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Julian Gough is the author of several novels and children's books, some BBC radio plays, and the narrative at the end of the wonderful computer game, Minecraft (TIME magazine's computer game of the year).
His first children's book, Rabbit's Bad Habits, published in 2016, has been widely critically-acclaimed; Neil Gaiman called 'a laugh-out-loud story', and Eoin Colfer called 'an instant modern classic'.
Julian has won the BBC National Short Story Award and has been shortlisted for the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction. He also, in his youth, wrote the words (and sang) on four albums by the cult Galway group, Toasted Heretic, and had a top-ten hit in Ireland with 'Galway and Los Angeles', a song about not kissing Sinead O'Connor. He was born in London, raised in Tipperary, educated in Galway and now lives in Berlin.
Rabbit and Bear: Book 4 | Rabbit is worried: trees in their forest are disappearing and, worse still, the stream has moved – even unflappable Bear declares herself ‘close to being slightly worried’ at that. The cause is the arrival of Castor Canadensis, a beaver, who is delighted with engineering as a means of building ‘New, Bigger and Better things’ in the name of ‘Progress’. It suits some of the animals, but definitely not all. Fortunately, Bear finds a way to get the animals working together, so that Castor’s hard work benefits them all, himself included. As ever, there’s as much insight as humour, and it’s a superb read aloud story. Gough and Field make creating books this good look simple, because they’re both masters at what they do. Treat yourself, and buy all four books.
Rabbit and Bear: Book 3 | Rabbit and Bear, like Claude, are perfect companions for building reading confidence and getting young children hooked into reading. Laugh aloud text and lively illustrations throughout. Gorgeously illustrated and with a classic feel, this is a brilliantly funny story of a rabbit and a bear who discover that things are always better when they're shared with a friend. Ideal for readers moving on from picture books.
Rabbit and Bear: Book 2 | PEACE AND QUIET,' shouts Rabbit. 'THAT'S ALL I WANT.'Owch. He's hurt his own ears again.What with Bear's snoring, and a BANG!BANG!BANG! noise from up in the tree, Rabbit knows that Something Simply Has To Be Done. But high in the branches, perhaps Bear can show Rabbit how to see the world from a different place ... From novelist and playwright Julian Gough, and the winner of the Roald Dahl Funny Prize, Jim Field, this is a tale of friendship, wisdom, and how to be REALLY NOISY.
Rabbit and Bear: Book 1 | There are lots of unusual friendships in children’s books, very few quite like the one described in this story, and virtually none so comic. Rabbit is such a grouch he can hardly pronounce the word ‘fun’, but then maybe that’s not surprising: he spends his days eating, pooing, then eating his poo. Bear on the other hand is the total opposite, she’s generous, content, and always ready to give people the benefit of the doubt. The story of how their friendship develops over the course of one snowy day (and via a narrow escape from a wolf) is funny, uplifting and beautifully told. Word-perfect, picture-perfect, this is a small work of genius.
Rabbit and Bear: Book 4 | Rabbit is worried: trees in their forest are disappearing and, worse still, the stream has moved – even unflappable Bear declares herself ‘close to being slightly worried’ at that. The cause is the arrival of Castor Canadensis, a beaver, who is delighted with engineering as a means of building ‘New, Bigger and Better things’ in the name of ‘Progress’. It suits some of the animals, but definitely not all. Fortunately, Bear finds a way to get the animals working together, so that Castor’s hard work benefits them all, himself included. As ever, there’s as much insight as humour, and it’s a superb read aloud story. Gough and Field make creating books this good look simple, because they’re both masters at what they do. Treat yourself, and buy all four books.
Gorgeously illustrated and with a classic feel, this is a brilliantly funny story of a rabbit and a bear ... on the day that a new creature arrives in their valley, trying to Change Everything. Ideal for readers moving on from picture books. 'A perfect animal double-act.' (The Times, Book of the Week) Rabbit is surprised: some of the trees in the valley seem to be flying south for the winter. His friend Bear is sure that trees can't fly. Then there's a loud CRUNCH! from Very Near By. It sounds like the world's largest rabbit, eating the world's largest carrot. There's a new creature in Rabbit and Bear's valley, and he's trying to Change Everything. From novelist and playwright Julian Gough, and the winner of the Roald Dahl Funny Prize, Jim Field, this is a tale of Mystery! Friendship! Progress! ... and all kinds of getting muddy. 'Rabbit's Bad Habits is a breath of fresh air in children's fiction, a laugh-out-loud story of rabbit and wolf and bear, of avalanches and snowmen. The sort of story that makes you want to send your children to bed early, so you can read it to them.' Neil Gaiman Read all the Rabbit and Bear books: 1. Rabbit's Bad Habits 2. The Pest in the Nest 3. Attack of the Snack 4. A Bite in the Night
'A work of genius' Donal Ryan Nevada; the near future; a family in crisis Biologist and single mother Naomi is worried about the impact her ground-breaking research might have on the world. And of the impact the world might have on her painfully awkward, home-schooled, ever-growing teenage son, Colt. Colt is so brilliant he can code virtual realities our world hasn't even thought of yet; and so socially inept that he struggles to order takeaway pizza. When Colt secretly sends his mother's breakthrough research paper to a biotech conference in New York, and the conference is closed down, Naomi's worst fears come true. Colt's father crashes back into their lives, backed by the secretive security organisation he heads. The US government wants Naomi's research . . . and Colt. Colt will soon have to leave the comfort of his virtual reality world, and face the challenge of discovering who he really is. And Naomi will have to decide how far she will go to protect her child. Would she kill a man? Would she destroy the world? From one of the most original voices in Irish writing, Connect by Julian Gough is a thrillingly smart novel of ideas that explores what connection - both human and otherwise - might be in a digital age. It is a story of mothers and sons, but also about you, your phone, and the future.
';ReadConnectby the absurdly brilliant Julian Gougha mind-expanding techno-thriller with a hotly beating human heart.'Emma Donoghue,New York Timesbestselling author ofRoomIn the Nevada desert, in the near future, a family crisis sets off a chain reaction that threatens to bring the networked world to its knees. It starts in the home of Naomi Chiang, a biologist and single mother struggling to balance her research with looking after her painfully awkward, homeschooled, ever-growing teenage son, Colt. Naomi worries about him constantlyhe's so socially inept that he struggles to order takeout pizzabut then she has a major breakthrough at the lab that could change their lives, and America's future. For his part, Colt seems focused on one thing only: a globe-spanning immersive gameworld in which his phenomenal coding skills set him apart. But after his first real-life romantic encounter goes awry, he realizes mastery of a virtual existence is not enough. When Colt secretly releases his mother's latest findings, Naomi's worst fears come true. Colt's estranged father crashes into their lives again, backed by the secretive security organization he heads. The U.S. government wants Naomi's research . . . and Colt, who must leave the comfort of virtual reality to discover the pleasures, and pains, of a life fully lived. Meanwhile, Naomi has to decide how far she would go to protect her child. Would she kill a man? Would she destroy the world? Connect is a thrillingly smart novel of ideas that explores what connectionboth human and otherwisemight be in a digital age. It is a story of mothers and sons; but it is also about you, your phone, and the future.
Rabbit and Bear: Book 3 | Rabbit and Bear, like Claude, are perfect companions for building reading confidence and getting young children hooked into reading. Laugh aloud text and lively illustrations throughout. Gorgeously illustrated and with a classic feel, this is a brilliantly funny story of a rabbit and a bear who discover that things are always better when they're shared with a friend. Ideal for readers moving on from picture books.
'A tour de force' Joseph O'Connor 'A work of genius' Donal Ryan Nevada; the near future; a family in crisis Biologist and single mother Naomi is worried about the impact her ground-breaking research might have on the world. And of the impact the world might have on her painfully awkward, home-schooled, ever-growing teenage son, Colt. Colt is so brilliant he can code virtual realities our world hasn't even thought of yet; and so socially inept that he struggles to order takeaway pizza. When Colt secretly sends his mother's breakthrough research paper to a biotech conference in New York, and the conference is closed down, Naomi's worst fears come true. Colt's father crashes back into their lives, backed by the secretive security organisation he heads. The US government wants Naomi's research . . . and Colt. Colt will soon have to leave the comfort of his virtual reality world, and face the challenge of discovering who he really is. And Naomi will have to decide how far she will go to protect her child. Would she kill a man? Would she destroy the world? From one of the most original voices in Irish writing, Connect is a thrillingly smart novel of ideas that explores what connection - both human and otherwise - might be in a digital age. It is a story of mothers and sons, but also about you, your phone, and the future.
'A tour de force' Joseph O'Connor 'A work of genius' Donal Ryan Nevada; the near future; a family in crisis Biologist and single mother Naomi is worried about the impact her ground-breaking research might have on the world. And of the impact the world might have on her painfully awkward, home-schooled, ever-growing teenage son, Colt. Colt is so brilliant he can code virtual realities our world hasn't even thought of yet; and so socially inept that he struggles to order takeaway pizza. When Colt secretly sends his mother's breakthrough research paper to a biotech conference in New York, and the conference is closed down, Naomi's worst fears come true. Colt's father crashes back into their lives, backed by the secretive security organisation he heads. The US government wants Naomi's research . . . and Colt. Colt will soon have to leave the comfort of his virtual reality world, and face the challenge of discovering who he really is. And Naomi will have to decide how far she will go to protect her child. Would she kill a man? Would she destroy the world? From one of the most original voices in Irish writing, Connect is a thrillingly smart novel of ideas that explores what connection - both human and otherwise - might be in a digital age. It is a story of mothers and sons, but also about you, your phone, and the future.
Rabbit and Bear: Book 2 | PEACE AND QUIET,' shouts Rabbit. 'THAT'S ALL I WANT.'Owch. He's hurt his own ears again.What with Bear's snoring, and a BANG!BANG!BANG! noise from up in the tree, Rabbit knows that Something Simply Has To Be Done. But high in the branches, perhaps Bear can show Rabbit how to see the world from a different place ... From novelist and playwright Julian Gough, and the winner of the Roald Dahl Funny Prize, Jim Field, this is a tale of friendship, wisdom, and how to be REALLY NOISY.
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