Mitch and his family have moved from Sydney to Melbourne for a fresh start. While his parents are working overseas, Mitch and his sister, Regi, stay with their grandmother. Regi is confident and instantly popular, but Mitch struggles at his new school and misses his old friends. Almost immediately, the class bully Seb – the local Mayor’s son – targets him, leaving Mitch increasingly despondent.
Things change when Mitch discovers a strange, vibrating tree in a nearby park. From it emerges Argos, a powerful wolf-like creature, half dog and half spirit. Through Argos’ strength and ancient wisdom, Mitch begins to find the courage to face his fears.
Fiona Wood blends everyday realism with magic in a way that feels natural and believable. Alongside bullying, the novel explores friendship, responsibility, climate change, screen dependence, and the idea that sometimes doing something ‘wrong’ can lead to good. Regi is a standout character.
Reviewed by Amanda Brinkman
Age Guide 8+
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Fiona Wood is the award-winning author of the YA Novels, Six Impossible Things, Wildlife, and Cloudwish, and Take Three Girls, co-written with Cath Crowley and Simmone Howell. How to Spell Catastrophe is her first middle-grade fiction.
Before writing YA fiction, Fiona worked as a television scriptwriter for twelve years, writing everything from soap and one-hour adult drama, to children’s drama. She has served as a judge for the AWGIE Award (Australian Writers’ Guild) and an ambassador for the Stella Prize School Program and the Ardoch Youth Foundation. She has two children and lives in Naarm with her husband.
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