IAN BECK has worked as a freelance illustrator for many years (including such notable artwork as the record cover for Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album). Ian turned to writing and illustrating children's books when his own children were born.
A cracker . . . Utterly convincing -- Philip Pullman A cracker . . . Utterly convincing * Philip Pullman * WW2, somewhere in southern England. Our mathematically and psychically gifted soldier-narrator is on a secret mission . . . Despite the diversity of its elements, this is a well-paced, enjoyable read, which effectively combines ideas generally not seen together in WW2 fiction, and certainly not children's fiction * Armadillo * The real-life location, historical detail and plausible contemporary voices give this conviction * Sunday Times *