Product Description

A double volume containing MISERY GUTS, first published in 1991, and WORRY WARTS, first published in 1992, the first two novels in a trilogy about Keith Shipley, who whisks his parents away from their London fish and chip shop for life in Australia. A TV tie-in, illustrated in black and white.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #899715 in Books
• Published on: 1999-01-08
• Original language: English
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 121 pages

Review
Keith, who barely remembers when he last saw his parents smile, is determined to cheer them up, but his exaggerated efforts are as inappropriate as they are well intentioned: Mum and Dad are devastated to find their fish-and-chips shop painted with Tropical Mango Hi-Gloss (intended as a maximum contrast to London's fog), and automatically reject his proposals for a South Sea vacation - or a move to Australia's tropical coast. Their real troubles, they confide, are economic: competition is growing. Still, they agree to a day (cold and windy, it turns out) at a nearby beach. While they're away, the shop burns, precipitating a move to Australia after all; and despite Keith's new friend's dire warnings about crocodiles, poisonous jellyfish, etc., they find warm weather, friendly neighbors, and a welcome upturn in their fortunes. The more serious realities in this engagingly lighthearted comedy play a larger role in a simultaneously published sequel (Worry Warts: 0-15-2996664), which begins as a rerun of book one: Keith is painting his parents' jalopy a giddy patchwork in hopes of lifting their renewed depression; financial troubles have followed with a new resort that's stealing customers. Divorce is now threatened; and though Keith's escapades still entertain (he gets trapped in an opal mine; paints another building), the question of who is comforting whom, and by what loving, if misguided, subterfuges, is a thoughtful undercurrent that surfaces in a surprising but appropriate conclusion. Each book stands alone, but they're stronger and more interesting as an easily read, genuinely funny two-part novel, lively with offbeat incidents and repartee. (Kirkus Reviews)

Customer Reviews

This book is EXCELLENT!!!!!!!!!
Worry Warts is an excillent book it's about a boy called Kieth and his mum and dad who own a chip shop and Kieth thought it would be a good idea to paint his mum and dads car. Misery Guts is hilarious it's all about Kieth and his mum and dad and thier chip shop. Kieth's family live in South London in a very gloomy part were they get no sun light so Kieth's dads birthday is coming up and Kieth decides to paint his dads chip shop tropical mango and when his dad sees this he tells Kieth he would rather of got a pair of socks for his birthday. Kieth's mum and dad are really glum so he decides to take his family on holiday to Australia.