Kids into books - Belly Flop

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This week's title: Belly Flop

Author: Morris Gleitzman

Publisher: Macmiffan, $12.95

Illustrator: Nigel Buchanan

Age Group: 8-10 years

Troy and Brent are back there now, yelling.

They're arguing about whether to rip a bigger hole in the fence with their hands or climb over.

Once they decide, I'm dingo bait.

I need a hiding place, Doug.

That's the problem with living in a town with only seven shops, one pub, one bank, one service station and no thick forests.

There aren't many good places to hide.

The safe in the bank'd be good, but it's Sunday.

Even if it wasn't, Mum and Dad work there and I wouldn't want to aggravate Dad's stress rash.

It'll have to be the Memorial Park.

Hope my legs can make it.

This town's so remote, even if the Malleys only manage to inflict surface injuries I'll probably still cark it before the air ambulance arrives. Now I'm up a tree and I can catch my breath, a thought's just hit me.

You probably don't even remember who I am, Doug.