An excellent read, laced with humour...readers will find themselves wishing that this book went on long after the last page.
Dunger
$19.99
A highly readable new pre-teen novel from the beloved New Zealand writer Joy Cowley.
Available as an ebook wherever you buy your ebooks
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Description
Dunger is a highly readable novel from New Zealand’s beloved Joy Cowley. William and Melissa have been roped into helping their old hippie grandparents fix up their holiday home in the middle of the Sounds. They’ll have no electricity, no cellphone reception, and only each other for company. As far as they’re concerned, this is not a holiday.
Dunger is the winner of multiple awards, including the junior fiction category of the NZ Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, 2014. This book is suitable for boys and girls ages 10 to 14. Chapters are told in the alternating viewpoints of William and Melissa.
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Book Details
Country of Origin New Zealand Reader Age 6-8 year, 8-12 year Book Size ISBN
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Reviews
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Reviews
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Utterly charming and engaging … I fell in love with the family … A great holiday read to share, read aloud, or pass around.
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I thought this book was extremely good. I would rate it 8.5/10.
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A great little story this from one of New Zealand’s most gifted children’s writers … The grand parents are brilliant and the ending produces some real drama. Great read-a-loud for primary and Intermediate students.
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Dry, droll and never dull … rich and deep. This is what our ordinary lives are like. manages to give us pride in ourselves and also makes us laugh at ourselves. The richness of the deceptively simple design is absolutely true to the spirit of this quintessentially New Zealand story. Congratulations to Joy Cowley for Dunger.
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Funny, moving and genuine. As ever, Cowley hits the mark with her audience.
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A warm and funny tale of self-sufficiency and relationships. Age 10+.
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Dunger is that most unusual of books, a highly enjoyable story for young readers which older readers also find to their taste. A tale for all ages.
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There’s a bit of an art to choosing a book that’s not only enjoyable for me to read but is interesting and enjoyable for the girls, aged 6, 8 & 10. The biggest hit was Dunger by Joy Cowley… We all loved the book and were disappointed when it ended.
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An absolute joy from start to finish … It will take you back to childhood summer holidays … Joy Cowley brings to the tale her delightful sense of humour and a light touch as only such an accomplished writer can.
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Spirited, warm, intelligent, and…has sensible and mature messages to impart. I hope it gets a wide audience.
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An ideal read on holiday. So quintessentially New Zealand it comes with sandflies … A pure adventure story, a great story for dads to read to their sons and daughters this Christmas.
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This is a gem… Joy Cowley nailed this one, five stars for sure… Told alternatively by Will and Melissa, you see their confidence, character and relationship develop as they explore a very precious and beautiful part of New Zealand.
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Hilarious and endearing.
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A classic New Zealand holiday story.
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Fans of Joy Cowley will love this story which alternates chapters in the voice of Will and Lissy. Recommended for intermediate and junior secondary students.
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A warm and funny story about family relationships and a great read-aloud for age 8+
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Joy Cowley brings all four characters to life with realistic interactions and sparkling dialogue… an honest, believable, funny, perceptive, superbly-written Kiwi tale for all the family to enjoy.
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An excellent read, laced with humour, irony and written using such excellent imagery … A great book for both kids and adults alike, Dunger will be loved by people of all ages. The characters are vivid and lovable, and readers will find themselves wishing that this book went on long after the last page.
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I can’t recommend it highly enough and hope many, many children will have the pleasure of hearing it read aloud and even more will read it for themselves.
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Reviews
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Joy Cowley writes another heart warming story….there’s no super powers or dark secrets involved, but wary grandchildren who have to spend holidays with their grandparents in the Marlborough Sounds.
To begin with the grandparents are quirky at the least, but as time and dilemmas pass a growing relationship happens between them all, bridging the generations. It would be a good read to kids story as well. -
Winner
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Winner, Junior fiction
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LIANZA Esther Glen Junior Fiction Award –
Winner
New Zealand Post Book Awards –
Winner, Junior fiction