Snowy Night

Snowy Night by Tilde Michels, illustrated by Reinhard Michl (Starfish Bay Children’s Books)

PB RRP $12.99

ISBN 9780994100221

Reviewed by Leigh Roswen

Snowy Night written by Tilde Michels and illustrated by Reinhard Michl is a picture book told in verse.

Peter lives in a cottage near the forest. One stormy night a rabbit, then a fox and finally a bear come knocking on his door seeking shelter. Can all these natural enemies spend a peaceful night together? And who should they fear the most? This is a tale of kindness and cooperation with a thoughtful twist at the end.

This is not simply a rhyming picture book it is a verse story with over 20 stanzas of 2-10 lines each. It would be a joy to read aloud to 4 to 8 year olds. The text is not so suited to independent reading due to the long word count and the fluency required to keep the rhythm flowing. The story is clear and the concepts not difficult, so it is an ideal text to introduce a child to poetry.

Perhaps there are times the rhyme is a bit clunky but this can be forgiven because the verse never fails to move the clever plot along. In the hands of a good reader children will not notice this at all. There are also parts when the verse is beautiful and bouncy and would be a delight to read aloud:

Meanwhile the snowflakes keep on tumbling,

The wind keeps howling, roaring, rumbling,

The strongest trees are bending, breaking,

The little house is shivering, shaking.

The drawn illustrations in this book are a standout and complement the story on every page. The soft textures of fur and cloth and the facial expressions of each character are depicted beautifully. The middle spread of Peter and all the animals asleep in the house is just gorgeous.

This is a cosy bedtime book, like a lullaby, it is meant for settling and snuggling. It also has a message about cooperation in times of need, about honesty and human responsibility.

Reviewer website: www.leighroswen.com

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.

The Deer Watch

The Deer Watch by Pat Lowry Collins, illustrated by David Slonim (Walker Books)
HC RRP $27.95
ISBN 9780763648909
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

This verse novel is the story of a father who makes a promise to his young son to take him deer watching. They have a long way to go to reach the woods. They climb sand dunes and see a buoy bobbing up and down with a boat close by. In the marshes a red-winged blackbird and an egret make an appearance. On the road to the woods they come across a noisy bulldozer that has scared all the birds away.

Then they enter the conservation land. It is silent. It appears that nothing is moving. But father explains that baby birds are still opening their mouths to be fed, and baby foxes and squirrels are going about their daily activities. When the boy is told to stand still and noiseless, that’s when the need to sneeze arises; when he wants to stretch his legs and change position.

After a sudden downpour, there is movement in the green woods. The two remain silent, unmoving. A doe and her two fawns go prancing by. The boy tries to tell his mother what he saw. But although the memory of that day will stay with him forever, he cannot find words to describe how he feels.

The beautiful, demure, understated illustrations appear at first to be painted on canvas but the thick, hard brush strokes and daubs of colour that merge and unite are oil on linen.

Inside and Out and Back Again

Inside and Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai (University of Queensland Press)
PB RRP $16.95
ISBN 978 0 7022 4941 9
Reviewed by Jo Antareau

This is the story of a year in Ha’s life. Written in verse to portray her Vietnamese thoughts, this semi-autobiographical piece begins with snippets of her life in a privileged family in Saigon as a ten year old. But it is not carefree, as the family live under the shadow of their absent father, missing in combat, and a not-too-distant war.

Ha is otherwise a typical kid. She has her flaws, her conflicts with siblings. When trusted to shop for groceries in the market, she skimps on quantities in order to buy herself treats with the change. She longs for the delicious fruit of her papaya tree to ripen. But before she can enjoy them, the army marches into Saigon. The family is torn between remaining where her missing father may find them, and fleeing for safety. They eventually cram into a crowded boat headed for the US, abandoning the life they knew.

Moving to America turns her life upside-down, hence the title. Lai portrays the culture shock sensitively and with humour. The family are sponsored by a man who wears a cowboy hat but has no horse. The first Asians encountered by most in the small town in Alabama, the family meet both generosity and cruelty. Ha is confused by the smell and colour of her first hot dog, unlike any food she has ever experienced.

Sensitively written while avoiding any self pity, Lai writes of Ha’s humiliation, school ground bullying and her ultimate triumph. She is a survivor, not a victim.

As an adult, I found her literary style excellent, and her portrayal of a childhood in Vietnam and subsequent displacement, compelling. Comparisons to Amy Tan are inevitable.

This story of resilience is Lai’s first book, and won the 2011 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature in the US, and was a 2012 Newbery Honor book.