Athina Clarke
Athina Clarke is from Readings Carlton
Review — 22 Jul 2014
Plenty by Ananda Braxton-Smith
Ten-year-old Maddie is confused and extremely angry when her parents reveal they’re moving from their inner-city Melbourne home to a small regional town. Her sense of dislocation is profound as…
Review — 26 Oct 2014
Laurinda by Alice Pung
Let me first declare that this novel was like a time machine that shot me straight back to my own years in middle secondary school. On one level Laurinda is…
Review — 25 Jun 2014
Searching for Sky by Jillian Cantor
Imagine an idyllic island paradise where life is beautiful but challenging. If you’re not willing or able to hunt, fish, forage for food and build shelter from the elements, you…
Review — 27 May 2014
Loyal Creatures by Morris Gleitzman
It’s 1914 and 16-year-old Frank and his dad volunteer for war; Frank’s excitement is palpable as the pair set sail for a great adventure in Egypt. But father and son…
Review — 12 May 2014
My Heart is Laughing by Rose Lagercrantz & Eva Eriksson
My Heart is Laughing is irresistible and just like in its predecessor, My Happy Life, there’s so much for children to experience within this realistic depiction of being a…
Review — 22 Apr 2014
Dappled Annie and the Tigrish by Mary McCallum & Annie Hayward
On a remote stretch of New Zealand coastline, the daughter of the local lighthouse keeper is left to her own devices. The beauty of Annie’s surroundings, combined with the power…
Review — 22 Apr 2014
Squishy McFluff: The Invisible Cat! by Pip Jones & Ella Okstad
I’m unsure as to who is the cutest character in this story. Is it the wonderfully mischievous Ava, artfully dodging responsibility for minor misdemeanours, or the soft, furry Squishy McFluff…
Review — 22 Apr 2014
Tiny: The Invisible World of Microbes by Nicola Davies & Emily Sutton
To fully convey the true wonder of the scientific world to younger children requires great skill. To make it informative yet entertaining demands art. This beautifully produced picture book has…
Review — 27 Feb 2014
The Simple Things by Bill Condon & Beth Norling
Steven’s first meeting with his great aunt Lola doesn’t win him any points. She seems a bit scary and grumpy, and what on earth are they going to talk about…
Review — 27 Feb 2014
The Cunning Plan by Caryl Hart & Alex T. Smith
Young readers will have lots of fun reading this crazy, laugh-out-loud adventure starring Foxy Dubois (the fox) and Alphonso (the alligator) and the outlandish population of the bustling town of…
