Book Review - Sounds Spooky

Sounds Spooky (Picture Book)

Christopher Cheng & Sarah Davis

Random House Australia.

www.sounds-spooky.com

ISBN: 9781864718805

Now, this isn’t a new book. It was first published in 2011 and was chosen as a Notable Book by the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA). The reason I am reviewing the book now is that I took it along to Vacation Care this week to read to the kids and they keep asking me to read it again.

There is no better recommendation than that.

The kids were also impressed that my copy has been signed by Sarah Davis along with one of her delightful 30 second bat sketches.

Sounds Spooky is a twist on a haunted house story where the ghost is being frightened by all the spooky sounds being made by three children who sneak into the old house at night. Christopher’s text is atmospheric and flows musically off the tongue, offering the reader plenty of scope to screech and growl at their young listeners during the story.  "Plinketty Plunketty Plonk Plink Plunk Twang!"

The illustrations by Sarah Davis, my personal favourite children’s book illustrator, have been created from individually crafted 3D models for this book. Sarah even built the entire haunted house set for the characters to live out their adventure.  There is so much detail in each scene that you find something new hidden there each time you read the story. The characters are quirky and appealing, especially the vulnerable young ghost girl.

My favourite scene in the book is where the children are tentatively listening at one side of the bedroom door and the ghost girl is listening at the other. The amount of expression and emotion displayed by the characters fits the scene perfectly.

Sounds Spooky is a delightfully fun book to read aloud to younger children. It leaves the children asking for more. It is also great for newly independent readers.

  

Workshops at the NSW Writers' Centre

Someone once told me that many people don’t realise that people actually live west of the Blue Mountains. He was mainly talking about the publishing industry at the time. Granted, he was a little jaded and being flippant but he isn’t entirely wrong. It is harder for writers living outside the capitol cities. Not because of publishers but mainly that we don’t have regular access to all the facilities of our city cousins.

Take the NSW Writers’ Centre.

If I didn’t live three hours away, I’d be at the Centre every week. I’d join one of their numerous writers’ groups and I would go to a lot more of their wonderful workshops. As it is, I try to attend two workshops each year, plus the annual Festival of Children’s Literature.

Early this month, I attended the “Advanced Picture Book Workshop” with Libby Gleeson. I had high expectations and happily, I wasn’t disappointed. Libby is such a lovely person. She made everyone feel at ease and filled our hungry little minds with insightful and practical information. She also left us with some useful questions to ask ourselves when writing.

Some of these include;

.....• What is it that sets your character apart from other picture book characters?

.....• Why did you explain what the story is about?

.....• Is the orientation too long and complicated?

.....• Is there enough dramatic tension in the middle? (Rule of three)

These questions are just as valid for chapter books and novels.

Libby also left us with some interesting quotes.

.....• “Try and find that perfect – beautiful image.”

.....• “If you are going to do a rhyming text, it MUST be VERY, VERY good.”

.....• “If it doesn’t ADD, it SUBTRACTS.” (My personal favourite).

The best thing I took away from the day was the realisation that I’m actually on the right track with my picture book texts. And I’m confident that with persistence and a little luck, I am going to crack this publishing thing.

What a lovely setting for a workshop.



I Don't Get John Marsden

Today, I found myself in the position of reading John Marsden's picture book 'Home and Away' to a small group of Year 5 students. I have to admit, before I go any further with this post that I have never been a huge fan of Mr. Marsden's writing. I applaud him because he tackles difficult subjects in his writing, and looking at his sales figures and multitude of loyal fans, he must be doing something right. But I honestly just don't get him.


Home and Away deals with the issue of refugees by placing the reader in the position of thinking, 'What if there was a war in Australia and we had to flee and leave ourselves to the mercy of authorities in a neighbouring country.'

I can see where he was going with the premise but to me, it seemed overdone. More importantly, the kids didn't get it! And I had to explain to them what the story was about. The book didn't spark questions from the kids about how we treat the refugees coming to Australia and it didn't leave me feeling outraged at our treatment of refugees. It just left me feeling dark. Sure, the kids said how bad it would be if we had a war and had to flee from Australia but they didn't connect with the issue.


If the aim of the books is to enlighten children to the plight of refugees, I think the shock value of the story actually detracted from those issues.



Last year, I read Gabiann Marin's picture book, 'A True Person' which also deals with the plight of refugees fleeing a war torn country to find a new life somewhere safe. Like 'Home and Away' it is written from the perspective of a child refugee and deals with hardships, fear and questions why Zallah and her family were forced into a detention centre. But that is where the similarities end.
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I found I had a much greater emotional connection to 'A True Person' It was written with hope and compassion. It left me with a much greater empathy toward the circumstances of refugees than 'Home and Away'
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I know comparing the two books it is a lot like comparing apples to oranges. But for me, sorry John, I'll take the oranges.
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Dusty the Driveway-Coloured Cat

Just a quick piece today.

I was backing out of my driveway the other day and only just noticed my neighbour's Siamese cat, Herbie snoozing peacefully in the middle of my driveway. I actually had to get out of the car and shoo him away. Stupid cat.

Last night I had a brainstorm. When I recovered, I started writing my next picture book text, ‘Dusty the Driveway-coloured Cat.’ (Thought I’d change his name so he wouldn’t be too embarrassed.)

Don’t worry, I probably won’t run over him in the story, unless … he keeps doing his business in my yard.

I can see the illustrations really clearly in my head, so that is a good thing.

Teaser Tuesday # 5 In the Wake of the Mary Celeste

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The Teaser Tuesdays meme is hosted by Should Be Reading. It's easy and fun. Open your current read at a random page and share two sentences from somewhere between lines 7 and 12. There's one important rule - no spoilers!

This weeks Teaser Tuesday tid-bit is 'In the Wake of the Mary Celeste' a picture book for older readers writen by Gary Crew (on of my all time favourite authors) and illustrated by Robert Ingpen.


This is an interesting picture book concept. It is written in the form of a letter to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle from Arthur Briggs, the son of the Mary Celeste's captain.

Excerpt:

It is too cruel.

I see you pause in your reading to shake your head,

thinking that I protest too much. If that is so, let me

remind you of why I cannot forget. Why I still feel

pain. Why, even as an adult, I still grieve for my loved

ones, daily ...

Happy reading.