What Do You Think, Feezal?

by Elizabeth Honey

Bean has moved to Sydney, where her parents lead busy, fashionable lives, and she is lonely. But adventure strikes when she surprises the security guard raiding her father's computer. She is kidnapped and starts plotting her escape.

Genres: Childrens

Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

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

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I think of my primary school years, some of my happiest memories are of reading and enjoying the books of Elizabeth Honey. I decided to re-read some of these books this year, why not- frankly I need a palate cleanser in between David Copperfield and Moby Dick, and have enjoyed them so much. I haven't read this book since childhood and as I was flipping each page it was all coming back to me. I need to stop or I'll sound like the narrator in Amelie describing the man finding his old tin of cycling memoribilia in the phone booth of Paris and he almost has an emotional breakdown right there and then. Basically, this book does not disappoint and it never did! Read it to your kids! Read it for yourselves.

I always thought this book, and there was another by - Hazel Green by Odo Hirsch, that to me created this most wonderful imagery of Sydney. Also Bean is the luckiest kid with that library.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still a perfect, charming, strange little adventure story.

[Sara McCarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taliah's review

I really like this story and i recomend it for kids from age 7 to 12. Super duper amazing! Loved it!

[Willemijn]

Read it like two, maybe even three times before this one

[Annie Duffy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fantastic story of a young girl named Bean, who finds herself trapped in the newest skyscraper in Sydney- The Blue Boat. Her parents work night and day, so various baby-sitters attempt to amuse Bean each day. All through this amusing commotion Bean is yearning for a dog- any dog! Then Bean unveils a disturbing perdiction- she is going to be kidnapped! She prepares in a comical fashion, and when she discovers her kidnapper, a whole new story is unleashed. A must-read for all ages!

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all-time-favourite childhood books

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

"What Do You Think, Feezal? (A little ark book) by Elizabeth Honey (1997)"

[HG · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Sydney girl loved the references to the places around the harbour. Character of bean is reallly endearing!

[Carolienvanderwaarde · Rating 3 out of 5]

Met ongelooflijk veel fantasie weet het meisje Bean zichzelf bezig te houden. Maar echt leuk is haar super de luxe leventje niet met twee ouders die weliswaar heel veel van haar houden, maar nooit tijd voor haar hebben. De grote verrassing waar Bean twee weken naar uitkijkt blijkt geen hond maar een supergrote inbouw kast, haar eigen 'bibliotheek' bij haar nieuwe slaapkamer in het enorme, door haar vader ontworpen penthouse te zijn. Gelukkig heeft ze haar lievelingsspeeltjes nog. En dan ontstaat er zomaar ineens een avontuur met een echte ontvoering waarbij de wereld van het boek wel heel veel overeenkomsten vertoont met de echte wereld. Het verhaal is een beetje traag, de hoofdpersoon een beetje apart. Voor goede lezers vanaf 10 jaar.