Stick Dudes: the Secret Four-ce

Felice Arena (author/illus)

Scholastic, Australia: 2010; 80pp

ISBN: 9781741695502

Issues: bullying, friendship, ethics

Genres: adventure, crime, school

Ben, Marty, Johnno and Tubs are best mates. They always hand around together, like the three Musketeers, only there are four of them. But a thief seems to have moved in on their school and students' precious things are being stolen every day. When the thief targets the boys, they decide that they can't possibly leave it upto the teachers - they must take action themselves.

Forming a secret team of spies, the foursome identify suspects and begin their detective work. Can they really track down the thief? What begins as a game becomes more serious as the boys realise that the thief's motivations are not as simple as they first appear.

Written and illustrated by Felice Arena, this novella is designed to appeal to reluctant readers. The language is familiar and the story something that children might think of themselves when playing together, a compliment to Arena's ability to understand how children think. Further adventures are promised and this will no doubt be a popular series for the classroom library.