Dame Nellie Nickabocka Shooting Star

Dianne Bates (author)

Caroline Magerl (illustrations)

Hodder Children's Books, Australia: 1996; 95pp

ISBN: 0733603726

Genres: adventure, humour

One of Hodder's ‘Bushrangers' series.

Many years ago Dame Nellie Nickabocka was a great operatic star in Britain. Unfortunately she has since put on forty kilos (mostly around her bottom) and has grown a ‘horrible hairy moustache', neither of which is likely to endear her to a new generation of fans.

Despite her best efforts, Dame Nellie finds that fame is a fickle friend - and so is her manager. Determined to start afresh, Dame Nellie moves to Australia with a couple of equally determined peers. Together they set about restarting their careers - only to realise that the best use for a retired opera singer Down Under is as a bushranger!

Cartoon style illustrations by Caroline Magerl provide some very funny images to do with the occasionally outrageous text. Dianne Bates has a sense of humour that will appeal to young readers, evident in the cheeky lyrics to the songs Nellie sings, and a number of earthy puns, jokes and names. Don't expect any subtext, this is just a funny story for a youngster who is developing independent reading skills, although it would also work well read aloud.

Same author: Ride On, Sister Vincent