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The Kensington Reptilarium
A most unexpected adventure into a world unknown. Enter if you dare . . . The Caddy kids are having the best time. Dad’s away hunting and eldest sister Kick is looking after Scruff, Pin and Bert – and they’re loving it. Until they find out their father is missing . . .This is the story of how four loud, grubby urchins from the Aussie outback find themselves in the heart of London, where the first peacetime Christmas after the six long, hard years of World War II promises to be a big one.Except for the Caddy kids. Their Scrooge-like Uncle Basti hates children. He prefers the company of the hundreds of snakes in his terrace house – the fabled Kensington Reptilarium. But fate lends the Caddy kids a helping hand in the guise of the outraged authorities who want to close down the Reptilarium. With the police about to descend – and the kids about to riot if they don’t get their Christmas wishes – can sour old Basti possibly be transformed in time?A feel-good tale that will have you cheering on these four fearless bush kids as they take on the world!
180 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2013
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103 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 8, 2024
I feel like i should be apologising. I tried so hard to like this book but the endless stream of conciousness from the main character had me worn out at 60 pages. I slogged on till I reached page 120 by which point I just didn't care if any of them lived or died. I've read some crap books, and I'm not a quitter. I live in hope for a final page reveal that makes it worthwhile but this book has broken me.
December 8, 2014
Loved it! Would have loved to read this as a pre teen. Hope my niece enjoys it just as much - seeings she's getting it for christmas!
Read
April 8, 2020DNFed at 53 pages.
I didn’t know this was set in WWI (I think?) which threw me through a loop for a bit. I’m Australian and even I didn’t understand half of the slang that was used. I also wasn’t a fan of the choppy writing style. It’s a no from me.
We only just met the uncle and it’s very The Series Of Unfortunate Events: The Reptile Room but the uncle is horrible instead of wonderful.
I didn’t know this was set in WWI (I think?) which threw me through a loop for a bit. I’m Australian and even I didn’t understand half of the slang that was used. I also wasn’t a fan of the choppy writing style. It’s a no from me.
We only just met the uncle and it’s very The Series Of Unfortunate Events: The Reptile Room but the uncle is horrible instead of wonderful.
March 30, 2018
The heroine, Kick, is a delicious combination of Audrey of the Outback, Pippi Longsticking and Peter Pan’s Wendy.
It’s a fantastic book, I loved it and it’s a while since I was a preteen 😆
It’s a fantastic book, I loved it and it’s a while since I was a preteen 😆
February 29, 2020
Love this book.
October 12, 2020
It was really good and I loved how there was drama in it
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2023
At first it is a bit hard to read but once you get into it you start to really love the 4 boisterous Caddys. I love this book.
November 8, 2013
The Kensington Reptilarium is one of the most original kids’ books I’ve read in quite some time. It’s so fresh, in fact, that it’s hard to assign it a genre, or a recommended reading age. It is one part magic realism, one part historical document, with all the classic tropes of children’s fiction: absent parents, sibling struggles, moral challenges and Christmas! As the world recovers from World War 2, four rag tag Australian bush children are ripped from their outback home and transplanted to the centre of London, into the care of an eccentric uncle with no interest in family life. Their mother has already passed away and their father is missing in action, with the mystery of his true whereabouts forming the backbone of the narrative. The language would suit keen readers from 10 years up, but the subjects might require more maturity. Be prepared for some discussion of the war time context with curious kids.
The four children – Kick, Scruff, Bert and Pin Caddy – are distinct individuals who work as a well-oiled team. Growing up in the hostile Australian outback, with intermittent parental supervision, they are ready for anything, unimpressed by authority and uninterested in the trappings of ‘civilized’ society. Their juxtaposition with the formality of London society is an interesting play on the colonial story; echoing Ethel Turner’s Seven Little Australians, where the undisciplined nature of Aussie children is symbolic of freedom from the shackles of Empire. Their dusty nicknames blanket real names like Phineaus and Albertina, in just one of many symbolic references to the evolving postcolonial relationship between Britain and Australia.
The Caddys’ Uncle Basti dwells within the Reptilarium; a fantastical building, unassuming from the street, but a maze of wax works, libraries and reptile housing within; a celebration of all the best known London attractions combined with a nod to the turn of the century British penchant for collecting and categorising the world’s treasures. A highlight for me is the top secret room bearing a warning sign that he who enters may never leave. What’s inside? (Spoiler alert) The library of course! Packed with enough tomes to keep anyone engrossed for life.
The children shift between fear, rebellion and resentment in their response to their new home, but the alternative of an orphanage in that particular day and age is far more worrying than the prospect of breaking down Uncle Basti’s emotional fortress. There is little more to the story itself. There is tension, emotion and fun, but no action-packed chases, no super hero moments. The steady unravelling of the Caddy’s family story, alongside the individual histories of the novel’s other adult protagonists, pushes the narrative along, while painting a bigger picture about the legacies of war and the resilience (or lack thereof) of the human spirit.
The Reptilarium itself is really the star of the story (oh please, someone, make the film!). It has the great British eccentricity of something like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, with the secrecy and marvel of Willy Wonka’s factory. The admirable and burdened oldest girl – Kick – is also a noteworthy presence as a strong female lead. She is like Turner’s Judy, Blyton’s Anne and Alcott’s Jo - in Blundstone boots. Those girls were my fictional heroines growing up, and I think Kick has similar potential for new readers.
A longer review of this novel can be found at http://thischarmingmum.com
The four children – Kick, Scruff, Bert and Pin Caddy – are distinct individuals who work as a well-oiled team. Growing up in the hostile Australian outback, with intermittent parental supervision, they are ready for anything, unimpressed by authority and uninterested in the trappings of ‘civilized’ society. Their juxtaposition with the formality of London society is an interesting play on the colonial story; echoing Ethel Turner’s Seven Little Australians, where the undisciplined nature of Aussie children is symbolic of freedom from the shackles of Empire. Their dusty nicknames blanket real names like Phineaus and Albertina, in just one of many symbolic references to the evolving postcolonial relationship between Britain and Australia.
The Caddys’ Uncle Basti dwells within the Reptilarium; a fantastical building, unassuming from the street, but a maze of wax works, libraries and reptile housing within; a celebration of all the best known London attractions combined with a nod to the turn of the century British penchant for collecting and categorising the world’s treasures. A highlight for me is the top secret room bearing a warning sign that he who enters may never leave. What’s inside? (Spoiler alert) The library of course! Packed with enough tomes to keep anyone engrossed for life.
The children shift between fear, rebellion and resentment in their response to their new home, but the alternative of an orphanage in that particular day and age is far more worrying than the prospect of breaking down Uncle Basti’s emotional fortress. There is little more to the story itself. There is tension, emotion and fun, but no action-packed chases, no super hero moments. The steady unravelling of the Caddy’s family story, alongside the individual histories of the novel’s other adult protagonists, pushes the narrative along, while painting a bigger picture about the legacies of war and the resilience (or lack thereof) of the human spirit.
The Reptilarium itself is really the star of the story (oh please, someone, make the film!). It has the great British eccentricity of something like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, with the secrecy and marvel of Willy Wonka’s factory. The admirable and burdened oldest girl – Kick – is also a noteworthy presence as a strong female lead. She is like Turner’s Judy, Blyton’s Anne and Alcott’s Jo - in Blundstone boots. Those girls were my fictional heroines growing up, and I think Kick has similar potential for new readers.
A longer review of this novel can be found at http://thischarmingmum.com
July 18, 2014
Seriously people, look at that cover! It's so cute! And great attention to detail- in print form, the spine has a nice reptile skin pattern and texture. And ermahgerd all the little critters crawling around on the title text. It's just great.
One thing that was very distinctive about this book was that there was a very Australian narrative voice. There were also numerous references to Australian things and Australian slang, so I feel like it might have been hard to get used to if you're not used to an Aussie accent and such. But this strong narrative voice did make the book a bit more interesting to read.
I feel on the whole, none of the characters particularly wowed me. I mean, I do have to say that they were all pretty unique- with their fancy names and outback nicknames- but I feel like none of them were really that likeable. Not that they were dislikeable either. I just had no strong feelings either way. Although I do have to say that Basti was borderline insane. One minute he'd be really welcoming to the Caddy siblings with fun and games, and the next he'd be yelling at them to get out of the house all "NO CHILDREN!". I guess there were reasons why he acted that way, though, and I suppose he really did redeem himself by the end of the novel.
I think my main problem with this book was that it really just wasn't the book for me. It's definitely a book for younger readers- I'd say maybe ages 8-12 or thereabouts. I guess it's somewhat obvious from the cute cover. It was an okay book, and I think my rating probably just reflects how I'm just a bit too old to be really enjoying this type of book. Because I do feel like it would have been the type of book I might have enjoyed when I was in primary school. I would still recommend this book- but only to younger readers.
One thing that was very distinctive about this book was that there was a very Australian narrative voice. There were also numerous references to Australian things and Australian slang, so I feel like it might have been hard to get used to if you're not used to an Aussie accent and such. But this strong narrative voice did make the book a bit more interesting to read.
I feel on the whole, none of the characters particularly wowed me. I mean, I do have to say that they were all pretty unique- with their fancy names and outback nicknames- but I feel like none of them were really that likeable. Not that they were dislikeable either. I just had no strong feelings either way. Although I do have to say that Basti was borderline insane. One minute he'd be really welcoming to the Caddy siblings with fun and games, and the next he'd be yelling at them to get out of the house all "NO CHILDREN!". I guess there were reasons why he acted that way, though, and I suppose he really did redeem himself by the end of the novel.
I think my main problem with this book was that it really just wasn't the book for me. It's definitely a book for younger readers- I'd say maybe ages 8-12 or thereabouts. I guess it's somewhat obvious from the cute cover. It was an okay book, and I think my rating probably just reflects how I'm just a bit too old to be really enjoying this type of book. Because I do feel like it would have been the type of book I might have enjoyed when I was in primary school. I would still recommend this book- but only to younger readers.
November 6, 2013
This is a charming, unique book which is very hard to categorise; from the cover and description it appears to be a standard tale of adorable orphans who get taken in by a cantankerous old uncle and teach him how to love again. The reader can imagine the Crocodile-Dundee style antics as the wild Australian children take on genteel London society. But this never happens; there are surprises in every scene and even the writing style is unexpectedly quirky. This is mostly a good thing - it stands out from all the other generic children's books - but also makes it potentially challenging for many young readers. It's a slim book but a slow read. The focus throughout the book is on character rather than plot giving it a curiously adult feel. The backdrop of war - both the setting in World War 2 London and the shadow of Basti's experiences in World War 1 - also adds maturity and darkness to the book. The writing style is delightfully idiosyncratic, with verbs and pronouns used only sparingly by the narrator, and it's worth reading for this distinctive voice alone. The style works beautifully to create atmosphere in individual scenes but slows down the pace of the plot and dilutes the dramatic tension at times. I never really felt drawn into the world or the story, even though I enjoyed the writing and colourful characters.
February 19, 2014
I feel bad saying it but I didn't enjoy this book although I very much wanted to. The idea is compelling and the cover art lovely. It is also very well written and imaginative. I find some YA books are just as much for adults as for kids and some books are just for kids - I think this comes under the latter category. There is much fun to be had here, I think as a child, reading about the Reptilarium would have filled me with wonder and those passages work well but I found the Caddy kids sentimental and irritating - as a matter of fact the whole book is a little too sentimental. The constant 'bush' slang and old Australian colloquialisms also annoyed me. This is a good adventure story with alot of heart but I think it's one just for kids.
April 24, 2014
Sally's review said 'I feel bad saying it but I didn't enjoy this book although I very much wanted to.' I agree. I enjoy Nicki Gemmell's columns in the paper but somehow this book just didn't work for me. I found the plot and characters confusing and the story disjointed. I found the style irritating and eventually gave up reading about a third of the way through. A Year 7 student told me it improved and was a great read by the end. I found the dialogue jerky with the young narrator using terms and expressions only an adult would use. This book may appeal to the primary children it's been written for so perhaps try it and see. Year 4 to Year 7.
June 16, 2014
A great read as 4 siblings are moved from outback Australia to London in 1945 (just after the end of the war). With their father missing in action they are forced to move in with their odd uncle - who doesn't want them - and his collection of reptiles and his butler Mr Boo. Will appeal to fans of Roald Dahl and Lemony Snickett.
On one level it is a fun adventure story, but older readers will also get a glimpse of the devastation the both the first and second world wars had on both individuals and the landscape as a whole. The Uncle especially is severely mentally damaged by his experience in northern France in WWI. Recommend for 10+ readers.
On one level it is a fun adventure story, but older readers will also get a glimpse of the devastation the both the first and second world wars had on both individuals and the landscape as a whole. The Uncle especially is severely mentally damaged by his experience in northern France in WWI. Recommend for 10+ readers.
January 15, 2015
Really wanted to like this - there had been quite a big promotion for it... but....
It was all over the place. Badly written Australian characters. Completely unbelievable.
Took two thirds of the book before the story really got going. Not enough of Charlie Boo and his grandchildren. That was a mistake - was one of the only believable human elements.
The Uncle's characterisation was awful. His house could have been a winning element - but mostly was badly done. That's enough I think.
It was all over the place. Badly written Australian characters. Completely unbelievable.
Took two thirds of the book before the story really got going. Not enough of Charlie Boo and his grandchildren. That was a mistake - was one of the only believable human elements.
The Uncle's characterisation was awful. His house could have been a winning element - but mostly was badly done. That's enough I think.
Read
January 3, 2014A great read - I love Nikki Gemmell's column in the Weekend Australian and she brings all her warmth to this gorgeous children's book. I especially love her turn of phrase - 'a rug of eggs' and her first person description of reading '…just reading a book, the thing I love more than anything in the world because when I'm doing that it's like I calm down into stillness, I uncurl into some-one else entirely, someone who I actually like and want to be with in a world that actually works."
January 14, 2016
My favourite character was Kick, the eldest because she was cheeky and looked after all the other kids. I also liked Bert because she was cheeky and about my age. This book is about four kids who go to live in London with their Uncle Basti because their dad got lost in the forest. They have to help their Uncle Basti save the Reptilarium because the police want to take it down.
August 17, 2014
2 1/2 stars probably. Quite strange! A very unbelievable story with unusual characters. I found the style a bit choppy and sometimes hard to follow. I think children would enjoy it more than I did. Maybe you need a more flexible imagination. It finishes all a bit too neatly for me too.
November 22, 2015
This one was read by Miss 11 as part of our junior book club.
She says:
An intriguing mystery that I really enjoyed. I will definitely read the next one.
The scores from the kids were 6/9.5/10/7/7.5/11.5/7
She says:
An intriguing mystery that I really enjoyed. I will definitely read the next one.
The scores from the kids were 6/9.5/10/7/7.5/11.5/7
February 8, 2015
This book has 297 pages not 180.
February 26, 2014
Very strong Australian voice. Would be a good read aloud; it's a bit sentimental for modern readers but the adventure and redemption of Basti will appeal to 8-12 year olds.
November 18, 2022
character are very loveable, gets you thinking with its unexpected yet important message
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews