A Very Onion Christmas, part the third - Teen and YA fiction

We all know what teenage fiction is (don't we?). But, what is YA? What is YA? What is YA? (Indeed, Google has over 2,000,000,000 results for this question.)

As ever, we are here to help.

Teen & YA Fiction

Bloodflower by Christine Hinwood

This book grabs you by the heart and then, ever-so-gently, starts to squeeze. There is war and its aftermath, there is intensely real world building, but more than that there are characters that stay with you long after you've put the book down. Oh, Cam Attling - I think I'm in love.

Liar by Justine Larbalestier

Micah Wilkins is a liar. Micah Wilkins is not just an unreliable narrator, she is the monarch of unreliable narrators. She with tell you the truth. Then she will tell you the true truth. Then she will tell you the real actual truth. And she will ask you to trust her. And you will. But she's a liar. If you haven't read it, don't dip into it as you prepare to wrap it. Micah will wrap her lies around you until your head spins and your gifts will remain unwrapped until you finish. Don't say we didn't warn you.

Pink by Lili Wilkinson

Ava Simpson, on the other hand, is trying to be true to herself. She's just not sure what being true to herself means. But she's determined to find out. And, as Simmone Howell says, her efforts to do so are 'ouch-sharp' and 'cringe-in-corners funny'. Even the proofreader of this book was often derailed by laughter. Perfect for the teenage girl in your life - or the one who never quite left your heart.

The Poison Throne by Celine Kiernan

There is so much Moorehawke love in the House of Onion. Really, it has everything you could want: intrigue, suspense, romance, family drama, royalty court shenanigans, fighting, honour, cats. It's for boys and girls. The only shame is that at some point you reach the end. But then you realise there are two more books to go (Book II Crowded Shadows is out in Jan!) and you can breathe again.

The Devil You Know by Leonie Norrington
88 is angry. 88 is Damien's father. 88 is coming home.
'Run! You idiot! Run!
Leonie Norrington's writing is exceptionally vivid. Michael Camilleri's illustrations are incredibly compelling. Together they tell the funny, moving and sometimes terrifying story of a boy's fight to live with the violence at home and at school; a story of how he and his peers survive against all odds. This book will break your heart, and also fill you with hope and optimism. (A bit like Christmas really.)

The Winds of Heaven by Judith Clarke

This book is absolutely beautiful, and absolutely heartbreaking. It's the sort of book you could give to your teenager or your mother. I mean... Clementine thought her cousin Fan's house in the country had a special smell: of sun and dust and kerosene and the wild honey they ate for breakfast on their toast. But then there were the feelings: the anger that smelled like iron and the disappointment that smelled like mud.

Girlfriend Fiction

Imma just list some of the authors who write for Girlfriend Fiction:

Penni Russon, Scot Gardner, Barry Jonsberg, Lili Wilkinson, Kate Constable, Thalia Kalkipsakis, Melaina Faranda. And that's just for starters.

You could choose any book in this series for your favourite 13-17 year-old girl who loves stories about real girls, stories with heart and brain and guts. (And she doesn't even have to go all the way to the Emerald City!) Ruly truly good reads.

And the quick list of always-favourites that are worth revisting:

Rose by Any Other Name by Maureen McCarthy

Secret Scribbled Notebooks (and its companion, My Candlelight Novel) by Joanne Horniman

The Red Shoe by Ursula Dubosarsky

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

The Whole Business with Kiffo and the Pitbull by Barry Jonsberg

The Old Kingdom trilogy by Garth Nix

Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan (Have you SEEN the stunning Shaun Tan cover for the YA edition that's coming out next year??)

A Very Onion Christmas, part the second - Younger Readers

Here are a few excellent things:

• Where the Wild Things Are is on general release from tomorrow.
• A Guardian quiz about Advent in literature
• A Hubble Telescope advent calendar

Here are several more:

Younger Readers

Tashi and the Golem by Anna Fienberg Barbara Fienberg and Kim Gamble

The irrepressible, the indefatigable, the ingenious Tashi is back!

And you can watch Kim Gamble draw a Tashi scene here. Is there anything more fascinating than watching an artist create a rich world on an empty page?

Age guide: 5-8

Horse Crazy! The Complete Adventures of Bonnie and Sam by Alison Lester and Roland Harvey

Four Bonnie & Sam books in one. So much horsey goodness. So much love.

Age guide: 7-9

A Croc Called Capone by Barry Jonsberg

We've been on the incredible cover journey; we've had the honour of the author dropping in for a chat. Now, for your Christmas delight, here is A Croc Called Capone wherein you'll meet the charmingest, most mobster-accented croc ever - and even better, he's accompanied by Blacky, the famously foul farting dog, and his long-suffering human friend Marcus!

Age guide: 8-12

Cicada Summer by Kate Constable

This is such a lovely book. It's a bit sad and wistful, a bit wry and funny, a whole lot heartwarming - and there's even a Christmas in it. Perfect holiday reading, particularly for those who like some time-slip adventure in the mix. And just look at that gorgeous cover!

Age guide: 8-12

Mostly Sunny with a chance of storms by Marion Roberts

One of the nicest things among the many many nice things about this book is how very Melbourne it is. Sunny and her loveable, messy, odd-bod family have left Elwood for a mansion on the Yarra river - but that hasn't reined in the mayhem. On the contrary. Hooray!

Age guide: 8-12

The Loblolly Boy by James Norcliffe

In America they're calling this, The Boy Who Could Fly. For those children of the 80s - need we say more?! Well Margaret Mahy (Margaret Mahy!!!) did say more: 'This is a rich fantasy - alive with original twists, surprises and mysteries which I dare not reveal. Children's literature is about to be enriched with a new classic.'

Age guide: 10-13

Chinese Cinderella The Mystery of the Song Dynasty Painting by Adeline Yen Mah

Is she dreaming, or has Chinese Cinderella lived a previous life? Historical fiction inspired by a famous Chinese painting? Starring Chinese Cinderella? Oh yes. Yes, please!

Age Guide: 10-14

The 10 PM Question by Kate De Goldi

If you are one of those families that has lots of kids of different ages and you read aloud to all of them at once, then this is the perfect book for you. (Also, can I come and live with you?) It's thoughtful and funny and raises big questions. As Agnes Nieuwenhuizen said, it's 'A truly special book. Kate de Goldi's dazzling writing will break your heart and make you wonder, marvel and laugh all at once.'

Age guide: 12-14 (but really anyone, older or younger)

Vulture's Gate by Kirsty Murray

One girl - could she be the last girl alive? One boy, pursued by reckless men who have kidnapped him. OMG read it; read it right now. (How could you not, with a hook like that?) Very clever Kirsty has managed to write a book that is thought-provoking and intellectually stimulating but also a read-til-you-drop adventure. If you don't want to see your child (or your sibling) for the whole of Christmas day, give them this and wave them goodbye until they've turned the last page.

Age guide: 12-14

And the quick list of always-favourites that are worth revisting:

The Wombat and Fox series by Terry Denton Ages: 7-11

Anything by Odo Hirsch

The Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix. (Lord Sunday - the final book - is out in February. Squeeeeal! If you haven't read this series, you've got all of the summer holidays to read Mister Monday through Superior Saturday. Get on it!) Ages: 10+

Pip: the Story of Olive by Kim Kane Ages: 10-13

Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks (and its two sequels) Ages: 13+

We interrupt the scheduled programming for HOLIDAY CHEER

Our Christmas senses are starting to tingle. It's not up to full strength yet, but it's out there: the Cheer is out there.

Penni over at Eglantine's Cake has some excellent gift recommendations. (For once you've bought all our books, obvs.)

Lili Wilkinson is celebrating her NANOWRIMO victory with what looks to be a rawther beautiful advent candelabra arrangement.

AND KAREN HEALEY IS GIVING THE GIFT OF A CHRISTMAS STORY.
Yes - you read that correctly. Go and sign up by December 7 and she will email you a story on December 25. Hark! Great tidings! Joy to the world!


The Cheer is out there, people. Go forth and embrace it.


Stay tuned for gift recommendations for young readers later in the day.

A Very Onion Christmas, part the first - Picture Books

Happy Month, everybody. White rabbits. White rabbits.

It's 1 December - time to start opening your advent calenders, putting up your Christmas decorations*, and thinking about what to buy for your nearest and dearest.

And the good news is, we're here to help with that last item.**

Every day for the rest of this week we're going to be posting a list of our recommendations for Christmas book-buying. The lists will be organised primarily by age-group. We're very proud of the books we've published this year - and we want to send them all to good homes underneath the right Christmas trees, where they will be loved and petted and exercised regularly.***

And so we begin with...

Picture Books

The Amazing Tashi Activity Book by Anna Fienberg, Barbara Fienberg & Kim Gamble

Did you know that editors actually have to DO the games and puzzles in books to make sure they work? That's right, we were paid to make sure Tashi can make it through the mazes (He can - if you help!), that you really can make the dragon yourself (You can - he's beautiful!), that the Baron really did hide his gold (He did, but can you find it?). The Amazing Tashi Activity book is full of things like new Tashi stories, recipes, word-finds and a board game. A board game! People, this is like 17 Christmas presents in one.

To The Top End by Roland Harvey

They've been to the beach, the bush and the city and now Henry, Penny, Frankie, Mum and Dad are taking the big trip from Tassie to the Top End.

Roland Harvey books were Christmas favourites with many of the Onions when they were little.**** So it's very exciting to have a brand new adventure to stuff stockings with this year. While you're at it, check out Roland Harvey's Big Book of Christmas for lots of making and doing and singing and eating ideas.

Mr Chicken Goes to Paris by Leigh Hobbs

Vive le poulet! Vive le beau poulet! Magnifique!

We have already waxed lyrical about our love for Mr Chicken. So suffice it to say: Allez! Achetez le beau poulet!

10 Little Hermit Crabs by Lee Fox and Shane McG

Hush, says the seashore. Shh, says the sea. How many hermit crabs can you see?

If you know a small person who is just the right age for a counting book, then this is perfect. It's beachy and summery and bright and rhyming. No snowy fields and deciduous trees over here, thank you very much.

Mannie and the Long Brave Day by Martine Murray and Sally Rippin

Mannie, her doll, Strawberry Luca, and her favourite elephant, Lilliput, are going on an adventure. It's a sparkling adventure, and you'll want to go too. This is a lovely, gentle book - especially good for thoughtful girls.

It's Useful to Have a Duck by Isol

Yes it is; it's very useful. Useful for small people's stockings and larger people's bookshelves.

It's hard to do this one justice on screen. You really need to handle it yourself, because it has A TWIST. It's funny and warm and quirky and did we mention it HAS A TWIST.

And here is a quick list of always-favourites that are worth revisting:

Magic Beach by Alison Lester

Old Pig by Margaret Wild and Ron Brooks (Ooo look, an anniversary edition.)

Brian Banana Duck Sunshine Yellow by Chris McKimmie (He's got a new one out next year - can't wait!)

The Hero of Little Street by Greg Rogers

Fox by Margaret Wild & Ron Brooks

Gordon's Got a Snookie by Lisa Shanahan & Wayne Harris

*What's that? You've already put your decorations up? Who are you, David Jones?

** Selfless of us, I know.

*** OK, it's possible we have separation issues.

**** Roland, if you're reading this, we're not suggesting you're old, more perennial.

Friday stuff and items

1) It's cake season in the House of Onion at the moment,* and even though the Cake-maker Extraordinaire flies (waddles?) with a different flock these days, she's still exerting her influence around here.

The Cake-maker-in-Chief recently discovered an unexpected envelope in her in-tray. At first she thought it might be a surprise book contract, but no. It was a recipe and an instruction about whose birthday said recipe would suit. The recipe included the preparation of sugared rosemary. Yes, dear reader, sugared rosemary. Who thinks of these things? It also featured oranges asimmer, hazelnuts aroasting and Grand Marnier aplenty.

We are delighted to inform you that the Cake-maker-in-Chief executed this recipe with SUBLIME results. SUBLIME. Wish you were here.

2) It's also the busy season. There are still 11 books to go to the printer from the House of Onion before Christmas. (Hoo boy - that looks really scary in print, so we're just going to make the font really tiny.) Clearly the only thing to do is watch YouTube videos, like this one:



via Bookshelves of Doom


3) And it's ALWAYS lolcat season**





*Isn't it always.
**In the interests of fair and transparent representation of the House of Onion as a whole, we need to note that E - of E-cake fame - does not find pictures of cats with poorly spelled captions amusing.

A shiny new thing

A centre for books, writing and ideas, to be exact.

The Wheeler Centre: Books Writing Ideas*, to be even more exact.

Launched today, may it live long and prosper. Maybe we'll see y'all at an event there sometime soon.

*A sneak peek reveals it has Florence Broadhurst wallpaper on the stairwell walls. Nice touch, eh?

This and that

Last week was filled to the brim with thises and thats and all kind of hats. Okay, that was a moment of poetic licence. I don't believe there were any hats. Though there definitely should have been.

Here are some of the thats.

1: Meetings, meetings, meetings.

2. Cake.

3: Planes, buses & automobiles.

4: Hot, steamy Sydney.

5: A whole day of lively discussions at an in-house editorial conference* that featured Sydney Onion colleagues, structural and copy editing workshops from delightfully clever freelance editors, a fascinating author-editor talk and a cookbooks session that had us completely engaged despite it being the very end of a long day of lively editorial discussions. (Did you know you shouldn't fry your onions in Extra Virgin olive oil? Regular old olive oil is much better, apparently.)

6. Pork Belly and Creme Brulee.

7. This.

8. This.**

9: Lightning, thunder, rain.

10: Flight delays, flight delays, flight delays (adult beverages).

* Thanks to AN for her brilliant editorial-conference wrangling, and to AL, N'OS, LG, SB and JV for generously visiting their knowledge and skills upon us.

**Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld, as a sun-protection device, didn't work nearly as well as a hat would have. Did you know you shouldn't fry your Onions out in the sun for too long in the heat of the day without properly slip, slop, slapping?

All quiet on the Onion front...

Well, not so quiet really. Rather busy with all the wrangling.

But, as ever, we made time for cake. And, in honour of the birthday Onion, it was an E-cake, full of chocolately goodness and swarming with summer berries. Nom. Nom. Nom.*



Unsurprisingly an E-cake is not much like an e-book at all, and definitely more pleasing to the taste buds.**


* Happily we also discovered iced e-hole items in the kitchen for later consumption.
** Much kudos to the Cycling Cake-maker who prepared the cake at home, packed it snugly into her bike panniers and navigated the smoothest path to work, all with great success.

Breaking news: Regulatory regime for books to remain unchanged.

This just in from Competition Minister Dr Craig Emerson:

The Government has not accepted the Productivity Commission's recommendation to remove the parallel importation restrictions on books.

A victory indeed!
Thanks to the fantastic array of talent on the boat for keeping their nerve, for backing their judgement, for their sure and steady sailing.

We've had a lot to say about this issue. All that remains to be said is...

Magic beach

Melbourne is currently... well, unseasonably warm is a gentle way to put it.

Our big old terrace copes reasonably well with the heat, but some of the rest of us do not.

One Onion spent a large portion of yesterday teasing us with photos of the cool rippling water lapping quietly at the beach where she was, and we weren't.

But she's back in the office now, so sucks to her ass-mar.*

Now we are all gazing longingly at the beach where she was and now isn't, and where we never were - and we want to infect you all with that longing.

Don't you wish you were here...?








* Apparently, unseasonal heat brings out the mean and begrudging in us.

Friday stuff and items

Here are some things that are going on around the House of Onion today:

1) A blurb is being written for Lord Sunday, the last book in the epic Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix. But how to whip up a frenzy of excitement without GIVING ANYTHING AWAY?

2) The covers of the Little Else series are being tweaked to get the colours of the three books in balance so they have the same ‘weight’ next to each-other on the shelf.

3) Huge and unwieldy (but exciting) test proofs are being checked for The City, a new picture book by Armin Greder. To varnish or not to varnish? That is the question.

4) Our 2010 publishing list is being discussed with our Rights & International Sales Director in preparation for the Bologna Children's Book Fair (Just quietly: it's awesome, she's awesome, and we are geniuses). On the other hand, piles of manuscript submissions from the Frankfurt Bookfair are threatening to swamp us.*

5) Our February New Books brochure is being sent to Booksellers. February, already!

6) A picture-book text is being wrangled into shape with an author who's roaming the country (last week in Western Australia, next week Queensland), a co-author, an editor and a designer in Melbourne, an artist in London, and a ticking clock...

7) And, it seems, the passive voice is being revelled in.



Here are some things going on in the wider world today:

1) There seem to be a lot of gluttons for punishment out there participating in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). Lili Wilkinson is, for one. And Justine, Scott and Maureen are offering tips. Good luck one and all!

2) Ang Lee’s taking on another sort of crouching tiger. **

3) Bookshelves of Doom uncovered something too disturbing for words. Seriously, go here at your peril.

4) In the same theme, Cakewrecks has discovered a whole new genre of birthday cake. Some good and some oh so very bad.

5) Karen Healey is revealing the secret to being published. As workshopped by a distinguished panel of authors, editors, publishers and experts.

6) And Kate Constable is sharing the love for ballet books. Hitch up your tutu, tighten the ribbons on your pointe shoes, pull your hair into a bun and pirouette on over to tell her which ones were your favourites.




* Oh no - that publisher is drowning, not waving!
** Richard Parker may well be slouching at his end of the little boat, but will there be dragons?

My kingdom for a horse

Whether or not the Melbourne Cup is really the race that stops a nation is up for debate.

But one thing that's guaranteed is that a large portion of the population of Melbourne came into contact with at least one of these things yesterday:

• champagne
• sour glances from old timers at the TAB
• chicken sandwiches
• sunburn
• sore feet
• barbequed meat
• fascinators
• Bart Cummings's eyebrows

So in celebration here is a list of horsey books*:

1) My Friend Flicka by Mary O'Hara

All the horsey girls in school raved about this one, which was an immediate turn-off for at least one Onion. But contrary to expectation, it turned out to be not insipid at all. It's all about boys and ranching and the big Wyoming sky. And barbed wire. Barbed wire is bad. But all's well that ends well (after almost ending very badly).

2) The Billabong books by Mary Grant Bruce

Everyone on Billabong station eats, sleeps and breathes horses. They are the lifeblood of the big Victorian cattle farm, and anyone who can't ride gets scornful looks and very short shrift. (Unless, of course, they are brave and quick learners.) But of all the horsiness in all the many books, the moment burned in our memories is when Norah's beloved grey pony Bobs dies in her arms - having been ridden literally to death by the hateful city cousin Cyril (boo, hiss). Oh, Bobs, faithful and valiant to the end.**

3) The Silver Brumby by Elyne Mitchell

This and Black Beauty are the only books actually from the point of view of the horse on this list. (Although the Silver Brumby's not in the first person... snort, whinny.) Who didn't want to be a wild brumby running free in the mountains? Although, come to think about it, maybe not so much with all the fighting to protect your mares and foals from other scary stallions.

4) These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder

When Laura becomes engaged to Almonzo Wilder, her ma asks her if it's really Almonzo that Laura loves and not his beautiful horses (particularly the matching brown Morgans, Prince and Lady). To which Laura responds that she couldn't have one without the other. There are sleigh rides and buggy rides and taming of wild colts aplenty in this the last of the Little House on the Praire books. (Can we also just point out that this is the cheesiest cover of this book we've ever seen. Where is the one with the horse and sleigh?)

5) Black Beauty by Anna Sewell

Surely nobody needs a reminder about this one. Suffice it to say: *Sob* Ginger *Sob sob* (What is it about horses and dying?)

6) The Good Master by Kate Seredy

Cousin Kate from Budapest is headstrong and disobedient and has a desperate love of sausages. But there's nothing like a bit of responsibility and the love of a good horse to tame a wild child. The scene when Kate is given the beautiful and spirited Milky for her very own (after she'd learned to ride on 'Old Armchair'), is funny and warm and touching and... and... I can't tell you how much I love this book.

7) Horse Crazy! The Complete Adventures of Bonnie & Sam by Alison Lester & Roland Harvey

Horses! Best friends! Adventures! Who could resist? Alison Lester knows all these horses personally, which is why they feel so real. There is an unconfirmed report that the editor of this book keeps a bucket of chaff under her desk, just in case.







Are there any horsey books you love (or hate) that we've missed?

*Caution there are spoilers, but most of these are classics and we reckon there's a statute of limitation on spoilers.

** And here we pause to remember Tamburlaine, ridden to death by Dominic, the intense, proud boy who loved him (confirming to his family that he was indeed A Difficult Young Man).