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Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers
Multi-award-winning author David Almond brings us a joyfully life-affirming and fabulously fishy tale about one boy’s journey from anguish to joy.
Stanley Potts is just an ordinary boy, but when all the jobs in Fish Quay disappear his Uncle Ernie develops an extraordinary fascination with canning fish. Suddenly their home is filled with the sound of clanging machinery and the stench of mackerel, and Uncle Ernie’s obsession reaches such heights that he would even can Stan’s beloved goldfish! Stan, however, has his own destiny, which leads him – via a hook-a-duck stall – to Pancho Pirelli, the blue-caped madman who swims with piranhas. And as Stan delves into the waters, he finally discovers who he really can be.
‘Atmospheric, poetic, beautiful.’ Irish Times
‘There’s no mistaking the hallmark Almond tenderness and the willingness to work with the common things in life, which animate the book from start to finish.’ Guardian
‘Out of the ordinary comes the extraordinary, and visuals and text merge together to tell a truly magnificent fishy tale.’ INIS Magazine
‘A life-affirming voyage of self discovery – with a fabulously fishy twist – from master storyteller David Almond.’ The Bookseller
