In "Jimmy Finnigan's Wild Wood Band" life is perfectly ordinary and fine. Jimmy lives in one of those villages where the grass is always cropped to exactly the right size, the school is full of well behaved pupils who love the place so much they even come in on Saturdays (a thought that had Charlotte ROARING in absolute outrage!)
Jimmy, however, gets fed up one day with nothing much to do, and goes exploring in the loft.
There he finds his parents vinyl collection (and a lovely bonus nod to the late great David Bowie amongst others). Jimmy's dad patiently shows him how to play those funny old disks - and Jimmy's life completely changes.
From then on, it's a life devoted to learning the guitar, thrashing out power chords and making a heck of a racket.
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| Good lord, what IS that noise! |
Has Jimmy finally found his Wild Wood Band? What will the prim and proper villagers all think, let alone Mum and Dad!
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| The beginning of a beautiful musical friendship for Jimmy and his animal bandmates |
We utterly loved this one, it's about time we had a children's book celebrating some thumpin' rock and roll and Tom has worked in some lovely little references to the great performers here and there. Above all though, it's a story that might just win kids away from learning the recorder, and make then want to pick up an electric guitar or sit behind a drum kit instead. YAY!
Charlotte's best bit: The funny policeman who keeps knitting little sweaters for all the animals in the village (including a rather fetching one for Jimmy's new bandmate Bear)
Daddy's favourite bit: For those of us who've picked up a guitar and rocked out, or those yet to discover the delights of fantastic music, this is a belting little story full of brilliant moments.
(Kindly sent for review)
"Jimmy Finnigan's Wild Wood Band" by Tom Knight is out now, published by Templar Publishing.