Funny, light story reminiscent of Adrian Mole. 7.45am Saturday 1st of December: My mother tells me that at three minutes to four o’clock this afternoon; I will have lived in this world for EXACTLY eleven years. “Oh, my goodness, you were such a cute baby,” she sighs, then reaches out a hand and ruffles my hair, “I wonder what went wrong.”
Spend the day with Ozzie and his family in this funny, clever and well-paced story. Guaranteed to have both children and adults chuckling, this junior fiction title is aimed at seven to twelve year olds.
Ozzie (in his own wayward way) is a positive character, in the respect he has to overcome obstacles without the help of magic – i.e. he has to use his brains. With help from sister Holly, mate Fletch and dog Snoops, Ozzie might drive his mother into a state of maternal exasperation, and father to paternal confusion, but happily everything always turns out fine and dandy in the end.
New Zealand writer Val Bird spent her childhood years in Hastings but she currently lives in Whakatane. She is the winner of three nationwide short story competitions and the author of Wednesday’s Child — Val’s story of the twelve years she spent caring for her intellectually handicapped brother. She works as a columnist for the Bay Weekend.
Illustrated by the author’s daughter Rebecca Cundy — a highly successful graphic artist — it is lavishly illustrated with charming line illustrations.
A Birthday in the Life of Ozzie Kingsford is book one of an Ozzie series – with book two: ‘Five (and a bit) Days in the Life of Ozzie Kingsford’ being released in October – and book three: ‘An Electrifying New Year in the Life of Ozzie Kingsford’ earlyish next year
Reviews for Ozzie Kingsford:
‘It draws you in so you don’t want to put it down. I loved the continuous happenings and the end.” Kalilea, aged 9
“A really, really good book. You could imagine it all in your head like a movie. Funny, crazy and really cool.” Rishika, aged 10.
“I like this book because it was funny especially when Holly threw up…I think both boys and girls would like this book.” Sasha, aged 6
“A very enjoyable book and not boring at all!” Sophie, aged 8
‘This is a funny book because Ozzie Kingsford and his family reminded me of me and my family. It was a book that my dad and I enjoyed reading together because we could BOTH relate to the story. I really really liked it and want to get the book when it is published!’ Aidan,aged 8
