Book Reviews
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Book Review: My School by Maralyn Parker
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My School by Maralyn Parker
Summary (via Random House Australia)
Australian parents have never had more choice or information on schools. But much of the information available asks more questions than it answers. This is the first book that has all the answers and more. It is a must read for any parent who wants to get the best education possible for their child.
A clear and accessible book that answers every likely question parents could have about My School/NAPLAN/choosing a school.
What makes a good school? What should a parent know and what should they ask? This book also covers hot topics such as what to do about a bad teacher, bullying, multi-cultural policies, enrolment policies, coaching, selective schools, private vs public.
Comments
I’ve always been very interested and involved in my children’s education and discussing educational issues in general, but I’ve never been a big fan of the My School website. I’ve always found the information it provides too vague and indeterminate to be of any particular use. It has also often bothered me that the information on the My School website and associated NAPLAN results were often used in discussions about educational issues without considering the many other factors that are part of assessing the success or suitability of a school.
I think that is why I enjoyed reading Maralyn Parker’s book so much. My School provides the background information parents need to get the most from not only the My School website and NAPLAN results but also school reports and general contact with school staff.
I like that My School places the My School website and NAPLAN results into a big picture view of schooling in Australia. It also discusses the many other factors that should influence our decision when choosing a school for our children – location, leadership, sporting programs, special interest and special need programs, public or private schools, etc.
I liked the no nonsense tone of the book, especially in comparison to the media hype that often surrounds discussions of NAPLAN and the My School website. I also liked that many website links that were included throughout the book so that parents can easily find more facts and information on topics that are of particular interest.
I’ve quoted information from this book several times in conversation recently and personally found the discussion of the pros and cons of selective schooling particularly useful. There were also some very practical tips on how to communicate effectively with classroom teachers and other school staff and a useful checklist of items to consider when choosing a school for your child.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is keen to better understand the many facts and figures that are being put forward in discussions about schools and schooling in Australia. For those interested in this topic, Maralyn Parker also has an education blog at the Daily Telegraph and a My School Facebook page where readers can join in discussions about education issues.
Book Details
Title: My School: What every parents needs to know about NAPLAN, the My School website and getting the best education for your child
Author: Maralyn Parker
Publisher: Bantam, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-86471-205-6, 295 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction – Australian schools and education, NAPLAN, My School website
Related links
- Review of My School at Suite101
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Book Review: The Phoenix Files by Chris Morphew
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Summary (via Hardie Grant Egmont)
Luke is having a rough year. His parents split up. Then his mum moves to Phoenix, a tiny town in the middle of nowhere, and she drags Luke along with her.
But Phoenix is no ordinary town. It was built from the ground up by the enigmatic Shackleton Co-operative less than a year ago. There are no cars, no phone lines, and a private security force instead of police.
Luke thinks this is as weird as it gets.
Then he and his new friends discover that someone in Phoenix is plotting to wipe out the human race. And the clock is already ticking.
There are one hundred days until the end of the world.
Comments
I have been a big fan of this YA thriller series since it was first released. I can remember shaking the book in frustration when I reached the end of book one. How could he leave me hanging like that? When would I find out what happened next? When? Not for months? MONTHS! It all seemed so unfair.
The fourth book in The Phoenix Files was released this month. I’ve only just started it and I’m already hooked and annoyed that I need to take care of more mundane tasks instead of reading it from cover to cover in one sitting. I introduced my now 
12-year-old son to the series in January and he read the first three books in four days. Like me, he was anxiously anticipating the release of book 4 (Phoenix Files:Underground) and is now enduring the frustrating wait for book 5 (Phoenix Files: Fallout) and book 6 (Phoenix Files: Doomsday), which won’t be released until February 2012 and September 2012 respectively.
I love the sense of suspense sustained throughout the series. The conspiracy theory plotline isn’t one that I am generally attracted to, but the combination of well-written and complex characters and an interesting setting have more than overcome my initial hesitancy when I started the first book.
In fact, the series appeals to me so much that I became involved in a bidding war during the Authors for Queensland flood appeal auction earlier this year, which raised funds for the Queensland Premier’s Flood Relief Fund. I managed to get my final bid in just before the auction closed, winning for my son the first three books of the series defaced annotated by Chris Morphew himself. They were given to my son last week for his birthday and he has been avidly re-reading the books which now include a scattered commentary by Chris as well as drawings and random jottings like this:
If you are looking for a high energy, suspense-filled series for readers aged 11+, you should definitely check out The Phoenix Files. There are some scenes depicting violence as well as a level of menace associated with the ringleaders of plot to take over the world (not surprisingly), so it is worth taking that into account if you are considering the books for a more sensitive younger reader.
Book details
- Series title: The Phoenix Files
- Book titles: #1 Arrival, #2 Contact, #3 Mutation, #4 Underground
- Author: Chris Morphew
- Publisher: Hardie Grant Egmont
- Genre: YA series – thriller, conspiracy theory
- Suitable age: 11+ (Warning – some violence and menacing characters)
- Related links: Review of The Phoenix Files #1: Arrival at Reading Upside Down and Suite101
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Book Review: Press Here by Hervé Tullet
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Press Here by Hervé Tullet
Summary (Allen & Unwin)
The single touch of a finger sparks a whimsical dance of colour and motion in this joyful celebration of the power of the imagination.
Press here.
That’s right. Just press the yellow dot…and turn the page.
This irresistible picture book is ideal for sharing with children and has created a sensation worldwide.
Comments
I always feel a little sad when I hear a parent say that their child doesn’t like to read. ‘Oh, she’s just not into books’ or ‘He’s too active to read’. I love kids who are busy playing and exploring and creating, but I think a love of books is an amazing thing to develop in a child and I always maintain that there is no such thing as someone (child or adult) who doesn’t like to read, just someone who hasn’t found the book that are right for them.
This picture book is perfect for young children who might find sitting still to read more challenging than others. From the first page, readers are invited to touch the different coloured dots on the page, to tilt or shake the book, clap their hands and blow on the pages. The reader gets to interact with the story, making the experience a much more active one.
I’ve handed this book to a few adult friends who have also been unable to resist the temptation to follow the instructions on the page. It is fascinating to watch.
Press Here is a fantastic picture book for young readers and a wonderful book to experience with a child.
Book Details
Title: Press Here
Author: Hervé Tullet
Publisher: Allan & Unwin, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-74237-528-1
Original Title: Un Livre (Bayard Editions, 2010)
Recommended age: 2+
Genre: Picture book
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Book Review: Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg
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Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg
Summary (back cover)
A spill. A smear. A smudge. A tear.
When you think you have made a mistake (and what kid or grown-up hasn’t?), think of it as an opportunity to make something BEAUTIFUL!
Comments
I love this book. I love the concept, the way it is presented and the big picture approach to life that it promotes. I love that it is encouraging kids to be resilient and to think creatively. I love the illustrations and I love that my kids smile when they read it, even though they generally consider themselves to be too old to be enjoying this style of picture book (ie board book style cardboard pages).
Are you picking up on the vibe yet? I LOVE this book.
Beautiful Oops is a wonderful way to remind children that life is full of possibilities and that making a mistake can sometimes be the start of something amazing. This book definitely makes my Highly Recommended list.
Book Details
Title: Beautiful Oops
Author: Barney Saltzberg
Publisher: Workman Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-7611-5728-1
Recommended ages: 3+ years
Genre: Picture book – creativity
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Book Review: The Autism Experience by Valerie Foley
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The Autism Experience by Valerie Foley
Summary (Exisle Publishing)
The Autism Experience is a guide to bringing up children with Autism Spectrum Disorder written by parents who have themselves navigated the medical maze, braved the behavioural problems and survived the emotional rollercoaster associated with caring for someone with autism.
Each chapter in The Autism Experience is based on a question frequently asked by the parents of ASD children and consists of a clearly written, informative introduction followed by the relevant real-life experiences of parents from around the world. These allow the reader to learn from the experiences of those who have travelled this road before them – how they have come to terms with the diagnosis; how it has changed their everyday lives, for better and for worse; their strategies for coping with autism.
Rich with useful information and personal experience, recounted with wit and raw honesty, The Autism Experience is both an invaluable practical guide and a source of comfort for parents learning to live with autism.
Comments
My experience with Austism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Asperger’s Syndrome is limited to the time I have spent with several friends with children who are on the spectrum. I am aware of several books that deal with the issue of Autism and Aspergers. I have read a few biographies/autobiographies and have also glanced through some of the handbooks, such as the Australian Autism Handbook by Benison O’Reilly and Seana Smith, in an attempt to gain some understanding of what my friends are dealing with and also to better understand and manage some of my own children’s quirky traits.
Parenting a child with special needs of any kind can be an isolating experience. The conversational tone of The Autism Experience creates the atmosphere of a parent support group, a gathering of mothers from around the world who share the common bond of ASD, chatting about everyday life, the highs and lows of ASD parenting, what works and doesn’t work for them as parents, what they wish they had known before their ASD journey began. The Autism Experience is a collection of anecdotes, emotions, experiences, recollections, regrets, triumphs and thoughts shared by parents who have at least one child affected by ASD.
As with any group, the information offered by individuals is largely biased by their own experiences, background and circumstances. For me, the strength of this book comes from the sense of inclusion and acceptance that it offers to parents who so often feel isolated and alone in their experiences. I think that this book would be best suited to parents in the early stages of their ASD journey with their child to reassure them that there are a variety of opinions out there, that the initial emotions and thoughts do change over time and that there are other families facing and dealing with the same issues that challenge their own family.
The book includes a reasonably extensive list of websites and suggestions for further reading. There is an index to major discussion points and the book is divided into topic sections.
Review Copy Details
Title: The Autism Experience: International perspectives on Autism Parenting
Author: Valerie Foley (with assistance from Jenni Sherrif)
Publisher: Jane Curry Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9808129-3-0 (397 pages)
Online: The Autism Experience blog, The Autism Experience Facebook page, The Autism Experience forum
Genre: Non-Fiction – Parenting, Autism
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Book Review: Lucy Springer Gets Even by Lisa Heidke
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Summary (Allen & Unwin)
Lucy Springer thinks she’s got it tough. She’s living through renovation hell, her two kids seem more challenging than ever, and her once successful acting career has been reduced to the odd commercial.
Then Max, her husband, absconds to Bali with an unknown companion and things go from bad to disastrous.
But Lucy doesn’t give up easily. Juggling increasingly chaotic building dramas, bewildered children, her crazy best friend-slash-agent Gloria, her ever helpful’ mother and chasing after Max, Lucy Springer is determined to get her life onto an even keel and more.
This delightful new novel is an often hilarious account of triumphing over adversity, following your dreams and listening to your heart.
Comments
Lucy Springer is a fun, light-hearted and entertaining read. I have enjoyed all three of Lisa Heidke’s chick-lit novels for the, ahem, slightly older woman – protagonists in their mid to late 30s with children, mortgages and the kinds of everyday life concerns that I am familiar with, but with a wonderful humorous twist.
I confess I was hooked from the second page where Lucy was reviewing the evidence that her husband’s departure during dinner the night before stating ‘I’ve had enough’ was possibly more serious than him simply being overfull after their Thai takeaway. I loved her chaotic life and her sense of humour amidst the dramas of home renovations, a marriage breakdown, a pushy best friend/agent and her attempts to revive her acting career.
There is enough substance beneath the humour to prevent the story from simply being flippant and trivial. Lucy Springer Gets Even definitely gets two thumbs up as an ideal beach read or fun, enjoyable story for those moments when you simply want to read to relax and escape everyday life for a few hours. Lisa Heidke’s other novels, What Kate Did Next and the recently released Claudia’s Big Break, have a similar appeal and I can highly recommend all three books.
Review Copy Details
Title: Lucy Springer Gets Even
Author: Lisa Heidke
Publisher: Allen & Unwin, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-74175-583-1, 376 pages
Genre: Contemporary women’s fiction
Related links: Suite101 reviews – Lucy Springer Gets Even, Claudia’s Big Break, What Kate Did Next
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Book Review: Lyrics Alley by Leila Aboulela
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Summary (Hachette website)
A lyrical and deeply moving novel by a twice Orange-listed rising star, set in pre-Independence Sudan, Egypt and post-war Britain.
With Mahmood Bey at its helm, the family can do no wrong. But when Mahmood’s son, Nur – the brilliant, charming heir to his business empire – suffers a near-fatal accident, his hopes of university and a glittering future are dashed. Subsequently, his betrothal to his cousin and sweetheart, Soraya is broken off, another tragedy that he is almost unable to bear.As British rule is coming to an end and the country is torn between modernising influences and the call of traditions past, the family is divided. Mahmood’s second wife, Nabilah, longs to return to Egypt and leave behind her the dust of ‘backward-looking’ Sudan. His first wife, Waheeba, lives traditionally behind veils and closed doors and resents Nabilah’s influence on Mahmood. Meanwhile, Nur must find a way to live again in the world and find peace. Moving from the villages of Sudan to cosmopolitan Cairo and a decimated post-colonial Britain, this is a sweeping tale of loss, faith and reconciliation.
Comments
I enjoyed the lyrical storytelling style of this novel. It was wonderfully evocative of the setting, both the geography and the family environment. The family was fascinating with the complex network of relationships. I enjoyed the insight into the family’s everyday life as well as the deeper insights into the political situation in Sudan and Egypt in the 1950s, the cultural insights and the complex process the family went through dealing with Nur’s paralysing injury.
Lyrics Alley is a lovely novel that manages to combine a very interesting story with numerous themes and ideas that invite readers to consider the story at a deeper level. It is also interesting that the novel is based on the life of the author’s uncle, Hassan Awad Aboulela, and there is additional information about this noted Sudanese poet and the author’s other works at her website.
Review Copy Details
Title: Lyrics Alley
Author: Leila Aboulela
Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-297-86009-9, 308 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Related links: Suite101 review
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Book Review: The Black Book of Colours by Menena Cottin
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Summary (Walker Books Australia)
A stunning and unforgettable black book … about colour.
Our eyes tell us about colour. But what if you are blind? Can you still know colours? Using simple language and beautiful textured art, this book shows you how to ‘see’ without your eyes. From out of the blackness, a beautiful rainbow of colours emerges!
Comments
I love clever picture books. I love it when clever authors and illustrators not only give children something wonderful to read and look at, but also something wonderful to think about.
The Black Book of Colours is one of those books. This book gives children a different way to think about colours – how they feel, taste, smell. Text is white print on black pages and the illustrations are glossy black on the flat black background, slightly raised from the page so that children can feel them as well as see them. The white text is also printed in Braille in the same glossy embossed black as the illustrations. The complete Braille alphabet is included at the end of the book.
I know that my children have studied ‘senses’ as a classroom topic and this book would have been perfect to help sighted children gain some understanding of what it means to be visually impaired. I think that the concept and execution of this book is simply brilliant. I would highly recommend this book for both home and school and especially for a child who has a friend or family member with visual impairment.
Review Copy Details
Title: The Black Book of Colours
Original Title: El libro negro de los colores
Author: Menena Cottin
Illustrator: Rosana Faria
Translator: Elisa Amado
Publisher: Walker Books, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4063-2218-7
Genre: Picture Book
Recommended age: 3+ years
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Book Review: The Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard C Morais
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Summary (Allen & Unwin)
Abbas Haji is the proud owner of a modest family restaurant in Mumbai. But when tragedy strikes, Abbas propels his boisterous family into a picaresque journey across Europe, finally settling in the remote French village of Lumiere, where he establishes an Indian restaurant, Maison Mumbai.
Much to the horror of their neighbour, a famous chef named Madame Mallory, the Indian establishment opposite her own begins to garner a following. Little does she know that the young Hassan, son of Abbas, has discovered French cuisine and has vowed to become a great French chef. Hassan is a natural whose talents far outweigh Mme. Mallory, but the tough old Frenchwoman will not brook defeat.Thus ensues an entertaining culinary war pitting Hassan’s Mumbai-toughened father against the imperious Mme. Mallory, leading the young Hassan to greatness and his true destiny.
This vivid, hilarious and charming novel – about how just a small distance of a hundred feet can represent the gulf between different cultures, different people, their tastes and their destinies – is simply bursting with eccentric characters, delicious flavours and high emotion.
Comments
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this novel, but I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly it captured and then how strongly it held my attention. For me, the appeal was in both the incredibly evocative imagery of the story and the multiple themes.
The descriptions of spices, seasonings and other ingredients turned reading The Hundred-Foot Journey into an almost sensory experience, vividly evoking the scents, textures and richness of both the Indian and French cuisines and the process of preparing the dishes.
The development of multiple themes and preoccupations within one major storyline continued to hold my attention despite my general lack of knowledge or even particular interest in the world of haute cuisine. I did enjoy the restaurant/food aspect of the story, but it was the exploration of the cultural clashes, family drama and interaction between the characters that held my attention and added depth to the well-crafted imagery.
With the addition of light humour and charm woven throughout the novel, the story of The Hundred-Foot Journey gently unfolds for readers. The novel is apparently being developed as a film and I think that it will translate well to the big screen.
Book Details
Title: The Hundred-Foot Journey
Author: Richard C Morais
Publisher: Allen & Unwin, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-74237-374-4, 324 pages
Genre: Contemporary fiction
My reviews elsewhere: Suite101
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Book Review: Samuel’s Kisses by Karen Collum
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Summary (New Frontier Publishing)
Samuel loves going shopping with his mummy.
He smiles and blows kisses to all the unhappy shoppers.
Samuel delights in spreading fun and happiness to all
those around him.A warm, sparkling story that will make your heart soar.
Comments
Another wonderful picture book found through Twitter.
This is a lovely, positive story about the joy a little boy brings to those around him in a busy shopping centre. The grown ups are grumpy, busy and preoccupied, but Samuel is always ready to blow them kisses to brighten their day.
The text and illustrations are beautifully matched in this story. I particularly love the stream of hearts that show the path of Samuel’s kisses as they travel over, around, through, between and under obstacles to reach their goal.
This is a lovely feel-good story for bedtime reading with a toddler or preschooler and a wonderful reminder of what a difference a smile and a positive attitude can make.
Order through Karen Collum’s website to receive an autographed copy. A great gift idea for a special child.
Book Details
Title: Samuel’s Kisses
Author: Karen Collum
Illustrator: Serena Geddes
Publisher: New Frontier Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-92104-215-7
Genre: Picture book
Recommended age: 2 – 6 years
