The Land of Lost Adventures

The Land of Lost Adventures by Andy Griffiths, illustrated by Bill Hope (Pan Macmillan) PB RRP $16.99 ISBN 9781761268267

Here’s a new series from the author of the best-selling, award-winning and sales-smashing Treehouse series. Like its predecessor, this book captures the fun, energy, adventure, absurdity and chaos of Griffiths at his storytelling best. 

Young readers are invited to be part of the adventure which stars two nameless main characters, you and me, alongside a line-up of zany characters such as Johnny Knucklehead, a flying watch, Pookie, Plotty, a rabbit, a pirate, a turtle or two --- and so many more.

Every page is awash with cartoon black-and-white illustrations, with visual impact also from different typefaces. Griffiths says of illustrator Hope, ‘His drawings have a cinematic quality that amplify the fun of the fast-paced narrative and the mind-expanding thrills of book-based adventuring.

Hope says of Griffiths, ‘We have worked very closely together sketching and writing simultaneously so the words and pictures have a wonderful synchronicity and capture the immense fun we had creating them.’

The book is likely to appeal to readers aged 9+ years.

The 169 Storey Treehouse

The 169 Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths, illustrations by Terry Denton (Pan Macmillan Australia) PB ISBN9781760987855

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

So far there have been 13 books in this best-selling series, and this is the thirteenth (and perhaps the last). In the 169^th storey book, Andy and Terry have built what they say is their biggest and most astonishing treehouse yet. It has everything a young reader could wish for including an electric pony stable, a Santa land, a NOISY level, a kangaroo-riding range, a 100% edible gingerbread house and more.

In this book, Terry leaves open the door of the Whatever-Weather-You-Want level at the time a tornado is blowing. He, Andy, and their friend Jill, enlist people and animals from all over the treehouse to help push them up the steep tree against the gusty tornado so Terry can shut the door. 

In the next chapter, Mr Bunkoff, a school truant officer, tries to get the three friends to enroll in school, but they manage to escape (using the tree’s elevator). They arrive at the hall of funhouse mirrors where they have an adventure with a trio of doppelgangers, ending in them being tied up. And there’s more…

Like all the books in the series, there’s non-stop adventure, imaginative characters, and lots of unlikely, zany adventures. The end of this book includes such things as inflatable underpants, a flying rabbit, a UFO, rampaging monkeys, a tranquiliser gun, a demolished school, a supersonic paper aeroplane, a Grabinator, and finally, a 13-storey treehouse school.

Every page of illustrations needs a pair of eyes alert to all the humorous happenings, and there are thousands of them!

This 250-page story is the product of incredibly fertile imaginations and writing and illustrating talents. No wonder kids are hooked!

The 143-Storey Treehouse

The 143-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths, illustrated by Terry Denton (Pan Macmillan) PB RRP $14.99 ISBN 9781760786236

Reviewed by Nikki M Heath

What more is there to say about Treehouse? Our household launched into a happy dance when the review copy landed in the letterbox, and this eleventh instalment in the insanely popular series delivers exactly what its fans expect.

Thirteen new stories have been added to the treehouse, but Andy and Terry are suffering from a touch of writer’s (and illustrator’s?) block. What else is there to do but get away for a relaxing, peaceful retreat to their new campground storey to recharge their creative batteries… but of course, their holiday ends up being anything but relaxing or peaceful.

Griffiths and Denton are a well-oiled machine, and the words and pictures play with and against one another to make for a seamless, rich experience. The book is unabashedly silly, but unlike some books in the genre, they manage to balance gratuitous humour with plot progression. There are inside jokes and established characters aplenty, meaning that new readers may prefer to start with The 13-Storey Treehouse and work through the series from there.

Treehouse-lovers, you know who you are - you’ve probably read the book by now anyway.  Beginner and reluctant readers aged 7 to 9, and anyone else whose sense of humour peaked in Year 3, will have a ball.

Cats on the Run

Cats on the Run by Ged Gillmore PB RRP $19.95 (print), e-book $2.99 ISBN ISBN: 978-0-9941786-0-2 (print); ISBN: 978-0-9941786-1-9 (e-book)

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

Why did Scholastic Australia preorder 6,000 copies of this self-published book for its book fairs and book club? Most likely, despite the words ‘pee,’ ‘poo’, and ‘bum’ that appear often, this chapter book for readers aged 8 to 12 years is laugh-aloud funny, quirky and original.

Gillmore’s first book is the first in a series of books following the adventures of two cats, Tuck and Ginger, as they try to escape the evil clutches of a pair of foul-smelling witches, Rodney and Janice. The two live in a high rise apartment with kidnapped cats Ginger, ‘a streamlined ebony athlete’ and Ginger, ‘a flabby middle-aged mog’ until the two (often warring) cats escape.

Gillmore uses an unusual omniscient narrative voice to relate this story; it’s an opinionated storyteller with personality, who speaks with heaps of sarcasm and wit, and plenty of asides to and questions of the child reader. Here is a sample: ‘You really don’t want to be found by a witch, did you know that? And do you know why? Because witches just loved children. Mostly they liked them fried, but Rodney and Janice preferred them grilled because it’s a healthier way of cooking with less cholesterol.’  

The author also employs frequent invented words like ‘bennyhoo’ and ‘bendyway’ (instead of ‘anyhow’) and phrases that make one chuckle (‘hoochie baroochie’, ‘whoopee doobie bingbats’ and ‘phutty-phutty-churg-churg’. Sometimes he uses a word like ‘hermetically’ and then tells his reader to ‘look it up’ before proceeding with the tale-telling. Often he writes very funny alliterative sentences. His writing is full of energy and humour as his story moves from the cats’ adventures to their pursuit by their former owners. The question under-riding the story is: will Tuck and Ginger be able to overcome their differences and work together to save their lives as they flee from their hell-bent captors?

Although the book is very thick (almost 250 pages), it is so different from any other book for middle-grade readers and with so much humour (too much ‘bum gas’ and ‘poo’ though for this adult reader), that it’s sure to be a hit. One can imagine that young readers will be hanging out for the next book in the series. Do we perhaps have another Andy Griffiths waiting in the wings?

Once Upon A Slime: 45 Fun Ways to get Writing Fast

Once Upon A Slime: 45 Fun Ways to get Writing Fast by Andy Griffiths, illustrated by Terry Denton (Pan Macmillan)

PB RRP $12.99

ISBN: 978 1 742 61209 6

Reviewed by Wendy McLean

Suffering from a serious case of writer’s block? Need inspiration? Lack the courage to write? Well Andy Griffith’s and Terry Denton’s latest offering will inspire, entertain, and encourage both young and adult writers alike to write, write, write!

In Once Upon a Slime the lively duo take us on a journey to remind us that writing is fun. As Andy points out early in the book, ‘You don’t have to be a great artist—a great speller—to be able to have a great time with words and pictures.’

Andy has generously shared his own writing journey beginning with a get well (?) card to his father, “I hear you are sick. So turn over the pages and see what you are if you don’t get better.” .This masterpiece was followed by an independent school magazine called Popcorn, which Andy produced using a 40 cent rusty old type writer. Popcorn was full of jokes and funny news articles – the stepping stone to Andy’s adult career as a writer.

The book is divided into 45 chapters as the title suggests, but each chapter contains numerous activities and techniques that will get even the most reluctant of writers to pick up a pen. The book contains jokes, story starters and hilarious examples from Andy’s and Terry’s own books. Readers are encouraged to create stories, lists, poems, fairy tales, comics, and to just enjoy playing with words and pictures—the way Terry and Andy do.

Andy and Terry encourage readers to write their own ‘slimy’ version of fairytale (e.g. Little Green Snotting Hood and Cindersmeller and to write a script for a bum and a head having an argument about who is the most important body part. There are so many ridiculous and wonderful activities for aspiring writers to try.

But this book is not just about words; Terry has included has included plenty of drawing exercises throughout the book to encourage children to create with words and pictures. And just when you think the book is complete, Andy shares the ‘random idea generator’ as a final resource. You will never suffer from writer’s block again!

Although the book comes across as light-hearted and fun, there is a wealth of information on the process of writing and illustrating. It is an excellent resource for any writer (young or old) who needs a little kickstart to get the creative juices flowing.

Andy G, Terry D, the Brave Tea-Lady and the Evil Bee

Andy G, Terry D, the Brave Tea-Lady and the Evil Bee by Andy Griffiths, illustrated by Terry Denton (Pan Macmillan Australia, 2013)
PB RRP $6.99
Reviewed by Di Bates

Teachers trying to get young children to learn how to read love books like this latest contribution by the Griffiths and Denton team. In the style of Dr Seuss, the book is written in verse with strong rhythm and regular rhyme. The focus is on the sound that ‘ee’ makes, with words like ‘lady,’ ‘tree’, ‘free,’ ‘enemy’ and ‘me’ showing the young reader how many words with this sound can rhyme.

The story is one with which young children are familiar – the chase scenario. A bee sees a child and begins a pursuit. A second person – Terry D – gets involved in the race to flee the bee and thereafter follows a lady selling tea. Up a tree they go followed by the bee; luckily the lady manages to trap the bee in her tea pot so all ends well.

The illustrations are typical of Denton’s cartoon style with lots of movement from one page to the next as the pursuit continues. There is lots of white space which children love in the book and the cover, despite its very long title, is attractive and zany.

At the front of the book is a photograph of Denton with his mop of blonde, curly hair grabbing a resigned Griffith in a bear hug: it’s zany and sets the tone for this book which should appeal to readers from five years and up. A special feature of the book is the back page of coloured covers showing all of Griffith’s books which are so popular with children, including The Cat on the Mat is Flat and The Big Fat Cow that Goes Kapow, two more books which seem designed to help the new or struggling reader. Doubtless the publisher is on a winner with this book series.

Stories for 8 Year Olds

Stories for 8 Year Olds edited by Linsay Knight, illustrated by Tom Jellett (Random House Australia)
PB RRP $14.95
ISBN 9781742756608
Reviewed by Marian McGuinness

Andy Griffiths, R.A. Spratt, Paul Jennings, Tristan Bancks, Belinda Murrell. This is just a smattering of the all-star line-up of authors for the last of the four collections, Stories for 8 Year Olds.

Editor of the series, Linsay Knight shares her thoughts on the stories chosen for the eight-year-old readership. ‘With burgeoning confidence and feeling increasingly comfortable with fewer illustrations and smaller type, these readers are eager to try out their skills on a range of different genres.’

Once again, 11 stories have been chosen from a smorgasbord of Australian authors, and they’re not all prose. Gruesome Grandads and Nasty Nans, with its shades of Roald Dahl, is a story written in verse.

There are many weird and wacky stories, none so different as the UFD - the Unidentified Flying Dog. Colin Thompson’s, A Giant called Norman Mary, is written with delicious exaggeration where giants roamed the land eating bicycle seats and haystacks as they ‘reached up into the sky and pulled down a star and by its light they picked their way across the world.’ Exaggeration is also the tool used in Toe, where Tom’s cruel sister Tanya could let saliva ‘drip right down to her bellybutton and still manage to vacuum it back up.’ It’s laugh-out-loud wicked humour.

Sometimes the point of view is that on an animal, as in Anita Bell’s Marom. A challenge is set up in Michael Pryor’s Say Cheese, where Phil builds a Santa display out of bits of junk that he declares, ‘the finest piece of engineering since the Pyramids.’

There’s great imagery in The Lachatim Dragon, where Lachie ‘could smell the distinctive rotting reek of bats’ as he and his friend explore a cavern for treasure.

Nanny Piggins is at her best in the Holistic Cake Healer as she gives free advice at the doctor’s surgery; after all, she has taken ‘the Hippopigic oath.’

And don’t forget to read about your favourite storytellers at the back of the book. You’ll be amazed when you find out how many other books they have written. Enough to keep you reading until the cows come home!

The 26-Storey Treehouse

 The 26-storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths, illustrated by Terry Denton (Pan MacMillan)

PB RRP $12.99

ISBN: 978 1 7426 1127 3

Reviewed by Wendy McLean

Andy and Terry have doubled the mayhem, mishap and comedy unleashed in their 13-storey treehouse by adding another 13 stories! And now that they have a 26-storey treehouse they need more wacky features. The original treehouse had a lemonade fountain, an automatic marshmallow machine and a tank full of sharks. The new and improved treehouse now houses a skate ramp, an anti-gravity chamber, an ice-cream parlour with 78 flavours, a mud fighting arena and the terrifying Maze of Doom—a maze so complicated that nobody who has entered it has ever returned.

In the 26-Storey Treehouse, we learn the tale of how Terry and Andy and their neighbor Jill all met. This is, of course, no ordinary tale starting with the day Terry used the shark tank as a washing machine. Needless to say the sharks became very ill after ingesting Terry’s underpants! Terry and Andy call on their animal-loving neighbor Jill to save the day. And so begins an adventure that involves open-shark surgery, shipwrecks, horrible pirates and a lucky escape from the Maze of Doom. But with the publishing deadline imposed by Mr Big Nose hanging over their heads, if the dynamic duo do not deliver their new book on time, their escape from the Maze of Doom may have not been so lucky…

The 26-Storey Treehouse is a light-hearted and hilarious romp through the lives of Terry and Andy, and won’t disappoint fans of the duo or anyone who just wants a laugh-out-loud book to read.

Look out for the next installment, The 39-Storey Treehouse, in September 2013!

Event: Support Indigenous Literacy