The Impossible Boy

Ben Brooks

The Impossible Boy
Format
Hardback
Publisher
Hachette Children's Group
Country
United Kingdom
Published
29 October 2019
Pages
256
ISBN
9781786540997

The Impossible Boy

Ben Brooks

Oleg and Emma entered their den to find a cardboard spaceship standing exactly where they usually sat. Slowly, the front door opened and out stepped a boy. ‘My name’s Sebastian Cole,’ he said. ‘But you already know that.’       

When Oleg and Emma invent a new classmate called Sebastian, they are amazed when he appears - very much real - in their secret den. Sebastian isn’t like the rest of their classmates. He’s never eaten pizza, he’s not sure what goose bumps are, and he has a satchel that seems to hold an endless supply of hot ice cream.

But as the trio begin their adventures, more impossible things keep happening, from a runaway goat appearing at school to a sighting of some snowwomen walking down the road. Things soon take a turn for the dangerous when the three friends are pursued by the mysterious Institute of Unreality, who want to capture and erase Sebastian, restoring order to the world.         

With the help of a cowboy gardener, an imprisoned scientist, and the rest of their class, can Emma and Oleg protect their new friend and keep the magic of the impossible alive, just in time for Christmas?       

After inspiring countless young readers with tales of extraordinary people in the world around them, Ben Brooks’ first children’s novel is a magical adventure that celebrates friendship, the power of imagination, and ice cream.

Review

After inventing a fake and impossible classmate called Sebastian Cole to trick their substitute teacher, Oleg and Emma are surprised to find that Sebastian, his TARDIS-like spaceship, bottomless backpack and crazy stories are actually very real and to be found in their secret space at school the very next day. But before they can enjoy his company for too long, strange crow-masked people start appearing and asking very prickly questions.

The Impossible Boy is exactly the kind of book you want from the man who wrote Stories for Boys Who Dare to be Different. It’s also full of great lines that blend seamlessly with the story, lines such as ‘Bossy was exactly what a leader needed to be, it was just a word that seemed designed to stop girls taking charge’ and ‘Feeling bad doesn’t help the other person. Feeling bad just proves you knew you shouldn’t have done it in the first place’.

As well as having all these beautiful, thoughtful lines, The Impossible Boy is also a very fun, imaginative and silly book, perfect for all kids aged 7+.


Dani Solomon is the assistant manager at Readings Kids.

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