Fiddle-back

Stella Street #2

by Elizabeth Honey

More adventures than you can poke a burnt stick at!

Genres: Childrens, Young Adult, Australia, Family

176 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1998

About the author

Elizabeth Honey was a weedy child who always seemed to have a sore throat, so her parents didn't send her to school until she was nearly seven. The Honeys lived on a farm in the bush near Wonthaggi, Victoria. There were four kids and Elizabeth was number three. With her younger sister Mary, Elizabeth puzzled over jigsaws, played with the dogs, climbed trees and one way or another did a lot of pretending, on horses or tractors, in dress-ups or with glove puppets, round old trucks, cubbies, dams and hay sheds.
Following Swinburne art school, adventures overseas and a variety of jobs Elizabeth became an illustrator, then also a writer, for children. Her first book, 'Princess Beatrice and the Rotten Robber' was published in 1988.

She lives in Richmond, Melbourne in a house of books: picture books, poetry, art (Matisse particularly) zines and strange books. Fortunately, her retired graphic designer husband is also a bibliophile. They have two grown-up children and a granddaughter in Amsterdam. All her life Elizabeth has zoomed around on her bike - not a lycra rider, just a charging-round-the-place rider - and that vibrant bike city in the Netherlands has become an inspiration. She's also passionate about streets for people not cars, public parkland and place-making, and an abiding passion is habitat for wildlife, for the survival of our unique Australian animals.

Reviews

[Camelia Horner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book because of the sense of adventure and excitement it held. The gang from 45-47 Stella St went on a camping trip.This book follows the gang as they:
Fight against enemies
Make new friends
Help a new person into the world
Elizabeth Honey's writing style makes you believe that Henni is telling you a story in the playground. The themes of Friendship,Resilience and Rivals help engage the reader.

Dont stop reading at the start because you think it is boring, the most exciting parts are at the end.

I rate this book 4 1/2 stars.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably the only youth book I'll ever read that gives a fairly detailed description of a baby's birth complete with a blunt summary of what a placenta is. Still, the story was entertaining. I'm enjoying this series. I hope the library can find me the next volume in our inter-library loan.

[Serena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always enjoyable with endearing and realistic characters. Resonates with real growing-up memories here in Australia, and instantly makes me want to go bush.

[Anouk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ik hou zo mogelijk nog meer van dit tweede deel dan van het eerste. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Fun Australian story for Kids with some adults included and even a 'play centre' hah ha

[Erin Polakovsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my god, I loved this book. I used to read and read and read it, over and over again. Just a really great, fun read.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goeddddd😎😎😎😎

[Nina#Sreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elizabeth Honey ist meine Entdeckung dieses Jahr: toll! Was für ein Weihnachtsferiensommerabenteuer (Australien!)!

[Worm ‘s Got A Gun · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wat zijn dit toch leuke boeken.

[Emily Fletcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Iconic. I should have brought this childrens book to my university Australian lit class as an example of QUINTESSENTIALLY Australian literature.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a perfect summer holiday read, it has a lazy/ slow beginning (pleasant!) and the action all happens in the second half. This isn’t as perfect as 45 & 47 Stella Street but I loved it all the same as a kid!

[N · Rating 4 out of 5]

I blame this book for making me want to go camping out in the Aussie bush one day. How dare you, Elizabeth Honey, with your simple prose and engaging characters, how dare you appreciate the beauty of the Australian forestry (well, as forest-y as it can get) and make me wish so desperately that I was there with these guys like 99% of the time.

I don't know what is is I love about these books, especially this one. While 45 + 47 Stella Street and Everything That Happened had a basic 'kids as detective' premise, this was a lot more laid back and you feel equally as relaxed and immersed in their holiday as they are.

Now this book isn't really that plot driven, as for the most part - the book is really the mini-adventures Henni and her family/friends have while camping out at Bacon Flat. There really isn't really any sort of antagonist until the last third of the book, and they just come off as two dimensional and generic 'bad guys who want to cut down the rainforest for profit' kind of guys. Anyone else think of Ferngully, or was that just me?

Nonetheless, for anyone who enjoyed the first book, I definitely recommend its sequel because it really worth the (quick) read just for the Fab Five (Henni, Zev, Frank, Danielle, Cass) alone.

[Katharine (Ventureadlaxre) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this book, it's hard to pick a favourite of Honey's novels but this would be close to it.

My mum comes from a farming town in the outback, so I could easily picture parts of this book and it made me home-sick for a place not even my home.

It has a touching end, adventure, and is quite deep for the age it's aimed at.

A fantastic book for yours kids to read.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

The gang from 45 + 47 Stella Street are back and this time the entire street has gone bush for the holidays. Things are relaxed and lazy and a great deal of fun until the gang has to protect a forset of endangered trees from mad loggers and help Donna deliver a baby in the bush.

[Gracie La · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book it wasn't as good as 45+47 Stella street but it was still a great read! This book is set out in the Australian bush and like in both books they have a great big adventure. In both books I always madly want to be there with them.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Love the boisterous characters. A little neighborhood goes 'bush' (camping, completely off track) together. A few families. Lots of kids, animals, strangers wandering in- oh and predictably with an Extreeeemly pregnant woman, newborns.
Great affectionate fun.

[Neill Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two Australian families go camping and wind up in a plot to log an old growth forest containing trees with a fiddleback grain.

[Isabel]

These books were really cute. Definitely comfort reading.

[Lena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pure nostalgie!

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fiddleback by Elizabeth Honey (2002)