Library News

We would like to welcome to the library team Mr Matt Cohn and Ms Karla Chisholm.

Ms Chisholm is a librarian who has moved to Echuca from Queensland, and Mr Cohn is a teacher librarian who will be working in the library and also in the classroom. Mr Cohn has had a tree change and moved from the southern suburbs in Melbourne.

Please pop in and say hello to our new staff members.

We now have a selection of magazines for loan. Titles include Wheels, Techlife, Fishing magazine, Frankie and many more.

May the 4th be with you.  Thank you Mrs Gates and Harry  Oliver for the '4th of May' display.

CBCA Book Week book reviews.

We have two Book Week book reviews for you this fortnight. Thank you to Imogen and Isabella for reading the books and writing the reviews.

A Glasshouse of Stars, by Shirley Marr

Review by Isabella Bishop

A glasshouse of stars is about the challenges Meixing faces in the New Land. From making new friends to learning a new language, in the book Meixing has to deal with family drama and fake friends.

Meixing’s house, Big Scary, is always changing and adapting to their needs.

Meixing’s father, Ba Ba, dies in an accident leaving her and her mother Ma Ma, alone in this new country. Meixing is constantly shunted aside by her classmates because she is new and different.

She grows up to learn that there will always be people who find a way to pick on her.

This book is very detailed and gives the readers a wonderful understanding of Meixing’s life. The way the book is written makes you feel as though you are Meixing, making the experience even more realistic.

Exit through the gift shop, by Maryam Master 

Review by Imogen Anderson

This is one heck of a novel. Cancer and dying are tough topics but Maryam Master wrings the emotion out of her readers. We follow Ana through what she is told will be her final year of life as she takes a last hope trip to the USA and faces a ruthless bully.

Ana is very down to earth. She has accepted her fate and is ready to make the most of the time that she has. She has quite a sense of humour and her story is written in a dramatic (comedic) way with lots of big bold words and sketches on the pages.

There is a best friend, Al, who’s by her side to support and cheer her up. He is also a little bit silly and not worried about what people think of him. And what’s a teen novel without a nemesis! Alyssa (Queen mean) relentlessly bullies Ana which Ana expects to stop when Alyssa finds out she has cancer. Ana has already graciously decided to forgive her.

Maryam Master has written an entertaining novel that includes metaphors, alliteration and exaggeration which all together makes a tear-jerking book which also includes lots of humour to lighten the heavy side of reality.

Ruth McLaughlan

Librarian