It’s Joey’s first day at a new school. He’s always been a joker, but he’s decided to turn over a new leaf. What could possibly go wrong?
Everything.
He’s attracted the attention of a hairy little trickster, the Junjardy, who seems determined to make Joey’s life miserable.
This is a fun, fast-paced book, filled with well-drawn characters. Joey’s voice is strong, clear and funny, and his spirit, creativity and tenderness shine through. The illustrations, by Brenton E McKenna, underline both the fun and the quiet moments, such as when Joey and Uncle Tom sit by the creek and he learns the stories of Wakka Wakka Country.
This is primary teacher Allison Rocca’s debut novel, and she clearly knows how to engage readers. Younger middle-grade readers will love Joey’s adventures, but this book will be perfect for every kid who feels like an outsider, misunderstood, or in a spot of trouble.
Reviewed by Kelly Gardiner
Age Guide 9+
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Allison Rocca is a primary school teacher who has taught in classrooms from the ’burbs of Australia, to remote villages in Asia and castle-like academies in Oxford. She is a descendant of Wakka Wakka and Kaanju people and her upbringing was rich in storytelling. Allison likes to draw on the stories passed down by her highly respected Elder grandparents to write fiction for children and young adults. She lives and writes on Yuggera/Turrbal Country, Brisbane.
Follow Allison Rocca on Instagram here.
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
Brenton E McKenna is a Yawuru artist and writer from Broome who fell in love with comic books at a young age. He studied visual arts at Goulburn TAFE, and in 2011 became the first ever published Indigenous graphic novelist with the release of Ubby’s Underdogs: The Legend of the Phoenix Dragon. When he’s not drawing, Brenton dedicates his time to educating young people through creative storytelling workshops.
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