Siggy and Amber by Doug MacLeod
Puffin, 2009. ISBN 9780143304388.
(Age 13+) Recommended. Siggy wants to meet
a girl who he hopes will
be 'smart and amazing.And funny and
probably not blonde.' At a dance at the Samsara Youth Club, he meets
Amber, who
may be the girl of his dreams. However he vomits on her
shoes and
he decides that the only way he might get to know her after that fiasco
is to
take her ghost hunting. He has seen something strange at Tallis Point
and wants
to investigate.
The book is peopled with a wide array of unusual characters all of whom
add to
the fun of the story. There is Siggy's friend Fergus who leads a double
life as
Highland Dancing Man, a sister who makes sculptures out of bits of
shrapnel, a
shop owner who sells vampire costumes and finally Amber who lives with
her two
mums and who has goldfish. Add to that witty dialogue that is
side-splitting
and you have a book that is sure to appeal to everyone who picks it up.
If you are after a humorous book for your library then this would make
a
delightful addition. It would also be a great read aloud and would be
sure to
engage reluctant readers.
Pat Pledger