Boy in the Tower

Story

Ade lives at the top of a London tower block. It’s nothing special, but its home and the view of the city is incredible. But around him, buildings are falling down and in school people are disappearing. Even stranger, are the plants that seem to be taking over the streets. How long will Ade’s tower be safe?

Why we chose it

A science fiction fantasy story set in a familiar urban environment, a story about courage and friendship.

Where it came from

Polly Ho-Yen was working as a primary school teacher in London when she was inspired to write Boy in the Tower. She wanted to create a story with children like the ones in her classroom at the centre of it: a fantastical story based in the reality that the children knew, in the hope that they would relate to the characters.

Where it went next

Boy in the Tower was nominated for the Carnegie Medal and shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Award and the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. It was also longlisted for the Branford Boase Award, the Redbridge Children’s Book Awards and came runner-up in the Teach Primary New Children’s Fiction Award.

Associated stories

Other stories by this author include Where Monsters Lie (2016), and Fly Me Home (2017), both of which were nominated for the Carnegie Medal. Her latest novel is entitled Two Sides (2019).