The Moon's Revenge by Joan Aiken illustrated by Alan Lee

Seppy is the seventh son of a seventh son. His father is a coach-maker and he expects Seppy will follow this trade but Seppy's first love is music - playing his small, hand made violin. One night Seppy decides to visit an old ruined house in his small seaport town. He has the idea to ask the voices people say can be heard from inside:

"How can I learn to be the best fiddler in the country?"

The reply is strange:

"Throw your shoe at the moon. ... Each night for seven nights, throw your shoe at the moon."

Seppy's family are poor but he does have six elder brothers and his mother has kept all their shoes. They are inside the grandfather clock. 

I love the shoes that Seppy takes down to the beach each night: "a pair of tiny, soft, kid-skin shoes that he had worn when he was one-year old"; a "small rabbit-skin boot"; "a red crocodile-skin slipper that a lord's wife had given his mother"; "a doe-skin boot that a travelling musician had gien his mother in exchange for a plate of stew"; "a shiny calf-skin shoe with a pewter buckle"; "a sheep-skin slipper"; and on the seventh night he threw up one of his hog-skin clogs.

Each time he leaves the remaining shoe on the sea wall. And when he looks up on the final night he sees that the moon is now dirtied all over. Seppy has angered the moon. 

"Yes! I have to give you a wish, you impertinent boy! But you have marked my face for ever, with your dirt shoes, and for that I shall punish you. You must go barefoot for seven years. And until the day when you put those shoes back in the clock, your sister will not speak. And you and all your family will be in great danger, but I shan't tell you what it's going to be. You can just wait and see."

But Seppy does have a sister - or does he?

Things to think about - what does it mean to be the seventh son of a seventh son, and what about the word revenge, and the power of that curse, how the shoes might be linked to this, how Seppy (he is a hero of the story after all) might save the day or save his family and help his beloved sister to speak. And in the end will he gain his heart's desire and become a famous musician?

Here are some illustrations from this book:

I stumbled on an Instagrammer who is posting her favourite picture books from the past. She shared The Mirrorstone by Michael Palin illustrated by Alan Lee a couple of weeks ago. This book was one of two from a series - the other being The Moon's Revenge. I checked my blog and was slightly shocked to discover I had never shared this book here. I have read this book to hundreds of Grade 2 and 3 children in my school library. It is a winner as a read aloud and a terrific way to talk about fantasy stories. I also discovered I did not own this book and so I ordered a copy from Better World Books in the US and one week later my copy arrived. The Moon's Revenge was published in 1987 and so is long out of print. 

The Mirrorstone

The Library of Ever by Zeno Alexander

“Do you swear to venture forth bravely and find the answer to any question, 

no matter the challenge?”

If you mashed together Alice in Wonderland and The Phantom Tollbooth you might come close to the plot of this book - such a wild ride. You will turn the pages so quickly as you read this book desperate to see if Lenora can survive all the mayhem.  

The only extra things I would have liked were a library map and perhaps a Dewey decimal chart showing all the library departments where Lenora was sent by the Chief Librarian Malachi. Lenora goes to the calendar room, the map room and the unknown room which actually has information about tardigrades, all the while she is being chased by the enemy who brings darkness. Along the way her status rises and she is awarded new badges. Lenora has to be very mindful of the library motto:

Knowledge is Light

Bookseller blurb: With her parents off traveling the globe, Lenora is bored, bored, bored until she discovers a secret doorway into the ultimate library. Maze like and reality-bending, the library contains all the universe's wisdom. Every book ever written, and every fact ever known, can be found within its walls. And Lenora becomes its newly appointed Fourth Assistant Apprentice Librarian. She rockets to the stars, travels to a future filled with robots, and faces down a dark nothingness that wants to destroy all knowledge. To save the library, Lenora will have to test her limits and uncover secrets hidden among its shelves.

In the chaos of this story there is also commentary on censorship, the role of libraries as providers of free information, the importance of curiosity, and of course the value of libraries as organised repositories of books, maps, charts, ephemera and so much more. Materials from everywhere and every time period.

"The Forces of Darkness wish to control people, and it is every knowledge that prevents them from doing so. ... They can only rule where there is ignorance, they can only create fear where the truth has been hidden, they can only gain power when the light has been snuffed out. Librarians are their greatest enemy, and we have fought them throughout time, and always will fight them as long as that light burns anywhere, no matter how weakly."

I may not have kept reading this book actually because it all became a little too silly for me but then I took a detour last night and glanced at the Kirkus review. Such is the power of their work that the star they gave The Library of Ever spurred me on to stick with this story although I am not so sure I need to read the sequel. I did enjoy Lenora's common sense, determination, perseverance, and her amazing general knowledge. She certainly adapted well to the roles of Assistant Apprentice Librarian and later Assistant Librarian. 

There are moments in this story that made me smile:

"The tardigrade snarled. 'As far as we tardigrades are concerned, Pluto is and always will be a planet. end of discussion. ...Lenora saw no reason to argue. She had always thought that Pluto seemed like a perfectly fine planet, whatever the adults might tell her. She took out her notebook. Pluto is, always will be, a planet. This she underlined firmly."

"I would like to know,' she said, 'how to find Wales.' 'You've found them,' said the whale. 'We are in fact, beluga whales.' 'Oh,' said Lenora. 'I mean Wales, the place, not whales, the mammal. 'Hmph' replied the whale ... And I suppose you think that just because I am a whale, a mammal, that I automatically know the location of Wales, the place?"

Not the first tale to be set in a universal library but unusually clever in the details and commendably accurate in its own way. Kirkus Star review

At its heart, The Library of Ever is a love letter to librarians and an ode to the importance of access to knowledge and information for everyone. The Winged Pen

Here is a fun interview with the author and the web page for Zeno Alexander. I picked up my copy of The Library of Ever at a recent charity book sale for $2. This book was published in 2019 but it is still available as is the sequel:

Bookseller blurb: Lenora returns to the magical Library—which holds every book ever known on its shelves. But she discovers the Library is under new management, its incredible rooms and corridors turned sinister and oppressive. Lenora quickly connects with a secret resistance that’s trying to free knowledge from the darkness threatening it. Her new friends introduce her to an ancient lost city, hang-gliding, and mathematical beings larger than the universe itself.

Companion books:

The 113th Assistant Librarian

Lost in a Book

The Lost History

Escape from Mr Lemoncello's Library

The Lost Library

The Phantom Tollbooth

A Place called Perfect by Helena Duggan

About halfway through this book I was sure I would give it five stars but then things became a little too tangled and complicated, so I have settled on four stars. This book is fast paced and so I read it all in one day. I would be very happy to recommend this book to readers aged 10+.

The premise that the whole town is controlled taking away the sight of every citizen and then providing them with special glasses that allow them to see, is intriguing. Yes, the glasses do work, the way people view the world through these lenses has been manipulated and so the people see perfection everywhere in the town of Perfect. And the glasses have another even more sinister function. They contain a device that robs everyone of their imagination. Imaginations are stored in glass jars after being collected late at the night. How did everyone become blind? It is all linked to some special tea which is provided to everyone, every day, several times each day. Even the children in school stop for regular 'tea' breaks. The tea is addictive and delicious because it tastes like your personal favourite flavour. 

There is an issue though with these glasses.  They only work when they are kept on your face. No one would be prepared to wear glasses in bed, so every night there is curfew which is designed to stop people hearing any sounds from the other side of the wall. This is where any people have been sent who haven't conformed to the regime imposed by Edward and George Archer. Why have they set up these schemes to manipulate the people in this town? Of course it is all about power and also we learn it is about jealousy. The people in No-Mans-Land are only allowed out at night and they are guarded by thugs called Watchers. They seem to have lost any urge to rebel. 

Violet becomes caught up in all of this because her father is a skilled ophthalmologist. She has moved with her father and mother to Perfect. Her mother very quickly changes into a 'perfect' person baking cakes and joining community events such as a the local book club but right from the start Violet is suspicious of the brothers, of the tea, and of this seemingly perfect town. 

Meanwhile (spoiler alert) the Archer brothers are working on making or growing eyes (you can see them on the cover). They have this very disturbing plan to operate and transplant these 'special' eyes into everyone. Luckily Violet meets Boy - he is an orphan who lives in No-Mans-Land and he is desperate to uncover the evil work by the Archers. It will take courage, teamwork, and determination to stop these evil men. You will be sitting on the edge of your seat because Helena Duggan makes her reader live through every terrifying situation. There were so many times when I was sure Violet and Boy would be captured and punished by the Archers. 

Publisher blurb (Usborne): Violet never wanted to move to Perfect. Who wants to live in a town where everyone has to wear glasses to stop them going blind? And who wants to be neat and tidy and perfectly behaved all the time? But Violet quickly discovers there's something weird going on in the town - she keeps hearing voices, her mam is acting strange and her dad has disappeared. When she meets Boy she realizes that her dad is not the only person to have vanished... and that the mysterious Watchers are guarding a perfectly creepy secret!

A place called Perfect was published in 2017. I picked up my copy for just AUS$3 at a charity book fair. 

This quirky, creepy mystery adventure story is an original debut that should intrigue 9+ readers who like their stories with an offbeat, uneasy atmosphere.  There are plenty of macabre details, particularly to do with eyes, and some fast-paced action but the plot does become rather over-complicated by the end and readers will need to concentrate.  This book provides plenty of dark humour amidst the action and some key messages about not following the crowd, being brave, looking beneath the surface and resisting controlling bullies.  Books for Keeps

I have now discovered there are three books in the series:

This book opens with a terrific map:

Helena Duggan is a children's author, graphic designer and illustrator from Kilkenny, a medieval town in Ireland, which was the inspiration for A Place Called Perfect. She writes in a treehouse built by her husband Robbie and his brother in the bottom of their garden.

Companion books:

Eventown

Masterminds

Simon Sort of Says

Oceanforged: The Wicked Ship by Amelia Mellor

"All the Champions had a few traits in common - such as determination, courage, adaptability, and a strong capacity for independent thinking."

Here are the first few sentences of this new book which will be part of a series:

On the vast ocean, inside the rotting ship, behind the locked door with the barred window, Cori was trying to escape again. Sunrise must have been a while away yet, because the Harridan’s hold was cooler than during the day, and utterly dark. The ship was quieter, too. Instead of her crewmates’ voices or footsteps, Cori heard only the timbers creaking, and the scuffling of rats, and the smelly bilge water sloshing below her.

I would read this to a group of students in Grade 4 or 5 and then pose some questions such as - what do we know about the setting from this scene? Is Cori safe? What might have happened to her? Now take a look at the cover of the book - does this aid your story predictions.

I learned a new word on the opening pages of this book - lazarette - A lazarette is a compartment found in the aft section of a boat or ship, often beneath the deck. It is primarily used for storage and can hold a variety of items, such as ropes, fenders, spare parts, tools, and other equipment necessary for the operation and maintenance of the vessel. On smaller boats, the lazarette may also house important mechanical components like steering gear, bilge pumps, or electrical systems. The term originates from the Italian word “lazzaretto,” which referred to a quarantine station for maritime travellers, but in a nautical context, it has come to describe this specific storage area.

With a group of students I would talk about how I did not bother to search out this word because I could guess from the context that it was under the ship and that Cori was being held as a prisoner.

This is a gripping story of danger and destiny. The opening scenes are fabulous because as a reader you have to work hard to "join the dots". Read the first chapter here.

Blurb from author page: The realm of Aquinta has fallen into a dark age. And no one knows that better than thirteen-year-old Cori, who is fighting for her life in a pirate crew more beastly than Aquinta's sea monsters. But Cori's life changes when she finds the Oceanforged Gauntlet - a piece of armour belonging to the legendary Champions who once ruled the islands. Whoever wears the armour wields the Champions' magic and has the power to return Aquinta to its lost glory. Cori must begin a treacherous journey to find the rest of the armour. But first, she'll have to escape from the brutal Captain Scrimshaw, who craves the gauntlet's magic for himself. 

There are five pieces of armour so I imagine each book in this series will focus on the retrieval of these Oceanforged artifices - sword; helmet; shin covers (Greaves); body covering (Hauberk); and gauntlet.

The structure of this series reminded me of these:

Quest for the Sun Gem

Book two from Oceanforged is due early in 2026:

Blurb: Guided by a mysterious message, Cori, Tarn and Jem sail north to meet the secretive Loyalists, who will help them on their quest for the Oceanforged Armour. Instead, the Loyalists warn of a looming disaster. Unless Cori can master all the powers of the Champions before it strikes, Aquinta will be doomed. The Loyalists believe that a piece of armour may be hidden in Mutemount. But sea monsters once lurked in those waters, and no one who has travelled near the silent island in the last century has ever returned.

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)

The Lost History by Melanie La'Brooy

"Penthea's name was given to her by the Regent and the Eslit ... Which makes it the only name she'll ever need ... Your kindness towards your lowly knot sister is to be commended, Princess, 

but I am certain no Lost History exists for Penthea, 

for I can't imagine any writer would be a big enough fool to waste their time 

writing down a single word about a Wintrish servant girl."

But there IS a book about Penn and it does tell the truth about her history but finding this book, reading this book and sharing the contents of this book with the 'right' and trustworthy people is where the real danger lies. Eslit Hortense says Lost Histories are impossible to recover but the Regent dislikes the word impossible.

"Lost Histories are difficult to reclaim but it has been done before. I want The Lost Histories of the Grey Ones found."

This is book two in the Talismans of Fate series. Here is my blog post from 2022 where I talk about Book One - The Wintrish Girl (see the cover below). You do need to read the first installment of this series to make sense of the second book. Also do not skip the prologue in The Lost History - it is vital component of the story. 

Here are some text quotes which will give you a flavour of this story:

"Resentfully, Penn opened her copy of The Official History of the Empire of Arylia by Hildegard of Flurrier. Hildegard was an extremely dull Historian ... unlike more exciting Historians, Hildegard never veered off into grim legends about ancient massacres, where the blood and bones of victims had been used for fertiliser, or lurid stories of outcast settlers who turned to cannibalism. Which was a pity."

"Penn stared down at the Inquisitor, sharing in Arthur's surprise. Lex Talionis was the most beautiful woman Penn had ever seen. She had huge green eyes, high cheekbones, and full red lips, and while she was tall, she wasn't a giant like Hair-Raising Histories had said she was. There was no sign of her terrifying creatures either."

(A couple of things to notice about this quote - full red lips and huge green eyes give a hint she is an evil woman but even worse we do need to be worried about her terrifying creatures. There are three - Drowner, Inferno and Rack).

"Because the new ruler of Arylia has always received the Royal Sceptre and Orb during the Talisman ceremony ... what does the Lore say about the legitimacy of a ruler who has not taken the symbols of royal power out of the Casket of Fate?" "Search the entire Lore ... for guidance on what to do when there is no Loreful heir to the throne of Arylia ..."

About halfway through the second book I wondered if there might just be two books in this series but then, with about ten pages still to read, Melanie La'Brooy introduces some more story complications so it is very clear there will be a third book where you can re-enter the world of Penn and Princess Seraphine along with their friends Juniper and Arthur. There are sure to be further clashes between Marvellance and Malevolence. 

Readers aged 10+ will need some reading stamina to complete this book but it is well worth putting in the reading hours (435 pages). The Lost History is set in a complex fantasy world but there is so much humour in this story which meant I could cope with all the changing scenes, settings, rules and characters. Although thinking about characters I would now appreciate a list (please) especially since I didn't go back and read the first installment so I had to keep my mind quite focused to remember all of them, especially the adult ones, a few of whom absolutely cannot be trusted. This excellent interview with Joy Lawn and Paperbark words will give you some really deep insights into The Lost History. 

There is a delicious political layer to this story - in Candlemage for example - citizens are not allowed to own books. "Ideas and knowledge are dangerous for all minds, but particularly young ones ... that is why we Magi sacrifice our own happiness and spend our lives controlling the flow of knowledge. By doing this we keep the peace, maintaining comfortable happy lives for all Candlemagians!"

Here are some of the funny/quirky inclusions in this story which gave me a smile. The family tree for example is a living tree with names scribed on the leaves.

Endora gives Penn a visitor's ring so she has temporary access to the treasure vault. "It'll give you access for forty-eight house. Right hand, second finger."

"To make cheese you need curdled milk ... but guard cows don't produce milk. They produce screams that can curdle blood. That's why they're known as Bloodcurdlers."

"Milk of all different colours poured down one huge wall like a frothy rainbow waterfall. Penn watched as the colours separated into different streams and flowed down into the biggest and shiniest cauldrons she'd ever seen."

As well as being a rollicking adventure The Lost History has a serious undertone, touching on themes that give the reader pause for thought: leadership, how to rule, friendship, how to view history, the lessons of history, the difference between being smart and clever, and class are just some issues explored. Storylinks

Publisher blurb: After rescuing Princess Seraphine from the evil Malevolents, servant girl Penn thought her fate had finally changed. But now her powerful Talisman is gone and Seraphine is ignoring her again. Even worse, the ruthless Inquisitor has been summoned to uncover why Malevolence has returned to Arylia and fingers are pointing at Penn. Her only hope is to find the Lost History, which might be the key to unlocking both the Inquisitor’s and her own mysterious past. But someone else is hunting for it – only they want to destroy it. Even as she races to retrieve the Lost History, Penn knows that if she digs up her past, she might not like what she finds. Because Malevolence has started calling to her and she’s finding it strangely hard to resist …

In this feminist construction of the hero’s quest, Penn, and her friends, embark on a quest to find a lost history, a book that should shed light on what really happened to the Wintrish people who had a curse placed on them. They encounter forces that oppose their search, people who don’t want what really happened to come to light. On the way, they find it hard to know just who to trust ... Reading Time

Thank you to UQP (University of Queensland Press) for my advance copy of this book. It arrived just prior to my trip to the IBBY Congress in Italy so I have only just had time to pick it up - The Lost History was published in September 2024. Here is the website for Melanie LaBrooy where you can find VERY detailed teachers notes and sample chapters. 

The Wintrish Girl

I listed some companion books in my post about The Wintrish Girl. If you are a fan of The Phantom Tollbooth you are sure to also love The Lost Library.

The Phantom Tollbooth

The 113th Assistant Librarian by Stuart Wilson

I don't normally talk about books here that I have not read but I need to share some details this event with the author.

One of our major chain bookstores here in Sydney - Kinokuniya - hosted an event with Stuart Wilson last weekend. It was one of those chat style interview formats where the author is asked all sorts of good questions. This one was terrific perhaps because the interviewer is a fellow writer and also I think he might be a friend of Stuart Wilson. The interviewer was Jeremy Lachlan (more about him at the end of this post). In their chat they talked about book covers, adult gate keepers, the journey to having your book published, book banning, the importance of libraries, and how to add touches of humour or comedy to your story. It was also good to hear them say they don't feel children's writers are in competition with one another.

Publisher blurb: Oliver Wormwood is sure his new job in the library will be boring. Until he learns that books hold great power – and danger. By the end of his first day, Oliver has witnessed a death, been frozen by a book, met a perplexing number of cats, and fought off a horde of terrifying creatures. With only a mysterious girl called Agatha to show him the ropes, Oliver needs to learn fast . . . if he wants to live longer than the 112 assistant librarians before him.

Read Chapter One. 

Things I discovered about Stuart Wilson:

• His favourite childhood book - The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander and also Spooks by Joseph Delaney and all of the Asterix and Tintin titles. He also mentioned master story teller Paul Jennings.
• He calls his newest book (it is his third) a 'cosy fantasy'.  I need to research this idea further.
• The main character in his story is aged 13 - I wonder if this links with the choice of 113th assistant.
• He wanted his main character to be a bookish boy.
• He lives in Melbourne.
• He does read other middle grade books and he is not afraid to read while he writes.

As I said I am now keen to read The 113th Assistant Librarian - hope it is as good as it sounded during this event. Here is an interview with Joy Lawn and Paperbark Words. 

This is an exciting original fantasy written by a person who loves words, books and ideas. It has the usual middle grade themes of testing yourself, coping with high family expectations, and finding unexpected friendships, but it is also interlaced with some thought- provoking ideas about the nature and power of books, and the need for free access to knowledge. The publishers have done it justice with a great cover and a hardback giftable edition. Storylinks Mia Macrossan

Jeremy Lachlan was born in Griffith, New South Wales, Australia. A former bookseller, he completed his honours degree in creative writing at the University of Canberra in 2004, and now calls Sydney home. His debut novel, Jane Doe and the Cradle of All Worlds, has been published in over 15 countries around the world, translated into nine languages, and was the 2019 Australian Book Industry Award winner for Book of the Year for Older Children. Its second part, Jane Doe and the Key of All Souls, was shortlisted for the same award in 2021.

Juniper Berry by M.P. Kozlowsky illustrated by Erwin Madrid

My parents changed. "I can't describe it exactly. It's like all the lights in the house won't turn on anymore and it's always dark, and they can't see me. Like I don't even exist."

Juniper Berry lives a lonely life. Her parents are famous actors and they have made their home into a fortress. Juniper has no friends only a series of tutors and she lives behind a high wall removed from the real world. Her parents love and fear the paparazzi. Sure the house is filled with anything she might want but things are not friends. She used to have a good relationship with her mum and dad but recently that has changed. They no longer talk to Juniper. All they care about is their fame.

"One of these days her parents would come home from work and be thrilled to see her. The rest of the day would be spent in each other's company, not a minute wasted, not even a single second, just like it was years ago."

"She had grown accustomed to her isolation, carrying her binoculars everywhere, spying from afar, searching for what she was missing. ... Discovery and exploration were her salvation; if she couldn't go out into the world, she could bring the world to her; the stars, the insects, the unsuspecting distance. Everything but her parents."

One evening, after another unsuccessful attempt to reconnect with her parents, Juniper spies a boy in her garden. He seems interested in the trees in her garden. He is small and very skinny and he is doing something very strange. Giles is running his hands up and down the bark of various trees.

"Up close, she noticed he had a sweet smell about him and that his eyes captured a pattern she had never seen before, the brown and gold of his iris constantly swirling. He gave a soft smile and she liked the way one corner of his mouth ran up the other side of his face while the other remained level."

Giles is also alone. His parents are also ignoring him. Juniper and Giles have a common problem and it all seems to be connected to one specific tree. And then one night the parents disappear 

There are lots of hints in the description of the tree:

"It was an ugly tree. If any were to be chopped down, it should have been this monstrosity. Its branches were bare and sharp, reaching out as if to pierce the sky, although the sky did nothing to instigate such an assault. The tree, not incredibly thick, not incredibly thin, was riddled with knots and twists, roots that ripped the ground, killing the grass and welcoming the weeds. Nothing else grew from the base all the way to the top."

This tree is hiding a portal to a terrible underground place. That is where the parents have been going. But why? The children are about to meet a very sinister man.

"He was extremely tall, taller than any man Juniper had ever seen. In fact, almost everything about him had length. Each body part was extended: long legs, long arms, long neck, long fingers. He was enveloped in a ratty hooded cloak, his elongated face concealed in shadow. His bony pale fingers wrapped around a wood staff, and Juniper noticed his nails were long as well, and dark, as if painted midnight blue. As the shroud pulled tight against his body with each movement and gesture ... There seemed to be no fat whatsoever and little muscle - a fragile, lank, and stretched frame."

His name is Skeksyl and he want to make a bargain with the children - a bargain. 

"I have the ability to hand you everything you could ever want but believed to be unattainable."

"All you have to do is sign your name on my balloon and blow it up with the fresh, youthful breath from your lungs."

An astute reader will know this offer is sure to have a dreadful cost. And again, we need to ask why this creature is making this offer and how this is connected with the changes to their parents.

I am not a huge fan of Halloween - it actually seems like a strange event here in Australia where because it is Spring leading into Summer not Autumn leading in to Winter. The crazy huge pumpkins that appear in shops look totally out of place. Having said that, though, I know lots of readers ask for an enjoy 'horror' stories. Juniper Berry has just the right level of fright along with a glorious celebration of team work. The subtitle for this book is engraved on the tree - "A tale of terror and temptation'.

Publisher blurb: Juniper Berry's parents are the most beloved actor and actress in the world—but Juniper can't help but feel they haven't been quite right lately. And she and her friend Giles are determined to find out why. On a cold and rainy night, Juniper follows her parents as they sneak out of the house and enter the woods. What she discovers is an underworld filled with contradictions: one that is terrifying and enticing, lorded over by a creature both sinister and seductive, who can sell you all the world's secrets bound in a balloon. For the first time, Juniper and Giles have a choice to make. And it will be up to them to confront their own fears in order to save the ones who couldn't.

There are some terrific descriptions in this book. This is the library:

"Matching the themes of the room were a plush leather sofa and armchair as well as an unbelievably comfortable rocking chair and cushioned ottoman in one corner, a classically ornate fireplace, expensive modern and abstract artwork, and, in the center of the room, an oversized desk craftily designed with various drawers and compartments. ... But for Juniper, the very best thing about the study was the smell."

In conclusion, this book was really, really good and definitely one that will haunt me for awhile. And not just because of the balloons. If you enjoyed Coraline by Neil Gaiman even a little bit, you ought to read this book. CSI Librarian

The trope of taking the soul of individuals by an evil being intent on either the 'fountain of youth' or an immortality is one we have seen before in books like The Book without Words by Avi; Momo by Michael Ende; and Stitch by Padraig Kenny.

You could also take a look at this award winning picture book after reading Juniper Berry:

Paradise Sands

The Monsters of Rookhaven by Padraig Kenny illustrated by Edward Bettison

Two human children, who have suffered greatly after the deaths of both of their parents, arrive at the doorstep of Rookhaven House which is a huge mansion some distance from the nearest town called Rookhaven. Until now the house and its monstrous inhabitants have been protected by and separated from the nearby village by the Glamour but somehow it has opened. This is how the children get in after their car runs out of petrol but of course if things can come in it also means things can go out. One of the creatures in this house is named Piggie. He lives in a locked basement, and he is fed raw meat through a low flap in the door. One of the human children, a boy named Tom, is curious and somehow the door to Piggie's room is opened. Piggie escapes and viciously attacks a cow belonging to a local farmer because Piggie craves fresh meat. The scene is utterly dreadful but what this also means is that the Covenant between the village of Rookhaven and the monsters has been broken.

Meanwhile a truly evil figure arrives in Rookhaven. He latches onto the family of the local butcher. The butcher, Mr Fletcher, and his son Freddie are two of the people from the village who do visit the monster's house using a special key to open the Glamour. The key is held in trust by the local doctor, Dr Ellenby. Each week, Freddie and his father deliver huge boxes of raw meat for the inhabitants. 

Freddie knows this 'man' is dangerous but his father, who is wracked with grief over the death of his older son on a World War II battlefield, is completely entranced by this smooth-talking fellow who names himself Arnold Pheeps. After Freddie confronts Pheeps he learns the truth. Pheeps is also a monster but he is far more dangerous. He feeds on souls, and he plans to do this at Rookhaven House. He has come because - think about actions and consequences - when Piggie escaped his scent was spread and now this man aptly named The Malice is ready to attack. He is able to incite the village people into a frenzy of anger and they all march up to attack the monsters. This is a battle scene that is sure to linger with you long after reading this book. Oh, and I do need to mention the enormous carnivorous plants that guard the path leading up to the house. In an opening scene we meet Mirabelle, and she is feeding the plants huge bones with flesh still attached. Mirabelle herself is only partly a monster. She does not need to eat and she cannot transform herself into other forms, but she has amazing powers which we discover over the course of the story including her control over these horrid flowers. 

"Mirabelle was in the garden feeding bones to the flowers ... The flowers swayed above her, sniffing the night air. She could hear the creaking of their tree-trunk-thick stalks and the soft wet sibilance of their petals smacking together as they fed. Though they were nursery plants, each one of them was already over six feet tall, their heads moving blindly in the starry night."

You could use this text extract in a book talk with your (not squeamish) students pointing out the key words - feeding bones, sniffing, sibilance, blindly.

Bookseller blurb: Sometimes the monsters take us. Sometimes we become the monsters. Mirabelle has always known she is a monster. When the glamour protecting her unusual family from the human world is torn and an orphaned brother and sister stumble upon Rookhaven, Mirabelle soon discovers that friendship can be found in the outside world. But as something far more sinister comes to threaten them all, it quickly becomes clear that the true monsters aren't necessarily the ones you can see.

Take a look at the Kirkus review. You can read more plot details by clicking these review quotes:

Three things made this book special: the characters, the post-war setting, and the illustrations. Its cast is a real kaleidoscope of personalities. From the monsters to the humanism, each is significant to the story in a way where there’s an equality at play. The shifting perspectives help this. Just Imagine

As with the best monster stories too, the world he creates and its bizarre inhabitants are so well described that Rookhaven feels like a place we might already know or come across.  It’s a work of astounding imagination, written with a confidence and flair that is definitely out of the ordinary and genuinely thrilling too.  Congratulations to illustrator Edward Bettison whose black and white drawings properly reflect and even add to the drama of the story. Books for Keeps

If the first half of the book was intriguing, the second half was absolutely gripping ... Libraries 4 Schools

If you assign genre labels to fiction then this book is most resoundingly a horror story. There were parts where I just had to stop reading and take a break. Horror is not a genre that I seek out. I picked this book because I enjoyed a previous book by Padraig Kenny:

Tin

Tin did have some horror moments and then I read Stitch - and I now realise both of these books should have prepared me for the violence and bloodthirsty scenes in The Monsters of Rookhaven.

Stitch

Some time ago someone asked for character descriptions - here are a few from The Monsters of Rookhaven.

"Mr Teasdale, the local postmaster, stepped out of one car. He was a short, nervous-looking man dressed in tweed with a high pink colour to his face and round spectacles."

"Reverend Dankworth, a long tall wisp of a man, climbed out of the passenger seat with the slow long-legged grace of a spider emerging from a crack in a skirting board."

"Odd was the same height as her, and like her he looked no more than twelve years old, but he was of course far, far older. He was wearing a bulky seal-skin coat that stretch right down to his ankles, heavy mittens, a cap and goggles."

"Uncle Bertram was very tall and fat. He wore yellow-pinstriped trousers, a red cravat, a mustard-coloured shirt, a purple smoking jacket and a green waistcoat. His large bearded face twitched with excitement."

I now discover there is a sequel to The Monsters of Rookhaven. I am not sure I have the courage right now to re-enter this world but I have added this title to my massive 'to read' list. I think the two book covers are fabulous as are the internal illustrations by Edward Bettison. You can see inside the book here. Readers with courage aged 11+ are sure to enjoy The Monsters of Rookhaven - it might hook in a reluctant but capable (boy) reader who enjoys gruesome scenes and stories filled with edge of your seat tension. 

Companion books:

Curse of the Night Wolf

A Very Unusual Pursuit

Fire Girl

The Graveyard Book

Small Spaces - this is a YA title