Carla Fitzgerald, How to Break a World Record and Survive Grade Five, University of Queensland Press, July 2024, 288 pp., RRP $16.99 (pbk), ISBN 9780702268717
Eleven-year-old Sam and his best friend Vihaan absolutely love the Big Book of Records. They spend most lunchtimes in the school library poring over the book and working out what world records they could have a go at. When their teacher, Ms Chen, sets a Term One project stating “in 500 words, describe your proudest moment”, Sam is mortified. He isn’t a champion soccer player like his younger sister and hasn’t won any awards like Vihaan’s art prize. He only got 2 out of 10 in his spelling competition, so what does he have to be proud of?
Sam sets out to break one of the records in his favourite book. He tries the ‘most socks put on one foot in 30 seconds’ record but is nowhere near the winner. Similarly, with the ‘most leapfrogs by a team of two in 30 seconds’. Eventually he settles on the ‘most ice-cream scoops balanced on a cone’ record. With the help of the local ice cream van man and with a crowd of supporters including a reporter from the local newspaper and Brittany and Bob from the Great Guys, who have offered to give his family a new fridge if he does it, Sam almost achieves his goal – until he hears his elderly neighbour drumming out his emergency code with the soup ladle Sam gave him. Sam literally drops everything to sprint next door and save the day.
Along the way, Sam goes through lots of ups and downs in his friendships and self-confidence. His single-parent mother works several jobs to keep them afloat and Sam does what he can to help. The elderly widowed George next door had closed himself off from his neighbours but opens up to Sam. So in the end, Sam gives a class talk on the little things he has done of which he is very proud. (I just wish I knew what his teacher thought of his presentation!)
This is an important life lesson. It’s not so much what we achieve but what we are like as people that matters. This is portrayed in a well-written, humorous way which is not the slightest bit preachy. Sam, his friends and family are likable characters and the records, whether real or imaginary, at the beginning of each chapter are hilarious.
Teaching notes are available at the publisher’s website.
Reviewed by Lynne Babbage
