Kids into books: Dream Boat

This weeks title: Dream Boat

Author: Bill Nagelkerke

Illustrator: Connie Marshall

Publisher: Shortland Publications, $6.70

Age Group: 8-10 years


It was finally summer! Jessie had been looking forward to it since her birthday last month. Mum and Dad had said she was old enough to take out their dinghy by herself.

As she rushed home from her last day of school, she couldn't help stopping in front of the next-door neighbour's fence. Jessie liked mysteries, and she was sure that there was something strange going on behind that tall fence.

I'm sure that the boat can wait a few more minutes, she told herself.

With Jessie, mysteries always came first, and she wanted to get to the bottom of what her neighbour, Mr Silas, was hiding behind his fence.

She crouched down on one knee and looked through a tiny hole in the fence.