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CBBC Book of the Month, June 2017
Perfect for fans of David Walliams, Roald Dahl and Liz Pichon, this is a hilarious and warm-hearted story about family, friends and wrestling by multi-award-shortlisted author Phil Earle, illustrated by award-winning artist, Sara Ogilvie.
This is the story of Jake Biggs and his dad, George. George spends all week knocking down buildings … and all weekend knocking down wrestlers! He’s the Demolition Man, and Jake couldn’t be prouder. But when Jake hears about a pro-wrestling competition in the USA, and persuades his beloved dad to apply, things don’t quite turn out the way he expected …
Phil Earle’s first novel for younger readers of 9-11, DEMOLITION DAD is DANNY THE CHAMPION OF THE WORLD in Spandex, a book bursting with humour and heart. Perfect for Father’s Day this June!
Perfect for fans of David Walliams, Roald Dahl and Liz Pichon, this is a hilarious and warm-hearted story about family, friends and wrestling by multi-award-shortlisted author Phil Earle, illustrated by award-winning artist, Sara Ogilvie.
This is the story of Jake Biggs and his dad, George. George spends all week knocking down buildings … and all weekend knocking down wrestlers! He’s the Demolition Man, and Jake couldn’t be prouder. But when Jake hears about a pro-wrestling competition in the USA, and persuades his beloved dad to apply, things don’t quite turn out the way he expected …
Phil Earle’s first novel for younger readers of 9-11, DEMOLITION DAD is DANNY THE CHAMPION OF THE WORLD in Spandex, a book bursting with humour and heart. Perfect for Father’s Day this June!
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Reviews
Masses of humour, heart, some cracking jokes and moments of real poignancy
A heart-warming story with a very happy ending. The multiple award-winning Sara Ogilvie and her scratchy comic drawings make a perfect foil for this lively and affectionate story.
A light-hearted, funny story with a nail-biting conclusion ... The story whizzes along, while Sarah Ogilvie's humorous line drawings are a perfect complement to the text. The first of a promised series, Demolition Dad will be enjoyed by even the most reluctant of readers
Contemporary stories involving long-term loving relations between father and son other than Roald Dahl's Danny the Champion of the World are not always easy to find, and Phil Earle plugs this gap to the full.
The funniest book I've read this year. It's a wonderful mix of heart, wit and wrestling Lycra
This book was so fun my parents got angry I wasn't coming to eat lunch!
The author creates a chatty relationship with the reader, with nifty asides and jokey puns as he weaves a quirky and frankly ridiculous story ... a very funny book for 8-10 year olds, who, I'm sure, will love it
Sara Ogilvie's beautifully drawn illustrations add real life and humour
Warm, funny and heartfelt
Phil Earle's fictional father comes about as close to Danny the Champion's Dad as I can find. However, as with much children's fiction I've been reading recently, this is a depiction of a modern Dad who fits right into our current world... If you buy your Dad just one book this Father's Day - make it this one (then keep it for yourself).
Underneath the high-octane humour and silliness, Earle weaves in powerful themes of father/son relationships, bullying, depression, self-esteem, failure and even frustrated career women. But mostly of love. This is a gloriously life-affirming novel: funny, sensitive, intelligent and with a heart as big as George's waistline.
The humour is woven through a story which is full of well formed characters and, as well as the slapstick, the book also deals with realistically portrayed emotions and relationships, dreams, harsh realities, media manipulation, families and friendship. Thoughtfully illustrated by Sara Ogilvie the illustrations support the text with their own mixture of humour and sensitivity.
This is a book that can be read individually and it would also be a good read aloud or great to share with a book group. It's definitely one children will want to return to and I hope that the last words "(not) the end" mean that there may be more from Phil aimed at this age range.
A brilliant story about family and caring... Phil Earle has a turn of phrase that is second to none. The illustrations by the talented Sarah Ogilvie bring the story to life ... a brilliant combination of illustration and text
Phil "BOOKCRUSHER" Earle has written one funny, fabulous, pile driving BLAST of a book. (Read it in Lycra for full wrestling experience.)
A warm, funny and genuinely touching story of family relationships, in a lycra wrapping
A wrestling story with heart. Funny and very, very readable!
Sweet story of friendship with highly emotive illustrations which will resonate with those with younger siblings. A warm sharing read, well worth having.
The writing is laugh-aloud funny, as are the antics ... this book has jokes that will appeal to adults and kids alike
