Children’s Fiction

Christmas wishlist – Christmas books

December 7, 2018 by Karen Comer Leave a Comment

Our Advent calendar is a white wooden frame with twenty-four little doors, each with a different Christmas picture on it. It’s about ten years old now, and some of the doors are a little wonky. I created a collection of shipping tags with a Christmas stamp and a suggestion of something Christmasy to do. The kids take it in turns to open it. If it’s your day to open the Advent calendar, it’s also your day to light the Advent candle – thank goodness the 24 days before Christmas are divisible by three!

Some days the tag tells us to make Christmas cards or decorate the gingerbread house or bake shortbread biscuits. Occasionally there’s three chocolates in there. Sometimes, the tag reminds us to be kind to someone!

Today I had planned to put in the tag with the suggestion that we could read a Christmas book – BUT – I can’t find our collection of books!

You would think that a big tub of books would be fairly easy to find. I’m hoping that my husband – when he’s back from an interstate trip – will be able to rummage more thoroughly and successfully in the attic space than I did.

So here’s a post from a couple of years ago about Christmas books for kids of all ages.

The fourth king, the story of the other wise man, written and illustrated by Ted Sieger – the other king, King Mazzel, lives in a tiny kingdom with only his camel, Chamberlain, to keep him company. He has been watching the stars for a sign, so he would know when the King of Kings was born. Finally, he sees the star, and leaves to meet up with the other kings so he can travel to Bethlehem with them. Except that along the way, there are many people and children who need his help. King Mazzel is deeply disappointed that he did not meet the baby King. However, he hears a voice speaking, ‘”King Mazzel, you have not come too late! You were always with me. When I was lost, you showed me the way. When I was thirsty, you gave me water. When I was captive, you freed me. When I was in danger, you saved me. You were always there when I needed you, and I will be with you for ever.'” This is a lovely picture book for 4-8 year-old kids, with two fun foldout pages in the middle of the story.

Little dog and the Christmas wish, written by Corinne Fenton, illustrated by Robin Cowcher – This story is simple and sweet, about a lost dog looking for his Jonathan in the rain. The illustrations showcase Melbourne’s city streets – you’ll recognise lots of landmarks. A great read for kids aged 2-6.

Wombat Divine, written by Mem Fox, illustrated by Kerry Argent – one of my favourites, which I have read to my kids since they were two. Wombat is that childlike character, who desperately wants to be part of the nativity play. But he is just wrong for all the various parts. ‘”Cheer up, Wombat! Don’t lose heart. Why not try for a different part?”‘ But there are no parts left. Luckily, one of the other animals remembers they still need someone for the role of baby Jesus. This is a gorgeous picture book for 2-6 year-olds, reminding them never to give up, and that there is room for everyone.

The Polar Express, written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg – the film for this book is almost mandatory watching during December for our family. The film may be a little scary for some children but the book doesn’t have any scary scenes. The story centres around a little boy who believes in Santa and goes on a magical train ride to the North Pole. He is chosen by Santa to choose the first Christmas gift – ‘I knew that I could have any gift I could imagine. But the one thing I wanted most for Christmas was not inside Santa’s giant bag. What I wanted more than anything was one silver bell from Santa’s sleigh.’ Beautifully illustrated picture book for 2-6 year-olds.

Applesauce and the Christmas miracle, written by Glenda Millard and illustrated by Stephen Michael King – one of my favourite author/illustrator combinations. This is a modern, Australian take on the traditional Christmas story, seen through Applesauce the pig’s perspective. Love the language – ‘night fell as dark as burnt toast … her heart felt as small as a gumnut … dry creek-beds, burnt bushland and fenceless paddocks … that orange summer evening, tiger-striped with blackened trees’. Applesauce does not feel very Christmasy as she is still mourning her home which was burnt in a bushfire. She is feeling sad that her owners, Joe and Marigold, will not receive any gifts. But as a wise owl reminds her, ‘Christmas comes from the heart’. Lovely and relevant picture book for all Australian kids, aged 2-6.

Mary’s little donkey and the escape to Egypt, written by Gunhild Sehlin – this is a children’s novel for older kids, maybe 8-12 years. It begins with a lazy but proud donkey, who makes friends with Mary. The story is the traditional Christmas story, about Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem and the birth of Jesus. It continues with their escape to Egypt, lest King Herod find them and kill their baby boy. It is a beautiful story of faith in God, faith in their donkey and faith that they will be looked after and their simple needs met. Kids will like the animal influences. ‘For three nights, the boy played with the animals in the desert. He had the same fun each time, and more and more animals came along. On the last night the lions took him to a little oasis miles away, where little monkeys picked tasty fruit for him. In the morning no one in camp believed his story, but when he brought out a bunch of dates they were all amazed. The head driver said: “We used to be amazed that Mary’s little donkey could see angels, but this child is even more amazing. Is he an angel that has come down from earth? Who else could be as safe among the wild beasts as he is on his mother’s knee?”‘

The night before Christmas, written by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Eric Puybaret, performed by Peter, Paul and Mary – the traditional poem, with gorgeous, gorgeous illustrations. There’s a CD, with Mary from Peter, Paul and Mary, reciting the poem. Wonderful, timeless classic! Perfect for kids aged 2-6 – and probably older as well.

Room for a little one, written by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Jason Cockcroft – this is a beautiful pairing of author and illustrator with lovely language and dreamy pictures. It’s the story of animals seeking shelter in a stable on the night Jesus is born. ‘”Come inside,” Kind Ox said. “There’s always room for a little one here.”‘ The book’s theme has become family vocabulary for us – whenever we are squashed together on a couch or around a table, we manage to squash up some more for another kid to fit, saying ‘There’s always room for a little one!’ Problem is, soon I will be the little one in our family – I am predicting I will be the shortest in our family within five years! Lovely picture book for 2-6 year-olds.

Slinky Malinki’s Christmas crackers, written and illustrated by Lynley Dodd – if your children are fans of Hairy McClary, they will enjoy this picture book where Slinki Malinki gets into all sorts of trouble around the Christmas tree – ‘Glimmering, shimmering, brilliantly bright, the tree was a truly MAGNIFICENT sight. But …’ Lynley Dodd uses language and rhythm in such a way that it extends kids’ vocabulary by introducing sophisticated words in wonderful word patterns. A funny book for 2-6 year-olds.

Father and Son, written by Geraldine McCaughrean, illustrated by Fabian Negrin – this book holds such a beautiful concept. It is a picture book but it is ageless, and I imagine many young kids won’t understand it. Definitely one to read together and discuss. The story is Joseph’s reflection on how best to be a father to Jesus. Here’s an example of Joseph’s thinking – ‘What stories can I tell him? He wrote the whole history of the world.’ Or ‘what games shall we play, boy, you and I? I mean, how can you rough-and-tumble with someone who pinned the ocean in place with a single, tack-headed moon?’ Even though this is a Christmas book, it would make a lovely gift for a new dad.

I hope you and your kids are enjoying some Christmas stories at this time. Which Christmas book is your favourite?

September holidays writing workshops for kids

August 31, 2018 by Karen Comer 6 Comments

Photo credit: Mandy Couzens

Do you have any imaginative and creative children or grandchildren who would like to spend a few hours in the holidays writing a story?

I’m running four writing workshops for kids in the September/October school holidays. I’ve presented these workshops in primary schools but this is the first time I’ve run them in the holidays.

The workshops are for children in grades 3-6. They’re invited to unlock their imaginations and craft a story, using writing techniques, art and games. Writing stories with both heart and technique is a life-skill in communicating with others and using language to express purpose and emotion.

Young writers can create a fantasy world where characters go on a quest to find something or save someone AND/OR create an ordinary character with extraordinary qualities that help to save the day in a modern setting.

They will learn how to:

– create characters
– plan their story
– write with passion
– use art and games to spark ideas

Writer’s Notebook

Each child will work in a special Writer’s Notebook, which contains prompts for further writing, reading suggestions, editing tips and much more. The Writer’s Notebook is a useful tool to take home for writing at school and home.

The writing workshops cater for children who are passionate readers and writers, as well as children who need a little more encouragement.

Dates

Tuesday 25th September – 9.30-12.30 – grades 3 & 4 – fantasy – quest theme
Thursday 27th September – 9.30-12.30 – grades 5 & 6 – fantasy – quest theme
Tuesday 2nd October – 9.30-12.30 – grades 3 & 4 – contemporary – heroes theme
Thursday 4th October – 9.30-12.30 – grades 5 & 6 – contemporary – heroes theme

Venue
All workshops will be held at Side Door – 72 Willsmere Rd, Kew. It’s a fabulous space, with an indoor section for writing and an outdoor section for breaks and games, and is next door to Flatiron, fashion and homewares store. For more information about Side Door, please see www.flatironmelbourne.com.au/side-door/ or email Emma Bangay at emma@flatironmelbourne.com.au

Logistics

BYO – drink bottle and snack.

All writing materials will be supplied.

Cost for each workshop is $50. Payment must be made by Friday 21^st September.

Karen Comer
Acc. no: 1119 3537
BSB: 063-791

Please email me at karen@karencomer.com.au to register your child and bring the signed form – link here – to the workshop.

Please forward this post on to your friends and family. I’m really looking forward to working with your children to create some amazing stories!

The extremely inconvenient adventures of Bronte Mettlestone – book review

February 2, 2018 by Karen Comer 2 Comments

I read a lot of fabulous books over the summer holidays, and this book, The extremely inconvenient adventures of Bronte Mettlestone by Jaclyn Moriarty, was one of my favourites. Miss 11 received it for Christmas, and demolished it over a day or two. And yes, Jaclyn Moriarty is Liane Moriarty’s sister – the latter wrote Big little lies and Truly, madly, guiltily among other books.

Perfect for girls aged 9-12, this book is about ten-year-old Bronte, who finds out that her parents were killed by pirates. As her parents left her with her Aunt Isabelle when she was a baby, Bronte is not exactly heartbroken by this news. But she’s alarmed when her parents’ will states she must visit her eleven aunts and bring them a small, specified gift.

This inconvenient adventure means Bronte must travel alone, visit aunts she hasn’t met, eat certain foods, be at particular places – all carefully orchestrated for reasons that Bronte can’t understand. If she doesn’t follow her parents’ instructions to the letter, her home town will fall apart.

The eleven aunts are all interesting, original characters who sail the seas, look after dragons or run small countries.

I loved the whimsical blend of realism and fantasy with such an original concept. It’s a wonderful quest story, and the ending brings together all the clues – and the aunts – scattered throughout the book.

It’s a thick book with a gorgeous blue and gold cover – enticing to readers who want a long book. I would encourage more reluctant readers to give it a go as it’s a satisfying read.

Readers might also be interested to know that Jaclyn wrote most of this book in a chocolate shop! You can hear more about how Jaclyn wrote her book in an interview on the So you want to be a writer podcast.

It’s always good to be reminded that chocolate can help creativity!

Christmas book ideas for 5-8 year-olds

November 17, 2017 by Karen Comer 4 Comments

For 5-8 year-old readers, I have a list of book series. Kids at this age love to read books again and again. They’ll begin with listening to an adult read the whole book, then they might take it in turns to read a few pages, then they can read it to themselves.

Kids are avid collectors, so introducing them to a series they like is a way to encourage a love of reading. If you’re not sure whether your child or grandchild will like a particular series, you can always borrow the first book from the library before buying some of the series. (My wise Mum borrowed the first Billabong book for me, then surprised me with the complete set for my 11th birthday!)

Diary of a wimpy kid – The Getaway by Jeff Kinney – this is the latest book in this series about Greg, who doodles in the pages of his diary as he records his life’s adventures. This book, number 12 in the series, is about Greg and his family on holidays – perfect summer reading!

Juliet, nearly a vet by Rebecca Johnson – I haven’t read these books but I flicked through them in a bookshop this week, and I love the concept of a little girl who wants to be a vet and has to practise looking after animals.

The bad guys by Aaron Blabey – now we’re up to book 6. These books are well illustrated so kids won’t be daunted by a lot of text on the page. A great series for boys about Mr Wolf, Mr Piranha, Mr Snake and Mr Shark who are trying so hard to be the good guys instead of the bad guys – pretty difficult when your name and looks come with such a reputation!

Famous Five collection by Enid Blyton – there are some lovely box sets of The famous five and The secret seven books available. If you want to share your childhood reading favourites with your own kids, one of these box sets might be a present for you and your kids!

Weir Do by Anh Do – another series suitable for both boys and girls. Anh Do has now published his 8th book in this series. Comedians do have a fantastic way of crafting a story – both on the page and on stage – and Anh Do is no exception. Lots of humour, big illustrations and relatable situations for this age group.

How to tame a dragon by Cressida Cowell – your kids might be familiar with these books even if they haven’t read them because of the movies. There are now 12 books in the series about Hiccup, a reluctant hero, and his dragon Toothless. The text is interspersed with lists, book pages and instructions so it’s a great ‘bigger’ chapter book for proficient 7-9 year-old readers.

Billie B Brown gift sets by Sally Rippin – Billie B Brown needs no introduction. This box set might be a lovely surprise in a Christmas stocking. There are also box sets with single books and a tie-in toy, like a skipping rope as well. We have many, many Billie B Brown books at home – Miss 11 read them again and again and again.

Tashi by Anna Fienberg – all my kids loved Tashi. He’s such a loveable character and has so many amazing adventures. This is a beautiful box set.

Tiny Timmy by Tim Cahil – this series focuses on a small kid called Timmy, who wants to be a soccer star. Lots of sport specific information and positive messages – perfect for the budding soccer star!

Fancy Nancy by Jane O’Connor – Miss 11 and I loved, loved, loved Fancy Nancy. We started off reading about Nancy in picture books when Miss 11 was a toddler, then she graduated to the Fancy Nancy I can read series when she started school. This is such a wonderful series for girls who are practising reading

I hope you find a new series or are inspired to add to an existing set. Please forward on this post to any friends who might also be looking for some Christmas book ideas.

Christmas book ideas for 9-12 year-old girls

November 3, 2017 by Karen Comer 2 Comments

It’s seven and a half weeks until Christmas – gulp! In order to make your Christmas shopping a little easier, I am putting together a few lists of books to buy for different age groups over the next few weeks.

A book is an easy thing to buy – it doesn’t take up a lot of room if you need to hide it. It doesn’t require batteries. It won’t make a noise. It can be shared. It’s a conversation starter. It will entertain for hours. It can be returned to again and again, like an old friend.

Today’s list is for girls aged 9-12 years. Of course, these books may be suitable for girls slightly younger or older. And just because the main characters in these books are girls, doesn’t mean that boys can’t read them.

The girl who drank the moon by Kelly Barnhill – this could almost be my favourite children’s book of the year. It’s about a village who sacrifice the youngest-born baby each year by taking it into the wood and leaving it there for the witch to take. In return, she stays away from the villagers. There is a witch but she’s a kind one and she believes she rescues the babies by taking them to another village on the other side of the bog and giving them to a loving family. One year, she is so enchanted by the baby that she accidentally pulls moonlight down from the sky and ‘magics’ the baby girl. She knows she must keep the girl herself now and teach her how to use her magic wisely. It is such a beautiful story, with lovely language and quirky, loveable characters who draw on their strengths in remarkable ways. Strong readers will gather all the insights and appreciate the language while less confident readers will simply love the story – something for everyone.

The extremely inconvenient adventures of Bronte Mettlestone by Jaclyn Moriarty – I haven’t read this book yet but I heard a great interview with Jaclyn on the So you want to be a writer podcast which made me want to go and read it! Bronte’s parents have been killed by pirates (but she didn’t know them) and she has to follow their wishes and deliver a trunk of presents to ten different aunts – otherwise terrible things will happen to her home. It sounds like an adventure of magic and courage – a fabulous combination for a story. Maybe it sounds so intriguing to me because Jaclyn said she started the book by wroting each chapter in a different cafe but then finished the book by writing in the same chocolate cafe!

The turnkey by Allison Rusby – this is a historical novel, set in London in the middle of World War II. The protagonist is Flossie, a twelve-year-old ghost, who is a turnkey – someone who is in charge of a cemetery, keeping all the souls buried there at rest. This is such an original story. The balance between the history and the story is perfect so kids who don’t know a lot about World War II will enjoy reading it. A fabulous book by an Australian author.

The land of stories by Chris Colfer – I loved the premise of this story. A pair of twins (girl and boy) are in miserable circumstances – their father has recently died and their mother had to sell their house and the family bookshop. Their grandmother gives them their father’s old storybook of fairytales. The twins discover that the book is magic, and jump through the book into the land of stories where all their favourite – and not so favourite – characters live. This book will be made into a movie, and I’m predicting it will do well because author/director Chris Colfer is a Glee actor. While the story is wonderful, the writing is so-so. Miss 11 and some of her friends have devoured this book, and the five that follow in the series, so clearly the writing is not as important as the story for them. This book would also be suitable for 8-9 year-olds who are strong readers.

The little white horse by Elizabeth Goudge – this book was published in 1946 in the UK and is simply delightful. It has that classic children’s book feel. Some young readers may find it is too old-fashioned because of the descriptive language. It’s the story of Maria Merryweather who is forced to leave her home in London and live with her governess and cousin in the country. There is a dwarf who cooks, a dog who can communicate well with humans and a legend of the moon princess who must try to do the right thing and save her people again. This is a fabulous read for imaginative and romantic girls – there are three weddings at the end!

How to bee by Bren MacDibble – Love, love, love this book! It was published this year as a debut novel by an Australian author – you’ll remember it for the distinctive yellow and black cover. The main character, Peony, is determined, stubborn and courageous – she wants to be a bee (someone who picks the pollen from the orchard trees) and she wants to bring her family together. It’s set as a dystopian world, and that world is so well built.

When you reach me by Rebecca Stead – I am such a big fan of Rebecca Stead! I love this particular book because it has such a complex storyline (time travelling) with wonderful characters. It’s set in the 1970s in the US, and follows the story of Miranda. She has an intelligent mother who is trying to win a game show, an ex-best friend who won’t talk to her anymore and some new friendships to navigate. This one is for the more discerning reader who is prepared to think a little about the story. You can read more about Rebecca Stead and her other books here.

When the lyrebird calls by Kim Kane – this is a historical Australian book, set in 1900. Madeleine has fallen back in time, and is trying to return to her own time with her grandmother. She spends time with her new friends, and wears their clothes, eats their meals and becomes involved in the women’s lib movement. It’s a wonderful historical novel.

Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo – This is Kate DiCamillo’s latest book, published this year. Most kids will have probably come across her books – she’s a bestselling US author. Raymie’s voice is strong and compelling, the language evocative. You can read a book review here.

Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend – I have ordered my copy of Nevermoor and am waiting for it to arrive! I can’t speak with any authority about it but it would be remiss of me not to mention it here because there has been so much publicity about it. It is said to be the closest thing to Harry Potter!

I hope some of these books find their way into some lucky girls’ Christmas stockings! You can also look at my previous Christmas suggestions for 9-12 year-olds here, here and here. Please forward on this post to friends and family members who may be looking for some help with buying Christmas books.

Carole Poustie – author interview

October 20, 2017 by Karen Comer 2 Comments

I met author Carole Poustie at a meet-up for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). It was my first time there, and I didn’t know anyone. Carole very kindly chatted to me and introduced me to other writers and illustrators.

Her second middle-grade book, In the dark, has just been released. It follows the adventures of Ish, a thirteen-year-old boy, who was nicknamed Ish by his parents in the hospital after his birth because he looked Michael-ish. Ish is spending the summer with his Mum and older sister at his Gran’s place close to the Murray River. He seems set for a perfect summer, except that he discovers a letter his late Grandpa wrote to his Mum, begging her to tell Ish the truth about his identity.

Thank you, Carole, for answering my questions about your writing process!

1. How did you come up with the idea for In the dark?

Even though I have written In the Dark as a stand-alone book, it is actually the sequel to my first novel, Dog Gone, published in 2010. Celapene Press is re-issuing Dog Gone with a complementary updated cover design next month. When I originally finished writing Dog Gone I knew I wasn’t finished with the characters. They stayed with me whispering ideas about what they could get up to next and so there was no choice but to start typing. The setting for the novels in the books is a fictitious place called Mt Selview, but in my mind the actual setting is Corowa, where my grandmother used to live, and where I spent time as a child. Her garden still contained the old cellar from the hotel that used to occupy the site. The cellar was my starting point and the story took off from there.

2. What was the hardest thing about writing it?

Because I hadn’t planned to write a sequel originally, I had to think carefully about the plot of In the Dark, to keep the characters consistent but to allow Ish and his sister Molly to grow up a little bit but with more room to grow over the course of the novel. Knowing how much backstory to include for a reader who may not have read Dog Gone was a challenge.

3. How long did it take to write?

During the time of writing In the Dark I was completing my Masters in Writing and Literature, so although I had the first draft completed reasonably quickly, the revision process took a good couple of years.

4. Describe a typical writing day.

I’m not sure I have a typical writing day but I do know that when I have the time to write I usually take my dog for an early morning walk which helps me to enjoy some reflective, meditative time to clear my mind and to engage my muse. Usually the story starts shaping itself in my head while I am walking. Season permitting, I sit on my back deck to write. I live in a treed area and find that the birdsong and outdoor setting is most conducive to being creative. Fortunately, my study overlooks a park so in winter at least I can see outside. I lose all sense of time and often find myself eating lunch at dinnertime!

5. As a writing teacher for adults, what is the most common question your writing students have about the writing process and how do you answer it?

Many of my writing students are working on creative projects with the hope of becoming published. So, there are always questions on that topic. But of course, you need a good quality product to publish in the first place, even if you are going to publish it yourself. Whether my students are writing fiction or creative nonfiction, I spend a lot of time helping them to grasp the concept of writing in scenes. Many beginning writers present their stories exclusively in narrative. My mantra is leave room for the reader. By helping beginning writers create scenes where something is happening – as it would on screen or on the stage – the reader can become involved in the story and make their own judgments about what is going on. They don’t have to endure a narrator telling them everything.

6. What do you love most about writing?

The best thing about writing for me is when you lose yourself in your work and the characters take you off in directions you never anticipated – sometimes changing course so dramatically the whole novel shifts gear and you find yourself in the passenger seat hurtling towards some unexpected destination you never knew existed.

7. Which middle-grade writers do you admire and why?

Ursula Dubosarsky is an author I have a huge admiration for. Her characters are always authentic and extremely well-drawn. Her books have a certain wonderful sense of unspoken foreboding or mystery about them that, as a background presence, produces a source of tension that drives the story forward. Sonya Hartnett’s ability to produce unique, authentic and stunning characters is to die for.

8. Are you working on a new project?

I’m revising a suite of short stories at the moment and hoping to devote more time to writing some poems. That said, Ish and co have begun to whisper more ideas …

Thank you, Carole!

Children’s book week 2017

August 18, 2017 by Karen Comer 2 Comments

Next week Children’s Book Week is celebrated in Australia from 19th-26th August. Many schools celebrate with book fairs, dress-up as your favourite character days and even play DEAR – Drop Everything And Read! (It’s my favourite game – I played it a lot with my three kids when they were little).

You can find out more about this year’s theme – Escape to Everywhere – at the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s website.
There are plenty of ideas for dressing up as your favourite character from author Allison Tait here – her go-to costume is a cloak which can be used for a ranger, superhero, princess, adventurer or olden-day character.
The shortlist for the CBCA book of the year is here. The winners will be announced at midday today. We haven’t made our way through reading all of these beautiful books yet – it’s a work in progress. If you’re looking for quality books for your children or grandchildren, borrowing or buying these books will guarantee a good read.
Author Tristan Bancks has some great ideas for celebrating Book Week – I like his idea for making a book trailer.

I hope your children or grandchildren enjoy all the bookish festivities. I’m off to a YA book launch tonight, and then I’m thinking a game of DEAR might be in order for us over the weekend!

Three strong, original books

August 4, 2017 by Karen Comer 6 Comments

I’ve been reading quite a few wonderful books lately so I thought I’d bundle a few together in a review. I have so many library books teetering in a pile on my bedside table that I’m worried I’ll be decapitated during the night!

I’ve reviewed an adult novel by a well-known Australian writer, a young adult novel by a US novelist and a debut children’s novel. All three books had strong female characters, with so much determination and courage.

Beauty in thorns by Kate Forsyth (adult historical fiction) – I am such a fan of Kate’s. She teaches a wonderful writing course in Sydney through the Australian Writers Centre on plotting, and her latest book is testament to her ability to weave together threads from a few stories and timelines. It’s set in the Pre-Raphaelite era and focuses on the lives of a few artists – Ned Burne-Jones, Dante Gabriel Rossetti and William Morris, and the women who loved them. The story focuses mainly on the women – and they were a talented, creative force as well. I didn’t enjoy this book as much as Kate’s previous books, perhaps because it felt that she was following the stories in a chronological manner, rather than crafting a story. But the characters are compelling, the settings evocative and Kate’s writing is as rich and descriptive as usual.

The girl from everywhere by Heidi Heilig (young adult fiction) – a friend recommended this book to me, and I’m glad she did. It’s about a sixteen-year-old girl called Nix Song, who is a Navigator on a pirate ship with the ability to follow maps into the margins, into different countries and different timelines. Led by her father the Captain, and supported by a crew of time refugees, she discovers her own abilities. She needs to, lest her father steer them into a time and place where Nix doesn’t exist. Because of the complex and sophisticated plot of time travelling, I know I’ll read this book again to figure out the connections between the different timeframes. (That’s a sign of a wonderful book, when the reader is planning to read it again after finishing the last page!) It’s a really unique book, that shows a different sort of protagonist to the usual YA ones concerned with school and parties and friendships. There’s also a sequel available now – The ship beyond time – I can’t wait to read it. Best for 14-16 year-olds, but absolutely fabulous for all adults.

How to Bee by Bren MacDribble (children’s novel) – this is set in a dystopian world, where nine-year-old Peony is desperate to become a ‘Bee’, someone who climbs the trees, waving a wand to collect the honey. She lives and works on a farm with her sister and grandfather. But trouble arrives in the form of Peony’s mother, who wants to take Peony away to a different life. Peony’s voice is strong and compelling and whisks readers away into her world where you just want everything to work out for her because she is such a hard worker and so determined to support her family. I loved this book – definitely one of the best children’s books I’ve read this year. And the cover is gorgeously striking! A fabulous read for 9-12 year-olds.

I’ve also spent a bit of time in the last fortnight reading some unpublished books. I’m part of a writer’s group and last weekend we met up as usual to discuss each other’s work. I absolutely believe in the writing from the other members – I’m sure I’ll be reviewing their published work one day – a crime novel, a middle-grade novel and a young adult book.

Any recommendations for me? I’m compiling a wishlist for National Bookshop Day on Saturday 12th August – I’ll definitely be visiting my local. Tell me what’s on your book wishlist!

Van Gogh – ‘arrive at the truthful’

July 7, 2017 by Karen Comer 4 Comments

Last weekend – because there was no sport in the school holidays – hooray! – we all went to the Vincent van Gogh exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria.

It was beautiful and crowded. Beautiful because the paintings were amazing. I loved seeing the brush strokes and the vivid colours.

I must admit, I didn’t enjoy hearing the commentary from all the other people looking at the same paintings. ‘Oh, that’s a nice one!’ seems a little banal when discussing van Gogh.

I didn’t take any photos of the paintings but I did take a photo of the following quote from van Gogh.

One must work long and hard to arrive at the truthful. What I want and set as my goal is damned difficult, and yet I don’t believe I’m aiming too high. I want to make drawings that move some people … Whether in figures or in landscapes, I would like to express not something sentimentally melancholic but deep sorrow. In short, I want to reach the point where people say of my work, that man feels deeply and that man feels subtly.

As a writer, it’s one of the hardest things to ‘arrive at the truthful’, to create fiction that tells the truth about how we feel about things and what matters. It’s an odd dichotomy that art can reflect ourselves better than reality sometimes.

We have a picture book called Camille and the sunflowers written by Laurence Anholt. The story is told from Camille’s point of view. He’s a young boy, who with his father, a postman, befriends Vincent. Vincent paints portraits of Camille’s family and a wonderful painting of sunflowers, based on a bunch which Camille gave him.

There’s a brief animation and a reading of this book here, if you have kids who are interested.

There’s also a book by Laurence Anholt called Anholt’s artists activity book about a few artists, with ideas for kids to create their own artwork based on these artists’ techniques. The van Gogh one is about painting a portrait.

The van Gogh exhibition closes tomorrow – hurry!

The magic of Harry Potter – still there after twenty years

June 23, 2017 by Karen Comer 8 Comments

Mr 8 – who used to be Mr 7 until last week! – received the illustrated version of the first Harry Potter book for his birthday. It wasn’t as exciting as his Ninjago lego set but he did feel a little puffed, finally deemed old enough to read Harry Potter.

We read it in a week. I read the first third to him, with him reading a few pages to me each night. Then he became engrossed in the story, and a chapter a night just didn’t cut it. There was also the motivation of watching the movie – which he hasn’t seen – once he had read the book.

He had hundreds of questions.

On reading the letter inviting Harry to study at Hogwarts – maybe I’m really a wizard, even though you’re all muggles. Does that mean when I turn 11, I’ll get a letter from Hogwarts, too?
When Harry received the Invisibility Cloak – who gave it to him? Was it Dumbledore?
When he read about Quidditch – can I play?
When he found out about Fluffy, the three-headed dog – will I be scared if he chases Harry?
When the plot thickened around Hagrid’s dragon egg and the stranger – wait, what does that mean?
On finding out that Harry had been saved by his mother’s love from Voldemort – do I have love inside me? Would your love have saved me?

It’s been years since I read Harry Potter and the philosopher’s stone, and it was such a pleasure to read it again. I do agree with the critics who say that the beginning and set-up takes far too long, and perhaps that’s why many publishers couldn’t get past that to see the excitement of the story. But publishing has changed in twenty years.

It reminded me of Anton Chekov’s advice to writers – If in the first act you have hung a pistol on the wall, then in the following one it should be fired. Otherwise don’t put it there.

Everything in Harry Potter is intentional – Ron teaching Harry how to play wizard chess is more than a simple scene of friendship – it sets up the climax where Ron has to play the chess game of his life in order to move Harry though to the final scene with Voldemort. The mirror of Erised is there for Harry to realise how much he wants his family but is a pivotal moment where Harry can realise his deepest desire to find the philosopher’s stone to prevent Voldemort from finding it and using it for his own evil purposes.

The small details are wonderful – Dumbledore choosing an earwax-flavoured Bertie Bott’s every-flavour bean, the floating candles in the great hall, the list of books Harry is expected to study and Diagon Alley …

Because Mr 8 was reading it aloud to himself, Miss 10 and Mr 13 also decided they would revisit it too. Be still my beating heart, all my kids reading Harry Potter at once! Now Mr 8 is reading the second illustrated book, Miss 10 is reading the fourth book and Mr 13 is reading the third one.

There has been a bit of wand waving and Latin cursing going on. As you do. Our dinner conversations have centred around Harry Potter trivial pursuit-style questions.

Name the four houses of Hogwarts.
What is Professor McGonagall’s first name?
What ball do you have to catch in order to end a Quidditch match?
Name the seven Weasley kids.
Where is Harry’s bedroom at the Dursleys?

On Saturday night, the five of us will be curled up on the couch, eating chocolate caramel popcorn from here and watching the first-year students catch sight of Hogwarts from their boats. Hope your Saturday night is just as fun!