Cirrus@Austlit

'When a group of desert children invite their school teacher, Mrs White, home for dinner to show her why their homework is always grubby, no-one expects what is to come!

'They are happily showing Mrs White their higgledy piggledy garden when suddenly a big red sand storm comes billowing over the hill. Sand and spinifex whips at their legs and flies at their heads. They can hardly see through the storm.

'They hurry back home, only to discover that everything is now red. Their lovely clean house is covered in red dust. The beds are red. The washing on the line is red. The table is red. Their delicious dinner is red and ruined. And Mrs White’s clean white dress has turned into a dusty red dress. Now Mrs White finally knows why the children’s homework is always so grubby!' (Publication summary)

'Two Mates is the true story of the special mateship between two young boys who have grown up together in the coastal town of Broome in Australia's north-west.

'Have fun with Maggie and her animal friends. One of the first four books in a series of levelled readers designed to provide young Indigenous and non-Indigenous children with engaging, enjoyable and meaningful experiences with print that will support their reading skills and their desire to read.' (Source: Publishers website)