Nanberry: Black Brother White

Title: Nanberry: Black Brother White
Author: Jackie French
Genre: Fiction
Audience: Children
Format: Book - library

From Goodreads: It's 1789, and as the new colony in Sydney Cove is established, Surgeon John White defies convention and adopts Nanberry, an Aboriginal boy, to raise as his son. Nanberry is clever and uses his unique gifts as an interpreter to bridge the two worlds he lives in. With his white brother, Andrew, he witnesses the struggles of the colonists to keep their precarious grip on a hostile wilderness. And yet he is haunted by the memories of the Cadigal warriors who will one day come to claim him as one of their own. This true story follows the brothers as they make their way in the world - one as a sailor, serving in the Royal Navy, the other a hero of the Battle of Waterloo. No less incredible is the enduring love between the gentleman surgeon and the convict girl, saved from the death penalty, to become a great lady in her own right.
 
What I thought: This is the sixth and last book from the The Children's Book Council of Australia Younger Reader's Short list and I loved it. Jackie French is such a wonderful, talented author and in Nanberry she brings the early years of colonial life in Australia to life.
Jackie French has done a lot of research for this book. It is based on true events with, of course, French filling in the gaps in research and knowledge. It highlights the difficulties and issues suffered with the coming of Europeans to Australi, without demeaning either the indigenous or European communities. It raises some excellent talking points, but does cover some issues (such as a gentleman having a convict mistress, the 'Rampaging Lusts' of men and the high levels of drunkenness and abuse in the early colony, that I would be concerned about sharing with a younger audience.
Once again, like The Outcasts and Crow Country, it sits on the Teenage shelves at the library I work at. However, unlike those two books, I'm not sure this can cross the boundary of the two categories. The CBC FAQ page states "the YR category covers middle primary to junior secondary" This, I must admit, leaves me feeling confused. I would not class Bungawitta as middle primary - more lower. While Nanberry does fit into this category (just) at the junior secondary end, I'm finding it difficult to compare to something like Bungawitta and wonder how the judges for the CBC manage it. In fact, it makes me wonder with the growth in the number and quality of children's literature whether it's worth the CBC revisiting, renaming and recategorising their awards - but that is probably a whole other post!

Challenges: Library Challenge

Bungawitta

Title: Bungawitta
Author: Emily Rodda
Genre: Fiction
Audience: Children
Format: Book - library

From Goodreads: It's crunch time in Bungawitta. The land's as dry as a dead galah, there's no rain in sight, and only twelve people left in town. Little Glory-Alice blames it all on the TV weatherman. Jay knows better. Nobody can make it rain. But a shower of money would help keep Bungawitta alive. And a festival would attract city tourists with money to spend, Jay's sure of it. But can twelve people, two dogs and a Shetland pony put on a proper festival? Only time, and the ABC, will tell.
 
What I thought: This is the fifth book from the The Children's Book Council of Australia Younger Reader's Short list, and Emily Rodda's second on the short list - the first being The Golden Door.
Having two Rodda books on the list only serves to highlight her versatility as a writer. Bungawitta is aimed at the younger end of the market, with fantastic illustrations from Craig Smith. Once again Rodda's characters are wonderful and this a lovely read of how a town sets out to save itself from the crippling drought.

Challenges: Library Challenge

The Outcasts

Title: The Outcasts
Author: John Flanagan
Series: Brotherband
Genre: Fiction
Audience: Children
Format: Book - library

From Goodreads: In Skandia, there is only one way to become a warrior. Boys are chosen for teams called brotherbands and must endure three months of gruelling training in seamanship, weapons and battle tactics. It's brotherband against brotherband, fighting it out in a series of challenges. There can be only one winner.
When Hal Mikkelson finds himself the unwilling leader of a brotherband made up of outcasts, he must step up to the challenge. The Heron brotherband might not have the strength and numbers of the other two teams, but with inventiveness, ingenuity and courage on their side, they might just surprise everyone.

What I thought: This is the fourth book from the The Children's Book Council of Australia Younger Reader's Short list. And like Crow Country,  it's on the teenage shelves at work. Also like Crow Country, I feel it's just as at home as a children's (albeit older children) or young adult book. Again, as a teacher librarian in an primary school, I would have bought it for the upper classes, especially boys.
John Flanagan is the well known author of The Ranger's Apprentice series of which I have raved about at various times, including here, here and here.
Brotherband is his new series, set in Skandia, a country introduced to readers during The Ranger's Apprentice series. And once again, I will rave!
Flanagan writes such good quality young adult/children's fantasy fiction. His characters are strong, believable, flawed and find themselves in situations where they need to use their skills to survive. The world they live in is not easy and they are given responsibility at a young age - and expected to shoulder it. (This is something I don't think we do enough for our children these days) The story is exciting and fast paced, encouraging the reader to turn that next page...just one more chapter...
I have just bought my ten year old the first in the Ranger's Apprentice series and he has taken to it with gusto. You simply cannot beat well written, intelligent books. Well done John Flanagan for producing yet another excellent book! Can't wait to read the second in the series!

Challenges: Library Challenge

The Golden Door

Title: The Golden Door
Author: Emily Rodda
Series: The Three Doors Trilogy
Genre: Fiction
Audience: Children
Format: Book - library

From Goodreads: The walled city of Weld is under attack from ferocious flying creatures that raid in the night, bringing death and destruction. The Warden calls for Volunteers to find and destroy the Enemy who is sending the invaders. The heroes of Weld answer the call one by one, never to return. Rye is officially too young to go, but his brothers are among the lost, and he must find them.

What I thought: This is the third book from the The Children's Book Council of Australia Younger Reader's Short list.
Emily Rodda has long been a favourite Australian children's author. Her Rowan of Rin and Deltora Quest series' are fantastic - a great introduction to fantasy fiction. Once again she has produced an excellent book which promises another wonderful series. It's full of the adventure and action needed to keep children interested. At the same time she has created a world of fantastic monsters, strange people and perplexing characters. Her hero, Rye, is reminiscent of Rowan from the Rin series. A quiet boy - nothing special - who finds himself in the middle of a quest to save his people, and in doing so, finds hidden strengths and talents. My personal feeling is you can't go wrong with a Rodda book. I'm already looking forward to going through the Silver Door.  It will however have to wait until after my library challenge!

Challenges: Library Challenge

The Truth About Verity Sparks

Title: The Truth About Verity Sparks
Author: Susan Green
Genre: Fiction
Audience: Children
Format: Book - library

From Goodreads: Verity Sparks is a thirteen-year-old orphan working as a milliner in Victorian London. But Verity is no ordinary girl – she has an almost perfect memory and possesses the talent of Teleagtivism. She can easily find things that are lost! When Verity is wrongly accused of theft and dismissed from her job, she goes to live with the Plushes – a slightly Bohemian family who run a Confidential Inquiry Agency. Verity helps them solve cases and slowly becomes one of the family. But patches of the truth about her past begin to surface, along with the special talent that Professor Plush is helping her explore. Who were her real parents? Is she the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter? Who is sending poison pen letters about Verity to the Plushes? Who doesn’t want them to learn the truth about Verity Sparks? An adventure/mystery with a dash of the supernatural thrown in; The Truth About Verity Sparks is packed with chases through the dark alleys of London, séances in high-class dining rooms, pet pythons named Anthony and Cleopatra, murdered opera singers and much, much more.

What I thought: This is the second book from the The Children's Book Council of Australia Younger Reader's Short list.
I seem to have this ting at the moment where children's/ young adult books I read are reflected or have something in common. It happened with When We Were Two and Cloudstreet and now with The Truth About Verity Sparks and The Potato Factory.
Verity Sparks is set in England at a time when transportation to Australia is not common any more, but the class system is alive and thriving. Verity herself is incredibly lucky to have found herself apprenticed to a hat maker. However, a false accusation sees her out on the street where she comes into contact with the wealthy Plush family and embarks on an adventure to discover her past. The thing I really liked about this book was the adult feel to it. Yes, some of the characters were stereotypical - the down on her luck poor girl, the single minded professor, the evil doctor and the friendly benefactor, but it has enough twists and turns to impress Agatha Christie or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle! It's theme of supernatural and psychic abilities and the inclusion of a séance may concern some people, but most good books are controversial in some way! I personally would love to see some more Verity Sparks books!

Challenges: Library Challenge

Crow Country

Title: Crow Country
Author: Kate Constable
Genre: Fiction
Audience: Children
Format: Book - library

From Goodreads: Sadie isn't thrilled when her mother drags her from the city to live in the country town of Boort. But soon she starts making connections—with the country, with the past, with two boys, Lachie and Walter, and, most surprisingly, with the ever-present crows. When Sadie is tumbled back in time to view a terrible crime, she is pulled into a strange mystery. Can Sadie, Walter, and Lachie figure out a way to right old wrongs, or will they be condemned to repeat them? A fantasy ground in mythology, this novel has the backing of a full consultative process on the use of indigenous lore.

What I thought: This is the first book from the The Children's Book Council of Australia Younger Reader's Short list.
What is really interesting is it's on the teenage shelves at the library I work at, so I was very interested to see what I though - younger reader or young adult. And the thing is, there are themes for both. It would be a great book to read to younger readers while working on a theme centred around the Aboriginal Dreamtime - why it was important and it's ongoing relevance to today's Aboriginals. It would also be a great way to look at the changes in Australia, attitudes to our indigenous population and ownership of land.
On the young adult side, there is a lot to be harvested from this book - reconciliation, mateship, friendship groups and ownership of land just to name a few.
In the end, I think Crow Country can fit comfortably in either category. If I was still working as a primary school teacher librarian, I would definitely have purchased and recommended it for year 3 and up.


Challenges: Library Challenge

When We Were Two

Title: When We Were Two

Author: Robert Newton
Genre: Fiction
Audience: Young Adult
Format: Book - library

From Goodreads: Dan had to go, He felt he had no choice, but leaving home was never going to be easy .
Dan and his brother Eddie take off for the coast, in search of their lost mother, in search of a better life . . . but it's a long road they face and Dan must use all his wits to get them there in one piece.
When they are taken under the wings of a group of would-be soldiers marching over the mountains to join up for the Great War, Dan and Eddie's journey becomes something quite unexpected. The experiences they share will shape their future beyond recognition.
This extraordinary rite of passage is a powerful, heart-rending story – Robert Newton at his very best.
What I thought: This is the sixth and final  book from the The Children's Book Council of Australia Older Reader's Short list.
I've enjoyed reading all of the short listed books this year, and this final one is also worthy of being on the list. Robert Newton drew a perfect picture of Australia during the early stages of World War 1. The feel of the small towns Dan and Eddie passed through and the picture of the road and landscape in between was very clear in my head. Rather interestingly, this is the second book I've read recently where the one brother feels guilty for an almost drowning of the other brother - the other being in Cloudstreet. Invariably this lead to comparisons and thoughts of whether Newton was influnenced by Tim Winton or whether it is pure coincidence. Either way the outcome in the end was different.
Like Winton, however, Newton has a talent for producing characters that are so clearly and obviously Australian. You can see the laid back nature, hear the drawl in the voice, feel the sun warmed skin as they shake your hand. While not my favourite on the list, When We Were Two was a great read.

Challenges: Aussie Author Challenge

A Straight Line To My Heart

Title: A Straight Line to My Heart
Author: Bill Condon
Genre: Fiction
Audience: Young Adult
Format: Book - library

From Goodreads: A funny, poignant, realistic story of Tiffany's first love and first job, and the inevitability of change in the first summer out of school School is over, not just for the year, but forever. Tiff and Kayla are free, which is what they've always wanted, but now summer is nearly at an end and that means life decisions. Tiff is hoping her job at the local paper will lead to something more, but "The Shark" soon puts her straight on what it takes to become a hard-nosed reporter like him. At home, Reggie—the only grandad she's ever known—has quit smoking and diagnosed himself as a cactus, and then Kayla hits her with some big news. And into all this stumbles Davey, who plays rugby but quotes Truman Capote, and is the first boy who has ever really wanted to know her. Tiff is smart with words and rarely does tears, but in one short week she discovers that words don't always get you there; they don't let you say all the stuff from deep in your heart.


What I thought: This is the fifth book from the The Children's Book Council of Australia Older Reader's Short list.

This was an enjoyable read, with clear likeable characters. The feeling of a small country town was well captured, but for some reason this book just didn’t grab me. I can’t even really put my finger on why, there’s is nothing I can point at and say that’s the issue. Maybe if I had read it without the banner of CBC, or if it had been among the first I had read from the list I wouldn’t be so non committal about it, but put up against the other four books I have read so far, I don’t see it as a winner or a notable.

Challenges: Aussie Author Challenge

The Coming of the Whirlpool

Title: The Coming of the Whirlpool
Author: Andrew McGahan
Genre: Fiction
Audience: Young Adult
Format: Book - library

From Goodreads:  It is not drowning your mother fears. What she truly dreads is that if you go to sea then you will come to the attention of the Ship Kings. And that if they discover who you are, they will kill you. Young Dow Amber is no sailor. But driven by a strange sea-longing he ventures from the high country of New Island all the way down to a grim fishing village on the shores of the bay known as the Claw. There he finds a cursed people living in dread not only of the mysterious Ship Kings that rule their country, but also of the fury of the ocean itself. When the Ship Kings sail their tall ships into the Claw, Dow's forbidden longing only grows. Who are the Ship Kings? How do they navigate the high seas? And what of the strange and fascinating girl who lives aboard one of their ships? When the whirlpool rises, will the call of the sea lead Dow to his heart's desire or to certain death? The Coming of the Whirlpool is the first book in Andrew McGahan's stunning new Ship Kings series.
What I thought: This is the fourth book from the The Children's Book Council of Australia Older Reader's Short list. 
OK, when I reviewed The Dead I Know, I said if you only read one book off the list, that should be it. Well, you're going to have to read two! If I had to chose between The Dead I Know and The Coming of the Whirlpool, I would have a hard time - for completely different reasons.
The Coming of the Whirlpool is brilliantly written. The story is engaging and the characters are ones you will find yourself truly caring about. As I read, there was something about the writing that I just couldn't put my finger on. At the end of the book, in the author bio, was the answer. While The Coming of the Whirlpool is not McGahan's first book, it is his first for young adults and he has managed that rare thing of his writing having an adult feel while aimed at young adults. I'm not sure I explained that well! I often find YA authors lack a certain maturity to their writing - almost condescending, or trying to be cool and fit in, but not quite making it. McGahan's writing had the feeling of an adult who had mastered the art of talking to young adult's as equals, while still acknowledging their lack of life experience. I would love to read some of his adult stuff to see if it measures up to what I now expect! I look forward to the sequel to The Coming of the Whirlpool.

Challenges: Aussie Author Challenge

The Dead I Know

Title: The Dead I Know
Author: Scot Gardner
Genre: Fiction
Audience: Young Adult
Format: Book - library

From the Blurb:  You wake up in the middle of the night. Your arms and feet are pinned by strong hands. As you thrash your way to consciousness, a calm voice says 'steady, we're here to help.' Your mind registers a paramedic, a policeman, an ambulance. You are lying on the lookout at Keeper's Point, the lookout Amanda Creen supposedly threw herself off, and you have absolutely no idea how you got there.
Aaron Rowe walks in his sleep. He has dreams he can't explain, and memories he can't recover. Death doesn't scare him - his new job with a funeral director may even be his salvation. But if he doesn't discover the truth about his hidden past soon, he may fall asleep one night and never wake up.

What I thought: This is the third book from the The Children's Book Council of Australia Older Reader's Short list. 
Wow. If you read only one book from the short list - make it this one. I have another three to read after this, but they will have to be very impressive to out do this. You feel for Aaron. On top of the sleepwalking and recurring dreams, his Mam is not well and their neighbours at the caravan park they live at are not doing anything to make life easier. Gardner draws you into Aaron's mind, you feel his fear, his confusion, his desire for this to work, but the barriers he also struggles against. I think a quote by John Marsden on the back says it best - I have never read a book more gripping, nor a book more triumphantly alive. I love how it haunts me still. I swear, I will never forget The Dead I Know.

Challenges: Aussie Author Challenge

The Golden Day

Title: The Golden Day
Author: Ursula Dubosarsky
Genre: Fiction
Audience: Young Adult
Format: Book - library

From Goodreads: There were only eleven of them, like eleven sisters all the same age in a large family. Because it was such a very small class, they had a very small classroom, perched at the very top of the school - up four flights of stairs, up in the high sky, like a colony of little birds nesting on a cliff.
'Today, girls,' said Miss Renshaw, 'we shall go out into the beautiful Gardens and think about death.'
In the Gardens they meet a poet. What follows is inexplicable, shocking, a scandal.
What really happened that day? And do the little girls know more than they are letting on?

What I thought: This is the second book from the The Children's Book Council of Australia Older Reader's Short list. 
I'm a fan of Ursula Dubosarsky. I find her to be an original and thoughtful writer. The Golden Day is no exception. To tell you the truth, when I first finished it I was a bit nonplussed...but I kept coming back to it, thinking about the events and the outcome. Dubosarsky is a master of not saying things, letting the reader discover secrets and clues through the interactions of the characters and at a point where you just about despair of ever knowing the truth. And in the end, your still not 100% sure what happened, but you do know the events of that day will effect those girls for the rest of their lives.

Challenges: Aussie Author Challenge