Maurice Gee 22 August 1931 – 12 June 2025

Maurice Gee was born in Whakatāne in 1931, educated at Auckland's Avondale College and at Auckland University where he earned a Masters degree in English. He worked as a teacher and librarian, before becoming a full-time writer. Gee wrote over 30 books for both children and adults. 

“In his writing Gee showed us, and by us, I am mostly speaking of Pākeha culture, who we were ... they were complex stories with an elegant, unfussy, but rich prose style.” Kate De Goldi

Here are some quotes from various newspapers after his death was announced:

• He wrote about ordinary people and ordinary lives, often with the narrator looking back at events that caused damage and unhappiness.
• Written in 1979, 'Under the Mountain' was probably his best-known children's work, and was later converted into a film and TV series.
• Gee wrote seriously for children: his worldbuilding is vibrant, startling, textured but it is also deeply enmeshed with the realities of oppressive and violent societies. Like the best children’s writers, Gee never underestimated his reader’s capacity to walk with him into these dangers and work out what was going on and what to learn from them.
• Like Margaret Mahy, Gee was one of the greatest writers New Zealand has ever had and he did not withhold that talent from young people. Gee’s body of literature is revelatory in that it expresses a pattern of invention and research across depths and genre, never subjugating one audience for the other, but oscillating between them, using them in different ways. This pattern revealed a great respect for children’s writing, and for children as serious readers, that is not always present in an industry that often sees writing for children as somehow a lesser pursuit.

I was reading our IBBY Australia newsletter and I discovered Maurice Gee died in June. His books had a huge impact on me and I regularly recommended several titles to my students over many decades. I was interested to discover these new covers - my library copies in the 1980s looked very different. 

The World Around the Corner 1980

When Caroline discovers an old pair of spectacles in her father's junk shop she has no idea how important they are. Even when she puts them on and sees things very differently, she doesn't guess that the safety of another world depends on them. In a race against time, Caroline has to tackle the ghastly Grimbles and keep her promise to return the spectacles to their rightful owner.

The Halfmen of O 1986

The first volume of Maurice Gee's acclaimed trilogy wherein Susan and Nick are transported to the terrifying land of O...

'Nick had seen the birthmark on Susan's wrist. It had two parts. Each was shaped like a tear drop, curved like a moon. One was bright red and the other golden brown.'

Susan had always been a bit odd and never really got on with her cousin Nick, but the mark on her wrist draws them together in a frightening adventure. They are summoned to the beautiful land of O in a last-ditch attempt to save the planet from cruel Otis Claw and his followers, the evil Halfmen, who have lost every trace of human goodness and kindness.

There is a scene in this book where the girl is fed by her captors - they cram a plastic-like substance down her throat - even now decades later I can still feel my horror when I read that scene.

The Priests of Ferris 1984 and Motherstone 1985

In the second volume of Maurice Gee’s acclaimed O Trilogy, Susan must stop terrible things being done in her name... Face the High Priest. Face him alone. That was why she was back on O. To end the religion grown up in her name. Susan Ferris and her cousin Nick return to the world of O, which they had saved from the evil Halfmen, only to discover that a hundred years have passed and O is now ruled by cruel and ruthless priests. Susan is inspired by the dreams and prophecies related to her to face the most dreadful dangers and free the inhabitants of O.

In the third novel of Maurice Gee’s acclaimed trilogy, Susan and Nick engage in a last desperate quest for O. 'King,' they said, trying out the word, 'Osro is King. 'Now, stand up,' Osro said. 'Take me to Susan's door. You are my hands and I am your head. Soon O will be ours.' For Susan and Nick the adventure at last seems at an end. They are leaving the magical land of O, the scene of The Halfmen of O and The Priests of Ferris. But even as they prepare to step back to Earth, strange and evil forces reach out to ensnare them. For Susan and for the Motherstone there is one final, frightening task.

The Fat Man 2008

I realise now this is really a YA novel. I did have it in my Primary school library but only recommended it to very mature readers. There are scenes with a bully in this book that haunt me all these years later. I talked about this in relation to another book back in 2010. 

Under the Mountain 1979

Beneath the extinct volcanoes surrounding the city, giant creatures are waking from a spellbound sleep that has lasted thousands of years. Their goal is the destruction of the world. Rachel and Theo Matheson are twins. Apart from having red hair, there is nothing remarkable about them - or so they think. They are horrified to discover that they have a strange and awesome destiny. Only the Matheson twins can save the world from the terror of what is under the mountain.

The twins are suspicious when the neighbours never open their blinds. They hear noises at night so they know someone lives there. The scene where they enter the house and climb down some stairs into the basement still gives me the shivers. 

Awards (select list)

• 1983: AIM Children's Book Awards Book of the Year for The Halfmen of O (1982)
• 1986: Esther Glen Award for Motherstone (1985)
• 1987: Honorary Doctorate of Literature from Victoria University of Wellington
• 1993: 1st Prize for Fiction at the Goodman Fielder Wattie Book Awards for Going West (1993)
• 1995: Esther Glen Award for The Fat Man (1995)
• 1995: AIM Children's Book Awards Book of the Year for The Fat Man (1995)
• 1998: Deutz Medal for fiction at the Montana New Zealand Book Awards for Live Bodies (1998)
• 2002: Margaret Mahy Award for significant contributions to children's literature
• 2004: Gaelyn Gordon Award for Under the Mountain
• 2004: $60,000 Prime Minister's Award for Literary Achievement for fiction
• 2004: Honorary Doctorate of Literature from the University of Auckland
• 2006: Deutz Medal for Fiction at the Montana New Zealand Book Awards for Blindsight (2005)
• 2008: New Zealand Post Young Adult Fiction Award for Salt (2007)
• 2017: New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults Copyright Licensing NZ Award for Young Adult Fiction for The Severed Land (2017)

Our Sister, again by Sophie Cameron

"Welcome to Project Homecoming and exclusive trial by Second Chances Ltd.

You are part of one of the most ambitious and pioneering projects ever carried out in the field of Artificial Intelligence. 

One that, if successful will change how we think about 

and experience life and death forever."

Life is a mystery and so is death but we do know that when someone dies we cannot see them again. In books there is an unwritten rule that death is never reversed or so it seems to me. In this book a young girl is 'brought' back and this has huge implications. This book will most certainly make readers think deeply about grief, death, what it means to be human and also the implications of technology in our lives.

Isla's sister has died. Mum is wrapped up in grief and so when she reads about a way to bring Flora back to 'life' she readily agrees. What does this mean? What are the implications for the family of agreeing to the Second Chances Homecoming Project. What are the implications for the community who have all signed confidentially agreements? And what about the other teenagers who were friends with Flora? They have grieved and attended her funeral and now she is back. But they are older because three years have passed. If this version of Flora is frozen in time and only has the memories. possibly unreliable memories, collected by Second Chances, is she a real person? Mum does not want to see the truth and dad is sure this is totally wrong, so he has left the family and moved away from their island home. Now that Flora is back should she go back to school? Is there any point in sitting exams? And of course, the kids in her class from before have left the school and are at college.

Is Flora person or a robot? "As Flora turns towards the harbour steps her hair falls to the side and shows the back of her pale neck. ... Carved into her skin, only just visible above her jacket, is a small square."

Is this Flora, really Flora? "The returnee has been created using vast amounts of data, in addition to photos, videos and extensive interviews with your loved one's friends and family."

"Our returnees look entirely human ... We are confident that this new arrival will be an extremely close match to the person you remember. However, please be aware that there are some differences. Returnees do not need to sleep, they cannot be fully submerged in water, (they do not need to eat), and they don't fall sick with human illnesses."

The food part about the returnee made my stomach squirm. In the first few days Flora does eat with the family but the food goes into a food compartment in her body and she has to regularly empty it. Eventually she just gives up this charade of eating. 

"Losing Flora so young made me realise that growing old is a gift not everyone gets."

Dad "doesn't think she's human ... He says you can't rebuild a soul and you can't be a human without a soul."

Exploring a number of ethical questions, Our Sister, Again is simultaneously an intriguing mystery and a moving story of grief, family bonds, and what it means to be human.  Book Trust

It's an emotional story, and heartwarming too. The Book Bag (read this full review - it is very thoughtful)

This is an incredibly powerful, compelling and absorbing read that raises issues around personhood, ethics and social media.  ... And, that ending – it brought tears and smiles – and was exquisite! Book Craic

We do not Welcome our Ten-Year-Old Overlord

Kim's sister Eila finds a strange globe in the lake. It looks a little like a basketball but it also has terrifying powers. Eila is a smart girl but she is only ten years old. She names the globe Aster and becomes quite possessive and secretive about her new 'friend'. Early on in the story as readers we realise Aster is 'using' Eila but young Eila thinks she is helping Aster learn about life on earth. Kim finds a dead kangaroo - well he finds the empty skin. Yes that is creepy. Then the pet guinea pigs of the two girls are found dead. 

Madir worries her parents are always fighting, always busy and give their children no time. Then very strangely their behaviour changes. Equally Kim and Eila live in a home where the children are expected to assist their scientist parents with chores in the greenhouses. The family have no radio or television. The children are not allowed to read fiction books but Kim has smuggled a copy of A Wizard of Earthsea into his wardrobe. Returning home one day, not long after Aster arrives, Kim is totally shocked when he discovers there is a television in their house. The Basalt family also like to assist their neighbour. Mrs Benison is elderly and unwell but then she seems to miraculously recover and even gain energy and vitality.

Surely there is something sinister and dangerous about Aster. What is this thing they found in the lake? Kim enlists the help of his three friends. Their plan is to throw Aster back into water but then Eila realises things are spinning out of control. The only way to destroy Aster she tells the group is to hold her in direct sunlight. The race to do this make the scenes in the final five chapters of this reading journey, worthwhile. 

The setting for this book is Canberra and the year is 1975. None of that really matters and readers who are unfamiliar with Canberra won't make this connection. Kim and Bennie and their two friends also like to play Dungeons and Dragons. Garth Nix explains this is a game he played too, as an older teenager. I know nothing about this game but if readers are familiar with the way it is played that might add to the story enjoyment. Garth Nix also explains, in the acknowledgements section at the back of the book, that he and his friends did find a strange object in the shallow water on the edge of the lake - but it turned out to be a head shaped rock covered in flowing weeds. This image of this and his curiosity about this object lingered with him and now years later we have this book. 

The names in this book are very inventive but I also found them a little distracting - Chimera “Kim” Basalt and Benjamina “Bennie” Chance are twelve-year-old best friends and they play, as I said, Dungeons and Dragons with two other friends every week. Kim of course has to keep this a secret from his parents. Their sisters are Eileithyia “Eila” Indigofera Basalt and Madir Sofitela Chance. Kim and Eila live on an alternate farm. Mum and Dad have given themselves new names. Mum is Marie Basalt named after Marie Curie and Dad is Darwin Basalt named after Charles Darwin.

I did rush my reading of this book because it was due back at the library. The scene on pages 228-229 needs careful attention because this is where everything is 'sort of' explained. I read the last few chapters on a train and found I totally forgot where I was - that's always a terrific thing that happens when you enjoy a book.

When I read about the strange cloud that hovers over the city it reminded me of this Science Fiction book from many years ago:

Read more here

Last night We do not Welcome our Ten-Year-Old Overlord was announced as a 2025 CBCA Younger Readers Notable. 

Here are some reviews of We do not Welcome our Ten-Year-Old Overlord:

An entertainingly offbeat science-fiction romp. Kirkus

You know as soon as you hold a new Garth Nix book that you are in for a treat. Usually a creepy, oft-bizarre and freakish treat, but a treat none-the-less. Your readers who are into such vibes as Stranger Things, The X-Files, Wednesday, Strange Objects, The Water Tower… and indeed, anything that smacks of other-worldly with a hefty dose of scare-the-bejeezus-out-of-you, are going to go mad for this. Just so Stories

Everything in this novel, down to Kim’s Dungeons & Dragons game is carefully thought out, and delivered at the right time. It means that we get to hit all the beats effectively, and find out what we need to know at crucial points throughout the novel.  The Book Muse

If you are unfamiliar with The Watertower try to find it -this is one of the best picture books you will ever read to a group of children in a school library aged 10+ and it would be a good companion read:

Bookseller blurb: All Kim wants to do is play Dungeons & Dragons with his friends and ride his bike around the local lake. But he has always lived in the shadow of his younger sister. Eila is a prodigy, and everyone talks about how smart she is, though in Kim's eyes, she has no common sense. So when Eila finds an enigmatic, otherworldly globe which gives her astonishing powers, Kim not only has to save his sister from herself, he might also have to save the world from his sister!

The title of this book intrigued me. Oddly after reading this book I wondered if the title might make more sense (to me at least) if it was called We do not welcome the Ten-Year-Old Overlord.  Anyway, putting that tiny thought aside it was interesting to read a new Science Fiction book. There do not seem to have been quite so many books in this genre published for ages 10+ here in Australia in recent years - at least I couldn't think of any.

It seems important to define Science Fiction at this point. Here are a few quotes:

• Science fiction, popularly shortened as sci-fi, is a genre of fiction that creatively depicts real or imaginary science and technology as part of its plot, setting, or theme.
• The word science refers to the fact that the story in some way involves science or technology that—no matter how advanced—is depicted as being based on real scientific principles, as opposed to involving magic or the supernatural.
• Regardless of the specific technologies or scientific advances being depicted, sci-fi often speculates about their effects on or consequences for the reality of the world being described. In other words, sci-fi stories often ponder how science and technology can go wrong for individual people or society (often as a metaphor for how they can go or have gone wrong in our own reality).

Back in 2021 I talked about Science Fiction and shared some examples of children's books because this genre linked perfectly with the CBCA Book Week Slogan that year - Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds. 

Decades ago, I did read a few books by Garth Nix - well before I started this blog - such as The Keys to the Kingdom. The set in my former library did had a different set of covers.  Lord Sunday was nominated for Carnegie Medal in Literature. Mister Monday was a CBCA 2004 Older Readers Honour title. Garth Nix has over 200 titles listed in GoodReads. 

We also had this set but I have no memory of reading any of these:

North and the Only One by Vashti Hardy

This book was among the new titles in the Book Bunker library at Westmead Children's hospital where I work as a volunteer. I previously read a short book by Vashti Hardy - The Griffin Gate.

Rose wakes from a vivid dream that seems to be about her life in the past. A few days ago she had woken up to find herself in a house she does not recognise. She meets Mother but again has no recognition of this person. Life is comfortable and she does have the beautiful companionship of her dog whose name is North but there is always this niggling feeling that someone important is missing. She needs her memories. She needs to remember her past. This dream, as with other dreams, has been so vivid and so she gets of out of bed and quietly goes to Mother's room keen to talk to her about the forest scene and house she has seen in her dream.

If you are book talking this book with your library or class group I would read pages 29-31. This is from page 31. 

"She strode, forward, stopping midway down the bed. Mother looked so peaceful. Her cheeks brushed with white, hands neatly by her sides. Moonlight glinted on something in mid-air to the side of her. At first, Rose thought it must be a moth, but then she realised it was some sort of aerial line or string in  between her and Mother. How curious. She reached towards it to check she wasn't imaging it, and ran her fingers gently along the wire. It was definitely a cable. She looked back to the wall and saw it was plugged into a charging point ... Rose froze. It didn't make sense. She looked at the charging point. She looked at Mother. A shudder ran through her, her heart rate escalating. It was impossible. Mother was plugged in! ... A person didn't need to plug themselves in. Not someone of flesh and bone like Rose. Mother was something else."

I did read this book in almost one sitting but it is a long book (340 pages) so I imagine it will suit a reader who enjoys Science Fiction and a reader with strong reading stamina. The story does take quite a few unexpected twists and turns and, as is often the way with Science Fiction, you do need to suspend disbelief especially in relation to the human need for food. The premise is that Rose is the only or the last human and yet at every turn someone is able to supply her with water and food albeit only small quantities. Clearly Humanoid Robots do not need food so I was somewhat confused about why this was so readily available - but as I say, you just need to let that thought go. I did enjoy the early hint that Mother was not quite 'right' but that scene I quoted above still gave me a huge jolt!

The other part of this story that was a little bit strange - but many young readers won't notice this - is the use of names relating to the invention of the computer - Ada (Lovelace); (Charles) Babbage; and Alan Turing.  There are also layers of Pinocchio and I am sure choice of the two furliths (robot animals) that help Rose - fox and rabbit - have some literary significance. There are also references to Alice in Wonderland, The Nutcracker, Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet.

In some ways this book made me think of an old movie called Logan's Run and even the famous book The Giver by Lois Lowry. 

Bookseller blurb: Twelve-year-old Rose can't remember anything before last week, when she woke up  not knowing her own name, her own house, or even her own mother. The only thing Rose recognized was her puppy, North. But Mother patiently explained everything - well, not everything. Not the real-feeling dreams Rose has about a mysterious forest she half-recognizes. Or why she is not allowed to stray beyond the garden, out into Luminelle, the vast city surrounding them. Mother is kind and helpful, but Rose can't shake the feeling that something's not right. Or maybe it's everything that's not right?
But then, when Rose flees to the outside world with North, it quickly becomes clear to Rose that she is different. And for reasons she doesn't understand, she's dangerous. On an unforgettable journey of discovery, Rose uncovers life-altering truths about the city she's in, the people around her ... and ultimately herself.

Bookwagon recommends North and the Only Star hugely. This superbly intelligent story is ideal for enquiring, inspired readers. What a magnificent story.

Vashti Hardy has done it again – combining STEM and a futuristic vision with a heartfelt story that leaves readers thinking long after the book is closed. Yet North and the Only One is a completely unique story. It feels different from Vashti’s other adventures. With so much emotion and so much unknown, readers become a part of Rose’s search for truth. Scope for Imagination

Here is the web page for the author Vashti Hardy. She lives in West Sussex.

Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements

Bobby Phillips wakes up one morning and he is invisible - this is not just a concept - he is invisible. No one can see him, but he is still there. If he puts on clothes his family can see the outline of his body, but he has no face and no hands. Naturally all the questions begin - why did this happen? How did this happen? How long will this last? What might happen if others especially the 'authorities' find out? Will Bobby have to live at home in his room for the rest of his life? 

In answer to the last question, Bobby is not prepared to stay home. So, after his parents head out to work, he puts on layers of clothes, a woolly scarf across his face and sunglasses and he heads to the library. No one even looks at him - this is Chicago, and it is a cold day. In the library Bobby takes off all his clothes hides them in a roof cavity in the boy's bathroom and then he sets off to explore this familiar and yet somehow now unfamiliar place. It is a lonely day for Bobby, but he makes a few discoveries about himself and about other people. As he leaves the building, with his clothes back on, he bumps into a young girl. Alicia is blind - not just vision impaired - she cannot see after a head injury. This pair seem like the perfect combination to be friends. Over the coming days Bobby tells Alicia he is invisible and together they set out to solve this mystery. 

This book is filled with science theories because Bobby's dad and Alicia's father are both scientists, but it is Bobby himself who pieces together the possible cause of his invisibility. There are complications - Bobby does have to move around the city naked, and it is cold. His parents are involved in a car accident and while they are okay both are kept in the hospital for a few days, so Bobby has to navigate his new life alone. The school and the welfare people demand to know why he is not at school. The explanations and the feisty reactions of Bobby's mum are sure to make you smile. And there is the complication of a new relationship. Alicia is still working through adjusting to her new reality and Bobby has very little experience talking to girls. I enjoyed watching the ups and downs, highs and lows, and communication mishaps of their bourgeoning relationship. 

Yes, this story is very far-fetched but it also has an internal logic that I found fascinating. This is a Young Adult book - mainly because the two main characters are high schoolers. This book was published in 2002 but I was pleased to see it is still in print. 

As always, Clements’s genius for developing credible plot lines (even from oddball premises) makes suspension of disbelief no problem. His characters, each one fundamentally decent ... are easy to like. A readable, thought-provoking tour de force, alive with stimulating ideas, hard choices, and young people discovering bright possibilities ahead. Kirkus star review

While technically I suppose you'd have to call this a science fiction novel, it is a perfect crossover book for readers who don't normally read that genre. This is a book about Bobby and what he discovers about himself, his family, and people in general. I think you'll enjoy this one. I know I did. YA Books Central

"Clements's story is full of life; it's poignant, funny, scary, and seemingly all too possible. The author successfully blends reality with fantasy in a tale that keeps his audience in suspense until the very end."--School Library Journal

The only problem with this book is that it is one that sort of defies a convincing description. I really enjoyed it-- the details are spot on, the explanations don't stretch credulity too far, and the reaction of the parents is one with which many students will identify ... Ms Yingling

I picked this book up at a recent charity book sale - mainly because I am a huge fan of Andrew Clements. This book is very different from his middle grade titles such as Frindle; The Janitor's Boy; The Jacket; The Landry News; and my own favourite Extra Credit. 

If you do need a book to read that is similar to Things not seen perhaps look for this one:

This book was the 1980 CBCA winner. Not long after I read this book I was standing in the queue for McDonald's in the city. I stood at the counter for a long time and was totally ignored by the server. It felt as though the invisibility I read about in Displaced Person had become my reality. I just checked my copy of Displaced Person and I find it interesting that this book has only 138 pages. Such a powerful story. Maurice Saxby said: "It is an extended image of alienation; the mental state when one feels a nobody; the black cloud, the wedge of ice that site close to the heart when one journeys alone. It is also a metaphysical examination of reality and unreality; a speculation ... of what lies beyond the realm of human understanding. It is a tight, tense and gripping story with a poignant and poetic ending."

The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera

This is a dystopian story that opens around the year 2150 and then the setting moves to the year 2600. Earth is in danger in 2150 and civilisation is disintegrating. It is now too late to save life on earth especially since a comet - Halley’s Comet -  is on a collision course to destroy everything. A unnamed group of officials decide to save a group of people and send them to a distant planet. These people will be 'reprogrammed' with the  hope to end all wars and unrest and make everyone equal. It will take many generations for these people to reach Sagan.  But as is always the pattern in a dystopian novel equality doesn’t mean everyone’s the same. Equality and a peaceful world sound great but the danger is in what people will do to make that happen. As a Goodreads reviewer says: "The book is political in that many, many science fiction stories are political. The book is essentially a dystopia set on a spaceship and another planet. Dystopias are almost always political because they show us power gone sour."

"You won't even know any time has passed when we're up there. ... This sleep will last three hundred and eighty years."

"One hundred and forty-six people ... is all it takes for humans to continue with enough genetic diversity ... "

Petra and her family are put into stasis pods. There are Monitors on each ship who keep it running but they won't make it to Sagan. 

"El Cognito's downloadable cognisance puts the organs and brain to sleep immediately. The gel preserves tissue indefinitely, removing senescent cells and waste. It not only provides nutrients and oxygen the body will need for such a long stay in stasis, but lidocaine in the gel numbs never endings making the gel's colder temperature comfortable upon awakening."

Over the hundreds of years in this 'frozen' state the brains are filled with information to aid survival on the new planet and old memories are supposed to be purged but Petra keeps her memories of Earth and more importantly she keeps her memories of the stories - she indeed the last storyteller - the last cuentista.  Her stories will save her life and the life of the four other surviving children. 

Sagan feels like the garden of Eden but the climate is strange with hours of dangerous winds and the possibility of dangerous animals and plants but life on this planet will be so much better then living under the control of the Monitors and paying subservience to The Collective. 

Read this School Library Journal review by Betsy Bird and this one on Charlotte's Library blog. I agree with her comment: It is not a comfortable read. It is a powerful, wrenching, disturbing one. I couldn't read it all in one sitting. I am wavering between three and four stars. 

Bookseller blurb: There lived a girl named Petra Pena, who wanted nothing more than to be a storyteller, like her abuelita. But Petra's world is ending. Earth will soon be destroyed by a comet, and only a few hundred scientists and their children - among them Petra and her family - have been chosen to journey to a new planet. They are the ones who must carry on the human race. Hundreds of years later, Petra wakes to this new planet - and the discovery that she is the only person who remembers Earth. A sinister Collective has taken over the ship during its journey, bent on erasing the sins of humanity's past. They have systematically purged the memories of all aboard - or purged them altogether. Petra alone now carries the stories of our past, and with them, any hope for our future. Can she make them live again?

Here is a very detailed set of teacher notes with questions for each chapter. 

This book has received so many award including the BIG one - the Newbery Medal.

• Winner of the John Newbery Medal 
• Winner of the Pura Belpré Award 
• Wall Street Journal’s Best of the Year 
• Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Best of the Year 
• Boston Globe’s Best of the Year 
• BookPage’s Best of the Year 
• Publishers Weekly’s Best of the Year 
• School Library Journal’s Best of the Year 
• Kirkus Reviews’ Best of the Year 
• Bank Street’s Best of the Year 
• Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best 
• New York Public Library Best of the Year 
• A Junior Library Guild Selection 
• Cybils Award Finalist 

I did find this book quite difficult to read because I am not a fan of interwoven folktales - I keep thinking I am supposed to make important connections between these stories and Petra's present awful reality. The two covers above are the US and UK editions. 

Here are some companion reads:

This book is very old and long out of print but it is such a powerful story. 

Forbidden Memories - this book is sadly long out of print

This is an Australian book and sadly it is also long out of print.

Here is another amazing Australian Science Fiction book - and yes it is out of print

The Future Trap

The Last Human

The Last Human by Lee Bacon

"Humans were unpredictable/illogical/ reckless/deceitful/dangerous. 

And now so was I. Because of Emma."

XR-935 is a robot with an assigned task as a solar installation bot He completes his work each day along side two other robots SkD, who communicates using emojis, and Ceeron, a huge robot with a backpack. 

"My schedule never changed. I woke at at the exact same time every morning. After eighteen hours of work, my batteries drained from a long day of installing solar panels, I returned home. I plugged myself into the charging dock. I went into sleep mode. The next morning I did it all over again. And again. And again. For twelve years, four months, one week, and three days, this was my routine. Until my steady, predictable life was shattered by the paradox."

The paradox is a young girl called Emma. For thirty years robots have ruled the world and humans have been elminated, exterminated, massacred. But somehow Emma has survived and our three robot heroes discover other humans have too. They are living in underground bunkers but now it seems everyone is dead or dying from a serious disease. Emma seems to be the only survivor. Her parents have given her a map and she has set off to travel over 40 kilometres to possibly safety. Luckily XR_935 and his two 'friends' are keen to help but they are breaking every rule of their society. Unluckily the robot President has detected them and he has sent out his huge HunterBots to capture this illegal lifeform.

Here are some text quotes to give you a flavour of this book:

"My operating system shivered with an unfamiliar buzz. I had never kept a secret before. This was my first. It would not be my last."

"Sometimes, the human brain was as mysterious as a falling leaf."

"Robots have only been in charge for a few decades. We have done our best to overcome nature. We cleared the land, paved pathways with smooth cement, installed shelters to protect ourselves from the weather. But now, far from our familiar surroundings, I was suddenly aware of just how treacherous the world can be."

"I could measure the sugar and acidity of an apple, chart the size and firmness. But I would never know what it was like to sink my teeth into brand-new food, to feel completely a unexpected taste explode in my mouth. Maybe eating was not a flaw after all."

The Last Human (2019) has been on my "to read/to buy" list for a couple of years so I was delight to see it at a recent charity book fair for just $2. I sat down yesterday to read a chapter or two and then found myself running late for an appointment because I need to devour the whole book! Devour!! I haven't been in a reading slump but it has been a while since a book grabbed me so strongly that I just had to read and read and read right to the end. I highly recommend this book, which has binary numbers as chapter headings for added interest, for readers aged 10+. I hope I have not made this book sound too serious - there are plenty of human jokes which puzzle XR-935 and I really enjoyed trying to interpret the emoji communication by SkD. And of course there are issues such as food for Emma and power for the three robots which add a delicious layer of story tension. There is political layer in this book too, where we read how The President manipulates selected information which he broadcasts to his robot subjects. This is a terrific example of propaganda. 

If you follow my blog you have probably formed a picture of my book taste and you might know I love dystopian fiction and robots (and other themes too).  The Last Human combines a dystopian world and three fabulous robot main characters alongside a young girl who might quite possibly been the last human. 

Publisher blurb: Humans went extinct thirty years ago. Now the world is ruled by machines. And twelve-year-old robot XR_935 is just fine with that. Without humans around, there is no war, no pollution, no crime. Every member of society has a purpose. Everything runs smoothly and efficiently. Until the day XR discovers something impossible. Until the day XR discovers a twelve-year-old human.

Here is a review with more plot details. Listen to an audio sample. 

I have talked about lots of robot books here on this blog. I would pair The Last Human with these: 

The Wild Robot

Troofriend

The Callers by Kiah Thomas

"Everything I have ever known is a lie,' said Quin, finally admitting out loud the truth that had been building inside him since he'd arrived."

"His heart beat faster as they neared the field from earlier, and he quickened his pace. On one level he understood that his being Vine-touched was an impossibility, but on the other hand he seemed to have grown a plant simply by touching it."

I am going to begin here by restating the labels I have listed for this book - Science Fiction; Dystopian World; Control; Politics; Betrayal; Corruption; Thieves; Other Worlds; Consumerism; Exploitation.  Are you beginning to get a sense of this story. Some reviewers and book sellers list this book as a fantasy but I think Science Fiction is a better choice of genre. 

In the world of Quintus Octavius, a place called Elipsom, very special people have the gift of calling. If they want something they can "call" it into existence.  There are rules about this but everything they have comes from calling. In this society there are people who do not agree with this way of life. These people live as outcasts in the Spurges. Quin has read a little about this place because one day his friend Milo just disappeared from school. Quin now knows people who "move to the Spurges and willingly live a life without Called Provisions" have all their data removed from the Council's system. They give up access to the food supply and central medical services.

So we have a stratified society but there is another layer to discover. On the other side of this planet is a place called Evantra. This is the place where things actually "come" from and the people who live there are almost like slaves under control of Callers from Elipsom. 

Quin finds himself in Evantra and he discovers the truth but why is he so special? What can one young boy do to right this dreadful wrong? 

I read this book in one sitting - it is the perfect page turner. I absolutely guarantee you will be sitting on the edge of your seat and when the action takes a huge twist in Chapter 16 you will be gasping for breath hoping everything will be okay for Quin and Allie. (I confess I actually had to take a quick look at the last page just to reassure myself ... well I won't spoil the ending).

As a bonus Kiah Thomas (this is her debut novel) gives all her characters creative names which perfectly match the Science Fiction focus of this story. In Elipson we have Davina - Quin's sister; Adriana Octavius - Quins mother and Chief Councillor. Milo Valerious and his mother Cecelia live away from Elipson in the Spurges. And in Evantra we meet Allie; Marcus; and Demetrius. I am also very keen to see a rhinodrite but you will need to read The Callers to discover what they are.

The action will keep readers avidly turning pages ... Kirkus

This book will be published in May, 2022.  Thanks to Beachside Bookshop for my advance reader copy. The ending hints at a possible sequel but I actually don't need this - it is just fun to imagine the new and much better future that awaits Quin and Allie. I have included the UK and US covers at the top of this post. Which one do you prefer?

This book reminded me a little of the Edsel Grizzler series by James Roy.  

People who enjoyed The Giver by Lois Lowry will want to read The Callers and you could also look for this older book by Monica Hughes:

And this book could also be linked with:

And if topics like control, stratified societies and dystopian worlds interest you try to find:

Where the River runs Gold

Cave Paintings by Jairo Buitrago illustrated by Rafael Yockteng translated by Elisa Amado

As this book begins we meet a young boy waiting at a space station somewhere in the universe. He is heading away for a holiday with his grandmother which means he needs to travel, as he has in the past, to the farthest planet. We are not told the name of his home planet but it is clear his grandmother lives on our planet Earth. It is also clear this story is set far into the future as we see other aliens embarking and then disembarking from the amazing space craft. The airline attendants are sure to amaze you.

The boy and his grandmother climb into a bubble shaped craft and they head off across different landscapes before arriving at a cave. This is what they see:

Lascaux is famous for its Palaeolithic cave paintings, found in a complex of caves in the Dordogne region of southwestern France, because of their exceptional quality, size, sophistication and antiquity. Estimated to be up to 20,000 years old, the paintings consist primarily of 

large animals, once native to the region.

At the end of his holiday his grandmother gives the boy a set of  pencils. Your young reading companion is sure to be puzzled or curious about why this boy is not familiar with a simple set of familiar objects but these are ancient artefacts which once belonged to his ancestors. On the way home he uses the pencils and a note book from his grandmother to draw the view out of his window and his memories of his recent holiday. He is using art to interpret his world just as the cave painters did in ancient times.

A work at once both limitless and grounded, the imaginative illustrations will be especially appealing to lovers of science fiction and fantasy. School Library Journal

An ode to the endless possibilities of art, a celebration of open borders, and a reverence for the contributions of our collective ancestors. Horn Book

Celebrated collaborators deliver another thoughtful delight, revealing how “making marks” links us across time and space. Kirkus

Here is the publisher blurb "Our hero travels all alone on a spaceship, through the universe, past galaxies, comets and planets to go visit his grandmother on Earth for the summer holidays. She takes him to visit an ancient cave, where he discovers handprints and drawings of unknown animals made by human beings, just like him. To top off his wonderful holiday she gives him mysterious objects which once belonged to his grandfather — paper and crayons. On the way home he draws what he saw on his travels — to the amazement of his fellow passengers. Jairo Buitrago’s thought-provoking story reminds us of what remains as everything changes. Rafael Yockteng’s fabulous art, a tribute to Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, presents us a wonderful, diverse future in which space travel is common, though knowledge of the past is still a secret treasure to be discovered."

The original title of this book is Pinturas rupestres. 

I loved all the quirky aliens in this book and the wonderful space travel vehicles. This book could be a good way to introduce Science Fiction to a young reader. 

I first discovered Rafael Yockteng through the IBBY Honour book display which was hosted here in NSW by Lost in Books. I was immediately drawn to his book Two White Rabbits. I cannot read Spanish but the illustrations told a powerful story. Later I discovered this book has been translated into English. 

When I was researching International Illustrators for an IBBY Australia presentation I sought out Rafael's work again and saw Cave Painting.  Luckily for me, boy oh boy I am so lucky, my friend from Kinderbookswitheverything has purchased this for her school library and so I can now read this quirky and very intriguing book.

Book Week is now behind us. This year the CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) selected the slogan Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds. As often happens, after the event I always find things that fit the theme - either display materials in $2 shops or in this case the perfect book. Cave Painting beautifully encapsulates Old Worlds (cave paintings), New Worlds (Space travel) and Other Worlds (aliens and other planets).

Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds - Science Fiction

 

Science Fiction  Definition (Read Write Think):

Science fiction is a genre of fiction in which the stories often tell about science and technology of the future. It is important to note that science fiction has a relationship with the principles of science—these stories involve partially true partially fictitious laws or theories of science. It should not be completely unbelievable, because it then ventures into the genre fantasy. The plot creates situations different from those of both the present day and the known past. Science fiction texts also include a human element, explaining what effect new discoveries, happenings and scientific developments will have on us in the future. Science fiction texts are often set in the future, in space, on a different world, or in a different universe or dimension. 

I vividly remember the first children's Science Fiction book I read (as an adult). It was Trillions by Nichols Fisk. I was working with a young reading student. For my teaching degree we had to work with a child for several months with the goal of increasing their reading score. I didn't think too much about the score but rather I wanted this young boy to fall in love with reading so I hunted out as many Science Fiction (his passion) books beginning with really simple titles and eventually introducing longer and more complex books. Of course his reading score went up!

In this post I plan to share some Science Fiction books. These might be a way to explore two of the phrases from the CBCA slogan for 2021 - NEW WORLDS and OTHER WORLDS. I have not included books about robots - I might talk about them in a future post. I have only included books I have actually read. You are sure to other favourites in your own library or personal collection. Please share them in the comments. 

Picture Books

Q Pootle 5 by Nick Butterworth

Senior Primary novels

If you have older students (Grade 5 or 6) who are keen on or would like to dip into Science Fiction here are a few titles I previously enjoyed (Note some will now be out of print but they might be in a school library possibly with a different cover). I have not included dystopia titles such as the Shadow Children series by Margaret Peterson Haddix or books by our own Australian writer Bren McDibble.

The Future Trap by Catherine Jinks

Voyage to Verdada by James Roy

The Unexplainable disappearance of Mars Patel by Sheela Chari

Funny Books

Books like The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams show us that Science Fiction can be fun. Here are some titles for your junior students:

Halfway across the Galaxy and Turn Left