Ostrich Boys

It has been prepared by national Drama in Secondary English experts Ruth Moore and Paul Bunyan and builds on a decade of highly effective work and publications endorsed by national organisations and supported by teachers and consultants across Britain

Kenny, Sim and Blake have hatched a plan to kidnap their best friend Ross

But it's not a ransom they're after

And it's not a proper kidnapping anyway because Ross is already dead - run over while travelling on his bike to school

So the boys are determined to fulfill a wish that their friend had when he was alive to visit the place that bears his name, Ross in Southern Scotland

Clutching Ross in his urn, the boys set off from Cleethorpes by train to Scotland to begin an action packed and emotional journey ...

Little realising the effect that Ross had on them during his life and how much he still means to them.

Combining dark humour with tragedy, this is a wonderfully poignant story about the trials of growing up, which touches on loss, sorrow, hope and the meaning of friendship

Ostrich Boys is ideal for KS3 and KS4 English and will appeal strongly to boys as well as girls

It includes a Chorus which gives an insight into the boys' inner thoughts and conflicts and runs about an hour

The adaptation is one of Methuen Drama's Critical Scripts series: Improving Standards in English Through Drama at Key Stage 3 and GCSE and as such ...

1. meets the new requirements at KS3 and GCSE (2010)

2. features detailed, structured schemes of work utilising drama approaches to improve literary and language analysis

3. places pupils' understanding of the learning process at the heart of the activities

4. will help pupils to boost English GCSE success and develop high-level skills at KS3

5. will save teachers considerable time devising their own resources

REVIEWS

"One of the highlights of the year ... Reminiscent of On the Road and Catcher in the Rye, this is a seminal book about modern youth ... Pertinent and profound work, instantly worthy of the label "modern classic" ~ Jake Hope The Bookseller

"Gray, with excellent timing, keeps the plot light and humourous, despite dealing with suicide, loss of friendship and bullying" ~Daily Telegraph

"A gripping tale of loss, guilt, revenge and redemption and contains touches of gallows humour that will be of particular appeal to the teen audience. Gray has managed to maintain the high standard of his previous work and while this text does not alienate teenage girls. It will be of particular appeal to teenage boys" ~ The School Librarian