Kids into books: The Good Fortunes Gang

This weeks title: The Good Fortunes Gang

Author: Margaret Mahy

Illustrator: John Farman

Publisher: Random, $9.95

Age Group: 8-11 years


The wild whoop became a fiendish shriek, rushing towards the shop, growing louder and louder every moment. there was a whirr of wheels and, just as the shriek dissolved into crackling, wicked laughter, two figures streamed past the shop ... a boy and a girl, both yelling and laughing as they shot by on skateboards.

Pete saw the girl most distinctly. He stood staring, even when there was nothing more to look at, as chilly as if he had seen a ghost.

'Watch where you're going!' someone shouted angrily.

'I swear those kids'll come to grief one of these days,' said the woman behind the counter, patting generous scoops of ice cream into the cones.

But Pete was still staring at the space where the skateboarding-girl had suddenly appeared and grinned at him. He had recognised her.

Although he had only been in town ten minutes, he had recognised her ... the girl from his worst nightmare.