Customer Reviews

Taconi and Claude: Double Trouble

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The fear of the unknown sends Taconi's mind into the darkest corners of his imagination. Will his ever changing life continue to spiral out of control? Finding his one true place while saddling the life as an aboriginal in the Australian outback and then as a Jackaroo in the white man's world is a constant struggle. With the anticipation of his man ceremony, Taconi fights his inner thoughts to be worthy of his aboriginal customs; all the while, striving to understand his father's need to become the head cook on the Coorparoo Cattle Station.

The fight for balance becomes quite confusing for young Taconi in his determination not to forget his heritage and accepting the need to live in the white man's world. Along the way he finds comfort and direction in an unlikely companion, the outspoken Claude the cockatoo. This unlikely and heartwarming friendship is wise beyond their years and will have the reader cheering for Taconi's one true quest, acceptance. Will Taconi be able to weave customs from both worlds into a comfortable fit?

Author, M.E. Finke expertly brings forth her expertise of the Australian outback in this fast paced fictional story transporting the reader with the perfect blend of description and dialogue. For a deeper understanding of the Australian, author M.E. Finke provides a glossary of Australian terms, which will surely bring out the love of reading to the most reluctant reader.

Margot Finke has done it again! Her witty sense of humor, unbridled passion and talent to write stories for children and teens shine through like a beacon in the night.

In Taconi and Claude: Double Trouble, Ms. Finke introduces the reader to the Australian outback. The two lovable characters, Taconi and his beloved best friend Claude, a cockatoo, will captivate you till the very end of the story. The story chronicles the coming of age of a boy from a tribe in the 1950s era of the Australian outback. Taconi leaves the hills to come with his father to serve an affluent family at a time when he is also to enter the manhood of his Tribe.

Taconi and the cockatoo experience daily challenges together in a fun and amusing way. Along the journey, the reader will learn much about Australian folk tales and primitive tribal living.

The most memorable moment in this delightful tale is the author's ingenious way to show that in Australia it is not too farfetched to indulge in eating snakes and other unheard-of critters.

There are a great deal of lessons one can learn from reading Taconi & Claude. Here are a few that stand out:

1) Hard Work: Taconi learns from his dad that hard work pays off. The lesson to be learned is that nothing comes easy in life; one must be willing to work hard to achieve goals. In the end, Taconi is inspired by his dad's willingness to work hard and he helps his father keep his job as a cook and makes his father proud of the young man he has become.

2) Friendship: I love the strong friendship between Taconi and his mouthy cockatoo. Even though Claude's death defying curiosity led to Taconi being smothered by flesh-biting critters, Taconi managed to forgive Claude and they remained close buddies.

3) Self Discovery: Taconi searches for the power he thinks he needs to survive by diligently looking for the blue kingfisher feather. Taconi is convinced that the blue kingfisher feather has magical power that will help him obtain unlimited amount of courage. In the end, Taconi discovers the power he is looking for comes from within.

In conclusion, I highly recommend this book for both girls and boys. I believe, students can learn a lot about what it means to be loyal and the benefits one can reap from hard work. Lastly, the glossary of Aussie terms at the end of the book will introduce readers to an array of new vocabulary and expose them to a new culture.



Read more: [...]

Taconi & Claude - Double Trouble
Reviewed for "Stories for Children" Magazine.

Guardian Angel Publishing

Mid Grade- Chapters
Ages 10-13


I have the privilege of reviewing the newest book by award winning children's author, Margot Finke. Her new book titled Taconi & Claude, Double Trouble is a book I couldn't put down.

The theme is a coming of age book for a boy from a tribe in the 1950's era of the Australian outback. Taconi leaves the hills to come with his father to serve an affluent family at a time when he is also to enter the manhood of his Tribe.

His best friend is a mouthy old bird named Claude. Claude shows remarkable wisdom throughout the story as Taconi searches for the power he thinks he needs to survive. Together they search for the blue kingfisher feather believing it has magical power for courage and survival. Through many predicaments and all kinds of trouble, Taconi discovers the power he is looking for comes from within. Through the trials and adventures, Taconi helps his father keep his job as a cookie and makes his father proud of the young man he has become.

This story weaves Aussie language and vivid details of the 1950's folk tales of Medicine men and primitive tribal living with an adventure that readers will not be able to put down. This story will interest both boys and girls with it's humor, adventure, and the actions of one awesome bird named Claude.

Ms Finke includes a glossary of Aussie terms adding to the overall feel of an adventure in the Australian outback. Wonderful coming of age story with spirit and adventure that no child should miss. I would definitely recommend this for students, teachers, and librarians as a great book.

READ a sample page: [...]

Would you ever consider eating yabbies and witchetties? Do you even know what they are? This "Chapbook for Tweens," set in the Australian outback sometime around 1950, tells the story of almost thirteen-year-old Taconi, an Aborigine boy, and his pet cockatoo Claude. Taconi's father, who left the tribe after a dispute with the medicine man when Taconi's sister became sick and died, is now working as a cook on the Coorparoo Cattle Station and wants the job of chief cook, which will allow Taconi to learn the jackaroo (cowboy) trade. Taconi longs to be back with the tribe, but he fears the medicine man along with the dreamtime spirits and also enjoys many aspects of life on the cattle station. Furthermore, it is nearly time for his "man ceremony," and he is afraid of that too.
The previous year was a good one for cattle, and the station Boss and the Missus have planned a big party for all their neighbors. If Taconi's dad can fix a great meal, he'll get the job of chief cook. However, dingos raid the chickens, so the soup is poor. The Missus tastes it and declares it unfit. In an attempt to help, Taconi and Claude go out into the bush to see if they can capture some meat for the soup. Taconi kills a Bandy-Bandy snake, finds some yabbies which are small crab-like freshwater shellfish, and brings some fat, juicy witchetty grubs, all of which the Aborigines enjoy. Dad puts them into the soup, but they decide not to tell anyone what it's made of. All during this time, Taconi is trying to find a kingfisher feather which, according to tribal legend, will bring good luck and make everything all right. But what will happen when a stray emu gets into the food tent and destroys the dinner?
Author Margot E. Finke is an Aussie transplant who has lived many years in the United States and brings her first-hand knowledge of Australia to her books, which include a seven-book rhyming series entitled "Wild and Wonderful" with educational facts about Australia's unique creatures. Even though she wants readers to know that the plot, characters, and everything to do with the tribe in Taconi and Claude are entirely fictional and do not represent any custom, tribe, or persons, living or dead, for those who are studying about or interested in Australia the book contains a lot of general background information on the "Down Under" continent and gives a good feeling as to what life would have been like in the Australian bush during the 1950s. There is a glossary in the back with meanings of Aboriginal words, Aussie sayings, and Australian animals. But most of all, young people even today will be interested in the lessons that Taconi learns about living and growing up.

Taconi & Claude - Double Trouble

By M.E. Finke

Cover Art: Mary Sue Roberts

Publisher- Guardian Angel Publishing

Printed in the USA

Amazon Rating- **** Stars

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-61633-130-6; 1616331305

eBook ISBN: 978-1-61633-131-3; 1616331313

The story of Taconi & Claude is a fictional story that takes place in the Australian outback of the early nineteen fifties. An aboriginal child, Taconi lives on Coorparoo Cattle Station, along with his best friend, a cockatoo named Claude. Claude is about seventy years old, has had many owners, and dabbles in a large vocabulary when he talks to Taconi.

Taconi & Claude is an intense book. At the beginning of the story Taconi is 13, and has many fears concerning his upcoming and very secret man ceremony. He is terrified about what might happen during the ceremony. Taconi lives in his native world, but is also learning to live in the white man's world. He lives in a world of eating termites, kookaburra's, frillneck lizards, kangaroos, emu, and other creatures that live in the outback world of Australia. Find out which of these animals is never hunted by his tribe. Find out why Taconi looks forward to becoming an Elder.

When you pick up the book you feel as if you are in Australia and can hear the sounds of the bush, and feel the dampness across your brow. I was on an adventure without leaving my house. Jump into the secrets and triumphs that Taconi works on to help his father win his placement in the white man's world.


A wonderful glossary of Aboriginal and Aussie words is placed at the end of the book. Not only children, adults will love to learn about the life of the Aboriginals in Taconi's tribe, circra 1950. Taconi and Claude is full of outstanding facts about an aboriginal boy who prospered.

Songs like Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree and Waltzing Matilda are much more meaningful to me now. Find your small reading place, and snuggle up with your child. Your adventure with Taconi & Claude is about to begin.

Website: [...]

Trailer: [...]

Read sample page: [...]

Teacher's Guide: :[...]

Reviewed by Rhonda Fischer

[...]
Author of award-winning:

"Randy Kazandy - Where are Your Glasses?"

Whim Publishing

WP News

Taconi & Claude: Double Trouble, a Chapbook for Tweens, by Margot Finke, is a wonderful addition to this genre. The book is a coming of age story set in the 1950's in the Australian Outback. There's a lot of Aussie information in the chapters to interest kids who wonder what it's like "down under." I found myself humming "Waltzing Matilda" as I turned the pages and met fascinating creatures from that familiar song. The story has strange words and phrases that are commonplace to Taconi (and defined at the end of the story). Each time Taconi encounters one of the special critters from the outback, you are engaged and enter more deeply into his world and his conflict.

Taconi is an aboriginal boy on the verge of his "man ceremony." His best friend Claude, the talkative Cockatoo, accompanies him everywhere. Taconi is caught between two worlds -- the tribal world he was born into and the white man's world he navigates with his Dad, a cook on the Coorparoo Cattle Station. The old and new ways constantly bump into each other. Taconi must learn white man's customs in order to fit in there and yet not lose his tribal heritage and connection. His faithful though loud-mouthed pal Claude, talks a lot but also says just what Taconi needs to hear

As any other adolescent, Taconi wonders: What will I be when I grow up? What if I can't endure the pain, and cry out at my "Man Ceremony," humiliating myself and shaming my Dad? Does Dad have my interests at heart or is he ignoring me as he pursues his goal? These thoughts haunt Taconi's dreams and worry him during the day. Still he helps his Dad save the soup and also searches for the blue kingfisher tail feather with its powerful magic. Eventually Taconi learns some important truths about his life that enable him to accept and acclimate to both worlds.

Transplanted Aussie Margot Finke captures the reader's interest with her intense beginning, Taconi's fearful dream. As you follow Taconi's story, you worry something awful may befall the outspoken Claude. Or the ancient and menacing Medicine Man may harm Taconi, his Dad, or Claude. Ms. Finke keeps the story moving, having Taconi deal with one problem after another as his wisdom and courage grow. I commend Margot Finke for this exciting, entertaining story about a distant world in a different time, but with a timeless message about growing up and finding your own way. This one is sure to be a favorite of kids here and "down under."

Set in the Australian outback in the 1950s, Taconi and Claude: Double Trouble takes you on a journey where you'll feel the aboriginal boy's two biggest fears: the ceremony that will initiate the 12 year old as a man of his tribe, and his concerns his dad, who's started cooking for Boss and Missus, won't have time to teach him how to become a man.

Taconi decides that only a tail feather from a blue kingfisher, like the medicine man has, can help him. And just maybe it will help him understand his dad's advice: "Aborigine man must know how to live in black skin and with white folks."

When Taconi goes walkabout to hunt for the talisman, accompanying him is a cockatoo named Claude whose one liners are as humorous as they are wise. Could it be that the Dreamtime spirits are talking through him? For it's not soon after that Taconi learns the real power is what's inside each of us, the power that lives within our head and our heart.

Filled with Australian slang, similes and settings, Taconi and Claude is a chance to glimpse an almost-forgotten way of life through a preteen's eyes. It's a mid-grade adventure filled with fun--and a dash of danger--that's just right for boys, tomboys and anyone interested in the outback.