Unbelievable (short story collection) facts for kids

Unbelievable is an exciting book filled with short stories by the famous Australian author Paul Jennings. It was first published in 1987. This book is the second in a series of story collections by Jennings.

Dive into the Stories of Unbelievable

Pink Bow Tie: A Hair-Raising Explanation

Imagine getting into trouble for your hair! In this story, a student dyes his hair white. He has to explain to the principal, who always wears a pink bow tie, that it wasn't his fault. The real reason is a special machine called the "Age Rager." This machine can change anyone's age, and it caused the hair trouble!

One-Shot Toothpaste: A Mystery Next Door

A curious boy notices something strange about his grumpy neighbor, Monty. Monty has a bin full of toothpaste, even though he only has one tooth! The boy decides to investigate. He soon discovers Monty is testing a new kind of toothpaste, which he calls "One-Shot Toothpaste," on animals kept in cages.

There's No Such Thing: A Dragon Hunt

An old man is told he must move into a nursing home. He can only leave if he can prove that dragons are real. So, he sends his grandson on a difficult mission: to search for a dragon in the sewer! Finding a dragon there turns out to be a very tough job.

Inside Out: A Spooky Sleepover

This story is about a boy who loves horror movies and claims nothing scares him. One night, his sister steals his rented scary movie. He decides to spend the night alone in an old house. But it turns out to be the home of a student ghost! This ghost has an important exam coming up. If the ghost fails to scare the boy, he'll be frozen for a whole year until the next exam.

The Busker: Finding True Friendship

A boy needs money for a date, but his father won't give him any. He spends the night looking for a job. He meets an old man who shares a story from his past. The old man used to be a street performer, called a busker, with his only friend, a small dog named Tiny. He became so desperate for friendship that when he won the lottery and became rich, he tried to buy friends with money. He later realized that money can never buy real friendship and that he never truly valued the one friend he had.

Souperman: A Hero Powered by Soup

A boy spends all his school time reading Superman comics. His father makes him throw them away because his school grades are getting bad. Then, the boy meets a man who looks just like Superman. But this superhero gets his amazing powers by drinking soup!

The Gumleaf War: A Magical Cure

After an accident stretches his nose, a boy is sent to his grandfather's house in the countryside. His grandfather is in a long-standing fight with another old man. They can transfer illnesses to each other by blowing into special magic gumleaves. Later, a bushfire burns the tree that had these magic leaves. The boy blows the very last leaf, and his stretched nose goes back to normal! This story was later made into an episode of the TV show Round The Twist.

Birdscrap: Ruby Hunt by the Sea

Two twin girls walk to an old house where their father, who has passed away, hid some valuable rubies. On their way, they are attacked by seagulls. This story was also adapted into an episode of Round The Twist. It was one of two stories combined into a single episode.

Snookle: A Helpful Creature

A boy finds a milk bottle with a pair of eyes inside. He frees the trapped creature, which he names Snookle. Snookle becomes his servant and helps him with everything. However, the boy soon finds that Snookle helps him a bit too much! In the end, he gives the creature to an old woman who really needs a lot of help.