Scratcher
Ministry of Education (Schools Division), Victoria
Illustrated by Bruce Rankin
Scratcher (given name Macneill) is a young Australian lad who, in the process of living everyday life, seems to become involved in numerous scrapes and comical situations. Often these result in his feeling corporeally the wrath of the Principal, or his father’s hand on certain parts of his anatomy. Some of the hilariously funny incidents include: being saved by firemen from the top of a silo whilst he is in the process of rescuing a friend; having a large eel attach itself to his nose whilst out with his father fishing; adopting a dog, who, when it sights a cat, reacts in the normal manner and creates havoc in a butcher’s shop; ferreting; a folk dancing competition; a passionate love for his teacher; and watching a train load of pigs escape. Scratcher’s exploits occur in the small country town of Niamong, whose local identities add humour and colour to the story. It is written in the first person. The witty anecdotes and vibrant characters ensure a wide appeal.
Department of Education, Queensland
Scratcher is a middle primary schoolboy in the outback Victorian town of Niamong, and is in the centre of any mischief that is going. Uproarious episodes convey the flavour of a country boyhood in which fun was simple but plentiful. Exaggeration is the essence of the author’s style and the slapstick humour is bound to appeal to the young, while initiating them into such mysteries as rabbiting, knuckles and eisteddfods (referred to throughout by the graceless hero as the ‘Iced Edward’!). Spiky line drawings and a map enhance an unassuming production which should give much pleasure. Many teachers would enjoy reading this yarn aloud for both its humour and its nostalgia.
Matt, South Frankston, aged 12
This is just a quick note to say thank you for the book “SCRATCHER”, I thoroughly enjoyed it and it was very funny. I would like to know where you got the name Macneill? Any way I don’t really like fiction books at all, but this one was great! I would highly recommend this book to anyone. I’D EASILY GIVE IT A BIG 10 out of 10!
Sahaj, Bangalore, India, aged 10
My neighbour and friend of my grandparents, Mr Bandyopadhyaya, gave me one of your books 'Scratcher'. I read the book and have written a few review comments. I found Scratcher a very funny, unique and exciting book. I found the incident when Petchie, the pup, ran loose in Niamong really funny. The beginning of Scratcher was a little dull as the story was in a totally new environment. In India we do things very differently than in Australia. Later, after I got used to this new environment I started to like the book a lot. It is marvellous how you made something extra-ordinary happen in every ordinary day (in Scratcher). Scratcher was also especially interesting as we are studying Australia in Geography at school. We have learnt the western plateau, the central lowlands, the eastern highlands and some other physical features of Australia. I am hoping to read some more books written by you.
Bree, Overport, aged 11
I am writing to you to tell you how much I liked Scratcher. I like the bit when the pig got out of the train and the people all went running out after the pigs. I also like the bit where they go away with Miss Hendley to the hall to do a dance with the grade. I like Scratcher because it has funny things in it.
Ranga Plays Australia
Anuj Kumar, 14, London
Parts 1 and 2
I thought that chapter 1 was quite good, i found the start of the chapter really funny, and so far i think its the type of book that i would read normally.
yeh it did want me to read the next chapter as it was funny and it was interesting and it created a sort of little suspense as i wanted to know if ranga could actually fulfil his dream or shall i say his big idea.
Funny, interesting and not to hard to read and understand which was nice.
Does it feel authentic? That is, is it 'Indian'? Would 12-14-year-olds buy the book?
yeh i think that a 12-14 year old boy or girl interested in cricket would wont to read this book.
Was there anything in the chapter that wasn't clear, or you would have liked more (or less) of?
umm no i didnt find anything from that chapter confusing or unclear. i would of liked a bit more of those jokes like the "Goodonyamate" joke and the questions on scotland and other country jokes i found that mostly made me want to read on.
Part 3
i found this chapter easy to read and funny. this chapter made me want to carry on reading the book as it was funny and interesting.
This chapter did make me want to read the next chapter.
Fairly funny, interesting and easy to read
Yes it felt authentic and it would make a 12-14 year old want to buy it.
i thought that this chapter as well spaced out with humour, and was interesting.
i liked the way it was spaced out as in you put in a joke at least about 4 times in the small space which i found was very affective.
10 out of 10!!!! That was a good chapter.
Moola Bhaktavatsala (Bangalore, India)
To me it is one of the best books I have read that initiates a child into an alien country while at the same time working as a text of study. I wonder how many can pull off something like this without even visiting the country. I remember a British writer who did the same in the detective genre (Inspector Ghote in Bombay series) without ever having been in the Country. Have you sent a copy to the DH for review? It is worth doing it. Congratulations on what ought to be the RANGA Series of children's books.
The Historical Novel Society
Ian Burns has written a novel about a little-known episode in Australia’s cricketing history: a match between students from India and children from the tiny Victorian town of Niamong.
The story is set in 1950s India and Australia. It feels thoroughly researched and demonstrates a great love and understanding of cricket. There is a subtle humour, throughout the text, that caused this reader to chuckle more than once. Although, I fear it may be too sophisticated for a younger readership. A quiz in the appendix, a score card and a copy of Niamong cricket rules, are also nice details.
The story is told from an omniscient point-of-view. Unfortunately, the narrator shifts between characters’ heads too frequently. This gives the reader a sense of being told the story, rather than feeling it within. We watch the main character, Ranga, discover his wonderful idea. By the story’s end, we understand his desire to be a continuing source of initiative. But we do not experience his inner journey.
Although cricket metaphors and allusions abound, there is very little cricket played in the book. The main match is played on pages 247-271. Apart from that, there are some references to practice sessions and a scene, on board ship, in which the Indian students bowl to the great, Sir Donald Bradman. This scene is important and has potential for dramatic tension. But it is not fully realised.
Throughout the narrative, the author uses a number of creative textual devices. These include colons, dashes, strings of question marks and exclamations, sections of capitalised speech, and the shrinking and expanding of text. At times these are a distraction to the reader. Nevertheless, having said all this, I was still eager to find out who won the match at the end. Elizabeth Jane
Ashleigh, aged 10
Dear Ian
Thank-you for signing the book you wrote! I enjoyed and loved the story very much. I love the type of story full of faith in dreams. It’s funny as Mr Olney is the same name as my sisters old teacher.
Well all up the best part of the story I would think was the end. It was a fantastic end to a fantastic story.
The front cover was great and I was hooked from the first sentance (sic).
from
Ashleigh
P.S. Write another!
P.P.S. My friend read it as well and she also loved it.
Neil Thompson, Wattle Glen
This delightful story comes with a sparkle of freshness and simplicity and the reader will be left wondering how much is fact and how much is the imagination of the author. Nonetheless, the reader will burn with a self-satisfaction that he has indeed had a pleasurable journey. The simple honesty of the characters mixed with the time-honoured belief that “anything is possible”, leads us to travel with Ranga (as part of his team) on a journey that will enthrall, amuse and at times have you relishing in a sentimentality that we all share when an unlikely hero is given a ‘leg-up’, just because his dream is a worthy one. Ian Burns has brought together the magic of a boy’s dream, historical features that may otherwise simply vanish, and a true “good feel” story that is interwoven with humour and spun in a simple easy going style that makes this book hard to put down.
S. K. Bandyopadhyay (Bangalore, India)
Ranga Plays Australia is a bold attempt by the author, Ian Burns, which narrates an imaginative story of a cricket match played by the little school boys from India traveling all the way by ship to Australia in 1950. This book will attract the interests of school-going children of age group ten to twelve who like to play cricket and have some knowledge of geography of the two countries. Interestingly, the book is not a simple imaginative story but carries an inner line of thought in bringing the bond between the two countries stronger and everlasting when the children of two countries of different cultures and habits try to make some very difficult thing to happen. Though the kind of cricket match described by Ian has never been played, yet the skilful story telling creativity of Ian has made the readers think such kind of cricket play could have been possible. The book has been able to take the readers to the years 1950 when India was still in the grip of rural life after the English people had left India and the whole world was recovering from the grip of World War II devastation.
The author has carefully structured the book in two parts. He starts developing the story independently in two separate geographical locations – in fact two hemispheres of the globe with two different cultures - one in India with special reference to a small Indian village, Akkithimmanahalli, a place near Bangalore, and the other in Niamong, a place near Melbourne. With excellent clarity of thought and splendor of diction, Ian lucidly describes Ranga’s imagination of playing cricket. His description of Ranga in an Indian village environment is really astonishing. He then carefully develops the story to bring further interest to the readers as he describes an Indian school, the teachers, the school boys, their feelings, the Indian village, its life and cultures. He has aptly chosen some Indian mythological stories or folk tales, adding more interest to the children as they read the book. The example of referring to Mother Lalla or the mythological demon are some of the interesting passing descriptions in the book which is capable of exciting the children to know more about these characters without losing the main theme of the book.
Though the story is built around a small village near Bangalore, the author has been able to give a vivid description of the life of an Indian village and its surroundings as he describes the different characters of the book. Kumar definitely brings out the true description of Indian teachers, whereas Harkishen Singh, a friend, philosopher and guide in a typical Indian village always tries to promote the interest of the village in many ways.
Ian alternatively describes the other side of the story – that is, what is happening in Niamong and the education department there and its preparation in inviting the Indian boys to play in Australia till the Indian team reaches there. There is no mixing of narration of the two locations India and Australia – each part of the story is separately built and its intrinsic description has been carefully studied by the author and described in a precise manner with a literary power best suited for the children of the two countries.
The story very lucidly describes children’s imagination and dream about playing a cricket match in the land of Don Bradman, a legendary person of the cricket world. Any boy from India would love to play a cricket match in other country, especially in England or Australia, especially when visiting those countries was a rare opportunity in those days for common Indian boys.
The book is very interesting, no doubt, and Ian’s style of narration has been superb as well as interesting for the children of both the countries.
I have requested one of my neighbours and old colleagues to read the book and give her views. The lady is an engineer by profession but a voracious reader of English books and fictions. She has already read a major part of the book and her initial comments were very impressive. She asked whether the author is an Indian meaning the way Ranga, his feelings and his village have been narrated in the book. She was saying it is in no way less than the Indian writer (in English) R. K. Narayan who became famous for his book 'Malgudi Days'. It is a very good compliment.
Twevven and the big bigger biggest baby burp
Peter Eerden
Now here is a children's book that will resonate with the kids. It is cheeky, irreverent and might just scare the big people. But kids will love how much trouble Twevven gets into and the unusual way he gets there. Twevven just wants to 'do good' but in the process he gets a whiff of the unusual and a face full of the unexpected. This is a delightful read and will be one of those books kids will want adults to read to them over and over. Hearty congratulations to Author Ian Burns and a special mention to Lauren Eldridge-Murray, whose illustrations are captivating and hilarious.
Kids Comments
Laura Michaelson - I'm 8 years old and I liked this story because it's funny when the baby does a bottom burp. Twevven always makes trouble and I like it because he didn't know that the baby was actually doing a bottom burp - he thought it was a burp! I also thought that it was funny because Twevven had a poo nappy on his face. He always forgets his money when he's going to buy something at the shops.
Favian - I liked when the baby farted.
Darcy - I liked that it was a funny story.
Campbell, 9 - I liked everything especially when Twevvyn went under the cow's udders!
Joshua, 5 - I liked it because it was funny.
Hannah, 13 - My reading is not great for my age so I found it tricky but I liked it. I read it to my Dad and he liked me reading it and seemed to like the story.
Twevven in a very dangerous situation
Peter Eerden
Twevven the bear is at it again.
Ian Burns and Lauren Eldridge-Murray have done it again but this time they have given a water safety message via Twevven the lovable bear who just always seems to be in trouble. Once again as was alluded to in my review of `Twevven and the horrible big bigger biggest baby burp' parents may find the story a bit confronting but kids will be delighted by Twevven's water adventure. You rock Twevven!
The Alone Man
Carolyn Jacobsen, Tura Beach, NSW
A poignant story of a man's life in outback Australia in years gone by, written with great sensitivity and feeling. It is easy to visualise the scenes and empathise with the Alone Man as the story unfolds. This is one of the most beautiful stories I can say that I have read in a long time and it brought tears to my eyes. It is certainly a book that should be on your bookshelf. Give it as a gift to someone visiting Australia, or take it as a gift if you plan to travel overseas. I highly recommend this book.
Matthew Hughes-Gage, Melbourne, Victoria
I thoroughly enjoyed this short story. It's poetic, informative and Australian. A very comfortable read, indeed an ideal night cap that leaves the reader feeling good.
Listen to the author reading the story; music composed and performed by Bruce Rowland.
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The Package On the Tram
Gysbert Fine, Melbourne
Colour-changing cobwebs.....impossible? A detective working with seven puppies……. unlikely? A dog as large as a mammoth.......crazy? Getting lost in a forest of animal fur......yeah?? Well believe it or not it's all there (and much more) in "The Package on the Tram". Author Ian Burns leaves us no doubt that in fantasy everything is possible. A fine read for children and grandchildren. And you will enjoy it also. No doubt.
Joshua Michaelson, (8) Mitcham
When I read about the different countries becoming day or night, it got really loud in my mind. I got sad when I read that Jess's Dad died.
Cover design: Sophie Sirninger-Rankin
The Search for Quong
Rebecca Kreltzsheim, Wangaratta
I was the first one of the kids [in our family] to read it. I read it the day after we got it. My favourite character was Quong because he is silly and funny. The best part of the book was chapter 7, “Across the River” where Snuffledropper drops us in it and goes…I would recommend the book to other kids. It’s got all funny names for animals and other creatures.
The Wisdom of Harkishen Singh
Moola Bhaktavatsala, Bangalore, India
Just got the book. What a wonderfully innovative publication! I think it ranks as only one of its kind, a glorious tribute to a country from someone from another, a great juxtaposition of the visual, poesy and profundity. I am going to have it on display at the Bangalore Club Library. Great Work! Congratulations.
Lindsay Armstrong, New Gisborne, Australia
Paradoxically The Wisdom of Harkishen Singh is a book you CAN put down, but find yourself picking up again, again and again. Depending upon your mind's capacity to absorb the regular and ongoing stimulation each page provides will determine whether it is time to put the book down and think in more detail about what you have read.
Harkishen's insights range from the emotional – "Does thou know when thou becomes asleep? No. It is the same with love."
To the practical – "Prepare for the dry well of drought as the monsoon unthirsts the fields."
To the sportsperson – "Do not forget, Ranga, that when thou cannot see me I may see thee. It is the same for everybody, especially when facing a spin bowler."
And for the weary – "Getting steam up is good, if thou intend to go somewhere."
The book is a delight.
Geoff Benson, Southport, Queensland, Australia
I’m not a real cricket fan but the 'Wisdom of Harkishen Singh' which often draws on cricket analogies to convey wisdom for life, certainly connected with me. “Does the bat hate the ball? Does the ball hate the bat? What would one do without the other?” Ian Burns, with the assistance of Harkishen’s disciple Ranga, has done a splendid job reconstructing the wise sayings of a guru who lived some time ago. There is a thought for every day and some you may ponder for many days. “No, Ranga, the most powerful thing cannot be seen.” Wisdom sayings, like parables, have a twist which disarms the reader so they are better prepared to receive a fresh thought or to consider their situation in a new light. Sometimes they invite questions and sometimes they provide answers but they also open up hearts and minds to those visions and virtues that we so easily overlook with the demands of our busy life.
John Leavesley (Castlemaine)
I am still enjoying picking up Harkishen Singh – I shall use it for the rest of my life. It is very much a two way process.
Cover design: Sophie Sirninger-Rankin
The Once Shredded Rainbow and Other Stories from Down Under
Cara Britton, Kangaroo Ground, Victoria
I had a pile of lent/bought books to wade through first, including a book my sister has published.
It’s taken me till LD6 ( we should dispense with BC & AD now!) to pick your book up & many chuckles can be heard filling the room!
Thank you, it’s really funny/touching & it brightens my days, especially when no good walking can be done!
Cover design: Sophie Sirninger-Rankin
Messing With Your Mind
Matthew Hughes-Gage, Melbourne, Victoria
This is a very culturally diverse and uniquely Australian Novel. Both a collection of short stories with their own unique set of events and an overriding mystery that carries you through to a surprising end. You'll be reminded of many of the events of the last 70 years and how those events translate through to today. For those who enjoy the gift of language and storytelling this book will surely entertain you.
Cover design: Sophie Sirninger-Rankin