Two very different cultures collide in this hilarious book about a youngsports fanatic named Benny who is forced to leave his home in Ireland and movewith his family to Tunisia. He wonders how he will survive in such anunfamiliar place. Then he teams up with wild and resourceful Omar, and a madcapfriendship between the two boys leads to trouble, escapades, a unique way ofcommunicating, and ultimately, a heartbreaking challenge.Teacher resources availablePublishers WeeklyMorton's bristly Scottish brogue emphasizes the fish-out-of-water stature ofColfer's protagonist Benny, an Irish lad who finds himself transplanted, alongwith his family, to Tunisia. Benny is forced to leave his favorite game ofhurling behind, and must struggle with a new school very different from what heknew; he takes solace in meeting Omar, a new friend who helps him adjust to thelay of the land in his new home. Morton reads with a sincerity that helps himserve up Colfer's smooth prose with aplomb. Fans of the author's Artemis Fowlfantasy series will find an entertaining change of pace in this contemporary,more character-driven text, though still plenty of adventure. Ages 10-up.(June)Copyright 2007 Reed Business InformationVOYAColfer has quite the following of supernatural fans with the entertainingArtemis Fowl series, and they may be surprised when they pick up the morerealistic Benny series, originally published in the U.K. In 1998. In Benny andOmar, Benny, a lover of hurling (similar to field hockey), is forced to movewith his family to Tunisia. The culture shock is amazing, and he finds itdifficult to adjust. Soon Benny befriends an orphan named Omar. When Bennylearns of Omar's mentally challenged sister living in an institution, the twoset out on an adventure to try to rescue her. Throughout the book, Benny growsand learns to think of others besides himself. In the sequel, Benny and Babe,Benny spends his summer with his grandfather in the country. As a 'townie,' hetries to find his way 'in' with a group of locals through his love of hurling.But he is surprised when he is outmatched by a girl named Babe and her dog. Thetwo soon try out a money-making venture that attracts the interest of localthug Furty Howlin. Throughout the books local Irish colloquialisms and dialectare used, which can sometimes be challenging. Younger teen readers will enjoyand be able to identify with the comedic adventures of Benny. According to theO'Brien Press Web site, Benny and Babe became a number-one bestseller inIreland and knocked Harry Potter out of the top spot.KLIATTBenny Shaw is a scrappy 12-year-old who wants nothing more than to join hishurling team in their attempt to win the All-Ireland Final. But when his fatheris transferred to a job in Africa, Benny's whole world changes. No one in theirnew Tunisian home has heard of hurling and no one appreciates Benny's cheekysarcasm-until Omar comes along. Omar is an orphan who lives by his wits andspeaks English only in television phrases. He and Benny become fast friends,which involves Benny sneaking off from the village and taking breakneck rideson Omar's decrepit motorbike. Omar is also determined to save his youngersister from a mental hospital, and of course Benny is enlisted to help. Theiradventures are told in a funny, sardonic voice with a quickly shiftingperspective. Some degree of stereotyping is present but not overwhelming;issues of loyalty, along with occasional touches of real emotion, add a fullyhuman feeling. Readers who like sports and fast-paced adventures will love boththe plot and the challenge of puzzling out Omar's television-talk and the Irishand Tunisian slang. KLIATT Codes: J-Recommended for junior high schoolstudents.
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