CREATE READERS

The Toymaker and the bird

2010-01-20T10:53:00.002+13:00

By Pamela Allen Published by Penguin, 2009

Allen's picture books are well loved by young New Zealanders.

This story begins with the toy-maker who lives alone in the forest and plays his violin each evening.
At the end of summer, he is joined by a small brown bird and they both make beautiful music together.

When spring arrives the small bird flies away.
The toy-maker is very sad because he loves the small brown bird and he hopes she will return to him at the end of the second summer.

The bird does return but the toy-maker doesn't want her to leave - he really wants to keep her safe and admire her by putting her in a cage.
Finally, he recognises that the brown bird is deeply unhappy, he opens the door of the cage and the bird flies away.

Deep concepts of freedom, love and possessiveness are explored here; more welcomed by the primary level.

Reviewed by Fiona

Love Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur

2010-01-19T13:29:00.000+13:00

This is a very honest and profoundly moving story. Author Suzanne LaFleur delves deeply into the mind of eleven-year-old Aubrey who is trying to cope with the sudden loss of family members and then abandonment by her mother.
Initially Aubrey is resolute in her decision to sustain herself, to set herself apart from the world and block out the painful memories. She very reluctantly allows herself to be drawn by the helping hands that come to comfort her. However the support system that surrounds Aubrey is unflagging without being overpowering.
What’s remarkable about the book is the gentle unfolding of the coping mechanism that Aubrey displays. Her flashbacks move gradually from her many happy memories to the painful piecing together of the accident. She also writes little letters, at first to imaginary people and then to people with whom she needs to communicate her feelings in order to come to terms with her feelings of bereavement.
You will love Aubrey and delight in her strengthening in the year that the book spans, with mended relationships, well thought out decisions about her future and the ability to empathise with her peers.
The appeal for this book would stretch from intermediate levels to adults. It deals with death, survival, relationships and hope. An excellent first novel from Suzanne LaFleur!!!

Review by Janice Rodrigues

Published by Puffin

Our daft dog Danny

2010-01-18T10:53:00.001+13:00

By Pamela Allen. Published by Penguin, 2009

This is another delightful story from Pamela Allen.

On the first page of the story, we can see and learn that the two nephews visit Uncle Peter's house by the beach; he lives there with his dog Millie. It is a lot of fun visiting Uncle Peter and Millie.

One day the two boys bring their dog, Danny with them to Uncle Peter's house.

Suddenly there is trouble because when Uncle Peter throws the ball, Millie and Danny run after the ball and Danny grabs hold of Millie's tail and won't let go.
Uncle Peter gets very cross and tells the boys not to "bring THAT DAFT DOG with you ever again".
Uncle Peter tries to fix the problem but then everyone is miserable.
Finally, Toby comes up with a brilliant idea and now everyone can enjoy being on the beach.

This is a fun story. The pictures mirror the words and there is the excitement of working out how to solve the problem with the dogs. This story would appeal to years 1-3.

Reviewed by Fiona

Silverstream

2010-01-11T11:49:00.000+13:00

Written by Jillian Sullivan. Published by Pearson Education, 2007.

In the society of the future, the Government punishes people who disagree with its regime by sending them to work camps.
Lorna, a 14 year old girl who is horse-mad and aims to become a vet, suddenly becomes embroiled in saving her Mother from a work camp. Lorna's Mother is a famous children's writer and a member of an anti-camp protest group and she has suddenly disappeared. Lorna has the courage to try and rescue her Mother and has help along the way.

This oppressive society is realistically set in a not-too-distant future and makes you think that it could happen here; past history, in the form of Nazi Germany, enhances this story. I felt this author sent a strong message that no matter where we are at human history, people will still find ways to control and repress others.
At 161 pages - this is a great read that would appeal to these levels: senior primary, intermediate and junior secondary.

Series: Nitty gritty novels Series 2

Reviewed by Fiona

The Barefoot book of earth tales

2009-12-22T08:39:00.004+13:00

retold by Dawn Casey
Published by Barefoot Books, Bath 2009

With earth care in the spotlight at the moment, here is a perfect offering of stories drawn from myths, legends, fairytales and folktales from around the globe. Chosen to illustrate the importance of our relationship with the natural world, they are nicely matched with colourful illustrations in a folksy style. Great for reading aloud, and there is a fun activity to go with each of the seven stories. Recommended for primary and intermediate level.

Reviewed by Pamela

Friday Classic: The Mangrove Summer by Jack Lasenby

2009-12-11T09:14:00.000+13:00

It is the summer of 1941 and to avoid the possible Japanese invasion of New Zealand, a family evacuates to their bach on the east coast of the Coromandel.
The children decide that to survive they need to take to the cover of the dense mangroves in a boat, - without telling the adults. First published in 1989 the story vividly and poignantly describes their adventures at surviving alone. And although the adventure ends in tragedy Lasenby's writing and characters brilliantly reveal the language, attitudes and resourcefulness of the era. Suitable for a Years 5- 8.

flicr photo by aaronsimonsen

The Building site

2009-12-09T11:28:00.002+13:00

By Richard Spilsbury
Published by Raintree, Pearson Education Limited, 2009

This book is a very useful when exploring simple machines. "At the building site" covers the technology people use when building structures, roads and tunnels and relates the machines at the sites to the simple machines they are based on. It starts with how machines are used to knock down old buildings and clear the site, and explains how bulldozers, diggers, pile drivers, and cranes work to construct new structures. There are colour photos with captions or labels on each page opening, and definitions for words printed in bold type can be found in the glossary.

Towards the end of the book, the different simple machines are listed and described, with further examples of where they occur on the modern building site. There is a "Find out more" page, listing books on the subject published between 2004 to 2008, and three websites about simple machines. The first two sites were great, but I could not open the last one.

This book is part of the series "Technology at work" covering technology at the airport, factory, fire station, home and film set, and is suitable for around years 3-5.

Reviewed by Heather

Kiwi Classic Slide the Corner by Fleur Beale

2009-12-04T10:05:00.007+13:00

I recently read and enjoyed Fleur Beale's book End of the Alphabet, Random House, 2009. It reminded me how much I liked her first novel (1993) for children, Slide the Corner so I took the opportunity to enjoy it again.

Greg's parents want him to be an academic success - like the rest of his family. But Greg is not like the rest of his family. He loves cars, he understands them, and he wants to be a rally car driver. After poor results in his exams, his parents want him to repeat his 5th form year (year 11). But Greg has other ideas and talents. The school has a course in Car Maintenance.

Here is a story about a boy finding out who he really is, what he wants, and having the courage to make it happen. Slide the Corner is not only about cars its also about a teenager beginning to make his own decisions about where his life is heading.

Review by Heather.

The Loblolly Boy by James Norcliffe

2009-12-02T15:46:00.002+13:00

The prologue of this book was originally a short story. New Zealand based author and poet; James Norcliffe used his short story to as a springboard to develop it into a complete and exciting fantasy called The Loblolly Boy.
The tale begins and ends with Ben, a Loblolly Boy. Ben meets up with Red from the Great House and offers him an escape from a life of pain and misery. Red is now free to soar like a bird in the sky and to become invisible. The book is a compilation of adventures of Red’s stint as the Loblolly Boy. However the perplexities of being this character soon confront Red and force him to question his permanence as the Loblolly Boy.
The assuaging factor is that things tie up very nicely for Red, but the questions is will Ben be as fortunate?
This is a fast paced narrative, full of surprises, imagination and humour. The moral angle to the story is that the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence. I can see this book appealing to senior primary children.

Janice Rodrigues

Understanding the Human Body Series

2009-11-30T13:25:00.000+13:00

The Brain and Nervous System 9780750257251
Food and Digestion 9780750257268
Heart, lungs and blood 9780750257275
Muscles and the skeleton 9780750257282
Reproduction 9780750257299
The Senses 9780750257305

This new health series published by Wayland in 2009 targets the Intermediate, junior secondary student.

The information is clearly presented in bite size paragraph format, combined with photo’s, diagrams, and body fact boxes. The series also has an Investigate box, which provides students with information around a topic and then invites them to investigate the topic further. Another feature is the Try this box, which provides a mini experiment for students to follow up on.

At the back of each book there is a Fun facts and an Activities page. These pages are useful for reinforcing the information contained in the books and help make these topics fun and approachable.

This series would be a valuable asset in any classroom, school library or home.

Reviewed by Tracy Dyett

Test 1

2009-11-29T12:03:00.001+13:00

This is a test yes

Friday Classic: I am not Esther

2009-11-27T09:35:00.004+13:00

Kirby has always taken responsibility for her “dizzy flake of a mother”. That is until Mum says she is going to Africa and leaving Kirby in the care of the extended family – a family she has never met and are devout followers of a religious cult. Kirby feels both betrayed and adrift living with these unfamiliar people and their strange customs. What’s more she's also worried about her mother. While her uncle is not physically abusive, Kirby (who is not Esther) is subject to tremendous pressure to change her behaviour and comply with their religious laws. So much so that eventually she starts to wonder who she really is.

This is a gripping read for intermediate and secondary students.

was a finalist in the Senior Fiction category of the New Zealand Post Book Awards javascript:void(0)for Children and Young Adults in 1999

Reviewed by Beth

Long walk to freedom

2009-11-24T10:35:00.002+13:00

by Nelson Mandela
Abridged by Chris Van Wyk, illustrated by Paddy Bouma
London: Macmillan Children’s Books, 2009

Nelson Mandela has been an inspirational hero for millions of people around the world, and his autobiography is a powerful account of a truly amazing life. In this official picture book edition Chris Van Wyk and Paddy Bouma have given children a wonderful opportunity to get to know for themselves the story for themselves of how the little trouble-maker from the tiny village of Mvezo became one of the world’s most famous freedom fighters. Recommended for primary and intermediate level.

Reviewed by Pamela

Nana's Koha by Tunney McFadyen with illustrations by Theresa Reihana

2009-11-23T08:00:00.001+13:00

This book was originally produced to promote sand dune conservation and was distributed to Northland schools. Because of demand it is now for general sale and can be ordered online (see below)

Nana’s koha is a multi-layered story of a family exploring a Northland beach. Koro is fishing and while he is fishing, Nana Ariana takes her mokopuna Daniel for a walk to the dunes. She tells Daniel how the pingao came to Aotearoa and the kawa (protocol) for using pingao. Nana Ariana also teaches Daniel how to weave with pingao. Later, when Nana Ariana is ill, Daniel uses his knowledge to send a woven pingao flower (putiputi) to Nana Ariana.

A useful book for illustrating family relationships and finding out factual information on pingao at a junior level.

See the Trust’s website for more in depth information

Reviewed by Kathy

Published by Te Rōpu Whakaoranga o te Taha Trust (2008 revised Jan 2009)

Friday Classic Stanley’s Aquarium by Barry Faville.

2009-11-20T10:00:00.003+13:00

Robbie takes a lawn mowing job in her neighbourhood with an eccentric old man. Stanley claims to have been to the South American jungle where he contracted smallpox as a boy. Back in New Zealand he now grows a tropical garden in the wilderness of his back yard but forbids Robbie from entering a mysterious shed where he breeds exotic fish under lock and key.

This well told yarn follows Robbie’s attempt with her boyfriend, to unravel the mysteries of the shed, Stanley’s knowledge of the fauna of Brazil, and of his long lost daughter.

Sutable for Years 6 to 9 its hugely entertaining read and sure to engage the reader.

Flickr Image by dirac3000

Counting the Stars : Four Māori Myths by Gavin Bishop

2009-11-16T14:37:00.003+13:00

This new book of Māori myths, retold by Gavin Bishop, is a reminder that there are lots of Māori myths that don’t feature Māui.

This book follows the same format as Gavin Bishop's previous retellings of Maori Myths, Taming the Sun and Riding the Waves. The tales are simply told with bold colourful illustrations integrated with the text. The four myths are
Mother Earth and Father Sky - how Te Ao Māori came to be
The battle of the birds- why the sea and land birds live apart
Kae and the whale- why failing to keep a promise can lead to your downfall
Hinemoa and Tūtānekai- one of the all-time great love stories, showing how determination can overcome adversity.

The flowing style of the test makes it ideal as a read-aloud and for silent reading.

Reviewed by Kathy

Published by Random House (2009)

“Michael Jackson 1958-2009: life of a legend” by Michael Heatley

2009-11-16T10:27:00.002+13:00

Heatley’s book on Michael Jackson traces the singer’s life from child prodigy, his rise to superstardom, right through to his recent untimely death. His 1982 album “Thriller” remains the highest selling album of all time at 50 million copies sold worldwide. Jackson’s status as a musical icon is explored – the hit songs, the live performances, his signature dance style, and the persona.
Although the book is a celebration of Jackson’s life and music, it doesn’t shy away from acknowledging the controversies that dogged the latter part of his life and career either.
The text is balanced and the photographs well chosen and plentiful. Heatley’s attractive title would make both a great coffee table book or a useful resource for
Year 7 and Junior Secondary level readers. Recommended.

by Suzanne Hardy

Friday Classic: The Emerald Encyclopedia by James Norcliffe

2009-11-13T08:00:00.000+13:00

In The Emerald Encyclopedia readers are immediately introduced to a strange situation as an odd travelling salesman, Mr Arthur T. Finch, gains entry into a house where Fraser lives with his parents.

Fraser is desperate to own the Emerald Encyclopedia and his parents are 'persuaded' to purchase it. From there the plot thickens with all sorts of unusual and increasingly creepy occurrences.

Fraser's cousins, Katherine and Cal, are also drawn into this gripping story, leaving the reader to try and work out what is happening and if Fraser and Katherine can solve the puzzle in time.

This mysterious story filled with intrigue, and puzzles is a great read and the wonderful descriptive language will make the reader want to read other works by the author.

Where is it?

2009-11-12T11:52:00.002+13:00

By Bobbie Kalman

Published by Crabtree Publishing Company, 2008
Series: Looking at Nature

This is a book in the "Looking at nature" series by Bobbie Kalman that introduces children to concepts such as position, size, shape, patterns and colour through examples in nature.

This is a book to share with young children and it could be used to teach about position, location and direction in a maths lesson. The large colour photographs of a range of animals are clear and varied and include kittens, monkeys and elephants. The text asks the children lots of questions about the photographs, mainly about the location and position of the animals in their surroundings. There are also a few open ended questions that call on the children to express their own ideas.

If you are on the lookout for maths books at the junior primary level that have position and location vocabulary, this book fills a gap.

Other books in the series with a maths interest include "Is it big or small?", "What colour is it?", What shape is it?", "What comes next?", and "What time is it?".

Reviewed by Heather

Rangitoto: te toka tū moana – the rock standing in the ocean by Maria Gill

2009-11-09T08:00:00.000+13:00

The story of Rangitoto from when it erupted in the Hauraki Gulf, about 600 years ago up to the present day.

It is set out like a picture book with factual information on each page that links directly to the story. The presentation style with little packets of information and good quality illustrations make it a book you can pick up and put down to come back to later.

Recommended for reading age 10+ but younger students will get a lot out the book as well with guidance from a teacher or older student.

Reviewed by Kathy

Published by Picture Puffin Books (2009)

There are some teacher resources associated with this title.

“Dick Frizzell – the painter,” by Dick Frizzell.

2009-11-06T17:35:00.003+13:00

This lusciously illustrated tome plumbs the width and depth of Frizzell’s extensive and successful career. It includes many of his images inspired by popular culture (who can forget the controversy of the Four Square grocer with a tiki head), through to the realistic landscapes, images borrowed from the world of advertising and comics, through to his figure painting – it is all here. His wry sense of humour shines out in every work.
Frizzell writes engagingly of his personal life and the art that populates and shapes his world. The text is minimal, letting the images speak for themselves. Included is a short foreword by Hamish Keith.
This beautiful book of an important and popular New Zealand artist would be an excellent addition to any collection and an excellent resource for secondary art students.
Godwit Press – ISBN 978 1 86962 174 2

Suzanne

Friday Classic:The Dragon’s Apprentice by Linda McNabb

2009-11-06T08:00:00.001+13:00

Poor 12-year-old Toby, he just does doesn’t fit in around the castle. Perhaps his outcast status is to do with the close relationship he has with the dragon Klel. Toby is upset that the unscrupulous King Herat is using up Klel’s healing golden scales at an alarming rate leaving the dragon sick and weak.

Events come to a head when a stranger turns up to the court claiming he is King Herat’s son. And the adventures begin.

This book is a great read for middle primary readers - those children who are too young for so much of the fantasy fiction produced, but at the same time too old for the more junior emergent chapter books.

I have seen many year four and five classes get absolutely hooked on this story. Dragon’s Bane, a follow up to The Dragon’s Apprentice was published in 2008.

The Dragon’s Apprentice was a finalist in the Junior Fiction category of the New Zealand Post Book Awards in 2003.

Reviewed by Beth

Everyone's Reading 11-18!

2009-11-05T08:00:00.000+13:00

Mate! This list is brilliant! Filled with books that will get anybody reading - girls, boys, reluctant or struggling readers, students with English as an additional language, people who can't find any more good books...

Like the previous lists from the British School Library Association's Riveting Reads Plus: Boys into Books 11-14(2007); and Boys into Books 5-11(2008), the list uses catchy headings such as Boggle, Experiment, Explore, Fast Forward, etc. Altogether there are 16 headings and 260 mainly fiction books for young people.

Although put together by the same person, Eileen Armstrong, most of the books are different from the Boys into Books 11-14 list. As with the previous lists the emphasis is on books published very recently.

You could use the list to help develop your library collection, find great Christmas presents for the young people in your life, and refresh your own reading. If you like a particular genre, or type of book, the headings are very useful. For example, if like me you love science fiction, go to the Fast Forward section for some cool new books. And there's some great chick lit, amongst other things, in the Indulge section. And... and... and... but, go on, have a look for yourself!

Now, here's the good part. The whole list is downloadable, FOR FREE, as a PDF document, here. You can also use it as an online database, and browse through each section, here.

The list also has an excellent introduction, which could be used as a blueprint for developing services to get students reading. More on this soon...

For more information about the previous lists for boys, check out our blog entries, here, here, and here.

With thanks to Debbie.

War’s End by Victoria Bowen

2009-11-04T11:59:00.008+13:00

Set in Western Australia this story deals with events around the end of the Great War as told through the eyes of 12 year-old Nell.

At the beginning of the story Nell is in hospital recovering from a close call with the 1918 Spanish ‘flu. The story seamlessly weaves back and forth. One story is about Nell and her life in hospital away from her family. The other is about her family’s life from the end of the war; waiting for Dad’s return, as well as coping with worry about the increasing numbers of deaths from the ‘flu.

Dad’s ship bypasses Freemantle, where the family are waiting, because of worries about infection. Nell, Mum, Martha, Jack and Pa have to withstand even more frustration as their hopes for Dad's return are dashed at the last moment. It is obvious that Nell feels betrayed by Dad for some reason and as we read the back-story we find out why.

This is an interesting read because it deals with World War I from unusual angles – how the soldiers actually got home after the war, the early 20th century small town, family life showing how they have coped without the “head of the house”, and the effect of the 1918 ‘flu on the town.

Highly recommended for intermediate and junior secondary.

Download a Teachers' support Kit here

Reviewed by Beth

Published by Woolshed Press (2008)

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

2009-11-03T14:52:00.003+13:00

A pack of hungry wolves snatch Grace from her tire swing in the back yard and drag her into the woods. Strangely enough, but this marks the beginning of an uncanny and complicated fascination that Grace has for the wolves.
Sam looks straight into the eyes of Grace and realizes that she is awake and alive. Being high up in the pack, he manages to prevent the wolves from completing their attack upon Grace. Ever since then, he has silently watched Grace from the woods.
For years, the community of Mercy Falls is conscious and apprehensive about the wolves in the wood. Who are the wolves? Where have they come from? What is the mystery that surrounds them?
The first two chapters set a chilling prologue to a novel that will keep you utterly absorbed and engaged till the very end. The chapters are alternatively narrated by the two main characters, Grace and Sam.
The novel delves deep into the psyche of werewolves and reveals their inner turmoil as they tortuously endeavour to resist transformation.
Suitable for secondary students, this book deals with human and animal relationships, metamorphosis and the supernatural.

Janice Rodrigues