Kid

Kid by Peter Carnavas (University of Queensland Press) HB RRP $22.99 ISBN: 9780702269257

Reviewed by Kellie Nissen

‘Bravest goat in the world.’

Every kid needs a mantra. Something to say out loud several times a day. Something to strive towards. And something to believe.

‘Kid’ is a kid – of the baby goat kind. And like many human ‘kids’, Kid is determined, unstoppable, a little literal and sometimes in need of a hug.

Life on the farm is calm and happy. Kid has friends who care for him – Audrey the hen, Harriet the pig – but he misses his parents who left the farm in pursuit of a fox and never returned. Every night, Audrey tells Kid stories of his parents’ bravery and how they found happiness in ‘the wild ’, but after time, Kid starts to wonder why they never returned.

Kid wants to be brave, just like his parents, so every day he practises what goats do best – jumping, climbing and butting.

Eventually, with some encouragement from Cow and Bird, who live at the far end of the farm, just before the wild, Kid decides he’s going to leave and find his family. His friends warn him that, because of Ma the Maremma’s strict adherence to ‘Farm Law’, he’ll never be able to return, but the pull of family overrides everything.

There are many questions to be answered. How will a tiny kid survive out in the wild? Are Kid’s parents even there? Why are Audrey and Harriet so determined to accompany him? And who is that big, dark beast that seems to be following him?

While Kid is a goat, and while all the other characters – Audrey, Harriet, Ma, Cow, Bird and so on – are also animals, they are so human-like in their qualities that it is easy to draw comparison with the people you know and love (and are maybe slightly apprehensive of) in your life. For me, Audrey was the teaching colleague who took me under her wing when I was new to the game; it was her voice I heard as I read.

Peter Carnavas’ beautiful words, his ability to develop relatable, lovable characters and to simultaneously create a quiet but tension-filled plot really shine in Kid. This is a story that is going to become a firm ‘read-it-again’ classic.

The perfect book for independent readers, Kid would also be a delight to read as a bedtime serial or class novel. (Teachers – there are teaching notes on the UQP website.)

With its gentle narrative, pops of dry humour and characters you want to cheer along, readers aged 5 to 8 – along with their parents and teachers – are going to fall in love with Kid.

S.I.G.M.A. 1: Web of Spies

S.I.G.M.A. 1: Web of Spies by Tim Ayliffe (Affirm Kids, Simon & Schuster) PB RRP $16.99 ISBN: 9781761636615

Reviewed by Kellie Nissen

The opening sentence of Tim Ayliffe’s debut middle grade thriller, S.I.G.M.A. 1: Web of Spies, is simple, but telling (and subtly foreshadowing). Oliver Speed is indeed running – and spends most of the book doing so.

Ollie is training for the upcoming cross-country event. In Year 9, he’s determined to win after the previous year’s disaster when he neglected to put his Ventolin inhaler in his pocket. He finished – last – a fact which his arch rival, Tank, never fails to mention. He has a solid training regime and a strategy, neither of which include finding a body in the park.

Gruesome discovery aside, there is a lot more going on in Ollie’s life and, rather than being the ultimate climax, this discovery is merely a seemingly random incident that suddenly opens up questions that throw Ollie’s life into further turmoil.

Ollie’s father has been missing for ten months but now it seems there might be something more sinister about it.

Along with his drone-and-crime-obsessed friend, George, and wannabe journalist friend, Ella, Ollie unwraps a trail of clues and connections that make him start questioning the truth of his life.

Web of Spies is not author Tim Ayliffe’s first rodeo in the thriller genre, with at least six adult thrillers to his name, but it is his first venture into the world of middle grade fiction – and he’s nailed it.

Readers will connect with Ollie from the start – it is sporty but grounded, with solid friendships, realistic goals and a loss that all of us either fear or have experienced.

The tension is there in the opening chapter and keeps increasing, engaging readers and making them think, trying to work things out and becoming just as confused as Ollie about whom to trust.

My only gripe is that the story question I had throughout was not fully answered – then again, this is a series, albeit with a longish wait (September 2027) for book 2.

Tim Ayliffe’s background as journalist who chased global stories of political power games is evident in all of his novels, and his ability to make these kinds of stories accessible for a younger audience, without losing any of the intrigue or making it sound ‘dumbed-down’ is commendable.

Written for the 10–14 age range, S.I.G.M.A. 1: Web of Spies is accessible for the younger end of the range, but with enough believability and top-of-mind themes to appeal to an early secondary school audience. Whether or not you’re a fan of the Alex Rider series, if you’re after an edge-of-your-seat read featuring characters who you can identify with, and a teen crime without overt violence, this is the book you’re looking for.

Us in the Bright Lights

Us in the Bright Lights by Zanni L. Arnot (Lothian) PB RRP $19.99 ISBN 9780734424501

Sometimes, you have to lose everything to find yourself. This is a novel about ending up in the most unexpected places, with the most unlikely people, and discovering it's exactly where you're meant to be.

Stevie Jones has always lived in the comfort of her best friend Bella's glorious shadow. But when Bella's suddenly gone, her absence casts a harsh light on everything Stevie's not. Who even is she without her best friend?

Unmoored, Stevie moves to Europe for a year in a desperate attempt to fulfil Bella's bucket list. As she checks off Bella's list, she begins to figure out who she is: the things she doesn't like, and the things she does . . . which would all be terrific, if one of those things wasn't way-off-limits: Theodore, Bella's long-time crush.

As her time overseas draws painfully to a close, Stevie must decide whether to return to her old life or stay in the big, bright light of the new world she's building.

Us in the Bright Lights is a romantic novel about a girl who loses everything but finds herself in the process. Perfect for fans of Nina Kenwood and Biffy James. It reminds readers that there is no right way to grieve a loved one. Stevie's journey to self-discovery is rich with complexity and shows how home can be in more than one place.

I’m Not Afraid of Spiders

I’m Not Afraid of Spiders by Caitlin Henderson, illustrated by Annie Henderson (CSIRO) HB RRP $26.99 ISBN9781486318551

This is a non-fiction children’s picture book written in rhyming verse that explores the world of spiders, their fascinating features, and their different shapes, colours, and sizes.

Readers discover how there's nothing to fear about these beautiful but often misunderstood animals. Meet spiders that jump, spiders that sparkle and spiders that look like twigs. Be amazed by their fascinating features and different shapes, colours and sizes. Learn, for example, how spiders use their legs to sense touch and air movement, even to taste things.

At the end of the book there is a double-page spread titled ‘All About Spiders.’ It explains words such as arachnids, invertebrates, exoskeletons and arachnologists. It also explains how spiders use their spinnerets to make silk for their webs. And how newly hatched spiders use a technique called ballooning to find a new place to live. As well, readers learn that almost all spiders are venomous and inject venom into their prey to paralyse or kill it before they eat it.

Handy as well is a glossary that explains all things related to spiders, such as habitat and cephalothorax (the front part of a spider, where the legs are attached)

Caitlin Henderson is an award-winning wildlife photographer and writer who works with live spiders and other invertebrates. She tells stories of misunderstood wildlife online under the name She’s Got Legs Photography.

Annie Henderson is an illustrator with a love of nature and a passion for finding beauty in even the smallest of creatures. Her passion for illustration began as a child, when she and her sister Caitlin would spend hours creating drawings of make-believe worlds.

Reading level varies from child to child, but we recommend this book for ages 5 to 9.

 

Find Me: In the Forest

Find Me: In the Forest by Jess McGeachin (Lothian Books)  ISBN 978-0-7344-2384-9  RRP $29.99 (HB)

Reviewed by Jude Mullen

“This is the forest, the green blanket that wraps around our planet.”

In this beautiful non-fiction picture book, author and illustrator Jess McGeachin leads us through the six different forests of the world, where we meet the many and varied plants, animals and insects that inhabit them. Through both words and illustrations, we have close-up encounters with several of these interesting creatures and learn about their vital roles in the forest ecosystem.

As we wander from tropical rainforests to cloud forests and boreal forests, we look up at giant redwoods, look down upon winding rivers and through the tangles of twisted roots in a forest understory. All our senses are awakened with descriptions of bird calls, the smell of fire, the buzz of insects and the howl of wolves. Every page is filled with gorgeous, soft, water-coloured illustrations that evoke the mood and season of each setting. Right in the middle of the book is a beautiful fold-out page depicting a deciduous forest’s transition from the cold greys of winter to the soft yellows of autumn, the pretty blues and pinks of spring, and the bright greens of summer.

Short paragraphs of text are spread across each visually enticing page, making it both an easy and comfortable read for independent children. However, beginner readers and non-readers will gain just as much enjoyment and learning from this book because of the detailed, realistic and hugely attractive illustrations.

It is a book that I am sure children will want to come back to again and again. It would be enjoyed by younger children aged from around 3 years for the beautiful illustrations of animals, as well as by older children who have a thirst for information about the natural world.

This book is one of a series of books that McGeachin has created about nature. His other title includes Find Me: On the Coast, Lost, Deep, and High.

A Flash in the Dust

A Flash in the Dust by Meg Caddy (University of Queensland Press) RRP: $21.99 ISBN 9780702271090

Reviewed by Rebecca Fung

A Flash in the Dust is promoted as a YA historical thriller with queer romance. It attempts to integrate several genres and switches points of view as it tells the story - an ambitious project.

The prologue is set in Mundaring where a horrific crime is perpetrated on an unnamed woman by The Whistling Man. It's a strong and gripping opening.

Then we are taken to an asylum. The narrative shifts between Gilberta Brady and Norah Devaney. The voices are very distinct: the restrained, quiet voice of Brady, contrasted with the angry, emotional voice of Norah. Norah claims she's witnessed her mother's murder, and she's been locked up to be silenced. But no one believes her.

Brady, on the other hand, is in the asylum for keeping quiet. She doesn't get along with people

When Brady and Norah break out of the asylum, two unlikely companions join forces to find the man who murdered Norah's mother. They meet up with others and form a group of bushrangers.

The strength of this story was in the enticing opening and how well the two main characters were set up. However, as the narrative develops, another point of view is introduced: a third-person voice. I didn't enjoy this as much. The story moved between action and a queer love story. The love story spent a bit too much time exploring ideas of queerness, and it felt like the author was trying to explain queerness rather than revealing the relationship in a natural way that would make it compelling.

While plenty happens, for some reason, perhaps the movement between points of view, the restraint in Brady's voice, or the love story that's more about exploring ideas than love, made it hard for me to get into the real excitement of the action.

I think the story tried to be many things. It held a lot of promise and in terms of representing queer characters and separating different points of view, it did well. The balance of romance and tension in an historical adventure that included some very bleak settings was more difficult.

Drawing Nudes While Making Other Plans

Drawing Nudes While Making Other Plans by Zoe Gaetjens (Penguin) PB RRP $19.99 (PB) ISBN 978 1 76135 801 2

Reviewed by Jude Mullen

Cleo Markson is in her final year of high school and trying to navigate the uncertainties and insecurities that often accompany this stage of life, especially when doing something new. Having a plan helps, and thanks to her sister Emmy, Cleo has several plans, including one for her final school year. Step 5 in this plan is “find your friends. Your real ones”.

Attending a four-week art school program during the holidays is a courageous move for  Cleo. Although she is anxious and insecure at first, she is determined to stretch herself and sit with her discomfort, even if it means having to look at and draw live nude models.  Making friends with self-assured Remi and outgoing and gregarious Lachlan really helps Cleo to feel more comfortable and at ease with herself and with being around others. And then there is Mattias – quiet, attractive, and somewhat aloof.  Cleo is instantly both attracted to him and unsettled by the effect he has on her, and she isn’t sure how to read him let alone how to talk to him.

This novel is much more than a teenage first-love story. We discover that each of the characters is grappling with some tension in their lives. We see Cleo work through issues around grief and anxiety and emerge more confident and assured. The novel also subtly touches on pertinent teenage concerns such as body positivity, consent and bullying.

It is a comfortable and fairly light read with nothing too heavy or disturbing for teenage readers, but there is certainly enough to keep them interested. The setting and context feel familiar, and the characters are well-formed and very relatable. It would be suitable for teens aged 14-years and older, who are looking for a traditional, contemporary romance story.