August Book Roundup

 

Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A.F.Steadman

A wonderful new fantasy series - one of the best I've read in a long time. Skandar and the Unicorn Thief will be popular with lovers of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. 

Thirteen-year-old Skandar Smith has only ever wanted to be a unicorn rider, and the time has finally come for him to take his Hatchery Exam, which will determine whether he is destined to hatch a unicorn egg. But when Skandar is stopped from taking the exam, and the mysterious and frightening Weaver steals the most powerful unicorn in the world, becoming a rider proves a lot more dangerous than he could ever have imagined. And what if Skandar was always destined to be the villain rather than the hero? Get ready for unlikely heroes, elemental magic, fierce sky battles, ancient secrets, nail-biting races and, of course, bloodthirsty unicorns. Publisher review 

Highly recommended. We will have copies in the Primary library and the College 7-13 library. 

Rebel Skies by Ann Sei Lin.

I listened to the eAudiobook of this one, and I loved the Japanese language references and accent of the reader, Susan Momoko-Hingley. I was gripped by the story and delighted by the unique characters. 

Kurara has never known any other life than being a servant on board the Midori, but when her party trick of making paper come to life turns out to be a power treasured across the empire, she joins a skyship and its motley crew to become a Crafter. Taught by the gruff but wise Himura, Kurara learns to hunt shikigami – wild paper spirits who are sought after by the Princess. But, are these creatures just powerful slaves for the Crafters and the empire, or are they beings with their own souls – and yet another thing to be subjugated by the powerful Emperor and his Princess?

5 Stars - age recommendation 9-14years. Held in college 7-13 library.

The Midnight Children by Dan Gemeinhart. 

What a wonderful story.
Rav is a boy who is bullied, friendless, and who’s life is a daily, depressing struggle. He lives in Slaughterville, a town known for its meat works, where his dad works. Rav’s parents are good solid citizens, but his dad has difficulty communicating with his son, which reinforces Rav’s feelings of otherness.

Rav is fascinated when a family of seven children mysteriously arrive and move in to the house next door. Rav becomes part of their secretive lives, and especially close to Virginia, who is around his age. He finds out that these children have no parents, and are on the run, desperate to stay together.

A mysterious, suspenseful adventure with beautiful messages of friendship, loyalty and believing in yourself.
However, there are dark, possibly frightening elements to the story, with quite graphic detail of the slaughterhouse and its processes, and a man (The Hunter), who is searching for, and intent on capturing the children. This could be disturbing for sensitive young readers.
Suitable for mature upper primary and year 7 and 8s.

Until the Road Ends by Phil Earle 

Oh, the cuteness of this cover!

When Peggy saves a stray dog from near-death, a beautiful friendship begins. Peggy and Beau are the only thing that can ever come between them is war. Peggy is evacuated to the safety of the coast, but Beau is left behind in the city, where he becomes the most extraordinary and unlikely of war heroes.
Night after night, as bombs rain down and communities are destroyed, Beau searches the streets, saving countless families. But then disaster strikes, changing Peggy’s life forever. With her parents killed, both she and Beau are left alone, hundreds of miles apart. But Beau has a plan to reunite them at long last . .

Teenage Fiction

One of Us is Back by Karen McManus

The latest book from Young Adult mystery/crime  writer sensation, Karen McManus. This book takes us back to Bayview High, the setting for the first murder mystery in One of Us is Lying, and One of Us is Next. 

Our readers just can't get enough of these exceptional teen mysteries and the release of the TV series has made them ever more sort after. 

Cop & Robber by Tristan Bancks 

Tristan Bancks is an Australian author who writes gripping crime novels for teens & middle grade students. His books include Two Wolves, The Fall, and Detention. 

The suspense and tension of these novels make them wonderful recommendations for reluctant readers, and for boys who want action books featuring young male central characters. Harder to find than you'd think! 

Below by David Hill 

When Liam dares his classmate Imogen to come on a forbidden tour of the railway tunnel being drilled through a nearby mountain, he hopes she’ll quit protesting about it damaging the environment — his dad is an engineer working on the tunnel, after all.

Just as they reach the huge tunnelling machine everything goes horribly wrong. When the rocks stop falling and the dust settles, they are trapped, kilometers below ground, in the dark. Water is trickling in and beginning to rise. And nobody knows where they are.

Can they stop arguing and start working together to escape before it's  time runs out? 

A suspenseful adventure story by award winning New Zealand author David Hill. Winner of the New Zealand Book Award Junior Fiction award 2023. 

Ages 9-13  will find this an engaging read. 

The Arc by Ben Oliver 

(The Loop - Book #3)

The Loop is a dystopian series that has gained a lot of young adult interest since its release in 2020. The Arc is book three in this series 

Luka Kane is a 16 year old, serving his second year in a futuristic and oppressing prison where every inmate is on Death Row.  When we first meet Luka he is beaten down by the futility of incarceration, but when rumours spread of an uprising, Luka seizes an opportunity to escape. This rebellion unleashes a series of terrorising threats,  blood thirsty zombies and tough choices. Luka's narrative on remaining ethical, and keeping his humanity, run through his every life-and-death decision. 

This series is gritty, intense, violent and it is an action-packed read.

Age recommendation - 13 years upwards

Non-Fiction and Visual Texts 

Around the Ocean in 80 Fish & other Sea Life by Dr Helen Scales (illus. by Marcel George)

This stunning Non-Fiction resource introduces land lubbers to 80 of the ocean's strangest and most surprising inhabitants. 

Beautifully illustrated in fine water colours, while not compromising on the depth of text, this book is suitable for any age and will be well used by primary and college students.   

   

Celebrate with Us by Valerie Wilding 

Meet 20 children from around the world as they tell us about the feasts and festivals they enjoy and the religions and customs they follow.

This Is Our World ― Celebrate With Us!, written by Valerie Wilding, is the follow-up to the critically acclaimed This Is Our World . It’s a vibrant and colorful celebration of our planet’s cultural diversity―an unforgettable journey that brings the people, customs, and religions of 20 places around the world vividly to life for young readers.

Germ Lab: the gruesome story of deadly diseases by Richard Platt. illus. by John Kelly

Prepare to be infected with fun and fascinating knowledge. The Germ Lab tells the gruesome story of deadly diseases, told by the filthy pests that spread the germs!

Discover history's worst epidemics and pandemics and see how and why they happened, including the "Black Death", polio, and coronavirus. Hear the "eyewitness" accounts from the pesky rats, flies, ticks, and creepy-crawlies who spread the most terrible viruses around the world and cause the most damage. Watch out for terrible typhoid, beware of malicious malaria, and learn more about cruel Covid-19.

Brave Every Day by Trudy Ludwig

From social-emotional learning expert Trudy Ludwig and award-winning picture book illustrator Patrice Barton (co-creators of The Invisible Boy) comes a story about managing anxiety and finding the courage to stand up for yourself and others.

With themes of 'bravely trying' and finding support in friends with similar fears, this thoughtful book will be added to our Emotional Resilience resources list. 

Emotional Resilience List .docx

   

Ember and the Island of Lost Creatures by Jason Pamment 

This is the second book in a Junior Graphic Novel series about a tiny lad named Ember, living alone among a world of Giants, finding his way and trying to fit in.

In this book, a kindly sea turtle tries to help Ember settle in to a new school, where a cast of weird and wonderful classmates make him feel even less at home. But, perhaps their stand-offish nature is not quite what it seems. 

Picture Books 

Knight Owl by Christopher Denise 

I simply love this picture book!

Since the day he hatched, Owl dreamed of becoming a real knight. He may not be the biggest or the strongest, but his sharp nocturnal instincts can help protect the castle, especially since many knights have recently gone missing. 

While holding guard during Knight Night Watch, Owl is faced with the ultimate trial—a frightening intruder. It’s a daunting duel by any measure. But what Owl lacks in size, he makes up for in good ideas.

A Caldecott Honor Winner and  New York Times  Bestseller! 

 

We're going to find the Monster 

Award-winning author Malorie Blackman's (Noughts and Crosses YA dystopian series)latest work is a wonderful picture book about a dad who invites his children to come in from the garden and 'Wake the Monster'.

A cute story full of imagination and playfulness with a strong 'Going on a Bear Hunt' vibe.  

 

The Eight Gifts of Te Wheke by Steph Matuku.(illus. by Layla Mutton-Rogers)

A trickster octopus named Te Wheke snatches Tamati's little sister while they play at the rock pools. To get his sister back from the depths of the ocean, Tamate must pay Te Wheke in eight treasures. 

A delightful story set on the New Zealand sea shore. 

     Hope you enjoy sharing these books with your young people.