Synopses & Reviews
The story of Jason, a boy at Heronford School for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The journal tells of the comic and sometimes uncomfortable day to day events at the school, with Jason, his teachers and classmates. And it explores his family life with his mother, who has recently given up taking heroin, and her violent, drug-taking ex-boyfriend, who returns unexpectedly. And then there is the storyteller who works at the school. He tells the boys the Russian folktale of a young man with a faithful horse, who overcomes a manipulative king. Jason is searingly, touchingly honest about his life and relationships, and through his journal he begins to reach an understanding of himself.
This is a brilliant debut teenage novel, to be compared with The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time.
Review
"I'm writing this because of what's happened. And that is my mom's ex-boyfriend JON SHOWED UP. And BOTH his arms were BROKEN . . ."
from the book
About the Author
Sean Taylor is a children's author, storyteller and teacher with experience of creative writing teaching in three continents. His books include
The Great Snake, Purple Class and the Skelington, Purple Class and the Flying Spider, Crocodiles Are the Best Animals of Alland the multi-award-winning
When a Monster is Born. He lives partly in England and partly in Brazil where his wife is from.