Six Weeks by Matt Goodfellow illustrated by Joe Todd Stanton

"I love you mum.

Please help me.

I don't know what to do without you."

There is such a level of tension in this verse novel that you just need to read on and on. Alfie lives with dad, his dad's new wife and their young baby Alice. Alfie's mum has died and early on we learn this happened when the baby was born about one year ago and we also read that Alfie absolutely never wants to see the man who lived with his mum ever again. As a reader you will have no idea what has happened between this man and Alfie but over the six weeks of the story Matt Goodfellow gradually lets us step into Alfie's life, and we can hear Alfie's questions which naturally are about life and death and we see first-hand complex human relationships along with the importance of grieving.

I have been a bit of a reading slump lately - I had a couple of new books to read and review but neither of them really grabbed me. I thought about the "Rights of the Reader" by Daniel Pennac. His number two rule is: The Right Not to Finish a Book – It is acceptable to stop reading a book at any point and his number ten rule is: The Right to Enjoy Reading – Above all, reading should be pleasurable and free from pressure. Facing a long day with a few serious life stresses I decided to put away the two books that I was struggling with and pick up Six Weeks. I knew this book would be good, but I didn't know just how good - I was totally absorbed by this story, and I read 150 pages in one gulp before lifting my head and 're-entering' the real world. Six Weeks is a winner! Please put this book into the hands of the readers in your life aged 10+. The powerful storytelling in this book 'blew me away'.

Matt is an exceptional storyteller, and his use of verse is incredibly effective at conveying Alfie’s internal world.  Books for Topics

Six Weeks is a book you have to just sit with after you've finished it so you can fully absorb everything. It's a book I hugged at the end (between the tears). It's a book full of heart-break, healing and hope.  K and O Bonkers about Books

When I’m asked about my favourite books, I always say lots of children’s books and that more adults should read them! Six Weeks is the exemplification for why I say that: it is a subject matter which hits young and old and it particularly resonates with the grief journey I’m on. Your heart will break for Alfie at the start and slowly, that love and hope will begin to be rebuilt. Matt is an exceptional storyteller and his use of verse is so effective to convey such important messages. Check 'em out books

If you read my blog you may know I am not a fan of book endorsements, but I wholeheartedly agree with the comments by these authors:

• 'Utterly magnificent' Liz Hyder
• 'Matt Goodfellow's best novel to date' Sarah Crossan
• 'Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant' Phil Earle
• 'Goodfellow has pulled off something astounding' Anthony McGowan
• All at once beautiful, tender, funny and sharp ... a triumph' Katya Balen

I adored these two previous verse novels by Matt Goodfellow:

The Final Year

The Paperbark Tree Committee by Karys McEwan

"Being a teenager is all about swimming along with only your fin showing, trying to look like a shark, when really you're just an average fish. Never revealing you're not as brave as you look, never admitting that everyone else is in the same ocean. 

It's terrifying. And exhausting."

Art (Arthur) and his younger brother Hillary have moved with dad and his partner to Melbourne. Dad is a writer (of Young Adult fiction ironically) who rides an emotional roller-coaster of writer's block, breakthrough, doubt and insecurity. This means Dad is constantly distracted and has not formed any sort of real relationship with his two sons.

"We all know the stages of his writing by now - frustration when he can't think of an idea or has an idea he can't quite figure out, over-the-top joy when he finally settles on something, absence when he starts writing, grumpiness when he has writer's block, then mania when he's back on a roll, nervousness while he waits for feedback from his editor, and back and forth between those last few until the book is published. And then it's all the highs and lows of review and author talks, and then, lucky us, it starts all over again."

The main theme of this book is the exploration of the complexities of relationships. Art has a good relationship with his younger brother but as Art enters his teenage years there are of course some complications. Art also has a good relationship with his stepmother Sally, but there is his underlying fear that she might one day leave the family as his mother has done. 

Art works hard to make new friends - Micah and Lexi - at his new school in Melbourne and, even though it felt slightly contrived, it was interesting to see how, once he found two friends, he decided to be proactive and find more. The running scenes reminded me of the wonderful Tracks series by Jason Reynolds.

On the downside, as I said, Art has a very complex relationship with his distant and dysfunctional father. Sorry to say this but I just couldn't believe a parent, an adult, could be so deliberately unkind, uncommunicative and so insensitive towards his two sons and new partner. Dad's whole focus on being or becoming a famous writer, to my eye, portrayed a really really bad impression of that profession. 

The other relationship Art has to navigate is with the school bully - Jack. It always seems little too obvious to me when, as readers, we make the discovery that Jack comes from a dysfunctional family and that his own father is also a bully. I am sure this sadly is a real experience for some kids but after reading many hundreds of books that feature bullies, I do find this all a bit too predictable. 

Things I liked in this book: Art's relationship with Hillary - it is terrific to read about siblings who get on well with each other (albeit with some ups and downs); Sally the step mum is a fantastic character - wise and loving; and the final poem Art writes to perform with his after school writing group is emotional, truthful and worth thinking about deeply.

The CBCA judges mention emotional intelligence, and I thought about this too. It was good to see both boys were 'allowed to cry' and in the scene where Art tries to convince Hillary that they should trick their dad into proposing marriage to Sally; it is Hillary who shows enormous maturity when he talks about how this could badly hurt Sally. 

"I think this is the worst idea you've ever had ... By far. ... Dad won't go along with it. We'll get in huge trouble and Saly is just going to get hurt ... "

The title is not exactly a central focus of the story - Art and Hillary had a special tree in their former town and they used it to talk through their problems using the idea of a committee with an agenda. In Melbourne they find a new tree - a paperbark - but Art feels self-conscious when kids from his school see him climbing a tree like a little kid. Moving away from needing to use the tree to talk to each other links with the themes in this book of change and growing up. 

The CBCA selected 25 Younger Readers Notable titles (long list) for their 2026 award. Last week the short list of 6 were announced and I was utterly dismayed that FIVE of my predictions did not make the cut. I have seen The Paperbark Tree Committee in several shops since it was first released in April 2025 but the cover and blurb did not really grab my attention. 

Because this book is on the 2026 CBCA short list for Younger Readers I needed to read it (done) and then think about it perhaps a little more deeply than I usually do.

As an adult reader one plot point did not ring true for me. Art wants to 'get back at' Jack, the boy who has been bullying him. He sets up a plan with the help of his new friends to distract the librarian (why isn't she called a Teacher-Librarian) so he can get into the library or school computer system called Orbit. In NSW schools Orbit is one part of our library management system which is called Oliver. Orbit is the simple OPAC (online public access catalogue) designed for use by the younger students in a Primary school it is not part of the school administration software. I did hold my breath when Art tried to 'hack' the library circulation computer hoping to alter Jack's school records and I was glad when none of his attempts at guessing the password were successful. 

Generally, I only quote review comments that echo my own thoughts but here is the one from Readings (Melbourne bookshop) and I have to say I really disagree with their use of the word hilarious: 

The Paperbark Tree Committee is a gorgeous, heartfelt and hilarious tale of navigating change, bullying and growing up, and learning to appreciate loved ones for who they are.

Other reviews: Reading Time; The Book Muse; Read Plus; and Paperbark words an interview with Joy Lawn.

There are teaching notes on the publisher page but again I am going to say I think this book better suits an individual reader and I cannot imagine dissecting every scene/page/incident as part of a class novel study. 

Blurb from author page: Twelve-year-old Art and his younger brother Hilary are great friends, best friends. When they move to Melbourne from a small town in Queensland things seem to be easy for Hilary, who is still in primary school, but Art struggles to fit in, and he’s become a target for school bully Jack. His dad is too busy to give him much attention, but Art has his stepmum, Sally, who is always ready to listen. And there’s the paperbark tree. Art and Hilary climb into its branches and hold a secret meeting whenever they need to sort things out. The only problem is Art’s not sure he still wants to be part of the paperbark tree committee. He’s getting older and he thinks he needs to solve his problems on his own.

Here are the judges' comments:

Companion books:

A Good day for climbing Trees

Running in Circles

The Final Year

My Brother Ben

The Light in Everything by Katya Balen

Two kids. Two kids with different life circumstances. Two kids with different emotional responses to change and trauma. Two kids who do not yet know each other. Two kids who are so different and seems impossible that they could ever even tolerate one another let alone become friends.

Now for the problem - their parents. Tom lives with his mum. Dad is in jail and this is a good thing because he was a dangerous man - he was severely physically and emotionally abusive towards Tom and his mum. Zofia lives with her dad. Her mum died when she was a baby. Dad is great but he is not always 'tuned in' because his work as a doctor is so intense. 

Have you guessed what happens here - yes this is just like the Brady Bunch except with less kids and less harmony. Tom's mum meets Zofia's dad; they all move into Zofia's house and then the kids hear that a new baby is coming.

Zofia lives her life in a storm of rage or a storm of activity. She is loud and opinionated. Zofia also loves to swim, and she has set herself a long-distance swimming challenge as a way to make her father proud. Tom is small for his age. He is terrified of the dark at night and so fills his room with lights and always carries a torch. Tom is also afraid of small spaces and of upsetting his mum. He knows his dad will not return but the possibility of this is also constantly on his mind. He also has difficulty with trust - especially trust of male adults. 

How will these two kids cope with living in the same house and going to the same, very small, school. Zofia has been at this school since Kindy. Tom is the new kid and yet everyone seems to like him straight away. It warmed my heart to see him make a friend almost from the first day. 

Two of the really appealing aspects of this book are the alternating voices and the very short chapters - you just keep turning the pages racing to that all important happy ending. Well yes there is a happy ending (spoiler I know), but Katya Kalen keeps up the tension for her readers because the baby is born too early, and she is very poorly. The other part of this book that works really well is the way the two main characters are so very different from one another. I kept wishing they would just talk to each other - that they could feel brave enough or open enough to share their fears and hopes and doubts.

This is Katya Balen’s third book, and, like her previous works, tackles emotionally charged issues with sensitivity, told in beautiful and poetic prose. She explores the complexities and challenges of adjusting to a new and blended family. Balen has a keen awareness of the reader, drawing us into the story and creating characters we care about: pages turn with ease as their stories unfold. Just Imagine

Here are the teachers notes for The Light in Everything and some book group discussion questions. I highly recommend The Light in Everything for mature readers aged 10+. 

Why did I select this book from the library? First of all, the cover is beautiful and now I discover this illustration is by HCAA Winner Sydney Smith. Now onto the author - I previously enjoyed several other books by Katya Balen. Her new book due in 2026 is Letters from the upside.

October October

I gave this book four stars and it won the Carnegie Medal in 2022

Foxlight

I gave this book five stars

Ghostlines

I am really keen to read Katya Balen's new book which comes out early in 2026:

The In-Between by Katie Van Heidrich

when you’re in between where you want to be and where you are, when you’re in between what you previously had and what you so desperately want to have back, when you’re in between thoughts and feelings and wonderings of what’s even okay to think and feel, when you’re in between your parents, always of the mind that you should be on one side or the other, always of the mind that you should be in one place or another, but having to straddle multiple places at once, always in the messy middle of something, perhaps currently in the messy middle of the notoriously messiest years of adolescence, trying to figure out if you want to unload your mess on your friends whose lives aren’t as messy as yours—

Katie, her mother and two siblings are forced to move from their rented apartment. They find themselves in a 'long stay' motel. There are so many issues - it is one room, one bed, one tiny bathroom and this place means Katie now lives outside her school district. It is the second semester of seventh grade for Katie and the second semester of six grade for her brother. Their little sister is in her final semester at her elementary school. 

Until now Katie has had one best friend to rely on - Mia but that has now ended. We "traded elaborate notes, mutually overjoyed that we have each other, that we aren’t alone, especially considering we are the only two Black girls in this class."

Katie and her siblings spend every second weekend with their father. Life in his home is so different but there is no way they can spend longer there because mum will never give up custody. Oddly though, even though their father does have plenty of room, the kids share a pull-out couch in the guest room and two other bedrooms remain empty upstairs. Dad has a new wife and the house is kept spotless and the cupboards are full of supplies as though they are preparing for a future crisis. (Note there is a hint that his wife was a victim of modern slavery which is why I suggest this book is for readers aged 12+).

This book is a true story - a memoir - "In the early 2000s, thirteen-year-old Katie Van Heidrich has moved more times that she can count, for as long as she can remember. There were the slow moves where you see the whole thing coming. There were the fast ones where you grab what you can in seconds. When Katie and her family come back from an out-of-town funeral, they discover their landlord has unceremoniously evicted them, forcing them to pack lightly and move quickly. They make their way to an Extended Stay America Motel, with Katie's mother promising it's temporary. Within the four walls of their new home, Katie and her siblings, Josh and Haley, try to live a normal life--all while wondering if things would be easier living with their father. Lyrical and forthcoming, Katie navigates the complexities that come with living in-between: in between homes, parents, and childhood and young adulthood, all while remaining hopeful for the future."

Which cover above do you like? There is a great lesson here you could use with your students around their preference for one cover over the other. The publisher list this book for grades 5-8 but I think it will better suit a Young Adult reader aged 12+.

The In-Between is a verse novel so these lines are set out in free verse but when I copied them from my Kindle I was unable to retain that formatting:

As we tumbled out of the Mountaineer, which seems to be on its last leg, to stretch our arms and legs, to gather fast-food wrappers and empty soda cups in gas station plastic bags, to grab our bags from the trunk and make our way upstairs and to our door, an unexplainable pit appeared in my stomach and continued to grow as we climbed the stairs. And though I couldn’t have possibly known it then, I somehow felt that we were walking into a much bigger disaster than anything we’d already managed to survive.

It’s not so much that being here is the end of the world, but somehow the thought of going to school from here, the thought of carrying out the very normal routine that is going back to school from this rather abnormal place, feels apocalyptic.

It’s a notice reminding families that it is against the law to have your child enrolled at a school they are not districted for and that proof of residence can be requested at any point during the school year.

In my opinion, there are three kinds of teachers in this world: The ones who fly by the seat of their pants, whose classrooms always smell like last-minute, frantically made copies, the ones with meticulous plans who use every last second of class as if their very lives depended on it, and the ones who are clearly recycling material they “perfected” twenty years ago, who make minimal efforts to make class interesting or fresh.

But I know better than to think their relationship is all good. After all, they’re so, so different— even beyond the obvious, with Mom being Black and Dad being white ...

I pause and consider the weight of what I’m holding. A bundle of bananas. A gallon of milk. A loaf of bread. Sandwich meat. There’s more, and these are good things, I know, but somehow this just doesn’t feel right. After all, we’re still at this hotel and Dad is still going back to his house, the one that still has the two empty, unfurnished bedrooms upstairs. Perhaps there is more to this than I can possibly understand right now. Perhaps I’m missing the bigger picture or simply wouldn’t get it.

Her mother is Black; her father is White, and her stepmother, whose English is limited, is from Thailand. As her mother bounced between jobs and states in search of new opportunities, Katie strived to support her, suppressing her own emotions. But her mother’s avoidance of the reality that she cannot provide for her children makes it increasingly difficult for Katie to remain silent about her feelings. Complex character development will engage readers, and vivid descriptions of the physical landscape bring the text to life. Van Heidrich masterfully describes her childhood emotions as well her mother’s confusing choices and mental health struggles with compassion and nuance. Stellar writing, perfect pacing, and a sophisticated treatment of universal themes make this a must-read. Kirkus Star review

There are some discussion and extension questions on the publisher webpage. 

Companion books:

Shelter

Hold Fast

Paper Things

Earlier this year our Sydney Morning Herald had a feature story in their Saturday magazine about the people who use storage facilities and their reasons for leaving their possessions in these places - sometimes for many many years. Reading this broke my heart and then when I read Katie lost all her things when no payment was made for their storage my heart broke all over again. I would love to share some quotes from this, but I do not have subscriber access.

The Swallowtail Legacy: Wreck at Ada's Reef by Michael D. Bell

Meadowlark Elizabeth Heron-Finch is known as Lark and she has returned to the island where her mother lived as a child. Lark has come with her sister Pip (Sandpiper Alanna Heron-Finch), with their stepfather Thomas and his three sons.

"When I was five, and Pip was three, our dad died ... That same summer Thomas's wife was killed by a falling tree branch when she was jogging in Central Park. Four and a half years later, Mom married Thomas. ... So we had kind of a Brady Bunch thing going for a couple of years but then, three months ago, Mom died, and what was left? Thomas and his kids, and then Pip and me. I don't know what we are exactly, but it doesn't quite feel like a family."

The Island of Swallowtail is holding a mystery. One resident now claims the island is his because of an inheritance. He has a plan to develop the island with holiday houses and a golf course but one resident - Nadine Pritchard - is desperate to find the truth and stop this dreadful development which will ruin their tiny island home. Nadine was Kate's (that's Larks Mom) best friend. She is also the granddaughter of a man who was killed in a boating accident many years ago off the coast of the island. This is where describing this story could get a bit complicated.

Captain Edward Cheever was born on Swallowtail island. His wife and young daughter Ada died during the flu epidemic. Edward Cheever has only one brother named Gilbert. 

"So, when Captain Cheever dies, he owns all this land, everything north of this line. Something in the neighborhood of five hundred acres, or almost twenty percent of the island. A lot of land. Unfortunately, the only will that the captain leaves behind is one written in the 1930s that, naturally, leaves everything to his wife and daughter. One little problem: they're already dead. So who gets it all? His only living heir, the brother he hates, Gilbert."

So now we have several mysteries to solve. Did Captain Cheever write a new will? If so where is it? What do his dying words (will, safe, two bells, Ada holds the key) mean? Was the boating death of Albert Pritchard really an accident? Did one of the witnesses leave something important out of the inquest into his death? Why is the woman at the Cheever Museum so nasty? You need to read this book to find all the answers to these and many more questions.

There are a lot of characters in this story and I did find at times I was a little bit confused but that may be because I read this book a little too quickly. It might have been helpful if the author had popped a character list at the beginning of the book perhaps.

Here is the publisher blurb: Twelve-year-old Lark Heron-Finch is steeling herself to spend the summer on Swallowtail Island off the shores of Lake Erie. It’s the first time she and her sister will have seen the old house since their mom passed away. The island’s always been full of happy memories—and with a step father and his boys and no mom, now everything is different.When Nadine, a close family friend, tells Lark about a tragic boat accident that happened off the coast many years before, Lark’s enthralled with the story. Nadine’s working on a book about Dinah Purdy, Swallowtail’s oldest resident who had a connection to the crash, and she’s sure that the accident was not as it appeared. Impressed by Lark’s keen eye, she hires her as her research assistant for the summer.And then Lark discovers something amazing. Something that could change Dinah’s life. Something linked to the crash and to her own family’s history with Swallowtail. But there are others on the island who would do anything to keep the truth buried in the watery depths of the past.

Each character, historic and contemporary, sparks with life. Lark’s process and the reveals are perfectly paced. Descriptions of the island and weather, plus some dramatic moments on rough water, help build atmospheric tension.  Kirkus Star review (this reviewer also said Readers will be hooked—more, please!)

I love the way Thomas inserts wise quotes into his everyday conversations by people like Marcus Aurelius, Aristotle, and Cicero.

If your reader aged 10+ loves a good mystery story they are sure to enjoy Wreck at Ada's Reef. I would pair this book Out of the Wild Night by Blue Balliet. And the publisher links this book with The Parker Inheritance.

The Parker Inheritance

Here is the website of Michael D Bell. And here is an interview where he talks about is book. Nearly everything is resolved at the end of the first installment in this series except we do need to know more about the little bird that Lark found in her bedroom and also more the book that was carved inside to hold this little treasure. The second book from the series The Swallowtail legacy was published in 2023 and it takes up this part of the mystery.

Here is the Kirkus review

Blended by Sharon M Draper

"When I play the piano, I rock! It would be nice if the rest of my life came together like some kind of magical musical symphony. But, nah, not usually."

"Daddy ... Do you think people think I'm Black or white when they see me? Am I Black? Or white?"

Eleven year old Izzy/Isabella has a lot to cope with in her daily life. Dad is Black, mum is white. Mum and Dad are now divorced. The judge at the court, a man who has never met Izzy, says she must live one week with Dad and one week with Mum. This means Izzy constantly has to juggle her possessions, bedrooms, rules, relationships and even her identity. Dad now lives with Anastasia and her son Darren. Mum now lives with John Mark.  Izzy gets on well with Anastasia and especially well with Darren and she really likes John Mark but Mum and Dad cannot stop fighting especially on change-over day which happens every week.

Her one consolation is music. Isabella has real talent and passion. She is preparing for a big concert and when she practices the problems of every day life disappear. At school, though, the students are faced with some difficult conversations about race and injustice. Izzy experiences aspects of this in her daily life because she is mixed.  

This book packs a wallop right at the end - do not jump ahead but be prepared to stay for the whole ride because even though you might guess something dramatic might happen I guarantee you will not, in a million years, guess this ending.

I loved the honesty of Isabella as she navigates her complex life. I want to thank Darren for the kindness and love he gives to Izzy. And I would love a set of Mum's t-shirts - they sure are fun. If you look at the labels I have assigned this post you will see the way this Middle Grade novel (I would say for ages 10+) explores so many important issues. I do love the cover but don't be fooled into thinking this is a gentle story. 

Most people have probably already seen Blended especially in the US but I had to wait for the paperback copy to arrive here in Australia.  Hardcover US novels are way too expensive ($41!). 

You can hear Sharon M Draper reading a few pages of her book from Chapter One here. Here is the piece Izzy has been preparing for her big concert - Sonatina in C Major, op. 36, no. 1 by Clementi. When Izzy's dad proposes to Anastasia a man in the restaurant comes across with a violin to play this piece by Mendelssohn. Read this review by Ms Yingling for more plot details. Here is an interview with Sharon M Draper about her book. Colby Sharp talks about Blended. 

What begins as the story of a lively young piano player caught between two new families inexorably becomes a piercing interrogation of everyday racism that culminates in a terrifying, all-too-believable confrontation ... Kirkus Star review

I am a huge fan of Sharon M Draper.  Take a look at these books:

Stella by Starlight

Out of my Mind

After reading Blended you might look for The Watson's go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis or One Crazy Summer. 

One Crazy Summer

My Dad by Susan Quinn illustrated by Marina Ruiz

Sunday (here in Australia) is Father's Day.  My own dad died more than twenty years ago but I do wish he could come over to my place this weekend and wash my car, rehang all my paintings (I took them down when my home was painted) and he might also like to fix my broken kettle. In other words I need my handy man dad (quite badly).

The dad is this book is very special too. Not because he has been into space or been a spy but because he is so good at giving his precious boy his time. This dad turns the living room into a race track for toy cars, he bakes cookies and chocolate cake, he likes to grow vegetables in his garden, he makes a visit to the supermarket an event filled with imagination, and then at the end of the day:

"Bedtime is for stories and for snuggling up tight. Then we count the twinkling stars, before Dad says 'night night!' I love this time I spend with Dad he's the best a dad can be. And every day is special when it's just my Dad and me."

Take your time with the illustrations in this book. On the page where the boy describes all of the super busy dads every one is in tones of grey with their feet flying in the air but his dad (we can only see his legs) is in a bright colour with two feet firmly on the ground. 

On the page where dad is gardening two garden gnomes (one male one female) watch on with sweet smiles. In the supermarket you will spy monkeys, snakes, lizards and even a jaguar. And do compare the front and back covers - they are perfect. You might talk about these questions - Where is mum? Why are there only two pairs of shoes on the title page?

Marina Ruiz’s soft, textured, multi-media illustrations welcome readers into the comforting home and routine of a little boy and his dad as they spend treasured time together. From home to the soccer field to beach picnics to the grocery store transformed by imagination, Ruiz’s gorgeous color palette and collage-style images highlight what makes this father-son relationship so special. Celebrate Picture Books

At the opening, we see the narrator drawing pictures in his bedroom, the style and content of which are referenced throughout the rest of the book. This lovely touch gives the impression that the illustrations are a team effort between the illustrator and the fictional child.  IBBY UK

You can see the art style of Marina Ruiz on her website. Here is a video of the whole book. And see inside this book on the publisher site. 

Take a look at my post from 2020 where I share other books to enjoy on Father's Day. 

A Dad who Measures Up

Owl Moon

The First Book of Samuel by Ursula Dubosarsky

Let's begin with these three very different covers.  The First Book of Samuel was written in 1995 and so it is long out of print (sadly). It was a CBCA Honour Book (Older Readers) in 1996 and a NSW Premiers Award winner in 1995 so I think it should still be in print. The winner that year was Pagan's Vows by Catherine Jinks. The First Book of Samuel is a Young Adult book so to my eye the first jacket design is misleading. If you saw this title in a shop today you might think this is a book for a younger child.  The second cover looks a little 'too adult' and more mysterious than the actual story written by Ursula. I think the third cover, by Anne Spudvilas, is just right. 

Here is the blurb:

"On his twelfth birthday, Samuel Cass disappeared. Most of this story happened when Samuel was nearly twelve, and Theodora, his half-sister, just thirteen. But stories only happen because of all the things that happened before, no matter how small and sudden, or how large and terrible they may have seemed at the time. If the past had been different then perhaps Samuel wouldn't have disappeared. But the circumstances of his birth, the holiday when he was a baby, the mysterious, tragic past of his beloved grandfather, and even his own name - his own sense of self - all lead to a quiet vanishing, a dramatic rescue and a perfect discovery."

The things that happened before:

"Samuel was his father's last child, and his mother's first. His father, Elkanah, also had five daughters, but only the youngest of these, Theodora, lived with Samuel and his parents. The other four lived with their mother, Elkanah's first wife, Pearl."

The family take a holiday to Papua New Guinea:

"He caught malaria when he was just seventeen months old but nobody knew it. ... the disease slumbered deep inside him, like a salamander buried in the desert sand; comatose, innocuous, only struggling to the surface when the rain fell at last. And it would fall, as rain always does, bringing its own particular devastation." 

Who is Samuel?

"Gentle as a baby, Samuel had grown into a quiescent infants, a taciturn toddler, and a rather gloomy kindergarten pupil. He was the kind of child who speaks slowly and is rarely driven into fits of passion that express themselves in beating limbs and rising screams."

Who are the characters in this book?

Samuel

Theodora - she like to write everything, everything, everything down as she observes life

Hannah - mother to Samuel and step mother to Theodora

Pearl - mother to Theodora

Elkanah - father to Samuel and Theodora, opera singer

Elias - father to Hannah and grandfather of Samuel "Samuel knew nothing about Elias's family except that they were all dead. They had all been murdered all those years ago in Europe, half the world away, when huge armies gathered against each other, guided by terrifying figures on black-and-white newsreels, with black moustaches and jerking hands thrust high in the air."

Rhody - father to Pearl and grandfather to Theodora

Randolph Butcher - a new friend who comes to visit Hannah.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Samuel himself is such an authentic character. Life is confusing and he has great difficulty expressing his thoughts and worries as his noisy family bump and crash around him. Samuel is part of a complex family structure. In other books I have found the focus on step children and various marriage partners contrived and unrealistic but in The First Book of Samuel it helped me feel such huge empathy for this young boy.  Equally the story of the Holocaust and the horrific events endured by Elias, Samuel's grandfather, were perfectly placed and paced in the story. At no time did it feel as though the author had an agenda or a need to preach to her reader.

I missed reading this book when it was first published. Luckily for me a friend who works in a school library invited me to look through her boxes of culled books. I was able to retrieve some books I wanted to read.  All were in very poor condition and certainly need to be disposed but the pages were intact so I am now working my way through the pile. On her web page Ursula gives a link to the bible story of Samuel. I had no idea about this story but my ignorance did not alter my enjoyment of this book. 

Here is another book cover - and this one looks perfect to my eye - it is the German edition:

Theodora's Gift (2005) is the sequel to The First Book of Samuel and yes it is also out of print. Both of these books are on the NSW Premier's Reading Challenge book list for 7-9 so you might be lucky and find a copy in a High School library.  I need to keep my eye out for a copy. Here are two very different covers:

I had talked previously about some books by Ursula Dubosarsky especially her book Leaf Stone Beetle.  Ursula Dubosarsky is our 2020-21 Australian Children's Laureate. 

Florence and her fantastic family tree by Judy Gilliam illustrated by Laura Addari

Ms Collins tells her students to create a family tree. Florence is not happy with this task:

"Like that was easy. The problem is that my family tree doesn't just have a trunk, roots, leaves and branches. It has stickers, thorns and extra limbs. My family tree is prickly, scaly and partially overgrown."

Florence and her brother Fred have six parents. First there was mum and dad (Betty and Bruce) but then Betty and Bruce were divorced. Betty married James and Bruce married Lucy. So now we have four parents.  Then Bruce and Lucy divorced and Bruce married Kate and Lucy married Fabian. And this is just the six parents. There is also the complication of step siblings, adopted children, and a half brother - a total of seven kids. Luckily Florence is a problem solver and not a quitter. She manages to draw her huge family tree and she puts herself right in the middle. The final sentence is sure to make you smile:

"Next time, I'll include my grandparents - must be twenty of them."

This book will be a very welcome addition to your school library. Many children live in blended families and I am sure they will relate to Florence. Many teachers also ask their students to draw their family tree often in Grade 2 as a part of their history topic. You can see many of the pages from this book on the Publisher web site.

I read a Middle Grade novel recently with the most complex of family situations. A young girl lives with her mum. Her dad has died. Mum remarries. So now Winifred has a step dad. Then her mum dies. Now Winifred (known as Fred) lives with her step dad and his new partner and the partner's son. In the coming months her step dad and his partner will welcome a new baby into the family. Yes - as you have guessed, part of this story is about identity - just where does Fred fit in? The family tree for Winifred would certainly be a complex one. 

I would pair Florence and her fantastic family tree with Isla's Family tree; The Family Book by Todd Parr and Family Forest by Kim Kane.

I had not heard of this publisher Familius.  Here is their mission statement and Ten Habits of Happy Families:

We believe that the family is the fundamental unit of society and that happy families are the foundation of a happy life. The greatest work anyone will ever do will be within the walls of his or her own home. And we don’t mean vacuuming! We recognize that every family looks different and passionately believe in helping all families find greater joy, whatever their situation. To that end, we publish beautiful books that help families live our 10 Habits of Happy Family Life. Further, Familius does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, age, nationality, disability, or sexual orientation in any of its activities or operations.

Love together, Learn together, Read together, Give together, Play together, Talk together, Laugh Together, Eat together, Heal together, Work together.