BRAT: Summer 2003 Issue
BRAT is published as part of the Book Council's quarterly magazine Booknotes.
It includes profiles of authors on the Writers in Schools programme, and a round up of recently published New Zealand books for children and young people.
To receive the latest issues of BRAT hot off the press, join the Book Council.
Books for Readers and Teachers
Picture Books
The Choosing Day by Jennifer Beck, illustrations by Robyn Belton (Scholastic, $15.95) It is Briar’s birthday and she’s allowed to choose what she wants to do all day long. After breakfast in bed and a deep bubbly bath she puts on her favourite dress, hat and shoes from the dressing-up box. Briar’s only ever seen Mum wearing her wedding dress in photographs so she asks if Mum will wear it for the birthday. When they’re both dressed up, they take the bus to town to buy food for a birthday lunch in the park. A birthday story with delightful illustrations. First published in 1988. Ages 3–5.
The Woven Flax Kete by Angie Belcher, illustrations by Denise Durkin (Reed, $14.95) Rawiri’s class is off on an overnight camp and his nanny has given him a scruffy old kete to take. It can carry the treasures you will collect in the Whirinaki Forest. He thinks his friends will laugh at him carrying the old kete, but searching the forest he finds treasures quite different from anything he’d put in the kete. A story about gaining skills and discovering some things are treasures even if you can’t touch them. Ages 6–8.
The Treasure by Melanie Drewery, illustrations by Brice Potter (Reed, $14.95) A young mother tells her little son the story of her greatest taonga – a treasure full of secrets, smiles, words and movement. There are times when her taonga moves away from her, but it always returns. She knows she must share it with others. What can it be? A lovely story with illustrations that enhance what the mother tells the little boy about her feelings for him. Ages 4–6.
Nanny Mihi’s Birthday Surprise by Melanie Drewery, illustrations by Tracy Duncan (Reed, $14.94) The family pack the car with kai and presents and drive up to Nanny Mihi’s for a surprise birthday visit. The biggest present and biggest surprise is the goat brought to mow Nanny’s weeds, but once they arrive and start talking the goat is forgotten. She leaps from the car and runs up the hill into the bush. A wild chase follows and they discover what the goat has done with their kai. Ages 4–6.
Jive’s Pipi Diggers by Phillippa King, illustrations by Gabriella Klepatski (Penguin, $16.95) Jive is a small boy with a big heart and every morning his mum kisses his toes and tells him he has wonderful pipi-diggers. But what are pipi-diggers? At the beach they find a pipi bed. Mum tells him to wriggle his toes in the sand beneath the shallow water. That’s where he’ll feel the pipi shells and be able to dig enough for Jive, Mum and Dad to eat. A good family story, clearly told with illustrations that make it attractive for story-telling in other languages. Ages 3–5.
Grandma’s Week Off by Helen McKinlay, illustrations by Craig Smith (HarperCollins, $16.99) Grandma wakes up and decides that for one week she’s not going to do grandma things. She’s going to do exactly what she feels like. She puts on a blue boiler suit, throws her knitting bag out the window, climbs the oak tree in her garden then parachutes back to earth. And that’s only the first day! It’s a week for grandmothers to dream about – before they return to knitting and making marmalade. Wonderful illustrations. Ages 3–6.
Possum Joe by Tadpole, illustrations by Jonathan Huntley (Reed, $14.95) Possum Joe is an old man who lives in a tin shack in the hills. He traps possums and sells the skins. But one day, he is persuaded to set free first one, then two, then three possums. Months later, on a cold winter’s day when the snow has returned to the hills, Possum Joe slips and crashes down a steep bank. His leg is broken, he cannot move and feels his life will soon be over, but his rescue comes from an unexpected source. Ages 4–6.
Hinemoana and the Fairies by Jodi van Boxel, illustrations by Helen Taylor (Reed, $14.95) Hinemoana listens to the wind moving through the harakeke branches as her grandmother twists and plaits and braids. As the kuia weaves her beautiful kete, she tells Hinemoana the story of Te Awhina, the girl who wants to capture one of the patupaiarehe (the fairies) because this will grant her one wish. She sets a trap and is confronted by the queen of nga patupaiarehe who tests her by giving her a choice between two different gifts. Available in English and Maori. Ages 6–9.
Junior Fiction
The Lost Watch by Philippa Werry, illustrations by Alice Bell (Scholastic, $13.99) It’s Dad’s birthday but Henry doesn’t have enough money for a present and he’s too old to give Dad one of his own drawings. Mum’s suggestion of one whole squabble-free day doesn’t appeal, so she lends him enough money to buy a ‘World’s Greatest Dad’ pen. Mum’s present to Dad is a wonderful, expensive-looking watch. It’s so wonderful Henry has to try it on while Dad’s in the shower. He’s half way to school before he realises the watch is still on his arm. He takes it to school, shows it to Simon then he loses it. Who can he blame? A great chapter book story for ages 6–8.
Intermediate Fiction
Froghopper and the Paua Poachers, by Joy Cowley (HarperCollins, $12.95) The paua poachers await trial, and the Green family are living on board Froghopper. Fleas, ashore for a family shopping trip, is approached and threatened should she give evidence for the prosecution. Before long the whole family, including Grandma’s boyfriend, are targeted by a series of violent acts that give force to the threats. Fleas is unmoved but Pete feels fearful about the continued violence. Their conflicting reactions are convincing; so too is Pete’s resentment when Fleas seeks the company of Haven Crowley, whose family lives on D’Urville Island. The island, and the sea around it, provide the setting for the action, and the growing friendship between the two families. The danger intensifies as they are all confronted with what can happen when ruthless people know they have a lot to lose. A sequel to Froghopper, recommended for 8–12 year olds.
Katie Raven’s Fire by Wendy Catran (Lothian $19.95) The small South Island town was not completely isolated from the rest of the world. Travelling shows came through, there was always something new at the general store, and you could read about the Kelly Gang in the papers. Katie lives with her parents and three brothers in a house set apart from the tents and newly built huts close to the shops. She finds tranquillity from hard work and conflict at home by walking in the nearby forest. On her way home, she finds a baby wallaby and with the help of Karl, an old miner, learns how to keep it safe. The show people come to town and the summer gets hotter, there’s no rain, only the foehn wind that whips up dust and fans the fires. 12+ years.
Juggling with Mandarins by V.M. Jones (HarperCollins $16.99) What Pip dreads more than anything else is Saturday morning soccer with Dad pacing the sideline, calling out and abusing the ref. He’s sick of battling to be the son Dad wanted and, unlike his older brother, Nick, never coming close. Pip wants to do something for the love of it, rather than for the sake of winning. In English class Mrs Howard suggests trying juggling because it is a life skill – and a pretty good party trick. Pip discovers his own natural skill is for climbing, because he can set his own goals on his own terms – and as he becomes more experienced both his confidence and his acceptance by his father grow. A well-crafted story about a boy growing up in a family that has faced its fair share of bad luck. This prize-winning author has once again created a page-turning story about a memorable group of distinctive characters. 12+ years.
Senior fiction
Jacko Moran: sniper by Ken Catran (Lothian, $19.99) Jacko Moran was one of the boy soldiers of the Great War. He became a dead shot, a Veteran of Gallipoli, Flanders and the Somme. He won the Victoria Cross. 1914 to 1918 should have been the worst years of his life, but they became the only years that counted. After the war he couldn’t settle – Jacko the war hero got any number of jobs; Moran the drunk lost them within a week. He sold his VC for three quid and went on a bender. Now it is 1940, he is 43 years of age and another world war has begun. As Jacko lies dying he remembers the years in the trenches, the conchies, the women and the companions who died. For older teenagers and adults.
The Juniper Game by Sherryl Jordan (Scholastic, $15.95) Dylan Pidgely is the class nerd but he has a gift for drawing; it’s the only thing he does well. Juniper is fascinated with medieval England – she experiences dreamlike sequences in which medieval places and people appear. She sees one of Dylan’s exquisite drawings and it convinces her to confide in him about her belief in telepathy. Does he share it? Would he be willing to receive her visions of those people and places? Could he transcribe them? This new venture, slowly takes over their lives. Then a serious upheaval at home makes constant demands on Dylan’s time and energy. Juniper loses control of her trances and the past intrudes dangerously on the present. Recommended for 12 years and over.
Rocco by Sherryl Jordan (Scholastic, $15.95) Rocco’s mother is a lawyer; his father, who takes care of the house and makes grotesque pottery dwarfs, is an embarrassment. His grandmother is confused, writing letters to Uncle Alex who’s been missing for seven years. Wavering between dream and reality Rocco wakes to find himself in a cold land with a wild bleak beauty. It is a primitive world where the inhabitants’ suspicion of outsiders is rooted in their fear of the plague. Nothing’s fair he’s told. You want your freedom, your life. You’ll have to fight for it. He encounters love, tragedy and strange rituals, and learns to respect the wisdom and authority of Ayoshe, the old woman. A welcome reprint for 13 years and over.
High Tide by Anna MacKenzie (Scholastic, $15.95) Mr Collins suggested the end-of-year tramp. It was going to take a week, and the itinerary included bush, ridges and isolated coastland. Some of the class were more interested than others and, in the end, eight of them set out. They were well-organised with food, equipment and change of clothes. No-one expected the disaster, nor the isolation they’d have to face. The setting is convincing and the tension well sustained. The contrasts between the characters and the subtle differences are well drawn. So too is their gradual understanding that they must accept the danger of their circumstances and rely on each other’s strengths to overcome them. 13+ years.
Roivan by Glynne MacLean (Penguin, $16.95) Roivan stows away on board the Balliage during a survey voyage in uncharted space. The Charge Engineer suspects something is in the engine room and a computer record reveals Roivan, a short, skinny, humanoid child. Her eyes have no pupils, she can swim as if the sea is her natural home, and she is telepathic. Not only can she hack into any computer, she also becomes the source of weird, ceaseless singing of a kind that afflicts every member of the crew. She knows only that she must protect her mind and avoid talking about her family and where she comes from until she meets someone who can first tell her. There’s a glossary, and a welcome list of definitions. This first book in a series is recommended for teenage readers.
Non–fiction What Am I? – Water by Darryl and Gillian Torckler (Reed, $24.95) A bright, colourful introduction to 11 living things dependant on the sea, which includes seaweed, starfish, sea birds, mammals, crabs and sea horses. Each living thing is introduced by a What Am I? poem. The reader turns the page to find a double page spread with coloured pictures of each living thing in its natural environment, important details neatly arranged in boxes. A lively introduction for anybody, but particularly for younger children.
Life-size guide to New Zealand Fish by Darryl and Gillian Torckler (Reed, $22.95) A good sub-title for this book would have been ‘where they live, how they survive and what they look like’. The fish here belong to seven different watery habitats – reefs, the open sea, mangrove estuaries, kelp forests, the sandy bottom of the sea, rivers and sub-marine caves. Each category of fish is first shown in double-page, coloured photographs and the reader turns the page to find a black and white double-page duplicate complete with brief descriptions of the appearance, feeding, breeding and other salient facts. Recommended for secondary students. Senior non–fiction
Writing That Works: a guide for students by Rosemary De Luca and Alison Annals (Longman, $20.95) This well-presented guide provides a clear introduction to writing for academic purposes. It covers the process of generating ideas, organising material, drafting and reworking the draft. The middle section is devoted to writing for specific purposes – reviews, reports and essays. Current examples illustrate how to develop and shape the text. The final chapter outlines generally accepted conventions of style and usage in academic writing, and handling references and citations. Examples showing the need to observe the rules of grammar and punctuation are briefly but effectively set out. It’s good to see Strunk and White’s timeless gem holding its own among the more than 30 titles listed for further reading.
The Reading Bug ... and how you can help your child to catch it by Paul Jennings, illustrated by Andrew Welden ( Penguin, $24.95) The sub-title makes it clear that this is intended for parents but it offers guidance and encouragement to anyone who takes care of children. There is no question where Jennings stands – Our goal is to instil love, an attitude, a passion (for reading) and the way to do it is reading, listening, and talking to children. Jennings is a language activist who draws the connection between spoken and written words with children’s discovery and understanding of the world around them, their imagination, and their sense of fun. He deals with phonics – ghote spells fish – the reluctant reader, learning disorders, matching illustrations to the text, and the subject material of stories for children. Reading touches the child’s imagination, and listening to children as they read transmits what is often unspoken – the child’s comfortable acceptance of being loved. The thirty pages of ‘Brilliant Books’ listed at the end, include a few, but not enough, by New Zealand writers.
Pronouce Maori with confidence: an easy guide – with CD-ROM by Hoani Niwa (Reed, $24.95) This small book and its CD-ROM provide a well- organised guide to the correct pronunciation of Te Reo Maori. Special attention is given to sounding vowels with and without macrons, and where to place stress correctly. Lists showing the correct way to pronounce people’s names, place names, and words commonly associated with the marae will be welcomed. Widely recommended.
Mists of Time: Ngapuhi myths and legends by Bunty Howearth (Reed, $14.95) The Ngapuhi myths collected in this book have been organised into ten stories that include Kupe’s voyage to the Hokianga, his return to Hawaiki and the fate of his sons. There are the myths relating to Maori settlement in the Hokianga, the story of Pakanae, close to the legendary settlement of Whiria, a landscape presence that ties all Ngapuhi to Hokianga. These retellings have a clear focus on the stories but there is background detail for readers who require it. A Maori–English glossary eases the way for the Pakeha reader. Ages 10–12.
Drama 3 Plays by Bernard Beckett (Harcourt, $19.95) All three have been written for Year 10 and 11 students. Puck is a hostage drama in which the two ‘Creators’ observe the action and lose their detachment. As one scene follows hard upon the other (there are 18 scenes altogether) their growing involvement with the characters they’ve ‘created’ becomes central to the play. Plan 10 From Outer Space has a fifties setting, earthlings and aliens, a cast of more than 30 and five song and dance numbers. The End of the World as We Know It, like Puck, relies on fast pace, well rehearsed action sequences with 12 scenes following in quick succession. All three plays have plots and settings well-suited to the people for whom they’ve been written.
A Time to March by Alan Bunn (Harcourt, $15.95) With their parents away for the night, protesting against the removal of customary public access rights, Josh and Peter’s party gets seriously out of hand. They both get drunk but Peter ends up in a coma on life support. His hospital bedside in the intensive care ward is visible throughout the play. This five-act drama deals with a range of current issues: teenage binge drinking, sporadic street violence and land acquisition leading to the loss of public access rights. However, the most enduring and powerful source of dramatic conflict centres on Josh, his reaction to his brother’s coma and his antagonism towards his parents and their progressive ideas about rearing children. The production notes and clear presentation of the stage settings will be helpful. Recommended as a basis for drama study, acting in the classroom or a large cast senior school drama production.
Let’s Hear It For the Winner and Other Plays by Martha Morseth (Pearson, $16.95) All three plays have large casts, detailed stage directions and character notes. Families dramatises the troubled family circumstances of three teenagers. Getting to Know Me has a more adventurous structure: a play within a play, improvisation (mostly scripted) and significant audience participation. Simon attempts to discover more about himself. He speaks directly to the audience, and elements of his character are revealed by the way he relates to girls, his friends in the audience, and members of his family. The ‘winner’ in the title play will be the person who lasts the distance surviving public exposure in the car sales showroom window. The scenes depict public reactions towards the contestants, the contestants’ ability to withstand the conditions (no books, no games, no TV) and the changing relationships between them as they agree on a plan to end their incarceration. High Schools.
Schools Draw:
Otamatea High School—Maungaturoto Highlands Intermediate—New Plymouth Hurleyville School—Patea Ngataki Primary—Kaitaia St Joseph’s—Pine Ave, Wellington Welbourn School—New Plymouth Weber School—Dannevirke $50 voucher draw: Margaret Cannon Palmerston North
