junior fiction | Lost in a Good Book

Long Lost Review: The 143-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths

14 Mar 2024 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, Audiobook, Junior Fiction, Treehouse Series Tags: andy griffiths, junior fiction, long lost review, Long Lost Reviews, stig wemyss, terry denton, Treehouse Series

Long Lost Reviews is a monthly meme created by Ally over at Ally’s Appraisals which is posted on the second Thursday of every month. The aim is to start tackling your review backlog. Whether it’s an in-depth analysis of how it affected your life, one sentence stating that you only remember the ending, or that you have no recollection of reading the book at all.

Published: 1 October 2021 (print)/19 October 2021 (audio)
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia /Macmillan Australia Audio
Pages: 304/ 1 hr and 40 mins
Narrator: Stig Wemyss
Format: Audiobook
Genre: Junior Fiction
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars

Andy and Terry’s treehouse now has 13 new storeys, including a word-o-matic (it knows every word in the whole world!); a recycling depot; a wrecking ball; a deep, dark cave with a real live, fire-breathing dragon; a too-hard basket; a SUPER BIG STUFF storey; a baked-bean geyser (it erupts on the hour, every hour); a Ye Olde Worlde Historical Village; a fish milkshake level (the penguins love them!); a complaining room; a spooky graveyard (where it’s always midnight, even in the middle of the day); a toffee apple orchard guarded by a kind scarecrow; and a camping ground where you can have a nice, relaxing camping holiday – unless you get caught by hobyahs, put in a bag and poked with a stick, that is … Well, what are you waiting for? Come on up!

As I was organising my review of the 169 Storey Treehouse I realised I skipped reviewing a few of the Treehouse books. I am here to start rectifying that today, I found the lovely notes I wrote when I read it in 2022 so I can at least remember what it was about.

This is Treehouse book number eleven. It doesn’t feel like there have been eleven, each one is fresh and engaging despite being formulaic. They are fun, wacky, humourous, and have unique antics that always seem to make sense in the story even if they make no sense.

Unlike some previous books, there is an actual storyline this time around instead of the plot consisting of jumping through random rooms and floors in the treehouse. There are references to old books and previous levels which doesn’t always happen, and given there are 143 levels it makes sense you could easily reuse a room.

Wemyss does an amazing job once more with the audiobook. It’s always a delight listening to him not only do the narration but also the side dialogue as he describes the illustrations and quirky remarks you miss out on with the audio format. The chatter of the little creatures running around the place are fun to listen to and it fits in well with the overall tone of the story.

I still enjoy the recap at the end of the book as they write down their adventure for their book. I know in the past I disliked the formula sometimes but I like the reliability of it, especially given the middle bits are always so different. I think when the story in the middle is done well, and there is a structure of sorts and isn’t wacky event after wacky event, it’s a better book.

Griffiths makes each book fresh and new and by now we are well aware of Terry and Andy’s dynamic so you know how each character behaves and how they influence a story. It is still easy enough to jump into this series wherever you first find it because they are easily a standalone despite the references to their past works. Story wise it makes no difference which adds to the timeless charm of the series.

You can purchase The 143-Storey Treehouse via the following

QBD | Booktopia | Dymocks

Angus and Robinson | Blackwell’s

Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust | Audible

The List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead

26 Apr 2023 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, Junior Fiction, LGBTQIA Tags: four stars, junior fiction, lgbt, LGBTQIA, rebecca stead

Published: 7 April 2020
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books
Pages: 224
Format: Paperback
Genre: Junior Fiction
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars

After her parents’ divorce, Bea’s life became different in many ways. But she can always look back at the list she keeps in her green notebook to remember the things that will stay the same. The first and most important: Mom and Dad will always love Bea, and each other.

When Dad tells Bea that he and his boyfriend, Jesse, are getting married, Bea is thrilled. Bea loves Jesse, and when he and Dad get married, she’ll finally (finally!) have what she’s always wanted–a sister. Even though she’s never met Jesse’s daughter, Sonia, Bea is sure that they’ll be “just like sisters anywhere.”

As the wedding day approaches, Bea will learn that making a new family brings questions, surprises, and joy.

This is a great story that shows family is whoever you want it to be as well as understanding that the list of things that will not change may not always be for the better while sometimes the things that do change are not so bad. Through a lot of different events and time we see Bea’s past and present as she tells us about her friends, her family and how she is guided by the list her parents made her when they divorced.

It’s weird to say this is a wholesome story because there are bad things in here like bullying and homophobia, but Stead tells the story through the characters and each one is full of depth and complexity which feels real and human and I was surprised how deep this story felt.

Bea is a great character because she is complicated, flawed, loving, and her own person. I liked Bea’s passion and her enthusiasm and it was wonderful to see a kid being able to express themselves, even in bad ways, because it is a great example of how kids need to be taught about emotional control and everything is still a steep learning curve for them.

Stead does a great job balancing the story of Bea, her parents, as well as hinting at other family issues and things that happened in the past. The bookend story about her dad and corn is so well done and I thought I was going to be disappointed but Stead makes it work and most of the time you forget there is a reason you’re being told this story about love and family and growing up.

There are secrets, mysteries, and big changes all bundled together and while on the surface this looks like a simple story it’s packed full of so many things that show how messy life can be. Bea’s voice is so innocent and yet understanding it’s a fantastic read for any age.

You can purchase The List of Things That Will Not Change via the following

QBD | Booktopia | Book Depository

Dymocks | Wordery | Angus and Robinson

Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust

Hazel’s Theory of Everything by Lisa Jenn Bigelow

18 Oct 2022 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, Junior Fiction, LGBTQIA Tags: aroace, aromantic, asexual, asexuality, four stars, junior fiction, lesbian, lgbt, LGBTQIA, lisa jenn bigelow, trans, transgender

Published: 8th October 2019
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 352
Format: Paperback
Genre: Junior Fiction
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars

Hazel knows a lot about the world. That’s because when she’s not hanging with her best friend, taking care of her dog, or helping care for the goats on her family’s farm, she loves reading through dusty encyclopaedias.

But even Hazel doesn’t have answers for the questions awaiting her as she enters eighth grade. What if no one at her new school gets her, and she doesn’t make any friends? What’s going to happen to one of her moms, who’s pregnant again after having two miscarriages? Why does everything have to change when life was already perfectly fine?

As Hazel struggles to cope, she’ll come to realize that sometimes you have to look within yourself–instead of the pages of a book–to find the answer to life’s most important questions.

I’m so glad this was published because I’ve tried to find LGBTQIA books for younger teens or kids in the past and the choices are limited. Now we have Hazel who is questioning aromantic asexual, her friend who is trans, and some great two mums rep. There is a lot of other fantastic representation throughout this book with a diverse set of characters. On top of great LGBTQIA characters there’s proud Jewish and Latin American families as well as a mixed race couple in Hazel’s mums and a character in a wheelchair. All of these characters feel fully fleshed out, had their own stories to tell and their representation never felt token or shallow.

Hazel is a 13 year old who has had everything thrown at her at once: new school, surprise expecting parent, and her old friend making new friends without her. Bigelow captures the awkward time of being a new teen where you’re on the cusp of childhood and not quite adulthood, and emotions are heightened and things are changing around you faster than you can keep up. I loved Hazel’s voice and outlook on the world and I understood her frustrations at the world around her.

There are some brief Lenny’s Book of Everything vibes with the encyclopaedic knowledge, and I enjoyed seeing Hazel fight for the sake of knowledge and demand respect for the forgotten animals who need saving just as much as the cute ones. I also liked how science and knowledge were her passions and she was going to keep trying to learn even if it was hard and people didn’t always understand.

The brother/sister relationship between her and Rowan is great, the age gap is treated realistically but there is also a strong family bond between them and Rowan is a great older brother. I also loved the relationship Hazel had with her two mums, both offering something different for her and could give support in their own ways.

There are some content warnings for this book including suicidal thoughts and miscarriage, but Bigelow writes about them in ways that are brief or are discussed in important but dominating ways. The realities of Mimi’s failed pregnancies is a key point of the story and Hazel’s emotional stress and I think Bigelow has addressed it brilliantly, especially through Hazel’s eyes, to give it importance and make people understand the impact it can have on a family. The exploration of the emotional toll was fantastic, and Bigelow puts into words Hazel’s fears, passions, and hopes in heartbreaking ways and it captures beautifully the pains of being a teen. This is a truly beautiful book full of emotions and growth and no doubt will have a bit impact on people’s lives.

You can purchase Hazel’s Theory of Evolution via the following

Booktopia | Book Depository

Angus and Robinson

Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust

Holes (#1) by Louis Sachar

10 Oct 2022 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, Junior Fiction Tags: four stars, junior fiction, louis sachar

Published: 7th May 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 240
Format: Paperback
Genre: Junior Fiction
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars

Stanley Yelnats’ family has a history of bad luck going back generations, so he is not too surprised when a miscarriage of justice sends him to Camp Green Lake Juvenile Detention Centre. Nor is he very surprised when he is told that his daily labour at the camp is to dig a hole, five foot wide by five foot deep, and report anything that he finds in that hole. The warden claims that it is character building, but this is a lie and Stanley must dig up the truth.

I was pleasantly surprised by the complexity of this story. It was short and simple but there was a deep connectivity that I loved woven masterfully through the whole thing. Sachar goes between the present and the past in introducing Stanley and his story remarkably well. It feels natural to jump between history and the present and even with a line or two to remind us of what scene we’re still in before explaining the past is all you need to centre us again.

The characters are entertaining and unique, complex but simple enough for this relatively short story. Stanley is a great character and the other boys at the camp all have their own personalities that aren’t too developed but still feel like real people. Sachar explores the mentality of the past with sly remarks and hidden meanings so you often know what he is saying without saying it and often this other timeline is captivating enough you forget it’s only a flashback.

Despite being a quick read the family curse and the quirks and charms of Stanley and his family make it an entertaining and endearing read. There is a lot of heart shown throughout and there is a definite good guys/bag guys, adults vs kids approach at the Camp that younger readers would identify with. There are good adults too, as well as troublesome kids, but the character development and lessons learnt are well earned and rewarding given the events that happen.

I wasn’t expecting to like this story as much as I did. The convergence of the past to the present is beautifully intertwined and the lives of these characters, past and present, are heart-warming, bittersweet, and at times a little bit heartbreaking.

You can purchase Holes via the following

QBD | Booktopia | Book Depository

Dymocks | Angus and Robinson

Amazon | Amazon Aust | Audible

Two Weeks with the Queen by Morris Gleitzman

10 Jun 2021 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, Junior Fiction, LGBTQIA, Long Lost Reviews Tags: #llr, aussie books, four stars, junior fiction, lgbt, LGBTQIA, Long Lost Reviews, morris gleitzman

Published: 4th March 1999
Publisher: Penguin
Pages: 133
Format: Paperback
Genre: Junior Fiction
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars

“Dear Your Majesty the Queen,

I need to speak to you urgently about my brother Luke. He’s got cancer and the doctors in Australia are being really slack. If I could borrow your top doctor for a few days I know he/she would fix things in no time. Of course Mum and Dad would pay his/her fares even if it meant selling the car or getting a loan. Please contact me at the above address urgently.

Yours sincerely,
Colin Mudford.

P.S.
This is not a hoax.
Ring the above number and Aunty Iris will tell you.
Hang up if a man answers.

I know this probably doesn’t quite count as a true LGBTQIA book so I may be cheating a little here including it in my Pride Month. I first read this for uni back in 2009 and really enjoyed it. I loved the play on words Gleitzman has with the title and I liked how such a short story could contain such deep and meaningful content while still being simple and at times even humerous.

The narrative is told through Colin’s third person perspective and it’s a great tactic to understand Colin’s age and mindset. His naivety and childlike logic about what is happening and how every problem has a simple solution or was an egregious injustice made you understand that even at twelve Colin’s world had simple answers and solutions.

When I first read it I don’t remember thinking how strange it was to send Colin away to England while his brother was sick. I understand the reasoning of his parents but I also feel that it would be a terrible and selfish thing to do and I love how this is reflected in the story. Colin’s various schemes to cure his brother are fanciful but full of heart and with the logic of a twelve year old who doesn’t know any better they make perfect sense in his head.

It is a fleeting moment Colin spends with Griff and Ted, fleeting really in a lot of ways because of the length of the story but Gleitzman has captured a lot of heart, a lot of innocence and a lot of compassion in a light on the outside deep and moving on the inside narrative. Having Colin know and understand about AIDS and homosexuality as well as the slurs used towards gay men at the time is beneficial because the narrative explains it to readers through Colin’s comprehension without it needing true explanations from adults in the story. I also liked that Gleitzman has him knowledgeable about these things but doesn’t let the stigma interfere with his good nature and kindness.

The realism is beautiful and heartbreaking and Gleitzman balances this sweet story of a kid writing to the queen and trying to track down doctors to help his brother alongside serious social issues and medical realities that don’t always have a happily ever after.