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The Goblins’ Revenge

Feb24
The Goblins' Revenge

The Goblins’ Revenge

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Goblins’ Revenge

Andy Prentice

Tom Knight

Usborne, 2024

288pp., pbk., RRP $A15.99

9781803706467

For 93 years the land of Sibele has been ruled by the evil wizard Darkmoon, and now he is hunting down the last few rebels who dare to oppose him, and the only one who can save them and end his reign is the reader. With a horde of undead warriors on the trail and a series of blood-curdling dangers ahead , it would be a terrifying task for anyone – but you’re just a goblin, which makes things even more challenging. Confronted by menacing monsters, ghostly magic and a thrilling race against time in this spectacular fantasy adventure gamebook, the reader becomes the hero whose decisions and choices determine the outcome.  

Decades ago the choose-your-own adventure genre hit the shelves and were an instant success with those who like to insert and immerse themselves in the stories, and this 21st century version combines that genre with the gaming craze, combining three loves of the current generation – video games, fantasy and a story in print which becomes a new adventure with every choice made. 

It begins with instructions on how to play complete with items, weapons and abilities, a logbook to keep track of the relevant details of the quest as  well as all the other things needed to play a game and complete a quest in this modern era.  There are crucial picture puzzles to solve along the way, and although a computer is not needed to play, there are links to an online dice roller if physical dice (needed to play the combat system) aren’t available as well as a printable logbook.

I am the first to admit that this is not my sort of game and my granddaughters gave up in frustration as they tried to teach me some of theirs, but nevertheless, this seems to be something that teacher librarians should be aware of so they can capture the imagination and minds of those engaged by this sort of activity, thus demonstrating that the library has resources that are relevant to them. In fact, while the publisher suggests this is suitable for 9+, it could be one to give to your gamers for feedback on suitability both for reading /comprehension age as well as future releases in the series.  

Leif the Unlucky Viking: Saga of the Shooting Star

Feb17
Leif the Unlucky Viking

Leif the Unlucky Viking

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leif the Unlucky Viking: Saga of the Shooting Star

Gary Northfield

Walker Books, 2023

320pp., pbk., ill., RRP $A17.99

9781406383416

Leif the wolf cub dreams of being a Viking explorer just like his dad, Erik the Red, but it’s tricky when you are smaller than most, clumsy and falls over his own paws a lot, and regularly split your pants. But he is an embarrassment to his family, hidden away when this father’s exploits are celebrated and almost despised by his older sister Freydis because regardless of his shortcomings, he is the heir to the throne of his father.

But he is undeterred by his misfortunes, and determined to prove his worth, he embarks on a secret mission to locate a missing shard from Thor’s hammer, the weapon of the Norse god of Thunder, which has landed far away in polar bear territory.  Armed with a map of the route and a magic cloak given to him by Thorbjorg the Witch, who believes he is destined for greatness, he sets off on his quest, accompanied by fellow adventurers Olaf the cranky duck, Toki the silly puffin and Flora the stinky musk ox. As they attempt to navigate across vast, dangerous lands, they must contend with hungry giants, fearsome polar bears and a sea beast as old as the gods themselves.

A step up from Murray the Viking in complexity, this would be an ideal next read for those emerging independent readers who love adventure, wacky characters and historical fiction, particularly the time of the Vikings.  With humour and the sort of craziness that many kids adore, this is original, engaging and something different to underline the value of determination, perseverance and not giving up. It introduces readers to some of the magical Norse mythology on which so many stories are based that may take their reading interests into new realms, but, above all, it is just a thoroughly good read. 

Dog Squad: The Race

Feb10
Dog Squad: The Race

Dog Squad: The Race

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dog Squad: The Race

Clara Vulliamy

HarperCollins, 2024

128pp., pbk., RRP $A11.99

9780008565428

Eva has always wanted to be a journalist, and, together with her friends Simone and Ash, the she produces  the Newshound newspaper for her school readers.  Their first big story came when a whippet followed her home – so thin that she called him Wafer – and Eva set out to discover its owner, and found out more than she bargained on. 

Now she wants to help Wafer makes some doggy friends and so she takes him to the local whippet races,  And again, there is more to the story than meets the eye when she realises that there is some cheating going on.  Along with Simone and Ash, she decides to investigate because this might be their next big story, but can they crack the case and is it safe to do so?

This is the second in this new series for young independent readers that has broad appeal for those who love animals, those who love mysteries and those who like to write.  The diversity of characters, their relationships and interests makes for an engaging read, but it is interesting that many reviewers have pointed out that Ash is non binary.  While it is important for kids to see themselves represented in stories, it also demonstrates that we still have some way to go before gender diversity is accepted without comment, in the same way that nationalities are.  As illustrated in As Bright as a Rainbow, there are many ways to be a kid, and my experience is that they accept each other regardless of looks, clothes, gender, religion, language or any other barriers.  It is the adults who impose the labels. But the more there is inclusivity featured in stories the easier it will be for those who may be “outside the norm”. In this interview, the author, herself, speaks about why she includes diverse characters in her stories as she recognises the need for such diversity to be normalised, and, unsurprisingly, it is  adults who feel they have to vilify her.

Regardless, this is an engaging series that is being enjoyed by many and they will look forward to The Show in April.

Einstein: The Case of the Fishy Detective

Jan23
The Case of the Fishy Detective

The Case of the Fishy Detective

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Einstein: The Case of the Fishy Detective

Iona Rangeley

David Tazzyman

HarperCollins, 2023

240pp., pbk., RRP $A16.99

9780008476038

Younger, independent readers first met Einstein the penguin in his first adventure in London , when after a visit to the zoon he turns up at the home of six-year-old Arthur and nine-year-old Imogen Stewart and their parents let him stay a while. But a fairy penguin from Sydney really has no place in London “where the days end early and forget to start on time” and so he is off home to Australia.

Imogen and Arthur miss him terribly and even though they still have regular video contact, it just isn’t the same. In an unusual twist, Imogen teams up with the disgraced Detective Bill Hunter who has now set up an agency for animals to appear in advertisements, to bring Einstein and his friend Isaac back to London.  But can he be trusted? Especially when Einstein is kidnapped?  The siblings learn a lot about their own relationship when they once again pull on their detective hats to discover what has happened to Einstein and who did it.

This is a worthy sequel to the original, introducing younger readers to the mystery/crime genre that may spark their interest in others in a similar vein.  Generally, children search for topic, author and series so this might be an opportunity to demonstrate that there are stories that follow a certain pattern, have similar types of plot development, themes and conclusions and if they enjoyed this one, then genre is a way to broaden their reading horizons while they wait for any sequels.  

 

 

Ruby and the Pen

Jan14
Ruby and the Pen

Ruby and the Pen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ruby and the Pen

David Lawrence

Cherie Dignam

EK Books, 2023

280pp., pbk., RRP $A16.99

9781922539380

Ever since her husband died, Ruby’s mum has tried to manage her grief with a series of boyfriends, each weirder than the last.  Ruby has named the current one Dodgy Dave and not just because he is sending her to boarding school in another state. Grounded and confined to her room, Ruby sneaks out to her favourite markets one last time to sell some of her cartoons and have a little pocket money for the trip, and through a series of mysterious circumstances comes home with an unusual old fountain pen, inscribed with the words manibus futuri meaning  “the future is in your hands. “

Being an excellent cartoonist, Ruby is fascinated by the pen but it is not until she gets to her new school and is being bullied by students and staff alike that she discovers it powers – whatever she draws comes true. But while she is able to protect herself from the bullies through her drawing, she discovers that Dodgy Dave and Mr Lemon, the principal, are in collusion in a very dodgy plan and it is going to take more than the stroke of a pen to disrupt it.  And although that leads her to making some friends, she also finds that there are things like relationships that need more work than a funny/nasty drawing.

With its Trunchbull-like characters and the theme of kids triumphing over adults, this is an engaging read that despite its humour in both text and illustrations, has some powerful undertones about relationships and how they can be much more complex to make and maintain than just having a magic wand to fix problems.

And to cap it off, it concludes with Ruby throwing her pen into the sea and it being purchased, again from a mysterious market stall, by a boy named Xander who loves to draw superheroes…

The Lonely Lighthouse of Elston-Fright

Jan2
The Lonely Lighthouse of Elston-Fright

The Lonely Lighthouse of Elston-Fright

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lonely Lighthouse of Elston-Fright

Reece Carter

Simon Howe

A & U Children’s, 2023

352pp., pbk., RRP $a17.99

9781761066795

Nobody in Elston-Fright believes in magic anymore, even though its history is steeped in it, so now, when something weird happens, they just lock their doors and pretend it’s not.  But Flip Little, his nan and his friends: a girl called Corpse, a ghost called Girl and a very large spider called Simon, know differently, and when Simon is taken by ancient weather ghouls called the Poltergusts, Flip and his ghostly companions turn to the last Lightkeeper’s journals for answers. To rescue their friend, they will need to find and return the missing Light to the lighthouse to restore its lost magic. In the past, the light from the lighthouse not only protected passing ships but also repelled bad magic, but that seems to have long gone.
Because nothing in Elston-Fright is as it seems. When Flip feels something different in the air, and sees something odd through his telescope things are about to change. Questions bubble up from the deep. Dark secrets come to light. And pretty soon, Flip and his friends learn that in order to save the future of Elston-Fright, they’ll first need to understand its past
This is the sequel to A Girl Called Corpse, and while there are references to that in this one, to be honest, it would be better to have read the first one to get the most from this. Written by an author who has a dog named Hagrid -what more can you say? – this is for independent readers who enjoy magic, mystery, and the supernatural entwined with family and friendship and who are able to cope with the two different, but clearly identified, perspectives from which it is told. 
Already longlisted for the Australian  Best Children’s Book, Indie Book Awards, 2024 this series is a cracking way for those who enjoy this genre to start their 2024 reading adventures, particularly with the third in the trilogy to look forward to. .

Alice-Miranda and the Christmas Mystery

Dec20

 

 

 

Alice-Miranda and the Christmas Mystery

Alice-Miranda and the Christmas Mystery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alice-Miranda and the Christmas Mystery

Jacqueline Harvey

Puffin, 2023

432pp., pbk., RRP $A16.99

9781761048944

It is more than 10 years since a generation of newly-independent readers, predominantly girls, were introduced to Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones, a highly opinionated independent student as a boarder at Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies. Since then she has gone on to have so many more adventures in her books, , a movie and even her own web presence.

Now she is back in a new story that focuses on Christmas at the boarding school but with decorations disappearing and the shelves of local stores empty of the usual Christmas treats, clearly there is mischief afoot and a mystery to be solved.  And who better to tackle it than Alice and her friends?

This could be an amazing gift for the young reader because for those who already know Alice-Miranda it’s a seasonal story that will reunite them with their hero, and for those who are reading her story for the first time it opens up a world of new reading for the summer holidays and coming year.  Over the years, Jacquie Harvey has introduced readers to a number of great characters like Clementine Rose, Kensy and Max and, more recently, Willa and her dog Woof, all in series so the reader gets to know the characters, resonate with their adventures and anticipate the next one so if I were starting 2024 in a school library she would be the first in my Focus on Authors feature.  There is something for everyone across the school. 

The Boy Who Slept Through Christmas

Dec17

 

 

 

The Boy Who Slept Through Christmas

The Boy Who Slept Through Christmas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Boy Who Slept Through Christmas

Matt Lucas

Forrest Burdett

Farshore, 2023

288pp, pbk., RRP $A16.99

9780008519926

Leo LOVES Christmas.
And this Christmas needs to be absolutely perfect, because it’s the first one without Mum. Only it all keeps going wrong!

The fairylights are in a tangle
The Christmas cards aren’t finished
The tree isn’t decorated
And the Christmas cakes have all been destroyed!

Soon Leo decides he’s had enough – he makes a heartfelt wish that it would all GO AWAY.  But, then when he wakes up on what SHOULD be Christmas Day –  it’s gone!! All of Christmas! But Leo isn’t going to let it escape that easily . . . So Leo  sets out on a mission to undo his wish and get Christmas back.

With a premise that will sadly resonate with some of our students and who just wish they could sleep through this festive family time, this is a story that might provide a little relief in those long days where every emotion and activity is tinged with the sense of loss.

Written for independent readers who enjoy funny stories by actor and comedian Matt Lucas, this is unique in that there are QR codes to scan so the reader can listen to the songs included  as the story progresses. (For those without the technology, all the lyrics are included at the end of the book.)  It is also liberally illustrated so the thickness of the book shouldn’t daunt young readers,

Definitely a story of being careful about what you wish for but one that might add some joy to a tricky time.

1. Our Christmas Tale/Dear Father C from The Boy Who Slept on Vimeo.

 

Pow Pow Pig 5: Snow Action

Dec9

 

 

 

Pow Pow Pig 5: Snow Action

Pow Pow Pig 5: Snow Action

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pow Pow Pig 5: Snow Action

Anh Do

Peter Cheong

A & U  Children’s, 2023

240pp., pbk., RRP $A15.99

9781761068928

It is the year 2050 and the world is in trouble. In 2030 the rich animals of the world voted to stop helping the poor and as they became richer, forever seeking bigger and better while discarding their unwanted things instead of sharing them, creating a huge amount of waste.  And then the fighting started.

But all is not lost and Piccolo Pig (aka Pow Pow Pig) , inspired by his parents’ role model has yearned to join CHOC (Creatures Helping Other Creatures) to help make the world a better place through small acts of kindness. So as soon as he was old enough he joined, and now, after three years of training it’s Graduation Day. But he and his friends Danielle Duck (aka King Fu Duck), Chelsea Chicken (aka Cha Cha Chicken) and Barry the Goat (aka Barry the Goat) are not in the A Team but the Z Team.  So they are the last to be picked when it comes to world-saving missions,

So when a call comes in and they are the only ones left, it is up to them to save the situation.  Although they live in 2050, they have time machine that allows them to travel back in time but sometimes it doesn’t work as it should.

This time, they find themselves at the North Pole, and after being rescued from a giant snowball, find themselves in Santa’s village. But when they meet Santa himself he seems a little distracted… two of his reindeer, Comet and Vixen, are missing. And he’s convinced they have not left of their own accord. 

And so begins another zany adventure perfect for a Christmas read-aloud.  Written for younger independent readers  with all the attributes required to support their transition to novels including a larger font, a light-handed layout and many illustrations, as with his other series,  embedded in the thoroughly modern characters, action, adventure and humour, there is an underlying message that gives the story more than just fleeting entertainment value. By making the heroes creatures often associated with being underdogs and having them as the Z Team , readers can learn that success can take many forms, that not all battles are won with might and power – a tea towel and a broom can be very effective when used cleverly – and that the desire to do well has to come from within. They can also visit other time periods in an exciting adventure, providing a gentle step into the concept of history and offering an insight into life in those times that is much more fun that facts and figures.

Something for the Christmas stocking of both fans of the series and Anh Do fans generally. 

 

 

 

 

Funny Kid Snowballs

Dec8
Funny Kid Snowballs

Funny Kid Snowballs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Funny Kid Snowballs

Matt Stanton

ABC Books, 2023

288pp., pbk., RRP $A15.99

9780733342004

Now that his mum’s campaign for mayor has been unsuccessful , Max and his parents, and his friend Hugh have been invited by the well-known (and extremely rich) actor George Khan to have a break in his chalet at the Beauty Peaks Ski Resort (Winter Holiday Destination of the Rich and Famous). Snow and skiing and all that they entail is a new phenomenon for Max, and he is convinced that all you need for happiness is money.  The more money you have, the more happiness you can buy, however fleeting it might be because there is always the means to buy more.  His parents try to persuade him that happiness comes from somewhere deeper, but this is going to be a hard lesson for Max to learn when he and his friends are surrounded by such opulence and indulgence. 

Despite the crazy situations that Max finds himself in, including trying to impress his first love, frozen pyjamas, fast cars, falling gracefully off cliffs, a wild mountain man, impossible chairlifts and a high-end fashion parade from Lost Property, Stanton always weaves a food-for-thought message amongst the hilarity, and this is no exception.  At a time when largesse is at its most prominent, and many parents going without essentials so their kids can “have a good Christmas” this is a particularly topical theme as gifts are opened and often discarded and forgotten as soon as their batteries run out and their appeal wains.  Is biggest and brightest always the best? If not, what is?

This is the 12th in this series whose popularity continues to grow because Stanton knows just what boys of a certain age want to read and see themselves in, and whether this is the first  introduction or the 12th that is read, it is a series that has a deserved place in any collection, home or school.  Because of that serious thread weaving its way through the humour, it can be a conversation starter especially if adult and child are reading it together or even just the opportunity for some reflection and affirmation that who we are as we are is enough.