Don’t Look Now (Paul Jennings, illus by Andrew Weldon, A&U)

Ricky is the first person to admit that he is a little weird. He tends to see the world differently from everyone else, which is not something that endears him to the other kids at his school. But when he achieves his lifelong goal of flying (by hovering above his bean-bag), Ricky is sure that everything is about to change. Flying will not only make him the most popular kid in school, but also the most famous person in the world. One problem: he can’t seem to do it while anyone else is watching. Ricky has to face family dramas, perform daring rescues, keep secrets and master a new talent in this funny and charming story—the first in a series of four—from master children’s author Paul Jennings and popular cartoonist Andrew Weldon. Fun, light-hearted and occasionally disgusting, this book is sure to be enjoyed by young fans of Andy Griffiths and Jeff Kinney. The concept is unique and will capture the imagination of any early reader—after all, who hasn’t dreamt of flying? Accompanied by simple and clever illustrations, Jennings’ text contains enough humour, foul-smelling substances and ridiculous situations to engage even the most reluctant of readers.

Meg Whelan is the children’s book buyer at the Hill of Content bookshop

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

Category: Reviews