Ratbags: Dummy Spit

Ratbags: Dummy Spit by Tim Harris and Shiloh Gordon (Puffin Books) PB RRP$14.99 ISBN 9781761346088

The Ratbags have their hands full when a toddler ratbag crashes into town. But where did he come from? Between the muffin mayhem and hairy heists, can Jigsaw and his friends find the missing parents in time. Or will they have to deal with the dreaded dummy spit?

Award-winning bestselling author Tim Harris is back with the fifth instalment of the wildly popular Ratbags series. Readers are once again transported into the rat-tastically funny world of Jigsaw and his friends.

With lively black and white illustrations on every page, this is a book for children aged 7+ years.

Ratbags: Best of Pests

Ratbags: Best of Pests by Tim Harris, illustrated by Shiloh Gordon (Puffin) PB RRP $14.99 ISBN9780143777472

It would be interesting to know how the author and illustrator work together to produce these books: it is necessary to read both written text and illustrations together in this mostly visual book. There are three ratbags: Ripple, Fancy Rat, and Onion, but Jigsaw is a polite, law-abiding rat.

The story starts outside Pecky’s Pizza, the best pizza place in the city where the rats get free pizza from the owner, Mr Pecky. This time Pecky also leaves a note with the pizza advising the rats to be careful. The rats find a newspaper with the heading, ‘Rat Problem Remains’, telling readers that a cutting-edge pest control unit has been brought in. This turns out to mean that rat traps with tempting peanut butter lures are scattered all over the ground near rubbish piles. Mr Pecky is also asked by the council not to give free pizza to rats as it encourages them.

Then a robot mink with laser eyes starts patrolling the streets. Will humans succeed with their latest scheme? Or can Jigsaw help the ratbags to be the best of pests?

This is a mostly visual book with appealing black, white and grey cartoon illustrations and plenty of different typefaces which is sure to be enjoyed by readers aged 8+ years. 

Ratbags: Naughty for Good

Ratbags: Naughty for Good by Tim Harris, illustrated by Shiloh Gordon (Puffin Books) PB RRP $14.99 ISBN 9780143777441

Reviewed by Grace Power

Tim Harris’ writing style has seen his books receive multiple awards, including two KOALA Honour books, and a CBCA Notable. Now he publishes a humorous book for middle grade readers about a cartoonish rat, Jigsaw, so named because he does not fit in with other rats. ‘He is like a puzzle piece that will not squeeze into place, no matter how hard it is pressed.’ Other rats are ratbags, always up to no good. They clog up city sewers, chew through power lines, poop on the footpath, and cause all manner of trouble.

The main problem with Jigsaw is that he likes rules, in fact lives his life full of rules. For example, every morning he makes his bed, brushes his teeth, dusts his books, and practises piano (for exactly thirty minutes.) On the other hand, there are two typical ratbags, Ripple and Onion, who have just escaped from a science lab where humans did cruel experiments on them. They are anti-rule and try to get Jigsaw to follow their lifestyle of mayhem and chaos.

When a new pizza restaurant opens, there’s an opportunity for Ripple and Onion to encourage Jigsaw into a life of ratbaggery, which includes stealing a whole pizza.

This is a book filled on every page with lively, engaging illustrations which are sure to draw in even the most reluctant reader. There are plenty of speech balloons and type fonts of all different sizes. Reading the text means that the reader’s eyes jump all over the pages. It’s a lot of fun and the story moves along at a cracking pace.

Mr Bambuckles Remarkables Join Forces

Mr Bambuckles Remarkables Join Forces by Tim Harris, illustrated by James Hart (Puffin Books) PB RRP $14.99 ISBN 9781761044557

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

Everyone’s favourite teacher, Mr Bambuckle, is back in another book in the Remarkables series with more stories, shenanigans, and silliness at Blue Valley School. 

In this, the fifth book in the series, the students in Room 12B have four new students -- Fern who loves animals, Twirl who loves to dance, Chip who likes computer hacking and Veer who enjoys playing the drums. Principal Sternblast is once again the thorn in the side of all: this time he is planning to use the Sprinkler Building Corp to privatise Blue Valley and fill it with only exceptional students. This is anathema to those in room 12B and they must find a way of changing this.

Just before term break, the class’s students are expelled from the school with only five remaining. Their new teacher Mr Stodge is a colourless, middle-aged man, nothing like Mr Bambuckle who rides a unicycle in the classroom and distributes free goodies to his students. Happily, thanks to Chip’s work on the computer, the government orders that the new school building is ceased until further notification. The book finishes with a new acting principal (Miss Frost), and Mr B and his class are reinstated and planning an overseas trip.

This fact-paced, humorous book uses a variety of writing genres to advance the story (eg speech balloons when Mr Bambuckle talks to Canteen Carol, notes passed between students, lists of emails, and love letters). At the front of the book are vignettes of the 17 students in Mr B’s class with their likes and dislikes. There are frequent black, grey and white cartoon-style illustrations to add to the general overall feel of the book.

Recommended for readers aged 8+ years.

 

 

 

 

Toffle Towers: Order in the Court

Toffle Towers: Order in the Court by Tim Harris, illustrated by James Foley (Puffin Books) PB RRP $14.99 ISBN 9780143795445

Reviewed by Nikki M Heath

Chegwin Toffle, 10-year-old hotel manager and daydreamer extraordinaire, is back in this third book in the Toffle Towers series. This time, he faces a legal battle with the revolting Brontessa Braxton, after falling into the classic trap: failing to read the fine print. Meanwhile, there are distractions aplenty as Toffle Towers is snowed in and robberies cause panic. Will Chegwin and his loyal band of staff, family and friends save the hotel once again?

This story is brimming with zany humour and charismatic, if slightly cliched, characters. A fast-moving plot broken up with cartoon illustrations and off-beat interludes - such as Chegwin’s text-message conversation with a pest controller-turned-pest hotelier - will keep even reluctant readers engaged. However, some may need help with the more challenging vocabulary and longer sentences, which are used for character-building purposes but can feel a little forced at times.

There is so much going on that it is easy to feel overwhelmed, especially if you haven’t read the first two instalments in the Toffle Towers series. The book really does stretch its audience’s ability to suspend disbelief to the maximum, but young readers will enjoy the absurdity. Fans of the series will get a kick out of revisiting familiar faces and places, and the teaser ending will have them on the edge of their seats for book four. 

This book will appeal to readers aged 8 years and up, across genders and interests, who like something a bit silly and a lot of fun.

Toffle Towers: Fully Booked

Toffle Towers: Fully Booked by Tim Harris, illustrated by James Foley (Puffin) PB RRP$14.99 ISBN 9780143795421

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

Here is a new book series for young readers by the Australian author of the humorous and quirky, best-selling Mr Bambuckle books. In a different, more straight-forward style, the first of the Toffle Towers books is about Chegwin Toffle, a ten-year-old boy with a rampant imagination who inherits a hotel from a great-uncle he never knew.

Toffle Towers has not had a booking in over three years, but Chegwin figures out a solution, acquiring a shuttle bus with rocket engines which amuses holidaymakers and conveys them to the hotel. Bookings increase but Chegwin makes a huge mistake when he over-orders milk and depletes the hotel’s budget. Chegwin has discovered that running a hotel has its challenges and disasters which he is forced to overcome.

The book’s pages are broken up with amusing black and white illustrations including the use of speech balloons. One example follows a sub-heading, ‘Strange things people might inherit’ with captioned illustrations such as a bazooka, a set of real and very sharp teeth (with bonus piranha) and a priceless antique chamber pot. In other places there are break-out notes, correspondences and imaginative ideas (for example, what to do with sixty thousand litres of milk: answer, offer milk baths to guests!)

Fast paced and amusing, this novel would best suit readers aged eight years and over.

Mr Bambuckle's Remarkables - On the Lookout

Mr Bambuckle's Remarkables - On the Lookout by Tim Harris (Puffin Books) PB RRP $14.99     ISBN: 9780143793144

Reviewed by Jeffery E Doherty

On the Lookout is the fourth book in the Mr Bambuckle's Remarkables series by Tim Harris. The book is an illustrated junior novel with action filled illustrations by James Hart. It follows the adventures of Mr. Bambuckle and the unique children of class 12B.

On the Lookout begins on the final morning of school camp where it is discovered that one of the students, Vex Vron, has gone missing. The stern and often vengeful Miss Frost is delighted for the chance to bring down the eccentric Mr. Bambuckle until he points out the rule that holds her as the executive teacher, responsible. What follows is an investigation by the students to locate the run-a-way Vex.

There are quite a few characters in this story and except for the two new students to the class, Grace and Gabby Wu, there was not a lot of character development. This is understandable as On the Lookout is the fourth book in the series. Fortunately, there is an illustrated character profile of each student at the start of the book for readers who are new to the series. The story is fast-paced, quirky and funny with lots of little side tracks from the investigation.

On the Lookout is an excellent story that would appeal to both girls and boys who love a little nonsensical humour and a cast of strange and talented characters.  This book is a fun read and would be ideally suited to reluctant 8-12-year-old readers.   

Mr Bambuckle’s Remarkables: On the Lookout

Mr Bambuckle’s Remarkables: On the Lookout by Tim Harris, illustrated by James Hart (PenguinRandom House) PP RRP $14.99 ISBN9780143793144

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

This is the fourth book in Australia Harris’ book series about Australia’s favourite literary teacher, Mr Bambuckle who oversees students of room 12 B. The book begins with a roll call of those 14 students, which includes their names, pictures of them and their likes and dislikes. One of the students is Vex Vron who likes cars and dislikes almost everything apart from cars.

The story begins at camp which has Mr Bambuckle and the stern assistant principal Miss Frost, both very different. Mr Bambuckle values learning, individuality and fun while Miss Frost is far more concerned with discipline, procedures and efficiency. Student Vex has left a note to indicate he is running away so the hunt is on to find him before his parents and school realise he is missing. This involves everyone, including new twin sisters, Grace and Gabby Wu.

As in the previous books in this series, Harris makes use of visual page ‘tricks’ such as phone calls, conversations (with cranky canteen Carol), notes (passed from students to one another) and ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’. The book, also like the others, is full of witty asides, jokes and sparkling dialogue. Sentences are generally short and there are snappy, fast-paced actions that lead to a happy conclusion. All of these devices make this book another to be enjoyed by readers aged 9 to 12 years.

Mr Bambuckle’s Remarkables Books 2 & 3

Mr Bambuckle’s Remarkables Fight Back by Tim Harris (Random House Australia) PB RRP $14.99 ISBN 9780143785873

Mr Bambuckle’s Remarkables Go Wild by Tim Harris (Random House Australia) PB RRP $14.99 ISBN9780143789024

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

Such was the popularity of Mr Bambuckle’s Remarkables, Random House Australia took the decision to continue publishing the series of an extraordinary teacher, Mr Bambuckle and his adventures with students of 12B. At the end of book one in the series, Mr Bambuckle (who rides a unicycle, performs magic and reads minds) has been booted out of Blue Valley School because his teaching methods are too unconventional for principal Mr Sternblast.

At the beginning of the Fight Back book, 12B’s new teacher is Miss Frost whose rules (such as ‘no speaking’ and ‘don’t be lazy’) are written on the board as the students enter the class room. ‘Discipline is the new order’ is her mantra. Contrast her with Mr Bambuckle who had ‘charmed the students with his surprising tricks and fantastical lessons.’ No wonder the students decide to revolt especially after Carrot Grigson gets a detention for complimenting Miss Frost on her bobby pin and the new teacher tears up Victoria Goldenhorn’s immaculate handwriting (to take her down a peg or two).

Even while Mr Bambuckle is absent, his magic continues with one student being able to control the weather (and Miss Frost who mysteriously disappears to Ecuador). It’s then that Mr Bambuckle re-enters as 12B’s teacher and the excitement he generated in book one continues.

As with all the books in the series, children in the class often relate stories and there is ample scope given over to interesting internal book design. Once again, for instance, Mr Bambuckle has a dialogue with nasty Canteen Carol (using speech balloons), and notes are passed in class, printed in children’s handwriting. James Hart illustrates numerous pages with black and white and grey wash cartoonish pictures.

In the last chapter of the book, Principal Sternblast makes an unexpected announcement when he introduces the new deputy principal, a familiar foe. Let the adventures begin in the next book about the remarkable Mr Bambuckle and his remarkable students!

In book three of the series, Mr Bambuckle’s Remarkables Go Wild, the action of the book takes part in the outdoors as the charismatic teacher has taken his students on a camp. Unfortunately, they are joined by Miss Frost, now the deputy-principal of Blue Valley School, who is determined to find enough ammunition to lead once again to Mr Bambuckle’s dismissal.

As with the other two books in the series, there are short stories within, narrated by students, as well as dialogue (again with Canteen Carol and Mr Bambuckle), hand-written notes and illustrations. The final chapter is left so that the reader can expect another book in the series, but the ending is not a cliff-hanger as in the previous books.

Mr Bambuckle’s Remarkables

Mr Bambuckle’s Remarkables by Tim Harris (Random House Australia) PB RRP $14.99 ISBN 9780143785859

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

Author Tim Harris first came to attention some years ago when he published two collections of humorous short stories which exploded onto the Australian scene and proved very popular. Now he’s being acclaimed for his latest very funny book series about a fantastical teacher who can read minds, make magic and totally draw class 12 B into his thrall. The reviewer of Sunday Telegraph wrote, ‘Mr Bambuckle is an extraordinary teacher, and this is an extraordinary book.’ Certainly, this first in a series of three books (so far) is fast-paced, full of fun and likely to become popular reading.

Bambuckle arrives at Blue Valley School, on his first lesson balancing on a unicycle on top of his desk, singing a rare Mongolian welcome song. His 15 students have never experienced an adult quite like him, and they are soon drawn into his stories and lessons. Which child wouldn’t want to design stamps for the teacher, or invent a drone or create an app? The new, fascinating teacher has the gift of making even the most nervous student feel proud of herself, as he does when he gets Evie Nightingale relates a story to the class about a washing machine from hell which proves the girl is indeed very brave.

In between episodes where Mr Bambuckle is interacting with his class, there are short stories narrated by students, black and white illustrations, pages of projects, streams of dialogue (between nasty Canteen Carol and Bambuckle who charms the woman everyone fears), and notes passed from student to student when the principal, Mr Sternblast, appears. Appalled by the new teacher’s teaching methods, it becomes the principal’s aim to rid the school of him.

This book is sure to create addictive readers who like to laugh aloud, who cheer for teachers who are extraordinary, and who hiss villains. Highly recommended for children aged 8 to 12 years.

Exploding Endings

Exploding Endings - Books 1(Painted Dogs and Doom Cakes), 2 (Cursed Pants & Cranky Cops) and 3(Dingbats &Lollypop Arms) by Tim Harris, illustrated by Ryan Perno (Harbour Publishing House)

PB RRP $14.99

Book 1 ISBN 978-1-922134-57-8

Book 2 ISBN 978-1-922134-69-1

Book 3 ISBN 978-1-922134-70-7

Reviewed by Joanne Pummer

Short Stories With Big Twists - that's how author Tim Harris describes his trilogy of short stories called 'Exploding Endings'. Each story is told by a child narrator in the first person about contemporary family life in suburban Australia. All are extremely whacky and sure to illicit laughs and groans in equal measure from Primary School children.

Book 1 begins with a list of the top 79 excuses for being late. Book 2 begins with a list of the top 79 excuses for talking in class and the third book begins with the top 79 excuses for not doing your homework - just the kind of subversive humour that children relish. Jokes, riddles and 'knock knocks' appear between stories, recipes and 'Page Wars' - the ongoing war between the right hand page and the left hand page, named (appropriately), 'lefty' and 'righty'.

A recipe for Murphy's Chocolate Cake has 43 steps and a Prep time of 204 days 2 hours and 17 minutes. Step 42 is 'Forget about it and go to the beach instead'. Step 43 is 'Get eaten by a shark'. Ryan Perno's black and white illustrations, which are little more than zany emojis in Book 1, become more sophisticated in the books that follow.

The final story in Book One (‘Psycho, Sweet Tooth Seagull’) ends after two chapters with 'to be continued'. This is a hook, bound to induce readers to buy the next book. Cleverly, Tim Harris repeats the first two chapters of 'Psycho Sweet Tooth Seagull' in the second book so each book works as a stand-alone story book as well as part of a series.

The large type face, easy reading and accessible stories make these books suitable for all children from newly independent readers (7 years and up ) tackling their first chapter books to eleven year olds, reluctant readers included.