Description
Mitch says stuff sucks.
His life has been turned upside down since his dad started working FIFO at the mines.
From a messy bedroom to a close footy match; an annoying little sister to incredible Anzac projects; losing friends and losing face, Mitch deals with an explosion of feelings associated with bullying, fighting, suspension, family conflict and his first crush, all in the space of eight days.
Will an encounter with a surprising new feathered friend and the reliability of old ones help Mitch get his mojo back?
Review
This book will really resonate with readers, particularly those that might be going through a rough patch and feel isolated in their troubles.
Mitch thinks that the whole world is against him. Not only is he having trouble with the kids at school, but his life at home is just as frustrating. His FIFO Dad has changed and is now always angry and volatile, and his relationship and interactions with his little sister just annoy him. The only thing that brings him peace and happiness is the magpie, who he names Maximus, that now keeps frequenting his backyard.
It is not until Mitch has a massive meltdown, and lets all his built up anger and frustration out, that things start to turn around for him. This book really does highlight that there are people around all of us that are there to help, and each and every person has their own struggles that they deal with in different ways.
It has extremely strong themes of friendships, loyalty, family conflict and conflict resolution, bullying and self-confidence, and it is a book that will suit all those aged 9 and above.
Reviewed by Sam
