Jenny Pearson’s stories are always an absolute delight with true-to-life characters dealing with issues in unique, laugh-out-loud ways. This Christmas break has brought two new books from Barrington Stoke and Usborne that are a joy to read and perfect for children of all ages.
Bigfoot and the Wild Boys (Barrington Stoke) – January 2025
Joe is fed up of bring completely average and forgettable. He really is your “average Joe”. No one seems to notice if he’s there or not and he’s never done anything really important. More than anything, he would love to start secondary school having done something that makes him stand out. He wants to BE somebody.
At the beginning of the summer holidays, Joe is sitting around with his best friend, Tiago. Suddenly, inspiration hits – a video of Wildman Mike (a Bear Grylls type outdoor adventurer) gives Joe a great idea. He’s going to become an outdoor adventurer himself and do something spectacular. The only problem is he doesn’t have the skills or equipment to have a clue what he’s doing. To make things even trickier, there isn’t anywhere remotely wild near his house where these adventures can happen.
A news report of a sighting of a Bigfoot-like creature in Bentley Woods changes everything. Tiago and Joe set off on a hilarious adventure full of ambition and misplaced confidence. One mishap after another leads them to their moment of glory – they are truly “Wild Boys” with the chance of becoming national heroes.
Bigfoot and the Wild Boys is a funny yet thoughtful story of the importance of self-belief and integrity. It’s better to be true to yourself than someone false and the only person whose opinion really matters is your own. Maybe Joe isn’t so average afterall.
Barrington Stoke creates entertaining, meaningful, empathy-filled stories that are accessible and empowering for readers. With dyslexia-friendly font, spacing and page tint, everyone can enjoy these books. The manageable length and carefully chosen vocabulary encourages success and brings children back for more.
Jenny Pearson has two other hilarious books published with Barrington Stoke:
Marvin and the Book Magic & Bertie and the Alien Chicken
Speedwheels 3000: The Race Against Crime (Usborne) – February 2025
Speedwheels 3000: The Race Against Crime will be a must-read for 2025. Hold on tight for this high-octane race across Europe! Fun facts about European countries, roads and racing add extra interest to a brilliantly geographical mystery.
Evie Clutterbuck is determined to join her dad as he sets off on the legendary motor race, Speedwheels 3000. He’s competed every year since Evie’s older brother Timmy passed away – his way of trying to cope with his grief. This year it’s even more significant as Timmy would have been 17 and able to drive with his dad.
Evie is sure she’d be a fantastic race navigator but Dad always says “no”. Evie’s answer – to stow away in the boot of the car so he has no choice but to take her along. Once Dad gets over the shock, they undertake the adventure of a lifetime. Stolen gold, robbery suspects, car sabotage and mysterious competitors keep Evie on edge and collecting investigation notes at each stop of their European race. Her incessant chatter, eternal optimism and impulsive actions push Dad to the edge of his patience but also pulls them closer than ever. Evie really is the race navigator he needs as she shows Dad the way to healing and happiness, as well as the end of the race.
Evie’s enthusiastic, innocent point of view reveals the good and bad in each suspect. Readers are kept guessing right to the very end as they try to solve the mystery of the gold thief right along with Evie. This brilliant back seat driver is sure to save the day and prove what a great team she and her dad can be.
Jenny Pearson’s heart-felt, hilarious style emanates from each page creating an unputdownable race for ultimate glory and the loveliest father-daughter relationship.
Try these other fantastic books from Usborne:
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Books by Kate Heap:
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