My Sister Rosa (YA/Adult Fic)

AUTHOR: Justine Larbalestier (US)
PUBLISHED: Allen & Unwin ; 2016.
PAGES/ILL: ~400 pages.

PLOT:
Teenager Che has a lot of things he wants to do. Improve his boxing. Get a girlfriend. Leave New York and go back home to Sydney. But the most important thing is keeping his little sister, Rosa, in line.
Rosa is cruel. She delights in deception and making other people hurt. Che is convinced she's a sociopath, but Rosa's sweet outward disposition easily fools the people around them. Che's life gets increasingly complicated as Rosa's games lead to horrific consequences.

REVIEW:
This is being advertised as a YA novel, but I would emphasise that it is for OLDER young adults (17+).

This is one of the best books I've read this year. I'm writing this a few months after I finished the book and it has still stuck with me. It's a great story if you can handle sociopathic children completely devoid of empathy who delight in manipulating others (and the reality that they DO exist).

AGE: 17+/Adult.
GENRE: Realistic psychological/thriller fiction.
RATING: STRONG 5 stars.

100 Books for Primary School Children

Here is a list of 100 fiction books all children should read before leaving primary school, as chosen by teachers.

Rather than specific books, I would just list authors and recommend you read anything by:

 - Roald Dahl. "Danny, champion of the world" would actually be my choice over "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". And "Boy" would be my non-fic pick.

 - Oliver Jeffers. The pop-up version of "Lost and Found" is a favoutite, but I also like The Hueys.

 - Mem Fox. "Wilfrid Gordon Mcdonald Partridge" = thoughtful brilliance. And every child should be read "Possum Magic" at least once in their life. For parents, Mem has written a wonderful little book called "Reading Magic" about the importance of reading from birth. It should be required reading, given out along with pre-natal vitamins.

 - Enid Blyton. Ok, so her writing is a little old, now, but I don't think the Secret Seven, the Famous Five, or her stories of magic and fantasy will ever be completely irrelevant in children's lives.

 - Dr. Seuss. Kids should read him on a train, or in the rain, or on a boat with a goat.


OK, who am I kidding? I would be listing authors for years if I continued this post! There are just so many good books and authors, there is not enough time in the day read them all.

Favourite Roald Dahl Characters

For International Book Week, Roalddahl.com has a list of Top 5 Dahl heroes and heroines.

I really can't disagree with their choices, but there are a few I think give top 5 a run for their money and at least deserve an honourable mention. They include:

Grandma from The Witches. She's unflappable, knowledgeable, wise, experienced, and an all-round fun person it would be a pleasure to know.

Mr. Hoppy, the retired bachelor from Esio Trot. This sweet man is ingenious. I envy any woman who is lucky enough to find a man who will go to such lengths to gain her affection. (I should also let you know that this book will have a movie tie-in this year!)

And I absolutely must give accolades to Roald Dahl himself as the lead in his autobiography Boy. If you haven't read this book, I highly recommend it.

What character would you nominate?

(I would also add, that though they aren't characters, Dahl's books Revolting Rhymes and Dirty Beasts. HILARIOUS and a must in every upper primary school class).

Bugs (NF) (Pop-up)

FULL TITLE: Bugs : a pop-up journey into the world of insects, spiders and creepy-crawlies
AUTHOR: George McGavin ; ILLUSTRATOR: Jim Kay ; PAPER ENGINEERING: Richard Ferguson
PUBLISHED: London : Walker books, 2013

PLOT:
Larger-than-life bugs spring from the pages, peek out from behind flaps and hide under tabs, inviting young entomologists to marvel at the mind-boggling variety of arthropod life. What reader can resist a chance to peel back the flaps to look inside a cockroach's body to see how it works, or open a wasps nest to see what's inside? Useful information (why does the world need bees?) and scientific trivia (which beetles are strongest and fastest?) pack every page, while exquisite art, dramatic pop-ups, and a multitude of lift-the-flaps bring the world of bugs to life. Presented in a field diary format, with hand-written notes and specimen samples.

REVIEW:
Absolutely enthralling. I can't see that anyone, child or adult, would be able to simply flick through this book - no, every page must be analysed for what can be lifted, folded out, and taken out of little pockets.

AGE: 7-77 (adult supervision and guidance required for younger ages; the paper crafting is quite fragile).
RATING: STRONG 5 stars

Lost and Found (Pop-up) (PB)

AUTHOR: Oliver Jeffers (Northern Ireland; U.S.)
PUBLISHED: 2011

PLOT:
When a young boy finds a penguin on his doorstep, he goes to great lengths to return him to the ice. As he leaves the penguin, they are both very sad. That's when the boy realises that the penguin wasn't lost; it was looking for a friend.

REVIEW:
A lovely story about making assumptions about what other people need.

You MUST find the pop-up edition. It is one of the most delightful creations I have ever read.

This title is part of "The Boy" series. Other titles in the series include:
How to catch a star
The way back home
Lost and found

AGE: Preschool - Primary school ages (but will delight all ages).
RATING: a strong 5 stars

Stuck (PB)

AUTHOR: Oliver Jeffers (Northern Ireland; U.S.)
PUBLISHED: 2011

When Floyd's kite gets stuck in a tree, he throws everything from a shoe, to the kitchen sink, to a whale after it to get it down.  What will happen to the kite?  (not to mention the whale...)
Jeffers does it again with a book that will delight all readers.

AGE: Preschool - Primary school ages
RATING: 5 stars

This Moose Belongs to Me (PB)

AUTHOR: Oliver Jeffers (Northern Ireland; U.S.)
PUBLISHED: 2012

An exquisite tale of Wilfred who finds a moose and takes ownership of him and calls him Marcel. Marcel is mostly an obedient pet, but Wilfred soon finds that Marcel answers to other names. A beautiful story about the "ownership" of wild animals.

AGE: Preschool - Primary school age
RATING: 5 stars

The Graveyard Book (Fic)

AUTHOR: Neil Gaiman (UK)
PUBLISHED: 2008

PLOT: As his family are being murdered, a toddler wanders into a graveyard. Pursued by the murderer, the ghosts of the graveyard are charged with his safekeeping, and there he is raised.
As he grows, he learns about the other ghosts in the graveyard, the dangers in and out of the graveyard, ghouls, witches, himself, and his would-be murderer.

REVIEW: A wonderfully-written story that can make you laugh and cry.  It has horror themes, and might be genuinely scary for some children, but these parts are quickly resolved, and any conflict always ends on a high note.

This would be an ideal read-aloud for 7th or 8th grade.

AGES: 11+ (I'd hesitate before recommending this to under 11s or 12s - it really depends on the child's maturity and what they have previously read. This book is perfect for high school reluctant readers, with enough appeal to engage adults).
GENRE: Horror
RATING: 6 stars!!

Series: The Bromeliad (Fic)

AUTHOR: Terry Pratchett (UK)
PUBLISHED: ~1998
SERIES: Bromeliad
BOOKS: A three-book series (Truckers, Diggers, Wings)

PLOT (Truckers):
A group of nomes (not Gnomes) are forced out of their hole in the ground and discover tribes of other nomes living in a store. When they discover the store is to be demolished, they make plans to leave, and thus begins the adventure.
Along the way, the nomes find out a lot about the world, humans, and themselves.

REVIEW:
BRILLIANT social commentary and satire on everything from why people wear name tags to the development of language, religion, and egocentricity. The knowledgeable child (or adult) will adore it.

AGES: From whenever reading ability allows it, but the satirical undertones will go over young children's heads. Probably from ages 11-12 will get the most out of it.
GENRE: Fantasy, Humour, Adventure
RATING: A strong 5 stars.