When Mum Went Funny product reviews

When Mum Went Funny is another literary treat from the magical pen (and dare I say) warped mind of the master storyteller, Jack Lasenby.

I say warped, because who else would introduce the story as told by a Wise Old Tea-Tree Walking Stick? Well, maybe not warped; but it does show a storyteller at his finest and adds a funny introduction to this volume. The story itself beautifully shows the imagery present in a child's mind - to be able to turn a horse into a Lancaster bomber is no mean feat! Skillfully written from a young child's perspective it illustrates a New Zealand long gone, where one could ride on the back of a truck, or ride to school on a horse and those endless summer days that never rained (I'm out of my depth here - being a pom) and many of the other things that children today will never get to experience because of increased safety, paranoia and political correctness. This is a world in which I wanted to have grown up in, and the timeless world I want for my daughter.

Lasenby's spell will be woven with all readers, young or old, who venture to dip into the wonderful world created by the author; the characters come to life under Lasenby's penmanship (even if it was dictated by a stick!).

I am smitten with Lasenby's world, the Waikato, Waharoa and (though unmentioned in this book) The Vast Untrodden Ureweras and I truly look forward to further forays into this magical country. And Jack, if you are reading this, keep up the good work. I look forward to reviewing many more of your future books. You deserve each and every accolade due to you.