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Uncollected
Uncovered!
I'm uncovered...I try to hide my nakedness with my hand. But it doesn't work. Everyone can see. Also on show...Bad rabbit habits. Rapt - in toilet paper. Birds with teeth. A live face on the wall. A collection of brilliant and bizarre stories from the amazing Paul Jennings.
192 pages, Paperback
First published May 2, 1995
11 people are currently reading
229 people want to read
About the author
Paul Jennings
280 books362 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Paul Jennings was born in Heston near London, and at the age of 6 emigrated to Melbourne, Australia on a boat. He was on the boat for 5 weeks with his family. He attended Bentleigh West Primary School and Caulfield Grammar School.
After graduating from school, he went to Frankston Teachers College (now part of Monash University) and became a teacher. He taught students at Frankston State School, Kangaroo Flat State School, the Turana Youth Training Centre, and the Royal Children's Hospital State School in Mount Eliza. He later went on to study at the Lincoln Institute of Health Science (now part of LaTrobe University) and became a speech pathologist, then worked as a Lecturer in Special Education at Burwood State College (now part of Deakin University). In 1979 he became Senior Lecturer in Language and Literature at Warrnambool Institute of Advanced Education (now part of Deakin University).
In 1985, Jennings' first book of short stories, Unreal! was published, during which he worked as a lecturer and wrote part-time; in 1989, he made the decision to devote his full time to writing. Many of his short stories, published between 1985 and 1991, were also adapted into the first and second series of the popular Australian television show Round the Twist.
Winner of the Dromkeen Medal (2000).
Paul Jennings was born in Heston near London, and at the age of 6 emigrated to Melbourne, Australia on a boat. He was on the boat for 5 weeks with his family. He attended Bentleigh West Primary School and Caulfield Grammar School.
After graduating from school, he went to Frankston Teachers College (now part of Monash University) and became a teacher. He taught students at Frankston State School, Kangaroo Flat State School, the Turana Youth Training Centre, and the Royal Children's Hospital State School in Mount Eliza. He later went on to study at the Lincoln Institute of Health Science (now part of LaTrobe University) and became a speech pathologist, then worked as a Lecturer in Special Education at Burwood State College (now part of Deakin University). In 1979 he became Senior Lecturer in Language and Literature at Warrnambool Institute of Advanced Education (now part of Deakin University).
In 1985, Jennings' first book of short stories, Unreal! was published, during which he worked as a lecturer and wrote part-time; in 1989, he made the decision to devote his full time to writing. Many of his short stories, published between 1985 and 1991, were also adapted into the first and second series of the popular Australian television show Round the Twist.
Winner of the Dromkeen Medal (2000).
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
October 28, 2024
For Ever - 5/5
A terminally-ill boy just wants to see the snow. The boy is too preoccupied with helping his peculiar brother and keeping him out of trouble to think about anything else.
The sibling bond is definitely done well here. It’s a very emotional story with a great twist.
Too Many Rabbits – 4/5
A boy who isn’t allowed to buy a pet buys one anyway and keeps it a secret. But one rabbit quickly turns into many.
Hiding something important from your parents is never a good idea, as the boy in this story quickly finds out. A satisfying twist at the end though.
A Mouthful – 4/5
Every time a friend of a girl comes over to her house, the girl’s dad does a practical joke. The girl always feels embarrassed and wants her dad to stop.
What a good twist. Such fun.
Listen Ear – 4,5/5
A dad tells his son not to touch his precious compass, but the boy has a history of never listening to his parents.
The concept of this story is pretty simple: if you lie to your parents, after a while they’ll never believe you again. Very unexpected and interesting twist. Though what made me smile the most is the Round the Twist TV show making a cute little cameo here, as a lot of those episodes were based on short stories by Paul Jennings.
Picked Bones – 4,5/5
Uncle Sam was a birdwatcher who died doing what he loved to do in the outback. But when he was found, he was clutching a mysterious box in his hand.
The mystery had me hooked until the end. There’s some horror influences to keep you on your toes too. But the theme of this story is also quite important, especially for Australians.
Just Like Me - 4/5
A young man comes back to his old school to dig up the time capsule they as a class put into the ground so many years ago. But the school is no longer there, neither are his old classmates. Because the school has been turned into a shopping centre.
Quite a nice melancholic love story as the boy was hoping to see the girl he fell in love with all those years ago again.
Ringing Wet – 4,5/5
A young girl who still wets the bed spies on her neighbor. The girl’s parents don’t believe her, but she’s convinced that the man has buried his wife in his backyard.
While there is a lot of focus on the character-driven brother and sister rivalry and the wetting the bed part, the mystery plot and the twist at the end are quite good too.
Backward Step - 4/5
The world’s first time traveler is a young boy. He’s famous. But all he cares about is getting back, hoping to stop his mother’s death.
It’s a story that isn’t as straight-forward as you might think. It tries to be rather subtle in the way it explores an interesting time-travel paradox.
Pubic Hare - 2/5
A young boy feels embarrassed as he’s the first one growing pubic hair.
This story honestly feels very different from all the stories in this anthology. It feels more YA in tone and concept, while the others are clearly targeted towards a middle grade audience.
Such a shame that the final story didn’t manage to win me over as all the other stories are really good.
A terminally-ill boy just wants to see the snow. The boy is too preoccupied with helping his peculiar brother and keeping him out of trouble to think about anything else.
The sibling bond is definitely done well here. It’s a very emotional story with a great twist.
Too Many Rabbits – 4/5
A boy who isn’t allowed to buy a pet buys one anyway and keeps it a secret. But one rabbit quickly turns into many.
Hiding something important from your parents is never a good idea, as the boy in this story quickly finds out. A satisfying twist at the end though.
A Mouthful – 4/5
Every time a friend of a girl comes over to her house, the girl’s dad does a practical joke. The girl always feels embarrassed and wants her dad to stop.
What a good twist. Such fun.
Listen Ear – 4,5/5
A dad tells his son not to touch his precious compass, but the boy has a history of never listening to his parents.
The concept of this story is pretty simple: if you lie to your parents, after a while they’ll never believe you again. Very unexpected and interesting twist. Though what made me smile the most is the Round the Twist TV show making a cute little cameo here, as a lot of those episodes were based on short stories by Paul Jennings.
Picked Bones – 4,5/5
Uncle Sam was a birdwatcher who died doing what he loved to do in the outback. But when he was found, he was clutching a mysterious box in his hand.
The mystery had me hooked until the end. There’s some horror influences to keep you on your toes too. But the theme of this story is also quite important, especially for Australians.
Just Like Me - 4/5
A young man comes back to his old school to dig up the time capsule they as a class put into the ground so many years ago. But the school is no longer there, neither are his old classmates. Because the school has been turned into a shopping centre.
Quite a nice melancholic love story as the boy was hoping to see the girl he fell in love with all those years ago again.
Ringing Wet – 4,5/5
A young girl who still wets the bed spies on her neighbor. The girl’s parents don’t believe her, but she’s convinced that the man has buried his wife in his backyard.
While there is a lot of focus on the character-driven brother and sister rivalry and the wetting the bed part, the mystery plot and the twist at the end are quite good too.
Backward Step - 4/5
The world’s first time traveler is a young boy. He’s famous. But all he cares about is getting back, hoping to stop his mother’s death.
It’s a story that isn’t as straight-forward as you might think. It tries to be rather subtle in the way it explores an interesting time-travel paradox.
Pubic Hare - 2/5
A young boy feels embarrassed as he’s the first one growing pubic hair.
This story honestly feels very different from all the stories in this anthology. It feels more YA in tone and concept, while the others are clearly targeted towards a middle grade audience.
Such a shame that the final story didn’t manage to win me over as all the other stories are really good.
December 1, 2024
Read this to my son - amazing stories. The first one For Ever really hits you!
June 9, 2025
tee-hee saw this in the library and HAD to read it. grew up on Paul Jennings and round the twist, so fun, so weird, so imaginative. useful creative writing prompts for kids with stories entitled 'pubic hare' and opening lines such as 'sex is not talked about in our place,'
January 22, 2022
Cute book, very funny stories. Bring back all the good memories of being a child. Glad to have read it again, but not amazing in any way.
October 2, 2023
This may be my least favourite of all the UN short story collections. The first story, 'For Ever' is very moving (as is 'Just Like Me') but I didn't really enjoy the rest of them, with the exception of 'Backward Step', which was a neat time travel paradox story. The last story, 'Pubic Hare' really pushes the boundaries of acceptability in a book for children but in a neatly 90s way. It captures the grossness and discomfort of puberty perfectly.
April 8, 2013
Another great book funny and keeps you reading. I loved it and my children all have also. it was quit a while ago i read it but reamember it was so good.
I'm uncovered...
I try to hide my nakeness with my hand.
but it doesn't work.
Everyone can see.
Also on show...
Bad rabbit habits.
Rapt-in toilet paper.
Birds with teeth.
A live face on the wall.
I'm uncovered...
I try to hide my nakeness with my hand.
but it doesn't work.
Everyone can see.
Also on show...
Bad rabbit habits.
Rapt-in toilet paper.
Birds with teeth.
A live face on the wall.
August 10, 2017
This was a great book to read with our kids. I really enjoy the candid way Paul Jennings approaches many of life's issues such as relational/family issues, mental illness, suffering death, etc within the narrative of his stories. They present an excellent framework to discuss such topics with children that could otherwise be cumbersome or awkward to approach intentionally. Highly recommended.
April 29, 2009
* For Ever
* Too Many Rabbits
* A Mouthful
* Listen Ear
* Picked Bones
* Just Like Me
* Ringing Wet
* Backward Step
* Pubic Hare
* Too Many Rabbits
* A Mouthful
* Listen Ear
* Picked Bones
* Just Like Me
* Ringing Wet
* Backward Step
* Pubic Hare
November 13, 2023
Okay so I’m reliving my youth by reading children’s books so sue me
August 12, 2025
These are indeed--as the subtitle promises--"weird, weird stories". I'm the guy in May saying "I like weird". Then weird gets too weird and you wonder if maybe you just wanted to seem interesting when you said that thing.
I appreciate that Paul Jennings doesn't talk down to his audience. At the same time, I'm not always satisfied with the way he handles things.
"Forever"
I almost ditched the book after this story. It's about a terminally ill boy trying to protect his mentally disabled younger brother, and the way his brother gives back. The plot function of toilet paper certainly satisfies the "weird" criteria, and you can see the ending coming even as you refuse to believe that's where it's going to go. The problem is that mental disabilities and terminal illness aren't really explored with any depth here; they merely feel like mechanisms to guide the story to a "heartwarming" ending that isn't earned.
"Too Many Rabbits"
A boy hides a pet rabbit from his parents by keeping it in a secret room behind the walls; unfortunately the rabbit is pregnant, and soon there are *title drop*. I think this story was meant to be funny, but it felt like an anxiety dream. It seems like it's going to teach a lesson about how parents who hide crucial information from their children (such as the mechanics of sex) can expect their children to navigate the world poorly; but then the deux ex machina at the end negates this very lesson as everything works out fine due to the protagonist's secret.
"A Mouthful"
A very short story about an annoying dad who constantly pranks his daughter's friends, to the point of driving them out of the house; he gets his comeuppance in the form of a juvenile gross-out.
"Listen Ear"
Probably my favorite story in the collection. An untrustworthy child is blamed when his dad's compass (the kind that draws circles) goes missing; while the family goes out to a movie without him, he witnesses his own face growing out of the wall to deliver some helpful information. I'm not sure what the moral is, since the kid is a liar, even if he didn't steal the compass, but he still gets helped out in the end and is let off the hook scott-free. Still, I liked the strangeness of the story.
"Picked Bones"
A boy receives a package from his uncle, who died birdwatching in the desert; the family cat takes an intense interest in the eggs within the package. I would guess from this story that Paul Jennings is not a cat person. The story has a very specific moral about the environmental harm cats cause by virtue of how many birds they eat, but the cat's preternatural (and aggressive) immobility as it stands guard over the eggs, along with the behavior of the adults who are drunk on both alcohol and grief following Uncle Sam's wake, give the story a surreal and uncomfortable feeling.
"Just Like Me"
A bullied boy returns to the site of his school to uncover the time capsule that holds his decade-old confession of love to a female classmate only to discover that the school has been paved and is now a mall. The uncanny atmosphere embodied by the saying "you can't go home again" is evocative. I was, however, puzzled by the twist ending. Maybe I missed something.
"Ringing Wet"
A girl prone to wetting herself is convinced that her gruff older neighbor murdered his wife. The way the two plotlines dovetail is probably the most clever bit of storytelling in this anthology.
"Backward Step"
A bittersweet story about a boy who is ushered forward in time by his older self on the day that his mother dies; he has five years to figure out how to right the tragedy.
"Pubic Hare"
We had showers in our locker room when I grew up, but using them was optional, and nobody ever did. I wonder how bad we must have smelled for the rest of the day? Anyway, "Pubic Hare" is about the horror of realizing your body is different from those of your peers, making you a prime target for bullying. Again, I appreciate that Jennings is trying to write about things that we usually don't talk to kids about, but finding a supernatural solution to a real-world problem isn't all that instructive. I thought that when the kid discovered his meditative powers vis-a-vis a guru named Riah Devahs (you may discern a clue there), it would lead him on a journey of self-acceptance and confidence, but instead he just learns that he really is magical after all and can use that information to punish his classmates. If I'm a kid with self-esteem issues because of some perceived difference between me and everybody else, I walk away from this story going, "I relate to the kid's problem, but I still don't really know what to do about it."
I appreciate that Paul Jennings doesn't talk down to his audience. At the same time, I'm not always satisfied with the way he handles things.
"Forever"
I almost ditched the book after this story. It's about a terminally ill boy trying to protect his mentally disabled younger brother, and the way his brother gives back. The plot function of toilet paper certainly satisfies the "weird" criteria, and you can see the ending coming even as you refuse to believe that's where it's going to go. The problem is that mental disabilities and terminal illness aren't really explored with any depth here; they merely feel like mechanisms to guide the story to a "heartwarming" ending that isn't earned.
"Too Many Rabbits"
A boy hides a pet rabbit from his parents by keeping it in a secret room behind the walls; unfortunately the rabbit is pregnant, and soon there are *title drop*. I think this story was meant to be funny, but it felt like an anxiety dream. It seems like it's going to teach a lesson about how parents who hide crucial information from their children (such as the mechanics of sex) can expect their children to navigate the world poorly; but then the deux ex machina at the end negates this very lesson as everything works out fine due to the protagonist's secret.
"A Mouthful"
A very short story about an annoying dad who constantly pranks his daughter's friends, to the point of driving them out of the house; he gets his comeuppance in the form of a juvenile gross-out.
"Listen Ear"
Probably my favorite story in the collection. An untrustworthy child is blamed when his dad's compass (the kind that draws circles) goes missing; while the family goes out to a movie without him, he witnesses his own face growing out of the wall to deliver some helpful information. I'm not sure what the moral is, since the kid is a liar, even if he didn't steal the compass, but he still gets helped out in the end and is let off the hook scott-free. Still, I liked the strangeness of the story.
"Picked Bones"
A boy receives a package from his uncle, who died birdwatching in the desert; the family cat takes an intense interest in the eggs within the package. I would guess from this story that Paul Jennings is not a cat person. The story has a very specific moral about the environmental harm cats cause by virtue of how many birds they eat, but the cat's preternatural (and aggressive) immobility as it stands guard over the eggs, along with the behavior of the adults who are drunk on both alcohol and grief following Uncle Sam's wake, give the story a surreal and uncomfortable feeling.
"Just Like Me"
A bullied boy returns to the site of his school to uncover the time capsule that holds his decade-old confession of love to a female classmate only to discover that the school has been paved and is now a mall. The uncanny atmosphere embodied by the saying "you can't go home again" is evocative. I was, however, puzzled by the twist ending. Maybe I missed something.
"Ringing Wet"
A girl prone to wetting herself is convinced that her gruff older neighbor murdered his wife. The way the two plotlines dovetail is probably the most clever bit of storytelling in this anthology.
"Backward Step"
A bittersweet story about a boy who is ushered forward in time by his older self on the day that his mother dies; he has five years to figure out how to right the tragedy.
"Pubic Hare"
We had showers in our locker room when I grew up, but using them was optional, and nobody ever did. I wonder how bad we must have smelled for the rest of the day? Anyway, "Pubic Hare" is about the horror of realizing your body is different from those of your peers, making you a prime target for bullying. Again, I appreciate that Jennings is trying to write about things that we usually don't talk to kids about, but finding a supernatural solution to a real-world problem isn't all that instructive. I thought that when the kid discovered his meditative powers vis-a-vis a guru named Riah Devahs (you may discern a clue there), it would lead him on a journey of self-acceptance and confidence, but instead he just learns that he really is magical after all and can use that information to punish his classmates. If I'm a kid with self-esteem issues because of some perceived difference between me and everybody else, I walk away from this story going, "I relate to the kid's problem, but I still don't really know what to do about it."
May 20, 2025
This collection has a few more mature stories than others, with one played completely straight and another about puberty. Here are individual reviews!
For Ever
2/5
This is a tricky one to review. It's about a terminally ill child and his mentally challenged brother who is obsessed with toilet paper. It's all played straight, not for laughs at all, and is empathetic towards the family. But also it feels like a VERY shallow and somewhat problematic portrayal of mental illness, and it all seems in aid of Jennings being able to write a tragic ending.
I'm sure Jennings meant well, and as mentioned it's not done for laughs, but it really rubbed me the wrong way. In the end, it felt a bit exploitative.
Too Many Rabbits
3.5/5
A fun one about a kid getting in over his head trying to look after an increasingly large swarm of rabbits without anyone knowing. Has some heart as it's about trying to save his family and friends from the bank.
A Moutful
2/5
A simple gross out story, but it's about a dad who doesn't respect boundaries getting owned so that's good.
Listen Ear
4/5
A really fun horror story about getting stalked by your own face poking through the walls (which in this case is a metaphor for the protags conscience).
Picked Bones
3/5
This one feels like Paul Jennings letting off steam about feral cats that keep killing birds. Something I can relate to... I love cats, but keep them indoors, people! The birds in this sound terrifying, and I love the implication that they ate his uncle. Also does a great job of recreating the feeling of being a kid trying to deal with a serious situation when all the adults around you are drunk off their asses.
Just Like Me
2/5
A simple (and shallow) love story were the main character is a loser clown... the ending is a bit ambiguous, does the woman have disfigurements or were the bandages just for show? I feel it's not supposed to matter since it's the smile he's in love with... but then if she IS disfigured, would she still have waited for him otherwise? Hmm.
Ringing Wet
3/5
This is basically just Rear Window but also bed wetting is involved. I like how Paul Jennings always wrote about characters with embarrassing issues like this, to make kids with problems feel less alone and hopefully build empathy for them. Anyway this is a solid one.
Backward Step
4/5
A time travel/paradox story with some fun twists on the idea... a baby teleports to the future the day his mum dies and eventually he tries to go back and save her. Has a bit of an emotional element to it.
Pubic Hare
2.5/5
This is a real weird one about the ashes of a dead person giving a kid powers as he tries to get rid of his pubic hair. SPOILERS he ends up not being the only one with pubic hair. I think this one was mainly written so kids would know it's not unusual to start getting it.
For Ever
2/5
This is a tricky one to review. It's about a terminally ill child and his mentally challenged brother who is obsessed with toilet paper. It's all played straight, not for laughs at all, and is empathetic towards the family. But also it feels like a VERY shallow and somewhat problematic portrayal of mental illness, and it all seems in aid of Jennings being able to write a tragic ending.
I'm sure Jennings meant well, and as mentioned it's not done for laughs, but it really rubbed me the wrong way. In the end, it felt a bit exploitative.
Too Many Rabbits
3.5/5
A fun one about a kid getting in over his head trying to look after an increasingly large swarm of rabbits without anyone knowing. Has some heart as it's about trying to save his family and friends from the bank.
A Moutful
2/5
A simple gross out story, but it's about a dad who doesn't respect boundaries getting owned so that's good.
Listen Ear
4/5
A really fun horror story about getting stalked by your own face poking through the walls (which in this case is a metaphor for the protags conscience).
Picked Bones
3/5
This one feels like Paul Jennings letting off steam about feral cats that keep killing birds. Something I can relate to... I love cats, but keep them indoors, people! The birds in this sound terrifying, and I love the implication that they ate his uncle. Also does a great job of recreating the feeling of being a kid trying to deal with a serious situation when all the adults around you are drunk off their asses.
Just Like Me
2/5
A simple (and shallow) love story were the main character is a loser clown... the ending is a bit ambiguous, does the woman have disfigurements or were the bandages just for show? I feel it's not supposed to matter since it's the smile he's in love with... but then if she IS disfigured, would she still have waited for him otherwise? Hmm.
Ringing Wet
3/5
This is basically just Rear Window but also bed wetting is involved. I like how Paul Jennings always wrote about characters with embarrassing issues like this, to make kids with problems feel less alone and hopefully build empathy for them. Anyway this is a solid one.
Backward Step
4/5
A time travel/paradox story with some fun twists on the idea... a baby teleports to the future the day his mum dies and eventually he tries to go back and save her. Has a bit of an emotional element to it.
Pubic Hare
2.5/5
This is a real weird one about the ashes of a dead person giving a kid powers as he tries to get rid of his pubic hair. SPOILERS he ends up not being the only one with pubic hair. I think this one was mainly written so kids would know it's not unusual to start getting it.
January 5, 2026
This interesting collection of strange stories will appeal to grade schoolers, both boys and girls. The first story, “Forever,” is especially poignant. Most of the others have a bizarre element - time travel, a face on a wall, x-ray glasses, unnatural birds, and so forth. It’s an entertaining collection, and a mild way to introduce kids to the world of fantasy.
November 25, 2017
Okay I guess...not quite suited for my age but the writing style is the same as I remember it. Another good collection of short stories that I would have loved if I was in primary school again.
February 28, 2022
A childhood classic.
Read
August 17, 2023toms
March 15, 2008
I read this (sort of) series a long time ago, so it is fun to go back and reread these awesome books. The stories are really weird but really cool.
July 18, 2009
I think this is the book that my teacher read to my class in grade 3 and she cried.
October 15, 2009
Will appeal to the Goosebumps crowd.
June 30, 2012
Great book that's strange and quirky, I read this many years ago and really liked it. Good for younger readers as well.
July 5, 2013
Read this about five thousand times when I was a kid. Paul Jennings is a great children's author no doubt about that.
Want to read
September 9, 2014hello
May 11, 2015
Fantastic collection of stories. Quirky, funny, gross, sweet, sad, and creepy by turn. All of them were clever and twisty. My favourites were
Too Many Rabbits
Listen Ear
Ringing Wet
Backward Step
Too Many Rabbits
Listen Ear
Ringing Wet
Backward Step
July 5, 2016
nice book i have read 16 books so far for everyone waiting for a laugh
September 30, 2014
Tons of funny quirky stories for kids
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews