The Bunyip in the Billabong is the first in a new series
called Bush Tails written by Elaine Ouston and published by Morris Publishing
in 2016. I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy.
Bunyips are popular subjects with a lot of readers, and The
Bunyip in the Billabong makes use of many icons of the Australian bush from
billabongs to dingoes to sheep. Granddad is a quintessential teller of bush
tales.
Eleven-year-old Matthew and his much older brother have been
home-schooled on the family property and now Jason is at university, Matthew
feels somewhat lonely. When lambs begin to disappear, Dad thinks dingoes are to
blame. Matthew remembers his grandfather’s story about the bunyip in the billabong.
Could the bunyip be responsible for taking the lambs? Matthew is in two minds
as Dad says no and Granddad says maybe. When two of the most important people
in his world disagree, who should he believe? When Jason comes home for a few
days, Matthew sees his chance to solve the mystery.
Elaine Ouston tells a good story. The pace moves along
smoothly, with likable characters and a warm family-centred tone. The dialogue
is natural and the sheep station setting well realised. I liked the way the
mystery was resolved, with no fuzzy question marks over the ending. This short
but fully-formed chapter book is ideal for reading aloud or for independent
reading. Since Matthew is eleven, it would also work for less able or less
engaged older readers.
Click HERE to read an interview with the author.
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