ISBN: 9780857986382

Published: 01/07/2015

Imprint: Random House Australia Children’s

Extent: 96 pages

Oh my Lord – and the madness just continues!! Lucky for us!! In this instalment of the horrid duelling Japanese crazies it is time for the traditional festival honouring the honourable ancestors. With their usual antipathy the feuding Buta-Sama and Kingyo-Sama are obliged to be in the same space and of course there is bound to be some kind of disgusting repercussions when this eventuality happens.  With the usual explosive farts, unseemly behaviour and vile insults the evening is not what one might call a happy occasion! But what is worse is that the honourable ancestors stay beyond the night and in both camps begin to create even more mayhem than usual.

Fuka-Sama takes charge of the samurai and Inoshishi-Sama (Madam Boar) starts the scruffy ninjas cleaning up their act.

After much angst on both sides, the warring brothers conspire to get rid of both their problem ancient ones and success is at hand with the aid of a giant paper lantern.

And so the rivalry is at rest for the moment – well, that’s only a very brief moment. After all, if one is allergic to grubs (which cause excruciatingly volatile bottom problems) and then unsuspectingly eats a peace offering of jellies cunningly laced with said grubs – the proverbial is clearly going to hit the fan!

These books have been such a hit as read-alouds when I have done relief days – or as gifts to beginning readers – you cannot go wrong with them.

As usual there is a glossary of Japanese words at the end, numerals with Hiragani script plus a very amusing anatomical diagram of a ninja!

Tony Flowers‘s illustrations of these lunatics just kill me! I fall about laughing!

Put them on your shelves for readers of 7 and up who love raucous and ridiculous antics!