About book Pookie Aleera Is Not My Boyfriend (2012)
A story about school, community, family and friendship that will make your heart melt, just like the chocolate of Laura's crisp and sweet chocolate cackles (recipe at the end of the book). Written in verse and told from the perspective of the various children and adults in the story, I could imagine this to be a really nice read-aloud to share and discuss as a class at the beginning of a school year. This gentle verse novel from Steven Herrick is fantastic. I loved all the characters, especially Cameron and Mick, and most especially Laura and Mr Korsky. I laughed, I cried and I felt the life in all the students of 6A and those who surround them. Mick is a bit of a rough diamond - a rogue with a heart of gold. Mr Korsky could be the groundskeeper in so many schools - a guy who is proud of the job he does - making the school grounds look nice, but also a bloke who sees the best in all the kids. Laura, the quiet girl on the outskirts of "the gang" could have been me at that age. I identified with her shyness, and longing to be part of something bigger. There is a lot of longing in this book - Mr Korsky misses his best friend Walter, Pete misses his grandfather, Cameron misses his phone (sorry, in joke)....The language Herrick employs is superb, and the message that poetry and playing with language is fun is well and truly communicated in Ms Arthur's class. The poem where the children are asked to describe the words "Night Sky" is wonderful. "It's where shooting stars write their name" "It's lightning graffiti!" - all just fantastic language play. The verse where Ms Arthur tells the class they can borrow anything they want from the library EXCEPT poetry- and over half the class walks out with just that. All inspired stuff. I get the feeling Steven Herrick may have used that trick himself!I really enjoyed this book. Maybe I'll find a tree to wedge an apple into....For ages 8 and up.
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The only thing I didn't like about this book is that it finished...
—susan
