Champions don’t all come in athletic form as Deborah Abela confirms in her book The Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Bee. The nerd competition can be fierce. If you watch the US spelling bee every year, you will find some difference in this one that takes place in Australia, but it’s all good.
India Wimple’s problems, including her fear of performing before a crowd rather than spelling the words in front of the Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Beeshown on TV every Friday night at their home in Yungabilla, kicks in from time to time. It is kind of like knowing the Jeopardyquestions for the answers from the comfort of the couch. Then there’s a little brother with asthma problems showing up at inopportune times as she advances upward through the contest. Still the whole family, including an unconventional grandma, joins the endeavor as fans and encouragers. Of course, the other participants have their own problems and cause a few for India.
Cleverly set up so that each chapter begins with a spelling word that foreshadows that part of the story puts in an extra bit of fun for the reader to anticipate and predict the next segment of the story. For instance, the first chapter is, “Tremulous (adjective): Nervous, timid, a little frightened.” This is an enjoyable middle grade read with enough similarity to an American spelling bee to be familiar and enough Australian difference to add interest.