Hazel lives in the Moodey building in the heart of the city. Her friends also live in the Moodey building. On the ground floor there are shops including Mr Volio's bakery. As the story opens Hazel has woken early, as she does every day, and from her balcony she sees Mr Volio step out to greet the sun. Mr Volio invites Hazel down, as he does every day, but today he has a wonderful surprise for her to taste. Mr Volio has invented a new cake in preparation for the annual Frogg Day celebration. Victor Frogg's life is celebrated in the city every year because he was the mayor, then a senator and eventually the Prime Minister. Victor Frogg was also born in the Moodey Building. One part of the Frogg day celebration is a huge march with various floats. Twenty years ago children used to participate in the march. Hazel is determined that the children will march again this year. She has a wonderful group of friends but she also has a serious rival and to make things worse her beautiful friend Mr Volio accuses her of betrayal. He says she told his rival, Mr Murray, about his special Frogg Day cake - the chocolate dipper!
You might know I am a cake fan! If you ask me about my favourite cake I am sure to say I long to one day eat a chocolate dipper:
"Hazel was holding a round pastry with a shortcrust base. The top was made out of toffee, and a glazed strawberry sat in the middle ... Hazel took a bite. First the sweet toffee fractured between her teeth, Then she tasted a wonderful smooth caramel custard. Then there were swirls of strawberry. Then there was a delicious surge of almond and cinnamon. Then just when she thought she had discovered all the flavours in the pasty, her tongue dipped into a layer of chocolate covering the base. And all in one bite!"
I saw Hazel Green at a recent charity book sale. I rarely re-read books but I knew I wanted to spend time again with Hazel who I first met in 1999. I once entered a competition where you had to describe the authors and characters you'd like to invite to a dinner party. Odo Hirsch's name was certainly on the list. His real name is David Kausman and he now lives in London. I wonder why he stopped writing children's books. He last title was published in 2012. He had so many utterly brilliant books: Bartlett and the Ice Voyage (and 3 sequels); Darius Bell and the Glitter Pool, Darius Bell and the Crystal Bees; Frankel Mouse and sequel; Will Buster and the Gelmet Helmet and sequels; Antonio S and the mystery of Theodore Guzman; and Pincus Corbett's strange adventure.
I do need to mention a couple more things about Hazel Green. First off here are a list of her friends - such inventive names: Marcus Bunn; Robert Fischer; Leon Davis (her rival); Maurice Tobbler; Abby Simpkin; Mandy Furstow AND the most important true friend of all Yakov Plonsk - The Yak.
Shop keepers: Mrs Gluck the florist; Mr Petrusca the fishmonger; Mr Volio the baker; Mr Murray bread maker; Mr Winkel leather goods; Mr McCulloch the barber.
The second delicious part of this story (apart from those chocolate dippers) are the descriptions of Mrs Plonsk - The Yaks mother. Here are a few samples:
"She wore a silk gown the colour of emerald, and her fingernails were painted emerald as well. Her shoes were amber. She was holding a silver brooch in one hand."
"This time her silk gown was a deep plum colour, and her finger nails were plum-coloured as well. Her shoes were yolk yellow. Her hair was auburn and the brooch that she was clutching was gold."
Fans of View from the 32nd Floor will adore reading about my hero Hazel Green and I am so happy to report Hazel Green (the first title of the quartet) is still in print. I am sure many, if not all of these, will be found in most Australian Primary School libraries.The original editions were illustrated by Andrew McLean. His tiny pencil illustrations are just perfect and are sprinkled throughout the book. Take a look at all of these different covers:
Here’s a young mover-and-shaker who will stay with readers for a long time. Kirkus
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