Benji Yahoo and His Friends: The Race

By Donal Magnier

When a storm destroys the roof of The Honeybarn, home to a group of mismatched friends and family, young Benji Yahoo decides to take part in the annual community fair road race to try and win the one-hundred-pound prize money. Benji's friends are confident and think he can win it, until his high school rival, the devious Victor Creole, decides to take part too.
With tensions running high between the two groups of friends, who will be victorious on the day?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Aug 28, 2020
• ISBN: 9781528952095

Donal Magnier

Donal Magnier was born and brought up in Cork City, Ireland, where he currently resides. Donal worked as a musician, playing drums with various rock and cabaret bands. He was a keen sportsman, excelling in field sports, such as soccer, hurling and Gaelic football. Nowadays, Donal relaxes playing golf, writing, reading and is a regular visitor to the cinema.

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Nine

About the Author

Donal Magnier was born and brought up in Cork City, Ireland, where he currently resides. Donal worked as a musician, playing drums with various rock and cabaret bands. He is a keen sportsman, excelling in field sports, such as soccer, hurling and Gaelic football. Nowadays, Donal relaxes playing golf, writing, reading and is a regular visitor to the cinema.

Dedication

To Grace, Jane and Jack O’Riordan.

Copyright Information ©

Donal Magnier (2020)

The right of Donal Magnier to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781786935830 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781786935847 (Hardback)

ISBN 9781528952095 (ePub e-book)

www.austinmacauley.com

First Published (2020)

Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd

25 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5LQ

Acknowledgements

Very special thanks to the Editor, Vinh Tran, and his superb production team. To the pleasant staff at Austin Macauley Publishers, and to the illustrations of Maria Hernandez. To Copy Print Services Cork, Pat Murphy, Cathedral Credit Union and the Apple 6s.

Chapter One

It was an outrageous stormy night in Dashbourne, an area of the town of Qualham, on the south coast of England.

In Dashbourne is The Honeybarn, situated on a crop farm, it is the home of Benji Yahoo and his friends.

It was the worst supper time ever in The Honeybarn. All fourteen occupants living there, sat at the long oak wood dining table in the living room of the house, hoping this raging storm would soon pass. The thunder rolled, while the lightning cracked across the dark Qualham sky. The strong sea winds and rain outside were hammering the doors, windows and the walls of The Honeybarn. Inside, a log fire blazed, but no matter how much heat circulated from the log fire, or how firm the doors, windows and the walls held from this beastly storm, their main worry was the persistent leaking roof.

Large drops of water from the heavy rain were coming down everywhere around them. The roof of The Honeybarn had clearly suffered a lot of damage. It was like they had their very own nimbus rain cloud for a ceiling. All around the floor were a colourful variety of buckets. Cooking pots were also used, and on the long oak wood dining table, they had two kettles, four vases and a teapot to try and keep it dry.

This storm is a grave reminder to them of the great storm five years before which destroyed the nearby town of Plimsborough, which evidently, brought these fourteen occupants together.

Sitting at the top of the table was Oswald Berkshire, chief farmer and head of the household. To his left was his wife Marge. It was Marge’s caring nature to take care of her closest friends. Her visit to Plimsborough, her home town, the day after the storm was the most painful day of her life. Marge saw the devastation the seventy miles-per-hour gales had caused. Her old home was gone, her neighbourhood demolished, her old school and the church were left in ruins. It almost broke her heart completely. So, Marge and her husband Oswald offered to help her friends and four orphan boys, the warmth and comfort of their home, The Honeybarn, in Qualham.

Down the table from Marge were Lydia Charbray, flamboyant and snooty to say the least, next were sisters, Gertrude, Molly and Sally Rosecomb, each of them prim and chatty. They lost their own farm in the Plimsborough storm. At the end of the table was Barney Velder, farmhand and maintenance worker. Barney has lived in The Honeybarn for eight years, ever since he was hired by Oswald. Down the table from Oswald’s right was Harold Herwick, he is a very keen gardener and orchard carer, next to him is his wife Betty, Marge’s best friend. Next is Millie, daughter of Harold and Betty. Millie is a sporty, energetic young girl. The Herwicks also lost their home