The Children’s Book Council of Australia has announced its 2015 Book of the Year shortlist for children and young adults.
This year The CBCA celebrates its 70th anniversary and it certainly has made its mark in the children’s literary landscape in Australia.
Please follow this link to see the full list of titles. Parramatta City Library welcomes you to reserve those titles and also invite you and your kids to participate our library’s reading activities.
The theme for April was ‘Easter Eats’ and the club members had a great time looking at some of the wonderful Easter food traditions from different cultures, fish seemed to be a common theme.
The recipes shared at this meeting could be adapted to be used to celebrate the Easter (or any other) occasion. Every Occasion Ice Cream Cake and Sweet and Sour Sauce were the recipes shared for this month. Don’t forget – next months theme is ‘Creative Cakes’ and the meeting will be on Thursday 14 May at 2.30pm at Parramatta Library.
The Hugo awards have presented the world best science fiction titles and this year’s finalists have been announced recently. Worldcon, World Science Fiction Convention, will decide the winners for each category. You can go to the following link to find the all finalists for each category.
http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2015-hugo-awards/
(Please note : “Hugo Award” and The Hugo Award Logo are service marks of the World Science Fiction Society, an unincorporated literary society.)
Jack of Diamonds – Bryce Courtenay
Abstract
Born and raised in a poor, working-class family in Toronto, Jack Spayd is the son of an unhappy marriage. But when he is given a harmonica as a young boy, he discovers a talent for music that will change his life forever. After being taken under the wing of ‘Miss Frostbite’, the owner of a local jazz club, Jack becomes a gifted musician, playing piano and harmonica. After the death of his mother, he travels to Las Vegas and finds work in the clubs there, but is increasingly drawn to gambling. He earns a reputation as a good player, which brings him to the attention of the mafia. Jack wants to join the professional circuit, and to do that he needs serious money behind him.
Group Comments
Book could have been condensed. The book started of very interesting and you didn’t want to put it down.
Some thought provoking sentences, a bit too much violence. Much laughter re the parrot – called ‘Jack of Diamonds’. All were happy he wasn’t killed.
Large volume – was difficult to hold, but typical Bryce Courtenay; would make a great television drama.
Some American slang language was difficult. Very graphic sexual descriptions.
Jack is somewhat a coming of age story!
Overall everyone read it but there have been better ones.
Read by
The Last Thursday Book Group