No 12, September 1998

Greetings. Just as I thought I was catching up, the new school year started. I hope you all had a very enjoyable vacation.

Conferences are coming up again and so I hope to catch up with many of you at the JASCD/JCIS All Japan International Teachers’ Conference at the end of October in Tokyo and at SEATCCO in November in Jakarta. Austral Ed shall have a display of course and I shall be giving a presentation at both Conferences. I am very sorry that I can’t manage to fit in CERCOS in Shangahi and ECIS in Hamburg. The times this year were so close that it was impossible. Hopefully next year.

Just a note about the fax. The 61 8 9381 9380 number is connected to the computer and as such can be unreliable. I shall keep both fax numbers listed but 61 8 9381 9140 is the more reliable. And I am delighted to say that email is the most reliable of all, and the cheapest.

By the way if you haven’t already noticed, the economic turmoil has caused the Australian dollar to drop to its lowest value ever against the US dollar (and many other currencies). So if you are interested in buying Australian books, at the moment they are better value than ever!

As a number of librarians have asked me about Australian children’s literary reviewing journals, I have included a subscription form for Magpies. This is an excellent magazine and unlike many which seem to run out of steam, Magpies grows in interest and in length. The emphasis is on Australian books but books from the UK, US and elsewhere are also frequently included. There are articles which discuss a wide range of issues, author/illustrator profiles or interviews, and reviews of books and sometimes other materials from kindergarten to Young Adult level. Each issue now also contains a New Zealand supplement again containing reviews, author/illustrator profile and an article on some aspect of New Zealand children’s literature. It is excellent value.

Its sister magazine Literature Base is full of very practical ideas for using literature in the classroom, thematic annotated booklists and teaching strategies. It is directed mainly at elementary level. Again most of the books suggested are from Australia but also from elsewhere. See the enclosed subscription form for details.

Viewpoint is another Australian journal which concentrates just on books for Young Adults. It also has an excellent range of articles, author profiles and reviews just on literature for Young Adults from Australia and elsewhere. For subscriptions contact:

Viewpoint: on books for young adults

Fax 61 3 9344 0025

email viewpoint@edfac.unimelb.edu.au

All books mentioned in Magpies, Literature Base or Viewpoint can be ordered through Austral Ed by fax, post or email.

Books for Young Adults

And so straight into books for young adults and I have really enjoyed this latest batch.

The Divine Wind by Garry Disher pb $14.95

Broome, in the north west of Western Australia, is a very popular destination for tourists round the world because of its wonderful beaches, its relaxed lifestyle and its fascinating and harmonious mix of races - Japanese, Malay, Chinese, Aboriginal and European. (We haven’t managed to get there yet but plan to spend a few lazy days there over Christmas so I read The Divine Wind which has Broome as a backdrop with added interest.)

Set in the 1930s when times were not so harmonious and class and racial tensions were stronger, the story describes the friendship between Mitsy Sennosuke, the daughter of a Japanese diver and Hartley Penrose, the son of a pearling master. Their relationship ebbs and flows over the years but tensions become more and more intense as the Japanese advance through south-east Asia and finally bomb Broome itself. The history is fascinating (and little known even to most Australians). Garry Disher shows his skill in providing enough historical background, even for someone like myself avid for the historical detail, while not lessening the impact of the development of the story of Hartley and Mitsy.

An exploration of friendship and love and the ways it can so easily be changed, or betrayed or just overcome by events. The prose seems at first understated but it is most effective in highlighting the tensions and tenderness between the characters and in describing the countryside and people in this unique area of Australia.

Night Train by Judith Clarke pb $12.95

I have expressed my concern a number of times about the bleakness of a number of Australian Young Adult novels. Books in which there seems to be no hope. Night Train tackles an extraordinarily difficult subject and reading it is very painful but it is a book that demands emotion, compassion and involvement. For me a bleak detachment would seem impossible.

The book opens with a stricken family standing around Luke’s coffin at the funeral parlour. As the story unfolds, we know the outcome but we read painfully engrossed, wishing that things could be different, that family and friends could see Luke’s distress, his growing isolation and confusion and be able to reach out to him. Luke is repeating his Year 12 and he and his family are stressed out by the pressure. Judith Clarke describes with great skill and sympathy the father who is ashamed to talk about this son to work colleagues whose offspring are all doing wonderfully well, the mother whose love is so entwined with anxiety for her son that she is unable to help or talk to him in any meaningful way, his girlfriend and sister who see good in him but are totally irritated by his apparent aimlessness, his inability to do anything. And his little sister who adores her big brother, regardless.

An extraordinarily moving story. I was unable to get it out of my mind. It is very sad and yet not bleakly depressing. It is a story which makes us want to reach out to people, to keep talking, to be alert, to be sympathetic. In Luke’s case it all could have been so different.

The Lost Day was published just last year in 1997 and is also written by Judith Clarke. At first it is very funny - Judith Clarke is adept at describing people’s anxieties, especially mothers (her collection of short stories, Panic Stations pb $12.95, describes people in various degress of panic and is a gem.) Vinny has been with his group of friends since primary school, they are now 19, at university or working, full of confidence and enjoying life and the freedoms it brings to the full. But Vinny disappears for one day and this brief but terrifying experience with a darker side of life is one that shocks everyone.

The Lost Day by Judith Clarke pb $12.95

Thanks to Tony in Rome whose praise for these two books by Judith Clarke made me bring them to the top of the very tall pile waiting to be read. It is a little ironic that it was Tony from Scotland? (now teaching in Rome) who told me at the IB Librarians’ Workshop in Amsterdam, how good these Australian books were. It’s feedback like this at Conferences and Workshops that makes them so worthwhile.

There have been very few books for young adults written by Aboriginal writers and so I was delighted to read Killing Darcy by Melissa Lucashenko who is part Murri, part European and comes from Queensland. As I sat down to write this review I started to reread, just the first chapter, but couldn’t stop till I had finished the whole book quite a few hours later. Such an enjoyable absorbing read.

The action moves along at a good pace, the characters are well drawn and appealing, it is humorous, and there is a mystery possibly involving a murder, several generations earlier. Set on a horse training homestead, it’s a book that would be enjoyed by a wide range of yong adults, even by those who don’t normally read much. And yet there is so much more for the reader who wants to look further. I was most impressed with the insights Melissa Lucashenko gives us into the different reactions, expectations and general approach to life of Darcy, a good looking young Aboriginal man who comes to work at Jon Menzies’ horse training camp and of Jon’s son and daughter, Fil who is 16 and visiting from the city and Cam just 14 who lives and works with his father. Most revealing were the insights into the way Darcy thinks, his uneasiness and bewilderment at some of the reactions of his new white friends and his very different reaction to what could be the implications of the suspected murder. There are many humourous situations as Fil, who is very taken with the good looking Darcy completely misreads Darcy’s lack of interest in her own sexual attrations. Darcy is young, black, has had a brief bout in reform school and if that weren’t enough, is gay. A heavy burden for any young man to carry in Australia but it is not treated heavy handedly. It is extremely satisfying to read a book which give the Aboriginal (as well as the white) viewpoint so clearly, with such good humour and perspicacity.

Killing Darcy by Melissa Lucashenko pb $12.95

Also Steam Pigs pb $12.95 This is her first novel. It is ambitious, hardhitting and not as accessible but does give us an understanding of Aboriginal young Australians and the problems facing them.

Deadly Unna? by Phillip Gwynne pb $12.95

Despite the cover photo of a young Aboriginal man, and the title which is Aboriginal slang, this book is really about Blacky, a white boy and his growing friendship with Dumby Red, an exceptional Aboriginal Aussie Rules football player from out of town. Blacky describes the narrowness of a country town and its pervasive racism, the characters, the football scene and his first love/infatuation with a wicked sense of humour but it is his growing friendship with Dumby Red which provides the focus for the story. Because the story is written from Blacky’s perspective, we don’t gain the same insights into the Aboriginal viewpoint but this is a highly entertaining and appealing story which looks at some very serious issues with flair and integrity.

Junk by Melvin Burgess pb $12.95

Many of you have probably already read this UK winner of the Guardian Fiction Award and the Carnegie Medal. I finished it just last night and it is rivetting and very disturbing reading. It is the very believable story of two young fourteen year olds who run away from home and who gradually but inextricably get caught up with heroine. It is remarkable for the insight into the characters of Tar and Gemma who are in love and the insidious way they become absorbed into the drug culture. Devastating, but not without hope. An extremely important book.

This next story contrasts the tensions of war torn Belfast with the peacefulness and natural beauty of the coast of western Canada. Our attention is rivetted from the first page when Declan is handcuffed to the seat in the aircraft and forcibly taken away from Belfast. Declan is only 13, but is full of hate for the English, for Protestants and his only desire is to revenge the very recent killing of his mother and sister in a bombing, and of his father 10 years earlier. His whole world is one of fighting, war and revenge. He is determined to remain true to his hate and revenge and to return to Northern Ireland but is taken away to stay with his father’s brother and wife who live on the north west coast of Canada. There, even though he battles against it, he gradually sees the possiblity of another way and another reality. A skilfully told, very moving story. (11 - 16 years)

Torn Away by Janes Heneghan pb $9.95

If you are looking for a good biography then A Man called Possum is superb and very different. Possum was the name given to a recluse who lived along the banks of the River Murray in eastern South Australia, living a life of complete isolated independence, living off the land and going for years without speaking to anyone. He lived like this for over 50 years from 1928 to 1982. Max Jones, a country detective, became fascinated by the glimpses of this shadowy figure and the stories the locals told of the way Possum cared for the land and the animals. At first he made it part of his job to track Possum down and then was just determined to solve the mystery and he ended up becoming Possum’s only friend. It is told through extracts of interviews, diary notes, tapes, letters and Jones’ own narrative. It is engrossing reading and reads like a detective story but it also gives us revealing insights into the reasons why Possum lead such a fiercely independent and isolated life. It is also a wonderfully evocative description of the Riverland country especially during the depression years. Highly recommended for anyone from Year 7 up.

A Man called Possum by David Harris and Max Jones pb $11.95

Books for Younger Readers

A Boy in a Storm at Sea by Morris Lurie pb $12.95

A very unusual story which uses wonderfully exuberant language to conjure up an image of a boy battling to keep in control of a boat which is being battered by a storm at sea. The rhythm and repetition of the language would make it a joy to read aloud but there is also much more to discover as the story is an exploration of the craft of creative writing, of imagination and of reality. This is one title many people think should have been included in the 1998 CBC Short List for Younger Readers.

Bartlett and the Ice Voyage by Odo Hirsch pb $10.95

How does Odo Hirsch manage to get a tone which is slightly old-fashioned, gently tongue in cheek and yet at the same time is refreshingly new and different? This is a charming and engaging adventure story. A young indulged queen who ruled over 7 kingdoms desired something she had heard of all her life but had never had - she wanted to taste a delicious melidrop fruit. But this was exceedingly difficult since the fruit perishes the day after it is picked and the melidrop only grew in one country, many weeks’ journey away. Bartlett, a famous if somewhat unlikely explorer, is at first reluctant to take on such a task but when he realises that it would require all of his inventiveness, desperation and preseverance he endeavours to bring back a fresh melidrop. The resulting story is one of suspense, wit and inventiveness. A delight - just like the melidrop.

Picture Books

Troy Thompson’s Excellent Peotry Book by Gary Crew and Craig Smith hardback $ 22.95

Gary Crew has written, with varying success, a number of picture books which extend the boundaries of what we expect in a picture book. This time he has done it again, with great success. Set out as Troy Thompson’s poetry assignment book for a poetry study unit that his teacher, Ms Kranke gives her class, it includes her explanations of a variety of poetic forms and Troy Thompson’s various attempts at a limerick, haiku, ballad, ode, acrostic etc. From a shaky start, Troy gradually gains in confidence and get more and more enjoyment from his poems and the exchange of comments with his teacher. Kids will get great enjoyment from his at times rough, irreverent, even rude poems and collage, cut outs, drawings and workbook scribble and the tongue-in-cheek comments from Ms Kranke. Hopefully kids will be inspired to try their own hand at poems and illustration and will be guided by Ms Kranke’s advice. Great fun and an excellent source for teaching poetry or even peotry in school. (8 up)

Jimmy and Pat meet the Queen by Pat Lowe with illustrations by Jimmy Pike pb $10.00

This is a very funny book with just the right tone, just the right amount of tongue in cheek irreverence and underlying satire. It is a wonderful introduction to Land Rights and how it looks from an Aboriginal perspective. Jimmy is a Walmajerri man (from the Great Sandy Desert area of northern Western Australia, near Broome) and is amazed when informed that their country really is Vacant Crown Land ("Why they call it empty when us Walmajerri mob’s living here?") and that it really belongs to the Queen. He and Pat decide to invite the Queen to visit so that she can show if she really owns the country by pointing out all the waterholes. A hilarious situation ensues when the Queen accepts the invitation and arrives, corgis in tow, and dressed in jodpurs for the hunt. She is surprised but still interested when she learns that they are hunting pussy cat, not foxes. She can’t find a single water hole but when Jimmy finds water after digging for several hours, she is amazed and says "This is your country and as far as I’m concerned you can keep it."

The vivid and striking illustrations are by well known Aboriginal artist Jimmy Pike, the story is written by Pat Lowe with many memorable quotations from Jimmy and Kilu their dog also has quite a role in keeping the corgis under control. Highly recommended for all age groups. Jimmy and Pat have also combined to write and illustrate a number of other excellent books:

Jilji: Life in the Great Sandy Desert pb $29.95 and

Desert Dog pb $14.95 See my list of recommended books about Australian Aborigines.

The Deep by Tim Winton illustrated by Karen Louise hb $21.95

Another book to celebrate Tim Winton’s love of the ocean. Alice can swim but is afraid of the deep, of the unknown terrors that lie below in deeper water. The rest of the family jump and dive and do bombies from the jetty and then frolic in the deep water but to Alice’s intense frustration she cannot ovecome her fear till one day the dolphins come in close to the shore and she follows them out without even realising. Intensely realistic illustrations (probably drawn from photos) perfectly portray the pleasures of swimming in sparkling sea water. An added interest is that the family portrayed is Wintons’ own. (Elementary)

Help! I’m falling apart! by Tedd Arnold pb $11.95

His hair is falling out, a tooth is wobbly, skin is peeling off and something grey and wet has just fallen from his nose. Is it from his brain? He is only five years old! He must be falling apart! Comfort returns when he is reassured by his parents that all this is normal - they just hadn’t thought of telling him. A very funny look at what happens to our bodies - and a perfect introduction to the subject. (Elementary)

King Gilbert (the indolent) by Steven Scheding hb $22.95

This book is slow and langorous like its protagonist. The first two lines of this book set the tone perfectly: "King Gilbert lived in days of yore,

and ruled with a wave of an idle paw."

King Gilbert is a cat, a very sleepy cat and so it is quite appropriate that the tone of the book be slow and languid except when King Gilbert, through more good luck than management, succeeds in scattering a horde of invading mice. Visual and written puns and jokes abound. Steven Scheding has a crazy sense of humour that appeals to me. If you enjoyed his previous book, Ten Thousand Sheep (get Driven home) hardback $19.95 you will also enjoy this one. (Elementary)

First Day by Margaret Wild illustrated by Kim Gamble hardback $19.95

Oh! I thought, not another book on the first day at school. Aren’t there enough already? But I was wrong, this is a delight. Who would have thought that such an engaging, satisfying and different approach would be possible?

The book follows six very different children starting school for the first time by means of vignettes through their day. There some memorable moments. Khalil is expert at tying shoe laces and he sits in the playground eying all the barefoot kids in the sandpit. "Soon they’re all going to need help with their shoe laces. Khalil sighs with happiness. He loves school." Penny can’t keep still, forever jumping, dashing and dancing. Alex is concerned, not about herself - she made two friends "just like that" but about her mum who has started back at school again. The teacher is a gem. She manages to handle all the events of the day with skilled ease. Gamble’s powers of observation really shines through in his illustrations which capture perfectly the expressions and body language of this little idiosyncratic group of children on their first day at school. A captivating book.

Traditional Indonesian Stories

I was delighted to discover three new picture books of traditional Indonesian stories written in Bahasa and in English. Each story comes from a different region of Indonesia and has very different flavour and are illustrated in very different styles. They are just the beginning of a new series of Indonesian traditional stories to be published by Dr Murti Bunanta, the first person to receive a doctorate on children’s literature from the University of Indonesia.

Bawang dan Kesuna / Onion and Garlic is a story that Made Taro heard as a child in Bali from his parents. It is a story of two sisters, one who is lazy and spiteful and the other who does all the work and gets no recognition from her parents but who is rewarded with golden jewellery by the yellow bird in the forest. There are apparently many versions of this story. Stunning traditional Balinese illustrations by the famous Balinese artist, I Ketut Nama, portray in beautiful detail traditional Balinese village life and the beauty of the Balinese forest.

Si Bungsu Katak / The Youngest Frog has many similarities with the story the Frog Prince. Murti Bunanta herself tells this story which comes from the Kei Archipelago in Southeast Maluku where there are thousands of islands. The youngest of seven sons, the youngest frog is born as a frog but shows great determination and ingenuity. After a number of seafaring journeys in which he acquires riches, he marries a princess. Again excellent illustrations in a very different style by Denny A Djoenaid depict the seafaring journeys and the contrast between the village life of the family of the youngest frog and the riches of the princess and her family.

Timun Emas / Golden Cucumber is a Javanese folk story written and illustrated by Suyadi. Suyadi was told the story as a child and he has retold it with gusto. The story of Timun Emas, a young girl whose name means Golden Cucumber, and her escape from the huge green skinned giant would make excellent puppet theatre. Suyadi makes cartoons for television as well as being a painter and cartoonist. The story is illustrated in a cartoon style which shows influences from the west and from Indonesia.

I am very much looking forward to reading the next books in the series. There is obviously an enormous wealth of stories and different illustrative styles that can be drawn on in Indonesia and this can only add considerably to our appreciation of the many different cultures and traditions from Indonesia’s diverse regions. I applaud Dr Murti Bunanta’s endeavour and send her very best wishes. The books are hardback and well produced. A few problems with uneven gluing of the end pages will apparently be rectified in the next series.

Bawang dan Kesuna / Onion and Garlic retold by Made Taro, illustrated by I Ketut Nama

Si Bungsu Katak / The Youngest Frog retold by Murti Bunanta, illustrated by Denny A Djoenaid

Timun Emas / Golden Cucumber retold and illustrated by Suyadi Hardback $24.95 each

I have also found an excellent distributor for dual language titles, especially picture books. A wide range of languages including Arabic, Chinese, French, Japanese, Khmer, Korean and Vietnamese are available. If you would like a list please contact me. And if you would like to see some of my recommendations, contact me for the updated list of Children’s Books about Asia for some of these titles shall be added shortly to the list (which grows ever longer.)

Children’s Book Council Book of the Year Award Winners and Short List 1998

Many of you have already received the Short List for this very important Australian Award but the winners were only announced at the end of August.

Book of the Year Older Readers (NB Some of these books are for mature readers)

Winner

Eye to Eye by Catherine Jinks pb $11.95

The interaction between Jansi, a young scavenger of the desert and PIM, the computer brain of a damaged star ship makes fascinating reading.

Honour Books

Gilbert's Ghost Train by David Metzenthen pb $12.95

A sensitively told story of an older brother coming to terms with his younger brother’s struggle against leukemia.

Lockie Leonard Legend by Tim Winton pb $ 9.95

The latest story about this popular teenage surfing hero has a sombre note when Lockie’s mother lapses into depression and the whole family searches for a way to cope.

The Last Shot by Alan Baillie pb $ 8.95

A very short but beautifully structured story, told in the space of a basketball game, in snatches of Steve/Mike’s thoughts. Gripping.

Guitar Highway Rose by Brigid Lowry pb $12.95

Rosie is fifteen years and restless. She wants a nose-ring and to change her life. A book about relationships and growing up.

Idiot Pride by Matt Zurbo pb $11.95

One of the more succesful attempts to get inside the mind of young rebellious urban teenagers living in inner city Melbourne.

Book of the Year Younger Readers

Winner

Someone Like Me by Elaine Forrestal pb $11.95

Tas gets into a lot of trouble for an ordinary kid. Why do certain kids pick on him and why does he react so fiercely? An absorbing well written story.

Honour Books

Antonio S and the Mystery of Theodore Guzman by Odo Hirsch, illus. Andrew McLean

pb $ 10.95

A very unusual story which explores a world of the theatre and the imagination with charm and humour. For upper elementary students.

Rattler's Place by Patricia Wrightson pb $ 8.95

A shift to a new house brings upheaval but also new surprises.

Queen of the Universe by Libby Gleeson, illus. David Cox pb $ 7.95

A simply written but satisfying story about a school play, the middle sibling and a bout of chicken pox. An easy to read book for beginner readers.

The Listmaker by Robin Klein pb $14.95

Twelve year old Sarah loves to make lists. It helps give her life a sense of order. A warm portrayal of families and their idiosycracies.

Chickpea by Marguerite Hann Syme pb $ 7.95

Some of the difficulties of adjusting to a new life in Australia after fleeing from Iran are lessened when Hooman is allowed to keep a pet chicken.

Picture Book of the Year

Winner

The Two Bullies by Junko Morimoto hb $22.95

Striking illustrations using both traditional and modern elements of style give this Japanese tale of boasting and trickery a wonderful exuberance.

Honour Books

Detective Donut and the Wild Goose Chase by Bruce Whatley, text Bruce Whatley and Rosie Smith pb $10.95

Great fun. A sendup of the detective tradition with verbal puns, visual clues, a laconic narration and a detective who needs a donut or two to get him thinking.

Josh by Andrew McLean, text Janet McLean hb $12.95

For the very young, a day in the life of a happy enthusiastic dog called Josh and his young owner.

Grandad's Teeth by Rod Clement hb $22.95

Grandad’s teeth have been stolen but who could have stolen them?

Queenie the Bantam by Bob Graham hb $21.95

A humourous story about a family and a grateful bantam hen drawn and told with Bob Graham’s inimitable warmth and keen sense of observation.

The Great Escape from City Zoo by Tohby Riddle hb $22.95

A tongue in cheek account of an escape from the City Zoo by an anteater, an elephant, a turtle and a flamingo hoping to find a better life.

Eve Pownall Award for Information Books

Winner

A Home Among the Gum Trees by John Nicholson hb $21.95

An absorbing well illustrated account of the buildings in Australia from Aboriginal shelters to suburban houses and the reasons behind the various styles.

Honour Books

Cathy Freeman by Beth Dolan hb $19.95

The biography of an inspiring Aboriginal athlete.

One Less Fish by Kim MichelleToft pb $14.95

A counting book featuring brilliant glowing colours of fish of the Great barrier reef. A book with a definite environmental message.

Yakkinn the Swamp Tortoise: Survival by Gerald & Guundie Kuchling pb $12.95

The story of the struggle for survival of the threatened swamp tortoise.

The Wombat who Talked to the Stars by Jill Morris illus. Sharon Dye hb $24.95

Detailed information in picture book format on the life of the northern hairy- nosed wombat (an endangered species).

Kimberley Warrior by John Nicholson pb $ 9.95

The amazing story of Jandamarra an Aboriginal warrior who led his people against the white occupation of their lands in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

All prices are in Australian dollars.

© Kate Shepherd 2008.