'Hello, Barney' by Mary K. Pershall

This is a very moving and thought-provoking story and I must admit that had to wipe a tear or two away at the end. Long ago in the Australian bush, a little boy called William Jackson trapped a young cockatoo and put him in a cage (which I found hard to accept). He named him Barney. From that first day together until William was an old man Barney was his special pet. This is basically the story of what Barney saw from his cage in William's garden; the changing seasons, the passing years, the growing up of both children and the gum trees. And what happens when William Jackson is too old to care for Barney anymore...

The illustrations by Mark Wilson are simple stunning and how much character does the aged face of William Jackson have? Heaps. This is one of the best picture books I have ever read and raises many philosophical questions about caring for pets, and old age.

Face at the Window by Julie Ireland

There's not a lot available about author, Julie Ireland, on the internet, but she has written a few books for children. This novel is full of suspense and if you like mysteries, you will most likely enjoy this one. The decaying old mansion, Wundilla, had always been given a wide berth, especially after the owner, Miss McKenzie’s week-old corpse had been discovered, full of maggots. It was supposed to be empty but Toby found it wasn't. Whilst trying to escape some local bullies, a strange girl called Leanda comes to his rescue. She has been using the old barn as her private sanctuary, and inside the house itself Toby discovered a boy and his mother, both ill and both on the run.

Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper

I found this in an Opportunity shop, it used to belong to one of my university friends, Jennifer Yearsly. It is all about the Drew children, Simon, Jane, and Barney who find an old map in a hidden room while summering at the Grey House in Cornwall. Along with their Great-Uncle Merry, they become embroiled in a web of intrigue that surrounds an Arthurian legend. In the beginning the story seems a bit slow and tedious as the plot and setting dominate, but it gets better. Barney has the youthful vulnerability of the youngest sibling, Jane is the the sensible and soft-spoken middle child, and Simon speaks with the assurance and bravado of the older brother. This is the first in a five book series called The Dark Rising. This first story in the series is much more in the vein of a mystery than the later novels in the sequence which fall much more into the fantasy category.