Thalia the Failure by Robin Klein

Thalia Birtles isn't really interested in being a witch but her dominating mother sends her to Aquila's Academy anyway promising the school a planetarium when Thalia graduates. Despite all her best endeavours, Thalia can only sweep with a broom, fails at cauldron cookery, and can only see her own reflection in a crystal ball. To make matters even worse, the other students comprised of gremlins, hemlocks, genies and Count Dracula 11 despise her wealth and ridicule her efforts, and the Madame Aquila, head of the academy, isn't exactly encouraging. Hectate, the teenage witch is particularly nasty and relentless in her bullying of Thalia. Thalia just want to go to a normal school and be with normal human beings. This book is a quick little read and the text is accompanied by full page ink drawings which bring the characters to life.

Penny Pollard's Diary by Robin Klein

There are two copies of this book in our little library, one hardback and one soft cover. Penny Pollard has been one of Australia's best known characters since 1983. Penny hates going to school and abhors homework. She finds old people hard to get along with and refuses to wear dresses but, she does love horses. You could say she is obsessed with them. Whist on a school excursion, she meets an old lady just as rebellious as she is, Mrs Edith Bettany, who is nearly eighty-one years old and they become friends. This diary relates their experiences and Penny's ups and downs at school and is filled with sketches and photos and lots of information on horses.

Junk Castle by Robin Klein

Mandy, Rene, Con and Splinter are all in the same grade at school and live in the same block of flats. They have nowhere to play and the so called park over the road is only a moderate-sized triangle of grass called The Beatrice Binker Reserve which is not even big enough for a game of soccer. They also have the grumpy and verbally abusive Mr Drake to deal with.

"...aren't you the same kids I have already told of yesterday for chalking arrows all over the footpath you need a good belting the lot of you and you girl yes you with the plaits what do you mean by leaning against my fence like that blocking the sunlight from my dahlias eh speak up!"

Take a step back into the eighties to see what upper primary kids did without Play Stations, mobile phones and other electronic gadgetry. Irene has a speech to make at school so it's off to the local library, no world wide web. In the block of flats they have to creep up and down the stairs to deliver messages to each other, no texting. To alleviate their boredom they scavenge around the neighbourhood for building materials and build their own castle in the reserve. There are now two copies of this little delight with different       covers in the classroom library. 

Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn Left by Robin Klein

Another good read from Australian author Robin Klein. If you like Science Fiction you might like this book. It is all about a a family who have been exiled from planet Zyrgon after Father deviously won the government lottery 27 times in a row. They come to live on Earth and are finding the adaption difficult despite their extraterrestrial powers. The customs on Earth cause all sorts of problems for them, especially Father's compulsive gambling habits, Qwrk's amazing intellectualism at age five, and Dovis' absentminded levitation of things. Then, to top it off, Aunt Hecla arrives unexpectedly with her home-made space raft and things get even trickier. The book was turned into a television series with 28 episodes. They were all filmed in Melbourne. Below you can view part one of the series.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks0BhuuY7KM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu7dlE9IqaY

Between You & Me edited by Suzette Boyd

This little book of stories written by Australian authors starts with the hard hitting How Johnny went over the edge. I believe the main idea behind this story is to get students thinking hard about the consequences of being a bystander, and that by not acting in some situations, it could lead to very tragic outcomes. Then there's the story about Parker-Hamilton by Robin Klein which is all about a family who buys a robot to assist with the housework only to find out it is a snob, is obsessive compulsive and that it makes everything so bright and shiny that they all have to resort to wearing sunglasses.

Ratbags and Rascals: Funny Stories by Robin Klein

This is a collection of seventeen short stories, including The Anti Snore Machine, Parker Hamilton (about a family robot) and How Clara Bepps Put Strettle Street Properly on the Map. (Young Clara thinks her street is so boring but she soon rectifies this by adding stars on the footpath, a swimming pool inside a disused house and a stage).It is brimming with delightful little ink sketches by Alison Lester.

Against the Odds by Robin Klein

Against the Odds...well, what are the odds of buying a book at a second hand shop, and to find out it was a present bought by one of your colleagues for one of their relations? Against the odds I'd say. But, then again, Tasmania is such a small island! Don't have the time for a full blown novel? Well why not try this book of short stories. Are you into the Master Chef telly programs, well, The Two Chefs may be the story for you. In this story the disastrous competition between two chefs results in gastronomic chaos. Or maybe you'd prefer the story where a little girl sees the sky for the first time...hmmm gotta ask yourself why. Or maybe you would rather read about Zarab-Hasaka, a genie who has been sealed inside little green bottle for several hundred years, a bit like been stuck in your house writing reports for two weeks.

Games by Robin Klein

There are three three copies of this wonderful book in the Little Library of Rescued Book, and my preferred one is the hardback edition which also has a map of the house in it. Three friends could all read it together if they wanted to. When Patricia (a not so popular but very bright girl) is invited for a weekend away without adult supervision at Genevieve's aunt's house in the country she is flattered. Desperate to fit in at her new school, she goes along hoping to make new friends. However, not all goes to plan, things start to go wrong. The girls discover an old diary and decide to hold a seance. The weather is foul and there are other foul things afoot. Suddenly their game turns into something very sinister. Their nervousness turns to panic...what is happening in the house? This thriller is hard to put down. It is very descriptive so you feel you know the characters and the isolation of the house and you can really feel the tension.

People Might Hear You by Robin Klein

A riveting Robin Klein book with sinister undertones. “Don't ever let them know you are here." Frances is told. "Don't ever let them know you're here...You mustn't raise your voice or call out...people outside might hear you."If you enjoyed Grace by Morris Gleitzman, you will most likely enjoy this novel. France's aunt Lois marries a stern, forbidding Mr Tyrell. Frances is then introduced to a mysterious temple, with its strange, fanatical beliefs. At first she easily accepts her aunt's new life, and tries to be a “worthy” member of the temple. However, slowly she uncovers its terrible secrets and realises she has to escape. The rules meant that nobody can enter or leave the house at will. All daily life is regimented and supervised. This book focuses on the fear, seclusion and propaganda that is sometimes used to retain people in cults. It is quite a complex novel but well worth the read.

Want to know more, ask Simon. There are now two copies of this novel in the Little Library of Rescued Books so you could read along with a friend.

Boss of the Pool by Robin Klein

One of nine children, Robin Klein has proven herself to be one of Australia's most prolific writers and this slim novel won't disappoint. Shelley, the protagonist is very egocentric and is upset when her mother gets an evening job and she has to stay with her elderly neighbour, Mrs Murray. After a while she reluctantly agrees to go to her mother's workplace, a home for children and adults with special needs. There she meets Ben who much to her chagrin cannot even get her name right; she doesn't even classify him as human but fortunately things change. Ben is petrified of water and Shelley suddenly finds herself in the role of swimming coach. A play script for this novel was written by Mary Morris. It would make a great play.