Blabbermouth Review and Summary

In Blabbermouth, Morris Gleitzman explores the depth of a mute girl not only struggling to adapt to other's misconception of her condition, her previous trauma from the loss of her mother and best friend but also trying to rein in her too loud and outlandish dad from destroying her chances at fitting in to an Aussie community. Blabbermouth shows the power of single words, even if they are silent.

The book is written in the classic style of Morris Gleitzman and follows the track of two characters - Rowena and Dad and the relationship between Amelia and her dad. Firstly, the book opens with Rowena stuck in a cupboard after stuffing a frog in a redheaded boy named Darryn Peck's mouth afetr the teacher, named Ms Dunning leaves. Her Dad, who is quite a character, comes to pick her up and drives her home to the apple farm they live in. The next day Rowena meets a girl named Amelia, whose Dad runs a shop. At the Athletics Carnival Rowena discovers she can run fast and ties with Amelia in a race however a rivalry is started between the extremely neat Dad of Amelia and the extremely outgoing Rowena's Dad. Dad ruins a semi-relationship with Ms Dunning at a diner and Rowena is devastated.  Amelia invites Rowena to the progress Association meeting, where they have to bring a project so Amelia chooses Rowena. Rowena points out that everyone there is not a project but a person and a fistfight breaks out between both dads. Rowena decides to stop the rivalry and hires Darryn Peck's brother to sky write a messgae to her dad. However the message is interpreted too literally and Rowena's dad drives off leaving Rowena to stay at Amelia's house. Eventually Rowena find Dad in a cupboard and the dads aknowledge their differences and Rowena finally settles in to her new village.

I would reccomend Blabbermouth to 8-11 year olds for it's deep themes but great humour.