People Might Hear You.

Title: People Might Hear You. Author: robin Klein Pages: 199 first published: penguin 1983.

frances has lived with her aunt forever. they've never had much, she always slept on the couch and they move to where her aunt can find work. resently though she' made a best friend and life seems pretty good. when her aunt Loris announces one morning that she's getting married and hand frances a note for the school office saying she won't be coming back frances get slightly confused. she is even more confused when her aunt explains that the wedding is today and that no, frances can't come. that night she and her aunt move to mr tyrell's house under the cover of darkness and frances is thrown into a whole new way of life. she no longer goes to school she stays at home with her new step sisters behind fences so high and frosted windows and study's the rules of the temple. she's taught that the world outside is evil anf that everyone who isn't part of there religion is going to perrish in a great war. but slowly as frances fear subsides she starts to think, " how can the be true?".

though i love the characters in this book in some ways i think frances seemed to be missing something. she was completley beleiveable in her actions though. if someone surrounded me with their religion and told me i would die in a horrific war i sertenley wouldn't question them. but eventually your mistakes like talking in meals or wanting to go outside would show just how crazy it is. my favourite thing is how frances is at first willing not to try because she doesn't want to die, but because she thinks if her aunt is happy there it can't be all wrong. she also didn't want to ruin her aunt's happiness. my only problem with this book was the ending. it left lots of questions, but i supose that they would have been hard to answer, how would anyone know what would happen to a cult if people got out and told the world.

it is a beautiful book and i'm still glad that robin klein let Helen see the stars.

lord sunday

lord sunday is out today. well, i bought it yesterday and it offically came out today.
it's the final book in a series of seven and if the others are anything to go by it is gonna rock!
here's my review of the first one, mr monday

I Lost my Mobile at the Mall

Title:I Lost my Mobile at the Mall
Author: Wendy Harmer
First Published: 2009 by random house Australia
Pages: 319

this book is awesome!
at first i thought i wasn't going to love it. you know, OK but not great. but quickly i got to know our main character elly, how she loves words and worries . i kept reading and not only had she lost her mobile, she had a broken heart, no computer, lots of confusing thoughts about society. and a few other problems to tackle. her lack of technology for 2 weeks really changed the way she saw everything.

i love how realistic this book was and how interesting the characters were, her boyfriend defiantly wasn't what i expected. my favourite thing was its take on just how connected we are now compaired to any other time, even though maybe we're less in-touch than we think. also the minor view on cyber bullying that came with it.
when Elly searched cyber bullying this came up " like drinking and driving, emotions and the internet don't mix. Don't react or you could end up being a cyberbully yourself" which reminds me what goes on online is not the same as is in real, saying something is going to come across differently than if you read it.

i also love all the quotes scattered through the book from jane eyre and websites. a very nice touch.

Just as good!

Just as good is another idea I've thought of. we're going to match Aussie authors we read to more common ones you guys know. we'll do it as often as we find authors we can pair up. their books might not always be quite the same, but we think if you like the English or American you'll like the Aussie one.

Jessica green and Anna and Mary k pershall are just as good as Cathy Cassidy!

i think most of us like Cathy Cassidy books so here are 2 series that are the same genre and that you'll like just as much.

Jessica Green has written 2 books, diary of a would-be princess and it's sequel a tyranny of toads. i think she'll write a third installment about Jillian James' year 7 experience, but i haven't heard anything yet.

Anna and Mary k pershall are a mother and daughter team who have written one series of books together. 2 weeks in year 6, a term in year 7 and escape from year 8. i really like these books and think they do a good job with the bullying theme from both points of view.

Grace

Title: Grace

Author: Morris Gleitzman

First Published: 2009 by Penguin Group Australia

Grace and her family are Christians - a special type. They believe that they they should have no contact with 'the outside world', aka other people. The church elders make sure of that.

Grace has never before questioned this belief, as she knew God loved her family and her church and would protect them. Until then. The day when she gets called a sinner, and the day where she makes contact with two outsiders and gets locked up in the solitary room, forced to read the Bible out loud until she almost loses her voice. But the most shocking thing of all, her beloved father gets expelled.

That's when Grace sets out on a mission to find him and bring him back, when she discovers that maybe her church isn't full of holy and spiritual people, but of child abusers and liars...

This is the latest book by Morris Gleitzman. I'm glad he started writing books for older readers. Grace really makes you think about the times when church leaders made up rules just so they could get more money, and how some people can be extremely mean. I loved how even in the worst times, Grace never blamed God for anything. The idea of the book was very good, it reminded me of 'I, Coriander' but it was a lot more realistic.

My only criteria was that the book seemed a bit short - it whizzed through some parts faster that others. And something was missing - like the plot had a hole in it. Other than that I really liked it, it's definitely one of Morris Gleitzman's best books.

3½/5.

i dare you january

hey, i dare you for this month is to have an "aussie picnic" on australia day, the 26th of january. it can be as simple as you like from vegemite on toast for breakfast to a feast with all your friends. you could even make a pavlova for your family.

all you've got to do is make your aussie food and post a picture on your blog with the link to cherry banana split. everyone who takes part will get a blog badge saying "i took part in the cherry banana split australia day picnic"

i'd love to hear what you think of this idea so leave comments. for inspiration look at possum magic or just ask.

thanks
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

possum magic

Title: Possum Magic
Author: Mem Fox
First Published:1983
pages:27

this is the story of hush and grandma poss and their adventure to make the invisible hush seen again. they travel all round australia and try heaps of different foods. parts of this book are in ryhme and it has adorable pictures, even the invisable ones are cute.

this book was written by Mem fox in uni as an assignment and published when she realised there were so few aussie picture books. this book is a classic. most aussie kids would have read it at some stage. in 2003 for the 20th annaversary of this book we celebrated at school by having each class bring in a dish from the book. my class had to bring in red sauages, i'm not sure why because they aren't mentioned.