No 28, September, 2006

Kate Shepherd, Austral Ed

Greetings for the new school year.  I hope it is good one for you wherever you are.  And if you have changed schools do give me your new email address. 

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday break.  I have been working away trying to do more lists and update the others.  So I haven’t had a real break but have had some wonderful weekends lately.  There isn’t supposed to be much of a spring time in Australia but the Adelaide Hills have been spectacular over the last two weeks.  Most of the wattles all seem to be blooming at the same time; from tall trees, to small bushes and the colours vary from brilliant yellow to pale lemon.  The purple of the hardenbergia creeper looks wonderful against this sea of yellow.  And then there are the pink and white blossom trees - not native but very common in the Hills since this was the home for so many early settlers from Europe.  So it has been a lovely time.  No real need to travel anywhere.

However I am looking forward to the trip to Hanoi for the IB Asia Pacific Conference from October 6th to 9th.  Hanoi is a lovely city and I shall enjoy catching up with many of you there.  I haven’t been to many Conferences lately and I would like to get some feedback re some of the books that have come out lately, especially the CBC Book Award books.  I shall be giving a talk on books for the PYP and of course there will be a book display.   I am hoping to have the lists of books for the PYP and MYP updated for the Conference as well.  So check out the website round the end of September.

I am sending out with this newsletter a new list of suggested resource titles for the IBDP Visual Arts course, or for any Senior Art courses.  This is a vast area but I hope that schools will find the suggestions helpful.  We were very pleased with the positive feedback we received from the list of books for the IBDP Literature Studies that we sent out in February.  We shall add to all the lists gradually and improve them.  Please pass this new list on to Senior Art teachers or to the Senior Librarian. 

I know many of you subscribe to Magpies magazine.  It is an excellent resource for children’s books.  (For more information contact  james@magpies.net.au)  However you may not know that Magpies has a most unusual and helpful website called The Source.  It is a guide by subject to children’s fiction, poetry and short stories from around the world but with an emphasis on Australian books.  I haven’t mentioned it in the newsletter previously as I felt that the information contained was probably too oriented to Australian books and authors to be very useful for overseas International Schools.  However that has been gradually changing with much more information about books and authors from overseas.  It now contains a database of over 10,000 annotated children’s books searchable by subject, author or illustrator, title, genre and age.  There are also over 14,500 poems and 3,000 of these contain the full text.  As well as an index to over 2,000 short stories including fairy tales, folk tales, myths and legends, there is also a database of winners and shortlisted books for over 40 Australian and International children’s literature awards, searchable by author, title, award and year of award.  Biographical information on authors
includes links to the authors’ websites.  As I said they are mainly Australian and New Zealand but also increasingly from the UK and the US.  A new feature is a Support Material button which links to an index of downloadable PDF files of Units of work on various topics and also Teachers’ notes on various children’s books.  These are taken from their other journal, The Literature Base.    

If you would like to try it out, it is possible to get a temporary subscription for just two weeks at no cost. The cost for a yearly subscription is $175.00.  I find The Source most helpful when searching for books in various subject areas.  Just put in the subject and age range wanted and there is a list of books (all very well annotated) on that subject.  (Some of these titles are out of print but may be in the collection.)  There is also a Listmaker option which makes constructing booklists very easy. Check out The Source on the website www.magpies.net.au

For those of you who follow the progress of Joel my son, you will be interested to know that his novel Crossover has just been published in the US by a new and innovative science fiction publisher, Pyr (an imprint of Prometheus Books.)  This US edition looks exceptionally good with a stunning cover illustration by Stefan Martiniere and a marvellous overall cover design.  It is a large format trade paperback with clear beautifully spaced print which is a delight to read.  Pyr do pride themselves on their choice of innovative science fiction books and on their covers and book design and it certainly shows.  If you would like to check out  the Pyr website it is  www.pyrsf.com   Price of Crossover is US $15.00 (I can also supply this edition for AUD 32.95.)  The two sequels, Breakaway and Killswitch will also be published next year by Pyr in similar beautifully produced books.

Books for Senior Students and also for you!

We haven’t been travelling as much this year and so have had the chance to read a number of remarkable books written for adults which I have really enjoyed. (It is a real treat when I get the chance to read some adult books of my own choice.)  I am sure many of you would also enjoy these books (if you can find the time to read them) and they would also be very suitable for the Senior School Library.

The Carpet Wars by Christopher Kremmer  pb $35.00
Our fascination with Afghanistan and the neighbouring countries began when Ron and I made in 1969 the great trek overland from India through Peshawar, to Kabul and Herat, on to Tehran and then on to Europe.  We found the Afghan countryside stunningly beautiful and its culture and people fascinating.  The Carpet Wars is a remarkable account, by Australian journalist Christopher Kremmer, of his travels through the region over the past fifteen years or so. His first journey to Afghanistan was made in the early 1990s when he interviewed Najibullah, the then communist-backed President.  Kremmer was in Kabul when the mujahideen turned their guns on each other after overturning the communists and again at the time of the Taliban.  However the book contains much more than just insightful political comment and description of events.  The thread which links his political observations and comments on the historical background to the region, is his growing passion for the ancient craft of carpet making.  Through this fascination with carpets, we meet a wonderful array of characters and explore many colourful markets and gain some understanding of the complexities of carpet making and of the politics of the region in and around Afghanistan.   (16 years up)

Inhaling the Mahatma  by Christopher Kremmer  pb $35.00
This is a more personal account of Christopher Kremmer’s fascination for India.  He was sent there first as a young journalist in 1992.  In this book the tearing down of the mosque at Ayodhya and its consequences provides a central focus through which to look at the political events of the fifteen tumultuous later years.  But there are also many other aspects to this fascinating book which is part travelogue, part historical study and also part personal narrative as it describes his growing love for a young Indian woman from a well known Indian family.  And their marriage affirms his commitment to India.  Kremmer writes about the progress that has been made since Independence (in 1947 only one in five Indians could read or write and the average life expectancy was just thirty two years, whereas now Indians can expect to live twice as long and two thirds of them are literate.)  He also acknowledges the huge problems India faces but describes with great affection the vibrancy of this culture and provides vivid portraits of some of its many memorable characters.  (15 years up)

Come Back to Afghanistan  My Journey from California to Kabul  by Said Hyder Akbar and Susan Burton  pb $26.95
Said Hyder Akbar was only 17 years old when he went to Afghanistan for the first time.  He was born in Peshawar in Pakistan where his formerly influential family had fled during the tyranny of the Taliban rule but most of his later schooling was in California, with a few years in New Delhi where his father was an Afghan diplomat.  When his father decided to return to Afghanistan in 2002 to play a role in the rebuilding of the country, Hyder convinced his father to let him go as well.  This is his fascinating account of his impressions of the people, the country and of the incredible complexities involved in the attempt to bring peace and democracy to a country ravaged by years of brutal warfare.  Senior students, would I think, find this account fascinating as Hyder understands the US perspective but he also knows and admires the courage and strength of the Afghan people.  He travels widely, speaks the languages and has an insight into the widespread distrust and tribal rivalries in the area around Kabul and Kunar, the province east of Kabul bordering Pakistan where his father later becomes governor, after first being spokesperson for President Hamid Karzai.  Hyder’s account has a young person’s disregard for danger and he has a strong admiration for Afghan fighting tenacity.  It also gives invaluable background to the history and also insight into some of the complexities of this amazing part of the world.    (14 years up)

Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky  pb $32.95 
This is an extraordinarily beautiful book.  In 1941, Irene Nemirovsky began writing the first part of what she hoped would be a book of four or five parts (she imagined them as similar to the movements of a symphony).  The first part is a marvellous depiction of a group of Parisians as they flee, in horror and amazement at the collapse of the French army, from the Nazi invasion of their country.  In the second part, she describes intimately life in a small town in the south east of France and the interaction between its citizens and the German soldiers stationed there.  Her descriptions of the changing countryside are quite beautiful but her portrayal of a wonderful array of characters and their behaviour is her forte.  She describes workers and farmers who just want to get on with their lives, aesthetes who think of nothing but their own desires, snobbish aristocrats, German soldiers who are amazed to find themselves as conquerors in France and professional German soldiers proud of their achievements.  Such vivid descriptions.  Passages describing the interaction between the Germans and the French are perhaps the most surprising and astutely written.  The whole novel is so beautifully written and with such intensity that we can hardly believe it when the book suddenly stops.  In 1943 Irene Nemirovsky is sent, like so many others of Jewish descent, to Auschwitz where she dies within a few weeks.  Amazingly her manuscript was published for the first time sixty five years after her death.  The publication also includes many of her writing notes which describe her constant, intense worry at the time for herself and her family and also give insights into her thoughts about what was really a work in progress but which reads like a finished masterpiece.  (15 years up)

By the way did you know there is a sequel coming out to the marvellous Otori Trilogy by Lian Hearn (Gillian Rubinstein)?  I am really looking forward to reading it it as the whole series was quite wonderful.  The title is The Harsh Cry of the Heron  trade pb $35.00

Fiction

Don’t call Me Ishmael! by Michael Bauer  pb $16.95
I have become weary with many novels written for young adults. I guess I am easily irritated by the constant and it seems often repetitive portrayal of teenage angst.  Why do I like this one so much?  This too is teenage angst but written with a flair and vigour and love of language which is invigorating and very, very funny.  Ishmael Leseur has Ishmael Leseur’s syndrome.  This is a syndrome which can trigger disturbing behaviour in others and causes the carrier to say and do embarassing things.  Ishmael is bullied at school but describes his humiliation in a very funny self-deprecating way.  He is amazed when James Scobie comes to the school and shows no fear of the class bully but wins encounters time and again through a very clever wit and fast thinking..  When Ishmael becomes involved with James Scobie and an attempt to set up a debating team, it looks disastrous but is hilarious as the team attempts to work on a topic from totally different perspectives.  There is a vibrancy about this book and a love for words, both spoken and written which is infectious.  (His previous title The Running Man won the CBC Book of the Year Award Older Readers 2005.pb $18.95)       (11 - 16 years)

The Goat who sailed the World by Jackie French  pb $14.95
What a delight to read this book! Jackie French has a style that seems effortless and totally believable and that is some feat when this book has two narrators, a young twelve year old boy called Isaac Manley and a much travelled and superior Goat.  It is a narrative device which gives us two very different perspectives on Cooks’s amazing voyage around the world from 1768 to 1771.  The Goat views the voyage from her position on the high quarterdeck near the officers for whom her milk provided much needed nourishment.  She provided milk for three years which is most unusual for a goat.  She was happy since she was milked regularly and cared for by young Isaac Manley.  She compares the quality of fresh grass from the areas through which they travelled - the grass of Tierra del Fuego, to the soft tasty pasture of New Zealand, to the wiry tussocks of New Holland (Australia).  She was a remarkable creature as is testified by the honours heaped upon her on her return to England. Captain Cook took her to his farm in England.  The Royal College awarded her a silver collar with a poem inscribed by the famous Dr Johnson and Parliament voted to award her a State pension from the Admiralty.   A much acclaimed Goat!  Jackie French has taken the story of the voyage from various diaries such as those by Joseph Banks and Captain James Cook where there is much information about the actual voyage but very little about some of the interesting details of day to day life.  These details Jackie has made up herself and they make this amazing voyage of discovery, when Australia was discovered and the ship was almost wrecked on the Great Barrier Reef, a wonderfully interesting story.   At the end of the book, Jackie gives some notes on the history and her writing and some websites where journals of the voyage can be accessed.  I think this book could inspire much original historical reading by young readers.  Most enjoyable - but then I do enjoy history.      (8 - 14 years)
         

The O Trilogy:  The Halfmen of O,  The Priests of Ferris and Motherstone  by Maurice Gee
pb $16.95 each
How good that this series from New Zealand has come back into print.  It was a much loved fantasy series and it is hard to understand why it has been out of print for so long.  Published first in 1982, it is still a most exciting and gripping read and equally relevant to today’s world.  Susan has a birthmark on her wrist and she has always known that she is different in some way.  The mark gives her special powers in the Land of O and when she and Nick are taken there, she tries to save the Land from the evil of Otis Claw and the Halfmen.  There is meaningful symbolism in the books - Susan’s mark and her courage enable the two halves of the stone to come back together and into balance, balancing good and evil. This is a very satisfying read.  (10 - 15 years)     

Pagan’s Daughter by Catherine Jinks  pb $19.95
Those of you who have read and enjoyed this marvellous series set in medieval times will be most surprised that Pagan had a daughter who is the heroine of this next novel.  It is surprising because Pagan was a priest.  In addition, Catherine Jinks had said that there would be no more books in the series but apparently she couldn’t resist another one once she had imagined the feisty character of sixteen year old Babylonne.  Like the other books, this is a vivid, action-packed story which makes the historical period come vividly to life. Babylonne’s life is fraught with danger as it seems wherever she is, the city is besieged.  This was an extremely violent period of history and Catherine Jinks doesn’t hold back on describing the brutality of some of the frequent battles and sieges between the Cathars in the south of France and the French lords.   (13 - 17 years)

For Beginner Readers

Paul Jennings has now added to his very popular series about Rascal the Dragon.  There are another five titles about this young dragon who was taken into Ben’s family in much the same way that we would take in a stray puppy.  Rascal has very much developed his own engaging personality and the computer drawn illustrations of the books have a special appeal.  The books were originally published in a small fiction book format, however the first title Rascal the Dragon is now also available in a larger picture book format.  This I prefer in many ways as the illustrations become more striking and the text is larger and easier to read for young readers.   Cost is $14.95 instead of $9.95 for the small format fiction book. Rascal the Dragon is also available as a Big Book for shared reading.  All the stories are enjoyable, humorous and very simply written for children just beginning to read.  They also would be good for ESL

Rascal the Dragon,            Rascal's Trick, Rascal in Trouble, Rascal Takes Off, Rascal at the Show, Rascal and the Cheese, Rascal and Little Flora,
And newly published titles
Rascal and the Hot Air Balloon, Little Rascal to the Rescue, Rascal and the Dragon Droppings, Rascal and the Monster and Rascal goes Fishing.  
Rascal the Dragon is also available in picture book format.  pb  $14.95
Rascal the Dragon, Rascal Takes Off, Rascal's Trick and Rascal in Trouble are also available as Big Books   $45.00  each    (5 - 7 years)  Most are also available as audio CDs $16.95 each.

I was impressed with this lovely new series Around the World by Kate Petty.  There are four titles - Playtime, Home, Bicycles and Hair.  In the title Bicycles, there are photographs of children riding their bikes to school, or just for fun, in Vietnam, UK, Kenya, Australia, Thailand and Cambodia.  It also shows Grandma Rose riding her bike in Malawi and taking her churn of milk to market and in Guatemala, Tomasa is using a bicycle wheel to spin thread for weaving.  The photos are large with lots of detail which makes for interesting discussion.  The text is simply written and informative and in large clear type. There is also a brief speech bubble from each of the children or adults with the photos.  Each of the books has a special charm and interest as they show children from round the world living in a wide variety of homes, or playing many different games or with a marvellous variety of hair styles.   These books could also be used very effectively with beginner ESL students as there is much to discuss as well as to read.  The books are produced in conjunction with OXFAM.
Around the World series  by Kate Petty  hardback $24.95 each title
Playtime, Home, Bicycles  and Hair      Suitable for preschool, beginner readers and ESL

Non-Fiction

I was delighted to see that these two books are back in print.  They provide a vivid image of life in the red desert area round Uluru in the centre of Australia.   
Growing Up at Uluru  by Stan Breedon pb $14.95
Stunning photographs and very simple text bring to life the daily activities of four young children who live at Uluru in the red desert country of Central Australia.   (5 - 8 years)
Sharing Culture Uluru by Stan Breedon  pb $19.95 
Covers similar material but in more detail.  There are descriptions and also photographs of  how food is gathered by the women and how the men track and hunt animals.  A number of short traditional stories are also told and a number of children's games are described.  Excellent photographs bring to life the country and the animals and plant life of the desert and its people.       (7 - 11 years)

The Wand in the Word: Conversation with Writers of Fantasy  compiled and edited by Leonard S Marcus  hardback  $27.95
This makes wonderful reading.  Marcus interviews thirteen of the best known and loved fantasy writers including Lloyd Alexander, Susan Cooper, Brian Jacques, Diana Wynne Jones, Ursula Le Guin, Madeleine L’Engle, Tamora Pierce, Terry Pratchett, Philip Pullman and Jane Yolen.  Such a selection!  He asks them about their childhood, their thoughts on fantasy and the craft of writing and the interviews are fascinating.  Beautifully produced with photographs of the authors and examples of manuscript pages. (12 years up)

Art Books

Here are some suggestions of books on art for younger students.  I was very impressed by Look! Zoom in on Art by Gillian Wolfe and am delighted that she has now published two other titles with a similar format and equally good.  The titles are:

Look! Zoom in on Art!  by Gillian Wolfe  pb $16.95
This is an exceptional book which encourages us to look carefully at paintings and makes us think about the different ways artists paint when they attempt to portray perspective, movement, emotion and many other complex ideas.   (8 - 15 years)  
Look! Seeing the Light in Art  hardback $27.95
This fascinating book makes us think about how light is used in a variety of paintings under headings such as dramatic, cold and hot, dappled, reflected and patterns.  At the end of the book there are brief background notes to each of the eighteen paintings.    
Look ! Body Language in Art  hardback $27.95 pb $16.95 
This book has a similar format the other two titles and looks at the way body language is expressed in seventeen famous paintings.  (8 - 15 years)
The Art Book for Children  hardback $29.95
The Art Book hardback $79.95 pb $39.95 published by Phaidon has been around for some years and is highly acclaimed.  They have now taken a similar format and adapted it for children.  The Art Book for Children looks at the artworks of thirty very different artists, ranging from Middle Ages to very modern.  It asks children to think about the reasons why the artists chose to paint or create in that style.  It explores the various ideas, meanings, roles and functions of art by looking at painting, sculpture, photography and prints and helps develop children’s understanding of colour, form, texture and pattern.  A great introduction to the world of art.   (8 - 15 years)

THE AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2006

The Winners and Honour books of the Children’s Book Council Book of the Year Awards have just been announced.  I like all the winners but I am not so sure of some of the other titles which have been shortlisted and which I have now read.  There is always much discussion and many differences of opinion with any books shortlisted for awards and these are chosen by judges, from each of the states and territories in Australia. 

Book of the Year: Older Readers   (NB Some of these books are for mature readers)
Winner
The Story of Tom Brennan by J.C.Burke   pb $16.95
This is a harrowing story to read.  When Tom Brennan’s older brother causes a car accident in which two of his close friends are killed and his cousin becomes a quadriplegic, it is an appalling situation affecting the whole family and the town.  This is the very moving and believable story of Tom Brennan’s struggle to come to terms with the accident, its effect on his close family and on Tom’s identity.  It is extremely well written.  (14 years up)

Honour Books
No Worries  by Bill Condon  pb $18.95
This novel is at times very funny as it describes some of the problems besetting Brian.  One of the highlights is the very refreshing, very Aussie characters who Brian meets when he leaves school and works the night shift till 7am, loading milk onto trucks.  His father has opted out from all responsibilities and lives in a shed in the backyard and his mother has struggled for years with undiagnosed manic depression but throughout this, Brian hangs in there and to his surprise even finds a girlfriend, though there are certainly no easy solutions in this at times confronting novel. (The colloquial language could cause some problems, or perhaps give an added appeal.)  (14 years up)

Lost Property  by James Moloney pb $19.95
The lost property in the title comes from the fact that seventeen year old Josh Tambling works for  four weeks in the railway Lost Property Office where he is amazed by the care and concern that one of the older workers there has for people.  The title also refers to the fact that Josh’s older brother left two years ago and the family doesn’t know where he is.  This is a thoughtful story about families and relationships and the healing power of music.  (13 years up) 

Shortlisted Books
Double Exposure  by Brian Caswell   pb $18.95
This is a most ambitious novel.  It is an absorbing read, telling the story of twin brothers.  Chris is a very talented artist who has left home and is independent while Cain stoically stays at home trying to come between his father’s abusive behaviour and his mother’s servitude.  The relationship between the two brothers is extremely close and becomes ever more entwined when Cain becomes involved in a relationship with a young single mother.  The ending of the novel is a surprise and answers, perhaps a little glibly, the growing number of questions that have been raised throughout the novel.  A novel for sophisticated readers.  (14 years up)   

Chasing Charlie Duskin  by Cath Crowley  pb $17.00
This novel has had some extremely good reviews and apparently it is very popular with teenage girls but I didn’t find the character of Charlie Duskin at all convincing.  Charlie feels that she is a failure and is resigned to a summer of tedium when she has to spend the summer in a boring country town with her father and grandfather who are both grieving.  There she discovers that she is actually this gorgeous teenage girl who everyone really loves - it is just that she hasn’t given them a chance to tell her.  I am exaggerating but it didn’t appeal.    (12 - 16 years)

It's Not All About You, Calma!   by Barry Jonsberg    pb $16.95
This is the witty sequel to The Whole Business of Kiffo and the Pitbull in which Calma's certainties about her own skills and opinions are challenged. Calma is an extremely entertaining character and as the plot develops Calma even admits that maybe she has been wrong and maybe she could do things differently.    (13 years up)

Book of the Year: Younger Readers
Winner
Helicopter Man  by Elizabeth Fensham  pb $14.95
This is an unusual book depicting the pain and bewilderment of a 12 year old boy as his father insists they must keep on shifting to escape from an ever increasing threat of danger.  They stay with friends, sleep in hostels or sheds in order to survive.  The relationship between father and son is close but Peter gradually realises that there is something wrong and is much relieved when his father is taken to hospital.  Peter gradually learns that his father has a mental illness called schizophrenia and things improve as his father’s health becomes more stable and they both understand the problem.  A helpful and realistic book which could provide support and information for children like Peter.   (9 - 13 years)

Honour Books
Millie and the Night Heron   by Catherine Bateson  pb $16.95
Shifts and changes in life are not easy but can sometimes bring more friends and a different perspective on the world, as Millie discovers.  This is a sensitive and lyrical story about a girl who is not an extrovert but is determined to keep a strong sense of herself.  (9 - 12 years)

Once             by Morris Gleitzman            pb $16.95
Written in the first person by a Jewish boy who finally comes to understand that the Nazis really are trying to kill him and thousands of other men, women and children, and especially the Jews.  Once again Gleitzman uses a mixture of humour and tragedy.  This is a most ambitious book about very difficult subject matter.  I don’t think it succeeds as well as Gleitzman’s other books.  However it would be good to use in discussions with other books about the Holocaust.  (11 - 14 years) 

Shortlisted Books
To the Light            by Pat Flynn, illus. Chantal Stewart   pb $16.95
A surfing story with a twist in the ending about the courage and determination which are needed for Jamie to make it through the tunnel into the light.   (8 - 10 years)

The True Story of Mary: Who wanted to stand on her head  by Jane Godwin, illus. Drahos Zak  hardback $22.95
This story of the very independent Mary who insists on spending all her time, standing on her head is inspired by traditional nonsense rhymes.  Drahos Zak’s very unusual illustrations make it a strange story indeed.   I find it hard to give the age group to which it would appeal.

How Hedley Hopkins did a dare, robbed a grave, made a new friend …  by Paul Jennings 
pb $16.95
This latest book from Paul Jennings is unusual in that it is a novel (and not a collection of short stories) and it is quite autobiographical.  It describes a young boy who came out with his sister and parents from England in the fifites and found it difficult to fit into the way of life at an Australian school. Parts of the book are funny but others are disturbing mainly because of the intense bullying from some of the other children at the school. The onset of puberty and the resulting feelings of guilt, embarrassment and pleasure are described convincingly.  The story is told in the first person and as is usual with Paul Jennings, there are a number of surprising twists to this novel.     (10 - 13 years)

Book of the Year: Early Childhood (Picture Books)
Winner
Annie's Chair  by Deborah Niland  hardback  $24.95  Due September
Annie has a very special chair that no one else is allowed to sit in.  The only exception is for Benny the dog but only, says Annie, if they sit in the chair together! Very appealing bright illustrations show Annie as a character with a very distinctive personality.  The lively text will appeal especially to three and four year olds.

Honour Book
Kisses for Daddy  by Frances Watts, illus. David Legge  hardback  $24.95 
An exuberant bedtime story in which daddy bear plays a game with baby bear who refuses to kiss him goodnight.  Lots of giggles and kisses would make this a fun story for the very young. 

Shortlisted Books
What the Sky Knows   by Nike Bourke, illus. Stella Danalis   hardback $26.95 pb $17.95
Described on the blurb as a “book of wonder, curiosity and imagination.... a dreamer’s journey through the vibrant landscapes of a child’s world.”  However it leaves me unmoved.  For me the text is too vague and the illustrations too trendily modern.  I wonder what you would think?

Rex  by Ursula Dubosarsky, illus. David Mackintosh  pb $14.95
This is a strange little story.  The class pet is a small chameleon-like lizard called Rex.  The children take turns in taking him home and writing or drawing pictures about him.  In their drawings they all imagine Rex as a tyrannosaurus rex.    
   
Emily's Rapunzel Hair  by Cecily Matthews, illus. Freya Blackwood   hardback $27.95
pb $14.95 due September  Audio CD $24.95
Seven charming stories about Emily and her family as Emily waits for her hair to grow long,
like Rapunzel.  These are beautifully told and illustrated, imaginative stories about things of great importance to a four year old.        (3 - 6 years)

Daddy's Having a Horse   by Lisa Shanahan, illus. Emma Quay   pb $15.95
When mummy is expecting another baby, there is great excitement but for some reason little Lachlan has the idea that his daddy is going to have a horse.  Older children would perhaps find this amusing and would be delighted that at the end of the story Lachlan is given a toy rocking horse.  

 Picture Book of the Year Award  (These picture books may be for mature readers)
Winner
The Short and Incredibly Happy Life of Riley by Colin Thompson illus Amy Lissiat
hardback $28.00
A book with a message.  If we could be satisfied with less, then the world would be a better place.  Humans are rarely satisfied with their lot in life.  They want to be wealthier, fitter, slimmer and to live somewhere else whereas Riley is born happy.  He loves his food, where he lives and his family.  He lives a short but happy rat’s life.

Honour Books
The Sound of the Sea  by Jacqueline Harvey, illus Warren Crossett  hardback $27.95
When his much loved mother dies, it is a painful journey for this young boy to accept her death and to cherish the memories of his happy times with her, especially at the beach. 

The Island  by John Heffernan, illus by Peter Sheehan  hardback $27.95
An allegorical picture book about how we find happiness and once we find it, how do we hold on to it?  (9 - 12 years)

Shortlisted Books
* What the Sky Knows  by Nike Bourke, illus Stella Danalis  pb $16.95
As above.

Irving the Magician  by Tohby Riddle  pb $14.95  Due November
In his attempt to become a magician, a young boy tries and succeeds to bring some magic and joy back into the lives of people living in a busy city.  (10 up)  
(Penguin Books Australia have not done well with this title.  They did not reprint sufficient of the hardback to cover all back orders and now the paperback will be published only in November. So sorry if you have missed out.)     

Run, Hare, Run! The story of a drawing by John Winch   hardback $24.95                       
A hunter and his hound chase a hare through a farmyard and then a town but when the hare is finally captured, it is not killed but used by the artist Albrecht Durer as the still life subject for his famous painting The Hare.    (8 - 14 years) 

Eve Pownall Award for Information Books  (NOTE: Some of these books may be for mature readers)
Winner
Scarecrow Army: The ANZACS at Gallipoli by Leon Davidson  pb $16.95
This is a detailed account of role played by the ANZACS, soldiers from the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, during the military campaign at Galipolli.  It also describes the conflict from the point of view of the Turkish soldiers who were defending their country.  (12 - 14 years)   

Honour Books
Hoosh! Camels in  Australia  by Janeen Brian  hardback $29.95
You may not realise that there are between 500,000 to 700,000 feral camels running wild in the Australian outback today.  They are disease free and are now exported overseas for breeding, meat, racing or dairying.  Janeen Brian has written a fascinating story documenting the role played by camels and their handlers in the opening up of the Australian outback.  They were used extensively for exploration, and for settlement in both farming areas and the goldfields.  There is also detailed information on the characteristics which make camels such remarkable creatures.  Illustrated with a wealth of both historical and recent photographs.  (11 - 16 years)     

The Glory Garage: Growing up Lebanese Muslim in Australia by Nadia Jamal and Taghred Chandab  pb $18.95
These are stories describing the views and beliefs of a wide range of Lebanese girls growing up in Australia.  Some feel that they live in two worlds and that they are torn between two cultures while others are quite content with the values and religious beliefs of their parents.  (14 years up)

Shortlisted Books
Creatures of the Rainforest: Two artists explore Djabugay country  by Warren Brim and Anna Eglitis  hardback $26.95
This unusual book describes a wide range of wildlife creatures living in the rainforest country of the Djabugay people in far north Queensland.  The creatures are listed alphabetically and their names are also given in the Djagubay language.  The main interest of the book is the contrast of illustration styles between the softer coloured hand-coloured lino prints of Anna Eglitis and the more striking traditional style acrylic paintings and also lino prints of Aboriginal artist Warren Brim.   (9 - 14 years)

The Big Picture Book: See life on Earth unfolding through time by John Long illus. Brian Choo, with maps by Segei Pisarevsky  hardback $29.95
This book truly deals with the Big Picture since it explores the origin of the Universe and the solar system, as well as the origins of life on Earth.  The text is simply written and there are many excellent photographs and illustrations.  John Long is a palaeontologist with a talent for explaining his science to children and in creating beautiful books.    (9 - 14 years)

Charles Darwin's Big Idea: The revolutionary theory of evolution by Robin Stewart           
pb $18.95 
This is a very readable account of Charles Darwin’s life and voyages on the Beagle and of his discoveries and research which led after many years to his Theory of Evolution.  It is a very interesting and helpful introduction to the Theory of Evolution.  It is set out clearly with many illustrations.   (11 - 15 years)   
           
Books marked * have been listed twice, in two different categories.

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If you would like to order any of the books reviewed in this newsletter or in the accompanying list, send orders to Austral Ed by fax, post or email.   All prices are in Australian dollars and 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.