Title: Hamish and the Double Bass

Author: Margaret Dugdale

Reviewer: Donna Dobson

Audience: 5-8 

“And the music begins! Fast, slow, loud, soft. Gentle like  rain, strong like thunder; wandering like a stream…”

Hamish is a small boy who learns to play a cello, whilst his friends learn other instruments. The children discover it takes time and practise to master an instrument, but there is joy in doing so. As Hamish grows and masters his instrument, one day he is finally ready to play a much bigger instrument. 

This book is a lovely introduction to an array of instruments and their sounds. It introduces the idea of an orchestra and how it is made up of many instruments. 

Links to Music and English Curriculums.

Title: The Great Gallipoli Escape

Author: Jackie French

Reviewer: Donna Dobson

Audience: 11+

“All of them, no matter how kind they are, or how friendly, or how much they’re like us. We have to get through the Turkish lines…This is what war is.”

The story is told from the point of view of Nipper, a 16-year-old Australian boy, who has just played cricket with the enemy, and is gifted with a small painting done by a Turkish soldier, before he has to return to the trenches. Through his experiences, we learn about the Gallipoli War, including the secret retreat.

A quick read, due to chapter size and the matter-of-fact way that the author has woven the story. It reveals the atrocities of war, without being graphic. This ensures a practical, less emotional read that will engage young readers. This story is about endurance, friendship, compassion and courage.

Links to History Curriculum (World War 1/ War & Conflict); English Curriculum (Resilience and Belonging)

Title: The Impossible Story of Hannah Kemp

Author: Leonie Agnew

Reviewer: Rhonda Bruce

Audience: 12+

She's left me with one missing mother, one adoptive mother, and now, a supernatural parent fuelled on ink. Three mothers. No matter what I've done, no teenager deserves that. (P209)

Hannah Kemp is 15 years old, adopted, traumatised by an accident which she caused, a brilliant reader and, in her mind, unpopular with most people. Hannah's story changes when she encounters a weird mobile library that has books that contain true stories about local people and their secrets. Then, Hannah discovers her own book on the shelves...

Links to the History and English Curriculum

Title: Growing in to Autism

Author: Sandra Thom-Jones

Reviewer: Rhonda Bruce

Audience: Parents and Teachers

When I eat anything, whether a three-course meal or a handful of peanuts, I chew the food evenly on both sides of my mouth. The first piece I chew in the left, the second I chew on the right, then I repeat this until it's all eaten. Each piece of food needs to be the same size. (P 80)

An enlightening and captivating memoir by a university researcher who writes about her journey with autism. It is both personal and poignant at times, with chapters dealing with particular aspects of autism; sensory overloads, deficits in social interactions, hypersensitivity, relationships and autistic strengths. A very interesting book, giving insights into how autism affects her everyday life. Recommended for both parents and teachers of students with autism. 

Links to the English Curriculum

Title: The Ghost of Gracie Flynn

Author: Joanna Morrison

Reviewer: Rhonda Bruce

Audience: YA 13+

"After my funeral, the three of them did their best to salvage things. They went to a coupe of films together and played Scrabble, drinking cask wine and discussing current affairs. But they knew it was futile." (Page 64)

Gracie Flynn is dead but she is not gone. Years later, her friends are reunited and Gracie tells her part of the story wistfully as the story weaves its way to the solving of her death and that of the murder of one of her friends.

Title: The Bravest Word

Author: Kate Foster

Reviewer: Donna Dobson

Audience: Primary

“I’m embarrassed and ashamed and filled with the worst guilt I’ve ever felt in my life. I’m a a failure. And I don’t think the world needs people like me. Instead of dismissing that thought, I keep it there, in my head, lingering, taunting. The world doesn’t need me.” (P173-174)

A timely book, dealing with the issues of mental health in a young boy on the cusp of his first teenage years. Matt is a believable character, with supportive parents and good friends. But Matt is tired, all the time, and has lost interest in school, sport and friends. Every day activities now fill him with dread, leaving him feeling ill and teary. He feels lost, alone and useless. 

Running parallel to Matt’s story, is Cliff, a dog who Matt and his dad discover abandoned and abused. Caring for Cliff, Matt learns that dogs can suffer from anxiety and depression, and he begins to recognise the signs within himself. This leads Matt to the bravest word…help. A sensitive, insightful read, particularly for 12-13 year olds, teachers and parents.

Similar books are “The Way of the Dog” by Zana Fraillon, “Talking to Alaska” by Anna Woltz and Laura Watkinson, ”August & Jones” by Pip Harry, “OC Daniel” by Wesley King, and “Runt” by Craig Silvey.

Title: Grace Notes

Author: Karen Comer

Reviewer: Rhonda Bruce

Audience: YA 13+

“This song has a grace note,

a tiny note that's there for

embellishment

but can easily be ignored,

not played.

Tonight, I add it in -

just because.

We can all do with an extra note

of grace” (Page 17).

Grace is a gifted violinist who wants to play violin for the rest of her life. James would love to be a street artist, who draws, paints and redraws and paints in his family garage. James sees Grace on Instagram playing the violin and paints her portrait in a Melbourne alley. Grace sees her portrait and sets out to find the artist. It's a great story set when the first COVID outbreak occurred in Melbourne. It's about learning to follow your dreams.

Title: The Little Match Girl Strikes Back

Author: Emma Carroll

Illustrator: Lauren Child

Reviewer: Donna Dobson

Audience: Primary

“I realised that people, working together for a purpose, could also achieve magical,                    magnificent things” (p175).

Unlike the traditional little match girl, this match girl proves more than a ‘match’ for the Match Factory Tyrants.

A simple retelling of the classic tale, reveals the horrid and poisonous conditions that young girls and women were forced to work in to earn money to support their families. This story takes place in Victorian times and subtly reveals what life was like for the poor, with the focus on the unhealthy conditions of match factories. Bridie, the main character sells matches on the street, but unlike the original little match girl, she is a determined, indignant and quick-witted child. After an incident, she is left with three crooked matches. By striking each match, Bridie gets a glimpse of the future, and it is enough to give her the courage and strength to stand up for what she believes in. But she doesn’t stand alone.

This story is further supported by the artistic flair of Lauren Child, who’s red, black and white illustrations depicting Victorian life with authenticity, and break up the story nicely.

A fast-paced historical novel, with quirky illustrations, suitable for primary school-aged readers. The book encourages readers to fight for what they believe in, and it’s magical a group of people can achieve.

Title: The Edge of Limits

Author: Susanne Gervay

Reviewer: Tom H (Year 11)

Confronting, empowering, and insightful. Susanne Gervay's novel, The Edge of Limits, is an emotional rollercoaster exploring the search for identity and finding one’s self in a confusing world riddled with expectations, unwritten rules, and unfamiliar experiences. Pulling from her own teenage children's experiences, Gervay artfully constructs an authentic story of a gruelling school camp through the lens of 17-year-old protagonist, Sam Knox.

The reader gets to follow not only the physical journey of teenage boys on a school camp–trekking through the bush, climbing sickening slopes, swimming in icy cold water and exploring a confronting cave–but also the heartfelt emotional journey that sees the characters grow and develop. The Edge of Limits is a coming-of-age story highlighting hidden qualities in people and the importance of talking about your feelings to better yourself and learn about others. It wholeheartedly grapples with pertinent issues relevant to both boys and girls, including consent, mateship, acceptance, and masculinity, making it an insightful and valuable read. However, what truly brings this book to life is the authentic voice of Sam, which is clear, strong, realistic, and nuanced, allowing it to make deep connections with young men. It's a book that keeps you turning the pages.

The Edge of Limits’ story is also blasted forward by the antagonist, Watts, the school bully who strikes fear and frustration into all who cross him. His character is scheming, power-seeking, evil, and has a twitching personality born from peer pressure, locked-up feelings, a lack of good role models, and not understanding healthy masculinity. These traits cast Watts as a core agent in driving home many morals, including the dangers of drugs, suicide rates, violence, and abuse.

While the reader builds an increasingly unpleasant image of Watts, we follow Sam's journey from a lost and confused teen into a more confident young man with a greater understanding of himself and his place in the world. He learns to stand up for what is right and surprises the reader by facing his fears and crushing what is wrong. This heroic character allows readers to form their own opinions of whether they want to be the bully or the hero. The book doesn't force anything; it presents good and bad values in action and guides the reader to choose wisely.

In terms of the beautiful imagery and plot, there were some minor things I noticed. Firstly, this is quite an intense book and generally suited to readers aged 15 and above. This is because the story has scenes and characters that are so disturbing or frustrating that it might trigger powerful emotions and leave unforgettable memories. And although this is where much of the book's value lies, younger readers should proceed with care.

The book also employs small flashbacks that dive into Sam's past and give more depth and clarity into his thoughts, emotions, and beliefs. These flashbacks are insightful, and I wish the book used this technique more often and in more depth.

So, will younger readers take the time and effort to commit to a book like this? Gervay sure thinks so, and after reading it, I agree. It's short enough to be approachable and long enough to engage the teenage brain and invoke actual, lasting change for the betterment of humankind.

The Edge of Limits helps boys find themselves. It shows them that  there's value in their hearts and shatters many stereotypes constraining men and women, allowing people to live happier, fuller, and freer lives.

It was a pleasure reading this book and a joy to rate it 9/10. Happy reading!

Interested to learn more about Susanne Gervay and her work? Then you may like to consider attending our next Professional Learning Summit: The Strength of Story (4 March 2023) where Susanne is presenting the opening keynote address "The Search for Identity is the Journey"

Title: The Sugarcane Kids and the Red-Bottomed Boat

Author: Charlie Archbold

Reviewer: Donna Dobson

A simple and fun read that children will enjoy as it does not take too long to read, and when getting kids into reading that is important. You want children to finish a book, feel a sense of accomplishment, and leaves them ready to devour another… and then repeat.

The Sugarcane kids are four young children who live in far North Queensland, so they know to keep an eye out for crocodiles, particularly a large saltwater crocodile called Sebastian.

Andy shares his time between his mum and his dad; each parent having a new partner, but they generally get along.

Andy enjoys the time with his mum, as his best friend Eli lives nearby.

The crux of the story is that Eli’s older brother Jacob is arrested for jewellery theft and his court case is looming. Whilst Jacob is in custody, Andy and Eli decide to investigate because they are certain that Jacob is innocent.

With the help of two other friends, and Andy’s sausage dog Washington, the foursome starts an investigation that takes them into the mangroves and into the territory of the legendary Sebastian.

Woven into the plot, are subplots of a schoolyard bully, diverse family situations, Aussie/Indonesian culture, and push-bike riding fun. This book engages the reader as it is simple, interesting, subtly funny, and contains enough suspense to hold the reader captive.