Boomerang Books Info Bank

Erica Yurken—or ‘Yuk’, ‘Gherkin’ or ‘Erk’ to most of her peers, family and teachers—is convinced she is on her way to greatness. She survives the challenges of life at the ‘disadvantaged’ Barringa East Primary School, by having a fertile imagination and a precocious belief that she is in every way superior to all those around her. But then Alison Ashley arrives. She’s elegant, graceful and has ‘everything’ including a pencil case made of gold leather with her initials in one corner! In fact, Alison Ashley is everything Erica is not. For the first time since starting primary school, Erica feels inferior. Her initial admiration turns to dislike, then loathing and finally—hate. The story follows Erica’s attempts to prove that she is ‘better’ than Alison Ashley. And, the more desperate she becomes, the more everything goes wrong. Actor Felicity Price narrates wonderfully—covering the transition between a diverse array of characters smoothly and believably. At nearly five hours running time, it could be a bit of a slog, but Robin Klein’s wry humour makes it perfect for a long car trip with a few ‘tweens’ or young teenagers on board. Artwork from the recently released movie features on the cover, no doubt adding to its shop appeal.