Dandelion by Galvin Scott Davis & Anthony Ishinjerro

Dandelion, written by Galvin Scott Davis is fresh out on the market this year. I actually bought this book new as "Dandelion" was one of my nicknames when I was at matriculation college, and I was curious about it. The central and faceless character, Benjamin Brewster, likes to count things to try and put his mind at rest, and attends a school where bullies reign supreme. The central message is that bullying is done by people with no imaginations. It is  written in rhyming couplets and has unusual sepia tone illustrations and the white, block-letter  text leaps out of the dark pages.  

This clip by the author about the book is well worth watching. I bought the app and it's fantastic.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/protein/dandelion-bullying-is-for-people-with-no-imaginati

The Boy Who Was Afraid by Armstrong Perry

Want something a little different to read?  This beautiful story tells the story of Mafatu, an islander boy who lost his mother to the sea when he was very young. Mafatu has an intense fear of the sea and because of this his father is ashamed of him and the village children ridicule him.  Mafatu decides to try and overcome this fear and sense of shame so he sets off in a canoe out into the open sea. His only companions are his dog Kivi and a tame albatross. Mafatu's courage grows as he learns to survive on an uninhabited island. However, this island is visited occasionally by the fierce eaters-of-men who come in their big war canoes. How will he cope with this? 

This is novel is a real classic about coming of age and confronting one's fears. It is also a salute to the navigational prowess of the Polynesian people. 

Cat-Face by Penny Hall

Edwina receives an unusual gift from her Uncle Jack. He is always bringing her gifts, but this one is special; a black jaguar head carved from wood all the way from Mexico. One morning Edwina wakes to discover that her jaguar can talk and has other has special powers as well. She discovers it was in fact carved in the likeness of the rain god's noble head. Edwina takes it to school, and unfortunately her precious cat-face mysteriously goes missing. It seems that Tilly Moon knows more about the jaguar than Edwina would like. This is a short novel of only nine chapters, each with their own ink illustrations by Margaret Power,and could easily be read in a couple of quiet reading sessions.

How to Tame a Bully by Nancy Wilcox Richards

This is a small, easy-read chapter book which focuses on a girl called Lauren and her efforts to cope with Bethany's constant bullying. Lauren's first day at school is great, she is in the same class as her best friend Claire and even has scored her favourite teacher, Ms MacArthur. The only problem is she finds herself seated next to Bethany who goes out of her way to be completely obnoxious. Bethany steals her food, makes fun of her and sabotages her classwork. Sadly there doesn't seem to be any upstanders to help her out. Even her best friend can't help her. Suddenly the Lauren and Bethany have to do a project together and Lauren is wondering how this is ever going to work out! The text is accompanied with ink illustrations and is a book you could quite easily read in two silent reading sessions.

Chasing Rainbows by Lucinda Haslinger

Trevor is different from everyone; he is blind and now he finds himself away from his beloved farm life and thrust into city life by his foster parents in order to learn more about his background. He has his own system of measurement, his steps being measured in pumpkins (big steps), cabbages and broccoli. Whilst he has friends at the school he has to attend for a month, he also senses animosity and is the target for bullying. Brian is a student to be avoided at all costs, continually taunting him and making life difficult. Ronnie is desperate to be his friend but backs off every time Brian is around, and then there's Talia, the angel who takes him under her wing. This book doesn't reveal its secret until close to the end and it certainly surprised me. The books deals with the differences between country and city, cultures and interpersonal relationships. All the action is filtered through Trevor who struggles to understand his new environment.

I am Trevor.

My world is black.

The nightmare is just beginning.

The Gizmo Again by Paul Jennings

Not really into big novels that take a while to read? This small novel which deals with bullying and bystanders and is a quick and enjoyable read. Jack is being bullied, and relentlessly, so he decided it is time he joined Gutsit's gang, at least that way may they might leave him alone. However, he finds himself caught up in their disgusting acts and doing things he doesn't really like. Then out of the blue Mr Whippy gives him a gizmo, and now he has even more to worry about. Whilst this books deals with the complexities of bullying, it also has many light-hearted moments that will have you very amused. It could be read in a couple of hours and might just make you a fan of Paul Jennings who has a lot to offer upper primary students. We have two copies in our little library so you could read it with a friend.

Wavelength by Daryl McCann & Debbie Forbes

This short novel is written by husband and wife team Daryl McCann and Debbie Forbes. It's all about Jude Hollit who thinks he will be famous one day. The school prefect, David Warbridge, who he likens to a "huge, blonde surf Nazi," gives him a hard time at school and his middle-aged parents act like teenages. Yet, he firmly believes that when he's playing NBA basketball at St Andrews College that he will finally get the respect he deserves declaring, "I'll be a zillion times more famous than my father, that old has-been." However, things don't really go to plan and Jude has to find another way to make it to the top. This book is fairly dialogue-driven and is a relaxing and enjoyable read.

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.

Secrets of Walden Rising by Allan Baille

Brendan and his dad move to Australia after his mum leaves home. Settling in a drought-ridden outback town does not seem much of an improvement over a green English village he is used to, and Brendan finds the local kids to be mean, narrow minded and positively hostile. They don't even use his name , to them he is just "the Pom." However, things take a turn for the better when he discovers that something weird is happening outside the dusty town and no-one else seems to have noticed. Everyone else is far too preoccupied waiting for rainfall which will break the terrible drought. It is as if a whole new town from the past has suddenly risen out of the water in front of him. Walden Rising is another worthy read from one of Australia’s best known writers, Allan Baillie

Bruises, Boys Don't Cry by Archimedes Fusillo

"So you think what you guys did is funny?" Gibbo stepped right up to Ape, almost toe to toe with him. Falco drew a breath. It was never a good idea to confront Ape like this.

Welcome to bunkhouse five, the scene of power struggles, hidden agendas, drama and power plays. There's Brad with the troubled past, there’s fat, harmless Mountain-Man Singh and then there’s cowardly Anthony Cannucia , and also the charismatic, dangerous Ape who keeps constant pressure on the group. Finally, there’s Falco, a guy who didn’t want to come on camp in the first place. He has more than enough to deal with at home and now he’s been made leader here at camp! Be a bystander OR be an upstander, this is a major theme in this book.

Author Archimedes writes primarily for boys in thier teenage years trying to make sense of the worlds and looks at the pressure placed on them in different social situations.

Read this interesting article Bullying Boys to gain more idea of whether this book could interest you:

http://januarymagazine.com/kidsbooks/bruises.html

A little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

This book is one of my all time favourites and set in the early 1900’s. It tells a story of the extremely rich and the extremely poor. It shows how differently they were treated and how much they were segregated. Sara Crew was born in India to a very rich man named Ralph Crewe, he is very close to his daughter Sara so he is very upset when he has to send her away to boarding school because at that time India wasn’t a safe place for children to live; the climate was terrible and there was a war going on. Since Sara was very wealthy she was treated very well at the boarding school, she had her own toy room, a pony, and a very extravagant wardrobe. But when Mr. Crewe dies of Brain Fever, a very common disease in India at that time, and she is told she has no money and is an orphan. Mrs. Minchin; the lady who owns the boarding school wants to throw her out on the streets, but instead she keeps her as a servant, she takes all her belongings and makes her sleep in the attic, and she deprives her of food. Then when an Indian man moves in next door to the boarding house Sara befriends him. She speaks to him in Hindi and he was very impressed, but he wasn’t really just an Indian man, he is a friend of Sara’s father. He becomes her legal guardian and keeps the fortune until she is of age. Click on the link below to watch the trailer to the movie:

http://www.videodetective.com/movies/trailers/a-little-princess-trailer/5637

The Scarecrows by Robert Westall

The Scarecrows is a children's novel by Robert Westall was published in 1981. The novel was awarded the Carnegie Medal 1981, and this is the second Carnegie award for Robert Westall. It is a psychological novel with a supernatural twist, dealing with themes of rage, isolation and fear in a plot concerning a thirteen-year-old boy's reaction to his mother's remarriage. The story is a third-person narrative, but the point of view is entirely that of Simon Wood. The novel begins at Simon's boarding school, where the poisonous atmosphere of bullying and denigration has nurtured Simon's "devils", as he describes his blind rages. Here he first sees Joe Moreton, who has given Simon's widowed mother a lift to an event at the school. Simon loathes him at first sight, regarding him as yob and is unimpressed by his fame as an artist…

The New Boy by Ruth Thomas

Firstly, I am glad the students in my class don’t bicker and backstab like some of these ones do. This book introduces us to a character called Donovan. He is the new boy at school and he is secretive, brooding and undeniably good looking. Amy finds him hard to resist. But things start to go wrong. Donovan involves Amy in a car crash. Then fights and factions develop in class under his influence, and there are unexplained thefts. When Donovan asks Amy to hide him, her loyalty is pushed to the limit If you like this one, author, Ruth Thomas also penned The Class that went Wild and The Runaways, winner of The Guardian Children's Fiction Prize. I am currently reading The Runaways on my Kindle and loving it.

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.

Mind Master by Clive Gifford

Clive Gifford is an award-winning author of more than fifty books on the subjects of sports and soccer. In this novel the main character, Peter, is hooked on arcade games, so when a new game appears, he can't wait to try it. Little does he realise that it will trap him endlessly in time, locked in the game to which there is only one right answer. A great novel for 9-12 year olds. The books is part of the Usborne Spinechillers Series if you are after more scary reading. To find out more about this author, click on the following link:

http://www.clivegifford.co.uk/

Buzzard Breat & Brains by James Moloney

This is the humorous, moving sequel to James Moloney's award-winning Swashbuckler. What has happened to the two bullies Rex and Tony since the first novel? When the Principal's prized rose garden was vandalised, Rex and his mate Tony copped the blame. But it was a set-up and Tony is now making inquiries over the episode. Rex's cousin Natalie is on the case as well. Now which which way will Rex jump, as he discovers a new friend, an age-old dilemma and even netball. If you thought Rex had an attitude problem, wait till you meet Natalie, queen of the netball court and an absolute horror to anyone who dares to mess with her. Rex and Natalie are on opposing netball teams in the "great netball massacre," boys versus girls. Who is going to win? And what is the weasel Tony up to now?

See what James Moloney has to say about writing stories:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhH8DGMA0aA

Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick

Maxwell Kane is a lumbering grade eight student who describes himself as a "butthead goon," has lived with grandparents Grim and Gram ever since his father was imprisoned for murdering his mother. He is bullied at school despite his size and has been kept back due to poor grades. He meets Kevin, aka Freak, when he is receiving tutoring with his reading. Keith is a genius with a serious birth defect which has left him in braces and using crutches. Max is uplifted by Freak's imagination and booming confidence, while Freak gets a literal boost hoisted onto Max's shoulders, he shares Max's mobility. Together they become Freak the Mighty, an invincible duo. I have the DVD which students can borrow when they have read the novel. It seems popular with the grade 6 boys. Simon found the sequel called Max the Mighty at the local library.

Here is a clip from the movie entitled The Mighty

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-kadY3vHrI

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

What if a plane carrying a full load of school boys crashes on a deserted island with no adult survivors? What would happen to those boys? What would you expect to happen? These are the questions William Golding explores in this modern classic and the answers are not what maybe you would expect. There are many memorable characters, most notably Ralph, Jack and Piggy. The pig head scene and the last 50 pages are fascinating and intense. Democracy versus the darkside of human nature makes for a tense and often frightening story. This book is more for the high school student but could be appreciated by mature readers at the upper primary level. This book has been made into a film. To see the trailer click on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw5VqjtZkys

The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson

One of my all time favourites. I used this one as a class novel twice and the classes loved it. It is more for the 12-14 year old range and has very good character development. Who could forget Maime Trotter the big bible-wielding lady whom Gilly the main character loathes for so long? Gilly finds herself in yet another foster home where her bitterness, anger and cynicism after years of repeated abandonment and rejection don't allow her to readily befriend or even accept William Earnest, another foster child in Trotter's care. To top it all off she has to run errands for and deal with the blind man next door, Mr Randolph, who is an African American. Gilly has to confront her own racism, help William Earnest deal with bullying and find out who she really is. All the while she plans her escape hoping to reunite herself with her mother Courtney Rutherford Hopkins. There are some profanities in the novel but these are a reflection of the hard life Gilly has lead. The following interview with Katherine Paterson about her books and why she writes is very interesting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xj8ITyKQaQ

Camp Fear by Carol Ellis

Published in 1993 this book is very American and could classified as a thriller or even horror. It is probably best for a mature reader but is not too over the top as far as the action goes. The prologue begins with the discovery of a body at Camp Silverlake. Then it moves forward in time when eight new counsellors begin preparations for the arrival of the children. Some of the counsellors had actually attended this camp years ago when they were younger. Now seven years on something is haunting them and turning each of their fears into reality. Turns out that the past can't hurt you but it could kill you. The plot is a little predictable but it moves along at a speedy pace. Below is a link to a list of all her other publications:

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/e/carol-ellis/