Oliver’s First Big Spy Adventure

 

Oliver’s First Big Spy Adventure by Vicki Bennett with Oliver Orth, illustrated by Vicki Bennett (Boolarong Press) PB RRP $19.99 ISBN: 9781925877038

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera

Oliver doesn’t realise it, but his grandmother – nicknamed Noodle Pop – has been training him to be a spy. One day they overhear a suspicious conversation. Noodle Pop takes off, trailing the bad guys, and Oliver follows. He sees the baddies grab his grandmother and throw her into a van. Suddenly, his spy training kicks in, and he’s determined to save Noodle Pop. Can he be brave and find her in time?

Vicki Bennett wrote this book with the help of her own young grandson, and it shows – it’s a lively spy story that will hook kids aged six to ten years from the very first chapter. The use of present tense keeps readers in the moment, and they feel like they are on the adventure with Oliver as he is kidnapped, escapes, rides a horse, commandeers a boat and is saved from drowning by a pod of dolphins.

Vicki also supplied the black-and-white illustrations that are scattered throughout the pages. The images have an endearing naïve quality – as if a child has drawn them – that will appeal to the youngsters reading the book. Many of the illustrations also have a humorous element, which helps to balance the thrills and spills occurring in the text.

Featuring simple language that lets the action speak for itself, Oliver’s First Big Spy Adventure is a dynamic page-turner with a great sense of fun. Wannabe spies will love Oliver’s resourcefulness and adore the special bond he has with his bold grandmother.

The Little Stowaway: a true story

The Little Stowaway: a true story written by Vicki Bennet, illustrated by Tull Suwannakit (Scholastic) ISBN 978 1 74299 307 2  RRP $ 24.99

Reviewed by Nean McKenzie

Set during the first World War, The Little Stowaway tells the real story of a young French orphan named Honoré and an Australian airman called Tim. When he finds the boy cold and hungry, Tim takes him in. He calls him Young Digger and teaches him to ice skate and box. With a stray dog called Fella, Honoré makes himself useful, becoming the official rat catcher for the Australian Flying Corps. Then when the war finishes, Tim smuggles Honoré home to Australia so he can adopt him into his family.

The story tells from a child’s perspective, the effects of war and the kindness of strangers. There’s a bit of action in the middle of the book where Tim smuggles Honoré onboard a ship – first across the English Channel to France and then sailing all the way to Australia. Honoré is hidden in a basket and then a bag (hence the name the Stowaway). When he is let out, there’s a lovely double page spread showing the ocean with all its freedom and peace. And the happy ending where Honoré becomes part of Tim’s family is great because it is true.

With sepia tinted pages, the illustrations are a mix of drawings and old photos provided by the real family. The muted tones of the pencil and watercolour pictures blend in well with the old black and white photos. Showing the army barracks, the planes, soldiers in uniform and the ship home, the photos add to the sense of history.

Vicki Bennett teamed up with Tull Suwannakit for a book that came out earlier in the year called The Flying Angel, set around a similar time (just after the First World War). Their most recent book, The Little Stowaway, is suitable for primary school students.

 

Two Pennies

Two Pennies by Vicki Bennett, illustrated by John Flitcroft (Boolarong Press) PB RRP $19.99 ISBN: 9781925046816

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera

On his return from the French battlefields of World War I, George’s father is sad because many French villages were bombed, and there are no schools for the children. George’s headmaster announces that they will raise money to help construct a school in one of the villages, Villers-Bretonneux. Each child is asked to donate two pennies. George works hard in the family bakery to earn money and is proud to bring his pair of pennies to school. When he grows up, George visits the school in France that his pennies helped to build.

Taking inspiration from real-life events involving her father, Vicki Bennett has brought to life an important part of Australian history for primary-aged readers. Her story shines a light on the power of perseverance, revealing that anything is possible when you strive for what you believe in. Another significant theme that will resonate with young readers is the idea that even the smallest person can make a difference.

Two Pennies is John Flitcroft’s debut as an illustrator, and his images have comic-book appeal. Bright colour beams from each full-page illustration, ensuring that kids come away from the book thinking of history as anything but dull. In particular, green and red are used to visually link the images throughout the book, from the green carpet and red scooter wheels in George’s childhood bedroom, through to the green grass and red poppies at Villers-Bretonneux.

A poignant blend of memoir and message, Two Pennies is a must-read for all Australian children. Love and hope grow with every page turn, transforming the devastation of the past into dreams for the future.

 

The Flying Angel

 

The Flying Angel by Vicki Bennett, illustrated by Tull Suwannakit (Scholastic) PB RRP $24.99 978 1 74383 551 7

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

The Flying Angel is a picture book inspired by the remarkable life of Sister Marie Eileen Craig. She was a nurse to soldiers on the frontline in Papua New Guinea. The nurses were known as Flying Angels and helped transport injured soldiers back to Australia. This book shines a light upon the important contribution of the Flying Angels during war.

Vicki Bennett is a best-selling author, who has a passion for Australian history. She wrote the award-winning picture book The Little Stowaway. Vicki’s voice captures the emotion of World War Two with a certain gentleness. She doesn’t shy away from the sadness of war but leaves the reader with a clear understanding of its impact. As we follow Marie’s life, the theme of nursing is woven into the story from the start to the finish. The text gives a voice to Marie and we are shown a window into her world. It is as if Marie is speaking to us through the text.

This story favours longer sentences to give the reader time to absorb the story and fully appreciate its message. Dialogue is used sparingly but to great effect. I love how the story ends, with the impact of Marie’s actions upon the lives of soldiers lovingly conveyed. The reader is left satisfied and knows that Marie saved lives during World War Two and that is what she set out to do.

The illustrations, by Tull Suwannakit, capture the mood and tone of this story. The cover clearly shows that this is an historical picture book with the image of Marie in her nurse’s uniform and a red poppy. Her eyes call the reader inside. The endpapers of photographs, objects and sketches depict the Flying Angels and early parts of Marie’s life. Although the cover and endpapers are in the colours of the era, the rest of the story is illustrated in muted tones of sepia, greys, creams, and blacks with the odd splash of red, for the red cross symbol and fire. This allows the reader to feel the impact of war and its seriousness. But it’s also like looking through a lens back in time to an era when photographs were in black and white. The use of perspective in the spreads dramatize the events and feelings of Marie. Tull cleverly brings in a touch of diversity with an indigenous nurse helping to unload Alfred from the back of a truck. The text and illustrations are a perfect match in this book.

 This is a picture book for children 4 years and older. Schools are seeking books that showcase the role of Australian women in war and this book fills that hole. It brings an important part of Australian history to life and it is a wonderful book for any Australian child to understand another part of our war history. It is a special picture book.