Worry Warts

Misery Guts #2

by Morris Gleitzman

Dear Mum and Dad, this is just to let you know that I took the torch, the hammer, the gardening trowel, the plastic strainer, the chocolate biscuits and the stuff that's missing from the bathroom. So it's OK, you haven't been burgled. Please don't worry; things are looking better than I thought, opal-wise. Love Keith.

What does a kid do when his Mum and Dad are worry warts? Make them rich, decides Keith. Very very rich. It's brilliant plan - if it works.

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Humor, Middle Grade, Young Adult, School

Paperback

First published March 1, 1993

About the author

Morris began his writing career as a screenwriter, and wrote his first children's novel in 1985. His brilliantly comic style has endeared him to children and adults alike, and he is now one of Australia's most successful authors, both internationally and at home. He was born in England in 1953 and emigrated to Australia in 1969 so he could escape from school and become a Very Famous Writer.

Before realising that dream, he had a colourful career as paperboy, bottle-shop shelf-stacker, department store Santa Claus, frozen chicken defroster, fashion-design assistant and sugar-mill employee. In between he managed to gain a degree in Professional Writing at the Canberra College of Advanced Education. Later he became sole writer for three award-winning and top-rating seasons with the TV comedy series The Norman Gunston Show.

Morris wrote a number of feature film and telemovie screenplays, including The Other Facts of Life and Second Childhood, both produced by The Australian Children's Television Foundation. The Other Facts of Life won an AWGIE Award for the Best Original Children's Film Script.

He also wrote live stage material for people such as Rolf Harris, Pamela Stephenson and the Governor General of Australia. Morris is well known to many people through his semi-autobiographical columns in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald magazine, Good Weekend, which he wrote for nine years.

But the majority of Morris' accolades are for his hugely popular children's books. One of his most successful books for young people is Two Weeks with the Queen, an international bestseller which was also adapted into a play by Mary Morris. The play had many successful seasons in Australia and was then produced at the National Theatre in London in 1995 directed by Alan Ayckbourn, and also in South Africa, Canada, Japan and the USA.

All his other books have been shortlisted for or have won numerous children's book prizes. These include The Other Facts of Life, Second Childhood, Misery Guts, Worry Warts, Puppy Fat, Blabber Mouth, Sticky Beak, Belly Flop, Water Wings, Bumface, Gift Of The Gab, Toad Rage, Wicked! and Deadly!, two six-part novels written in collaboration with Paul Jennings, Adults Only, Toad Heaven, Boy Overboard, Teacher's Pet, Toad Away, Girl Underground, Worm Story, Once, Aristotle's Nostril, Doubting Thomas, Give Peas A Chance, Then, Toad Surprise, Grace, Now, Too Small To Fail, and his latest book, Pizza Cake. Morris' children's books have been published in the UK, the USA, Germany, Italy, Japan, France, Spain, Portugal, Holland, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Indonesia and Czechoslovakia, Russia and China.

Reviews

[Indah Threez Lestari · Rating 3 out of 5]

871 - 2016

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I discovered this in a Little Free Library a few months ago, and the cover unlocked memories of reading it multiple times 15+ years ago. I decided to pick it up to read and then put it back in another Little Free Library. It was basically exactly as I remembered (though in my mind it was explicitly set in Coober Pedy, but I think I must have been combining this with a 39 Clues book), so that was a fun trip down memory lane. This is the entire reason I knew opals existed when I was a kid. I don't think I realised as a kid that it was part of a series, and I'm not going to worry (ha!) about reading the others.

[Chantel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book following "Misery guts".
Keith is an empathetic boy whos such a confident problem solver always looking for ways to lighten his parents load. Hilariously funny characters that touch on the Australian culture and language from a British perspective.
My english husband narrated this story to my 11 year old son and i, with hours of funny voices, character arcs and a mix of English and British accents bringing this story to life.
We will be starting the third book to this collection, eagerly awaiting Keith's new adventures and innocent witty trouble shooting adventures.

[Jo Beale]

tom

[Kasthuri BV · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess you can read it once - I hadn't read misery guts so unsure if it would have made a difference. The story as such is totally a long unbelievable tale!

[Kallie Alviano · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun engaging book for kids to read, with a few thrills included however i did find the title character Keith a little bit annoying.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keith Shipley is back! A move to Paradise Cove has not succeeded in resolving the issues in his parents relationship, so clearly the only thing to do is head off on a solo trip to the opal fields to seek the necessary fortune to solve their financial problems...

[JaneBoz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two and a half stars from me.

[Georgie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a brilliant take on a child in complete denial about why his parents are unhappy and how he comes to accept that things will be better for them if they separate.

Very smart and incredibly funny, I can't recommend this book enough. It may be aimed at a young audience but its got enough smarts in it that parents or any other reader will be able to get something out of it.

Keith is a wonderful boy, earnest and hard working he really cares about his family, even if he is a bit simple minded.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

So the misery guts are now in sunny Australia, but all's still not perfect... so Keith decides to run off to the opal fields and find his family a fortune. Loads of fun!

[Meaghan Mallia · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book i cant really remember....

[Yaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book in the bathroom (in several installments). It's a cute children's book with a somewhat surprising sense of humour. The author is intelligent and respects his reading audience.

[Alisha Brook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Morris Gleitzman was one of my absolute favourite childhood authors - I even got his autograph! His books are light and easy to read and have a comedic value only Andy Griffiths could match.

[Allie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second in the series, and while it still yielded laughs from my children and me, it just doesn't hold up to the first book.