Freaky

Sue Whiting (author)

Walker Books, Australia: 2009; 95pp

ISBN: 9781921150791

Genres: adventure, realistic fiction

Jayden's parents are off on a second honeymoon and he has been sentenced to three weeks' detention with relatives. His aunt and uncle are passionate gardeners - of succulents. Their son is a cactus in his own right - prickly, temperamental and unfriendly. Hardly an exciting prospect for a boy.

Until, that is, his aunt and uncle purchase a new cactus for their collection - one they want Jayden to look after. But Jayden finds this cactus rather... well... weird. Its stems seem to move when there's no wind. It grows phenomenally fast. And why, when he does some research, does he find the cactus described as ‘extremely dangerous'? A plant? Dangerous??

One of Walker's Strikes series, this is a lively novella designed to appeal to boys in particular, Freaky plays with the well loved horror theme of plants attacking humans. Sound research has made the story the more chilling, being grounded in reality. Characterisations and relationships are necessarily limited by story length, but the narrative is strong and may well appeal to reluctant readers.

Good fun.