Fish Boy Chloe Daykin 9780571326761

SHORTLISTED - BRANFORD BOASE AWARD

People call me Fish Boy. My skin goes up and down like the waves. My mind goes in and out like the sea. They say I've always got my mouth open, that I ask too many questions. But what's wrong with that?

Billy's got a lot on his mind - that he'd rather not think or talk about. So he watches David Attenborough, because Sir David's asked all the questions and got all the answers, and swims in the sea, just letting his mind drift . . .

So when new boy and nature fan Patrick Green starts at school with 'fingers like steel, strength of a bear' and a mackerel swims up to Billy's face, blows bubbles into his Vista Clear mask goggles and says: 'Fish Boy', Billy knows he can't keep it secret, because . . . a crazy talking mackerel changes EVERYTHING.

Shimmering with almost-magic and adventure, this is an exceptional read.

Accompanied by gorgeous illustrations by Richard Jones.

Fish Boy is Chloe Daykin's first novel. It won the Northern Writers Award in June 2014, and has already garnered huge critical acclaim. An artist, designer, playwright and teacher, Chloe lives in Northumberland.

Richard Jones is a illustrator based in Devon with more than 15 years experience in the creative arts. He enjoys walking the dog and swimming in rivers. His clients include Caterpillar Books, Walker Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Simon & Schuster.