CATCH THAT GUINEA PIG!!
Ursula has put guinea pigs in lots of her books. You can read more about this strange tendency here in a post on Reading for Australia.
It all started way back with her very first book, Maisie and the Pinny Gig,
But there's more - much more!
All of the following books contain at least one guinea pig. I wonder if you can find them all? The first couple are not SO hard...
"THE WHITE GUINEA PIG"
A Chekhovian deftness ... there are wonderful strangenesses in her writing that are not yet fully unleashed.
Sydney Morning HeraldAugust 12, 1995.
A challenging novel for children at the top of the age range... (written with) tact and moral alertness.
The Economist (UK)November 1, 1994
A sad tale? Actually not. You'll be moved by the sudden, warm ending; with its lightness and wit, this is a comedy of some depth.
Naomi LewisThe Observer (UK)January 1, 1994.
"ABYSSINIA"
Enriching, uplifting and deeply satisfying.
The Canberra Times, September 20, 2003.
A wonderful book of great intensity
Andersen (Italy), November 2003.
Brilliantly evokes the often-shadowy place of childhood, but at the core is an intriguing story that will have younger readers asking questions that adults won’t be able to answer.
The Age July 12 2003.
"THE GAME OF THE GOOSE"
A book of exceptional beauty.
The Sunday Age, September 3, 2000.
Enigmatic and original…a treasure for the bookshelf.
Viewpoint, September 1, 2000
"THE GOLDEN DAY"
A small masterpiece.
Australian Book Review, December–January 2011–12
A mesmerising read by one of Australia’s finest writers.
Sunday Age, 3 April 2011
Grips you from the first page and never lets go. Five Stars *****
Bookseller+Publisher, March 2011
A rare jewel. Restrained, poetic literature for adolescents and adults…a small masterpiece.
Schrebfeder January 1 2013
"THE WORD SPY ACTIVITY BOOK"
Deliciously thick and beautifully produced… A must-have for school holidays, travel or just everyday – intelligent, intensely clever and so very much FUN.
Boomerang April 26, 2012.
"My Father Is Not A Comedian!
"Quirky, witty and eccentric ... one of the funniest writers around. Australian Book Review September 1, 1999
"Black Sails, White Sails"
"A sophisticated piece of work that is deceptively simple." Sunday Age April 6 1997
"threaded through with humour as distinctive as the characters she creates, cutting through the mundane to a sharper truth." Australian Book Review March 1, 1997