Kids into Books: Jellybean

Author: Tessa Duder

Age: 9-12 years

Publisher: Puffin, $12.95


The clue is always the cello case, tall and black in its corner of the living-room. When it stays shut, like a masked soldier standing guard over the precious treasure inside, geraldine knows that there are no big concerts this week.

Her mother has finished her daily session of scales and exercises and the cello is now packed away ready for the next school concert, rehearsal, or whatever is on the day"s schedule.

When the case stays open and empty, and looks like an Egyptian mummy"s coffin, geraldine knows that there is an important concert only a few days away.

Then the cello stays out of its case and her mother's practising can be heard at all hours from one end of the flat to the other.