 |
| Home | | | About Julie | | | Julie's Fiction | | | Julie's Non-fiction | | | Reviews | | | Current Projects | | | Forthcoming Books | | | FAQ | | | Order Books | | | Contact |
| Reviews |
| Lines Upon the Skin |
| Dark Zones |
| Nelson Focus |
| Scientists at Work |
| Fast Forward |
| The following are excerpts from reviews of Lines Upon the Skin. Herald Sun Weekend, August 5 1995 review by Alison Aprhys Julie Haydon's debut novel Lines Upon the Skin is a refreshing and enchanting addition to the ranks of Australian fantasy literature. Upbeat and delightful without resorting to traditional cliches of fantasy - no duelling wizards, lost heirs, magic rings, mysterious elves or saccharine princesses. Instead, the main character, Ashil, is a young cartographer not long out of her apprenticeship. Her insatiable curiosity for travel leads to a meeting with another map maker, Chandra, which is the catalyst for their decision to ply their trade across Tirayi... EIDOLON The Journal of Australian Science Fiction and Fantasy 17/18, winter 1995 review by Martin Livings …The world which Haydon portrays is incredibly civilized and balanced for a fantasy world, with a very real and workable equality between the sexes and a largely nonjudgemental attitude towards religion and sexuality, yet it doesn't try to be a utopian vision, retaining its flaws with a kind of fierce pride. Her characters…have more life than those in any other Pan fantasy novel I've read to date. Most impressive, and appropriate, is her use of scenery. Lines Upon the Skin feels like it was written by its narrator - one of the cartographers - with a characteristic keen eye for detail. It contains some of the most vivid descriptive writing I've read in a very long time, regardless of genre... Aurealis Australian Fantasy and Science Fiction No.16, March 1996 review by Bill Congreve …Very idealistic, but not intrusively so, the beautifully titled Lines Upon the Skin is a gentle-paced romantic fantasy that augurs well for the career of its author. Lines Upon the Skin was longlisted for the 1996 James Tiptree, Jr. Award and was recommended in the 1995 Aurealis Awards.  The following is an excerpt from a review of Dark Zones: Exploring Caves. Australian Caver No.156, Summer 2001 review by Ken Grimes This is a small (33 pages) introductory book about caves for children and young adults - something that cavers tend to shudder away from! However, do not be put off by the rather lurid cover; inside is a text that manages to instruct as well as arouse interest and which has none of the sensationalism that one sometimes meets... Julie did some serious research and turned up at a meeting of the VSA [Victorian Speleological Association] asking for advice - which she got! She has obviously listened to what they told her. However, the book is aimed at a world-wide audience, so there is little specific information about Australian caves... Recommended for your caver-kids, for schools and should sell well at "kiosks" at commercial caves and cave-oriented National Parks. The publishers appear to specialise in school books, so this book may not appear in normal bookshops unless you ask for it. The following is an excerpt from a review of Nelson Focus. Let's Find Out (magazine of the Science Teachers' Association of Victoria) Volume 19, No.1, 2002 review by Karen Rehberger Nelson Focus presents a colourful, informative and vivid presentation of science in everyday life. Titles such as 'Mix It Up!', 'Now It's Hot' and 'Planet Earth' provide explanations and answers to many of the questions surrounding science in everyday life. Targeted at the junior primary market, these simple texts cover topics contained in the earth and space strands and well as basic biology, chemistry and physics... The following is an excerpt from a review of Scientists at Work. Reading Time Volume 48, No.2, May 2004 review by PH Macmillan has excelled itself with this collection of scientific occupations. Each book presents a lively discourse…on what the scientist does using case studies, interviews and activities to enhance the information... The following is an excerpt from a review of Fast Forward. Judges' report from The Australian Awards for Excellence in Educational Publishing, 2007 Fast Forward is an outstanding reading intervention program for students in the middle years of schooling. The texts present curriculum content highly appropriate to the interests of students in the middle years (Years 5-8) who have reading levels below national benchmarks. The fresh and innovative design, high-interest content and choice of images and illustrations can engage and motivate students. Each of the student books is supported by a mini audio disk, attached on the front cover, which is an innovative feature, providing students with models of fluent reading that will develop their own fluency and phrasing... Fast Forward was the overall winner of The Australian Awards for Excellence in Educational Publishing in 2007. It also won the Primary Literacy Series Award. |