Andy Griffiths

TREASURE FEVER: Latest reviews

I loved Treasure Fever! so much I finished it in a day.

–Andrew, Age 10

Treasure Fever!, the first book in a series called Schooling Around, makes no attempt to be moralistic or educational. It’s simply fun; a rambling series of events that entertain from the first to last word. The action is fast-paced, with quick dialogue, short chapters and some zany characters.

The tale is told from the point of view of Henry McThrottle, a fifth-grade student whose class has a new teacher. The outrageous and nonsensical Mr Brainfright uses teaching methods as unlikely as his name. “Mr Brainfright’s important lesson No.1: When you’re breathing, it’s very important not to fall out the window.”

It’s no accident that the truly batty characters in Treasure Fever! are adults; it’s empowering for kids to encounter seniors they can make fun of and feel superior to without fear of reprisal. It’s joyously subversive. There’s Mrs Cross, the angry disciplinarian; Principal Greenbeard, the wannabe pirate who speaks in pirate catchphrases; Mr Shush, the edgy librarian; and Mr Brainfright, whose introduction sparks a series of events that has Henry and his classmates searching the school for buried treasure.

That Henry and his friends are victorious in the end is also satisfying for young readers. The kids team up to overcome and outsmart the school bully, Fred Durkin, and the interfering teachers (who display varying degrees of insanity). It’s an adventure set in familiar territory (school), with a great sense of urgency and anticipation.

For a change, Griffiths steers clear of the scatological (poo/bum/fart stuff) but there’s plenty of nonsense, which he does well. Treasure Fever! actually shares some features of Roald Dahl’s work. For example, Mr Brainfright jumps off the page with a similar absurdity that made Dahl’s chocolate-maker, Willy Wonka, an eternal favourite (perhaps incidentally, Brainfright also wears a purple jacket.)

Griffiths is popular because his readers don’t see an ulterior motive at play in his work. His stories, including Treasure Fever, are easy to read, entertaining and silly. Unlike some more critically acclaimed, award-winning books, reading them is not a chore for kids – it’s a LOL, LMAO pleasure. And the fun is set to continue in September with the release of the second book in this new series: Pencil of Doom.

–The Sydney Morning Herald

Posted on 1 May 2008 Permanent link to this post