Sage Cookson’s Fishy Surprise

Sage Cookson’s Fishy Surprise by Sally Murphy, illustrated by Celeste Hulme (New Frontier Publishing) PB RRP $9.99

ISBN 9781925059755

Reviewed by Rebecca Newman

Sage Cookson’s parents are television chefs and Sage goes with them whenever they travel to locations to film. Now the Cooksons are off to Crystal Bay in Queensland, and Sage is thrilled about bringing her best friend along.

Soon after they arrive their excitement is dampened when Sage thinks she’s seen Nancy. (Nancy had a run in with the Cooksons in an earlier book). Could Nancy be behind the hundreds of rotting fish on the beach? Is someone trying to sabotage the cooking show? Sage finds herself in hot water — as usual — when she tries to investigate on her own.

This is the third book in the Sage Cookson series of chapter books for early readers. The short chapters have occasional black and white illustrations. Each title in the series includes a themed recipe at the back of the book and this time the recipe is beer battered fish and chips. These books are sure to be popular with readers aged 7 and up, budding chefs, and young fans of cooking shows like MasterChef.

The series also has its own website www.sagecookson.com.au featuring sample chapters, more of Sage Cookson’s recipes, and activities related to the books.

About the reviewer: Rebecca Newman is a children’s writer and poet. She is the editor of Alphabet Soup’s website and former editor of Alphabet Soup’s print magazine. rebeccanewman.net.au

Good Enough for a Sheep Station

Good Enough for a Sheep Station by David Cox (Allen & Unwin)

PB RRP $24.99

ISBN 9781743319031

Reviewed by Yvonne Mes

David Cox spent five years as a jackeroo on outback sheep and cattle stations before he became an author and illustrator.

Set in 1940s, the story follows a young boy’s upbringing on a Queensland sheep station. It shows its outback characters and understated humour as told in various anecdotes. The story is full of quirky details from how the boy completes his schoolwork via correspondence to learning stockman’s skills from his dad and learning to drive a truck from a young age.

This picture book documents a way of life that may be unrecognizable to many modern children raised in the city, but the story goes deeper than that; it tells of loss and handing down tradition but also, as David Cox writes in the foreword, it is a story about many kinds of love.

Cox’s fluid watercolour and ink illustrations create a colourful bush world. Dogs run in and out of the pictures as they would in real paddocks and the horses outnumber the sheep.

The longer word count makes it a picture book for primary school aged children.

Yvonne Mes is a children's writer and illustrator. Her fpicture book, Meet Sidney Nolan (Random House) and Oliver’s Grumbles (Dragon Tales Publishing) are scheduled for release in October 2015. www.yvonnemes.com