Children of the Quicksands by Efua Traore

Publisher blurb: City girl Simi is sent to stay with her long-lost grandmother in a remote Nigerian village. There’s no TV, internet or phone. Not a single human-made sound can be heard at night, just the noise of birds and animals rustling in the dark forest outside. Her witchlike grandmother dispenses advice and herbal medicine to the village, but she’s tight lipped about their family history. Something must have happened, but what? Determined to find out, Simi disobeys her grandmother and goes exploring. Caught in the sinking red quicksand of a forbidden lake, her fantastical journey begins …

There are only a few main characters in this book but I did keep getting lost and so I wish a list of human and non-human (gods) had been included. The ending is a little abrupt and for me, confusing. I didn't understand why the children were suffering on the other side of the lake and also I still don't really know why hundreds of them were taken there over the years. I also should have made more use of the help glossary which is included at the beginning of the book.

Readers aged 10+ with plenty of reading stamina who enjoy stories set in different cultures and stories with elements of magical realism and danger may enjoy this story. 

Curious readers might dig deeper into Nigerian folklore:

• The Myths of the Yoruba: Deities and Legends from Nigeria
• The Ultimate Guide to Yoruba Mythology: Orishas, Legends & Spiritual Traditions
• Mythopedia (background reading for teachers)

The taking of the children from the village might also make you think of the famous poem about the Pied Piper. 

Children of the quicksand was a debut novel for Efua Traore - she won the Times/Chicken House competition which then led to the publication of her book. You can see her other books here. I do enjoy books published by Chicken House. On their page you can read an extract from this book. Here is a review from the journal Africa Access. 

This is a beautiful story with an evocative setting. The reader is drawn to the rich sights, sounds and smells of the remote setting with its mysteries woven into a story dealing with separation, grief and loss. It is Simi’s personal story, yet the history that she uncovers is also deeply powerful and moving: the story of a family dealing with loss in their own individual ways. It is her grandmother, Iyanla, whose secrets we want to uncover and, when we do, it is via a tale steeped in Yoruba folklore and magic. Books for Topics

Here is an alternate cover:

Read the Kirkus review

Bookseller blurb: A richly imagined magical adventure set in West Africa by a prize-winning new voice in children's writing, Children of the Quicksands introduces readers to Yoruba myths and legends while showcasing the wealth of culture, traditions, adventure, joy, pride, and love found in Nigeria. Both modern and fantastical, extraordinary debut talent Efua Traore takes us to the village of a modern day Ajao and the strange parallel world that lies beneath. In a remote Nigerian village, thirteen-year-old Simi is desperate to uncover a family secret. Ajao is nothing like Lagos--no cells phones, no running water or electricity. Not a single human-made sound can be heard at night, just the noise of birds and animals rustling in the dark forest outside. Her witchlike grandmother dispenses advice and herbal medicine to the village, but she's tight lipped about their family history. Something must have happened, but what? Determined to find out, Simi disobeys her grandmother and goes exploring only to find herself sinking in the red quicksand of a forbidden lake and into the strange parallel world that lies beneath. It must have been a dream...right? Wrong. Something isn't right. Children are disappearing and it's up to Simi to discover the truth.

Birdie by JP Rose

"Slowly she opened one eye. She peered in the flickering light and gasped. Then she rubbed her eyes as quickly as she could with her sleeve, in case she was seeing imaginary things. She blinked and blinked again, but this time there was no mistaking it. There, right in front of her was a pony. A pony, just standing there!"

Birdie is an orphan living in an orphanage. She was left on the doorstep of a church with a note containing her name - Birdie Bagshaw and a bunch of turnips. Unlike nearly every other orphanage story I have ever read Birdie is happy and she is given care and love and even good food keeping in mind that it is just after the war and so food is scarce.

Then a distant relative locates her, and she is sent away from the orphanage in Leeds to a small mining village to live with her great aunt and uncle - people she has never met.

Right from the beginning Birdie is taunted and treated cruelly for being different. You may have guessed why if you look closely at the cover of this book. She runs away from school on the first day and finds herself under the ground in a coal mine that is due to be closed down. That is where she finds the pony. Her uncle later explains:

"I wanted to explain to't lass how brave they are. They're unsung heroes. Folk forget that without them, coal industry would have come to a standstill. And them horse and ponies gave their all. Many a man I've known has been saved by a pony."

Birdie is so worried about the pony. 

"She'd wondered what he was doing: was he sleeping, eating? Was he just wandering around in the dark tunnels. Or worse still, was he lonely like she was? Was he dreaming of faraway fields, of the sweetness of cherry blossoms, of wildflowers up to his knees, moving in the wind. Because there'd be no sunshine for him, no crisp air. Down in the mine, down in the centre of the earth, there was no day or night, only an everlasting darkness."

I almost read this book in one sitting. It is a measure of how much the story absorbed me that I rushed home from a morning appointment in order to keep reading. There are some wonderful moments in the final pages of this book and the ending will melt your heart. This story is a personal one for the author who was also a 'child of colour' living in Manchester in the 1970s. Like Birdie she was put into foster care and like Birdie she lived in a small mining village. There are also back notes about pit ponies, the history of coal mining in the UK and the special children's homes that took in children like Birdie:

"During World War Two, there were around two thousand babies born to white British women and African American soldiers, who'd been stationed in the UK ... Many of them were rejected by their families and society, not only for having a child 'out of wedlock', but for having a relationship with a person of colour."

Birdie will tug at the heart strings Books for Keeps

A superb historical adventure with a delightful heroine. ... Despite it’s often bleak setting, reading Birdie is like being wrapped in a warm blanket – warm, cost and entirely satisfying. Love Reading for Kids

Bookseller blurb: When Birdie is sent to live with her great-aunt in 1950s Yorkshire, she befriends the village's last remaining pit pony. A story of hope and courage, exploring themes of family, racism and identity. Birdie Bagshaw has never known her parents. Having grown up in a children's home for mixed race children in 1950s Leeds, now she has come to live with her great-aunt in the Yorkshire Dales. From her arrival, Birdie is treated like an outsider by the local children. When their bullying drives Birdie to hide in the nearby coal mine, she finds an unexpected rescuer in the form of Mr Duke, the last remaining pit pony in the village. As the weeks pass, Birdie forms a special bond with the spirited little pony. But his future is in danger, and Birdie comes up with a daring plan to save his life in return.

This BookTrust review has more plot details.

J.P. Rose was born in Manchester but was raised in Yorkshire after her adoption. Growing up she suffered extreme racism, though she continued to be proud of her diverse and rich Jamaican, Nigerian and Anglo-Irish heritage. She trained as an actress but eventually moved into writing, and she is now the author of numerous novels for adults. 

The Didakoi by Rumer Godden

 

Image source: Hastings Independent

Kizzy is a Diddakoi - half gypsy half Irish. She lives with her grandmother in a gypsy caravan and with her beautiful old horse Joe. The gypsy camp is on some land owned by Admiral Sir Archibald Cunningham Twiss. 

"He had put aside the orchard for the travellers and laid on water, a tap and a trough for them, though the village did not approve."

Kizzy does not go to school but then one of the 'do-gooders' in the town tells the authorities and so she is forced to attend. On the first day the girls taunt her about her secondhand clothes so that night she destroys them and from then on turns up at school in her own ragged clothes and boots. Kizzy's grandmother is very old and sadly one day she dies while Kizzy is at school. After the funeral poor Kizzy has to endure the burning of their caravan (a gypsy tradition) - her only home and the one place she has felt safe is now gone. Kizzy tries to run away but she becomes very unwell. Admiral Twiss takes her home and he and his two male servants - Peters and Nat - nurse her back to health but the town will not allow her to stay in the big house. The matter goes to court and it feels for a moment that Kizzy will be sent to a children's home but at the last minute a new single lady who has moved into a local cottage offers to care for Kizzy. 

Olivia Brooke is a woman of enormous good-sense and kindness. She does not chide Kizzy or punish her. Instead she is patient while Kizzy adjusts to her new life and copes with her grief. But school is still torture. The gang of girls attack her so viciously on the way home each day - they trip her, the tie her ankles with a rope, and the ram her into a tree. It is a dreadful scene but luckily Miss Brooke is there and she finds exactly the right way to stop this and make sure all the girls feel enormous remorse.

"They gang up on a particular child ... if one clamps down as Mrs Blount did, it goes underground and it's worse for the victim. How can it be dealt with?' ... 'For a moment they thought they had killed Kizzy. They won't forget that ... it's a children's war. Let the children settle it."

Kizzy spends a few days at home and then she makes a plan to run away. She simply cannot go back to that school. She will take her horse Joe and a few supplies and ride off but on the day she plans to do this she is taken to the big house and told her horse has died. 

There were two points while I was reading this book that I just had to stop and walk away. That scene I mentioned where Kizzy is badly bullied by a large group of girls in her school. And later when the girls come to visit and she accidentally pours petrol on a fire which I was sure would end in disaster.

There are also some absolutely heartwarming moments in this story - such as when Miss Brooke and the Admiral set up Kizzy's room with furniture from the big house; when the Admiral makes Kizzy a small replica caravan; and near the end when she is gifted a beautiful dress that matches exactly the one in the portrait of the young Kezia Cunningham - the admiral's grandmother. Miss Brooks also makes delicious food, and she is happy to eat outside near a fire with Kizzy in the same way Kizzy did this with her grandmother. 

Here are a few text quotes to give you a flavour of this classic book which was first published in 1972.

"Mrs Blount had touched a sore spot; in Kizzy's family, as in some gypsy clans, a child is given three names: a secret one whispered by its mother the moment it is born and, when it is grown, whispered again into the child's ear; a private or 'wagon' name which is used only by its own people, and a third open name by which it is known to the world. Kizzy seemed only to have one, but that was because she was what they called her, a 'diddakoi', not all gypsy."

Kizzy does not know the date of her birthday. 

"There was another side to birthdays Mrs Blount did now know; the girls got you by your arms and legs and bumped you on the asphalt playground, once for every year, and they pulled your hair for the number of them with extra tugs 'to make your hair grow' and 'for luck'. ... but they did not like to touch her dirty boots so they tugged her hair instead, handfuls of her mop of dark curls. Kizzy had red patches on her scalp every day now and they ached at night."

The Didakoi won the Whitbread Award in 1972. Other winners that may be familiar to you were: The Battle of Bubble and Squeak by Philippa Pearce, The Witches by Roald Dahl, The Great Elephant Chase by Gillian Cross, Skellig by David Almond, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling, The Explorer by Katherine Rundell, Voyage of the Sparrowhawk by Natasha Farrant, The Skylarks War by Hilary McKay.

The Costa Book Award for Children's Book, formerly known as the Whitbread Award (1971–2005), was an annual literary award for children's books, part of the Costa Book Awards, which were discontinued in 2022, the 2021 awards being the last made. In 1976 the BBC made a television series based on this book and in 2002 it was released again with a new title and cover:

Just so you don't get confused I discovered that in1940 Rumer Godden wrote a novel for adults with the title Gypsy Gypsy. She wrote over twenty novels for adults and twenty-five books for children.

The Diddakoi made me think about The Present Takers by Aidan Chambers which contains terrible and vicious bullying. The Present Takers upset me so much it is not a book I could easily ever re-read. I am so glad I discovered The Didakoi and I especially loved the fairy-tale ending and touches of a love story but Kirkus roundly condemn it and so does this reviewer. 

I picked up The Diddakoi at a recent charity book sale. To my eye this book has stood the test of time and it is still available. I guess you need to make your own judgement about its appropriateness. As a child I loved books by Rumer Godden (1907-1998) and more recently I also enjoyed The Story of Holly and Ivy. 

The Fairy Doll

Two Sparrowhawk's in a Lonely Sky by Rebecca Lim

"Yun thought how physically strong Fu was, how practical and dependable, steady as an ox. 

Pei was fast, meanwhile, and asked inconvenient questions ... She was a small, angry, 

quick-thinking girl in a village that valued none of those things."

"Life was hard. And so unfair. For those without money or consequence, it was a game of chance, not of skill. But the children already knew that, even if they had no words for that knowledge."

"I don't want to be angry, if being angry is a bad thing ... but if I'm not angry, nothing changes. I don't want to be one of those people ... that things are done to. Life seems like a test people like us can never pass because we never know what the rules are, and there are always rules. 

I want to know the rules. I want to write the rules."

This story is told in three parts. We meet Pei, Fu and their mother living in a village in China 1951-1958. The family are poor and under the rule of the local landowner but they are happy. Pei and Fu's mother and father are well educated people - different from others in their village. Then two life changing events occur - their father disappears and the feudal system is overturned by communism. Now neighbor is pitted against neighbor, the state demand more and more of their produce and they take away their farm animals and tools. Everyone suffers but they are all powerless. 

In part two, after their mother finally succumbs to starvation, the two children set off on a journey to find their father. They have a tiny collection of documents, letters, a menu and one very precious photo. They also have treasures sewn into their worn jackets. Their mother has told them never to part with their jackets and to only use the precious hidden things in an extreme circumstance. These land-based kids have never seen the sea let alone traveled across the vast ocean to an unknown destination in search of one man who they have been told can help them. Hong Kong is huge, confusing and loud and it seems completely impossible that Pei and Fu could ever meet the man who once knew their father and who they have been told can help them reach Australia. 

Finally in part three, the two bedraggled children have been able to secure passage on a ship traveling to the land at the bottom of the world and again, luckily, Pei makes a friend. This time it is a wise, kind young Jewish woman. It is a special moment in the story when Miss Ewa offers to teach Pei English.

The cover (by Hana Kinoshita Thomson) and title of this book are such interesting choices. This book is set in China in the 1950s but the cover (to my eye) does not have an Asian or even an historical feel. But I am most curious about the title. I've done a very tiny amount of reading about the Chinese Sparrowhawk bird. Their migration route does not take them to Hong Kong or Australia which are the destinations of Pei and Fu. The lonely sky makes more sense when you think about their long journey first in the sampan and later in the ship across the ocean under an enormous and lonely sky. Also, the way language barriers, loss and separation from loved ones means the children are desperately lonely. On page 74 of the novel their mother says:

‘My two sparrowhawks, my two fierce, bright young birds, carrying a piece of us with you wherever you go.’ 

Post update! I asked a question about the title on Instagram and Rebecca Lim replied. I was so excited to read her reply. And if I can boast she also thanked me for my 'absorbing and heartfelt' review!!!:

"I have just done an interview with ABC Nightlife where I talk about the title. Chinese Sparrowhawks are native to Southern China and they are common, tough and hardy. I wanted to set something tiny and local to a specific area against the fearsomeness and vastness of the wider world/sky - would such a creature survive."

There is nothing like a well-written, emotionally engaging historical novel to give young readers an understanding about life in a previous time and place. This wonderful story exposes the reality of life under Mao Tse-Tung’s Great Leap Forward, which resulted in the deaths of millions of Chinese, and the institutional racism of the White Australia Policy during the 1950s. Reading Time

The depth of research, emotion and strong characterization (especially of Pei) comes from the personal nature of this story - Rebecca Lim says "I'm trying to set the record a little straighter for my kids, their friends and the people we know, bringing all of us, not just the usual suspects, into the canon of stories that are worthy of telling."

Publisher blurb: Thirteen-year-old Fu, his younger sister, Pei, and their mother live in a small rural community in Southern China that is already enduring harsh conditions when it is collectivised as part of Mao Zedong's Great Leap Forward campaign that ultimately led to economic disaster, widespread famine and millions of deaths. After tragedy strikes, and threatened with separation, Fu and Pei set out on a perilous journey across countries and oceans to find their father, who left for Australia almost a decade ago. With nothing to guide them but a photograph and some documents in a language they cannot read, they must draw on all their courage and tenacity just to survive - and perhaps forge a better life for themselves. An unforgettable story of family, resilience and the complex Asian-Australian experience from the esteemed author of Tiger Daughter, winner of the CBCA Book of the year for Older Readers.

Here are some text quotes which will give you a flavour of this absorbing book. I didn't lift my head over the last couple of days because I needed to make sure Pei and Fu were safe. I was very tempted to skip to the end just to reassure myself but I resisted. There were so many times when I worried that truly terrible things would happen to these young children. Thank goodness for the kindness of strangers. 

I also enjoyed the way Rebecca Lim wove the history of The Great Leap Forward (1958–1961) in China and the philosophy of Mao; Refugee and Immigration Policies in China and Australia (The White Australia policy); and early in the story the feudal system in Chinese villages contrasted with the 'new' collective regime. She also touches on child marriage and the powerlessness of women. 

"Should we take it all back, good peasants? ... Should we start the agrarian revolution in your own feudal pocket of Southern China?" "Will you apologise to the proletariat who have suffered under your reign like beasts of burden?"

"It was a great tragedy, they all agreed, that the chieftain had to forgo his life for the greater good. But things like class struggle and socialist transformation and revolution had nothing to do with them .... no one will ever go hungry again. But that was not really true."

"All private land holdings, draught animals and tools within this village are now contributed to a single co-operative, for the common good. ... The State now owns all means of production and all means of livelihood."

"The Liang family had no draught animals, so Yun always transported the remains of their harvest divided into two baskets hanging from each end of a long guava-wood pole, balanced across her thin shoulders, staggering under the weight. It was a one-hour trip each way. ... Cutting the hard rice and sorghum stalks in the pelting rain had grazed Pei's fingers and palms, and they stung now with a myriad of tiny cuts, and the cold."

"The people of Long Jing Cun had never seen a female cadre with a rifle in the village before ... Pei's eyes widened. It suddenly occurred to her that this woman was not a famer. Pei had never seen a woman who was not a farmer but rather something else - could you even be something else?"

Descriptions: "Then one day, Ru went out to teach - wearing his old navy officer's cap and threadbare, loose-fitting navy suit, all trace of his former officer status stripped from the shoulders and collar, and his cracked leather shoes that let the water in on rainy days ... And he never came home again."

Notice some of the words used here - threadbare, loose-fitting, cracked leather.

"Yun covered Pei's eyes so quickly that her work hardened hands - nails cracked with dirt and clay - scratched the soft skin of her daughter's face like claws."

Notice the words here too - work-hardened, cracked, soft skin, claws.

"Like her children, she was slender to the point of emaciation, and her eyes were ringed with dark circles. She looked much older than her years."

In this interview for ABC Radio National Rebecca talks about her book. I do wish the interview had asked about the title!  Here is a link to the teachers notes written by Rebecca Lim available on the publisher site (Allen and Unwin) and also via Pegi Williams. Here is a review with plot details from The Book Muse. 

This exciting and immediately engaging story is rich in memorable characters, full of tension, moments of tenderness and high emotion, with a deep, challenging core questioning our beliefs and prejudices. StoryLinks

I am going to predict we will see this book listed as a Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Notable title and short-listed book for 2024 - possibly in Younger Readers but I think Older Readers might be a better fit. I would highly recommend this book for mature readers aged 11+ - I won't spoil the end but even though many things are resolved for Pei and Fu the ending is also open for readers to imagine a new future for these two children arriving in a new land.

The very best books to pair with this would be these two picture books but there are lots of other suggestions in the teacher notes.

Sparrow Girl

Link this to the line in the book - "He is a leech. 

He is a pestilence far worse than sparrows, than locusts." Page 25 Two Sparrowhawk's in a Lonely Sky

"All mosquitoes, rats, flies and sparrows are to be exterminated. Sparrows and rats eat grain! Flies and mosquitoes cause pestilence. ... Take your pots and pans into the fields and clash them loudly 

while the sun shines. Drive the pests away." Page 84 wo Sparrowhawk's in a Lonely Sky

Make sure you also read Tiger Daughter. 

The Wrath of the Woolington Wyrm by Karen Foxlee illustrated by Freda Chiu

Could there be any truth to the myth of the beast who lives in the ancient well? And if so, why would it return? 

What is a Wyrm? 

I did a little research and found these definitions:

• In European mythology, a wyrm  is often depicted as a snake of considerable size and somehow related to dragons.
• A huge limbless and wingless dragon or dragon-like creature.

Mary-Kate also does some research and discovers a picture of an Annelid. It looks very similar to the painting of the legendary worm that she has seen in the village library.  "Annelids are segmented worms. If their tail ends are cut off they can sometimes grow them back again." "An earthworm is a type of annelid. They can have five or more hearts. ... They leave behind trails of slime." "Earthworms don't have eyes, but they can sense light. They also feel vibrations."

Mary-Kate is a sensible girl. She has her strawberry scented notebook and glitter pens. She fills her bag with things that give her courage and help her to overcome her many anxieties. It is time to get the facts about this wyrm and then to formulate a theory about the mysterious happenings in this small village.  

Publisher blurb: Dressed in sparkly red shoes and carrying her strawberry-scented notebook, Mary-Kate is accompanying her archaeologist mother to the tranquil English countryside to investigate some interesting bones found in an old well. But once they arrive, they realise that the village of Woolington is not as peaceful as it seems. Mysterious noises, earth tremors and a terrifying legend have the locals frightened.

I especially appreciated the way Karen Foxlee gives her readers a strong sense of place - in this case a small English-style village. There is a map included at the beginning of the book. I do enjoy books with maps  It is also easy to like Mary-Kate because she is so honest about her fears and personal rituals.

"Mary-Kate Martin chose from her lucky items collection carefully. First, she chose the lucky silver packet that contained the last seven pieces of gum that her father left behind before he disappeared on Mount Snishapangma when she was five."

Then she adds - her novelty Big Ben torch; her lucky stress ball; and her international coin collection of 33 coins in a small glass jar. She puts on her red sparkly shoes. Her backpack is also red and sparkly so she has exactly the right amount of sparkle. Mary-Kate is somewhat of a catastrophist. 

"She'd worry that by not wearing matching clothes something would happen. Something terrible. Like a train crash. Or an avalanche. Or an avalanche onto a train travelling through a mountain tunnel."

Mary-Kate does not like brown pencils; beginnings and ending; facing backwards on trains; small talk in social situations; slime; or sudden changes. But she has uncovered a mystery and she has a new friend Arabella and she likes the eccentric village residents so now it's time to put aside some of her fears and try sort out the truth.

Each chapter begins with a extract from PK Mayberry's Guide to Monsters of the Northern Hemisphere:

"Truth is at the heart of every monster hunters' search."

"A monster hunters' greatest tool is knowledge."

"Monsters quite often do very surprising things."

This story had me guessing right to the end. I kept forming my own theories about the wyrm, most of which were proved to be completely incorrect. 

Huge thanks to Allen and Unwin for sending this review copy. The Wrath of the Woolington Wrym will be enjoyed by readers aged 9+. It would also be a good book to read aloud in a family. 

Foxlee has the ability to create a world which is easy to imagine, captivating the reader from beginning to end. Whether it be set in the real world, or one which has an element of fantasy, the reader is always taken on a ride. All her stories so far have a young female central character and The Wrath of the Woolington Wyrm is no exception.  GLAM Adelaide

This is the first book in a series entitled - Miss Mary-Kate Martin's Guide to Monsters. Book two is titled The Trouble with the Two-headed Hydra. There are just enough mysteries left over from book one that all readers will hope are solved in the second instalment - is Mary-Kate's father actually dead; what is her mother's real job and is this connected with monsters: and with just six pieces of gum left will Mary-Kate need to use another one for her next adventure. I do enjoy stories where objects, like the ones in her backpack, each have an important, but unpredictable, role in the story solution. Take a look at my discussion of My Father's Dragon for a great example of this. I do like the cover by Freda Chiu. This book has an old-fashioned feel a little like the Stella Montgomery series (book two) (book three) by Judith Rossell. 

I have talked about nearly all of Karen Foxlee's previous books:

Dragon Skin

Lenny's Book of Everything

Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy

A most Magical Girl

The Music of the Sea by Susanna Isern illustrated by Marta Chicote Translated by Jon Brokenbrow

 

"The ever-changing music of the sea was there to keep her company. Sometimes it reminded her of church bells and other times of a great ship sailing towards the village. Once she imagined a choir of children singing together, and even a great opera."

Publisher blurb from Cuento de Luz: After a terrible storm batters a little coastal village, only Daniel the fisherman and his daughter Marina decide to stay behind. Every night Daniel sneaks out of the house, as he prepares to give Marina a wonderful surprise. The incredible music of the sea starts to play, and it changes the course of their lives.  A story about the power of hope, and the universal language of music.

The Music of the Sea was originally published in Spanish with the title: La Música del mar. Here is the trailer. You can see art from this book here. Marta Chicote has her profile listed as Marta Chicote Juiz.  Susanna was inspired to write this story after seeing this marine organ in Croatia. 

Isern’s lyrical narrative waxes poetic about the sea, whales, and the contentment found in a life close to nature, and Chicote’s illustrations, with their dreamlike quality, enhance the narrative. Kirkus

I would pair this book with The Whales' Song by Dyan Sheldon illustrated by Gary Blythe and Storm whale by Sarah Brennan illustrated by Jane Tanner.

I have talked about other books by Susanna Isern in previous posts:

The Lonely Mailman

A Mystery in the Forest

The Magic Ball of Wool

The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman

Friday Old Favourite

The Midwife's Apprentice won the John Newbery Medal in 1996. Karen Cushman has a list of all the awards for The Midwife's Apprentice on her web site. You will also find a discussion guide. 

Publisher blurb: "On a frosty morning sometime early in the fourteenth century, in a village somewhere in England, a girl known only as Brat was sitting on a dung heap. 'You girl. Are you alive or dead?' When she opened her eyes, she saw an important-looking woman with a sharp glance and sharp nose and a wimple starched into sharp pleats. This woman was Jane the Midwife and she needed a helper."

I have a plan to read or re-read some favourite books which I read long ago. I spied The Midwife's Apprentice at a recent charity book sale for only $2. In just 121 pages Karen Cushman gives her readers a hugely memorable story with a character you really care about and a setting that is skillfully bought to life. I picked this book up from my huge "to read" pile yesterday and finished it in almost one sitting. I smiled through the whole story.

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

"Each morning Beetle (this is the name Alyce has near the start of the book) started the fire, blowing on the night's embers to encourage them to light the new day's scraps. She swept the cottage's dirt floor, sprinkled it with water, and stamped it to keep it hard packed. ... She dusted the shelves packed with jugs and flasks and leather bottles of dragon dung and mouse ears, frog liver and ashes of toad, snail jelly, borage leaves, nettle juice, and the powdered bark of the black alder tree."

"Alyce learned about the sometimes mighty distance between what one imagines and what is. She would not be bringing Edward back with her to make her heart content, but she knew she had not failed him, and she breathed a heavy sigh of sadness, disappointment, and relief."

Listen to the first chapters of this book as an audio sample. I highly recommend The Midwife's Apprentice for all readers aged 11+.  Click on these review comments to read more plot details:

In this powerful, often touching, sometimes humorous book, Karen Cushman once again takes her reader back in time. In this instance we visit to a medieval English village where life is hard, and where a homeless orphaned child has a very hard time finding a place she can call home. Looking Glass Review

It's a rouser for all times. Kirkus Star review

A couple of years ago I re-read The Ballad of Lucy Whipple also by Karen Cushman. This is another title to add to your own 'to read' list.

The most beautiful village in the world by Yutaka Kobayashi translated by Mariko Shii Gharbi

The village people of Paghman in Afghanistan grow beautiful produce - plums, pears, pistachios, and cherries. In summer after the harvest Yamo's father takes his sweet fruit to the market. Usually it is older brother Haroon who accompanies his father but this year Haroon is not here.

"There is a war in Yamo's country. And his brother is a soldier."

When Yamo, his father and Pompa the donkey arrive at the market they set up a stall. His father will sell the plums and he tells Yamo to walk around the town to sell the cherries.  Yamo has been practising his call "Cherries here! Sweet little suns! Cherries from Paghman!" At first no one seem interested but finally a little girl buys some and from then on the cherries sell quickly. When all of the cherries are sold. Yamo races back to tell his father. They enjoy a bite of lunch and then work hard to sell the rest of the plums. On the way home his father tells Yamo he has a surprise gift. It is a pure white lamb.

"It will be the first sheep his family has ever owned."

So far this sounds like a book you could share with a younger child aged 7+ but the words on the next page suggest this book is better suited to an older primary group:

"In the winter, the village was destroyed in the war. It no longer exists."

The most beautiful village in the world is the first book in a series of three - the series is called Yamo's Village. 

This unusual picture book gives child readers a glimpse into life in Afghanistan, specifically the village of Paghman. Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast

I suggest trying to find all three books. Here is the Kirkus Star review of Return to the most beautiful village in the world.

Yutaka Kobayashi from Japan is a "frequent visitor to the Islamic countries of Asia and the Middle East ... and the main themes of his words reflect these visits."  Dust jacket burb.

The most beautiful village in the world is a truly international book - Japanese author, set in Afghanistan, and the English edition is published in New York.

Here is the Japanese title:   せかいいちうつくしいぼくの村

Catching falling stars by Karen McCombie

Bombs are falling on London. Children have been evacuated but not Glory (Gloria) and her young brother Rich (Richard). A year ago their parents worked in the sweet factory in their neighbourhood but now it is 1940 and factory has been changed over to munitions. Mum now works in a parachute factory. Dad stayed with the factory and at night he works with the civil defence force. As this story opens The air raid siren sounds. Mum, Glory and Rich race to the Anderson shelter in their backyard. A bomb is dropped and their neighbour is killed. Glory and Rich are badly injured and so mum makes the heart wrenching decision to send the kids to stay with strangers in the country.

People in the village of Thorntree seem distant and unkind. Glory and Rich move in with Miss Saunders. Glory is sure this strangely distant lady does not want them to stay especially with Rich being such a nervous kid. Glory tries to understand the other kids in the village - Jess is another evacuee and so is a silent boy called Archie. Lawrence is the son of the farmer Mr Wills. Miss Saunders does not like Jess, Archie or Lawrence and she avoids Mr Wills. Glory needs to find out why? She also needs to re-examine her own reactions to the villagers. When she stops to listen to Jess, Archie and Lawrence she discovers they are not teasing her precious brother and they are not laughing at her behind her back. Making peace and acknowledging mistakes are important milestones for Glory.

"Please call me, Glory, Miss Saunders,' I say softly, words tumbling form my mouth before I can stop myself. Miss Saunders studies me carefully for an unnerving minute or two. 'Very well, Glory,' she says finally. 'But only if you will call me Auntie Sylvia."

Life in the country is especially good for little Rich. He overcomes some of his fears and is able to melt the heart of Miss Saunders. The war has changed everything for Glory and Rich and their arrival in the village precipitates a series of events which help undo the misunderstandings and hurts of the past. This is an emotional story especially the final chapter which is set in 2015 - seventy years after the end of WWII. It felt so good to learn what happened to Glory, Rich, Jess, Archie and Lawrence. Such is the power of this writing that I found myself really caring about these kids.

Read some reviews for more plot details:

Books For Keeps

The Bookbag

If you loved Goodnight Mr Tom; The War that saved my Life; and Vinnie's War you will most certainly want to add Catching falling stars to your "to read" list.

I had not heard of UK author Karen McCombie but she has written over ninety books. I certainly need to hunt out some of her middle grade titles.

The girl who stole an elephant by Nizrana Farook

Chaya is a thief but she is a thief with a purpose and a good heart. She does not take things for herself she simply wants to help the people in her village - Serendib (Sri Lanka). Her friend Vijay has been attacked by a crocodile. Money is urgently needed so his leg can be saved so Chaya has taken valuable jewels from the Queen's bedside table and now she is on the run.

She tries to hide the jewels in a box made by her friend Neel. The box has a hidden compartment and this seems like the perfect plan but on that same day a young girl called Nour has convinced her wealthy father to purchase this box.  Now Chaya needs to steal it back. She takes the box but finds it is empty. Noor has kept the jewels.

Now the three children are thrown together as they are chased through the jungle riding on the back of the King's elephant which Chaya has also stolen. Near the end of their action packed and thrilling journey they make an amazing discovery about their tyrant King and discover a way the people in their village can enjoy a life with freedom and dignity.

This story has a great pace and strong sense of place and justice.

With themes of morality, friendship, teamwork and loyalty,this book will have wide appeal to middle grade readers as it incorporates tension and jeopardy in an exciting coming-of-age adventure. Book Trust

There are brushes with death, but great camaraderie too and it all ends with a much-needed righting of wrongs. Great stuff! LoveReading4Kids

I spent the entire book focused on the plot and the action,almost subliminally assimilating the smells, sights and sounds of each of the different settings. Madge Reviews

You can read the first 16 pages of this novel on the Nosy Crow page.  On this same link you can hear an audio extract.

I would pair The girl who stole an elephant with Tua and the Elephant for a younger audience or Lizard's Tale for an older audience.

Santa Claus and the Woodcutter by Kathrin Siegenthaler illustrated by Marcus Pfister

Seeing the publisher name North South and the illustrator Marcus Pfister I was keen to explore this Christmas book.  Sadly this is another one of those treasures that is out of print but you might be lucky and find a copy in a library as I did. It was first published in 1987. The original German book had the title Wie Sankt Nikolaus einen Gehilfen fand. The English translation is by Elizabeth D Crawford.

The Woodcutter lives alone and isolated. He hears whispers behind his back when he goes into town to sell his wood so he rarely goes there. Of course he cannot avoid the visits all together because he need supplies. One day, as he enters the village, he sees everyone is busy with Christmas preparations. The Woodcutter had forgotten about Christmas but that evening, back in his little cottage he hears something.

"Suddenly he heard a soft tinkling of bells coming from the path through the woods. He ran to the window and, yes - it really was! Santa Claus was driving toward the village with his little donkey and heavily laden sleigh."

The Woodcutter opens his door and invites Santa to share a hot cup of tea.

As darkness falls Santa sets off again the the village but his sack is split. Santa does not realise the precious gifts are now spilling out onto the snow. Luckily the Woodcutter sees gifts littering the snow. He picks everything up and hurries after Santa. Santa arrives in the village and discovers all the gifts are gone. He sits down in the village in despair.

"Suddenly he saw a figure appear on the horizon, tiny at first, then larger and larger and more distinct. Who would want to be out and about so late in this deep snow? It was a man, carrying a gigantic sack on his back."

It is a joyful meeting but there is a bonus. Santa explains he needs a helper.  He asks the Woodcutter whose name is actually Rupert if he would like to help.

"Would Rupert like to! His eyes sparkled with joy."

Delivering the presents with Santa the village people see Rupert in a new light. They regret their past unkindness to this lonely man.

I would pair Santa Claus and the Woodcutter with The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey. As is always the way with this blog as I dig into details about the book I'm reading I make exciting discoveries. Kathrin Siegenthaler is the author of Hopper's Easter surprise also illustrated by Marcus Pfister.

Fir for luck by Barbara Harrison

This story switches between Strathnaver in 1814 and Ceannabeinne in 1841. While travelling in Scotland I chanced upon Fir for Luck. This is a story about the Highland Clearances and I found it was a good way to gain some understanding of these events. It is 1841and Janet is desperate to join the men and boys who will spend the day gathering thatch. This event is called Bent Day and girls are not allowed to be involved. What Janet does not know is that on this day a man will arrive with a writ.  Janet and the women know it is vital no one touch this writ - it is an eviction writ. The women bravely wrestle the messenger to the ground, they light a fire and force his hand and the writ into the fire.

"You'll regret this. Leave me be! He'll only send it again.' ... I grit my teeth as I pull his arm over the fire, clawing my nails into his skin so hard he yelps in pain. ... The writ fights the greedy flames; contorts and doges, but it is no use. The fire devours it. There is nothing left but ash."

This is, of course, only the beginning. Mr Anderson, the land owner, is determined to evict these people and claim the land for grazing sheep. The violence escalates and yet the people of the village really want a peaceful solution. This seems impossible. Janet observes the adults on both sides and bravely devises ways to thwart Mr Anderson and his accomplices.

The title refers to a small sprig of fir which Janet's Grandmother has requested. "Fir for luck, all the way from the woods of Strathmore. It's supposed to be wound into each new hearth chain."  Janet and her family, including her precious Granna will need to leave their village but perhaps the luck from this piece of fir is why this process will be delayed and not filled with violence and destruction as happened in Granna's childhood back in 1814.

Here is the author web site.

This is a pleasant read and children living in, visiting or interested in the Highland Clearances will no doubt gobble it up as the action just keeps on coming and new tensions built up; exactly what young people look for in a novel. The Wee Review

The Mulberry Tree by Allison Rushby

"It was more like her dad was balancing - balancing on top of a log, with his arms out, trying to keep steady. She had to hold his hand and help him to get to the other side. She knew from experience that the funny thing about balancing on logs was that most of the time you didn't even need that hand. It was enough to know it was there. Just in case."

Do naught wrong by the mulberry tree or she'll take your daughters - one, two, three

The Mulberry tree is indeed a mystery story but it also about healing and forgiveness. A small family are experiencing profound grief.  Immy's dad is a GP in Australia. He recently refused to allow an elderly man to renew his driving licence but this man, called Bob, drives on anyway and then, he is the cause of a terrible accident and a mother and baby are killed. Andrew (dad) is wracked with remorse, guilt and grief so the family of three have moved away - a long way away - to a small village in Cambridge in the hope this change can help them all heal.

After a morning spent looking at 'suitable' properties, Immy spots Lavender House. From the front it looks perfect:

"Her eyes were fixed upon a house of creamy white with the prettiest canary yellow door. Thatch coated the roof like a thick icing and the cherry on the top was a straw pigeon who strutted about on the roof as though he owned the place. The garden heaved with lavender ... "

Moving to the back garden things couldn't be more different:

"Everything was dark and drenched in shadow because of what lay to the left - a gigantic tree that loomed over the entire garden and the house itself. ... Halfway up, arm-like branches began to shoot out threateningly, dividing into stout, black fingers which poked and taunted the house cruelly. It was summer, yet the tree displayed no green. Not one leaf."

This is the mulberry tree of the title. Mystery and superstition abound. Two girls have disappeared. One, a girl called Bridget, in 1795, and the other, a girl called Elizabeth, on VE Day, 8th May, 1945. These disappearances or abductions happened on the eve of each girl's eleventh birthday. Adding to the mystery two knots appeared on the mulberry tree when the girls disappeared.  Immy will turn eleven in just a few days. Is it safe to live in this house in the shadow of this cursed tree?

It will take a determination and courage for Immy to discover the truth about the tree and about herself and these discoveries may help her father on his road to recovery. Her discoveries may even help the people in this village too.

I kept thinking I needed to know more about mulberry trees as I read this book. The tree takes on all the emotions that Immy is feeling but I wanted the family to care for the tree, to feed it, prune it, to ask an expert why it no longer bore fruit, to find out how long these trees live, does the mulberry need a partner tree to fertilize the flowers? Of course the tree itself is a metaphor but I did do some reading and discovered these mulberry tree facts:

• Mulberry trees can grow, if left alone, to 10 metres
• Mulberry trees grow in full sun
• There are four main varieties - Black English, Hick's Fancy, White Shahtoot and a variety that is  purely ornamental called the White Mulberry
• The fruit can be used in pies and preserves or just eaten straight from the tree but the fruit is fragile and the season is short so they are rarely grown commercially

I am excited to discover that this book was only released into shops 14 days ago! I will make a prediction that it will be one of the 2019 CBCA Notables and perhaps even reach the prestigious short list of six titles for our Australian award - Book of the Year Younger Readers. I think this is a book that will be enjoyed by older students who have a well developed level of emotional intelligence.

Here is a review with lots of plot details. You can also click the review quote below.  I think this book has a perfect cover by Rovina Cai. I do hope it is not changed for other markets in the US or UK. The story itself is certain to be enjoyed by readers beyond our Australian shores. Here is a link to Allison's web site.

On a personal note there was an old mulberry tree in my neighborhood but it was in a back garden. One day my friends and I decided to raid the tree for leaves because we were growing silkworms. It was clear that the home owners were absent so we crept up the side path and climbed the tree. Just as we started pulling off the leaves the family arrived home. I still tingle with the fear we all felt as we inched along high back yard fences, scrambling away, hoping not to be caught. We were safe but had dropped all those precious leaves. I wonder how we fed those poor little silkworms.

A strong, stubborn and compassionate protagonist, Immy takes charge of solving the mulberry mystery – as well as saving injured hedgehogs. As she rides the anxiety and angst that come with change and growing up, her innate empathy for others allows her to not only befriend kids in her class, but the lonely tree in her garden. The Reader The Booksellers New Zealand Blog by Rosalie Elliffe.