'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.'
- author Jackie French

Friday 17 March 2023

Review: Little Lunch: The Bubblers

The Little Lunch books are a wickedly sparkling series for children (and their adults) to fall into with hilarity and glee. Cleverly chaotic words and messy, inky images with line-drawings all intermingle in the most perfect, unexpected and disgusting ways.

At Little Lunch we ate a BAD birthday pavlova, Atticus lost his glasses and we had a Disgusting Joke Competition beside the bubblers.

There’s an art to writing and illustrating like it’s the easiest thing in the world to do. Danny Katz and Mitch Vane are super impressive on this front! These books are so instantly engaging and compelling that you don’t even think about what went into creating them. Except when you do.

Mrs Gonsha has made a birthday cake for twins Max and Elsa. It’s a pavlova. 

The whole class decides it’s disgusting and then bands together to find a way to hide the fact that they’re not eating it. (Pockets are definitely not out of the question in this icky story).

When Atticus loses his glasses, his friends find loads of other lost stuff as they search the lost and found bin. And the disgusting joke competition needs no further discussion except to say it’s gold.

The delightful, awkward, quiet and outlandish characters in this book are found in every classroom and playground. Somehow, Little Lunch manages to show children at their best and worst simultaneously. As with the others in the series, this book shares ideas around resilience, caring, community and fun.

The bonuses in this book include puzzles, jokes, good and bad pavlova recipes, a maze, memory game and more. And Little Lunch is now also a television series to boot!

Highly recommended (except for the squeamish). Stay tuned for more reviews on other great titles in this series, by Elizabeth

Title: Little Lunch: The Bubblers
Author: Danny Katz
Illustrator: Mitch Vane
Publisher: Walker Books, $14.99
Publication Date: January 2023
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781760656799
For ages:
8 - 10
Type: Junior Fiction