We Can be Heroes

Moving. Funny. Explosive. And most of all, unexpected . . . As powerful as Frank Cottrell Boyce’s Millions.

My dad was killed in the 9/11 attacks in New York. But the stuff in this book isn’t about that. It’s about the summer my mum went away. The summer that me and Jed and Priti tried to catch a suicide bomber and prevent an honour killing. There’s stuff about how we built a tree house and joined the bomb squad; how I found my dad and Jed lost his; and how we both lost our mums then found them again. So it’s not really about 9/11 but, then again, none of those things would have happened if it hadn’t been for that day. So I guess it’s all back to front, sort of . . .

We Can Be Heroes is an astonishing story from Catherine Bruton, sitting alongside Millions, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time and How I Live Now as one of the most ambitious and iconic stories for children.

‘Outstanding . . . A big, brave debut’ – The Bookseller

‘This is a book with high ambitions – it tries to do many things and pulls them all off – tender, sad, but also tense and exciting. An excellent read’ – Anthony McGowan

‘Astonishing, inventive . . . A remarkable piece of work’ – Books for Keeps