Month: May 2011

the Midnight Zoo – Sonya Hartnett

Linda J

midnightIn ‘the Midnight Zoo’, Andrej and Tomas are wandering through a war torn countryside, alone, with a precious bundle. They have witnessed some tragic events and struggle to comprehend their significance as battle to find food, shelter and safety.

When they come across a forsaken zoo, it is the animals that help them make some sense of their predicament, and the ways of man.

The animals too are victims of the human battle. Left behind, caged and longing for freedom, their voices encourage the boys (and the reader) to contemplate big issues of life, family and survival.

Sonya Hartnett has again produced a moving story, with a combination unusual characters in an unfortunately recognizable situation – experienced by many survivors of war worldwide. There is much food for thought within this tale, as a worthy nominee for this year’s CBCA awards for Older Readers.

Hear a review from the ABC Bookshow at: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/bookshow/stories/2010/3055791.htm

It’s Graphic!

Linda J

Many years ago, graphic novels were restricted to those produced in Japan in the Manga style; today, there is great variety in both the format and subject matter covered in these books. As they become more widely available, the popularity of graphic novels is growing.

manga2The variety of graphic novels is well illustrated by our school’s collection. These start with the traditional Manga styles, which include Japanese characters, and which are read from back to front, and right to left.

Newer versions of graphic novels (often produced outside of Japan) are read like a normal book, though using the defining sequential art work in frames. The subjects covered in graphic novels now ranges from classic tales (e.g. Shakespeare) to series following the adventures of key characters, and from myths and legends to the reworking of popular authors (e.g. books from tales by Anthony Horowitz, Emily Bronte or Mary Shelley).

Our selections include series in:

  • Naruto
  • Fruits Basket
  • Fullmetal Alchemist
  • The Dreaming
  • Neon Genesis Evangelion
  • Grand Guignol Orchestra
  • as well as many re-creations of  modern books (like Twilight or Stormbreaker), and historic classics (like Shakespeare).

What are your favourites in graphic / manga novels? Do you prefer the traditional Japanese style or those created for English cultures?

Soy latte? Skim cap?

Linda J

espressThe next time you order a coffee at Gloria Jeans or Michel’s, watch to see whether there’s someone behind the counter taking notes. Especially if it’s a place you visit  regularly.

Well, that’s what they should have warned the patrons of Wired Joe’s cafe… Jane works at Wired Joe’s – pocketing her notebook as she serves the regulars, and pondering what their taste in coffee might really tell you about their character. Her notes take on meaning when she uses them to form a little matchmaking. Then the success of this leads to some interesting dilemmas – has she really picked the right match for her best friend Emma? Is she ready for the ideas her boss pitches her way when she’s promoted to assistant manager? And what about the planned ‘Gabby Girlz’ session?

Jane is an average 17 year old, facing the usual angst and trials of adolescence, while sorting through her various relationships – old and new. She struggles to find her niche in life.

As a skim capuccino drinker, I found that ‘The Expressologist’ provided an interesting insight into lots of different types of coffee that might be created in the States. With a couple of ‘Wired Joe’s’ recipes at the end of the book, there’s a hook for coffee lovers (well, at least those who like lots of cream and syrup). But the main hook of the book is to get you questioning Jane’s theory of being able to judge a person on the basis of their preferred drink – then the matchmaking can begin!

It would be interesting to know how strongly ‘the Expressologist’, set in the US, might appeal to Australian students.

I think it’s a quirky book. It’s easy to read, and worth curling up with for a bit of light distraction. Lots of reviews, with varying star ratings can be found at: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5576654-the-espressologist.

With which reviews do you agree? What would be your star rating? Is the American teen portrayed very different from the Aussie teen?