More Picture Book Feasts

And more ...

All Through The Year Jane Godwin & Anna Walker (Penguin)
Gorgeous illustrations and a gorgeous text make this a gorgeous book.
It is the reflection of a very Australian year as seen through the eyes of a girl from an ordinary family. her reflections are about the weather, her family, school, falling leaves, feasts and festivities like Easter egg hunting and Mother's Day preparations (in May of course), end of year school concert nights and much more. Each double page spread is the home of a month and is written in a wonderful rhyme and told with appropriate voice of the child. The illustrations are rich with the characters and the environment changing appropriately, and the book cover is padded - making this even more of a treat. And don't miss the end papers ... they too reflect change.

Plato the Platypus Plumber (Part-Time) Hazel Edwards & John Petropoulos (IP Kidz)
Water and a platypus ... that goes together very well.
Plato the platypus plumber is a quirky new picture book from the prolific Hazel Edwards. This platypus is a part time plumber who fixes all manner of water problems for his human friend Zanzibar whose family is repairing a run down house by the creek. When the shower hose in the bath breaks, or when the toilet gets blocked while dad is sitting on it ... it is Zanzibar who swims to the rescue. He also brings other special tools in his tool-kit like Smile Spray for grumpy people. This story, with its well crafted message about the importance of water, and the small side lines about feral animals, drought, and the environment, is a delight.
Also available is the Teachers' Guide and the Classroom Performance Script as free downloads from the website.

Shake A Leg Boori Monty Pryor & Jan Ormerod (Allen&Unwin)
This is a super book with a wonderful story and illustrations in comic strip frame format that is (as the back cover says) a joyous celebration of food, dance and cultural understanding.
Three hungry young boys stop in at Bertie's Pizzeria in far north Queensland and meet Bertie - an Aboriginal chef who speaks Italian and makes the best pizza in town. And while Bertie makes the boys a pizza he also tells stories, stories of a boy who didn't listen, and boys who went hunting for honey.
Woven in with these stories are the cultural understandings as Bertie reveals Aboriginal culture in the hunting, music, dance and spirituality. As written in the acknowledgement this book most definitely shows the beauty and colour of this ancient culture in a new way!
See the clip here.

Monkey Red Monkey Blue Nicki Greenberg (Allen&Unwin)
Bold strong colours and photographic images with a simple and quirky text make this a fun book to share with the very young.
Like many children Monkey Red and Monkey Blue don’t want to go bed. Instead they want to stay up so their friend chameleon suggest having a midnight feast ... and that’s when the chaos begins as the two monkey, with a little help from chameleon gather the food, popcorn, spaghetti, pancakes, sauce and more and put it all together with a cherry on top. Of course the end result is a mess when chameleon gets just a little too enthusiastic!

Chill Carol Thompson (Little Hare)
Dolly and Jack are best friends. Some days they are quiet together and other days they totally chaotic ... and make them laugh. One day the two friends decide to paint picture of each other - except that neither friend is impressed with each other’s portrait. The best friends are no longer friends any more and each of them gets MAD ... and then each of them gets Sad. But with a bit of deep breathing and counting to ten the fallen out friends are soon best friends again.
Lovely story and illustrations.

Princess and Fairy: Twinkly Ballerinas Anna Pignataro (Scholastic)
Another gorgeous Princess and Fairy "Look and Find" book that will be adored by all the little fairy and ballerina girls - especially with all the pink glitter on the cover and the final pages of the book!!
Princess and Fairy - two cute bunnies - have been invited to attend the Ballet Frou-Frou. First they have to travel through different lands to find the tiems on their list, hidden in the illustrations. The book includes a pullout invitation and list of ballet related items to be found on the pages throughout this book.
Written in rhyming verse, and with each double page spread overflowing with delicate illustrations, this is another that will be read and poured over time and time again.

More coming soon.....

A Picture Book feast!

So many gorgeous new picture books ... here are some:

Our World; Bardi-Jaawi Life at Ardiyooloon One Arm Point Remote Community School (Magabala Books)

If you want to see inside the life of a remote aboriginal community then Our World - Bardi-Jaawi Life at Ardiyooloon is the perfect book to investigate.

Full of colour and wonderful words it looks at the children of this aboriginal community and celebrates the connection of the BARDI-JAAWI people to the land and the sea. there are wonderful photographs of the children and other people in the community as well as artwork by the children and delightfully written text. there are explanations and a pronunciation guide for some of the bardi words included as well as explanation of some of the camping, fishing and hunting activities, a Bardi kinship chart and many more insights into this community. Ardiyooloon is at the top of the Dampier Peninsula, 200km north of Broome in the north-west of Western Australia. This is a book to be explored and enjoyed.

The Legend of The Golden Snail Graeme Base (Penguin)

A Graeme Base book is always a feast of reading and exploration of the intricate artwork and this one continues that long tradition for there will be continued re-reading and continued re-examination of the so richly created artwork.

The Legend of the Golden Snail is Wilbur's favourite book. he loves hearing it read to him. It fills his mind with endless possibilities and imaginations so much so that Wilbur decides to set out on a mission to free The Golden Snail for it has been banished to the ends of the earth only to be released if a new master is found. Along the way Wilbur makes friends with a cat, a monstrous sea creature, a bush of blossoming butterflies, and lantern-fish.

Of course there are also hidden snail 'n' crossbones images to find in every picture that will surely encourage a closer look!

And dont forget to check out the clip.

Feathers for Phoebe Rod Clement (HarperCollins)
Like all of Rods books this one is a joy wit hilarious text and rich vibrant illustrations.

A small, grey and not often noticed little bird wants very much to be noticed, to stand out in the crowd ... just like Zelda and Zelda is only tooo happy to transform Phoebe for she runs the most popular beauty salon in the forest. so the transformation beings, starting at the top and working right through her 'look' with feather extensions and added crests, moves, songs and colours and more. unfortunately for Phoebe each added transformation leaves phoebe unnoticed and it also makes it a little more difficult to walk and fly and just get around until eventually the all the added extras are just to much for little phoebe.

I Don't Believe In Dragons Anna Walker (Scholastic)

"I can see a dragon," says miss may. Everyone in kindergarten can see a dragon ... everyone except jack. Jack doesn't believe in dragons. While all the children ask questions or ponders dragon possibilities when a feather or apple skin is found or a strange sound is heard, jack provides a real-world reason for the possibility even though reading the story we can see that there is a dragon present until jack makes a discovery.

A delightful story and pictures with a beautiful, lovely, friendly dragon that dragon-lovers everywhere will adore.

More to follow.

More Junior Fiction Series titles.

Two more junior reads. Both books have well spaced text, ample illustrations, and short fun chapters or entries. Both will be especially appealing to girls.

Harriet Bright Holiday Hullabaloo Craig Claire & Melanie Feddersen (Penguin)

The Harriet Bright books are fun to read and this continues the tradition with four delightful holiday-time stories.

Harriet Bright loves poetry and she is going to have the best holiday ever and Christmas is very nearly here! But there are 6480 seconds (Harriet knows because she calculated it) before she is allowed to get out of bed. She promise, promise, promised, her mother that she wouldn't get out of bed until 7 am so she takes out her notebook and writes down some good ideas to pass the time.

Other stories include the 'being bored' story, and the summer holiday friend that comes by (who causes a whole heaps of trouble for Harriet), and the best holiday story ever - starring Harriet Bright and her best friend Melly ... and a camel, and a pyramid and more.

The three Harriet Bright books, all have short stories with light illustrations, highlighted text ... and of course there are poems scattered throughout! Delightful reads. See the website for more including a Christmas competition and poetry entries.

Musical Mayhem - The Fabulous Diary of Persephone Pinchgut Aleesah Darlison & Serena Geddes (New Frontier)

This new series stars Persephone Pinchgut and her sister Portia, identical twins who are opposites in so many ways, but, as regularly happens with twins who are also often compared. Persephone is sensible and shy, Portia is glam and good a most everything (including losing her strawberry lip gloss) so Persephone writes this personal secret diary with her innermost secrets to have something of her very own. In Musical Mayhem the dreaded school musical has been announced - at least Persephone thinks it is a disaster. Portia though cant wait for she will take the lead of the Princess - so she hopes. Throughout the story Persephone writes about her 'twin troubles' and especially of her twin's teasing but in the end the two girls move from 'twin troubles' to 'totally together twins'.

Written in diary form with well spaced text and lovely simple line illustrations scattered throughout the Totally Twins series will be enjoyed by young girls.

Also available is Model Mayhem.
These are fun reads. Enjoy!

More Junior Fiction

More titles in new or exisitng series for yougner readers. These are just terrific reads.

Tiger Trouble Justin D'Ath (Penguin)
The Extreme Adventures titles have been a great series and this is the latest instalment.

Sam Fox and his family are in New Delhi and one moment he is watching a cricket match and then the next Sam is chasing a pick pocket who has stolen his backpack which had been sitting at his feet in the stand. In this backpack was a cricket ball - autographed by the whole Australian cricket team and Sam couldn't let it go! And it doesn't take long before Sam is caught up in an international animal smuggling ring with wild tiger cubs as trade. Soon Sam is confronting a maharaja, a king cobra, adult wild tigers, guns and a whole lot of trouble.

Violet Mackerel's Brilliant Plot Anna Branford & Sarah Davis (Walker Books)

This is a beautiful early reader book for young girls with short chapters, generously spaced words and with lovely illustrations that are on nearly every page.

Violet Mackerel is a girl with a theory that she calls the Theory of Finding Small Things because whenever you are thinking of something very important and brilliant you will find something small and special on the ground! She also believes that when you want something really, really important, then ordinary plans are no good - you need a brilliant plot. When Violet decides that she would like to get the blue china bird that costs a lot of money that she sees at the markets her family attends every Saturday, she spies a little red button on the ground. Now she knows that a brilliant plot is called for.
This is a lovely story, delightfully told, with sweet illustrations.
See the Violet Mackerel website for the newsletter, lots of activities and a holiday competition.

Early Reading Chapter Books

Here is a collection of early reader chapter books .... just perfect for readers who have moved to their first 'real' book with many illustrations and large print.

Mr Badger and The Big Surprise Leigh Hobbs (Allen&Unwin)

I love these books. Great for read-alouds.

This is a new series of short chapter books by the hugely talented Leigh Hobbs, the creator of the Old Tom series. These books are a treat and absolutely engrossing with well structured text and generous illustrations - tipped with Leigh's humour!

In this first title we are introduced to Mr Badger and his friends and discover the world of the Boubles (pronounced Boublay) Grand Hotel, a splendid old London hotel. Mr badger is in charge of special events at the hotel and he is preparing for the seventh birthday party of the seriously spoilt granddaughter of the hotel owners. Miss Sylvia Smothers-Carruthers' is having 205 of her closest friends to the party AND her invitations included the words DO NOT FORGET TO BRING A PRESENT! Fun and chaos happens at this party!

Also available Mr Badger and the Missing Ape.

Boy VS Beast Battle Of The Borders #5 : Tempesta Mac Park (Scholastic)

The first 4 titles in the Boy vs Beast belonged to Battle of the Worlds - now it is time for Battle of the Borders. This time the beasts that are attacking have changed - now they are combo beasts and the five boys who are the Border Guards must defend the border wall.

A storm beast has been created. There is a lightning storm but no rain and now it is up to Kai and his Jet-Charge to fight the beast and defend the border in Tempesta.

Also available now in the Battle Of The Borders series, Sludgia, Isolus and Volcan

Two new titles in the Mates series. These books have full colour illustrations and short simple, fun text.

Tomato Sauce, Of Course! Moya Simmons & Jim Grimwade (Scholastic)
The Aussie Tomato Sauce company has stopped making Aussie tomato sauce - the only tomato sauce that Tammy likes ... and that she eats all the time - even on ice cream when her mum and dad aren't looking! But a day at the beach, a huge shark and Tammy's last remaining bottle of Aussie tomato sauce that is worn around her neck like a pendant saves the day! What happens to the tomato sauce?

Also available Crikey! Jane Carroll & Chris Edser

Castle of The Zombies Sean Williams & Nial O'Connor (Scholastic)

This is the first title in a new fantasy series created just for junior readers. The text is well paced and not too large and there are full page black and white illustrations throughout the book.

Ollie has moved to a new street but things there were not quite right, The air wasn’t right. Neither was the light. The trees looked different And it smelled like ..... and on top of all of that Ollie find access to another world when he crosses the door threshold one night when a guy holding a giant fork confronts Ollie one night! In this new world Ollie meets the despicable Lord Wight who wants to take over everything!

also available Planet of the Cyborgs.

Two new titles in the Battle Boy series. These are great fast paced books with lots of action - perfect for boys who are reluctant readers and for readers who enjoy history and adventure ... and there are great gadgets too.

White War (Battle Boy #9) Charlie Carter & Russell Jeffery (PanMacmillan)
It's Christmas Day and Battle Boy's latest adventure lands right in the middle of the First World War on the Western Front in the middle of No Man's Land.
This mission is so top secret that not only has Battle Boy not been told what his mission is but even Battle Boy's Skin doesn't know what is happening! And the person that Battle Boy meets is someone so very special to him he will be very, very amazed!

Also available: Mission 10 - Caveman Bash

Cooking and giggling!!!

Here are a two non-fiction titles that are sure to be popular ... a great kid's cookbook and a joke book!

Stew A Cockatoo, My Aussie Cookbook Ruthie May & Leigh Hobbs (Little Hare)

With cooking shows being a star this book is wonderfully well timed. This is just perfect for kids to read and to investigate and then to jump into the kitchen. Mum's and dad's beware - the kids are set to take over the kitchen. As the introduction says ... this is a book for the whole family - kids and oldies alike, full of old-time recipes, with a few new ones added in.

There are recipes for Bush-Pig fairy Bread, Lamingtons, banana benders (especially for the chocoholics), even BBQ burgers.

The book also has terrific Leigh Hobbs illustrations that will bring on more than a few giggles, and to give it an authentic Aussie voice (as if Dinky-di meat Pie wasn’t enough) slang like "arvo-tea" and “fair dinkum" are added. For the purely Aussie twist to chocolate crackles - Roo Doo in a Patty Case is a must. Ripper mate!

365 Awesome Aussie Jokes (Scholastic)

Here is a book with a joke for every day of the year ... so be warned. If you give this book as a present this year expect to be hit with a joke or two every day.

What Aussie bird is a master chef? A cook-aburra!

What do you get when you cross a kangaroo with sheep? A woolly jumper!

Why did the cockatoo sit on the clock? So he would be on time!

This book is the annual joke book that supports the wonderful work of Camp Quality ... and just in case your young readers have a joke that is not in here there is also the web or postal address where they can submit jokes that might just end up being published in next year's joke book.

Cook up a treat and giggle as you do with these two books!

Picture Books about Friendship and more....

 These are wonderufl picture books for young children, great for sharing and reading aloud. Some are also filled with giggles too.

I Found a Friend and My Friend Found Me Beth Norling (Penguin)

Every child wonders about finding friends and every child finds that first friend. Then when they are found there are the great times that friends share and also the not so good times that happen - often from misunderstanding ... or by accident. This book is about just that - finding friends, making friends, things friends do and then how they fall out of friendship and are just fine doing things without their special friend, until they realise all the things they miss doing with their special friend. And of course the little sorry word pops in too!

A lovely story with equally delightful illustrations.

The Cocky Who Cried Dingo Yvonne Morrison & Heath McKenzie (Little Hare)

This is a pure Aussie retelling of the classic Aesop fable, the boy who cried wolf, this time told in wonderful rollicking verse! And great for discovering our colourful Aussie birds!

Cocky is so very cheeky.

Cocky loves to play tricks on the other birds and when the other birds discover the pranks they are furious with Cocky - and tell him so. Each time Cocky is humbled and very apologetic. Eventually Cocky's cries of I'm trapped in the jaws of a big hairy dingo and are ignored by the others and this time he really is in trouble as all the other birds ignore Cocky's cries of distress. When cocky does escape, although not completely unharmed, he still plays tricks, but never mean ones! Or does he?

The Tall Man and the Twelve Babies Tom Niland Champion, Kilmeny Niland & Deborah Niland (Allen&Unwin)

In a tiny apartment in a big city lives a tall man with twelve babies with the boys called Alistair and the girls were called Charlene. When they were all happy they laughed and when they were angry they all yelled. One day, frustrated with the craziness of the babies, the tall man scoops up the Charlene’s and the cat and steps outside only to have the wind blew the door shut. So the tall man tries to squeeze through the cat-flap ... only to get stuck and be pushed and pulled by the Charlene’s an the Alistair’s until eventually he is free.

A lovely quirky tale with absolutely delightful illustrations that require second investigations.

Noni the Pony Alison Lester (Allen&Unwin)

Books by Alison are always a treat and worthy of multiple investigations and this new title, written in rhyming verse, does likewise.

Noni is a pony. Noni's friends are Dave Dog and Coco the Cat. They enjoy playing games together and even with her speed Noni always makes sure her friends stay together. And when thunder scares her friends Noni tells them a story to help them be brave.

This is a beautiful book about caring, sharing and friendship.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice Tom Skinner & Annie White (New Frontier)

A young sorcerer's apprentice who is told NOT to practise magic on his own does just that when the master has to go out. of course the spells cast by the apprentice don't quite work out as they should and the chaos develops.

In 1897 the wonderful classical piece of music - the Sorcerer’s Apprentice was created, based upon a poem by Goethe and this book - with accompanying CD is the 2010 creation. Part of the music box series it is a fantastic way to open minds to the wonders of classical music.

The Very Itchy Bear Nick Bland (Scholastic Press)

The very cranky bear is back and this time he is ITCHY! This hilarious story, great for reading aloud, about one very big bear and one very small flee and the friendship these two create.

Bear is sitting alone on a log, reading. Flea is close by. Flea bites bear, as fleas do, not to be impolite, but to say hello. Of course a biting flea to a bear is not very comfortable and soon he is being bitten everywhere. bear's only escape is to jump into sea in the hope of getting rid of flea, but flea bites him just to remind him he is still there. So when bear finds flea he flicks him way out to see - and now that bear is all alone, he is frightened floating on the sea but at the same time concerned for flea’s survival ... all of which means that bear ends up rescuing flea and in the end the two of them go everywhere with flea biting bear no longer.

Just delightful books.

Perfect Fiction for Younger Readers

Here are some recent delightful titles for the younger readers just starting out on that journey into the world of fiction titles.

The Lost Treasure Jan Stradling & Cassandra Allen (Walker Books)

A fun piratical adventure about two pirates, one good and one bad and about the thrill of a pirate's life - treasure.

The bad pirate - Hamish who also doesn't like water and caring for people finds a message in a bottle and sets sail for the island. Pirate Ruby, the good pirate wasn't interested in the treasure nearly as much -- she wanted to help the person (who happened to be another pirate) who stuffed the message in the bottle. On the island the two pirates offer to help jack find the treasure - if only Jack could remember where he hid the treasure! And like all good piratical adventures, the treasure is found, although not quite the usual way.

Part of the Walker Stories series, first fiction titles with three short stories.

These two titles are in Puffin's Aussie Nibbles series (again short stories richly illustrated for readers just starting to tackle their very first chapter books)

A Strange Little Monster Sue Whiting & Stephen Michael King (Puffin)

This is a gorgeous book about being different and loving it!

In the twisty trees of Grotty Hollow live the Grotty Hollow Monsters - and they loved scaring - especially trolls and goblins!! It can be a very noisy rumbly place when all the Grotty Hollow monsters are out and active for most were loud and rough! But Sasha was different. Her favourite time was the quiet early morning and she loved playing her flute -- which made her parents very upset. So Sasha sets out to be just like the other Grotty Hollow monsters her parents are delighted. But When a troll comes close to the Hide and Go Scare Games a little secret is revealed about trolls and music that makes Sasha a very special little monster.

Rosie and Ned and the Creepy Cave Meredith Costain & Tina Burke (Puffin)

Rosie and Ned are back and this time ned has to be exceptionally brave to save his friend Rosie.

When Rosie and Ned head off to Ghost Gum Creek, near Nellie McGinty's place, Ned knows it is not a good idea because Nellie McGinty has a very bad reputation with all the kids at their local school. They all say that Nellie is a witch with a warty chin and she casts witchy spells. Rosie convinces Ned and the two make it to the creek but when heavy rain starts they head for a cave to seek shelter. And that's when they get trapped. But when Rosie twists her ankle trying to find a way out in the cave that is filling with water it’s up to Ned to remove the rocks and go and get help. And the only nearby help is Nellie. What will Ned do?

And for those slightly readers who are more confident there is the following title in Puffin's Aussie Bites series

Sophie's Salon Anna Branford & Cheryl Orsini (Puffin)

A lovely title about friendships and dreams.

Sophie loves being a hairdresser, helping out at Madam Tulip's salon after school and she loves learning to create terrific hairdos - even when the mean girls at school call them hair don'ts.

Her best friend Melita loves ballet and when she gests the role of Odette in Swan Lake the two girls are thrilled. But Melita is soon forging friendships with the other ballet girls and when Sophie and Melita have an argument, life in the school is very different and not so pleasant for Sophie. But when the hairstylist sprains her wrist on the night of the performance it is Sophie, with a little help from Madam Tulip who save the night and so ... things are worked out in the end!

Have fun sharing these great aussie titles.

Terrific Series Titles

For younger and older readers here are books that they will surely enjoy.

Series books are great, especially because if the readers enjoy the title they will want the next one.

For independent readers:

August (Conspiracy 365 #8), Gabrielle Lord (Scholastic)

6 August, 148 days to go ....

10.32 am

Overpowering fear and worry about Gabbi had me pacing the room, desperately looking around for an escape. Together with the loss of the Ormond Riddle and the Ormond Jewel, and the long hours of boredom, it took everything I had not to start kicking the door and screaming my head off.

But the days I spent in this room had helped me get clear about one thing: I had to get away from this hospital .....

Callum is trapped underground, buried alive, and his friends Boges and winter are trying to find where he has been buried.

This is a fantastic read. The titles (and this is number 8 in the series, naturally) are absolutely absorbing reads. Kids - especially boys, love the adventure and the fast paced action. There is always a twist or a turn in every book and of course the reader is left wondering what is going to happen to Callum in September!

Excalibur (The Dragons #2), Colin Thompson (Random House)

Hooray -- for the wonderful Days of yore have begun. Peace has settled and dragons are no longer at war with humans for Brat, the false old king of Book 1 has been deposed. He is now a lowly kitchen hand and not very happy. He escapes of course and wants to return the kingdom to the Dark Ages, with the aid of Bloat, a teenage dragon.

On the run as a highwayman with a big walking potato, all covered in cuts and bruises, they snaffle another king’s daughter riding to the celebrations at the palace, who isn't so princess like and takes over the gang making her own trouble along the way. So Sir Lancelot, Morgan le Fey and vampire set out to make sure no ill comes to the celebrations.

A fun read that will really suit kids who like crazy humour and impossible happenings.

For younger readers:

Great for younger readers just moving away from picture books and wanting to move to the next level. Both these titles have simple text and wonderfully vibrant full-page illustrations.

Pearlie in Central Park Wendy harmer & Gypsy Taylor (Random House)

Pearlie is not in Jubilee Park this time. Now she is in Central park New York where it is cold and snow and freezing. she has come to stay with Crystal (another fairy), arranged by Queen Emerald but when she arrives a grey squirrel is waiting with a note for Pearlie. Crystal has gone on holidays and is leaving Pearlie to run all of Central park - which is much bigger than what Pearlie is used to. She needs a place to stay and to help the squirrels find food but how? An ice show might just do the trick!

The Pearlie books are heaps of fun and loveable!

Danger in Redwitch Villa (Belmont And The Dragon #4) Robin Gold & Mike Zarb (Random)

They're back, Belmont, a would-be knight and a chicken of a dragon and this time they have to save Old York from an explosive destruction!

Three Beastly Bedraggled Batniks have stolen a top-secret compound called Kablooey for the Boss, tripping over Belmont along the way (who doesn't recognise them at all). Belmont soon discovers that the compound can blow solid matter into itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny pieces.

Who is the Boss? Will Belmont and the dragon escape? Will the Kablooey for kablooey? All will be revealed.



And these two titles have a little more depth and are fun reads too:

Kumiko and the Dragon's Secret Briony Stewart (UQP)
Kumiko has a guardian, Tomodo, a dragon. Her family is of dragon heritage and so have great powers and the Shadow Catchers, spirits of the earth who want to add dragon powers to their own, have discovered this family secret.
When her sister is kidnapped by the Shadow Catchers, even the dragons are powerless to stop them for they cannot let their magic get too close. Only Kumiko can save her sister and defeat the shadow catchers. But first she must convince the dragons that she alone can do it and then she has to descend from the clouds and find her sister ... all without being caught by the Shadow Catchers.

Making Waves (EJ12: #7) Susannah McFarlane (Scholastic)
School girl Emma jacks is also Special Agent EJ12 who cracks codes and foils evil plans all over the world. She receives text messages on her mobile phone and when she does she has to get to the last cubicle in the toilets which will transport her to SHINE's headquarters where she can begin her special agent assignment to battle the evil agents of SHADOW.
At school Emma Jacks is nervous about the school swimming carnival and swimming in deep water but when she gets a text message from SHINE and she finds out that SHADDOW are making waves and the coral reef is in danger EJ12 is quickly into action. But how will a secret agent who is nervous of the school swimming carnival save the reef?


For beginning readers:

Rascal Runs Away Paul Jennings & Bob Lea (Penguin)

This series of small story books are designed for beginning readers. It has simple clear illustrations and a single line of text running across the bottom of each page.

Rascal is a small dragon and the world of this book dragons are just like pet dogs. When Rascal runs away from his home a crazy chasing game follows. He is soon captured but the fun continues when he is taken to the Stray Dragons’ Home because he escapes again -- soon everyone around wants Rascal and is in hot pursuit.

Finally, after gathering many chasers, Dragon makes his way back to the Home for Stray Dragons and not only is Rascal reunited with Ben but the chasers all find dragon pets too.

Language FUN!

This book deserves a post all of its own....

The Return of the Word Spy : A Funny and Fantastic Voyage into Language, Grammar and Beyond... Ursula Dubosarsky & Tohby Riddle (Penguin)

I adored the first book and this one is just as much fun. I learnt more wordy information too in this books which is all about the joy of sharing the love of language.

Last time it as a discovery of the english langauge and espeically words. .. this time we venture with the Word Spy to discover language and grammar ... learning about it has never been this much fun!

Discover information about language; extinct languages, endangered languages, new languages and silent languages - there is even a braille alphabet that you can feel! And then there is grammar, and the explanation the meaning of verbs, adjectives, articles, conjuctions, prepositions and so much more. There is even information on obsolete words. And as with the Word Spy there are puzzles to solve, and this time twelve words to find - to make this even more fun!!!

This book is a delight with surprises at every page turn.

Enjoy....

Great reads of fiction....

Thai-Riffic! Oliver Phommavanh (Penguin)

If you are ready for lots of giggles (but then what would you expect from a comedian) then this is a book to read.

Albert (Lengy) Lengviriyakul is Thai. His parents run a Thai restaurant called - Thai-riffic!! Albert wants to be an ordinary kid and fit in, after all he has just started year 7 at high school but his parents have other ideas, like making him wear t-shirts that advertise the restaurant) complete with baby photo of Albert), pushing a shopping trolley full of discounted toilet paper! A cultural day at school finds Albert’s parents bringing their Thai dishes to school which Albert tries to sabotage but things don't quite work out as planned and soon the orders are flowing in! When Albert and his best friend finally complete a school project on Thailand Albert realises that maybe being Thai is not too bad after all!

For independent readers.

Takeshita Demons Cristy Burne & Siku (Frances Lincoln)

Are you afraid of ghosts and evil spirits, or the black space under your bed? If you are then put this book down right away and start another.

These are the first words of this title and just wanted me to keep on reading. this is a wonderful book full of action and adventure with creepy demons from Japan that have followed her family all the way from Japan to the UK - worse still the replacement teacher at her new school happens to be the demon Nukekubi a bloodthirsty demon who can turn into a flying head (by unzipping its body at night) and whose favourite snack is children - and it wants to destroy Mika to prevent her learning about the power her grandmother has taught her. To do so the demon visits Miku's house and steals her younger brother forcing Miku and her best friend to face the demons to rescue her brother ... but can she?

For independent readers

Water Geoff Havel (Scholastic)

This title is full of suspense, surprises, twists throughout - and an amazing secret! a great book for older readers.

Tully's father has very strict rules that include stay clear of strangers and never go near the water. When Tully's father has failed to arrive home one night she is kidnapped by a mysterious stranger and taken to a distant scientific lab - where she finds out the secret about who she really is. There are others who are just like Tully ... exactly like Tully for Tully has been genetically engineered and is able to survive under water. Now that Tully has experienced the water she can never go back to her earlier life - but she and the others like her must escape!

Now Morris Gleitzman (Penguin)

I can't believe I haven’t listed this book before - for it is one that I couldn't put this book down and is possible one of the best i have read all year. This is a powerful and emotive read - a book of hope!!

This title Now is the final book in the series that began with Once and Then - books that were moving stories of survival during the holocaust.

Now is set, today and in this book Felix, a retired surgeon in his later years, is the grandfather of Zelda. He has achieved great things in his life, the promise he made to become the best human being he can be has come to fruition. His childhood memories, once buried come alive again when his granddaughter Zelda comes to stay. This time the holocaust is the recent Victorian bushfires - vividly portrayed. Throughout the book Felix reflects on his life long ago and Zelda on her life today. This time Felix and Zelda have to fight to survive and to confront their demons … bullies at school and bullies of the past.

This book for independent readers is shortlisted for the Guardian Children's Fiction prize 2010.

Morris' dedication: For all the children who never had the chance to do their best.

Grab a book and enjoy the read!

Unputdownable Fiction

All these novels are new and I couldn't put them down.

The Red Wind Isobelle Carmody (Viking)
This is the first title in the Kingdom of the Lost series, a delightful fantasy series written for younger readers.
Two brothers live in the middle of a vast bare plain in their simple stone cottage, with gardens and household items crafted with their own hands. In autumn every year the elder brother Zluty travels to the northern forests to gather supplies of mushrooms, tree sap and honey that the two will need to endure the long hard winter on the plain. The younger brother Bily meanwhile nervously waits at home for his brother to return. But this trip a devastating Red Wind sweeps across the land being with it much destruction and torment, destroying everything in its path, including the brother's cottage on the plains. Bily survives by hiding with his animal friends in the cellar, along with a terrifying monster, while Zluty endures the torrential rain and fights to survive! United the two, with their cottage destroyed and little to no food for them to survive the coming winter, must decide what to do.

Get a Grip Cooper Jones Sue Whiting (Walker Books)
Cooper Jones has never known his dad. He lives with his mum (who is mad keen on joining the Women's circus aerial troupe (no matter how embarrassing that is to Cooper) in a small coastal town near the bush close to the beach (and the surf which he wont swim in). and things are changing. He constantly thinks of the father he has never known, he even starts searching the internet for his father, and now things seem different between him and his mother ... especially now that he's taller then her. Life is getting complicated and is no longer simple. Then Abeba arrives, his neighbour's niece and soon Cooper realises that he is not the only one whose life is getting complicated as Abeba has problems of her own with her mother about her heritage. And when the bushfire approaches and Abeba is bitten by a snake, it is Cooper who has to realise that when life is spinning out of control, sometimes you just need to get a grip.
A wonderful story of families and relationships and growing up!

The Wildkin's Curse Kate Forsyth (Pan)
This is the companion book to the earlier novel, The Starthorn Tree, but it most definitely can be read as a standalone novel. The characters are wonderful created in this fantasy world.
Three children who are time-honoured enemies, Merry (a heathkin boy and son of a rebel), Zedrin (a starkin lord and heir) and Liliana (a wildkin girl developing uncanny magical powers) are on a perilous quest to the palace of Zarissa to rescue the wildkin Princess Rozalina (who is also muzzled for she has the power to enchant with her words) from her lifelong imprisonment in a tower in a palace built of glass. But to do so the three must work together and endure family treachery, discover their real heritage and their destinies become clear.

Grimsdon Deborah Abela (Random House)
What a wonderful environmental tale is this novel.
The once modern and grand city of Grimsdon is in ruins much of it submerged having been devastated by a massive flood that broke the barriers. Most survivors have left, while a few remain behind surviving on whatever they can scrounge from the remains, including the children Isabella and Griffin and the three other smaller children they care for. they live in the remains of an opulent mansion and into this world enters Another child, Xavier who has an Aerotrope, a flying bicycle, that can take the children even further into the ruins in search of what they require. But Xavier, should he join the gang, endanger all their lives with his risks - and his past.
As well there are also bounty hunters and pirates, sneaker waves that could cause more damage, as well as something that lies deep beneath the waters.

These are terrific reads.

Mirror

Mirror Jeannie Baker (Walker Books)
This wordless book is something very, very special.
It is two books in one.
It is about two boys and their families from different worlds, one Australian, one Moroccan. It shows two different cultures, two different countries, two different families and the day-to-day life of each family.
The pages reveal how even though the two families are on different sides of the globe, living in different societies and different climates and in worlds under different forms of development, the way they care for each other, and the loving relationships within the family - families are still essentially the same. We are the Mirror of each other.
Created in Jeannie’s wonderful collage style, the pages of this story are two stories opening from the inside out, the two stories to be read "side-by-side".
This is a book to be devoured at all different ages, singularly or shared, looking for similarities and differences and pouring over the exquisite details of each illustration - and looking for the "belonging" of the family.

More Picture Book Delights

Shrieking Violet Emma Quay (Scholastic)

This big / little sister story with humorous illustrations (the facial expression on the mum and the girls are wonderful) is delightful and just perfect for young families.
Big sister is supposed to be the star of this story but younger sister Violet always seems to get in the way and grab the spotlight, Violet is the one who is making all the fuss, who isn't old enough to wear shoes with laces, who only 'think' she is helping, who plays in the water and who can't be woken at sleep ... and much more!
But then big sister suddenly comes up with a situation where both girls can claim the spotlight.

Precious Little Julie Hunt, Sue Moss & Gaye Chapman (Allen&Unwin)
As stated on the cover, a thrilling story about flying high, diving deep and daring to take a chance. The book is filled with very detailed illustrations and swirling text, that sometimes appears upside down and twists and turn over the page which will have readers coming back to check more and more each time.
Precious Little want to fly just like the Light Fantastic trapeze artists she works for as a circus-hand. She practised hard on the ground but was not good enough. Other circus entertainers encourage her to join them but Precious Little only wants to fly the trapeze. Then, when Fat Chance offers he the chance to walk a tightrope strung between the Lucky dip, Precious Little has to take a risk...
a story about perseverance, friendship, and taking a chance.
See the trailer here

It's Bedtime, William Deborah Niland (Viking)
After many excuses (like the goodnight story and the bedtime kiss) William is sent to bed. He finally enters the room only to find a lion in his bed. A quick trip down the stairs to tell his parents who instruct William to ask the lion to "remove itself at once" which the lion does. But now the lion isn't tired anymore and wants to play so it's William's turn to tell the stories and play the games, just like his parents did. Then after many excuses - this time from the lion - a tired William and his lion finally curl up to sleep.
A lovely story and simple but beautiful illustrations. A gorgeous, "go to bed" "I don't want to" book!

Zizzy Penny Matthews & Danny Snell (Scholastic)
Zizzy is a baby sloth, who hangs upside down and walks very slowly and eats (as sloths do) and who dreams about the things he sees in his rainforest. When he glimpses a tiny path of blue - that too becomes part of his dreams. his wondering about the tiny patch of blue is soon answered by a bird who perches in his tree and who also offers to show it to Zizzy. He is reluctant but with coaxing from the bird "you don't know what you can do until you try" Zizzy and the bird set off on their adventure, with a few stumbles and encouragement to never stop dreaming along the way.
A book of encouragement, fulfilment and continued dreaming.

The Truth About Penguins Meg McKinlay & Mark Jackson (Walker Books)
This is fun and zany and all too humorous.
There is much excitement at the zoo for the penguins are coming to stay so when one of the zoo residents poses the questions "what is a penguin?" all the knowledgeable animals contribute to the description of what a penguin really is. Of course the zoo residents’ descriptions of penguins are slightly exaggerated so it is up to the zookeeper to set the animals straight and provide the truth about penguins. But when the penguins do arrive...