Keeper of the Archives

Keeper of the Archives by Lynne Stringer (Wombat: Rhiza Edge) PB RRP $22.99 ISBN: 9781761111563

Reviewed by Kellie Nissen

When the first paragraph of a new book likens thick smoke to choking tentacles, you know you are in the heart of the story and it’s set for immediate action.

By the end of the first page, we know that Eden Fittell is the strength in her family, protecting her mother and her siblings, Lenny and Jed, from their drunken and abusive father who only ‘visits’ when he needs more money for drink. And, by the end of the first chapter, we are firmly on Eden’s side – albeit concerned for her welfare and wondering how this young teen is going to manage.

In the grand scheme of things, Eden’s father is the least of the family’s worries when you consider their city is being targeted by crime boss Kore Luddan, who has the terrifying freak known as Izrod on his team kidnapping the people of Sendirian City.

The stakes are quickly raised when Eden obtains a position as a junior keeper in the Government Archives – replacing Kore’s most recent victim. Her mother is concerned, but what choice does Eden have; her family needs the money.

Supervisors in the Archives are on high alert, with stringent securities in place but, as with all good suspense situations, it is soon clear that these will be no match for Kore and Izrod. The question is, will Eden be stronger?

Author Lynne Stringer brings contemporary issues to play throughout the story, including domestic violence and alcoholism, along with considering themes of family dysfunction, the power of social status and the ‘masking’ of personal fear, and deals with these in a hard-hitting but compassionate way.

With well-developed characters who feel real, Keeper of the Archives is a fast-paced, high-tension story about a post-apocalyptic world, and will definitely appeal to young adult readers who enjoy science fiction and the surreal.

First Tackle

First Tackle by Ricki-Lee Arnold (Wombat) PB RRP $14.99 ISBN 9781761110818

Reviewed by Nikki M Heath

Dani’s passion is rugby league, but her protective grandmother and father refuse to let her play. With the help of older brother Jimmy and some inspiration from an older girl at the club - and despite the hindrance of her troublesome twin little brothers - can Dani make her sporting dream come true?

Unlike some sport-themed books we’ve reviewed, this one really needs an appreciation of rugby league to fully appreciate what’s going on. It has a clear agenda and pushes its ‘Girls with Game’ series message in an unabashed - sometimes slightly too overt - manner.

There are some attempts to introduce sub-plot, and enjoyable warmth in the family dynamic, but this book really does just do what it says on the tin. It is a fun, easy read and will resonate with its core target audience.

Rugby league fans aged 7 to 10 will have a ball (pun intended) ripping through this fast-paced story. While it will obviously appeal more to girls, boys will also enjoy the fun family antics - and might gain a bit of insight while they’re at it.

Wombat

Wombat by Christopher Cheng, illustrated by Liz Duthie (Walker Books) HB RRP $26.99 ISBN 9781760651374

Reviewed by Nikki M Heath 

Follow a wombat’s day as she goes from breaking her fast to dealing with inconsiderate neighbours, from luxuriating in the sun to evading violent threats, before retreating to the safety of the burrow, all with her joey on board. Get to know the individual wombat, but also discover a wide range of wombat-related information. 

The wombat protagonist may not have a name, but that doesn’t hinder the reader’s emotional connection, as we are plunged into her sensory world through the evocative text. We feel the frustrations, challenges, and satisfaction of her day-to-day life.

It’s always satisfying to see an index in a picture book, emphasizing the non-fiction content accompanying the story. The interesting facts about wombats are distinguished from the fictional narrative using a different font. The dual-text approach means the book is suitable to read to pre-schoolers while giving school-aged children a bit more to dig into. 

The illustrations are earth-toned and richly textured: it feels like you could reach out and sink your hand into the wombat’s fur. Despite the tiny eyes of the subject, great depth of character is achieved. 

This book is a lovely contribution to the growing collection of nature picture books giving readers both a narrative to connect with and facts to learn. Children 4 years and older will get a lot out of this book.

Wombat

by Philip Bunting (Scholastic) ISBN 9781760 972370 RRP $17.99 (HB)

Reviewed by Nean McKenzie

As suggested by the title, this picture book is about wombats and there is at least one on every page. Using wordplay, the text involves variations of the word wombat, explained by the very funny, and sometimes laugh-out-loud, illustrations. Very few of the words are ‘real’ ones. But by the end of the book you have the feeling it might be nice if they were!

It’s an idea reminiscent of Dr Seuss's One Fish Two Fish or even Mem Fox’s Where is the Green Sheep? involving humorous repetition of words. The book starts with ‘Wombat Twobats Threebats’ then ‘Morebats’. The progression of words follows a sort of order, sometimes using opposites (like ‘Youngbat’ and ‘Oldbat’) but not always (like ‘Plumbat’ and ‘Numbat’ neither of which are even wombats). This variation cleverly adds an element of unexpectedness or surprise. My favourite versions of the wombat words were: Vombat (a green one), Exbat (a dead one) and the Om-nom-nombat (a wombat eating a doughnut).

The rhythm in Wombat works well when read aloud and there’s a strong invitation to the reader to turn the pages to the next quirky word and picture combination. Although most of them seem to be standing on two feet, the animals are very clearly wombats. With their uniformly blank expressions and staring eyes, they often have props to explain them, like a cricket bat or glasses and a guitar.  There is also a theme of flowers on the end pages and scattered amongst the story.

Philip Bunting has produced several books featuring Australian animals, including Mopoke, Koalas Eat Gum Leaves and Kookaburras Love to Laugh. His latest, Wombat is an entertaining picture book suitable for pre-primary aged school children.