Chris Soul

So my short verdict: 'My Headteacher is an Evil Genius' is wickedly funny and a huge dollop of fun. Playfully illustrated throughout by Jack Noel too, there is never a dull moment and this is sure to engage children and adults (particularly teachers & headteachers) very quickly!  It cheered me up no end!

​

Thomasina (Tom) Ginger is shy and lonely. But when new headteacher, Miss Fortune, arrives at her school in a limo with an X Factor style assembly, Tom knows something is wrong. She will have to team up with a set of outcasts to unravel Miss Fortune's dastardly plans to save the school from corporate ruin. How can Tom's new braces help her win the day?

 

If you loved 'Charlie Changes into a Chicken' or even the recent 'The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates' you will love this. I laughed so much that I was brimming with tears. As a teacher myself, I really enjoyed the ridiculousness of Miss Fortune and her plans - also because, in some cases around the UK and the world, this kind of school takeover is not far from the truth. Kids will enjoy the chaos that ensues and will be routing for Tom and her gang to claim back their school, their gym and library, and there are lots of talking points about why they should do this and not just roll over because Miss Fortune bribes with sweets. But there are also a lot of in-jokes for teachers (I'm tempted to recommend this to my own headteacher!) For example, there is a crossword in the school newsletter but all I could see were the words 'corporate' and 'privatisation'. The book is enormously playful and even the most reluctant readers (kids and teachers) will enjoy spotting little doodles or turning the page around to read and view things. On top of this, the story is both absurd and brilliantly constructed with all plot points converging into a brilliantly dangerous and fun finale.

 

If you're a kid worried about returning to school in September, then 'My Headteacher is an Evil Genius' will make you laugh and appreciate the good things. If you're a teacher worried about returning to school in September... then ditto! This book is fun all round, and how we need fun these days!

​

Thank you to Walker Books and Jack Noel for including me on this tour. 

​

Hamilton Ariana McDonalds McHamface Yas-Queen Potter aka Hammy Potter Goes On Tour.

So Hammy is a super fun hamster in the book. I was really delighted to welcome him into my new Year 4 classroom for September. It's a brand new classroom so Hammy gave his blessing... I just hope he didn't leave behind poops...