Kids into Books:The Week Of The Jellyhoppers

Author: Pauline Cartwright

Illustrator: Martin Bailey

Publisher: Shortland Publications, $8.75

Age: 11-12 years


Isobel's father, Mr Miro, couldn't believe what he was reading in the paper. "Well, at least they haven't called it a "flying saucer" . I always thought that was a stupid name."

Margery Hopgood, part-time babysitter, part-time housekeeper for Isobel and her father, stopped her energetic Saturday morning cleaning. "Further down in the article, Sheriff O'Shea says that it was shaped like a hat. Sort of like a bowler hat. So I suppose they couldn't really call it a saucer."

"A flying hat," said Isobel, poking at the sliminess of her poached egg. "They could have called it a flying hat."

"There'll be some explanation," said Mr Miro. "Just some ordinary thing that seemed extraordinary at the time."

Mrs Hopgood looked slightly put out. The story was exciting! What's more, it put smalltown Ribbonwood on the map. Mr Miro was new to the town, but that didn't give him the right to suggest some of its residents were wild storytellers, people who didn't know what they were seeing.