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(The Times, Magnus Linklater 29/06/05)
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My Friend Percy & The Sheik
by Ulf Stark
Age Range: 9-11
Ulf and Percy return here for another dose of excitement, drama and fun. Ulf learns hypnotism and uses it to fantastic effect to beat a local bully, but will he persuade Marianne to kiss him? Ulf’s dad is a member of an amateur radio club and he’s thrilled when he makes contact with an Arabian Sheikh, but what will happen when the Sheikh wants to visit for supper? Percy faces drama of his own when his parents reveal that they intend to move. Will Percy be able to cope with leaving Ulf, the best friend he has ever had, behind, and what will happen when Percy turns up at supper with the Sheikh?
This is another great Percy story, aimed at nine to eleven year olds and pitched perfectly. It has a narrator you can really empathise with and deal with issues that nine to eleven-year-olds will completely understand.
All the fun from My Friend Percy’s Magical Gym Shoes carries on here, as the wonderful friendship between Percy and Ulf goes from strength to strength. Stark creates a friendship that many children will identify with and they will also recognise the trials that beset Percy and Ulf, such as what happens when your best friend has to move and how do you deal with a bully? Stark captures the issues that worry children very well and with lots of sympathy and humour, especially in Ulf. The kind, slightly hapless character from Magical Gym Shoes has gained in confidence thanks to his friendship with Percy but still has lots of life’s lessons to learn. It is still very funny to watch him learn them. A particularly touching incident is his slightly misguided attempt at sympathy for his Dad when the Sheikh has to postpone dinner. The funny premise of Ulf dressing up in some absolutely ridiculous clothes is offset by his confusion as to why his dad didn’t find it funny. You can’t help feeling jubilant for Ulf when he overthrows a local bully and young boys everywhere will give a small sigh of sympathy as the girl Ulf has a huge crush on ruthlessly uses him.
Stark’s novels are possibly aimed more at boys than at girls because the characters are predominantly male, giving us a boys' point of view and the characters do things that boys will enjoy more than girls. As with the prequel, the boys do take an interest in things like spying on the local nurses sunbathing topless and the rude magazines Ulf’s brother keeps in his cupboard. Whilst nothing explicit happens or is referred to, some may feel that this is a little mature for the younger end of the age range.
Abby Phillips (2010)