The Amber Amulet, by Craig Silvey

Dear Sir/Ma’am,
Please find enclosed this AMBER AMULET. That must sound unusual to a citizen, but you will have to trust me on this count because the science is too detailed for me to outline here. All you need to know is that the AMBER AMULET will eliminate your unhappiness by counter-acting it with POSITIVE ENERGY. This should see you straight. Fear not, you are in safe hands now.
Take care,
The Masked Avenger.

The Amber Amulet

By day Liam McKenzie is an average twelve year old schoolboy. At night he patrols his neighbourhood as the Masked Avenger – a superhero with powers so potent not even he comprehends their extent. His sidekick is his dog, Richie the Power Beagle. Together they keep peace in the neighborhood. Squeaky gate? No problem for the Masked Avenger. Forgotten rubbish bins? Yep – he can fix that too. A flat tyre? He can’t fix it but he can alert the owner of the vehicle without compromising his identity. But the lady at the end of the street is a challenging case. She is, he senses, deeply sad. He will have to dig deep into his reserves of power to fix this one.

The Amber Amulet is a gem. In small format hard cover, with a delightful cover, it is a treasure just to hold and to look at. The story is short and simple, but very clever. Blending the feel of a comic book with the reality of a story about a kid who is a bit lonely himself, yet manages to tackle this with his generosity and his imagination. Internal illustrations by Sonia Martinez (who also illustrated Silvey’s picture book The World According to Warren) are a combination of collage and sketches, also reminiscent of classic comic book advertising and design.

Suitable for any age – from children through to adult – The Amber Amulet is a delight.

The Amber Amulet, by Craig Silvey
Allen & Uniwn, 2012
ISBN 9781742379982

Available in good bookstores or online.