AustLit

'Ranger is your typical sort of kid - he gets teased by the older boys on the school bus. One day, after accidentally stepping on dog poo, he gets banished. 'Get off, Stinky!' the boys yell. As Ranger steps off the bus and begins pondering revenge, a magpie smacks into the back of his head, knocking him to his knees. Not only that, but the magpie also bites his ear, making it bleed. Now Ranger's really upset. It doesn't help when his grandma knits him a canary yellow beanie with two bright orange earflaps, two big boggle eyes and a red pom-pom on top. 'In the interest of your future safety,' Nana Merle writes on the gift card. Yeah, right. There's only one hint of hope for Ranger: the upcoming Family Classic - the local boating race and his only chance for revenge. But will bad luck continue to follow Ranger? Will he even make it to the end of the race alive? Stay tuned to find out!' (Publication summary)