Light

Light by Michael Grant (Egmont)

ISBN 9781405257589

PB  RRP $22.95

Reviewed by Nean McKenzie

Light is the sixth and final book in the YA series about the FAYZ (Fallout Alley Youth Zone) — an isolating dome in California, under which no one is more than fifteen years old. The many characters, each with a unique mutation, follow on from the previous books: Gone, Hunger, Lies, Plague and Fear. Under the FAYZ, kids continue to struggle for survival against starvation, each other and the evil presence of the Gaiphage, now in the human form of a scary girl called Gaia. The big difference in Light is the dome is clear, enabling adults from the outside world to look in. And they're horrified.  

With the dome clear, there are new problems under the FAYZ. Kids who can see their parents, stop working to produce food. Sam (the main character) and his friends are not confident they will make it out of the dome, even though the end is in sight. It is more likely they'll starve or be killed by Gaia who is growing in strength. She now possesses all the powers of each kid, including Sam's laser-shooting hands and Lana's healing powers. But they must unite and fight against her.

This story is about redemption and facing consequences. In the back of each kid's mind is the same question: what happens if they do get out? They know the adults will not understand the sometimes terrible things they have done. But first there is the difficulty of surviving. In the end a key character must be sacrificed to save not only those inside the FAYZ, but also the world outside. The 'end game' comes quickly.

Light is a long book, at 434 pages. (The whole series is around 3000!) The story is not for the squeamish with decapitation, severed limbs and cannibalism. There are some violent fighting scenes as well. There is a  recommended age of 13+ but it will depend on the teenager. Light is fast paced and jumps between the many characters skillfully.

After the conclusion there are four end chapters called 'aftermath,' which describe how the survivors of the FAYZ fare in the real world. This ties up loose ends and enables readers, who have stuck with these characters for the whole series, to finally say goodbye.  

Au Revoir Crazy European Chick

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber (Egmont)

PB RRP $22.95

ISBN 978-1-4052-5943-9

Reviewed by Lillian Rodrigues-Pang 

  

Au Revoir Crazy European Chick is an extremely fast paced action story that will keep you turning pages. This is a quirky story that takes action to its limit. The action and pace are faster than a speeding bullet and more outrageous than a Die Hard movie. Thankfully it has a good deal of humour and is so fast paced that there is no time for logic. This story is fun to read.

The main character, Pery is a daddy’s boy. He is getting good grades at school and obeying all that his father asks of him. Into the family balance comes an unremarkable exchange student, Gobi who is a let down on all young male fantasies – or so Perry thought. For one night at the end of the year she becomes a wild, gun swinging action woman who has some vicious debts to repay. She drags Perry through a night of murder, violence, fast car chases and dodging police.

Joe Schreiber has written a number of books, including some of the Star Wars titles. He is a New York Times best seller. He has produced a book that is easy reading and likeable characters – despite their actions! The dialogue and wit is enjoyable throughout. I think young teenagers and above will enjoy the ‘virgin hero’, the ‘female assassin’ and the strong father figure being taken down a notch or two. It has everything a reluctant teen could want in a book. 

Adventure Classics for Boys; Robinson Crusoe, Treasure Island, Kidnapped!

Adventure Classics for Boys; Robinson Crusoe, Treasure Island, Kidnapped!  (Egmont)

HB RRP $19.95

ISBN 978-140525465-6

Reviewed by Lillian Rodrigues-Pang

www.thestoryline.com.au

This book offers three classic adventure stories. It is all boy in presentation with a blue mock cloth cover, a shipwreck image on the front and gold gilding around the edges. It is an attractive hard cover book. The original images are used throughout which are a delight.

A few months ago my son’s teacher suggested he start reading the classics. I gave him Treasure Island after finding it in a second hand bookstore. It began well enough although the language was a major barrier - he came to me so often with English phrases that are out of date and that I had no idea what they meant. Some we looked up, most were too difficult even to guess at and in the end we had to give up on the story. Thankfully this abridged version takes some of the harder classical English out while retaining the feel of the story. The stories are accessible in this format and I am glad as I felt a huge loss at not being able to get through the original.

The first story is Robinson Crusoe. The concept of a shipwreck and living completely alone on an island is one many good tales have come from. If you can put aside the fact that native peoples are portrayed as cannibals and inferior it is a grand adventure tale of survival and determination.

The second story is Treasure Island. I really enjoyed this story. I like the fact that the protagonist is a boy who makes bold decisions. He is wonderfully capable and adventurous and a great judge of character. He fights against the odds and in the end gets a share in the treasure.

The third and final story is Kidnapped. It is an intriguing story that shifts and changes but contains a strong friendship at its core. The story is quick moving and resolves well.

Famous Classics for Girls; Heidi, What Katy Did, Black Beauty

Famous Classics for Girls; Heidi, What Katy Did, Black Beauty (Egmont)
PB RRP $19.95
ISBN 978-140525466-3
Reviewed by Lillian Rodrigues-Pang
www.thestoryline.com.au

This book offers three lovely classic stories. This collection has something for all girls and mothers – who grew up loving these tales. This abridged version takes some of the harder classical English out while retaining the feel of the story. The book is covered in mock cloth and the cover images contain silver gilding, which adds to the classic feel.

The first story is Heidi. Heidi is an endearing story of love that I have always enjoyed. I love the character of the grumpy uncle and the power of good outdoor living for healing.

The second story is What Katy Did, a classical story that pays tribute to more traditional values. In this story Katy and her impetuous nature lead to a major spinal injury. During her confinement she is changed from impetuous and selfish to giving and humble – the centre of the hearth and home.

The third and final story is Black Beauty. I remember when I first read Black Beauty, I was surprised by the fact that it is told from the horse’s point of view. I find that my eight-year-old daughter loves stories with strong animal characters and this held true for Black Beauty. It is a powerful and sad story that stays in the imagination long after it has been finished.

This collection of Famous Classic for Girls was first published in the 60’s and the original black and white illustrations are included. I enjoyed looking at these images, the hairstyles, the clothing, the presentation of poverty is interesting and makes for a discussion in its own right with younger readers.

Fluff and Billy do everything together

Fluff and Billy do everything together by Nicola Killen (Egmont)

PB RRP $16.95
ISBN 978-140525425-0
Reviewed by Lillian Rodrigues-Pang
www.thestoryline.com.au

Fluff and Billy are best friends. The two penguins do everything together. When Fluff climbs up, so does Billy, when Fluff slides down so does Billy, they have a great time playing, yelling and copying each other. When Billy hits Fluff with a snowball Fluff is hurt and not impressed and their friendship takes a turn for the worse. Thankfully their playful attitude overcomes any problems and the friendship resumes.

Bright blue, a lot of white and yellow are used liberally throughout this book. The graphics are entertaining and easy on the eye. The layout of text and the placement of graphics is fun. It adds another level of enjoyment for young readers.

This is a heart-warming story. The text includes a high level of repetition, which young readers to actively engage. The graphics compliment the story and allow independent interaction with the story. My three year old enjoys reading this book with me as she understands the pattern of the text and can say her lines with ease. It is already a bedtime favourite in our household.

The Perfect Baby

The Perfect Baby by Tony Bradman, illustrated by Holly Swain (Egmont)

PB RRP $6.00
ISBN 978-14052755-1
Reviewed by Lillian Rodrigues-Pang
www.thestoryline.com.au

Little Lucy gets a brand new baby brother. While everyone else is excited Lucy finds it hard to be happy about a baby that just sleeps, cries and makes disgusting noises and smells. Her solution is to take him back to the hospital and get a new one. 

We join Lucy and her family as they trial a range of new babies. They get a baby tortoise, a baby baboon, a baby elephant and others, all of which presented different problems for the family. In the end Lucy decides that the first baby was actually perfect.

This book presents a fast paced humourous approach to all those parents struggling to encourage older siblings to accept and love their newborn siblings.

The graphics are fun, full of colour and detailed. The images and colour scheme interplay with the word layout and enhance the story nicely.

Birdsong

Birdsong written and illustrated by Ellie Sandall (Egmont)

PB RRP $6.00

ISBN 978-140524738-2

Reviewed by Lillian Rodrigues-Pang

www.thestoryline.com.au

This book is a colour and sound presentation. Written for the very young it includes rhyme and a singsong quality to the text when it is read out loud.

The story is about a tree that has two colourful and loud birds land on its bough. Every double page spread introduces two new birds and sounds until one large dominant bird comes along and scares the others away. An unexpected little creature overcomes the large dominant bird. My three-year-old daughter heard this little twist with delight.

The images have a certain crayon like quality about them that is attractive and accessible to young children.

Not me!

Not me! written and illustrated by Nicola Killen (Egmont)

PB RRP $6.00

ISBN 978-14054830-3

Reviewed by Lillian Rodrigues-Pang

www.thestoryline.com.au 

How do you guarantee a book is attractive to children? Present mess on every page? How do you make a book attractive to parents? Present the children cleaning up at the end.

This is essentially the story of Not me! With double spreads of full colour graphics the book offers gorgeous images of all the mess and trouble that kids (or a puppy) can get up to, from handprints on the walls, puddles on the floor to muddy bike tracks indoors.

The very cute resolution gives us an image of a tired puppy and the kids having to clean the house. This is a book that could be read as a warning for all those kids who are begging for a dog.

Darcie Lock Girl on the Run: Ringmaster

Darcie Lock Girl on the Run: Ringmaster by Julia Golding (Egmont)

PB RRP $16.95

ISBN 978-140524734-4

Reviewed by Lillian Rodrigues-Pang

Darcie Lock is a straight talking tomboy and the latest recruit of the British Intelligence Service. Having lived her life in relative wealthy seclusion Darcy spends her time avoiding the fashion conscious cools girls at school, playing soccer with the boys and training in fencing.

From the outset we find a spoilt rich girl, she has a close relationship with her father although spends some time bemoaning her mothers pedicure priorities. They live in a ‘compound’ home in Kenya with a Kenyan maid to get her out of bed, iron her clothes and make the day run as it should.

From the very first chapter I was hooked. Golding does a great job of setting the scene and introducing the relationships. We find a good deal of humour and a likeable character and the intrigue begins in chapter one.

The adventure is set in Kenya, which I enjoyed immensely. The descriptions of the society, the clubs, and the schools were something very new for my daughter and I believe would be of interest to most readers. In particular I enjoyed the use of a second language. The words were dispersed throughout the book and were always a reminder of the unique location. There is also a Glossary of Terms at the back.

Darcie Lock promises to be a great series with Empty Quarter to be released in early 2012. The author Julia Golding also wrote the Cat Royal series. Reading about the author scans like an adventure tale in its own right, having served time in Cambridge, then the diplomatic services, and then as a lobbyist with Oxfam.

The writing is clear and precise. It is action packed with a good balance of emotion, suspense, surprises and warm characters. Topics such as being used by others, being deceived, attraction and girl/boy angst are touched upon. Fantastically Darcie is a positive role model and a great read.

Bouncy Bouncy Bedtime

Bouncy Bouncy Bedtime by David Bedford, illustrated by Russell Julian (Egmont)

PB RRP $16.95

ISBN 978-1- 4052-5742-8

Reviewed by Lillian Rodrigues-Pang

www.thestoryline.com.au

  

Bouncy Bouncy Bedtime is an imaginative bedtime rhyme book for children aged two and above. It is written by David Bedford, who also authored It’s a George Thing, The Ways I Love You and Moles in Love.

The text encourages children to take an imaginative journey to a great big bouncy bed in the sky. Fantastic animals arrive in succession and happily play until sleepiness descends. The rhythm is a little hard to get at first but a few attempts out loud and the bounce and fun of the language comes to the fore. I find there is a nice amount of space in the language to play with and my two year old can really have fun with this book.

Every page is full of colour, gorgeous soft hues. The illustrations are dreamy and quirky and work as a tight fit with the text. Each word is placed on the page with care and they become an integral part of the picture. The word placement is a distinct part of the fun in this book.

My two year old has consistently asked for this book over the past few weeks. She really enjoys the two page spreads of animals flying to that big bouncy bed in the sky. It is a novel bedtime story for those looking for something new.

Striker: Sudden Death

Striker: Sudden Death by Nick Hale (Egmont Press)

PB RRP $16.95

ISBN 9781405249508

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

What happens when your parents are divorced and after making the decision to move across the world to be with your father, incredible things start to happen, and you discover that almost everything you’ve been told is a lie?  Welcome to Jake’s life.

Jake Bastin at sixteen is a soccer team captain, and is following a life in sport left by his legendary father’s footsteps. He has abandoned Paris and his mother to join his father, Steve, in London. He barely arrives when Chernoff, his father’s friend hiding a suspect past, is poisoned in a restaurant while dining together. This sets off a course of events that force Jake to question everything he has been told by his enigmatic father.

Jake travels with his father to Russia at the request of the billionaire, Popov, in his private jet to coach a new team. While in mid-air, a fellow traveller and the two pilots are shot dead. Steve’s quick and cool-headed reaction saves their lives. Jake secretly questions the curious fact that Popov totally disregard these traumatic events, and acts as if nothing untoward has happened. These murders set a precedent for the remainder of the Jake’s Russian visit.

Jake’s curious and dissatisfied mind sends him out in search of answers and he uncovers ghastly secrets through detective work and lots of eavesdropping. He learns of sinister plots that involve his father in some way or another. Corruption seems to be everywhere and murder is a regular occurrence.

How and why is scientific research on tidal energy tied into a soccer match? Is Jake’s father really involved in murder? Why is the Russian Mafia and MI6 involved in something as everyday as sport?

This is a new action thriller series with a new young hero and countless twists and turns. It is riveting and fast-paced, and will be devoured at one sitting.  

The Looking Glass Wars Bk 3: Arch Enemy

The Looking Glass Wars Bk 3: Arch Enemy by Frank Beddor (Egmont Press)

PB RRP $16.95

ISBN 9781405251938

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Imagination of all kind has been wiped out with the attack by Redd who has united with the Borderland tribes against King Arch. The detonation of WILMA, Arch’s Weapon of Inconceivable Loss and Massive Annihilation has left the Heart Crystal weak. Redd too, has lost her imagination. Hatter has sent word that he is returning with Molly, still grieving for her mother, who had left Alyss in shame because of her impulsive act that damaged the Crystal Continuum, Wonderland’s public transport system.

Wonderland unprepared, is again attacked by the Club soldiers who are kidnapping Wonderlanders and imprisoning them in limbo coops – areas of little space and no escape. Alyss and Dodge witness the treachery of Lord and Lady of Clubs’ after they travel incognito to attend the anti-imagination rally. They are recognised and trapped, only to be rescued by Dumphy, a tinker who hides them in a wagon full of imaginists headed for the limbo camp. There they learn that imagination is slowly returning.

Arch takes advantage of Redd’s diminished powers and reclaims control over the Borderland tribes. He is determined to kill Redd and become the first king of Wonderland. Meanwhile, Redd’s forces have stopped retreating and have gained positions all over Wonderland.

Here the longest and hardest battles of all kinds ensue. Redd is fiercely determined to reign. Her indomitable and forceful character allows no room for defeat. Many battles between good and evil will be fought. Alyss and Dogde’s courage and love will be tested. Lives will be lost and cities destroyed. Strange liaisons are sought for the welfare of the Wonderlanders regardless of the suspicion and mistrust that weaves in and out of each group. Travel between worlds will see all the characters move towards a satisfying resolution regarding their personal dilemmas.  The final climax is stupendous and rewarding for the reader. This trilogy will stay in the mind long after the last word is read. All three books are currently available.

The Looking Glass Wars Bk 2: Seeing Redd

The Looking Glass Wars Bk 2: Seeing Redd by Frank Beddor (Egmont Press)

PB RRP $16.95

ISBN 9781405209885

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Alyss has made it through the Looking Glass Maze and defeated Redd. Now she has new challenges. The Heart Palace has been rebuilt after its destruction by Redd, but it doesn't feel the same to Alyss.

King Arch of Borderland arrives at her inaugural gala to inform her of threats from other sources. He secretly plans to take over Wonderland by force or any other means. He can barely hide his derision at Alyss’ position as Queen, but pretends a past alliance with her deceased father who he always despised because of his subservience to a woman, albeit a queen.

Arch’s Borderland is a male dominated nation where women are considered worthless chattels. It is a nation of nomadic settlements; a tribal land where each group stays isolated from the each other, free to live as they please as long as they acknowledge him as King, and his preferred laws were kept.

Jack of Diamonds and his parents have been cast into the Crystal Mines. They are traitors to be bought and sold in a world of power and politics.  But Jack is abducted by Arch for his own mercenary ends. Redd has returned after escaping to Earth, more vicious than ever, and Jack is throwing in his lot with her. Desperate to save himself, he grovels at Redd’s feet, with a plan to win over the border clans and destroy King Arch, thus giving Redd the union of the two lands.

For Redd to gain more power than Alyss, she must navigate the Looking Glass maze and retrieve her sceptre which will strengthen her power. After visiting the oracle-caterpillars, she manages this feat and is prepared again for war. Meanwhile Alyss and Dodge are slowly revealing their love for one another within the few free moments away from warring that they are able to steal together.

Hatter Madigan has taken leave for unrevealed reasons and we enter his secret life and see him as more than an outstanding warrior dedicated to serving and protecting the queen. He learns that Molly, Alyss’ bodyguard, is his daughter by the love of his life, Weaver, who has been killed. Each of the characters has a life apart from their role at the palace. These lives are revealed and the characters become human, rather than robotic beings that fight for the Queendom. These sub-stories are moving and the scenes of war and annihilation become secondary to the emotional upheavals of the characters’ lives.

Much keeps happening in Wonderland. The story is dense and thrilling, highly detailed and descriptive with battles and armoury; full of twists and turns like the mazes that have to be navigated. Betrayal, treachery and manipulation surround Alyss.

The next thrilling fantasy adventure, Arch Enemy, closes the trilogy. This series is highly recommended reading for the 15+ age group.

The Looking Glass Wars BK 1

The Looking Glass Wars BK 1 by Frank Beddor (Egmont Press)

PB RRP $16.95

ISBN 9781405219761

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

The Looking Glass Wars begins an outstanding fantasy trilogy. It creates new lands and uses the characters of Alice in Wonderland in an exciting and different way. Wonderland is the place where the imagination is the most powerful tool powered by the Heart Crystal which is the power source of all the cosmos; where the deck of cards become transformed into soldiers as are the chessboard characters.

The story begins in Wonderland on Princess Alyss’ seventh birthday. Celebrations are underway at Heart Palace. Twelve years have passed since civil war raged between good and evil; between the White and Dark Imagination. Princess Redd was banished because of her evil practices and denied her lawful succession to the throne, leaving her sister Genevieve to be crowned Queen of Wonderland.

  

Alyss’ future intended is the ambitious and obnoxious Jack of Diamonds but it is her lifelong playmate, the commoner Dodge that is her soul-mate.  Bibwit Harte, the royal tutor, is grooming Alyss to be future queen. Hatter Madigan is the leader of the queen’s security force and Alyss’ protector. These wonderful characters are alive on the page, as you love and detest, empathise with or dismiss them through every new adventure fraught with tension as the story is propelled forward.

Alyss’ father is absent on a visit to King Arch of Borderland trying to establish an alliance between the two nations against Redd, who is rumoured to have planned an attack on Wonderland. Alyss’ life is shattered when her parents are murdered by Redd in a perfectly planned attack. She escapes with Hatter through the Pool of Tears, but they are separated and Alyss comes out alone on Earth, into an England of the late 1800s. Taken in by a group of homeless orphans, she uses her unrefined powers of imagination to survive, until they unexpectedly dwindle, then disappear. 

Adopted by the Liddell family from an orphanage where she is cast after being arrested for stealing, Alyss finds it difficult to adapt to normal life and lives in the past with her memories, which she relives by relating them to the Reverend Dodgson. He has befriended Alyss and is using her fantastic stories of Wonderland as material for a book which becomes a best seller.

Meanwhile, Hatter spends every waking moment searching for his princess. He travels the world, in and out of puddle portals, experiencing amazing adventures. We view what is happening to all the characters elsewhere: the cruelty, destruction and decay of the leaders, the populace and the Queendom. The story covers a thirteen year time span. Hatter finally finds Alyss and they jump into a puddle and exit through the Pool of Tears to Wonderland. But she is faced with the vicious, vengeful Redd on her return.

The tale is told in perfect, flowing chapters which move back and forth from the point of view of the characters in Alyss’ current life to the characters in Wonderland. It incorporates a lot of brilliantly set up backstory.

Mirrorshade

Mirrorshade - Bk 3 written and illustrated by Mike Wilks (Egmont)

PB RRP $18.95

ISBN 978-1-4052-5373-4

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

In the third book of the trilogy, Mel, Wren and Ludo are jailed in the dungeons of Deep Trouble in the Mirrorscape. They are helped to flee by a girl Wren’s age, and the help of Cogito, the thinking machine. Their mission is to find the mirrortree and obtain its fruit so they can be totally free again. But no one knows of this fruit. What it is exactly is for the children to discover.

Here a parallel story begins. Three bad figments identical to the children have been released. Their intention is to find the real children and destroy them, take their place and obtain freedom from the Mirrorscape forever. But these figments are unknown to Mel and his friends.  It is when the real children start to be hunted because of the theft and destruction that the mirrorshades cause that they find out what they are dealing with.

With the help of their friends Goldie and the invisible Pilfer, they escape firedrakes, giant furry spiders, and stare crows amidst lots of comic confusion that occurs in trying to establish to who is who. There are many lessons to be learned for the three children on their search for freedom and truth. Battles between good and evil are metaphorical and literal. They learn that what they had to find was the knowledge that there is a dark and light side to every person and their mirrorshades reflect the side of themselves that they refused to acknowledge. For them to be whole, ‘they must be united with their dark side’ at some stage of their life. Their experiences bring them to a greater understanding of who they are, and of others.

This series is highly imaginative and well constructed. There is a glossary of terms in the Seven Kingdoms and the Mirrorscape, plus a list of the artistic terms used at the back of each book, which helps with the definition of unknown words. 

Thomas the Tank Engine: 65th Anniversary Edition

Thomas the Tank Engine: 65^th Anniversary Edition by the Rev. W. Awdry (Egmont)

HB RRP $34.95

ISBN 9781405252683

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

This beautiful, cloth bound edition of Thomas the Tank Engine was put out a few months ago to celebrate the 65^th Anniversary of the first publication of The Railway Series. It is a collector’s dream. It comes in a hard slip-case with a sea green background on which all the train characters, sheds, signs and other railway paraphernalia are represented.

The book itself is oblong in shape and has a rich red cloth binding with gold train tracks running parallel to the spine on front and back covers. The end pages are identical in colour and design to the slip case. There are photographs of Wilbert Awdry in the book in his later years.

Its first entry Making Tracks to Great Destinations, talk about the inception of the Railway Series, and how and why the first book, The Three Railway Engines, was  written and then published in 1945.

When Wilbert Awdry’s son Christopher was very ill, he made up stories of engines to keep him entertained through a long illness. Christopher kept correcting his father’s inconsistencies each time the stories were repeated so that Wilbert was forced to write them down. Pictures of these manuscripts with the corrections are shown in this chapter. His wife encouraged him to publish the stories because they were so entertaining. The dream was to publish ‘small books for small hands’.

Finding the appropriate illustrator wasn’t easy. Awdry drew pictures that the illustrator had to adhere to. The third and final illustrator chosen was C. Reginald Dalby, a commercial artist. He was able to re-draw Awdry’s sketches satisfactorily.

The Thomas character was introduced as a wooden toy and was given the number 1. Each new train that was introduced followed numerically in line. A volume was issued annually until 1972 when the last book in the Railways Series, Tramway Engines, was published.

There are also three stories included in the book which are accompanied by coloured framed plates of the engines. In the first one, Thomas and Gordon, a lot of the secondary characters are showcased. We meet the drivers, guards, stationmaster, Fat Controller, signal men, the shunter, and people on the platform. Thomas’s Train and Thomas and the Trucks follow.

This is an ideal keepsake for readers of all ages who adore the personification of Thomas and his friends and appreciate the lessons each story teaches.

Mirrorstorm

Mirrorstorm - Bk 2 written and illustrated by Mike Wilks (Egmont)

PB RRP $18.95

ISBN 978-1-4052-3746-8

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Mel, Ludo, and Wren, the first girl to be apprenticed by Ambrosius Blenk, have been commissioned to paint a corner of the ceiling in the Hall of Awakenings. While working back alone, Mel overhears a conspiracy by the order of Ters whose numbers are dwindling, to create storms that release demons on the population of Vlam to cover their devious deeds and sinister plots that support a power play which is underway. They also intend to marry Wren to the hideous demon-sniffer Morg, a creature more horrendous than any imaginings.

The children continue to use a luck-compass that was given to them by Cassatti, the Cloud Sculptor, to find answers and escapes from all the situations they find themselves in. In and out of the canvases, their final challenge is not an easy one. With destruction surrounding them, they must make hard and dangerous choices against fearful odds if they are to save themselves and Vlam, and expose the intended usurper Fa Odem. Even Morg’s final spontaneous action contributes to their success.

Mirrorscape: Book 1

Mirrorscape: Book 1 written and illustrated by Mike Wilks (Egmont)

PB RRP $18.95

ISBN 978-1-4052-4587-6

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Mike Wilks is an award winning artist and the bestselling author of The Ultimate Alphabet and a string of other books. Mirrorscape is the backlist first book of an impressive trilogy which is artistic in every sense of the word. His intricate, detailed background information brings the reader directly into each scene. The storyline of this fantasy trilogy is unique and imaginative as are the characters which win the reader over from the first few words.

Mel is an artistic thirteen year-old boy condemned by his poverty to obscurity. The village priest, Fa Theum, who has nurtured the boy’s talents, sends Mel’s drawings of imaginary beasts to a friend for his opinion.

Dirk Tot, steward to Ambrosius Blenk the greatest artist in the Seven Kingdoms, so impressed with Mel’s work, arrives in person to offer the boy the rare honour of a free apprenticeship in Blenk’s studio. Mel’s father, who has other plans for his son, refuses his permission.

Dirk Tot returns at a later time for an answer but encounters Fa Theum and Mel being severely beaten and secrets the boy away to the city of Vlam. Their attacker is the unrelenting Adolfus Spute, a man of pure evil, who controls the Fifth Mystery that includes Pleasures for anything that come under the category of the fifth sense, sight, and thus Mel’s paintings.

Mel learns of the Five Mysteries that control each of the five senses. Originally formed to regulate and protect the villagers’ trade and produce from unscrupulous merchants, the meagre yearly tithes became extortion payments. Greed and power-lust created the invention of Pleasures, which demanded payment for purchase of the right to improve any existing trade or produce.

Arriving in Vlam, Mel is given over to the head apprentice Groot, the depraved and sadistic nephew of Blenk who is ignorant of any misconduct. He is subjected to bullying, destruction of his property, and punishment for manoeuvred incidents and accidents. But Mel is observant, intelligent and a survivor. He makes friends with Ludo, another apprentice, and Wren, a kitchen maid whose father, a gifted clock maker, has been sent to work in the pigment mines because he couldn’t make a profit for the Pleasures from Time. These three lives are integrated.

Mel learns about corruption and betrayal; about the power of knowledge, observation and silence. He discovers Blenk’s secret painting, a Mirrorscape that leads to other worlds and hybrid creatures which come alive on the other side of the painting. The abuse of this magical entrance leads to more corruption and chaos. It is through Mel’s incredible intelligence and talent that the trio’s lives are saved, only to be cast into new fantastic adventures.

This trilogy written in incredibly creative and perfect prose, will suit readers of the 12 to 112 age group.

The Dark Divine

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain (Egmont Press)

PB RRP 19.95

ISBN 9781405254588

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

In this exquisite story of love, faith and devotion, high tension is visible from the beginning.  Written in a fast-paced style, tension is further increased throughout the prose by inference and things left unsaid and unqualified in a mesmerising way, making the reader long for the next turn of the page. It is laced with myth and mystery. The characters are outstanding and the storyline is well-crafted with lots of surprises amid stories within stories.

Gracie, Pastor Divine’s seventeen year-old daughter, has loved Daniel since she was a child growing up next door to him. The Pastor took Daniel in as a member of his family after the authorities finally stepped in to stop the brutality he was suffering at his father’s hands. This cemented Gracie’s feelings which remained unchanged with the passing of time and Daniel’s sudden and unexplained departure. Now he is back, enigmatic as always and hiding secrets about himself. The burning feelings he had for Gracie are again in play, giving him more reason to straighten out his life by getting into art school and tying up his mysterious loose ends.

But Gracie fights her feelings, for everything about Daniel indicates she shouldn’t care for him. There are sides to him that Gracie doesn’t know about and he’s not ready to share anything yet. Rumours about him abound, as do warnings about his character from her good and well-intentioned brother Jude, whose weird, festering hatred for Daniel is exhibited from the moment of the prodigal’s return.

This inexplicable reaction makes Gracie wary. He also keeps secrets from his sister, fearful, dangerous secrets that threaten to destroy the religious Divine family. Gracie discovers that the Pastor too, has secrets and the merry-go-round they are all on seems unable to stop.

The tales of a monster killing people in their area start up again when the mauled bodies of people and animals are found. Who or what is doing this? Why is Daniel under suspicion and can loving grace rid the family of the traumas they are experiencing? Who and what is the monster, and is the homeless Don whom the Pastor has supported for so long, hiding more than they know?

Twists and turns; revelations and explanations. This is a great read for the 16+ age group (or mature younger readers) that will have them stuck to their seat and hanging onto every word.

Mr Gum and the Cherry Tree

Mr Gum and the Cherry Tree by Andy Stanton, illustrated by David Tazzyman (Egmont)

PB RRP $12.95

ISBN 978-1-4052-5218-8

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

It is Spring and ‘the ground just lay there and let everyone walk all over it’. In the town of Lamonic Bibber, Old Granny spoke between sips of sherry. ‘The Old Ways are back from before the days of Science’.

This is the unconventional and whacky things you’ll read in the books of Mr Gum. The characters are way out there and the happenings are unbelievable. There are liberties taken with the language that any linguist would cringe at. The titles appear to be the closest to relevance in the whole story in some disconnected way.

But, there is always a but. The pages are filled with entertainment and ridiculous comedy. Laughter is the intention of the author and he succeeds in giving the reader a belly laugh often. The word play is clever and imaginative and the incredible characters whose likeness is presented by the illustrator are perfectly matched to the images formed in the reader’s mind – crazy and unorthodox.

Mr Gum is evil and tries with mischievous and underhanded planning to create self-serving situations for himself at the expense of the simple population of Lamonic Bibber. Nine year old Polly seems the only one with a brain, yet it is revealed that each resident of the town has some special gift in one way or another.

Old Granny is a sort of matriarch who the townsfolk follow ‘into adventures unknown’ which always result in Mr Gum being the centre of it all somewhere in the background.

Is the cherry tree really Runtus, the King of the Woodland Spirits that the townsfolk are worshipping, or something more sinister?  Polly tries to open their eyes to the truth but what sort of power has been cast over them? Whoever it is, their free will has been taken away and they are hypnotised into each bringing their most precious belonging to the Cherry Tree as an offering. The school children have been turned into goblins and Old Granny appears to have been transformed as well. Polly and the school teacher Alan Taylor are the only ones with a will left. They must find proof of the truth to bring the townsfolk back to their senses, but how?

This is highly addictive reading for children in the nine year old age group that love the unusual in the extreme sense. It will also appeal to older readers that can understand the clever turns of phrase that will certainly be used in the exchange of conversation with their peers.