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Junkyard Jack and the Horse That Talked
'Can all animals talk?' Jack asked.
'Well, of course they can,' said Boadicea the Shetland Pony. 'We're not idiots, you know.' ---------- Jack is a very small and bendy boy. So small and bendy, that he can hide inside his own school bag! Other than bending and hiding, his favourite thing to do is to go to Old Mr Mudge's junkyard and ride the horses, Lightning and Boadicea. It's definitely better than going home to his drippy Aunt Violet, smelly Uncle Ted and evil cousin Kelly. But when he (accidentally) runs away, he finds himself on an adventure to free his mum from prison- with the help of a lot of talking animals! Filled with excitement, fun and far too much horse poo, this is the hilarious new story from national treasure Ade Edmondson, author of Tilly and the Time Machine .
'Well, of course they can,' said Boadicea the Shetland Pony. 'We're not idiots, you know.' ---------- Jack is a very small and bendy boy. So small and bendy, that he can hide inside his own school bag! Other than bending and hiding, his favourite thing to do is to go to Old Mr Mudge's junkyard and ride the horses, Lightning and Boadicea. It's definitely better than going home to his drippy Aunt Violet, smelly Uncle Ted and evil cousin Kelly. But when he (accidentally) runs away, he finds himself on an adventure to free his mum from prison- with the help of a lot of talking animals! Filled with excitement, fun and far too much horse poo, this is the hilarious new story from national treasure Ade Edmondson, author of Tilly and the Time Machine .
256 pages, Paperback
Published June 28, 2018
18 people want to read
About the author
Adrian Edmondson
32 books97 followersAdrian Charles "Ade" Edmondson is an English comedian, writer, director, actor, and musician. He is probably best known for his comedic roles in the television series The Young Ones (1982–1984) and Bottom (1991–2003), which he also wrote together with his long-time comedy partner Rik Mayall.
Edmondson attended Pocklington School in Yorkshire from 1968 to 1975 and later went to the University of Manchester to study drama, receiving a 2:1 degree, where he met his future comedy partner Rik Mayall. Edmondson and Mayall soon became best friends and before long found work on the burgeoning alternative comedy scene.
Under the name 20th Century Coyote, Edmondson and Mayall became one of the star attractions at The Comedy Store. As their popularity grew, Edmondson and Mayall and other upcoming comedians (including Alexei Sayle, Peter Richardson, Nigel Planer, French and Saunders) split away from the Comedy Store to set up their own venue: The Comic Strip club. The Comic Strip soon gained a reputation as one of the most popular comedy clubs in London and soon came to the attention of Channel 4. Edmondson and the others were commissioned to act in six self-contained half-hour films, using the group as comedy actors rather than stand-up performers. The series, entitled The Comic Strip Presents... debuted on 2 November 1982 (the opening night of Channel 4).
On 11 May 1985, Edmondson married his Comic Strip fellow Jennifer Saunders. Edmondson's university nickname of "Eddie Monsoon," a play on his surname, inspired the name of Saunders' character, Edina Monsoon on Absolutely Fabulous
In 1986 he co-wrote the book How to be a Complete Bastard together with Mark Leigh and Mike Lepine. In 1987, he reunited with Planer and Mayall to star in Filthy Rich and Catflap. The series was penned by The Young Ones' co-writer Ben Elton and saw Edmondson display the same slapstick characteristics as Vyvyan, but was closer in personality to his later character "Eddie Hitler" in Bottom. The show received critical acclaim but poor viewing figures and was cancelled after one series. In 1988, he released a follow up to How To Be A Complete Bastard called The Bastard's Book of the Worst. In 1989 Edmondson made an appearance in an episode of Blackadder Goes Forth as The Red Baron, arch-nemesis to Mayall's character, Lord Flashheart.
In 1991, Edmondson was teamed up with his comedy partner Rik Mayall once more, this time co-writing and co-starring in their own sitcom, Bottom. Edmondson starred as "Edward Elizabeth Hitler" opposite Mayall's "Richard Richard." The series featured the slapstick and crude humour for which the pair had become famous, but also more in-depth character analysis. Mayall and Edmonson have said Bottom was aimed to be more than just a series of toilet gags, but a cruder cousin to plays like Waiting for Godot about the pointlessness of life. Edmondson played Estragon to Mayall's Vladimir in Samuel Beckett's play in the West End, in a production that opened at the Queen's Theatre on 30 September 1991. Bottom became very popular, but it was criticised for its often vulgar humour. Edmondson was also censured for essentially reprising the same character he had been playing for his entire career. It was also incarnated into five UK stage tours (1993, 1995, 1997, 2001 and 2003). The violent natures of these shows saw both Edmondson and Mayall ending up in hospital.
Edmondson attended Pocklington School in Yorkshire from 1968 to 1975 and later went to the University of Manchester to study drama, receiving a 2:1 degree, where he met his future comedy partner Rik Mayall. Edmondson and Mayall soon became best friends and before long found work on the burgeoning alternative comedy scene.
Under the name 20th Century Coyote, Edmondson and Mayall became one of the star attractions at The Comedy Store. As their popularity grew, Edmondson and Mayall and other upcoming comedians (including Alexei Sayle, Peter Richardson, Nigel Planer, French and Saunders) split away from the Comedy Store to set up their own venue: The Comic Strip club. The Comic Strip soon gained a reputation as one of the most popular comedy clubs in London and soon came to the attention of Channel 4. Edmondson and the others were commissioned to act in six self-contained half-hour films, using the group as comedy actors rather than stand-up performers. The series, entitled The Comic Strip Presents... debuted on 2 November 1982 (the opening night of Channel 4).
On 11 May 1985, Edmondson married his Comic Strip fellow Jennifer Saunders. Edmondson's university nickname of "Eddie Monsoon," a play on his surname, inspired the name of Saunders' character, Edina Monsoon on Absolutely Fabulous
In 1986 he co-wrote the book How to be a Complete Bastard together with Mark Leigh and Mike Lepine. In 1987, he reunited with Planer and Mayall to star in Filthy Rich and Catflap. The series was penned by The Young Ones' co-writer Ben Elton and saw Edmondson display the same slapstick characteristics as Vyvyan, but was closer in personality to his later character "Eddie Hitler" in Bottom. The show received critical acclaim but poor viewing figures and was cancelled after one series. In 1988, he released a follow up to How To Be A Complete Bastard called The Bastard's Book of the Worst. In 1989 Edmondson made an appearance in an episode of Blackadder Goes Forth as The Red Baron, arch-nemesis to Mayall's character, Lord Flashheart.
In 1991, Edmondson was teamed up with his comedy partner Rik Mayall once more, this time co-writing and co-starring in their own sitcom, Bottom. Edmondson starred as "Edward Elizabeth Hitler" opposite Mayall's "Richard Richard." The series featured the slapstick and crude humour for which the pair had become famous, but also more in-depth character analysis. Mayall and Edmonson have said Bottom was aimed to be more than just a series of toilet gags, but a cruder cousin to plays like Waiting for Godot about the pointlessness of life. Edmondson played Estragon to Mayall's Vladimir in Samuel Beckett's play in the West End, in a production that opened at the Queen's Theatre on 30 September 1991. Bottom became very popular, but it was criticised for its often vulgar humour. Edmondson was also censured for essentially reprising the same character he had been playing for his entire career. It was also incarnated into five UK stage tours (1993, 1995, 1997, 2001 and 2003). The violent natures of these shows saw both Edmondson and Mayall ending up in hospital.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 10, 2018
Junkyard Jack and the Horse That Talked by Adrian Edmondson is a delightfully sweet book about teeny tiny Jack and his escapades with some delightful talking animals.
July 28, 2018
Animal/family story with an element of wish fulfilment and fantasy slotted into a Dahl-like family.
4.5 stars.
Jack lives with a hateful Uncle, submissive Aunt and vicious cousin, and takes refuge in a local junkyard with its friendly, fatherlike Mr Mudge and horses he adores. His mum is in prison for theft, protesting her innocence, he's never met his dad.
Events conspire and he unwittingly runs away from his uncle's home, with a Shetland pony, Boadicea, who... speaks to him!
Boadicea is a rather fine creation, especially when voiced by the author (Audible edition listened to), and she and Jack soon hit it off. The 'talking horse' element is nicely worked in, and isn't actually the focus of the story, which I was glad about - Jack's family is the plot.
I may have preferred Edmondson's first (Tilly and the Time Machine) but this grew on me and I loved the last quarter especially, some wonderful warming scenes and madcap escapades.
Reads like a less manic Walliams or less subversive Dahl, retains the feel of the importance of family. Some good baddies, Jack is a resourceful and determined young protagonist, and the world of the animals is an enjoyable one to spy on.
Very readable, I'm planning on listening with my seven year old shortly. I'm recommend this (audio or written version) to ages 7-12.
With thanks to Nudge Books for providing a sample Audible copy.
4.5 stars.
Jack lives with a hateful Uncle, submissive Aunt and vicious cousin, and takes refuge in a local junkyard with its friendly, fatherlike Mr Mudge and horses he adores. His mum is in prison for theft, protesting her innocence, he's never met his dad.
Events conspire and he unwittingly runs away from his uncle's home, with a Shetland pony, Boadicea, who... speaks to him!
Boadicea is a rather fine creation, especially when voiced by the author (Audible edition listened to), and she and Jack soon hit it off. The 'talking horse' element is nicely worked in, and isn't actually the focus of the story, which I was glad about - Jack's family is the plot.
I may have preferred Edmondson's first (Tilly and the Time Machine) but this grew on me and I loved the last quarter especially, some wonderful warming scenes and madcap escapades.
Reads like a less manic Walliams or less subversive Dahl, retains the feel of the importance of family. Some good baddies, Jack is a resourceful and determined young protagonist, and the world of the animals is an enjoyable one to spy on.
Very readable, I'm planning on listening with my seven year old shortly. I'm recommend this (audio or written version) to ages 7-12.
With thanks to Nudge Books for providing a sample Audible copy.
July 18, 2018
Cute.
Not so keen on character description which implied certain weight and appearance equalled 'bad'.
Not so keen on character description which implied certain weight and appearance equalled 'bad'.
July 12, 2018
Funny, friendly and fabulous characters. Some hard hitting subject matter, but nothing inaccessible to kids. I really enjoyed this! The illustrations are gorgeous too!
January 25, 2021
I loved reading this to my daughter. Hilarious and smart. Something here for both parents and kids.
January 25, 2021
I loved reading this to my daughter. Hilarious and smart. Something here for both parents and kids.
December 11, 2019
Cheerful book.
Simple accurate and awesomely described about the attachment of jack with the junkyard and the ponies.
Simple accurate and awesomely described about the attachment of jack with the junkyard and the ponies.
August 2, 2023
Life’s tough for Jack. With an absent father and mum framed in prison, he’s stuck living in a cupboard (Harry Potter style) with his timid aunt, bad tempered farty uncle and spiteful cousin. School is a misery and his only solace is helping Old Mr Mudge at the junkyard look after his horses- Lightning the cart horse and Boadicea the Shetland pony. But when Old Mudge passed away and men turn up to take Jack’s beloved Boadicea to the knackers yard, they work together to escape their unhappy fates. The classic british humour is Dahl and Walliamsesque. Talking animals add snappy dialogue. The inclusion of the ugly fat baddies trope was disappointing. But otherwise, an enjoyable rollicking adventure.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews