Uncanny!

"Uncanny" is Paul Jennings' fourth collection of short stories for kids, first published in 1988, a book that has gone on to win at least three awards here in Australia. Here, he's rather famous, and his books have sold millions of copies, and gotten a lot of kids into reading. "Uncanny" was the first proper novel I really liked. I picked it up in third grade during reading time, and though it took me a while to get through it, I really enjoyed it. I've read it again and again since, and it never gets old for me. It's got action, humour, realistic kids, Australian imagery, plenty of ideas and even a few scary moments. Mind you, they're just creepy enough to get a young imagination going, but not so much as to leave a kid scared awake at night. Here's a rundown of the nine stories featured in the book: "On the Bottom" takes place on a fishing trip, and sees a boy discover a tatooed finger in the stomach of a shark. After accidentally throwing the finger away, he discovers that the tatoo that was on the finger has jumped onto his finger. His dad isn't pleased. Stranger still, the tatoo is moving, pointing out to sea... "A Good Tip For Ghosts" is probably one of Paul Jennings best stories I reckon. A pair of twins have to complete a "nerve test" at their new school, or the local bully James Gribble will thump them one every day. They have to return a pair of false teeth to a haunted tip, whose ghost wanders the grounds, looking for his lost twin children. It's got a great Australian atmosphere, this one. "Frozen Stiff" is equally atmospheric, and one that I have a soft spot for, as it's set in Melbourne and features a couple of places I see all the time (Flinders Street Station, the West Gate Bridge, etc). It's all about a boy who wants to free a cow from a suburban shed and lead it to the country. There's more than a couple of twists to this story though. "UFD" stands for "Unidentified Flying Dog". It's short, but really cleverly done. That's all I'll say. "Cracking Up" is another ghost story of sorts, though the ghost in this one likes to tickle people when it doesn't get its way. Kind of a strange thing to do, as it's a sad ghost pretty much all of the time. "Greensleeves" is a bit gross, but it could all actually happen in real life. A sperm whale beaches itself in a coastal town, dies, and begins to stink up the place. A boy and his father are hired to blow it up, but things go horribly wrong... "Mousechap" is a pretty simple story, but it's well told I think. A boy visits his uncle, but is shocked to find that he now acts like a mouse. There are a few other shocks in this story to be had as well... "Spaghetti Pig-Out" is another classic Paul Jennings' tale, and has gone on to be a pretty influential story, actually. A lonely boy discovers that his remote control for his video can change real life. He can pause his cat, he can fast forward a fly, he can make a man eat backwards. It's all great fun, but in the hands of the school bully

This was an amazing book! The short stories are really wonderful and I know I would be visibly enlightened if I knew where Paul Jennings gets his inspiration. I really loved at the very very end about him and how he used to roll a ball of yarn under his bed to check if there were any monsters or such creatures, where on earth could he dream up such a fantastic idea and at such a young age! This book is truly stunning and if you love laughing, you'll love "Uncanny!"

This is a wicked book! Heaps of short stories, its sooo funny! Each has a funny and suprising, sometimes even scary, twist at the end. I would read it if I were you.