Awards

• Short-listed for The CILIP Carnegie Medal 2015 (UK)

Overview

From award-winning and beloved children's author Elizabeth Laird comes a stunning edition of The Fastest Boy in the World, with a cover illustration by Zeamanuel Abera, an updated author letter and additional content from the author, including discussion notes. This must-read modern classic was shortlisted for the CLPE Carnegie Medal and includes black and white illustrations by Peter Bailey. Eleven-year-old Solomon loves to run; he dreams that one day he will be a gold-medal-winning athlete, in spite of his ragged shorts and bare feet. When his grandfather announces that he's going to take Solomon to Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, Solomon cannot believe his ears. And he is even more excited to hear that the Ethiopian running team will be doing a victory parade through the city that day! But then Solomon's grandfather collapses – and Solomon knows that getting help from his village is up to him. It's a twenty-mile run from the city to home, and his grandfather's life hangs in the balance. Can the small, bare-footed runner with the big heart make the journey? This edition includes brilliant extra material, such as: - An introduction by Elizabeth Laird - Extra content from the author, including reading group questions

Full Product Details

9781035034680

Table of Contents

Reviews

The author has created intensely believable characters and her writing is full of perceptive insights. * School Librarian * Spare, arresting story of love, secrets and hard-won speed. * Metro * As with anything [Elizabeth] sets in Ethiopia, a country clearly dear to her heart, this short novel draws the reader into its setting. She is a superb writer, a masterly storyteller. * Scotsman * A life-affirming story. * The Times * What a delightful gem this book is. Expert touches allow the reader to imagine the Ethiopian setting with ease... Gentle and powerful, this book is a classic tale which younger readers will enjoy and which could be used as an excellent class reader. * Armadillo Magazine * Inspired by Elizabeth's own experiences in Ethiopia comes an uplifting tale of family, friendship, hope and believing the impossible. * Ethiopian News * An endearing, eye-opening story about a brave boy whose dream to succeed will resonate with young readers from every walk of life. * lep.co.uk *

The author has created intensely believable characters and her writing is full of perceptive insights. * School Librarian * Spare, arresting story of love, secrets and hard-won speed. * Metro * As with anything [Elizabeth] sets in Ethiopia, a country clearly dear to her heart, this short novel draws the reader into its setting. She is a superb writer, a masterly storyteller. * Scotsman * A life-affirming story. * The Times * What a delightful gem this book is. Expert touches allow the reader to imagine the Ethiopian setting with ease... Gentle and powerful, this book is a classic tale which younger readers will enjoy and which could be used as an excellent class reader. * Armadillo Magazine * Inspired by Elizabeth's own experiences in Ethiopia comes an uplifting tale of family, friendship, hope and believing the impossible. * Ethiopian News * An endearing, eye-opening story about a brave boy whose dream to succeed will resonate with young readers from every walk of life. * lep.co.uk *

Author Information

Elizabeth Laird is the multi-award-winning author of many much-loved children's books. She has been shortlisted for the prestigious Carnegie Medal for Jake's Tower, Red Sky in the Morning, Secret Friends, A Little Piece of Ground, The Garbage King and The Fastest Boy in the World. She lives in Britain now, but still likes to travel as much as she can. Zeamanuel Abera is an independent art director, designer, and digital content specialist based out of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. As a self-taught designer and a Computer Engineer graduate, his work exists at the intersection of art and technology, guided by a strong belief in creative design as a problem-solving tool, as a way of recognizing and forming relationships between ideas and reality, and as a method for improving the connections between people and the products they use. Peter Bailey was born in India and grew up in London. Since graduating from the Brighton School of Art, his extraordinary career has seen him illustrate books by some of Britain’s best-known authors and poets, including Allan Ahlberg and Alexander McCall Smith. For twenty years he also taught illustration at the Liverpool School of Art and many of his students have gone on to great success.

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