Book Review: Past the Shallows

From Goodreads: Brothers Joe, Harry and Miles live with their father, an abalone fisherman, on the south-east coast of Tasmania. Everyday their dad battles the unpredictable ocean to make a living. He is a hard man, a bitter drinker who harbours a devastating secret that is destroying him. Unlike Joe, Harry and Miles are too young to leave home and so are forced to live under the dark cloud of their father's mood, trying to stay as invisible as possible whenever he is home. Harry, the youngest, is the most vulnerable and it seems he bears the brunt of his father's anger...

Thoughts: I was in equal parts drawn to this because of the cover and scared to read it due to the comment on the front cover - "Wintonesque" I love Tim Winton and I was terrified of reading this and having to exclaim - "You know nothing of Winton!" And while it wasn't Tim Winton, I can see the parallel. Parrett has a sparseness of language that portrays way more than you would think, something Winton is a master of. The bleakness of the setting perfectly reflects the bleakness of the story, giving the reader an ongoing sense of foreboding. My heart breaks for all three of the boys in this book. Joe because you know he will feel guilt for leaving the other two, but you also know he doesn't have a choice. Miles because you know he can't leave - he must fill the hole left by Joe and protect Harry from their wild, angry father. Harry because he still holds an air of innocence, but it is already being tainted by the harsh life he leads.
Past the Shallows is a book that will be enjoyed by those who like Winton. For a debut novel it's exceptional and you would think the only place for this author to go is up.

Book Review: The Grim Grotto

From Goodreads: Warning: Your day will become very dark - and possibly damp - if you read this book.
Plan to spend this spring in hiding. Lemony Snicket is back with the eleventh book in his New York Times bestselling A Series of Unfortunate Events.
Lemony Snicket's saga about the charming, intelligent and grossly unlucky Baudelaire orphans continues to provoke suspicion and despair in readers the world over. In the eleventh and most alarming volume yet in the bestselling phenomenon A Series of Unfortunate Events, the intrepid siblings delve further into the dark mystery surrounding the death of their parents and the baffling VFD organisation.

Thoughts: Definitely getting to the pointy end of this series! With only two books to go I am confident we will knock it off before the end of the year.
Tim Curry is reading these and he is a perfect choice for it. This video is a summary of the first twelve books and I think shows, Curry's brilliance at narration.

Anyway, back to the story! This, the 11th book takes the Baudelaire children on a search for the sugar bowl - an item Count Olaf is desperate to get his hands on, although we're not quite sure why. As we head towards the conclusion of the series (there are only two books left - The Penultimate Peril and The End) the Baudelaire's are discovering more and more that the lines between good and evil can be blurred and things are not always as they seem. In the end they follow their own moral compass, which really, is all we can do in life.
Both myself and the kids are looking forward to the next, penultimate installment.

Children's Book Council Early Childhood Short List

Children's Book Council of Australia

Now that I have finished reading the Children's Book Council of Australia's Younger Reader and Older Reader short list, I thought I would move on to their two picture book categories. The CBC has an Early Childhood list and a Picture Book list. This came about almost 20 years ago when they realised there was a good number of picture books for older readers being produced and it was not really fair to be judging them against those picture books for younger children. 

This post will look at all 6 of the Early Childhood Short listed books. It's a bit of a long one, so grab a cup of tea and enjoy!

The Swap - written by Jan Ormerod, illustrated by Andew Joyner

Caroline Crocodile is jealous of all the attention her baby brother is getting from their mother. When her mother goes to swap a hat that isn't quite right, Caroline figures she can do the same with her baby brother.
As the youngest of 3, I can only imagine the disgruntled feelings a new baby can cause in older siblings. Jan Ormerod explores this sensitive topic with tact and a sense of humour.

Source: Momo Celebrating Time to Read

Andrew Joyner's illustrations beautifully compliment the text. Caroline's expression leaves you in no doubt how she feels and while many on the pictures have a lot going on (look for the white rabbit running late, a lama reading an ereader, a mouse that crashed his motorbike), they don't feel busy. A lovely book to remind parents and older siblings that brothers and sisters are important too.

Banjo and Ruby Red - written by Libby Gleeson, illustrated by Freya Blackwood

Banjo and Ruby red have a love hate relationship. Banjo barks, Ruby Red ignores. She goes into the chook pen when she is ready and not a minute before. On day when Banjo barks, Ruby Red is not in her customary spot on the wood heap. Banjo goes looking, but is he too late to save Ruby?
Libby Gleeson writes a lovely story about friendship without hitting you over the head with it. Friendships have different forms, but at the end of the day, you're there for you friends when they need you.

Source: Freya Blackwood Blog

Freya Blackwood's illustrations are beautiful. She portrays the chaos of the hens being rounded up, Banjo's frustration and Ruby Red's dignity in simple, but effective illustrations. Equally well drawn is Banjo's concern, his care and the cementing of their friendship. Beautiful.

Kissed by the Moon - written and illustrated by Alison Lester

Alison Lester has written a prayer that any parent would pray for their baby. It's pure, classical Lester - lyrical, heartfelt and beautifully illustrated in her trademark style. I would think the advantage of being an author/ illustrator is being able to match the vision of how the pictures will highlight the text.

Source: Alison Lester

Lester's pictures are always lovely, whimsical and fun. (If you click the link under the illustration above it takes you to a page where you can buy Alison Lester prints!) She often takes me back to the magic of the world seen through the eyes of a child. This book would be the perfect present for a new mum and bub.

I'm a Dirty Dinosaur - written by Janeen Brian, illustrated by Ann James

Fun! Perfect word to describe this book - pure, unadulterated fun! A book kids can get involved with a be noisy about - stomping, shaking and roaring. And what's more fun than getting dirty, playing in the mud and stomping about!

Source: Brona's Books

However, it's Ann James' illustrations that make this book special. The illustrations are simply but incredibly effective. I've never seen a more joyful dinosaur in my life! James perfectly captures Janeen Brian's words and lifts to the wonderful height it reaches. A must for any dinosaur lover.

Baby Bedtime - written by Mem Fox, illustrated by Emma Quay

This is what I call a ritual book. One of those books which describe a betime ritual and where the reading of it becomes a ritual itself. Mem Fox is good at them - 10 Little Fingers and 10 Little Toes was a staple part of our bedtime for months!
Mem Fox specialises in making the simplest words special. She repeats things we've said to our babies - I could gobble up your toes - or thought - I could gaze at you all night. Along with the gentle rhythm of the text, it's a wonderful read aloud.

Source: Emma Quay and her Books

Emma Quay's pictures a beautiful compliment to Fox's words. Soft, textured and warm. Along with pencil and acrylic paints, she has utilised op shop finds like doilies, lace, belts and baskets. To top it all off, she has finished it off with photoshop edits - a perfect moulding of old and new.

Granny Grommet and Me - written by Dianne Wolfer, illustrated by Karen Blair

Granny Grommet meets her grommet friends at the beach where they surf, soak in rock pools and snorkel over the reef. Our narrator is a little less sure about the ocean - there are strange things under the waves - but with a little gentle encouragement, they are soon discovering the delights of the beach.
Dianne Wolfer has covered many themes in this book. Being older doesn't stop you doing the things you love, friendship, fear and overcoming it and the natural environment. Any of these themes could be explored further with this book. I love the gentle nature of the narrators discoveries, Their fear is overcome by small things, insignificant by themselves, but a powerful force added together.

Source: Mumabytes

Karen Blair's pictures capture the different aspects of a beach perfectly. Wide expanses of blue, white edged water and long sandy beaches, warm shallow rock pools and the amazing world found on the reef. I also love that the gender of our narrator isn't clear in the text or the pictures, allowing children to insert themselves into the story easily.

Book Review: Gone Girl

From Goodreads: On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?

Thoughts: Right, this is one of those reviews that is damn near impossible to write because you so don't want to give any thing away. 
I picked this up on the recommendation of  my friend Car over at Carrose Creations. First off, thanks Car! Love a good book recommendation is this is one of the best I've had in a while.
Gone Girl messes with your head - completely. You're travelling along in the story quite well and then all of a sudden, half way through, the whole thing is turned upside down and everything you thought you knew was wrong - completely wrong. And the end...still thinking about the end. Turning it over in my head going "but, what if...no that wouldn't work...how about...no..."
I do understand how people either love it or hate it. It's not the type of book everyone will enjoy, it is a bit of a crazy ride, but I loved it and will be thinking about it for quite some time to come.

Book Review: Life in Outer Space

From Goodreads: Sam Kinnison is a geek, and he’s totally fine with that. He has his horror movies, his nerdy friends, World of Warcraft – and until Princess Leia turns up in his bedroom, he doesn’t have to worry about girls.
Then Sam meets Camilla. She’s beautiful, friendly and completely irrelevant to his life. Sam is determined to ignore her, except that Camilla has a life of her own – and she’s decided that he’s going to be part of it.
Sam believes that everything he needs to know he can learn from the movies ... but now it looks like he’s been watching the wrong ones.

Thoughts: This is the final book from the older readers short list for the Children's Book Council that I needed to read. It was fantastic. Up until this point I was thinking it was going to be really hard to choose a winner, but for me, this is clearly it. 
Where to start? Keil has written a book that works - all of it. The characters, the story, the setting - it just works. I know Sam and his friends because it was me and my friends at school. Fringe dwellers, noticed by certain people who decided their role at school was to make life difficult for those they didn't like. I also like the way that Camilla moves between the groups, seemingly immune from what others think of her. As a teacher I discovered these kids can manage that movement because they truly don't care if you like them or not. They are comfortable with who they are and don't need anyone else's approval. Kids like that fit in any where and if they do attract the attention of a bully, it doesn't last long because they refuse to react the way they are suppose to. They are too hard a target. It's a skill I wish we could teach.
I truly don't know what else to say. The book is well written, the characters are believable and endearing, the story paced just fast enough to keep it moving without feeling like you are being rushed - on the whole it's just about near perfect. Recommend it? Absolutely.
 

Book Review: A King's Ransom

From Goodreads:
This long-anticipated sequel to the national bestseller Lionheart is a vivid and heart-wrenching story of the last event-filled years in the life of Richard, Coeur de Lion. Taken captive by the Holy Roman Emperor while en route home—in violation of the papal decree protecting all crusaders—he was to spend fifteen months chained in a dungeon while Eleanor of Aquitaine moved heaven and earth to raise the exorbitant ransom. But a further humiliation awaited him: he was forced to kneel and swear fealty to his bitter enemy.
For the five years remaining to him, betrayals, intrigues, wars, and illness were ever present. So were his infidelities, perhaps a pattern set by his father’s faithlessness to Eleanor. But the courage, compassion, and intelligence of this warrior king became the stuff of legend, and A King’s Ransom brings the man and his world fully and powerfully alive.

Thoughts: It's a bit difficult being a Penman fan - it's a long time between books. But they are worth waiting for. A King's Ransom follows on from Lionheart, following King Richard through his captivity in Germany and his bitter feud with the French King. There really were some not nice people around in the 1100's! It can be hard to review historical novels. Those who know the story don't need a rehash and those who don't won't want it spoiled. So, all I will say is that Penman writes brilliant, well researched, entertaining books. If you are after historical fiction that sticks close to the facts, but is easy to read, Penman is the author for you. Her characters come alive for the reader and her depth of knowledge is incredible. They are not short books (Ransom runs to 700+ pages) but they are compelling.
Penman also writes good, strong female characters. In this, history is on her side as she is able to take a few more liberties with the women than with the men as there is often not many records pertaining to the women. A brief glance a history is enough to tell you  Eleanor of Aquitaine was a formidable woman and not one to be messed with. Ransom sees the end of Eleanor's story, that Penman started with When Christ and His Saints Slept. I will freely admit I cried when she died. I'm not sure I would have liked her in real life, but my goodness you have to admire her.
After every read of a new Penman book I contemplate the rereading of all of her stuff. I strongly urge anyone who enjoys historical fiction, especially involving the kings and queens of England, to give her a go. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Book Review: Band-aid for a Broken Leg

From Goodreads: A powerful, surprisingly funny, and ultimately uplifting account of life on the medical frontline, and a moving testimony of the work done by Medecins Sans Frontieres Damien Brown, a young doctor, thinks he's ready when he arrives for his first posting with Medecins Sans Frontieres in Africa. But the town he's sent to is an isolated outpost of mud huts, surrounded by landmines; the hospital, for which he's to be the only doctor, is filled with malnourished children and conditions he's never seen; and the health workers—Angolan war veterans twice his age who speak no English—walk out on him following an altercation on his first shift. In the months that follow, Damien confronts these challenges all the while dealing with the social absurdities of living with only three other volunteers for company. The medical calamities pile up—including a leopard attack, a landmine explosion, and having to perform surgery using tools cleaned on the fire—but it's through Damien's evolving friendships with the local people that his passion for the work grows. This heartbreaking and honest account of life on the medical frontline in Angola, Mozambique, and South Sudan is a moving testimony of the work done by medical humanitarian groups and the extraordinary and sometimes eccentric people who work for them.

Thoughts: I picked this up as it came through the return chute at work. It's not like I actually needed something else to read, but it sounded too interesting to not borrow. Damien Brown has done what most of us only vaguely think about and volunteered with an organisation that deliberately goes into some of the most dangerous places on earth. What I really loved about this book is it's in no way presumptuous or preachy.  Damien's recollection of his time with Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) is honest, heartbreaking and thought-provoking. I often find with books from this genre a slightly holier than thou attitude from the author who somehow makes you feel inadequate for not doing what they do. Damien Brown though manages to relate his story with none of that. At different times this book has me crying, laughing, cringing, turning green, despairing and cheering. The places Damien went surely bought out the best and the worst in people, exposed him to great hardship and incredible joys. He acknowledges the good and the bad of both the volunteers, the local workers and the patients. He offers no justifications for any of these people and the way they react to what is going on around them, instead just relates their stories and lets the reader make up their own mind. His honesty about the effect it had on him is refreshing. It wasn't easy, he doesn't pretend it was. The final linking of his experience to Australia was a perfect way to end the book. I hope where ever he and what ever he is doing, Damien is happy and content with his lot.