Free Lunch by Rex Ogle

Ministers and priests and Buddhist monks and talk-show hosts—all those people who are supposed to be real smart and wise and stuff—always say dumb things like “Money isn’t everything,” or “The best things in life are free.” 

But they’re wrong. Money is everything. The best things in life aren’t free.

I hate Sam 'cause he beats Mom. I hate him even more for beating me. I hate Mom for beating me. And I hate her even more for going crazy all the time. I hate that they don’t have money. I hate that they always fight about not having money. I hate that all the kids at my school seem happy all the time. Sometimes I hate the whole world. Sometimes I don’t know who to hate. I guess, most of the time, I just hate myself.

Rex lives with his mum, her partner Sam and their son Ford. It is a home filled with violence, neglect and often there is no food. School is a refuge for Rex, but it is also a tough place with traps and rules. Thank goodness Rex does make a friend - I just wanted to hug this kid named Ethan. Ethan just accepts Rex - no judgement - only genuine kindness. His grandmother is also someone wonderful but sadly her daughter, Rex's mum utterly rejects her help and even throws away all clothes, toys and the groceries she brings on her visit.

Even though his situation is utterly dreadful Rex has intelligence and integrity. He does understand his mother, he tries to help her, and he would deny this, but he deeply cares about his much younger brother. I was sure Rex would make something more of his life - it is fantastic to read that he wants to succeed at school and while he knows others have a way better life than his I felt certain Rex would be okay. 

Here are some text quotes (note this book has strong language and explicit violence) - I really enjoyed taking this journey with Rex. I recommend this book for readers aged 13+. Free Lunch was published in 2020 and it is still available in paperback. There is a sticker on the front cover because this book won the YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award.

It’s not just Mom’s fault—it’s mine too. I shouldn’t have raised my voice at her. I really do try to be a good kid, but sometimes I get so angry. Everything turns red. Feels like my blood is on fire and I’m going to puke or pass out or . . . I don’t know. Next thing I know, I’m screaming so hard. But that’s all I do is yell.

This year was supposed to be great. It’s only the first day, and everything is falling apart already. Yesterday, I was so excited. Now, I’m angry and pissed off and alone. All ’cause of . . . ’cause of what? I come to school with a black eye and have to beg for a free lunch. It’s bull crap. No one should have to ask for handouts. No one. Especially not kids. Now everyone knows I’m nothing but trailer trash.

I hate that Mom and Sam are in charge of me. Adults aren’t always smarter than kids. I’m always doing stuff that parents should do. Like hooking up the wires for the TV or the stereo, or jump-starting a car. That stuff is easy for me. Mom doesn’t even know how to make toast, and I can cook, like, twenty kinds of meals, even stuff without recipes. Plus, I know a bunch of facts ’cause I read a lot. I for sure know more than Sam. He can barely write a full sentence. Sometimes he has me fill out job applications for him. And I’m good at math. Mom has me double-check hers in her checkbook all the time.

Mom’s bedroom is empty except for the mattress and the box spring under it, and the metal frame under that. Some clothes are in the closet on wire hangers. There’s a fan in the corner. That’s it. No photos. No albums. No books. No jewelry box with a ballerina in it. No tin of little keepsakes. My mom doesn’t have anything.

I think about how we were homeless for one night, and that was awful. But now we have a roof over our head. And Sam and Mom never let us starve, even if we have to do without TV or a toaster for a little while. Mom didn’t sign me up for the Free Lunch Program to punish me. She did it so I could have food.

I guess I should have realised this book is a true story because the name of the author and the main character match, but it just didn't occur to me until I read the heart wrenching afterword.

Bookseller blurb: Instead of giving him lunch money, Rex’s mom has signed him up for free meals. As a poor kid in a wealthy school district, better-off kids crowd impatiently behind him as he tries to explain to the cashier that he’s on the free meal program. The lunch lady is hard of hearing, so Rex has to shout Free Lunch is the story of Rex’s efforts to navigate his first semester of sixth grade—who to sit with, not being able to join the football team, Halloween in a handmade costume, classmates and a teacher who take one look at him and decide he’s trouble—all while wearing secondhand clothes and being hungry. His mom and her boyfriend are out of work, and life at home is punctuated by outbursts of violence. Halfway through the semester, his family is evicted and ends up in government-subsidized housing in view of the school. Rex lingers at the end of last period every day until the buses have left, so no one will see where he lives. Unsparing and realistic, Free Lunch is a story of hardship threaded with hope and moments of grace. Rex’s voice is compelling and authentic, and Free Lunch is a true, timely, and essential work that illuminates the lived experience of poverty in America.

Ms Yingling has written a very thoughtful review of Free Lunch - please take the time to read it. 

A mighty portrait of poverty amid cruelty and optimism. Kirkus Star review

There is a rawness to Ogle’s writing, an honesty that shines on the page. His weaving in of hope makes reading this book possible, not leaving the reader to languish in the haunting and horrible world he writes of. That hope is vital for the character of Rex too, it keeps him making new friends, finding a way forward, and being willing to change himself to make his family better. Profoundly honest and full of heart, this book is one that all teachers and librarians need to read to understand the children they serve.  Waking Brain Cells

Here are some words from the author about his life:

The worst part of living like this is thinking as I did—that I was alone, that I was shameful, and that I had less worth because of the situations into which I was born. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. No child should feel alone. Or ashamed. Or worthless. They need to know that their circumstances are not their fault. ... No matter how bad your circumstances may seem, things can change. And until they do, no one can take away your most powerful gift—your ability to hope for the better.

Companion books:

The Other Shadow

Orbiting Jupiter

Gossamer

One for the Murphys

RIP Nanny Tobbins by Lucie Stevens

I don't often read 'ghost' stories because it is one of a very few genres that I do not really enjoy but the author of this book Lucie Stevens spoke at a recent conference held here in Sydney at our State Library and her brief author talk intrigued me (which I am sure was her intention).

Since I am not an expert on middle grade ghost stories I may be generalising but I thought that usually a ghost had a reason for their return. Coming back to right a wrong or assist a person from when they were alive. The young girl in this story Albertine Waldblumen had no concept of death (she is very young and naive). Adults have protected her from this.  We learn her father first off won't take her to Nanny Tobbins funeral and then we also discover she is not allowed to go near the churchyard cemetery. I suspected, correctly, that she had never seen her mother's grave. Poor child believes her mother is flying in the sky with the angels and so she spends a lot of time looking up hoping to see her. So why did Nanny Tobbins return? I guess she may have returned to help Albertine discover the truth about death or to help her in some way to cope with her new Stepmother and changing relationship with her father but that all feels a bit too vague.

Back to Nanny Tobbins (real name Nanette) who was indeed a nanny to Albertine (nick name Bert) we never actually find out about the Great Exhibition of 1851 but alas as Albertine and her new stepmother set off to attend this amazing event the story quite suddenly ends. I was very disappointed not to read about the sights and wonders through Albertine's eyes. Here is some information about The Great Exhibition aimed at youger readers. How did Nanny Tobbins die? It was a horse-riding accident but we are given no further details. I kept wondering if Albertine perhaps saw the accident or worse if she was in some way involved.  One of the gruesome aspects about this ghost is the way her head is not quite attached to her body. She also seems to attract lots of moths but just why this happens is never explained. At night Albertine is locked inside her room - I did find that quite distressing and I desperately hoped the would not be a fire in their house.  

Only Albertine can see the ghost of Nanny Tobbins, but her precious dog named Quiver seems to sense when she is here. There are a number of stereotypes in this story - the evil stepmother; the absent father; the fearful and bumbling servant; and the warm-hearted cook who makes fabulous foods for little Albertine. Of course, the spooky moments happen at midnight. The author Lucie Stevens did say she was thinking of the classic book Mary Poppins when she wrote the short piece as part of an assignment that then led to this longer novel. 

Was there really elephant at The Great Exhibition? Yes and No.  Not a living one but there was a taxidermy one. 

Image source: Victoria and Albert Museum

You can hear Lucie Stevens talk about her book here on the Podcast Your Kids Next Read (start at 15.60). RIP Nanny Tobbins is her debut Middle Grade Novel. RIP Nanny Tobbins will be published tomorrow! And she mentioned there will be a sequel next year and one of the books she lists as recent enjoyable reads was Little Bones. 

Bookseller blurb: When Nanny Tobbins fell off a horse and broke her neck, the grown-ups told nine-year-old Albertine she'd never see her beloved governess again. But it simply isn't true. For every night, when the clock strikes twelve, Nanny returns to the nursery. Yet in her new ghostly state, Nanny Tobbins quickly causes chaos in the household -- and the timing couldn't be more inconvenient. Albertine's stepmother is struggling to settle in, and Papa is much occupied working with Prince Albert on the Great Exhibition. To make matters worse, the grown-ups don't believe in ghosts at all, leaving Albertine to take the blame for Nanny's unruly antics. How will Albertine restore peace to her home before the unthinkable occurs?

RIP Nanny Tobbins is an easy book to read - I think it will appeal to readers aged 10+ but it may not be scary enough for the readers who love to find ghost stories that can tingle your spine. 

About the author: Lucie Stevens is a children’s writer who grew up in a semi-rural area of Dharug Country, north-west of Sydney. After working in Australian publishing houses for many years, she moved to Berlin, where she helped make education outreach programs for the UK and European Space Agencies. Now, having resettled in Gadigal Country, Sydney, Lucie works as a freelance editor for NGOs and not-for-profit organisations. She has authored and co-authored several books for the education market, on topics ranging from mudlarks to Mars. R.I.P. Nanny Tobbins is Lucie’s first novel for children.

I know I said at the start of this post that I don't seek out ghost stories but here are a few I have read and enjoyed (aimed at a similar audience to RIP Nanny Tobbins).

Out of the Wild Night

The Haunting of Charity Delafield

The Ghost of Gosswater

Her Perilous Mansion

Elizabeth and Zenobia

Not a ghost story but this wonderful book has a similar feel or setting

Withering by Sea

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

The Memory String by Eve Bunting illustrated by Ted Rand

I seem to read so many middle grade novels where the main character, often a young girl, is grieving the death of a parent, usually her mother. The child is usually very angry and confused about this loss and often shows this through resentment of other adults who may have formed a relationship with their remaining parent. In this book Laura's mum has died and dad has a new partner named Jane.  

Laura cannot talk to Jane. In fact she is openly rude and even hostile towards her. Laura finds some comfort in a string of buttons left to her by her mum. There are buttons from her great-grandmother, grandmother, mother, father and even a couple of her own childhood buttons. 

Unlike the books I mentioned previously - this book is a picture book. In the space of just 32 pages Eve Bunting explores and resolves a huge emotional journey. One evening, while Laura is holding her memory string and trying to recount all the stories to her feisty cat the string breaks and the buttons are scattered all over the garden. Jane is not an evil stepmother. She and Laura's dad hunt far and wide and retrieve all but one of the buttons. Later that evening, when Laura is supposed to be in bed asleep, Jane finds the final button - it is from dad's army shirt and was a button that was very precious to Laura's mum. The way Jane lets Laura find this button is filled with wisdom and kindness. 

The final scenes in this book made me cry - that is a refection of the power of this writing. This is an older long form picture book published in 2000 but paperback copies from 2015 are still available (June 2023). I enjoyed the story journey in this book but sadly I am not a fan of the art - especially the images of the angry cat. 

Eve Bunting is now 94 years old. She has written over 250 books. My friend from Kinderbookswitheverything often talks about her book Fly Away Home. Look for Swan in Love and Whales Passing in your school library.  Here are some other titles you might recognise:

A simple, moving tale of a family in transition  Kirkus Star review

I have also talked about the importance of buttons and button collections in a previous post. 

Sea in Winter by Christine Day

Author blurb: It’s been a hard year for Maisie Cannon, ever since she hurt her leg and could not keep up with her ballet training and auditions. Her blended family is loving and supportive, but Maisie knows that they just can’t understand how hopeless she feels. With everything she’s dealing with, Maisie is not excited for their family midwinter road trip along the coast, near the Makah community where her mother grew up. But soon, Maisie’s anxieties and dark moods start to hurt as much as the pain in her knee. How can she keep pretending to be strong when on the inside she feels as roiling and cold as the ocean?

Maisie lives in Seattle. Her mum is Makah from Washington State, her dad was Piscataway and he grew up in Baltimore. Sadly her dad was killed in Afghanistan. Her new step dad is an enrolled citizen of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe and he great up in Port Angeles. Over the course of their road trip Jack tells Maisie and her brother Connor stories of the ancestors but the main focus of this story is on Maisie's ballet accident and her hopes to be a performer some time in the near future. Then she has a second accident and the story becomes one about accepting change and finding a new path.

Awards for this book:

• An American Indian Youth Literature Award Honor Book!
• A Finalist for the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Book Award!
• Washington State Representative at the National Book Festival!
• Top 10 in the Winter 2020-2021 Kids’ Indie Next List!
• A Junior Library Guild Selection!
• A School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, BookPage, and American Indians in Children’s Literature (AICL) Best Book of 2021!
• A Politics and Prose Children & Teens Favorite of 2021!
• An Indigo Books Best Kids Book of the Year!

An insightful, stirring read about healing and resilience. Kirkus

It’s important to note that that the book itself is also historic as it is part of the first list of books to be published by Heartdrum—a Native-focused imprint of HarperCollins Children’s Books, which offers stories about young Native heroes by Native and First Nations’ authors and illustrators. The Children's Book Review

Christine Day’s writing is always quiet, poignant, and insightful, and The Sea in Winter is especially so. Maisie is a deeply introspective character whose suffering will be deeply felt by all who read this book. Yet, this book manages to be uplifting with the help of Maisie’s brother Connor and her warm, loving family and friends. Reading Middle Grade

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

Butterflies for Grandpa Joe by Nicola Davies illustrated by Mike Byrne

Young Ben is the quiet hero of this story.  His beautiful grandmother has died and Grandpa Joe is very deeply sad. So sad he cannot get off the couch and he does not respond to Ben's attempts to get him engaged, even though Ben visits nearly ever day.  Ben knows his grandfather had a special interest in, and love of butterflies. Ben hatches a plan to help his grandfather. He buys a butterfly kit but this process will take time from egg to caterpillar to cocoon to butterfly and time is something Ben doesn't have because mum and dad think Joe now needs to go into care. They plan to sell his grandpa's house very soon.

The family structure in this book is a little complex but that adds to the emotion of the story. Take another look at the title formatting. You can see "FOR" in capitals and bold. The butterflies are more than a gift they are the key to helping Grandpa Joe find his way again.

You can read the first chapter of this book on the Barrington Stoke web site.

This is a beautiful story. Nicola Davies has captured that special bond across the generations that so frequently exists between grandparents and their grandchildren. Ben loves his grandpa and Grandpa Joe loves Ben too but grief has left the old man unable to display this love anymore. I admired Ben’s determination to try to help. Library Lady

If you have not yet discovered these little easy chapter books from Barrington Stoke can I recommend you head off to your local bookshop or library. I have read quite a few of them now and they are all terrific. If work in a school library these books should be an essential edition to your collection.

The Bakery of Happiness

White Feather

The Smile

After reading this book your young reader might be curious about the life cycle of butterflies. In your library head to the non fiction shelves [598.78]. These books are well worth exploring:

 

The Haunting by Margaret Mahy

If you have been following this blog you may know I am a huge fan of Margaret Mahy.  We always include a selection of her picture books into our literature program each year.

I bought home some of our older books (and new ones too) to read over the summer and among them was The Haunting a novel for Middle Primary readers.  I did think I had read this many years ago but only sketchy parts of the plot seemed familiar.

Barney is the quiet child of the family. He is the youngest.  His mum died when he was born but he now has a wonderful step mother who gives him unconditional love :

"Claire had come as a wonderful surprise, giving him a hug when he came home from school, asking him about his day, telling him about hers, arranging picnics and unexpected parties and helping him with his homework."

Claire is expecting a new baby.  Barney has not told anyone but he does feel anxious and he is desperate not to upset Claire so when an apparition or ghost appears his certain Claire must not know. Coinciding with the appearance of the ghost the family receive the news that an older relative Great Uncle Barnaby has died.

As the 'ghost' comes closer and closer Barney becomes quite ill.  His sister Tabitha is determined to unlock the mystery about Barnaby but also about another long lost Great Uncle named Cole. He was the black sheep of the family who drowned when he was quite young. Troy, Barney's other sister watches all the family coming and goings and sees her brother is distressed but she also seems to be moving even further away from the family.

"Troy was the one who picked up, folded, straightened and brushed down - everyone in the family knew that. Yet today ... Troy's tidiness ... was shocking - something eerie and astonishing. The books in the bookcase were in exact order of size, pulled out to the very edge of the shelf and not a quarter of an inch forward to back."

Eventually everything comes to a head.  Misunderstandings are resolved and Barney discovers the truth about Cole and Barnaby and his sisters.  This little book is a terrific one to read but our copy has such small print - I know this aspect will not appeal to readers in  my school library. I may need to source a replacement copy.

Here is a very detailed and positive review in Kirkus.  In New Zealand they made a movie of this book which won the Carnegie Medal in 1983.  Here is a three minute audio sample from the first chapter.  Oddly this book is out of print but there is a new audio version coming soon.

Raven's mountain by Wendy Orr

"At the very tallest point there's a flat rock. I drop my pack in the snow and scramble up. Now I'm on the highest bit on the peak of the highest mountain for as far as I can see ... I can do my dance"

It is very easy to tell that Wendy Orr has climbed up and down a mountain or two and when I read the biographical notes at the back of Raven's Mountain this is indeed true.  Wendy was born in Alberta and when she was twelve she climbed Pike's Peak in Colorado.  You can see a picture here.

Raven, her sister Lily and step dad, Scott, set out to climb a mountain near Jenkins Creek.  The family, including mum who is working on this day, have moved and this is the area of Scott's childhood.  He keen to share his favourite spots with his new family.  The journey up the mountain goes smoothly but there is an undertone of animosity between Lily and Raven.  This comes from the loss of their father who abandoned the family and moved to Australia (Wendy herself now lives in Australia). Lily blames Raven, Raven is filled with confusion and now has also lost her closest friends because they have moved.

The group are well prepared for their mountain climb and Scott even teaches the girls how to use a bear repellent spray because bears live on this mountain.

When they reach the top Raven races ahead and does a little wild dance of joy.  This dislodges some rocks and causes a landslide.  Scott and Lily are trapped and so Raven must find her way, without her glasses, down the mountain to call for help.  Lily and Scott have most of the supplies, the phone and water bottles and this is a very remote area.

The disaster and Raven's courage help heal the rift between Lily and Raven and the hurtful comments of the past are explained and forgiven.

"The strange thing is Lily never has anything much wrong with her at all. Until she turned into a witch, she'd always been a kind of golden girl ... The problem with being three years younger is that I never catch up; by the time I can do something too, Lily's doing something else even better."

If you enjoy Raven's mountain I would look for The Honest Truth.  Raven's Mountain is not a new book it was first published in 2010 but it might still be in a library near you.  You could also look for other books by Wendy Orr including Nim's Island, Ark in the Park and her newest titles Dragonfly Song which is actually on my current 'to read' pile.  Here is an interview where Wendy talks about story and a life where 'stuff happens'.  In Canada this book has a different title and cover.

A dad who measures up by Davide Cali and Anna Laura Cantone

My mummy is strong, my mummy is tall, my mummy is intelligent and my mummy can do jigsaw puzzles.  Our narrator, however, has no daddy.  She knows all the criteria.  He needs to be tall, strong, handsome, intelligent and like jigsaw puzzles. So the little girl and her mum put an advertisement in the paper.

In a series of scenes reminiscent of Princess Smartypants by Babette Cole, a number of daddy candidates turn up but each one fails the test.  One is not strong enough, another is hopeless at sums and one does not have enough hair.   Finally there is one fellow left.  He is not tall, he does not look like a movie star but he does look kind.

My new daddy is small and he is hopeless at sums but he knows lots of poems, he loves animals and he can cook!

You might guess that I love the last page :

"In the evening before I go to sleep, he reads me a story. And even sometimes two stories."

This is a lavishly illustrated book filled with joy and with an affirming message for children who are perhaps adjusting to a new daddy!  A terrific book for Fathers Day.

Here is a set of excellent teaching notes.

Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor

I wonder why I am drawn to books like Waiting for Normal. Addie is living such a dysfunctional life and while there are adults on her side much of what she has to endure is done alone and without support. I remember reading a powerful book about life in mid west America when I was a young teenager called Addie Pray by Joe David Brown (the movie was called Paper Moon) and I think ever since I have enjoyed books in this genre. Addie reminded me of Opal in Because of Winn Dixie, Mibs in Savvy and Anna in Sarah Plain and Tall. What is normal? I guess it is something different for all of us but certainly the life Addie is living is far from normal. Her dad left when she was a baby and Mummers latest relationship has ended in heartbreak. The two small girls (half sisters to Addie) have been left with their father and Addie and Mummers move into a run down trailer right under a railway line with only a gas station/general store for company. Dwight, Addie’s step dad, does try to keep an eye on Addie and he makes regular maintenance payments but he has issues of his own and new relationships to nurture. Addie does have some special strengths. She is a musician and finds solace in her flute, she is careful with money and can cook enough food from cheap ingredients to survive and Addie is a faithful friend. Soula and Elliot who run the gas station become true friends offering a safe haven to Addie when her Mummers once again takes off for days at a time but Soula and Elliot have their own sadness to contend with. This is a book filled with heartache. I think it is true we read to know we are not alone and also we read to understand the lives of others. I absolutely loved Waiting for Normal but I know it is not a book everyone will enjoy. I will recommend this book to sensitive senior Primary girls. The story is incredibly sad and the life Addie is experiencing is harrowing although there is real hope at the end. I totally agree with the School Library Journal reviewer who said this is “a story centered around loss, heartbreak, abandonment, and new beginnings.”