Boy in the Tower
Author Polly Ho-Yen
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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?
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Why we chose it
A science fiction fantasy story set in a familiar urban environment, a story about courage and friendship.
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What a young reviewer said
I found myself caring deeply for all characters in the book, empathising with their struggles. I was gripped and on edge for the entire second half of the book. (Tilly, age 13)
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First published
2015, Penguin Random House Children’s
Story Reviews
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Boy in the Tower by Polly Ho-Yen is a very cleverly written book. It explains the very sensitive, yet important issue of agoraphobia, very cleverly intertwined with the ever thickening and intriguing plot. It is written in a very simplistic and easy to read style, which contrasts the dark concepts it deals with. I found myself caring deeply for all characters in the book, empathising with their struggles and desperate to discover if they reached safety and escaped the tower. I was gripped and on edge for the entire second half of the book. It is a very sweet and heartwarming story, even if it did, at times, have me in tears. I would recommend Boy in the Tower to children between the ages of 11 and 14 who enjoy reading dystopian, mystery and adventure fiction, as I would describe this book as a mix of the three.