The Peacock Detectives
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5.0 • 4 Ratings
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
Today would have been an ordinary Saturday, except that two things happened:
1) The peacocks escaped
and
2) I started writing this story.
Dad says if you want to write a story you should start by choosing a topic that you know a lot about. That’s why this is a story about peacocks. I know a lot about peacocks because:
(a) Two peacocks live in the holiday flats across the road from me
and
(b) I’m good at finding them when they go missing.
The last time William Shakespeare and Virginia went missing Cassie found them sitting on a coiled hose behind the fire station, and Dad called her ‘Cassie Andersen, Peacock Detective’. So this time she knows what to do—she’ll look for clues and track them down. But the clues lead her in an unexpected direction and Cassie finds herself investigating a confusing mystery about her family.
The Peacock Detectives is a warm and engaging story for middle-grade readers about dealing with change and finding out who you are.
Carly Nugent lives in Bright in Victoria. Her short fiction has featured in numerous publications, including the Bellevue Literary Review and Award Winning Australian Writing. The Peacock Detectives is her first novel.
‘Heartfelt and funny...Carly Nugent’s debut is a lively and generous story that acknowledges the powerful feelings of its readers, and the space they occupy in the world.’ Books+Publishing
‘Nugent gently explores issues of depression…and brings the whole adventure satisfyingly around with a delightful peacock discovery.’ SA Weekend
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"Eleven-turning-twelve years old" Cassie narrates this story, set in small-town Australia. Her father, an English teacher who always wanted to be a writer, teaches Cassie many writing tips ("be good at details," include an "Inciting Incident") that she shares in the text. He also named the observant girl a "Peacock Detective" when noting details helped her to track down the neighbor's escaped peacocks, William Shakespeare and Virginia. Cassie plans for her story to be about the latest peacock escape, but then her dad begins having more "Those Days" depressive episodes something Cassie understands because she sometimes has them, too. Though Cassie tries to avoid seeing the problems facing her family, she employs her observational prowess when her mother moves out, mean girl Rhea keeps telling Cassie her dad is "crazy," and a secret about her beloved grandfather is revealed. This quietly powerful journey deals honestly with the impact of depression and such social issues as gun violence in the U.S. Debut author Nugent sensitively portrays Cassie's struggles with family and friends as she grows to see that true bonds can be both hard won and well worth the effort. Ages 8 12.
Customer Reviews
It was a stunning book
Firstly it manniged to ceep me hooked for hours it was funny too . Bad news you've only written one book ceep going girl.