The Forever Kid

The Forever Kid by Elizabeth Mary Cummings, illustrated by Cheri Hughes (Big Sky Publishing) PB RRP $14.99 HB RRP $24.99 ISBN 781925 675382

Reviewed by Nikki M Heath

Grief is a challenging topic for children’s books, especially for the very young. This gentle, warm picture book features a family learning to move on after the loss of the eldest child to illness. The story follows the narrator – a young boy – his two sisters, parents and family dog as they celebrate the birthday of Johnny, their “forever kid”, the brother who is no longer with them. They remember what they shared with him, individually and together, and look at their cherished mementos. They allow themselves both sadness and joy as they grieve and celebrate.

Cummings, who has qualifications in psychology and education, weaves comforting imagery and sensory language with a poignant tone, gradually building towards a realisation of what has happened to Johnny and the family. The fact that his death is never explicitly referenced allows for adults to guide the discussion with younger readers in whatever way they feel is appropriate.

There is also an insightful moment of tension introduced when the narrator confesses his feelings of jealousy about the attention and latitude Johnny received while he was alive, and his guilt in hindsight. I imagine that the book’s acknowledgment of these feelings will give much-needed reassurance to children who have found themselves in a similar position.

The illustrations, by experienced artist Hughes, are perfect for this story. The images of the family are bright and lively, full of expression and colour. The background is rendered in a soft, pastel tie-dye effect, with suggestions of the “cloud stories” the family shared with Johnny, even once he was too ill to do anything else.

This book will be treasured by children who have lost siblings and valued by parents and educators looking for resources dealing with death, whether of a sibling or other loved one. While the publisher nominates an age range of 4 to 8 years, the sensitive yet layered approach should give it broader appeal.

Water Hole

Water Hole By Fiona Bell (UQP) RRP $24.99   ISBN 9780702259999

Reviewed by Claire Stuckey

Sunny is grieving for her mum recently killed in a car crash and blaming her stepdad. As the story opens she prepares to leave school to return the farm for school holidays. Sunny and Kevin do not communicate but ague, both grief- stricken in their own ways. Confused by "sightings" of her mother and the real sense that she feels her mother's presence, Sunny shies away from sharing her thoughts and feelings.

Motivated to help find a lost boy, she joins other searches in the bush land near the Waterhole. Many have died in the strong currents and this is where she sees her mother beckoning her. Falling hard, Sunny wakes in hospital but finds the concussion makes her more unsteady and venerable. She resolves to find the missing boy or his body, believing that he is already dead. Incidents and evidence lead the community to believe her stepfather Kevin was responsible, and Sunny agrees. Seeking answers to many questions including the identity of her natural father, she spends more time at the waterhole where she meets teenage Matt whom she finds attractive and interesting. 

When she tries to leave town, even more secrets are revealed. Sunny is isolated and confused, her relationship with Matt strained.  Returning to the waterhole, she faces a tragic and confronting encounter. 

This book explores the dynamics of grief. Rural life and small-town relationships serve as a backdrop to Sunny's struggle without a mother and with a stepfather she does not really know. 

The story also keeps you focused on the crime that we think has been committed. The supernatural element ties the story together keeping one guessing and ensures the reader empathises with the central character. This is a great young adult novel set in an Austrian country town. Back ground characters developed make relevant but not overdrawn players in this dramatic but very readable plot for ages 13 and up.

The Fix-it Man

The Fix-it Man written by Dimity Powell, illustrated by Nicky Johnston (EK Books) HB RRP $24.99

ISBN 978-1-925335-34-7

Reviewed by Elizabeth Vercoe

Grief, love and loss are a natural part of life and The Fix-it Man broaches them all. In the hands of Dimity Powell and Nicky Johnston, the treatment of this often challenging subject is accessible, masterful and most importantly of all, age-appropriate.

A young girl believes her dad to be the king of fixing things. After the death of her mother, both the child and her father discover that broken hearts are not as easily repaired as damaged toys or cracked teapots.

The media release calls this, ‘A hopeful story of life, loss and love,’ and it is definitely that. It is also a celebration of what children do so well – living in the moment. It is important to note that this is a book for everyone, not just those who are moving through the challenges of grief and loss. It’s divine.

What is not spoken out loud through the text is delicately conveyed through detailed pen and wash illustrations. Together the text and images work in tandem to create a colourful, uplifting and profoundly affecting narrative. I particularly love the snippets of rhyme which provide an unexpected change of pace at significant moments.

The ability of this work to travel into sadness and move through to the other side with joy is remarkable. Every element of this picture book has been explored deeply, to create a work of strength and hope.

The story, with its subtle directives for dealing with grief and loss in young children, cuts to the heart of what it means to live and to love. Reading this book actually warmed my heart.This is a simply beautiful picture book for 4-8 year olds.

Substantial teachers’ notes from the author are also available.

Remind Me How This Ends

Remind Me How This Ends by Gabrielle Tozer (Harper Collins Children’s Books)  PB RRP $17.99   ISBN 978000734285

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

This is one of those books you just can’t put down: you are hooked from beginning till end. Tozer is past winner of the prestigious Gold Inky Award and has produced a rip-roaring read on so many levels.  This book delivers in a rad way for YA readers and adults, too.  

It is so much more than just a boy meets girl story, touching upon so many themes:  love, friendship, change, grief, parents, the end of school, university, travel and survival.  Staying true to yourself proves to be the hardest challenge of all. 

Milo is smart and clever but since finishing high school, he hasn’t been able to make a decision about the next step to take in life.  He is left behind while his cohort is off at university, travelling and working. Milo is frozen with the inability to make a choice.  He is stuck at home, in a small town working in his parent’s bookshop feeling pressured not to waste an awesome UAI and feeling like a loser.

Sal his girlfriend is living away at uni, studying and partying hard.  The gap between Milo and Sal widens more and more each day. Quirky Layla has suffered a great loss in life. She is back in town, hoping to find the grounding and healing that she needs. Milo’s older brother Trent is the loser of the family and is secretly pleased that the golden boy of the family is losing his halo.   The characters are believable, annoying and lovable.

‘I rattle through the boring stuff – eighteen, from Durnan, Sal’s boyfriend of two years, doing the long distance thing while she’s studying in Canberra – to disguise the fact that I don’t have answers for most of her other questions.’

This is a summer that starts in a tangled mess and ends leaving the reader wanting to know more about what happens in the lives of these teenagers.  Keep your Fingers and toes are crossed and hope that Tozer writes a sequel to Remind Me How This Ends.

This book would be suitable for ages 14+ years.  Definitely, put it on your hit list for 2017 for teenage readers.

FB: www.facebook.com/Karen-Hendriks-Childrens-Author

The Dog, Ray

The Dog, Ray by Linda Coggin (Allen & Unwin)

PB RRP $16.99

ISBN: 9781471403200

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Here is a unique concept, wrapped in a well-constructed storyline that drags the reader in from the first sentence and holds their interest till the last word.  I read it in one sitting without a break. Its themes include grief and loss, friendship and family.

The story is heard initially through the voice of Misty, a new born dog, who inherits the recycled soul of Daisy, a girl who has just died in an accident. Misty is later renamed Ray by Pip, the boy who finds and keeps her.

Several main stories and sub-stories exist. The main one is Daisy’s voice that comes through Ray. It is full of humour, but also carries an element of sadness for the irretrievable loss of her parents. We share all her thoughts as she tries to communicate them to Pip, but of course can’t.

Pip’s mother has died and he sets out to find his father with just a name and a photo, and Ray. His journey is poignant and moving.

Jack, a minor character, draws attention to the plight of the homeless and their vulnerability. Other small but significant entrances and exits are made by other minor characters as well which extend the backstory.

Linda Coggin has created a highly inventive novel of quality. With characters that are interesting, dialogue sizzles, and important themes, this is a book not to be missed.

My Brother

My Brother by Dee Huxley with Oliver and Tiffany Huxley (Working Title Press) HB RRP $24.99

ISBN 9781921504853
Reviewed by Vicki Thornton

My Brother is a beautiful story in so many ways. The text is simple. A creature is searching for his lost brother: he searches the places he used to go, the lovely places and the scary places. He searches and searches but can’t find him. Only when exhaustion overtakes him and he sleeps does he wake to find his brother is not lost, but with him everywhere.

The illustrations are what make this story so ethereal and surreal. They are black and white as the creature hunts, and when he realises that his brother is always with him does colour become a major impact.

There is so much detail in these illustrations, from the beginning, where two coats and hats and sets of gumboots silently wait, to the discovery of nursery rhyme characters in later pages. The cow jumping over the moon, the mouse running up the clock, the owl and the pussycat in their boat (one assumes pea green).  A gentle touch with both text and illustration leads the reader on a journey of loss from a sibling’s perspective.

This warm and gentle book looks at grief and loss. Although aimed at children of middle primary school age who have lost a sibling, I think this book would be suitable for younger primary age children as well, especially as it gives the option for parents for further discussions.  Highly recommended. 

Note that Dee Huxley has worked as a freelance illustrator, graphic designer and author and has illustrated many picture books for children. She has been shortlisted twice for the Children’s Book Council Picture Book of the Year Award.

The Other Side of Summer

The Other Side of Summer by Emily Gale (Random House Australia

PB RRP $16.99

ISBN 9780143780113

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

Living in England, the Jackman family is grieving the death of teenage son and brother, Floyd, a gifted guitarist. Central to the story is his younger sister, Summer, who feels alone and angry. Her mother is in a state of depression, her sister Wren is uncontrollably nasty, and their father is trying his best to hold everyone together. As if Floyd’s loss and Mum’s ‘disappearance’ aren’t enough, there is further loss to come – the loss of home when Dad, an Australian, decides to move the girls to his homeland. And too, there is the loss of Summer’s closest, long-time friend, Mal.

Summer doesn’t outwardly express her fierce underlying anger or her continual internal talk of and to Floyd. She even keeps her cool when the new Australian neighbours impinge on the Jackman family, offering unwanted friendship and family BBQs: at school she keeps her distance from others, especially an Asian girl who is trying to befriend her.

However, after some time she makes an unlikely friend, a needy boy who (literally) drifts in an out of life and who seems magically connected to a guitar which Floyd once owned and which Summer treasures.

Emily Gale writes clearly and convincingly with lots of memorable language, but this is a difficult book. Throughout it is always a sense of unhappiness and lack of hope. While Wren changes dramatically in Australia and becomes much easier to live with, Summer seems determined not to make the most of her situation, always living in a past that mostly includes her dead brother. Thus it’s the novel’s content which is the problem, rather than the story-telling and characterisation.

Nevertheless, this book will possibly appeal to teenagers, especially girls aged 14+ years.

Celia and Nonna

Celia and Nonna by Victoria Lane, illustrated by Kayleen West (Ford Street Publishing)

HB RRP $24.95

PB RRP $14.95

ISBN 978-1925000603 (HB)

ISBN 978-1925000610 (PB)

Reviewed by Francine Sculli

Every now and again you read a picture book that stings a little. It stings because it hits a chord, a memory and a small untouched pain somewhere inside of you. Celia and Nonna is that book; a touching story so divinely written that it has left my heart with a familiar longing.

Celia is a little girl with a warming relationship with her Nonna (grandmother in Italian). She visits her for regular sleepovers. Her Nonna keeps special treasures at her house just for Celia. Together they bake biscotti and read so many books that the penguins and fairies get jumbled in Celia’s head. Celia is Nonna’s little angel.

But one day, Celia notices that her Nonna is doing some strange, forgetful things like leaving the stove on, locking herself outside and forgetting to get changed out of her pyjamas when she visits the market. As Nonna’s forgetfulness worsens, she is taken to a new home where there are people to care for her. Celia begs to still sleepover, but there is only one bed in a room that has bare, grey walls and stinks of lemon and vinegars. Celia wishes that things would go back to how they were before when they would sit in the kitchen and bake biscotti together. She struggles to connect with her Nonna’s new home.

Until Celia finds some pencil and paper in Nonna’s new room and decides to draw her memories of Nonna’s old house. She draws the house with its tumbledown bushes and rubs of rosemary. Next time she visits she draws the kitchen filled with shelves of borlotti beans and jars of spices and each time after that, she draws a new picture until her Nonna’s walls are filled with a happy collection of memories, and until Celia has forgotten the funny smell and grey walls and realises that she is happy wherever her Nonna is.

As a young child, it is difficult to comprehend the challenging dynamics and changes that come with ageing family members, particularly those we have such a close and special connection with. Yet this book handles these issues, through the eyes of a child, with such grace and delicacy that although it stings, it gently encourages the reader to embrace those changes. This heart warming story is made even more touching by Kayleen West’s illustrations, which capture this story in vibrant images that tell of both the pleasure and pain.

Celia and Nonna is not only a book about old age and grieving the loss of a life that was, it is a story of connection and compassion that can be read on so many different levels, making it the perfect book for any public or private collection. 

When I See Grandma

When I See Grandma by Debra Tidball, illustrated by Leigh Hedstrom (Wombat Books)

HB RRP $19.95

ISBN 978-1-921632-59-4

Reviewed by Peta Biggin

Visiting Grandma can sometimes be sad but with a little imagination and thought, a little girl and her brother brighten Grandma’s dreams. 

When I See Grandma is a beautiful book.  The story follows a young girl as she visits her grandma, who is unresponsive in a nursing home.  By bringing in the special parts of her own life, the young girl tries to bring some happiness to Grandma’s dreams.

                  I love singing in the school choir.

                  The songs are happy and bright.

                  Grandma loves singing too…

                  When I see Grandma I sing her a song,

                  For her dreams to dance on.

Apart from the beautiful relationship depicted between the girl and her grandmother, what I especially loved about the book is that there is no shying away from reality.  At no point does the grandmother magically awaken; in fact the story ends, rather sadly, with her death.

                  I don’t like it when Daddy goes away for work.
                  I miss him a lot, but I think about how much he loves

                  me until I see him again.

                  I give him a big kiss before he leaves.

                  Grandma loves kisses too…

                  When I see Grandma again, I kiss her goodbye.

Although poignant, it is also a celebration of memories, family relationships and the simple things in life – music, laughter, having your hair brushed.

Leigh Hedstrom’s illustrations are the perfect accompaniment - fun with lovely little details and warm colours. They are also a little understated which suits the gentleness of the story. 

When I See Grandma is a heart-warming, touching and sentimental book.  Overall, I loved it and would recommend it as a must have for any child’s book collection. 

Debra Tidball is a social worker, parent and author.  When I See Grandma is her first book and was drawn from her own experience of having a parent with dementia.  She lives in suburban Sydney with her husband, sons and furkids.  She can be found online at:

http://www.debratidball.com/

Leigh Hedstrom is a freelance illustrator with over 10 years’ experience illustrating for educational and children’s media.  She has illustrated for school readers and children’s magazines.  When I See Grandma is her first picture book.  She can be found online at:  http://leighhedstrom.carbonmade.com/

Goodbye Grandma: helping young children cope with bereavement

Goodbye Grandma: helping young children cope with bereavement by Melanie Walsh (Walker Books)

HC RRP $24.95

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Death is the most difficult thing for children to cope with or even understand. ‘What does dead mean?’ ‘Where do people go when they die?’

Many adults have been asked that question. This thoughtfully produced book about the inevitable for every living thing is a great tool for when words and thoughts fail.

The book is designed with cut outs that form frames, and pages cut in different shapes. The paper is thick with bold lines, brilliant colours and illustrations that focus on the point being made, or the question being asked and answered. The text is subtle and satisfying.

Created entirely with the child’s reception in mind, it gives an adequate explanation in simple language, to the harder questions that children throw at us.

It also addresses the adult reaction to death. Loss, like grief, is an ageless issue. At a Wake, adults share their memories and the things they knew about the person that’s passed. Children can see that older people too, feel the same way as they do.  The book also stresses the importance of remembering.

I found this a fantastic resource and one that should be included in Libraries and schools, for there are few books that handle the issue of bereavement so well. Another outstanding book on this subject is Shona Innes’ Life is Like the Wind.

Life is Like the Wind

Life is Like the Wind by Shona Innes, illustrated by Irisz Agocs (Five Mile Press)

HC RRP $14.95

ISBN 9781760060558

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

‘Life is like the wind. When life goes, the body is very still’.

Coming to terms with, or understanding death is so difficult for children, and at times for many adults too. This simple, emotive, deconstructive approach to death, loss and grief, explains what happens when something or someone dies. It discusses various beliefs about where people go after death, and how a part of that person or thing remains alive in people’s memories.

In this second book in the Big Hug series by Clinical and Forensic Psychologist Shona Innes, feelings are addressed. What can be done to make loss feel less painful and how does one cope, regardless of age?

All the ideas and suggestions in these books encourage conversation and questions, and in discussing feelings, reasons and beliefs, a way of accepting death as part of life can be found.  

These exciting new and extremely well produced books are very well priced for a hardcover, and the superb watercolour paintings enhance the messages carried in the text. There is also a note to parents and teachers at the end of each book.

   

Here In The Garden

Here In The Garden written and illustrated by Briony Stewart (University of Queensland Press)
HB RRP $24.95
ISBN 9780 7022 5010 1
Reviewed by Jo Antareau

Pets play a special role in a child’s life as they love the child unconditionally. But sadly, every child who has loved a pet will one day have to deal with the loss of their dear friend, playmate, confidante and partner-in-crime. Briony Stewart has captured the essence of a child’s wistful heartache beautifully. The story follows the bittersweet memories a boy has of sharing his garden with a fun little rabbit.

Briony Stewart’s words and illustrations bring the cute bunny to life – then gently remind us that he is no longer with his loving owner.

Written sparingly with a light touch and a lack of sentimentality, this book focuses on how the bereaved child rebuilds his love of the garden he and his much-loved pet once shared and played in, now that he is there alone.

This is a difficult topic for a book for young readers, but I think the author has managed it. I believe it would appeal to a wider age-range of readers than most picture books do, because the theme is not hammered as it may be in a more wordy text. The simple phrasing and soft illustrations carry the subject matter well.

Coaltown Jesus

Coaltown Jesus by Ron Koertge (Walker Books)
HC RRP $ 24.95
ISBN 9780763662288
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Deeply moving and often funny, this sparse verse is clever, philosophical and reflective. Writing a verse novel is an art and gifted poet Ron Koertge has created something significant that should not be overlooked.

Walker’s brother Noah has recently suicided. Walker can’t understand why with his mother’s nursing home full of people waiting to ‘check out’, Noah gets taken. His mother is broken, and Walker calls for divine intervention to put her together again.

Jesus appears, but only the boy can see and speak to him. The casual and friendly conversations between Jesus and Walker expose Noah’s life, the trauma his passing has left behind, and the growing detachment between mother and surviving son. The use of the Jesus figure is a unique device which complements and soothes this immensely interesting novel about grief and loss.

All That’s Missing

All That’s Missing by Sarah Sullivan (Walker Books)
HC RRP $24.95
ISBN 9780763661021
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Arlo is in the sixth grade. His world is made up of his grandfather Poppo, his best friend Sam, and his running. Poppo is slipping in and out of time in his mind and Arlo is covering up about his life at home, and for the things that Poppo does. How long can Arlo keep their secret?

When Poppo has a stroke, everything goes haywire in Arlo’s life. Facing foster care, he sets out to find his ostracized paternal grandmother Ida whom he didn’t know existed, who lives hundreds of miles away. What he discovers changes his life completely, when a series of events forces the unknown story of his parents’ love for one another and their life together.

Evocative, filled with metaphor, and with a ghostly tale filtering through it, this book won’t be put down till the last word. It’s themes of loss and grief, and the importance of identity and belonging, meld together to form a moving tale about family love and loyalty. It also exposes the desolation of keeping secrets till death, and their effects on the living. Highly recommended.

See You at Harry’s

See You at Harry’s by Jo Knowles (Walker Books)
PB RRP $ 16.95
ISBN 9781406346077
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Fern at twelve years old feels invisible to her family, especially since the arrival of her brother Charlie, three years ago. When Charlie dies after a fall whilst in Fern’s care, guilt and anguish swallow her up. How does one cope with grief when they are invisible and unable to get the comfort they need?

Fern’s brother Holden is bullied mercilessly on the bus and at school because of his sexual orientation. Sara her older sister, shields herself behind a bad attitude while searching for her place in life. Dad is filled with dreams and plans to expand the restaurant he inherited from his father, while mum has a room she escapes into to find her inner peace.

All these singularly interesting family members are drawn together by their grief. This grief gives birth to hope when they realize that life continues through the desolation of loss, and that love is the only answer.

Beautifully written and held together by fantastic characters, this novel places emphasis on the conflict and issues that confront most families, and their resolution. It simultaneously concentrates on what it is that holds a family unit together.

Often alternately humorous and tragic, this novel has much to say. But it’s what’s left unsaid that gives it a delicate and deeply moving touch.

You Don’t Even Know

You Don’t Even Know by Sue Lawson (black dog books)
PB RRP $ 18.95
ISBN 9781922179715
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

This intensely moving novel reflects the sadness ad overwhelming emotions that conglomerate into pain during the grieving process.  Its themes cover loss, coping with death and dying, bullying, and the destructive results of parents’ expectations on their children.

An incredible journey of the Self is told through the character Alex from the Neurological Unit of a hospital in a before and after the accident sequence. He reflects on the way things are in his life and the way they are perceived to be.

Struggling to overcome his injuries, Alex also battles with guilt over his little sister’s death and the imminent passing from cancer of his room mate, Mackie, whose life and dreams are revealed through her journals. Alex also lives with his father’s blame for his sister’s death, and for not conforming to parental expectations as his brothers have. His mother escapes the grief of a dysfunctional family behind the pretentious façade of her wealthy lifestyle, rigidly determined to keep up appearances.

Additional themes of identity and sibling rivalry flow throughout the story. The extremely gifted Sue Lawson has again captured the voice and thoughts of youth with great insight.

Shimmer

Shimmer by Jennifer McBride and Lynda Nixon (Fremantle Press)
PB RRP $ 14.99
ISBN 9781922089434
(Also available as an eBook)
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Kora is a genie of royal birth. She is banished to earth for her own protection due to the empire Genesia’s warring with a powerful enemy, the half human- half genie, Vennum.

She lands in Western Australia and is immediately ‘harnessed’ by teenager David. Being at someone else’s command doesn’t sit well with the headstrong, wilful and spoilt Kora.

David is an indifferent and irresponsible character. His father was killed in Afghanistan and his grief is still alive inside him. Because his father’s body was never found, he still believes he may be alive.

These two characters play out a battle of wills amidst the chaos of secrecy. Lots of backstory and excellent dialogue reveal David’s and Kora’s family history. Drastic circumstances convince them to join forces to bring down Vennum so Kora can return home. But David has a price for this agreement. Here the pace increases dramatically. Kora and David evolve as characters, and twists in the tale take the reader on another course.

These two Western Australian authors have joined to create a great read. It has all the elements of an absorbing fantasy tale, with time-travel, portals, globes, genies and lots of treachery, adventure and excitement with an amazing climax.

Maia and What Matters

Maia and What Matters by Tine Mortier, illustrated by Kaatje Vermeire (Book Island)
HC RRP $28
ISBN 9780669667
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Hope, loss, understanding ageing, and the relationship between child and grandparent are the themes in this exquisitely illustrated book. Translated to English from Dutch by Australian author and award-winning translator, David Colmer, the fine line drawings and the soft and muted colours are reminiscent of the long ago classic tales of childhood.

Maia was impatient to be born. It happened quickly under a cherry tree. Her first word was cake and her best friend was grandmother; an active, rebellious, playful and fun-loving free spirit. They had everything in common. They understood each other perfectly and there were times when words weren’t needed between them.

When Grandma has a stroke, Maia doesn’t understand why she’s still. When she wakes up she doesn’t talk or remember anymore. When she can finally move, she has ‘grown slow’.

Maia fills Grandma’s surroundings with drawings of things she knows creating a familiar world of collage, hangs a thousand objects, and brings a plate with cake.

When sounds came out of Grandma’s mouth, Grandpa just nods. But Maia ‘picks the words out of grandma’s mouth’.

After Grandpa ‘had broken a teacup and stopped living’ Maia knew she had to wheel Grandma’s chair to the funeral parlour so she could touch his hair and said ‘bye’.

A deeply moving story made so by the perfectly translated illustrations. The broken cup on the beautiful carpet and the back of an armchair tells of Grandpa’s passing; a child’s perception of a sea of tears cried portrayed by the literal presentation of a boat with Grandma and Maia in it rocking on stormy seas; grandpa in his cold coffin surrounded by frosty flowers and white crystals of air.

But there is always a frisky squirrel appearing in some corner of the pictures which represents hope for the return of their lost freedom and love of the outdoors.

Meet Maia Blog Tour

Buzz Words is thrilled to be involved in the Meet Maia Blog Tour to celebrate Kiwi publisher Book Island's release of the amazingly gorgeous picture book Maia and What Matters by Tine Mortier and Kaatje Vermeire.



Buzz Words will feature an interview with Book Island's founder and publisher Greet Pauwelijn on November 15 and there will be the chance to WIN a copy of Maia and What Matters.

Click to read the Meet Maia full blog tour schedule and discover where to find reviews, interviews and giveaways. You can also follow Book Island on Facebook and sign up for their free newsletter.

Fat Angie

Fat Angie by E.E. Charlton-Trujillio (Walker Books)
PB RRP $19.95
ISBN 9780763661199
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Fat Angie is the only girl in her school that has ever had a nervous breakdown. She is broken by grief because her sister, a soldier in the army, has been missing in Iraq for months, believed dead. Fat Angie is bullied and humiliated mercilessly by her peers and her only solace are the sweet cakes that she resorts to in an attempt to escape her pain. She is friendless, and corporate lawyer mother has disconnected herself from her daughter because of the way she looks. Her father has severed himself from them all by starting a new family elsewhere.

Her stepbrother Wang is also grieving for his sister that was the glue that held the family together. Now he is rebellious and cruel towards everyone, has resorted to stealing regardless of their affluent situation, and is a breath away from jail.

Into this dysfunctional scene of cruelty and indifference enters KC Romance, a stunning and world-wise girl that immediately chooses Angie to keep company with. She has a past and is dealing with many issues herself, particularly those of abandonment and cutting. She turns Angie’s world topsy-turvy in an unexpected way.  They both learn that ‘it’s so hard when the person you look like on the outside doesn’t really match how you feel on the inside’.

Fat Angie is a unique and inspiring book. It is dark, edgy, and shocking in its depiction of bullying and its inhumanity, but beautiful and tender in its ability to show the other side of human nature. The writing style is unusual as is the language. There is no question that the author knows her subject well and has created her characters with intent and great perception. It has many layers and carries strong messages with it. Be prepared to cry.