Gene Kemp (1926–2015)

Follows the ups and downs of a school year for Tyke Tiler, including taking care of a friend, Danny, who has much more trouble at school than Tyke, both mean and kind teachers, a hectic but loving home, and adventures in an abandoned mill.

Above-average entry in the genre of first-person school narratives. The story was fun and the characters believable; I was particularly impressed with how I was completely fooled until the very end into thinking Tyke was a boy. (I assume this was the point show more and not that I was just weirdly dense about it, because it *did* seem to be a purpose-filled reveal, with no indication of her gender previous to the last couple of pages). show less

This was one of our compulsory books at primary school, but despite that, I still love it. Tyke's life in the final year of primary school is drawn with warmth and wit, exploring abandoned mill buildings, fighting bullies, trying to save their friend, escaping mice in assemblies and helping their dad run for council. And I still remember the twist being such a punch when I was younger, and rereading it already knowing that is interesting.

After the death of his father, a young boy has difficulty with his mother at home and bullies at school. When the bullies destroy his father's flute, his grandmother agrees to buy him a new one. However, once at the music shop, he is enthralled by a piccolo and must have it, against his grandmother's advice. He soon realizes that the piccolo is bent on destruction and hurting others. Will he be able to stop it?

This book was a pretty forgettable one. Honestly, I finished it two days ago and I show more already forgot the main character's name. The story touches upon some deep topics (particularly death) but only talks about them superficially. There was a chance for character development but it's neglected in favor of quick action. This reminds me of more recent book series as Eerie Elementary or the Notebooks of Doom in that they are "scary" (but not so scary), action-packed, and full of flat characters. Unlike those books though, this was a stand-alone title (so far as I know). show less

Claire is sister to the beautiful, sexy and talented Vanessa (Ness) and to the seriously weird Troy who is obsessed by numbers and will only eat baked beans out of a can. Claire’s parents are a problem too – her mother is in denial that there is anything “wrong” with her darling boy, and her father just wants to escape the whole Troy problem.When Troy gets suspended from school and the police arrive on the doorstep everything seems to reach breaking point; and then Troy disappears! show more All told from the point of view of the long suffering Claire and her inner voice Clarry who speaks Claire’s deep seated feelings of neglect and fear.A sometimes sad and touching, sometimes funny story about what it is like to live with a child with a disability. The disability is never mentioned but I would say it is probably Asperger’s Syndrome or High functioning Autism.
p.35 “waltzing matildas” – 40 “mobile mobile” The spiers family are on a cliff near the beach having a picnic when the Dad’s mobile rings with disastrous consequences as Troy chucks it over the cliff and brains a guy on the beach below! show less