Brand New Boy

A warm and thought-provoking tale from a master storyteller, winner of the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award and author of the Carnegie Medal-winning Skellig. "Mam, did you think George was," I say, "a bit ... weird?" "Weird? Yes, I suppose so. But you kids are all a bit weird if you ask me. And to tell the truth, it'd be weird if you weren't." When a new boy joins the class, everyone thinks he's a bit strange, but he's brilliant at football and loves crisps, and that's all that matters to Dan and Maxie. However, the truth about George is stranger than anyone could have imagined ... and more sinister, too. Can his new pals help him to become truly free?

David Almond is the acclaimed author of many award-winning novels for children such as Skellig, Kit's Wilderness and My Name Is Mina, and has collaborated with artists Polly Dunbar, Dave McKean, Alex T. Smith and Oliver Jeffers on fiction for younger readers. David's books sell all over the world, and in 2011 he was the recipient of the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award. He lives in Newcastle; for more info visit www.davidalmond.com Marta Altés loves to tell stories, and her passion for illustration saw her study for a degree in Graphic Design in Barcelona. She then moved to the UK to study for an MA in Children's Book Illustration at Cambridge School of Art, and since then she has written and illustrated picture books such as My Grandpa, which won the Read It Again! Award, I Am An Artist, which won the Nottingham Children's Book Award, and NO!, which was shortlisted for the Waterstones Picture Book Prize. Marta lives in London; for more info visit www.martaltes.com