Balaclava Boy

By Jenny Robson

Why is the new boy at school wearing a balaclava? The other kids are intrigued and come up with all sorts of theories, but every single one is wrong. As their curiosity grows, Tommy’s new friends think of a plan to reveal his secret, but you’ll never guess what it is. Absolutely intriguing with an unguessable twist, this middle grade story from an award-winning author will keep kids of 8+ reading to the very end. A short, funny novel with a page-turning story that has appeal to reluctant readers. Comes with line drawings throughout. Shortlisted for the German International Children’s Book Prize.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Little Island Books
• Release date: Jul 3, 2014
• ISBN: 9781910411117

Jenny Robson

Jenny Robson was born in Cape Town. After studying Primary School Teaching in Mowbray and obtaining a degree in Philosophy through the University of South Africa, she worked as a teacher in Simonstown before going to Botswana, where she worked as a music teacher in Orapa for many years. She currently teaches at an International School in the town of Maun, on the banks of the Okavango. She did not start writing until the age of 38. To date she has published more than thirty books for children and young adults*, as well as a novel for adults and numerous short stories. Her texts depict South African teenagers with their dreams, their fears, their hopes and their problems, which resemble those experienced by young people outside the African continent. For this reason her books have been published in the Netherlands, South Korea, Ireland and Germany, where she was nominated for the prestigious Jugendliterturpreis in 2013.

Book preview

1

Monday Comprehension

This sucks! said Dumisani, my best friend in the world.

This sucks big time!

Yeah, I whispered back. Stupid boring Comprehension!

There we sat in the front desk in Grade Four SV, not feeling happy. First we had to read this story about some stupid boring boy called Markos. This Markos person was on his way to market. To buy fish or something for his mother. Then there were the Comprehension questions at the end. They were also stupid and boring. Why was Markos walking to market? What did he have in his pocket? Why was he worried?

Hey, Doogal, Dumisani whispered to me. I know why this Markos guy is walking.

Why?

Hey, because his Lamborghini’s got a flat tyre!

I laughed. Dumisani is the funniest guy in the world. It’s great sitting next to him! Then I thought of something too. Hey, Dumz. Do you know what’s in his pocket?

What?

His pet baby elephant. Called Spaghetti Nose.

Now Dumisani laughed. Spaghetti Nose! Good one, Doogz. Okay, so why is he worried?

I started to answer. Because …

But then our teacher, Miss Venter, got on our case. Doogal! Dumisani! Shush! Miss Venter is always telling us to shush. That’s why we have to sit in the front desk. Because we’re too talkative. But it’s hard to be quiet when you sit next to someone like Dumisani!

Now Cherise stuck her nose in. Yes, shush, you two! How can I concentrate?

Cherise sat all by herself in her double desk, right behind us. No one wants to sit next to her. She’s very clever and very bossy.

So of course Dumisani and I had to turn round and pull our worst faces at her. But that got Miss Venter, aka the Dragon Lady, on our case again.

Doogal! Dumisani! Face the front! Dear! Dear! Dear! Miss Venter is always saying Dear! Dear! Dear! Each time she says it, she pats her chest. Then big clouds of white talcum powder rise up from the top of her blouse.

His pet baby elephant. Called Spaghetti Nose.

Just then the door opened. In came our headmaster, Mr Rasool, with some new pupil behind him. All of us forgot to stand up. Well, except for Cherise. Mostly, we were in too much shock to be polite. We couldn’t believe what we were seeing!

This is Tommy MacAdam, children, said Mr Rasool, aka Mr Mosi. Remember, at Colliery Primary we do our best to make new pupils feel welcome. So be kind and thoughtful.

And we all forgot to say Yes, Sir. Even Cherise. We were too busy staring at this new guy, Tommy. He was wearing an ordinary green Colliery Primary tracksuit. He had ordinary brown eyes. But that was all that was ordinary about him. The rest of his face – his nose, his mouth, his cheeks, even his hair – was hidden under a balaclava! A redand-orange striped balaclava! How about that?!

The poor new boy had