Blue: Dragon of the Sea

Blue: Dragon of the Sea by Aleesah Darlison, illustrated by Tamlyn Teow (Wombat Books) HB RRP $26.99 ISBN: 9781761112706

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera

Blue is a small sea slug, a nudibranch. Nicknamed the blue dragon, Blue is well camouflaged while roaming the ocean. But there are hazards: tangled tentacles, ripping rubbish and pollution that ‘seeps through delicate skin’. However, when a venomous man-of-war appears, Blue is not afraid. Blue can steal the siphonophore’s toxin to use for future protection.

Aleesah Darlison brings to life a magnificent mini beast of the sea that most children aged four to eight would never have heard of, let alone seen. By infusing Blue with a charming personality, the story encourages empathy and compassion for the teeny creatures that steadily struggle to survive in the vast ocean. Engaging information about nudibranchs is entwined with evocative language, making learning lots of fun.

Tamlyn Teow’s vibrant illustrations flow across the spreads with a fluidity that matches the drift of the briny deep. Dynamic lines guide young eyes, while visible pencil strokes add splashy texture. The cute characterisation of Blue will appeal to kids, as will the comical crab that crops up in the most unexpected places.

Fact and fiction flitter through Blue: Dragon of the Sea, taking youngsters on an educational and entertaining voyage beneath the waves. With so much to dip into and discover on every page, this book is perfect for repeat readings.

The Sugarcane Kids and the Mystery at Angel Bay

The Sugarcane Kids and the Mystery at Angel Bay by Charlie Archbold (Text Publishing) PB RRP $6.99 ISBN 978-1-9230-583-85

Reviewed by Ann Harth (www.annharth.com )

Charlie Archbold invites middle-grade readers to join Andy and the Sugarcane Kids as they solve The Mystery at Angel Bay where the rainforest meets the reef in Far North Queensland.

With the skate park’s croc fence under repair, Andy, Eli, Harvey and the twins have more time after school to ride to Angel Bay. Their friend Jerry, the giant groper, hangs out there under the boat ramp waiting for fishermen to discard their unwanted catch. But Jerry is not himself these days. Instead of gobbling down every fishy morsel that comes his way, he seems uninterested. Andy and the others hope Jerry’s lack of appetite isn’t connected to the dead sea creatures and misplaced shark eggs suddenly washing up along the pristine stretch of beach.

The environmental status of Angel Bay has always protected it from anything but recreational use. Without this status, it may be vulnerable to development, and Mayor Royce already has plans for a beachside tourist resort. The beached sea creatures could change everything and jeopardise Angel Bay’s protected status.

Something fishy is going on, and the Sugarcane Kids join forces and make a new friend. They climb cliffs overhanging crocodiles, mountain bike through bush trails, and snorkel the reef to unravel the mystery.

Mystery at Angel Bay is an absorbing and at times humorous adventure with plenty of twists to keep the reader guessing. The cast of characters make it even more enjoyable. Each of the Sugarcane kids is unique and likable with their own quirks and interests. The secondary characters add much to this book, and I found myself laughing aloud more than once.

Mystery at Angel Bay is written in first person through Andy’s viewpoint. His voice is convincing and natural and sprinkled with interesting facts about the rainforest and reefs of Far North Queensland.

I would highly recommend this book for a middle-grade audience. If this is a reader’s first leap into the Sugarcane Kids series, they will soon be back for more.

Tiny

Tiny, written and illustrated by Laura Stitzel (2026). Hardback. ISBN 978176065857

Tiny is a colourful, joyful celebration of looking at things differently and finding perspective.

Come on a magical adventure when a little girl longing to be big shrinks instead and discovers that the world for tiny creatures is perfect...and perfectly wonderful.

Available in stores or online: https://www.walkerbooks.com.au/book/9781760658571 

Speed-The Haunted Island

Speed-The Haunted Island by Judy Wollin & Eman Alblooshi.

First edition 2023 Ebhar Publishing House. Second edition 2024 Blue Heeler Publishing. MG Paperback RRP $18.15. eBook RRP $5.00. ISBN 9780645398120

Reviewed by Debra Williams

Ali, Dylan and Tarek are back. Twelve-year-old Ali invites Dylan, his Australian friend, to visit his ancestral home of Azraq, in the Northern Emirates. It’s an eye-opener for young Dylan, who is far removed from his Queensland lifestyle.

The boys are hot, hungry and bored and head down to the beach where Ali’s grandfather is fishing. He talks to them of his explorations of the surrounding islands when he was a boy. Ali is excited and wants to do the same, but he isn’t allowed to drive Grandfather’s fishing boat. Dylan would likewise like to have a turn at driving the boat. It’s so tempting: a dip in the water to escape the heat, and the chance to visit the surrounding islands by themselves, then return home before dark. Ali wants to visit Telegraph Island, which, as legend has it, is haunted. Ali’s father, Abbi, warns them that they need to be careful, very careful. Grandfather warns them not to do anything silly.

Finally, after Ali agrees to take his young cousin Tarek along with them, the boys are permitted to take the fishing boat out by themselves. They pack food and water and decide to have some fun, but underestimate the wild seas.

Danger upon danger follows after Dylan and Ali drive the boat recklessly. They are stranded when the boat runs out of fuel, and Dylan almost loses his life in the water. There is no more drinking water on board, and the food is a mess. There is also no mobile signal to use Dylan’s phone and call for help, and they spend the night shuddering and sheltering on the “haunted” island. Finally, they can find a point to send a message to Abbi, who comes to their rescue. But the boys have had to learn a hard lesson through all of this.

There is plenty of tension and adventure in this book, which is longer than Barq the Falcon (318 pages as against 206). Once again, the authors have included many factual pieces of information on boating, safety at sea, tides, and other general topics. The authors are planning to release the third book in the collection, Speed: Dune Bashing, later this year.

Speed-Barq the Falcon

 

Speed-Barq the Falcon by Judy Wollin & Eman Alblooshi. 2024 Turtle Publishing. MG Paperback RRP $21.89.  eBook RRP $4.99. ISBN 9781764222839

Reviewed by Debra Williams

 Ali and his Australian friend, Dylan, would love to be falconers. The question is, who will help them? Ali’s father sold his bird, and his brother, Rashid, doesn’t want to take the boys to fly falcons in the desert; also, Ali’s grandfather isn’t well enough to do so. However, the grandfather surprises the boys, bringing them closer to their goal.

The boys show what they have learned about handling falcons at home after visiting the Falcon Centre.  

Grandfather, Ali’s father, Abbi and Rashid take the boys on a trip to the desert, including Ali’s younger cousin Tarek, after proving they know what to do. Grandfather allows the boys to handle his own falcon, Barq. But the trip turns into a disaster-almost. Ali loses Grandfather’s bird after he forgets to put on Barq’s hood and fails to secure the falcon’s leg ties to his glove.

The boys take off into the desert dunes to search for Barq, only to get hopelessly lost. However, they will not give up.

Rashid has taken the car to search another area. The boys begin to think they are stranded, but eventually Rashid returns to find them and has located Barq as well. He feels guilty for not looking after Barq better himself, and, after initial anger and a disparaging attitude, apologises and tells the boys that they had proven their love for falcons and were now falconers.

Judy Wollin is a Brisbane-based author who writes action-adventure stories for Middle-Graders. She classifies her stories as Fun.Fast.Reads. Her co-author, Eman Alblooshi, is a prominent Emirati author and educator from Abu Dhabi. Judy & Eman worked closely together in the UAE between 2006 and 2010 and collaborated on this book and on Speed: The Haunted Island.

The story collaboration between Australia and the UAE is wonderful and an encouraging cross-cultural experience, and leads the reader into what life is like for those in the UAE. Both Arabic and English words are used throughout the text.

The shorter chapters are ideal for reluctant readers. Each chapter alternates between the POVs of Ali and his 12-year-old friend, Dylan, from Australia, whose father has gone to work in the UAE. The two boys couldn’t be more different, yet strike up a close friendship that is rigorously tested at times. Within each chapter, the authors have also included several facts relating to life in the desert and falconry.

This book will be enjoyed by those in the target readership, especially by slightly older readers.

Mary Fowler: Mary’s Game

Mary Fowler: Mary’s Game (Penguin Random House) Mary Fowler, Jasmin McGaughey & Cate James JF RRP $12.99 ISBN 9781761356216

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

The Mary Fowler junior fiction series is about a young girl called Maz. This four-book series focuses on friendship, school, sport and teamwork. The books are inspired by Mary Fowler’s love of sport and helping kids stay active.

Mary Fowler is the inspiration for the main character (Maz). Fowler is an Australian Matilda’s soccer star playing in both the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics. She is a strong role model for teamwork, trying your best and being a good friend. Fowler has Papua New Guinean and Irish heritage that shapes both her game and outlook on life.

Jasmin McGaughey is a Torres Strait islander and African American author and editor.

Cate James is an illustrator and printmaker from Sydney. She has worked on about 40 illustrated books and publications to date, in Australia, the UK and the US.

Mary Fowler can’t wait to get to school. She has an exciting surprise to share with her friends. But something unexpected happens, and Mary and her crew must work together to solve the problem so that they can get back to playing sports and having fun.

Mary Fowler and Jasmin McGaughey have created a delightful text. The warm voice of Mary sounds just like a young Mary Fowler. It feels like Mary is speaking directly to the child reader. Mary is known as Maz for short, and her love and passion for football shine through in her character’s actions on every page.  The chapters are well-paced and perfectly suited to beginner readers. The story problem is introduced early, and Mary comes up with a surprisingly fun solution. The simple sentences that include questions are childlike and direct. The teachers have told us we are no longer allowed to do headers with the football. They sound very much like child speak.

The story arc builds easily, and the ending is satisfying. This is the first of four books, and it really creates that sense of wanting to spend more time with Maz and her friends. The characters are lovable, likable and realistic in a school setting that’s perfect for this age group.

Cate James’ illustrations are joyful and simple, in black, white, and grey tones, with lots of character, expression, and movement. Maz is portrayed clearly as a young Mary Fowler, and it shows. The sense of childlike wonder is captured, and that innocence and simpler way of looking at the world is shown delightfully.

Mary Fowler: Mary’s Game is a joyous, simple book that is an engaging read for children aged 6-9 years. I love that this series has a female lead who is based on a real female superhero. The Matildas have ignited a tsunami of young girls wanting to play soccer; this book inspires kids to want to read about Mary. Girls will respond to a strong female role model much like the Timmy/Tiny Timmy series did for boys. This book is great because it celebrates an amazing Australian female trailblazer.

Mary Fowler: Beach Party

Mary Fowler: Beach Party (Penguin Random House) Mary Fowler, Jasmin McGaughey & Cate James JF RRP $12.99 ISBN 9781761356230

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

The Mary Fowler junior fiction series is about a young girl called Maz. This four-book series focuses on friendship, school, sport and teamwork. The books are inspired by Mary Fowler’s love of sport and helping kids stay active.

Mary Fowler is the inspiration for the main character (Maz). Fowler is an Australian Matilda soccer star playing in both the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics. She is a strong role model for teamwork, trying your best and being a good friend. Fowler has Papua New Guinean and Irish heritage that shapes both her game and outlook on life.

Jasmin McGaughey is a Torres Strait islander and African American author and editor.

Cate James is an illustrator and printmaker from Sydney. She has worked on about 40 illustrated books and publications to date, in Australia, the UK and the US.

Mary Fowler and her friends are going to a birthday party at the beach. She can’t wait. But when a cute dog called Firework comes and causes mayhem. Maz and her friends need to be creative to save the party and have some cake.

Mary Fowler and Jasmin McGaughey have created a fun story about a birthday party. The child voice of Mary, aka Maz, shines. The character interactions are believable and relatable. The build of tension from the excitement of going to the party to the problem-solving to save Anthony’s party keeps the reader hooked. Resilience shines in different characters in different ways, and the interactions among friends serve as a role model for positive behaviour. The text engages multiple senses to make the reader feel like they are at a party, too. Mary Fowler embodies movement and being healthy. This story captures this, along with the Australian outdoor culture of loving the beach and summer. The language is kept simple and childlike yet interesting. The story captures the innocence, freedom, and problems of childhood delightfully.

Cate James’ illustrations show the magic of those special little moments in childhood, like the achievement of building a sandcastle and the moment of wonder when a birthday cake is ready for wishes. The simple characters, in black, white, and grey tones, have a childlike quality that complements the text and adds meaning and joy to the story.

Mary Fowler: Beach Party is an engaging junior fiction read for children aged 6-9 years. This is the second book in the series, and it will capture the reader's interest and make them want to read the next two books. Parents, teachers, librarians and anyone with a keen interest in football will want to share these books with children. I think the books will be popular with children, not just because of their readability, but also because they are creatively inspired by Mary Fowler’s childhood, and they feel fun and authentic.