The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

by John Boyne
Australian Readers' Challenge listed title.
The author describes this book as a fable, the name given to a simple story with a mesage to impart - like "Slow and steady wins the race." But this book is not so simple, although written in a beautifully simple style. The cover blurb warns that it is best to start this story without knowing what it is about, and there is some wisdom in that. It is also a story whose whole point could be missed if you don't know a bit of the background.

Bruno is a boy of nine (but the book is not for nine year olds) and he is taken away from his beautiful home in Berlin during World War II when his father is given a very important job. Now he must live in a lonely place with just his family. Yet Bruno is an explorer and one day he finds a fence and a friend.

If you are interested in the historical background to this story, or in reading other Holocaust stories, you may like the following books from our library. Be warned that they are not stories for the faint hearted.

Maus by Art Spiegelman is the story of Holocaust victims told in comic book format.
Hitler Youth by Susan Campbell Bartoletti contains many stories and pictures of real children and young people who grew up in Nazi Germany.
Finally, Auschwitz by Pascal Croci is a haunting picture book.

Boy Proof

by Cecil Castellucci
Egg knows she is different from most people at her high school and has decided that that is their problem. Calling herself after the tough heroine of her favourite science fiction film, shaving her head and being unfriendly to just about everyone means that she is boy proof - and no-one can hurt her. A film buff, talented photographer for the school newspaper and honour student in all her subjects (well, almost) she is enraged when a new boy comes to school. It seems he is as smart as her (surely not!) and friendly to everyone - including Egg. Max is also a fantastic artist, and he just might tip Egg out of the top academic honour of the year - unless she admits she needs help to pass maths. Egg has finally met someone who understands her, but can she let herself be nice to him? Both she and Max are pretty interesting characters to get to know.

Lost Property

by James Moloney
Australian Readers' Challenge listed title.
Josh is enjoying his job in the lost property office at Central Station in the Christmas holidays, when he finds a photo that has his missing brother Michael in the background. Although Josh has good friends, a pretty girlfriend, is lead singer of a band and has lots of money saved from his job, his missing brother causes a pain he can't express and is threatening to destroy his family. It is time he did something about finding Michael, and the photo is his first clue. But things are not quite as they seem. A satisfying book about a young man who finds himself while looking for his brother.

Deep Water

by Ann Turnbull

"The bus was late. Jon hoped it had broken down. Or caught fire. Or been hijacked. Anything - so long as he didn't have to go to school this Friday."

Have you ever made a decision that you lived to regret? Jon makes one, that leads to another and another. Before he knows it, he is in deep and in the wrong place when something really bad happens. Does he have the inner strength to know when enough is enough? This is a short book (96 pages) and to tell any more of the story would be to seriously ruin the suspense. A must read.

We also hold "No Shame, No Fear" by this author. It is a longer novel about religious persecution in England in the 17th Century, and young love that suffered the consequences. Another excellent book.

All Fall Down

by Susan Geason
Set in Sydney in 1900 this story tells an exciting adventure located in the seedier parts of the city. When the son of a young serving girl disappears it is feared that his father, a wanted criminal has taken him. Fourteen-year-old Christabel, from a well off home but bored and lonely, decides to rescue him, with the help of stable boy Billy. This is a fast moving story, which gives a very realistic idea of what Sydney must have been like in those days.

Slaughterboy

by Odo Hirsch
This author has written some wonderful children?s stories, but this book (and the memorable Yoss written a few years ago) demonstrate what a great writer he is when dealing with more serious topics. The boy of the title is barely saved from starvation when not much more than a toddler. He gets through the next few years by his wits and the friendship of other boys in similar circumstances, surviving the dangers of a medieval city without the protection of family. The book takes us on his journey of survival, for better or worse. In many ways the author shows us how lucky we are to live in a modern, civilised nation, but then again the ups and downs of Conrad's life read as true for many people today. Excellent.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

by C. S. Lewis
Australian Readers' Challenge listed title.
It has taken me many years to finally read this classic of children's literature, and it is an amazing story. Discovering the world of Narnia, just as Lucy does through the back of the wardrobe, is pretty exciting. Whilst the strong parallels to biblical stories will be clear to older readers, younger children will just enjoy the adventures of the children in this fantasy world. An excellent introduction to the world of fantasy.

Sweet Guy

by Jared Thomas
Australian Readers' Challenge listed title.
Aimed at older teenagers and adults, this book tells the story of Michael Sweet, a young man who has had his fair share of bad luck. But now he is finished with school, into university and able to move out of his father's house - something he his very pleased about. Through Michael's own account we learn about his past and how he is coping with his new life, and dealing with the inevitable issues from his past. His voice is a very realistic and sometimes confused one. We travel with him as he deals with the confusing world of girls, alcohol, and reluctantly finding out his father may have some redeeming features.

Mad Arm of the Y

David McRobbie introduces us to two young people on different sides of the planet - Brisbane and London - and with very little in common. As we hear bits of each story we gradually realise that these two, Teresa and Brian, are going to cross paths. The results are devastating for both in very different ways. As a reader I was really sucked into this story to see how things sorted themselves out over the years for these two characters. Recommended for mature readers.

Geography Club

by Brent Hartinger
When good friends Russell and Min, who thought they knew each other pretty well, each find out that the other is gay, they wonder what else they don't know about their friends. As numbers gather, rather than coming out to all, they start a school club that they figure nobody else will want to join. Then one day someone who thinks it is actually a Geography Club turns up to join. A light but very affirming read. Recommended.

Book Bites Begins

I am afraid I have not been very imaginative about the name of this blog. Do you have a better idea? I'd love to hear it.

My first thought was to call it "Outside of a dog" as in the Groucho Marx quote "Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." But I was too late for that one, believe it or not. (See: Outside of a Dog: Kate Nepveu's Book Log Kate is a professional book logger. See her interesting heading Sequential Art for graphic novel/comic reviews.)

"Book Bites" is my not very original attempt to associate reading with food - well, I am trying to appeal to boys. "Book Feast" might be better? "Book Barbeque" sounds a bit close to "Book Burning". Anyway, let me know if you have an idea.

Happy reading!