Flying through Clouds

Flying through Clouds by Michelle Morgan (self-published)

PB   RRP $18.99   ISBN 9780995386501

Reviewed by Bill Condon

Flying through the Clouds takes readers on an entertaining ride with 14-year-old, Joe Riley, a boy who author Michelle Morgan first introduced in her successful 2014 novel Racing the Moon (Allen & Unwin).  Joe is a rebellious lad with an impetuous streak that often lands him in trouble, but Morgan skillfully counterbalances this with glimpses into his inner thoughts that show him to be good-natured.

The book is set in Australia during the early 1930s when the country was in the throes of the Great Depression. However, Joe’s mother and sister have plenty of sewing work to do, and his father is an illegal bookie and debt collector. Unlike much of the population, the Riley family doesn’t appear to be too unfavorably affected by the Depression. This isn’t a criticism of the author. No doubt there were those who coped with adversity better than others, and it could be said that it’s to Morgan’s credit that she took a less obvious approach than other Depression stories have taken.

Joe’s dad is a hard man, who is quick to discipline his sons with a strap, or a backhander. He is also a heavy drinker. Not, it would seem, an ideal father, but once again Morgan manages to show his good side, and it’s great to see that, as in life, the characters in Flying through Clouds have positive aspects, as well as negative ones.

Morgan has done a brilliant job in researching this era. Fact after fact comes tumbling out, but none are boringly presented; instead they are seamlessly woven into the narrative. Through the course of the book Joe joins the Boy Scouts and takes a flying lesson, his first step to becoming an aviator, just like his hero Charles Kingsford Smith (Smithy). As Joe learns, so does the reader; in-depth knowledge about the Scouts and flying add an extra layer of reality to Joe’s often daring escapades.

I enjoyed this story. It was well-written and believable, and Joe is a very likeable character. Read it for its accurate depiction of Depression-era Sydney. Read it for a rattling good story; it’s highly recommended.

 Flying through Clouds can be ordered from bookshops and educational and library suppliers from 2 April or from www.michellejmorgan.com.au

Bill Condon’s latest novel is All Of Us Together (About Kids Books, 2016).

Song Bird Superhero

Song Bird Superhero by Karen Tyrrell (Digital Future Press)

PB RRP $14.95

ISBN 9780994302137

Reviewed by Kate Simpson

In a world where Supergirl and Wonder Woman are real, Rosella “Rosie” Bird dreams of being able to fly. And she’s not short of ideas that might help her to achieve her goal. Unfortunately, a series of dangerous engineering failures has left her parents less than supportive and with her neighbour Frank contriving to make her life miserable, Rosie feels attacked on all fronts. Only her love of singing sustains her – and that is where the fun begins. With the help of a supportive teacher, Rosie discovers that her voice is the key that will finally let her take flight.

In Song Bird Superhero, Karen Tyrrell tackles again the subject of bullying that she has explored in previous books. Children aged 7-10 will relate to Rosie and her struggle with school bully Frank Furter, who is also her neighbour. Through the book, Tyrrell allows her protagonist Rosie to solve her own problems while also demonstrating to her readers the importance of having a trusted adult to confide in – in this case, teacher Miss Darling.

Although Tyrrell promotes her book as being aligned with STEM science, it is much more science fiction than science fact. Nevertheless, Rosie’s enthusiasm for science and invention is certainly infectious and who knows how many young readers will have new engineering aspirations after reading this book?

Come Fly With Captain Kangaroo

Come Fly With Captain Kangaroo by Mandy Foot (Lothian/Hachette)

PB RRP $14.99

ISBN 9780734411945

Reviewed by Hilary Smillie

The title of this colourful in-house picture book is an immediate indication of being the ideal choice for parents anxious to prepare a child for his/her first flying experience. For once a book can be judged by its cover!

Australian fauna are the airport staff and crew, and the bouncy rhyming text guides children through every step of catching a plane for a flight within Australia, from the moment of arrival at the airport to the flight itself. The text includes great action words such as loading up, bumpy, the click-clack of seat belts, the thump! thump! of the wheels when landing. Mandy Foot’s brilliant illustrations are imaginative and zany, and the only small flaw was that the animals were not shown to be wearing seat belts. I liked the inside cover illustrations of luggage of various sizes and shapes.

Come Fly With Captain Kangaroo is a fun read as well as being practical and educational. Not only will it be enjoyed before or during a flight but afterwards it is sure to prompt a child’s recollection of their own experience of air travel which, hopefully, was just as pleasurable.