Kids into books: Two Weeks With The Queen

Author: Morris Gleitzman

Illustrator: Nigel Buchanan

Publisher: Macmillan, $12.95

Age group: 8-10 years


The Queen looked out across the Mudfords' living room and wished everyone a happy Christmas.

Colin scowled.

Easy for you, he thought. Bet you got what you wanted. bet if you wanted a microscope you got a microscope. bet your tree was covered with microscopes. Bet nobody gave you daggy school shoes for Christmas.

Colin looked away from the Queen's flickering face on the TV screen and down at the shiny black shoes peeping up at him from their box on the threadbare carpet.

Yuk.

The Queen obviously couldn't see them because she continued her Christmas Message without once chucking up.

'... ridding our world of suffering and pain is not an easy goal,' she was saying, 'but we will achieve that goal if it is our sincere wish.'


Tomorrow: Colin's sincere wish!