Bewitched by Colin Thompson

The Floods (12). Random House Australia Children's, 2013. ISBN: 9781742755304. 240 pages. RRP $14.95
(Age: 9-12)Welcome back to the madness and mayhem that are the family Flood. Colin Thompson takes the reader on another rollicking excursion with the Addams like royal family of Transylvania Waters as King Nerlin displays some rather bizarre symptoms. In fact, he is behaving even more bizarrely than his normal state - clearly bordering on Doolallyness. His family, afraid for his mental health, seek the best treatment available to them - and visit the Old Crones. With Queen Mordonna ably in charge and the rest of the family to lend their expert assistance - as well as assorted talking donkeys and imaginary friends - nothing could go wrong with this plan.
After the revelation that Nerlin is definitely not suffering from 'celeriac or any other green vegetable' it appears that he is actually infected by his imaginary friend Geoffrey-Geoffrey - perhaps not so imaginary as Nerlin and his family believed. Cures via fruit pulp immersion, kidnapping by crone, satellite tracking of vengeful adversaries are just all part of the road to Nerlin's restored good health.
Legions of young readers attest to the success of the Floods formula and Colin Thompson's delightful word play and surprising insertions, not to mention hilarious footnotes add to the crazy mix. Readers delight in the twisted mirroring of real life - 'The Three Fake Cooks', who actually had a printout off Gargle Maps... which is like Google Maps PLUS it cures bad breath.
This volume is sure to be as popular as the rest of the series and readers from 9-12 will particularly relish it.
Sue Warren