Floods 13: The Royal Family by Colin Thompson

Random House Australia Children's, 2014.ISBN: 9781742755328.
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! Colin, how can you do this to us - I mean, the kids?!?!?! The final Floods???!!!!! Arggghhhh!! And sob, sniffle, slime trails and all that.
Ok, huge breath.....The Royal Family is #13 in The Floods series - and the final episode.
King Nerlin, that lovable and rather docile ruler, is quite fed up with being in charge of Transylvania Waters and is dreaming of a sweet little cottage in Enchanted Valley with a real garden and real chickens (as opposed to magical ditto). Mordonna, his only occasionally charming spouse, is disposed to agree but there is an insurmountable problem. None of their children want the job of ruling the kingdom it seems. Just when the pair devises a sensible plan to ease the children into semblance of responsible trial ruling - that is, alternatively leaving a child in charge while the monarchs weekend at the cottage - a complication arises ... literally.
From the dank and odorous drains under the royal city, from whence the royal family arose, following the deposition of loathsome King Qautorze, now arises Gertrude who just happens to be Nerlin's older sister. And we all know what that means - Gertrude is the rightful ruler!!
As one might expect, the youngest royal child Betty, 'a right little madam' according to Mordonna, secretly wants the throne herself - and by chance, is the first to encounter Gertrude.
Amid the usual hilarity, diabolically hilarious scheming, somewhat dubious magic and quirky characters, the kingdom's future is resolved eventually to the satisfaction of all.
While Floods devotees will no doubt feel the pain of knowing that 13 is indeed the magic number in this case, they will revel in the last chapter of what has been a phenomenon in all my libraries. Highly recommended for anyone over 10 years old - with a sense of humour.
Sue Warren