Two very different cultures collide in this hilarious book about a young
sports fanatic named Benny who is forced to leave his home in Ireland and move
with his family to Tunisia. He wonders how he will survive in such an
unfamiliar place. Then he teams up with wild and resourceful Omar, and a madcap
friendship between the two boys leads to trouble, escapades, a unique way of
communicating, and ultimately, a heartbreaking challenge.

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Publishers Weekly
Morton's bristly Scottish brogue emphasizes the fish-out-of-water stature of
Colfer's protagonist Benny, an Irish lad who finds himself transplanted, along
with his family, to Tunisia. Benny is forced to leave his favorite game of
hurling behind, and must struggle with a new school very different from what he
knew; he takes solace in meeting Omar, a new friend who helps him adjust to the
lay of the land in his new home. Morton reads with a sincerity that helps him
serve up Colfer's smooth prose with aplomb. Fans of the author's Artemis Fowl
fantasy series will find an entertaining change of pace in this contemporary,
more character-driven text, though still plenty of adventure. Ages 10-up.
(June)Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information

VOYA
Colfer has quite the following of supernatural fans with the entertaining
Artemis Fowl series, and they may be surprised when they pick up the more
realistic Benny series, originally published in the U.K. In 1998. In Benny and
Omar, Benny, a lover of hurling (similar to field hockey), is forced to move
with his family to Tunisia. The culture shock is amazing, and he finds it
difficult to adjust. Soon Benny befriends an orphan named Omar. When Benny
learns of Omar's mentally challenged sister living in an institution, the two
set out on an adventure to try to rescue her. Throughout the book, Benny grows
and learns to think of others besides himself. In the sequel, Benny and Babe,
Benny spends his summer with his grandfather in the country. As a 'townie,' he
tries to find his way 'in' with a group of locals through his love of hurling.
But he is surprised when he is outmatched by a girl named Babe and her dog. The
two soon try out a money-making venture that attracts the interest of local
thug Furty Howlin. Throughout the books local Irish colloquialisms and dialect
are used, which can sometimes be challenging. Younger teen readers will enjoy
and be able to identify with the comedic adventures of Benny. According to the
O'Brien Press Web site, Benny and Babe became a number-one bestseller in
Ireland and knocked Harry Potter out of the top spot.

KLIATT
Benny Shaw is a scrappy 12-year-old who wants nothing more than to join his
hurling team in their attempt to win the All-Ireland Final. But when his father
is transferred to a job in Africa, Benny's whole world changes. No one in their
new Tunisian home has heard of hurling and no one appreciates Benny's cheeky
sarcasm-until Omar comes along. Omar is an orphan who lives by his wits and
speaks English only in television phrases. He and Benny become fast friends,
which involves Benny sneaking off from the village and taking breakneck rides
on Omar's decrepit motorbike. Omar is also determined to save his younger
sister from a mental hospital, and of course Benny is enlisted to help. Their
adventures are told in a funny, sardonic voice with a quickly shifting
perspective. Some degree of stereotyping is present but not overwhelming;
issues of loyalty, along with occasional touches of real emotion, add a fully
human feeling. Readers who like sports and fast-paced adventures will love both
the plot and the challenge of puzzling out Omar's television-talk and the Irish
and Tunisian slang. KLIATT Codes: J-Recommended for junior high school
students.