Kids into books - Denzil's Great Bear Burglary

This weeks title: Denzil's Great Bear Burglary

Author: Sherryl Jordan

Publisher: Mallinson Rendel, $16.95

Illustrator: Trevor Pye

Age Group: 10-12 years



Maybe your hose are busting into holes because of the scales growing on your legs."

Alarmed, Denzil bent down and investigated his own knees. "Nothing there," he said, relieved.

Valvasor smiled, and his regal face creased into little lines of amusement and love. "I would like you, please, to deliver these bundles for me. Be very careful with them, I don't want the leaves broken. Take the one with the red ribbon to Genevieve Grumpibones, the blue one to Sapphira Frowniface, and the green one to Kitty Wildbloode. Have you got that? Don't get them mixed up, whatever you do - you'll get me into the very worst kind of trouble."

"What are they?" asked Denzil, sniffing the bundles.

"Charms for St Valentine's Day," said Valvasor. "If a woman has five bay leaves scratched with the name of the man she wants to marry, then sleeps with four of the leaves under her bed and the fifth under her pillow, her wish will come true." Denzil gave a scornful grunt. "Stupid love stuff," he said.

"It's very important to them," said Valvasor.

"Are you not going to speak spells over them?" asked Denzil. "They'll need a powerful lot of magic. A man would have to be blind to fall in love with Mother Frowniface!"

"That is unkind, Denzil. People cannot help the way they look."