Eric Vale Off the Rails, by Michael Gerard Bauer

I get to the door of the Principal’s office. It’s open. Principal Porter is behind his desk. Sitting in front of him are my mum, my dad and my little sister Katie. She’s the only one who seems happy to see me.

Eric Vale is in trouble. Really big trouble. As usual, it isn’t really his fault – his mate Chewie is convinced their relief teacher is an alien, and of course Eric has to help him prove it one way or another.

Eric Vale, Off the Rails is the third story featuring the likeable but always-in-trouble Eric Vale and won’t disappoint fans of the first two, or readers new to the series. The book is fast paced, action paced and complemented throughout by comic style illustrations, as well as instalments in Eric’s own stories, written in his journal throughout the book, and influenced by what is happening in his real life.

Perfect for reluctant readers, the series will appeal to early and middle primary aged readers.

 

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Eric Vale, Off the Rails, by Michael Gerard Bauer, illustrated by Joe Bauer
Omnibus Books, 2013
ISBN 9781862919945

Available from good bookstores or online.

Eric Vale: Super Male, by Michael Gerard Bauer & Joe Bauer (ill.)

Superheroes!!!!!
I couldn’t believe it. Was it possible? Could it actually be happening? Were we about to do a study unit on…SOMETHING GOOD? It just didn’t seem right. Last year with Mrs McGurk in Year Four we only ever id units on topics like ‘The Least Interesting Stuff in the Known Universe’. But SUPERHEROES rocked. Superheroes were one of my most favourite-est things in the whole world! I knew heaps of stuff about superheroes! … I was excited. SUPER excited!

Eric Vale is excited. The new class theme is Superheroes, and it’s one subject he might actually be able to excel in. But with a killer beast on the loose, a mutant teddy bear out to ruin his reputation, and the dreaded Oogliy-Boogily Man lying in wait at the school fete, Eric might be in for a super fail.

Eric Vale: Super Male is the second on the funny Eric Vale series from award winning author and funnyman Michael Gerard Bauer. Eric is a good kid who gets himself into lots of silly scrapes, mainly through his daydreaming and over active imagination, and young readers will relate to many of his insecurities. The text is complemented by cartoon style illustrations by Bauer’s son, Joe.

WIth lots of text support from good sized font and the l=illustrations, Eric Vale: Super Male is great for struggling readers, but will equally appeal to readers of all abilities for its humour and story.

A super read.

 

Eric Vale: Super Male, by Michael Gerard Bauer, illustrated by Joe Bauer
Omnibus, 2013
ISBN 9781862919938

Available from good bookstores or online.

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.