Ginger Green Play Date Queen: The Only Friend

Ginger Green Play Date Queen: The Only Friend written by Kim Kane, illustrated by John Davis (Hardie Grant Egmont) PB RRP $9.99 ISBN 9781760127855

Reviewed by Liz Ledden

Ginger Green Play Date Queen is a fabulous new chapter book series starring a cute little fox. In each book, Ginger has a play date with a different friend, overcoming inevitable challenges and conflict along the way.

In The Only Friend, Ginger Green invites her friend Maya over to play. Problems arise when Ginger’s big sister Violet takes a liking to Maya and wants to play too. When the jealousy escalates and Ginger storms off, all seems lost – until Ginger comes up with an idea so everyone is included.

The story explores jealousy, anger, problem-solving and appreciating different types of families. While Ginger is sometimes annoyed by her bossy big sister and her little sister Penny (who, adorably, insists on being ‘nude’), Maya points out that as an only child, she doesn’t have instant playmates like Ginger does. Ultimately, the books celebrate compromise and friendship.

Super short and with only three chapters, the Ginger Green Play Date Queen series offers a wonderful introduction to the world of chapter books for newly independent readers, with lots of repetition throughout. That the illustrations depict the characters as little foxes (which isn’t mentioned in the text) adds a charming point of difference.

The Secrets We Keep

The Secrets We Keep by Nova Weetman, (UQP)

PB RRP $16.95

ISBN 978 0 7022 5421 5

Reviewed by Elizabeth Kasmer

It’s been six weeks since a fire burnt down Clem’s home and now her Mum and her old life are gone. The few things she has managed to salvage are tainted by the smell of the fire and painful memories of losing her mum. Clem and father can now no longer afford to stay in the neighbourhood and are forced to move into a tiny flat so they can be closer to her father’s work and Clem’s new school.

On her first day of school Clem meets Ellie and in an effort to fit in, Clem lets a secret slip about what happened to her mum which she immediately regrets. As Ellie’s mum is in hospital dying of cancer, Ellie immediately bonds with Clem over common ground of losing a mother. This connection places Clem in the awkward situation of coming between Ellie and her oldest friend Tam who becomes jealous of Clem. To Clem’s credit she is able to put herself in Tam’s shoes and wonders how she would feel in the same situation.

Clem is helped through her struggles by her ever optimistic father who works at the botanical gardens and wears a big jacket that Clem buries her face in so she can smell his earthiness. Maggie, the neighbour in the flat upstairs, provides a refuge for Clem, offering tea, freshly baked treats and also a sense of purpose by giving her the job of feeding and caring for the fish whilst Maggie is away for work.

Clem is a runner and the track is where she can be her true self, it is where all her problems float away. It is interesting to watch how Clem learns to recognise, and return to, the things in her life that bring her joy (such as running). But will Clem continue to run from her problems? Or will she find the strength to face the truth about what really happened with her mum and the fire?

Reading this book brought back strong memories of my own primary school experiences; the emotions, school yard dynamics, politics and rivalries. My eleven year old self was right there beside Clem on her first day of school peering into the school playground.

“And I’m out here. Looking through holes in the wire, wondering how I’m going to do this.”

Nova Weetman does a beautiful job of shining a light on what it’s like to feel lost and having to fit into new surroundings when everything familiar is gone. This is a wonderfully relatable book that has strong appeal for middle grade readers. When I closed the book there was a real sense of sadness not only that the story had come to an end but that it had been resolved so beautifully.

Elizabeth Kasmer is a Sunshine Coast based writer of children’s and young adult fiction. www.elizabethkasmer.com

Frankie and Joely

Frankie and Joely by Nova Weetman (UQP)

HB RRP $19.95

ISBN 978-0-7022-5363-8

Reviewed by Elizabeth Kasmer

Set in a small Victorian country town during the week between Christmas and New Year, Joely invites best friend Frankie for a holiday at her Aunt and Uncle’s farm. Joely introduces Frankie to her country cousins, Thommo and Mack, who both begin to compete for the beautiful Frankie’s attention. Tensions rise further when local bad boy, Rory, decides to make a move on both girls. When it is revealed that Rory has been leading the girls on, without the other knowing, hidden jealousies threaten to shatter their friendship. 

The story is written in third person omniscient and told mainly from Frankie and Joely’s perspectives. The constant change in point of view gives a fascinating insight into the complicated dance between teenage girls as they explore the intense love they feel for each other along with equally strong feelings of annoyance, jealousy and competiveness. The rural town setting, the stifling heat, dust and flies add a believable and uncomfortable atmosphere to the story as these two girls attempt to navigate their personal problems.

Mother/daughter relationships are also explored with Frankie’s aloof and unreliable mother and Joely’s anxious and overprotective mum nicely contrasted with the warmth and tenderness of Joely’s Aunt Jill, whose kitchen and home cooking provide a refuge for the girls.

The novel gives interesting insights into both Frankie and Joely’s struggle for self-awareness in a world filled with boys, family problems and testing emotions. It also reminds older readers of the power and importance of first friendships. This is an honest and beautiful story about female relationships aimed at junior to middle teens.

On her webpage, Nova Weetman states her goal as a writer is to: “Write stories that snuck into a reader’s heart so they’d fall in love with them.” She has certainly achieved this with Frankie and Joely.

Elizabeth Kasmer is a Sunshine Coast based writer of children’s and young adult fiction. www.elizabethkasmer.com

Sam the Cat: a true story

Sam the Cat: a true story by Sam Bowring, illustrated by Andrew McLean (Working Title Press)
HB RRP $24.95
ISBN 978-1-921504-297
Reviewed by Vicki Thornton

A new baby in the house means trouble. Not only does he get all the attention but he even gets Sam’s name. Upset Sam walks out, only to become lost after a huge storm. If the new baby has his name and all the attention, will Sam even be missed at all?

Based on the true story of how author Sam Bowring got his name. This book’s simple text tells a charming story of how everyone has a place at home. Filled with subtle humour and touches of irony, Sam – or should that be King Ironpaw, Ruler of the Roof- shows us that there is no need for jealousy. As long as the baby leaves his scratching post alone!

Andrew McLean is a highly awarded illustrator and once again his illustrations help to tell the story. Created in pen, ink, watercolour and pastels; these subtle illustrations bring Sam’s character to life.  I especially loved the image of a wet and bedraggled Sam waiting under the house.

This picture book would be suitable for lower primary readers and as it deals with jealousy it would be great for those young children dealing with a new baby coming into the home.

Go Girl: Surf’s Up

Go Girl: Surf’s Up by C. Perry (Hardie Grant Egmont)

PB RRP $9.95

ISBN 978-192156466-6

Reviewed by Lillian Rodrigues-Pang

The Go Girl series is receiving a new injection of life. The books are being rereleased with newly designed covers, added colour and a high coverage marketing campaign is under way.

The books have joined with Total Girl magazine to run a large-scale competition and have a revamped website for members including an updated chat site with improved security (www.GoGirlHQ.com). There is also a new website under construction aimed at joining mothers, authors and child parenting experts (www.MyGoGirl.com).

Overall the series aims at producing refreshing and ‘real’ stories – no vampires or fairies anywhere. This book offered exactly that. It was a refreshing story about a young girl trying to learn how to surf, learn to trust in her friendship and overcome jealousy.

The story itself was entertaining and the girl's journey an educational one – when the main character was troubled she talked to her sister and wrote in a diary to sort out bad feelings as well as speaking to older family members. The story was interesting throughout and offered scenes involving healthy activities such as surfing, boys and girls presenting dance shows of an evenings and joint family dinners. Only when I sat down to review did I realise how much had been covered – essentially the book was a good read. I will be encouraging my daughter to read this series.