Pyjama Jones
Buy on AmazonSynopsis
Pyjama Jones is an exciting, action-packed adventure story for 9 – 11 year olds.
One very wet night, in a landslide, Toby Jones slips into a secret city right under his bungalow. Survivors of ancient Egypt had made their home underground, and have kept their civilisation intact over the millennia by keeping total secrecy about their existence. Any intruders fall foul of a murderous array of traps.
So when Toby falls into their world, the Egyptians don’t exactly welcome him – but don’t want him to get out alive either. Toby has to run for his life through myriad booby trapped chambers and tunnels. He finds his fate entangled with some Egyptians who are themselves trying to escape from the unprincipled new regime which wants them buried – literally.
To his horror Toby is sealed in the tomb of the Egyptians’ newly dead king. Breaking out of the tomb this boy in pyjamas is mistaken for the re-incarnated king and the Egyptian fugitives look to him to save them too.
Can Toby rise to the occasion? Can he save these strange strangers? Why should he bother? Can he get out alive? Is there life at the end of the tunnel?
This is a story full of suspense to the very end, and vivid with the detail and colour of ancient Egyptian life.
Reviews
"...a fabulous book – perfect for fans of adventure".
Primary Times, choosing "Pyjama Jones" as its prize for a competition to promote World Book Day
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"When Toby Jones accidentally falls into a secret ancient Egyptian city under his home, the Egyptians who live there don’t want him to leave .... alive. Watch out, Toby!"
"Golden Globe" Four Star Review, National Geographic Kids
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"..I read it with high pleasure ….a lovely book, extremely well written".
Desi Kenny, Chairman, kennys.ie (Ireland’s largest on-line bookstore)
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"You wouldn’t believe how many people ring to offer books to us and this is the first in ages that I’ve been excited about."
Children’s bookseller, Waterstones store, London
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"Set against the spectacular backdrop of an Egyptian tomb this riveting tale will capture the imagination of anyone who enjoys a creative caper with a historical twist."
Four star bookseller review, waterstones.com
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Background Notes
The author
J.A. Jennings lives in North Yorkshire with a family of four children all of them inveterate book readers and story writers. There are two dogs, a rabbit and several guinea pigs whose writing skills are little understood. Thomas Jennings, the illustrator, is a member (human) of the same family.
J.A. Jennings was born in Ireland and spent her childhood in Co. Galway where the sandy esker hills inspired thoughts of landslides into strange worlds underground. The author's family is still based in Co. Galway.
Cliff-hangers and comics
The author says: “I showed each chapter-length episode of Pyjama Jones to my family as I finished it, and made sure each episode finished on a cliff-hanger. I love the old weekly comics with their suspense and thrills, and really wanted to recreate that feel in this book. Children today have no comics like that at all. They like the suspense and adrenalin rush just as much as children used to – just look at the way video games hold them – but they don’t get it from enough of their reading materials.
“When Spielberg and Lucas made the Indiana Jones films they consciously paid homage to those old comic stories and I suppose I’m paying a little homage to them in turn.”
Ancient Egypt
Every child loves ancient Egypt. It was an amazing world, and it so comes alive for us. All that detail has survived about how Egyptians lived, and so much of it is in full colour! Study of ancient Egypt is part of the UK’s National Curriculum, Key Stage II.