Star Girl

New Girl (Star Girl #1) Louise Park (Macmillan Education Australia)
This is absolutely terrific - a SPACE series for young girls from the creator of the spy series Zac Power Test Drive. Star Girl is a brand new tween fantasy adventure series of books perfectly crafted for young readers - especially girls, who are just starting to handle chapter books ... and of course who want space adventures.
In the first series of 8 titles Addie Banks is a Space Cadet (in the later series she progresses to Space Captain and then Space Agent). Addie is in a boarding school - on a space station and she is learning how to protect space. At the same time she also has to learn how to cope with some of the other school girls on the station who don't quite think Addie is up to joining the Space Agent program. She has amazing gadgets including a SpaceBerry communicator and a holographic watch - and of course lots of space cleverness too!
In this first title -New Girl- Addie has to discover why the alien life forms are in danger on one of the planets where the ice is melting. But the aliens are not her only danger. Her roommate creates dangers of her own. And like many schools there are scoreboards for the top students and also for the school houses ... points for these are accumulated, or deducted, from the space adventures.
These 78 page books have generous sized text, perfect for the younger reader, and lots of illustrations.

Other titles include
#2 Odd One Out
#3 Winning Moves
#4 Three’s a Crowd

And Star Girl is now online at http://www.stargirluniverse.com/.

Check out Star Girl! They are wonderful.

Terrific Fiction

Two delightful fiction titles - both a little different and fun.

The Truth about Verity Sparks Susan Green (Walker Books)
Set in late 1800s England, 13 year old Verity is no ordinary orphan girl. She is working as a lowly hat girl for a milliner where she discovers that she has the unique talent of Teleagtivism ... she can find all sorts of lost things and she also has an almost perfect memory. When she is accused of theft and dismissed from her job after delivering a hat to a wealthy client, she soon winds up at the CIA - the Confidential Inquiry Agency where her talent excels. But one thing Verity still has to discover - the truth about her own past. there are nasty letters being sent about verity, the mystery of a fatal fire, pet snakes, a chase through the dark back alleys and of course the truth to be revealed.
This was a wonderful read, a great detective mystery title that I couldn't put down with well developed characters and setting. Great.

Lost Floods #10 Colin Thompson (Random House)
The dysfunctional Floods, having been restored to their rightful place as the rulers of Transylvania Waters are attempting to bring their country out of the Dark Ages. To get things underway the first task that must be done is to draw an official map of Transylvania Waters - especially as the population of Transylvania Waters is growing and wizards are returning there to live. So Maldegard, Winchflat's new wife set off with Edna to begin the task ... and they discover some amazing revelations about the country. They also have to start giving all the places they visit names and at the same time they have to also conduct a census. So much to do!
Fans of the Floods will love this latest riotous tale that continues the wonderful floods tradition!

Great fun reads to share.

Picture Book Delights

That's Not a Daffodil! Elizabeth Honey (Allen&Unwin)
Young Tom's next door neighbour, Mr Yilmaz, gives him a daffodil bulb but to Tom it looks more like an onion so his neighbour suggests that they plant the bulb and Tom starts to watch the pot, and watch and watch and watch but nothing seems to be happening. Eventually a green beak starts to appear and the plant continues to grow. Of course every time Tom and Mr. Yilmaz look at the yet-to-completely-grow daffodil Tom imagines something different.
A lovely story and beautiful illustrations with themes of change, imagination, grwoth, friendship.

Nog and the Land of Noses Bruce Whatley (Scholastic)
This is the story of the noses from the land of Nog. Here every nose was different and every nose did something special. There were running noses, blocked noses, picked noses and lots of other noses that did strange things. but Nog's nose just sat there. he tried all sorts of ways to make his nose special to no avail. but one day when he sneezed his nose began to get itch and suddenly he found a use for his special nose!
Illustrations created by Bruce Whatley are just wonderful and this one, along with his own story, continues that tradition. A humorous tale about patience, differences, and discovery

The Last Viking Norman Jorgensen & James Foley (Fremantle Press)
Young Josh is very brave. He's not afraid of anyone or anything – mostly, but when he has to stay at Nan and Pop's house Josh is a little nervous, especially because Pop tells some hair-raising but exciting stories about Vikings. Pop gives Josh a present - a book about Vikings Josh decides to become a Viking even dressing like one with Pop's help. All this excites the Gods who are watching way up in the sky and when Josh encounters a little bit of local trouble its quite amazing who comes to the rescue.
A delightful story of bravery, imagination, resilience and growing up, with terrific illustrations. Also contains a puzzle to solve.

Enjoy these new titles.

Fun, Fun Picture Books

Here is a picture book feast full of giggles and fun.

No Bears Meg McKinlay & Leila Rudge (Walker Books)
This is a lovely Once upon a time, Happily ever after, The End type of story with fairies and princesses and castles and funny things and exciting things and maybe even giants and lots and lots more but as Ruby, who is in charge of this book, writing the story and illustrating the pictures will tell you, there are absolutely NO BEARS in this book, not even one. But there are heaps of characters that will be recognised. And just who is saving the characters in Ruby's story?
A delightful picture book that is your not quite so traditional fairy tale.

Good Morning Mr Pancakes Chris McKimmie (Allen&Unwin)
This book is a real family affair with McKimmie family members contributing the title, some of the phrases and even the end papers as well as providing the inspiration for the story - a holiday on Moreton Island.
It's holiday time for Bee. But before she embarks on her week away she must take care of all her animals. She has to paint the toenails of her chooks so that they don't get mixed up with her uncle's chooks, and she has to pack her cat's things because he is going to the cat house (and not on the holidays). then when Bee does make it to the island it is a wonderful time, talking to dolphins and crabs, watching spiders and swimming in the ocean.
Full of imagination and adventure this is a wonderful celebration of childhood.

Bobo, My Superdog Michael Salmon (Ford St)
It is terrific seeing a new book from Michal Salmon and this one is another of his funny creations.
Bobo is a dog and he is a very spoiled Shichon (Shih Tzu/Bichon Frise cross). he has failed Miss Tiggy's Puppy Obedience School down at the local park, he gets washed in Mr Rex's pampered Pooch mobile dog wash, he eats with the family, sits and watches TV, and likes playing ball or chewing his favourite squeaking toy. He even has a fancy doghouse with lots of comfy cushions. But he is also Super-Bo, a dog with super powers, a one dog, crime fighting, lost girl finding, damsel saving, alien bandit defeating, pirate fighting super hero dog. He wears a mask so that he won't be recognised and an old striped beach towel as a cape. And no one knows, except of course the young boy telling the story.
A fun superhero tale that's just a little different.

The Aunties Three Nicholas Bland (Scholastic)
The three aunties that are arriving at the house to look after the children are not the nice loveable friendly aunties that would be hoped for. These are rather severs and very proper, withered and pompous aunties. When these aunties arrive the children can't smile, or giggle or sniffle or sneeze. They have to dress perfectly, a dress for the girls and a tie for the boy, the aunties will want biscuits and tea and of course there must be a thank you and please.
But chaos develops even though the children are on their best behaviour and try their very best to do as requested as things don’t quite go to plan and the aunties are forced to leave.
Told in rhyming verse with glorious illustrations, this is a book to be read again and again, which will make children giggle again and again.

Have fun sharing these.

Holiday Fiction Reads

These books are great for holiday time reading.

Liberator Richard Harland (Allen&Unwin)
I was so thrilled that I had this book to read on a recent long plane trip ... I couldn't put it down.
The juggernaut Worldshaker has been renamed Liberator. Now the “Filthies” are in charge and the members of the Upper Decks who remained on board are living greatly endangered and victimised lives. For Col and Riff their world is rapidly changing. There is a saboteur on board and the revolution which enabled the lower decks to take control of the vessel is getting out of hand. The coal reserves which powers the mobile city are running dangerously low so the vessel has to port in Botany Bay to replenish supplies - and quickly too as the other Imperialist juggernauts are closing in to battle the overthrown vessel.
This is the wonderful sequel to the steam punk fantasy novel Worldshaker.

Surface Tension Meg McKinlay (Walker Books)
Another beautiful read.
A town is flooded; it is drowned, to provide a water supply but no one in Cassie's family sees the lever as it is flipped to drown the town. That was the day she was born. But years later during the drought when Cassie and her friend Liam are swimming in the new lake they discover the water is receding. Now parts of teh old flooded town are being revealed from the top of the water, first the tall tree, and then a roadway and sheds are revealed - soon parts of the flooded town are floating to the surface. Swimming on this side of the lake is very dangerous so it has been fenced, and locked ... or is there some other reason why it has been forbidden. As the water continues to recede a mystery is revealed and there is more than a town bruied beneath the waters.
What secrets lie beneath?
A riveting read for both boys and girls.

Nanny Piggins and the Accidental Blast-Off R. A. Spratt (Random House)
In space no one can hear you oink!
This is the fourth Nanny Piggins book and this time she blasts off in to space, accidentally of course, and with the Green family children in tow (being with nanny the children will learn way much more than at school anyway). When the greatest aeronautical engineers are having trouble launching the Space Shuttle they call on Nanny Piggins after all no one knows more about being blasted that the world's greatest flying pig.
She also wrestles with a crocodile, bungy jumps of the roof using the elastic from Mr Green's underpants, staples chicken wire over their chimney to keep out Santa, and heaps more.
The Nanny Piggins books are great fun reads, perfect for giggling all the way through. Young readers will love the humour and the Pig who takes control.

Happy holiday reading ...

Picture Books

If you need some great new Aussie picture books then you can't go past these. They are terrific.

My Mum Is the Best Rosie Smith & Bruce Whatley (Scholastic)
I missed this for Mother's Day but mum's deserve celebration every day - as do dad's - and this book is just a lovely celebration of all things mum!
From the kisses and hugs, feeding, transporting to school, and all the other things they do, like singing and playing games and just generally taking care. Of course the mum's in the terrific illustrations are well chosen mum's from the animal kingdom like fish, seals, bears elephants and gorgeous bats who snuggle heir babies to bed each night and each mum is demonstrating a different wonderful activity that mum's do. There is generous space surrounding the text and the illustrations.
A delightful book to share with the very young.
Hooray for mum's everywhere.

Song of the Dove Errol Broome & Sonia Kretschmar (walker Books)
How terrific to find a picture book with some lovely period illustrations that touches on the world of opera.
Vincenzo Bellini (best known opera is probably Norma - at least for me) wrote the music for beautifully flowing operas. Bellini gives music lessons in Naples (before writing is first opera) and one of his students is the beautiful Maddelena. They fall in love. When her parents forbid them to marry they vow that nothing will tear them apart - even when he is called to Milan to continue composing operas.

Alpha Monsters Chris Kennett (Scholastic)
This is a delightful take on the alphabet book with monsters being the alphabet stars. Told in rhyming verse it is the story of a boy and his teddy who go out in the rain and get caught in a thunder storm and land in another world. They land no an island of alphabetical monsters and one of those monsters has lost his teddy. together Freddy and the monster set off to find the monster’s lost teddy. The rhyming text and bright, cartoon style illustrations make this book fun and entertaining.

Button Boy Rebecca Young & Sue DeGennaro (Scholastic)
People collect the most amazing things and Banjo loves collecting the buttons that the folks in his neighbourhood seem to be continually loosing. Even day he would come home with a new button and every day Grandma Woolly would sew the button onto his favourite jumper (that was her idea). Of course having lost the buttons all the neighbourhood knows where to find them and they are soon meeting Banjo for their buttons.
A lovely tale with simple illustrations about lost and found things and of course friendships.

Waiting for Later Tina Matthews (Walker Books)
A delightful story about being told to wait for later that will ring true for nearly every child.
When Nancy asks all her relatives to spend time with her doing different activities, that include rocking backwards and forwards, being tickled, being told a story, they all tell Nancy to wait for later. So Nancy climbs a tree to wait for later. In that tree Nancy find that all the things that she wants to do with her relatives, the tree can do too.
And when later arrives, it’s her family who wonder where Nancy’s got to.
Lovely woodcut and stencil images accompany the text. Great for young readers.

Enjoy sharing these lovely titles.

from Magabala

Two new great titles from Magabala books, Australia's oldest independent Indigenous publishing house.

Stolen Girl Trina Saffioti & Norma MacDonald (Magabala Books)

A young Aboriginal girl is taken by the Child Protector of Aboriginals to live in a new home with other Aboriginal children. At night she whispers to herself her Aboriginal name and she sings songs, imagines and dreams. She remembers her early life and upbringing with her mother and the Elders. She hears of the 'lucky' girls who are taken as domestic help and decides she doesn't want to be that lucky. One day the time has come and she takes her first steps back to her home.

This fictionalised account is a great way to introduce young readers to the Stolen Generation. The story is beautifully and emotionally told and accompanied by lovely water colour illustrations.

Ubby's Underdogs : The Legend of the Phoenix Dragon Brenton E. McKenna (Magabala Boooks)

The cast of Ubby’s Underdogs – a small rag-tag group of misfits who makeup the town’s smallest gang but are often underestimated by the other town gangs includes Ubby, a street-wise Aboriginal girl, Sai Fong, a Chinese girl just off the boat from Shanghai, Fin a cool Irishman and Sel a big friendly giant and a New Zealander descended from Maori warriors called Gabe.

Set in the 1940s in the small pearling settlement of Broome this graphic novel is a heroic tale of fun and adventure, with themes that include courage, bravery and friendship, and the weak and the strong and the battle of the underdogs. It is intertwined with myths and legends.

This is a fun read – especially if readers like graphic novels. It is the first Australian Indigenous novel (and the first in the Ubby's Underdogs trilogy).