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Author & Illustrators

Ross Montgomery Books

Tripwrecked: Tempest Terror

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

Only a sensible, level head can save the day when disaster strikes on a school trip in this hilariously slapstick introduction to Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

Frank and his drama club are off on a dream school trip to perform The Tempest at a festival. But it turns into a nightmare when their ferry is hit by a terrible storm! Half of the actors wash up on a sandy shore and they can’t believe their eyes.

Is this a desert island? Why is there strange music coming from the forest? Where are the rest of the cast? To Frank, it all sounds strangely like the plot of The Tempest and he hasn’t got a clue how they’re going to get out of this mess. One thing’s for sure … they’ve been tripwrecked!

The Chime Seekers

Ross Montgomery

Chapter book

Yanni is a reluctant big brother; he has a baby sister and ever since her arrival, his world has been turned upside down. As an only child, he had shared a cosy flat with his parents and as the only grandchild, his grandparents had worshipped him. When Ari arrived, the family needed more space and so moved to the rural village of Fallow Hall and Yanni would attend the ominously named Riddleton School.

Two days into his new life, and struggling to find a babysitter, Yanni’s parents invite Amy over. Between them they have to look after Ari while Yanni’s parents enjoy a rare night out. It is All Hallow’s Eve (Halloween) and when a stranger appears in the house, events take an unexpectedly dark turn. Some simple house renovations have reopened a door into the World of the Fae, and Lorde Renwin is intent on stealing Ari.

What follows is a race-against-time quest to get Ari back before midnight, when the door back to normality will close again. But will the reluctant adventurers have time to locate the toadstone, navigate the goblin maze, collect a vial of elixir from the ruined abbey and find the magic crown from an ancient king? The only possible way they can complete their quest is by working together, using the few resources they have and a big helping of initiative.

Through his beautiful writing, Montgomery has created a fantasy world that would rival Oz, Wonderland or Narnia. The unusual characters are honest and, at times, very funny. The undercurrent of love conquering evil is prevalent throughout, which gives it the feel of 21st Century fairy-tale, although this book is not for the faint-hearted! This story will chill you to the bone, and you won’t be able to put it down. It truly is a page-turner.

Reviewer: Emma Hughes

Rock Bottom

Mark Beech & Ross Montgomery

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

Nick is truly, madly in love with Jessie Stone. And she doesn’t even know his name. In a ploy to win her heart, he plans to star alongside her in the school production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. But when he’s cast as the foolish Bottom instead of the romantic lead, his whole world comes crashing down. Enter Robyn, school mischief-maker, who has some crafty tricks up her sleeve. With her help Nick is sure he can get Jessie to notice him just as long as his grand plans don’t go up in smoke … A laugh-out-loud comical caper of friendship, true love and a completely disastrous school Shakespeare production from bestselling author Ross Montgomery. Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant and dyslexic readers aged 8+.

The Building Boy

David Litchfield & Ross Montgomery

Picturebook

The boy loves his grandmother – a retired prize-winning architect – very dearly. He especially loves to snuggle up and look at photographs of her famous projects and listen to her promises to build him an extraordinary house. When his grandmother passes away, the boy is heartbroken. He looks in her garden at the building materials and sets about to build a new, enormous metal grandmother, who joyfully seizes his hand and takes him on an amazing journey to reach a beautiful house, where he finds the perfect space for grandmother at its heart. A gentle story about loss and ways to celebrate the legacy of those who pass away.

Max and The Millions

Ross Montgomery

Chapter book

An action-packed adventure, imaginatively written with echoes of The Borrowers and Gulliver’s Travels. Ten-year-old Max is singled out for being deaf by a despicable Headmaster who is evil enough to rival the Trunchbull. In order to solve a mystery at his boarding school, Max forms a friendship with another boy – overcoming their challenges and dispelling some assumptions about deafness along the way. The gaggle of five-year-old girls brings humour and slapstick to this heart-warming story.

An excellent discussion opener for themes of bullying, friendships, difference and equality: “They were from two different species and they had never spoken the same language, but they were friends. And sometimes that’s all you need to achieve the impossible.”

The Midnight Guardians

Ross Montgomery

Chapter book

The book is set during the Blitz in World War II and follows an evacuated boy, Col, as he races back to London to save his sister from a bombing raid that may take her life. Col is supported by his guardians – his childhood imaginary friends. The historical element – enhanced by snippets of factual newspaper articles and leaflets from the time – is well written and stands side by side with the fantasy element rather than being a theme of the book