Review: Six Take One

We’ve all gone along to parties that we didn’t really want to go to, right? But how often do we end up regretting our decision because someone was murdered during the party? (Hopefully never.)

Unfortunately, this is exactly what happens when seventeen-year-old Cassie’s on-again-off-again friend, Kiah, guilts her into attending a New Year’s Eve party at Johnny’s remote farm, where, among other things, there’s only limited internet coverage.

Before agreeing to go, Cassie elicits a promise from Kiah that they’ll leave by 11 pm. Kiah reluctantly agrees and says she’ll pick Cassie up at 7 pm.

From the outset, reluctance aside, things do not bode well.

Review: Nowhere House

If a spooky cover and an intriguing title are what draw you to pick up a book, then Adrian Beck’s Nowhere House is for you – but only if you also like tension, mystery and the potential for ghosts and drama.

The opening words of this brilliant story have the main character, Nate, muttering “I’d rather be dead,” as he sits in the car with his family on the way to their new home ‘in the middle of nowhere’.

Be careful what you wish for, Nate!

Nate’s parents have just purchased their new home at a bargain deal and it soon becomes apparent why they managed to get it for such a price. It’s rundown, a 90-minute round trip to the nearest school and it has a history. Not a very nice one either.

Review: Fanny and Mina: The Fastest of Friends

Did you know that it wasn’t until 2020 that the number of Olympic swimming event opportunities for women equalled that available for men?

That’s just one fact that has stayed with me after reading Samantha Tidy and Hilary Cresp’s new narrative non-fiction picture book, Fanny and Mina: The Fastest of Friends.

At the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, Fanny Durack and Mina Wylie – both in their twenties – became the first Australian female Olympic swimmers and the first women in the world to win Olympic medals in swimming.

Review: Ben's Library

Elissa has a very real, very big problem!

She’s already read every single book on her shelf. Can it be that she’s run out of books?

Thank goodness for the school library.

On her way home, piled high with borrowed books, Elissa is moving as slow as a snail and reconsidering her decision to try and carry such a load.

But, it’s books, so she perseveres.

Review: Tiki and Jill and the Great Australian Camel Race

Some picture books are so much more than a simple story. Tiki and Jill and the Great Australian Camel Race is one of those books.

On one level, this is a recount of the real-life Great Australian Camel Race. Held from April to July 1988, this race saw camel riders race from Uluru in the Northern Territory to the Gold Coast in Queensland – a distance of over 3,000 km.

Review: Poppy Makes Pockets

Do you like collecting treasures when you go for a walk? 

And do you have enough pockets to store everything you find?

If not, meet Poppy - a resourceful child who may have the perfect solution for you.

Jemima Parker’s debut picture book (illustrated by Karen Erasmus) highlights a big problem – where can we store all our special things if our clothes don’t have pockets?

Review: Benny's Bad Day (Choose Your Ending Book #1)

Have you ever been reading a book where the character does something and you think, ‘No! Why did you do that? You should have done …’? 

It can be so frustrating when the author sends their character off in the ‘wrong’ direction.

Or when the ending is not the ending you would have chosen.

If you find yourself wishing that you had more control over what your favourite characters were doing, then Nathan Luff’s new Choose Your Ending series is probably what you’re looking for.

Review: Wanted: The Cutest Baby in the World

Sometimes, it is worth reading the author’s dedication first: 

‘For tired parents everywhere – your tiny master criminals are lucky to have you’.

Davina Bell’s dedication sums up the entire premise of Wanted: The Cutest Baby in the World better than any blurb could.

When the detective arrives at Mum and Dad’s house, it's very late at night, which is okay because everyone’s awake anyway. 

Review: Australian Geographic - World's Most Freaky

If you love animals and love being able to wow your friends with random fun facts, then Australian Geographic’s World’s Most Freaky is for you.

 
Sorted by world regions and with plenty of ‘freaky’ animal facts clearly sectioned with a photo and a small amount of text, this book allows readers to either dip in and out or devour the details from cover to cover.

The facts within are not intended to horrify, repulse or make you cringe – as the title word ‘freaky’ may imply – but rather to intrigue, fascinate and elicit the ‘wow – no way!’ factor. The whole point is to open your eyes to the uniqueness and tenacity of nature, with a side dose of awareness, so we can all step towards conserving these beautiful creatures for generations to come.

 

Review: Learning You By Heart

Some books beg to be read aloud while you’re snuggled up with the ones you love. Sarah Wallace’s newest book, illustrated by Michelle Conn, is one of those books.

A lullaby for a precious child, Learning You By Heart captures a mother’s absolute devotion to her child as she delights in every smile, every touch and every breath.

 
Learning something ‘by heart’ usually refers to the rote memorisation of times tables, spelling words or scientific formulae at school. It involves close observation, repeated actions and intense focus.

Review: Daddy Bear

There’s something extra special about a child’s relationship with their father. 

And there are some things, like this relationship, that simply can't be celebrated enough.

Rory H. Mather and Helene Magisson capture the essence of this relationship in their delightful picture book, Daddy Bear – a gentle and heartwarming peek into a child’s beautiful bond with their daddy.

Review: The Wild Unknown

With the rapid escalation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in recent years, it’s not so hard to imagine a world – twenty years from now – where each human has a personal AI bot and most jobs are performed by bots.

This is exactly the world Emily Gale has imagined in her middle-grade tech adventure novel, The Wild Unknown.

Set in 2045, Year 6 student Eddie lives in a world where bots keep tabs on everything he does. They’re useful, yes, but also a little intrusive at times and not everyone fully embraces these tech advances.

Sometimes, Eddie takes his mica earbud out so its not aware of what he’s up to.

Eddie’s dad refuses to use the Goodbot delivery service.

Review: The Lost Defenders

An eclipse only happens every so often.

Normally an event worth anticipating, this particular eclipse has been long-awaited for a more sinister reason.

Jace can see monsters. He wishes he couldn’t because they get him in trouble when all he’s doing is trying to save people from them. Clearly, though, he has no idea what he’s doing because right now, he’s on the brink of expulsion.

Despite having resolved to lay low and ignore what’s in front of him, he realises now is not the time to do that. In fact, he’s just found out that he’s a ‘seer’ – a rare human who can see and communicate with monsters from the other side of the ‘veil’.

Thankfully, he’s not the only one with these skills.

Review: Oh No!

An elephant carrying a three-tiered wedding cake down a set of stairs … what could possibly go wrong?

Author and illustrator, James Foley, really is the master of the ‘what if?’ and he doesn’t disappoint in his latest picture book offering, Oh No!

It’s not only the elephant that’s involved in this hilarious tale, though; there’s also a pig, and a piranha or two. 

And a wedding!

But ... where did the chaos start?

Review: Oceanforged 2: The Silent Island

Book 2 in Amelia Mellor’s five-book fantasy adventure series begins in a sea of calm. But don’t be fooled because once we’re reacquainted with Cori, Jem and Tarn, the action moves into top gear.

The three teens, thrown together in Book 1 when Cori stole a magical gauntlet and was unwittingly thrown into the role of Champion, are now tasked with locating the other pieces of Oceanforged Armour and saving their nation from destruction.

Thinking that the Loyalists will help them, Cori is shocked to discover they’re on their own. 

What’s more, they have less than six months to find the hauberk tunic – the second piece of armour – and push back the Great Dark Tide that is on its way and will destroy the nation of Aquinta and everything they know.

With no other choice, Cori, Jem and Tarn set off in Jem’s houseboat, Lucky, to try and find Mutemont, the mysterious island thought to be the hiding place of the hauberk. 

Review: The Embarrassing Confessions of Gracie Sparks

Starting high school is nerve-wracking enough for most kids. Different teachers. New subjects. A maze of corridors and classrooms to navigate. More homework. That’s all bad enough but when your dad insists on sending you to a school where you don’t know anyone except your aloof big sister and one weirdo from your primary school … well, that’s next level.

Enter Gracie Sparks.

The transition from being the popular and cool student who wows everyone with her electric guitar skills to being a friendless nobody does not sit well with Gracie and she’s determined to do something about it. But what?

All the other Year 7s at Middleton Grammar are already in tight friendship groups so Gracie is initially stuck with boring-girl Margot. 

Review: Don't Let Them Leave

Sometimes a title alone is enough to draw you to a book. Pair that with a somewhat ominous cover showing a shadowy house in the middle of a stormy sea, an author who can get readers laughing in one book and quivering in the next and a killer logline, and you just can’t help but be hooked.

And that’s before you even read the prologue!

After their parents are killed in a car accident, Charlotte and her younger siblings, Jack and Emily, find themselves on a train to Cornwall – a place they’ve never been – to live with a grandmother they never knew they had.

Right from the start, there's something off about the solicitor, Mr Frankelweiss. And from that point on, nothing seems to add up.

Review: Swearwolves

Do not let the title of this book turn you off straight away. Hear me out first because the subject matter is treated in an exceptionally mature way and, let’s be honest, those words are out there and being used by our children (but not by Steve Worland in this book).

Luna Wilkinson has not long started at her new school and she’s having trouble fitting in. Everyone has their friendship groups and little cliques and there doesn’t seem to be space for the new kid who is rapidly getting a reputation for being a bit weird.

As Luna sees it, her one chance to stand out – and fit in – lies in wowing the crowds at the upcoming audition for Bite Me – The Musical. Luna doesn’t just want to be given a part; she wants to be cast in the lead role. 

Review: The Fast Lane

Some of us are naturally competitive. Others are happy to go with the flow. But what happens when one meets the other?

Daisy swims 100 laps of the pool every day in the ‘fast lane’. Everyone knows that this section of the pool is reserved for the serious swimmers.

Everyone – except Frank.

Frank just wants to float around and have fun. He wants to splish-splosh and sidestroke. Daisy doesn’t have a problem with this – until Frank moves over to the fast lane!

Review: Myra in the Middle

As the oldest child in my family, I could tell you many stories about how difficult it can be to have to ‘pave the way’ for my siblings. However, I have no idea of the trials and tribulations of being the youngest child – or the middle child for that matter.

Happily, there are books that address such matters, allowing us all a window into the experiences of others.

Up until the birth of her baby brother, seven-year-old Myra was the youngest of two, but now she is in the new position of ‘middle child’. 

It’s a bit of a nothing zone – a space where she's invisible, forgotten and not the ‘-est’ of anything. Myra’s not quite sure what her role is or where she fits anymore, only that she’s been relegated to the squashy middle seat in the car and she's been given the position of midfielder in her soccer team.