The Secret of Glendunny Book One The Haunting by Kathryn Lasky

"With a friend you can become more. You can become braver, smarter ... just better."

Blurb: Deep in the wilds of Scotland, land of ancient warrior kings and myths, there is a deep secret. The secret is a colony of beavers, a species that is craved for their fur pelts, but vilified for what humans consider to be the destruction of their land. No beaver has been spotted in Scotland or England for over five hundred years, until the young beaver, Dunwattle, is sighted! Dunwattle’s flight is driven by the presence of a ghostly figure, a figure of a mysterious young girl who is almost one thousand years old. And now Dunwattle is destined to be destroyed for revealing the hidden colony, but his best friend Locksley is determined to save him. Will their ancient beaver colony survive?

Reading this book takes quite a lot of stamina. I loved the map on the first page and the end notes and chapter sample at the back of the book but I kept wishing there was a list of the characters because there are so many of them - three young beavers - Dunwattle, Locksley and Yrynn, a wise swan named Elsinore, an evil lynx named  Grynfill, several humans who want to find evidence that beavers are back in the UK, two ghost children - Lorna and Fergus, a mythical wolf pup - Stellamara, a brave Otter mother named Glory and her two young babies - Iggy and Edy, and several adult beavers who are teachers and council members, the leader of the beavers Castor Aquarius (Oscar of Was Meadow) and Snert of the Snout who plans to over throw the current leader. There are also references to Scottish history and Edward Longshanks; The stone of destiny now in Westminster Cathedral; Henry VIII; royal protection of swans; and modern-day drones. 

Swans and beavers do actually live in a symbiotic relationship. Like beavers, trumpeter swans eat a wide variety of aquatic plants, such as pondweed, wild rice, and algae; and they prefer shallow wetlands less than six feet deep. The tops of old beaver lodges also provide excellent nest sites for swans, who seek existing mounds surrounded by water and less than 600 feet from shore. 

"What of course the two-legs did not realise is that their precious land would be entirely worthless if the water table was not maintained. If water-storing wetlands disappeared, farmers would not be able to farm, and species of birds and insects would simply vanish as well. Water meant life. Water shaped continents, and the beavers were the builders of these continents through their meticulous maintenance of the water table and their creation of ponds like the one in Glendunny."

There is evil, betrayal, cruelty, loss, compassion, kindness, a touch of humor, and heart-stopping adventure. The swan Elsinore is intelligent, pragmatic, and a deeply moral force who keeps watch and intervenes when needed. The carefully constructed fantasy world holds perfectly true, always within the parameters set forth by the author. The invented language has a Scottish flavor, with subtle differences among the species. Further dimension is added by the detailed and beautifully expressed descriptions of place, action, and characters. Draws readers deeply into a mystical world and leaves them wishing for more. Kirkus Star review

I recommend this series for readers aged 10+ mainly because the humour is quite sophisticated and also because the action constantly switches between scenes and characters and so readers have to hold together several complex story strands. Younger readers might also struggle to understand the prejudice against Yrynn, whose ancestors have come to the UK from Canada is given the derisive name of Canuck. There is also a delicious political edge to Kathryn Lasky's writing. I remember these themes were explored in her Guardians of Ga-Hoole which I read many years ago. 

Luckily enough is resolved at the end of the first book so readers are not left hanging but there are also enough incomplete threads to leave you keen to read the sequel.

Fans of Redwall, Podkin One-ear and Endling will enjoy this new series.

Aesop trickster tale The Fox and the Stork

Recently my friend the Teacher-Librarian from Kinderbookswitheverything gifted (loaned) an Aesop fable or a folktale to each teacher in her school. I always cheer when teachers ask to read Aesop's fables with their class. There are so many and they are such wonderful stories. I plan to borrow various Aesop stories and talk about them here over the coming months. They often contain the most scrumptious illustrations too.

The Fox and the Stork is a trickster tale. The Fox thinks he has tricked the hungry Stork when she cannot eat the soup he has prepared. Her long beak makes soup in a shallow dish an impossible meal. But later it is the Stork who tricks that silly Fox when she offers him a dinner in a narrow jar - perfect for her beak but impossible for the fox. 

Here are some editions of this story. I love the illustrations in the retelling by Karl Ruhmann illustrated by Alessandra Roberti (North South Books 2003). Of course you will also find this story included in most Aesop anthologies.

Karl Ruhmann is the author of another book I loved to read in my former library when we were exploring books about penguins - Filbert flies.

Squiggle, Diddle, Plop! by Guundie Kuching

Tuesday Treasure

Poo or poop is popular topic with our younger readers. Squiggle, Diddle, Plop is perfect in so many ways. It is funny. It will spark curiosity (do wombats really have cube shaped poo?), the illustrations are a delight and one more thing - this book celebrates dung beetles.

Echidna produces a small brown poo. He shows platypus.

"Oh!' laughed Platypus.
'You've done a SQUIGGLE. 
I'll do one, too!"

And so the pattern is established. We meet Tiger Snake, Flying Fox, Frilled Lizard, Kookburra and Wombat. Their deposits are described as a quibble, a diddle, a plop, a swish, a twirly and a fuddy-duddy. The best page, though, is right near the end. Everyone has produced a poo but now what will they do? Echidna suggests they make a cake. Now the dung beetles can move in and do what they do best.

There are sure to be some other books illustrated by Guundie Kuchling in Australian school libraries. Guundie was born in Austria but now lives in Western Australia.

I have another post about poo.  Here is a site that shows photos of different animal scats if you need to do some background reading. You might also like to read some non fiction books on this topic. The two by Jill Bruce are perfect to read alongside Squiggle, Diddle, Plop!

The white fox by Jackie Morris

I adore the cover of The White Fox and I think this is why I picked out this little book (84 pages) on a recent shopping expedition.
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Originally I thought we would put this book in our junior fiction section but now I have read it I will put it with our main fiction section because this is such a sensitive story which middle primary readers are sure to enjoy.

A white fox is seen down near the docks in Seattle.  Sol is more than curious.  He feels a desperate need to save this wild creature.  He knows in the past cats living down at the docks are caught. "His dad told him they took the cats to animal shelters where they were re-homed but Sol wasn't sure. No one would want these crazy stunted spitting wildcats. He had his own ideas of what happened to them."

Each week Sol receives a letter from his grandparents who live in the Arctic.  While it is never stated in the text you can see below that Sol and his family are Inuit people.  Sol hears that 'his white fox' has been captured.  He begs his dad to take him down to the docks.

"And I know I can't have a fox, and it's not yours to give anyway. But he needs to go home. ... he doesn't belong here. He belongs to the wild."

Their journey from Seattle to Alaska takes six days and gradually Sol talks to his dad about his unhappiness at school and he dares to ask about his mother who died in a car crash when he was just two.  Sol and his dad form a new bond. When they arrive, the grandparents give the father and son space and time to settle in.  Sol's grandmother shows him the carvings made by his mother. Sol feels comfortable and at home for the first time in his life. Now he needs to convince is father that this is the place they need to be.  This is truly their home.

Take time to read this review.  We have several other books in our school library illustrated by Jackie Morris.  She is such a skilled illustrator.

Herman's letter by Tom Percival

One of my favourite ways to discover new books is when they are recommended by the readers in my school library.  A few weeks ago we held our annual library Donate-a-book.  A big thank you to the generous parents who supported our library in this way. We have been able to add over 800 new books into our collection.

Among these books was Herman's letter and when it was returned earlier this week I asked the little girl and her mum if they had enjoyed it.  Their answer was a resounding YES!.  The mum then turned the pages and shared her favourite parts - both especially liked the 'real' letters that form part of this story.

This book shows the way illustrations beyond the text in the best picture books.  Think about these words - "They had great fun inventing their own games and they even had a secret club with a secret code and a TOP SECRET handshake."  Now I will tell you Herman is a large brown bear and Henry is a small, red raccoon.  I adore their handshake.

Life for these special friends is good until one day Henry moves away. Henry misses his friend and so he writes letters but sadly the letters only serve to make Herman feel jealous.  Herman does not write back to Henry until this important letter arrives :

"Dear Herman
I hope you are well.  I haven't received ANY of your letters.  There must be a problem with the post or something.
I miss you so much!
You're my best friend in the whole wide world.
Please say you'll come and visit me soon.
Love Henry"

Herman does write back but then he has a terrific idea - he will deliver the letter himself.  He embarks on a long and dangerous journey made even harder by the fact that it is now time for this bear to hibernate.  The twist at the end will make you smile.  Take time to watch the trailer made by the publisher.  Here is a set of teaching ideas.

If you enjoy Herman's letter then you should also look for Toot and Puddle Wish you were here by Holly Hobbie and Christmas Bear by Sal Murdocca.

Belly Up by Stuart Gibbs

At times this terrific story made me gasp out loud. Henry the hippopotamus is found dead.  The vet suspects murder.  Theodore Fitzroy or Teddy lives at FunJungle with his parents.  Mum is a gorilla expert and dad is a wildlife photographer.  Teddy has had an exciting life up until now.  FunJungle is an amazing zoo but "after a few weeks, to keep myself amused, I'd had to resort to playing practical jokes, like giving the chimps water balloons - or switching the signs on the men's and women's restroom or replacing all the black jellybeans in Large Marge's lunch with rabbit poo."  Now it seems Teddy's days of boredom are at an end.  Henry is not just any old hippo - he is the zoo mascot.  There are toys, stationery and even a television show all based on Henry.  The fact that Henry himself was not a lovable hippo has been mostly overlooked by the zoo authorities.

Teddy sneaks into the autopsy.  He hears Doc explain there are holes in Henry's intestines which has led to peritonitis and his death.  "The possibility that Henry had been murdered alarmed me - though I have to admit, there was something exciting about it too."

Now the race is on to find the murderer.  Teddy teams up with the daughter of the zoo owner - Summer McCracken, but as the stakes get higher it seems Teddy himself might be the next victim.

Belly up is a thrilling story full of danger, crime and twists you could never anticipate.  There is a scene near the end involving the carnivores which made my hair stand on end. At the same time there are some very funny moments in this book too - one involving the body of Henry, a crane and hundreds of funeral spectators.

If you enjoy Belly Up you might also enjoy books by Carl Hiaasen.  Here is a review by Mr K.  Here are some questions you could use if you read this book to a class.

Gibbs combines details of the inner workings of zoos with some over-the-top action for an entertaining read.

My father's dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett ilustrated by Ruth Chrisman Gannett

My Father's dragon (1948) seems to appear on so many beginning reading lists I was very pleased to discover we have an almost new copy in our school library.  Today I had a spare twenty minutes so I picked up this book and read it from beginning to end.

This is absolutely my kind of book!  It truly is a timeless classic and yes it would make a fabulous read-a-loud for a young class.

I loved this book because it is so very tidy.  Our hero sets off to free an enslaved dragon.  Under the guidance of a cat he has befriended he packs:

• chewing gum
• two dozen pink lollipops
• a pack of rubber bands
• a toothbrush and toothpaste
• six magnifying glasses
• a comb and hairbrush
• seven hair ribbons

As his adventure unfolds each of these 'supplies' is used in different and quite inventive ways to save him from a number of life-threatening situations involving tigers, a rhinoceros, a lion, an itchy gorilla and some very fickle crocodiles.

I recommend you read this book with a supply of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and a huge pile of tangerines.

Here is a set of teaching notes.

Aesop's fables retold by Beverley Naidoo illustrated by Piet Grobler

Many years ago a parent asked to borrow a book of Aesop’s fables from our school library.  Sadly all our collections at that time were verbose and uninspiring.  Ever since I have been on the lookout for new books of Aesop fables and so we now have a strong collection all told with simple language and a variety of illustrations. Here is a new edition of these famous tales that I will add to my school library.

Beverley Naidoo sets her collection in Africa.  “Aseop’s fables aren’t like fairy tales from Europe with ‘happily ever after’ endings.  They are more like traditional African stories.  Life is tough … and things can end badly for anyone who doesn’t watch out or use their wits!”

My favourite Aesop fable is The lion and the mouse. This is the final fable of this collection which also includes The Cat and the mice (Once bitten twice shy), The lion and the warthog (It’s safer to be friends than enemies), The mosquito and the lion (Pride comes before a fall) and The Farmer and his children (Work is the real treasure).

Piet Grobler has added scrumptious illustrations to each page along with decorative borders.  I especially like the hand drawn font he has used for each title.  It may be a while since you read an Aesop Fable but can I recommend you revisit them.  They are ideal for reading aloud, they are short, often heroic and always wise. In this special collection you are sure to discover some old favourites along with some that may be new.  Beverley Naidoo spoke about this book at the IBBY congress.

Seekers Book One The quest begins by Erin Hunter

This book is a little frustrating because you know from the outset that the lives of these four bears will need to collide but by the end of this book one only two have met.

A student in my school asked me to buy the books in this series by Erin Hunter. She is a new author to me but I see she is actually quite famous and prolific. Her series called Warriors consists of eighteen titles plus two specials!

In this series, Seekers, the characters are four bears. Two are brown, one white and one black. Each have different life circumstances and hardships to endure and all are equally confused about humans or flat faces and their firebeasts.

Kallik is a polar bear growing up with her brother Taqqiq and their mother Nisa. As the weather is warming the group attempt to reach land moving from one iceberg to another but when Nisa is taken by a killer whale Kallik must continue the journey alone ever hopeful that one day she will be reunited with her brother.

Lusa is a zoo bred black bear who longs for the forests and freedoms she hears about from other bears. After months of careful observation an opportunity arises and Lusa escapes from the zoo to begin the long journey to find Toklo. Lusa has met Toklo's mother. She has been captured and placed in the zoo in the next enclosure. Oka is a mother in mourning. Her son Tobi has recently died as have many other cubs before him. This last death is too much for Oka and so she has abandoned Toklo.

Toklo is a brown bear. He is wild born but he has been left on his own before his mother has taught how to hunt and fish and survive.

We meet the fourth bear in this saga right at the end. He is called Ujurak and he is a shape shifter.

If you enjoy books about animals and survival this might be a series to look for. Each chapter has an alternating focus between the first three bears and in this way Erin Hunter firmly establishes the personality and strengths of each bear.