The PM’s Daughter

The PM’s Daughter by Meredith Costain (Puffin Books) PB RRP $16.99 ISBN 978176104 6704

Reviewed by Kathleen Grace

This book is a novelisation of a TV show (currently screening on the ABC) rather than an original work and is inspired by the original program created by Tristram Baumber and Matthew Allred. Inside the book are pages of photographs showing actors in the show.

The story’s protagonist is Cat Parkes Perez whose mother has recently moved her and her great-aunt Jacinta from Perth to Canberra where they are to live in The Lodge. Many new people come into Cat’s life including two friends, Ollie Yeung, son of the Deputy Prime Minister, and Sadie whose parents own a catering business. There’s also Georgina Pryce, whose father is opposition leader, Miro, the US diplomat’s son, Grace, the PM’s assistant, and Yvette who drives Cat to school in a Commonwealth vehicle.

Life at The Lodge means having every moment scheduled and every outfit pre-approved. But it’s not just the dinner parties and daggy dresses – Cat and her mum disagree on practically everything, especially the government’s climate policy. To that end, Cat becomes involved in Action Uprising, headed by Murphy Barnes.                                                                                  

When Cat’s mum makes her first speech at The Lodge, someone organises a drone which deposits bird poo on her, a stunt that embarrasses her. Someone is trying to sabotage the new PM – putting Cat, and everything she loves, in danger. Will she, with the help of some new friends, be able to make things right, for her family and the country?

This book, with plenty of political action (including a Mock Parliament at Cat’s school), is likely to appeal to readers aged 10 years and older.

Reviews by Pauline Hosking

Pearl No. 6 The Helpful Unicorn by Sally Odgers, illustrated by Adele K Thomas, 2020.RRP $12.99 pb ISBN 9781760669287 

Ninja Kid No. 5 Ninja Clones! By Anh Do, illustrated by Anton Emdin, 2020. RRP$14.99 pb ISBN 9781743835128

Ella Diaries No. 18, Wildlife Rescue by Meredith Costain, illustrated by Danielle McDonald, 2020. RRP$14.99 pb ISBN 9781743832301

Reviewed by Pauline Hosking

These are new books in a highly successful series published by Scholastic Australia. They are for mid-primary readers (7+ years).

The Helpful Unicorn. Pearl and her friends Olive the ogre and Tweet the firebird quickly respond to a call for help. A dragon named Trudy is stuck in the Bothering Bog. Pearl uses her amazing pink magic to free the dragon and foil three horrible gobble-uns. This easy-to-read story has a positive message about being a good friend and helping others. Newly independent readers will enjoy the gobble-uns and their nasty songs. Each page is edged with pink and there’s lots pinker in the delightful illustrations.

Ninja Clones. Nelson Kane has a secret identity. He is the Ninja Kid, tasked with stopping evil Dr Kane from gaining control of the town of Duck Creek. Nelson lives in Duck Creek’s junkyard with his Mum, grandma and cousin Kenny. Kenny has a secret identity too − as Ninja Kid’s sidekick H-Dude.  

Nelson’s grandma is a clever inventor. She creates robot clones of the boys to protect their identities. The clones will take the place of Nelson and Kenny when the pair are off having adventures and are only to be used in emergencies. Predictably, there are lots of emergencies and the clones cause massive havoc. 

Ninja Clones is an action-packed read with some laugh out loud moments. The black and white illustrations have a cartoon-like quality which adds to the humour.

The book is a turning point in the series. Nelson finally discovers why Dr Kane is so intent on controlling Duck Creek. He also learns what has happened to his father.

Wildlife Rescue. Ella is a likeable Grade 5 student with a great imagination and kind heart. When the baby possum she finds is taken to the Wildlife Rescue Centre, she worries that it will be lonely. Ella visits the Centre and becomes so involved in its work that she ignores the concerns and interests of her best friends Ammy and Zoe. By the end of the book the three are reconciled and Ella has learnt a great deal about caring for orphaned animals.

As well as a sweet story, this book has good information about what NOT to do when you find a traumatised animal. Readers also learn how to sew a simple pouch for baby animals to sleep in. Wildlife Rescue is written in a diary format and includes lots of Ella’s trade-mark spelling (gooder, betterer, importerant, giganterous). The deceptively simple, quirky, illustrations clearly show what each character is feeling.

The dedication thanks Michele Phillips, a Pride of Australia nominee who runs a real wildlife rescue centre in Melbourne.

One minor quibble on page 90 there is an illustration of a circus performer standing in the middle of a horse’s back. This would hurt the horse. She should be balancing on the horse’s rump. This is a tiny mistake in a book focused on caring for animals.

Ella Diaries: Worst Camp Ever

Ella Diaries: Worst Camp Ever by Meredith Costain, Illustrated by Danielle McDonald (Scholastic Australia) PB RRP $12.99

ISBN 978-1-76015-718-0

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

In the safety of her diary pages, Ella writes about her life, events, fears, triumphs and biggest secrets, many of which will be totally recognisable for the young girls – between the ages of seven and eleven years – who will read the Ella Diaries series. From her struggles at school to tackling the complicated tangles of social relationships and navigating the currents of friendships, Ella bares her soul on the pains of growing up and grade six.

In Worst Camp Ever, Ella goes on school camp with her class and discovers it is not all fun and excitement. Firstly, she has to share a cabin with scheming Peach Parker and her mean girl clique. Then there are scary noises at night. Not only that, she has to face the flying fox, one of her greatest fears.

And then it was my turn next.

And then the butterflies started fluttering around inside my stomach.

And whirlpools started whirling around in my ears.

And my brain went all fizzy, like it was going to explode into a gazillion trillion pieces.

So I swapped places in the line with Zoe. And then with Cordelia. And then with all the other Barracudas who hadn’t had a go yet.

Filled with doodles, drawings and the occasional poem, this is a light and humorous look at just how hard primary school can be. Ella has a delightful and entertaining voice and the intimacy of the diary text comes off naturally.

A popular series already, Ella Diaries is similar in feel to the well-known and loved series for boys, Tom Gates.

One Minute till Bedtime

One Minute till Bedtime edited by Ken Nesbitt illustrated by Christoph Niemann’s (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) HB RRP US$14.99 AU $39.99
ISBN 9780316341219

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

This is a 176 page substantial compilation of new poems for children by over 130 poets including Americans Jane Yolen, Jack Prelutsky, Jon Scieszka, Mary Ann Hoberman, and Lemony Snicket. It is compiled by former US Children’s Poet Laureate Nesbitt, himself a frequent contributor, and consists of “60-second” poems designed to send children ‘off to sleep.’
Presented with over 140 new poems by many of today’s most prominent children’s poets including Australians such as Edel Wignell, Meredith Costain, Janeen Brian and Mark Carthew, readers are treated to lyric nighttime reflections on topics as disparate as relationships with favorite pets or grandparents, beloved “toasty, warm jammies,” post-dinner activities, and reflections on the moon. There is also plenty of nonsense verse sure to inspire wild dreaming “on the road to morning.” These pithy poetic observations and New York Times illustrator and award-winning artist Christoph Niemann’s engaging and witty illustrations present a collection for the average child -- poems are mostly simple and entertaining rather than challenging or educational. The target market for readers is children aged 5 to 9 years.
Here are links to the book on IndieBound, B&N, and Amazon:   http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780316341219   http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-minute-till-bedtime-kenn-nesbitt/1123210580   https://www.amazon.com/One-Minute-till-Bedtime-60-Second/dp/0316341215/

Ballet Backflip: Ella Diaries #2

Ballet Backflip: Ella Diaries #2 by Meredith Costain, illustrated by Danielle McDonald (Scholastic Australia)

PB RRP $12.99

ISBN 978-1-74362-864-5

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Ella is back with her second top secret diary. Grade 5 is not the easy year Ella was hoping for but when she gets to her ballet class all her worries are forgotten. That is until the role she desperately wants in the ballet performance is given to another dancer. Can she keep dancing or should she give in to playground pressure and join the gymnastics classes which Peach has convinced everyone to join? Even Ella’s traitorous BFF Zoe has given up ballet for gym.

The Ella Diaries is a series which will appeal to many young girls. Handwritten, the i’s are topped with hearts and there are many words that are emphasised and scribbled out. Ella’s spelling - Don Tay instead of Danté - and the sketches and diagrams, especially of gym and ballet moves make this feel like a real diary belonging to a ten year old – a very passionate one. I have a daughter who had to choose between ballet and gymnastics and I recognise the agonising decision.

Social issues are hard to navigate as young girls grow up. Fitting in becomes more important than standing out as individuals at this age. It takes strength to follow your own passions and go against the majority as Ella is discovering.

There is much to identify with in Ella. Girls between seven and eleven will get swept up in the pages of Ella’s diary as she jots down her secret thoughts, tries to keep her cool in the face of changing relationships and find the bravery to try new things.

Double Dare You: Ella Diaries #1

Double Dare You: Ella Diaries #1 by Meredith Costain, illustrated by Danielle McDonald (Scholastic Australia)

PB RRP $6.99

ISBN 978-1-74362-863-8

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

This is the top secret diary belonging to Ella, who is just starting Grade 5. Instead of being the best year ever, it seems to be going from bad to worse. First her BFF Zoe does not show up at school, and then she is made to sit next to her worst enemy Peach. No matter what Ella does, Peach is in her space.

Peach does everything she can to make Ella and Zoe’s lives miserable, especially when everyone starts to play the double dare game. Can Ella figure out a way to get out of a particularly mean dare without losing too much face?

This series will appeal to girls in lower to middle primary. Handwritten to create a young girls diary, the i’s are topped with hearts and there is much scribbling out, as well as sketches, diagrams, exclamation marks, and large font to emphasise the drama of a grade 5 girl’s school life. Exploring issues such as friendship, bullying, playground crazes and insecurities, young girls are going to relate to and enjoy reading about the daily drama of Ella, Zoe, Peach and their friends.

I have only one slight reservation with Ella’s Diaries. I have to assume this Ella is a grown up version of Ella from the Ella & Olivia series even though it is a different author. All the names are the same – BFF Zoe, sister Olivia, dog Bob – and both series have the same illustrator so she even looks the same. But Ella feels like a different person. The relationship between the sisters is different; there is no lovely family bond, and Ella seems harder, more sarcastic and less warm. These changes and hard edges, however, could be relevant to adolescence and growing up quickly.

This is a small quibble, and only in light of my reading of the former series, this issue aside, they are thoroughly enjoyable books. My eleven year old daughter was totally engaged by this series and I think young girls will love to follow Ella and Zoe as they grow up.

Lightning Strikes: Disaster Chef

Lightning Strikes: Disaster Chef by Meredith Costain (Walker Books)
PB RRP $12.95
ISBN 9781921977794
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Ollie is a sports champ with a room full of trophies. He’s the star of the family. His identical twin, Julian, is a quiet homebody, interested in cooking who is encouraged to enter a cooking show competition when a call out appears in the paper.

Ollie is no longer the focus of the family. He is so dejected when his dad decides to attend Julian’s cooking try-outs, that when the finals roll up he plays badly, pushes his opponent, and gets a suspension on top of the match.

As the cooking show progresses and Julian enters the final weeks, things begin to go wrong. Ollie, now an audience member each week, notices that sneaky Serena is sabotaging Julian in one way or another. But he has no proof.

It’s when Julian gets sick with glandular fever that Ollie has to step in for the finals. Will he pull it off? Cooking is nothing like sport. Most importantly, can he expose Serena’s diabolical actions?

This humorous, cleverly written and entertaining book could almost be seen as a spoof on what actually happens behind the scenes on cooking shows.  Meredith Costain’s sharp writing style adds pace and holds the reader’s attention from start to finish. It’s a great read that will appeal to readers of the 9+ age group, but also others who enjoy excellent books no matter what age they’re written for.

A Year in Girl Hell

A Year in Girl Hell by Merideth Costain (Hardie Grant Egmont)

PB RRP $24.95

ISBN 978-192175948-2

Reviewed by Lillian Rodrigues-Pang

www.thestoryline.com.au

Written in the first person we delve into the lives of five girls as they face a tortuous first year of high school. I wish I could say that I enjoyed this book but to be honest, as a parent of soon-to-be high school students, I found it frightening. The first year of high school for these girls involves cyber bullying, nasty friends, striving to be popular, bullying in the school grounds, bulimia, parental separation and not a positive proactive parent in sight!

On the serious side it was a riveting read and I believe girls will love this book. The language and situations depicted are well written and relevant to girls facing the first few years of high school (or changing schools). I had to laugh at all the talk of boys, the descriptions, the ‘pash-ability scale’, etc.

As we read the book we are presented with a different girl’s perspective per term; from the bullied to the bully. A year of Girl Hell presents a year of change, friendship, bullying and acceptance with an overall satisfying ending – not rosy or too positive, but satisfying. This book is well worth reading and will offer a platform for discussion that is sometimes very difficult to find.