Contagion by Kerry Greenwood

"He told me that this flu is not just an epidemic. It is a pandemic. All over the world, people are dying of it. They have it very badly in America. And in Europe."  Charlotte McKenzie 1918

"The worst thing is that all the people who don't usually get the flu are getting it, and there is no-one to look after them but old people and children" Charlotte McKenzie 1919

"This is a new disease: it burns hot like a bushfire and it'll burn itself out. In the end." Doctor Barnes 1919 quoted by Charlotte McKenzie.

At first glance it seems Kerry Greenwood (author of the Phryne Fisher books) has been busy and very efficient producing a book this year that echoes our times with COVID-19 - a book about the 1919 Spanish Flu pandemic. Yes Kerry Greenwood has penned a compelling tale but she didn't write this book in 2020. Contagion was originally published in 2002 under the title A different sort of real - the Diary of Charlotte McKenzie then again in 2012 under the title The Deadly Flu (My Australian story series) and now again in 2020 with an appealing new cover and title - Contagion. So it's really the publisher Scholastic Australia who have seized the moment.

I highly recommend Contagion for readers aged 11+. If you were using this book with a group of students it would be good to talk about the work of cover designers. These three copies of the same book have such very different covers. Here is a set of comprehension questions written to accompany the 2012 edition of this book.

Charlotte begins her diary as World War One ends. Her soldier father has come home but he is suffering from severe shell shock. There are four children in the family and Charlotte's mother is a nurse. She works through the night and much of the care of the younger children falls to Charlotte along with laborious household duties. The process of washing sheets for example, takes a whole day and three women. "It takes both me and Amelia, one on each end, to wring out a sheet over the copper stick ... "

In her diary Charlotte shares her daily life from 16th October, 1918 up to 8th February, 1919. This is a short period in history but a momentous one. The historical notes at the back of Contagion explain - the Influenza Pandemic of 1918-1919 killed 27 million people world wide. It killed 5,000 people in Victoria and about 13,000 in Australia but Charlotte does not talk about these statistics. Her daily reality is about life and death as she works as a nursing assistant to her neighbour, Doctor Barnes. Travelling from home to home she witnesses shocking poverty, extreme sickness and distress. Charlotte demonstrates her enormous courage, her outstanding work ethic and best of all we can read about her personal life and the compassion she offers her own family and the families of strangers.

I often think about the rhythm of reading. Contagion (my copy was The Deadly Flu) has a definite rhythm to the writing which helps to keep the diary style format moving forward. Charlotte has a strong and compelling voice.

Here are few comparison observations between the times described by Charlotte and our lives in 2020.

Sewing - Charlotte's sister Amelia begins to sew as part of her recovery from the flu which has just claimed the life of her sister Lily. Amelia is sewing shrouds."Doctor saw that she wanted occupation and bought her a great basket of cloth. It's just straight seams with a frill around the neck and she can make them very fast, especially the little ones. She's sewing shrouds. ...  we can't send them naked into the earth, can we?" In 2020 people are sewing and selling masks.

Closures - "They are holding up trains at the border between New South Wales and Victoria." and "The government have closed all the cinemas, pubs, theatres, racetracks and music halls." Charlotte McKenzie tells us in 1919. By the 24th January 1919 the decision is made to close the schools. And in 2020 we have nearly all  the same closures.

Masks - In 1919 Charlotte wears a carbolic mask when she helps the doctor on his daily home visits - Carbolic is a disinfectant and masks were soaked in this liquid as a protection against the flu. In January 1919 the NSW Government made the wearing of masks compulsory. In August 2020 the Victorian Government also did this.

Shopping - "Dad went down to the grocer's shop himself. You have to hand in your list and the grocer puts the bags on the floor, a safe distance away. You put the money in a dish of carbolic on the floor." In 2020 we stand 1.5 metres apart and pay with a tap of a credit card!

Temperatures - Charlotte writes in 1919: "Doctor told the husband to keep giving her asprin and water and he would call in the evening. Her temperature was 105 degrees, almost at the top of the thermometer."  In 2020 I've had my temperature checked in shops, visiting the hospital where I volunteer and at a school reception. Explaining the numbers -  98.6 Fahrenheit is normal or as we measure it now in Australia it's 37 Celsius. 

Treatments for the influenza in 1919 - They use "Carbolic masks, as we think it might be airborne. Cool drinks, soup, cold sponging to bring down fever, aspirin, orange flower water ... fresh air, constant attention. That's all. .. (there is) no cure."

Charlotte McKenzie is an invented character but it is obvious Kerry Greenwood did a huge amount of research for this book. It is sobering to read her thoughts (written in 2002) on the final pages of her book:

"It could happen again. This time it would travel by jet, not by troop ship. The World Health Organisation has a disaster plan should another Spanish Flu come along, because there are a lot more people in the world now, and the flu would move much faster."

Bunnies on the bus by Philip Ardagh illustrated by Ben Mantle

 

The best picture books:

• have illustrations that go beyond the text
• work on many levels
• can be enjoyed by adults and children 
• can be enjoyed over multiple readings

Bunnies on the bus meets all of these criteria. Kirkus said: "The illustrations alone will keep readers occupied for hours."

I saw the fun of this book very early in the story. As the bunnies take over driving the bus, leaving the elephant driver behind, they whizz past the bus stop which is beside a pedestrian crossing. On the crossing there are four beetles.  

The bunnies drive the bus at a frantic pace through the town. Meanwhile so much is happening. A bank robbery is being planned and executed, a freshly baked chocolate cake goes flying, the pig postman drops his mail which is then caught by the wind and we watch it sail away and a mother bunny calms her baby with a story book - Goldiflops and the three bears. Look out for the love story which is also happening in the background.

I laughed when I saw the clock at the railway station along with the Walker Bear statue. And the story ending is perfect.

"Bunnies at the stop! Bunnies at the stop! Time to get off now. They jump down with a hop! But wait. What's happening down in Station Lane? The bunnies from the bus have jumped onto a train!"

Take a look at the publisher trailer. and here is a video of Philip Ardagh reading part of his book. Once again I marvel at the work done by illustrators. Philip Ardagh wrote this rhyming romp but Ben Mantle has such a wonderful imagination which gives the reader a delightful visual feast. Here are some activity sheets.

Andy Shane series by Jennifer Richard Jacobson illustrated by Abby Carter

Easy Fiction Treasures

The Barn Sale is the fifth book in the Andy Shane series.  In this story Andy Shane and Granny Webb are celebrating their unbirthday. Andy thinks up the perfect present. Granny Webb loves her binoculars but she has no case for them. The problem is Andy has no money so he gathers things from around his neighborhood and holds a barn sale. Everything is going really well and the money is rolling in until Andy discovers his friend Dolores has sold the binoculars. They were hanging on a hook in the barn and Dolores thought they were for sale.

Will Andy ever retrieve the precious binoculars and if he does will he still have enough money to buy a present for Granny Webb?

In just 58 pages of large print text sprinkled with lively illustrations Jennifer Richard Jacobson gives readers a very satisfying and realistic story with a perfect and yet surprising happy ending.

There are six books in the Andy Shane series beginning with Andy Shane and the very bossy Dolores Starbuckle (2005).

I am happy to discover all of these are still available. It is great to have easy chapter books for newly independent readers with very satisfying stories.  Here is a text sample which gives you an idea about the print size and spacing of the books in this series:

I have talked about several other middle grade books by Jennifer Richard Jacobson on this blog - Paper Things and The Dollar Kids.

The Road Home by Katie Cotton illustrated by Sarah Jacoby

"For safety is a precious place, a place to call our own. This road is hard, this road is long, this road that leads us home."

Reviewers have described this book as poetic, sober, dark, elegant, spare, meditative and beautiful.  

As I read this book I pondered... 

Was the text of this book actually a famous poem? One that I should perhaps already know? Was the text of this book a song? A gentle ballad sung long ago?

None of these things are true. Katie Cotton has penned an original and beautiful poem about nature and the need to feel safe. As for music - while there is no music written for these words - I think someone should transform this text into a gentle song.

"Fly with me to far away, where sun still warms the ground. For winter's in the daytime light and in that windswept sound."

You can see many of the pages and illustrations from this book on this blog post by Books and Umbrellas.

Here is the publisher blurb: As winter approaches, a bird flees with her chick, a mouse builds a nest for her child and rabbits run from wolves that roam in the darkening woods. The road home is long and hard, but the animals have each other in this poetic meditation on nature, survival and love. 

Katie Cotton is a UK author and Sarah Jacoby lives in Philadelphia.

Now take a look at the two cover images above. Which one do you like? The UK edition (second image) actually has gold embossed lettering.

The struggle to survive and find a home in nature is told in verse. For those who don't appreciate children’s books that sugarcoat the harsh truths of survival in the wild, there's this spare and beautiful book in which a bird, a rabbit, a mouse, and a wolf travel with their respective offspring, trying to find a home … Kirkus Star

Katie Cotton and Sarah Jacoby's glorious "The Road Home" has the sort of inner voice that feels like a drop of honey on the end of the tongue, or the brush of a feather on your bare foot. Read it Again Daddy

Delicate water colours suffused with light, are fused against soft layers of landscape. Birds fly south, shrews build nests, rabbits scamper and wolves howl as harsh winter approaches. Books for Keeps

Katie Cotton is the author of 24 books including Dear Bunny.

The Hug Machine by Scott Campbell

 

Right now we cannot give or receive hugs!  When we had our first lock down here in Sydney due to Covid-19 the idea of not receiving any hugs was something that hit me pretty hard. In fact writing about this here tonight I am feeling quite teary. The touch of another human is so important to each of us - I miss hugs! 

"I am very good at hugging. The best at hugging. No one can resist my unbelievable hugging. I am the hug machine!"

After a huge day of hugging everyone and everything there is just one thing the Hug Machine himself needs - yes you've guessed it a huge HUG from his mum!

The end papers for this book are simply a DELIGHT.  The opening ones are a checklist of people and objects to hug and on the final end paper everything has been ticked off.

A real keeper. Share it with your own resident hug machine today. SLJ Elizabeth Bird

The story rests on a simple string of hugs and one plucky little hero doing his part to make the world a better place. In his first outing as an author, Campbell shines. Kirkus Star review

Do you remember this hug? It's one of the best picture books hugs it comes at the end of Corduroy in the book yes, but also in the Weston Woods film. 

Here are some other picture books about hugs.  This could be a fun mini theme for a preschool or Kindergarten group:

My friend at Kinderbookswitheverything shares her favourite books about hugs. January 21st is National Hugging Day (UK and USA).

The Thirteenth Home of Noah Bradley by Amber Lee Dodd

 

Many many years ago the Bradley family have been cursed. The curse involves four magical objects - 

• A fire poker that could conjure a fire that would never go out
• A lantern that once lit could control the tides
• A weather-vane that could channel the wind and lightning
• A door knocker that could summon animals as a protection against wolves

Troubles have befallen the Bradley family because their ancestors were greedy and misused these gifts. The troubles are in the form of a curse from the hill people:

"The cursed the family to be rootless as they once were, chased by the birds of the north, who could bring misfortune to any place they came to call home for so long as they held on to magic."

Now we jump in time to Noah Bradley and his family. Once again they have been forced to move, chased out by disaster and flocks of dangerous birds. Noah is tired of moving. The new house is perfect. His new school is perfect. His mother has a good job. Why can't they stay? Noah's dad heads away to Singapore telling Noah to look after his younger brother Billy, and his mum, and to keep a look out for the signs of bad luck that always precede the arrival of the birds. 

Noah sees a black cat then that evening the birds attack. Noah tries to tell his mum but things become quite tangled. Later that day everything in Noah's life is destroyed. Now is the time to act. There must be a way to end this curse. Noah, Billy and their new friend Neena discover his mother has one of the objects - she has been hiding the door knocker but where are the other objects?

I visit the Westmead Children's Hospital Book Bunker each fortnight and last month I spied this new book. I picked it out because I liked the cover, the blurb sounded interesting, and I was curious. One of the volunteers had classified this book as a YA title and so I wanted to check if this was correct.

Blurb extract: "A curse has forced his family to move more than thirteen times. Whether it's a typhoon, a flash flood or a flock of persistent birds, the curse always wins. ... A powerful story of hope, family - and what home really means."

The thirteenth Home of Noah Bradley is a perfect story for a reader aged 10+. It is not a YA title at all! Read about Amber Lee Dodd and her personal battle with dyslexia here. Here is a podcast where Amber talks about her book with Nikki Gamble at Just Imagine.

Its highly original plot intrigues from the first chapter, effectively straddling reality and fantasy, the ordinary and extraordinary. It then sweeps the reader along with its high-action drama and great cast of characters, amongst whom is Noah’s younger brother (who is partially deaf,although this is incidental to the story). And like any great adventure, it keeps you on the edge of your seat to the very last.  Powerful, absorbing, atmospheric adventure,incorporating themes of family, fitting in, friendship and finding oneself. BookTrust

I would follow this book with Savvy by Ingrid Law, Nightbird by Alice Hoffman and Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk.

Piper Green and the Fairy Tree: The Sea Pony by Ellen Potter illustrated by Qin Leng

Easy Fiction Treasure

The opening pages of this book gives readers a map of the Piper Green's island home. I love maps especially when they give a context to a story. If you look closely you can see Piper's house, the little store, the ferry wharf and a lighthouse. Piper has a fairy tree in her garden where she places objects and finds objects.  In The Sea Pony, Piper finds a whistle. She heads off for a day of lobster fishing with her dad and her whistle attracts a wonderful seal. Earlier in the day Piper watches as a horse, yes a real live horse, is delivered to her island. Piper imagines riding on the back of her seal but even better would be the feeling of riding on a real horse. There are twelve short chapters in this book with plenty of terrific illustrations and the delight of Piper's own "cheeky" voice.

When I walk into any bookshop of course I head to the children's section which oddly is nearly always at the back of the store. Once there, one of the first sections I seek out are the junior novels and beginner chapter books. If I had seen the Piper Green book, by Ellen Potter, in any of the bookshops I visit regularly,  I am sure I would have picked these up for my former library. There are five books in the Piper Green series and while I have only read one - The Sea Pony - I am now a huge fan. These books are sure to be popular in any Primary school library and in paperback these books are very inexpensive. I highly recommend you add them to your collection. I was delighted to discover Ellen Potter is the author another book I have talked about here for senior primary readers - Slob.

Look at the cover of The Sea Pony. Look at the illustrator name. YES it's Qin Leng. Now go and look at my review of Shelter - one of my most favourite picture books.

Here is a podcast where Ellen Potter talks about The Sea Pony. Publisher's Weekly describe the Piper Green series as:

"Skillfully blending humor, pathos, and warmth with an atmospheric setting, Potter has created an honest, empathic slice-of-life story, laced with a touch of magic."