How to Break a World Record and Survive Grade Five (Carla Fitzgerald, UQP)

How to Break a World Record and Survive Grade Five is the new novel from Carla Fitzgerald, author of the popular middle-grade title How to Be Prime Minister and Survive Grade Five. This new novel, for readers aged 8+, is filled with the same humour and heart as her debut and explores themes of self-confidence, success, and what it means to be a good person, all while giving readers plenty to laugh about. Sam is a likeable and relatable protagonist. He’s a good kid, kind to his friends, and perceptive about his mum’s struggles, but he’s not particularly skilled at anything. He spends most of his time reading about world records with his best friend, Vihaan. When a class project sees his classmates sharing the moments they’re most proud of, Sam decides once and for all to try to break a world record. Unfortunately, it’s easier said than done, especially when it comes to ‘most socks put on one foot’ or ‘most leapfrogs by a team of two’. Although his attempts end in plenty of failures, he learns a lot about himself, his family, and his neighbour, Grumpy George. And in the end, his proudest moment is not exactly what he expected. The final chapter is a tear-jerker with a heartfelt, touching, and well-executed message. Fitzgerald’s sophomore novel is for fans of Nat Amoore or As Fast As I Can by Penny Tangey and proves she has a talent for writing entertaining, well-paced and authentic fiction for children.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Karys McEwen is a librarian, author and the current vice president of the CBCA Vic Branch. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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