Tag: Alan Sunderland

The Incredible Powers of Montague Towers by Alan Sunderland

The boot whizzed past his left ear and slammed into the wall behind him. It hit so hard that an explosion of plaster and dust flew into the air. It only missed Montague by a few millimetres, but that wasn’t the biggest problem.

The biggest problem was that Montague Towers forgot to duck. He really needed to keep a better track of these things.

You are not invisible today, Montague reminded himself as he took shelter behind a rubbish bin. That was yesterday.

The boot whizzed past his left ear and slammed into the wall behind him. It hit so hard that an explosion of plaster and dust flew into the air. It only missed Montague by a few millimetres, but that wasn’t the biggest problem.

The biggest problem was that Montague Towers forgot to duck. He really needed to keep a better track of these things.

You are not invisible today, Montague reminded himself as he took shelter behind a rubbish bin. That was yesterday.

Montague Towers is looking forward to a bit of a rest. All the other occupants of the orphanage where his lives, and now works, are going on a vacation to the seaside. All Montague has to do is look after himself. He settles down to enjoy a bit of nothing. Until he hears a knock at the door. While he tries to ignore it, hoping that whoever it is goes away, eventually the repeated knocking means he has to answer. In comes an old man who makes very little sense. He likes a cup of tea though. Then he sends Montague on a mission. The mission needs superpowers, so the old man gives him one. Before he has any idea how to harness it, Montague finds himself slap-bang in the middle of a zoom-fest of a quest.

You might think that having super powers would be fun. And it is. But somehow, it’s harder than it looks. And when you only have a day to get used to the power before it vanishes, while also avoiding all sorts of huge men who seem to be after you, well sometimes it can get a bit hairy. But Montague, who is quite a quiet, gentle soul, is ready to do what he can to keep everyone happy as his calm, useful life is turned completely upside-down. Action-packed and full of laughs (who knew the sky was such a dangerous place?), this adventure will keep mid-primary readers hooked.

TheIncredible Powers of Montague Towers, Alan Sunderland
Scholastic 2016
ISBN: 9781760153649

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s author and bookseller

www.clairesaxby.com

Octavius O'Malley and the Mystery of the Criminal Cats

I should have known it wasn’t the mice.
You would think that, after all this time, I would have worked out that mice aren’t responsible for every bad thing that happens in the world. After all, I am the smartest rat detective in all of Rodent City.
But if I have learnt one thing in all of my many adventures, it is that everyone makes mistakes. Yes, I mean everyone. Even me – Octavius O’Malley. And this mistake would prove to be the biggest one I ever made. It would cost me almost everything.

Octavius O’Malley returns in his third adventure. The detective rat makes one little mistake and he’s out of a job. No longer Chief of Police, he still has a mystery to solve. He sets up his shingle, co-opts an assistant and Octavius ‘Ocko’ O’Malley is in business. Something is not right. Cobblestones are disappearing from the streets, strange smells are wafting about, there’s talk of a new cult, and the maker of Ocko’s favourite doughnuts has gone missing. It’s something to do with cats, and Ocko sets out to get to the bottom of the whole ratty, catty, smelly, cobblestone-y business. Ben Redlich’s wonderfully wild drawings add to the fun.

Ocko tells his own story, in first person with multiple asides. He reassures the reader that he’s in charge, in control and is generally the best and brightest detective in town. The reader knows better and can groan and eyeroll with Ocko’s over-worked and under-acknowledged sidekicks, Spencer and Patrick the Magnificent. These two are mice and only grudgingly accepted as assistants. Ocko is entertainingly flawed, with an infinite capacity for self-congratulation and an endless hunger for triple fudge chocolate-coated strawberry surprise doughnuts. Octavius O’Malley and the Mystery of the Criminal Cats is full of fun and humour and sure to be a hit with 9-12 year olds.

Octavius O’Malley and the Mystery of the Criminal Cats, Alan Sunderland ill Ben Redlich
Harper Collins 2008
ISBN: 9780207200502

Cosmo Cooper and the Lemons of Lockbarrel, by Alan Sunderland

The little town of Lockbarrel is the leading supplier of lemons. Everyone in town works at growing lemons. So, when the lemon crop is wiped out by a mysterious wind, there is widespread dismay. How will they eat? How will they buy all the things necessary for their survival?

The only solution is to send someone for help. When a name is pulled out from a hat, it turns out that this someone will be Cosmo Cooper. Not sure what he will do, Cosmos sets out in the village truck with $2.63 in his pocket. If he doesn’t succeed, the villagers will fail.

So why does Cosmo end up sneaking in to the Borrow Brother’s basement late one night with his new friend Professor Squillocks? Will this help solve Lockbarrel’s problem? Only time will tell.

Cosmo Cooper and the Lemons of Lockbarrel is delghtfully different story from author Alan Sunderland. Combining humour with adventure,cleverness, and plain silliness, it is almost as delicious as Lockbarrel’s lemonade.

Perfect for 8 to 10 year old readers.

Cosmo Cooper and the Lemons of Lockbarrel, by Alan Sunderland
Scholastic, 2002.