Cirrus@Austlit

'Worry Warts tells the story of 11 year old Keith Shipley and his attempts to cheer up his "misery guts" parents.

'Keith paints his parents' car "hot sunflower and tropical parrot" to cheer them up. Then he discovers what's really making his parents miserable - their lack of money. So Keith decides to take matters into his own hands.

'With the help of his best friend Tracy, Keith learns that there's money to be made out in the opal fields in central Australia. Keith runs away to make a fortune for his parents. Along the way he meets a colourful cast of characters. One of them, Curly, from the General Store, strikes a deal with Keith; Curly will give him use of his opal mine for 24 hours if Keith paints Curly's store. Keith is desperate to find opals, so with Tracy following him, together they go down Curly's mine.

'In the darkened gloom of the dangerous opal mine Keith finally understands that there is only so much he can do about his parents' happiness and that sometimes change is inevitable.'

Source: Monkey Baa's website, http://monkeybaa.com.au/worry-warts.html
Sighted: 28/05/2009

'Apronwood is a town of tea parties, summer solstice dances and bake-offs. But beneath the pastel shades, there is something much darker at work. When young outcast Pippa Van Hoozer is rescued from the town bullies by a strange small girl called Ivy Shambitt, magical things begin to happen. You see this girl has a gift that holds the key to not only unlocking the secret of Apronwood's past but the hopes, dreams and desires of everyone who comes into contact with her. Before long everyone has a plan for Ivy but little do they know, Ivy also has a plan for them!' Source: www.backbone.org.au/ (Sighted 04/06/2007)