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The Prison Runner

Deborah Ellis author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Oxford University Press

Published:5th Jun '08

Should be back in stock very soon

The Prison Runner cover

One of the most powerful and compelling novels you will ever read about the effect of cocaine production on the children of Bolivia

'Diego had never been in the jungle before. He'd lived with his family high in the hills, and then he was a prison kid, a city kid. His nights were bare light bulbs burning, women and children crying, guards yelling and keys clanging. He hated it, but it was what he was used to . . .' A simple error of judgement hurls Diego into a nightmare. He's been living in prison with his mother and sister, looking after them and earning money whenever he can. Until the day he accidentally breaks the rules. Suddenly the family are in trouble, and Diego needs money to save them. So when one of his friends tells Diego that he knows a job that will make them both rich, Diego gives into temptation. But the job is far different from the one he'd imagined, and Diego soon finds himself in the heart of the Bolivian jungle and the clutches of men who produce drugs for a living . . .

[The Breadwinner]: 'deserves to become a bestseller. * The Daily Telegraph *
a powerful and gruesome depiction of life under the Taliban regime, told honestly by children. * Entertainment News *
[Parvana's Journey]: 'A book all children should read * The Teacher *
. . . a harrowing, true-to-life story . . . meticulously researched and sensitively written, but not for the faint-hearted. * Northern Echo *
a book all young teens should read . . . It is impossible not to be moved * Birmingham Post *
A moving story, with a deeply satisfying ending, the novel convincingly portrays the story of the real children behind the headlines about landmines and refugee camps. * Best Books Guide 2003 *

ISBN: 9780192755483

Dimensions: 199mm x 130mm x 15mm

Weight: 176g

208 pages