Nerd herd by Nathan Luff and Chris Kennett

This story will keep you laughing until the cows come home! The Nerd Herd is a hilarious and highly entertaining story, featuring a quirky and rambunctious lamb named Baarnabus; who likes to go by the name of Barny with one 'a', to be more precise. He, along with his two best friends Shaama Llama Ding Dong - a llama and Billy the Kid - an angora goat, live on a petting zoo type farm. After reoccurring incidents with the other overbearing farm animals, Barny decides they should create a gang to rule the farm and take charge. His friends are not so keen on the idea, but like true friends they support him in this adventure. As the 'gang' work together to reduce the chances of being beaten and bullied, they see another opportunity to reach hero status. But just when they think they have succeeded; they realise they have actually inadvertently created a further and more ferocious dilemma.

The storyline is fast paced and exciting, leaving the reader captivated and engrossed in how these three woolly friends will go in their endeavours to reach for higher farmyard status. The continual and clever play on words and puns throughout the story will keep you laughing out loud, as you turn each page. Both children and adults alike will be thoroughly entertained by this short novel. The engaging illustrations, comic panels and speech bubbles bring extra connection for the reader; enhancing their enjoyment, appealing to a broader audience and diversifying the reading level. If you enjoy genres like the Real Pigeons, you are sure to love The Nerd Herd too! When you reach the last page, you are left wanting more, and can't wait to go and get the next book in the series to see what happens to Barny and his friends.

Themes: Teamwork, Friendship, Relationships, Humorous, Animals, Problem solving.

Michelle O'Connell