Robyn Cooper's First Children's Book

NZ Writer  Robyn Cooper Snails, Spells and Snazzlepops Submarine (Makaro Press) 2016    $25.00pb 164pp ISBN 978 0 9941 3793 7 Themes: Bullying/ Cooking/ Family life/ Fantasy/ Funny stories/ Money (lack of)

Charlie has a lot to put up with - his mother’s boyfriend/ a house that seems to be falling around his ears and worst of all – a lack of money.  For Charlie (and his close friend Millie who lives next door) the solution may be through his skills in the culinary arts and serving up some really wild and unusual foods  - like the snails that live just outside the garden window. Then, while searching for a fail-safe recipe Charlie and Millie come upon a magical site on the net which may enhance their efforts even further. This is a truly funny story with characters with whom we can empathise and a storyline of which we believe every word.  A good story to read aloud to a class as a special treat!!

Excellent teachers’ notes are available for this book on the Makaro Press website. Go to: www.makaropress.co.nz/teachers/

Year 5 up/ Age 9 up  

The Makaro Press Team at the launch. Robyn is second from the left. Photo acknowledgments to Robyn Cooper

Toads on the Road

Australian Writer

Morris Gleitzman

Toad Delight

Puffin 2016   $21.00pb 131pp

ISBN 978 0 1433 0923 9

Themes: Cane toads/ Road kill/ Series/ TV Cookery shows

When he finds yet another pile of squashed relatives lying on the highway Limpy (a slightly squashed cane toad) is determined to save as many of his remaining relatives from a similar fate as he can. Because this is Morris Gleitzman who is writing, fans will not be surprised to read that this rescue involves 15 minutes of prime time TV, a cooking show and a surprise ingredient. A really good read aloud.

Year 5 up/ Age 9 up

Number Seven in the Middle School series

USA Writers & Illustrator James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts, illustrated by Laura Park Just My Rotten Luck  - Middle School Series  Penguin Random House  2015  $18.99pb  301pp

IBSN 978 0 0995 9645 5 Themes: Funny Stories/ Intermediate schools (USA)/ Special Needs students/ Series

Number seven in a series of funny, poignant and easy-to-read stories

about Rafe Khatchadorian, his friends and family as they struggle with the day to day problems of intermediate (middle school) life. It is a series that is immediately interesting to not-so-keen-readers with its slightly OTT jackets, comic type illustrations at practically every opening and its engaging writing style in which the writer brings the reader right alongside the action. However, good readers enjoy this series as well.  In this, the latest, Rafe finds he is being classed as a Special Needs student because of his ‘behaviour problems’ and is enrolled in a Learning Skills programme – you may even get to like it he is told….

Year 5 up/ Age 9 up 

Fiction Age 9 up

NZ Writer and Artist

Robert MacKinlay, illustrated by the writer

Dare to Defy

Robert MacKinlay 2015  $22.00 179pp

Available from robtmack@ihug.co.nz and from 30.5.15 also from www.silverstreamgallery.co.nz  Post Free within New Zealand.

ISBN 978 0 4733 1821 5

Themes: Hampteau, Belgium/ Invasion of Belgium World War II/ Scout Association

It is the beginning of World War II and Nazi Germany is about to invade Belgium and the surrounding countries.  They are determined to unite all Youth Movements into one National Socialist Movement and groups like the Scout Association (which was strong in Belgium) had their regular meetings and camping banned completely. However, it was going to take more than Nazi Germany to keep the six children whose story is told here from participating in an activity that was a way of life for them and became as the war went on, a life line for them all and their families.  We observe the reality of the war through the writing of each of the children in mainly shortish but exciting ‘bursts’ making this as well as an individual read, a great read-aloud story for the few minutes before Bell Time. This is an unusual and very original book that I feel deserves a wide readership– it will be enjoyed. The story will continue in two sequels to be published over the next months – Blame and Believe in Tomorrow.

Year 5 up/ Age 9 up (also for adults who lived through WW II)

(I will be asking a group of children up here on the Kapiti Coast to review the book so watch out for their thoughts in a few weeks time. Just give them all time to get over the flooding first. )

Fiction 9 years and up (Fantasy/ Series)

Australian Writers

Garth Nix and Sean Williams

Missing, Presumed Evil

Trouble Twisters Series Number 4

Allen & Unwin, 2014   $24.00pb  342pp

ISBN 978 1 7423 7401 7

Themes: Family/ Fantasy/ Friendship/ Good v evil/ Series/ Twins

The magical twins, Jack and Jaide have faced The Evil before but even they, with all their experience (in the first three books) of true scariness could not have imagined what is to come! I am always surprised to find that writers, exploring such well worn pathways as good versus evil and the end of the world are able to infuse freshness and new twists to the old story and make us read it as though for the first time – especially when tempered with the well-known, sometimes OTT humour of this duo.  Readers don’t have to have read the first books in this series but it will make it a more rounded experience if they have. The Trouble Twister series have been given (in my opinion) particularly enticing jackets, which may act as a lure to more reluctant readers although the first two chapters require quite a bit of concentration – it seems to become much easier reading after that.

Year 5 up/ Age 9 up

My apologies this has been sitting on my desk for a couple of months...

Fiction 9 years and up

NZ Writer  & Illustrator

Donovan Bixley

Monkey Boy

Scholastic NZ    2014  $17.99pb 288pp

ISBN 978 1 7754 3186 2

Themes: Comic books (part) Ghosts and ghouls/ Napoleonic Wars/ Storms at sea/ Warships 

 

Donovan - Source unknown

It is the year 1803 and Jimmy Grimholt is the youngest sailor aboard the warship HMS Fury that is bound for a bloodthirsty and blood curdling battle. This is a no holes barred account of Jimmy’s adventures (including being able to see the dead) and is not for a fainthearted child or conservative librarian or teacher***. Some of the incidents may remind the (older) reader of the early Peter Jackson splatter movies!  Told partly in comic book form and partly in text, it is a book that is fortunately well bound, as it will be well thumbed and poured over. My own copy was just stopped in time today from being smuggled out the door by a holidaying child.

*** Examine before buying.

Year 5 up/ Age 9 up

Fiction - Age 9 up

UK Writer & Illustrator

Cressida Cowell

How to Betray a Dragon’s Hero

Hodder Children’s Books 2013  $19.99pb 398pp

How to Train Your Dragon series

Penultimate title in the series

ISBN 978 1 4449 1398 9

Themes: Dragons/ Funny stories/ Series/ Vikings

This title is number 11 in the series about Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third who grew to be a fierce and strong Viking warrior but in the books he is still quite a young man and has much to learn – often at his peril. In this, the second to last story in the series, although Hiccup with his companions, is hiding high up in the mists of the Murderous Mountains and the fates seem to be gathering against him, he is determined to reach his dream and become King of the Wilderwest. This is a series that has kept its impetus, humour and appeal since the first book, How to train your Dragon was published ten years ago in 2003. There have been spin-offs in the form of a movie, a TV series and short stories but I think you get the very best of Horrendous from the real thing - the book. This would be a great book to share with a group but it would need to be told by a really skilled reader-aloud because of the tongue-twisting names of the characters and the pace of the plot.

Year 5 up/ Age 9 up

Fiction - age 9 up

TO BE PUBLISHED EARLY NOVEMBER

NZ Writer

Stacy Gregg

The Princess and the Foal

HarperCollins 2013  $25.00hb  317pp

ISBN 978 0 0074 6902 4

Themes:  Jordan/ Show-jumping

At the age of thirteen Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein was the first female rider to represent Jordan internationally in equestrian sport when she won an Individual Bronze Medal in show jumping at the Pan-Arab Equestrian Games in 1992.

Although the book is a work of fiction it is inspired by the early life of the real Princess Haya  (and is told with her blessing). It tells of a small girl who was born a princess but who felt much more at home in the Royal Stables than in the Royal Palaces and who reared a motherless foal to become a champion show jumper. This is not your average Pony Club Series story although it will be gobbled up by children (small girls) who do read in that genre. It is a carefully researched, moving, poignant and well-written account of a real life. This is a ‘good looking’ production and even has its own bookmark.  However not many readers will make use of it as they will want to read on way after bedtime and finish it (reluctantly) at just one sitting.    

 

Year 5 up/ Age 9 up

Fiction Age 9 up

USA Writers and Canadian Illustrator

James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein

Illustrated by Juliana Neufeld

Treasure Hunters

Random House  2013   $22.99pb         451pp

ISBN 978 0 0995 6759 2

Themes:  Adventure stories/ Pirates/ Sea stories/ Shipwrecks/ Survival skills

Although they are used to the sea and everything it can throw at them the Kidd children are not prepared for what happens when their parents who have home schooled them to do without iPads, iPhones, iPods and any sort of pizza, vanish – apparently overboard. This is the beginning of a series, which, if this first book is a sample, promises to be full of action, adventure, cryptic clues and a great deal of humour. James Patterson is the creator of The Middle School series. The plentiful illustrations absolutely match the whole tone of the story.   A great holiday read – and a good read-aloud when the children go back to school.

Year 5 up/ Age 9 up

FICTION- AGE 9 up

NZ Writer

Glenn Wood

The Bully Chip

Walker Books    2013   $18.99pb   261pages

ISBN 978 1 9219 7764 0

Themes: Bullying/ Funny stories/ High school life/ Sequels

Callum in his up market wheelchair and his no nonsense friend Sophie plus Jinx are being targeted by two particularly nasty bullies who have arrived at school. However, they have picked on the wrong people and in spite of tactics that might have totally floored less strong characters, Callum, Sophie and Jinx end on a note of triumph. The story (like its predecessor, The Brain Sucker 2012 ISBN 978 1 9219 7763 3) is written in the sort of language that today’s younger readers relate to and would make a satisfying read aloud for 9 to 11 year olds.

Years 5–8/ Ages 9-12

For further info about Glenn Wood, former copywriter turned author, go to:

http://www.glennwoodauthor.com

Photo of Glenn, acknowledgments to Walker Books Australia

Fiction- Age 9 up

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Dutch Writer and Illustrator

Joke van Leeuwen

The Day My Father Became A Bush

Gecko Press 2013         $19.99pb           104 pages

ISBN 978 1 8775 7916 5

Themes: Displaced people/ Journeys/ Survival/ War

A clearly crafted story in which we come to expect the unexpected. In it we meet and become involved in the lives of Toda, her father who is a soldier sent away to fight in a war he doesn’t believe in and Toda’s grandmother who is left behind in the city with the war coming closer each day.  But it is her mother, a somewhat shadowy figure, who is the haven and the reason for Toda’s journey across the war wrecked countryside filled with seemingly insurmountable incidents. A story both poignant and funny  (and the illustrations highlight the humour of the text so well) which would be rewarding to read aloud to a class or group of children and which will help to swell the collection of other high quality books that have been appearing this year just in time for ANZAC Day.

See also Melinda Szymanik A Winter's Day in 1939 and ANZAC Day – The New Zealand Story by Philippa Werry both reviewed recently on this Blog. (Use the search box to find them!)   

Year 5 up/ Age 9 up

Go to: http://www.geckopress.co.nz for more unusual books from this publisher.