Demolition Dad

"This is part of a series that features the same characters. This story is about Jake Biggs and his dad, George. George is a demolition man. He is huge and he knocks down buildings for a living. It’s a story about a working family. This isn’t a man who goes out in a suit. At the weekend he is part of a local wrestling syndicate. And George is a big deal in this – one of the leading lights in spandex. Jake is so proud of his dad. This is a strong and loving relationship between father and son. Jake idolises his dad and persuades him to enter a pro-wrestling competition in America. George goes along with it to please Jake. Sign up here for our newsletter featuring the best children’s and young adult books, as recommended by authors, teachers, librarians and, of course, kids. It’s a really funny book up until this point. I found it really moving. The poor man is out of his depth in America. It’s pretty humiliating for him and he becomes utterly deflated by the experience. George is devastated and his humiliation is very public. This is when the relationship between father and son comes into its own and Jake, in effect, comes to his father’s rescue. I think there is such emotional depth in the book and it is handled so sensitively by the author. I was not expecting the emotional blow because it had been so funny up to that point. Yes, and this is a powerful contrast — between George physically and how his mental health eventually shrinks him. This is where children’s literature – especially chapter books – can offer the opportunity to explore, understand and empathise with these big issues. There are echoes of Danny, the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl here, there are also similarities with my final choice, My Dad’s a Birdman by David Almond."