The Last Thirteen : Book 7

The Last Thirteen : Book 7 by James Phelan (Scholastic Australia)

PB RRP $14.99

ISBN 978-1-74283-190-9

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

13 books. 13 nightmares. 1 destiny.

Sam's search for the Thirteen Dreamers leads him next to the Grand Canyon and to Cody, Dreamer number seven. But as the stakes grow more desperate, so does the enemy. And it is getting harder for Sam and his fellow dreamers to tell friend from foe.

This 7th instalment of the fast paced series is a scramble across America to once again be ahead in the race for the Dreamer’s Gate. Alex has been given his first mission and comes up against Stella's offsider, Matrix. Sam is following his newest nightmare, racing to get to Cody and the next gear while Lora and Eva are racing to save Sam after Eva's dream that he and Cody are walking into a trap.

This group of Dreamers need their dreams and nightmares to guide them, to lead them to the next destination. But dreams are not always reliable, their interpretation not always obvious, they can mean so many different things. And, as Sam and his friends have discovered, expected outcomes can be changed by situations in real time being altered.

Will the Dreamers feel more in control, or more scared for the fate of the world when they uncover what Stella and Matrix are really up to?

This book sits right at the midway point of the series. It is impossible to read at a leisurely pace. Pages packed with dialogue and action, and chapters with changing viewpoints, ending in cliff hangers, all accentuate the sense of urgency. The ambiguity of the dreams and their meanings, along with the swing of allegiances of some of the players, make this an addictive series.

The physical package is attractive as well. Each volume is slim, a different colour and has subtle clues on the cover as to what lies within the pages. The spines, lined up together on a bookshelf, announce the countdown.

Billy Slater: Try Time

Billy Slater: Try Time by Patrick Loughlin, illustrated by Nahum Ziersch (Random House Australia)

PB RRP $12.99

ISBN 9780857982469

Also available as an ebook ISBN 9780857982476

Reviewed by Marian McGuinness

This is the first book in a new series for boys 7+ who not only love footy but who play any team sport. At the core of each book is the guidance of legendary Billy Slater, fullback for the Melbourne Storm, Queensland Maroons and Australian Kangaroos.

Each short-chapter book tells the story of one of the players of the Under 11s team, the Ravens. This time it’s Josh’s story. His dad’s away, his mum is busy with the new baby and his greatest supporter, his grandad, is embarrassingly over-the-top when it comes to cheering from the sideline.

Josh is so nervous about his first footy game that he dreams he’s forgotten to wear his uniform. He’s running for the line with the ball in his Superman undies.

Every boy who has ever had to get ready for footy will be excited by the descriptions of the pre-game preparations: footy boots, shoulder pads, mouthguard – check! And they will recognise the ‘herd of elephant-sized butterflies’ stampeding in their stomachs.

Josh is on the small side and he’s constantly worried that he will let the team down. In the first game of the season he ‘felt the hard yellow hide slide into his grasp as he dived for the line.’ He lost the ball. ‘Then came the sound that would haunt him for days: a single loud, long BOOOOOOO!’

Enter Billy Slater, friend of Coach Steve and footy hero to the boys. At their footy practices Billy homes in on what each boy needs. He takes Josh aside and says, ‘the yips are when you worry so much about not being able to do something that your body forgets how to do it.’ This is not a didactic series but blends the reality of playing football with the wisdom of those who have done it all before.

With its plethora of footy action, quick pace and short-burst sentences, the climax is exciting indeed. The black and white drawings create a visual connection for the reader. There is added value in the players’ profiles at the back of the book as well as handy footy tips on tackling and catching a pass.

Try Time is about having fun, working as a team and self-belief regardless of ability or background. It’s the whole footy package. 

Double Trouble: Skateboard Stars

Double Trouble: Skateboard Stars by Fiona Regan, illustrated by Louis Shea (Scholastic Australia)

PB RRP $7.99

ISBN 978-1-74283-857-1

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Identical twins Tommy and Coop love pulling pranks. They also love to skateboard. So when their skateboarding idol comes to town they are super excited. First prize in the skateboarding competition is the chance to meet Jed Michaels and be on his TV show. The twins will do anything to win.

Skateboard Stars combines the twins’ talents for skateboarding and pranking in a funny story about skills and spills in a skateboard half-pipe park.

Written specifically for boys, there is no doubt they will love the action and competitive nature of the skateboard competition and the increasing difficulties of the tricks the riders need to show. They will understand the language of the skate park and appreciate the humour and cheekiness of the stunts pulled.

The black and white illustrations, some full page, split the text making the reading seem less daunting, but also add to the humour story.

The Double Trouble series is pitched to the male 5+ readership. Easy words, large text, short chapters combine to make this a very readable series for beginners. And the funny pictures, cheeky stunts and sporting action will ensure young readers return to this series for more.

Boy vs Beast #11: Storm Mutant

Boy vs Beast #11: Storm Mutant by Mac Park (Scholastic Australia)

PB RRP $7.99

ISBN 978-1-92193-170-3

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

It is a Sunday and Border Guard Kai Masters is hanging out in his games room, (a skate park at the moment), practising moves which may be useful when he uses hover board transportation. His orbix beeps alerting him to a dust storm in wind land. Fearing it will be another mutant beast and an epic battle, Kai wastes no time, taking the slide to the battle room, collecting BC, his bionic dog, on the way.

After choosing his battle gear and mashing up the features he thinks he may need to defeat this new beast, he and BC go to the transport room. Here Kai makes a few changes to the SC2-bot, adding wind battling gear to it and they are off to the take-off pad on the top of the lighthouse.

Once in wind land, Kai and BC must overcome a massive red dust storm, pests in the form of rock birds hurling fiery weapons and the baby Beast Stormasurix before finally facing the fully grown version of the mutant beast - a mix of rock and wind beasts with three horrible heads and toxic breath.

As is the custom in the Boy vs Beast stories, the final battle is in comic form, giving a visual perspective of the battle instead of just text. This, along with the fun gadgets, fantastical lighthouse home base, futuristic transportation and ever changing beasts to battle, make this series popular with young boys. Action packed, but short and simple with a computer game structure it is the sort of book which will entice boys who may not be eager to practise their reading skills.

Storm Mutant is the eleventh in a series which has already reached 30 titles so there are plenty for eager young fans to read.

Boy vs Beast #10: Air Mutant

Boy vs Beast #10: Air Mutant by Mac Park (Scholastic Australia)

PB RRP $7.99

ISBN 978-1-92193-169-7

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Kai Masters is in his test room developing a new battle weapon which fires balls of ice as well as wind when a new alert warns him of trouble in wind land. With his dogbot BC, he takes the bullet train back to base to prepare for battle with another mutant beast. This battle may be harder than the last one.

Boy vs Beast is popular among young boys. With all the gadgets and futuristic transportation, pictures to illustrate the choices Kai makes when choosing battle gear and the entertaining pests (like the flying jellyfish which hurl toxic balls), it's no wonder young boys love this series. It feels Ike an action cartoon series with the levels, land layout, weapons and fighting strategies of a computer game.

In Air Mutant, Kai and BC battle new beast Flamatoraq. If the beast wins, it gains more powers, gets bigger and stronger. If Kai wins, new rooms at base may be unlocked, his battle gear upgraded and with the beast safely transported to the Outlands, Earth will be safe once more.

Short chapters, large clear writing, lots of pictures and many more titles makes this series great for young boys and beginner readers, six years and older.

Boy vs Beast #9: Rock Mutant

Boy vs Beast #9: Rock Mutant by Mac Park (Scholastic Australia)

PB RRP $7.99

ISBN 978-1-92193-168-0

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Kai Masters is a Border Guard. He and his dog BC help keep Earth safe from Beasts by defending the border wall between Earth and Beastium. While working on new battle gear in his new test room, Kai gets an alert saying there is a problem in rock land. Somehow water is getting in and if the lands mix, it will cause many problems including the possibility of mutant beasts, as yet unknown to the Border Guards. He needs to get in there and sort the problem before it gets out of hand.

Boy vs Beast is popular among young boys, especially those who love computer games. The series has a gaming feel to it with its structure, the levels Border Guards aim for and the achievements systems awarded for battles which open new rooms back at base.

Rock Mutant introduces is the first of the mutant beasts, caused by the accidental overlapping of the lands. The concept of Kai's gear mash-up is also a first for the series and now Kai has the ability to combine two of his battle gear devices to produce an even more effective one to battle the mixed up beasts.

Weird and wonderful battle gear, flash transport, a robotic dog and lots of action provide an exciting ride for young readers to lose themselves in a superhero tale of saving the world from horrible beasts... Over and over again.

This short chapter book (it's under seventy pages) with plenty of graphics and the battle in comic format, is suitable for six years and up and will particularly suit boys beginning to read.

The Other Side of Nowhere

The Other Side of Nowhere by Steve Johnston (Hardie Grant Egmont)

ISBN 978 174297690 7

PB $16.95 RRP

Reviewed by Nean McKenzie

From the very first pages, it's clear this is a story with lots of action. The main character Johnno, from whose perspective the story is told, races his brother Matt down a hill on his bike, narrowly missing a truck at the bottom. The scene is set for a fast paced adventure set during the school holidays, in a place called Shell Harbour.

Nick is Johnno's old school friend, who moved away from the city where Johnno lives. He is cool, attractive and good at everything and Johnno can't help being a bit envious. Nick, Johnno, Matt and Johnno's good looking cousin Georgina (George) all sail in Nick's yacht out to an island, to camp overnight. However, things go horribly wrong when a storm damages their boat and they have to swim to shore. No food or water is the least of their problems, when they discover they're on the island with armed people smugglers.

Woven into the story is the complicated relationship between Nick and Johnno, which has changed since Nick moved away from the city. Johnno's jealousy is amplified when it is clear George is attracted to Nick. He reminded himself '... she was my cousin and if I was being truthful I wished she wasn't'. But Nick also has not told Johnno about important things that have happened in his life and it takes some dramatic events for this to all come out into the open.

There is so much action: a ship wreck, people saved from drowning, climbing through deep caves, kidnapping, being shot at and some risky boat manoevres leading up to the climax. These events are all well described and keep the reader turning the pages until the end. The voice of Johnno is very realistic, as is the dialogue between the four friends.

Johnno discovers through necessity, that he is braver than he thought, bringing about a positive ending to the book. The Other Side of Nowhere is an lively and interesting read suitable for teenagers, particularly boys. 

The Loser List: Jinx of the Loser

The Loser List: Jinx of the Loser by H.N Kowitt (Scholastic Inc)
HB RRP $14.99
ISBN 978-0-545-50794-3
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Danny Shine is jinxed. He made one accidental catch at the baseball game and now the whole school hates him. The Roller Coaster at the school fair breaks down while he’s riding and the everyone thinks he’s a jinx. Danny knows he’s made top of the loser list when the school bullies offer to protect him from the rest of the school, for a price of course.

The more Danny tries to break the jinx curse, the more trouble he causes. Just when he thinks he has hit rock bottom, Danny is partnered with popular baseball captain, Luke, for speeches. Luke has a fear of public speaking and Danny knows he’ll have to coach Luke through this for a win or he may as well change schools.

Jinx of the Loser is a humorous look at the middle school from the unpopular side of the fence. The illustrations and handwritten text give it a more personal feel and it is similar in tone to the Wimpy Kid Diaries just for younger audiences and without the family emphasis.

Aimed at grades three to six, it is a light read for beginner readers, and will be mostly enjoyed by boys.

5 Minute Marvel Stories

5 Minute Marvel Stories (Scholastic Australia)
HB RRP $19.99
ISBN 978-1-74362-221-6
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

This story book captures all the Marvel Superheroes in one big book - Spiderman, Iron Man, the Avenger, the X-Men, Thor, the Hulk and Captain America. In twelve short stories (each can be read in 5 minutes) these superheroes battle Super Villains and save the world one mission at a time.

Can Spiderman defeat Kraven the Hunter? What can Captain America do when confronted by Red Skull with a weapon that is capable of removing the Captain’s powers? And how will The Hulk put a stop to the Abomination?

All these stories and more make up 5 Minute Marvel Stories. This edition is full of colourful glossy illustrations, with heroes and villains looming larger than they do in the original comics. This, and the short simple stories will attract young superhero fans.

Stories for Boys

Stories for Boys a selection of stories by Australian authors, illustrated by Tony Flowers (Random House Australia Children’s)
PB RRP $14.95
ISBN 9780857980885
Ebook ISBN: 9780857980892
Reviewed by Marian McGuinness

Keeping up the pace and excitement, but this time for six to eight year old boys, is this fine and funny anthology from another twelve fabulous Aussie authors. And they know the stuff that will engage our boys with fabulous adventures featuring: ghosts, robots, jellyfish, lice and terror-dactyls.

As well as some of the authors from the ‘girls’ series, there are offerings from: Bill Condon, Tristan Bancks, Nick Falk, Aleesah Darlison, Celeste Walters and Sophie Masson.

Some stories are written in past tense, some present tense. There are short, accessible sentences with simple words, others with doozies thrown in for good measure, like ‘follicle’ and ‘realm’. There are great similes, ‘rain hammers on the roof like bullets’ and ear-wrenching onomatopoeia where ‘lightning crackles … doors creeeeak and thunder rumbles’. Each story uses a wealth of literary techniques to subliminally encourage readers to create and colour their own stories.

Plot and character are the main focus and there are plenty to choose from. There’s Tom who visits his pop in a nursing home. The thing is, his pop hates kids. Tom has a problem.

What happens when Jack wishes that his mum were an octopus – a riotous romp of tentacle fun ensues. Or perhaps you’d prefer the story set on a space station where giant jellyfish roam, or something closer to home, Sophie Masson’s romp in the Possum in the Roof.

And then there’s the hilarious story of Ferdie the frog who goes to market in a box of lettuces. Celeste Walters delights with her rhythmic and imagery-filled writing when ‘fat hands and thin hands and bodies with trolleys were pushing and shoving and pawing and pouncing’ as Ferdie goes on his adventure around the supermarket. The end result is that all readers will want a frog like Ferdie.

With the animated, boyish illustrations by internationally acclaimed artist, Tony Flowers (illustrator of the Saurus Street series), along with the perfect-sized font and plenty of white space in format, Stories for Boys, is a great addition to the bedside table.

Grasshopper Jungle

Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith (Hardie Grant Egmont)

PB  RRP $19.95

ISBN 978 174297880 2

Reviewed by Nean McKenzie

There are two clues that indicate Grasshopper Jungle is not your average coming of age novel. One is the fluorescent green cover adorned with a pair of large antennae. The other is on the first page where the words 'insects as big as refrigerators' appear. This story is about relationships, identity and sexuality but it is also about two teenage boys who inadvertently bring about the end of the world.

Austin Szerba is a sixteen year old boy from Ealing, Iowa who is in love with his both of his best friends — Robby Brees (a boy) and Shanna Collins (a girl). He is confused. Following a bizarre series of events, Austin and Robby accidentally let loose a scientific experiment from 1969 called Plague Strain 412E. Like Robby says, 'Nothing good is ever called Plague'. And he's right. The experiment hatches into enormous praying mantises who eat people, starting with their heads. Then Austin, Robby and Shanna find an underground bunker called Eden created by the same scientist responsible for the bugs. The end of the world seems almost certain but can they do something before it's too late?  

Written from Austin's point of view, the narrative spirals around jumping from thoughts about sex (lots of these!) and smoking, to stories about Austin's Polish ancestors, to his brother fighting in Afghanistan. Amongst all of this, the story unfolds of the 'Unstoppable Soldiers' (as the huge insects are called), moving towards its inevitable conclusion. There are short  chapters with lots of headings to allow for all the subject changes. There's also lots of action towards the end (chasing giant bugs and spraying them with blood!) which boys particularly will enjoy. 

Austin's voice is authentic and very funny. There is a lot of swearing, violence and sexual references so this book may be a bit controversial. Readers, who would need to be at least fourteen, will find Grasshopper Jungle a clever, original story, not easily forgotten.

The Bloodhound Boys Book 1: The Great Blood Bank Robbery

The Bloodhound Boys Book 1: The Great Blood Bank Robbery by Andrew Cranna (Walker Books)
PB RRP $19.95
ISBN 9781922179302
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Deep beneath the earth’s crust, the Skull River Blood Banks have been robbed. The vampire monsters lives depend on their daily supply of blood, particularly Gretel who suffers from plasmic anaemia and needs frequent supplies throughout the day.

The Blood Detectives have been unable to find any trace of evidence so mates Vince and Rocky decide to investigate. Facing a most dangerous security system and the unknown, the two heroes set out to find who, how, and why the blood was stolen and get it back.

The skills learnt in the monster transformation class turn out to be their saving grace when they discover the Frankenstein army that is being prepared to rule the world.

This is terrific comic strip fiction for readers who love graphic style novels and have a preference for ghouls, ghoulish happenings, the undead and other underworld characters.

The novel has other little stories running through it that adds to the tension and suspense. This is the first book in a series therefore we’ll be interested to learn what other adventures the boys and the other ghoulish characters get up to.

City of Monsters, Book 1 – Monster School

City of Monsters, Book 1 – Monster School by DC Green

(Ford Street Publishing)

PB RRP $18.95

ISBN 9781925000078

Reviewed by Francine Sculli

Princes aren’t your ordinary people, but Prince Thomas isn’t your ordinary prince either. He’s one of the few human beings left in Monstro City, a place overridden with monsters that don’t favour humes. His existence would be a little more exciting if he were allowed to do anything, but his days are largely consumed by Lord Boron’s dead boring history lessons (that don’t teach him much at all) and confinement in his bedroom with only Erica, a humourless ogre, to keep him entertained with absurd protection rituals.

Thomas knows very little of the world outside. He knows that the castle was raided by deadly vampires who abducted his father and brother. He knows his mother has since been comatose in a hospital bed and that Lord Boron has earned himself the privilege of being King until Thomas turns eighteen. But Thomas knows there is more to all of this.

One day his curiosity gets the better of him. He bribes money-driven Erica and devises a crazy plan to mask himself as a swamp monster named PT, build a mechanical replica of himself to sit in on Lord Boron’s boring history lessons and sets off to attend the local monster school, Monstro Central School.  At school, Thomas hopes to learn as much as he can about the outside world but he gets much more than he bargains for.

He meets an equally made cast of misfit monsters (think zombies, vampires, trolls, oversized spiders and mummies) who allow him to join their group, the Dead Gang. But these monsters quickly discover that PT isn’t who claims to be. He’s not a swamp monster but a human Prince Thomas. Resisting the urge to eat his brains out and suck his blood, the monsters begrudgingly decide

Even after the monsters discover that PT isn’t really a swamp monster, but a human Prince Thomas, the monsters decide not to eat his brains out or suck his blood, instead they begrudgingly decide to help him discover what is really going on over at the castle. What they discover sends them on an even wilder adventure – overturning the throne, reclaiming Thomas’ right as King, shapeshifting into Mayor Viethe, being chased by lethal gob hunters and confronting one of the scariest mythical creatures in the world – the dragon Kalthazari.

Monster School is a wildly imaginative story that is rippling with adventure, humour, blood and guts and the most barbaric line up of intriguing characters you’ll ever meet. DC Green has carved a fierce world that is sure to keep even the most reluctant reader engrossed. With interesting language, every monster you can imagine and some woven themes of friendship, trust and honour – Monster School is definitely gloriously grotesque. 

Engibear’s Dream

Engibear’s Dream by Andrew King, illustrated by Benjamin Johnston (Little Steps Publishing)

HB RRP $24.95

ISBN 9781921928901

Reviewed by Emma Cameron

While crammed with excellent graphics that will instantly attract little boys, it isn’t only those young enough to be learning to count to ten who will find this delightfully humorous tale appealing. I think the older the reader the more they can appreciate the work and story, and therefore believe its greatest appeal will be to those of primary school age. (Oh, okay, any male who’s maintained the boy within will probably never outgrow it either!)

Engibear, like many boys, is a classic dreamer who loves to invent and then build things. Told in verse that scans well, his epic begins with his decision to invent a ‘Bearbot’ to help him with future creations and, in his meticulously organised workshop, he sets to work preparing plans for ‘Bearbot Type One’. Once built, however, it appears that Type One is ‘not without faults’ and, ‘KABOOM!’, Engibear must immediately begin work on ‘Bearbot Type Two’.

With disastrous yet funny failures along the way, the conclusion eventually sees Engibear’s tenacity win out. Bearbot Type Ten is a huge success. Hurray! And, just as any success deserves, the last four pages revisit the exciting journey to reflect on issues that occurred from prototype to final model via each type’s blueprints being provided, highlighted with numerous technical but easily understood notes and specifications.

Besides excellent characterisation of Engibear and each Bearbot, illustrations of the disasters also give readers much to laugh over. My favourite is that of a crinkled Type Seven lying ‘flat as a plate’ after inadvertently landing in the path of a bulldozer. My favourite non-disaster illustration is inside Engibear’s home where walls hold portraits of ‘Alexander Graham Bear’, ‘Thomas Beardison’, ‘Bear Brunel’, ‘Bearstav Eiffel’ etc. I thoroughly recommended this book for 3-10 year olds.

Nerdy Ninjas vs The Really Really Scary Guys

Nerdy Ninjas vs The Really Really Scary Guys by Shogun Whamhower, illustrated by Heath McKenzie (Scholastic Press)
PB RRP $9.99
ISBN 978-1-74283-027-8
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

When diving into a river, a ninja should check 

that the water is deep enough, and that 

there are no submerged shopping trolleys.

The Ninja Warrior’s Handbook, Volume 27

The Nerdy Ninjas are back again and continuing their training with Sensei Lee, which is lucky as they are about to become embroiled in their scariest adventure yet!

Most students at St Hall’s (the ninjas school) have heard the rumour that an horrific troll lurks in the basement of the building. When Pongo learns the truth behind this rumour, he and his fellow Ninjas must face their fears - which is quite a long list for Veejay - to help save the world from the beastly intruders lurking in Forest Forest.

When a scream is heard from Forest Forest, Jake sends a text to gather the ninjas at their secret hideout. Unfortunately Veejay is not allowed out after seven, Ben has been scared by the cape he found (labelled “If found, please return to troll”), and Pongo is so busy boing-boinging on his pogo stick that he doesn’t hear his mobile phone.

Maybe they really are the worst ninjas in the world, but always lurking in the shadows nearby is a highly trained SNOT (Secret Ninja Operational Team) ninja who is - rather luckily - on their side and ready to lend an invisible hand.

Nerdy Ninjas vs The Really Really Scary Guys is a great read for upper primary age. The silliness of the humour is spot on for boys at this age. It is full of fun, disgusting bits, ghoulish monsters, humourous pictures and sprinkled with rules for ninjas, teachers, and ‘stuff kids should know’.

The personalities of the four boys are developing in this second book and I particularly love the distractions Pongo finds which make him late for school every day. It will be fun to see where book 3 takes the Nerdy Ninjas next.

Goosebumps Most Wanted: Planet of the Lawn Gnomes

Goosebumps Most Wanted: Planet of the Lawn Gnomes by R.L. Stine (Scholastic Inc)
PB RRP $9.99
ISBN 978-0-545-41798-3
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

When Jay moves with his family to a new town he intends to make good use of the fresh start he’s been offered. He is determined to stay out of trouble.

It’s just that the neighbour Mr McClatchy is such a grump, someone seems to be moving the annoying lawn gnomes around, and Jay has no idea why there is a curfew imposed after dark. Elliot, his new best friend, seems reluctant to explain any of this to him so Jay really has to look into it himself if he wants to find any answers.

Before long, Jay is starting to get a little creeped out by the creatures in the Quagmire and the Buzzard Hawks, which smell fear, eat flesh, and carry off his dog. Then the lawn gnomes come to life and the horror really sets in.

Goosebump books are great for middle grade readers who love to scare themselves. They are a slim book and readers can enter the horror zone, speed through it with a burst of adrenalin, and then come out the other end fully satisfied with a racing heart!

The note from the author in the prologue is very amusing and sets the tone for the story to follow. A little like gathering around a campfire in anticipation of the scary stories about to be told.

Tom Gates is Absolutely Fantastic (at some things)

Tom Gates is Absolutely Fantastic (at some things) by L. Pichon (Scholastic UK)
PB RRP $15.99
ISBN 978-1-407134-51-2
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Tom Gates is back. This time he has an exciting school excursion coming up. That is, if he can find his form, remember to take it home to be signed, and then remember to bring it back to school again.

In the meantime, who is the girl who keeps appearing next door pulling faces at him? Why is he the one who always get caught when he pulls one back? And why is his sister Delia acting so secretive? Tom Gates is Absolutely Fantastic (at some things) answers these questions and many more.

This is an amusing story about the relatively normal life of Tom and his friends. He has embarrassing parents, an annoying sister, boring teachers and loyal friends. The stories which make up Tom’s life roll from one event to the next with dry wit, loads of funny pictures and an early teen sense of humour. The school excursion (a three day camp) provides many chances for Tom and his friends to get caught in unintentional escapades.

This is a great read for the middle school age. Boys will enjoy the humour of the Tom Gates books. They should also relate to aspects of the characters and the situations Tom and his gang find themselves in.

Call of the Wild and Dino Champions

Robert Irwin Dinosaur Hunter - series by Jack Wells, illustrated by Lachlan Creagh (Random House Australia)
PB RRP $9.95 each
Book 5 – Call of the Wild
ISBN 9781742750934 – pbk.
ISBN 9781742749594 - ebook
Book 6 – Dino Champions
ISBN 9781742750941 – pbk.
ISBN 9781742749600 - ebook

Reviewed by Marian McGuinness

After many adventures in his previous books, Robert Irwin is back with his best friend Riley. With the aid of his lucky claw, Robert and Riley continue their adventures as they time travel back to the era of the dinosaurs. This series of single-plot storylines continues to excite new readers and is a winner for six to nine year old boys who dream of dinosaurs, adventure and time travel. Along with lots of action, there’s a handy dinosaur fact file at the end of each book (where I learnt that dinosaurs probably didn’t roar, except in the movies!) as well as plenty of illustrations to further enliven the boys’ adventures.

Book 5 – Call of the Wild – Robert and Riley are camping with their families in outback Queensland. They’re in Muttaburrasaurus country, where the first fossils of this dinosaur were found.

It’s night and raining and the boys need to go to the loo. In the dark they get disorientated. Robert’s magic dino claw whisks them back 100 million years where a storm is also raging. Reptiles fly overhead and in a lightning flash the boys see an abandoned baby dinosaur, with ‘it’s legs stuck in a deep pool of mud.’ They nickname him Barry and try to push him out of the swamp. Pterosaurs flap their skinned wings overhead and chase Riley, intending to make a meal of him.

Finally the boys free Barry. They try to find his mother by ‘honking’ through the bushes. In a spike of lightning the boys see ‘the figure of the adult Muttaburrasaurus.’ It ‘rose up on its back legs, stretched out its neck, maybe seven metres high, and gave an enormous honk.’ Robert and Riley watch as ‘the two ancient Australians walk away to rejoin their pack.’

Book 6 – Dino Champions – Robert is training for his athletics carnival. He’s trying to run fast enough to catch up to the school champion, Lauren Johnson. Robert wonders which dinosaur would have run the fastest.

As Robert and Riley chase each other around Australia Zoo, Robert’s magic dinosaur claw jiggles around in his backpack. Before they know it, the boys are in Canada, 74 million years ago. They’re being chased by a dinosaur with ‘three claws on each foot to grip into the ground like running spikes.’ It’s a dromiceiomimus, meaning, ‘emu mimic.’ Robert makes notes of its running style to use in his athletics race.

The boys fall asleep and are transported to North Africa, where two spinosaurus are fighting; they’re even bigger than the T-rex, with spines as tall as an adult and a skull like a crocodile.

Robert’s magic claw transports them again to the lush forests of Argentina where ‘titanic sauropods’ with bodies like bridges and legs like supports, graze on the treetops.

But the boys need to head back to Australia and the present. They wade into the freezing water where the magic claw swirls them home. When it’s time for the athletics carnival, Robert races against Lauren. He imagines being chased by a terrifying spinosaurus. He comes second but looks forward to his next adventure with dinosaurs and wonders what else he is going to discover.

Robert Irwin Dinosaur Hunter

Robert Irwin Dinosaur Hunter - series by Jack Wells, illustrated by Lachlan Creagh (Random House Australia)
PB RRP $9.95 each
Book 1 - The Discovery
ISBN 9871864718454
Book 2 - Ambush at Cisco Swamp
ISBN 9871864718461
Book 3 - Armoured Defence
ISBN 9871742750910
Book 4 - The Dinosaur Feather
ISBN 9871742750927
Reviewed by Marian McGuinness

This new series featuring Robert Irwin, son of Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin, is every boy’s dream. With the aid of a dinosaur claw fossil, 9-year-old Robert and his friend, Riley, time travel back 95 million years into the Cretaceous era where they witness first hand living with (and escaping from) dinosaurs.

Imagine being in the middle of a dinosaur stampede or crawling through a swamp, or camping in the Badlands of Canada or finding an abandoned dinosaur egg in prehistoric China.

Each book features a particular dinosaur. The font is large and clear and the chapters are scattered with black and white sketches heightening the action. The level of language is suitable for the readership of 6 – 9 year olds. Challenging words are used that will make readers feel more grown up, words like: carnivore, palaeontologist, Cretaceous as well as the Latin names of the various dinosaurs. Readers will love all the prehistoric facts and finding out how to use a fossicker’s took kit to find fossils.

At the back of each book is a field guide detailing the chosen dinosaur. Lots of interesting information is given about their discovery, physical characteristics and the origin of their names. Robert Irwin has also sketched each dinosaur.

Book 1 – The Discovery takes place in Winton, in outback Queensland. Robert and Riley are at the dinosaur digs. Robert is chipping away and discovers a dinosaur claw that becomes his portal. He is ‘dragged down a plughole really fast’ into the prehistoric world to a waterhole where the dinosaurs ‘don’t have good table manners.’ As he is about to be made into a prehistoric meal, he is whisked back to the dino lab in Winton.

Book 2 – Ambush at Cisco Swamp. Robert and Riley are on a research trip to the Cisco Swamp in Texas for the annual census of alligators, where they tag, measure and weigh each gator. Robert soon finds himself in the prehistoric swampland where he comes face to face with the largest prehistoric crocodile, four times bigger than its relative today. The croc is angry as it has a stick lodged in its massive jaw. Robert creatively thinks of a solution making sure he doesn’t become a ‘boy-sized meal’. A flock of pterosaurs wheel overhead as an enormous carnivore with ‘blood-stained teeth’ runs clumsily towards him. After a battle between the land dinos and the water dinos, Robert is back in the present, telling Riley of his adventures. Next time, Riley’s going with him!

Book 3 – Armoured Defence. The boys are camping in the Canadian Badlands, where the T-rex, Triceratops and Stegosaur roamed. At night, they are tumbled into the vortex of time travel to 70 million years ago, where instead of the desert they had left, they are in a swamp with quicksand and monster-sized mozzies. Vines have trapped a duck-billed dino and a meat-eating gorgosaurus is after it as an easy meal. Riley goes missing as Robert rescues the trapped dino only to become the target of the hungry predator.

Book 4 – The Dinosaur Feather. Back at Australia Zoo, where Robert lives with his family, he is making a video of the cassowary, the third largest bird in the world. There is a theme of evolution here as the boys are whisked to prehistoric China where they come in contact with an oviraptor, a dinosaur completely covered in colourful feathers. They find an abandoned egg and go in search of its nest only to be confronted by a giant dino, 9 metres long with a horn on its forehead. It is searching the trees for tasty birds and perhaps a couple of tasty humans!

What’s also exciting for lovers of all things prehistoric is that there are four more Robert Irwin Dinosaur Hunter books scheduled for release later in the year.

Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made

Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made by Stephan Pastis (Walker Books)
HB RRP $ 17.95
ISBN 9781406339802
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Timmy is CEO of detective agency Failure Inc. which he runs with his polar bear partner Total, and by secretly using his mother’s Segway that he calls the Failuremobile.

Timmy has an over-active imagination and is obsessed with greatness and achieving success in order to alleviate his mother’s constant worry about money. In truth, he is totally clueless and gets everything wrong, even if he is always off following clues for some case or another. But his quirky character and activities keep the laughs coming.

Besides Timmy, there are other secondary characters just as quirky. Rollo is determined to go to ‘Stanfurd’ therefore studies constantly, with the help of Evil in Disguise whose name Timmy never mentions. She becomes his rival in the detective business. Then there is Timmy’s persistent admirer Molly Moskins, who is determined to smother Timmy with affection at every opportunity.

There are two ways to view Timmy. He is the eternal optimist; a boy who believes he is ‘a genius unrecognized’ whose self-delusion leads to extraordinary situations and conversations that are unbelievably ridiculous, but sharp and entertaining.

The other way is to view him as a detached child who lives in the imaginary world he has created, who also has vulnerable moments. These make him real in an unreal environment.

Whichever way Timmy is viewed, it all leads to an entertaining read about bizarre characters that do bizarre things. My ten year old reader didn’t stop laughing until he closed the back cover. (A true indication of a successful book)

Stephan Pastis’ imaginative and first book in the Timmy series follows his highly successful comic strip, Pearls Before Swine. Young readers will experience a twisted delight in reading this, and without doubt incessantly quote its creative and clever narrative.