern seaside town, where links to events in its ancient past swarm forwards in time. In order to stop a malevolent character, reborn time after time, from taking over Miranda’s body, Miranda must battle forces she is just starting to believe in. Ancient evil. Dark spirits. It’s all a bit dramatic! But Miranda finds strength and comfort in the most unlikely places in this story of self-discovery and personal triumph. Teens will love Blythe’s hip language and sarcastic sense of humour. There’s plenty of good solid characters to believe in and an ending that leaves the reader wanting more.

Dawn Meredith is a May Gibbs Fellow and an author living in the Blue Mountains. www.dawnmeredithauthor.blogspot.com. 

Floors

Floors by Patrick Carman, illustrated by David Wyatt and Chris Turnham (Chicken House)

PB RRP $16.99
ISBN 1906427909
Reviewed by Dawn Meredith

Floors is a fabulous book! It’s a crazy romp through the wild imagination of Patrick Carman, who has created a fictional hotel, The Whippet, to rival any in our known world. It has official floors and secret floors, internal hidden floors, high speed elevators for ducks, expansive gardens and quirky guests. The Whippet is the creation of eccentric millionaire and inventor, Merganzer Whippet, who leaves the running of his unusual establishment in the hands of a terse manager, Ms Sparks and the maintenance crew, consisting of Leo Fillmore and his father Clarence, who reside in the basement, snug against the boiler.

And don’t forget the ducks. Every good mystery must have ducks. You never know when one will come in handy.

The colourful cover of this book is immediately appealing, jammed with all sorts of interesting elements from the story, which catch the eye and fire the imagination. There’s a shark’s head emitting tickertape maintenance orders, a chatty robot, cogs and wheels, lurking shadows and a boy in a suspended bucket shining a torch into the gloom. Merganzer’s distinctive profile is seen in silhouette, just as it appears on stationery and mysterious boxes throughout this intriguing story.

As a rebellion against massive over-development in the city, a haven from the vertical urban sprawl, the Whippet Hotel is a sanctuary for guests and a troubling enigma for greedy developers. Leo, our child hero, adores Merganzer Whippet and is dismayed when the proprietor leaves the hotel unexpectedly. But then messages begin to appear, especially for Leo. Boxes must be found and their contents utilized in a tightly woven quest to save the hotel from ruin. Ms Sparks adds tension, as does the ominous Bernardo Frescobaldi, a millionaire with his eye on the dilapidated hotel and parklands taking up valuable real estate. Leo befriends younger boy, Remi, whose mother works as a maid in the hotel and trust develops. He also enlists the dubious assistance of a small robot who can’t stop blabbing.

Leo and his father are extremely loyal to their beloved hotel and keep it in working order as best they can. They know all its little foibles, but lately disaster has struck every day and they are scrambling around the building trying to contain it and please the finicky guests, who keep threatening to leave. It seems someone wants the Whippet to fail. Is it Captain Rickenbacker? Mrs Yancey? Mr Bump?

I enjoyed the twists and turns, the strangely themed rooms and floors, such as the Cupcake Room, The Room of Rings, The Central Park Room, The Puzzle Room and the terrifying, Flying Farm Room. Despite his love of the Whippet, Leo’s life is frequently in danger as he follows the trail of clues left to him by Merganzer Whippet.

Carman has an easy style and endearing sense of humour which he sprinkles upon plot and character alike. Floors was a thoroughly enjoyable book.

Dawn Meredith is a May Gibbs Fellow and author living in the Blue Mountains. www.dawnmeredithauthor.blogspot.com

Lightning Jack

 Lightning Jack by Glenda Millard, illustrated by Patricia Mullins (Scholastic Press)
HB RRP $26.99
ISBN 9781741693911
Reviewed by Dawn Meredith

The striking cover of this beautiful book caught my eye immediately.  A rearing black horse, its eye on the viewer, mouth open in terror was like a magnet. The poetic beauty of Glenda Millard’s prose draws the reader deep into the story, imbued with a sense of thrill and challenge.

We travel in the dreams of a young boy, Sam Tully, who falls in love with the big, black, untamed stallion, Lightning Jack. As the horses rush past him, Sam grabs his whip and oilskin to ride the dangerous steed and together they drive five hundred steers. Then freedom beckons and they fly away, up among the storm clouds to Dead Man’s Leap, where Ned Kelly hides in a cave.

A hundred hoof beats on the highway, troopers, three rows deep, 
A hundred metres down, the jagged rocks of Dead Man’s Leap.
A desperate man, a gleam of gold, a pistol aimed and cocked,
‘It takes a man with nerves of steel to take the Leap!’ he mocked.

From here Sam takes Lightning Jack to run in a race, beside Phar Lap.  ‘The thronging thousands cheered as they passed the finish post. All eyes were on the midnight horse, the other was a ghost.’ Until finally, Sam is drawn back to the sound of traffic and the neon lights of a merry-go-round, where his midnight horse stands proudly, waiting for him to ride again.

Being a horse lover and owner myself, I was impressed with Patricia Mullins depictions of these noble animals, their necks proudly arched, their prancing legs fine and well drawn, their faces knowing. It’s so easy for an artist to get it wrong. Patricia uses mixed media with a deft hand, creating unique scenes filled with movement and colour. Among her hobbies she restores old rocking horses and I can see this love of horse in  her depictions of them in this book. My favourite spread accompanies this text by Millard:

In a place like horses’ heaven where the grass grew green and sweet,
Where roses strewed their petals at the passing pageant’s feet,
Came a cavalcade of horses, all keen to seek their fame.
But amongst them was a legend and Phar Lap was his name.
Beside him pranced the midnight horse, the horse called Lightning Jack.

This book would have to be one of my favourites. The quality of the paintings, the sheer ease of the rhyme make it a treasured book to read aloud, to take a small child’s mind on a magnificent journey, not just into a world of horses, but a world in which legends of Australian history provide a glorious backdrop for this stunning horse, Lightning Jack.

Dawn Meredith writes from the Blue Mountains. She was awarded a May Gibbs Writer’s fellowship in 2011. You can follow her exploits here: www.dawnmeredithauthor.blogspot.com