“Somewhere
behind the wind
at the back of the sea
is my country”
I finally read the wonderfully lyrical Sister Heart by Sally Morgan (Fremantle Press, 2015). More verse novel love and deserving of all the award love. But the judges are confused: shortlisted for the CBCA Book of The Year Younger Readers 2016 and longlisted for the (YA) Inky Award 2016. I’m not confused, just heart drowned
“lost
lost
lost
in my saltwater tears”
“Locked in a glittering cage that so many admired, little knowing it was suffocating me.”
The Glittering Court by Richelle Mead is getting slammed on Goodreads and round about. I liked it, perhaps because I listened to it on a long drive (seven hours x 2), have never read Richelle Mead before and had no expectations whatsoever. (And I haven’t read similarly themed The Selection by Kiera Cass.) I couldn’t even remember the blurb when I started, but had a vague recollection of negativity I read somewhere.
In Australia this week is NAIDOC Week, when we celebrate the rich culture of Indigenous Australians. The beautiful artwork of the poster is by Wiradjuri Aboriginal artist Lani Balzan.
Meanwhile J.K. Rowling continues to ignore discussion of her appropriation of Native American culture for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and the latest installment “Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.”
Freedom Ride by Sue Lawson (Black Dog Books, 2015) made the Shortlist for CBCA Book of The Year for Older Readers. I enjoyed Freedom Ride but I had some issues with Sue Lawson’s narrative choices and wanted to discuss them separately to my review of the book.
Note: this has some spoilers
“I watched as the stars faded and the landscape began to materialize out of the night and become solid again, and the rim of the world grew rose-pink and deepened to orange and then split with molten gold, and the first rays of the sun speared the wide, empty plains.”
The River and The Book by Alison Croggon is another long-listed for the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year for Older Readers 2016. Perhaps I should blog about this book by the shores of a river, at least I have a cat by my side. And there are spoilers here, cats always ruin things.
I read Ambelin Kwaymullina’s guest blog post “What teachers and school librarians can do to support Indigenous books” and she mentions Indigenous publisher Magabala Books which publishes many children’s and YA books. I particularly like their picture books, because PICTURES…
The Grumpy Lighthouse Keeper by Terrizita Corpus and Maggie Prewett (2011) is a delightful read-a-loud story with sumptuous illustrations dancing across the pages to match the rollicking story.
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of ceiling wax 