This is a comic pet mystery built around a group of friends, an ugly dog and increasingly puzzling disappearances. Expect playful embarrassment, detective activity and gross-out imagery rather than a quiet or realistic animal story.
More about this book
The second hilarious book in this new series from award-winning author Anthony McGowan. .More brilliant jokes and plenty of laughs as the gang come together to battle some evil dogsnatchers!Ludo, Noah, Jamie, Phillip and Jennifer are THE BARE BUM GANG! They have an embarrassing name but a cool Gang Den, so things could be worse.The newest member of the gang is Rude Word, the world's ugliest dog - and he's causing trouble. He's throwing up strange furry body parts . . . and Mrs Cake's dog Trixie is missing! Ludo and the gang have to turn detective and get to the bottom of this gross mystery. But when other pets disappear, they realise the mystery is bigger than they thought. Can they get Rude Word off the hook?
Group identityThe available evidence does not establish the book's treatment of this theme. See Confidence & Basis for the evidence gap.Co-operationThe available evidence does not establish the book's treatment of this theme. See Confidence & Basis for the evidence gap.InvestigationThe available evidence does not establish the book's treatment of this theme. See Confidence & Basis for the evidence gap.
Consider
Emotional intensityFear and suspenseOther content to consider
Personalised Fit
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group identityco-operationinvestigationevidenceblamemisunderstandingembarrassmentbodily humourappearance
Fiction
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Themes in Context
Friendship and teamwork
Five children form the Bare Bum Gang and come together to investigate the mystery surrounding Rude Word and missing pets.Provisional readingProvisional: the reviewed evidence does not establish how the book treats this theme. The evidence gap is listed under Confidence & Basis.Provisional: the reviewed evidence does not establish how the book treats this theme. The evidence gap is listed under Confidence & Basis.
Talk about: If the gang reaches different conclusions, how does it handle disagreement and decide what to do?
Suspicion and responsibility
Rude Word appears connected to trouble, while the gang investigates whether he is responsible for the missing pets.Provisional readingProvisional: the reviewed evidence does not establish how the book treats this theme. The evidence gap is listed under Confidence & Basis.Provisional: the reviewed evidence does not establish how the book treats this theme. The evidence gap is listed under Confidence & Basis.
Talk about: What evidence changes the gang’s view of Rude Word, if any?
Comic gross-out humour
The gang has an embarrassing name, and Rude Word vomits strange furry body parts in a deliberately gross mystery.NormalisedA short description of how the book presents this theme.A short description of how the book presents this theme.
How the book presents it: Grossness and embarrassment are presented as central comic devices rather than incidental details.
Talk about: How does the humour balance the characters’ embarrassment with concern for the animals?
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Why It May Be Worth Reading
It may suit a reader who enjoys fast-moving mysteries, ensembles of friends and humour that deliberately makes bodily functions and embarrassment part of the joke.
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What Deserves Attention
Pay particular attention to emotional intensity.
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A Conversation Worth Having
What does the gang discover about the missing pets, and how does the story treat suspicion of Rude Word: as justified, mistaken or part of the joke?
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Reading Approach
If the humour is appealing, read it alongside the child and pause after clues appear. Talk about how the gang decides whom to suspect, without revealing the ending in advance.
Confidence & Basis
Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.
What remains unconfirmed
Friendship and teamwork: Some details of this treatment remain unclear.
Suspicion and responsibility: The explanation, resolution and treatment of suspicion are not provided.
Comic gross-out humour: Some details of this treatment remain unclear.
Book information
Limited information
Relevant to: Friendship and teamwork; Suspicion and responsibility; Comic gross-out humour
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