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Operation Eiffel Tower
Lauren, Jack, Ruby and Billy live by the seaside with their mum and dad. But their parents are always arguing, and then their dad moves out. Lauren and Jack decide they have to get them together again. And so begins Operation Eiffel Tower...
`Perfect for Jacqueline Wilson fans'
--The Bookseller
Julia Donaldson's choice for The Guardian's Best Books of 2011.
`Perfect for Jacqueline Wilson fans'
--The Bookseller
Julia Donaldson's choice for The Guardian's Best Books of 2011.
- GenresChildrensMiddle Grade
208 pages, Paperback
First published July 4, 2011
4 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
About the author
Elen Caldecott
62 books58 followersI love to write stories about ordinary children doing extraordinary things.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 10, 2018
Siblings Jack and Lauren want to keep their parents together but they always notice the fights and escalating screaming matches that occur. They help Ruby and Billy their younger siblings to cope when their dad leaves home and even though they saw the signs, it's a shock.
Jack helps out at the golf course and enjoys playing there as it's crazy golf set to areas of the world, including the Eiffel Tower.
After their dad leaves home, they plot getting their parents enough money for a trip to Paris for real thinking of money making ways but as a terrible thing occurs, the parents still can't unite and so the kids bring Paris to home...r
This book holds so many truths and could be a real life situation with a family dealing with impending divorce and unsettling a family home. It will be relatable and perhaps even inspire some kids to try this idea possibly too! The children were depicted perfectly and the parents came across as a struggling couple. It was a serious book but it has times of fun as the children worked together all ages included.
Jack helps out at the golf course and enjoys playing there as it's crazy golf set to areas of the world, including the Eiffel Tower.
After their dad leaves home, they plot getting their parents enough money for a trip to Paris for real thinking of money making ways but as a terrible thing occurs, the parents still can't unite and so the kids bring Paris to home...r
This book holds so many truths and could be a real life situation with a family dealing with impending divorce and unsettling a family home. It will be relatable and perhaps even inspire some kids to try this idea possibly too! The children were depicted perfectly and the parents came across as a struggling couple. It was a serious book but it has times of fun as the children worked together all ages included.
March 28, 2018
This one really affected me as my parents separated in my teens and it brought a lot of it back. Having had children in the 20+yrs since, I had a new perspective on it too. Think the author did a great job blending the ‘everyday‘ with the sadness and tension of a family imploding. Feel a bit emotionally wrung, tbh. Great book.
June 21, 2019
A book that made me smile.
https://www.varshaseshan.com/operatio...
https://www.varshaseshan.com/operatio...
February 11, 2013
The bright colourful cover may hint at fun, but the Dempsey’s lives are anything but. Jack is right at that cusp over becoming a teenager, while still able to get carried away with plans like ‘Operation Eiffel Tower’, which is his master plan for getting his parents back together.
The characterisation of the different children’s viewpoints is a strong points of this book. Lauren the teenager deals with it through rebellious behaviour, but is probably, in the end, the most realistic about the outcome.
Jack as the main character, is the one who we see change the most. At the beginning his reactions are very childlike and heartfelt and you almost cringe at the thought of how determined and convinced he is that his plan will work. Throughout the book Jack always has hopes, although he learns to reflect and make his goals more realistic. Paul, a family friend, who is away in the army, helps Jack through his hilarious e mails.
Ruby reacts to everything around her without thought. She is happy, angry, sad, desperate, but at one point I did wonder if there was a little too much melodrama around this character. And Billy just kind of toddles around and is pretty unaware of what is going on.
Through the Dad, Gavin Dempsey we get a pretty heart-rending adult’s view. At one point he reminisces about the last time he laughed and his reasons for the break-up are all so truthful but difficult for children to understand. I felt we weren’t getting enough of the Mum’s point of view though. I got that she was upset and sad and finding it difficult, but she came across a bit as the villain of the piece (or maybe that’s how I interpreted her).
The ending had me in floods of tears. As Jack and Lauren struggle to pull their adapted plan off, I was crying because it was a happy ending, but not a fairy tale happy ending. It was the ending this book needed. Caldecott has captured the heartbreaking reality of a family going through a divorce with humour and tenderness.
The characterisation of the different children’s viewpoints is a strong points of this book. Lauren the teenager deals with it through rebellious behaviour, but is probably, in the end, the most realistic about the outcome.
Jack as the main character, is the one who we see change the most. At the beginning his reactions are very childlike and heartfelt and you almost cringe at the thought of how determined and convinced he is that his plan will work. Throughout the book Jack always has hopes, although he learns to reflect and make his goals more realistic. Paul, a family friend, who is away in the army, helps Jack through his hilarious e mails.
Ruby reacts to everything around her without thought. She is happy, angry, sad, desperate, but at one point I did wonder if there was a little too much melodrama around this character. And Billy just kind of toddles around and is pretty unaware of what is going on.
Through the Dad, Gavin Dempsey we get a pretty heart-rending adult’s view. At one point he reminisces about the last time he laughed and his reasons for the break-up are all so truthful but difficult for children to understand. I felt we weren’t getting enough of the Mum’s point of view though. I got that she was upset and sad and finding it difficult, but she came across a bit as the villain of the piece (or maybe that’s how I interpreted her).
The ending had me in floods of tears. As Jack and Lauren struggle to pull their adapted plan off, I was crying because it was a happy ending, but not a fairy tale happy ending. It was the ending this book needed. Caldecott has captured the heartbreaking reality of a family going through a divorce with humour and tenderness.
January 18, 2013
For a story about family breakdown, this is beautifully funny, light and enjoyable. Both I and my 9 yr old daughter loved it. I'm not surprised it's one of the three contenders for the Red House Children's Book Award for this age group. It deals with familiar concerns that children have, hitting just the right tone. I'm sure children in similar situations would find reassurance here, while all readers can enjoy getting to know Jack and his siblings Lauren, Ruby and Billy, as they hatch plans to reunite their parents.
Jack is the main character here - the story is told from his perspective, although it's third person - and most of the planning springs from him. His older sister Lauren, as a teenager, is less optimistic about their chances and Ruby and Billy are too young to contribute much in the way of plotting and planning. With four children in the family, we can see a range of responses and reactions to the family's background. Elen Caldecott makes it clear, without a whiff of didacticism, that the parents in this case are not getting things completely right, and that this has a clear effect on the children.
The plot is amusingly 'out there', as the children's plans are suitably childish and unlikely. At the same time, there are some close to tear-jerker moments of poignancy. The combination of these is a key strength of the book: it doesn't make light of a serious situation, but nor does it wallow. I would happily give this to any child in the right age bracket to read: the ensemble cast, the tone of the writing and the cover work together to make it perfectly gender-neutral.
Overall, I definitely recommend this as an enjoyable light read that explores some important issues for children in a delicate and gentle way.
Jack is the main character here - the story is told from his perspective, although it's third person - and most of the planning springs from him. His older sister Lauren, as a teenager, is less optimistic about their chances and Ruby and Billy are too young to contribute much in the way of plotting and planning. With four children in the family, we can see a range of responses and reactions to the family's background. Elen Caldecott makes it clear, without a whiff of didacticism, that the parents in this case are not getting things completely right, and that this has a clear effect on the children.
The plot is amusingly 'out there', as the children's plans are suitably childish and unlikely. At the same time, there are some close to tear-jerker moments of poignancy. The combination of these is a key strength of the book: it doesn't make light of a serious situation, but nor does it wallow. I would happily give this to any child in the right age bracket to read: the ensemble cast, the tone of the writing and the cover work together to make it perfectly gender-neutral.
Overall, I definitely recommend this as an enjoyable light read that explores some important issues for children in a delicate and gentle way.
September 6, 2012
A story about four children who are witness to the breakdown of their parents’ marriage. After months of rowing their Dad moves out of the family home. The children would do anything to get them back together and so hatch a plan based on the teenage daughters magazine; Operation Eiffel Tower. They hope that if they can get them to the most romantic city in the world, just the two of them, that all their problems will disappear.
This is a great story about the camaraderie between the children- inventive plans and the emotions that come with a family breaking up. Lauren turns to shoplifting and Ruby gets hit by a car- the children are the collateral damage in the parents break up- highlighting how much adults decisions impact on children.
Many children can relate to this book- parents arguing through the night, break ups, not understanding the decisions our parents make, even though they may be in their best interest.
It highlights some very important issues; the effects of a divorce on the rest of the family, behavioural changes in the children and shoplifting.
This book would be for the older primary age, there are no pictures in this book and is 200 pages long.
It could be used in the classroom to spark group discussions on the effects divorce, and can inspire children to describe their own ideal romantic destination.
This is a great story about the camaraderie between the children- inventive plans and the emotions that come with a family breaking up. Lauren turns to shoplifting and Ruby gets hit by a car- the children are the collateral damage in the parents break up- highlighting how much adults decisions impact on children.
Many children can relate to this book- parents arguing through the night, break ups, not understanding the decisions our parents make, even though they may be in their best interest.
It highlights some very important issues; the effects of a divorce on the rest of the family, behavioural changes in the children and shoplifting.
This book would be for the older primary age, there are no pictures in this book and is 200 pages long.
It could be used in the classroom to spark group discussions on the effects divorce, and can inspire children to describe their own ideal romantic destination.
October 2, 2014
Lauren, Jack, Ruby, and Billy's mum and dad are always arguing, and they separate. Jack and the others hatch a plan to get their parents back together - raise enough money for them to go to Paris so they will fall in love again in 'the most romantic city in the world'. The author does a nice job of handling a tough and painful subject realistically, and with warmth and humour.I listened to this on audio and thought that the narrator did a good job of doing the different voices, making each kid sound age-appropriate, she was especially good at doing Ruby's typical little-kid whine when she wanted something or was upset, and giving the adults various accents for their cultural background - I liked her 'Auntie Joyce' (from Jamaica) voice too.
July 20, 2013
Another author to recommend to Jacqueline Wilson fans.
July 29, 2013
AWESOME!
March 15, 2014
A classic young holiday mission story. What a fantastic way to get your parents back together. The book is a funny and hopeful story. A truly must read.
June 22, 2014
An enjoyable read. A good way of looking at a family split, the way the kids look at it all is perfect. Very quick and easy to read.
August 8, 2016
A poor imitation of Jacqueline Wilson
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January 6, 2013I am at apart were it makes me always want to read more!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews