Suzanne Ingelbrecht (text), and Michael Inouye (illustrator), The Story of a Strange Missing Thing (Tumblagooda #2), Dragonfly Publishing, August 2024, 192 pp., RRP $17.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781763552500
We’re back in coastal Mirmouth, WA, where Georgina Doherty (George) is keeping mum about Tumblagooda, the creature that saved her from drowning at Red Cliff beach in book 1, The Story of a Strange Lost Thing.
In this second book of the trilogy, George and best mate Mac discover a suitcase with an old gun and bullet belt downriver in a cliffside cave. Soon, the whole town is buzzing, but George can’t stop thinking about Tumblagooda, Will school bully, Jed Ostler, blab about the creature? Did Tumblagooda cause Jed’s illness? More importantly, where is Tumblagooda hiding and are there more Tumblagoodas out there?
When George is convinced Tumblagooda is communicating with her telepathically, the action is kicked up a few gears, plunging George, her family and friends into a quest featuring a secret mine, missing jewels, a Miss Universe contest and a sultan who goes by the name of Jazzy.
Tumblagooda 2 is a creative reimagining of real events from Kalbarri, WA from 1979 onwards, crafted by the author into an action-packed adventure where honesty, allegiance and the bonds of family collide. With a background in journalism, playwriting and creative writing, Ingelbrecht knows how to keep stakes high while allowing space for character development and time for the reader to reflect. This second stage of the unique journey doesn’t disappoint, with its poetic ending offering an ideal jumping off point for book 3, due out in October this year.
A rollicky good read that will leave early and intermediate readers hungry for more. Teaching notes are available at the publisher’s website.
Reviewed by Maura Pierlot
