Spud by John Heffernan

Spud, a blue heeler, is born into city life in the times when owning a blue heeler was all the rage. However, she soon finds herself in the pound after her antics become too much for the family. Fortunately, one day an old farmer sees an advertisement in the paper and gives her a new lease of life as a cattle dog on his property where she enjoys the company of his other dogs Pup and Chester. Then, due to sad circumstances, Spud's fortune changes again and he finds himself with a new master, a cruel man with no real interest in her welfare. His down-trodden wife and young daughter do their best to protect Spud from the vicious outbursts of the man, but  it is not long before she is roaming the surrounding country fending for herself.  Parts of this book could be confronting for a young reader, as it deals with the realities of country life. Nevertheless it is a pacy read with never a dull moment. If you enjoy novels about dogs, this one will not disappoint. 

The one and only illustration in the novel

John Heffernan has a great website which is worth a visit at:
http://www.spudplus.com/wp/
There are two other books in this series: Chips and Pup.

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

Camels Ships of the Desert by John F. Waters

Well, it is quite obvious that Camels Ships of the Desert is a book primarily about camels. This hardback edition is worth having alone is only to enjoy  the beautiful and very lateral artwork by Reynold Reyonlds. It was first published in 1974 and probably aimed at the middle primary market. This is the 1975 edition. The information is still relevant  today and it discusses the main characteristics of camels especially  their cooling mechanisms, and makes specific references about the differences between humans metabolism and that of camels.  Apparently humans have to urinate way more than camels, and camels may drink more than 100 litres of water all at once! It also differentiates between the Arabian camel and the Asian camel. Below are some of the illustrations from the book:

Great Creatures of Mystery by Jan Fortman

Great Creatures of Mystery by Jan Fortman was published in 1977, and although some of the information is a little dated, it is still an interesting read. The opening chapter focuses on the San Clemente Monster  which apparently fishermen first sighted off  the island of San Clemente, off the Californian coast around 1900. It then briefly introduces the topics of the preceding chapters, animals of mystery: lemmings' mad race to nowhere,  the great salmon journey, whales who beach themselves, insectivorous plants, and finally, the great caribou migration.

The San Clemente Monster

There are illustrations by James Warhola, Lynn Sweat and illustrations courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History.  

Black and white, and colour  photographs are also scattered throughout the text.

Beached whales

Mister Eternity by Maggie Hamilton

Mister Eternity by Maggie Hamilton is basically a crime book for children set in Kings Cross, Sydney. Sebastian and Josie find themselves enmeshed in mysterious events after their elderly friend, Lil, is bashed nearly to death and her home set on fire.The teenagers had been visiting her only hours before having their futures read in tea leaves. Now, they are on a quest to find out what really happened to their friend and to discover what it is people seem to be after in her apartment. An elderly gentlemen appears in Sebastian's life scribing the word "eternity"on the sidewalk outside his apartment building, and Sebastian instinctively knows that this man is part of the puzzle. Sebastian has problems of his own at home, like his mother he misses his dad and his brother Scotty who were killed in a trucking accident and now his mother is thinking of selling up and moving out of Kings Cross. Sebastian is devastated at the thought of leaving his beloved neighbourhood and dreads the idea of having to move in with his cold and authoritarian grandmother. Then, suddenly, Razor, an old friend is found murdered and the two friends know they must act quickly to save Lil who has mysteriously been moved from the hospital to an aged-care facility  called Greystaines in the outer suburbs

According to the author, Maggie Hamilton, Mister Eternity was inspired by the life of Arthur Stace, a reformed alcoholic. She has dedicated her final chapter of the book to him Further information can be found at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Stace

The Stinking Great Lie by Catherine Jinks

This books really hooks you in right from the start when you discover that eleven year old Camilla has been offered in marriage to fifty-year old Orazio Busini, who's putrid breath and wife-correcting whip would make any mature woman run a mile, let alone a poor wretched girl who serves in the powerful  Tozzini household run by Bernardo and Alessandra . Camilla is desperate to escape such a fate, and who can blame her for all the lies she so effortlessly spins in order to find some respectable way out. Alessandra is relentless in the persecution of her servant entrusted to her care by Camilla's humble father, a widower and a a urine collector in the walled city of  Lontiano.  Camilla also suffers the full brunt of the jibes of the boys from the rival Marzocca family who have named her "Pisspot."  Battista, one of Bernardo's daughter-in-laws, is her only friend in the household and reluctantly agrees to help her disentangle herself from the marriage agreement. The trouble is that Camilla has invented a saint, San Ugolino, the patron saint of sewerage workers. It seems this saint is proving to be a real hit with many of the townsfolk, and it is not long before Camilla has to confront Father Stefano.

I will now be looking out for more books by Catherine Jinks to add to my bookshelf. I basically read this whilst waiting for the Bruny Island ferry over the busy Easter break.

To the Rescue by Kirsten Hall & Martha Doty

Theresa is lucky enough to have this horse due to its malfunctioning at the Horse Riding Academy. You see, Theresa is the only person who can control this horse with a mind of its own and so her parents buy it for the lucky girl after academy owner, Rita, finally gives up. Things are going along just fine until one day,whilst out and about, Sheriff detours from their regular route and Theresa can't control him. Whatever is going on? This is a fairly predictable story but I am sure horse lovers will enjoy it. Once again, illustrations by Martha Doty add greatly to the miniature book in the Horseshoe Canyon series.