Tadpole Series - three books for three different age groups

Is there a common element in these three books?

Yes! They are all published by the same Australian publisher Koala Books, which has set up the Tadpole series to challenge children of different age groups to read plot-charged books. 

Take for example Not Nits.   This book is aimed at the newly independent reader with the novel divided into eleven short chapters and black and white illustrations throughout. 

Who can resist the charm of Gus the brother who is absolutely mad about bugs?  So obsessed is Gus, that he uses every household jar and box to store his latest acquisitions.  The illustration of Gus’ sister Kate, spearing an albino earwig with her knife when she was meant to spear peanut butter for her sandwich, will draw the reader into the drama of Not Nits.

Can Gus overcome his fanatical love of all insects to put up with a colony of Nits living in his own insectivore - his hair?  This book is well written, guaranteed to entertain and encourage reading for enjoyment. 

Warts'n'all by Ann Morgan capitalizes on another childhood dilemma - a wart.  This wart is right on the end of Marti’s nose.  Marti’s mother agrees that something needs to be done but she is too busy just yet to take Marti to the doctor. Marti must wait a few days.  But Marti’s impatience leads to desperation and this desperation forces Marti to try a self-made concoction of herbs, then her mother’s expensive perfume and as a last resort, the next door neighbour’s advice to kiss a water snail.  But can Marti trust advice from the new boy who sits on a stone in the frog pond?  This is a real twister of a tale. Warts, frogs and all. 

The third novel, The Black House is written by well known writer Jackie French.  This is aimed at an upper primary and secondary school audience.  

Barney and his dad move to a country town so Barney’s dad can continue his research program on communicating with octopuses.  Barney himself learns quite a bit about communication when the atmosphere of the very large house and its caretaker Mr. Owen becomes secretive and guarded.  

Barney feels very unwelcome and describes the house as “heavy, sort of waiting.  As though there’s something you can’t quite hear.”  Mystery also awaits Barney at his new country school.  There is some big secret in his new friend Spike’s life - just how did Spike’s father die?    

Despite electric fences and surveillance cameras all around the research site, Barney manages to plunge right into the secret.  But is it a victory? 

Jackie French has cleverly and intriguingly written about tolerance and communication.  How the world needs huge doses of both.

Review by Lorraine Marwood

© 2003 Lorraine Marwood