Kid

Kid by Peter Carnavas (University of Queensland Press) HB RRP $22.99 ISBN: 9780702269257

Reviewed by Kellie Nissen

‘Bravest goat in the world.’

Every kid needs a mantra. Something to say out loud several times a day. Something to strive towards. And something to believe.

‘Kid’ is a kid – of the baby goat kind. And like many human ‘kids’, Kid is determined, unstoppable, a little literal and sometimes in need of a hug.

Life on the farm is calm and happy. Kid has friends who care for him – Audrey the hen, Harriet the pig – but he misses his parents who left the farm in pursuit of a fox and never returned. Every night, Audrey tells Kid stories of his parents’ bravery and how they found happiness in ‘the wild ’, but after time, Kid starts to wonder why they never returned.

Kid wants to be brave, just like his parents, so every day he practises what goats do best – jumping, climbing and butting.

Eventually, with some encouragement from Cow and Bird, who live at the far end of the farm, just before the wild, Kid decides he’s going to leave and find his family. His friends warn him that, because of Ma the Maremma’s strict adherence to ‘Farm Law’, he’ll never be able to return, but the pull of family overrides everything.

There are many questions to be answered. How will a tiny kid survive out in the wild? Are Kid’s parents even there? Why are Audrey and Harriet so determined to accompany him? And who is that big, dark beast that seems to be following him?

While Kid is a goat, and while all the other characters – Audrey, Harriet, Ma, Cow, Bird and so on – are also animals, they are so human-like in their qualities that it is easy to draw comparison with the people you know and love (and are maybe slightly apprehensive of) in your life. For me, Audrey was the teaching colleague who took me under her wing when I was new to the game; it was her voice I heard as I read.

Peter Carnavas’ beautiful words, his ability to develop relatable, lovable characters and to simultaneously create a quiet but tension-filled plot really shine in Kid. This is a story that is going to become a firm ‘read-it-again’ classic.

The perfect book for independent readers, Kid would also be a delight to read as a bedtime serial or class novel. (Teachers – there are teaching notes on the UQP website.)

With its gentle narrative, pops of dry humour and characters you want to cheer along, readers aged 5 to 8 – along with their parents and teachers – are going to fall in love with Kid.

Little Bones

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Little Bones by Sandy Bigma. University of Queensland Press 2025. Middle-Grade paperback, 288 pages. RRP $16.99. ISBN 978-0702268878

Reviewed by Debra Williams

Sandy Bigna is passionate about kids lit. She started Aussie Kids Books Instagram, which reviews Australian children’s and YA books. Little Bones is her debut novel.

The book is written in first person by eleven-year-old bones, known only by her nickname because she is fascinated with animal skeletons. Since her 9-year-old brother died in an accident, Bones has withdrawn into her own world, studying skeletons, sketching and spending most of her time alone, apart from the time spent with her Nonna.

After finding a small bird skeleton and bringing it home, she accidentally makes a wish aloud for the bird to be alive. The small bird indeed comes to life, but not life as it was. The bird becomes a living, talking skeleton. Bird wishes to be returned to its previously dead state, but Bones doesn’t know how to reverse the ‘magic’ she has created.

There appears to be a connection between her late brother, Nico, and a particular magical book he was obsessed with. When a new kid, Tenny, moves in next door, they buddy up with Bones and want to help. There is a plan made and an extended search for the missing book, eventually located in an old tree house.

What follows as Bones tries to restore what was, is an emotional roller-coaster, as memories of her brother’s death, repressed for almost 12 months, come back in spades. Now it is time for Bones to grieve for her brother properly, after finally being able to grant the dead bird’s wish, but along with the grief comes guilt.

 

This novel, written in verse prose, deals with the themes of grief, pain and loss, as Bones leaves her childhood behind in difficult circumstances.

Odder: An Otter’s Story

Odder: An Otter’s Story (University of Queensland Press) Katherine Applegate & Charles Santoso PB RRP $24.99 ISBN 9780702269158

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

Katherine Applegate is a No.1 New York Times bestselling author who has written many children’s books. The One and Only Ivan, won a Newberry Medal.

Charles Santoso loves drawing little things and dreams about funny, wondrous stories. He has illustrated many books including Happy Hippo. He has illustrated the New York Times bestseller Wishtree.

Odder is adapted from Katherine Applegate’s bestselling novel of the same name and inspired by the true story of a program that pairs orphaned otter pups with surrogate mothers. This lyrical tale showcases resilience, healing and the importance of play. The novel version of this story spent over 80 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.

Odder loves playing underwater and learning life lessons from her mother. Then something unthinkable happens and she is rescued by humans. Odder heals and learns to mother other rescues. It becomes clear Odder has a talent for teaching young pups how to otter.

Katherine Applegate’s writing is heartfelt and written in verse. Odder is an endearing character whose personality and spunk shine through on every page. Young readers gain a clear sense of her playfulness and resilience. The language is evocative and lovely. Odder is restless, her front paws dream-busy, small and soft as a baby’s mittens. The fact that the story is based on real events and inspired by two actual otters not only strengthens the narrative but also deepens its emotional impact. The text is considerably longer than a typical Australian picture book, with a much higher word count, allowing space to fully share this powerful story. The voice speaks directly to the reader, while the illustrations beautifully enhance the story’s emotional resonance.

Applegate uses literary techniques such as repetition and rhetorical questions to help tell the story through the eyes of an otter. Throughout the book, the constant motion of the sea mirrors and deepens the emotional journey. I love how Applegate shows that teaching and loving are, in many ways, the same thing. Odder’s actions illustrate this beautifully. There is so much this little one needs to know. The backmatter adds meaningful value to the story, and the information about the author and illustrator is a thoughtful touch.

Charles Santoso’s illustrations beautifully capture the life of an otter and the rhythm of the ocean. The ocean-inspired colour palette is soothing, and the character design is both endearing and warm. The movement of the water and the otters is depicted with charm, especially through their expressive faces and body language. The illustrations are varied, and Santoso’s use of vignettes is especially effective in bringing the story to life. The endpapers begin and end with the swirling motion of the ocean, creating a sense of continuity. What stands out most about the illustrations is their warmth and the deep sense of love they convey for marine life and the ocean.

Odder: An Otter’s Story is an uplifting picture book that highlights the importance of play, caring for marine life, and choosing to overcome adversity. It’s a feel-good story that will appeal to children, parents, teachers, and librarians alike. Suitable for children aged three and up, this book offers both heart and hope.

Yanga Mother

Yanga Mother by Cheryl Leavy and Christopher Bassi (University of Queensland Press)  ISBN 978 0 7022 6831 1  RRP $25.00 (HB)

Reviewed by Jude Mullen

As soon as you lay eyes on this gorgeous picture book you cannot help but be drawn in by artist Christopher Bassi’s beautiful and captivating illustrations. You will want to both linger on the cover and inside cover pages to admire the artwork, while at the same time feel the urge to turn the page and begin reading.

It is clear from the start that this story is told equally through the illustrations and the text. This in no way diminishes the power and importance of the text, which is sparse and simple (less that forty words in total) yet poetic and strongly evocative. Leavy has been meticulous in her word selection, ensuring that each precious word and phrase chosen earns its keep in conveying the message and tone of the story.

Yanga Mother is essentially a story about the unbreakable and enduring bond shared between mother and child, represented in this book by a dhugandu (grey kangaroo) and her joey. Told in Kooma language, which is written first then followed by the English translation, the story reinforces the message for children that their mother is always there for them ‘Everywhere Everywhen’.

However, reading it with a knowledge of the historical events of colonisation and the stolen generation in this country gives the work a deeper significance, and opens an opportunity for further discussion about this for older children. Indeed, Leavy directly addresses older readers at the end of the book, revealing to them the story of her own grandmother who was stolen from her family as a child.

Leavy also shares some her language with readers by including a glossary of Kooma words and their English translations.

I see this picture book as being suitable for a wide range of readers aged from three years and upwards, both as a wonderful story to read or listen to as well as a valuable resource for further discussion and education about the culture and history our First Nations people.

Meet Me At The Moon Tree

Meet Me At The Moon Tree by Shivaun Plozza (University of Queensland Press). PB RRP $16.99 ISBN 9780702266171

Reviewed by Kerry Gittins

How much does the Earth weigh? How are rainbows made? Where do dreams come from? Why do I have a tail bone and not a tail? Will mum ever stop crying? How do I put us back together? The right way, like we were with you?
 
These are questions Carina Sugden needs answered but the only person who can answer them isn’t there anymore. Carina’s dad passed away and the family can’t seem to find their way through the sadness and loss. Her mum decided when the doctors had said there was nothing more they could for dad, that they all needed a ‘tree change,’ and so the small town of Forrest was chosen. Even though the house they found was a ‘fixer-upper’, dad had wanted an adventure in a place surrounded by trees and had wanted them all to fix the house together.

But the town and their new home in the Otway Ranges seemed to bring more hurt, more problems and even more sadness because dad hadn’t come with them. Mum threw herself into fixing up the house on her own, crying behind closed doors and shutting people out, Jack became more distant and mean and didn’t want anything to do with his little sister anymore, Gramps tried his best to keep the peace but was fighting a losing battle, and Carina spent hours searching the forest near their new home for the one thing dad had been certain was there and that she had promised her dad she would find for him – a moon tree. Her dad had told her about the seeds taken into space on the 1971 Apollo mission and the trees planted with them on their return to Earth. They were special, just like her dad, and she wasn’t going to let him down. But finding one was proving much harder than she thought.

Finding a path through grief is never easy, but the journey can eventually give rise to new friends, new beginnings, and the opportunity to heal - which is exactly what Forrest gives the Sugden family.
 
This is a truly beautiful story that captures the very essence and heartbreak of profound loss. Shivaun Plozza doesn’t shy away from the reality of the friction and conflict that can occur at times like this and approaches it with enormous gentleness and poignancy so that the reader doesn’t feel confronted but is rather placed in the heart of this family and gently brought along on their journey through grief to acceptance.
 
‘I don’t think memories are bad. I think they’re like seeds – you plant them, nurture them and they grow up big and strong and that way the people you love never really die.’
 
I totally agree with Carina’s character. What a wonderful way to keep alive the memories of those we have lost. Let’s all plant our own memory seeds from now on.

Teaching themes could include grief, families, acceptance, loss, trees, science, magic, dendrology, scientific processes, and friendship. 

 

Highly recommended for ages 9+ years.

 

A Feather On A Wing

A Feather On A Wing by Maria Speyer (University of Queensland Press) HB RRP $24.99 ISBN 9780702263255

Reviewed by Kerry Gittins

When a little girl asks ‘Are you there? It’s so lonely in the dark!’, her older sister tells her to imagine they are feathers on a wing and takes her on a journey of imagination to help her realise that she is never alone. Whether they are links in a daisy chain, stitches in a scarf, branches in an ancient tree, or stones in a bridge standing strong together, the older sister reminds the younger that they will always be connected, and always be part of a bigger whole in some way.
 
This is such a beautiful story, and the words have a gentle, soothing quality to them that immediately draws the reader in. The lilting, rhythmic style is reminiscent of a hushaby song which is supported by the music, written in a minor key, that Maria Speyer has included in the endpapers. The stunning illustrations, also by the author, add to the dreamlike quality of the story, and the palette of soft blues, coral pinks and mustard yellows accentuate its ethereal nature. The hint of gold in the feathers and title text makes for a striking and dazzling cover.

Supporting teaching themes could include sisters, families, relationships, dreams, rhyming stories, music. 

Girl of the Southern Sea

Girl of the Southern Sea by Michelle Kadarusman (University of Queensland Press) RRP PB $16.99 ISBN 9780702262937

Reviewed by Kylie Buckley

Girl of the Southern Sea is a middle grade fiction novel set on the island of Java, Indonesia. The narrative is told in the first person by the smart and strong-willed female protagonist, Nia. Nia is fourteen years old and passionate about writing stories, especially those about Princess Dewi Kadita: Queen of the Southern Sea. She dreams of becoming a writer.

Nia lives with her father and younger brother along a train track in the slums of Jakarta. Her mother died five years ago giving birth to her brother. Her father sells fried bananas from a food cart near the train station and spends his spare time drinking. Due to her father’s failings, they do not have enough money for Nia to attend high school. Nia spends her time looking after her brother, managing the household chores and helping her father with their food cart. Her hope of becoming a writer seems out of reach.

Girl of the Southern Sea is suitable for children aged 12 years and over and recommended for those who enjoy learning about cultures other than their own. The story’s themes include courage, hope, family, poverty, and cultural traditions.

My Dad is a Dragon

My Dad is a Dragon by Damon Young, illustrated by Peter Carnavas

(University of Queensland Press) PB RRP $24.95

ISBN 9780702260490

Review by Wendy Haynes

My Dad is a Dragon is the sixth instalment of this series, a testament to the talent of this duo. The book bolsters the important role of fathers and how children thrive having a happy relationship with them.

The story tells of the many thing other dads can do, but the author Damon Young deliberately pulls the reader’s focus back to the relationship between father and child. My Dad is a Dragon is a representation, a celebration of fatherhood, and how fathers play a significant role throughout a child’s life.

The illustrator Peter Carnavas builds on the story with the characters having a togetherness throughout the pages. His illustrations are in pastel shades which gives a sense of calm.

The young girl is like an observer and a participator as the author moves the reader through the story. She can see what other dads do but her dad is a dragon!

                                                                     

The Little Wave

The Little Wave by Pip Harry (University of Queensland Press) PB RRP $16.95
ISBN 9780702260476

Reviewed by Kylie Buckley

The Little Wave is a middle grade fiction novel set in NSW. The story follows three grade five students in the weeks leading up to a school excursion to the beach. Two of the main characters, Noah and Lottie, are from the coastal suburb of Manly. Their class will be hosting a class from a country primary school for the outing to the beach. The third character, Jack, is from a (fictional) rural town called Mullin. He has never been to the beach before and is excited about the upcoming adventure to Manly. None of the three are friends…yet.

The three students have very different home lives based on varied family circumstances and each are struggling with different worries. As they get to know each other, through required school projects, each of the characters begin to feel supported and empowered by the unlikely new friendships they form. The story demonstrates that sometimes stepping outside your comfort zone and getting to know new people can be exhilarating and life changing. A lesson for us all!

The Little Wave is a novel-length narrative beautifully written in free verse. Pip Harry’s simple yet powerful word choices create a fabulous story with themes of family, diversity, friendship, grief, bullying and hardship. It is written in the first person by each of the three main characters, in alternating chapters. The Little Wave is a book about triumph over adversity and highly recommended for children aged 9+, especially those looking to expand their literary horizons beyond novels written in prose.

Sandy Feet

Sandy Feet by Nikki Buick. (University of Queensland Press)
PB RRP $19.95
ISBN 978 0 7022 5315 7
Reviewed by Jo Antareau

For most teenagers, the thought of an extended Australian road trip with family and no access to electronic media would be sheer torture. Hunter is no exception. But as the story unfolds, we find that he is not just a self-absorbed adolescent and this story is so much more than the ‘live a simpler life to reconnect with family’ theme that is so overused it is now a cliché.

Hunter has had a lot to cope with. Grief, his mother’s mental health issues, a sister with special needs and a new step-father and baby half-brother suddenly entering his life, on top of having survived an accident in which others were killed.  The journey is presented to him as a chance for his new blended family to bond and recover from past wounds, but Hunter gradually suspects there is more to it than that.

As the story unfolds Hunter learns that the adults in his life have lied to him. He still resents his father for abandoning them when he was younger but also misses him deeply following the tragic accident. Buick has skilfully adopted the voice of a young adult male; the resentment tempered with humour, whilst keeping the self-pitying to a realistic minimum.

This is ultimately a story about parents learning to have faith that their children can make healthy decisions for themselves, and that running away never solves anything. Along the way, Hunter learns to deal with his longing and grief in tandem with his own growing self-awareness and eventual forgiveness for the adults in his life, who are as flawed as he is.

 

 

Sandy Feet

Sandy Feet by Nikki Buick. (University of Queensland Press)
PB RRP $19.95
ISBN 978 0 7022 5315 7
Reviewed by Jo Antareau

For most teenagers, the thought of an extended Australian road trip with family and no access to electronic media would be sheer torture. Hunter is no exception. But as the story unfolds, we find that he is not just a self-absorbed adolescent and this story is so much more than the ‘live a simpler life to reconnect with family’ theme that is so overused it is now a cliché.

Hunter has had a lot to cope with. Grief, his mother’s mental health issues, a sister with special needs and a new step-father and baby half-brother suddenly entering his life, on top of having survived an accident in which others were killed.  The journey is presented to him as a chance for his new blended family to bond and recover from past wounds, but Hunter gradually suspects there is more to it than that.

As the story unfolds Hunter learns that the adults in his life have lied to him. He still resents his father for abandoning them when he was younger but also misses him deeply following the tragic accident. Buick has skilfully adopted the voice of a young adult male; the resentment tempered with humour, whilst keeping the self-pitying to a realistic minimum.

This is ultimately a story about parents learning to have faith that their children can make healthy decisions for themselves, and that running away never solves anything. Along the way, Hunter learns to deal with his longing and grief in tandem with his own growing self-awareness and eventual forgiveness for the adults in his life, who are as flawed as he is.

 

 

The Protected

The Protected by Claire Zorn (University of Queensland Press)

PB RRP $19.95

ISBN 978 0 7022 5019 4

Reviewed by Jo Antareau

Not since “Cat’s Eye” by Margaret Attwood have I read a novel that so compellingly and convincingly captures the blood sport that is teenage-girl bullying.

Hannah McCann is out of step with her peers and desperately wants to fit in and not rock the boat, thereby inviting the vultures to swoop and tear her to shreds. The bullying is carried out in an atmosphere of sweetness and innocence. It’s the little things -- the put downs, the sneers at her lack of cool, the accidentally-on-purpose exclusions that effectively undermine the little confidence Hannah has left, and builds up to a humiliating show-down. Hannah is left accused and sentenced by the school ground judge, jury and executioners. And in the current age of twitter and facebook, she has no respite and no protection from the unrelenting pointing fingers.

Although Hannah does not lack guts, a series of tragic events leaves her a quivering shadow of her former self. The story follows her as she rebuilds her life and makes tentative steps towards self acceptance, eventually regaining her dignity and taking ownership of her mistakes. It is only then that she can interact with others as an equal.

This story affected me at a visceral level while I was reading it and I had to put it aside a few times, as the unfolding story of Hannah’s train wreck life was so unrelentingly powerful.  Full marks to Zorn for a well crafted novel that also tackles the impact of grief upon a family.

The Haunting of Lily Frost

The Haunting of Lily Frost by Nova Weetman (University of Queensland Press)

PB/HB RRP $14.95

ISBN 978 0 7022 5015 6

Reviewed by Jo Antareau

It’s been a long time since I’ve read a genuinely spooky story that doesn’t rely on violence and gore for effect.

Teenager Lily’s life is turned upside down when her family move from the city to an old house in a country town. Strange things start to happen whenever Lily enters a small room in the attic – a room which becomes her bedroom. Odd sounds, plummeting temperatures, letters marked on the floor, a presence in a room. Has Lily’s imagination gone wild, or is something supernatural happening?

In between questioning her sanity, Lily has to juggle normal adolescent concerns, with missing her bestie and trying to fit-in at the new school high on the list. This is complicated by the fact that she has a striking resemblance to the girl who used to live in her house. A missing girl. A girl with secrets.  A girl whose place she seems to be taking.

Her classmates seem to know more about it, but some are overtly hostile to Lily’s presence. Baffled by her classmates’ reactions, Lily is determined to discover the secret. Did the unhappy girl run away or did something sinister happen to her? And how is she connected to the mysterious happenings in the room. Author builds the tension page by page to the nail-biting climax.

Don’t read this story when you’re alone.

The View from Ararat

The View from Ararat by Brian Caswell (University of Queensland Press)
PB RRP $22.95
ISBN 978 0 7122 3067 7
Reviewed by Beverley Boorer

Anyone who read the first in the series of these three YA sci-fi novels from this award winning author will not need any introduction to Deucalion, the planet that is 34 light years away from Earth and populated with gentle creatures that are totally telepathic with each other.

The View from Ararat continues the story, but is set some hundreds of years later when the planet is firmly settled. The C-ships from Earth keep on coming, but one day a mysterious warning of a disease called the Black Crystal Death (CRIOS) arrives. Only a few people take it seriously and insist that the newest refugees remain isolated until they are sure that the disease has not arrived with them. Of course, the worst case scenario comes true and the disease wipes out about a third of the human population before it can be identified. The planet descends into chaos with little real leadership and few people left who have the ability to find out the cause of the disease and look for a cure.

The story shows just how easy it is for civilization to collapse, no matter how well established it is. The book is not written with normal chapters but reads more like a series of log entries by different characters that include the place and date of writing. These are headed for instance, Erin’s Story and told from her viewpoint. However, other entries may simply be headed “Erin” and these tell us something about the character and the story, but not from her viewpoint. Each entry advances the story and gives the reader information about that character and others. This gives the author the ability to jump from one part of the story to another without it seeming piecemeal.

The story is well-researched and gives a lot of detail, with cryogenics being the mode of travel. Frozen sleep enables the same set of characters to arrive at a distant planet without having aged. The mystery of CRIOS is slowly unfolded and keeps the reader on tenterhooks, or at least curious as to what it is and what the effects will be. The ease with which it escapes from the refugee camp and infects so many other people makes for gruesome reading, but it is so realistic that it makes the reader shudder. It could so easily happen like that in real life. Interwoven throughout are the lives, thoughts and feelings of the many people involved and the start of telepathy for the human race.

The third in the series will be eagerly reached for.

Beverley Boorer is a published children’s author. Details of her sci-fi books for children, the Jeddon Series are available from her website.   

The Dreams of the Chosen

The Dreams of the Chosen by Brian Caswell (University of Queensland Press)
PB RRP $22.95
ISBN: 978 0 7022 3605 1
Reviewed by Beverley Boorer

Brian Caswell has done it again with this third and last book in the Deucalion series for young adults. This far-flung planet has had time to recover from the Black Crystal Death (CRIOS) that decimated the human population in the second book of the series and life is now sanitized and a bit stagnant to many of the population. Telepathy has become accepted and greatly enhances their way of life.

New – but untried - technology means spaceships should now be able to reach Earth in one year, but the CShips from Earth stopped coming hundreds of years ago and no one knows why. Did the mother planet suffer so terribly from CRIOS? Has there been an Apocalypse or some kind of meltdown? It is time to use that new technology to find out. A team is chosen and sent, still using cryogenics for the year’s travel.

But things go terribly wrong for the team that finally lands on Earth. Their lander is wrecked and they only have minimal contact with the Mother Ship. They know that something is terribly wrong on Earth, but they don’t know what, how it happened or who they can trust out of the various people groups that are left.

This story shows that new technology is not so very useful when the rest of the planet has been plunged back into the new Dark Age. However the skill of telepathy is very useful, even though anyone who has it is regarded with the utmost suspicion. Without it, the team would be lost.

Most technology has disappeared from Earth due to the meltdown that occurred centuries ago and no one knows anything about what is left. Knowledge – and anyone who has it - is viewed with distrust and suspicion. Most books from the past have been burned but there were some who worked to keep the knowledge safe and hidden for future generations, even though they did not understand it themselves. The team from Deucalion gradually finds out what has happened, but now they must devise a plan to save themselves and their friends from the few Families who control the world in this new and dangerous era. They must also ensure that enough knowledge remains to guide the enlightened few into a new Renaissance period when the time is right.

There are many heroes and heroines in the story, some of whom give their lives for what they believe. The Dreams of the Chosen makes a satisfying ending to this brilliant series.

Beverley Boorer is a published children’s author. Details of her sci-fi books for children, the Jeddon Series, are available from her website. 

Smooch and Rose

Smooch and Rose by Samantha Wheeler (University of Queensland Press)
PB RRP $14.95
ISBN 9780 7022 4986 0
Reviewed by Jo Antareau

Who can resist a story about a baby koala? Orphan Smooch is rescued from dogs by Rose and her grandmother. But Rose is denied every girl’s dream of keeping a cuddly koala as a pet because he needs to be looked after by a trained carer. Despite her resentment, Rose forges a friendship with his carer and follows Smooch’s progress as he thrives and is eventually released. Rose is delighted when he makes his home on some trees in her family farm.

But Rose’s world is far from rosy. She too is an orphan, still grieving her parents, and struggling to fit-in with the snooty girls at her school.  Her grandmother cannot afford to keep the family farm going and it is soon sold to developers.

Rose will have to move away from the only home she has ever known and live in the city. But even worse, Smooch lives in the very trees that are slated for clearing by the developers.  And the developers do not seem to care about a small girl and her beloved koala.

This book is about having the courage to stand up for what is right. Although hardly able to deal with the bullies at school, Rose needs to find a voice to speak up for Smooch.

This is Wheeler’s first book, and she has written a lovely tale for anybody who cares about the welfare of our native fauna – and whose heart melts at the thought of cuddling a koala.

Fireshadow

Fireshadow by Anthony Eaton (University of Queensland Press)
PB RRP $19.95
ISBN 9780 7022 3381 4
Reviewed by Jo Antareau

Anthony Eaton began the story with a premise that the biggest battles we fight are the internal ones. We meet Vinnie a teenager who has escaped from his life, camping in a remote wilderness. But he cannot escape his memories, his guilt at surviving the accident that killed his sister – and the possibility that he was at fault.

His solitude is broken by another pair of campers, an old man and his granddaughter. Despite his initial resentment, Vinnie is drawn into their world. Erich, the old man, is dying yet is drawn to the remains of a World War II prison camp in the forest.

Erich’s history is gradually revealed in parallel with Vinnie’s. At Vinnie’s age, Erich was a young German soldier, a man whose pride was shattered from being a POW interred in an enemy land, a man determined to continue fighting a battle in the camp the only way he could – by defying the guards. Yet the elderly Australian camp-doctor recognises something in Erich as he takes him on as his assistant, and nurtures his medical skills. Eaton adroitly portrays how kindness eventually wears-down Erich’s stoicism and he comes to trust the doctor and his daughter, Alice.  But a friendship in a POW camp does not go unnoticed, and Erich soon has other battles to fight.

This is a gripping read for Young Adults. Both Vinnie and Erich need to sever themselves from the burden of their own parents’ baggage as both stories reach a climax. Each needs to make a decision to let go of the past and stare-down their own ghosts.  

This book also portrayed a largely forgotten part of Australian history, that Germans POWs were interred in Australia.

First published in 2004, this book was a CBCA Honour Book for older readers. Anthony Eaton has published eleven books for children, young adults and adults.

Deucalion

Deucalion by Brian Caswell (University of Queensland Press)
PB RRP $22.95
ISBN 978 0 7022 2865 0
Reviewed by Jo Antareau


One for the science fiction fans! Set beneath the twin moons of the planet Deucalion, this is a story about colonization, exploitation, and revolution. The frontier-like existence on the planet means that large Earth-based companies have done very well exploiting the mineral wealth on the planet. But this has had terrible consequences for the indigenous Elokoi, a peaceful race of telepathic beings.

Brilliant young scientist Jane arrives on Deucalion to start work on a genetic project. But she has no memory of her former life on Earth and, by digging for clues about her previous work, she discovers highly secret and questionable research practices.

Darryl and 8 year-old Elena are the only survivors of a transporter crash that appears to have been engineered to kill the only viable political rival the planet’s first president has. And the president appears to have a cosy relationship with the large companies.

As the narrative unfolds, the details of a vast cover up emerges involving Elokoi and the mysterious Children of Icarus. This story weaves elements of medical ethics, of indigenous rights, and of the uneasy relationship between a colony and the ‘mother’ planet.

This is the first of a trilogy set on Deucalion. First published in 1995, it was rereleased to coincide with the release of the third in the series, Dreams of the Chosen. The story is told in multiple viewpoints and this makes it difficult for the reader to relate to any one individual, for ultimately it is a tale of the anatomy of a revolution.

For older readers.

Chook Chook: Little and Lo in the City

Chook Chook: Little and Lo in the City by Wai Chim (University of Queensland Press)
PB RRP $14.95
ISBN 9780 7022 4975 4
Reviewed by Jo Antareau

Mei’s life has just changed, big time.  Her mother has remarried, she’s just gained one pesky brother and lost another much loved one to University, and her step-father has taken-over the farm. Feeling she’s no longer important to her mother, Mei simply packs her up her beloved chickens, Little and Lo, and sneaks off to the city.

Most kids would simply give-up on such a venture when the ticket-seller refuses to sell an unaccompanied child a ticket to the city, but Mei and her new-found friend, a lovable street-urchin named Cap, are made of tougher stuff.

On the way they have lots of adventures. The chooks help to catch a thief in the big city. But their luck runs out when they are discovered in brother Guo’s dormitory and the chooks appear destined for the chopping-block. However, the children apply a bit of quick thinking and tell a brilliant tall story that even Tom Sawyer would have envied, to save the day.

This book is about loyalty and friendship and an issue that affects many children – questioning their place in the world following their parent’s re-partnering. Although the story is upbeat, it is also interspersed with the darker underlying theme of unwanted children in a country as large as China. As this is aimed at younger readers, Cap’s future appears rosy at the end as he gains a mentor. Sadly many children are not so fortunate.

A lively adventure for children aged 7-8 and above. This book follows characters first introduced in Chook Chook – Mei’s Secret Pets, although it is not needed to enjoy this novel, as it certainly stands alone on its merits.

The Word Hunters: The Lost Hunters

The Word Hunters: The Lost Hunters by Nick Earls, illustrated by Terry Whidborne (University of Queensland Press)
PB RRP $14.95
ISBN 9780 702 249587
Reviewed by Jo Antareau

The Lost Hunters is the sequel to Word Hunters: The Curious Dictionary in which the Hunter twins return with more time-slip adventures. Again, the dictionary transports them to points in history where a word was born, and their job is to ‘peg’ the word in place, so that it becomes established in our lexicon. But now the adventure has become personal. Al and Lexi realise that their long-lost grandfather was actually a word hunter like them, who has somehow become stuck somewhere in 3000 years of history. They have to find him, knowing that they too could get trapped in the past or fall victim to the many dangers inherent in the not-so-safe bygone days.

Along the way, they meet William Shakespeare, a World War I bomber and encounter the ‘real’ Humpty Dumpty (probably not what you think). They also meet Will Hunter, another lost time-traveller, who joins them in their adventures and is happy to adjust to twenty-first century life between missions.

However, their word hunting efforts are thwarted by the mysterious men in grey robes, who seem to be making sure that the very words they are saving disappear – and who will stop at nothing to achieve their end, even if it means hurting the word hunters. Who is behind their plot?

I enjoyed the historical and etymological snippets in the book. Whidborne’s line illustrations have wonderful detail and help to orient the reader in the historical era. However, I suggest that readers may have a better appreciation of the situations depicted after having read the first book, as I am not sure it stands alone. This is recommended for children aged 9 years and over.

Teaching notes are available from UQP.