The Whizbanger That Emmental Built facts for kids

The Whizbanger That Emmental Built is a children's book from 2006. It was written by New Zealand author Reuben Schwarz. The story is about a girl named Emmental Baker and her exciting adventures with a quirky inventor named Chaida Manning. The book was published by Penguin Books under their Puffin Books brand.

Who is Reuben Schwarz?

Reuben Schwarz, born on December 12, 1978, is the author of The Whizbanger That Emmental Built. He was born in New Zealand but moved to Canada when he was a child. He grew up in Alberta and West Vancouver, British Columbia. Reuben studied at the University of British Columbia.

Later, Schwarz went to the University of Toronto. There, he worked as the editor for the student newspaper, The Independent Weekly.

In 2004, Schwarz returned to New Zealand. He studied journalism at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch. After finishing his studies, he started working as a reporter for The Dominion Post newspaper in Wellington. Reuben Schwarz has won two Qantas Media Awards for his work.

His first children's book, The Whizbanger That Emmental Built, came out in 2006.

What is The Whizbanger That Emmental Built About?

The Whizbanger That Emmental Built tells the story of Emmental Baker, a smart but shy girl. Emmental's mother has recently passed away. Her father, a famous writer named Niall Baker, moves the family to a made-up town called Dropsham. He hopes the new place will help him overcome his writer's block.

Emme finds it hard to fit in at her new school. Her teacher, Mrs. Hanlin, is tough on her, and a class bully named Rory Blunt picks on her. Her father is sad and distant, so Emme finds a friend in her neighbor, Chaida Manning. Chaida is a very unusual inventor. As Emme spends more time with Chaida, she learns to believe in her own creativity and unique ideas. This helps her become more confident.

Meet the Characters

Emmental Baker (Emme)

Emmental, often called "Emme," is the main character of the story. She is a quiet and kind girl, but also very creative and intelligent. After her mother's death and her father's sadness, she finds strength by using her own imagination.

Niall Baker

Niall is Emme's father. He is a writer who has written many successful books. He is currently struggling with writer's block, which means he can't think of new ideas for his stories. His wife, Emme's mother, has recently died.

Chaida Manning

Chaida Manning is a very unusual inventor. She creates strange machines like the Wooshraker and the Pitchaptchapitcha. Chaida becomes a very important friend to Emme. She teaches Emme to trust her own imagination and ideas.

Rory Blunt

Rory Blunt is the bully in Emme's class. He is mean and picks on Emme. Rory also gets angry easily and likes to break things. Sometimes, he even goes home to get his special "bashing boots" to smash things.

Awards for the Book

In 2007, The Whizbanger That Emmental Built was chosen as a finalist for the Esther Glen Award. This award is given by the Library Association of New Zealand (LIANZA). It honors the book that librarians believe is the best children's or young adult book published that year. The award started in 1945 and is named after Esther Glen (1881–1940), a journalist and children's writer from Christchurch.