Cyber Shock by Tommy Donbavand

Cyber Shock by Tommy Donbavand

Suitable for reading age 8.6 years.

Mark was holding his knee. His trousers were torn, and I expected to see loads of blood where he’d cut himself – but there was none of that. Mark’s skin was ripped back and, inside his knee, there was a long, metal bar and loads of coloured wires.

Al loves hanging out with his new friend Mark Tenby at school. Some of the other students think he’s a bit odd, but Mark and Al have so much in common. It isn’t until a game of football goes wrong that Al starts to understand quite how odd Mark really is… Why does he have wires where his knee should be? And why does he keep getting calls from ‘Mother’?

This sci-fi mystery is written by Scream Street author Tommy Donbavand.

• Help Key Stage 3 students move from Level 3c to Level 3b in reading.
• Support comprehension with the bold, age-appropriate illustrations.
• Encourage shared and guided reading using the ready-made tasks and discussion points on the activity pages at the back of the book.
• Suitable for Key Stage 3 students with a reading age of 8 years and 6 months.

‘My students really appreciated having a book aimed at their age group but a simpler textThe story was much more interesting than many I have come across. The students said they particularly enjoyed the football, the good pictures the twists and the scariness.

They loved it! Their words: “It was fun and enjoyable” “I liked the twists”

They liked the style of the pictures. (It reminded them of Japanese Manga-style cartoons with big eyes.) It helped the story and they loved the ‘creepy’ pictures when the faces opened up.

Student quote: “I usually don’t enjoy reading, but I loved this!”’

Emily Barkworth, English teacher at Ormiston Six Villages Academy, Chichester

“One of the strongest: terrific twists, which students love; fantastic use of message text; brilliant illustrations.”

Fiona Dyson, SENCO at Southfields Academy, Southfields, London

Tommy Donbavand was born and brought up in Liverpool. As he was never picked for the football, cricket or rugby teams – he spent most of his school days sitting on substitutes' benches, writing spooky stories in which the more popular kids around him were attacked and devoured by disgusting monsters. Years later, he's still doing just that – only now people pay him for it! The fools!