Three bad things have already happened to Odie - the worst is the third:
"When Odie turned eight, her mother - a beloved and renowned biologist - disappeared in a stampede of pink-fairy armadillos during an expedition in central Argentina."
Odie has retreated into her room and her father, in his grief, has also withdrawn. Odie is now homeschooled but wait - just in case I have made you very sad we also discover Odie has messenger pigeons. Her pigeons named Pudding and Plonk, deliver her homework to the Homely Homeschooling Assessment Centre. Odie also has her cat named Knuckles - he had been her mother's rescue tomcat. When I said Odie had withdrawn - she now lives in her room. Her father does make delicious food which is delivered via a small elevator.
"Her father was very good at making sure she had everything she could ever need. And yet, since Odie's mother had gone, he seemed as baffled by the world as Odie was afraid of it, and he preferred to spend his time alone, in the silence."
The stage is set for change - CHANGE. First of all, a strange book arrives addressed to Cadet Odie Gusberry-Smith with the intriguing title
"The Grey Beret's guide to Surviving the Odds. Volume one."
Yes, this book does sound strange, but it is a perfect fit for Odie because she is a girl of facts not fairy tales. She happily reads chapter after chapter about poisonous plants, dangerous reptiles, and the antidotes for eighty-seven kinds of toxins. But can the information in this book and her newly made coat with thirty-eight pockets help with her next big life event? Her father announces they are going on a cruise. And Odie, and you as the reader, are sure to think of shipwrecks, islands, survival and perhaps the importance of making new friends with kids her age along with a baby dressed up as a chicken. Dressed up? Yes the sinking of the ship happens on the night of the Halloween dress-up party so all kids - Baby (a chicken), Gus (dressed as the ship's captain), Sunny (a donkey pinata), and Chuck (real name Charlotte dressed in a black tulle ball gown) are in costumes except for Odie who luckily has her survival pockets.
Publisher blurb: Odie Gusberry-Smith doesn't like surprises. But when a mysterious package arrives in the mail, she finds The Grey Beret's Guide to Surviving the Odds – a book that feels like it was written just for her. Odie is going to need it, because her dad has had the ridiculous idea that they should go on a cruise. When calamity strikes (as she could have told you it would), Odie will need to use every trick in the Guide to keep herself and her alarmingly danger-prone group safe. Along the way, she might just realise that the Guide is not the only thing she can rely on…
"She'd worked so hard on preparing for exactly this kind of calamity, but now that it was here, in actual real life, she wasn't quite sure what to do."
"Part of being a Grey Beret is preparing for the worst. So, when you all fell asleep, I did a risk mitigation plan. Our greatest risk was catching hypothermia from the waves and rain. Luckily I had a tarp in my eleventh pocket. Once I put it up, the risk of us catching hypothermia dropped by thirty-five percent. And then I found the space blankets in pocket thirteen, and that brought the risk down to twenty per cent."
If you are sharing this book in your library you could read Chapters 16 and 17 which is the scene where the kids are almost 'eaten' by huge plant-frogs.
This book is sure to be included on the CBCA 2027 Notables Books list. I especially appreciate the way it is designed and that it is presented in hardcover with spot varnish on the cover. I read this book from beginning to end in one sitting. Note my label melodrama - that seems like the perfect descriptor. I thoroughly enjoyed the tone of this book with Odie constantly quoting statistics and catastrophising every scenario. And yes, we do eventually reach a happy ending, BUT I have to warn you this is part one of a planned trilogy and turning the last page you will be so keen to reach for the next book - but I cannot discover the date it will be released - sorry.
"They were so brave ... the bravest goats in the world! And I want to be just like them."
Now read the opening sentence of Kid:
"There once was a small goat who lived on a farm, not far from the rugged mountain."
Ask yourself some questions - will this small goat have an adventure? will he travel to the rugged mountain? what will he find there? does he have a good life on the farm? are there any other goats there? does 'not far' mean this story will involve a journey?
Life on the farm is good. There are cows, sheep, pigs and hens. Oh, and of course there is a small goat - a young goat - a kid named Kid.
"He was barely taller than the hens, and not just because he was young. He was a small breed of goat - a miniature - so even when fully grown he would hardly peek over a bale of straw. For now he was still a kid, with gangly legs, ears that stuck out and two bumps on the top of his head. He couldn't see them but he knew they were there, and he dreamt that one day they would grow into big curved horns, strong and majestic."
Kid has dreams - big dreams. And these dreams are linked with the story of his parents. This is the story Audrey, one of the hens, tells him night after night. His parents were Buck and Bess and they heroically saved the farm from a fox but by chasing the fox they jumped over all the fences and "no one ever saw those brave goats again." Bess and Buck left their baby behind in the care of Audrey. "And you've been stuck with me ever since."
Kid has the care and friendship of Audrey and also of Harriet, a whitish-pink pig. So, the story is set. Kid would like to be heroic like his parents. He is sure his parents are living in the nearby mountains. Audrey needs to protect her young charge just as she promised his mother all those years ago and Harriet is keen to experience new tastes in the wild. But of course, there is a problem - well there are lots of problem but the biggest one of all is Farm Law. Note the capital letters.
"Farm Law says that any animal who leaves the farm can never come back ... They'll bring danger to the farm - predators, or sickness from the wild."
"The adventures of Buck and Bess played in his mind. He had loved the stories, so wild and exciting, but he always dreamt that one day they would return to the farm. Now he knew he would never see them again, all because of a big white dog who didn't like goats."
Kid will not be stopped. Ma, the big white farm dog will not stop him. He jumps over the fence and ...
There are some sweet words of wisdom in Kid:
Audrey: "I was scared and I didn't want you to go. But then I asked myself what was more important: to follow the rules or follow your dreams?"
Audrey: "The world hasn't ended. You have a home and friends who love you - even when you're miserable. I didn't raise you to blob around like a snail without a shell. Get up and do something."
Cow: "Gavin (the great hawk) said you will find your family ... on the mountain."
I think I held my breath through the final chapters of this book - I know Peter Carnavas is a trustworthy author and he would give me that all important "happy ending", but I was so worried about little Kid - would Ma let him come back to the farm?
Publisher blurb: This is the story of a small goat called Kid. Ever since his parents chased away a fox and never returned, Kid has stayed with Audrey the hen in the chook yard. Audrey tells him stories of his mum and dad’s daring and bravery. She says they live on the nearby mountain, and Kid longs to leave the farm to find them. And then, one day, he discovers he is big enough to jump the fence … Will a wild adventure up the mountain help Kid find where he belongs?
Here is the trailer - this is sure to make you fall in love with this book:
This book will be published next week - do not wait - run to your independent bookstore or local library and order a copy of Kid by Peter Carnavas. I really wish I lived in Queensland so I could participate in some of the launch events for Kid. Huge thanks to UQP for sending me an advance copy of Kid. I devoured it in one sitting and then went back and read it all again today. There are extensive teachers notes for Kid BUT really my suggestion is just read this book - to your young reading companion, to your class or to your library group. Don't dissect it - just enjoy the writing, the friendships, and the very special voice of young Kid.
In the UK Kid from Pushkin Press has a slightly different cover. I love talking with students about covers - design, appeal, font choices and the way covers can influence our reading choices. The US edition will come from Groundwood Books in 2027! Kid is published in hardcover and the beautiful pastel colours reminded me of my old copy of Heidi (I have put this image at the bottom of this post).
The publisher and Peter Carnavas himself (quite rightly) links Kid with two very famous books:
Peter Carnavas says: After writing my last book, I promised myself I’d take a quiet break from writing,
but then a small goat trotted into my thoughts. I’m not sure where he came from but I remember what I was doing at the time – I was reading Edwina Wyatt’s book Cub and Brown. Edwina’s story has nothing to do with goats but for some reason, halfway through reading, I put down the book, opened my sketchbook and drew a goat. Up until now, my novels have centred around quiet children and relationships, so I wanted to try something different with my goat – I wanted an adventure! I started drafting ideas based on the structure of the hero’s journey: I gave him a call to action, a merry band of accomplices (each with their own strengths), a wise elder, a series of trials and an exciting climax.
I really appreciate having maps in books. The map at the beginning of Kid reminded me of this book:
Kid is published in hardcover and the soft pastel colours used on the cover reminded me of my old copy of Heidi. Just a small observation of mine - Kid doesn't have any actual links with Heidi!
Maggie is an orphan. All Maggie Appleton has is a letter written by her mother that she must deliver to a stranger but on the way the letter is taken by a policeman/detective. Maggie is distraught but she continues her journey through London having just escaped from the workhouse only to make the surprising discovery that the man who was supposed to get this letter now works as a valet for the famous explorer Phileas Fogg. I need to tell you that all of this action takes place over the first 25 pages.
Maggie is swept up into the famous journey around the world and, as you are sure to have already guessed, and time is ticking because this unlikely crew have to be back in London in just 80 days. Maggie also needs to get her important letter back from , but she needs to keep Mr Fogg away from the Detective Fix because she knows it is not true that Phileas Fogg stole thousands of pounds from the bank. Has he been framed?
If you love trains, ships, catastrophes, wild story twists, and heroes you will devour this debut book by Nat Harrison. I read the whole book of over 300 pages in one day - yes, it is that good. This book could also be a terrific family read aloud. Oh, and I love the gold embossed cover. There are world maps scattered through this book but I would also suggest you might grab a real, old-fashioned, atlas so you can follow the around the world journey in more detail. Your young reading companion is sure, also, to ask questions about the way time works in the world and how you can jump days when you travel from west to east.
Book seller blurb: It is 1872 and, when Maggie Appleton's beloved mother dies, she is left with nothing but a letter for a mysterious stranger called Passepartout. With nowhere else to turn, Maggie seeks out Passepartout and, in doing so, is drawn into an adventure beyond her wildest dreams. Together with Passepartout's employer, the enigmatic Mr Phileas Fogg, Maggie journeys to Italy, India, Hong Kong, Japan and America, in a daring race against time to win the wager Mr Fogg has accepted. But with a bank robber on the loose, an angry Inspector on their tail and unread secrets in her mother's letter, Maggie soon discovers that there is much more at stake than keeping on schedule to win the bet. Who can she really trust - and will she ever find out where she truly belongs?
Like other readers who pick up this book I have not read the Jules Verne classic - Round the World in 80 days - so my knowledge of the plot was somewhat limited. I am telling you this because your young reader aged 10+ can easily read this new book The Girl who Raced the World with absolutely no idea about the original story. They are sure to enjoy this action-packed adventure. Some readers though might, after reading this book, which is based on the famous 1872 book, want to hunt out the Jules Verne story or perhaps read an abridged version or listen to it as an audio book. Huge thanks to Gleebooks Kids for sharing this new book with me. The Girl who Raced the World is available in paperback but if you find the hardcover edition you must lift the dust jacket - there is a terrific surprise under the cover.
I now discover I have read several books with covers designed by Tom Clohosy Cole. (Cobweb; An Elephant in the Garden; Clifftoppers). Here are some teaching ideas to use with The Girl who Raced the World.
The sequel to The Girl who Raced the World is due later this year:
Set on a fascinating yet hostile alien planet, this pulse-pounding, high-stakes, elimination-quest novel will have readers on the edge of their seats. HM Waugh
Groups of kids who live on different planets are sent to complete a trial as a way to enter the Starquest Academy, an exclusive institution dedicated to training future Planeticians. The title uses the word surface because on one level the surface of this planet is terrifying and dangerous beyond almost your wildest imagination. The danger is mostly from enormous 'man eating' plants. Yes I did say plants! And there are also huge man-eating insects too. If you fall into one of the plants it immediately starts to digest you. The word surface, though, also refers to the way these kids judge each other. How much each of the kids in the group we are following are prepared to reveal to the others - to go under the surface. One kid is not who he seems, one kid has dangerous extra powers, and one kid is utterly selfish and out to win at all costs including jeopardising the lives his own team mates.
"During the trials, candidates will be judged on their ... courage, teamwork, innovation and exploration. Assessors will be looking for resilience, assertiveness, empathy and creativity."
Adding to all this pressure the kids are being watched and filmed and this is broadcast on televisions all over the universe. Every kid in this team has watched all the previous trials. They know the rules, they know how easily they can be eliminated. Every moment, every interaction has to be carefully enacted because they are being watched. And this is a race because they have to reach the end in just three days so they can be picked up and return to safety. Survival means looking out for yourself but one of the rules is about teamwork and co-operation. What should they do if helping the team stands in the way of winning?
Bookseller blurb:
Three days, three clues, one hungry planet.
Constant surveillance.
The entire universe watching every move.
Some will shatter. Most will fail.
A select few will make it through, instant celebrities.
Welcome to the Surface Trials. The only way into Starquest Academy. For Amethyst Antares, Starquest Academy offers an escape from the prison of her home planet. For Rian - the uber-famous and expertly-disguised heir to the universe's two greatest dynasties - failure to get into his own academy is not an option. And Deneb? Well, he's an outlier... But this year not everything goes to plan, and Amethyst and her squad find themselves playing for more than Starquest admission. To survive, they'll have to outsmart carnivorous creatures, share dangerous secrets, maintain trust and embrace the most shocking truth in the galaxy. Set on a fascinating yet hostile alien planet, this pulse-pounding, high-stakes, elimination-quest novel will have readers on the edge of their seats.
Here are a couple of text quotes:
"Panic flooded him, and he fought it back, knowing they were already being watched. Wherever they were about to land, he had to believe he had the skills to make it."
"Daneb shot out, slime oozing all around him, the goo dotted with carcasses of breeders and viperwasps and other unrecogisable things. "
"There were no such things as alien ruins. Through all the worlds that humans had spread to, no hint of other human-level intelligence had ever been found. That's what gave humanity the right to take over all these new planets."
I was interested to read this book because it was a 2026 CBCA Younger Readers Notable title but I am going to say right up front this is book will much better suit an older reader aged 12+. Reviewers consistently compare this book to other YA titles - The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner.
Here are the CBCA Judges' comments:
I seem to have read quite a few Science Fiction books recently. Here are a few:
HM Waugh is a children’s author, educator and environmental scientist with a long-term love of wild places and outdoor adventures. She has been kidnapped twice, handled dragons for a job, and dreams of one day blasting into space. Her books mix humour, danger and friendship with a dash of science and imagination.
Titch and her friends Huckleberry, Dollop and their new friend a squirrel named Briar are on a quest to heal a crack in the heart of Alluria. Titch has the Heartstone but ...
"It had been a wise old squirrel who told Titch that the Heartstone was incomplete - that there were other gems out there. One of them - the Clawstone - had hung around the nect of the turtle wizard. But there were more to find, which was why they were on their way to the library city of Lexhelm, to learn more about the Gems of Harmony and the history of Bravepaw."
All librarians and Teacher-Librarians will be thrilled that Titch needs to visit a library! BUT how horrid that they are confronted by armoured silversfish and they are holding the head librarian Master Sticklepin, a hedgehog, captive in his own office. Titch, Briar and Huckleberry fight the silverfish but while some are destroyed many just slither away (I hope we don't mee them again in the next Bravepaw book).
Master Sticklepin explains to the group about the history of Bravepaw - the first was a rabbit princess named Hazel but more importantly they hear about an ancient monster of pure evil called the Deadroot. This monster is responsible for the danger facing Alluria because every hundred years he stirs again.
Titch has the Heartstone on the top of the staff given to her by Prince Vetiver and she now has one of the four Gems of Harmony - Clawstone. The other three are Fangstone, Dreamstone and Songstone. Titch and her group are now on a quest to find the Fangstone and this will involve a journey deep underground to a crystal cavern. It also means their trust will be betrayed. (Spoiler alert) Why is Clover, a very small, white, delicate looking mouse offering to help them?
The underground scenes in this third installment are so vividly written I felt utterly claustrophobic. Oh and those awful curseworms are at work again and thank goodness the group rescue and meet Raia, the lavender wolf who I am sure will be back again.
In 2022 I discovered the first book in the Bravepaw series and I fell in love with the characters and these little chapter books. In 2025 I rushed out to buy the second book and it was an equally terrific quest story. Late last week I saw the author LM Wilkinson and illustrator Lavanya Niadu mention the third book had been published early in March - how did I miss this?
Yesterday I picked up Bravepaw and the Fangstone of Flintfall and I read the whole book as soon as I arrived home. If you haven't found this series you do need to begin with the first book and please take a minute to read my first two blog posts. I wonder how long I will need to wait for the final two installments. If you work in a school library this book set will look so splendid on your shelves. If you haven't added these to your library make sure you do this now - especially because sadly Book One is from 2022 so, unless it is reprinted, copies could become scarce.
"Her grandfather's death was not enough. Her father's conviction would not be enough. When she turned eighteen, she would take the throne. She was the heir. She was in his way. Unless she was dead, her uncle would not be king. He had chosen to clear the path. He needed all three of them dead: grandfather, father, child."
The blurb below talks about Christopher returning to the archipelago but the actual focus of this second book is on Princess Anya Phoebe Cornelia Argen. Years ago her mother died but she has spent a happy childhood living with her father in a remote part of the kingdom. Unfortunately she and her father are forced to move back into the castle where young Anya is given training on how to behave as a perfect princess. Her father, Argus, is the first-born son and so when the old King Halam dies, which everyone assumes is years away, he will be crowned kind and then in turn, again decades from now, if her father dies, Anya as the next in line will become the Queen.
I imagine you have guessed that no one has to wait for this. Right from the start I did not trust the second son, brother to Argus - Prince Claude or Uncle Claude. On the night of a huge an important banquet, Halam is found dead and Argus is accused of the murder. Anya knows this has all been set up by her uncle but how can she prove it. In the middle of the night guards arrive ostensibly to take Anya to boarding school but in a scene reminiscent of Snow White, Anya is taken into the forest to be killed.
Anya is not alone in all of this. Yes she will meet up with Christopher and together they will discover the truth about the killing of many dragons but also he will help her return to the castle so she can reveal the truth about Uncle Claude and, as the title tells you, also reveal how he made and used such a deadly poison. Time is of course ticking because Claude plans to execute Argus in just a few days. As well as Christopher, Anya has her loyal gaganas. The Royal Gaganas are large bird with silver claws and beaks of solid gold. They are capable of extraordinary and lasting love and it is clear they will protect Anya. She also meets a Chimaera, a Sphinx, and several unicorns along with many other fabulous 'impossible creatures'. Oh and thank goodness for the skill of the firebirds who have been trained to detect the fainest whiff of any poison. Yes, this does lead to the wrongful imprisonment of Argus but later they are also able to definitely show that Claude has used this poison again on (spoiler alert) Anya herself.
Here are a couple of text quotes:
"There was a smell that she had never encountered before, of something metallic and acrid. He (the king) was still clad in the clothes he had died in, and a fleck of dark purple-red liquid lay on his collar, and another on his beard: a fleck of poison. She took scissors from his desk and cut the piece of cloth from his collar, where the poison had fallen ... even the tiniest amount of the poison might help her identify it, and if she could identify it she'd be closer to knowing who had committed the murder."
"The dragon led them down a long passage, which widened to become the mouth of a cave, vast enough, Anya thought in awe, for a thousand humans. The ceiling was open in places to the sky outside; ... There, at the heart of the cave, were five dragons. They lay like black-and-red carvings of unspeakable beauty; like the final great inventions of a perfectionist god. They did not move. ... It was the site of a massacre."
There are a myriad of characters in The Poisoned King all with distinct personalities and voices. One of my favourites is Meridarpax a Batrachomyomachian mouse and the assistant librarian. He is known as Meri and lives to help people with book finding and information requests.
"It would be a great relief to me if you would allow me to assist you, given I am the assistant librarian. ... I yearn to be out there, valiantly assisting, but there have been so few opportunities ... "
I also enjoyed the slowly emerging love story between Irian Guinne who is part neried and Nighthand a Berserker. (An illustrated glossary of the creatures can be found in the back of the book).
Here is a link to some discussion questions you could use with The Poisoned King.
I can hardly express how much I loved this second book in the Impossible Creatures series. Yes, I have read a plot like this before where the second son, who aspires to be the next king, kills his father and is set to kill the next two family members who are in line for the throne but in the hands of Katherine Rundell this story takes on a whole new dimension.
This is book two in the series but it can stand alone. I read the first book in 2023 and only remembered fragments. I didn't need to re-read the first book to thoroughly enjoy this second installment. I highly recommend you add both of these books to your library (Primary or High School). I visited a city bookstore today and they have a scrumptious hardcover of The Poisoned King with edge or for-edge painting. Even if this book feels outside the genre you usually read please add this book to your to-read list. The Poisoned King is such a rich and rewarding reading experience.
Bookseller blurb: The dragons call out, and the ratatoskas tell of murder. Come with us now. There is justice to be done. Return to the magic of the Archipelago... The Poisoned King is the dazzling second book in Katherine Rundell's epic and bestselling Impossible Creatures series. When Christopher Forrester is unexpectedly woken by a miniature dragon chewing on his face, his heart leaps for joy. For months he's dreamed of returning to the Archipelago - the secret islands where all the creatures of myth still live. But he did not know it would involve a rescue mission on the back of a sphinx, or a plan to enter a dragon's lair. Nor did he imagine it would involve a girl with a flock of birds at her side, a new-hatched chick in her pocket and a ravenous hunger for justice...
In my post about this first book I list all the other books by Katherine Rundell that I have read and loved. I also included further reading about Mythical Creatures.
About halfway through this book I was sure I would give it five stars but then things became a little too tangled and complicated, so I have settled on four stars. This book is fast paced and so I read it all in one day. I would be very happy to recommend this book to readers aged 10+.
The premise that the whole town is controlled taking away the sight of every citizen and then providing them with special glasses that allow them to see, is intriguing. Yes, the glasses do work, the way people view the world through these lenses has been manipulated and so the people see perfection everywhere in the town of Perfect. And the glasses have another even more sinister function. They contain a device that robs everyone of their imagination. Imaginations are stored in glass jars after being collected late at the night. How did everyone become blind? It is all linked to some special tea which is provided to everyone, every day, several times each day. Even the children in school stop for regular 'tea' breaks. The tea is addictive and delicious because it tastes like your personal favourite flavour.
There is an issue though with these glasses. They only work when they are kept on your face. No one would be prepared to wear glasses in bed, so every night there is curfew which is designed to stop people hearing any sounds from the other side of the wall. This is where any people have been sent who haven't conformed to the regime imposed by Edward and George Archer. Why have they set up these schemes to manipulate the people in this town? Of course it is all about power and also we learn it is about jealousy. The people in No-Mans-Land are only allowed out at night and they are guarded by thugs called Watchers. They seem to have lost any urge to rebel.
Violet becomes caught up in all of this because her father is a skilled ophthalmologist. She has moved with her father and mother to Perfect. Her mother very quickly changes into a 'perfect' person baking cakes and joining community events such as a the local book club but right from the start Violet is suspicious of the brothers, of the tea, and of this seemingly perfect town.
Meanwhile (spoiler alert) the Archer brothers are working on making or growing eyes (you can see them on the cover). They have this very disturbing plan to operate and transplant these 'special' eyes into everyone. Luckily Violet meets Boy - he is an orphan who lives in No-Mans-Land and he is desperate to uncover the evil work by the Archers. It will take courage, teamwork, and determination to stop these evil men. You will be sitting on the edge of your seat because Helena Duggan makes her reader live through every terrifying situation. There were so many times when I was sure Violet and Boy would be captured and punished by the Archers.
Publisher blurb (Usborne): Violet never wanted to move to Perfect. Who wants to live in a town where everyone has to wear glasses to stop them going blind? And who wants to be neat and tidy and perfectly behaved all the time? But Violet quickly discovers there's something weird going on in the town - she keeps hearing voices, her mam is acting strange and her dad has disappeared. When she meets Boy she realizes that her dad is not the only person to have vanished... and that the mysterious Watchers are guarding a perfectly creepy secret!
A place called Perfect was published in 2017. I picked up my copy for just AUS$3 at a charity book fair.
I have now discovered there are three books in the series:
This book opens with a terrific map:
Helena Duggan is a children's author, graphic designer and illustrator from Kilkenny, a medieval town in Ireland, which was the inspiration for A Place Called Perfect. She writes in a treehouse built by her husband Robbie and his brother in the bottom of their garden.
