Learning the Lingo — Renee Conoulty

Do Australians and Americans speak the same language?When Mia moves to a new school in Victoria, making friends is her top priority. Luckily, she bonds with outgoing Suzie and baker extraordinaire Jayde over their shared love of cooking. As the girls grow closer, they realise how much fun they can have introducing their clueless American teacher, Mrs Quincy, to Aussie slang.When Mrs Quincy sets an assignment on Australian animals, the girls hatch a plan to teach her about Australia's most terrifying mythical creature - the elusive drop bear.As the trio of friends work to perfect their prank, their laughter and antics draw smiles from their whole class. But will Mrs Quincy catch on to their trick? And will the girls' new bond withstand the fallout if their practical joke is uncovered? Pick up Learning the Lingo to follow the hijinks as Mia, Suzie and Jayde go to great heights to teach their teacher about true blue Aussie lingo. This humourous tale written in easy-to-read language and dyslexic friendly font will entertain and engage reluctant teen readers.Flesch-Kincaid Grade 3.9Word count 3,291