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Parker must stay with relatives while his dad makes a business trip. A trip Parker hates him for. Uncle Ian, Aunt Christine and their son Josh live in a small town north of Melbourne. Josh is Parker’s age, and the boys do not get along. Josh also thinks they have a killer kangaroo Rooboo and a vicious Goose, Tough Goose, who always bites Parker. It’s going to be a long seven days with relatives.

Parker and Josh unpack boxes that haven’t been emptied since the last house move. Parker finds his great-grandfather’s diary. The diary tells the story of the great-grandfather and the Rhinestone family. Great-grandfather was shot for jewels.

Parker sets out to find the jewels. Josh is reluctant to start with but eventually helps Parker when they must abseil down into the hippopotamus enclosure at the local zoo. What do they find?

I loved the characters, the ethical dilemmas, the truths they investigated, and the twist at the end.

Recommend for readers aged ten years and older. 

Published by Puffin Books 2022

Read and reviewed by Judy Wollin

Thao and his family are the only Vietnamese in the small country town. The school is tiny, and Thao quickly learns that everyone knows everyone. Thao makes a friend, and he starts to like living in Megulla.

The Mafi family arrive in town, refugees from war-torn Syria, and life changes for Thao. As the most recent arrival before Kadir, Thao is asked to buddy him. Kadir wants only one thing: to return to Syria to find his father. It takes ages for Thao to get to know him, and he is torn between wanting to spend time with his friends and buddying Kadir.

A slam poetry competition makes things worse and better. How does Kadir sort out what he wants? What does Thao do to keep his old friends and buddy Kadir?

I enjoyed the rich characters, the intensity of the issues and feelings and the way the characters tried to sort things out.

Recommended for readers aged ten years and older.

Published by Puffin 2022

Read and reviewed by Judy Wollin

Princess Oliva and her father and mother, the King and Queen, live lives of luxury until they are outset and find themselves living in an apartment in Alez City. It was nothing like where their palace was. It was rundown, neglected, and smoky with dead trees.

The princess sets out to discover why the weather is so bad in Alez. She learns about global warming and its effect on the weather and about the importance of trees in preventing global warming and sets about seeing they are replanted.

I enjoyed seeing how a child can explore global warming.

Recommended for readers aged 8 years and older.

Published by Puffin 2022

Illustrated by Zoe Persico

Read and reviewed by Judy Wollin

Gamora finds herself on an alien planet, looking for the cube she hopes will end the evil power her father wields so she can find peace. She’s hunted by evil foe and rescued by friends she hasn’t seen in a while.

They offer to help Gamora in her quest but she refuses saying she doesn’t want to expose her friends to danger. They insist on helping her. Does she manage to find the cube and does it give her the peace she is searching for?

I enjoyed this short, fast paced chapter book.

Recommend for readers aged 6-10 years.

Published by Marvel 2019

Illustrated by Pascale Qualano and Chris Sotomayor

Read and reviewed by Judy Wollin

Dog Tales is about the dogs who live on Dolan Street. Life there is usually pretty good. The dogs know their friends and know Barney is in charge. 

Life runs smoothly until the birds start gossiping about the Dolan Street dog, saying nasty, untrue things that nasty dogs are happy to believe and spread. What can the Dolan Street dogs do about it?

I enjoyed the dogs' adventures.

Recommended for readers aged 8-12 years.

Published by Omnibus and imprint of Scholastic Australia

The Children's Book Council of Australia Notable Book

Illustrated by Janine Dawson

Read and reviewed by Judy Wollin

Daniel is thrust into caring for his two younger sisters and ‘being good’ for his mother when his father must leave to try and find work. The family misses their father and looks forward to his letters and the small amount of money he sometimes sends. 

Things go from bad to worse when Daniel’s father is killed at work, and the family must move. How do they survive?

I enjoyed the detailed descriptions of life during the 1930s depression in Australia.

Recommended for readers aged 8-12 years

Published by About Kids Books 2016

Read and reviewed by Judy Wollin

 Jack was on school camp. His tent mates Charlie and Joe decided it would be fun to throw Jack into the water. He is rescued at the last minute by a camp instructor. Jack hates water but doesn’t want his friends to find out.

Everyone is broken into small groups for an orienteering challenge. Jack feels confident. He loves maps and orienteering. That is until they have to cross a log bridge, and Jack falls in.

He is rescued by Bear Grills but is in Chine. Bear sets out to help Jack get back to camp, but this means Jack must confront his fears and learn how to deal with them. Can he manage that?

I enjoyed the way the main character had to develop insight and skills to deal with his fear. The outdoor, fast-paced style is exciting. Grills includes a diversity of characters.

Recommend for readers aged eight to twelve years. This book was published in easy-to-read, dyslexic-friendly fonts.

Published by Bear Grills, an imprint of Bonnier Books UK. 2017

Illustrated by Emma McCann

Read and reviewed by Judy Wollin

Lizzie is a mad keen netballer and determined to be a coach just like coach Laura. Lizzie tells her fellow teammates what to do and how to play better. Coach Laura explains she is the coach. Laura's teammates leave her out when they all go for frozen yoghurt, and she wonders why and what she can do to fix it.

I enjoyed the real dilemmas players can experience.

Recommended for early readers aged six to eight years.

Published by Puffin Books 2016.

Illustrated by Tom Jellett.

Read and reviewed by Judy Wollin

Bindi has two friends from England visiting, and they all go whale watching on Steve’s Whale One catamaran. They see Bindi’s favourite whale Ash and her calf. Bindi spots an oil slick, and they are off to solve the mystery of where it came from.

I enjoyed the environmental aspect of the story.

Recommended for early readers aged six to eight years.

Published by Random House Australia 2010

Read and reviewed by Judy Wollin

Daisy and all her classmates were so excited when their teacher Mrs Peters announced a field trip to Bobbington Hall. Jack convinces the class that there are bound to be secret passages, with secret treasure hidden in such an olden-day stately home.

All the class agrees, on a secret pact, to search for secret passages and treasure despite being given a workbook to complete and the responsibilities of being school ambassadors. Ambassadors are always on their best behaviour. Sneaking off looking for secret treasure in secret passageways is not the best behaviour. How does the field trip work out? Do Daisy and her friends find hidden treasure?

I enjoyed the mischief and conflicting priorities the students had to resolve.

Recommended for readers aged eight to ten years.

Published by Red Fox, part of the Penguin Random House group. This version 2020

Illustrated by Nick Sharratt

Read and reviewed by Judy Wollin

I read and I write.            

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