Tag: tim levy

Sandra grabbed the handset and started to dial her mother’s office number. She was so focussed on the call that she didn’t notice someone else was in the room until Number Two’s huge hand had covered her mouth and nose completely. His hand was cupping a piece of fabric doused in a special knockout formula.

When Sandra wakes up from a strange dream, she’s excited. Today is her birthday and she’s going on a birthday picnic with her mum. But when she tells her mother about her dream, Mum thinks the dream might hold the key to the scientific formula she’s been working on, and dashes off to work to try it out.

Sandra is upset, and goes off on the picnic by herself. When she dozes off in the sun, she dreams her mother is being kidnapped, and rushes home to phone her. Instead, it is Sandra who is kidnapped and she and her mum have to battle the man who wants to destroy the secret formula.

 

Part of the Travel Kids series, Sandra Collage is an exciting and humorous story, which includes plenty of extras. In between chapters there are games and travel tips designed to keep kids entertained while travelling, including a guide to reading in the car and not throwing up.

Suitable for ages 8-12.

Sandra Collage and the Fossil Fuel Fiasco, by Tim Levy
Random House, 2005

Orson stopped. With his blindfold on, his nose and ears were incredibly sensitive. He could hear Fi screaming clearly. He was only part-way though his search, still in the front-left quadrant of the field. He wasn’t far from Fi and he knew he could help her – but this was a test, right?

The town of Welling is poised on the brink of trouble. The supply of orange juice is drying up and without a new gusher, mining operations may have to cease. What the town needs is a new OJ Sniffer to locate a new supply. Orson McNeal wants desperately to be that Sniffer. But there can only be one Sniffer, and Orson must compete with the rest of the town’s children, including his best friend Fi, to get the Sniffer’s badge.

Orson McNeal, 100% Pure is a humorous tale of friendship and adventure. Orson and Fi battle to save their town by locating a new OJ source, but in the process find themselves lost underground. What they find there could be the town’s saviour – or the final straw in closing operations.

Part of the Travel Kids series, Orson McNeal also includes loads of extras. In between chapters there are games and travel tips designed to keep kids entertained while travelling, including a guide to reading in the car and not throwing up.

Suitable for ages 8-12.

Orson McNeal, 100% Pure, by Tim Levy
Random House, 2005

This is getting a little weird, thought Squeak. Taking his mother’s hand carefully off the handle, he touched it once with his own finger. The door swung open.
A little man in a green coat burst out of the door. He was one of the strangest-looking people Squeak had ever seen. There were bits of plants, leaves and branches in his hair, on his coat and spilling out of his pockets.

Squeak Evans would be a normal kid – if only he could talk. He has never been able to use his voice and his parents have taken him to see every kind of doctor they can think of. Squeak has almost given up, until they take him to see Doctor Von Schprecken, the world’s only Sniffular-bio-herbologist. The Doctor’s treatment is unorthodox – to say the least – but it might just work. It could even help Squeak audition for the Junior Rock Eisteddfod .

Squeak – The Boy With No Voice is the second title on the Travel Kids series from author/storyteller/comedian Tim Levy. As well as a fun story, the book also has plenty of extras, including a guide to overcome travel sickness, games to play while travelling, and even a page to spill food scraps on.

This fun series is sure to appeal to kids and with the summer holidays fast approaching would make a good Christmas present ready for those long drives and plane trips.

Squeak – The Boy With No Voice, by Tim Levy
Random House, 2005

Now then children, I’ve called this special assembly to tell you about an important change at this school…Mt Kimberly Primary is to go into a Water Emergency, Level 8. We are to conserve water at all costs. From next Monday, we will be turning off all bubblers, hoses, fountains, the boys’ urinals and all other non-critical systems. Questions?

Olive has one, but she’s too scared to ask. The school Principal, Mrs Tote, doesn’t like to be challenged, so her pronouncement that no water is to be used at school seems final. But when Olive sees that the trees and plants are dying, and the birds have all flown away, she decides something must be done. With an unlikely ally – the Principal’s pet – she comes up with a novel scheme to bring grey water to school to keep the gardens alive.

Olive and the Grey Water Affair is a fun story with an important message about water conservation for primary school aged children. The book is, however, much more than simply a story. As well as Olive’s tale, there are games and activities to keep readers busy on their travels – whether by road, rail or air – and tips for making travelling more comfortable, including hints for avoiding travel sickness.

The humour of the story and the silliness of some of the suggestions – there is even a page to sleep on – are well complemented by the humorous illustrations by Luke Jurevicius. Kids will love the fun of this offering – parents will love it for keeping kids entertained, whilst also offering a subtle learning experience.

Olive and the Grey Water Affair, by Tim Levy
Random House, 2005