Perfect for fans of David Solomons and madcap tales of unsuspecting super heroes, Andy Jones’ Bob vs the Selfie Zombies boasts super-charged pace and a funny, energetic voice. Add to that Robin Boyden’s comic illustrations and you have a punch-packing package of page-turning entertainment.
Pretty new to big school, Bob plays in a band called The Tentacles of Time that needs to win the school talent contest for two reasons. Firstly, there’s the £50 prize money. Secondly, winning the contest might just save the world. And the reason? It just so happens that Bob can time travel. Don’t ask him why – he just can, OK?
The first time it happens, Bob is propelled to 2043, where he meets his future self and discovers his dog is still doing “toxic guffs”. Then, during one of his journeys, Bob learns the world has been overrun by zombies, but not the usual “brain-munching, tear-you-limb-from limb” type of zombies. Rather, these are selfie zombies — creatures created by an evil genius using a smile-operated camera, for in the future, people have become addicted to “smile-activated selfie hats”. Given that the selfie hat won Bob’s school talent contest, it falls to him to change the course of history by winning it. Yikes!
Perfect for fans of David Solomons, David Baddiel and Greg James & Chris Smith.
IT'S DOWN TO BOB TO SAVE THE WORLD . . . ALL HE NEEDS IS TIME!
Bob and his best friend Malcolm are determined to win the school talent competition with their band The Tentacles of Time. For one thing, there's GBP50 worth of vouchers to be won. For another, the future of the world depends on it. Bob doesn't know why he can time travel. He does know that it always happens at the worst possible moments. Like when he's in the bath. Awkward! But when Bob comes face to face with his future self in the middle of a disastrous alternative reality, he has to do something!
In this terrifying version of the future, an evil genius has created a smile-operated selfie camera that turns people into zombies. The world as Bob knows it has completely collapsed. There's not even anywhere to get a decent pizza! It's up to Bob to fix the present, change the course of time and save the whole world! A hair-raising race into the future and back again . . . and again.
'An instant hit. Bold, clever and funny, with writing that absolutely sizzles. My kids and I are now confirmed fans of Andy Jones, who weaves a smart time-hopping tale around his instantly likeable characters. I'm already looking forward to whatever he does next.' - P.G. Bell, author of The Train to Impossible Places
'You'll cry tears of laughter, tears of sadness and tears at Dad's terrible jokes. But you'll be smiling while you do. Brilliantly bonkers.' - Maz Evans, author of Who Let the Gods Out?
'I have three rules about writing for children: avoid zombies, talent competitions and time travel. Andy Jones has broken all three rules and yet somehow created a rip-roaring time travel comedy adventure. In the future, this book might actually save the world.' - David Solomons, author of My Brother Is a Superhero
'Funnier than a book about zombies has any right to be. Laugh-out-loud time travel adventures don't come along often - I hope Andy's going to continuum.' - Olaf Falafel, author of Trixie Pickle, Art Avenger
Author
About Andy Jones
Andy Jones began his career as an author writing novels for adults. Grown-up stuff about falling in love, falling out of love, falling in love again and having babies. All of which he has experienced in his own life.
More recently, he has been writing books for children. Crazy stuff about genies, monsters, time travel and zombies. None of which he has experienced in his own life.
Andy's books are funny, dramatic and unpredictable. They might even make you think. Andy lives on the outskirts of London (the best part in his opinion) with his wife, daughters and an assortment of other creatures.
Fast-moving and huge fun so bound to appeal to its target readership.
In spite of being several decades older than Andy Jones’ target readership, I found this a hugely enjoyable story to read so have absolutely no doubts about its appeal to young readers, either as a book they read to themselves or one to have read to them as a bedtime story. I’m not going to go into any details about the characters or the various mad-cap adventures they have (the publisher’s synopsis captures the essence of what the story is about and many other reviewers have already précised the story!) so I’ll confine my observations to what impressed me about the author’s storytelling skills.... Read Full Review
