The Bookbinder of Jericho
Pip Williams
Affirm Press 2023

Following on from the success of The Dictionary of Lost Words, Pip Williams continues her passion for historical fiction set in the early 1900s, England. In this story, we follow Peggy, an orphan and twin who works at the Jericho Press. Her sister, Maude, is likely (in today’s time) on the autistic spectrum. She is astute and wise, though struggles with communication. For this reason, Peggy feels bound to look after her.

As Belgium refugees disembark trains in Peggy’s hometown, and the men she works with enlist to fight in the war, women are asked to take on what was always considered ‘Men’s work’. Peggy, a seasoned bookworm, now more than ever wants to study and share the same rights that the more privileged of her gender, and all men, have access to.

In both The Bookbinder of Jericho and Williams’ companion novel, there are strong themes of equality, with regular mention of The Suffragettes. Williams gives voice to the women of the time who had none.
​
The Bookbinder of Jericho is both a romantic and fierce tale, that has you looking at books and literature in a new light.

Lessons
Written by Ian McEwan
Published by Jonathan Cape 2022

Roland Baines could be a true person. But he’s not. Lessons could be a true account. But it’s not. This is a fictional story that spans decades, following a boy into adulthood. Roland is a product of a love affair between a young, mistreated mother and a hard army Major. At the age of eleven, he is cast away from the girlish bosom of his mother and repositioned in an English boarding school. It is here that he learns his first lesson in piano, and his first lesson in love.

A love affair between a teacher and a fourteen year old student will leave a mark. And that it does. Roland will never know what could have become of his piano career, or his ability to form intimate relationships with others. And perhaps he doesn’t want to. He only knows that his adult self has been directly impacted by the fateful years when he was seduced and controlled by his irresistible piano teacher.

When his own son is seven months old, Roland’s wife mysteriously disappears, leaving only a note ‘Don’t try to find me.’ and ‘I’ve been living the wrong life.’ So we learn about Roland’s life alongside colossal moments in history such as the fall of the Berlin Wall. The book jumps back and forth in time, giving us perspective and understanding for why the story-present must unfold the way it does.

Ian McEwan writes a captivating and at times, bizarre tale. Like his other novels, his ideas are unique yet believable, and he sweeps you up in saga of love, life and family.

Libby Lawrence is Good at Pretending
Written by Jodi McAlister
Published by Wakefield Press

Libby Lawrence has left home with her best friend Ella. Ella is escaping her country life and farm-loving boyfriend, Libby is escaping her shy reputation. In a new share house, they both delve into their creative university courses. Libby discovers Uni Rep, a not-for-profit theatre company, and with encouragement from Ella, builds up the courage to audition.

Despite being a performer, Libby doesn’t believe she is truly seen by others until the day her understudy role allows her to take centre stage. Although she appears cool, calm and collected, no one, not even Ella, knows about the negative internal monologue that is constantly holding Libby back.

Ella, meanwhile is battling her own demons. Libby and Ella are inseparable; however, Ella feels deep guilt that Libby is the one always propping her up, when life becomes too challenging. Together, the girls navigate love, friendship and self-esteem.

Libby Lawrence is Good at Pretending is Jodi McAlister’s first contemporary romance for young adults. She is a senior lecturer in Writing, Literature and Culture, and has written a broad range of non-fiction, adult rom-coms and YA paranormal books.

The Secret of the Blood-Red Key
By David Farr
Usborne
UK 2023

Rachel and Robert Klein have bravely defeated a dreadful dictator that reigned misery on the country of Krasnia, the people have been freed and children can once again play and enjoy their childhood. So, now what? Life is good for Rachel and Robert Klein, but it’s not great. Although they are celebrated for being heroes, their dad still suffers from immense grief at losing their mother. For in order to cast the terrible Charles Malstain into the Hinterland, Rachel needed to destroy The Book of Stolen Dreams and close all access to this afterlife.

This becomes a problem when Rachel discovers that a young girl, Elsa, has been tricked by some elderly aristocrats to enter the Hinterland. Without The Book of Stolen Dreams, there will be no way for Elsa to leave the Hinterland, and besides, why do these elderly people want an innocent, healthy child to enter the afterlife anyway? Rachel is given a Blood-Red Key which will grant her access to the Hinterland for twenty-four hours. She must find Elsa, understand what evil lies behind this nasty scheme, and rescue her before the gate closes on Rachel and Elsa for ever.

Through a series of quirky adventures and fabulous world building, David Farr creates an action-packed mystery that will keep a reader up all night wondering how the story will end. The Secret of the Blood-Red Key is the sequel to Farr’s debut novel The Book of Stolen Dreams. The backstory of Book 1 is so expertly summarised in Book 2 that it could be read as a stand-alone story with equal enjoyment.

The Secret of the Blood-Red Key is a junior fantasy novel. Themes of death, grief and acceptance are gently explored. This is a book perfectly suited to a Year 5 or 6 student, but can also be enjoyed by brave younger readers and older readers alike. There is also a delightful interactive website that fans can explore: https://davidfarrbooks.com/#bookshop .
 
 

Hamlet is not ok
R.A.Spratt
Penguin Books 2023
 
Can’t get into Shakespeare? Not a problem. ‘Hamlet is not ok’ is a modern story with a modern character duo, dealing with literary questions that cross the ages. The book starts with a warning, “This book contains Shakespeare.” And that it does, but in such a way that it is completely manageable for a young teen who is being coerced into reading literature from the Elizabethan era.

This short novel follows Selby Michaels, a teenage girl who has no interest in reading or school. This is a disappointment to her book-loving, bookshop managing parents. Quietly defiant, Selby doesn’t read the books she’s supposed to for English, and ignores homework assignments. All this changes when her parents employ a tutor called Dan, and together Selby and Dan, get sucked into the world of Hamlet (literally- they get sucked in.).
​
Selby struggles with reading, but when she experiences the story in the flesh, she comes to appreciate how the plot in Hamlet is no more serious or ridiculous than the soap-operas that she loves to watch on T.V.
R.A. Spratt is a bestselling author and is well known for her Friday Barnes series. She has also written the Nanny Piggins series, The Peski kids series and some short story collations. Spratt has a witty tone which makes her stories easy to consume and highly enjoyable. This would be an excellent choice for Year 7 and 8 students.

Picasso and the Greatest Show on Earth
Anna Fienberg
Allen & Unwin 2023
 
Life has changed for Frances. She’s in a new home, a new school, her dad has gone to work overseas and her mum has bought her a dog named Picasso. But the most glaring change of all is that Henry is no longer there.
It’s a struggle for Frances, and although she loves art, all she can think to draw is bacteria- microscopic, intricate bacteria. Not something others are too keen to look at. Starting a new school is difficult to navigate, but then she finds Kit, a tall, awkward boy who also finds the social complexities of school a challenge. Frances discovers his love for art, and through their shared passion, the two become close friends.

But there’s a barrier. Neither Kit nor Frances is ready to share the heavy burden that they both carry day in and day out.

Picasso and Greatest Show on Earth is a beautiful tale of love, loss and trust. Through the eyes of two young people, we learn about grief and healing. Through the power of observation and nature, the two develop their relationship and learn to open up.

Anna Fienberg is a master of simile and description. Reading this book will plant you right in the scene, painting vivid colours, sounds and emotions, making it hard to put the book down. She has written numerous children’s and young adult fiction, and is most notably known for her series Tashi.

This is a wonderful novel for a mature upper primary school or lower secondary school student.

The Good Sister
Sally Hepworth
Read by Casey Withoos
Bolinda Audio
 
Twins with a traumatic past. Now adults, each tell a story of growing up and the effects on them in the present. Which story should we trust?

Rose considers herself the sensible twin, concerned with actions and consequences. Her depiction of their mother and growing up poor is heart-breaking, and these stories justify the way that she and Fern live their lives and make decisions as adults.

Fern is a little different. She needs Rose to guide her. She doesn’t trust herself, and she doesn’t quite remember the past the way Rose does. Nevertheless, she has a steady, predictable job in a library and a sister who cares for her deeply. If things can stay the same, things can be good.

The sisters have a well-rehearsed way of life. Rose understands Fern’s need for routine and predictability. Fern appreciates Rose’s help and guidance in remembering what she needs to do and when. This is, until Fern discovers Rose is unable to fall pregnant and decides she can help.

Enter Rocco. Rocco is the man Fern decides will help her secretly fix Rose’s problem. He’s unique like Fern, and likes to spend time with her. In fact, Fern discovers that she too, enjoys spending time with Rocco. Rose on the other hand does not think that a romantic relationship is a safe thing for Fern to pursue. Things soon begin to unravel as Fern makes choices that don’t align with Rose’s way of thinking.

Sally Hepworth has crafted these two distinct voices with brilliance. She weaves a profound relationship between the two women, demonstrating a bond only twins could experience.

Casey Withoos is superb in giving voice to the two women as well as the secondary characters, making the listening experience a pleasure.

Hepworth is an Australian author, recognised for her nine published novels and awarded New York Times Bestselling Author credentials. She writes domestic thrillers; crafting female characters that readers come to love, trust, and then question.
​
The reader is undoubtedly questioning the whole way through the book ‘Who is the good sister’?

A family of Strangers
Fiona Lowe
Read by Rebecca Macauley
Bolinda Audio

Fiona Lowe knows women. As with Lowe’s Home Fires and Just an ordinary family, she has an innate ability to portray women through many generations, in recognisable and realistic depictions. Each has their own struggle, and each benefits from the friendship that develops throughout the story.

In all of Lowe’s stories, she paints a vivid setting and selects a medium for bringing her women characters together so that they can support each other when in need. In A family of strangers, it is a beach town in Tasmania that sets the scene, and a community choir to bring each character’s problems to a head.

Addy has returned to the Cove and bears a shameful secret that she won’t tell anyone. She battles her secret trauma through being a work-a-holic and drinking. Neither of these strategies do her any good and she is unsure who she can turn to for support.

Steph wants to conceive. She and her husband Henry have hatched a dream-like plan for their life that begins now, when they move to the cove. Only, things don’t go at all like planned, and the unexpected addition of Steph’s 13 year old step-daughter adds some potholes to the already rocky road.

Zoe has been sent to live with her dad and step-mum, Steph. She must change schools, change locations and make new friends. There is one girl who wants to be her friend. She’s bubbly and naïve. At first Zoe tolerates her but soon realises that good friends are like gold.

Brenda has a secret. One that she can’t bear to tell her adult children, especially her over controlling daughter Courtney. She does everything she can to keep up appearances and maintain the image of herself as a farmer’s wife, but the secret is doing more damage than it’s worth.

Courtney needs control. When she discovers that her daughter has befriended the far from poster girl Zoe, she fears that the influence of this new 13 year old will lead her own daughter on a terrible path. She uses all of her powers as a mother to roadblock the friendship.
​
This is a story that you’ll find difficult to put down and as always, as an audiobook, Rebecca Macauley does each character perfect justice!

Garlic and the Witch
Bree Paulsen
Quill Tree Books 2022
 
Garlic and the Witch is an adorable graphic novel pitched perfectly for middle primary aged children. The story is a modern fable that tackles the fears and challenges of a person going through changes. The lovable characters include little Garlic, a witch called Agnes and a vampire called Count.

As Garlic grows and transforms, she learns that in time, everyone goes through their own changes. The characters in Garlic and the Witch are friendly and accepting of each other’s differences. With gorgeous pictures and unique characters, this story is inclusive and guiding for any young one who feels nervous about changes the future may hold.
​
Bree Paulsen is a Canadian born comic writer and illustrator. With her expressively drawn characters and cartoon-like settings, the pictures are reminiscent of Ghibli studio images, which may be partly why I fell so quickly in love with this comic book. Paulsen studied animation at Laguna College of Art and has created a webcomic called Patrik the Vampire, as well as the first of this series called Garlic and the Vampire (2021).

​The Spectaculars
Jodie Garnish
Usborne 2022

The Spectaculars are an artistic group of people who have been gifted not only with natural talents, but also “Star Stuff”- a magical essence that allows them to extend their creative abilities to the paranormal. The Minister, from one of the Sunless Provinces, fears what he cannot understand and has classified the Spectaculars as a dangerous species. It is for this reason that these unique performers have decided to escape the City of Smoke to live a freer life in the land of Wondria. The journey to Wondria is treacherous. Harper Woolfe and her family are separated from the group when a collision occurs just before they cross through the gateway.

Everything changes for Harper on that fateful day and her re-entry to the Spectaculars years later is not a smooth process.

This book starts with action and delivers action all the way through. Similar in theme to Harry Potter, but certainly holding its own with character development, a unique setting and an original problem. The cover art implies a younger audience, however the humour, language and complexity of plot suggest a perfect fit for senior primary students (ages 10 to 12).

Jodie Garnish is a playwright and performer. Her experience in theatre has informed her writing for The Spectaculars. She has also written a sequel “The Spectaculars: the four curses”. This is a great book!