Summary (from Black Dog Books)

My dad doesn’t like babysitting.
He says no one should sit on babies.
My dad doesn’t eat seafood.
He says there’s something fishy about it.
My dad doesn’t lie in bed.
He says you should always tell the truth.
My dad thinks he’s funny.

Comments

My children are starting to get too old for me to indulge my love of picture books as much as I would like, so I’m always excited to get my hands on a picture book that we can all still enjoy.

I think I got as much entertainment from My Dad Thinks He’s Funny as the children did, as I certainly recognised my own father (and quite often my husband) in the dad in the story. We all laughed out loud at the lame lines uttered by the father and it amuses me to discover that such dodgy jokes extend beyond the boundaries of my own family.

I love the style of Tom Jellett’s illustrations and my younger son particularly commented on how much he liked them.

This is a great picture book for children up to the age of eight, or simply anyone with a dad who thinks he’s a comedian.

Review Copy Details
Title: My Dad Thinks He’s Funny
Author: Katrina Germein
Illustrator: Tom Jellett
Publisher: Black Dog Books
ISBN: 978-1-74203-121-7
Genre: Picture Book

Related Links

• Review of Little Dog by Katrina Germein at Kids Book Review

Summary (Walker Books Australia)

Intriguing, hard-hitting story – first half is based on historical events, second half is fictional

It is 1629, and there is mutiny in the air aboard the Dutch ship Batavia as she plies her way towards Java with her precious cargo. Jan, a cabin boy, and Wouter, a young soldier, find themselves caught up in the tragic wrecking and bloody revolt that follow. But worse is to come… Based on the diaries of the ship’s Commander, Rosemary Hayes recaptures some of sea history’s most dramatic moments, linking the fates of of Jan and Wouter with discoveries that intrigue Australians to this day.

Comments

My knowledge of Australian history is rather limited and I am ashamed to say that I didn’t know very much about the Batavia before reading this novel, although I was familiar with the name of the ship and the fact that it was shipwrecked off the west coast of Australia.

I enjoyed reading this novel, partly because it sparked my interest in this evetn in Australian history and partly because it didn’t romanticise life on board the Batavia or the actions of the crew and soldiers after they were shipwrecked. As a work of historical fiction it was both entertaining and informative and it inspired me to read more about the fateful voyage of the Batavia and the events that followed the shipwreck.

I thought that Hayes’ fictional ending to the story seemed quite plausible and it will be interesting to see what further evidence science uncovers to support her theories about Jan Pelgrom and Wouter Looes having contact with local Aboriginal people.

The starkness of the descriptions of life on board the Batavia and the violent acts of some soldiers and crew after the shipwreck make me hesitant to recommend this book for readers under the age of 13, although I would certainly do so for teen readers, particularly those with an interest in Australian history.

Review Copy Details
Title: The Blue-Eyed Aborigine
Author: Rosemary Hayes
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
ISBN: 978-14-84780-078-7
Genre: YA Historical Fiction (13+)

Related Links

• Review of The Blue-Eyed Aborigine at Suite101.com

Summary (Allen & Unwin website)

Her husband’s a workaholic, her kids are growing up – now it’s time for Kate to follow some of her own dreams …

This is the often hilarious but also wry account of the life of mother of two, Kate Cavendish. It seems like only yesterday that Kate was one of the most well-regarded photographers in town. So how, she wonders, did her life come to consist of so much drudgery, not to mention dealing with a recalcitrant, eye-rolling teenage daughter and an often-absentee husband. And why oh why did her young son have to score such a distractingly gorgeous soccer coach?

We follow Kate’s journey as she dips her toes back into the workforce and starts to fantasise about getting her life back, including some of the glamour and fun.

Comments

I really enjoyed this Chick Lit-style novel, probably because the protagonist Kate was much closer to me in age and life situation that the usual stiletto-wearing upwardly mobile 20-something central character.

I loved Kate as a character. She was intelligent and entertaining and I enjoyed reading her amusing observations of her friends and extended family which provided a nice balance to her more naval-gazing moments as she worried about her career, marriage and parenting abilities. The secondary characters provided a nice ensemble of quirks as well, with Kate’s children, mother and sister particularly enjoyable.

While there were some very real issues for Kate to deal with, particularly with her daughter and some unresolved issues from her parents divorce, the sense of fun and humour was never far away. The scenes set at the office and on location, where Kate was working temporarily as a photographer for a food magazine, were particularly entertaining.

This is a great feel-good novel, ideal for lounging by the pool or snuggling up under a warm blanket on a rainy day. I am now tracking down a copy of Heidke’s other novel, Lucy Springer Gets Even, which I’m hoping will be just as enjoyable and I’ve just found out that Heidke’s third book, Claudia’s Big Break, will be released in January 2011. Can’t wait.

Review copy details
Title: What Kate Did Next
Author: Lisa Heidke
Publisher: Allen & Unwin, 2010 (313 pages)
ISBN: 978-1-74175-933-4
Genre: Chick Lit/Hen Lit

Summary (Kate Hunter website)

Katie Crisp has talent, it’s just that the report card hidden in her room doesn’t show it. School’s out for another year and Katie is set to spend the summer lazing under the sausage tree in the backyard of the only home she’s ever known. So, when she discovers that Parfitt’s Family Soft Drink Company is about to be taken over by a corporate giant, leaving her mum out of a job and them both out of a home, it’s time to finally show everyone what she’s made of.

With her nose for trouble and her eye for advertising, and a little help from some neighbourhood friends, Katie declares Mosquito Advertising open for business.
Pocket money and creative thinking can stretch a long way when everything that means anything to you is about to be destroyed.

Comments

I really enjoyed reading this modern story featuring a group of kids (early teens) solving a mystery and simply enjoying hanging out together over the summer school holidays. I loved the Australian setting, the humour and the very real way that the kids related to each other.

As for the mystery at Parfitt’s, this had a very Trixie Beldon/Famous Five feel about it as Katie and her friends realised that there was a problem and set about solving it, mostly ignored by the adults in the story.

I like the way the advertising industry is portrayed with the money-hungry, do anything to get the contract attitude of some of the characters balanced with an acknowledgement that good advertising strategies are necessary to promote a product and gain sales, without which a business cannot continue to function effectively. The initial Parfitt’s Christmas Greeting posted as a YouTube clip was a particularly good way of highlighting the way modern technology can be used to reach a market audience. Mosquito Advertising even has their own website.

This book was brimming with humour and fun.  I think it would be a great discussion text for late primary school/early high school students studying the influence of marketing and advertising, but it is also simply an enjoyable book that should appeal to both male and female readers who like to read books with a mystery to solve.

Can’t wait for the release of the second book in December 2010.

Review Copy Details
Title: Mosquito Advertising #1: The Parfizz Pitch
Author: Kate Hunter
Publisher: University of Queensland Press, 2010 (210 pages)
ISBN: 978-0-7022-3771-3
Genre: Children’s fiction
Age range: 9+

Related Links:

• Review of Mosquito Advertising: The Parfizz Pitch at Suite101

Summary (back cover)

On New Year’s Eve Cal is chased down the street by a staggering, sick man with a deadly warning..They killed your father. They’ll kill you. You must survive the next 365 days! Hurled into a life on the run, with a price on his head, the 15-year-old fugitive is isolated and alone. Hunted by the law and ruthless criminals, Cal must somehow uncover the truth about his father’s mysterious death and a history-changing secret. Who can he turn to, who can he trust, when the whole world seems to want him dead?

The Clock is ticking. Any second could be his last.

Callum Ormond has been warned. He has 365 days. The countdown has begun…

Comments

I’m not much of a thriller reader, probably because they are either chillingly realistic (defying my ‘reading as escapism’ mantra) or stretch the bounds of believability so far that my rather cynical nature kicks in and the flow of the story is broken by my continual eye rolling at yet another coincidence that saves/threatens the hero.

I have enjoyed the first few books of this series, but have found the breakneck pace of the plot at times a little annoying. Just how many ‘random’ events can happen to threaten the safety of one teenaged boy? Putting that aside, the pace did keep me turning pages to see just how the author was going to get Callum out of his latest impossible-to-escape-from dilemma or what disaster was just around the corner when he did finally get a chance to relax for five minutes.

Older audiences or those familiar with the suspense/thriller genre might find the day and time countdowns scattered through the text distracting. I was often left wondering just how a particular event had taken 20 minutes to unfold or how they had managed to cram so much action into 5 minutes. For me, the reading experience would have been much better if the story had simply been broken down day by day.

All that being said, these books will no doubt be quite popular with young male readers particularly and apparently have quite an enthusiastic following amongst teens. I haven’t checked out the Conspiracy 365 website in any great detail, but there is additional info and interactive experiences on offer there including monthly competitions.

With a new book released every month during 2010, it isn’t too late to get on board with Conspiracy 365. The book for September will be available within the next few days and another three books are still to come before the series draws to a conclusion in December.

Review Copy Details
Title: Conspiracy 365 (series)
Author: Gabrielle Lord
Publisher: Scholastic, 2010
Genre: Tween/Teen fiction
Age range: 11+

Related links

• Review of Conspiracy 365 at Suite101

Summary (Walker Books website)

Two diverse cultures, countries and families are linked with warmth and charm in this two-in-one picture book.

This innovative picture book comprises two stories designed to be read simultaneously – one from the left, the other from the right. Page by page, we experience a day in the lives of two boys and their families. An Australian family, whose way of life strikes a familiar chord, and a family from a far away country with a way of life that differs more than one can imagine. As we read we discover the simple truth that despite these differences we are all the same. We are the mirror of each other.

Comments

I am not, by nature, the kind of person that gushes over things, but I am willing to make an exception for this incredible picture book.

I love Jeannie Baker’s work and I was looking forward to the release of her latest book, Mirror, with great anticipation. I was particularly excited when I discovered that the artworks from Mirror would be on display at the Museum of Sydney and that Jeannie would be there to sign books on the 22nd August. So excited that I packed the rest of my family in the car and headed to Sydney for the day so that we could meet her and view the artworks up close and personal.

The exhibition is amazing. It will be travelling around Australia over the next two years, visiting several capital cities as well as Newcastle. To see if it is coming to a city near you, take a look at the exhibitions listing on Jeannie Baker’s website. It is definitely worth the effort of visiting if you can.

I love the format of this book, that you can fold the two stories out so that they can be ‘read’ side by side. Even after numerous readings, I am still finding new details that are reflected within the two stories.

I will confess to being more than a little bit in awe of Jeannie’s talent and I am so grateful that she has chosen to put together her thoughtful and thought-provoking artworks into picture book form so that they can be enjoyed by everyone.

If you’ve never read any of Jeannie’s books, Mirror is a wonderful place to start. We also love Window and Belonging.

Review Copy Details
Title: Mirror
Author/Illustrator: Jeannie Baker
Publisher: Walker Books Australia, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4063-0914-0
Genre: Picture book

Related links

• Review of Mirror at Suite101
• Article about visiting the Mirror exhibition at the Museum of Sydney at Kids Book Review

Summary (Popular Penguins website)

Over the course of his short life, John Keats (1795-1821) honed a raw talent into a brilliant poetic maturity.  This wide-ranging selection of Keats’s poetry contains youthful verse, such as his earliest known poem ‘Imitation of Spenser‘; poems from his celebrated collection of 1820 – including ‘Lamia‘, ‘Isabella‘, ‘The Eve of St Agnes‘, ‘Ode to a Nightingale‘ and ‘Hyperion‘ – and later celebrated works such as ‘La Belle Dame sans Merci‘.

Comments
My preferences for poetry are a little like my preferences for artwork – I know what I like with very little understanding of what makes it enjoyable. With both, it’s all about what appeals to the senses and my own personal tastes.

Along with Wordsworth, Coleridge and Donne, Keats is one of my favourite poets. I studied some of his poems at school, but I don’t remember it ever being mentioned that he was so young when he died – only 25 years old. It is incredible that he wrote odes and sonnets of such beauty at such a young age.

This Popular Penguins collection of Keats poems includes favourites such as Ode to a Grecian Urn, La Belle Dame sans Merci and Ode to a Nightingale. There is a brief, interesting introduction, a selection of Keats’ work including a small collection of light-hearted and nonsense poems and excerpts from letters written by Keats to family and friends.

Reading through this short book has rekindled my love of classic poetry. I might have to track down a copy of the Popular Penguin edition of Shakespeare’s sonnets and lobby to have the works of Coleridge, Donne and Wordsworth included in the next list of titles they release.

Review Copy Details
Title: Poems of John Keats (Popular Penguins)
Author: John Keats
Publisher: Penguin, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-14-119495-0
Genre: Poetry

Summary (from Walker Books Australia website)

‘We Are What We Do’ are a movement whose aim is to inspire people – in this case, children – to use their everyday actions to change the world. Their maxim is: small actions x lots of people = big change. It’s not rocket science but it does work! The actions in the book – including one brand new knitting action – are fun and easy for children to do but add up to making a big difference. It gives children the responsibility for changing the world, one bit at a time.

Comments

This book is a fantastic implementation of a great concept – that big changes are brought about by lots of small actions. I love that the actions suggested in this book are so achievable and cover issues that kids can relate to. There are fun examples like teaching your gran how to text and more practical ones like growing your own vegetables and taking shorter showers.

To me the highlight of this book isn’t the actions, as great as they are, it is the fact that this book encourages kids to connect with other people. It encourages them to make others smile, to give compliments, to talk with others and to be positive about themselves and their potential. In a world where there is so much disconnection within families and communities, I think that this is a fantastic and very timely message.

I think it also has a much more significant impact. It is very hard to get someone to care about what is happening on the other side of the world to people that will never meet if they don’t even know what is happening to their neighbours and friends. Encouraging kids to think and care about their own circle of family and friends prepares them to step out to influence people beyond that circle when the opportunity arises.

I think that this fantastic book is a great idea for anyone who wants to encourage their kids to think more about their actions and the impact they can have in their world, whether that means being more positive and involved at school or working to protect the environment.

Check out the We Are What We Do website for more action ideas and information about the UK We Are What We Do organisation.

Review Copy Details
Title: 31 Ways to Change the World
Author: We Are What We Do
Publisher: Walker Books Australia, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-40632-7-809
Genre: Non-Fiction, Social change, Community development

Related Links

• Review of 31 Ways to Change the World at Suite101
  

Summary (from Australian Geographic Education website)

Jump aboard the campervan with Taha, an Australian boy of Greek heritage, and his mum. They’re off on a journey of discovery that’s going to lead them to some of our country’s most fascinating places and interesting locals.

Taha’s adventures make compelling reading for all young explorers, and while their engrossed in tales of Taha and his mischievious ways, they’ll also learn about the geography, local industry, history and culture of each region – a new location in every book – that Taha visits.

Comments

This is a fun new series about Australian geography and culture for primary school kids. Taha is a fun character with a great sense of humour and an eye for interesting people and places as he travels around Australia with his mother in their campervan.

My older kids have read the first four books in this series and enjoyed them. There are some great facts included in the story as well as lots of great illustrations and photos of the places Taha visits. The format of the books is great – lots of variety with presentation of information and very visually appealing.

The first four books in the series are available now, with two additional titles to be published in both September and November. These books would be a great classroom resource and the Australian Geographic Education website has teacher resources for the series available.

I’m looking forward to the next four books, although I’m disappointed that the series is so short with only eight titles. I think it’s great that they avoid focusing on the major capital cities and instead feature some country towns and more remote areas, but there are so many great areas that missed out – including my hometown of Newcastle.

Review copy details
Title: Our Australia series
Author: Phil Kettle
Publisher: Australian Geographic, 2010
ISBN:

• Our Australia #1: Mildura (ISBN: 978-0-980710330-5, 128 pages)
• Our Australia #2: Broken Hill (ISBN: 978-0-98071-331-2, 128 pages)
• Our Australia #3: Longreach (ISBN: 978-0-98071-332-9, 128 pages)
• Our Australia #4: Alice Springs (ISBN: 978-0-98071-333-6, 128 pages)

Genre: Children’s Fiction/Non-Fiction, Australian geography
Age: 8+ years

Related Links

• Review of Our Australia series at Suite101.com

Summary (from Penguin Books website)

Huge floodwaters have engulfed a remote Victorian goldfield, reducing the prospect of digging up a fortune from very slim to impossible, and adding disease to the many possibilities of sudden death in harsh conditions. As sickness starts to take its toll and calls mount for the rescue of diggers stranded by the raging torrent, Sergeant Niall Kennedy must try to keep order in a place where frictions can become murderous. Does a suspiciously abandoned tent suggest there has already been a killing? And why has Mosquito Creek’s erratic Commissioner Stanfield drafted in special troopers behind Kennedy’s back?

In a new country where everyone’s past has a question mark, asking too many questions is dangerous. But how else can you get to the truth?

Comments

I enjoyed this novel, although it didn’t have quite the feeling of suspense that I expected. I found that the ‘current’ crises – the rising floodwaters and the intrigue centred on the Commissioner – didn’t hold my attention as much as the central characters’ back story. For me, the highlight of the novel was the way it showed just how similar the characters on the goldfields were despite their disparate backgrounds and personal circumstances. Everyone had secrets to hide and everyone was haunted by ghosts from their past.

I generally enjoy reading about this period of Australian history and did enjoy the setting and descriptions of the Victorian goldfields in Mosquito Creek. I noticed the absence of significant reference to Indigenous Australians and Chinese settlers on the gold fields, but this didn’t particularly influence the flow of the story or appeal of the novel in general.

Overall, this was an interesting read with its appeal primarily the result of the characters and historical setting.

Review Copy Details
Title: Mosquito Creek
Author: Robert Engwerda
Publisher: Viking, 2010
Genre: Australian historical fiction

Related links

• Review of Mosquito Creek at Suite101