Mr Bambuckle’s Remarkables: On the Lookout

Mr Bambuckle’s Remarkables: On the Lookout by Tim Harris, illustrated by James Hart (PenguinRandom House) PP RRP $14.99 ISBN9780143793144

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

This is the fourth book in Australia Harris’ book series about Australia’s favourite literary teacher, Mr Bambuckle who oversees students of room 12 B. The book begins with a roll call of those 14 students, which includes their names, pictures of them and their likes and dislikes. One of the students is Vex Vron who likes cars and dislikes almost everything apart from cars.

The story begins at camp which has Mr Bambuckle and the stern assistant principal Miss Frost, both very different. Mr Bambuckle values learning, individuality and fun while Miss Frost is far more concerned with discipline, procedures and efficiency. Student Vex has left a note to indicate he is running away so the hunt is on to find him before his parents and school realise he is missing. This involves everyone, including new twin sisters, Grace and Gabby Wu.

As in the previous books in this series, Harris makes use of visual page ‘tricks’ such as phone calls, conversations (with cranky canteen Carol), notes (passed from students to one another) and ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’. The book, also like the others, is full of witty asides, jokes and sparkling dialogue. Sentences are generally short and there are snappy, fast-paced actions that lead to a happy conclusion. All of these devices make this book another to be enjoyed by readers aged 9 to 12 years.

All These Beautiful Strangers

All These Beautiful Strangers by Elizabeth Klehfoth (PenguinRandom House) PB $17.99 ISBN 9780241329498

Reviewed by Nean McKenzie

This young adult novel is set in the prestigious Knollwood Augustus Prep school in the US where Charlie Calloway is beginning her second last year of high school. She receives an invitation to the secret club called the ‘A’s’ − who work behind the scenes for their own ends. Charlie sneaks out of her dorm room with her best friend Drew for the initiation and begins a morally challenging journey. She finds the mystery of her mother’s disappearance is inexplicably linked to the organisation she has just joined.

Charlie is from a wealthy family who are alumni of the school. Her father Alistair is a wealthy business man and Charlie spends her summers sailing at Martha’s vineyard. However beneath all this glamour, there has been tragedy. Charlie’s mother Grace disappeared ten years ago at their house at Langley Lake. At first, Alistair, a rather cold and distant father, was accused of having something to do with Grace’s disappearance, but a body has never been found.

Charlie carries the stigma of her family drama around with her, which partly excuses the selfish way she behaves. The fact that Grace was from the other side of the tracks, gives Charlie some perspective, out of the bubble of Knollwood Prep. Charlie has a couple of romantic interests – one from each of the worlds. There is Dalton, a fellow member of the A’s, the son of Alistair’s ex-girlfriend Margot and Greyson, the son of Grace’s best friend Claire.

The chapters are written initially from Charlie’s point of view, but as the mystery develops, chapters from Alistair and Grace (from ten years before) are included. This works well to flesh out the characters of the parents that Charlie really doesn’t know. The story is essentially about secrets, the consequences of covering them up and being brave enough to admit to mistakes.

Down the page side of the book are the letters I KNOW, which is one of the clues Charlie finds when searching for the truth about her mother. As a cover design, it clearly signals this is a thriller/mystery book.

I found Charlie’s emotional journey compelling . Suitable for secondary school students, Elizabeth Klehfoth’s first novel is a page turner until the mystery is solved. 

Girl on Wire

Girl on Wire by Lucy Estela, illustrated by Elise Hurst (Penguin Random House Australia) HB RRP $24.99 ISBN 9780143787167

Reviewed by Brook Tayla

This picture book is exquisite – delicate and graceful, yet piercingly intense. It tells the story of a young girl facing a personal inner turmoil. We don’t find out what that is for her, but we don’t need to know. Life puts us in the darkness in many ways during our life and when we are there in that dark place it is just dark, for whatever reason, and finding the way out is very often hard.  Not knowing the girl’s personal dilemma leaves the story open for our individual darkness’ – whatever they may be or have been.

‘Turning her face from the wind, she sees for the first time how high the wire is and how far she could fall.’

This book shows that we must be strong even though it appears too difficult and that we have a support network. The interpretation of this is also left open – the network could be your higher-self, or God, or a parent, or the community in which you live.  It’s the thing you grasp on to, to get you through, the hope that wants you to succeed.

‘She stands up, ignoring the storm still snapping at her ankles and raises her arms out wide again.’

Finally, the girl takes the steps that start her warrior heart beating, and begins the journey, step-by-step, that leads her out of the darkness. There isn’t a full resolution at the end, but she is moving ‘forward.’

The interplay of meaning painted on to each page, both in words and illustrations, will make you read this book over and over again – not to understand it but because it has touched your soul.

We are all ‘girl on a wire.’ This is an important story.

Brook Tayla writes a picture book review blog at telltalestome@wordpress.com and would love you to drop by, read some reviews, leave a comment and subscribe.  Brook also offers editing services for beginning and emerging writers.