KPE Episode 388: "Tongue-Tied"

Crusader from Room 17 has been reading "Tongue Tied" by Paul Jennings and Darius interviews him about it.  

"Tongue Tied" is one of 8 stories in an anthology and it may surprise you to hear these boys enjoyed it!  

Sure it takes place behind a toilet!!! BUT it has romance, kissing and a creepy scene with a fish!  We think you need to check this out....

Have you ever

* Swallowed a live fish

* Seen bugs in hailstones

* Had luminous teeth

* Used a smell-detector

* Been a ghost

No? Then read about kids who have – eight twisted tales to leave you tongue-tied.

By the master of madness – The one and only Paul Jennings

KPE 365: " Friend in Paradise"

Crusader and Kingston review "A Friend in Paradise by Des Hunt.  This book  was a finalist in the 2003 New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards.




When 12-year-old Robbie's father dies of cancer he starts to spin out of control, taking out his anger on his mother and sisters. At her wits' end, his mother arranges for him to spend the holidays with his Uncle Jim, on a farm near Opotiki where his father grew up. He decides the holiday might not be a dead loss after all when he visits a secret valley his father used to call Paradise, where he unexpectedly finds a new friend. But danger also lurks in Paradise, danger that entangles him in an awesome adventure that will take him all the way to the fiery volcano of White Island. Robbie must use his knowledge, wit, computer savvy and all his courage to save his new friend..and his own life.

Make sure you check out their cool animation in this podcast too.  Tell them what you think.

KPE Episode 355 :"My Dad, the All Black"

Crusader and Waata from Room 17 review the perfect book in the Rugby World Cup year - "My Dad, the All Black".

As New Zealand gears up for total rugby fever, these boys from Room 17 bring this classic from Sandy MacKay back to KPE.

Will McCann, 12 years old, is a top notch rugby player. Everybody says he gets his talent from his famous All Black father, but Will never knew his dad. After a game goes wrong, Will wonders if he plays rugby because he loves the game, or because everybody says he should?

When Will's grandad dies, Will meets Jim, his reclusive uncle with a troubled past. Why has Uncle Jim stayed away from Will and his mum for so many years? What really happened the night Will's dad died? While, on the other side of the world, the All Blacks battle for the 1999 Rugby World Cup, Will battles to discover the truth about the past. He eventually unlocks a secret that helps him decide things for himself.

Anyone who ever wanted to be an All Black should read this book!

KPE Episode 352 :"Payback"

Kingston and Crusader have reviewed "payback" by Michelle Kelly in this episode of KPE.
Watch their podcast, and read more about the story below...
And most importantly, tell us what YOU think!




Riley Mitchell is nearly 14 years old. He is a popular guy, funny and confident. The
only problem is that he is really, really short. In fact Riley is pygmy-sized. Usually
this doesn’t bother him. After all, it didn’t stop him from going out with one of
the most popular girls in school and being best friends with Karl and Alex, two
sporty types who also happen to make excellent bodyguards. But things seem to
be going pear-shaped lately. Kelly isn’t talking to him and he has no idea why.
Vince McGerk, the school bully, won’t stop hassling him about his diminutive
stature, and now Riley has had enough. In a moment of extreme insanity Riley hits
Vince over the head with his plaster cast (result of a skateboarding accident),
knocking him clean off his feet. While Riley’s actions turn him into a temporary
hero he knows that it is only a matter of time before Vince gets him back.


Thing get even worse when Riley joins his school’s softball team. He plays
backstop and Vince McGerk is chosen as pitcher. While Riley loves softball and
representing the school he can’t fully enjoy himself. When and how will Vince get
him back? To make matters even worse the doctor has referred Riley to a growth
clinic. Riley always assumed that he would grow, sooner or later. What if this isn’t
true and he is destined to be a “midget” for his whole life?

KPE Episode 351 :"Maximum Boy"

Kingston and Crusader from Room 17 have been reading "Maximum Boy" by Dan Greenburg.


Max "Maximum Boy" Silver is a 11 year old hero. He lives on the north side of Chicago next to Lake Michigan. He lives with his mum, his dad and his teenage sister, Tiffany. He has braces, glasses, and superpowers: he can lift freight trains, fly faster than a space shuttle, and burp the alphabet. He has an adult friend named Porter "Tortoise Man" Torrington, who has a power called the Tortoise Ray.
Read more about this series here

KPE Episode 328: "Black Gold"

Darius and Crusader bring us this novel by Julia Owen for their latest KPE podcast.

Ollie and Rimu have been planning and dreaming about their week at the coast for two months - one week of fishing, swimming, and camping all by themselves. No adults, far away from the rest of the world, free to do whatever they want, whenever they want.

Equipped with only the bare essentials, they head off into the dawn for what would turn out to be a much more exciting and dangerous adventure than they had dared to hope for.

Other people had set up camp in their cave! These people were armed and very dangerous-looking. Whatever they were up to, they had nearly finished and were making ready to leave very soon.

When Ollie was captured, Rimu has to use his wits to out-think the crooks.

Aided by the abused Storm, he set in action a daring plan to rescue Ollie, free the contraband and escape the clutches of the avenging poachers.

We know you will enjoy this book...

KPE Episode 275: "Getting Board"

David Hill is a favourite author of Pt England readers and "Getting Board" - one of his Kiwi Bites books - is very popular. Even if you are not a fan of skateboarding we are sure you will like this book. Read this 'teaser' from the story... "Cody hit the ground sprawling. His skateboard lay upside down. 'You OK?' a voice asked. The voice was coming from his dog. Cody's eyes bulged."

Listen as Crusader and Gabriel talk about "Getting Board" for their very first podcast.