Neville No-Phone by Anna Brandford

Ill. by Kat Chadwick. Walker Books, 2011. ISBN 978-1-921529-96-2.
Australia has more mobile phones than people so they are definitely a must have item which explains why primary school aged Neville and his friend Enzo are so desperate to have one. At first they harass their parents for a phone but are knocked back. Enzo's parents think it is hysterically funny and Neville's suggest he use the baby monitor or Styrofoam cups with string. How will they cope!
So the two boys are determined and as luck would have it, they discover a lost phone in a bus shelter. Of course they will return it, won't they?
I particularly liked the joke at the end of the book, about the one girl in the class who actually owns and flaunts her mobile phone. Everything is not how it seems.
A fun read with a light hearted look at consumerism, Neville No-Phone will appeal to 8 to 10 year olds who will understand the problems of trying to obtain your 'must have' item. Illustrations by Kat Chadwick are perfect for the story and the cover will appeal to young readers.
Jane Moore