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Frozen Billy (BBC Audio Collection)
 
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Frozen Billy (BBC Audio Collection) [Audiobook] (Audio Cassette)

by Anne Fine (Author), Sophie Ward (Reader)
4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)

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2 new from £6.75 2 used from £2.99
Other Editions: RRP: Our Price: Other Offers:
Hardcover £10.99 £9.89 30 used & new from £0.01
Paperback (New edition) £4.99 £4.99 33 used & new from £0.01
Audio CD (Audiobook) £9.00 £9.00 6 used & new from £2.25

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Product details

  • Audio Cassette
  • Publisher: Cover to Cover Cassettes Ltd (3 Jan 2005)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 184440109X
  • ISBN-13: 978-1844401093
  • Product Dimensions: 13.4 x 10.8 x 1.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 1,372,716 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #13 in  Books > Audio Cassettes > Authors A-Z > F > Fine, Anne
    #13 in  Books > Audio Cassettes > Children's Books > Authors > Fine, Anne

Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review
Mining the myriad of rich and atmospheric story themes that spring from the colourful heyday of the old Victorian music halls, Anne Fine’s latest novel is a visual and eerily spooky treat that more than lives up her reputation as one of the country’s finest writers for children. The award-winning author of Flour Babies and Goggle-Eyes, Fine has recently been the Children’s Laureate and is consistently original and witty and entertaining in all of her work. Many a recent author of children’s books could learn a thing or two about writing and narrative by reading Fine’s extensive backlist.

Here, her story concerns the fate of brother and sister, Clarrie and Will, whose misfortunes lead them into residing with their Uncle Len. While their father is in Australia trying to secure a job and a brighter future for his family, their mother, in Ireland for a funeral, is trapped there--wrongly accused of stealing a basket of food. Len’s brilliance as a ventriloquist is matched only by his special ability to destroy his career by the consumption of beer.

Then one of Will’s seemingly perfect ideas saves the day. He suggests that he dresses up as the twin of Len’s dummy, Frozen Billy, to form a new act. Carrie is severely unnerved by Len’s life-like dummy and becomes even more so when Will’s personality begins to change and distort when their double act is a success. Carrie thinks this new stage act has the power to destroy her whole family and she must act fast to save everybody.

Fine’s unsettling narrative is different from her trademark domestic dramas--but it is equally as powerful. It’s a chilling tale, with hints of the supernatural that nevertheless has charm and excitement. And, as with all of Fine’s novels, is has the requisite happy ending. (Age 10 and over) --John McLay --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review
While Clarrie and Will's father is in Australia trying to earn enough to send for the family and their mother is in prison in Ireland, wrongly accused of stealing a basket of food, they are in the care of their uncle Len, who is drinking and gambling away the money he earns as a ventriloquist. Will improves Uncle Len's act by becoming the "brother" of dummy Frozen Billy, and they are a huge hit. But Clarrie has always feared the dummy and sees Will becoming less like a child and as frozen as the wooden puppet. With a great deal of patience, ingenuity and some timely help, plucky Clarrie saves the day, all wrongs are righted and there is a satisfying ending to the drama. Fine weaves an inventive tale set in Edwardian London with characters who fit the setting perfectly and with just enough darkness to keep the proceedings from too much sweetness and treacle. McBain's black-and-white line drawings are just right. Jolly good. (Fiction. 8-12) (Kirkus Reviews)

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Frozen Billy (BBC Audio Collection)
64% buy the item featured on this page:
Frozen Billy (BBC Audio Collection) 4.0 out of 5 stars (1)
The More the Merrier
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The More the Merrier 4.7 out of 5 stars (6)
£4.49

 

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Average Customer Review
4.0 out of 5 stars (1 customer review)
 
 
 
 
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4.0 out of 5 stars An Interesting Story, 25 Mar 2006
This review is from: Frozen Billy (Hardcover)
Frozen Billy is a strange puppet which Uncle Len uses in his ventriloquism act. Clarrie and Will are brother and sister. They're father is in Australia, and often writes of the wonders of it, and how he looks forward to them coming (they cannot currently afford it). Their mother goes to a funeral in Ireland, and finds herself getting arrested, which leaves Clarrie and Will under the care of Uncle Len. They have barely any money for Uncle Len spends it on drink, and when Will imitates Frozen Billy jokily, Uncle Len sees a new idea for his stage act- Will on one knee dressed as Frozen Billy, Frozen Billy on the other. The story continues to unfold, Uncle Len getting worse, and poor Will getting weaker, until Clarrie comes up with a clever idea to save everyone. It finishes with a charming ending.

This is a lovely story set in the past (although it doesn't say, I think around Victorian times) Recommended for younger readers as it doesn't dig deep in to Clarrie's emotions. I suggest around 7-12.

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