Hayley Wells: Adolescent Novel - The Cabbage Patch Pong

The Cabbage Patch Pong

By Paul Jennings

SUMMARY:

Like all Paul Jennings's books, they're bizarre and weird but that's why children love them! This particular book which was published in 2002 is spoken in both first and third person. It tells the story of a family of eight who desperately want to keep the two cows, Petal and Rosebud. Their father of course objects to the idea and Chris becomes so upset that he tries to run away with them during the night. His sister (whose name does not occur is the narrator of the story). She chases after him and Petal takes off into the forest. After coming to a clearing they spot a massive cabbage that grows before their eyes. Hidden away, they watch a little green lady and a little green baby come out of the cabbage along with fifty more! Petal, too focused on the cabbage, charged towards it and scared the little green ladies into the forest. Chris and his sister are left there to look after the babies; to feed and stop them crying. They wait patiently until the little green ladies come back and disappear with their babies back into the cabbage. Petal leads Chris and his sister home where their father then agrees to keep the cows. 
The Cabbage Patch Pong was illustrated by Craig Smith, who shows only black and white images on minimal pages that give a sketched impression. Although they are detailed, they only show what the text provides.  

USE IN CLASS
The Cabbage Patch Pong can be used within an English class to look at the type of language that Paul Jennings uses such as:
- Vebal and noun groups
- Slang
- Cultrual language
- What age group would this be suitable for?

LINKS TO ACARA
The following above could be used within a year 6/7 class because within the Language strand and sub-strand Expressing and Developing Ideas, ACARA (2012) states that students, "Understand how modality is achieved through discriminating choices in modal verbs, adverbs, adjectives and nouns."