Stella by the Sea by Ruth Starke

Stella lives with her busy and successful but time poor parents in a high rise apartment overlooking the ocean. Lucille Seaton is a real estate agent. She is ambitious and the family have to keep moving to new and "better" houses. Stella's father Henry transforms backyards and he works on a television show.

"People would be sent away for the weekend while Henry and his team secretly got to work. The people would come back to find their boring backyard transformed with crazy paving, pebble paths, water features, decorative rocks, timber decks, tropical ferns, fountains, birdbaths, Mexican mosaics, Thai temples or Tuscan urns. Invariably, they screamed with joy, which Stella could never understand. The old backyards always looked so much more comfortable and homely."

Stella has her own hopes and dreams. She would like a proper house, down on the ground not high in the sky, she would like to open the fridge and find food inside, she would love love love a dog, and most of all she really wants her own space. She wants a place to call home.

Then Stella spies an advertisement in the newspaper:

For Sale: Cubbyhouse

16 Florence Street, Bayside. 

Solid timber with balcony and ladder. Run down, neglected; needs work and TLC. 

$150 neg.

Stella knows all the real estate jargon and she has lots of experience from years of observing her mother buying and selling houses so she sets off to talk to the owner of the cubbyhouse. She has saved almost $100 but the advert does say "neg".  She does not expect to find a new friend, a fabulous place to call her own, new friends, dogs to walk AND heaps of delicious cakes. 

I do wish this book was not out of print. Perhaps you will be lucky and find it in a school library. You can hear an audio sample here - this is the scene where Stella shares her dream with a girl who purports to be a dream expert (for 50 cents) at school. 

This story is smart and funny, just like its endearing main character, Stella. Magpies, Magpies, vol. 18 no. 4, September 2003

I talked about the late Australian author Ruth Starke recently and realised I had not talked about Stella by the Sea on this blog probably because I didn't own a copy and because it was published in 2003 which is five years before I started this blog. At a recent charity book sale I spied a copy of this Aussie Chomp book for just $1 in mint condition. I sat down today and revisited this delightful story. I think I smiled through the whole book.

Has this book stood the test of time?  Yes but there is one slightly dated reference to using street directory maps. We had a television documentary series here recently which featured teenagers and older people. The teenagers had to navigate Sydney suburbs using only a street directory and not their phones. I was utterly amazed that the had no idea about using an index to find the street name and also even more amazing they all had no idea how to use a map grid reference. Stella can use a street directory and in fact her parents own several of them. She even understands that maps can change and that the edition she was using is now out of date because a new set of town houses have been built around the house at 16 Florence Street. 

"If there was one thing the Seaton family had plenty of, it was street directories. Lucille had one in her car and Henry had one in his. There was another in Lucille's mezzanine office and other near the wall phone in the kitchen. Stella flipped it open and noted the map grids. She found the right page and yes, there was Florence Street, at the southern end of the Esplanade and not more than a thumb's width from Bayview Tower. She could go there tomorrow after school."

A few decades ago Penguin/Puffin produced three wonderful book series for young readers featuring our best Australian authors and illustrators. There were Aussie Nibbles for the youngest group, then Aussie Bites and finally Aussie Chomps. If your school library still has any of these please hold onto them, please promote them, please re-read them - they are such a perfect way to hook kids into reading. Here is one you could start with from the Bites series - Nathan and the Ice Rockets. I also love to read aloud The Bugalugs bum thief by Tim Winton (Aussie Bites series).

Captain Stella is the sequel to Stella by the sea:

Stella's parents are going overseas for a holiday and Stella is left behind with Granny Bee. Her holidays are looking bleak. But when the fusty old op shop that Granny Bee volunteers at is in danger of being closed down by the council, Stella seizes the chance to give it a makeover and save the day. And with help from a cast of zany community characters, she might just pull it off.

Here is a list of some of the Aussie Chomp titles (sorry they are all out of print) I think there were around 36 published in the series:

Anton rocks on by David Metzenthen

68 Teeth by James Moloney

Birdie in the sky by Prue Mason

Boots and All by Sheryl Clark

The boy who would live forever by Moya Simons

Catland by Ruth Starke

The dog stole my brain by Mary K Pershall

Famous by Julia Lawrinson

A horse called Darling by Delwyne Stephens (illustrated by Cheryl Orsini)

Just one Wish by Sally Rippin

Making Jamie Normal by Mary K Pershall

The Mal Rider by Pat Flynn

Nicholas and the Chronoporter by Rowley Monkfish

There's money in toilets by Robert Greenberg

The Biscuit Maker by Sue Lawson illustrated bu Liz Anelli

Benedict Stanley lives alone. He observes his neighbourhood but no one stops to talk to him except for one small boy. The boy shows Benedict Stanley the space where his tooth fell out. That night Benedict Stanley makes some delicious biscuits to celebrate the arrival of the tooth fairy and he quietly places them on a nearby door step. Over the following days other people find biscuits delivered to their doors - shortbread for the triplets, choc-chip for the new neighbours, and football cookies to celebrate the grand final. One day, however, there are no biscuits. 

"Where is the biscuit maker?" "Maybe she's on holidays."

Word placement in a story is so important. Did you notice the word "she"? So much to discuss about assumptions.  

Here are some other words from The Biscuit Maker.

"One evening, an aching and snuffling Benedict Stanley shuffles to bed." 

"Rose petals fall and cabbages wilt."

Benedict Stanley is unwell and I can cope with that but the suggestion that it takes days, weeks or longer for the neighbours to realise he needs help almost made me cry. Rose petals fall and cabbages wilt! Thank goodness again for that small boy.

The emotional arc of this story also affected me. Benedict is deeply lonely; then he finds a joyous, albeit solitary, task baking that brings him happiness; things begin to change in the neighbourhood but Benedict becomes unwell; luckily people now recognise his generosity; they have started to talk to each other and so we watch this community light up as the people join together in a neighbourhood celebration.

Advice for authors often includes the phrase 'show don't tell'.   Benedict Stanley lives alone with only his cat Audrey Mae for company. Where is his wife? Why is he alone? What is the significance of the name 'Audrey Mae'?These ten words provide some of the answers:

"In his kitchen, Benedict Stanley reaches for his wife's recipe book."

It's terrific to see the recipe for basic biscuit dough is provided at the back of the book. Perhaps you could make some biscuits ready to enjoy when you read this book with a young child.  In Australia we use the word biscuit. Sue Lawson also uses the word cookie in her story perhaps cat cookies and football cookies sound better than cat biscuits and football biscuits. Just something to think about along with the American celebration of Halloween which in recent times is celebrated here in Australia even though the season is "wrong". Perhaps these inclusions give this book a wider audience beyond the shores of Australia.

Walker Books describe The Biscuit Maker:

• An important and topical book about how even in the midst of life on a busy street you can feel all alone.
• An inspirational title that demonstrates how simple acts of friendship can bring a community together.
• Demonstrates how the friendship between young children and the elderly members of a community can change lives.

Make sure you spend some time on the end papers which look a little like a street map. Liz Anelli is a master of collage. The cover is also very interesting - think about why we cannot see Benedict's face.

You could design a mini unit for a young Primary class on the importance of community using The Biscuit Maker and these other titles:

The Faraway Truth by Janae Marks

I know this seems really crazy but this is the same book!  In US this book, by Janae Marks, is called From the Desk of Zoe Washington published by Katherine Tegan Books an imprint of Harper Collins. In UK the title and cover image have been changed and for that market this same book is called The Faraway Truth published by Chicken House. I don't know why. Which cover/title do you like? In Australia I imagine the UK cover may have more appeal?

What do the titles mean or relate to?
From the desk of Zoe Washington
Zoe Washington, who has just turned twelve, finds a letter in the mail which has been sent by her father - Marcus. Marcus is in jail for murder. Zoe knows very little about all of this because it happened before she was born. These days she lives with her mum and step dad. Finding this letter puts her known world into a spin. Zoe knows there are secrets here which need to be revealed. She is sure her mother will not talk about Marcus so Zoe decides to write back and ask her own questions. Her grandmother gave Zoe some stationery for her eleventh birthday. It's fancy white paper with a decorative border and a heading which says "From the desk of Zoe Washington."  Over the coming month Zoe and Marcus exchange letters. Perhaps Marcus is innocent. Can Zoe work out a way to prove this?

The Faraway Truth
Marcus is indeed faraway. He is in jail and Zoe is not supposed to be in contact with him. Luckily her Grandmother does agree to help her communicate with Marcus firstly by letter and later by phone. Finding the truth becomes a mission for Zoe but she only has fragments of information relating to an alibi who may remember Marcus from something that happened twelve years ago. Luckily her good friend Trevor, the kid next door, is willing to join her in the hunt once they have re-established their friendship. The pair of friends do indeed travel slightly faraway catching trains to distant parts of their city rushing so their parents don't find out what they have been up to.

What else is happening in Zoe's life?  Zoe wants to be a baker. She loves to make cakes. Her parents suggest she should spend time over the summer working in a local baker. Zoe assumes this means she will mix, bake and decorate cakes to her heart's content but in fact it mainly involves routine tasks such as folding cake boxes. Zoe does, however, learn how new cupcake flavours and recipes are developed and she uses this information to experiment at home with her own cupcake creation - a fruit loops cereal flavoured cup cake!  I am personally crazy about cake but this sounds little too sickly sweet for my taste.

Another thread in this story is music. I loved the way Marcus shares all his favourite tunes with Zoe. Marcus calls Zoe, Little Tomato, from this song by Pink Martini.
"It wasn't until the song repeated for the third time that I realised the words 'little tomato' weren't even in the lyrics. Why name the song that then? I thought about it and figured that Little Tomato must be who the song was for - the person the singer is singing the to."  In my own research I  discovered the title is actually connected with an advertisement for tomato catsup.

Image Source: WorthPoint

You can read pages 1-5 on the Chicken House web site. Here is a brief set of teaching notes.

BONUS - I am so excited to see Janae Marks has included samples of the music Zoe and Marcus enjoy; a recipe for fruit loop cupcakes; and three teaching guides. 

These are the things that inspired Janae to write this book. These web sites are for adults reading this book:

• The Innocence Project
• Podcast Serial Season One, 2014
• Netflix Television series "Making a murderer"
• Food Network: Kids Baking Championship
• Netflix Film: Ava DuVernay 13th 

I read The Faraway Truth (From the desk of Zoe Washington) in one sitting.  YES it is that good. Zoe is a determined young girl, she is observant of her community, and I really appreciated meeting her patient and wise father Marcus.

Click these review quotes for more plot details including issues of social justice which are handled beautifully in this story.

An extraordinary, timely, must-read debut about love,family, friendship, and justice. Kirkus Star review

A novel that’s not afraid to ask deep questions and seek answers. Waking Brain Cells

FROM THE DESK OF ZOE WASHINGTON is a stellar introduction to the Black Lives Matter movement and the messy truth about liberty and justice in America. A Book and a Hug

When children see themselves reflected in the lives of the characters they read about, and when they read about others traversing different journeys,their worlds expand in profound ways. Harper Stacks (Teaching Criminal Justice)

Zoe’s easy to relate to and her appealing first person voice draws you right in. Madge Reviews

Sweet by Kathryn Littlewood

• Step one read my review of Bliss the first book in this trilogy.
• Step two set aside a couple of hours (maybe 3) and settle back - if you can read this book in one sitting you will be richly rewarded
• Step three tell your friends about this series!

A grade five student at my school returned after our recent holidays with a huge bundle of books and when I inquired which had been her favourite she did not hesitate to name Bliss.  I was so excited to tell her the sequel had arrived and that it was on my back shelf waiting to go home with me!  I passed it over and one day later (yes one day later and it has 299 pages) this eager student returned with a happy smile.  She loved Sweet and could she please take book three Bite-sized magic.

Over the weekend it was my turn to read Sweet.

At the end of Bliss the horrible Lily had ridden off with the family's ancient and precious magic cookbook.  Rose blames herself and so she is determined to retrieve the Bliss Cookery Booke.  A challenge is issued.  Rose will meet Lily at the Gala des Gateaux Grands in Paris.  This is an international desert baking competition and here is a description of the judge Jean-Pierre Jeanpierre.

"In a sense, he truly was the pope of baking.  From her reading she knew that he took seven lumps of sugar in his morning coffee, that he'd had his hometown of St Aubergine renamed St Jeanpierre, and that he slept exclusively on pillow made of angel food cake which he baked fresh every evening."

As a reader you know Rose will win the competition but that is not the point.  The real thrill comes from how she wins and all the twists and turns of plot that Kathryn Littlewood throws her way right to the end many of which I simply did not see coming.  There is also joy in the way this family work as a team and in their Paris adventures especially when they visit Notre Dame in the middle of the night and dance with the gargoyles.

In America, Sweet is called A dash of magic.  I have placed a few different covers below including the one from book three which I plan to read very soon.  If you want to read a little sample from Sweet click here.

If you are looking for a sweet treat (pun intended) go out and grab a copy of Sweet - you will love every bite!

To assemble the bizarre ingredients for their unconventional recipes, Rose and her family risk their necks and encounter ghostly creatures, searching the Seine, the Louvre, the Catacombs, the Eiffel Tower, Versailles and Notre Dame.