The Stars Did Wander Darkling

The Stars Did Wander Darkling by Colin Meloy (Walker Books Australia) PB RRP $17.99 ISBN: 9781760657192

Reviewed by Kellie Nissen

Who doesn’t love a good ghost story, told around the fire at school camp? Perhaps the story features strange and evil ageless creatures … or perhaps the local ‘haunted house’ with its long history of weird happenings?

One story too many and suddenly everything around you takes on a sinister tone – the random coin dropped at your front door; the stranger in the brown suit who seems to be staring at you; the sound of wood being chopped in the middle of the night …

Archie Coombes ‘knows’ none of this is real and tells himself its probably his overactive imagination fuelled by too many horror movies. So – why did the penny appear back on his doormat after he’d kicked it away? Why is the brown-suited man still standing there? And what do the visions his friend Oliver keeps having mean?

What’s more – why has all this only started happening since his father’s construction company unwittingly opened up a hidden cave system in the cliffside under the old Langdon house? Cue haunted happenings!

Archie’s most pressing issue, however, is the bombshell that his best mate, Chris, is moving away from Seaham – just as they’re about to start high school – so his focus is on enjoying their last summer together.

Determined to ignore the ‘weirdness’ going on around them, Archie is looking forward to the ‘adult-free’ camping trip he has planned with friends Chris, Oliver and Athena but, nothing ever goes to plan, and it quickly becomes too weird – and too dangerous – to ignore all the signs.

Colin Meloy – who may be known to readers for his Wildwood Chronicles series – has crafted an intricate plot, with twists and turns, red herrings and time slips, that will keep the reader on the edge of their seat and wanting to read just one more page.

Woven into Archie’s story is another sinister sub-plot whereby the reader is kept aware of the background happenings of ‘the brown-suited men’ – Lugg, Wart and Toff – who appear to have been awakened by the construction blunder and are now on a mission to find an ‘item’ that will bring them great glory. Unfortunately, it will also bring ruination to the small seaside village and all its residents.

This mid-grade novel will appeal to readers who love things that go bump in the night but may be a little too scary for some younger readers. Otherwise, readers of all ages, mid-grade and beyond, will enjoy piecing together the clues along with Archie and his mates.

Personally, I love a good thriller as much as the next person, but for me, the build-up to the main action seemed a little laboured in some places. However, the ending was action-packed, albeit a teensy bit unsatisfying for readers who don’t like an open conclusion. Perhaps this paved the way for a sequel to The Stars Did Wander Darkling, or perhaps even a new series – as I’m sure there are more adventures to be had by this foursome.

 

Saltwater Boy

Saltwater Boy by Bradley Christmas (Walker Books Australia) PB RRP $18.99 ISBN 9781760656393

Reviewed by Kerry Gittins

Matty’s dad is in prison and he and his mum don’t have enough money to pay the rent anymore. Plus, the school bully, Noonan, has it in for him. But he still has Asha, his best friend in the whole wide world. One afternoon when he gets home from school, Matty finds mum has packed his things in the car and tells him they’re leaving tomorrow. They can’t pay the rent anymore and money – or the lack of it – is a big problem. Matty is devastated. Mum tells him they’re going to Crawley Creek to stay in the old house that his grandpa built but never got to live in. But what about Asha? They were planning on spending the summer together, before he went to the local high school where there were a thousand Noonans, and she went to the selective high school her adoptive parents were pushing her to go to. She was his only friend - apart from the magpie that warbles hello every day. When will he see her again? ‘Just for the summer,’ his mother assures him. ‘Just until we can get back on our feet a bit. Can you do this for me? For us Matty?’

This is a story about survival, renewal and forgiveness. The author writes with such depth, insight and understanding of the landscape, the sea, and the specialness of the world and those around us. He encourages us to look deep inside ourselves and find the strength to take care and pride in ourselves, our communities, and our country. His descriptions of the landscape and the creatures and spirits that dwell there, are hauntingly beautiful and draw the reader further into country and the lives of those in the small township by the sea that is the backdrop for the story. Matty’s interactions with Old Bill, the town outcast, and his father who turns up unexpectedly, become increasingly complex as the tale unwinds, yet they are also simple, and full of an inner yearning to belong, be seen as, and find, your true self. A nuanced, heartfelt and absorbing story of the interconnectedness of the people and places that enrich our lives. Highly recommended for ages 10 +

Themes for teaching could include father-son relationships, families, indigenous stories, indigenous culture, resilience, compassion, communities, coming of age, environment, sustainability, friendship.

 

The Mud Puddlers

The Mud Puddlers by Pamela Rushby (Walker Books Australia)

This is a middle-grade historical novel by multi-award-winning author Pamela Rushby

What lies hidden in the mud? What might happen if you look at it too long? And what will happen if you let it go?

Twelve-year-old Nina is not happy. Her scientist parents are spending a year in Antarctica, and Nina’s sent to London to stay with her Aunty Bee. Nina arrives with an Attitude. Her parents have never left her behind before. She’s determined to hate everything. But Aunty Bee, an intertidal archaeologist, lives on a converted barge on the Thames. She’s also a keen mud lark, searching river shingle and mud for fascinating, long-forgotten articles from past lives. Nina can’t help becoming interested. She joins in with the Mud Puddlers, a local group of wildly enthusiastic amateur mud larks and becomes friendly with Molly, an elderly Mud Puddler living on a nearby, haunted barge. Molly knows things. Sees things. She draws Nina into the mystery and magic of the ancient river and the treasures it holds. But soon, Nina becomes aware that there can be unexpected and uncanny dangers in the things she discovers. She finds herself stranded in time, in the Blitz in 1940. And she and a very unwilling fellow traveller, Tom, become runaways. Fumbling their way across wartime England, desperate to return to London. Will they ever see their families again?

The Bravest Word

The Bravest Word by Kate Foster (Walker Books Australia) PB RRP $17.99  ISBN 9781760654719

Reviewed by Kerry Gittins

Matty has everything going for him - a loving family, great friends, great skills on the soccer field and pretty good grades at school - which should add up to a great life right? Well, they did, until recently.

When soccer season started this year, Matty found he couldn't get himself onto the pitch without sweaty palms, a racing heartbeat and a mind that kept telling him he wasn't good enough. And he couldn't figure out why. Things got worse when he began dodging his friends calls and texts, missing birthday parties, not doing homework and avoiding school. He felt guilty, scared, angry and sad with himself, and all he really wanted to do was sleep the world away.

 But one morning his dad convinced him to go for a walk in the local national park where they came across an abandoned dog. Matty felt an instant connection to this small, frightened creature. After coaxing him into their car, taking him to the vet and eventually being allowed to adopt him and bring him home, 'Cliff' and Matty become inseparable. Cliff has 'good days and bad days', and as the dog begins to heal, Matty realises that he needs help to heal too. He summons up all his courage to eventually tell his dad that he thinks he might be depressed, to which his dad replies 'You've no idea how brave you're being by telling me that.' This is one of my favourite moments of the book. 

Animals, especially dogs (sorry but I'm totally biased about this!) are the perfect listeners and companions for when we're not feeling great. They know when we need a snuggle and will goof around with us when we're happy.  They are like mirrors into our souls, emotional soothsayers, and seem to have an innate understanding of exactly what we need at any given time. Cliff was Matty's ideal companion. 

Kate Foster writes with such clarity, compassion and understanding about Matty's struggles. There is a beautiful empathy and strength that shines through in this story. The relief Matty feels after he finally tells his closest friends about his depression is palpable. As is the surprise when he discovers that someone else his own age, whom he would never have suspected, is suffering from severe anxiety. This is my other favourite moment in the book as it is Matty's realisation that he is not alone. 

Foster’s own experience with depression has no doubt given her an invaluable, firsthand insight into this illness. Her writing is filled with emotion and the story is meaningful and transparent without being patronising or reductive. This is a must have, highly recommended novel for middle graders and tweens.

Themes for teaching could include mental health, depression, anxiety, friendship, courage, self-awareness, dogs, pets as therapy, families and father-son relationships.  

Interned

Interned by Pamela Rushby (Walker Books Australia) PB RRP $17.99 ISBN: 9781760653071

Reviewed by Kathleen Grace

Based on true events, Interned is a moving, and evocative historical fiction novel that highlights an often-forgotten moment in Australian history. This thoroughly researched novel, is based on the Berrima Internment Camp in New South Wales.

It’s 1914. Gretta lives a privileged life in Singapore, the daughter of a businessman; Tilly lives a modest life in Brisbane, the daughter of a baker. When war breaks out, Gretta and her family are sent by boat to Sydney and then taken by train to Bornabba from where her father is taken away:  Gretta and her mother and other Germans must live in a dirty, neglected hotel. Meanwhile, Tilly’s father, a naturalised Australian, is forced to register as an alien enemy. Someone breaks his bakery shop window and customers stop coming for German bread. Father is then taken to a camp for German prisoners at Enoggera, a suburb outside Brisbane. He is subsequently transferred to Bornabba. His family also travel there, and it's there that Tilly’s beloved violin is stolen.

Eventually, Gretta and Tilly find themselves taken from their homes, interned at a camp in rural New South Wales. Far away from everything they have ever known, the two girls are forced to face prejudice, overcome adversity and to make their own community.

Pamela Rushby is the author of over 200 books for children and young adults, as well as children's TV scripts, documentaries, short stories, and freelance journalism. Pam has been an advertising copywriter, pre-school teacher, and producer of educational television, audio, and multimedia. She has won several awards, including the NSW Premier's Ethel Turner Prize and five CBCA Notable books. Her website is www.pamelarushby.com . 

DROVER

DROVER written by Neridah McMullin and illustrated by Sarah Anthony. Published by Walker Books Australia

The true story of an important pioneering woman in Australian history.

Courageous, clever and daring, Drover is one of a kind. Travelling through the heart of the outback, Drover delivers a mob of cattle. Searing heat, dust and flies, hardship and danger: these are just part of the job. But there's no place Drover would rather be. The truly remarkable story of legendary drover Edna Jessop is celebrated through stunning oil illustrations and evocative text.

Paws

Paws, written by Kate Foster (Walker Books Australia) Paperback $13.99 ISBN 978 1 760652685

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

Kate Foster is a literary agent and children’s author who writes about friends, family, and dogs. She originally hails from the south east of England and now lives on the sunny Gold Coast. What makes Paws special is the fact that it is based upon Kate’s own real-life experiences. You see, Kate’s family adopted a spoodle who bonded with her youngest autistic son. This special friendship comforted her son and helped him to feel safe and calm. Paws is an authentic read.

More than anything 11-year-old Alex wants a friend before he goes to high school. But it’s so confusing when you need to learn about human interaction and emotion, so Alex has devised a plan. He thinks that by winning a trophy at the PAWS dog show and representing his school in running, this will give him a friend. He is sure with his best friend Kevin, a cockapoo, by his side his plan can’t fail. But being autistic means Alex often feels alone and things don’t always go to plan. 

Kate Foster’s voice in Paws is genuine, believable and heartbreakingly honest as to what it is like to function in the world as a neurotypical person. I startle and scream, leaping up from the chair and running to the bedroom, my ears buzzing as the air whooshes past. This story is important for developing empathy and understanding about autism. You can feel the raw honesty. I particularly like how the reader learns not only what it feels like to be autistic but how it frustrates and confuses those closest to Alex, especially his mum and brother. We also learn about the important role a dog can play in providing comfort and friendship to humans. Kevin always seems to know when Alex needs doggy kisses as he can read his body language.  The part in the story about the dog show is captivating to read and leaves smiles all round. The ending is not only uplifting but shows how Alex has grown as a person and navigated the tricky world of friendship.

Paws  is a perfect read for Years 5-8. It captures a reader’s heart with its endearing characters, both human and furry. Making friends is often not as easy as it seems and being autistic can make it seem virtually impossible. This is an important book for any bookshelf that is well written and totally engaging.

Tribal Lores

Tribal Lores by Archimede Fusillo (Walker Books Australia) PB RRP $19.99 ISBN 9781760651954

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

There are numerous tribes in this hefty 420-page YA novel, but the principal ones are an Italian and Australian family who are next door neighbours. 

Fusillo explores the dynamics of these families as they interact with one another. In one house is Frankie, the book’s narrator, the eldest son of Italian parents and brother of Stefano (about to start high school but unwilling to Anglicise his name). In the other house are the Marshalls – mum, dad, Lochie, sister  Catherine, and Lochie’s half-sister, the 17-year-old pregnant Em, and her layabout hippy partner Ray. There is also a long-dead sister, Amelia, who is still mourned by the family. Frankie, who is 16, says, ‘what I have at home is a tribe. We’re like related, but we’re not, sort of…’ Frankie and Lochie, too, have another tribe – their friends China, Go, and Spicks who they play – and fight – with.

This is basically a book about relationships, with interesting characters such as Frankie’s cousin, Gabbie, a wheelchair-bound lesbian, and Uncle Zio Peter, a gambler who is constantly borrowing money from his dad. There are secrets in Lochie’s family, too, such as his dad’s alcoholism. As Frankie tries to navigate relationships, he observes, ‘Every tribe has a certain level of chaos that (runs) through their lives.’ Thus, the book explores the notion of extended family linked by culture as well as by blood.

The book starts on Australia Day with Frankie’s family invited to the Marshall’s for a barbeque. Frankie’s mother takes a mass of Italian food including buffalo mozzarella arancini, prosciutto, and almond crispelli. Immediately, of course, the cultural differences are apparent.

Despite tensions simmering just below the surface for both boys and their families, Frankie and Lochie have a bond that connects their different worlds. Archimede Fusillo has written a raw and powerful coming of age novel and it is easy to appreciate his honest and raw approach to portraying family dynamics as well as the dynamics of the boys’ friendship group which has its problems.  

At times, the plot is slow-moving, especially the scenes between Frankie and Andrew (China) Wang. However, teenagers who enjoy a nostalgic coming of age story that explores culture and growing up, are sure to find much to like in this book.

 

Kookaburra

Kookaburra by Claire Saxby, illustrated by Tannya Harricks (Walker Books) RRP HB $26.99 ISBN 9781760651060

Reviewed by Kylie Buckley

Kookaburra is a narrative nonfiction book that forms part of the fabulous Nature Storybooks series, designed to entertain and inform young readers.

The narrative follows Kookaburra and her family of five throughout a nesting season – singing, searching for food, looking for a hollow, defending their territory and laying eggs. This engaging tale can be read independently or the story can be entwined with the interesting facts, typeset in italics. The additional information can help children consolidate their understanding of Kookaburras and their features, habits and nesting rituals.

To complement this fascinating tale, Tannya Harricks has created a work of art on each page. Her textured images, created using oil paints and thick brush strokes, are simply stunning. The endpapers are equally beautiful and not to be overlooked.

Kookaburra is a gorgeous children’s book that provides an insight into the nesting season of kookaburras. The final double page spread has more information about kookaburras, an index and details about the author and illustrator. Claire Saxby has written many books in the Nature Storybooks series, however; this is only the second collaboration between this author and illustrator. Their first book together, the award-winning Dingo, is also part of this series. Kookaburra is highly recommended for children aged 4+ years.

 

The Mummy Smugglers of Crumblin Castle

A chance visit to a small museum in Macclesfield, England, and an encounter with the ancient Egyptian  mummycase of a 15-year-old girl named Shebmut, led to author Pamela Rushby’s latest novel, The Mummy Smugglers of Crumblin Castle (Walker Books, July 2020).

Shebmut’s mummycase was smuggled, totally illegally, out of Egypt in 1873 by an English lady adventurer on the Nile, Miss Marianne Brocklehurst. It can still be seen today in the museum that she founded. Miss Brocklehurst acquired the mummycase in the course of a one-thousand-mile journey up the Nile on a dahhabiya – a fashionable excursion at the time.

Rushby’s interest in this story led to her discovering another fashionable, and rather bizarre, Victorian social event. Afternoon tea parties where, for the entertainment of guests, an ancient Egyptian mummy would be divested of its wrappings, to reveal the body beneath.

And when you have that kind of information at your fingertips, what do you do with it? You put it all together and write a book, of course!

The Mummy Smugglers of Crumblin Castle is a middle-grade novel: a thrilling tale of an orphaned heroine, a mysterious mist-shrouded castle in the Fens, mummy unwrapping parties, a family of house-keeping cats, and a thousand-mile journey up the Nile in (illegal) search of ancient Egyptian mummies.

Pamela Rushby was awarded a writers’ residency in England to research the book: visited the West Park Museum in Macclesfield, haunted the British Museum mummy room and the Petrie Museum, University College London, and generally had (as they say) about as much fun as it’s possible to have with your clothes on. She’d be delighted to talk about the fascinating details of Victorian mummy unwrapping parties, intrepid lady adventurers on the Nile, all things ancient Egyptian – and, of course, the book!

(Published by Walker Books July 2020, illustrations by Nelle May Pierce)

For interview or further information: Pamela Rushby 

P.Rushby@internode.on.net      0418778058       www.pamelarushby.com

The Book of Chance

The Book of Chance by Sue Whiting, (Walker Books), 2020, RRP $17.99 pb

ISBN: 9781760651367

Reviewed by Pauline Hosking

Here’s a really suspenseful page-turner. Each tiny nugget of information builds to a shocking reveal. 

Chance is a happy Year Seven student, living with her caring Mama, Nadia. Next door is the Deng family, former refugees from South Sudan, who have become Chance and Nadia’s extended family and best friends. Chance believes her father Steve died in a fire the day she was born. Her mother has written journals chronicling their lives entitled The Book of Steve, The Book of Nadia and The Book of Chance.

The novel begins in the present. Something catastrophic has happened and Chance is being interviewed by the police. No further information is given. The sense of mystery and secrets will immediately intrigue young readers. 

The story then jumps back 37 days to the Beginning of the End, the day Chance’s life began to unravel. Almost by accident she is given compelling evidence that contradicts what she believes is the story of her birth. When she confronts Nadia demanding the truth, Nadia admits that Chance is adopted. This is a huge shock, but worse follows. Although Nadia swears she doesn’t know Chance’s real parents, Chance finds a photo of two young people who died in a car crash. The woman looks so much like her, Chance wonders if this is her real mother.

A four-week-old baby was also believed to have died in the crash, although no remains of the baby were found. Chance struggles to make sense of the information. Is she the baby? What would that mean? Confused and sick in her stomach, Chance enlists the help of a journalist to find out more.

She’s a very black and white girl who believes something is either right or wrong. The truth or a lie. She is horrified when she discovers that her life has been built on lies. Although it is also true that Nadia really loves and cares for her. They have been happy. Plus, Nadia has led an exemplary life helping refugees adapt to the Australian way of life. To what degree does the truth of Chance’s present, balance the lie of her past?

The decision about what to do next is taken out of Chance’s hands. An associate of the journalist reports the situation to the police.

Sue Whiting based the book on a real crime that was committed in 1998 and not solved until 2017.  It is some comfort that this story, and I hope the real event, has a hopeful ending.

The Book of Chance is a compelling read, perfectly pitched for a middle-grade to younger YA readership. It poses many questions about the levels of right and wrong, and what it means to take responsibility for your actions. There’s an interesting sub-plot concerning trolling on social media which cleverly links the themes. Highly recommended. 

Achievements

Congratulations to Janeen Brian! Walker Books will be publishing her new mid-grade, magic realism novel, called Eloise and the Bucket of Stars.

Janeen’s story, The Goodbye Sounds, illustrated by Anna Bron, was published in The School Magazine’s ‘Countdown’ May 2019 and her poem, Nameless, illustrated by Noela Young, was published in ‘Touchdown’, July 2019.

Her story, The Wrong Place, was Highly Commended in the 2019 Nairda Lyne Awards.

www.janeenbrian.com

Searching for Cicadas

Searching for Cicadas –

A delightful story about spending time with family and developing a respect for nature

By Lesley Gibbes, illustrated by Judy Watson

Pub date: August 2019
AUS Price: $26.99
ISBN: 9781922244420

Publisher: Walker Books Australia

This lovely story about a child and their grandfather searching for cicadas is part of the award-winning narrative nonfiction Nature Storybooks series.

In the summertime, Grandpa and I go cicada-watching. We put our camping gear into my wagon and walk down to the local reserve. Last year we saw five Green Grocers, three Yellow Mondays and one Floury Baker. Can we find the rare Black Prince this year? 

This heart-warming narrative is interspersed with facts about cicadas, encouraging children to learn more about the insects that help create the soundtrack to summer. With an underlying theme of respecting nature, Searching for Cicadas shows children that there is beauty and wonder everywhere, if they take the time to look for it. 

About the Author
Lesley Gibbes grew up in Sydney’s Northern Beaches and Wagga Wagga in country NSW. After completing a Bachelor of Education at the University of Sydney she embarked on a successful sixteen-year teaching career in Primary Education specialising in dance, drama, debating and public speaking. She is now a multiple-award-winning, internationally published author of books for children. Nature Storybooks: Searching For Cicadas (illustrated by Judy Watson) is her first book with Walker.

About the Illustrator

Judy Watson grew up in a house behind her father’s veterinary clinic, and spent all her holidays on a farm near the beach. When she was not reading or drawing, she could be found lying in the long grass watching bugs and birds. Judy’s first picture book won the Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Children’s Fiction. She has illustrated over 20 books for children. She particularly enjoyed drawing Australian plants for Searching For Cicadas (written by Lesley Gibbes).

Unpacking Harper Holt

Unpacking Harper Holt by Di Walker. (Walker Books Australia, 2018.) PB RRP $16.99  ISBN: 9781760650599

Reviewed by Julie Anne Thorndyke

You will need a big box of tissues for this one.

Tragedy can hit any family at any time. Normal life is thrown into chaos, and both parents and children struggle to regain equilibrium and a “new normal”.

Harper Holt and her super-capable translator mother Helena, and corporate-fix-it-man father Hugh, are a tight family unit of three. Moving regularly for Hugh’s work, they have the routines of travel, rental houses, new schools and life-planning down pat. It is Helena who smooths the way, enabling their transient lifestyle.

A good student despite many school changes, twelve-year-old Harper feels that the frequent changes in her life, resulting in a lack of long-term friends and no sense of belonging, have to stop. She is an intelligent and emotionally mature girl. She wants a permanent home, a best friend and a dog.

Helena is swift to organise dancing classes for Harper, just as she provides for another desire, bikes for riding on the tracks in their new, affluent, beach-side suburb in Melbourne. Harper meets a girl called Eve at dancing class, and makes an instant connection, as does Helena with Eve’s mother, Victoria.

During the first six chapters of setting the scene, a sense of foreboding builds. To put the reader off track, the author sets up a situation where Hugh goes out on  a boat in bad weather. However, it is the mother, Helena, who dies in a car crash on her way to collect him from the marina. Alone in the strange new house, Harper waits for her mother, who never returns.

A rollercoaster of grief, mourning and loneliness spirals out of control. Hugh is frozen into inertia by his grief. With no family of friends for support, Harper is left to make funeral decisions—something no twelve-year-old should have to do. Harper has effectively lost both parents.

Helpers arrive. Leanne, their relocation professional. Monica, the social worker. Mr Thorley, headmaster of Harper’s new school. When Harper starts attending the new school, she immediately falls victim to the bullying tactics of Rowena. Without the support of her mother and father, Harper feels desperately lost and alone.

Victoria and Eve intervene and help smooth the way to a new way of coping, one day at a time. Friendship develops, and with the support of Eve’s family, eventually Hugh resumes his parenting role.

Protagonist Harper is a likable character and we empathise with her struggles throughout the story. The portrayal of grief is realistic and there is no glossing over of her pain.

Do I have any quibbles with this book? The cover. It is a close headshot of a girl’s face behind dishevelled hair. This image sets the right tone for the story, but the girl’s brown eye is rimmed with eyeliner. This doesn’t fit right with the bike-riding, pony-tail wearing, twelve-year-old protagonist Harper. It seems to push the book to an older market. Di Walker wrote this story for middle-grade readers, but the marketing seems to be aimed at YA. The themes of grief, mourning and loss are meaningful to all ages. I was engaged by this book, as I think older teens and their parents would also be. It will take a mature twelve-year old to cope with the emotional impact, so perhaps the marketing team got it right after all.

Just sometimes, the dialogue seems too formal. The male characters are less nuanced than the women and girls. But the two-faced Rowena, sweet-as-pie to teachers and yet a manipulative queen bee to her peers, is skilfully portrayed. Haven’t we all met her?

Dealing with both bullying and grief in one book is challenging, both for the author and the reader. In this debut novel, Di Walker has shown deep insight into both of these very real problems. Readers will respond to Harper’s troubles, and gain greater emotional intelligence through the experience.

Highly recommended. Keep the tissues handy.

Anthea Stead, illustrator

 This illustration is by award-winning artist, Anthea Stead who has illustrated several books published by Walker Books Australia. Check out her website www.antheastead.com.au

Would you like to show-case your own writing or illustrations? Send your illustration (jpg) or writing (to 250 words) to dibates@outlook.com

Missing

Missing by Sue Whiting (Walker Books Australia) PB RRP $17.99

ISBN 781760650032

Reviewed by Liz Ledden

‘In the dead of the night we run away.’ From the very beginning of new middle grade mystery Missing by Sue Whiting, we’re drawn into 12-year-old Mackenzie’s plight. Her bat biologist mother is missing – last seen on a field trip in Panama. And now, Mackenzie and her father are boarding a plane to try and find her.

The clever structure of this story sees each chapter veering between ‘Now’ and ‘Then’ as Mackenzie puts together the pieces of what may have happened. Mackenzie’s inner journey is one of denial and determination as she clings to the idea that her mother might still may be alive.

The writing is tight and compelling, with a strong and relatable voice in Mackenzie. The real places in the story, from the southern Sydney suburbs to the streets of Panama, are vividly brought to life. As you hurtle towards the end of the story (and yes, this is a book you’ll want to devour in one go), the tension and emotions intensify until the stunning final scene.

Based on the startling statistic that nearly 38,000 people are reported missing each year in Australia, Missing is a heartbreaking yet hope-filled exploration of the ones left behind.

Gary

Gary by Leila Rudge (Walker Books)

HC RRP $24.99

ISBN 9781925081695

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Racing pigeons are travellers. Gary is one of them, but he never travels because he can’t fly. He has to be content with collecting mementos, maps, tickets, and flight path and waypoint information to fill his scrapbook. He listens to the other pigeons discussing their journeys. He records this information perched in the loft, to experience a travelling life in absentia and dream he is part of it all.

Things change one day when Gary falls from his perch with his travel mementos into the travel basket. He ends up in the city, far away from home. Can clever Gary utilise his collection of maps, mementos and information to navigate his way back?

This is a terrific story about dreams and the longing for adventure. It shows how while we are longing to experience what others do, others are longing for an experience like ours.

The illustrations are outstanding. Intricate details add information to the story that isn’t covered by the text. Mixed media is used to create the drawings. Delightful and soothing soft colour shades carry us from cover to cover. The end papers and title pages share the reveals. I loved the whole package; adored gorgeous, clever Gary, and admired his innovative ideas. 

Desert Lake: the Story of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre

Desert Lake: the Story of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre by Pamela Freeman, illustrated by Liz Anelli (Walker Books)

HC RRP $ 24.99

ISBN 9781921529436

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

This beautifully illustrated book begins with its eye-catching cover - front and back. It’s another book from the award winning Nature Storybook series. 

Colours immediately draw us to the red earth of the dry desert of central Australia. The end pages depict the fossils and waiting plants and insects hidden deep beneath the lake’s surface. The title pages are the colour of the desert sky; a singular blue owned by the area. Without boundaries, it floats above the salt white cover of Lake Eyre. Countless birds are imprinted on the background, all travelling in the same direction.

The layout is presented in double spreads. Full page illustrations, carry the narrative story in large text at the top, and the facts in smaller text at the bottom; two stories in one. Mixed media is used to create the illustrations.

Lake Eyre is the largest salt lake in Australia, situated in northern South Australia. Life sleeps beneath its salt crust. It waits for the rain.

The torrent comes from the north, flooding the riverbeds.

Everything awakens and Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre fills with pulsing life.  Birds of all kinds set out, and prepare to nest at the Lake. Animals come to drink. Flowers blaze as colour floods the area.

When the rain is gone, the river starts to dry up again. Frogs and shrimps bury their eggs deep in the soft lake floor. The birds leave. The sun returns the lake to its dry state until the next rain falls.

Stunning in every way, this book is breathtaking in its beauty and highlights Lake Eyre before and after the rains. Text and illustrations are perfectly blended.  A visual feast, this book is a collector’s delight. It will also be snatched up by tourists. Libraries and schools will want it as part of their collections for use as a valuable reference and teaching tool.

Circle

Circle by Jeannie Baker (Walker Books)

HC RRP 29.99

ISBN 9781406338010

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Jeannie Baker is famous for the exquisite collages used to illustrate her work. I always know that when I hold a book of hers, there will be something special waiting for me between the covers. Here, beginning ‘in a place where mud and sand become sea’, we follow the migratory path of the bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica baueri).

The godwits are migratory waders that begin their journey north from Australia, in March-April. In April-May, they stop in the wetlands of the Yellow Sea to feed and rest. May-June sees them arrive in their breeding ground in Alaska. In August the godwits are found along the coast of the Alaskan Peninsula, fattening up for the journey south, as they have by now, lost half of their body weight. They must leave before the Arctic winter sets in. Their 11,000 kilometre journey is the longest unbroken journey of any animal in the world. 

In October-November, the godwits are in their Australian and New Zealand feeding grounds. (See migration map at the back of the book)

This book educates and creates awareness about, not only the plight of godwits, but also other migrating shorebirds and creatures that depend on places to rest and feed.

Unfortunately, many of these resting places are disappearing due to reclamation and development. Circle brings us face-to face with the reality that everything is inter-connected; how all that we do influences everything around us, extending to the other side of the world.

Presented simply, but with a powerful underlying environmental message, Jeannie Baker’s book will hopefully reach into our consciousness and remind us of the constant threats to our planet. I hope it will be widely used as a teaching tool to ignite children’s passion for preserving the environment, as they become familiar with the term, the Circle of Life.

Hour of the Bees

Hour of the Bees by Lindsay Eagar (Walker Books)

PB RRP $ 16.99

ISBN 9781406368154

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

I find so many debut novels far beyond what I expect. The quality of the writing, original approach to the story, and the characters all remind me how little I know about the world. Gratefully, this is another of those novels.

Lindsay Eagar has crafted a work of magnificent proportions. There is a mixture of voices and style, rich metaphors and symbolism, with settings like portraits hung in a gallery.

Twelve year-old Carol narrates this story. She is travelling with her parents, baby brother, and seventeen year-old step-sister Alta, to Grandpa Serge’s deserted sheep farm. Their intent is to clear the house, sell the farm, then move Serge -- who has lived alone for years -- to an expensive assisted-living facility. He is in the advanced stages of dementia and they have all read the pamphlets about what to expect and how to manage the old man’s behaviour.

When the family arrives, Carol becomes Carolina when the old man reminds her of their ethnic roots. Then the stories begin, always with Once upon a time; mysterious tales of a life-giving tree that is a gift, protecting the people of his village for centuries from ‘injury, ageing, disease and death’, and which controls time. These stories include Grandma Rosa, so filled with wanderlust that she spent most of her married life travelling the world. But what is truth, and what the meanderings of an old man’s demented mind?

The writing style changes dramatically when Serge tells the stories: it becomes lyrical, passionate and poetic; deeply stirring the senses.

The story addresses themes of ageing, death and dying, added to how many younger people view the older generation. Beautifully constructed and presented, this is ideal for the 12+ years age group.