(4) YA Zusak presents an epic saga of five rambunctious Australian brothers, their long-suffering parents, and the bonds of love that tie them together. The eldest Dunbar brother narrates this story in an elliptical, digressive, somewhat frustratingly enigmatic style. The distinctly Australian landscape is fully realized, and the (many) supporting characters are convincing in their brief cameos, but like the impressionistic vignettes that make up the plot, they are subsumed by this overly demanding book's heftier elements.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2018

(3) YA This omnibus edition includes a trilogy of novels--The Underdog, Fighting Ruben Wolfe, Getting the Girl--about brothers Cameron and Ruben Wolfe. The first volume is not as strong as the others, but fans of Zusak will welcome it in print in the U.S. for the first time. Fans of Chris Lynch will also find much to like.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt

(2) YA Days after halting a bungled bank robbery, Ed Kennedy receives a playing card in the mail with three addresses written on it. As he visits each location, the aimless nineteen-year-old cabbie discovers troubled occupants in desperate need of assistance and finds a sense of purpose in his own directionless life. The laid-back, dryly humorous first-person voice is engaging and unsentimental.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2005

(2) YA Cameron can't measure up to his older brother Ruben when it comes to getting a girl. But when Rube callously discards his latest girlfriend, Cam begins to forge his first serious relationship with Octavia. This story of first love complicated by sibling rivalry lacks the blustering narrative voice of its predecessor, Fighting Ruben Wolfe, but does demonstrate the often-ignored fact that teenage boys also fall heart-stoppingly in love.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2003

(2) YA In this fast-paced Australian import, teenage tough guys Cameron and Ruben Wolfe are offered a chance to fight on the underground boxing circuit. Cam's brawny first-person narrative captures the physical rigors of the boxing ring as well as the emotional turmoil of the troubled Wolfe family. The earthy characterizations, volatile family dynamics, and sports theme make this a match for Chris Lynch's Shadow Boxer.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2001