A Different Boy by Paul Jennings
'The ship was a towering fortress looming over the pier. Anton stared enviously at the emigrants lining up in front of the wide gangplank. Heading off on a voyage to a land of peace and plenty. Leaving the land of broken buildings and crushed hopes behind. Looking forward to sunshine and steaks. How he wished that he was one of the lucky ones.' Loosely based on Paul Jennings' journey to Australia as a 'ten pound Pom', the story of Anton, who escapes from an orphanage and successfully stows away on a boat headed for the land of 'sunshine and steaks' has a timeless reality of its own. It is a tale of loss, guilt, mistaken identity and taking risks but also surprisingly heartwarming and heartbreaking. Perfect for reluctant readers in upper primary and lower secondary, it speaks of loss, migration, reslience and courage. Beautifully illustrated by Geoff Kelly.
Like all books by Paul Jennings, this one.. draws you in immediately and grips you throughout. Like the author's previous titles too, it's superbly written without a wasted word. Having said that, it's also quite unlike any of his previous titles.' -- Jill Bennett * Red Reading Hub *
This perfect jewel of a novella explores loss, isolation and the difficult migrant experience with spare, eloquent prose. -- Alison Brumwell, Chair of Juges
An odd story, comparable to nothing else. Strange and heartwarming - a nice quick read. -- Aidan Severs * Goodreads Book Reviw *
This perfect jewel of a novella explores loss, isolation and the difficult migrant experience with spare, eloquent prose. -- Alison Brumwell, Chair of Juges
An odd story, comparable to nothing else. Strange and heartwarming - a nice quick read. -- Aidan Severs * Goodreads Book Reviw *
Paul Jennings is the author of more than 100 books, beginning with 'Unreal!' in 1985, and has sold more than 8 million copies worldwide. He is a Member of the Order of Australia for services to children's literature and was awarded the Dromkeen Medal in 2001 and the Children's Book Council of Australia Lifetime Achievement Award in June 2019. Many of his books draw on his early experiences as a child immigrant to Australia from the United Kingdom and his life as a teacher and speech therapist.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781910646465 |
| ISBN 10 | 1910646466 |
| Title | A Different Boy |
| Author | Paul Jennings |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Old Barn Books |
| Year published | 2018-08-02 |
| Number of pages | 112 |
| Prizes | Long-listed for Carnegie Medal 2019 (UK) |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |