Kids into Books: Trailblazers!

Author: Elizabeth Pulford

Illustrator: John Bennett

Publisher: Shortland Publications, $7.80

Age group: 10-12 years


It's Miss Soames's crazy plan that starts it all. Starts turning my best friend into my worst enemy. That and the new girl, Duana O'Neill.

Joel and I are walking home from school, talking about Miss Soames's latest idea. She wants us to help some kids whose families lost their homes because of a flash flood. She's got this brilliant plan about the school doing this sponsored walk-a-thon and raising lots of money.

"But I hate walking," moans Joel.

"Don't you want to help save those kids?" I ask.

"Yeah. But I'm not doing anything to save Tracy Duke. She's too weird."

He's right. Tracy Duke is a bit strange. I don't know why, but she's always staring at something as though it's going to disappear for some reason. And that's not all. She's always the first one to put her hand up whenever Miss Soames wants something done.