How to use this Page

Corinne Fenton is established as one of Australia’s treasured authors of beautiful picture books. They often contain an element of social history, and her knowledge and passion for writing is regularly shared in schools, libraries and workshops.   This Christmas, there are TWO Corinne Fenton picture books that are unmissable and will have children from […]

Add a Comment

It is commendable that recent Prime Ministers have continued the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards even though, as with some other literary prizes, its future has often seemed under threat. It is a prestigious national award amongst the also-important state and other literary prizes. And it is lucrative, with winners receiving $80 000 and shortlisted authors […]

Add a Comment

A surge of debut novels by talented Australians for children and young adults may be on the way. Deryn Mansell’s Tiger Stone  (Black Dog Books), an original, intricate mystery set in fourteenth century Java for upper primary and junior secondary readers and Caro Was Here by Elizabeth Farrelly (Walker Books) are some forerunners. Caro Was […]

Add a Comment

You might as well know my weakness. It’s ice cream. Any flavour, most kinds, regardless of country of origin. I am extremely ice cream tolerant and I wonder if Bob Graham had similar thoughts when he penned his latest picture book masterpiece, Vanilla Icecream.

Vanilla Icecream is an eloquently articulated tale about a young curious sparrow whose world revolves around a dusty truck stop in the heart of India. He enjoys his existence and relishes his freedom with the blithe objectivity of all wild things until one day his pluck and appetite hook up with fate, which escorts him south across rough seas and through dark nights, eventually delivering him ‘into a bright new day’.

Unperturbed by his new environment in a different land, the truck stop sparrow chances upon a new eating hole and Edie Irvine, a toddler whose young life is inextricably changed forever because of him.

 Graham’s dramatic narration of the little sparrow’s epic journey stuns you with its beautiful brevity and makes you want to follow the courageous new immigrant and know if Edie’s and his paths will ever cross again. This is a largely self-indulgent desire on my part as I get quite caught up in Graham’s snapshots of life, wanting them to never end. Nonetheless, end they must and this one’s delicious denouement is as immeasurably satisfying as a bowl of vanilla ice cream.

There are numerous wordless pages in this picture book as Graham shapes much of the narration visually with his splendid, slightly sassy, culturally sensitive illustrations. Graham has the unique, unaffected knack of suffusing modern day nuances with old-fashioned appeal into his pictures that draw the eye of young and old alike deep into the story in spite of the apparent simplicity on shown on the page.

This story allowed me to sift through memories, mostly glorious of my own ‘firsts’ and it reminded me of my daughter’s wonderment when discovering her first time, life-changing tastes, notions, and realisations. What Vanilla Icecream evokes in you depends entirely on your own memories and attitude towards new people and new experiences, and your fondness for ice cream of course. However, you will be hard pressed to find a better way to introduce the complex ideals of human rights, fate, and immigration to young ones where a lightness of touch is more readily comprehended than harsh dry facts. As Amnesty International UK proclaims through its endorsement of Vanilla Icecream;

‘…we should all enjoy life, freedom, and safety. These are some of our human rights.’

Vanilla Icecream is quite simply a stunning picture book. Quiet and unassuming in its appearance. Complex and multi-layered enough to warrant spirited discussion with 3 to 103 year olds.

The perfect scoop.

Walker Books UK  2014

Bob Graham fans in our southern states should not miss the ACT Museum+Gallery Exhibition: A Bird in the Hand! Bob Graham: A Retrospective on now until 24th August 2014, in Canberra. A must see.

Add a Comment

Lady Thief. A.C. Gaughen. 2014. Walker Books. 304 pages. [Source: Review copy]

I definitely enjoyed Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen. But I LOVED the sequel Lady Thief even more. This one is all about "Lady" Marian and her not-so-fortunate marriage to Gisbourne. Unfortunate for several reasons: one, HE'S cruel and abusive and just wicked through and through, the puppet of Prince John; two, because her heart belongs to another: Robin Hood, of course!

I loved Lady Thief for many, many reasons:

I loved how it brings more history into the story. I loved seeing Prince John and his wife, Isabelle. I really, really, really loved seeing Eleanor of Aquitaine (the mother of King Richard and Prince John). The character of Eleanor was just awesome, I felt. It truly added something to the story to have her there, and Eleanor truly did impress and inspire Scarlet!

I loved how it uses other Robin Hood stories, but, somehow makes them even cooler. For example, in Lady Thief, Prince John comes to Nottingham to appoint a new sheriff. (The old sheriff having been killed in the first book.) Gisbourne is there, of course, eager and anxious to be appointed. He has every intention of being THE ONE. Yet, Prince John puts a twist on it: the new sheriff will be the man who wins a competition...the competition covers many things, but the last day of competition, of course, you guessed it AN ARCHERY CONTEST.

I loved the romance between Marian (whom readers know by another name) and Robin. But this is not an easily grasped love. It will be a love that demands sacrifice and hardship and call for heartbreak and angst too. If their love is to be realized, it will take both of them fighting all the odds.

I loved the characterization of Robin Hood. I loved seeing him drawn with such substance from the times in which he lived. I thought it was very well done having him suffer so horribly, so realistically, from PTSD. He is a haunted hero whose past in the crusades has left him broken and changed.

I continue to love the other characters: John Little, Much, Tuck, and in this one we meet Alan a Dale.

© 2014 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Add a Comment

Scarlet. A.C. Gaughen. 2012. Walker. 292 pages. [Source: Library]

"Will Scarlet" is one of Robin Hood's best friends, a thief very good at what "he" does for the band. But what if "Will Scarlet" was just Scarlet--a young woman is disguise?!

I enjoyed this retelling of Robin Hood. Rob is young, as are his friends and fellow thieves. They have not fully matured into their heroic legends. Their mission to help the poor and needy is just getting started.

It is narrated by Scarlet, or "Scar." She's got a strong narrative voice, distinctive. (The grammar of it will either sweep you away or annoy you.) It was enjoyable to see the story through her eyes, to get to know John Little and Rob or "The Hood" through her eyes. (Also Much and Tuck). The villain of this one, besides the sheriff, is Guy Gisbourne. His presence plays a very important role in the retelling, in Scarlet's past and present.

I would definitely recommend this one. What I liked about this one was the potential, the promise. The characters--beyond Scarlet--are not developed well enough for this one to be AMAZING. But it works.

© 2014 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Add a Comment

Here’s a lucky thing about living in Ireland (one of many). We have a postal service, An Post, that is reliable, friendly, efficient and fast. You post something to anywhere in the country and by the next day it’s there. Brilliant.

And today was a Good Post Day! I received my author’s copies of The Sleeping Baobab Tree – how exciting is that? A lovely pile of books. Thank you Walker Books, over and over again.  I feel privileged to have had my first two books published by you.

I suppose the collective noun for books would depend on context – so I have decided to borrow the collective noun for ravens for the purposes of this picture: A storytelling of Books. Seems appropriate.

Add a Comment

So, here it is – not launched yet but a pre copy. I love it!

Release date 2nd May.

And here, with its older sibling!

Add a Comment

The volume of literary genius Australia possesses is staggering. Distill this down further to talented kids’ authors and illustrators and you’d still fill oceans, which is why I love showcasing our home grown children’s books.

But it’s impossible to ignore the magnitude of offerings from overseas too. So every now and then I’ll give you 5 Faves from overseas.

Here is the first fistful – all picture books this time round.

1. Waiting for Later by Tina Matthews Walker Books Australia (OK published here but Tina is from NZ so sneaks in on this list). Nancy’s family are too busy to play with her. Each time she appeals for their attention, the reply is ‘later’. Nancy holds out for ‘later’ in a grand old tree in her garden with surprising results. An evocative cautionary tale reminding us of the precious brevity of childhood told in captivating book-end style.

2. Too Many Girls by Jonty Lees Eight Books Limited UK. Fun, frivolous and very pink in parts. Any Dad outnumbered by females will immediately sympathise with this poor fellow who is subject to an appalling lack of privacy, regular nail painting and indiscriminate hairstyling thanks to the females in his household. The crisis erupts in a ‘brush war’ resulting in some happy compromises and a lovely shade of purple. A lesson in the art of acceptance (and why men will never rule the world)

3. The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore by W E Joyce and Joe Bluhm. Simon & Schuster UK, originally by Athenum Books for Young Readers NY, USA. Immediately captivating. Glowing illustrations exude a burnished charm and warmth that complement the touching tale of Mr Morris Lessmore, a man who loved books and reading his whole life long. It’s a genuine never-ending story. Magnificently magic.

4. Blue Gnu by Kyle Mewburn and Daron Parton Scholastic NZ. Boo is not your average gnu. He’s blue for a start. And oscillates wildly between yearning to fit in with the rest of the heard and being his own unique self. A warm and witty look a colours, patterns, differences and friendship.

5. This Moose Belongs to Me by Oliver Jeffers Harper Collins Children’s Books UK. Oliver Jeffers – enough said. One of my favourites of his. Illustrations divine enough to frame and hang on the wall plus a mockingly humorous story that questions the audacious assumption that we can really ever own anything outright in this world, equals pure genius. In the end, nature triumphs as does this must read picture book.

Do you have a favourite, unforgettable picture book? Let me know and it could make it onto 5 Faves.

Add a Comment

The sequel to The Butterfly Heart, The Sleeping Baobab Tree, is slowly becoming a reality – link to it now up on Amazon and release date is May 2nd.

Been a long writing journey but I hope the end result is a good one, I’m looking forward to holding it in my hands. While I do read eBooks I am pleased this is not the only format available – I remember the day I received my first copy of The Butterfly Heart from Walker Books and the excitement I felt holding it in my hands and turning the pages. I cannot imagine I would ever get the same thrill from opening a Kindle file…..

Add a Comment

An editor who LOVES a great ghost story Annalie Grainger is a senior editor in the Walker Books fiction department. She loves children’s books and works on titles for all ages but has a particular passion for YA. She is always on the lookout for new writers and is a sucker for books that make her cry. This year, though, she would love Slushpile Santa to send her a really good, really

Display Comments Add a Comment

Beautiful Lies. Jessica Warman. 2012. Walker. 422 pages.

It's one of those cool, crisp fall nights that make you feel like the air is ripe with possibility, like anything could happen. From where we stand on the jogging trail, my sister and I can see the whole city stretching out around us.

Rachel and Alice are identical twins. No one--not even their guardians--can tell these two apart, at least not without some help. One twin likes to wear make-up, the other not so much. There are also perhaps slight differences in wardrobe choices--but--for the most part the twins can at any given time switch places with one another and not get caught. Alice is the "bad" twin, the rebel, the artist, the rule-breaker. Rachel is the "good" twin, always trustworthy, honest, and good.

One night both twins go to a carnival in town. Only one twin makes it home...

Beautiful Lies is a dark novel. Think Lovely Bones. Think Living Dead Girl. The narration is by one of the twins--the one who is not missing. It's very personal, messy, frantic. I could say more, of course, but I don't want to spoil this one.

For readers who enjoy mystery and suspense novels, this one may be one to pick up.

Read Beautiful Lies

• If you like dark thrillers, suspense novels
• If you like mysteries (there are plenty of clues to help you solve this one)
• If you like unreliable narrators  

© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Display Comments Add a Comment

Jessica Warman is the author of Beautiful Lies, which just hit store shelves.  Jessica recently dropped by the virtual offices to chat about her new book and writing influences. Check out what she has to say.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.

[Jessica Warman] Introvert w/ a wonderful life doing what I love. Born w/an itch for trouble. Mouth like a trucker. I grow on people. Crazy like a fox.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about Beautiful Lies?

[Jessica Warman] Sure! The book is about a set of identical twins, Rachel and Alice, who have always had an incredibly powerful bond. When one of them goes missing, it is up to the remaining twin to figure out what happened, primarily by tapping into this bond. I’ve been told by more than a few readers that it’s a pretty scary book, which pleases me to no end.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

[Jessica Warman] My family has a strong history of what I’d suppose you’d call clairvoyance. A number of people on my mom’s side of the family have either worked as psychics or else claimed to be psychic. That being said, I’m extremely skeptical about these kinds of things, but it fascinates me nonetheless. My idea for the concept came from sorting through many of the family stories I’ve been hearing all my life, and then putting my own spin on it. Some of the characters mirror members of my own family pretty closely. As for the twins, my husband’s sisters are red-headed twins. They’re gorgeous and smart, and they also have an incredible bond – they were my inspiration for Alice and Rachel.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Rachel?

[Jessica Warman] She’s secretive, guarded, and kind.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are three things Alice would never have in her purse?

[Jessica Warman] The first one is definitely black licorice! Also, a picture of herself and her boyfriend together, and a to-do list.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Are you more like Alice or Rachel?

[Jessica Warman] I’m definitely more like Alice. I’ve always been pretty wild, especially when I was a teenager. But I’ve also mellowed quite a bit with age, to the point where I understand there’s a time and place for certain kinds of behavior. No matter what, though, I think the maniac in me will always be in there somewhere, waiting for an appropriate time to shine.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?

[Jessica Warman] David Foster Wallace is my favorite writer of all time, hands down. His work – especially his nonfiction – is just the greatest stuff I’ve ever read. People talk about art “changing their life” all the time, but in this case it’s true: his writing has changed my life. It’s made me a better person. It has enriched my life in ways I never could have anticipated, and made me feel whole in ways nothing and nobody else has ever been able to do. He was a genius, and we should all support his legacy by reading his work.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?

[Jessica Warman] 1) Complete silence. I mean no noise whatsoever, not even the sound of a kitten purring, or rain falling.

2) I have to be well-rested. I’m nonfunctional if I don’t get enough sleep.

<

Add a Comment

It may be a relatively low text book but this junior fiction title by June Crebbin ticked all the boxes for me. Sophisticated writing that is totally appropriate for the book’s 7- to 12-year-old target market, this is a fabulous read, least of all for its balanced, beautifully-written and edited prose, but especially for its rollicking storyline.

Crebbin has a real knack for creating luscious imagery with her words – and yes, children also deserve such clever writing – a clarity and sophistication that is normally reserved for adults. I love how she doesn’t talk down to her readers, but uses full, glorious wording and dialogue perfectly suited to the times – that of Queen Elizabeth I and the young Will Shakespeare.

Lady Jane Hargrave is thrilled to bits when none other than Elizabeth I pays visit to their family home in Dorsetshire, England. Astride her steed, Delphine, she waits at the top of the hill for the royal procession, which descends too quickly upon the house. Panicked, Jane flees back to the courtyard where she arrives just in time to greet the Queen.

Elizabeth I takes immediately to young Jane – and wants to learn more about her languages and horse riding and interests. Jane obliges in her candidly youthful way. Little does she know her candour is something the Queen covets and – much to her horror, at the end of her visit, Elizabeth asks Jane to become her sixth maid of honour. Of course, being so young, Jane is not ready to leave her mother, but her mother gently insists, for this is not an honour anyone could turn down.

Life at court is very different for young Jane, but she soon settles in and begins many a fascinating adventure. She even befriends a young stable lad who introduces her to William Shakespeare! Jane is fascinated with theatre life and manages to accidentally take part in a play at the Globe Theatre, much to her delight.

On her way back to court from visiting her ailing mother, Jane also finds herself aboard a ship in the midst of the approach of the Spanish Armada. So much excitement for such a young lass, and such a joy to be part of her adventures – and to feel first-hand the hot breath of history through Crebbin’s work.

Warm, clever, approachable and packed with superb line drawings that will keep more reluctant readers engaged, this is one of my favourite rapid reads this year.

The Queen’s Maid is published by Walker Books and is part of their Racing Reads series.

Add a Comment

Wild Romance: The True Story of a Victorian Scandal. Chloe Schama. 2010. Walker & Company. 249 pages.

Loved the first half of this nonfiction book on the life of Theresa Longworth, but, the second half which chronicles her world-travels after her oh-so-famous trials left me bored.

I picked up Wild Romance: A Victorian Story of a Marriage, a Trial, and a Self-Made Woman because I'm a fan of Victorian literature. I've read a handful of novels that fall into the "inspired-by" category. Authors whose works deal with irregular marriages--Irish, Scottish, etc. Marriages whose legitimacy was sometimes called into question. Since in some cases, just saying "We're married" with no paperwork, no witnesses, no priest or clergyman could do the job. At the time, there was definitely debate about what made a marriage or union legal or illegal.

In the case of Theresa Longworth, she "married" allegedly married on two different occasions in two different countries, a man named William Charles Yelverton. In the moment, I suppose, he was willing enough. The couple traveled together as man and wife for a short time at least. But when the two separated, I believe he was in the military, he changed his mind. He found someone new, someone with money to marry. And marry he did. Theresa finding out after a very difficult illness that "her" husband was now married to someone else...and he was claiming that they'd never, ever been married. Furthermore, he started saying that she was chasing him, had been chasing him for years and years, and that she was the one who wanted a more intimate arrangement.

The first half of this one follows their "courtship" and "marriage" leading up to a handful of trials in a handful of countries. And these court cases meant big, big, big publicity. Especially for her, she had a way of winning the public's support...but not so much anyone else. Some thought his new wife was much, much classier mainly because she stayed quiet and stayed at home.

So the book gives readers very detailed accounts of their correspondence. And in a way, the book encourages readers to make up their own minds. Was Theresa Longworth pursuing him? Was she going above and beyond what was allowed of ladies of the time? Was there something indiscreet and shameful in her letters to him? Was she ever grounded in reality? Was William Charles Yelverton a jerk? Did he ever mean to do right by Theresa? Was lying to her about being married the only way he saw of getting her into bed?

The second half of the book, for better or worse, lets readers know what happened next in her life. And what happened next is that she started traveling the world. All over the world. She wrote about her travels and had them published. (She also wrote two novels, though reviews were mixed at best.)

The book concludes by discussing how this real-life court case inspired dozens of novels of the time. 

Read Wild Romance

• If you're a fan of Victorian literature; particularly of Wilkie Collins.
• If you're interested in history; if you're interested in this time period
• If you're interested in court cases and scandals and he-said, she-said dramas
• If you're interested in travel writing, in following the chronicles of a woman traveler during this time period.

© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews