The Wilderness Fairies: Daisy’s New Wings

The Wilderness Fairies: Daisy’s New Wings by Jodie Wells-Slowgrove, illustrated by Kerry Millard (Puffin Books) PB RRP $9.99 ISBN 9780143307471

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

In Daisy’s Quest, the first exciting, event-filled book in this series of chapter books for readers 7 to 9 years, Daisy gained her feathery new wings. Daisy finally feels like a true fairy but she will need all the strength, bravery, resourcefulness and persistence she showed in that quest in order to learn how to fly.  First, though, Daisy needs bigger dresses in order to accommodate her wings, so Mum’s sister, Aunt Acacia, a seamstress, gets to work. First she takes her niece into the forest to point out potential dangers for a flying fairy – webs, thorny bushes, snakes and currawongs. 

Then Daisy – with the help of her best friend, the beetle Vu, needs to build up her shoulder muscles, which requires lots of exercise practice.

Like other young children learning a new skill, Daisy needs to learn patience and how to deal with disappointment and frustration. Her first attempt to fly, encouraged by her fairy friend Pea, results in a fall from a tree branch. Luckily, Dad, who is a healer, is able to help Daisy to recover. Kerry Millard, the illustrator, who faithfully captures the spirit of the Wilderness Fairy’s stories, has beautifully captured, in simple lines and wash, many tender moments in the books, including one of a tearful Daisy being consoled – and encouraged – by her aunt after this first failure.

Learning ways of moving – from hovering to gentle fluttering to powerful flapping – Daisy gains concentration and focus. Her first solo flight is wild and unpredictable but ultimately successful. The next book in this wonderful series will surely be about Daisy’s attempt to find her ‘Calling’.

In this – and the previous book – the author Jodie Wells-Slowgrove – has created a whole new world which is fantastical and yet utterly believable. She has captured the atmosphere of forests which are so familiar to Australians. Even within Daisy’s life her close-knitted family seems real as they gather together to dine on lilli pilli cake, roasted seeds, native cherries and wattle seed damper. 

The books give readers insight into the lives of native animals and their habitat. At the end of this book there are notes purportedly from Daisy about how to make bush music, about Sydney Green Wattle and Nelli, a ladybird which are featured in the story.

This series is sure to find a strong following with children who appreciate page-turning adventures and characters which one can care about.

Sports Carnival: Ella and Olivia

Sports Carnival: Ella and Olivia by Yvette Poshoglian, illustrated by Danielle McDonald (Scholastic Australia)

PB RRP $7.99

ISBN 978-1-74362-052-6

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Ella and Olivia are sisters. Ella is seven and Olivia is five. They live with Mum and Dad, baby brother Max and puppy dog Bob. Ella and Olivia are very excited. Their school is going to have a sports carnival day and they are training very hard for it with Ella's friend Zoe. Even Mum and Dad are training hard as they are part of the purple team the sisters are in.

Will the purple team get enough points to beat Zoe’s green team and the other two teams? Ella and Olivia would love to win the grand prize, a trip to the Slip and Slide Water Park.

The Ella and Olivia series is pitched to 5 plus beginner readers and Sports Carnival is a sweet story which this young readership will adore. The sisters have a lovely, but realistic, relationship and they are feisty and interesting without being naughty - the cheekiness is left up to Bob the puppy.

The illustrator creates fun characters that are friendly and lively. These pictures break up the text which is clear and easy to read with short sentences and short chapters.

A constantly growing series, there are plenty of titles for young girls to read and enjoy.

The Fairy Who Wouldn’t Fly

The Fairy Who Wouldn’t Fly retold by Bronwyn Davies, illustrated by Pixie O’Harris (National Library of Australia)

HC RRP $24.99

ISBN 9780642278517

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Bronwyn Davies retells the original story by Pixie O’Harris of The Fairy Who Wouldn’t Fly, one of the classics from the National Library’s Marcie Muir Collection of Children’s Books. Themes covered include being different, conquering your fears, discovering your own individual gifts, adjusting to other’s expectation while staying true to yourself, and working together to bring about change.

It sounds a lot, but the story is so perfectly arranged that one theme rolls into another naturally.

The Fairy-who-wouldn’t-fly doesn’t want to be like other fairies. She enjoys lying in her spider web hammock and watching the world go by. So she is banished from Fairyland to the Woodn’t until she learns to comply with the rules.

In the Woodn’t everything is different. Lots of living things don’t do what is expected of them. Trees grow their own way. Kookaburra doesn’t laugh. Frog doesn’t like hopping. Bee won’t join the hive. Bat refuses to fly at night, Glow-worm won’t shine, Spider won’t spin, and Flower’s petals won’t close at sunset. How boring it all is.

The Fairy-who-wouldn’t-fly begins to imagine how it would feel to fly. At first, her attempts fail, but with perseverance, she discovers joy and achievement in flight.

When a very young boy is lost in the forest, the fairy enlists the help of the group to return the boy home. In a show of unity, they all reclaim their abandoned talents and learn many things about themselves they didn’t know.

The exquisite original illustrations are accompanied by additional pictures from NLA’s collection. Davies has breathed new life into an old favourite for another generation to enjoy and learn from.

The presentation, as usual, is of the highest quality. The book comes with a gorgeous jacket and the valuable information is found in the List of Illustrations. This is another gem for collectors and lovers of unique children’s books, regardless of age.

Rainbow Magic: Selena the Sleepover Fairy

Rainbow Magic: Selena the Sleepover Fairy by Daisy Meadows (Orchard Books/Hachette)
PB RRP $9.99
ISBN: 9781408330739
Reviewed by Hilary Smillie

This Early Reader edition has been especially designed for younger fans of Rainbow Magic books, with an easy vocabulary and full colour, beautiful illustrations to encourage independent reading. The book has been divided into three story chapters.

Rachel and Kirsty, who are friends of the fairies, are going with their school to have a sleepover in the National Museum. On the way, their coach stops at a service station and the children stretch their legs. The two friends notice a cloud of purple fairy dust and sure enough, a fairy appears. It is Selena the Sleepover Fairy who is very unhappy because Jack Frost’s servants, the goblins, have stolen three of her objects vital to ensure a happy sleepover. She needs to recover The Magical Sleeping Bag, The Enchanted Games Bag and The Sleepover Snack Box as quickly as possible and return them to Fairyland. The girls offer to help Selena find them.

Daisy Meadows has created an enchanting storyline which maintains interest to the end. There is plenty of action and excitement as the girls set out to recover the lost items. Kirsty and Rachel are used to being transformed into fairy-size by a wave of a wand, and they are very good at solving problems and dealing with nasty goblins. Jack Frost gets his comeuppance, too! With such fun characters, it is no wonder that the Rainbow Magic series holds small girls in thrall. I was impressed by the full colour illustrations which add a lot more oomph than black and white drawings. The large font text is also a plus.

With each of the original stories available as Early Readers, junior fans of the series will be delighted at the feast of reading in store for them.

Tottie and Dot Blog Blast!

The Book of You: Jodie

The Book of You: Jodie by Randa Abdel-Fattah (Omnibus Books)

PB RRP $16.99

ISBN 978-1-74299-010-1

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

When clearing some boxes in the school library, three friends come across an old book, The Book of You. It seems to be a diary belonging to a girl Betsy Galt in 1878, but all the pages are blank. At least, they are at first.

Jodie is starting year six with her best friends Raina and Deyana and nothing much has changed. She is still being teased by Charlotte and her group, still getting called a giant and a nerd, and her parents are still separated. And things get worse when her Dad decides to propose to his girlfriend. Jodie will be gaining a step-sister Samantha and this does not sit well with either girl.

While Raina and Deyana are very supportive about most things, they don't seem too enthusiastic about Jodie's plans to make her dad and Carla split up. It is a perfect time for a little bit of magic to enter Jodie's life. Maybe the advice which magically appears on the blank pages of the mysterious diary can help Jodie make sense of her world.

The Book of You is a story which touches on plenty of the worries girls approaching their teens can struggle with. Relationships, loyalty issues, split families, fitting in, cyber-bullying, mixed messages and conflicting advice. These themes are explored within the story in an easy way making it entertaining and readable. The girls are likeable characters, with flaws and specialties like any twelve year old.

Jodie is the first book in a four-book series (they will each feature one of the girls) and the mystery of Betsy Galt, who she is and her history, will continue throughout. This series, with its strong characters, touches of intrigue and supernatural twist, will hold great appeal for girls between 10 and 14. 

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. 

Annabelle and the Missing Turtles

Annabelle and the Missing Turtles by Rose Inserra, illustrated by Jason Chatfield (Wombat Books)
HB RRP $12.95
ISBN 978-1-921632-38-9
Reviewed by Peta Biggin

The sea turtles are disappearing from their habitat on the Queensland coast.  It’s up to Matilda, Emily, Amy, Annabelle and Jasmine to solve the mystery of where the turtles could have gone.  Perhaps they have been snatched away. Thanks to their rainbow necklace, the girls are taken back in time and given some important information by a famous Australian explorer.  Can the girls save the day?  With some clever advertising and a beach rescue only time will tell.

Annabelle and the Missing Turtles is the third book in the Australian Girl series.  It is a lovely blend of environmentalism, turtle biology and history with a touch of magic.  Although part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone book.  However, as the first book does introduce the Rainbow Necklace it would certainly be worthwhile meeting the Australian Girls from the very beginning.

The group of girls that star in the book are based on the successful line of Australian Girls dolls created by Helen Schofield.  The five friends - Matilda, Emily, Amy, Annabelle and Jasmine - come from different ethnic backgrounds and bring a variety of strengths and interests to the group.

In this latest instalment of the series, the girls are faced with the disappearance of the loggerhead and green sea turtle hatchlings from their beach nest.  Together they embark on a mission to discover the whereabouts of the missing wildlife.  In order to do this, they spend time with a marine biologist learning all they can about the turtles.  Thanks to their magical Rainbow Necklace, the friends take a trip back in time and meet an Australian explorer.  Through the explorer’s aboriginal companion, they learn the secret behind the hatchlings’ disappearance. Armed with all this knowledge, they are able to find, capture and return the animals to the sea.

Overall, I found this to be a lovely book combining environmental themes and Australian history with fun and friendship.  It is a book that will appeal to young girls around 8 – 10 years, especially if they already own an Australian Girl doll.  More information about the dolls can be found online at: http://www.australiangirldoll.com.au/.

Rose Inserra is an internationally published author of over sixty children’s books on topics ranging from library resource books to fiction and picture books.  She lives in Melbourne and when she is not writing she runs workshops as acts as a coach and editor for aspiring authors.

Jason Chatfield is a cartoonist and stand-up comedian based in Melbourne.  He is the fifth cartoonist in 91 years to produce the iconic Australian comic strip, Ginger Meggs.  His work has been published in several books in Australia and overseas.

EJ Spy School: The Race

EJ Spy School: The Race by Susannah McFarlane, illustrations by Dyani Stagg (Scholastic Australia)
PB RRP $7.99
ISBN 978-1-92193-153-6
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

In the first Spy School book The Test Emma Jacks was recruited to work for Top Secret spy agency 'Shine'. In this story, The Race, she is an agent in training. Her first spy training lesson is in fitness and EJ10 is unsure of how she will go in a difficult looking obstacle race. Will she make it around the course in her allotted 15 minutes? And does she have time to rescue a baby duckling along the way?

Based on the bestselling EJ12 Girl Hero series, EJ Spy School is for younger readers, 5 plus. In The Race Emma is introduced to spy gadgets and the fabulously fun way she gets from school to emergency missions.

Written especially for beginner readers, The Race incorporates short chapters with large text broken up by black and white illustrations and a simple storyline with no plot deviations. Already popular, the exciting world of Emma and her friends on Shine Agency missions, is now accessible to a younger readership who I’m sure will love these books as well.

EJ Spy School: The Test

EJ Spy School: The Test by Susannah McFarlane, illustrations by Dyani Stagg (Scholastic Australia)
PB RRP $3.99
ISBN 978-1-92193-152-9
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Eight-year-old Emma Jacks is worried about an upcoming maths test at school. She loves school, and maths, but the thought of a test makes the worry butterflies fly around in her tummy. What she is about to discover is that by passing the test is she will be recruited for a secret spy school, Shine Agency.

Based on the popular series EJ12 Girl Hero, EJ Spy School is for younger readers. The Test introduces readers of 5 plus to Emma Jacks, her friends Elle and Hannah, and the Shine Agency. Short chapters and large text broken up by black and white illustrations make this a good first chapter book for young girls.

Emma Jacks has already proven to be a popular character for young girls. The exciting world of student spies – code cracking, animal protection and special missions with friends – will continue to provide adventures for fans of this series. And now younger children can join in at the beginning, growing up alongside EJ12.

Choose your own Ever After — How to get to Rio

Choose your own Ever After — How to get to Rio by Julie Fison (Hardie Grant Egmont)

PB $14.95 RRP

ISBN 9781742977744

Reviewed by Nean McKenzie

A different spin on the idea of choosing your own adventure, is a series aimed at 10 to 14 year old girls, where the reader gets to make decisions about her 'ever after'. Based around the character's relationships with girl friends, cute boys and family, this story plays out various scenarios based on choices the reader makes as she goes along. Will the main character Kitty ditch her 'besties' and go to the beach with the popular Persephone and buy lots of bikinis? Well, in this book, the reader can decide, as she is in control.

Kitty MacLean is a secondary school student about to go on holidays, either camping with her friends Izzy and Mia or staying in a beach house near Rio, the boy she has a crush on. It is forty pages before the first choice, and each outcome has a similar number of pages dedicated to it before the next decision. So unlike some choose your own adventure books, where a choice is made at the end of every chapter, this is a little slower moving.

In contrast to some choose your own adventure books, no choices result in the death of the main character, which is probably just as well! In fact, having read through all of the endings, they're all pretty good. If Kitty doesn't end up with Rio,  she has some hope of ending up with him. It's not at all moralistic — for example even when Kitty lies about spraining her ankle and then does sprain her ankle, she is taken to the doctor by, you guessed it, Rio!

The idea of empowering girls to be in control of their own destinies is an admirable one. There's a lot of well written dialogue in this book which is quite fun and natural. The characters, who were likeable, did lack some substance but this could be due to restrictions of the 'choose your own ever after' format. Choose your own Ever After — How to get to Rio is a light, easy read, aimed at a very particular age group and sex, hopefully encouraging them to read some more.  

The Saddle Club: Horse Sense/Horse Power

The Saddle Club: Book 2: Horse Sense/Horse Power by Bonnie Bryant (Random House Australia Children’s)
PB RRP $12.95
ISBN 9780857980649
Reviewed by Marian McGuinness

Book 2: Horse Sense/Horse Power continues the stories of the three main characters of The Saddle Club: Carole, Stevie and Lisa. Once again there are two stories per book, so that sense of loss that you feel when you finish a story turns to joy when you have another fully formed tale to read at the flick of a page.

In Horse Sense, each girl has a mission at Pine Hollow Stables. Carole’s is to be at the birth of a foal, Stevie’s is to plan the games for the gymkhana and Lisa has to work out the rules for The Saddle Club.

As usual, the delightful, sensory descriptions of riding and jumping lessons position the reader in the saddle.

There is trouble ahead for The Saddle Club members when a new French girl, Estelle, joins. It takes a while for Carole, Stevie and Lisa to find out that Estelle is the ‘ultimate pretender.’

Meanwhile, the mare Delilah goes into labour. It’s a challenging situation as the three girls are alone at Pine Hollow Stables. Through combining their skills of nurturing, creativity and organisation they rise to the challenge and help the foal to be born.

To buffer the stories, there’s a great article on the logistics of transporting horses to the Olympics. It’s a compelling package of fact and fiction.

In the second story Horse Power, the gymkhana gets underway as Carole, Stevie and Lisa work to create the best horse-riding games. Two new characters are introduced. One is Stevie’s brother Chad, who takes riding lessons to be near Stevie’s best friend Lisa, his latest crush. Will their first date be a dream or disaster? In the layering of the story, the three girls have another problem to solve, why has the champion rider Kate Devine, the latest member of Pine Hollow Stables, lost the joy of riding.

Bonnie Bryant’s writing creates not only multiple plot lines, but her style is so personal that young readers 9 – 12 will feel that they too are part of The Saddle Club going through their ups and down, jokes and squabbles.

The Saddle Club: Horse Crazy/Horse Shy

The Saddle Club: Book 1: Horse Crazy/Horse Shy by Bonnie Bryant (Random House Australia Children’s)
PB RRP $12.95
ISBN 9780857980632
Reviewed by Marian McGuinness

The Saddle Club is a hugely popular series for girls aged 9 – 12. In its new format of two stories per book, young readers will fully immerse themselves in all things horsey.

The series follows the lives of three girls on the cusp of adolescence: Carole (obsessed with horses), Stevie (tom-boy and practical joker) and Lisa (loves school and learning). They make an awesome team as their love of horse riding at their beloved Pine Hollow Stables brings them together to form The Saddle Club.

Throughout the series, readers follow these three girls, plus many extra characters, through adventures, rivalry, gymkhanas, friendship problems and family dramas. There are some tough issues and personal obstacles, but through teamwork and loyalty, the girls’ bond of friendship grows even stronger.

At the conjunction of both stories, there’s an interesting segue into the reality of the horse world, with a short piece about how horses took part in the Olympics 2700 years ago, as well as interesting facts about show jumping and dressage.

Book 1: Horse Crazy/Horse Shy

Stevie has a problem. Her parents won’t pay her fees to attend the Mountain Trail Overnight Camp unless her grades improve. Studying seems too hard for Stevie so she decides instead to do odd jobs and earn the money herself. That is until things start to go wrong. It is Lisa who comes up with the compromise that has been in front of their eyes all along. Meanwhile, Lisa, who is new to the stables, has parent problems. She’s doesn’t want to be a rider, it’s her mother’s ambition, but ‘Lisa knew that once again, she would just do what her parents wanted her to do.’ All Lisa really wants is to ‘escape into her homework.’ When Carole’s favourite horse, Cobalt, has to be put down, she retreats into herself as her own story of the loss of her mother weaves through. Carole becomes horse shy and doesn’t want to ride any more, until she gains her emotional strength from her best friends.

The joy of these stories is that you don’t have to own a horse, or even go horse riding. Through the descriptions and horse vocabulary such as: tack rooms, bridles, grooming, saddle soap, breeches and phrases like ‘rise and sit with the beat of the horse’s hooves’ young readers can connect to the world of The Saddle Club.  And if the opportunity to go horse riding comes about; readers will be off with a flying start.

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.

Ella Bella Ballerina and The Nutcracker

Ella Bella Ballerina and The Nutcracker by James Mayhew (Orchard/Hachette)
PB RRP $14.99
ISBN: 9781408314081
Reviewed by Hilary Smillie

James Mayhew has created and beautifully illustrated a charming story inspired by the famous Christmas ballet, The Nutcracker. Ella Bella Ballerina is once again central to this third ballet-themed story which willl undoubtedly delight all small girls who love to dance. Previous picture books are Ella Bella Ballerina and The Sleeping Beauty and Ella Bella and Cinderella.

The snowy winter setting of the story features the old theatre where Ella Bella's classes are taught by Madame Rosa. The stage is dominated by a shimmering Christmas Tree and Madame Rosa's special music box has the dancers twirling around like snowflakes. The children become enthralled by the Christmas Eve story of Clara and the enchanted Nutcracker and the nasty Mouse King who has cast the spell.

While the other children are led into a room with tables groaning with delicious sweets, Ella Bella dances alone to the musical box and suddenly finds herself with Clara as her partner dancing in the Nutcracker story. When Clara defeats the Mouse King, the spell over the Nutcracker is broken to reveal a handsome young prince who whisks Clara and Ella Bella off to his kingdom on a magic sleigh. Dancing with snowflakes, meeting the Sugar Plum Fairy and attending an extraordinary party at the Marzipan Palace all happen before suddenly Ella Bella is once again alone on the stage.

Madame Rosa takes Ella Bella into the party room where great plates of sugary treats await her, including one very special item for readers to discover.

Facts about The Nutcracker ballet are told on the last page which complete this dazzling picture book text. The retro art-style is perfect for creating the atmosphere of a classic ballet theatre and its dancers, and will inspire and delight many a would-be prima ballerina.

This picture book may be themed around Christmas but it is perfect for any ballet enthusiast to begin the New Year.

Alice-Miranda 2014 Diary

Alice-Miranda 2014 Diary by Jacqueline Harvey (Random House Australia)
HB RRP $17.95
ISBN 9780857980526
Reviewed by Marian McGuinness

Seeing this gloriously pink 2014 diary sent me searching for my own diary secreted away from prying eyes all those years ago. Mine wasn’t fancy; it was purely for personal, secret thoughts of my life as an eight-year-old. Fans of Alice-Miranda will delight in this hard-back, pink-spotted, gorgeously illustrated A5 diary. Perfect for a Christmas present or for a new start to the school year.

It has a week-by-week calendar for all the special occasions in the year including Australian holiday dates. It is filled with plenty of space for personal details, the reader’s family tree and favourite activities. There are quotes from the Alice-Miranda series, quizzes, drawing instructions and even an “Application for Enrolment” to fill in for Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies. Young diary-keepers can also try their hand at the assortment of recipes, like “Nana Jones’s Marble Cake” and “Easy Spaghetti Bolognaise.”

This beautifully detailed, pink-ribbon-bookmarked diary is just waiting to have a name printed in ‘This Diary Belongs To …”

Alice-Miranda Shines Bright

Alice-Miranda Shines Bright by Jacqueline Harvey (Random House Australia)
PB RRP $15.95
ISBN 9781742752907
Also available as an ebook
ISBN 9781742752914
Reviewed by Marian McGuinness

For a seven-year-old, Alice-Miranda is certainly savvy. This is Jacqueline Harvey’s eighth book in the popular and award-winning series. It doesn’t matter what order you read these books in. They’re quite “stand-alone” and handily accompanied by a “cast of characters” just in case the reader needs a little reminder.

Alice-Miranda Shines Bright is set back at school. It’s nearly the end of the school year and Alice-Miranda is puzzled as to why her friend Jacinta’s moods have become “darker than a thundercloud.” For the first time ever, the chirpy Alice-Miranda has “absolutely no idea of what to do next.”

With the plot of pre-teenage angst threading along in Jacinta’s story, there are other mysteries to solve. One of their neighbours, Reginald Parker (who has been in a coma for three years) has gone missing. Alice-Miranda and her friend, Millie, soon get onto the case. They ride their ponies, Bonaparte and Chops across the hills and through the woodlands while they communicate on walkie-talkies.

As they follow the clues to solve one mystery, another is evolving. The girls have found a teeny entry into a cave in the hills and have discovered gold. The trouble is, there are a few other interested and greedy people after it as well.

What has happened to Reginald Parker and why is Jacinta so moody? With her usual bright and bubbly demeanour, Alice-Miranda goes headlong into adventure and takes her readers with her.

Jacqueline Harvey’s Alice-Miranda series is hitting the high time overseas, and so it should. There’s innocence mixed with adventure and a rollicking good time for the reader, 8+.

Ella and Olivia: The Christmas Surprise

Ella and Olivia: The Christmas Surprise by Yvette Poshoglian, illustrated by Danielle McDonald (Scholastic Australia)
PB RRP $7.99
ISBN 978-1-74283-921-9
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Ella and Olivia, the two young girls who star in the Australian series for five plus readers, are back in this seasonal special.

In The Christmas Surprise the two sisters help their mother get ready for Christmas. They decorate the tree, ice the Christmas cupcakes and help make up the spare room for Nanna and Grandad who are coming to stay.

But even all this activity cannot distract them from wondering about the presents beneath the Christmas tree. Will anyone notice if one or two are opened early? If they sneak down at night to try, will they ruin Christmas?

Ella and Olivia are not always perfect children, but do try to be good. These five and nearly eight year-old sisters are part of a realistic family and circle of friends which young readers will be able to relate to.

The series features simple, fun stories, told in large, bold, easy-to-read type along with pictures and borders which create attractive pages for beginner readers. There are already nine titles in the series and I’m sure there will be more to come for followers of Ella and Olivia.

Primrose

Primrose by Alex T. Smith (Scholastic UK)
PB RRP $15.99
ISBN 978-1-407109-66-4
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Princess Primrose wants to have fun. But that is not what is expected of a royal princess. When her behaviour threatens to get out of hand there is only one thing to do – send for Grandmama. Can she teach her how to behave like a proper princess?

This is a really fun book full of wonderful alliteration. ‘Princesses don’t dabble with dough!’ the cook nervously tells Primrose when she wants to help in the kitchen. She is told not to dig in the mud with the gardener, climb trees, or play board games with the maids. She should be waving politely and wearing very uncomfortable outfits.

The fun is evident in the illustrations too. They are bright, bubbly and full of colour. The king and queen are very proper – in the beginning. And this makes their later transformation all the more enjoyable.

It is a Royal Decree that in emergencies, Grandmama must be telephoned immediately. And that stately and upright lady arrives on a dark page, in a thunderstorm, surrounded by dark clouds and mud. Then the next page is back to pink and fun, lightening the tone immediately.

I love that with Grandmama comes a change of pace highlighting the differences between what Princess Primrose wants to do and what she should do! Grandmama’s solution will surprise young readers. It certainly surprised the King and Queen.

Children will enjoy the cheeky princess and her ‘plump little pug’ Percy immensely.

The Dance Teacher

The Dance Teacher written by Simon Milne, illustrated by Chantal Stewart (Allen and Unwin)
PB RRP $24.99
ISBN 978-1-74331-331-2
Reviewed by Ann Harth

The Dance Teacher is a quiet but powerful book that entertains and inspires while instilling a gentle message about following one’s passion.

Miss Sylvie owns a dance studio. She teaches dance to children of all ages. One day a little girl pops her head in the door. ‘I want to be a ballerina,’ Isabelle says. Isabelle practices every day, never missing a ballet class. Her friends come and go but Isabelle never wavers. She grows strong and skilful under the patient teaching of Miss Sylvie. Isabelle is accepted into a dance school in the city and eventually fulfils her dream of becoming a prima ballerina and dances all over the world. The years go by and Isabelle grows tired. She is ready to go home. Miss Sylvie is sitting in her dance studio when Isabelle pops her head in the door. “I am ready to become a teacher,” Isabelle says.

The Dance Teacher is a story of a little girl’s dream and the dedication and commitment it takes to achieve it. It also highlights the powerful influence a teacher can have on a child’s life. Children from the age of four will enjoy this book but it’s a treasure for any age. Its warm and tender illustrations make the characters come alive and work beautifully to tell an important part of the story.

The Dance Teacher is Simon Milne’s first picture book. Although he now works in the book industry, his background is in directing music videos for well-known artists such as Elton John and Duran Duran. For more information on Simon Milne, please visit www.simonmilne.com

Chantal Stewart was born in Paris. She worked as a graphic designer and illustrator in the advertising and publishing industries until she moved to Australia where she followed her own dream and became a children’s book illustrator. She has collaborated with author Joan van Loon on a number of books, and their work has been shortlisted for the YABBA awards for three consecutive years. More of Chantal’s work can be seen in her portfolio at http://www.illustratorsaustralia.com/portfolios/chantal_stewart  

Ann Harth is a published children's author and writing tutor at Australian College of Journalism. She loves to read and is committed to creating children's literature that inspires, entertains and triggers a tiny twist in the mind. Her latest middle-grade novel, The Art of Magic, was released in 2012.