Eric Vale Epic Fail, by Michael Gerard Bauer

Then Martin turned to the kids around him.
‘Don’t you get it? Eric Vale – Epic Fail. Ahahahahahah!’
Meredith Murdoch and Bobby Quan got it first. And then it started to spread like it was contagious. All around the room kids with big grins were turning to kids with big frowns and saying, ‘Eric Vale – Epic Fial. See? Hahahahahahahaha!’
It was like I was one of those YouTube clips and I was going mega-viral!

Eric Vale is a bit of a daydreamer, and sometimes that daydreaming gets him into trouble. But when it leads to him hearing his teacher say ‘Eric Vale’ when what he actually said was ‘epic fail’, his life becomes almost unbearable. Soon everyone is calling him Epic Fail, and it seems he just can’t stop doing silly things that remind him – and everyone else- of the nickname. It’s a seemingly endless cycle of epic fails.

Eric Vale – Epic Fail is the hilarious first installment in a new series from Michael Gerard Bauer. Eric is a likable, funny protagonist, whose heart is in the right place, in spite of his propensity to muck things up. His classmates too are lots of fun, especially his best mate Chewy, who looks on the bright side of everything, but inadvertently contributes to some of Eric’s woes.

The text is well supported by the grey scale illustrations by Bauer’s talented son Joe with a mix of comic-style cells, single illustrations and humorous embellishments. Readers will also enjoy Eric’s own stories, which he enjoys writing but which also contribute to his landing in trouble.

Laugh out loud funny, but with nice messages about difference, and friendship, and even bullying, this is another sure-fire hit from one of Australia’s best.

Eric Vale - Epic Fail

Eric Vale – Epic Fail, by Michael Gerard Bauer, illustrated by Joe Bauer
Omnibus, 2012
ISBN 9781862919921

Available from good bookstores or online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.