Although the year is well under way as you read this issue of the Gleaner, our copy deadline was long ago while we were all still in post-Christmas hazy lazy summer mode so we are easing from reading to thinking about books again, hence the slightly different format. But first, Gleebooks Children’s debut event of 2010! 3–4.30pm, Sat. 6th March St Johns little church hall, opposite St Johns Church, St Johns Road, Glebe. We invite you to join us in celebrating the release of the third collection of Nanny Piggins’ exploits: Nanny Piggins and the Runaway Lion. Rachel Spratt, creator of this sassy runaway circus star, will bring her to life & have you longing for your own idiosyncratic family help. Along with laughter, book readings and chatting with the author, there’ll be refreshments and diversions such as a chocolate treasure hunt. As a launch special, you can buy all three books for just $29.95 (that’s three for the price of two!) Come along for a snorting good time. NB: RSVP essential! Please email louise@gleebooks.com.au

Lynndy Bennett

NOVELTY BOOK: There Was an Old Lady by Jeremy Holmes ($27.95, HB)

Holmes’ version of the cumulative story has polarised reader opinion, so it’s one you definitely need to see for yourself. While looking again at this edition I started to wonder what dastardly misogynist would have this poor elderly woman shovelling increasingly larger creatures into her mouth until she expired. Unlike most nursery rhymes, which reflect historical events from olden times, this one was written in the first half of the C20th by Alan Mills, a Canadian. (Discovering that, I took it as humour rather than sadism.) Jeremy Holmes has taken a very designerly approach: there is a removable outer casing which forms both the title and the old lady’s textured overcoat (with astrakhan trim); then the book itself is divided into thirds with the top showing her face and the bottom her feet with the frivolous background of a recipe for Shoe Fly Pie. It is the middle section (her stomach) which opens, revealing both the text and quirky little detailed illustrations reminiscent of the Victorian era. I shan’t spoil Holmes’ surprises by telling you more; it’s up to you to come in and play. Lynndy Bennett

CRAFT: Origami for Children by Mari Ono & Roshin Ono

Enter the world of origami with Origami for Children. On every page there is a new creation, from animals to space ships, food to ties and helmets to instruments. The instructions are simple with beautifully taken photographs to help you on the way, and origami paper is included! Highly recommended and not to be missed, guaranteed to blow you away every time ($35, Pack) Siena Cole (13)

PICTURE BOOK: How to Heal a Broken Wing by Bob Graham

Good news! Winner of the 2009 CBC Award for Early Childhood, Bob Graham’s most recent book is now in paperback. Additional good news is that it won the Picture Book Fiction category of the 2008–2009 Cybils Award, which is nominated and judged by international bloggers of youth literature, most of them in the industry themselves. I’ve included the judging comments: “This deceptively simple book achieves so much more than telling the story of a boy who notices a wounded bird in a busy city. By alternating single and double-page spreads with clusters of small panels, Graham creates almost a film strip of time passing. The artistic technique lends both intimacy and urgency to the boy and his family’s precarious mission to save the injured pigeon. The text is commendably lean, supporting the strong visual narrative and keeping a lighter touch to the theme. The cartoon-style, watercolour illustrations provide the perfect tone, and the accessible story offers connections for picture book readers of all ages. For all of these reasons, How to Heal a Broken Wing distinguishes itself as the rare picture book that speaks quietly, yet has volumes to say about courage, kindness, and hope.” All Bob Graham’s books are memorable, crafted perfectly for his target (mostly very young) audience, lovingly depicting families of all types, and it’s a thrill to see him garnering more international recognition to add to his fanbase here in Australia. Congratulations Bob! ($15.95, PB) Lynndy Bennett

FOR PRIMARY LEVEL READERS:

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Wow! On reaching the unexpected conclusion of this novel I wanted to start again immediately to pick up on all those clues I missed or guessed wrongly. Twelve-year-old narrator Miranda weaves her intriguing story with three distinct threads of note: Miranda’s mother’s obsession with being a contestant on a game show, Miranda’s friend Sal being punched by a new boy at school, and the unpredictable homeless man who lurks on the corner near Miranda and Sal’s apartment block. Cut adrift by Sal from whom she was previously inseparable after the punching incident, Miranda finds everything is suddenly different. Not only does she need to find her own friends and lifestyle, but also enigmatic notes start appearing, challenging her perceptions. Meanwhile other things mysteriously disappear, and Miranda’s best conversations are with Marcus, the strangely knowledgeable nerdy boy who hit Sal. As homage to Miranda’s favourite book—Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time—the construct of time becomes a playful character too, adding to the complexity of the novel. Baffling, mysterious, innocent and humorous, with a protagonist whose voice rings true plus plenty of satisfying twists, When You Reach Me is utterly compelling. I loved it! ($16.95, PB) Lynndy Bennett

Saffy’s Angel, Indigo’s Star, Permanent Rose, Forever Rose, Caddy Ever After by Hilary McKay ($15.95—$17, PB)

The first of this five book series is Saffy’s Angel, an introduction to the Casson family. The Casson family are four highly individual children: Cadmium, Saffron, Indigo and Permanent Rose (each named after a colour), their artist father Bill, and their mother Eve, also an artist but “not a serious one”, who paints in the back shed. With their father Bill absent most of the time (he is a serious artist, so he needs his own space in London), and their mother in the shed whenever possible, the Casson children are left to their own devices quite a lot. When Saffy (Saffron) realises that her name is not an actual colour on the paint chart, the true story of her birth is slowly revealed, and a highly entertaining adventure ensues. This is the central plot in the first book, but there are several subplots, all equally engrossing, which reveal themselves as the series develops. I didn’t read the books in order, although I did start with Saffy’s Angel, and it’s probably best to be introduced to the family with this book. Also, I have not yet finished the series, and I am so pleased I still have something to look forward to, because these stories are great—light hearted and funny, intelligent and surprising. It’s so refreshing to read books that aren’t tricky or clever, but full of good humour and engrossing detail. They remind me of Noel Streatfield’s books—family books with strong characters who are decent and funny, and although these are definitely not books from the ‘issues’ genre, all the children, and their parents, have various problems, or difficulties, that are dealt with and resolved positively. I also like the fact that the secondary characters, mainly the friends of the children, are all fully formed individuals who aren’t written about in a marginal way, and are just as strong and original as the main characters. These books are great fun, and very memorable. Louise Pfanner

Wilma Tenderfoot and the Case of the Frozen Hearts by Emma Kennedy, ill. by Sylvain Marc ($15, PB)

“A man discovers the greatest jewel ever found. The man is killed. Why is the man killed? To get him out of the way. It’s standard evil procedure. But who is this killer? It wasn’t me.” Barbu D’Anvers (devoted member of Criminal element fraternity).

Cooper Island is full of mischief, murder and thieves. Though Wilma is not a murderer or thief, she does get into quite a lot of mischief. Lowside Institute for Woeful Children had caged Wilma’s intention of being a great detective, however Wilma is very determined and keeps pushing the limits, solving crimes in a doleful environment, like who stole the large gristle pie? And the shocking case of the missing socks! It might seem that Wilma has gone too far when she is sent as punishment to the Farside to be a housekeeper. Her new employer, Mrs Waldock, treats Wilma poorly and sends her to the cellar which is to be her room. But things can’t always be dank and gloomy: Wilma makes fast friends with Pickle Waldock, a beagle, and when Wilma realises they live next door to the Island’s greatest detective Theodore P. Goodman, nothing but adventure could be in store for this troublesome two. Wilma Tenderfoot & the Case of the Frozen Hearts is an absolute delight! The twisting plotlines, red hot clues and lovable and hilarious characters made this story one I couldn’t put down. Though I sheepishly admit it may be for slightly younger readers, I would steal this book from them any day. It was so enticing to read especially when I began to make my own list of suspects (which in the end, and in every aspect, I was completely wrong!) Sylvain Marc, the illustrator of the book, certainly brings the characters alive, especially (my favourite) when Wilma and trusty beagle Pickle disguise themselves as plumbers to sneak (undetected) into a forensic lab. I loved the story and illustrations so much I decided to do a little research. The next adventure in line for Wilma and Pickle is Wilma Tenderfoot and the Case of Putrid Poison, which is to be released in July and if you would like to see more of Sylvain Marc’s work check out Polyminthe.blogspot.com. Meaghan Gregory (15)

FOR TEEN READERS:

Inside the Shadow City 1: Kiki Strike by Kirsten Miller ($14, PB)

Ananka is your average teenage girl, until she meets the vesper writing, black-clad coffee drinking Kiki Strike. Suddenly Ananka is pulled into a whole different world, a world of mystery, crime and secrets! Together with disguises, explosives, computer hacking and a whole lot of adventure Kiki, Ananka and their ‘irregular’ friends must save Manhattan before too late. And is Kiki hiding something? Something that could put them all in danger? One of the best books I’ve ever read, I couldn’t put it down. (Follow up with Kiki’s later exploits in The Empress’s Tomb.) Siena Cole (13)

Ten Things I Hate About Me by Randa Abdel-Fattah ($16.95, PB)

Jamie has spent years hiding her true identity from everyone at school by dyeing her hair and distancing herself from her friends. She can’t confide in anyone, except John, her email friend who she’s never met. While Jamie’s trying to keep up with the important things, like boys, her dyed hair and her strict, curfew loving dad, she’s about to find out some secrets can’t be kept in the dark, while others should stay hidden. Siena Cole (13)

REFERENCE BOOK: What the World Eats by Faith D’Aluisio, Peter Menzel (photographer)

Did you know that for the first time in history, despite famine, poverty and war, more people are overfed than underfed? In a fascinating examination of trends in 21 countries, based on 25 very diverse families, D’Aluisio shows that the worldwide tradition of sitting down together for a family meal is vanishing. With photographer Peter Menzel, D’Aluisio spent a week with each of these families to observe shopping, cooking and mealtimes, adding to this data a wealth of detail about causes and effects of changing food consumption. Global events have a huge impact on our food choices and availability regardless of cultural differences, and in this book we see the correlation between corporate expansion and health, finance and disease. Family recipes from each country accompany the abundant photographs and charts, allowing both personal insights and an overview of related factors such as life expectancy, access to safe water, expenditure, consumption and literacy rates. It would have been interesting to also see comparative food wastage per country. In humanitarian and social terms this is surely one of the most valuable books you can give a child. ($39.95, HB) Lynndy Bennett

CHILDREN'S BOOKS TOP 10 FOR 2009

1. Don’t Leave Childhood Without… by the Specialist Children’s Booksellers Group
2. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
3. Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T S Eliot, ill. by Axel Scheffler
4. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
5. Baby Wombat’s Week by Jackie French, ill. by Bruce Whatley
6. The Amazing Tashi Activity Book by Anna & Barbara Fienberg, ill. by Kim Gamble
7. Remarkable Animals by Tony Meeuwissen
8. Dog Days: Book 4 of Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
9. Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan
10. My Place by Nadia Wheatley, ill. by Donna Rawlins

WHAT'S NEXT: What to read next? For readers of any age this is a perennial question. Whether you want more of the same, or a complete change of genre, this website is definitely worth consulting: http://www.literature-map.com/ Simply enter an author’s name into the search window and the website shows suggestions—from styles most like to least like that of your chosen writer. Spiral into new worlds of reading.

FEED BACK WANTED: Long before the Gleeclub drew customers to our events and special offers, I had in mind a similar idea for our customers at Gleebooks Children’s. In 2010 we hope to finally undertake a scheme of loyalty benefits for young readers up to 18, including frequent rewards, recognition of their birthdays, and maybe free advance copies of books. For the scheme to work we want it to be as desirable as possible to our customers, so before we finalise the structure we want to hear from you. What would you like us to offer? What would appeal to you? Would in-store or online competitions interest you? Would you contribute to online discussions? Please send any ideas and feedback to lynndy@gleebooks.com.au so we can accommodate as many of your wishes as is practicable. Lynndy