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  • Published: 30 July 2018
  • ISBN: 9780143788829
  • Imprint: Penguin eBooks
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 288

The Peski Kids 1: The Mystery of the Squashed Cockroach




Three squabbling siblings. One all too perfect next-door neighbour. A missing mum, a bumbling dad, a kooky cockroach mystery and an eccentric country town. What could possibly go wrong?

Life is hard enough without having to spend time with your siblings. But there is no other way for Joe, Fin and April Peski to solve the mystery of the cockroach catastrophes that is rocking their new home town of Currawong.

Along with Loretta, their stunningly beautiful yet sociopathic next-door neighbour, and Pumpkin, the world’s worst trained dog, they set out to catch the culprit. Together they are The Peski Kids.

  • Published: 30 July 2018
  • ISBN: 9780143788829
  • Imprint: Penguin eBooks
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 288

Other books in the series

About the author

R.A. Spratt

R.A. Spratt was born in the UK and lived in Dursley, Gloucestershire – a town immortalised by Harry Potter’s deeply unpleasant relatives – until she was two years old. Then, like many ambitious English people cursed with regional accents so strong no other British person can take them seriously, her family moved to Australia.

The tedium of growing up in the western suburbs of Sydney was fertiliser to the growth of R.A.’s imagination. The only thing for a kid to do was get on a bicycle and go to the library, so R.A. Spratt did just that. Once there, she read everything, devouring the books of Arthur Ransome, Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl, Robin Klein and Judy Blume, and audiotapes of Shakespeare productions and Sherlock Holmes dramatisations. And so, her young mind was formed, and set on the path of becoming the extraordinary author she is today.

Now based in Bowral NSW, she's the bestselling writer of dozens of absurd and witty books including Friday Barnes, The Adventures of Nanny Piggins, The Peski Kids and the Shockingly and Astonishingly Good Stories collections. Her podcast, Bedtime Stories with R.A. Spratt, has had over 4 million downloads and connects R.A. with story-lovers across the globe.

For more information, visit raspratt.com

Also by R.A. Spratt

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Praise for The Peski Kids 1: The Mystery of the Squashed Cockroach

Without a nano-second’s hesitation, highly recommended for your readers aged from around ten years upwards.

Sue Warren, Just So Stories blog

The mystery of the squashed cockroach captures the reader from the prologue . . . R. A. Spratt's witty writing style and fast-paced plot make this an exciting new series. An exciting class novel for middle primary students.

Rhyllis Bignell, Read Plus

The book is divided into 27 chapters, including some really short ones, making it perfect as a family read aloud where you can easily give in to requests to read “just one more chapter!”. I reckon it’s a book equally right for boys and girls too. I can’t wait to see how this new series unfolds.

Carissa Mason, CBCA Reading Time

Awards & recognition

Sisters in Crime Davitt Award

Shortlisted  •  2019  •  Best Children's Crime Novel

Discover more

Article
Puffinalia Magazine 2022, Issue 1

Puffinalia for Educators.

Teachers' notes
Video
The Peski Kids – R.A. Spratt

THE PESKI KIDS 1: THE MYSTERY OF THE SQUASHED COCKROACH Life is hard enough without having to spend time with your siblings. But there is no other way for Joe, Fin and April Peski to solve the mystery of the cockroach catastrophes that is rocking their new home town of Currawong. Along with Loretta, their stunningly beautiful yet sociopathic next-door neighbour, and Pumpkin, the world’s worst trained dog, they set out to catch the culprit. Together they are The Peski Kids. https://www.penguin.com.au/books/the-peski-kids-1-the-mystery-of-the-squashed-cockroach-9780143788812

Video
The Peski Kids – R.A. Spratt

THE PESKI KIDS 1: THE MYSTERY OF THE SQUASHED COCKROACH Life is hard enough without having to spend time with your siblings. But there is no other way for Joe, Fin and April Peski to solve the mystery of the cockroach catastrophes that is rocking their new home town of Currawong.