One of our Books of the Year 2015 - Shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Award 2016 - Best Story - October 2015 Book of the Month Lara Williamson writes books that are poignant and heart-warming, books unequivocally and unashamedly about love. Eleven year old Becket Rumsey is struggling to find the answers to some important questions: how to properly say goodbye to his mum, who died when his little brother was born, and why his dad – fish delivery man ‘the Codfather’ - has suddenly left their ‘second mum’ Pearl. It’s no wonder that he’s sad and worried, yet for all that the book is very funny. The humour comes from Becket’s idiosyncratic view of life, and the things he gets up to with little brother Billy, but also from the gap that exists between adults’ and children’s understanding of the world. Becket does find the answers to his questions, and ends the book happier and a bit wiser - readers will too. ~ Andrea Reece
The Boy Who Sailed the Ocean in an Armchair Synopsis
All Becket wants is for his family to be whole again. But standing in his way are two things: 1) his dad, his brother and him seem to have run away from home in the middle of the night and 2) Becket’s mum died before he got the chance to say goodbye to her. Arming himself with an armchair of stories, a snail named Brian and one thousand paper cranes, Becket ploughs on, determined to make his wish come true. With tears and laughter - often both at the same time - Lara Williamson deals with family drama with a poignancy and a lightness of touch that is incredibly moving.
“This book totally blew me away. I love it. It's the best new voice I have read in ages.” - Cathy Cassidy on 'A Boy Called Hope'.
Author
About Lara Williamson
Lara Williamson was born and studied in Northern Ireland. After work experience at Marie Claire and freelancing for various magazines including ELLE and New Woman, Lara eventually settled at J17 where, as Beauty Editor, she wrote and styled shoots. Lara won The Jasmine Awards for Best Article in a Youth Title and more recently received an Honorary Mention in Undiscovered Voices 2012.
A Boy Called Hope, Lara’s first novel, was shorlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2015 and the Independent Booksellers' Week Award 2014.
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