Monthly Archives: June 2012

For the past few months I have been reviewing books shortlisted by the Children’s Book Council of Australia for their Book of the Year award. The award goes to the best book in the Older Readers, Younger Readers, Picture Book and Early … Continue reading →

I just can’t tell how I feel about this book. Maybe it’s because I started reading it on my phone and didn’t get a proper sense of the intended audience. In any case I felt that the characters lacked development, … Continue reading →

When Lisa Simpson tells Homer that the Chinese have the same word for ‘crisis’ as they do for ‘opportunity’ she is half right – according to the people at the internet, they do share a character. Whether that is like … Continue reading →

There have been some great novels shortlisted recently that are set in the Victorian era. Tensy Farlow and the home for mislaid children and Doug MacLeod’s fantastic The life of a teenage body-snatcher both come to mind. Apparently they fall … Continue reading →

It seems that I am completely alone in my lukewarm feelings about this book. According to this blog about the process of writing The last Viking, the book has been shortlisted for an impressive number of awards and earlier this … Continue reading →