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Secret Sparrow

Nov29
Secret Sparrow

Secret Sparrow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Secret Sparrow

Jackie French

HarperCollins, 2023

256pp., pbk., RRP $A17.99

9781460760468

September 1978 and Arjun is walking to the local mall when he hears the roar of a flash flood approaching and sees the river become a turbulent mass of brown, white-flecked water with cars bobbing along like plastic bath toys.  Miraculously a motor bike appears and he is urged to climb on, as the rider heads to the only high part of this flat landscape that should never have been built on – a grassy knoll that boasts only a small carpark and a rubbish bin on a pedestal. 

As surprised as he is by the ferocity and the swiftness of the flood, he is even moreso when he discovers his rescuer is an elderly woman! And that she is  a woman with an amazing story to tell as the waters rise and she makes him climb in the rubbish bin and use old newspapers for warmth and has the wisdom to know his thoughts need diverting from both the  current situation and the fate of his mates trapped in the mall.  It is a story of going from growing up in an English village during World War I to being commandeered into serving her country despite being only 16;  to being torpedoed by a German U-boat while crossing the English Channel to living and working in the hell of the trenches of France… all because she learned Morse Code while competing with her older brothers and became so fast and accurate her skills had been noticed.

But this is not just Jean McLain’s story told to keep a young lad calm and distracted – this is the story of at least 3600 women who were used as signallers as she was during World War I who not only signed an oath that they would never divulge their role even decades after the war was over but whose service was never formerly recognised and so they received only their Post Office employee pay while they served and had to pay for their own medical treatment if they were injured, and whose army records were deliberately destroyed by the authorities because of their embarrassment at having to admit that they not only had to rely on women to serve, but the women had excelled. To have to admit that so many had been able to step up and cope in situations that required “physical strength, mechanical knowledge and the courage to work under fire” when such physical and emotional circumstances as war and its inevitable death were seen as “unwomanly”, was an anathema to many men and so not only were individual stories never told, they were lost altogether.

But, using her usual meticulous research, author Jackie French has brought it to light, as once again she winkles out those contributions of women to our history that seldom appear in the versions of history told by men.  So as well as Arjun being so intrigued by Jean McLain’s story as the night passes, dawn appears and she teaches him to use her long-ago skills to summon help, our more mature, independent readers (and their teachers) can also learn something of that which we were never told.  Because, apart from those in the roles like Jean McLain who could be prosecuted for sharing their wartime adventures even with their family, there was an unwritten code of the survivors of all wars that the horrors would not be shared because, apart from being horrific, unless you were there you would never understand.  But now at the age my grandfather was when he died, I have learned a smidgeon of what it must have been like for him on the notorious Somme and can only wonder at how he went on to become who he did.  

It is estimated that World War I claimed the lives of some 16 million people worldwide, 9.5 million of which were military deaths. It is also estimated that around 20 million were wounded, including 8 million left permanently disabled in some way. Of those lives lost, 54 000 were young Australian lads who were so eager to sign up for this grand new ‘adventure’ that they lied about their age and 18 000 young Kiwis who, like my grandfather, believed it was their duty to fight for “King and Country”. But only now, through stories like this and The Great Gallipoli Escape, are we learning the real story and through the questions she has her characters ask and answer are we being encouraged to question things for ourselves, not just about the war but also what we stand for. Often in the story Jean McLain is spurred on by her belief in her need to  “do her duty” and that her actions are saving lives, but then she poses the same situation to Arjun. “What are we worth if we don’t do our duty to each other? What kind of life is it if you don’t love someone or something enough to die for them? What matters to you, eh?’ 

As well as teaching us about the past, French inspires us to think about the future – and that is a gift that only writers if her calibre can give our students. 

  

The A – Z of Who I Could Be

Nov5
The A - Z of Who I Could Be

The A – Z of Who I Could Be

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The A – Z of Who I Could Be

Chloe Dalton

Kim Siew

A & U Children’s, 2023

64pp., hbk., RRP $A22.99

9781761180422

When she was young, the author used to love watching people like Anna Meares, Louise Sauvage and Nova Peris as they appeared on the world stage of the Olympics or Paralympics, but then despaired as they disappeared for the next four years. Female sporting heroes were not worthy of prime time television and there were few role models to aspire to so she founded the [female] athlete project to redress the balance – 40% of participation but only 4% of television coverage.

Being an Olympic gold medalist herself, Dalton is well-placed to understand the need for young girls to have role models and so in this new book she has created a thumbnail sketch  of Australia’s top female and non-binary athletes, Olympians, Paralympians and World Champions – from Ash Barty to Zali Steggall – across 26 different sports including  Ash Barty (tennis), Belle Brockhoff (snowboard cross), Taliqua Clancy (beach volleyball), Danni Di Toro (para-table tennis), Ellie Cole (para-swimming), Caitlin Foord (soccer), Georgia Godwin (gymnastics), Tayla Harris (boxing/AFLW), Isis Holt (para-athletics), Jessi Miley-Dyer (surfing), Steph Kershaw (hockey), Lydia Lassila (aerial skiing), Anna Meares (cycling), Nova Peris (athletics/hockey), Bendere Oboya (athletics), Ellyse Perry (cricket), Alicia (Quirk) Lucas (rugby 7s), Madison De Rozario (wheelchair racing), Sharni (Layton) Norder (netball), Ariarne Titmus (swimming), Tamika Upton (NRLW), Darcy Vescio (AFLW), Melissa Wu (diving), Jessica Fox (canoe slalom), Yvette Higgins (waterpolo), and Zali Steggall (alpine skiing),

As well as acknowledging the achievements of these women and perhaps inspiring young girls to find out more about those they admire, perhaps it would also inspire a class dictionary of other female athletes who are the students’ heroes so they, too, become household names. Perhaps names like  Jessica Fox,  Sam Kerr or Alyssa Healy might feature or even those of Dawn Fraser, Lauren Jackson or Debbie Flintoff on whose shoulders they stand.

Given their achievements recently one could argue how many female Australian cricket or soccer team members the general public could have named just twelve months ago so perhaps with book like these and the increase in interest, we are moving towards Dalton’s dream that  “One day, female athletes will receive equal coverage in the media, and will be recognised by their achievements, not by their gender”.   

Ash Barty Champion

Oct1
Ash Barty

Ash Barty Champion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ash Barty: Champion

Young Readers Edition

Ash Barty

Harper Collins, 2023

288pp., pbk., RRP $A22.99

9781460762738

In these days of the unprecedented success and support from women’s sports, there are few who would not know the name Ash Barty, and in this young readers’ edition of her autobiography, independent readers can learn about her story.   In her words, “It’s a tennis story. It’s a family story. It’s a teamwork story. It’s the story of how I got to where and who I am today. My story is about the power and joy of doing that thing you love and seeing where it can take you.

It reflects on my whole tennis journey – from the first time I picked up a racquet as a young girl in Queensland, to the night I packed up my tennis bag at Melbourne Park after winning the 2022 Australian Open. It explains how I worked through self-doubt, homesickness and a break from the sport to realise my tennis dreams, winning Wimbledon and ranking number 1 in the world.

Maybe my story will inspire you to follow your dreams – I really hope it does”

Often when our students fixate on real-life heroes, all they are seeing is the here-and-now, the success and the attention that comes with that and they don’t realise that that part of the journey is but the tip of the iceberg, that there have been years of hard slog and sacrifice that have gone into making that here-and-now what it is.  One of the most powerful traits that we can teach our children is how to be resilient, how to pick themselves up and dust themselves off after unexpected knockbacks and knockdowns, and this story in which Ash Barty talks about the highs of her career she also is honest about the lows – her struggles with her mental health, body image, self-doubt, her fragmented schooling, the loneliness and the homesickness of being on tour – shows that it is not all about glory, fame and money and that for anyone determined to follow their dreams, there are times when that in-built resilience is all that is left. 

Students also see those heroes as being special somehow, as though they had been touched by the magic fairy at birth like Sleeping Beauty, and do not see themselves as being the sort of person who could reach such heights, so that focus on her childhood and her struggles show that in the beginning, she was just as ordinary as they are, and it is the dedication and determination to succeed at her passion that is the driving force.  

So as much as this is a story about Ash Barty the person, it is also a story about having that inner strength and that resilience to find and follow your own dreams and it is that intention to inspire that sets this one apart from so many of the other  autobiographies and biographies that young readers pick up as they expand their reading horizons. You don’t have to be a tennis player to enjoy this.

 

Not Here to Make You Comfortable

Sep28
Not Here to Make You Comfortable

Not Here to Make You Comfortable

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not Here to Make You Comfortable

50 Women Who Stand Up, Speak Out, Inspire Change

Puffin, 2023

176pp., pbk., RRP $A22.99

 9781761340581

In the vein of Shout Out to the Girls: A Celebration of Awesome Australian Women, this is a collection of one page vignettes of 50 women who ” did something brave. Something disruptive. Something exceptional.”

Featuring familiar names from the Australian landscape such as Ash Barty, Celeste Barber, Grace Tame, Turia Pitt,  Julia Gillard and Tayla Harris, as well as a host of contemporary women from around the world, this collection was inspired by the way that Grace Tame’s unsmiling face at a reception with then prime minister Scott Morrison was shared world wide and her behaviour dissected and demeaned around the world, diminishing both her and what she had fought so hard for.  Once again, just as with Tayla Harris, it was a female’s appearance and demeanour that became the news story rather than their accomplishments.

And so the women at PRH Young Readers publishing section have put together this compelling collection of stories of real young women, famous and not-so, who have had the courage to stand up for their beliefs, to be bold and true to themselves, “a celebration of assertiveness and certitude”. Each entry begins with the phrase, “There was that time when…” and continues with a description of the incident, its impact, a thumbnail sketch of the person and a full-page sketch from a new or emerging illustrator. 

Each is an affirmation of empowerment, often taking great courage, but resonating with today’s girls and encouraging them to be just as bold if needs be.

The activities of women in both World Wars I and II as they stepped into men’s shoes made great strides in changing the attitudes of men towards women, the activists of the 60s continued that and there have been decades of trail-blazers and game-changers since then, yet still 50% of the world’s population is subjected to irrelevant judgements, continual media coverage focusing on their appearance rather than their accomplishments, social media trolling, and toxic behaviour that is inevitably claimed to have been “consensual”. So while a book of this nature inspiring girls to be more than a pretty face and affirming their right to be so is still required, it is a grim indictment of society that it is.  While the treatment of women in countries like Iran and Afghanistan, is of huge concern as it should be, it is appalling that even in Australia in the 21st century, it is clear that misogyny is still alive and flourishing and our girls need role models like those in this book to tell the world, “We’re not here to make you comfortable.  We’re here to celebrate being ourselves.”

Eat My Dust!

Aug31
Eat My Dust!

Eat My Dust!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eat My Dust!

Neridah McMullin

Lucia Masciullo

Walker Books, 2023

32pp., hbk., RRP $A26.99

9781760654191

It is 1928 and despite proving their capabilities during World War I,  most men still believed a woman’s place  to be “barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen”. Many who had stepped in to fulfil the roles and occupations traditionally taken by men had been relegated back to domestic duties, yet there were many who defied the prevailing practices and attitudes and chose to follow their dreams.  

Among them were Kathleen Elizabeth Howell and Jean Ochiltree Robertson whose passion was driving and who, in 1927, had completed the perilous trip between Melbourne and Darwin mapping their journey and the mileages as they went from Melbourne to Mount Gambier and Adelaide before heading north through the Central Desert to Oodnadatta and Alice Springs and up through to Darwin, sending their research back to their sponsors, the Shell Oil Company, who used the information to produce their first map of the route to central Australia.

Even though they were well-known in the motoring circles of the time, were experienced in both motor mechanics and driving in the desert, in 1928 when they took on the the west-east speed record from Perth to Melbourne (having already driven from Melbourne to Perth) and beating it by five hours, it was the derision and discrimination of the men that proved to be a greater hurdle. Each place they stopped for fuel or food, they were met by those who felt that such a journey was not the realm of women. To which they tended to respond, “Eat my dust!”  Thus, told as narrative non fiction, this new book provides both an introduction to two little-known heroines who paved the way for women to drive today, and highlights those attitudes offering an insight into how difficult it was to be female in a male environment and the opportunity to investigate the transition of women’s achievements and influence over the last century.

With the 2023 CBCA Book Week theme of Read. Grow. Inspire still fresh in our minds, this is another story that allows young readers to meet the pioneers who followed their dreams, inspired others and  made something “abnormal” normal for today’s generations. 

 

 

Flora’s War

Apr7
Flora's War

Flora’s War

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flora’s War

Pamela Rushby

Ford Street Publishing, 2013

pbk., 243pp., RRP $A18.95

9781921665981

 

Flora’s war begins in late 1914 in Cairo where the somewhat indulged daughter of an Australian archaeologist whose only interest is discovering the antiquities of Ancient Egypt meets up with her American friend Gwen, quite determined to be ‘modern young ladies’ of the time now that they are 16 and having ‘come out’, are afforded much more freedom.  Flora’s war ends a year later in Cairo where two much more mature young ladies contemplate their future having seen and done much more than ‘modern young ladies’ should have – in fact having seen and done much more than modern young ladies (or gents) of any generation should have.

Cairo in 1914 is not the place Gwen and Flora have known from their annual visits for the excavation season since childhood.  Instead of the close-knit expatriate society they know, the riches and richness of the privileged life of hotels where steps are swept as soon as they are stepped upon, and the endless desert stretching to the beckoning pyramids, it is becoming more and more crowded with troops from Britain, Australia and New Zealand and tent cities are springing up.  There is an air of expectation that something is going to happen, strengthened by the military’s acquisition of their hotels for hospitals and the girls being commandeered to volunteer as helpers in Lady Bellamy’s rest and recreation centre – a pavilion in the Ezbekieh Gardens where soldiers on leave will be tempted with tea and table tennis to distract them from the salacious attractions of “The Wozzer”. The war is acknowledged but it is far away from Egypt, yet still the troop build-up and training continues and the arrival of contingents of Australian nurses is an ominous sign.

But, undeterred, Flora and Gwen push on to being modern young women, learning to dance in new ways, smoking cigarettes, hosting spectacular parties, and most importantly for their freedom, learning to drive a car.  And it is this skill which takes them to sights, sounds, smells and experiences that no one should ever endure, let alone 16 year-old girls.  For, as what we now know as the Gallipoli Campaign begins and intensifies, the war comes to Cairo as tens of thousands of wounded soldiers are evacuated and Flora and Gwen are enmeshed in their care.

There have been so many books written about the events of 1915 on the Gallipoli Peninsula, events that have shaped the Australian and New Zealand psyche and spawned the enduring ANZAC spirit of collaboration and rivalry.   But Flora’s War is different – it’s written from the perspective of ‘what happened next”.  We know the facts and figures and stories of the soldiers in the trenches and the bravery, courage and losses, but what happened to those who were injured, those who were evacuated to the hospital ships sitting just offshore?  So often the stories stop on the beach.  In the notes, the author, Pamela Rushby tells of her journey from reading a story about Australian nurses in 1915 to writing a story of a young civilian volunteer in Egypt, and it is this aspect that makes this novel stand out.  Even though Flora Wentworth is fictional, it is nevertheless the story of real people, inspirational people whose story has seldom been told.

Flora’s War is an engaging read, written by a hand that knows how to weave light and dark together so that the reader is entertained but also educated.  Flora loves her social life and we learn how the social conventions of the time remain paramount – as unmarried young women their duties are arranged so they cannot see men without their pyjama tops, yet emptying bedpans is acceptable – contrasted against the pathos of young men knowing they may never return from this ‘adventure’ they signed on for.  It paints a picture of a time in history that we all know, that has been rarely seen.  Like Boy Soldiers by Cliff Green, this is a story that stands above others on this topic for me. My copy remained on my shelves until my granddaughters were old enough to read it and perhaps understand what their great great grandfather endured.

There are teachers’ notes written by the author which offer a range of ideas to take this story beyond the realm of a girls’ own adventure to a work that has a real place in supporting our students understanding of this critical piece of Australian history.  If you are looking to boost your collection on this topic for older independent readers, this should be at the top of your list.

First published August 9 2013

Updated April 7 2023

 

Australia Remembers: Wartime Nurses

Jan29
Australia Remembers: Wartime Nurses

Australia Remembers: Wartime Nurses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Australia Remembers: Wartime Nurses

Jacqui Halpin

Big Sky, 2022

72pp., pbk., RRP $A14.99

9781922615602

For over 100 years Australia’s military nurses have been risking their own lives to save the lives of others. From nursing Gallipoli wounded in Egypt during World War I, to treating injured troops and civilians in modern day Afghanistan, with skill, devotion, and compassion these courageous nurses have cared for the casualties of war.

Australia Remembers 6: Care and Compassion – Wartime Nurses, the sixth in this series, shines a light on the remarkable women, and later men, who have served, and continue to serve Australia and humanity during times of war, conflict and natural disasters. The hardships, dangers and sorrows they faced is made accessible to younger readers and highlights the outstanding contribution of these often-forgotten heroes. With historic photographs, quotes from past and present-day nurses, fascinating facts and medical breakthroughs, questions and fun activities, it provides engaging and informative reading for children, adults and educators.

It ensures Australia’s military nurses will be remembered for the sacrifices they have made, the care they have given, and the lives they have saved with facts and photographs combined in a layout that makes the information readily accessible. Teachers’ notes are available to guide a deeper understanding  of both the text and its subject, making this a valuable addition to any collection that focuses on Australia’s military history and the things we commemorate around Both April 25 and November 11.

What Makes a Matilda

Dec1
What Makes a Matilda

What Makes a Matilda

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Makes a Matilda

Puffin, 2022

256pp., pbk., RRP $A24.99

 9781761048869

As the Socceroos enter the FIFA World Cup knockout rounds for the first time since 2006, interest is the FIFA Women’s World Cup to be held in Australia and New Zealand in 2023 is growing.  And we know from past successes in other sports how a win the magnitude of that of the Socceroos inspires our young readers to reignite their dreams, so this is a timely release to hone that passion even more sharply. 

With sections devoted to  pathways to becoming a Matilda, how to capture the Matilda spirit, in-depth player profiles, football history, mindset advice, quotes from your favourite players, pro training drills, photos and more, it also follows the journey of our national team from their first international competition, to when they officially became the Matildas, to their preparations for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023. 

Up-to-date , including the 2022 Asian Cup squad and the news that the entire Australian Top Ten of footballers are women; that Lydia Williams, author of Saved! and Goal! , became the first Australian goalkeeper to reach 100 appearances at that level; and their world=ranking currently sitting at 12th, this is the perfect publication  for the Christmas stocking of any young fan with a dream.

Frankie Stein

Oct12
Frankie Stein

Frankie Stein

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frankie Stein

Kylie Covark

Shane McG

Ford Street, 2022

32pp., pbk.,  RRP $A16.95

9781922696120

Frankie Stein loves doing science experiments while her teddy watches on. She wishes she could chat with him … she’s sure he’s a bear with scientific flair!

But when she mixes up a formula that works, and Bear comes alive, he is not the friendly, cuddly companion she is expecting! Now it’s a race to fix him before everything is destroyed.

With strong links to the original novel by Mary Shelley, this is a junior rhyming version with an underlying theme of being careful what you wish for.  Like the original, it is the scientist not the monster with the familiar name, and the teachers’ notes explain the amazing link between Mary Shelley and Ada Lovelace and why October 12 is set aside to celebrate the achievements of women in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) (and the date chosen to publish this review.)

The teaching notes also focus on assisting our younger readers to think about what scientists  do, science in their lives, and offer some simple science that they can practise that is much safer than creating a monster bear.  The story could start discussions about the reality of monsters in general. Could Frankie Stein really make a potion to bring her bear to life, regardless of how clever she is?  Or it may also inspire more advanced readers to seek out a junior version of the original novel while others might like to investigate the meaning of the original’s subtitle, The Modern Prometheus. It could also start discussions about the reality of monsters in general. Could Frankie Stein really make a potion to bring her bear to life, regardless of how clever she is? Whichever path is taken, it offers an introduction to one of the enduring characters in literature that children will hear of as their reading journeys continue.

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No Boundaries

Aug20
No Boundaries

No Boundaries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No Boundaries

Clare Fiseler

Gabby Salazar

National Geographic Kids 2022

160pp., hbk., RRP $A24.99

9781426371769

As we bid farewell to National Science Week and say hello to Children’s Book Week with its theme of “Dreaming with Eyes Open”, this collection of the stories of 25 female National Geographic explorers and scientists revealing their greatest successes, most epic failures, and astonishing adventures seems particularly appropriate to review on the cusp of these two celebrations in our schools.

This anthology celebrates lesser-known changemakers and outstanding women of diverse backgrounds, nationalities, and fields of study who are just beginning to make a name for themselves. Each profile is based on first-person interviews and comes paired with useful tips and relatable advice for budding explorers and scientists.  Each has a text box called Inspiration Station in which the scientist offers advice for those who already have the dream, while inspiring those who may be doubtful to chase their own dreams. Stunning photography and fascinating general interest information about the animals, places, and practices add drama and context.

Readers can track a volcanologist as she braves the elements atop an active volcano; travel alongside a mountaineer as she battles stereotypes and frostbite to conquer the famed Seven Summits;  join a conservationist on her passionate fight to save lions and dig with a paleontologist to uncover massive dinosaur fossils, bit by breathtaking bit, as well as a host of other women forging new paths in careers possibly unheard of. These heartfelt stories give readers an insider’s look at the amazing work female explorers at National Geographic and beyond are doing in the field to solve some of the world’s toughest problems.

No Boundaries sends a positive message to every girl who has ever dreamed or dared to go a little further. And although these explorers’ endeavours are quite adventurous, the lessons they share can inspire all girls, as well as boys, whatever their goals, skills, and interests, to dream with their eyes open.