The What on Earth Institute of Wonder

by Lisa Nicol

Buckle up, reader, for a wonder-filled story with all its glorious strange bits still attached on an epic adventure of What on Earths.

One elephant, one kakapo, one unlicensed teenage driver, one boy waiting for the world to end and one twelve-year-old girl with a very special gift.

Sal has always had an affinity with animals – especially the lost kind. And so when a kakapo appears on her windowsill, she befriends it. And when an elephant walks into town, Sal feels compelled to help it... but how?

This wonder-filled adventure of what-on-Earths celebrates the unusual and the misfits in a poignant and timely story about family and friendship, finding your voice and our connection with the natural world...

288 pages, Paperback

Published August 31, 2021

About the author

Lisa Nicol is an internationally published, award-winning writer and sometimes documentary-maker. Her feature 'Wide Open Sky' about a children’s choir won the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the Sydney Film Festival and is now streaming on Netflix and SBS OnDemand. Her charming and funny novel Dr Boogaloo and The Girl Who Lost Her Laughter was a 2018 CBCA Notable, Shenzhen Reading Month, Top Ten Children's Books of the Year 2021 and is currently being adapted for the screen as a musical. Her 2019 middle grade novel Vincent and The Grandest Hotel on Earth has drawn comparisons to Roald Dahl and Kate DiCamillo and been described as a modern classic. Her third novel, The What on Earth Institute of Wonder was shortlisted for Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Award 2022. Lisa lives with two out of her three children and a dusty old dog who smells worse than an elephant fart.

Reviews

[Wendy Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Researching children's writing for a change....so here's a great read for late primary/early high school readers. Nichol has a cheeky sense of humour and the characters and descriptions are bursting with life. There’s also a very life-affirming and positive vibe but it’s never overdone. A feisty girl, her little brother, and their teenage next door neighbour who happens to be a big Nina Simone fan (look her up, kids!) try to rescue an elephant that has appeared in their little town of Larry, just down the road from the little town of Barry. There’s a talking kakapo called Hector and an evil postman who wears bunny pyjamas and hates children but this little gem also touches on some deeper issues like a father who has run off with the woman next door, a mother who is depressed and a planet (that would be Earth) full of wonderful plants and animals that need to be recognised and cared for. Gripe (well, two gripes actually): One, to me, the title is really clunky. I’m sure there are better ones! Two, the resolution leaves a lot unanswered. I can only think that Book II is on the horizon? All in all, a really enjoyable read!

[Penny Jaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a lovely book!
Such fantastic use of language, characterization, imagery and imagination. Plus - it had an elephant!
Worth a read, and if you really want to spoil yourself, try a read aloud with someone special.

[Alyson Buxey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this to my 8 and 10 year old. So many things to discuss and consider in the true Australian style of showing the world warts and all even whilst allowing the wonder to shine

[Elizabeth Jayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some laugh out loud moments