Ava Ann Appleton: Catching a Wave

Ava Ann Appleton: Catching a Wave by Wendy Harmer, illustrated by Andrea Edmonds (Scholastic Australia)

PB RRP $9.99

ISBN 978-1-74362-235-3

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Ava Ann Appleton and her family are travelling around Australia. In Catching a Wave, the third book in the series, the Adventurer has stopped in the seaside town of Crescent Cove. Here Ava makes new friends, learns to surf and helps clean plastic bags from the beach to make the ocean safer for the local seals.

The Ava Ann Appleton series is a highly enjoyable Australian series for seven-year-olds and up. Full of travel, exploration of new places, amazing adventures and new friendships, there is much to hold the attention of young readers. Ava is a lovely character. She has some fears to overcome along her way, but is full of life and open to new experiences and people. There is always a problem to ponder and this time it’s a universal one - the use of plastic bags in our society.

This is a well written story, simple but not shying away from the occasional larger words when they are needed. The text is evocative and the sweet illustrations add wonderfully to it, breaking up the words in the short chapters. This is perfect for readers who are just beginning to build their confidence in chapter books.

These stories are always warm and gentle. Ava would make a great friend and the Appleton family is one children will enjoy spending time with.

Ava Anne Appleton: Up and Away

Ava Anne Appleton: Up and Away by Wendy Harmer, illustrated by Andrea Edmonds (Scholastic Australia)

PB RRP $9.99

ISBN 978-1-74362-181-3

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Ava Anne Appleton and her family, including dog Angus, are on an adventure. They have packed their belongings into a motor home, The Adventurer, and are off to explore Australia. And although Ava was slightly anxious about the whole idea she is settling into the journey and beginning to be more open to the adventures she encounters.

In Up and Away, ‘The Adventurer’ stops at Kardinya, an historical homestead. Here Ava discovers how people lived in the pioneering days, learns that Kardinya means sunrise in local Aboriginal language and sees that there is always a new friend around the corner.

This is a charming series. The story is infused with Harmer’s lovely gentle humour and Ava is very easy to love. She faces her fears and is learning to see life through different perspectives. There is a fabulous scene when Ava and Bonnie fly kites as a storm approaches:

  ‘I love the flat country the best!’ shouted Bonnie. ‘It’s where you see the biggest sky, ever!

  It takes up almost all of the view.’

  Ava had never thought of it like that before, but it was true. Out here the sky really was  

  tremendous!

While the words are easy for young readers, the text is well written, evocative and not simplistic. The attractive soft illustrations which appear at least every couple of pages break up the text and make the reading lighter. This will be read by girls from seven years and up. It is a great chapter book to extend beginner readers but may also entice older reluctant readers. It could even be a bedtime book, read aloud to younger children.

This is a series where the main character is an engaging one, easy to relate to and entertaining. The concepts of family, friendship and a sense of adventure shine strongly through in every chapter. This is the second in the series which is sure to continue. Jump on board with The Adventurer and join Ava on her journey. 

Ava Anne Appleton: Accidental Adventurer

Ava Anne Appleton: Accidental Adventurer by Wendy Harmer, illustrated by Andrea Edmonds (Scholastic Australia)
PB RRP $9.99
ISBN 978-1-74283-875-5
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Ava Anne Appleton is at the beginning of the alphabet and that is just how she likes it. Life is ordered and predictable. She lives with her mother, father and dog Angus at 3A Australia Avenue. Then one day her life is turned upside down.

Her parents buy a motor home. They plan to travel around Australia for a year, to have a grand adventure. Ava is sure she’ll hate adventures. On their travels, Ava meets Zander, who prefers being on the end of the alphabet (it gives her time to think before her name is called). Through Zander, Ava gains a new perspective on her travels.

Wendy Harmer’s dry humour is perfectly at home in this delightful story about change:

“But where will we go?” asked Ava.
“Anywhere we want!” declared her Dad. “We’ll just look on the map, point a finger and that’s where we’ll drive. Everything we need is here inside the Adventurer. The world is our oyster.”
Oyster? Ava didn’t like oysters, or any other strange, smelly foods come to that.

The black and white illustrations are an important part of the story. Like in picture books, these charming, soft paintings add so much character to the people and emotions. These pictures accompany twelve short chapters, with large print, making it great for extending beginner readers in the 7-8 year old age reader range.

Ava Anne Appleton is not a story about the alphabet. It is about family and friendships and explores how people live different lives, have different views, outlooks and personalities. Change may be scary, but adventure can open your eyes to much more than you anticipate. This is the start of a new series which will be loved by many young girls.

Pearlie and the Flamenco Fairy

15 Pearlie and the Flamenco Fairy by Wendy Harmer, illustrated by Gypsy Taylor (Random House Australia)
PB RRP $14.95
ISBN 9781742755403
Reviewed by Marian McGuinness

Pearlie is on her 15th adventure. She’s quite a fairy!

Straight away the reader is flying with Pearlie on the back of Queen Emerald’s magic ladybird over the plazas, palaces, gardens and fountains of Madrid.

Pearlie is good at a lot of things, but she’s not so sure about dancing. And that’s a problem as the lovely Spanish fairy, Florentina, with her ‘sparkling brown eyes and swirling scarlet skirt’ is throwing Pearlie a special party in her honour. Which means Pearlie has to learn to dance.

As Pearlie buckles on Florentina’s tap shoes, she hears the ‘clicketty-clack, clicketty-clack’ of Senor Philippe, the ‘sleek Spanish cricket.’ He is handsome, cheeky, moustached and passionate for the Flamenco – the ‘dance of FIRE!’

Reading out loud, Harmer’s use of tantalising techniques, brings the story to life. There are smatterings of the local language with ‘Hola’, ‘Ole’, and ‘Magnifico’. Lashings of alliteration, assonance, similes and onomatopoeia give further rhythm to Harmer’s enchanting fairy story. Young readers into their first independent reading books, may be influenced to use these devices to give their own stories as much colour as those in Florentina’s dresses.

As with learning any new skill, we understand how Pearlie feels as she ‘stumbled and bumbled’ with her ‘feet and wings all tangled up.’

Harmer’s simple but evocative description of eating tapas opens up the world of international cuisine, so that when eating out, the reader will have a better understanding of traditional foods.

Cue the castanets. It’s disaster for Pearlie as she trips. Her pearl necklace breaks and ‘boink, boink, boinks’ around her. As she flies after the pearls she unknowingly performs a beautiful flamenco to the ‘Ole!’ of the Spanish fairies. In a subtle way we learn that sometimes problems work out in the most unusual and unexpected ways.

Wendy Harmer, journalist and storyteller, has created a best seller in her Pearlie series for young readers. The animated Pearlie is now screening on Australian TV.

Talented illustrator, Gypsy Taylor, recently worked on the animated Pearlie series. She captures the colour of Wendy Harmer’s writing like a mirror. They are such a creative team.

Pearlie and the Big Doll

Pearlie and the Big Doll by Wendy Harmer (Random House)

HB RRP $19.95

ISBN 978-1-8647-1821-8

Reviewed by Oliver Phommavanh

Pearlie and the Big Doll is the park fairy’s latest adventure for younger readers. Pearlie finds a new visitor to Jubilee Park, a big doll. Pearlie tries to cheer the doll up, keeping her company and offering to host a concert with her animal friends. Everybody’s excited except the rats who weren’t invited to participate. It’s up to Pearlie to make sure the night goes according to plan.

Pearlie’s fans will enjoy the visual delights of the concert, with wonderful illustrations. There’s a clever comedy performance that is a nice diversion from the music and dancing. Pearlie is definitely an excellent organiser and she peps up the performers in her usual chirpy style.

Harmer doesn’t stray from her hugely successful formula here. It’s another event that Pearlie pulls off without a hitch. The deluxe edition of this book contains some ideas to make a Pearlie puppet show and there’s a neat paper doll to decorate too. 

Pearlie and the Big Doll is recommended for ages 6 and up.