Frank Cottrell-Boyce – författare

It was a one-in-a-million chance. A bag crammed with cash comes tumbling out of the air and lands right at Damian''s feet. Suddenly the Cunningham brothers are rich. Very rich. They can buy anything they want. There''s just one problem -- they have only seventeen days to spend all the money before it becomes worthless. And the crooks who stole the cash in the first place are closing in -- fast.

A funny, brilliantly clever and utterly thrilling debut novel that is, quite simply, unforgettable.

Performed by Simon Jones

A few things to know about Dylan

He is the only boy in his entire town—so forget about playing games of football.

His best friends are two pet chickens, Michaelangelo and Donatello—named after (who else?) the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

His family owns the town''s only gas station/copy shop/coffee house—their Picasso Pies are to die for, but profits are still in the hole.

Criminal instincts run in his family—his sister is a mastermind-in-training, and the tax men are after his newly-absent father for ""questioning.""

And, one more small thing about nine-year-old Dylan—he''s now the man of the house.

Then an enormous secret rolls into town—one that could bring back Dylan''s father, rescue the family business, and involve Dylan in what very well could be the crime of the century. With the same easy mix of wit, warmth, and wonder that made his debut novel Millions an award-winning international bestseller, Frank Cottrell Boyce tells the story of a boy who reminds an entire town of the power of art.

Liam has always felt a bit like he''s stuck between two worlds. This isprimarily because he''s a twelve-year-old kid who looks like he''s about thirty. Sometimes it''s not so bad, like when his new principal mistakes him for a teacher on the first day of school or when he convinces a car dealer to let him take a Porsche out on a test drive. But mostly it''s just frustrating, being a kid trapped in an adult world. And so he decides to flip things around. Liam cons his way onto the first spaceship to take civilians into space, a special flight for a group of kids and an adult chaperone, and he is going as the adult chaperone. It''s not long before Liam, along with his friends, is stuck between two worlds again—only this time he''s 239,000 miles from home.

Frank Cottrell Boyce, author of Millions and Framed, brings us a funny and touching story of the many ways in which grown-upness is truly wasted on grown-ups.

From Frank Cottrell Boyce—the beloved, award-winning, New York Times–bestselling author of Millions and Cosmic—comes another hilarious, heartbreaking, and completely original middle grade novel.

Rory Rooney likes to be prepared for anything. That sort of planning pays off when you’re the smallest kid in your class. Rory is even prepared (mostly) for Tommy-Lee, his nemesis, who starts most days by throwing Rory out of the back of the school bus. Don’t be scared, his favorite book says, be prepared. And Rory aims to be. What’s more heroic than that?

But Rory isn’t prepared when he suddenly and inexplicably turns green and finds himself stuck in an experimental hospital ward. The doctors are just as baffled as Rory is, and that’s when he begins to wonder: What if this isn’t caused by his genes, or a virus, or something he ate? What if it’s something even more extraordinary? After all, more than a few superheroes’ careers began when they turned green. Could this be a sign that he’s meant for something greater? Rory is going to find out—and that’s going to start with escaping from the hospital. 

What's the hook?

Entertaining and highly original, this novel appeals strongly to all young readers.

What are the themes?

Bereavement, family, grown up, self discovery, responsibility, relationships, social conscience and money and its power to corrupt!

Teaching points?

Many opportunities for studying framework objectives relating to humour, dialogue, characterisation and openings.