Long time between reads

Working, living, and making time for reading don't always come together easily.
This week, I'm determined to get back to reading, and I've started with "Knife" by R.J. Anderson. Knife (her chosen name) is a faery living in "Oakenwyld", where clearly the population is threatened with extinction. Knife is the rebel - as the series title "Faery Rebels" suggests, and is determined to find he lost traditions of magic that might help her community survive. Knife is a faery who moves into the human world, and I have yet to find out what happens, but I'm enjoying it so far. Here's what they say at Fantastic Ficion.com
If you get to read this before I do, there is a sequel called "Rebel", and another on the way in 2011, "Arrow".

Voices on the Coast

The past two days saw thousands of young readers meet some of their favourite authors at Sunshine Coast University, and meet a few they didn't know but will remember for a long time! Libraries are now checking out books by Queensland authors John Danalis and Prue Mason, while renewing interest in books by Christine Harris and Garth Nix. But let's not ignore new writers like Kirsty Eagar! Her first book Raw Blue attracted lots of attention. Looking forward to her next!

Been away ... back again

I've been away from the blog world, dealing with small children. Now I'm back and reading through the CBCA Book Awards short list. So far I have read most of the books for Older Readers - and they are all good. My favourite to date? Not telling!

Author! Author!

Tomorrow I'm going to meet an author. His name is Craig Silvey, and he wrote a book called "Jasper Jones". Hyberbolic reviewers have tagged it "the Australian version of To Kill a Mockingbird", and the author "the next Tim Winton". This uber-praise puts a lot of pressure on a book (and its author) and misrepresents the book to potential readers.
Anyhow ... Jasper Jones is a terrific book. It's about young people dealing with life in a stifling small town atmosphere, trying to "get a life" (so glad that expression has died down somewhat!). The book has great physical presence, set in a boring country town in 1965 (many of us have lived there). It could equally be set in the present - small towns = small minds wherever they live. The young people in the story must figure out what to do in an extreme situation that (thankfully) most of us do not have to face. An abundance of references to Mark Twain has made me go back and find "Huckleberry Finn" (a multiply banned book in the USA for various reasons) and because of the Tim Winton comparison, "Breath". Find out more about Jasper Jones from the publishers (including Craig Silvey talking) here.
Once I had finished with Jasper Jones, I suddenly remembered being introduced to another young Australian writer, Adrian Stirling, whose first novel "Broken Glass" was featured at the Reading Matters conference in Melbourne this year. Equally compelling, and similarly about the prospects for young people in a small country town in Australia, this book is arguably more shocking. As in "Jasper Jones" there's a manipulative relationship between teenage friends, physical violence, and a decision to be made about the future. Both books will shock, but if you can stand the emotional rollercoaster, give them both a try. I'm glad I read them together. [Perhaps for Mature Audiences Only!]

Queensland Premiers Literary Awards

"Australia's most exceptional literary talents, both well known and aspiring, were recognised at the 2009 Queensland Premier's Literary Awards shortlist announcement"
Friday 21 August.

CBC Awards Announced

Since Inky was announced I haven't had time to think. Meantime, the Children's Book Council have come out with theirs, and Shaun Tan has won! Have a look at the full list
You young readers might also like to check out books in all categories from the short list,

Inky Awards Long List

Quick note - Inky list is here.
More later

Butterfly by Sonya Hartnett

Currently "reading" this new book in the car as I drive to and from work.

The publishers say: "Butterfly is a gripping, disquieting, beautifully observed novel that confirms Hartnett as one of Australia's finest writers."

Have a look yourself and see if you agree.

The Cybils are announced on Valetine's Day

I looked deeper into the tangled web, and found details on how Cybil works.

Cybil's Short List of YA titles

Cybils (judged by YA book bloggers) has announced a short list. Here's a brief look at some of them. I haven't read any, but do recognise most of the authors. One of them is Australian Melina Marchetta, of "Looking for Alibrandi" fame (for Jellicoe Road). Not sure when the award is announced, but watch this space.

Had enough of the heavy sighs?

Well, five happy winners walked off with their copies of "Twilight" just before Christmas. Enjoy! And from what I can gather the rest of you enjoyed the chilling atmosphere in cinemas around town to see the movie. (I'm referring to the air-conditioning!)
Well, now I have something to really scare your ...ts off! It's a book called "The Beckoners" written by Canadian author Carrie Mac. Here's a description and some reviews from the author's website. I'm listening to the audio reading and, apart from some crazy accent work by the reader that makes you laugh, it's riveting. Check it out.

With "Twilight" still on our minds ...

... here's yet more suggestions for fangtastic reading over summer. The librarians have been searching and checking, and so let's see how they shaped up. Vampire fiction list, from Cairns in North Queensland, plus a Read-Alike list , and a few fang sites to check. Oh stop! that's quite enough!

Dead, dying and undead - booklist

If you're thirsting for a bit of ghoulish reading, or just need something to fill the hours (days) till you can read the Twilight trilogy right through, maybe you should get your fangs into some of the titles on this quite long list. And you may be happy to know that it's not all about vampires.

Twilight competition announced

With the movie soon to be released, and with over 110 readers waiting for their chance to read the 20 library copies, we have decided to give some away. That's right, we have 5 copies of Twilight by Stephenie Meyer waiting for 5 lucky readers to win. All you need to do is tell us, in 25 words (or fewer), why you would like to win. Competition starts on December 1st, and closes on December 22nd, so be in it to win a Christmas gift for yourself or someone you love!
Just go to the library website to fill in the online form, or pick one up in your nearest library. One entry per person, and you must be 18 years or younger to win.

Twilight series

Have you got the latest in the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer? Readers are already telling me they don't know what they'll read once this is over - it's that good! Unfortunately, I will have to save up and buy them, because the library copies are still in such demand. I've been doing some checking, though, and will start a list of the "readalikes". Meanwhile, if you can suggest any books in a similar vein, please get in touch...

THOSE AWARDS, AND MORE ...

So, those Book Awards were announced - some weeks ago! And the winner is ... "Ghost Child' by Sonya Hartnett. It would have been a difficult choice as all of the short list were great. But, moving on, it's time to choose the "Inkys" - Australia's only teenage choice book awards. The long list was announced on insideadog.com.au. There are 10 Australian books in the list, going for the gold Inky, and 10 international titles vying for the silver Inky. Readers can also win. So check out the website now. And while you're there, have a go at a quiz. You'd be surprised how much you know!

BLACK WATER by David Metzenthen

Reading my way through the CBC shortlist, I have started with the "watery" titles. So ...
David Metzenthen's "Black Water" - It's set in the period of the "Great War" (WWI) when many Australian teenagers enlisted for national service, went to Gallipoli, and didn't come back. Their main motivation, being innocents, was to biff the enemy, and they had little idea who they were. In this story, there are two brothers: the main one (the younger) is at home in a small fishing village in southern Australia (Queenscliffe) living with his father. His mother died some time ago I guess, and his older brother has gone to the war, so he (Farron) and his father (Tom) carry on as "normal". After the father drowns in a storm at sea, then the brother (Danny) returns wounded from the war, the story goes on with thoughts about coping with what you have left. This is a story of loss and loneliness and so I don't recommend it if you are looking for action and adventure. Although action and adventure are available in buckets, there is a strong sense of the price to be paid for the "thrill" of high adventure, whether that be in signing up to go to the war, or in sailing out on the southern ocean. However, if you do like some great character stories, and the kind of book that leaves you wondering what might happen next, and what might have happened if ... then I think you will like it. It has lots of sad bits. I heard it read on the Louis Braille audio book, which gave it some very old voice characteristics that you will not naturally create in your own head. Read it and weep ...

BOOK AWARDS ON THE WAY

Australia's biggest book awards in young people's literature happen in August every year. Today the short list was announced by the Children's Book Council. From this list the winner will come. In the Older Readers category the following books have been selected:

Author	Title	Publisher
FRENCH, Jackie	PHARAOH: THE BOY WHO CONQUERED THE NILE	Angus&Robertson (HarperCollins Australia)
HARTNETT, Sonya	THE GHOST’S CHILD	Viking (Penguin Group Australia)
HEFFERNAN, John	MARTY’S SHADOW	Omnibus Books (Scholastic Australia)
McDONALD, Meme	LOVE LIKE WATER	Allen & Unwin
METZENTHEN, David	BLACK WATER	Penguin Books (Penguin Group Australia)
NORRINGTON, Leonie	LEAVING BARRUMBI	Omnibus Books (Scholastic Australia

Aurealias Awards

The Annual Aurealias Awards recognize Australian writers of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror. The 2007 winners have just been announced, and one of my favourite authors, Anthony Eaton, has won the Young Adult fiction category for Skyfall the second part of his Darklands trilogy . Here are the winners and the judges comments. While you wait for the book to come in to the library, you could read a review. If you have already read the book, send us your comments.

Your quest ...

is to read the whole summer long - whether lazing in the shade or staying out of the rain, here are are few reviews from a "reader in residence".

The Quest for the Sun Sword by Belinda Murrell is the first book in the The Sun Sword Trilogy and I found it to be a wonderful book!

The Quest for the Sun Sword enthralled me because of the way the childrens’ lives became entangled together, all because of the same thing – the theft of the Sun Sword. The Sun Sword belonged to the King of Tiregian… that is until he was murdered and it was stolen from him! Princess Roana was the only member of the royal procession to escape and she, together with Ethan, Lilly and Saxon embarked on a mission to retrieve the Sun Sword from its wielder.
Ethan and Lily are the Children of The Royal Master of Horse, who was also, unfortunately in the Royal Procession. Saxon is Ethan’s Best Friend and is determined to help them find the Sun Sword, no matter what his parents say.
Throughout The Quest for the Sun Sword, the four young friends must solve riddles and puzzles. They have bravery, courage and determination – all they need.
It is their bravery, courage and determination that kept me immersed in the book, because, even though Roana, Lily, Saxon and Ethan are probably all younger than me, I could never do as well as they did, put in that situation.
I recommend this book to readers 10 years and older, as some sections of the book involve fighting, blood and death.
I give The Quest for the Sun Sword 10/10 stars

By Gabi – Girl, age 12