Staff Reviews - Children's and Young Adult Books
Girl Saves Boy, Steph Bowe : Text $19.95
Girl Saves Boy begins with Jewel Valentine – loner, painter and head case – saving Sacha Thomas’ life when he comes close to drowning in the same lake where Jewel’s brother drowned a decade before. At its essence this is a teen romance, but it also covers a much wider breadth of emotion. Jewel’s family broke down following the tragic death of her brother, and she has grown up prickly and independent, while Sacha has a complicated mess of problems of his own, the least of which is the return of his leukaemia. This debut novel is alive with humour, verve, friendship and romance - not to mention lashings of garden gnome theft and lobster liberation. It is also unabashedly teenaged, the smart and snarky characters are delightfully kooky and have a lot of heart. Signed copies in store now!
Kate
Graffiti Moon, Cath Crowley : Pan Australia $16.99
Lucy loves Shadow, even though she has never met him. Like a Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist with street art, burglary and a Melbourne setting, instead of punk music and NYC, this brilliant new novel by local author Cath Crowley takes place over one rollicking, mad, fantastic night. Lucy Dervish has finished her year 12 classes and is heading out for a night on the town with her best friend Jazz and a crowd of other fantastic characters. Lucy wants to find Shadow - a graffiti artist who paints skies and birds and doors on walls all over the city. Ed is among them. There is no love lost between Lucy and Ed after a disastrous date a couple of years before. Ed who has a secret identity. This is excellent. Come to the launch! Sunday 8th August at 2.30pm.
Kate
Grimsdon, Deborah Abela : Random House $16.99
Like so much exciting kids' fiction these days, Grimsdon is set in a post-apocalyptic world, where the very loveable Isabella and her gang are trying to survive after a tidal wave has destroyed their city. Already quite a resourceful bunch of orphans, they soon find another boy to join their crew. Xavier is inventive and smart, has heaps of cool gadgets – including a flying machine – though seems to bring a bit of trouble to our harmonious group. A fun adventure, these kids use their wit and ingenuity to stay safe and together in a challenging but exciting world. A book about the power of good friendship, with a timely warning about what happens when the silly grown-ups in government don’t pay heed to the needs of a rapidly changing planet. For 9 and up.
Caroline
No and Me, Delphine de Vigan : Bloomsbury Books $22.99
At the train station Lou meets No, a young homeless girl, and is drawn to her. Lou meets her often at cafes after school and No, knocking back vodkas, tells her about her life on the street. Lou's going to use the information for a dreaded school presentation. She's chosen the topic of life on the street for French women. When No goes missing Lou is frantic, she feels like she has failed No, and she travels through the seedier parts of Paris in order to find the homeless girl; Lou wants to give No a family and love. Then there is the chance that Lou's family can also be healed through helping No. The story is complex but simple at the same time. The language is effortlessly sophisticated and philosophical topics are broached straightforwardly. I was on the edge of my seat and desperate to be there for the ride. It's magnificent - for children and adults alike.
Kate
Red Dirt Diary, Katrina Nannestad : ABC Books $14.99
Trudy Alice Weston (Blue to her friends) lives on a drought ridden farm near Dubbo with her family, including her two twin brothers Wez and Fez (creators of Super Rat- a dead rat dressed in dolls undies and a cape). Her best friend Mat has turned into a boy crazy nitwit, her family is close to bankruptcy caused by drought, and it is no longer the magpies but the dulcet tones of bagpipes that wake her at six each morning.
This is hilarious and reminds me of the Penny Pollard diaries.
Clare
Flyaway, Lucy Christopher : Chicken House $16.95
This second novel from Lucy Christopher (her first,
Stolen, is shortlisted for the CBCA Older Readers Book of the Year 2010) is the moving story of thirteen-year-old Isla who shares a passion for birds, particularly swans, with her father. When her dad has to go into hospital following a collapse, and faces heart surgery, Isla is determined to boost his spirits by helping a young swan to find its flock again. She is helped by Harry, a young leukemia patient with whom she develops a lovely friendship. Isla and the swan also have a beautiful connection with one another, it becomes one of the important characters in the book. The story explores relationships and family as well as the delight of flight.
Kate
Dancing in the Dark, Robyn Barvati : Penguin $17.95
Ditty (full name: Yehudit) is twelve and her family are part of the tight-knit, ultra-orthodox Haredi Jewish community in Melbourne. She is not allowed to watch television, read secular newspapers or attend a secular (or even modern orthodox) school. One afternoon Sara, Ditty's best friend, reveals that her mother has a secret television hidden in her bedroom. Curious, the girls watch. It becomes a guilty pleasure and one day they catch a preview for a ballet. entranced, Ditty begins to dream of being a dancer. Although her parents fiercely disapprove, she begins to take lessons, paying for them with babysitting money and some help from her freewheeling cousin Linda - and she is very good. As she disobeys her family more and more, Ditty begins to question their way of life. Bavati explors this young girl's quavering faith without being heavy-handed or didactic. Exceeds expectations
Kate
Darius Bell and the Glitter Pool, Odo Hirch : Allen & Unwin $15.95
Meet Darius Bell, an ordinary twelve-year-old boy. He often goes to the old ruins with his friends Oliver and Paul, where they share special cakes the cook makes, and whisper secrets to one another. But something else is going on in Darius' life. His dad has to present a gift to the town, otherwise his family will lose the house. Darius is starting to have doubts if they do have a gift, and his brother says that they should just give a wheelbarrow full of vegetables, but when Darius finds a cave full of crystals his hopes are up. This is a heartwarming story about kindness, friendship, determination ad it will touch us all inside.
Review by Anika Dawe, age 10
The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins : Puffin $16.95
The Hunger Games is set in a post-apocalyptic society which is centered around the great Capitol. As punishment for a crushed revolution, the twelve districts around the Capitol are required to send a boy and a girl every year to participate in the ruthless Hunger Games, a kind of reality TV show with fatal consequences for the losers, the story revolves around Katniss, a girl chosen to participate in the Hunger Games and must win in order to save her family and her own life...
Review by Tom Overton Skinner, age 15
Chess Nuts, Julia Lawrinson : Puffin $16.95
Jackson and Anna are very different. Both in their last year of primary school, and while Jackson is sporty and on the swimming and athletics teams, Anna is the nerdy kid who hates sport and is number one player on the chess team. But when Jackson joins the chess team, things change, not just for Anna but for everyone at school, even the nasty Flash Buckley- is he really that nasty? A fab story for 7+ about friendships, school cliques, sport and chess, complete with some handy chess diagrams and quotes from the Grandmasters.
Clare
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins : Scholastic $18.99
Second blockbustery instalment from Collins is just as fast paced as the first, with the sadistic President Snow and Capitol back again and looking to extinguish, permanently, the sparks of rebellion that Katniss and Peeta inadvertently started at the end of the first Hunger Games. Meanwhile, thrown back into the arena for an unexpected second time, Katniss has to form new allegiances, dodge psycho fanged monkeys and tidal waves, as well as work out her increasing feelings for Peeta, who, while now peg legged, is still pretty sexy in a messiah kind of way. So good! I can’t wait for the third one...
Clare
