The 143-Storey Treehouse

The 143-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths, illustrated by Terry Denton (Pan Macmillan) PB RRP $14.99 ISBN 9781760786236

Reviewed by Nikki M Heath

What more is there to say about Treehouse? Our household launched into a happy dance when the review copy landed in the letterbox, and this eleventh instalment in the insanely popular series delivers exactly what its fans expect.

Thirteen new stories have been added to the treehouse, but Andy and Terry are suffering from a touch of writer’s (and illustrator’s?) block. What else is there to do but get away for a relaxing, peaceful retreat to their new campground storey to recharge their creative batteries… but of course, their holiday ends up being anything but relaxing or peaceful.

Griffiths and Denton are a well-oiled machine, and the words and pictures play with and against one another to make for a seamless, rich experience. The book is unabashedly silly, but unlike some books in the genre, they manage to balance gratuitous humour with plot progression. There are inside jokes and established characters aplenty, meaning that new readers may prefer to start with The 13-Storey Treehouse and work through the series from there.

Treehouse-lovers, you know who you are - you’ve probably read the book by now anyway.  Beginner and reluctant readers aged 7 to 9, and anyone else whose sense of humour peaked in Year 3, will have a ball.