Pigs Might Fly - Brett Avison and Janine Dawson

When it doesn’t stop raining for over a week Bryn’s family find themselves in a bit of a pickle. Their farm is situated right by the river which is rising at an alarming rate. They manage to load the sheep, sows, the goat and the cows into trucks just before the river breaks its banks, but there’s a big problem. Where are the piglets and hen? Ted and young Bryn stay behind to look for them, but by the time Bryn spots the hen asleep on her bed in the shed, it’s too late to make their escape – the road is inundated. Just when Bryn thinks the situation seems hopeless, Ted uncovers his shiny new microlight at the back of the shed. But their wings to freedom are not the only discovery Bryn makes in the shed: six piglets have been hiding there too! What are they to do now? They’re not all going to fit into that tiny plane! Don’t worry, this story has a very happy ending and a brilliantly novel one at that. Bryn, with some help from Oscar the dog come up with a marvellous solution – and a surprise – that will delight any young reader of this charming picture book.

The text, written in rhyming verse, is unpretentious and easy to read aloud (always the definitive test); the storyline is straightforward and free-spirited, with just the right amount of micro-tension and suspense to keep the young reader engaged, invested in discovering the outcome of Bryn’s plight. Janine Dawson’s illustrations, as always, work their magic with the verbal text so that the result is well and truly more than the sum of the parts. Her bold, animative, painterly style amplifies the humour and adds movement and excitement to the overall text. Her characterisation brings a gratifying harmony to the music of the rhyming verse.

 

A thoroughly enjoyable read and a book children and their adults will want to re-visit time and again.

Five Mile Press, 2014

(A version of this review appears in Magpies Vol 29, Issue 2, May 2014)

Amazing Babes: a picture book for kids and adults - Eliza Sarlos and Grace Lee

The first glorious aspect of Amazing Babes that tips you off balance in the most agreeable way is the surprise. When my review copy arrived in the mail, I was about to leave for an appointment; I had a quick look at the cover and the first page opening that simply contains the text, ‘AS I GROW …’ spread over two pages. I thought, Okay, it’s a book about babies, and popped it on my ‘to read’ pile. This book is about babes of a different kind, however, as I later discovered – to my delight. The second page opening contains the text, ‘I want the COURAGE of AUNG SAN SUU KYI’ with a striking illustration of her portrait, painterly, bold and arresting – in line with the simplicity and punch of the text. First tick: clever title – waggish and takes the definition of ‘babe’ to a new level. This book, as the title suggests, draws attention to an amazing array of women from around the world, both from contemporary society and history, who have wrought change by their inspiration, creativity, determination and bravery. The text continues, ‘I want the COMPASSION of MUM SHIRL’ followed by, ‘I want to BREAK THE RULES, like ELIZABETH GARRETT ANDERSON’, a different ‘babe’ to each successive page opening. Some of the other characters in this welcome and exciting addition to the world of literature for young people and adults alike are: Tavi Gevison, publisher of the online magazine, Rookie, and who at 15, had 30, 000 readers of her blog; Miles Franklin, feminist and author; Hedy Lamarr, actress and mathematician; Frida Kahlo, artist; and Malala Yousafzai, young Pakistani activist, who in 2012, survived a gunshot wound to the head and continues work for the rights of all children to an education. The list also includes the lesser known West African activist, Hadijatou Mani; barrister and British political figure, Shami Chakrabarti; and Liberian peace activist, Leymah Gbowee, to name a few.

There is much to love about this important work. It receives an enormous tick for the very idea of it. The text is compelling in its spareness and lexicon, with the ‘I want’ on each page invoking such words and phrases as; ‘moxie’; ‘conviction’; ‘commitment’; ‘vision’; ‘curiosity’; ‘fervour’; ‘feel empowered’; and ‘never lose the excitement of possibility’. The reader is positioned by the intersection of the evocative verbal text and Lee’s powerful illustrations – that adeptly capture an unspoken essence about each woman – to see much more than the sum of the parts. The women are presented as vibrant, strong, and essential. Another welcome surprise comes at the end of the book. During my first read-through, I expected to be researching the characters with whom I was unfamiliar. Sarlos, however, is one step ahead, listing a short biography of each ‘babe’ at the back. This portion of the text is aimed more at the adult or advanced younger reader, with a more sophisticated lexical set and writing style.

 

Amazing Babes is stirring, inspiring and significant. It is a text with the power to be a subversive influence on young and old, female and male alike.

Scribe Books, 2014

(A version of this review appears in Magpies Vol 29, Issue 1, March 2014)

Truly Tan Spooked - Jen Storer and Claire Robertson

Tan Callahan, sneaky sleuth extraordinaire, is back on the job when some suspiciously unusual occurrences around the town grab her attention. What’s happening to the stone animals – ‘stonies’ – in Peppercorn Valley? Why do they keep disappearing – or moving? Who is the stonie thief and what is their motive? Just as well Tan has her two best friends on the case to assist. Molly is visiting from the city for a whole month, and after Tan assures Gloria there is no book written that says you can’t have two best friends, the three immerse themselves in detective work and World Headquarters becomes a hotbed of investigation.

The third in the Truly Tan series, this book is a delight to read and girls in middle primary school will have trouble putting it down. Tan is a charismatic character, immediately likeable, who has a joie-de-vie that is refreshing and attractive. Her spark and vivacity are endearing. She’s positive, pragmatic and blithely unaware of enough undercurrent goings-on to make her character entirely believable. Jen Storer, on a number of occasions, cleverly positions the reader to know more than Tan and sometimes her counterparts, which works a treat in terms of engagement and empathy. Seasoned with humour, the text is splendidly crafted, and the ‘Dear Diary’, list and word-explanation segments add contrast and variety, working to invite the reader for a closer look into Tan’s world. Claire Robertson’s illustrations add warmth and appeal and are a great match for the text.

Truly Tan Spooked! is a winner – heart-warming, jaunty and a joy to read.

Harper Collins, 2013

(A version of this review appears in Magpies Vol 29, Issue 1, March 2014)

Dying to Tell Me - Sherryl Clark

There’s been a lot going on in thirteen-year-old Sasha’s life and a move to Manna Creek with Dad and younger brother, Nicky, is supposed to be a good thing, sort out some of the challenges. But will it? Who wants to start off in a new school as a policeman’s kid, when your father is the only cop in town? Anyway, Manna Creek feels like a ghost town to Sasha – in more ways than one. The weather’s freezing, the streets are deserted – where are the kids her age? – and there is something ghostly and sinister about the old prison cell between the back of the police station and the house. Sasha making a new start after ending up in the Children’s Court in Melbourne might sound like a good idea to Dad, but it’s not going to be straight-forward. When King, a trained police dog, joins the family, Sasha discovers they are able to communicate with each other. Is it because of the bump on the head when she falls in the forest on the first day? Or is it linked to Sasha’s other mysterious ‘abilities’? Will she be able to make sense of all the weird goings on both within herself and in Manna Creek? Will she find the strength to put her ‘gift’ to good use and save a life?

Sherryl Clark has come up with a pacey first-class mystery that keeps you turning the page. Her prose is vigorous and fresh, with plenty of foreshadowing and withholding of detail to rack up the tension. Sasha’s characterisation drives the story forward and engages the reader, positioning them to see the world through her eyes, to share in her struggles and work through her conflictions. Clark creates believable subtext that adds authenticity and depth to Sacha as she begins to come to terms with her own strengths and capabilities. The authentic relationships with her brother and father work well to ground the story and round it out in juxtaposition to her supernatural connections and abilities. The scarcity of detail around Sacha’s relationship with her mother detracts from this, but perhaps Clark will develop this in a sequel.

This book’s closure leaves the reader with lots to wonder about and in many ways feels like a set-up for a series. There is much in place for the reader to accompany Sacha as she continues to work through her unique life challenges and makes Manna Creek her home. How will she fare at school – what friendships will she develop? Will there be a move towards reconciliation with her mother? How will her relationship with King develop, and what of Tangine and Mark Wallace? How will she continue to manifest her 'gift'?

 

A quirky but sensitive coming-of-age story about self-acceptance, courage and overcoming adversity. A gratifying and compelling read.

Sherryl Clark, 2014 (first published Kane Millar US 2011)
Distributed by Dennis Jones and Associates


(A version of this review appears in Magpies Vol 29, Issue 1, March 2014)

The Year my Voice my Life Broke - John Marsden

Tarrawagga is not only a hole, but the hole that the other holes fell into – the kind of town that gave holes a bad name. And not only has Josh ended up living here, he’s ended up living in the most boring street in this boring town. That’s what happens when the firm your parents work for goes belly-up and your family loses all their money and you have to live in your Grandfather’s crappy rental house. Things couldn’t get much worse for Josh; he wants to be back in Abernathy where he was popular among his peers, a leader, a stand-out sportsman – not here in this dump. So it’s not surprising that when he tries a different way of making friends at school by being one of the losers in the playground – both as an unplanned experiment and through abject lack of motivation – his situation doesn’t improve. Especially when Mr Surrey, the PE teacher, decides to have it in for him.

 

But life has a habit of throwing up surprises and Josh is in for his fair share of them. His boring street turns out to be not so boring after all. With the discovery of Harriet who lives next door with her policemen father and uncle, and a pair of eyes staring out from behind the closed blinds of the mysterious house on the other side, Josh ends up with a whole lot to think about, including why there might be a strange man lurking about in the back garden in the middle of the night.

 

If anyone is positioned to lure primary school boys into the pages of a book, it’s John Marsden; he has the ingredients down pat: mystery; adventure – of the bullets-flying-past-your-head kind; a tough time at school; annoying siblings; a fledgling romance; and sport – especially when the whole town’s reputation hangs on the results of a cricket match. Oh, and did I say humour? Lots of wry humour that will go down a treat with this target audience. The Year my Life Broke is about a boy whose ordinary world has shattered and who is thrust into one that is alien in every respect. All that is familiar to him is stripped away, even the seemingly rock-solid identity that has always served to ensure his popularity amongst his peers. Josh is forced to dig deep in order to honour his own integrity, and he does so in the way he knows best, channelling his natural athletic ability into the sportsmanship and team spirit of a climactic cricket match. Another Marsden knock-out. Recommended.

Pan McMillan, 2013
 (A version of this review appears in Magpies Vol 28, Issue 5, November 2013)

Romping Monsters Stomping Monsters - Jane Yolen and Kelly Murphy

Yolen and Murphy are back with another romp for toddlers. After the success of Creepy Monsters, Sleepy Monsters, how could they resist more monster mayhem? This entertaining book about a couple of monsters who set out with their mum on a romping, stomping, escapade in the park will delight its target audience with a sequence of unframed double-page spreads choc-a-block with frolicsome fun. Skylarkery, merriment and boisterous exuberance abound in this book, whose monsters are the sort to have young tots giggling and chuckling rather than worrying about who’s hiding in the cupboard when it’s time for bed. The monsters that populate this story are so fun-loving and waggish the child reader will not mind in the least about their multiple eyes and arms, or their horns or gaping-mouths. Kelly Murphy has imbued her characters with warmth and humour; the slightly muted, colourful illustrations and detail on the page invite the young reader back for a closer look on subsequent returns. (It may take a few returns for the very young child to work out who the main protagonists are – in their orange and yellow – amidst the general monster jollity of each double-page spread.)

The text of Romping Monsters, Stomping Monsters is simple and spare. Rhyming couplets throughout, until the last few pages, Jane Yolen focusses on movement: ‘Monsters stretch. Monsters twirl. Monsters catch. Monsters hurl.’ The emphasis on monster sport and the all-important food scene where the monsters eat giant ice-creams will hold appeal for the target audience. The story ends with the monster siblings having a barney about who gets to go first at the drinking fountain, but all ends well when Mum elicits a ‘sorry’ and the text finishes with, ‘All better now’.

A delightfully whimsical read-aloud story about gambolling monsters and their gleeful shenanigans.

Walker Books, 2013

 (A version of this review appears in Magpies Vol 28, Issue 5, November 2013)

The Nanny Piggins Guide to Conquering Christmas - R.A. Spratt

Nanny Piggins fans will be delighted to hear this rambunctious flying pig is back again, ready to wreak havoc on Christmas. She begins by causing a disruption at the local shopping centre, drawing all their customers away by going into competition in the car park with her Nanny Piggins’ Santa Photography Business. If the photo-shoot itself is not entertaining enough – with options for children to wrestle Nanny Piggins dressed as Santa in her specially designed bright red, fur-trimmed wrestling leotard, or read their present list out to her while being attacked by ninjas – she provides unlimited cake and hot chocolate to those in the line that extends all the way around the block. Next she trounces everyone at the Carols by Candlelight concert by going into competition with Nanny Anne and her choir, modifying the lyrics of the carols to include plenty of references to chocolate cake; tries to save Christmas by taking it upon herself to deliver toys to all the children in the world; has a disappointment with Boxing Day when she turns out in black silk shorts and boxing gloves; and gives the story of Christmas a run for its money when recounting her ancester Yudith Piggins’ priceless version of events when she claims to be midwife at the birth. All this plus Nanny Piggins’ Christmas recipes and tips, holiday fashion advice, games, and letters from Boris the Bear, Mrs Claus and Nanny Piggins herself.

From the moment you open this book you begin chuckling; there is a laugh-out-loud moment on every page. Nanny Piggins is such an outrageously incorrigible character it is impossible not to be drawn in by her impertinence and forthright lack of tact. R A Spratt has come up with a winning cast of characters: the human children in Nanny Piggins’ care, Samantha, Derrick and Michael, who ground the storyline and temper Nanny Piggins’ predilection to hazard-fraught eccentricity; the children’s irresponsible father, who is conveniently absent for much of the time; Nanny Piggins’ brother, a large, sensitive bear, prone to bursting into tears; and the various other Piggins family members prone to bursting through windows to announce their arrival.

It’s a winner. I haven’t enjoyed such an entertaining read in ages. Children will love it. Highly recommended.

Random House  2013
(A version of this review appears in Magpies Vol 28, Issue 5, November 2013)