The crazy cousins by Sally Rippin

Hey Jack! series. Hardie Grant Egmont, 2012.
Age: First chapter book readers (6-8). Hey Jack is the spin off series of Billie B Brown and takes the same easy chapter book format. Readers of the Billie series will already be familiar with Jack as Billie's best friend and next door neighbour and will now be able to see the world from the perspective of the somewhat shy yet aspiring Jack. I especially like the way that each book begins by telling us what mood Jack is in and how that feels. In The Crazy Cousins Jack is in a moochy mood (he feels like being quiet, staying inside and staying in his pyjamas all day) but his cousins are coming around to play and they are 'the noisiest, messiest cousins in the whole world'. Jack knows his day of mooching is going to be disrupted by his cousins and when they arrive he doesn't want to play. He still remembers all the terrible things they did last time, like getting him in trouble with Mum and losing his soccer ball. That is until he realises that his cousins think he is 'the bestest, funniest cousin in the whole world!'' Jack lets go of his grumpy mood and has a great afternoon with his cousins.
Nicole Smith-Forrest