Catty Corner Lands on Her Feet

Catty Corner Lands on Her Feet by Julie Murphy (Union Square Kids – New South Books) HB RRP $24.99 ISBN: 9781454956471

Reviewed by Kellie Nissen

“No hissing. No scratching. No biting.” Those are the three key rules Catty Corner must abide by when she is out in public – but it’s sort of hard when you’re a half-cat.

Little Catty is in Year 3, but she’s been homeschooled by her mum – who’s also half-cat – her whole life. She’s quite happy with that arrangement, staying at home away from the judging eyes of other children, particularly the boy across the road. Catty has everything she needs.

Then, Catty’s world is turned upside down when her mother announces she has a new job that means she won’t be at home during the day. What’s more, it also means that Catty is going to have to start going to her local school – from Monday!

Catty worries that the other children won’t accept her. That with her cat ears and furry tail, she’ll be teased for being different. And, that she won’t be able to control her kitty-cat ways and will embarrass herself.

Unfortunately, she has no choice and, somewhat reluctantly, with her ears hidden under a hat and her tail tucked beneath her shirt, Catty boards the school bus. To her surprise, she quickly makes a friend who doesn’t care that she’s half-cat. Her teacher also turns out to be very understanding.

But not everyone is.

And not everything goes the way it should.

Filled with ‘kitty-cat’ puns and a few CAT-astrophes, Catty Corner Lands on Her Feet is a fun read with a quiet message of positivity and self-belief.

Author, Julie Murphy, has created an endearing protagonist in Catty, along with a cast of relatable characters in this character-driven novel for readers aged 6 to 8 years.

If you are a cat person – or even if you’re not – you won’t be able to help yourself from relating to Catty and cheering her on as she navigates her new school and accepting herself for who she is rather than who she thinks she should be.

Dragon Forged - Sword of the Champion

Dragon Forged - Sword of the Champion by Eric Lide (Union Square Kids, US) ISBN 9781454947752   RRP $24.99 (PB)

Reviewed by Jude Mullen

Renowned cartoonist Eric Lide, known for his webcomics Station Square and Ozzie the Vampire and more recently for illustrating covers for Sonic the Hedgehog, has created a bright and colourful graphic novel that will strongly appeal to readers who also love fantasy, manga and playing adventure video games.

The story takes us on a quest with the protagonist Orin, a reincarnated and reluctant hero, who must find the Champion Sword to defeat the Fiendlord. The adventure is hilarious and is brilliantly portrayed through a series of visual gags that will keep readers laughing to the end.

Lide’s clever and creative switch-up of classic fantasy adventure characters, for example the middle-aged villain who is having a midlife crisis, adds to the humour while also giving the story a fresh and original flavour. The illustrations are vibrant and engaging throughout, with enough variation in layout and text density on each page to keep even the most reluctant readers interested.

Dragon Forged - Sword of the Champion is aimed at 8-12-year-olds

The Fairfleet Affair

The Fairfleet Affair by K. H Saxton (Union Square Kids) ISBN: 9781454950134 RRP $16.99

Reviewed by Melissa Wray

Missing millionaire. Secret Clues. Historical artefacts. Four suspects. Two tenacious detectives. This book has the perfect mix for a mystery that needs to be solved! Each clue links to the next one and will keep the reader guessing about how they are all connected and what each clue means. Because no sooner is one clue solved than another one demands to be uncovered to ensure all the clues blend together.

When Dr. Alistair Fairfleet disappears, it soon becomes clear this is not a normal missing person case. Not only do four people (soon to become suspects) each receive a letter about the disappearance, so to do Asha and Alex of A&A Detective Agency. These two twelve-year-old sleuths must use their wit and knowledge of the Fairfleet Institute, as well as their significant investigative skills, as they decode clues and interview the suspects likely to be behind the disappearance.

Saxton weaves an intricate web of mystery as each character involved solves specific clues through their own personal knowledge to try and help solve the mystery. However, each suspect has some kind of motive. Along with a little help from Asha and Alex who are very good at their detective work, these motives are slowly revealed as the story unfolds.

Alex and Asha work well together, and it was enjoyable to get to know each character and their personality as they both committed to solving the disappearance. They are mature for their age and Saxton creates a good balance between including adult support and having the young detectives use their strengths to interpret the clues.

There are terrific turns and tantalising twists until the story arrives at the dramatic conclusion. So, who is responsible for the kidnapping of the eccentric director of the Fairfield Institute? You will just have to read this delightful mystery to find out!

This book is a fabulous blend of action, mystery, friendship and perseverance. The Fairfleet Affair is suitable for a 12+ years readership.

Caring for Your Lion

Caring for Your Lion by Tammi Sauer, illustrated by Troy Cummings (Union Square Kids) PB 9781454949244

What happens when a little boy expects an itty-bitty kitty . . . but a lion is delivered to his doorstep instead? Caring for a lion is hard work, but could the king of the jungle end up being the purrrrr-fect pet? 

The front fly pages show a brown-faced boy checking his calendar in expectation of a kitten while the other page shows through the window a man from a pet delivery van wheeling out a very large parcel. When the boy goes outdoors, he finds a crate with the message that the pet store has run out of kittens, but adds ‘Luckily, a lion is practically the same thing!’ It also provides a list of instructions. First is to take a deep breath. Then carefully open the crate. The boy does this and discovers a smiling lion starting at him.

From then on, the text is taken up with instructions for caring for his new pet. These include ordering ten large pizzas to feed his lion, even potty training it! He then must find a space for the lion to play: the illustration shows the lion interrupting a soccer game and chasing after the ball. All together there are 14 instructions, the final one being ‘Realise your lion is the purrrr-fect pet for you’ which is accompanied by an illustration of the boy and his lion curled up in bed together.

The illustrations are all bright and eye-catching with lots of details. This book is likely to be of most interest to readers aged 7+ years.