Penguin Random House

August 2019

ISBN: 9780143796350

Imprint: Puffin

RRP: $16.99

The Peski kids have certainly encountered some bizarre events since their arrival in the backwater town of Currawong but perhaps the annual town Mud Run is one of the most strange – to their minds at least. Added to this is the even more repugnant situation of Ingrid, the Swedish neighbour, moving into their house to consolidate a pretence of becoming engaged to their father – a ploy to deter the evil foreign agents who are holding their missing mother captive.

Despite the reluctance particularly of Joe and April, all three kids become embroiled in the ‘festivities’ of this strange town community event. Finn is pretty pleased to have won the right to design the course – visions of bulldozers and other heavy duty machinery, mud slides, diabolic obstacles and just pure devilry are his inspiration. Joe is lured by the promise of baked goods and of course April is forced, due to her rather forthright treatment of the new vision-impaired student, to partner said classmate so that he can compete.

Possibly this could all work out without undue additional stress but when the prize money is stolen in a daring bank heist, someone has to step up and who better than this ‘outside-the-square-thinking’ tribe?

Once again R. A. Spratt has brought the comedic muscle she is known for to another fabulously engaging story for kiddos aged from around 8 years upwards. Following the successes of Nanny Piggins and Friday Barnes, the Peski Kids are fast becoming firm favourites with middle school reading fans. The ‘snort laugh’ is always my measure of a truly hilarious book – and this new episode did not fail to deliver.

Highly recommended for your readers from Year 3 upwards!