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Storey Street #1
Demolition Dad
CBBC Book of the Month, June 2017
P erfect for fans of David Walliams, Roald Dahl and Liz Pichon, this is a hilarious and warm-hearted story about family, friends and wrestling by multi-award-shortlisted author Phil Earle, illustrated by award-winning artist, Sara Ogilvie.
This is the story of Jake Biggs and his dad, George. George spends all week knocking down buildings ... and all weekend knocking down wrestlers! He's the Demolition Man, and Jake couldn't be prouder. But when Jake hears about a pro-wrestling competition in the USA, and persuades his beloved dad to apply, things don't quite turn out the way he expected ...
Phil Earle's first novel for younger readers of 9-11, DEMOLITION DAD is DANNY THE CHAMPION OF THE WORLD in Spandex, a book bursting with humour and heart. Perfect for Father's Day this June!
P erfect for fans of David Walliams, Roald Dahl and Liz Pichon, this is a hilarious and warm-hearted story about family, friends and wrestling by multi-award-shortlisted author Phil Earle, illustrated by award-winning artist, Sara Ogilvie.
This is the story of Jake Biggs and his dad, George. George spends all week knocking down buildings ... and all weekend knocking down wrestlers! He's the Demolition Man, and Jake couldn't be prouder. But when Jake hears about a pro-wrestling competition in the USA, and persuades his beloved dad to apply, things don't quite turn out the way he expected ...
Phil Earle's first novel for younger readers of 9-11, DEMOLITION DAD is DANNY THE CHAMPION OF THE WORLD in Spandex, a book bursting with humour and heart. Perfect for Father's Day this June!
192 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 7, 2015
11 people are currently reading
82 people want to read
About the author
Phil Earle
48 books105 followersPhil was born in Hull in 1974, and he studied English and Drama at Hull University. He worked for a year as a carer in a children’s home, then after training as a drama therapist, he worked in a therapeutic community in London, which cared for multiply abused adolescents. Then, changing tack completely, he chose a marginally more sedate life as a children’s bookseller. It was here that he developed an obsession for kid’s literature, in particular, young adult fiction.
After three years at Ottakar’s, he became a sales rep, and then a key account manager for Transworld/Random House, and is now sales director at Simon and Schuster Children’s Books.
Phil lives in South East London with his wife and three young children.
After three years at Ottakar’s, he became a sales rep, and then a key account manager for Transworld/Random House, and is now sales director at Simon and Schuster Children’s Books.
Phil lives in South East London with his wife and three young children.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
March 10, 2018
Moj tata je najjači/najveći/najbolji - izaberite sami. Sve je to poanta ove priče. Budući da je u pozadini hrvanje, možda će se više sviđati dečkima ali i djevojčicama bi moglo biti zabavno. A bilo je i meni :)
April 1, 2017
I love Phil Earle. Without a doubt he is one of the nicest guys in publishing and he knows his stuff when it comes to awesome books. No doubt this has translated to him writing awesome books of his own. Without exception I have adored all of his books and I was very excited about the prospect of reading this long before I was lucky enough to get a copy in my grubby little hands.
Demolition dad is utterly charming and has real heart to the story, something I have long since come to expect from a Phil Earle book. I adored the story of Jake and his Dad for a variety of reasons.
Firstly the relationship between Jake and his Dad is utterly adorable. I loved seeing the bond between them and seeing that positive father and son relationship. It is clear that Jake's hero is his dad and this is a driving force of the story. The last book I read with such a strong father son bond was Danny the Champion of the World and I can see exactly why Demolition Dad has been compared to it.
The story itself is laugh out loud funny. There were so many times when I laughed out loud whilst reading this book and I loved that it did that for me.
I also loved that underneath all the laughs and funny bits that the story had real depth to it which was thoughtful and poignant. I won't go into too much detail about what happens but it really did make me think and feel for the main characters and the situations they found themselves facing.
A really charming tale about the bond between a boy and his father. I can't recommend it highly enough and cannot wait to get a finished copy with the illustrations in all their glory.
Demolition dad is utterly charming and has real heart to the story, something I have long since come to expect from a Phil Earle book. I adored the story of Jake and his Dad for a variety of reasons.
Firstly the relationship between Jake and his Dad is utterly adorable. I loved seeing the bond between them and seeing that positive father and son relationship. It is clear that Jake's hero is his dad and this is a driving force of the story. The last book I read with such a strong father son bond was Danny the Champion of the World and I can see exactly why Demolition Dad has been compared to it.
The story itself is laugh out loud funny. There were so many times when I laughed out loud whilst reading this book and I loved that it did that for me.
I also loved that underneath all the laughs and funny bits that the story had real depth to it which was thoughtful and poignant. I won't go into too much detail about what happens but it really did make me think and feel for the main characters and the situations they found themselves facing.
A really charming tale about the bond between a boy and his father. I can't recommend it highly enough and cannot wait to get a finished copy with the illustrations in all their glory.
June 15, 2015
Such fun. Glad I read this just before Fathers' Day as it would be a great read for a dad and his son.
I love Phil Earle, read a few others for older readers and this is an excellent read for a slightly younger (pre-teen) market. It's a portrait of a very loving father-son relationship and the lengths we go to for the ones we love. It's also hilarious with wonderful illustrations (it's not only Quentin Blake and Tony Ross who can put so much humour and warmth into their characters) and I love the narrator's way of talking to the reader, very naturally but with humour.
Jake admires his dad, he thinks he's the best. Not only is his day job cool - he demolishes buildings - but at the weekends, he's a secret wrestler, beating all local challengers with his son and greatest fan for a coach. Jake thinks he's got a good chance of winning a competition to face the best wrestler in America, so he and his friends film him secretly and enter him in the contest. But even if he wins, will this small fish cope in a bigger pond? Will fame and success be easy to reach? Will George Biggs, the Demolition Man still have his son's respect and love?
The story doesn't quite go where you expect at first, but I loved it for that. Earle doesn't go for the stereotypes either - ex-airline hostess Mum is clearly dying of boredom at home, Dad a frustrated builder eating himself into misery, Jake blind to their adult needs but very sweetly trying to fix his family. His friends are underused (though they get a little more attention at the end) and are a good pair actually, with techie abilities that complement Jake and don't grate.
And as well as a great ending (I'm not saying exactly what happens though!), I loved the portrait of family life after the events of the book, and how the adults' lives are also taken into account, not just the children's.
You can see that Phil Earle has written for older children before, in scenes depicting adults not coping well with where their lives have gone. He doesn't go for lowest-common-denominator tricks of toilet humour (though I like that well enough in its place), but makes you feel for the Biggs family as a viewer.
The narrator talks to you just enough to not feel like it's a trick, and does it well:
"And so, the big day arrived, which was just as well, because:
a) I love this bit of the story, it gets properly juicy
b) My laptop's about to run out of battery so I need to type quickly..."
Boys will love this, and I hope girls too, but it IS a story that contains a fair few scenes of wrestling. It's about a son and his father. And knocking buildings down. I hope it's for anyone around 7-10 who likes funny, family stories, and would be a lovely read to share with this age group at bedtime or for teachers at the end of a school day.
I love Phil Earle, read a few others for older readers and this is an excellent read for a slightly younger (pre-teen) market. It's a portrait of a very loving father-son relationship and the lengths we go to for the ones we love. It's also hilarious with wonderful illustrations (it's not only Quentin Blake and Tony Ross who can put so much humour and warmth into their characters) and I love the narrator's way of talking to the reader, very naturally but with humour.
Jake admires his dad, he thinks he's the best. Not only is his day job cool - he demolishes buildings - but at the weekends, he's a secret wrestler, beating all local challengers with his son and greatest fan for a coach. Jake thinks he's got a good chance of winning a competition to face the best wrestler in America, so he and his friends film him secretly and enter him in the contest. But even if he wins, will this small fish cope in a bigger pond? Will fame and success be easy to reach? Will George Biggs, the Demolition Man still have his son's respect and love?
The story doesn't quite go where you expect at first, but I loved it for that. Earle doesn't go for the stereotypes either - ex-airline hostess Mum is clearly dying of boredom at home, Dad a frustrated builder eating himself into misery, Jake blind to their adult needs but very sweetly trying to fix his family. His friends are underused (though they get a little more attention at the end) and are a good pair actually, with techie abilities that complement Jake and don't grate.
And as well as a great ending (I'm not saying exactly what happens though!), I loved the portrait of family life after the events of the book, and how the adults' lives are also taken into account, not just the children's.
You can see that Phil Earle has written for older children before, in scenes depicting adults not coping well with where their lives have gone. He doesn't go for lowest-common-denominator tricks of toilet humour (though I like that well enough in its place), but makes you feel for the Biggs family as a viewer.
The narrator talks to you just enough to not feel like it's a trick, and does it well:
"And so, the big day arrived, which was just as well, because:
a) I love this bit of the story, it gets properly juicy
b) My laptop's about to run out of battery so I need to type quickly..."
Boys will love this, and I hope girls too, but it IS a story that contains a fair few scenes of wrestling. It's about a son and his father. And knocking buildings down. I hope it's for anyone around 7-10 who likes funny, family stories, and would be a lovely read to share with this age group at bedtime or for teachers at the end of a school day.
Read
January 9, 2016Although it took me a little while to get into Phil Earle's writing style (a cross between Mr. Gum, Tom Gates and Frank Cottrell Boyce) I thoroughly enjoyed Demolition Dad and know that kids will too. Remembering who the audience of the story is, Earle's book is funny in the traditional sense. There are plenty of wonderfully terrible jokes which children will enjoy and yet there is also a real sense of pathos too. It has heart and wit, doesn't take itself too seriously and yet, beneath the surface, it probably does.
May 2, 2015
Jake adores his dad, and likewise. For his day job, dad works in the building trade, demolishing buildings but at the weekends he is wrestling sensation DEMOLITION MAN….only nobody knows.
When Jake enters dad into an international competition to showcase his talents and launch him to stardom everything goes wrong.
This is a funny and heart-warming story with a beautiful bond between father and son.
When Jake enters dad into an international competition to showcase his talents and launch him to stardom everything goes wrong.
This is a funny and heart-warming story with a beautiful bond between father and son.
February 18, 2015
Warm, funny and heartfelt, this is an offbeat, modern 'Danny, the Champion of the World', set in the world of wrestling! I love Phil's middle-grade voice and I loved Jake's story - an absolute treat!
April 13, 2015
A lovely, heartwarming story of family and friendship. Great narration and a great ensemble cast. Looking forward to reading more about the residents of Storey Street.
February 14, 2018
Just the kind of story I love most: one that makes me laugh before crying.
It’s enjoyable from start to finish, alternatingly funny and touching.
Kinda weird because the author writes like Roald Dahl (just funnier and without poetry) and the illustrator draws like Quentin Blake (just crisper). I don’t mean to say they’re copycats; I’m saying they’re both that good. I hope Phil Earle and Sara Ogilvie would be the next literary artists our children and grandchildren would know as classics.
The family lessons of the story would easily be appreciated by kids. But as an adult reading, you’d applaud how Phil Earle presents the reality of how greedy capitalists manipulate striving artists, promising us the fulfillment of our dreams, only to treat us as profitable machines, rather than valuable humans.
Excited to read the rest of the series!
It’s enjoyable from start to finish, alternatingly funny and touching.
Kinda weird because the author writes like Roald Dahl (just funnier and without poetry) and the illustrator draws like Quentin Blake (just crisper). I don’t mean to say they’re copycats; I’m saying they’re both that good. I hope Phil Earle and Sara Ogilvie would be the next literary artists our children and grandchildren would know as classics.
The family lessons of the story would easily be appreciated by kids. But as an adult reading, you’d applaud how Phil Earle presents the reality of how greedy capitalists manipulate striving artists, promising us the fulfillment of our dreams, only to treat us as profitable machines, rather than valuable humans.
Excited to read the rest of the series!
December 16, 2021
There are not enough wrestling books out there. Not the fictional ones. I know there are graphic novels based on the WWE, but we need more books like this one, Demolition Dad. After all we Brits love a bit of panto and soap opera drama. And this book has it. I may be a little biased here but British Pro Wrestling is better than American Pro Wrestling. This book took me back to my childhood days of the likes of Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks. This is told through the eyes of a child who believes he’s dad is a superhero. I miss watching wrestling like that. Those were the days when I didn’t understand wrestling politics. This little gem is a must for any wrestling fan.
October 2, 2017
What happens when your dad is your hero - but others don't quite see it in the same way? Jake and his dad share a secret - dad is a wrestler - heavily built- and definitely not in the big league....... until Jake enters him into a competition. Unfortunately things unravell and da becomes totally withdrawn and will not leave his bed to go to work. Jake then embarks on a mission to save his dad from himself.....
a good read
a good read
November 13, 2018
We used this novel a few years ago with the then PH cohort. We wanted something more current. It is a good read, keeps the pace going. A story about a boy whose dad becomes a wrestler. It is funny and touching.
May 8, 2017
Entertaining writing style. Good for kids who like wrestling.
January 26, 2018
This was the first wrestling novel that was not WWE related and I loved it a must read for any wrestling fan
August 15, 2020
Very long, not 600 pages long, but 300 and something pages long it was a little dull but its 3 stars for me
July 5, 2015
This review first appeared on The Book Zone (For Boys)
If you were a child (especially one of the male variety) in the 1970s or early 1980s then I can pretty much guarantee that you spent a number of wet Saturday afternoons sat in front of the television watching wrestling on ITV's World of Sport. In these times where the US version of the 'sport' has become a multi-billion dollar industry with fans in every corner of the globe, it is hard to believe that the wrestling heroes of we Brits came from towns such as Halifax, Prestwich and Stoke-on-Trent. And yet, Big Daddy, Giant Haystacks, Kendo Nagasaki et al were all household names in those days, before the WWF came laong and took the world by storm.
Phil Earle was obviously one of those World of Sport loving kids, if his debut book for younger readers is anything to go by. Set in the modern day, it is both an homage to those spandex leotard-wearing legends of UK wrestling and a tongue-in-cheek poke at the shallowness of the big money US version of the sport. I pre-ordered Demolition Dad months ago, as soon as I heard about it, in the hope that it would be another example of the cracking middle grade British comedy stories that I love so much, in a similar vein to Walliams and Dahl, and I certainly wasn't to be disappointed. It is laugh-out-loud funny and chock full of wonderfully engaging and endearing characters, elements that should make this a guaranteed hit with young readers (aged 8+).
On top of this it is also a fantastic father-and-son read, mainly due to the fabulous relationship between main character Jake, and his dad, the Demolition Man. Jake idolises his father - it is a relationship that is very reminiscent of Danny the Champion of the World, and it is great to read a book where the parents are caring and spend quality time with their children, instead of being the child-neglecting, self-centred villains of the piece. Jake has his father on a pedestal, and manages to persuade him to take up wrestling, as long as nobody outside of the family finds out. However, Jake is such a fan of his father's performances in the ring that he wants more for him - he wants millions of others to see him the way he does. Of course, this is the first ingredient in the recipe for the disaster that ensues.
And yet there is even more to this than just being a touching father and son comedy story. I don't think it is spoiling things to say that things don't quite work out for Jake's dad when he gets his chance to fight for the big money US World of Wrestling. On his return to his small hometown of Seacross, he struggles to deal with the overwhelming sense of failure he feels, and sinks into a deep depression. Phil Earle deals with this aspect of the story with great sensitivity, and it is this that raises this book from being a great read to being a Powerslam-DaddySplash-Piledriver of a read.
It would be criminal of me not to mention Sara Ogilvie's brilliant cover and interior illustrations before I sign off. They are the perfect accompaniment to Phil Earle's comedic writing voice: they add, in turn, to the humour, action and poignancy of the story as it progresses, and despite the brilliance of Earle's writing, it would be a far lesser book without them.
If you were a child (especially one of the male variety) in the 1970s or early 1980s then I can pretty much guarantee that you spent a number of wet Saturday afternoons sat in front of the television watching wrestling on ITV's World of Sport. In these times where the US version of the 'sport' has become a multi-billion dollar industry with fans in every corner of the globe, it is hard to believe that the wrestling heroes of we Brits came from towns such as Halifax, Prestwich and Stoke-on-Trent. And yet, Big Daddy, Giant Haystacks, Kendo Nagasaki et al were all household names in those days, before the WWF came laong and took the world by storm.
Phil Earle was obviously one of those World of Sport loving kids, if his debut book for younger readers is anything to go by. Set in the modern day, it is both an homage to those spandex leotard-wearing legends of UK wrestling and a tongue-in-cheek poke at the shallowness of the big money US version of the sport. I pre-ordered Demolition Dad months ago, as soon as I heard about it, in the hope that it would be another example of the cracking middle grade British comedy stories that I love so much, in a similar vein to Walliams and Dahl, and I certainly wasn't to be disappointed. It is laugh-out-loud funny and chock full of wonderfully engaging and endearing characters, elements that should make this a guaranteed hit with young readers (aged 8+).
On top of this it is also a fantastic father-and-son read, mainly due to the fabulous relationship between main character Jake, and his dad, the Demolition Man. Jake idolises his father - it is a relationship that is very reminiscent of Danny the Champion of the World, and it is great to read a book where the parents are caring and spend quality time with their children, instead of being the child-neglecting, self-centred villains of the piece. Jake has his father on a pedestal, and manages to persuade him to take up wrestling, as long as nobody outside of the family finds out. However, Jake is such a fan of his father's performances in the ring that he wants more for him - he wants millions of others to see him the way he does. Of course, this is the first ingredient in the recipe for the disaster that ensues.
And yet there is even more to this than just being a touching father and son comedy story. I don't think it is spoiling things to say that things don't quite work out for Jake's dad when he gets his chance to fight for the big money US World of Wrestling. On his return to his small hometown of Seacross, he struggles to deal with the overwhelming sense of failure he feels, and sinks into a deep depression. Phil Earle deals with this aspect of the story with great sensitivity, and it is this that raises this book from being a great read to being a Powerslam-DaddySplash-Piledriver of a read.
It would be criminal of me not to mention Sara Ogilvie's brilliant cover and interior illustrations before I sign off. They are the perfect accompaniment to Phil Earle's comedic writing voice: they add, in turn, to the humour, action and poignancy of the story as it progresses, and despite the brilliance of Earle's writing, it would be a far lesser book without them.
June 13, 2021
This was one of those books that has two of the things I love: comedy, and family relationships. Maybe if this book was about something other than wrestling, I would have given it a five star. But I don't like wrestling (and I don't approve of its many injuries), so, this book gets a three star rating.
Demolition Dad is an amazing book. Jake and his father, George Biggs, took center stage in this heart-warming story full of plot twists and turns. George's daily job was demolishing buildings. He would sit in the cockpit of a crane, its rope attached to a huge wrecking ball, and with a few flicks of his wrists, a building would collapse into rubble.
That, was his job for the weekdays. On weekends, however, this man has a secret. On weekends, George Biggs would ditch his yellow safety vest, and don a stretchy leotard instead, turning from a demolisher, to a wrestler.
A colossal beast.
Complete with the stage name, Demolishion Man.
Jake would always come on weekends to see his dad wrestle his competitor to the ground. He beated every single one of his opponents. And Jake loved it! He wished he could brag to his friends at school that his dad was an amazing wrestler, someone you wouldn't want to mess with. But he had promised his parents that he would keep wrestling their family's secret. So he did keep it a secret.
But as weekends passed, and opponents come and go, Jake grew tired of his dad wrestling the same idiots over and over again. So when he saw an ad on TV, that World Of Wrestling, or WOW, was holding a competition to find the next big wrestler, Jake didn't need to think twice. He entered the Demolition Man to the competition. And he won! Everything starts to change, for the better. But after a few weird phone calls, and a mighty opponent beating his dad up on the big screen, things go downhill really quickly.
This book was okay, I guess. But it's not the best book of all time. Its probably for 8-12 year olds? I would maybe reccommend it to a few people, but if you're searching for funny, I reccommend you find some Roald Dahl, David Walliams, Tom Gates, or my favourite comedy book; Jacky Haha. I'll be reviewing Jacky Haha when I have time, so stay tuned for that!
Demolition Dad is an amazing book. Jake and his father, George Biggs, took center stage in this heart-warming story full of plot twists and turns. George's daily job was demolishing buildings. He would sit in the cockpit of a crane, its rope attached to a huge wrecking ball, and with a few flicks of his wrists, a building would collapse into rubble.
That, was his job for the weekdays. On weekends, however, this man has a secret. On weekends, George Biggs would ditch his yellow safety vest, and don a stretchy leotard instead, turning from a demolisher, to a wrestler.
A colossal beast.
Complete with the stage name, Demolishion Man.
Jake would always come on weekends to see his dad wrestle his competitor to the ground. He beated every single one of his opponents. And Jake loved it! He wished he could brag to his friends at school that his dad was an amazing wrestler, someone you wouldn't want to mess with. But he had promised his parents that he would keep wrestling their family's secret. So he did keep it a secret.
But as weekends passed, and opponents come and go, Jake grew tired of his dad wrestling the same idiots over and over again. So when he saw an ad on TV, that World Of Wrestling, or WOW, was holding a competition to find the next big wrestler, Jake didn't need to think twice. He entered the Demolition Man to the competition. And he won! Everything starts to change, for the better. But after a few weird phone calls, and a mighty opponent beating his dad up on the big screen, things go downhill really quickly.
This book was okay, I guess. But it's not the best book of all time. Its probably for 8-12 year olds? I would maybe reccommend it to a few people, but if you're searching for funny, I reccommend you find some Roald Dahl, David Walliams, Tom Gates, or my favourite comedy book; Jacky Haha. I'll be reviewing Jacky Haha when I have time, so stay tuned for that!
May 31, 2015
Phil Earle’s fictional father comes about as close to Danny the Champion’s Dad as I can find. However, as with much children’s fiction I’ve been reading recently, this is a depiction of a modern Dad who fits right into our current world. Jake and his Dad love to spend every Saturday together pursuing their hobby in common – wrestling. Jake’s Dad George knocks down buildings as a day job, and at the weekend takes part in wrestling matches – knocking down other men – and he’s really good at it. So good, that Jake thinks he should go public, and so secretly enters a video of him in action in a pro-wrestling competition. When George wins, he agrees to travel to America for training and a headline fight, mainly for Jake, but unfortunately things start to unravel, and it's not quite the dream venture they had all planned.
There were so many things to love about this book. As a refreshing change from much of the ‘humorous’ fiction in the marketplace for this age group – this book wasn’t full of silly jokes and slapstick happenings. It is extremely funny but the humour is carefully woven into the story; there are many wry laughs here, not fart jokes. Also, the wrestling is a major factor but doesn’t dominate. What comes across and leaves quite an impression is Phil’s adeptness at portraying the hidden emotions of parents, the sense of a community in a town, friendships, and most importantly father and son relationships. It’s clever, has emotional depth, and packs quite a punch. Touches I enjoyed – how the mum’s past career influences her behaviour, Phil’s capturing of the small town landscape complete with the ‘house that was stolen’ mid terrace, and Jake’s wonderful innocence and naivety – and his gradual responsive awareness. There are some stunning illustrations from Sara Ogilvie – the cover itself betrays this – but there are even better ones inside (the fight scenes are spectacularly hysterical). Moreover Phil Earle’s self–referential authorial musings are brilliant – see chapter 17. If you buy your Dad just one book this Father’s Day – make it this one. (then keep it for yourself). Age 8+ See my other books on Dads at http://www.minervareads.com/?p=1190
There were so many things to love about this book. As a refreshing change from much of the ‘humorous’ fiction in the marketplace for this age group – this book wasn’t full of silly jokes and slapstick happenings. It is extremely funny but the humour is carefully woven into the story; there are many wry laughs here, not fart jokes. Also, the wrestling is a major factor but doesn’t dominate. What comes across and leaves quite an impression is Phil’s adeptness at portraying the hidden emotions of parents, the sense of a community in a town, friendships, and most importantly father and son relationships. It’s clever, has emotional depth, and packs quite a punch. Touches I enjoyed – how the mum’s past career influences her behaviour, Phil’s capturing of the small town landscape complete with the ‘house that was stolen’ mid terrace, and Jake’s wonderful innocence and naivety – and his gradual responsive awareness. There are some stunning illustrations from Sara Ogilvie – the cover itself betrays this – but there are even better ones inside (the fight scenes are spectacularly hysterical). Moreover Phil Earle’s self–referential authorial musings are brilliant – see chapter 17. If you buy your Dad just one book this Father’s Day – make it this one. (then keep it for yourself). Age 8+ See my other books on Dads at http://www.minervareads.com/?p=1190
July 3, 2015
I approached this with a little bit of trepidation as the author is an old friend of mine and I was worried about what would happen if I didn't like it but thankfully I did like it .... a lot!
Jake loves wrestling and his Dad does too. He's a big bear of a man and they begin a winning streak of small, local bouts. Jake's Dad becomes 'Demolition Man' only it's a secret and nobody knows his alter ego.
Then Jake enters his Dad into a Global Wrestling Contest. The bright lights, Vegas, money and glory are all calling. Jake is proud of his Dad and wants the World to be too.
Demolition Man V The Tsunami Terror and if he wins a glittering career awaits, but if he loses?
This is a wonderful book. It's characters are vivid and larger than life. The story grabs you like a grappling hook and whisks you in so that you too are cheering on Demolition Man.
It's a page turner as you can't wait to find out the fate of our hero. You don't have to like wrestling to like this book. It's a good romp of a tale with lots of heart and is packed full of easy going humour.
For 8+ and phew! I'm glad I liked it :-)
Jake loves wrestling and his Dad does too. He's a big bear of a man and they begin a winning streak of small, local bouts. Jake's Dad becomes 'Demolition Man' only it's a secret and nobody knows his alter ego.
Then Jake enters his Dad into a Global Wrestling Contest. The bright lights, Vegas, money and glory are all calling. Jake is proud of his Dad and wants the World to be too.
Demolition Man V The Tsunami Terror and if he wins a glittering career awaits, but if he loses?
This is a wonderful book. It's characters are vivid and larger than life. The story grabs you like a grappling hook and whisks you in so that you too are cheering on Demolition Man.
It's a page turner as you can't wait to find out the fate of our hero. You don't have to like wrestling to like this book. It's a good romp of a tale with lots of heart and is packed full of easy going humour.
For 8+ and phew! I'm glad I liked it :-)
July 13, 2015
I know David Walliams has pretty much claimed the title of 'the next Roald Dahl', but I think Phil Earle could give him a run for his money. Earle has stated that he wanted to re-write Danny the Champion of the World - and Demolition Dad is a celebration of father-son relationships that definitely stands up to the original.
Earle's writing is joyous and witty with plenty of irreverent asides, and the story of a dad whose secret passion is wrestling is naturally full of larger-than-life characters, silly costumes and funny stage names. But I also loved the warmth and honesty with which Jake and George's relationship is depicted, especially when the theme of parental depression is touched upon; the characters' emotional journey is handled deftly and maturely.
Sara Ogilvie's sparky, warm illustrations complement Earle's writing perfectly and make this a really special book.
Earle's writing is joyous and witty with plenty of irreverent asides, and the story of a dad whose secret passion is wrestling is naturally full of larger-than-life characters, silly costumes and funny stage names. But I also loved the warmth and honesty with which Jake and George's relationship is depicted, especially when the theme of parental depression is touched upon; the characters' emotional journey is handled deftly and maturely.
Sara Ogilvie's sparky, warm illustrations complement Earle's writing perfectly and make this a really special book.
January 8, 2016
Such a good book, full of emotion, drama, touches on mental health about adults from a child's point of view and the wonderful relationship between father and son. I've read two Phil Earle books and loved them both.
February 8, 2015
A hilarious and original story for readers aged 6+, especially boys. Heart warming too, Earle has a lovely turn of phrase. Highly recommended!
February 14, 2016
Great book, but I expected more wrestling and less drama. Still a good book, and I would recommend it. :D
October 30, 2015
A funny and touching children's book, looking at the bond between father and son.
January 18, 2016
A great read. My boys loved it. I enjoyed his writing style very much. Reminded me of Dahl. A comparison not made lightly.
March 22, 2020
'A book about a son and dads relationship, presenting adults views and childrens perspectives. It includes a lot of humor.
shelved
April 17, 2017Given up at p38 - I'm not really into wrestling and going off MG, just don't think this is for me right now.
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