Email: info@wildeye.co.uk
Other
books by Piers Warren:
How to Store Your
Garden Produce
Careers in
Wildlife Film-making
Go Wild with Your Camcorder! How
to Make Wildlife Films
101 Uses of Stinging Nettles
The Hatters Go West!
A hilarious new children's adventure novel for 8-12 year olds by Piers Warren - click here for ordering
"This
book was a fantastic read and I recommend it to any younger readers
who just want a subtle, easy but hilariously silly book"
Evening Post (click here for full review)
The
Hatters Go West!
Maddie's mum is missing – in fact she vanished a year ago, gathering
mushrooms in the nearby woods. But when Maddie's little sister disappears
as well, in search of Mum, there's no time to waste: Lupin (or Loopy
for short!) must be found before she gets into trouble. But to make
the situation even worse, the sisters have a dad who – though
quite loveable – is completely round the bend!
Never quite sure what her crazy dad will do next, Maddie and her family
set off on an amazing cross-country journey in their trusty old campervan,
facing one adventure after another on the trail of some peculiar clues.
Accompanied by an ever-growing menagerie of animals, including Mr Nose
the Giant Anteater, Maddie comes across a bizarre cast of characters.
But will she ever find Mum?
Extract from the first chapter:
"He put the spoon down, read the note calmly, and then screamed hysterically, ‘WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?!’ eyes bulging in panic.
‘I suggest we go and look for her,’ replied Maddie.
‘Oh – yes – right,’ said Dad, calming down slightly. Dad’s reaction belied the fact that Lupin disappearing was not uncommon, although to be fair, she had never before stated that she was going to look for Mum. Anyway, they had a routine sorted for occasions such as this, and they flew into action like a well goose-greased machine.
Maddie grabbed a rucksack and stuffed into it a torch, a first aid kit, a map, a bottle of water, a whistle and a packet of biscuits. Dad’s contribution to the efficient preparations was to rub goose-grease from a large tub onto his forehead. He clearly misunderstood the routine, but finally seemed satisfied that he had done his bit.
‘Ready?’ he asked.
‘Ready,’ said Maddie."
Piers Warren is an eccentric adventurer and author. He has walked the African plains with Maasai Warriors, tracked tigers in India on elephant-back, explored the Amazon rainforest, swum with sharks, trekked across Tanzanian deserts on a camel and filmed cheetahs hunting in Kenya. He writes books on a variety of subjects from his greenhouse in Norfolk where he lives with his teenage daughter, a number of carnivorous plants, and a Komodo Dragon called Perry Komo. The Hatters Go West! is his first children's novel. More books are in the pipeline - including further adventures of The Hatters! |
About
the AuthorWhat Readers have said about The Hatters Go West!
Reviewer: Adam Jeffries, Norfolk,
aged 9
"This book has to be one of my favourites.
It is very cleverly plotted out - taking you on a very exciting journey
of mystery and madness. It made me feel like I was joining in on all the
family's adventures. All the characters in the book have delightful personalities
- I loved the old lady Dotty because she had a handbag that seemed to
carry just about everything you could possibly need, especially mint humbugs!
Dad is pretty crazy and makes me laugh out loud - he is always getting
things very muddled and seems very kind. My favourite animal in the book
has to be Prunes the guinea pig. I have two guinea pigs of my own and
it was nice to read a story about one. I hope there will be more books
about The Hatters and I have told all my friends what a great book this
is to read."
Reviewer: Alex Murden, Bristol, aged
13
"This book was fantastic! For readers aged
8–11, this wacky story is funny, exciting, weird, and what’s
more you can’t put it down. I
think that the best part of this book is the characters. The dad is one
of my favourite characters ever in a book. I love the way he always gets
the wrong end of the stick and all of his weird and wonderful remedies:
the way he puts goose-fat on his forehead to help find Lupin who has run
away to look for their mother. This is a very fun read and the animals
are amazing: my personal favourite is Mr Nose the giant anteater, who
is great! I rate this book nine out of ten, a must-read for those who
want a short light book but also want to be entertained."
Dani Maimone, Surrey
"Brilliant! We couldn't put it down.This is
such a great book. Both I and my seven year old daughter Jasmine enjoyed
it enormously. We laughed constantly throughout the story and looked forward
to each new chapter with eager anticipation as the plot unfolded.
Piers writes in such a way that each character leaps off the page and
comes to life. We can't wait to read more zany adventures about the Hatter
tribe. I would thoroughly recommend this book to parents and children."
Ms. T. Cheslaw, Cambridge
"It has been many years since I have read
such an enjoyable book for children. The colourful characters and their
escapades jump off each page as one is swept away by the journey they
decide to undertake. The author has a gift like Mr. Dahl in that one wishes
to inhabit the world that he weaves. I am going to buy more - for my younger
relatives and also for my adult friends. It is quite simply a timeless
book, long may the Hatters live!"
Published by Wildeye
Available as Paperback
96 pages, ISBN 978-0-9541899-8-3