Monthly Archives: May 2018

May29

The Mulberry Tree – Allison Rushby

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Walker Booksmulberry

ISBN: 9781760650292
Imprint: Walker Books Australia
Release Date: July 1, 2018
Australian RRP: $17.99
New Zealand RRP: $19.99

 

Immy is not well pleased at moving to England from Sydney. Her mother has a new job which carries some prestige, but her father is floundering – his previous career as a GP slaughtered by a tragedy. Their transition to Cambridgeshire is hindered by a narrow choice of rental properties but Immy decides on a thatched cottage that has a rather dark history and her parents are happy to go along with her choice in deference to her resistance to the entire move.

According to village legend, the huge mulberry tree in the garden of their cottage has already ‘stolen’ two girls on the eve of their eleventh birthday – and as Immy is about to turn eleven there is a hushed fear that the same will happen to her. But Immy is made of stern stuff and even while railing at her parents over the move – and her father’s depression – she refuses to give into fear over the tree’s influence.  Although, the strange ‘chant/song’ she keeps hearing is rather unnerving. Along the way, unexpectedly Immy makes friends of varying ages and discovers special bonuses in living in a new environment.

This is a fabulously ‘spooky’ story – not confronting to the extent that it would totally freak young readers out, but in that deliciously creepy way that demands the reading is page-turning.

It appears this is quite a skill for Allison Rushby. This telling of a story that is somewhat dark and certainly weird but not enough to scare the pants of kids – which is of course a real drawcard.

Boys and girls of around ten years upwards will love this story with its beautifully drawn characters – and in this I include the mulberry tree.

I highly recommend this for upper primary/lower secondary readers and look forward to Allison’s further writing.

May14

Who Hid the Socks?  – Rosemary Coombs/ Lorraine Robertson & Warren Brown

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socks

Bullawai Books

April 2018

  • 9780994611819
  • 9780994611826

RRP: $16.99

We all know the problem of disappearing socks. Miss Small favours odd socks but even with that un-complication we still seem to be scratching around for the little blighters often.

So many children will get the giggles as they help search for the missing socks in the illustrations in this new book. Part rhyme and part prose it has a joyful rhythm and lots of interaction along the way.

In all this time I’ve never expected that the family cat (or cats in our case) might be responsible for sock thievery! But then neither of ours is called Socks so perhaps we will have to search out another thief!

As well as the missing socks children have the opportunity to re-examine the colourful illustrations to find other objects via checklists at the end of the book.

This is a fun and simple book for little readers from around 4 years upwards. It would make a super bedtime read to explore and find all the items.

Recommended for kindy & child care groups as well as Junior Primary classes.

Available on request from Bullawai Books, (Specialist Publication and Editing Services ABN 14790495731)
through email
May6

Two For One

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Let’s look at some feelings……

scaredy

Scaredy Book : it’s not always easy to be brave! Devon Sillett & Cara King

Harper Collins

ISBN: 9781925335682

ISBN 10: 1925335682

Exisle Kids Publishing – NZ

On Sale: 23/04/2018

List Price: 24.99 AUD

Often it’s difficult to step out of our comfort zones – hard enough for adults and regularly even more so for children. This is a beautiful book with which to explore overcoming trepidation about new situations.

Book loves being in the library but also yearns at times to get out and be borrowed, to explore and discover new adventures. However he always feels tremendously relieved when no one takes him out as his anxiety overwhelms him. Over and over he watches other books go out and some of them come back damaged – or worse, don’t come back at all. What if the same thing happens to him?

Then Emily finds Book. Emily loves the library and books. She’s a bit sad that Book looks kind of sad and faded so she promptly takes him out and shows him the wonderful world outside the library, as well as taking very good care of him.

This is a wonderful way to introduce the topic of uncertainty about new circumstances and that while they may have some small negatives the positives usually outweigh these.

Highly recommended for young readers from around Prep upwards.

LAC

Lessons of a LAC – Lynn Jenkins/Kirrili Lonergan

Exisle Publishing

9781925335828

$19.99

Just because bad things might happen, it doesn’t mean they will.

Psychologist Lynn Jenkins is committed to helping children build emotional resilience and overcome mental hurdles that increase anxiety and worry.

LACs live in their own village and worry about everything. Their entire existence is a whirl of worry. Opposite geographically and mentally, the Calmsters in their village learn how to relax their minds and build positive responses.

When Loppy LAC meets Curly Calmsters he expects the worse but actually finds some solutions to his constant fears and endless concern. This new friendship leads to an unexpected joining of the two clans as they all learn to deal with life without resolutely expecting disasters.

The delightful illustrations are very reminiscent of Dr Seuss whacky style and will have genuine appeal to children. Art activities which combine ‘feelings’ concepts are a very distinct possibility with this one.

Highly recommended for children from around Prep upwards.

Both of these will be on my list for end of year when Preps prepare to move onto to Year 1 and new adventures.

May2

Fearless Frederic – Felice Arena

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9780143786757

Penguin Australia

9780143786757

April 2, 2018

RRP: $16.99

 

In 1910 Paris flooded. A ‘once in a century’ possibility saw the Seine rise to over 30 feet above it’s normal level and the citizens of Paris having to adapt to their city in ways they had never experienced.  For many of them this meant actually evacuating their homes and being housed in makeshift centres across the city.

This new historical novel from Felice narrates the stories of three children, all very different, and their own dramas amid the floodwaters. Frederic lives with his mother since his father was killed in a botched robbery at the Louvre, where he was a security guard. Thierry, the would-be author, is also fatherless – his builder father having died in a construction accident when Thierry was small. Claire, it appears, also has only her mother but there is something odd about the way her mum can never been seen in the shelter.

The children band together to make the most of the drama unfolding around them each day and find themselves in the roles of rescuers and heroes  saving cats, children, horses – and helping track down thieves In the process Frederic uncovers the villains who murdered his father and burns for revenge.

As the narrative unfolds, the personalities (and secrets) of the children, the extraordinary circumstances impacting on them and the growing friendship between them draws the reader further into the adventures of Fearless Frederic and his Floodwater Friends.

Felice has a really deft way of weaving adventure, history and realistic fiction together in a manner that appeals to both genders.

I would highly recommend this for readers from around Year 5 upwards.

 

paris1910flood3