Lockie Leonard Legend: Library Edition

Lockie Leonard's survived the worst year on record. His first year of high school, settling into a new town, his mad love affair - it's all behind him. He's about to turn fourteen and things are looking up.But the world of weirdness hasn't finished yet. His little brother's hormones have kicked in and that's not a pretty sight. His dad starts arresting farm animals for a hobby and his poor mum suddenly won't stop crying. Right in the middle of this family shambles, an old flame comes scorching back into his life. Ouch! As his whole world goes down the gurgler, Lockie discovers things are never as simple as they seem. Not even for grommets.

Grade 5-8-Growing up presents many challenges for Lockie Leonard, an Australian teenager, without the complication of Mum's nervous breakdown. Yet life goes on and he cooks, washes his little sister's "nappies," and supervises his younger brother to help his family cope in the difficult situation. Stig Wemyss, a young Australian actor, has the authentic accent for this story by Tim Winton. He reads at a steady pace through all the teen slang, made-up words, and vocal sound effects. Neither the story nor the speech ever drags. Native terms can usually be defined in context. Wemyss' expressive voice effectively portrays the wide range of emotions presented in this coming-of-age novel. There is much dialogue, and he changes his voice to depict each character differently. However, the voices used for the grandparents make them older and more feeble than the author intended. Modern music is played at the beginning of each chapter or break and will attract the attention of young listeners. Purchase for fans of the series.
Claudia Moore, W.T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA
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