Author & Illustrators

Jenny Pearson Books

Shrapnel Boys

Chapter book

Shrapnel Boys is a gripping story about the lives of a group of young boys living in London during the Second World War.

Ronnie is naively excited by the prospect of war, fighter planes and everything else that he associates with war, and he can’t wait for the action to start. When the war finally comes to London, although the reality is scarier than they thought, Ronnie and his friends are excited to race each other to collect the best bits of shrapnel each morning after a night of bombing.

But, the war also brings an unwelcome visitor into Ronnie’s life – straight away, Ronnie can tell that Johnny is up to no good and when Ronnie’s brother starts to get caught up in whatever it is that Johnny is up to, Ronnie decides to take matters into his own hands to protect his brother.

This is a truly outstanding book which manages to weave so many themes into its pages. It deals with issues around family, friendship, bravery and loss, coupled with providing insight and historical facts about an important time in British history.

Speedwheels 3000: The Race Against Crime

Chapter book

Evie is an only child desperately trying to spend more quality time with her Dad, Tony, who gives most of his attention to car racing and the Speedwheels 3000 title he has been attempting to win for fifteen years. She decides to stow away in the boot of her Dad’s much-loved racing car in the belief that he won’t be able to take the time to turn back home once he discovers her.

The Speedwheels 3000 event develops into a race against time (and the other competitors) as Evie attempts to unravel the mystery of the stolen gold, evade the Swiss police, and keep ahead of the villains who are trying to retrieve the gold by any means, whilst still winning the competition with her dad.

Written with Jenny Pearson’s trademark humour whilst addressing a serious issue, this story has themes of family, mental health, grief and loss, resilience and hope. The additional ‘fun facts’ about racing and European countries at the start of each chapter are a bonus for curious readers, racing fans and adventure lovers. Highly recommended!

The Underpants of Chaos

Jenny Pearson & Katie Kear & Robin Boyden & Sam Copeland

Chapter book

“I should have realised that there was going to be something SERIOUSLY weird about a town called Little STRANGEhaven.”

Something BAD is happening at Little Strangehaven Primary.

What are the peculiar SHIVERS that keep striking the school, bringing Strangeness in their wake –
from uncontrollable ballroom dancing to an attack by military chickens?

Spy-detective Agatha Topps is determined to find out. She’s the only person who doesn’t forget the Strangeness as soon as it’s over. At least, until new boy Lenny Tuchus turns up and remembers too.

Their spy-detectoring leads them to the Book of Chaos, an ancient text which has been hidden away in the Room of Forbidden and Dangerous Books. Can Agatha and Lenny fight off attacks from evil underpants and Transylvanian gargoyles to stop the SHIVERS before their town is sucked into oblivion?

Because power lies in books – especially this one . . .

The perfect story for 7 to 9-year-olds (or STRANGE adults) and fans of Ben Miller, David Walliams and Tom Fletcher. Packed with hilarious illustrations and easy-to-read text, discover the secrets of Little Strangehaven.

Shipwrecked

Jenny Pearson

Chapter book

Sebastian and his two best friends, Lina and Étienne become stranded on a desert island and it’s all Sebastian’s fault. The three friends won a school competition to take part in an environmental summer camp where they would learn how to protect the planet. Sebastian became particularly competitive with the other children at the camp, and before they knew it, there they were, shipwrecked and alone on another island. Headstrong Lina soon takes charge, determined that they won’t make the same mistakes as the children in ‘The Lord of the Flies’ and Sebastian sets out to gain his military dad’s approval.

Told from Sebastian’s point of view, the chapter headings are a series of ‘survival tips’ based on things he’s learnt along the way. The story is full of humour, wit and several animal companions, but it also carries a lovely message about friendship and working together to overcome difficulties.

This is a great adventure story by popular children’s author Jenny Pearson, suitable for Year 4 and up. It will also be loved by fans of humorous stories.

Bertie and the Alien Chicken

Aleksei Bitskoff & Jenny Pearson

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

Bertie and the Alien Chicken by Jenny Pearson is a fast-paced, laugh-out-loud novel that is perfect for engaging KS2 readers.

Bursting with humour and heart, the story follows a child’s wildly imaginative adventure involving a very suspicious chicken, blending everyday family life with outrageous fun. Pearson’s distinctive voice keeps readers hooked while also delivering a warm, emotionally grounded story. Beneath the comedy, the book explores themes of family, belonging, grief and resilience in a sensitive and age-appropriate way.

The accessible language and short chapters support reluctant readers while still offering depth for more confident ones. This is an excellent choice for the classroom: funny, heartfelt and meaningful!

The Boy Who Made Monsters

Jenny Pearson & Katie Kear

Chapter book

Told with Jenny Pearson’s care and attention to detail, this new story set in Scotland weaves humour through complex themes of grief, friendship and moving on from things lost to the past.

When Benji and Stanley’s parents go missing at sea, they have to go and live with their Uncle Hamish, whom they have never met. Uncle Hamish lives with his dog, Mr Dog, on the shores of Loch Lochy and Benji soon realises that all is not ok for Uncle Hamish. When he meets local girl Murdy, Benji sets out to prove that the Loch Lochy Monster is real, so that tourists will come back to Loch Lochy once more.

There are lots of laughs in this story, mainly around Benji and Murdy’s attempts to capture an image of the Loch Lochy Monster. Their friendship is a strong focus, particularly Murdy’s support for Benji after what he has been through, along with their relationship with Mr Dog, who also provides the emotional support that pets are sometimes able to do in their own special way.

Sitting alongside the humour there are darker undertones that provide depth and complexity to the narrative. On the surface, Benji is a fun-loving boy who wants to help Uncle Hamish’s business to survive. But underneath, has he really come to terms with the loss of his parents? His brother, Stanley, is facing his own battles – he was on the boat when it capsized and his parents went missing. Uncle Hamish is facing the loss of his business, which has been in the family for years. Murdy is the target of local bullies. Yet this is a story with a lot of heart and, ultimately, with messages of hope.

Operation Nativity

Jenny Pearson & Katie Kear

Chapter book

Oscar and Molly are spending their first Christmas with their paternal grandparents, Lord and Lady Cuthbert-Anderson. It is a family tradition to put on a Nativity production in the village church, but due to past dramas and disasters, Oscar’s parents have opted out until now. Grandfather is ill, and this may be the last opportunity to participate with him, making special memories. An angel crash landing in the garden is the first sign that this Christmas is going to be very different!

Angel Gabriel has made a mistake and accidentally blasted Mary, Joseph, Donald the donkey, Wise Man Balthazar and a shepherd called Steve, 2,000 years into the future. If they cannot be returned to the correct time and place, then Christmas will be cancelled! Besides the obvious, Christmas is important to Oscar as it is the anniversary of when his parents first met – no Christmas, no Oscar and Molly!

Once Gabriel has described the situation to Oscar, they are in a hilarious race against time to ensure that the Nativity happens in Bethlehem. With the others scattered around the countryside, and Mary and Joseph attempting to continue their journey, it will take resourcefulness to find them, not to mention keeping their identity secret.

Besides being very funny, this is a poignant and tender story about a family discovering the true meaning of Christmas. Jenny Pearson is an expert at creating likeable, personable characters with whom the reader can really engage, whatever unusual situations they find themselves in! The chapter headings of Christmas carol and song titles with additional humorous, ironic comments by Oscar, add to the fun.

This would be a great class read-aloud in the run-up to Christmas.

The Incredible Record Smashers

Erica Salcedo & Jenny Pearson

Chapter book

After the success of The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates last year, primary-teacher-turned-author Jenny Pearson is back with a new and hilarious tale of ordinary children on extra-ordinary adventures. Life isn’t easy for Lucy. Her mum has depression and is difficult to care for, often being unwell for long periods that leave Lucy needing the help of a family friend. Lucy is great at fixing broken objects, but wishes more than anything that she knew how to fix her mum. It becomes clear that mum might need some time to stay at a place that can help her, and Lucy goes to stay with Aunty Sheila for a while.

Aunty Sheila loves car boot sales and is larger than life, always treating Lucy with kindness and a sense of fun, but life there is not the same as being with mum. With the help of friendly neighbour Sandesh, Lucy comes up with a way to make things right again. It’s an ambitious plan that involves meeting an 80s pop icon who was once acquainted with Mum, appearing on a TV show and smashing a world record – but as far as Lucy is concerned, no aim is too high when it comes to making her mum happy again. What follows is a humorous romp as Lucy and Sandesh search for a world record to smash with a range of hilarious consequences.

The humour is perfect for Key Stage 2 and the story also explores the subject of parental mental health issues in an age-appropriate way. This is a smasher of a story; the author knows her audience extremely well and pitches both the comic and more serious elements at just the right level. The relationships that Lucy forms with Aunty Sheila and Sandesh are lovely, and demonstrate how – while nothing can replace the closeness that Lucy craves with her mum – the warmth and loyalty of others can make the world of difference during hard times. This strand of the plot may serve as a valuable encouragement to children affected by similar issues that reaching out for or accepting support from others is sometimes the very best course of action.

Grandpa Frank’s Great Big Bucket List

David O’Connell & Jenny Pearson

Chapter book

A heartwarming and funny story ideal for Upper KS2. Grandpa Frank’s Great Big Bucket List takes the reader on a journey of excitement, adventure, humour and discovery and leaves them understanding life just a little bit more.

Frank sets off to meet his grandpa with high expectations. What he finds is a very sad and lonely old man living in a nursing home who has no interest in establishing any kind of relationship. Not wanting to give up on his chance for happiness (and because Davenport men don’t quit), Frank comes up with the idea of a bucket list of activities to inject some joy back into Grandpa Frank’s life, secretly harbouring hopes of a grand family reunion somewhere along the line. Soon, Grandpa Frank finds himself participating in a whole array of activities most OAPs wouldn’t be expected to do. As they venture together through hot air ballooning, parkour, synchronised swimming and monster truck driving, Grandpa Frank learns that maybe there are more opportunities for joy (and bruises) in life.

Despite the blossoming relationship with his grandfather, it seems that Frank’s dream of a family reunion will never happen. However, after the middle Frank steps a little further over the line than usual, it will take all of Frank Senior Senior and Frank Junior Junior’s newly learned skills to save the day.

Alongside the humour in this story, there are many opportunities for the reader to see through societal stereotypes of older people and also begin to understand the impact of dementia.

The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates

Jenny Pearson & Rob Biddulph

Chapter book

This is a must-read for children who love funny books – or in fact for anyone who loves to laugh. Mates on a mission, mistaken identities, raw onion eating contests, taxi-driving-criminals-busting-through-the-rolling-Welsh-landscape and sheep aplenty are all thrown into a melting pot of gaff-a-minute adventuring and stirred through a warm-hearted narrative that focuses on themes of friendship, identity, family and experiencing grief.

Eleven-year-old Fred is heartbroken when his grandmother dies. When he finds a letter from her that reveals details of his own biological father, Alan Froggley (who abandoned his mother before Fred was born), Fred ups and leaves on a mission to seek out Alan for himself. With his two best friends in tow (both of whom have their own reasons for wanting to escape home for a few days), Fred heads to Wales on an adventure of a lifetime.

It’s not clear what Fred is expecting to happen when – or if – he finds his dad. Perhaps he wants an explanation, or simply a connection. Maybe it’s curiosity – or maybe his answer to the sense of loss he feels over his grandmother is to complete this particular part of his family puzzle. Either way, Fred is certain of one thing; he absolutely must find Alan Froggley. What follows is a slapstick romp across Wales, where a wild goose chase powered by a series of incredible co-incidences leads Fred and his friends to re-assess the things that really matter in life.

The narrative is full of fun – from humorous insights into the quirky characters (including the aspects of family life that drive them nuts) to the endless run of blunders by the trio of friends, like accidentally cooking their clothes and ending up on the news wearing superhero costumes. Jenny Pearson’s brand of observational humour is perfectly pitched for the 8-11 readership. But what gives the story a real edge for me is its heartfelt warmth – shown through the authenticity of the boys’ relationship and the value the story places on family life.

A frolic-filled laugh-a-minute tale that will no doubt be in high demand among KS2 readers.

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