Violet Mackerel's Remarkable Recovery - Anna Branford

In Violet Mackerel’s Remarkable Recovery Violet comes up with her ‘theory of giving small things’: if someone has a problem and you give them something small, like a stone or a feather, that small thing might have a special way of helping them. Which is just as well. Violet must have a tonsillectomy. When the doctor suggests her voice might sound a little different after the operation, Violet decides she will have the voice of an opera singer and she will sing on the radio. So when Dr Singh gives her a small purple lozenge to help her sore throat, Violet decides it might contain a little bit of his singing name which will be very helpful for her opera voice. And when Violet befriends an old lady called Iris MacDonald in the hospital waiting room, her theory of giving small things takes on a perspective even Violet could not have predicted.

 

The books in this series are absolutely delightful. Anna Branford has created an endearing character, in Violet, whose out-of-the-box thinking is as refreshing as it is amusing. Violet’s mix of creativity and pragmatism make for the types of plots young readers will immediately relate to. And they will love the practical activities and suggestions at the back of the book.

 

Sarah Davis’s winsome illustrations are an exquisite match for the text. This heart-warming series is sure to be a hit. Highly recommended.

 

Walker Books 2010

 

(A version of this review appears in Magpies Vol 26, Issue 2, May 2011)

Violet Mackerel's Brilliant Plot - Anna Branford

Violet Mackerel is a collector of small things. She has a theory that when you have a very important and brilliant idea, you’ll probably find something small and special on the ground at that very moment. So when she finds a small red button at the Saturday market while Mum is busy with her knitting stall, Violet has a very important idea. She’d like to own the small china bird she has seen on a stall near her mum’s. Except there’s a problem. It costs ten dollars. And the man who owns the china bird stall never says hello to Violet, even though he smiles at her. Which is a bit of a puzzle. Fortunately Violet is good at thinking outside the square when it comes to problem solving, because she needs to come up with a brilliant plot if she’s going to buy that china bird. But when her brilliant plot involves turning the back garden into an archaeological dig, Violet is not prepared for the family’s reaction.

The books in this series are absolutely delightful. Anna Branford has created an endearing character, in Violet, whose out-of-the-box thinking is as refreshing as it is amusing. Violet’s mix of creativity and pragmatism make for the types of plots young readers will immediately relate to. And they will love the practical activities and suggestions at the back of the book.

Sarah Davis’s winsome illustrations are an exquisite match for the text. This heart-warming series is sure to be a hit. Highly recommended.

Walker Books 2010

(A version of this review appears in Magpies Vol 26, Issue 2, May 2011)

Rufus the Numbat - David Miller

Life goes on as usual in an ordinary street in an ordinary town – until Rufus the numbat decides to pass through. Then there is disruption on a grand scale. All it takes is one person to be tipped off-balance – well, off their bike, actually – to set in motion a sequence of catastrophes. And does Rufus care? Is he even aware of the trail of discombobulation he’s left behind him? Of course not. For after all, Rufus the numbat loves a quiet life, the songs of birds, the rustle of leaves. He’s only interested in what lies ahead, and maybe a few termites along the way.

As always, David Miller has created another masterpiece with his famous paper sculptures set against pen and ink backgrounds. The whole book has a three-dimensional feel, and Rufus is – exquisite. Make that – adorable.

 

The droll minimalist text works cleverly with the detail of Miller’s illustrations to get the message across. This is a story of slapstick proportions; but it bears a serious message. There is a role reversal here. What would happen if animals infringed on the lives of humans? It makes for lively discussion on the issue of protecting animal habitats and minimising the human footprint on them.

 

Rufus the Numbat is a delightfully endearing book that packs a punch. Recommended.

 

Ford Street Publishing 2010

 

(A version of this review appears in Magpies Vol 25, Issue 4, September 2010)

Always Jack - Susanne Gervay

Jack is twelve years old and an inventor, creator of the famous Ponto – half potato onion. He’s the official photographer for the move to ‘Sea Breeze’ – the new family home, jokester extraordinaire and owner of Hector the rat. He’s Mum’s personal plumber and half of the washing-up-the-dishes super duo (the other half is Rob, stepdad-to-be). His life is going along pretty well, even though he has to put up with a Nanna who keeps buying purple undies for the whole family and whose false teeth do the occasional flip-flop – particularly nasty when they’ve got banana on them. And even though Mum keeps mentioning the wedding word and wants everyone to go shopping for outfits for the big day, Jack can cope. Though he’s not sure about sharing his workshop with Leo, Rob’s son. But Jack’s got his scientific experiments and he has two fantastic friends – Anna and Christopher.

Something happens, however, that turns Jack’s world upside-down. Everything changes when Mum comes home with some disturbing news.

 

Susanne Gervay has written another cracker. Her prose is tight, funny and engaging. Written in the present tense, the story has an immediacy that transports the reader right into the room with Jack. Gervay has a track record for tackling some difficult subject matter. This time around she delves into cancer, blended families and the Vietnam War. She does so, however, with alacrity and sensitivity, drawing the reader in to Jack’s internal world, to experience his emotional ups and downs with him.

The book deals with loss, death, ageing, fear, friendship, community and hope. It is about pulling together and resilience in the face of doubt. Susanne Gervay writes about ordinary life with humour and a freshness that makes this book a delight to read. Recommended.

 

HarperCollins 2010

 

(A version of this review appears in Magpies Vol 25, Issue 4, September 2010)

The Ruby Talisman - Belinda Murrell

Tilly’s life is falling apart. She needs the support of her family and friends, but she is so angry, she’s pushed them away. How can she bear to visit her father, who has left to be with Bunny and her three children? And why should she have to look after her annoying younger brother, who probably drove Dad away in the first place? Mum is always on her back to do jobs around the house and Tilly’s school friends are beginning to exclude her. Even her fencing coach has warned she must not let her anger get the better of her.

 

A visit to Aunt Kara’s, however, when Mum goes away for a few days, sets Tilly on a course she could never have dreamed of. Or could she?

 

When Tilly complains about having to do a history assignment on the French Revolution, Aunt Kara searches out a family heirloom – a beautiful ruby pendant – and relates to Tilly the story of her French ancestry. She is surprised to hear she has been named after Amelie-Mathilde-Louise-de Montjoyeuse, and that Mathilde – her real name – means “battle mighty”, like a courageous warrior.

 

That night, when Tilly realises she is still wearing the pendant and rubs its fiery surface, she falls into a deep and graphic dream about Amelie-Mathilde. The following night, after spending all day researching the French Revolution with renewed vigour, something very peculiar happens: the troubled Tilly timeslips into the eighteenth century where she tries to help Amelie-Mathilde and her cousin Henri – both of the French aristocracy – escape the terrors of the Revolution. Poor Amelie, though she lives in the opulence of the Palace of Versailles with her aunt and uncle, must marry the horrible old Chevalier. She wishes that someone could rescue her.

 

This is the story of three companions, who find themselves, along with their monkey and dog, in the middle of a dangerous adventure that pits them against the might of an ugly and terrifying uprising. Belinda Murrell has certainly done her homework. The story is jam-packed with facts about the French Revolution and life of the times. There is even a glossary of French words at the beginning and “Fast Facts on the French Revolution” at the end. There is a sense that Murrell has tried too hard to squeeze in all of her research, which translates into some overwriting, but even so, she takes the reader on a thrilling ride through the putrid streets of Paris and French countryside of 1789 as Tilly, with her knowledge of the future, tries to persuade her new friends to leave France for the safety of England.

 

This book should be enjoyed by girls in their early teens. It deals with the themes of loss, resilience, tenacity, friendship and hope.

 

Random House 2010

 

(A version of this review appears in Magpies Vol 25, Issue 4, September 2010)

Alex and the Watermelon Boat - Chris McKimmie

Rabbit, Alex’s favourite stuffed toy, has hopped out the window and gone missing. It has been raining so much the river has burst its banks and Alex’s mother has warned him not to go outside. But what can Alex do? He must find Rabbit – and so he sets out in his watermelon boat.

Reading a Chris McKimmie picture story book is like dipping into a dreamscape with all the richness of its symbolism blended with the quirkiness of a story that is pure celebration of imagination. Each double-page spread is a feast of activity to stir the senses and to spur creative thought, to invoke the reader’s sense of connection to universal experience. Everything on the page works to drive the story forward. And this includes the font, which McKimmie has made an integral part of the marriage between text and illustrations. To emphasise the wet weather, for example, the word ‘raining’ appears vertically, in groups, strategically placed in the shape of rain; the word ‘overflowing’ drips over the line; and ‘heavy’ and ‘big’ are large and bolded.

The illustrations – enticing, poignant, humorous and created in McKimmie’s characteristic naïve style – invite the eye to roam the page for further meaning and extra detail, often adding subtext to the story. As with all of McKimmie’s books, each page is to peruse, to ruminate over, never to turn quickly – even the double page spread of Alex in his watermelon boat ‘in the red misty mountains, somewhere between here and there, in the middle of nowhere’ followed by the dark wash of ‘And then all the lights in the world went out’. (And haven’t we all been in that foreboding place sometime in our lives?)

The story, inspired by McKimmie’s experiences in Brisbane during the floods of January 2011, is true-to-life, engaging, touching, and tempered by delightfully witty humour. Younger children will enjoy looking for clues on each page, eager to help Alex in his search for signs of Rabbit. This is a book that will provide rich opportunity for discussion between adult and child – especially those who have experienced a flood. Like all of McKimmie’s books, it is a story children will return to often.

Allen&Unwin 2012

Possum Tale - Lucienne Noontil

When Mum possum decrees the family home is getting too squishy and that it’s time for Rusty to go and find a room of his own, his quest for alternative accommodation turns out to be fraught with some unexpected surprises. When you’re only a little ringtail, and you’ve set out by yourself for the first time, all your worldly belongings in your backpack, the world can be a scary place. Especially when the home you find turns out to be occupied by something much bigger and fiercer than you. When Rusty’s search for somewhere to live ends up being a tougher venture than he thought, with frightening encounters and some cold, lonely nights, poor Rusty is nearly ready to give up. But that’s just when his luck changes.

 

Possum Tale is a story about vulnerability, adventure, persistence and hope. Lucienne has cleverly provided the subtext of the story through the pen and ink and watercolour illustrations, delightful and sure to appeal to both children and adults. Rusty, depicted on the front cover, sporting blue backpack and clinging apprehensively to a gumtree branch, is an irresistible hook. With its rhyming verse and eye-catching art work, this is a book that any child will want to return to time and again.

 

Avant Press 2009