The school for talking pets by Kelli Anne Hawkins

Rusty Mulligan is a reserved Aussie boy who is regularly laughed at by his classmates. His best friend is a blue-tongued lizard named Bongo. He does have one supportive classmate in the person of accident-prone Charlotte, but she is not always able to protect him from the local bullies. Rusty would love to be able to communicate with Bongo and so enters a competition, advertised by a talking cat, to attend The School For Talking Pets – but will a blue-tongued lizard be able to learn to speak? The school enables Rusty and Bongo to meet many animals with amazing skills, but then it seems that the school is under threat. Will Rusty and Bongo be needed to save the school?

This is a gentle fantasy, with elements of humour, mystery and anguish as the young boy addresses his own feelings of inferiority in the face of the successes of others. This will be a story that resonates on many levels, but the delight of discovering the conversation and talents of many animals has a joyful quality that children aged 8-12 will love. I will be recommending this book to capable independent readers who enjoy a longer story, but who are still wanting a story that is fun and not too complex.

Themes: Animals, Competitions, Adventure, Language.

Carolyn Hull