Author: Admin

Melissa Albert, The Hazel Wood , Puffin, 29 Jan 2018,  368pp., $17.99 (pbk),  ISBN: 9780141388663 Those days when everything goes wrong and bad luck seems to follow you everywhere are all too common for Alice, who has spent her 17 years travelling from place to place with her mother, Ella, trying to escape the bad luck that is always on their tail. It seems that their fortunes may change when news that Alice’s mysterious grandmother, Althea Proserpine, author of the cult novel Tales From the Hinterland has died on her isolated estate, Hazel Wood. Now free from spectres of the past, Ella marries into…

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Neal Shusterman, Scythe, Walker Books Australia, 1 Feb 2018,  448pp.,  $16.99 (pbk),  ISBN: 9781406379242 What if death was the only thing left to control? In a perfect world, the only way to die is to be “gleaned” by a professional Scythe.  When Citra and Rowan are chosen to be apprentice scythes, they know they have no option but to learn the art of killing.  However, the terrifying responsibility of choosing their victims is just the start… Scythe introduces us to an interesting twist on modern “dystopian” fiction – the world Shusterman creates is actually, on the surface of things, a perfect…

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Alexis Deacon,  A Game Without Rules (Geis #2), Walker Books Australia, 1 Feb 2018, 96pp.,  $29.99 (hbk),  ISBN: 9781910620274 The second test has begun.  Contenders for the new chef find themselves divided against their will and flung into a dangerous game. While the struggle for power continues, Io and Nemas battle with their own identities… but when allies are turned against one another, who can be trusted? Dark, foreboding and surreal, Geis is a fascinating blend of history and fantasy, weaving magic and mysticism into a world recognisable as not too far removed from our own of many centuries ago. Not…

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Tamara Moss, Lintang and the Forbidden Island (Lintang #2), Random House Australia, 29 Jan 2018, 336pp.,  $16.99 (pbk),  ISBN: 9780143783459 The time has come to visit the forbidden island of Allay.  But first Lintang needs to find her captain, and it seems the only way to get to the Winda is to join – then escape – the Vierzan Navy.  Only then will Captain Shafira set sail for Allay, where the crew of the Winda must uncover what really happened to the country’s missing ruler… Forbidden Island is the second book in the popular Lintang series, following on from where The…

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Marcia Williams, Three Cheers for Women, Walker Books Australia, 1 Feb 2018, 48pp., $27.99, (hbk),  ISBN: 9781406374865  Well known for her retellings of classic stories, Marcia Williams uses humorous comic-strip illustrations to introduce young readers to the wonders of history, great literature and now great women throughout the ages: sportswomen, environmentalists, writers, artists, scientists, mothers and feminists, the list goes on. Many have become household names and yet many are still relatively unknown. Mary Wollstonecraft (1759 – 1797) defied the gender type casting of the day to live the life of an author and radical feminist. She is now credited as…

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Guinness World Records: Science & Stuff, Pan Macmillan Australia, 11 Jan 2018,  $22.99 (pbk),  ISBN: 9781910561638  Packed full of action, interesting and weird pictures, facts, stats, world records and some pretty intriguing stories not to mention cool experiments, Science & Stuff is designed to capture the interest of a broad readership. With an introduction by scientist and broadcaster Robin Ince, contents include traditional subjects such as space, robots, inventions and world record breakers, from a less traditional perspective. Why, for example, has cabbage been banned from the International Space Station? And what can cats teach us about the laws of physics? Can…

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Brendan Murray, Jail Road Shadows, Vivid Publishing, Dec 2017, 288pp., $17.95 (pbk),  ISBN: 9781925681093  Billy (Bam) McCallum rides his tricycle along Hope Avenue. He waves at Clem Daley, busy with his soldering work in his large garage, open to the street. He spies mad Shirley shouting abuse at poor Mrs Amoroso who is standing at the kerb with a large bowl “Mangiarre, mangiare. Eat, eat, prego!” she pleads holding the bowl towards the older woman. Frank across the road sits on his verandah rolling his cigarettes, hidden amongst his roses but he sees Bam and waves. The day is warm and…

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Andrew Joyner,  The Pink Hat,  Random House Australia, 15 Jan 2018, 32pp., $24.99 (hbk),  ISBN 9780143789369 In charming shades of soft grey Joyner tells a lively ‘lost-object’ tale. The qualities of composition, line and white space are exemplary and clear retro graphic style illustrations pack in lots of fun details. Spot colour highlights the subject in question – a wool hat that is first knitted by a lady in her flat, then snatched by her cat, hooked into a tree, cuddled by a baby and so on until a girl rescues it from her pet dog. A double page spread shows this new…

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Kirilee Furlong (text), Mel Craig (illus.),  The Hug, Wonderful Me, Sept 2017, 32pp.,  $24.75 (hbk), ISBN: 9780987619006 The Hug is an endearing picture book that seems best suited to read-aloud story times because of its interactive nature. Designed to personally involve children and leave them feeling empowered, a major element of the text is its use of the second person point of view. The Hug is the story of a cute but lonely little character called The Hug, who befriends YOU (i.e. the child being read to) and, after being accepted, hops into YOUR pocket where it will always ready to…

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Penny Harrison (text), Penelope Pratley (illus.), The Art Garden, EK Books, 22 Jan 2018, 32pp.,  $24.99 (hbk), ISBN: 9781925335590 Entirely set in the house and garden this story explores and encourages the activities children can enjoy in their home environment. Sadie and Tom love to cook, climb trees, play with the pets and most of all to paint pictures. The difference between them is that, with her mis-matching boots and frequently ‘lost-looking’ facial expressions, Sadie lacks confidence in her artistic skills. To me, her paintings do not look particularly less accomplished than her friend’s, so perhaps this book is really about self-perception and dissatisfaction.…

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