The Boy Who Swam with Piranhas

When all the jobs on the quayside disappear, Stanley's Uncle Ernie comes up with a new money-making scheme, transforming the family home into a fish cannery. Stanley's life becomes a frantic whirl of 6am starts, and the house is full of the stench of mackerel and the clang of machinery. When Uncle Ernie even cans Stanley's beloved pet goldfish, he finally decides enough is enough.

Leaving the life he has always known behind him, Stanley takes the dramatic step of joining the fair, where he gets a job working on the hook-a-duck stall. But events soon lead him to Pancho Pirelli, an extraordinary blue-caped 'piscatorial genius', otherwise known as the man who swims with piranhas. But will Stanley be brave enough to follow his destiny and dive into the churning waters himself?

Multi-award-winning author David Almond returns with this pleasingly eccentric story of a ordinary boy who embarks on an unusual adventure. Full of surreal, fairy-tale touches, this is an joyful and warm story of self-discovery, perfectly accompanied by the quirky illustrations by Oliver Jeffers.