Long walk to freedom

by Nelson Mandela
Abridged by Chris Van Wyk, illustrated by Paddy Bouma
London: Macmillan Children’s Books, 2009

Nelson Mandela has been an inspirational hero for millions of people around the world, and his autobiography is a powerful account of a truly amazing life. In this official picture book edition Chris Van Wyk and Paddy Bouma have given children a wonderful opportunity to get to know for themselves the story for themselves of how the little trouble-maker from the tiny village of Mvezo became one of the world’s most famous freedom fighters. Recommended for primary and intermediate level.

Reviewed by Pamela

Nana's Koha by Tunney McFadyen with illustrations by Theresa Reihana

This book was originally produced to promote sand dune conservation and was distributed to Northland schools. Because of demand it is now for general sale and can be ordered online (see below)

Nana’s koha is a multi-layered story of a family exploring a Northland beach. Koro is fishing and while he is fishing, Nana Ariana takes her mokopuna Daniel for a walk to the dunes. She tells Daniel how the pingao came to Aotearoa and the kawa (protocol) for using pingao. Nana Ariana also teaches Daniel how to weave with pingao. Later, when Nana Ariana is ill, Daniel uses his knowledge to send a woven pingao flower (putiputi) to Nana Ariana.

A useful book for illustrating family relationships and finding out factual information on pingao at a junior level.

See the Trust’s website for more in depth information

Reviewed by Kathy

Published by Te Rōpu Whakaoranga o te Taha Trust (2008 revised Jan 2009)

Friday Classic Stanley’s Aquarium by Barry Faville.

Robbie takes a lawn mowing job in her neighbourhood with an eccentric old man. Stanley claims to have been to the South American jungle where he contracted smallpox as a boy. Back in New Zealand he now grows a tropical garden in the wilderness of his back yard but forbids Robbie from entering a mysterious shed where he breeds exotic fish under lock and key.

This well told yarn follows Robbie’s attempt with her boyfriend, to unravel the mysteries of the shed, Stanley’s knowledge of the fauna of Brazil, and of his long lost daughter.

Sutable for Years 6 to 9 its hugely entertaining read and sure to engage the reader.

Flickr Image by dirac3000

Counting the Stars : Four Māori Myths by Gavin Bishop

This new book of Māori myths, retold by Gavin Bishop, is a reminder that there are lots of Māori myths that don’t feature Māui.

This book follows the same format as Gavin Bishop's previous retellings of Maori Myths, Taming the Sun and Riding the Waves. The tales are simply told with bold colourful illustrations integrated with the text. The four myths are
Mother Earth and Father Sky - how Te Ao Māori came to be
The battle of the birds- why the sea and land birds live apart
Kae and the whale- why failing to keep a promise can lead to your downfall
Hinemoa and Tūtānekai- one of the all-time great love stories, showing how determination can overcome adversity.

The flowing style of the test makes it ideal as a read-aloud and for silent reading.

Reviewed by Kathy

Published by Random House (2009)

“Michael Jackson 1958-2009: life of a legend” by Michael Heatley

Heatley’s book on Michael Jackson traces the singer’s life from child prodigy, his rise to superstardom, right through to his recent untimely death. His 1982 album “Thriller” remains the highest selling album of all time at 50 million copies sold worldwide. Jackson’s status as a musical icon is explored – the hit songs, the live performances, his signature dance style, and the persona.
Although the book is a celebration of Jackson’s life and music, it doesn’t shy away from acknowledging the controversies that dogged the latter part of his life and career either.
The text is balanced and the photographs well chosen and plentiful. Heatley’s attractive title would make both a great coffee table book or a useful resource for
Year 7 and Junior Secondary level readers. Recommended.

by Suzanne Hardy

Friday Classic: The Emerald Encyclopedia by James Norcliffe

In The Emerald Encyclopedia readers are immediately introduced to a strange situation as an odd travelling salesman, Mr Arthur T. Finch, gains entry into a house where Fraser lives with his parents.

Fraser is desperate to own the Emerald Encyclopedia and his parents are 'persuaded' to purchase it. From there the plot thickens with all sorts of unusual and increasingly creepy occurrences.

Fraser's cousins, Katherine and Cal, are also drawn into this gripping story, leaving the reader to try and work out what is happening and if Fraser and Katherine can solve the puzzle in time.

This mysterious story filled with intrigue, and puzzles is a great read and the wonderful descriptive language will make the reader want to read other works by the author.

Where is it?

By Bobbie Kalman

Published by Crabtree Publishing Company, 2008
Series: Looking at Nature

This is a book in the "Looking at nature" series by Bobbie Kalman that introduces children to concepts such as position, size, shape, patterns and colour through examples in nature.

This is a book to share with young children and it could be used to teach about position, location and direction in a maths lesson. The large colour photographs of a range of animals are clear and varied and include kittens, monkeys and elephants. The text asks the children lots of questions about the photographs, mainly about the location and position of the animals in their surroundings. There are also a few open ended questions that call on the children to express their own ideas.

If you are on the lookout for maths books at the junior primary level that have position and location vocabulary, this book fills a gap.

Other books in the series with a maths interest include "Is it big or small?", "What colour is it?", What shape is it?", "What comes next?", and "What time is it?".

Reviewed by Heather

Rangitoto: te toka tū moana – the rock standing in the ocean by Maria Gill

The story of Rangitoto from when it erupted in the Hauraki Gulf, about 600 years ago up to the present day.

It is set out like a picture book with factual information on each page that links directly to the story. The presentation style with little packets of information and good quality illustrations make it a book you can pick up and put down to come back to later.

Recommended for reading age 10+ but younger students will get a lot out the book as well with guidance from a teacher or older student.

Reviewed by Kathy

Published by Picture Puffin Books (2009)


There are some teacher resources associated with this title.

“Dick Frizzell – the painter,” by Dick Frizzell.

This lusciously illustrated tome plumbs the width and depth of Frizzell’s extensive and successful career. It includes many of his images inspired by popular culture (who can forget the controversy of the Four Square grocer with a tiki head), through to the realistic landscapes, images borrowed from the world of advertising and comics, through to his figure painting – it is all here. His wry sense of humour shines out in every work.
Frizzell writes engagingly of his personal life and the art that populates and shapes his world. The text is minimal, letting the images speak for themselves. Included is a short foreword by Hamish Keith.
This beautiful book of an important and popular New Zealand artist would be an excellent addition to any collection and an excellent resource for secondary art students.
Godwit Press – ISBN 978 1 86962 174 2

Suzanne

Friday Classic:The Dragon’s Apprentice by Linda McNabb

Poor 12-year-old Toby, he just does doesn’t fit in around the castle. Perhaps his outcast status is to do with the close relationship he has with the dragon Klel. Toby is upset that the unscrupulous King Herat is using up Klel’s healing golden scales at an alarming rate leaving the dragon sick and weak.

Events come to a head when a stranger turns up to the court claiming he is King Herat’s son. And the adventures begin.

This book is a great read for middle primary readers - those children who are too young for so much of the fantasy fiction produced, but at the same time too old for the more junior emergent chapter books.

I have seen many year four and five classes get absolutely hooked on this story. Dragon’s Bane, a follow up to The Dragon’s Apprentice was published in 2008.

The Dragon’s Apprentice was a finalist in the Junior Fiction category of the New Zealand Post Book Awards in 2003.

Reviewed by Beth

Everyone's Reading 11-18!

Mate! This list is brilliant! Filled with books that will get anybody reading - girls, boys, reluctant or struggling readers, students with English as an additional language, people who can't find any more good books...

Like the previous lists from the British School Library Association's Riveting Reads Plus: Boys into Books 11-14(2007); and Boys into Books 5-11(2008), the list uses catchy headings such as Boggle, Experiment, Explore, Fast Forward, etc. Altogether there are 16 headings and 260 mainly fiction books for young people.

Although put together by the same person, Eileen Armstrong, most of the books are different from the Boys into Books 11-14 list. As with the previous lists the emphasis is on books published very recently.

You could use the list to help develop your library collection, find great Christmas presents for the young people in your life, and refresh your own reading. If you like a particular genre, or type of book, the headings are very useful. For example, if like me you love science fiction, go to the Fast Forward section for some cool new books. And there's some great chick lit, amongst other things, in the Indulge section. And... and... and... but, go on, have a look for yourself!

Now, here's the good part. The whole list is downloadable, FOR FREE, as a PDF document, here. You can also use it as an online database, and browse through each section, here.

The list also has an excellent introduction, which could be used as a blueprint for developing services to get students reading. More on this soon...

For more information about the previous lists for boys, check out our blog entries, here, here, and here.

With thanks to Debbie.

War’s End by Victoria Bowen

Set in Western Australia this story deals with events around the end of the Great War as told through the eyes of 12 year-old Nell.

At the beginning of the story Nell is in hospital recovering from a close call with the 1918 Spanish ‘flu. The story seamlessly weaves back and forth. One story is about Nell and her life in hospital away from her family. The other is about her family’s life from the end of the war; waiting for Dad’s return, as well as coping with worry about the increasing numbers of deaths from the ‘flu.

Dad’s ship bypasses Freemantle, where the family are waiting, because of worries about infection. Nell, Mum, Martha, Jack and Pa have to withstand even more frustration as their hopes for Dad's return are dashed at the last moment. It is obvious that Nell feels betrayed by Dad for some reason and as we read the back-story we find out why.

This is an interesting read because it deals with World War I from unusual angles – how the soldiers actually got home after the war, the early 20th century small town, family life showing how they have coped without the “head of the house”, and the effect of the 1918 ‘flu on the town.

Highly recommended for intermediate and junior secondary.

Download a Teachers' support Kit here

Reviewed by Beth

Published by Woolshed Press (2008)

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

A pack of hungry wolves snatch Grace from her tire swing in the back yard and drag her into the woods. Strangely enough, but this marks the beginning of an uncanny and complicated fascination that Grace has for the wolves.
Sam looks straight into the eyes of Grace and realizes that she is awake and alive. Being high up in the pack, he manages to prevent the wolves from completing their attack upon Grace. Ever since then, he has silently watched Grace from the woods.
For years, the community of Mercy Falls is conscious and apprehensive about the wolves in the wood. Who are the wolves? Where have they come from? What is the mystery that surrounds them?
The first two chapters set a chilling prologue to a novel that will keep you utterly absorbed and engaged till the very end. The chapters are alternatively narrated by the two main characters, Grace and Sam.
The novel delves deep into the psyche of werewolves and reveals their inner turmoil as they tortuously endeavour to resist transformation.
Suitable for secondary students, this book deals with human and animal relationships, metamorphosis and the supernatural.

Janice Rodrigues