Hands Up! - Softcover

Magrs, Paul

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0689837062 ISBN 13: 9780689837067

Publisher: Simon and Schuster, 2003

Synopsis

Frank Lurcher and Tolstoy the Long-Eared Bat! Twenty years ago they were the biggest names in ventriloquism, stars of stage and screen. But now, Frank Lurcher's a washed-out, grumpy has-been and his scraggy puppet Tolstoy is stuffed away in the loft. When Frank suddenly declares that his teenage son Jason must follow in the family tradition and get a puppet of his own, someone's got a shrewd idea who that puppet should be. Someone with green eyes, moth-eaten velvety wings, a snarling snout and two extra-large ears... Tolstoy tha Long-Eared Bat is out for another shot at TV superstardom, and a gruesome revenge on his showbiz enemies. Can Jason fight his evil controlling power? Will the lovely Lisa Turmoil, hair-stylist to the stars, help him in his battle - or just go off and give someone a perm? And if you cook a puppet ostrich in a microwave oven, does it count as MURDER?

About this title

About the Author

Paul Magrs was born in Jarrow, Tyne and Wear in 1969. He was educated in Newton Aycliffe at Woodham Burn Infants and Junior Schools, then Woodham Comprehensive, in Newton Aycliffe, before attending Lancaster University. 'Strange Boy' is his twelfth published book, although it's the first time he's written for a younger audience. He's always wanted to write the kinds of book he could never find when he was a teenager. Nowadays he is Senior Lecturer in English Literature and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia.

From School Library Journal

Grade 8 Up–Jason, 13, is the son of Frank Lurcher, a ventriloquist and puppeteer who was famous 20 years ago but who has turned into a nasty old man since falling on hard times. After Frank is arrested for destroying the puppets in a shop window and sent to the showbiz asylum for demented former celebrities, Jason discovers his father's old partner, Tolstoy the bat, in the attic. Tolstoy speaks to Jason, encouraging him to fulfill his destiny and become his new puppeteer. Meanwhile, Jason's older half-brother Barry, also a popular television performer, enters the scene to help out with the family crisis. Before long, however, his penguin puppet Nixon is "murdered," and at the memorial service, other puppets begin to die mysteriously. Very British in tone, this book is a clever, funny, and dark satire that works well until the ending, which is a bit over the top. Readers discover that Tolstoy is literally a puppet from hell, and the Devil himself makes a guest appearance. Magrs also includes a hilarious epilogue consisting of a series of customer reviews from the Web site "Mamazon" for Jason's autobiographical work, The Good, the Bat, and the Ugly. Snow's black-and-white illustrations are suitably creepy. An additional choice for teen fantasy fans.–Tim Wadham, Maricopa County Library District, Phoenix, AZ
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About this edition

• Publisher: Simon and Schuster
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0689837062
• ISBN 13: 9780689837067
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 208