Books with author Alan Durant

This little boy likes fast food too much!Benny loved burgers. “You’ll turn into a burger one day,” warned his mother. And sure enough, he did! And he had to run away quickly from a hungry dog… and into a field of angry cows. “Do you know what burgers are made of?” they ask. “Us!” On and on, Benny is chased by a growing mob of hungry dogs and boys (and angry cows). Luckily his mother catches up just before they sell parts of the “biggest burger ever,” and stops them eating her son. She feeds him vegetables and fruits, and he is careful to eat them all up to prevent it ever happening to him again.From the Hardcover edition.

Cheap tabloid headlines scream the brutal facts at 17-year-old Robert Harrison: his parents have been shot dead in the sitting room of their suburban home. Robert's initial shock and anger is soon replaced by a growing sence of a conspiracy to protect him from the truth. So he decides to investigate the murder himself and the secrets he uncovers about his parents lead him to the brink of sanity and put his life in danger . . .

Clownfish is a moving and stunningly original story of friendship and life after loss, from award-winning and much-loved author Alan Durant.From award-winning author Alan Durant comes a surreal, poignant story about family bonds and loss. Dak's dad has been dead for seven days when suddenly he reappears. He's the same in almost every way, with one startling exception: Dad has turned into a clownfish, and now lives in a tank at their local aquarium. Dak is delighted by the news – he has Dad back, even if he isn't quite as he was before. Deciding to keep Dad's transformation a secret, Dak visits him at the aquarium as often as he can, and ends up spending so much time there that they offer him a job. This is how he comes to meet Violet, the owner's prickly but kindhearted niece; when the aquarium is threatened with closure, the pair must work together to save it. For Dak, the stakes couldn't be higher … after all, if the aquarium shuts down, what will happen to the fish? In parts wry, moving and undoubtedly strange, this beautifully crafted story will stay with you long after the final page.

Noko, the porcupine, is very hungry. On arriving at a village, he asks the other animals for some food and shelter. But, despite their full bellies, all the animals say they have nothing to spare. Never mind: he’ll just have to make do and cook a pot of soup from the quills off his back – a soup so tasty even the king likes it. Once the villagers hear of his plan they offer just enough ingredients to make a soup worthy of them all... This African version of Stone Soup celebrates generosity and kindness - and the message that we can all benefit if we share our resources.

In these twelve stories, enter teenage purgatory at its most honest, and meet a whole host of characters you'll quickly recognise: a secret admirer, burning up with jealousy and desire; Karen, confronting her anxiety about pregnancy; Alex, contemplating life after school; or maybe Suze, looking forward to her first sexual experience with mixed feelings.Ranging in mood from high comedy to deep pathos, Alan Durant's intense short stories capture the sweet delight and bitter misery of hormone-charged youth. . . .