Kids into books - Agnes the Sheep

This week's title: Agnes the Sheep

Author: William Taylor

Publisher: Scholastic $11.95

Illustrator: Fraser Williamson

Age Group: 9-13 years

"She is not elderly," said Belinda.

"If she's not elderly and old, then being your mum has made her look like that. She looks old enough to be my mum's mum. Or even older still. She could be my mum's mum's mum!" said Joe. "Everyone I know reckons you must be the oldest-looking family in the whole of our town. In the whole of our country. Even in the whole of our universe!"

"Mrs Robinson!" Belinda called out. "Joe Walsh is saying very horrible and very brutal and very nasty things about my family and they're not true. You should just hear what he's saying and it's not right and I done nothing."

"I can see that, Belinda," said Mrs Robinson cheerfully. "Now get on with it."

"I'm going to get my mum to write you a note, Mrs Robinson," said Belinda.

"One more note won't hurt, Belinda. I've got just about enough letter from your mother to paper the walls of this classroom with already."

"You mean with which to paper the walls of this classroom. That's what you mean, Mrs Robinson," said Joe. "I'm not going to do anything, anyway. I'm sure not going to do anything with her," he added.

"Neither am I," said Belinda.

"What's new?" asked Mrs Robinson. "We're two terms into this year already and if I've had two weeks' work out of either of you in all that time I'd be surprised. I've had more effort from your mother, Belinda, with all her notes." Mrs Robinson shook her head. "Why have I put you two together? I'll tell us all why. It's simply so the two of you won't get to spoil two other pairs. That's why!"

Joe looked at Belinda.

Belinda looked at Joe.

Joe drew a noughts-and-crosses grid on the desk top and placed the first zero. Belinda put a cross. They played in silence, slowly. The game ended in a draw.

"Let's prove old Robinson wrong," said Belinda.

"Why?" asked Joe, surprised.

"Dunno really," said Belinda. "Let's just prove her wrong."

"Okay," said Joe. "C'mon."

"We can't," said Belinda. "It's still school time. We can't just go."

"Of course we can," said Joe. "We're going to find our old person. It's school work. Why should we have to use our own time? C'mon."

"We're gonna find our oldie, Mrs Robinson," he called out to their teacher. "Me and Belinda. Okay? We want to get out and get one before everyone else gets theirs first."

Mrs Robinson breathed a sigh of great and contented relief as Joe and Belinda left the room.