The Dunger by Joy Cowley was a delight to read. This YA story is about Melissa and William, sister and brother, and how they are forced to spend a summer vacation with their grandparents at a rickety cottage located on the Marlborough Sounds, a beautiful and isolated place at the north end of New Zealand’s South Island.

These modern day children, aged thirteen and eleven, have to learn to live with no electricity and no cellphone reception. At first they are appalled by their eccentric ex-hippy grandparents and having only each other for company. The only tolerable thing is that they are getting paid to go. But somewhere along the way, they learn to enjoy the chores, the swimming, the boating, even the company of their grandparents. When an emergency situation develops, Will and Melissa learn just how very much this way of life has come to mean to them.

The Dunger is a quick, light read that touches on family relationships, especially the differences and similarities between generations. Will and Melissa learn to make the best of the situation and before they know it, they have come to enjoy themselves. As a grandparent myself, I loved reading about these people and seeing their relationship developing into one of both admiration and love. Joy Cowley is an award winning children’s author and in Dunger, her light, sure touch gives us a highly readable story that I believe many children would relate to. ( )

A delightful read that took me back to my childhood and the way that life was in the 60 – 70 – 80’s. Joy Cowley totally deserves her award for this book that was the New Zealand Post Book Awards 2014 Junior Fiction winner.
William (11 years) and Melissa (a mature 14 years) have been bribed into helping their grandparents have a last holiday at their beloved Marlborough Sounds bach. The bach is isolated and the grandparents have not been back there for years. Will & Melissa’s father used to go to the bach with his parents every Xmas and loved the place however once he grew up, married and had children, his wife ( a city slicker) did not enjoy the isolation so they did not go there.
The grandparents (in there 80’s) wish to have one last holiday there and tidy up the place so they offer Will and Melissa $1000 each. Both children are eager and busily set about writing up a shopping list, unbeknown to them the money is going to be put into a trust for their future.
The children are in a state of shock when they eventually get to the bach and try to settle in; they did not realise that there would be no electricity, no cell phone reception, and only each other for company?
Granddad & grandma teach the children a lot about getting on with life without luxuries. William learns to chop down tree limbs for firewood (needed to heat the water), fix a water supply so that they can have water and the ultimate, he learns to drive the car, a DUNGER Vauxhall. Melissa learns how to make bread, cook, and wash clothes. An accident sees it all come to the realisation that these beloved grandparents are not long of this earth, the children and their parents rally round and realise what wealth they have when they are together. ( )

William and Melissa didn't want to spend their holidays with their Grandparents. That is until dad told them their Grandparents were going to pay them $1,000 dollars each to stay with them and help fix up the old holiday house. What will Melissa and William do? There is no power,no mobile phone reception, no T.V and only each other for company. This is going to be the worst holiday ever!! Or is it?

What a fun read, lots of laugh out loud moments. Reminded me again and again of my own Grandparents and the simple fun we used to have. It was lovely to see Melissa mature and warm to Grandmother during the holiday.
I think young children will read it and still think the Grandparents are a little weird but think how cool it would be to do the things Melissa and William did.
I have come across Joy Cowley's writing often as first readers for Kindy/ year 1 with their short rhyming and humorous stories. However, this is the first childrens novel I have read by her. She depicted the children very well. I know children just like William and Melissa. Wait a minute!!! I have children just like William and Melissa. ( )