Ferris (named after the carnival ferris wheel she was born under), has a busy home life. There’s her little sister Pinky for a start. Pinky isn’t like other six year olds. Her biggest dream is to appear on a WANTED poster. She tears around or stomps everywhere wearing a black cape, repeating the same phrase. “Out of my way, fools!”

Their Uncle Ted has just moved in, leaving their Aunt Shirley. He says he received a message in his head telling him he must paint the history of the world in Ferris’ basement. This was once Ted’s family home, so Ferris’ mum doesn’t have much to say.

Her dad doesn’t say much either, besides sayings he’s repeated throughout Ferris’ entire life. He also likes to use rich vocabulary as do others in Ferris’ family, but she and her best friend (Billy Jackson) have a strong understanding of these due to a teacher they once had. Mrs Mielk was a fan of words and collective nouns.

Aunt Shirley is mad as a cut snake at Uncle Ted for leaving and when Ted begins asking Ferris to be a go-between, Ferris somehow ends up in one of Aunt Shirley’s hairdressing chairs and comes out looking completely different. Of course, Aunt Shirley insists she’s a trained cosmetologist – NOT just a hairdresser.

Then there is Charisse, Ferris’ grandmother, who also lives in the house. She hasn’t been feeling well lately and shares a secret with Ferris. A ghost has been visiting her room.

Stir this melting pot of family with a six year old bank-robber, a bundle of bees, hissing racoons and an exterminator. Add an unhappy ghost, a practising Houdini and a pining painter, and you have another wonderful small town tale – cleverly constructed for middle-grade readers.

I love Kate Di Camillo’s slice of life stories layered with quirky characters, and this one is a pure gem.

Author – Kate Di Camillo

Age – 8+

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(2024, Walker Books Aust, Family, Small Town, Younger Sibling, Quirky characters, WANTED poster, Bank Robber, Houdini, Ghost, Chandelier, Taper Candles, Spelling, Vocabulary, Music, Friendship, Grief, Growing Up, Historical, Humour, Funny, Love, Music)