Shiver Me Timbers!

Shiver Me Timbers! by Oakley Graham, illustrated by Nina Caniac

(Big Sky Publishing) PB RRP $14.99 ISBN 978-1925520002

Reviewed by Anita Howard

This is the tale told in a rhyming text of a fearsome pirate crew , including a chorus of ‘rolling waves and the words ‘ho ho ho’ repeated on each double spread. 

In a book for young children who will love to listen to the story told aloud, Captain Black and his pirate crew go looking for treasure in a swashbuckling, sea shanty adventure on the high seas. The story highlights aspects of the life of pirates from obedience to Captain Black, chores, doing a poo overboard, giant octopus and the demise of Captain Black. Details such as these are followed at the end of the book by facts about pirates of the seventeenth and eighteenth century.

The placement of the text is sometimes used to emphasise an action, for example, the words, ‘He likes to use his whip,’ is curved and swirls across the page. The vibrant illustrations are full of movement, with an interesting use of different pictorial formats and emotional communication often shown through the pirates’ body language.

The Last Thirteen Book 11: 3

The Last Thirteen Book 11:3 by James Phelan (Scholastic Australia
PB RRP $14.99

ISBN 978-1-74283-194-7

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

13 books. 13 nightmares. 1 destiny.

In this, the eleventh instalment of the globetrotting, action packed adventure The Last Thirteen, Sam finds himself searching for the next Dreamer and her gear in the Australian Outback.  The eleventh Dreamer is someone Sam knows well and this time, in the search which takes him below Uluru, Stella and Solaris are hot on his heels and closer than they have ever been. After losing a friend in the most recent stage of the search, Sam is determined not to lose another in Australia. It will take great skill by Sam and the Dreamers to manipulate their own dreams to keep their enemies at bay and win the gear for themselves.

Meanwhile, captured by pirates, Alex, Hans and Dr Kader have their own battle to win before they can continue on their quest. Alex's relief at being rid of these pirates cannot quite overcome his anxiety about Han's true motivations towards Antarctica, the next gear and the Dreamgate.

Shiva discovers that Stella's headquarters are at the nuclear disaster site of Chernobyl in the Ukraine, so Lora, Xavier and a team of the remaining loyal guardians plan to storm the hideout. But is this a trap set by their enemies?

Once again the three storylines are told in alternating chapters, sometimes intersecting, but always thrilling and integral to the central plot. The closer we get to the end of the race, the more intense and nail biting the adventure gets.

With only two more instalments to go, readers (10+) will be reaching for the next in the series without pausing for breath. 

Toocool: Series 5

Toocool: Series 5 by Phil Kettle, illustrated by Tom Jellett (Ford Street Publishing)

The Big Bash
ISBN 9781921665783
Pirates
ISBN 9781921665790
The Interview
ISBN 9781921665806
Round ‘Em Up
ISBN 9781921665769
The Race
ISBN 9781921665776
PB RRP$ 9.95 each
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

The highly successful and popular Toocool series for age 7+ readers is now up to book 39. In this set of five books, Toocool and his gang of friends, mainly Spike his buddy, Marcy and Bella, and neighbour Wong, experience all sorts of amazing adventures due to Toocool’s irrepressible enthusiasm for life. He believes he can do anything better than anyone else, therefore he tries everything.

In The Big Bash, the Browns plays cricket against The Legends, Toocool’s team. Bad Billy Brown is determined to squash the opposing players. But Toocool believes he is a star of the future and goes out with that in mind and lots of attitude. But Marcy has a hilarious and outrageous plan where anything can happen!

Pirates are what the group want to become after Toocool finds a treasure map in his cereal box. He believes treasure is buried on Duck Island. Is it possible, or is this one of his incredible theories that will lead to wild adventures?

Everything Toocool does is ‘exciting, unique and special’ just like he is. We learn this and many things about Toocool and his friends when he is interviewed for a television program by Ms Stickybeak in The Interview.

In The Race, a planned race across Duck Pond against Marcy, Bella, and Spike turns wild when Toocool’s supercharged Jet Ski, built with Wong, becomes airborne. But will he win the race as he believes he will?

Toocool and Spike are invited to Uncle Buck’s farm as jackaroos to help with the cattle round up in Round ‘Em Up. They become responsible for the feeding and care of a calf that loses its mother, and turn out to be a great help to the team rounding up the cattle. But when camping out means eating tinned baked beans and sleeping close to the campfire, this presents a different set of problems.

This is a terrific and clever series of chapter books with priceless illustrations accompanying the text. The uninhibited bunch of characters are wild and interesting; full of positive energy and life. Every chapter is an entertainment unit. Toocool is reminiscent of Dennis the Menace, and Wong like the long suffering Mr Wilson. Each book has a Glossary of terms for specific words that readers might not know, and every title always ends with up with a list of jokes as the last delicious offering.

The Pink Pirate

  The Pink Pirate by Michelle Worthington, illustrated by Karen Mounsey-Smith (Little Steps Publishing)

PB RRP $17.95

ISBN 9781921928932

Reviewed by Emma Cameron

Six-year-old Georgia, the daughter of Ginger John who captains the Jolly Jellyfish, can “swim like a dolphin, do backflips off the gangplank, climb the rigging like a monkey” and does sword practice daily. Though without a son who he’d hoped to pass his ship on to once too old to pillage and plunder, John refuses to teach Georgia how to steer the ship. He makes her wear a pink dress, with buttons, and bows and says girls can’t be captains!

A caring father, he bundles her below deck as Captain Blackboots and his crew arrive. From the galley, Georgia hears Blackboots and gang invade, and her father’s crew scattering. The ship drifts with the tide and Georgia realizes nobody is steering. It is her chance to prove herself. She dons Dad’s spare hat and sword and sneeks out, hiding behind the ship’s wheel. In her fiercest captain’s voice she orders Blackboots to “surrender or suffer the consequences.”

He turns on her but she climbs the rigging, slashing the canvas so it falls on top of Blackboots and gang, trapping them. Dad and his crew toss them back onto their ship and Dad declares Georgia to be the best pirate ever. Wearing a purple pirate suit, complete with hat, she “sails away into the sunset, knowing that you can be anything you want to be, as long as you believe in yourself.”

Bright, lively, Illustrations combine with strong text to show a wide array of character emotions. They make it obvious that Georgia’s father is her hero and that she is the apple of his eye. Readers will sympathise with how gutted she appears when he has no choice but to order her below deck. Likewise, images of her frustration when she hears Blackboots get the better of her father’s crew and her joy when she is recognised for her success and finally allowed to be herself will connect with readers. The ship’s cat and mice appear in every spread: in fun battles with each other, unified in sorrow when the ship is taken over, sharing their joy by giving each other high-fives when it’s won. Publisher’s notes say this is for 2-6 year olds though it will appeal to older readers too.

Swashbuckler

Swashbuckler by James Moloney (A re-release from UQP)

PB RRP $19.95

ISBN 9780702228254

Review by Jo Burnell

Re-releases can be dated and irrelevant to today’s world. Filled with misgivings, I opened Swashbuckler, ready to be irritated . To my delight, I couldn’t put it down.

Being the newcomer, Peter is the latest target for school bullies, but his saviour arrives in an unexpected form. Swinging on a tree rope, the mini Scarlet Pimpernel drops his sword ad loses his mask, but manages to distract the tough guys. Why won’t Anton admit he is the hero in disguise and what is his obsession with historical heroes?

Both Peter and Anton are struggling with their dads. Peter’s is a compulsive gambler whose habit loses the family home and forces them to move. Peter’s dad has hardly been seen since the move, but he reappears when  Peter’s mum comes into a bit of money.

Anton’s anguish with his dad runs deep, but he’s not telling what it is. Can he finally trust Peter with his pain? Can Peter help Anton fight the fierce dragon before it’s too late?

Coping with terminal cancer is heartbreaking, especially the physical changes that occur as the body fades away. Coming to terms with problem gambling is challenging in different ways. It is trust that corrodes, rather than the body.

James Moloney is still opening the doors to coping for kids in this timeless tale and he does it with an essential ingredient: Humour.

Jo Burnell is passionate about hooking reluctant and struggling readers into the world of books. Her current project for Middle Primary students is about an Aussie hero. Her uncle Roy was a fighter pilot in World War 2.