Here Comes a Merry Christmas

Here Comes a Merry Christmas by Justine Clark, Arthur Baysting and Peter Dasent, illustrated by Heath McKenzie (Penguin Random House) HB RRP $19.99 ISBN: 9781761049521

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera

‘There’s a new star up in the sky tonight. And it’s shining oh so bright!’ Christmas is close, and the family members eagerly get ready for this special time of year. They bake cookies and decorate the tree and sing carols about ‘hope and love and light’. And, like the new star, the angel on top of the tree is ‘shining with her love’.

Based on a beloved song written by Justine Clark, Arthur Baysting and Peter Dasent, Here Comes a Merry Christmas exudes joy from every page. Rhyming text jingles like a sleigh as it slides through an array of familiar festive preparations. Youngsters aged three to six will have fun singing along with every heart-warming word.

Heath McKenzie’s stylised digital illustrations add wit and whimsy to the spreads, and kids will adore small details such as the puffed out dad and the dog wrapped up in a string of Christmas lights. The characters are both multigenerational and multicultural, reflecting the reality of many families in Australia.

A perfect gift for budding readers, Here Comes a Merry Christmas is colourful and charming. With its focus on love and light, this will be a favourite book not only at Christmas but also throughout the year.

The Speedy Sloth

The Speedy Sloth by Rebecca Young, illustrated by Heath McKenzie (Scholastic) HB RRP $17.99 ISBN: 9781760974893

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera

It’s time for The Great Race, and Spike the sloth is ‘ready to run’. She has done all the hard work in the gym, and made sure that her shoelaces are tied. Although no sloth had ‘ever run faster before’, Spike is overtaken by a ‘moonwalking meerkat’, ‘a daydreaming cougar’, and even ‘a hare and a tortoise’. Spike comes last in the race, but she doesn’t mind – she considers herself a winner because she didn’t quit and she made it to the finishing line. 

Rebecca Young’s fun rhyming story will appeal to all kids aged three and older who struggle to achieve their goals. Spike’s confidence is irresistibly infectious, and her positive attitude despite losing the race will inspire youngsters to see the silver lining in all situations. The light and lively text ensures that this book is a joy to read aloud again and again.

Heath McKenzie’s cute and colourful illustrations will captivate youngsters instantly. His characterisation of cerise-furred Spike is charming, especially her many different facial expressions during the race – littlies will understand exactly how she is feeling at all times. Amusing action leaps from left to right across every spread, drawing readers through the book.

Upbeat and unashamedly sweet, The Speedy Sloth has deservedly been chosen as the National Simultaneous Storytime Book for 2023. Kids all around Australia will cheer on Spike as she succeeds in making it to the end of the exhausting course, discovering in the process the importance of celebrating life’s small wins. 

James Tedesco – Red vs Blue

James Tedesco – Red vs Blue by James Tedesco and Heath McKenzie (Pan Macmillan Australia) PB RRP $14.99     ISBN: 9781760982928

Reviewed by Jeffery E Doherty

James Tedesco – Red vs Blue is the second book from the Tedesco/Mckenzie team about the early rugby league life of legend player, James Tedesco. The book is full of cool characters and fun illustrations and follows young James as he attempts to start up a new under 12’s team in the local competition.

For readers who don’t know James Tedesco, nicknamed Teddy, he is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a fullback for the Sydney Roosters in the NRL. He is a Dally M winner; a NSW State of Origin back-to-back winner; and a back-to-back NRL grand-final winner. He has played for Italy and Australia at international level. It is obvious from the book that Teddy had a great love of and talent for the game since childhood.

The story is entertaining and full of adventure and misadventure as Tedesco tries to put together his new team, the Camden Blue’s. His plan is hampered when half of his former teammates have moved away or taken up new sports. Recruiting new players for his team is urgent, tricky, and often amusing. Time is running out because their game against their archrivals, Camden Red’s is fast approaching.

This is definitely a fun book and a must read for any young rugby league fans. It is an easy read and a good story with quirky illustrations by Heath McKenzie.

 

Hat-Trick Teddy

Hat-Trick Teddy by James Tedesco, illustrated by Heath McKenzie (Pan Macmillan) PB RRP $14.99 ISBN 9781760982911

Reviewed by Nikki M Heath

Twelve-year-old Teddy is a star junior rugby league player with a close-knit group of mates and a loving family. Life is going swimmingly, until disaster strikes Teddy’s club, and he is forced to join the arch enemy team. Teddy’s friends feel betrayed and his new teammates distrust and undermine him. How will Teddy put his world to rights?

It is tempting to be sceptical of yet another case of sports-star-makes-children’s-book, given the author was a successful NRL player and the cover trades off that reputation. However, this reader - a South Australian with no knowledge of rugby of any sort and well outside the target age range - could barely put the book down. The characters are fun, engaging and fully fleshed out, with realistic dialogue. The genuine emotion conveyed makes the reader care deeply about what happens to the characters.

The illustrations accentuate key points in the narrative but are distributed relatively sparsely, so a reader who needs a picture to each page or spread may find the book a little daunting. That said, the text is broken up using a range of devices to give extra dimension to the text. 

There are a lot of exclamation marks and some heavy-handed analogies, and the rugby tips at the end of each chapter, useful as they are, don’t bear any relation to the narrative. More important, though, is the overall warmth and diversity (both in its regional setting and characters’ cultural backgrounds) of the story.

The book offers wonderful lessons in sportsmanship and determination, as well as practical advice for junior athletes. Sports fans -- especially rugby league followers aged from 7 to 11-- will get a lot out of this rollicking read.

Can You Do This?

Can You Do This? by Michael Wagner, illustrated by Heath McKenzie (ABC Books) HB RRP $19.99 ISBN 9780733335723

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

Sibling rivalry is the name of the game in this simple, repetitive picture book for readers aged 4+ years. It starts with a cartoonish character (a mouse, perhaps) who says, ‘My big brother can do anything.’ Big brother replies, ‘That’s true.’ From then on, the younger brother challenges his older brother in a variety of movements (cartwheeling on the lounge, showing-off on a bike, springing off a diving board, and so forth) while big brother claims he can also do this.

The illustrations show both brothers on each page with broad backgrounds of vivid colour. In one page (blue background), a huge, elegant, yellow sandcastle being built by the younger brother with the older brother saying he can make a castle ‘with both paws tied behind my back.’ This is followed by a double-page spread with six orange and red shapes filled with the brothers in Tai Kwando uniforms.

The exploits by the younger brother become more and more complex (there’s even aerial flying), with the youngster saying, ‘Maybe one day I’ll be as good as my big brother.’ There is, however, a twist on the final double page spread.

This is an action-packed book likely to be enjoyed by a competitive sibling.

A Banana is a Banana

A Banana is a Banana by Justine Clarke and Josh Pyke, illustrated by Heath McKenzie (Puffin) HB RRP $19.99 ISBN9781 7608916664

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

More and more publishers are commissioning media personalities and household names to write books for young readers. Justine Clarke is an ABCKids personality and singer who has collaborated with singer and songwriter Pyke to write this picture book for children aged seven and up.

The text is simple and relies on wordplay. It starts: ‘If an eggplant really grew eggs, chickens would be out of a job’ (with an odd and inaccurate picture of an eggplant that looks like a bulbous tree). And, the text proceeds: ‘If a butterfly was really made of butter, its wings would melt in the sun.’ The rest of the text follows along these lines and concludes that a banana is a banana (‘that’s what it’s called, I don’t know why.’) 

The illustrations are by Heath McKenzie who specialises in stylised digital illustrations (aiming to make them look as non-digital as possible). He’s managed to do this here, using cartoon-style, active characters against brightly colour backgrounds.

Overall the text and illustrations are amusing and will probably tickle the funny bones of children who have vivid imaginations.

The Runaway Foal: Pine Valley Ponies

The Runaway Foal: Pine Valley Ponies by Kate Welshman, Illustrated by Heath McKenzie (Scholastic Press)

PB RRP $9.99

ISBN 978-1-74362-431-9

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Autumn has arrived and all the ponies at Pine Valley Ranch are putting on their winter woollies. Maddy’s pony Snowy has grown his winter coat too and Pattie, the Ranch’s horse riding teacher, has decided now is the perfect time for the girls to learn some bareback riding. Although nervous at first, Maddy bravely joins her confident friend Iris in practising this challenging task, not realising how much her new skill will come in handy when a young foal, Sunny, becomes a runaway.

The Runaway Foal is the second book in the Pine Valley Ponies series which will appeal to young girls who love horses. Humorous, adventurous, and full of Heath McKenzie’s charmingly quirky illustrations, new readers will find this a satisfying story even without reading the first book. Although the text is straight forward, there are still loads of ‘big’ words and it doesn’t talk down to readers. Plenty of information about horses is imparted also.

Simple, fun and easy to read chapters make this good for independent readers.

The Forbidden Trail: Pine Valley Ponies

The Forbidden Trail: Pine Valley Ponies by Kate Welshman, Illustrated by Heath McKenzie (Scholastic Press)

PB RRP $9.99

ISBN 978-1-74362-430-2

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Maddy is super excited. Today is the day she gets to start riding lessons at Pine Valley Ranch on her pony Snowy. But she is also a little nervous. Is she really good enough to be in the intermediate class? Will she ever be as good a rider as her mother was? And what is down the shortcut trail which makes it the Forbidden Trail.

This is the first book in a new series. From its eye-catching foil cover, to the charming and fun illustrations, to the story line loaded with horse riding fun, danger, bravery and rescue, the appeal for young girls who loves horses and all that world entails, is endless.

Maddy is a likeable heroine, as is her new friend Iris. I like that Maddy is following Mum’s footsteps but in her own independent way. The involvement of parents is realistic and there is a good amount of information about horses and their care without feeling that it’s being ‘dumped’ into the story line.

There is the clichéd mean rich girl, and sometimes it feels as though the story is following a formula – albeit one which engages and entertains children and there is a good balance between breezy fun and more serious moments. 

Heath McKenzies’ illustrations are my favourite part of this book. He captures people and animals in a wonderfully light-hearted warm way but also portrays a feeling and personality which adds so much to the story.

Short chapters, illustrations, easy reading text, a great map of the area around Pine Valley Ranch, and profiles of the ponies and horses, make this a sweet beginner-reader chapter book for horse-mad girls.

I Wanna Be a Great Big Dinosaur

I Wanna Be a Great Big Dinosaur by Heath McKenzie (Scholastic Press)

HB RRP $16.99

ISBN 978-1-74362-600-9

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

What does it take to be a great big dinosaur? T-Rex knows. And he can teach little boys all about roaring, and stomping, and eating. But maybe one little boy can teach T-Rex all about being a boy.

This imaginative romp takes the readers through the activities which occupy a boy – and a dinosaur- over one fun day.

The text forms part of the appealing page layout of this picture book, with changes of size and strength. The words bounce among the colourful and humorous illustrations. I especially enjoyed the page where the dinosaur discovers that there is more to food than just meat.

Inside the front cover is a realistic picture of dinosaurs in the prehistoric era which is repeated at the back of the book but with a young boy’s addition. The touches of tie-ins to the story are very clever.

Can a dinosaur really play soccer? Is a dinosaur any good at video games? Read this playful picture book to find out. A great book for preschoolers, particularly those with a love of dinosaurs.

Blog Tour: Meet Marmalade!

A New Friend for Marmalade by Alison Reynolds and Heath McKenzie, The Five Mile Press 

Drum roll, please! Here he is, Marmalade, the loveable cat featuring in his second book, A New Friend for Marmalade (The Five Mile Press). Welcome to Buzz Words Books Marmalade and thank you for disturbing your nap time to answer Seven Purry Questions:

1. Favourite Movie?

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

2. Favourite Book?

Cat in a Hat

3. Favourite TV show?

Purrfect Match.

4. What is your typical day?

Read fan emails. Take a nap. Eat sardines. Take a nap. Do public appearances up and down the street. Take a nap. Practise my cat walk twirl, in case I’m offered my own fashion label. Take a nap. Play with Ella, Maddy and Toby. Take a nap. International feline stars need plenty of beauty sleep.

5. Has fame changed you since your starring role in A New Friend for Marmalade and A Year with Marmalade?

I can’t go out in public anymore. Dogs always chase me for autographs. I spend forever grooming myself in case the purrparrazzi snap my photo. But I do get upgraded when I stay at the boutique cattery, so it’s not all fur balls.

6. There is a Beyonce doll, a Jennifer Lopez doll and now a plush toy, Marmalade. How did you feel about the likeness?

My legs are longer in real life, but apart from that it’s purrfect.

7. Do you have a personal mantra?

No matter how famous I become, I’ll always keep my four paws on the ground. Especially if Toby, Ella and Maddy aren’t around to rescue me.

Please don't forget to enter the competitions below to WIN books, manuscript assessments or even a chance to jump the slush pile and land on an editor's desk!

Pet contest for all ages!
Marmalade the cat is full of personality. Do you have a pet with personality? Win a piece of artwork by Heath McKenzie. Send along a photo of your personality-plus pet to www.alisonreynolds.com.au, alrey@msn.com.au or upload to https://www.facebook.com/alison.reynolds.524

Random book giveaways!
Just leave a comment on one of the posts in the blog tour, comment on facebook, or even email Alison letting her know you want to enter the competition to win A New Friend for Marmalade.

Jump the Slush Pile!
Option 1 - Win a free pass to a Children’s editor’s desk
Just comment on this blog post or any other blog during the A New Friend for Marmalade blog tour and add the initials CB. The more you comment, the more chances you have to win the draw.

Option 2 - Win a free pass to a Non-fiction commissioning editor’s desk
Just comment on this blog post or any other blog during the A New Friend for Marmalade blog tour and add the initials NF. The more you comment, the more chances you have to win the draw.

Win a Manuscript Assessment!
Option 1 - Win an assessment of Chapter One of a chapter book with Dee White
A wonderful opportunity to have an assessment by the fabulous mentor extraordinaire, Dee White.
Just comment on this blog post or any other blog during the A New Friend for Marmalade blog tour and add the initials DW. The more you comment, the more chances you have to win the draw.

Option 2 - Win a free picture book assessment by Alison!
Just comment on this blog post or any other blog during the A New Friend for Marmalade blog tour and add the initials PB. The more you comment, the more chances you have to win the draw.

A New Friend for Marmalade is available now in Australia at all leading bookstores and online. Published in Australia by The Five Mile Press. Released March 2014. Published in the USA by Little Simon. Released July 2014.

A New Friend for Marmalade

A New Friend for Marmalade by Alison Reynolds, illustrated by Heath McKenzie (Five Mile Press)
HC RRP $ 14.95
ISBN 9781743466599
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

After the extraordinary success of A Year with Marmalade, another new adventure is here with Marmalade the cat, and best friends Ella and Maddy, carrying themes of friendship and tolerance.

The girls decide to build a cubby house while Marmalade keeps an eye on their activities. Toby from across the road scooters over and their pink cloth is swept off its stick poles. They try again. This time they build an elaborate sandcastle city. But here comes the disruptive Toby again.

It seems that catastrophe follows where ever Toby goes, for that’s not the end of it. The incident with the tap follows, which scares Marmalade into a tree. How will they ever get him down?

Toby shows that he has good ideas and proves to be very resourceful. After finding the ideal solution to getting Marmalade down, Ella, Maddy and Marmalade discover that new friends are found when you least expect it.

The illustrations by Heath McKenzie are delightful. His impressive style of minimal colour to the pictures is very effective. It allows the characters individuality and expression, while accentuating the main features of the story.

Blog tour: A New Friend for Marmalade

Buzz Words is thrilled to be joining the blog tour for Alison Reynolds and Heath McKenzie's new book, A New Friend for Marmalade (The Five Mile Press). On Saturday 15 March, none other than the star of the show, Marmalade himself, will be popping by to answer seven purry questions.

There are also plenty of competitions with the chance to win books, manuscript assessments and more.

Find out about the book, its characters and creators at these other great kids' lit sites throughout March.

11th Dee White – Review and Post http://deescribewriting.wordpress.com/
11th Chris Bell – Post http://christinemareebell.wordpress.com/
12th Angela Sunde – Interview with Heath http://angelasunde.blogspot.com.au/
12th KBR – Book giveaway http://www.kids-bookreview.com/
13th Boomerang Books – Post with Dimity Powell
http://blog.boomerangbooks.com.au/author/dpowell
14th KBR Guest post http://www.kids-bookreview.com/
14th KBR Review http://www.kids-bookreview.com/
14th Sally Murphy – Meet my book http://aussiereviews.com/reviews/blog/
15th Buzz Words – Interview with Marmalade http://www.buzzwordsmagazine.com/
17th Ask the Bean Counter – Mr X http://www.alisonreynolds.com.au/
17th Pass-it-on Post and Review – Jackie Hosking
http://jackiehoskingpio.wordpress.com/school-magazine/
18th Ask the Publisher – Kay Scarlett http://www.alisonreynolds.com.au/

The Three Wallabies Gruff

The Three Wallabies Gruff by Yvonne Morrison and Heath McKenzie (Little Hare Books)

PB RRP $14.95 

ISBN 978 1 742977 15 7

Reviewed by Nean McKenzie

This delightful picture book takes an old tale and cleverly twists it into a story as Aussie as Vegemite. Taking the place of the Billy-goats Gruff are three very astute wallabies; a dad, mum and son. Instead of a troll is a green yowie, beautifully illustrated with red eyes and yellow teeth. It's all set around a sparkling blue pool, shady and cool. None of the other animals can drink the water because the yowie frightens them away. But things change when the Wallabies Gruff turn up.

This is a good book to read aloud, with humorous rhymes to please both the reader and listener. The phrase, 'Who's that going Slip Slap down my private track? I'll gobble you up for my afternoon snack!' is repeated each time an animal tries to cross the bridge. Unfazed by the hideousness of the yowie, the quick-thinking wallaby family take advantage of his greediness and ultimately trick him into losing his beloved pool. The yowie ends up in the back of beyond, where he gets his just deserts 

The illustrations are colourful and full of character. Father wallaby wears a Bonds type singlet top and has a moustache and muscles, while Mother wallaby wears a red, floral dress. The facial expressions, on the animals too scared to drink the water from the pool, look suitably distraught. But the yowie is the best, almost evoking sympathy at the end in a final (textless) twist on the last page. It's good to end a book with a chuckle.

The humour in this book makes it appealing to children of a variety of ages, from preschool to those who can read it for themselves. 

What Do Werewolves Do When It’s Not Halloween?

What Do Werewolves Do When It’s Not Halloween? by Heath McKenzie (Scholastic Press)
PB RRP $14.99
ISBN 978-1-74283-879-3
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Halloween is a wonderful time for all the spooks and ghouls but have you ever wondered what they do for the rest of the year? What do Werewolves do when it’s not Halloween? is a fun exploration of the answer to this question.

   November the first is kinda the worst
   For everything spooky and creepy,

In this story, mummies explore fashion options, zombies visit libraries in the hope of expanding their minds and ghosts try to be nice. But it’s what the werewolves get up to that is most troubling.

The pictures are bright, bold and humorous with the tinge of creepiness which is sometimes present in Heath McKenzie’s illustrations. In this picture book the creep factor fits perfectly with the story, the humour in the text has the same scary edge.

The rhythm, the internal rhymes and the flow of the story make it fun and entice the reader to turn the page to discover what will come next. And the ending is just fabulous.

This probably isn’t a book for the very young, and will not be reassuring for those who are susceptible to nightmares, but it is aimed at prep children or older who will enjoy scaring themselves.

What do Werewolves do when it’s not Halloween? is a fun book to read for Halloween – if you dare!

The Littlest Bushranger

The Littlest Bushranger by Alison Reynolds, illustrated by Heath McKenzie (The Five Mile Press)

HB RRP $14.95

ISBN 9781743464977

Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

The Littlest Bushranger is a glorious celebration of imagination. Jack is left to his own devices when his sister Lil starts school. Lil leaves him her telescope to look after and when it is snatched from him by a ‘dark shape’, Jack’s run-of-the-mill backyard becomes a rapidly changing landscape of deserts, swamps and rainforests inhabited by giant snakes and bunyips. He rides after the ‘Outlaw’ on his trusty white steed, sword in hand. The rescue is completed just in time for Lil’s arrival home from school.

Heath McKenzie’s fun and colourful illustrations bring to life Alison Reynolds’ text as Jack’s rollicking adventure unfolds. The scene is set perfectly with the initial illustrations including the normal paraphernalia of an Australian backyard: hoses, bikes, sandpits, brooms and paddling pools. These, and his imagination, provide all that Jack needs to fulfil his adventure.

I am a sucker for a beautiful book and this falls into that category. Hardback and with fully illustrated endpapers and high quality paper, this books makes a perfect gift or is one to remain a treasured item on the book shelf for years to come. And at $14.95, it is quite a steal.

Nerdy Ninjas vs The Really Really Scary Guys

Nerdy Ninjas vs The Really Really Scary Guys by Shogun Whamhower, illustrated by Heath McKenzie (Scholastic Press)
PB RRP $9.99
ISBN 978-1-74283-027-8
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

When diving into a river, a ninja should check 

that the water is deep enough, and that 

there are no submerged shopping trolleys.

The Ninja Warrior’s Handbook, Volume 27

The Nerdy Ninjas are back again and continuing their training with Sensei Lee, which is lucky as they are about to become embroiled in their scariest adventure yet!

Most students at St Hall’s (the ninjas school) have heard the rumour that an horrific troll lurks in the basement of the building. When Pongo learns the truth behind this rumour, he and his fellow Ninjas must face their fears - which is quite a long list for Veejay - to help save the world from the beastly intruders lurking in Forest Forest.

When a scream is heard from Forest Forest, Jake sends a text to gather the ninjas at their secret hideout. Unfortunately Veejay is not allowed out after seven, Ben has been scared by the cape he found (labelled “If found, please return to troll”), and Pongo is so busy boing-boinging on his pogo stick that he doesn’t hear his mobile phone.

Maybe they really are the worst ninjas in the world, but always lurking in the shadows nearby is a highly trained SNOT (Secret Ninja Operational Team) ninja who is - rather luckily - on their side and ready to lend an invisible hand.

Nerdy Ninjas vs The Really Really Scary Guys is a great read for upper primary age. The silliness of the humour is spot on for boys at this age. It is full of fun, disgusting bits, ghoulish monsters, humourous pictures and sprinkled with rules for ninjas, teachers, and ‘stuff kids should know’.

The personalities of the four boys are developing in this second book and I particularly love the distractions Pongo finds which make him late for school every day. It will be fun to see where book 3 takes the Nerdy Ninjas next.

Hercules, Champion of the World

Hercules, Champion of the World by Nigel Gray, illustrated by Heath McKenzie (Walker Books Australia)
PB RRP $ 14.95
ISBN 978-1-921529-89-4
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

In this hilarious and most entertaining book by Nigel Gray, children will learn about the legend of Hercules and his feats while laughing all the way through the book. It is geared to make a complicated story easy to remember and a pleasure to read.

Hercules is filled with annotated idioms, definitions of difficult words and explanations of phrases that some younger readers would otherwise be unable to understand. There is a lot of learning here presented in a tongue-in-cheek way.

Gray enjoys the freedom of wordplay and uses it excessively on purpose. But as we follow the twelve tasks set for Hercules by his jealous and cruel half-brother Eurystheus, there is no doubt about the success of the method chosen to present the story.

The illustrations are another source of entertainment. They are a story in themselves. The text is visually reinforced allowing the reader to view the characters and their reactions through facial expressions and body language, with some background entertainment added. The reader will easily retain the gist of the story and recall the major facts of the tale. There is also a map at the beginning of the book tracing Hercules’ journey through Greece and the Mediterranean for readers to refer to. This book is recommended for age 8+.

The Nerdy Ninjas vs the Really Really Bad Guys

Nerdy Ninjas Vs the Really Really  Bad Guys (Nerdy Ninjas) by Shogun Whamhower, illustrated by Heath McKenzie (Scholastic Press)
PB RRP $9.99
ISBN 978 1 74283 026 1
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

The Nerdy Ninjas begin their school years as ordinary nerds. Well, maybe not so ordinary. Ben, who plays the trumpet often and not always appropriately, is given detention for using his teachers in imaginative creative writing pieces. Jake, who drives a rocket powered wheelchair, earns detentions by arguing with his science teacher. Pongo, who travels everywhere on a pogo stick due to his allergies, is often in detention for arriving late to school. And Veejay, who wants to be an opera singer, uses the detention room to hide out from an over-attentive mother.


The only time these nerds are ever noticed by anyone is when they are in trouble at school. This suits them fine. But when the four friends are ignored by the local bully Crispin Staniforth, who deems them too nerdy, it is the last straw. They decide put this ability to remain unnoticed to use and train themselves as Ninjas. They may even be able to stop this bully.


This comic story follows the exploits of the four friends as they transform themselves into ninjas, battle the bullies and manage to get the bottom of the puzzle of the men in orange who lurk throughout the story.
The supporting characters are great too. There’s Crispin Staniforth, the local bully who lurks in an alley posing with his pipe and the Financial Times rolled up under his arm. Mark Fotheringham-Smythe is the ‘tanned, stunningly handsome, impossibly blonde’ charismatic captain of everything at school. And Mr Caruthers, an extremely tall teacher with an infamous stare.

A variety of illustrations are scattered throughout. The black-and-white illustrations match the light comic tone of the text. I love the picture of Jake's mother abseiling down from their tree house after bringing them a snack. There are useful charts, such as the one demonstrating the range of Mr Caruthers' stares from Level-1: freeze a fruit fly, through Level-6: shut down a great white shark, to Level-10: turn a recipient to stone; character description; and rules for teachers and bullies. 


Each chapter begins with a fact from ‘The Ninja Warriors Handbook, Volume 27': 

A ninja’s garments should always be black, unless he finds himself in a 

snowstorm, then white is preferred. If a ninja is hiding amongst a herd of 

zebras, then a combination of the two is advised.

The corners of the pages become a flick book and you can watch Pongo bounce up and down on his pogo stick. The front cover has a hologram. Depending on which angle you look at it from, it shows four nerds in school uniform, or four ninjas ready for action.


The dialogue is fabulous. The banter between the friends is witty and very funny. My eleven year old son and I spent much time chuckling our way through the list of Veejay's fears, such as Arachibutyrophobia: fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth. Then there’s the list his mother has written to excuse him from various activities like Right Turns: Veejay prefers to turn left at roundabouts, so Veejay is banned from any excursions that would require the school bus to turn right. Veejay, it is pointed out, is a ‘complex guy’.


This is a fun and easy book to read. It did not take a predictable path and I enjoyed my time with the Nerdy Ninjas. I think young boys are going to love this and I feel it is perfect for reluctant readers.

i Love You Book

i Love You Book by Libby Hathorn, illustrated by Heath McKenzie (IP KIdz)

HB RRP $26.00

ISBN 9781921479892

Reviewed by Margaret Warner

This tribute to ‘the book’ was inspired by Libby Hathorn’s visit to Papua New Guinea where she visited a high school in Gorokan several years ago. Several of the students’ parents were learning to read and performed a ‘book drama’ for the assembly, called I Love You Book about the joys of reading.

The picture book i Love You Book celebrates every aspect of the absolute joy of ‘the book’: the look, the smell, the sound, the feel, the emotions, and the delights that capture the imagination on every page. Heath McKenzie’s vibrant illustrations take the reader into an array of imaginative scenes that will remind readers of every memorable book they have ever read.

This delightful book will deliver something special for readers and writers of all ages.

The Aussie Nutcracker

The Aussie Nutcracker by Heath McKenzie (black dog books)
HB RRP $14.99
ISBN 978-1-74203-161-3
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton
www.buzzwordsmagazine.com


The Aussie Nutcracker is heath McKenzie's best book so far. Just in time for Christmas, McKenzie Australianises E.T.A. Hoffmann's classic story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. Clara and Fritz become Clare and Felix and their magical godfather Herr Drosselmeyer is Uncle Don.


McKenzie stays true to the story but all the characters (apart from the mice) are depicted as Australian animals. Clare, Felix and Uncle Don are koalas, Felix's toy soldiers are a platypus, goanna, wombat and a possum, and the nutcracker is a giant red kangaroo. I loved the sugar glider cast as the Sugar Plum Fairy, ruler of the Land of Lollies. 


McKenzie's illustrations are as bright, bold and colourful as always with the focus on the characters and the action. The snowy edging around the pages pays homage to the original tale. This book will be a sure Christmas hit, an ideal gift for children or to send to relatives and friends overseas. I highly recommend it.