A Carnegie-winning classic is back in the book shops
For anyone who was ever a regular standing outside the head’s office, Gene Kemp’s story about a troublesome pair at Cricklepit Combined School will strike a nostalgic chord. Tyke Tiler and hapless Danny Price are the best of mates, but trouble follows them around like a shadow. Whether it’s nicking money, exploring derelict buildings, or finding a smelly ‘skellinton’, these two are the bane of their teacher’s lives and constantly up to no good. while they certainly aren’t angels, there’s nothing Tyke and Danny wouldn’t do for each other.
Gene Kemp’s story won the prestigious Carnegie Medal back in the 70s, totally reinventing the school story with its infamous antiheroes. There’s fun and affection in Tyke and Danny’s friendship, a true sense of camaraderie that rarely exists outside our school years. Yet while the story is firmly rooted in its decade, the pair’s escapades are just as fresh and funny as they’ve always been. Oh yes, and there’s still that gobsmacking moment at the end that I bet neither you nor your kids will see coming. Faber, 8+
