Magrit by Lee Battersby is one of my recent favourite books. It is a wonderfully crafted story that is magical, unusual, strange and captivating. It stands out both for the incredible story and the beauty of the book itself. You can read my review right here on the blog.
Thanks to Walker Books Australia you have the chance to get your hands on 1 of 5 copies of Magrit.
Thanks to everyone who entered. The winners are Kaeli, Katrina, Lynley, Wendy and Jeanna.
There are some books that leave you feeling drained. Those books that grab your heart and throw it all about and mess with your mind. You get so emotionally invested in the characters’ lives that you feel their heartache, their turmoil and get completely blown away by the actions of the other characters. Justine Larbalestier’s new YA book, My Sister Rosa is one of these books. I can’t stop thinking about this incredible book.
‘I promise,’ said Rosa. ‘I won’t kill and I won’t make anyone else kill.’
I can’t see the loophole. Since the guinea pig there’s been nothing. Months now without Rosa killing as much as a mosquito.
As far as I know.
Che Taylor has four items on his list: 1. He wants to spar, not just train in the boxing gym. 2. He wants a girlfriend. 3. He wants to go home. 4. He wants to keep Rosa under control.
Che’s little sister Rosa is smart, talented, pretty, and so good at deception that Che’s convinced she must be a psychopath. She hasn’t hurt anyone yet, but he’s certain it’s just a matter of time. And when their parents move them to New York City, Che longs to return to Sydney and his three best friends. But his first duty is to his sister Rosa, who is playing increasingly complex and disturbing games. Can he protect Rosa from the world – and the world from Rosa?
This is one word for this book – WOW! It is the most tense YA book I’ve ever read with possibly the creepiest 10 year old girl you’ll ever find in a book. I didn’t want to put this book down because I was afraid that something huge would happen when I wasn’t looking.
There are times when I’ve finished a book that I wish I could wipe my memory of reading it, just so I could read it again and feel exactly what I felt that first time. My Sister Rosa made me feel exactly like this. It is such a full-on read, with so many twists, and I don’t think it would feel the same reading it a second time. The suspense I felt and the way that my heart broke for Che is something that I rarely find in a book. It just shows what an amazing job Justine has done of making her characters real and relatable.
The story is told from Che’s point of view. He has known what his sister is like for years and he has tried to keep her in check. She seems cute and sweet on the outside but inside she’s nasty and poisonous. She works out how she should behave from watching and listening to other people. She promises Che that she will be good but she knows how to stretch the boundaries. While Che is keeping all eyes on his sister, he is also trying to adjust to life in another new city, working on his boxing, making new friends and trying to get a girlfriend. All of these things collide to make one hell of a book!
Reading this book is like watching a train wreck. You know that something really horrible is going to happen but you can’t look away. You’re glued to the pages and flicking them so fast because you need to know what is going to happen.
Rosa is both a horrifying yet fascinating character. You know she is psychopathic but you want to know more about her and the things that she does. As a parent she certainly makes you thankful that your own children aren’t like her, and it makes you wonder what life would be like if she was your child. I kept thinking that the way her parents reacted to her actions were unbelievable, but it also makes you think how you would react too.
I’ve read so many great books so far this year but My Sister Rosa is by far my favourite. Put My Sister Rosa on the top of your to-be-read pile. You won’t regret it.
I don’t often get the chance to read a whole book in a day. The needs of my family draw me out of a book and I’ll put it down to come back to later. Sometimes though you start reading a book that so enchants you that you just have to finish it in one go. You often don’t sense time passing or pages turning. Magrit by Lee Battersby was one of those books for me. Once I started I just had to keep reading until the end.
Magrit lives in an abandoned cemetery with her friend and advisor, Master Puppet, whom she built from bones and bits of graveyard junk. She is as forgotten as the tiny graveyard world that surrounds her. One night as Magrit and Master Puppet sit atop of their crumbling chapel, a passing stork drops a baby into the graveyard. Defying Master Puppet s demands that the baby be disposed of, and taking no heed of his dire warnings, Magrit decides to raise the baby herself. She gives him a name: Bugrat. Magrit loves Bugrat like a brother, friend and son all rolled into one. But Master Puppet and the newly discovered skeleton girl know all too well what will happen when Bugrat grows up – that the truth about them all will be revealed. Something Magrit refuses to face.
Magrit is a wonderfully crafted story that is magical, unusual, strange and captivating. I haven’t read anything quite like it before. Lee Battersby takes your hand and leads you on a journey with Magrit, to discover the truth about herself.
It was the blurb that grabbed me, as it sounded really intriguing. It makes you wonder why Magrit lives in an abandoned cemetary, who is Master Puppet, and what will happen to the baby? It’s the sort of story that you can imagine Tim Burton telling as a film. Lee gives you lots of little clues throughout the story about the mystery of Magrit and the way in which everything is revealed is so perfect.
The book itself is a thing of beauty, with a cloth-bound hard cover, purple spine and yellow end-papers. It is illustrated throughout by Amy Daoud. Amy’s atmospheric silhouette illustrations add to the dark tone of the story. I love Amy’s extra touches to the book with her lettering and the fantastic chapter headings. The whole book is a gorgeous production that Walker Books Australia should be proud of. I would love to see more books like this for kids and teens!
You must get your hands on this book! It is a must-read book that I’m sure everyone will be talking about. I’m certain that Magrit is a book that I will come back to again and again. I will certainly look forward to reading whatever Lee Battersby writes next.
The Road to Ratenburg by Joy Cowley, illustrated by Gavin Bishop
A family of rats is forced to leave their home, so sets out to find the fabled city of Ratenburg. Along the way they outwit vicious dogs, tricky rat traps, and sharp-beaked hawks, and make some very dangerous crossings. The rat family’s adventures test their character and grow bonds between sisters and brothers, father and uncle, mum and dad.
Narrating the tale is Spinnaker Rat, a classic Edwardian father, full of wisdom about the ways of the world, who finds himself learning more than he expected.
Mango and Bambang: Tapir All At Sea
Book Two in this charming and beautifully illustrated series about the unlikely friendship between Mango, a little girl, and Bambang, a tapir.
Mango and Bambang s adventures continue in the second book of this charming illustrated series about a little girl and a tapir, written by Polly Faber and illustrated by Clara Vulliamy. Mango Allsorts is a girl good at all sorts of things, especially helping a tapir feel at home in a busy city. Bambang is that tapir and he s getting braver every day. Join then for their daring escapades, involving dogs, dancing, diamond rings and a dangerous old enemy.
Magrit by Lee Battersby
Magrit lives in an abandoned cemetery with her friend and advisor, Master Puppet, whom she built from bones and bits of graveyard junk. She is as forgotten as the tiny graveyard world that surrounds her. One night as Magrit and Master Puppet sit atop of their crumbling chapel, a passing stork drops a baby into the graveyard. Defying Master Puppet s demands that the baby be disposed of, and taking no heed of his dire warnings, Magrit decides to raise the baby herself. She gives him a name: Bugrat. Magrit loves Bugrat like a brother, friend and son all rolled into one. But Master Puppet and the newly discovered skeleton girl know all too well what will happen when Bugrat grows up – that the truth about them all will be revealed. Something Magrit refuses to face.
Little Blue Truck by Alice Shertle, illustrated by Jill McElmurry
Blue is happily driving along when he’s overtaken by a big important dumper truck – but the dumper’s speedy ways means he skids off the road and gets stuck in the mud! Blue tries his best to help, but soon he gets stuck too! What a mess! Luckily, Blue has picked up lots of farmyard friends on his drive, and they all muck in to get their friend back on the road.
The Way We Roll by Scot Gardner
Will went to private school, and Julian went to juvie. Will is running from a family secret, and Julian is running from the goat next door. The boys meet pushing trolleys, and they find a common enemy in the Westie hoons who terrorise the carpark.
After a few close calls, Will has to nut up and confront his past. But on the way, he learns a few things about what it means to be a friend – and what it means to be family.
Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
Dustwalk is Amani’s home. The desert sand is in her bones. But she wants to escape. More than a want. A need. Then a foreigner with no name turns up to save her life, and with him the chance to run. But to where? The desert plains are full of danger. Sand and blood are swirling, and the Sultan’s enemies are on the rise.
The Many Worlds of Albie Bright by Christopher Edge
When Albie’s mum dies, it’s natural he should wonder where she’s gone. His parents are both scientists and they usually have all the answers. Dad mutters something about Albie’s mum being alive and with them in a parallel universe. So Albie finds a box, his mum’s computer and a rotting banana, and sends himself through time and space to find her.
Death or Ice Cream? by Gareth P. Jones
An extraordinary mystery in Larkin Mills is beginning to take shape. First we meet the apparently healthy Albert Dance, although he’s always been called a sickly child, and he’s been booked into Larkin Mills’ Hospital for Specially Ill Children. Then there’s his neighbour Ivor, who observes strange goings-on, and begins his own investigations into why his uncle disappeared all those years ago. Next we meet Young Olive, who is given a battered accordion by her father, and unwittingly strikes a dreadful deal with an instrument repair man.
Make sure you keep an eye on Mr Morricone, the town ice-cream seller, who has queues snaking around the block for his legendary ice cream flavours Summer Fruits Suicide and The Christmas Massacre. And Mr Milkwell, the undertaker, who has some very dodgy secrets locked up in his hearse. Because if you can piece together what all these strange folks have to do with one another well, you’ll have begun to unlock the dark secrets that keep the little world of Larkin Mills spinnin.
Moth Girls by Anne Cassidy
They called them the Moth Girls because they were attracted to the house. They were drawn to it. Or at least that is what is written in the newspapers that Mandy reads on the anniversary of when her two best friends went missing. Five years have passed since Petra and Tina were determined to explore the dilapidated house on Princess Street. But what started off as a dare ended with the two girls vanishing. As Mandy’s memories of the disappearance of her two friends are ignited once again, disturbing details will resurface in her mind.
Alan’s Big Scary Teeth by Jarvis is one of my current favourite picture books. It’s all about an alligator called Alan who LOVES scaring all the animals in the jungle. He makes the ‘frogs leap off their lily pads, the monkeys tumble from the trees and the parrots screech in terrible terror.’ However, he has a rather embarrassing secret (you’ll have to read it to find out what). One of the animals discovers his secret, which could mean the end of his scaring ways.
This book is utterly fabulous! Not only is the story hilarious, the illustrations are spectacular too. I first saw Jarvis’s illustrations last year in Poles Apart by Jeanne Willis and really liked his style. The colours are bold and the illustrations are nice and big. The cover is really appealing and promises hilarity inside. It certainly jumps off the shelf and begs to be read. The large size of the book makes it perfect for sharing with large groups too.
Alan’s Big Scary Teeth is a must-read picture book and is certain to be one that is read over and over again!
Check out the cool book trailer below:
‘My dad died twice. Once when he was thirty-nine, and again four years later when he was twelve. (He’s going to die a third time as well, which seems a bit rough on him. but I can’t help that.)’
With this first paragraph, Ross Welford immediately grabs you and takes you on a wild ride through time in his brilliant (and brilliantly titled) new book, Time Travelling with a Hamster.
On Al Chaudhury’s twelfth birthday his beloved Grandpa Byron gives him a letter from Al’s late father. In it Al receives a mission: travel back to 1984 in a secret time machine and save his father’s life.
Al soon discovers that time travel requires daring and imagination. It also requires lies, theft, setting his school on fire and ignoring philosophical advice from Grandpa Byron. All without losing his pet hamster, Alan Shearer
Time Travelling with a Hamster is a funny, fresh take on time travel about a boy who would do anything to get his father back. This book has all the elements of a truly great book – humour, suspense, action, wonderful characters, and lots of heart. It makes you laugh, cry and nervously chew your nails.
This is the perfect time travel book for kids (and adults who love the idea of time travel). Ross brings his own ideas about time travel into the story and makes it easy enough for kids to understand, without dumbing-down the ideas. The time machine that Al’s dad built is not quite what Al imagined a time machine would look like. It is very simple – a laptop connected to a tin tub. Even something this small creates its own problems when traveling back in time. My favourite aspect of Ross’s idea of time travel is ‘Dad’s Law of Doppelgangers.’ Al’s dad explains in a letter to him that ‘an object (or person) may occupy the same dimension of spacetime ONLY ONCE.’ When Al travels back in time he realises that he ‘cannot go back to the same place and time that I was before: it has already been occupied – is already occupied – by me.’ As you can imagine this causes a few problems for Al.
It is a nerve-wracking story at times. There are times in the story that I was holding my breath, wondering how Al was going to get out of a certain situation. As with all time travel stories, little things that are changed in the past can have dramatic effects in the future. Al’s actions have quite dramatic effects on his life and you can’t help putting yourself in his shoes, wondering if you would have done the same.
While it is nerve-wracking at times, there is also a lot of heart in this story. Al misses his dad, who died much too soon. When he gets the chance to go back in time to save him, Al steps into the unknown and does what his dad asks. Al loves his family and if he can bring them back together again he will. The relationships between the males in Al’s family are very strong, especially between Al and his Grandpa Byron. Al looks up to Grandpa Byron, who is wise, caring and has an incredible sense of humour. Grandpa Byron was the character that really stood out for me.
Ross Welford is an author that I’ll be watching. I can’t wait to see what he writes next!
For all you David Walliams fans out there (who isn’t really?) check out these videos of him reading excerpts from Awful Auntie and Grandpa’s Great Escape.
I’m a huge fan of Nicola O’Byrne’s books. Both Open Very Carefully and Use Your Imagination are absolute winners, especially for reading aloud to big groups of kids. Her illustrations are colourful and full of character and I just love the style of them. Nicola’s books get better and better, and her latest book from Nosy Crow, The Last Book Before Bedtime just goes to prove this.
Everyone knows that the very last story before bed is the best story of all. But the problem is, everyone wants to be in that very last story! A familiar fairy tale is turned topsy-turvy when Cinderella hijacks the story of The Three Little Pigs, then Little Red Riding Hood jumps in, adamant that her story is better because it’s full of danger. And then the Big Bad Wolf turns up too! But disaster strikes! Uh-oh! What will they do? The reader is still awake and needs a story! The characters make up their own story, of course, and one with enough funniness, romance, danger AND cake (obviously) to keep everyone happy.
The Last Book Before Bedtime should be called The Perfect Book Before Bedtime because this is the perfect bedtime story. It’s got characters from lots of different stories that children will know, from The Three Little Pigs to Cinderella. The person reading gets to do all sorts of voices, from pigs to little girls and a wolf. You can really make the book come alive with all these voices.
As well as the story that is being narrated each of the characters has little speech bubbles that add to the story. Number 2 Pig is always hungry and looking for food (‘Who cares?! There’s a banquet in this story’), Cinderella is bossy (‘If I can’t be the star of the story, then NOBODY can!), and of course the wolf is always doing bad stuff (‘Ooooh, this is fun! I love a chance to be bad.). One of the things I love most about Nicola’s books is the interaction between the book, the characters and the reader. There is plenty of interaction in this book, especially towards the end.
Nicola’s illustrations are wonderful as always. They are full of fun and silliness, and each of the characters jump off the page. I love the way that Nicola has given each of the pigs a different personality and how Little Red and Cinderella have some real personality. I really love the design of the book too, from the cut-out cover to the way that the characters stand out on the page.
If you are looking for the perfect book before bedtime (or to really perform for a group) you can’t go past The Last Book Before Bedtime. It’s sure to lead you on to many, many more bedtime stories.
‘In any case, Crenshaw had excellent timing. He came into my life just when I needed him to. It was a good time to have a friend, even if he was imaginary.’
There have been a few books published recently about imaginary friends. I have lapped them all up. I don’t remember having an imaginary friend as a kid but reading these books make me wish I had. The book that most makes me wish for an imaginary friend Katherine Applegate’s latest book, Crenshaw. I’m sure you’ll wish you had a friend like Crenshaw once you’ve read this wonderful book too.
Jackson and his family have fallen on hard times. There’s no more money for rent. And not much for food, either. His parents, his little sister, and their dog may have to live in their minivan. Again.
Crenshaw is a cat. He’s large, he’s outspoken, and he’s imaginary. He has come back into Jackson’s life to help him. But is an imaginary friend enough to save this family from losing everything?
Crenshaw, like Katherine Applegate’s previous book The One and Only Ivan, is one of those books that I just want to carry around everywhere and give to everyone. It is heart-warming story about family and friendships, that will make you want to keep hugging the main character and wanting to hang out with Crenshaw. Katherine Applegate tugs at your heart-strings and brings a little wonder into your world.
Jackson is not an imaginary friend kind of guy. He prefers facts and figures. He doesn’t like stories because they ‘are lies, when you get right down to it. And I don’t like being lied to.’ His parents have fallen on hard times and they keep telling Jackson and his sister, Robin, that everything is going to be alright. Deep down Jackson knows that they aren’t going to be alright. His family had to live in their mini-van for weeks on end when he was younger and he doesn’t want to do that again. Just when he needs a friend the most, Crenshaw, Jackson’s large, outspoken, imaginary friend shows up to help him to face the truth.
There is so much wisdom in Katherine Applegate’s books. They’re like guides to how to live your life. She teaches you about kindness and honesty, and that it’s OK to be yourself. I always find myself stopping reading to write down little bits of wisdom from her stories.
I love Crenshaw’s voice. He is very opinionated, especially about Jackson’s dog, Aretha, but he has some great lines. This is one of my favourites,
‘Imaginary friends are like books. We’re created, we’re enjoyed, we’re dog-eared and creased, and then we’re tucked away until we’re needed again.’
Crenshaw is one of those few books that I’ve read multiple times. It is a special book and I know that I’ll come back to it again to visit Jackson and Crenshaw. Adopt Crenshaw yourself and make a new best imaginary friend.
Today I’m joined by Glenda Millard, author of the amazing new YA book, The Stars at Oktober Bend. Glenda’s book, A Small Free Kiss in the Dark, is one of my favourite books and I was very eager to read her latest book. It is an absolutely amazing story with unforgettable characters (you can read my review here).
Check out my interview with Glenda to hear about her inspiration for The Stars at Oktober Bend, why she wrote her story in the way that she did, and her haunting characters.
Literary characters have to live and breathe for me. I have to be totally engaged with them and believe in them otherwise I can’t imagine how other people will. I feel the same as a reader – if I have no emotional connection with the characters, then it doesn’t matter how good the plot is, there is nothing to keep me motivated to read. So I suppose the answer to your question is ‘yes’ because I think of the characters as living people for so long, that it’s hard to forget them once the book is finished.
I’m not sure I can tell you the answer to that. I imagine that creating a literary character and acting the part of one in a play or movie might be similar in some ways. I only know that I have to try to feel what my characters feel and then express it in a way that readers will relate to – not only in an intellectual way, but an emotional one.
I don’t have any brothers, but I invented one who I hoped would seem plausible – Joey with all his human faults and foibles, but staunchly loyal and faithful.
I used prose, verse, lower case letters and minimal punctuation as an acknowledgement of the difficulty Alice had in explaining longer, more complex thoughts in single sentences. As Alice herself says, she began by writing lists, these developed into verse and then as the story progresses, so too does Alice’s ability to communicate more complex, cohesive thoughts. One of the things Alice and I love about verse is that each line can give a small foretaste of what is to come – a kind of prompt or reminder. So for Alice, verse became an aide to expression, something that helped her string longer passages of thought together in small bites.
Anyone who can read! The age of the reader is in some ways irrelevant to me. Even when I write picture books, I don’t presume that only children will read them. I am always looking for the best way to tell my story, so that whoever reads it will enjoy it for some reason or other. Perhaps the story itself or simply the way it is told. Each genre has its own challenges and pleasures. Picture books, for example, generally demand very concise writing. For me, writing across a broad range, from picture books through to novels is a way of keeping my writing fresh and not allowing myself to get too comfortable or predictable.
Among the many on my list, David Almond, a UK writer, has been for many, many years, my rock-star author. My not-so-secret wish is to have David endorse one of my books! In Australia, I am a great admirer of Ursula Dubosarsky’s beautiful writing and have had the privilege of meeting her on a number of occasions.
My Best Friends Are Books 