Pete Johnson  
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HOW TO FOOL YOUR PARENTS’
LAUNCH SHOWS
BOOKS ARE A BLAST.’

       I have never played snooker in my life. Yet, Ronnie O’Sullivan and I do have one important thing in common. We have both performed at The Crucible Theatre in Sheffield – and more than once too.
       It’s a marvellous venue – large, yes, but oddly intimate too. The audience are so close to you. And the team from The Crucible Theatre make the preparations – fitting microphones, sound checks, lighting checks, etc –  so painless and friendly.
       I am back at The Crucible Theatre to launch the latest and last (of which more later) Louis the Laugh book, HOW TO FOOL YOUR PARENTS.’ This event involves many schools across Sheffield and has been brilliantly organised by the fabulous Jayne and Claire (First question, ‘Have you had any breakfast?) from the School Library Service and a top team from my publishers Award – David (‘I’m just back from the Caribbean,’) and Jo.
       As the schools arrive I am escorted to the dressing room. Do I still get nervous? Oh yes – and nerves are good. They send you that extra shot of adrenalin. Funnily enough, the only time on stage that I feel self-conscious is when I’m first walking across it. I haven’t yet crossed over into the performing zone. But once I start, well I forget all about myself – which I suppose is the secret.
       I’ve been asked by several Sheffield Schools to mention ‘THE GHOST DOG’ and ‘TRAITOR’ as these are widely used as class readers. Then I come to the first Louis the Laugh book, ‘HOW TO TRAIN YOUR PARENTS,’ and I explain that this was never intended to be the first of a series. But not only was the book phenomenally popular but so was the lead character, Louis the Laugh. I am regularly asked, ‘Who is Louis really?’ And very recently ‘Is he on Instagram?’
       The sequel, ‘MY PARENTS ARE OUT OF CONTROL,’went on many prize shortlists, including The Roald Dahl Funny Prize. While the third Louis the Laugh book, ‘MY PARENTS ARE DRIVING ME CRAZY,’  is  a personal favourite and it is, perhaps, the most poignant as Louis’s dad comes to terms with being made redundant. ‘HOW TO UPDATE YOUR PARENTS,’ is certainly my most talked about title. Here Louis’s parents decide he is spending too much time staring at screens. I ask the pupils how many of their parents have said something similar – every single hand shoots up.

       Then came the moment – the launch of ‘HOW TO FOOL YOUR PARENTS,’as I revealed some of the crazy things Louis does in this book. For instance, going to school in his pyjamas. As well as Louis’s belief that he has discovered fourteen magic words, which will persuade parents to do anything you want. Who wouldn’t want to know what those words are?
       Afterwards came a marathon book signing, alongside inevitable pictures. ‘ You can smile better than that,’ declared one teacher. I immediately started guiltily until I realised she was talking to the boy beside me.
       ‘You’ve shown books can be a blast,’ cried one teacher. You went down a storm,’ said another. Mind you, the teachers at Sheffield are especially enthusiastic and supportive. But one boy certainly didn’t seem very enthused. ‘I still don’t know why you did it,’ he asked me gravely. ‘Why stop writing the Louis the Laugh books?’
       I explained again how I wanted to end the series while the books were still fresh and funny – and people were keen for more. The boy looked singularly unimpressed. Then suddenly he smiled. ‘You’ll bring Louis back. He’s your best character. You’ve got no choice.’
       You know what, that boy might well be right.
       But whether Louis returns or not – I can’t imagine a better book launch.

       A HUGE THANK YOU TO SHEFFIELD!


 

FEEDBACK FROM THE
‘HOW TO FOOL YOUR PARENTS’
LAUNCH

 ‘PETE, EVERY TIME YOU COME AND SEE US IN SHEFFIELD I GO HOME WITH A BIG SMILE ON MY FACE AND EVERY TIME IT MAKES ME REMEMBER WHY I CHOOSE TO DO THIS JOB. SEEING THE PUPILS’ ENTHUSIASM AND THEIR FACES LIGHT UP WHEN YOU CAME ON TO THE STAGE WAS WONDERFUL.’
CLAIRE SOUTH, SHEFFIELD SCHOOL LIBRARY SERVICE

 ‘I MUST ADMIT I WAS QUITE OVERWHELMED BY THE NUMBER OF BOYS WHO WERE SO OBVIOUSLY DELIGHTED TO BE THERE AND TO MEET YOU. IT JUST GOES TO SHOW, THE IMPACT THAT THE CHANCE TO MEET A REAL LIVE AUTHOR CAN HAVE ON A YOUNG PERSON.’
JAYNE CRAWSHAW, SHEFFIELD SCHOOL LIBRARY SERVICE


 
HOW TO FOOL YOUR PARENTS

What can you do when your parents turn into SUPER-VILLAINS?

All I did was take a tiny POWER NAP in a VERY BORING lesson. But my parents totally over-reacted even banning me from appearing on the greatest vlog in the universe.

I tried everything to change their minds. I even staged an official protest, BY GOING TO SCHOOL IN MY PYJAMAS (Yes, really) then my best friend Maddy told me a SECRET WAY TO FOOL YOUR PARENTS INTO DOING WHATEVER YOU WANT . . .

You won’t believe what happens next . . .

International favourite, Louis the Laugh, is back in a riotous funny adventure.

‘Pete Johnson is a hilarious writer.’ Mail on Sunday

QuestionCLICK HERE TO BUY 'HOW TO FOOL YOUR PARENTS' FROM AMAZON

‘HOW TO FOOL YOUR PARENTS’
Extract

LOUIS THE LAUGH is in big trouble with the teacher, Mr Duncan, known as Dunky. Louis accidentally falls asleep in Dunky’s lesson – a power nap - he calls it.

And now it is parents’ evening – with Dunky. Louis dreads his parents finding out about the power nap . . .

Now read on . . .

       Dunky’s classroom was in total darkness, save for one dim light. You could just make out Dunky sitting completely still at his desk.
       ‘Before we go in,’ I whispered, ‘Do you think we should all hold hands?’
       Dad gave such a loud laugh, Mum had to shush him but even her shoulders were starting to shake. I’d got them happy again – for now.
       Mum knocked on the door and said softly. ‘Now come on everyone, behave.’
       ‘And look out for any bats,’ I whispered. Dad giggled again.
       ‘And Dunky, in his best dark suit, did look as if he was auditioning to be the next Count Dracula. He greeted Mum and Dad with a mothballed courtesy. Then he glared in my direction as if I were a stinky smell, which had just wafted in with them.
       To think we could be having a fantastic meal out now, instead of being trapped in a stuffy, torture chamber with Dunky. He talked a bit about the syllabus, and then he smacked his lips appreciatively. ‘I have to tell you I am extremely concerned by Louis’s progress. Especially after something very troubling which occurred only this afternoon.’
       Here it comes. The moment Dunky changes my parents back into the super, stressy, never off my back ones again. Parents, who are so anxious and concerned they could do anything, even stop me appearing on a top vlog this Sunday. And there was nothing I could do to stop him.
       For the second time that day I closed my eyes in Dunky’s Classroom.
       And that’s when it happened.
       I was chewing a sweet, to calm my nerves. Anyway the sweet quickly disappeared down my appreciative throat but something else immediately sprang up in its place. Something which felt exactly like a gigantic stone.
       Dead uncomfortable it was too.
       The next thing I knew blood was oozing out of my mouth. No wonder I let out a small yelp. The kind a highly bewildered Jack Russell might make. And, by the sheerest coincidence this was just as Dunky was about to tarnish my name.
       ‘Is something wrong Louis?’ asked my mum, more than bit sharply I thought.
       ‘Oh no … It’s just my mouth seems to be bleeding quite a lot, that’s all,’ I said. ‘Anyone got a spare hankie to help soak up all the blood?’
       Dad sprung up and started rooting about for a handkerchief before Mum got up and handed me one.
       I took it just as something slithered out of my mouth. And it wasn’t a giant stone at all. I peered down at it. ‘I think one of my teeth has made a bid for freedom,’ I said. ‘But it’ll be fine. Don’t call for an ambulance or anything. If I just sit here quietly I’m sure the bleeding will stop – eventually. . .’

Has Louis got away with it?

Find out what happens next in ‘HOW TO FOOL YOUR PARENTS’

 

Pete answers your questions about
‘HOW TO FOOL YOUR PARENTS’

Question I love the title ‘HOW TO FOOL YOUR PARENTS.’ How did you think of it?

Titles are always difficult. The original title for,’ How To Train Your Parents, was ‘The Trouble with Parents.’ I’m so glad I changed it.

My first title this time was ‘How To Trick your Parents,’ which we then decided sounded a bit sneaky. So I played with words until I came up with ‘How to Fool’ . . . which everyone liked. The best title just clicks somehow.

Question Does Louis really find a secret way to get his parents to do whatever he wants?

A-ha you’ll have to read it and see. The thing is, what Louis wants more than anything is to be a comedian. But he keeps missing out. Now though, at last, he has a chance to make his dream come true. But he needs his parents to back him up. But then Louis accidentally falls asleep in a lesson (‘a power nap’ he calls it) the teacher goes mad and there’s a Parents’ Evening that very night … This is just the start of a crazy series of events, which I hope is my funniest book, yet.

Question At the end of ‘How To Update Your Parents,’ Maddy goes to America. Is she in this book?

Very definitely. She plays a key role in the story, as do Poppy and Edgar. And oh yes, the celebrity vloggers Noah and Lily return too.

Question What was the best and worst part of writing ‘How To Fool Your Parents?’

Starting a book is always scary. It’s so good in your head but nowhere near as impressive in the dreaded, first draft. But I keep going through it. Then there came a moment when ‘How To Fool Your Parents,’ just took over my life. It was all I could think about, all I wanted to think about. That’s the best bit for certain.

Question I was so sad to hear this will be the last, Louis The Laugh book.

I know, I’m missing Louis too. But the thing is, I’d written five books about him and they’re all – I hope – fresh   and funny. And I think ‘How to Fool …’ may be the funniest. So I wanted to stop while I was ahead, especially as Peter Kay said, a lot of series tend to go on for one series too many, especially comedies.

Question What first inspired you to write about Louis the Laugh?

The poet Philip Larkin gave some brilliant advice to writers. He said. ‘Write the book that you would most like to read but that nobody has bothered to write for you.’  Well, ‘How To Train Your Parents,’ was definitely that. It featured my favourite characters – Louis and Maddy and was an out and out comedy, when practically all the books written seemed to be fantasies (Yawn!) So, more than any other title I wrote it for me. Never expecting the Louis books to be my breakout hit.  Sometimes I still can’t believe it.
 


Buy this book
Award Publications | 224-page paperback
ISBN-10: 1782702474
ISBN-13: 978-1782702474