No 20, September 2002

It’s been a very busy six months since the last newsletter.

The ECIS Librarians’ Conference in Budapest was excellent. Such a lovely city and it was great to meet so many librarians from round the world. Richard Tulloch, Australian author and performer provided great entertainment and as a result he has been invited to many schools in Europe as visiting author, again to very enthusiastic reviews. Teachers who are interested in his work will be able to attend his two sessions at the ECIS Conference in Berlin in November. Austral Ed will also have a display. It is situated in the central lobby Stand Number 147. Do do take note of it and come and visit. It’s always great to catch up with people and there will be an excellent display as usual, with a wide range of new titles. We also are planning to visit a number of schools in the Munich area before the Conference so it will make the long haul to Berlin very worthwhile.

From Budapest we went to the NESA Conference in Bangkok and then to EARCOS in Kuala Lumpur, both excellent Conferences but we were a bit exhausted after three Conferences in three weeks. I don’t know how some publishers’ reps do it for most of the year.

In May there was the Australian Children’s Book Council Conference in Perth. This one had an emphasis on Australian authors and illustrators and there was an amazing wealth of talent, both new and old. I must say it was wonderful just being able to go to session after session (something I haven’t managed to do for years since I am normally at the display talking to people or giving sessions myself.) I was most impressed with the whole Conference. Now that we are in Adelaide, I have made a resolution to attend all the CBC Conferences in the future. The next one is in Hobart, Tasmania from October 2 - 5, 2003. See www.cbc.org.au for information. It will be combined with the Australian School Library Association Conference. A growing number of teachers from overseas International Schools also are attending Australian Conferences so mark this one in your diary as a possiblity. Another excellent Conference is called Reading Matters and is organised by Agnes Nieuwenhuizen of the Australian Centre for Youth Literature in Melbourne. The theme for the next Conference from 15th - 17th May 2003 will be Place - Space - Race. It’s a topic which invites in depth discussion. Speakers include Deborah Ellis from Canada, David Almond from the UK, and Morris Gleitzman, Melina Marchetta, Boori Pryor and Meme McDonald from Australia. For more information, email: acyl@slv.vic.gov.au

I am often asked to suggest Australian authors and illustrators for visits to overseas International schools and I do make suggestions but my knowledge is limited. However there are two organisations, one in Sydney and the other in Melbourne, which specialise in giving advice regarding suitable authors or illustrators for visits to schools. They also do all the arranging of the visit.

For more information, contact Catherine McLellan at Lateral Learning www.laterallearning.com

Ph 61 2 9960 4844 Fax 61 2 9960 4811

or Lauris Pandolfini at Booked Out. Ph 61 3 9533 6717 Email: lauris@bookedout.com.au

Recently Kim Gamble, illustrator of the Tashi books as well as Joseph which was shortlisted on this year’s CBC Book of the Award, visited some schools in Japan to a very enthusiastic response. Richie Steven, librarian at the British school in Tokyo, said that all the students now want to be illustrators like Kim, and no longer authors or performers like Richard Tulloch! As Australian authors are becoming more well known in overseas International Schools an increasing number are being invited to visit. I know that John Marsden, Gillian Rubinstein and Morris Gleitzman have also all visited a number of schools recently but there are many others who also do excellent work with students over a wide age range and who would provide inspiration. Of course there is also the additional benefit that the Australian dollar is still very low... and Australia is very close to many schools in Asia.

All the best for the new school year!

And I have just decided to attend and put on a display at the IB PALMS (Pan Asia Library Media Specialists) Librarians’ Conference in Bali this year in October so hope to see many of you there as well as at ECIS in Berlin. The thought of the warmth of Bali seems especially alluring during this chilly Adelaide winter.

Fiction

There is such a wealth of good fiction at the moment that most of the reviews in this newsletter are fiction! Two authors who I heard and met at the CBC Conference for the first time were Boori Monty Pryor and Meme McDonald and they make a formidable team. Their first collaborative writing was Maybe Tomorrow pb $19.95. This is the absorbing story of Boori’s life from the Aboriginal fringe camps of his birth, to the basketball court, to the DJ console and now to performance of Aboriginal dance, music and storytelling in schools and other venues around Australia as well as writing children’s books. Meme’s background is very different, coming as she does from a white family in a very conservative, even racist, country town in Western Queensland. Together they write with humour and compassion. Their wonderful partnership in writing books also works its wonders when they talk about their backgrounds and how they came together to write four books about Aboriginal kids and their families.

My Girragundji is the first story for younger children that they wrote together. Children from different cultures relate closely to this story of a young Aboriginal boy who finds a spirit friend in a small green frog and this helps him combat his fears of the bullies at school and of the spirits at night time about the house. In The Binna Binna Man the narrator is now older and is struggling to gain strength from Aboriginal traditions to withstand the pressures of drugs and to be strong in the face of losing so many young Aboriginal friends and family to suicide. In Njunjul the Sun the young boy is now sixteen years old and he leaves his close-knit Aboriginal family up north to stay with his uncle Garth and his white girlfriend in the big city of Sydney (there are elements of autobiography in this story and perhaps this is one reason why it rings so true). He has been in some trouble with the police and this is a chance to sort himself out and to get rid of this black feeling of depression and the feeling that he is no good. In spite of the underlying message which is at times desperate, the book also has its very funny and exhilarating moments. It is filled with very amusing real life stories as well as real drama. It also gives us an insight into the way a young Aboriginal views his world.

Flytrap is the most recent story and is aimed at younger children. Nancy is worried. She said she would bring a venus fly trap to school because she knew it would please her teacher but now she is very worried because she doesn’t have one. Each day she becomes more worried as she puts off telling her teacher the truth. However through the stories of her mother and Aboriginal step-father, she gains the courage to tell the teacher the truth and to share a special story with her class. A very appealing, humourous story showing yet again the strength of stories. Children will identify with Nancy’s predicament.

All by Boori Monty Prior and Meme McDonald

Maybe Tomorrow pb $19.95 (12 years up)

My Girragundji pb $13.95 (8 - 11 years)

The Binna Binna Man pb $13.95 (9 - 14 years)

Njunjul the Sun pb $15.95 (12 up)

Flytrap pb $13.95 (8 - 11 years)

I wrote in the last newsletter, in February this year, lamenting the fact that there had not yet been a book about the recent refugees desperately seeking refuge in Australia. Well, Morris Gleitzman has quickly answered the call with his own distinctive comic/tragic view of the situation. Boy Overboard pb $14.95 was published just last month. The book opens with a group of boys in Afghanistan playing soccer, imagining they are Manchester United. There is lots of joking and laughter but every now and then we are suddenly brought up with a jolt. The goalie has only one leg as a result of stepping on a mine. When Jamal’s little sister, Bibi comes out to play because she is fed up with always staying inside there is real fear as this is totally and absolutely against the law. Somehow Gleitzman manages to get humour out of this dangerous situation where kids are playing soccer on a bare patch of ground surrounded by areas that are probably mined. He manages to maintain the mixture of comedy and tragedy throughout the book. The family is forced to flee because his mother has been running a school for girls. They go first to a refugee camp and then board a plane and finally begin the hazardous journey in a leaky boat to Australia. Throughout the story we identify with the children or their parents, we laugh at some of the situations which border on the absurd but then we are frequently brought up with a jolt as we realise the dangers and that this is the story of many refugees. There is often a touch of farce, of slapstick, even in such a deadly place as the Soccer Stadium where Jamal thinks soccer will be played but which is really an execution ground for women, but always there is the underlying truth of the highly dangerous position of the family. Children will enjoy the book however it is in class discussion that I am certain that so much more will be brought out. The final irony is of course that Jamal is so sure that the Australian government is caring. He realises that the family "won’t be safe till we get to Australia. Then we can relax. The Australian government will look after us." He can’t believe that some Australians wouldn’t want his family to go to Australia. And after reading this book many others will find it hard to believe as well. (9 years up)

Boy Overboard by Morris Gleitzman pb $14.95 Also as 2 audio cassettes $14.95

Simon French has published very few books but each one has been well worth the wait. There have been only four novels in the period since 1976 when his first novel Phanton Singlet was published to considerable acclaim when he was only seventeen years old. There has been nothing for the last ten years and so I was delighted when I learnt that a new picture book and novel were to be published.

Guess the Baby by Simon French and Donna Rawlins hb $25.95

This is a delightful picture book, evidently drawn with love from Simon French’s own experiences as an elementary school teacher. When Sam’s baby brother comes to school for Show and Tell, it sparks lots of discussion about babies with their teacher Mr Judd. As a later activity everyone brings a photo of themselves as a baby and the class has to pick which baby is which child. There are delightful illustrations of sixteen babies in all sorts of poses and kids will also have great fun trying to pick who belongs to which baby. Donna Rawlins shows her skills in depicting sixteen distinctive babies who have recognisable features linking them to the children in the class. However at the end there is one baby, in sailor suit with teddies, left over and this, to the childrens’ amazement and delight, is Mr Judd. This sparks even more animated discussion that once Mr Judd couldn’t read, he used to eat blobby baby food and had yukky nappies! The illustrations of Mr Judd as a baby are very funny as Mr Judd still has his black moustache. This is a warm, joyous book which made me want to dash out and find a young child to share it with. (It’s the problem when one’s one’s children have grown up.) Teachers will greatly enjoy reading it aloud to children and using it as a catalyst for classroom activities.

Where in the World by Simon French pb $14.95

This is a deceptively simple but beautifully constructed book in which we gradually learn how Ari and his mother came to Australia first on a holiday from Germany when he was eight years old and then came back to live in the Blue Mountains with Jamie, who becomes Ari’s stepfather. Chapters telling us more about Ari’s new life in Australia are interspersed with flashbacks to his life in Germany where his grandfather Opa held a most important part as Ari’s father had died when he was very young. Ari is a talented musician and his grandfather had been his teacher and the relationship was very close. There are many warm descriptions of a caring family, of the difficulties and joys of travelling to new places, of living in diferent places and of old and new friends. Perhaps most importantly it is a wonderful exploration of a young boy who has an exceptional talent for music, both for playing and for creating new pieces. A moving, absorbing and highly enjoyable story.

(8 - 14 years)

Runestone by Anna Ciddor pb $14.95

This is the first book in a new series called Viking Magic. It is an engaging story about two children who were exchanged at birth and as a consequence Oddo the farmer’s son gets into trouble for doing magic while Thora the spellworker’s daughter is teased because she can never do even the simplest of magic spells. They find that when they work together they can achieve wonders! There are amusing scenes and detailed descriptions of Viking village life though I must say that at times I found it difficult to imagine that the bloodthirsty Vikings of my imagination could come from similar villages. However Anna Ciddor says that the books are rooted in Viking lifestyle and belief, and Viking runes play a prominent part in the fantasy elements of the story. Children of 8 - 11 years will really enjoy it.

The Deltora Quest series by Emily Rodda has proved very popular. And now a second series has appeared which is even more exciting and is a little more complex in plot. The Shadow Lord’s tyranny over Deltora has ended but there are still threats from the Shadowlands and many people from Deltora have been enslaved there in his evil kingdom. Again the same three friends from the first quest, Lief, Barda and Jasmine, set out to search for a Pirran Pipe which is described in fables as the only source of power over the Shadow Lord. However they first have to discover whether it exists. Again an exciting and enjoyable fantasy quest for younger readers.

Deltora Quest 2 by Emily Rodda pb $14.00 each book

Cavern of the Fear

The Isle of Illusion

The Shadowlands (8 - 13 years)

Deltora Quest 1 by Emily Rodda pb $14.00 each book

1 The Forests of Silence 2 The Lake of Tears 3 City of the Rats

4 The Shifting Sands 5 Dread Mountain 6 The Maze of the Beast

7 The Valley of the Lost 8 Return to Del

Horrendo’s Curse by Anna Fienberg illustrated by Kim Gamble pb $13.95

Horrendo was cursed when a baby with a charming spell and so, whenever he felt like cursing someone or something, it always came out as a compliment. This made life very difficult for Horrendo as he lived in a village where everyone was always cursing in order to appear tough. Every year pernicous pirates captured the twelve year old boys of the village and made them work as crew on their pirate ship and so the boys were trained to appear tough, to make deadly insults and rude remarks so that they could survive their ordeal at sea. This scenario makes for a very funny and witty story. The rollicking adventures and ordeals of Horrendo and his friends are described gleefully by Anna Fienberg as they manage to survive the horrors of the pirate ship and return home laden with treasure and even accompanied by some of the pirates, transformed by Horrendo’s continual compliments and sublime cullinary skills. (8 - 12 years)

Beyond the Green Door by Kristan Julius pb $16.95

Kristan teaches at the Jakarta International School and I was delighted to be able to read her first novel. It’s unusual too in that it is a fantasy with an environmental theme. Sarah Clare is just 13 years old when she falls through the green door into the land of Hutanya where she is recognised as Sareka. Gradually Sarah begins to remember parts of her life as Sareka and her memories of life as Sarah in a happy family become fainter. Hutanya now is a desert where water is very scarce but it used to be lush rainforest with a wealth of creatures and plants. A dark, power-hungry sorcerer called Sarin has caused the water to disappear. Sarah realises that she has a very important role to play in bringing back the water but to do this she must confront Sarin’s immense power. The story is told with considerable humour as Sarah meets a number of engaging creatures such as the batlings, talking moths, and Ashrok the lizard and other characters who help Sareka on her quest but there is also danger especially from the frightening wraiths which are always craving water. It’s an absorbing fantasy story in which concern for the environment is a dominant theme. When Sarah sees the devastation that has been wrought in Hutanya, she realises just how precious water is, and how special is the rainforest. It is a very enjoyable read which would make a welcome addition to classroom discussion on the environment or in literature circles. It also looks as though there will be more books about Sarah in the future. (9 - 14 years)

Tongue-Tied! by Paul Jennings pb $14.95

Paul Jennings writes clever ingenious stories always with a twist in the ending, often with a touch of the supernatural but always with humour and usually a strong touch of humanity. His stories are never short listed for the Children’s Book Council Book Awards and yet they have brought many kids, especially boys, pleasure in reading for the very first time. The stories are carefully crafted; never too long just the right length. Humour is difficult to get exactly right and Paul’s audience is a critical one but they haven’t yet tired of his stories and will enjoy his latest, Tongue-tied! The key note speech that Paul gave at the CBC Conference in Perth was thought-provoking, moving and very entertaining as it was interspersed with the story of Lennie who had teeth that shone in the dark. It was very funny and highly dramatic and when it looked as though Paul would not continue the story to the end, there was a loud outcry from the audience. The power of the story yet again! The story of Lenny is one of eight stories (Lennie Lighthouse) in Tongue-Tied!

Saving Sadler Street by Ruth Starke pb $12.95

Ruth Starke has an ability to write about a multi-ethnic community and make it come to life. She did it with Nips X1, a highly entertaining story about Lan who loved cricket but the only way he could play was to get together a cricket team of kids from many ethnic backgrounds. And she has done it this time with a story about an inner city school that was 113 years old and which was closed down by the government in order to cut costs. The way the local community, of many different nationalities fight to keep the school open makes a fascinating story. The book begins with the arrival at the school in the 1930s of a Greek girl and boy who spoke no English, and this is later contrasted with a Vietnamese boy Sim who in 1996 thought the school very old fashioned and thought he would prefer to be at home where he could learn everything he wanted on the internet. There is a touch of irony here for when he hears that the school is about to close he realises just what it means to him and his friends. He starts a campaign which is joined by students, teachers, former students and community members to try and save the school. There are many funny heartwarming incidents which vividly convey the importance of the school to new migrants and the local community. (9 - 14 years) Also Nips X1 pb $12.95 (9 - 14 years)

A Boat for Bridget by James Roy pb $16.95

Set in the Blue Mountains east of Sydney, this is the story of an engaging family, Will, Penny and their daughter Bridget. Will is passionate about boats and sailing and Bridget’s interest is growing fast but Penny dislikes sailing and some mysterious past event makes her fearful of it as well. The dynamics of this family make absorbing reading and when Will decides to accept an offer to crew for one of the yachts in the Sydney to Hobart ocean yacht race we share Penny’s growing concern. Will is crewing for a top class yacht but this means very little when the boat is caught in an horrific storm and the boat is swamped, sweeping the crew into the ocean. There are highly dramatic, very realistic descriptions of the attempts to survive such a storm with all its fury. In some ways the story has an old-fashioned feel as the narrator often makes his presence felt but I enjoyed this and didn’t find it at all intrusive. I also very much enjoyed the development of the relationship between Bridget and her parents and for a non-sailor who gets seasick even while the boat is tied up at the jetty, I enjoyed the descriptions of sailing and could imagine that it must be great for some. (9 - 14 years)

When you wake and find me gone by Maureen McCarthy pb $19.95

I was delighted when this new title arrived from the author of Queen Kat, Carmel and St Jude (one of my favourite books for young adults). Maureen McCarthy seems to be able to create characters who stride off the page and into our lives. And while they are part of our lives she arouses real compassion as they laugh, cry and struggle through their lives. In this latest novel, Kit is just twenty years old and very pleased with her new independence at University and living with her flat mates, and she is happy that her big country family is safely three hours away. But then there is an accident and Kit’s life suddenly becomes a maze of uncertainties, of which the most important is to find out who is her father. She goes to Ireland to try and understand more of her background but there she become enmeshed in the bitterness, hatred and complexities of the long Irish struggle for independence for the whole of Ireland. A wonderful novel. (14 years up)

Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn hardback $29.95

This is a splendid book. It is set in feudal Japan with many of the traditions and customs of that period but there is also a fantasy element which adds surprise and charm to this story of intrigue, courage, danger and beauty. It is very simply but vividly written. I found it difficult to put down, as I was spellbound by the characters, the beauty of the setting, but also horrified at times by the cruelty and barbarity. Images from the book are still vivid, especially the image of the nightingale floor, a special wooden floor built as a protection from assassination so that it sings in many different tones whenever anyone walks on it. Lian Hearn is actually the well known Australian children’s author Gillian Rubinstein (see the Austral Ed website for a list some of her titles). Gillian has had a long time interest in Japan and wanted to keep this series of the Tales from the Otori quite separate from her children’s writing. Across the Nightingle Floor has so far had phenomenal success with translations into some 22 languages and with the film rights also sold. Students and adults will enjoy it. (13 years up)

THE AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARDS

THE 2002 SHORT LIST

A number of these titles have been listed in several sections. I have marked titles with • where they have been repeated.

Book of the Year: Older Readers (13 years up)

Winner

Forest by Sonia Hartnett pb $19.95

A very unusual story of how three domestic cats survive when they are dumped in the forest and try to make their way home through this dangerous and strange world. Hartnett attempts to give the perspective of the cats, both domestic and feral, in this story.

Honour Books

Mahalia by Joanne Horniman pb $16.95

Matt and Emmy were just 17 years old when their baby daughter Mahalia was born. This is the moving and sensitively told story of Matt’s highs and lows as he struggles to look after Mahalia on his own when Emmy left. There is wonderful observation of the delightful stages of growth from small baby till Mahalia’s first birthday.

When Dogs Cry by Markus Zusak pb $14.95

An unusual story, the third about three brothers who have gained self-respect through boxing. Cameron the youngest is perhaps the most sensitive and his story is tough but is also poetic at times.

Finding Grace by Alyssa Brugman pb $15.95

A poignant story of Rachel who leaves school and gets a job looking after Grace who suffered severe brain injury after an accident. Surprisingly this is a story of life and vitality as well as considerable humour.

Yoss by Odo Hirsch pb $21.95

Yoss’s home was high in the mountains but he wanted to visit the bustling town even though the dangers were such that no-one who visited there ever came back. Yoss is an innocent who survives because of his integrity.

Jinx by Margaret Wild pb $15.95

A verse novel which explores the lives of Jen’s family and friends. Jen is a young girl who thinks she is jinxed because of what has happened to a number of people she knew.

Book of the Year: Younger Readers

Winner

My Dog by John Heffernan illus by Andrew McLean hb $24.95

A very moving understated story of terrible suffering as a consequence of ethnic cleansing in the former Yugoslavia. Seen through the eyes of a brave young boy, the story is illustrated sensitively illustrated in water colours by Andrew McLean. (8 — 11 years)

Honour Books

A Different Sort of Real: the Diary of Charlotte McKenzie, Melbourne 1918 - 1919

by Kerry Greenwood pb $15.95

A most absorbing and believable story. Charlotte struggles to understand her father’s shell shock as a result of the Great War and to help the local doctor as he tends patients stricken by the devastating influenza epidemic sweeping the community. (9 up)

Have Courage, Hazel Green! by Odo Hirsch pb $14.50

The third adventure of Hazel Green features her friend Yak and the nearby shopkeepers. This time the loyalty of her friends is all important. (8 — 13 years)

Joseph by Anna Fienberg illus by Kim Gamble hb $24.95

An engaging retelling of the story of Joseph that brings life, vitality and warmth to this well known Biblical tale. Kim Gamble’s illustrations in this picture book have a richness and homeliness that makes the story all the more accessible. (7 — 11 years)

Sarindi and the Lucky Bird by Janine Fraser illus by Kim Gamble pb $11.95

A story told simply and with warmth and feeling of a young boy, Sarindi and his family who live in Yogyakarta in Indonesia. The family struggles to get by but Sarindi knows he is very lucky. (7 — 10 years)

Jamil’s Shadow by Christine Harris pb $12.95

Set in a Turkish village, Jamil has lost his parents and is feeling very isolated but things change when he is befriended by a stray dog and an earthquake strikes, strangely enough bringing hope. (7 - 10 years)

Book of the Year: Early Childhood (Picture Books)

Winner

"Let’s get a Pup!" by Bob Graham hb $27.95

A delightful story about a warm zany family who decide to get a pup from the Dog Rescue Centre and come home with Dave, a bouncy excitable puppy and Rosy, an old homely dog.

Honour Books

Where Does Thursday Go? by Janeen Brian illus by Stephen Michael King hb $24.95

The delightful musings of Splodge and Humbug as they wonder what happens to Thursday before it becomes Friday.

Baby Bilby, Where do you Sleep? by Narelle Oliver hb $24.95

Another of Oliver’s beautifully illustrated books on Australian animals. This one looks at where a number of animals hide and sleep during the day in the desert. Very simple text.

Passing On by Mike Dumbleton illus by Terry Denton pb $14.95

A gentle rhyming tribute to the memory of a beloved grandma and the times she and her grandson spent fishing, reading and paddling in the water together.

Picture Book of the Year Award (These picture books may be for mature readers)

Winner

An Ordinary Day illus by Armin Greder, text by Libby Gleeson hb $24.95

A dull grey day for Jack changes dramatically when his imagination transforms the scene around him and he swims with whales. The text is sparse and finally disappears as the illustrations alone carry the story.

Honour Books

• My Dog illus by Andrew McLean, text by John Heffernan hb $24.95

A very moving, understated story of terrible suffering as a consequence of ethnic cleansing in the former Yugoslavia. Seen through the eyes of a brave young boy.

The Red Tree by Shaun Tan hb $26.95

Shaun Tan succeeds in creating a picture book which depicts symbolically the confusion, loneliness and fearfulness that can sometimes overwhelm us. However with the appearance of the brilliant red tree at the end of the book he also gives us a feeling of hope.

Horrible Harriet by Leigh Hobbs hb $24.95

A somewhat anarchic story about Horrible Harriet who lives in the school attic and creates chaos through her awful exploits, which some children will find very funny.

Papunya School Book of Country and History by Papunya School Publishing Committee

hb $29.95 This book shows the history of the Papunya region in the centre of Australia through the eyes of the staff and students. It is wonderfully refreshing to read an account from the Aboriginal viewpoint in such an innovative collage format, vibrant with drawings, paintings, maps and painted photographs.

In My Backyard illus by Anne Spudvilas, text by Nette Hilton hb $24.95

A celebration of the lights, noise, shapes and patterns and vibrancy of city life for three young children.

Eve Pownall Award for Information Books

Winner

• Papunya School Book of Country & History by Papunya School Publishing Committee

hb $29.95 This book shows the history of the Papunya region in the centre of Australia through the eyes of the staff and students. It is wonderfully refreshing to read an account from the Aboriginal viewpoint in such an innovative collage format, vibrant with drawings, paintings, maps and painted photographs. (9 up)

Honour Books

Soldier Boy: The True Story of Jim Martin, the Youngest Anzac by Anthony Hill

pb $17.95 The life story of Jim Martin who at fourteen years was the youngest Australian soldier in the First World War. (12 — 16 years)

• Baby Bilby, Where do you Sleep? by Narelle Oliver hb $24.95

Another of Oliver’s beautifully illustrated books on Australian animals. This one looks at where a number of animals hide and sleep during the day in the desert. Very simple text.

Jirrbal, Rainforest Dreamtime Stories by Maisie Barlow (Yarrcali) illus by Michael (Boiyool) Anning hb $24.95 A collection of four traditional Aboriginal stories from the tablelands of northern Queensland. The last section of the book describes some of Maisie Barlow’s childhood memories. (8 — 11 years)

Eyes in the Dark by Kim Dale hb $24.45 pb $16.95

A simple rhyming text invites us to guess the identity of the animal behind the eyes of sixteen nocturnal animals on the other page. Factual information about the animals is given at the back of the book. (7 — 11 years)

Guide Dogs: From Puppies to Partners by Diana Lawrenson hb $24.95

An informative and interesting book which outlines the breeding and intensive training of guide dogs as well as the working partnership between handlers and dogs. Interesting text well complemented by the a wide variety of photographs. (9 — 15 years)

If you would like to order any of the books reviewed in this newsletter or in the accompanying lists, send orders to Austral Ed by fax, post or email.

All prices are in Australian dollars. Prices include GST of 10%which is not applicable to overseas schools.

For additional lists of recommended books and newsletters from Austral Ed, visit our website www.australed.iinet.net.au

© Kate Shepherd 2008.