Brilliant Bites for boys: Four favourite Bites just for boys!

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By Jane Godwin, Danny Katz, Jen Storer, and Patricia Wrightson. Penguin, Australia: 2013. ISBN 9780143307808.
The Aussie Bites series has been around for years, and proved valuable in the transition of young readers to chapter books and easily identified by the unique bite from the top right corner which has now become a cover feature only. With a huge variety of titles and great Australian authors they, along with their companion series Aussie Nibbles and Chomps have been very popular in school libraries.
This book is a collection of four of the Bites stories popular with boys. The short stories with their excellent supporting illustrations, which have been a feature of the series, create a balance between the more serious topics of Rattlers Place and The Day I Turned Ten and the more humorous treatment of The Parents are Revolting and Sing Pepi Sing.
Rattlers Place by Patricia Wrightson explores what it is like to move away from all that is familiar. Guy especially misses his dog Digby and his toys which have yet to arrive. He explores his new surroundings and solves the mystery of 'Rattlers Place' written on the back fence.
Sing, Pepi, Sing by Jen Storer is the story of Pepi the Mexican walking fish whose singing creates a sensation in Tony and Lola's restaurant. When the loan sharks come to collect the money owed to them it's either give them Pepi or lose everything. Pepi has to decide where he really wants to be in Hollywood, Mexico or with Tony and Lola.
The Day I Turned Ten by Jane Godwin begins as any other day for Jeremy, excited that it is his birthday. Nothing is going to upset him, not even baby brother Oliver or having to wait to open his presents. Then Oliver goes missing and Jeremy feels responsible. What a birthday!
The Parents are Revolting by Danny Katz is a lesson in what happens when parents decide to act as parents rather than slave to their children's every whim and demand. The parents might revolt, but it is the children who are revolting.
The original stories have stood the test of time and as a collection will be just as popular.
Sue Keane

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