Mary Fowler: Mary’s Game

Mary Fowler: Mary’s Game (Penguin Random House) Mary Fowler, Jasmin McGaughey & Cate James JF RRP $12.99 ISBN 9781761356216

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

The Mary Fowler junior fiction series is about a young girl called Maz. This four-book series focuses on friendship, school, sport and teamwork. The books are inspired by Mary Fowler’s love of sport and helping kids stay active.

Mary Fowler is the inspiration for the main character (Maz). Fowler is an Australian Matilda’s soccer star playing in both the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics. She is a strong role model for teamwork, trying your best and being a good friend. Fowler has Papua New Guinean and Irish heritage that shapes both her game and outlook on life.

Jasmin McGaughey is a Torres Strait islander and African American author and editor.

Cate James is an illustrator and printmaker from Sydney. She has worked on about 40 illustrated books and publications to date, in Australia, the UK and the US.

Mary Fowler can’t wait to get to school. She has an exciting surprise to share with her friends. But something unexpected happens, and Mary and her crew must work together to solve the problem so that they can get back to playing sports and having fun.

Mary Fowler and Jasmin McGaughey have created a delightful text. The warm voice of Mary sounds just like a young Mary Fowler. It feels like Mary is speaking directly to the child reader. Mary is known as Maz for short, and her love and passion for football shine through in her character’s actions on every page.  The chapters are well-paced and perfectly suited to beginner readers. The story problem is introduced early, and Mary comes up with a surprisingly fun solution. The simple sentences that include questions are childlike and direct. The teachers have told us we are no longer allowed to do headers with the football. They sound very much like child speak.

The story arc builds easily, and the ending is satisfying. This is the first of four books, and it really creates that sense of wanting to spend more time with Maz and her friends. The characters are lovable, likable and realistic in a school setting that’s perfect for this age group.

Cate James’ illustrations are joyful and simple, in black, white, and grey tones, with lots of character, expression, and movement. Maz is portrayed clearly as a young Mary Fowler, and it shows. The sense of childlike wonder is captured, and that innocence and simpler way of looking at the world is shown delightfully.

Mary Fowler: Mary’s Game is a joyous, simple book that is an engaging read for children aged 6-9 years. I love that this series has a female lead who is based on a real female superhero. The Matildas have ignited a tsunami of young girls wanting to play soccer; this book inspires kids to want to read about Mary. Girls will respond to a strong female role model much like the Timmy/Tiny Timmy series did for boys. This book is great because it celebrates an amazing Australian female trailblazer.

Mary Fowler: Beach Party

Mary Fowler: Beach Party (Penguin Random House) Mary Fowler, Jasmin McGaughey & Cate James JF RRP $12.99 ISBN 9781761356230

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

The Mary Fowler junior fiction series is about a young girl called Maz. This four-book series focuses on friendship, school, sport and teamwork. The books are inspired by Mary Fowler’s love of sport and helping kids stay active.

Mary Fowler is the inspiration for the main character (Maz). Fowler is an Australian Matilda soccer star playing in both the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics. She is a strong role model for teamwork, trying your best and being a good friend. Fowler has Papua New Guinean and Irish heritage that shapes both her game and outlook on life.

Jasmin McGaughey is a Torres Strait islander and African American author and editor.

Cate James is an illustrator and printmaker from Sydney. She has worked on about 40 illustrated books and publications to date, in Australia, the UK and the US.

Mary Fowler and her friends are going to a birthday party at the beach. She can’t wait. But when a cute dog called Firework comes and causes mayhem. Maz and her friends need to be creative to save the party and have some cake.

Mary Fowler and Jasmin McGaughey have created a fun story about a birthday party. The child voice of Mary, aka Maz, shines. The character interactions are believable and relatable. The build of tension from the excitement of going to the party to the problem-solving to save Anthony’s party keeps the reader hooked. Resilience shines in different characters in different ways, and the interactions among friends serve as a role model for positive behaviour. The text engages multiple senses to make the reader feel like they are at a party, too. Mary Fowler embodies movement and being healthy. This story captures this, along with the Australian outdoor culture of loving the beach and summer. The language is kept simple and childlike yet interesting. The story captures the innocence, freedom, and problems of childhood delightfully.

Cate James’ illustrations show the magic of those special little moments in childhood, like the achievement of building a sandcastle and the moment of wonder when a birthday cake is ready for wishes. The simple characters, in black, white, and grey tones, have a childlike quality that complements the text and adds meaning and joy to the story.

Mary Fowler: Beach Party is an engaging junior fiction read for children aged 6-9 years. This is the second book in the series, and it will capture the reader's interest and make them want to read the next two books. Parents, teachers, librarians and anyone with a keen interest in football will want to share these books with children. I think the books will be popular with children, not just because of their readability, but also because they are creatively inspired by Mary Fowler’s childhood, and they feel fun and authentic.

Time Lions and the Chrono-Loop

Time Lions and the Chrono-Loop by Martin Seneviratne and Krystal Sutherland (PenguinRandom House) PB RRP $16.99 ISBN 9780143779377

The publisher describes this book as ‘a laugh-out-loud, edge-of-your-seat time-travel adventure perfect for fans of The Last Last-Day-of-Summer and City Spies from New York Times bestseller, Krystal Sutherland.’

Twins Pearl and Patrick are no ordinary twelve-year-olds. They’re geniuses, hiding in plain sight, who pull heists all over the world to further their scientific and historical research. Their criminal activity, including grand theft auto and espionage, has made them a regular nuisance to both the CIA and MI5. But it’s all been worth it. They’ve finally achieved their greatest triumph: time travel. Pearl’s Chrono-Loop can take the twins anywhere in time! Their first stop: ancient Egypt, where they even get to see King Tut!

But when they return home, they’re arrested by TIME—The Interdimensional Misconduct Enquiry—a secret organization charged with maintaining the timeline. Turns out Pearl and Patrick didn’t invent time travel, after all—that happened two hundred years ago! And what Pearl did in ancient Egypt—killing a mosquito—could have rewritten history as we know it if not for TIME agents stepping in.

Punishment for disrupting the timeline is 100 years in the Eternal Abyss. But TIME, impressed by the pair, offers them a chance to become agents. Unfortunately, they fail their entrance exam and instead are banned from ever attempting time travel again. Pearl is furious, and when she’s offered another chance at time travel by a rival organization, she takes it! Too late, she realizes she’s been tricked and unwittingly plays a part in replacing the timeline they know with a nightmarish scenario.

Now Pearl and Patrick must clean up the mess they’ve made. But to restore the timeline, they have to go back to the beginning—to Lion Rock—to convince the real inventor of time travel to help them save time and the world.

In this electric time travel adventure steeped in unexplored Sri Lankan history, these whiz kids use their book smarts and a healthy dose of girl power to fight the ultimate villain.

Cock-a-Doodle-Doo!

Cock-a-Doodle-Doo! by Pamela Allen (Penguin Random House) HB RRP $24.99 ISBN: 9781761354908

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera

‘It was the middle of the night …’ A sudden sound wakes Mr Grumble Bumble, Mrs Brittle Little and Mr Arden Garden. What can they see? A big, black monster that is scary and noisy and smelly. They can’t go back to sleep, so they have tea and pancakes. By the time they have finished, the sun has come up – and they finally recognise the rooster that had kept them up all night.

Pamela Allen uses the power of rhyme and repetition to great effect in this simple picture book for three- to five-year-olds. As the mystery builds, kids will enjoy guessing who or what is making the strange sound. And, given that they know the title of the book, they will be pleased with themselves when they work out the answer before the adult protagonists.

Pamela’s quirky vignettes carry the story well, and it’s clear on the characters’ faces that they’re somewhat afraid of the thing they can’t identify. While readers may have worked out early on that a rooster is crowing, the shadowy images of what the characters behold before dawn are vague enough to introduce intriguing doubt to young minds. 

Littlies will love the read-aloud drama of Cock-a-Doodle-Doo! A fun story that helps to dispel the fear of the dark, it’s sure to be at the top of the pecking order for bedtime books.

Horror in Pleasantville

Horror in Pleasantville by Caleb Finn (Penguin Random House Australia) Collection of short stories RRP AU$17.99 ISBN 978 1 76134 589 0

Reviewed by Robyn Gillies

This book is a series of intriguing short stories that challenge the normal. Each story contains a different theme covering the paranormal, the mystical and the supernatural. There are zombies, fun-parlour mirrors that suck you into your own image, strange creatures, not of this world, that take over your body, and grocery stores with everchanging aisles from which you can’t escape.

Each of the strange phenomena are investigated by the Anomaly Restriction Committee (ARC) with their findings reported at the end of each story. But employee #203, Gordon Thatcher, one of their senior entry processors and archivists, has his own distorted truth.

These stories are dark and chilling, ghoulish and twisted and not for everyone. But young readers who love the unexplainable, who want to challenge their imagination and who have the emotional maturity needed will relish their content and be absorbed into mysterious worlds.

Each story is told from the perspective of the subject, a person generally in their teens based in Pleasantville, who is at the receiving end of each experience. The language realistically reflects that of a young person as they try to understand what is happening to them albeit there is little to no differentiation between the key characters in each story. They tend to come across as same, same. Descriptions of scenes beyond known realms are given a life of their own and allow for beyond the possible to be believable.

The stories can also be viewed as allegories such as, be careful what you wish for or a message to society about the impacts of consumerism, climate collapse, resource depletion and war. But, they are craftily built into the stories, each of which shine on their own.

This book contains a content warning informing readers that some of the horror scenes may be unsettling. The themes include: body horror, the supernatural, violence and psychological horror. The content warning proposes that the book is intended for those over the age of 14 which is both appropriate and accurate for this book. There are no happy endings. There are also useful resources for both Australian and New Zealand readers if someone is finding it difficult to talk about a situation that is troubling them and who feel they can’t talk with family or friends. 

This is the author’s second book of short stories in this genre.

 

Koala Koala

Koala Koala by John Williamson, illustrated by Jonathan Bentley (PenguinRandom House) HB RRP $19.99 ISBN9781761344244

Based on the popular family song by an iconic Australian entertainer, this picture book celebrates our beloved but endangered koala. It is also a call by Williamson to protect eucalyptus trees, which koalas rely on for food, water, and shelter. The singer/songwriter says, ‘We need to keep their homes safe from bushfires, cars and motorbikes, dogs, and land clearing for new houses, roads and farming. We can all contribute by planting more eucalyptus trees wherever possible in areas where koalas reside, and by joining the effort to protect the remaining unique forests.

Williamson’s text in the book follows these sentiments. For example, on a beautifully illustrated double page, there is a picture on the left-hand side of a koala perched up a roadside sign, looking at four children who are planting trees. The text reads, ‘We’ve gotta learn how to help you survive. I’ll grow a gum tree today.’ Another page reads, ‘Put a water bowl on the ground’, with a picture of a koala drinking from the bowl.

The last few pages read, ‘Koalas, you used to be everywhere; what a wonderful place it could be…A walk in the bush could be heaven. Please bring back the forest for me.’

This book is the latest instalment in the bestselling series of picture books inspired by Williamson’s songs.

Frog, Log & Dave Almost Save the Day

Frog, Log & Dave Almost Save the Day by Trent Jamieson and Brent Wilson (Penguin Random House Australia) PB RRP $18.99 ISBN: 9781761347061

Reviewed by Kellie Nissen

I’m going to be honest here – with a title like Frog, Log & Dave, I was not too sure what I would be in for … a basal reader perhaps? But no, in fact, I was very pleasantly surprised.

This book is funny!

Frog, Log and Dave are big time rock stars (in their own minds) and the talent behind ‘The Tricycles’ with Frog the self-proclaimed Queen of Guitar Shredding, Log rocking the mic, and Dave the King of Bass Slapping. And we can’t forget Jeremy, their loyal groupie-cum-roadie.

Things are going just fine with the band – even though Frog would prefer that Dave didn’t accept jelly babies as payment – until disaster strikes in the form of a storm. Lightning targets and destroys their instruments along with their only source of income.

Fortunately, there is a delivery driver shortage—and the trio happens to have a van—so ‘Frog Log Dave Deliveries’ is born.

Unfortunately, their first client happens to be Count Evil von Evil, who requires a ‘special’ delivery—his newly designed pollutobomb—to Town Hall right on the hour the mayor is due to accept the award for her town being the ‘most pollution-free city in the world’.

Full of ‘near misses’, punny quips, somewhat dry humour and a series of ‘oh no’ moments, Frog, Log & Dave Nearly Save the Day is packed cover to cover with action and laugh-out-loud moments. Author Trent Jamieson has created three of the most believable, unbelievable characters and may well have instigated a surge in the purchase of jelly babies. Illustrator Brent Wilson’s depiction of all the characters – particularly the living pollutobomb – brings them to life on the page and despite the closeup images and bold colours, doesn’t overwhelm the story or text.

This clever and highly entertaining graphic novel will delight readers from the age of 6 and (well) beyond. It reminds me of the ‘old fashioned’ comic strips – great characters, simple but bold illustrations and strong story.

I shall be looking forward to the next in what I hope will be a long series.  

Scar Town

Scar Town by Tristan Bancks (PenguinRandom House) PB RRP $16.99 ISBN 9780143791812

Seven years after Old Scarborough was drowned, an old house is emerging from the rapidly receding lake amid the worst drought in history. The novel begins when twelve-year-old Will Haddon and his twin friends Dar and Juno (known as J) dare each other to explore it. There they find a safe full of money and human bones. Their mission to identify the body reveals secrets that will rewrite the history of their town and the story of their lives.

When Will was five, his dad, a young cop, went missing just days before Old Scarborough was drowned beneath a man-made lake for a hydroelectric scheme. Old Scarborough’s residents were promised new houses, jobs, tourist dollars and a fresh start, but hardly any of it materialised. Neither did Will’s dad. And he’s not the only person to go missing from this bad-luck town: there is a total of nine missing people. Will, Dar and Juno are forced on a dangerous journey to discover the truth in a town that wants the past to stay buried.

Scar Town is a brand new thriller from the bestselling author of Cop & Robber, Two Wolves, The Fall and Detention. It is likely to be of interest to readers aged 10+ years.