I am working my way through a huge pile of Middle Grade and Senior Primary novels. About half are mine and half come from Beachside Bookshop as advance reader copies. I do enjoy exploring these as they are often books that take me away from my usual genres and themes.
Me, my Dad and the end of the Rainbow by Benjamin Dean
Due for publication March, 2021 Simon and Schuster
Publisher blurb: Things aren't going great for Archie Albright. His dad's acting weird, his mum too, and he all he wants is for everything to go back to normal, to three months before when his parents were happy and still lived together. When Archie sees a colourful, crumpled flyer fall out of Dad's pocket, he thinks he may have found the answer. Only problem? The answer might just lie at the end of the rainbow, an adventure away. Together with his best friends, Bell and Seb, Archie sets off on a heartwarming and unforgettable journey to try and fix his family, even if he has to break a few rules to do it...
The Detective's guide to Ocean Travel by Nicki Greenberg
Due for publication February 2021 Affirm Press
Publisher blurb: For as long as she can remember, Pepper Stark has wanted one thing: to join her father, the Captain, aboard the magnificent RMS Aquitania on a voyage to New York. She has never been allowed to set foot on her father’s ship – until now. From the decadent food to the star-studded passenger list, travelling First Class on Aquitania is every bit as glamorous as Pepper had imagined. And most dazzling of all is American stage sensation Perdita West, wearing the world-famous Saffron Diamond around her neck. When the priceless jewel disappears mid-voyage, Pepper unexpectedly finds herself entangled in the crime. With the Captain’s reputation at stake, Pepper and her new friends set out to solve the mystery. But finding a missing diamond isn’t so easy on Aquitania, where everyone has something to hide ...
Cuckoo's flight by Wendy Orr
Due for publication March, 2021 Allen and Unwin
Publisher blurb: If she had stayed to load the kiln as she should have, she'd never have seen the ship. Mama said the ship still would have been there, so everything had to happen the way it did. But that's not true. Clio saw it, and the world changed. When a raiders' ship appears off the coast, the goddess demands an unthinkable price to save the town - and Clio's grandmother creates a sacred statue to save Clio's life. But Clio is torn between the demands of guarding the statue and caring for her beloved horses. Disabled in an accident, she must try to put aside her own grief at no longer being able to ride - and in the process, save a friend's life and stop a war. Rippling with emotion and drama, war and resistance, fear and determination, this novel is a brilliant companion to the highly acclaimed Dragonfly Song and Swallow's Dance.
Here is my review of - Dragonfly Song.
The Stolen Prince of Cloudburst by Jaclyn Moriarty published in 2020 Allen and Unwin
Publisher blurb: Long ago, the little Prince of Cloudburst was stolen from the seashore by a Water Sprite. Now, ten years later, the prince has found his way home. The King and Queen are planning the biggest party in their Kingdom's history to welcome him. Meanwhile, on the other side of the Kingdoms and Empires, Esther Mettlestone-Staranise is looking forward to another year at Katherine Valley Boarding School. But she arrives to find a number of strange and unsettling changes. For one, her new teacher is rumoured to be an Ogre. Two mysterious students have joined the school, and one of Esther's classmates is an undercover Spellbinder. Most disturbingly, the mountains surrounding the school - usually a delight of glaciers, teashops, lakes and Faeries - are now crowded with wicked Shadow Mages. As secrets and dangers escalate, Esther must find the answers to several puzzles. Why is her teacher behaving so oddly? Which of Esther's classmates is the Spellbinder, and can they really protect the school from gathering hordes of Shadow Mages? Could the Stolen Prince of Cloudburst be connected? How can Esther - who is not talented like her sisters, nor an adventurer like her cousin, but just Esther - save her family, her school and possibly her entire world?
I read the first instalment from this series back in 2017 - The Extremely inconvenient adventures of Bronte Mettlestone.
The Perfect Parent Project by Stewart Foster
Due for publication March, 2020 Simon and Schuster
Publisher blurb:
THINGS MY PERFECT PARENTS MUST HAVE:
1. A mega mansion like the ones footballers live in
2. A garage wall with a basketball hoop
3. No gerbils
4. Holidays to Disneyland
All Sam wants is a family of his own, a home instead of a ‘house’ and parents he knows will still be there when he wakes up. Because Sam has been in and out of foster care his whole life and he can’t imagine ever feeling like he truly belongs. Then his best friend Leah suggests that rather than wait for a family to come to him, he should go out and find one. So begins The Perfect Parent Project ... But Sam may just discover that family has a funny way of finding you.
I have read The Perfect Parent Project. If your young reader is a fan of Morris Gleitzman's early books such as Misery Guts then I think this book will appeal. Sam is an eleven year old foster kid desperately seeking a "forever" family. I enjoyed the relationship between Sam and his best friend Leah but I found it hard to understand why a boy aged eleven who has lived in eleven different foster homes seemed to have no understanding of the actual processes involved in adoption or an appreciation of the bureaucracy he must have already encountered of the welfare system. As with stories by Morris Gleitzman, as an adult reader I found Sam's naivete wore a little thin at times. Having said all of that though other reviewers have loved the honest of this story and the way it gives insights into the feelings of a foster child.
Out of Print titles - Old Favourites revisited:
The Heaven Shop by Deborah Ellis (2004)
Blurb: "There is a lion in our village and it is carrying away our children. Binti was the child of a popular radio program in Malawi. She always believed she was special, but now she is nothing. Now she is just another AIDS orphan. But Binti Phiri is not about to give up. If she and her brother and sister are to be together, Binti will have to look outside herself and find a way to be special."
I picked this up on a half price sale. I first read this book in 2005 and I also read and enjoyed other books by Canadian author Deborah Ellis - Diego Run; Diego's Pride; and Looking for X. I do need to find a copy of Looking for X as I have mentioned it several times on this blog and it certainly needs a re-read.
People might hear you by Robin Klein (1983) CBCA Short list 1984
Blurb: "When her aunt marries the forbidding Mr Tyrell, Frances is introduced to the mysterious temple, with its strange, fanatical beliefs. At first she trustingly accepts her aunt's new life, and tries to be a 'worthy' member of the temple. But as she uncovers its sinister secrets she realises she has to escape."
I read this one in one gulp today. I will post thoughts more in a few days. I picked up this copy with a 75% discount. I held onto my copy of this chilling story over many years in my last school library. Sadly this is another precious book which has been culled. Sadly I think it is now out of print. The newest cover is the one on the far left side.
Newer books I have purchased recently
Mr Romanov's garden in the Sky by Robert Newton
Publisher blurb: Living in the commission, Lexie is left to fend for herself. Her mother is mostly absent, out searching for something to help her forget the tragic death of Lexie’s dad. But then, after witnessing the aftermath of a shocking incident, Lexie finds solace in the most unlikely of places – in a troubled old man called the Creeper. A chance, life-saving encounter on the commission’s roof seeds a friendship between the two and when they enlist the help of Lexie’s friend Davey, the three set off on an epic journey; one that will change their lives and the lives of those around them.
I have previously read and thoroughly enjoyed two books by Robert Newton: The Punjabi Pappadum and My Name is Will Thompson.
The Warden's daughter by Jerry Spinelli
Publisher blur: From Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli (Maniac Magee, Stargirl) comes the knockout story of a girl who must come to terms with her mother's death from inside the walls of a prison. Cammie O'Reilly is the warden's daughter, living in an apartment above the entrance to the Hancock County Prison. But she's also living in a prison of grief and anger about the mother who died saving her from harm when she was just a baby. And prison has made her mad. This girl's nickname is Cannonball. In the summer of 1959, as twelve turns to thirteen, everything is in flux. Cammie's best friend is discovering lipstick and American Bandstand. A child killer is caught and brought to her prison. And the only mother figures in her life include a flamboyant shoplifter named Boo Boo and a sullen reformed arsonist of a housekeeper. All will play a role in Cammie's coming-of-age. But one in particular will make a staggering sacrifice to ensure that Cammie breaks free from her past. Master storyteller Jerry Spinelli spins a tale of loss and redemption like no other. The Warden's Daughter shows that kindness and compassion can often be found where we least expect it.
I have often said Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli is a book that changed my life. It is another book I need to re-read. Here is my review of Loser. The Warden's daughter has a Kirkus Star review.
Song for a whale by Lynne Kelly
Publisher blurb: A stirring and heart-warming tale of a young deaf girl who is determined to make a difference. For fans of Wonder. Iris was born deaf, but she's never let that define her; after all, it's the only life she's ever known. And until recently she wasn't even very lonely, because her grandparents are both deaf, too. But Grandpa has just died and Grandma's not the same without him. The only place Iris really feels at home anymore is in her electronics workshop where she loves taking apart antique radios. Then, during a science lesson about sound waves, Iris finds out about a whale who is unable to communicate with other whales. The lonely whale awakens something in Iris. She's determined to show him that someone in the world knows he's there. Iris works on a foolproof plan to help the whale but she soon realises that that is not enough: Iris wants to find the whale herself. One stolen credit card, two cruise ship tickets, and the adventure of a lifetime later, Iris and the whale each break through isolation to help one another be truly heard in ways that neither had ever expected.
Early in 2019 Colby Sharp recommended Song for a whale. I needed to wait for the paperback edition to become available here in Australia.
Talking to the moon by SE Durrant
Blurb: A moving story of a grandmother living with dementia, told from her granddaughter's perspective. ... Iris's grandmother, Mimi, has started to put jam on her scrambled eggs and tie blue ribbons around her fingers to remind her of stuff. Her house, always full of things, is becoming harder and harder to navigate, and when Iris goes to stay, she feels as if a whole life is becoming muddled up. As her grandmother's memory fades, a mystery is uncovered. Who is Coral, and what happened to her?
When I see a book published by Nosy Crow I know it is certain to be a winner. I can see there are three books by SE Durrant with related covers designed by Rob Biddulph.
The Stone Girls Story by Sarah Beth Durst
Blurb: Mayka and her stone family were brought to life by the stories etched into their bodies. Now time is eroding these vital marks, and Mayka must find a stonemason to recarve them. But the search is more complex than she had imagined, and Mayka uncovers a scheme endangering all stone creatures. Only someone who casts stories into stone can help—but whom can Mayka trust? Where is the stonemason who will save them? Action and insight combine in this magical coming-of-age novel as the young heroine realises the savior she’s been searching for is herself.
This is another book I have had on my "to read" list for a while as I needed to wait for the paperback edition to become available. Take a look here to see other books by Sarah Beth Durst. The Stone Girl's story has a Kirkus Star review "Thoughtful, colorful, strengthening, and understatedly tender."
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