Oliver Phommavanh (text), Natural Born Loser, Puffin Books, 30 July 2018, 208pp., $16.99 (pbk) ISBN 9780143505730
This is an inspiring story about a normal kid who puts his hand up for a leadership role at school, never expecting to get it, and then surprises himself with what he achieves. Raymond is used to blending in, flying under the radar of the school bullies, and letting his best mate shine on the soccer field. Then a new principal gives him an opportunity to be a leader and improve his school and he just runs with it.
His school is a bit of a joke in the local community. The facilities are old and broken and the kids run amok. But Raymond’s little sister is only in kindy – she’s got six more years there – and he doesn’t want her to have to sweat through lessons without air-conditioning. So he promises the students he’ll raise enough money to air-condition the classrooms. He just needs to work out how…
The author is a former primary school teacher and he draws on his experience to successfully tell the story from Raymond’s point of view. His language and ideas really sound like they belong to a primary school kid. He complains about his little sister, yet cares for her too. He is a loyal friend, but has his own moral compass and struggles to balance the two. As the book progresses, we get to see how Raymond has grown; how his opportunity has built his confidence. That’s a great lesson for teachers and parents too, not just young readers. There’s also messages about friendship, multiculturalism, family, bullying, leadership and, most importantly, being brave enough to just be yourself.
Reviewed by Carissa Mason
