Lexie Moon and the Word Burgling Bungle (Melissa Garside, illus Lauren Mullinder, Riveted Press)

Lexie Moon and the Word Burgling Bungle is debut author Melissa Garside’s exciting junior novel about a creative and prolific 10-year-old inventor. Lexie has been mentored by her grandfather, but as her skills and confidence increase, she creates a machine all by herself to help people vocalise tricky words like ‘spaghetti’. However, she forgets to add one crucial wire. In his quest to ‘become the most marvellous inventor of all time’, villain Gizmo Lightfinger steals her ‘Vocaliser’. Lexie applies her resourcefulness and ingenuity by modifying her slushy-making and ‘ice-berglar’ gadgets to counter the burglar’s actions. Accompanied by her sometimes-flagging grandad, she chases and outwits Lightfinger with courage and determination. High stakes, humour and a twist ensue. Themes related to ethical AI use, intellectual property theft, responsibility for the unexpected consequences of new technologies, and the importance of helping rather than hindering humanity add layers to the plot and are delivered with a light touch. Told in short, sharp chapters with black-and-white illustrations by Lauren Mullinder, Lexie Moon and the Word Burgling Bungle is a fun, satisfying read for 7- to 10-year-olds who enjoy Tim Winton’s The Bugalugs Bum Thief and the Edie’s Experiments books by Charlotte Barkla and Sandy Flett. If this book doesn’t encourage young readers to invent something themselves, it will at least inspire them to read.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Joy Lawn has worked for independent bookshops and blogs at Paperbark Words. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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