Kids into books: The A.O.K Project

Kids into books:The A.O.K. Project

Author: Vivienne Joseph

Illustrator: Trevor Pye

Publisher: Mallinson Rendel, $14.95

Age Group: 8-11 years


"To begin, though, I'd like you to work in groups of say, five or six. That way, you can brainstorm for ideas."

Chairs and tables bang and scrape across the floor. I stay where I am like a rock in the sea but others move in and I find myself teamed up with Glen, Stacey, Maia, Sergei and Luther. I look around for an escape route but it's too late. I'm stuck with them. I telescope down in my chair.

Ms Love claps her hands again.

"One more thing. We'll spend the rest of the afternoon brainstorming and then tomorrow we'll see what everyone's come up with, O.K.?"

We sit looking at each other.

Luther coughs, taking off his glasses and polishing them with his handkerchief. "Any ideas?"

Stacey's drawing another horse. This one's jumping a fence.

"We could look for old people to help," she says. "There's plenty of them on the footpaths and in the shopping malls. They're bound to need something.þ

Luther opens his pad. "Shall I write that down?"

Glen rocks back on his chair. "I don't want to do anything for nothing."

I agree. "Yeah. And anyhow, how do we know the crumblies will want us to help them?"