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Simon Cup's Box
It was never even meant to be a box.
It was supposed to be a kitchen roll holder. But when Simon Cup goes to the last woodwork lesson of the term, what he makes amazes not only the woodwork teacher, but the whole school.
It was supposed to be a kitchen roll holder. But when Simon Cup goes to the last woodwork lesson of the term, what he makes amazes not only the woodwork teacher, but the whole school.
142 pages, Paperback
First published June 10, 2012
5 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 6, 2018
Funny and brilliant!
This book wasn't next up in my review list. I know. It wasn't. So here's what happened...
I got a review copy by email. Yay! Love those! I opened it--you know, just to make sure it would open. Then I read a paragraph or two because I'm a compulsive reader, and after all, it was right there in front of me. I can't be blamed for that. It was clearly not my fault.
An hour later, I finished it. I couldn't put it down, which was also not my fault. I blame A.B. Syed. And, obviously, I blame Simon Cup. (It's okay. He's used to it.) The book made me grin like a little kid. In several places it made me laugh out loud. People looked at me oddly, yes, but I laughed out loud anyway. It's that kind of book.
The characters are wonderfully real. The writing is brilliant. If I were a still a child of bedtime story age (and why did that stop anyway, I'm now wondering), my parents would be begging me by next week, "Please, PLEASE, isn't there SOME other book you'd like us to read?"
To which I would reply, in my best Mid Numph voice, "No." And, of course, they would sigh, and look at me with loving, long-suffering patience, and start again from the beginning.
Parents, you have been warned. But buy it anyway. It's the kind of book your kids will talk about at dinner thirty years from now. "Remember that book? Simon Cup's Box? And how I made you read it over and over?"
And you will say, "Yes. Of course I do." And after thirty intervening years, the smile will no longer be long-suffering. It will be fondly nostalgic. You will look at your grown-up child, and for one precious moment they will be eight years old again.
Which is the very best magic of all.
This book wasn't next up in my review list. I know. It wasn't. So here's what happened...
I got a review copy by email. Yay! Love those! I opened it--you know, just to make sure it would open. Then I read a paragraph or two because I'm a compulsive reader, and after all, it was right there in front of me. I can't be blamed for that. It was clearly not my fault.
An hour later, I finished it. I couldn't put it down, which was also not my fault. I blame A.B. Syed. And, obviously, I blame Simon Cup. (It's okay. He's used to it.) The book made me grin like a little kid. In several places it made me laugh out loud. People looked at me oddly, yes, but I laughed out loud anyway. It's that kind of book.
The characters are wonderfully real. The writing is brilliant. If I were a still a child of bedtime story age (and why did that stop anyway, I'm now wondering), my parents would be begging me by next week, "Please, PLEASE, isn't there SOME other book you'd like us to read?"
To which I would reply, in my best Mid Numph voice, "No." And, of course, they would sigh, and look at me with loving, long-suffering patience, and start again from the beginning.
Parents, you have been warned. But buy it anyway. It's the kind of book your kids will talk about at dinner thirty years from now. "Remember that book? Simon Cup's Box? And how I made you read it over and over?"
And you will say, "Yes. Of course I do." And after thirty intervening years, the smile will no longer be long-suffering. It will be fondly nostalgic. You will look at your grown-up child, and for one precious moment they will be eight years old again.
Which is the very best magic of all.
March 22, 2016
Review of Simon Cup’s Box
Written by: A. B. Syed
Narrated by: Mark Topping
Length: 1 hr and 5 mins
Briefly: Simon Cup, accident prone schoolboy and the bane of the woodwork teacher’s career, startles everyone by not only completing a project in class, but in doing it in one hour and producing something of magical beauty: the box.
Simon Cup is a year eight boy in a British school. I’m not sure what age he would be, as I think British schools run on slightly different terminology from what I’m used to, but my best guess is around 12. I’m assuming the high school setting was necessary to support the plot’s need to have the main characters dealing with different teachers for different subjects. Other than that, the story would have fitted perfectly well in a primary school setting. In tune with the mid-grade readership, Simon and his schoolmates are children rather than teenagers in their speech and behaviour.
Simon is one of those accident-prone but well-meaning boys who have problems concentrating and whose very presence can set off a chain reaction of comic disaster. This attribute of Simon’s is played up with relish by both author and narrator so it seems perfectly natural that boys who fall into a puddle of spilled glue should end up having to cut their trousers free of the floor. This slapstick comedy keeps the story bubbling along so the underlying themes, of friendship, solidarity and tolerance, never become overt.
The storyline is original and not too predictable but also manages to riff on a number of familiar fantasy ropes. There are wishes, rules, a grumpy psammead-like creature (the Mid Numph ), a mystery and some sleuthing, a rescue and a come-uppance. There was just one point at which I thought the author had possibly used the wrong item (for want of another word!) because its effectiveness was greater than I would have expected. On the other hand, maybe the British-made versions of these items are different from the ones I’ve used.
Simon Cup’s Box is a wonderfully entertaining mid-grade novel; a mix of fantasy and school story. I listened to the audio-book version and found the story well complemented and enhanced by the narrator, who has just the right matter-of-fact tones to match the style. This style is very British to my ears in that the characters are presented with all their quirks and the authorial voice is not afraid to give the odd comment. Although Simon is the main protagonist, Mr Joyce the woodwork teacher is also right in there with the action and both of them are seen somewhat from the outside. We know their thoughts and conclusions, but we also have observations from the author. This omniscient point of view is increasingly rare in modern children’s books and I found it a refreshing change from the “tight” POV in most stories at this level. The author’s decision to include Mr Joyce and his fellow teachers as characters in their own right (rather than simply as teachers seen through the kids’ eyes) was one of the features I liked best about this book. I also liked the attention to detail as in the description of the teachers’ huddle, and the Mid Numph itself. I was somewhat reminded of one of my favourite author’s way with words. The late, great Diana Wynne Jones might well have imagined a teacher like Mr Joyce.
Written by: A. B. Syed
Narrated by: Mark Topping
Length: 1 hr and 5 mins
Briefly: Simon Cup, accident prone schoolboy and the bane of the woodwork teacher’s career, startles everyone by not only completing a project in class, but in doing it in one hour and producing something of magical beauty: the box.
Simon Cup is a year eight boy in a British school. I’m not sure what age he would be, as I think British schools run on slightly different terminology from what I’m used to, but my best guess is around 12. I’m assuming the high school setting was necessary to support the plot’s need to have the main characters dealing with different teachers for different subjects. Other than that, the story would have fitted perfectly well in a primary school setting. In tune with the mid-grade readership, Simon and his schoolmates are children rather than teenagers in their speech and behaviour.
Simon is one of those accident-prone but well-meaning boys who have problems concentrating and whose very presence can set off a chain reaction of comic disaster. This attribute of Simon’s is played up with relish by both author and narrator so it seems perfectly natural that boys who fall into a puddle of spilled glue should end up having to cut their trousers free of the floor. This slapstick comedy keeps the story bubbling along so the underlying themes, of friendship, solidarity and tolerance, never become overt.
The storyline is original and not too predictable but also manages to riff on a number of familiar fantasy ropes. There are wishes, rules, a grumpy psammead-like creature (the Mid Numph ), a mystery and some sleuthing, a rescue and a come-uppance. There was just one point at which I thought the author had possibly used the wrong item (for want of another word!) because its effectiveness was greater than I would have expected. On the other hand, maybe the British-made versions of these items are different from the ones I’ve used.
Simon Cup’s Box is a wonderfully entertaining mid-grade novel; a mix of fantasy and school story. I listened to the audio-book version and found the story well complemented and enhanced by the narrator, who has just the right matter-of-fact tones to match the style. This style is very British to my ears in that the characters are presented with all their quirks and the authorial voice is not afraid to give the odd comment. Although Simon is the main protagonist, Mr Joyce the woodwork teacher is also right in there with the action and both of them are seen somewhat from the outside. We know their thoughts and conclusions, but we also have observations from the author. This omniscient point of view is increasingly rare in modern children’s books and I found it a refreshing change from the “tight” POV in most stories at this level. The author’s decision to include Mr Joyce and his fellow teachers as characters in their own right (rather than simply as teachers seen through the kids’ eyes) was one of the features I liked best about this book. I also liked the attention to detail as in the description of the teachers’ huddle, and the Mid Numph itself. I was somewhat reminded of one of my favourite author’s way with words. The late, great Diana Wynne Jones might well have imagined a teacher like Mr Joyce.
April 5, 2016
This is a really cute story about a clumsy school misfit who creates something beautiful and magical, much to the surprise of his teacher and classmates. Simon Cup gets teased and harassed a bit for causing accidents at school- many of which are a long sequence of events that are hilarious. When he suddenly does something right- brilliant, even- no one knows what to think.
With humor, mystery, and the importance of a lesson learned, this book wraps up to be a great story for kids. 4 stars
**I received this book free in return for an honest review.
With humor, mystery, and the importance of a lesson learned, this book wraps up to be a great story for kids. 4 stars
**I received this book free in return for an honest review.
April 20, 2019
This is a cute little tale of a clumsy school boy, with a magical twist in the shape of that charming looking fellow on the front cover - a magical creature that grants wishes. But only very specific ones. And only one a day.
Kids will likely love the misadventures of Simon and his classmates, recognising themselves and their friends in the characters. Poor Simon always seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and though the situations he ends up in are completely dramatic, there will certainly be moments of 'oops, I've been there' for younger readers.
The inclusion of teacher characters as major players in the plot was one I was a little dubious about at first, but as an adult, I appreciated some of the more adult humour they enabled the writer to include. And I don't mean that in a 'dirty humour' way, just the sorts of dry jokes that might go over the little ones' heads, but will give adults reading along a bit of a giggle. Particularly when it comes to Mr Joyce and his sarcastic Welsh accent.
The book is delightfully read - a playful performance by Mark Topping. He gets the accents right and portrays the emotions of both the kids and the adults well.
I did find the speed with which the chapters ended a little jarring. It was almost as if there had been some arbitrary decision about word length, and every chapter stuck to it, as some chapters broke in the middle of scenes. I doubt it's something that would bother a younger reader though, and having lots of chapter breaks does provide plenty of 'stopping points' for bed time stories.
Overall, it was a fun tale of surviving school, growing up, finding a place in the world, all with a sprinkle of magic. Without being heavy on the moralising, it explores themes like sacrifice and identity in kid friendly ways, and with plenty of good humour, it's likely to be a book the little ones will revisit again and again.
Kids will likely love the misadventures of Simon and his classmates, recognising themselves and their friends in the characters. Poor Simon always seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and though the situations he ends up in are completely dramatic, there will certainly be moments of 'oops, I've been there' for younger readers.
The inclusion of teacher characters as major players in the plot was one I was a little dubious about at first, but as an adult, I appreciated some of the more adult humour they enabled the writer to include. And I don't mean that in a 'dirty humour' way, just the sorts of dry jokes that might go over the little ones' heads, but will give adults reading along a bit of a giggle. Particularly when it comes to Mr Joyce and his sarcastic Welsh accent.
The book is delightfully read - a playful performance by Mark Topping. He gets the accents right and portrays the emotions of both the kids and the adults well.
I did find the speed with which the chapters ended a little jarring. It was almost as if there had been some arbitrary decision about word length, and every chapter stuck to it, as some chapters broke in the middle of scenes. I doubt it's something that would bother a younger reader though, and having lots of chapter breaks does provide plenty of 'stopping points' for bed time stories.
Overall, it was a fun tale of surviving school, growing up, finding a place in the world, all with a sprinkle of magic. Without being heavy on the moralising, it explores themes like sacrifice and identity in kid friendly ways, and with plenty of good humour, it's likely to be a book the little ones will revisit again and again.
May 30, 2017
This book was entered and was a silver medal winner in the 2016 Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: Simon Cup’s Box
Author: A B Syed
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 32
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Content: 10/10
Cover: 9/10
Of the 32 readers:
32 would read another book by this author.
28 thought the cover was good or excellent.
31 felt the pacing was excellent.
3 (all teachers) felt the language was age-appropriate.
32 thought the author understood what a child enjoys reading.
Readers’ Comments
‘A very enjoyable read for my class of eight year olds.’ Primary teacher, aged 25
‘Excellent pacing with a perfect mix of comedy and plot. Characters were well fleshed out for a book of this length. I would imagine most kids, particularly boys, would enjoy this.’ Editor, aged 49
‘Simon Cup has a wonderful name. He’s a clumsy boy but when his woodworking project turns out – differently, the readers get to enjoy a funny adventure. I would recommend it to any 6 – 8 year olds.’ Primary Teacher, aged 55
‘I like fantasy and magic so this was fun for me to read.’ Girl, aged 9
‘I think this book shows how any child can be clever and surprise everybody.’ Boy, aged 7
‘Talented writer. Keeps it simple which is good. Good mix of characters and a hefty dash of humour. Plenty of hooks to keep any 6 – 8 yr old interested. Well done!’ Editor, aged 43
‘Very funny with a fast-paced plot. A SILVER MEDALIST and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Title: Simon Cup’s Box
Author: A B Syed
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 32
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Content: 10/10
Cover: 9/10
Of the 32 readers:
32 would read another book by this author.
28 thought the cover was good or excellent.
31 felt the pacing was excellent.
3 (all teachers) felt the language was age-appropriate.
32 thought the author understood what a child enjoys reading.
Readers’ Comments
‘A very enjoyable read for my class of eight year olds.’ Primary teacher, aged 25
‘Excellent pacing with a perfect mix of comedy and plot. Characters were well fleshed out for a book of this length. I would imagine most kids, particularly boys, would enjoy this.’ Editor, aged 49
‘Simon Cup has a wonderful name. He’s a clumsy boy but when his woodworking project turns out – differently, the readers get to enjoy a funny adventure. I would recommend it to any 6 – 8 year olds.’ Primary Teacher, aged 55
‘I like fantasy and magic so this was fun for me to read.’ Girl, aged 9
‘I think this book shows how any child can be clever and surprise everybody.’ Boy, aged 7
‘Talented writer. Keeps it simple which is good. Good mix of characters and a hefty dash of humour. Plenty of hooks to keep any 6 – 8 yr old interested. Well done!’ Editor, aged 43
‘Very funny with a fast-paced plot. A SILVER MEDALIST and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
June 5, 2024
The Wishing Shelf Book Awards 2023
Category 7 (Audiobooks)
FEEDBACK
This audiobook was entered in our book awards. This is what our listeners thought:
Title: Simon Cup's Box
Author: A. B. Syed
Narrator: Mark Topping
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Listeners: 8
Stats
Narrator Performance: 10/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Content/Plot: 9/10
Cover: 4/5
Sound Quality / Music / Sound Effects: 4/5
Of the 8 listeners:
8 would listen to another book by this author.
8 would listen to another book narrated by this performer.
7 thought the cover was good or excellent.
8 felt it was easy to follow.
8 would recommend this audiobook to another listener to try.
Of all the listeners, 3 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 2 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
Of all the readers, 3 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
8 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
8 thought the author understood the listeners and what they wanted.
8 thought the narrator understood the listeners and what they wanted.
Listeners’ Comments
“Simon is a sweet character. He’s not nasty in any way but a bit sort of useless. I liked him! This is a funny book. Also, the narrator is excellent as he’s (a) easy to understand and (b) has a lot of energy.” Boy, aged 12
“I think this AUDIOBOOK would be good for 7 – 12 year olds. It’s funny, exciting, and as I was listening to it, I so wanted to know what’d happen next. The narrator did a FAB job of bringing the characters alive.” Girl, aged 14
“This book is very silly and very funny. I LOVED IT! Poor Simon Cup. I felt sort of sorry for him. This would be a good book to put on in a car on a long summer trip.” Boy, aged 11
“My 8 year old enjoyed listening to this book. Admittedly, so did I. Well-written and often very funny. The narrator’s a star too!” Mother of 8 year old boy
To Sum It Up:
‘A fun fantasy/comedy mix, perfect for 7 – 12 year olds on a long car journey. A FINALIST and highly recommended!’
Category 7 (Audiobooks)
FEEDBACK
This audiobook was entered in our book awards. This is what our listeners thought:
Title: Simon Cup's Box
Author: A. B. Syed
Narrator: Mark Topping
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Listeners: 8
Stats
Narrator Performance: 10/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Content/Plot: 9/10
Cover: 4/5
Sound Quality / Music / Sound Effects: 4/5
Of the 8 listeners:
8 would listen to another book by this author.
8 would listen to another book narrated by this performer.
7 thought the cover was good or excellent.
8 felt it was easy to follow.
8 would recommend this audiobook to another listener to try.
Of all the listeners, 3 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 2 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
Of all the readers, 3 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
8 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
8 thought the author understood the listeners and what they wanted.
8 thought the narrator understood the listeners and what they wanted.
Listeners’ Comments
“Simon is a sweet character. He’s not nasty in any way but a bit sort of useless. I liked him! This is a funny book. Also, the narrator is excellent as he’s (a) easy to understand and (b) has a lot of energy.” Boy, aged 12
“I think this AUDIOBOOK would be good for 7 – 12 year olds. It’s funny, exciting, and as I was listening to it, I so wanted to know what’d happen next. The narrator did a FAB job of bringing the characters alive.” Girl, aged 14
“This book is very silly and very funny. I LOVED IT! Poor Simon Cup. I felt sort of sorry for him. This would be a good book to put on in a car on a long summer trip.” Boy, aged 11
“My 8 year old enjoyed listening to this book. Admittedly, so did I. Well-written and often very funny. The narrator’s a star too!” Mother of 8 year old boy
To Sum It Up:
‘A fun fantasy/comedy mix, perfect for 7 – 12 year olds on a long car journey. A FINALIST and highly recommended!’
May 6, 2016
Simon Cup is, to put it bluntly, clumsy. Not the sort of clumsy where you trip a lot and stub your toes and have a variety of colored bruises. He’s the sort of clumsy that causes accidents by bumping into other people and other things that then bump into people and other things that then...well, you get the idea.
Although the action begets action begets action gag in the beginning became a bit repetitive after the third repetition, they were certainly amusing and did get their point across—Simon Cup is clumsy. And yet, as he does his best to turn a pile of wood into something acceptable, he creates something miraculous, and proves as the story goes on that his heart is in the right place, even when his body isn’t.
Simon’s box should have been a kitchen roll holder for a woodworking class. Instead, it’s a hinged box with beautiful carved scenery on the exterior and an expected surprise inside. I don’t want to say too much for fear of spoiling the story, but let’s put it this way… I’ve read plenty of genie stories, but never one about a Mid Numph!
Simon’s adventure has a great mix of magic, humor, and pure-hearted fun, and is a short read—perfect for young kids.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Although the action begets action begets action gag in the beginning became a bit repetitive after the third repetition, they were certainly amusing and did get their point across—Simon Cup is clumsy. And yet, as he does his best to turn a pile of wood into something acceptable, he creates something miraculous, and proves as the story goes on that his heart is in the right place, even when his body isn’t.
Simon’s box should have been a kitchen roll holder for a woodworking class. Instead, it’s a hinged box with beautiful carved scenery on the exterior and an expected surprise inside. I don’t want to say too much for fear of spoiling the story, but let’s put it this way… I’ve read plenty of genie stories, but never one about a Mid Numph!
Simon’s adventure has a great mix of magic, humor, and pure-hearted fun, and is a short read—perfect for young kids.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 13, 2016
This story is about a young boy that can't do anything right. After three fire alarms, and a flood in the school's canteen Simon's life suddenly takes a turn in a different direction. In woodworking class Simon makes something very special which the teachers have a hard time believing that he made it.
Anila Syed has managed to take a simple object like a box and turn it into something special. What; you will have to find out.
Simon's adventure takes a few unexpected turns which I can see children really enjoying. Their's one paragraph this author wrote in which I really liked the way she expressed her story, so I'm going to quote it. "Time had dipped itself in treacle and was running through tar, uphill in skis with a giant bungee cord wrapped around it's middle.
This was a cute story, unpredictable, different, with enough excitement to keep a child entertained.
Sharon laker
Anila Syed has managed to take a simple object like a box and turn it into something special. What; you will have to find out.
Simon's adventure takes a few unexpected turns which I can see children really enjoying. Their's one paragraph this author wrote in which I really liked the way she expressed her story, so I'm going to quote it. "Time had dipped itself in treacle and was running through tar, uphill in skis with a giant bungee cord wrapped around it's middle.
This was a cute story, unpredictable, different, with enough excitement to keep a child entertained.
Sharon laker
June 10, 2016
Simon Cup’s Box is the story of blundering Simon Cup’s wookworking project, in which he sets out to make a kitchen roll holder but ends up with much more than he bargained for.
Written with humour and mischief, Simon Cup’s Box features a relatable character who seems to mess things up constantly. But when a Mid Numph inspires him to actually make a piece of art in his woodworking class, Simon finds himself and his box the center of attention, both welcome and malicious. Part of a series, Simon Cup’s Box feels geared primarily for 8 to 10 year old boys, and has few errors to mar the flow. Overall, this should be a fun story for beginning readers.
I received a free copy for an honest review.
Written with humour and mischief, Simon Cup’s Box features a relatable character who seems to mess things up constantly. But when a Mid Numph inspires him to actually make a piece of art in his woodworking class, Simon finds himself and his box the center of attention, both welcome and malicious. Part of a series, Simon Cup’s Box feels geared primarily for 8 to 10 year old boys, and has few errors to mar the flow. Overall, this should be a fun story for beginning readers.
I received a free copy for an honest review.
June 25, 2016
Nicely formatted, and with a fabulous eye-catching cover, this humorous tale is one with which many children will be able to identify. There's magical fun to be had when Simon's creation goes wonderfully awry with Mid Numph's appearance. Lessons are learned in a lighthearted way. This little book will make a charming addition to the shelves of young readers.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews