Jonny Jakes Investigates: The Hamburgers of Doom

Jonny Jakes is an undercover reporter on the anonymous school newspaper, The Woodford Word (it is entirely written, published and distributed by him). He's the first with the breaking news, the hottest gossip and the funniest exposés on the long-suffering headmaster, Mr Hardy. A master wordsmith, Jonny has all the best headlines (How come Hardy's Hairy?) and when Mr Hardy is replaced by a genuine alien from outer space, he's sure he's got his best story yet. But the arrival of the mysterious Mr Jones can't be revealed, because it isn't a secret.

At least having an alien for a Head teacher should create loads of crazy stories for The Woodford Word, but the strangest thing of all is that Mr Jones is a really good head teacher. The children are better behaved, everyone is happier, school is cleaner and more efficient, and there are sweets and hamburgers on offer every day! Jonny can spot a suspicious story a mile off, and he won't rest until he has uncovered the secret behind Mr Jones and those strange hamburgers.

A paranormal invasion on the popular diary style format for young readers, Jonny Jakes is a pretty cool character. More text than pictures but the style could still appeal to reluctant readers. Jonny is a cheeky, fun character who could impress young readers - it's nice to see a main character in this setting who isn't the wimpy kid for a change!