book cover

My Parents are Out of Control

by Pete Johnson

Interest age: 8+
Reading age: 9+

Published by Yearling, Random House Children's Books, 2013

  • Funny

About this book

Out of the blue, Louis’s parents ask for tips on being cool. At first Louis is amused and teaches his parents how to use lingo like ‘wicked’ and ‘sick,’ – until one day things go too far: Louis’s dad turns up outside his school dressed like a gangster rapper. Suddenly, Louis’s parents are out of control, trying to ‘friend’ him on Facebook and wearing a baseball cap backwards. Louis decides he must put a stop to this embarrassing nonsense at once, and his best friend Maddy agrees.

My Parents Are Out of Control is Pete Johnson’s sequel to How to Train Your Parents, but it works well as a standalone book. Given that it sees life through the eyes of a teenager, it is akin to Adrian Mole, Wimpy Kid and Tom Gates – and works for younger fans too. The mix of slapstick farce and razor sharp sarcasm is balanced with those familiar scenes of everyday life involving family, friends, school. The warmth and affection with which they are written shines through so that you really care about the characters and want to know how Louis’s adventure will pan out – whilst laughing your socks off at the same time.

About the author

Pete Johnson began work as a film critic for Radio One, then became a teacher. His experiences in the classroom inspired him to write his first book for children, and he still keeps contact with a panel of young readers to gain their viewpoint as he writes. He is the author of over forty books, including the bestselling How To Train Your Parents. Pete’s books have won various awards, including the Young Telegraph Award and the Brilliant Book Award, and have been translated into twenty-three languages. He lives in St Albans.

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