Dylan is the only boy living in the tiny Welsh town of Manod. His parents run the Snowdonia Oasis Auto Marvel garage – and when he’s not trying to persuade his sisters to play football, Dylan is in charge of the petrol log. And that means he gets to keep track of everyone coming in and out of Manod – what car they drive, what they’re called, even their favourite flavour of crisps. But when a mysterious convoy of lorries trundles up the misty mountainside towards an old, disused mine, even Dylan is confounded. Who are these people – and what have they got to hide?

A story inspired by a press cutting describing how, during World War II, the treasured contents of London’s National Gallery were stored in Welsh slate mines. Once a month, a morale-boosting masterpiece would be unveiled in the village and then returned to London for viewing. This is a funny and touching exploration of how art – its beauty and its value – touches the life of one little boy and his big family in a very small town.

This edition of Framed includes bonus material and discussion questions from Frank Cottrell Boyce, and illustrations by Steven Lenton.

Product Details

Format

Paperback

ISBN

9781529008784

Publisher

Macmillan Children's Books

Date published

February 7th, 2019

Other details

400 pages

Condition

New

Author/Illustrator

Frank Cottrell Boyce

Frank Cottrell Boyce is a screenwriter whose films include Welcome to Sarajevo, Hilary and Jackie and Millions, which was also his first book. He has also written episodes of Coronation Street and Brookside, so you probably know his stories from your TV set. He also wrote the London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony! His first children’s book Millions won the Carnegie medal, and was made into a film by Danny Boyle. He used to run a Punch and Judy show, earning a fortune in small change, and just like Damian in Millions, he is a Catholic who is fascinated by stories of the saints. He is not a millionaire and has no plans to rob a bank! However, during a short-lived career as an assistant at a puppet show, he earned a fortune entirely in small change. He believes this is how he first became interested in the problems created by user-unfriendly cash. Just like Damian in Millions, he is a Catholic who is fascinated by stories of the saints.

His second book, Framed was inspired by a news story he’d read in an old scrapbook: During the Second World War, a collection of valuable paintings from the National Gallery was hidden in a slate mine for safekeeping. He couldn’t resist imagining how all of that great art might have affected the people who lived near the mine.

Frank lives in Liverpool, with his wife and family of seven children.