.
Cody's Unexpected Catch by Des Hunt with illustrations by Justine Black

Cody and Wiri are surprised to find out that their whitebait is actually not white, more like redbait and greenbait, but this isn't the only surprise in store for them on their holiday. Actually the dyed whitebait turn out to be part o a research project and could be a good way for the boys to earn some extra money on their holiday, but the job they are given is not as easy as it first seems, and also it seems there are much less whitebait to be had than usual.

Tensions are also rife on the river, especially when a man from the city arrives with his daughter. Caitlin is about the same age as the boys and is keen to help on the project too, but not so keen on the media photographing or interviewing her, her father on the other hand makes it clear that he is not big on being told what to or what not to do. What is their secret? Will the boys ever find out what is responsible for the low catch before they get the blame? And can Caitlin be trusted?

Des Hunt once again combines tales of nature, rural New Zealand and adventure with humour to make a thoroughly riveting read for younger readers.

RRP $14.99
Published and distributed by HarperCollins Publishers
 

.
The Crocodile Nest by Des Hunt

The Crocodile nest starts with a car accident caused by a possum crossing a rural road in the Coromandel. Luke and his mother hadn’t been living there long and until the accident hadn’t met their neighbour Kev Thomas. He proved to be a help around Luke and Alice’s place and even took Luke hunting. He also provides Luke with information concerning his father, a father he thought was dead.

When Luke’s school principal finds Luke a job helping an old woman called Beth with her computer after school, he has the opportunity to find his father and after some detective work, Luke is sure he is in Northern Queensland, working in a tourist resort, and his imagination runs wild.

When Beth’s granddaughter, Lora arrives and a virus finds its way onto Beth’s computer, causing money to get transferred from her account, Luke at first thinks that Lora could have downloaded something she shouldn’t have, but it soon becomes clear that the Trojan virus was hidden in the programme Luke’s father Ham had sent. Could his father be a criminal? Luke is going to Australia and will find out.

He also finds out that no-one is perfect and that the world can be a dangerous place where people aren’t always who they appear to be. Luke finds some things that might change his life if he lives that long.
.
In his own unique way, Des Hunt manages to put a story together combining rural settings, the environment and modern technology. In this case it involves native wildlife, pig hunting and internet scams. Unusually for his books though, it is not entirely set in New Zealand but also in Queensland, Australia. His descriptions transport the reader across the Tasman and are so vivid that they can almost see the places mentioned through the pages.

The Crocodile nest is a gripping novel that boys in particular will enjoy. It is not only a thrilling adventure but a story of blossoming love and a boy and a father finding each other. There is also an intelligent criminal good at covering his tracks, but criminals are certainly not the only dangers that Luke faces. It is an exciting story for 12 to 14 year olds that is hard to put down.

RP $19.99
Published and distributed by HarperCollins Publishers

.

The Naughty Kid’s Book Of Nature by Des Hunt with illustrations by Scott Tulloch

I must admit I have been looking forward to reading and reviewing this book ever since Des Hunt explained the concept to me in my last interview with him. It is a science book with a difference, it is written for those who don’t have much interest in science, but want instead to know about dead things, disgusting things, maggots and road kill. Rather than the sanitized look at creatures children can find hard to relate to, this is a look at nature in its gory and gruesome detail. It starts at the point where the children reading the book will most recognise the creatures, whether they are stuffed toy versions, found lurking in dark corners of the house or shed, or squashed road kill on the side of the road.

The Naughty Kid’s Book of Nature is aimed at primary school children. It both explains and expands on the biological themes in the primary curriculum in ways that readers might not expect. The book entertains, informs and captures the imagination. It is written as a typical road trop from North to South, encountering the same creatures that many New Zealanders would also encounter along the way, in the same state that we would encounter them. The guide on this journey, Steve, stops on his journey to discover animals, ask questions, try to work out why the animals are what they are, what is so special about them and how long they have been in this part of the world.

With sections on Road Kill, Bludgers, Lovers and living dead, plus the excellent illustrations of Scott Tulloch, it is a book that will appeal especially to boys who like to learn about things they can relate to (and also like to know disgusting things they can impress friends with). The illustrations themselves are wonderfully detailed and as you can expect from Tulloch, some are drawn with a bit of humour too. Something you may not know about Scott Tulloch is that he is a keen outdoors man with a degree in zoology.

The book is easy to read, being partly like a storybook and is designed to be read from cover to cover. In it readers will also find fact sheets, a glossary and key words so they can google search for more information. It is an excellent way for some students to develop an interest in biology and the animals we have in NZ.

RRP $29.99
Published and distributed by HarperCollins Publishers
 

>> Back to Book Search <<