Tag: Celepene Press

Crazy Relief Teachers 2: Ms Law and the Corn-fusing Case of the Broken Window by Matt Porter

‘Crazy Relief Teachers: Ms Law and the Corn-fusing Case of the Broken Window’ is instalment two in this hilarious series from Matt Porter. There are jokes and puns aplenty, as Steele and his mate Pete navigate their way through the classroom legal system.

 

The furry orb would be hurtling towards me any second.

Concentrate, Steele,’ I told myself, tapping my bat on the concrete pitch.

It was day three of the before-school test match. The only thing higher than the other’s team’s score was the temperature.

Radley paused at the top of his run-up, squeezing the tennis ball between his grubby fingers. Sweat trickled down his angry face.

Weasel patrolled the outfield. He scurried in front of the cypress trees only pausing to give his little brother a mouthful. ‘Ferret, drop another catch and I’ll drop you!’

Steele Bucket and his mate Pete are back again for a new instalment of ‘Crazy Relief Teachers’. This time there’s a mystery and a trial and their new relief teacher Ms Law is determined to get to the truth. Pete, the accused is just as keen to prove his innocence as Brittany Baxter, Prosecutor and rival for the Annual Outback Creek Corn-Fest trophy, is to prove his guilt. For the duration, their classroom becomes a courtroom. Ms Law is the judge, and after a dismal attempt to defend himself, Pete allows Steele to conduct his defence. Grade 6B are the audience, the hecklers and the witnesses. The stakes are high, the classroom will not rest until justice is done, and seen to be done.

Crazy Relief Teachers: Ms Law and the Corn-fusing Case of the Broken Window is instalment two in this hilarious series from Matt Porter. There are jokes and puns aplenty, as Steele and his mate Pete navigate their way through the classroom legal system. Their new Crazy Relief Teacher (CRT) has a legal language all her own and there are plenty of others in the classroom happy to be swept up in the drama. Steele is resourceful and relentless in his defence of his friend. Pete is focussed, perhaps even obsessed with the Corn-Fest. Other characters, like Radley, Weasel and Brittany are delightfully caricatured, and will be recognisable to most upper primary students. ‘Crazy Relief Teachers 2’ is full of fun and an (only slightly?) exaggerated reality of the classroom. But as before, the CRT is only there temporarily. What will the next CRT be like? Look out for the third instalment in Crazy Relief Teachers. Recommended for mid- to upper-primary readers.

Ms Law and the Corn-fusing Case of the Broken Window - Crazy Relief Teachers

Crazy Relief Teachers 2: Ms Law and the Corn-fusing Case of the Broken Window, Matt Porter
Celepene Press 2012 ISBN: 9780980699470

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

Available from good bookstores or online

Have a go, Henry! by Kate Willson, ill Marjory Gardner

Henry feels like he’s not much good at anything. Perhaps there’s only room in a family for one person to excel. And in Henry’s family that’s Suzy.

Stuffing my fingers in my ears, I tried to shut out the noisy crowd. I shuffled my left foot away from the woman next to me. If she jumped up and squashed my foot once more I was going to … Well, let’s just say she’d be TOTALLY sorry.

Uh oh. The crowd’s going nuts again. Even though I had poked my fingers so far into my ears they were almost touching, I could still hear the cheerleaders.

Henry feels like he’s not much good at anything. Perhaps there’s only room in a family for one person to excel at sport. And in Henry’s family that’s Suzy. Suzy is good at everything. He’s pleased that Suzy does so well, but just once it would be nice if his parents were cheering for him the way they cheer for Suzy. Only Grandma Lulu can make him feel better, but she’s somewhere in Europe having a lovely time. Henry determines to have a go, to try and find what he’s good at. He tries sport after sport, but although he does some good things, they’re always at the wrong time, or in the wrong way and all his efforts end in disaster. Surely there’s something he can excel at? Black and white illustrations are scattered throughout.

Some children quickly master whatever sport they tackle, and others take longer to find their place to shine. Henry seems to be the latter. But, as his loved grandmother might have said, ‘Your turn will come’ and of course, it does. Not necessarily in quite the way he anticipates, but he has his moment in the sun. Each chapter begins with a thought from Grandma Lulu, even when she’s not there, reminding Henry and the reader that everyone has talents, and eventually everyone will have a chance to shine. They also provide encouragement when Henry is feeling like there is no point in trying anymore. Recommended for lower- to middle-primary readers.

Have a Go Henry

Have a Go Henry Kate Willson, ill Marjory Gardner
Celepene Press 2012 ISBN: 9780980699463

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com