AniMalcolm

Name: William Joseph
Price range: $

by David Baddiel, illustrated by Jim Field

Interest age: 9 to 12
Reading age: 9+

Published by Harper Collins, 2016

Adventure
Funny

About this book

Malcolm simply can't understand his family's obsession with animals. A house full of pets and weekly trips to the zoo hold absolutely no appeal for him, but what he really would like is a shiny, new laptop for his birthday.

Oh dear, no such luck - but perhaps the chance to go on the Year 6 trip will make up for his rubbish birthday present? That would be the Year 6 residential trip to...a farm!

Just when Malcolm thinks things can't get any worse, he comes face-to-face with a most unusual goat and the strangest things start to happen.

Slapstick humour, complex vocabulary and incidental black-and-white illustrations ensure this story will appeal to confident young readers. The humour and magical elements of the story disguise deeper questions about discovering and acknowledging who you really are.

About the illustrator

Jim Field is a lead-driven, pencil-pushing, 25-frames-per-second, Led Zeppelin fan. He is also a hugely talented illustrator and animation director whose previous clients have included Waterstones, Sainsbury's, Oxfam, The Independent, The Guardian, The FT, Channel 4, Virgin Mobile, Nokia, GQ, Haymarket and BAC.

Cats Ahoy! was Jim's first picture book, and his vibrant, energetic style and witty detail delighted children and adults alike.