Milo Finds $105 by Matt Stanton

In the first volume of the series, Milo finds $105 in his street and despite his stepmum Liz pronouncing ‘finders keepers', he is his mother’s son with an attack of the guilts after she tells him to find the owner. There’s so much narratively and structurally to love about a character/narrator solving his small but pressing ethical problem.

The story arc follows Milo's reluctant investigation into who might have lost the cash – no easy feat when you are at the bottom of the food chain in your street, with one exception – the unknown quantity, the new kid who goes by 'Frog'.

The street bully Rocco Santos attends a private school because his father is a plumber and can afford the fees. Rocco claims ownership with an implausible explanation according to the worldly Frog. Zak & Louisa are siblings who live in the same street, chime in.

Milo’s love interest is Evie Watson who has two little sisters. Mrs Katz is the street stickybeak. However wise Frog, with his martial art moves, is his main ally. One by one, Milo tests out the group’s theories until the children coerce Milo into counterfeiting another $105, to trick their suspects into revealing themselves. Adding to his troubles are classmates Hendrick, Izzy and Asa who are Mr Patel’s Favourites.

Louisa plants doubt about Frog's strange family, and Milo invades his new friend”s privacy to fit in with the older kids in the street, some of whom attend his school. We suspect Milo is missing his older brother Henry who enlisted in the army, leaving Milo behind.

Again Milo succumbs to peer pressure, betraying Frog yet managing to solve the riddle of the lost money through open communication with his new friend. Stanton’s clever choice of prepositions to articulate Milo’s feelings, his short active sentences, and short focused chapters (between 3-5 pages) force reluctant readers to gather the pace towards a first taste of plenitude for a burgeoning book worm.

The Bored kids series will be back and next time Frog will be telling the story! Classroom resources are available.

Themes: Family, Adventure.

Deborah Robins