The ‘Mates” series are a great Australian series aimed at children who are in the transition from picture books to novels as they are in the ‘Junior Fiction’ category. The choice of traditional Australian lingo and use of ‘typically Australian’ themes brings these stories to life for children in a most relatable way. While the stories are each ‘stand-alones’ and written by different authors, they have each got a valuable lesson to teach and brings forth personable and unique characters that children will find believable.
Upon some research I have discovered that these small novels fit in perfectly with the themes in the Primary National Curriculum literature strand. With a focus on friendship these ‘Mates’ series fit in perfectly and would be a great choice for classroom texts, particularly with 16 titles successfully published giving readers the opportunity to continue reading a style of book they are familiar with and enjoy.
Drongoes
Written by Christine Bongers,
Illustrated by Dan McGuiness
Drongo is an affectionate word for hopeless cases and no-hopers. Australian’s have a soft spot for drongoes because even though they might have no hope of winning they still give it a go. Jack and his best friend have wanted to complete the school cross-country since foreeever! His buddy is never able to cross the finish line because of his asthma. Every year the teacher panics and pulls him out of the race, but this year will be different. The reader is given the pleasure of watching the boys training regime and getting to know why its so important for them to win this race.
These characters are relatable not only to boys but to any kid who has desperately wanted to complete something and just hasn’t had any luck. The important of ‘giving it a go’ becomes evident as we realize that the real winner isn’t always the person with the gold medal, but sometimes the person who gave it their best effort.
-Jess
Item # : 8167075
Price : $11.99
Ages: 6-8
Type: Paperbacks
Author : Bongers,Christine
Publisher : OMNIBUS BOOKS
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