About this item
"Middle school readers will easily relate to the situational humor and school life, but everyone should read this book for its message. The Bubble Wrap Boy is perfect for fans of R.J. Palacios Wonder and will be an excellent addition to any library or classroom." - VOYA A funny and inspiring novel about friendship, family, and one undersized boys ability to think BIG. Charlie Hans troubles are much bigger than he is. At school hes branded an outsider, a loser - the tiny kid from the Chinese takeout. His only ally is Sinus Sedgely, a kid with a lower-level reputation than Charlie himself. Life at home isnt much better. His dad is more skilled with a wok than he is with words, and his mom is suffocating the life out of Charlie, worried about his every move. But when a new passion leads Charlie to the mother of all confrontations, he finds his real mom has been hiding a massive secret. A secret that, while shocking, might actually lead Charlie to feeling ten feet tall. "Charlie is a character to root for. He is witty and perceptive and has a secret weapon in his best friend, Sinus Sedgely." - BOOKLIST "Family drama with a solid mix of action, adventure, and humor." - School Library Journal "In the fast-growing bullying genre, Charlies story stands out." - Kirkus Reviews "Charlies amusing sarcasm masks a vulnerability that will resonate with anyone who has felt like an outsider. The humiliation of being the butt of a joke is sensitively rendered, as is Charlies slow reclamation of his pride in this witty, true-to-life story." - Publishers Weekly
About the Author
Phil 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.
