Fourteen-year-old Charlie Law has lived in Little Town, on the border with Old Country, all his life. He knows the rules: no going out after dark; no drinking; no litter; no fighting. You don't want to get on the wrong side of the people who run Little Town. When he meets Pavel Duda, a refugee from Old Country, the rules start to get broken. Then the bombs come, and the soldiers from Old Country, and Little Town changes for ever.
Sometimes, to keep the people you love safe, you have to do bad things. As Little Town's rules crumble, Charlie is sucked into a dangerous game. There's a gun, and a bad man, and his closest friend, and his dearest enemy.
Charlie Law wants to keep everyone happy, even if it kills him. And maybe it will ...
Perfect for readers of Patrick Ness, John Boyne and Malorie Blackman.
WINNER OF THE 2016 COSTA CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD
Selected praise for The Bombs That Brought Us Together:
“A dark, powerful tale of survival, morality and loyalty” – Scotsman
“A clever, entertaining and engaging piece of writing ... very carefully composed and gradually seducing its readers with its sense of fun, detail and, as appropriate, seriousness.” – Robert Dunbar, Irish Times
“The Bombs That Brought Us Together has all the warmth and humour of Mr Dog whilst also dealing with some pretty heavyweight issues, including immigration and cultural identity … Phenomenal” – Sarah Crossan
"I loved When Mr Dog Bites and have been wondering what [Conaghan] would do next. And it's utterly different. But equally remarkable ... Humanity and humour thread through the challenging storyline from the first page to the very last ... It's a triumph of a read. And an original one, too. We loved it." The Bookbag
“In this novel Brian Conaghan shows us that he is absolute master at creating believable, funny, brave and vulnerable young male characters” – School Librarian
"This accomplished new novel establishes [Conaghan] as a major talent. It's incredibly powerful and thought-provoking on big issues such as nationalism, war and refugees, and poses some challenging moral questions. It's also brilliantly funny, with characters you will really root for." Editor's Choice, The Bookseller
"A story about friendship, love and the fight for freedom and just how far one is willing to go to achieve it… Utterly compelling... At times uncomfortable and heart breaking, it is also a celebration of friendship of difference and how humans can survive. I utterly recommend this novel." Literature Works
"Funny, tender, surprising and uplifting ... Hugely entertaining and highly original." LoveReading4Kids
"Full of excitement and tension ... a definite re-read, I couldn’t put it down!" Smithy-Boy's Book Reviews (Book reviews for kids by a kid)
"Reminded me a great deal of Ireland in the 1980's and The Troubles. To start with, that is what I thought I was reading about... a real page-turner." Mary's Bookcase
Here's Brian talking about the ideas that inform The Bombs That Brought Us Together and explaining a little about the universality of Charlie and Pav's story....
Sometimes, to keep the people you love safe, you have to do bad things. As Little Town's rules crumble, Charlie is sucked into a dangerous game. There's a gun, and a bad man, and his closest friend, and his dearest enemy.
Charlie Law wants to keep everyone happy, even if it kills him. And maybe it will ...
Perfect for readers of Patrick Ness, John Boyne and Malorie Blackman.
WINNER OF THE 2016 COSTA CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD
Selected praise for The Bombs That Brought Us Together:
“A dark, powerful tale of survival, morality and loyalty” – Scotsman
“A clever, entertaining and engaging piece of writing ... very carefully composed and gradually seducing its readers with its sense of fun, detail and, as appropriate, seriousness.” – Robert Dunbar, Irish Times
“The Bombs That Brought Us Together has all the warmth and humour of Mr Dog whilst also dealing with some pretty heavyweight issues, including immigration and cultural identity … Phenomenal” – Sarah Crossan
"I loved When Mr Dog Bites and have been wondering what [Conaghan] would do next. And it's utterly different. But equally remarkable ... Humanity and humour thread through the challenging storyline from the first page to the very last ... It's a triumph of a read. And an original one, too. We loved it." The Bookbag
“In this novel Brian Conaghan shows us that he is absolute master at creating believable, funny, brave and vulnerable young male characters” – School Librarian
"This accomplished new novel establishes [Conaghan] as a major talent. It's incredibly powerful and thought-provoking on big issues such as nationalism, war and refugees, and poses some challenging moral questions. It's also brilliantly funny, with characters you will really root for." Editor's Choice, The Bookseller
"A story about friendship, love and the fight for freedom and just how far one is willing to go to achieve it… Utterly compelling... At times uncomfortable and heart breaking, it is also a celebration of friendship of difference and how humans can survive. I utterly recommend this novel." Literature Works
"Funny, tender, surprising and uplifting ... Hugely entertaining and highly original." LoveReading4Kids
"Full of excitement and tension ... a definite re-read, I couldn’t put it down!" Smithy-Boy's Book Reviews (Book reviews for kids by a kid)
"Reminded me a great deal of Ireland in the 1980's and The Troubles. To start with, that is what I thought I was reading about... a real page-turner." Mary's Bookcase
Here's Brian talking about the ideas that inform The Bombs That Brought Us Together and explaining a little about the universality of Charlie and Pav's story....
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