Epically Good Greek Myths

Epically Good Greek Myths by R.A. Spratt (Penguin Books) PB RRP $16.99 ISBN 9781761349751

From bestselling author R.A. Spratt comes this savagely silly collection of Greek myths. The indominable Nanny Piggins presents porcine retellings of our most-favourite Greek myths that will horrify good children and delight wicked ones everywhere! The book features sword-happy heroes, badly-behaved Gods, a monstrous minotaur, a narcoleptic dragon and more nymphs than you can poke a stick at!

The stories in this book are retellings of Ancient Greek myths that were written thousands of years ago. But even the ancient Greek storytellers who wrote these stories were time travellers. This is because they were telling stories about gods, like Zeus and Hera and Theseus and Hercules, versions of which had circulated for thousands of years before them.

In the ‘Menu of Myths’ (contents’ page) the chapter stories have headings such as The True Story of Archimedes, Hades and Persephone, Opening a Pandora’s Box, and The Golden ‘Fleece.’

Scattered throughout the book are pages of fun facts, for instance, ‘Dragons do not exist’, ‘Dinosaurs were real’, ‘Pandora’s box wasn’t really a box. … (she) actually had a large jar.’

The author’s many other books are listed in the book, and there are pictures of books covers (eg the Friday Barnes series, the Nanny Piggins’ books, and Spratt’s Good Stories and Bedtime Stories.)

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!

Nanny Piggins and the Daring Rescue

 Nanny Piggins and the Daring Rescue (Nanny Piggins) by R.A. Spratt (Random House Australia)
PB RRP $15.95
ISBN 9781742754970
Also available as an ebook
ISBN 9781742754987          
Reviewed by Marian McGuinness

Nanny Piggins is at it again. She has romped through six book-length adventures and now catapults you into her seventh.

The cover of Nanny Piggins and the Daring Rescue shows this daredevil pig flying through the air as she bungy jumps into the stories between the covers. In the opening scene her charges (after all, she is their nanny), Derrick, Samantha and Michael find her in gaol. She has been trying to one-up Galileo’s theory of gravity by dropping cannonballs from the roof without realising the mayor’s car is in their flight path.

The children’s dour father Mr Green only bails her out, not for his children’s welfare, but because he wants Nanny Piggins to give him tap-dancing lessons that will further his career as a tax lawyer – Nanny’s pig-logic seems to have its effect on the whole family.

Author, R.A. Spratt keeps the reader in stitches with her descriptions of the cake-eating pig wheedling her way out of bizarre situations. She is a law unto herself. If children could write their own criteria for hiring a nanny, Nanny Piggins would tick all the boxes.

Every now and again, Nanny Piggins shows her sensitive side. When the house is being fumigated and they have to camp in tents outside, Nanny Piggins comments wistfully that the tents ‘smell of unhappiness.’ Derrick brings her back to reality by adding ‘I think it’s just mould.’

Nanny’s world is also shared with her circus friends, Boris (a ten-foot-tall ballet-dancing bear), Percy (the radio-star parrot) and her identical fourteenuplet sisters.

Spratt has her tongue firmly in both cheeks as she writes the witty prose. In order to seduce the President of Vanuatu (and rescue the children’s father from the slavery of his luxury job and apartment), Nanny Piggins does the Dance of the Seven Cakes; she ‘wiggled, sashayed and shimmied, all while showing off her greatest assets – her cakes.’

With each chapter being a stand-alone story, it’s easy to pick up this book and read as much or as little as you have time for. Every chapter is a laugh and an excursion into creative problem solving. What’s great for readers is that creativity begets creativity. As you read, you find yourself using your imagination to help solve the predicaments in which Nanny Piggins and the children find themselves. It’s a ‘win-win’ situation.

With such amazing talents, Nanny Piggins is offered many awesome jobs. When you start wondering is there anything this pig cannot do, she brings you back to why she is a nanny. ‘I have a much more important job – looking after these three children.’ No more needs to be said, other than, what lucky children.

With R.A. Spratt’s eighth book Nanny Piggins and the Race to Power in the pipeline for 2013, you have to wonder what wacky adventures await Nanny Piggins, Derrick, Samantha and Michael.

Nanny Piggins and The Accidental Blast-off

Nanny Piggins and The Accidental Blast-off by R.A Spratt (Random House)

PB RRP $14.95

ISBN 978-1-8647-1859-1

Reviewed by Oliver Phommavanh

Nanny Piggins and The Accidental Blast-off is the fourth instalment of the proudly un-PC series. You don’t have to read any earlier books, each book have short stories that are self-contained in themselves. It’ll just take a few pages for readers to warm up to everyone’s favourite piggy nanny, with an insatiable appetite for cakes.

Nanny Piggins leads the Green children on merry adventures, skipping school and trying to avoid Mr Green, their unreliable and overworked father. However, Mr Green is in the running for the Best Father of the Year competition and is forced to spend time with the children. Derrick, Samantha and Michael are equally disgusted too. The competition is the running joke throughout the book.

R.A Spratt has nailed all of the characters in this series and it’s a delight to see her place them in more outrageous situations. Nanny Piggins signs up to the lollypop lady because she thinks she’ll have a giant lollipop to hold. When she finds out the truth, she takes her wooden stop sign and finds better things to stop than just traffic. It’s a wild idea that keeps growing and growing.

The title refers to a story that sees her being the first pig in space. Nanny Piggins puts authority figures in their place, from the head of NASA to the ‘Steel Chef’ in a parody of the popular cooking show.   

Nanny Piggins’ fans will love the devilish lines scattered on every page. There are so many jokes crammed in each story. If you think you’ll get used to Spratt’s eccentric pace and wit, she’ll hit you with clever lines that make you stop and take time to laugh.

Nanny Piggins' adventures are the stand-out humour series for the past two years. It’s for anyone who wants a belly laugh or a riveting read that isn’t afraid to say things that are on kids’ minds. It’s highly recommended for ages 9 and up.