Will's Race for Home by Jewell Parker Rhodes illustrated by Olga and Aleksey Ivanov

Opening lines:

My father is a far-thinking man. He stands, feet firmly planted on ground, his hand over his eyes blocking the blinding sun. I stand to the left of him, stroking Belle, our gray mule. For what seems like hours, Father stares at the horizon. I can’t imagine what he sees. Not truly. I asked once: “What’re you looking at?” Without looking at me, he answered, “Dirt.” Dirt is all around. Not worth staring at, I think. Near or far, it’s all Texas soil.

And the story continues:

It feels as though Ma and I have a pact. I don’t know what our pact is, but Ma includes me in ways Father never does. She makes sweet treats, tucks me in bed, kisses my forehead, and, sometimes, lets me have a carrot for Belle. She talks to me calm, sensible. Yes, Father is a far-thinking man. Father’s life isn’t here or now. It’s out there, somewhere else, in a future time. I think I’m too close to him, too near to count.

Father works hard on the farm but while it is true he is no longer a slave, most of the profits from his cotton go to the landowner. Father cannot read but he brings home a notice from the market:

Father and Will set off on their long journey of 400 miles with their faithful mule Belle. "Belle will have to pull for eight hours a day for forty days.”

Nearly a month of travel, Father’s body is more relaxed. He still doesn’t talk much, but there’s an ease, a calm about him. The farther we get from Mr. Thompson’s farm, the more the wide-open, remote land stirs him with wonder.

Going back to the title - Will is racing because there is limited land and thousands of people are rushing to claim their share. It is also a race because Father hopes to make a new home for his wife and his own elderly father. Finally it is a race because three armed men are chasing them after a terrible altercation in one of the towns on their journey. Luckily their new friend Caesar, a former slave and soldier, was able to rescue Will during a robbery of their wagon and he has now joined them on the trail, but these three white cowboys are out for revenge. 

It is so sweet to read the way old Belle their mule loves Caesar's huge horse Midnight. 

Belle loves Midnight. Midnight loves Belle. Standing close to each other, they share water, hay. Belle nudges Midnight’s flank; Midnight rubs his chin against her. Ears flat, Belle is happy. Ears pointed, Midnight scans the surroundings, keeping them safe. No snake or coyote will surprise him. When Midnight is nearby, Belle tugs the wagon with extra energy. It’s like she’s showing off. Resting, like now, they keep close enough to touch.

If you are book talking Will's Race for Home, I suggest reading chapter 22 - the river crossing - it is a dramatic and life-threatening scene which will have your library group on the edge of their seats. (There is also a similar scene in One Big Open Sky but with a more devastating outcome).

Publisher blurb: It's 1889, barely twenty-five years after the Emancipation Proclamation, and a young Black family is tired of working on land they don't get to own. So when Will and his father hear about an upcoming land rush, they set out on a journey from Texas to Oklahoma, racing thousands of others to the place where land is free-if they can get to it fast enough. But the journey isn't easy-the terrain is rough, the bandits are brutal, and every interaction carries a heavy undercurrent of danger. And then there's the stranger they encounter and befriend: a mysterious soldier named Caesar, whose Union emblem brings more attention-and more trouble-than any of them need. All three are propelled by the promise of something long denied to them: freedom, land ownership, and a place to call home-but is a strong will enough to get them there?

Here is a video of Colby Sharp explaining how much he loved this book. This book is about US History but I am sure readers here in Australia aged 10+ will enjoy this thrilling tale of heroism and the wild west and as a bonus this is a fairly short book which might surprise you because it is filled with action and danger. Listen to an audio sample here. You can see more books by Jewell Parker Rhodes here. 

Here is a fabulous character description from this book that you could use as a model with your older students:

Off to the right is the first Black man I’ve seen during the journey. He reminds me of a great-tailed grackle. Long legs, face. His ankle-length coat, like a bird’s tail, sweeps and gleams iridescent—purplish black. His skin is obsidian dark; his clothes duller, more ash. Even his Stetson hat is black. He leans his shoulder against one of the posts outside the Pioneer Saloon. He doesn’t seem to mind the flow of weary travelers and loud drunks passing by. His dark eyes seem to see everything. Even me!

Jewell Parker Rhodes writes this quick, slick, gripping paean to the Western genre while also tying in fantastic historical details and an overarching tale of a boy and his father bonding at last. ... (This book is) Short and sweet, exciting and touching. Fuse8 Betsy Bird SLJ

Reading this review by Betsy Bird I learned a new term "exodusters". Read more here. 

Will’s Race for Home is a powerhouse Western and coming-of-age story set during a pivotal historical period. Populated with dynamic characters who grow impressively throughout the story, this slim historical fiction title explores an under-examined period in Black history with sensitivity and a spirit of adventure. Readers will be on the edge of their seats as the protagonist navigates moral dilemmas and leaps of faith to find a home for his family. Reading Middle Grade

The short chapters make this fast-paced and eventful ride through the West an accessible and engaging read. Kirkus Star review

Companion book:

One Big Open Sky

Otis Ottley and the School in the Sky by Will Kostakis

"What else had I forgotten? How much of Mum had I lost without even noticing?"

The opening scene in this book is SO intriguing. Two boys are standing on a lawn in front of an elevator. By page two we discover that this elevator takes kids to the 'School in the Sky' named Manor. You can see it on the book cover (art by Hana Kinoshita Thomson). One huge complication, though, is that his boarding school is for rich kids and Otis Ottely does not come from a wealthy family. Elevators appear in random places in the town of West Orlow but luckily technology can help. The weather radar meteorologist now adds a tiny yellow dot to his weather map showing where elevator has descended in the town and, so on this day, Otis plans to board the elevator so he can join this school. There are, however, lots of holes in this plan including wearing the correct school uniform.

So, what is going on with Otis Ottley and his family? Why is he trying so hard to reach this school? In the beginning it is simply because he would like to attend a different and possibly better school but then he meets one of the students and everything changes.

His dad owns an ice cream shop but recently another business has been opened by Tabitha Tabernacle who is a Manor graduate. This means her ice cream is made with, or better yet curated, with magic. Dad keeps trying to perfect new flavours and he says there is room for two ice cream establishments in their town. But is this really true? Since the death of his mum Otis's dad has withdrawn into his own thoughts.

Otis uses a tennis ball to talk to his mum. It has a Y and an N. He asks a question, tosses the ball and reads the answer. This sounds like a good plan but sadly, Otis has begun to forget precious memories of his time with his mum. Then a boy, called Keean, lands in West Orlow. He has been or is a Manor student and he has been experimenting with something that might just help Otis but others want to reclaim this magic and so the race is on!

I read Otis Ottley and the School in the Sky three times. YES, I really did enjoy it hence the four stars BUT my reading was overshadowed by the publisher listing ages 9-13 recommended. The cover has a younger vibe, but I think this book will better suit readers aged 11+. The main characters are in High School and aged 14. The book references The Merchant of Venice (possibly no 9-year-olds will be familiar with this play); and there are a few language issues with words like pissed and sparrow's fart but on the other hand I really appreciated the sophisticated vocabulary used in this book: words like reminisced; aplomb; gregarious; incredulous; philistine; sheeny; and covert ( and there are heaps more).

The Teacher Librarian in the story is named Mr Darcey (I like this), but he specialises in giving the kids books "that are equal parts gory and romantic, and super sweary." Again, this sounds like a phrase you might use with a Young Adult audience.

I think Otis Ottley will be a perfect book for a young High School (boy) who is a reluctant (but capable) reader who is sure to be attracted by the book length - short - and perhaps the cover (although that does look a little junior to me). There are some laugh out loud moments in this story and the plot twists and turns kept me turning the pages once I conquered the rhythm of Will's writing - he is excellent at leaving a reader to 'join the dots' in the narrative and so demands that, as a reader, you do pay very close attention to every word of every sentence - this is not a book to skim and scan. Behind all the humour, there is also a layer of poignancy and desperation in this story which you can feel from the quote at the start of this post. 

Here is a quote from the Teachers Notes which contains an interview with Will Kostakis: ‘In media, we like to treat drama and comedy as silos, but in life, they bleed together, and I always want my work to honestly reflect that. Getting the balance right is something I’ve learned to do over time, choosing the right joke for the right moment, and trusting that when the book requires it, readers will engage with something serious without me clowning out.’

Bookseller blurb: Otis Ottley is an ordinary boy who yearns to go to the magic school in the sky. And he will stop at nothing to make it happen. A funny and warm middle-grade novel about finding the magic in everyday life, from a much-loved, award-winning Australian author. Otis Ottley lives in the shadow of the Manor School for Magic. Literally. It's an island hovering over his town, and he's determined to reach it. While many kids dream of roaming the prestigious institution's halls, casting spells and conjuring spectacles, Otis has a very specific mission: to seek magical help remembering something very, very important. The odds are stacked against him, but Otis will break into magic school. Or at the very least, he will break a few rules trying.

The story is slightly Harry Potterish with a magical boarding school in the sky, but it also has a beautiful heart as young Otis desperately wants to bring his mum back. I also loved his emotional intelligence as he tries so hard not to upset his dad. Will Kostakis has created a fun side kick character for Otis named LJ - his role is to act as the 'voice of reason' along with supporting Otis as he tries to reach the school and find the memories of his mum. LJ is a terrific friend.

Some of the best scenes (I know this sounds very strange) take place in the nursing home on the outskirts of West Orlow where Otis goes to visit his grandmother. She is a feisty character with huge opinions and colourful clothes. I totally related to her horror of nursing home 'arts and crafts' activities and her 'busy body' personality.

"Nan lives on the second floor in what's basically a hospital room, but she's draped doilies over everything so it feels like home."

There are also some very imaginative ideas in this book such as bilocated paper - it is paper that appears magically and then words appear as if there is an invisible person writing them. Such a fun way to communicate with no need for devices! I also like the name Otis Ottley - the alliteration and the way, when he spells his name, Otis will need to say one 't' then double 't'.

It’s funny, it’s emotional and it’s fast-paced, with short chapters that keep the story moving so readers who don’t like long books, reluctant readers or readers just looking for something a bit lighter if they have been reading a lot of longer stuff can enjoy it. ... many readers will enjoy and find something to engage with, ... there is a sense of seriousness, a gravitas running through that shapes the story and makes Otis the character he is. It helps us as readers understand him and connect to him, and for readers who may have gone through what he has, it is a solid and meaningful reminder that they are not alone in the world and what they might be going through. The Book Muse

Here are some other Young Adult titles by award winning author Will Kostakis. His first novel, Loathing Lola, was released when he was just nineteen, and his second, The First Third, won the 2014 Gold Inky Award. It was also shortlisted for the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year and Prime Minister’s Literary awards. Will Kostaskis won the IBBY Australia Ena Noel award in 2018.

I had this book from 2014 - Stuff Happens Sean in my previous library - I plan to hunt it out and read it because I really enjoyed the style of writing in Otis Ottley.

Today I attended an event at Gleebooks Kids where Will Kostakis talked about his new book with fellow author Jack Heath (Jack Heath also won our IBBY Ena Noel Award). 

Just stop and think for a minute about these splendid events at Gleebooks Kids. We all know how much work goes into an author visit - most Teacher-Librarians host these important events once or twice a year or maybe in some cases (in wealthy schools) once each term. But think about Rachel Robson who hosts two author/book events EVERY Saturday. Exhausting but also fantastic. 

Back to the author talk today. I actually cheered when Jack Heath listed books that may have influenced Will Kostakis - of course he mentioned the obvious one which is Harry Potter, and also Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator but then Jack Heath named the short story Smart Ice Cream by Paul Jennings. Woohoo - this is a longtime favourite of mine. I have read it to hundreds of kids in my school library.

Here is a summary of Smart Ice Cream from Unreal: An ice-cream seller called Mr. Peppi has special ice-creams that have effects such as making people happier, shortening peoples' noses, removing pimples, and making people smarter. A smart but arrogant boy who is always top of the class gets jealous, because he never ever gets any of the ice-cream and also because one of his classmates becomes as good as him, so he ruins the ice-cream business by destroying all the ice-cream except the one that makes people smarter. He then proceeds to eat that one, only to find out that it actually makes people less smart.

Through the conversation between Will and Jack we learnt that this book Otis Ottley and the School in the Sky not only had long ago origins (back when Will was in Grade One!) but that it went through many drafts and plot changes - a good lesson for young readers about the importance of patience and perseverance along with striving to make your story or book the best it can be for your readers.

A few things Will Kostakis mentioned:

• The magic in the town of West Orlow needed to sound like a natural part of everyday life.
• Otis doesn't express his feelings, but we do know them through his actions (Jack Heath pointed this out).
• Jack Heath also said that Otis Ottley and the School in the Sky has 47 chapters and 47 plot twists all in 150 pages. Then Will explained his plan was for 130 pages but he went slightly over.
• The rich vocabulary used in this story was a deliberate choice (hooray!)
• The name LJ was inspired by the child of a friend.
• Will Kostakis is an author who does his best work under the pressure of a deadline. 
• At a deeper level this story shows the rich poor divide especially between Private and Public Schools - the discussion then turned to the way this is often reflected in the school facilities such as the school library.
• The bookseller's name Arabella Moriarty was a deliberate nod to the famous Australian children's author Jaclyn Moriarty.
• New books coming from Will Kostakis - possibly a sequel to Otis Ottley; a title for the Your Kids Next Read series for young readers (Affirm Press); and a new Young Adult title. 

Questions I didn't ask today (I never ask questions which I know is silly):

Do you think kids need to know the plot of or read the play of The Merchant of Venice which you reference in your story - it seems like quite a key plot point towards the end of the book.

I loved the scenes in the nursing home - can you talk about these - for example do you have an elderly relative living in care? You created such scenes and a terrific character with this grandmother.

It sounds like your editor had a huge role in the creation of this book - can you talk a little more about how this process works?

Companion book (this is a more serious book about a boy who visits an aged care home and all the different people he interacts with):

Not Nothing

Will Kostakis is also the National Judge for the Kids' Cancer Project - Write a Book in a Day. I am one of the State level judges (Primary division).

Birdy by N West Moss

I need to try and be happier—but I don’t know how

When they told her that her mother had finally died, Birdy lay on the floor of the McGraths’ apartment (they had been next-door neighbors for Birdy’s whole life), sirens wailing outside, and thought the world would stop, but it hadn’t. After a while, she heard noise on the street below: people shouting, taxis honking. The world kept spinning. When the McGraths brought home chocolate ice cream that night, it tasted good, which was surprising. Life moved forward.

Birdy (her real name is May) and her brother Mouse (his real name is Michael) are sent to live with distant, elderly relatives named Mitzie and Shadow. Birdy is told this is temporary until a foster family can be found. She is told she will be able to stay with her precious brother - they won't be separated. But are these things true. What if Birdy and Mouse are separated? What if these strangers don't like her? 

The urgent thing was to stay together. The only thing they carried with them of any value now was one another.

She thought of saying a lot of things, like thank you for taking us and thanks for keeping us together and thank you for coming all the way to New York City even with your husband in the hospital, and for not asking a lot of questions, but Birdy hated saying thank you all the time. It made her feel needy, which she guessed she was. “Okay,” she said again, to fill the quiet of her missing thank-yous.

Birdy wondered why Mitzie and Shadow wanted them. She had thought maybe they were broke and wanted kids there to do chores. Why else would two old people take kids into their house? It didn’t seem like that, though—they didn’t seem broke.

Birdy is on high alert. She has been ever since her mum became ill. Taking care of Mouse is her responsibility. In a way Birdie has never had the chance to be a child - to play, to laugh, to make friends or to have fun. 

She tried not to think about her mom dying all alone in the hospital without the two of them there, coughing a lot probably, no one to hold her hand. The painful thoughts spooled out from Birdy like she was a ball of misery twine. She didn’t want to think about how much she missed her mother, or how mad she was at her for dying, or for being so sad, or for leaving Birdy in charge all the time. She was mad at her mother for having to work so much, and for being impatient.

As is often the way with stories like this there are so many heart-wrenching misunderstandings. These of course give this story so much tension that you will just keep turning pages desperate for that all important, happy ending.

One of the most beautiful (and teary moments) in this story comes when Birdy visits the charity shop. She is looking for new clothes but we know she also loves to read. One of the staff offers her The Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt but Birdy says no (inside my heart I was telling Birdie to say yes). 

“We just got a whole set of the Tillerman Cycle books.” When Birdy didn’t say anything, he said, “They’re old I guess, but my sister loved them. With this kid named Dicey who runs away from home with her brothers and sisters.” That sounded interesting, but Birdy tried to act like she wasn’t listening. ... “I can give you a deal if you want the set.” Birdy waved her hand and hunched over and walked as fast as she could to the register, carrying her clothes in her arms. She didn’t have seven dollars to buy all those books. Forget it. Go away, she thought. GO AWAY. ... “Hey,” he said to Birdy. “We have to make room for new books just coming in, and if you want these you can have the whole set for a dollar.” His voice trailed off. “If you want.” He waited. “I checked with my boss and she said it was fine. A dollar for all seven.” 

I guarantee you will fall in love with the characters in this story and with the kindness offered by Mitzie, Shadow and most of all by the new uncle the kids meet - a guy named Clay. Then there is teenage camp counsellor named Bruce - I just wanted to hug him for his kindness, sensitivity and emotional intelligence.

He was really looking at them, like they were the only people in the world and he was seriously interested in them. He looked at them like he had all the time in the world, like there was nothing better on earth to do than to spend time right there with them in the driveway. So, this was her mother’s brother.

I added this book to my Kindle because Colby Sharp highly recommended it and BOY oh boy he was right. N West Moss is actually Nanette West Moss and this is not her first book but it is her first Middle Grade book.

There's something oddly comforting about this story. Maybe I just want to hang out with Mitzi while she bakes in the kitchen. Ms Yingling

Bookseller blurb: Eleven-year-old Birdy and her younger brother, Mouse, have always looked out for each other. They make the perfect team: Birdy is realistic and practical, while Mouse is affable and trusting. After their mother dies of cancer, Birdy and Mouse are forced to move out of the city to the country with relatives they've never met. Aunt Mitzie and Uncle Shadow's house is full of organized chaos, and it takes Birdy time to adjust to having adults around. But the kitchen is always stocked, and both kids are allowed to play outside as often as they want. There's only one problem: it's all temporary. Their social worker has promised to find them a permanent home by the next school year, whether they want to leave or not. As the summer unfolds, Mouse starts to feel attached to their new life. But Birdy knows better-adults have never been reliable. When Birdy's fears get the best of her, she makes a big mistake that could jeopardize their future.

Here are two more beautiful quotes:

It was peaceful, like they were healing up after a long illness or something. A thought was forming in the back of Birdy’s mind (one she wouldn’t understand completely until later) that maybe sitting with your brother, or whoever loves you most in the world, is how a person grieves. Piling little rocks and leaves and feathers on top of one another can make you start to feel like your chest isn’t collapsing. While she was looking for stuff to pile on top of other stuff, she had a sense of what “better” might feel like and how to steer toward it.

It was a sudden feeling that inflated something in her, like drinking too much soda in one gulp. She didn’t want to like him. She knew that hope was a dangerous thing that could make you feel especially good and then when the truth of things came out, however high up your hope had taken you was how far down you would fall.

Companion books:

Missing May

Same Stuff as Stars

The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman

One for the Murphys

The Higher Power of Lucky

Something like Home

Pictures of Hollis Woods

A Wolf for a Spell by Karah Sutton illustrated by Pauliina Hannuniemi

The distrust between the wolves and the witch went back hundreds of wolf generations. No wolf ever interacted with the witch without walking away changed. At least with a human you could search for a knife or an arrow. But the witch’s magic was hidden, and could be used for any number of devious purposes.

Nadya is an orphan. She watches with great sadness when her only and best friend from the orphanage is taken away to be married to the Tsar. 

It was a fairy-tale story of the orphan girl from the woods becoming royalty that would be told by firelight for years. The tsar held to an old forest tradition that anyone who gave him a gift that he deemed worthy would be honored with a royal favor. When he visited the village, Katerina offered him one of her beautifully woven cloaks, soft as a feather and more intricate than a spider’s web. In return he named her to be his bride.

Zima is a wolf pup living alone with her two brothers because their parents have been killed. When her brother is badly injured she desperately needs to save him.

Baba Yaga is an old witch holding onto a terrible guilt. She needs to right this wrong but she is too old to travel far so she is on the lookout for a young wolf pup to use for a switching spell. 

“I must become a wolf. Yet my magic does not allow me to simply transform. I am bound by the laws of the forest, and my magic is always a trade. I need a wolf to switch bodies with me, willingly.”

The lives of these three characters will collide in unexpected ways and I am certain you will be on the edge of your seat hoping for, but not sure if, the story can reach that all important happy ending. Oh and there is also a cheeky raven who can be occasionally very helpful. 

Blurb: Since she was a pup, Zima has been taught to fear humans--especially witches--but when her family is threatened, she has no choice but to seek help from the witch Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga never does magic for free, but it just so happens that she needs a wolf's keen nose for a secret plan she's brewing . . . Before Zima knows what's happening, the witch has cast a switching spell and run off into the woods, while Zima is left behind in Baba Yaga's hut--and Baba Yaga's body! Meanwhile, a young village girl named Nadya is also seeking the witch's help, and when she meets Zima (in Baba Yaga's form), they discover that they face a common enemy. With danger closing in, Zima must unite the wolves, the witches and the villagers against an evil that threatens them all.

Opening sentence: Fear sank its jaws into Zima as she recognized the smell of magic. She pressed her nose to the ground and sniffed again. Like moonlight and decay—it burrowed into her nose, slippery and sinister. She shook her head and huffed to clear out her nostrils.

Here is a description of the tsar: Everything about him was thick and angular. He had an arrowlike nose poking out over the thick beard. When he stood, it was with one foot in front of the other, as though he were ready to begin moving again. His voice rumbled in his square chest.

There are fabulous illustrations in this book:

I picked up this book at a recent charity book sale and read about 1/3 and then because I was going away for a month and because I was SO engrossed in the story and because I cannot carry books in my luggage I also purchased the ebook version to read on the plane. This is one of those 'time is ticking' page turner stories where the 'heroes' have, in this case, only one week until the full moon. 

The cover of this book is also SO appealing and the title in intriguing - it will make more sense after you read the story. And after reading A Wolf for a Spell you will want to hunt out other books about the Baba Yaga and the house with chicken legs. 

Here are a couple of other books I enjoyed that feature wolves:

The Wolf Wilder

Wolf Siren (for readers aged 12+)

A Wolf called Wander

The Lost Island by Samantha Wheeler illustrated by Anke Noack

"Oh Theo. You can't spend your life worrying about what might happen ... I think researching your fast facts is making you more anxious, not less.' ... He was wrong. So wrong. My facts were helpful. We were sailing the Pacific Ocean! Thousands of things might happen. We'd already seen jellyfish and rays and a huge octopus. Not to mention the high chance of encountering pirates, or whales, or stormy weather."

Theo (Theodore Boston Bellview) is on a yacht cruise with his dad, stepmother Lyn and stepsister Mozzie (I wonder if this is a short form of a different name?). Theo feels left out and the cruise is very disappointing plus it feels as though his dad is giving all of his attention to Mozzie. He misses their previously close relationship. As this newly blended family journey across the ocean a wild storm hits their boat, and Theo is swept into the sea. Theo is the sort of kid who lives with hundreds of facts and hundreds of worries, so he has bought a survival pack along on the cruise. Luckily his pack is on his back when he falls into the ocean and luckily his stepsister has somehow managed to toss him a life ring. Unluckily the boat sails away and Theo is swept onto a small, presumably deserted tropical island. Surely it will not be very long before Theo is rescued but alas this is not the case. Hunger and more importantly thirst takes over and so Theo feels compelled to walk away even though he knows he should stay put. He desperately needs to find water and eventually he does but even more surprisingly he also finds an older woman who has created a small hut from the rubbish that has washed up on the shore. She has named this Trash Beach.

(She) "wore a filthy lavender-coloured dressing-gown and a tattered sheepskin slipper on one foot and a too-big orange Croc on the other. And (she) lent heaving on a gnarled stick ..."

My first reaction to this book was to laugh at the highly improbable scenario but by the final chapters I was actually enjoying the 'ride' and I did read this book in almost one sitting.  You do, however, have to suspend disbelief in this book although I do realise younger readers aged 9+ won't read this tale with my 'cynical eye'. 

How lucky that Theo:

• has small survival kit containing: a five-piece mini survival pack with screw drivers, a penknife, whistle, compass, a torch and a ferro rod for starting a fire; two small cans of baked beans; a used snake-bite bandage; 3 metres of rope; 3 pencils; a pen and a notepad.
• has participated with his local scout's group where he has learned skills such as knot tying.
• has a head full of fast facts about all sorts of dangers. (These are interesting but also, at times, very funny).

The issue of the way we have polluted our oceans is one you might want to discuss with your library group - this is vividly presented when we read Professor Staggered has made a fence around her hut using discarded toothbrushes. There is also the moral dilemma of finding and exposing an extinct animal knowing it is sure to be exploited if taken out into the world. I also suggest using page 119 if you plan to book talk The Lost Island with your class or library group - it is the scene where Theo covers his skin with stinging nettles - painful yes but also very funny.

I really appreciated the map of the island:

Huge thanks to UQP for sending me an advance copy of The Lost Island - this book was published earlier this month (August 2026). You will find teachers notes and a book extract here. The teachers notes are very detailed and so I suggest you only select a few of the questions as a way to guide a discussion with your class. 

Publisher blurb: Theo thinks there’s nothing worse than being stuck on a Pacific cruise with his dad, new stepmum and annoying stepsister. But when he’s thrown overboard during a storm and washes up on a desert island, he suddenly has much bigger problems. As Theo tackles castaway life – finding food, water and shelter – he discovers the island is full of mysteries: spooky noises, possible ghosts and the strangest birds he’s ever seen. With survival getting tougher by the day and no rescue in sight, Theo is desperate to get back to his family. But to escape the island, he must first unlock its secrets – and reckon with the power of nature.

The Lost Island is an interesting book about nature’s power and survival, and how we can use what we have to get through. Or what we can do to help recycle and keep the world cleaner, but without being didactic about it. The Book Muse

Companion books with the theme of islands and survival:

The Explorer

These are the newer covers for this gripping series

Higher Ground

For an older reader aged 12+

Young Quills Award

This is the 2026 shortlist - the winners are announced in July

Readers Aged 5-8

The Boy Who Became Queen by Christina Balit (Otter-Barry Books)

Readers Aged 8-11

Becoming Grace by Hilary McKay (Barrington Stoke)

Dance of Resistance by Catherine Johnson (Barrrington Stoke)

My Family, the Enemy by Karen McCombie (Bloomsbury Education)

Shrapnel Boys by Jenny Pearson (Usborne Publishing)

The Line They Drew Through Us by Hiba Noor Khan (Andersen Press)

Wrong Tracks by Susan Brownrigg (UCLan Publishing)

Readers Aged 11-13

Kata and Tor by Kevin Crossley-Holland (Walker Books)

The Dawn of Adonis by Phil Earle (Andersen Press)

To War with Wallace by Barbara Henderson (Luath Press Ltd)

Under a Fire-Red Sky by Geraldine McCaughrean (Usborne Publishing)

Under the London Sky by Anna Woltz (Rock the Boat)

Readers Aged 14+

Black Star by Kwame Alexander (Andersen Press)

Lobster Blues by Jacqueline King (Zuntold)

Songs for Ghosts by Clara Kumagai (Zephyr)

The Boy I Love by William Hussey (Andersen Press)

There could be books on this 2026 shortlist you might add to your own 'to read' list or to your school library. I have Shrapnel Boys on my pile and I spied Becoming Grace last year so I am also keen to read this one. If you haven't yet discovered the wonderful publisher Barrington Stoke take a look here (this takes you to one part of their site there is lots more to explore) - I have read so many fabulous books from this UK publisher. My most recent find was The Elixir. 

The Young Quills Award is an annual book award set up by the Historical Association to celebrate good historical fiction writing for children and young people aged 5 to 14+. 

The shortlist for the Young Quills Award is drawn up based on the reviews provided by pupils in primary and secondary schools across the UK, who are sent copies of the longlisted titles to review against the award criteria:

• Is it a ‘good read’?
• Does it have good historical content and factual information?
• Is history a proper component of the story, not just a convenient backdrop or setting?
• Does the book inspire young readers to find out more about that historical period or people?

A judging panel made up of historians, authors and literacy experts then selects the winners for each of the four age categories. The Historical Association is a registered charity set up to advance the study, teaching and enjoyment of history at all levels. As the UK subject association for history it carries out research into the state of history education; represents members’ interests to government and policy-makers; and supports the teaching of history in schools through its programme of CPD and wide range of resources, including the Primary History and Teaching History journals.

Here are some previous winners and highly commended titles that I have read:

Birdie

The Bletchley Riddle

The Wall between us

The Valley of Lost Secrets

Our Castle by the Sea

The Island at the End of Everything

I am keen to see some of the past ages 5-9 winners:

My late July and August reading pile

The books at the top of this post are some of the Kindle titles I will read on my way to the IBBY Congress in Ottawa.

I have finished My So-Called Family, but it is such a harrowing story I need to wait a while before I talk about it here. I found it because I read Strays also by Gia Gordon. I wanted to read another book by Chanel Miller because I loved/adored Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All. And I have read two books in the series by Kelly Yang: Front desk and Three Keys. 

I don't pen these posts every month. Perusing my last one, which was my April list, there are a few I still haven't read - Rima's Rebellion by Margarita Engle; The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon; and My Sweet Orange Tree by Jose Mauro de Vasconcelos.

I am about to finish the third book in the Callers series by Kiah Thomas - 'The Journey Home'. I will talk about the second book over the coming days. 

Other books on my 'to read' pile are:

The Magician's Nephew by CS Lewis

This is a re-read book - I have a plan to read this whole series again. The Magician's Nephew was published in 1955 and is considered a prequel to the series - I was gifted The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe as a young child. I picked this book up from a charity book fair.

Bookseller blurb: One touch of a magical ring sends two friends hurtling into another world and accidentally releases an evil sorceress from her enchanted sleep. Hungry for ultimate power, she's determined to destroy everyone - and every world - in her path. But a song from the Great Lion, Aslan, awakens a new hope and a new world: Narnia, where anything is possible. And this is only the start of the adventure. The Magician's Nephew is the first book in C. S. Lewis's classic fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia, which has captivated readers of all ages with a magical land and unforgettable characters for over seventy-five years. This is a stand-alone novel, but if you would like to journey through the wardrobe and back to Narnia, read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the second book in The Chronicles of Narnia, the greatest epic fantasy series of all time.

The Shrapnel Boys by Jenny Pearson

Publisher (Usborne Books) blurb: When war comes to London in 1939, Ronnie Smith is scared and excited: scared of the bombs that fall at night, but excited to race his friends to collect the best bits of shrapnel every morning. But for Ronnie, the battles aren't just in the sky and on the streets. They're at school and at home too. His little brother is up to no good with a secret job and dangerous new friends, and Ronnie's worried he's getting himself into big trouble. Ronnie's desperate to help his little brother. But he isn't expecting to uncover secrets that could change the fate of the whole war...

Little Bones by Sandy Bigna

I have already read this book back in 2025 but recently a bookseller told me she is sure this will win a prize in our CBCA Book of the Year awards. I gave this book four stars back then - mainly because I felt I had read this plot previously in other books (but of course young readers will not have that experience). Take a look at my previous post. 

Wolf Road by Alice Roberts

I picked this up at a recent charity book sale (AUS$3) because I do enjoy survival stories and I enjoy books set in prehistoric times (Wolf Brother Michelle Paver and sequels; The Cave Victor Kelleher; Tarin of the Mammoths by Jo Sandhu).

Publisher blurb: Tuuli is a prehistoric girl, travelling with her tribe through the seasons – making camp, hunting for food and protecting themselves against the many hazards that the climate throws at them. Tuuli knows there’s a bigger world out there, and when she spots a strange boy lurking outside their camp, she realises that he might hold the adventure she is looking for. He is from another tribe, sent to find safer ground and as he and Tuuli strike up an unlikely friendship, they set out on a journey that will impact the rest of human history. 

Horses of the Dawn: Star Rise by Kathryn Lasky

I am not usually drawn to books about horses but many years ago I read Guardians of Ga’Hoole by Kathryn Lasky and more recently I read Faceless and The Secret of Glendunny. I am going to wait before reading this one because I didn't realise it was book 2 in the series - the first one is 'The Escape'. 

Blurb from author page: The first horses in the New World, Estrella and her herd, were carried across the sea by gold-seeking men, only to be cast into the ocean when the ship became too heavy. Yet despite the odds, the horses did survive and became the first herd to run wild across this untamed land. But now, they're facing their greatest challenge yet. An army is pursuing the herd, eager to force them back into captivity and hard labor. Estrella wants nothing to do with men ever again, but then she meets a boy who's been exiled from his village- a child with a mysterious ability to communicate with animals. If Estrella rejects the boy, he will surely die alone in the wilderness. But if she takes him in, she'll put the other horses at risk. With their hard-won freedom slipping away at every turn, Estrella must decide what it means to be a leader ... and what it means to be a herd. 

Hamlet is not Okay by RA Spratt

I really enjoyed a previous book by RA Spratt - Romeo vs Juliet and Rachel Robson at Gleebooks enthusiastically recommended this earlier book also based on a Shakespeare play. I saw it at the charity book fair for only AUS$2.

Publisher blurb: Selby hates homework. She would rather watch TV – anything to escape the tedium of school, her parents’ bookshop and small-town busybodies. So, Selby didn’t plan to read Hamlet. She certainly never planned to meet him. This novel transports Selby, and the reader, into the cold and crime-ridden play itself. Here she meets Hamlet: heavy with grief, the young prince is overthinking and over everything. Selby can relate. But unlike Hamlet, Selby isn’t afraid of making decisions. In her world, Selby is used to feeling overlooked. But in the bloody, backstabbing world of Shakespeare, Selby’s good conscience and quiet courage might just save some lives . . . hopefully before Hamlet stabs one of her classmates.

A Wolf Spell by Karah Sutton

Yes, I did pick up another book with a wolf on the cover at the charity book sale! Here is the Kirkus review (the reviewer didn't love this book).

Publisher blurb: Since she was a pup, Zima has been taught to fear humans - especially witches - but when her family is threatened, she has no choice but to seek help from the witch Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga never does magic for free, but it just so happens that she needs a wolf's keen nose for a secret plan she's brewing . . . Before Zima knows what's happening, the witch has cast a switching spell and run off into the woods, while Zima is left behind in Baba Yaga's hut--and Baba Yaga's body! Meanwhile, a young village girl named Nadya is also seeking the witch's help, and when she meets Zima (in Baba Yaga's form), they discover that they face a common enemy. With danger closing in, Zima must unite the wolves, the witches and the villagers against an evil that threatens them all.

BOOKS SUPPLIED FOR REVIEW

The Lost Island by Samantha Wheeler illustrated by Anke Noack (210 pages)

I previously read Everything I've never Said by Samantha Wheeler. This is new book from UQP due for publication on 4th August.

Publisher blurb: Theo thinks there’s nothing worse than being stuck on a Pacific cruise with his dad, new stepmum and annoying stepsister. But when he’s thrown overboard during a storm and washes up on a desert island, he suddenly has much bigger problems. As Theo tackles castaway life – finding food, water and shelter – he discovers the island is full of mysteries: spooky noises, possible ghosts and the strangest birds he’s ever seen. With survival getting tougher by the day and no rescue in sight, Theo is desperate to get back to his family. But to escape the island, he must first unlock its secrets – and reckon with the power of nature.

Game of Pets by Aaron Blabey (Advance copy from Gleebooks) Book One: The boy who knew too much.  Due for publication September 2026 Here is the web page for Aaron Blabey.

Publisher blurb: OK, here's the situation: Thanks to a diabolical intergalactic game show, we are all cooked. Luckily, Griff, an 11-year-old kid with innumerable allergies, just got told by a talking axolotl named Bob that Griff is the only one who can save us. I mean, that's kind of good news, right? Trouble is, Bob's prophecy comes with a warning: 'Watch your back, man . . . your PETS are not what they seem . . .' Prepare to have your mind blown and your cats and dogs under heavy suspicion. It's time to buckle up for an insane, laugh-out-loud new series, 260 million years in the making . . .

Otis Ottley and the school in the sky by Will Kostakis Due for publication September 2026.

I have started reading this book. The premise feels a little like Harry Potter. I am enjoying the complex writing and rich vocabulary.

Blurb from author page: Otis Ottley lives in the shadow of the Manor School for Magic. Literally. It’s an island hovering over his town, and he’s determined to reach it. While many kids dream of roaming the prestigious institution’s halls, casting spells and conjuring spectacles, Otis has a very specific mission: to seek magical help remembering something very, very important. The odds are stacked against him, but Otis will break into magic school. Or at the very least, he will break a few rules trying.