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 dairy, Pete found, turned out to be one of those shops that sells everything you might run out of over the weekend and can't possibly do without. There was even a rack of videos for hire.

'Zombie vengeance: the dead arise and take revenge on the living,' proclaimed the one nearest to him in slimy green lettering.

'Four vanilla ice creams, please,' said Pete to the woman behind the counter, and then looked doubtfully at the five dollar-note. It didn't look like real money you could actually buy anything with. Pete knew he would get used to it, though. A traveller learned to get used to anything.

But then, as the woman reached for the ice cream scoop, Pete heard a dreadful sound - half whoop, half howl - coming from somewhere behind him. Zombie vengeance, he thought, and spun round, clenching his fists and gritting his teeth, prepared to go down fighting all the way.