Author: Admin

Michael Morpurgo (text),  Michael Foreman (illus.),  Such Stuff- a story-maker’s inspiration,  Walker Books Australia,  1 Oct 2016,  384pp.,  $27.99 (hbk),  ISBN: 978 1 14063641576 Michael Morpurgo is a master story teller, as the author of over 100 books, the UK Children’s Laureate from 2003-2005 and the winner of many awards. His writing has been translated into various languages, and he is best known for the classic War Horse, which has since become an acclaimed Broadway play and film. In this title, Morpurgo generously shares his answer to the most commonly asked question: how does he come up with the ideas that…

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Susan Berran,  The Kids’ Survival Guide: avoiding “when I was young” and other brain-exploding lectures,  Big Sky Publishing, 1 Oct 2016, 102pp.,  $14.99 (pbk),  ISBN: 9781925520071 Every kid knows the feeling of being hassled by their parents for what they did, what they didn’t do, or what they may or may not have thought about doing. And if you throw the relationship with a younger sibling into the mix, the potential for lectures is HUGE! And all parents seem to have read the same manual for how to give a lecture. This guide is full of suggestions for surviving and/or avoiding…

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Reviewer Tessa shares the books she enjoyed the most over the past year… ‘Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue’. I’m co-opting this old bridal rhyme to shape my selection of favourite books read in 2016. Although each chosen book is a work of fiction, all four convincingly transported me to a new reality. Something old: For the Term of His Natural Life by Marcus Clarke Marcus Clarke’s novel of convict life in Van Diemen’s Land was first published as a serial between 1870 and 1872. I read the 2016 Text Classics e-book. Clarke’s female characters are largely passive…

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CBCA’s National Chair and Reading Time Reviewer, Margot Hillel, share her favourite books of the past year…. This is Where the World Ends – Amy Zhang  This is an intriguing novel, complex and challenging. It has an interesting narrative structure and it is very much at the upper end of the YA range.It needs to be used sensitively as it covers a variety of topics which some readers might find disturbing. The Bone Sparrow – Zana Fraillon   A moving story of friendship and courage. Subhi is a refugee who only knows life behind fences. Into his world comes…

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Reviewer Raquel shares her favourite books of the past year… The Girl on the Train ~ Paula Hawkins This book had me hooked from the beginning; loved the twists and turns, the connections between characters and the sense of mystery throughout. Loved it! The One Who Got Away ~ Caroline Overington Like The Girl on the Train; this book captured my interest immediately. An easy read, but gripping and intriguing. Pig the Pug books ~ Aaron Blabey These stories are sure to make any child – and grown up – laugh. Pig the Pug’s…

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Features Editor and Reviewer, Trisha, shares her picks for the past year… The Sidekicks by Will Kostakis I read several versions of this book prior to release. I love how complicated it is, and how we have to work to understand and appreciate the character of Harley. It’s easy to love and sympathise with closeted Ryan and sidelined Miles, and of course Isaac is present through the story, and remembered with a sharpness of regret. But Harley is a hot mess, and we require all three perspectives of him to ‘get’ him. I also value the nuances in the adult…

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Nikki McWatters, Hexenhaus, University of Queensland Press,  31 Oct 2016,  333pp.,  $19.95 (pbk),  ISBN: 9780702254253 Hexenhaus presents a compelling mix of three stories in one, all linked by a common theme: the persecution of women through false accusation. Nikki McWatters threads both historical and contemporary fiction into a riveting study on witch hunts and their innocent victims. Each of the three main characters – Veronica, Katherine and Paisley – come from a different time period, from 17th century Scotland through to present day Australia. McWatters’ evocative language fully immersed me in the story. At first, I found the rapidly alternating viewpoints…

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Mo Willems, Let’s Go for a Drive (Elephant & Piggie),  Walker Books,  1 Oct 2016,  64pp.,  $11.99 (pbk),  ISBN 9781406373578 Mo Willems, I Broke My Trunk (Elephant & Piggie),  Walker Books,  1 Oct 2016,  64pp.,  $11.99 (pbk),  ISBN: 9781406373592 Elephant and Piggie set out on their adventures, taking sunglasses, umbrellas and bags. But what if they haven’t a car? And how do you think Elephant broke his trunk? He was playing with Hippo and… but it’s a long story. These two delightful picture books by a master of the genre, for readers who have just begun to explore the world of…

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Nadia L King, Jenna’s Truth, Aulexic,  10 Oct 2016,  111pp.,  $14.99 (pbk),  ISBN 9780994569004 This is an unpretentious example of bibliotherapy – using books to assist readers to overcome problems. Cyberbullying, drinking, sex and suicide are all discussed as Jenna tries to appeal for help for all of them. No one will come to her aid until she is at her wits end, ready to finish it all. The story takes up 75 pages of the novel. The next 33 are devoted to people and places that care for troubled young, questions to ask the young people around you, activities to help…

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Reviewer Grace Nolan shares her picks for the past year… Janeen Brian, Yong – The Journey of an Unworthy Son This is an engaging and memorable story of a thirteen year old Chinese boy who leads a group of his countrymen on a journey to the Ballarat goldfields in the mid 1850’s. A captivating story that gives insights into Australian history, racism and father-son relationships. Lucy Worsley, Eliza Rose A fascinating insight into the court of King Henry the Eighth and Tudor England as twelve year old Eliza undertakes two years of training to become a courtier. Told from…

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