Sage Cookson's fishy surprise by Sally Murphy

Ill. by Celeste Hulme. Sage Cookson series. New Frontier Publishing, 2017. ISBN 9781925059755
(Age: 7-9) Recommended. In Fishy surprise Sage's best friend, Lucy is accompanying the family and television crew to picturesque Crystal Bay. Sage Cookson's parents are stars of a special series 'The Cookson's Cook on'. They travel to beautiful locations around Australia and create beautiful dishes from locally sourced food. Ten-year-old Sage loves to travel with her parents; she enjoys experiencing so many wonderful locations, tasting different foods and there is always a mystery to solve along the way. While Mum and Dad are filming with the owner of Australia's best fish and chip shop, Sage and Lucy are caught up in a stinky problem.
When Sheila the cooking show's location scout takes the girls to Picturesque Cove, they are overcome with the awful smell of rotting fish and the sight of hundreds of fish carcasses scattered along the shore. Who is responsible, maybe the person hiding in the rocks? She looks similar to the evil chocolatier who had previously kidnapped Sage in order to win a local cooking contest.
In this easy to read junior novel, Sally Murphy's characters are relatable, she celebrates friendship, combines plenty of fun and adventure with a dash of mystery. There is even a recipe for delicious fish and chips included. The Sage Cookson series books are a delicious addition to the range of spy, princess and fairy books currently popular with young girls.
Rhyllis Bignell