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Journal Entry 1 by goodthinkingmax from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Tuesday, July 13, 2010
 I adored this book and read it in one sitting. I believe it is aimed at young readers but I think it is certainly for adult readers too. Loved Kate de Goldi's language and also her references and dialogue about language and vocabulary. The book is very humorous as well as moving and I really felt I was in Frankie's head.
From the back cover:
'In Kate de Goldi's sensitive, vital and hilarious novel, Frankie and the reader walk hand in hand through pages that gleam with hope and humour.'
-Ursula Dubosarsky
Frankie parsons is twelve going on old man, an apparently sensible, talented boy with a drumbeat of worrying questions steadily gaining volume in his head:
Are the smoke alarm batteries flat?
Does the cat, and therefore the rest of the family, have worms?
Will bird flu strike and ruin life as we know it?
Is the kidney-shaped spot on his chest actually a galloping cancer?
Only Ma takes seriously his catalogue of persistent queries. But it is ma who is the cause of the most worrying question of all, the one that Frankie can never bring himself to ask. Then the new girl arrives at school and has questions of her own: relentless, unavoidable questions. So begins the unraveling of Frankie Parsons's carefully controlled world.
'Kate de Goldi's dazzling writing will break your heart and make you wonder, marvel and laugh all at once.'
-Agnes Nieuwenhuizen
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Journal Entry 3 by  tqd at Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Saturday, April 02, 2011
This is a book about Frankie Parsons, a young boy with anxiety. Every night, at 10PM, he hops into bed with his Ma, to ask one of his questions about life, or his family, or himself. Frankie lives with his mother, his father (the oddly named "Uncle George"), his older grumpier sister Gordana; the house is also frequently visited by the Aunties (Ma's three gloriously fat and highly entertaining aunts) and Frankie's older brother, Louie. The book takes place every second Tuesday, the day the Aunties come over for dinner and cards, and over these Tuesdays we also meet Frankie's best friend and cricket fanatic, Gigs, and the new girl at school, Sydney.
It's a large cast, but none of the characters were one-dimensional. These are a fabulous bunch of people, that you would want to have as your own family and friends, and I really enjoyed spending time with them. And especially with Frankie, Gigs and Sydney, who are very clever and inventive. I particularly liked Gigs' "Second Left Army", made up of Fimo models of Second Lieutenants from armies around the world, and all called Fox. There's Second Lieutenant Fox (British), Sottotenete Fox (Italian), Fanrik Fox (Finnish), etc.
And mention must also be made of their teacher, the very amusing Mr A, who, as part of an effort to improve their vocabulary, makes them all find two new words in the dictionary every morning and write our their definitions. I'm trying to work out how to drop "panspermia" into everyday conversation right now.
Given the young age of the main characters, this is, of course, a young adult novel. I was slightly dubious about reading a young adult novel that was neither fantasy (a boy and his dragon) or dystopia (a boy and his wasteland), but I'm very glad I did, it was immensely entertaining, and even drew a tear or two at the end at this tale of such a talented, yet confused, boy.
And de Goldi does not talk down to her audience, the book is beautifully written. Neither does she make the mistake of having the story written in first person, with children using language beyond them. Make no mistake, Frankie (and Gigs, and Sydney) are not dumb, but they're not clever enough to write like this either.
An excellent coming-of-age novel, with a wonderful cast of characters. Worth checking out.
I'll keep this travelling now I've read it, it'll turn up somewhere where bookcrossers congregate. Thanks for the recommendation, goodthinkingmax!
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Journal Entry 4 by tqd at The Green Room in Enmore, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, May 04, 2011
Released 9 mos ago (5/4/2011 UTC) at The Green Room in Enmore, New South Wales Australia WILD RELEASE NOTES:
Going to meet some bookcrossers for drinks tonight, will bring this with me.
Happy hunting/reading!
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Journal Entry 6 by  Pixette at City Extra, Circular Quay in Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Saturday, November 05, 2011
Released 3 mos ago (11/5/2011 UTC) at City Extra, Circular Quay in Sydney, New South Wales Australia WILD RELEASE NOTES:
pre theatre dinner release
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THE 10 PM QUESTION
