Posts Tagged ‘australian author’
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Book Review: I Came to Say Goodbye by Caroline Overington
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Summary (Random House)
Who is left behind when a family falls apart?
It was four o’clock in the morning.
A young woman pushed through the hospital doors.
Staff would later say they thought the woman was a new mother, returning to her child – and in a way, she was.
She walked into the nursery, where a baby girl lay sleeping. The infant didn’t wake when the woman placed her gently in the shopping bag she had brought with her. There is CCTV footage of what happened next, and most Australians would have seen it, either on the internet or the news.
The woman walked out to the car park, towards an old Corolla. For a moment, she held the child gently against her breast and, with her eyes closed, she smelled her.
She then clipped the infant into the car, got in and drove off.
That is where the footage ends.
It isn’t where the story ends, however.
It’s not even where the story starts.
Comments
Given the subject matter of this novel, I had braced myself to be emotionally traumatised the story. Perhaps I over prepared myself to read I Came to Say Goodbye, bolstering my fragile emotions and preparing myself for a heartrending story of child abuse and neglect, because I must confess that I wasn’t the emotional mess that I had anticipated I would be.
Not that I’m complaining. I found the story well written and confronting, and was grateful that it didn’t leave me an emotional wreck when I reached the final page. I think that the perspective had a lot to do with this, with the story voiced by the father and sister of the woman (Donna-Faye) mentioned in the blurb above. I think, too, that it was less traumatic than I expected because the focus was primarily on Donna-Faye’s life and background, rather than details of the abuse of the child.
While this book wasn’t a relaxing, ‘enjoyable’ read, it did deal with challenging issues in a very easy-to-read way. I particularly liked the way that it showed that the tragedy of Donna Faye’s life and actions was the result of a variety of influences and circumstances, some of which could and should have been dealt with differently and others which were simply sad and unfortunately unavoidable.
I Came to Say Goodbye raises many issues and concerns – child abuse and neglect, the education system, special needs children, the challenges of single parenting, the legal system, the provision of social and community services, the integration of refugees into the community and more. It is thought-provoking and challenging, quick to read but with themes and ideas that will linger with you. Not a book to read if you are feeling fragile, but definitely a book that will get you thinking.
Book Details
Title: I Came to Say Goodbye
Author: Caroline Overington
Publisher: Bantam, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-86325-681-0, 295 pages (+ reading group questions)
Genre: Contemporary fiction
My reviews elsewhere: Suite101
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Guest Post: Tania McCartney – A Curious Life
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Today the rather spectacular Tania McCartney is visiting Reading Upside Down. Tania is an Australian writer, editor, publisher, blogger, book reviewer and founder of Kids’ Book Review, a fantastic place to find out about the latest book releases for kids as well as reminders of some children’s classics.
This week Tania launches her third picture book in the Riley travelogue series. I’ve reviewed Tania’s earlier Riley books Riley and the Sleeping Dragon and Riley and the Dancing Lion and I was waiting for my copy of Riley and the Curious Koala with great anticipation.
Enough from me. Let’s see what Tania has to say. (drum roll please)
A Curious Life
The title for Riley and the Curious Koala: A journey around Sydney was actually coined by my daughter Ella.
All my Riley books have been written in a totally unplanned way – they have simply unfolded as I sat down to write. I sort of knew the direction I was taking with Curious Koala from the start – I knew I wanted my koala to be a little kooky from all that eucalyptus juice – but I still wasn’t sure how to literally portray this Sydney book star and I certainly had no idea of the title.
At first it was Kooky Koala. Then Fuzzy Koala. Then Elusive Koala. None worked.
I was talking about this with my daughter (without revealing the nature of my koala character) and then, out of the blue, she said “Curious Koala”. That’s when everything slotted into place like a row of Connect-Four buttons. I just knew she was right.
The title suited the book perfectly – this koala is definitely curious – and by curious I mean ‘a little odd and different’ – not inquisitive (ok, well, perhaps also a little inquisitive).
My meaning of ‘curious’ becomes apparent as the book unfolds… this koala is truly a funny, gorgeous and curious creature (least of all for the fact that he subsists solely on euc leaves and a droplet of water every now and then) and the title of this book got me to thinking about the curiosities of life – and how we all experience an oddity or two, especially when it comes to writing books.
One curiosity I regularly (and increasingly) come across in my writing work is synchronicity. Sure, perhaps we can blame it on the zeitgeist – the all-pervading everyday that saturates our psyches – but I think there’s something more to it than that. It’s a sort of creative connection.
Many is the time I perceive or imagine something to do with my work and then receive, almost instantly, the very same image or thought from someone close to me – someone I work with or someone in my family or friendship circles.
But it also happens with seeming strangers and those I hardly deal with. Three times in the past month I’ve had some pretty major manuscript synchronicities that have sort of blown my socks off – in good and bad ways (bad in that it may mean the publisher now won’t want to do mine and good in that it may mean I’ve got a new book deal. Another curiosity.)
Another curiosity that emerges in the writing world is a lack of self-belief. Most of my writing life has been stricken with a lack of self-confidence that is almost solely responsible for my changing career tack over and over again. When I think back at all those wasted years of not-writing, I could weep.
But I’m not alone. Many, if not most, authors (and indeed, illustrators) have experienced this same curiosity. And most interestingly, it’s often the ones who do so well and are so admired who suffer from it the most.
Is creativity, as a general rule, married with uncertainty?
In my many interviews with established authors and illustrators and industry professionals for Kids Book Review, I’ve been dumbstruck when famous or highly successful talent has revealed a chronic lack of confidence in their work.
Of course, second-guessing ourselves is part of the human condition – but for majorly successful artists to continually express their fears over whether their work is good enough or whether they’ll have it published or whether anyone will like it… well. That is just a major curiosity to me.
But then, even my own humble books have arrived from the printer to greet an author that is too green in the belly to even look them over – for fear of finding fault or fear that no one will like her work. So, majorly famous or no – we all feel the fear.
But don’t we do it anyway?
My, creative people are a curious bunch. And we probably wouldn’t have it any other way.
As for our curious koala – he’s too much of an oddball to care what anyone thinks of him. And that’s just the way I love him. I just hope hope hope you love him, too. (Hey, I’m only human).
Tania posts regular book reviews and articles at Kids’ Book Review, posts updates on her writing and publishing activities at her personal website and also writes regular articles for Australian Women Online, where she is a senior editor.
You can follow Tania’s blog tour this week for some great posts on writing children’s books, self-publishing, travel and more. I’ll be posting my review of Riley and the Curious Koala later this week and will be attending the official launch on Sunday in Canberra, so no doubt I’ll be bragging about meeting Tania next week.
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Book Review: Ranger in Danger: Rapscallion’s Revenge
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Summary (Five Mile Press)
You decide your destiny.
You’re off to the top end of Australia in disguise.
Bring on the danger!
Massive crocodiles, hungry sharks, wild pigs and uncharted shipwrecks…
Can you capture the crocodile hunters, before they stalk you?
And who is the mysterious Rapscallion?
Your fate is in your hands.
Comments
I still have fond memories of the Choose Your Own Adventure books I read when I was in primary school (about a gazillion years ago). The thrill of making a choice and facing the consequences and then backtracking if things didn’t turn out quite right was a heady taste of literary power.
The Ranger in Danger series brings this style of ‘Decide your Destiny’ reading into a modern setting. Based on the adventures Sean Willmore, an Australian ranger environmental activist and founder of The Thin Green Line Foundation, the books feature contemporary environmental issues and world settings mixed with the opportunity to interact with the way the story progresses.
Set in Australia, Rapscallion’s Revenge has readers working as an undercover Wildlife Ranger trying to capture a ruthless gang of crocodile hunters in the Northern Territory. From following suspicious strangers at the airport terminal to struggling to survive a death roll with a monster crocodile, readers get to make decisions about how the story unfolds. The book includes a glossary of possibly unfamiliar words including animals featured in the story and indigenous Australian words.
The Ranger in Danger series combines a great environmental message with an exciting story that is different each time you read it. Fantastic for primary school-aged readers, there are currently six books available in the series, each set in a different country. With Christmas just around the corner, they are ideal for Christmas stocking fillers for children with an interest in the environment or a love of adventure stories.
Review copy details
Title: Ranger in Danger #4: Rapscallion’s Revenge
Authors: Sean Willmore, Alison Reynolds
Publisher: Five Mile Press, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-74211-794-2 (166 pages)
Website: Ranger in Danger
Genre: Children’s fiction/novel – adventure, environment
This review is part of the international Green Books Campaign 2010. The 
Ranger in Danger series is printed on paper manufactured from 100% recycled material.
For links to reviews of other Green Books Campaign titles, including more books from the Ranger in Danger series, visit the Eco-Libris Green Books Campaign 2010 homepage.
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Book Review: Memoirs of a Showgirl by Shay Stafford
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Summary (Hachette Australia)
A colourful memoir about living your dream – from ballet classes in Brisbane to leading roles at Paris’s famous Moulin Rouge and Lido.
Shayleen Ann Stafford was the middle child sandwiched between two sporting brothers. Her dad was a former rugby player and a welder by trade, her Mum was a nurse. No one called her by her first name, to family and friends she was always Shay. Her early life was a combination of swimming, sport and backyard trampolining until she turned six and started ballet classes, but only for a year. The TV show ‘Fame’ inspired her to give dance another go. This time she was hooked and she devoted her teens to dance, performing at eisteddfods and shopping centres, never thinking that she could make a living as dancer. But at the end of Year Twelve she did, scoring a coveted dance role in a Brisbane cabaret show choreographed by Todd McKenney. She went on to dance in Japan and Malaysia and then found herself in the Moulin Rouge chorus line. Her hard work and high kicks were noticed and she went on to become a leading dancer at the famous Lido.
Comments
I loved reading this memoir. Shay Stafford is only a few years younger than me and her descriptions of growing up in Brisbane during the 70s brought to mind many scenes from my own childhood in Newcastle. By the time I was following Stafford stories onto the stages of Asian resorts and then the cabaret stages in Paris, I felt like we had something in common and I couldn’t wait to read about what happened next.
There is a kind of contagious enthusiasm in the way Stafford describes her experiences as a dancer, particularly during her years in Paris. Her love of what she does, her respect for her fellow dancers and her excitement at living in the City of Light and embracing all the city has to offer were enjoyable to read. I was particularly impressed with the way Stafford described the lifestyle and routines of herself and other dancers without descending into backstage bitchiness or gossip. The book includes a selection of beautiful photos of Stafford in her Moulin Rouge and Lido costumes as well as some from her earlier dancing career and childhood and photos of her with her husband Bryce Corbett and their two young children. There are more photos available on Stafford’s website, many taken by talented photographer Carla Coulson.
Showgirls and cabaret dancers, particularly those in such renowned venues as the Moulin Rouge and Lido, have a kind of mystique about them that is intriguing even to uncoordinated people like myself. Memoirs of a Showgirl manages to shine a light on the hard work and incredible athleticism of the showgirls’ work while still maintaining a sense of the glamour and sparkle. There is a great mix of showgirl stories and personal reflections, some serious and others offered with a refreshingly Australian self-deprecating sense of humour.
For someone who has spent the last 12 years working to project an image of flawless glamour and beauty, Shay Stafford’s voice is engagingly real and down-to-earth. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Memoirs of a Showgirl and have already recommended it to friends. Definitely a book to add to the Christmas gift list for anyone who has an interest in dance, theatre, Paris or simply an inspiring story of someone living their dreams.
Review copy details
Title: Memoirs of a Showgirl
Authors: Shay Stafford, Bryce Corbett
Publisher: Hachette, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-7336-2487-2 (405 pages)
Genre: Memoir
Related links
Review of Memoirs of a Showgirl at Suite101.com
Book Review: This is the Mud! by Kathryn Apel
Summary (Hachette Children’s Australia website)
There is muck and mayhem when a cow gets stuck in the mud by the dam, but who will rescue the rescuers? A rollicking, rhyming, cumulative story based on This is the house that Jack built .
This is the cow who was chewing her cud, as she went for a drink and got stuck in the mud A girl passing on her horse gets her dad passing in his ute to help unstick the cow. The ute gets bogged, the neighbour’s tractor and plough get bogged who will rescue them all now? Great rhythm and rhyme in a funny story of mayhem caused by the placidly chewing cow.
Comment
I love Twitter. I know I’ve said it before, but it’s worth mentioning again because I found out about this book by chatting with This is the Mud! author Kathryn Apel on Twitter.
This is a wonderfully Australian picture book that thankfully avoids the overtly Australian trappings many books force into their stories. Anyone who has lived in a farming area will appreciate the way the story presents both the hazards of drought (the cow stuck in the mud of the dried-up dam) and the sense of community that exists in these areas, shown by the several characters who work together to free the stranded cow.
As mentioned in the publisher blurb, the text has a ‘House that Jack Built’ feel, although this is achieved primarily through the rhyme and rhythm, as the story does not have the repetitive story pattern of the original.
I had fun reading this story with my children and ‘knowing’ the author through Twitter added an extra element of enjoyment. Highly recommended for anyone with toddlers or preschool-aged children.
For the record, my favourite illustration is at the point where they are finally rescuing the cow from the mud. Just before she is lifted out, she gives a disgruntled look over her shoulder. I’ve worked with cattle on a friend’s property and I’ve seen that look before. 
Review copy details
Title: This is the Mud!
Author: Kathryn Apel
Illustrator: Warren Crossett
Publishers: Lothian Children’s Books, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-73441-102-0
Suitable ages: 2 – 6 years
Genre: Picture book
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Book Review: My Dad Thinks He’s Funny by Katrina Germein
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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
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Book Review: What Kate did Next by Lisa Heidke
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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
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Book Review: Mosquito Advertising: The Parfizz Pitch
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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
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Book Review: Conspiracy 365 Series by Gabrielle Lord
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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
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Book Review: Our Australia series by Phil Kettle
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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
