Wednesday 16 October 2024

The Sugarcane Kids and the Empty Cage

The Sugarcane Kids and the Empty Cage by Charlie Archbold (Text Publishing) PB RRP $16.99 ISBN 9781922790996

Reviewed by Kylie Buckley

The Sugarcane Kids from far north Queensland are back again with another mystery to solve. This time they are in search of lost animals. Firstly, Old Jean’s hand-raised eclectus parrot goes missing. Then, the library’s beloved pet scrub python disappears. While many townsfolk believe these animals have innocently escaped their enclosures, Andy, Eli, Harvey, Bernie and Fletch start to suspect that they have been stolen, and feared to be headed for illegal trade. The kids know that these protected animals need special care and are on a mission to find them asap!

This fun action-packed adventure story is suitable for readers aged 8 years and older. Its themes include protection of native wildlife, community, friendship, and bravery.

The Sugarcane Kids and the Empty Cage is the second novel in a middle grade adventure series. The first book in the series, The Sugarcane Kids and the Red-bottomed Boat, has received multiple awards including Winner of The Reading’s Children’s Prize 2022 and Winner of the 2023 Davitt Award for Best Children’s Novel. The third book in the series, The Sugarcane Kids and the Smelly Fish, is due for release in 2025.

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